Eva's First Turkey Day

Eva really went overboard, loading her plate with more turkey, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry and gravy than anyone else at the table. Which might explain the extra chin she's been sporting in the past 24 hrs...

Sporting her sassy holiday outfit

Baby adrift

Eva's looking a little skeptical...

Pretending to be angelic

Mmm... tryptophan.

Eva & Friends

She's getting bigger (almost 7lbs) and better every day. She loves receiving visitors and getting cards and letter from her many admirers : )

Assessing Jenna & Tarleton's love letter...

Making sure her hair looks pretty for Uncle "Movember" Andy Vanica.

Getting a big hug from Auntie Julie.

Quality time with Snowy the Bear.

On the town

Getting a little stir crazy, Eva has taken to regular outings around town in one of her two preferred modes of transportation, the sling or the stroller, both of which prompt her to immediately fall asleep. She's also been spending more time awake and has been checking out her new toy collection - she still hasn't figured out how to make her hands work to hold them, but she seems to find their mere existence within her field of vision fascinating.

Not knowing what to make of her new Maryland crab (thanks Lauren!)

Guess who already doesn't fit in her newborn socks?

Eva's new favorite spot for a nap (= anywhere the sling can carry her)

Is that really comfortable?

Sassy baby

Eva's Sweet Ride

Eva took a ride on her new swing (a generous gift from Grandma) for the first time today and didn't quite know what to make of it. She spent most of her time in the seat looking mildly concerned, but in a quiet contemplative sort of way. Regardless, it wasn't an outright veto, which was good news for her sleep-deprived parents.

Eva's First Week Comes to a Close

Last night Eva was the center of attention at her mom's modest birthday party, though she made a statement by refusing to sample the sushi spread (someone was making up for 9 months of lost time!).

The last few days have also continued to add to Eva's list of firsts. She went out on the town for the first time, indulging in a little retail therapy at Babies R Us. She was then lucky (?) enough to experience her first non-professional bath, the product of which included a lot of cute nekkid baby pictures for her parents and one very angry (but clean) baby.

Mmm...delicious Baby Maki

Jessica, doing an excellent job of not looking terrified that she'll drop the baby.

Eva confirms that Alan and Andy's birthday present is as delicious as it looks.

Saved!

Eva's Relocation

Last night the hospital decided we could bring our new package home. Packing her up and introducing her to her new digs was an adventure, and one from which she's still recovering - she had just started to figure things out, and we had to go and move her. It's been a surreal experience for mom and dad to come back to their home, looking the same as it always did - except with tiny new baby as a roommate.

One last pose in the hospital room

Registering her disapproval of our final carseat choice

Sleeping soundly her first night on her new bed

Eva-luating the World

Today Eva decided to check things out a bit more. Then, she agreed to do her first formal photo shoot, and turned out to be a total pro. Except for the part where we pay her in milk....

"Deep Concern"

Sassy!

Whoooooooooooo!

????????

Day 2

Today was calm here at the hospital (though a bit wet and wild outside with a nor'easter moving through). Eva is getting more alert, and has added "opening her eyes" to her short list of preferred activities. Judging by the picture, she's still a little suspicious of Dad. We also had really nice visits from Lauren and sister Martha in the morning, and Julie in the afternoon. We'll be here till Monday if anyone wants to drop by!

They finally meet face to face!

Who are you and what are you looking at?

Small but formidable.

Cindee and grandbaby!

Our first night as a threesome

We've made it through our first night as an updated family unit, each of us a little more tired for it, but still so happy and, actually, surprisingly refreshed considering the brief amount of time actually spent sleeping. Eva continues to have a monster appetite and get more beautiful by the minute (at least from our completely objective perspective). Looking forward to seeing what day 2 will bring.

The Eva Has Landed!

It was a beautiful day in Boston, and a beautiful day for the I.'s. Eva Elizabeth was born at 10:03 am. She came out making a racket but settled down nicely after deciding that her parents seemed OK (for now). Both mother and daughter are doing wonderfully.

Eva was 6lbs, 6ozs. at birth, 20 inches long, with light brown hair. She enjoyes feeding, sleeping, and feeding. Mostly feeding. More soon!

Here we are, hours from the big introduction! I can't say I'm sad - she seems to be over this tiny space she's been stuck inside for the past nine months, and is spending every free moment trying to find a way out (which, in case anyone's wondering, feels...well, a little like you might imagine, as if a small animal is trying to dig her way out of your belly). Willy has been visiting since yesterday morning and just let us in on his heretofore secret blog, which upon very brief reflection sounded like a pretty good idea. And thankfully not requiring any technical ability at all.

It's so hard to believe, and it definitely still hasn't sunk in that in less than 12 hours we'll be parents. Should that be legal?? Yet to be determined. In a few minutes, though, we'll head off to the airport to pick up Momma Kibbe, which make it feel a little more real (maybe). We'll then finish preparing with a late-ish dinner and (perhaps) a "finger of brandy" as suggested by my midwife (I swear!!!). Maybe without the latter, since I just remembered how much I don't love brandy. By the time we log on again our tiny family will have increased in size by 50%...


Below: an early Eva, about 2 months before she's ready to join the world on her own. (And her vessel, looking much more svelte - I swear - than she does today.)