Santa

The visit with Santa went better than I expected.....but I wish they would have taken the picture while she was looking at him rather than the camera. She was enthralled with his beard.

Now she needs Boots.....

'cause boots are made for walking........


of course, she walks like a drunken sailor, but walk she does.

This as been a busy month for my little girl. A lot of first:

1. She took her first long car trip north to see Grammy for thanksgiving, an 11 hour drive (we night drove, that made it so much easier-not that she slept the whole way because she didn't)
2. She had her first completely real food meal...thanksgiving dinner. Turkey, sweet potatoes, cauliflower and cinnamon apples. Big mistake as she is now refusing to eat any baby food.
3. She caught her first cold, thank you Grammy and Ella-bella.
4. Her first tooth started to come in while she was sick, quickly followed by the 2nd tooth. Poor sleepless baby (and mommy) can't breath and hurting gums.
5. Her first steps happened right after we got back from Pennsylvania, over the last week, she's progress to her drunken sailor stagger.

I'm so fricken proud of her.

Thank you!

Zalebaby, thank you for your service to our country. I'm proud of you. You are a great father.

Feeding Little Bit.

Alice.com is having a Gerber Baby Food Giveaway. Alice.com is a Mother's dream. They are a non-perishable online grocery store.....With FREE Shipping. Their prices are about the same as a normal grocery store and it has this awesome instant coupon feature.

For the giveaway, Alice has asked us to blog about the question:

What’s your best baby mealtime advice or feeding tip?

My best tip is keep distractions away during feeding.

Easier said than done, I know. At 8 months, Little Bit is far more interested in everything around her than in eating. The dogs, Daddy, even the ceiling fan is more compelling than Momma and the spoon....unless she gets to hold the spoon, of course. She's really good at getting the spoon into her mouth, but getting it there with food on it, not so good. I like to give her a couple of banana puffs to work on while I'm heating up her baby food. It keeps her busy and works on her fine motor skills. The puffs are great because they dissolve fast. She is still toothless, but she is oh-so-eager for real food.

I don't have a current picture of her eating, so this one a 5 months will have to do!

Uh Oh, We're in trouble now!

It all started with this:

The bouncy chair. We introduced her to it at the end of August. Liv loves to bounce. She will try to bounce when you are holding her, loves to bounce on mama's squishy belly.

The Wiggle came next:

I love that wiggle. She still gives me that happy wiggle first thing every morning when I get her up.

Here is where she figured out how to get up on her hands and knees, she's so proud of herself. Rightly so! (September 9th)

I recorded this Wednesday 23:

She had it down pat by the weekend. I spent the whole weekend chasing her around the house. It was so much fun, but, Oh Boy, do I need to baby proof!

Zalebaby sent me this one Monday morning:

She is doing her best to get to a sitting position. It's been so exciting to see her learn and grow. She'll be 8 months on the 4th, I wonder how long it will be before she starts walking? Zalebaby thinks it will be by Halloween. I doubt it, but I'll let him dream. Me, I'm still looking for her first tooth.

R.I.P. IV

It's that time of year again. It's time for Carl's R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril Challenge. I love being part of it. I've stretched into a new genre of stories by being part of this group.

This year I'm going to do:

Peril the First:

Read Four books of any length, from any sub-genre of scary stories that you choose.

The Challenge is from September 1st to October 31st. I think I can manage to read 4 vampire/supernatural books by then, baby or no baby.

My pool of books include:

The Dead Girls' Dance by Rachel Caine, (currently on my nightstand) a vampire story
Spectre by Phaedra Weldon, (also on my nightstand) a supernatural story
Strange brew, edited by P.N. Elrod. (on my nightstand---ok, so it seems I have been gravitating in this direction lately) Witchy short stories
Pride and prejudice and zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith.by Grahame-Smith, Seth (sigh, also on my nightstand and the one I'm going to read first, as it is due back to the library on the 2nd) Zombie story
City of bones by Cassandra Clare (in my library queue) Supernatural/demonology story
Dates from hell by Harrison, Kim (also in my library queue) Supernatural short stories.

I'm looking forward to seeing what other people are reading in the challenge, so I can find some new scary books to read.

My girl is stubborn

Liv was so funny on Sunday. She refused to take a nap that morning. I tried to put her down for her 10 am nap, she screamed like I was poking her with a pin. She fussed and cried all morning. I gave up fed her early, at 11:30, She fell asleep as I was trying to feed her the baby food. Watching her nod off, then jerk awake to eat another bite was hysterical. When she'd truly fallen asleep, I got her out of the high chair, which woke her up and she screamed at me for waking her. I couldn't do anything but laugh at her as I put her down for her nap. She even pouted at me and whimpered in her sleep when I laid her down. too cute.

