Sisters

Yes, I asked Stella to chill with Phoebe as I took some photos. But the affection is all genuine.

I love the ease with which these two already interact. Stella is so fond of her little Junebug, and Phoebe is obviously quite smitten with her big sister. From the day we brought Phoebe home, there's been a special bond between the two of them. If Phoebe is distraught or fussy (which is fortunately very rare), Stella quietly and naturally moves to her side and puts a hand on her tummy or strokes her fuzzy little head. She whispers, "There you go, Phoebe. It's alright, Phoebe." And the beautiful thing is that Phoebe responds. She immediately calms down and looks for her sister. Incredible.

It sets our hearts on fire to watch this bond evolve, and we feel thrilled to have given them the gift of a sibling.

The Happiest Baby on the Block

This kid kills me.

I thought Stella was a happy baby. And she was.

But Miss Phoebe Dahlia is breaking all records. She's just so darn happy.

Every time one of us peers into her bassinet or simply glances in her direction, she beams. She's blissed out and happy to be here.

Happy, happy, happy.

Keep it coming, Phoebe. Keep it coming.

My Girl

Without delving into serious mush, I must say I've never been happier in my life. My girls are healthy, happy and beautiful, I have an incredible and loving partner and I live in a gorgeous and safe part of the world. And this Mama gig is so much easier the second time around: I'm calm and relaxed, and I simply trust that all will be well. And Phoebe? What can I say. She's my bud. She's my babe. And it feels right that we're connected in this world.

This Smiling Gig is Hard Work

The Many Faces of Miss Phoebe

Now that Phoebe is starting to emerge from a cruel case of baby acne, we've picked up the camera once again. And while she's still a bit splotchy, we think she looks pretty smashing.

Seriously, isn't she ridiculously cute?

Phoebe & Poppy

Big Sister, Big Brother

Becoming a big sister and a big brother has been a huge milestone, and it's been such a gift having Stella and Isaac go through that shift together. They are such dear pals, and it's exciting to know that Phoebe and Edison are part of the crew.

Alive & Ready

I swear this kid is older than she is. I know this may sound kooky, but Phoebe is just really present. At six weeks, she's super alert and has this knowing look in her eye. She started smiling at three weeks, and has the most expressive eyes. Yeah, yeah. I'm biased and think both my girls are brilliant and gorgeous and amazing. But aren't they?

Mornings

I love mornings around here. While Phoebe nurses or dozes - both equally adorable at this stage - Stella goes to work. She bakes, paints, sings, plays with water and bubbles, builds aquariums and zoos out of blocks and legos... you name it. She's industrious and focused, and I love watching her create such thrilling and engaging worlds for herself. Sure, I'm there to taste a "moldy pie," crack an egg or prompt a new path for a block path, but she's the true master mind. And I feel so very lucky to stand back in awe of such creativity and joy.

(And Vinnie is more than thrilled to be Stella's partner in crime.)

A Good Sport

Book Buddies

It makes perfect sense to us that Stella would choose to share her favorite books with Phoebe since reading is, after all, her favorite activity.

Smiles

Despite the fact that Brian and I are whooped beyond words these days, we're feeling pretty overwhelmed by how lucky we are. Caring for two smart, capable, adorable, energetic and gorgeous girls is exhausting but oh-so-rewarding. And looking at this week's batch of photos makes me realize how happy we all are right now. So while we may look and feel a bit bedraggled, we are all smiles around here.

(Yeah, I know. Phoebe is only a month old (today!), but I swear she's already smiling. Sure, she gives out many dreamy smiles as most newborns do. But she's doling out the real thing more and more. Whenever I see that smile I feel like my heart is quadrupling in size, and I can't stop laughing. Sweet girl.)