The Burrus Family: Baby Elle!

Several hours after they left our house on Thanksgiving, we got a very exciting phone call from Sam that Audra was in labor. We were so pumped and couldn't wait to meet our new niece or nephew. Clint went to the hospital to help them get settled into L&D at Parkland and I tossed and turned and sent way too many text messages to Mom and Clint and Sam. :) Tommy and Sarah K were sweet enough to babysit Charlie and Evie on Friday morning so that Clint and I could head back to the hospital for the delivery. We made it there a few minutes before Audra delivered, and it was so fun being there when Sam came out to announce that it was a girl. Miss Elizabeth ("Elle") Enck Kirkendall was born around 10:30 a.m. and weighed 7 lbs., 10 oz. (only 1 ounce away from Evie's size!). We got to see her shortly after birth and she was already just beautiful.

She loved her mommy (and grandmothers) right away!

The new family of three.

The kids (particularly Evie) were so pumped about Baby Elle that I took them up to see her on her second day. Poor Elle did not know what to think about all the activity, so our visit was short, but very eventful for my kids. Charlie's first comment was "why did they name HIM 'Elle,'" as in, how can there be a baby that isn't a male? Once the little chauvinist got past that hurdle, he has become quite enamored with Miss Elle. And Evie has been thrilled from the start, especially since Elle wears Evie's new favorite color--PINK! Evie boldly told me several times at the hospital, "I want to hold DAT" ("dat" being Baby Elle). She has not held "dat" yet, as I am still getting her used to just touching Elle's feet and not poking at her eyes (Evie just loves to point out baby's body parts). Evie was a little disturbed at the hospital because Elle had not gotten a bobby (pacifier) yet. She has since received one, and Evie is so relieved. She thinks Elle should have it constantly ("dude, you're a newborn, take advantage!" appears to be the underlying attitude) and is desperate to jam it into Elle's mouth all by herself, but so far, I have managed to keep that from happening.

Here is sweet Elle, after she arrived at home. She just gets cuter and cuter every day!

Elle is already growing so fast and getting the cutest little belly. I cannot get enough of her sweet cuddling, and could sit and hold her all day. She reminds me a lot of Sam when he was a baby, but she also looks a lot like her Mama, so I know she will be pretty! Evie really cannot stop talking about her, and demands every day to "see baby Elle!" She has started telling me every night, "I yuv baby Elle SO MUCH."

Evie and Charlie also have discussed Baby Elle's lovie needs extensively. They decided she needed a "new lubby" (Evie initially worried that we were thinking about giving hers away), and maybe even an owl or a hippo (like Evie has) or a monkey (like Charlie has). The conversation is generally started by Evie and goes something like "give Elle owl." After a few seconds, the reality of what she has said sinks in, Evie panics, and says, "NO! Dat's Ebie's owl!" Then she thinks "hippo!" Same thing; realization sets in and she screams, "No! Dat's Ebie's hippo!" She then sneakily suggests, "how 'bout gunkey?" at which point Charlie exclaims, "No! That's my monkey!" Oh, how generous these two are. :)

In a very exciting development, sweet Elle made her first official visit to our house the other day. The kids were so pumped to have her, and they had such a hard time staying away from her. Everything about Elle thrilled Evie--the carseat! the blankey! the bobby! the tiny baby socks! the hat! Oh how fun she is. :) [Notice I don't have any pictures of Evie with her; when Evie gets close, I get a little too nervous to get behind the camera!]

Here is Johnny Football (who still makes daily appearances at our house) inspecting his new cousin.