6 months

Dear Olivia,

I can't believe you are 6 months old already. I still find it hard to believe you are ours. It is so wonderful to have you in our lives. Mummy and Daddy love you to pieces. You can roll from you back to your belly. Most nights you sleep on your belly, Marty McFly style, with your butt in the air.

You can hold your bottle and feed yourself, mostly. You've been eating baby food for a month and the only thing you don't seem to like is Peaches. You love sweet potatoes, carrots and heaven help me, peas (you take after your dad that way) Applesauce gets a thumbs up, bananas are ok.You can almost sit by yourself. You tend to lean forward and prop yourself up on your hands, rather than sitting up, you are almost there. You sleep though the night now, mostly, and you can put yourself back to sleep. That is so wonderful.

We took you to your cousin Sascha's 1st birthday party: Daddy gave you a pretzel.This is what you thought of it:I can't wait to see what is next.

I missed it.....

Zalebaby just called. Liv rolled over, all on her own today. Yay Liv! The only thing that makes me feel better about missing it, is that Zalebaby missed it too. ;-) He left her on her back on the floor, playing with her gym. When he came back, she was fussing because she was laying on her belly. She hates belly time. Not only had she rolled over, she had wiggled herself around 180 degrees. It's time to start baby proofing......

It's so hard to believe she's 5 months old. Where did the months go?

Dear Olivia

Dear Olivia,

Thank you so much for finally sleeping from 9:30 until 5:30. (3 nights in a row!) Mommy really appreciates it. I also love the early morning coos and cuddles we've been having. Please keep up the good work.

Love,

Mommy

Olivia's Birth Story

I woke up like normal on the morning of the 4th, tired and grumpy. I went to the bathroom and found that I lost my mucus plug. Yes, it was as disgusting as it sound. I pee'd, wiped and went "eww....that must be my mucus plug". I didn't think much of it, as the plug can fall out anytime in the last month, it is just suppose to be an indication that things are getting ready to go. I did have a just-in-case thought, so, since I hadn't packed my hospital bag yet, (hey, I still had 3 1/2 weeks to go) I gathered all the stuff I wanted to take with me that was upstairs and put it in a duffel bag in the closet. The I got ready and went to work. I didn't even wake Zalebaby up to tell him about the mucus plug. At work, someone asked me when my last day was going to be. I told them I was going to work until I went into labor. Ha-ha!

All day I had been feeling cramp-y and back achy. I never thought I was in labor, nothing was rhythmical, just a general low level cramp/ache at the end/bottom of my uterus. Around 3:00 I decided I was tired, grumpy and achy enough that I was going to go home early. I was getting kinda worried, because I was still oozing jelly-fluid and it had gone from being mostly clear to bloody and it was freaking me out. So, before going home, I thought I'd better call the Dr's office. (Where I work is between home and the Dr.'s office and I didn't want to drive all the way home to turn around and drive back to see the Dr.)

When I called the office, my doctor had just left to go to the hospital and the office told me to go and meet her there. I really didn't want to go to the hospital, I truly didn't think I was in labor and I didn't want to be the pregnant lady that cries wolf--especially since I had a scheduled Dr's appointment the next day. The nurse convinced me to go to the hospital anyway, so off I went. I called Zalebaby and gave him a heads up that I was going, but not to worry, it was just for a quick check up.

I was totally clueless.

I went in where I was told to on the hospital tour (that I went on the week before). I was checked in and sent to a maternity check-up room. It was freezing in there and deserted. It really creeped me out that there was no-one there. 4 or 5 examining rooms and a big nurse's station, no-one there but me. I waited about 10 minutes in the room they put me in until the midwife nurse showed up. She nicely explained that my office's midwife nurse was in another delivery and my doctor would be by in a little bit. Would I mind if she did an exam? She strapped me up with a fetal heart monitor and a contraction monitor, put my feet in the stirrups and did the exam.

She told me that I was 2 cm dilated and having regular contractions.

HUH?

