table for 3

Nose ring

2012-02-20T21:37:00.001-05:00

Nose ring. Like mother, like daughter.

sickie

2012-02-16T20:59:00.001-05:00

Boo boo is sick. Double ear infection and strep throat.
Too far germies, too far.

The Ladies James

2012-02-12T22:32:00.000-05:00

Today I was struck by how much Eliza resembles Liv at 6 months.

I am often struck by how cute they both are.

WHO KNEW we'd produce such adorable offspring?

(Right now my mom is saying "Me! I knew.")

this is the (new) song that never ends

2012-02-10T11:26:00.003-05:00

Remember that wonderful tool for parental annoyance-The Song That Never Ends?

Allow me to refresh your memory:

This is the song that never ends
Yes it goes on and on my friends
Some people starting singing it
Not knowing what it was
And they'll continue singing it forever just because...
This is the song that never ends

And so on. (Is it in your head now? Muhuhuhahahaha. So sorry. Or am I?)

Well, yesterday the James family was headed to the Y, and Liv came up with a new version. She was singing her ABC's (one of her top 5 songs of all time) to her baby. So she's patting her baby and singing her version, and Duff and I finally noticed that it kept going...and going...and going...She'd get to the end and sing-

Now I know my
ABC'S DEFG
HIJK ELMO P (Did you know Elmo is in the ABC's?)
URS
TUV
WXYZ
Now I know my
ABC'S DEFG

She did it again today and I got it on video. Sweet little singin' voice, isn't it?

Well Said

2012-02-07T21:01:00.000-05:00

As a Christian ministry worker, church planter's wife, launch team member, mom, and woman, this article clearly and respectfully communicates so many things that I've felt. Glad to have read it, and if you're interested in this type of thing, you may feel the same way.
Why It's Your Job to Break the Women's Ministry Stereotype

Here's an excerpt (from an excerpt, actually. I can do this because I was not an English major):

But I'm here with you tonight because I want what the world cannot give me. We're choking on cutesy things and crafty bits, safe lady topics and if one more person says that modest is hottest with a straight face, I may throw up. We are hungry for authenticity and vulnerability, not churchified life hacks from lady magazines. Some of us are drowning, suffocating, dying of thirst for want of the cold water of real community. We're trying really hard - after all, we keep showing up to your lady events and we leave feeling just a bit empty.

WHOA! Get 'er done, girlfriend.

(Did I just say girlfriend? I think I did.)

Zumba

2012-02-06T14:07:00.001-05:00

The other day when I got to the Y, the child watch was full, but they said they'd have a spot in a few minutes. Liv and I sat in the lobby and she watched people swim. I watched people...Zumba.

I couldn't see the instructor, and I had no idea what people were supposed to be doing because everyone was doing something slightly different-but they were in to it. I considered joining them. It was (not surprisingly) a class of mostly women, but after a few more minutes, I saw a giant, very toned man walk in and join without a hint of embarrassment. I figured if he had the guts to do it, I could too.

I smiled like an idiot the whole time, and got my heart rate up too. The high school cheerleader in me was very excited.

Later I posted about it on Facebook and my friend Jen Stevens sent me this picture. I laughed so hard, it captures the experience perfectly.

this pic kills me

2012-02-01T14:05:00.002-05:00

photo courtesy of Duff James

at the park in June-uary

2012-01-31T20:27:00.003-05:00

Nice weather, these days!

Six Months

2012-01-28T15:45:00.001-05:00

Dear Eliza,
YOU ARE SIX MONTHS OLD! Half a year! And sweetie, you are SO CUTE. You're a chunky little monkey and you're so happy. You've got a killer smile and a great little giggle. I'm so glad you're in our life.

We have a picture of your sister when she was about 6 months and her two bottom teeth are clearly visible. I wondered if you'd get them around the same time and while I think the first one broke through a few weeks after hers did, you now have both little bottom teeth as well. I love seeing them peek through when you smile up at me.

I wrote about how you were sleeping through the night, in a bathroom. This month we actually moved you in to share a room with your sister. The first night was terrifying-we weren't sure how either of you would react if the other woke up crying. Thankfully, you both did fine! In the days that followed we had a few times when we both had to come in because you'd woken each other up, but for the most part, it's gone well. I have to tell you, your sister is little; she's still kind of a baby herself. But sometimes if she's woken up and I'm rocking her, and you start making noise too, she tells me to put her back in bed so I can come to you. She loves you and cares for you so much, and she looks out for you already.

We also started some FOOD this month! You'd had some cereal here and there, but this month we tried some bananas and sweet potatoes. You've loved both, and done really well with eating from a spoon. Grandma came to visit and gave you a few little pieces of a cheerio too, and she said you figured it out pretty quickly.

Like most babies of this era, you've been laid on your back to sleep since your appearance. Therefore, you detest "tummy time." I don't really care about tummy time, and you have the bald spot on the back of your head to prove it. I don't care because your neck muscles are strong and you lift your head and upper body easily, and you've learned it without the torture that is laying on your stomach. We're good. However, because you don't really lay on your stomach, you didn't really learn to flip from your stomach to your back like most babies. You can, you just don't very often. You have mastered the art of flipping from back to front, which requires a lot more coordination. You've actually been threatening to do this since very early on, because you like to scrunch up on your side. But this month you've really figured out how to get that bottom arm out from underneath you like a champ. So now I really have to keep an eye on you, because you're creeping towards mobility.

