Closing One Blog Door and Opening Another...

Our Belly Blog for Baby Leonardo #2 has reached it's wonderful conclusion with the birth of our beautiful son! And we thank each of you for enjoying our adventures with us.
As we welcome Christian and begin the navigation and juggling that is having two little boys :) we will continue to share Christian's first milestones and moments just as we did with our Benjamin in his first 18 months.
So it's goodbye to the Belly Blog for now....but hello to Christian's blog!
We'll see you there....
http://babychristianleonardo.blogspot.com

We LOVE you Christian!!!

Welcome Home Christian!

Our sweet Baby Christian (and Mama too :)) was welcomed home in style (Thanks Ga and Papa!!!)! In true Carroll Hall fashion (Go Irish! :)) there was no mistaking that Mama and Baby were coming home.

And to greet our new member of the Leonardo family were one VERY excited big brother, brother Stanford :), Ga and Mimi, and even Nana Leonardo and her three friends who were on their way from Tucson to DC but stopped by to welcome her new grandson.
It was a grand welcome home party!
And now our little family is complete...WELCOME HOME CHRISTIAN! We love you!

Leaving the Hospital

After four wonderful nights at Rex where Mama and Christian had the best care, wonderful nurses, and the prettiest birth suite big enough for two families :) it is time to head home.
Christian was all ready to go in his new "coming home" outfit complete with the special booties Mama had surprised Papa with when she told him she was pregnant. Our little ND Fighting Irish booties had come full circle :)

We bundled you up (despite the 101 degree temps outside) and made our way out of our little pod. All of the nurses stopped to say goodbye (Ms. Joy even cried a little!) to their sweet little baby - the baby who was so quiet even when he wanted his Mama and some food :)

Mama and Papa are ready to introduce you to your new home and all the adventures that will come as we leave your first quiet "home" at the hospital.

Papa will drive like he is at the wheel of a tank to make sure we make it home safely :)
Here we go....

Your hospital entourage :)

What a lucky boy you are Christian! You got to meet your Ga and Mimi less than 24 hours after you arrived!
They are so excited to finally meet you and can't stop holding you and kissing you!
It is such a cherished moment for Mama to introduce the newest member of family legacy to her parents - your Ga and Mimi.

And everyone is so impressed with the entourage you have with you in your hospital suite :) (what Mama refers to as the Rex Carlton :))

In heaven with our little boy

After so many months of waiting Sam and I are in absolute heaven with our little boy! Our hearts could not be more full!!!
We've enjoyed 4 wonderful days of our little "cocoon" in the hospital soaking up quiet time with Christian and treasuring our new son.
One of my most favorite things in the whole world is to see my husband holding his little boy, chest swelling with pride, soaking in the sheer amazing experience that is meeting your child for the first time!

We love you beyond words Christian!
All our love forever,
Mama and Papa

A VERY excited Big Brother

Dear sweet Christian,
Your brother Benjamin has been waiting so patiently to meet you and he is so excited you are here! He talks all day about showing you his cars, sharing his food with you, waking you up :)
You have a best friend who can't wait to be with you every minute! Your Mama and Papa are so proud of their two amazing boys!

Our EARLY Surprise...It's a Boy!!!!!!!! :)

Mama has had a feeling that you were going to come early....but she never imagined you would arrive a full 14 DAYS before your due date!
And what a way to make your grand entrance my sweet! You woke Mama with a jolt at 12:33am on Tuesday, July 19. Mama thought the pains were associated with going to the bathroom but it only took a few moments for her to realize what was going on!
I told Papa you were on your way at 1:09am and he raced us to the hospital at 2:00am (he drives like Mario Andretti!!). You gave us quite a run my sweet as you were literally on your way out no matter what...Mama's contractions were only 3 minutes apart in the car and by the time we were prepping for the OR the contractions were barely 1 minute apart.
Dr. March pulled you out of Mama at 3:48am and the first thing Mama and Papa heard was your BEAUTIFUL cry, strong, confident, and announcing you were finally here. And then Papa stood up to see......and with tears in his eyes said "It's a BOY!!!!!! Another beautiful boy!!!"
They cut the cord and handed you to Papa and he brought you to me for just a moment before they took you to be weighed. What an amazing beauty you are. You are here! You are here! You are here!
After all these months of waiting and talking with you we finally have you in our arms!
Mama and Papa are head over heels, madly in love with you. And you are SO strong, so healthy, so beautiful!
My true little champion!!

We are so proud to introduce our new son
CHRISTIAN ROBERT LEONARDO
7lbs 2oz, 20.5 inches
Born July 19, 2011 at 3:48am