Etta is one week old!
I was just folding a load of laundry. And it was such a fun little discovery to find a tiny little onesie that my little daughter has worn recently. It made me smile, and now it is making me cry for happiness.
I am just so incredibly thankful to have this little bundle of joy. Who knew there was something that would make doing extra laundry so worth it?
We are having a great time figuring each other out. Now that I have some real food, and not just colostrum we are getting better sleep and figuring out a schedule. We are also learning about the joys of gas drops! And an hour is well spent just cooing and staring into her eyes.
It is also amazing how much more meaning there is to Daddy coming home from work. The reason I am here and the reason he is there is right before us, all cuddled up on my shoulder and reunions are so great! Thank you daddy for providing such a wonderful home and life for your family!
Just wanted to write down some thoughts. I may do this a little more often.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Todays highlights
I only have one free hand. Enjoy the goodness!
( I had to share, this is Etta's "Buddy-Guard" -
makes me want to listen to my Whitney Houston cd!)
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Welcome to Earth!
Great news travels fast in the email/facebook world, Justin sent 1 email to our parents to be forwarded to family... and then when we got home, we had about 20 new messages from all ya'll... It was a fun welcome home! But news is apparently a little slower in my blogging world. But anyway, guess who decided to make an early appearance...
Nap time with mommy this morning. It is hard for mommy to sleep when she just wants to look at the little faces this princess makes while she sleeps.
Daddy time at the hospital, and Mommy taking the little present home from the hospital.
Getting a shot with eyes open is not easy quite yet. They are really only open from 12:00 am to 5:00 am.... and the camera crews aren't around.
This little girl of ours,
ETTA MICHELLE
And WOW is she fun!
I will write more when I have another hand free...
For now she was born Wednesday night, and weighted 8 lbs 5 oz and was a little over 20 inches long. She has already changed so much, but here are a few pics to keep you satisfied, until I get more than... 6 hours of sleep in a 36 hour period.
Here she is after happy hour in boob land.
Check out that double. And that inch long chocolate brown hair.
According to Grandma and Grandpa, Daddy has a miniature version of himself in his daughter.
But don't worry, Mommy gave her a tiny momento of herself, the space between her first two toes... a very useful feature, I might add!
Our first photo session after her bath.
Nap time with mommy this morning. It is hard for mommy to sleep when she just wants to look at the little faces this princess makes while she sleeps.
Daddy time at the hospital, and Mommy taking the little present home from the hospital.
Flowers from G and G and Justin's brothers and sisters.
Getting a shot with eyes open is not easy quite yet. They are really only open from 12:00 am to 5:00 am.... and the camera crews aren't around.
The thinker.
More to come. . .
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Full Bloom
I decided to go get some pictures of me fully pregnant.
This is 39 weeks ladies and gentlemen.
7 days to go.
Justin and I ran over to the Fort Worth Arboretum rose garden. It was not too hot! Thank heaven! Enjoy the chubs!
I can't wait to see what she looks like!
Please let it be only the 7 days, or less....
Silver lining
We have had a nice break from the heat for the last few days! We have even had rain. A day or two ago when there was a storm approaching, we went out back to put the chickens up and I saw these and I had to share, because there is hardly anything I like more than beautiful clouds! Hope you enjoy.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
One of "THOSE" days...
From the title, you know what I am talking about right? One of THOSE days, the special kind- not like your birthday, or going to the zoo, I mean the other kind of special. The ones where you grow from the experience, and not necessarily cuz you want to.
I had one yesterday. But truly, I am not writing to complain, but actually to share how the Lord just takes care of us in our needs.
The day started out like any other day. Me sleeping in as long as I can, which is about 7:00 and then trying to fall back to sleep and zoning in and out of awareness til 8:30 before I finally just give up. I watered the plants ,chickens, fed the cats, ate breakfast and then had a few hours to burn before my doctors appointment.
All is normal, I jump in the car to drive downtown to my midwives office.
I pull off the freeway exit, take a sharp right onto a busy road and immediately I hear loud grinding from my car and begin to loose power. At first I thought my left front tire had gone flat, that is what it sort sounded like. I turned my hazards on immediately, and turn off the AC so I can hear what is going on.