I love the way I feel about the fact that you're six months old. With Liv, I had such a hard time picturing what was ahead, and the future scared me a little because of that. But now that we've lived through a first and second birthday with her, I know that so much good is ahead. Honestly, I think six months is the start of the REAL fun. I would say that, from birth, difficulty decreases as enjoyment increases, with time. They definitely overlap, but I think six months may be when enjoyment starts to rise above difficulty, and because I'm a slightly more experienced mom, I know we're going to continue to rise up together. You are cherished and loved, little Eliza Gretchen!

Mama

saturday morning

2012-01-21T22:47:00.000-05:00

This is not that important or cool, it's just our life. Duff and I were a family before we had kids, but now that our family has expanded, so have our Saturday mornings.

bear-ly breathing

2012-01-19T22:45:00.001-05:00

Soon after we moved here, we started hearing reports about a black bear roaming the neighborhood. I don't know about you, but for me, that squelched most of my interest in walking with my two darling daughters in the double stroller (the real one, not the DIY one. Well, now that I think about it, especially the DIY one). I'm pretty slow even at top speed, but throw 60lbs of baby and stroller in there and I might as well be running through a big bowl of spaghetti noodles.

But lately I've thought that said bear is probably hibernating (bears really do that, right?) so I've felt a little more comfortable going running 'round these parts. It's a beautiful neighborhood, and I'm glad I've been able to get out and explore on foot a little bit. Plus, I take Oscar with me, and I always make sure to salt and pepper him a little bit before we go, so, you know, just in case we do run in to a hungry bear, I can toss him Oscar to keep him busy while I bust it in the other direction.

(I'm kidding, I love Oscar, and he can outrun me like no other, so that would never happen.)

So, I was feeling pretty good about it all until I ran by this yesterday:

I'm pretty sure it says "do not run" three times. And I saw it on a run. While running.

I'll give you one guess as to what I plan to do if I happen to see this guy.

(run!)

seize your day

2012-01-16T21:30:00.002-05:00

I read this blog post the other day after seeing it float around the Facebook a bit.

Don't Carpe Diem

I'm not sure I could have explained what about hearing "I hope you enjoy every minute of this! It goes so fast" from strangers in a store sometimes makes me feel weird, but I think she hit the nail on the head. It makes me feel pressured to enjoy every minute of this tiny tot stage, and the truth is not every minute is enjoyable. This is my favorite part of her post-she's talking about what she hopes to say to women with young kids when she's the older one in the grocery store or wherever:

“It’s helluva hard, isn’t it? You’re a good mom, I can tell. And I like your kids, especially that one peeing in the corner. She’s my favorite. Carry on, warrior. Six hours till bedtime.” And hopefully, every once in a while, I’ll add- “Let me pick up that grocery bill for ya, sister. Go put those kids in the van and pull on up- I’ll have them bring your groceries out.”

So anyway, her point is to seize those special moments during the day when the positively ridiculous beauty of what you're doing overwhelms you. I wholeheartedly agree with her, and I can even relate to some of the specific things she mentions. For me, the way Liv piles her little body on my lap before I put her in her crib almost always blows my mind. And the way Eliza's eyes follow me around the room, no matter what; I seize that, almost every day.

It's interesting though, one of the things this blog post made me think about is those people, the ones who look at your life and say things like "Enjoy every minute! I did," or sometimes, "Enjoy every minute, I know I will!" I guess what I mean is that as we look favorably at each others' lives, I hope we're seizing our own. So the older lady, who mistakenly remembers adoring every single part of raising kids, I hope she's seizing her current day, and making the most of it. She has things to give now that she never could have when she had a cartful of kids herself. And the single woman in her early thirties who always thought she'd be a married, stay-at-home mom by that point, I hope she's seizing her day, too. And ME! When I'm wrangling two kids for dinner and I see peers leaving the apartment building dressed for downtown fun at the precise moment that I smell yet another dirty diaper, I hope I can seize my day. And in the future, I hope I continue to do the same.

Because I believe we're all where we're meant to be, and we'll be happiest if we acknowledge that, and rest in it.

problem-solver

2012-01-15T23:14:00.000-05:00

Problem: Liv can't get close enough to the TV to high-five Blue and her clues.
Previous Solution: Admit defeat.
Current Solution: Pick up stool, place in front of TV, climb up. Reach up to high-five Blue only to be thwarted by that pesky Mom.

I'm kidding, she hasn't reached out for the TV yet. I do love that she's gone from using her stool exclusively as a place to sit to dragging it around the apartment to help her reach things. Or to put her face a mere 8 inches from the TV. And now, before I get lost in my marveling, I must scour our countertops for dangerously sharp items that were previously out of reach.

birthday sweets

2012-01-10T00:07:00.000-05:00

Today was Duff's birthday, and while he didn't want it to be a big deal, I still found myself contemplating birthdays past and how thankful I am for this (barely) thirty-something man.

For his first birthday after we got married, I made Duff a mack-daddy cheesecake. I looked at a lot of recipes and combined the best parts of all of them, and what I ended up with was complete overkill. Diabetes in a springform pan. It had an oreo crust, a layer of caramel, the actual cheesecake, another layer of caramel, and toffee bits sprinkled on top. We each ate a piece and decided probably it was best to stick with one cheesecake upgrade at a time, rather than 3 at once. We ended up throwing half of it out.

