One month old...ALREADY!!

This boy gets a lot of kisses!

Grandma's visit

We enjoyed a visit from Steve's mom this past week. What a good time it was for all the kids to have Grandma here! I loved it too. She was a great baby-holder. (Annette would say babyHOG! heehee!)

Grayson loved sleeping on or beside Grandma Eimers all week long. Isn't he a sweetie?

Hannah seems to have found a chance to sneak him away from Grandma.

He looks so content, doesn't he?

I tried to take a picture of him cooing and smiling at Grandma but this is all I got.

This one I just threw into the mix. Too bad it isn't a scratch-n-sniff picture. Once again, I am wishing I could share that fresh-from-the-bath baby smell with you all. Mmmm... so sweet.

Thanks, Grandma! We miss you!

Grayson around the three-week mark. Happy, yelling, and...what's that last one?

Happy:

Yelling:

Happy:

Yelling:

Happy:

...Jewish?!...

A typical evening at our house. Grayson jumps right in:

Babies are hilarious!

I gave Grayson a bath in the bathroom sink a few days ago. I started with one boy following me in the door, followed by two more obeying my direction not to hang the door open so the baby wouldn't get cold. Then, Hannah squeezed in. Everyone wanted to watch!Hannah left the group as the parade following Grayson and I went into my room so I could get him dressed. What's cuter than a pink, little newborn in his birthday suit?! So, I got him (mostly) dressed and stopped to take a picture or two, wishing I could capture the fresh-from-the-sink-bath-smell. In a moment or two, Grayson turned his head towards the light that was shining through the window and painting a line of brightness onto the hiney end of Daddy, also on the bed.

This turned out to be even more entertaining than the bath. The boys could hardly contain themselves. They all were laughing out loud as soon as one of them pointed out the object of Gray's rapt attention.

As funny as they thought it was to see the baby staring at Daddy's backside, I thought it was pretty entertaining to see them all cracking up over something so ridiculous.

Boys!

Family Picture. All nine of us.

Front row left to right: Misha (9), Annette (8), Vitali (6), Ivy (5), Max (11), Hannah (11),
Back row: Steve (35), Grayson (13 days), Melissa (36)

Around the one-week mark. Pictures of Grayson.

Grayson Payne at three days old

Vitali is home alone today with his new baby brother. The other kids are at co-op but Vitali has some nasty, leaking ear infections so he gets some quiet time with us. We laugh all the time at Vitali, whose main goal in life is to be big. Or, at least bigger than someone. Vitali is so proud of his baby brother because Grayson is little, and most importantly, Grayson is littler than Vitali.

Here, Vitali and Grayson are having a little back and forth. Vitali asked me if Grayson was wondering if Vitali's hair was bigger than his. I was sure Grayson noticed. He looks impressed, don't you think?
We're loving this sweet baby boy. We love how chubby he is and how soft his hair is. We love watching him open his eyes and look around. We love feeling him nestle against us all snuggly-like.

But, you know what I don't love? That he is already three days old! Seems like moments ago. I am so aware this time of the quickness of the passage of time. I am trying to soak up every sweet moment I can with him!

I just thought this picture was funny. It's not the best one in the world but I like the comical ones. Makes me wonder what his personality will be!?!

Grayson Payne Eimers

10 pounds, 21 inches, chubby and sweet.
Born at home this morning, 5:48am.

Recent Snow

We had snow again a little while back. Actually, this is still the remnant of the first snow covered with a second snow that turned into sleet/snow/ice. It was a light icing but pretty and so I made sure to go out and snap a picture or two.

The sky was so blue. I haven't even edited this picture. Pretty day but very cold!
The Chickens spent all day huddled up at the back door waiting for their people (us) to throw out food. Also, they don't like to dip their little chicken toes into the snow any more than absolutely necessary. Here, they are all turned to look at me because I was outside but the rest of the day, they stood there and looked in at us. It was really rather funny.
This is the backyard. You can see their frosty coop and run. As I was walking up there later in the day to lock them in for the night and they all launched off the back porch when I was halfway up the little hill to their run. Several of them actually ran into me mid "flight". I jumped! They don't usually fly much because, well, chickens don't, you know.

And this guy didn't like the cold, either. He is supposed to be an outdoor cat but he sneaks in pretty much daily and hides out if he can get away with it. He's good in the house, has yet to make any messes, but since he doesn't have a water dish, this is where we caught him this frosty day. Eww!

37 weeks

Family pictures in the snow!

Snow!!

All of the family. Steve is smiling and I am trying not to look like I had just been running back to my spot from setting the camera timer. Just as we were finishing these pictures, I remembered, AH! My mom and Dad gave me a camera remote for Christmas! Well, next time...

Ivy, inside, peeking out. Guess she got cold.

Vitali, always cold, plays anyway. Favorite snow activity?
Standing on piled up snow to be 'bigger' than anyone. (and I do mean anyone! Someone? PLEEEASE!)

The lovely Annette.

Misha, looking jovial.

Max, pausing in the midst of shoveling our quite long driveway. He worked tirelessly on that driveway. We really appreciated that later in the day! Steve and the other boys helped, but Max didn't stop till it was all done.

Hannah was mostly glad because the snow gave her a chance to wear the new
coat her friend Rachel gave her. I love the fur around the hood. So does she.

Now, let me back in the house so I can warm up!

Home in Ukraine

We have received word that Ira and the other kids have made it back to their orphanages in Ukraine! I'm sure that she is relieved to be home and sleeping in a bed after the long hours in airports and on trains.

We had a nice visit with her these last three weeks. She said very teary goodbyes with hugs and kisses for all of us, but I think she was looking more forward to going home again this time than she was at the end of her summer trip. The kids have mentioned several times in the last couple days that they miss her.

Getting bigger...

Our little guy is growing bigger and stronger! He kicks and wiggles and I really have noticed in the last week or so that he has gone from mostly squirming to more stretching, and poking, and kicking. Wearing that striped shirt at dinner that evening, the black stripes across my belly kept catching my eye. They were moving around like a wavy test pattern on an old fashioned, black and white tv! Haha!

5 weeks to go...