The Many Antics of Esther

Our Daughter....

Sock Hunting under the Changing Table

Pulling Diapers out of the Diaper Box

Playing Hide-and-Go-Seek Under Her Bed...

...And under the Guest Bed

And Falling Asleep at the End of a Busy, Running, Hiding, Mess-Making Day...

These pictures were taken on different days (and are not even in order), but, as you can see, we have one very goofy girl on our hands! She's getting so big and is so imaginative! I can hardly believe she is almost a year.

To my little bug: I love you so much! I love every laugh and every smile. You make mommy's heart happy!

Exciting for Esther, a sad moment for mommy...

Children grow up way too fast.

As of today, we are exactly two months and six days from her first birthday. I will start planning her party soon and already have the theme: Little Bug's Garden Party. My plan is to make a mini-cake for her in the shape of a lady bug and maybe something like that for the guests, although I am not sure I want to make a billion little cakes :) But it will be fun. And I'm starting to scout out gift ideas at the toy store here in town. I'm shooting for cute, educational, and fun.

Anyway, it's happening way too soon. This time last year, I was 7 months pregnant and counting down the weeks to seeing her for the first time. I had no idea how precious she would be (but I had a hint). And now here she is, getting bigger by the day, and making my world brighter with every smile. We've had challenges along the way, but overall I love being a mommy and I love my little girl. And I'm also very excited for this next one. I'll get all the newborn cuteness again!

That being said, Esther is developing, as usual, like the overachiever she is. She's chatting up a storm, even saying new words like "kitty" or "dog" from time-to-time. And, drum roll, she's starting to walk!

No joke - she started taking 2-4 steps at a time about one-two weeks ago. She'd get a little ways and then either sit or tumble over. She's been cruising for about a month and half now and a couple weeks ago started getting brave enough to take a step or two between pieces of furniture. It escalated from there.

As of last night, she was walking 6 to 10 steps at a time in open space. Her balance has suddenly improved and she is very determined to continue trying this new skill. Once she gets an idea in her head, there's no stopping her. Experienced parents are telling us that she'll likely be a pro within the week! EEK!

So we're now doubling our child-proofing efforts :) I'm excited that she's learning to walk, but again, I'm sad because it's proof that she's not my little newborn anymore!

I'll just have to cope because there's no stopping time! And I'll enjoy our second baby until he/she grows up...in which case, maybe I'll need to have #3? Kidding. We're going to wait a couple years for that!

Anyway, I will sign off for now!

Love you all!

Update

Esther has been getting bigger and a thousand times more active. She is now practicing standing up from a sitting position and then standing unassisted. She's becoming incredibly balanced and I don't think it will be too long before she tries a few steps. Then again it is hard to predict that kind of thing! But she loves standing and cruising. She can get from point A to B in no time flat, as her mommy, daddy, and nana have witnessed on many occassions. It gets scarier to one degree, because she seems discover every little thing in sight.

Separation anxiety has also reared its head once more. She gets very panicky at night when we lay her in her own bed. She would much rather be held be mommy all night long than be in her own bed. I have say, though, that I love how cuddly she has become. She'll crawl to me every few minutes just to hug me or cuddle with me.

She changes constantly and quickly. I hardly recognize her :). But she has such a great personality and is so beautiful. I am so in love with her!

I wish everyone could see our little star - she is incredibly special, sweet, and funny. A true gem :) Pictures will never do her justice, although they are pretty cute! The Esther in-real-life is a firecracker and comedian. She can make you smile, even on the cloudiest day. She has no problem telling you what she thinks and makes the funniest faces when she doesn't like something. God blessed us with such a precious child!

Speaking of cameras (in a round-about way), I seem to have lost mine and have not been able to take any in the past couple weeks :( Fortunately, I was able to locate it briefly, just in time to print a couple pictures for Tim's Father's Day present. Esther picked out a very cute frame for him, which I am hoping to get up on the wall some time soon.

Well, that is all for now!

Love you all!

Vacation Pictures - Finally!

Almost a month after the fact, here are some pictures of our trip. As stated previously, we had a lot of fun down south...




Jesse and Susie cuddling in Starbucks


Our little cowgirl at the Bass Pro Shop...she was a hit with the other patrons (and, yes, we did buy the hat)




Horseback riding at Robber's Cave. It was my first real ride and I loved it...

Tim and Esther outside of Robber's Cave (at the beginning of the trail)

Esther and Opa sharing a moment...

JP Feeding Esther ...

Another cowgirl moment..so cute!

Tim and I sporting our free Cabela's ball caps...

Esther petting a kitty-kitty at a farm...she loves cats!

Esther getting attacked by goats and loving it!

I'll post more pictures later! We're all doing well. We had a pretty good weekend, despite Tim having to work half day on Saturday. I took the opportunity to buy two rose bushes for our porch and get Tim a Father's Day present. On Sunday, we walked to church, went out the road and fished (nothing caught, though), and went to the Everyday Sunday concert (which was awesome!). It was all pretty great and just what we needed! This week agenda involves cleaning the yard and the house and maybe catching some fish...we'll see!

Love you all!

- Meg

We're Back!

I have not had a chance to download my photos from our trip, but we're back and not too happy about it either. Don't get me wrong - we're doing well and love Alaska, but God really worked some things in us on this trip (something we were both praying for) and now we're getting itchy feet :). Who knows where God will take us in the future, but we are definitely praying that He'll open doors for us to start walking in His destiny.

That being said, we had a wonderful time in Oklahoma and Texas. I got to see old friends and teachers, which was wonderful (and, my, how everyone has changed!), and we got to relax and enjoy a whole new world. Esther, Tim, and I absolutely loved the heat and humidity. We had to take extra precautions with Esther, which is not something we're used to doing, but she did great for the most part.

Here is an overview of what we did on our vacation:

• Met Jesse's girlfriend - a very sweet girl who loved Esther. She's perfect for Jesse and managed to handle my parents and my family with great finesse!



• Attended Jesse's graduation. Congrats little brother! He was the only graduate, but he got the highest honors! I'm proud of him!