This year I wasn't going to make any sort of birthday sweet, but I changed my mind when I saw Liv snuggle up next to her dad on and off all day. She understands birthdays and she NEEDED to celebrate her Daddy's! So I decided to take the cake pop maker my mom gave me for Christmas for a spin. I figured Liv would have fun helping me and eating more than her fair share of cake pops.

Turns out, even with an official cake pop maker, the process requires a little more attention than a 2 year-old and a 5 month-old allow, and the result was a pretty substantial cake pop failure. Good cake, bad pops. You know what? I don't even care. And neither does Duff. He is loved, and he knows it, crappy cake pops and all.

diy double stroller

2012-01-02T14:59:00.001-05:00

DIY is so IN these days, eh? I'm not so good with the paintbrushes and I can hardly tell the difference between a sewing machine and a Kitchenaid mixer, but don't count me out. And not because my first real (miserable. terrible.) job was at Hobby Lobby.

Today I have a very handy tutorial for you. It's a DYI Double Stroller, for all your 2 kid strolling needs.

First, you take a single travel system stroller. Mine is a Chicco but any sturdy travel system stroller will do.

Place one of your babies in the infant carrier (carseat) and put the carrier in the stroller. Here you have your basic travel system set up. (Note: this is not my real baby. My real baby is in the exersaucer and I don't want to disturb her. Real babies should always be strapped in to the carseat. Also, real babies usually have both hands, rather than this baby, which had one hand gnawed off by one Oscar James. Look closely...you see it, now, don't you? Bad dog.)

Once the baby is in the carrier, and the carrier is in the stroller, you're ready to add a second child. Ask the child if he or she would like to play "Super Baby." He or she is likely to say yes. Lift the child and lay him/her across the handle of the stroller. Never let go, because the stroller might fall towards you, dropping the Super Baby and catapulting other.

Liv calls this "fyiying twapeesthe" (flying trapeeze) because for some reason, I asked her if she wanted to be Super Baby and then started singing that song. It works equally well without accompaniment.

And there you have it, your very own DIY Double Stroller. This comes in very handy when you live on the 3rd floor of an apartment building but I'm sure there are plenty of other uses.

Enjoy! And I know what you're thinking...of COURSE it's ok to slap this in your DIY folder on Pinterest! Share the wealth, you know what I'm saying?

foods!

2011-12-31T15:42:00.000-05:00

The time has come for Eliza to start on some solid food, and while yesterday's attempt was an abysmal failure, today was much more promising.

Step 1-high chair acclimation

Step 2-spoon acclimation

Step 3-well, this isn't actually a step. It's just an empty bowl of
SUCCESS!

4 months. and 5 months.

2011-12-28T21:21:00.000-05:00

Dear Wyza,
When we named you, we thought we'd probably call you "Elle" most of the time. So far, we were very wrong. We didn't take into account the adorable variations of Eliza that your sister would come up with. So, while you are most often Eliza, you are also commonly "Wywa" or "Wyda" or "Wyztha." Thanks for being patient and answering with a smile while we work our way through.

Wywa, my dear, I've done something I never did with your sister. I skipped an entire month's letter. Lots of exciting things happened in the last two months, and I want to make sure to record them. And away...we...go.

You were BAPTIZED the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Grandma, Grandpa and Claire met us in Columbia, where we saw Grammie, Papa, and the rest of the clan. You were baptized back at First Presbyterian Church. This might seems strange, because we don't live there anymore (you never did! You were born in Asheville.), but we're in sort of a weird in-between point right now and technically, this is the way it needed to happen. It was lovely to stand with our former church family, and with our friends, the Milnes, as they baptized little Henry. I called it a drive-thru baptism because we arrived Saturday night and were home Sunday afternoon. So it was quick, but wonderful.

We turned around and drove back to Columbia later that week for Thanksgiving with your dad's side of the family. Your cousins ADORE you and it's fun to watch you respond to them more and more. You were passed around from grown-up to grown-up too. You, my dear, are so very loved!

While we were in Columbia, you rolled over from front to back for the first time. This is almost exactly when your sister did the same thing. You're incredibly close to rolling over from back to front too, you just haven't quite coordinated it all yet. I pray you haven't inherited my kinesthetic (lack of) abilities!

Actually, your hand-eye coordination is rapidly improving. You're pretty good at grabbing your paci from your mouth, which is always a bummer. But you can sometimes get it back in, and that is rather impressive. One day, you were fussing during a nap, and I came in and found you with your paci in backwards. Creative, but not all that satisfying. In the last few week's you've also started to really play with toys which is convenient, because CHRISTMAS was on the horizon.

We took you to your 4 month well-visit and you weighed somewhere around 16lbs. You are in the 95th percentile for length and the 90th percentile for weight! You are adorably chubby. I don't know how much sleep is really connected to size in babies BUT in the last two months you started sleeping 12 hours at night-from about 7pm to 7am, like your sister. I am SO thankful.

Both your Aunt Kathi and Uncle Danny visited in the last few months, and they loved seeing more of you. Your goofy grins are so endearing and it was fun to watch you watch each other. Grammie and Papa came to celebrate Christmas a bit early and you made their days too! They enjoyed seeing your backyard. You know, the Biltmore House.

