Reflection

Tonight Andy and I attended a viewing in support of one of his co-workers that he plays basketball with several times a week. I actually heard about this from my grandma since it was in her neck of the woods and Monday Andy called and told me it was his co-workers little boy. I had met the family this summer at a picnic. So sad. You can imagine all the thoughts that are bouncing around in my head. I have such a hard time articulating my thoughts so I won't even try. To sum it up my mind always jumps to the worst case scenario. We could have Dane for a very short time or he could live to be an old man or somewhere in between. We have know idea what God has in store for our lives. We can't hold on to tightly, but need to give our worries to God and trust that He knows what is best for us. Life is so short. You never know how long you may have someone as a part of your life.

Photos of Festivus

I am having writers block. So here are pictures to chronicle the events of our Christmas week.

3rd Annual Christmas Eve drive through the old Waterbury neighborhood.

Christmas Morning

Christmas Day lunch over at Aunt Tammy and Uncle Terry's house

Grandma Julie - (my mom)

Great-grandma Velva (my dad's side)

Surrounded by many great people - great aunts, great uncles and a great grandma
Aunt Melissa is back - we love her pictures!

Favorite Things

Some of my favorite things as a mom...

1. I love it when I am nursing and we make eye contact and I get this big cheesy grin from the little guy.

2. I love watching other people hold him and play with him. It's fun to see how he interacts with other people.

3. I love watching hubby read him a goodnight story. And baby just watches him so close and smiles when he isn't looking.

And of course another picture.

Getting ready to go out in the -20 windchill weather.

7 weeks

Time goes fast. He was so tired by the time I got him dressed he was so relaxed and ready to go to sleep. I guess the bath did what I was hoping it would. I know same pose different outfit- I will try to work on the creativity

This one is for the sneaky mommy!

"It's like waiting for the cable guy"

I am feeling good and feeling like getting out and finishing some Christmas shopping and I find myself waiting at home for the Dish guy to come anywhere between noon and 5 pm. It's like being stung by a million bees or be stuck on an airplane on the tarmac for days.

wordless.wednesday

Tuesday Musings

What is it about the 'Phantom Cry'? I hear it everywhere. Like when I turn the shower on. I turn it off and go to check and all is silent. I hear it while I am getting my hair cut. I hear it when the music is on. I heard about this phantom cry before he was born and it really truly exists. So weird. I just want to comfort this phantom baby and keep it from crying.

Why am I entertained watching HS kids slip and slide up the steep snowy road in front of our house?
Does the girl with slip on shoes really think she is going to be able to push the car up hill on a snow covered road?
How many high schoolers does it take to push a car up hill on a snow covered road? 3? Nope 4 might do the trick.
How many are going to get stuck all in the same place? 5? 6? every which way.
Amateurs.

Why do all the cars get stuck right in front of the dining room window?
Hope no one crashes in the yard.
Why is my "Why" highlighted in yellow? Can't get it off.

I am so happy my baby slept 6 hours straight again last night. He did it Saturday night. The next night, not so good, last night we may be getting the hang of this. Maybe...

I hear a cry, is it the Phantom baby? Nope it's the real one. Better go give some hugs and snuggles.

Finally caught it on camera

So brief
yet so sweet
it's hard to capture the moment.

Glazed Cinnamon Cake

I tried this recipe out on the gals from work. They came over during their lunch for a quick visit. It turned out to be delicious. It would be perfect for a brunch or with coffee.

Cake
1/2 c butter
1 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp maple flavoring
1 1/2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2tsp salt
1/2 c buttermilk

Preheat Oven to 350.
Cream butter and sugar well. Add eggs and flavoring and beat well. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl and add to butter mixture in 3 batches alternating with buttermilk. Don't over mix. Pour into greased 9" cake pan and bake 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan and drizzle with glaze.

Glaze
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
3 T milk
1/4 tsp maple flavoring

Hilarious

Maybe I have a weird sense of humor but this pic cracks me up. Have you seen the TLC special on this lady? Not trying to mock her situation, just think this pic of me is funny.

