Thanksgiving '12

We have had a great week with Mom G/Nonna here with us for Thanksgiving! Oh yes, and to help out with Timo, too. She drove down on T-giving day and we celebrated our big meal on Saturday.

Timo took to his Nonna right away.

More tummy time for Timo. He likes to chew on his fingers.

"Dad? Stop taking photos and help!"

We went ahead and made all the traditional dishes for Thanksgiving, even if it was 'just' the 3 of us and Gemma, who pronounced, "It's Thanksgiving! Family!" throughout the meal. We made turkey breast, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potato casserole, sausage-cornbread stuffing/dressing, cranberry chutney, sauteed kale, ginger cream cookies and molasses pecan pie.

Jim's favorite dishes: sweet potato casserole; pecan pie

Jul's favorite: mashed potatoes and gravy

Gema's favorite: sweet potato casserole (especially the marshmallows on top)

Mom's favorite: "turkey with a bite of mashed potatoes, some gravy on top, and a little bit of sweet potatoes and stuffing, and some cranberries too" (i.e. everything!)

Meanwhile, the molasses pecan pie (below) was a new recipe we were very excited to try. Unfortunately it was not very good. We couldn't even bring ourselves to finish the slices on our plates. The molasses flavor was way too strong. Wow. Disappointing. So we definitely need to make up in the near future with another pecan pie. Or even better, a bourbon chocolate pecan pie. Tried and true.

 

Hello, Timo! What a cute little guy!

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!