24

 After 16+ months, Michael and I were able to get away Just The Two of Us - for 24 hours! No mothers, grandmothers, dishes, or cleaning to tend to. And no, not even our sweet baby girl, Lyla. A couple of hours leading up to our Stay-cation in downtown Austin I started feeling a little sadness and guilt creep in. But after a happy drop off, we piled in the car and headed down the road to 24 hours of bliss. Already in my swimsuit, we headed straight for the pool upon check in to our hotel. We spent the next bit laying by the pool listening to tunes and sipping on a mango margarita. Ahhh - so sweet! After grabbing a quick bite for dinner we got ready for the main attraction of the night - seeing Roger Waters perform The Wall! (You know - from Pink Floyd) We took a pedi-cab through downtown Austin and arrived at the performance hall within 15 mins. We were so thankful to not have to deal with parking!  

  

The concert was incredible! Roger Waters was a brilliant performer and the quality and sound of his voice was soooo good! It was the best production I've seen - the graphics and visuals, set designs, lights, music - Everything! We had such a great time. After the concert we had the pedi-cab drop us off in the bar district so we could take advantage of a little night life. We decided to check out the famous Stubbs and stumbled onto another great show! 'He's my Brother, She's my Sister' was the name of the band - and they were so fun to watch. We talked with a few of the band members after the show, who were so gracious, and then headed on down the road to have a drink at a rooftop bar. For one night we were total rock stars :) We even stayed up till 2am - well past our bedtime these days. The vacation continued well into the late morning allowing us to slowly rise out of bed around 10:30am. We grabbed some Starbucks and then wrapped up our Get-Away with a tasty lunch outside at Hula Hut. We arrived home to learn that Lyla had been a perfect angel the whole time we were gone - she had had such a fun time playing with the neighbors kiddos and with her babysitters. What a relief to know that we are able to get away from time to time and she won't just fall apart!

The last three to four weeks have been especially wonderful! We've had a lot of good news and alot of things go our way. We sold my Passat last month and were able to use that money to pay off a bunch of debt and fund our trip to Colorado this summer. Lyla will finally get to meet her other Grandpa(my dad) and I just can't wait! I also can't wait to get to the mountains and experience some of the nature out there and spend time with my sister and nephews.  Michael and I celebrated our 5th Anniversary traveling around Texas and we had a fun and busy Easter weekend.  To see some pictures of the last several weeks, just click on this link:

https://picasaweb.google.com/ykistner/2012AprMay?authkey=Gv1sRgCP712Pqx8_fJlQE#

Lyla will be 17 months in just a few weeks. Since she turned a year old time just seems to be flying past me. She's running all over the place and already has lots of words. She loves to be outside and often points out the flowers, birds, airplanes and doggies of course. Lyla also loves her jewelry - and is so careful to keep up with each piece. One of her new favorite "games" is to get in Gigi's wheelchair and crash into Ditty. She thinks it's hilarious!

Michael is doing really well. He's been taking Brazilian Jijitsu for the past 3 months and loving it! An attacker doesn't stand a chance against him :) After class he trys to show off his moves by having me stand in as his competitor - but I can't get past the smelly sweat factor. Too sticky for me! He's also been enjoying working out in the yard. He's worked so hard the past few months transplanting boxwoods, jackhammering through limestone rock, taking out sod, and planting plants. The yard has gone through a total transformation and looks fantastic!

I've been serving at our church's nursery for the past several months just helping to check in the little ones. It's been a great way for me to meet new people, give back, and do something for myself outside of the house. I've also been getting a little crafty this year. I knitted my first scarf, planted an herb garden, and now I'm working on making a Growth Chart for Lyla.

Ginger and Ditty are doing better than ever. They've had fun helping us with the landscape planning and buying flowers. Ditty was even out in her wheelchair today pruning the boxwoods! But their greatest joy is just watching Lyla learn new things every day.

Happy Mother's Day to all of you wonderful moms out there! I hope you feel loved, appreciated, and honored for all you give of yourselves each and every day! Above all, I hope you get to spend time doing at least one thing you really enjoy today.

Love you all and God Bless!

Post Holiday Recovery and Reflections

Phew! The last 3 - 4 months have been jam packed full of events and activities. I found myself immobilized a few days ago because I actually had nothing major to plan.    I didn't know what to do with myself.  And then I had to convince myself that it was quite okay if I decided that I needed(or wanted) to take a nap.  I'm such a planner that it feels almost uncomfortable if I don't have anything major coming up to plan for. Which is why I've added "Rest and relax without feeling guilty" to my New Years Resolutions list, again :) 

So what has taken so much of my attention the last several months that I couldn't possibly have had time to update our blog? Here's the rundown:

Lyla's Baby Dedication was held in late October at our home church. We had a small group of family and friends surround us in prayer as we carved out a special time to dedicate Lyla to the Lord. Following the ceremony, we had a reception at our home to celebrate the occasion, complete with all the necessary party treats: Petit fours, punch, Ditty's famous chicken salad, pimento cheese sandwiches, and more! It was such a great day.

