I'm sure you would have been fine for a few more weeks, but better to be proactive than to find I'm wrong and you are a Houdini!
XO, Mommy
Showing posts with label Letters to Larkin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Letters to Larkin. Show all posts
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Moving Down
The other day I sat you up in your crib and left the room only to come back and find you pulling on the edges of the bumper and getting your hands on the railings, playing peekaboo with mommy, So daddy and I decided we needed to move the bed down.
I'm sure you would have been fine for a few more weeks, but better to be proactive than to find I'm wrong and you are a Houdini!
XO, Mommy
I'm sure you would have been fine for a few more weeks, but better to be proactive than to find I'm wrong and you are a Houdini!
XO, Mommy
Friday, January 20, 2012
EATING OUT
Dear Larkin,
Dining out has a whole new meaning these days. Gone are the evenings of uninterrupted eating where handing you Sophie would buy us a good half hour to finish our meals. The past two weeks our dining experience has consisted of sitting down, several loud screams (yours of course), reaching frantically for forks, knives and full glasses followed by more screams when they can't be reached, a few stares and even an occasional annoyed comment from nearby diners who like to eat their meals in quiet and have perhaps forgotten what it is like to raise children, and then a shuffling of chairs as daddy and I take turns scarfing down our food alone while the other totes you around the restaurant in search of distractions.
I realize that dining with children changes EVERYTHING, but it has been quite impossible, or should I say, not worth it recently to take you out to dinner and I am hoping this is a little phase you are going through and eventually we can resume eating out in a more doable, albeit more crazy, atmosphere. I will say that last night I took you to a dessert tasting with mommy and some other women and, although we had to leave early for your bedtime, while we were there you did much better!
And while I am bragging on you I musn't forget to tell you how proud I was of you this past week at BSF when I left lecture to nurse you. You, my little man who is accustomed to noise makers and soft sheets and refuses to sleep in carseats or on mommy's lap, were out cold on a bare plastic mattress in a brightly lit room with 15 other screaming babies when I walked up the nursery this past Wednesday. It was almost comical as I yelled over the other babies to the nursery worker asking where you were and she pointed to your little body - face up, out cold (she said you only slept for 10 minutes, but with those conditions, I am beyond impressed!)
You are precious, my little boy. Sometimes I wonder if you really get how much I love you or if I'm doing a good job showing that to you in the way you understand it. So many times at the end of the day, you are just so excited daddy's home (which I treasure watching) and he is so fun, I wonder if I must be a bore all day and if I am showing you in the right ways how much you are loved. So....I will just keep taking care of you and loving you the best I know how and pray for patience in the moments that are exhausting, and the days that have more crying than smiles, trusting that God is making mommy a better mommy for you and a better tool for Him to use.
I love you so very much,
Mommy
Dining out has a whole new meaning these days. Gone are the evenings of uninterrupted eating where handing you Sophie would buy us a good half hour to finish our meals. The past two weeks our dining experience has consisted of sitting down, several loud screams (yours of course), reaching frantically for forks, knives and full glasses followed by more screams when they can't be reached, a few stares and even an occasional annoyed comment from nearby diners who like to eat their meals in quiet and have perhaps forgotten what it is like to raise children, and then a shuffling of chairs as daddy and I take turns scarfing down our food alone while the other totes you around the restaurant in search of distractions.
I realize that dining with children changes EVERYTHING, but it has been quite impossible, or should I say, not worth it recently to take you out to dinner and I am hoping this is a little phase you are going through and eventually we can resume eating out in a more doable, albeit more crazy, atmosphere. I will say that last night I took you to a dessert tasting with mommy and some other women and, although we had to leave early for your bedtime, while we were there you did much better!
