We're off tomorrow afternoon, headed to visit family in Oklahoma. We'll be back Jan 7.
Until then I'll leave you with our beautiful little Santa (our Christmas card picture...):
Dear Eva (12 Years)
1 year ago
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Happy New Year!!
I know I promised a Christmas update today, but since I am ringing in the new year with a terrible head cold, a la last year, it's probably not going to happen. Sorry!
We're off tomorrow afternoon, headed to visit family in Oklahoma. We'll be back Jan 7.
Until then I'll leave you with our beautiful little Santa (our Christmas card picture...):
We're off tomorrow afternoon, headed to visit family in Oklahoma. We'll be back Jan 7.
Until then I'll leave you with our beautiful little Santa (our Christmas card picture...):
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Yesterday's commute
As you can probably tell I am at home, not at work. Bryan's got a couple of errands to run and Angela (our usual Tuesday nanny) is out of town. So I'm home with Eden, not working because I have no work to do... it's really slow right now.
ANYWAY, yesterday I left the office at 5:30. I got to the T, and there were hoards of people standing on the platform (never a good sign). I waited at least 15 minutes for a train (which never happens, especially at rush hour) and bolted for a seat when it finally came. (I think this weather changing is messing with my back a little bit - I've been sore for the last several days). As I was sitting there working on my crossword people packed in around me. The entire train was full. And then we moved about 15 feet, and stopped. For a loooooong time. Why they didn't just leave the doors open at the platform I will never understand.
So there we were, packed in like sardines, everyone in big puffy coats, hats, scarves, gloves, etc. And the lady comes over the intercom - "If anyone starts to feel faint, please do not push the emergency button. Please press the call operator button." Seriously? First of all, I hadn't considered anyone feeling faint but suddenly even I started to feel a little woozy. Second of all, HOW in the WORLD was someone supposed to GET to the call button?
Anyway, I worked on my crossword, screwed up the easy sudoku beyond fixing, and minded my own business. Then the lady in front of me started complaining loudly (to no one in particular, of course) about standing so long and not having a seat. Normally if someone wants a seat I would be happy to give mine up if they (1) are obviously in need of a seat (they are elderly, disabled, or pregnant) or (2) if thy ask (though admittedly this has never happened to me). However, the combination of logisitcal difficulty of switching places with someone on a completely packed train, this woman's not meeting any of the above seat-giving-up criteria, and her annoying-ness rooted me even more firmly into my seat. So there. I realize that is mean of me but she was really getting on my nerves with her unnecessary passive-aggression.
After over an hour the train finally made it to the station (this trip usually takes maybe 15 minutes). Now I had to book it for the bus stop. I got to the platform where much to my surprise was another hoard of people. Now it was nearing 6:45, and Eden eats dinner (including nursing!) at 7:00. Not really an ideal time to be stuck in a train station, with no cell service, a couple of miles away, but whatever. So began waiting for the MBTA #2. No less than FIVE buses drove by which were NOT my bus, and the crowd on the platform kept getting bigger. Finally my bus stopped, and people were CRAMMING each other to get on the bus. I didn't even try for a seat, I went straight for the back door (best place to stand in my opinion). I got a prime spot, and the lady next to me was nice this time. We even made conversation - and I never talk to people on the bus!
Close to 20 minutes and one man who should not have squeezed into the back door of the bus later, I was at my stop and traversing the piles of snow down our street to my warm house with my two favorite people happily awaiting me. It was almost two hours after I left my office, but I was home, and Eden had just finished her sweet potatoes and was ready for mommy! And she was SO happy to see me!! She was distracted from nursing because she kept looking at me and grinning that beautiful gummy grin. It was great, and all the stress of the commute melted away.
But I still wanted to share. :)
ANYWAY, yesterday I left the office at 5:30. I got to the T, and there were hoards of people standing on the platform (never a good sign). I waited at least 15 minutes for a train (which never happens, especially at rush hour) and bolted for a seat when it finally came. (I think this weather changing is messing with my back a little bit - I've been sore for the last several days). As I was sitting there working on my crossword people packed in around me. The entire train was full. And then we moved about 15 feet, and stopped. For a loooooong time. Why they didn't just leave the doors open at the platform I will never understand.
So there we were, packed in like sardines, everyone in big puffy coats, hats, scarves, gloves, etc. And the lady comes over the intercom - "If anyone starts to feel faint, please do not push the emergency button. Please press the call operator button." Seriously? First of all, I hadn't considered anyone feeling faint but suddenly even I started to feel a little woozy. Second of all, HOW in the WORLD was someone supposed to GET to the call button?
Anyway, I worked on my crossword, screwed up the easy sudoku beyond fixing, and minded my own business. Then the lady in front of me started complaining loudly (to no one in particular, of course) about standing so long and not having a seat. Normally if someone wants a seat I would be happy to give mine up if they (1) are obviously in need of a seat (they are elderly, disabled, or pregnant) or (2) if thy ask (though admittedly this has never happened to me). However, the combination of logisitcal difficulty of switching places with someone on a completely packed train, this woman's not meeting any of the above seat-giving-up criteria, and her annoying-ness rooted me even more firmly into my seat. So there. I realize that is mean of me but she was really getting on my nerves with her unnecessary passive-aggression.
After over an hour the train finally made it to the station (this trip usually takes maybe 15 minutes). Now I had to book it for the bus stop. I got to the platform where much to my surprise was another hoard of people. Now it was nearing 6:45, and Eden eats dinner (including nursing!) at 7:00. Not really an ideal time to be stuck in a train station, with no cell service, a couple of miles away, but whatever. So began waiting for the MBTA #2. No less than FIVE buses drove by which were NOT my bus, and the crowd on the platform kept getting bigger. Finally my bus stopped, and people were CRAMMING each other to get on the bus. I didn't even try for a seat, I went straight for the back door (best place to stand in my opinion). I got a prime spot, and the lady next to me was nice this time. We even made conversation - and I never talk to people on the bus!
Close to 20 minutes and one man who should not have squeezed into the back door of the bus later, I was at my stop and traversing the piles of snow down our street to my warm house with my two favorite people happily awaiting me. It was almost two hours after I left my office, but I was home, and Eden had just finished her sweet potatoes and was ready for mommy! And she was SO happy to see me!! She was distracted from nursing because she kept looking at me and grinning that beautiful gummy grin. It was great, and all the stress of the commute melted away.
But I still wanted to share. :)
Winter is here!!
Boston was blanketed in probably close to two feet of snow over the weekend. Bryan spent half the weekend outside shoveling. I spent nearly the entire weekend indoors, either snuggling up next to the fireplace with Eden or having playdates with other little cutie pies. :) I came home Friday after lunch, and it was just starting to snow as I walked down our street from the bus stop. By evening we were snowed in. We had to cancel the church staff Christmas party we were hosting, and my Saturday morning Bible study meeting. But it was nice to have an unexpectedly free evening. We played some Wii with J&K and Bella. (Well, Nino played with Bella. And they didn't play Wii... since they don't have thumbs and all...)
Saturday Eden and I headed to Jeremy and Carol's to hang out with Carol and their son Soren, while the men went to help a friend of ours move (in the snow!). Soren is 10 months old and he's a ton of fun. He is constantly on the move, and he is learning to stand up all by himself! He'll be walking in just a few short weeks. I can't imagine Eden at that point yet. Soren and Eden love each other, though Eden tends to spend a lot of time trying to eat him. I think ever since she got that first kiss with Zek, she is lip crazy. :)
Sunday it snowed a lot more. We went to church and then hung out a little with Zek and his mommy Elisa at our place, then headed back to J&C's for their annual "Johnson"-Swedish Christmas dinner. YUMMY! We didn't know much about Swedish food, but they gave us a lesson! It was really great - pickled beets (homemade - which were actually pretty good!), St. Lucia rolls, meatballs and gravy, beans, cheese and crackers, potatoes, squash and cranberries, rice pudding, Carol's awesome raspberry oatmeal squares, glogg (the non-alcoholic version), and lots of other stuff which I'm sure I'm forgetting - but not because it wasn't delish. We met some new people and hung out with old friends, and it was great. Three babies rolling around on the floor was a lot to keep track of but it was really nice to be able to relax and know that people weren't freaking out about our kids, to have them there next to us joyfully playing with Soren's toys, but to still be engaged in adult conversation.
I think because I spent so much time over the weekend either home or in the car or otherwise indoors I didn't realize how much snow there was. Walking home from the bus stop yesterday the snow was piled next to the sidewalks anywhere from knee height to shoulder height. It was like trying to navigate a maze coming home, trying to avoid the sidewalks people didn't shovel after Sunday's snow (grr!) or didn't shovel at all (GRRRR!).
But it's a Winter Wonderland. And I LOVE it. And I am so glad we're not trying to fly out of it. :) I think staying here for Christmas was a really good idea for reasons we didn't really anticipate - one of my work friends tried to fly out on Friday and was stuck in Boston until Sunday. And they have a one-year-old. Hopefully this will clear up enough to avoid delays by next week - we're going home January 1. Though I won't complain if we get stuck in Dallas...
