I'm so happy to report that I am no longer pregnant and we are now a family of six! Poor Cole remains the only son now that our third daughter, Tylan Addison, has arrived. She was born yesterday (my due date of August 19!) at 4:55 a.m. weighing 7 lbs. 15 oz. and is 20 inches long. Right now she looks so much like Cole did as a newborn.

Labor was quick and intense. I woke at 2 a.m. with contractions and decided to try to go back to sleep or at least rest as much as possible in case this was the real deal. I didn't really sleep over the next couple hours, and around 4 a.m. could tell that the contractions had gotten more intense. I woke Cory at 4:19, told him he had to get up and call the doctor, doula and our friend who was watching the kids. Our friend was over within minutes and we headed out the door because I had to really concentrate through the contractions. We made it to the hospital, got up to the labor and delivery room, changed into a gown and then my water broke. I headed over to the bed to squat since that's the only way I could make it through contractions this time around, felt like pushing with that first contraction at the bed and suddenly felt the head. The doctor and doula weren't here yet and the two nurses started scrambling to help deliver the baby. I was on hands and knees on the bed and delivered Tylan with the next push or two (can't recall). One of the nurses exclaimed that she'd never done this before, so I was able to be the talk of the hospital.

We made it back home this morning around 10:30 a.m. and were so happy to be out of the hospital. For the most part the staff was terrific, although they had Tylan at the nursery for longer than I preferred a few times. The kids and Cory all slept over in the room last night. All of the kids were so excited to meet their sister and can't stop running over to her and kissing her, patting her head, holding her, etc. Ella has turned out to be the most protective, which really surprises me. She's pushed Cole away a couple times when she feels he's getting too close. It was hard for her to not have Tylan and myself come along when Cory would take the kids away from the hospital, but it was even harder the few times the nurses took Tylan out of the room. She sobbed and sobbed.

Thankfully we're all home and together now. Ella is taking a much needed nap, and Cole and Accalia have been playing with the youngest neighbor girl on and off. Tylan is asleep in the sling right now. She loves the sling and already seems to prefer being put in it to nurse and go to sleep. She's had a lot of alert and awake periods where she just takes in all of the voices around her, and the kids love that.

Tylan's name was chosen because Tylan is the name of one of the members of the band Girlyman, which Cory and I love. Addison is a tribute to Wrigley Field, as it's one of the streets that intersects at the Cubs' stadium.

Here's Tylan mid yawn.


An ecstatic big brother.


A very happy biggest sister.


The first time big sister.