Happy New Year (almost)!
Well, 2010 is almost history. What a difference a year makes...last year, I rang in the new year with arms longing to hold a baby. I was still hopeful to be a mommy, and yet, I found myself preparing myself for another year of disappointment...you know, just in case.
This year, I am holding my beautiful son and wonderful husband. I'm a new mommy, and I'm preparing to spend the first wee hours of 2011 awake with G. After so many years of waiting, I almost have to pinch myself because I can't believe it's real.
I have so much to be thankful for...my family, my friends, my church, my job, and I could go on and on.
I have a sneaking suspicion that G is going to want to eat very soon and that I might be sleeping when the clock strikes midnight. But there's nowhere else I'd rather be.
Wishing you all a joyous and blessed 2011!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
our very merry christmas
Hi folks! I can't believe Christmas has already come and gone, and we're getting ready for the new year!
Helen eemo arrived Christmas eve, the rest of my family arrived Christmas day, and they all met G for the first time.
Helen eemo arrived Christmas eve, the rest of my family arrived Christmas day, and they all met G for the first time.
We opened the presents that were under the tree:
G got his very own chair from me and the hubs:
And we took our annual Mun family photo:
All in all, it was a wonderful Christmas. I've always loved Christmas, but having G around this year made it even more special. I look at him and can't believe he's my son...I feel so incredibly blessed to be able to experience motherhood, and that I get to mother G!
Of course, the true reason for the season is the birth of our Savior.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. Isaiah 9:6-7
Hallelujah! Amen!
I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas. The Ros wish you all a blessed new year!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Welcome ICLW!
Happy ICLW! For those of you who don't know what ICLW is and are curious, read more about it here.
I haven't done ICLW since August, when I achieved Iron Commenter status. :) Since then, our baby, Grant arrived in November after 5 weeks of bedrest. I'm currently on maternity leave, enjoying my new little one.
Our baby arrived after 4+ years of primary infertility, so I know how hard it can be to read pregnancy and parenting blogs, especially during the holidays. So, if this blog is not something you can read, I totally understand. But if you'd like to know more about our journey, click on the tab above and read all about it!
I haven't done ICLW since August, when I achieved Iron Commenter status. :) Since then, our baby, Grant arrived in November after 5 weeks of bedrest. I'm currently on maternity leave, enjoying my new little one.
Our baby arrived after 4+ years of primary infertility, so I know how hard it can be to read pregnancy and parenting blogs, especially during the holidays. So, if this blog is not something you can read, I totally understand. But if you'd like to know more about our journey, click on the tab above and read all about it!
Monday, December 20, 2010
our first month :)
Dear Grant,
Happy one month, my baby boy! I can't believe it's already been a month since you made your grand entrance into the world and completely captured my heart.
Notice that daddy is the only one who doesn't look completely wiped out in our first family picture? He looks so handsome and has the new daddy glow. :) He's stayed home with us for the first month, and watching him with you has made me fall in love with him all over again. He's such a great father! You're going to love getting to know him.
We had some rough times this month. The first two weeks, we battled the breastfeeding monster together. But we beat that nasty monster, and I'm proud to say we're exclusively breastfeeding now! Good job, baby! You love eating...and sometimes I feel like all we're doing is feeding your hungry tummy...I'll admit that it's hard sometimes because I'm so tired, but I feel so lucky to be able to feed you and help you grow. It may sound weird, but I LOVE hearing you gulp down milk. It warms my heart. Weird, I know.
You've started to smile and interact with us more. I can't wait until we start interacting more and we get to see more of your personality.
Grant, we celebrated your first Thanksgiving only days after you were born.
We were really lucky to be able to spend it with Halmuhnee, Jen eemo and Jeannie eemo. One thing we've been really blessed with is a great family. I can't wait until you meet your other grandparents, aunts and uncles. You're a lucky kid to have such great people in your life!
I could not think of a better time for you to be born, because we are SO thankful to God for giving us the privilege to be your parents. I hope you know that many many prayers were said for you years before you were born, and you are our living testimony of God's grace and faithfulness. Over the past month, so many of aunties and uncles who prayed for you came by to visit. Again, I can't tell you enough how lucky you are to have these people in your life!
This month, you saw your first snow (that's Appah and Scout clearing the snow, while we snuggled inside):
Speaking of Santa, your first Christmas is right around the corner. Christmas is a season of hope and joy. Unfortunately, for many people who want so badly to be mommies and daddies but are having a hard time bringing home their babies, it is a hard season. I know how lucky we are to have you in our arms this Christmas, and I'm praying for all my friends out there who are still waiting for their babies with great hope in our God of miracles.
You're growing so fast before our eyes, and I'm trying to cherish every (sleep-deprived) moment we get together. It's been fun getting to know each other. I love your little fingers and toes. I love the way your breath smells. I love looking into your beautiful eyes.
I love you for so many reasons, and more than words can express. Happy one month, my baby! I'm looking forward to many many many many more!
Love,
Mommy
Happy one month, my baby boy! I can't believe it's already been a month since you made your grand entrance into the world and completely captured my heart.
Notice that daddy is the only one who doesn't look completely wiped out in our first family picture? He looks so handsome and has the new daddy glow. :) He's stayed home with us for the first month, and watching him with you has made me fall in love with him all over again. He's such a great father! You're going to love getting to know him.
We had some rough times this month. The first two weeks, we battled the breastfeeding monster together. But we beat that nasty monster, and I'm proud to say we're exclusively breastfeeding now! Good job, baby! You love eating...and sometimes I feel like all we're doing is feeding your hungry tummy...I'll admit that it's hard sometimes because I'm so tired, but I feel so lucky to be able to feed you and help you grow. It may sound weird, but I LOVE hearing you gulp down milk. It warms my heart. Weird, I know.
You've started to smile and interact with us more. I can't wait until we start interacting more and we get to see more of your personality.
Grant, we celebrated your first Thanksgiving only days after you were born.
We were really lucky to be able to spend it with Halmuhnee, Jen eemo and Jeannie eemo. One thing we've been really blessed with is a great family. I can't wait until you meet your other grandparents, aunts and uncles. You're a lucky kid to have such great people in your life!
I could not think of a better time for you to be born, because we are SO thankful to God for giving us the privilege to be your parents. I hope you know that many many prayers were said for you years before you were born, and you are our living testimony of God's grace and faithfulness. Over the past month, so many of aunties and uncles who prayed for you came by to visit. Again, I can't tell you enough how lucky you are to have these people in your life!
This month, you saw your first snow (that's Appah and Scout clearing the snow, while we snuggled inside):
You also met Santa:
Speaking of Santa, your first Christmas is right around the corner. Christmas is a season of hope and joy. Unfortunately, for many people who want so badly to be mommies and daddies but are having a hard time bringing home their babies, it is a hard season. I know how lucky we are to have you in our arms this Christmas, and I'm praying for all my friends out there who are still waiting for their babies with great hope in our God of miracles.
You're growing so fast before our eyes, and I'm trying to cherish every (sleep-deprived) moment we get together. It's been fun getting to know each other. I love your little fingers and toes. I love the way your breath smells. I love looking into your beautiful eyes.
I love you for so many reasons, and more than words can express. Happy one month, my baby! I'm looking forward to many many many many more!
Love,
Mommy
Friday, December 17, 2010
it's beginning to look a lot like christmas!
Friends, I love this time of year. Christmas is such a wonderful time of the year...first and foremost because we get to celebrate our Savior's birth. My cousin put this line from "O Holy Night" as her facebook status, and it's one of those lines that just give me the chills whenever I hear it:
"A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!"
Yes. YES! YES!!!
Oh goodness. I love Christmas.
For the past two years, I put up two trees...one in our living room and one in our family room. But this year, due to my precious little one and our precious little sleep, I could only manage one tree (much to Tom's great delight--bah humbug!).
Hmm...I feel a story (with pictures!) coming on...
'Twas many nights before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, except maybe a Scout:
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care:
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there (to fill the awesome Santa bags that Auntie A got for G and S):
The child was nestled all snug in his (makeshift) bed, while visions of sugar plums danced in his head:
"A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!"
Yes. YES! YES!!!
Oh goodness. I love Christmas.
For the past two years, I put up two trees...one in our living room and one in our family room. But this year, due to my precious little one and our precious little sleep, I could only manage one tree (much to Tom's great delight--bah humbug!).
Hmm...I feel a story (with pictures!) coming on...
'Twas many nights before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, except maybe a Scout:
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care:
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there (to fill the awesome Santa bags that Auntie A got for G and S):
The child was nestled all snug in his (makeshift) bed, while visions of sugar plums danced in his head:
Hehe. That was fun.
We ventured out to see Santa at the mall. G was so excited to see Santa that he fainted when he actually saw Santa:
My sister saw the pic and said, "Either that is the smallest baby or the giantest Santa ever."
Yes and yes.
Isn't he a very convincing Santa? Oh...of course he's the real Santa! :)
We also picked up our very first ornament with G in our family:
Oh, and it looks like we might have a white Christmas, because it snowed a couple of inches yesterday!
Which means Tom and his trusty sidekick Scout had shoveling duty.