Saturday Eden and I headed to Jeremy and Carol's to hang out with Carol and their son Soren, while the men went to help a friend of ours move (in the snow!). Soren is 10 months old and he's a ton of fun. He is constantly on the move, and he is learning to stand up all by himself! He'll be walking in just a few short weeks. I can't imagine Eden at that point yet. Soren and Eden love each other, though Eden tends to spend a lot of time trying to eat him. I think ever since she got that first kiss with Zek, she is lip crazy. :)
Sunday it snowed a lot more. We went to church and then hung out a little with Zek and his mommy Elisa at our place, then headed back to J&C's for their annual "Johnson"-Swedish Christmas dinner. YUMMY! We didn't know much about Swedish food, but they gave us a lesson! It was really great - pickled beets (homemade - which were actually pretty good!), St. Lucia rolls, meatballs and gravy, beans, cheese and crackers, potatoes, squash and cranberries, rice pudding, Carol's awesome raspberry oatmeal squares, glogg (the non-alcoholic version), and lots of other stuff which I'm sure I'm forgetting - but not because it wasn't delish. We met some new people and hung out with old friends, and it was great. Three babies rolling around on the floor was a lot to keep track of but it was really nice to be able to relax and know that people weren't freaking out about our kids, to have them there next to us joyfully playing with Soren's toys, but to still be engaged in adult conversation.
I think because I spent so much time over the weekend either home or in the car or otherwise indoors I didn't realize how much snow there was. Walking home from the bus stop yesterday the snow was piled next to the sidewalks anywhere from knee height to shoulder height. It was like trying to navigate a maze coming home, trying to avoid the sidewalks people didn't shovel after Sunday's snow (grr!) or didn't shovel at all (GRRRR!).
But it's a Winter Wonderland. And I LOVE it. And I am so glad we're not trying to fly out of it. :) I think staying here for Christmas was a really good idea for reasons we didn't really anticipate - one of my work friends tried to fly out on Friday and was stuck in Boston until Sunday. And they have a one-year-old. Hopefully this will clear up enough to avoid delays by next week - we're going home January 1. Though I won't complain if we get stuck in Dallas...
Big Sale!
For all the parents (or parents-to-be) out there...
Baby Center's store is closing in January, and they're having a huge sale. Plus there is free shipping if you spend $49. I just bought a ton of stuff for Eden for a total of $50, including an ADORABLE little long-sleeved dress and leggings (I had never seen this brand before but their stuff is really cute and this is a huge discount from the prices on their website). So fun! Check it out!!
Baby Center's store is closing in January, and they're having a huge sale. Plus there is free shipping if you spend $49. I just bought a ton of stuff for Eden for a total of $50, including an ADORABLE little long-sleeved dress and leggings (I had never seen this brand before but their stuff is really cute and this is a huge discount from the prices on their website). So fun! Check it out!!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Photo Fun
Since everyone is doing it, I'll join the fun, even though I realllly wanted to cheat and pick a different one!!!
Here's the rules:
1) Choose the 4th folder where you store your pictures on your computer
2) Select the 4th picture in the folder
3) Explain the picture
4) Tag 4 people to do the same
NO CHEATING! (cropping, editing, etc!)
Honestly I don't know why we still have this picture... it's from the first day we got our Canon, in May of 2005, and we were testing it out at Bryan's mom's house. I leaned over to do who knows what and Bryan took a picture of my behind. Lovely.
I tag: Kelli, Ruthless, Cee, and LEO (if she's not in labor...)
Here's the rules:
1) Choose the 4th folder where you store your pictures on your computer
2) Select the 4th picture in the folder
3) Explain the picture
4) Tag 4 people to do the same
NO CHEATING! (cropping, editing, etc!)
Honestly I don't know why we still have this picture... it's from the first day we got our Canon, in May of 2005, and we were testing it out at Bryan's mom's house. I leaned over to do who knows what and Bryan took a picture of my behind. Lovely.I tag: Kelli, Ruthless, Cee, and LEO (if she's not in labor...)
Monday, December 15, 2008
Half A Year
Dear Eden,
You are half a year old today. For six whole months you've been blessing our lives, and I can't remember what life was like before you started doing it. You are really such a joy.
You've grown so much over the past six months! You're sitting up now, and you're happy to entertain yourself in the middle of the living room. You can reach for your toys, and they pretty much always end up in your mouth, covered in drool. You're starting to lean forward and we can tell you're trying to figure out how to move forward. We're starting to face reality that our house will need to be babyproofed soon! You can already roll over and over to get where you want to go. It's weird when we sit you up on the rug and turn away for a second and you're five feet away!
You're eating vegetables now. You love sweet potatoes and carrots, you tolerate squash and peas, and you still make funny faces with green beans. You get so excited when it's time to eat solids. We put you in your Bumbo seat, and you start squealing with delight and flapping your arms up and down, banging your hands on the tray! Next stop: fruits. We can't wait!!
Perhaps the best development over the last month is your interactivity. You respond so well when we try to make you laugh. Your giggle is quite possibly the most perfect sound in the entire world. You make a very particular "happy noise" when you get excited - you squeal on the inhale - and give us that beautiful gummy smile! You babble all the time now. Sometimes your babbles almost sound like words, but we're pretty sure it's accidental. Your kisses are amazing - you grab onto our faces, pull us in forcefully and open-mouth our cheeks, our noses, whatever is closest. And I love it. Even when you lick my makeup off and I am covered in drool, I love it.
I should note that last week you kissed a boy for the first time. You and baby Zek were talking to each other at church, squealing and smiling, and then you both reached for each other's arms and you both went in, for the kiss, open mouth and drool and all. It was so adorable. I wish I'd caught it on video...
Another thing I love is that lately, more than ever, you know your Mommy and Daddy. You recognize us across the room, you know our voices. You are starting to get a little more shy around strangers, especially strange men - last weekend you cried when a new man held you, and then he couldn't look at you without upsetting you! It makes me feel so good that you find comfort in me, that you reach for me, that you reserve some smiles just for when you catch my eye across the room.
It's still really hard leaving you every day, my precious one. I wish I could just put you in my pocket and take you out periodically to hug and kiss. But you and your Daddy are great friends. He loves his time with you, and you love him too. Honestly, I am a little jealous of the time Daddy gets with you, but I also love seeing you two together. It melts my heart when you grab his beard with both hands and pull him in for a big sloppy kiss, or when you turn to look at him and give him a secret smile. I love that my two favorite people love each other so much.
Well, sweet baby, all I can say is keep being awesome. Like I tell you every night, you're precious. Every day I'm amazed by you, and every day I know you and love you more. I can't wait to see what is next.
Love,
Mommy
You are half a year old today. For six whole months you've been blessing our lives, and I can't remember what life was like before you started doing it. You are really such a joy.
You've grown so much over the past six months! You're sitting up now, and you're happy to entertain yourself in the middle of the living room. You can reach for your toys, and they pretty much always end up in your mouth, covered in drool. You're starting to lean forward and we can tell you're trying to figure out how to move forward. We're starting to face reality that our house will need to be babyproofed soon! You can already roll over and over to get where you want to go. It's weird when we sit you up on the rug and turn away for a second and you're five feet away!
You're eating vegetables now. You love sweet potatoes and carrots, you tolerate squash and peas, and you still make funny faces with green beans. You get so excited when it's time to eat solids. We put you in your Bumbo seat, and you start squealing with delight and flapping your arms up and down, banging your hands on the tray! Next stop: fruits. We can't wait!!
Perhaps the best development over the last month is your interactivity. You respond so well when we try to make you laugh. Your giggle is quite possibly the most perfect sound in the entire world. You make a very particular "happy noise" when you get excited - you squeal on the inhale - and give us that beautiful gummy smile! You babble all the time now. Sometimes your babbles almost sound like words, but we're pretty sure it's accidental. Your kisses are amazing - you grab onto our faces, pull us in forcefully and open-mouth our cheeks, our noses, whatever is closest. And I love it. Even when you lick my makeup off and I am covered in drool, I love it.
I should note that last week you kissed a boy for the first time. You and baby Zek were talking to each other at church, squealing and smiling, and then you both reached for each other's arms and you both went in, for the kiss, open mouth and drool and all. It was so adorable. I wish I'd caught it on video...
Another thing I love is that lately, more than ever, you know your Mommy and Daddy. You recognize us across the room, you know our voices. You are starting to get a little more shy around strangers, especially strange men - last weekend you cried when a new man held you, and then he couldn't look at you without upsetting you! It makes me feel so good that you find comfort in me, that you reach for me, that you reserve some smiles just for when you catch my eye across the room.
It's still really hard leaving you every day, my precious one. I wish I could just put you in my pocket and take you out periodically to hug and kiss. But you and your Daddy are great friends. He loves his time with you, and you love him too. Honestly, I am a little jealous of the time Daddy gets with you, but I also love seeing you two together. It melts my heart when you grab his beard with both hands and pull him in for a big sloppy kiss, or when you turn to look at him and give him a secret smile. I love that my two favorite people love each other so much.
Well, sweet baby, all I can say is keep being awesome. Like I tell you every night, you're precious. Every day I'm amazed by you, and every day I know you and love you more. I can't wait to see what is next.
