(I started this yesterday but with the constant interruptions of life it wasn’t ready until today! She also didn’t want to steal the thunder of her brother’s 21 month birthday.) So, actually…eleven days already?

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My dearest little daughter,

I can hardly believe that you’ve been in my arms instead of my belly for ten days now. We waited 42 weeks to finally meet you and even then had to coax you, and now only ten days later it’s like you’ve always been a part of us. You’ve fit into our family, our home and our lives so easily that I can’t imagine life without you, and yet it seems like you just arrived.

I’m really glad I took a few minutes to type up your birth details when I got home because we’ve hardly had a moment since. (Not because of you - you sleep like an angel, but your brother is having some teething issues that keep him from sleeping and that on top of your nursing all day long just makes things busy. Wonderful, but busy.)

I’ll never forget the moment you left my body and somebody shouted “It’s a girl!” I immediately broke down into hysterical tears of joy because I couldn’t believe our luck. God has given us a perfect little girl in addition to our perfect little boy and made us the perfect little family.

From the moment I held you in my arms you have been nothing but sweet perfection. You latched on perfectly and actually ate within two minutes of hitting my chest, and with no help needed from me. I spent the first 48 hours of your life wide awake and wired just holding you - you never were out of arms for more than a few minutes for a diaper change or other necessity (I really didn’t want you in the plastic bucket that the hospital so kindly provided us with) and I wonder if that early skin to skin bonding helped with your peaceful nature or if you would have been that way anyway. Either way, I’ll take it. You pretty much sleep through the night - you nurse only once or twice and go right back to sleep. Last night you slept from midnight until 8 am when I finally made you eat to ease my exploding boobs. You’re co-sleeping with your Daddy & I - right between our heads in a very safe little co-sleeper - which makes it very easy to respond to your every need immediately and makes us all sleep more peacefully. You sleep more than any baby I’ve ever known, only waking to nurse or study your surroundings every so intently. You have the most thoughtful dark brown eyes and they captivate your daddy and I every time you look at us.

You were named after your maternal great grandmother (your first name is her second middle name) and also after me. (Your middle name is my name, which is pretty obvious I suppose.) Your great grandma is one of the kindest and most genuine people to ever walk the earth so we were honoured to be able to name you after her. She is 97 years old now so you can imagine how thrilled I was to have a daughter to name after her while she’s still around for me to tell her about it!

Your brother loves you more than you can possibly imagine. He wants to hold your hands and rub your back and is always excited to see you. When you make even the tiniest peep he tells us to “Cuddle!” you or tells me that you need “Milk. Boobie. Bra.” He often wants you to sit on his high chair tray while he eats so that he can hug you, and we do put your little bottom on there for a moment because it’s just so incredibly cute. We have two dogs that love you too - they love to give you big wet smooches and you don’t seem to mind at all. Chloe, our cat, just watches you from a distance and finds you rather entertaining.

At your one week checkup you had already surpassed your birth weight at 7 lbs 11 oz and you had already grown 3/4″ to 21 1/4″ long. There’s no concern about your health at all! Not even so much as a plugged tear duct, which is pretty cool. Even your skin is perfect.

We’re so lucky to have you and can hardly wait for all that we’ll experience together as a family of four!

Love, Mommy
xoxo

Today is your Grandma Betty’s birthday!

Ready everyone?

Happy Birthday Grandma Betty!!