Christmas Card - November 2008

Christmas Card - October 2008

Christmas Card - September 2008

Christmas Card - August 2008

Christmas Card - July 2008

Christmas Card - June 2008

Christmas Card - May 2008

Christmas Card - April 2008

HE'S CRAWLING!

This morning I was updating Christian's "Firsts" Calendar Baby book while sitting on the couch. He was on the floor skooting and rock n rolling, playing with his toys. Suddenly, he noticed my light blue cup sitting on the floor by my seat. Previously, he would reach his arm, then army crawl, then roll over to grab the object he wanted. But not any more! He, like a newborn coat, awkwardly crawled toward the cup! I was so excited I let him tip it over on the carpet.

So we are now in the 'baby is mobile' stage. He already fell on his face twice this morning, so I'm sure we will have to be vigilant and also baby proof more than we have.

Just an update in between the Christmas card posts.

Christmas Card - March 2008

I don't remember much of March before the 7th. I think the birth of Christian casts a shadow over whatever mundane memories I would have. I do know that Dan and I were having problems sleeping. I was SO uncomfortable. I'm not sure if he was sick or just empathizing with me. Anyway, on March 7th we went to see the doctor for what turned out to be the last appointment with her. She let us know that Christian was about 8 pounds already! So she proceeded to 'strip my membranes' (if you are curious, look it up on babycenter.com). It is a method of induction that only works if your body is ready to start the labor process. It turns out that my body was half ready to participate. After this visit, Dan returned me to work. But I didn't feel quite right. Because of this I started researching what the procedure was and understood that I could possibly be experiencing the beginnings of labor. I left early that day. We went to Best Buy to look at laptops, but I got so cranky that we drove home. I took a nap.

I don't remember what else we did that night before going to bed. I do know that Dan took some NyQuil and not even a half an hour later my water broke.

After my water broke, we showered, ate, packed up what remaining items we needed. We looked around and thought something like, 'when we return, we will have a baby with us!' and 'Our lives will never be the same!'

On the way to the hospital we called both of our parents and friend from our small group, and she in turn would spread the news. We valeted the car, checked in and sat awhile before being admitted to the first room. There the nurse ran some tests to determine if my water in fact had broken (I was like - look around lady!) and then we were ushered up to labor and delivery.

I didn't start contracting on my own and so received Pitocin to induce contractions. This made the labor intense really fast. I tried hard for 6 hours to endure the contractions, but there was no dilation happening. SO I asked for the epidural, which I was on from 9am to around 9:30pm or pm when I started pushing. During the day, I didn't feel much because of the drugs, but when the dilation was almost at 10 I could feel Christian descending. Then no matter how much I pushed the button for more drugs there was no relief! Thankfully he was descending and I was dilated. I just needed to push! And push I did - for an hour and a half. The OB yelled at Dan to grab my leg and participate. He pushed too!

To make the long story short (too late!) Christian was born at 11-ish pm on March 8. He was 19.5 in and 8.2 lbs. He was a big baby - didn't look that fragile. The hospital stay was a weird experience - coming off the drugs, being in pain, having a BABY! in my life, friends and family visiting, trying to take showers with rubbery legs, etc. I'll spare you:)

The ride home was sweet. Dan narrated to Christian the whole way. When we arrived at home, he gave him a tour. Proud papa!

And then came the crying. ALL NIGHT. But it's wonderful - please have children! hehe

The rest of March is a blur of nursing, healing, family and friends visiting, Easter, pictures being taken, winter breaking, and crying (Christian!).

Christmas Card - February 2008

February was even darker, colder, and wetter than January - in fact it was THE darkest and coldest and wettest in 30 years or something crazy. I was getting heavier and Christian's foot started kicking my top rib. He was either trying to kick his way out (the wrong way) or was just stretching. The heart burn was pretty bad as well, but that's something I can omit here:)

Dan and I attended some more classes, including one on breastfeeding. He likes to tell people that there were other men there. The class was eye opening and very educational, but nothing compares to actually trying to do this 'natural' act yourself!

We also started going to the doctor more often - almost every week! We didn't mind, especially when the doctor let us know that Christian wouldn't be born with kidney problems (there had been some worries at earlier ultrasound screenings).

I had my second baby shower, which was thrown by the women in my small group. It was a wonderful shower - not just because of the gifts. They were just very thoughtful in the games and program - having all the guests say what characteristics of mine they would wish Christian to inherit. And the scripture and prayer were touching! These women have been such a blessing to me and I love and appreciate them!

I think that's it for February...on to the birth story:)

Christmas Card - January 2008

January 2008 was a dark, wet, and cold month, but not one without joy! It was definitely a month dedicated to learning about and preparing for Mr. Christian Peter.

Dan and I attended our birthing class, in which we watched graphic movies of women in various stages of labor and delivery. I think it was at that point that I became intensely aware of my 'condition' and that, yes, I too would be going through labor. It was a scary realization. I think I forgot about why (the baby!) and succumbed to anxiety about the unknown. We also learned baby CPR and how to care for a newborn using baby dolls. It helped conceptually but not in reality I think.

On the lighter side, I went with friends to register for baby things, which was fun but also a bit overwhelming. But, my mother's friends threw me my first baby shower so I was able to see the things I had chosen. I was so grateful for everyone's generosity! Babies, who happened to be very small people, need a lot of stuff. Cute stuff, but still stuff!!

Lastly, Dan and I attended a Bulls vs. Kings game, a sign that we were still young and hip - not yet needing a babysitter! :)

Christmas Card

So, I've decided that sending Christmas cards are so yesterday:) Instead, I will be sending y'all a link to this here blog.

