It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas...

 Rudolph, meet Rudolph.

 Now I feel guilty that we put the Elmo back.

Gracie's Smile

Scenes from Sedona

Gracie rode in an airplane for the very first time and did remarkably well. Although she didn't love the desert sun beating down on her black stroller, she did enjoy her first dip in a swimming pool. She's definitely a water baby. We swam every day. (For five minutes).

Three Months Already!

One Month vs. Two Months

Gracie's First Vacation

Gracie hits the beach in South Haven, Michigan, where she, Mom, Dad and Oliver spent her 7th week on the planet.

Birth Certificate Buddies

Gracie and Aiden (son of Vikki's friend, Cari, from Chicago's Bump Club) walked to Daley Plaza Wednesday to get their official birth certificates. Documents ready for their future presidential runs.

Baby Spa Day

Gracie gets her first bath in the kitchen sink. We thought she'd have a fit when Dad turned the spray gun on her, but -- after an initial priceless look of shock -- she seemed to like the feeling.

First Trip to Sox Park

Gracie was the youngest season ticket holder at this year's Grinder Bash. Too bad she slept through the festivities. Oh well. There's always next year.

Meeting the Family

Nana

Grandma

Auntie Heather

Uncle Brov

Tia Gigi

Grandpa

Uncle Kevin and Auntie Dawn

Daddy's Girl

Big City Baby

Two days later, Gracie comes home. A few days after that, Shawn, Vikki and Oliver give her a tour of her neighborhood.

Introducing Gracie

Video we sent out with a peek at Gracie's first few days with us.

Yankee Doodle Baby

At long last, Gracie Marie Healy makes her arrival on July 5, 2011 at 12:48 p.m. We were scheduled for induction on July 4, but labor started on its own around 4:30 p.m. that day. Twenty hours later, our lives changed in a matter of seconds as our 7 lb, 5 oz baby girl whisked us into a whole new world.

Before Shawn's tearful "It's a girl" could even register in Vikki's brain, a medical team swept the baby away for precautionary procedures. Shawn followed and will never forget the way Gracie grabbed and held onto her Daddy's finger as the team worked. Then he changed her first diaper.

Watching from her bed, Vikki listened to Gracie's strong cries and wept happy tears, thinking, "She's so beautiful; this is such a magnificent moment; I'm so in love; and -- wow, she's really fair-skinned!"

Ready for the Bumblebee

Everyone warned us that we should be ready for an early arrival. So this nursery was ready to go weeks before her June 29 due date.