• Had breakfast with one my close friends, Holly, who is now mommy to 3 year-old Liam and twins Luke and Leia (yes, she is a Star Wars fan).



• Spent 4 days in a cabin near Robber's Cave (made famous by Jesse James)



• Rode horses through the mountains. My horse loved the leader, so I hardly had to do more than slow it in order to prevent it from running into the leader. The only problem was when he got excited to return home and tried running. Since I am not skilled at horse riding, this made it very interesting! But it was a blast!



• Tim fished for most of our time at the cave. He caught bluegill and 1 crayfish. He also tried snagging snakes in the water, but stopped after he told that they may be water moccasins (note: I just discovered that the snakes we saw were harmless).



• Spent a day on a boat on a huge lake. Tim and dad caught at least 10 bluegills (such small, cute, blue fish) and we had a little adventure. Our boat broke down and we were stuck on the water for about an hour. It was fun sitting around, getting sunburned, splashing each other with water, and cracking jokes about our situation. Good times!



• Shopped like crazy and ate good food! Doesn't get better than that! I got an iPhone, which rocks, and we stocked up on clothes for us all. Esther got a pair of Early Walker shoes and they are helping her along nicely! And I got to take Tim to Mardel's, an awesome Christian book store, which we enjoyed. Bought some great CDs and t-shirts. Yes, I love to shop and so does my little girl (and apparently, so does Tim...)



• Visited Bass Pro and Cabelas. Tim's life-long dream came true! He was in heaven when we went inside Cabelas. That look of awe was priceless. We spent a bit there, but it was worth it :)

I know I am leaving things out, but they aren't that important, I guess! Esther really did love it. She LOVED Susie and she loved the things she got to experience - sitting in the grass, blowing bubbles, shopping for new books, clothes, and toys, meeting new babies, etc.

Speaking of our daughter, here are the things she has started doing the past couple of weeks:

She can now say "Mama," "Dada," and "Nana" and apply those names to the correct people, although Nana can also mean "banana" (when she's eating them, she'll go "Nana" when she wants more) or "no-no."

She can balance on our shoulders without hands, although she likes to use Tim's ears for handles, and she has decided that sleeping on his shoulders is fun. She'll literally fall asleep up there! Below is a picture I took with my phone. It is too cute!

Lastly, she is standing more and more unassisted, letting go of our hands and taking a step unassisted, and is cruising more and more. Oh, and she's officially getting teeth in. They're starting to poke through now! All I can say is nursing is starting to hurt!

The trip had a bonus attached - Esther's sleep schedule shifted as a result! She goes to bed earlier and sleeps hard until about 2-3 a.m. Tim and I get at least an hour to ourselves! And we get to sleep a solid 5 hours!

Well, this has become very long! Hope you all stuck around and read this :)

Overnight Changes

Esther amazes me. She goes from one step to the next overnight, literally.

Yesterday she decided to do a lot of new things. I don't know what made her decide to try these new things, but she literally woke up a different baby (in a good way, I would say).

Here are her most recent developments:

• Separation Anxiety has Kicked In. Tim and I are officially the top people for Esther. She dealt with a form of this when she was younger, but now it is even more pronounced. She has been clingy for the past week and cries whenever we leave her. I have to admit, it is really sweet and cute!
• Reaching Out. For a month now she has been reaching out when she wants to be held by someone or picked up. She does it all the time now!
• Babbling. She has moved to consonant sounds. As of May 12, Esther started adding consonants to her speech. She used them within her speech before, but she's now starting her words with them. She says "Mama," "Blah Blah" (her new favorite), "Dada," and a few other sounds.
• Clapping. Also as of May 12, Esther discovered how to clap. She did it completely unsolicited by me. I was holding her before bed and she started doing it. We got her to do it a couple of other times. So cute!
• Crawling and Standing. For a couple weeks now, Esther has been crawling in the true form for two weeks now (she's been crawling in her own way for a couple months...more of a scooting action). She has also been pulling herself up to standing for two weeks. On May 12, she stood up against me, pushed off, and stood, unassisted, for about 15 seconds. She only fell to sitting, because I got so excited :)

Those are just a few milestones reached. She is reaching them so fast, I can hardly keep up! Such a cute, smart little bug!

Tonight our family leaves for a ten day vacation to Oklahoma (would much rather be going somewhere cool, but, hey, I can't wait to see some old friends and watch my brother graduate!). Flying with Esther will be even more interesting than the last time, judging by how active she is now. She wasn't inactive the last time, but now days she can hardly sit still :) It will be an adventure! I can't wait until our plane leaves!!

Well, take care everyone! I'll update later!

Recent Pictures...

It has been a crazy couple of weeks, so I haven't really had an opportunity to post pictures on here. I thought you all might enjoy seeing some of our most recent pictures of our little bug. Easter went nicely. Esther had fun digging into her basket (literally) and looked absolutely adorable in her dress! She stole the show during Sunday service because she started talking loudly in the middle of the message :). Such a little drama queen! On the Saturday before Easter, we took our little girl on a hike across the flats at Eagle beach. She liked it, but made funny grimmaces because of the wind (it was blustering that day). We had a lot of fun FINALLY getting past the snow and to the flats. We got there at the bottom of the tide and had to race it back to the car (comes in pretty fast there). Here's the picures:

Esther Enjoying Her First Bite of Solid Food for Easter!

Messy girl!

Easter Time:

Laughing at Daddy!

Hike on the Flats:

Exciting News

I haven't posted in a while because life has been insane lately! Okay, not really insane, but just a little out-of-ordinary.

Before I delve into my exciting news, I would like to give a little update about what has been happening lately.

First, Esther is trying her best to pull up and stand without assistance. She can manage to get onto her kness and can almost get to her feet. She did this yesterday and tried to pull up to me and nurse. I definitely got THAT message :).

Secondly, we had a huge diesel spill my office building and I have been working from home all week. It's been interesting, to say the least. I'm finding that it is harder to work when I'm not at my desk. but I love seeing Esther most of the day (although, thank you Mom for all of your help!).