Love,
Mommy
Saturday, November 29, 2008
I know, I know
I haven't posted in forever, and now I post like a million times in one day. Well, Eden's taking great naps today and I am just catching up. Plus, we just got a bunch of film developed (some were so old, they were from World Series 2007. Seriously.) Anyway, I came across this one from October, at my last new mom's group before I started working, and I love it. We have got to get a digital SLR because I love these pictures and it's too long to wait for them to be developed.
Dream Feeding
For the last (nearly) four months our amazing baby has been sleeping pretty much through the night. However, I have been cheating. I've been waking her up just before I go to bed to nurse her one last time so she'll sleep through. It worked really well, and I loved nursing the snuggly, sleepy baby. Honestly it was my favorite nursing session of the day.
I've known for several weeks now that Eden didn't really need that "dream feed." She was not nursing long, just a few minutes, and she was never waking up for it on her own if I was up too late. It was more for me than her. Honestly, it was about having a few extra minutes to snuggle, especially after being away from her all day. So I decided that, while I had four days off, we'd try stopping it. Wednesday night I fell asleep on the living room floor and Bryan woke me up at midnight. I didn't even think about the dream feed, and we woke up at 7:30 when she starting "calling" for us. She did it, the first night. And we haven't looked back. Except that I still miss it.
So now she's nursing just four times a day, and twice a day she's eating solids on top of that. She takes about 6.5-7 ounces at a feeding, plus her cereal or veggies. I always said that I'd nurse until at least six months, and then we'd see after that. But honestly, as much as it's a little bit annoying to have to pump at work, I love nursing. I was reading about weaning yesterday and started to tear up a bit. We're just two weeks away from my "wait-and-see" deadline, and I think we're going to keep going. I love it, she loves it, and it's only a little bit of a hassle at work. And I am most certainly not ready to give it up. It's been such a huge part of our life together, I can't imagine stopping.
This may be TMI, but whatever. It's my blog. :)
I've known for several weeks now that Eden didn't really need that "dream feed." She was not nursing long, just a few minutes, and she was never waking up for it on her own if I was up too late. It was more for me than her. Honestly, it was about having a few extra minutes to snuggle, especially after being away from her all day. So I decided that, while I had four days off, we'd try stopping it. Wednesday night I fell asleep on the living room floor and Bryan woke me up at midnight. I didn't even think about the dream feed, and we woke up at 7:30 when she starting "calling" for us. She did it, the first night. And we haven't looked back. Except that I still miss it.
So now she's nursing just four times a day, and twice a day she's eating solids on top of that. She takes about 6.5-7 ounces at a feeding, plus her cereal or veggies. I always said that I'd nurse until at least six months, and then we'd see after that. But honestly, as much as it's a little bit annoying to have to pump at work, I love nursing. I was reading about weaning yesterday and started to tear up a bit. We're just two weeks away from my "wait-and-see" deadline, and I think we're going to keep going. I love it, she loves it, and it's only a little bit of a hassle at work. And I am most certainly not ready to give it up. It's been such a huge part of our life together, I can't imagine stopping.
This may be TMI, but whatever. It's my blog. :)
Layout note
FYI, I just added links to Eden's web albums on the right. They're organized by month, except for the first week (because there were something like 100 pictures that first week. Seriously.).
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Thanksgiving 2008
Happy (late) Thanksgiving!!
Our little family had a week-long celebration of Thankfulness, capped off by my first-ever attempt at Thanksgiving fare. I think I did pretty well, actually. But to that later.
First, Kel's parents were in town last weekend. Since it's sort of become our custom to spend Thanksgiving with them, we were excited when they invited us to spend Saturday at a "Fakesgiving" celebration. :) Mrs. W cooked up an amazing Thanksgiving feast, with Turkey breast and ham courtesy of Honey Baked Ham. Lovely! And she taught me a few tricks for cooking the "fixin's" so when I made my feast a few days later I wouldn't be totally lost. The food was super yummy.
Eden tried green beans for the first time Saturday, too. It was so funny to watch her face. She was a little unsure at first, but by the end she liked it:
After the food was eaten, there was much Wii playing and football watching. And cuddling. And Eden gave Mrs. W lots of kisses to say thanks for an amazing dinner (even though her green beans were made by Gerber...):
(Yes, we had to change her clothes, because as it turns out green bean spit-up is NAS-TAY).
ANYHOO...
Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, I decided to cook my first-ever Thanksgiving meal. Bryan bought a 17 lb turkey (we weren't sure how many guests we'd have - anywhere from 4 to 7) and all the other groceries I sent him after. Just for my own information (for next year!), here's what I made:
One 17 lb turkey. I cooked it for 20 minutes at 450 degrees, and then turned down the oven to 250 for several hours. It was not done at the 20-minutes-per-pound time. Next year I will probably turn up the heat to 300 or 325. Here's Bryan carving it (I didn't get a picture before... D'OH!):
I also made dressing (cornbread; 4 slices white bread; onion; celery; and 4 cans of chicken broth - which was a bit too much), my favorite "smashed" potatoes; and (Bryan's favorite) green bean casserole. Just for fun I threw together a cherry pie, and Kel made THE CAKE.
It was a great day. Eden was a doll. Nino was pretty ok, except for when he knocked an egg off the countertop and started EATING IT!! (grrr). John and Bella came over, and then Kel came over after work. We played a little Wii, watched a little football, and passed out at 10:00 or something. But it was awesome. So relaxing.
That was our Thanksgiving. It was a great time with our little family, and I felt like a grownup, making my first turkey. There have been a few moments in my life when I've thought, "Wow... for the rest of my life I'll have had that experience." For the rest of my life, I'll be married. For the rest of my life I'm someone's mom. And now, for the rest of my life, I've made a turkey. Wahoo!
Our little family had a week-long celebration of Thankfulness, capped off by my first-ever attempt at Thanksgiving fare. I think I did pretty well, actually. But to that later.
First, Kel's parents were in town last weekend. Since it's sort of become our custom to spend Thanksgiving with them, we were excited when they invited us to spend Saturday at a "Fakesgiving" celebration. :) Mrs. W cooked up an amazing Thanksgiving feast, with Turkey breast and ham courtesy of Honey Baked Ham. Lovely! And she taught me a few tricks for cooking the "fixin's" so when I made my feast a few days later I wouldn't be totally lost. The food was super yummy.
Eden tried green beans for the first time Saturday, too. It was so funny to watch her face. She was a little unsure at first, but by the end she liked it:
After the food was eaten, there was much Wii playing and football watching. And cuddling. And Eden gave Mrs. W lots of kisses to say thanks for an amazing dinner (even though her green beans were made by Gerber...):
(Yes, we had to change her clothes, because as it turns out green bean spit-up is NAS-TAY).ANYHOO...
Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, I decided to cook my first-ever Thanksgiving meal. Bryan bought a 17 lb turkey (we weren't sure how many guests we'd have - anywhere from 4 to 7) and all the other groceries I sent him after. Just for my own information (for next year!), here's what I made:
One 17 lb turkey. I cooked it for 20 minutes at 450 degrees, and then turned down the oven to 250 for several hours. It was not done at the 20-minutes-per-pound time. Next year I will probably turn up the heat to 300 or 325. Here's Bryan carving it (I didn't get a picture before... D'OH!):
I also made dressing (cornbread; 4 slices white bread; onion; celery; and 4 cans of chicken broth - which was a bit too much), my favorite "smashed" potatoes; and (Bryan's favorite) green bean casserole. Just for fun I threw together a cherry pie, and Kel made THE CAKE.It was a great day. Eden was a doll. Nino was pretty ok, except for when he knocked an egg off the countertop and started EATING IT!! (grrr). John and Bella came over, and then Kel came over after work. We played a little Wii, watched a little football, and passed out at 10:00 or something. But it was awesome. So relaxing.
That was our Thanksgiving. It was a great time with our little family, and I felt like a grownup, making my first turkey. There have been a few moments in my life when I've thought, "Wow... for the rest of my life I'll have had that experience." For the rest of my life, I'll be married. For the rest of my life I'm someone's mom. And now, for the rest of my life, I've made a turkey. Wahoo!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Quick update
Sorry I've been absent from the blogosphere lately. I'm still reading, just commenting and certainly posting less often. Here are a few things by way of update:
- I still love my job. I had a lunch meeting at the local bar association today and it felt really awesome to be taken seriously and to be really doing something worthwhile.
- It's still crazy trying to balance everything, but so far it's been OK. The hardest part is that if I take a lunch, and don't bill while I'm pumping, then 2 hours of my day are gone. That makes it hard, because I can feel like I'm running myself crazy and I have actually very little to show for it.
- Two days ago when I came home from work, Bryan was sitting on the couch with Eden on his lap. She turned and saw me, and her whole face lit up. She gave me a huge, gummy smile, and lunged for me. Oh my goodness, that moment is forever blazed on my memory - it melted my heart. She is sooo adorable.
- Eden is going to take off crawling any minute. She's really getting her hands-and-knees thing down.
