Daddy and His Girls

 

I like this picture Barb snapped of me and the girls. Elizabeth looks so engaged with Suzanne! She (Elizabeth) said today that she doesn't want to be a big sister and that she wants to be two forever and ever.

But she doesn't, really.

Grandma is Awesome

 

The other day Grandma did that most grandmotherly activity: baked cookies with her granddaughter. The solemn girl pictured here was utterly thrilled to go over to Grandma's for the afternoon, gorge on sugar, and come home with the product of her efforts: Christmas cookies to share.

This effort on my mom's part was particularly noteworth because Grandma is not, traditionally, the cookie-baking type. But she stepped up, brought her A-game, and delivered the goods: a Christmas experience that Elizabeth loved.

And cookies!

Friends are Awesome

 

Our friends have been really supportive in this demanding time. Aaron and Wendy and Lily (pictured) came over this morning with coffee cake and beer (?). Then later they provided us with two dinners worth of soup and salad -- delicious! They were followed by Kurt and Erin, with turkey chili and cornbread. Yesterday and the day before Teresa and Brian provided lasagna and soup. Dave and Snark brought beer (at night this time: more appropriate) and cheetos (hey, they're bachelors).

The parental units have also been savvy enough to know that Elizabeth needs a lot of attention during this time when her parents' attention is, for the first time since her birth, divided. Teresa gave Elizabeth a package of toddler-sized Legos (by which she is absolutely enchanted). Aaron and Wendy gave her a cool novelty T-shirt from Mexico (it's a fish with a flapping mouth).

And I haven't even mentioned Grandma!

Reindeer Games

 

A local nursery had live reindeer a couple of weeks ago, and the family (at the time: Mom, Dad, Elizabeth, and Joey the Monkey) went to check them out. We were all (with the possible exception of the chimp), struck by how small and un-deer-like the reindeer were. Elizabeth thought they kind of looked like dogs. Except for the magnificent rack on the papa reindeer, I have to agree.

Edit: I know that technically a chimpanzee is an ape, not a monkey. Monkey is a funnier word, and Joey's point is humor, therefore he remains Joey the Monkey.

Searching for Sunlight

 

As with most newborns, Suzanne is a bit jaundiced. The solution is sunlight, which is hard to come by in the Pacific Northwest at this time of year. Lucky for us, it dawned clear and cold today, so we took advantage of the light by placing baby in the little patch that fell through our bedroom window. It also made for some nice photos.

Elizabeth as Big Sister, Pt. I

 

Elizabeth likes holding Suzanne, and is pretty good at it (the nursing pillow helps), but can only tolerate the strangeness and excitement for a minute or less.

I'm glad she wants to, though.

Other Suzanne news: her umbilical stump fell off today; she likes being awake at night; she sleeps really well when she does sleep; she is done passing meconium and is producing real poop.

Things are good!

Happy Birthday, Suzanne!

Suzanne Hovey was born last night. Eight pounds, nine ounces; twenty one inches in length. Elizabeth spent the night at Lily's -- her first sleepover, and she did so well! She fell asleep very late, but slept through the night.

The whole family is well, and this writer has little time for words, so to the pictures!