Violet

Every child begins the world again.

                                                                                      Thoreau

Violet Paige Rischling 

8.8.19

Royal Baby #11

One of my favorite phone calls this year was from my niece Jill telling me that she and Todd were expecting baby number two.  At brunch with my bestie, I almost dropped my iPhone into my avocado toast--I wasn't expecting that at all.  I made her repeat it several times as I wiped away tears.  That was last spring although it seems just a few short weeks ago, and here we are now with a new little miracle in our family.  Unlike her big sister Lucy (see here), Violet Paige made a quiet, healthy, and drama-free debut, and she has captured all of our hearts.

and then there were four

I couldn't wait to meet Violet (and see Lucy!), and fortunately I didn't have to wait too long.  Mom and I made a trip to Lincoln two weeks after she arrived.  From the first moment I held her in my arms all they way to our tearful goodbye several days later, I wanted to learn as much as I could about her--I knew it could be months until I would see her again.  I wanted to store everything about her in my heart.

At two weeks old, Violet was already Miss Personality Plus.  I quickly understood that Violet

is a snuggle bunny 

has tiny, tiny perfect hands

and scrawny scrawny little legs

looks like her sister

knows when she's hungry

seldom cries

focuses on light

and most of all

loves to be held!

And how lucky for all of us because holding Violet is everything.  The surprising warmth of her tiny body, that newborn scent better than any aroma therapy, and those soul-reaching baby blue eyes are now committed forever to my memory.

Whether in the arms of her mom

or dad

or big sister Lucy

Violet nestles in, content and peaceful.

Or it could be Beanie and JoJo

or Grandma and Grandpa Rischling

or Grams

or Kyle and Ashlie

or me💖

cuddling Violet in our arms brings new glitter and energy into our family and, yes, begins our world again.

one month old and still loving being in Lucy's arms

Russell Lee

Our 8th Royal Baby arrived last fall!  (meet all of them here and here and here and here) Russell Lee Hawk was born to my nephew Nathan and his wife Lindsey on October 7, 2016. His arrival came just a bit early, resulting in a tiny but healthy 5 pound baby.

Lindsey, Nathan, and newborn Russell Lee

Homeward Bound

The wait to meat Russel was excruciating.  All my good intentions to get to Minneapolis after the forty day ban was over (only Mom, Dad, and grandparents met him at first)  didn't pan out until April.  Six months.  That was hard!  But oh my, was the wait worth it.

Grams and I get to meet Russell.  Finally!

I learned quickly that little Russell has the most adorable personality.  He is

curious

aware

dexterous 

(he grabs everything, especially hair!)

a wannabe foodie 

(he loves to taste anything he can reach!)

sweet

(that smile!) 

good

(rarely a cry out of this little guy)

lovable 

(I dare you not to fall in love with him)

But of course he is--he is a miniature version of his dad.  Nathan has always had a smile that will melt your heart.  And Nathan has always been a foodie.  I have clear memories of him sitting on a stool at two years old enjoying fresh strawberries dipped in the sugar bowl or ordering sophisticated appetizers as a teen (no chicken fingers for Nate) or whipping up gourmet meals in the kitchen.

And his grandparents--my sister Kerri and her husband Marty raised their family with love and laughter.  They are passing that on to Russell Lee.  Marty loves to carry Russell around and Kerri loves reading to him.

Lindsey's parents adore Russell Lee as well.  They live close by, and Russell will always be surrounded by family.

Kerri and Marty with their first grandson

Nathan's brothers, Russell's uncles and my nephews, are absolutely gaga over him.  They carry him around, read to him, and let him join in video games.  Adam and Gabe will be amazing role models for our Russell.

Uncle Adam and Uncle Gabe

I can't wait to watch as Russell Lee, our 8th royal Baby, grows and changes.  Welcome to our beautiful world, baby Russell 💗

Growing up!

Archer

Our family has been blessed again with another Royal Baby.  Henry Archer Alldredge joined our family on November 7, 2015, born to my niece Amy and her husband Austin.

Compared to our other Royal Babies, Archer's arrival was a cakewalk (Amy might have something to say about that!)  Amy's due date was November 12, so none of us were prepared for the phone call a week before that date.  We were all celebrating Lucy Mae's 1st birthday in Lincoln when my cell phone rang.  When I saw Amy's name on the screen, I just assumed she was calling to wish Miss Lucy a happy birthday .  Instead, I heard Amy's voice, a little sleepy, a little giddy, and a lot happy .  Their baby boy was here.

So many people were anxiously awaiting little Archer's entrance into our world.  Even though he lives all the way in California, his new family quickly arranged trips to the West Coast to surround him with love.

Grinny

Poppi T

Alabama Grandma, Grandpa, and Cousin

Uncle Andy

Some of us had to wait a little longer to meet Archer.  In fact, he had to come visit us in Colorado, and we are so glad he did!!

