Tuesday, December 26, 2006
christmas day
Sunday, December 24, 2006
merry christmas
we hope that this christmas brings you a little something special that makes you shake your tail or has you meowing. sometimes you can find this sort of thing under the tree, but it is best when you can find it deep inside of yourself.
we have been celebrating christmas in many of the traditional ways this year, but somehow it seems a little more exciting when we think of the baby too. it has been extra special to be pregnant at christmas time. it is like i am soaking everything in for two! i sometimes reflect on how it must have been for Mary when Jesus was about to be born. it seems like such a brand new idea this year....
Friday, December 22, 2006
homebrew
it sure has been a while since scott, the brewmeister, has whipped up some old-fashioned beer, but the day is here! he has been hankering for a nice dark, rich, full-bodied beer since his days in wisconsin when he could easily get his new glarus brewing company beers at an affordable price. now that the holidays are here and the fridge is still full of that good 'ol sharp cheese.... the need for beer has never been greater. a few weeks ago the anticipation started to build as scott cooked up a stout style beer in the kitchen. even i was excited (the baby hormones had me smelling french fries cooking instead of beer!) after incubating for a few weeks the beer had a chance to develop lots of character thanks to some great yeast action. last night the real fun began when the beer was ready to be bottled. with lots of help, and fun reminiscing about making homebrew....... the kitchen was suddenly filled with all these bottles of beer! the brewmeisters are confident that with a few more weeks the beer will be carbonated and ready to be sampled! what a way to bring in the new year right? this could be a beginning of a holiday tradition. i think i will be sticking to the cookie-eating tradition for a while longer......
do you have a special way to bring in the new year?
do you have a special way to bring in the new year?
Thursday, December 21, 2006
infant massage
We are just thrilled to report that we have taken the coolest class ever. Infant massage class! At first it started out a little awkward because we were the only couple in class who still had their baby in utero. The teacher was very accepting of us and our ‘baby doll,’ and even brought in two larger dolls that would be easier for us to learn on. Our lessons were spread out over 4 different sessions and we started to really anticipate them. In fact, I don’t think we were prepared for how much the class would impact us. Every night on our drive home we would verbally express how anxious we were to have our own little baby girl ‘out’ in our world! We are still so anxious to spoil her! So what did we learn? How can we share our new skills with you?
Massage can promote parent-baby bonding in many ways:
Develops trust and relationship security
Signifies protection and respect for the body
Improves the emotional state and sense of well-being
Nurtures feelings of attachment and security
Promotes social interaction and attachment
Decrease stress hormones and is a way to soothe
It is an active form entertainment and communication
Parents learn about baby’s body and abilities
Massage can help the baby’s body in many ways:
Communication between the brain and body is enhanced
Learning is enhanced by the senses and movements
Promotes vocalization and awareness
Increases circulation and respiration
Stimulates digestion and excretion
Relieves gas and the pain associated with gas
Doesn’t massage already sound like one of the best things to share with baby? Some of us have even had massages ourselves, and we know that it would definitely be a hit! You should have seen the babies in class cooing and smiling their way through class. They were having a ball!
A warm room, unscented vegetable oil, soft blanket on the floor, and a relaxed parent are all that a willing baby needs to have a great massage. Yes a ‘willing baby.’ Our teacher stressed how important it is to communicate with our babies and she offered many ways to try to ‘read’ their cues and try to understand them. I could write about a dozen blogs just about those tips…. Something that many Moms and Dads probably already know.
To begin, we would have our ‘baby’ lying close to us on the blanket and would prepare our hands by vigorously rubbing them together where baby can observe. As our hands warm-up, we would ask baby if she is ready for a massage……
Then you oil your hands and prepare baby for the body part you are going to massage. You do this by using a ‘touch-hold.’ This is simply just laying your warm hands onto a body part and applying gentle/moderate pressure. Now you are ready to use massage strokes that use moderate pressure and speed while observing your baby for any cues that she may offer. Sometimes a baby may let you know that she is not happy with the massage to that area, or she may be actively or passively alert to the massage. Take the time to listen to your baby and enjoy her ‘voice.’ She may even be telling you that she is hungry or has a soiled diaper….. remember massage helps her body do these things so take a break and tend to her needs! After massaging a body part, you end with a touch-hold and give the baby a hand signal and verbalize that you are, ‘all done with your _______’ You then proceed to the next body part by using the same intro and ending. Your baby will appreciate the repetition and order of body parts massaged.
In class we would massage the baby from toe to head….
