Introducing...Ella Clare

Friday evening, July 15th, Ken and Joy drove down to Louisville after work to watch the "big" girls while we went to have baby #4.  We got to Norton Suburban hospital (where Ava & Madeline were born) around 11 that night and got checked into a room around 11:30 or so.  Luckily Paul and I were able to get some sleep that night before the labor got more intense.  In the morning, things were still progressing slowly, so the doctor came in  around 7:15am and broke my water to help speed things up.  By 11:30 am, the contractions were much more intense, so I decided it was time to get the epidural.  I am so thankful for anesthesiologists!!!  By 1:30 pm, on the feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Ella Clare joined the world as the newest Klinker.  What a wonderful day to be born!  Ella weighed a perfect 7 lbs. 13 oz. and was 19.5 inches long.  What a beautiful little miracle God has blessed us with!

Dr. Wilson and Ella praising the Lord after being born:)

Proud father of 4

Momma snuggling with baby

That evening, after being transferred to our recovery room, Joy and Ken brought big sisters by to meet little Ella.  Right away Madeline said, "I hold it."  She didn't really know what to think.  I think it will be interesting to see how she handles sharing "her Mommy" and "her Daddy" with another little person.  Ava loves babies, so she was anxious to hold Ella and didn't want any help.  She already knows exactly how to hold her and handle her because she practices daily with her own baby dolls.  Rose also held little Ella, but told us we should have named her Grace.  I think she will enjoy having another person younger than her to help with and to tell what to do:)

Madeline is a big sister!

Ava, the little pro:)

Rose holding little Ella

Ella Clare is adjusting beautifully to this new world!  We think she favors Ava as a newborn, but it will be fun to see how she changes week to week.  We can't wait to take her home!

We'll keep you updated with lots of pictures!  Can't wait for all of you to meet her!

Hugs!

VBS - Son Surf Beach Bash

Last year Rose went to our church's VBS and it left quite an impression on her because she talked about it all year long.  So this year I signed up Rose and Ava and I helped with crafts all week.  They had childcare every day for the kids of the parent helpers, so Madeline enjoyed playing everyday with her junior high helper, Juliana.  I made sure Ava was in the same class as her friend, Whitney, to help with her first "school" experience without mom.  She did awesome!!!  She didn't cry all week, but followed directions and enjoyed every minute of it.  She never did learn her teacher's name, but just called her "teacher" all week, which I thought was cute:)  Rose didn't really know any of the kids in her class at first, so towards the end of the first day after she saw me in crafts, she had a little bit of a meltdown, but did great every day after that and of course had many new friends by the end of the week.  And whenever Rose, Ava, or Madeline saw each other in the halls, they would stop and give each other a big hug...it was really very sweet.

All the kids getting ready to sing their VBS songs at the end of the week.

Rose's painted sandy feet along with the Footprints poem.

Each family was given a cd to take home of all the themed songs they learned that week.  We listened to them every day in the car and the girls learned them quite well, even little Madeline.  Here are some videos of their recent performances for Paul and me.

"Jump, Shout, Give a High Five"

"Son Surf Beach Bash"

"Meet Up with Jesus"

They crack us up!!!

Hugs!

4th of July Festivites

When spending time with family, life is always at its best.  Last weekend we went to Carmel and got to meet our newest niece, Julia Grace, and take part in her beautiful baptism.  It was during the 12:30 mass at OLMC, which I had never seen before.  It was a beautiful ceremony and Julia was perfect throughout it all.  Then we got to celebrate with family from the Klinker and McKinney side afterwards.  Ben and Brooke are great parents...Julia is a lucky and precious little girl!

The newest member of the Church!

On Saturday, many of my siblings and I spent the afternoon  making festive 4th of July treats, like rice krispie stars, bald eagle cake balls, Uncle Sam cake balls, and other red, white, and blue snacks.  Rose and Ava even jumped in to help decorate.  Then despite the blazing hot sun, we siblings played some friendly games of volleyball with intermitten breaks in the pool.  We finished off the evening with an All-American cookout and lots of laughs.  It was great to have everyone together...except Nicholas, of course:(

Two out of the four days that we were in Carmel, Rose and Ava lived in my parents' pool.  We had to make them get out each day after spending 3 hours or more in the pool at a time.  They even got the courage to jump off the diving board (without life-jackets) and swim to the ladder by themselves.  They really are little fish this summer!  Even Madeline jumped off the diving board (with her life-jacket) because she had to do what big sisters were doing!:)  She is quite the little daredevil.

Paul and I even got to steal a night away, just the two of us, before the newest Klinker arrives!  We enjoyed dinner out, an Indian's game, then loads of fireworks...which was my favorite part!  After sleeping in until 9am the next morning, we ran a couple errands, then headed to Jersey's Cafe in Carmel, which was featured on the show Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.  Their menu was crazy long, offering loads of different hoagies and cheesesteak options along with loaded baked potatoes and PA Dutch Birch Beer (like root beer).  Paul got a hoagie that was packed with fries, steak, coleslaw, fried egg, Red Hot sauce, and cheese.  How often do you get to eat something that wild?!  Both our sandwiches were delicious, which made the hour wait for our food well worth it.

While we were gone, Rose and Ava got to go to Carmel Fest with some of their aunts and uncles.  They got their faces painted (with unicorns, of course), balloon animals/flowers, and got to see some fireworks.  They are so lucky to have family that wants to spend so much time with them!  Madeline stayed home and put Grandpa to sleep:)

What a fun-filled 4 days!  So thankful to be surrounded by amazing people on the Titus and Klinker side!!!

Hopefully next time I post there will be a new Klinker in the family;)  Keep us in your prayers.

Hugs!