Kyle Lograsso @ Yahoo! Video
You must watch this! It is an amazing story!
Warning: It's a tear jerker. I was balling...ugly crying, if you will. Court woke Grace up just to hold her after watching it. It is that amazing!! I promise.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Amazing
Kyle Lograsso @ Yahoo! Video
You must watch this! It is an amazing story!
Warning: It's a tear jerker. I was balling...ugly crying, if you will. Court woke Grace up just to hold her after watching it. It is that amazing!! I promise.
Overdue Update
We're baaaaaaaaaaaaaack....but not for long! The trip to Boston was a success! (More on that later-I barely have enough free time to get this small tid-bit posted. We leave again on Friday for Colorado.)
Since Grace is already wearing 3 month sizes, I keep forgetting that she is only 2 months...9 weeks to be exact. So it was a bit surprising to me to be taking her to the doctor today for only her 2 month check-up. Aside from three painful shots and an oral vaccination, the visit was nothing but good news!
Our little girl weighed in at 11 lbs, 3 oz! She has gained exactly two pounds since birth - one pound a month! (Wish I could lose at least that amount on a monthly basis. UGH! Baby weight sucks!!) She measured 23 1/4 inches long - growing exactly two inches since birth. So all is well! A huge relief.
With no instruction manual, you often wonder if you are doing what's right. Was that second cup of coffee ok? Not to mention that second glass of wine? Am I reading to her enough? Is she eating enough? Did that one time...when I did that one thing...did that make or break the difference between her curing Cancer and just being an average Joe Schmo?!?! I guess this is just the beginning of the endless mind-battle a parent has with oneself over the well-being of their child. Lucky for us, we are off to a good start.
Since Grace is already wearing 3 month sizes, I keep forgetting that she is only 2 months...9 weeks to be exact. So it was a bit surprising to me to be taking her to the doctor today for only her 2 month check-up. Aside from three painful shots and an oral vaccination, the visit was nothing but good news!
Our little girl weighed in at 11 lbs, 3 oz! She has gained exactly two pounds since birth - one pound a month! (Wish I could lose at least that amount on a monthly basis. UGH! Baby weight sucks!!) She measured 23 1/4 inches long - growing exactly two inches since birth. So all is well! A huge relief.
With no instruction manual, you often wonder if you are doing what's right. Was that second cup of coffee ok? Not to mention that second glass of wine? Am I reading to her enough? Is she eating enough? Did that one time...when I did that one thing...did that make or break the difference between her curing Cancer and just being an average Joe Schmo?!?! I guess this is just the beginning of the endless mind-battle a parent has with oneself over the well-being of their child. Lucky for us, we are off to a good start.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
First Flight
In hindsight, the trip to Boston was a breeze. It didn't start off that way, but it ended up being better than we imagined. Grace definitely earned her wings!
Our flight left at 9 am which required checking in at the airport at 7 am. It also required spending Thursday evening (the night before our flight) in Seattle so as to get to the airport on time. This worked out well because it allowed us the chance to see Auntie M's new condo (which is amazing by the way!). After celebrating Molly's leap into home-ownership over dinner, Court and I retired for the evening...or so we thought. Grace had other plans. She decided that the night before her first transcontinental flight would be best spent awake. And when I say awake, I mean AWAKE. She was up allllll night. In fact, her crankiness spurred a call to the 24 hour pediatrician hotline just to make sure we weren't missing the early symptoms of polio or whooping cough. (Who says new parents are paranoid?)
After speaking with the on-call nurse, we think Grace's sleeplessness might actually have been our own fault. Fearing a meltdown in the airport, aboard our flight or any other situation where breastfeeding was not an option, we bought pre-made bottles of formula. And like clockwork at lunch on Thursday, Court and I were enjoying some mussels and a nice bottle of wine at our favorite spot in Pike Place market, when Grace decided enough was enough. Normally, we would accommodate Grace's request, but Mommy and Daddy don't get out much anymore - especially to our Seattle fav's -so "in" went the formula and "out" went Grace - allowing Court and I to finish our leisurely lunch in peace. Again, at dinner with Molly, Grace was determined to be the center of attention but after a few gulps of formula, she quickly fell asleep. Because Grace's system had only had breast milk up to that point, we think that the formula wreaked havoc on her little system causing a tummy ache or an enormous, impassable gas bubble. Whatever the ailment, it prevented even a blink of sleep.
