Didn't mean it...

Gianna adores Teresa...she wants to hold her all the time!

I am sitting here at the computer on a lovely, cool fall afternoon. The view from my window is brilliant...a bright yellow tree with leaves actively falling to the ground. As I sit here in sweatpants with a yummy pumpkin coffee, I am reminded of why fall is my favorite season!

The view on my lap is even more beautiful than the tree. I am holding my tiny (not yet 7 pounds!) newborn daughter. She's alert, quiet, and content (my favorite!).  Two kids are at school, one kid is at a lunch playdate, two are napping, and Teresa and I are hanging out. Everything seems...perfect! It is my first day on my own (Daddy went back to work today). So, although I know that this moment is very brief, I am enjoying it...and hoping that refreshment leaves me ready for an afternoon of total craziness!

Looking at Teresa's tiny head, tiny fingers, and tiny everything, I am reminded of what I said to my husband soon after she was born (granted, I wasn't really thinking very clearly yet). I said to him, "I wish she wasn't so small." It wasn't that I didn't think she was beautiful or perfect (or that I wanted to push out a larger baby...ha!). Rather, it was because it's been a long time (5 babies/7 years ago) since I was responsible for a 6-pound human being. The 8-pounders and 10-pounder seemed so much less fragile!!!

Of course, as I look at her now, I tell her that I didn't mean it!! Thank you God for this amazing gift in a tiny package! I'm loving every tiny inch of her :).

The rest of this post is just random pictures from our first few weeks as a family.

Cecilia is a natural at holding the baby! She loves being a big sister again!

Justin moves in for a kiss from Lucy. Lucy is now known as my "Big Baby" and Teresa is "Little Baby." I am amazed by how adorably pudgy Lucy's hands and feet are (although at only 22 pounds, she is pretty light for 19 months old!). She is doing awesome with our addition. She loves the to burp the baby and point out her body parts!

We had a great Halloween night. All 8 of us hit the streets for Trick-or-Treating. Lucy (who refused to keep her puppy costume zipped) had the time of her life! Can't think of many better things than seeing my kids so happy...

Here is my Sunshine! Cecilia was Sleeping Beauty for the preschool costume parade and Snow White (because she wanted to be the same as her big sister) for trick-or-treating. She's such a light in my life...I just love age 4.

Here's our St. Joseph! Joseph was Woody from Toy Story for Trick-or-Treating, but for the All Saints parade at school, he was his patron saint, St. Joseph the carpenter! Pray for him, St. Joseph :)