We have been dying to meet Baby Hank ever since he was born. The other night Paul and I decided to check into flights to Austin to see if we could afford to take a quick vacation before I resign my life away to a most demanding job. Lucky for us we found a direct flight from Detroit to Austin leaving March 31 and returning April 6. While we aren't going to Mexico or Europe or anything, Paul and I haven't been on a vacation in a really long time and we are super excited. We are expecting the worst in terms of Chloe's behavior on the plane, and we are planning to be "those people" with a screaming newborn baby in a sardine can full of nervous people and recycled air. Wish us luck!
Today marks Chloe's two month birthday, and unfortunately, it also marks her two month check up. In about 45 minutes Chloe will be receiving her first immunizations. I anticipate a lot of tears this afternoon, both hers and mine. I have been praying that everything goes well and that she has no adverse reactions to the immunizations. Please pray for us!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Rough Week
It has been a rough week for me. I woke up on Monday morning with a fever, headache, and body aches, not to mention it felt like someone had pounded my boob with a jackhammer for an hour straight. It turns out I have a nasty case of mastitis. I went to the doctor yesterday and was prescribed an antibiotic. After only three doses I am feeling much better and am very thankful for modern medicine. On top of that I have been dealing with Verizon for almost two weeks now convincing them that my phone DOESN'T WORK! I won't get started on the issue since I'll just get all fired up, but I can't make or receive calls and it is very frustrating. And then just last night Paul "won a $1,000 gift card to Walmart" and, hey, that sounds reasonable, I think I shall click on the link in that email and BAM our computer is possessed and is sending emails about electronics and other junk. Here's hoping that the second half of the week works out all of the kinks.
Chloe was over 10 pounds when I weighed her last Wednesday, and so I have been dressing her in her three month clothes. They are pretty big on her, but she was getting tired of wearing the same old things. Can you blame a girl? In other Chloe news, Paul won the battle for the first smile last Sunday morning. I left the room for a second and then of course she gave him a grin from ear to ear (that's what he says) and so it begins. She's a daddy's girl and I'm just the milk lady.
Chloe and Griff wish everyone a Happy St. Patty's Day!
Chloe was over 10 pounds when I weighed her last Wednesday, and so I have been dressing her in her three month clothes. They are pretty big on her, but she was getting tired of wearing the same old things. Can you blame a girl? In other Chloe news, Paul won the battle for the first smile last Sunday morning. I left the room for a second and then of course she gave him a grin from ear to ear (that's what he says) and so it begins. She's a daddy's girl and I'm just the milk lady.
Chloe and Griff wish everyone a Happy St. Patty's Day!
Monday, March 15, 2010
Big Weekend!
It was a big weekend for our little Chloe Amelia. We headed back to Chesaning for the first time since January. Chloe and Griff both traveled well and we made it home with no major emotional or physical injuries.
Friday night we headed up to the Riverfront Grill for dinner and drinks. Grandma and Grandpa R joined us for dinner and then took Miss Chloe home so that Mommy and Daddy could enjoy a night out. We met Jason & Krissy, Kendra & Chad, David, Kylee & Ryan, and Katie and enjoyed some adult beverages from 9 to 12. It wasn't too crazy of a night, but it was our first night "out" nonetheless.
Saturday we brought Chloe to Kate's shower where she got to meet all of her Great Aunts and second cousins. I found my daughter only once to feed her and the rest of the time she was passed around from one adoring fan to the next. I really enjoyed the break! Andrew and Chloe were showered with kisses!
Saturday night Grandma and Grandpa T got to babysit while Paul and I went to Sara & Matt's couples shower. Getting out of the house was interesting as I scurried around to find dress clothes that would actually fit. While I did have a perfect pregnancy and birth, and yes I am so lucky to have a healthy baby, I have only lost 20 of my 40 pregnancy pounds. That is something like the baby + placenta + amniotic fluid and nothing more. I know, I know - I just had a baby, but I can't walk around with a sign on my forehead that says "I know I'm chubby, but I just had a baby." It is tough going from a tone, flat belly to a jiggly, round one! Other than getting dressed, the night was a success and we had a great time with Sara and Matt at the shower.
Sunday morning we went to my Great Grandma Vrable's house to capture a five generation photo. Great Grandma is a natural with babies as she had 13 children. She also has something like 55+ grandchildren, 65+ great grandchildren, and 10 or so great great grandchildren.
Friday night we headed up to the Riverfront Grill for dinner and drinks. Grandma and Grandpa R joined us for dinner and then took Miss Chloe home so that Mommy and Daddy could enjoy a night out. We met Jason & Krissy, Kendra & Chad, David, Kylee & Ryan, and Katie and enjoyed some adult beverages from 9 to 12. It wasn't too crazy of a night, but it was our first night "out" nonetheless.