- Bryan and I had an amazing birthday dinner Tuesday night (thanks J&K for babysitting!). We dressed up, drove into the city, gave the car to the valet, and had awesome steak. And since it was both of our birthdays, the waiter gave us two free desserts! With lit candles!! YAY! It was highly indulgent, but it was a birthday celebration and this was our gift to each other.
- John's family (Dad, Mom, and brother and sister-in-law) were in town last weekend, and it was great to be able to spend some time with them. There are so few people who know us relatively well (even though we have only met them a few times we feel that they fall into that category) who have yet to meet Eden, and so it was nice to introduce her to them. They fell in love with her, and she and John's dad took to each other immediately. I think he held he basically all weekend. Except when we went candlepin bowling. Which was crazy fun. :)
- More later... I promise. I just can't promise when "later" will be!
Monday, November 17, 2008
5 Months
Dear Eden,
Beautiful baby girl, you're growing up so fast. You shared your 5-month birthday with your Daddy's 26th-year birthday on Saturday. He loves sharing days with you - first Father's Day and now this!
You're getting so strong. You've started sitting up much better now! You can sit for several seconds before falling over, and you look like such a big kid doing it! You're making amazing progress on your tummy too. You push your whole chest off the ground, and you've started getting you little tush up in the air. Saturday you decided to get up on your hands and knees for a good 5 seconds. One day very soon you'll be scooting across the floor! We ordered a living room rug today so that'll be easier.
We started you on solids this month, and you're loving your morning oatmeal and your evening rice. If we mix it with water instead of milk you make funny faces, and if it's too thick you have a hard time swallowing. But usually we get it right and you do pretty great. Next we're going to try vegetables, and we can't wait!
You are so adorable. Your cheeks are such kissable little marshmallows, and your thighs are tootsie rolls of sweetness. I love to make snorting noises and kiss them, and you think it's hilarious. Your giggle is infectious. When you were a month old and just starting to smile I ran into a friend of mine with an older daughter. He said smiling is great, but just wait till she laughs. He was right. It's a million times better to get a giggle out of that happy little face.
You still look like Daddy, but I think sometimes you look a little bit like me now too. Mostly you're just Eden, a perfect mixture of the best of both of us. Your eyes are starting to turn brown. I know they're going to be beautiful and perfect, but part of me is sad that you didn't keep my blue eyes. Oh, well - I know you're mine. I have the stretch marks to prove it!
I've been working almost a whole month, and I miss you like crazy when I'm gone all day. But you and Daddy are having so much fun together during the day, and you and Angela love your Tuesdays. And when I get home in the evening you are so happy to see me, it makes my day walking in that door. And weekends it's Mommy time. I get to hold you as much as I want, and cuddle you like crazy. This weekend we took naps together both days! I love those times. I could snuggle next to you for hours.
You are such an amazing child, and I can't wait to see what is next for you. I love you so much I can't even express it, and it doesn't seem possible but I do love you more every single day. Like I sing you every night, you are my Sunshine, baby girl. Stay just how you are.
Love,
Mommy
Beautiful baby girl, you're growing up so fast. You shared your 5-month birthday with your Daddy's 26th-year birthday on Saturday. He loves sharing days with you - first Father's Day and now this!
You're getting so strong. You've started sitting up much better now! You can sit for several seconds before falling over, and you look like such a big kid doing it! You're making amazing progress on your tummy too. You push your whole chest off the ground, and you've started getting you little tush up in the air. Saturday you decided to get up on your hands and knees for a good 5 seconds. One day very soon you'll be scooting across the floor! We ordered a living room rug today so that'll be easier.
We started you on solids this month, and you're loving your morning oatmeal and your evening rice. If we mix it with water instead of milk you make funny faces, and if it's too thick you have a hard time swallowing. But usually we get it right and you do pretty great. Next we're going to try vegetables, and we can't wait!
You are so adorable. Your cheeks are such kissable little marshmallows, and your thighs are tootsie rolls of sweetness. I love to make snorting noises and kiss them, and you think it's hilarious. Your giggle is infectious. When you were a month old and just starting to smile I ran into a friend of mine with an older daughter. He said smiling is great, but just wait till she laughs. He was right. It's a million times better to get a giggle out of that happy little face.
You still look like Daddy, but I think sometimes you look a little bit like me now too. Mostly you're just Eden, a perfect mixture of the best of both of us. Your eyes are starting to turn brown. I know they're going to be beautiful and perfect, but part of me is sad that you didn't keep my blue eyes. Oh, well - I know you're mine. I have the stretch marks to prove it!
I've been working almost a whole month, and I miss you like crazy when I'm gone all day. But you and Daddy are having so much fun together during the day, and you and Angela love your Tuesdays. And when I get home in the evening you are so happy to see me, it makes my day walking in that door. And weekends it's Mommy time. I get to hold you as much as I want, and cuddle you like crazy. This weekend we took naps together both days! I love those times. I could snuggle next to you for hours.
You are such an amazing child, and I can't wait to see what is next for you. I love you so much I can't even express it, and it doesn't seem possible but I do love you more every single day. Like I sing you every night, you are my Sunshine, baby girl. Stay just how you are.
Love,
Mommy
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Hot Doc
Want to know what Bryan was for Halloween?
Check it out. (technically, it was the day after Halloween. But whatever.)
Working on a post about the election. It may be a couple of days before I get it out though. Just don't think I forgot about it. :)
Check it out. (technically, it was the day after Halloween. But whatever.)
Working on a post about the election. It may be a couple of days before I get it out though. Just don't think I forgot about it. :)
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Go out and vote!!
If for no other reason than you can get some free Starbucks and ice cream!!
I'll be voting this evening after work. Bryan, of course, will not be voting. For those of you who don't know my darling husband, he has a few strange quirks, one of which is that he refuses to participate in the democratic process beyond complaining. His primary reason is that he has a fundamental philosophical disagreement with the two-party system in this country, and he's never seen a politician he agreed with 100%. However, even when it gets close, as it did with Ron Paul (yes my husband loved that crazy, crazy man), he still refuses to vote because "his vote won't count" in this state (which drives me insane). Every attempt on my part (and Meg's, mind you) has been met with stark disappointment. If you have any magic ideas over the next few hours let me know, but I'm not optimistic.
I'll be voting this evening after work. Bryan, of course, will not be voting. For those of you who don't know my darling husband, he has a few strange quirks, one of which is that he refuses to participate in the democratic process beyond complaining. His primary reason is that he has a fundamental philosophical disagreement with the two-party system in this country, and he's never seen a politician he agreed with 100%. However, even when it gets close, as it did with Ron Paul (yes my husband loved that crazy, crazy man), he still refuses to vote because "his vote won't count" in this state (which drives me insane). Every attempt on my part (and Meg's, mind you) has been met with stark disappointment. If you have any magic ideas over the next few hours let me know, but I'm not optimistic.
Saturday, November 01, 2008
Solids!!
I know I'm a little slow getting around to blogging this but life is crazy. Who knew working would take up so much time!! Anyway, Last weekend Eden started solids!! Her doctor said we could start anytime between 4 and 6 months, as long as certain milestones were met. I forget what they all were because as the doctor listed them we ticked them off in our heads. So we waited a week and a half, and then tried some rice cereal! The doc said to try mostly breastmilk mixed with a little cereal, so we did that the first time (as you can tell from the video). It was really runny, and really hard to feed her without getting it everywhere. So we immediately started using less milk, making the mixture thicker. WAY better. Now we're all pros at this solid food thing. Next stop: vegetables!!
Also, thought you might like to see the aftermath:
Also, thought you might like to see the aftermath:
Shucks, that's cute corn - Halloween 2008
(Title courtesy of His Cheesiness, my husband.)
Eden was an ear of corn for Halloween this year. By that I mean she put on the costume for about half an hour at home and we took pictures and admired her cuteness.
We enjoyed the evening by heading over to J&K's and doing some karaoke. For Kel's birthday we got her Singstar Country, so we went over with some other great friends to play. First baby Zek and Eden had to greet each other (AHEM Zek was totally flirting. Eden tried to eat him.):
Then the babies went off to bed at it was karaoke time!! The rule quickly emerged that, when singing Singstar Country you must at all times wear a cowboy hat. J&K went first (they're nauseatingly adorable, of course):
Then the Mabi (plural for Mabus of course) sang some Johnny Cash:
And then it was our turn. Apparently Bryan thought we were singing Aerosmith?
It was a fun time. As usual. Another one of those days that made me so thankful for the community we have here.
This morning I slept a bit later than usual (now) and went to my pilates class. I'm super loving it, but it's hard. It's only once a week, which is good because I think by the next Saturday I forget how much I suck at it and get excited to go again! The good news is, I've started to be able to do sit-ups. Which is not something I take for granted anymore after having my abs stretched so freakin' wide. I think I'm starting to get into some semblance of my old shape, though my tummy looks like a deflated baloon that a tiger attacked. Yeah, not pretty. But whatever - my bikini days are over, fine. I have a beautiful baby girl.
OK that was a random tangent. Stream of consciousness. Sorry - I'm still a little sleep-deprived. It's amazing what not being home all day to be able to nap will do to a body.