The other day I was thinking about how this time around, I felt the freedom to admit that you seemed like a stranger when you were born. I let myself be ok with the weirdness of being so intimately connected to someone I didn't know. And because I let myself be there for a while, I've been able to really enjoy what feels like watching myself fall in love with you. And I did! I am! I've felt my heart swell bigger and bigger as we move along, and we've only just begun.

Giddy up.
Mom

keeping record

2011-12-27T23:38:00.000-05:00

8 hour drive-Asheville to Indy
finding Nemo on the "Hi-pad"
lunch in Knoxville
dinner in Cincy
with "u-Deedee" (Uncle Danny) of course.

Rest.

Play.

Overnight date-
St. Elmo's Steakhouse
JW Marriott-incredible view
Sleep-uninterrupted-till 9:15.

Coffee.

Lunch. 4 generations of girls.
Great Grandma
Grandma
Me, sisters
Liv, Eliza

Christmas Eve
Traditions-
shopping for stocking stuffers
sibling movie
Church
and of course, pizza.

Secret Santas and
Pajamas.

Christmas morning-
Liv-up at 6am
Everyone else-up at 8.
Snuggled and watched the Hi-pad in-between.

Toys
Banjo
Mandolin
Jam session
Blessed.

Brunch
Rest
Play
Rest
Play

FAMILY
Toddlers
Cousins
FOOD
Gift exchange

Post-Christmas returns
sister time
Why not buy the same coat?

Snow!
Beautiful, midwestern snow.

Baby's first ear infection
and antibiotic
two babies with fevers
many hands make the work light
or however it goes.

Weird blog entry.

Hey look, we're caught up!
Et tu, reader?

fair trade

2011-12-18T23:10:00.000-05:00

At the end of the day, I give Eliza a bottle,
and she gives me this look.

At first I considered it a fair trade,
but lately
I'm thinking I get the better end of the deal.

Mary, Mary

2011-12-15T10:35:00.001-05:00

Sometimes I am overwhelmed by Mary's role in the Christmas narrative (and the life of Jesus as a whole). This started back in my early teens, when I first remember hearing that she was probably about that age when all of this took place. As I've gotten married and then carried babies myself, I find myself feeling more and more connected to her part in the story. Liv was about 6 weeks old at her first Christmas, and as we packed up our new baby in her modern carseat, threw her in the car and drove to Indiana, I thought about the logistics of the narrative in a new way. Donkeys and new towns and new family, and God's son. That's a lot to carry. I'm sure it was hard, and it was messy, and I can relate to that, and I feel the story in a new way because of it.

Now, I open various children's books to share this story with my daughters, and I find myself chuckling at some of the Mary's (or "Minnie's", as Liv calls them). If the story is true, and I believe that it is, Mary would not look quite this happy as Joseph helps her off the stable floor:

I do, however appreciate that it appears to require quite a heft from Joseph to help such a pregnant Mary. Also, the size of her belly is impressive.

I don't know what Jesus would have been like as a newborn, but as he was fully human, I'm sure there were times when Mary was tired and confused because she couldn't understand her newborn son. That is why serene pictures like this make me laugh:

My favorite children's bible, by far, is The Jesus Storybook Bible. If you have kids and don't own this bible, order it immediately. If you don't have kids and don't own this bible, order it immediately. It is helpful and moving, and simple enough for anyone. Liv chose one page to tear out of our copy, and unfortunately it was THE page where Jesus arrives. So I have to fill in that part. Typical pastor's kid.

Anyway, this Mary is just cool looking. She has awesome, flowy hair and is riding that donkey like it's no big deal. But she's nine months pregnant; riding a donkey is a BIG DEAL. She looks like a trooper, but for some reason I can't really relate. Maybe because I simply don't look cool when I'm pregnant.

Recently some friends came in to town and brought Liv a new Christmas book. I smile every time we read this book, because I see a Mary I can relate to. She's chubby. Swollen face. Holding on for dear life. She probably has heartburn. Even the donkey looks a little uneasy.

She's not quite sure about this whole thing, and she's not positive she's even doing it right. Despite the discomfort and the unfamiliar territory, she's doing her best, and trying to be faithful. And that is an attitude, a posture, a way of living that I can both relate and aspire to.

sweet season

2011-12-09T20:07:00.001-05:00

You know what's fun?
Having babies within weeks of dear friends.

the stockings weren't hung

2011-12-04T14:35:00.001-05:00

So we haven't done any stocking hanging or decorating of any sort over here...hopefully we'll get around to doing a little bit but we don't have a fireplace and we won't be here ON Christmas, and all of that stuff is packed away somewhere in a storage closet. Storage closets are exhausting, so I'm not really in a hurry. The Christmas Spirit is in my heart, even if it isn't all over my home, ok?

However, I was shopping the other day and I saw some stockings, which reminded me that we need a stocking for little Eliza. This reminded me that last year, we knew I was pregnant but we hadn't made that super public yet. I decided our little unborn baby needed a place on the mantle, and picked up a tiny stocking to celebrate her presence. And then I took a picture, because I knew I'd want to remember it. We look forward to celebrating together as a family of four in a new, much more noticeable way this year!

for anyone who's mothered a toddler

2011-11-29T22:42:00.001-05:00

Liv is talking all the time. She can say all kinds of fancy words like "shadow" and "hippopotamus" and "helicopter." And yet, she often forgoes her impressive language development and instead, goes with

Mom
Mommy
Mom
Mom
Mommy
Mommy
Mommy
Mom.