Saturday we brought Chloe to Kate's shower where she got to meet all of her Great Aunts and second cousins. I found my daughter only once to feed her and the rest of the time she was passed around from one adoring fan to the next. I really enjoyed the break! Andrew and Chloe were showered with kisses!
Saturday night Grandma and Grandpa T got to babysit while Paul and I went to Sara & Matt's couples shower. Getting out of the house was interesting as I scurried around to find dress clothes that would actually fit. While I did have a perfect pregnancy and birth, and yes I am so lucky to have a healthy baby, I have only lost 20 of my 40 pregnancy pounds. That is something like the baby + placenta + amniotic fluid and nothing more. I know, I know - I just had a baby, but I can't walk around with a sign on my forehead that says "I know I'm chubby, but I just had a baby." It is tough going from a tone, flat belly to a jiggly, round one! Other than getting dressed, the night was a success and we had a great time with Sara and Matt at the shower.
Sunday morning we went to my Great Grandma Vrable's house to capture a five generation photo. Great Grandma is a natural with babies as she had 13 children. She also has something like 55+ grandchildren, 65+ great grandchildren, and 10 or so great great grandchildren.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
The Ladies of Bradley
Some of my favorite moments of the day are spent in prayer. I often talk to God the way I talk to my friends in that I tend to ramble and often veer off course. Last night I was getting excited for this morning when I get to see the ladies of Bradley at our weekly meeting, and as I was giving thanks for the hope of a new day I got to thinking of how God's path led me straight to these new friends.
I traced it as far back as buying this house. Last summer I spent a lot of time with my neighbor Julianne. When I told her I was pregnant we got to talking about her pregnancy. I told her I wanted to have a natural childbirth and she said that she had a natural birth using the Bradley Method. I had never heard of Bradley and probably never would have heard of it if it weren't for Julianne. Julianne's friend and neighbor, Angie, said that her friends were planning to use the Bradley Method and planned to have a home birth. I thought that her friends must be a bunch of crazy hippies. Little did I know that Paul and I would sit right next to them at our first Bradley Meeting!
I signed up for the last Bradley class of the year on the last possible day. Most of the couples had been signed up for months. I will never forget the first day when we were introducing ourselves and Sally and Michael (aka crazy hippies) went right before us. They talked about their interests, which included their community garden and essentially sustainable living. They also talked about their home birth. Paul and I had to go next... I said something like "yeaaah we aren't very healthy people." I proceeded with our interests that included things like watching television, eating fried foods, playing with our dog, and being lazy. Things like that. I remember thinking that of the five couples gathered in the basement, we couldn't all be more different! Never in a million years did I think we would end up being friends.
But one week we had a night off from class and instead of staying home, Sally suggested we have a dinner party at her house. I think it was about week 7 or 8 of the class so we knew each other a little bit, but not really that well. So we gathered one Monday night for soup, salad, and nonalcoholic beverages. We had a great time and stayed up uncharacteristically late for a group of pregnant women.
We continued to stay in touch once we finished the class and visited each other soon after having our babies. We had our Bradley Reunion two weekends ago, which is best put into words in Sally's blog. More importantly, the ladies of Bradley have been meeting every Wednesday at the Baby Beloved meeting. It is a breastfeeding support group and I think that we actually just use the meeting as an excuse and prelude to our luncheons at Sally's house. That is where we really connect and gripe and fawn over our little ones all at once.
It is wonderful to have a group of friends that is going through the exact same experience. It is effortless to bond with these ladies. They are my war buddies. Together we went through the pregnancy, the birth, and the breastfeeding struggles, and who knows what new challenges we will face together in the future. All I know is that I have God to thank for introducing us to these great people and I am so amazed at the intricacy of His plan. I think that God knew I would need these women for support, and their influence on my life thus far is unmeasurable.
I read this verse recently. In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9 It is so interesting to see how all of the small decisions we make in life are actually part of a grander plan. I think that sometimes the biggest challenge is not being able to see the big picture. While the bigger moments of our lives are what tend to define us, it is the smaller moments that lead us there, and I am so grateful for all of the small decisions that led us to our new friends.
Bradley babies from left to right: Sofia, Elouise, Miles, Josie, and Chloe
Bradley mommies from right to left in birth order: Sally, Sarah, Me (I'm a line jumper. I was supposed to be last!), Monica, and Bethany
I traced it as far back as buying this house. Last summer I spent a lot of time with my neighbor Julianne. When I told her I was pregnant we got to talking about her pregnancy. I told her I wanted to have a natural childbirth and she said that she had a natural birth using the Bradley Method. I had never heard of Bradley and probably never would have heard of it if it weren't for Julianne. Julianne's friend and neighbor, Angie, said that her friends were planning to use the Bradley Method and planned to have a home birth. I thought that her friends must be a bunch of crazy hippies. Little did I know that Paul and I would sit right next to them at our first Bradley Meeting!
