Pictures Taken By Grandma

Here are a few great pictures of Eleanor taken by Grandma.

Coming Home/First Doc Visit

Here a couple of pictures of Wendy and Eleanor getting ready to make the move to the Grove homestead.


Other than a semi-flat tire the trip home went fine and we all got settled. The boys were happy to meet their new sis and behaved very well. It is going to take a little adjusting for all of us, but I think we are on the way. After we got home Nora relaxed in one of her many new options of seats that vibrate and/or move.
It was a long day of changes and adjustments and by the end of it we all felt like Charlie.
Friday morning we had our first visit with our pediatrician. Eleanor checked out fine and is perfectly healthy. She is in the 50th percentile for weight but the 90th for length, so I'm expecting a call from Coach Foster anytime to set up a recruiting visit.

Some More Pictures of Nora at the Hospital

Looks like we will be taking her home tomorrow (Wednesday) and while we are looking forward to introducing her to her home, it is a bit scary knowing there wont be a nurse right out in the hallway if we need anything. Thanks to everyone who has stopped by and dropped of a gift, as if our girl wasn't bound to be spoiled already. Also, thanks to everyone who has called and written to congratulate us, it means a lot knowing Nora already has a large family who care for her.

Meet Eleanor Kate

Some pictures of our girl, Eleanor Kate Grove, born at 12:34 AM Saturday July 14th. She is a beautiful, heathly, girl who so far seems to enjoy sleeping. More stories will come later once my mind begins to function again and I get some sleep . . . so in about 18 years?

My first view of Nora and her first view of us . . .

with a still slightly numbed and tired, but happy Mom
with Grandma Wehage

and Grandpa Grove

Dad with a 13 hour old Eleanor in a new outfit

First time meeting Aunt Pam and Uncle Scott.

The Day Approaches

Wendy and I thought we'd give one last update before the big day this Friday. We are both very excited and have been running around trying to take care of "everything" before the baby arrives. Stuff we still need to do: grocery store (out of fruit and coffee creamer. One we could live with, both both is unbearable), fire station to have baby seat inspected, car wash to vacuum out cars, recycling, plus lots of work at our respective jobs and consulting obligations. It's all OK though, what doesn't get done simply won't get done. I doubt after Friday that either of us will really care.


This past Saturday we went to a 7th of July party at Jessie and David's house. It was a good chance to see the "West Side Crew" again. It had been a while since we saw them (no recent Bengals games) but they are always so sweet and fun. As always it is fun to see Taryn and get a glimpse of "what we are in for" in a year or so.


We wanted to let people know that I will send out an e-mail update as soon as I get to a computer, but it will probably take at least a day or two before the blog is updated. We appreciate all the support we have received and can't wait for all of you to be part of our child's life. The email will announce baby's sex, name, and birth date vitals--all things the family has placed their best guesses on. Keep us in your thoughts on Friday and know that we could not embark on such a life altering journey without the love and support you have given us!

PS: Other huge life events going on for people we love: Weddings for Wendy's cousins Erin (marrying Ryan), Tim (marrying Kristi), and friends Mary & Steve; a new house for Molly, Mike & Tygan; babies for Ruth, Mel, & Eva (Noah is coming in October); Meg & Kelly (Welcome Quincy); Jessie & Dave (due late November); Pat, Beth, & Lauren (due in January); Sara & Roger (due in January). Congratulations and much love to you all! Geoff & Wendy, Charlie, Mookie, and Baby

Friday the 13th

The coolest news ever is being told that you can choose your own child's birthday. And our kid is (hopefully) going to be born on July 13, 2007. Friday, the 13th (insert creepy music here). Yep, instead of a C-section, I will be induced if I do not spontaneously go into labor between now and July 13th. When Dr. Vanek asked us what day we would like this to happen (with choices of 13th, 14th, or 15th), we chose the 13th. This is no lie, Geoff said to me MONTHS ago, "wouldn't it be great if the baby was born on Friday the 13th?" At the time, I said "No, of course not!" But, now I have come around...13 is a low prime number, the SEVENTH prime number in fact, so the baby could be born on the 7th month, on the day of the 7th prime number (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 being the first six of course), on the 7th year of the Millennium. HOLY COW, that is cool. Or, the 13th is exactly half way between Geoff's birth day (10th) and mine (16th). Or, that makes it an odd numbered day, month, and year of birth (opposite of mom, who was born on an even day, month, and year and half like dad who was born on an odd month, even day, and odd year). Supposedly, you are lucky in parking if born on a Friday (mom was!)

Added bonus: Apparently, this is not a popular day to choose for a baby's birthday (now I really love it, can't conform even in this if we can avoid it), so the Baby Mill hospital should not be busy, at least not with inductions. Latent meaning: I should have no problem getting my anesthesia, pain meds, or attention. Plus, this is 12 days before my due date, so it feels like making it to the early bird special. OK, two more cool things: I have scheduled my time off work and can place my phone and email "away" messages with tidy return dates AND my mom gets here from Oregon on July 12th, a plane ticket she bought about 4 months ago.

So, look for the email announcement of Baby Grove's arrival, we will try and post things up here as soon as possible, ,although we do not travel with iPhones that can post blog pictures from remote locations, so it may be a few hours/days post-birthday. If you are reading this, you have probably figured out that the Columbus baby shower planned for July 14th has been canceled for now and will be a baby meeting party sometime in August. Ta ta for now, Soon-to-be-Mom

Happy Birth Month!

Well, we have finally made to the month our little one will enter the world. Whether it be July 11th or not the baby should make his/her first appearance in the real world sometime this month, if not Wendy may just kill somebody. As you can see Wendy is getting big and although she has enjoyed the pregnancy, she is ready to "get the kid out".

I'd also like to wish my father a happy birthday, for privacy reasons we can't disclose his exact age. Dad has been a great support for Wendy and I and we will be counting on that support to continue once we really have our hands full. Hear that, dad? No vacations this year for you! Skyler and Scott also have July birthdays, which is one reason we thought it had to be a boy through the beginning of the pregnancy. As will happen over a 9 month period, minds will change and we are both now thinking it will be a girl. Needless to say we don't really care as long as it is one or the other.

To celebrate the birth month the boys got a new party outfit. The Hawaiian shirt looks good on both of them, although a little snug on Charlie and a little big on Mookie. Neither seemed to mind too much although the shirt tends to fall off after a bit wrassling or butterfly hunting.