Bouncing Baby Boy

Announcing the newest Gale Grandchild:

Remington Colt Gale

Born October 27th

7 lbs. 15 oz.

He made his grand entrance 3 weeks early--with that weight it was 

a tender mercy for Mama Adrianna that he didn't go to his full term size!

Her water broke early in the morning and when they got to the hospital 

they saw that he was breach (feet first!) and did a c-section.

So he was out into the big wide world pretty quickly and caught

us all by surprise. 

Baby Remi with his Papa--so sweet!

And with his Mama on the day he went home.

Adorable Baby Yawn!

He seems pretty happy with life so far...

Welcome to the world little one!

I am patiently waiting for my time with him--

I can't wait to smoosh those chubby cheeks!

P.S. If you want to see a cute picture of baby Spencer for comparison purposes, go here.

Good Friday

Meet the newest member of the Gale family:

Miriam JoAnn

8 lbs. 3 oz.

Born in a birthing center with the

gentle attendance of midwives.

When Shanna called to tell me she was in labor, I jumped in my car and started driving.

I drove through eight states and through the night and through some

snarly traffic jams until I got to the birthing center.

Just a few minutes after Miriam made her grand entrance into the world.

Which was just a few minutes after midnight.

Which was Good Friday.

A very good Friday. 

I hurried to wash my hands and held that sweet little granddaughter. 

She was calm and alert and quietly looked around.

After her inspection, she was pronounced perfect and she nursed and fell asleep.

So we all decided to take a little nap. The midwife pulled out a couch bed for me, and 

everyone else settled in for a snooze. That little baby slept for so long we all crashed until the sun came up.

We bundled up that little bundle of joy and took her home to meet her big brother.

Who had spent the night in the care of his Keaton grandparents.

He said "Hi baby sister!"

Miss Miriam showing us some graceful ballerina moves.

(Isn't a baby stretching just the cutest!?)

Getting to know Aunt Siara

On her blessing day, I dressed Miriam in the blessing gown that I made for 

her mama when she was my little baby girl.

Mother and Daughter

Mason wasn't pleased with all the picture taking...

...but he warmed up to it a little later!

Welcome to the family, little one.

The Hurrier I Go, The Behinder I Get

Sweet Little Trio of Girlies

Gentle Reader, I realize my blogging has been scarce as of late--it's just that we have been inundated with disasters and storms and family milestones and drives to New Jersey and grandchildren arriving from heaven in need of snuggles and cheek-smooshing and other grandchildren in need of story telling and song singing. Not to mention homeschooling decisions and early college admissions in addition to church callings and career considerations and so on and so forth. 

It's always something.

Winter storm Nemo brought us about two feet of snow.

The snow-plow driver destroyed our mailbox (again).

I beat the storm to New Jersey and waited it out there with our son and his family. They were going to bless new baby June that weekend but Pops and Uncles were snowed in in Connecticut. So that has been rescheduled. 

Perhaps for next Spring.

If the snow melts by then.

We caught the fringe of the storm in Jersey and got about four inches of snow.

So the girls bundled up to play in it. Bailey decided her Tinkerbell pjs were just the thing to keep her warm.

 Norah had done some avantgarde face painting with a dry erase marker. Her installation included the office carpet. She's kind of a free-range artist.

Ready to head out. Cinderella Barbie was part of the entourage.

Back indoors, the girls found many ways to entertain themselves and Nana. Here you see Norah in her cat costume jumping over a box (their Dad is doing some remodeling--like father, like son) riding a horse. Bailey's(imaginary) horses are named Lula and Scarlet. When one gets tired, she rides the other. 

Baby June-bug all dressed up for church. June is the most pleasant of baby companions. She is content and laid-back and only fusses when absolutely necessary.

 She is surrounded by love and she is thriving  in it.

The last day I was there, Bailey woke up and stretched and announced

 "Let's have  a Valentine's Party today Nana!"

So we did. She decided  the agenda:

Make Valentines

Decorate

Dance

Tell Stories

Have Treats

So we did.

A good time was had by all.

One day playing "School"

Norah: "Close your eyes and say the magic word."

Me: "What's the magic word?"

 Norah (whispering): "Kitchen."     

When it was Bailey's turn to be the teacher: 

Bailey: "You can call me Miss Bailey or Miss Gale. Or you can call me whatever you want."

Me: "Can I call you Silly Sue?"  

Bailey: "MISS Silly Sue!"     

