Best of friends!

While Mom was in the hospital when baby Marcus was born, Gerad stayed at cousin Gesina's house!

..doing things he normally is not allowed!

...sharing his favorite items!

... and just having a wonderful gut time!

" I'll give you your soother...

...if you give me cheerios! "

Oh, the BLESSING OF CHILDREN!

Enjoy them, love them as it it were your very last day with them!

All dressed up!

Urreker Gerad

Moet dit nou allemoal...?

Geen belang...

Mag ik nou noar buuten?

Traditional Urker costume worn on special days such as 1st birthdays!

Do I look nice now, Mom?

Hee, there kitty!

Oh, how I love you mom!

Ok, one more picture for Opa...!

It's a boy!

Marcus Pieter Neels

born today, November 21, 2009

at 2:20 p.m.

Weighing 8.1 lbs!

All is well!

Two sweet cousins!

This was the best pictures we could get because they were both rearing to go and would hardly sit still for pictures! Soon Gerad hopes to visit (when his mom needs to go to the hospital) and we hope to get some better pics then.

Did you notice Gerad got a haircut?!? His first one!

One Year Old!!!

Happy 1st birthday Gerad!

Our miracle boy!

Gerad is doing well. Crawling and walking around furniture and keeping his momma busy. He likes his food, and Hannie makes sure he gets lots of it! When Hannie asks him what the cow says, he'll say 'mooo'.

For his birthday his dad had put a sign at the road which read; HONK 4 GERADS BIRTHDAY. And folks did honk, from cars, to trucks, to revved up pickups to dump trucks...they all made a joyful noise in honour of this celebration!

WE LOVE YOU GERAD!

GoNe FiShInG WiTh DaDdY

I know these pictures are from a few months ago, but they are enjoyable just the same!

`

Marvin, Hannie and Gerad recently went to Beautiful British Columbia to visit family and friends. Even though Gerad wasn't quite himself, I am sure it still was a blessing to have him around getting everyone attention, which he is very good at!

