Wow, I can’t believe how long it’s been since I’ve written. I barely know how to type anymore so bear with me. We got all brave and loaded up the kids and all their gear (holy hell that’s a lot of stuff, and we pack light!) and headed across the country. After having spent a few days in AZ with my brother and his family, we’ve landed in Redlands, CA for Neil’s college reunion.

There’s a lot to say and a lot of photos but I’m seriously low on battery and remaining naptime so I’ll just leave you with this shot from the Phoenix Zoo. This monkey was following us around because he spotted the yellow plastic car Dash was carrying around. Apparently they’ll fix on an object and try to take it from you if they can. We escaped with the car (and the child).

Zella Joy is here! We’re snowed in here at home (seriously, you should see these snowbanks!), loving every moment with our new little girl. We’re tired, we’re happy, we’re healthy. I’m going to leave you with this birth announcement, written by Neil, until I can get back to the computer to share more.

Enjoy. We certainly are.

Hello everyone,

Happy news, happy news! Just wanted to let you all know that our daughter, Zella Joy Sattin, entered the world last Thursday night (December 18, 2008) at 10:57 pm. She’s happy, healthy, feeding well, sleeping almost as well, and adjusting to life in the snowy world. Simple stats: 7 lbs 13 oz, and 19 inches long.

The day started out normally enough – Tonya with Dash, hanging out, reading books, playing with trucks. I spent the day as I usually spend weekdays, brain plugged into the software development world. Conference calls. Etc. At around 5:30pm, as I was just finishing up my last call of the day, Tonya came in to let me know that she *thought* something was happening. My mother came to get Dash ’round 8pm. By 9, we were on our way to the hospital. Two hours later, Zella made her grand entrance. All told, 5-and-a-half hours of intensity that changed our day (and our lives) completely. While we were eager to continue taking advantage of the deluxe accomodations at Mercy hospital (I really wanted a chance at that jacuzzi tub), they kicked us out on Saturday, in between blizzards.

The things you probably want to know:

“Zella” is a name we’ve been savoring for awhile. It was my great-grandmother’s name (my mother’s father’s mother), something that had come up in conversation years ago, and was on the shortlist for Dash – until we found out he was going to be a boy. So it’s a name we both find to be cool, and musical, but that also has some ancestral relevance as well. It also goes on record as the “personal secret that Neil has managed to keep the longest.”

“Joy” is Tonya’s middle name, and we thought it’d be nice to hand that down, mother-to-daughter. Along with the more direct symbolism, which we also appreciate.

Dash is really enjoying having his sister around. The most difficult thing for him to adjust to, at the moment, is that his mama is temporarily unable to pick him up. Thankfully I’m going to be off from work for a couple of weeks, time to help him adjust to having to share time with his #1 companion. He does like to hover around the baby as she’s being nursed, changed, swaddled – and has already begun using the refrain “Zella Bella” to refer to all things sisterly. He’s also sneaking back into the “family bed.” At least he sleeps better than he used to.

It’s good to be home. We’re gladly accepting visitors, as long as you’re healthy. Just give us a call or drop us a line beforehand, dig?

This is almost too good to be true! Here I was planning to write a post which was pretty much just filler (I’m on the alternate laptop again so I don’t have any of the photos I really want to share with you. Tomorrow?), though good filler, when I see the most delightful link.

Honestly, too good to be true if you’re the liberal reader that I think you are.

And also, my friend Robyn just introduced me to this woman, my new modern-day hero. Sarah Haskins sums up all your thoughts on fiber-rich yogurt, botox, and angry women voters as she explores how the media targets women. I’m probably way behind the times on her but she cracks me up and I needed to share. So, so worth clicking that link.

And on the local front, identical triplets Satch, Pablo, and Levi are having a banner day and are getting their parents pretty excited about some kangaroo care. They’re all but demanding to be held. (And Dan, back when Dash was under those very same lights when he was first born, we totally thought that Billy Reuben was either a sandwich or maybe a small-time mobster.)

So that’s about it for now. Time to get to work on personalizing these (new to me) vintage Christmas stockings I picked up from Whimsie Dots* a few weeks ago.

Besides the gorgeous tops that you see here, they have lovely alternating stripes of either red and green or blue and green. I fell in love with them and quickly rationalized their purchase. We’re soon to be a family of four, so don’t we need four Christmas stockings? Answer: yes we do.

Just one more thing before I go! I still really need your help/input on these lamps. Where did they come from? What were they used for?
If you say “illumination,” ha ha ha ha ha etc.
Most importantly, what kind of shade do they require to fit their look and the look of my home, which is increasingly becoming a mid-century modern look.
Help!

And a most happy Thanksgiving to you all! I am truly grateful for so much this year and you’re all included on that list. Enjoy your day.

* Photos by Whimsie Dots

Can they honestly say that not ONE of them thought this would be a good idea the first time around?

And counting, and counting, and counting…

I know, I know, she needs to stay in as long as possible but I’m just so eager to meet her! I can’t believe she’s in there with all the right limbs (fully functioning, believe me and my bruised organs), with her eyes blinking and everything. What is she doing in there anyway? Reading? Meditating? Hatching an escape plan?

And, truth be told, I’m not exactly ready for her arrival anyway. I should probably do some laundry, change our sheets, unpack the baby clothes…. You know, the little things.

I think I’ll just change the subject because it’s really all I can think about at this point. I still have some pictures to post from recent thrifting scores, perhaps I can do that later today. After I’m done lying on the couch eating ice cream packing up some shop purchases.

In the meantime, for some dramatic storytelling about how and when our dog was once kidnapped, head on over here. Sometimes I call her Spikesy just to remind her of how good she has it now.