I am thankful to be off the very busy, construction zone freeway. I was, however still on a busy lane with no shoulder. After a minute to allow the road to clear, I check the front tire, which was not flat.
Strange, I thought, well maybe I can get 200 feet further down the road and pull into a parking lot, at least get out of the way. The car had died right after a blind corner. So the traffic coming on can't see it until they are right there.
I restart the car, put the car in drive, and the grinding revs up again and the car doesn't move.... Stop the car, I am worried I might hurt the engine.
I jump out of the car to see if I can see anything else. No lights have come on warning me of engine failure, it isn't over heated, but it isn't running and I can't go anywhere.
Immediately a man traveling in the opposite direction stops his car in the middle of the lane, jumps out and runs over to me to see if I am okay. I tell him it is just my car, he tries the engine and says he thinks it might be the transmission. My stomach drops, with all that is going on does it have to be that, right now, seriously?
He is so kind and asks if I have a cell phone, which I don't (he doesn't either, cuz he shares it with his wife).
Unsure of my next move, and completely in the power of a kind soul with a cell phone, I just stand there wondering and melting in the 106 degree minimum heat. He starts waving people down to find a cell phone. A lady with her young son, lends me her cell phone and offers to take me to the hospital.
This is when I realize, I have only 2 fort worth numbers memorized home which is useless, and Justin's work desk... I really should be panicking, but somehow, I was calm.
Luckily, Justin is at his desk when I call. I tell him, he needs to call Triple A to have the car towed, that it is off this exit, and that this lady is giving me a ride to the hospital, I hang up. I get in her car, back seat. She drives me to the hospital, and drops me off at the front door.
Bless my two helpers!
At this point I must defend myself. When I got to the appointment, and (on time mind you) and I told the nurse what had happened and that I had gotten into this lady's car, she made me feel kinda stupid- with a motherly "tisk, tisk, you never know what could have happened". But I assure you, I felt comfortable, or comforted that it was the right decision. I know from past experience that the Spirit will warn me when a situation was safe or not, and I felt nothing but comfort. And there I was safe and sound at the hospital.
Anyway, I get to the office and ask if I can use the phone. I call Justin again, he is already gone, so I leave a message to let him know I am at the doctors safe and hang up. Only after do I realize, he doesn't have a cell phone, doesn't know the name of my doctor, I don't know our friend Matt's cell phone, who was taking him to pick up the car... "I am a lone reed" - (to quote a random, old favorite movie)
While I sit in the waiting room for 20 minutes (after my scheduled appointment time waiting to be called in) I quickly write down in my journal what just happened, and then contemplate blankly for the next 15 minutes, how well I was taken care of, but how unprepared I was.
I am sure I sound like a total idiot. No phone, no water, no numbers... But how many of you have all your close friends numbers memorized? Our cell phone plans ended about 2 months ago I have all the numbers programed into it, so I just haven't needed to worry about it.
Sitting there in the waiting room, I felt so incredibly isolated. I felt as though I could just burst into tears, to relieve some of the unsettled feelings I had. Somehow, I didn't, and for a cry baby like me, that is saying something. Honestly though, through it all I wasn't fearful, just a unsure of what will happen next.
I finally made it into the appointment. Etta is absolutely undisturbed by the event just hiccuping away in her lovely little belly bath. I even have low my regular low blood pressure, which is a miracle considering the unrest, and unsettled moment I was in the middle of.
During the visit the receptionist comes in asking about some guy how is looking for a car that broke down... It's Justin! He found the number to the office (thanks to Emily who tracked it down for him) I go and take the call, Justin is at the car, the AAA guy is almost there, he is going to pick me up at the office, then I will ride home with the tow guy and he will go back to work.
We get back to the car, take the car home, drop it and me off.
Finally, I am safe at home, my neighbor pulls in while the tow guy is dropping off the car. I walk over to talk to her and her husband pulls up too, which makes me feel less alone, and is nicely comforting, she talks to me in her driveway til the towing guy is gone.
Once all this is over, we call a friend of a friend to come check out what is going on. Which turns out to be the axle- thank heaven it isn't the whole engine- which sounded pretty scary! A mechanic was nice enough to come and pull it over to his shop, during his lunch break today, to be fixed by tomorrow.
