Friday, November 28, 2008

Baby, you're a year old!

Miss Amelia Jane-
Exactly one year, 2 hours and 36 minutes ago, you made me a mommy. Words can not express how I felt. Your entrance into the world wasn't something to be desired, but you've made the terrible thoughts and feelings of those first few days fade so far away, it doesn't even feel like it happened.
See, your daddy and I had some trouble getting you here. Without going into graphic details (I hear the "ewww mom"'s already), mommy and daddy decided they wanted to add to their family. After a few months of trying, nothing was happening. Mommy was in/out of the drs. office trying to find out what was wrong. After many tests, and a surgery, they figured it out. So then mommy went on these pills called Clomid. They made mommy less then desirable for 8 whole days. The first time I took them, mommy got pregnant but miscarried. Then I was put back on them, and 7 days later we got word that you were coming! We were so excited. We just told immediate family at first, because of the first baby, then as things progressed we told everyone.
We found out you were a girl as soon as we could. You were Amelia right away. See, when mommy went back to Montana to meet your grandma before mommy and daddy got married, grandma showed mommy this ADORABLE pink blanket she had made. Mommy fell in love with it. Grandma said the next person in the family to have a girl would get this blanket. Boy did mommy want that blanket. So when mommy was a few months pregnant with you, we found out Aunt Christie was pregnant too! We found out Aunt Christie was having a boy, so mommy felt she still had a chance with the blanket. When the ultrasound guy told us we were having a girl, mommy's first words to daddy were "WE GET THE BLANKET". Mommy was so excited! You can home from the hospital with the blanket keeping you warm!
Mommy had a hard time being pregnant. She didn't get sick, but wanted to sometimes. She started showing a cute little belly. Mommy loved her belly. She would always poke you to get you to move, but then couldn't get you to quit moving when she went to bed! Mommy craved pasta, maple bars and Rainbow Sherbet from Baskin Robbins. Mommy was diagnosed with gestational diabetes at 29 weeks. This made Halloween a really hard time for mommy with her restriction on candy. She still snuck some in though! To this day, seeing pictures makes it hard to believe mommy got so big!
Mommy was in labor with you for 3 days. Yes, 3 days. The hospital kept telling her this stupid rule of "if you're not 4, you're out the door", meaning centimeters. She was contracting all right, but you just weren't ready. FINALLY on day 3, I was 4 cent. and enough to admit. We were all so happy, but you weren't done proving to everyone you had the last word. You were sunny side up (facing the ceiling, not the floor like you were supposed to be), your head got caught in my pelvic bone, and mommy had to push for 2 hours to get you out. Yes, 2 hours. Thank God for epidurals, mommy couldn't do it without one! When you were born, you weren't crying. This worried mommy. They took you over to the baby warmer and started to help you breath. Then about 45 minutes later, they took you for x-rays. They said you had fluid in your lungs and were sick. They wanted to keep you for a while to make sure your infection cleared up and you were breathing ok. They wheeled mommy back to the nursery to hold you. I only got to hold you for 10 minutes before the ambulance showed up. Amelia my dear, that was my hardest moment ever. Watching them put my fragile little newborn, that I worked so hard to get here, in an isolate on a stretcher. You had about 6 different technicians go with you. One for your IV, one for your heart, one for your lungs. It was so overwhelming, I just cryed. The hospital they transferred you to wouldn't take mommy as a patient, so we spent our first night apart. That is my biggest regret, that I didn't stand up for myself more and go with you. That night I slept with one of the blankets they wrapped you in after you were born. It smelled like you.
For the next 5 days, mommy and daddy made the treck back and forth to the hospital to see you. Mommy spent all day in the NICU holding you, talking to you. Your infection cleared up fast, and there are so harsh feelings about why you were kept so long. It was so stressful being in a room with alarms going off all of the time, including the one on your foot. Babies were so sick, and crying, and so little. You weren't, yet you were there. We finally got to take you home on the 5th day, the best day next to the day you were born. It was one of the stormiest days in Oregon. I've never seen daddy drive so slow. It was so windy and rainy, but we got you home safe and sound.
You've always been a good baby, a good sleeper. Nana came over and stayed a couple of nights to help mommy out. It was funny, seeing Nana after a night with only a couple of hours of sleep. She said it was no wonder people have kids so young! You progressed along just wonderfully with your stats. Always so tall, and weight being perfect. You had a case of bronchitis when you were 3 months old, but got over that just fine. Other then that and a case of rosiola later on, you've been perfect. You started walking a couple of weeks ago. You've been talking since the 4th of July. Daddy is the apple of your eye. You smile and reach for him whenever he comes home. Grandma and grandpa came out to see you in June, grandma couldn't keep her hands off you! Plus, she introduced mommy to Nancy Grace, and how to make just the right pie crust. You started overnights with Nana and grandpa early on, as mommy and daddy went to daddy's company party and stayed the night. Nana takes you for a weekend once a month or so. She loves showing you off and being so proud. You have looked like daddy since you were born. People at work call you "mini-Nick". You eat hotdogs like you're in the 4th of July hot dog eatting contest at Nathans in New York. You love any big people food. You are starting to show mommy's attitude and are already throw mini-tantrums. You're a flirt in public. You love to smile and say "hi" when people walk by. You're in daycare because mommy has to work, but you seem to like it. Your nickname is Rosebud. You actually have quite a few nicknames. Rosebud, butterbean, littles, miss Amels and Melia. You happily answer to any/all. You're just so happy, but boy you let us know when you're mad!
You make mommy so proud little Amels. You are so happy, smiley and talkative. You have made my world complete and have given me the greatest gift of all, the ability to be called mommy. You make mommy and daddy laugh everyday and never fail to give us a smile. We love you baby girl. You're the most challenging, yet best thing I've ever done. We love you.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Who knew?

