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!!

Summer Summary II

Final slideshow and Top 10 as our long summer comes to an end....



Top 10 of the Entire 2010 Summer (in no particular order):

1. The "Abu" fiasco at the Bomber's game (ask Randy for more details)

2. Grandpa Ball not sharing food with Anastasia in the beginning, but being won over by the end of the visit

3. Anastasia's pool times with Grandma French (especially with puddles), hotel at Daytona Beach, Grandpa Ball (beginning of the nude play--Anastasia only; Grandpa was dressed), at Holiday World, Christmas Lake Village, Aunt Janet's, the triple b-day party in Floyd Knobs and Grandma Meunier (with fish pond breaks)

4. the mini-Wittenberg reunion with Cheryl, Andrea and Kim (3/4 of us were pregnant!)

5. Anastasia's new words and sounds: "outside", "chips", "dog", "fish", "frog", numerous animals sounds, "yuck" and just at the end "cool"

6. Good food along the way: suppers, Old Harry's (but no French Onion soup :( ), Jalapenos, Shrimp Shack, steaks on the grill, corn and cantelope, etc straight from the garden, Tempel extravaganzas, Grandma Meunier's surprise breakfast

7. Signs of trouble to come: the "sandbox tantram" resulting in Anastasia ultimately flopping spread eagle so no one else could touch the sand, "baby in arms" meltdown at the hospital. Looking at baby OK, momma holding baby= unacceptable

8. Anastasia with her animals: Misty, Sanford Zoo, Fluffy, Oatland Island Refuge, Tiki, Lincoln Boyhood Farm...she continues her obsession with our four-legged friends (well, she likes two-legged, no-legged, eight legged ones too)

9. a mini Class of 91 Beaufort Academy reunion: Jason, Sheila, Elinor, Jim, Tola, and Randy (that's ALMOST half the class, right?)

10. Colorful photo shoots at Bok Tower Gardens, Daytona Beach, Old Sheldon Church, Hunting Island, fish ponds in Dale (always a race to get pictures before Anastasia breaks out into sweat)

AND OF COURSE, visiting our family and friends...