We should be back in office next week, so I think life might be easier that way...

Which leads me into my big news:

I GOT THE JOB!

That's right - God has opened the door for me to step into a new position in my department. I am so blessed and so excited. I can't believe it!

Applied for a New Job

I did it! I can't believe it, but I actually applied for a new position in the state. Despite the hiring freeze, one unit is hiring for an Education Associate II and I took a chance and applied. Now I am incredibly nervous. I think my three day weekend might be shrouded by thoughts of whether or not I will get an interview. We'll see! If it's God's will, it will happen!

Please be praying that God gives me the confidence I need to interview. I am a quick learner and do fine when I'm in the position, it's just getting there that gets me (I'm horrible with interviews, FYI).

Anyway, I just wanted to let everyone know that I have applied for something new. It's three steps up!

Love you all!

One step forward, two steps back...

I purposely created a title that would mislead you. No, Esther is not reverting in anyway; just the opposite, in fact. I was merely describing what she's doing with her crawling right now. She's getting bigger and stronger by the day (and getting closer to having teeth, I'm sure. I give nursing a big "OUCH").

Here is what she's been doing recently:

• Getting more inquisitive about the world around her. She's always been very aware of it, but, being more active, she can actually interact with it. Tim made a mobile out of paper cranes and she tries so hard to reach it, even if it is on ceiling :)

• Holding herself for longer on her hands and knees. She'll actually stay in that position and will even try to get to the sitting position from it.

• Moving forward - yes, our daughter is making the move toward actual crawling. Scary! Technically she's pushing onto hands and knees and propelling herself forward with her arms. It's only a matter of time before she gets the concept of real crawling. She doesn't get far and, generally, still crawls backwards. She gets so frustrated that she's actually working double-time to get moving.

Because she is getting around so well, we have to really watch her on the floor. She literally find EVERYTHING tiny and potentially dangerous. Mommy is going to become the vacuum queen. I already have the maternal eagle eye. Something just goes off in my head these days - maybe it's my spidey senses telling me that a small object is nearby (or on its way to her mouth). Who knows! I'm just glad I generally catch these things!

Aside from eating small things, her new favorite game is removing the movies from the entertainment center and eating them.

Our little bug is so cute and mischievous...

Teething Fun

It has begun - the moment I have dreaded long before Esther was born. Teething.

Yikes. It is as bad as some people claim. Poor Esther has been incredible amounts of pain, to the point of waking through the night.

It was so bad that I brought here back to the doctor yesterday because I worried it was ear infection. Turned out that she is just incredibly close to cutting teeth!

The physicians assistant we saw said Esther has wonderfully healthy ears and lungs and is in perfect health (a wonderful thing for an overly concerned mom to hear). She was also shocked to see how active Es was ("wow, she's really advanced for 5 months!") and to hear Esther say "mama." I hadn't posted that bit before, but she's been saying mama for about a month. At first I thought I was hearing things, but I have had about ten people now point it out and they have noticed that she directs it at me and seems to know what the word means. Guess I'll be officially recording that as her first word!

Anyway, we really had wrestle Es to examine her, but the PA finally got a look in her mouth and said, "Ah, now it makes sense. Her top gums are very swollen. You'll probably see teeth soon." As for the bottom, she mentioned that they are likely ready, but generally give little warning before popping out.

So now we wait and do our best to keep Es happy and comfortable, not always an easy task. We're giving her cold items to soothe her gums, nursing frequently, and holding her close when she's crying (while using Little Teethers and the occasional dose of baby Tylenol).

It's exciting, but nursing with teeth makes me nervous :)

Love you all!

Updates and First Bite of Cereal

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

As of yesterday, Esther turned 5 months! Time is moving by fast and our little girl keeps developing by the second.

Recent developments:

• Sitting up straight unsupported for longer (closer to a minute - she's really learning balance)








• Propping on hands and knees a little more - still not for long periods, but enough to wiggle worm backwards


• Laughing more and more over silly things - it doesn't have to involve us making funny noises any more. She'll laugh at a funny expression or when she is tickled.

We went to the doctor last night for a weight check and she has gained about a pound from last month! She had not really gained a lot the previous two months, so this was a huge milestone!

The nurse gave us the go ahead to try her with rice cereal (and nothing else). We're holding off on real solids until six months and are only giving her a few bites of cereal to get her used to the idea. We don't want to do too much right now because of the increased risk of allergies and obesity (both linked to early feeding). But it is fun giving her some cereal and she was so cute with it!

The only way she would really accept the spoon was if she got to help bring it to her mouth. It almost seemed like she was more interested in the spoon than the food though, which wasn't really unexpected. We're going to wait a couple of days and try it once more.

She loved the time with her mommy and daddy and her bowl of cereal, but she got fussy after a few bites and wanted to nurse. I feel so special!

Last night, aside from her first feeding, we took her on her first pre-spring picnic. She didn't like it so much because it was windy and cold. We wrapped her up snugly and eventually got her to sleep, so Tim and I got to enjoy our hot dogs and the nice, cozy fire. Auke Bay looked gorgeous as the sun went down!

Anyway, here are some pictures of Esther feeding and one that I added just because. I'll take pictures of our little banshee today and post them soon!

Love you all!

What's that, Mommy? Hmmm. That's interesting...

Give me more, Daddy! I'll do it myself, thank you!

That was actually pretty okay!

Weekend Updates

It has been a great weekend! We went from being completely depressed because Tim was slated to work on Saturday to totally elated when it ended up that he didn't have to (thank you, Kyle, for being such a great advocate!).

Needless to say, this allowed us to keep up with our usual Saturday routine (which mostly includes day dreaming about getting projects done and then spending all day doing none of it). We went for our weekly drive out the road and spent most of the day shopping (so much fun!).

The shopping part became more of an adventure than it normally is. Yes, I did get a super cute purse to replace my ratty one and that was quite the find, but what topped it off was what happened at the Girl Scout cookie stand.

