First trip to the American Girl Store

Sophia's first Christmas tree

At the end of the wire, we finally got a tree up on Christmas Eve! Didn't want Sophia to have her first Christmas without one.

Meeting Nana, Papa & Uncle David

meeting Papa Mensch

meeting Nana & Papa

hanging out with Uncle David

Meeting the Cousins!

Josephine (22 mo), Katie (7) and Madeline (4) Orchard arrived on Dec 16th after a long drive from Colorado Springs!

"look at her little hands!"

"Sophie Hope Duncan!"

"and look at her little toes!"

Oh so precious to see all 'our girls' together!

Meeting Uncle John for the first time!

Christmas Card 2008

Announcing the arrival of our holiday angel…

Sophia Hope Duncan

November 21^st, 2008 7:25pm

9 lb 11oz, 21 inches

Happy Holidays! We hope this letter finds you happy and healthy and enjoying the holiday season. Sophia arrived just in time for Thanksgiving and we’re enjoying every minute getting to know her. Her name is Sophia because after 2 days with no name, it seemed to fit her just right and Hope after the street that Elle grew up on J

2008 has been full of more life changes. We took a little vacation to San Diego over spring break and stayed at our wedding spot. We ordered round 2 of our wedding cake (still our favorite cake 3 years later!). In June Neil did his first 12 hour adventure race with friends in Durango, Colorado. It was a fun weekend with family and friends! We rented our city condo and with no home to move into, Neil’s parents graciously hosted us for 6 weeks (thank you!). In July we moved 30 miles west of Chicago into our first house. We are enjoying making it into a home and the renovations are coming along slowly but we’re almost done with the upstairs bedrooms & bathrooms. The kitchen work starts in January! Elle just got promoted at work and will return to Google mid-April and will be back to teaching yoga twice a week soon.

Sending you hugs and holiday cheer!

Best wishes for a happy 2009!

Sarah Whitcomb's Visit

Sarah came to visit from LA with adorable outfits for little Sophia!

First Snow

Snow, snow, snow! Sophia's first snowfall! Too bad she's too little to go out and play...

Our favorite "Charlie Brown" Christmas Tree in our backyard

First Few days

Chillin in my boppy kiddopotamus style

My little feet and long 'tingers'

Blanket from the Warrior Family

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving at Nannie & Pops Duncan's house

Meeting Grandad Randall!

Coming Home

We arrived back home on Tuesday Nov 25th to a wonderful welcome from my Mom (aka Grandmother)!

Sophia Meets the Family

Sophia had so many wonderful hospital visitors to welcome her to the world. Here are a few pics of meeting her family! Nannie & Pops Duncan, Aunt Katherine, Grandmother, Aunt Alex, Aunt Colleen.

Sophia Hope Duncan

...meet little (or not so little) Sophia Hope Duncan! She was welcomed to the world this past Friday night Nov 21st at 7:25pm at a healthy 9 lbs 11oz.

All 3 of us are healthy & happy and enjoying this special 'getting to know' each other time. We had some tough times last week, when I was diagnosed with Cholestasis of pregnancy on Tuesday and my liver started malfunctioning on Wednesday. We chose to be induced Thursday and after 30 hrs of laboring our little warrior arrived via c-section.

We feel lucky to have eachother and arrived home yesterday to show Sophie her new home and the nursery that Neil has been working so hard on.

She can't wait to meet all of you and is excited for the adventures that lie ahead.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!