The Arrival

Elsa Rose Heinrich has arrived and the world is brighter for it. She was born yesterday, August 22, at 12:31 p.m. She weighed 8 pounds 1 ounce, and was 20 inches long.

Elsa's mommy checked in to the hospital around noon on Monday, August 21. The labor was long (24+ hours), with a few hours of pushing. But Elsa's mommy was, as expected, strong and resilient throughout. Unfortunately, Little Elsa was sunnyside up, thereby forcing a C-section. A quick picture of our little blondie was taken in the O.R. (apparently storks wear latex gloves nowadays to complete their deliveries...not to mention the eerily human hands of this particular stork):

After this picture, Elsa was whisked away to the nursery for all the normal checkups. When I went in the nursery a half-hour later, her heels were being pricked for blood-testing. An 80s big-hair power ballad was playing on the loudspeaker, which hopefully will not retard Elsa's long-term development or taste in music.

Both Elsa and her mommy are doing well and are enjoying getting to know each other. Here's a picture from today, of a just-waking-up Elsa:



And on the daddy front (which we know is why most people read this blog): Any questions regarding paternity were resolved today, when Elsa passed gas and (I swear!) giggled. She surely is her daddy's girl.

We have talked to Elsa quite a bit, only twice referring to her as Belle. I stopped home today, and Belle says she is looking forward to being a big sister and teaching Elsa to collect tennis balls.

Elsa was barely beaten into this world by Carter Robert Shaffer, her slightly older cousin, who arrived on Monday. Two sisters in labor at the same time...what fun! We can only hope that Ellen and Dave are enjoying little Carter as much as we are enjoying little Elsa.