Mike's Camera

So I really want to post some cute pics of McKenna's first bath... but they are on Mike's camera, and Mike always has his camera with him, and I'm not with him, he's at work I'm at home... so I'll find something else to post about. Maybe.

Oh here is something. I follow NieNie and her sister CJane and Pioneer Woman. On CJane I'm in her list of "followers" or something. For the longest time I've been wondering if I'll ever make it onto her page on the side bar. Then today something magical happened and there I was. My little pic of me and my nephew were on the side of CJane's blog!! Wahoo!! That was fun, and I almost missed it.

On PW, she posted recently about her boys wrestling. This was particularly amusing to me because my husband's family of 5 boys and 1 girl (yes, Tilda is in the middle! Oh and that isn't her real name.) wrestling isn't just a sport, or a past-time, it has at times seemed like life, or air, or their very existence. They wrestle with Uncle George, many of you know Uncle George. He is nearing 60 folks, has Downs Syndrome, and loves to annoy those boys. He'll pick on them just like anyone else's Uncle would and they dish it right back. Which often results in the rest of us curling up tighter on the couch so that they don't squash our feet as they roll and tickle and pinch each other during their matches on the Sunday floor.

This is the brother that wrestled Mike a few weeks ago in MY living room. They nearly gave me a heart attack, hives and a mild stroke. I was nursing McKenna in my favorite chair and they just jumped on each other. My decorations for Easter rocking precariously on the top of my piano... I have yet to grow acustomed to actual real life wrestling in MY house. I grew up with girls, we fought over the bathroom and clothes, no wrestling involved, though there may have been swearing and crying and definitely name calling.

And what is with some people not being able to read my posts?? I've had reports of my typing looking in all symbols. What is UP with that?

I need to feed my beautiful baby girl now. She has her first cold, thanks to her loving kind sharing big sister and the stupid bugs at school.

She's just too sweet to say no to, at least, not yet!

P.S. If ANY Of you know of a totally completely awesome stroller that I just must try out, please please please let me know. I'm looking for one. I want one that won't stop when I hit gravel or dirt, as I INTEND on getting back outside and in better shape pretty soon here.

Our Newest Addition

She's here. She's tiny. Tinier than I thought she would be. Tinier than I think any baby should be. But she came out quick, so that was very good. She is sweet. She doesn't cry unless someone undresses her so I can feed her. I think she's better than chocolate, even better than dark chocolate which is my favorite. She is delicious! I can't wait for peaches to come in to season, so I can think about all their yummy peach fuzz instead of hers. She's SO soft. And she loves to snuggle.

Her daddy loves her!! I adore watching him with her. I'll hand her to him any chance I can bare to part with her, just to watch them interact. He'll cuddle her down in his big daddy arms and just stare at her face. Watching every change, every twitch, every gassy smile. He'll try to wake her and she mostly refuses. When he does catch her awake, which I think has been a total of two hours since birth, he'll snatch her from me and stare at her big blue eyes and talk to her. She'll look at him and with equal interest, just stare into her daddy's face. I think they've got something. Or at least, she has him in her tractor beam, cause I think he's a gonners over her!

Beyond most obvious expressions, I'd say her older sister has it made! She can hold her little Pipsqueek anytime she wants, doesn't have to (or get to at this point) change diapers (which are huge in number!!!) or suffer through nursing engorged! She can cuddle her, and hold her, and rock her and sing to her. All in the name of love. I think she's sold too on this idea that babies are great and that this one is way more than what we could have imagined receiving.

But most of all, I'm the most hooked on her. I've been pinching myself since August. Her conception was a blessing wrought with heartache of not knowing if she'd make it here all the way. Her gestation was full of myriad feelings; gratitude, fear, anticipation, love, sickness, pain, anticipation. Her birth was bittersweet as she came into a world that will likely give her challenges that I did not face, but have to prepare her for. My fear that something would go wrong ate at me clear through the end. But she came out, with her umbilical cord wrapped tightly around her like a seat belt (she may take after me, being safety conscious), and ready for action. I still have a hard time believing this blessing. We are a forever family, and she is forever a member and she's here. To snuggle, to cuddle, to teach, to hold, to guide, to watch, to protect.

She's mine. Heaven help me be the best I can for her.