And while I am bragging on you I musn't forget to tell you how proud I was of you this past week at BSF when I left lecture to nurse you. You, my little man who is accustomed to noise makers and soft sheets and refuses to sleep in carseats or on mommy's lap, were out cold on a bare plastic mattress in a brightly lit room with 15 other screaming babies when I walked up the nursery this past Wednesday. It was almost comical as I yelled over the other babies to the nursery worker asking where you were and she pointed to your little body - face up, out cold (she said you only slept for 10 minutes, but with those conditions, I am beyond impressed!)
You are precious, my little boy. Sometimes I wonder if you really get how much I love you or if I'm doing a good job showing that to you in the way you understand it. So many times at the end of the day, you are just so excited daddy's home (which I treasure watching) and he is so fun, I wonder if I must be a bore all day and if I am showing you in the right ways how much you are loved. So....I will just keep taking care of you and loving you the best I know how and pray for patience in the moments that are exhausting, and the days that have more crying than smiles, trusting that God is making mommy a better mommy for you and a better tool for Him to use.
I love you so very much,
Mommy
Monday, August 15, 2011
Ladies Man?
Dear Larkin,
I think you are quite the ladies man. You have charmed strangers, storekeepers and all my girlfriends including some close high school friends we saw this weekend. They were having a girls nightand daddy, you and I stopped by on the way back from our date at Taco Diner Friday night. The girls loved to meet you and loved your Ralph Lauren shoes that Rylie gave you. After dropping you off at home I realized how much I missed girl time. Daddy gave you a bottle and let me go back to catch up with the girls. It was so good to just have some girl time. As they toasted the night with their wine glasses I lifted my hospital water jug with equal gusto, just relishing this sacred time away.
(Lexi and Diana, Debra was taking the pic)
In other news, you had your 5 1/2 week appointment today at the doctor! You have gained almost 2 pounds in a month! You are in the 60th percentile for weight at 9 lb 15 oz. You are 22 1/4 inches which is the 75th percentile I think, and your head although I don't remember the numbers right now is in the 80th percentile :) You are growing! Your newborn onesies are growing snug and mommy tries not to get emotional as she realizes it's about time to pack some of them up.
(Pic of you at the doctor's office with your PAD binder ;))
This week you have given mommy SO many smiles I can hardly believe it! Today Nana was rocking you to sleep and she said you smiled real big and then had the most adorable laugh. I wasn't in the room so didn't witness this myself but can't wait until I hear your little laugh. Your smiles will hold me over in the mean time though. I can't belive how many you give me. It's crazy how quickly you are developing! Your eyes are fading from the deep blue to a lighter blue and you have become much more vocal.
The past two nights you have slept almost 5 hours! (This includes from the beginnig of one feeding to the beginning of another so not quite all of that was sleep). The first night it happened I woke up after 3 hours waiting to hear you cry and couldn't go back to sleep!
(Pic of you and Piper playing this morning)
Well that's it little man, I just wanted to document a bit of our weekend and your doctors appointment this morning. I love you little man!
~Mommy
Thursday, August 4, 2011
ONE MONTH!
Dear Larkin,
A month... a MONTH has come and gone, little one! The months we awaited your arrival seemed to stretch out so much longer than this past month has. The nights and days since your birth seemed all rolled into one (perhaps because of lack of sleep). So it's with a bittersweet heart I watch this milestone come and go - a little sad the first month has passed; still, not wanting to go back and relive it, but continue on this journey of getting to know you better and watching you grow!
So much has happened. There are so many memories that I treasure and so many new things daddy and I have learned about you.
So, little Larkin, perhaps if not more for me than you, I want to write out some of the things we've learned about you over the past month of getting to know you.
BATHS:
Just the thought of bathtime relaxes you enough to get your bladder going. You've peed on mommy I think over 6 times! You love baths, though, and always have a little half smile as we bathe you off. At the end as you get cold, your little lip quivers and you start to shiver but you never cry.
