I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas...

We got our first snowfall last night! Not a lot of snow but snow nonetheless. Pretty exciting for folks who come from year-round 70 degree weather! According to forecasts, the worst of the storm is supposed to come tomorrow, so maybe more snow!

Here is the view of the hills behind our house, from our back porch. You can see the snow sticking in the trees! It didn't stick in the field behind the house--maybe tomorrow it will be more white out there!


Here our our cars, with a little layer of snow.

Introducing...

...the newest addition to our Toyota family...that's right, I am now a minivan mama! So, from BMW to minivan in less than 2 years...if poor Jared had only known what he was in for when we got married, well, he may not have tied the knot.

This is pretty much our exact car, but we are having leather added next week while I am in San Diego.

Magical Huggable Hangers

We lost a lot of closet space in our move, unfortunately. Gained a lot of living space but now we have nowhere to hide our messes. :-) In our old house, we had huge, vast closet space in the master bedroom, complete with built in shelving and drawers. No more. So, I've been fretting over what to do with our clothes and the professional organizer (see last post) suggested Huggable Hangers. We were at Target the other day and they were on sale so we decided to give it a try. They advertise they can double or triple your closet space, which seemed suspicious to me but we were willing to give it a try. While they didn't quite triple the closet space, they did do wonders for clearing up space and making it so much less cluttered. Here are some before and after pictures.

BEFORE:
Note that I could not get all clothes in one frame.




AFTER

Catching Up

I'm a lazy blogger. I often have ideas for blog entries in my head but finding the time to sit down and actually put them into an entry...well, this is where I fail. I am good at reading blogs, though. I'll consider that an accomplishment. So...here's a peek into our life.

Mealtime
Forget eating around the table or in a high chair, Jack has shown such an interest in the way that the dogs eat, we're just feeding him with them now. Kidding, folks, kidding!



Like Father, Like Son


Fugitive!
This kid HATES getting dressed. Diaper and clothing changes are fraught with tears, screaming, some four-letter words muttered *mostly* under the breath, and no shortage of immense frustration on the part of all parties. Here's Jack making a break for it after a bath. See that devious face???



Washing Dishes
Well, we wish we could teach him to wash his own bottles. *Sigh*



Standing Up!
Jack's into everything, often giving us near coronaries as he handily shows us what we need to babyproof. For example, stealthily (read: quickly) crawling towards the one uncovered outlet and attempting to stick his tongue in the socket. Ayyyy... Here's a picture of him nicely standing up...


Organizing!
Okay, I'd love to take credit for this, but I won't...I actually had a PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER (who knew such persons exist???) come to the house and help me with some projects. My pantry had been making me crazy and this is what we wound up with.



Still Unpacking
Here is our latest accomplishment--we've finished putting Jack's room together. We haven't painted yet, which we plan to at some point, and we also want to put up new window treatments. But, here is the rough draft. Note the two paintings on the wall, painted by my very-talented sister (both sisters got all of the creative genes, leaving me with none).




Finally, Buddy, our own personal elf, is keeping an eye on everyone and reporting back to Santa on who is naughty and nice. We've adopted The Elf on the Shelf as a new family tradition.


In closing, we are enjoying this Christmas season, this new chapter in our lives and feeling so grateful for all of the many blessings we've had this year. As we reflect on the past year, and most of all give thanks for the birth of our sweet baby boy, we eagerly anticipate our Savior's birth. We hope everyone enjoys His many blessings this season, especially joy and peace.

Survey--and Tag, You're It!

My sister recently posted this survey on her blog. Although she didn't officially "tag" anyone, I'm taking her cue and doing the same. This satisfies all of the email forwarded surveys I haven't responded to...and, I tag Jenn and Tara to do the same on their blog...


