10. We had multiple opportunities to Athens this month. I've very grateful that Calvin is such a good little traveller. I always love eating our when we are in town. And, it's nice to see family and get out of the city a bit.
9. We've still been able to enjoy being outdoors most of this month! The weather was actually a big reason for me initially looking into moving to Georgia, and it's rarely disappointed me. This month, we've still been hitting up the dog park, going on walks, going to the Greenway, and comfortably running outdoors.
8. Christmas Sunday was wonderful. In addition to Calvin looking adorable in his Christmas suit, the program at Church was amazing. Devin played the piano for it, so he wasn't able to sit with us. But, we sat where we could see him the whole time. The message shared was very touching and the perfect lead in to Christmas Eve and Christmas.
7. As always, we had a lot of fun food this month. We've been on a big nachos kick and have eaten them several times. Devin's also been experimenting with creating the perfect gourmet grilled cheese. The weather has been so nice this month we were able to grill ribs once. And, Devin made us quite a few fun, unique milkshakes.
6. A couple days after Christmas Devin's Grandmother stopped in for a visit. This was actually her first opportunity to meet Calvin. He immediately grabbed onto her hand and didn't let go for a few minutes. It was pretty adorable. We all enjoyed a few hours of chatting, reminiscing, and catching up with each other.
5. Calvin is now 6 months old! He's still such an amazing, happy child. In the past month, he popped out two teeth, started army crawling (and is nearly crawling for real!), sits up without hands for long periods, he copies us in motions and sounds (he loves to say heeeeeyyy!!), and he has started solid foods! It has been a very busy month for him. He also had his six month checkup where we learned he was still topping the growth chart in weight and height.
4. We've had a good bit of time with all of us home this month. Devin is still in the middle of an "off" rotation. He has had to interview and do ultrasound shifts, but it's still left plenty more time at home than his previous two impatient medicine rotations. I will always be excited to have all of us around.
3. This month, Devin and I actually went out just the two of us for the first time since Calvin was born. Thankfully, all of us did just fine with it. And, it was pretty nice to be able to calmly enjoy a meal instead of trying to keep Calvin happy while eating, have Devin open my car door instead of him having to buckle Calvin in, and have hands free just for holding!
2. Devin has been interviewing for residency this month, and Calvin and I accompanied him on his interview in Chattanooga. While Calvin is a great traveller, this was definitely a little trickier, but he handled it amazingly well! We had a lot of fun exploring the city as a family.
1. This Christmas was pretty amazing. We celebrated Christmas Eve and had Christmas morning just our little family. On Christmas Eve, we spent time making and delivering goody plates. Then, Devin made our traditional (4 years now!) German Christmas Eve dinner. We read Luke 2 before putting Calvin to bed. On Christmas morning, we did stockings in bed, opened presents while the dogs chewed new bones, and ate cinnamon rolls. Calvin preferred the boxes, paper, and bows to the actual presents. Later, we joined family in Atlanta for Christmas dinner, more presents, and games. Overall, the day was pretty much perfect!
Monday, December 31, 2012
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Ode to the Moose
Two short years ago today,
Our little Moose came home to stay.
He flourished in his new found home
He loves to play with his big brother.
They soon learned to take care of each other.
Moose showed that he can keep up pace
And camped where you must leave no trace.
His first birthday was a lot of fun,
But he still wanted to be a little one.
He battled sniffles and itch attacks,
Yet he always rallied for a tasty snack.
His love for food caused many a snafu,
With his favorite partner at all times--Blue.
I'm so grateful that Moose came,
Since his arrival life has never been the same!
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Pringle Love
Once you pop, the fun don't stop...
At least not until you find yourself begging for "just one more!"
Friday, November 30, 2012
Ten for November
10. I love that this month it has really felt like Autumn. I've definitely been dragging my feet a little on the seasons changing and the holidays approaching, but it really has been beautiful. The leaves have been changing and the weather has been pretty amazing.
9. We've been on a grits kick this month. Devin has made them several times in many different ways, and they aren't getting old. We generally eat them with seafood or Cajun food. I'd never had them before moving to Georgia, and after four and a half years here, I've fallen in love with them!
8. We had more opportunities to be outdoors this month. We went back to the canal, took a few walks, and have spent time on our porch. I appreciate the few months of the year that it's perfect to do those things without having to add extra layers or worry about getting too hot.
7. I tackled a few projects that needed done this month. The laundry room was organized, the coffee table drawers were cleaned, the dining room/study was de-cluttered, and all of Calvin's outgrown clothes were sorted and stored away. I'd been somewhat dreading seeing all of his tiny clothes again and had just been sticking them into big gifts bags, but his closet was being overrun. I'm grateful that all of these tasks are taken care of...at least for now!
6. For the first time in over a year and a half, Devin's whole family was together. This included parents, four kids, three spouses, three grandchildren, and two grandchildren on the way. It's the first full family picture Calvin was a part of, too!
5. We've started training to run another half marathon. I've only run a couple times since having Calvin and only ran a handful of times during my pregnancy. The first run of my training felt fantastic. I thought it would take my a while to get back to appreciating my runs, but even with how much progress I need to make I still enjoying just being back at it.
4. Calvin has hit some big milestones this month. He reaches to be picked up, he get up on his hands and knees, and he's been trying to pull up. His very favorite place is his Johnny Jump Up. He'll jump and squeal and laugh until he wears himself out.
3. We really, really, really enjoyed having Jess with us for a week. The two of us did some shopping, tried out several ideas from Pinterest, and stayed up late talking every night. Devin joined us for board games and scary movies and cooked dinner for us every evening. We also cooked breakfast every day and ate out for lunch a couple times. And some of those Pinterest ideas were desserts...
2. Calvin's first Thanksgiving was this month! While he had no idea what was going on, he did get a chance to look adorable in the turkey onesie Jess and I made. And, he enjoyed the excitement of being around so many people.
1. This month Devin kicked off his seven week vacation!! Of course, it's interview season, but that will be less demanding of his time than if he were in a rotation. Already we've been enjoying it, but I'm pretty excited about what's up ahead!
9. We've been on a grits kick this month. Devin has made them several times in many different ways, and they aren't getting old. We generally eat them with seafood or Cajun food. I'd never had them before moving to Georgia, and after four and a half years here, I've fallen in love with them!
8. We had more opportunities to be outdoors this month. We went back to the canal, took a few walks, and have spent time on our porch. I appreciate the few months of the year that it's perfect to do those things without having to add extra layers or worry about getting too hot.
7. I tackled a few projects that needed done this month. The laundry room was organized, the coffee table drawers were cleaned, the dining room/study was de-cluttered, and all of Calvin's outgrown clothes were sorted and stored away. I'd been somewhat dreading seeing all of his tiny clothes again and had just been sticking them into big gifts bags, but his closet was being overrun. I'm grateful that all of these tasks are taken care of...at least for now!
6. For the first time in over a year and a half, Devin's whole family was together. This included parents, four kids, three spouses, three grandchildren, and two grandchildren on the way. It's the first full family picture Calvin was a part of, too!
5. We've started training to run another half marathon. I've only run a couple times since having Calvin and only ran a handful of times during my pregnancy. The first run of my training felt fantastic. I thought it would take my a while to get back to appreciating my runs, but even with how much progress I need to make I still enjoying just being back at it.
4. Calvin has hit some big milestones this month. He reaches to be picked up, he get up on his hands and knees, and he's been trying to pull up. His very favorite place is his Johnny Jump Up. He'll jump and squeal and laugh until he wears himself out.
