Sisters

Fun with Paul and Liz

Grandparents

Horror film?

 A not-so-gentle push, perhaps? On the way to church, no less?

Not exactly. This is Bernadette descending more cautiously and observing her brother slide himself down the last couple steps before each of the landings. No malice, no foul play, no ghoulish, seasonal tableau.

Ice cream

Keeping up the ice cream a day average while Grandma and Grandpa are here.

New pillowcase

Of course that's how you use it.

The Baptism

 Thanks to everyone who joined us and helped out.

Conversations

Paul: "Can I sleep in your room?"

Isaiah: "Um, there's not very much room." Pause. Then, helpfully: "The couch is very nice." 

Bee: I want glasses! 

Liz: No, these are my glasses.

Isaiah: Bernadette, you can have glasses when you're an old woman yourself.

Grandma

Sent from my iPhone

Fwd: Somebody hates being in her carseat.

> Liz says: I think she's shooting daggers at Bernadette, who is much more mobile -- and who faces forward.
>

Uncle Paul

Entertaining the crowd.

Art!

The kids sure enjoy an opening, especially when there are appetizers.

Awake

Not long before bedtime, and not long before Bernadette bit her.

Sunny day

Fish Family Farm

Watched the Jerseys getting milked, petted a calf and bawked at the chickens.

New York adventure

 Isaiah tries to eat chicken with chopsticks at Pho Grand Vietnamese restaurant in New York, near the Bowery.

 Bernadette used chopsticks, too, but only to stir Daddy's soup.

 The mango smoothy wasn't to your liking?

 A taste of the sweet and spicy dipping sauce that came with an appetizer.

 Matt, Clare, Matt and Bernadette

Peter, Magda and Isaiah

Monday afternoon

We arrive home to a sleeping Kateri.

New York

Another New York adventure with Uncle Pete and Aunt Magda.

Looking around

Soaking up more and more the world. Both yesterday and today, Kateri had whole-body hiccups while I held her.

Counterbalance

I haven't tried to hold all three children at the same time ...

That way!

A certain strong-willed young lady wanted to go the opposite direction when we walked to the library for story time today. I suspect Grandma and Aunt Therese may have taken her to the convenience store over there for treats. Or she wants to migrate north for the winter.

Bolder and stronger

Bernadette could not do this at the beginning of the summer.

Isaiah's thoughts

The day we found out we were having a girl, Isaiah announced he wanted a brother instead.  I told him he could ask God to send him a brother one day.  Five months later, on the day of Kateri's birth...

Isaiah: That baby is small.

Mama: Yes, she is.

Isaiah: Is God making me another one?

Mama: Not yet, but maybe someday.

Isaiah: And then...(suddenly cracking up) we will have so many children, you won't know what to do!

(I suppose I should be grateful that he seems to think I know what to do now...)

Gengi

Midwife Gengi checks Kateri the day she was born.

Joni

Midwife Joni Stone weighs Kateri on Tuesday.

Books

In which we become the poster family for the library.

Uncle Pete

 Just two dudes sitting on a bench, sharing stylish sweater.

No. 3, No. 2 and No. 1

 I have a sister and and a brother? Ho, hum.

Sisters

 It would appear the confidants have begun conversing.

Uncle Pete, Aunt Magda

 As somebody (probably a DiDona) noted of Facebook, Uncle Pete is a natural.

Kateri lets Aunt Magda know that the other kids have been getting way more treats than she has, and she's not happy about that.

Mother and child

Can I hold her?

Bernadette is fascinated. But not so fascinated she doesn't want to go to Pete and Magda's or with Grandma. She got to help hold her yesterday (send me the pictures!).