Family in Sadieville...Thursday and Friday

If you build it, they will come. So...I built the grid!! And they came. Thursday evening the Roper family arrived. Friday Nissa and Aubrey arrived in time for lunch. Friday at dinner time the Marx family arrived. Friday around 11:30pm Jake arrived. Saturday, we brought Papa out for the day. That about fills up a house!!

It was family but the center of all the attention would be Raelyn Jay Roper. Our first great grandmonster. This would be the first time for Papa to see her and she is his first great great grandchild. It would also be the first time for the Mini's and Andie to meet Drew and Raelyn. Lots of firsts and lots of fun.

We did manage to have a nice breakfast at Waffle House with Drew, Katelyn and Raelyn Friday morning before the other family arrived. It seems Katelyn learned, while they were driving to Kentucky, that Drew had never eaten at a Waffle House. We felt Drew needed that experience. It was fun enjoying that time with them.

So many pictures. Andie made us a secret Facebook page so we could all post all our pictures there and then we could each save which ones we wanted. Such a great idea. 

Raelyn arrived in her Krispy Kreme Doughnut onesie that Claude and I gave her. Krispy Kreme is kind of a family thing. There is one in Grand Rapids, Michigan and we always stop and pick up some to take on to Muskegon for the family to enjoy while we visit. Raelyn wears it well.

Love this picture of Claude and Raelyn playing. 

These are tiny Raelyn feet. 

Claude has a big cloth rocking chair in the living room. When the Mini's were little and watching Blue's Clues a lot, they named this Pa's Thinking Chair. Raelyn found it delightful to have for her own sitting pleasure. 

When nap time came Friday morning, Katelyn made a nest for Raelyn with the pillows on Claude and my bed. Katelyn was really making sure Raelyn enjoyed all the traditions from the grandmonsters through the years. Making a nest on our bed to rest or watch television is a long-standing tradition. Please note that baby afghan she is holding on to. This was the one I made the weekend Jake visited. Turns out Raelyn loves to grab an afghan with her hand through the holes to go to sleep. To avoid her taking Drew and Katelyn's, we made her this one and she seems to need it each time she goes to sleep. 

My mother had lots of furry fabric and satiny fabric in her fabric stash when we moved my parents to Kentucky. This was the last of the furry fabric. I simply stitched it to a big piece of off white satin fabric and made a little blanket Raelyn can play on the floor with. She loved the feel of the fur and was very happy playing there throughout the visit. Mimi would be happy.  

When Hayden and Bailey arrived Friday, Raelyn determined Hayden's fingers were the best chew toy. It was hysterical when she first put his fingers in her mouth and started to chew on them. Hayden was laughing so hard and going, "Oooooo. Oh no, this is just weird. It feels so weird. She doesn't have any teeth!!" We were in stitches. 

The Mini's meeting Raelyn. A mutual admiration society. 

Keeping up the traditions, Katelyn wanted Raelyn to have her first big bath tub experience at our home. Claude and I never use this big old whirlpool tub. But the grandmonsters love it when they visit. Raelyn was no exception. Everyone brought bathing suits and they had a lot of fun playing in the tub. Claude bought the bathing suit for Raelyn. It's a keeper. 

This was a fun find on my camera. After Raelyn finished her splash in the tub, Katelyn handed her to Andie who had her towel/blanket ready. I didn't know Andie took these selfies in the bathroom mirror until we got the pictures off the camera. How cute is that. I believe Andie is very happy to be an Aunt again.

And I just needed to have this picture of what my bath tub looks like after the kids finish their bath. 

Bailey gave Raelyn her final bottle before bed time. What a great first full day with family!