Weaver Way

Our Morning

2010-03-14T08:25:00.003-04:00

Here's our morning so far...

I was so excited to lead worship this morning at church, but instead I was vomited on multiple times by Ellie. We decided to run to the store to get some Pedialyte, but we locked ourselves out of the house! After calling the local police, who couldn't help us, Joe got to show off his brute strength by bashing in the window to our back door with a brick. Oh yes, apparently Ellie detests Pedialyte. I wish she had mentioned that little fact when I told her that's what we were going to get.

Snow Baby

2010-02-06T10:03:00.003-05:00

We got about 12-14 inches of snow last night, and this was Eliana's first experience with it! It took longer to get her dressed than we spent outside, but she loved it. She cried when I said we had to go inside. Click on the slideshow to see larger versions on the photos.

My Handyman

2010-02-05T15:24:00.000-05:00

Joe is experiencing the joys of home ownership. He saved us some big bucks by fixing this one himself. I'm so proud of him and so happy I didn't have to do it!

I'm Glad I'm Your Mother

2010-01-27T06:09:00.001-05:00

Check out the book title.

Snuggles

2010-01-25T18:43:00.002-05:00

Spoon Skills

2010-01-13T14:34:00.003-05:00

Check out Eliana's new skills with the spoon!

Potty Time

2010-01-04T12:35:00.003-05:00

You have been warned. There will be talk of potty training within this post.

Okay, it all started about two months ago when Eliana started to relax during her baths by going poo. It didn't take me too long to recognize "that look" and quickly grab her from the tub and put her on the potty. After about a week of this, I thought...Hmmm. I wonder if she will go on the potty at some time other than during her bath. I gave it a try, and wonder of wonders, it worked! Enough of those dirty diapers if she'll take care of it in the bathroom. Eliana pretty much has #2 down pat. We've only had 2 dirty diapers in about a month (both of which I chalk up to an upset tummy for reasons that I won't detail here). We're still having lots of wet diapers, but she seems pretty young to push the whole bathroom routine more frequently than we already are. I'm just so grateful for the progress she's made thus far.

We have a great song I made up for the occasion that seems to produce wonderful results. I'll have to record it and post it for your enjoyment. Watch for it coming soon!

Christmas Photos

2010-01-04T08:14:00.005-05:00

We had a wonderful Christmas this year in our new home. We even managed to get our tree up by December 23! Eliana was so fun. She got a real kick out of opening all her gifts and had a great time visiting with all the family. She's always a charmer in a crowd.

New Home Photos

2009-12-28T11:23:00.002-05:00

Here are a few "before" photos of the new place. I can't wait to make my mark!

Click on the slideshow to see larger photos with captions.

Keys Tomorrow

2009-12-13T09:10:00.002-05:00

While it looks like Eliana has already made herself comfortable in her new house, we get the keys to the big house tomorrow. Hurrah! After all this waiting, the time has finally arrived. I'm grateful that I've been able to arrange my work schedule to have both tomorrow and Friday off. It wasn't supposed to be that way, but I had to work a day this weekend to get a project finished which enabled me to get another day off during the upcoming week. Perfect timing! We should be all moved over by next weekend. I'm hoping to spend either Thursday or Friday night in the new place. :-)

New House

2009-11-23T16:12:00.005-05:00

Hi all! Here are a couple quick shots of our new home. We closed last week and I'm just itching to get my hands on it. I'm hoping to get the keys before Christmas, but it's a bit up in the air. I'd move tonight if we could!

Holy Molars!

2009-11-23T12:34:00.007-05:00

This has been the Week of Teeth--two molars and a another front tooth all at once. Not fun! I've got to say, I love seeing all those teeth when she smiles.

I didn't have to work today, so Ellie and I hit the mall to do some Christmas shopping. While there, we took a time out to have a good time in the garden playland. We've only been there once before, but as soon as Ellie saw it, she started squealing and kicking. She just couldn't get out of the stroller fast enough. Here are a few more shots from the morning:

Sharing

2009-11-04T05:42:00.003-05:00

Okay, so it's 5:30 a.m., and Joe has left for work. I'm doing a little school work while Eliana is playing on the living room floor. I'm lost in a list of student names when, all of a sudden, I realize that it's too quiet. Do you know that feeling? So I quickly look up to see Eliana sharing her pacifier with the dog. Yuck! The dog would lick it, and Ellie would put it back in her mouth and giggle. I only saw one round of this before I put an end to it, but who knows how many times it happened? UGH!

Proof

2009-10-26T15:09:00.002-04:00

Eliana Has Skills!

Fall Foliage Fun

2009-10-19T20:28:00.009-04:00

Click on the photo below to see my entire fall album.

Fall Photos 09

Double click the slide show to open it in a new window. Otherwise, all the photos you are seeing below are cropped a bit, and I'm sure you want to see every pixel of Ellie!

First Steps

2009-10-16T12:34:00.011-04:00

This week Ellie has taken her first steps! Hurrah! She's up to about 5 steps at a time before she plunks down. It's so exciting! I'll try to get a video posted soon. Ellie gets such a kick out of walking around holding my hand. Last night we walked from the living room to her bedroom and when we passed Daddy in the kitchen Ellie just giggled and giggled. Too cute!

In other news, Joe and and have begun the search for a house to buy. We're nervous but every excited about this step. It's taken us quite a while and it will feel so good to really have a place of our own. We're going out this Sunday afternoon with the realtor to see several places. We'll keep you waiting.

I hear that a new member of the Weaver family is on the way! We can't wait to hear the latest news from Texas!

I'll leave you with some photos of Ellie's birthday party. Thanks to Aunt Lisa for these!

I'm One! I'm One!

2009-09-24T19:17:00.005-04:00

Can you believe it? It's here already!

Can you believe it? We made it!!!!

I looked back to find the post from this day last year, and can you believe it? There's no post from September 24! I guess I was busy or something. :-)

While I gave Ellie her birthday present about three weeks ago and her real birthday party is going to be this weekend, we did manage to celebrate today. We went to ELLIE's favorite restaurant - the Chinese buffet. She actually really does like it. There's plenty of food on the buffet that she likes, and she's a hit with the waitresses. They keep her so occupied most of the time that I get a nice, relaxing meal. Today, one of them asked how old Ellie is, and I told her that today was her birthday. She brought out a cute little birthday cake with ONE candle and played the birthday song over the P.A. system. There were lots of oohs and aahs throughout the restaurant! It was a great time. I'm glad I keep the little camera in my diaper bag.

Here's Ellie headed off to bed her first night as a one-year-old. Being one is hard work, you know!

A Few Photos

2009-09-20T19:42:00.006-04:00

Ellie Experiences Grass

Ellie Experiencs the Slide

A Confession

2009-09-09T23:36:00.002-04:00

Okay, if this blog is going to be a record of life at the Weaver Household, then it has to be accurate, right? So I have a confession...

About a month ago, I had a great idea for Ellie's first birthday present. I found out that Cabbage Patch Kids had released 25th Anniversary versions of their original dolls. Can you believe I had one of those originals? My mom tells me that for the Christmas CPKs were BIG, they ordered three dolls for me and received ONE just in time for the BIG day. :-) Cabbage the First ("Cabbage" is all I ever called her.), is still alive and well at Baba Helene's house , so when I learned of the new releases, I knew exactly what Ellie was getting for her birthday.

I poured over the cabbage patch for hours, flipping back and forth between adoption photos until I had made the very difficult decision of who would be joining our family. I placed our "order" and eagerly awaited her arrival. Finally, two weeks ago, she came. I could barely contain myself! Okay, here's the confession. I didn't contain myself. I looked at Joe and said, "I can't wait. Can we please wrap her up and give her to Ellie now?" Yes, it's the truth. One month BEFORE her birthday, Ellie got her present from us. But she was SO CUTE! Take a look at that photo! Even before she was removed from her box, Leatrice Marigold (Cabbage, as she is known) was loved. I have another photo of Ellie kissing her through the plastic. :-) Ellie gives her kisses and hugs and sleeps with her at night, and I couldn't be happier. Happy Birthday!

To keep our record accurate, I would be remiss not to mention that we spent Labor day morning (September 7) at the emergency room. Ellie woke up with a temperature of 104.3. I called our pediatrician who told us to take her in. She didn't have any other symptoms, and he wanted to check for a UTI. It was negative as was the chest x-ray, which, by the way, is absolutely TORTURE for an infant and her mother. We were told to give her Tylenol and Motrin to keep the fever down, be sure she had lots of fluids and bring her back if other symptoms developed. After about 36 hours she seemed fine. Who knows? Some kind of virus...

The only issue her illness has caused is a disruption of the beautiful sleep patterns we had finally developed. Gratefully, Ellie still goes to sleep easily, but since she was up several times for meds and nursing during those nights, she expects the Royal Treatment now during the wee hours. Tonight is the first night back to the routine of not getting her up out of the crib upon waking. She's not liking it. This post is being written between 11:30 p.m. and midnight as Ellie is crying. I've been going in every five minutes to reassure her, but not getting her up.... Ahhhh, she's asleep again. We went for about 20 minutes of real screaming. The last time I went in to hug her and put her back down, she whimpered and turned over, consigned to the fact that she wasn't going to get what she wanted. So it's a quick spell check for me and back to bed!

Love!

Miss Piggy

2009-08-23T17:02:00.003-04:00

I don't have any explanation...

End of Summer

2009-08-16T12:42:00.024-04:00

Alas, summer is over, and I start work this week. I can't really say that the summer was relaxing, but I'm so glad that I had the time to just watch Eliana grow. We got to enjoy a friend's pool yesterday, and I think Eliana would have stayed in all day. She was so cute!

I don't really have many updates for everyone, so I'll just leave you with some photos and videos that I haven't posted yet.

