Christmas 2007

Who would have thought that our first Christmas with a baby would actually be the most quiet, relaxed, stress-free Christmas we've ever had? Part of it had to do with cards and gifts being finished and ready to go even before December! Part of it was attributed to Ryan being off work, so we had lots of quiet time at home as a family. Part of it was because we didn't plan a lot of social activities. Part of it was not going hog-wild with gifts like many other years. After all, why bother? -we got the best gift ever two months ago! :-)

Our Christmas Day was spent quietly, incorporating a third family member into our existing traditions, and developing new ones together.

We posed for family portraits...
























opened Christmas presents...
























had some play time...


















had some quiet time...


















all in all, it was a very merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Julia is getting to be a big girl already! She's smiling lots and "talking". At her last doctor's appointment on December 11th, she was up to 10 lbs 14 oz! On December 1st she even rolled over for the first time!

Here is our little sleeping beauty. And Sam, her musical giraffe, watching over her.


Julia likes to hold hands with Daddy while he feeds her. (Note the outfit she is in, Auntie Anita!)

Julia LOVES her baths! Just like her Mommy! She has started having a bath with Mommy in the big tub every night before bed. Not sure who enjoys this nightly ritual more!

Having a family cuddle...

Mommy with her favourite accessory!

Julia Lou Who

This one is for you, Uncle John & Auntie Wendy!

Pictures to help you judge for the poll!

All About Baby

A Birth Story
I was one week overdue when I was induced. Labour was going well for the most part. But then the baby's heart rate was dropping with every contraction. Dropping too low and not recovering well. So the decision was made that getting the baby out quickly would be safest, and I was whisked away for a C-section. At 12:14am on Thursday, October 25th, Julia Rose Wolframe entered this world! She weighed in at 8lbs 10oz and was 21 inches long.
Here she is just moments after being born.


Sleep Deprivation
The "experts" had told me to wake my baby up to feed her every 2 to 3 hours. After doing this for a week and a half and running myself into the ground, I emailed several of my friends with babies and asked them if they all did this. The response I got was a resounding NO! LET SLEEPING BABIES LIE! So with a great feeling of relief, I decided to do just that. Happier Mom and happier baby!


Weight Issues
At Julia's second doctor's appointment (which was one week after her first) she hadn't gained any weight. The doctor recommended supplementing the breastfeeding with formula to pack in the calories. At her next appointment the following week (which was actually yesterday, Nov. 15), she had gone from 7 lbs 14 oz to a whopping 8 lbs 11 oz!
Here she is being weighted at her very first doctor's appointment with the best doctor in the world, Dr. Bryant Litchfield.

Lazy Baby
Julia is what is known as a lazy, or ineffective suckler. Basically, she can't be bothered to stay awake to eat! When breastfeeding, she'll eat just enough to stave off the hunger, then fall asleep and not wake up to eat more for another hour or more until she's really hungry again. Since it's more work for her to drink from the breast than from the bottle, she will happily stay awake to get her fill from a bottle. So we're going to go to exclusive bottle feeding. It was a heartbreaking decision for me to make since I always wanted to breastfeed, but we have to do what's best for our beautiful baby girl! And after feeding her a bottle several times now, and having her guzzle it while gazing up at me with her beautiful eyes, instead of frustrating both of us by falling asleep, I've fallen deeper in love. So I know we'll both be happier doing it this way.

Pictures

Julia & Daddy
Julia & Mommy Julia & Grandma Three Generations First walk in the stroller
Redheaded Angel

A few pics until Sharon can get back on :)

Pregnancy Photos

Here are a couple of pictures of me at eight months.

Wee Scare

On September 18 I phoned HealthLink because I had noticed a severe decrease in fetal activity. The nurse I spoke to told me to call an ambulance and get to the hospital right away! I just had Ryan drive me there, but we went right away, alright!
The nurses at the hospital said that every time someone who is pregnant phones HealthLink, they panic and tell them to go to the hospital. But better safe than sorry, right? And major changes in activity are something they say to look out for. So they hooked me up to the monitors and spent some time checking us (me & baby) out.
Happy to say, everything is absolutely fine!

