Oh how they grow...

I am a lucky girl. I had two good girlfriends who i worked with. We would get sushi for lunch and have girl nights with pizza, ice cream and 80's movies. We would go shopping and talk endlessly about weight loss and how to do it. Than, in the summer of 2007, Jackie got pregnant. It was kind of a surprise but so wonderful. Tiffany announced that she was pregnant a few weeks later and by the end of October, i also joined the pregnancy club.

We ate non-raw sushi together, discussed cloth vrs. disposable diapers, forwarded notes, baby registries and information all day. We worked together and grew wider and wider together. People would flee the hallways when we waddled our way through. No one else wanted to "drink the water". We attended the same birthing class, though at different times and planned showers. I was so lucky not to go through all the ups and downs of pregnancy alone.

April 15th, 2008 Sophia Quincy came into the world first. Her momma was a rockstar and went 30+ hours of drug free labor to deliver her completely natural. 6 days later, Grace Brennan came into the world by induction and an epidural and gave us all a scare for a few days, but came out beautiful and healthy. July 4th 2008, Jack David joined my world via every possible type of labor THAN the c-section. We all planned the same, prepared the same and delivered completely differently. Our beautiful babies were also as different as they come.

Sophia was the smallest baby born, but quickly became the cutest chubbiest little rolly polly thing. She gets really excited and loves to explore. Jumping is one of her favorite things to do. She is off the charts tall, with a gorgeous complexion and the beginning of a baby fro. She is beautiful.

Grace has captivating blue eyes and charms everyone around her. She is happy happy happy and she talks all the time! She loves her momma and is the best eater of all the the kids. She is gorgeous.

Jack is the little man who loves his ladies. He was the biggest baby born, but the skinniest of all the kids. His mom has worked HARD to get those chubby little cheeks. He observes everything before he makes his moves. He especially likes the mommas, giving his special smiles to them. I think he is so so handsome, but i am pretty biased on that.

When we all get together, it is wonderful and relaxing. The babies can now grab and pull on each other and our stories are always changing, but oh how lucky i am to have them in my life...

Grace and Jack. Jack is around 4 weeks and Grace is around 3 months

Jack and Sophia. 7 weeks and 4 months

The babies together. Jack is around 2 months and the girls are 5 months. Poor Jack is wedged into the couch to stay up!

2 months, 5-6 months

3 months, and 6 months

6 and 9 months... So interested in the toy...

Precious babies that are getting much much to big...

Who are you?

My Dearest Jack,

I was thinking about you last night. Mommy and Daddy were on a date, one of the very few that we have had since you were born, to celebrate Daddy's birthday. Even though we spend all our time with you, our conversation naturally drifted to back to you, my son. We were thinking about you and it made us ask, who are you? Who is the little life that has come to live with us?

I wondered a lot about you when I was pregnant with you. After we found out you were a boy and you would be our Jack David, I wondered about you. I wondered how you would look, what you would be like. Would you look more like me, or more like your dad?

I knew some things about you during your time in the womb. I knew that you got hiccups a lot. You would kick back if I held my hand to my belly, or if Daddy would hold his hand to my belly. You liked to roll around, till it got to tight to move. You laid horizontal in a tight little ball right by my belly button and would not move. Our midwife could not tell how big you would be because you were so tight and at the center of my belly. You were comfortable, so why move? You also caused me to be the size of a whale and stretch that belly button much to far that it still has not recovered.

I thought that when you were born, i would know all about you, but when we brought you home that first night you did not eat. I could not make you eat and you cried and i cried. I didn't know you or what to do. But we worked it out together and now all you want to do is nurse. Solid foods?You are not such a big fan of those.

Your Daddy wondered about you, what will you be like at 6 months, at 12 months and 5 yrs? Well, now that you are 6 months, you are becoming more and more independent. You can sit alone, play alone. You touch everything in sight and you want to see everything around you. You do this, not because we want you to, but because you want.

You have your likes and dislikes. You have your favorite toys and your favorite times of days. You are happy and content unless you are hungry or tired. Everyone raves about how happy you are. I am blessed for that. I really am.

But i still ask who are you? Who will you become? What will you talk about when you can talk? What will your favorite book be? Will you still like Animal Sounds, or will you have moved on to something much more advance?

I feel like i know your Daddy very well. I can anticipate life with him, a happy fulfilling life with him. But, while i know life with you will also be happy and oh so fulfilling, i wonder what it will hold and the little man that you will become. Because while i know you better each day, you are constantly changing each day and surprising me.

You, my son, are funny. Really funny. You have a weird sense of humor and laugh at the most random things. You got that from your dad. You make me laugh just as much as he does, and you have yet to use words. I wonder what you will say when you can tell me a joke.

