I’d like to introduce you to our brand new baby GIRL, Elizabeth Tate Vail! She arrived mid-December and she is the sweetest little thing in the whole wide world. Tate weighed 7 pounds 15 ounces at birth and was 20.5 inches long. At 4 weeks she’s already almost outgrown 0-3 month clothing and she’s plumping right up, especially in her cheeks. The kids call her “cutie,” “adorable,” and “wooger sugar” (though I’m not entirely sure where they got that nickname from but I kind of hope it sticks). They crowd around her constantly and want to touch her all the time. Whenever Tate’s lying on the ground or the boppy newborn lounger Caroline basically wallows all over her, kind of like a dog does when they find something gross the roll around on outside. Haha I know that’s a weird thing to compare it to but it’s exactly what I think of it every time I have to make sure Caroline doesn’t smother Tate in love. Safe to say J & C are smitten!
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Jack was emotionally fragile for about a week after she was born, and that was kind of hard to see. He loved her and was very gentle with her, but having a new person in the house that took our attention away from him was a bit much for him to handle. Poor think was quick to cry, very sensitive and wanted to be held by us and his teacher when he was at school. (3 things that are very unlike him.) This didn’t happen at all when Caroline was born because he was only 22 months old, still non-verbal and kind of in his own little world. But now he’s 4 years old and more aware and it was overwhelming for him to process, despite still getting a lot of attention from us and my parents. Thankfully once Tate had been here a week he adjusted to the new addition just fine, and since then there have been no more issues. He’s going to be a great brother to her and I can’t wait to watch their relationship grow.
On the other hand, it hasn’t phased 2 year old Caroline one bit. She did have a meltdown at the hospital when they came to meet their sister for the first time, but it was because we didn’t let her hold Tate all by herself. Every day I hear “me hold a baby” and “me see a baby” about 100 times. Naturally, she’s not great at supporting her head and once she’s decided she’s finished holding her she’ll just push her away, but she’s getting better every day!
We had these photos taken by StephanieH Photography the day after Christmas, when Tate was 11 days old. The bows the girls are wearing were a gift from Well Worn Bows, aren’t they beautiful? Christie is a fellow military spouse and she makes all of her bows out of vintage and thrift fabrics. I absolutely love that the fabric has some history (y’all know I love thrifting!) and think that it’s such a great way to repurpose something and give it a new life.
I’m also working on Tate’s birth story, which I promise I’ll share soon! Life with 3 young children has it’s challenges and we’re still trying to find our rhythm, but I wouldn’t trade all of this crazy beautiful mess for the world!
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Such beautiful photographs and memories to cherish. That new baby smell on Tate’s head I bet y’all can’t get enough of her. I’ve said before but congratulations. She is such a doll and love how those big kids love on her. I think my favorite photo is of Tom holding her alone melts my heart.
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Thank you so much, Lynn! You’re right, new baby smell is the best! I could breathe her in all day. And I agree, that photo of Tom with Tate is so sweet and I need to print it out and frame it. Thanks so much for commenting and for reading!