One week old today

Introducing... Tessa Kae Ririe

Born February 13th, 2009, this little girl has lit up our lives and home. She is learning about life outside the womb as she gets over the disappointment of setting up shop in my uterus. She also has a knack for knowing right when Mom drifts off to sleep - a situation she lets us know about in no uncertain terms. We're getting the hang of feeding, (not) sleeping, diapers, pumping, quick showers, and nursing bras. All she has to do is open her eyes and coo and we just melt.

I've heard the clamoring for pictures, so without further ado, here are several from the last week.

Ted made me breakfast the morning of, not knowing we'd have to wait 8 hours from the time of eating due to the c-section because of anesthesia side effects. Ted poked his head in the bathroom that morning and said, "You want bacon for breakfast?" Say no more!!!


I had to lie down most of the day, hence the squinting. Ted donned his spacesuit while the four of us (including my mom and sister) played along with Jeopardy. It was very annoying for the anesthesiologist to come in and explain the procedure during Final Jeopardy. That and the crazy woman who stuck our baby's heel twice because she was talking too much after the first time, causing the blood to dry up, were my only complaints about the day.


Notice they had to strap me down. Ted walked in and said, "Whoa. Getting crucified, sweetie?"


Her entrance into the world - slimy, bloody, and screaming. I was behind the curtain and couldn't see, but Ted said he just looked at her in awe. She's truly a miracle.


Ted making the "ceremonial" cut. Of course he did his usual meticulous job. He doesn't know this, but as the nurses were rushing around and doing everything that had to be done (yanking what looked like a massive liver from my incision, etc), I peeked from behind the curtain at him. He stayed near our baby, and I saw him just gently touch her cheek, her tummy, her head, her hand, and couldn't stop staring at her. It was one of the sweetest moments I've ever seen.


Mom doing her "ceremonial" skin-picking and eye de-boogering. It's a bad habit.


Dad and Tessa.


Grandma Deanne Kae and Tessa Kae.


Not surprisingly, the girl's got some lungs.


Aunt Shannon and Tessa.

Another mommy pic. I can't believe she's mine. So perfect, so baby-smelling, such a gift.


The poor thing had dagger-like fingernails when she was born, so these shirts with the mittens is all she's been wearing. She's got quick reflexes, though, and gets to her face before we can get to her hands. Don't tell Phi-Phi, but we have no problem dressing her in the most chic fashions; off-the-shoulder is so vogue.


I couldn't resist. The bow is stuck on with boob cream.


No no! No pictures! Where's my bodyguard??


One of the few shots with her eyes open. She still has issues focusing, so she looks a little freaky.


Her first outing with just mommy! Where'd we go? To get wrangled by a lactation consultant. My nipples are still recuperating.


...And her little piggies.

Publish Post

Thanks for stopping by!