Amanda- June-July 2006

STACEYALECK.COM	Welcome Amanda Rachel! Amanda Rachel was born on Wednesday, June 28, 2006 at 3:16 pm She just couldn't wait! On June 28, 2006, at 3:16 pm, we welcomed our daughter. She was 3 weeks early, weighing in at a whopping 5 lbs., 8 oz. and measuring 18 inches long. She has some strawberry blond hair and smoky blue eyes (which we suspect will change to light blue like her Daddy). At 6:30 pm on June 27, Stacey's worst fear came true when her water broke while at work. Luckily, it was after hours and she was not meeting with a client at the time. Special thanks to Tracy, Wendy, Valentine, Jeannine and Stacey for keeping her calm and contacting Aleck to pick her up. After a stop at the hospital, where it was determined that labor hadn't really begun, she was sent home and told to come back in the morning. She was admitted into the hospital around 5 am and lived through some contractions until the epidural was administered. This was the best part of the whole experience (except for the whole baby part, of course). Then, with the aid of the epidural (which Stacey then suggested as a middle name for the baby), she slept for 2 and a half hours, during which time the baby worked her way all the way down. The nurse went to see how dilated Stacey was and said, "Oh, and there's the head. Get ready to push!" 45 minutes later, there was a little girl and a whole new family was created!

	Here's Amanda with Daddy		And with Mommy, leaving the hospital

	All dressed up to go home		And buckled in for safety!
	Looking alert at the hospital		Getting in some tummy time at home on the Boppy
	Amanda meets lots of family and friends in her first month:

	Here are big cousins, Samantha (left, age 6) and Emma (age 4)
		Say it loud and proud: "I'm the Little Cousin!" The older girls got matching Big Cousin shirts, as did Big Cousin Matty, though he hasn't had a chance to meet Amanda yet since he lives all the way out in California.

	Grammy Karyn		Oma Joke


	Grandpa Dave		Aunt Lois



	Uncle Steve (Aunt Michelle was here, too, but there's no picture!)		Great Aunt Sheila


	Kari		Kelly


	Yupin-Representing the neighborhood		Jen


	Merrie		Wes and Lea (squeezing in a visit just before moving to the West Coast)


	It's a hard life being a baby, isn't it? How does she find the time to play on the blanket, the swing and the mini gym?




	Luna is having a hard time adjusting to all of this since she is used to getting all of the attention in the house. However, she is reluctantly accepting the fact that this baby is here to stay.

	There are plenty more pictures to see. Please click here to view them all!