Muriel Granuaile (graw-nya-wail), the smallest of our chicks from this past august, spent many an evening on me while Bill and I hung out after the girls were in bed, a splash maran...

Alannah chose her name, deemed she should have two, playing on the water theme as she was a _splash_ maran: Muriel (sea white, sea bright) and Granuaile (an infamous female Irish sea captain from Queen Elizabeth's day) http://www.babynamesofireland.com/granuaile.

Beautiful henny, white with light and dark grey "splashes". Loved to talk to us in low chatty tones like no other chicken we've had in our family...we lost her today to a hawk attack. I know it's just the hawk's nature, but it sucks and we miss her.

Thanks to Courtnay Ozanne and Lizzy for letting me know she was down so we could retrieve her. I know she's a chicken, but she was our pet and part of our family...so I couldn't leave her to be a hawk's meal. And aside from her broken neck, she was still mostly intact, so we were able to bring the girls outside to say their "good byes".

Sadly I don't seem to have a great pic with her lovely plumage displayed, but here are a couple others... the first pic is from early November, Muriel just had a wound on her foot examined and cleaned and was getting a little R&R in my lap before venturing back outside with her sisters. Second pic, around Sept. last year, she's a young pullet (aka, female teenager chicken) having just moved up from her brooder to awesome outdoor digs with the other ladies...

Sunshine Baby...

Enora has been trying to learn to eat solids, sit well, cut teeth, and crawl all at the same time. At the time of this series of photos, she can eat pureed foods, but much more texture than that and there is usually some gagging involved (just like her sis). Enora is sitting well these days (though I still like something directly behind her just in case). She has two teeth all the way in on the bottom (1st @4mo., 2nd @5mo.), one top tooth just broke through (finally!) a few days ago, and another top tooth just beginning to poke through. Whew, I hope she takes a nice long break after this so we can both get some sleep (and my sunshine baby will be back without so many "my mouth hurts!" stormy spells). ;)

Enora really seems to be days from crawling and getting the last of this set of teeth.  She has been scooting herself around baackwards just like Alannah did.  Although, she seems more irritated by it than Alannah was.  Not sure if that's a temperament thing or if it's just a lack of patience due to teething.  Nothing is quite so exciting in her world as when she sees either Alannah or Cosmo.  Big smiles, babbles/yells of delight, and much flailing are sure to ensue if either comes close.  ;)

Alannah is often busy creating in one way or another: building imaginary creatures with blocos, playing out some wonderful scenario from her imagination, crafting something special for Bill, Enora, myself or a friend, etc.  As usual, she's a busy girl!  ;)

6 Months old!

Oooops!  Thought I published this back in November... I'll have to add photos from halloween in a bit too...picture if you will a T-rex, a baby dragon, and their friend Arwen Evenstar.  ;D

I'm sooo behind on updates and pics I may go on pic only mode as the holidays sweep ever closer. Here is some of the most recent fun... Enora can sit up unassisted (though we still like to surround her on three sides w/pillows or a blanket), she has tried 5 foods (avacado: mixed reviews, sweet potato: clear winner, banana chunks: seems tasty, broccoli tidbits: okay, and apple tidbits: pretty good), Enora loves watching anyone (of any skill level) play the guitar, and rather enjoys giving our piano and anyone listening to her play a pounding.

Nap time dash...

So it's been way longer than I've intended to go without getting any pictures up... and though I still don't have the time I'd like to take care of that, here are some links to a couple fun music video versions of fatherhood. They are somewhat stereotype based, but true enough in many ways, and pretty funny. Hope you enjoy! :D

Dad Life
Stay At Home Dad, by Justin Roberts

Sweet Happy Baby

It's out of order, since this is from two days ago, but I had to get them up cause they're so cute... more pre-quel pics to come. ;)


Gotta love those chubby cheeks, yum! (9.5 weeks old)

Our first month together, Part 2

So here's a few more photos from May 16th on... :)


Returning dishes to some of the wonderful folks that brought us meals after Enora was born. With all the illnesses that we struggled with in that first month, they were real life savers.


Whoa, where did that flash of light come from!


Seriously.


Giant baby feet.


So conked a baby.

Berry Baby, sweet and tangy?


Sleeping baby = time for chalk drawings and catching pics of my big little girl in the rain. :)

Our first month together, Part 1

These are from May 1st through May 11th. It took a bit of effort to get pictures taken during this first month of Enora's life due to Bill and Alannah getting sick twice, etc. However, we managed it here and there, and here's a sample. Enjoy! :)


Super Ninny meets her second great-granddaughter for the first time.

Auntie Bre meets her niece for the first time.




Super baby! Do do do Doo do uhh... I'm worn out.