It was mid-October when we had to say goodbye to our beloved family dog, Molly.  As some of you know, she had a lung tumor and the doctors thought that the cancer had also spread to her abdomen.  We spent several months trying to make her comfortable by draining her abdomen of fluid, but eventually it just became clear that it was her time to go.  We were so sad to have to put her down, but we knew that it was the right choice for her.  We still miss her very much!

We spent Thanksgiving with the Pomeroys in Dallas this past November.  My Aunt Sonia and Uncle Thomas hosted our family dinner this year.  It was so good to see them and the rest of the family that could attend.  Brought me back to old times.  

The screening of 'An Ordinary Family' - both here at the Austin Film Festival and all over the country! Michael was able to attend the festival here locally and also the one in Fort Worth.

Lyla's 1st Birthday Party was a blast! Though I tried to keep it fairly simple,  I still somehow managed to work non-stop on her party the two days leading up to it.  Most of my time was spent baking and decorating her first birthday cake - and it turned out fabulously!  In addition to her own little smash cake, I made a vanilla peppermint cake cut out in the shape of the number 1.  I decorated it with a kind of pink winter wonderland theme going on - complete with crushed peppermints and edible snowflakes.  Can you tell I'm proud of myself :)  For a non-baker, I sure kicked this cake's butt!  And of course, a month prior to her party I baked a practice cake so I could work out all the kinks and get it just perfect, much to my family's delight!  So anyways, we're supposed to be talking about Lyla right? :)  She was such a little lady as she gingerly licked the frosting off her cake a finger at a time.  And after a handful of licks she was "all done."  Lyla had so much fun playing with all the kiddos at her party and interacting with all the people.  But more than anything, I think she loved her giant Happy Birthday balloon!  She still points to it when we go downstairs first thing in the morning. 

Lyla and I have been spending a few days every week either going to the library for Story Time or to meet up with her playgroup.  She loves getting out and playing with the other tots!  And now she's really on the move.  Just a few nights ago she started crawling up the stairs - she only got to the second stair before I caught her, thankfully, and therefore the fourth and final baby gate will be going up.  She's standing, dancing, cruising and climbing all over things.  As she moves about, Lyla loves to point to various objects and say,"This?"  Oh - what fun she's having!  So much to see and learn about!

Christmas this year at our house was absolutely wonderful!  We had a houseful of Pomeroys and Kistners - and it was great!  We celebrated Christmas with good food, family movie time, board games, an amazing program held at our church, hanging out by the fire, and a little nog.  It was perfect!  Michael and I even conquered cooking our first turkey together - with a few overseeing chefs, thank goodness!  Did you know that you have to wash the turkey before cooking it?!  Thanks to my Aunt Lyn and stepdad, Doran, we had a tasty and CLEAN turkey.  We might also have had a few surprise goodie bags in there had we not had a few experts in the kitchen. LOL!

We brought the New Year in with our neighbors by having a block party this year.  Everyone was out on our cul de sac cooking up burgers, dogs, and other goodies.  Even Ditty and Ginger made it out to this affair.  We all had so much fun getting to better know everyone - we even made it to midnight for the New Years Eve toast!  

Speaking of the new year...I am filled with hope and curiosity as I ponder what it holds for us.  2011 was a doozy of a year.  Infact, I don't think I've ever had a more difficult year in my adult life.  This year has no doubt tested my patience, endurance, ability to "let it go," and setting good healthy boundaries.  Ironically enough, it's also been a year of great love, enduring love, learning, grace, growth, and acceptance.  In a year's time, we've expanded our little family to include an amazing baby girl and a mother and grandmother.  Imagine four generations in one household!  Now - don't ever entertain that thought again!  Just kidding :)  For all of it's hardships, it has certainly been a blessing in Michael and I's lives.  We see the work that God is doing in our home and in our own personal lives.  I just hope He's done with the lessons soon! :)  We hope you all had a wonderful holdiay with your families!  Happy New Year to you and God bless!

Even Super Heroes Need a Break - don't they??

Where do I start? The last several weeks have been jam packed with stuff, events, travel, and more stuff! I've recently realized I've been running on empty for the last leg of this summer journey and was going to give out if I didn't take a few moments to rest, catch my breath, and "refuel." For me, half the battle is actually just stopping. I finally gave myself a small break the other evening and relieved myself (with Michael's help of course :) from all responsibilities. For one hour I read a chapter out of The Stand and then took a luxurious nap. And can you believe it, the house and everyone in it did not fall apart! (It would have taken at least a couple hours for panic to set in ;-) Why is that so hard for me to do?? And why is it so hard to ask others for what you need or for help? Because I find it incredibly difficult to surrender my She-Ra cape! I always did prefer her to Wonder Woman. Right now, I'm just trying to find the joy in what my days have to offer, strength and rest when the weekly schedule is full and unrelenting, inner peace when things don't go my way, and hope that some of this chaos is only temporary. After a terrible no good very bad day, a few days ago, I was able to come on the other side of my mountain and find that I still have it in me to give. I just needed a little recharge, a couple of good cries, and I'm ready to go again. Only this time, I have to remember that while I'm helping take care of everyone in this house, that I'm a part of it too. Mental note: "Schedule 'Me-Time' on iPhone." Although hectic, we have had a great start to the summer. Here are the clips and highlights from our early summer days:

* In early June, we spent a long weekend in Dallas for the Pomeroy Family Reunion. Cousins, aunts, and uncles came from all over to take part. But, I was most excited that my sister and nephews ended up coming in for the big sha-bang! Aside from some of the normal family drama that happens when you get a lot of people together, everyone had a great time. Not only was the main event fun, but we also spent time that weekend swimming with our cousins, going to the Dallas aquarium, and just hanging out.

* Within a few days from getting home from the reunion, I was already beginning to prepare us for our trip to California. We flew into San Diego, where we stayed with my cousin

Dustin and his wife Michelle, out at their mini "farm." They have a cute little house with about an acre of land where they not only have a few dogs and cats to keep them company, but lets throw in a couple of sheep while we're at it! It was wonderful and Lyla rather enjoyed spending her mornings laughing and watching all the animals. While in San Diego we got a few hours of beach time in, some good grub, and great family time with not only my cousins, but also Michael's dad. We, then, spent a night in Santa Monica where we walked around the 3rd Street Promenade and ate at The Beanery. And finally, we arrived at the destination that originally brought us to California: Los Angeles. The main event going on for us was, of course, the L.A. Film Festival! But with all the bustle, we managed to squeeze in some Roscoe's chicken and waffles, which was quite an experience!

So, the L.A. Film Festival - was AMAZING! As you know, Michael's film company, Matter Media Studios produced their film, An Ordinary Family, last summer. They had their world wide premiere on Sunday, June 19th. How exciting it was to watch this amazing film, written and produced by Mike Akel and Matt Patterson, on the big screen! The only thing that was missing for me was a bag of popcorn and a Dr. Pepper which I forgot in all the excitement and craziness! To sit amongst the SOLD OUT crowd of first time viewers and hear their reactions, their laughter, was wonderful. The screening of An Ordinary Family brought the cast and crew back together to celebrate this wonderful work of art - and they all had a hand in it! I'm so proud of everyone and the hard work they poured into it! I'm especially proud of Michael for all the sacrifice and work he did in the infancy of this film, for without him, we probably wouldn't have been watching the film at the L.A. Film Festival a few weeks ago. The film has received numerous stellar reviews so far and they hope to make it to another film festival and hopefully even be picked up by a good distributor.

* Ditty came home last weekend after a long stay at the Rehabilitation Center. She's taking it nice and slow so she doesn't end back up in that place! Over the next few weeks we'll have a full-time caregiver to make sure she has someone with her at all times. It's been so nice having her back at the house - we've sure missed her presence and the laughter she brings.

* Just as we were gearing up for Ditty's homecoming, we were preparing for Ginger's major surgery. She had a major procedure done last week that will hopefully help with the stiffness and spasticity of her legs. So far, it seems to have really helped. We can't wait to see how this affects her life in the long-term. If anything, we think this will make her more comfortable throughout the day, easier to lift and transfer, and less prone to other health conditions. Just one more week of physical therapy and she'll be back home!

* Lyla and I took another trip back to Dallas to have some good "girl-time." We spent the weekend with Candice and her boys and just vegged out. Of course, we made sure to fit in a pizza night with Michelle and Chad. While in Big D, Lyla also got a chance to meet Julie and her baby girl, Juliette. I think they're going to be pals :)

* We celebrated Ginger's 60th birthday on June 30th. We had a great meal out with the family and topped it off with gifts and chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting!

O-kay...I'm out of breath. And you're probably out of attention-span (a few paragraphs back I imagine). Now that you know where we've all been...here's a few tid bits about Lyla. She' AMAZING! But you already know that :) Almost 7 months old and is sitting up by herself and rolling over (from her tummy to her back). For those who have not recently been in her presence, she is incredibly vocal. She ranges from a low growl to a high-pitched squeal that would give any 3 year old little girl some competition. Lyla is so expressive and such a sweet sweet baby. She lights up my life each and every day!

Don't forget to check out pictures from all of the events mentioned above! We have some great videos capturing some of Lyla's milestone moments as well.

To view pictures of Lyla swimming, Pomeroy Family Reunion, and more, click here.

To watch a video of Lyla rolling over, click here.

To watch a video of Lyla sitting up, click here.

To see Lyla playing the piano with Daddy, click here.

To see Lyla swimming, click here.

