OK, Sort of daily photo: Days 2 and 3

Daily photo 1

Because our lives are a bit hectic at the moment, I won't have much time for blogging.
So instead I will post the amazing pictures your Gima took (on her cell phone!) at the exact time I was giving birth to your sister.

Here is today's:

Baby Ella

She is finally here.
Ella Luisi Hall was born on Nov. 24, 2007 at 11:16 a.m.
She weighed 7 pounds 11 ounces. She is very sweet and looks a little bit like you, only with darker hair.



You didn't want to have much to do with her when you came to visit us at the hospital. But tonight, when we were all home, you finally got close to the baby and touched her head a few times.

I am so super exhausted. So I'll stop now.

Liveblogging: Thanksgiving Salt Sticks Hour 4

So, DAAAD made his best batch of Salt Sticks, ever, which probably had something to do with this look.



This is the kind of look that says, "my daddy is perfect and would never burn the bread," even though he totally burned the bread the first time he made this with me. But anyway. That kind of look is a lot of pressure for a man. Good thing your City Hall-reporting DAAAD is used to this kind of stress.

You were supposed to share the first piece with me. But you ran off with it to the fireplace.



Same with this one.



You didn't share the third piece either. But, uh, yeah, that's OK because this one looks like it's been infused with crazy juice.



Happy Thanksgiving!
(No, no baby yet.)

Liveblogging: Thanksgiving Salt Sticks Hour 3

It's time to roll the dough.




Which is fun and all . . .



But really, we'd rather taste stuff.



Like caraway seeds and kosher salt.




And French Breakfast tea. Yum.

Liveblogging: Thanksgiving Salt Sticks Hour 2

Next step in the breadmaking process: checking to see if the dough is, as the recipe says, "soft as a baby's butt."



Then it's time to butter the bowl.

Liveblogging: Thanksgiving Salt Sticks

Every Thanksgiving, your DAAAD makes these little bread things called Salt Sticks, but this year he got some help.

An attempt to stay under my cell phone minutes this month

Here is the latest on Ella:

She is overdue, but the doctor, a very nice one named Dr. Garg, is letting me wait it out as long as possible: Tuesday.

The baby has enough oxygen, and after an ultrasound at the hospital, we saw that she also has plenty of fluid. So if she decides to stay as cozy as she looked on the monitor, then I will go to back to the hospital on Saturday for more oxygen tests.

Then the official induction process begins on Monday night.

Of course, tomorrow is Thanksgiving and these small Halls seem to like being born on major American holidays.

A moment of calm

Happy and mellow on a Saturday morning while your mommy has contractions.

Update

I went to the doctor yesterday.

And it turns out this baby sister of yours is not at all ready to come out. She's pretty cozy where she is and not ready to give up her diet of iced coffee, scones and Cap'n Crunch.

She doesn't care that my doctor is going to Italy tomorrow for three weeks. I guess she's just not the kind of girl who finds the fact that Dr. Shonbrun delivered both me and you as some cute family tradition that she needs to be a part of.

Tomorrow

is the baby's due date.
And so far there's only been one contraction.
One.
Yesterday.
For about 15 seconds.

Even you are getting impatient.
Today you spent the morning with a burp cloth on your shoulder and a baby doll -- not Lambie -- in your arms.

Nine months

So, we've all just been waiting for the baby.

It's kind of a weird feeling to just, like, do things as normal. But at the same time, it's like we're in a movie and we're watching ourselves act like a family of three, only to know everything will be different soon.

And, I don't know, I just got to thinking that how for the last 2 years, my life has been lived in nine-month increments. I was pregnant with you for nine months. Then not pregnant for not quite nine. And now this latest nine-month installment is about to end.
But I can tell you now: this nine month cycle things ends the minute baby Ella is born.

Sixteen months

Hi Beans,
On Sunday you turned 16 months, which is a big deal because this is the month you become a big sister.

I've been saying it for a long time now. Things like, "they'll be 16 months apart, crazy."
But now it's actually here.

And even though you don't really understand what's about to happen, you are stepping into your soon-to-be role quite nicely.

We installed the baby car seat next to your car seat and instead of getting all weird and moody, you pointed to it and said "baby."
This morning, you fed yourself yogurt without spilling most of it on your pajamas.
You also share, with real people, not just Lambie. Even if it's a chocolate chip cookie that is split between me and DAAD and your uncle B.

I imagine this new phase will be hard for you. You won't want to go to daycare when everyone else gets to stay home. I'm sure, in a way, it may be even harder for you than it will be for us.

So I just wanted to tell you, before our life goes totally crazy, how proud I am of what a smart, sweet, funny girl you are. And even though you will have tantrums and throw food on the floor and bite things, you are nonetheless going to be a wonderful big sister.

It may not rain in Southern California but . . .

Today you discovered puddles.

She can read?

It's a long story that I won't get into, but your Gima has been telling people that you can read.

I know you can't read. It's ridiculous. I mean, what 15-month-old reads?
Seriously.

But it's a good thing she wasn't around for last night's story time.

You went to your box of books and gave DAAAD this:



Because you can't read, I will tell you that this book is in Spanish. And while DAAAD knows many Spanish words, he doesn't read books en Espanol.

Still, DAAAD opened the book and said the English words from memory. But he paused a few times and it was clear he needed some help.
You got out of his lap and went over to the box.
This is what you grabbed:




Which, OK, is pretty weird.
But, could still be a coincidence, right?

Then, as if trying to prove that your Gima is not just an overly-proud grandmother, but someone who knows what she's talking about, you took the Spanish version and handed it to me.

Um. ?