While I stayed in and snuggled with this cutie:
Who turned 3 weeks a week ago:
And although he is 4 weeks today, I won't post his 4 week pics because I'm moving on to monthly pics with the blocks - so we'll take a one month picture on Sunday. Don't worry...Grandma checks this blog so we'll have other pics without the blocks. :)
Phew, that's all folks. G has been going through somewhat of a growth spurt over the past few days, so we haven't been getting much sleep, so I'm wiped. Gonna try and catch some zzzs before he wakes up for his next feed.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
letting go
Oh dear, it's been quite a while since I've posted anything. Part of it is because of the lack of time and fatigue, part of it is writer's block. It's hard for me to believe that I've been having such a hard time finding things to write about, because so much has happened....and yet, I think the exhaustion and the fact that everyday has sort of felt like "Groundhog's Day" has something to do with it.
Anyway, I am loving being a mom. It's not at all like I expected it to be...it's a lot harder and a lot more rewarding than I ever could have imagined it. Grant has completely stolen my heart and I love him in a way that I didn't know was possible.
But yeah...it's HARD. My friend J suggested the topic of "what I wish I had known" or "what is most surprising" and I have to say that the one thing that sticks out in my mind is the subject of breastfeeding.
Before Grant was born, I said that I'd be OK if I didn't breastfeed. I think of all those commercials for formula that say something like, "Breastmilk is best, but for all your other needs trust [insert formula brand here]." I've seen some of my friends beat themselves up over not being able to breastfeed, and I told them and myself that I just wasn't going to do that to myself. After all, I was raised on formula, and I turned out fine.
Well, my friends, I confess: I have cried many many tears over the last few weeks because breastfeeding is so hard. Actually, the word "hard" doesn't even capture the whole experience. I read things beforehand...and let me say, the "experts" have lots of opinions that seem very reasonable.
Don't feed formula supplements in a bottle.
Don't use nipple shields.
Don't give a pacifier.
I tried so hard to avoid violating all of those cardinal sins. I tried. But Grant had jaundice and was losing weight, and the only way to get rid of the jaundice and bring him home was to feed him formula. Did it backfire? Yes and no. We were able to manage his jaundice and he gained weight. But he did not want to breastfeed at all. Which was totally understandable because drinking from a bottle is so much easier than drinking from the breast.
Let me tell you, I never thought the mere sight of bottle nipples would stir crazy amounts of resentment in me. But as I cleaned them night after night for the first week, I looked at them with such disdain because Grant soooooo loves his bottles and he cries like I am torturing him about 50% of the time we breastfeed.
But, I stuck with it and saw a lactation consultant who suggested nipple shields. The "experts" say not to use it, especially long term...but it made a world of a difference and has made breastfeeding possible where it wasn't happening before. We still have our little battles, but we haven't touched a bottle since!
Then came our marathon 2.5 hour nursing session. Puzzled and overwhelmed, I issued a plea for help on facebook, and someone said he is probably a comfort sucker. The "experts" say that you shouldn't introduce a pacifier until at least 1 month...but it's been a lifesaver for us.
It occurred to me that this is one of the first of many lessons I need to learn as a parent: to let go of my expectations and, more importantly, others' expectations. It's hard to not feel like there's only one right way to do things. A lot harder than I thought it would be. But, we are figuring things out for ourselves and doing what works for our family. Sure, Grant and I continue to have tearjerking breastfeeding moments, but then he looks up at me with his beautiful eyes and all of it just melts away.
Well, I've managed to write a novelette. I guess to reward you, I'll leave some pictures of my little baby's first two weeks...he's cute...but hey, I'm his mama...I'm supposed to think that. :)
Uh oh, the G man is crying. Time to feed!!! Until next time....
Anyway, I am loving being a mom. It's not at all like I expected it to be...it's a lot harder and a lot more rewarding than I ever could have imagined it. Grant has completely stolen my heart and I love him in a way that I didn't know was possible.
But yeah...it's HARD. My friend J suggested the topic of "what I wish I had known" or "what is most surprising" and I have to say that the one thing that sticks out in my mind is the subject of breastfeeding.
Before Grant was born, I said that I'd be OK if I didn't breastfeed. I think of all those commercials for formula that say something like, "Breastmilk is best, but for all your other needs trust [insert formula brand here]." I've seen some of my friends beat themselves up over not being able to breastfeed, and I told them and myself that I just wasn't going to do that to myself. After all, I was raised on formula, and I turned out fine.
Well, my friends, I confess: I have cried many many tears over the last few weeks because breastfeeding is so hard. Actually, the word "hard" doesn't even capture the whole experience. I read things beforehand...and let me say, the "experts" have lots of opinions that seem very reasonable.
Don't feed formula supplements in a bottle.
Don't use nipple shields.
Don't give a pacifier.
I tried so hard to avoid violating all of those cardinal sins. I tried. But Grant had jaundice and was losing weight, and the only way to get rid of the jaundice and bring him home was to feed him formula. Did it backfire? Yes and no. We were able to manage his jaundice and he gained weight. But he did not want to breastfeed at all. Which was totally understandable because drinking from a bottle is so much easier than drinking from the breast.
Let me tell you, I never thought the mere sight of bottle nipples would stir crazy amounts of resentment in me. But as I cleaned them night after night for the first week, I looked at them with such disdain because Grant soooooo loves his bottles and he cries like I am torturing him about 50% of the time we breastfeed.
But, I stuck with it and saw a lactation consultant who suggested nipple shields. The "experts" say not to use it, especially long term...but it made a world of a difference and has made breastfeeding possible where it wasn't happening before. We still have our little battles, but we haven't touched a bottle since!
Then came our marathon 2.5 hour nursing session. Puzzled and overwhelmed, I issued a plea for help on facebook, and someone said he is probably a comfort sucker. The "experts" say that you shouldn't introduce a pacifier until at least 1 month...but it's been a lifesaver for us.
It occurred to me that this is one of the first of many lessons I need to learn as a parent: to let go of my expectations and, more importantly, others' expectations. It's hard to not feel like there's only one right way to do things. A lot harder than I thought it would be. But, we are figuring things out for ourselves and doing what works for our family. Sure, Grant and I continue to have tearjerking breastfeeding moments, but then he looks up at me with his beautiful eyes and all of it just melts away.
Well, I've managed to write a novelette. I guess to reward you, I'll leave some pictures of my little baby's first two weeks...he's cute...but hey, I'm his mama...I'm supposed to think that. :)
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| Thanksgiving Day...food, football, and family! |
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| Grant at 1 week |
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| Grant at 2 weeks |
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| Grant and his buddy Scoutie |
Saturday, November 27, 2010
a baby grant story
Sorry for the delay in posting this...it's been a great, but tiring first week with Grant home. I still can't believe Grant is here...and that this amazing little human is my son! All I can say is that God is an amazing and I'm so thankful for our little miracle.
So...as I was thinking about our birth story, it's pretty boring, actually. But hey, boring = no complications, and I'll take boring any day! Regardless, I'd like to remember as many details as possible...so I'm going to write it out anyway. So, without further ado.....
On Thursday, I started noticing a lot more discharge than usual (sorry--TMI, I know). I kind of had a feeling something was happening...then again, I'd had "feelings" before, so I didn't want to put too much hope in this newest feeling. I did tell my sister, though, that I thought something was going to happen within the next 24 hours.
Around midnight that night, I started having contractions. At first, I thought I just had to go to the bathroom really badly (sorry, this is TMI, too!) but then I started noticing the feeling was recurring about every 20 minutes or so.
Tom and I decided to head to bed, and I was able to sleep through the contractions until around 2:00 a.m., when the contractions became stronger and I could no longer sleep through them. From that point, I tried to practice the breathing techniques that we learned our birthing class. They sort of helped me get through each wave of contractions...sort of. At around 4:30, my contractions were about 8 minutes apart, and I woke Tom up, because I was so uncomfortable (for lack of a better word). I got in the bathtub and sat in the warm water, and later moved to a shower, both which helped. We then decided to finish packing our bags with our "day of" packing list.
At 7:30 a.m., my contractions were finally at 5 minutes apart. We dropped Scoutie off at her buddy Piper's house, and headed to the hospital. We were worried about traffic because it was rush hour, but thankfully, traffic was relatively light. We arrived at the hospital around 9:00 a.m. and were admitted to triage, where the doctor determined that I was about 3 cm dilated and 75% effaced...they said I could be admitted! I then asked when I could get my epidural...and she said anytime. Music to my ears. I walked over to our labor and delivery suite, where we met our fabulous nurse, T.
Let me just pause here for a minute to recognize nurses. I really like my doctor, but the people who really did all of the hard work during my labor and delivery and post-partum care were the nurses. They truly are amazing, hard-working people, and I so appreciated all of them.
Anyway, I asked Nurse T when I could get the epidural, and she notified the anesthesiologist. He came in at around 10:30, and I literally shouted for joy and told him I was so excited to see him. He replied, "Yeah, I'm a pretty popular guy around here." Ha ha. I would like to say at this point that there is a reason why he's so darn popular. Sure, the epidural wasn't painless to say the least, but I.LOVED.MY.EPIDURAL. I really admire the strength women have to go through labor/delivery naturally, but it really helped me sleep and prepare for the big push.
After the epidural, Dr. H. came and broke my water and Nurse T administered pitocin. It only took an hour for me to dilate to 5 cm. I spent most of the day sleeping and eating ice chips.