"I'm a happy elf"

Thursday Trivia

Why won't a 5 week old baby take a morning nap? Aren't they supposed to sleep a lot?

Answer: Because they are happily cooing for an hour in a poop covered onesie. Yes another onesie covered in poo. This one is new, so I am scrubbing it clean wouldn't you? Sorry for the rhyme; girl can't help it.

(I did change him before I laid him down, I am not that bad of a mom.)

Trivia # 2
Why does newborn baby wake up 20 min into a nap crying like he's hurt?

Answer: The sun found a tiny crack to shine in on his face. That's right folks he has been awake since 9 am. It is 2 pm now. At least he has been happy but it's wearing off...

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I am starting this a little late but I thought it would be fun to do the classic growth picture. All I had around here was a large stuffed bunny I got for HS graduation. It makes for a good body pillow if you must know. So here it is, the 1 month picture.

Staying warm

I have had the luxury of not having to go out in the cold weather much this last month. We were welcomed back to Iowa with a big snow storm, bad roads and 5 or so inches of snow. It snowed again this morning. I haven't even gotten the mail the last 2 days because the front porch isn't shoveled and I don't want to step out in the snow- lazy I know.

We got 4-6 inches of snow one night while we were in Colorado. The best part was it was all melted by evening and I didn't need more than a fleece jacket to run around and go shopping.

We did have to run to an appointment today. Here is Dane staying warm. I changed his outfit 3 times this morning. First because I realized too late he had outgrown the one I started with and it looked funny, then I found something else only to realize as soon as I gotten it on, it was soaked clear up the back. Leaky diaper I guess. So by the time I got this on him needless to say he was exhausted and slept the entire trip.

Sorry my life maybe boring to most right now, but I am enjoying every minute with my not tiny for long little boy. Hope no one minds all the baby pictures. It seems like I quit my job ages ago, but really if I was going back I would still be on maternity leave at least another week.

Did I really just do that?

Yeah, I did. I threw away a onesie coated in baby poop. I was just too tired to try and wash it and I have plenty in that size. I think it was used anyway and he was about to outgrow it. So there's my justification. I feel so wasteful, but glad I saved the energy. If it was a cute outfit I would have tried harder to salvage it.

So I think we should be able to start sleeping through the night. Probably could have a week ago, but with a cold and low fever, I worry to much and check on him when he stirs and wakes up choking on drainage. He can go for about a 5 hour stretch at times what's just a little longer, he has plenty of reserves and I am pretty sure he doesn't have a growth problem, if anything he is growing too fast. The only problem is he prefers his long stretch in the evening, not during the night. Last night he slept from 7ish to 11:45 I was going to let him keep sleeping but I hadn't taken his temp recently, since he has been running a low fever off and on the last week or two, when he stirred at 11:45 I got him up to take his temp and attempted to feed him. He was too tired to eat. Of course every 3-4 hours after that he was up and starving. At least last night I fell asleep before he did:o) Thanks Andy!!

Road Trip

Dane's first road trip. Check out some of the 500 tumbleweeds we hit on the way home. We went to Colorado for Thanksgiving to visit my family and for Grandpa and my siblings to meet Dane for the first time. The trip went well, Dane did fantastic in the car! I think everyone enjoyed all his baby sweetness. We have much to be thankful this year!

I honestly can't believe how fast time has gone. November? Is it over already? Wasn't I just in the hospital? Dane is already a month old. I am so not even ready for Christmas yet. Maybe if I take some time to decorate that would help the Christmas spirit along.

The 5 Things Game

10 years ago...
1. I was 16 and wondering when I would get my drivers license
2. I was a junior in HS
3. I was right in the middle of basketball season.
4. I was probably wondering if I would ever get married and dreaming of my prince charming.
5. I hadn't even thought of what I would be doing beyond HS.