Meeting Aunt Ana and cousins Max and Madi

Grams!

The seemingly endless wait was so worth it!

Finally!!!

We couldn't get enough of Archer when he was here in Colorado.  We even got to have a slumber party at my house!  And throughout the whole process of meeting new family, meeting Jewel, playing with twin cousins, having his first tea party, and being passed around like a football, Archer rarely cried.  He's such a good baby!!

As Archer grows and changes, some things have become obvious.  Like . . .

FOOTBALL

He's going to grow up with football all around him.  From his mama's Stanford Cardinals to the Thompson's Nebraska Huskers and the Colorado family's Denver Broncos all the way to his dad's Alabama Crimson Tide, Archie's life will be full of the excitement and thrill that is football.

FAMILY

Even though Archer is far away in distance from most of his extended family, he is close to all of our hearts.  We all look forward to planning trips to San Francisco, and we're anxiously awaiting his next adventure to Colorado.  Or Alabama.  Or Nebraska.  Or wherever life takes Archer!

Welcome to our beautiful world, little Archer!!!

Quinn!

Meet the newest member of our Royal Family!

Quinn Audrey

Quinn Audrey Fries was born on May 5, 2015, to my niece Micki and her husband Tyler.  

Anxiously awaiting Quinn's arrival were her two big brothers, Ethan (here, here, and here) and Drake (here.)  They stayed with GG while Micki and Tyler were in the hospital, and of course they were the first to be notified of Quinn's birth.  Both of them could hardly wait to meet their new baby sister and see their mom and dad!

Going to visit, bearing gifts!

Ethan is an amazing big brother.  He knew how to spell Quinn before anyone told him--I was teasing him and pretending Quinn's name was Lynne.  He vehemently said "No.  QUINN.  with a Q"!  Micki asked him how he knew it was a Q and he said 'because it sounds like kwa--q.u.a"!

Ethan and Quinn

From the beginning, Drake has been enchanted with Quinn (Kin as he says)--especially her tiny hands.  He often asked to hold her and still does three months later,  They are going to be such good friends, I know!

Drake and Quinn

Not only does Quinn have two big brothers to love and protect her, but she also has the most incredible grandparents.  GG and Jimpa Coover were there to welcome their third grandchild and first granddaughter.

GG, Jimpa, and Quinn

Grandma and Grandpa Fries also live nearby, and they were there to welcome Quinn to the ever-growing Fries family.

Grandma and Grandpa Fries with Quinn and E

Grams got to meet Quinn when she was three weeks old!  She immediately nestled into Grams' safe, loving arms.  Two months later, she was nestled in again <3

Grams and Quinn

Quinn is surrounded by so much love.  Indeed, she got to meet the entire Thompson family, all 31 of us, at Kyle and Ashlie's May wedding.  Everyone wanted to hold three-week old Quinn, and hold her we did.  She got passed around more than a Nebraska football!  It was beautiful.

Quinn with Great Aunt Kerri, Cousin Aunts Ana and Amy, and Great Great Aunt Donna!

Of course, a girl must have her BFFs. Quinn is off to a great start with two of the most ah-dorable little pumpkins, Hailey and Lucy.  Hailey is Micki's friend Brooke's baby girl, and they are just one month apart in age.  They're already going through the handholding phase!  Lucy is Quinn's 2nd cousin.  They are going to be best of friends, just like Micki and Jill, despite what this picture might suggest!

Hailey and Lucy with Quinn

I'm still smiling cheek-to-cheek smiles from my two visits with Quinn (Quinnerina as I call her, much to Ethan's horror).  I met her for the first time when she was three weeks old at the same spot I met her brother Drake two years earlier--Old Chicago in Kearney, Nebraska.    I absolutely could not wait until the next day when everyone would arrive in Lincoln, and so I made a small pit stop in Kearney on my way.  I'm so glad I did.  Because three-week-old Quinn was so  . . .

alert--looking around at everyone!

but also

sleepy--such a good baby!

delicate--little baby hands and slim fingers!

but also

strong--she was already holding her head up!

tiny--nothing like a newborn!

but also

big--a nine-pound baby!

girlie--around all those boys!

but mostly

beautiful--melt-your-heart beautiful with dark hair and dark blue eyes!

When I saw her two months later, she hadn't changed.  Oh sure, she had grown.  And she was smiling--lots of smiles!  But Quinn was still strong and girlie and so

beautiful.

It's fun to imagine what lies ahead for Quinn.  Will she be . . .

a gymnast like her mom?

a brainiac like her GG?

a jock like her dad and uncle and brothers?

a teacher like so many of her family members?

Wherever her path leads her, I'll be watching and cheering her on, along with 30 other Thompsons!

(here are some of my favorite pictures of Quinn so far)

Quinn photographed by her Aunt Sarah

click here for Sarah Hadenfeldt Photography webpage

Newborn Quinn with her mermaid and other photos by her mama 

All smiles!

3 months!