In a blurry haze the next morning, we managed to shower, pack and check-in at the airport - on time! The ticketing agent was quite nice - or really perceptive to the fact that we were a bit frazzled. (Although I don't think anyone could have missed the bags under my eyes or the makeup that apparently wasn't properly blended in along my hairline - Court decided to clue me in on the latter about 15 minutes before we landed in Boston - lovely).
Either way, the ticketing agent blocked out an entire row for the three of us even though Grace was flying as a lap-baby (meaning we hadn't bought Grace her own seat). Granted, it was the very last row back by the bathrooms, but it was our row and and ours alone. Since Grace had her own seat, we were able to bring her carrier on board which made all the difference. While Grace slept, I was able to catch up on my own sleep and when she was awake, it gave us some privacy and space. It was nice not having to deal with breastfeeding near a stranger - probably more beneficial to whomever that stranger might have been!
The takeoff and landing were soooo exciting that Grace slept through them both. In fact, she slept most of the flight. We arrived in Boston at 5 pm - on a Friday. Needless to say, the traffic was a nightmare. The normally 15 minute ride to the hotel became over an hour in standstill traffic. Grace only started losing it when the hotel was in sight. As the Bostonians would say, "What a "twoopa!" - sorry, the Boston accent is rubbing off on me.
Once we got checked in, we lavished our attention on Grace. She had been a little baby angel on the flight and we wanted to show our appreciation! The picture below was taken about 5 minutes after we got into our hotel room. Apparently, she is quite happy to be in Boston!
But soon after arriving, our own hunger took over. We asked Grace to climb back into her carrier and to be good for another few hours to which, amazingly enough, she obliged. Figuring we had pushed our luck, Court and I prepared for another long, wakeful night. To our surprise, Grace fell asleep right after her bath and only woke a few times during the night.
Flying with Grace was a success - at least the first leg! We still have a train ride up to NYC next weekend to get through and the return flight. Keep your fingers crossed!
Our flight left at 9 am which required checking in at the airport at 7 am. It also required spending Thursday evening (the night before our flight) in Seattle so as to get to the airport on time. This worked out well because it allowed us the chance to see Auntie M's new condo (which is amazing by the way!). After celebrating Molly's leap into home-ownership over dinner, Court and I retired for the evening...or so we thought. Grace had other plans. She decided that the night before her first transcontinental flight would be best spent awake. And when I say awake, I mean AWAKE. She was up allllll night. In fact, her crankiness spurred a call to the 24 hour pediatrician hotline just to make sure we weren't missing the early symptoms of polio or whooping cough. (Who says new parents are paranoid?)
After speaking with the on-call nurse, we think Grace's sleeplessness might actually have been our own fault. Fearing a meltdown in the airport, aboard our flight or any other situation where breastfeeding was not an option, we bought pre-made bottles of formula. And like clockwork at lunch on Thursday, Court and I were enjoying some mussels and a nice bottle of wine at our favorite spot in Pike Place market, when Grace decided enough was enough. Normally, we would accommodate Grace's request, but Mommy and Daddy don't get out much anymore - especially to our Seattle fav's -so "in" went the formula and "out" went Grace - allowing Court and I to finish our leisurely lunch in peace. Again, at dinner with Molly, Grace was determined to be the center of attention but after a few gulps of formula, she quickly fell asleep. Because Grace's system had only had breast milk up to that point, we think that the formula wreaked havoc on her little system causing a tummy ache or an enormous, impassable gas bubble. Whatever the ailment, it prevented even a blink of sleep.
