You can more easily view the pictures taken by Trystan Photography at our web album online, here. Here's a few of my favorites.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Big Sister
Anna has been very sweet with her baby sister, especially lately. She's formed quite the attachment to Silvia in the six short weeks since we brought her home.
The first thing she says when she gets up in the morning is, "Where's Silvia? Wanna go say hi to Silvia!". The other day in the car while Silvia was crying (she always cries in the car, she hates driving), Anna told her, "Don't worry, Silvia, it's okay, we're almost home." She then proceeded to sing her "Twinkle Little Star" and the Silvia version of "Mockingbird".
"Hush little Silvia, don't say a word, Anna's gonna buy you a mockingbird."
Singing is pretty much Anna's favorite activity these days, that and collecting rocks wherever she can get her hands on them. She makes up songs about the things around her. For instance, at dinner last night, she was singing, "Anna's got apple juice and a straaaaaw, and peanut butter and Silvia spit up the miiiiiiiilllk, and Daddy's got the remooooote controllllll...".
Silvia's got her first cold, poor baby. She's miserable and stuffy, but the pediatrician says it's just congestion and she'll hopefully be better soon. She was 10 pounds, 13 ounces when the checked her, she's growing so fast!
The first thing she says when she gets up in the morning is, "Where's Silvia? Wanna go say hi to Silvia!". The other day in the car while Silvia was crying (she always cries in the car, she hates driving), Anna told her, "Don't worry, Silvia, it's okay, we're almost home." She then proceeded to sing her "Twinkle Little Star" and the Silvia version of "Mockingbird".
"Hush little Silvia, don't say a word, Anna's gonna buy you a mockingbird."
Singing is pretty much Anna's favorite activity these days, that and collecting rocks wherever she can get her hands on them. She makes up songs about the things around her. For instance, at dinner last night, she was singing, "Anna's got apple juice and a straaaaaw, and peanut butter and Silvia spit up the miiiiiiiilllk, and Daddy's got the remooooote controllllll...".
Silvia's got her first cold, poor baby. She's miserable and stuffy, but the pediatrician says it's just congestion and she'll hopefully be better soon. She was 10 pounds, 13 ounces when the checked her, she's growing so fast!
Charlotte over at Trystan Photography took some wonderful pictures for us again, I'll try to get some posted this week. You can also view them in the galleries on their website, here.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
One month check-up
We headed out to the pediatrician for Silvia's well check this morning. I tell you, it's a whole different ball game getting two little girls ready to go and out the door. But we're learning.
Silvia's gained almost two pounds in the first month, putting her at 10 lbs, 1 oz today and in the 75th percentile. She's also 75th percentile for height at 21.75 inches. She's no peanut like her big sister, that's for sure. The doctor declared her fit and healthy. She's got a small hernia on her belly button, like Anna, but that will grow over as she gets older. She's also got a little bit of a clogged tear duct in her left eye, but that, too, will get better with time.
It was so fun watching her check-up though, just because it's so different from how Anna was at that age. Silvia has very strong neck control already, but the most amazing thing for me to see is that she stands up. She actually pushes off on her legs and stands when you hold her up. Because of Anna's developmental delay, she never stood, never even put weight on her legs at all until she was 17 months or so. Just because of that prior experience, it makes me feel like Silvia is a Super Baby just becuase she can do this little, and very normal, thing.
Silvia's gained almost two pounds in the first month, putting her at 10 lbs, 1 oz today and in the 75th percentile. She's also 75th percentile for height at 21.75 inches. She's no peanut like her big sister, that's for sure. The doctor declared her fit and healthy. She's got a small hernia on her belly button, like Anna, but that will grow over as she gets older. She's also got a little bit of a clogged tear duct in her left eye, but that, too, will get better with time.
It was so fun watching her check-up though, just because it's so different from how Anna was at that age. Silvia has very strong neck control already, but the most amazing thing for me to see is that she stands up. She actually pushes off on her legs and stands when you hold her up. Because of Anna's developmental delay, she never stood, never even put weight on her legs at all until she was 17 months or so. Just because of that prior experience, it makes me feel like Silvia is a Super Baby just becuase she can do this little, and very normal, thing.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Beautiful Flowers
This weekend my mom and Terry threw me a "Meet the Baby" Shower to celebrate Silvia's birth. Most of my friends, their husbands and kids were able to come, even some that I haven't seen in awhile. It was a wonderful treat, and we had a great time. Silvia, of course, slept through the whole thing, which worked out find since it left me a lot of time to enjoy the HUGE amount of food and treats my mom had provided. I would post a picture of the delicious THREE cakes she brought, but... well, there just wasn't much left to photograph! I should have gotten in there with the camera before we all decimated the delectables.
Anna was the charming hostess of the bash, running around in her purple dress with her new-found pig tails bouncing around. She has become such an extrovert, welcoming everyone into the house and giving all the other moms hugs and kisses. It's wonderful how big our "family" has grown and how comfortable she is with these women who have become so much more than friends to me. I love that she showers them all with kisses and tells them, "I love you, too!". It's adorable how affectionate she is these days!
