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.