In a blurry haze the next morning, we managed to shower, pack and check-in at the airport - on time! The ticketing agent was quite nice - or really perceptive to the fact that we were a bit frazzled. (Although I don't think anyone could have missed the bags under my eyes or the makeup that apparently wasn't properly blended in along my hairline - Court decided to clue me in on the latter about 15 minutes before we landed in Boston - lovely).
(Note: This is a bottle of expressed breast milk. We weren't taking any more chances with formula!)
Either way, the ticketing agent blocked out an entire row for the three of us even though Grace was flying as a lap-baby (meaning we hadn't bought Grace her own seat). Granted, it was the very last row back by the bathrooms, but it was our row and and ours alone. Since Grace had her own seat, we were able to bring her carrier on board which made all the difference. While Grace slept, I was able to catch up on my own sleep and when she was awake, it gave us some privacy and space. It was nice not having to deal with breastfeeding near a stranger - probably more beneficial to whomever that stranger might have been!
The takeoff and landing were soooo exciting that Grace slept through them both. In fact, she slept most of the flight. We arrived in Boston at 5 pm - on a Friday. Needless to say, the traffic was a nightmare. The normally 15 minute ride to the hotel became over an hour in standstill traffic. Grace only started losing it when the hotel was in sight. As the Bostonians would say, "What a "twoopa!" - sorry, the Boston accent is rubbing off on me.
Once we got checked in, we lavished our attention on Grace. She had been a little baby angel on the flight and we wanted to show our appreciation! The picture below was taken about 5 minutes after we got into our hotel room. Apparently, she is quite happy to be in Boston!
But soon after arriving, our own hunger took over. We asked Grace to climb back into her carrier and to be good for another few hours to which, amazingly enough, she obliged. Figuring we had pushed our luck, Court and I prepared for another long, wakeful night. To our surprise, Grace fell asleep right after her bath and only woke a few times during the night.Flying with Grace was a success - at least the first leg! We still have a train ride up to NYC next weekend to get through and the return flight. Keep your fingers crossed!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thank God for Starbucks!
Since we are going to be gone so much this month (and because of Lindey's new diet), my parents generously offered to "babysit" our dogs. Saving us, not only large sums of money that would be spent to board all the animals, but peace of mind that our pets would not be traumatized while we were gone. The only hitch - we had to get them to Boise. An easy five hour drive in the summer but treacherous in the winter (at least for me - a true California
This past Tuesday morning, I packed up the 'Burban with Lindey, Lucky, Kiwi, and of course, Grace and headed off to Boise Blue Mountains , the roads turned icy. Snow piles lined the roads and, just my luck, it started snowing.
No problem I thought to myself. I am driving the Burban. I will just "park it" in the slow lane and cautiously make my way. Slowly but surely, right? I kept telling sleeping Baby Grace that we had to "arrive alive" or Grandma would be REALLY disappointed. Soon, I was behind a 16 wheeler in the right lane who apparently enjoyed driving in the snow and ice as much as me. The truck was going between 35 and 40 mph. I thought about going around the truck but that meant traversing across that icy/slushy "median" that naturally develops during bad weather. You know, that section of road that with one false move, the slush will grab your tires and send you flying in the opposite direction you intended to go? No, I wasn’t willing to risk it. It was better to drive slow and be safe. So my plan was just to ride behind the truck - at 35 mph - all the way to
No sooner had I finished having this dialogue with myself in my head, a minivan crept up behind me and decided to sit about two feet off my rear bumper. He seemed like he was in a big hurry and that “trucky” and I were causing him a bunch of heartache because we were slowing him down. Well, my friend, that is what the left lane is for….be my guest to go around me. I am not going anywhere.