1. Do you like blue cheese?
Yes! And Oregon has lots of good blue cheeses.
2. Have you been ever drunk?
Is this a serious (sober) question? Ditto to sister's answer.
3. Do you own a gun?
No way--and they terrify me.
4. What flavor Kool Aid was your favorite?
I hate Kool Aid. Especially the kind served in Jonestown.
5. Do you get nervous before doctor's appointments?
Nope.
6. What do you think of hot dogs?
Love them. Bologna too.
7. Favorite Christmas movie?
Charlie Brown Christmas.
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning?
Coffee.
9. Can you do push ups?
Um, no.
10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry?
My wedding ring.
11. Favorite hobby?
Reading.
12. Do you have A.D.D.?
No.
13. What's your weight?
Way too personal--and not what I would like to claim it to be.
14. Middle name?
Elizabeth.
15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment??
Iced tap water from Starbucks is uncommonly good, bummed best friend is moving to Texas, and I miss my husband.
16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink?
Diet Coke, water, coffee
17. Current worry?
About my son's doctor appt on Monday.
18. Current hate right now?
That my best friend is moving to Texas.
19. Favorite place to be?
At home with my husband and son.
20. How did you bring in the New Year?
Seriously can't remember but I'm guessing it was at home, pregnant.
21. Where would you like to go?
Back to Ireland.
22. Name three people who will complete this.
I do not like this question. Ditto to sister's answer.
23. Do you own slippers?
Yes.
24. What color shirt are you wearing right now?
Oatmeal
25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets?
I don't think I ever have, and I don't think I want to. Ditto to sister's answer.
26. Can you whistle?
Not at all.
27. Favorite color??
Pink.
28. Would you be a pirate?
No, too risky.
29. What songs do you sing in the shower?
I don't sing in the shower.
30. Favorite girl's name?
Eleanor.
31. Favorite boy's name?
Jack. :-)
32. What's in your pocket?
Airline ticket stubs
33. Last thing that made you laugh?
My niece lamenting over the fact that her mother will not allow her to have a Bratz doll and in response to my musing that Santa may not like Bratz, seeing as he prefers nice little girls, tells me that "Santa has EVERY toy, Auntie Kate." I stand corrected.
34. Worst injury you've ever had as a child?
Head bonk resulting in seizure.
36. Do you love where you live?
I do.
37. How many TVs do you have in the house?
Two.
38. Who is your loudest friend?
Probably me. :-) Actually, I amend that...Tara, for sure.
39. How many dogs do you have?
Two sweet, floppy eared puppies.
40. Does someone have a crush on you?
My husband, I think...I hope
41. What is your favorite book?
My favorite books are Jodi Piccoult.
42. What is your favorite candy?
White chocolate
44. What song do you want played at your funeral?
Why am I not surprised that my sister has an iTunes playlist for her funeral??? On Eagles Wings for me.

Here are some more or less intriguing questions from another email survey:

What is your occupation right now?
Compliance Officer
What are you listening to right now?
Myself typing
What was the last thing that you ate?
Chocolate croissant
Can you drive a stick shift?
No, but I know how.
Last person you spoke to on the phone?
My friend Michelle.
What is your favorite sport to watch on TV?
Not a fan of watching sports on TV.
What is your favorite drink?
Coffee
Favorite food?
Thai
What is the last movie you watched?
Last one I can remember? Baby Mama
Favorite day of the year?
Thanksgiving.
How do you vent anger?
By venting to friends.
What was your favorite toy as a child?
Dolls.
When was the last time you cried?
This morning when saying a pre-goodbye to best friend.
What did you do last night?
Spent time with sister, husband and nieces. Jack had first bathtime with cousins.
What are you most afraid of?
Heights and losing people I love.
Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers?
Cheese
Favorite dog breed?
Cocker spaniels
Favorite day of the week?
Saturday
How many states have you lived in?
Four states: Connecticut, California, Ohio, Oregon
What is your favorite flower?
Stargazer Lilies

I'm skipping Fer's contributions because they are too hard for me to focus on right now. Okay, so maybe I do have ADD...:-) Jenn, Tara, you're it...post on your blogs!

Happy Halloween!

Prayers for MckMama

The gal who writes one of my favorite blogs, affectionally known as MckMama, will be meeting her new baby son, Stellan, tomorrow morning via cesarean. Stellan has had a rough start in life--about half-way through the pregnancy, among other things, he was diagnosed with an irreversible heart block that miraculously reversed and has been on a better path since then. Still, it is not entirely known how he will fare once he is born. So, please join me in prayer tonight and tomorrow for MckMama to be bathed in peace and resolution as she steps into a "deep hole", for Stellan's safe arrival and for his health, and for MckMama's subsequent recovery. If he does require a NICU stay or other treatments, please pray for their family's strength as they walk that incredibly difficult road and for God to lead the hands and hearts of every doctor who works with Stellan.

Regardless of the outcome, I know that God's will is at work. This story has touched so many lives--Stellan's life has already been a full one. We're cheering for you MckMama and Stellan!

Don't You Forget About Me...

Sorry for the long blogging hiatus. Please don't give up on me! Our life looks a lot like this these days:


We made it! We're here! On October 16, Jack, my friend Marcia and I hopped on a plane and flew to Oregon. It was Jack's first plane ride and he was a great passenger. On both legs of the trip, the people in front of us commented they didn't even realize there was a baby sitting behind them! Here is my little man on his first airplane ride:


To reassure inquiring minds, no, Jack did not ride sitting on a seat by himself. He was "safely" in my arms.