We had already bought ten boxes of our favorites (translation: a couple boxes that I kind of like and eight that Tim could kill off in two days) and were browsing the baby section. All of the sudden somebody came on the overhead speaker and announced that they were selling cookies up front and that the Governor would be there momentarily to help.

Tim and I looked up and smiled at each other, quickly putting down the outfit we were contemplating. Running to the front of the store, we pretended to look at produce while Sarah Palin was greeting girl scouts at the entrance. Tim asked if we should try for a picture, but I informed him that, for the first Saturday since Esther was born, I didn't have my camera. At first he suggested using our cell phones (as if those pictures ever leave the sell phone), but then he had this brilliant idea that we purchase a throw-away camera.

We rushed to the nearest self-check out and bought one right as the governor began walking around the store to "solicit" sales. Here we were, with a cart full of items we hadn't purchased, buying a camera just so we could play paparazzi. I felt funny, but Tim was determined. So off we went, baby in hand, following our governor through the store.

We get the next front entrance and I feel really stupid, so I'm pretending to browse the make-up aisle (I don't even wear make-up). Meanwhile, Tim is standing a ways from me, in sight of the governor, with our little girl in hand.

I hear the governor make a comment about my daughter and freeze in place, trying not to look conspicuous. And then Tim yells "Meg, get the camera!" That man has no qualms taking pictures with "famous people." I have no idea where he gets his confidence.

Anyway, I snatch the disposable camera from the cart and then start fumbling nervously. I think I met have said, "I'm too nervous." Sarah Palin must have thought I was a world-class idiot. I know I did.

Finally, after a few seconds of just standing there, Tim said, "I'll take a photo - go stand by the baby."

And thus, the picture we snapped was of Sarah Palin, baby, and me. As you can see, I look like a moron in the picture. But we have an ultra cute photo of Esther with the governor. I plan on placing this in her memory book!

On other fronts, our house is still messy, but man has it been a fun weekend with Esther. She's been cuter than all get out, practicing her crawling more and more (still mostly backwards, but she did make it a few inches forward), and not wanting to sleep all night anymore.

My favorite thing this weekend (other than the story I just relayed) was when Esther and I were alone in the room a couple nights ago. Tim had left the room for a moment and Es was nursing. She was getting sleepy and full, so I laid her on her side next me and then cuddled down next to her. For a moment she just smiled at me, but then started laughing - just out of the blue! This got me to laughing and for about five minutes we cuddled and laughed at each other. It was so sweet! Tim came in and joked about how his favorite girls are such night owls. And then he joined us and helped put Esther to bed. Being a mommy is such a pleasure!

An Esther Update

Esther is starting to really work on sitting up on her own. She sat up, barely supported, on the couch last night and then, while on the floor, sat up, back-straight, for about a minute without anything supporting her. She's starting to use her arms to balance and then, once she feels balanced, will sit up on her own. She's getting there! Maybe only a week or two before she really starts getting it down.

Also, she's starting to stand propped against things. Everyday she gets stronger!

She's still our little smiley - so cute! She wakes up smiling at us and, when she doesn't want to sleep, will smile and giggle to try and woo her way out of bed time. I love our little girl!

She has a weigh-in at the doctor's office next week . We'll find out then if they want us to introduce cereal or not. They'd prefer 6 months, but are wanting to see if she's gaining enough weight. I'm hoping that they'll say she's doing okay weight-wise so we can hold off on feeding her solids until 6 months. We'll do what we have to do! We just want to do what is healthiest for our daughter and what benefits her the most in the long run.

Either way, I'm looking ahead to the day we introduce solids with a mix of excitement and nervousness. In one sense, I cannot wait to see how she reacts to it and in another I want to make sure I'm doing it in a way that is healthy and that still keeps breastfeeding as the main source of nurtrition.

Here is my plan so far (subject to change):

Morning: Nurse first, give a little oatmeal, maybe nurse to finish off
Daytime: Nurse/Supplement with expressed milk (if at mom's)
Evening: Nurse, rice cereal/baby food (homemade, introducing new foods every few days)
Nightime: Nurse before bed as usual and throughout the night on demand

Maybe that will work!

Anyway, I need to get busy, so I'll post more on another day!

Love you all!

Things I was told but didn't believe until I had Esther...

I visit parenting message boards quite frequently and liked one of the posts I participated in yesterday. The question posted was one that asked "What we wish we were told before having the baby."


I enjoyed thinking of these things and thought I would post a few here. I changed it a little, though, because some of these things I was "told" about, but didn't understand until I became a mother.


Here they are! Enjoy!


What I wish I had been told or was and did not understand:

• My love for Tim would increase so much that I could hardly contain it
• My love for Esther would be so instant and would be constantly expanding
• That my pregnancy hormones would stick around for a while. It gets better, but man those first months were intensely hormonal...poor Tim!
• That nursing would be a challenge. It definitely requires patience and practice, but it is so worth the effort!
• Routines are so important and that they learn them quite young. I'm glad I learned this quickly!
• I would worry constantly about the health and safety of my daughter. Thank God I have the doctor's number programmed in my phone! She helps me keep my sanity and answers all my silly questions!
• That the baby really does grow up fast. I look at her daily and wonder what happened to the little girl I held in the hospital on October 16.
• How difficult the first month is and how it is okay if I can't be a supermom right out of the gate. Chores don't always get done and dinner isn't always on time (or even homemade) and that is okay! I'll get the hang of things eventually and everyday it gets easier!

I'll end my list there. I know there is much more I could add. And I also know this is similiar to a previous post - oh well!

I really do plan on adding photos, by the way, but I haven't had the time to upload anything recently. Maybe this weekend will offer more opportunity to goof off on the computer!

Also, for those who weren't there, Esther went to the pool on Wednesday and loved it! She was so cute - just floating around in Tim's arms, enjoying the kites hanging above her. I think the hotel pool was just too cold for her, but the Juneau pool was just right! It was a lot of fun seeing her enjoy herself!

Love you all!

Esther's New Thing

Esther is once again taking on a new skill.

