Sunday, July 08, 2007
Moving!
I wrote this whole post in anticipation of our BlogMove yesterday, then forgot to post it! Silly me!
Have you ever started something and then turned around to realize that it had evolved into something different than what you had in mind when you started? That's kind of the way I feel about this blog. I started it to appease my mother who wanted a place to find pictures of little "Small" after she was born... and at first I just liked having a place to put all the many pictures I took of her every sweet expression. As time has passed, I still love putting pictures up of Carolyn, but this blog has become every bit as much about me as it is about her! It's a reflection of my personal story; the journal I would never find time to keep if I had to write things down in a book. I love to go back and look over our "history" of the past year. And I won't lie; I love the idea that there are people "out there" who are interested in what I have to say about my small little life (even if the 40-something users my StatCounter tracks are all just my mother checking my blog from 40 different computers... which actually may be possible in their house :))
Thoughts about where this blog is and where it's going and where I want it to go have been on the forefront of my musings over the past few weeks. I've been thinking about changing the address since Baby Irving" isn't a baby anymore- as I watched her standing on her own two feet today, excitedly waving a set of keys around- I realized afresh that I have indeed become the mother of a toddler! And I sincerely hope that God has more children for our "quiver." She has been a greater blessing than I could ever have imagined and I hope to have a home full of love and life and memories.
So all that said, we are moving to http://irvingfamilyblog.blogspot.com! I'll still keep this blog up so that people can link to the new one... but as we enter a new phase in life as parents of a toddler, our blog will also be moving up to an address that can grow with our family! Bookmark the new address and come join our family on this crazy journey called life! :)
Have you ever started something and then turned around to realize that it had evolved into something different than what you had in mind when you started? That's kind of the way I feel about this blog. I started it to appease my mother who wanted a place to find pictures of little "Small" after she was born... and at first I just liked having a place to put all the many pictures I took of her every sweet expression. As time has passed, I still love putting pictures up of Carolyn, but this blog has become every bit as much about me as it is about her! It's a reflection of my personal story; the journal I would never find time to keep if I had to write things down in a book. I love to go back and look over our "history" of the past year. And I won't lie; I love the idea that there are people "out there" who are interested in what I have to say about my small little life (even if the 40-something users my StatCounter tracks are all just my mother checking my blog from 40 different computers... which actually may be possible in their house :))
Thoughts about where this blog is and where it's going and where I want it to go have been on the forefront of my musings over the past few weeks. I've been thinking about changing the address since Baby Irving" isn't a baby anymore- as I watched her standing on her own two feet today, excitedly waving a set of keys around- I realized afresh that I have indeed become the mother of a toddler! And I sincerely hope that God has more children for our "quiver." She has been a greater blessing than I could ever have imagined and I hope to have a home full of love and life and memories.
So all that said, we are moving to http://irvingfamilyblog.blogspot.com! I'll still keep this blog up so that people can link to the new one... but as we enter a new phase in life as parents of a toddler, our blog will also be moving up to an address that can grow with our family! Bookmark the new address and come join our family on this crazy journey called life! :)
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Indendence Day, Etc.
Carolyn loves chocolate chip cookies! It's nice that just a little piece of a cookie provides her with so much joy and yet won't make her sick or keep her up at night. Everyone deserves to have a treat sometimes. She has been doing so much better with her milk since the affair of Monday evening. I followed my sister-in-law Katy's advice and gave her little sips of milk through a straw and she seemed to get more used to the taste and accept it better after that and I think we've gotten more stable on the 3 times a day nursing thing. We'll keep it here for awhile until we are both more ready to move on to the next phase of life. :)
I worked all day yesterday (at my "outside job") so I didn't get to play much with Carolyn in her cute little 4th of July outfit (courtesy of Rachel who outgrew it before she got to wear it! Thanks!) But I followed her around with a camera after I got home last night and thought she looked so cute here in the middle of playing with Daddy's socks. :)
Our baby birdies are growing!! I can't believe how much they have changed in just a week. They no longer look skeletal with transparent skin; they have real-looking feathers and they pretty much fill up the nest. We try not to take too many pictures because we don't want to scare away Mommy and Daddy Robin.
Last night after Carolyn went to bed (to bed, I said, not to sleep, mind you... it was a pretty disturbed night for her- maybe she's considering some new developmental milestone or something...) we lit a fire in our fire pit outside and toasted marshmallows and talked with our good friends Mark and Sarah Shaffer. It was a great time for catching up.
