The Vernons

Work Life Balance

2010-12-22T13:05:00.000-07:00

This is a post I started back in July. Again, how far we've come! I'm still busy and ironically never got around to posting this. Maybe work-life balance is as hard as I thought it would be. Just as my mother warned me, I get used to a certain phase or behavior or ability or inability of hers and just when I'm feeling good about it, she changes. At 13 months we don't have dirty diapers in the morning anymore. Kathy at the daycare gets to deal with those. Muahah!! Oh and potty training before age 1? HAHA...yeah right. I have not made time for that and won't until months from now.

Robbie, the baby, and I went to Mobile for 10 days over a month ago and I still haven't posted about it. I feel behind on most things in my life these days so it's no surprise this has taken so long. Motherhood keeps me busy. My job keeps me busy. Family keeps me busy. Though in ways the work-life balance isn't as hard as I thought it would be.
I work Tuesday through Friday now with Mondays off so I know what my week looks like. Katie Rose and I have a good routine in the morning. She wakes up earlier than I wish she would (around 6:15 which is an excellent alarm clock if I accidently forget to set mine). Do blackout curtains really help them sleep later? By then I have hopefully had a shower and done my makeup. KR then has a bottle while she watching Baby Einstein's Baby Mozart. Then she usually has a dirty diaper so after I dry my hair, I change her clothes, get myself dressed, and head out the door by 7:25. I might get in a cup of coffee which has been reheated 3 times and cereal. And I try to make my lunch every day, so really, I'm pretty proud of all that I do in 2 hours. I wish she didn't watch tv every morning but I have alot to do and something has to give.
Now, let's address this dirty diaper (or 3, as this morning would have it) every morning. A lady I work with started potty training her little girl at around 7 or 8 months old. She was a "regular" baby each morning so they started sitting her on a potty seat with a toy and eventually she did her regular business on a potty instead of in her diaper. By the time she was a year old she rarely had a stinky diaper. I think this could work especially now before she's really mobile. Any thoughts?
I can't believe she's almost 8 months old and she just gets cuter and cuter every single day. I love where she is right now. She still can't crawl but she gets on all fours and rocks, so it will be soon. She's not great a pulling up on furniture or her crib but she doesn't get many opportunities to practice that particular skill. I'm not in a big hurry for these things to happen anyway. She loves playing peekaboo and she really loves when her daddy or I act like a monkey. Parents do such ridiculous things to make their children laugh.

Baby Sleep Project

2010-12-22T11:30:00.000-07:00

I used to think I understood the phrase "sleeps like a baby."

Haha! These are posts I started and never published and it's really funny going back and looking at these. I like how this is titled Baby Sleep Project and was started last spring. Oh how far we've come. KR started sleeping through the night at about 7 months old and has never turned back. Thank goodness!

So Behind!!

2010-12-20T10:52:00.004-07:00

Ok so I have not been updating as often. My job keeps me busier since I got a promotion in August. My homelife keeps me busier with a now 13 month old running around and relentlessly trying to eat dog food. And along came hunting season...Halloween....Birthday....Thanksgiving....and now Christmas. Whew!!

So back to KR's birthday. It was a great little birthday party. The "rule" is that you invite the age of the child plus 1. The girls at work make fun of me because I have all these "rules." Rules about timeliness of thank you notes. Rules about what shoes can and can't be worn before and after certain holidays. Etc. We invited more children but hunting season is busy for families in Montana so only Alison Sutherlin came. And it was just perfect. Katie Rose loved all of her toys and she loved loved LOVED her cake. KR loves attention - an audience - commotion, noise, and entertainment, for sure. She gave the best performance a parent could ask for and we delighted in celebrating her first year.

Grandma Posie and Grandpa Bob came over with V-V and Grumpa. Bonnie and Pop were there and Meredith. We sipped on boxed wine and ate yummy food. The funniest part was what Bonnie was exclaiming while KR ate her cake. Bonnie thought maybe the top of the cupcake cake reminded her of her breastfeeding days. I've never heard Grandpa Bob laugh so hard.

Then and Now

2010-11-20T10:39:00.003-07:00

This picture was taken exactly 1 year ago

What happens in a year!

I have so much to post about my baby turning 1. We had a fun little birthday party for her. V-V and Grumpa and Great Grandma Posie and Great Grandpa Bob came over from Stevensville. Bonnie and Pop were there too and our friends Meredith and Alison. She had so much fun opening her gifts and hugging her new baby dolls. She loved her giant cupcake and dove into it face first. I will post pictures and a video when I'm at home. It's just hard to find time these days but I want to cherish these memories for sure. We love you baby girl!!

As the Grownups Do

2010-10-22T12:47:00.003-06:00

She talks on the phone like we do.

KR loves to hear someone talk to her on the phone so whether it's a phone, a remote control, or anything else smallish and rectangular, she holds it up to her ear and says, "Oh? Ahhoh?"

She loves chocolate the way we do.

She loves credit cards the way we do.

And she cries when they're taken away...like we do.

Terrible Blogger

2010-10-08T12:50:00.002-06:00

I have been a terrible blogger lately. Robbie was working out of town in September meaning I was a single mom for a little while. Hunting season arrived which took us to the Centennial Valley last weekend. I killed our computer in September by accidentally downloading a virus after uninstalling Norton...brainy, huh? Fortunately I was able to get our pictures onto an external hard drive. We got our new computer this week so I hope to do some catch up work.

Updates on Katie Rose:
Still not walking but growing increasingly frustrated (motivated) to figure it out.
Her bottom teeth came through a while back and now her top teeth are descending. They're the cutest little teeth ever!
She's also learning to bite and is leaving teeth marks allover her crib.
She says several words if you can call them words. She was saying Mo for more and learned sign language for "more." She's forgotten somewhat now that she feeds herself. She says Dadadadada and Mamamamama and No No No No No. She says Daw-dah for dog. She can't say kitty but she makes a hard "K" sound when she sees the cats.
She's getting a little temper and shakes her legs really fast and screams when she's not getting what she wants or when she's restrained from flipping around during a diaper change. She's learned to pick at the diaper stickies and pull them apart.
Her favorite foods are apples, blueberries, bagels, any kind of bread, seasoned rice, cheerios, eggs, shrimp - yes, I've given her shrimp, gerber pasta pickups, bananas, and most anything else besides green beans and a gerber stew we tried out. She spit that all down her front.

I can't believe she's almost 1...and that I already want another one...but we will wait.... More later!

For the Love of Adorable Dresses Part II

2010-08-27T11:18:00.007-06:00

I posted an entry a while back about little girls, namely little southern girls, in adorable dresses. There is no disputing the fact that girls are more fun to dress and their clothes are much, much cuter than boy clothes which are expected to be more durable, less frequently ironed and starched, and appropriate for playing in the dirt. Here's a story about the foofy outfit that *almost* could.

Our friends Keith and Kelly got married August 20th and her colors were lavender/purpley and white. Meredith, my best justification-to-spend-more-than-I-should-simply-because-it's-adorable-and-perfect-for-the-occasion friend, and I had been gushing over different dresses and outfits we found online that would be oh so perfect for Keith and Kelly's wedding. I went to Strasburg Children's website a few months ago and found this ensemble:

This ensemble at the time was priced at 76 dollars which I nor Meredith could justify so we lamented and moved on looking for something else. Katie Rose has plenty of beautiful vintage dresses so it wasn't like we had nothing; It's just fun to shop. Ok so downtown Bozeman has a kid's consignment shop near where I work. I casually walked in one day during my lunch and low and behold, this very outfit was on the rack in her size for, get ready, THREE DOLLARS!!!! I couldn't believe it. What luck! What a prize!

I took it home and showed it to Mom who was also amazed at my fantastic find. She was at my house showing some other outfits she bought for Katie Rose. She said, "Let me take that home and I'll iron and starch it for you so it'll be all ready for the wedding. I'll take home some other dresses too because you know she'll spit up on the one outfit, and you should have another one or two to change her into throughout the party." Oh, perfect I thought. Things were falling right into place.

Then things took a turn for the worse. Mom had Katie Rose on the couch with her playing dress-up to make sure the new items fit. While Mom was holding her, Katie Rose spit up green goo allover the new purple outfit. She wasn't even wearing it and spit up allover it! But Mom was confident she could get it out with a little goo-gone and took it home. A few days later Mom came back over to our house with the ironed dresses. She had a solemn look on her face. She said, "Lee, please don't be too mad at me....pause....I got the spit up stain out of the outfit, and I transformed it from a wrinkled mess into a sweet, sweet outfit.....longer pause.....But, I accidentally got bleach allover the front of it. I am SO SO sorry." My unbelievable buy was ruined and had to become a play outfit...an outfit that could get - SIGH - dirty.

But - The relief is that we did only pay 3 dollars for it. And it happened to a store bought outfit and not one of the dresses Mimi made for me. Mom and I would have cried if that had happened. I suppose one shouldn't place too much value on material things because afterall, spit happens.

*Katie Rose ended up not going to the wedding at all, not because she didn't have an outfit, but because Robbie and I realized that at her age, we might have more fun without her. She was perfectly content with zero regard for her clothing at home with Grumpa and Mama V where she played outside, got food allover her play clothes and hair, and mouthed every filthy, soggy tennis ball she could find. Baby bliss. The outfit has been worn once while riding in the car to Stevensville the day of the wedding. It has since been washed and has returned to the wrinkled mess it started as.

A Different Kind of Summer

2010-08-27T09:49:00.003-06:00

In my last post I said something about this summer being a "different kind of summer." My friend Erin in Mobile commented that every summer will be a different kind of summer until our kids are out of college. So basically that could be another 25 years or more. I suppose we'll have to redefine different or rather, normal. Then my friend Todd said last night that as we get older we can take on more. Can we really? Or do we take on more because we have to?

This summer has been different from last summer and different from any summer I have ever had. I mentioned that Robbie's employer has not consistently had work so he has been working out of town off and on for at least a week at a time. The last time I wrote he had been gone for 3 weeks in July. He's been gone 2 weeks in August. We are coming to realize that living in Montana means beautiful skies, outdoor opportunities, a slower paced life, a safe community, and many other joys (like low humidity = good hair days)...but it also means that depending on your job, you might have to go where the work is. We have not been camping one time. Maybe Labor Day??

As for Katie Rose and me, we've been doing just fine despite being alone. I miss Robbie's help and the house is a total mess, but K Ro doesn't mind. She makes me so happy. I delight in the sight of her and the joy she expresses each and every morning when I get her out of her crib. The first few months of her life were tough - I was a new mom and she was a fussy baby, but at almost 10 months old, I cannot imagine anything more wonderful. I'm in love.

She has gone from a wobbly puller upper to a jack-in-the-box who pops up on every piece of furniture she can reach. At her 9 month well baby visit, Dr. Idzerda said she was perfectly healthy. She is in the 25th % for height and the 40th% for weight. She also watched her bear-crawl around and told me to not be surprised at all if she's an early walker.

We have also switched daycares. Meredith, aka Auntie M, will be closing this fall so we decided to go ahead and change so I had ample time if things didn't work out. Katie Rose loves her new daycare. She doesn't say so, but I know she does. Yesterday when I picked her up I took her in my arms and held her for a few minutes while I talked to Miss Kathy. K Ro actually started leaning toward her and crying wanting Miss Kathy to hold her! I wasn't expecting that! And while it broke a tiny little piece of my heart (very tiny), I was relieved and happy to know how comfortable she feels there. Miss Kathy says Katie Rose is a social little girl who loves to play and loves to eat. Mama's girl, for sure.

My How Time Flies

2010-08-03T11:15:00.006-06:00

I've been a terrible blogger. We said all last year that the summer of 2009 was just a different kind of summer with me being pregnant and Robbie working and all the preparation that goes into having a baby. Well, I find myself saying the same thing for the summer of 2010. It's just a different kind of summer. Everything is different with an infant in tow, but this summer has had some different kinds of challenges.

Just before 4th of July Robbie's employer laid everyone off for a period of time. Fortunately a friend of Robbie's in Stevensville was able to set him up with a contractor doing HVAC...but that meant Robbie was in Stevi until Midwest could hire him back. He was gone for 3 weeks and for 3 weeks I was a single parent. I'll admit the break was nice at first. I got to pick up my girl and come home for our nightly routine. After a while though it got to be stressful when I had to drop her off, pick her up, feed her, change her clothes, bathe her, refill the humidifier, and put her to bed. Thank goodness she sleeps through the night!! That would have been awful had she not. Robbie is back now - yay! - but it threw a kink in all the fabulous weekend plans we wanted to make. We have not been camping once! Mom and Dad were also around to give assistance.

So back to Katie Rose. She is 2 days short of 9 months old. Our little baby is graving up. That's what I used to say insteading of growing up. In the 3 weeks Robbie was gone she and I bonded. She's quite attached to me which I love but she will still go to strangers without fuss. I know she's attached because she'll be good all evening while Robbie has her and as soon as I walk in the door she starts fussing, crawling to me, and pulling on my pant leg. As annoying as that can be, it delights my heart.

Katie Rose's tricks:

Crawling! She started crawling at about 8 months old and loves her new mobility and freedom. I believe this is what she's been wanting her whole life thus far.

Doing headstands, sort of. She'll go from crawling to a "bear stance" with her feet on the floor balancing on her head. It's so funny.

Pulling everything down everything she can reach. As Dad said, everything in our house that she can pull down and break has moved about 4 feet off the ground.

Making sounds - DA DA DA DA DA DA DA TA TA TA TA TA TA TA TA then she'll whisper ta ta ta tat a yayayayaya. Music to our ears!