FEEDING and SLEEPING:
You are still on a 3 hr schedule although last week there were quite a few times you needed to eat a bit sooner. I think you were growing. This week we are back to 3 hours. At night we try to let you go as long as possible. One night you had a 5 hour stretch! This has definitely NOT been consistent and typically you stay with the 3 hour schedule at night. At night mommy has to reswaddle you after changing your diaper so we are up quite a bit although I'm getting a little more efficient. Mommy wishes she could nap during the day, but it's really hard for her to do and the few times she has, you've woken up just as my head hit the pillow!
SMILES:
You seem the most happy in the morning. Sometimes when I go in to wake you up (if you haven't already awaken) you have a little smile as you fight off sleep to wake up. You have smiled almost every time I have brushed your hair and of course when you are eating or after a good meal. Your smile melts my heart and makes all the challenges of the day seem nothing. I can't wait for more of these!
PLAYING:
We are trying to stick to the eat, wake, sleep schedule. During your awake times we play on your mat, sing, go watch the wind chimes outside (you LOVE this), read and dance (mommy helps you keep the beat). You don't mind the Baby Bjorn but you usually fall asleep as soon as I start moving. Wake time has been the most challenging as you are still a sleepy little baby. But that's okay I love to cuddle with you when you are falling asleep.
SWADDLING:
You do NOT like to be swaddled. I've learned to put the paci in while I swaddle, that helps. The miracle blanket aka. the "straight jacket" works the best so far although we are going to try out the swaddle me to see how that goes. Even though you don't like it when you are awake, and you try to squirm and kick it off; if we put you to sleep without it, you are awake in less than an hour... so sorry little guy but it stays!
GETTING OUT:
We have been getting out more this week which has been wonderful for mommy. We have gone on walks early in the morning either outside or at the mall. We've been to visit friends at their houses and over to Nana's house several times. We've started running some of mommy's errands too. Each day we try to get out at least once. You typically sleep which has been nice for mommy and I am getting better and more efficient at lugging you in and out of the car.
With each day as a new mother I find myself treasuring some new memory or thinking back to something that’s happened in the last month and storing it away to return to and enjoy in the future.
Being a mommy is the most rewarding and yet the most "stretching" role I have ever had. I have so much more respect for single mothers, for my friends who became mothers before me and of course for my own mother.
You are the best little son a mommy could ask for and I am so thankful the Lord gave you to us to take care of while we are here on earth. Your little expressions, smiles, coos and even your cries have touched my heart and endeared me to you in a way I did not think possible. I am completely smitten. With that comes a vulnerability as I have to bring this overwhelming love for you to the Lord and trust that He loves you more than we do and has a plan for your life that surpasses what ours would be for you.
So, little one, we thank the Lord for this past month. You are the biggest blessing to us and we love you.
love~mommy and daddy
A month... a MONTH has come and gone, little one! The months we awaited your arrival seemed to stretch out so much longer than this past month has. The nights and days since your birth seemed all rolled into one (perhaps because of lack of sleep). So it's with a bittersweet heart I watch this milestone come and go - a little sad the first month has passed; still, not wanting to go back and relive it, but continue on this journey of getting to know you better and watching you grow!
So much has happened. There are so many memories that I treasure and so many new things daddy and I have learned about you.
So, little Larkin, perhaps if not more for me than you, I want to write out some of the things we've learned about you over the past month of getting to know you.
BATHS:
Just the thought of bathtime relaxes you enough to get your bladder going. You've peed on mommy I think over 6 times! You love baths, though, and always have a little half smile as we bathe you off. At the end as you get cold, your little lip quivers and you start to shiver but you never cry.
FEEDING and SLEEPING:
You are still on a 3 hr schedule although last week there were quite a few times you needed to eat a bit sooner. I think you were growing. This week we are back to 3 hours. At night we try to let you go as long as possible. One night you had a 5 hour stretch! This has definitely NOT been consistent and typically you stay with the 3 hour schedule at night. At night mommy has to reswaddle you after changing your diaper so we are up quite a bit although I'm getting a little more efficient. Mommy wishes she could nap during the day, but it's really hard for her to do and the few times she has, you've woken up just as my head hit the pillow!