Not such a great time for Baggins, though; the 4th of July (and the week before and after it) is the worst time of year for him. He lives in mortal dread of fireworks! We have to give him tranquilizers to keep him somewhat calm (don't get me started on the emotional and psychological woes of our disturbed animal... it would take way too long to describe them!) The poor dog sat outside with us panting and shaking as our neighbors set off cracker after cracker. We live in a neighborhood with a large lake in the middle and the people who live on the lake must have a lot of money to burn up because we could see some really big fireworks right from our own backyard! We tried to take some pictures, but of course pictures of fireworks never turn out as well as they really looked. Still, we thought our new camera did a pretty good job. :)
I worked all day yesterday (at my "outside job") so I didn't get to play much with Carolyn in her cute little 4th of July outfit (courtesy of Rachel who outgrew it before she got to wear it! Thanks!) But I followed her around with a camera after I got home last night and thought she looked so cute here in the middle of playing with Daddy's socks. :)
Our baby birdies are growing!! I can't believe how much they have changed in just a week. They no longer look skeletal with transparent skin; they have real-looking feathers and they pretty much fill up the nest. We try not to take too many pictures because we don't want to scare away Mommy and Daddy Robin.
Last night after Carolyn went to bed (to bed, I said, not to sleep, mind you... it was a pretty disturbed night for her- maybe she's considering some new developmental milestone or something...) we lit a fire in our fire pit outside and toasted marshmallows and talked with our good friends Mark and Sarah Shaffer. It was a great time for catching up.Not such a great time for Baggins, though; the 4th of July (and the week before and after it) is the worst time of year for him. He lives in mortal dread of fireworks! We have to give him tranquilizers to keep him somewhat calm (don't get me started on the emotional and psychological woes of our disturbed animal... it would take way too long to describe them!) The poor dog sat outside with us panting and shaking as our neighbors set off cracker after cracker. We live in a neighborhood with a large lake in the middle and the people who live on the lake must have a lot of money to burn up because we could see some really big fireworks right from our own backyard! We tried to take some pictures, but of course pictures of fireworks never turn out as well as they really looked. Still, we thought our new camera did a pretty good job. :)
Monday, July 02, 2007
At the Park
Tonight after dinner we went to the park. This park is not really geared toward 1-year-olds, but it wasn't too crowded and I think Carolyn still enjoyed being outside and able to crawl around some.
You guessed it... we spent most of our time on the stairs. :)
Check out the static underneath the big blue slide!!
Now THAT's some Hair!!
You guessed it... we spent most of our time on the stairs. :)
Check out the static underneath the big blue slide!!
Now THAT's some Hair!!
Being the Grown-Up
WARNING: breastfeeding stories to follow...
So today I went to the store and bought my first half-gallon of whole milk (I even sprang for the organic stuff) and we gave Carolyn her first cup of moo.
She greeted it with curiosity and drank eagerly at first...
But after the first sip she made an awful face and out came all the white stuff, drooling down her chin. We tried several more times and the result was the same. I think whole milk is going to take some getting used to.
But we were determined- I could have nursed her but I didn't- I offered her some water in case she was thirsty and figured she'd make up the difference at the bedtime feeding. We really are hoping to take Carolyn down to just 3 feedings a day starting this week (to further liberate me from my relationship with my Pump; after a year of being stuck to it-literally-I'm ready to give it up!)- morning, naptime, and bedtime. I have loved nursing almost from the first and truly cherish the deep connection it has brought me with my sweet baby girl- and anymore, it's pretty much the only time during the day when I can hold her close to me. So I'm really not ready to stop yet. In fact, if I'm honest with myself, I'm really dreading and fearing the day when she decides she's done because it will feel as though she doesn't need me anymore- and really, the being needed aspect of motherhood is one of my very favorites. Until I became Carolyn's mommy, I never really felt like I had anything to give to anybody that was truly unique and something no one else could provide (I felt an a bit of that feeling in my relationship with my husband, but nothing like the sweet, deep joy that comes from being the sole sustenance for a whole little life).
So, all that said, back to the title of my post... tonight, poor Carolyn was so very thirsty and hungry from missing her 530pm feeding that she was just desperate for something to satisfy her; also, she's teething, so she has this insatiable desire to put her fingers in her mouth- all this together seemed to contribute to the severe biting/screaming episode we had at the beginning of the feeding... which tenses me up, frustrates me, makes me a little angry and needless to say does nothing for my letdown since I find myself unable to relax enough to let it happen- and she just really lost it and started thrashing and screaming and having an all-out fit! Now picture me, I've just dropped a feeding for the first time and I'm just as ready to feed her as she is to eat, I'm already feeling sad about the impending changes in our mommy-baby relationship, and feeling physical and emotional pain... and I just lost it, too, and we sat there crying together until Brad rescued us both.