5 things on today's "to-do-list"'
1. Do laundry- and see what clothes my 3 week old has already out grown
2. Trying to figure out how we can hire a housekeeper/chef so that I can stare at my beautiful baby all day long.
3. Take a nap
4. Shower and make my bed- 2 things that I have to do everyday or I feel all out of sorts
5. meal planning

Snacks I enjoy
1. Candy and most junk foods
2. Crackers with cream cheese and a sprinkle of garlic salt.
3. Cheese toast
4. Applesauce
5. banana/pumpkin/zucchini bread


5 Things I Would Do if I were a Millionaire!
1. Invest and grow it
2. Pay off school loans.
3. Pay a big chunk on the mortgage.
4. Vacation with my man
5. Share with others and have a 'gift fund'

5 Places I have lived
1. Thornton, CO
2. Ankeny, IA
3. Wheelersburg, OH (for a summer as a camp counselor)
4. Albuquerque, NM
5. Des Moines, IA

5 jobs I've had/still have:
1. Detassling Corn, my mom thought that it would be a good experience so she shipped me off to farm country IA for a summer. It wasn't so bad and I got a good tan and a strong grip
2. YMCA after school day care
3. Applebees
4. Veldcamps Flowers as a delivery girl
* edited 5. Coca-Cola where I met Kandid Kiwi
6. Nationwide Insurance Company

I am not going to tag anyone but if you haven't been tagged then I would love to hear about your 5 things.....
And I will leave you with a few pictures, but not as good as the great photographer Melissa's photos.

First time Andy fed Dane, I love it :o)

All alone

This is the first day by ourselves. Mom and Melissa left yesterday evening. So far so good.

No, the thumb sucking picture posted a few days ago is not staged. He acutally found it shortly after birth and finds it from time to time, and gets frustrated when he can't get it unfolded from his fist. Here are a few more pictures from the great photographer Melissa.

Shout out

I owe Aunt Melissa, my little sister, a shout out for the wonderful pictures she took while she was here. I guess I can now forgive her for single handily using up all the hot water minutes before I tried to get in the shower :o) She does a great job with her pics too bad she lives so far away.

Week 1

Things have been going well so far. It would be much easier if I didn't have to take care of myself. I am not even supposed to drive for 2 weeks, and I must of lost quite a bit of blood since I was pretty woozy for the first 3 or 4 days, and everyone kept commenting on my paleness. More about that later. I don't mind getting up with him in the middle of the night at all. That may wear off as I start getting more tired.

Dane went to the doctor 3 times last week, with jaundice and was attached to a bili-blanket for about a day. Tuesday was a little rough though since he was attached to that contraption, then my milk came in and he was choking so bad on one side, my mom kept grabbing him to turn him over and patting his back since he wouldn't breathe and started turning dark, on his way to purple. A little scary, it happened a couple of times so my mom stayed up with me that night for each feeding to keep us calm. He still chokes but at least he can catch his breath on his own now.

The only other trouble is trying to keep him from peeing every time his diaper is off. I am trying to keep ahead of it but it is so unpredictable. I have at least got it so I can contain the mess in a smaller area. Boys.
He is such a sweet little boy and I am so blessed to have him!

It's a BOY!!

Our little pumpkin arrived October 31st 8:07 pm

Weight: 9lbs 9oz

Height: 21 1/4"

Dane Andrew F.

Keeping Busy

Here are a few pictures of what I have been doing to keep busy the last few weeks. I dug out my sewing machine and tried it out for the first time. I may be able to get into this sewing thing, maybe, I do get frustrated easily. Right now my thing is pillow covers. What an easy way to fix up a room. I made a little pillow for baby's room that matches the bedding out of the curtain that came with the set. Only 1 curtain and we have 2 windows so I figured why not. Sidenote: funny that it is elephants right smack in the middle of political season. But I think they are cute.

Then the apple/pear pillows are just for fun basement pillows because I liked the fabric. I have also enjoyed frequent trips to the mall and shopping and stocking up and getting more and more organized. And of course all my fall favorites like my pumpkin candle from bath and body, hot apple cider and my new favorite ice cream full of carmely goodness. But no warm snugly sweaters until baby is born. Baby come soon it's getting cold outside!

