Learning to Read Minds Again

Neither Eva nor I know what happens with the time. Eva came home from the hospital on Wednesday evening, her parents went home yesterday, and our Friday flew by.
This was the view I got when I came out of the hospital after Emily was born: my mother in law patiently waiting outside, basking in the last rays of the September sun, with my father in law and Quinn. This is so typical Göttgens: sitting outside, face in the sun, enjoying the rays. Makes me smile every time I see it.

With having a new addition to take care of, we're getting used to guessing again. With Quinn, he pretty much can tell us what he wants and why he's upset. Emily just cries when she needs something and sleeps when her world is OK. We have to guess again what the issues are: diaper, hungry, hot, cold, older brother pulling her arm...

I haven't received the editor's approval for this pic yet, but I like it...and since the editor is breastfeeding now, I get my way ;-)

Two pics of Emily and her Oma.

As I mentioned earlier, Eva's contractions allowed us to drop Quinn off at friends before we went to the hospital. They were going to an open house of the fire station (Feuerwehrfest) anyway (which we were planning to do as well with them). Quinn loves firetrucks, so he is especially stoked about his fireman's helmet. As a sidenote, after taking his tub, he ran around the house naked (like normal)...but this time grabbed his fireman's helmet. Imagine a naked 2 year old wearing only his fireman's helmet...

Emily seems to really like napping on my chest. It is a great feeling to feel her soft head on my chin...plus, I like to nap as well. We already have something in common...

Emily's welcome home. I'm still very grateful for Eva's parents for coming over after Emily's birth: it allowed me to clean up a few things at work and was a great help and relief as I tried to get things ready for Emily and Eva.

Since Eva's dad is also a great cook, I ate great every night...but, I'm not used to seeing fresh lard (Speck) in our fridge.

Family pic...

Eva's parents also took Quinn to day care every day and picked him up as well. They spoiled him by letting him take his trike each day. Quinn had a blast.

I love this jacket...I think it makes him look a lumberjack. Then I get the Monty Python Lumberjack song in my mind for the rest of the day...

Quinn has been a very proud brother so far. Outside of hitting Emily upside the head a few times, he has been very gentle and loving. His first word each day is Emily. He even gave Emily his favorite Lego Men (LegoMännchen) this morning. Those are his favorite toys.

Quinn and Opa cracking hazelnuts.

Since Quinn has been playing quite a bit with Legos (Duplos), Emily thought it would be good to get him a Lego Cement Mixer as a gift to celebrate her birth. Quinn has been playing with it ever since.

The Legos have been a blessing as Quinn has been playing with them more and more...even playing by himself in his own room! Legos were some of my favorite toys growing up, and I love to play with them too. Quinn doesn't mind if I help him build his houses, but I have to do it his way. And, he's rather adamant about his building codes.

Grandpa will have fun with the Legos with Quinn, but he'll have to leave his engineering knowledge at the door ;-)

@ Dad: you'll understand what I mean when you get here.