Cutting her first tooth - I just discovered it last night. It's the most beautiful tooth I've ever felt. She seems to be handling this just fine for now. She sticks her tongue out alot but doesn't seem any crabbier than usual.

Happy 4th of July

2010-06-23T11:41:00.007-06:00

Over the 4th of July weekend Robbie went to Stevensville to work for the week so I was with Taylor and Gynn Gynn Friday and Saturday. More about their visit later...but on Sunday I had the baby all day at home before we went to a 4th of July party at the Ross' house. I spent all morning leisurely playing with Katie Rose until I realized I needed to get ready and make a rice salad which included going to the grocery store and go to the liquor store. Yes, that's right. I took the baby into a liquor store by myself on the 4th of July. I felt like mother of the year. There were 2 bottles I was contemplating and when K Ro put the entire bottle neck of one in her mouth, the choice was made. At least she looked cute. And she's a big girl now that gets to ride in the cart. She loved it and yes, I disinfected it.

Baby Buzzkill

2010-05-27T11:09:00.002-06:00

Let me preface this by saying I adore my baby and love her so so so so much. But in certain circles she is affectionately known as "Baby Buzzkill." We use this title when we talk about planning something that would be alot more fun or at least alot more convenient without an infant in tow. You know, things like canoeing, camping, staying out late partying, going to a play, going out to dinner, etc. It's not that we can't get a babysitter now and then or that we hate taking her along but it's a different kind of outing when she goes and it always ends early.

So as some of you may know we just returned from a 10 day trip to Mobile. Robbie, Katie Rose, and I all went and she was truly an amazing, well behaved baby for nearly the entire time except for the first night we wanted to go out. We arrived on Friday and Saturday night we went downtown (without the baby) to Taylor and Tyndal's dance recital while Mom kept the baby. After the recital Robbie, Shelly, and I went to Hopjack's on Dauphin Street to have some food and beers. I had just finished my 3rd microbrew which contains a higher alcohol content than regular beer and was feeling pretty good when Mom called. Mom said, "Oh Lee, I'm sure the baby is alright but she's been crying for nearly 45 minutes and I can't seem to calm her down!" Baby Buzzkill strikes!! I assured Mom that she was fine and probably just needed to cry and let go of the stress of travelling and being in a new place. Mom didn't sound so sure and said she would call me back in 20 minutes if she was still crying.

Now I knew that BB was ok but being her mommy, my radar was up and I lost all prior concentration on the delicious beers and food. I kept waiting for the phone to ring and it never did. I waited and waited and waited and then started sending text messages and trying to call Mom to make sure she was ok. All the fun and energy I had put into the evening was totally gone and I couldn't think of anything else besides how she was doing and whether or not I needed to go home immediately. We went to Grand Central - an hold haunt where apparently my membership card from 2003 is no longer valid and I had to pay cover and get a new card! - had one drink but at that point I knew I had to leave. The buzz was over and dead. We walked to the car where I could still hear music coming from the bar. I contemplated staying but after a few minutes of sitting in the car with sad faces, we went home.

The next day Mom and I were talking about the evening and why she was crying like she was. Mom said, "You and Ross never did that! I never got a call from the babysitter." I replied, "That's because she had the sense not to."

More from the vacation later....

Katie Rose Gets Excited for Dinner

2010-05-01T13:43:00.001-06:00

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

30th Birthday Photos

2010-04-27T12:55:00.000-06:00

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

The Big 3-0!!

2010-04-27T11:23:00.005-06:00

On April 23rd I turned 30. Shelly said she believes her 30s will be her most fabulous decade and I think I'm going to adopt that idea as well. Why not? Mom says her 30s were really great too so I feel like I have alot to look forward to. I also feel like I am on the young end of things again. It's kind of like when I was in 8th grade and I felt very cool in middle-school only to be demoted back to lower class status as a freshman. I'm a freshman to the 3rd decade of my life. I'm the youngest of all the 30 year olds out there and no longer the oldest of the 20 somethings.

In the last 10 years I:

Moved across the country (from Montana to Alabama)
Went back to college
Met the man I would marry
Graduated from college
Moved back across the country (from Alabama to Montana)
Got my first job out of college
Married the man I met
Bought a house
Had a baby

It's amazing how such monumental events can be so simply stated. I feel like I could spend days discussing each event and what it meant and what all happened before, during, and after each phase. And what do I do with all of this now? Tough question. The last 10 years have been incredible. Incredibly hard. Incredibly fun. Incredibly challenging with all the changes that occurred. I feel like I spent the last 10 years choosing cards and being dealt cards and now it's time to play my hand...until the next card swap. Remember that game called Life where you spin the wheel, go along the course, and hope to end the game with lots of money, a house, and a station wagon full of pink or blue pegs? We played that game with some friends not too long ago and now there's no clear path on the game board. There are so many different routes to choose and you can keep spinning in the same route over and over again if you want to. And all of your income and expenses are tracked on a debit card that you swipe through a machine. I digress... But all of this is to say that I am about 1/3 through the game of life and feel like I'm just starting and that feels good!

In honor of my 30th birthday I planned and threw myself a big party. The plans changed several times before a final location was chosen. 25 of my closest friends and I went to Rio Sabina's and then to the Belgrade Lounge on Saturday the 24th. Rio Sabina's was NOT ready at the reserved time and it was over an hour before we were seated. I expressed my frustration, got free drinks, and didn't let it bother me at all. I don't know how many cosmopolitans I drank but it was plenty - too much, actually but not so much that I got sick. At the Lounge we danced, the band sang happy birthday, and we ate the most delicious birthday cake I had made for myself. Thank you to all of my friends who celebrated with us. It was a memorable birthday. Thank you to Arnold and Vickie for coming over to keep K-Ro. That was a wonderful gift.

For the Love of Adorable Dresses...

2010-04-15T14:26:00.005-06:00

Here is my truth - My real girl and the reality of where I live. For all the love of adorable smocked dresses, pictured below is how things really are. Katie Rose got her first Carharts from Pop. We picked them up at Muroch's on Monday. He got her one pair to wear this fall and another to grow into. He is very proud and can't wait to have her on the tractor with him mowing the flax. These pictures were taken with my phone so that's why they're not as clear.

Mom, a friend of hers, and I had a conversation about what kind of dog we might be. Mom's friend referred to herself as a poodle. Mom referred to me as a poodle wannabe, but I disagreed. I thought of myself as a labrador - much less high maintenance, fun, adventurous, dingy but trainable. But I didn't want to commit to being all Labrador because most labs I know smell bad at times and are too easily amused. I decided I was a labradoodle embracing the best of both worlds. I like getting my hair and nails done so I can look good on the hunting trip. Miss Katie Rose will most likely be a labradoodle as well. Below is her still in her Carharts with a lace trimmed bonnet.

This sweet email was a response on this post from my sweet friend Elizabeth (Dorlon) Floyd:

"i think you're right. you are a labradoodle... although, you kind of remind me of bear [her cockapoo]. she's such a love. loves to snuggle... loves to get dirty...she jumps in any puddle she sees loves getting her hair blown dry... loves boys... and she's not afraid to wear a bow in her hair. love you, leelee lizard"

I Heart Ebay

2010-04-14T13:03:00.006-06:00

So my latest passion besides HATING the snow in April is looking at all the adorable kids' clothes for sale on EBay. Ohh my gosh. Clothes! Tons of them! Some of them inexpensive! Some not so much! The clothes I'm talking about are the adorable smocked outfits, bubble outfits, bishop dresses, day gowns, bonnets, etc that are unheard of here in the high north cold country. One I've been eyeing in particular is a bubble suit with little crabs smocked around the collar. It's so cute I could die and how fitting for our little crab! Meredith had to rescue me from the abyss that is E-Bay the other day and wouldn't get off the phone with me until I promised her I had signed out. It had to be bad for Meredith to insist I stop. She loves shopping for her girls. Readers please do not take this as a plea for more baby clothes...unless you just want to. When I see Katie Rose in a little dress of mine or a bubble outfit or the dress pictured below, happiness bubbles inside of me and I can't stop smiling with absolute delight at my precious girl. I was looking at her closet the other day thinking to myself, "I want a boy one day. I do. But gosh I hate to not have another girl and have to put such darling clothes into storage! It would seem a waste!" So you might be wondering how many kids I want and the answer might be 3. For all the trials, hits and misses, lost sleep, agony at times, and the millions of outfits she'll never wear, I can't fathom the thought of not doing this again.

And speaking of crabs, I actually think KRo is getting less and less crabby. Perhaps she's just excited about finding her toes. She's good at grabbing those little piggies quickly too. She's also making some new sounds lately which include a high pitched ongoing screechy squall. I've experimented with telling her "NO!" but that's not as much fun. I usually find it so adorable and funny that I just laugh instead. Ben and Meredith's baby Emma would make a high pitched screech/squawk when she wanted attention. Ben and Meredith didn't find it nearly as funny as I did. I laughed every time she did it. I'm laughing now just thinking about it. They said I would get my turn and it wouldn't be as funny but they are wrong. But we're only on day 4 of this new hilarious expression.

Spring-ish Pictures Despite the Snow

2010-03-31T06:24:00.007-06:00

Springtime in Montana is NOT the wonderful spring of the South. Nothing is blooming yet except an early tulip or 2. It's been really windy and we've had snow on the ground the last few mornings. It typically melts throughout the day but overall it's pretty damp and muddy. There are still no birds around except for the arrival of the bald and golden eagles which are often spotted this time of year and the ducks and geese that return from their migration south. So we celebrate spring...indoors.

In this picture notice she's missing a sock. Baby socks never stay on their tiny feet. Why is that? Is it because they don't have ankles? She had one set of booties that would stay on because it had an elastic band around the ankles but she has outgrown them now. I can't believe she's still so tiny and yet so much bigger than she was.

We're at the stage now when EVERYTHING goes in the mouth...hands, fingers, pacis, toys, bunnies, and more as you'll see further down.

Our baby bunny

And Another Trip to the Doctor's Office:

The poor baby has impetigo on her face. Apparently this is a common bacterial infection babies can get and it has to be treated with antibiotics. I kept thinking she had baby acne and when we were at her 3 month check up the doctor told me to look out for impetigo because it could get worse. It cleared up for a while and then got worse again so it was time to take her back. We also found out she has thrush and diaper yeast. I asked the doctor why she got these things and it has nothing to do with her living environment but Ph imbalance in her body for whatever unknown reason. 3 prescriptions later and we're doing fine. It's actually amazing how resilient these babies are and how quickly their fresh skin heals.

In the next pictures she is wearing one of my dresses from when I was a baby. You can't find Feltman Brothers dresses in Montana. She looks like such a doll I can hardly stand it.

This weekend for Easter we are going to Stevensville. MamaV can't wait to show off her new grand baby. She remembers last Easter when another grandma got to show off her new grand baby and since then she's been looking forward to this occasion. Katie Rose will be the cutest little bunny ever! I'm also debating whether or not I should have her picture taken with the Easter Bunny at the mall. I'm thinking yes.

Updates

2010-03-16T07:06:00.014-06:00

I am so sorry I haven't been a good blogger for the last month. I can't really say we haven't been up to much. say that not much has been going on. Nor can I say that too much has been going on, although my little girl keeps me very busy. The biggest change is that as of March 1, I am only working 4 days a week. I have every Monday off to spend with Katie Rose and to get things done that are better done during the week: clean the house, take baby and animals to appointments, pay bills, etc. I love having this day for ourselves. Robbie has Fridays off so this means she only goes to daycare 3 days a week - Tuesday through Thursday. I'm so thankful for this opportunity.

Last week I took her in for her 4 month check up. She is healthy and well weighing in at 12 lbs 9 oz putting her in the 24th percentile for height and weight. She's a bit of a small fry, but her head circumference is in the 80th percentile which means 1. She has big brains and 2. She could be a star. Mimi told me she read that celebrities usually have big heads which look better on camera or on stage. The doctor also politely acknowledged that Katie Rose is indeed an expressive child.

We talked about her sleeping or rather lack of sleeping. She naps well during the day but she wakes up 2 times a night to eat. She wakes up usually between 12 and 1 and again between 4 and 5. The doctor said, "You know, many 4 month olds sleep through the night." Uhm, wow, really? I've heard of these children and really and truly thought mine would be one of them, but she's not. But I love her anyway. Last night she slept 5 hours before eating and then slept 5 more. I hope it's a growing trend. At 4 months old she can roll over stomach to back and back to stomach. She's getting better at grabbing things intentionally. Last night she fell asleep on her play mat and had rolled on her side with the bug leg still in her tight little grip. She got a bumbo seat so she can sit up and play with her toys on her play mat. She kicks her legs alot more especially in the bathtub splashing water everywhere. And she's eating rice cereal every night and loves it. I am hoping it will help her sleep better. She loves being carried around in her snugli pouch. The other day I put her in her pouch while we threw the ball for Shuge. Last weekend we went for a short hike at the Lewis and Clark Caverns trailhead.

A side story on the hike last weekend:

People make fun of me because my car is usually full of junk and really, it is full of junk. However, if you ever need anything, you can almost always find it in my car. When we went for our hike it was a little cooler and breezier than I anticipated, but it wasn't cool enough for the jacket I brought. In my car were 3 bags of "junk." One bag contained maternity clothes I never wore where I found a light weight sweater perfect for the hike. Another bag contained a bag of baby clothes I meant to take to Sak's (local thrift store) 3 weeks ago. Inside the bag was a zip up fleece for baby to wear. My car may contain alot of stuff, but I like to think I'm just prepared. Catherine Kelly said it well when she called my car a treasure trough.