Our departure was hard. My best friend Jennifer brought me and Jack to the airport--it's the first time in our 9 years of friendship that we've had to say goodbye--made ever more bittersweet by the news that she and her family will themselves be moving next month--to Texas. I'm sad about missing watching the girls grow up as we've been lucky to do so far. I guess our annual family vacations will now include Texas as a destination!

Otherwise, the moving went fairly uneventfully. Our belongings arrived in one piece and undamaged, our house is FABULOUS and we are not at all unpacked. But, I'm loving it. The weather has been beautiful (really, does it rain here? 'Cause we haven't seen any evidence of that...), the trees are on fire with changing colors...it's everything I'd hoped for. We even had deer grazing in the field behind our house the other night.

The best part? Being back with my husband. I missed him dearly for those three weeks. Jack has been thrilled to have his Daddy back, too.

Okay, a parting picture of Jack upon arrival in Oregon at the airport...


Stay tuned...I will be bringing you on a "tour" of our new home soon!

Moving Woes

Last night I was feeling very stressed out about the logistics of the upcoming move...Jared's been gone for a couple of weeks now, so it is just me and Jack. It turns out that the new house is not set up for a gas dryer (which is what we currently own) but we were able to find someone with the electric version of our current dryer in the same position and so we traded! That was WONDERFUL and eliminated the need to purchase a new dryer--but, since Jared left, I have been without a dryer. Baby laundry is not easy without a dryer. But, I digress. As I was feeling rather sorry for myself last night, I decided to procrastinate figuring out childcare and the logistics of dealing with the packers, the movers, getting out of this house and to my parents, getting my office packed up, etc...by catching up on my blog reading. As usual, I was brought right back down to earth by CFHusband's blog. I've posted about this amazing family before--Tricia, the mom/wife has cystic fibrosis, Gwyneth, is the miracle premature baby born earlier this year, and Nate is the devoted, loving and blogging father/husband...well, Tricia is back in the hospital ICU battling an infection. The logistics this family has to face--well, it put mine in perspective. If you have some time today, say a prayer for Tricia's health.

Jack o'Lantern

One of my best friends and I took our little guys to have Halloween pictures taken this weekend. It wasn't the fastest trip to Kiddie Kandids but the boys were troopers and the pictures came out great. I couldn't think of any better costume for Jack than a "Jack" o'Lantern (aka pumpkin)...


And here is Jack and his buddy, T...


Jared left for Oregon and his new job last Thursday, so this was my first weekend alone with Jack...on top of desperately missing my husband, I am appreciating his hands-on involvement with Jack more and more!

A couple of weeks ago, there was this post on one of the blogs I read, reflecting on friendships and the value they bring to our lives. I've been so blessed with the friendships I have in my life--and more than just friends, some of these gals are my neighbors and co-workers (yes, there are a few of us that have followed one another from job to job). In addition, I have been blessed with the friendships that have blossomed out of family relationships--my sisters and sisters-in-law.

Never before this year have I seen the power of friendship the way I have this year. When my water broke early and I spent a week in the hospital before Jack's birth, these ladies immediately ran out and bought oodles of preemie clothes, snacks and food in the hospital, helped keep my toes looking cute during my stay (thanks, Jenn!), covered projects at work. Then, after Jack was born, they made visits to see him (and me!), were my rocks, sounding boards, and shoulders to cry on during the month he was in the hospital...my friends and sisters were all about me...even when they had their own difficult things going on. Most recently, they pulled together a surprise going away party for us and have helped keep me sane through the moving process.

I am terrified to move away from this...I don't think I can re-create it somewhere else. I am going to miss all of them so much. Fortunately, I am only a plane ride away--and most of them have guest bedrooms...:-)

Things Found While Moving

Found under the guest bathroom sink...



If little dixie cups don't seem to be a particularly blog-worthy find, check out the expiration date on the coupon on the back of the box... (Look closely, it's at the bottom.)



These little cups have inexplicably survived, well, 32 years...they're older than me! (I say that with glee since hitting 30 has NOT been the highlight of my year.) Lest you think I haven't been able to bring myself to dole out some money for a newer box of cups...they aren't mine! This house belongs to Jared's parents, who lived here for approximately 11 years before our two years. Based on the age of the cups, they have traveled from Westchester, CA (LA) to Grass Valley, CA (Northern CA) and back to Southern California (and to two houses at that!). Why they've been moved is a mystery. I'm certainly not going to be the one to bring an end to their life...they'll stay here with the house. :-)

Nature or Nurture???