Love is a Song

The latest song from Switchfoot, 'Your Love is a Song', has been the perfect soundtrack to all the drama that's been going on in our house over the last several weeks. With all of the crap that has seemed to rain down on us lately, somehow we've managed to still find the laughter and joy that each day has to offer. Moreover, we've discovered how our love for one another has changed, grown more deeply and evolved. It's a song of sorts. It has shown itself in so many ways…it has highs and lows, some of it has been messy and unexpected, and other times it has come more naturally and in the usual ways we think about experiencing love. In the latter, I have had the joy of laughing with Lyla and delighting in her growth and discovery of her world. I celebrated, with Michael, our 4 year wedding anniversary in Fredericksburg, TX, where we were able to get away from our day-to-day lives and devote a full day to each other, uninterrupted (well mostly – Lyla did travel with us). Love exists in the quiet of the early morning where you baby girl eagerly awaits the warmth of your arms. It lives in the middle of the night when your mother needs your help because she can’t do it herself. It’s chicken salad, “made just for you,” and it’s baked golden into loaves of poppy seed cake. On the really tough days, this is what I have to remember…

And then love showed up where I least expected it. When Ditty was at home trying to recover from her initial broken femur she needed a lot of care. What at first began as just another “to do” on the long list became a time of tenderness and connection for the two of us. I met her then fragile spirit with compassion and humility. How hard it must be, to be forced to relinquish your independence and your “place” in this world. How she longs to have her young body back – her life back. It was after helping her during her nightly bedtime routine for a few weeks that I think we both knew our relationship had grown from just “in-laws.” Our late night conversations revealed to each other our true hearts. She would get so flustered because she couldn’t believe that I was having to take her socks off for her or help her into the bed. I reminded her that the best love sometimes comes when you're able to serve someone who's in need. And it was in serving her that I truly came to know her and love her more.

As we honor all of our moms this Mother's Day, I can't help but think of what an amazing woman Ditty is. She is, in many ways, the kind of mom I want to be. No- I didn't say she was perfect :) But she gets the important things right. She has given so much of herself and sacrificed alot so that she could help take care of her grown daughter and her grandsons. There's not a thing she wouldn't do to help out her family. But, mostly it is in the little, subtle things that she does. At dinner time, she would often make sure Michael got the biggest piece of meatloaf or seconds on mashed potatoes. It might be that she surprised him with a new shirt because he got a new job. Or making his favorite dessert, just because he likes it so much. Love for her is getting up two to three times in the middle of the night to make sure her daughter is alright - she's been doing this for years now. While visiting her at the hospital a few days ago we held hands as she rested and I updated her on the happenings at the house. She stopped me to say, "Who would have ever thought you'd be here by my side, holding my hand like this? Darling, what would I do without you?" Wow, how humbled I was, and incredibly moved. Because I, too, couldn't have pictured that even one year ago. But, what I did know a year ago was that God had something amazing planned for our family. Michael and I knew that this would be hard and not go without it's challenges. But it's for that reason, and many more not mentioned, that we know we're doing exactly what we're supposed to be doing. And that make's it all worth it.

As you remember your mom this Mother's Day, think of the little subtle ways she loves you - does it come with an extra serving of mashed potatoes? For me, it comes in banana cream pie, lots of hugs, poetry, long talks on the phone, making a cup of coffee for me in the morning, and cooking my favorite dinners when I visit, just to name a few. Thank you so much mom...I love you!

Happy Mother's Day!

To watch Lyla's choir audition, click on the link below :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0AOqUIDDd4

Springing Forward!

With the arrival of spring, we are seeing new growth - both in our home and in the creation that surrounds our home. I was excited to see our first red bloom on our rose bush out front! The trees are beginning to shed their dead leaves to make room for the new growth. Some of our plants and flowers have already returned much to my delight (especially since I didn't have to do anything to warrant their growth :)! We've had the recent pleasure of sitting out on our front porch together as a family. Daddy Mike's Christmas present to us arrived about 3 weeks ago - a porch swing and a couple of rockers. Hence, dusk has become one of our favorite times. The fresh air, natural light, and rhythmic rocking of the porch swing seem to lull Lyla to a calm in an hour that is typically pretty rough after a long day. Michael and I take turns tending to the yard while the other holds Lyla. I am surprised at how much I've come to enjoy working out in the yard. Needing a break from the full house a few weekends ago, I decided to just dive in. I now see what people mean about working outside. It helps quiet your mind and is certainly therapeutic. I must have pulled over 100 giant cauliflowerly looking weeds out of the ground. Nothing like good hard work! Michael and I have spent our evenings over the few past weeks or so working on pruning bushes, potting flowers and cutting back our plants. I think this could be a new hobby...I love it!

