could you be the most beautiful girl in the world?

here she is -- the most fantastically perfect, adorable, precious angel that ever lived.

elizabeth "ellie" claire henry was born at 8:37 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 13. She was 7 lbs. 9 ozs. and is 20.75 inches long. i'm on the wireless internet at the hospital, and it's slow - i'll save the long birth story for another time. i'm also feeling like a nap sounds pretty good.

i will say that the hospital staff here is amazing. epidurals are amazing. having our moms there for the delivery was amazing. all my flowers and visitors are amazing. my daughter is amazing. and most of all, my husband is amazing. he was such an incredible labor coach, and the tears in his eyes in the moments after his daughter's birth were the sweetest tears i've ever seen. my valentine is so great with his daughter already. even if she's screaming in my arms, he can take her and she quiets. he's changed his first few diapers and offered to change her every time she's needed it. most of all, he's fallen in love with baby ellie faster than he ever thought possible.

he brought me the most BEAUTIFUL valentine's roses yesterday with a card that told me how excited he is that i am his daughter's mother, but more than that - even before that - i am his valentine.

i am in love with him.

enjoy her. we are. there is so much more to come.

ellie and me today.

ellie in the valentine bow grama (delana) made her.

i was burping her after a feeding, and she fell asleep with her head in my hand.

grandaddy, gramie sue (my parents) and ellie at lunchtime today.

ellie sleeping today.

grama, pa (landon's parents) and ellie yesterday - shortly after she was born.

our first family photo. a few hours after birth yesterday.

ellie yesterday on her birth day. the nurses had just given her a bath and laid her on the warmer for an hour. she was happy in her big-bowed hat.