Mama Says... {Welcome To The World, Baby Girl!}

 I said I wanted to have this baby on her due date.

She must like to be 'on time'--like her Daddy.

I said I love big babies.

I got my 10 lb-er

I said I wanted to experience a shorter labor than the 24 hour experiences I had with both of my boys.

Besides the several days of practice contractions, we had a solidly intense 9 hour labor together.

I said I want to birth my baby in water.

Water birth, it was!

 I said I'd like a full night's sleep before we go into 'active labor'.

We got it (Daddy on the couch, Mama in her bed)

 I said I would attempt a VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarian section birth)

I could not have done it without this Super Man:

I said I knew what her name was months ago.

Now it's changed.

I said I was looking forward to falling in love all over again.

And we have!

Announcing the arrival of our newest addition...

our princess...our sugar & spice:

Noelle Lucia Harper

10 lbs 4.3 oz, 21 inches

5:16pm 12/13/11

(Sorry to confuse you with the post about her name earlier. Adalea was her name then, but not now.)


Noelle~ We had an experience over the last week that gave us the undeniable feeling that Noelle needed to be part of her name...Christmas Hymns sung around a nativity will do that to you. Noelle means "Christmas" in French.

Lucia~ Sweet baby girl came RIGHT on her due date, as requested. Her birthday just happens to coincide with a special Scandinavian holiday: Santa Lucia (Saint Lucy), which I remember learning about as a young girl (since my Dad shared several Scandinavian traditions with our family that he learned from his missionary experience in Stokholm). My name -Shara-also comes from my Dad's Swedish experience, so I love the connection between my name and hers in that way.  Also--Lucia is a beautiful Portuguese name, and if you know me you know of my love for all things Portuguese. Finally, her name honors my cousin's angel daughter Lucy--who will forever hold a perfect place in the hearts of all who saw her smile.

Pronounced: Loo-SEE-ya

Noelle is now ONE DAY old.
She is very alert, strong, and has a great loud cry!
She is nursing like a champ and reminds us so much of her oldest brother, J.
Her eyes are dark blue (for now) and though her hair looks more red in the photos--it looks more like brother N's hair--a golden/light brown shade (again, for now).

I will write up my birth experience for those interested & post on my Sharalea blog in the near future--stay tuned!

We are thrilled & grateful to have experienced such an amazing birth together with our birth team--welcoming our daughter to the world with an unmedicated water birth. We have been loving the newborn cuddles over the last 24 hours and are excited to be able to go home and introduce her to her big brothers tonight!

We would like to thank you for being such great supporters, cheerleaders, enthusiasts, and prayer-sender-uppers on our behalves. We feel blessed with miracles & joy.