Introducing...

Drumroll, please...





Gabriella Faithe

Friday night, Alyssa's baby cousin was born to Angie and Eric (Luke's sister and brother-in-law). Angie found out she was pregnant when Alyssa was about 2 weeks old and we have been thrilled for the two of them since finding out.

I have been sitting on pins and needles for the last week, at least, because becoming an aunt is so exciting. I already have two nephews who I do not see all that often so I know what it is like to be an aunt but not to a little girl! And it is even more exciting because Alyssa will always have someone she will be close to, much like I was very close to my cousin growing up.

Back in May, I went with Ang to her 3D/4D ultrasound where the technician spent their whole session trying to figure out if Gabby was indeed Gabby and not Ethan. That was a very cool experience and the pictures turned out wonderful, especially now knowing what she looks like!



All of last week, any time Luke's phone rang I was asking him if it was Ang. I knew that her doctor told her that if she didn't go into labor by Thursday, she would be going in to get induced. And knowing my own story, I knew ANYTHING could happen.

But it didn't!

Thursday, she was all ready to go in to be induced (at 10pm) and then I get a phone call at around 9pm... they didn't have room for her so she had to go in Friday morning at 7:30. I would have gone absolutely crazy had that happened to me. I knew how antsy I was all day waiting for her to go in so I could only imagine what Ang was thinking. That's like telling a child they have to wait until the day after Christmas to get their Christmas presents; it's just cruel.

Well, they did the same thing, not to the same extent, the next morning. They called her around 6am to let her know that they would be calling her back between 10 and noon and then she could be coming in. I am not exactly sure of the next set of events except that by 10:30am, she was there getting induced.

Again, the rest of the day I spent asking Luke if he heard from her yet. Each time his answer was no. I was getting even more antsy and just wanted to go there to wait! I now know why I had most of the waiting room filled up when I was in labor... it is easier to wait for the birth of a baby in the hospital, although very uncomfortable and from my experience difficult to get any sleep (I was the only one who got a decent amount of sleep)!

Around 8:30, Luke and I decided to leave thinking that nothing was happening (she hadn't budged with her dilation for a couple of hours) so we figured we could go meet up with our friend's Lee and Dora. They are back visitng after moving to Massachusetts in November.

We knew that Ang was supposed to get checked by 9pm and then they would discuss her options... i.e. C-section was one of those options. But apparently they never had to give her any; she was already fully dilated and ready to go.

Around 9:40, we got a phone call saying that she was born about 5 minutes earlier. Gabriella was weighng in at 7lbs 2oz (this I never confirmed, but this is what I got from Luke when he was repeating everything on the phone) and 20 inches. Of course, I was disappointed because we left too early but I could not have been happier about who we were spending our time with! Shortly after the phone call, we decided to leave and head home. I, of course, wanted to head into the hospital to check out this sweet baby girl, but we had our own very sleepy, sweet baby girl! It was going to have to wait!

Ang's doctor told her to let people know that she could not have any visitors until after 4pm because he wanted her and Gabby to get their rest. It was a very long day for the two of them. So that is when we planned to go over. Again, there we were waiting to meet this little bundle of joy! I couldn't wait to get there and hold her. I couldn't wait to study her and see in what ways she looks like both Ang and Eric, and also in what way she was similar to Alyssa.

Around 4/4:30, we left our house and headed over to the hospital. I was like a little kid going into a candy store. I was beyond thrilled to meet Gabby and I was so very happy for Ang and Eric.

And let me tell you how she was worth the wait! She is just so beautiful. She and Alyssa have so many similar features. Of course, I think it is too early to tell who she looks like, but I know that with Alyssa, peole told me right away how much she looked like Luke. And since I think Alyssa and Gabby look very similar, and Luke and Ang are sisters, I would have to say that Gabby looks a lot like Ang! But time will tell.

I cannot wait to watch her grow up and see how beautiful she becomes. I cannot wait for the girls to have sleepovers at our house or at Ang and Eric's house. I cannot wait to take the two of them to the mall shopping or to a movie. I cannot wait to really be an aunt! To have her call me "Aunt Megan" and have her give me a hug and a kiss hello or goodbye. I get to really experience what it is like to be an aunt now.

Luke with his niece (this is the first time he is an uncle)!


Me and Gabby


The proud mommy (she is quite the ham for the camera... I don't think the girl takes a bad picture EVER, not even after giving birth!) Eric's mom, Grammy (?) is in the background


Eric "resting"- like he did all the work, or something! ;~)


And now, close-ups of the beauty herself! (her right arm is up like she is resting her head against it and the left arm is touching her elbow)




One of the things the ultrasound tech, said when we all went with Ang and Eric to the 3D/4D ultrasound is that often with little girls, their hands tend to be near their head. This hasn't changed since then!




Do you see any similarities between Gabby and Alyssa?




Oh yeah, and Alyssa does the hand over the head thing or at the head while she is sleeping too!


It must be a family thing! Believe it or not both Alyssa and Luke have their arms up by their heads or covering their heads! I asked Eric and Ang if they both do this and they said yes so it only makes sense that Gabby does as well.