Anna's here!

"July 6, 1995:  Anna LaRayne was born.
July 7, 1995:  Pinochle at Leona's.
July 8 and 9, 1995:  Nancy came -- cleaned the kitchen cupboards for me.
July 12, 1995:  Raymond and Marina came in late afternoon.  Howard got sick.  Greta, Marina and I took him to the emergency room at the Lutheran Hospital.  Howard stayed at hospital.

I guess I was wrapped up in a new baby, but didn't remember Grandpa being in the hospital so close in time to that new baby.  I know he was not in the hospital by the time we went up for the first visit with Anna, so maybe that is why I am not recalling that very clearly.

The photo was taken very shortly after Anna decided to quit fooling around and breathe.  We had more than a few tense moments (seemed like minutes and minutes and minutes . . . ) during which Joann (midwife) was thumping Anna's feet and banging on her back before she took that first breath.  Joann admitted later that she was just about to call in the big guns to get her breathing.  Anna sure looks over-baked with those red fold lines on her tummy.  But then, she was.  And other than those two issues, she hasn't been much trouble.