At around 5:45 p.m., Nurse T said I was ready to start pushing. Like I said before, Nurse T was AMAZING. She was just the type of person I needed to help me through labor--no nonsense, but encouraging in just the right way. More amazing was my dear dear Tom. I wasn't sure how I needed him to be, but he was just so supportive and encouraging, even when I couldn't respond, or worse, I was just screaming weird things and wanting to give up. Oh...yeah...I guess I should say that though the epidural made me numb to contractions, pushing was NOT pain-free. I felt all of the pressure--maybe not all of the pain--but it definitely hurt like nothing I've ever felt before, and pushing required a tremendous amount of energy. At some point, I yelled, "Can't you just get this baby out already???" Tom thought I was going to give up. I think I was just frustrated because I thought it was going so long.
Turns out, I *only* pushed for one hour, which is apparently a great time for a first time mom. It seemed like forever to me, though. It may sound cliche, but when Grant came out at 6:48 p.m., it was the most amazing feeling and I quickly forgot the previous hour of pushing. And the sound of his cry was the most amazing sound I've ever heard.
Tom cut the umbilical cord, and they put Grant on me for a few seconds. All I remember was looking at his tiny, blue-gray hands before they swept him away to the warming/cleaning area. Tom was super excited and I had to remind him to take the camera to take Grant's first pictures. In the meantime, Dr. H. stitched me up. For some reason, I felt that part...even though people say I shouldn't have. Hmm...maybe my epidural was not as strong as I had hoped?
When they brought Grant back to me, as he laid on my chest, I was deliriously happy, yet, I felt a deep sadness that Eli wasn't here with us, too. My only comfort was and is that Eli is home and whole, and I get the amazing privilege to be Grant's mom here on earth.
Our stay at the hospital was amazing, thanks to the amazing nursing staff. Unfortunately, Grant had jaundice, so he had to go under phototherapy. He also was losing too much weight, so we had to supplement with formula, which has proved to make breastfeeding a very difficult challenge over the past week. Because his numbers didn't improve, Grant had to stay a night longer than our insurance allowed me to stay in the hospital. I was devastated that we would have to leave Grant overnight.
Right before Tom and I started to pack, our nurse came in and said that, because the hospital was not at full capacity that night, we could stay the night in our room, but could not receive any services. I was so happy that I almost cried tears of joy. It was a hard night because Tom had to go to the nursery and get Grant every three hours. But it was so worth it.
The next morning, the labs showed that Grant's bilirubin levels had stabilized, so he didn't have to stay under the phototherapy lights, but the pediatrician wanted him to stay in the hospital and get tested 8 hours later. This meant that we needed to stay in the "day room"--which is basically a glorified waiting room. Grant passed, and we got to leave at 6:30 p.m.!
All to say, we were all really exhausted...and I'm starting to feel human again now. It's been a fun week with Grant. I look at him and the word love has a whole new meaning.
Wow--if you've gotten this far, I give you a virtual gold star. If I could sum up this post in three words, it would be: so worth it. Grant is so worth everything--the heartache, the pain, the wait, everything. Tom and I feel so blessed and are so grateful to our awesome God, for entrusting us with this special little kid. Our lives will never be the same.
So...as I was thinking about our birth story, it's pretty boring, actually. But hey, boring = no complications, and I'll take boring any day! Regardless, I'd like to remember as many details as possible...so I'm going to write it out anyway. So, without further ado.....
On Thursday, I started noticing a lot more discharge than usual (sorry--TMI, I know). I kind of had a feeling something was happening...then again, I'd had "feelings" before, so I didn't want to put too much hope in this newest feeling. I did tell my sister, though, that I thought something was going to happen within the next 24 hours.
Around midnight that night, I started having contractions. At first, I thought I just had to go to the bathroom really badly (sorry, this is TMI, too!) but then I started noticing the feeling was recurring about every 20 minutes or so.
Tom and I decided to head to bed, and I was able to sleep through the contractions until around 2:00 a.m., when the contractions became stronger and I could no longer sleep through them. From that point, I tried to practice the breathing techniques that we learned our birthing class. They sort of helped me get through each wave of contractions...sort of. At around 4:30, my contractions were about 8 minutes apart, and I woke Tom up, because I was so uncomfortable (for lack of a better word). I got in the bathtub and sat in the warm water, and later moved to a shower, both which helped. We then decided to finish packing our bags with our "day of" packing list.
At 7:30 a.m., my contractions were finally at 5 minutes apart. We dropped Scoutie off at her buddy Piper's house, and headed to the hospital. We were worried about traffic because it was rush hour, but thankfully, traffic was relatively light. We arrived at the hospital around 9:00 a.m. and were admitted to triage, where the doctor determined that I was about 3 cm dilated and 75% effaced...they said I could be admitted! I then asked when I could get my epidural...and she said anytime. Music to my ears. I walked over to our labor and delivery suite, where we met our fabulous nurse, T.
Let me just pause here for a minute to recognize nurses. I really like my doctor, but the people who really did all of the hard work during my labor and delivery and post-partum care were the nurses. They truly are amazing, hard-working people, and I so appreciated all of them.
Anyway, I asked Nurse T when I could get the epidural, and she notified the anesthesiologist. He came in at around 10:30, and I literally shouted for joy and told him I was so excited to see him. He replied, "Yeah, I'm a pretty popular guy around here." Ha ha. I would like to say at this point that there is a reason why he's so darn popular. Sure, the epidural wasn't painless to say the least, but I.LOVED.MY.EPIDURAL. I really admire the strength women have to go through labor/delivery naturally, but it really helped me sleep and prepare for the big push.
After the epidural, Dr. H. came and broke my water and Nurse T administered pitocin. It only took an hour for me to dilate to 5 cm. I spent most of the day sleeping and eating ice chips.
At around 5:45 p.m., Nurse T said I was ready to start pushing. Like I said before, Nurse T was AMAZING. She was just the type of person I needed to help me through labor--no nonsense, but encouraging in just the right way. More amazing was my dear dear Tom. I wasn't sure how I needed him to be, but he was just so supportive and encouraging, even when I couldn't respond, or worse, I was just screaming weird things and wanting to give up. Oh...yeah...I guess I should say that though the epidural made me numb to contractions, pushing was NOT pain-free. I felt all of the pressure--maybe not all of the pain--but it definitely hurt like nothing I've ever felt before, and pushing required a tremendous amount of energy. At some point, I yelled, "Can't you just get this baby out already???" Tom thought I was going to give up. I think I was just frustrated because I thought it was going so long.
Turns out, I *only* pushed for one hour, which is apparently a great time for a first time mom. It seemed like forever to me, though. It may sound cliche, but when Grant came out at 6:48 p.m., it was the most amazing feeling and I quickly forgot the previous hour of pushing. And the sound of his cry was the most amazing sound I've ever heard.
Tom cut the umbilical cord, and they put Grant on me for a few seconds. All I remember was looking at his tiny, blue-gray hands before they swept him away to the warming/cleaning area. Tom was super excited and I had to remind him to take the camera to take Grant's first pictures. In the meantime, Dr. H. stitched me up. For some reason, I felt that part...even though people say I shouldn't have. Hmm...maybe my epidural was not as strong as I had hoped?
When they brought Grant back to me, as he laid on my chest, I was deliriously happy, yet, I felt a deep sadness that Eli wasn't here with us, too. My only comfort was and is that Eli is home and whole, and I get the amazing privilege to be Grant's mom here on earth.
Our stay at the hospital was amazing, thanks to the amazing nursing staff. Unfortunately, Grant had jaundice, so he had to go under phototherapy. He also was losing too much weight, so we had to supplement with formula, which has proved to make breastfeeding a very difficult challenge over the past week. Because his numbers didn't improve, Grant had to stay a night longer than our insurance allowed me to stay in the hospital. I was devastated that we would have to leave Grant overnight.
Right before Tom and I started to pack, our nurse came in and said that, because the hospital was not at full capacity that night, we could stay the night in our room, but could not receive any services. I was so happy that I almost cried tears of joy. It was a hard night because Tom had to go to the nursery and get Grant every three hours. But it was so worth it.
The next morning, the labs showed that Grant's bilirubin levels had stabilized, so he didn't have to stay under the phototherapy lights, but the pediatrician wanted him to stay in the hospital and get tested 8 hours later. This meant that we needed to stay in the "day room"--which is basically a glorified waiting room. Grant passed, and we got to leave at 6:30 p.m.!
All to say, we were all really exhausted...and I'm starting to feel human again now. It's been a fun week with Grant. I look at him and the word love has a whole new meaning.
Wow--if you've gotten this far, I give you a virtual gold star. If I could sum up this post in three words, it would be: so worth it. Grant is so worth everything--the heartache, the pain, the wait, everything. Tom and I feel so blessed and are so grateful to our awesome God, for entrusting us with this special little kid. Our lives will never be the same.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
happy birth day, grant!
Oh such tears of joy, I’ve never known I can’t remember It’s like a song, I’ve never heard I’ve never sung, but know the words...
Grant Jihoon Ro 11.19.10 | 6:48 p.m. | 6 lbs. 3 oz. | 21 in.
It was love at first sight.
Birth story to follow...when I am awake enough to write a coherent one. :)
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
signs...or not...
Dear Grant,
Won't you come out to play?
