Linden Holly has arrived! I haven't gotten the pictures downloaded off my camera yet (there are tons of them, she's beautiful!), but I will post them as soon as I do.

Linden joined us at 12:37 p.m. on Friday, May 15. She was 8 lbs, 14.9 oz, 22 1/4 inches. At least tow of the baby nurses commented that they had never seen a baby this long in 25 years of nursing. She's a string bean, for sure.

She is, of course, beautiful beyond measure and clearly brilliant, even at 5 days old. She's a decent sleeper for a baby and a voracious eater. In short, she's perfect!

Eli is totally smitten with his new little sister and thinks she has come home for his own personal entertainment. He loves to kiss her and pat her and really wants to hold and carry her (um, no). He can't wait to teach her to talk, play tennis, eat ice cream and use the potty. He calls her "Baby Sister", which may stick for the rest of her life.

He is transitioning into big brotherhood pretty well, although he is clearly having a hard time getting used to his new position as NOT the center of the universe. He's been a little louder and busier than usual and has a hard time calming down, but we expected this so we're trying to take it in stride. From a mother's point of view, it is a little hard to watch, my little guy is now the big guy and he doesn't really get it. He can't snuggle with me like he wants to (I'm too sore!) and doesn't understand why he has to wash his hands and be gentle. He doesn't really get the new rules and even though he tries, he doesn't really like them, either. We'll get there and our family will be stronger for it, but it is hard to watch him struggle through it.

Pictures to come!!