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Showing posts from 2012

Happy 7 month birthday, Zwerg!

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I am seven months old! Unbelievably, the tiny Zwerg is seven months old today!  It's hard to imagine that it's November, and we are on the downhill slope to her one year celebration.  She is so much fun!  I don't know where I would be without her.  She is the best little human, and she makes our family so much better. She loves to sit up and stand.  Her favorite toys are a bucket with plastic shapes that she can dump out and stacking cups.  She loves to play peek-a-boo, and get tickled.  She high fives and gives slobbery, slimy kisses.  She loves fruit and most vegetables, although we are still working on the green veggies.  She is a great little traveler and still loves to people watch.  She giggles, but still does her fake laugh when she hears other people laughing.  Here is a video of her watching J and E's dogs play fetch.  She thought it was a riot. We had so much fun visiting Uncle John and Aunt Elizabeth in Baltimore.  We got to hang out, see some

And we're off!

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Today it begins.  Layla and I are off to Baltimore to hang with our favorite East Coasters, Uncle J and Aunt E.  Fortunately, they made it through the craziness of Sandy with minimal problems, and even though BWI was closed for the last two days they are open today!  So we are on our way. I thought road tripping with a 5 month old was ridiculous.  Flying with an almost 7 month old is proving to be even more so.  Toys, high chair, jumpy thing, food, diapers, blah blah blah and all for two and half weeks. I keep taking stuff out of the suitcase and putting it back in. It's quite the game of Tetris.  I just hope I win. Even though it seems like insanity right now, I am so excited to be going.  Last time we went to Baltimore she was only three and a half months old.  She was just starting to sit up, and pay attention to things.  Now she is so fun and active, and a big ball of busy.  She gives high fives now!  And she thinks she is a RIOT when she does.  She is going to LOVE playin

Dancing Queen

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Layla dances now.  It's HILARIOUS.  If you wiggle your head and dance around, she will do it back to you.  Often, she does it while she is eating.  The whole time she is sitting at the table she is squirming and wagging her head.  It's hard not to laugh the whole time, and try to get her to sit still.  One of my brothers used to hum while he ate.  It was  family joke that we knew the food was good if he was humming.  I guess with Layla it will be if she is dancing.  I am going to try to catch this on video.  She has a sixth sense and knows when I get the phone or camera out, and she instantly stops. She is really getting in to eating solid food though.  She loves sweet potatoes and mangoes.  Every time I try to give her green beans she stares at me, then sticks her tongue out till the food falls off.  Too funny.  She is judging me for her food choices already.  :)  We make sure she sits and eats with us at each meal so she gets the idea.  However, she stares at our food and

Six months and beyond

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5 months I am sucking at blogging these days.  I had committed to myself that I would keep up, and at least blog once a month for those following us from afar and so I remember when everything happens.  When I made that commitment, I did not have a child.  With fresh eyes seeing the world from less sleep and 20 minutes here and there of time to use both hands, I am trying again. It's important to me. So this will be long as I try to catch up.  Sorry. For her five month birthday, Layla spent it in her car seat for eight hours on the way to Chicago.  D had a big convention for work, and I decided to tag along.  For a number of reasons, mainly to be with him.  And because I love Chicago. Who doesn't?  I was unprepared for that week and had some unrealistic expectations.  D was working 12-14 hour days, and Layla and I were left to our entertainment...in a hotel room.  She had a rough time sleeping which meant so did we.  D was up at the crack of dawn, and not back till it

Four months, one day

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I missed Layla's four month birthday!  Well, it was only yesterday.  And there was a lot of drool and crying and flailing and fever and an absent Papa and on and on and on.  Slimer (as she will be known as from now on) is getting teeth.  How do we know?   A) Her drool factor has quadrupled.   2) She chews on her hands as if I never feed her. iii) My typically happy midget is a ball of fuss. Z) I am now afraid of nursing as she occasionally chomps things which should not be chomped. The really big reason is at her four month appointment the other day her doctor said, 'Yup, I feel bumps on her gums.'  Slightly annoying since I had been trying to feel them for awhile.  I will chalk it up to the fact that it's my first kid and I don't have a medical degree.  But whatever.  The rest of her appointment was a dream. She is 25 1/8 inches long...meaning we only fit in six month clothes now.  She weighed 14.4 lbs...meaning she could still fit in three month cloth

Where did July go?