3. We really, really, really enjoyed having Jess with us for a week. The two of us did some shopping, tried out several ideas from Pinterest, and stayed up late talking every night. Devin joined us for board games and scary movies and cooked dinner for us every evening. We also cooked breakfast every day and ate out for lunch a couple times. And some of those Pinterest ideas were desserts...
2. Calvin's first Thanksgiving was this month! While he had no idea what was going on, he did get a chance to look adorable in the turkey onesie Jess and I made. And, he enjoyed the excitement of being around so many people.
1. This month Devin kicked off his seven week vacation!! Of course, it's interview season, but that will be less demanding of his time than if he were in a rotation. Already we've been enjoying it, but I'm pretty excited about what's up ahead!
Thursday, November 15, 2012
A Little Neglected
The blog has sadly been a little forgotten lately. I promise it's not because life isn't interesting, though! More realistically, life has been amazing but busy, so this blog has been neglected. To catch up a little, I decided to pull some phone photos to share!
On November 6, Calvin had his first voting experience. He went into the polling place with us and into the booth with me.
With Calvin trying to crawl, we decided a steam mop might more effectively keep our floors clean...and apparently we were right! They hadn't been left dirty before, but when the reviews promise that more will be picked up this way than by any other floor cleaning tried, they weren't exaggerating!
Shrimp and grits for dinner a few nights ago...mmm!!! Devin really is a pretty amazing cook!
Last night I made dark chocolate and butterscotch chip cookies. They were the perfect consistency and literally some of the best cookies I've ever made!
We've finished off the leftover Halloween candy. Without my early pregnancy nausea it went a whole lot faster this year...
Calvin is 5 months old! He's not eating solids yet, but he has grown pretty fond of playing in his high chair while we're in the kitchen.
And, I know I shared before that he is sitting up, but here's a little photographic evidence!
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Ten for October
10. This past month we had a couple opportunities to head to the canal trail. Both dogs love swimming in the river, and Calvin generally enjoys being outdoors. The weather was perfect for it this month, too!
9. I've loved that I have been able to break out some of my fall clothes. I missed being able to comfortably wear jeans! And, since I spent most of the cold weather time last year in maternity clothes, it really does feel like I've been given a whole new wardrobe.
8. As usual, cooking makes the list here somewhere. Devin did most of the cooking this month and made many tasty dinners. We made use of the grill a few more times before it gets challenging for the winter. We also ate some premium sandwiches a good bit. I tried a new recipe for pumpkin cookies, and Devin made us milkshakes quite a few times. Also, we received a gift card that let us enjoy a couple dinners at Bonefish and Outback!
7. Despite all this delicious eating, I get to celebrate weighing less than I did when I found out I was pregnant. It's been a pretty fun milestone to achieve, but considering the size of my baby, I'm not a surprised as I could have been.
6. This past month we were able to make multiple trips to Athens. It was fun to see friends and family. Our story begins there, so it's always fun to visit. We also appreciate the break from being in the city and getting back out to the country.
5. We all loved that Devin was on an off rotation for most of the month. It was fun to really soak in the family time and slow down for a few weeks. All the time off that Devin has is definitely one of the very best parts of this year of school.
4. As mentioned in my previous post, we definitely love Halloween. It was exciting to celebrate Calvin's first one so well. We also had a good number of trick or treaters this evening and have a respectable pile of leftover candy to enjoy ourselves.
3. During one of our trips out of town, we had the chance to attend the Watkinsville Fall Festival. I look forward to someday living in a small town where community events like this occur. We arrived via hayride, browsed booths, bought a birthday gift from a local artist, found new Christmas ornaments for the boys, and ate a barbecue lunch and other fair snacks. Calvin napped for part in the moby carrier and loved interacting with people for parts, too.
2. Speaking of Calvin, he's growing up faster than ever it seems. He's now rolling every direction, trying to scoot (but mostly only moving himself backwards or in circles...mostly), sitting up using his arms for minutes at a time, grabbing at the dogs or his feet or whatever else he can reach, and sleeping both naps and night in his crib and has gotten into a wonderful routine with his sleep all on his own. He continued to top the growth charts at his four month check up and wasn't even phased by his vaccines this time, either. Also, he continues to be the world's happiest baby. Even when he's tired, he will smile and laugh. We love it!
1. The next step towards residency is under way! Devin had his first interview today here in Augusta. It's the only one that will happen until his scheduled "off" time for interviews in December, but it was still very exciting to kick things off. It's crazy how quick this whole process is moving right along!
9. I've loved that I have been able to break out some of my fall clothes. I missed being able to comfortably wear jeans! And, since I spent most of the cold weather time last year in maternity clothes, it really does feel like I've been given a whole new wardrobe.
8. As usual, cooking makes the list here somewhere. Devin did most of the cooking this month and made many tasty dinners. We made use of the grill a few more times before it gets challenging for the winter. We also ate some premium sandwiches a good bit. I tried a new recipe for pumpkin cookies, and Devin made us milkshakes quite a few times. Also, we received a gift card that let us enjoy a couple dinners at Bonefish and Outback!
7. Despite all this delicious eating, I get to celebrate weighing less than I did when I found out I was pregnant. It's been a pretty fun milestone to achieve, but considering the size of my baby, I'm not a surprised as I could have been.
6. This past month we were able to make multiple trips to Athens. It was fun to see friends and family. Our story begins there, so it's always fun to visit. We also appreciate the break from being in the city and getting back out to the country.
5. We all loved that Devin was on an off rotation for most of the month. It was fun to really soak in the family time and slow down for a few weeks. All the time off that Devin has is definitely one of the very best parts of this year of school.
4. As mentioned in my previous post, we definitely love Halloween. It was exciting to celebrate Calvin's first one so well. We also had a good number of trick or treaters this evening and have a respectable pile of leftover candy to enjoy ourselves.
3. During one of our trips out of town, we had the chance to attend the Watkinsville Fall Festival. I look forward to someday living in a small town where community events like this occur. We arrived via hayride, browsed booths, bought a birthday gift from a local artist, found new Christmas ornaments for the boys, and ate a barbecue lunch and other fair snacks. Calvin napped for part in the moby carrier and loved interacting with people for parts, too.
2. Speaking of Calvin, he's growing up faster than ever it seems. He's now rolling every direction, trying to scoot (but mostly only moving himself backwards or in circles...mostly), sitting up using his arms for minutes at a time, grabbing at the dogs or his feet or whatever else he can reach, and sleeping both naps and night in his crib and has gotten into a wonderful routine with his sleep all on his own. He continued to top the growth charts at his four month check up and wasn't even phased by his vaccines this time, either. Also, he continues to be the world's happiest baby. Even when he's tired, he will smile and laugh. We love it!
1. The next step towards residency is under way! Devin had his first interview today here in Augusta. It's the only one that will happen until his scheduled "off" time for interviews in December, but it was still very exciting to kick things off. It's crazy how quick this whole process is moving right along!
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Trunk or Treat
With how very few visitors we receive at our door on Halloween night, our church Trunk or Treat has become the mainstay of our celebrating. Two years ago, Devin and I were Mario and Luigi. It was the most fun we'd had for the holiday in years. While we planned to top it last year, Devin was on call in the hospital for his surgery rotation, and I only went to get rid of the massive pile of candy we'd been accumulating that I was too nauseous to eat. (Also, I was in charge of the accompanying dinner and couldn't skip it.)
This year, we wanted to make sure Calvin had the best first Halloween ever...and I'm pretty sure we succeeded! I spent quite a bit of time peicing together a family of costumes for us, but Calvin's was by far the best.