Eden was an ear of corn for Halloween this year. By that I mean she put on the costume for about half an hour at home and we took pictures and admired her cuteness.
We enjoyed the evening by heading over to J&K's and doing some karaoke. For Kel's birthday we got her Singstar Country, so we went over with some other great friends to play. First baby Zek and Eden had to greet each other (AHEM Zek was totally flirting. Eden tried to eat him.):
Then the babies went off to bed at it was karaoke time!! The rule quickly emerged that, when singing Singstar Country you must at all times wear a cowboy hat. J&K went first (they're nauseatingly adorable, of course):
Then the Mabi (plural for Mabus of course) sang some Johnny Cash:
And then it was our turn. Apparently Bryan thought we were singing Aerosmith?
It was a fun time. As usual. Another one of those days that made me so thankful for the community we have here.
This morning I slept a bit later than usual (now) and went to my pilates class. I'm super loving it, but it's hard. It's only once a week, which is good because I think by the next Saturday I forget how much I suck at it and get excited to go again! The good news is, I've started to be able to do sit-ups. Which is not something I take for granted anymore after having my abs stretched so freakin' wide. I think I'm starting to get into some semblance of my old shape, though my tummy looks like a deflated baloon that a tiger attacked. Yeah, not pretty. But whatever - my bikini days are over, fine. I have a beautiful baby girl.
OK that was a random tangent. Stream of consciousness. Sorry - I'm still a little sleep-deprived. It's amazing what not being home all day to be able to nap will do to a body.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
First week of work!!
I'm back! I survived the first week! Yipeee!
My thoughts are sort of everywhere. I thought the training we had was useful, and it was nice to get to know my colleagues from across the firm. I also think it was great to ease in - our hotel was across the street from the firm's office, and I was able to go over to see Bryan and Eden during lunch breaks, and immediately after the festivities were over.
Eden got to "see" a lot of DC - I have pictures of her sleeping in front of many monuments! :) And we got to hang out with Meg, which was awesome - we miss her a lot. Maggie (her puggle) is HUGE! And sweet as ever. Bryan got to play tour guide to some friends of ours who were in the city for the first time (this was only Bryan's second time in DC... but he knew where the "big stuff" was).
I think this week was a good transition time. I was able to see Eden a lot Monday through Thursday, and then Friday was the first day away all day. I was very busy (more training, this time in Boston) so the day pretty much flew by. I missed her, and I missed Bryan, but I think we're all going to be OK!
That said, I am so amped about my firm. I love it so far. The people are awesome, which I already knew, and the firm's philosophy is really great. One reason I chose this firm is its balanced, practical approach to life and work. And it's already come into play. We have a "wellness" room for nursing mothers to pump in, and it's awesome. Not only is there a comfy chair, necessary for relaxation "getting things going" so to speak (sorry), there's a computer, so I can pump and work (and BILL!). And there's a fridge, to store whatever I pump. And best of all, there's a SINK so I can clean the parts of the pump!! And the room operates on a schedule, so I put myself in for certain times of the day, every day until January. Assuming that I can get away, I'm guaranteed to have the room, and I think it's going to be pretty easy keeping Eden on breastmilk. Also on Friday there was a Halloween party - everyone brought their kids in, and we had tons of ghosts and goblins (and a surprising number of Incredibles...) in the office, which was awesome. It was great to see that.
Another really exciting thing is I have an amazing secretary! I worked with her a lot last summer and I've been quietly hoping I would end up with her ever since. I'm really excited to get her opinions on a whole lot of things.
Maybe the most uplifting part of my day was walking in to my office at 5:00 for the first time and seeing a beautiful orchid plant from my wonderful, super thoughtful Aunt Gena, welcoming me!! It was nice to be reminded that there are people out there pulling for me, excited as I am. Getting all the good wishes from friends all over was so heartwarming, and that orchid brought it all into my home away from home. It made me tear up a little, and still does. I am not sure if that even makes sense...
Overall the week was good. I got plenty of time with Bryan and Eden, I'm excited about my job and look forward to getting started, and I feel incredibly supported by the people around me - whether here in Boston, back home in OK, or even out in the blogosphere. Thanks for the love!
My thoughts are sort of everywhere. I thought the training we had was useful, and it was nice to get to know my colleagues from across the firm. I also think it was great to ease in - our hotel was across the street from the firm's office, and I was able to go over to see Bryan and Eden during lunch breaks, and immediately after the festivities were over.
Eden got to "see" a lot of DC - I have pictures of her sleeping in front of many monuments! :) And we got to hang out with Meg, which was awesome - we miss her a lot. Maggie (her puggle) is HUGE! And sweet as ever. Bryan got to play tour guide to some friends of ours who were in the city for the first time (this was only Bryan's second time in DC... but he knew where the "big stuff" was).
I think this week was a good transition time. I was able to see Eden a lot Monday through Thursday, and then Friday was the first day away all day. I was very busy (more training, this time in Boston) so the day pretty much flew by. I missed her, and I missed Bryan, but I think we're all going to be OK!
That said, I am so amped about my firm. I love it so far. The people are awesome, which I already knew, and the firm's philosophy is really great. One reason I chose this firm is its balanced, practical approach to life and work. And it's already come into play. We have a "wellness" room for nursing mothers to pump in, and it's awesome. Not only is there a comfy chair, necessary for relaxation "getting things going" so to speak (sorry), there's a computer, so I can pump and work (and BILL!). And there's a fridge, to store whatever I pump. And best of all, there's a SINK so I can clean the parts of the pump!! And the room operates on a schedule, so I put myself in for certain times of the day, every day until January. Assuming that I can get away, I'm guaranteed to have the room, and I think it's going to be pretty easy keeping Eden on breastmilk. Also on Friday there was a Halloween party - everyone brought their kids in, and we had tons of ghosts and goblins (and a surprising number of Incredibles...) in the office, which was awesome. It was great to see that.
Another really exciting thing is I have an amazing secretary! I worked with her a lot last summer and I've been quietly hoping I would end up with her ever since. I'm really excited to get her opinions on a whole lot of things.
Maybe the most uplifting part of my day was walking in to my office at 5:00 for the first time and seeing a beautiful orchid plant from my wonderful, super thoughtful Aunt Gena, welcoming me!! It was nice to be reminded that there are people out there pulling for me, excited as I am. Getting all the good wishes from friends all over was so heartwarming, and that orchid brought it all into my home away from home. It made me tear up a little, and still does. I am not sure if that even makes sense...
Overall the week was good. I got plenty of time with Bryan and Eden, I'm excited about my job and look forward to getting started, and I feel incredibly supported by the people around me - whether here in Boston, back home in OK, or even out in the blogosphere. Thanks for the love!
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Heading to DC - see you next weekend!
Starting work tomorrow. Still excited, and still sad. I'll let you know how it works out. In the meantime, enjoy the fruits of my joy-filled last day as a stay-at-home mommy:
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Four Months!
Dear Eden,
One year ago we'd just found out you were on your way. I was bursting with the news, but it was still a precious secret. I'd just begun to be sick - at the Passion Conference I had to keep eating crackers (and I swear if I never see a Wheat Thin again in my life I will be totally happy!). But I was already falling in love with you. And here we are, a whole year later, and you are four months old. I can hardly fathom how much life has changed since then. I never could have imagined how awesome it was going to be.
I love this age. You're getting more independent, playing by yourself some, but you still want Mommy and Daddy a lot too. You really know us. You catch our eyes in a crowded room and reward us with a huge smile. You're sturdy and strong, but you still like to cuddle too. Mommy's "Kissy Monster" routine is hilarious, and you're starting to "kiss" back - which looks oddly like you're trying to eat our faces. But we love it!
You're doing such amazing things lately. You started rolling over from your tummy to your back last week, and a few weeks ago you started laughing. You've discovered Nino, and you are totally content to stare at him. He wants nothing to do with you, but you love to pet him - and get a fistful of hair and try to eat him. Don't worry, one day he'll come around and you two will be great friends. You also love John and Kelli's dog, Bella. Monday night you told Bella a long, apparently exciting, story about your day. She was very patient and listened very carefully, and occasionally gave you some big, wet kisses to thank you for the attention.
You're learning to sit up! You can sit for a few seconds unassisted, but when you get distracted at all you topple over and smile. Today you, Daddy, and I went for a walk, then went out to lunch. And you sat in a high chair for the very first time! You did great! And we had you strapped in so you couldn't eat it. But you gave it your best shot anyway.
We've finally settled into an eating routine, and napping is coming along, though it's still a bit unpredictable. You're still sleeping through the night - last night you slept from about 7:15pm to 7:00am! And then again from 8:30 - 11! You're like your Dad - you like your sleep. If you've gotten enough, you wake up happy, but if you get startled awake or jolted out of sleep, you're Little Miss Cranky Pants for awhile.
I'm starting work on Monday. I'm so sad to be leaving you, but I know it's going to be great for you to be at home with Daddy. And someone's got to make some money so you can have diapers and stuff. :)
I love you baby girl. Keep growing big and strong!! And keep being the sweet, loving, fun, adorable girl you are.
Love,
Mommy
P.S. Aren't we a cute happy family?