Second Ultrasound

Here are the pictures we got from the second ultrasound, done on September 10th - at almost 35 weeks.

See the smile there in the second picture? :-)

Pregnancy Picture

Here is a portrait of me pregnant!

It was done by Naomi, the four-year-old daughter of friends of ours. Isn't it great?
You can actually see the baby in my belly!
I just love it!

Garage Sale

Well, we had our garage sale on Saturday.

For those of you who don't know, Graziela is here visiting, and wanted to get rid of the stuff she still had up here in storage. Ryan and I just wanted to get rid of excess junk and make some money! So we spent the last couple of weeks going through stuff, pricing stuff, planning, and preparing. What a lot of work! Ryan took Friday off work (it's always an optional day anyhow) to help set up. We put an ad in the paper, and even got the requisite garage sale permit. (I'm sure most people probably don't bother, but we figured better to spend a tiny bit of our profit on a permit, rather than risk spending ALL of it on a fine!) The weather ended up cool and gray, which was unfortunate - I'm sure our bottled water and Gatorade would have sold much better had it been hot! But thankfully, the rain held off for most of the day. We were supposed to finish at 5:00, and rain started at 3:00. Good thing that by 3:00 we had sold enough stuff that we could fit the things outside into the garage! I couldn't believe that people had the audacity to ring the doorbell on the house when we tried to close half an hour early!! Oh well. At least they bought something!

All told, I suppose it was a success. Griz made some money on her stuff, I made some money on my stuff, and Ryan did the best of all with his tools that he was selling.

It occurred to me Saturday night though... Next time, we'd make more money (and save a lot of headache!) giving the stuff to Goodwill and having Ryan go in to work on Friday!

Humbling

This is a shortened, paraphrased version of an email someone sent to me.

Beyond our sun, it's a big universe! (Can you see our earth there? It's the fifth 'largest' sphere after the sun.)











Antares (largest sphere) is the 15th brightest star in the sky. It is more than 1000 light years away. How big does that make you feel?














Below is a Hubble Telescope Ultra Deep Field Infrared view of countless entire galaxies billions of light years away.



















NOW how big do you feel? And how big, really, are the things that upset you today?

Keep life in perspective!


This email really struck me when I read it. I thought "What? But I'm pregnant! You mean the universe doesn't revolve around me right now?"
;-)

Bellydance

Yesterday I watched my belly moving for the first time. I hadn't really looked before, or if I did, I was in the wrong position to see it. But yesterday I could actually see the movement every time the baby moved. It was so neat! It took all my willpower to not laugh out loud!
...Which would have been horrible, considering I was in church! :-)

Melting

Wow, is it hot. It's been 30-ish degrees here lately - well into the 30's with the humidex factored in. It's just gross. I don't feel like doing anything. But at least I don't have to work outside in it all day - in full coveralls, work boots, and hardhat! Poor Ryan! Reminds me to count my blessings; I can at least go down to the basement and do nothing! :-)

Update

Just a little update to let y'all know how we're doing...

At the beginning of the month, I was having some pretty severe cramps. I went to the doctor and EVERYTHING IS FINE but as a precaution, he put me on "light duty". No vacuuming, mopping, squatting, or hands & knees activities. Also no gardening! That is the worst. There is so much weeding to be done, pruning, harvesting, etc... it's torture to not be able to get in there and do it!

Ryan's son, JF, is here visiting for July... what can I say about that? I wish Ryan had more time off work, as I am not the best company for a thirteen-year-old boy. :-)

Ryan's job is going well... it's so nice to have him living at home and working in town!

A Decade

I just want to say HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to my wonderful husband today! Ten years already - how the time flies. It seems only yesterday, at the same time that it seems like it's been all my life... I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat!

"Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken." ~Eccl. 4:11-12

Crazy

I was complaining to Ryan the other day that I can't seem to get a handle on my emotions. The slightest little upset and I am totally on the edge. Ryan "reassured" me by saying that it's very understandable and I can't expect to be in complete control because with hormones all wonky, being pregnant is probably as close as one can get to mental illness without actually being diagnosed as mentally ill.

Umm... thanks, honey... I think!?? LOL!

First Baby Pictures

I had my ultrasound yesterday. I finally believe it - I am pregnant; there's a baby in there! It was awesome. S/he was very active; hardly wanted to stay still for pictures! But here they are. The first one is the 3D picture of the face. Hard to make out maybe, but if you look closely you can see eyes and a nose for sure. The second one is the regular 2D profile. A beautiful baby with all the right parts in the right places. :-) And speaking of parts... if you're wondering about the sex...

.....................................................................................

...inconclusive. :-)

Married Life

Well, here we are adjusting to married life all over again!
Last week Ryan quit his job and came home. He had lost his living out allowance and was forced to move into camp. He can make about the same amount of money working in town as he can without that allowance. So since we had just bought a vehicle, enabling him to get back and forth to a job in town now, he decided it was time to come home. It helped that I was horribly sick with stomach flu, and we realized the pregnancy is more than halfway over already! So Ryan said he'd like to be around. I certainly didn't argue! It's weird though - neither one of us is used to living together anymore! He's been working out of town for a year now, and visits (even extended visits in between jobs) are not the same as living together! I am not complaining though! It's a great thing to have to get used to again. :-)

We're mobile!

Well, sort of. Almost. We have a vehicle... I just can't drive it yet! It's standard, and I have never driven a standard in my life until today! After a half hour lesson (and about 5 stalls), I can get the thing started and into first gear! It's gonna take a few more lessons before I can actually drive somewhere where there's other traffic...
The good news is that even with Ryan trying to teach me how to drive, our marriage is still intact! :-)

Yes, the picture is of the actual vehicle we bought. Great shape, runs well, good deal. It feels weird to have a vehicle after all this time (over a year!) without one.

Knit Together

This is a picture of a girl at 20 weeks. No, it is not our baby, and no, we don't know yet whether or not we are having a girl! But I am 20 weeks (halfway already!), so this is about what our baby would look like now. Amazing!


You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother's womb.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous - how well I know it.
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.
~~Psalm 139:13-16

Gardening

It's in!
It's done! The garden is planted! Whew!
Thank you so much, Mel! This year we are doing a co-op garden. Melissa doesn't have the space in her yard, and I don't have the inclination to do an entire garden by myself. So we planted everything together, we'll take turns weeding, and we'll share the bounty! This year we will be sharing: turnips, snow peas, 3 varieties of beans, 2 varieties of onions, radishes, spinach, 2 varieties of lettuce, 2 varieties of carrots, zucchini, potatoes, 3 varieties of tomatoes, cucumber, and (hopefully) a watermelon or two! Not to mention the raspberries and rhubarb that are already there. And maybe even some plums from the tree?

sniffle, snort, cough

*groan*
I am so sick! I have a horrible, awful, dreadful cold. Everything hurts and I'm miserable. The poopy thing is that I can't take anything for it. Tylenol and virgin hot toddies help a wee bit, but not nearly enough. But, the silver lining, the blessing found in the midst of misery: I have no real responsibilities right now other than taking care of myself. I am free to sleep and vegetate and rest all I need to. And believe me, I need to!

Happy Mother's Day, finally!

Ryan was home this past weekend and surprised me with two Mother's Day presents/presence (ha ha) - he took an extra two days off work to spend more time at home with me! Awesome! The second thing was a patio set. I have wanted one ever since we moved into this house. We picked it up at Canadian Tire on Sunday. We didn't get the swivel chairs, but I did get the ottoman (not shown) - I will be sitting with my feet up as much as I can - aah!

