June 2021 – hellomylivia

I’m thrilled to share with you all that our little girl Evangeline Grace has joined us!

Her arrival was full of surprises: waiting which turned into a planned induction which turned into spontaneous labor which turned into a c-section, and we all truly thought she would be a boy. But she showed up safely and healthy at 10lbs8oz and 22″ long (for my non-human-baby friends, that’s roughly the size of a 2-3 month old) and is the most squeezable lovable girl in the world. We’re going to be able to skip the Smalls, folks, she’s going to fit on Frankie before we know it.

When the doctors start saying things like “this baby is built like a tank” and “this kid is the size of a toddler” you know you’ve got a big girl on your hands. Already taking after her tall mom and dad!

It’s definitely been a big month since she arrived as I’m dealing with the physical recovery from aforementioned c-section, we’re figuring out a sleeping and feeding pattern, and try to get rest in as much as possible, but we’re loving every minute. World’s Best Husband immediately turned into World’s Best Dad and is taking amazing care of both of us, and my parents are spending some time at our house to help me adjust as he goes back to work. Eventually I’ll have to figure out how to do things solo, but I’m truly appreciating all the extra help figuring things out!

Baby carrier to the rescue so I can do things with my hands like bake pies for Dad’s birthday!

It took Maggie a little while to warm up to her new charge (she kept her distance for the most part, approaching occasionally for sniffs), but she’s since decided that Lina is Very Interesting and likes to join playtime on the floor and keep an eye on things for us.

So far we’ve taken a few outings to enjoy the perfect early summer weather, and the peanut seems to love being outside in the warmth and fresh air. My first solo outing with her was not to the grocery store or doctor’s office, but to the Loudoun Benefit horse show where we cheered on our barn fam and loved on Francis (who she met at 2 weeks old, on our way home from the doc’s). We nursed in a grooming stall and changed her on a tack trunk, so she’s already getting the full horse show experience!

Francisco was extremely curious about the tiny creature I presented to him. Lots of snuffles and snorts as he met his retirement plan.

Side note: Frankfurter is looking AMAZING. Shiny, dapples peeking through, great muscling. He and his kid are continuing to thrive and they are taking truly wonderful care of him.

I’m itching to get my core strength back so I can safely get back in the saddle, and extra excited to share the whole barn experience with our daughter as she grows. Our Lina is the most amazing little creature and it’s going to be an amazing adventure with her!