This year, we wanted to make sure Calvin had the best first Halloween ever...and I'm pretty sure we succeeded! I spent quite a bit of time peicing together a family of costumes for us, but Calvin's was by far the best.
Without the pacifier mustache, he was pretty much the happiest baby pirate you ever did see.
I think the resemblance is rather remarkable, though!
We rounded out the ensamble with Peter Pan and Wendy costumes. You can't see it, but Devin is actually wearing modified tights!
We'll have to see how creative we can be in topping this next year!
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Ten for September
10. We have grass again! Our summer grass just wasn't able to handle to dry, intense heat of early summer, so we've been grassless (and weed ridden) for the past three months. It's finally cooled enough to plant fall grass, though, and it's thriving very well. Devin has gotten pretty good at the planting and growing of baby grasses.
9. Devin proved how much of a rock star he is by fixing both our toaster oven and washing machine in one day this month. I broke the washing machine when a pillow snagged on the lid and tore open, and the toaster oven had been down for a couple months while we'd been shopping around for a replacement. (I really liked ours, but it's not made anymore.) Thankfully, with the power of the internet, a couple basic tools, and a lot of patience, they were both fixed as good as new!
8. I started meal planning this month. It was a fun challenge for me to plan out a week's meals, make a grocery list, and try to stick to a budget while shopping. I managed to stick to the budget every time, but I never quite kept the dinners where I planned. Nothing was wasted, though, and dinner time became much more enjoyable! I'd missed cooking with Devin, but it was definitely fun to have dinners ready when he got home from working really long days.
7. Football has been a lot of fun this month. Both WVU and UGA are having pretty awesome seasons this year. Calvin was able to wear the little UGA onesie we've had stashed since finding out I was pregnant for the first couple games but has since outgrown it. So, we are back in the market for gear for both teams now.
6. The documentary kick has continued from last month. Recently, I watched a six episode series on the Iditarod and have become obsessed. I've always been impressed with it and felt a connection that mostly came from having a husky. We've added "volunteer at the Iditarod" to our bucket list now.
5. Devin's residency applications have gone out! It seems pretty crazy that we're at this point in the process now. I don't think it's quick sunk in how close we are to being done with medical school. But, we really are very close, and it's crrraaaazzzzyyy!!
4. I'm back in my small jeans again! On a whim, I tried them on a few days ago to see how far I had left to go to fit back in them, and they fit! I really wasn't expecting that, so it was pretty exciting to just leave them on for the day. I've been back to a normal weight for over a month, so it's nice to get back to a normal size, too.
3. This past week Devin got his scores back on the written part of Step Two (his boards), and he ROCKED them. Seriously, he did pretty darn amazing. It was a very exciting morning in the Stephens household followed by celebratory lunches two days in a row. He worked so hard on those tests in August, so it was really nice to see it all pay off.
2. Calvin has hit some pretty awesome milestones this month. My favorite: he's been full out laughing all month long. If he realizes anyone around him is laughing, he throws his head back and joins in. He does the same thing while watching himself in the mirror. In addition to this, he's rolling over, rotating in a circle on his belly, grabbing toys to chew on them, and working on getting his first teeth in. It's been a very busy month for him!
1. The very best part of this month was the last week which kicked off Devin's four week vacation! Technically, he has a couple ER shifts to work and several things to do on the residency application front, but mostly we are just getting a lot of family downtime. After the craziness of 13 hour days and 80 hour weeks for most of the month, it's been a very nice change. It was a scheduling error that made this vacation month happen so early in the year, but we are definitely loving it!
9. Devin proved how much of a rock star he is by fixing both our toaster oven and washing machine in one day this month. I broke the washing machine when a pillow snagged on the lid and tore open, and the toaster oven had been down for a couple months while we'd been shopping around for a replacement. (I really liked ours, but it's not made anymore.) Thankfully, with the power of the internet, a couple basic tools, and a lot of patience, they were both fixed as good as new!
8. I started meal planning this month. It was a fun challenge for me to plan out a week's meals, make a grocery list, and try to stick to a budget while shopping. I managed to stick to the budget every time, but I never quite kept the dinners where I planned. Nothing was wasted, though, and dinner time became much more enjoyable! I'd missed cooking with Devin, but it was definitely fun to have dinners ready when he got home from working really long days.
7. Football has been a lot of fun this month. Both WVU and UGA are having pretty awesome seasons this year. Calvin was able to wear the little UGA onesie we've had stashed since finding out I was pregnant for the first couple games but has since outgrown it. So, we are back in the market for gear for both teams now.
6. The documentary kick has continued from last month. Recently, I watched a six episode series on the Iditarod and have become obsessed. I've always been impressed with it and felt a connection that mostly came from having a husky. We've added "volunteer at the Iditarod" to our bucket list now.
5. Devin's residency applications have gone out! It seems pretty crazy that we're at this point in the process now. I don't think it's quick sunk in how close we are to being done with medical school. But, we really are very close, and it's crrraaaazzzzyyy!!
4. I'm back in my small jeans again! On a whim, I tried them on a few days ago to see how far I had left to go to fit back in them, and they fit! I really wasn't expecting that, so it was pretty exciting to just leave them on for the day. I've been back to a normal weight for over a month, so it's nice to get back to a normal size, too.
3. This past week Devin got his scores back on the written part of Step Two (his boards), and he ROCKED them. Seriously, he did pretty darn amazing. It was a very exciting morning in the Stephens household followed by celebratory lunches two days in a row. He worked so hard on those tests in August, so it was really nice to see it all pay off.
2. Calvin has hit some pretty awesome milestones this month. My favorite: he's been full out laughing all month long. If he realizes anyone around him is laughing, he throws his head back and joins in. He does the same thing while watching himself in the mirror. In addition to this, he's rolling over, rotating in a circle on his belly, grabbing toys to chew on them, and working on getting his first teeth in. It's been a very busy month for him!
1. The very best part of this month was the last week which kicked off Devin's four week vacation! Technically, he has a couple ER shifts to work and several things to do on the residency application front, but mostly we are just getting a lot of family downtime. After the craziness of 13 hour days and 80 hour weeks for most of the month, it's been a very nice change. It was a scheduling error that made this vacation month happen so early in the year, but we are definitely loving it!
Monday, September 17, 2012
A Married Little Sister
My sister was going to get married, but she was eaten by a bear.
Just kidding.
She actually just found someone who shares her great sense of humor.
They are pretty much perfect together.
Despite a few tears, all of the sisters really are happy for her.
Congratulations Kassie & Jared!!
Thursday, September 6, 2012
If things were different...
...I would have started back at work today. Even though I know it's not happening, it's struck a chord with me thinking about it this week. I imagine my first day back would have been a few phone calls, some paperwork, sorting through messages and mail, talking with a family or two, making a referral or two, and thinking about Calvin during and between each and every one of those tasks. I probably would have cried at least once.
Thankfully, things are not different. I'm making faces at my amazing child while I type this. Already this morning, we had snuggle time after Devin had to leave early for work. We did tummy time. I sang silly songs with Calvin. I nursed my baby in the rocking chair. We played with the dogs. I took out butter to soften for making banana bread. I changed a diaper or two. I stole a couple dozen kisses. We traded a few dozen smiles.
Later today, I'll change more diapers. I'll feed Calvin again and again and again. We'll do more tummy time and read a couple books. I'll love on my dogs, and I'll probably have to remind them to be careful at least once. I'll try to clean, and I'll try to have dinner ready when Devin gets home. I will kiss Calvin too many times to count and snuggle him to sleep at nap time. I'll take pictures of him so that I don't forget what he was like today as I've done nearly every day since birth.
