It’s a girl!!! I have a new niece sitting somewhere in a Toronto hospital and I’ve never been so sad to live in Ottawa in my whole life, because I’m not there to see her and take in all of her little fingers and toes. She was born early this morning and, according to my brother and my mother, she is perfect. And they’re not biased. No, not at all.

She was born on her maternal uncle’s birthday and she shares a name with her paternal great-grandfather. Claire. And she’s already family. I’m promised pictures when my parents return on Sunday, my mom’s newly purchased digital camera properly used and full by the weekend’s end.

And while my instinct is to buy the first ticket to Toronto I can get my hands on, instead, this weekend we are off to a chalet in the snow to ski Mont Tremblant…planned months ago, long before we knew that this baby would be making her appearance this week. (Her! I was so sure it was a boy, until about a month ago…As was my mom, my brother, my sister-in-law and apparently so was even the nurse at the delivery sure it was a boy. Until she came out, that is…) I’m sure I won’t be able to wait until March when they plan to come to Ottawa to see her for myself, so I think a trip to Toronto is in the cards for me soon!

Happy birthday Baby Girl!!! I can’t wait to meet you :)

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