Homecoming

Well, today was the day everyone was anticipating. Mommy and Baby Karsten came home from the hospital. Everyone is doing fine. Daddy and Pop Pop provided the transportation, while Big Grandma, Corrin, and Maxwell were the welcoming committee.

Corrin and Maxwell got some time out of the compound. They attended "Hallelujah Night" at church. They played games spend a lot of time on the moon bounce, and each had a pony ride. You should have seen Max saying "Giddyap, Yee-Ha, Wee!" just like Elmo does in "Elmo's World: The Wild, Wild West."

More pictures later. Cheers.

A middle name compromise

Karsten now has a middle name. Karsten Vaughn Anderer.

Just weeks before he was born, Danyiel and I were deadlocked on a name. She said all of the names I suggested (Karsten, Milos, Jaeger, Mattias) were too weird, so I decided to try to sway things in my favor with some psychology—I figured if I started suggesting REALLY outlandish names, the others might not seem so unusual. I proposed we name the baby "Baron Von Anderer." (Actually it was "Baron Johann Karl-Frederick von Anderer," if I recall.)

Evidently my scheme worked because she eventually decided "Karsten" wasn't so strange after all.

But a couple weeks later we stood in Labor & Delivery with no middle name that sounded good between "Karsten" and "Anderer." (What does, really?) I jokingly suggested "Von" again, but to my surprise Danyiel, tired and full of meds, said yes—as long as we spelled it "Vaughn."

I still can't believe I got away with it. I still chuckle every time I write it.

Another thing that will be living in the garage.

First a new car, now a new baby.

Please welcome Karsten (No Middle Name Yet) Anderer. 6 lbs., 11 oz.; 19.5 inches. He arrived in the most difficult way imaginable (emergency C-section), but when you see his little face, you'll have to agree it was worth it. (Easy for me to say.)

A new addition to the family. (No, NOT that!)

Hello everyone,

Just thought you'd like to hear about the new addition to our family that arrived today. No, not a baby, but stay tuned for that. It's a silver Audi 2001 A6 2.8T sedan. Danyiel used her super car-shopping prowess to secure a newer car with lower mileage for a lower payment. (I still can't figure out how.) Xande is happy to have manual transmission again.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the experience was the customer lounge at the Audi dealership. The building was previously a bank, and rather than remove to old vault, they converted it into the customer lounge. Cool!

We were all sad to see Leelu I leave us but at the same time we're excited about Leelu II.

A blog for all to see!

Hello everyone,

We are creating this blog to keep all those near and dear to us in the loop. Hopefully this will be a convenient way to share all of our happenings, both large and small, with everyone.

As we write this, we are expecting the 3rd heir to the Anderer Fortune at any moment. Check back often for pictures and commentary from the big event. Corrin is selecting something for show-and-tell tomorrow, and Maxwell is sporting new Superman pajamas, complete with red cape. Danyiel is trying to broker the deal of the century for a new car for daddy, and Xande will be making snack for 8 preschoolers sometime after midnight.

Best wishes to everyone.
Xande, Danyiel, Corrin, Maxwell and Jasper