She's here! She's here!

Baby Sophia Marie Smith was born on August 29th, 2008 in the wee hours of the night (morning) at 12:54am. Labor was eventful and an experience I have never encountered even though this was baby number two. She had her own plan for arrival and although it strained my overall tolerance for pain it was quick.

Just over 6.5 pounds and still growing into her skin Sophia is already a night owl....that's how she came into the world too. She eats well and sleeps hard during the day. Already seeming like a content baby we're praying her gentle spirit continues, but prepared for whatever the Lord wills.

She initially didn't appear to look at all like Daniel and actually seemed to resemble my sister as an infant. So the breakdown from what we can tell now is that she has Adam's toes, Amelia's eyes, somebody's ridiculously long fingers....that's all we can tell.

Daniel is adjusting well it seems. He's deffinitely felt the change in attention or at least the need ot be more careful around the house now that there's a little baby here. He loves to hug and kiss Sophia and unfortunately poke her eyes.

We're all doing well and adjusting to this new life, but glad to be onto this next exciting phase of life. Praise God for a healthy baby girl and so far easy post-partum. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers.

No, the baby is not here yet

I am due on August 30th...that is this Saturday. I have elected to be induced but that did not work out today and has made me nervous about the convenience, organization and overall proceedure of labor and delivery at Winter Park Hopsital which has been inundated with active labor women all day and likely into the night. God wants me to wait. Sophia would like to chill out in my womb for like another 3 weeks maybe. Daniel would like to go all places all the time and I can't keep up with him. I'm impatient, I know, but there is no telling whether she'll come on her due date so it's not's as if three days will pass and boom! the waiting is over. Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh!

SMILE!

This picture cracks me up. I have never gotten such a HUGE smile out of Daniel when taking a picture. The teeth, the hair....he's too much.

Waiting for baby

We have most everything ready for baby now, we just need the baby! We've been putting a diaper on this stuffed lion of Daniel's to show him about babies. He's not as gentle with the "baby" as I'd like, but I'm sure a live baby will be very different for him.

34+ weeks and 6 more to go. We'll keep you posted.

Daniel's Swimming Lessons

....more or less a drowning prevention course. We signed him up when he was 15 months old and he learned the techniques wonderfully. After the winter he forgot the method and lost confidence in the water. So after 3 weeks of refresher classes now 26 months old he is back in familiar territory. At the end of the course they test him in both summer and winter clothes...

Reasons for Unexcused baby weight

late night bowls of Apple Jacks! A lot of pregnant women revert to chewing ice late at night to curb the cravings....and I do this most nights, however sometimes I just can't resist a useless carb high of sugary Apple Jacks.

Entertaining a 2 year old

...the greatest challenge I've faced recently. It's not necessarily the lack of ideas it's just the lack of energy needed to sustain his ever attention desiring heart. Dad asks, "How's the little blonde tornado?" and it couldn't be a better metaphor. He's not so much into breaking things and but the speed and potential for disaster is easily present.

So splash parks, and really anything to do with water have been a great compromise...not any on his part. Plus with the hot hot sun pouring down on us now I couldn't feel better about him running around as long as he stays cool.

It's amazing the inescapable expense you could go to in order to entertain a child. It's ridiculous actually and so the 2nd level of challenge is to find things to do on a regular basis that don't burn a hole in our pockets. Hence the reason for this arrangement.....

....he won't know how lame it really was until he's like 4 or 5. For now my roasting pan makes for an excellent mini splash park, especially when I get the bubble machine rolling, haven't seen bubbles AND fountains anywhere...but I haven't been to Disney in a while either.

Life is good with a little bit of creativity and some odds and ends.