Late June update

Hello Friends and Family!

June is coming to a close and it seems like time is just flying by. I have not taken my camera to work yet but I will soon and add a couple of pictures of the ambulance that our team transports patients in. On the job front while I enjoy my employment at the University of Virginia I will be applying for a job as a firefighter/paramedic with the City of Charlottesville. This job, if I receive an offer, would be a significant jump not only finiancially but would be a better fit for me. So keep your fingers crossed and I will keep you all posted on my progress. Anna is enjoying being at home with May while I am not enjoying the prospects of night shifts and being on call a job is a job and we have yet to figure out how to grow money. Anna somehow squeezes in a few hours here and there with her job at "creciento juntos" a NGO here in town that allows her to work from home. Big news on the Brother Joe and Sister Leah front...they have received a referral from their adoption agency and will be traveling to Ethiopia sometime soon to bring back their newly adopted 2 month old boy! Check out their blog http://montsweeney.blogspot.com/.

More updates and pics soon.

Love T&A&May

A new Twins fan! This was my shirt about 28 years ago maybe May will get to wear it during the World Series!

Anna and May went berry picking last week...we now have five pounds of raspberries in our freezer.

We took May out to our local CSA farm to do a little weeding and watering and picked some carrots, beets, potatoes, and greens.

The chickens were very curious about May so I took her out of her bouncy seat, she can play with chickens when she gets a little older.

Ryan and Gerald checking out the child hammock that Ryan made. Thanks Ryan, she loves it. Below is a video of the hammock in action.

Mid-June update

Hello Friends and Family,

All is well with the Sullivan clan. Our summer projects have begun with the installation of a quintessential element of home improvement, a kegerator. Anna's papa has been busy with drawing up home improvement schematics for our house which involve a skid steer, ditch witch and forty to fifty gallons of elbow grease. Anna has been going through loads of baby clothes given to us by friends and family and while many of the clothes are adorable we have found that two hundred onesies and eighteen rain jackets are a little more than we need so we've been donating some items to the local salvation army. May is getting more and more active, raising her head, squirming, babbling and experimenting with countless facial expressions. We are beginning to learn what May's grunts, sighs, smiles and furrowed brows mean or, more accurately, what bodily function is imminent. The video below is what generally happens when May is hungry.

An early fathers day gift. This was the fridge we used to have in the kitchen and is now an addition to the ever growing man cave.

We didn't think that May would like being strapped down in a car seat but she seems to like it.

Anna B and May B.

Lizzie holding May and Laurel looking on at a little house dinner we had last week for Lizzie who headed up to New York for the summer.

Anna and May sorting through baby clothes.

Nap time is very important.

May, the world cup and the USA not being trounced by England.

May with a onesie that Anna made.

May Bird Sullivan

It only took us four days to name her, May Bird Sullivan. Bird is a family name on Anna's side and while she was born the first day of June we both liked May a lot and we're having some fun with some nicknames. Maybe a little too much fun.




For all our Nebraska friends and family it looks like you will be meeting May at my brother Pat's wedding in October. Can't wait to see you all!

I was talking with Daniel (Anna's papa) the other day and he was asking me if I was keeping track of this experience through some sort journal and I thought that this format would be a good place to do that, so here it is. I have started back at work with the University of Virginia Neonatal Emergency Transport team and feeling a bit of stress about leaving Anna and May at home but our friends and family here have been fantastic, stopping by to deliver delicious food, visit and help out around the house. The good thing about my job is that I fulfill my work requirements in three days and tend to have the rest of the week off. The bad news is that I keep thinking I'll come home one day and she'll be riding her bike around and I'll wonder where did all the time go, an unfounded concern as I'm sure I'll at least see her walk first.

It should be an action packed summer for our little family. On the docket this summer is a kitchen remodel, solar panel installations, new front porch and maybe a new back deck with a donated hot tub from Daniel. Our little garden should be kicking out tomatoes and hot peppers soon. Our fig tree from Ryan made it through the winter so we'll have a few figs later this summer. Also, it looks like Joe and Leah will be going to Ethiopia sometime in July to pick up their adopted child, more on that the more we find out but May seems excited about a cousin.

I'll try and upload a few more pics sometime soon of May and our house projects. All is going well with kiddo and mama.

Take care and talk with you all soon,

love

T&A&May

Baby Girl Pics

Hello Friends and Family!

All is well. Baby is feeding, sleeping, and pooping like a champ. My folks and Anna's are thrilled to have a granddaughter. She is cute, peaceful, soft and smells good. Her yawns and sneezes kill me. More to come.

Getting her footprints.

About thirty minutes after birth.

Aunt Leah, thanks for being there Leah your help was much appreciated.

Alison with her first granddaughter.

Kirby and Mary Claire with their first granddaughter.

We've got a couple names in mind and after tonight we should have a name for her.

Love T&A

Baby Girl!

She has finally arrived all 9 lbs. 2 oz. of her. Labor was about 12 hours long with an intense final hour ending at 9:30 this morning.

Pictures to come soon! and a name.