I don't know if this expresses, the whole "stress" of the story. But, I think that the Lord has blocked half the emotion before it could effect me. I was not fearful the whole time. Unsettled, yes, wondering what was wrong with the car and wondering if we were going to be car shopping today! Thank heaven we aren't- but the whole time I was not upset. Which is a huge blessing in itself.
After the mechanic told us it was the axle, we knelt down and had a good thankful prayer. The tears came out then. We truly had a lot to be thankful for, my safety, and protection, that I didn't go into labor, that Justin was able to get to, find and pick up the car, figure out my doctor's office number all only after a 20 second call, that Etta didn't have any stress, we didn't get overheated, that people truly looked out for their "neighbor" stuck on the side of the road, that it won't bankrupt us to fix the car, and on and on.
I am still in awe of all that happened. How quickly it was taken care of and that the Lord is so kind to his children. I am also very grateful that this happened before I had a tiny helpless baby in my back seat, in this awful heat and it definitely shows me my own foolishly unprepared ways. Thank heaven for the wake up call!
Next time we have one of "those" day, thanks to this experience, I will be better prepared! And hopefully, I can be as aware of the ministering of angels as I was yesterday.
I had one yesterday. But truly, I am not writing to complain, but actually to share how the Lord just takes care of us in our needs.
The day started out like any other day. Me sleeping in as long as I can, which is about 7:00 and then trying to fall back to sleep and zoning in and out of awareness til 8:30 before I finally just give up. I watered the plants ,chickens, fed the cats, ate breakfast and then had a few hours to burn before my doctors appointment.
All is normal, I jump in the car to drive downtown to my midwives office.
I pull off the freeway exit, take a sharp right onto a busy road and immediately I hear loud grinding from my car and begin to loose power. At first I thought my left front tire had gone flat, that is what it sort sounded like. I turned my hazards on immediately, and turn off the AC so I can hear what is going on.
I am thankful to be off the very busy, construction zone freeway. I was, however still on a busy lane with no shoulder. After a minute to allow the road to clear, I check the front tire, which was not flat.
Strange, I thought, well maybe I can get 200 feet further down the road and pull into a parking lot, at least get out of the way. The car had died right after a blind corner. So the traffic coming on can't see it until they are right there.
I restart the car, put the car in drive, and the grinding revs up again and the car doesn't move.... Stop the car, I am worried I might hurt the engine.
I jump out of the car to see if I can see anything else. No lights have come on warning me of engine failure, it isn't over heated, but it isn't running and I can't go anywhere.
Immediately a man traveling in the opposite direction stops his car in the middle of the lane, jumps out and runs over to me to see if I am okay. I tell him it is just my car, he tries the engine and says he thinks it might be the transmission. My stomach drops, with all that is going on does it have to be that, right now, seriously?
He is so kind and asks if I have a cell phone, which I don't (he doesn't either, cuz he shares it with his wife).
Unsure of my next move, and completely in the power of a kind soul with a cell phone, I just stand there wondering and melting in the 106 degree minimum heat. He starts waving people down to find a cell phone. A lady with her young son, lends me her cell phone and offers to take me to the hospital.
This is when I realize, I have only 2 fort worth numbers memorized home which is useless, and Justin's work desk... I really should be panicking, but somehow, I was calm.
Luckily, Justin is at his desk when I call. I tell him, he needs to call Triple A to have the car towed, that it is off this exit, and that this lady is giving me a ride to the hospital, I hang up. I get in her car, back seat. She drives me to the hospital, and drops me off at the front door.
Bless my two helpers!
At this point I must defend myself. When I got to the appointment, and (on time mind you) and I told the nurse what had happened and that I had gotten into this lady's car, she made me feel kinda stupid- with a motherly "tisk, tisk, you never know what could have happened". But I assure you, I felt comfortable, or comforted that it was the right decision. I know from past experience that the Spirit will warn me when a situation was safe or not, and I felt nothing but comfort. And there I was safe and sound at the hospital.
Anyway, I get to the office and ask if I can use the phone. I call Justin again, he is already gone, so I leave a message to let him know I am at the doctors safe and hang up. Only after do I realize, he doesn't have a cell phone, doesn't know the name of my doctor, I don't know our friend Matt's cell phone, who was taking him to pick up the car... "I am a lone reed" - (to quote a random, old favorite movie)
While I sit in the waiting room for 20 minutes (after my scheduled appointment time waiting to be called in) I quickly write down in my journal what just happened, and then contemplate blankly for the next 15 minutes, how well I was taken care of, but how unprepared I was.