Pretty sure it's all nature...as I watched my now 7 month-old son beat a jack-in-the-box lamb toy with a maraca on Sunday night. It's pretty funny to watch the "boy" emerge...

Home is Where the Heart Is...

Introducing...our new house! Our offer was accepted yesterday so, barring any unforeseen complications, this will be our new digs! We're so excited!

We Remember

We have, in our minds and hearts, those who died on 9-11-01 and those who survived them.

Oregon Trails...

I loved that game as a kid...it was one of my favorite computer lab activities in grammar school! Perhaps a portense of things to come...

Anyway, back to topic...for those who haven't heard, we've made the difficult but exciting decision to relocate to Oregon! Jared got a call from a recruiter several weeks ago, which turned into a phone interview, and then a "real" interview...and before we knew it, we were faced with a decision about relocating. After much thought, prayer, (some tears!), and deliberation, we made the decision to accept the offer.

Heavy on my heart was the prospect of leaving my company, which I've been working for through many of my recent major life events...getting engaged, getting married, having a baby, etc. They have been incredibly flexible with me through all of it and I have a lot of loyalty to the company. I was shocked when they made the incredible offer to have me continue working remotely and come back monthly for on-site visits!

We've put an offer on a house and are anxiously awaiting an answer. We found a property that we think will be perfect to raise our baby in...we're hoping the property feels the same way about us!

Please send your thoughts and prayers our way as we begin this exciting new chapter in our lives!

Happy Half Birthday, Jack!

Jack is 6 months old today! I can't believe a half a year has passed since he was born. Here's how we celebrated:


With pureed vegetables...yummy!

And by starting to sit up, which looks something like this:


And then like this...


My life has never been as full and meaningful as it has in the past 6 months--this has been the best 6 months of my life. I feel so blessed to be watching this little person become and I am so, so blessed to walk this road with my husband.

Jack gave us a gift last night for his half-birthday--our best night of sleep ever. Still not "through the night" but a good night anyway.

Not a Perfect Ten in My Book...

Source: Getty Images (Copyright)

For the record, I will say I am sorely disappointed in the Olympics this year. I'm not sure when, but they did away with the "Perfect Ten" in gymnastics. A perfect 10 just sounds SO much better than 15.26. My best childhood friend, B. and I spent hours upon hours first watching the movie Nadia and then playing gymnastics and fighting over who got to be Nadia (then we got smart and realized her teammate Teadora was way prettier...then fought over who got to be Teadora). Which brings me to my next disappointment--I've been combing the channels for a replay of that wonderful 80's movie Nadia--and it hasn't been on. :-(

Since B. is the only one of us with a daughter, I'm pinning all of my Olympic hopes on her future career as a gymnast. Hopefully they will have brought back the "Perfect 10" by then.

Wedding Bells

My little brother got married on Saturday evening and my parents are one in-law closer to their original plan of having 12 children...(they stopped at 5!). Four down, one to go...and that includes three weddings in 18 months. Way to go Mom and Dad! The wedding was beautiful, the setting was gorgeous (close to sunset overlooking the water), and the bride was stunning. I'm lucky to have added another sister to my arsenal.

Some highlights from the weekend:

1. Beautiful ceremony, officiated by one of my brother's best friends, a rowdy kind of guy, who knocked my socks off with a touching, meaningful ceremony. I'm officiating my little sister's wedding in January--I may plant him in the audience and have him feed me my lines through an ear bud...

2. Teary vows and my little brother baring his heart, which is the trait I love him the most for. Hoping my son (named for him) gets this trait.

3. A sweet entourage of flower girls, of which all three were my adorable nieces, all of whom made it down the aisle flawlessly.

4. Ring bearers who actually got to carry and present the rings. I wasn't so brave at my wedding and my nephew (both a ringbearer then and in this wedding) declaring to my mother that he really didn't know why he was carrying the pillow if there were no rings...

5. Catching up with relatives I don't see frequently, including meaningful conversations with two of my aunts, who I really haven't gotten to know well before. Hoping to hold on to and cultivate the relationships.

6. The unexpected surprise attendance by my best childhood friend's husband (wow, that was wordy!), who is only home here and there for the next few months as he is on worldly Navy SEAL missions. We think about and pray for his safety often!

7. Catching up with said childhood best friend--who amazes me more than anyone else I know--two young kids, she not only holds it altogether pretty flawlessly, even with oft-absent hubby, but does so radiantly.

8. Lots of people getting to meet Jack for the first time.

B. and K.--congratulations! We love you and hope for a love that grows deeper and deeper each day. Your relationship has been a treat to watch grow into the one soul you forged on Saturday. We love you!

