I can't believe Virginia will be turning one in just a few months...scary how fast it goes by! Everyone says that, but I didn't really get it until now!
Summer Activities
I am not teaching this summer, so we are having fun going to lots of playdates and such. Also, I have started taking Virginia with me to the gym (gotta get my body back) and putting her in the playcare. She seems to like it now; she really likes to see all the other kiddos and crawl around like a maniac! We have several trips this summer: Chattanooga with the Hardys, Maranatha with the Meiers and also Harbor Beach, MI with Virginia's namesake! We have not been back since 2005 when the clubhouse burned, so we're excited for Virginia to have her first taste of a long family tradition! In between all the travel, I am helping my friend Kerri Beth get ready for her wedding: showers, phone calls, dress fittings, invitation proofs and such. I am very excited and honored to be the maid of honor and hope i do a good job! :)
Development
Virginia is army crawling, rocking back and forth on her hands and knees, standing while holding onto the couch, pulling up on things, opening drawers...the list goes on! I have to watch her EVERY second now. If I walk into the kitchen, she will follow me; goodness, she's a FAST little bug! She'll get this big grin on her face because she's so proud of herself. My little butter bean is growing up...awww! On the talking front, she's doing really well. She says tons of different sounds: nae, ba, ma, da, va, ga. Can't wait until she starts to know what she's saying more.
Joel is still playing ultimate frisbee and will finish up the summer season at the end of July. He's been very happy to have some fun and exercise with friends. I *hope* to run a 5k in October with some friends from my Mommy group.
Hope everyone is having a great summer. Love to all!
About Me
- T.
- I've been married to my "sole"-mate and best friend for 6 years! I'm a water baby and my soul aches to be anywhere near the water!!! We have a beautiful daughter, Virginia. She has us wrapped around her pretty little finger!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
Beach Baby Etc.
Well, I recently turned the big 3-0!!! Wahoo! I never really thought I'd make it this far...haha! But it's not so bad after all. I like to remind DH that I'm always younger than him. :)
Virginia went on her first spring break beach trip last week to Orange Beach! She was good most of the way down, but we got stuck behind a couple of wrecks on the interstate and it ended up taking 9 hours instead of 6-7!!! So, needless to say the last hour was a cry-fest in our car. Poor thing was ready to roll on her side and go to sleep. *Note taken* Always plan to be @ your destination several hours before bedtime, just in case of delays. Oh, and most gas stations and even some fast food places don't have changing stations...ugh. We learned to change her in the back seat, which actually is probably cleaner than some gas station!
Once we got there she was golden! We went to the indoor pool and splashed around some and also went to the beach for a short jaunt one day. At first she did not know what to think of the sand, but after a while she was digging her feet in and wiggling them around. *Another note taken* Be ready to spend more time preparing for your outings, than the time you are actually out! That is something we learned. But, it's totally worth it to see those cute expressions on her face when she is learning about something new like the sand!!
TMI Warning Below!!!
I had my first experience of pumping on the road...I think I'm quite the pro now! To those of you expecting, here are my tips: get a kiddie window shade, wear a nursing tank with a shirt over it and sit in the back left of the car. No one is the wiser! Fresh milk on the go! :)
Lastly, I'll brag about my favorite girl! Virginia is into grabbing everthing: hair, cups, shirts, the pediatrician's stethescope and more. She is rolling from tummy to back like a rock star, however back to tummy is still being perfected...that darn arm gets in the way. She can sit assisted and loves to watch her new-found friend, Rusty. She loves to go outside and watch him play frisbee. She also loves to laugh alot.
On the food front: she likes rice cereal and we're about to introduce oat cereal and then veggies after that! If you are looking for a good book on baby nutrition, I recommend Baby Bites by Bridget Swinney, RD. Most of the other books I found were written by chefs or "nutrition experts", so I was so glad when I found one written by a dietitian! It also has great info about breastfeeding and formula feeding.
The stats: 6 months, 26.5 inches, 15 lbs. 14 oz. and her hair has a slight red tint to it...we'll see! :)
Love to all, especially all those baby bellies out there!