Robbie's parents have been over twice in the last month. This past weekend was especially nice because they brought Grandma Rose and Grandpa Bob. We stayed at the house most of the weekend visiting, making fry bread, eating, playing cards, and oohing and ahhing over Katie Rose. I wondered what the world must look like through her eyes. Everything is so new. I thought how bizarre it must seem for everyone around you to be in your face making funny noises and acting like a fool just to make you smile.

3 Month Old Katie Rose

2010-02-09T12:48:00.000-07:00

Here's a cute bath time photo. There are also 2 new posts below. Wow, our girl is 3 months old now. We've ALL come a long way, baby! I think back on when we first brought her home. I thouht the day had gone well and while breastfeeding was painful and awkward, I felt like I knew what I was doing. My first uncertain moment was when it came time to put her to bed. I had no idea what blanket to use or how to make her feel secure. I feared I would smother her, or that one blanket wasn't warm enough while another was too hot. I had no idea what to do! 3 months later I can swaddle her in the dark half awake with one hand behind my back. I also remember her screaming fits and how anxious it made me that I couldn't calm her down. I remember begging her to stop crying through my own frantic tears. Nowadays I don't know if it's her development or mine, or maybe I'm just getting better at tuning out her screams, but I can calm her down in a matter of minutes. I think we're going to be good at this parent thing after all.

At 3 months here are some things Katie Rose loves:

#1 above all else, bouncing on the exercise ball

Being propped up on our shoulders so she can see out

Being swaddled

Nuby pacifiers that are only available at Super One in Stevensville and Roseaur's in Bozeman

Playtex drop in bottles. No other bottle is acceptable to her.

Red wine. I dipped her paci in it the other night. She had no objections nor funny faces.

Bath time until we have to wash her neck and hair.

The 5 bulb light fixture over our dining table. She's totally mesmirized.

Dancing - again with the bouncing.

Pushing up on her legs.

She still hasn't rolled over and she's still not intentionally grabbing things though the fist to mouth operation works perfectly and once in a while she'll hold her bottle. She's getting better though. Her fists are starting to relax a little. She hasn't found her feet either although this morning she was staring intently at the pandas on her pajama feet. It won't be long.

Below is a slide show of Katie Rose over the last 3 months. Most of those photos were taken with my phone. We stayed in bed late nearly every morning for the first 2 months and the phone was easier than our camera.

3 Months of Katie Rose

2010-02-09T12:42:00.001-07:00

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

WHO DAT!

2010-02-08T19:01:00.004-07:00

Thanks to a certain little baby who helped us get a more than certain tax refund, we bought ourselves a big screen tv. We earned this tv with sleepless nights, ringing eardrums, aching backs, and hell, pregnancy alone. We also figured we would be spending alot more time at home these days so we might as well stay home with quality.

Here are Rob and Katie Rose sitting on the exercise ball watching the Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet.

Having a big tv also earned us the opportunity to host a Super Bowl party. Maybe it's the southern hospitality gene; I love having parties. It's also carnival season in Mobile so we turned the party into a Mardi Gras/Super Bowl party and who better to be playing than the New Orlean's Saints? I made chicken and andouille sausage gumbo and oysters rockafeller. I also littered the house with all the tacky Mardi Gras decor. I even had a hand painted Mardi Gras linen towel in the bathroom. And yes, it was ironed. Mom would be proud. We had tons and tons of food and good friends to celebrate. The tv was beautiful, the company fantastic, the food plentiful, and the laughs abundant. Keith even named me the queen of the ball. He is invited back next year.

Katie Rose's First Brush with the Law

2010-02-08T16:09:00.003-07:00

K-Ro has been found guilty. One week ago at daycare Katie Rose Vernon was found guilty of not being where she was supposed to be. The State came to visit her daycare as part of an annual inspection following the provider's license renewal. Katie Rose was found to be in violation of the law. We work hard to raise a child who is self-assured and respectful of the law, so imagine our disdain to hear of her mischief at such an early age. She was in the back room swaddled and fast asleep on a futon (which by the way rests on the floor, not above ground). By state law children who are sleeping must be in some sort of safety crib and nowhere else. As her mother I am not at all concerned about the dangers of the crime commited. I say let sleeping babies lie. What concerns me is Katie Rose's complete and utter indifference to the entire situation. When a child gets in trouble a parent must take an introspective look at the child's home life. I now realize she has slept swaddled on our bed, on our couch, in her swing, and in her bouncy seat with nary a thought to what she was doing. Clearly I have misguided her.

"We treat Katie Rose like our own. I would never let something happen to my girls, nor yours, and I try to do at daycare what parents do at home. That way it seems normal to them," our daycare provider stated. But just to be cautious, she held Katie Rose and rocked her for the remainder of the state's visit. Katie Rose enjoyed the extra attention very much, getting exactly what she wanted in the first place. Minor delinquent? Positive reinforcement of bad behavior? Or smart, smart cookie? You decide.

Playoff Weekend Before Last

2010-01-26T05:54:00.007-07:00

Weekend before last we went up to my parent's house for a weekend getaway with our friends Keith, Kelly, and Peter. Keith and Peter were also in the play, The Foreigner, with me last February. I can't believe it's been almost a year since The Foreigner - the event that changed my life forever. I still believe it was all the excitement and adrenaline from being cast in the play that took my mind off trying to get pregnant which then resulted in me getting pregnant. Funny how that works.

We watched the playoffs and enjoyed football fare, cold beer and cocktails, and ended the evening with Catch Phrase, interpretive dancing to 90's music - thank you, Keith - and hot tubbing. Katie Rose was spectacular through the evening with only a few fussy moments. Good thing we brought her bouncy seat and the exercise ball on which she LOVES to bounce. We don't go anywhere without those 2 things. The next morning we got up early as babies often do and had breakfast. After breakfast we hiked to the saloon to have mimosas. We watched more football on Sunday and got home just in time to watch Big Love.

Thank you Mom and Dad for letting us use the house. Thank you Ross Barrett for unlocking and warming up the house and hot tub for us. We are so lucky to have you!

First Trip to the Hospital

2010-01-24T16:45:00.004-07:00

Don't be alarmed. Everything is ok. It was probably unnecessary for us to even go, but being new parents and seeing a doctor who is very, "thorough," we'll call it, we went all the way. Yesterday morning she slept in until 8 and when I sat her up she coughed and then threw up allover herself. The vomiting continued several more times so I decided to call the pediatrician's office which is open on Saturdays. I love that they are open on Saturdays. Are other pediatrician offices open on the weekends? The receptionist who answered said she didn't feel comfortable telling me not to bring her in and scheduled us in at noon.

Poor baby was definitely lethargic. Normally she cries with all her might when she's uncomfortable, but she just laid there almost limp and abnormally quiet. The doctor didn't feel she was too dehydrated but felt we should go to radiology at the hospital and have an abdominal xray done. Seriously? The doctor said she is the right age to have pyloric stenosis. I kind of knew about that from reading The Baby Book which has been an incredible resource of information for me. At night I browse the index and read up on any topics of interest. Pyloric stenosis is a condition in which the valve at the bottom of the stomach is too tight to let nutrients pass through. The result of p.s. is starvation for the infant and projectile vomiting. The cure is surgery. Yikes!

After lunch we went to the hospital and waited in the emergency room for radiology. The ER is an unnerving place. There was an old couple that was highly interested in Katie Rose. I was so afraid they were going to touch her because I was sure they had an out of control hand fungus. In another room was a young child with an oxygen mask over her face which she kept coughing into. RSV? Pneumonia? Flu? Finally they called us back. Robbie and I had to suit up in aprons to block out the radiation while they put KR on the table. They asked if I could be pregnant. I confess a part of me wants another one, like now, but after yesterday I think I can wait. It was terrible. Robbie and I had to hold her down while they shoved tubes down her throat to inject her stomach with this chalky barium stuff which ended up in her stomach and allover her face and hair. It was horrible watching her scream and try to cough out the tube. She was helpless. She trusts us not to hurt her, and I realized that babies are victims of every single thing that happens to them. All of this and the radiologist found nothing wrong. My baby went through all of that for nothing.

Here's a picture of our poor, sick darling. Sometimes it's more convenient to take a photo with my phone, so that's why it's a little dark.

When it was allover and KR calmed down they asked us, "So, this must be your first." The question irritated me. It was as if they assumed we were there because of our own paranoia and not because a doctor sent us there. I'm a concerned mother, of course, but had the doctor sent us home and told us to give her pedialyte and watch her, I would have been just as satisfied. Mom and I have been discussing lately doctors' approaches to medical care. There are those who will not offer tests unless they are requested. There are others who test too much. Yesterday was a day of too much, but had something been wrong and the doctor ignored it, I would have been even more upset. We trust doctors to care for us, but just like helpless babies, we can also become victims of whatever they prescribe.

Katie Rose was sleepy for the rest of the day but never threw up again or had any other obvious sickness. She loves grape pedialyte. And to end with a smile, or perhaps a look of disgust, the chalky barium stuff has also been expelled. My friend Erin said one time, "We remember the days when our conversation did not involve someone else's poop." I laughed and thought to myself that's gross and I doubt I will be one of those moms because poop never interested me in the first place. Well, hello?? Poop probably never interested anyone at any point until the poop in question was their baby's. When I changed her this afternoon I had to call Robbie in to look at it. Who would ever think poop would be so fascinating that it would be selfish not to share it? I probably would have kept the diaper out to show Robbie later if he wasn't home. In her diaper was an almost perfectly round ball the size of a big marble of what looked like dried caulk. It was so bizarre. I've never seen anything like it and I hope I never will again.

I can't get enough of her big bright eyes! Here's a recent well baby picture.

More Pictures from the Holidays

2010-01-13T18:22:00.001-07:00

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Bittersweet

2010-01-12T09:36:00.010-07:00

My last post was a little sad and this one feels like it could be sad too. I go back to work on Friday and I'm not looking forward to how I'm going to feel that day. I'm eager to go back to work because I like being in the shuffle. I like the energy downtown and knowing what's going on in the financial and adult world. I'm also ready to start making money again. However, I am very sad to be leaving my baby. I know Meredith will be great with her at her daycare, but in a mother's mind, no one can care for her baby as well as she can. I feel like I've just gotten to know Katie Rose, to know her cries and daily routine. I know when she's hungry and when she just wants her pacifier. I know when she's just tired and cranky and I love that I know these things! Finally! And now it's time to leave her. Will I still know her even when I am not with her all day? Will she still know me?
Shelly titled this photo "Mischief Managed."

Now that going back to work is staring me in the face I find myself lingering in those special moments with her that I won't get to have 7 days a week. This morning she woke up at 5 for a bottle which she didn't end up wanting. Instead she was content to have her pacifier and clutch my hand tightly to her chest. My shoulder was sore for the awkward angle, but I didn't dare let go. She finally got anxious which I knew only meant one thing: a big stinky diaper. Our moment ended, but in this blog I hold it forever. Katie Rose smiles so much more now too. My heart wants to explode with joy when she flashes a big gummy smile across her face and in her eyes with a squeaky gulp of air.

I think the separation might be hard on her too. Following the "To Pump or Not to Pump" post, the answer is not to pump. I have been supplementing the breastfeeding with formula since she was 4 weeks old. I've gradually added more formula to her diet mainly because I enjoyed the convenience once or twice a day and I felt I was not producing enough milk. (I have one breast that is an underachiever). I was breastfeeding her once a day when she would have inconsolable fits, but that has to stop as well. She does not transition well between breast and bottle. Last week I breastfeed her and knowing she didn't get enough, I offered her a bottle. She adamantly and fiercely refused. Being hungry and not wanting the bottle resulted in an enormous battle no one could win. Both of us were in tears. It broke my heart that I could not give her the one thing she wanted. She mourned her loss. I mourned my loss as well.

The whole situation reminded me of our old dog Murphy when her 6 puppies were weaned. I remember Murphy running away from them as they chased her through the yard trying to latch on. We knew she was saying like my grandmother Nan used to say, "I'm sick of this shit." And the puppies would cry too. I did not quit breastfeeding because I was sick of it, but when we stick to formula, she is a happier baby and I am a happier mommy. That has health benefits too.

That's me circa 1992 wearing my favorite SMU t-shirt Ross got me. This was also long before I knew anything about hair straighteners.

She's not a baby that likes to be held all the time which is good although I've noticed in the last week that she's liking it more and more. She either decided that she likes being held or she's now aware of the cry/response mechanism. If the latter is true, which it inevitably will be, when do I set boundaries? And speaking of boundaries, the hand-holding time we spent this morning comes from her morning routine of sleeping in the bed with me from about 4 am until I get up. I am not setting that boundary yet. No way.

Just Some Thoughts This Evening...

2010-01-07T19:48:00.005-07:00

It sounds strange to say this, but I kind of miss being pregnant and in a weird way I look forward to being pregnant again. It's weird to say that because my last memory of being pregnant was terribly painful while I was in labor and before I was in labor I was swollen. I've been saying that I didn't have feet. I had hoagies with toes. The other day I caught myself feeling my belly when something rumbled and I almost wished it was a tiny kick from within. Maybe women miss being pregnant because it's exciting. You spend every minute day dreaming what your baby will be like. Will she look like me or her daddy? Will she be mild mannered - of course she will be! At least that's what I thought. What will labor be like? There are all kinds of feel good chemicals zooming around when you're in great anticipation of a monumental day. I don't feel like this is post partum blues exactly. I've been too busy with a high(ish)-needs baby to think about being depressed. I still don't have every question answered about what Katie Rose will be like, but I know about the pregnancy, labor, and delivery part and I still look forward to doing it again. I had a c-section so my body needs time to heal, but there's a part of me that looks forward to the day it is considered healed when we can think about baby number 2.

