What's in a Name?

The story of Sennia(pronounced-sen'-nee-ah with a very clear 'sen' NOT sin' nee ah) . When Matt was living in North Jersey and I was by myself I listened to all the Amelia Peabody books one after another and they really got me through it all. Sennia is a character in one of those books. I loved the name, I thought it was beautiful read with the English accent Barbara Rosenblatt used. I wanted Brig...s to be a girl so he could be Sennia:) So I've been waiting for my little Sennia for all this time. I knew she'd come. I wrote Elizabeth Peters and asked her about the name because you can't really find it anywhere. She wrote me a lovely post card and said "'Sennia' is my version of the Arabic name Sania which means 'high' or 'noble'. Couldn't be a better name for a wonderful little girl. Congratulations!"
So that's how you pronounce it and that's where I got the name. I hope you all fall in love with it like I did but if you don't it's ok:) We think it fits our little girl perfectly.

She's here!

Sennia Elizabeth Stecher
7lbs 10oz 19 3/4"

The Stecher crew couldn't be more excited.

Brigham reading Sennia her first book.

SISTERS!!!!!

We think she looks like her oldest brother.
She's a beauty.

Here's to many hours in the hammock little angel.

Shower!

This sunny lady gave me a diaper shower:) Very sweet!

I should've gotten better pictures, but you can see the cute diaper cake and the diaper baby!

Here are some wonderful friends who came.

More wonderful friends!

Full diaper favors:)

Yummy vegetarian food. That pizza was super.

It was really fun to have a party at my house, with my friends that somebody did ALL the work for and so sweet of everybody to come and help get us ready for our girl's arrival. Thank you Cindy and everybody!

Houston Museum of Natural Science

 So one of the things I'm learning to love about Houston is that the museums here are very awesomely frequently FREE! Every Tuesday from 2-8pm the Natural Science Museum is free. How progressive of them:) This is the reason, this oil exhibit and the free time at the museum are generous donations from the good ol' oil bussiness. It's a nice little museum. The gem exhibit is pretty extensive and the shells were terrific. It will be a fun monthly outing for the family though:)

This was a popular challenge yesterday. Do you have the energy of gasoline. You turn the crank for 15 seconds and they tell you how much gasoline you matched. Matt was impressive at  about 6 1/2 drops:) Eli I think cranked out 3 1/2 or 4 1/2 (I can't remember).

Brigs almost got a drop-.86 I believe.

Luke at about 1 drop less than Eli.

Alena about 1 drop less than Samuel and Samuel 1 drop less than Luke.

Last Days of 2011

Butterfly Museum trip.

Our New Year's Eve Feast. Homemade bean dip, Quesos, guacamole and salsas.

The cheese, pepperoni, cracker and baguette spread.

We just had it picnic style in the pool yard. It was a long day starting with a big of football @ 8am, the cleaning the church @9am, taking down wallpaper for most of the rest of the day, reorganizing totes and cleaning out baby boy clothes, washing little girl clothes, buying fireworks(Eli and Luke), and then Eli and I made all the dips for dinner. All in all, it was a good day.(oh, I should mention that I slipped a much needed nap in there)

Happy faces of firework spectators.

It was their favorite New Year's Eve on record, probably because it's the first time we've actually had festivities for them:) What a terrific way to bring in the New Year though. Of course they were all in bed by 9pm so Matt and I could do our own New Year's celebrating. Houston does a mighty fine job. We felt the excitement in the air as midnight struck. 2011 we will remember you fondly, thank you for bringing our family back together again.