Thank you very much to my mom and Terry for the lovely party and the lovely flowers. They are a beautiful reminder of how lucky and blessed I am to have so much that is good in my life.
Anna was the charming hostess of the bash, running around in her purple dress with her new-found pig tails bouncing around. She has become such an extrovert, welcoming everyone into the house and giving all the other moms hugs and kisses. It's wonderful how big our "family" has grown and how comfortable she is with these women who have become so much more than friends to me. I love that she showers them all with kisses and tells them, "I love you, too!". It's adorable how affectionate she is these days!
Thank you very much to my mom and Terry for the lovely party and the lovely flowers. They are a beautiful reminder of how lucky and blessed I am to have so much that is good in my life.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Sisters together
Not a lot to write today. It's our first week solo, now that Kurt has gone back to work, and I was definitely very, very tired yesterday. Silvia got up at 5 a.m. this morning and, though she wasn't fussy, did not want to go back to sleep. I entertained her in bed for about an hour before it occurred to me to try putting her in the baby swing, which we had brough into our room for just such an occasion. Worked like magic! But, by then I was pretty much awake and it was almost time to start the day anyway, so I'm sort of stuck with a Sleep-Deprived Wednesday. Oh, well. That's what Starbucks is for, right? (If you know me at all, you know my Starbucks addiction. It's not the best coffee, it's overpriced, I know, but... well... it's everywhere and it's SO convenient!)
Here's the pictures. Anna finally got comfortable enough to want to hold Silvia this morning, it was too cute.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Silvia's first bath
I almost forgot! Silvia had her first bath last night... and she loved it! There was no crying or screaming or squirming, she was just laying back and smiling, enjoying the warm water and looking into the mirror at her reflection. Adorable!
First day on my own!
Well, Kurt went back to work today. I'm so lucky that he was able to take two whole weeks off after Silvia was born, but I also have to admit that I am ready for things to start getting back to normal. Today we've got Anna's music class and then she gets to spend the afternoon playing with Terry while I run errands and get caught up on laundry at home with Silvia. Hopefully, I'll be able to catch up on some sleep, too. It was hard getting up earlier this morning, but I'd rather wake up a little bit early and be able to take a shower and get ready to face the day than sleep in an hour, but end up in my PJ's at 4 p.m., you know?
Silvia is doing great, she still seems to be a very easy baby. She sleeps well at night, waking every 2 hours or so to eat briefly, then goes right back to sleep. She doesn't fuss too much during the day, either, and is generally just super cute. Anna is settling in to the new dynamic very well. She had a rough second week, with lots of tantrums and screaming fits, but has been pretty much an angel and "mommy's little helper" for several days now. She's sweet, likes to check in on her sister and has been wandering around telling Kurt and I how much she loves us. She's also starting to be a lot better about vocalizing her frustrations, asking for help and telling us what's upsetting her BEFORE she starts just screaming and dissolving into tears. It's a big step and we're both relieved at such progress during such a stressful time.
Below are some recent pictures... please note, Anna's very first pig tails! She's finally got enough hair, (just barely!), to put up in tails. She loves them, but I think she actually loves picking out the rubberband colors even more. Today, she has pink and yellow bands.
Silvia is doing great, she still seems to be a very easy baby. She sleeps well at night, waking every 2 hours or so to eat briefly, then goes right back to sleep. She doesn't fuss too much during the day, either, and is generally just super cute. Anna is settling in to the new dynamic very well. She had a rough second week, with lots of tantrums and screaming fits, but has been pretty much an angel and "mommy's little helper" for several days now. She's sweet, likes to check in on her sister and has been wandering around telling Kurt and I how much she loves us. She's also starting to be a lot better about vocalizing her frustrations, asking for help and telling us what's upsetting her BEFORE she starts just screaming and dissolving into tears. It's a big step and we're both relieved at such progress during such a stressful time.
Below are some recent pictures... please note, Anna's very first pig tails! She's finally got enough hair, (just barely!), to put up in tails. She loves them, but I think she actually loves picking out the rubberband colors even more. Today, she has pink and yellow bands.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
The fastest week ever
It's amazing, I was just tortured waiting for this baby to come, and now that she's here, time is just flipping by at the fastest pace imaginable.
While Silvia slept well her first two nights at the hospital, we have not had such luck since we got home. For now, the only way to get any rest after dark is for her to just sleep right next to me in bed. I'm not against co-sleeping by any means, but it's simply not as restful for me or for Kurt, since we both stay a little bit awake to make sure we're giving the baby enough room and keeping her clear of blankets. A good friend offered to loan me her co-sleeper bassinet (it's a little baby bed that attaches to the side of your own bed, at the same level), and I think we're going to give that a try and see if Silvia will go for it. Cuz I'm tired.
Which is sort of ironic, considering now would be a perfect time for me to sleep; Anna is napping, the baby and Kurt are napping and yet... I cannot seem to sleep! I tried, I swear I tried. Instead, I'm just wide awake and starving. Fortunately, friends and family have been dropping off food all week, so I'm at least set in the food department.