I signed up for the last Bradley class of the year on the last possible day. Most of the couples had been signed up for months. I will never forget the first day when we were introducing ourselves and Sally and Michael (aka crazy hippies) went right before us. They talked about their interests, which included their community garden and essentially sustainable living. They also talked about their home birth. Paul and I had to go next... I said something like "yeaaah we aren't very healthy people." I proceeded with our interests that included things like watching television, eating fried foods, playing with our dog, and being lazy. Things like that. I remember thinking that of the five couples gathered in the basement, we couldn't all be more different! Never in a million years did I think we would end up being friends.
But one week we had a night off from class and instead of staying home, Sally suggested we have a dinner party at her house. I think it was about week 7 or 8 of the class so we knew each other a little bit, but not really that well. So we gathered one Monday night for soup, salad, and nonalcoholic beverages. We had a great time and stayed up uncharacteristically late for a group of pregnant women.
We continued to stay in touch once we finished the class and visited each other soon after having our babies. We had our Bradley Reunion two weekends ago, which is best put into words in Sally's blog. More importantly, the ladies of Bradley have been meeting every Wednesday at the Baby Beloved meeting. It is a breastfeeding support group and I think that we actually just use the meeting as an excuse and prelude to our luncheons at Sally's house. That is where we really connect and gripe and fawn over our little ones all at once.
It is wonderful to have a group of friends that is going through the exact same experience. It is effortless to bond with these ladies. They are my war buddies. Together we went through the pregnancy, the birth, and the breastfeeding struggles, and who knows what new challenges we will face together in the future. All I know is that I have God to thank for introducing us to these great people and I am so amazed at the intricacy of His plan. I think that God knew I would need these women for support, and their influence on my life thus far is unmeasurable.
I read this verse recently. In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9 It is so interesting to see how all of the small decisions we make in life are actually part of a grander plan. I think that sometimes the biggest challenge is not being able to see the big picture. While the bigger moments of our lives are what tend to define us, it is the smaller moments that lead us there, and I am so grateful for all of the small decisions that led us to our new friends.
Bradley babies from left to right: Sofia, Elouise, Miles, Josie, and Chloe
Bradley mommies from right to left in birth order: Sally, Sarah, Me (I'm a line jumper. I was supposed to be last!), Monica, and Bethany
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Who Does She Look Like?
This is probably the question we have been asked most often. To be honest, Chloe seems to be a perfect blend of the two of us. Most of Paul's baby pictures were lost in the fire a few years ago so we don't have a good idea of what he looked like as a baby. She definitely has my mouth, but I think she resembles Paul from the nose up. Right now she has Paul's skin tone. Thank God! I prayed for her that she wouldn't get my pale, moley, easily sunburnable skin. She is olive colored just like Paul. I have a vision of a 15 year old Chloe saying "Oh my gosh mom you burn so easily" as she rubs tanning oil all over her beautiful tan skin and I apply my second coat of 45 sunblock. Unfortunately, both Paul and I have huge feet. I, in particular, have super long toes and she seems to have inherited those. I pray that she gets a few extra inches of height to balance out her large feet. Chloe's hair is still dark brown, but it does seem to be lightening up a bit. Both Paul and I were bald when we were babies and I am surprised that her hair hasn't fallen out yet. It is so fluffy and cute and I hope that it doesn't fall out!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
One Month Update
At one month I would venture to guess that Chloe has passed the 9 pound mark. She feels a lot heftier now and is much easier to handle. As I lug her around I find myself thanking God for blessing us with an early baby. I think the three extra pounds would have made a world of difference.
I have been struggling to find time to post an update. For a couple of weeks Chloe's naughtiest time was from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm when Paul was gone at work. In the rare case that she was sleeping peacefully in this time period I was dedicating my potential moments of sanity toward my job that continues to haunt me even during maternity leave. I have solved this problem by *gasp* putting Chloe down for naps on her tummy. I figure that since I am watching her she is probably fine to sleep on her tummy and Griffin and I rejoice in the silence. Yesterday I was able to do a quick workout and dust our entire house! Still, her favorite place to nap is in her Moby Wrap which has paid for itself ten times over. If I were keeping score it would be something like Chloe 2 and Moby Wrap 30. The weeks prior to the tummy naps were a struggle. Chloe would spend most of the day wailing so much so that I thought she had Colic. She would end up taking five to ten minute naps and would get overtired.
