On March 30th (her due date), at 10:27am, a wonderful, sweet little girl named Leila entered the world, and joined our family. She weighed 7.13 pounds, and measured 20 inches long. Her big brothers, Noah and Jacob, were excited to meet her, as was her big sister Emily.
My mother and father (her Oma and Opa) came to visit her right away. Her other grandparents, Nanny and Grand-Dad, would have loved to meet her right away, but live in Kelowna. They are excited to meet her in May, when they come to visit.
Her Aunt Krista, Uncle Scott, and cousins Kacey and Mackenzie were also excited to welcome her. We all adore her.
At this young age, her sweet soul already shines through. She seems to see everything around her, even though we know this is not yet possible. She is working hard on newborn tasks, like eating, sleeping and growing. No doubt she is trying to get as strong as possible before the daycare starts up again in May (though Oscar will be attending only sporadically, until September, when he returns full force). I am prepared to slow things down when the daycare starts. Flexibility is going to be key. I know that on any given day, things may be delayed for baby cuddles, the boys' naps may or may not happen (Noah has already quit naps altogether), and meals may be slightly delayed. It will be a learning experience for all of us in the daycare, but one that will force us to become more patient, understanding, and empathetic to everyone's needs.
In order to reserve my strength, I will also have to be more flexible with the updates I provide on this blog. There may be longer periods where I cannot write (it's very hard to type while holding a baby in one arm!), or when I simply provide some pictures, and few words. Of course, when I
am able to write, and have energy to provide more details, I will. I know my readers will understand the need to prioritize, and any parent can understand the importance of enjoying every precious moment with a child!
Welcome, little Leila. You have been born into a large and wonderful extended "family" of blood relatives and close friends. This includes the daycare family (both children and their parents) who are eager to meet her. There will be no shortage of love!
Oh, and if you're curious as to how Noah is taking all this, I would say "better than I expected". He is still a little ambivalent to her, but we can't really blame him, as she is not very 'interactive' yet. Thus far, Noah has gotten far
more attention than usual, not to mention numerous gifts. This has, so far, worked out in his favour. The progression as they both develop should be
interesting to experience!
