THE FEAR: ANASTASIA vs TALULA

After visiting a high school friend/Dad's employee and his wife with their new baby this past summer, we were pretty sure that Anastasia was going to be extremely jealous and have fits every time I focused my attention on Talula instead of her. We have been very pleasantly surprised to find that Anastasia is curious, sweet and mostly gentle with her. On average, Talula probably receives between 20-50 kisses on various locations atop of her little soft head each day. Anastasia checks on her while she is sleeping and likes to watch her "eating." (At first Anastasia had called this "kissing"- we corrected her right away.)

THE REALITY: ANASTASIA loves TALULA!

Slideshow of Talula's First Pictures

Talula Meunier Ball has arrived!

Anastasia received her sister with kisses and hair rubbing.


The completed Meunier Ball family.

The basic facts:

• Talula shares my oldest brother Rick's birthday- thus my mother and I both had our second child on the 12th of October
• Talula is nearly a pound and a half heavier and 10 cm longer than Anastasia was at her birth (we're hoping this extra mass will help counter the excessive loving she has been receiving)
• She arrived wearing an umbilical cord upon the end of a 9 hour delivery
• Thus far, she appears to be the opposite of Anastasia's initial screaming sleepless existence (Thank God/Allah!!)
• more photos to come as we get a chance to take them...

Talula Update on her Due Date

Once again, it seems I have a little girl inside me that doesn't want to come out.

I attended an all-day Al Corniche Hospital doctor visit (literally, arriving at 8:40am and leaving at 2:40 pm) on my first day of maternity leave. Needless to say, it didn't feel like much of a holiday, but I did find out a few things about what the next week should hold.

Birth doesn't appear eminent by any of the normal momma's body indicators. According to an ultrasound scan and CTG (cardio-toco-graph thingy that measure Talula's heartrate and movement), she is fine and well. We were able to get another surface scan of her face that has me anticipating a mini-Anastasia. Mini, meaning look-a-like. Definitely NOT size; Talula is already a pound and some heavier than Anastasia was at birth. And she has 8 more days of fattening up if she appears according to Anastasia's timeline!

Several more CTGs have been scheduled for next week, along with a tentative induction date: 14 October. Hopefully, Randy will be able to post some news and pictures before then!!