One year ago we'd just found out you were on your way. I was bursting with the news, but it was still a precious secret. I'd just begun to be sick - at the Passion Conference I had to keep eating crackers (and I swear if I never see a Wheat Thin again in my life I will be totally happy!). But I was already falling in love with you. And here we are, a whole year later, and you are four months old. I can hardly fathom how much life has changed since then. I never could have imagined how awesome it was going to be.
I love this age. You're getting more independent, playing by yourself some, but you still want Mommy and Daddy a lot too. You really know us. You catch our eyes in a crowded room and reward us with a huge smile. You're sturdy and strong, but you still like to cuddle too. Mommy's "Kissy Monster" routine is hilarious, and you're starting to "kiss" back - which looks oddly like you're trying to eat our faces. But we love it!
You're doing such amazing things lately. You started rolling over from your tummy to your back last week, and a few weeks ago you started laughing. You've discovered Nino, and you are totally content to stare at him. He wants nothing to do with you, but you love to pet him - and get a fistful of hair and try to eat him. Don't worry, one day he'll come around and you two will be great friends. You also love John and Kelli's dog, Bella. Monday night you told Bella a long, apparently exciting, story about your day. She was very patient and listened very carefully, and occasionally gave you some big, wet kisses to thank you for the attention.
You're learning to sit up! You can sit for a few seconds unassisted, but when you get distracted at all you topple over and smile. Today you, Daddy, and I went for a walk, then went out to lunch. And you sat in a high chair for the very first time! You did great! And we had you strapped in so you couldn't eat it. But you gave it your best shot anyway.
We've finally settled into an eating routine, and napping is coming along, though it's still a bit unpredictable. You're still sleeping through the night - last night you slept from about 7:15pm to 7:00am! And then again from 8:30 - 11! You're like your Dad - you like your sleep. If you've gotten enough, you wake up happy, but if you get startled awake or jolted out of sleep, you're Little Miss Cranky Pants for awhile.
I'm starting work on Monday. I'm so sad to be leaving you, but I know it's going to be great for you to be at home with Daddy. And someone's got to make some money so you can have diapers and stuff. :)
I love you baby girl. Keep growing big and strong!! And keep being the sweet, loving, fun, adorable girl you are.
Love,
Mommy
P.S. Aren't we a cute happy family?
Grades
Apparently I missed this earlier, but Harvard has decided to switch from a traditional grading system to one similar to Yale's, Honors-Pass-Low Pass-Fail. My first reaction was "Well, crap. Why did they do this now, after I've finished?" But then I thought about it a bit more...
It seems like the only effect this will have will be to reduce the gray areas. There will be no more A-/B+ distinctions, but there will still essentially be As, Bs, a rare C (I've heard they exist, but I'm not totally convinced...), and people who fall off the face of the planet and therefore fail. One thing I think it will do for students, though, is give them more faith in the grading system - as it was when I was there it seemed extremely arbitrary, and I think that was largely because we had pluses and minuses and it was all a crapshoot (honest professors would even admit that). This way, there will be clear "Honors" students, clear "Low Pass" students (rarely, probably), and everyone else will Pass. I think it will take some pressure off, and will allow people like me, who are only aiming to Pass anyway, to relax a bit. Not that HLS is any more stressful than any other law school (probably less so, actually, because as Dean Kagan (I think? or was it Jon Hanson?) says, once you get in you're pretty much "off the treadmill" - you're employable as long as you aren't crazy and you maintain some minimal degree of studiousness... but that's another post altogether.).
Anyway, those are my quick thoughts on that. I reserve the right to change my opinion, of course. Anyone else have thoughts?
It seems like the only effect this will have will be to reduce the gray areas. There will be no more A-/B+ distinctions, but there will still essentially be As, Bs, a rare C (I've heard they exist, but I'm not totally convinced...), and people who fall off the face of the planet and therefore fail. One thing I think it will do for students, though, is give them more faith in the grading system - as it was when I was there it seemed extremely arbitrary, and I think that was largely because we had pluses and minuses and it was all a crapshoot (honest professors would even admit that). This way, there will be clear "Honors" students, clear "Low Pass" students (rarely, probably), and everyone else will Pass. I think it will take some pressure off, and will allow people like me, who are only aiming to Pass anyway, to relax a bit. Not that HLS is any more stressful than any other law school (probably less so, actually, because as Dean Kagan (I think? or was it Jon Hanson?) says, once you get in you're pretty much "off the treadmill" - you're employable as long as you aren't crazy and you maintain some minimal degree of studiousness... but that's another post altogether.).
Anyway, those are my quick thoughts on that. I reserve the right to change my opinion, of course. Anyone else have thoughts?
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Look at me!!
We just (well, a few hours ago) got back from a very refreshing fall retreat (more on that later) and somebody wanted to show off her new trick!
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Precious
One of the few pictures lately in which her hands are not in her mouth(Dad messed up her hair right before this...):
Monday, October 06, 2008
Graduation, and New Milestone
Our baby girl graduated from physical therapy today! Her torticollis is completely gone!! Yipeee! Her PT gave hear a clean bill of health, and said she looks "perfect!" She's also developmentally ahead of her age. Such an overachiever. :)
While we were at her PT appointment, Eden decided it was time to roll over from her tummy to her back! She's been working on it for a while, and she's gotten so close so many times, we knew by the end of this week she'd have it down. But we didn't expect it to be Monday! We had her on the floor on her tummy, and she figured it out, and rolled all the way to her back. We were all three so excited we all said "Yay!" really loud, and it scared her - she started to cry! So sad, but so hilarious at the same time. We were so excited!!
I'm sorry the pictures and video have been more scarce - Bryan and I are currently sharing a computer, which makes it difficult to get anything done after answering email and reading blogs (oh so important). I did post the third month on Snapfish, and I'll get to the fourth month when it gets a bit closer to her birthday, probably next week (so I don't have to do it twice - it takes a long time!). In the meantime, enjoy this video of Eden, who was supposed to be sleeping, instead telling her bee friends all about her day:
While we were at her PT appointment, Eden decided it was time to roll over from her tummy to her back! She's been working on it for a while, and she's gotten so close so many times, we knew by the end of this week she'd have it down. But we didn't expect it to be Monday! We had her on the floor on her tummy, and she figured it out, and rolled all the way to her back. We were all three so excited we all said "Yay!" really loud, and it scared her - she started to cry! So sad, but so hilarious at the same time. We were so excited!!
I'm sorry the pictures and video have been more scarce - Bryan and I are currently sharing a computer, which makes it difficult to get anything done after answering email and reading blogs (oh so important). I did post the third month on Snapfish, and I'll get to the fourth month when it gets a bit closer to her birthday, probably next week (so I don't have to do it twice - it takes a long time!). In the meantime, enjoy this video of Eden, who was supposed to be sleeping, instead telling her bee friends all about her day:
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Our home is full of laughter...
... from a beautiful little baby girl! Yes, you read that correctly. Our daughter is giggling. Not a whole lot, and not often, but she is giggling. I tried to get it on video but it was impossible. However, I did get some squealing, happy, about-to-get-a-bath baby girl:
And just 'cuz you guys love it, here's some adorableness:
And just 'cuz you guys love it, here's some adorableness:
Quick news
Quickly, before Bryan leaves and takes the computer to work...
1. I got an email from the firm yesterday. I finally know what practice group I'll be in!! And it's the one I wanted!! Yipee!!
2. I had a slight emotional breakdown yesterday. I changed my calendar to October and realized that in three weeks I'd be going to work and leaving my baby. I started bawling. After all my bravado about being OK with it, apparently I'm having a more difficult time that I would like to admit. I feel better now - I realized that I'm not feeling guilty, it's really just selfish desire to spend all my time with this amazing, beautiful little person. I have loved having nothing else to do but be her mommy. But she's going to be fine, and she and Daddy are going to have a great time, and that's the most important thing.
3. I'm thinking of taking the blog private. I'm not totally sure why, but I think it's connected to the fact that the blog isn't exactly anonymous, and I am about to start work... I don't know... Anyone have thoughts on this?
1. I got an email from the firm yesterday. I finally know what practice group I'll be in!! And it's the one I wanted!! Yipee!!
2. I had a slight emotional breakdown yesterday. I changed my calendar to October and realized that in three weeks I'd be going to work and leaving my baby. I started bawling. After all my bravado about being OK with it, apparently I'm having a more difficult time that I would like to admit. I feel better now - I realized that I'm not feeling guilty, it's really just selfish desire to spend all my time with this amazing, beautiful little person. I have loved having nothing else to do but be her mommy. But she's going to be fine, and she and Daddy are going to have a great time, and that's the most important thing.
3. I'm thinking of taking the blog private. I'm not totally sure why, but I think it's connected to the fact that the blog isn't exactly anonymous, and I am about to start work... I don't know... Anyone have thoughts on this?
Friday, September 26, 2008
Going to work
One of the "Moms in Legal Profession" blogs I read is by Lag Liv, who I've mentioned before. Anyway, she has some really comforting words about going back to work and I wanted to explain my view a bit too.