Love!

Sweet Ellie and crazy Mama.

Ellie loves her books.

Splish Splash!

Uncle Jimmy is SO BIG!

Ellie as Princess Leia at Eddie's birthday.

Get me out of here and feed me!

Peek-a-boo!

A refreshing beverage on a long trip

Waiting for the parade to start

Grammy

Please get this off my nose. I look ridiculous!

Baba Helene

Pettin' the pigs at Uncle Franklin's

In Memory

2009-08-16T12:27:00.003-04:00

My grandmother passed away a few weeks ago. My middle name (Jean) was hers as well. She was dying when my mom was pregnant with me, so I was named after her. She was healed that year, and I had 33 wonderful years with her. She was amazing.

The above photo was taken just two weeks before Grandma died. I asked her to sit down and tell Eliana about Jesus. The recording I made from that day is absolutely precious. Here is a link to the file. Feel free to listen and send it to anyone who would be blessed. Grandma Vivian

Obituary from The Times Reporter

Johnson, Vivian J.

On Friday, July 24, 2009, Vivian was caught up into the arms of her blessed Savior as she knelt at her bed praying. She served Jesus faithfully and with great passion ever since He came into her life when she was only 11 years old. Friday, she was a few days short of her 90th birthday. Her mind was still sharp, and she was in good health when Jesus took her. She had lived in supernatural, divine health since the day that God instantly healed her of terminal illness in the spring of 1976 at the Foursquare Gospel Church in Dennison. In all the years since that evening, she had never been to a doctor nor taken any medication, not even an aspirin. Her life was spent serving God and pouring herself out for her family. She had a powerful ministry of intercessory prayer, which changed the lives of many people. Now she has finished her course and the One she longed for and constantly talked about, Jesus, has rewarded her by taking her into His arms. Her joy is unimaginable.

Vivian Jean Johnson, age 89, of Uhrichsville, O. was born Aug. 4, 1919, at Uhrichsville, O. She was the daughter of the late Carl G. and Blanche G. (Jackson) McGrew. Vivian was employed at the Timken Company during World War II and was an elementary teacher for Claymont and Conotton Valley Schools for 10 years. She was also a homemaker. Vivian was a member of the Uhrichsville Christian Fellowship Church.

Vivian was preceded in death by her husband, James F. Johnson, whom she married on Nov. 9, 1940, in Massillon, O. Mr. Johnson passed away Jan. 22, 2005. One brother, Carl G. McGrew, also preceded Vivian in death. She is survived by her only child, James M. (Tracy) Johnson of Tippecanoe, O.; four grandchildren, James (Melanie) Johnson of Uhrichsville, O., Heather (Joseph) Weaver of New Philadelphia, O., McKenna Johnson and Shiloh Johnson of Tippecanoe, O.; and three great-grandchildren, Eddie and Andy Johnson and Eliana Weaver.

Mobility and Maxillary Lateral Incisors

2009-07-06T11:33:00.015-04:00

Eliana at her 1st parade. She loved the horses!

Gnadenhutten, Ohio

Wow! Where did the first month of summer go? We're past July 4, and I feel like summer is starting to wrap up already (more on that later). I did such a great job at keeping new posts coming weekly, and then with summer my schedule totally disintegrated. What happened? Oh wait, I remember. Eliana started CRAWLING and PULLING UP on things. So much for working at the computer while Ellie stares at the ceiling fan. She is on-the-go big time! I'm snatching a few moments during her nap to ....can you believe it? Just as I typed that, she woke up!

Okay, it's one hour later, and Eliana is now sleeping on my lap. While her sleeping skills have gone up and down over the last nine months, this past week has been excruciating. I'm owing it to teeth numbers five and six. I saw them today for the first time, but based on their size and Elle's behavior, I'd guess that they broke through about four days ago.

Month nine has brought amazing developments to our little girl. She has perfected crawling, pulling up to standing, waving, and making kisses. She will not, however, always perform them on command. She's also learning her voice. She says, "Ma-ma," and, "Da-da," and has learned how to yell. :-) Here are a few quick videos:

Joe and I have joined a local gym and are loving it! I tell Ellie that I'm dropping off my fat and Daddy's picking up his muscles. They have childcare available and Ellie has come to love playing with the other kids. It's so good for her. When I went to get her today, there was another little girl her age and they were sitting on the floor with each other, toys all over the place, and they were touching each other's faces...too cute! I wish I had a camera. I've been taking Zumba and spinning classes. They are tough, especially the spinning, but I've lost about 9 pounds in the 5 weeks that we've been there. It feels great! Joe is looking pretty buff too, I must add.

I'm looking toward next school year already. I was offered either full or part-time, but I've decided to work 4 days a week for one more year. I just feel like I have waited so long for Ellie, that I want to spend as much time with her as possible. I will begin two weeks before classes start with a couple days each week to get prepared for the teachers to "arrive." I've come to the realization that I will need some help with Ellie in order to give the quality of work that I want to. It was much easier last year when she just laid around all day. :-) No more of that! So my job for the next month is to find some child-care providers who will come to our house to help me out. Please pray that God would lead me to the right person/people. It's not what I originally envisioned in my naivete, but it's so much better than going in to the school to work!

Well, I think that about catches you up with everything. I'll try to not let another month go by before I add another post...

Oh, I almost forgot, I've entered Ellie into a cute baby contest (I think she qualifies) at the request of her papa. So feel free to come by the contest and vote! To vote, click the dot along to top to show how cute you think Ellie is! Voting is open through July. http://beautifulbabies.trb.com/wjw/babies_home_gallery,0,5306465,permalink.ugcphotogallery?u=weaverh

Love!

Swing, Baby Baby, Swing!

2009-05-22T07:49:00.009-04:00

We visited Tuscora again, and it's amazing what a difference a month makes. This time, Eliana was really into the swings! This was her first ride. I have a feeling that the park will be our second home this summer! Enjoy some photos from the evening...

Ellie really enjoyed watching Joe feed the geese.

Last Day of Work

2009-05-22T06:46:00.004-04:00

I awoke this morning to glorious sunshine on my last day of work. Ellie and I will be headed to the porch for sure! I can't believe how quickly this school year has flown. Albeit, I did get started a bit late. Working for TDA has been wonderful--a true gift from God.

Eliana has really been growing and changing in the last two weeks. She can now feed herself small pieces of food as is evidenced by the video. She can also pull herself up to a steady sitting position from lying flat, and I'm pretty sure that by the end of the day today, she will be officially crawling. I'll be sure to let you know!

First Mother's Day

2009-05-11T09:07:00.003-04:00

I had an absolutely wonderful first Mother's Day yesterday. Joe snapped this photo for me before we headed off to church. I realized that I don't have very many photos of Eliana and myself because I'm always behind the camera. Joe did a great job here, though! I think this may be my favorite photo of Eliana yet!

See for Yourself!

2009-05-04T07:09:00.004-04:00

Ellie's First Teeth

With a Special Guest Appearance

In just two short weeks, Eliana went from zero teeth to FOUR! That was a fun two weeks. If you want to check out her new pearly whites for yourself, take a look at our video. Since the teeth are pretty little, you'll want to click on the video to view it from YouTube at full screen size. Otherwise, you'll never see them. Also, you'll have to forgive the videography. I was recording and playing in her mouth at the same time.

(For posterity, the teeth came bottom right then left and top right then left.)

Al Dente - April 10, 2009

2009-04-19T20:15:00.010-04:00

On the verge of seven months, Ellie cut her first tooth!!!!! It is her lower, right front tooth and is oh, so cute! It caused about four sleepless nights but is finally here. She is now working on number two already. Bring on the apples!

We had our 6 month pediatrician appointment last week. Here are the vital statistics: 21 pounds, 14 ounces; 28 1/2 inches long; 108% for height and weight. Ellie is really big for her age, but since height and weight are proportional, the doctor says she is doing great and is very healthy! She had three more shots and was quite a trooper. She only cried for about 10 seconds and then was smiling at the nurses again.

We had a wonderful Saturday, enjoying the 76 degree weather and gorgeous sunshine. We went to the Creamery (owned by the family of Ellie's babysitter, Michelle), and indulged in some fantastic ice cream while sitting at the picnic benches. Then we went to Tuscora park for the first time together. I remember going last summer, VERY pregnant, with my nephews, thinking, Next summer, I'll be bringing Ellie here. Well, it's next summer already, and we had a great time! Joe fed the ducks and geese and Ellie "talked" to them, waving her arms all around. After walking around and watching the other kids play, we went home and relaxed on the porch, playing mancala, pass the pigs, and dice.

Ellie is getting so vocal these days. Ba, ma, and vvvvvvvv seem to be her favorite sounds of the moment. During the second service today she was having way too much fun jabbering, so she went to the nursery for the first time. The workers said she did great for almost the entire time. Just as the message was ending, I heard her screaming, so I went to rescue the workers. :-) She's had a bit of a rough day since that second tooth is coming, otherwise, I think she would have been fine playing with all the kids. She is almost sitting up on her own now. She'll be sitting and then turn to look at something and topple over with no chance of getting back up on her own. I had planned on not sending Ellie to the nursery until she could sit up and play on her own, but her voice is a bit ahead of her balance. Oh well. :-)

It's 8:30 p.m. and time for me to hit the hay.

Love!

Not Far from The Tree

2009-04-06T18:57:00.004-04:00

So, who do you think she takes after more?

Green Beans

2009-03-28T17:58:00.002-04:00

You decide.

Easter Bonnet

2009-03-28T15:22:00.001-04:00

NEWS FLASH: Eliana has started waving now!

6 Months Old?!?!?!?!

2009-03-23T12:55:00.007-04:00

Can it really be true? Has Eliana been with us for six months already? Was there ever a time when she wasn't here? These have been six of the most edifying, earsplitting, and exhausting months of my life, and I have thoroughly enjoyed every moment.

