Progress

Today was a busy day. And instead of shopping and eating out, it was full of helpful, productive things. Jason was at work, which is beneficial because that means a paycheck. While he worked on that, Mom and I got fabric for curtains for the living room (something I've been thinking about doing for a while now), took Kayla to the hospital and had her weighed, and stopped by my office for a quick surprise birthday celebration for my boss. Meanwhile, Dad went to Home Depot, figured out what options we had for shelving for our living room closet, and presented the options to me when I arrived at the store. He then had the wood cut, loaded it into the van, and took it home and started on the shelving. He got one half of the closet done, and will finish the other half tomorrow morning. We can check that off of our list of things to accomplish this week! Next: Ripping out ivy? Spraying for spiders and cleaning the webs off the house? Putting the living room back together? Who knows...there are lots of options!

Fall is Coming

This morning Kayla woke up at 6:10. I fed her and she fell asleep afterward, so I put her back in her crib. She actually slept for about 10 minutes, and then woke up, but actually laid there in silence, looking around and happy, for close to 15 minutes. Once she was tired of being there, I changed her diaper, dressed her, and then went out to find out who else was awake. My dad was sitting on the porch in the morning breeze (by this time it was about 7:30), so I wrapped Kayla in a blanket and joined him. A bit later, Ruth came out and we decided it was chilly enough that we wanted some hot chocolate. So Ruth made us some. Yes, that's right. Hot chocolate in August. It was awesome!

Eventually my mom joined us, and she made some hilarious faces when Ruth pointed the camera at her. Below is my favourite shot. It's such a great picture. Even if my mother doesn't agree. :)

Love you, Mom!

1 Month

Today is Kayla's one-month birthday. Our family has a tradition of taking photos of babies each month for the first couple of years, and it's always with the same large stuffed animal. This is fun to look back on and watch the kid grow. My parents found this giant teddy bear in their attic (my mom used to collect teddy bears), and brought it when they came up this morning. (They're staying for the entire week and are helping Jason and I do some long-wanted home improvement projects.) Surprisingly, Kayla did quite well for long enough for us to get some good (i.e. non-crying) shots. Happy 1-month birthday, Little Miss!

Bathtime!

Though it doesn't look like it, Kayla was indeed crying in this photo. She had just gotten out of the bath and though she liked it for the first 2-3 minutes, she quickly realized she was wet and in the tub and started crying. But she's so cute in this picture that I had to post it. One of these days she'll like baths. At least, that's what I keep telling myself.

A Treat

Today Jason and I decided to attempt going out to lunch. We hadn't done that since Kayla was born (at least, not going in and sitting down - just take-out and drive-through), and it sounded like fun. Plus, at noon, Kayla was sleeping in her car seat. So we gave it a try. We went to a local bakery and deli called Rogers, and actually made it through just about the entire meal before Kayla woke up and wanted her own lunch. So I grabbed my handy nursing apron (it covers you up but still allows you to watch the baby as she nurses) and moved to one of the restaurant's comfy leather chairs to feed her. When she was done, Jason held her for a few minutes before I took him back to work. Here he is watching the Texas Rangers beat the New York Yankees while he burps Kayla.

Friends & Food

Tonight we were treated to the most delicious meal ever: Damie's enchiladas and rice. It was amazing. She and Jared are expecting their first little one, a little girl, in November. They are excited about babies and really wanted a chance to hold and see Kayla. (Plus we think they like us, too.) So they had us over for dinner and asked what we wanted. I will NEVER pass up an opportunity to have Damie's bean, cheese, and zucchini enchiladas. They are amazing. Here's Damie rocking Kayla to sleep after dinner. Kayla loved Damie and Jared!

One of Damie and Jared's cats, Molly, was extremely curious about the baby carrier. She just about crawled all the way in.

Unaware

Today I took the opportunity to get some more photos of our gorgeous baby girl. In the above photo she is wrapped in the beautiful blanket hand-stitched by her Nana (Jason's mom).