I don't think I have hit a 'last minute nesting' phase, the organization thing started months ago and anytime I was bored I would clean out a drawer or a shelf and get rid of stuff. As for cleaning I just keep hoping the kitchen floor will mop itself. I have had the urge to be stocked up on everything like food, and household products in the last few weeks.

The end has to be near

I feel like I have been huge for a very long time, but apparently the last few weeks I have had that anytime look. Whenever I am at the store I have people ask when I am due, knowing I will say any day. Usually the elderly say I should sit down, and take it easy, or "oh honey, you shouldn't be walking around". I find all of this amusing. The other day at the grocery store, there happened to be a million samples, that always makes the grocery trip more fun. So I was approaching this unmanned table with some crab, and catfish and another customer, a middle aged man, was also getting a sample. He turned and saw me and was like "oh my.." "oh, you need to have some of this" "just look at you" "here help yourself" So I grabbed a toothpick sample of the crab and dipped it in the sauce. "That's not good enough, you need some of the fresh stuff" -Referring to the catfish still on the skillet. He then proceeded to cut me off a serving size sample to try. "What are they going to do, fire me?" I have to admit it was very good, "oh here honey have some more" "Are you sure you are ok?"
He was very intent on make sure I had my fill, It was very good and it was fun to take advantage of the pregnancy belly and just help myself to a serving of catfish.

Andy is also trying to take advantage of these last few days of pregnancy belly. This weekend at Outback he got us seated in front of other guests who had already been waiting, just by pulling the pregnancy card. And he is always on the look out for the expectant mothers parking spot.

I may be foolish for thinking this, but I think I may get more sleep once baby gets here. Considering I am up about 5 or 6 times a night about every hour to hour and a half, for various reasons, bathroom, tums and aches and pains that need stretched. Oh to be able to flop down on the bed and sleep comfortably, instead of the 5 minute process of rolling from one side to the other.

No baby yet

Today is supposed to be the day, but we all know that very few babies actually arrive on their due date. So still waiting...

Is it really October 20th?

In case anyone was wondering. Baby has still not made an appearence, I know I shouldn't get my hopes up there is still 1 week until my due date and of course I can always go late. I haven't been sleeping well the past few nights, like up every hour with aches and pains and to use the bathroom- oh tiny little bladder. That has to mean the end is near, getting all uncomfortable and stuff.

We had a busy weekend. Saturday we had a Wine Tasting party with a jazz band for entertainment with husbands work and left early to go to a pumpkin carving party with our Sunday School group over at Sneaky Mommy's place. We did miss the pumpkin carving but arrived in time for some good fellowship.

Sunday was such a beautiful day, Andy and I went to Perkins for a yummy breakfast together, church, and then spent the afternoon outside raking leaves from that giant maple in the front yard. Fortunately this year we had some help with my lovely cousins Tessha and Megan and her fiance Rick also joined in the fun, the job went much faster. I was hoping the exercise would bring about labor or contractions, but no such luck.

First some fun (Tessha-above)

Then the not so much fun part- I skipped out on that part this year.

Nursery: The Unveiling

Here is the nursery, mostly completed. There are still some things I need (read- want), like some artwork for the frames, more artwork in general, ABC wooden letters- possibly spelling Baby's name, a few more storage containers, window treatments and a side table. I am waiting on the windows until I know girl/boy, and that will determine what I end up getting. Like say eyelet lace curtains for a girl. I don't have to have any of that but it's my on going wish list, and list of things to keep my eyes open for.

Actually, I didn't take any pictures of this but the part of this nursery I have been most excited about is the closet system we, I mean Andy, installed for me. Old houses and closets aren't much to brag about so any improvements are big improvements. Now I want to make over the closet in our room.

Here is the before picture. The catch all guest/computer room:

Autumn

We had a nice not busy weekend, all the trees are changing and the weather is beautiful. I was so bummed about the cold weather a month ago, but it warmed right back up and has been quite nice the past few weeks. I wish I was better at capturing the fall colors and all their beauty, but you get the idea.