Right leg, right foot
Left leg, left foot
Stomach (clockwise is important)
Chest
Right arm, right hand
Left arm, left hand
Face (no oil used)
Back
We were encouraged to use this routine, but should also offer the flexibility of ‘mini’ massages or take cues from our baby as to what is appropriate at that time. If a baby is just learning to control her hands and has finally gotten that precious hand to her mouth for tasting…. She may not want to relinquish it for massage time. In time she may be willing to have it massaged again when she isn’t so preoccupied with it. We should also expect her interest to change once she is learning to crawl…… Wow, let me just take a minute to daydream about my crawling baby………….
Well there you have some basics to get you interested in massage! Of course there are specific strokes that work well on different areas of the body but I just want to keep it simple for this post. If you are really interested in knowing more I would be happy to share more……. Hopefully in person because that is the easiest way! When our baby is first born she will only be introduced to the touch-holds until she has time to get used to us being her own personal masseuse!
Massage can promote parent-baby bonding in many ways:
Develops trust and relationship security
Signifies protection and respect for the body
Improves the emotional state and sense of well-being
Nurtures feelings of attachment and security
Promotes social interaction and attachment
Decrease stress hormones and is a way to soothe
It is an active form entertainment and communication
Parents learn about baby’s body and abilities
Massage can help the baby’s body in many ways:
Communication between the brain and body is enhanced
Learning is enhanced by the senses and movements
Promotes vocalization and awareness
Increases circulation and respiration
Stimulates digestion and excretion
Relieves gas and the pain associated with gas
Doesn’t massage already sound like one of the best things to share with baby? Some of us have even had massages ourselves, and we know that it would definitely be a hit! You should have seen the babies in class cooing and smiling their way through class. They were having a ball!
A warm room, unscented vegetable oil, soft blanket on the floor, and a relaxed parent are all that a willing baby needs to have a great massage. Yes a ‘willing baby.’ Our teacher stressed how important it is to communicate with our babies and she offered many ways to try to ‘read’ their cues and try to understand them. I could write about a dozen blogs just about those tips…. Something that many Moms and Dads probably already know.
To begin, we would have our ‘baby’ lying close to us on the blanket and would prepare our hands by vigorously rubbing them together where baby can observe. As our hands warm-up, we would ask baby if she is ready for a massage……
Then you oil your hands and prepare baby for the body part you are going to massage. You do this by using a ‘touch-hold.’ This is simply just laying your warm hands onto a body part and applying gentle/moderate pressure. Now you are ready to use massage strokes that use moderate pressure and speed while observing your baby for any cues that she may offer. Sometimes a baby may let you know that she is not happy with the massage to that area, or she may be actively or passively alert to the massage. Take the time to listen to your baby and enjoy her ‘voice.’ She may even be telling you that she is hungry or has a soiled diaper….. remember massage helps her body do these things so take a break and tend to her needs! After massaging a body part, you end with a touch-hold and give the baby a hand signal and verbalize that you are, ‘all done with your _______’ You then proceed to the next body part by using the same intro and ending. Your baby will appreciate the repetition and order of body parts massaged.
In class we would massage the baby from toe to head….
Right leg, right foot
Left leg, left foot
Stomach (clockwise is important)
Chest
Right arm, right hand
Left arm, left hand
Face (no oil used)
Back
We were encouraged to use this routine, but should also offer the flexibility of ‘mini’ massages or take cues from our baby as to what is appropriate at that time. If a baby is just learning to control her hands and has finally gotten that precious hand to her mouth for tasting…. She may not want to relinquish it for massage time. In time she may be willing to have it massaged again when she isn’t so preoccupied with it. We should also expect her interest to change once she is learning to crawl…… Wow, let me just take a minute to daydream about my crawling baby………….
Well there you have some basics to get you interested in massage! Of course there are specific strokes that work well on different areas of the body but I just want to keep it simple for this post. If you are really interested in knowing more I would be happy to share more……. Hopefully in person because that is the easiest way! When our baby is first born she will only be introduced to the touch-holds until she has time to get used to us being her own personal masseuse!
Sunday, December 17, 2006
two sisters
here is an old picture of my hubby and his two sisters. i am thinking about these special people today. the baby is swirling around in my belly wondering how i can be so sentimental. it is the holidays! well, we don't have to save our selves for the holidays only right? it is nice to reach out and give your loved ones a hug now. yes, that means having them close enough to do so. brothers and sisters are a special part of our lives, because they have sharred so much of it. when we get older we get to decide who we share our lives with.... and i have been lucky enough to marry the person that is willing to share his life with me tooooo. somehow i have also been lucky enough to gain a great family in the process, like the two sisters here in the picture.