Interactions

Today I went with my friend Merrie Beth to St. Mary's hospital for a weekly meeting for new moms. Neither of us had gone before, so we decided to go together. It's two hours long, and moms can come with their babies for any or all of that time. There is a lactation consultant/nurse there the entire time, and she answers any questions, checks babies' latch-ons if the mothers nurse during the meeting, and just facilitates the get-together. There are sandwiches and crackers, as well as water and hot drinks. Moms can weigh their babies and check their growth, and chit-chat together about problems they're having, fun experiences with their growing bundles of joy, and just network with and support each other as new moms. We had a really good time. Above is a photo of Kayla and Chloe, Merrie Beth's little girl, who is a day older than Kayla. Care to venture a guess as to which one is Kayla? (I'll put the answer below.)

Tonight Ruth came home with Jason after work. She had dinner with us and we had fun spending some time with her. She attempted her regular "self-portrait" shot, and after several tries, finally got both of us in it. Hence the big grin and obvious laughter.

While Ruth and I were playing with the camera, Jason was holding Kayla. She was making some pretty hilarious faces, and Ruth managed to capture one of the best ones. Anyone want to caption this shot? It makes me laugh out loud every time I see it.

ANSWER: The one on the left is Kayla.

Peace Before the Storm

This is what she's like just before we put her to bed each night. And almost invariably she wakes up and starts crying within 30 seconds of being put in her crib. This is what she was like this evening: Adorable, angelic, and beautiful. About 10 minutes after this photo was taken we tried putting her to bed. She was awake for another hour. Sigh...it was precious while it lasted, that lovely silence as we watched her sleep in my arms...

A Drive in the Country

This morning Jason and I took Kayla to church for the second time. She didn't do as well as the first time, so we missed most of the sermon while walking and rocking her in the lobby. She did eventually fall asleep and was of course a little angel while people were coming out of the sanctuary after church. "What a doll!" and "Is she always this mellow?" were some of the comments we received. Of course, even when she's crying, everyone tells us how beautiful she is, and though we agree, it's not really what we're thinking while she's crying for no reason.

After church, we decided we wanted to get out of the house and Jason suggested going for a drive. So we packed a picnic lunch and loaded up the car. We drove west on the back roads and ended up in Touchet, where we ate lunch at a covered picnic area next to the school (yes, "the" school). This was some of the scenery we saw while out on our Sabbath afternoon drive. I must say this view is much more pleasant than the smell we encountered here...

Changing it Up

Jason's mom came up on Wednesday and stayed for a couple of days to help us around the house. And of course, seeing her granddaughter wasn't a bad bonus, either! It was great to have someone to talk to during the day while Jason was at work, and she did a LOT around the house. She cleaned our bathroom (shower and all!), swept the leaves off the back patio and the roof, vacuumed thoroughly, washed and replaced the guest room sheets, got the cobwebs off of our windows, and cooked. It was great! All the while she was happy to give me a break from holding Kayla - even when she was crying. When Nana left this afternoon, she left us some beautiful flowers to replace the ones she'd given us when Kayla was born. They lasted a long time, but they were starting to look a little pathetic. I love fresh flowers and am so glad I got some replacements!

Growing

Today while Kayla was happily lounging on her changing table (she really likes it there - I'm considering moving it out to the living room so we can leave her there and be comfortable at the same time), I decided it was time for some more baby digits pictures. The one of her hand turned out okay (except that she got her head in the way), but she wouldn't hold her feet still enough for me to get a good angle. I guess the only way to get good shots of these things is to do it while she's sleeping. I'll have to work on that.

To A Good End

Tonight the sky was absolutely gorgeous. We don't have any west-facing windows in our house (except those that look into the backyard and at the neighbours' house), so we can't really see the sunsets. But tonight when I got up from the couch to go get something, I glanced outside and realized that everything looked rather pink. So I grabbed my camera and went outside to see what the sky looked like. I'm glad I did. This is what greeted me.

Out and About

Today my wonderful friend Rachel made me lunch. She knew I needed to get out of the house, so she offered to feed me if I came over. She didn't have to ask me twice! She made delicious pad Thai (not sure how to spell that) with tofu. Mmm! Afterwards, we took our kids downstairs and tried to chat for a bit before Kayla got cranky. Rachel and her husband have a 16-month-old boy, Levi. He's super cute. And he was very curious about Kayla, and was very gentle around her. He's going to make a great older brother someday.

Meals on Wheels

Today instead of Jason packing a lunch to eat alone, Kayla and I brought a hot meal to him at lunchtime and we ate on the grass in a park just a block from campus. It's the local Kiwanis Park and it was the perfect day for a picnic. Not too hot, not too cold...just a perfect day with a lovely breeze. And great company, too! We enjoyed a pasta dish with corn and peas and an apple with peanut butter for dessert. Yummy!