I love being home with Eden. I treasure every moment. Really. Even when she's stuffy and crying because she is sooo tired but can't sleep, I am glad I am here, experiencing it (though honestly I do sometimes wish I wasn't here, experiencing it, alone - just having Bryan here to take over walking and bouncing for a few minutes makes a world of difference...). But I think part of why I love it so much is that "All-Eden-All-The-Time" has an end date. I am going to be working soon, and so I am soaking up every sweet little moment I can. I honestly don't think I'd be happy doing this all day, every day, forever. Especially because I just spent 3 years and way too much money on a law degree that I know I will love using.
Like LL, I think I'll be a better mom for having my career. I thrive on the balancing act. I know it will get frustrating and I know there will be moments when I think it's all going to topple over, but I get a lot of satisfaction from living a very balanced life. That's how I did law school. It was a struggle to remind myself to stay balanced, but I think I did pretty well. I think (and I hope) that working will be much the same. I'll work hard, enjoy it, and then come home and be with my little family. I'm sure that I'll miss things, and I will be upset about that, but I know that overall I'll be happier when I'm doing what I love. And Eden's going to be great - she will hang out with Daddy all day, and they'll both love that. And once a week, when Daddy works at the office all day, she'll hang out with Angela (our friend and nanny!) who is really great too. And when I get home, she'll play with Mommy. And we'll make it work.
I love being home with Eden. I treasure every moment. Really. Even when she's stuffy and crying because she is sooo tired but can't sleep, I am glad I am here, experiencing it (though honestly I do sometimes wish I wasn't here, experiencing it, alone - just having Bryan here to take over walking and bouncing for a few minutes makes a world of difference...). But I think part of why I love it so much is that "All-Eden-All-The-Time" has an end date. I am going to be working soon, and so I am soaking up every sweet little moment I can. I honestly don't think I'd be happy doing this all day, every day, forever. Especially because I just spent 3 years and way too much money on a law degree that I know I will love using.
Like LL, I think I'll be a better mom for having my career. I thrive on the balancing act. I know it will get frustrating and I know there will be moments when I think it's all going to topple over, but I get a lot of satisfaction from living a very balanced life. That's how I did law school. It was a struggle to remind myself to stay balanced, but I think I did pretty well. I think (and I hope) that working will be much the same. I'll work hard, enjoy it, and then come home and be with my little family. I'm sure that I'll miss things, and I will be upset about that, but I know that overall I'll be happier when I'm doing what I love. And Eden's going to be great - she will hang out with Daddy all day, and they'll both love that. And once a week, when Daddy works at the office all day, she'll hang out with Angela (our friend and nanny!) who is really great too. And when I get home, she'll play with Mommy. And we'll make it work.
Monday, September 22, 2008
My husband, in stereo
Thought you might like to know Bryan was on the radio last night. He called in to talk about how much the Patriots suck. :)
Sunday, September 21, 2008
First cold
Eden's battling her first cold.
Bryan and I couldn't figure out what was wrong with her but it started a couple of days ago. All of a sudden she wouldn't go to sleep. She wouldn't even go horizontal without screaming. We resorted to putting her to sleep in the Bjorn, and then putting her in her crib. She was fussy during the daytime too. Then she started getting congested, and last night she was really congested. Rattling breathing and all. When I suctioned her nose (which she hates, by the way) I couldn't believe how much came out. But it helped her go to sleep (at 9:00!). Then this morning when she got up (at 7:45!) she was blocked again. But she was all smiles!! She slept through church today (thank goodness) in her carseat, and I had her all bundled up. She's napped like crazy today (though I am still putting her to sleep by walking around with her strapped to my chest). We took an almost two-hour nap together this afternoon! :) Hopefully we are on the back end. Poor thing. But knowing she's sick honestly makes it so much easier to deal with her fussiness. Instead of getting frustrated I just get sad. I can relate.
Bryan and I couldn't figure out what was wrong with her but it started a couple of days ago. All of a sudden she wouldn't go to sleep. She wouldn't even go horizontal without screaming. We resorted to putting her to sleep in the Bjorn, and then putting her in her crib. She was fussy during the daytime too. Then she started getting congested, and last night she was really congested. Rattling breathing and all. When I suctioned her nose (which she hates, by the way) I couldn't believe how much came out. But it helped her go to sleep (at 9:00!). Then this morning when she got up (at 7:45!) she was blocked again. But she was all smiles!! She slept through church today (thank goodness) in her carseat, and I had her all bundled up. She's napped like crazy today (though I am still putting her to sleep by walking around with her strapped to my chest). We took an almost two-hour nap together this afternoon! :) Hopefully we are on the back end. Poor thing. But knowing she's sick honestly makes it so much easier to deal with her fussiness. Instead of getting frustrated I just get sad. I can relate.
White Mountains
Last weekend was awesome. We got away from the city from Friday night to Sunday night, and rented a "cabin" in the mountains with some friends. The house itself was amazing. Fireplace, nice, new kitchen, and four bedrooms. There was easily space for at least 10-15 people to sleep. And it was just John and Kelli, their puppy Bella, and the Thomason Three. Check it out:
The rafters were too appealing for one of us:
Saturday we went on a longish (well, long for Eden) hike by the river. It was really beautiful. We stopped to pose for pictures at a waterfall at the beginning of the hike (can't remember the name of the falls... sorry!):
Once we kept going past the falls, the people disappeared and it felt much more like a hike in the woods. It was a beautiful day! We decided to eat some lunch once we found a dry spot:
The girls (except Eden, who rode on her Daddy's back the whole time...):
Here's Bryan and Eden, at one of the breathtaking stops on our journey. Check out the sunlight streaming through the trees! Isn't creation amazing??
Bella took a rest on a park bench on the way back. She's so cute! And she knows how to pose for cameras!
The boys (and Eden):
Eden woke up toward the end of the hike, so I decided to snap a picture of her all bundled up. How cute is that?? Her eyes look grey here, the same as her Daddy's shirt:
And, no exaggeration, I swear, less than a minute after I took that picture, here was Eden, fast asleep:
She was all smiles in the carseat. (This is awesome, because she used to hate her carseat):
Saturday night we ate dinner at a barbecue restaurant we'd heard was good. It was actually awesome, especially for New England! The best barbecue I've had since Stilly! Kelli really like the ribs!
Eden liked her bottle, and of course her pacifier!
On our way home Sunday we stopped at the outlet mall in North Conway (of course). Here's Bryan and Eden, sacked out in the dressing room at The Gap. (I found a ton of good deals BTW):
Great weekend, great friends. We're considering doing the same thing in the winter, so Bryan can snowboard (and I can hang out by the fire, reading a book, with Eden).
The rafters were too appealing for one of us:
Saturday we went on a longish (well, long for Eden) hike by the river. It was really beautiful. We stopped to pose for pictures at a waterfall at the beginning of the hike (can't remember the name of the falls... sorry!):
Once we kept going past the falls, the people disappeared and it felt much more like a hike in the woods. It was a beautiful day! We decided to eat some lunch once we found a dry spot:
The girls (except Eden, who rode on her Daddy's back the whole time...):
Here's Bryan and Eden, at one of the breathtaking stops on our journey. Check out the sunlight streaming through the trees! Isn't creation amazing??
Bella took a rest on a park bench on the way back. She's so cute! And she knows how to pose for cameras!
The boys (and Eden):
Eden woke up toward the end of the hike, so I decided to snap a picture of her all bundled up. How cute is that?? Her eyes look grey here, the same as her Daddy's shirt:
And, no exaggeration, I swear, less than a minute after I took that picture, here was Eden, fast asleep:
She was all smiles in the carseat. (This is awesome, because she used to hate her carseat):
Saturday night we ate dinner at a barbecue restaurant we'd heard was good. It was actually awesome, especially for New England! The best barbecue I've had since Stilly! Kelli really like the ribs!
Eden liked her bottle, and of course her pacifier!
On our way home Sunday we stopped at the outlet mall in North Conway (of course). Here's Bryan and Eden, sacked out in the dressing room at The Gap. (I found a ton of good deals BTW):
Great weekend, great friends. We're considering doing the same thing in the winter, so Bryan can snowboard (and I can hang out by the fire, reading a book, with Eden).
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Young Life
I don't know if I've ever mentioned this on the blog, but Bryan and I are on the adult committee (basically a local board of directors) for Young Life in Cambridge. Young Life is a non-denominational Christian organization that works with teenagers at the Cambridge public high school (there is only one. It's the size of a small city!).
Unsurprisingly, while the ministry of Young Life is going strong (our staffer just returned from camp with two girls from Cambridge, and a number from Dorchester), the financial support is sometimes harder to come by, especially in a city like Boston with few Christians (and many transplanted Christians, who don't have kids in the high school...). We are nearing the end of our fiscal year, and we're facing a deficit. It's sad because Young Life is such a great organization, meeting kids where they are, building relationships, and showing Christ to them by first and foremost being present. For every kid. Bryan and I believe very strongly in this ministry, and support it with our prayers, our time, and our funds.
