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I’m already several days late with Liam’s two-month update!  We went to the pediatrician last Friday for his check-up, and I saw a couple of brand new little ones there.  Could not believe how much bigger and sturdier Liam seems in such a short time!  But I don’t know when that happened?  I mean, it’s hard to see the changes on a daily basis, and then all of a sudden he’s not a tiny newborn anymore.  Since we are currently leaning toward not having any more babies, it’s a little sad for me when I realize — that’s it — I may never have a tiny little jello-y newborn again.  He’s a solid infant.  (But still a bit of a bobblehead!)

So.  The facts:  At two months, Liam weighs around 11 lbs.  I realize now that a baby’s weight can vary quite a bit over the course of a day, because we had a rented scale and I was weighing him routinely.  So, when we weighed him at home, he was 11 lbs 3 oz, but at his doctor’s appointment, he weighed in at 10 lb 15 oz.  That put him at the 30th percentile for weight.  Length was 22 inches (16th percentile), but our pediatrician thought maybe the nurse didn’t get a very accurate measure, because he thinks Liam looks more proportionate length to weight than that would indicate.  Noggin is 15.5 inches in circumference, which is at the 75th percentile!  But he doesn’t really look like he has a huge head.  He just looks perfect.

Liam eats around 4-5 oz at a feeding, about 6 times a day.  After all the breastfeeding issues we had early on, things finally fell into place — almost instantly — at around the four-week mark.  So, needless to say, I am so, so glad I persevered.  I really don’t know how at peace I would have been if I had quit, at least for a long time.  So now things are smooth sailing, and I couldn’t be happer about that.  He is even getting a bit faster with nursing, which is a blessing, because at first it would take over an hour sometimes.  We have continued to give him a bottle (of pumped milk) the feeding before we go to bed and in the middle of the night.  I have tried nursing him at those times, and he is just really sleepy, so I’m afraid he won’t get full and will wake again a short time later.  I am all about maximizing our sleep potential.

Speaking of sleep, I am pretty grateful for what we’re getting, but I’m definitely ready for Liam to decide he can sleep through the night.  The last several days, we have fallen into a *tentative* pattern of feeding around 8 or 8:30, then he goes down.  We will get him up to feed him again around 10:30, before we go to bed, to try to stretch the time until the next feeding.  Then he will wake around 2:30 or 3, and hopefully not again until at least 5:30 or 6, which is when we (or at least I) grudgingly get up for the day.  However, the last two nights he has slept for a solid six-hour stretch the first part of the night, which is great, because then he didn’t get up for the day until after 7.  Lily has been getting up between 6:30 and 7 anyway, so that has worked pretty well.  We’ll see if it lasts.  So, you’d think that 6 hours of sleep would feel pretty good right?  I wouldn’t know.  My body is still on Liam’s previous 3-4 hour schedule, so I lay awake last night, just waiting for him to wake to eat.  I know we’ll all get in sync one of these days!  Probably just in time for daylight savings time to through us all for a loop next week.

Liam is on medication for reflux, which we hope will help with his fussiness.  When I say fussiness, I really mean a lot of screaming and crying, often during or after feedings.  He spits up a TON, which means not only does he go through a few outfits a day, but often Bill and I have to change sometime during the day, too.  We’re talking projectile, and often.  That in and of itself is not reason to medicate, as medication will not have an effect on the spitting up, just the discomfort of it.  And it’s so hard to know if that is what is causing Liam’s unhappiness so much of the time.  He can go from happy and smiling to screaming mad in a split second.  Lily was pretty much the same way, and we spent a lot of her first year trying to figure out why.  She was on relux medication, too, and we never were completely convinced it made any difference.  So it could just kind of be temperament.  Still, that is a lot to explain to strangers at the grocery store who look at me like, “What is WRONG with that baby and WHY aren’t you doing anything about it?”

But he does have periods of content time, too.  When he’s happy, all is right with the world.  Liam started smiling soon after his one-month update.  He even kind of laughs a little now.  He coos and gurgles and makes all those little sounds you forget about since you last had a newborn.  He loves looking at faces and is starting to track faces really well, even turning his head to keep focused on his target face.  He is starting to reach for things a bit more, primarily to bat at toys in front of him.  When on his tummy, he can hold his head up for a few seconds, but it’s admittedly my fault that he’s not stronger with this (for shame, pediatric physical therpapist!).  It’s just been so cold, and our house is so drafty near the floors, I haven’t been too inclined to do a lot of floor time.  Just one of the many challenges I have found with having a winter baby.