We took our first family walk today, since the weather is miraculously beautiful outside. Anna's been doing okay since we got home, but she's definitely starting to feel the adjustment to her world. There have been a lot more tantrums this week and the whining is starting to really drive both Kurt and me to distraction. She's still being sweet to the baby, though, so I'm just grateful she's expressing her frustration in directions other than beating up on her baby sister. That can wait a few years, don't you think?
It's still a very surreal world for me right now, part of me can't believe that the neverending labor actually ended, and so quickly (more on that later), and I'm still feeling very overwhelmed by the expansion of motherhood. When Anna's crying and reaching for me and Silvia is nursing and helpless in my arms, I don't quite know how I'll find a balancing point, but I know it will come in time. I still feel, though, that even though this newborn period is stressful and takes some adjustment, it's better than the discomfort of late pregnancy! I'm so excited to start reclaiming my body, that's for sure.
Updates for Silvia: Her mild jaundice has totally passed since my milk came in and she nurses pretty much all day long. She smiles and looks around and has had several periods of active awakeness where she is just taking it all in. She seems very fascinated with Anna, especially, and will stare and stare and track her with her eyes whenever her big sister is close.
Updates for Anna: She still seems fascinated with the baby, often giggling and laughing out loud when Silvia squeeks or moves around. When we are in a different room from her little sister, she usually wants to "go find Silvia" rather than play seperately. The thing she finds hard right now is adjusting to all the "new" toys that are around like the baby swing and the bouncy chair. She's too big for them now, but she WANTS them and doesn't really understand why she can't sit in them the way the baby does. All in all, I think she's doing very well, and hopefully in a month or two she'll never remember there was a world without a baby sister in it.
That's all for now, I'll post more pictures and the birth story later on. Time to eat!
While Silvia slept well her first two nights at the hospital, we have not had such luck since we got home. For now, the only way to get any rest after dark is for her to just sleep right next to me in bed. I'm not against co-sleeping by any means, but it's simply not as restful for me or for Kurt, since we both stay a little bit awake to make sure we're giving the baby enough room and keeping her clear of blankets. A good friend offered to loan me her co-sleeper bassinet (it's a little baby bed that attaches to the side of your own bed, at the same level), and I think we're going to give that a try and see if Silvia will go for it. Cuz I'm tired.
Which is sort of ironic, considering now would be a perfect time for me to sleep; Anna is napping, the baby and Kurt are napping and yet... I cannot seem to sleep! I tried, I swear I tried. Instead, I'm just wide awake and starving. Fortunately, friends and family have been dropping off food all week, so I'm at least set in the food department.
We took our first family walk today, since the weather is miraculously beautiful outside. Anna's been doing okay since we got home, but she's definitely starting to feel the adjustment to her world. There have been a lot more tantrums this week and the whining is starting to really drive both Kurt and me to distraction. She's still being sweet to the baby, though, so I'm just grateful she's expressing her frustration in directions other than beating up on her baby sister. That can wait a few years, don't you think?
It's still a very surreal world for me right now, part of me can't believe that the neverending labor actually ended, and so quickly (more on that later), and I'm still feeling very overwhelmed by the expansion of motherhood. When Anna's crying and reaching for me and Silvia is nursing and helpless in my arms, I don't quite know how I'll find a balancing point, but I know it will come in time. I still feel, though, that even though this newborn period is stressful and takes some adjustment, it's better than the discomfort of late pregnancy! I'm so excited to start reclaiming my body, that's for sure.
Updates for Silvia: Her mild jaundice has totally passed since my milk came in and she nurses pretty much all day long. She smiles and looks around and has had several periods of active awakeness where she is just taking it all in. She seems very fascinated with Anna, especially, and will stare and stare and track her with her eyes whenever her big sister is close.
Updates for Anna: She still seems fascinated with the baby, often giggling and laughing out loud when Silvia squeeks or moves around. When we are in a different room from her little sister, she usually wants to "go find Silvia" rather than play seperately. The thing she finds hard right now is adjusting to all the "new" toys that are around like the baby swing and the bouncy chair. She's too big for them now, but she WANTS them and doesn't really understand why she can't sit in them the way the baby does. All in all, I think she's doing very well, and hopefully in a month or two she'll never remember there was a world without a baby sister in it.
That's all for now, I'll post more pictures and the birth story later on. Time to eat!
Friday, February 09, 2007
More pictures
The girls together... Anna didn't want to sit still. This was the first night we were home, and it was also Kurt's birthday. Anna came home from Grandma's with Elmo birthday hats for all of us to celebrate with. She insisted that we wear them the whole night. Even the Teddy Bear. 
So far, Anna has been very sweet and gentle and excited with Silvia. She's acted out a little bit about other things, (lunch, naps, toys, etc.), but with the baby, her energy has all been very positive and excited. This morning the first thing she said when she got up was, "Let's go see Silvia! She's sooooo beautiful." Then she came running into our room to find her little sister.