I must apologize for the absence of posts in the last month. I have to admit that the exhaustion of motherhood finally got to me, and I went into survival mode for a bit. For some reason, Ellie's sleep habits really went south and she was waking every hour or so. In the last two weeks I've started swaddling her again, and it seems to be helping. In fact, I'm am happy to announce that Ellie slept through the night for the first time in her life last night. 8 p.m. t0 7 a.m. Yeah!! A couple nights like that, and I might actually feel human again.

Eliana's fifth month has been such a time of growth and development. In order to catch you up, I thought I'd just list some some of the changes I've seen in her. Some of these really tug at a mother's heart, and I know I will never forget how they make me feel. Others are just plain fun!

While she has liked mirrors before, Ellie absolutely LOVES them now. When I walk past one with her in my arms, I have to make sure that I really have a good hold of her because if she catches a glimpse of herself, she lunges at herself, squealing with delight.

Okay, so this isn't so much of a change, but I just have to mention it. Ellie has a smile that she reserves just for her daddy. It is the biggest, most adoring smile I have ever seen. When Joe comes home she is just thrilled. Last night he came home from Easter play practice, and she was almost ready for bed (was being the operative word). She was instantly giddy and wanted his complete attention. It was so beautiful. Joe actually teared up and told her that she makes him so happy, which of course made me tear up too. :-)

Ellie is able to sit in a high chair now--very helpful when we go out to eat.

When sleepy, Ellie now lifts her face up to mine in order for me to kiss her cheeks and eyelids--so precious!

I'm getting kisses from Ellie now. They are REALLY wet and we need to work on the pucker, but I can't even put into words the love I feel from her when Ellie takes my face in her hands, pulls me in, and plants one on me.

Rock 'n Roll baby! Ellie has gone from struggling to turn herself over to being unstoppable. Gone are the days when I could put Ellie on the floor and step away to do something. I can't believe how quickly she can travel, especially when she sees something she'd like to gnaw on.

Speaking of gnawing, we are anxiously awaiting the first sign of teeth. Ellie has really been chewing on everything in sight, especially cold things. She had a temperature for about 4 days that the doctor couldn't find a reason for, so I wouldn't be surprised to see the pearly whites soon.

Ellie has always seemed very observant, but now she spends a lot of time studying things intently. And when she is "locked in" on something, there's no distracting her. You can just see her soaking in the knowledge. Yesterday after church she was sitting on Joe's lap having a good time. All of a sudden, she took his face in her hands (their noses were only about 3 inches apart), and she studied face for several minutes, looing back and forth between his eyes. It was so funny!

Ellie is reaching for me now. I love it when someone is holding her at church, and when I show up she leans over to come to ME! I AM the momma!

Well, to make this a Top Ten list, I'll say that Ellie is figuring out her mouth. She now is very adept at using her tongue to remove any food or Tylenol that she doesn't want in her mouth. She is also babbling all the time and has figured out how to blow raspberries. She actually seems to enjoy the saliva that goes everywhere with that last bit.

Well, hopefully this has made up a bit for the lean month of posts. If I continue to get some sleep, I'll try to keep up better. :-)

Love!

The High Chair and New Car Seat

Yum! Yum!

2009-02-23T13:24:00.002-05:00

If you think Ellie looks rather pleased with herself here, it may be because she has joined the ranks of the eaters of "solid" food. While not in need of extra nutrition, she was still not even close to sleeping through the night, so we thought we would add some cereal to the mix to see if that would help. It hasn't been an instant fix, but Ellie did sleep 6 hours in a row last night. Wow! I haven't had that kind of sleep in ..... well, a very long time. I'm not used to getting into a deep sleep, so when I did wake up I felt like I had been drugged. It was great!

Feel free to check out Ellie's first meal:

She's Rollin'

2009-02-13T15:46:00.006-05:00

It was an exciting day at the Weaver household yesterday. Eliana rolled for the first (and second, and third, and hundredth) time! It was her favorite toy of the moment, her ducky, that was the incentive. Take a look at how Ellie feels about the duck below:

Ellie's been trying to roll for about 2 weeks now. Yesterday, Joe was playing with her on the floor and, all of a sudden, she just popped over! She looked really surprised (Well, maybe it was our cheering that surprised her.), but then she immediately rolled over again. Now as soon as we put her down on her back, she rolls.

I was so happy that Ellie chose to hit this milestone on a Friday when Joe was not working, so we were both able to see it happen. I'm not sure why I feel like I have done something wonderful, but I do.

Take a few seconds to see this very impressive achievement for yourself:

Need a chuckle?

2009-02-09T10:34:00.005-05:00

I dare you not to smile while listening:

Ellie laughing

To listen, click on the link and choose "Save" or "Save Target As". Once you save the file to your computer, click "Open."

She's Got Personality!

2009-02-07T15:56:00.005-05:00

And loads of it!

With one exception, all these photos were taken this morning within about five minutes. I love it! Don't you just wonder what is going through her mind?

We've had a very busy week. Sorry I missed updating the blog on Monday. I've just been swamped. Here's the news:

On Monday Eliana had her 4 month pediatrician appointment. She is now 19 pounds, 5 ounces and 26 inches long. She is over the 1ooth percentile for both height and weight, but the doctor isn't concerned since they are about equal. In other words, she's proportionate. We are still not to start her on any solid foods yet, since she's growing just fine. ;-) We both had to endure another round of vaccines. We both did better than the first time. Ellie made it through the first shot without crying, but the second and third ones did her in. I managed all three! What a big girl I am now. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of one of the vaccines, and my doctor was out. That means we have to go next week for one more shot! UGH!

I had my 33rd birthday (Can that be right?) on Wednesday. The celebrations began last Saturday, actually. My brother, Jim, and Mel and the boys came and watched Ellie while Joe and I went out to Texas Road House on a gift certificate from them for Christmas. It felt so strange to be out without Eliana, but it was very nice.

Wednesday was a great day. My mom came up to watch Eliana during one of my online meetings. Then she went and picked up Applebees for lunch. Yum! Joe, Ellie and I celebrated the evening with a trip to Damon's for ribs and a stroll around the mall. You can tell that I work from home and don't get out much when I actually wanted to walk around the mall for fun. I used to avoid it like the plague!

Anyway, we are getting together with my side of the family to celebrate my birthday tomorrow after church and then Joe's family is coming down next Sunday to party. All in all, I've managed to squeeze about a month out this this birthday. Not bad! (I've been a bit scared to look at the scale, however. Did you count how many mega-meals I've had? Yikes!)

Well, I'd better get some work down while Ellie is still sleeping.

Love.

AWii Laugh

2009-01-26T12:49:00.003-05:00

The Weavers spent yesterday afternoon at the home of our good friends, Michael and Kerry. We had a wonderful time of food, fellowship, and fun - the perfect combo!

I finally was able to try out the Wii Fit. The last time we were there and had it out, I was seriously pregnant and "exercised" wisdom and refrained. Nothing could keep me from it this time, however.

Picture this: I'm on the platform demonstrating my Hula-Hoop skills, trying to remain dignified, when, amid the guffaws behind me, one little unexpected voice rises to join the laughter. That's right! Eliana was laughing at her mother at four months old! I thought she'd be at least a year old before that started up! It was so cute. I'm sure she had no idea what she was laughing about, but she was really joining in the fun.

Thanks to Uncle Michael and Aunt Kerry for a wonderful time!

(Sorry, folks. No photos to go along with this story. That would be serious blackmail material.)

At last!

2009-01-18T20:15:00.003-05:00

Ellie almost 4 months

January 17, 2009

I had the most incredible experience this week. Friday night I gave Ellie her bath, got her in her pjs,sang her a song, and fed her a bedtime snack. I sat her up to burp her and then leaned back to snuggle a bit before putting her down to sleep. She immedately put her head against my shoulder and just melted into me. All of a sudden, for the first time, I really felt like a mother - not like I was pretending to be one. What an incredible feeling! It was such an intense wave of emotion that I instantly had tears pouring down my cheeks. There was no tension, no frantic "I've got to get the baby to sleep" thoughts...just a sense of total peace between us that we belong together. In fact, I'm welling up right now just remembering what it was like. In all my deepest dreams and longings for a child, I could never have imagined that it would be like this, and I am so grateful.

Recouping and Back to Work

2009-01-06T16:04:00.004-05:00

Quality time for Ellie and Mommy!

Ellie is starting too feel better from her cold. She is still a little drippy, but I only had to bring the bulb out once today, and she is now able to use her pacifier again - relief! She did, however, manage to make me good and sick a few days after she came down with it. We both missed church on Sunday (the first time since she was born!). She was still running a temp. on and off, and neither of us was too chipper. I still have a really sore throat, but my cold is starting to fade.

I "headed" back to work today after my nice long break. It took me a couple hours to brush the cobwebs out of my brain, but I'm looking forward to starting on several new projects.

That's about it for now. Time to relax for the evening.

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T09:07:00.002-05:00

2.5 minutes of squealing!

Happy New Year, everyone! Our's is getting off to a bit of a bumpy start. Ellie came down with a cold yesterday. This one is accompanied by her first fever. It was about 100.4 yesterday. After a rough night and a couple doses of Tylenol, it was down to 99.8 this morning - not too bad in Babyland, I'm told. I felt bad yesterday because Lisa and the girls came down for a visit, and Ellie was pretty whiny all day. By the time they left she started to feel warm to me and had a drippy nose. By 6 p.m., full blown cold. Hopefully, the next visit will be more fun.

Although Ellie greeted me with a smile this morning, she's definately not her normal chipper self. I promised her a day of comfy clothes and cuddles. Right now she's sitting in my lap knawing on my wrist.

