Brett's sister, Amanda, had her baby on Wednesday (August 12). She's a beautiful, tiny baby and they named her Elayna. (I think that's how they spell it.)
Amanda looks so great! This picture was taken on Friday, 2 days after the baby was born.
Ethan wasn't too interested in Elayna. I think it was because her eyes were always shut; he couldn't tell she was a little baby. This picture looks like he is looking at her, but he was just trying to get her blanket in his mouth. hee hee.
Grandpa Don and Grandma Laurie came by Amanda's while we were there. I don't have many pictures of them with Ethan. These are a couple nice ones.
Jackie, Joel, and Blythe are here visiting. We've been spending time in parks playing tennis (and laying on blankets).
We blessed Ethan on Sunday evening. It was very nice. Below is Brett's sister, Christine, and his Grandparents. Nanie is holding Amanda's new baby (notice the full head of hair on Elayna!).
My dad and Brett chatting.
Here is Amanda and Clark with their new Elayna. I can't believe that Amanda came to the blessing. I don't think I showered for several weeks after giving birth, let alone dress up and go out! She's a wonder woman.
Brett's grandpa was telling us about how he used to come to this chapel when he was a young man.
They look so much alike.
Johnathan and Colette, the most photogenic children in the world.
But Ethan is the most beautiful!
I really like this picture of Belle. She's getting to be so big! Normally for photos, she does a super-cheesy-awkward smile, but I think for this one she was caught with brownie in her mouth, so she looks more natural. She's a beautiful girl.
Joel came to the blessing and stood in the circle as Ethan's godfather. Brett kept insisting that we had to do a Christening for Ethan, so that he could have a godfather. But I told him we could just say that Joel was the godfather without any ceremony and it would be just as effective.
I love the happy look on Brett's face and the slightly uncomfortable look on Joel's face. hee hee.
Ryan and Megan came to the blessing as well. And Erin came and took all the beautiful pictures for us, but didn't get one of herself. Megan and Erin both looked beautiful and slender. Humph.
Our fat faced family!
And sweet Andrew sitting in a box.
I came home from work one morning and noticed that Ethan had gotten a tattoo just like Daddy's. Hmmm.
She loves dirt. I sat her down for just one minute and she looked like this.
Aunt Christine got Rayen these cute sunglasses.
We had a bbq with the Sinners and the Burkharts on Sunday.
The 3 "big" kids: Lucas (16 months), Blythe (almost 3), and Ethan (2 and a half).
Ethan had been playing in the same dirt Rayen got into (see earlier photos). I think I'm going to get one of those covered sandboxes. So they will at least look clean after they play (I'm sure there's all kinds of nastiness in that dirt that I'm trying not to think about, too.)
As we were eating dessert, the wind started up and knocked a giant branch out of our trees. It landed right on top of us! The pictures show the branch after we rolled it off of the blankets (and people). Thankfully no one was hurt, just a few scrapes. And my delicious chocolate cake was ruined. But we're grateful the cake was the only casualty. Especially with the little babies around! Rayen was inside napping, and little Norah (Jackie's new baby was born Sept 1) was inside her carseat behind Jackie. Blythe was the only kid under the branch and she got a few scrapes, but nothing serious.
Ethan has been learning his letters like crazy! There are only a few he doesn't recognize now. And, he's started figuring out what sounds the letters make. We play a "what words start with..." game. When ever he sees a letter, we list off all the words we can think of that start with that letter. And he's starting to come up with his own! Normally he just recites the words that I've already told him, but yesterday he said "dinner" and "Duke" start with D.