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July is almost over.  I am not sure what happened to this month other than we have been BUSY!  It was fabtabulous month of so many fun things.  Let me see if I can recap without forgetting things.  Uh...right. D and my bff, Court, threw me an amazing surprise weekend of fun!  Turning 30 kind of came and went in June without much fanfare but with a promise of joy to come.  I was a little disappointed but was assured there would be chaos.  The second weekend in July finally came, and I was being Sherlock and trying to figure out what was going on.  Friday night I was told there was a 'dinner.'  I just assumed it was the usual Friday night family event and didn't think much about it.  Until we went south instead of north, and ended up at Oklahoma Joe's for BBQ instead of the usual Mexican fare.  While standing in line, who comes strolling across the parking lot?  Megs!  My longtime bff (there are a few of those, don't get lost) who lives in Denver.  Tricky lying li

Staying alive, staying alive...

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11 weeks have come and gone.  It's really hard to believe.  Sometimes it seemed like it was dragging by and we would never make it. Looking back on it now, it seems like it flew by!  I have been trying to figure out a way to keep up with my blogging for a number of reasons, but mostly I want to keep stories and memories for me, D and Layla.  I know I can't possibly remember them all so writing them will help.  We also have a lot of followers across the big waters (HI!) and I know how much they enjoy reading about and seeing pics of Layla.  I have been slacking, but now that we are starting to get a handle on things I am excited to get going again. So a little recap of her first 11 weeks.  She got her first disease (Hand, Foot and Mouth), she grew 4.5 inches, gained 6 pounds, learned to smile and ALMOST laugh, she talks all the time, she knows her Mommy and Papa, she is starting to like bath time, and she is pretty much the best thing EVER.  She LOVES to listen to her Papa sp

Layla's Arrival

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She is here! Well, she has been here for a week which seems crazy. I feel like we were just packing up to head to the hospital.  Here is the low down. Sunday night we headed to the hospital.  I was scheduled to start inducing at 8pm.  I was not super crazy about this.  D and I had talked a lot about it, and we had discussed a lot with my doctor. I really wanted her to come on her own, and was trying to stay positive about the induction.  (I also couldn't eat after 4pm on Sunday.  WHAT!)  We started the first round of medicine and my contractions started less than 15 minutes later.  The nurse said a lot of times your body isn't producing enough prostaglandins to get things going, and this medicine will help. Sure enough, it did!  I was excited, hoping that this would get the ball rolling.  Unfortunately, less than an hour later, Layla's heart rate kept dropping.  We had to stop the medicine, and keep an eye on her.  Fortunately, she chilled out after AND my contractions c

Love Of A Father

Yesterday's memorial service for Matt was pretty much overwhelming.  Overwhelmingly full of love.  I have no idea how many people fit in the sanctuary of Heartland Community Church, but if I were to guess I would bet there was about a thousand people there.  If I am way off, ok.  It sure seemed like there were a thousand people there.  I knew that so many people were connected to the Nagel's in one way or another, but it was astonishing to watch that community show up in full force.  And I know there were a lot of people who couldn't be there.  It was oddly peaceful to be in a crowd that size, mostly because it felt like a giant family.  People who had been loving and supporting the Nagel's for so long, most of whom I did not know, and yet sitting with them all seemed normal.  Like a weird, giant group hug. It was such a perfect service...so very much what I have in my head of Matt.  (Side note:  I did NOT know Matt well.  I know Molly.  I know their story. I know th

