With joyful hearts, Dave and I welcomed our precious baby girl, Nora Faith, into the world yesterday, 11/22/11, at 3:40pm {less than 4 hours after getting to the hospital!}
She is PERFECT — weighing in at 7 lbs. 13 oz. and measuring 21 inches.
I first fell in love with the name Nora way back in my sophomore year of high school when I played volleyball against a Nora. However, the main reason we chose the name Nora is because my grandma’s name is Noreen — and now Nora makes 4 generations of women on that side of the family!
Her middle name, Faith, is after my mom’s middle name, Faye.
Below is MY four-generation photo with my mom {left}, grandma {right}, and great-grandma {center}. I can’t wait to get another four-generation photo with Nora!
Nora is doing great, and I’m actually feeling really good considering all that has just happened! I’m told that I had a “dream labor” and was a “model patient”. I think it helped that Nora was just REALLY ready to come out after being inside for so long!
Yes, my mom {and all the other grandparents} are just a little excited!!
Dave is a natural!
Oh, and just for fun, here is a side-by-side of my newborn picture, Dave’s newborn picture, and Nora’s newborn picture. Anyone see a resemblance either way? I think she has my nose 🙂
And here we are, just a few hours before Nora made her arrival. Yup, I was ready to be done!
We aren’t accepting any hospital visitors other than immediate family members, but instead are planning to relax as much as we possibly can and enjoy these few moments together with our new little family.
We’re SO glad she’s finally here — on the outside now 🙂
Thank you so much for all your thoughts, prayers, emails, comments, messages, tweets, etc.
We feel loved!
Lisa says
Andrea – You are amazing! What great pictures! Have a great “maternity leave” :0) Lisa
Ashley says
Congratulations! She is a beautiful baby girl with a beautiful name. Enjoy every minute!
Laurel says
Congratulations! She is beautiful and so glad things went well.
Lea Stormhammer says
Congratulations!
She’s beautiful!
Wishing you a fabulous (and restful!) Thanksgiving and a terrific Christmas season with you new little one.
Lea
Amy says
Congratulations! So happy for you!
Christine (iDreamofClean) says
Congratulations! Love the name and she is absolutely adorable!
JoDi says
Congratulations! What a perfectly beautiful little baby girl! Such a blessing to be thankful for. 🙂
Ann says
Congratulations on your beautiful liitle girl!! So precious! Praise God for every little perfect part of her…every little finger, every little toe, every little eyelash…each heartbeat, God is whispering I love you, I love you, I love you…
Such perfect timing…Thanksging! Praise God!!!
Arlene says
Congratulations. Thrilled for you all!
Julie says
Congratulations Dave and Andrea! Welcome to the world Nora! Hang on all of you, you are going on the ride of your life and it’s going to be a blast! Babies are the best!
Elena says
Congratulations, Andrea and Dave!!! Nora is beautiful!!! Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving with your most precious gift ever:)
Monica Good says
One more person to be grateful for this Thanksgiving Day: Nora Faith.
Lara says
Congrats! Nora is super cute!
Paulette says
Oh my word, what a precious angel baby! Love the name…and Andrea, she DEFINITELY has your nose! Thanks for the great pictures. I’m sure all your readers would agree that we have been waiting anxiously just like your family and feel we are a part of your sweet life. Thanks for sharing with us!
kalynbrooke says
So happy for you and Dave!
Shannon says
Congratulations! What a beautiful family! I love the picture of you and your husband with her name drawn in chalk!
sabriena says
Congrats! She is absolutely gorgeous 🙂
Joy Crile says
She is simply precious! You look fantastic too. Congratulations on not only a dream labor but also the end result…a beautiful and healthy baby girl!
Julie @DutchBeingMe says
Congratulations! She is adorable.
DawnW says
Yay!! Congrats! It’s about time! Ask her what took so long 🙂 She does have your nose! And you’re glowing in the hospital pic.
Emily says
Yay!!! So happy she’s here! Andrea you look awesome and she is perfect. Enjoy your time with your sweet family. Happy first Thanksgiving Nora!:)
Manon says
Congratulations, what a beautifull girl !
Jenny C. says
God is so good! What an amazing Thanksgiving you will have as you rejoice in your sweet Nora. She is a doll baby! Congrats to the lovely mommy and daddy too! Enjoy these precious times getting to know your darling girl. Blessings to your family, Jenny C.
Megan Camp says
Welcome to the world Nora!! What a beautiful baby and a beautiful name. Great job Andrea! Sounds like everything couldn’t have gone better. Enjoy your little one. It’ll be so fun to go show her off at Thanksgiving tomorrow (assuming you’re still going). Awesome birthday too. 🙂
Suzanne says
YAY! You just know all of your readers have been waiting for this! And on what a great day-a great friend of mine turned 45 yesterday! Beautiful family!!!
Kerrie says
Beautiful! Congratulations Dekker Family!
Tammy says
So glad everything went well. Congratulations again! (and that coral baby hat is ADORABLE!) One of my good friends also chose Nora for her long-awaited baby girl last month.
Lori says
She is so beautiful! So glad she arrived safe and healthy! And LOVE her name! Now you have an extra reason to be thankful tomorrow! Take care of yourself and know you are holding God’s most special gift! Can’t wait to see how you stay organized with baby Nora around because I can’t seem to do it with a baby!
MelissaPete says
She is BEAUTIFUL! Congratulations!
Miranda says
Congratualtions! She looks so precious and I’d say that name fits her perfectly :). Hope you get lots of rest and I’m looking forward to seeing more pictures :D.
God bless ~
Miranda says
Congratualtions! She looks so precious and I’d say that name fits her perfectly :). Hope you get lots of rest and I’m looking forward to seeing more pictures :D.
Becca says
Congrats! Your life will never be the same 🙂 She’s darling – love her little orange hat!
Karen @ Abundance on a Dime says
Welcome to the world, Nora! And congratulations to you and your hubby, Andrea. I’m glad everything went so smoothly for you. Enjoy your beautiful baby girl 🙂
Cassie says
Congrats!! She is beautiful!!!!! I’m glad to hear that you and baby are both doing good! Welcome to mommy hood, your going to love it! =D
Sandy says
What a blessed Thanksgiving. Praise God for all the blessings you’ve received, especially Nora, and the blessing that you are to many. Congratulations!
Dichotomy Girl says
Congratulations and I hope you enjoy your “babymoon” it is indeed a wonderous time 🙂
Renee says
Congratulations! Beautiful name, beautiful family. You are blessed!
Mandi @ Life...Your Way says
So fun! Hoping you’re gonna be one of those moms that uploads lots and lots and lots of pictures of her because she’s adorable and I need a baby fix!!
So glad your labor went well too, and I love her name and the meaning behind it!
Skye @ Neathering Our Fest says
wow !!! You are awesome – such great pictures and SO soon after the baby came too! Congrats on the beautiful little baby girl and hope you have a great Thanksgiving!!
Cortney says
CONGRATS! She is BEAUTIFUL and you look AMAZING for just giving birth!
They always say that about my labor too. My second was even quicker than my first, they tried to send me home a half hour before he was born 🙂 haha thank the Lord I didn’t leave 🙂
So happy for you! Your life will be forever changed in the BEST way!