He gave me a really cute Mother's Day card, too, that says "Happy Mother's Day, finally!" :-)

Galloping horses

Yesterday we heard our baby's heartbeat for the first time! It was awesome! I was so glad that Ryan was able to come to a doctor's appointment with me, and we were together when we heard it. It was fast - 174 bpm! (Sounded like a horse galloping, I thought) Ryan asked if I finally believe it now that there is someone in there! I guess I believe it, but it still doesn't seem real somehow! Everything else was good, too. My doctor is very pleased with how everything looks.

yeah, baby

So, how does a card-making addict tell her husband that after about eight long years of trying, he is finally going to be a daddy?

She makes him a card, of course!!

This is the card I made for Ryan. It's basically a fancy envelope with a mini card inside. The outside of the mini card says "congratulations" and the inside has a stamp of a tiny little yellow onesie, underneath which it says simply "yeah, baby" :-)

Angelic cabbie

This past weekend I was in Fort McMurray, visiting my hubby who is working 24 days straight. It was nice. I got to spend days with my sis, and evenings with Ryan. And I got to spend Ryan's birthday with him!

One morning I was waiting outside for my sister to come and pick me up. As I was standing there, a loose dog came up to me. Now, I'm not afraid of dogs at all, so I put out my hand for him to sniff. I wasn't worried - until he started barking and growling at me! So I figured I would just move along, but when I tried to take a step, he took a step, growling and barking all the more. So I panicked! I've heard too many stories about people getting mauled by dogs - needing hundreds of stitches, and new noses grown on their foreheads! I stood still and started bawling. I didn't know what to do! So I prayed. And lo and behold, a cab came down the street. I flagged him down and hopped in before he came to a full stop! The driver was so nice! He let me sit in his cab for a few minutes until I calmed down and stopped shaking and the dog wandered off. I am convinced that that cabdriver was an angel sent by God.

Long & Happy life together

Ryan and I were asked the other day "What is the secret to a long and happy marriage?"

I thought to myself Why ask us? We've only been married ten years. Does that consitute "long"?

Then it occured to me: sadly, nowadays that IS long!

The things he says...

Ryan and I talk on the phone every day and send each other text messages. He said some things that made me laugh when I knew I was pregnant, but he didn't know yet! Once, I was teasing him about behaving himself up in Fort McMurray (read: no girlfriends!), and he sent me a message saying, My eyes are only for you.. I don't make enough to support more than one anyways :-) Uh-oh! Better ask for a raise, Honey!

Another time, I was telling him that I was having trouble sleeping. There was a lot going through my head, and I couldn't even tell him! But he sent me a message saying, I cant sleep either.. must have caught what you have. I don't think so, Honey! You gave it to me, but I don't think you can catch it back! ;-)

Not much is happening to make me "feel pregnant". I haven't had any morning sickness or cravings. One thing though, is that I am hungry almost all the time. But I am trying to be good! Lots of fruit, veggies, healthy stuff. I'm eating a lot of it, though! After spending last weekend with Ryan and eating quite a bit all weekend, on Monday after lunch I said, "Whew, I'm full!" He laughed and said, "I haven't heard you say that all weekend!"

The BEST one though, was on February 19 when he sent me this message: Happy family day, Love.

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Did another pregnancy test this morning. Definitely postitive!
Was disappointed yesterday when Dr. Litchfield said I'd have to stay on the Metformin. He said coming off in the first half of pregnancy greatly increases the risk of miscarriage. In the second half would increase the chance of gestational Diabetes. Darn! I am only 15 lbs away from the weight he would have taken me off the drugs. I've lost 65 lbs... I wonder how much I'll gain back now?

February 14, 2007

Happy Valentine's Day!
Found out today that I am pregnant. How bizarre!
Ryan is working out of town, so he doesn't know yet. I wasn't sure if I should tell him right away or wait a week and tell him in person. I do want to see his face when I tell him though!
I am due on Oct. 17. (Happy birthday, Auntie Wendy!)