To Pump or Not to Pump

2010-01-05T15:37:00.000-07:00

I start back to work on January 15th and I'm a little concerned about needing to express milk during the work day. I was thinking that I would start weaning her to avoid the hassle at work. I'm not excited to go back to work full time and it might be less difficult if I don't have to worry about pumping. The bank is currently under construction and I'm not sure there's a peaceful place to do it. Also, I was told that if pumping took longer than 15 minutes (a 15 minute break the bank is NOT required to give me at all), I would have personal time deducted to account over any overages. Anyone who has done this before knows that it takes longer than 15 minutes to set up, let down, express, store, and clean up. I do not fear bending the rules, but one must know the rules to do that effectively. What I do fear is the anxiety it might cause me should there be issues. Anxiety and breastfeeding do not go together.

Out of curiosity while writing this post I just now researched the statutes put forth by state legislators for government employees.

http://www.ncsl.org/issuesresearch/health/breastfeedinglaws/tabid/14389/default.aspx , the National Conference of State Legislatures website. It appears the legislature agrees with me. That web page has the statues for each state if you're curious.

Here are the statutes for Montana:
Mont. Code Ann. § 39-2-215 et seq. specifies that employers must not discriminate against breastfeeding mothers and must encourage and accommodate breastfeeding. Requires employers to provide daily unpaid break time for a mother to express breast milk for her infant child. Employers are also required to make a reasonable effort to provide a private location, other than a toilet stall, in close proximity to the work place for this activity.

On a humorous note...
On New Year's Eve we invited some friends over to celebrate. Ben and Meredith, Keith, who was in The Foreigner, and his girlfriend Kelly, and Peter, also in The Foreigner, came over for food and games. I was telling them about my woes and how I was thinking it was time to wean her. My exact words were, "I need to wean her," but in southern speak it sounded like, "I needa weiner." Robbie immediately offered a solution. I now say, "I may start weaning her." Hmmm...Or not. We will see how this develops.

Thanksgiving Photos

2009-12-12T11:39:00.002-07:00

How do I get this cheesy music to go away???????

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

With Thanksgiving...

2009-12-09T14:15:00.004-07:00

This Thanksgiving was very special in that we have a new baby to be thankful for. Children are a gift from God. Nothing else on earth teaches you so much about unconditional love, strength, and tolerance. People ask me how things are going with a newborn and I always reply, "It's amazing what you can do when you have to do it." I am thankful for the time in my life to learn to bend without breaking, to love without thinking, to give without expecting. And never until I had Katie Rose did I think I would actually want to learn those things. I'm thankful for the bond I have with Robbie now and forever. I'm thankful for the gift of grandchildren to our parents and for how our family is growing in size and in love. I am thankful for her health and the health of her parents. I'm thankful for the hormonal tears that were shed at the mere thought of her being 27 days old...27 days old...It's the only day in her life that she'll be 27 days old...how glorious!! Silly, I know, but very real to me in the moment.

I am thankful for more than I ever thought I would be and I am thankful we celebrated with so many family members. We had my mom and dad, Robbie's mom and dad, Robbie's grandmother, Grandma Betty, and even Ross who flew in on the 21st. He was hoping to be here for the birth, but oh well. I enjoyed spending time with him. We don't spend much time together and I think there's alot we can learn about one another. He's a proud uncle. Ross was hoping to get some videos of Katie Rose but the camera wasn't working. He has some fun audio clips from KR's birthday from Mom and Sonya and Murphy Elliott. Sonya's is not suitable for the general public to hear.

We all enjoyed a quiet Thanksgiving. At one point I told Mom I was glad we had a baby in the family. Dad, Arnold, and Robbie had all fallen asleep downstairs watching football. Vickie and Gma Betty were in the living room quietly knitting, and Mom and I were talking quietly in the kitchen. I told her this crowd was getting a little old (us included) and we needed some new life, energy, and noise among us. Katie Rose was also lounging on her Boppy on the coffee table, but I bet next year when she's 1 it will be a different story. I can't wait to chase her around, or rather ask Robbie to chase her around while I sip on spiked hot chocolate.

Robbie and I were in charge of the turkey. The HUGE turkey. We ordered an 18 lb bird from the Hutterites, but Ross got so excited about the turkey that he suggested we order an even bigger bird. 23 lbs we ended up with and I think eventually it all got eaten, but it was the running joke of the weekend. Dad called wondering if the black smoke cloud he could see over Belgrade was our turkey baking. He ate his words when he proclaimed it to be the most tender he had ever eaten. Muah!

The whole weekend was wonderful. The weather was good and it got us all in good spirits for the holiday season.

I also want to include a note to John Howell. His memorial was on Thanksgiving Day last year. We miss you John.

Are We Living Happily Ever After Yet?

2009-12-09T13:33:00.006-07:00

When does happily ever after start? Don't get me wrong. I love my baby more than anything in the world and I have fallen in love with my husband allover again, but whew! this is hard. Everyone has a baby, or a marriage, or a friendship with the grandiose idea that everything is going to be perfect and beautiful without any hitches that can't be surmounted with love and respect. Have you ever tried asking for a 1 month old's respect in the middle of the night? I've tried. I try every night, in fact, and it DOES NOT WORK.

I'm afraid our little girl has colic or reflux or something that strikes each and every night and sometimes during the day. It mostly happens after she eats which is why I wonder if it's reflux. She is also much happier sitting up or over my shoulder than she is lying down which is another indication of reflux. But what about this perfect breast milk I'm making?? I thought it was the perfect infant food. I thought it was easily digestible and a natural antacid. These thoughts validated what I thought would be the perfect mother-baby bond, but no. I might be mistaken about that. I would never shake my baby, but I can understand how someone with little impulse control could. 2 am with a crying baby is one of the most emotionally exhausting things I have experienced.

But here is the silver lining: The miracle of motherhood is that you still love them even though they cry LOUDLY right into your ear and then headbutt you right in the jaw. It's injury to insult, salt on the wound. The other miracle is that as soon as you have a little bit of rest, you wake up feeling relatively refreshed and all the frustration from the night before is gone. I wake up to her cry, scoop her into my arms and squeeze her for the precious bundle she is while kissing her dumpling cheeks. Let's hope this unconditional love continues into adolescence.

Robbie is a big help with her. I try not to bother him in the middle of the night during his work week. He wears earplugs at night now. But when he doesn't have to work, I do ask for his help and he kindly lets me yell at him from time to time. The other morning at 4 am I told him to take her out of the room and only bring her back once she's asleep. He did and she slept for 3 hours. Ahhhhhh. Knowing Katie Rose is finally asleep releases some of the best feel-good chemicals. It's better than any martini.

Katie Rose

2009-11-14T15:33:00.006-07:00

KATIE ROSE VERNON

8 LBS 6.8 OZ

20 1/2 INCHES LONG

6:13 PM

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2009

My last post was October 23rd. That seems like so long ago and that so much has changed since then I hardly know where to begin. So I left off announcing Erin and Ashley's new babies and the fact that I was starting maternity leave 2 weeks early due to gestational hypertension...

Halloween weekend came and we went to Ben and Meredith's house for the evening. Ben's sister, her husband, and their 2 kids were there as well. Kids are walking petri dishes of germs and Meredith, Kelly, baby Emma and I all ended up with stomach flu Monday and Tuesday after Halloween. Note to parents: If you even SUSPECT your child may be sick, please let people around you know - ESPECIALLY pregnant people. Stomach flu is never fun, but at 38 weeks pregnant it's REALLY horrible.

I had a regular doctor appointment on Tuesday that I thought about cancelling due to the flu, but I figured because I had the flu I should go and I was right to do so. My blood pressure was extremely high and the doctor sent me immediately to labor and delivery. She wanted me to be prepared to be induced that night if they couldn't get my blood pressure to come back down. 3 hours I spent in L/D before my blood pressure resumed it's normal high state. They let me go home but scheduled me to come back Wednesday night to begin the induction process.

Robbie took the day off Wednesday and we spent the day doing little things around the house knowing that when we came back we would have our baby. We also layed in bed together and watched t.v. cherishing these last few hours of it being just us. We thought about what we wanted for our last meal and came up with nothing so we decided we would eat at the hospital cafeteria which is actually pretty good! Plus, I didn't feel much like eating anyway having had flu the day before.

We headed to the hospital around 4:30 because they told us to be in L/D by 6. I had a feeling before we left that I would see my doctor in the cafeteria and she would be mad that I was out doing something...sure enough we did see her, but she said it was ok since I was at the hospital. Dr. Augustyn and Dr. Chisdak tease me because when my blood pressure was so high I got paranoid about it and went to the grocery store to check it. When I called the doctor on call that night to report that even the grocery store monitor said it was high she asked me, "What are you doing at the grocery store?? You need to be lying down!" That incident later came up in the operating room.

The L/D rooms at Bozeman Deaconess Hospital are amazing! They redid the entire unit a year ago and we were all so impressed with the facilities and amenities in each room. My room was huge and had a couch and recliner in it. The bathroom was large with a jacuzzi tub and I cannot say enough positive things for the nursing staff. Wow. They inserted a drug called Cervadil to help soften my completely undilated cervix. Robbie stayed right by my side but I told him to go home and get some sleep because I needed him to be strong for me on Thursday. All night long I was extremely uncomfortable. Those beds are not meant to be used for very long. I slept as much as I could but it's hard with people checking on you every 15 minutes and having a blood pressure cuff squeeze your arm every 20 minutes and having monitors strapped around your belly.

Finally around 5 am I woke up having some pains that felt like real contractions. I timed them for 10 minutes and when they were happening every 3 I called the nurse in. As soon as she went to check me I knew my water had broken. That's a very uncomfortable event because every time I contracted, it "broke" a little more. I was a mess. I told the nurse I wanted the anesthesiologist to get there ASAP because I immediately started having contractions. I'm leaning on the wall, sitting on the toilet, leaning over the bed - anything I could do tolerate what was going on. After an hour and a half the anesth. showed up and I got my epidural. Ahhh, sweet relief. I felt great...for a while. Robbie and my parents arrived and all seemed calm in the world. I could still feel the contractions but it was so minimal compared to what it was that I thought, heck, if childbirth is like this, I could handle it.

I don't know why I'm making this face - probably because I didn't want my picture taken. This must have been before things got intense.

Sometimes though things don't go as planned. I was following a normal curve of dilating 1 cm an hour. When I got to 3 cm, I started feeling the contractions more severely and I could tell that feeling was returning to my lower half. The anesth. came back and gave me more drugs. That was fine for about a half hour. Then it came back, this time even worse. I endured that until the anesth. could get back to me to give me more drugs. This process kept going on and on getting worse each time the drugs wore off. For whatever reason the epidural was not working except when I got a big shot of it in my back. As the pain got worse, so did my blood pressure and as my blood pressure got higher so did Katie Rose's heart rate. The pain I was feeling in my left side was excruciating and I just cried and cried while the nurse and Robbie tried talking me (relaxation words) through each contraction. Robbie told me to think about Lima Peaks, and the Centennial Valley, and Ono Island and the beach.

I was dilated 8 cm when my blood pressure and KR's heart rate skyrocketed to the point that Dr. Augustyn said I was going to have a c-section. She said she wasn't sure why the baby's heart rate was so high, but she didn't like it and a decision had to be made. I responded OK, signed where I needed to which is really hard to do when you're in hard labor. As soon as they said I was having a c-section, darling Robbie got a nosebleed. Poor guy! They started prepping me for surgery and cleaning the room for the next patient. When we arrived Wednesday night there was no one else in L/D. By Thursday afternoon there were women overflowing into other units waiting for one of the 6 rooms. In 15 minutes I was prepped for surgery and got the spinal...ahh, relief! Robbie came in the OR and 15 minutes after that our baby was out and I could hear her scream. It was the sweetest sound I have ever heard. She wailed! They showed her to me and got her cleaned up. The first things the doctors said were, "Ohh, look, she has lots of hair! And 3 chins!" She scored an 8 on her APGAR test which I hear is a really good score. Robbie took her to the nursery while they stitched me up and vacuumed me out...a really odd sensation. They gave me a shot of Demerol and a pleasant calm came over me knowing my baby was out and we were all safe. When they pulled her out of me she was face up when she should have been face down. This could have been causing much more severe pain and back labor such that the epidural could not keep up without over medicating me. Dr. Augustyn said later that a c-section was probably inevitable due to her size and position and that the right decision was made.

I was taken to recovery where they have the best tasting ice chips I've ever had. I love Demerol. Robbie and Mom were able to come back there and tell me all about her. I had never felt so good in my life as I did right then. Robbie was my hero and I knew I had nothing to worry about.

Two New Arrivals

2009-10-23T13:08:00.004-06:00

My friend Ashley McFarland and her husband Mike welcomed baby Caroline Grace this past September. Ashley is one of the "beach girls" (Ashley, Erin, and myself) I had mentioned in a post from my trip home to Mobile this past August. The 3 of us hung out at the beach during the summers and all 3 of us have had/are having babies nearly exactly 1 month apart. It has been so much fun trading pregnancy stories with these girls all year and it's hard to believe that we have to be the grown ups now. Welcome home Caroline Grace!

Erin and Troy Schwant welcomed home their newest arrival Charlie Thompson Schwant on October 16th. Welcome home Charlie!

At Home

2009-10-23T12:19:00.004-06:00

At my regular check up this past Tuesday the doctor noted that my blood pressure was a little high and they were going to start monitoring it to watch for hypertension and/or preeclampsia. They told me to come back on Friday for a blood pressure check and told me what symptoms to watch for should things escalate.

