Introducing...

Grand #2.  Yes, #2 chronologically.  But she shares equal residence in my heart with Grand #1.  I mean after all, can't we ALL get along?  On Saturday, while millions of women were marching in protest throughout the country...I was only focussed on the women in MY life.  Those that started the day with us. And that one little gal who decided to join the party and end the day with us.  Despite what the media tells me these days....life is good.

"Ellie Rose"

(Thing #1 with his little girl)

It took awhile for Miss Ellie Rose's parents to settle on her name.  But the wait was worth it.  She carries the moniker of all her great grandmothers combined.

"And Baby Makes Three"

There is just something special about seeing your son holding his little girl.  Boom.  The sound of my heart exploding.

We are in love.

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How hard could it possibly be?...

Just buy some cute baby girl clothes, dress up the baby doll, plop her on a blanket, and click.  Right?

"Costume Change"

WRONG!  Grand#1 was awake.  Grand#1 was squirmy.  Grand#1 gave me a whole new appreciation and admiration for those who do baby photography professionally.  I bow at your feet. 

"The little fighter"
Grand#1

"With a little help from Mom"
Thing#2 and Grand#1

"Ruffle Butt"
Grand#1

But with a little help from Grand#1's mommy, we gave it a shot.  Okay, quite a few shots!

But after all the squirming.  All the quick shots.  All the "it's too dark in here".  All the "it's too bright in here".  All the "I need a glass of wine" moments...I think we got a couple of good ones for a NON-baby photographer.

"Although she be but little, she is fierce"
Grand#1

The answer to the question "How hard could it possibly be?"...let's just say I promptly gave Grand#1's mom a check and told her to go find someone who knows what they are doing to make sure she gets some really good baby portraits.  Time goes too fast you know.  So does the patience of a newborn!

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Sweet dreams are made of this...

"Sweet Dreams are Made of This"
Grand#1
Samsung Galaxy

Who am I to disagree?  Since Grand#1 was sweet dreamin' using moi as her personal Sealy Posturepedic, it was impossible to grab my Canon to capture her sweet face.  Samsung Galaxy to the rescue.

Here's where I "link up" today

And what happened then?...

Well in Omi-ville they say...her heart grew three sizes that day.  (disclaimer:  I think it was more!)

Aveline (a-vah-leen) Lillian
nickname:  Lila
aka: Grand #1

8 lb. 11 oz.

August 29, 2016

Cincinnati, Ohio

And then the true meaning of "grandparent-hood" came through.   And the Omi found the love of ten Omi's, plus two!

"And then they were three"
Cincinnati, Ohio

Even tho Thing #2 wanted me to be present at the birth...logistics always taunted me with the possibility I wouldn't make it.  That's what happens when Omi lives in Philly and Grand #1's parents live in Cincy. If we could just eliminate western Pennsylvania (apologies to the 'burgh)  and Eastern Ohio I'd be a much happier Omi.   Luckily, I made it in time!  And took photographs, just to prove it.

"My girls"

Cincinnati, Ohio

"I'm a girl"

Cincinnati, Ohio

(major props to Thing #2.1 who endured sleeping on a hospital bed directly under the air conditioning vent for the duration.  BRRRR!)

Of course I had an impromptu "photo shoot" before Grand#1 left the hospital.  Lucky for me, Thing #2 packed her hospital bag with a few wardrobe changes. She is operating under the mantra "the bigger the bow, the better the mama".

Grand #1, all packed up and ready to head home.  I hope her parents are ready, 'cause I think she's gonna be a heartbreaker.

"Homeward Bound"
Cincinnati, Ohio

So here's the thing.  It's not like I've never participated in childbirth before.  Afterall, I have three of my own.  Full disclosure, I must have had my eyes shut the entire time because I never saw a thing!  I want to thank Thing #2 and #2.1 for asking me to be there at the birth of my Grand #1.  To truly SEE a miracle entering my life was the best gift I've ever been given.  BUT...that doesn't mean the rest of my family needs to give up trying.  Just sayin'.

Here's where I "link up" today

Who loves you, pretty baby?...

...who loves you, pretty mama?  (and handsome daddy?)

-The Four Seasons

WE DO!  So we had a little party/baby shower to celebrate the impending arrival of Grand #1. 

"Mommy and Daddy to-be"
(Thing #2 and the hubs)

"Photo Bomb...Grandpop Style"

I do love planning for, and throwing a party.  Especially when it's on the smaller, more intimate side.   Which was perfect for my Thing #2 and her hubs. She doesn't like big shindigs.  Which ironically is perfect for the Better Half, because he doesn't like big dents in his wallet.

So I opted for an "elegant" barbecue theme.  Because it was a co-ed affair, I gave the guys bbq (to offset all the pink!).  And I gave the girls pink (to offset all the bbq!)

I emptied our sunroom of all furnishings, and brought in rustic tables and mismatched white chairs. The Better Half began to sweat BOTH from the physical labor AND from the realization that he now sees this set up for our future Thanksgiving Dinners...it worked THAT well.

Mismatched chairs, mismatched dishtowels for napkins, mismatched silverware, and two different plate patterns. Mismatched glass bottle vases. Mismatches that somehow matched.

Because my sunroom has high ceilings, I was able to hang matching "ribbon thingies" from the ceiling for suspended centerpieces.  If you want to see how to make "ribbon thingies", check it out HERE.

The final touch was lots, and lots, and lots of pink  and cream flowers.  Peonies and hydrangeas. Thank you Trader Joe's.  And thank you alarm clock.  I got up early and JUST beat the lady who followed me into Trader Joe's and was ticked I grabbed all the pink peonies.  Sorry, not sorry.  Tip: don't hit the snooze button.

A few other touches... 

...and cake (thank you to Nutmeg Bakery who took my ideas from my brain, and baked them.)

Of course there was food (lots of food), laughs (lots of laughs), love (lots of love), and presents (lots of presents).  One of my favorites was the one given to Thing #2 by her Pop Pop.  We lost her Nana earlier this year.  We hope she was able to understand she was to finally become a Great Grandmother before she passed.  If she didn't understand that while on earth, I'm sure she is fully aware of it now while she is looking down upon her Grand Daughter.  In the course of cleaning out her closets, this box was found.  And Pop Pop brought it with him.

This is the same man who told me, when I was nine months pregnant with my first child and lamented that I couldn't WAIT til my life got back to normal..."your life will NEVER be 'normal' again".  How right he was...  

"Waiting for the 'new normal' "

...but the NEW 'normal' was even better!  And that is what we celebrate.  The arrival of a new generation.  The arrival of a new normal.  

Who loves you, pretty baby? We do!

Here's where I "link up" today