I had to share the above video with you. It was taken about an hour after Ellie's first dose of Tylenol and she was feeling a bit better.

Enjoy!

Merry Daze

2008-12-29T17:23:00.007-05:00

Ed may have the Santa hat, but Ellie certainly has the belly (and cheeks) like a bowl full of jelly!

Grammy and Papa help Ellie open her gifts.

Mommy and Daddy played the press corps with

cameras flashing and videos rolling!

In all my thirty.......years, I may have to chalk this Christmas up as my all-time favorite! Everything seemed SO MUCH brighter and merrier with Eliana along for the ride. In fact, we actually managed to squeeze three "Christmases" out of the year.

We started by celebrating Christmas Eve with my brother and his family, along with my mom and grandmother. We had a delish meal and then went to the church for the candlelight service. I was running around helping with the service, so mom had Ellie. I have to confess that during the message I watched Ellie more than I listened. I unintentionally sat across the church from her with a clear line of sight. I loved seeing her from a distance - not a vantage point I normally get.

Christmas Day started with with Egg Junk Casserole and Ellie opening up her gifts at our house. Can you believe that I actually had to wake her up?!?! Didn't she know it was Christmas morning??!?!?!? We had things to do and couldn't wait any longer! :-) Then we went to my mom's house and Joe, Mom and I opened our stockings. This was a fun remnant from when we all lived together, but, alas, the tradition's final year. Jim, Mel, Ed, Andy, and Linda (Mel's Mom), arrived around 9:00 a.m. and we had a wonderful time of of family fellowship and opening gifts. I am still amazed by how gentle the boys are with Ellie. They just love her (see picture number 1). The boys had opened their stockings and normally fly to the gifts, but Ed wanted to hold Ellie and seemed to be perfectly content doing so. Andy was ready for presents, and Jim eventually had to ask Eddie, "Are you ready to open your gifts yet?" Too funny!

We had our traditional steaks for brunch but added mom's perogi to them. YUM!

One of the highlights of the day for me was a bath. Don't laugh - it's true. Surely all you mothers out there can remember the longing for a relaxing bath during the early days of parenthood. Well on top of that normal feeling, I miss my mom's tub. She has a HUGE whirlpool bath I used to use daily. I miss it so. Anyway, I had a wonderful hour of soaking. Bliss!

The next day Joe's parent's came down to our house and spent the day with us. It was so fun to have a relaxing time with them and watch them open Ellie's gifts with her. We had a delicious meal with a little bit (or a whole lot) of everything in it, and played some games. They got us a great Bible trivia DVD game that allows players to put in different ability levels and all play together. We gave it a try and, fittingly, the patriarch of the family won. It will be perfect to play when Ellie gets older. It took me back to when my family used to play Bible Trivia...I wonder where the old game is now. I haven't seen it in years.

Saturday we recovered from all the partying, and then went to Weaver's in

Akron on Sunday after church. Joe's sister, Lisa, and her family and his grandparents came and we had another wonderful time together. Those people really know how to celebrate! Ellie was so tired that she slept 7.5 hours that night without making a peep! It's a record! It gave me a bit of hope that I will, one day, get a full night's sleep again.

Well, I hear noises from the nursery, so I'd better wrap up the holiday recap. Thanks for putting up with all the details. This entry is definitely intended for posterity.

Bye, all!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-23T09:41:00.002-05:00

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday!

A Little Christmas Cheer Starring: Nephews Eddie and Andy, brother Jim, mother Helene, and daughter Eliana

2008-12-20T08:46:00.001-05:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

What a Year!

2008-12-20T08:18:00.003-05:00

A gift from my husband this week

Today, Joe and I celebrate our 11th wedding anniversary. This was certainly a year like no other, and we have so much to celebrate. God has turned our lives upside down and taught us a lot about our relationships with each other and with Him. He has also, of course, given us a beautiful daughter - the desire of my heart - and allowed me to stay home with her. I would never have dreamed just one year ago that my life would be what it is today.

If you're struggling with something today, take shelter in God. Don't deny what you're going through, but go to Him in honesty, even if that honesty demands you simply cry before him (a woman's perspective, to be sure). When God moves on your behalf, He can move quickly after taking years to prepare the way. Ps 90:4 For a thousand years in Your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.

So, what are we doing to celebrate this eventful year? Red Lobster! YUM! Mom is coming to watch Eliana, and Joe and I are going to sit down to our first quite meal alone together since she was born. I can hardly wait! Start the 5 hour countdown......NOW!

The Big Move

2008-12-14T17:00:00.004-05:00

The cheeks are mine; everything else is Daddy's!

Well, it's official: Eliana is now sleeping in her crib. I'm going to return the bassinet to my friend who let me borrow it, so there will be no going back. It seems to be working out pretty well, although I must admit, I didn't like it at first (or at least the thought of it). It is allowing me to get a little more sleep, though. While Ellie is still waking up a couple times a night to eat, at least I'm sleeping better in between feeds. When she was right next to me, I'd wake with each and every little movement or sound. Now I only wake up when she is actually crying. Little by little...

Don't you just love the photo of the proud papa and his little girl? Joe picked out the outfit that Ellie is wearing. She wore it to church today and recieved so many compliments. I wanted to make sure I got a picture of the two of them with her wearing it. Too cute!

Weight loss update: I've lost 4 of my 20-pound mini-goal. I'm really happy with that, and don't want to loose any more in a one-week period. It wouldn't be good for me. I'm looking forward to an exercise video I just ordered. It's for new mothers and I'll use Ellie as my weights! How fun does that sound? I'm ready to get moving again.

As I was typing, Ellie reached up to touch my face. How can such a little person make me feel so good?

Night all!

Arms and Hands

2008-12-08T16:15:00.004-05:00

Today, Little Bug learned that she has arms and hands (at least when she's lying flat on her back). This is the first time I've ever seen her reach out and grab something she wanted--too fun! Grammy, do you recognize the play mat? Ellie loves it! It is great while I'm working. She just kicks and grabs and laughs.

She is definitely is having a great time, don't you think?

Weight Loss

2008-12-06T07:50:00.003-05:00

20 pounds by March 2o

Ohio Women's Retreat

This is my first goal. Very doable.

Just over a pound a week

Ask me about my progress.

Keep me accountable.

Why...

2008-12-04T16:19:00.003-05:00

...oh why am I posting this not-so-great photo of my beautiful little girl?

What? You mean you can't grasp the significance of this event?!?!?!

Why, it's Ellie's first nap in her crib, of course! Until today she has been using her bassinet.

Since I'm not much of a Scrapbooker, this blog is becoming the depository of all great events of note. Sorry you have to come along. :-)

How is it possible that Ellie could feel so far away in our little postage stamp of a house? How could her 30 minute nap (that should have been two hours) feel like an eternity? Only to a mother, I'm sure.

I must say, I'm grateful for the invention of the baby monitor. I could hear every change of breath, every shift of weight, every gurgle, every toot.

Only a mother...

Ouch!

2008-12-01T10:50:00.004-05:00

Don't worry - Ellie was not in pain when this picture was taken -

just sick of the flashing camera.

Documenting today in photo was the last thing on my mind.

And you thought you hated Mondays.

Ellie started her week with three shots at 9 a.m. Wow, that was rough. A split second before the first shot, Ellie flashed me the biggest smile. It was enough to tear my heart out. Mercifully, the actual shots took less than 30 seconds. The nurse who administered them was great. She gave them and then practically ran out of the room to leave me with Ellie. That's kind for weeping mothers who don't want to make fools of themselves. I was so proud of Ellie, though. She stopped crying in less than two minutes. She is sleeping on my chest now. I'm not sure who is comforting who . :-)

In lighter pediatrician news, Ellie is now 24 inches long and 15 pounds 9 ounces! The first thing Dr. Bhairappa said when he came in was, "Now, how tall is her daddy?" I replied, "About 6 foot." Dr. B: "She is going to surpass you both!" That doesn't surprise me at all since she is wearing her 6 month outfits at 10 weeks old. Dr. B told me to not give Ellie anything solid to eat until he gives me the go-ahead. "She doesn't need it!" he said.

I have to apologize to you all. We had a great time at the Welfley's tree-trimming, but I forgot my camera. If we get back there before Christmas, I'll try to remember it to get you some pics.

Stay warm on this rainy/snowy/grey Monday

Grammy and Papa

2008-11-29T11:10:00.005-05:00

We had a wonderful visit with Joe's family (with the exception of being thoroughly trounced playing Password...twice). It was nice for Grammy and Papa to get some one-on-one time with Ellie, and then GiGi and G'Pop came over (Joe's grandparents) to have lunch and visit as well.
-

Riding in the car seems to be improving a bit. We made it to Akron and back with no crying at all! (Not me, the baby! Well, I guess I didn't cry either this time.) I don't know if Ellie is getting more accustomed to the car seat, or if Joe and I are getting better at preparing her for a trip. Either way, it's much more pleasant without the screaming.
-

Joe and I are getting ready to head to the Welfley's annual tree-trimming at the "Barn." For those of you who don't know John and Linda, they purchased an old, very well-used barn and converted it into one of the most beautiful homes I've every seen. Their main room is two stories high and takes a huge Christmas tree. I'll be sure to get some pictures to share with you.
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I'm looking forward to going, but I have to admit, I'm not feeling particularly "Christmasy" yet. Perhaps it's because I'm so tired. Or maybe it's just that it's only two days after Thanksgiving! We're still eating leftovers for crying-out-loud! Regardless, I'm ready to spend some time with good friends smelling a pine tree and getting into the Christmas mood!

Fa la la la la!

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-28T07:11:00.017-05:00

Was Thanksgiving a success?

I should say so!