Today I am grateful. While I can imagine what life would be like if it were different, it isn't what I want. Right now, I have nearly exactly what I want. Life is pretty close to perfect. And, as I tell Devin nearly every day, I love our life. I think we're standing in just about the greenest grass I ever did see.
Thankfully, things are not different. I'm making faces at my amazing child while I type this. Already this morning, we had snuggle time after Devin had to leave early for work. We did tummy time. I sang silly songs with Calvin. I nursed my baby in the rocking chair. We played with the dogs. I took out butter to soften for making banana bread. I changed a diaper or two. I stole a couple dozen kisses. We traded a few dozen smiles.
Later today, I'll change more diapers. I'll feed Calvin again and again and again. We'll do more tummy time and read a couple books. I'll love on my dogs, and I'll probably have to remind them to be careful at least once. I'll try to clean, and I'll try to have dinner ready when Devin gets home. I will kiss Calvin too many times to count and snuggle him to sleep at nap time. I'll take pictures of him so that I don't forget what he was like today as I've done nearly every day since birth.
Today I am grateful. While I can imagine what life would be like if it were different, it isn't what I want. Right now, I have nearly exactly what I want. Life is pretty close to perfect. And, as I tell Devin nearly every day, I love our life. I think we're standing in just about the greenest grass I ever did see.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Ten for August
10. This month, Calvin went on his first plane flight(s)! This was also my first flights with a baby, I suppose. While it's definitely easier flying alone, my awesome little man made it much, much easier than it could of been. And, with a messy diaper on only 2 of the 8 flights, we were also doing pretty darn good!
9. This month, I got to dress Calvin in his first sunglasses and swim suit. I'd actually started comparison shopping quality sunglasses for babies before he was even born and eyeing many different swim suits back then, too. So, it was fun to finally get to introduce him to the gear that screams "summer" before fall officially set in.
8. We watched a lot of the Olympics this month. I may not be able to play any sports to save my life, but I sure do love becoming an "armchair expert" while the Olympics are in session. I became pretty absorbed in beach volleyball and swimming more than anything else. And, it was pretty fun to text with my sister about them, too!
7. This month we've had a return to eating out. Granted, it's generally at an off peak time or a low key place, but Calvin has shown he's actually quite good and the restaurant scene. While we'll probably never eat out as frequently as we've enjoyed in the past, it was pretty nice to get in a couple good celebration meals this month.
6. I attended a zumba class with Calvin a couple weeks ago. It's held at a local LDS meetinghouse once a week and is completely free. It's something I hope to do a lot more now that we've gotten through the busy past couple weeks.
5. This month Devin and I became pretty engrossed in documentaries. It's now something we check regularly for updates in our Netflix. It's been a fun way to use our brains in a new way. Of course, we tend to be drawn towards medical and social issues more than anything else, but our horizons have definitely been broadened.
4. Calvin and I visited Yellowstone! This was actually Calvin's first National Park. I guess we follow the "go big or go home" philosophy. I had never been either, so it was pretty fun to explore. Surprisingly, Old Faithful was (while not uninteresting) one of my least favorite parts. We found some fascinating and beautiful places a little more removed from the biggest tourist spots. And, we had my sister (a Yellowstone employee!) to act as a wonderful guide!
3. The biggest reason behind all of this travel was to see my sister Kassie marry the love of her life. This was the first time I've been in Idaho in a looooong time. It was completely worth it. I had a lot of fun spending the last day and night of her single life with her. And, I loved seeing her so happy and in love on her special day!
2. In conjunction with the trip up to Idaho, I had a chance to spend some extra time in Arizona with my parents after the wedding and before coming home. We visited another national park, found a neat little place to eat, and did some Christmas shopping. I also loved making cookies with my brother, seeing my sister and nephews, and watching my two brothers left at home with Calvin.
1. One of the very best parts of this month was Devin taking his boards! While he had to put in a lot of work to get ready for them, we at least had time with him during his study breaks. And, after both sections were completed we got to celebrate! Those were the last major tests of his medical school career, too! I'm feeling pretty darn proud of him these days. He's so close to being a doctor now...it's pretty crazy!
9. This month, I got to dress Calvin in his first sunglasses and swim suit. I'd actually started comparison shopping quality sunglasses for babies before he was even born and eyeing many different swim suits back then, too. So, it was fun to finally get to introduce him to the gear that screams "summer" before fall officially set in.
8. We watched a lot of the Olympics this month. I may not be able to play any sports to save my life, but I sure do love becoming an "armchair expert" while the Olympics are in session. I became pretty absorbed in beach volleyball and swimming more than anything else. And, it was pretty fun to text with my sister about them, too!
7. This month we've had a return to eating out. Granted, it's generally at an off peak time or a low key place, but Calvin has shown he's actually quite good and the restaurant scene. While we'll probably never eat out as frequently as we've enjoyed in the past, it was pretty nice to get in a couple good celebration meals this month.
6. I attended a zumba class with Calvin a couple weeks ago. It's held at a local LDS meetinghouse once a week and is completely free. It's something I hope to do a lot more now that we've gotten through the busy past couple weeks.
5. This month Devin and I became pretty engrossed in documentaries. It's now something we check regularly for updates in our Netflix. It's been a fun way to use our brains in a new way. Of course, we tend to be drawn towards medical and social issues more than anything else, but our horizons have definitely been broadened.
4. Calvin and I visited Yellowstone! This was actually Calvin's first National Park. I guess we follow the "go big or go home" philosophy. I had never been either, so it was pretty fun to explore. Surprisingly, Old Faithful was (while not uninteresting) one of my least favorite parts. We found some fascinating and beautiful places a little more removed from the biggest tourist spots. And, we had my sister (a Yellowstone employee!) to act as a wonderful guide!
3. The biggest reason behind all of this travel was to see my sister Kassie marry the love of her life. This was the first time I've been in Idaho in a looooong time. It was completely worth it. I had a lot of fun spending the last day and night of her single life with her. And, I loved seeing her so happy and in love on her special day!
2. In conjunction with the trip up to Idaho, I had a chance to spend some extra time in Arizona with my parents after the wedding and before coming home. We visited another national park, found a neat little place to eat, and did some Christmas shopping. I also loved making cookies with my brother, seeing my sister and nephews, and watching my two brothers left at home with Calvin.
1. One of the very best parts of this month was Devin taking his boards! While he had to put in a lot of work to get ready for them, we at least had time with him during his study breaks. And, after both sections were completed we got to celebrate! Those were the last major tests of his medical school career, too! I'm feeling pretty darn proud of him these days. He's so close to being a doctor now...it's pretty crazy!
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Two Months
So, I'm a few days behind (and actually wasn't even sure if I was going to do this post), but I suppose we'll go with the old "better late than never" adage. Calvin is now over two months old...wow!!
The day after Calvin hit his one month milestone, he had his baby blessing at church. This was pretty neat for Devin as it was his birthday, too!
It's pretty fun to look back at these pictures and see how much he has grown and changed over the month. He's now completely in size 3-6 month clothes and size two diapers. At the start of the month, he was wearing mostly 0-3 month clothes and size one diapers. I've been a little nostalgic packing up the tiny baby items he's outgrown, but thankfully he's been showered with adorable clothes in his current size. And, he's all grown out of the gender neutral clothes from his early days!
