April Moments

If Claire keeps losing teeth at this rate, the Tooth Fairy is going to be broke!

We were so excited to get our package from Daisy Farms...and we're even more excited to wrap Joey up in his new blanket when he finally gets here!

Finally...Joey is home! Danny got right to doing what he does best. :)

Johnny stayed home from Megan's wedding specifically so he could be the one to take care of Joseph. He took to his job quite naturally!

Maese did so good getting used to Joey being around. He's such a good dog! Even if it made him mopey for weeks... :)

Great Grandma Call came over as soon as she heard we were home with her newest great grandson.

And Great Grandma Lovell was especially excited for her Joseph Perry to finally be here. :)

There are going to be a lot of pictures of this chubby little guy, and for no other reason than that he's ridiculously cute and I don't want to forget a single minute of it!

Recovery was rough for me this time around...but snuggling with Joey always made me feel better. That, and plenty of Loritab. :)

Claire and Sophie missed the first few days of Joey being around...so as soon as they got home from Denver they were right by his side. They missed him so much!

 Newborns sleep so much those first few weeks...it's such a treat to see them awake!

Grandpa Richard and Grandma Ruth Ann came to meet Joey, and they of course came bearing gifts. :)

It's always nice to spend some time with my Dad.

Claire has been so excited to be big enough to help with the baby. Danny is far more confident than I am with what she's capable of...and it's a good thing he lets her do so much. Because she can totally do it!

Danny is 6'3"...and our 10-day-old fills his whole chest. I know I did it, because I hurt every single time I move from what it took to get him out of me...but how it the world did I fit this much man-child inside of my little 5'5" body?!

Danny teaching Claire how to change Joey's diaper. She was so cute...she said, "Mom, this is so disgusting! So why do I love doing it so much?!" :)

Claire's not the only big sister helper. Sophie loves holding Joey and taking care of him. She's such a natural mother. 

Joey with his Joey!

Oh, I know those cheeks and those writs aren't going to stay chunky forever...

Claire reading scriptures to Joey. Warms a Mama's heart...

Our little monkey man.

Danny got to go have dinner with two of his young men from our time in Lancaster. DJ was on his way into the MTC, and Adam came to make sure he got on his way. These boys love Danny, and Danny loves them. The fruits that come of serving the Lord!

Nothing makes me happier than gazing down at my babies after they've been fed and are so content in my arms.

These boys! I can't help but see how incomplete the picture is sometimes. But it makes me happy nonetheless.

A Busy Month At School

Even though we had a baby in April, and I was recovering from an intense surgery, and the girls spent a week in Denver for the wedding...somehow we managed to be a part of every big event at school! I let Danny do most of the work, that was my secret. :)

Danny chaperoned Claire's field trip to the Hill AFB Museum, and took Johnny along for the ride. They had a great time, especially shooting off rockets!

Danny also chaperoned Sophie's field trip to the zoo! And he was the Dad of the Year. He took his camelbak, and so had the kids' ponchos in there. That turned out to be rather advantageous for Sophie and her friend when it started to rain!

We also got to attend both Sophie and Claire's Spanish Immersion programs. Both of the girls love learning Spanish, and they are doing so incredibly well! For Sophie's program, I was almost bursting I was so pregnant. And for Claire's, I could barely walk under my own strength and Joey cried much of the time. Funny how much can change in a couple of weeks! :)

And if that wasn't enough...we also got to go to Sophie's First Grade Art Show! I love the artwork that Sophie did, and I was so excited to see all the pieces that she had been telling me about. But that paled in comparison to how excited Sophie was to show us all. :)

So...is school almost over yet. ;)

Joey's First Bath

I love the first bath! But never more than I have this this awesome new baby bath!! I wish I had one for each of my kids...it makes bathing them in the sink so much more comfortable for them and consequently way easier on us. Joey LOVED his time in the bath...and I LOVED how curly his hair got afterward! I am just in love with this boy!

Joey's Newborn Photo Shoot

Since our original plan of having Angela come to the hospital to take newborn pictures of Joey didn't work out, she was kind enough to come to our home the day after we got out of the hospital. Unfortunately, it's hard to time things with a newborn. So when she came over Joey was just about ready to eat...but we only had an hour with Angela so we just made the best of it. I also didn't realize that we would be taking any pictures of me...and I didn't get ready at all! So, these aren't the gorgeous newborn pictures with Mom all dolled up and not looking anything like women do after having a baby. This is a real look at Joey and me. And you know what? I love them! I wouldn't have them any other way. :)