The Zero party

We finally reached the big day! Monday the 21st was Eva's due date, so we celebrated her turning zero (and then 3 days later, celebrated her turning 3 months old :). We've now stopped counting down to her due date and are counting up from it.

it is almost like having two birthdays, especially for the next couple of years. Though her date of birth is October 24, her development in these last 3 months was counted according to what she would have been doing in the womb. All of the important developmental milestones--when we should anticipate that she'll sit up, crawl, talk, walk, etc... will be calculated from her "adjusted age," i.e., her age taken from her due date. So...today she is both 4 days old and 3 months old.

Our friends Amanda and Nina had us over for dinner (and provided the glittery pink zero candle), my mom brought the chocolate cake, and our friend Kristen brought the cheesecake--fitting that a girl with 2 birthdays should have 2 cakes!

Mamma

Getting sleepy

Mamma's favorite face

Eva at home

Mamma, Babbo, and baby

We've had Eva home for about 3 1/2 weeks now and already its becoming difficult to remember that she was ever anywhere else. She's doing great--eating well, sleeping well (especially during the day! :) and we're all starting to get adjusted to the new rhythm of being a family. My mom was here for 2 weeks helping us to make that adjustment and, as an experienced mom, answering the hundreds of questions that I had every day as a new and inexperienced mom.

New Years Morning...

It was our most memorable and first new years celebration as a family. We were expecting to stay up late either way and ring in the new year, this simply extended how long we actually did. Our friend Amanda who has been taking extra care of us these past few days with meals, and errands and such celebrated the night with us. The pics of the night turned out ruddy, so here's a pic of the morning after. There was no mystery if Eva was breathing or not, as she grunted and squeeked her way through the night the few hours she actually slept. We of course were paralyzed sleeping next to her watching every movement, and worrying about rolling onto her...sound familiar parents?

She went home weighing 2130 grams=somewhere over 4.5 lbs...and continues to eat to exhaustion. We are proud parents of our little Mangione.

Heroines!

These women are true heroins, and are some of whom to thank for caring and sustaining Eva's life through her hospital stay. It was a very joyful and emotional not only for us but some of them as well. Eva had become beloved by many of them, and they shared in our celebration as we made the rounds thanking those who were working that shift.

It is impossible to thank them enough. All we can do is receive in love everything they have done. We are so grateful...