So far, Anna has been very sweet and gentle and excited with Silvia. She's acted out a little bit about other things, (lunch, naps, toys, etc.), but with the baby, her energy has all been very positive and excited. This morning the first thing she said when she got up was, "Let's go see Silvia! She's sooooo beautiful." Then she came running into our room to find her little sister.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
It's a girl!
Silvia Erika Schwartz was born February 5th, 2007 at 10:19 a.m. after 20 hours of labor. She was 8 pounds, 2 ounces at birth and measures 21 inches long.
Welcome to the world, Silvia! Now we are four!
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Napkins... or new clothes?
When Val was here earlier this month, he took some cloth napkins and introduced Anna to the the exciting world of dress-up games. She wears these napkins all around the house at some point every single day now.
As luck would have it, Cousin Vicki also sent Anna a sparkly dress up set at around the same time, which she wears on her head or around her waist. The butterfly wings that came with it can only be worn on the front, as she can't see them well enough when she's got them on her back. Needless to say, everything in the playroom is now sprinkled with silver sparkles from her wearing these play clothes all around.
As luck would have it, Cousin Vicki also sent Anna a sparkly dress up set at around the same time, which she wears on her head or around her waist. The butterfly wings that came with it can only be worn on the front, as she can't see them well enough when she's got them on her back. Needless to say, everything in the playroom is now sprinkled with silver sparkles from her wearing these play clothes all around.
Teddy in Peril
Anna's Teddy Bear seems to be walking a thin line between complete safety and utter peril. Every morning as we're getting up, we listen to her playing in her crib and talking to the bear. Here's a sample from this morning.
"Oh, no, Teddy, are you okay? It's okay, I've got you. Poor Teddy."
Silence and rustling noises, and then...
"Teddy! BE CAREFUL!"
When I came into the room, Anna was in the process of "rescuing" her bear, which she had just shoved deeply between the bumper of her crib and half out the rails.
As I turned on her light and said good morning, she yanked Teddy through the rails and gave him a big hug, saying, "Oh, that's okay, Teddy, you fine!".
Poor Teddy.
"Oh, no, Teddy, are you okay? It's okay, I've got you. Poor Teddy."
Silence and rustling noises, and then...
"Teddy! BE CAREFUL!"
When I came into the room, Anna was in the process of "rescuing" her bear, which she had just shoved deeply between the bumper of her crib and half out the rails.
As I turned on her light and said good morning, she yanked Teddy through the rails and gave him a big hug, saying, "Oh, that's okay, Teddy, you fine!".
Poor Teddy.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
It's been a long, long while
Hi there! My how time flies when you're growing a whole person. It seems like so much has been going on since the holidays, so let's get caught up, shall we?
Christmas
We had a really great holiday this year, despite blizzards and airport drama. While John managed to fly in just before the first big storm, Valentine's flight was completely canceled. In fact, the soonest they said they could re-book him would have had him arriving several hours after he was supposed to have already departed after Christmas was over! Poor Val ended up spending the holiday weekend alone in Chicago and he was very much missed.
We still had a lovely time, though. Since Mom and Kent left for Italy on Christmas Day, we had the whole family over to our house on Christmas Eve for a great dinner and presents. Kurt cooked a fabulous roast on the grill, in the snow, and Anna spent the evening focusing all her skills on charming her Uncle John. It seems as though from the first moment everyone started arriving that day, she just hit the "super-cute-charming-sweet" phase of toddlerhood, becuase she's been pretty much an angel ever since.
Auntie Monica and Uncle Chad arrived Christmas Day with little (not so little) Ryan. I just cannot believe how much he has grown! He looks like a perfect combination of Mo and Chad. This visit was pretty much all about getting the two cousins together, and they made the most of it. Anna had such a fun time playing with Ryan, and when he wasn't following her around the house, she was off looking for him. I have, of course, lots and lots of pictures of the two, which I'll try to get posted before this weekend is up. And, as always, it was so wonderful having Monica and Chad here to visit. We hope to see them again at the latest in April, though hopefully Monica will also be able to come visit after the baby is born, too.
John and Kurt spent the day after Christmas skiing up in Breckenridge and fulfilling some significant male bonding. Unfortunately, John had to leave back to Iowa the next day, but hopefully he'll be able to come visit again for a few days after the baby comes. Anna is still talking about her Uncle John, she had such a blast discovering all this extra family!
New Year's
After many phone calls through to the airlines, we did finally get Val booked to fly out on New Year's Eve- which turned out to be right after the second big blizzard. Still, he made it in, and I made it up to Denver to pick him up, so the weather didn't win in the end. He spent nearly a week here with us, and I spent the whole time trying to convince him to come and be my nanny. He was so great with Anna! The two of them sat and played for literally HOURS, making up games and being incredibly silly. I have some great pictures of him dressing her up in cloth napkins to look like some little Egyptian princess.
Mom and Kent were back by the 2nd, after some delays and re-routing of their flights, and we spent the first week of the year as a quieter version of Christmas week; visiting, eating and relaxing as a family.
