Good morning from here.

One month ago, Evangeline was born. As you can imagine, this changed out lives forever. (And for the better)

My sister, brother in law and their niece are on the way over to meet young miss for the first time. They live about 14 hours drive from our house, so this is the first chance for a visit. While I wait for them to show up and while baby is with mom, I thought I would add a few notes to the blog about our time together.

Just like mom and dad are learning to be parents, baby is learning to be baby. We are all getting closer to understanding a night pattern that works for everyone, though the first few weeks were very sketchy. At the start, poor Evangeline would wake up in a panic, not knowing where she was, why it was cold and where all the noise had gone. We of course would be very alarmed. "something is wrong with baby" was what I was always feeling, feed, check nappie, take temperature.. sympathize. With cuddles, eventually the panic would fall from her eyes and she would be ok. Not sleepy, but Ok. And so it began, I would stay up with baby while she looked and pondered. Jennifer would sneak some sleep so that she could be ready for the next feeding, all while she worked to recover from her part in the birth.

Each day, we would get a little better at the plan. feedings a little closer together at the afternoon, a little further apart on the night. When baby woke up, mom and dad were always there. “I know you two, so it must be ok though I am hungry and need a change" she must be thinking. Ok, so you need to sit up for a while after food before you go to bed so that you can digest it a bit first.... No problem, we learned. Come on baby, lets work together and try to find that burp we both know you have. Ah, she has settled. We can now both go back to sleep. And so on... and so on...

We are 31 days from our joyous event, and baby is getting 3 1/2 to 4 hours good sleep followed by a feed, then another 3 - 4 hours sleep. It is not every night, but the bad ones are not nearly as bad and the good ones are like gold.

I know we will get there, all three of us. And even though I am very, very tired I am enjoying every poop filled, crying minute of it. ... And our days and awake time is glorious.

One thing I have really noticed, Evangeline is looking around at things, but mostly at mom and dad. Her eyes are very expressive.... And this morning I think she smiled at mom...