I had a dream last night that my water broke. I was estatic. That was my first labor dream.
That's gotta be a sign, no?
I bought your stroller today. I have been waiting patiently for the 2011 model to come out, and lo and behold, on a very short trip to Babies R Us, I snagged the only 2011 model they had...which had just come in this morning. It was even in the color we wanted!
That's gotta be a sign, no?
Grant, your mommy is going nuts on day 20 of bedrest. Today, I caught myself having a conversation with Scout. I asked her to try and persuade you to come out. She looked at me knowingly, and then rested her head right where your heart is....
That's gotta be a sign, no?
At the very least, it's a sign that I'm losing it when I think Scout and I are having meaningful conversations.
Come out and play, little one! There are lots of us out here who'd like to meet you!
Love,
Mommy
Won't you come out to play?
I had a dream last night that my water broke. I was estatic. That was my first labor dream.
That's gotta be a sign, no?
I bought your stroller today. I have been waiting patiently for the 2011 model to come out, and lo and behold, on a very short trip to Babies R Us, I snagged the only 2011 model they had...which had just come in this morning. It was even in the color we wanted!
That's gotta be a sign, no?
Grant, your mommy is going nuts on day 20 of bedrest. Today, I caught myself having a conversation with Scout. I asked her to try and persuade you to come out. She looked at me knowingly, and then rested her head right where your heart is....
That's gotta be a sign, no?
At the very least, it's a sign that I'm losing it when I think Scout and I are having meaningful conversations.
Come out and play, little one! There are lots of us out here who'd like to meet you!
Love,
Mommy
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
seasons
Today's post is a difficult one for me to write. I debated whether or not to write it because I simply don't know what to say. But my heart is heavy, and I felt like I couldn't just let it pass without writing something.
Yesterday, I received news that my former supervisor, S, passed away over the weekend. She had been quietly battling cancer for less than a year, and because she didn't tell me about it, I didn't get a chance to say goodbye or tell her how much I appreciated her mentorship and friendship.
This morning, I thought about how much has changed in the last year. Last year at this time, I was still working at my old job, for S. I was not pregnant, but in the process of changing my insurance plan so we could pursue IVF. This year, I'm at a new job, about to give birth, and S is gone...and I'm experiencing a very different kind of grief.
S was much more than just a supervisor; she was a friend and a mentor. Professionally, she trusted me a lot and gave me a lot of responsibility and freedom to grow. I look back at the time I worked for her, and I realized that I learned a lot and gained a lot of confidence because of her. When I told her about my new job, she was not only understanding, but she encouraged me to pursue it because she had my best interests at heart--even though my leaving would mean she'd have to go through a very annoying hiring process to rehire and retrain for my position.
On a personal level, she was a great cheerleader, too. I had confided in her about our infertility issues, and she was so supportive. When she found out I was pregnant, she was so excited. I was really looking forward to introducing her to Grant. She had two sons, her oldest my age, and she often extended the same type of motherly concern to me and my colleagues she did to her sons. She adored and would just glow whenever she talked about them--she just exuded what it meant to love with a mother's love.
She was really hard-working and well-respected by people all over the Department and the Hill. She was the "expert" in so many areas, and the "go-to" person. She was hysterical, oftentimes not even knowing how hysterical she was...I loved her dry humor and it was rare for a day at work to pass without laughter.
Life is funny. I am so excited about Grant's impending birth, but now I am mourning S's passing. Right before I heard the news about S, I was at the doctor's office, being told that my blood pressure looked "beautiful" and that my risk for preeclampsia is extremely low at this point. Joy. Sadness. And so is life.
My thoughts and prayers are with S's family and friends during this difficult time. I will miss her deeply. I know that for everything, there is a season. I only wish I got to say goodbye.
Yesterday, I received news that my former supervisor, S, passed away over the weekend. She had been quietly battling cancer for less than a year, and because she didn't tell me about it, I didn't get a chance to say goodbye or tell her how much I appreciated her mentorship and friendship.
This morning, I thought about how much has changed in the last year. Last year at this time, I was still working at my old job, for S. I was not pregnant, but in the process of changing my insurance plan so we could pursue IVF. This year, I'm at a new job, about to give birth, and S is gone...and I'm experiencing a very different kind of grief.
S was much more than just a supervisor; she was a friend and a mentor. Professionally, she trusted me a lot and gave me a lot of responsibility and freedom to grow. I look back at the time I worked for her, and I realized that I learned a lot and gained a lot of confidence because of her. When I told her about my new job, she was not only understanding, but she encouraged me to pursue it because she had my best interests at heart--even though my leaving would mean she'd have to go through a very annoying hiring process to rehire and retrain for my position.
On a personal level, she was a great cheerleader, too. I had confided in her about our infertility issues, and she was so supportive. When she found out I was pregnant, she was so excited. I was really looking forward to introducing her to Grant. She had two sons, her oldest my age, and she often extended the same type of motherly concern to me and my colleagues she did to her sons. She adored and would just glow whenever she talked about them--she just exuded what it meant to love with a mother's love.
She was really hard-working and well-respected by people all over the Department and the Hill. She was the "expert" in so many areas, and the "go-to" person. She was hysterical, oftentimes not even knowing how hysterical she was...I loved her dry humor and it was rare for a day at work to pass without laughter.
Life is funny. I am so excited about Grant's impending birth, but now I am mourning S's passing. Right before I heard the news about S, I was at the doctor's office, being told that my blood pressure looked "beautiful" and that my risk for preeclampsia is extremely low at this point. Joy. Sadness. And so is life.
My thoughts and prayers are with S's family and friends during this difficult time. I will miss her deeply. I know that for everything, there is a season. I only wish I got to say goodbye.
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-4
Sunday, November 14, 2010
38 weeks: i wanna hold your hand
Your baby has really plumped up. He weighs about 6.8 pounds and he's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). He has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold his hand for the first time! His organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.
Yup. Still here. G seems to be really comfy here in my uterus.
I've obviously lost track of time, because I thought I was on day 10 of bedrest. It's actually day 17 of bedrest. I'm glad we're still here, because week 38 is when the risks of cerebral palsy significantly decrease and, for the most part, all of Grant's organs are fully formed.
But I'm having a hard time sleeping. People say it's my body's way of preparing me for the sleepless nights ahead. I can't say that it's comforting, but at least I know I won't be sleeping through Grant's cries for feedings and diaper changes. I can't say as much for Tom, who seems to be able to sleep through anything.
In the meantime, I am still here. Watching Korean videos that my cousin sent me (thanks, Susie!) and hanging out with the Scouters, who has resigned herself to the fact that I just am not able to play with her. I'm worried that this bonding time, where she and I are just laying on the couch together all day, is going to make her transition to welcoming Grant that much harder. We've had a couple of visitors bring their kids by in the past couple weeks, and she's just loved all the kids...so it makes me happy to know that she'll be good with Grant.
Oh...and I forgot to mention that we have an official induction date. I go in on the evening of the 23rd, and will probably give birth sometime on the 24th. The nice thing about Grant staying in until then is that my mom will definitely be here when he's born. If not, we'll just have to get her here on the soonest flight available after I go into labor.
I'd sure like to meet this kid and hold his hand soon, though. :)
Yup. Still here. G seems to be really comfy here in my uterus.
I've obviously lost track of time, because I thought I was on day 10 of bedrest. It's actually day 17 of bedrest. I'm glad we're still here, because week 38 is when the risks of cerebral palsy significantly decrease and, for the most part, all of Grant's organs are fully formed.
But I'm having a hard time sleeping. People say it's my body's way of preparing me for the sleepless nights ahead. I can't say that it's comforting, but at least I know I won't be sleeping through Grant's cries for feedings and diaper changes. I can't say as much for Tom, who seems to be able to sleep through anything.
In the meantime, I am still here. Watching Korean videos that my cousin sent me (thanks, Susie!) and hanging out with the Scouters, who has resigned herself to the fact that I just am not able to play with her. I'm worried that this bonding time, where she and I are just laying on the couch together all day, is going to make her transition to welcoming Grant that much harder. We've had a couple of visitors bring their kids by in the past couple weeks, and she's just loved all the kids...so it makes me happy to know that she'll be good with Grant.
Oh...and I forgot to mention that we have an official induction date. I go in on the evening of the 23rd, and will probably give birth sometime on the 24th. The nice thing about Grant staying in until then is that my mom will definitely be here when he's born. If not, we'll just have to get her here on the soonest flight available after I go into labor.
I'd sure like to meet this kid and hold his hand soon, though. :)
Friday, November 12, 2010
mea culpa
I wish I could just blame pregnancy brain on today's mea culpa...so I'm going to...because I'd feel more terrible than I already do if I didn't....
I missed my Scoutie's birthday.
Say what????
Yes. It was yesterday.
True....I'm not really sure if it's her real birthday because we "rescued" her from some random college kids off of Craigslist. Yes, we got her off of Craigslist...we love Craigslist...I even found our piano on Craigslist.
But I digress.
Scout is 2 (or thereabouts). When we adopted her, the random college kids (who were probably trying to scam us, but whatevs) told us she was born sometime between Halloween and Thanksgiving. That's all they could tell me. So I picked 11/11 because I thought it'd be a date I would never forget.
Uh yeah...good one, Tina.
I am so sorry, my Scout.