And so we look forward to spring and getting outside!  The weather warmed up into the 50’s for the past several days, and I was able to take Liam to and from the car without a blanket covering the carseat.  I realized that he really hasn’t even seen the outside world, because anytime we have him out, he is completely covered.  Poor little guy.  But what wonders he has in store for him over the coming months!

Lily had her first visit to the dentist last week, and I was so proud of her.  We had talked a lot about what to expect, and we had even checked out a book from the library with photos of kids at the dentist’s office, so Lily would be prepared.  But I really wasn’t sure what would happen when the hygenist started trying to actually put tools in her mouth.  She was such a big girl.  Opened right up and they were able to do a full cleaning — which they said sometimes for the first visit or two it’s just an exam to let kids get acclimated.  Lily got to wear princess glasses throughout, and her favorite part was receiving a token after the exam to put in the “prize tower,” a variety of gumball machines with teeth-friendly prizes — no gum or candy.  My least favorite part was learning that, once her back teeth start to move closer together, I’m supposed to start flossing.  Seriously?  Could we add one more chore at bedtime to extend the routine to the one-hour mark?  Anyway, Lily and Mommy were all smiles when the visit was over, and we celebrated – as is the custom in our family — with a trip to McDonald’s.

And here’s the newest addition to the playroom:

I told Bill one day, “I can’t believe that, with your background, you haven’t set up a computer for Lily yet,” and within a few hours the computer station was all ready to go, complete with a mini mouse to fit Lily’s mini hand.  She, of course, took to it quickly.  She has experimented with the computer a bit before, but the mouse was too unwieldy.  Besides, we typically only use the laptops anyway.  So now Lily is using an old recycled laptop of Bill’s, plus an old monitor of mine, and Bill hooked up a regular keyboard and mouse.  Bill found some good kid-friendly games, and we’ve bookmarked a few websites (like PBSkids.org).  PBSkids is a great one because it has a feature where you can turn off all possible options except for the game — so kids can’t accidently close the window, or shut down the computer, or surf the web.  Anyway, Lily is happy to have her own “‘puter” now, and it gives us another option for something to do during these still chilly winter days.

(Oh, and Liam’s still around, too.  He just hasn’t done much that’s blog-worthy lately.  But he hits the two-month mark tomorrow, so I’ll dedicate a post to him then.)

This week Lily and I managed to find some time while the boy was sleeping (a bit of a rarity this week!) to work on some Valentine’s cards.  I decided to limit the variables to just stickers, markers, cut-outs, and glue stick, which minimized mess and stress.  She seemed to enjoy the project, and I think she appreciated the one-on-one Mommy time.  I’ve been trying to create some opportunities for us to do some things, “just us girls,” to let her know she is not lost in the shuffle of the new baby.  I have to say I really do miss having the time to spend together that we used to.  I’m hopeful that we’ll eventually get back into a bit of a routine around here.  She is my sweet little Valentine, and I hope she’ll always “Be Mine.”

How is my son a month old already??  Of course the time flies.  Of course he is changing almost daily.  I think that, as a second time mother, I am enjoying this newborn time so much more, because I know it will pass quickly.  So the challenging times seem not so significant, and the amazing moments are all the more cherished.

Liam is a happy baby.  There.  I said it.  I put it in writing, knowing full well that I have jinxed myself and everything may change tomorrow.  Anyone who has known us for a while knows that Lily gave us some challenges in her first year.  As a newborn, she was borderline colicky, and she was the type of baby that only wanted to be held, which she expressed by screaming anytime she left our arms.  She has grown to be a precocious, loving, amazing toddler, though her demands on her parents are still pretty high.  When I was pregnant with Liam, Bill and I quietly prayed that we would have an easier go the second time around.  When Liam was 10 days old, his screams were so reminiscent of those still echoing in our ears from two and a half years ago, that I turned to Bill and said, “I think we may have gotten the same model this time,” and he sighed and nodded.  What we know now is that the baby was hungry.  He was not nursing efficiently, and it took us a few more days to learn, with the help of a lactation consultant (whom I should have on retainer by now), that he was getting next to nothing from nursing.  We immediately began supplementing with pumped breast milk, and Liam’s temperament began to improve.  Now we have a baby who — knock on wood — is content…a LOT of the time!  He will spend upwards of an hour just looking around with his angelic little expressions, eyes wide as he takes in all the world has to offer…within his 12-inch viewing distance.