We ended up laying her down hungry for a few minutes and Brad helped coach me back to reality and helped me see things from Carolyn's perspective. We as her parents really are her whole world, her whole security, and when she sees me just lose it emotionally, how that must shake her(I'm so sorry Carolyn)! I thought about how I would feel if something happened serious enough to make my mom crumble and how that would rock my foundation and realized one of the tough things about becoming a parent is that you have to stop being a child. So after we prayed together (well Brad prayed, I cried...), I pulled myself together and went back to her room with my only thought to bring comfort to Carolyn and to show her that her world was still okay. The poor child just reached her arms out for me, I gathered her up and she laid her head on my shoulder like she hardly ever does anymore as if to say "finally, I've found my safe haven again!" Eventually, she did decide to eat, which made me feel ever so much better- but I have learned an important lesson that perhaps should have been obvious. I have to be the grown-up in this relationship!
So today I went to the store and bought my first half-gallon of whole milk (I even sprang for the organic stuff) and we gave Carolyn her first cup of moo.
She greeted it with curiosity and drank eagerly at first...
But after the first sip she made an awful face and out came all the white stuff, drooling down her chin. We tried several more times and the result was the same. I think whole milk is going to take some getting used to.But we were determined- I could have nursed her but I didn't- I offered her some water in case she was thirsty and figured she'd make up the difference at the bedtime feeding. We really are hoping to take Carolyn down to just 3 feedings a day starting this week (to further liberate me from my relationship with my Pump; after a year of being stuck to it-literally-I'm ready to give it up!)- morning, naptime, and bedtime. I have loved nursing almost from the first and truly cherish the deep connection it has brought me with my sweet baby girl- and anymore, it's pretty much the only time during the day when I can hold her close to me. So I'm really not ready to stop yet. In fact, if I'm honest with myself, I'm really dreading and fearing the day when she decides she's done because it will feel as though she doesn't need me anymore- and really, the being needed aspect of motherhood is one of my very favorites. Until I became Carolyn's mommy, I never really felt like I had anything to give to anybody that was truly unique and something no one else could provide (I felt an a bit of that feeling in my relationship with my husband, but nothing like the sweet, deep joy that comes from being the sole sustenance for a whole little life).
So, all that said, back to the title of my post... tonight, poor Carolyn was so very thirsty and hungry from missing her 530pm feeding that she was just desperate for something to satisfy her; also, she's teething, so she has this insatiable desire to put her fingers in her mouth- all this together seemed to contribute to the severe biting/screaming episode we had at the beginning of the feeding... which tenses me up, frustrates me, makes me a little angry and needless to say does nothing for my letdown since I find myself unable to relax enough to let it happen- and she just really lost it and started thrashing and screaming and having an all-out fit! Now picture me, I've just dropped a feeding for the first time and I'm just as ready to feed her as she is to eat, I'm already feeling sad about the impending changes in our mommy-baby relationship, and feeling physical and emotional pain... and I just lost it, too, and we sat there crying together until Brad rescued us both.
We ended up laying her down hungry for a few minutes and Brad helped coach me back to reality and helped me see things from Carolyn's perspective. We as her parents really are her whole world, her whole security, and when she sees me just lose it emotionally, how that must shake her(I'm so sorry Carolyn)! I thought about how I would feel if something happened serious enough to make my mom crumble and how that would rock my foundation and realized one of the tough things about becoming a parent is that you have to stop being a child. So after we prayed together (well Brad prayed, I cried...), I pulled myself together and went back to her room with my only thought to bring comfort to Carolyn and to show her that her world was still okay. The poor child just reached her arms out for me, I gathered her up and she laid her head on my shoulder like she hardly ever does anymore as if to say "finally, I've found my safe haven again!" Eventually, she did decide to eat, which made me feel ever so much better- but I have learned an important lesson that perhaps should have been obvious. I have to be the grown-up in this relationship!
Sunday, July 01, 2007
My Birthday- By Carolyn
My first clue that birthdays are a pretty cool thing came the night before my birthday when Mommy made my cake and she let me have a tiny bit of cake batter- it was sooo yummy!
Birthday breakfast was great. Mommy made me a blueberry pancake "cake" and I got to smear blueberries everywhere. I was pretty tired after the excitement of my birthday balloons (previous post) and this special breakfast, so I decided to take a quick snooze.
When I woke up, I was thrilled to find that Grammy and Papa had arrived while I slept! Mommy said that since it was my birthday, I could have just about anything I wanted except dangerous stuff, so she let Grammy give me a whole bowl of goldfish crackers to do what I liked with! I made a big mess.