It's flattering. And sometimes frustrating. See below.

Thankfully, she hasn't learned my first name yet and for those of you who are now tempted to teach her, remember that I most likely know where you live.

That's not a threat, it's a gentle promise.

Wink.

bang for my buck

2011-11-27T23:41:00.001-05:00

When Liv was about a month old (early December 2009) I stressed about not having a coat for her and bought this on a whim. This little sweater was enough to get her through balmy Columbia winters, and it is one of the best baby purchases I made. It fit Liv again the next year and this year, its third in a row, Eliza is rockin' it as well.

Liv, early 2010

Liv, 1st birthday

Eliza, 4 months

Three Months

2011-11-15T21:14:00.001-05:00

Dear Liza,
You know what's been awesome? Getting to know you. Your personality is coming out more and more and you are such a delight! I've started leaving you in places like the church nursery or with the childcare at the YMCA and when I pick you up, the caregivers almost always hug you tightly and make a joke about how they want to take you home. You are so good at giving warm fuzzies to people because you smile easily and with your entire body. When someone coos at you, you look at them, focus for a minute, and then grin from head to toe. It is the sweetest thing.

So you're sleeping through the night, which is amazing. I used to think people who said they just decided to "wing it" with their kids (and survived) were either nuts or liars. I know that's terrible, but, I did. After having you, I understand how you could just kind of go with the flow and end up sane with a baby who sleeps through the night. With your sister I had to be more formulaic, but you have pretty much led the way, and I love that.

When you started sleeping through the night, we decided to move you out of our bedroom. We weren't, however, willing to move you in to Liv's room quite yet because she sleeps so well and we didn't want to disrupt that. So we put you in another room. It's spacious. Well decorated. Underused. It is...the second bathroom.

That's right, you now sleep in a bathroom. For both naps and nighttime sleep.

There's something about this that I love. On one hand, it's brilliant because it's a very dark room and your sound machine echoes really loudly, so you tend to sleep really well. On the other hand, it is a bathroom, and instead of rocking you to sleep in a chair, I rock you to sleep on the toilet. If, somewhere down the road, you find yourself feeling very sleeping in the potty stall, you can blame it on this. Then make sure you call me about it so we can laugh together.

I look forward to laughing with you.

So you sleep in a bathroom, and part of what I love about this is that to me it is such a good reminder of what we're doing in life right now. Your dad is planting a church. Actually, Jesus is planting a church, and we are instruments in that process. We are making sacrifices along the way, and one of them is moving from a 3 bedroom home that we owned to a 2 bedroom apartment. So we sacrificed a bedroom but gained an unnecessarily large second bathroom, and that is where you sleep. We're doing the best with what we have, and what we have is still pretty amazing. Eliza, you are 3 months old and I think we've now been in this new city long enough to be able to start evaluating our time here. Your dad and I are blown away by all of the blessings the Lord has given to us in our short time here, and an easy-going delight of a baby is part of that.

You're sleeping well (in a bathroom), eating well, smiling well, kicking well, wiggling well (all the time! You are a wiggly baby), and growing well. You've got this baby thing down, kiddo. And really, we're just getting started.

Love,
Mom

My do it

2011-11-14T22:56:00.001-05:00

Guess who put her jacket on all by herself?

hindsight

2011-11-12T23:28:00.001-05:00

Listen, I'm not saying it's all fairies and unicorns over here. We've been married for about 3.5 years and had 2 kids in 2 years, meaning I've been pregnant for almost half our marriage and breastfeeding for (practically) the other half. That alone is stressful enough, and it's just the start. We have our issues, for sure.

But there are times when I look up and see a scene like this, and I wish I could go back in time and whisper into younger, sometimes heartbroken Kristi's ear that the one God has for you is better and more, and that it's going to be so good.

Two Much

2011-11-07T21:31:00.001-05:00

About a week before her birthday, we started working with Liv on answering the question "how old are you?" Her birthday was on Wednesday but we started celebrating the weekend before. Four days, one cookie cake, and 4 rounds of "Happy birthday" later, she woke up on her actual birthday and I asked her how old she was. She rubbed her eyes and said "Two much."

From the mouths of babes, eh?

My parents and Claire arrived on Thursday, which was great because I don't know how many opportunities Liv will get to have both sets of grandparents in town for her birthday. Duff's parents drove up Saturday and we all headed to an indoor play place in town. Liv's buddy Sam came too, with his mom Catherine, of course.

Sam gave her this phone...since then she's been known to sleep with it.

While working hard at the play place's "cookie store" (grocery), she became
concerned that the register seemed off. She wisely called in the management.

Afterwards we went home and ate pizza, then celebrated with what else? A cookie cake. From her favorite, the cookie store.

She said cheese, yes she did.

Loves some Aunt Claire.

Eliza "The Silent Partner" James hung out in her swing the whole time.
Shocker.

