Welcome Evani!

Auntie Shell getting in more good practice

My good friend Mala had her baby on Tuesday. Little Evani entered the world at 6lbs 9oz and 19.5" long. As you can see from the photos she is petite (although I'm sure Mala would differ on that perception) and precious.

On my way to see her I ran into Linh, another good friend of ours, and we visited together. Something funny happened, however, when we arrived into Mala's room.... A nurse and security guard preceeded us, flew open the door, stared at the baby in Mala's arms and then proceeded to say into a walkie-talkie "Ten four - the baby is here! The baby is here!" Somehow Evani's little tracking device had come off of her tiny ankle and this had set alarms off in the maternity ward, making nurses fear that she had been "stolen". It was an amusing moment, since it coincided with our arrival, but at the same time it was sobering.

All of us believe that Linh should be next!

Both Mala and daughter are in excellent health and should be out of the hospital today - gosh, so fast! I can't believe that Evani is finally here. After watching her grow in Mala's tummy at close quarters almost every day since Mala found out she was pregnant, it was an awesome moment to see her here, in the flesh. I know millions of women give birth every day but I'm still in complete awe of mothers - to go through so much pain and then to be sitting there with a smile on your face the next day... I can't imagine. It's all such a wonderful miracle.