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This past month we've been able to enjoy having Devin home a lot more, too. Granted, he is getting ready for his boards, but it's been nice for him to get to spend his study breaks with us. He's solidifying his position as the fun parent as those gaps turn into playtime. Also, he does some pretty awesome voices for all the washcloth puppets at bath time.
It's been pretty fun to watch the physical milestones over the past month. Calvin has been sitting in his Bumbo seat for a couple weeks now quite well. He pushes up on his arms during tummy time and loves to stand up as much as possible. He gets so excited to be upright, too. Also, he'll turn his head to try and find us or follow us out of the room. He's also started chewing on his fists to self soothe and gets pretty excited if he manages to get his thumb.
And oh my goodness, Calvin is making so many more sounds! He's constantly coos and "talks" to us. Mostly, it's a lot of "ah-goo" and "ooo" and a little bit of "guk" going on. He also seems to by trying really hard to laugh and making the most noise when he's excited.
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Speaking of which, Calvin is probably one of the happiest babies ever. He's spends soo much time smiling and just lights up to see a familiar face. I love the times that I peek over the edge of his bassinet to see if he's awake and get greeted with smiles, coos, and excited kicks. He's seriously a delicious ball of sunshine.
Calvin had his two month appointment at two months exactly. He weighed in at the top of the growth chart for breastfed babies. He's also near the top as far as length goes. He received 6 vaccines total, but thanks to combo shots and one oral inoculation, he only received 3 shots. He only cried a little with them, too. However, he had some pretty gross diapers the next day and ran a low grade fever as well.
Two months old is a lot more fun than I ever expected it to be. Mostly, I think I just didn't know what to expect. I love that I get to spend so much time with my little man, and can't imagine life any other way. If two months has surprised me this much, how awesome is each of the next months going to be? I'm so excited to find out!
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Ten for July
10. This month has definitely been a month of phone calls. With my family spread all over the country, it can be hard to actually find time to talk to them on the phone. But, with me not at work during the day, it's opened up a lot more options. I've appreciated being able to stay close to my family over the phone while they are so far away. It's really made it feel like they've been part of Calvin's early life--and my early life as a mom.
9. This month we started taking family walks. The dogs have learned to be wary of the stroller but do really well walking with it. Calvin seems to enjoy the outdoor experience, too, on pleasant evenings. Unfortunately, there haven't been enough pleasant evenings as far as we're concerned. We have substituted the family walk with hanging out on the porch swing during the rain while the dogs stay on the lookout for stray cats. Thankfully, they are well behaved enough to stay on the porch even if one passes by us.
8. My favorite errand of the week is still shopping at Publix. It's probably become even more of an obsession now, though. We usually make a point to go during the day when the store is a little calmer. Calvin is always in his Moby Wrap and draws attention from the cute older women and couples shopping, too. The butcher/fish man has come to recognize us, and has had conversations with us about the carrier. I've also enjoyed the menu planning and list making leading up to the trip as it's pretty fun to eat without pregnancy restrictions anymore.
7. Calvin and I survived having a cold this month. While it absolutely broke my heart to see him with the sniffles (and made me almost cry every time I had to use a nasal bulb), it was actually a great learning experience for me. I'm grateful that the first time he was "sick" was something pretty minor. I also feel like I'll be much more able to handle it the next time he is sick. Plus, I loved all the extra love and snuggles from my little man.
6. I've had a lot of time to really fall in love with my Kindle this month. Middle of the night feeding sessions, Devin's late nights at work, and all of Calvin's naps I held him through have given me plenty of reading time. Devin gave it to me for mother's day for those very reasons, and it's been great! So far, I haven't bought a single book but am loving all the free ones to which it has given me access. I've read through quite a few this month, have two currently going, and have many more in the queue for later.
5. While we prefer to do errands together as much as possible, I've become quite confident in managing and enjoying outings on my own with Calvin. Devin had to work a couple Sundays, so I took Calvin to church by myself twice. Also, we've done several shopping trips with just the two of us. Depending on where we are shopping, I either use the Moby Wrap or the stroller, and it's gone pretty well. So far, I've been able to hold off meltdowns from happening in the car, but a couple times he's been pretty unhappy for the last part of the drive home.
4. We made some pretty amazing foods over the month of July. Our short list of new foods include salmon quesadillas, homemade salsa, baked chicken & potatoes, breakfast burritos, (a better) banana bread, chocolate covered bacon, and cheesy bacon croquettes. We've thankfully been able to still find time to cook together, although much of the cooking still falls to Devin. I have made a couple meals on my own, too. Also, we've eaten a lot of sandwiches this month to make up for nine months without lunch meat. It's been wonderful!
3. This month was Devin's Emergency Medicine rotation. This is the specialty he's declared and has wanted to do for years. So, it was nice that he finally got to get in there and do it. As we expected, he fell even more in love with it as the month went on. Not all of it was glamorous (lancing hemorrhoids, anyone?), but he did pretty awesome with it all and made a pretty good impression on the residents and attendings. He powered through some pretty crazy schedules and dealt with a lot of sleep deprivation like a rock star, too. Now, it's on to board prep and multiple tests for the next month!
2. I love that I'm no longer truly "postpartum." It's kind of nice to feel like just myself again. While I still have a couple pounds left I'd like to loose, I'm back to a normal pre-pregnancy weight for myself. I've also packed away the maternity clothes and fit into most of my regular clothes again. I'm able to exercise once more as well. Of course, I'm still dealing with a healing tailbone, but that could take quite a while longer to be 100% normal. For 6-ish weeks out, though, I'm feeling pretty darn good!
1. The best part of this month has definitely been enjoying our Calvin. He really is just about the best baby anyone could want. He's gotten into much more of a routine these days and is growing in leaps and bounds both physically and personality wise. Lately, my heart has been melting from his happy little smiles he saves for us. Calvin also started making spit bubbles a couple days ago which has officially been labeled "one of the cutest things ever." Eating, sleeping, and pooping are still going well making up 80% or more of every day. It's amazing how much he is his own little person already, though. I'm loving falling more and more in love with him every single day!
9. This month we started taking family walks. The dogs have learned to be wary of the stroller but do really well walking with it. Calvin seems to enjoy the outdoor experience, too, on pleasant evenings. Unfortunately, there haven't been enough pleasant evenings as far as we're concerned. We have substituted the family walk with hanging out on the porch swing during the rain while the dogs stay on the lookout for stray cats. Thankfully, they are well behaved enough to stay on the porch even if one passes by us.
8. My favorite errand of the week is still shopping at Publix. It's probably become even more of an obsession now, though. We usually make a point to go during the day when the store is a little calmer. Calvin is always in his Moby Wrap and draws attention from the cute older women and couples shopping, too. The butcher/fish man has come to recognize us, and has had conversations with us about the carrier. I've also enjoyed the menu planning and list making leading up to the trip as it's pretty fun to eat without pregnancy restrictions anymore.
7. Calvin and I survived having a cold this month. While it absolutely broke my heart to see him with the sniffles (and made me almost cry every time I had to use a nasal bulb), it was actually a great learning experience for me. I'm grateful that the first time he was "sick" was something pretty minor. I also feel like I'll be much more able to handle it the next time he is sick. Plus, I loved all the extra love and snuggles from my little man.
6. I've had a lot of time to really fall in love with my Kindle this month. Middle of the night feeding sessions, Devin's late nights at work, and all of Calvin's naps I held him through have given me plenty of reading time. Devin gave it to me for mother's day for those very reasons, and it's been great! So far, I haven't bought a single book but am loving all the free ones to which it has given me access. I've read through quite a few this month, have two currently going, and have many more in the queue for later.