While you have been in my life, in my house and in my world for a mere 6 1/2 months, you have changed it so much. It has been a wonderful, beautiful change and i look forward to being able to spend years and years answering the question... Who are you, Jack Fedell?

All my love,
Mommy

Confession of a new mom

I have been a mom for almost 7 months, not counting the pregnancy. Life has changed DRAMATICALLY and i am still trying to figure this whole "mom" thing out.
I don't claim to know much as a mom, but this is what i do know.

My schedule is not "mine" but Jack's. He wins. Every time. I want to go shopping, he needs to take a nap. He wins. Naptime.

My body will never be the same...nothing you think before pregnancy will prepare you for that.

Breastfeeding, in my case, does not equal becoming super skinny due to all those calories burned...if only...

Baby gets cute clothes first. They look better on him anyway.

Make-up is not a daily occurrence. Poor Ryan.

Love grows more each day and that baby grows cuter each day.

That baby grows much much to fast. Can't he just stay little and cuddly for a little while longer? Must he ALWAYS need to reach and touch and feel?

Alone time can be more precious than gold and a long hot shower the most amazing gift.

Working from home is really hard work. A blessing, but hard non the less.

Sick babies = sick mommies=crabby mommies. Poor daddy.

Who knew feeding solids could be so frustrating at times and so dirty? I didn't.

Silly faces, noises and dancing are part of a daily routine that gets amazing laughs, but would cause utter embarrassment if witnessed in public.

Those noises would be used in public to calm a fussy baby. Who cares, really?

Life is so much more fulfilling when it is not about you.

Sushi lunch dates with your favorite girlfriends are on of life's great pleasures.

Play dates are therapeutic, for you, not the baby.

Your whole house gets taken over by blankets, books, toys, chairs,walkers, random socks and anything else baby has discarded for the moment.

Naptime= happy mommy. No nap= crabby mommy

Sleep is beautiful.

No matter what he has done during the day, how many outfits he has pooped through and naps he has fought to take, he will smile at me and it makes it all worth it...

I still feel overwhelmed at times, but i know that i am doing what i know best for my child and trusting the Lord with everything else.

Motherhood really is an adventure...

2am

I have a sick baby. I am up at 2am looking online at symptoms, thankful for the internet and listening to raspy breathing of my sick little one. He is having a fitful sleep in his swing. He can barely breathe, so he has to remain upright to get any rest. I am on the couch and much too interested in his breathing/coughing/fever to sleep as well. Little man threw up 6 times in 2 hours today. It was the first time he has vomited. He has spit up, yes. Every baby has. But he has not had the real "sick" vomit. I didn't like it. Babies are so sad when they are sick. They can't tell you what hurts, they just look so sick and sad...not fun at all.
If he doesn't get some fluid in him soon, he is off to the dr. first thing in the morning. So, say a little prayer for my sick little man. While you are at it, say a prayer for little Gracie, my friend Tiffany's daughter. She got some test results back that wasn't what we were hoping for. I hate when babies get sick. Good thing i believe in the power of prayer.

While i wait...

to finish this detox, i will give the recipe for one of my favorite cakes. I have made it twice and i liked it better every single bite i took. So, in honor of being on the LAST day of my nine day fruit/veggies/br.rice and oatmeal ONLY detox.... i will share this recipe. A slice of this cake with a warm cup of coffee on a cold winter day is just about perfect.





Pumpkin- Pecan Cake

CRUST:
2cup crushed vanilla wafers (about 50)
1cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
CAKE:
1 package (18 1/4oz) spice cake mix
1 can (15oz) solid packed pumpkin
1/4 cup butter or margarine softened
4 eggs
Filling/ topping
2/3 cup butter, softened
1 package (3oz) of cream cheese, softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping

In a mixing bowl on medium speed, beat the wafers, pecans and butter until crumbly, about 1 min. Press into 3 greases and floured 9in round baking pans.
In another bowl, beat cake mix, pumpkin, butter and eggs for 3 min. Spread over crust in each pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 mins or until toothpick placed in the center comes out clean. ( i baked mine one at a time for 20 mins, but i have a hot oven) Cool for ten min before removing from pans and cooling on a rack completely
For the filling, combine butter and cream cheese in a smal bowl. Add the sugar, vanilla: beat on med until light and fluffy, about 3 mins. Spread inbetween layers (crumb side down) and than the sides of the cake. Top cake with remaining frosting. Pour carmel over the top. i added whole pecans for decoration.
Store in the fridge.



Enjoy! While i eat my carrots and drink my water, i will imagine it is cake and coffee...