Virginia went on her first spring break beach trip last week to Orange Beach! She was good most of the way down, but we got stuck behind a couple of wrecks on the interstate and it ended up taking 9 hours instead of 6-7!!! So, needless to say the last hour was a cry-fest in our car. Poor thing was ready to roll on her side and go to sleep. *Note taken* Always plan to be @ your destination several hours before bedtime, just in case of delays. Oh, and most gas stations and even some fast food places don't have changing stations...ugh. We learned to change her in the back seat, which actually is probably cleaner than some gas station!
Once we got there she was golden! We went to the indoor pool and splashed around some and also went to the beach for a short jaunt one day. At first she did not know what to think of the sand, but after a while she was digging her feet in and wiggling them around. *Another note taken* Be ready to spend more time preparing for your outings, than the time you are actually out! That is something we learned. But, it's totally worth it to see those cute expressions on her face when she is learning about something new like the sand!!
TMI Warning Below!!!
I had my first experience of pumping on the road...I think I'm quite the pro now! To those of you expecting, here are my tips: get a kiddie window shade, wear a nursing tank with a shirt over it and sit in the back left of the car. No one is the wiser! Fresh milk on the go! :)
Lastly, I'll brag about my favorite girl! Virginia is into grabbing everthing: hair, cups, shirts, the pediatrician's stethescope and more. She is rolling from tummy to back like a rock star, however back to tummy is still being perfected...that darn arm gets in the way. She can sit assisted and loves to watch her new-found friend, Rusty. She loves to go outside and watch him play frisbee. She also loves to laugh alot.
On the food front: she likes rice cereal and we're about to introduce oat cereal and then veggies after that! If you are looking for a good book on baby nutrition, I recommend Baby Bites by Bridget Swinney, RD. Most of the other books I found were written by chefs or "nutrition experts", so I was so glad when I found one written by a dietitian! It also has great info about breastfeeding and formula feeding.
The stats: 6 months, 26.5 inches, 15 lbs. 14 oz. and her hair has a slight red tint to it...we'll see! :)
Love to all, especially all those baby bellies out there!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Growing in the New Year!
Well, a lot has happened since my last blog!!! I had my first Christmas and it was so special! I woke up and had Christmas with Mommy, Daddy and Rusty and then I went to Grandma and Grandpa's house and had Christmas with them and my Great Granny! I got lots of love and lots of goodies too! The very next day we packed up and went to Maranatha for a family reunion! It was the first time I got to meet my family from St. Louis, they are pretty cool! We had a lot of fun, but it wore me out...shew!
Now that it's a new year, I've decided I must grow, grow, grow and get busy making new friends! I am now wearing my 3-6 month clothes and Mommy thinks I weigh about 15 lbs. We'll find out this week when I go to the doctor. I have started music class every week, which I love! Mommy sings the songs and I dance around and squeal! I also went to play group last week and made some new friends. This week we are going to try out story time; I can't wait!
Well, I'm 4 months and growing every day. I can roll over both ways, so watch out for me!
Love,
VGH
Now that it's a new year, I've decided I must grow, grow, grow and get busy making new friends! I am now wearing my 3-6 month clothes and Mommy thinks I weigh about 15 lbs. We'll find out this week when I go to the doctor. I have started music class every week, which I love! Mommy sings the songs and I dance around and squeal! I also went to play group last week and made some new friends. This week we are going to try out story time; I can't wait!
Well, I'm 4 months and growing every day. I can roll over both ways, so watch out for me!
Love,
VGH
Friday, November 14, 2008
Hey it's me, V.!
Well, my cousin Evan sends out emails to all his family and friends so I decided I want to blog to everyone! Hello, my name is Virginia Grace and I'm 2 months old today! I am hitting a growth spurt and can no longer wear some of my newborn clothes...yay, I'm a big girl now in 0-3 months clothes!
So far life has been wonderful!!! I like to wiggle around alot and play under my rainforest. I have also started mimicking Mommy and Daddy's faces, trying to talk to them. I must say I make the cutest ahhh's and ohhh's. Mommy and Daddy's faces just light up when I talk to them. I also love to look at lights and shadows. Car rides and strolls are fun too!
