She's Here: Welcome Therese Marie!

After almost 15 hours of labor, Therese Marie made her way into the world at 8:09 pm, Saturday April 16, 2011.
Weight: 8 pounds 9 ounces
Height: 20 inches
Much deserved snuggles!
The proud papa!
So happy!
I felt so proud after it was all over! She came out completely naturally and it was so much work, but so worth it! All of the sudden it was over and there she was on my chest :-)
Carol was our midwife and she was amazing! In the blue is the nurse Allison who was there at the end--our other nurse was Joanne and her shift was over about an hour before the birth. Both nurses were awesome--and Carol our midwife was THE BEST! I am so thankful.
I had to go to the operating room for some stitches an hour or so after she was born, so Therese stayed with Papa for some skin to skin time (one nurse referred to it as "skin to shag carpet time"!) He sang songs to her and they snuggled. So sweet.

Greta looked so much like Matthew as a newborn (and still does), but I must say: Therese looks so much like me!!!

Little chubby baby!
The next day Greta came to the hospital with Nana Kaka and Grandpa Shayne. Here she is meeting sister Therese for the first time.
A kiss for sister.
"Oh Teese!" Greta kept saying! She had been waiting for this moment for so long and was very happy to finally meet her sister. However, she also kept talking about wanting to go outside and play at the park...she had been having a blast with Nana Kaka the last couple of days :-)
Oh I love this picture!


First bath at the hospital--Therese barely made a peep, she tolerated it all very well.

Not a fan of this part, though--so sucking on Papa's pinky sure helps! Greta loved to do that too :-)

Meeting Aunt Jenny.
With Nana Kaka.
With Aunt Jenny.

We will post more photos soon, and maybe get the birth story on here as well :-) Enjoy these for now! We are doing well and recovering slowly but surely. It is certainly much easier this time around and we are so happy to be a family of four!