We had a wonderful time with the Arden family at my mom's house. 19 people in all!

Do I have anything to be thankful for?

I should say so!

We are headed off to Akron shortly, so I'll leave you with a few more pics from yesterday.

Was Thanksgiving a success?

Road Trip

2008-11-24T15:02:00.005-05:00

Mom, Eliana and I had quite an interesting time Thursday and Friday. I had an all day staff meeting at TRECA in Marion, Ohio on Friday. That's about an hour and ten minute drive from us. I knew there was no way I could leave Eliana for over 12 hours, so we left Thursday and stayed in a hotel overnight. Mom and Ellie played at the hotel during the day while I attended the meeting. I was able to visit them during my lunch hour, and it worked out pretty well. The only struggle we had was the car ride. Eliana doesn't like the car seat, so it was a bit rough, to say the least (Hence, my photo inspiration for this post.). All-in-all, I'd do it again. I can actually see it developing into an annual event and being downright fun - once we get past the car seat aversion.

Well, we are one day into our three-day work week and really looking forward to Thanksgiving with the Arden side of the family (Hey there, Ardens!). I can't wait for everyone to meet Ellie for the first time. Hopefully, she will be in a good mood.

What are you thankful for? Post a comment or send an e-mail!

Oh Happy Day

2008-11-15T21:01:00.003-05:00

You've gotta love Saturdays!

Sleeping Beauty

2008-11-12T07:52:00.002-05:00

Had to share.

Guess I'm a fan of a sleeping baby these days.

Shhhhhh!!!! The baby's sleeping!

2008-11-10T07:19:00.005-05:00

Video note: Okay, this may be a video for mothers and grandmothers only. Not too much excitement, but it may make you nostalgic for those early days... (You may want to turn up your computer volume. I'm whispering.)

Wow! I can't believe that it's been a whole week since I last posted. What a week!

Ellie had her first cold...poor little thing. She woke up with it on Monday and was pretty miserable for a while. She still has its remnants, but is definately on the mend. I got to know the green snot-sucker bulb that the hospital gave us quite well. Let's just say that I, for one, am quite glad that I've learned how to blow my own nose.

One blessed advancement: Ellie has now taken a pacifier (as you saw from the video). She has really fought it until now, but I'm glad we didn't give up. Some of you may be of the "anti-pacifier" clan...actually, I was of that clan until I had a baby with a VERY STRONG need to suck...but until now, there was really only one way to calm to her down. I kept telling Ellie, "I'm a food processor, not a pacifier," but she didn't seem to listen very well. Anyway, this is quite a relief, and during those times that I have meetings online, I'm sure it will prove very helpful.

It has been quite a challenging week. In addition to trying to make Ellie feel better, I put in my first "full" week of work. "Full" to me is now four days. I typically work Tuesday through Friday, so blogging may be a fun Monday activity. It's funny, I actually work seven hours a day, but it takes me about twelve to get them all in! I absolutely love what I'm doing. It's so different from teaching in a classroom, but a nice change almost ten years into my career. I'm learning so much, and the job's a real challenge.

Well, I'm off for now. Ellie is snoozing in her bouncy chair (another fabulous invention), and I'm going to ....hmm, I'm not sure what I'm going to do. What a fantastic feeling!

Love to all!

Dedication Day

2008-11-03T23:36:00.002-05:00

We had a wonderful day Sunday with Ellie's dedication at church. It was quite a thing to celebrate what God has done giving her to us, and then turning her back into His hands. I know I will need to relive that moment many times during her life. If you'd like to see more photos from Sunday click here. A VERY special thanks goes out to Lisa and Jennifer for all the wonderful photos, and for Heidi for the awesome video of the day! Also, the same to Stacey Brant for the beautiful dress Ellie wore. She received so many compliments!

Ellie woke up with a bit of a cold tonight, so we've got the good old bulb out - a fun experience for all involved. She seems to be back asleep, so off I go - not a moment to waste!

It's Official...

2008-10-28T21:08:00.004-04:00

I'm exhausted. I must be a new parent.

Our little lovebug has had a bit of a set-back with her sleeping schedule. She's been up two or three times a night for the past week. Now, that's not too bad, but I can't seem to get her to sleep until about 11 p.m. For normal human beings, that wouldn't be much of a problem. For those of you who know me, however, my preferred bedtime is 8:34 p.m. 8:45 p.m. is really much too late, so 11 p.m. feels downright painful. I've always been a fan of sleep.

We are really looking forward to this Sunday. We are going to dedicate Eliana at church. Joe and I pray each morning (Well, Joe prays, and I try to keep my eyes open - yes, open. Otherwise, I wouldn't be conscious.) and give Ellie into God's hands. But there is something about standing up in public, and yielding her over that is both so right and so scary at the same time. I never dreamed that parenthood would tear at my heart so.

Speaking of tearing at my heart, I left Ellie the first time yesterday for a couple hours. I was asked to proctor some Ohio Graduation Tests just a few minutes from our house. I was a mess. I'm so grateful that my mom was able to come and be with Ellie while I was gone. I didn't have to be gone long, but it was against everything inside of me to walk out that door. It couldn't have gone better, though. Ellie ate and fell asleep right before I left and was just waking up when I arrived home. I'm sure that at some point I will come home to a crying baby, but I'm so happy that it wasn't the first time I left her. It was hard enough.

Well, Ellie seems to be sleeping (and it's 9:26 p.m. Hurray!), so I'm going to take advantage of the time! 'Night all!

Morning Glory

2008-10-24T14:29:00.003-04:00

"Of all the joys my life brings, a child's smile makes my heart sing."

-Anonymous

At about 8 o'clock this morning I heard cute little "waking-up" baby sounds coming from the bassinet. I went over and Ellie was wide-eyed. As soon as she saw me, her face burst into the most beautiful smile I have ever seen. Could there be anything more wonderful in the world? Time and time again, I am bowled over by the immensity of emotion I feel for this little girl. There was a part of me that, until now, was not complete. Now my "heart sings."

Prayers for my OB

2008-10-22T21:41:00.002-04:00

Just a quick post tonight. I just learned that the obstetrician who performed my c-section had a brain aneurysm. Please pray for him.

Thanks.

1 Month Ped. Appointment

2008-10-20T15:54:00.006-04:00

Smiling at Daddy's Funny Sounds

Eliana will be one month old on Wednesday (Can you believe it?), and we went to see the doctor today. She is growing - quickly! She is up to 12 pounds and 22.25 inches. That puts her at the 97% for height and a "tad bit" overweight. The doctor says her weight will even out as she grows but that she is going to be tall! He says she looks beautiful. I tend to agree with him. :-)

We went to the mall for the first time today. I needed to buy some new jeans (sigh). The adventure started out peaceful enough, but by the end, all of Kohls knew we were there! :-) Wouldn't you know it, we met two friends that I haven't seen in quite some time (Hi Dawna and Carrie!), but Ellie was in full voice, so there was NO chatting going on. The sales lady still wanted me to sign my e-mail up with them, though. Um, thanks. Some other time when I can hear myself think. :-)

Well, I'm just about to do some online tutoring with Ellie sleeping on my lap. Let's hope she stays that way. Otherwise, it's Daddy Duty time!

Ciao!

Beat Like a Drum

2008-10-19T23:10:00.004-04:00

Hi all! I'm still recovering from all of yesterday's parties (Andy's and Joe's Mom's B-Ds), so this won't be much of a post. I just had to share this photo with you, though. I totally understand this feeling!

Trial and Prayer

2008-10-18T03:32:00.004-04:00

I just love figuring out how to take care of Eliana. Sometimes it's almost comical because, looking back on an event, it seems like I should have known the solution from the start, but these little ones don't come with full manuals (just a million books that say "You can try this, but it might not work..." :-) Every time we do something that actually works, it's a major accomplishment.

Last night was a great example.

Eliana typically starts to get fussy in the evenings around 7 p.m. (common for many babies, I hear.) I can tell that she is tired and needs to go to sleep, but she really fights it for a while. Last night, she was especially so. Nothing seemed to help, poor little thing. At about 8:30 p.m. I decided to go put her down in her bassinet to see what would happen. WONDER OF WONDERS: in about 20 seconds she was sound asleep and didn't wake up until her midnight feed. How about that? I was actually keeping her awake trying to put her to sleep in my arms! Wouldn't you think that if I knew she was tired, I would have tried to put her to bed before that? :-) Now, putting her down might not work every night, but I'm sure going to give it a try from now on!

It's a little scary that it seems like parenthood is a lot of trial and error (or I should say, "Trial and prayer!")

New Job

2008-10-14T15:22:00.003-04:00

Today was my first day on the new job. It was great! I "attended" a recorded online meeting about reading fluency and started generating some ideas for projects that I will begin work on soon. I had a friend from church come and spend the day with me. (The biggest "thank you" to you, Jodie!) It was tremendous to have her help with Eliana, so I could focus a bit better as I'm getting started with things. She's offered to come weekly, which will make the times I have live meetings much easier.

PRAISE REPORT: Joe's dad has absolutely NO blockage of the artery as the doctors thought. GOD IS SO GOOD!

It's Bath Time!

2008-10-13T22:39:00.007-04:00

Eliana had her first real bath today, and despite the look on her face in the photo, she loved it! It seemed, however, that Joe and I quickly grew about 20 thumbs. How is that possible? It never ceases to amaze me how "they" just let you take your baby home from the hospital when you really have no idea what you are doing with them. How do you keep your baby from going doo doo in the bath water anyway? :-)

Back to Church

2008-10-12T20:35:00.003-04:00

Wow! What a wonderful day we had. After being gone for two weeks, we made it back to church today. It felt so good to show off our little girl (Is that a bad thing?). The time of worship was just tremendous, and I loved watching Eliana during it. It was clear that she was in familiar surroundings. All during my pregnancy, she would be fairly still during music, and then just go crazy when it stopped - as if to say "More! I want more!" Today, she did just about the same thing. Even though she had been awake since 8 a.m., she was wide-eyed but calm during the entire song service. She got moving then when we finished. Too fun!