In general, the holidays were a whirlwind of visits and family, and very very nice. I also got to spend plenty of time with my dear friend Renee and her family while she was here. I can't believe how much little Lucy and Stella have grown! Again, Anna had a great time playing with the girls, and "Stella" is now one of her favorite words. She carries around their Christmas card and tells me all about, "Stellllllllllaaaaaaaaaa!". *grin*
Since the beginning of the year, things have calmed down considerably around here. Kurt and I moved Anna over to her new room very easily and she loves it. It was so much easier than we had anticipated, in fact, and allowed us to finish up the nursery sooner than we had planned. So now the house is all ready for the baby to get here... if only we could get to that part sooner, too! As of today, I'm officially full-term and very hopeful to give birth before the end of the month, though there are, of course, no sure bets.
Whoo! That was a lot! I promise to get some pictures up this weekend at the latest and I'll keep y'all filled in about Baby Countdown 2007.
Happy New Year!
Christmas
We had a really great holiday this year, despite blizzards and airport drama. While John managed to fly in just before the first big storm, Valentine's flight was completely canceled. In fact, the soonest they said they could re-book him would have had him arriving several hours after he was supposed to have already departed after Christmas was over! Poor Val ended up spending the holiday weekend alone in Chicago and he was very much missed.
We still had a lovely time, though. Since Mom and Kent left for Italy on Christmas Day, we had the whole family over to our house on Christmas Eve for a great dinner and presents. Kurt cooked a fabulous roast on the grill, in the snow, and Anna spent the evening focusing all her skills on charming her Uncle John. It seems as though from the first moment everyone started arriving that day, she just hit the "super-cute-charming-sweet" phase of toddlerhood, becuase she's been pretty much an angel ever since.
Auntie Monica and Uncle Chad arrived Christmas Day with little (not so little) Ryan. I just cannot believe how much he has grown! He looks like a perfect combination of Mo and Chad. This visit was pretty much all about getting the two cousins together, and they made the most of it. Anna had such a fun time playing with Ryan, and when he wasn't following her around the house, she was off looking for him. I have, of course, lots and lots of pictures of the two, which I'll try to get posted before this weekend is up. And, as always, it was so wonderful having Monica and Chad here to visit. We hope to see them again at the latest in April, though hopefully Monica will also be able to come visit after the baby is born, too.
John and Kurt spent the day after Christmas skiing up in Breckenridge and fulfilling some significant male bonding. Unfortunately, John had to leave back to Iowa the next day, but hopefully he'll be able to come visit again for a few days after the baby comes. Anna is still talking about her Uncle John, she had such a blast discovering all this extra family!
New Year's
After many phone calls through to the airlines, we did finally get Val booked to fly out on New Year's Eve- which turned out to be right after the second big blizzard. Still, he made it in, and I made it up to Denver to pick him up, so the weather didn't win in the end. He spent nearly a week here with us, and I spent the whole time trying to convince him to come and be my nanny. He was so great with Anna! The two of them sat and played for literally HOURS, making up games and being incredibly silly. I have some great pictures of him dressing her up in cloth napkins to look like some little Egyptian princess.
Mom and Kent were back by the 2nd, after some delays and re-routing of their flights, and we spent the first week of the year as a quieter version of Christmas week; visiting, eating and relaxing as a family.
In general, the holidays were a whirlwind of visits and family, and very very nice. I also got to spend plenty of time with my dear friend Renee and her family while she was here. I can't believe how much little Lucy and Stella have grown! Again, Anna had a great time playing with the girls, and "Stella" is now one of her favorite words. She carries around their Christmas card and tells me all about, "Stellllllllllaaaaaaaaaa!". *grin*
Since the beginning of the year, things have calmed down considerably around here. Kurt and I moved Anna over to her new room very easily and she loves it. It was so much easier than we had anticipated, in fact, and allowed us to finish up the nursery sooner than we had planned. So now the house is all ready for the baby to get here... if only we could get to that part sooner, too! As of today, I'm officially full-term and very hopeful to give birth before the end of the month, though there are, of course, no sure bets.
Whoo! That was a lot! I promise to get some pictures up this weekend at the latest and I'll keep y'all filled in about Baby Countdown 2007.
Happy New Year!
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Skiing
On Sunday, Kurt turned on a skiing competition on TV while Anna was playing in the living room. It was an instant hit! Anna stood up in front of the TV, saying, "They're so FAST. Look! They're skiing! Look, look!".
Of course, Kurt's been talking about putting her on skis since she was about 2 hours old, so he was thrilled. The best part, though, was when she started zooming around the room, knees bent, hips tucked and arms behind her as if she were holding ski poles.
"Anna skiing! See? Anna skiing! Good skiing, Anna!" She was very proud of herself, and I had to stop Kurt from running over to Christy's Sport and buying the smallest pair of skis he could find.
Of course, Kurt's been talking about putting her on skis since she was about 2 hours old, so he was thrilled. The best part, though, was when she started zooming around the room, knees bent, hips tucked and arms behind her as if she were holding ski poles.