Friday, December 15, 2006
the scarf
here is my precious hubby wearing THE scarf. when i learned how to knit this year his eyes started to sparkle... the anticipation started to build. he desired a dr. who scarf. he had probably secretly desired a dr. who scarf since he was a child. who is dr. who you ask??? dr. who is only the most legendary science fiction television show on the planet.... that aired in the 1970s. my hubby specifically adored tom baker as dr. who, in the episodes from 'the key to time series.' in this series you find the doctor wearing an obnoxiously long scarf, very similar to the one that i custom made for my hubby. what fun it is to create something special with your own hands! let your knitting be wild and free! knitting scarfs and hats is one of the coolest things ever! domestication never has been so fun before!
somehow my knitting has evolved into making the most fluffy baby bunting outfit for our little girl.... of course it only looks like a hat so far, but i will have to post it in a future blog to 'show it off' properly :)
happy homemade holiday gift making!
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Sugar sugar
Mom and Dad tell me that I am so sweet
I am like honey
warm cookies from the oven
the grand finale of birthday cake
I am the frozen custard
with all the toppings….
Sugary, sugary, sweet goodness
Can you build up a resistance to something so sweet as me?
Mom and Dad say that I am irresistible already
Their hearts will love me forever
They say that I am so special
I am a sweet miracle who can see, hear, taste, and smell already
I am full of accomplishments
Sugary, sugary, sweet goodness
The doctors say we passed our sugar test
Mom is making just the right amount of insulin
For both of our bodies to use the sugar that floats thru our blood
Our systems are handling the sweet, and sugary goodness
I didn’t know that the doctors tested just how sweet I could be
*A poem by baby and Mommy. Here are a few websites that share a little more about diabetes. Let’s all try to prevent diabetes, and maintain a healthy ‘food’ and ‘exercise’ plan. Please have fun and post a crunchy or salty treat that you think is healthy for this time of year.
http://www.diabetes.org/gestational-diabetes.jsp
http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/gestational/
I am like honey
warm cookies from the oven
the grand finale of birthday cake
I am the frozen custard
with all the toppings….
Sugary, sugary, sweet goodness
Can you build up a resistance to something so sweet as me?
Mom and Dad say that I am irresistible already
Their hearts will love me forever
They say that I am so special
I am a sweet miracle who can see, hear, taste, and smell already
I am full of accomplishments
Sugary, sugary, sweet goodness
The doctors say we passed our sugar test
Mom is making just the right amount of insulin
For both of our bodies to use the sugar that floats thru our blood
Our systems are handling the sweet, and sugary goodness
I didn’t know that the doctors tested just how sweet I could be
*A poem by baby and Mommy. Here are a few websites that share a little more about diabetes. Let’s all try to prevent diabetes, and maintain a healthy ‘food’ and ‘exercise’ plan. Please have fun and post a crunchy or salty treat that you think is healthy for this time of year.
http://www.diabetes.org/gestational-diabetes.jsp
http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/gestational/
Thursday, December 07, 2006
fire it up
we are proud to announce the birth of our new fireplace! enjoy the pics of her development! she is like a little bit of cast iron love in our new room. yes i said love. when you love cast iron the way we do, you can just sit in front of her and feel it radiating off of her almost like looking into your favorite skillet filled with yummy bacon..... ahh the delicacies! now i am feeling overwhelmed with emotion. its okay, just pregnancy hormones running my brain and stomach. we hope everyone has a warm place in their home this winter, even a super-comfy blanket to cuddle under when your toes get cold!
Friday, December 01, 2006
in the ear
we have been so anxious to hear the babies heartbeat that we forgot about one important thing.... she is a professional boxer/kicker already! it is still too tempting for daddy to lay his ear 'gently' on my belly to detect her little thumper's 'lub-dub, lub-dub.' then all of a sudden, she wails off and gives her daddy's ear one ferocious bang! she is so sly and quick about it that we can hardly contain our composure, and all breaks loose into full belly jiggling laughter. lets just say that there isn't much hope of detecting her heartbeat (by daddy's ear) quite yet until we can discover some sort of top secret detection strategy.... any ideas?
p.s. this cartoon is one of many funny prego cartoons from this website: http://pregnancy.baby-gaga.com/cartoons/cartoon20
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
still painting
so far it is no problem getting up and down the ladder.... i think scott likes it. he had to work it so that i wouldn't be leaning on the baby when we were taping the room up in preparation for the moldings to be painted. we aren't sure what to call our 'construction' room. a majority of the time we call it the 'kitty litter' room because zoo zoo prefers to do all of his business in there. don't worry, he isn't going to die of embarassment at the fact that i am blogging about his business. he seems so proud of it. we on the other hand can not stand his territorial pissings.... so to speak.... we are using kitty behavior studies to lure his excitement out of the construction zone and into his old familiar hot spots. we don't think he is aware that his cool new litter box will soon be on the move....
