Monday, November 30, 2009

Mug Shots etc..


So if you know Mitch, you know about his obsession with mug shots. If you've spent any time with him there is bound to be a picture of you in one of them. I have a long standing plan to create an album of his masterpieces over the years. Thanksgiving evening proved to be no exception -- before we joined the fire pit outside we had a little fun in the trailer (where we stay when we are at Grandma and Grandpa's house).

Enjoy.





Thanksgiving...





Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Letting Go, Part 1

This entry has taken me two weeks to write. Mainly because I've been busy as a new mom of a 12-week old, but also because it's overwhelming every time I try to think about "letting go" of my newborn baby and what that means at this stage of her life. I'm also calling this Part 1, because I know that there will be many many "letting go" entries on this blog! It's very fitting that as I sit down to finish this (after putting her down at 5:30, good girl!, I digress..) it is the eve of Thanksgiving. As I am forced to let go of a few tiny things with Vivienne, there are so many more things that I am thankful for in my life.

I'll start off by saying Vivienne is sleeping in her own bed! It happened rather organically, and not at all of my choosing. When we got home from our vacation a few weeks ago I went to set up her co-sleeper and realized that I FORGOT the mattress part at my in-laws house where we had been staying. OMG...so Vivienne had no choice but to sleep in her own crib that night. Long story short, (I'll save you the entry about how I barely slept that night even though I have a video monitor, and how we felt like she was in a different UNIVERSE rather than just next door - and our house is not big) everything went splendidly. I couldn't hear her breathing though. And the little snorts and grunts she makes that have become regular sounds to me now, were suddenly not there. It was weird and hard and wonderful all in one night. I felt so thankful that she was comfortable enough to sleep so soundly in her own room, and it was almost like she was needing it, but it was sad at the same time not having us all in the same room anymore. I SERIOUSLY don't think Mitch went through ANY of this by the way. His biggest concern was that we would hear her if she started "choking or not breathing". HOW in the heck do you hear someone not breathing...anyway.

So the following week I got news that I will be renewed at work for 2 years. This is a huge accomplishment and a compliment, but somehow it was so heartbreaking. I am excited to return to the world of the working, don't get me wrong. But I'm equally excited to stay at home with my baby and know every second of what she's doing. I know I have a lot of time before I go back, and that I think it's the right decision for me (albeit part-time), but the Stanford daycare tours and waitlist paperwork has me feeling like crying everytime the words "going back to work are mentiond". If all of this wasn't enough for one week, something else happened to make sure I had enough. My milk dried up! I was planning on beastfeeding for 6 months, but my boobs had another idea (yes, I said boobs, it's my blog!). I just ran out, just like that! And so it is, MY BABY DOESN'T NEED ME ANYMORE!!!!

So, my 3 month old now sleeps in her own room, eats from her own bottle, and will be "fending" for herself in 3 months at daycare. That's enough for one week PLEASE!

Of course, being the "thinker" that I am, as I like to call it (Mitch has other names such as OCD, analytical FREAK, chill the bleep out!, etc...) I began thinking about how all of these little events are just one of the ways that Vivienne will be her own person, separate from me. She will continue to become more independent rather than dependent on me, and this little life I grew for 10 long months will suddenly be like, "hey thanks, but I don't need you anymore, and can you STOP being such a FREAK!"

For now, I am so so thankful for her, for ALL the things she still needs me for. And I'm going to relish in that fact for awhile.

Happy Thanksgiving.

3 Month Old



Happy 12 weeks to my little Vivienne. We made it! She is getting more and more like a little person and less like a little blob. So far:

well over 16 lbs (we like to call her robust)
smiling and talking so much (verbal much?, check!)
on the verge of laughing
likes her books and LOVES the bath
farts a lot (aka = toots)
sleeps in her own crib (and sometimes "through the night")
still VERY grunty (makes me laugh...)
stands on her legs really well
LOVES watching videos of herself and looking in the mirror (healthy self esteem?, check!)
SO ADORABLE AND SWEET? CHECK!!

Viv's New Hat


Isn't she pretty?

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Noise Maker

Thought I'd share a little of Vivienne saying hello. I want to eat her for dessert.


Photo Shoot






So this last Friday Viv and I wanted to celebrate Mitch's hard week, (and my good news of getting extended at work for 2 years! that's another entry altogether..). So we made the trip to Whole Foods to purchase a bunch of Holiday beers to go with a roast dinner. I saw this shirt on my way out and decided that I HAD to have it. Cause what's a Friday night with beers without a cute biker babe to go along with it?

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Monday, November 16, 2009

Perfect Saturday Afternoon







This Saturday we went to our first Cyclecross Race. Our friend Jeremiah was participating and he did amazingly well, given the obstacle course! It was a beautiful day in the Bay, and after the race we had beers and bbq'd sausage to celebrate at our house. Viv enjoyed hanging out with Asher too (even though she slept the whole time). Mitch now wants to get into Cyclecross, so I'm envisioning us purchasing a bike and cheering him on in the near future...
Here are some pics from the event. Go Jeremiah!

Sunday, November 15, 2009


STATS: 2 mos

Weight - 14lb 8.2 oz (99%)
Height - 24 3/4 in (97%)
HC - 16 cm (84%) ...(aka, big head)

Oh sweet Vivienne, you are growing so fast.  You are definitely not our little peanut anymore.  You are our big lizard baby, with a beautiful heart shaped tongue!  Keep being happy and healthy (as your doc put it, "whatever we're doing, keep doing it!").  I can hardly believe that you are 10 weeks old.  You make life so delicious!

a new hat


My mom (Uma) just got this new hat for Vivienne, and it is hilarious.  It makes her look like one of those characters from Fraggle Rock.  Did anyone ever watch that show?  I LOVED IT, probably longer than I should have..."Down With Fraggle Rock!"
Too cute, thanks Uma!

our first baby...

Fauxlaroids!!

I'm obsessed with my new iPhone app, that turns your pics into Polaroids. Here are a few of Viv in her 2nd month.





The Maiden Voyage...


We've been busy busy busy this November. We had our first solo trip to Sacramento to visit family. It was both fun and stressful, but mostly fun. Mitch had to go out of town on business to Michigan and I decided to stay in town with family, as we were already there for Jeff and Angilene's wedding reception. It was a fabulous reception at Gramma and Grampa Weathers house -- lots of people and just a warm and wonderful time. Vivienne decided to pick up Mitch's cold that he had been fighting for over a week, so not only were we traveling for the first time with a 9 week old, she was sniffling and coughing the whole time. She snored super loud at night, making it hard for us to sleep of course, as the paranoid new parents -- Viv however, slept like a log, cold and all! She had so many people to love on her and she enjoyed EVERY minute of it. In fact when we got home I think she was kinda bored having only my mug to stare at...;)

Where Have I Been?!

These last few months have been filled with the transition of Viv into the Weathers household. Things that took me a day to accomplish, or minutes for that matter, now take days and weeks! Who knew a baby would be so utterly time consuming. I'm going to try harder to keep this blog current because my life and my baby are moving ahead full speed, and they never take breaks or slow down. Life has been simply overwhelming, and so completely fabulous. We are in love with our little lizard (as we now call her) and can't get enough of her...
Oh yeah, other stuff has been happening too! More to come...
xo