I have made a lot of friends so far! William lives next door and he came and brought me some cute clothes. I also met my new friend Elizabeth at a Halloween Party. We hung out together and she was very excited to meet me. I also have some of the coolest cousins: Shelby, Joshua and Evan! They are so much fun and I can't wait to see them at Christmas!
Next week I go for my first immunizations! Mommy says I'm a strong gal, so I should do just fine! :)
Love,
Virginia Grace
So far life has been wonderful!!! I like to wiggle around alot and play under my rainforest. I have also started mimicking Mommy and Daddy's faces, trying to talk to them. I must say I make the cutest ahhh's and ohhh's. Mommy and Daddy's faces just light up when I talk to them. I also love to look at lights and shadows. Car rides and strolls are fun too!
I have made a lot of friends so far! William lives next door and he came and brought me some cute clothes. I also met my new friend Elizabeth at a Halloween Party. We hung out together and she was very excited to meet me. I also have some of the coolest cousins: Shelby, Joshua and Evan! They are so much fun and I can't wait to see them at Christmas!
Next week I go for my first immunizations! Mommy says I'm a strong gal, so I should do just fine! :)
Love,
Virginia Grace
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
A Natural Baby
My Mother would probably say it's fitting that I had a natural childbirth. She refers to me as her "natural" child. I buy organic foods when I can, I like to be outdoors and go hiking and I was even a veggie head for a while before I got pregnant. So, I guess it was only "natural" that I have a natural childbirth! It was really the best decision I could have made. I know it's not for everyone, but it was best for me.
Was it painful? Of course. Was it so horrible that I'd go for drugs next time? Of course NOT! I think I'd be more nervous of having an epidural or pitocin and being chained to the bed, not being able to feel anything than of feeling the contractions without drugs. I will say I probably couldn't have done it without the Bradley classes and me practicing relaxation daily. At the hospital I had my music and really just tuned everything out. Joel was wonderful: holding my hand, walking the halls with me, letting me hang on him and rubbing my back. My friend, Michelle, was there also, getting cool rags for my face and rubbing my back when I needed it.
Really, I just stayed focused and never once looked at the clock. I got to where I could tell when a contraction was coming on. A lot of the pain I felt was in my back, but I would also feel an extreme tightness in my belly at times. It was much easier to get through as long as I kept my breathing nice and slow. There was a time or two when I started to breathe faster and the pain was so much worse. Funny, I just had to let the contraction take over and not try to fight it...let my body do it's thing.
I was in labor over 12 hours. While it did seem long, I wouldn't have guessed it was that long. Miss Virginia was born at 133am and she was very alert and wiggly already! I like to think she didn't have that sleepy baby syndrome because she was drug-free. Also, she was hungry and went right for the breast.
If any of you are thinking about natural childbirth, I say don't listen to those that say you're crazy. Women have been giving birth without drugs and intervention for hundreds of years. Find what works best for you and trust your body! While I was prepared for medical intervention in case of emergency, I am glad everything went great and I got to experience labor in it's most real form...naturally!
Was it painful? Of course. Was it so horrible that I'd go for drugs next time? Of course NOT! I think I'd be more nervous of having an epidural or pitocin and being chained to the bed, not being able to feel anything than of feeling the contractions without drugs. I will say I probably couldn't have done it without the Bradley classes and me practicing relaxation daily. At the hospital I had my music and really just tuned everything out. Joel was wonderful: holding my hand, walking the halls with me, letting me hang on him and rubbing my back. My friend, Michelle, was there also, getting cool rags for my face and rubbing my back when I needed it.
Really, I just stayed focused and never once looked at the clock. I got to where I could tell when a contraction was coming on. A lot of the pain I felt was in my back, but I would also feel an extreme tightness in my belly at times. It was much easier to get through as long as I kept my breathing nice and slow. There was a time or two when I started to breathe faster and the pain was so much worse. Funny, I just had to let the contraction take over and not try to fight it...let my body do it's thing.
I was in labor over 12 hours. While it did seem long, I wouldn't have guessed it was that long. Miss Virginia was born at 133am and she was very alert and wiggly already! I like to think she didn't have that sleepy baby syndrome because she was drug-free. Also, she was hungry and went right for the breast.