On Wednesday afternoon my feet and hands puffed up tremendously. Even a coworker noted that my face looked puffy too which is not something a woman ever wants to hear but I had to take it as further validation that I really was not feeling well. I called the doctor's office and they said better to be safe than sorry - come on up and you can see the doctor that's in today. My blood pressure was higher than it had been the day before. They sent me to the lab to have blood drawn for a blood count and to give me a jug to collect ALL of my pee for 24 hours. Oh, and this jug has to be refrigerated. Yes, your vision is accurate: a jug of pee next to the gallon of milk and leftover lasagna. If this was Robbie's pee I would be totally grossed out and would insist that the garage was cool enough for him to keep it well out of my sight. I didn't really put it next to the milk or near any food but rather in the bottom door drawer which can be and has been removed and cleaned just in case. It was not in plain view. Hey, if Robbie can put dead ducks in the fridge, then what's a jug of pee? And may I add that returning the "specimen" to the lab is a bit humiliating. There's just something degrading to everyone involved when you set your giant jug of pee on the counter. You wonder what people are thinking watching you walk into the lab with a brown paper bag. It's not a bottle of beer, folks! But it's not a stool sample either. That might be the only thing worse.

I was also told to stay home from work Thursday until I talked to my doctor Thursday afternoon. Yesterday afternoon my blood pressure was still high and had been high all day, so the doctor told me I would not be returning to work. She also told me we would most likely have this baby around 38 weeks which is LESS THAN 2 WEEKS FROM NOW. We would have the baby next week if I have preeclampsia, but they called this morning to say I did not have enough protein in 24 hour's worth of urine to diagnose preE. That's good news.

The bad news is I am starting my maternity leave now instead of after baby arrives. The bad news - or good news, perhaps - is that I am limited on how much activity I can do. I may not: clean the garage, vacuum, do any housekeeping, cook, or go to the grocery store. I enjoy a leisure lifestyle without a doubt, but even I get anxious looking at all the things I could be doing with all this time I have now and can't. Whoever would have thought I would be dying to clean?? So please, anyone out there, send a message, send a text, send an email, comment on the blog, come over. Entertain me, please! Or come over and clean. You choose.

These pictures are just for fun. The first is Robbie putting together a storage thing for Katie Rose's closet. The second is proof that Robbie also lets Shuge get in the bed. It's not just me!

Visitors from the West

2009-10-19T15:13:00.002-06:00

Thank goodness for my wonderful in-laws. I am so lucky to have such great in-laws who love us so dearly. Vickie and Arnold came over last weekend to visit bringing with them all sorts of gifts, goodies, and even dinner.

They arrived Thursday night with a ravioli casserole made just in time for Survivor. On Friday Arnold and Robbie went duck hunting - Arnold's first trip out for the season. Now that he has killed some ducks he says he can shave his face. These Vernon men have some attachment to their facial hair and only remove it when an animal has been slain. They didn't kill many ducks but they had a good time in the field with the dogs and just enjoying man time.

I wasn't feeling well on Friday so I stayed home all day and Vickie helped me sort through and wash all the newborn clothes and blankets I have, put liners in the drawers, and get me a little more organized. Those who know me know I need help with this stuff and cleaning and putting things away is not my forte. She was such a tremendous help. Vickie, along with her beading talent, has also taken up knitting caps. Katie Rose probably has 6 from Mama V already and I just bet she'll get more. She and I actually enjoyed going through Katie Rose's cute things and talking about when Robbie and Tawnya were born and what sort of nesting things she did. She told us that due to space and where they were at the time she didn't get to do much nesting or decorating of a nursery so to do those things with me was fun for her. Vickie also assembled the bouncer seat cousin Danyel sent us. It was a special time spent with Vickie and Arnold and it was bitter sweet when they left knowing that the next time we see them we'll have our baby!

Happy 30th Birthday Robbie!

2009-10-05T10:23:00.008-06:00

The Centennial Valley

Happy birthday my dear, sweet, loving, and PATIENT husband. We have been together over 6 years now and I believe I have been with you on your birthday every year until this year. But readers, do not think this is me being neglectful or uncaring, and really and truly it has very little to do with me being pregnant. It has EVERYTHING to do with it being opening weekend of duck season. Robbie loves duck hunting almost more than life itself. He also loves big game hunting too, but the ducks and geese are his real passion.

Robbie's birthday wish was to go back to the Centennial Valley where he and I went opening weekend last year. Last year we took Mom and Dad's suburban and camped out in the vehicle in sleeping bags with the seats folded down. It was actually pretty cozy the two of us and a muddy dog. Suburbans make great campers. We had an awesome weekend last year and nearly limited out the first day. Unfortunately our computer crashed a few months ago and we lost our pictures. So sad.

Below is one picture I salvaged off MySpace, but it's compressed.

This year I was not up for the trip since I need 5 or more pillows and a nearby bathroom. I'm also not interested in ruining our daughter's hearing quite yet with shotgun blasts, and I know that this year would not compare to last year when we hung out by the river, shot ducks, missed geese, and drank beers while watching the sun set. I'm not sure we could recreate that experience, so the best thing I could do was just let him go. I felt bad sending him off by himself on his 30th birthday but it's what he wanted and I wasn't going to stop him.

He started packing his bags on Monday while listening to heavy rock man music on the computer. Once in a while he would make an appearance wearing some funny camo hat or raincoat and slippers (with no pants or at least it was long enough to cover his shorts) bearing his shotgun just so I would know how cool he was. How could I forget?? He also took care to pack some magazines and the pregnancy book just for good measure.

Where they hunted this year

Robbie's cousin David from Dillon joined him for part of the weekend. Robbie ultimately camped in the middle of nowhere near the river and was woken up at 2 am by headlights coming toward him. It was his friend Brian from Stevensville who had joined up with David to join him for the Saturday morning hunt. The guys ended up having a great weekend despite some gun malfunctions, a run-in with the game warden (not for something Robbie did), and only shooting a few ducks.

Elk crossing on the way home

Things That Make You Say Hmmm

2009-10-02T13:07:00.006-06:00

I'm never quite sure how much I want to reveal on the blog. Some bloggers reveal everything and speak so candidly that I am embarrassed for them. I am a pretty open book but I realize others might not want to be privy to my openness all the time. That being said...

I had a startling change this week when I was in bed reading my Mayo Clinic pregnancy book. It was talking about breast changes when I noticed that my own showed the unmistakable evidence of being nearly a month ahead of schedule. I was shocked even though I know pregnancy does not necessarily follow a book and cannot be planned out like color-by-numbers. I screamed out, "OH MY GOSH!!!!" Robbie came to my rescue to find out what was wrong. I showed him and he kindly replied, "Wow, that's kind of cool." I started crying insisting that it was NOT cool and that that had never happened to me before and that being a woman you come to expect certain things, but THIS had never EVER happened before, and while I realized it was going to happen and that I wanted it to happen, I was not ready for it at that moment.

I got over the shock after telling a handful of my motherly or pregnant friends who assured me I was ok, but it does start to make you wonder what it could mean. My first thought is maybe she's coming early. My second, less-fortunate thought is it could mean I'll have enough nourishment to provide sustenance to a small country. My third thought is if #2 is the case, maybe there is a way I could make some money selling the stuff as an all natural coffee creamer with real antibodies and immune support! If you're interested, get in touch with me.

I've also been having what I believe to be Braxton Hicks contractions - also normal. I'm actually counting them right now because it seems there is more contraction activity today than other days. I believe I have counted 3 in less than an hour, but it could just be the baby pressing into the upper part of my uterus, or it could be any number of other pressurized disturbances that occur (regularly, I might add) in the abdominal region during pregnancy. I won't elaborate.

Baby also seems to be hanging out low when she's not sitting sideways, or so it feels sometimes. I blame this on me having such limited rental space for her. I can often wear jeans that are long though I am average height 5'6. My torso and waist are what's short. With limited space I believe she's putting additional pressure on my bones below and my bladder. So does this mean she's further down and getting close to being ready? Could she? Would she?

I've heard too many pregnant women say they are sure the baby is coming early for various reasons and I always think to myself that they're just tired of feeling uncomfortable. I can relate with this just like I now understand why I always thought pregnant women were mean, but I still believe a baby arrives neither early nor late but precisely when he means to just like Gandalf the Gray (I'm a total Lord of the Rings nerd). Alas, here I am wondering and saying the same thing countless other women have. The doctor's office has now called me back and said that unless things get significantly worse, I sound totally normal...so I'll just keep waiting.

With Fall and Baby Approaching...

2009-09-30T07:28:00.006-06:00

We decided to take a trip to Yellowstone National Park last Saturday. It was just the 2 of us and often there is no better place to talk and visit than inside the car. We love going for drives to places we haven't been. We spent a whole afternoon one time in Clarkston and if you've ever been around Clarkston you know it's not exactly a destination hotspot.

We drove through Gallatin Canyon into West Yellowstone. It had been a long time since either of us had been that way and we forgot how beautiful it is. The national forest accesses were busy with bow hunters and the pull outs along the way were busy with anglers. It was such a perfect day and when we got to the park entrance it was a free pass day! Then we found out why. There was a bicycle trek going on and there were over 300 cyclists on the road which was very frustrating to Robbie who has bouts of road rage now and then. He kept yelling bravely from inside the car, "You people need to get cars!! What's wrong with cars??" We finally got past them at Old Faithful as we journeyed down to Yellowstone Lake and back north to Tower Junction along the Grand Canyon of YNP. We got out and walked some and I waded into the Firehole River.

We came out through the north entrance/exit at Gardiner. It was a low activity day for animals in the park, but we had a good time anyway and enjoyed spending one on one time together. Those days are numbered...

There were 3 different forest fires burning in the park. Here's the smoke plume from one.

More Nursery Photos

2009-09-29T06:45:00.002-06:00

This is a clock Mom got for me probably 15 years ago. It was on my wall at Tokeneak and in my bathroom at Rosewood. I packed it out here 2 years ago and now it's on Katie Rose's wall. I lost part of the mount on the back of the clock so it doesn't hang quite right for the tongue to swing back and forth, but Robbie is going to come up with something to make it work. Here are the little dolls and things that are in Katie Rose's crib right now. Notice the wild haired dolls from Mrs. Murphy and Mrs. Dale, the melody bear from Mrs. Maria Gwynn, the cuddle giraffe from Mrs. Adelia, the brown haired doll from Valli and the sweater bug from Amy Haas. Don't they coordinate well??

The Nursery Progression

2009-09-25T07:00:00.005-06:00

Here's a reminder of what the crib color and crib bedding looks like

Ok, finally, I have some pictures of the nursery. It's still not done, but it's come a long way. I decided that painting the nursery was going to be one of my own little nesting projects. I kept telling myself things like, "Hey, I've painted before. I can do this. It's just a small room. It won't take that much paint or time. This is going to be great! How hard can it be??" Robbie, having information contrary to my affirmations, was not interested in painting the nursery whatsoever but did agree to help tape the edges, so thank you Robbie for starting the taping process. He also removed the switch plates and air intake vents and moved the furniture to the middle of the room.

I bagged up the crib bumper and went to True Value Hardware here in Belgrade. A nice man named Chris helped me find just the right color blue under the fluorescent lights they have over the paint samples. It was perfect! Then he suggested we go outside in natural sunlight to see if we still liked the color. I was CERTAIN I had done well. Hmm, or not. It was totally wrong! It was too green! Perfection thwarted! So we grabbed an entire book of paint samples, took them all outside and then found the perfect blue. Of course inside, they looked terrible next to eachother, but I was getting tired of being there and I was eager to get home and paint. 114 dollars later I was on my way. We did have to buy a step stool, so it wasn't truly that much just for paint and supplies. Oh, wait, there was primer too. Again my perfect plan of coming home and painting the nursery this beautiful blue was stalled again for the ugly yet necessary primer.

Whoo hoo, I'm now on my way but feeling less energetic than I was a couple of hours ago.

Robbie had not quite finished taping. I blame myself for this. I think what happened is I was so excited and enthusiastic about "my little project" that I accidentally convinced him I really was capable and willing to do it all myself. Lessons in marriage, right? I got home and was totally annoyed that I had 5 other steps to complete before I could put anything on the wall. I rushed through those 5 steps and in the most unorganized, least methodical manner, I got my roller wet and put primer on the wall. After priming 2 half-walls reality set in that I needed help. Meredith, the dear and wonderful, had offered to help, so I called her. She's also really tall. Tall friends are good to have when painting. I sat on the floor and did the bottom stuff while she painted the tops of the walls. We let the primer dry and then put the blue on. We actually finished and together it only took us about 3-4 hours. See how tall Meredith is?? Yes, that is paint in my hair. Tell me again WHY I thought I would do this alone???? I am singing a different tune now. The next morning I painted 2 walls that needed a second coat and then I looked at the room and decided it was good. The paint spills on the carpet are minimal. There's only a little paint on the baseboards and a little paint on the electric sockets, but I don't think it's anything I can't get rid of with a little nail polish remover.

I'll post some more pictures soon!

Few Notes

2009-09-19T12:29:00.006-06:00

Ok, this post is way late, but it's been a whirlwind since I got home with work, doctors appointments, childbirth classes, and nursery painting and taking time to prop my feet up. It's been unseasonably warm here the last 2 weeks such that my feet and ankles have been swollen. I no longer have ankles but long calves often referred to as cankles that nearly crease as my ankle becomes my foot. I had never considered how attractive normal ankles were until now. Each morning when the swelling has gone down I take a quick look to admire them before they puff up again like sausages. I swear if you pierced them they would steam.

