Overdue update!

Hello everyone! More and more time is passing between my blog posts these days. I must be busy ... to say the least! Anna is doing well and she is a wonderful little baby. She keeps me very busy - day and night. I love her more each day, if it's possible. She is one month and eight days old today. They say time flies and they aren't kidding! It's been an awesome month - getting to know Anna and watching her grow. How she's changed already! She was weighed and measured today - 9 pounds, thirteen ounces and 21 inches long. She's outgrown most of her newborn size clothes and she used the last of the newborn diapers and is on to size 1. Where did my little 6 pound peanut go?!

Anna is having some trouble with reflux. Her pediatrician has given her medicine, which seems to help a little. She's fussy after feedings sometimes and is very uncomfortable. Poor baby. We went to the pediatrician again today for a follow-up. They don't think it's anything other than just reflux, which she will eventually outgrow. They say she may have a bit of colic at times, also. She doesn't cry all the time and when she does cry, she is consolable. Could be worse! But, poor Anna baby. It just means she needs me and Brent more - and we're here for her, for every fuss and fight.

Other Anna news ... She has started smiling! We get a couple of good smiles out of her each day. This morning she smiled with her eyes closed when she heard Brent's voice say "Good Morning, Anna." She gets smile lines around her eyes, which is adorable. She also coo's once in a while, which is just darling. She hates her car seat, which makes it very hard on Mommy to go anywhere. She likes baths pretty good - somedays more than others - and getting her hair washed is her favorite part. She's started sleeping in her crib in her room for naps during the day. I say started and really we just started this yesterday (ha!). Brent's mom reminded us how important it is for her to get uninterupted sleep and to learn to sleep in her crib. Usually I would just hold her while she slept, which she and I both love, but could be creating a monster. I'm pleased to say that's she in her crib this very minute and has been there for almost two hours!! Two hours of free hands ... I don't know what to do with myself! I think we've turned over a new leaf here!

It's certainly the fall season around here! The leaves are changing and falling. On one of our stroller walks (with a very bundled up Anna), Brent and I loved the sound of the leaves crunching under our feet. We missed that in Florida. There has frost on the grass and has been in the 20's some mornings - brrr. Winter is on the way. I need to get some new shoes - most of mine are flip-flops and sandles, which will never do!

We have enjoyed many family visitors lately. Brent's dad, Angie, Matt, Olivia and Bella were here a couple of weeks ago for the afternoon. So nice to see them and have them here. My mom and dad and Aunt Joan were here two weekends ago. Brent's mom and dad were here this past weekend. Wonderful to have everyone come and see our Anna!

Halloween was fun and we had lots of trick-or-treaters. We have a great neighborhood for trick-or-treating and we were imaging Anna in years to come. We met more new neighbors and everyone just loved Anna in her pumpkin hat. Jo-Jo did good with all the people coming and going. She stayed on the porch with us most of the time. She knocked over a pumpkin and spilled a beer, but she did good otherwise!


Well, since I have free hands still I better try to do some laundry. Eternal laundry, now ever more so since Anna's been here!

Hope you all are well and happy!

Love, Laura

Lovely Little Anna

Hi everyone!

Little Anna is doing great - a real joy! She is sleeping in my arms right now ... I'm going to master one-handed typing. Can't believe that Anna is three weeks old already. It's been an amazing, crazy, and simply wonderful three weeks!


My mom was here with me all last week. She spent the whole week here helping me and she was wonderful! We shared special times with Anna - quiet times in the mornings and funny outings to Kroger, Kohl's etc. Funny how a simple outing isn't so simple anymore and it took both of us just to get Anna in the car seat! We called ourselves Dumb & Dumber sometimes ... ie. couldn't figure out the stroller. I miss her company- it was really great to have her here. I can't thank her enough and I'd love to steal her here everyday. A very special week with my mom and Anna's grandma.


Last weekend we took Anna to South Bend to meet some family. She was a trooper in the car - 3 1/2 hours is a little long in a car seat for a little baby! I was crying right along with Anna at one point - I hate to see her cry! Anna met a lot of family and everyone was so glad to see her! She met her great grandparents - on both the Richmond and Hartsell side. She met the Cook's, Brechtl's and Jas, Shields, Stepke's, and Pludes. Angie and the girls were also in town and staying with Brent's parents in Niles. Anna met her cousins, Olivia and Bella, who gave her kisses! The trip was an effort, but well worth it!