As for our little munchkin, Lyla is just growing so much! She's no longer a wee little newborn. Her personality is really beginning to take shape. One thing I've learned about Lyla is that although she's a pretty easy baby, she can definitely be a little feisty at times. She seems to already have her preferences and doesn't hesitate to "tell" us what they are. :) Lyla is also very curious about the world around her and alert to the happenings in her environment. All it takes is some good conversation or a silly game to get Lyla smiling and cooing at us. She's a pretty active baby girl -always kicking her feet and playing with her toys. I wonder if we have a dancer or a soccer player on our hands? Lyla found her hands this past month and boy does she love them! If she's not using them to grab toys she's rolling them around in her hands or is sucking on them vigorously. We do have a few exciting things to report 1.) Lyla has been sleeping on her back in her crib for about a week now - yea! She had been sleeping in her carseat up until then - it's a long story! 2.) She's getting stronger and tummy time isn't such an ordeal - she's able to put weight on her forearms and keep her head up for a long time. 3.) Lyla laughed for the first time tonight! I was playing a little game with her and when I softly blew on her face her eyes got really big and then she broke out into laughter. It's music to my ears!

A fun activity that mom and Lyla have shared together this past month is a Bathtub Babies Swim class. I never imagined this to be so much fun - infact I think I enjoy it more than she does! I know some of you are probably freaking out to know that Lyla is already taking swim lessons at the ripe age of 3 months! But, rest assured, they are not dunking her under and telling her "good luck!" The whole point of the class is to get them used to water at a young age so that they don't later grow to fear the water. They also give us some good ideas for bath time - to help make it more fun for them. We play games, sing songs, socialize with other friends, and help them get acclimated to being in the water. And I must say, Lyla has a lot of fun! She hasn't cried or fussed once since we started. We made a trip to Dallas a few weeks ago to see some family and friends. Some of my aunts and uncles met Lyla for the first time as did some of our long-time friends. Given that it was Lyla's first official trip we think she held up pretty well considering she was in an unfamiliar place and her schedule was a little off. The best part was that she practically slept the whole way there and the whole way back! I even got to catch a nap on the way home which was a nice treat!

After being inside so much during the winter months, warmer temperatures and longer days usually means more plans and more fun! This past weekend my Aunt Lyn visited. We did a little bit of shopping, good eating, and worked out in the yard. We always have a good time together. Over the course of the next several weeks we're also looking forward to having our friends Michelle and Candice come visit, hosting a dinner for the Texas Leadership Forum, celebrating our 4th Anniversary on April 7th, and taking a day trip to Fredericksburg for some wine tasting and yummy German food! I can't wait for our little trip! As much as I love my mother-in law and grandmother in-law, I can't wait to have some alone time with just my hubby and Lyla. The short time away should do me some good. We did go out to dinner last Friday, just the three of us. I thought we'd be golden after feeding Lyla and then putting her down for the night. She was sleeping in her car seat just fine, right up until the Mariachi band came over and started playing right next to our table :) When I peeked in to check on Lyla, her eyes were bug-eyed, wide-open! It was so funny! She didn't cry the whole time we were there, but she certainly didn't sleep either. Poor thing! I'm not so sure we'll be able to get away with dining out in the evenings anymore. Look's like we'll be ordering in for awhile! :)

To see a cute video of Lyla, click on the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/user/kistner07?feature=mhum

First Things First

The past four weeks Lyla has had many accomplishments. Much to her parents joy she shared her first real smile with us at only 5 weeks old! Talk about melting your heart. We're still so tickled when she responds with a smile to our oohing and awhhing over her. Lyla has also recently shown off other newly learned skills. Just a few weeks ago she gripped her rattle and held on to it for the first time. She's also been working on her hand-eye coordination by swatting at some of her hanging toys. We've been having so much fun playing with and talking to Lyla. She's much more responsive in her communication the last few weeks. And she definitely has a voice! She loves to ooh and ahh when she's happy and playing. And when she's not so happy she has no qualms with letting you know. :)

At 7 weeks old, Lyla slept in her own nursery room for the first time - and did great! Mom and dad were, of course, delighted to have their room back. We were free to read before bedtime, put laundry away, and walk around without tip-toeing. I will say though that the first night I almost bailed on the whole plan. I felt so bad with my baby girl sleeping all by herself in a big dark room :( I got over it though! Some other firsts that we've seen: Lyla attended her first

play group with mom a few weeks ago. I got to meet and hang out with some other moms while Lyla got to be around some other babies. She also worked on her first craft! With the help of some friends, I painted little Lyla's hand red so that she could make a hand-print for Daddy's Valentine's Day card. She was a real trooper and Daddy loved his card! Lyla has had alot of fun looking at her reflection in the mirror and talking to the baby she sees. And she has recently found a lot of amusement in watching Molly, our dog, howl and wag her tail. You have to wonder what she thinks of that strange creature :)

And one thing we're very grateful for is the fact that she's been sleeping through the night for the past three weeks. She'll usually go down between 8 and 8:30pm and won't wake until somewhere between 4 and 5pm.
Trust me - I know we're lucky! She's also been pretty consistently taking a long nap during the day - which mommy is really thankful for. That way I can catch a nap or get some of my own projects done. Thank you baby girl!