So I really am wanting to post on the trip to Mobile. It was so fantastic. We took pictures at the 2, yes 2, baby showers my dear friends and family hosted for me. I saved them to a cd and then Mom gave the cd to Shelly, so that's the hold up on pictures. Here's one Mom emailed to me of 3 Mamas. Ashley, Erin, and myself. Ashley has actually already had her baby September18th. Welcome to the world baby Caroline Grace! Erin is having her baby October 16th and I am due the next month. The 3 of us hung out at Ono during the summers together and it's so funny that we would all have babies nearly exact months apart. It's not coming through as a clear photo, but it's good enough. I seem to be making some weird face.

I'll post more later with more pictures as I get them, but while I had the chance I wanted to get started on this post.

Bad Blogger

2009-09-18T09:46:00.002-06:00

I have been a bad blogger lately. I haven't even posted on my trip to Mobile because I'm waiting on photos. The nursery is coming along too, so I have pictures to post of that. I've gotten some other ideas as well, so as soon as I have a few hours I'll get this done. I promise!

Fishing on the Yellowstone

2009-09-09T07:41:00.004-06:00

Several weekends ago Robbie went fishing with Dad and some of their friends and neighbors from Mobile, Bill and DJ Johnson. Robbie had never been on a guided fishing trip in Montana so he was really excited to be going on the Yellowstone River near Livingston. Robbie caught the first fish and later caught the biggest fish. Thanks Dad!!

Kitty Belle's New Bed

2009-08-24T20:07:00.004-06:00

Mom came over a few days ago to look at the baby's room and to help with some organization - Aren't moms great???? We were working around the house not paying attention to what the animals were doing and when we came back in the baby's room this is what we saw.

I'm thinking we might have to get one of those nets that goes over the crib, but to me that seems scary for the baby to feel trapped in a net. Is there really a worry out there about cats smothering babies anymore? I am sure my cats will frequently check out the baby room and will probably get in the baby's crib. Maybe we should be more worried about what diseases and bacteria cats carry than the fact they may steal the baby's breath. Any thoughts?

Some Special Women

2009-08-22T09:59:00.008-06:00

Last month Mom had 3 of her friends come visit from Mobile and the Eastern Shore. These are 3 friends she has known since highschool, Adelia, Ima Jean, and Anne and what remarkable women they are. Mom refers to them as "domestic divas." I admit I was a bit embarrassed for them to come to my house knowing it was covered in dust and animal fur - a far cry from their literally spotless homes, but I decided that since Miss Ima Jean and Miss Adelia, at least, had known me since I was born, it was too late to be anyone but myself. Miss Anne, if you read this, well, that's just me.

They were here for the ultrasound when we found out we are having a girl and they dove right into all things girlie and cute. They went shopping with Mom and they even came to the baby store to look at cribs and other baby goods with us and didn't seem to mind a bit! They especially didn't mind taking silly pictures at the mexican restaurant after Mom drank 2 margaritas. Miss Adelia had to drive home. Mom has always proclaimed when it came to alcohol, she was a cheap date.

This is me with my prenatal vitamins and an O'Doules.

And the 3 of them are grandmothers too! Mom loved being in good fun company with other seasoned grandmothers who could share insight and experience and a grandmother's list of must-haves. They even came to my house (while Robbie was gone) and had a mini baby shower for me with lots of beautiful, wonderful, useful things. This little girl is loved, I tell you! Montana doesn't do "foo foo" much so having these southern women around was a rare and CUTESY treat with wrapping and ribbons and pink and flowers and duckies, oh my!. I loved every minute. I can't wait to see them all again when I go back to Mobile next week!!

The other special part was that all of these women have sons with daughters-in-law so they shared some stories and insight into what it's like to be a mother-in-law and it made me think about my relationship with Vickie, Robbie's mother, and of how much I appreciate her and the place she's coming from too. Thank you Miss IJ, Miss Adelia, and Miss Anne for your fun visit and for sharing your thoughts with me. I was touched.

From left to right: Miss Adelia, Miss Ima Jean, Mom, and Miss Anne

Updates on the Nursery

2009-08-17T06:40:00.008-06:00

*See note toward the bottom regarding the giant gorilla in the corner

The room has been slightly transformed into the basics of a nursery. We moved a chest of drawers into the room and we got the crib last week. We invited my parents and brother over for dinner last Thursday night with the idea that the men would put the crib together while the women prepared dinner. It mostly went that way with Robbie putting the final touches on the crib over the weekend. Here are some photos.

And the guys warmed up with a little Wii bowling and boxing.

First I had to tell them what to do. No, not really. I leave the mechanical things to the guys. They knew JUST what to do and had the whole thing done in about 45 minutes. Thanks guys!! But it wasn't totally finished until Birdie gave it her inspection. Then every stuffed animal we own was put into the crib for the time being. Come to think of it, it's a good way to keep the cats out of the bed!

*Notice the giant gorilla in the crib. I have not been able to part with this gorilla knowing that Dad carried it on the airplane home from New York. This gorilla is so big it could have used its own seat on the plane. Now the gorilla will be the baby's and she can decide what to do with it. I thought the crib bedding was going to show up on Friday and we could have had the walls painted this weekend, but we will have to continue waiting. I suppose it's better to have to wait because then I would get it all done and have to dust it and wash everything again before the baby comes. I hate cleaning.

More photos to come as things progress!

Other Ultrasound Pictures

2009-08-13T06:34:00.006-06:00

These are 2 more pictures from our last ultrasound several weeks ago. I had them at work for a long time and typical me, I forgot to bring them home...for 3 weeks. I'm pretty sure she has the prettiest fingers ever. You can see her left hand in the picture below with her fingers extended and her other hand curled up floating above her face. I hope her nose gets cuter than it looks in the second picture. She appears to have Robbie's forehead. I love every inch of her!

Posts coming soon

2009-08-12T17:51:00.003-06:00

I have a few I need to post. I'm just waiting on photos. Soon to come:

Family friends visit from Mobile
Robbie's 10 year highschool reunion
The beginnings of the nursery: Before, During, & After
And finally....
THE NAME ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

Stay tuned!

Nesting Has Started

2009-08-05T12:26:00.004-06:00

Last weekend I spent several hours cleaning and reorganizing my room and the baby's room. We moved a dresser into the baby room which meant I had to go through each drawer and sort through the get-rid-of pile and keep pile. I must have vacuumed the room 5 times going back over each spot where I would move something else. I cleaned out the closet and put the crib mattress we got in there. I sorted through the gifts we have already received - ADORABLE THINGS - and put them in some of the drawers. I even dusted the blinds and cleaned the window sill.

Mom and I got the crib mattress on Saturday. I'm learning so much about babies and how they need super firm mattresses at first and then softer ones as they approach the toddler years. We also ordered the crib which should arrive by the middle of next week. Here is a picture of what we ordered. Mom and her friends Miss Ima Jean, Miss Adelia, and Miss Anne and I spent some time in Bibs and Binkies, a local baby boutique, looking at cribs. Robbie and I went back and made the final decision. Robbie actually picked this one out and I think he was proud to be able to make such a prominent nursery decision. See posts below to see our actual bedding.

In addition to preparing the nursery my mind goes over all the other things that need to be cleaned...behind the oven, behind the refridgerator, the carpets, the baseboards, the fan blades, the man room. Yes, Robbie! The man room must be cleaned as well! I'm making the list in my mind and the urgency to complete these things has not quite set in, but the wheels are turning. Robbie, brace yourself.

IT'S A GIRL!

2009-07-25T19:18:00.004-06:00

Photos to come....

It was 90% confirmed at our last ultrasound that it was a girl and that her heart looked great! She is still head down but this time she was facing sideways instead of backwards. We are so excited and blesses to have a healthy baby and pregnancy thus far. When I first learned I was pregnant, a girl was what I wanted, but I started telling myself it was a boy just in case it wasn't a girl. Then I got caught up in it being a boy that when I suspected girl 3 weeks ago, I had to readjust. Now I realize it doesn't matter and never did. Girls and girl things are just so darn sweet.

We are also very thankful that Robbie's parents got to come over for the ultrasound. The timing of the last appointment didn't work for them to join us, so when we rescheduled I made sure they were able to come. We had quite the entourage at the hospital: Tim and Yvonne, my parents, Arnold and Vickie, Robbie's parents, and Robbie's friend Calvin who arrived that morning from North Dakota. The ultrasound tech could definitely tell this was the first baby and first grandbaby for the number of people following us.

Robbie and Calvin took off camping for the weekend with some of their guy friends so we haven't had alot of time to talk about it. My initial thoughts are how precious she will be. How I hope she gets Robbie's blue eyes. How I will teach her self respect, kindness, happiness, and to know she is a prize. My friend Shannon says she's going to teach her to be a princess. I say ok as long as she's a nice princess who cares for her king and queen and all the people of her kingdom and her earth.

We have wasted no time collecting girl things. The first thing we got was a pair of crocheted pink bunny booties. Shortly after we got the crib bedding we liked.
Meredith picked me up for lunch after hitting Macy's picking up 7 or 8 dresses on the summer sale. Mom and her girlfriends came over today bringing bags, booties, blankets, bibs, bowls, wipes, and many other adorable things. Her 3 friends, Ima Jean, Adelia, and Anne are all grandmothers and had plenty of advice to offer to me and to Mom about what she'll need at her house.

I know some people like to wait to know the gender, but I am so glad to know. I feel like it's a half way milestone and sheds a new color on the whole rest of the pregnancy. Little girl, you are loved!!

Next Ultrasound Friday

2009-07-21T08:29:00.005-06:00

Our next ultrasound is this Friday - earlier than 4 pm - and I can't wait to see our baby again. I am not as anxious about this one as I was the last one now that I know what it's about and knowing that sometimes babies don't do what you want them to. All you moms out there are thinking, "Lee, let go of this expectation right now." It just goes to show that even at 20 weeks our baby has a mind of its own and makes conscious and unconscious choices of its own. I know, another idea I need to get used to.

I'm feeling the baby move more and more often. This week it has been down low tap dancing on my bladder. At one point I felt a bump above and to the right of my belly button and down low at the same time which gave me an idea of how long it might be. It was also an indication that it's getting closer and closer to my ribs at which point there will be nowhere to go but out front.

This period of pregnancy has truly been the most fun compared to the first 18 weeks. This part makes you look forward to doing it again. I feel pretty good most of the time except in the middle of the night when I get up. I feel sore like my body doesn't want to move or bend and my feet feel stiff and achy. What is this?? Anyone know? I believe my feet might be growing. With it being so warm my feet are bigger than they were in May and I hear your feet can grow during pregnancy. Is this because of the hormone relaxin?

A Star is Born

2009-07-16T10:20:00.006-06:00

If you read our post about the timing of the conception of this baby, you will remember that it happened the week I auditioned for the play The Foreigner. It spent its first 8 weeks of life in the theatre with all the adrenaline and joys of stardom. If the phases of the moon or the days of the week supposedly shape the personality of the child, why can't the feelings and actions of the mother also have an impact? I'm starting to really wonder if it does.

Case in point #1: The Foreigner is running again currently with all the same cast members except for me. They claimed I would/might appear too pregnant. Hogwash, I know! Well, not really since I can't wear any of my prepregnancy clothes. Advice to other pregnant women - Don't even try. You'll be pleased when your jeans fit over your hips. You'll be pleased further when you can button them, but very displeased when your belly is bulging over the top. So, back to The Foreigner. We went last Friday night to opening night of the play and our baby jumped around the whole time. It wanted to be on stage again and so did it's mommy!

Case in point #2: Last night I went to see the new Harry Potter movie. Last night was also the first time I could push on my stomach and actually feel it bump, so we have decided to name the baby if it's a girl Hermione Lavender, and if it's a boy, Harry Albus. I was lying in bed smiling to myself as if the world could melt away around me as long as I could keep this connection. I would press down and feel it press back. I could even feel it move more to one side than the other. I don't know what was a foot or arm or head, but I could feel it change positions and it was the most amazing thing...magical even!

So the point here is that our baby likes to be entertained and seems especially stimulated by the theatre. I've also changed my inclination to think it just might be a girl and when I think of dramatic, theatrical little girls I think of none other than Samantha Luterman and Mary Kristen (Galanos) Frank.

Pictured on the front row are Mary Kristen on the far left, Samantha third from the left and I am right next to Samantha during our kindergarten Christmas play.

I have known these queens since I was 4 years old. We went to school together all our lives. Mom tells carpool stories about Samantha how she would cry the entire way home but when she got out of the car she would do cartwheels to her front door.

This is Samantha now on the right dressing up and I bet she can still do cartwheels.

Mary Kristen and I were in the same first grade class and when the teacher left us attended by a high school student MK would behave so badly! I remember her getting in big trouble for opening the window in the classroom and escaping while the teacher was gone. MK even got married on stage at the Saenger Theatre in Mobile! Both of them were very active in theatre and had an uncanny ability to hold their audiences captive. All I can say is I will forever be entertained should this be true.

This is Mary Kristen. She titled the performance in this photo "NY Bar Prep While Drinking Sangria."

To Red Lodge and Back

2009-07-13T10:32:00.008-06:00

This past weekend we went with my mom and dad to Red Lodge, Montana to spend the night and drive over the Beartooth Highway into Cooke City located inside Yellowstone National Park. We left Saturday morning after dropping off 2 eager puppies at Bark City, the local doggie daycare. We enjoyed the time in the car together and talked about everything from our favorite tv show True Blood to Baby V's arrival. We ate lunch in Red Lodge before checking into the hotel. Rock Creek was flowing along side the hotel and it looked like it might have some good fishing, but access was an issue. The guys hung out while Mom and I shopped in Red Lodge. It mostly had touristy shops with a few nice gift stores. One in particular was called The Glass Rabbit where they had adorable baby things - if only BV had shown him/herself!! We had a wonderful dinner Saturday where we ate noteworthy clam chowder and not soon forgotten cheesecake.