Nothing to say

Nothing to say is an odd title for a blog since the whole purpose of a blog is to say something.  However, the 'nothing' part is so true.  The loss for words that would make any kind of impact is overwhelming.  I have spent the last 24 hours trying to imagine where Molly is.  To try to understand the hell she is going through, and how best to help her.  Sadly, there is nothing to do.  Nothing to fix.  Nothing to say that will make it all better. D came home yesterday for the afternoon, and I could barely let him leave my sight. We didn't do anything except cry, and hug, and pray for our friends.  Reminding each other of the swiftness of life, and the need to appreciate each minute we have.  I quickly stopped trying to understand 'why' as that is just a futile process.  God's plan exists whether I know what it is or not.  I might hate it, think it's stupid, and question all that I believe.  Quite frankly, this is complete bullshit.  To ask one person, o

The Nagel's

This is not about me or Gretel.  She isn't here yet. This is about my friends Matt, Molly and Harper Nagel. Over the past 3 years they have been through some horrendous shit.  Sorry, there just isn't a better word.  Last year it all culminated with losing their adoption battle for their daughter, and having to give her up after loving her for two and a half years. Yesterday, Matt suffered a massive stroke at the age of 35.  His condition isn't great.  More info can be found at his Caring Bridge link below.  Please, please pray for them.  In whatever capacity that might be.  It's hard to understand 'why' this morning, I got to wake up next to my husband, and feel him pat our unborn daughter and enjoy our quiet time this morning.  But Molly hasn't slept.  I doubt she has eaten much or left her husbands side while he lays in the hospital or spent time with Harper during all of this.  I spent time this morning trying to understand.  In the end, I can't.

Every week...

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That's right.  We go to the doctor every week now!  Just got back from our appointment this week, and our doc informed us that we are now at that stage.  It's crazy to think we are there already!  We are all happy and healthy though.  Well, I would be happier if Princess Long Legs would remove her giant hoof from my ribs, but other than that we are peachy.  Her heartbeat is right on target, and my blood pressure is literally perfect.  So let's hope we keep that up! We have made some great progress on her room.  This will be the last sneak peek before it's all done. I say that like it's some big surprise, but really I am just trying to be suspenseful for myself and give us a deadline of some sort!  We need to get one more piece of furniture, and we are waiting for our uber glider and ottoman to be shipped.  Then I can FINALLY wash everything, and get it all put away.   This last weekend we took a childbirth prep class at the hospital.  It was SO educational.

33 weeks!

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Today, I am officially in the 8th month of pregnancy.  I can't believe we are so far along already!  Here we are... It really just seems to keep flying by.  I only have 15 days of work left, and 49 until Gretel's supposed arrival.  Although, as you can see by the wall in the picture, we are making fabulous progress on her nursery!  Everything is painted, and this weekend my brother and D got the carpet almost completely done.  Casey tried to help, but really she just wanted to lay in the sun.  She is doing a good job of holding the carpet pad in place. But the final product looks great!  We could not have gotten more lucky with the paint colors and the carpet colors.  We kind of picked stuff from memory hoping it would all work out, and it looks awesome!   D has to head back to ATL tomorrow, but next weekend they will finish getting all the trim in and then it's time for FURNITURE!  I have been waiting and waiting so that I can finally wash all of her things and

2 months to go!

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Well, holy crap.  We are down to only two months until Gretel's guesstimated arrival!  I can't believe it. I feel like I was just in my first trimester, feeling nauseous, and thinking it would never end.  But here we are...31 weeks in, and the end is in sight! Our neighbors had their little girl last week, and she was about 3 weeks early.  This sent D and I in a bit of a tailspin...we are NOT ready for her to be here yet!  We did finally make some progress on the nursery. It's empty, and I think we figured out our paint colors.  This week/weekend we will be painting.  The carpet is also in, so we just need to go pick it up.  Our house is COVERED in baby paraphernalia.  I mean, COVERED.  The front room is somewhat organized in bins, but the coffee table has disappeared.  So has the dining room table. And it's a good thing we don't have guests anytime soon since you can't even get to the bed in the guest room.  YIKES.  I am excited to keep moving forward so tha