I am sure I sound like a total idiot. No phone, no water, no numbers... But how many of you have all your close friends numbers memorized? Our cell phone plans ended about 2 months ago I have all the numbers programed into it, so I just haven't needed to worry about it.
Sitting there in the waiting room, I felt so incredibly isolated. I felt as though I could just burst into tears, to relieve some of the unsettled feelings I had. Somehow, I didn't, and for a cry baby like me, that is saying something. Honestly though, through it all I wasn't fearful, just a unsure of what will happen next.
I finally made it into the appointment. Etta is absolutely undisturbed by the event just hiccuping away in her lovely little belly bath. I even have low my regular low blood pressure, which is a miracle considering the unrest, and unsettled moment I was in the middle of.
During the visit the receptionist comes in asking about some guy how is looking for a car that broke down... It's Justin! He found the number to the office (thanks to Emily who tracked it down for him) I go and take the call, Justin is at the car, the AAA guy is almost there, he is going to pick me up at the office, then I will ride home with the tow guy and he will go back to work.
We get back to the car, take the car home, drop it and me off.
Finally, I am safe at home, my neighbor pulls in while the tow guy is dropping off the car. I walk over to talk to her and her husband pulls up too, which makes me feel less alone, and is nicely comforting, she talks to me in her driveway til the towing guy is gone.
Once all this is over, we call a friend of a friend to come check out what is going on. Which turns out to be the axle- thank heaven it isn't the whole engine- which sounded pretty scary! A mechanic was nice enough to come and pull it over to his shop, during his lunch break today, to be fixed by tomorrow.
I don't know if this expresses, the whole "stress" of the story. But, I think that the Lord has blocked half the emotion before it could effect me. I was not fearful the whole time. Unsettled, yes, wondering what was wrong with the car and wondering if we were going to be car shopping today! Thank heaven we aren't- but the whole time I was not upset. Which is a huge blessing in itself.
After the mechanic told us it was the axle, we knelt down and had a good thankful prayer. The tears came out then. We truly had a lot to be thankful for, my safety, and protection, that I didn't go into labor, that Justin was able to get to, find and pick up the car, figure out my doctor's office number all only after a 20 second call, that Etta didn't have any stress, we didn't get overheated, that people truly looked out for their "neighbor" stuck on the side of the road, that it won't bankrupt us to fix the car, and on and on.
I am still in awe of all that happened. How quickly it was taken care of and that the Lord is so kind to his children. I am also very grateful that this happened before I had a tiny helpless baby in my back seat, in this awful heat and it definitely shows me my own foolishly unprepared ways. Thank heaven for the wake up call!
Next time we have one of "those" day, thanks to this experience, I will be better prepared! And hopefully, I can be as aware of the ministering of angels as I was yesterday.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Can you see your feet?
I can't.
This is my view (for some reason it won't import horizontally! It is driving me nuts!)
I haven't really had any pictures taken of me lately.
I thought I would take one or two. Here is a side view of my little butterball.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Onesie dress
Justin went to scout camp about a week or so ago. Because we only have one car that meant I was house bound, pregnant, and slightly crazy for 2-3 days alone, with no one to talk to. So I started projects.
One of which was this onesie dress.
I received some cute little dresses as gifts that were built around a onesie so I thought it would be fun to try and make one.
Here is what I used, and did.
And here is the sneak peek of the other project I started to make, but haven't finished. It probably won't happen for a while. But it is going to be pretty cute. Although I am already thinking of some changes.
This is another of the old 50's patterns! Love it!
One of which was this onesie dress.
I received some cute little dresses as gifts that were built around a onesie so I thought it would be fun to try and make one.
Here is what I used, and did.
- a onesie (I used a small so that size is what these measurements reflect)
- a strip of 14" x 44" eyelet and solid white fabric
- 1/2" elastic, approx. 15-20 inches
- A random button
- about 20"-30" pink 1 1/2 ribbon
- Yellow ribbon for base of skirt and waist
- pins
- sewing machine
- needle and thread
Onesie and fabric cut to approx 14" x 44"
I just eyeballed the cut of the onesie, so that the waist is a little higher.
