Early October fun at the zoo

"So let me see if I've got this right - cows are where milk comes from? But how does the milk get from the cow to my glass? So many questions. Someday, I'll figure it all out..."

"...but for now, I'm all smiles for milk - and cows!"

Elizabeth - second week

Ready for action - where's that bottle?

Getting a kiss from big sister Rachel

Rachel and her cousins Leah, Nicholas, Madeline, and Rebekah Huie, who were nice enough to drive up (actually, nice enough to convince Aunt Sarah to drive them all up) from Chicago to visit us last week

Giving Grandma H. my biggest yawn possible. (I made sure she didn't take it personally - but if you try to take my picture during naptime, I'm gonna yawn. Just sayin'...)

Hangin' with Grandpa H., chocolate chip cookie maker extraordinaire!

Elizabeth - first week

Elizabeth had quite an eventful first week. Due to a pneumothorax that developed in each of her lungs, she needed to stay in the NICU for seven days before coming home. Ultimately, while she faced some unexpected challenges in her first week, she showed the doctors and nurses that she's got plenty of fight in her.

We were finally able to bring Elizabeth home on Wednesday, September 29th. Even better, she came home with a clean bill of health, and we're so thankful and blessed to have her home - and healthy. She's truly our "little warrior" (our friends and family members with Marquette University ties can probably understand the double meaning behind the "warrior" reference).

Here are some pics from Elizabeth's first week:

Opening her eyes

Catching a snooze...

...and then catching another snooze for good measure.

Paul's three beautiful ladies

Elizabeth with Grandma Van Ermen

Welcome Elizabeth Anne Handrich!

Elizabeth Anne Handrich arrived on Tuesday, September 21st. Weighing in at seven pounds + one ounce, and measuring 20 and 1/2 inches long, she warmed our hearts from the moment we saw her!

"Why must you put me on this cold, cold scale? Wrap me up and get me warm!"

Elizabeth and Martha's first mother-daughter moment

Smiles all around

Random Rachel Shots - August and September

Rachel's angelic, obedient, "I'll never cause trouble" pose

When Rachel heard how poorly one of Daddy's fantasy football teams was doing, she instinctively tried to push the "reset" button for him.

Special thanks to Ray Neufeldt for a special delivery of GORP a few weeks ago. (For those unfamiliar with the acronym, "GORP" stands for "good ol' raisins and peanuts," which is a must-have for football-watching Sundays.)

"Check my pants - really!"

Rachel with one of her favorite fellow Packer fans - her Uncle Philip



Rachel's self-made "crash" helmet



Playing in the yard with the magic ball vortex



"OK - so when I'm 21, I can fill this bottle with a special drink. Got it."



Rachel enjoying Grandpa H.'s company on one of her last days as an only child

Rachel on her first birthday

Possible reasons why Rachel was smiling so brightly on her first birthday:
1) Still an only child


2) A new house with an even bigger room for her to call her own


3) Fun presents from relatives near and far


4) The sweet smell of birthday cake

5) The even sweeter taste of birthday cake
6) See #'s 4 and 5

From the July archives

For those unaware, Paul is a big fan of even-numbered days, and today just happens to be 10/10/10. What better day to FINALLY get caught up with picture uploading than a day that is literally a "perfect 10?"

From the archives - not long before our camera went on the disabled list, actually - here are some fun shots of Rachel enjoying one of her last baths as a downtown resident and helping with our packing process:

"Look Mom - one arm!"

There are times when Rachel looks a whole lot like her Daddy.
This just happens to be one of those times.

"Try folding the laundry now!"

"Sure, I'll pack this box for you..."

".....SUCKERS!"