At one month old, Liam weighs 9 lbs.  I know this, because we have rented a baby scale so that I can weigh him before and after feedings to ensure he is getting enough.  And he is.  He takes around 4 oz at a feeding, whether it’s nursing or via bottle.  Despite the lactation consultant’s repeated recommendations that he eat 8-12 times per day, Liam has set his own schedule of eating every 3-5 hours, or 6-7 times per 24-hour period.  We are not complaining.  I’ve done the math, and he is getting as much total volume as he is supposed to in a day; he’s just giving mommy a bit more time in between.  He usually wakes twice in the night to eat, and most of the time he goes right back to sleep.  Bill and I have been playing musical beds since Liam was born, trying to find a balance between being close enough to the baby that we can monitor his every breath, but far enough away that we can actually get some restful sleep.  One or both of us will often change beds (between our room, where the cradle is, and the guest bed next door) throughout the night.  We are both up for feedings, since it has been working so well to give Liam a bottle of pumped milk in the night.  He finishes it in about 15 minutes, as opposed to nursing for 45, and — since I try to stay ahead of the demand — Bill can give him a bottle that I’ve previously pumped while I pump for the next feeding.  That way, we’re both back to bed in about 20 minutes, if all goes smoothly.

Liam’s hair is still dark, but it seems to me to be a bit lighter than at birth.  Lily played that joke on me, too — her light brown hair lightened over the months until it was undeniably blond.  I whispered to Liam today that it would certainly garner favor with Mommy if he would keep his lovely brown hair.  At this point, it is what people seem to associate with which parent the child favors.  Since everyone seems to think Lily looks just like Bill, I am hoping maybe this one will appear to be related to me.  Liam’s eyes are that dark bluish color of newborns, but I know they will eventually turn brown — like Mommy’s, and Daddy’s, and Lily’s, and Nana’s and Papa’s, and Aunt Jill’s, and cousins Ethan’s and Finn’s, and Pop’s (on Bill’s side).  Right now, he reminds us a lot of Lily at this age — his petite features and little expressions.  So I wonder if he’ll grow to look a lot like his sister over the years.

Liam likes his bouncer for short periods, and he has been reaching for the toys that hang from it since he was two weeks old.  Already advanced.  He also doesn’t mind the swing for a bit.  He does, of course, like to be held, and I am loving our Moby wrap so that I can strap him to my chest and be hands-free and mobile.

We haven’t caught a big smile yet, but Bill and I both think he is on the verge.  We see little “almost” smiles quite frequently.  I think I’ll be able to report that milestone at the next month’s update.

So I’m finding new challenges in raising two children, of course, but I am also discovering a more relaxed joy at this stage the second time around.  I think it could due in part to thinking that this might be the last time we do this.  And I’m sure it’s due in part to the fact that Liam is a fairly contented baby so far.  But I also think I am just a more experienced parent, and I know that, good or bad, all of these moments will pass unbelievably quickly.

Lily:  Pease, Mommy, can I have some water?

Me:  Oh, honey, Mommy has her hands full with Liam.  Can you wait just a bit?

Lily (super whiny voice):  But my heart is very broken ’cause I want some water!

Sheesh.  (And, yes, I got her the water.)

Needless to say, I do not get a lot of free time to blog these days.  Or do much of anything else.  When I’m lucky, Liam will get sleepy sometime during Lily’s nap (which is no longer a guarantee these days), and he will actually allow me to put him down for a bit, and I may have enough energy to get something done.  Over the course of a couple of naptimes, I have managed to get all of our birth announcement envelopes addressed.  So we just need to finalize the photos and design and get them printed.  I wrapped that up today, and hopefully have enough time leftover for a quickie blog update.  So here’s what the Tice Four are up to lately:

Lily: Is busy loving on her new brother.  She is very sweet with him and wants to know his whereabouts in the house at all times.  She is, however, acting her age a bit these days.  I’m not sure if it’s simply her age, or the arrival of the new baby, or more likely a combination, but she is having a lot of trouble with listening and following directions.  She has also learned quickly that when Mommy is on the couch feeding baby brother, she is not able to easily hop up for speedy disciplinary action.  So Lily will occasionally act out by taking something she’s not supposed to have (i.e. a ballpoint pen, my purse, my glass of water) and run with it to the other side of the room, taunting me with her naughtiness.  Since I am no longer consistently able to supervise time-outs and reinforce that she stay put, we have implemented a new time-out spot: the pack and play, which is now crowding our tiny dining room.  We set the kitchen timer for two minutes, and then she is given the option of complying/apologizing or staying put for another two minutes.  This is still new, so we’re evaluating the effectiveness.  Lily is doing really well with the potty training thing.  She has gone pretty much entire days in her Little Mermaid panties — even waking up dry from her nap.  We are attempting more outings in underwear versus diapers these days, always with backup clothes in the car.

I really need to start writing down more of the things that come from this child’s mouth.  She is funny, witty, and sharp, and her vocabulary is sometimes astounding.  I think I might try to keep track of her utterances over the period of a day or a week and post the results.

Liam:  Wow, it’s hard to write down anything about this boy before things have changed entirely!  At three weeks old, he already looks older, more alert, and more brilliant.  We are amazed that he is already (since two weeks) reaching for the toys hanging from his bouncer.  His eyes are bright and more focused now.  At 2.5 weeks, he was back up to his birth weight, which was a huge relief for me because — just like with Lily — we are experiencing all kinds of breastfeeding challenges.  In short, we were encouraged to offer a bottle of pumped breastmilk after feedings because he had lost weight at his two-week appointment.  He quickly developed a preference for the bottle and stopped wanting to nurse at all.  So, currently, with the periodic help of a lactation consultant, we are “practicing” nursing, then giving a supplemental bottle of pumped breastmilk, and then I have to pump to replace what we gave him by bottle.  It’s quite a bit of work for each feeding (7-8 times per day/night), and Bill and I have both had our doubts about continuing.  But I am commited to giving him breastmilk for now, and I’m hopeful that, over time, he will start nursing efficiently enough that we can wean away from the bottles.  The breastfeeding woes have been many over these three weeks, and tears have been shed.  But, aside from that issue, things are actually going quite well, I think.  Liam is sleeping pretty well at night (knock on wood), and has even given us a couple of 5-hour stretches of sleep.  Since we are doing bottles for now, the division of nighttime responsibilities is quite even between Bill and myself.  Usually Bill gives him a pumped bottle while I pump for the next feeding.  Most of the time Liam goes right back to sleep after a nighttime feeding, so Bill and I are both back to bed in about 20-25 minutes.  Can’t beat that!

Bill:  Got the best possible “grade” for his annual review at work, which is wonderful for him and gives him a sense of recognition for all his hard work with IBM.  Bill has become an expert bottle feeder, and he continues to change more diapers than I do, I’m pretty sure.  He is not only successful in the workplace, but successful in all things domestic as well!  He has been keeping up pretty well with the laundry, and he makes an effort to make sure the kitchen is completely cleaned up at least once during the day.  Yes, yes, I know how lucky I am.

Me: Aside from feeling like a dairy cow much of the time, I am feeling really good for only 3.5 weeks post-partum.  I’m amazed and gleeful that I have lost about 25 of the 30 lbs I gained during my pregnancy.  I am back in all my non-maternity clothing, and I’m ready to get all my maternity wear washed up and put away.  My physical recovery from this delivery has been so much easier and faster than my first.  I pretty much feel like my old self, although I am occasionally reminded by my breathlessness during minimally demanding tasks that I have some work to do to get fully back in shape.  I am hanging in there, having weathered the “baby blues” (I think), and passing each gloomy, frigid winter day as best as I can, always with a mental countdown until spring.

And I think my time is up!  I hear a grunty, squeaky little boy starting to wake, so I know I’ll soon be called to service.  Hope to update again soon!

So, about a week ago I met this guy….  And it was totally love at first sight.  I’m not ashamed to say that he already has me wrapped around his little finger, and I jump at his every whim.  He has handsome dark hair, dreamy dark eyes, and the sweetest, most kissable lips.