After church, we had lunch with Aunt Kerry and Uncle Michael, good friends of ours. It was so great to be with them again (Shout-out to you guys!). Ellie slept through the entire lunch. I think it was actually the first meal that I ate without interruption.

After lunch we made a trip up the hill to see Baba Helene. She didn't get much of a chance to love on Ellie at church since we were getting so much attention from everyone there.

From there, since we were out, we made a quick grocery stop and then headed home. All in all, it was a jam-packed day, but Ellie did great! I was exhausted! It was nice to come home and relax a while.

It is now 8:45 p.m. and Ellie just ate and fell asleep on my shoulder. Could it be? A 9:00 p.m. bed time? I've been shooting for that since we came home from the hospital! I'm almost too excited to hope it might happen.

Good night all!

I'm Free! I'm Free!

2008-10-09T17:39:00.003-04:00

I had my two week postpartum appointment with my doctor today. Everything is looking good, and I have been okayed to drive again! What a relief! I've got to thank everyone who made trips to the store for me during these two weeks. I have the best family and church ever! Not being able to drive was really one of my biggest concerns prior to Eliana's birth, but I never wanted for anything. Not a day went by without someone calling to see if I needed something. What a blessing you all are!

Ellie continues to do well. She is up to 10 lbs. 1 oz and has gone from 20 inches to 21.5! Her sleep has been a bit iffy the past two nights, but some ups and downs are to be expected. :-)

I start my new job next week, just working two days a week through the rest of October. Although it will be a major adjustment to work again, I'm looking forward to seeing a new aspect of education. I'm also so grateful that I don't have to get "beautiful" or leave my daughter to go to work. I may have to put some hours in after Joe gets home, but how much better is that than having to leave all day? God is so good to me!

Keep praying for Joe's dad. Thanks so much!

First Pediatrician Appointment

2008-10-06T16:43:00.002-04:00

We visited our pediatrician today for the first time, and Eliana is doing great! Really the biggest news is her weight. She was born 9lbs 4ozs. When she left the hospital, she was 8lbs 7ozs. Now at 12 days old, she weighs in at a hefty 9lbs 10 ozs. To paraphrase the doctor, Wow! She's eating a lot! They want the babies to be back at birth weight by 2 weeks of age. We left that in the dust a while ago. As a mother, it's nice to know that I'm providing sufficiently for my baby.

It was really nice to get out the house today for the first time. Mom drove for me and we did quite a bit of running around that I needed to do. We were out for about 5 hours. On the down side, my feet are significantly bigger than they have been since I was on them so much. I have lost 18 pounds of water, though, in the 9 days I've been home! Ahhh, the saga of the feet!

We had a wonderful visit on Saturday with Joe's family. His mom was sick, but his sister's family and his grandparents were able to come and celebrate his birthday and see the Ellie. His nieces, Madison, Alaina, and Sydney, did a fantastic job taking care of Ellie for the afternoon! I got to kick back and relax. :-)

My Father's Hands

2008-10-04T19:52:00.003-04:00

Over a Week!

2008-10-04T09:19:00.005-04:00

Ellie loves her swing - really.

Wow! I can't believe Eliana is a week and 3 days old already. The time has flown by. She is doing just great. She eats well and continues to only get up once during a 7 or 8 hour night. It feels wonderful to get some good sleep. She lost her umbilical cord yesterday, so soon we'll start regular baths. We'll see how she likes that! After the first sponge bath that Joe and I stumbled through, she has come to like them, so we'll see. Ellie's first doctor's appointment is Monday, and I'm anxious to see what kind of weight she has gained back. She had dropped from 9 lbs 4 oz at birth to 8 lbs. 7 oz at discharge.

I am feeling better daily. With the joy of Ellie, it's hard to remember that I did have surgery. I'm forcing myself to not do housework, and just relax as much as possible. My legs and feet are slowing getting smaller. Since I've come home, I have lost 16 pounds of water! That's great because when I arrived home from the hospital, I had actually GAINED weight by giving birth! How depressing is that?

Be sure to click on the slide show to the right. I keep adding photos!

How do you spell relief?

2008-09-30T05:56:00.002-04:00

S-L-E-E-P-I-N-G-B-A-B-Y

What a glorious night we had! We corrected some gas issues from the day. Ellie then slept 4 straight hours, got up and fed, and slept for another 4! I got her up to eat and say good by to her daddy on his birthday and his first day back at work.

Joe's parents are coming down this evening for his birthday. We are really looking forward to the visit!

Ellie is napping - think I will too!

First Outing

2008-09-29T13:51:00.003-04:00

Ellie had her first outing this morning: to the ER for me! Don't worry, I'm fine. Over the past 24 hours I started having SEVERE swelling in both legs. I mean SEVERE. I've never seen anything like it. It's from the tips of my pudgy toes to about 5 inches above my knees. At first, I wasn't too concerned, but in the course of about 2 hours (2-4 a.m. this morning) It went from below the knees to the 5 inches above. At that point, I called my OB's emergency answering service. After my description she promptly told me to to go the ER. They were concerned about a possible development of preeclampsia. I had never heard of it happening, but some women develop it after giving birth.

So, we packed up Ellie, who had been up all night, and my mom took us over. They tested for protein in my urine and it came back negative - a sign that show that this wasn't pre-e. Also, since I have the swelling in both legs, they weren't too concerned about blood clots. My OB arrived at the hospital at 7 and after performing a c-section, the ER doc contacted him. My doc felt that it is most likely delayed swelling from the much larger than normal amount of IV fluids I received while at the hospital. I have been told to walk as much as I can tolerate at this point, and when not walking or nursing, elevate my feet above my heart. He doesn't want to give my any diuretics since I am nursing, so we're giving it two weeks and watching it closely.

All in all, that's good news to me. It was one of those things that I felt funny going in because I felt fine otherwise, but it was weighing heavily on me and was definitely not normal.

Ellie was fantastic on the trip, by the way. She ate just before we left the house, and since she had been up so long, never made a peep in her car seat.

So, the big question is Do you want to see a picture of my grotesque legs? I guess we'll take a poll. :-)

We're Home!

2008-09-28T09:06:00.005-04:00

Ahhhhhhhhhh...........

What a feeling. We came home yesterday afternoon about 1:00 and are loving every second of being a family.

It is amazing the things that cause emotion to well up inside. As we were preparing to leave the hospital yesterday, we did the final bracelet check (They compare parent bracelets to baby bracelets any time we are separated and then again before leaving the hospital). Anyway, we did the final check and the nurse left the room. Then I cut off all Eliana's bracelets. There was something about removing all traces of the hospital's responsibility for her (and the acknowledgment of our responsibility) that overwhelmed me. Gratefully, only Ellie and I were in the room and I could get myself back together before the wheelchair was brought up to me. :-)

We had a really wonderful evening together. We ate our first meal as a family (A rather comical picture - We're still figuring out our timing issues). We gave Eliana our first sponge bath. (She's had several, but we are definitely newbies. The poor little girl. Our skills must seem very different from the nurses' at the hospital.) And we also weathered the first night on our own. (Let's just say that there is nothing better than the look of gratitude in my little girl's eyes when I finally figure out something that has been plaguing her all night. Let's just hope there's a learning curve, and I see that look of gratitude before 4 a.m. in the future. :-)

We are looking forward to showing Ellie off to all of you. Obviously, we are not at church right now, but we'd love to have some visits.

Getting Acquainted

2008-09-26T13:35:00.002-04:00

Eliana is two days old already, and I can't imagine being without her. How is that possible?

I don't have much time to post at the moment, but I wanted to let you all know that we decided to go ahead and stay one more night at the hospital. All is well, but if someone else will take care of me for one more day, why not? :-) Thanks for all the well wishes and love! We won't be at church on Sunday, but feel free to give a call and stop over for a visit at the house! Joe and I want to show Ellie off to the entire world!

Heeeeeeeeeereeeeeeeeee's Ellie!

2008-09-25T13:44:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone! Sorry about the break in updates. That's that way the baby bounces. I ended up with two doses of Cervidil, neither of which had any effect. Then I got Pitocin at midnight Tuesday and labored without an epi until 7:30 a.m. Other contractions two minutes apart the entire night, the Pitocin had no effect on getting Eliana closer to being born. At 7:30 a.m. the doctor highly suggested a c-section. He said we could keep going with the Pit (although the dosage couldn't have been raised any more.), but it wasn't what he recommended. I was very tired by that point - 2 nights with no sleep, so we decided on the c-section. It was the right thing to do. It ended up that there was no way that I could have delivered her naturally. Her size and position just wouldn't have worked.

The section was fantastic. I had no pain with the prep and spinal - none at all! It took the doctors only 8 minutes to deliver her - so quick! Joe was fantastic through the whole thing. He supported me and then stood up to watch her coming out - without passing out! His play-by-play was perfect! I loved watching his eyes above his surgical mask. They said everything.

They finished up with me and Joe went with Eliana to the nursery. I went to recovery for just about an hour and by the time I was in my room they were bringing Ellie from her bath and tests. She scored a 9 on the Apgar test at birth and a PERFECT 10 at 5 minutes after birth. The nurse told me that she rarely gives out perfect scores! (That's my girl!) She is nursing like a pro and the pediatrician says she is doing great. I feel great as well. I'm doing so well, that my doctor said I can go home tomorrow instead of Saturday. I think we'll stay until after lunch and then head home.