For about 20 minutes, trucky, minivan and I kept our pace at 35 mph in the right lane. We were continuously passed on the left by other 16 wheelers who obviously weren’t bothered by the ice and snow. During one particular pass, my car slipped. I don’t know what happened but the car started sliding. I was able to straighten it out but no sooner had I gotten the car back…it started sliding again. Once the car was back under my control, (mind you I was visibly shaking) I checked my rear view mirror thinking that minivan would have backed off my tail seeing that my car had almost spun out of control. But there he was. Two feet off my bumper. At this point, the shaking had taken over my body and was working its way up to my brain, so I threw on the hazards and pulled over. I was scared to death. Driving with Grace in the car on icy roads was just plain frightening…nerve wracking. I felt like I had aged about 10 years in about 10 minutes. What if my car had slid over in the left lane right when once of those big trucks was speeding by and plowed into me? What if my car spun out only to be clipped by minivan and left stranded in the Blue Mountains because my cell phone had no service ? I was overwhelmed with fear but obviously couldn’t stop on the side of the road…in a white car…in a snow storm. The next city, La Grande, was about 20 miles away. My plan was to pull over in La Grande for a break. It would be horrible to get in an accident while driving along the highway, but even worse to be hit while parked on the side of the road. So I carefully pulled back onto the highway and S-L-O-W-L-Y made my way. It took me about an hour to get to La Grande. Grace, sensing my stress, began crying about 15 minutes before we reached the exit. She was due to be fed and definitely took it upon herself to “remind” me that she was starving.
Thank God for Starbucks! I pulled over in the parking lot where I nursed Grace and quickly let the dogs out for some fresh air. The snow was REALLY coming down now and a call to Court and my mom helped me to decide to turn around and head home. The stretch between La Grande , OR Nampa , ID
Arriving home, exhausted and defeated, we still weren’t out of the woods. I had to get the dogs to Boise Boston Boise
Well, the long and the short of it is, we got to Boise
Monday, January 26, 2009
The 'Burban
I am officially a soccer mom. Don't fear. I didn't chop my hair and I haven't started wearing tapered jeans (but jeans post-pregnancy are a whole 'nother story to be continued later). I don't even have the requisite soccer player to haul around...at least not yet. What I do have, as of this past Tuesday, is the vehicle of choice of many-a-soccer-mom.
We bought a Suburban. (You thought I was going to say mini-van didn't you??) Yep. A Suburban. (Or a 'Burban as I like to call it - we've even discussed a Maker's Mark bumper sticker). Doing our part to minimize our carbon footprint. *sigh*
Now before you get all "environmental" and guilt trip me with President Obama's inspirational words of us all doing "our part", hear me out. We needed this car. First, we do a lot of driving. 60,000 miles in the last two years! Second, while doing all this driving, we are hauling dogs, parrots, stuff...you know, the usual...and now kids - or in our case - a kid, over several mountain passes each winter. With children comes all the "stuff" children require like strollers, diaper bags, lots of empty suitcases for the stuff you buy for the baby while visiting said location, etc. It is amazing how much stuff you have to drag around with you once you have a baby. We obviously need more space - see exhibit A below.
Not to mention the fact that we needed something safe. So I agreed to a Suburban and I must say, the thing rocks! I am lovin' my bourban....uhhhh, I mean 'Burban.
We bought a Suburban. (You thought I was going to say mini-van didn't you??) Yep. A Suburban. (Or a 'Burban as I like to call it - we've even discussed a Maker's Mark bumper sticker). Doing our part to minimize our carbon footprint. *sigh*
Now before you get all "environmental" and guilt trip me with President Obama's inspirational words of us all doing "our part", hear me out. We needed this car. First, we do a lot of driving. 60,000 miles in the last two years! Second, while doing all this driving, we are hauling dogs, parrots, stuff...you know, the usual...and now kids - or in our case - a kid, over several mountain passes each winter. With children comes all the "stuff" children require like strollers, diaper bags, lots of empty suitcases for the stuff you buy for the baby while visiting said location, etc. It is amazing how much stuff you have to drag around with you once you have a baby. We obviously need more space - see exhibit A below.
Molly, Lindey, Lucky & Chance in the backseat of our old car
Not to mention the fact that we needed something safe. So I agreed to a Suburban and I must say, the thing rocks! I am lovin' my bourban....uhhhh, I mean 'Burban.
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