William Walter, our little Liam, entered this world on Monday, January 4th, at 1:06 p.m.  His amazing birth followed a textbook labor, and I couldn’t have asked for things to have gone more smoothly.

I spent the day preceding the big day wrapping up some details on the nursery — hanging the crib mobile and making the letters of the baby’s name to hang on the wall.  After dinner, I started cleaning up the kitchen, and found that I couldn’t stop.  I had to clean the living room, tidy up the playroom and Lily’s room, too — even organizing her bookshelves.  I didn’t know the true meaning of “nesting” until that evening.  Finally satisfied with the state of our house, I headed to bed at 10.  At the same time, Bill declared that he was heading out to fill the car with gas.  “Why tonight?” I asked.  “Just in case,” he said.

Just after midnight on the morning of the 4th, I woke to my water breaking and alerted Bill, who hadn’t even gone to bed yet.  After some discussion about whether or not my water HAD actually broken (not always as obvious as it is in the movies), we called the on-call OB while we waited to see if contractions would ensue.  They soon did, and the OB told me to head down to the hospital when I felt ready, if the contractions seemed to be growing more intense.  Wary of the time it would take to get my parents to our house to stay with Lily, plus transit time to the hospital in questionable weather conditions, we didn’t wait around too long.

At 3 a.m. in the hospital observation room of Labor and Delivery, the nurse confirmed that my water had broken, and my contractions were monitored at 3-4 minutes apart, and I was 3 cm dilated.  The nurse admitted me and offered an epidural, but I decided to wait it out, since I know the epidural can sometimes slow labor.

By 7:45, the contractions had gotten strong enough and close enough together that I was ready for the epidural.  I was around 5.5 cm at that point.  The contractions were getting intense, though still tolerable, but I wasn’t getting much of a break in between. And my delivery nurse had warned me that the anesthesiologist had to do a C-section at 8, so I could either get the epidural right then, or wait for over an hour for the C-section to be over. I asked for the epidural, and the anesthesiologist and the resident who would give it were there within minutes, and kind of in a hurry.

This is where my lovely labor story gets a little less lovely. I was fine for the numbing shot, but when the resident started to insert the epidural needle, I started feeling some (not too bad) nerve pain near the site. This made me panic a bit, and I had a little “episode” of falling blood pressure, profuse sweating, and lightheadedness.  Bill was fanning me and patting me with a cool washcloth, but they couldn’t let me lie down in the middle of the procedure. So I told them I had to stop, and they asked if I was sure, and I said yes, maybe I could try again after their C-section. They were gracious, I was embarrassed, and they told me it was fine and they would be back later.

I should note here that I had ZERO problems with the epidural during my first labor. I just get a little high-anxiety around needles, particularly when they are angled at my spine. So I guess I just flipped out a bit.

At 8:45 a.m. I was given staydol through my IV for my anxiety (which feels like the equivalent of a couple of glasses of merlot), and I got the epidural with no problems. The resident had it in within seconds this time, and I didn’t feel it at all. Within minutes, I was no longer feeling the intense contractions, and I felt fantastic.

RIght after the epidural was in, my doctor arrived.  He said that, even though I had a leak of amniotic fluid, there was a pocket of fluid that hadn’t broken that might be blocking baby from descending (he was still at -2 station). So he broke my water to help move things along.

Around 10:30 a.m., I was 7 cm, 90% effaced. I was resting comfortably, and trying to nap, but too excited.  Bill was trying to catch a snooze on the couch.

11:30 a.m.: 9 cm, 100% effaced. Still waiting…

At 12:45 p.m., I was fully dilated and effaced. My nurse said, “Let’s try a couple of practice pushes and see what kind of pusher you are.” Apparently she was satisfied, because she had me push through a couple of contractions while we waited for my doctor. He arrived shortly and coached me through 3-4 more contractions.

Liam was born at 1:06 p.m. Bill cut the cord, and my son was immediately on my chest, where he stayed for the next hour while we stared at him in amazement.  How lucky we are to have experienced this second little miracle addition to our family.

Here are some pictures of Liam’s first moments:

And here is Liam at four days old:

I am guessing this may be my last post of the year.  I wish I had BIG news to report, but we’re all just in waiting mode on the baby front.  But I couldn’t end the year without a few remarks about Christmas!

