Check out extra holiday pics

Man have we been busy! Check out the pics from Thanksgiving with the Latailles, Nate's bday, The Surprise Christmas, and... hmmmm.... wasn't there something else? I'm sure there was.... oh yeah! Put your hands together folks for the newest member of the Foss clan....

Jessica LeAnne Foss!!!

 

A n d   A    G i r l    i s    b o r n. . . .

That's right, folks. Rita couldn't take the testosterone imbalance anymore, so she decided to even it out a little bit anyway with a baby girl. Actually, even though we never looked during the ultrasounds, we knew it would be a girl because she kept on teasing us and changing her mind about when she would come! Unlike the boys, Jes decided to make us panic with 2 false labors before she decided to finally come out. Oh man, I'm already worried....

Seriously, we did think Rita was going to deliver on New Year's Day. The bag was packed, kids were taken care of, Rita felt the contractions, I was panicking... yep, we were sure of it. But, it wasn't to be. Instead, after a fairly easy labor (as the husband, I just love saying that - it really ticks off Rita and pretty much any other mother), Jessica was born on January 10, 2002 at 5:57 a.m. She weighed in at a Foss record 8.2 pounds, 21 inches long.

And Rita, Nate and I couldn't be happier.

.... Connor on the other hand, wasn't quite on board at first. I think he is finally coming around a little, but I'm fairly certain that his initial reaction was: "A baby. That's nice. When does she go back to wherever she came from?" After 10 days, he has either a) decided that she ain't so bad and is kinda cute, or b) realized he can't simply show her the door and is concocting a more subtle plan of which we no nothing.

Back to Jessica. First, feel free to call her Jessica, Jesse, or Jes. We haven't figured out what our favorite is yet. I'm pushing for J.La., but I'm worried she might end up dating some wacko named puff daddy or p diddy or something. Second, she is doing great. Last night, she actually went 5 hours straight, so a solid sleep for Rita and me is tantilizingly close.

Rita is also doing great. Despite my teasing of an easy labor, there really were no complications. She toughed out yet another 100% all-natural child birth and was on her feet the next day. That woman truly does amaze me. I would have asked for every drug possible and then laid in bed and demand people wait on me for the next 6 months. Rita, on the other hand, went sledding yesterday. Unreal.

One final note on Jes and Rita. Thank you to everyone for the presents, well wishes, and especially the help. Not having to worry about things like dinner for a few days has been a blessing. Grandma and Grandpa have been especially wonderful. Thank you. (By the way, I like my steaks a bit rarer, and ...)

Grandma and Jes	Just waitin' for the baby to come (she was 6 days overdue!)	Grandpa with his hands full

As is our tradition, Rita's family, which is scattered around the U.S., celebrated Thanksgiving by converging in one spot for our annual reunion. This year, David and Connie hosted the gathering, so we headed down south to Texas. We had a fantastic time. First of all, try to image Thanksgiving with 6 boys under the age of 9, an infant girl (welcome Elizabeth Joy!), and a pregnant woman. Throw into the mix the fact that all but the in-laws have Lataille blood in them!! Whew. Despite all that (or because of it?) we all had a great time. It was great to see the cousins playing with each other, tackling their uncles, keeping the decibel level on par with the space shuttle, and, of course, having burping contests outside after pizza. What more could you ask for?

Air Hogs!	So what is this word, cousin David?	Elizabeth was gearing me up for holding a baby girl

Oh yeah, did I mention we celebrated Christmas? So go back up to that last paragraph and throw in a bunch of nice quite toys like remote control cars, air hogs, batman figures, t-ball sets, ... you get the picture. It was fun, but pandemonium reigned for a few days in Texas!

Takin' a break with Uncle Mike	"We're surrounded by grandkids!"	We don't want to sit still!

I just like the unwrapping part	So, can we build the treehouse next?	Joyful Joyful we adore thee

Check out extra holiday pics

 

B i g     B i r t h d a y    B a s h

Do you realize, that Rita and I are parents to three kids, all under the age of 4 years and 39 days?!?!? And I'm the Dad??? Poor kids.

Well, the Nate man turned 4 on December 13 and officially declared himself a big boy. We had a Scooby Doo party for Nate and a bunch of his friends from the neighborhood and from school. Rita had the idea to have the kids actually sit down for a bit and make their own pizzas. This turned out to be an awesome activity and the other parents were amazed at how well it worked. The only downside was that one little guy decided he was simply too hungry, so he got his pizza, threw on some sauce and a bunch of toppings, and promptly took a big bite out of the uncooked pie! The funny part was that I don't think he even noticed.

Raw pizza aside, the party was a big hit and Nate had a great time.

After the hoopla, I was tucking Nate into bed and I have to share two super-cute statements he made.

First one: I was talking about how he was 4 now and about how the new baby would be coming soon. Before I could go further, he cuts me off and, very matter-of-factly, says: "Yeah, Dad, I know. I'm 4 now, and when the baby comes, I have a lot of work ahead of me." With a little sister to watch over, little does he know....

Second one: After our pontification on his new roles, he suddenly grew quiet and just barely whispers to me: "Dad, now that I'm four, will you still pick me up?" I tell you, I almost started balling.

Aunt Mel, check out my transformer!	Ok, now how does this @#&! transformer work?	Hotwheels. God's gift to small boys.

 

T h e    S u r p r i s e    C h r i s t m a s

This Christmas had a bit of a twist to it this year. Not only was Rita imminently due, but my brother Patrick and his wife Nobuko decided to surprise us by showing up on Christmas Eve! Now, Patrick had decided that he needed a source on the inside, so, against his better judgment, he let Rita and me in on the secret a good month beforehand. And I despise him for it. Do you have any idea how much stress is associated with a secret like that?!?! It was killing me to keep my mouth shut. If anyone else out there has a secret like that, just tell Rita. I might have to spill the beans next time.

That said, the surprise was awesome. Rita and I had everyone over on Christmas Eve for a nice relaxed pizza dinner. So there we all are, and Pat and Nobuko walk in with the pizzas. I thought my Mom was going to faint. Then she found out that I knew, so I thought she was going to kill me. Nonetheless, the big surprise was a definite success we all enjoyed getting to spend time with Nobuko. It wasn't too bad seeing Pat again either, I guess...

Hangin' with Great Grammie	Christmas 2001	Stay away from my grub, Aunt Nobu

The National Christmas Tree	The Original Wu Foss Clan	Uncle Pat, you're so weird

Check out extra holiday pics

 

F i n a l e

I know this update is a bit shorter, but hopefully you're concentrating on the new pics of Jes and don't even notice. Until next time, this is your Foss Clan Chronicler signing off...

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