1/2 Dozen

I think at this point my mom has more shots of her grandbabies than she does of my sister, brother and me. She never misses and opportunity to line 'em all up and have them beam toward the camera's...tho come to think of it, maybe it's just a ploy to see her grown 30-something children act like complete idiots behind the camera to fulfill her never ending requests for this tiny generation to "SMILE!"

Cinnamon Hearts

We went to my sister's house to make up a few of our (now) traditional special heart cinnamon ornaments. Everyone helped, and the house smelled so nice. Happy Valentines!

Wednesday

Grilled pizza and cousins on the swings.

N with our Ax, not yet 4 months old...

Vashon Island

My dad's sister lives a 20 minute ferry ride away on Vashon Island. It's beautiful, and it didn't rain yesterday! We piled all the cousins onto the boat and headed over for a fun filled visit. I'm talkin' filled! We ascended on their beautiful property just after lunch like a swarm of ants, and didn't leave them in peace until 7pm. Thank you so much Aunt Olivia and Uncle John, what a totally fun field trip!

I know mom would have loved a picture with all her grand babies together, but we were lucky to just know where all 6 were simultaneously...we joked about getting t-shirts made up with large numbers printed on them for a quick count-off.

Ferry Ride

Feeding 'Slick'

Gus, their new lab puppy

His favorite toy

Hammock

Atalie was a little sad yesterday

Hot tub

Inger

Aunt Olivia introducing Slick

The 'other' puppy

pole

pond

shoes

teeter totter

Axel

Tug-o-war

Dinner bell

Cousins Meet

We couldn't stay away for long.

Axel & Auntie

E just held him, and held him, and held him

Sweet Cuddle Time

The Cousins

Welcome Axel Benjamin!

Axel Benjamin Birt

Born at 6:45pm

8lbs 11oz

21.5"

After laboring most of the day at home my sister gave birth to a very healthy baby boy this evening just 3 hours after arriving at the hospital!  He looks so much like his older sister, and yet he called up quiet little nuances of my own boy too (maybe it's just their boy-ness).  He has curly sandy blond hair, long fingers and had already found his thumb.  Laila was as excited as any 1 1/2 year old could be.  She kept pointing to her brother saying "Baby," and "Nigh-night," as he was pretty sleepy for her visit.

The Big Sister

Face to Face

The Whole Clan

Gram & Papa

A Little Laugh