This Christmas was one of the best in my memory.  And it had everything to do with a blonde little princess and her “pink and purple presents.”  I admit that I was preoccupied with baby prep this Christmas season, but in the few days leading up to it, I couldn’t help but be wrapped up in the magic and anticipation as viewed through Lily’s eyes.  She would go to bed, eyes wide, telling me about the reindeer — Rudolph in particular — and Santa, and precisely what was going to happen on Christmas Eve night.  She had questions:  How would Santa move the fireplace screen to get in?  What do the reindeer eat?  Why can’t the reindeer come in the house, too?  I fielded these as well as I could, and reveled in the complete belief of a child.  No answer I gave would have made her question the facts in her mind.  Santa was coming, and soon.

The night before Christmas, and all through the house, Santa’s true elves were whispering and scurrying to create the magic.  Toys were assembled and attractively displayed.  Stockings were stuffed to the brim.  Cookies were munched, leaving just enough crumbs behind as evidence.  And one small white furry elf was employed to run around the front yard with jingle bells on his collar, to alert drowsy children of Santa’s approaching sleigh.  (At this point, just before bedtime, I was helping Lily get her Advent calendar treat, and her eyes widened and mouth literally dropped open.  “I hear SANTA,” she said.  “I have to go to bed!” and she raced to her room.)

Christmas morning, and Bill and I were up before dawn, sipping coffee and waiting for her to wake.  When she did, Bill grabbed the video camera, and we went to her room to catch those first moments.  Bill asked her, “Lily, do you know you came in the night?”  And after all the Santa talk, what does she reply?  “Baby Jesus!” she said, as excited as ever.  Wow.  We were blown away and, yes, a little proud that the true meaning of Christmas had not been lost on our two-year-old.

She came into the living room, and flitted from one thing to the next, already torn between playing with her new dollhouse and seeing what other surprises were displayed near the fireplace.  And she was not short on pink and purple presents, as they were piled high underneath the Christmas tree.  The three of us sat on the floor by the tree and opened gifts.  Lily had gone shopping with my parents earlier in the week and had a wrapped gift for each of us, which she quickly located and handed to us with great anticipation.  Mine was a scented candle and Bill’s was a pocket-size flashlight.  “I picked it for YOU!” she said, all smiles.  She seemed just as happy to give as to receive.  And she kept saying “THANK you, Mom and Dad!” as she opened her gifts.  Seriously?  Bill and I just marveled at the whole experience.

A bit later, as Lily played with some new toys, we sat with our coffee and Christmas music playing, and I watched the snow falling on the already thick white blanket outside.  We were cozy, and fulfilled in every way, and I was just overcome by the true magic of Christmas.

My parents dropped in for a bit, and then we all headed over to my sister’s house which, thankfully, is only a mile away, given the road conditions.  (We did end up with around six inches of snow, and it kept coming over the next day or two.)  There the celebrating was more raucous and chaotic, with a big brunch and piles of wrapping paper and even an inaugural sled ride in the backyard.  I enjoyed all of it, but my favorite part was still the quiet little morning in our own home.  It’s just such a joy to be starting all our own family traditions — a perfect blend of family customs from each of our childhoods, with a few new twists thrown in for our unique, growing family.

As 2009 draws to a close, I know reflections are in order.  A year that started out with a good dose of fear, but not without hope, and soon included some sobering events for our family, improved over the months to land us here, on the verge of wonderful things.  I am not generally one to believe in God having “plans” for each of us, as I imagine more of an omniscient God who supports us through whatever events that unfold in our lives.  But the news of this baby who will join us soon could not have come at a more needed time.  My family was at a low point, overwhelmed with concern of health issues affecting my mom, dad, and sister directly, but shared among all of us.  The anticipation of a new life gave us a new focus, and the year brightened over the months.  So, as we close out the year, I am left with a sense of balance.  Last New Year’s Eve, my family toasted with plastic flutes in my mom’s hospital room, with smuggled champagne and party hats and horns.  Although this New Year’s Eve will most likely be a quiet one at home, we will soon be toasting again in a hospital room, with much to celebrate.

Christmas is only two days away!

Here are a few belated pics of our annual family trek down the block to the Christmas tree lot.  It’s so handy that we can just walk the tree home, rather than have to deal with tying it to the car. 

