She arrives!

We are delighted to announce that Alice Opal Tamsin Lank finally consented to join the outside world on December 9, 2008 at 2:21pm at Princeton Medical Center. She was 9 pounds even, 20.5 inches, and is healthy and well. Her broad shoulders were a bit of a trick there at the end and she was treated immediately for potential meconium aspiration upon arrival, but otherwise all went as smoothly as one could wish.

Edith has been doting on her baby sister for the past 24 hours, letting us know that we should be quiet when the baby is sleeping and showing us how to wrap her in blankets. She also has been singing the baby lullabies, to which Alice seems to respond quite well. It's not quite as relaxing with four hanging out in the hospital room as it was with three, but we know it's a taste of life to come, so we're learning on the fly.

Alice's first name is her own. Opal is for her great-grandmother (straight maternal line), who passed away a year ago today and who would have loved nothing more than a new infant in the family on whom to shower her abundant love for young children. Tamsin is also a name we simply like--though a British feminine form of Thomas is not inappropriate for this little one who already shows signs of being daddy's girl.

Thank you to all for your well wishes and support in the past few months.