"Anna skiing! See? Anna skiing! Good skiing, Anna!" She was very proud of herself, and I had to stop Kurt from running over to Christy's Sport and buying the smallest pair of skis he could find.
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Garden of the Gods
Once again, we had our good friends over at Trystan Photography take some family pictures of us for the holidays. Here's one of my favorites, just because Anna's having such a good time. Pretty much ALL the pics turned out great and we'll be using one for our Christmas cards this year.
Anna is really loving the cold and snowy weather. We took her down to the Parade of Lights last week in 8 degree weather, and the only time she fussed was when we had to go inside to warm up. I think she really thrives on the cold!
We also just had a huge cookie exchange party at our house with my mom's group, and Anna was the consumate hostess. She screamed with delight every time another kid showed up and was passing around hugs and kisses like party favors. She played so happily and so hard, in fact, that half way through the event, long before everyone left, she decided she needed a nap. I don't know how she managed to sleep through all that mayhem and noise, but she figured out a way!
That's all for now. Hope everyone's having a wonderful December. Oh, and happy birthday to my brother Val, he turned 31 yesterday! Also, please keep my Grandpa Bloom in your thoughts, he had hip surgery yesterday and will be spending the holidays recovering.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Thanksgiving
I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving. We went over to mom's and enjoyed her traditional home cookin'- needless to say, everything was delicious. Kurt and I just happened to stop by the next day right at lunch time to "help out" with the leftovers, too.
This past weekend was a busy one for Kurt, though I mostly sat and watched. He finished painting Anna's new room and put all the trim back up. I wasn't allowed to help paint, something about fumes being bad for pregnant ladies, but now I can start setting up the room to move Anna into it. We're planning for her to move after Christmas, so that she can get settled in her new room before the baby is born. Kurt did a wonderful job and it looks great. Every day Anna has to go and see "purple doors" before she can come down in the morning. She loves it!
We also got to visit with Cari and Cathy this weekend, which was so great. I miss the cousins! Anna took to them almost immediately, but it may have had something to do with the bribery they brought along; a small and very friendly puppy dog, Perry. It was love at first lick, needless to say.
Now that Thanksgiving is past, we're starting to get really excited for the Christmas holiday this year. Both my brothers are coming out to visit, as well as Kurt's sister Monica and her husband, Chad, and son, Ryan. Every evening it seems that more houses in our neighborhood have up their holiday lights and Anna LOVES to go for evening drives and point out all the different colors.
Time to go pick out my cookie recipes for the holiday cookie exchange this year! Tis the season to eat yummy treats! I need to get Aunt Juanita's monkey pull-apart bread recipe, too....
This past weekend was a busy one for Kurt, though I mostly sat and watched. He finished painting Anna's new room and put all the trim back up. I wasn't allowed to help paint, something about fumes being bad for pregnant ladies, but now I can start setting up the room to move Anna into it. We're planning for her to move after Christmas, so that she can get settled in her new room before the baby is born. Kurt did a wonderful job and it looks great. Every day Anna has to go and see "purple doors" before she can come down in the morning. She loves it!
We also got to visit with Cari and Cathy this weekend, which was so great. I miss the cousins! Anna took to them almost immediately, but it may have had something to do with the bribery they brought along; a small and very friendly puppy dog, Perry. It was love at first lick, needless to say.
Now that Thanksgiving is past, we're starting to get really excited for the Christmas holiday this year. Both my brothers are coming out to visit, as well as Kurt's sister Monica and her husband, Chad, and son, Ryan. Every evening it seems that more houses in our neighborhood have up their holiday lights and Anna LOVES to go for evening drives and point out all the different colors.
Time to go pick out my cookie recipes for the holiday cookie exchange this year! Tis the season to eat yummy treats! I need to get Aunt Juanita's monkey pull-apart bread recipe, too....
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
First Big Bump
Last night, Anna fell off the couch and went head first into the edge of the coffee table with a resounding "CRACK!". After about 10 minutes of crying, she reverted back to her normal self, and was actually quite chipper and silly for the rest of the night. The same cannot be said for her poor mother, I was a wreck, I felt so bad for her! Fortunately, it looked much worse than it really was, and the doctor said (because of course I rushed her to the pediatrician for a quick look to make myself feel better) that she'd be fine.
This morning she's got a faint bruise and quarter-sized lump with a little cut across it right between her eyebrows (the picture doesn't show it very well...). It looks a hundred times better than it did yesterday, so I'm hopeful it'll fade quickly. The nurse at the after-hours clinic told me that it was pretty amazing that Anna had reached the age of 2 without having any other big bang-ups. I guess that makes this a rite of passage!
This morning she's got a faint bruise and quarter-sized lump with a little cut across it right between her eyebrows (the picture doesn't show it very well...). It looks a hundred times better than it did yesterday, so I'm hopeful it'll fade quickly. The nurse at the after-hours clinic told me that it was pretty amazing that Anna had reached the age of 2 without having any other big bang-ups. I guess that makes this a rite of passage!
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Welcome to the Third Trimester!