5. While we prefer to do errands together as much as possible, I've become quite confident in managing and enjoying outings on my own with Calvin. Devin had to work a couple Sundays, so I took Calvin to church by myself twice. Also, we've done several shopping trips with just the two of us. Depending on where we are shopping, I either use the Moby Wrap or the stroller, and it's gone pretty well. So far, I've been able to hold off meltdowns from happening in the car, but a couple times he's been pretty unhappy for the last part of the drive home.
4. We made some pretty amazing foods over the month of July. Our short list of new foods include salmon quesadillas, homemade salsa, baked chicken & potatoes, breakfast burritos, (a better) banana bread, chocolate covered bacon, and cheesy bacon croquettes. We've thankfully been able to still find time to cook together, although much of the cooking still falls to Devin. I have made a couple meals on my own, too. Also, we've eaten a lot of sandwiches this month to make up for nine months without lunch meat. It's been wonderful!
3. This month was Devin's Emergency Medicine rotation. This is the specialty he's declared and has wanted to do for years. So, it was nice that he finally got to get in there and do it. As we expected, he fell even more in love with it as the month went on. Not all of it was glamorous (lancing hemorrhoids, anyone?), but he did pretty awesome with it all and made a pretty good impression on the residents and attendings. He powered through some pretty crazy schedules and dealt with a lot of sleep deprivation like a rock star, too. Now, it's on to board prep and multiple tests for the next month!
2. I love that I'm no longer truly "postpartum." It's kind of nice to feel like just myself again. While I still have a couple pounds left I'd like to loose, I'm back to a normal pre-pregnancy weight for myself. I've also packed away the maternity clothes and fit into most of my regular clothes again. I'm able to exercise once more as well. Of course, I'm still dealing with a healing tailbone, but that could take quite a while longer to be 100% normal. For 6-ish weeks out, though, I'm feeling pretty darn good!
1. The best part of this month has definitely been enjoying our Calvin. He really is just about the best baby anyone could want. He's gotten into much more of a routine these days and is growing in leaps and bounds both physically and personality wise. Lately, my heart has been melting from his happy little smiles he saves for us. Calvin also started making spit bubbles a couple days ago which has officially been labeled "one of the cutest things ever." Eating, sleeping, and pooping are still going well making up 80% or more of every day. It's amazing how much he is his own little person already, though. I'm loving falling more and more in love with him every single day!
Saturday, July 14, 2012
One Month
What a month this has been! It's really, really hard to believe that Calvin is now 30 days old. I feel like I blinked and his first month of life had ended. If I don't record a few details now, I'm afraid I may forget them altogether. So, this post is just as much for my sake as it is for anyone else.
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One month and a day ago, I started to feel a shift in my contractions around lunchtime. They were different from the prodromal contractions that had been going on for weeks. I'd had a couple things scheduled for that day that my midwife had flat out told me she didn't think I'd make it to unless I planned to take a baby with me. Thankfully, I got them all taken care of while trying to ignore my contractions. I slept somewhat fitfully for a couple hours that night, finally giving up around 3 am. I woke Devin up around 5 am with my contractions getting pretty intense. I insisted he go into work for the morning, though, as I felt things could move very slowly and didn't want to waste any of his time off.
Throughout the morning, my contractions intensified a great deal. I was just trying to make it until Devin would be done at noon. The doctor he was with, though, found out what was going on and insisted he leave immediately shortly after 11 am. I will be forever grateful to her. Devin arrived how to find me attempting to get ready to go to the hospital. He started timing my contractions to find out that they were about 3 minutes apart lasting for a minute and a half. Between them, he helped my get ready, loaded the car, and got the house ready to leave the dogs alone.
When we arrived at the hospital, I insisted on walking up to labor and delivery as the thought of sitting in a wheelchair seemed unbearable. So, no one quite took me seriously when I arrived. After being in a room for several minutes while a nurse was asking questions about my family history and putting off our pleas for someone to check me, I suddenly felt the need to push. This hurried things up exponentially. The nurse checked me and went running out of the room. She returned with two residents who also checked me and went running. When the attending came in, he gave me the option of breaking my water immediately or trying to hold off for fluids and medication although I was completely dilated and effaced. I chose option one. I surprised everyone getting him out within 4 contractions while keeping a pretty good sense of humor between them. He was born only a little over an hour after the time we arrived at the hospital.
I will always remember hearing Devin tell me we had a boy as he was getting in there to cut the cord. The first thing I noticed (besides his hair) was his size. There are some pretty tall genes on my side of the family, but we had been expecting a baby around eight pounds. Calvin was 9 lbs 5 oz and 21 inches long. The time spent in the hospital with him was pretty wonderful. We both received our wristbands at the same time as they hadn't even had time to admit me before he was born. I also got to hold him for the first hour and a half of his life. We had many visitors and lots of good food brought in. Calvin barely slept that first night but was an awesome breast feeder from the start. For that whole hospital stay as well as the first couple days home, Devin changed every single dirty diaper.
As wonderful as the hospital staff were, I was pretty ready to get home. We were approved for discharge the day after he was born. When we arrived home, Blue and Moose got the chance to meet him. They were curious and a little apprehensive at first. Now, they are nothing but wonderful. Those first few days were great to get settle in, enjoy foods that had been banned, and venture out once to go to see the pediatrician and meet a few of our coworkers.
Over the past few weeks, we have settled in quite nicely as a family. Calvin continues to be a "stay up late" kid like he was in the womb. Predictably, he was super active around bedtime. Now, he rarely is down for the night before midnight and almost never before 11. But, he does sleep pretty well once he's down usually only waking up twice to top off his belly quickly. He is sleeping in the bassinet next to our bed at night, but naps can happen just about anywhere. Slowly, he has increased his amount of awake time during the day to where he typically has at least one awake period at least two hours long.
As far as eating goes, Calvin is definitely a champ. Four days after birth, he had only lost less than 5% of his birth weight. By two weeks and four days, he'd not only gain that all back but had gained a pound and a half above his birth weight! Honestly, we have almost no schedule as far as eating goes. His is pretty much completely an "on demand" nurser. Usually, he eats every two hours although it can vary widely. He tends to nurse a lot longer just before bed and shorter during the night reliably, though. His dirty diapers have thankfully decreased over the past month. We can almost predict when he'll have his dirtiest diapers and can count on his nighttime ones only being peed, which is great.
As for milestones, Calvin's cord fell off at day six--his original estimated due date. He has his first tub bath two days later. For my birthday, we went to Athens for the weekend. This was his first time going out to eat. He started grabbing things between two and three weeks old. Between three and four weeks, his smiles started to become deliberate and he began following my face with his eyes.
At this point, Calvin is a pretty laid back kid. He is not easily ruffled and is generally pretty pleasant. He is happiest when being held, although he is liking his swing more and more. He typically likes being in his car seat--especially if he's just eaten. He is also very happy when being worn in his moby wrap. The first couple weeks he liked his bouncy seat a good bit, although that's fading. Calvin loves to rock in the rocking chair and generally likes when we sing to him. He likes to sleep with his feet tucked up and his arms free and by his face, so we've been doing a half swaddle since leaving the hospital. He can be calmed by the sound of a vacuum or hair dryer. At first, he didn't like feeling wet dog noses although this is bothering him much less.
