The Start of a Habit??

Miss Gianna has slept so good for the last two nights. She goes to sleep at 10 PM, sleeps until 4 AM, eats for about 10 minutes, then sleeps again until 7 AM. I am hoping this is the start of a sleeping pattern we can all be happy with. Even Brech Earl has slept through the night both nights as well. Its as close to a vacation I've gotten in many months!! Thanking God for small blessings!!! (And 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep!)

Watch Me Grow

I had intended to post these pictures BEFORE Gianna was born. If you are on Facebook - you've seen these before. :)

This was taken at 12 Weeks. This one at 20some Weeks.

We were at Week 33 in this picture.

And finally Week 36 here. I did not get too much bigger than this one.

And here we are 5 days old.....

Treehouse??

We came home from attending Stations of the Cross at church to an exciting sight. Its not everyday we have a tree fall, let alone one so big. I'm just grateful the boys were not playing outside at the time. I was just telling Stephen this morning that the odds of a tree falling on our house or in our yard was very unlikely. Teaches me to be an authority on trees!

You can just see the place where the branch split from the tree at the top of the picture. It is a fairly large chunk of tree. Scary!! I don't suppose this is the "treehouse" the boys were envisioning when they asked their dad for one last summer. Close up of where it split from the tree.

Gianna's Take on the Week

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE!

Let me tell you about last week. First off - the week started like any other. I was in my mommy's tummy just hanging out being a good girl. Every once in awhile someone would poke me. I think it was mommy picking on me, but Brech Earl wasn't the gentlest either. I knew it was him because of his loud squeal.

What happened next was bound to happen - I had to be born. Let me tell you, that is an experience. My mommy made quite a fuss towards the end, but Dad was a trooper. He never gave up encouraging Mommy. Then I was born after 8 hours of natural labor, 6 1/2 hours of induced labor and two really good pushes. Everyone suspected I was a girl so no one was surprised, just happy! Oh it was wonderful to be held by Daddy and Mommy. Daddy laughed at my cheeks and thighs. I think I had him wrapped around my little finger right away!! I am going to be a Daddy's girl by the way - just so everyone knows. :)

I met my brothers on Wednesday. I know they all love me so much and think I'm so cute. A girl could get used to this treatment! On Thursday I met some more of my family and came home from hospital. I like our home because its full of love and happy excitement. Honestly, it takes effort to get a good nap around here. Boy oh boy are these boys are loud. Friday I just cuddled with anyone who would hold me. Grandpa and Grandma Bestgen, John, Juliana, Kaylene and Loman all took their turns holding me too. It is so nice to be loved!! Friday afternoon I attended my first Stations of the Cross. I like church and was on my best behavior.

Saturday I had a two day check at the hospital. The nurse borrowed me to show off to the other nurses because she said I looked just like a doll from the store. She said I was perfect. Mommy just smiled and recalled the number of times I got her up in the night. Ha ha Mommy!! Then we came home and went to church. I was getting baptized! I was a typical baby and cried and cried. I did stop crying to taste the salt, but it wasn't all that good. After the baptism I smelled so good. Everyone said it was their favorite smell. Mommy thought it was the closest smell to heaven there has to be here on earth. Then we partied...and partied to celebrate! I also lost my belly button cord. Mommy says that's a good thing, but I don't see how losing anything is good.

Sunday I went back to church again. Not even a week old and I had already been to the church three times!! I was a good girl when my brother Stephen received his First Holy Communion. Everyone was so happy again. Then we came home and partied again. We seem to party a lot around here.

Monday Daddy had to go back to work. I was kinda sad that he wasn't going to be here all day. He did come over and say good bye to me. I was watching Mommy, but when my Daddy starts talking I am all ears. I turned my head, looked him right in the eyes and gave him my first real smile. I wanted it to be special for Daddy. Grandpa and Mommy thought it was wonderful that I gave my first real smile to Daddy. I did miss him, but he did come home later and hold me. I sure do love Daddy!!

Grandma and Grandpa and everyone else had to go home on Monday too. Mommy said we will visit them soon, so I wasn't too sad. My brothers were kinda sad and so was Mommy. I am so glad they came out to see me. I can't wait to meet the rest of my family in South Dakota. Tuesday I was one week old. I was tired so slept most of it. My brothers had a party (see I told you we party a lot around here!) for lunch with ice cream, frosting and sprinkles. No one offered me a bite. It was my party after all!

Mommy says I am a good girl, though sometimes she forgets and calls me a boy. I try not to get upset, but how many times do I have to remind her?! I even tried to potty on her just to prove I am not a boy. I try not to get her up too much in the night. I am even a good nurser. I think Mommy got a pretty good deal.

Thank you for all the nice things you have said about me. Mommy thinks I'm spoiled already, but she doesn't know anything! :) Thank you for all the presents too. I heard Mom tell Uncle Paul that I will probably be a diva because she would have to change my clothes so often to get to wear all of them before I outgrow them. She's just trickin'....

