Welcome Owen Adam Gerber!

On August 30, 2021 at around 10:30am, Owen Adam Gerber was born to Jeff & Marta! He weighed in at a healthy 8lb 2oz. Why do we Gerbers have such big babies?! That's a good size baby, and he's the second smallest of the (now) SIX grandchildren! 

Owen gets his own post because there are so many pictures from the last few days when the family got to meet him. So many cousins all of a sudden! Owen is the fourth of four Gerber babies to be born in 2021. Mom & Dad tripled their grandchildren count in a matter of 5 and a half months. 

We were all anxiously awaiting the arrival of this rainbow baby Merby (his nickname before we knew who he was). Jeff was open about desperately wanting a boy, and Aly, Ashleigh and I had babies already this spring. We just needed this baby to complete the set! 

Owen spent a few extra days in the hospital, and it wasn't the week anyone imagines when they're going to have a baby, but now the hospital is history, and he's eating like a champ, meeting all his family, and getting into a groove with his Mom & Dad!

When we saw this picture almost every one of us immediately saw Marta's genes!

I mean, COME ON! <3

On September 4th Owen was ready to come home! We were having Scott & Ashleigh over for dinner that evening, but then we got the text that Jeff and Marta were opening their house to our family at 6pm. Dave was SO generous and offered to put our kids to bed so that I could go with S&A to meet this baby. On the one hand, I can't believe they invited people over the day they got home. On the other hand, Owen was already five days old, so I guess they've had a chance to get over some of the first jitters and exhaustion. Regardless, it was unexpected and so exciting. 

In typical Gerber fashion, there was wine in the decanter and a delicious spread of cheese, crackers and jellies for us to enjoy as we passed little Owen around. Something about him just feels extra special. 

For me, this whole year has felt extra special. We've been the only ones in the family with kids for 4.5 years. All the uncles and aunts have been amazing, but there's just a new level of understanding once you have your own kid(s). All of a sudden we're all peers, they GET it, and we have a whole new world of things to talk about. Children change everything, and it's probably the hardest thing most of us have had to do in our lives. We've all had struggles of some sort, but these 2021 babies have brought so much love and growth to our family. My heart is full. 

Like... so full <3

I spent the afternoon playing with Dom, Emilia, Eva and Phoebe, so Owen felt extra tiny and snuggly and fresh!

When we were sort of gearing up to get ready to go, I offered Owen to Marta. I remember being a new mom, and watching everyone else hold my baby and just wanting to hold him while he was sleeping and enjoy him for a bit, too. Dom was a fussy baby, so I felt like I only ever got him when he was crying, and everyone else got the good parts! Here Marta, enjoy your twin!

I crocheted each of the 2021 babies this same bear toque. I think they all outgrew it before we could get a picture of them in it. Plus it was Spring and Summer for each of them. Poor planning by me, but it was a fun project anyway. Maybe I'll make some new matching toques for the winter! I was tickled and surprised to see this hat up on their shelf here :). They were also using the blanket I crocheted for Owen. I made matching ones for each of these babies (which you'll see later on!)

Opa taking advantage of a baby who will take a bottle!

So. Squishy.

That visit filled a gap in all our hearts that we hardly knew we had! We all went out there despite the fact that we were all planning to get together at our house the following day for dinner. I gotta say though, that evening at Jeff & Marta's was a LOT calmer and quieter than Sunday dinner at our place! Yikes!!!

We made tortellini soup, and had some charcuterie to start. We drank lots of delicious wine, and the dads had some Whisky to cap off the evening as well. I loved hosting because we have all the toys, we could keep our kids on schedule, the other babies napped here, and we didn't have to worry about leaving at 7:00! The last people left around 8:30 or 9:00 I think! 

The big kids meeting the tiniest new baby cousin!

Fun part of coming to Uncle Dave & Aunty Renee's house? We have all the fun toys!

Myles using the play mat

Owen using our chair

Myles squeezing one last wear out of that adorable outfit

Pheebs rocking her bow

The four dads

Jeff's proud Dad look haha

A rare shot of me! Thanks, Aly!

Eva was napping at this point, but we got three babies all in a row. This is Phoebe on the play mat, Myles in the exersaucer, and Owen still sleeping in the chair.

Phoebe's turn in the exersaucer!

And of course the jolly jumper!

Eva showing off for Uncle Jeff.

Great Opa came over to meet the newest addition, too!

I took a couple videos on my phone just to capture the noise and chaos level in the house. It was impressive. So much happening. So many people. So many babies babbling and squawking. All the kids were on great behaviour and it was still madness!

Literally candid moments. I've never been able to get candid shots of Jeff before. Clearly all it took was him having a baby he can't take his eyes off of!

Ah. He is so handsome. We all make cute babies :) See end of post for some newborn shots of all of them!

Oma taking advantage of a baby who will take a bottle!

Aunty Renee taking advantage of a baby who will take a bottle!

Uncle Dave's first snuggle

4 Generations! Each the first born in their family

I asked everyone to bring their blanket that I made, and we actually managed to get a photo with all 4 babies awake and relatively happy (not crying...)

I also have a video of us trying to get these photos. Ohh my gosh. It is hilarious. In the video all the grown ups are standing over the babies hooting and hollering and waving their arms. Then Eva rolls over right on top of Owen, and everyone is dying laughing and Adam yells out, "BABY TRAFFIC JAM!" Christmas is going to be WILD this year.

Clockwise starting from 12:00
Myles Jeffrey - March 20, 2021

Phoebe Renee - March 24, 2021

Eva Affina - April 16, 2021

Owen Adam - August 30, 2021

Not pictured:

Dominic Stuart - December 27, 2016

Emilia Carolyn - May 9, 2018

Now for a round of GUESS THAT BABY! Just kidding... I included names...

Such cute babies <3