Mayla at Three Days Old

I was looking for any excuse to go see my new niece, Mayla. What? Jeff and Megan need some dinner? Done!

I made Pioneer Woman's Lasagna with some salad and garlic bread. I also made some sugar-cinnamon wontons with raspberry sorbet and fruit salsa. I think it will turn out well for them! I hope they enjoyed dinner. I would have done anything to get to see that beautiful little girl!

Mayla looks much smaller to me today. She has lost nine ounces since her birth on Monday. She is gorgeous! And, thankfully, still snores. And when she is hungry, she announces it to the entire neighborhood! We liked it and all smiled, but I am sure it gets interesting when it happens at 2:00 AM! So I left way before that!

She fell asleep on my chest, apparently her favorite way to sleep. She stretched out her arms and it felt like she was hugging me while she snored away. Such a little sweetie!

I apologize profusely for the fuzziness of some of these pictures. I turned the flash off so as not to disturb the little lady during napping. My camera can get confused with low light levels. Any of you who really knows me can extrapolate that the fuzzy pictures are driving me crazy, but she is just too cute to not post absolutely everything!

Thanks for the fun day, Mayla. I love you more every time I see you!

Aunty-Up

Lives changed this morning when my niece decided to join us. She entered this world at 4:28 AM. Welcome, Mayla Parkinson! Oh, how we have been anxiously awaiting your arrival!

Megan was admitted to the hospital yesterday afternoon around 1:30 PM, though her water broke the day before. It wasn't an obvious break, so she held off as long as she could to make the trek to Scottsdale Healthcare. Her contractions were coming regularly but no dilation was present yet. After an epidural when the pain became too great, Megan was able to sleep for a few hours in preparation for the big finale! She pushed for 43 minutes, and out came Mayla! All went smoothly, and Jeff and Megan have a gorgeous, perfect sweet-smelling baby girl.

She smells so wonderful and clean. What is it about baby smells (the positive ones, anyway)? I couldn't get enough of her.

She snores. And likes to stretch out spread-eagle when laying down. I think modesty talks will come early with this sweetheart. Did I mention that she snores? And it just may be one of the most aodrable things I have ever heard.

We bombarded their hospital room today since we could hardly wait to meet my new niece. She is tall! And big! She weighed in at 8 pounds 10 ounces and is 22 inches! Don't you just love her cheeks and double chin? Mayla is simply perfection in a little bundle from our Heavenly Father. Congratulations, Jeff and Megan!