SMILES:
You seem the most happy in the morning. Sometimes when I go in to wake you up (if you haven't already awaken) you have a little smile as you fight off sleep to wake up. You have smiled almost every time I have brushed your hair and of course when you are eating or after a good meal. Your smile melts my heart and makes all the challenges of the day seem nothing. I can't wait for more of these!
PLAYING:
We are trying to stick to the eat, wake, sleep schedule. During your awake times we play on your mat, sing, go watch the wind chimes outside (you LOVE this), read and dance (mommy helps you keep the beat). You don't mind the Baby Bjorn but you usually fall asleep as soon as I start moving. Wake time has been the most challenging as you are still a sleepy little baby. But that's okay I love to cuddle with you when you are falling asleep.
SWADDLING:
You do NOT like to be swaddled. I've learned to put the paci in while I swaddle, that helps. The miracle blanket aka. the "straight jacket" works the best so far although we are going to try out the swaddle me to see how that goes. Even though you don't like it when you are awake, and you try to squirm and kick it off; if we put you to sleep without it, you are awake in less than an hour... so sorry little guy but it stays!
GETTING OUT:
We have been getting out more this week which has been wonderful for mommy. We have gone on walks early in the morning either outside or at the mall. We've been to visit friends at their houses and over to Nana's house several times. We've started running some of mommy's errands too. Each day we try to get out at least once. You typically sleep which has been nice for mommy and I am getting better and more efficient at lugging you in and out of the car.
With each day as a new mother I find myself treasuring some new memory or thinking back to something that’s happened in the last month and storing it away to return to and enjoy in the future.
Being a mommy is the most rewarding and yet the most "stretching" role I have ever had. I have so much more respect for single mothers, for my friends who became mothers before me and of course for my own mother.
You are the best little son a mommy could ask for and I am so thankful the Lord gave you to us to take care of while we are here on earth. Your little expressions, smiles, coos and even your cries have touched my heart and endeared me to you in a way I did not think possible. I am completely smitten. With that comes a vulnerability as I have to bring this overwhelming love for you to the Lord and trust that He loves you more than we do and has a plan for your life that surpasses what ours would be for you.
So, little one, we thank the Lord for this past month. You are the biggest blessing to us and we love you.
love~mommy and daddy
It's Raining at Our House
Dear Larkin,
You were born in one of the hottest months on record. With all the talk of 110 degree temperatures, rolling blackouts and conserving water, you would think I would welcome a nice shower to cool off. The shower I received yesterday was of a different sort.
Daddy had come home and decided he wanted to learn how to bathe you all by himself. He asked for my help to supervise the first time. I kneeled down in your bathroom to turn on the bath water and show daddy the correct water temperature. Little did I know, daddy held a naked little Larkin right above me. The rains came down and soon instead of bathing you, my head and back had been showered by your very full little bladder.
Daddy thought this was the funniest thing he had seen in a while and was laughing so hard he couldn't quite aim you another way (so it seems). We were both laughing hysterically as I tried to explain to daddy to never undress you until right before bathtime.
Oh goodness... lessons learned as new parents, you are constantly making us laugh (or I guess we are laughing at ourselves as we learn to parent you).
Love you so much little man,
~Mommy
After the rain shower!
You were born in one of the hottest months on record. With all the talk of 110 degree temperatures, rolling blackouts and conserving water, you would think I would welcome a nice shower to cool off. The shower I received yesterday was of a different sort.
Daddy had come home and decided he wanted to learn how to bathe you all by himself. He asked for my help to supervise the first time. I kneeled down in your bathroom to turn on the bath water and show daddy the correct water temperature. Little did I know, daddy held a naked little Larkin right above me. The rains came down and soon instead of bathing you, my head and back had been showered by your very full little bladder.
Daddy thought this was the funniest thing he had seen in a while and was laughing so hard he couldn't quite aim you another way (so it seems). We were both laughing hysterically as I tried to explain to daddy to never undress you until right before bathtime.
