Update and pictures Tuesday October 8th

"Aunt" Laurie, who used to babysit me when I was a baby, came down from Chicago for 9 days while Nanny Sam was in MI. We miss you, Laurie! This is Laurie and her sister "Aunt Nay" (Lyneé), who's here almost every day to work with Seth. We cannot thank God enough for people who love our babies almost as much as we do and sacrifice their time and energy to invest in these precious little lives. Their reward will be great in Heaven - as with that of their spouses! :)

Gracie was Aunt Laurie's very special little friend. She loves the cuddles and the play, and she flashes her toothy smile and squeals her hilarious little giggle at even the most mundane things. :)

Look closely: David has a soap bubble goatee he designed himself.
David's new favorite activity is to pick a special object (a whisk, a mylar balloon, a blanket, a jacket, and even a saucepan) and walk circuits of the house with the object in hand. It's just so funny! He's happier than ever now that he's mastered walking. I think he feels very free!

Will, Seth and Marcie felt compelled to "help" Daddy install the latest and largest baby gate. 

Poor Will is discovering these days how very frustrating it can be to have so many siblings vying for toys and attention. He gets so frustrated, angry and sad! Please pray for wisdom for us as parents to know how to prioritize who gets the holding and the attention and when. It's a challenge! Will is definitely the "Alpha" baby - and not just in size and birth order! (Will was baby "A") We love him so much and we want him to know that, even when someone else needs the holding and loving and the toy just then.

Seth and Will liked experimenting being on the different sides of the gate, although here Seth is just fascinated with a zip-tie. :)  Please keep praying that Seth will be as fascinated by and accepting of food and drink. Thankfully, he's done better the past few days after a week of frustration and refusal to eat almost every time we tried.

I'm telling you, that was one fascinating zip-tie. (See his left hand.)

The tape on Seth's face is for protecting his skin when we affix his oxygen cannula at night. He'll need oxygen for another 4-6 weeks (night only) just as supportive therapy to make sure his lungs get the time and help they need to grow and heal completely following his two recent hospitalizations. PLEASE KEEP PRAYING SETH AND ALL OF US WILL STAY WELL! We thank and praise God for the past few weeks of excellent health. What a relief! 

"Aunt Nay" again with Seth just sacked out on top of her. He was having a hard day.

Marcie is a MESS! She gets food in as fast as she can, never mind the fact that a lot of it misses her mouth. The babies are supposed to be finger-feeding themselves (and even starting to spoon-feed themselves) at this age. Self-feeding = messy feeding, as all of you know. Gavin wonders if any of the food really stays in their mouths as the floor ends up looking like the bottom of a bird cage.

The babies all had their one-year-old checkup and passed with flying colors, praise God! The pediatrician was very pleased by their development and growth. Seth was crawling all over, babbling constantly, and pulling up on the doctor's knee, and of course David had to walk all over the room holding something in his hand, I forget what. Marcie and Gracie were the charmers they always are, and Will was a bit astounding in his "bigness," especially the size of his feet. He's already in a 5!

Thanks for loving and caring about our kiddos! Thanks especially for praying and for the continued many ways in which you bless us.

Gratefully,

Carrie