Thanks for all your payers. Here are the vital statistics:

Name: Eliana (Hebrew for "My God has Answered") Helene Weaver (We call her "Ellie" for short.)

Weight: 9 pounds 4.7 ounces

Length: 20 inches

Birthday? Updates

2008-09-23T09:05:00.006-04:00

6:52 p.m. The doctor stopped by. The plan is to remove the Cervidil at 10 p.m. and begin the Pitocin at midnight. That means we'll labor throughout the night to hopefully see our little girl sometime in the morning. I am having more consistent and stronger contractions, so hopefully when they check me at midnight some progress will have been made! :-)

12:45 p.m. Well, I've finally been released from my flat-on-the-back prison that Cervidil requires. What a feeling! That is a LONG two hours.

We may have a baby today, but there is a large likelihood that tomorrow will be her birthday. They can't start the pitocin until my cervix has thinned, and it's just being very stubborn. This dose of Cervidil will last until 10:00 tonight. That's when the doctor is hoping to start the Pitocin. Then we have to make it though the dilation process, which has also not begun yet!

One good note, I am starting to have mild contractions! Whoo-hoo! Hopefully, that will help the process along. They did allow me to eat lunch since it will be so long before I deliver. Joe went down to the cafeteria and brought his lunch back up to the room and we ate together. So for now, it's an afternoon of waiting, surfing the Internet, and watching TV (I forgot how much I liked TLC/HGTV/Food Network.).

Thanks to everyone who has commented and sent e-mails. Your messages are helping the time go by!

9:10 a.m. We are at the hospital. We arrived at about 9:00 p.m. last night and received the Cervidil. Joe was able to sleep pretty well from about midnight to 7:30 a.m. I was not. :-) There are just too many monitors and things to think about. I listened to about 5 podcasts throughout the night while trying to doze. The doctor was just in to check me and there has been very little progress. He was hoping to be able to start Pitocin and contractions when he was here, but I'm not ready yet. I'll be getting another dose of Cervidil in about an hour. Last night the doc was expecting a late afternoon delivery, but who knows? We are behind schedule, so we'll see.

I have no idea how long I'll feel like posting updates. Don't be surprised when I stop. That's just your signal to really START PRAYING!

Today We Start

2008-09-22T08:29:00.002-04:00

What a strange day. I just couldn't sleep, so I got up about 3:00 a.m. and dusted and contact papered the bathroom cabinet. This waiting around is driving me crazy!

Here's the plan: We'll go see my doctor at 3:30 this afternoon. If I have effaced any further since Thursday, we'll head over to the hospital. I'll be given Cervidil during the night. Then starting tomorrow morning, I'll get Pitocin to bring on the contractions. I hear that after cocontractions comes the baby. :-) If I have thinned out, then we'll return home and go to the hospital in the morning for the Pit.

So for the rest of the day, my plans are to sweep, do final grocery shopping, clean out the van, and twiddle my thumbs.

Pray for us!

Fish Tycoon

2008-09-20T18:47:00.000-04:00

Can I just say that I love this game?

Trip to the Hospital

2008-09-19T01:26:00.002-04:00

We had our 40+ week doctor's appointment yesterday, and while there, we had a non-stress test. My doctor does this for everyone who is overdue. Basically, they just monitor baby's heart rate, movement and contractions for about 45 minutes. The doctor was a bit concerned because she wasn't moving as much as they would like. I really wasn't worried because in the morning she had performed a kick-boxing routine NONSTOP for 3 hours until I was ready to vomit. When she is really active like that, it is common for her to take a long nap.

Anyway, the doctor sent me over to labor and delivery at the hospital for another non-stress test and then a biophysical ultrasound. She started to wake up during the second NST, and the US was just plain fun. She is doing great! She scored an 8 out of 8 on it! (I never doubted that she was anything less than perfect!) They measure things like fluid level, movement, and practice breaths. After quite a while, the technician was able to confirm that she is still a girl! That was a bit of a relief since there is so much pink going on in our house these days!

So, they called my doctor with my results and he sent us home. We are still on for an induction starting Monday evening. All-in-all, I'm actually grateful for the trip to hospital. I was truly never really worried about her, and I was able to get a feel for the labor and delivery department. We were in one of the labor rooms, so it was nice just to become familiar with the surroundings. It was also great to see the baby again since our last ultrasound was at 18 weeks, the pregnancy has been so uneventful. Because she has moved SO low, we couldn't see her face, but her bottom is pretty cute! Those practice breaths she is taking are pretty amazing to see as well.

It's about 1:40 a.m., and I can't sleep at all. I didn't get the fridge cleaned out yesterday, so maybe I'll do that now.

Bye all!

Negative

2008-09-18T08:58:00.002-04:00

I hate to say that I'm being negative today, but take a look at the pregnancy counter: -1 day till my due date! You know what that means, I'm officially overdue. I go see the doctor today, so that should be fun. I'll have the nonstress test and make sure everything is still a go for Monday evening's induction. Really, the induction begins Tuesday morning with the Pitocin, but we'll be in the hospital overnight.

Nesting job for today: clean out the refrigerator.

Pray for Joe - He had a lot of sinus drainage all night and doesn't feel too hot today. He said that his throat isn't sore like it was yesterday, he's just tired from not sleeping well. I told him to take it easy at work. He just laughed.

A Momentous Day

2008-09-17T09:42:00.003-04:00

Sorry, no baby. But,wow! Look at that pregnancy counter: "100 % of Pregnancy Completed"; "0 Weeks and 0 Days Left." Then why am I still here?!?!?!? I wonder what the counter will say tomorrow. :-) Will it not compute and make the Internet crash like we were afraid would happen in 2000?

Well, I have to tell you my good news from yesterday. I got a new job at TRECA Digital Academy, the online school I have been subbing for. I will be the district's AYP Reading Coach. Basically, I will be working with teachers to provide them resources that will help the district meet the State's Adequate Yearly Progress requirement. I will be working from home two days a week the last part of October and then 4 days a week for the rest of the school year. I am so excited about this new direction for my career! God has been so good to me and Joe during the past year. It would take me too long to really describe here all that He has done for us, but, please, give me a call and let's talk in person! I want to tell you all the details! :-) He's so good!

Now, let's have a baby!

Wind Storms

2008-09-15T13:00:00.002-04:00

I'm sitting at our local public library using their wireless Internet. Ours is still out from last night's wind storm. We lost power for quite a while. It came back on some time during the night--not sure when. My mom's is still out in Uhrichsville.

We were really very lucky. We had no damage to our house at all. New Phila actually looks like a tornado came through. There are branches and trees down everywhere. Quite a few huge trees came up from the roots. There's a lot of damage to homes. Hope everyone else fared as well as we did!

Last Saturday?

2008-09-13T18:06:00.002-04:00

It was a strange thought to think that this might be our last Saturday without a child to take care of! So, what did we do? First and foremost, we slept in! I think we lazed about until about 9:30 a.m. Those days are almost over. Then we went to Sugarcreek to have the breakfast buffet at Dutch Valley. YUM! After that, I was so tired from the effort that I took a nap until 3:00 p.m. Nights have been wearing on me. I'm up every hour, so it was nice to grab a few extra hours during the day today. After the nap, Joe and I scrubbed the carpets one last time before the baby arrives. Then we watched The Happiest Baby on the Block. I don't know if the 5 techniques will work as well as they appear to, but I'm willing to give them a try! Joe took notes while I practiced the swaddling. Check out the fruits of my labor:

No Progression

2008-09-11T17:42:00.002-04:00

UGH! Those were not the words that I wanted to hear. Apparently, we have stalled out, so say Doc D. If nothing has happened before then, I will be induced on Monday, September 22. We would go in at 4:oo p.m. for preliminaries and Cervidil, spend the night, and then have Pitocin started the next morning. Let's just say, this is not how I want things to go! :-) So, as Ma Weaver says, "Start the jumping jacks!"

On the brighter side of the things, my friend Mandi brought over her bassinet for us to use. It's so beautiful. How could our little girl not sleep through the night in a bed that beautiful?! ;-)

Too Funny!

2008-09-11T14:37:00.003-04:00

Okay, here are two quotes from yesterday. They are completely unrelated, but both hilarious.

Joe apparently was talking to a co-worker about the possibility of me being "artificially inseminated" instead of "induced." We'll blame that on the brain surgery!

While cooking yesterday, I dropped a pan of hot grease on the carpet in the kitchen (Don't ask me why the owner put carpet in the kitchen!). Anyway, I was apparently at the end of my hormonal wits and actually said,"That's it! I'm done dealing with life until after the baby comes." After I calmed down (and cleaned the carpet), Joe laughed at me and asked, "What exactly did that mean anyway?" I replied, "I have no idea, but we are both going to find out!"

Well, we're off to the doctor's again today. I'll let you all know what he says.

Final Countdown

2008-09-10T13:34:00.003-04:00

Well, we are down to one week from our estimated due date. It's a good thing too. Although people keep telling me I don't look big enough to be ready, my stretch marks tell a different story. Two hurt so much this morning that I put a Band-Aid on them to relieve the pain! Joe laughed at me. He's not allowed to laugh at his pregnant wife, is he?

I'm feeling a bit nostalgic these days. Imagine that. Today I thought I would focus on what I have loved about being pregnant. Here goes...

