1 month old!

From November 29, 2012

From November 29, 2012

She's pretty sweet in person, too.

Aside from the typical frequent night wakings at this age and some nursing issues that we're trying to work out, Opal has been a pretty easy and good-natured baby. Her siblings still love to hold her, and she still loves to be held and cuddled. She's been sleeping in the co-sleeper beside our bed, but she always ends up in bed beside me at some point during the night. I can't resist snuggling with her. We are so blessed with this fourth little addition to our family and couldn't be happier that she's here to stay.

Giddy-up!

Jack started using an empty wrapping paper roll as a "horse" the other day, so I offered to do him one better-- spruce it up, make it more realistic. Give it a head. We took two pieces of paper, I drew the outline, Jack cut it out and drew on it, and I helped him tape the pieces together and stuff them with scraps of paper.

Voila!

From paper snowflakes

That one provided good, galloping fun for a couple of hours, but then, it started to look a little worse for the wear. This morning, I found a big book of scrapbook paper that I bought super cheap- I think when Jack was a baby- with much thicker, sturdier paper. Horses on a stick for everyone! With fun designs to boot! Neeeeigh!

From November 29, 2012

From November 29, 2012

(we lucked out on that pattern)

From November 29, 2012

From November 29, 2012

From November 29, 2012

From November 29, 2012

They spent ALL morning playing knights and princesses and Black Beauty and Indians...

Even if these are crumpled by tomorrow, they served their purpose of providing a morning of creative play, and they were practically free! We'll just make more when they're in the mood to hobby-horse.

paper snow

We awoke to a dusting a few mornings over the past week. Today was one of them. I asked the kids if they wanted to make paper snowflakes. Abigail, sounding bored, said, "No thanks," and walked into the other room. Jack answered with an enthusiastic, "Sure! Can you PLEASE teach me how?!" At which point Abigail came back into the room and asked, "Can you teach me, too?" ...Another reason why I am so thankful that Jack is going before his sisters in homeschooling. He's setting an excellent precedent, he is. So we raided Mike's printer for paper and set to work on some folding and cutting.

From paper snowflakes

From paper snowflakes

From paper snowflakes

(I helped with some of the design on this one, but he did most of the cutting)

From paper snowflakes

From paper snowflakes

From paper snowflakes

From paper snowflakes

our first wintry decorations

funnies

I've had so many baby posts lately- here are some funny quotes from the older kids to switch things up. Iris gets her fair share of laughs, too, but most of these just happen to be from Jack and Gail.

Jack (referring to his apple pie after Thanksgiving dinner): "This is SO delicious! It tastes like a thousand different kinds of watermelon all mixed together!"

Jack: "That apartment building is SOOO ginormous, it's giving me a headache."

Mom: "Iris, don't put your finger in your nose." Iris: "It's okay. I just gettin' a boogie out. Seee?"

Abigail to Opal, who was fussing one day: "Life's hard, Opal."

Jack: "Whoa! Cutting this pancake is like cutting through stone."

Abigail: "Hi Opal. You're looking really puffy this morning. Did you drink too much milk?"

Iris, lingering while I was changing Opal's diaper one day: "YUCK! I have stink in me nose!"

*************************

And here are a few of my favorites from a list sent to me by E that she documented during her time with the kids...


Jack: “I’m a baby sea turtle that wears clothes.”

Abigail (while we’re at the park): “I just want some peace.”

Jack: “Do you want to hear about my favorite dream? It’s my most favorite dream of my WHOLE life.”

Jack to E: “Don’t look at me!” To Abigail: “Don’t even try to aggravate me!”

Abigail: “Look! I’m wearing Jack’s slippers!” E: “Cool!” Abigail: “Do you want to smell them?” E: “No thanks.”

Jack to Abigail at 8:10am: “Don’t even try to start aggravating me.”

Jack: “I think my Pillow Pet is dying.”

E: “How are you this morning, Abigail?” Abigail: “Please don’t talk to me.”

Jack: “You can do a million things with your hands. Maybe even more.”

Jack (as I pulled into a parking space): “Good choice, E!”

Jack: “The length of the dinosaur tails are giving me headaches!”

Abigail: “Iris, why did mom and dad dress you like that?”

Abigail: “Why don’t kids get married?” E: “You have to be eighteen.” Abigail: “Oh well that stinks.”

Iris as I’m changing her diaper: “Don’t change my belly button!”

Jack: “Isn’t it funny that you can call people on phones in their houses?”

catching smiles...

From November 25, 2012

From November 25, 2012

From November 25, 2012

From November 25, 2012

From November 25, 2012

From November 25, 2012

From November 25, 2012

Our sweet charmer will be four weeks tomorrow... unbelievable!

Happy Thanksgiving from the Ryans!