It's really out of character for me to ask for things, and especially in such a forum as this. But I know that some of my regular readers might be interested in this opportunity, so I have to give it a shot. Please consider giving to Young Life this month. Even $20, $50, $100 will help us get toward our goal of balancing our budget. If you would like to hear more about the ministry feel free to call or email me. And if you like what you hear, or you feel so led, consider making your gift monthly.
You can give online here (we're area MA51), and you can even set it up as direct debit if you want to make it a regular gift! Please consider it. It's an amazing ministry. Countless kids have felt like they belong, like someone cares about them, as a result of the work Young Life leaders do investing in their lives. That is invaluable. And even more invaluable, several people we know personally (including one of Bryan's seminary professors) have come to know Christ as a result of it!!
Unsurprisingly, while the ministry of Young Life is going strong (our staffer just returned from camp with two girls from Cambridge, and a number from Dorchester), the financial support is sometimes harder to come by, especially in a city like Boston with few Christians (and many transplanted Christians, who don't have kids in the high school...). We are nearing the end of our fiscal year, and we're facing a deficit. It's sad because Young Life is such a great organization, meeting kids where they are, building relationships, and showing Christ to them by first and foremost being present. For every kid. Bryan and I believe very strongly in this ministry, and support it with our prayers, our time, and our funds.
It's really out of character for me to ask for things, and especially in such a forum as this. But I know that some of my regular readers might be interested in this opportunity, so I have to give it a shot. Please consider giving to Young Life this month. Even $20, $50, $100 will help us get toward our goal of balancing our budget. If you would like to hear more about the ministry feel free to call or email me. And if you like what you hear, or you feel so led, consider making your gift monthly.
You can give online here (we're area MA51), and you can even set it up as direct debit if you want to make it a regular gift! Please consider it. It's an amazing ministry. Countless kids have felt like they belong, like someone cares about them, as a result of the work Young Life leaders do investing in their lives. That is invaluable. And even more invaluable, several people we know personally (including one of Bryan's seminary professors) have come to know Christ as a result of it!!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Happy Birthday, Little one!
Dear Eden,
Monday was your three-month birthday. I can't believe that the time has passed so quickly, and at the same time I can't remember life without you. Your smile is the most exciting, most motivating thing I've ever seen. The way you sometimes look at me sideways, out of the corner of your eye, and smirk, makes me giggle (and reminds me of your Uncle Tyler, who used to do the exact same thing).
You've grown so much. You're sitting up, when I prop you with pillows. You prop yourself up in your exersaucer, and you play for half an hour at a time! You love to sit up and stand - you're not so much into being cradled like a newborn anymore. You have learned to grasp things, and you're already an expert at getting things into your mouth. Your favorite toys, though, are your hands. You watch them, you chew away on them, you suck on them. Right now you suck your index finger and thumb together. Odd choice, but it works for you!
You're sleeping through the night (usually) and you have been for a few weeks. When we got home from our whirlwind Oklahoma/Texas visit, you were ready, and you just did it, pretty much on your own. And you usually go to sleep pretty well. You do it on your own now. It's a rare occasion when I get that super-sleepy Eden in my arms. Sometimes when I feed you late at night right before I got to bed, you sleep through it, and when you're finished eating I just hold you a few extra minutes, and stare at your peaceful face. I treasure those times.
Youre also so much fun when you're awake! You've got such a personality. You talk to us, you have this great gasp-y laugh, and when you get really excited you open your mouth really wide and squat, fists clenched at your chest, eyes smiling. You found a new best friend. You were in your exersaucer and I had my back to you. I heard you squealing with delight and talking up a storm, and I turned around to see what was so enchanting - it was the mirror. You love that baby in the mirror. We visit the baby in the bathroom when you're cranky and you're instantly all smiles.
I'm so glad you're so big and strong, and I'm so amazed at the little person you're becoming. It still blows my mind that you're here. I am not at all exaggerating when I say I love you more every single day. And I never think it's possible that I could love you more than I do now, and then I wake up in the morning and it's happened. I love our time together right now. I know it is going to be incredibly hard for me to leave you with Daddy all day in one short month when I start working. I'm going to be so jealous of the time that you two get together. But I know you'll be in good hands. He's a great dad. I knew he'd be awesome, and he really is. The two of you are best buddies, and you're going to have a great time.
I love you baby girl. Keep growing strong. I'm hiding snapshots in my heart for now, and I'm looking forward to seeing what the next stage brings.
Love,
Mommy
Little Rock Star.
P.S. When you're really tired, you snore!! (Turn up the volume to hear it).
Monday was your three-month birthday. I can't believe that the time has passed so quickly, and at the same time I can't remember life without you. Your smile is the most exciting, most motivating thing I've ever seen. The way you sometimes look at me sideways, out of the corner of your eye, and smirk, makes me giggle (and reminds me of your Uncle Tyler, who used to do the exact same thing).
You've grown so much. You're sitting up, when I prop you with pillows. You prop yourself up in your exersaucer, and you play for half an hour at a time! You love to sit up and stand - you're not so much into being cradled like a newborn anymore. You have learned to grasp things, and you're already an expert at getting things into your mouth. Your favorite toys, though, are your hands. You watch them, you chew away on them, you suck on them. Right now you suck your index finger and thumb together. Odd choice, but it works for you!
You're sleeping through the night (usually) and you have been for a few weeks. When we got home from our whirlwind Oklahoma/Texas visit, you were ready, and you just did it, pretty much on your own. And you usually go to sleep pretty well. You do it on your own now. It's a rare occasion when I get that super-sleepy Eden in my arms. Sometimes when I feed you late at night right before I got to bed, you sleep through it, and when you're finished eating I just hold you a few extra minutes, and stare at your peaceful face. I treasure those times.
Youre also so much fun when you're awake! You've got such a personality. You talk to us, you have this great gasp-y laugh, and when you get really excited you open your mouth really wide and squat, fists clenched at your chest, eyes smiling. You found a new best friend. You were in your exersaucer and I had my back to you. I heard you squealing with delight and talking up a storm, and I turned around to see what was so enchanting - it was the mirror. You love that baby in the mirror. We visit the baby in the bathroom when you're cranky and you're instantly all smiles.
I'm so glad you're so big and strong, and I'm so amazed at the little person you're becoming. It still blows my mind that you're here. I am not at all exaggerating when I say I love you more every single day. And I never think it's possible that I could love you more than I do now, and then I wake up in the morning and it's happened. I love our time together right now. I know it is going to be incredibly hard for me to leave you with Daddy all day in one short month when I start working. I'm going to be so jealous of the time that you two get together. But I know you'll be in good hands. He's a great dad. I knew he'd be awesome, and he really is. The two of you are best buddies, and you're going to have a great time.
I love you baby girl. Keep growing strong. I'm hiding snapshots in my heart for now, and I'm looking forward to seeing what the next stage brings.
Love,
Mommy
Little Rock Star.
P.S. When you're really tired, you snore!! (Turn up the volume to hear it).
Sunday, September 07, 2008
Friday, September 05, 2008
How 'bout some long overdue cutie pie?
Eden's been very busy the last few weeks. She's been having a lot of "firsts." Luckily her mom is always there with the camera, so we caught many of them!!
Watching her first OSU game with Daddy, in her first OSU onesie. GO POKES!
By the way, could these two be any more alike?
Eden also attended her very first "Back 2 School" festival. Bryan and I traded off holding her while we worked. She even had her very own volunteer nametag!!
Eden also learned how to grab things!! The first thing she really grabbed on her own was her cousin Mackenzie's hair. But now she can focus it (sorry the video's long, I couldn't find anything to take out... it's just all so cute!!):
And some other random cuteness, just for fun!
Wearing the onesie from Aunt Destiny:
Sleeping little angel. Oh by the way Eden has (knock on wood) started sleeping through the night, from around 8:30 or so till 7! (I feed her around 10:30 or 11, but she usually sleeps through it!):
Couldn't help it. How cute are those feet? Thank God she didn't get my feet. Seriously.
We had a bit of a black and white photo shoot yesterday. Just me and Eden. :) I actually let the camera take continuous pictures for a bit and we ended up with these little gems (and many more) as she started to lean forward:
Blowing bubbles!
Love that baby girl.
Watching her first OSU game with Daddy, in her first OSU onesie. GO POKES!
By the way, could these two be any more alike?
Eden also attended her very first "Back 2 School" festival. Bryan and I traded off holding her while we worked. She even had her very own volunteer nametag!!
Eden also learned how to grab things!! The first thing she really grabbed on her own was her cousin Mackenzie's hair. But now she can focus it (sorry the video's long, I couldn't find anything to take out... it's just all so cute!!):
And some other random cuteness, just for fun!
Wearing the onesie from Aunt Destiny:
Sleeping little angel. Oh by the way Eden has (knock on wood) started sleeping through the night, from around 8:30 or so till 7! (I feed her around 10:30 or 11, but she usually sleeps through it!):
Couldn't help it. How cute are those feet? Thank God she didn't get my feet. Seriously.
We had a bit of a black and white photo shoot yesterday. Just me and Eden. :) I actually let the camera take continuous pictures for a bit and we ended up with these little gems (and many more) as she started to lean forward:
Blowing bubbles!
Love that baby girl.
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