All in all, we're just having a wonderful time being at home together. I know how lucky I am to be able to stay at home with Lyla. For many moms, they'd just be getting ready (if not already) to return to work. I just can't imagine having to leave Lyla for several hours every day. So, I know how abundantly blessed I am to have this opportunity. And I'm grateful for it every day.

It's been almost a month since Michael went back to work full-time. He loves his job and is incredibly fortunate to work for such an amazing man! Steve has been such a blessing in Michael's life, and therefore has blessed my life and our marriage. He's been an incredible mentor, in both his prof

essional life and his personal and spiritual life. Every man could hope for a relationship like this. Thank you Steve for the profound impact you've made in our lives!

Finally, Ginger and Ditty are doing well. Ditty has made a full recovery from her hip surgery that she underwent this past October. I've been so thankful for her help as we've adjusted to having a new baby in the family. At 87, she still helps cook some of the dinners, goes to the grocery store with Amanda (our caretaker), and holds Lyla a couple times a day. It's because of her I get to shower every day! As for Ginger, she has found so much joy in being a part of Lyla's life. She loves to watch her play on her activity mat when we're all hanging out together in the morning and late afternoons. With Michael going back to work (out of the house) we've hired an additional caretaker to come out on Wed. and Thurs. afternoons to help out. So far, we feel good about this new caretaker, Alisha. She's already proven to be very capable of doing the job and Ginger seems to like her a lot.

As we move into March we have a few things to look forward to:

• Our first road trip with Lyla to Dallas - my brother, Skai, turns 16 years old! Lyla gets to meet some of mommy and daddy's friends and family
• I start a new mom's group with Lyla
• Lyla starts Bath Tub Babies swim class - can you believe it?!
• Spring time - means more walks and outside time - yea!

Happy Birthday Lyla!

Today Lyla is 1 month old! She now weighs 8 lbs 6.5 oz and is 20 inches long. It's amazing how much she's grown in just 4 short weeks. Just yesterday she was able to roll from her tummy to her side - although I'm not so sure she enjoyed it! She's also been better able to focus on mommy and daddy's face and a few other interesting objects. Did I mention last time that she loves the ceiling fan! And just a few days ago, Lyla teared up for the first time :( She had a pretty rough weekend battling oral thrush, a fairly common infection seen in infants. Fortunately, it only took a few days of medicine before she started feeling better. Even better news - Lyla tends to only wake up once in the middle of the night to feed and then again in the early morning (usually between 6:30 and 7:30am). Mommy and daddy are very thankful for that!

After four weeks, we've finally been able to settle into a routine - sort of :) Let's just say it's a flexible routine. As a new stay-at-home mom, I've really been striving to embrace the monotony of the routine - at times I feel like it's GroundHog Day every 2 hours. Feed her, change her, play with her, put her down for a nap, pump - and then do it all over again. Aggghh! But, then I'm reminded of a few things: 1)This phase is temporary 2) Appreciate and savor every precious (and not so precious) moment that I have with Lyla - I'll never get it back 3) Find joy even in the most mundane tasks - like washing bottles for the 6th time today! On the other hand, I wouldn't change where I'm at for the world. I get to experience every little moment with her. Watching her learn about her world and grow into her own little person is fascinating. And her little coos just melt my heart!

We now have a full appreciation for how hard parenting is - you give every ounce of yourself to your child and it's exhausting! But, wow - we've never done anything more meaningful in our lives. Recently we've been enjoying playing on her activity mat, tummy time, going on short walks in her stroller (thanks to the sunny Texas winters), reading with Daddy, and hanging out with Ditty and Ginger. Every day with Lyla has been a wonderful adventure and an amazing blessing. We can't wait to see how she grows over the next several weeks!

New Year, New Beginnings

It's hard to believe, but Lyla turned 2 weeks old yesterday! I spent some time earlier today reflecting on our labor experience and finished writing it down (before I forgot it all!) and I'm just amazed at how time has already flown by. The last few days, Lyla has been more alert and curious about her surroundings, drawn to the overhead lights, the fan, and her leaf mobile above her changing table. She's also enjoyed some floor time with mommy and daddy, looking at herself (or something) in the mirror. Of course, she loves to be close and be cuddled by her family throughout the day. And she loves her sleep - so much so that we have to pull out all measures to wake her for a feeding!

A few things we've learned about our daughter's growing personality: She's a very happy baby and content most of the day. But, she's also very vocal about the things she does not like ie. being swaddled at night, having her diaper changed, and taking a bath! She is both strong physically and strong-willed (or stubborn). You guys can guess who she got that wonderful trait from :) She's an absolute joy and we are loving being her mommy and daddy!

