Fenny is happy.

Fenny and I used to be able to claim "gender majority" in our house. Zach and I adopted her shortly after we married 6 years ago. Once Bennett joined the group - we no longer had majority and as a dog, Fenny's vote didn't weigh as heavily. Late Monday night, we welcomed Elizabeth Rosemary Ford (we call her Elly Rose). Fenny feels all is right with the world and hasn't even missed a beat with Elly Rose around.

Elly Rose was born at 11:50 p.m. on October 18th. She is healthy and we are soaking up that feeling of our hearts once again stretching to love someone so deeply. The joy we have already received from Bennett and Elly Rose is magic. She weighed 7 lb 5 oz. and was 21 inches long. Magic is also Elly Rose deciding to FINALLY arrive just 7 hours before my grandfather (her great papaw) was to board a plane back down to Florida after visiting for a week. He (and my uncle and cousin) waited up late to meet her and we are thankful.

Proud mommy and daddy just before leaving the hospital. I used to nanny for two little girls that loved having Zach around as much (or more) as they did me. It was beginning then that I thought it would fun to see him with his own daughter...still can't believe I am saying "daughter!"

We have added just a little pink to her gender neutral nusery. Poppy and Grams brought her this sweet little bunny, among some other goodies.



And this is my favorite picture. Bennett has been such a trooper this week. So much happening in this little man's life and it makes me love him more than ever. He loves to kiss her, touch her, hold her, rock her and give her toys. Oh, and he calls her "Brooky" - the name of his baby-sitters granddaughter who is sometimes at her house. We keep reminding him of her real name, but I think it is going to take a little time.

Sell Out Crowd.

Fall Saturdays spent in Bloomington with friends...tailgating, cheering on the Hoosiers, creating wonderful memories...was a favorite post-college tradition for Zach and I. Babies make that a bit more complicated. So a couple years ago we made it to a couple games and last year and this year, we have made it to just one game, but have continued to make the most of it. We look forward to adding this tradition back into our regular rotation of fall-Saturday activities.

A man on a tailgating mission. He was doing his best to be involved with the grill, the food table and any stray ball or bean bag he could get his hands on...all at the same time.

Thank you to Papaw and Memaw for taking us to the game (look beyond them to see the SELL OUT CROWD!). They and the Prather family were also instrumental in helping us keep Bennett entertained throughout the entire game...start to finish we never left our seat. I would have thought that impossible based on the first 60 seconds we were in our seats.

Bennett and Cooper. I am pretty positive they were plotting there way out. We kept them blocked between legs and phones did the trick for quite some time.


Bennett trying to smother daddy with his blanky because daddy's "other team" is Michigan and they would not stop scoring touchdowns on IU. In the end, it came down to who had the ball last and unfortunately Michigan had it with just enough time to score and win the game.


Again...love the sell out crowd in this picture and the newly finished north endzone...

Can't wait to make it down for another game next year!