EMILIA IS HERE!!!!

Greetings all! Time is at a premium with the arrival of Emilia Grace, so I'll have to keep this short: 1116pm Thu Oct 21, 7 lb 4 oz, 20.5 inches long, and head of really dark hair!

First, some links to photos from the first couple days (at hospital):

Click Here for Album 1
(5 photos)

Click Here for Album 2

(14 photos, a couple repeats)

...and below are six photos taken today, Emilia's first day at home! Click on the individual images for larger versions. All is going great! We're are blessed and grateful! -The Pellfam

Last colorful moments before Emilia arrives

Here we are... the last website update before Emilia arrives. So breaking news: her name will be Emilia. :)

The last few months have been HURRY UP preps (painting rooms, assembling bunk beds, setting up nursery, prego belly cast, etc.)... but now, we are tapping our toes and checking the calendar saying "okay, you can come out whenever you want!" Emilia is officially full term, with due date technically just over a week away. She could come at any time.

In the meantime, we have enjoyed a very quick rush of Fall colors. First frost occurred this morning. Most days have been sunny and warm, most nights - and bus stop mornings - have been chilly. The kids have recently gone on hikes in Putnam County Park in Eleanor, and Kanawha State Forest. Mark even managed to squeeze in a couple mornings of mountain biking (also known as his final moments of freedom before Emilia arrives) thanks to our neighborhood friend Chris Wheeler; while also joining the "over-the-bar" club. This entailed the bike abruptly stopping on a tree root, and Mark careening over the front bar of the bike. No broken bones; just a bruised shin! :)

The kids are geeked (perhaps somewhat anxious, too) about the next several weeks, which will include:

• Birth of Emilia
• Halloween
• Visits from family
• Daddy's B-day
• Thanksgiving
• Start of Upward basketball (Evan will be on a boys' team, Autumn on a girls' team).

Wish us luck... exciting yet tiring times ahead!

-The Pellfam (Mark, Marisa, Autumn, Evan, and Emilia-to-be)