Ruth and Stephen's baby blog

She was born yesterday morning, 8/11/8, at the Mater hospital at 6:58am, after a mercifully short labour, 10-15 minutes after getting to the hospital. Rebekah and Ruth are both well, and came home mid-afternoon.

Elizabeth (4.5) and Charlotte (nearly two) are both delighted with their new sister, and will kiss her as often as they are allowed.

Rebekah is a fairly big baby: 9lb 11 oz/4.41kg, with a 36.5cm head and 54.5cm long.

We are all amazed at how lovely this child is. We can't wait to get to know her more over the coming years. Rebekah really is an answer to many prayers, and we are so grateful to God for this little gift.

This is our new family of five!

My four girls!!!!!!

I am staggered by how amazing it is that I get to have four lovely ladies as part of my family.

This girl has a thick head of hair!!!

My new little girl! I am so proud to have her in my arms

Rebekah with her Jacobsen Grandparents.

Baby Rebekah with her Parker Grandparents

It has been far too long since I put more photos of Charlotte up, so below is really a summary of the last year. Charlotte has grown up quite a lot in that time.

She is a very strong girl –in many ways. She learnt to walk while we were in New Zealand at 11 months, with her first steps actually on the snow at Mount Hutt. She has a great sense of balance, and loves climbing over couches, into her high chair by herself and into anything else that she can get to.

She particularly loves little babies, and will kiss them and cuddle them any chance she can get. She adores Elizabeth, and will do anything to play with her. One of their favourite games is to play jump jump sit on a bed, which they made up. She has been learning to talk a lot better over the last few months, and expresses herself quite well most of the time, even if we are a bit slow sometimes. She loves reading her books, drawing pictures, playing with dolls and helping Ruth with whatever she is doing. She is also remarkably handy with a spanner or screwdriver. She holds them properly and applies them at the right angles to nuts and screws – quite the little handy-man really.

I’m really pleased she loves hanging out with me, and if I say I’m going anywhere she just calls out good-bye to everyone else and starts coming downstairs. She loves making breakfast with me and helps me put the weet-bix in our bowls and the teabag in the teapot. What more could you want in a little daughter? I love her sooo much, and thank God for her every day.

Charlotte loves getting into everything and will go hard at it all day long if she can. Sometimes though, she reaches her limit.

When Grampa volunteered to show people around the Endeavour, the girls were keen to have their own private tour.

Aren't they cute?

Charlotte is quite an active young lady, and is always on the go doing something.

the girls love licking beaters - and smiling for photos

For a year we went to Seaworld as often as we could, and Charlotte and Elizabeth loved it. This is on our last day there.

In October we had a last family holiday before baby#3 came along at Calounra, just for three days. The girls had a wonderful time and loved playing in the sand and water.

I love this picture of my two lovely smiling girls! they look so incredibly sweet!!!

Oh, my beautiful angel!!!