Oh goodness... lessons learned as new parents, you are constantly making us laugh (or I guess we are laughing at ourselves as we learn to parent you).
Love you so much little man,
~Mommy
After the rain shower!
Friday, July 22, 2011
Meeting You
>Dear Larkin,
Finally, after a little pitocin, it was time to push! Daddy stretched to get ready and insisted on wearing scrubs. He was SUCH a good pushing coach. After about 30 minutes of pushing we watched in a mirror as the Lord brought you into the world and you took your first breath. I saw the most beautiful baby boy's head and daddy said, "It's a boy" as you finished your entrance into the world. You had a loud cry and little sqwuak as they wiped you off and put you on mommy's chest. That was the most incredible moment of my life and there are no words to describe it. You were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. All the fears of having enough love for you melted away as we spent that first hour as our new little family and my heart literally ached with love for you.
The rest of the hospital stay and the days from then to now (two weeks later) are all a blur. There have been hilarious moments- like the first night at home. We were up in the wee hours of the morning, daddy on the nursery floor googling "How to swaddle" while mommy, still in pain, was crying thinking she hurt you swaddling. Overwhelmed, we looked down at you as I nursed, pitying you for your luck in parents and you answered by flipping us off which brought on a fit of laughter from us both. We have been baptized in bath time pee and woken up at all hours of the night. With each little hiccup in learning how to parent, we have fallen more in love with you, little Larkin and realize how deep our need for God's wisdom in parenting is!
Mommy and daddy have loved watching and learning about you. It's been so fun to see how much daddy loves you and what a "natural" he is as he changes your diaper and takes care of us both. I already get emotional as I think you are getting bigger and bigger too quickly. I remind myself you truly aren't ours. You were born in the heart of God, loaned to us, and the rest of my life will be a process of letting you go. Each minute you are in our charge I will love you as best I can, Larkin. Your name means "fierce warrior" and "strength of God". Our prayer for you is that you will have a heartfelt and passionate intensity about the things of God and that your life will be marked by a humility reflected by your middle name Michael which means "who is like our God?". We love you little man and I am so confident the Lord has plans for you which will bring Himself great glory.
love~mommy
The evening of July 5th ushered in the most incredible day of my life. It was that next morning when the Lord was bringing you out into the world! For weeks I had been having discouraging false contractions that would start up, be very uncomfortable and then go away. Mommy and daddy would walk Piper around the neighborhood each night in the hopes of starting labor, but you were determined to come in your time.
The night of the 5th as I was watching Father of the Bride 2 (a movie I had been wanting to watch the whole pregnancy) the contractions began again. Over the past few weeks of false labor I had learned not to share this with daddy as it would get him excited and asking me every few minutes if I had another contraction. So off to bed he went while I hid my grimaces and finished watching the movie.
Around 3 am I had exhausted both my thumb and my calm resolve pushing the "start contraction" button on my labor tracking phone app every few minutes and still seeing no consistent progression. Unfortunately, although they were growing in length, the contractions were never consistently 5 minutes apart. I had been told this needed to happen before going to the hospital. Still, as the pain grew stronger and stronger I decided to wake up daddy. He quickly got up, showered and packed up the car. I convinced him to wait a few more hours and finally at 6am I decided we really needed to go to the hospital. In the weeks prior, I had been praying to handle the pain of labor gracefully and not be one of those "mad mommies" you see on T.V. as they deliver their babies. I did pretty well. My one regret is a little outburst I had at daddy as he had to back up again through the bumpy alley during a contraction to double check the garage door was shut. Mommy was in pain, "Jordan, get me to the hospital!" :)
We called grandparents on the way and then arrived at the hospital and were admitted into triage where we had to
wait for a while. Daddy helped mommy into her gown and we waited while they attended to a few of the 14 other women who had been scheduled for c-sections or deliveries that day. At one point mommy tearfully asked daddy, "Why aren't they helping me?... Those other ladies don't sound like they are in much pain!" Finally a nurse came to check me and saw we were already 6cm dilated! Yikes! Acting very stressed, (which didn't help my nerves) the nurse rushed us into the labor room and quickly brought in the anesthesiologist who gave me one of the best gifts of the entire pregnancy - an epidural.
