January 2016 (New baby Gloria!)

We started the new year celebrating Christmas with Sara, Joel, and Gwen (and my parents).

The three big girls got matching white tigers, and Evania (in the photo above) got a little kitten. ;)

Reuben's a happy DUDE with a lap to sit on.

Here he is carefully attending to a package.

Vania's gazing at something on the tree.

Our Christmas photo for 2015.

It was so sweet seeing Evania playing with great-grandpa Opa.

As we stated in December's photos, Evania LOVES snow, and is lucky that she's got sisters big enough to take her out to walk around in it! (also nice that it wasn't a bitterly cold winter!)

Kiddos on the refrigerator. The two bigger photos are "B" and "T" who we are in the process of adopting, and the girls decided they needed to be surrounded by their brothers and sisters!

And a baby!!!! On her due date!!! Owen told us that he wanted to hold the baby before he or she was hours old, so after Baby and I were stable, we woke him up - she was less than an hour old.

He'll make a great uncle some day (since he's certain he never wants to be a dad, or even get married.)

And Leah, of course, got to have a chance to hold her new baby sister. She's so good with babies. Just like with Evania's birth, Leah got to be around and available to help during this birth as well.

In the morning Rinnah got to meet her new baby sister. This photo makes her look like Reuben did when HE was a baby!

Evania liked looking at her baby sister, but didn't want to hold her.

Rinnah, however, is all about holding her baby!

And Owen is an old pro - love it that he's so comfortable with a newborn!

These sweet baby faces change so quickly!

This is what Gloria thinks about her first time wearing clothes!

These are some of the best parts of having a newborn! Tiny thing draped over me...(and a cat).

Evania's trying the whole "baby holding" thing.

Rinnah is deleriously happy. Gloria looks like she's trying to eat her shoulder!

Leah is such a natural!

Oooh! Squishy cheeks, nose, lips, chin - love it!

My view.

Sweet sleepy newborn Gloria.

Eleven days old.

With big brother Owen.

REALLY little in the big snowsuit, but it will do the trick of keeping her warm. ;) She doesn't use her hands or feet much, anyway!

More brother/sister time.

And hanging around with Daddy and Reuben.

Krassi, the lucky boy, was down in the basement helping Daddy with some projects. He's always like rings, and, look! Daddy's got a bunch he can play with!

Two kiddos sitting by the wall.

Our neighbor, Hope, was very excited about the new baby. She's the youngest of four, so has never had a baby at her house.

Owen, the work horse. Yes, there are three sisters behind him. No, Gloria is not one of them!

Snuggled up with Daddy.

The orchestra at the high school next door does a "pajama" concert every year, with kid-friendly music, and fun activities afterward! Here are Leah and Rinnah with their friend Hope.

We celebrated Owen's birthday at the end of the month while Grandma Friedemann was here.

Another year for "Death by Chocolate"!

And for his "friends" birthday party, a giant Nerf war!! I have to say, though, these boys were such a delight. They were playing for two hours, and we didn't have a single issue. Neat kids.

Uncle "B" caught an adorable shot of Rinnah!