That's the title of the automatic pregnancy e-mail I got this morning. Today I'm officially in the home stretch. I love how it says, "Welcome!" as if I'm arriving at some awesome party where everything will be fabulous. Clearly, it was written by a man. But I digress...
The baby is doing just fine, kicking and growing and generally making a big impact on my sillouhette and lower back. I finally had to give in today and go buy a maternity jacket for this winter. It's getting chilly and I just couldn't close my regular coats up over my tummy anymore!
Anna had a big day today at playdate and was practically unconscious when I brought her home. I carried her up to her room (which I almost never do anymore, it's hard to lift her), and her eyes were just rolling all around in her head as she tried to keep them open without success. She ran all around the park and climbed up the big slide more times than I can count. She's really burst from her shell lately and has been showing a hugely increased comfort level around other kids and people. She did have one mishap, though- she tripped on the steps to the slide and bonked her lower lip hard enough to draw a little blood. Still, even with all that, she recovered enough to still play for almost another hour before her pre-nap meltdown.
I'm so thankful that I found this mom's group to join. Besides the fact that I've made some wonderful friends for myself, having the weekly activity and connection with other kids and families has really helped Anna to blossom socially.
She's been spending a lot of time lately just cuddling up to me and Kurt, walking over and hugging my legs, or curling up against my belly on the couch. Now she'll cuddle up, say, "Oh, big hug, mamma,", and pat my belly softly with one hand. She likes to hug Kurt and pat him on his head. I don't know if she's got all this extra affection to make up for the fact that I can't carry her nearly as much anymore or simply because she's becoming more demonstrative. Either way, I love it! Keep the hugs coming!
Monday, November 06, 2006
Anna's Two Year Check-Up
Anna's two year check-up was this morning, and she's coloring in the corner now, fully recovered from the trauma of it all. You would have thought from all the yelling and crying that she'd be scarred for life, but no. Coloring ponies makes everything better. Oh, the resiliency of kids!
The doc declared her super healthy, which is good to know, and he also said her tantrums are normal, even though they are on the more extreme side in terms of how frequent she has them and how suddenly they pop up and then disappear. He said to just keep doing what we're doing and gave us a handout on some loving discipline techniques to try. I have to say again, I really, really like Dr. Kuskie. He's very down-to-earth, straightforward and comforting in his lack of drama, hype or judgement.
Anna really is a stingbean, too! Her head circumference is in the 90th percentile, her height (she grew 2.5 inches!!!!) is in the 75th percentile and her weight... well, at 24 pounds, she's in the 12th percentile. She's so skinny! She's built like her daddy, long and lean. I was worried she hadn't gained more weight, but the doc said that it's obvious from her big height growth that she's getting enough calories, so that's okay. He was proud of her walking, too, but in such a way as make me feel he always knew she was going to walk and be just fine. She had two shots, poor girl, but seems fine now, so it was only a brief bit of terror for her. And that's all! Next time I see him it will be for my NEXT baby's first check-ups in February. That's a mind-blower!
The doc declared her super healthy, which is good to know, and he also said her tantrums are normal, even though they are on the more extreme side in terms of how frequent she has them and how suddenly they pop up and then disappear. He said to just keep doing what we're doing and gave us a handout on some loving discipline techniques to try. I have to say again, I really, really like Dr. Kuskie. He's very down-to-earth, straightforward and comforting in his lack of drama, hype or judgement.
Anna really is a stingbean, too! Her head circumference is in the 90th percentile, her height (she grew 2.5 inches!!!!) is in the 75th percentile and her weight... well, at 24 pounds, she's in the 12th percentile. She's so skinny! She's built like her daddy, long and lean. I was worried she hadn't gained more weight, but the doc said that it's obvious from her big height growth that she's getting enough calories, so that's okay. He was proud of her walking, too, but in such a way as make me feel he always knew she was going to walk and be just fine. She had two shots, poor girl, but seems fine now, so it was only a brief bit of terror for her. And that's all! Next time I see him it will be for my NEXT baby's first check-ups in February. That's a mind-blower!
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Birthday Party Fun
I just posted a photo album on the left with pictures from Anna's 2nd Birthday party. We had so much fun! All of Anna's friends were there and the kids went nuts chasing each other all around the house for most of the night. There was a surprising lack of drama and tears, especially from our shy girl, and she really seemed to enjoy the whole event. This year we had a book theme with the gifts and Anna is in absolute heaven today as she tries to make her way through each new story. Thank you so much to everyone for a wonderful celebration!
Friday, November 03, 2006
She's Two, She's TWO!
Happy Birthday today to my little girl! We're going to find a carousel in town that's open today and let her ride, since it's the only thing she's been asking for at all. This is a picture from the park yesterday, she had a lot of fun running around and getting silly.
I can't believe she's TWO. Sigh...
I can't believe she's TWO. Sigh...
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Giraffe!
Anna was the littlest giraffe this year for her first time trick-or-treating. In fact, she loves the costume so much, she's still wearing it as a cape, calling it her "giraffe hat".
