Thanksgiving and a little R love for Baby H...

Before Christmas overtakes us here, I wanted to share with the class "Why I am thankful for our fabulous Thanksgiving."

• I am so thankful for M&A and adorable niece E who spent the whole week taking care of us - cooking, cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, preparing for Thanksgiving, and loving up on all our kids including lots of H-snuggle time.
• (I am also thankful for the fabulous write-up of our time together that A did on their blog - such. great. photos.)
• I am thankful for the entire R clan who drove up to spend Thanksgiving with us.
• I am thankful to most of the clan for staying in a hotel - we love you all but that really helped keep the house sane with a 2.5 week old baby!
• I am thankful for my grandma who came along and all the wonderful gifts she brought Baby H - his stocking, baptism outfit, "Nana quilt", booties and burp rags
• I am thankful for L&J who took our big kids swimming at the hotel pool
• I am thankful for Mom and Dad and Grandma who recovered our chairs (in what was I swear less than 30 minutes)
• I am thankful for playing games and visiting and laughing and eating such good food with my wonderful family - each one of you is truly a blessing to us!

And now for a few bunch of pictures!  The first set is a little Baby H love from Nana and aunts and uncles...then some for all the kids...and finally some from a photo shoot that the lovely c.e.b. did with our family (hopefully I am not spoiling any Christmas card pictures...other than ours, but the way things are going you might see ours by Valentine's Day if we are lucky!).

Nana and H spent a lot of quality time with each other...I think they both loved it.

Baby H with Auntie J and Uncle L

Uncle M, Auntie A, cousin E and Baby H

funny faces with Uncle M and Auntie A!

and then "pile on Uncle L!" - thankfully Auntie J protected H!

(thanks so much christy for capturing the fun of all of us being together!)

bath night answers...

And now, what you have been waiting for...the answers to the bath night quiz! 

#1 is C

#2 is G

#3 is Baby H

#4 is W

Yay! Thanks to all who guessed and played along!

1 million points to those who guessed correctly!!! A measly 17 points for those who got 1 out of 4. And a required trip to the B household to study the subjects up close (and let mom and dad sneak a nap!) for those who where completely fooled by the ridiculously similar characteristics of our beautiful wonderful children.

Just kidding - you all may visit anytime (we might be needing naps for a while yet!)

Oh, and you want to know what these sweet babies look like in a bath when they get a little bigger?

...we may need a bigger bath tub.

bath night...

Time for everyone's favorite game...guess which Bruin baby it is!!!  All of them fit in our family, and have very similar first bath at home photos, so we had to get baby H in on this too.  Points will be awarded for correct answers!  And now, in no particular order...

Bruin Baby #1

Bruin Baby #2

Bruin Baby #3

Bruin Baby #4

Post your guesses on which baby is who in the comments and stay tuned for the correct answers.  Have fun!

singing for Grandpa A...

Update on Gpa A:  Grandpa is partially paralyzed on his left side, able to eat 25% of the pureed food that he is fed, and has alert periods during the day as well as spending a lot of time sleeping.  He will be going back to the assisted living he had just moved into a month or so ago and will be given hospice care from now on.  We continue to covet your prayers for Grandpa and his whole family during this difficult time.


post from 11-27-11
S's 91 year old Grandpa A had a stroke on Thanksgiving day.  He has lost function on one whole side of his body, and can't swallow, so we don't know how much longer he will be with us.  He lives in MI, so S's parents and sister drove out this weekend to be with him.  He has had some bad days since Thursday, but today was a good day for him, so we called to sing him a few songs.

Grandpa was able to say "thank you" and "good job" to the kids which was so good to hear.  We give thanks for the wonderful Godly example that Grandpa A has been in our lives, and for all the love and prayers he has given to us and so many others.  We ask for your prayers for comfort for Grandpa and the rest of the family as well as for wisdom for S's mom and her siblings as they will have to make some end of life decisions with Grandpa.

2 weeks full of baby H...

(happy birth day, sweet boy)   November 2, 2011

(didn't care much for that bath)   November 3, 2011

(ready to go home from the hospital)   November 4, 2011

November 5, 2011

(3 generations of Bruin's)   November 6, 2011

(sleeping baby burrito style on dadda's birthday)   November 7, 2011

(let's go to bed already, dadda!)   November 8, 2011

(happy 1 week birthday!)   November 9, 2011

("can I hold baby H, PLEASE?!!!!!")   November 10, 2011

(first outing - other than dr - to big sister's Drama Night play)   November 11, 2011

(shhhhh, don't wake the sleeping baby for a photo...)   November 12, 2011

(H didn't care for the movie or the breadsticks)   November 13, 2011

November 14, 2011

(still doesn't like those baths)   November 15, 2011

(H sleeping outside on momma - rather than inside - on his 2 week birthday and official due date)   November 16, 2011

Baby H love from family and friends...

We have been so blessed in the past couple weeks by:

     help from Aahma's...

     meals from family, church friends and school friends...

     some lovely words from Auntie C and Auntie A...

     and of course lots of love for Baby H from...

Aahma and Boppa R

cousins K and G

Our great mid-wife Ondrea, who delivered H

friend A and her adorable daughter B

Our fabulous head mid-wife Kathrine, who we have been with for all of the kids - so blessed because of the care we have gotten from her!!!

neighbors Miss C, Miss K, and Mrs. L!

Auntie M and Uncle C

Uncle J and Auntie C

Papa and Aahma B

introducing our newest blessing...

...Henry Kole!

(after making us wait so much longer than his brother did)

Baby H was born on Wednesday, November 2, 2011

(yep, his birthdate is 11-02-2011, which makes math nerds like us smile)

7 pounds 14 ounces

21 1/2 inches long

Baby H joins oh so proud big sister G, big brother W, and big brother C.  

They couldn't be more excited!

(then again, S and I couldn't be more excited either)

The pregnancy was long and trying at times as was the delivery process, but we are overwhelmed with joy at the addition of another child to our family.  We are truly thankful for all the blessings that God has given us!