That's about it for now from our neck of the woods. 

Life is good.

If you need a little enchantment in your life, remember the magic word.

Kitchen         

Blessed

Mason wore the outfit his Daddy was blessed in.

Mother and Child

Mason, freshly blessed with Mom and Dad.

Another of Mason's Baby Skills: Mama Snuggling

Cuteness Alert

Sweet Baby Mason showing off one of

his many baby skills: Cute Sleeping

I was only going to post one--but how could I 

with so much adorableness to choose from?!

This little angel slept 6 1/2 hours last night.

In a row.

We would adore him regardless, but that was pretty sweet.

Snoozin'

Funny how we can all sit around and watch him sleep.

He's just that adorable.

Grandbaby Alert!

Here's the newest addition to the Gale family:
Mason Austin Keaton was born 6/11/11 at 2:03 a.m.
(Named after his Daddy!)

Our little girl is a Mommy! Here she is with her son just after he was born.

That sweet little bundle of joy came into the world here:

It was a beautiful, amazing, spiritual experience. 

And I feel privileged to have been there for it all.

 "Milk Drunk"

A very contented little baby boy home with his loving family

just a few hours after he was born.

I will be spending a few weeks here in Grandma heaven so posts may be sporadic--and full of grandbaby pictures and possibly some bragging--but only within the rules and regulations as stated in the

Grandparent Adoration Handbook.

Did I mention he is adorable? Darling, precious? Perfect?

You know that sweet baby smell? The soft cheeks?

Can't get enough!

Absolution

Daddy/Daughter
Comparing Hair With Gramps

I have heard many times that being a grandparent is payback for all the work of raising children. Yesterday I held my first grandchild in my arms when she was only a few hours old. I walked into the hospital room and saw her and burst into tears. I couldn't wash my hands fast enough and then Scott put his little girl in my arms. I looked into that angel face and I physically felt my heart melt. And then an amazing thing happened. In that moment, Scott received absolution. Every all-nighter with ear infections, every two-year-old temper tantrum, every naughty back-talk, every mischievous deed, every smart-alec remark, every worry through the teen-age years--gone. The sweet halo of perfection in that baby spread out to include him. Why? Because all of that is simply the reality of getting a child from baby to adult. We learned together as we went along and we both got through it with love and relationship strong. And now he gets to start that journey. And it's payback time for Grandma.

Another of My Favorite Things: My Grandma Rocker

Andy bought this for me at a little shop called "Cabin Fever"! It's sturdy and comfortable and has deer antlers carved into the sides. I call it my Grandma Rocker because I hope to rock many a grandbaby in it (all in good time--no hurry kids). Since Scott and Nicole have our first on the way, I thought it would be fun to do a little flashback today...back to when I was expecting Scott. Here's a journal entry from July 1983:
"Andy has a night class until 8:00. It's so quiet around here I thought I'd take some time to write. The thing that has been on my mind most lately is the excitement and aches and pains and emotions of being an expectant mother. I feel the baby moving ALL the time --I'm afraid we're going to have a hyper-active child on our hands! Sometimes I almost cry to think how amazing it will be to hold our baby in my arms. Then I think of the responsibility and wonder about my capabilities. My 'out-of-balance' physique is a little hard on my back. It's a new experience to have so many aches and pains I've never thought of before. Sometimes I feel like an arthritic old lady. I keep telling myself it's all worth it--but it's not easy! Andy is pretty understanding, I feel sorry for him having to put up with me and sometimes I know I get on his nerves with my crazy emotions--but I guess the expectant Daddy has to have his trials too! He works so hard studying and fixing up the house and doing yardwork--plus his job. I wonder what I did to deserve a companion like him.
And one from August 1983:
"I've been working full time as usual. Right now I am trying to train Alice to take over my job when I have the baby. It's harder work than I thought it would be. Being pregnant doesn't help in the area of being comfortable--I'm beginning to feel pretty awkward, and my ankles swell like crazy (back to 2008--yeah the puffy ankles were NOT pretty!) which can be pretty painful sometimes. It's certainly worth it to me but it's no picnic."

So there you have our little flashback for today. And can I just say, there were some other stages of Scott's upbringing I could sum up with that last sentence: It was certainly worth it to me but it was no picnic. You know I love you Scott and I hope someday you have a child just like you. And when you do, bring him to me so I can spoil him rotten...and rock him in my Grandma Rocker.