Welcome wee little Mila Sophia

Every baby is anticipated.

Many wait to hear the news of a baby's arrival.

And Mila was highly anticipated by many friends and family,

but especially her mama and daddy.

Casey and Katie were ready.

And we all couldn't wait to hear the news.

Boy or girl?

Size and weight?

Easy smooth entry or the almost didn't make it to the hosptial entry into the world?

Little Mila arrived taking her time - knowing her mama didn't want chaos.

Already they have started to figure each other out.

Yesterday, our family of five made the journey to meet little Mila.

And I got to hold her, at one week old.

So calm and quiet, taking in the world, but most definitely reacting when she finally picked out the sound of her mama and daddy mixed in with the chaos that ensues when our family shows up.

We watched her find her thumb.

And then we watched her sleep,

Unswaddled and at peace,

in her big old crib,

just proving how loved and safe she feels already.

When we left, Ed could tell I wasn't my same old peppy self.

And he was right.

I was sad, because I got to see this again...

And the reality of knowing that I won't watch Ed hold our one week old baby again is kinda sad.

It is hard to know and accept that this stage is over...

don't get me wrong, there are great stages ahead.

But leaving little Mila - knowing that Casey and Katie are just beginning their journey,

 made me sad that we can't go back and do it all again.

Their jouney has just begun and they are surrounded by friends and family that have "done this" or "done that".  Many have figured out their own children and we all want to pour forth our wisdom, experience, and confidence.   There are definite pros and cons to being surrounded by friends who have already dipped their toes in the parenting journey.  We didn't have too many dipping their toes when we began.

 We all want them to enjoy the ride.  But strong little Mila, with Katie as her mama, will do things her own way.  And Katie and Casey will figure her out and that is all that any of us need to reassure them with.  They will become the experts on little Mila - in their own time, sometimes not as quickly as they would like (like in the middle of the night when they have changed, fed, burped, and shushelled her...and they are still left pondering).  

 But they will be the all knowing mama and papa of all things Mila Sophia.

Don't get me wrong,

as we pulled in our driveway I was pretty darn glad to have two boys who hopped out and went to play.  I was glad that Sydney was ready for her nap and we just had to plunk her down.  And I was really glad that looking ahead to our night...we were almost guarenteed a good night of sleep.

But the scary thing is...Katie and Casey will be sleeping through the night before they know it.  Because in the long life that Mila has ahead of her, this chapter of being teeny tiny is so short...even though it can sometimes feel like it is going to never end.

Surrender my friends to the quiet of the night...embrace the crying that you will learn is not as loud or frustrating compared to that of a two year old in the aisle of Target. 

I wish for them the confidence to know that the rollercoaster they jumped on a week ago will be overwhelming ALL. THE. TIME. 

A ride that will overwhelm them, especially at first, with the such strong feelings of love, frustration, fear, excitement, disbelief, happiness, and weariness. 

It is hard.  It will not be everything you expected--

- it won't....it will be more. 

So relish it.

It all goes so quickly.

Too quickly.

She is beautiful.

You are a family.

And we can't wait to know her more and more.

We love you all.