Our family celebration traditionally starts tomorrow, on Christmas Eve, at my parents’ house, with an early dinner of soup, sandwiches, and loads of tasty snacks.  We’ll gather, feast, lounge, play board games, and open extended family gifts.  Then we’ll depart for church for the candlelight service.  After that, it’s off to bed for one little elf!  I am so excited for Santa to visit this year.  Lily is all revved up and well aware of how it all works, and I just can’t wait to see her shining, expectant little face on Christmas morning. 

We visited Santa when he was in town, and Lily was so different from last year.  Although she approached with caution, she also had a determination about her, that she would not let her apprehension keep her from her task.  I asked her if she still wanted to talk to Santa, and she mutely nodded and moved toward him.  We seated her on his lap and, when he asked the golden question, she quietly replied, “pink and purple presents.”  She was so quiet, in fact, that I don’t think Santa heard her, as he went on to make several suggestions.  But she has remained steadfast in her desire for pink and purple presents this whole holiday season.  When pressed for what she’d like to be IN the presents, she tells us Star Wars toys.  Go figure.  (Daddy is so proud.) 

The newspaper today is forecasting a near 100% chance of a white Christmas!  It’s actually kind of a rarity around here, so we’re very excited to have the stage set for a beautiful, peaceful, Christmas day.  A couple of weeks ago, we had a few inches, and I ran outside to take a few pictures of our cozy little cottage.

And so tonight, we finally take a break from the Christmas and baby preparations, and we’re enjoying a quiet evening at home as a family, watching Star Wars and sipping hot chocolate by the fire.  A merry Christmas is on its way!

The weeks are flying by, and we suddenly realize it could be baby time any day now.  Tomorrow I’ll be 37 weeks, and Lily was born at 37 weeks and one day.  YIKES.  So thank goodness that, despite my increased workload for the last few weeks (picked up a very short maternity leave gig in a school district, so I was working about 2 1/2 days a week), we’re nearing completion on the boy’s nursery.  Bill and I each have a project left to complete: the crib mobile for me, and three framed prints for Bill, his original designs.  After that, I’d love to whip out a few burp cloths and a throw pillow, but no big deal if those don’t get finished. 

The crib bedding was custom made by an Etsy seller I found, RockyTopDesign, who would use the fabrics of my choice.  I had seen these fabrics at Hobby Lobby ages ago — before I was even pregnant — and just loved them.  I wanted to use them for something, so luck would have it that I found myself pregnant and needing to design a boy nursery.  What was so fabulous about finding someone to make the crib bedding was that I could use my amateur sewing skills to complete a few of the easier projects myself.  So I made the window valances from a pattern I found (the first pattern sewing I’ve done since middle school home ec; Mrs. Yeary would be so proud).  The curtains were purchased, because frankly it’s probably cheaper than buying all that fabric and trying to make them myself — learned that when I made Lily’s curtains a few years ago.  My big project was the baby quilt, and I am really happy with how it turned out.  I’ve been trying to make a quilt for YEARS, but have never made it very far.  I have several place mat-sized quilt tops lying around, gathering dust.  But my friend Sara posted about a baby quilt that she whipped up (reportedly in a DAY, which kind of makes me want to throw up a little at her efficiency), and she posted the simple online tutorial that she used.  So, over a period of WEEKS, I managed to carve out an hour here and there to work on the boy’s quilt.  This was especially difficult during my eighth month of pregnancy, when intense back pain limited my sitting at the sewing machine to 20 minute sessions.  (See how much Mommy loved you, son?)  I look at the finished result, and I see the flaws, the things I’d do differently next time, but overall I think I did a pretty decent job…much like my parenting to date, I guess.  Here are a few pictures:

(The branch and owl are a vinyl decal I found on Etsy.  Love that place.)

And here are a few photos of me and the baby boy, at about 37 weeks.  I promised my long-distance friend Cynthia that I would post a few pics, and I told her that, to get the full effect of my awkward proportions, I would have to post several views.  You can almost discern from these the remarkable resemblance my belly bears to a torpedo homing in on its submarine target.  My friend Kerri commented that she had never seen a pregnant woman carry this way.  People, this is what it looks like to carry “all in front”:

Seriously, it’s a wonder I don’t fall forward on my face several times a day.

We are anxiously awaiting Christmas and our boy, hopefully not at the same time!