Phoebe Mirabelle

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.

Psalm 127:3

Phoebe Mirabelle Meade

born Tuesday, October 20

at 9:05 p.m.

weighed 8 pounds and 5 ounces

stretched to 21 inches in length

It has been two weeks since the arrival of our sweet Phoebe Pie (the nicknamed coined by Xander) and I'm thrilled to get back to the blog to make the announcement. :) It is difficult for me, because I really like the posts to be chronological and there were a couple of things that I wanted to post just before her birth and I didn't get to them. But it seemed silly to blog them now rather than satisfy the masses with pictures of the littlest lady in the house. So, enjoy those that I've posted below, they're a little hint of what we've been up to over the past 15 days. Primarily, we're trying to take breaks from holding and cuddling and loving on the new beauty just long enough to function as a family of five. It's been great!

October 20, Brian and I are at the hospital and it's time to have a baby! The nurse was kind enough to take a quick a picture of the two of us in between contractions. :) I love how excited Brian looks. I don't love how not flattering hospital gowns are.

Phoebe examines daddy. Daddy adores Phoebe.

Next day, first visitors, Great-Aunt LaVonne, Grandpa Larry, and Grandma Anna

Phoebe is quite comfortable in grandpa's arms.

she's getting cuter by the day. :)

taken during naptime

most adoring visitors: big sister and big brother. oh how they love Phoebe! I love this picture and the obvious genuine joy that Libby expresses as she gets to hold her baby sister for the first time. What a blessing to have siblings! I so love to watch them grow up together!

biggest surprise of the day: xander's adoration for phoebe. he just cannot get enough of her! as previously mentioned, he refers to her as Phoebe Pie, and he cannot stop talking to or cuddling with or kissing on her. it's easy to imagine him playing the role of the (over)protective big brother.

B-I-G smiles as he holds her for the first time

gazing on her beauty

smooches

special visitors!: Phoebe cuddles for the first time with mama's dear friend and phoebe's birthday buddy, brittany. sweet maren loves phoebe already and got to practice big sisterhood on our sweet babe. mares becomes the middle child in just a couple of short weeks! yay for phoebe's new friend!

i love maren patting her little head

three kiddos. ten years to the month after a couple of kids met and not much later became lovebirds. wow.

phoebe pie

poor daddy looks sleepy. this was just before heading home from the hospital.

at home from the hospital. phoebe is in the best place libby can think to put her.

xander joins in, libby's not as thrilled. but he is! (phoebe yawns, not screams.)

still, libby kinda wants her to herself, but xander is loving this moment with his sisters.

totally typical libby, mama's big big helper. just home from the hospital and she sets to work helping me unpack and clean up. what a blessing!

i begin to learn to juggle three.

i do not have it figured out, but i'm getting better already. :)

lesson: the more people you have in your family, the less likely you are to have "the perfect" family photo. not to shabby, but for phoebe's funny open mouth dozing. :)

sisters

she hearts daddy

hanging off my lap. don't worry, she's safe, it's just a weird angle. :)

cuddling. oh how sweet is cuddling with your new baby?!

uncle daniel meets his littlest niece. his other niece approves.

xander time

sweet dreams, my lady!

One bummer is that we have had several other visitors and don't have photos of them with Phoebe. This is a good reminder for me to take pics of grandma Shelley with Phoebe now, since she's here for her second visit and still, we have no photos! yikes! :)

Thanks so much to all of you who are rejoicing with us over our gift from the Lord and her arrival which was safe an delightful for both miss P and me. We so appreciate your prayers, checking in, cards, encouragement, gifts, meals, help, and on and on... thank you! We love you! and we will try to update the blog at least somewhat regularly so you can continue to watch the family grow, even from afar.