Violet Marie Grote has arrived

I woke up early this morning and walked through the open door at the end of the hall into a pink and white room beside the guest room where we’re staying. The motion of the ceiling fan caught my eye. We must have left it on when we were working in here yesterday assembling the crib.  It will be a while before the crib is used; the bassinet in the parents’ room will suffice for some time.

I pulled on the chain to turn off the fan, continued across the room to the second-story window above the leaf-strewn deck, and looked up at the sky. A constellation decorated the night. The name always seems to elude me, but it is the one with the three stars in a line, like a belt. Orion perhaps? I’ll have to look it up.

The house is quiet save for the nature sounds that play from an ipod speaker in Luke’s room through a monitor in ours.

Parents and baby will be coming home today.

Violet Marie Grote was born on Monday morning at 9:50 eastern standard time. She is 19-1/2 inches long and weighed 8 lbs. 14 oz. at birth. Her skin is soft, and her cry is insistent. When she opens her eyes, she is absolutely captivating. She’s attentive to the voice of her big brother, 2-year-old Luke, and looks for him when he speaks or sings her a song.

Isn’t life grand?