Solids

Jack had his first taste of real food this week! (Well, if you consider rice cereal food) He turned 6 months old on Sunday and got his first bit of rice cereal. He was pretty interested in, but he was more interested in the spoon than the actual food. The second night, liked it and seem to eat more than he spit out. The third night, didn't want it at all. He tried to get out of his bumbo backwards, as in throwing his head back and arching his back. So, we didn't force him. Last night i made it a bit thicker and he seemed to like it. I need to pick up some reading info on this solids thing though. I am feeling a bit overwhelmed with it. How much to feed him, when, what next? Any advice from moms would be great!

On a side note, looks at those teeth! Two little tiny pearls popped through in Michigan...

One of those mornings...

were everything seems to happen at once. Jack has not been sleeping well at night. He has been on a 11pm bedtime, wake up at 6am for a feeding and than back to bed till 10ish for awhile now. He would wake up crying once in a great while, but would fuss for 10 minutes and fall back to sleep. He stayed on the same schedule while we were at my parents house for 2 weeks. Since were returned, he has been waking up at 1:30 crying, 3am crying, 6am eating and than sleeps till 10ish. Not so fun, for either mom or baby. It is hard to let your child cry, and it is hard to have your sleep constantly interrupted. Last night was no exception.
He went down at 10:30pm, woke up screaming at 11pm. What?! Got him back to sleep 30 minutes later. 1:40- 2:40 was intermittent screaming and sleeping. Ryan would get up, rub his back, he would fall asleep, and than wake up screaming 10 mins later. This continued for an hour or so. 5:30 am i fed him and thought he would be down till 10 at least. Wrong. 8am, screamfest. Weird. He NEVER does that. He likes to sleep in the morning, nothing wakes him. I pulled him into bed with me hoping to get him back to sleep for at least another hour. Screamed. Decided to nurse him, hoping to get him to nod off. ( i know, i know, by 8am i should be ready for the day, but it was a LONG night) I nursed him, and he peed. All over my bed. Through the sheets AND mattress pad. Wonderful.
So, up we get. He gets changed from his wet sleeper. I strip the bed and put it in the wash. Send out a few work emails and make oatmeal. I lay Jack down on his playmat and he is happy as can be, talking away as if he had slept for hours straight. Now remember, i can't have coffee at this time. I can have oatmeal with bananas and water, thanks to my detox. Man, i really would like a cup of coffee. Laundry before 9am is a sin.
My happy cute boy decided that one outfit was not enough for him. He decided to poop out his diaper and get it all over his new outfit. Wonderful. I think it is time for a bigger size diapers...too many messes for my taste and all much much to early in the morning.
Is it nap time yet?

Detox

Ryan and are doing a food detox. It lasts nine days and we can only eat oatmeal, steamed or raw veggies,fruit, 4egg whites, 1 cup of milk and 2 cups of brown rice a day. That is it. Nothing else. No coffee, no bread, no sugar. You eat 5-6 small meals a day, so that you are not constantly hungry. I have done it once before. It was hard, but it can be done. The first few days are the hardest, than you just eat the food and dont think about it.
The detox is suppose to cleanse your body and get you ready to eat smarter, healthier portions and meals. When i came off of my detox, i still wanted salad. I didnt want anything bad. You also will lose some weight, which i am praying works with my constantly breastfeeding body. I am getting antsy with this post baby body and ready to see some changes. Ryan wants to get back into a healthier eating style.
We are also doing it as sort of a complete detox, spiritually, physically and emotionally as well. Eat only vegetables and fruit for a full day straight and you will see just how cleansing spiritually it can be! We both have been having some headaches and getting really tired, but it is getting a bit better. Brown rice has never seemed to wonderful. Ryan wants meat, i want a sandwhich. We both eat raw carrots instead.
It is day 3 of 9 of this food detox and i am now going to go make a salad... i am getting hungry.

Resolutions

With 2009 barely begun, i am sitting on my couch thinking about what resolutions/goals i would like to accomplish. My boys are all taking a nap on my bed, so i have some free time to myself, which is rare.
My goals would be:

To get back to my pre-baby body. Wait. To get back to an even better than pre-baby body.
To keep my house cleaner and not let work and the babe keeps me too distracted.
To spend the right amount of time on work and the right amount of time with Jack.
To help support Ryan with the completion of his MBA.
To maintain and grow my friendships
To have a deeper walk with Christ
To learn and conquer my dslr and create beautiful captures of time with it.
To potty train my boy. 18 month olds can be potty trained right?

Some exciting things to look forward to this year:
Jack turns 1 in July!
Ryan turns 25 in January (yes, he is a young one...)
I turn 28 in October (yes, i am an old one...)
We will have been married 3 years in October
Ryan gets his MBA in December
and lots more!

Happy 2009! I wonder what we have in store this year...