It's a brother baby!!!

Meet baby MEC.  Born on February 24, 2011 at 8:54 AM, weighing  8 lbs 3 oz and stretching 21 inches.

RVC heard the news at school--got to take a phone call in the office at school from her dad letting her know she had a little brother.

TLC was next, taking the call at home and announcing the news to his anxious grandmother: "It's a brother baby." (big smile on his face, I'm sure).

Mom and baby MEC are grateful to be home and to slowly get used to this new world/ new life.  The kids are excited and are slowly remembering that babies don't do much at first other than sleep and eat.  It's been nice to have extra time this weekend with TEC at home.  And, once again, we've been so blessed with tremendous help from grandparents.

MEC really is a beautiful baby.  Our biggest baby by almost a whole pound.  Light hair, long fingers, snuggly, velvet skin, quiet cry.

Just another miracle.  I have a journal that I used to use regularly, but in more recent years, I have pulled it out to record my experiences with the birth of each of our children.  I had it packed in my hospital bag ready to go, and as I was getting closer to my due date (and closer, and closer), I decided to write down some of the thoughts that were going through my head and acknowledge some of the blessings that I had received in the process of waiting a bit longer than expected for our baby to arrive.  I also looked back on the entries from the births of my kids.  I feel so lucky to have witnessed, in just a few years, such profound and precious miracles.  These moments of welcoming little spirits into the world are sacred--there's not much more I can say about it.  I'm grateful to be a new mother once again, even with all the weight of responsibility and emotions that go with it.