Some wonderful folks

This year IU and the public schools had all of Thanksgiving week off for the holiday. What a nice, extended break. (We always like to draw out holidays and celebrations for longer than a day anyway, so this worked nicely for us...) So one afternoon we got together for afternoon tea with Ryan and Melanie and their three boys. 

They have been some truly wonderful friends these past 3 years, and now they are preparing to move in January to Germany, where Ryan has a fellowship at a university to finish writing his dissertation. It is bittersweet to begin to say good-bye - joyful, because that means that graduation (and finishing dissertations) is getting closer! And sad too, because this chapter of our lives here at IU is coming to an end; we will both be moving on from this place to new homes and occupations (though specifics are still uncertain for both our families).

Gemma and her pals, Elijah and Thomas

zucchini bread

 

Melanie pouring tea; we also had maple pumpkin cheesecake bars

Happy 7-week old Jesse (JRR)

and Timo is 4 weeks old

Ha! We've done this before, haven't we?! This photo below was from 2 years ago at Thanksgiving time when we had tea & pumpkin cheesecake together. Gemma (on left) was almost 3 months old, and Elijah (on right) was 2 months old. And now two years later, we both have newborns again! And only 3 weeks apart! Again!

Sibling Time - and 3 weeks old

In the process of becoming a family of four - and having a 2 year old learn to be an older sister - not all moments are joyful. Some mornings can be tiring and emotional and filled with tears. But without a doubt, the joyful, simple moments are what enable us to persevere and fill us with happiness and wonder; we are a family of four now.

Gemma has already taken to sharing her favorite activity - reading books - with Timo

So far Timo seems to like bath-time (more than Gemma as a newborn, who cried through most of her baths at first). He will lie calmly while having water poured on, looking around and listening to Gemma's chatter.

Tummy time together! The day after this photo, Gemma announced, "Wanna have tummy time again. That was fun."

Timo at 3 weeks: starting to make eye contact, show us some facial expressions, and make cute little noises!! He has also shown glimpses of a full smile...with a "half smile" being given on occasion. Oh boy, can't wait to see a true smile!

 

More Grandma time! And double Grandma time!

"Jaja" and "Nonna", that is!

We had a terrific 2nd week with Mom H in the house, cooking and cleaning up a storm (and loading up our freezer with food for after she left), not to mention hanging out with Gemma and encouraging her in the learning-to-use-a-potty journey. Plus of course putting up with us as we enter a somewhat scary learning-to-be-parents-of-two-kids journey.

And in addition Mom G arrived for a quick one day visit (with plans to come back again later this month) to see the newborn Timo! Naturally she was laden with gifts, including this sign (below) - and lots of goodies galore from Trader Joe's!!

He can't quite smile yet but he IS learning to wave for the camera.

Gemma was truly SO excited to see Nonna! She wanted Nonna to carry her around the house all afternoon, and immediately had to try on the new Christmas dress that she had brought.

For the one dinner that we all had together, Mom H cooked up an amazing Indian meal with chicken kabouli, curried potatoes & peas, spinach, raita (yogurt sauce), poppards and puris!! We were so stuffed we forgot to save room for chai afterwards.

How special to have both grandmas in the house with our TWO kids!

Later in the week...Jaja introduced Gemma to knife skills, beginning with attempts to slice/chop pickles and celery.

Timo with eyes open, at 2 weeks old exactly! (last Thursday) You can't quite tell from this photo, but his eyes are lighter than Gemma's and look a bit blue/green/brown.

For comparison - here is Gemma at 3 weeks old.

Fortunately the weather - after being very chilly during the week - was sunny and warmer on Saturday, and we were able to get to the Farmer's Market. I really wanted to do this with Timo, since we had also done this same outing with Mom when Gemma was first born. Hurrah! Our good little boy stayed snug and quiet in the carrier, and snoozed away. We bought a nice bag of apple 2nds and made a batch of applesauce that afternoon.

and who can resist the kettle corn?! Chew carefully, Gemma.

One more fun one...oh hello, Timo! (In the cutest little side-snap onesie from Auntie Rachel)

Growing fast already!

Timo is 2 weeks old today! And topping the scales at 7 lb 4 oz, a whopping 7 oz over his birth weight. Must be all the good eating & sleeping he is doing, plus all the loving care from Jaja and big sister Gemma.

a thoughtful moment in Jaja's arms

Below: receiving love from his big sister, in the form of shared toys. Gemma loves to check in on Timo when he is sleeping in the bassinet or crib. "Where Timo go?" she asks throughout the day. "Oh! I hear baby brother in there!" She has already gotten in the habit of piling toys on top of him, like books or blankets or her baby doll. Today she gently placed the ribbon from a blue balloon in his hand, wanting to share with him. Of course, being a big sister isn't always filled with such tender moments...but she is learning to adjust.

a first sponge bath

 Timo in the favorite Smartwool socks. At 10 days old. 

And for comparison, here is Gemma at 9 days old in the same blue socks. 

Oh wait - who is that? Yes, that's Gemma!

Timo's first days at home

Timo was born on Thursday and we came home from the hospital on Saturday. Mom Hawkins (or "Jaja" to her grandkids) arrived on Friday afternoon to help out during these early days. As she usually does when she visits, she arrived laden with all sorts of goodies, such as boy clothes (thanks to Rachel and others, too!), some clothes for Gemma, and foodstuffs of various kinds: coffee and walnuts from Costco, nice black tea, lentils, rice, and a bag of the crumby bits and sugary dust that always gets left over at the bottom of a box of frosted mini-wheats. I will save this to mix into my next batch of granola! In fact, Mom H. seems to be passing along a bag of the stuff every time we meet, which I suppose makes her my official supplier frosted-mini-wheat-crumby-sugar-y-dust supplier, aside from that left over from my own consumption of this lovely cereal). 

1st (of many to come) Father/Son self-portraits

And although she's only been here for 4 days, Mom has already made the following: 4 gigantic loaves of Cuban bread; sausage-lentil stew; dhal with rice; and a big batch of potato dough rolls. She is presently working on pork chops! Thank you, Mum, for your generosity!!

Mum with her yummy Cuban bread.

Timo sporting his little spiky hair!

Welcome home, Timo!

Jaja had Gemma help her form rolls - Gemma was loving it and was very proud of her handiwork.