Michael and I are handling this new parenting thing pretty well...nights of course, being the most challenging time. It's amazing how much sleep you can give up and still feel mostly together during the day. And all those baby books I read during my pregnancy - out the window. There's nothing like real life, in the moment challenges to make you forget everything you're "supposed" to do. Luckily, when I've felt overwhelmed or unsure of how to handle something I've been able to refer to my resources pretty quickly. It doesn't take long for me to feel confident again and reassured that we're doing a pretty good job for 1st timers. The hardest part I think is just remembering that we're not perfect and we may not get it right the first time. We just have to trust our instincts, seek help when we need it, rest when we can, and love on our baby girl.

Click on this link to view pictures of Lyla's first 2 weeks!

Ready or Not, She's A Comin'!

The realization that we’re four weeks away from our due date has hit us and we’re still in disbelief. The reality is that little Lyla could be here in just two or three weeks - aggghh!! It’s not that we’re scared or anxious or anything, we just can’t really believe it. I guess that’s normal. At 36 weeks I’m still feeling good most days. I’m still working full-time so by 3 o’clock my back and feet are definitely cranky. It’s those last three hours of work that I wonder how I’m going to make it working full-time another three weeks. But, I know somehow I’ll make it.

We’ve spent the last several weeks getting prepared for the arrival of our baby girl and also getting in some quality time, both with each other and with our friends and family. Here are some highlights:

• We went on a little BabyMoon to College Station, TX in mid-October where we spent our time eating good food and doing alot of nothing. It was soooo nice to get to sleep in and not have to get up for any reason. I showed Michael my old hangouts, where I used to work and live and then we walked around the A&M campus. We also got to meet up with our good friends Joel and Erin one night for dinner at Maddens. It was a much needed get-away!
• We’ve had a couple of great Baby Showers over the last few weeks! Both showers were so sweet - the hostesses went above and beyond to make our showers so perfect - down to the last detail! It was so fun to get to see all of our friends and family at our showers and to have them there celebrating with us.
• We had our 35 week appointment last week and our doctor said everything looks good. Her heart, kidneys, etc. all appear to be functioning normally so that’s a relief. He estimated that she weighs about 5.1 lbs. so it’s likely she’ll be a 7 pounder. Hey - I’ll take that!
• After 5 long weeks of living at the Rehab facility, Ditty finally made it back home last Thursday. She’s still in a wheelchair, but she’s slowly gaining her physical strength back. We’re all so glad to have her out of there! Now, we’ve just got to convince her to take it easy and not overdue it. Pray she listens!

With less than 30 days to go (or so) we’re just trying to get everything ready for Lyla’s arrival. I have peace of mind now that we have the car seat bought. Now, we just have to put the finishing touches on the nursery, pack our hospital bags, and finish washing her clothes. Other than that...we’re ready!

10 Weeks Away and Counting!

Now that we're on the 10 week countdown (till Lyla is born) and we have most of the house in order, my focus has certainly shifted to getting prepared for her arrival. We just took an infant/newborn care class this weekend which was insightful and fun. We've also made a lot of progress on the Nursery recently which has certainly made me feel more sane. After sampling a few paint colors, we found the perfect color green for Lyla's room. To start the transformation, I taped and Michael painted the room a couple of weeks ago. Then we put together her crib, which was suprisingly not too difficult. This past weekend we purchased the crib mattress and then dressed it in the Love Bird bedding. We've decided to mix a little contemporary (the bedding) with a little classic. We're going to hang a few of Michael's old Beatrix Potter pictures from his baby nursery. The colors go perfectly and somehow the styles merge together just fine. It has turned out to be a darling room. Now for the finishing touches...But first, that brown shade has got to go!

A New Season...

Wow! The last five weeks have been a whirlwind of things to do. Ditty and Ginger (Michael's grandmother and mom) moved from Charlotte, NC down to Austin the weekend of September 10. When thinking about how much we've accomplished and been through lately I'm just so thankful for the timing of everything. I was still in my 2nd trimester which afforded me the energy and ability to take on this monumental move. As we approach our 1 month anniversary of all living together under one roof I feel like we've already begun to grow closer as a family. As all families living together experience, we've had our share of petty disagreements: over furniture placement or whether to keep a 60 year old hand-mixer (when we already have one). We're also learning how to best care for mom to meet all of her needs. It can be challenging at times and certainly takes comittment and patience. Just as we were all finding our groove, Ditty fell and broke her hip last weekend. She underwent major hip surgery and was just recently moved to a Rehabilitation Center, where she'll have to reside for the next 4 - 6 weeks. She's doing alright, considering her situation - better than I would have thought! We just hope for a speedy recovery so she can return home where she's most comfortable and around the people she loves. But, more than the frustrations and challenges, we're experiencing a new kind of love and joy in this family. It's not always easy and can be incredibly exhausting at times, but we know that it's all worth it. We have been so blessed and thankful:

• First to God for giving my husband a kind of strength and love he probably never knew he had until recently.


• Michael - I love you soooo much! You have labored over all three of us in this house and without any complaints or resentment. You have somehow managed to care for and meet the needs of mom and Ditty and still take the time to ask your pregnant wife what she wants for breakfast in the morning. Thank you babe!