To make it more like a Christmas letter, I will be posting summaries/memories of the 12 months of 2008 - so a kind of twelve days/months/posts of Christmas.

I'm not sure how it will turn out, but it's worth a try!

Thanksgiving

we are thankful indeed for family, friends, our apartment, our car, food, wine, love, literature, on and on.
we are in california - going back in time to autumn. while chicago is getting frosty northern california is just turning leaves. the air is full of wood chips, and blooming flowers. the landscape still colorful - not like the bleak midwinter scapes of the mid west.
thanksgiving here is simple - slower, calmer. even with christian, if you can believe it.
we made the flight all right. the Lord was gracious to get us through security and onto the plane without much ado. christian didn't make many peeps either.
and now here in the gemutlich home of my in-laws. christian has made great 'strides,' though he isn't walking, in his progress toward crawling. however his sleeping is so off with the time change.
he didn't wig out at all coming here. he does what he does at home when he enters a new environment - checks it out and when alls well he starts smiling and hanging out as normal.
we visited friends today who had a son a month before christian. it was nice to commiserate about our similar experiences with the shock of labor, delivery, and entrance into parenthood. it wasn't seemless for sure. christian got to experience a doorway jumper and loved it. so we may look into buying that gadget. it's hard to say no when christian takes to toys and things so well and so lovingly.
the time here has been so relaxing. it's so nice to not have to get up, prepare for the day while trying to give christian quality time, and then depart to mess with traffic and then the work day and all its tasks, colleagues, meetings and such. i am grateful for my job and everything - but the simpleness of waking up, taking it slow - playing with christian, nursing the cup of coffee, spending time in thought (who does that anymore?!) - is refreshing. it's the first time that we've almost yearned for suburban life (sshh! don't tell the city dweller friends:)).
i should stop now though - isn't this blog about parenthood? ha!
black friday's closing - tomorrow dan and i may go out by ourselves! imagine that.
ciao.

Cold and colder

Christian has his third cold. I think. And I think it's because he was in the church nursery this past Sunday. Sad, because it's so nice to give him the chance to interact with other babies and because we get to interact with our peers. But it's almost worth not putting him in the nursery so that the rest of the week isn't messed up. Oi!

And colder - the winter is already here! I am excited for holiday things but the 20 degree days are so uncool! That's January weather, not November!!! I never know if Christian is warm enough at night or when we go for walks, etc. Another Oi!

But we are flying to Sacramento on Tuesday to visit with Dan's parents and sister. We aren't looking forward to the flight, but the weather and vacation time will be SO appreciated. I wish we were staying longer than the 5 days. Oi Oi! :)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Christian and Elodie

Hey good looking! Can we be friends? Elodie and Christian don't know it, but they met long before birth! (This picture is them at about 6.5-7 months.) Their mothers became pregnant around the same time and then met together over the 9 long months to discuss pregnancy, hopes, fears, etc. Now that they are in this world, they get to play together while their moms continue to share hopes and fears, etc.

Life is hard

This week I think Dan and I perhaps understood adulthood for the first time. Maybe we've understood parts of it before, but it was coming on pretty strong. It's the acceptance of chaos and of 'the way things are.' It's the not talking to one another the whole day due to work and kid and schedule. It's the dishes piling up, the bathroom piping leaking to the levels below, which forces the plumbers to come and knock down part of your bedroom wall and leave it exposed for a few days. It's the breaking of the crib your baby sleeps in. It's everything at once!

It's realizing that you don't even want to complain because you're sick of hearing yourself!

It's being faced with the choice to become more selfish - to shrink away from the stress - or to become more selfless - to endure, to change, to grow, to mature.

Which will we choose this week? ...

But we have faith that this is ultimately for our good. We just need some reprieve.

I've never been one to say this, but THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY!

Sleep

Christian slept all night last night!
But I'm not that encouraged. Yesterday, Dan had an awful time getting him down for naps. I think he only slept an hour during the day. So I put him down at 8:30-ish for bed. I went to bed shortly after (just to make sure I had some solid blocks of sleep). And at 4AM I woke up with a start. I went to his crib and had to wake him up to nurse. I did so because I was scared he'd wake up for the day within the hour. But he didn't. He fell asleep again (he didn't really wake up while nursing) until 6:30!!!

I haven't felt that rested in so long. What a blessing!

I just pray that this is a shift in his sleep patterns. Though, I don't want Dan to suffer just so I can sleep well.

Christian is 8 months tomorrow. He's really trying to crawl. And he's just so active and fun. He's starting to cuddle more and to reach for us. It's sweet.

All Hallows Eve

Christian will dress up like a penguin tonight. Too bad he will be too young to enjoy candy:) His uncle Peter bought him the costume last month. We are excited to take pictures:) Maybe I'll get around to posting one here!

Other than that, he is still teething and trying to crawl. This next month I want to focus on getting him 'back' to falling asleep on his own. He's had some tough nights and to make up for my working full time, I baby (ha!) him back to sleep more often than I should.

I also want to work on introducing more solids to him. I feel like we've just been getting by. We are so busy but I need to make sure that the variety is there. Especially the finger foods! He does eat cheerios, but isn't that interested in them.

The 8th month is upon us! Can't believe it. This next month we will fly to Sacramento for Thanksgiving (he'll actually be able to eat Turkey and mashed potatoes!!) and then the next month to Germany! The time is flying in some ways.

But back to the present. He will arrive here at work soon with his dad. We'll dress him then go off to church for the 'Slime Fest'!

Enjoy the candy everyone!