One of the best things about my party was the ice keeping Cokes cold in this trash can-turned ice chest. My friend Caimon thought it was really fun to throw toys in the trash can.
My buddy Aidan wanted to give his mommy a hint that he'd like a cold drink. She didn't pick up on it, though.
I thought the ice was really tasty and so nice and cold on my poor, sore gums. My Mommy thinks I'm getting molars. I don't think I want molars. They hurt!
Presents were really fun. There was a lot of wrapping paper all around.
After presents, we had cake. My mommy made me a cake shaped like a fish (since we were having a fish party) and Papa Craig decorated it so it looked cute.
Cake was SO great! I started with the icing and ate that a little bit at a time, but then since no one seemed ready to stop me, I decided I'd just grab big handfuls of cake and smear it all over the place.
I discovered that cake is pretty squishy. It also makes great face paint, and I think when I grow up I will market a haircare product with icing as a main ingredient. It really did something for my "do," I think.
Since I was covered with Cake and it was sunny outside, we decided to take the party outdoors to the pools. I got this really fun pool from my cousin Peyton (and his mom and dad Mark and Erica). It sprinkles water from the sides and has all kinds of fun toys inside. It's a lot of fun to crawl around in. The only problem is that the water that comes from the hose is so, so cold! My friend Aidan didn't care, but I am a little lady with very sensitive skin and I decided it was too cold for the weather. So we'll try again a different day when it's hotter (or we'll hook it up to the laundry room sink like we usually do :))
I went to tell my mommy how cold the water was and she suggested I try the smaller pool that had been warming up all day.
I found the temperature much more to my liking in this pool.
I got right in and had a great time splashing and shouting.
My friends Aidan and Rachel came swimming with me, too!
I also thought it was great fun to crawl OUT of the pool. Just check out my sweet thighs! My mommy says there's a tickle spot right between the rolls. :)
Aidan found another tickle spot on my back. His new skill is tickling people- especially when you least expect it!
I was pretty pooped out after the party, so I took another little nap, but woke up in time for the mother lode of presents! Most of my family had saved their presents for after the party and I had a great time opening more presents the second time around. :)
Mommy and Daddy got me these fun first blocks- but I haven't gotten to play with them much since I got so much other stuff and they put these down in the basement for later...
Our neighbors Jim and Lynne got me this sweet dolly. I love that she has a pink headband on her head just like I used to wear all the time.
See, here I am when I was about the same size as my dolly!
My Grammy made me this special story book with pictures of all my favorite things and people. I love it! I especially like the curly binding! Great for chewing.
I got a lot of puzzles for my birthday. I have a feeling I am really going to like puzzles as I grow bigger. I especially like the furry animals on this one. And I can even say some of the animal sounds now- like baaa ("aaah"), moo, and cockadoodledoo ("oodloodloo").
Here I am with my Daddy on my birthday. Every year we will take a special picture together so that we can look back and see how tall I grow!
I thought the birthday was over yesterday- but Mommy surprised me today with my favorite spaghetti meal and the last piece of cake, saved just for me!
I hope you've enjoyed my birthday story! I can't wait until next year (but my Mommy says not to grow up too quickly- One is a great age to be)! :)
Birthday breakfast was great. Mommy made me a blueberry pancake "cake" and I got to smear blueberries everywhere. I was pretty tired after the excitement of my birthday balloons (previous post) and this special breakfast, so I decided to take a quick snooze.
When I woke up, I was thrilled to find that Grammy and Papa had arrived while I slept! Mommy said that since it was my birthday, I could have just about anything I wanted except dangerous stuff, so she let Grammy give me a whole bowl of goldfish crackers to do what I liked with! I made a big mess.
One of the best things about my party was the ice keeping Cokes cold in this trash can-turned ice chest. My friend Caimon thought it was really fun to throw toys in the trash can.
My buddy Aidan wanted to give his mommy a hint that he'd like a cold drink. She didn't pick up on it, though.
I thought the ice was really tasty and so nice and cold on my poor, sore gums. My Mommy thinks I'm getting molars. I don't think I want molars. They hurt!
Presents were really fun. There was a lot of wrapping paper all around.
After presents, we had cake. My mommy made me a cake shaped like a fish (since we were having a fish party) and Papa Craig decorated it so it looked cute.
Cake was SO great! I started with the icing and ate that a little bit at a time, but then since no one seemed ready to stop me, I decided I'd just grab big handfuls of cake and smear it all over the place.
I discovered that cake is pretty squishy. It also makes great face paint, and I think when I grow up I will market a haircare product with icing as a main ingredient. It really did something for my "do," I think.