After that we all headed in to Liv's room for the big reveal. Grandma and Grandpa (Gabba and Geepa) Hindman gave Liv a play kitchen and Grammie and Papa James gave her a toy chest that Papa made just for her from reclaimed wood from the pre-Civil War home on their farm. We gave her a shopping cart with some play food and some dishes, cups, and cutlery. She loved allof it!

But the party didn't stop there. On Tuesday Liv took a birthday snack to her class at school, and finally, on Wednesday she actually turned 2. We started the day with a birthday donut on the way to our morning activity and I had to fight the urge to shovel birthday treats her way all day. By the time we finished her actual birthday, she was birthday-ed out. Too, two much, perhaps, but a lot of adorable birthday fun for sure!

Two Years

2011-11-02T13:57:00.003-04:00

Two years ago, this:

And now, this:

What a fun, sweet, spunky blessing she is!

Halloween Sneak Peak

2011-11-01T14:15:00.001-04:00

By putting up a "sneak peak" I realize I'm sort of insinuating that there are people sitting at their desk jobs all over the country just waiting for a post full of Halloween fun from the James family.

I realize this is probably not the case. I don't have people all over the country, per se, just in places like Seattle, Houston, Memphis, Chicago, Indianapolis, Nashville, Cincinnati, Boston, and of course, Columbia.

See, now that's a joke too, because that sort of IS all over the country.

Anyway, really all this sneak peak is about is remembering funny things that happened last night. Our neighborhood is apparently THE Halloween Hotspot in Asheville, and while we originally decided to skip the festivities, we changed our minds and decided we should probably walk over to the next street and take it all in. It was amazing...and I don't even really like Halloween. Our friend Val came with us and was equally impressed.

Duff and I re-donned our Where's Waldo costumes, which is where the fun began. See, at the party we went to last weekend, for Duff's brother's 40th birthday, we wore our costumes and everyone seemed to like them but we definitely weren't the showstoppers.

You're tryin' to tell me this ain't a showstopper?
I know, I know, surprising, right?

Well, we'd no more than stepped foot on the street outside our apartment when we ran into another Waldo. We saw at least 4 more after that, which was really surprising. The great thing was, Duff was by far the best. He had the most official looking costume and wasn't a girl...and it felt kind of appropriate that we were in a sea of Waldos, just like the books. As we walked around people exclaimed things like "I found you!" and "Hey look, Where's Waldo!" we realized we needed a tagline and ended up shouting "Here we are!" over and over. We hadn't meant to be so conspicuous, but it was fun to be in a costume people liked.

In the same group of trick-or-treaters was a little boy in a Captain America costume. He took one look at Liv, wearing this:

and said "Bumblebee? I don't LIKE Bumblebees. I don't LIKE Bumblebees!" Seriously, kid? Do you also not like cotton candy and Christmas?

So I did the mature thing, of course, and said (quietly, I think), "Really? That's so weird, because she doesn't like superheroes! What are the chances!"

Ahem.

Perhaps next year I should go as a grown-up. Wink.

Field Trip

2011-10-26T14:41:00.003-04:00

Last week I accompanied Leetle Liv on her first field trip. A FIELD TRIP! Really? She was born but 103 weeks ago, and already a field trip.

We went to the pumpkin patch up the road from her school. As expected, her favorite part was riding the "cool bus" (school bus). All the kids acted like they knew exactly what to do, which was cute but strange because I'm sure it was the first carseat-less ride for all of them.

Cool. Bus. Cool Bus. SCHOOL BUS!

Liv was a bit difficult at the pumpkin patch, which I now know was probably because she wasn't feeling all that great. We listened to some pumpkin-themed stories, and may or may not have accidentally stolen a pumpkin (more on that later). Afterwards we hopped back on the cool bus and headed home. We had a great time, despite the fact that my sweet little punkin was slightly rotten. (See what I did there?)

You're Welcome

2011-10-25T10:35:00.002-04:00

Well the James family has fallen victim to what I believe to be our first school-born illness. That's right, Liv has once again lovingly shared a crazy cold virus with all of us. Except for Eliza, she doesn't like to share much with Eliza. Sometimes we have to work on that but in this case, I do not mind.

Liv fell first. Then I did. Sort of. Moms are really allowed to fall, are we? And now Duff is down for the count. Thankfully I'm not nodding off with a toddler in my lap anymore, because the only thing worse than a sick and fuzzy-headed mom is a sick and fuzzy-headed mom AND dad.

Anywho, things are looking up for the females in the family, thankfully. In the meantime, I was reminded of the hilarious blog my friend Janet shared with me. Janet always knows the best and funniest things on the interwebs.

I give you:
Crappy Pictures.*

Enjoy.

*Sometimes Crappy Pictures uses crappy language. Not my fault.

before bedtime

2011-10-18T13:02:00.001-04:00

Some nights we opt to fill the awkward minutes between getting ready for bed and actually going to bed with music. Those are good nights.

Walk a mile...

2011-10-13T22:24:00.003-04:00

...in my shoes.

Behold, the Bumbo

2011-10-11T11:09:00.000-04:00

Eliza will be 12 weeks old tomorrow. TWELVE WEEKS! One thing I've noticed is that with Liv, when I'd get my weekly development emails from Babycenter.com and it would say something about, say, babies noticing their hands that week, I'd be like "Oh yeah, she totally does that. She found her hands LAST week. She's so advanced." With Eliza, I get the same email and I'm like "HANDS?! SHE HAS NO BUSINESS FINDING HER HANDS. She's only...er...ok. I guess she's at that point. And I guess she has sort of found them. Where has the time gone?!"