Over the weekend, in Anchorage, she started doing "push ups" with her fingers and toes, literally pushing her body up. She was generally only doing this when she was mad.

When she was happy and wiggling on the floor, she started making movements toward raising herself into a crawling position. She would lie on the flor and work very hard to try and get her knees under her. She didn't quit get it until last night.

Last night, as I was on the floor playing with her, she actually started to get into the crawl position. She had her tummy off the ground and was resting on her hands and knees. She can't hold it for long, but she is sure trying! She starting to get the frustrated fussies that she had when she was learning to roll over, so I know she's really going to push herself until she masters this new position. And then we're on to crawling, I'm sure.

It is just so cute to watch her try this out. I can't believe she is big enough to do this. What happened to my sweet, immobile baby? She's growing so fast! Much quicker than I thought!

She just keeps pushing herself farther. I don't know where she got her drive, but I'm proud of her!

Back from Anchorage

Our trip was a lot of fun, even though I had to work for half of it! We shopped until we dropped (literally) and we got to enjoy a nice change in scenery.

Esther did really well on the plane, considering it was her first experience. She even got her first set of wings! The trip up was pretty much a breeze. She fussed a little, but mostly played and slept. Nursing really helped. The flight home, however, was a little different. She was tired and she refused to suck on anything during take off. Her poor ears must have been hurting, because she screamed a lot. After a few seconds, though, I was able to get her to latch and that really helped her calm down (and even sleep a little).

In Anchorage, she enjoyed having her day with daddy Thursday and Friday. Tim loved it too! He really needed a break and I think he loved having that time to relax. He didn't have a car during the day, so he and Esther hung out in the room, sipped coffee in a cafe, and walked around the hotel. And they were able to catch some much needed Zs.

Tim is such a great daddy! My heart overflowed with love for him (and appreciation for traveling with me on such short notice. He's the greatest! He put up with my shenanigans up there - me getting stressed about driving. Me wanting to stop into every store imaginable. Me spending money on the tutu I had always wanted to get Esther).

Meanwhile, I got to wake up early, navigate the insanity that makes up the Anchorage roadway, and assist with a day-long training. As drab as that may sound, I actually enjoyed it for the most part (got a little bored on day 2).

In the evenings, we visited book stores, malls, and target, doing our best to stimulate the economy :). Esther did not like all the shopping. She would have rather been at home rolling on the floor, but she did okay with it. Our sling was a lifesaver. She was happiest when being carried. She'd get to pull things from shelves and chew on various items. She even picked out a few things for herself (note: we had planned on getting those items for her - she just picked which ones :)). She has now added a new book (Books are for Reading) and a new stuffed horse(selected by Tim, approved by Esther).

On the weekend, we raced from shopping center to shopping center (gosh, I do sound like a shopaholic!) and got some professional pictures taken of Tim, Baby, and me.

We visited Baby's R Us and loved it. It was only so-so until we discovered the nursing section. This section was a dream - giving us an opportunity to purchase items that we have desperately needed!

I was also able to get a new diaper bag, which I love, and some wall stickers for the nursery.

All in all, we dropped a bit on items for Esther. We got her a bathing suit and rain coat from Old Navy and a tutu from Gamboree. I love it all! It was worth it :)

We tried Esther in the hotel pool (we finally bought swim suits for all three of us...). She did not like it too much, which I think a part of it was because the pool wasn't very warm. Oh well!

Aside from that, we took it all easy and tried our best to relax. It was a blast having that time with Tim and Esther.

Overall, Esther did quite well, which is good considering her parents like to travel! Our next trip will be longer in duration, involve a new climate, and a longer stretch of airplane time, so that will be a better test of how she will do :). After that, who knows, maybe Tim and I will try her on an international trip! I can hear the jungles calling us :) :) :)

I did take a few pictures of Esther up north, but not many. I'll try to post them soon.

Anyway, this has become pretty lengthy and I apologize. I just wanted to update everyone on our trip.

Love you all!

PSA: Whooping Cough Vaccine

There has been a rise of whooping cough cases in Alaska. The state is recommending that adults with infants or who are in contact with infants receive the pertussis vaccination.

Here is the message we received in our state emails:

State health officials recommend the Tdap vaccine for people ages 10-64 years who are due for a 10-year tetanus and diphtheria booster shot. In addition, adults who have contact with infants ages 12 months and under, health-care workers who work directly with patients, and women who plan to become pregnant are strongly encouraged to get the Tdap vaccine if they have not already received it.


I just wanted to let everyone know this. If you are in Juneau, I believe the Public Health Center is offering free vaccines. You can also request one from your doctor.

Love you all!

First Trip Tomorrow

Tomorrow marks the first time that I have ever traveled with an infant. While I am excited to spend a couple days away from our daily routine, I am a little nervous about all that is involved with traveling with a baby.

I'm keeping in mind some pointers I received from a baby group here in town, but I still feel ill-prepared. I am not even packed yet. I want to check-in an hour early because I'm nervous about seating (especially since I would like to be next to Tim). Still, I have to go to work for an hour in the morning, which means racing out to the house with just enough time to pick up Tim and Esther. Guess that means we'll have an insane evening! Not that this is too much of a stretch for us - it's been a crazy couple of weeks!

The other thing I am concerned about is the actual air travel. I have been told that it helps to nurse on the take-off and landing, but how do you do that if you're between two complete strangers (hence the reason I want Tim next to me)? And what if she starts fussing during the flight? People aren't always forgiving when they travel.

I'm sure it will turn out okay! And, besides, at the end of the day we'll be in Anchorage together on our first family trip (I won't call it a vacation, because I'll be working half of the time).

I just can't wait to get some time to just chill with my family. It will be fun checking out the children's books at the big book stores up north. I've browsed them before, but now I have a good reason to! My entire reason for shopping has changed :)

And the food...okay, so I like to eat..I can't wait to eat at places we don't have here in town! I know Tim is looking forward to Burger King. I think he'd also like to go to Golden Corral. I personally want a Frosty. What can I say, it's a classic!