When I look back through all these pictures, I am amazed to see the changes that have happened. I still see Calvin as such a small little guy, but I have to realize that he has gotten bigger and bigger. The first time I realized he'd outgrown an article of clothing was bittersweet. Now, I'm already having to pull items from his drawers almost daily. I feel afraid to blink sometimes because he is changing so quick. Every day he is cuter and more wonderful. But, I am already a little nostalgic for the tiny(ish) baby he started as one month ago. But, I'm also so very, very excited to keep watching the wonderful little person he is becoming every day!
Monday, July 9, 2012
Trading Spaces
These photos were taken about 15 minutes apart.
If you added button down shirts and some home improvement, it'd be just like the show...sort of...
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Ten for June
10. Early in the month we got all the final details ready for a new baby. The nursery was fully decorated, and we had all the shopping done for things that we didn't receive from the showers. I did laundry for days getting everything freshly washed with baby safe soap.
9. This month we've had some fun dinners with friends. Devin loved having an excuse to make ribs on one of the occasions.
8. Our house has never been cleaner than the first half of this month. When I had everything else done for Calvin's arrival, I started filling my time vacuuming baseboards, scrubbing sinks, and cleaning the floors every few days.
7. We made the most of our last few baby free weekends and weekdays with each other. We were going on frequent walks, going out to eat at the last minute, and seeing movies.
6. A fun part of having Calvin around has been watching our dogs' reactions to him. Both have been very welcoming and loving with him. They run to check on him when they first come back inside, alert me if they hear him make a noise while I'm not in the room, and oversee any visitors who hold him. Blue has learned to run up and nudge him with his nose if we ask, "where is Calvin?"
5. This past week Devin has been off of school. We've had plenty of time to stay up late, sleep in, explore Netflix, and just enjoy relaxed time together. Some time has been spent on walks or at the dog park, but we really didn't plan or schedule much so that we could make the most of our time as a new family.
4. We have had a lot of good food this month. After Calvin was born, we've had many people bring us meals. Devin's also taken some time to cook some of our favorite dishes for me reacently as well. During the past two weeks, we've also eaten sushi twice and sandwhiches or subs several more times. I've been making up for nine months without either of those dishes.
3. Thanks to Calvin, we have had a lot of time with family over this month. My parents and one brother were able to visit on Father's Day. Then, we've been able to see all of Devin's family except one sister over the rest of the month. It's been fun to see so many people and watch them meet Calvin.
2. Devin is done with his third year of medical school! It's crazy to realize that he is now in the "easy" year of med school and will be done in just about ten months. His last rotation this year was Family Medicine, which he liked way more than he expected. The past year has gone pretty quick, but we are definitely ready to move forward with this whole process.
1. By far, the best thing that's happened this month has been Calvin's arrival. Labor with him was intense, but I was nearly ready to push by the time we went to the hospital. At first, no one believed me, but the pace picked up when I declared that I needed to push. We had a big rush of doctors, nurses, and techs join us in room 8, and the show got under way. I was pretty determined to see my baby pretty quick, and I got Calvin out fast for sure. Overall, his arrival was a pretty positive experience and the recovery has been definitely managable. Since then, it's been wonderful to have him around. We are in love with our little man and have adjusted to life with him like he was always supposed to be here. Life doesn't feel like it could be much better than this!
9. This month we've had some fun dinners with friends. Devin loved having an excuse to make ribs on one of the occasions.
8. Our house has never been cleaner than the first half of this month. When I had everything else done for Calvin's arrival, I started filling my time vacuuming baseboards, scrubbing sinks, and cleaning the floors every few days.
7. We made the most of our last few baby free weekends and weekdays with each other. We were going on frequent walks, going out to eat at the last minute, and seeing movies.
6. A fun part of having Calvin around has been watching our dogs' reactions to him. Both have been very welcoming and loving with him. They run to check on him when they first come back inside, alert me if they hear him make a noise while I'm not in the room, and oversee any visitors who hold him. Blue has learned to run up and nudge him with his nose if we ask, "where is Calvin?"
5. This past week Devin has been off of school. We've had plenty of time to stay up late, sleep in, explore Netflix, and just enjoy relaxed time together. Some time has been spent on walks or at the dog park, but we really didn't plan or schedule much so that we could make the most of our time as a new family.
4. We have had a lot of good food this month. After Calvin was born, we've had many people bring us meals. Devin's also taken some time to cook some of our favorite dishes for me reacently as well. During the past two weeks, we've also eaten sushi twice and sandwhiches or subs several more times. I've been making up for nine months without either of those dishes.
3. Thanks to Calvin, we have had a lot of time with family over this month. My parents and one brother were able to visit on Father's Day. Then, we've been able to see all of Devin's family except one sister over the rest of the month. It's been fun to see so many people and watch them meet Calvin.
2. Devin is done with his third year of medical school! It's crazy to realize that he is now in the "easy" year of med school and will be done in just about ten months. His last rotation this year was Family Medicine, which he liked way more than he expected. The past year has gone pretty quick, but we are definitely ready to move forward with this whole process.
1. By far, the best thing that's happened this month has been Calvin's arrival. Labor with him was intense, but I was nearly ready to push by the time we went to the hospital. At first, no one believed me, but the pace picked up when I declared that I needed to push. We had a big rush of doctors, nurses, and techs join us in room 8, and the show got under way. I was pretty determined to see my baby pretty quick, and I got Calvin out fast for sure. Overall, his arrival was a pretty positive experience and the recovery has been definitely managable. Since then, it's been wonderful to have him around. We are in love with our little man and have adjusted to life with him like he was always supposed to be here. Life doesn't feel like it could be much better than this!
Sunday, June 17, 2012
A New Father's Day
It's been so much fun to watch my husband become a father, and his son fall in love with him the past couple days.
It's also brought new meaning to pictures of my dad holding me those early days.
I'm so grateful for these two amazing men in my life.
Happy Father's Day!
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Playing the Waiting Game...
I am NOT a patient person. When my older sisters tried to teach me to sew at the age of 5, I decided the needle and thread were taking too long to outfit my Barbie. Out came the Elmer's glue, and within mere seconds she was outfitted with the beautiful peach rose fabric I'd fallen in love with. My problem was solved!
Now, though, I'm in a whole new waiting game. This baby is mere days away from a grand appearance, and I'm ready. I mean, the days from now til then can likely be counted one one hand if not two and definitely can be counted if my toes are used as well. The room is ready. The shopping is done. The bag is packed. We've been driving an empty car seat around for five days now. Let's do this!
On top of everything else, I've moved on from Braxton Hicks to real contractions. For over a week, they've been very present. For five days, we've been able to time them at regular intervals. The pop up in my dreams or wake me from my sleep at times. People have noticed the change in my belly as it happens, too. It's making it very difficult to think about anything else right now. However, there's very little I can do to make things go any faster. Come on Baby, we're ready for you!
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Ten for May
10. Both bedrooms in the house have new curtains! With a house built in the 1920's, we have very odd sized windows that had very odd and decrepit blinds hanging when we moved in. We really wanted blackout curtains, but I could never find any the right size. So, I finally broke down and bought a lot (and I mean a LOT) of fabric, found some curtain rods, and got to work! After four full evenings of sewing, I couldn't be happier with the way they look. And, it's SO nice to be able to sleep in a super dark room once again!
9. In other household projects, I mentioned last month that we'd done a lot of work on our master bathroom. Well, we underestimated quite how much time it would take to truly finish it all. But, it is now about 98% complete for what we want done (with the remaining 2% falling in a "future projects" category), and I'm loving it. The jetted tub is so much more fun in a relaxing blue room than in a room covered with ugly old wallpaper. Sometimes, we have just walked in there just to remember how much we love it.