Enter the Bumbo seat. Eliza can sit in a Bumbo. What the what?

Sigh.

How 'bout that lightening bolt of hair across her head? Pretty schnazzy, eh?

Also, you may have noticed that Oscar's beard and mustache are gone. You know, the distinguishing features of a miniature schnauzer? That's because in the craziness of keeping two babies alive and well, we forgot to get him groomed on time, and they got matted so they had to shave them off. Poor guy. He's so embarrassed. People have had to ask what kind of dog he is, and some have even implied that they thought he was a mutt. A MUTT, I tell you.

We hope it won't be too damaging but in the meantime we've covered all of the mirrors at his level. The shame of it.

table for 4

2011-10-07T22:26:00.000-04:00

Perhaps you've been reading this blog lately and you've found yourself wondering about the name...

"Table for 3," you've pondered. "Doesn't she realize..."
"Hasn't she considered..."
"Shouldn't she know?"

Then again, you've thought to yourself, she did just have 2 babies in 2 years. Yowza. I'll give her a break.

Well don't you worry, my forgiving and contemplative friends, I've thought about it. Worked on it. Enlisted a buddy to fix it all up.

And fix it she did!

My dear friend Mrs. Calabash (also and perhaps more commonly known as Anna Kate) has an impeccable talent for subtly capturing people and artistically rendering things. Click here to see what I mean (and to learn more about Mrs. Calabash herself).

I told Anna Kate a little of what I was thinking might be good for a blog header, and I love what she came up with. It captures us perfectly and corrects our math as well. I'll put it up soon but I'll reveal it now. How perfect is it?!

So thank you, Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are!*

*I actually know exactly where she is. For the record.

pleasantries

2011-10-06T23:09:00.000-04:00

When Liv was about Eliza's age, I remember saying something about my face (and her dad's of course) being the most pleasant thing she could see because of the way she reacted when I came in to view. Eliza is definitely at that point, and to illustrate, I took a video as I walked up to her today after a nap. This is actually the second take, proving that when I'm out of sight, I'm also out of mind, and then I show up again her little baby brain goes all out all over again. It is ridiculously flattering even though I recognize that so far she mostly just loves me because of what I do for her. I'm ok with that.

Two Months

2011-10-04T13:03:00.001-04:00

Dear Eliza,
Here we are again! You've been two months old for over a week now and I'm just sitting down to write to future-you. Again, I love you dearly, and my tardiness is, in part, because I've spent more time with you and less time writing to you. I don't think you mind.

You're at that wonderful age where, at the sight of my face (among others), you smile like a total goober. You stick your tongue out and your whole body wiggles. I don't mean to be overly dramatic but I have to tell you, those smiles are one of the most overwhelming compliments I've ever received. I don't want to compare all of my experiences with you to my experiences with your big sister, but here, it's kind of important. When Liv was your age, I was still grappling with the enormity of the change in lifestyle I'd just undergone. I was adjusting to a great decrease in independence, and that was really hard for me at the beginning. When your sister gave me big, goofy grins, I felt like they were my reward for being tied to a 3-hour feeding schedule or for not sleeping through a single night. But with you that band-aid has already been torn off, and so while I think I felt like I kind of deserved to be Liv's favorite person, I'm usually overwhelmed that I am also one of yours. You give me those smiles day and ~~night~~ early morning, and this time around I tend to feel like I don't deserve them. Not because I haven't loved you well, but because you haven't demanded as much. I think what I'm trying to say is that in those smiles I feel echoes of grace-a gift I haven't earned. I love that at 2 months, these are the things you're teaching me.

Speaking of night-time smiles, I have to say, you're basically sleeping through the night! I haven't even pushed you towards this much at all, you just kind of do it. It blows my mind. You're still sleeping in the beautiful cradle your Papa built for us, and you're about 2 feet from my bed. That means that when you fuss at night, I can reach out my noodle arm and pop your pacifier in. I practically do it in my sleep and you usually don't really fuss until 5-7am. If it's before 7, I usually give you a little snack and then we sleep some more. If it's after 7, we get up and start our day smile-filled day.

When we got back from the beach with Grammie and Papa, I decided to really start implementing a schedule with you. You responded so well, almost with a sigh of relief. So for the most part, if we feed you on time and watch for signals that you're getting sleepy, you're just an adorable ball of smiles. For this reason, I've starting thinking of you as The Silent Partner in the James family. I'm not sure if I have an accurate idea of what a silent partner in an investment is, but I think it's someone who makes an investment (in other words, brings something to the table) with others but doesn't have much say in what happens after that. Whether that's right or not, it's a pretty good summary of how things go at this point. You bring so much fullness to our family and yet, you have very little say in what happens. That's the plight of the second-born, I suppose. You'll have your day, don't worry (your Dad will make sure of that!).