If I weren't on this darned bedrest, I'd take you down to the fancy dog bakery like we did last year and buy you a delicious, overpriced birthday biscuit. And maybe stop by the cupcake bakery and pick up a cupcake for me...it's not fun to eat sweets by yourself, after all! ;)
Thanks for being such a great puppy. Sure, we've had our "differences"--but you are a really good dog. We couldn't have asked for a better puppy.
You've gotten me through some rough times.
You allowed me to be a "mother" while we were waiting to have a human child.
You are always happy to see me, no matter what...and you can make a bad mood disappear instantly...well...most of the time, anyway....:)
You will always have a special place in my heart, 'cause you're my first doggie ever.
I only have one wish for your 2nd birthday...um...now that you're a big girl...could you calm down some? I heard some dogs calm down at 2. Not holding my breath or anything, but it would be oh so nice.
Then again, your silly puppy ways are what make me love you most. :)
I love you, my baby girl. As soon as Grant comes, we'll celebrate your belated birthday, and his birth day together. Complete with yummy biscuits. Promise.
I missed my Scoutie's birthday.
Say what????
Yes. It was yesterday.
True....I'm not really sure if it's her real birthday because we "rescued" her from some random college kids off of Craigslist. Yes, we got her off of Craigslist...we love Craigslist...I even found our piano on Craigslist.
But I digress.
Scout is 2 (or thereabouts). When we adopted her, the random college kids (who were probably trying to scam us, but whatevs) told us she was born sometime between Halloween and Thanksgiving. That's all they could tell me. So I picked 11/11 because I thought it'd be a date I would never forget.
Uh yeah...good one, Tina.
I am so sorry, my Scout.
If I weren't on this darned bedrest, I'd take you down to the fancy dog bakery like we did last year and buy you a delicious, overpriced birthday biscuit. And maybe stop by the cupcake bakery and pick up a cupcake for me...it's not fun to eat sweets by yourself, after all! ;)
You've gotten me through some rough times.
You allowed me to be a "mother" while we were waiting to have a human child.
You are always happy to see me, no matter what...and you can make a bad mood disappear instantly...well...most of the time, anyway....:)
You will always have a special place in my heart, 'cause you're my first doggie ever.
I only have one wish for your 2nd birthday...um...now that you're a big girl...could you calm down some? I heard some dogs calm down at 2. Not holding my breath or anything, but it would be oh so nice.
Then again, your silly puppy ways are what make me love you most. :)
I love you, my baby girl. As soon as Grant comes, we'll celebrate your belated birthday, and his birth day together. Complete with yummy biscuits. Promise.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
happy veterans day!
Happy Veterans Day! I have nothing but the utmost respect and gratitude to all the servicemen and women, and their families who serve or have served our country with such dedication and at such a great sacrifice. I'm so thankful for you!
As you can see, I'm still here. I'm not sure if anything is progressing, but it would be so nice if we could meet this little guy like...this weekend. :)
Samantha asked for my hospital list...so I thought I'd include it here. Note, it is a 5 column spreadsheet...but I don't know how to put a spreadsheet on here, so I just broke it down by column and pasted it below. The hospital tour guide suggested we pack a backpack with essentials so we have portability before the baby is born, and a suitcase for all the stuff we'll need after delivery. Hope it's helpful! :)
Things to remember to pack on the day of
insurance card
phone charger
snacks
figure out scout
backpack/suitcase
ped business card
call ped to alert
driver's license
roll of quarters
phones
credit card
pack tom/tina clothes
Backpack
Laptop
toiletry bag
snacks
chargers (phone/ipod)
portable fan
chapstick
ipod/ipod player
Tom's bathing suit
hard candy
camera
Tom's sweatshirt
Wooden massager
Flip-flops for shower
SuitcaseGrant's outfit
2 receiving blankets
Tina's home outfit
Tom's clothes
hairdryer brush
underwear
boppy pillow
depends
nursing bra/pads
towels
cardstock for foot prints
pillows (green case)
Toiletry bag
facewash
moisturizer
toothpaste
toothbrushes
contact solution
contact case
makeup
hair gel
extra hairbands
hairbrush
glasses
shampoo/cond
razor/shaving cream
lotion
stretchy headband
Important Phone Numbers
OBs
Pediatrician
Parents
Siblings
Work
Etc.
As you can see, I'm still here. I'm not sure if anything is progressing, but it would be so nice if we could meet this little guy like...this weekend. :)
Samantha asked for my hospital list...so I thought I'd include it here. Note, it is a 5 column spreadsheet...but I don't know how to put a spreadsheet on here, so I just broke it down by column and pasted it below. The hospital tour guide suggested we pack a backpack with essentials so we have portability before the baby is born, and a suitcase for all the stuff we'll need after delivery. Hope it's helpful! :)
Things to remember to pack on the day of
insurance card
phone charger
snacks
figure out scout
backpack/suitcase
ped business card
call ped to alert
driver's license
roll of quarters
phones
credit card
pack tom/tina clothes
Backpack
Laptop
toiletry bag
snacks
chargers (phone/ipod)
portable fan
chapstick
ipod/ipod player
Tom's bathing suit
hard candy
camera
Tom's sweatshirt
Wooden massager
Flip-flops for shower
SuitcaseGrant's outfit
2 receiving blankets
Tina's home outfit
Tom's clothes
hairdryer brush
underwear
boppy pillow
depends
nursing bra/pads
towels
cardstock for foot prints
pillows (green case)
Toiletry bag
facewash
moisturizer
toothpaste
toothbrushes
contact solution
contact case
makeup
hair gel
extra hairbands
hairbrush
glasses
shampoo/cond
razor/shaving cream
lotion
stretchy headband
Important Phone Numbers
OBs
Pediatrician
Parents
Siblings
Work
Etc.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
checklists
Anyone who knows Tom well knows how much he loves lists. No...he LOVES lists. I've never met anyone who loved crossing tasks off as he completes them as much as he does.
So, whenever we have something to do, or I ask him to do something, he puts it into list form. We have post-its and notepads, as well as electronic Google docs, with lists everywhere that cover just about everything in our lives. Naturally, when we were talking about packing our hospital bags several weeks ago, Tom sent me a Google docs spreadsheet with all of the stuff we need.
I'm actually not really a list maker; I'm more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants and do things as I remember them type of gal, but I must say that I've grown to really appreciate Tom's lists. So, when Tom sent me that hospital bag list, I obliged and happily added random things that I've read online as helpful items....like Depends.
Yes. I said Depends. As in, the adult diapers. It was humiliating packing those last night. But I've read that there's quite a bit of bleeding after delivery, and sometimes it's easier to just wear depends than wear big pads with uncomfortable undies. Sorry if that was TMI.
Anyhoo...while we're on the topic of lists, you can see that we've checked off a big to-do: pack the hospital bag. :) We were putting that off because I just figured we could. But the reason why we decided to do it last night was because, at my appointment yesterday, it was evident that my body is completing its own checklist on its road to labor.
I'm a full centimeter dilated!
So, the doc wanted to help things along and he stripped my membranes. Ouch.
And last night I passed my "bloody show" or mucus plug.
In the meantime, the occasional contractions continue. But nothing constant or anything....so nothing to get hyped up about.
All signs of labor. Or not. Dr. Google indicates that some women have these symptoms for hours and give birth, while others wait weeks. So I'm not holding my breath.
Oh...and the pre-scheduled induction date is 11/24...the eve of Thanksgiving, so maybe my initial thinking about eating turkey in the hospital was right on!
Although...Dr. H. did say, "See you next week, unless something happens before then!" Yikes.
So...I went and checked something else off my list. I got a pedicure. 'Cause I know that it ain't gonna be a pretty sight anyway, but I felt like I shouldn't subject my poor nurse, doctors, and Tom to ugly feet during labor. :)
So, I'm still here. Still on bedrest. Still waiting to cross off more of these labor signs off the list.
So, whenever we have something to do, or I ask him to do something, he puts it into list form. We have post-its and notepads, as well as electronic Google docs, with lists everywhere that cover just about everything in our lives. Naturally, when we were talking about packing our hospital bags several weeks ago, Tom sent me a Google docs spreadsheet with all of the stuff we need.
I'm actually not really a list maker; I'm more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants and do things as I remember them type of gal, but I must say that I've grown to really appreciate Tom's lists. So, when Tom sent me that hospital bag list, I obliged and happily added random things that I've read online as helpful items....like Depends.
Yes. I said Depends. As in, the adult diapers. It was humiliating packing those last night. But I've read that there's quite a bit of bleeding after delivery, and sometimes it's easier to just wear depends than wear big pads with uncomfortable undies. Sorry if that was TMI.
Anyhoo...while we're on the topic of lists, you can see that we've checked off a big to-do: pack the hospital bag. :) We were putting that off because I just figured we could. But the reason why we decided to do it last night was because, at my appointment yesterday, it was evident that my body is completing its own checklist on its road to labor.
I'm a full centimeter dilated!
So, the doc wanted to help things along and he stripped my membranes. Ouch.
And last night I passed my "bloody show" or mucus plug.
In the meantime, the occasional contractions continue. But nothing constant or anything....so nothing to get hyped up about.
All signs of labor. Or not. Dr. Google indicates that some women have these symptoms for hours and give birth, while others wait weeks. So I'm not holding my breath.