Anyway, we're bringing our cameras so maybe we'll get a picture of Esther with a full-size moose :) Or maybe not. Either way, we'll document our trip and try to post pictures when we return!

Here's praying for good travel!

Love you all!

Regarding My Blog...

It seems that, recently, my blog has been visited by non-family members, which came as a bit of a surprise. Yes, my blog is public, but this was generally intended for family members to keep up on Esther's growth.

Overall, I am glad that others read it and that they feel free to comment.Still, while I don't mind comments, I do not appreciate the content of some of them (and, yes, I have deleted the ones I find offensive).

First, let me state that I do believe my daughter is advanced and this is not only because the doctor has stated such. My pediatrician is very straight-forward and mindful of the average stages of development for infants and lets us know it like it is. I have also read up on child development and have spoken with several people with infants. Not all children develop at the same time. This isn't a bad thing - every child is different and some develop their motors skills before others. Esther just happens to be the kind of baby that hates immobility. Both my husband and I were like this as babies, so it is no surprise that our daughter is.

If what I write about my daughter offends or demeans anyone in any way, I am sorry, but I have the freedom to "brag" all I want about my child. I can almost bet that every other parent does the exact same thing when speaking or writing in regards to their children. What kind of mom would I be if I went around and said, "Oh, she's just average"? Good moms are proud moms. And I would like to think that I am a pretty good mother. Not perfect by any means, but not bad for a first timer.

Secondly, when it comes to parenting, I firmly believe that each child is different and, as such, each parenting style will differ. I surmise this will be true child to child.I am a first time mom, I'll give you that, but the beauty of "the first time" is that I get to grow and learn what works for me.

I am not opposed to advice in general. People can give me pointers if they want, just expect that I will take everything with a grain of salt. I'll dig through the loads of advice and decide whether or not it applies to Esther.

What I truly reject is people getting into my face and telling me that "this is how it has to be done." Infants are not similar enough that the same parenting methods can be used for all of them. You are oblivious to the uniqueness of human beings if you think this is the case.

I am not trying to discourage people from posting comments on my blog. I will moderate to a certain degree, but, really, if you feel the need to comment on something I have written, please do. I will, however, comment back from time-to-time.

For my family members, I apologize that this post is not really related to you or to my immediate family. I wanted to make a defense against what I believe is an unfair estimation of my parenting skills. Esther is developing wonderfully and, in my eyes, is a perfect, wonderful child.

Thank you,

Meghan

Lessons Learned about Parenting

I have only been a parent for four months, but have learned some valuable lessons in that short time. I know that I generally use this blog for baby updates, but, because it is a blog, I will occasionally share my views on the world.

That being said, I would like to take a moment to share little lessons I have learned since Esther entered the world:

1. Mommy and Daddy really do know what's best - despite the best intentions of other people, it really does boil down to the fact that, as the parents, we know our children well enough to know how to work with them. As long as we're not endangering our child or being reckless (as I have seen people be), we generally learn pretty quickly what does and does not work with our baby.
2. All babies are not created equal - I am not insinuating that one baby is less than the other. What I mean by this is that my child will never be like another peron's child. This lesson kind of accompanies my previous one in that what worked for one person's kid won't necessarily work for mine (hence the reason I get frustrated with unsolicited advice...sorry). It also means that we cannot really compare personalities and question "why is my child fussier than theirs?" In reality, Esther is perfect in my eyes. And Joe Schmo's little one is perfect in his eyes. God gifted us with our children and, despite their differences, they are all precious and wonderful.
3. Babies are smarter than we give them credit - Okay, let me rephrase that - Esther is smarter than I thought she would be. Gosh, it gets to me some times how quickly she catches onto things. Which leads me into the next lesson...
4. Real parenting doesn't start at a year - Where did I get the idea that it would? I was naive enough going into this to believe that my cute, cuddly angel would remain angelic forever. The problem is that I didn't count on how quickly bad behavior is learned. Mind you, I am not a supporter of "crying it out." Crying it out just seems cruel for one as young as Esther and, besides, it doesn't work well for her (she'll literally scream for hours if I let her). But I am learning that I cannot reinforce Esther's bad behavior by giving into her fits. Tim and I haven't quite found the perfect method just yet (and we disagree in some areas...hey, we're not perfect), but we're working on it. Hopefully we'll get it panned out before Esther is a year.
5. At the end of the day, the parents are the ones she wants - I remember being concerned, when Esther was first born, that she would not realize I was her mommy. I was tired, stressed, and emotional and, in that state, thought she might wonder who the crazy woman nursing her was and then cling to someone else. I worried about returning to work and losing the bond I had with her. I have discovered, though, that the bond I have with my daughter is undeniable. At the end of the day, I think she would rather be with me than anywhere else and that doesn't bother me in the least.
6. Mom's and Dad's play different roles and that's okay - For a while, I was a little jealous of the relationship between Esther and Tim. I loved that they were close and that they played so wonderfully together. But I noticed that Esther doesn't interact with me the way she does Tim. It bothered me for a while until I realized that I am just as important to her as her daddy; it's just that my role in her life is different. I play more of the nurturing role - I'm the one that feeds her and calms her. We spend time cuddling and I can get her to sleep at night like no one else. I am finally seeing that it is okay for Tim and I to approach our relationship with Esther differently. She needs a balance of both sides and I'm really enjoying the mommy role. And I'm really enjoying watching Tim develop as a daddy! I don't think anyone in the world could do better than him (well, expect for my daddy. I'd say Tim and dad are equal in my mind).

I know that I will learn many lessons over the next 18 years. The biggest one I dread is learning how to let go. I'm already learning that to a small extent. Something as simple as letting her learn to sit unsupported or roll across the room is difficult for me. I want so bad to help! But I know that it is also important for Esther to drive her own development a little. I'm just not looking forward to the day she really breaks out on her own!

Until that time, however, I will enjoy the things she'll end up teaching me and I'll take advantage of these years where she really relies on me.

I love my little girl, I love my wonderful husband, and I love being a mommy!