From November 22, 2012

From November 22, 2012

O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His mercy endures for ever!

this and that

I know all of my recent posts have been stuck on one subject, but she's still kind of the star of the show around here. She sleeps most of the time, as all babies that age do, and when she's awake, everybody wants to get his or her baby fix. Jack observed today, "Opal has a lot of fans!

From November 18, 2012

From November 18, 2012

From November 18, 2012

From November 18, 2012

She's been working on smiling, and has genuinely a few times, but I think this is just as good for three weeks... we'll call it her amused face. She makes it often, and for good reason, I think. "

From November 18, 2012

Won't she make a fine centerpiece at Thanksgiving? Ha- kidding. (Don't think I'm a bad parent because I don't subscribe to "Back is Best." All of our kids have slept best on their tummies, and they get to the point where they roll that way anyway. I tried it the other day with her, and it was like magic.)

I showed the kids how to make a hand-turkey this morning, and they're suddenly masters of entertaining themselves. We're talking a serious number of hand-turkeys produced. Here's one of my favorite drawings from Abigail:

From November 19, 2012

For the little turkey, she had me hold Opal's hand on her paper to trace. And when drawings weren't cutting it anymore, I whipped out the economy bag of colored feathers. Jack was excited to dig up his "Puss and Boots" hat and add a feather. (It was Jack's "Best day ever!"-- no joke.)

From November 19, 2012

From November 19, 2012

I love Pas de Deux from The Nutcracker Ballet (We just started listening to it, a bit prematurely because the older kids are going to see it at the Benedum Center at the beginning of December, and it's not too early to start getting ramped up.). That particular song makes me want to twirl around my living room with a newborn (I have) and play a stringed instrument and cry a big, ugly cry, all at the same time. It really gets me.

my extra hands

I've heard from several relatives over the years that I "must have an extra pair of hands," to get everything done that I do. I certainly don't get as much done as I used to (if you don't count taking care of four children), but I do have the help of extra hands-- several pairs of them.

From November 15, 2012

From November 15, 2012

From November 15, 2012

From November 15, 2012

Jack helped me give Opal a bath this afternoon, and all three were ready to help when she got out. She was ready to nurse, so Abigail kept her pacified with the Soothie while I changed her... and Jack put on her socks. Iris was there to lend some entertainment as well.

brim

How could anyone say no to this?

From November 15, 2012

I used to think three was the perfect number of children for me and whomever my future husband was. I am so glad God worked on my thinking there. I have no idea how many children are in our future, but I'm thankful the cap wasn't three. Because now it's hard to imagine what life would be like without this precious little piglet... her adorable little grunts, her delectable baby smells, her funny sleep expressions. I could cuddle her all day. Lucky for her, she has quite a following of people, big and small, vying to cuddle her 24/7...

From November 15, 2012

From November 15, 2012

From November 15, 2012

From November 15, 2012

From November 15, 2012

From November 15, 2012

From November 15, 2012

...and cover her soft little face with kisses (notice how fast she's filling out?). Babies are wonderful.

I keep thinking we're to the point of overflowing (in a good way), but we continue to be blessed, to be entrusted with the task of raising these amazing little people. Sometimes daunting, but so, so worth the reward.

seven on Friday

1. Abigail was thrilled to play "Mommy" and assist with Opal's first submerged bath last night. (We're modest around here)

From November 8, 2012

From November 8, 2012

From November 8, 2012

From October 30, 2012

2. We made use of a Groupon deal I purchased a while back and headed to the Children's Museum with Grandma and Grandpa on Wednesday for "Kitty Day" (I'm not ready to take on an outing with four by myself!). Kittens from the Humane Society were there to play with the kids- boy, was that exciting!

From Children's Museum

From Children's Museum

From Children's Museum

From Children's Museum

From Children's Museum

3. What a care-free life she leads. Here are some pictures of Opal being held/adored by various members of her family...

From Opal Therese's baptism

From Opal Therese's baptism

From Opal Therese's baptism

From Opal Therese's baptism

From Opal Therese's baptism

From Opal Therese's baptism

From Opal Therese's baptism

4. With all of that in-your-face love, it was bound to happen, despite the Vitamin K ointment: Pink eye. And with all of my shared smooches, I got it too... wheeee! (newborns are a lot easier to give eye drops than two and five year olds).

5. The big kids have been loving their grandparent time... playing themselves sick of games and being read a boatload of books.

From November 8, 2012

From November 8, 2012

From Opal Therese's baptism

6. Speaking of grandparents, we've been blessed to have Mike's parents here since last Friday. They've been a huge help making wonderful meals, doing dishes and laundry, helping with the kids, changing yuck-o diapers, etc. And Mimi will be back (she and Pop came for the baptism on Sunday) at the end of this month to help out while Mike is in India for a wedding. Thank you, grandparents!

7. This was the best we could muster for a group shot...

From November 8, 2012

I think all of the more serious photos ended up on Grandma's camera :^)