Bit O' Henry

(Guest Post by Auntie Becca)

Big time Auntie gushing about to happen. I'm in love and I don't care who knows it. His name is Henry Wayne, and he's completely and utterly breathtakingly perfect. Here's proof.

Henry Wayne Riddle

September 1st 2011, 8:06 am

6 lbs 14 oz

19 1/2 inches

Me feeling that soft little baby calf. . .

and patting that nothing little bottom.

new little eyes

Tiny toes.

Little belly

His little head with his daddy's big hand.

Proud daddy!

His namesake and his Grandpa.

The most darling eyelashes.

Welcome to the world our little Grand Finale!

The Perfect Summer Evening

We decided to have a early birthday party for Daphne this year for obvious reasons. We rented an outdoor community pool near us for an hour. It turned out just perfect. We asked that parents accompany their kids to this one so that I would feel like everyone was super safe. Because of that it turned into more of a family affair for all.

Daphne was in heaven! So many friends....smurf cake....and lots of water wonder.

Catching Up...(Parade Day)

I have 5 days until D-Day...and chores left unfinished. One is to finish journaling about our Summer '11 on my blog.

Don't be surprised if you see one per day until the birth:) I'm super anal about my to-do lists when I am nesting. Yes...organizing the spice cupboard IS on my master list. Call me whacky or just hormonal.

These pictures are some of the best taken back at the end of July when we went to my hometown's parade. It was so HOT...it was both fun and very uncomfortable for me.
















The behind story of that day was that we bug bombed (for those pesty fleas) while I took the girls to the parade and Mike went golfing. After the parade, my sister and mom and I took all seven cousins to McDonalds for lunch. I still wasn't sure it was safe to go back into house, so then I took the girls swimming. (thanks mom for your help opening the house up for me) Then we came home, got Daphne packed for a slumber party. Finally we ended the night at some friends' house for a bbq. Let's just say I was ready for bed after the parade....so this goes down as one of the most tiring days of the entire summer FOR SURE!!!

My Baby Shower

I had the most beautiful double shower 2 weeks ago, hosted by my very talented and sweet sister in law!

She did the cutest theme with nests. Our invites had two little eggs in the nest and the decor included flowers, branches, bird cages, bird pictures, and of course nests! We sat on her very shaded and quaint back porch. Jill and I side by side in a double bench. It was the perfect setting....like a "Pollyanna"sort of afternoon if you've seen and love that movie like me.

It was a family shower and since we are cousins (in law) there were guests for me, guests for her, and guests whom we shared. But we all know each other fairly well anyways so the conversation was intimate and the mood was very very celebratory and for me and Jill, I think it was a bit emotional. We had our first babies just 3 weeks apart, and now to be wrapping up our families side by side...well, let's just say it's a God Thing! We know it and we feel blessed...throw some pregnancy hormones in there and I think her and I could have cried a few times that day:)

I should have posted this before the nursery reveal, because I referenced it a couple times, but my ducks are always in a gaggle of chaos and never in that row that some people are always striving for (me included).

So here you will see the lot of shoes from Kathi, and me receiving Jill's quilt too. Daphne was in attendance, which was special. You will see her eating the blueberry cobbler that Becca creatively presented in canning jars. Also notice the names of our babies, written in chalk on the siding of Becca's house.... Henry and Amelia...don't they sound straight out of a Jane Eyre novel?

I have had a lot of showers through my pregnancies, and I've loved them all. I think it's because this is for sure my last baby, but it took me by surprise how much this particular moment in time touched me and how I'm beginning to be sad that this pregnancy is coming to a close. I'll write more on those thoughts later...

To Becca - thank you! And to all the ladies who came and "showered us" - what can I say...I'm blessed to have each one of you in my life!