Monday, November 27, 2006
a children's christmas
we enjoyed a special christmas treat this weekend. jacob and his church friends put on a lovely musical where the 'angels' all welcomed baby Jesus into the world. it was very touching to listen and watch the children. we hope you enjoy the pictures, even though the camera was a little unforgiving of my shaky hands in the low light.
the christmas concert was the grand finale for a lovely weekend of visiting. scott and i+1 have had our luv bank filled up with some great eats and fun playing party games. the baby and us say thanx for a grrreat weekend *kick kick* and lets keep up the fun times! oooh yeah and i wanna my turn for playing darts toooo *kick kick*
Thursday, November 23, 2006
turkey day
we have so much to be thankful for this thanksgiving. we have sometimes felt that we were in crisis mode over the past year. we have also tip-toed our way through the most joyous moments that life can bring. and of course we have at times screamed our joy from the deepest part of our souls to the world around us....
and i am thankful that we have prayed to God and that God has been with us through it all. i know that religion is not something that is easy to discuss or a cozy conversation to have.... but i don't want to keep it a secret as to how we have survived such a year and still feel thankful on this 'turkey day' of all years. God shouldn't be our little secret :)
so here we sit, all turkey stuffed and wild-eyed with adrenaline, just thinking about the disasters and miracles that one year has brought since last thanksgiving. is it possible that we are still alive? is the tryptophan from the turkey doing weird sleepy things to our brains? i made my favorite cranberry pie today and it was heavenly....
Thursday, November 16, 2006
blue moon flu
once in a blue moon
someone gets sick with the flu
who has already gotten the shot
this has happened to daddy
and it doesn’t make him feel special
i say its okay daddy
it means more cuddle time
more time for sweets
but the blue moon flu
is no fun
daddy says its not fair
this is the first year he’s gotten the shot
he doesn’t remember ever having the flu
mommy says its okay daddy
we will take care of you
we will say no to ‘oscillococcinum’ natural
flu remedy by boiron because it’s really just
gross duck heart and liver
you will get lots of cuddles from us
with some good eats and sleep instead
bye bye blue moon flu from daddy
hello sunshine please come in
lets all get flu shots and keep the flu away
someone gets sick with the flu
who has already gotten the shot
this has happened to daddy
and it doesn’t make him feel special
i say its okay daddy
it means more cuddle time
more time for sweets
but the blue moon flu
is no fun
daddy says its not fair
this is the first year he’s gotten the shot
he doesn’t remember ever having the flu
mommy says its okay daddy
we will take care of you
we will say no to ‘oscillococcinum’ natural
flu remedy by boiron because it’s really just
gross duck heart and liver
you will get lots of cuddles from us
with some good eats and sleep instead
bye bye blue moon flu from daddy
hello sunshine please come in
lets all get flu shots and keep the flu away
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
a baby language?
i watched the opera show yesterday with such amazement. she had priscilla dunstan on and they discussed priscilla's special ability as a mom to uncode the baby language of 0-3 month olds across the world. priscilla has broken down 5 basic 'sound reflexes' that babies instinctively make and what they mean:
neh = hunger
owh = tired
heh = discomfort
eair = lower gas pain (intestine/bowel)
eh = upper gas pain (burp)
these are sounds that priscilla and opera go over in better detail on the show, check out the link below. as of today there was a video clip included, but i am not sure how long opera keeps the videos on her site. enjoy!
http://www2.oprah.com/tows/slide/200611/20061113/slide_20061113_350_101.jhtml
Monday, November 13, 2006
a car for baby
today we found several perfect cars.... for baby! she is sure to prefer a gm car when she is of age, so we gotta start shopping now right? she suprisingly approved of several different model changes and color combinations, so we will have it easy when the time comes! check out our pics by clicking on the photo album below
deer o mystery deer
we went antique'ing the other day and somehow these deer just followed me home. have YOU seen them before? why are they so cozy in such a winter scene? do they know each other like i know them? could you resist such a tapestry of emotion..... let's see who comments about these MYSTERY deer and where YOU may have spotted them
Saturday, November 11, 2006
50s burgers
we had to check out this cozy 50s diner for lunch today. we learned about cindy's diner in a local magazine (see the photos) and had to taste it for ourselves! it was amazing just to SEE such a small restaurant let alone get one of the 15 seats inside! we belly'd up to the bar for some juicy burgers and old fashioned cherry cokes. scott got french fries and i got the home fries. wowsa! our mouths were in heaven and the baby was on cloud 9 as well. she is the biggest tater fan that you ever did hear of.