Since I was covered with Cake and it was sunny outside, we decided to take the party outdoors to the pools. I got this really fun pool from my cousin Peyton (and his mom and dad Mark and Erica). It sprinkles water from the sides and has all kinds of fun toys inside. It's a lot of fun to crawl around in. The only problem is that the water that comes from the hose is so, so cold! My friend Aidan didn't care, but I am a little lady with very sensitive skin and I decided it was too cold for the weather. So we'll try again a different day when it's hotter (or we'll hook it up to the laundry room sink like we usually do :))
I went to tell my mommy how cold the water was and she suggested I try the smaller pool that had been warming up all day.
I found the temperature much more to my liking in this pool.
I got right in and had a great time splashing and shouting.
My friends Aidan and Rachel came swimming with me, too!
I also thought it was great fun to crawl OUT of the pool. Just check out my sweet thighs! My mommy says there's a tickle spot right between the rolls. :)
Aidan found another tickle spot on my back. His new skill is tickling people- especially when you least expect it!
I was pretty pooped out after the party, so I took another little nap, but woke up in time for the mother lode of presents! Most of my family had saved their presents for after the party and I had a great time opening more presents the second time around. :)
Mommy and Daddy got me these fun first blocks- but I haven't gotten to play with them much since I got so much other stuff and they put these down in the basement for later...
Our neighbors Jim and Lynne got me this sweet dolly. I love that she has a pink headband on her head just like I used to wear all the time.
See, here I am when I was about the same size as my dolly!
My Grammy made me this special story book with pictures of all my favorite things and people. I love it! I especially like the curly binding! Great for chewing.
I got a lot of puzzles for my birthday. I have a feeling I am really going to like puzzles as I grow bigger. I especially like the furry animals on this one. And I can even say some of the animal sounds now- like baaa ("aaah"), moo, and cockadoodledoo ("oodloodloo").
Here I am with my Daddy on my birthday. Every year we will take a special picture together so that we can look back and see how tall I grow!
I thought the birthday was over yesterday- but Mommy surprised me today with my favorite spaghetti meal and the last piece of cake, saved just for me!I hope you've enjoyed my birthday story! I can't wait until next year (but my Mommy says not to grow up too quickly- One is a great age to be)! :)
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Year in Review
It's SO hard to break thousands of pictures down into just 12, but here is my best attempt. Happy birthday, baby girl (1 day late for the blog, but trust, me the past year was well documented and well- exhibited with a slide show and video shown on her actual birthday)! I am working on sorting through 100's of pictures of the Big Day and hope to have a post for you later tonight. :)
June 28, 2006: Ready to pop!!! Get me outta here!!
Brand New: Falling in love with Mommy- and Mommy falls in love with me
1 Month: Naps with Daddy are so, so sweet!
2 Months: I have learned to laugh and I love to smile!
3 Months- I love to play with my Animals!
4 Months: I am such a sweet pea- and such a happy baby girl!
5 Months: Found my feet! Just check out my chubby thighs!!!
6 Months: Yay! I can get my paci myself now! I think I'll start sleeping through the night now.
7 Months: I look like Master Yoda when Mommy dresses me in my snowsuit and hat and plops me down in the cold, cold snow for a picture! Next year, I think I will slide down this hill.
8 Months: Love that remote! Maybe Mommy and Daddy will get a new TV so I can enjoy the old remote (of course, then I'll lose interest in this one and promptly switch to the one that has more buttons... but don't tell them that)!
9 Months: Wahooo! I am the cutest baby I have ever seen!
10 Months: Look what I can do!
11 Months: Daddy throw me!!
1 year old! Yay for Cake!!!
June 28, 2006: Ready to pop!!! Get me outta here!!
Brand New: Falling in love with Mommy- and Mommy falls in love with me
1 Month: Naps with Daddy are so, so sweet!
2 Months: I have learned to laugh and I love to smile!
3 Months- I love to play with my Animals!
4 Months: I am such a sweet pea- and such a happy baby girl!
5 Months: Found my feet! Just check out my chubby thighs!!!
6 Months: Yay! I can get my paci myself now! I think I'll start sleeping through the night now.
7 Months: I look like Master Yoda when Mommy dresses me in my snowsuit and hat and plops me down in the cold, cold snow for a picture! Next year, I think I will slide down this hill.
8 Months: Love that remote! Maybe Mommy and Daddy will get a new TV so I can enjoy the old remote (of course, then I'll lose interest in this one and promptly switch to the one that has more buttons... but don't tell them that)!
9 Months: Wahooo! I am the cutest baby I have ever seen!
10 Months: Look what I can do!
11 Months: Daddy throw me!!
1 year old! Yay for Cake!!!
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