Soon enough, he will need to share that attention, as there will be another wee one to love and hold and to go fishing with! He will be thrilled, as is tante Bou already!

~~~~
O taste and see that the LORD is good:

blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Psa 34:8

New Pictures!

:: Lekker bai z'n va ::

:: watching the ponies... ::

:: ...a favorite past time ::

:: "hurry, hurry! We need to go, or we'll be late... Marv, can you get Gerad dressed?" Sure, Marvin gives Gerad a new diaper and puts on his pants~Hannie later discovers his pants inside-out!

:: as soon as he is seated in his highchair, up goes his feet and his toes lock into place! ::

:: book worm ::

Thankfully NO surgery!

The doctors were very happy with Gerad and his diaphram is much better. Things were good too at his regular check up, so Hannie is relieved...we all are!

Surprise! Surprise!

More pictures and a small update on Gerad!

:: He LOVES his exersaucer ::

:: and loves to watch his momma work around him in the kitchen. ::
He is learning that even if momma disappears a few moments out of sight, she WILL be back!

::His eating has picked up, BUT he detests chunky foods. ::

...the mushy stuff is what he likes.

:: LOOK! LOOK! His first tooth!! ::


It is only these last two weeks, maybe three by now, that Hannie has really felt she is finally living the dream of having a baby and enjoying the baby. Gerad is now 8 months old and he is happy, content (all day long) and a joy to have. He likes to play in his playpen, rolling around and chewing on whatever he can find. He uses the cutest giggle to get your attention, and it is hard to ignore him once he starts.

Tomorrow he goes in for an ultrasound on his diaphragm area. It got damaged during his last surgery and because of the coughing that had picked up after that, it couldn't heal the way they had hoped. If it does not look healed, they will do surgery to repair it, but since his cough has been gone for about two weeks now, I am thinking it has had time to heal and things will be alright. That is my prayer.

Marvin and Hannie have given me the OK to update once in a while again, if I have time (they think I am busy) so I will gladly do that. I know it makes the distance a little more bearable for you all and I am honoured to be at your service and to post about our dear little harte diefje.

All because of JESUS.

Thank you!

To my lieve Opa's, Oma's, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends

First of all, I'd like to give tante Bou a big hug and an even bigger thank you for putting so much effort, time and love into keeping everyone updated. I really like it that you did that! Also for me to see when I'm big like daddy. I'm sure you were quite busy with those....can I say monkeys....of yours! (that is what they call me) Yet whenever there was news, even no news, just pictures, you would take the time to post it all. Thanks so much, tante Bou!

Hey everyone else! I didn't forget you! You all get a big thanks too for supporting my daddy and momma so much. I could just tell that they appreciated every visit, meal, phone call, card, hug and prayer very much. And the clothes and toys I got! I love em! Thanks!!

psst...At night when they thought I was sleeping (please don't tell...) well...I'd just have my eyes closed and I'd hear them say things like..."It's amazing how giving and caring people are. Even ones we don't know very well."

It's been a month since my operation and I'm slowly starting to become myself again. I sit in my lay-z-boy most of the time. It keeps me that calmest cuz I'm not allowed to move much for six l-o-n-g weeks. When momma puts me in the playpen I roll almost right away, and then momma rolls me back before I start crying and with that even more pressure would be on my chest. My scar looks great, but it's the bone inside we're worried about. It has to heal 6 weeks for sure, otherwise it could burst open. I can't be lifted under my arms, either. So always I need to be picked up like a little baby, under the bum and behind my neck.

After a night of keeping momma awake (not on purpose, I promise!) by coughing and wanting my soother, daddy gets out for work, and gets me and puts me on his spot, beside momma! I absolutely love it!

During the day I keep my momma on her toes cuz I like being able to see her. She says she doesn't have to worry about going on a diet with me around! =) (she still tells me she loves me very very much, so I am not worried at all. Should I be?)

Anyways, when daddy gets home I'm usually already in my high chair waiting for supper. When I hear his voice, I stop playing and listen with big eyes 'till I see him and then...and then...I hoot and holler and kick and kick and laugh and smile from ear to ear. Me and him, we love each other! LOTS!

K, thanks again everyone! Tante Bou will update now only once in a while, like on my birthday and next operation. Also thanks to those who touched me gently with love in the hospital. I love you all! Expecially my Opa's and Oma's.

From Gerad Neels

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I, tante Bou, have started a blog about our blessed home life! Come visit us at http://melodiesofourhome.blogspot.com/ where we look forward to sharing with you the joys and blessings of family life, be it in harmony, or sometimes out of tune!

aPoLoGiEs...

My apologies for not updating. We hope to post some closing remarks and picture soon and that is what I had been waiting for, therefore the delay. Sorry.

Gerad has had a bad cough since he came home from the hospital. At first you could tell it hurt him to cough as he would cough ever so carefully. His eating habits were not picking up, but after a few garlic poultices applied to the bottom of his foot, he started eating good again and his lungs sound so much better now. He still has the cough which is keeping him up at nights and it also gives Hannie sleepness nights. She really needs a good nights rest, and is hoping that comes someday very soon.

Stayed tuned for pictures to come...

Dear Gerad,

Hello, sweet boy!

Do you remember at all when Tia Michele visited you last week? She sat by your bed for a while and watched you sleep, and breath, and rub your itchy nose...

Well, that was when she was hoping to have her baby very soon and was wishing you and her would go home from the hospital on the same day. It happened a little differently though. The day you came home, was the day your new little cousin was born! So you beat her home, but I am sure Tia Michele is ever so happy about the way things went! Last night as Tia Michele and Uncle Albert were reading this blog all about you, her water broke and that was a sure sign that her baby would come sometime real soon. This afternoon, as you were being discharged from the hospital, little Miss Eva was born. Isn't that special? This has been a very happy and blessed day for our family. Makes my heart fill right up to the brim, and overflow, with thankfulness to God who takes such good care of us! He is so good!

As your mom and dad were driving you home from the hospital, they remembered that it was almost exactly a week ago that they were allowed to see you again after your surgery. So much has happened this past week and we are amazed. God has heard our prayers and blessed us. ALOT!

This afternoon when your mom told us that you maybe, maybe you had to stay longer in the hospital because you have a cough, we prayed that you would be discharged anyways, and when your cousin Pieter heard that you were on the way home, he was so happy that God had answered that prayer too!

We hope to come visit you tomorrow. In the meantime, have a very good sleep in your very own bed again and be nice for you momma and sleep all nicely through the night. Ok?

Love and gentle hugs from tante Bou

mwaah <-----a kiss for you!

Delighted, indeed!

The blessed words are out....The echo results were good and they are

going home

at around three this afternoon!!!!!!!!!

Oh, and Hannie is still very excited about having to give NO MORE NEEDLES!!!!!

What a blessed day!