Introducing Ella Rose

Awwwww, how cute, huh? This is my cousin Lindsay's and her husband Jason's new addition to the family, Ella Rose. She's being held by her big brother, 3-year-old Cole. Lindsay's twin sister Shannon is due in a few weeks so it's very exciting for my aunt and uncle, to have two new grandbabies, along with Cole. Neither Lindsay or Shannon wanted to know what they were having so I was DYING to find out. We all thought Linds was having a boy. She did, too. It was a wonderful surprise. Now I can't wait to see what Shannon and her husband Ryan are having. I hope it's a "she," a built-in BFF for Ella.

Shannon told me that when she brought Cole into Lindsay's hospital room to meet his new baby sister, Lindsay was nursing Ella. Cole looked up at his mom and said, "Mom, are you still going to be my mom?" Shannon said she just cried and Lindsay got teary, too...and it wasn't as if Cole said it to get attention. The little stinker just wanted to know.

Ella Rose was 19-1/2 inches and 8 pounds, 7 ounces. I may have to head to the Twin Cities for a work-related trip this week or next and to be certain, I'll be stopping in and seeing Ella for my baby fix. :)

My house hubby

As of two weeks ago my husband went part-time at the newspaper to focus more on his growing wedding photography business. He's also shooting part-time for our sister newspaper just minutes from our home.

Anyhow, I didn't realize how much I had to personally gain by having a house husband. When he was working mostly nights, Erika and I would just find something quick to eat and eat in the living room while we watched TV. We've now moved our dinners to our dining room and Nels actually several days so far has fixed us genuine cooked-in-a-pot or grilled dinners. It's been awesome.

He's still really busy right now - it's the height of the wedding season - but this winter I'm fully expecting dinners every night, or close to it. He swears this winter he's going to clean out our kitchen, including getting rid of utensils and things we don't use that I've had since I inherited them from my parents while in college, and help us become more efficient. He even swears he's going to make sure I have a lunch from home each day so I'm not tempted to order out with the girls or walk over to Wendy's, which is across the street.

His new cookware he ordered just arrived in the mail today, he said when I called home during lunch.

I can only hope that he's put it to good use by the time I get home.