My Basket Babies!!

Ellyana

Nathanael

Ethan

Hannah

Christmas Day

Here is quick photo blast from Christmas yesterday.  We had a fantastic day and enjoyed spending it with each other and family.  It was especially wonderful to have Ellyana with us even if she did sleep through most of it.

Christmas Morning

Opening stockings.  Man they just don't stop moving when they are excited.

Hannah got her Christmas wish to feed Elly all by herself. :D

The girls in their matching dresses.  Oh how I love it. I have been waiting 6.5 years.

Later in the day we went to my parents house for dinner.  Here are all the grandkids.

Love their matching clothes.  

Charlotte and Ben just don't listen to Aunty very well.  :D

Papa and Elly.

hehehehe

Watching Gama and Papa opening their presents.

Auntie Amanda and Uncle Chris with Elly.

Watching a Christmas movie together. :D

Our Christmas feast.  So delicious.

Nathanael was so excited during dinner that his just came off.

Merry Christmas!!

Ellyana Lynn

Even though I've had myself on a self-imposed blog sabbatical I can't help but post about our lovely and sweet new addition to our family.  Ellyana Lynn is a wonderful as I could have ever imagined. We are so blessed and thankful to have her as part of our now family of six. She fits our family as if she has always been here with us.

I had this sweetest nicest doctor.  Actually, I've had the best doctors and nurses the whole time.  But it was a nice surprise to be in such good care during delivery since you never know who your going to get.  It's why I had all my babies in Maple Ridge.  Incidentally, all four babies were born in the same room at the same hospital.  Each and every time I went to the hospital I was the only one in labour and was given the choice of rooms.  It's the same hospital I was born in too.  I like the continuity.  

  She was born Dec 17th and weighed 8 lbs 8 oz and is our biggest but not longest baby at 22 inches just a little shorter than her brother Nathanael.  Her birth was super fast.  We were at the hospital exactly 1 hour when she was born screaming her little lungs out.  She is a great eater and already a pretty good sleeper (during the day).  

Her name Ellyana means "My God Answers".  Andrew and I love the meaning and pray that Ellyana will know this truth also.  Her middle name Lynn is after her grandmothers who share the name.  We chose to spell Lynn after Andrew's mom (without out the e on the end).  Now each grandchild has a name from one of each of the grandparents.  (Seriously I could not have planned this better.  It makes me very happy).  Hannah Mary is named after my mom, Ethan James Nicholas is named after Andrew's Dad, Nathanael David is named after my dad, and finally Ellyana Lynn after Andrew's Mom.

Seriously squishy cheeks.  

Hannah is my little baby whisperer and can put Elly to sleep when I need a hand (which is often). 

Ethan is so sweet and thoughtful and is often reminding me of things and bringing me things.

Poor Nathanael desperately wants to walk around with his sister and have his "turn" too.  Thankfully, they are all adjusting quite well to her presence and needs.

Here is her coming home pictures.  She looks so little in the carseat.  She actually seems to like the seat despite her initial reaction which bodes well because we are off to see Andrew's parents soon and it's a long car ride with a crying baby.

6 Years Ago

Hannah, Ethan and I spent the morning looking at pictures and videos of Uncle Nick.  I happily shared stories with them as they asked questions about him.  

Paging through the photo book Teresa made of all of Nicks pictures.  They especially like this and enjoy pointing out all the people they know and see in each photo.

They also wrote about Nick in their journals this morning. I LOVED what they wrote.  This is Ethan's page and he dictated to me what he wanted me to write after he drew his picture.  It says, "This is Uncle Nick and I eating ice cream.  After we eat ice cream we go back to Uncle Nick's and watch Star Wars".

Hannah drew a picture of a helicopter and wrote, "This is a helicopter. I am in this helicopter with Uncle Nick and Auntie Teresa and Auntie Amanda and Mommy".

Today I feel cranky and sad.  I am thankful for all the pictures, videos and memories.  I am thankful that my kids are able to know my brother through myself and the rest of their family.  But today it just doesn't feel like enough.  

Just for fun:

My Kids in Print.

This is a picture of my Sonlight homeschool catalog which came out at the beginning of April.  I finally got my paper copy last week and what seemed like weeks of checking my mailbox (160 pages of homeschool wonderfulness).  We have been using Sonlight for 2 years now and LOVE it. 

Flipping through my catalog I was so excited to see my kids on page 31. Every year Sonlight does a photo contest.  The winning photo is put on the cover (and you win a prize).  As you can see the cover above is a pretty professional looking picture or maybe it's the chicken.  Regardless none of the pictures that I submitted even stood a chance. 

 1 of the 3 photo's I did submit was picked to be in the catalog and even though I didn't win a prize I do feel a bit a pride seeing their beautiful faces on page 31.

Easter Dinner

Easter dinner went so well.  We had a great time relaxing and enjoying one another.  The kids got to look for eggs. Mom made a very delicious dinner that everyone enjoyed (except Hannah but she doesn't count).

Papa and Charlotte

Andrew's mom and Nathanael.

Getting ready to look for eggs.  I think Nathanael was cheating a bit by edging out early before I said go.

Ben and his first egg.

Turns out one was enough.  Such restraint.

Hannah and Ethan.

Even Charlotte got an egg.

Dad cutting the turkey.

All the grandkids.

Andrew and his favorite niece.  Look at the love.

Hannah needed some love too.

Snuggles with this boy.

Everyone tries to get in on the action.

Resting.

Kevin and Ben.

In deep conversation.

Andrew's Parents.

Matching Easter Jammies.