America's Next Top Model...

Isn't he cute????

We had a busy, but fun, weekend. Saturday was full of bachelor fun for Jared as he helped my little brother celebrate his LAST WEEKEND as a single guy. They did a tour of local breweries on a party bus which, judging by the pictures and the boys' slurry speech upon return, seemed to be quite the good time. Jack and I also did a tour--albeit of cousins. We started at my older brother's house, visited with Cousins A. and P. and Auntie K. and then headed over to my older sister's for a visit with cousins M. and C. My sister and family have been on a week-long trip to Colorado, during which time I sorely missed her and her entertaining blog entries. At least I was kept entertained by her "In 25 Words or Less" sidebar. Then, feeling rather ambitious and with a fed and rested baby, Jack and I headed over to Babies R Us for some pictures. They turned out great and we were in and out in less than an hour. Can't really beat that.

On Sunday, we took Jack to his first ENTIRE church service since being baptized. All in all, he did great. He was rather entertained by the stained glass and the nice man sitting next to us, who he treated to gummy smiles. We then headed to the Race Track to see the ponies run for a company-sponsored Sunday at the races. It was a lot of fun and made me want to go back before the season is over. It's been a long time since I've been to the races and I forgot how much fun it can be. Alas, no money won but a good time was had by all.

Updates

14.5 lbs!!! That's right folks--at 5 months, Jack is 14.5 lbs, almost catching up to his peers! It seems as though Jack has exploded with new things lately! It's amazing to watch him come alive and discover the world. Definitely a lesson in seeing things through virgin eyes...

Last Sunday, after much effort on his part, Jack finally rolled from his back to his tummy! He had been able to roll from his tummy to his back for a couple of weeks and had recently been stuck on his side trying to get from back to front. Once he did it, he practiced all week long and has now mastered the art of rolling as a mode of transportation! He's already trying to pull his legs up under him, ostensibly in preparation for crawling. I can wait on that for a while, though! With the rolling, he has discovered his toes, which are now spending quite a lot of time in his mouth. He's also become SO verbal! Loves hearing his voice, squeals constantly and babbles away. It's so cute and I am loving this new stage. His Auntie and Uncle recently bought him an exersaucer, which he is spending a lot of time in. It fun to watch him discover all of the different toys.

Since he's been so into moving and sitting in his Bumbo seat and basically being up with the big people, I thought it might be time to break out the highchair and let him sit in it while we eat. Well, I think I forget sometimes how bitty my baby still is...he practically disappeared in it and looked SO little. I think it will be a little while before we try it again.

The Wide, Wide Web World

One of the best things about this new world of "blogging" and internet bulletin boards are the friends you make along the way and the exposure to people's lives, stories, etc. that you wouldn't otherwise have.

I really didn't know much about blogs (I thought they were all political animals or things like Myspace) until my sister started hers a little less than a year ago. I also really didn't know much or care much about the bulletin boards until I got pregnant and was diagnosed with a pretty rare uterine anomaly that can have some negative effects on pregnancy. Being a paranoid pregnant person to begin with, I promptly googled my condition and came across this bulletin board of women with my same problem. The ladies on that board were all in the same boat as I was and I was able to draw on their experiences. For the most worrisome part of my pregnancy, they kept me afloat. A couple of those ladies have become near and dear friends, even if we've never met in person.

My sister's blog opened my eyes to the wide world of blogs. I found Tricia and Nathan's story on Blogger, which opened my eyes to Cystic Fibrosis and Nate's blogs about their NICU experience helped prepare me for some of what to expect when Jack was born early, even though our experiences were very different. Through commenters on some of these blogs, I've been turned on to others and now have a whole list of those I read and have been fortunate enough to actually email back and forth with some of the writers. I just think all of these new resources and experiences are so cool.

Please Pray...

I posted earlier about Tricia and Nate Lawrenson's journey through cystic fibrosis, lung transplant, and the very premature birth of their daughter, Gwyneth. They've been blessed with a lot of miracles in the past year and they need another one. Tricia developed a type of post-transplant cancer, which did not respond well to the first round of chemo. She is facing a much harder road of treatment. Please pray for her health, her ability to face the treatment with the same resolve she has approached everything else in her life, and for a good response to the treatment.

New Life, New Love

Jack was baptized on Saturday. It was a beautiful ceremony--and so meaningful for us after Jack's rocky start in life. The best part: as the priest poured the water over his head, he broke out in a huge smile, as if he knew what was happening.