Here's kisses and hugs from me to all of you!!! xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

One Week - Still Cute

What happens when a little girl turns a week old in a house of boys?? We have a party!!! Ice cream with pink frosting and pink sprinkles for lunch!!

YUMMY!!!!!!

Bestest Friends

Rex, Uncle Loman, Cormac

Blessed Week

The posts that follow show our blessed week. I am sure there will be no way we could top this anytime soon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
First some family comes to visit- blessed
Then Gianna's birth - blessed
Followed by more family - blessed
A baptism surrounded by friends and family - blessed
A First Holy Communion - blessed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All of those together make for an exhausting, but worthwhile week.


How can one mom be so lucky???

Stephen's First Holy Communion - April 10

Just when you think we couldn't be blessed anymore in one week - Stephen received his First Holy Communion the day after Gianna's baptism. He was super excited. He choose Pope St. Pius X as his First Communion patron saint.

We forgot to remind him how to receive communion, so he a crash course just before he went up. Here he is all ready to go!

Stephen with Our Lord in his heart, mind, body and soul.Stephen with Father and the altar servers.

Yet another family picture...too special! We truly were blessed last week.

Stephen with his Grandpa Roch Stephen Bestgen

That afternoon we had another party, this time for Stephen. We had more friends come over to visit. Stephen also received many gifts. He has very kind and thoughtful friends and family. Here is a picture of him and his new rosary from our friends, the Rivards.

The wonderful Fameree family gave him this beautiful statue. He was quite pleased with it. We still need to locate a safe place for it. I'm not sure there is a safe place in his room so it may become part of the family collection for now.

He was VERY impressed with this special box from his Bestgen grandparents and aunts and uncles. He said it was even better than Blase's he received at his First Holy Communion.

We had a lovely cake - white for purity, red for the Precious Blood.

Gianna's Baptism - April 9

Saturday was a busy day for our family. Gianna and I were on the road, headed to the hospital, by 7 AM for her two day check. We picked up Juliana and got home just in time for Ana to shower and us to get ready. Then we headed to Gianna's baptism. The day was perfect!! The sun was shining for one of the first times in awhile. Gianna's special day was shared with family and friends - which always makes it more exciting. After the baptism, all our family and the few friends who came went to our house for a party. We talked and laughed all afternoon. Saturday evening Fr. Litzner came to visit us as well. It was a long, long day - but a wonderful one!!

I'm helping Gianna into her baptismal gown. I can't help but wonder if in twenty years I will be helping her into her wedding dress as well. :) Those buttons are tricky on a hungry, grumpy baby.

Her "veil" for the day. Are all little girls this adorable??

Gianna and Mommy - both of us survived getting dressed.

The start of the baptism.

This salt is YUCKY! But it was better than the pacifier.

Some of the people who attended the baptism.

I baptism thee.......

Myself, the Godparents Jim and Michelle Rivard, Darren

The Godparents, Father and altar boys.

Our ever growing family....hoping for heaven!!

My parents and siblings who attended the baptism and of course all of us.

Grandma and Grandpa Bestgen with Gianna.

Bringing Baby Home

Our last night in the hospital was spent trying to get the hearing screen completed. Gianna loves her mommy and didn't want to be away from her even for a moment. She would be completely asleep, but as soon as they took her out of the room she would start to fuss. We had to do the hearing test with her sleeping on my chest. They couldn't get the test to work so we had to wait for another nurse to come try. Even with all that work one ear still didn't pass that night. They left the little cups on her ears between tests. I thought she looked a bit like Princess Leia.

Here she is waiting for Dad to come pick us up. We had an entourage to escort us home. Dad, all her brothers, and Uncle John came and watched cartoons. Then about a half hour later Grandpa and Grandma Bestgen, Aunt Kaylene and Uncle Loman stopped by.

Here we are just before we left the hospital. She wasn't pleased with us. I think she wanted to sleep some more in the quiet hospital. After we left the hospital, all of us went out to eat to celebrate Gianna's arrival. Then home for a relaxing afternoon.

And Girl Makes Six

Gianna's first day was full of sleeping and company. She did great with all the attention. Daddy and her brothers all came, bringing along Aunt Juliana and Uncle John. Then Aunt Sally and Emma came for a visit as well. It was a full house! We were ready for some quiet and relaxation after that. We were also graced with a long visit the night before from Mrs. Fameree. It was SO wonderful to be visited by family and friend while we were waiting to go home.

Isn't she precious?? The best shot of her hair I could get. What do you think - red or not??

Mom and Gianna just before everyone came to visit.

Blase holding Gianna the first time.

Stephen has been quite attached to Gianna. I think she has him wrapped around her finger already.

Happy, happy big brother Cormac holding her. "He's so cute," is Cormac's opinion of Gianna.

"Its a boy. It looks like a boy so it must be a boy." Rex holding his SISTER, though we had a time convincing him that SHE is really a she.

Too cute! Too cute! Brech has been a great big brother. We have yet to have a problem with him. He's very gentle with her and shares the sweetest kisses.