this place is about as wide as our cool saturn (far left)
one of our famous self portraits
this place is about as wide as our cool saturn (far left)
one of our famous self portraits
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
the president and our baby
the past meets the future at the lincoln museum. we had fun exploring the exhibits and learning about president abraham lincoln. we would definately recommend stopping by if you are in fort wayne indiana.
as budding parents, we came to an important realization during our tour. as parents we will have a chance to 'refresh' our knowledge of many disciplines as our little girl grows up....
as budding parents, we came to an important realization during our tour. as parents we will have a chance to 'refresh' our knowledge of many disciplines as our little girl grows up....
Friday, November 03, 2006
23 week revelation
at first i was content to wiggle and push mom
she likes it tooooo
and i know she is busy noticing my gymnastics
but i have been doing something else
i have been growing bigger!
mom didn't even know how big i was until dad took these pictures!
i luv being bigger! i want to do it more!
mom is wondering about her belly button though
i guess it is changing by getting bigger too
she said dad should take some belly pics of it before it pops out!
i luv mommy and daddy, they wonder about funny things!
she likes it tooooo
and i know she is busy noticing my gymnastics
but i have been doing something else
i have been growing bigger!
mom didn't even know how big i was until dad took these pictures!
i luv being bigger! i want to do it more!
mom is wondering about her belly button though
i guess it is changing by getting bigger too
she said dad should take some belly pics of it before it pops out!
i luv mommy and daddy, they wonder about funny things!
Thursday, November 02, 2006
the public can see
i was in the grocery store when a friendly lady started up a conversation with me. she was all business at first, trying to see if i could be a new customer for the newspaper.... then one thing led to another and then she just coyly asked me....
'so, how far along are you?'
wowsa! that means she saw my baby belly! i was excited and then embarassed and then totally proud.
'i just started my sixth month'
she was just beaming. she liked my belly. and then she did something else that was unexpected. she started rubbing her belly.
'i am in my third month' she says.
well no wonder she was picking up on my motherly vibe! she has baby on the brain just like me! she had the cutest momma belly too, and so we chatted a bit about our growing middles...... it was wonderful.
now as i am typing this up tonight, i am thinking about the future. what will happen if the next nice lady tries to t-o-u-c-h my baby belly? will i be ready? will i have the force or the look to keep the rubbing and gropping at bay?
'so, how far along are you?'
wowsa! that means she saw my baby belly! i was excited and then embarassed and then totally proud.
'i just started my sixth month'
she was just beaming. she liked my belly. and then she did something else that was unexpected. she started rubbing her belly.
'i am in my third month' she says.
well no wonder she was picking up on my motherly vibe! she has baby on the brain just like me! she had the cutest momma belly too, and so we chatted a bit about our growing middles...... it was wonderful.
now as i am typing this up tonight, i am thinking about the future. what will happen if the next nice lady tries to t-o-u-c-h my baby belly? will i be ready? will i have the force or the look to keep the rubbing and gropping at bay?
Thursday, October 26, 2006
a couple of suckers
santa claus came early this year! our yard has never been so spoiled! what jealousy our luv-worn rakes are going to experience this year! hail, hail to the leaf vacuum! scott and grandpa shooks got to try out their new leaf suckers on our yard. those huge, brown, crummy leaves that have choked out our grass for years are now transformed into cute, vibrant little golden leaves that beautify the yard........
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
nursery rhyme theme
we try to be practical....... i said TRY. well our house has this 'cloud' room that has always been kinda irresistable. the previous owners of the house had it decorated as the cutest little nursery. i must say that we have decided to leave it as is, hoping that our precious little baby will think it is pretty neat-o too. i have been doing some looking online and found out that it is a laura ashley pattern and i even came across a cute bedding set to match it already. nursery rhymes are pretty inspiring and it seems like a fun gender neutral pattern to work with.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
more of us as babies
today it has been oh sooo rainy and the leaves are really falling. it is nice to think back of us in our summer outfits...
Saturday, October 21, 2006
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