That little pink line. I've seen a lot of tests without them. So that's what it is supposed to look like.
Being able to say those words to Joe: "I think I might be pregnant."
Looking forward to seeing an OBGYN. I never thought that was a possibility.
Feeling her move. I'm not sure this one can be topped. I live for every little bump and roll. Is it possible to feel closer to someone?
Feeling her kick when she hears her daddy's voice when he comes home after work. At first, I thought this was coincidence, but after so many months, it can't be. I just love it!
Speaking of Daddy, I love hearing Joe talk about swaddling and shushing and other baby things. The look on his face when I held up the 18 month footie PJ's and said, "Can you believe in a year and a half she'll be running around in these?" was PRICELESS. A mixture of joy and terror!
I love how amazing my body is. I was just marveling again at how quickly every part of it seemed to focus on doing only one thing: growing the baby. I should say that I'm really amazed by how God created a woman's body to be able to do this.
I love the look in people's eyes, especially other women, when they look at me. Am I just imagining it? I can't even really describe it, but it's like they, too, are somehow experiencing part of the fulfillment of my dream.

Well, I know I could go on and on. This has truly been a miraculous year. I can only imagine what the next one will hold.

14 Hours!

2008-09-08T18:44:00.003-04:00

No, this is not the length of my labor (and no, I have not gone into labor). 14 hours is the length of time I slept (not counting potty trips) starting Sunday afternoon after Convention. It was an exhausting but absolutely wonderful weekend. I must say, I was glad not to have missed it. I ended up learning how to run the EasyWorship program that we use to put song lyrics and message notes up on the view screen. So I was able to sit during all the meetings and still was able to contribute in some way. God is good!

I think it will be an early bedtime again tonight, but not quite the 3:00 p.m. I had yesterday!

38 Week Doctor Appointment

2008-09-04T19:36:00.004-04:00

We had our doctor's appointment today. The baby has continued to drop lower. In the doctor's words, "We just have to wait." Isn't that what we've been doing? :-) He said that once we get past our due date, then we'll talk about induction. My BP is great and I'm not having any other problems. She's not really big, so there's no need to rush things. Aparently. So, for now it looks like we'll make it to convention!

No Progression

2008-09-03T09:10:00.002-04:00

Well, after a contraction-filled day, now I'm back to normal. Oh well! I go to see the doctor tomorrow, so we'll find out if there have been any changes going on in there.

Joe and I got our bags packed for the hospital. They are sitting in the living room, ready to go. That's a strange feeling!

I'm heading out this morning for my first Home Instruction of the school year. I hadn't planned on doing any this year with the baby coming so soon, but this is actually a family who goes to our church, and the student will be out of school until January. They don't have a problem with me bringing the baby to the house, and neither do I since I know them so well. So I let the school know that I would cover it, with the exception of the weeks immediately after the birth. They were happy because they didn't have anyone yet who is willing to do Home Instruction. I did all of it last year for them. It will actually be great to have something to focus my attention on these last two weeks other than the baby. I love thinking about her, but the waiting is mentally exhausting!

Interesting Day

2008-09-02T15:38:00.002-04:00

Let me just say, LOTS of contractions. They aren't regular at all, but they are stronger than they have been up to this point, and moving around seems to bring them on rather than making them go away as in the past weeks. We'll see if anything comes of them. Maybe, maybe not! Ahh, the waiting game.

3 Miles!

2008-09-01T13:03:00.002-04:00

I have just rested and cleaned up from our 3 mile walk. That's right! Three miles! I'm so proud of myself. Joe, Shasta and I just returned. We made it all the way to Tuscora Park and back.

Happy Labor Day! (Will it really be LABOR Day for us?)

Music Practice

2008-08-31T15:52:00.004-04:00

So, I'm sitting here running the sound at Convention music practice. How scary is that? Our sound techs aren't here today. Convention begins on Friday. This year feels really strange to me. Usually, we have people staying with us, and I am super-involved in the music. This year - no guests and no music for me. That's just way too close to my due date. Who knows, maybe we'll even have a baby by then! Joe is planning on singing (Whoops, I actually just typed sinning!) with the group, though. I guess I'd better get used to things changing. :-)

The group sounds fantastic this year. Instead of having our three Ohio churches each lead a separate meeting, we've combined our worship teams. They have huge sound. It will be so exciting to hear them. Really, I won't be crying because I'm not a part of it this year. :-)

We are celebrating our church's 25th anniversary this year, so it will be an awesome time. As much as I want to have the baby right now, I don't want to miss this upcoming weekend! You are all welcome to come. Meetings are Friday night, Saturday morning, Saturday night, and Sunday morning. I can let you know on the times.

Doctor's Report

2008-08-29T14:08:00.003-04:00

We went for our weekly visit to the doctor yesterday, and he confirmed my suspicions that the baby had dropped since last week. The last few days, I have been able to breathe much more easily, and my heartburn is MUCH better, so I thought she might have dropped. It's good to know that there has been progress made toward labor; things are happening! The doctor also thought that the baby will be in the 7 pound range. That's just fine with me! We'll keep you posted!

Full Term

2008-08-27T17:57:00.002-04:00

Well, today is a big day for us. We are considered full term now. With only three weeks until the due date, I am getting very anxious to get things moving. I went to the hospital today to pre-register for the birth. I also had to sign the papers to give my consent for our little girl to be treated. It felt so wonderful (and crazy) to write "mother" on the relationship line. Can it really be? :-) I also filled out the insurance papers to add a dependent. A dependent! Are these things so monumental to all new parents? Probably.

And Now We...

2008-08-22T08:20:00.002-04:00

Wait!

We installed the car seat yesterday, so if our little one should decide to show up a bit early, we could bring her home. I must say, that big van of ours finally looks right with someone going to ride in the back! We went to the hospital yesterday and had one of the labor nurses who is a car seat technician help us since we had never installed one before. During our birthing classes, she told us that in Tuscarawas County 80% of car seats are installed incorrectly which means that they won't do what they are supposed to do! That's a scary statistic. Anyway, the hospital (and State Highway Patrol, for that matter) will check car seats f0r free. It's certainly worth it to me! :-)

We had our 36 week check-up yesterday. My doctor said, "This is a smart baby. She's head down." I replied, "Was there ever any doubt?" So we are on track at the moment for a "normal" birth, if there is any such thing. I'm getting pretty excited for the big day. I keep thinking What if I went into labor right now? Usually, its pretty inconvenient. :-) "Get used to it," I hear you all saying.

Until next time.

Shower #2

2008-08-19T07:39:00.003-04:00

We had a wonderful shower in Akron on Sunday. It was great to see so many people I hadn't seen in years! We were given such many beautiful things for the nursery and bedding supplies that we really needed. I have been so overwhelmed by the love and generosity of family and friends during this time.

We are in real countdown now. Joe and I have have been reading Stuart Campbell's Watch Me Grow weekly since week 4 when we found out we were pregnant. It has weekly 3D ultrasound photos and tells what's going on in there. We only have 2 more weeks to read (weeks 38-40 are combined). It's amazing! The book has a little ticker that moves along the bottom of the page each week and I remember how excited we were when we crossed over the binding. Now we're about to fall off the page! It has been such a fun book to bring us together every week.

Here are a couple nursery photos for you!

This Was Yesterday

2008-08-13T09:07:00.005-04:00

See if you can figure out what happened! Once you think you know, click below on "Comments" and tell me. I'll let you know if you are right!

Finally - Photos!

2008-08-11T15:17:00.005-04:00

Mandi Graziani, Heather, Jennifer Demuth, and Malinda Adams

Heather and Shower Hosts

One of my favorite outfits. It reads, "My Heart Belongs to Daddy!"

Well, we are down to about 5 weeks left of pregnancy! I can hardly believe it. Joe and I were talking a few nights ago about the day we found out we were going to have a baby...

It was a cold December morning. For the second day in a row I felt a wave of nausea for just a second. The first day I thought absolutely nothing about it. The second day I thought, Could I be...? Well, I guess I could. Needless-to-say, I wasn't expecting anything after all this time (all puns intended).

I had to go shopping that day, so I bought my 500th pregnancy test and promptly forgot all about it. That afternoon I was sitting waiting for Joe to arrive home from work in about 10 minutes, and all of a sudden I remembered the test! I jumped up, took it , and then spent 8 LONG minutes staring at the faintest line I had ever seen , trying to convince myself it was there.

When Joe came home, everything seemed in slow motion. We greeted each other (just like every other day). He sat down and took his boots off (just like every other day), and he picked up the dog to give her some love (just like every other day). Then he looked at me and said, "What's wrong?" (I guess I didn't look like I normally did every other day.) Then I said the words I thought I'd never say: "I think I might be pregnant."

To be perfectly honest, I really didn't believe I was. It was just too incredible and that line was sooooo faint. Joe and I then spent the next 4 hours (and 3 more pregnancy tests), trying to decide if we were really going to have a baby.

As I just got a major kick to the lungs, I guess it's true!

Anyway, I wanted to share a few of the photos taken by a very dear friend of mine at our baby shower in Gnadenhutten, OH.

Our shower in Akron is Sunday. I can't wait to see everyone there!

The Baby Shower

2008-07-21T18:36:00.003-04:00

I had the best time at the shower yesterday--so many people and so many wonderful gifts! It was great to have Joe's mom and grandmother and aunts and cousin travel to be with us. I was just totally overwhelmed with how happy everyone is for me. I really feel like so many others have been waiting and praying right along with us. God has been so good!

I spent my spare moments today washing baby clothes and putting things away. When Joe came home he put together our Pack N Play. It's beautiful! It's so fun to see things coming together. Only two more months to go!!

I don't have any of the photos from the shower yet, but when I do, I'll post them.

Big Day Tomorrow

2008-07-19T11:42:00.003-04:00

Well, tomorrow is going to be a big day for us! It's baby shower time! With just two months to go until the really big day, it will be great to celebrate with everyone. Tomorrow's shower will be held in the basement of First National Bank in Gnadenhutten (Thanks, Linda!), and is hosted by three great friends: Jennifer, Melinda, and Mandi. We are expecting 50-60 people, so it will be pretty exciting. We'll be having another shower in August with Joe's family further north, so we're in for a busy couple months. I'll keep you posted! Check back soon for shower photos.