Video of Esther Laughing

As promised, here is some video of Esther laughing. She was playing on the floor with Tim when I caught this on camera. It really brightens my day when she laughs!

Very rarily do we capture it with any kind of video. We even have a difficult time getting her to smile for the camera. Our little bug knows that we want her to act a certain way when we take out our cameras and will stop smiling as soon as she see it. I love her :)

Enjoy!

Esther is 4 months! And other new developments

Before I delve into my post for the day, I would like to take a moment to wish my husband a very happy birthday! I love you, baby, with all that I am and much, much more! You are my life and I am so blessed to wake up next to you every morning! May this be an even greater adventure this year! Many kisses!


Today is Tim's 26 birthday. Yes, I am older than him, a fact that he likes to point out often. We are planning on spending a quiet evening at home tonight. We'll be eating stuffed peppers (Tim's new favorite...he keeps requesting it) and yellow cake with cream cheese frosting. I'm hoping I can get everything done before midnight :) I am very excited to give him his presents...I'll post later about what I got him :) (not that he really reads this blog, but you know how it goes).


Also - HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! I love you! Thank you for all of your love and support. You have been a blessing to me and are now a blessing to my family! May this be a wonderful day for you and an even better year! (Mom and Tim share a birthday...it was a very funny coincidence!)


Okay, now onto our baby updates:


Esther turned four months yesterday! It is so hard to believe that it has been four months since our little girl entered this world. So much has changed in such a short time. She went from being this barely active (yet incredibly cute and sweet) newborn, to being this incredibly active, opinionated little baby (who is so beautiful and sweet that I nearly cry from happiness every time I look at her).


She received her four month shots last night and was very brave. She cried a little when the nurse gave the shots, but not nearly as much as she did at her two month appointment. And she got over the shock fairly quick, which helped me too. I nursed her before and after and I think it might have eased things a bit. It also helped to have her daddy there to hold her during her shots. Trust me, I am not the best around needles! Especially when they are being given to my child.


But now our baby is once again protected against certain diseases and I am happy about that!

The doctor said she is very healthy and also mentioned that our daughter seems to be at a six month plus level (ahead of a lot marks for her age - she's rolling both ways, standing for short times, chattering away, etc.). This is partially why Esther has been getting so fussy whenever Tim and I are away from her. According to Dr. Amy, because Esther is proving to be ahead, she's likely going through separation anxiety (the realization that mommy and daddy aren't always near by) at an early age. Most often, little ones don't experience this until 6 to 9 months, when they become more aware of their surroundings and their parents proximity to them.


I have no idea how we managed to have such a smart daughter, but we do and it kind of scares me. Okay, I am being a little sarcastic, but it really does make me wonder how it will be handling a smart cookie like Esther who figures things out very quickly!


Anyway, on other fronts, Esther has finally managed to roll over completely in her sleep, in spite of the little bumpers at her side in the bassinet. She did this last night. It is cute and worrisome at the same time. As most know, tummy sleeping is not recommended for infants under one year due to an increased risk of SIDS. Tim and I have held a pretty tight line with this, because we do not want to endanger our child. Still, we can't stop her from doing it herself, especially when we're asleep. So, I will just trust that God is watching out for our little one. Besides, she is a stubborn, strong little girl and I believe that she isn't really at high risk (not that I will let my guard down).


We still plan to back sleep her every time and hope that she'll stay in that position (not likely). She didn't turn over until about an hour before we woke up this morning, so it wasn't too long on her belly. Besides, she looked so incredibly cute when we woke up this morning.


She just keeps getting cuter by the day. I didn't think it was possible, but between Tim and Esther, my heart grows fuller by the hour. I love them both so much!


Well, I will sign off for now. I've done enough bragging for a few days. I love you all! Enjoy the pictures below of Esther and Tim. The one of Tim was taken at the Shrine of St. Theresa on Saturday. It was wonderfully sunny and the walk to the point was warm. We looked over the cliff's edge and were entertained by a huge group of sea lions frolicking in the water. It was a blast to watch! Plus, we got to meet a lot of interesting people out there (many from out of town), which is always fun!


Enjoy!





Esther sleeping this morning




Practicing standing with daddy. She prefers standing these days...


Our valentine's day walk...what a great day!

New Pictures and Esther's Latest Hits!

I haven't posted anything in a while, mostly due to the fact that I hadn't taken time to load the most recent pictures of Esther. Nonetheless, I thought I would take a few moments tonight to post my favorite ones and to give a little update.

Esther has been a joy, as always. The more alert she gets, the less she wants to sleep. She's still sleeping through most of the night (waking every once and a while for a feeding), but her daytime naps are fewer and farther in between. This makes working with her a little more interesting because she's awake and wanting to distract me with her cuteness. It works! I still get things done, but it is a challenge balancing the two! So worth it, though!

She's a little charmer in the office. Everyone takes breaks (several) just to come over and see if they can get her to smile. My little smiley etertains them to no end with her big grins and curious looks. She's a lot more secure with my coworkers, although she still has to make sure I'm within arms reach of her. It makes me feel very special!

Anyway, on to the pictures! See how big she is getting?!



Baby girl asleep at the office. Snoozing after her long hours in front of the computer :)

Daddy and baby enjoying story time tonight...she really gets into reading and will even turn the page for us!

Little bug practicing her balancing skills...she discovered that she likes the big ball (almost as much as I did when trying to induce labor :)).

Es, the next big rap artist. Here she is mimicking her favorite rap artist - M.I.A.

"All I want to do...bang bang bang...and take your money." (see previous post for history on that one)

Es spending quality time with daddy while practicing sitting up. She can actually sit for about a minute now, propped on her hands!

Big smiles from a baby that just nursed! Look at that satisfaction!

Mommy and baby holding hands. Hers are so tiny...I want to cherish these moments! She's getting big so fast!

We're So Blessed!

I was going to write a short bit today about Esther's newest development, and I will likely include that with this post, but I have been moved to write about how blessed Tim and I are. I follow multiple blogs, some of which involve updates on other people's children.

