Welcome Elise Jewell

Our sweet new baby girl , Elise Jewell, was born on march 30. I had asked my doctor to induce me a week early to try and avoid a big baby, but alas she only consented to inducing me three days before my due date. Thank goodness we didn't wait for Elise to come on her own because she weighed in at a whopping 10 lbs 1oz. At this point in the game I shouldn't be surprised but I thought for sure she would be smaller since she was a girl. I do not build small babies, and I have no idea why because no one else in my family births toddlers.

Anyway, it's strange to be a family of six now. We all are enamored with this sweet little girl. We are also surprised at the amount of hair she has. She has a full head of brown hair. I am so used to bald babies.

I am grateful to my mom who was able to come out and stay with us for over a week. I always cry when she leaves because I wonder how I can possibly do it on my own. Funny to think about life when I just had Blake. I am also grateful for Mike's accounting firm that gave him two weeks of paid paternity leave. The kids have been so excited to have daddy home. And of course I have been so appreciative of his presence. What a wonderful daddy he is.

About her name, Elise is just a name we liked and she is named Jewell after Mike's wonderful Grandmother Jewell. All of our children have family names for middle names and I think this gives them a link to their wonderful heritage.