Baby girl Mead Gilheany has arrived!

As yet unnamed and unweighed, but screaming her delight in this world over the phone. And arrived like a hurricane on this night, August 25, 2008. She was in a hurry, after all of that waiting!!!

So much love to Hilary, Terence, Hannah, and my newest niece.

This is the photo that coined the nickname Gracie Big Pants. It stuck such that certain people still call Grace GBP. I love that she looks so indignant and cross – like, “hey, take these damned Big Pants off of me!”

We just looked at the Storypeople More than a Princess print that is hanging on Grace’s wall. I finally tired of Grace swanning around in her Cinderella dress and heels and jewelry and tiara and said, “Gracie, you are much more than a princess – they just don’t have a name for it yet on earth. And, you don’t need the tiara to make you a princess.” She responded by ripping off her tiara (which she was wearing with her pjs) and putting it on the table, then turning to me with a radiant smile. I burst into tears.
As we were lined up on the couch to read the Berenstain Bears, I took this picture. Gracie said: “Hey! All three Russells!” and then she quickly corrected herself: “I mean, all Eldredges!”
And, cue another round of tears.