This allowed for me to make the bloomers.
This is the bottom half of the onesie. I just turned over the top edge and
sewed a 1/2" seam pocket for the elastic, threaded it through and closed it up. Done.
Next, I gathered the eyelet and solid fabric together with one loosely stitched seam.
Then pulled it tight to gather the top.
(I don't have a fancy machine, so we do things the hard way!)
Then I sewed the back seam together.
I centered the back seam of the skirt with the back of the onesie top, and pinned the 1/4's around to make sure it was even, then just sewed it in place.
Make sure you have good sides to good sides.
That gave me the basic dress the just needed to be hemmed.
I could have stopped there, but why?
I made this little embellishment. I don't know if there is a special way to make these, so I just fooled around until it worked. This is what I did. I sewed on the inside a loose gathering seam pulled it tight the spiraled it around a center point and secured it with a need and thread.
Then I went through my trusty button tin, and found this cute extra button from an old outfit's extra button pack and sewed it onto the center.
I added the yellow ribbon around the bottom and center of the dress just to clean it up. and lastly tacked on the little pink rose. And here are the final results:
Oh the details.
(Actually, the cutest detail will be the baby Buddha belly tucked in this little number!)
And here is the sneak peek of the other project I started to make, but haven't finished. It probably won't happen for a while. But it is going to be pretty cute. Although I am already thinking of some changes.
This is another of the old 50's patterns! Love it!
Guess what...
Chicken Butt!
No, I haven't had my baby. I didn't mean to get anyone's hope up. I just happen to say that randomly throughout the day now that we own chickens. There is the "chicken poo" one too- but I will spare you! No more rhymes I mean it!
How fun!
But seriously, the sad news- ladies and gentlemen, we are almost positive we have a rooster. That is right Beauty, has his looks for a reason. He is a "Cock-y" little man!
(hopefully we don't have more, but I have my suspicions)
Unfortunately this means we can't keep him and my heart is already breaking! But the neighbors will not be okay with his good old cock-a-doodle-doo morning call! (although it is cute, it just makes me sad every time I hear it!)
Without further adieu, here are some pics of our not so little babies.
Without further adieu, here are some pics of our not so little babies.
Beauty, Penny and Chickadee!
Chickadee Close up!
Dirt bathing in "the jungle",
AKA the garden under a tomato plant which they have picked clean!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Too funny!
I just watched this on my friend's blog and had to copy it and share it here! Hope you enjoy!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Getting antsy...
Sorry for my recent lack in posts.
Justin and I had a four day weekend and we worked around the house getting random things done. He also worked his little tushy off in the back yard, getting it cleaned up after all our recent projects. It is starting to look fabulous- and now has fewer hidey holes for scary creatures! Thank heaven.
If you notice on the little count-down I only have 3 weeks left! I am just wishing she were here already! It isn't like I can do much anymore. I can only sit up for about an hour without it feeling like my ribs are exploding and on fire, which is another reason I haven't blogged, I just haven't been sitting at the computer much. I am not even that concerned about the labor- just bring it on, I want to meet this little kicker!
I will try to blog some of the things I worked on in the last week... but if I don't just think of me on a mini blog vacation, floating in our little above ground pool like a large hippo. It will not be permanent, I am just really boring right now!
Love ya all- talk soon!
Justin and I had a four day weekend and we worked around the house getting random things done. He also worked his little tushy off in the back yard, getting it cleaned up after all our recent projects. It is starting to look fabulous- and now has fewer hidey holes for scary creatures! Thank heaven.
If you notice on the little count-down I only have 3 weeks left! I am just wishing she were here already! It isn't like I can do much anymore. I can only sit up for about an hour without it feeling like my ribs are exploding and on fire, which is another reason I haven't blogged, I just haven't been sitting at the computer much. I am not even that concerned about the labor- just bring it on, I want to meet this little kicker!
I will try to blog some of the things I worked on in the last week... but if I don't just think of me on a mini blog vacation, floating in our little above ground pool like a large hippo. It will not be permanent, I am just really boring right now!
Love ya all- talk soon!
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