After we ate, this is what we did. I laid on my back for a while and watched the leaves in the tree above us rustle in the breeze...and watched some birds fly back and forth between fences and trees in the park. It was so relaxing. Especially with a sleeping baby!

An Aspiring Dancer?

This afternoon while trying to fold laundry one-handed, Jason finally got annoyed with Kayla's inability to be soothed/comforted/happy. No matter how he held her or what he did, she just cried more. She'd just been fed and changed, she wasn't hot or cold, and she'd been burped, too. Since he couldn't get her to be happy while struggling to help me with the laundry one-handed, he decided she could just cry on the bed. At least he'd be more comfortable and able to fold clothes more easily. After about 3 minutes of crying, Kayla suddenly ceased making noise and fell into a deep sleep. It was strange and amazing all at once! Once we were done with the laundry, we noticed her interesting sleeping position. Jason thought she looked like a mini flamenco dancer or a ballerina. So he decided to give it a try to see if it was as comfy as she made it look. It made me laugh.

An Afternoon With the Family

Today Jason's parents came over for the afternoon/evening, and they brought his little sister, Whitney, and her husband, Rolie. We had lunch together after church, and then napped/talked/passed Kayla around, and then this evening we played some games and ate delicious pizza from Papa Murphy's. They left around 10 p.m. It was a great afternoon!

Here's Nana playing a game while balancing a sleeping baby at the same time. Kayla slept for four hours starting around 6:15, which was a BAD idea because then she now won't go to sleep at all. Fortunately we have a movie to watch: "Chicken Run." Hopefully we won't be up too late trying to get her to sleep so we can go to bed.

And finally, the first photo of Kayla with her Papa Jack. This was the first time he'd met her, and she just slept comfortably in his arms the entire time. He had to fight Nana for a chance to hold her, though! Notice the hair colour similarity between Kayla and Papa? It certainly runs in the family!

Treasures from Grandma

My maternal step-grandmother works for a cosmetics company called Jafra. I hadn't heard of it until I met her, but apparently it's as big as Mary Kay in some parts of the country. Grandma Ann is a top dog in her region and is always giving us free Jafra products. This time she sent some for Kayla. It's pretty cool - Baby Wash, Baby Sun Block, Baby Massage Lotion, Baby Bottom Balm, and then all of those in travel size, too! Plus, they came with a litle hat and booties - a duck hat and the booties are shaped like duck feet. Super cute. She also sent some products for Jason and some Mommy Belly Lotion for stretch marks for me. I wonder if it will really work...

Naptime

I caught Raina sleeping in the yard like this today...in the hole she's so meticulously dug over the last several months. No matter what we do she continues to dig...and right where you step from the patio into the yard, too. Sigh. What I love, though, is that right after catching Raina sleeping like this, I nursed Kayla and this is how she positioned herself. All curled up, comfy, between my tummy and the Boppy pillow. They both found their little comfy spot to fall asleep. So cute!

And I took THIS picture because I thought Kayla looked like her Grandpa Sevison with his pants all hiked up. :) (No offense, Grandpa!) Oh, by the way, I took Kayla to the hospital and had her weighed today. She's up to 8 lb. 3 oz.! Only one more ounce to go to reach birth weight. The nurse says she's doing perfectly for a breastfed baby, and she looks great. Good news!

A Healthy Start

This morning my friend Cas brought me breakfast. Yes, that's right - she came over around 8:45 and brought a full delicious meal, complete with my favourite breakfast item: fruit. This is all that's left after I enjoyed it throughout the day. She also brought yummy Safeway bagels, fluffy whipped cream cheese, and chocolate milk. DELICIOUS!!! Thanks, Cas! It's probably my first real breakfast on a weekday since coming home from the hospital.

Pumping

Tonight I tried pumping for the first time. Jason helped me figure out how to put the pump together, and then I gave it a go. I was a little apprehensive, having never had any experience with this type of thing, and really having no idea what to expect, but it wasn't bad. Except that after 15 minutes, this was all the milk I had to show for it. This was quite discouraging and I freaked out thinking I wasn't producing enough milk and Kayla was starving. I think I'll take her to the hospital later this week to have her weighed to make sure she's gaining appropriately. She lost 9 oz. while we were at the hospital and gained back only 2 oz. in a week. So hopefully she's gaining at a good rate...we'll find out later this week!