The ceremony was followed by a reception at my parents' house and, as usual, my mother put on a beautiful party with lots and lots of yummy food. Jared's brother and sister-in-law came in from Arizona as Jack's godparents, and we all had a lot of fun with their three girls who are getting SO big, SO fast. My little sister was also in town from D.C., which was a special treat.

On Sunday, we celebrated some more at my future sister-in-law's bridal shower. It is amazing to see how quickly our family is growing. I feel so grateful that Jack is surrounded by aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Confessions of a CF Husband

I wanted to take a moment today to share a blog that I've been following for a while now--we have a link to it on the side of this blog. It's an AMAZING story about a man, Nate, and his wife Tricia and the journey they've been on for the past year (well, they've been on the journey for longer than that but the past year is the part I've been reading).

A brief synopsis of their story: Tricia was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis as a child. For anyone reading this who doesn't know anything about Cystic Fibrosis, it is a genetic disease that causes mucus to build up in organs (especially the lungs), inhibiting the ability to breathe and resulting in deadly infections. There is no cure for CF and many people die young from the disease. Tricia and Nate married and she harbored a secret wish to have a baby. However, her health was declining and they were beginning to prepare for a double-lung transplant when she found out she was pregnant. Because her lung functions were so compromised, carrying the baby was extremely risky. In January, Gwyneth Rose was born at 24+4 weeks gestation--weighing just 1 lb 6 ozs! In the months that followed, miraculously, Tricia received her lung transplant and baby Gwyneth beat the odds and was discharged from the NICU and is now growing at home with her daddy, mommy and mommy's new lungs.

This story is one of courage, amazing faith, and hope. Through all of the ups and downs, Nate has faithfully shared his story with the world and their attitudes toward their journey has been humbling, to say the least. These are people who, instead of bemoaning their circumstances are on a mission to educate people about CF, premature birth, and their faith in God.

I started following this story when I was pregnant with Jack and during times when I was scared and unsure of how things were going to turn out, when it seemed like we got a lot of bad news at our prenatal visits, their story refocused my faith and reminded me that the greatest miracles happen with you relinquish control and turn it over to God. When Jack was born early, as we had anticipated, I knew some of the things to expect from the NICU stay from their experiences.

Since I've been reading this for so long, and have benefitted from the story, we felt led to help the CF cause and donate to Nate and Tricia's team for the Great Strides (CF) Walk. I encourage anyone reading this to read their story and try to help them meet their goal.

Thanks for sharing your story with the world, Nate!

Little Grads

We had a great weekend this past weekend. On Saturday, Grammy and Grampy came for a visit and to go to the Little Grads Picnic (NICU Reunion). It was wonderful to see all of Jack's nurses and doctors and some of our friends from the NICU. There were over 1,000 people there! It was so heartwarming to see how well these babies have done! The picnic reminded both me and Jared how lucky we were to have kept Jack in for as long as we did--but it also a lot of fun to see how far he's come since his days in the hospital. We have a lot to be thankful for!
Here are some of the highlights from the day:

Jack and C.P, his very first nurse!:


Jack and J., one of his primary nurses:


This is V., who was Jack's "neighbor" for most of her stay. She was a 24-weeker who went home about 3 weeks after Jack and She's doing great. Her mom and I got to be friendly during our stay.



Here's me and Jack with Grammy!


Finally, just Jack, being cute:

Angels

Yesterday, we received two of the cutest little Padres outfits for Jack, a gift from one of his primary nurses during his NICU stay. Today, I had a chance to catch up with her, the first time since we brought Jack home. It's hard to believe it's been over 3 months since Jack came home and we left our life in the NICU behind. During our conversation today, I was reminded of how very lucky we were to have the care we did when Jack was in the hospital.

C. was one of our primary nurses, which refers to a team of nurses you establish during a prolonged NICU stay in order to achieve continuity of care. Your primary nurses will be assigned to your baby whenever possible when they are on during a shift. We were really lucky to have a wonderful team of primary nurses, and C. and J. were two of our favorites. They loved our baby when we couldn't be there, cared about our well-being, helped us navigate through the sometimes very confusing world of doctors and treatments and prepared us to bring him home. They were truly our lifelines during that month. I am forever grateful for the care we received.

Here is one of my favorite pics from our NICU days--of C. with Jack just days before he came home. Thanks, C. for everything you did for us--you are in our thoughts frequently. Thanks, also, to all NICU nurses for the kind of work you do.

I Love My Bottle

Jack has been having a love affair with his bottle ever since he came home after learning how to eat without subsequently turning blue, an unfortunate by-product of being a preemie. Once he got the hang of it, though...well, just try taking the bottle away until he has had every last bit left in it.