Oh...and the pre-scheduled induction date is 11/24...the eve of Thanksgiving, so maybe my initial thinking about eating turkey in the hospital was right on!
Although...Dr. H. did say, "See you next week, unless something happens before then!" Yikes.
So...I went and checked something else off my list. I got a pedicure. 'Cause I know that it ain't gonna be a pretty sight anyway, but I felt like I shouldn't subject my poor nurse, doctors, and Tom to ugly feet during labor. :)
So, I'm still here. Still on bedrest. Still waiting to cross off more of these labor signs off the list.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
37 weeks: thank-full term
Your baby is now considered "full term," even though your due date is three weeks away. If you go into labor now, his lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb. (Some babies need a bit more time, though. So if you're planning to have a repeat c-section, for example, your practitioner will schedule it for no earlier than 39 weeks unless there's a medical reason to intervene earlier.)
Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.
I have a couple of reasons to be full of thanks today.
First, it's my daddy's birthday. He's the best dad ever.
Here's a pic of him and his oldest sister before I was even born. Aren't they so cool and adorable???
And a pic of him, with his oldest daughter (that's me!) and his son. Nice face, Joshy.
Don't I have a really handsome daddy? Happy birthday, Appah! I love you!!!!
Second, Grant is officially full term! Hooray! This means that he can come out now and I can breathe a sigh of relief. :) I have an appointment tomorrow, so we'll see what the doctor says about induction or continued bedrest.
I love all the men in my life....and can't wait to introduce my new little man to all of them!
Thank you, Lord, for bringing us to full term! :)
Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.
I have a couple of reasons to be full of thanks today.
First, it's my daddy's birthday. He's the best dad ever.
Here's a pic of him and his oldest sister before I was even born. Aren't they so cool and adorable???
And a pic of him, with his oldest daughter (that's me!) and his son. Nice face, Joshy.
Don't I have a really handsome daddy? Happy birthday, Appah! I love you!!!!
Second, Grant is officially full term! Hooray! This means that he can come out now and I can breathe a sigh of relief. :) I have an appointment tomorrow, so we'll see what the doctor says about induction or continued bedrest.
I love all the men in my life....and can't wait to introduce my new little man to all of them!
Thank you, Lord, for bringing us to full term! :)
Saturday, November 6, 2010
the nursery
The nursery is finally done! Hooray! Okay...well, it's done on the superficial level. I still need to clean out one of the closets. But I don't think we'll be needing that closet for a while yet. :) Anyway...I promised some pics....so here they are!
\
Here's Grant's crib, complete with the Pottery Barn Kids train sheets and blankie that I adore....and my steal of a deal Baby Gap bedding. :)
Here's the dresser and the changing table.
\This is what the top of the dresser looks like...on the left is a special friend that my cousin Jeannie brought back from her world travels to Jordan.
The closets...don't open those...you just don't know what might pop out at you! ;)
Our book racks from PBK! These were the final touches on our room and I love them!
The glider, lambie, and blankie! And guard doggie. :)
And I wanted to mention two special pieces in the room...
This is the name plaque that Auntie Grace made for Grant. She and her hubs is a special couple that God placed in our lives a couple of years ago. We've walked this infertility journey together, and they have been a great source of comfort, encouragement, and joy. They are waiting to bring their little boy home from Korea, and I think Grant and Choi Boy might come home around the same time! We are so thrilled for them! In the meantime, Grace has started her very own Etsy shop making plaques like the one she made for Grant...so if you're interested, here's the link to her site, Waiting With Grace!
And, finally, a sign that my sweet cousin, Uno, made for us in remembrance of our little Elioenai. Her sister, Jeannie, was wise enough to let me open this gift in private after the baby shower....because I just about lost it when I opened it. Thanks, Uno. You are da bomb and I love you!!! :)
Thursday, November 4, 2010
daycare
I have some exciting news...we have found a daycare provider for Grant! Hip hip hooray!
I've always known that I would be a working mom. I knew it wouldn't be easy to leave my kids with someone else, but I don't think I knew *how* hard it would be until I conducted my first two interviews with a daycare center and a home daycare provider.
I won't go into the details, but let's just say I felt a bit uneasy after the appointments for a few reasons.
BUT, my friend Grace, who is a fabulous teacher in a nearby neighborhood, referred us to F, whose daughter she taught a few years back. The only thing that gave me pause was the fact that I kind of wanted Grant to be nearer to where Tom and I work, rather than where we live, because of our long commute.
Well, we finally met with F this past week...and we both felt comfortable with her immediately. She is so sweet and wonderful, and I feel like we can trust her -- especially because Grace has raved about her as a mother, as well as her daughter.
What a relief...what an answered prayer! During our search, I never felt even remotely comfortable about the people I met or emailed...but to meet someone that both Tom and I love is just a huge huge blessing.
Speaking of daycare...did you know that there is a whole daycare industry for doggies?
Yup.
It's not cheap.
But your pup comes home reallllllly tired.
Scoutie's been pretty neglected since this bedrest began. And stinky, because I'm not supposed to be doing things like washing my dog.
So...today, I took her to our local doggie daycare and added a bath. And now she's home. Wiped out. Out for the count. And NOT stinky. Hip hip hooray!
It's funny...I was thinking...when I dropped her off, she just happily went with the lady into the daycare room. She didn't even think about turning around to look at me wistfully.
That made me kind of sad...and, yet, I felt reassured because I know they're not abusing her or that she's not anxious about being there. And...really, daycare is good for her--she gets to play with other doggies and socialize.
But when I came back, she was SO happy to see me. Why? Because no matter how much fun she has at daycare, I am her mommy. And she knows she's supposed to be with me.
It may sound silly, but I feel like it's a preview for daycare and Grant...at least, I hope it is. And that makes me a little sad, but a whole lot reassured.
I've always known that I would be a working mom. I knew it wouldn't be easy to leave my kids with someone else, but I don't think I knew *how* hard it would be until I conducted my first two interviews with a daycare center and a home daycare provider.
I won't go into the details, but let's just say I felt a bit uneasy after the appointments for a few reasons.
BUT, my friend Grace, who is a fabulous teacher in a nearby neighborhood, referred us to F, whose daughter she taught a few years back. The only thing that gave me pause was the fact that I kind of wanted Grant to be nearer to where Tom and I work, rather than where we live, because of our long commute.
Well, we finally met with F this past week...and we both felt comfortable with her immediately. She is so sweet and wonderful, and I feel like we can trust her -- especially because Grace has raved about her as a mother, as well as her daughter.
What a relief...what an answered prayer! During our search, I never felt even remotely comfortable about the people I met or emailed...but to meet someone that both Tom and I love is just a huge huge blessing.
Speaking of daycare...did you know that there is a whole daycare industry for doggies?
Yup.
It's not cheap.
But your pup comes home reallllllly tired.
Scoutie's been pretty neglected since this bedrest began. And stinky, because I'm not supposed to be doing things like washing my dog.
So...today, I took her to our local doggie daycare and added a bath. And now she's home. Wiped out. Out for the count. And NOT stinky. Hip hip hooray!
It's funny...I was thinking...when I dropped her off, she just happily went with the lady into the daycare room. She didn't even think about turning around to look at me wistfully.
That made me kind of sad...and, yet, I felt reassured because I know they're not abusing her or that she's not anxious about being there. And...really, daycare is good for her--she gets to play with other doggies and socialize.
But when I came back, she was SO happy to see me. Why? Because no matter how much fun she has at daycare, I am her mommy. And she knows she's supposed to be with me.
It may sound silly, but I feel like it's a preview for daycare and Grant...at least, I hope it is. And that makes me a little sad, but a whole lot reassured.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
holiday birth announcements
Hi everyone!
One of the things that I'm looking forward to this year is sending out Grant's birth announcement. Since it's so close to Christmas, I've decided to combine it with our Christmas card, partly because I'm not sure I could do both and partly because it's the green thing to do. :)
I just received a promo offer from http://www.shutterfly.com to review their holiday cards in exchange for some free cards, so I thought, why not? (Yeah...I'm a cheapskate...but I prefer the term "frugal.")
I had been looking through a bunch of websites to find some good holiday/birth announcements. There are some really cute announcements out there, but I noticed that a lot of them can be pretty expensive, or there aren't a lot of good holiday themed birth announcements, or a combination of both issues.
I like Shutterfly's site overall because I think they have some pretty great options if you're looking for any type of photo card, whether it's simply a holiday card or a birth announcement or, if you're like me, and hoping to combine the two. Bonus? It's one of the most affordable sites I've found, too, without sacrificing the style factor! There are over 700 designs and they range from classic to modern, from sophisticated to cute, and from simple to fancy. I think they have something that could satisfy most preferences and budgets. And, I tried customizing some cards and found it fast and easy.
I've found a few different designs that I really love here: http://www.shutterfly.com/
So...check out the link below if you're in the market for photo cards for the holidays!!!
http://www.shutterfly.com/
Oh, and if you're a blogger and want to participate in Shutterfly's promo, here's the link for that: http://bit.ly/sfly2010
:)
One of the things that I'm looking forward to this year is sending out Grant's birth announcement. Since it's so close to Christmas, I've decided to combine it with our Christmas card, partly because I'm not sure I could do both and partly because it's the green thing to do. :)
I just received a promo offer from http://www.shutterfly.com to review their holiday cards in exchange for some free cards, so I thought, why not? (Yeah...I'm a cheapskate...but I prefer the term "frugal.")