If any of you are thinking about natural childbirth, I say don't listen to those that say you're crazy. Women have been giving birth without drugs and intervention for hundreds of years. Find what works best for you and trust your body! While I was prepared for medical intervention in case of emergency, I am glad everything went great and I got to experience labor in it's most real form...naturally!
Virginia Grace
Hopefully everyone that reads this already knows that Virginia Grace is here! She was born at 1:33am on Sunday, September 14th. She weighed in at 8 lbs. 9 oz. and was 20.5 inches long with a head full of brown hair. She has her Daddy's mouth and my nose! I must say she's the cutest baby I've ever seen! :)
Motherhood is lots of fun, but definitely tiring at times too. We're very lucky though because Miss Virginia is quite a good baby. She loves to snuggle-bug on your shoulder, go for car rides and stroll around the neighborhood. She sleeps with her arms over her head and is the biggest wiggle worm I've ever seen. My family thinks she's so active because she's used to the exercise I did while she was in my belly. She has her alert time every day where her eyes get as big as saucers and she takes in the world around her. She loves to look at mine and her Daddy's faces and study them. She has just recently started to mimic the faces and sounds we make. She tries really hard and sometimes a little "aahhh" comes out...so cute!
At her one month appointment she weighed in at 9 lbs. 5 oz., so she's a growing gal!
Hope my next post won't take a month! :)
Motherhood is lots of fun, but definitely tiring at times too. We're very lucky though because Miss Virginia is quite a good baby. She loves to snuggle-bug on your shoulder, go for car rides and stroll around the neighborhood. She sleeps with her arms over her head and is the biggest wiggle worm I've ever seen. My family thinks she's so active because she's used to the exercise I did while she was in my belly. She has her alert time every day where her eyes get as big as saucers and she takes in the world around her. She loves to look at mine and her Daddy's faces and study them. She has just recently started to mimic the faces and sounds we make. She tries really hard and sometimes a little "aahhh" comes out...so cute!
At her one month appointment she weighed in at 9 lbs. 5 oz., so she's a growing gal!
Hope my next post won't take a month! :)
Monday, September 8, 2008
39 Weeks: 1 week to go...we hope!
Miss V. is now about the size of a mini watermelon! She's still quite comfy in my belly, but we'll keep everyone posted on when the time comes! The walk-a-thons have started, as I try to walk 2-3 times every day. I feel her lower, but then I look at my belly in the mirror and she still looks fairly high. Who knows, maybe she is just playing games with me. She definitely has a mind of her own and will come when she's ready! :)
I'm getting loads of comments from strangers, family and friends alike- "wow, when are you gonna have that baby already?" or "are you having twins?" or "goodness you are huge; you've really filled out!" Gosh, everyone knows just how to make a preggo lady feel beautiful! At 39 weeks pregnant, all a preggo lady like myself wants to hear is "you're beautiful and you've done such a great job taking care of yourself and baby!" Well, my husband tells me these things; so maybe I should just listen to him! He says I look so big just because I haven't gained a lot of weight elsewhere. I know he has to say it, but I chose to believe his words, true or not! :)
Everything is packed for the hospital and Joel assures me that he has his cell phone on him at all times! Now, we just wait! Patience is not always my best trait, but I know that Virginia will be worth all the waiting! :)
I'm getting loads of comments from strangers, family and friends alike- "wow, when are you gonna have that baby already?" or "are you having twins?" or "goodness you are huge; you've really filled out!" Gosh, everyone knows just how to make a preggo lady feel beautiful! At 39 weeks pregnant, all a preggo lady like myself wants to hear is "you're beautiful and you've done such a great job taking care of yourself and baby!" Well, my husband tells me these things; so maybe I should just listen to him! He says I look so big just because I haven't gained a lot of weight elsewhere. I know he has to say it, but I chose to believe his words, true or not! :)
Everything is packed for the hospital and Joel assures me that he has his cell phone on him at all times! Now, we just wait! Patience is not always my best trait, but I know that Virginia will be worth all the waiting! :)
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