Mini Photo Shoot

No, not with miniature photos. The shoot was mini. Because I only took three pictures. While Kayla was in a good mood today I took advantage of the situation and shot a few black and whites of the two of us. My mom and I have realized that we don't have any pictures of me with Kayla except in the hospital. Funny how that works, but it's because she and I suffer from the same problem: We're always behind the camera! So this was a small attempt to remedy that situation...at least a little.

Uncle Alex & Aunt Britt

Tyler and Sophie were in town this weekend, and this afternoon they stopped by with Alex and Britt to see us and meet Little Miss Kayla. It was a lot of fun; we had ice cream with all the fixin's and chatted quite a bit. T&S had to get on the road back to Seattle, so they didn't stay long, but Britt and Alex hung out for a while and Alex even got a chance to hold the baby. I love this picture because it's so...them. They were really enjoying the chance to hold Kayla - and for once she was quiet. I think it's because I'd just fed her.

Meanwhile, Jason and Raina relaxed on the floor...though I think Raina was hoping Jason would eventually play with her. I think he might have at some point...but he was a bit lethargic today.

A Simple Treat

Tonight I'm enjoying (well, mostly) my first sorbet since I started counting blood sugar. It's been at least 3 months, perhaps 4. Doesn't seem like that long looking at that number, but it sure FELT like a long time! This strawberry sorbet is DELICIOUS. And I have peach in the freezer, too. They were on sale at the grocery store - 2 for $5. Amazing for Haagen-Dazs!

Now, for the reason I'm only mostly enjoying my sorbet:

She's so fussy I can't even get a clear picture. Sigh...she's been doing this for about 20 minutes. Time to go try to hold her again...

But before I go, a HUGE HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my mom. She turned...30???...today. :)

Beautiful Purchase

This afternoon Jason and I went grocery shopping. Our first shopping trip alone with a baby. She slept the whole time, and it was great! I love how the baby carriers fit perfectly onto the shopping carts and snap on and everything. Ingenious invention.

Anyway, two of the most amazing things we got at the store were the blueberries and the strawberries. Berries are typically so expensive we can't afford to get them, but they were all on sale this time, so we splurged and got a box of blueberries and two packages of strawberries. YUM!!! Can't wait to eat them...aren't they beautiful?

Naptime With Daddy

Kayla likes falling asleep in our arms. And I love catching her sleeping with her daddy, because it's so adorable. So, like a good wannabe photographer, I had to snap a photo. Now if she would just be content to sleep this good in her crib during the day!

Fragrant Gifts

These are the gorgeous flowers we got from various people in celebration of Kayla's birth. From left to right, they are from: The Heinrichs, Grandma Sevison & Aunt Foofie, the Enrollment and Advancement offices, and Nana St. Clair and Aunt Whitney. Most of them are still blooming and gorgeous. It's been wonderful having so many beautiful decorations around our dining and living rooms.

A Job Well Done

This is Jason, attempting to make breakfast for himself one-handed. He did a fabulous job, actually, and managed to butter a biscuit and put fruit on it - all while holding a baby! We're getting some good practice being one-handed these days.

Fresh Breakfast

This morning we had fresh peaches for breakfast. They were locally grown and purchased at a great little fruit stand called "Grandkid's Produce" about a mile off of Highway 11 in Milton-Freewater. We also got some cantaloupe and tomatoes. These peaches were absolutely delicious, and I think we should go get some more.

The First Bath

I love the many facial expressions Kayla comes up with. In this one I see, "Dad, I have NO idea what you're doing, but why on EARTH are you doing it?!?" This was Kayla's first bath outside of the hospital (which we didn't give her, the nurses did, and we weren't there), and as you can see, she really didn't enjoy it very much. She cried the entire time, even when Daddy was tenderly drying her off and she wasn't in the water anymore.

Baby Toes

This is one of the best parts of babies: their toes. I snapped a few photos of Kayla's adorable little toes this afternoon while she slept.

We also had our first home visitors that weren't family. Matt, Elizabeth, and their 16-month-old Ava stopped by to meet Kayla. Ava was quite fascinated with this little sleeping thing that sort of looked like her, and it was so cute to watch her be introduced.