His newest first...helping hold the bottle. He'll hold it for a few seconds before his arms get too tired but today, he held it for a couple of minutes. I think he's pretty darn cute!

Happy 1st Anniversary

Jared,
Happy 1st Anniversary! I could have never anticipated the year we would have when we stood at the altar a year ago--but you have given me the best year of my life. It's been a sometimes rough road but we made it through and more than just intact--we are bigger (by 12 lbs 11 ozs!)fuller, and more complete than I ever imagined we could be. Thank you for being so steady and loving, for being my caregiver when I needed you, for never leaving my side, and for reminding me to stay "in the wheelbarrow" when things were uncertain. You show me the love you have for your family every day in every way--the way you giggle and coo at our baby, the way you always make me feel loved and wanted and appreciated, the way you seem to effortlessly balance school, work, and family. My faith in God hasn't waivered once--I just have to look at you to be reminded of how much He loves me. I love you more and more every day and I can't wait for the years to come. Here are a few of my favorite images from this year. I love you.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Bumbo Baby

Jack's been getting bored always being on his back and loves being propped in a sitting position between our legs. So, we decided it was time to try him out in the Bumbo seat. He loves it! He does pretty well sitting up in it; still a little wobbly and he gets tired pretty fast, but he loves being able to reach for his toys and play with them.

My college roommate was in town for a visit last night--we got to spend the evening catching up and reminiscing about our college days (for the record, my husband thinks we were big dorks--I guess it's good that he met me in my "cooler days" post-college?!?!). She brought Jack the toy he's playing with in the picture. It's the first toy he can actually get to play music and light up on his own--oh, and it doesn't have an "off" button. Thanks, B., for bringing the "counting" song into our lives. I'm sure we will be humming it at work for months to come. :-)

We received these Trumpette socks as a baby gift and I didn't think much of them. Jared put them on Jack a couple of weeks ago and I LOVE them. He gets compliments on them whenever we are out and about.
I couldn't help myself, I added to the repertoire and got him this cowboy boot version:

It's a Tough Life...

...being a baby... :-)

It's been a big week! Jack turned 4 months old on the 22nd! We had his 4-month appointment today and he is now a whopping 12 lbs 11 ozs and has made it to the 10th percentile for weight (up from the 4th percentile at his last well-baby visit and not even making it on the charts at birth!). Looks like he might catch up within the first year!

Jack started daycare this week, as well. We found a wonderful woman just a few doors down the hill from us--she has been watching kids for 20 years this year at the same location and Jared went to school with one of her sons. It's very clear how much the kids there love her...so we are grateful we've found such a great arrangement. We're adjusting to early mornings and the added drop-off and pick-up part of our day...

Life has been keeping us on our toes lately. The FDIC folks are still in "visiting" me at work and as soon as this contingency leaves (they will have been here for 5 weeks), the next group arrives for another go at me. We'll see if I'm still standing after it's all over. Jared's summer term at school has begun--he's excited to be taking a digital photography class, so stay tuned for some new pictures! Thanks Dad, for loaning him the camera to make it all possible!

This morning, I was checking out my sister's blog, in which she basically paid homage to the Indigo Girls. My sister has always been the queen of music in my family and generously shared her love of music through custom-made mixed tapes and mixed CDs. She somehow managed to always make a mixed tape that was fitting to my place in life (no easy feat given that she is quite a bit older than me and lived thousands of miles away during my middle and high school years). These mixed tapes were always aptly named, as well (I had "Melancholia" during my angsty teen years)...and have been the soundtrack for my life through various stages. My baby son even has a mixed CD of lullabies she made for him. Many of my favorite artists I have discovered through the magic of her playlists. So, it was with some humor that I read her most recent post and many of her quoted lyrics brought me back to one of my teenage summers...

My sister was embarking on one of her worldly travels that summer and entrusted me with her vast collection of CDs. This was very generous but probably not too smart if she was intending to return to her complete collection. During that summer, I fell in love with the Indigo Girls (specifically, the Rites of Passage album), Cowboy Junkies, Emmy Lou Harris, and a few others...and I, being of little money, "kept" (to put it nicely) the Rites of Passage CD. I even put my initials on the CD so as to foil anyone who might question its ownership (I doubt I fooled anyone). I still have it to this day. And, I still listen to it.

So, thanks sister...you may have lost a CD in the process but you've introduced me to some of my favorite music, music that has become part of my history. For the record, if you want your CD back, I'll give it to you. :-)

Million Dollar Baby...

...or a quarter of a million dollars, at least. We got the bill for Jack's NICU stay today and I'm feeling grateful for insurance. He's worth every penny...and a lot more.