I had been looking through a bunch of websites to find some good holiday/birth announcements. There are some really cute announcements out there, but I noticed that a lot of them can be pretty expensive, or there aren't a lot of good holiday themed birth announcements, or a combination of both issues.
I like Shutterfly's site overall because I think they have some pretty great options if you're looking for any type of photo card, whether it's simply a holiday card or a birth announcement or, if you're like me, and hoping to combine the two. Bonus? It's one of the most affordable sites I've found, too, without sacrificing the style factor! There are over 700 designs and they range from classic to modern, from sophisticated to cute, and from simple to fancy. I think they have something that could satisfy most preferences and budgets. And, I tried customizing some cards and found it fast and easy.
I've found a few different designs that I really love here: http://www.shutterfly.com/
So...check out the link below if you're in the market for photo cards for the holidays!!!
http://www.shutterfly.com/
Oh, and if you're a blogger and want to participate in Shutterfly's promo, here's the link for that: http://bit.ly/sfly2010
:)
Sunday, October 31, 2010
36 weeks: boo!
Your baby is gaining about an ounce a day. He now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. He's shedding most of the downy hair that covered his body, as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that protected his skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Next week, your baby will be considered full-term. Most likely he's in a head-down position, but if he isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an external cephalic version, where she'll try to turn your baby by manipulating him from the outside of your belly.
Happy Halloween, folks!
This is my second year in a row being bedridden on Halloween--last year, it was because I had some form of the flu. That was fun.
And this year, I'm not at the door handing out candy because, unfortunately, I don't look pretty. I think I need to make an effort from now on to make myself presentable, because I literally scared myself when I just looked in the mirror--and nope, I'm not wearing a costume.
So, Tom has candy man duty, and he's loving it. He so cheerfully greets the little kiddies when he opens the door and it literally makes me melt.
And I can't wait until next Halloween because we'll get to dress up our own little trick-or-treater! I'm kind of a mean mommy, so I may have to subject my Scoutie to costume torture to match Grant's outfit. Heh. At least we'll get cute pictures!!!
Friday, October 29, 2010
confessions of a modified bedrested lawyer
I have some confessions today.
I don't know what modified bedrest means. My doctor said I can work from home but, beyond that, I don't know what that means. Can I clean? Can I do laundry? Can I run (calmly and slowly, of course) to the grocery store? Can I go to Target and just pick up some last minute stuff?
I always seem to clamp up and have no sense to ask questions that I should ask whenever I go to the doctor's office. Especially if I hear something unexpected. That's why I'm such a brilliant lawyer. I spent a buttload of money to go to law school, and apparently didn't learn basic lawyering skills...like asking questions and thinking quickly on your feet. And that, my friends, is why I have no idea what modified bedrest means.
After we left our doctor's appointment on Wednesday...you know, the one where she told me to go on bedrest...I went into a frenzy. We went to Babies R Us and Costco to pick some things up, our dear friends' house to have dinner, and the mall so I could pick up a backordered shelf from Pottery Barn Kids.
Yeah...in retrospect, that's probably not what my doctor meant when she said I should go on bedrest.
I carried a load of laundry to do from Grant's room this morning. I should've put it all in a basket last night and had Tom carry it down before work, but I didn't.
I didn't because I was watching the Suns game last night. Which causes me all sorts of anxiety at times. Probably not the best idea when you're trying to manage your blood pressure.
I know I'm supposed to just kick back and relax. I know I'm supposed to, because the most important task before me for the next few weeks is to make sure I don't give my doctors any reason to induce me or Grant an excuse to show up to the party early.
In fact, when I asked my AWESOME boss if I could work from home, he readily agreed but asked why I'd rather not be stressed and just take sick leave for the rest of my pregnancy. Fortunately, things aren't too stressful at work now, and I would rather save up my leave to spend with Grant later.
But, yeah, I know.
But I also want to go to that small group dessert party, and my dear friend's 30th birthday bash, and Target.
Sigh. I should just call and ask my doctor what she meant by modified bedrest. I have a feeling I'm not going to like her answers.
My puppy is now chewing her nails. I just yelled, I mean, firmly told her to stop. That's a bad, disgusting habit. I guess she does some other disgusting stuff, like groom her eh-hems with her tongue. I shouldn't stress out about it. Yeah...that was my last confession of the day.
I'm gonna try to take it easy now. If it makes you feel better, my feet were elevated the entire time I composed this post. :)
I don't know what modified bedrest means. My doctor said I can work from home but, beyond that, I don't know what that means. Can I clean? Can I do laundry? Can I run (calmly and slowly, of course) to the grocery store? Can I go to Target and just pick up some last minute stuff?
I always seem to clamp up and have no sense to ask questions that I should ask whenever I go to the doctor's office. Especially if I hear something unexpected. That's why I'm such a brilliant lawyer. I spent a buttload of money to go to law school, and apparently didn't learn basic lawyering skills...like asking questions and thinking quickly on your feet. And that, my friends, is why I have no idea what modified bedrest means.
After we left our doctor's appointment on Wednesday...you know, the one where she told me to go on bedrest...I went into a frenzy. We went to Babies R Us and Costco to pick some things up, our dear friends' house to have dinner, and the mall so I could pick up a backordered shelf from Pottery Barn Kids.
Yeah...in retrospect, that's probably not what my doctor meant when she said I should go on bedrest.
I carried a load of laundry to do from Grant's room this morning. I should've put it all in a basket last night and had Tom carry it down before work, but I didn't.
I didn't because I was watching the Suns game last night. Which causes me all sorts of anxiety at times. Probably not the best idea when you're trying to manage your blood pressure.
I know I'm supposed to just kick back and relax. I know I'm supposed to, because the most important task before me for the next few weeks is to make sure I don't give my doctors any reason to induce me or Grant an excuse to show up to the party early.
In fact, when I asked my AWESOME boss if I could work from home, he readily agreed but asked why I'd rather not be stressed and just take sick leave for the rest of my pregnancy. Fortunately, things aren't too stressful at work now, and I would rather save up my leave to spend with Grant later.
But, yeah, I know.
But I also want to go to that small group dessert party, and my dear friend's 30th birthday bash, and Target.
Sigh. I should just call and ask my doctor what she meant by modified bedrest. I have a feeling I'm not going to like her answers.
My puppy is now chewing her nails. I just yelled, I mean, firmly told her to stop. That's a bad, disgusting habit. I guess she does some other disgusting stuff, like groom her eh-hems with her tongue. I shouldn't stress out about it. Yeah...that was my last confession of the day.
I'm gonna try to take it easy now. If it makes you feel better, my feet were elevated the entire time I composed this post. :)
Thursday, October 28, 2010
be careful what you wish for
So....we had our 35 week appointment yesterday.
I wasn't expecting anything "exciting" to happen.
In fact, I was complaining to my coworkers about how useless I feel like some of these appointments are--you just go in and give a urine sample, they take your weight (I hate that part), they take your blood pressure, measure you, ask you if you have any questions, and send you on your merry way and say, "See you in x weeks!"
Usually, these appointments take, oh...5 minutes.
All was good and dandy, until the nurse looked at me and said, "Wow, your blood pressure is really up today."
Sigh. I was hoping this day wouldn't come. In fact, the day before, my cousin and I were discussing her pregnancies and our family history of preeclampsia, and I said, "I think I'll be okay...my blood pressure's been great so far!"
Then she told me, "Yeah, my blood pressure was great until 35 weeks."
Dun dun dun!!!!!!!
Sure enough friends, it looks like this apple didn't fall too far from the family tree.
So...my doctor did all the comprehensive measurements - as she felt around, she said, "Grant has dropped already. And wow, Grant is a pretty good size! I'd estimate around 7 lbs.!"
I asked what "normal" is around now...and she said 5 lbs. Great. My child is a humongous mongloid. I'm gonna blame Tom's genes for that, 'cause I was only 5 lbs. 5 oz. when I was born. Tom has no idea how much he weighed. So he gets the blame. HAHA.
Then she measured "down there" and said I'm 60% effaced and .5 dilated. She took my resting blood pressure again and it dropped to 100/64. Hallelujah!
However, she said, given the way my body responds to rest, she wants me to go on modified bedrest. She asked me to not come into the office anymore (even though I sit at my desk all day!) and wrote me a doctor's note. I have to talk to my boss today and hopefully he'll agree to let me work from home.
My doctor doubts that I will go the full 40 weeks, is hopeful we can stick it out a few more weeks, but wouldn't have any qualms about taking him in the next week if my blood pressure gets worse. It's funny that, in yesterday's post, I was wishing for this pregnancy to be over already...because in a matter of minutes, that feeling evaporated and I prayed that Grant could stick it out until at least November 7, when he's full term.
After our appointment, Tom and I were sitting in the car, and he asked, "So...what does this mean?" For him, it's making sure the car seat is installed and running some errands for me.
For me, I think it means I need to stay home for a couple of weeks. :(
For all of us, it means Baby Grant watch is officially on. He could come any day, folks. And it looks like we're going to have a November baby for sure! If you have a moment, please pray that he stays put until November 7. :)
I wasn't expecting anything "exciting" to happen.
