Survived Week 1? Check.

So we have made it for a little more than a week now with no major crises or meltdowns and are doing really well! Tessa has been a great baby so far. She mostly just eats and sleeps right now, so my main task has been to keep Eli from "loving" on her too much. I think I've said the sentences "Be gentle with the baby", "Don't touch the baby" and "Don't catapult the baby out of the bouncy seat" about 6,492 times since we came home last Wednesday :). He hasn't really shown any signs of jealousy, though. I think he's too young to really "get it" and has rolled with it beautifully.

But, I know the real reason you're all here is to see the pics, so here you go!

Got Eli from the grandparents and we're headed home! Tessa's not too thrilled about it at the moment.

I have to say that I'm lovin' all the pink stuff.



Layla's already lookin' out for her little sis.



Eli being "gentle".

Enough with this gentle business. Time to tackle Layla!

Eli has recently started snuggling with his stuffed lion when he's sleeping. This melts my heart!

and this laugh does, too.

(and yes, my baby generally does wear just a t-shirt and diaper when we're home. Pretty ghetto, I know, but it makes diaper changes a lot easier! Don't judge me... :))

I debated whether to post this on my blog, but it was an amazing moment that I want to be able to look back on when I go through my blog later. So, you get to see it, too. Don't worry - nothing innapropriate is showing, but you do get to see a slimey baby :)

Welcome to the World Baby Girl!

Our sweet baby girl, Tessa Kate, was born yesterday at 1:24 pm. She is 7 lbs 5 oz, healthy and beautful! Before I get to the pictures, there are few things I want to post.

Thank you so much to everyone who prayed for us throughout this pregnancy and delivery. J.C. and I are so relieved to have a healthy, full term baby girl! We were both worried that we would go through a similar ordeal with this pregnancy that we went through with Eli, but God is good and we made it! I can't tell you how great it is to have the "normal" childbirth experience and get to hold and nurse my baby right away and have her stay in the room with us (although I only got about 2 1/2 hours of sleep last night...). These were things we missed out on before and are soaking it all up this time around!

I want to extend a huge thanks to my wonderful husband and my friend, Rachel G. who helped me get through the delivery yesterday. I had wanted to have a natural delivery for several reasons and couldn't have done it without their support. Thank you so much!

Now on to the pics!

Last belly shot before heading to the hospital.
She's here!

Proud Papa.
Daddy and Eli taking it all in.

Monday is the Day!

Well, Mr. Blood Pressure has gone on attack again. Although, not quite as viciously as he did with Eli. I do not have pre-eclampsia again (yet), but the doctor thinks it's best that we go ahead and get Tessa delivered before we get to that point. Since I'll be 38 weeks this Saturday, we've scheduled the induction for Monday morning. Although I had originally hoped to carry this pregnancy to at least 40 weeks, I'm fine with this given my body's apparent revolt to being pregnant. We are just so thankful that I have been able to carry her this long and that we are officially "full term". Plus, I have to admit that the selfish side of me is a little glad that the pregnancy torture will soon end given this 90 million degree heat.

So, please be praying for us on Monday! Pictures will be posted as soon after delivery as possible.

For those of you who are irked at me for not posting any recent pics of Eli (I know, I know...), please go visit my sis-in-law's blog to see some that she's posted. She's a much more diligent picture-taker/blogger than me I'm afraid...