Sunday morning after breakfast we got on the highway and drove up the steep switch backs eventually reaching nearly 11,000 feet above sea level. The sights were spectacular and included many marmots aka rockchucks and seldom seen mountain goats. The mountain lakes were abundant. One still had ice chunks in it.

We made our way to Cooke City within YNP and came out through the east exit at Gardiner, Montana. In the park we saw a huge bull elk, lots of bison, and even a black bear eating grass. We started referring to BV as the bear cub (a reference back to my grizzly bear post), so little bear cub, we look forward to taking you to the park and watching your amazement at this great big world.

20 Weeks...Gender Undetected

2009-07-06T11:10:00.009-06:00

Our 20 week ultrasound came and went. It has been the most highly anticipated day since finding out we were pregnant. We went to the radiology department on Friday afternoon with mom and dad. The ultrasound tech was very nice and I thanked her for being there on a holiday weekend at 4 o'clock and being nice about it. We got to see its arms and legs, feet and hands, ribs and spine, kidneys and bladder, and skull. It was the cutest ultrasound I've ever seen. It was face planted backwards (facing my back) and upside down with its legs tightly crossed. We got no preview of its baby parts to see if it was a boy or a girl! I tried rolling over, jumping up and down, doing some squats, eating some candy and the little bugger wouldn't budge. We also couldn't see its heart the way we needed to. There wasn't a problem. They just couldn't see all the chambers the way they needed to because of how it was positioned. The good news is that for that medical reason we get to have another one in a few weeks.

Its little feet were stacked right on top of eachother.

I admit was a little disappointed

to not find out. I guess I built it all up too much in my mind that we would have a new way of looking at our baby from that day forward. It's still really cool and I am so grateful that everything looked well. See you soon, baby!! We love you already!

Week 20: Ultrasound Eve

2009-07-02T11:54:00.006-06:00

Tomorrow is our 20 week ultrasound. I am soooo excited! I'm thrilled to see our baby on the screen again. The changes will be tremendous since our first ultrasound at week 7 when it looked like nothing more than a tiny blob. It will look like a baby with a real facial profile. Hopefully it will reveal its gender and that it's heart and bone structure look perfect. It gives me chills to know that tomorrow we will hopefully know more about our baby that will forecast its entire future - names, activities, clothes, hopes and dreams. Dad can start planning the pony barn, tractor shed, and anything else he thinks this kid could want or need. If you recall I asked Dad when we announced we were pregnant what he would say when this kid wants a pony. Dad said, "I'll tell it to get in the truck. Let's go!"

Dad has been saying this whole time that if we find out the gender he wants us to try to keep it a secret for him. He arrived back in town last night and has changed his mind and now wants to be at the ultrasound. I asked him why he changed his mind. He replied, "I don't want to be left out!" Haha, of course you don't, Dad, and you won't have to be! Bill and Gail Bramer are also here from Mobile visiting and will get to be part of the excitement tomorrow.

Back to the Man's Guide to Baby Sizes, I thought this week 20 comparison was too good not to include. Here's what he said:

Pregnancy Week 20: Mmmm...memories. This week your baby is now the size of one nice-sized boob.

My question is a nice sized regular boob? Or a nice sized pregnant boob? The difference can be substantial.

I also want to give a shout out to my friend Shelly whose birthday is tomorrow. Happy birthday Shells!!!!!!!

Grizzly Bears - I'm Almost That Furry

2009-07-01T11:21:00.008-06:00

The hardest part of pregnancy so far has been dealing with the emotional/hormonal ups and downs. Rob has been as patient as he knows how to be despite my impatience (rage, actually) at times. He tries very hard to understand but he also lets me know when enough is enough! It's a hard thing for a man to understand how our emotions really and truly alter our entire perception of reality.

Rob likes to compare me to a mama grizzly bear. (Rob uses the technical female bear term, sow, which makes me think of a pig, and that is not how I want to think of myself right now). A man was recently attacked by a mama grizzly in Yellowstone National Park. The man was walking down the trail and came upon a grizzly bear and her cub feeding on an elk carcass. That man is lucky to be alive! Nothing is more fierce than a grizzly with a cub. Throw food in the equation and you have a killer beast. I believe on a primitive level it is a perfectly natural response during pregnancy for women to be more defensive and aggressive to ensure the best protection of our babies. We are more vulnerable during pregnancy so it seems we take extra protective measures. Rob has gotten so good at this he usually greets me with something to eat when I get home from work (darling, I know!) eliminating the need for food in his effort to prevent disaster. Maybe I'm just trying to justify my short temper, but I think there's something to what I'm saying. Why else would it be more difficult now than it was before pregnancy?

I don't want anyone thinking I am horrible to my husband or anyone else who crosses me. That has not been the case. I just have to work a little harder at it because my first impulse is not always kind. I am still employed as a customer service representative who delights in being cheerful and helpful 40 hours a week. The rest of the time, bring bear spray.

Oh and as for me being furry, apparently hair growth is a side effect of pregnancy. Every time I go to the doctor I say, "I think my belly is getting hairier." She says plainly, "Yes, it is. This will continue."

The Ring Test

2009-06-26T16:00:00.003-06:00

A coworker told me to try the ring test. She said to tie a strand of my hair to my wedding ring and hold it over my belly. She said if it moves back and forth like a pendulum, it's a boy. If it twirls, it's a girl. I tried the test twice and my non pregnant coworkers all tried it. Theirs did nothing and mine said it is a........

BOY!

We'll find out for sure next week, but my coworker said it was right for all of her grand kids even when they were sure one of them just had to be a boy (they already had 2 boys and figured they would have 3).

Did any other moms try this test and was it right? Leave a comment and let me know!

Our Latest Acquisition...and I'm Afraid

2009-06-16T15:04:00.004-06:00

Last Saturday I hitched a ride with my friend Allison to Frenchtown to spend the night with my long time friends Jenny, Josh, and their kids Jacob and Alayna. It was a short but enjoyable visit. Jenny asked me if I was ok to share a room with Alayna the 14-month-old. I confidently said, "Sure! I need to practice being around these babies anyway!" Jenny assured me she would sleep all night and she did...except she kind of snores. Snoring is one of those things I cannot sleep through so I ended up sleeping on the couch in the livingroom. Jenny told me that when I have my own child, if it snores, I will be used to it and sleep right through it. I've wondered before if you get used to your husband snoring and the answer is NO!

Now for the acquisition. Jenny and Josh generously gave to me their Medela breast pump. I intend to breastfeed and will probably need the pump after I go back to work, but I am afraid of it. It looks like a torture device masked by the sleek backpack it comes in. It comes with a wall plug in, a car plug in, and a rechargeable battery pack. I can pump ANYWHERE. Could you imagine us driving down the road passing truck drivers with these airhorn looking things attached to me? I'm horrified!

Montana and Breastfeeding: At my first prenatal visit they gave me an intro packet, Similac samples and coupons, and other literature about medications I can take, and so forth. Included in this packet is a copy of Montana's statute declaring public breastfeeding a natural right and that it is unlawful to prohibit it in public places. I don't know how other states feel about this, but I was shocked that it was even mentioned and even more shocked that it was written in the law books. I guess breastfeeding at the DMV while I wait to have my number called never occurred to me. How do other moms feel about breastfeeding in public?

Growth Comparison for Men

2009-06-12T12:07:00.003-06:00

On the website I mentioned, http://www.hisboyscanswim.com/, the author chronicles pregnancy from the man's point of view. Some of the comments he makes and stories he tells are hilarious and refreshing for me to read having experienced them myself. In one post he wrote how women post comparison pictures of fruits or vegetables that are the same size as the baby week to week. He posted one for men with man-things to compare it to. I'm at 17 weeks now so here's his comparison:

Pregnancy Week 17:

Goaaaaaaaaaal!!! This week your baby is about the size of a hockey puck.

This seems appropriate while the Stanley Cup is going on. Who from Mobile would ever think I would be watching hockey? The final game is tonight and Rob's favorite team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, are playing the Detroit Red Wings.

Pregnant Brain

2009-06-06T15:59:00.001-06:00

I had an idea for another post I was going to save and edit later and now it's totally forgotten. This happens alot lately. Darn it!

16 Week Appointment

2009-06-06T14:28:00.002-06:00

I went to my 16 week appointment yesterday. Everything looked and sounded great. At this stage they have to push so hard on your belly to get the doppler reading that it's kind of uncomfortable but worth it. Uncomfortable but worth it...Am I detecting the recurring theme of pregnancy here?

My friend Meredith saw the same doctor and actually referred me to her. She also referred several of her friends to Dr. Augustyn. At her last appointment she told the doctor she should get a referral gift but that she's had her tubes tied and couldn't think of a gift she could give her at this point. I suggested Dr. Augustyn give ME the gift instead and let me have an ultrasound to see the baby earlier than 20 weeks. Just a sneak peek is all I wanted! When I asked the doctor yesterday she adamantly and humorously stated that she offered no gifts and that she would not be giving away an ultrasound. I hate it when I don't get what I want, but if you don't ask then the answer is definitely no. It was worth a shot.

I have only gained 4.5 pounds since my first visit and I am thrilled about that. Dr. Augustyn says, "Just wait. It'll be slow at first and then you'll come in and be shocked." Thanks, Dr., really. Haha, oh well. It's just my body filling with fluids and nutrients to support our little one inside. It's a pretty remarkable concept to think about. I have become this life-giving vessel and I have so many reactions going on in my body all designed in perfect harmony to be able to grow a healthy baby. Some of these reactions are more pleasant than others. Radiant skin glow due to higher blood volume, that's nice. Hormonal volatility (axe murderer syndrome at times), not so nice.

One of the most amazing natural responses to me is immune suppression. The body has to suppress its immune functions so it doesn't reject the baby. You would think it would do the opposite to make itself super healthy and not prone to illnesses, but the body sees the baby as a foreign object that the body would reject otherwise if not for a weakened immune system. It's fascinating! Remind me of this when I get sick. The only sickness I've had so far is morning sickness still, but it's not that bad and it's better now than it was.

I'll post more later on a funny blog I came across written by the father. I was laughing so hard reading about the argument they got into after a seemingly peaceful walk to the mailbox. If you care to check it out the website is www.hisboyscanswim.com. Love and later!!

First Few Purchases

2009-06-02T08:21:00.002-06:00

I was really hoping to hold off buying things as long as I could, but a phone call from one's mother can change your thinking. Mom called me several days ago and told me I should start looking for baby gear so that I didn't have to buy alot all at once. She said, "...and we'll need at least 4 car seats. One for your car. One for Robbie's car. One for my car and one for Vickie and Arnold's car." And so it begins...

I went on www.craigslist.com and started looking for baby gear for sale in the Bozeman area. I found a Britax car seat with 2 bases and a stroller all for 100 dollars. Knowing nothing about baby products I called some friends who all agreed that Britax was an excellent (and expensive) brand. They told me it was important that the car seat was not expired - who knew car seats came with expiration dates?? They also said to make sure the car seat had never been involved in a car accident which the seller told me it was not. My friends also said the baby would only be in that car seat for a few months before it needed a bigger one anyway, so if I could get a good deal, TAKE IT! Now I just need a friend to come over and show me how to work this stuff.

We are now have 4 pieces of baby flare. It looks so strange in our house. Robbie brought it in last night and put it all in the middle of the living room. We just stood and stared at it for a moment shocked with the realization that this kind of stuff was about to consume our lives.

On a somewhat related but humorous note, I went to a bridal shower last Saturday. The couple already has tons of household stuff and didn't really register, so I decided to get her a bottle of her favorite tequila, Patron. I felt like a diabetic in a candy store going into Belgrade Liquor and seeing the walls of delicious libations I could not have. I made it out just fine, but for now, I doubt I'll be going back any time soon.

Memorial Day Camping...With Kids

2009-05-26T18:25:00.011-06:00

We camped this Memorial Day weekend with our friends Ben and Meredith, Nate and Amanda, and Keith and Kelly, and between us all, seven dogs which were really quite fun to watch. We also camped with Alison - 3, Camas - 3, Timber - 1, and Emma - 6 weeks. Only in Montana would a family take their 6 week old baby camping, but Emma was a real trooper and probably had the most fun of all being loved and held all weekend. I am amazed at how DIRTY they get! We camped in the town of Wise River, Montana near the Bighole River and Battlefield. The weather was fantastic Saturday when we enjoyed the sun, took a short hike, threw the kids in the snowbanks (yes, there is still snow), and took naps. Sunday we got rained on, but thanks to Nate and Amanda, who brought their wall tent, we had a dry, heated place to play games. We cooked a bunch of food, and it's totally true that camp food tastes the best though it takes 3 times as long to cook. We enjoyed tinfoil dinners, pork roast, fried chicken, onion rings, camp beans, breakfast burritos, and all the other good junk food that goes with it.

I admit that I missed drinking beer this camping trip and I realized it is going to be a long, long summer of camping sans the beer. It might be the best part of camping and it certainly helps you sleep! I tried to bring fun drinks for myself, but they just didn't cut it the way a Miller Lite would have. Oh well. It's for a good cause...It's for a good cause...It's for a good cause. In the past it's always been Meredith or Amanda or someone else who couldn't drink. Now it's my turn. I hope I don't sound like a lush typing this, but you must understand, it's a camping essential.

Other pitfalls of camping while pregnant:

1. Peeing in the woods many times a night is not fun.

2. Sleeping in a tent is already uncomfortable. It does not improve with pregnancy.

3. Make sure the air mattress doesn't leak, Robbie.

We also learned some things about camping with children.

