Up close and personal

Smiles

First family walk in the park

On our first day home from the hospital, we decided to go for a little walk to enjoy the beautiful May weather.  Bernie enjoyed being in her carrier, snuggled up with dad.  

In the little park near our apartment.

My two loves.

Mama and baby

Some slightly belated photos of mama and baby:

All squirmy!

Home from the hospital!

We were so pampered during our stay in the hospital, where sweet nurses, attentive doctors, and frequent room service were just a buzz away.  Even though we missed our cozy apartment, it was a little scary to be on our own with Bernie.  On the way home, I sat in the backseat with her, while John drove far below the speed limit.

Bernie, on the other hand, was not nervous about the transition at all and slept through the whole ride.  She had her two canine bodyguards, gifts from her Lhasa Apso friend, Dozer Baker, to cuddle her.

In the rocking chair with dad (same chair John was rocked in as a baby!).

Swaddled in a cute blanket from Auntie V!

On her pad, at her pad.

Bernie, meet Bernie.

We thought Bernie would be a pretty unique name for a kid these days. Well, the baby boy right across the hall is Bernard! So the Bernies got to meet and hang out for a bit. It was kind of embarrassing for them that they were wearing the same outfit though.

First hiccups

At least her first hiccups since being born!

Turtle Girl Yawning

We figured out that the combo of an overbite from dad (and great-grandpa Bernie!) and chubby cheeks from mom result in a definite resemblance to a turtle.  An adorable turtle, of course.

Our turtle girl looks especially cute when she yawns.

Little Smarty No-Pants

She seems to be figuring things out pretty quickly, and since she doesn't wear pants, we've taken to calling her "Little Smarty No-Pants", among many other names. Of course she's a newborn so she doesn't do much, as this video shows:

And the main event is of course a bunch of pictures!

Bernadette is here!

Our daughter, Bernadette, is here!

Nice cheeks, Bernie!

Just a few hours old.

Snuggling with dad!

Just practicing!

While waiting for Baby B to arrive, I got to practice a bit with one of Christina & Boris's two adorable babies!  What a cute cousin for our girl!  I can't wait for them to meet!    

Easter!

Mom's birthday: Painting!

For mom's birthday on April 3rd (yes, we have a lot of April babies in our little family), dad planned a blissful day of surprises, including Nutella pancakes for breakfast (yum!), pottery painting (so fun and relaxing), and dinner at a special restaurant.

We were pleasantly shocked by how well our painted pottery turned out!  We went into it with low expectations, since neither one of us has any artistic talent, and mom can't even paint her fingernails.  

Dad recreated a beloved bowl from his own childhood, adding Baby B's initials.  It turned out great!!! 

Mom went the Impressionistic route, creating a "trippy sunflower" spoonrest. 

It was an unforgettable and very enjoyable birthday!

That baby can move!

 Baby making waves at 38 weeks!

Grandpa-to-be Mark turns 60!

Still banking 3s all day long at 60!  Amazing!  

Hanging out with the Michaux girls!

Great turnout for Mark's surprise "Mark Madness" 60th at Pudleys!  Too bad the birthday boy came in dead last in the betting pool.  

Best quilt ever!

We've been consistently amazed by all the support and love for Baby B from our friends and family! Apparently, people really like babies!  Who knew?  We are so grateful!  Here is an incredible, handmade baby blanket from quilting expert Auntie Becky!  We love it!

Nursery Decor, Part Duh

We loved all the sweet, thoughtful cards from our friends and family and wanted to display them.  We also didn't know how to fill the blank space above the baby's bassinet (later, crib), since hanging heavy framed pictures that could fall on her is generally considered a parenting faux-pas.  Embarrassingly, it took us months to "string" these two thoughts together, but we finally figured it out!  

And what would a baby corner be without THREE remote controls?  Not fit for a Bloomquist, that's for sure.