Happy 1st Father's Day!

My husband celebrated his first Father's Day today, right on the heels of his birthday yesterday (happy birthday!). I don't think there was any way to make it special enough--my husband has earned the right to be called "Daddy." Jared has been my rock through this past year--steady, holding it all together and keeping me from falling apart when things were tough. His love for me and for our baby is unrivaled...we've traveled a lot of road during our first year of marriage and he never once wavered on the course. He always puts me and Jack first--he never complained about sleeping on the uncomfortable, fold-out chairs in the hospital during my stay, or going to work in rumpled clothing (if you know my husband and his fetish for ironing, you would understand what a sacrifice this is), he never shied away even during the yuckiest parts of my hospital stay before (and after) Jack was born, he is the one up every 3 hours during the night to feed Jack...quite simply, he is the best husband and father I could have ever hoped for. Jared, I hope you had a wonderful first father's day and I am so proud to have you as my husband and proud every time I say "our baby".

I am lucky enough to not only have a husband who is a wonderful father but to have been raised by a wonderful father. I've always looked up to my father, who is kind, intelligent, thoughtful, generous and who loves his family so very much. It is from my father (and mother!) that I learned the value of family and it is through his love for my mother that I am learning to be a good wife. Thanks, Dad for all of your sacrifices for us, for keeping me afloat during those times I could have easily sunk, and for always believing in my best and never giving up on me.

Back to Work...

Well, my maternity leave officially ended last night...and my return was celebrated by a visit from our friends at the FDIC (I am a compliance officer for a local bank). Last time they visited, I was getting married. Clearly, I have good timing when it comes to Major Life Events. So, Jack will spend the next two weeks with his daddy and his grandmothers for another two weeks before heading off to the wide world of day care. His father has already outdone my efforts to be June Cleaver...when I came home tonight, the linens had been stripped and changed, a healthy dinner was cooking, and Jack was happily eating his bottle in a cute, matched outfit. Generally speaking, when Jared would come home during my leave, he found me and Jack hanging out in the glider, watching reruns of Reba (don't ask...!?!?!), both of us in clothes smelling vaguely (some days less vaguely than others) like baby spit-up. I might feel somewhat inadequate if I weren't so touched that I have a husband so awesome that he can manage the house, the baby, going to school part time and putting up with me. I'm going to miss those wasteful afternoons...I hope I enjoyed them enough.

My four year-old niece is scheduled for a pretty major surgery tomorrow. My heart hurts for my sister as she has already had to watch her daughter struggle through two failed, less-invasive but still challenging attempts to fix the issue. We're praying the surgery goes well and my niece has as easy a recovery as possible.

June Already?!?!?

Amazing where a year goes...and so fast! Last year at this time, we were a mere month away from our wedding and now we are watching our little baby get bigger every day! We've had a lot of things to celebrate this past year--our wedding, Jared's new job, a new baby...

In other news, on Friday we took a trip down to Coronado to see my childhood friend Brigid and her two kids, James (2) and Alexis (6 mos). Brigid and I have long hoped a marriage between someone in our families would make us "real" family...so I'm now pinning my hopes on Jack and Alexis...their first date did seem to go well. :-)

On Saturday, Jared and I got a glimpse of what life might have been like with twins...we watched our 6 month-old Goddaughter, Katy, while her parents and older sister went to Disneyland. We survived and had a lot of fun in between--but I think we'll be holding off on any new additions to this family any time soon.

Recent developments...Jack has discovered himself in the mirror--he may not know it's himself but he's quite smitten with the "baby in the mirror"--as am I.

Memorial Day Weekend

This weekend, we celebrated one of our best friends' graduation from San Diego State University. What an accomplishment--since he started down this road, he has gotten married and seen the birth of two beautiful little girls. Kudos to his wife, who has spent many nights at home alone with a toddler and a newborn--cheering him on all the way. We're very proud of his accomplishments!

As we enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend and all of the blessings in our life, we also remember those men and women who have given their lives for this country--we are so grateful for that sacrifice.

3 Months Old!

J. will turn 3 months old next Thursday! We can't believe how quickly the time has passed or how quickly he has grown! Our teeny baby boy is now over 10 lbs and getting bigger every day! He is smiling all the time now and becoming more and more interactive every day. He loves his hanging butterflies and has gotten very good at grabbing hanging toys.

We are fortunate to live close to some of his cousins, who have showered him with affection. Most notably, his two-year old cousin C. is one of his greatest fans--and on her way to being a great babysitter--check out the picture of her helping feed J.!