Drum roll please...

Introducing, the one, the only, PHOEBE ANN HENNINGS!!!!  

P's giant crib

P's peeps...she's so popular :)

Steve, Jessie, and Nana

Beth and Carrie

Granny

Julie B and Cali

Johnny B

Nana

The Hennings' cousins

Jill 

Lolita y Sandra

Jamie and Jessica

Bobbi (she had Taylor 12 hours before I had P)

Heather

Carrie and Pat

Papa Mike

Jaclyn

Dane

{Not pictured: Moranda, Jaycie, Jim, Nancy, Pinat, Susan, Marlene, Aaron, Barragans}

P's hand holding Granny's finger...the old and the new

Bath time!

Phoebe's Pad

4 generations

Phoebe was born August 27th (also my mom's birthday!) @ 1:04 pm.  Weighing in at 7 lbs. 10 oz.  And stretching out at an all time record of 20 inches!  12 hour labor and 45 minutes of pushing.  Present at delivery were father Dave, grandparents Mike and Cindy Speed, aunt Bethany Speed, aunt Carrie and uncle Pat Owsley, a slew of nurses holding me down, and my ob Rasha Hashad.  Epidural wore off towards the end...the most pain I've ever felt in my life during the last 5 minutes of pushing excepting of course the initial contractions before the epidural.  Lots of blood, sweat, and tears.  

But the instant Phoebe came out all the pain went away and all I felt was overwhelming, hysterical, euphoric love for this little person.  I kept exclaiming "My baby, my baby!  Oh, I love my baby!"  That moment will always be with me and for those present I'm sure it won't be easy to forget.  How amazing are women!  I never knew the capabilities of my body until now.   This first week has been a whirlwind.  I feel like a machine, feed every 2-4 hours, sleep in between, eat if I get a chance, then it starts all over.  Time is going by too fast!  I love all the little sounds that she makes, when she nuzzles her head on my chest, her sweet smell, her cry, her smiles, when she wrinkles her forehead, her button nose, her strong neck, her heavy breathing, when she stretches, when she looks at me, her long fingers and toes, and I actually can say I love nursing!  Its taken 10 days but I can say I love it now that I've "toughened up" with mastitis.  I wish I could remember each moment of each day with her.  Dave has been amazing through it all.  From getting me through each contraction to holding my leg during delivery, to changing poopy diapers, to going to a lactation specialist with me, to running up and down the stairs for various tasks I set him out to do (ie refill my water, warm up a towel, bring up some dinner, getting me medicine, etc).  He is HEAD OVER HEELS for this baby.  P has had sooo many visitors and is extremely popular with the Spanish branch.  We have had tamales, pupusa's, salads, mexican casseroles, mamey ice cream bars, etc.  My mom has been an absolute saint cleaning, cooking, running errands, watching P, etc.  We are so blessed to have this little angel in our lives and to have great friends and family to support us.  Come visit soon!  We are always home...at least for the next month.