She flabbergasted me. The little cramps that I was feeling were honest-to-goodness labor pains. The little sheet with the jagged lines doesn't lie. Even knowing that, they still didn't feel like what contractions were suppose to feel like. About 1/2 hour later the doctor came by and did an exam. She told me I was 4 cm dilated and that she was going to give me fluids with an IV and see if the contractions stop. If they stop, I can go home, if they don't, she wasn't going to do anything else to stop them, I'm far enough along to have the baby. She left and the midwife came back in with the IV and stabbed me 4 times before getting the vein (!$!@#$@!!). I hadn't been hooked up for more than 10 minutes when my water broke. While I was all alone.....on the phone with my sister. It was the weirdest feeling. I felt it pop, just like it feels when a water balloon pops in your hand....but it was inside of me. I nearly freaked out when it popped--over the sensation, the fact that the fluid was greenish black and knowing that I was going to have a baby soon. Katie freaked out over the phone and told me to call the nurse. After my water broke, I could really feel the contractions. I could feel the water pulse out of me in time with the contractions. Shudder. Such an odd feeling.

I no sooner hung up the phone on Katie then the midwife came to check on me. I told her my water broke, she looked under the sheet and got still. The scary type of still that nurses do when they don't want you to know there is a problem. (Olivia had been poo-ing in there, she wasn't supposed to be doing that) She told me she was going to get my doctor and left me there, sopping wet and in increasing pain. I'm not sure what was more distressing at the time, being wet or how much the contraction hurt. The contractions went from being irritating to holy shit that hurts as soon a my water broke. They also never seemed to stop. Long painful squeeze that stopped for a second to start all over again. The pain offended me. I was not prepared for it.

I called Zalebaby, told him it was time to come to the hospital and what else to put in my hospital bag and what else to bring. I neglected to tell him he could leave most of it in the car until after the baby was born.....when he finally got to me, he looked like we were going on vacation for a week.

After I called Zalebaby, my phone rang and it was Marian, the CFO of the company, calling me to ask where her keys were (on her desk where I told her they were...4 hours ago) I told her I what was going on and she asked if Zalebaby was there, when I told her not yet, she promptly got in the car and came to sit with me. She was so sweet. I had no idea she was coming and she got to me the same time as Zalebaby. Since he hadn't eaten all day, she went and got him a sandwich. By the time she got back, the nurses had moved me to a birthing suite and I was fully dilated and ready to push, we were just waiting on the doctor to come to the room.

Funny thing about that sandwich. Zalebaby and I had been left alone in the birthing room and he decided to eat it. He brings it over to me, a simple ham sub, and the smell of it had me hollering at him to find me a trash can, in which I proceeded to toss my cookies. Over the smell of a ham sub---while I was starving. I wanted something to eat in the worst way. I had lunch at 12 and it was now 8 pm. I was soo hungry. For future reference, birthing tables have a shelf on the side with a kidney shaped bowl, for just such an occasion. Just so you know.

Fast forward to 9:30. I had been pushing for about an hour or so. I had been given an epidural, which didn't work completely. I had two "hot spots" where I could feel the labor pains. They hurt like hell, but at least I knew when to push. When I first started pushing, the Dr did her exam and told me that Olivia was "sunny side up" which meant she was facing outward rather than inward like she was supposed to be. So the nurses had me laying on my side to push, to try to get her to turn over. We tried both sides and she wasn't budging. When the Doctor check me at 9:30, she hadn't changed position and she was getting a severe cone head from all the pushing. The Doctor suggested getting a C-section, she opened her mouth to give me the reasons to do it and I was already saying yes, ok, lets go. I was tired, hungry and hurting, I didn't care what way she was coming out, I just wanted to meet Olivia.

The Doctor wanted to do a C-section for a couple of reasons.

1) Olivia's poo was a hazard to her lungs

2) She was facing the wrong way

3) My hip bones were not opening wide enough to let her pass through in the direction she was facing, causing the big cone head

4) Didn't want me to push for 4 hours or so before having to do an emergency c-section

5) This is just speculation---she didn't want to be in the hospital for another 5 hours (I was her only patient that night)

Like I said, I happily agreed. The hospital staff got the OR ready and I was wheeled in. I was moved to the operating table and the anaestheologist put my arms in padded blocks so I was in a T position and strapped me down. I needed it because the medicine for the c-section was giving me the shakes. It also made me feel like I had a pillow under my knees. I didn't, but it felt so weird I asked the anaestheologist about it. I could feel them open me up and pulling/tugging on me. Zalebaby, who was sitting by my head, stood up in time to see them pull Olivia out. She immediately starting crying and they whisked her over to the triage cart to vacuum out her lungs and do all the other things they do to newborns. The cart was behind me to my left and I kept craning my head around to try and see her. I wanted to see her in the worst way. Zalebaby was over there, watching her. I was so tired and all I wanted to do was hold her. They brought her to me for a moment while the Doctor and mid-wife were sewing me up, but I couldn't touch her, as I was still strapped down. Then they took her away to do more tests. I fell asleep on the table.