Who knew shopping for an almost 1 year old would be so difficult! I try to pin Nick down for some ideas/options. This child loves music. This we know. She dances to everything, down to the theme song for the news. She sings, and it's flippin adorable. We will be getting her something to do with music, but who knew all of the options?

For example. When I was growing up, we had Barbie, Ken and her little sister (her name escapes me). We had the pink Corvette, a mansion and an RV. As I was looking on the Toy-R-Us website, they now have "president 2008 Barbie". And A Barbie cruise ship....A CRUISE SHIP? It opens up and has a pool with a slide. Amazing. I plan on one day dragging MY Barbie's down from my parents attic one day to share with Amelia, but in the meantime, it appears I'll have to keep her out of the toy isle. Barbie should be simple, not pregnant with a strap on belly and changing table (this exsist's, I swear!)

Monday, November 10, 2008

Yes people, it happend..

Today, I took my first 2 steps, UNASSISTED. Mommy and daddy looked at each other at the same time and mommy said "did that count?" Daddy said "yup!!" So there ya have it. I'm an official walker. I push myself off of everything and just stand there for a good 10-15 seconds, until I realize what I'm doing and then I smile and fall on something. But while walking from daddy to mommy, I pushed off the couch myself and 2 steps I took. Man, growing up is cool.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Mommy has a slight obsession....

Mommy has a slight obsession with someone called Nancy Grace. See, when my grandma was here to meet me in June, she watched Nancy Grace every night. Then mommy started watching and really got into it. She makes sure not to miss an episode. I started to like her, because I usually take my evening cat nap while mommy watches. I sometimes dance to her theme music and clap when she comes on. Mommy calls grandma every now and then and they talk about the show. I just don't get what the big deal is!

Nana and grandpa went to some place not too long ago called Atlanta. While there, they did some CNN studio tour, which is where I'm told Nancy Grace tapes her show. Nana even got mommy and Nana Nancy Grace magnets! Grandma called mommy and they had a good laugh over it when grandma got hers in the mail.

I was a happy girl one night, and mommy was snapping away in pictures. She caught me, pointing to the show, telling her all about how she should call in! (secretly, we know grandpa tried to call in..but that's another story). Mommy wanted to show just how close me and Nancy Grace are....

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Game day, with a touch of flood....

I went to the University of Oregon for 3 years. I've been to many Ducks football games. Some wet, but nothing like today. It was terrible. I was literally soaked to the bone. Left before the end of the game. Bottom line, we won. In the rain, a possible flood. All while, Miss Amelia was busy impressing Nana and Grandpa with kisses and waving.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

OBAMA-RAMA!! I'm so proud to be able to tell Miss Amelia about this day. Thank God we don't have to move to somewhere extreme....like France, or Canada!

Saturday, November 1, 2008

In her own words....