• I'm incredibly thankful for how unified Michael and I have been since the move began. Despite our deepest fears about how our marriage would be impacted, we've shown each other more grace, support, and love than we could have imagined.


• To "Daddy Mike" and McLean thanks for coming up and helping out with the move, unpacking, and taking care of mom and Ditty so we could have a date night.


• To my mom and Aunt Lyn for helping us move-in, unpack, and organize.


• Cindy and Justin - thanks for the tasty meal last week! That helped us out so much!


• Toddy and Becky - for feeding me lunch and dinner for a day. Translation - no cooking for me! And they were two of my favorites - chili and spaghetti!


• To our friends and family who have been an encouragement to us over the last several weeks as we've made this transition. Thanks for all your support!


• We're also thankful for the caretaker, Amanda, that we hired last month. She has truly been a Godsend. We couldn't be doing this without her!!


• Thank you for the good sleep I'm still getting most nights, yoga (when I get to go), this house that gives us the space we all need, the cool air the changing season brings, and the little kicks and punches I receive daily to remind me that Baby Girl is almost here!

Deaf Dogs, Dead Elephants, and a Darn Fine House!

Well, Phase 1 of the big move is pretty much complete. Thanks to some friends and family we were able to get quite a bit done. Our bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen are fully livable so that makes life all that much easier. Phase 2 of the move happens in about 3 weeks when mom and Ditty make the big move to Austin, TX. And with them comes a whole nother truck full of furniture and "stuff." But for now, Michael and I are enjoying the house - just the two of us. This morning as we sat out on our balcony overlooking the greenbelt, I welled up with thankfulness for this house that is so perfect for ALL of us who will be living here. It is the perfect house for us. I spent the morning sipping 1/2 caf coffee :) , reading and writing, and enjoying the cool breeze from our balcony. It was beautiful...


On the baby front: I am definitely looking pregnant - there's no mistaking me for the girl who just ate too many tacos. It's all baby, baby! I'm in my 23rd week and have felt baby girl move and kick more than I ever have before. It's sooo cool! I've had a few mild discomforts where she's pressing up into my diaphragm and it's a little hard to breathe, but it's just all part of it. I still have the usual forgetfulness (although it seems to be getting worse!) and other "baby brain" symptoms. And I guess I must mention...you know you're pregnant when you side swipe your other car while backing out of the garage! My friends warned me of this...something with car garages and pregnancy don't mix??!! Luckily, all I could do was laugh about it. And I was even more lucky that Michael didn't give me too much grief about the incident. Did I mention I have the most amazing husband! So I thought that I was doing really well managing the influx of all these pregnancy hormones...so I thought...Today I got emotional over an article I read in TIME magazine about how many animals think and feel at a far higher level than we or scientists had previously thought. I became so sad about how elephants mourn the death of those in their families and how they show respect for the bones of other deceased elephants that they pass. That got me thinking about the treatment of animals at zoos and circuses and then it just spiraled on.


On a happier note - we got our bedding in on Friday! I love it, love it! We can't wait to paint her room and get her bedroom furniture ordered. Michael's parents and Ditty have also been working hard to refinish a beautiful bassinet that not only Michael slept in as a baby, but his mom, his grandmother, and his grandmother's mother!! What a special gift that is to our daughter.



Other notables:

• This is my last week of the current school year. I'll be stepping down from a Lead Teacher role into a temporary position as an Assistant Teacher so that I can give more attention to the needs at home and with our baby.


• At eleven years old, Molly is starting to show a few signs of aging :( Poor beagle -we thinks she's starting to go deaf. The last three weeks we've noticed that she often doesn't respond to our calling - it's only when we touch her does she realize we're there. But other than that, she's still her same ole' spunky hungry self :)

Moving on!

So after battling the bank for the last week and a half we finally closed on the house today. Woo hoo! Michael will begin unloading the truck from Charlotte tomorrow and then we'll work on moving our furniture/boxes from our duplex on Wednesday. My mind is swirling with all the stuff that has to get done - all before we leave town on Friday evening! Address changes, carpet cleaning, cable set-up, and on and on. And it looks like we'll be camping out in the new dining room until after the carpets are cleaned :) All in all - we're just excited to be moving on!

It's a Girl!

Despite everyone's belief that we were going to have a boy (minus a few enlightened ones :), it turns out that our initial gut feeling was right...that we are indeed having a BABY GIRL! So for all my friends who swear by the Chinese Lunar Calendar - sorry to say but it's still only a 50/50 shot. We found out this past Tuesday afternoon, right at my 20 week marker. Baby Girl is healthy and strong - has all of her limbs and is beautiful! Infact, Michael can't seem to stop looking at all of the ultrasound pics - what a good daddy he is! Are we crazy or can we already begin to see what our baby will look like?? I think she has Michael's nose and Michael is convinced she has my mouth. We'll just have to wait and find out! We're half way there!