I finally got to hold Olivia about 12ish while I was in recovery. She was born at 10:30. It seemed like forever until I got her, but hold her I did and welcomed her to the world with a boob. Not that I had any milk yet, but hold her and love on her I did.

Pictures for Christy

13 weeks: Sporting the sunglasses.
Easter Sunday: She was the devil child and screamed most of the day

My sister Katie came for a visit:
Here is a shot of her cephalohematoma, which showed up when she was 8 weeks old:

The Doc's can't tell us why it showed up so late, usually they appear right after birth. She had blood work done and a CT scan, everything is fine and the fluid will be re-absorbed, which should take about 3 months to do so.

1st Week Back

They say the first week back is the hardest. I hope they are right, because this week has been the worst. I so want to be home with Liv and not at work. Sigh.

Liv at 1 week with Aunt Sandra:

3 weeks

4 weeks

5 weeks

6 weeks

7 weeks

8 weeks
I am sooo in love!

Olivia J came to see us early, 2/04/09

Olivia surprised us by coming a little early.....I'll write up her birth story soon. Zalebaby took this photo when she was a day old.

4 weeks to go!

I'm counting down.....4 weeks to go and I'm not sure I can stand it. Not that I'm impatience or anything........

My girlfriends threw me a lovely baby shower last Saturday. a bunch of them went in together and got me the glider and ottoman I wanted. I was shocked and tickled pink! Dodie and her man Ewan got my the high chair I wanted. I'm so over the moon about it all.

The diaper cake was made by Shelby, who helped Lyra express her wild side (for all that she is 20 days old)Megan got her share of cuddling in......Not that I blame her!

And here is Mommy with the baby!
Chele came and she made the yummiest artichoke dip as well as bringing me the cutiest outfit.
The Sweater didn't come from the shower, one of my blogger friends, Maggie Grace Creates made it for Olivia, as well as that receiving blanket and a beautiful scarf (that I'm wearing today and didn't make it in the picture...Sorry!)

Week 34--Who needs sleep?

Star-Gazer Lilies, my favorite flower. I kinda like the above picture as I don't look as big as I am. In the below picture, I'm much more true to size. My belly measures at 46 inches. Considering my waist is usually a 29.......

I'm waddling all the time now and I only have one pair of shoes that fit. Thank you, water retention.

I still can't sleep. I'm starting to dread bedtime. I doesn't bother me on the weekends when I can just take a nap when I need to, but trying to get enough sleep to function at work, that just makes bedtime suck. I'm sleepy, but I can't get comfortable in the bed, rolling my big belly over is a big production number and it hurts. It's an endless cycle, I roll over because the hip I'm laying on hurts, which hurts my belly while rolling over (and wakes the bean) and I lay on the other side until that hip hurts, or I need a drink or I have to go to the bathroom (which usually happens after I roll over and Bean starts kicking) Arrgh! I am cranky and oh-so-tired.

Who needs sleep?

When my belly button pops out, am I done?

Not that it has, but I'm really close to having an outie belly button. I'm still doing good with stretch marks, that is I don't have any yet. I do, however, know where I'm going to get them, as I have 4 red dots on the outside of each hip and 1 red dot at the corner of my appendectomy scar. So, I figure in the next 6 weeks I'll get to see some stretch marks. Oh Joy.

Week 31 picture

I get bigger and bigger every day. I'm in week 32 now, and the picture above was from last week. I went to the Dr. yesterday and everything is going well. I am happy I haven't gained any weight this month. Total weight gain.....21 lbs so far with 8 weeks to go. Go Bean, eat the extra fat I've been carrying. Let me tell you, I have not been starving myself by any means. I've been appalled by how much I have eaten over the holidays, it just I can't eat a lot at one sitting, so I've been grazing on fruit and chocolate....evidently the small (but many) portions have kicked my metabolism into gear. (yes, I do work the protein and veggies in, but I crave chocolate and fruit)

My girlfriend A had her baby shortly before 8pm last night. Those are the only details I have....I haven't heard back from either of them yet. Her hubby called me at 5:30 to come sit with E until her Uncle got there. Unfortunately, I was at the wall-mart by my work, so I called Zalebaby and he ran over to watch E. He pulled up, the hubby (on the porch) hugged E, jumped in the car (A was waiting in the car) and they left. At 7:57 we got a text picture of Lyra. I can't wait to see her!