Trick-or-treating went pretty well, though she was a little intimidated at first. But then it suddenly hit her that these strangers were giving her candy, CANDY, and then she got excited. It was less than 30 degrees out last night, so we just took her up our cul de sac and back, but she collected a pretty good haul.
Once we got home, Anna put on her giraffe hat, with the rest of the costume trailing behind her like a cape, and greeted all the other trick-or-treaters at the door with a smile and loud, "Hi, KIDS!".
All in all, a perfect Halloween for everyone.
Trick-or-treating went pretty well, though she was a little intimidated at first. But then it suddenly hit her that these strangers were giving her candy, CANDY, and then she got excited. It was less than 30 degrees out last night, so we just took her up our cul de sac and back, but she collected a pretty good haul.
Once we got home, Anna put on her giraffe hat, with the rest of the costume trailing behind her like a cape, and greeted all the other trick-or-treaters at the door with a smile and loud, "Hi, KIDS!".
All in all, a perfect Halloween for everyone.
Friday, October 27, 2006
Family Fun Day
Yesterday's snow day was one of the nicest days we've spent together ever! Kurt's office was closed, (in fact the road to his office was closed off), and with the power flickering on and off, he couldn't work from home either. The result was that we played in the house together all day, running around with Anna, making comfort food lunches, drinking hot chocolate and relaxing. I worked on Anna's scrapbook and started my first (of many, I'm sure) crocheted winter hats. Anna was thrilled with it all, too. She kept visiting the windows to remind us that, "Look! Look! It's a-snowing!".
A perfect snow day for everyone!
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Pictures
Juli's Sunglasses.
Wearing Kurt's shoes.
Juli and Anna, enjoying a peanut butter bagel.
Free-climbing at the zoo. The ant is her favorite, she'll play on that for days.
Gremlins took my computer
That could be my excuse for not writing in so long... but...
Mostly I just haven't gotten around to it. But I'm here now! Hi!
This month seems like it's been a whirlwind, though I'm not sure why. Anna seems to be starting to even out a little, and her good days are about even with her screaming-demon-posession days, so that's been a relief. She's mostly just so cute that I try to forgive her when here head spins around several times during breakfast.
My dear friend Juli, the best college roomate EVER, was visiting this past weekend from Minnesota and we had a lovely time. Juli's a Southern Living at HOME representative, so we threw a SLAH party while she was here so she could meet my other, local, friends. It went great, and I wish she could have stayed longer!
Anna, unfortunately, decided that the pressure of a house guest was too much for her and spent much of Juli's visit trying to make me look like the world's worst mom, but we managed to get through it. By the end of her trip, Anna had calmed down and was very affectionate and sweet. One of her favorite games right now is, "What does ** say?", followed by a phrase that she associates with that person or thing. So, now we have, "What does Juli say?" added to our collection of associated phrases. By the way, what does Juli say? She says, "Yay! Hooray!"
This week, Kurt's going to have his first big time alone with Anna, since I am heading out for a few days vacation with my girlfriends. We are only going to be gone for about 2 and a half days, but it's my first time leaving Anna with Kurt for so long. I'm lucky, though, he's a stand-up dad and will have absolutely no problems. I think they plan to take a day trip up to Breckenridge, so he's definitely not worried, either. Heck, I would be nervous to take her so far for the day by myself! However, she is such a daddy's girl, I'm sure they'll both have a wonderful time and not miss me at all.
That's all the rambling update I can conjure right now! I'll try to be more concise in my next post. In the meantime... pictures!
Mostly I just haven't gotten around to it. But I'm here now! Hi!
This month seems like it's been a whirlwind, though I'm not sure why. Anna seems to be starting to even out a little, and her good days are about even with her screaming-demon-posession days, so that's been a relief. She's mostly just so cute that I try to forgive her when here head spins around several times during breakfast.
My dear friend Juli, the best college roomate EVER, was visiting this past weekend from Minnesota and we had a lovely time. Juli's a Southern Living at HOME representative, so we threw a SLAH party while she was here so she could meet my other, local, friends. It went great, and I wish she could have stayed longer!
Anna, unfortunately, decided that the pressure of a house guest was too much for her and spent much of Juli's visit trying to make me look like the world's worst mom, but we managed to get through it. By the end of her trip, Anna had calmed down and was very affectionate and sweet. One of her favorite games right now is, "What does ** say?", followed by a phrase that she associates with that person or thing. So, now we have, "What does Juli say?" added to our collection of associated phrases. By the way, what does Juli say? She says, "Yay! Hooray!"
This week, Kurt's going to have his first big time alone with Anna, since I am heading out for a few days vacation with my girlfriends. We are only going to be gone for about 2 and a half days, but it's my first time leaving Anna with Kurt for so long. I'm lucky, though, he's a stand-up dad and will have absolutely no problems. I think they plan to take a day trip up to Breckenridge, so he's definitely not worried, either. Heck, I would be nervous to take her so far for the day by myself! However, she is such a daddy's girl, I'm sure they'll both have a wonderful time and not miss me at all.
That's all the rambling update I can conjure right now! I'll try to be more concise in my next post. In the meantime... pictures!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)