Off the record.

Sometimes I'll construct a post and then decide not to publish it. Either it's too personal, or might offend, or the writing is just plain horrid (though that doesn't stop me as often as it should). I've actually written several times in the past few weeks, just to capture our transition from 3 to 4 children on paper. And then I'll read over it all and realize that I've just been indulging in an enormous self-pity fest. I'm careful enough to avoid portraying myself as an inherently negative person (at least most of the time). And yet, its been good therapy. And maybe, someday I will read over these unpublished posts and thank the Lord that I survived it all.

That being said, I haven't recorded much about Eve, having been consumed by the torture of getting her to eat for her first few weeks. And even though newborns don't display a huge level of personality, I thought I'd record a few tidbits. First, she has a remarkably strong neck and legs. I say this hesitantly, because I don't exactly have an accurate perception of what is normal at this age. Her sisters were pretty much little blobs for what seemed like forever. Lily didn't even put weight on her legs for months when you'd hold her on your lap. Eve rolls easily from side to side and prefers standing, but I can still get in a good snuggle when I hold her (she gets that from her dad). The girls absolutely adore her and are constantly asking to hold and kiss her - her head is often covered with crumbs from dinnertime and she spends much of her day being awoken by such "hugs" and "kisses". She's beginning to grace us with a few smiles (while she's awake, that is, smiles while asleep are pretty common). Not enough for a photo op, mind you, but they are a welcome event to a mom whose been wondering if all the work is ever going to pay off. We love her and are so thrilled to add her to our group of "little women".