Around 3 am I had exhausted both my thumb and my calm resolve pushing the "start contraction" button on my labor tracking phone app every few minutes and still seeing no consistent progression. Unfortunately, although they were growing in length, the contractions were never consistently 5 minutes apart. I had been told this needed to happen before going to the hospital. Still, as the pain grew stronger and stronger I decided to wake up daddy. He quickly got up, showered and packed up the car. I convinced him to wait a few more hours and finally at 6am I decided we really needed to go to the hospital. In the weeks prior, I had been praying to handle the pain of labor gracefully and not be one of those "mad mommies" you see on T.V. as they deliver their babies. I did pretty well. My one regret is a little outburst I had at daddy as he had to back up again through the bumpy alley during a contraction to double check the garage door was shut. Mommy was in pain, "Jordan, get me to the hospital!" :)
We called grandparents on the way and then arrived at the hospital and were admitted into triage where we had to
wait for a while. Daddy helped mommy into her gown and we waited while they attended to a few of the 14 other women who had been scheduled for c-sections or deliveries that day. At one point mommy tearfully asked daddy, "Why aren't they helping me?... Those other ladies don't sound like they are in much pain!" Finally a nurse came to check me and saw we were already 6cm dilated! Yikes! Acting very stressed, (which didn't help my nerves) the nurse rushed us into the labor room and quickly brought in the anesthesiologist who gave me one of the best gifts of the entire pregnancy - an epidural.It had been several weeks since I had felt that relaxed! Dr. came in right after and saw I was already 8cm! The waiting game began as grandparents arrived and daddy and mommy's excitement began building as we anticipated seeing you and finding out if you were a boy or girl, what you were like, etc.
Finally, after a little pitocin, it was time to push! Daddy stretched to get ready and insisted on wearing scrubs. He was SUCH a good pushing coach. After about 30 minutes of pushing we watched in a mirror as the Lord brought you into the world and you took your first breath. I saw the most beautiful baby boy's head and daddy said, "It's a boy" as you finished your entrance into the world. You had a loud cry and little sqwuak as they wiped you off and put you on mommy's chest. That was the most incredible moment of my life and there are no words to describe it. You were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. All the fears of having enough love for you melted away as we spent that first hour as our new little family and my heart literally ached with love for you.
The rest of the hospital stay and the days from then to now (two weeks later) are all a blur. There have been hilarious moments- like the first night at home. We were up in the wee hours of the morning, daddy on the nursery floor googling "How to swaddle" while mommy, still in pain, was crying thinking she hurt you swaddling. Overwhelmed, we looked down at you as I nursed, pitying you for your luck in parents and you answered by flipping us off which brought on a fit of laughter from us both. We have been baptized in bath time pee and woken up at all hours of the night. With each little hiccup in learning how to parent, we have fallen more in love with you, little Larkin and realize how deep our need for God's wisdom in parenting is!Mommy and daddy have loved watching and learning about you. It's been so fun to see how much daddy loves you and what a "natural" he is as he changes your diaper and takes care of us both. I already get emotional as I think you are getting bigger and bigger too quickly. I remind myself you truly aren't ours. You were born in the heart of God, loaned to us, and the rest of my life will be a process of letting you go. Each minute you are in our charge I will love you as best I can, Larkin. Your name means "fierce warrior" and "strength of God". Our prayer for you is that you will have a heartfelt and passionate intensity about the things of God and that your life will be marked by a humility reflected by your middle name Michael which means "who is like our God?". We love you little man and I am so confident the Lord has plans for you which will bring Himself great glory.
love~mommy
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