In fact, I was complaining to my coworkers about how useless I feel like some of these appointments are--you just go in and give a urine sample, they take your weight (I hate that part), they take your blood pressure, measure you, ask you if you have any questions, and send you on your merry way and say, "See you in x weeks!"
Usually, these appointments take, oh...5 minutes.
All was good and dandy, until the nurse looked at me and said, "Wow, your blood pressure is really up today."
Sigh. I was hoping this day wouldn't come. In fact, the day before, my cousin and I were discussing her pregnancies and our family history of preeclampsia, and I said, "I think I'll be okay...my blood pressure's been great so far!"
Then she told me, "Yeah, my blood pressure was great until 35 weeks."
Dun dun dun!!!!!!!
Sure enough friends, it looks like this apple didn't fall too far from the family tree.
So...my doctor did all the comprehensive measurements - as she felt around, she said, "Grant has dropped already. And wow, Grant is a pretty good size! I'd estimate around 7 lbs.!"
I asked what "normal" is around now...and she said 5 lbs. Great. My child is a humongous mongloid. I'm gonna blame Tom's genes for that, 'cause I was only 5 lbs. 5 oz. when I was born. Tom has no idea how much he weighed. So he gets the blame. HAHA.
Then she measured "down there" and said I'm 60% effaced and .5 dilated. She took my resting blood pressure again and it dropped to 100/64. Hallelujah!
However, she said, given the way my body responds to rest, she wants me to go on modified bedrest. She asked me to not come into the office anymore (even though I sit at my desk all day!) and wrote me a doctor's note. I have to talk to my boss today and hopefully he'll agree to let me work from home.
My doctor doubts that I will go the full 40 weeks, is hopeful we can stick it out a few more weeks, but wouldn't have any qualms about taking him in the next week if my blood pressure gets worse. It's funny that, in yesterday's post, I was wishing for this pregnancy to be over already...because in a matter of minutes, that feeling evaporated and I prayed that Grant could stick it out until at least November 7, when he's full term.
After our appointment, Tom and I were sitting in the car, and he asked, "So...what does this mean?" For him, it's making sure the car seat is installed and running some errands for me.
For me, I think it means I need to stay home for a couple of weeks. :(
For all of us, it means Baby Grant watch is officially on. He could come any day, folks. And it looks like we're going to have a November baby for sure! If you have a moment, please pray that he stays put until November 7. :)
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
10 miler
Have you ever run a 10-miler?
I have.
Yeah, it's something I'm extremely proud of.
Not because it's a remarkable accomplishment. In fact, it's nothing compared to what my sisters have done--they've run marathons! Of that, I am in awe and I bow down. Here's a pic of them after they finished the 2010 Chicago Marathon:
Aren't they hot? I mean, folks...they took this pic after they ran 26.2 miles. They obviously got the good genes in the family. :)
But I digress. Get to the point, Tina.
I was thinking about the 10 mile race I ran in a couple of years ago. If you know me, the fact that I actually ran and finished that race is a big freaking deal because I used to hate running. With a passion. I can't say that I love it now, but I can now appreciate why people run.
Of course, the main motivation in my training for the race was the fear of God....well, no, actually it was the fear of being so slow and getting picked up by the bus of shame.
Like most of my runs, the first mile or two of the race were pretty miserable. I wanted to stop, turn around. Then I got into a good pace and I was feeling pretty good. I thought, "Hey, this ain't so bad! I can do this!"
Then came miles 8 and 9. Oh my word...those were some dark miles. My feet started hurting, and I just did not want to finish. I just wanted to be done. I wanted someone to just pick me up and get me over the finish line.
In many ways, the feelings I felt during my 10 mile run are pretty similar to this pregnancy. I ain't gonna lie. I've been having a hard time with pregnancy this past week, and I feel like I'm on miles 8 and 9. Aches and pains, fatigue, boredom...they've all set in, and I'm ready to just get this baby out! But I know that I need to push through these miles...because without them, I can't get to mile 10.
And I remember mile 10, too...along that last mile, they tell you how far you are from the finish line...1200 yards, 800 yards, 400 yards, and you see the finish line. Right when we saw the finish line, I remember running up a slight hill and thinking, "NOOOOO!" But I did it. And at the end of the race, I felt awesome. And ate a banana. And I didn't even spot the bus of shame!
I think we're approaching mile 10. Just gotta push through the dark miles. :)
I have.
Yeah, it's something I'm extremely proud of.
Not because it's a remarkable accomplishment. In fact, it's nothing compared to what my sisters have done--they've run marathons! Of that, I am in awe and I bow down. Here's a pic of them after they finished the 2010 Chicago Marathon:
Aren't they hot? I mean, folks...they took this pic after they ran 26.2 miles. They obviously got the good genes in the family. :)
But I digress. Get to the point, Tina.
I was thinking about the 10 mile race I ran in a couple of years ago. If you know me, the fact that I actually ran and finished that race is a big freaking deal because I used to hate running. With a passion. I can't say that I love it now, but I can now appreciate why people run.
Of course, the main motivation in my training for the race was the fear of God....well, no, actually it was the fear of being so slow and getting picked up by the bus of shame.
Like most of my runs, the first mile or two of the race were pretty miserable. I wanted to stop, turn around. Then I got into a good pace and I was feeling pretty good. I thought, "Hey, this ain't so bad! I can do this!"
Then came miles 8 and 9. Oh my word...those were some dark miles. My feet started hurting, and I just did not want to finish. I just wanted to be done. I wanted someone to just pick me up and get me over the finish line.
In many ways, the feelings I felt during my 10 mile run are pretty similar to this pregnancy. I ain't gonna lie. I've been having a hard time with pregnancy this past week, and I feel like I'm on miles 8 and 9. Aches and pains, fatigue, boredom...they've all set in, and I'm ready to just get this baby out! But I know that I need to push through these miles...because without them, I can't get to mile 10.
And I remember mile 10, too...along that last mile, they tell you how far you are from the finish line...1200 yards, 800 yards, 400 yards, and you see the finish line. Right when we saw the finish line, I remember running up a slight hill and thinking, "NOOOOO!" But I did it. And at the end of the race, I felt awesome. And ate a banana. And I didn't even spot the bus of shame!
I think we're approaching mile 10. Just gotta push through the dark miles. :)
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
greased lightnin'
Why this car is automatic...(hip shake)
It's systematic...(hip shake)
It's hydromatic...(hip shake)
It's greased lightnin'!!!!
Surely, you know this song and the movie it was in. Because if you don't, I might have to stop being your friend.
Just kidding.
Or am I?
Anyhoo...remember my post about Tom's beloved...the green monster?
It only took a whole month after that post, but I'm happy to report that the green monster has left the building! I felt bad about being so happy, so I took a final picture of Tom with the green monster (note the duct tape holding up the mirror...which fell off while Tom was driving it into the dealership).
I gotta admit, I kind of miss the little gal.
Okay, I'm over it. We got the equivalent of one car payment out of our trade-in. I did a happy dance. Tom thought we should've gotten more. Um...yeah.
Thanks for the memories, Jetta...pause pause pause...NOT. :) Never again will we utter the words, "We own a Jetta."
Thanks for the memories, Jetta...pause pause pause...NOT. :) Never again will we utter the words, "We own a Jetta."
Anyway, Tom and I went back and forth about which car to buy for a while. Here in our neck of the woods, if you have a hybrid with "clean" plates, you are exempt from some of the carpool restrictions. Though we commute in together for the time being, you just never know where life takes you, so Tom really wanted to take advantage of this exemption while we could. We also drive a lot, so we thought a hybrid might be a good choice...you know, to reduce our carbon footprint, yadda yadda. But if I'm being completely frank with you, we just thought it might be neat to save money on gas and get that darned exemption.
So...we started out looking at the Toyota Prius. Then we heard that Hyundai was coming out with their Sonata hybrid in the fall of 2010 with rave reviews....nope, not here yet. Boo.
So we went back to the Prius.
Then we wondered if we would regret getting another small car, since we were expecting a little one. So we considered the Toyota Highlander hybrid. And we went in for a test drive. Loved.that.car. Wanted.it.so.very.badly.
Then we looked at the little sticker....which gave us a serious case of sticker shock.....and we went home, calculating the enormous car payments we'd have to make each month.
Oh yeah, did I tell you? Hybrids come with about a $10K premium. Yeah, awesome. And not in a good way.
So then we thought, "Well, what about a Toyota Camry hybrid? Or should we get a Prius? Or a Camry? Or a Prius?". Well--after sitting in both, we decided that the difference in the interior roominess was comparable. So, really, we could have gone either way.
I know very well the temptation to get that big "family" car as soon as you are expecting. Believe me, I know. But we have one kid right now. Lord willing, if/when we have our next kid, we may need to get a bigger car...and by then my sweet ol' Honda might decide to leave this lovely world, too. So...at that point, we might decide that it is time for me to finally get my long-desired minivan (shh....Tom wants one, too....but if he says it out loud, it might cost him man points).
But for now...we are proud owners of...drum roll, please...
A Prius! Yup, Daddy's got a brand new set of wheels...a brand new set of wheels that gets 50 miles to the gallon(!!!!)...and I think he's smitten. :)
I told you that he would love again.
Go, "green", greased lightnin'!
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