I do not know these people personally, but have, at one point or another, happened across their blogs. That being said, the infants of these different families are struggling with health issues, some life threatening. Reading what these parents are having to face with their little ones really brings home how blessed Tim and I are to have such a healthy little one.

Esther is strong and stubborn. She is making strides both physically and mentally - going beyond what I would expect for her age. She is beautiful and whole. We are so absolutely blessed. I look at her and I want to cry from happiness. God has really watched out for our little girl!

I admire those people who have to fight hard to keep their babies going. I can't imagine the heart ache that goes along with that kind of battle. And I pray that God will intervene and heal those little ones! I pray that they will grow and discover the destiny He has for them. I know He is already holding them tight in His arms, caring for them during these difficult times.

We've had small battles with Esther and those moments were very trying and upsetting. Still, they were easily remedied and she is doing so well! I couldn't have asked for a more perfect child! I love her so much! She brings abundant joy to Tim and I.

Here is our daughter's latest development:

Last night she started laughing. This was the first time she managed to make the laughing sound (for a few weeks now, she's been making a gurgling sound when she got happy). It was the most uplifting sound I have ever heard. It brought tears to my eyes and made me double-over with laughter. Tim had her and was singing this stupid song that, for whatever reason, Esther really loves (it's a song titled "Paper Planes" and makes no sense...but she likes how it goes "all I want to do is...boom boom boom...and take your money. Weird :)).

He was playing with her hands and singing and she started laughing hard. She laughed for about 10 minutes, stopping only because I tried calling mom and dad so they could hear. Guess she didn't like having an audience!

Needless to say, it was a wonderful development. I can't wait to hear her laugh again!

By the way, I'm trying to download a video I took of Es and I singing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." It is so cute! If I can manage to get it from my camera to my computer, I'll load it here so you can watch. She was seriously singing with me :) That song is her second favorite and we sing it all the time. Her absolute favorite mommy and baby song is "Skittermerinky Dinky Dink," the theme song from a show I liked as a child (The Elephant Show). It's dorky, but sweet. She only likes it when I sing it to her, which is VERY special for me.

Be blessed everyone!

Rolling Over Escapades

Esther has become the queen of rolling over. As stated previously, she finally rolled from back to tummy on Sunday. Yesterday, however, she started applying that skill to everything - her car seat, my desk while I was changing her, etc. She makes diaper changes VERY interesting, because you have to wrangle her to get her to stay flat on the diaper. I nearly died of laughter while she did that work (she kept rolling to try and chew on a phone cord on my desk).

It is so wonderfully cute and is so completely satisfying for her. It is as if she is trying to show the world that her days of immobility are quickly fleeing. I don't know if I should welcome this or if I should be a little sad. Frankly, I'm somewhere in between!

All last night, she rolled from one end of the living room to the next. She had her favorite toy to entertain her and she was happy to chase it around. It was the longest she has stayed awake, without fussing, to play. It was so cute and entertaining!

I wish I could say it equalled an earlier bed time, but she still decided to fight sleep until midnight :). Oh well!

Anyway, here are some pictures of her rolling over in our living room!

Esther Reached Her Goal!

On February 1, 2009, Esther Lilie finally reached her goal and rolled from back to stomach. She has been rolling from stomach to back since she was about one and half months, but has been trying for this forever.

She way lying on the floor in my parents house (we were watching the Super Bowl) and was playing with toys. I noticed she was rolling from side to side and was getting a little frustrated. I could tell she was trying to roll over and, despite my instinct to help her, I let her try it alone. After a couple of minutes of frustration, she did it!

Once her tummy hit the floor, she was all smiles and happy chatter! I was so proud! One thing can be said about Es - when she sets her mind to it, she can do anything!

Beach Trip

Last Sunday, Tim and decided to get out and stretch our legs at the beach. Throughout the winter, we have been taking regular drives out the road and enjoying the beauty of Juneau. It has been a wonderful winter for seeing wildlife and amazing sunsets.



Anyway, last week the weather was good enough for us to bundle up baby, pack up our new puppy, and head to Auke Bay (one of my favorite beaches here in town).

We went to Super Bear, grabbed some fried chicken (which neither of us like very much) and some jojos, and headed out the road.

After scarfing our meal, we packed baby into my wrap, where she nestled in and slept like an angel. She looked so cute and cozy in her little bear snowsuit!



Puppy did not want to walk (and who can blame her - she's so tiny right now!), so Tim packed her in his jacket.

We walked down the hillside to the beach and passed the main cabin where a bunch of people were drinking by the fire. Our little puppy stirred up quite the frenzy. The women were fawning over Truffles as if she were the cutest little thing they had ever seen. It kind of bugged me, only because they were pretty flippant toward Esther. Call me crazy, but I think people here in Alaska some times put more stock in their dogs! Oh well! It was a very interesting interaction, nonetheless!

They called our dog "Tootsie" which had us contemplating a name change (it would be funny to say that a group of drunks named our dog), but that only lasted about 5 seconds. Truffles just suits our puppy better and Tootsie sounded too trashy or cheap. My apologies to anyone who likes the name for a dog!

Anyway, after talking a while with this particular group, we began our hike across the rocky beach. It was pretty slick in a lot of places and I could not see my feet since baby was hanging out front (almost like being pregnant again), so we took it pretty slow. The air was nippy, a crisp feel of winter biting our cheeks, and the water was sparkling gorgeously despite the lack of sun.

Our eyes caught movement in the water and we stopped to try to discern what was dipping in an out. It did not take long to see that it was a big otter carrying a double-ugly in its mouth. We watched as he snaked his way to the shore and climbed up on some rocks about 50 feet from us.

Tim snagged a ton of photos, including the one below, while the big guy ate. He was completely unconcerned by us. Tim walked up on him and the otter barely looked his direction. It was so wonderful!




After we watched him for a while, we completed our hike by walking the rest of the beach and hiking through the woods back to the car. Amazingly, Esther slept the entire time. What a little angel! And what a fun mid-winter outing! We're so blessed :)