Miss Amelia's own language. from Megan Glynn on Vimeo.


The reason you are staring at the back of her head is because if she see's the camera on, she stops time and comes racing towards me. Sorry for the poor view, the sound is priceless anyways.

1st Halloween

We had your first Halloween last night. When we took you to the pumpkin patch last week, you wanted nothing to do with the pumpkins. This made daddy sad, but we got some pumpkins anyways and trucked on.

I tried to have you in your bumblebee halloween costume, but it seems I thought it was cuter then you did. It didn't last long. Your cousin Henry came over dressed as a pumpkin and Aunt Christie brought him to play. You played for quite some time. Kaden stopped by, dressed as a Ducks football player. You liked answering the door with mommy and seeing all of the kids. We did manager to keep a "happy Halloween" shirt on, so at least you were festive! Maybe next year we can get you into it more.


11 months...and a few days.



Mommy was slow on her 11 month update, she's sorry. But there is too much to remember on what you've done over the past couple of months!

You are now an eating machine. Anything we present you, almost, you love. Daddy's stew is one of your favorites. You're a meat and potato's' girl. You eat hot dogs like a competitive eater on the 4th of July at Nathan's in New York. You can't get them in fast enough. You think Mac and Cheese is pretty dandy too. Daddy started giving you Cheerios with your formula as a substitute for milk, and you love it. Anything that makes you feel like you're one of the grown ups. I remember wanting to be like the grown ups too, but child...just be little!

You're still growing taller, and this month didn't come with a drs. apt. so we don't have exact stats on you yet. You'll have you're 12 month apt. in Dec. (yes, that's one year...good Lord.) You had a bout of Roseola, which is basically a big rash that looked like chicken pox all over you last month. I came home from work one day to find this, scared that it was the pox. After a visit to the good Dr., we found it wasn't. But for 2 days, we didn't take pictures. This was the week before our family pictures, so I was glad it went away when it did. It didn't seem to bother you much, but you had a really high fever right before it that gave us a good scare.

You still talk non-stop, but have now come up with your own language. We figure someone, maybe in Ethiopia, could understand it. It's adorable and I plan on getting video of it soon. You now say mama and Nana, in addition to the before mentioned words. And Duck. Your face makes the most adorable little contortion to say it, but when you say it you mean it! You also sing quite frequently and love anything with music. You dance anytime you hear music, and change your voice tones up/down when singing. We play the keyboard quite often and you think that is pretty cool. I will def. follow up on this interest of yours as you get older.

You learned to climb the stairs, although we don't know how. You just were climbing them one day. The gate now keeps you down. You're any second from walking. Daddy and me practice with you, having you walk back and forth between us. You're getting so close. I'm excited for your new Independence, but know that we're then in trouble. I think once you walk, you'll be gone!

You point to things when we read, and boy how you love to read. You love to be read to, or to read to yourself. You're constantly finding books and pulling them out of where your books are kept. You love to turn the pages yourself. For hours.

You still love Elmo. More so now then ever. Just wait until your birthday....

You had your first Halloween and were less then impressed with the pumpkins. This made daddy said, because this is daddy's favorite holiday. We tried to dress you as the most adorable bee ever, but you weren't having it. Maybe it will still fit next year and we can use it, because it is too cute. Aunt Christie was in tears seeing you in it.

We had your 1 year photos taken, and our first family photos. While we haven't seen the finished result yet, you weren't having it. Kellie (the photographer) and I decided not to have Nana show up until the last 10 min. of the shoot because we thought it would be a distraction. Instead, you screamed in the car the whole 45 min. it took to get there, weren't happy in your Christmas dress, or your bee costume, and cried for a good 95% of the pics. Kellie and Doug are magic though, so I have faith. Nana and grandpa and Uncle Chris showed up and then you were all smiles. We did family photos in Ducks gear, no shock to anyone that knows us. I have a feeling our Christmas pictures will be quite predictable.

We are planning your first birthday, which freaks mommy out a little. I hated hearing when I was pregnant "it goes so fast". It's so true. Your hair is getting long, you learn more every day, and it seems you'll be running any second.

You are truly the light of our lives and continue to make us smile daily. I can't believe this time last year I was huge and pregnant, with only 4 weeks until you made your appearance. You are growing into such a little lady and we just fall more and more in love with you every day!