8. I had two more baby showers this month. I'm so very fortunate to have so many people in my life who love and care about me. While I've really appreciated the gifts that were given, I think my favorite part has been the showing of support that I've received. I hope to remember the advice I've been given, the memories that have been shared, and the fun that I had during each one of them.
7. Even though I'm not officially a mother yet, Devin still made a point of celebrating me the whole weekend of Mother's Day. He did all of the housework, cooked me several meals including a Mother's Day breakfast, and gave me a Kindle! On Saturday, we also went to Home Depot to pick up some things for the yard and projects around the house, and he bought me two perennial daisy plants. These are now in the pots in our walkway and blooming like crazy. He's even done most of the work to care for them since then, too!
6. This month, Devin has switched into doing family medicine. We didn't expect him to enjoy this rotation at all. We'd heard warnings about the specialty in general as well as some complaints about the rotation in particular, so we were pretty wary. But, Devin is doing a pretty awesome job at it and enjoying it much more than he thought he would! Even though the hours aren't great, they aren't nearly as bad as what we'd anticipated making them feel much more manageable. And, Devin is now part of the oldest class of med students and as such is being given more responsibility and opportunities as well.
5. We've had some pretty awesome weekends this month. The first, we saw The Avengers and loved it followed by hiking Mistletoe the next day. The second was marked by celebrating Mother's day. Then, I had a baby shower the next weekend. And, Memorial weekend we barbecued and got a lot of projects done. There was also a lot of sleeping in each weekend, too!
4. Our new cooking endeavors have continued. We eat out so infrequently lately, but are loving trying new things at home. This month, Devin learned how to make a really good stir fry complete with water chesnuts and all. As somewhat of a gag, we tried making bacon wrapped, dorito covered, barbeque meatball pockets for a get together with friends, and they actually ended up quite tasty. In new desserts, I made peach cobbler for the first time. It was good but not great, so I'll be on the look out for a new recipe. I also made blueberry cream cheese breakfast danishes that were delicious. And, we've created a hodgepodge Mexican dish we have started calling "dorito fajitos." They are actually pretty healthy and very delicious!
3. Devin has been selected for an away rotation next year at his top choice program! He'll be working in the Pediatric Emergency Room at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga, TN for the month of January. We're pretty excited about this as the spots were pretty limited, and we'd love to end up with him working at this hospital next year!
2. We celebrated our third anniversary this month. It's crazy to realize just how quickly time has flown. While I never thought it was possible, each year our relationship has gotten better and better. It was pretty fun to recognize how far we've come and reminisce a little bit. Of course, the reminiscing was done at one of our favorite restaurants where we ordered too much food but didn't regret it for a minute. It was also nice to realize, though, that while it was a special day, it was still just one really good day surrounded by many, many other good days on either side.
1. At this point we can honestly say that we'll have a baby here any day now! I'm a couple days past where "full term" is designated although my official due date is still a couple weeks away. We are pretty much all ready to go at this point, too. The nursery is ready (expect for hanging a few items), the hospital bag is packed, I've done loads of tiny baby laundry, and the last of the items I've ordered are almost here. Now all that's left pretty much is dealing with the fact that I feel like a ticking time bomb and coping with the fact that the over planner in me is officially unable to do anything else at this point but wait!
9. In other household projects, I mentioned last month that we'd done a lot of work on our master bathroom. Well, we underestimated quite how much time it would take to truly finish it all. But, it is now about 98% complete for what we want done (with the remaining 2% falling in a "future projects" category), and I'm loving it. The jetted tub is so much more fun in a relaxing blue room than in a room covered with ugly old wallpaper. Sometimes, we have just walked in there just to remember how much we love it.
8. I had two more baby showers this month. I'm so very fortunate to have so many people in my life who love and care about me. While I've really appreciated the gifts that were given, I think my favorite part has been the showing of support that I've received. I hope to remember the advice I've been given, the memories that have been shared, and the fun that I had during each one of them.
7. Even though I'm not officially a mother yet, Devin still made a point of celebrating me the whole weekend of Mother's Day. He did all of the housework, cooked me several meals including a Mother's Day breakfast, and gave me a Kindle! On Saturday, we also went to Home Depot to pick up some things for the yard and projects around the house, and he bought me two perennial daisy plants. These are now in the pots in our walkway and blooming like crazy. He's even done most of the work to care for them since then, too!
6. This month, Devin has switched into doing family medicine. We didn't expect him to enjoy this rotation at all. We'd heard warnings about the specialty in general as well as some complaints about the rotation in particular, so we were pretty wary. But, Devin is doing a pretty awesome job at it and enjoying it much more than he thought he would! Even though the hours aren't great, they aren't nearly as bad as what we'd anticipated making them feel much more manageable. And, Devin is now part of the oldest class of med students and as such is being given more responsibility and opportunities as well.
5. We've had some pretty awesome weekends this month. The first, we saw The Avengers and loved it followed by hiking Mistletoe the next day. The second was marked by celebrating Mother's day. Then, I had a baby shower the next weekend. And, Memorial weekend we barbecued and got a lot of projects done. There was also a lot of sleeping in each weekend, too!
4. Our new cooking endeavors have continued. We eat out so infrequently lately, but are loving trying new things at home. This month, Devin learned how to make a really good stir fry complete with water chesnuts and all. As somewhat of a gag, we tried making bacon wrapped, dorito covered, barbeque meatball pockets for a get together with friends, and they actually ended up quite tasty. In new desserts, I made peach cobbler for the first time. It was good but not great, so I'll be on the look out for a new recipe. I also made blueberry cream cheese breakfast danishes that were delicious. And, we've created a hodgepodge Mexican dish we have started calling "dorito fajitos." They are actually pretty healthy and very delicious!
3. Devin has been selected for an away rotation next year at his top choice program! He'll be working in the Pediatric Emergency Room at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga, TN for the month of January. We're pretty excited about this as the spots were pretty limited, and we'd love to end up with him working at this hospital next year!
2. We celebrated our third anniversary this month. It's crazy to realize just how quickly time has flown. While I never thought it was possible, each year our relationship has gotten better and better. It was pretty fun to recognize how far we've come and reminisce a little bit. Of course, the reminiscing was done at one of our favorite restaurants where we ordered too much food but didn't regret it for a minute. It was also nice to realize, though, that while it was a special day, it was still just one really good day surrounded by many, many other good days on either side.
1. At this point we can honestly say that we'll have a baby here any day now! I'm a couple days past where "full term" is designated although my official due date is still a couple weeks away. We are pretty much all ready to go at this point, too. The nursery is ready (expect for hanging a few items), the hospital bag is packed, I've done loads of tiny baby laundry, and the last of the items I've ordered are almost here. Now all that's left pretty much is dealing with the fact that I feel like a ticking time bomb and coping with the fact that the over planner in me is officially unable to do anything else at this point but wait!
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
One of my very favorite things to do is watch my dogs sleep. I know that sounds crazy, but they are seriously the most entertaining sleepers you will ever see. Usually, when they are sleeping alone it's hilarious.
The positions they contort themselves into are pretty epic. And, they frequently fall asleep in akward places, too. I love it.
But, what I end up photographing most often are pictures of them sleeping together. Recently, I was going through my phone and found waaaaay too many pictures of this sort. Literally, I probably left out close to half of what I had from just the past few months. So, without further ado, here are my favorite recent sleeping puppy photos--with a few classics thrown in the mix.
Aaannnd, Blogger wouldn't let me put them side by side, so I'm left with a really long post with over a dozen pictures, but they are all pretty adorable in my book. At least I didn't write any commentary on them I suppose!