1. Bring a large vehicle.

2. Bring them lots and lots of clothes to change into.

3. We had the great idea to buy their camp clothes at garage sales and then throw them away as they destroy them, or better, just throw the clothes in the fire when they're done.

4. Two three year olds need to sleep in separate tents.

5. Wear earplugs.

All Quiet on the Western Front

2009-05-14T14:12:00.007-06:00

I don't have much to report on me, but here are some updates on my friends' babies.

Ashley Barnes McFarland is having a girl - her first baby!
Erin Burns Schwant is having another boy - her second baby!
Lauren Martina Hughey is having a boy - her second baby!
Brooke and Peter Howell had their baby, Matine John Howell, on May 11th and she's just beautiful! http://www.brookeandpeter.blogspot.com/

Ashley, Erin, and I (and Todd) used to hang out together at Ono from the time we were in 8th grade. We have too many silly stories to recount, but it sure is funny that Ashley is due in September, Erin in October, and me in November. It makes me miss Mobile and how fun it would be for us to play together again with our own mini-me's.

I feel like a bad blogger because I haven't had much to report lately. The first trimester is officially over today which means our chances of miscarriage are significantly decreased. I still get sick a few times a week, but the Dr. told me that was a good sign. Mom confirmed that with their cardiologist friend who was over for dinner the other night. He agreed that being a little sick was a sign of a good, viable baby. My friend Catherine Kelly gave me some info that came straight from her mom, Chris, who has had 7 babies. I think having 7 makes her the expert. Chris says the sickness should officially stop by 16 weeks, not the end of the first trimester as most people say. She also said that a woman's arms are designed to hold a baby and can cradle a baby forever. Men's arms are different and can only hold a baby for so long before they have to put it down. I thought that was kind of sweet. I thought about how I can't wait to hold our baby. I thought about it again the other day when I was holding sweet Emma Sutherlin. My arms got tired.

12 Week Appointment

2009-05-08T14:10:00.002-06:00

Robbie and I went to our 12 week appointment today. We got to hear our little one's heartbeat! It was so cool. I was forewarned that sometimes at this stage they cannot hear the heartbeat with the doppler and that I shouldn't panic. If they can't find the heartbeat they will do an ultrasound to check on the baby. I was hoping they wouldn't be able to find it with the doppler and we would get another sneak preview and a picture, but the baby was cooperative and Dr. Augustyn found it right away. What a nice, compliant baby we have...so far. It undoubtedly gets that from its parents. The doppler thing she used did not have a heart rate monitor on it so we don't know for sure the beats per minute. Dr. Augustyn said if she had to guess she would say about 150 beats per minute. Is this any indication of a boy or a girl? I feel like every time we go to the doctor we get another piece of the puzzle or maybe just a red herring clue.

But speaking of gender, I just found out my friend Ashley is having a girl! I am so happy and excited for she and Mike! Ashley took one of those new gender prediction urine tests a week or so ago which told her at that time it was a girl. Those tests have been under some scrutiny for not being very reliable, but apparently it was right for her. I wonder if I can hold out til the 20th week or if I will want to know sooner. I'm a girl who likes to know!

The Injustice

2009-05-06T09:22:00.003-06:00

Ok, so I am not one of those pregnant people that needs to be showered with lots of "ooohs" and "awwwws" and "you're so special" and "you really do look fantastic in your elastic waisted pants," but the other day from the lips of my dear mother came the words, "Ohh, poor Robbie." I'm sure this was over some insignificant sacrifice Robbie had to make like not going fishing on Saturday but going on Sunday instead. Or maybe I asked Robbie to help me with some housework which prompted her deepest sympathies for him.
In my best hormonal tone I said to Mom, "How is it Robbie gets a "Ohh, poor Robbie" when I'm the one throwing up????" She laughed hysterically and then very tongue in cheek replied, "Oh, daughter, do you really think you won't reap some rewards?" I was defenseless against her question! Of course I (with Robbie) will reap HUGE rewards as well as a some discomforts and inconveniences from this exciting journey. And I was satisfied to think that...until this week when Robbie got a new fly rod from Dad with the promise of a new reel when Dad comes out to go along with the fishing trip they are taking this summer and Robbie received a care package of goodies from Williams Sonoma from Mom. I'm still just throwing up while wearing my elastic waist pants. Someone please tell me I look fabulous!!

*Readers should know that I am really just exaggerating my aggravation, perhaps jealousy, and that I have no doubt that the greatest gift is contained solely within me for the time being and it is the very reason I am sick and wearing ugly pants and that I am so, so proud to be in such a condition!

"The Recession is Over!"

2009-04-27T11:56:00.003-06:00

"The recession is over," Tim said when he announced the news to others that we are pregnant. I think he believes my mother is going to single-handedly turn the economy around with buying things for this baby. Maybe it's time to invest in Baby Gap. We haven't gotten too much stuff yet - just a half a tote full. Mom has been going with the theme of bunnies or ducks, so she bought us a book called Duck! Rabbit!. She says it's all about perception. We're getting into the psychological and emotional teachings already! I'm so glad she's on our team. This little one has much to learn from Omamabon as she calls herself lately.

Welcome, Baby Emma

2009-04-23T11:28:00.005-06:00

Emma Lily Sutherlin was born to our good friends Ben and Meredith on April 9th. She weighed in at 7 lbs 14 oz. She had some breathing issues and had to stay in the hospital for the first week, but she is home now and Meredith and Emma are doing great. We have even had lunch together at MacKenzie River Pizza. Big Sister Alison is very proud of her baby sister.

Kitty Belle's New Do - Notice the Before Picture Further Down

2009-04-21T05:23:00.004-06:00

Poor Kitty Belle...

When I picked her up from the groomer she had a death-look on her face. Birdie and Shuge think she is a different cat and won't leave her alone. I'm sure KB is humiliated, but she seemed really cuddly and sweet last night so maybe she feels better. Or maybe she's cold. Either way no more hairballs for us!

Housekeeping

2009-04-20T10:14:00.005-06:00

My midnight brainstorming went well when I presented my ideas to Rob. I met him with a smile and a kiss and dinner which made him all the more open to my cleaning suggestions. We've made some deals too. Rob will change the cat litter and I will change the sheets. He hates changing sheets and I am quite fine with not changing the cat litter. All the books say that pregnant women shouldn't change cat litter. However, I have also read that if you have cats you are most likely immune to toxoplasmosis and you wouldn't have much to worry about. I'm just going to accept that I can't change cat litter. The end. We worked together Saturday morning and got alot done. Now Mom, don't go thinking I'm going to turn into the great housekeeper you are, but I might surprise you and do better now that I am thinking about a little baby on the floor who might, no WILL, find the smallest piece of carpet fiber or cat litter and put it in his/her mouth.

In the post below this one you'll see my black cat Kitty Belle. I have had KB for 9 years. We've been through alot together including 5 moves. That's a good cat that will move with you 5 times including one move across the country. This morning I dropped her off at the groomer to have her hair shaved off. She has the thickest fur of any cat I have ever seen. I am tired of the tufts of fur allover the carpet and the sound of her puking up hairballs in the middle of the night. As if the barfing sound wasn't bad enough, Shuge the dog thinks this is the sound of a dinner bell and gets all anxious to go eat the hairball. Gross, I know. So since I can't get rid of the cat, we are getting rid of the problem. The last time I shaved her she ran away for 10 days. A cat's fur is its pride, second only to its tail.

Cheerios at 3:30 am

2009-04-16T03:37:00.004-06:00

Good morning blogging world! It's 3:38 am and I am awake. Mild insomnia....also a really fun part of being pregnant. I have been awake for about half an hour. What originally woke me up was the rustling of the dog and cats and a strange ammonia smell which I hope and believe to be imaginary. Then I needed to use the bathroom, followed by a bit of queasiness, remedied with a small bowl of cheerios.

Now that I am awake I am of course contemplating all the things we need to do around here. Specifically regarding the cats, cat litter, our floors, which are dirty, but otherwise great, and other house chores. Those who know me know that I am not a housekeeper, nor am I very organized around the house. But behold, right now at 3:44 am I am considering making a chart of chores that need to be done weekly, monthly, and every six months. I am a person who needs a list. I seldom make them, but they are really useful and help keep me on track. What does Robbie think of this? I haven't told him yet. Let's just hope I can keep my mind over my hormones and inform him in a nice, gentle manner. I won't wake him right now. Wouldn't it be nice to be asleep and dreaming peacefully right now? He will be waking up in 20 minutes anyway for his work day. I will create said chart today and present it to him with a smile and a kiss this evening. He's going to love it. (Yeah right). Here's hoping. I'll post a follow up....

Our First Ultrasound

2009-04-10T17:03:00.000-06:00

We had our first ultrasound April 7th. The doctor I chose is Dr. Melissa Augustyn with Big Sky Women's Specialists. My friend Meredith has seen her throughout her entire pregnancy and has been complimentary of her and the office staff. I have since gotten good reviews from others who say they are great. We were nervous about the ultrasound just because this is still such a delicate time of pregnancy and while we are very optimistic, we also want to remain realistic. (Try telling my mom to be realistic when she already has 1000 ideas for the nursery).

Mom and Rob went to the appointment with me. It's been a while since Mom got to be up close and personal with a pregnancy, so she was amazed at how early ultrasounds can be done and that they can pick up images of a thing so small. The doctor found the baby and we saw its little heart flickering. I think for Rob it became more real to him after seeing it on the monitor and having its existence confirmed...as if I would use THAT as an excuse to be a little bossier or something. The Dr. said the baby is well placed and everything looks good inside. She also told me, and she is the second doctor to tell me this on unrelated separate occasions, that I have a beautiful cervix. Hmmm.... I think it may now be my best feature. She said it would be able to withstand alot of pressure and that it's long, wide, and perfectly placed. If I am ever in a beauty pageant, I'm putting that down on my "About Me" section.

Next appointment is in 4 weeks! We can't wait!

How We Told the Parents

2009-04-10T16:53:00.000-06:00

For opening weekend of The Foreigner, my parents had flown out here. Rob's parents also wanted to come over that weekend to see the show Friday night. We had plans to all have breakfast together at Mom and Dad's Saturday morning.

We gathered around to say the blessing before breakfast. After the blessing Rob said, "We're happy that everyone got to see the baby's first performance."

Rob's mom got it right away. My mom said, "Huh?"

Rob repeated himself followed by another, "Huh? What?"

Finally I patted my stomach and pointed toward where the tiny baby would be and she erupted into screams, "WHAT? OH MY GOSH!! WHAT??? OHHH!!! OH MY GOSH!!! REALLY?!?!?!?"

She could then barely contain herself as we sat down to breakfast. She kept getting up and jumping around. My dad had to tell her to please sit down. Everyone then wanted to hear the story of how we found out and who all knew before they did. After breakfast the whole group of us spent the next 2 hours calling family members with the phone on speaker so we could hear their reactions.

Here are some of the best reactions:
When we called the Godwins, Mom asked for Tyndal who is 7. Mom then told Tyndal and asked her to yell it outloud to the rest of them. It was so cute hearing her little voice go, "OH MY GOSH LEE'S HAVING A BABY!! LEE'S HAVING A BABY!!!" We could hear the rest of them screaming in the background.

We also called Sonya our former housekeeper in Mobile. Many of you may know Sonya, so you'll appreciate her reaction. She said, "Ohh lawd! Pookey (what she calls me) is having a baby! Tell yo daddy to fly me out there FIRST CLASS and buy me a case of bleach and a bunch of lysol. I'm gon' need to come ova there and disinfect yo entire house so that baby can lick, suck, and gnaw on everything it can grab. Girl, you know you gonna be soakin' wet for the next 3 years!"

The Foreigner

2009-04-08T13:48:00.002-06:00

I'm going to start at the beginning since some of you may not know the story. I'll get caught up to present as soon as I have some photos to post.

Around the end of February a friend and coworker of Rob's talked me into auditioning for a play called The Foreigner. I was hesitant to audition but highly interested in tapping into the dramatic side of myself. Auditions had started at 7 and it was after 7 when we were having this conversation about how well suited I was for a certain part in the play. Our friend told us he was going to send a text to the director and ask him if I could come downtown to audition even though it was late. I decided that if the director answered I would go. If he didn't, I wouldn't go. Well, he answered and off I went to the theatre in Meredith's minivan (I had ridden my bicycle to their house). Despite the 3 beers I drank before leaving the house, the audition went brilliantly and I got the callback the next night and was cast in the play by Thursday morning.

Hold for the irony....

The part that I play is that of Catherine Simms. She is a wealthy, saucy southern girl from Georgia who inherited a large sum of money when her parents passed away. She was a debutante who greatly enjoyed the charmed life before facing the reality of supporting herself and taking on the care of her awkward brother. In the play she is engaged to a preacher named David Lee, so her name would be Catherine Lee. She's a bit spoiled, but entirely unkind and has a certain depth and introspect about her. And she is pregnant.

This is now the beginning of our new adventure. We must have conceived the week I auditioned for the play. We had been trying for several months with no success. I had finally decided that I didn't want to have a baby in November or December because it's SO dark and cold out here during that time. Plus I thought 2010 would be a great year since I was born in 80, my brother in 70, my parents in 50. Mom always said that the way to get pregnant is to get distracted, go into debt, or plan some event that would be significantly less fun if I was pregnant. Sure enough, I was completely distracted by the play and that's when it happened!

Hello and Stuff?

2009-03-30T11:00:00.000-06:00

Hi Everyone,
I'm just trying this out to see how this works. Several friends have blogs and it seems like a great way to stay in touch with people long distance and share great stories and funny photos. I have been inspired by all those creative bloggers out there. I look forward to sharing more. Stay tuned!