Sweet times

We've already written here about how fortunate we are to have not only an incredible support system in the United States, but here in India as well (It's great to have friends post linked here). Our network of friends who study in India is really strong, and we are incredibly lucky that Sarah's research has fortuitously brought her back through India right around the time of Annie's birth. To give Sarah the appropriate credit, this wasn't fortuitous, but something she planned around when she stayed with us in Delhi in February/March. Sarah arrived yesterday, and I think these pictures document that she is having a blast, and is quite smitten with our little potato (or any of the 100 other pet names we refer to her with). They also document that her new camera (Canon Rebel G3I) is absolutely amazing, and I am plotting how I can acquire one...

From Annabelle Winifred Meek

Snuggly times with Sarah (Annie in her DIY miracle blanket)





An amazing innovation, the  padala, which looks like a open-faced oil lamp, is a glorified spoon that is used to feed newborns expressed milk here in India. It's great because bottles at this stage are supposed to cause "nipple confusion"; well, we're not confused, the padala is awesome.



Even Annie thinks so!






Happy baby!

One of Annie's first pseudo-smiles!


This last picture is particularly funny, as Sarah jokingly tries to convince a friend over Skype that this beautiful baby is hers.....

Once again, how great is it to have great friends?

Homeward!

From month_0

Jo, Annabelle (in white blanket!), and Dave happily leave the hospital for the outside world and home!

From month_0

Winnie's excited to be at home she decided to open her eyes! (and yes, we're trying out Winnie in addition to Annie as the

From month_0

Annabelle is underwhelmed with the outside world, maybe it's because she can't see out the window yet.

From month_0

Keep that baby out of the Indian sun!

From month_0

So surreal, we left the apartment as two, and came home as three!

From month_0

I'm not sure whose more excited about her first cloth diaper, Dave the maker, or Annabelle the wearer

From month_0

And the first diaper? A lovely recycling of fabric from our guest sheet set.

It's great to have friends!

Aftab, Sibghat, and Sneha peer in at the little potato

It has been so nice to have friends here in Delhi. In addition to the hundreds of messages we've received via online channels (email, facebook, +, skype, etc, which have been absolutely fantastic, it's been really nice to have some very friendly faces come and greet little Annabelle.

Sibghat (holding Annie) and Sneha (in green)

Shubra, my really good friend from many visits to India, holding Annie. We all have Shubra to thank for the amazing photos of Annie, which have introduced her into your lives.

All of these photos were from Day 0. Except for the following, which is of Beth, another long-term India friend, who came and was a great help to us today.

It's great to have friends (and family!) to share this exciting time with!

Welcoming Annabelle Winifred Meek

Annabelle greets her Mommy and Daddy

Dave getting the "name bracelet" for the nameless "baby baby of Lesley Jo Weaver Meek". She now has a new real name tag, and guess what it says?

Magic revisited

As children we believe that the existence of magic is self-evident. Playing in the woods, we know that there are fairies that live in under mushrooms, and elves that live in ancient tree stumps. As we mature into adults we start to forget about this magic. But then there comes a point when we remember there's magic: it's when we become parents.

Whether it was hearing Annabelle's first kitten like cries as she entered the world, being the first thing that her sleepy little eyes saw as they opened for the first time, having my thumb be the first thing she grasped, or the minutes that stretch into hours as I spend the day staring into her little sleeping face I remember that there's magic in the world, and it's in my heart and in my love for my daughter.

Wow, those are either the words of an emotional new parent, or those of an A-class cheese ball...

Welcome to the world: Annabelle Winifred Meek