At night Chloe is still sleeping in her swing next to our bed. We didn't want to spend the $150 for a bassinet and she feels comfortable in the swing so it works for us. Generally speaking, Chloe sleeps through the night, but wakes up every four hours to eat, and I couldn't be happier. She absolutely must be swaddled at night because she is the squirmiest baby around. I'm not kidding either. You may think your baby is squirmy until you meet this girl. I think it is because she is so gassy. I think that I have discovered Chloe's gas was from the citrus in my diet. It was either that or dairy. I have quit drinking my morning glass of OJ and she farts for five minutes a day instead of an hour :o) Oh the riveting life of a new mother. Chlo's gas has crowned her the king of toots around this house (a momentous feat) and we have dubbed her Tootsie for now.
At one month Chloe is a very nosy baby. When she is awake she is very alert and she seems to study everything. She is also superwoman strong. She holds her head up for over thirty seconds and is getting less and less bobbley by the day. She also has the classic baby death grip for things that should not be death gripped like hair and necklaces.
We are completely smitten with our new baby girl and I have been enjoying every minute at home with her. Pretty soon, though, the money will run out and I will have to return to work. I spent some time looking for daycare prior to Chloe's arrival, but we only visited two places. Originally I wanted someone to come to our home while I worked from home, but I became increasingly frightened by this option after hearing a horror story about a shaken baby. The more I read about hiring a nanny the more I stressed about it. They should have a clear driving and criminal record, they should be CPR certified, they should have good references, etc. Really the most important interview question for a nanny is "Do you shake babies" and who is really going to say "You bet"? We are meeting with a lady today who has glowing references and runs a small daycare out of her home. She sounded angelic on the phone and she thinks she has space for a newborn. I look forward to meeting her. My mom has agreed to watch Chloe on Thursdays and Fridays, while Bobby Kay agreed to watch her once per week as well. We feel very blessed to have them come watch Chloe. Not only will it save us a boatload of money, but Chloe will get to spend a lot of time with her grandmas and will receive the best possible care!
I have been struggling to find time to post an update. For a couple of weeks Chloe's naughtiest time was from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm when Paul was gone at work. In the rare case that she was sleeping peacefully in this time period I was dedicating my potential moments of sanity toward my job that continues to haunt me even during maternity leave. I have solved this problem by *gasp* putting Chloe down for naps on her tummy. I figure that since I am watching her she is probably fine to sleep on her tummy and Griffin and I rejoice in the silence. Yesterday I was able to do a quick workout and dust our entire house! Still, her favorite place to nap is in her Moby Wrap which has paid for itself ten times over. If I were keeping score it would be something like Chloe 2 and Moby Wrap 30. The weeks prior to the tummy naps were a struggle. Chloe would spend most of the day wailing so much so that I thought she had Colic. She would end up taking five to ten minute naps and would get overtired.
At night Chloe is still sleeping in her swing next to our bed. We didn't want to spend the $150 for a bassinet and she feels comfortable in the swing so it works for us. Generally speaking, Chloe sleeps through the night, but wakes up every four hours to eat, and I couldn't be happier. She absolutely must be swaddled at night because she is the squirmiest baby around. I'm not kidding either. You may think your baby is squirmy until you meet this girl. I think it is because she is so gassy. I think that I have discovered Chloe's gas was from the citrus in my diet. It was either that or dairy. I have quit drinking my morning glass of OJ and she farts for five minutes a day instead of an hour :o) Oh the riveting life of a new mother. Chlo's gas has crowned her the king of toots around this house (a momentous feat) and we have dubbed her Tootsie for now.
At one month Chloe is a very nosy baby. When she is awake she is very alert and she seems to study everything. She is also superwoman strong. She holds her head up for over thirty seconds and is getting less and less bobbley by the day. She also has the classic baby death grip for things that should not be death gripped like hair and necklaces.
We are completely smitten with our new baby girl and I have been enjoying every minute at home with her. Pretty soon, though, the money will run out and I will have to return to work. I spent some time looking for daycare prior to Chloe's arrival, but we only visited two places. Originally I wanted someone to come to our home while I worked from home, but I became increasingly frightened by this option after hearing a horror story about a shaken baby. The more I read about hiring a nanny the more I stressed about it. They should have a clear driving and criminal record, they should be CPR certified, they should have good references, etc. Really the most important interview question for a nanny is "Do you shake babies" and who is really going to say "You bet"? We are meeting with a lady today who has glowing references and runs a small daycare out of her home. She sounded angelic on the phone and she thinks she has space for a newborn. I look forward to meeting her. My mom has agreed to watch Chloe on Thursdays and Fridays, while Bobby Kay agreed to watch her once per week as well. We feel very blessed to have them come watch Chloe. Not only will it save us a boatload of money, but Chloe will get to spend a lot of time with her grandmas and will receive the best possible care!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
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