Starting the Meal with Leftovers

I decided to put up a blog post this afternoon because my other two options were as follows:

1. Create and submit excruciatingly late quarter reports to the school district.

or

2. Descend into the Basement of Horror and Doom to chip away at horror and doom. 

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Hey, howdy! Here's a blog post!
I found a few pictures on my phone from early November to get this ball rolling.

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Deborah and I display our matching bellies and matching bowls of Unmatched Purdyville Ice Cream. (Yes, those are "normal" portions.)

Right before Ransom was born, Ezekiel surprised me with a fancy snack of warm, cinnamon apples, enough for six people my size.

I found this picture on my phone. Apparently, someone wanted to record their dishwashing achievement. 

Millie couldn't deliver these to the hospital, but I gobbled them once I got home. It's like a coconut chocolate dream.

Ransom with his sunbeam blanket from Anna.

I'm still wearing maternity shirts four months later (totally blaming that bowl of Purdyville ice cream Titi dished up), but at least that first week home, Ransom was small enough to fit inside of them.

I gave Skylark a treat one morning-- a few tablespoons of my coffee. This is her guilty face when I asked if she added any sugar to it.

And here's the evidence left in her cup.

Ransom's last diaper from his baby shower was a little too true. He's oblivious to it all.

The younger ones gathered around Lucinda like moths to a Light,

and she has a sleeping babe in arms, to boot.

The Nixie still matches her eyes to her shirt, all these years later. 

Mildred is quicker on the draw than I am.

Ransom at a week old.

And I'm even posting leftover videos!

Here's video evidence of John's spoiling of the boys.

And here are more New Baby Noises, because I love them.

One at a Time

 

This interminable series is entitled "Taking Turns with the New Babe."  The first few weeks with a brand-new baby are rife with scuffles over who gets to hold him next. Somehow, we fit everyone in, and then some.

Shaggy Ezekiel took a turn.

Later that week, a more respectable boy did the same. (It's the wonder of Homeschool Haircuts.)

Cadence and Skylark are always shaggy.

Aidan could not (and still cannot) refrain from rubbing his face against the baby's face whenever he holds him. The lure of baby cheeks is just too much, and I understand completely.

When John and I first told the children I was pregnant, Susannah, Piper, and I all started to cry a bit. It is unspeakably precious to have children who Know how amazing new life is every single time. 

Little grumpy face...

Ransom is an unusually strong baby. Annika already harbors hope that he'll be a Newbsaniac by the time he's five.

Oh, Little Lu. She may have the record for Ransom-holding!

Our Birdie stretches across the whole couch these days.

Millie shows off his incredible core strength. Always curious.

Grandma Owen's first time snuggling with him.

Grandpa Owen dropped by for his turn.

Aunt Deborah and the boys came to say, "hullo." 

And his mama may have held him, too. 

Pure Baby / Pure Magic

 

And more baby noises, because they flee so swiftly, and I didn't want to forget them.

Three Boys Are the Charm

Aidan and Zeke are the best big brothers. In the mornings, Ezekiel will bring Ransom downstairs, change his wet clothes, and change his diaper, chatting to him all the while, and all before I know Ransom is even awake. 

While he doesn't change diapers, Aidan cuddles and coos. Several times a week, I overhear him telling Ransom, "Don't worry, baby. I am here. I will keep you safe."   I also hear him plotting in hushed, clandestine tones, "When I grow up and move away, I'm taking YOU with me, because you're MY baby."

 

Aidan is a wild, little fire, but the heart hidden within that blaze is pure butter. He adores his brother, and he loves bunnies, too. As the video below reveals, at first he wasn't sure just how much he loved Ransom. Rest assured that now he tells us, "Ransom is better than a million, billion, hunnerd, MILLION, all-the-bunnies!"

(Stay put for the end  of the video, when the chicken conference is announced. Alas, I took no picture.)

Giving Thanks

 

We had a small gathering for Thanksgiving, and the girls and I prepared enough food to make both the table and the guests groan, but I took only a couple of pictures of food and no pictures of people. 

Here's a turkey.

And a pie!

And a second pie!

And nine pies!

Oops. I inadvertently lied. Here's a patient Tadhg boy, waiting for us to gather and eat.

On FATFROG (Friday-After-Thanksgiving-Family-Reunion-of-Gaming), Dude and Uncle Tim stopped by, and Aidan roped them into a killer game of Uno.

Bonus photo: 

Uno is one of Aidan's favorite games, and I frequently see him playing with Cadence and Skylark. His trick to consistent victory is a simple one-- he stacks his hand with scores of black cards from the deck before calling them down to play. I discovered this one day when he came to show me his hand and couldn't stop gleeful chortles from spilling out.

Bonus video: Skylark and her convincing turkey call. (Thank you for the masks, Molly!}