First Park Adventure!

 ... And she was unaware!

Family Portrait!

If I thought it was hard to get a family photo with four, it's near impossible with five! :)

So, below is the latest... Ben is buff, I have a waistline and our girlies look angelic!  You won't hear any complaints about this shot!

Hands Off!

Our girls can't keep their hands off of their baby sister.

I sometimes give them a boundary to admire her from or Marina would never have any peace.  Below, I told them to stay behind the arm of the couch.  However, that didn't keep G from overbalancing the edge and flipping onto the couch... where she narrowly missed kicking M in the pants.  G's comment (with great pride), "Whoa!  I didn't know I could do that trick!"  M slept through it all.

From head to toe, she's captivated us!

And Baby Makes FIVE!!!

Welcome Marina!

She's beautiful.  Sweet natured.  Easily soothed.  Sleeps... a LOT.

Super loved by the previous 4 family members!

Both mom and baby doing well!

Baby Naming!

DRUM ROLL....

We have named our BABY!  :)

...but we aren't telling!

If you know us well, you know this is a GREAT accomplishment!  For me, it was by far the most difficult baby to name.  I don't know why, but nothing was sticking.  Ironically, we ended up back at a name that I wasn't fond of when we were naming CC.  Go figure!  We decided to let our girls have some input as well and we enjoyed their thoughts.

As we wait for her arrival, I'm going to post some runner ups:

Emeline Kate

Penguin

Liliana Hope

Sadie Mae

*Emerson Noel

Stephanie Kate

Sarah Lillianalee (kid pick)

Ani Leah

Olivia Joy
Marco (kid pick for boy)

I marked a * next to my favorite!  Ben & the girls were NOT impressed!

Holding Pattern!

We are in the holding pattern of anticipation.

In our culture today, there isn't much we can't predict or plan for.

One exception... Babies.

Yesterday, I started contractions that lasted for 2 hours and then everything came to a sudden halt.  There's been no other signs of labor and so today we prepare as if it could happen at any moment.  I'm ready.  My girls are ready.  My babe is desperately trying to escape... she's ready.  Hubby is almost ready.  Now, we wait.

Waiting requires patience.  I'm not so good at P*A*T*I*E*N*C*E.

Sometimes anxiety and frustration can take over.

I refuse to let them in.

The JOY of anticipation is what fills me.

We can't wait to hold you sweet little one!

Song - What Does The Fox Say?

Okay... debating whether this should be my first post in 2014?!

Anyway, thanks to Uncle Brad, this is my girls new favorite song.  It's wacky, it's crazy and for sure loved by 3-5 year olds.  The girls dance, they sing and "get it stuck-ed in my head."  :)

The Fox (What Does The Fox Say?)

Happy 2014, People!