So this week I'm on my own during the day with Miss Anna. So far so good! The days are long, but seem short at the same time. The days are structured around Anna's feeding and sleeping. Yesterday I made it to Kroger to do grocery shopping - first outing on my own! She did great until the frozen food isle - she decided she'd had enough! Today we've already had a bath - she takes baths in her little tub now since her umbilical cord is gone. She likes baths and loves her hair washed! We wait for Brent to come home and enjoy our evenings with Daddy.


Anna sleeps pretty well - usually a little hard to get to sleep at first, but then sleeps for two to three hours at a time. I'm handling the little sleep pretty well, though those late night feedings do get tough. During the day I try to nap when she naps - today we both slept for an hour and a half and I feel like a new woman.


I'm loving Mommy-hood. Brent loves Daddy-hood. It's quite a feeling to know that Anna depends on us - completely and totally. And we love her - completely and totally!

Welcome Anna Marie!

A new chapter begins!

Our little baby girl, Anna Marie, was born on Friday 9/26/08 at 5:26 pm - 6 pounds 14 ounces and 19.5 inches long. What an amazing moment! Anna stole our hearts immediately and Brent and I are beyond thrilled with our little girl.



My water broke at 6 am at home Friday morning. Brent and I were both getting ready for work when Anna decided it was time! 12 hours later, Anna was born. A hard labor, but I made it! My parents, Brent's parents, and my brother Scott were all at the hospital to welcome Anna. We were shocked it was little Anna in there - I was so convinced it was a boy! But out she came and she's just perfect.



We brought Anna home on Sunday afternoon. Brent and I were enjoying every moment of wonderful overwhelming new parenthood. On Tuesday, Anna saw her pediatrician for the routine new baby check-up. We noticed that Anna was looking jaundice and we had lab work done. Her bilirubin level was high and the doctor admitted Anna to the pediatric unit at the hospital. We had to stay for two nights and Anna was under the phototherapy lights to help bring down the bilirubin level. She was in an incubator and wore little sunglasses over her eyes. We could only take her out of the incubator to feed her. Brent and I never left her side. The hospital accomodations left a lot to be desired - Brent had to sleep in a chair with his head against the wall. And after many mommy tears and poor poked little Anna feet for lab draws, we were able to come home Thursday afternoon. Anna was a real trooper and did so well. We were given a "bili blanket" to take home with us to continue phototherapy at home. Sunday morning the doctor said we could stop the blanket. Monday we went for labs again and saw the doctor and Anna's bilirubin level is still a little bit high, but keeps coming down. Her doctor is happy with her progress and just told us to keep a watch on her and let him know if she still looks jaundice in a week.

On a happy healthy note - Anna had an ultrasound of her kidneys the day after she was born. Normal kidneys! No worries anymore. Thank God, we are so blessed.

Anna is eating great and gaining weight. At the doctor on Monday she was up to 7 pounds 2 ounces. Her doctor is very happy and so are we! But before long, she won't be my little peanut anymore and will be growing and growing. Brent told me that she'll always be our little peanut. He's right.


My mom is here to stay the week with me. I'm so grateful! Brent took the first week off from work and it was awesome to be together and with Anna. My mom and dad came on Saturday and my mom will be here till next weekend when my dad will come back to pick her up. We've had a great couple of days already. My mom has been cooking and I'm getting very spoiled. She's enjoying Miss Anna and we are enjoying every one of Anna's moments.

Brent comes home from work and snatches Anna up. He loves his little girl and I have a feeling they will be best buds. Brent is an amazing father, as I knew he would be. He really is - completely comfortable and natural. Anna is lucky to have him - and so am I.

Wearing Daddy's hat.

I can't believe I'm a mom! It's sinking in slowly. Today I was rocking Anna in her room and looking at her little toy basket thinking, soon she will be crawling over there to get her toys. And after that, walking and talking. Oh my! I'm overwhelmed by her - everything about her is wonderful and perfect and special. My little girl.


Anna looks like Brent - she has his eyes. My mom doesn't see much of me in her yet, except the hair. Anna has quite the personality already - she squeeks, yawns, hiccups, and makes the funniest faces! The hiccups are hilarious - especially since she had hiccups all the time when I was pregnant, too. She sticks out her tongue and is so funny! She's quite the little joy.


I can't wait for everyone to meet her. Brent and I will be making a trip to South Bend soon to show her off. We're the proudest parents.

Thanks to everyone for their well wishes so far - lots of love and prayers have been coming Anna's way! Thank you for loving us and our little Anna Marie.