You're getting to be bigger and stronger, but you still move like an infant, and I love this combination. You love to suck on your hands and I think that if we didn't still put you in a straight-jacket swaddle to sleep, you'd be a thumb-sucker for sure. For now, we use a pacifier but you aren't always all that interested. We'll see where this lands us when you start busting out of your Miracle Blanket, which may be sooner rather than later. Your eyes have been changing this month. You were born with very faint, blonde eyelashes but they're starting to get a little darker and curl up at the end. This gives your eyes a very bright, feminine look and I, for one, think they're gorgeous. Your pediatrician commented on how alert you are when we took you for your 2 month well visit, and I have to agree. You're very with-it and yet, you aren't easily over-stimulated. In other words, I kind of feel like we hit the jackpot (again) with you. At the same time, I feel like we're still learning each other, and I know we have so much to look forward to. Eliza, I'm so thankful that you're in my life, and I know for certain I'm not the only one.

Love,
Mom

raiding the cabbage patch

2011-09-26T22:34:00.001-04:00

I took one look at Eliza and knew she reminded me of someone...some sort of character. It took 2 months of searching the deep recesses of my brain (and a few "famous baby" googles) for me to figure it out. Little nugget looks like a cabbage patch kid! Do you see it? Xavier Roberts, eat your heart out.

help a sista out

2011-09-23T14:52:00.000-04:00

Eliza had her 2 month well visit this week. She's in the 95th percentile for both height and weight (24.5 in and 13 lbs, 4 oz). At her 2 month appointment (which we actually did at 6 weeks), Liv was 9 lbs 10 oz and 23 in. Eliza weighed that much at 2 weeks, so I knew she'd be quite a bit bigger, and I must say that with both girls, seeing that they're growing just like they should be is so comforting and rewarding! It's like after all of those feedings and sleepings and peeings and poopings, you're able to look at that baby and say "hey kid, we got this," followed by a victorious fist-pump.

And that's when they send in a nurse armed with needles. And she starts waving them around your sweet, growing baby's thighs.

Eliza handled the vaccinations well, but was a little fussy afterwards. Luckily, her big sista Liv was happy to help in her time of need. She patted Eliza's belly and brought her a paci, and didn't mock her for the blue camoflauged bandaid on her right thigh. I knew she'd be a good big sister.

Eliza in action

2011-09-20T21:45:00.000-04:00

Eliza is 2 months old today! I meant to post this video earlier-it's from our week at the beach, but I figure a smiling Eliza is a nice addition to any day, especially on the day we mark our first 2 months together!

dreams come true

2011-09-18T22:23:00.003-04:00

Back when Liv was 5 months old, I wrote this in her monthly letter:

Before you were born, I told some friends that when I thought of you, the mental picture was of you at about 2 years old with little blonde pigtails, dancing with me in the living room with your hands over your head. I know that's oddly specific but I figured that because you're my daughter, you'd understand that sometimes, you just gotta dance.

Well she doesn't technically have pigtails in this video because she'd just had a bath but we all know they're sort of her thing. I love how close this video is to what I described. And I love love that she's starting to dance (and that she's so committed to saying "cheese" for the camera!).

champagne problems

2011-09-13T14:24:00.000-04:00

Have you heard this phrase? A true champagne problem is something like "Ugh, the seat warmers in my new BMW heat up too fast, they always catch my tiny bum off guard!" or "Gosh, I'm so frustrated. You know how on Tuesdays Johnny Depp comes over to pedicure my toes while Brad Pitt works on the knots in my back and Ray Lamontagne drops in to ask for my opinion on his newest tunes? Well lately Johnny's been bringing lavender lotion. Do you know how much I hate lavender?"

My latest champagne problem (we're talking the cheap bubbly here) is this: I've started getting up at 7am every morning. For a lot of people with small children, sleeping till 7 is sleeping in...but as I've mentioned, Liv will often sleep till 8 or so and because she's my alarm clock, I do too. It's been lovely. But now we have an infant, and without getting in to a lot of baby-sleep strategy, I'll just say waking up at 7 probably needs to happen. So I'm doing it.

It's not terrible. I've had a little more quiet time to myself, actually, which is nice. But as someone who's body seems to be set to wake up happily at 8, but a bit grumpily at 7, I find myself tempted to complain this little thing that could be much worse.

Also, I'm losing my baby weight so quickly that I'm missing out on wearing my in-between clothes! I kid. If only I could be so lucky.

runway ready

2011-09-08T19:45:00.000-04:00

pink cowboy boots? check.

purple sequined tu-tu? check.

chocolate-stained cupcake tee? check.

toddler mullet? check.

Progress Report

2011-09-06T22:39:00.001-04:00

After picking Liv up from her first day of "school" today:

Me: Liv, how was school?? Did you have fun?

Liv: Yeah. I pyay boy.

Translation: Yes, I played with a boy.

Me: Oh? You played with a boy?

Liv: Yeah. Bee hug.

Translation: Yes, I gave him a big hug.

Me: Ooooh, you gave the boy a hug?

Liv: An keesth.

Translation: And a kiss.

Me: Ruh-roh.

Translation: Ruh-roh.

1 Month

2011-09-05T21:13:00.002-04:00

It's monthly letter time again! Here we go...

Dear Eliza,
I'm writing this letter during your 6th week. That is more than a month. Part of me is tempted to feel guilty about being "late" on writing this but to tell you the truth, there have been times in the last few weeks when I probably could have gotten it done, and I chose not to. Instead, I've filled that time with things like rest and hanging out with your dad. I was thinking about all of this on the beach (yes, we took you to the beach for a week when you were SIX WEEKS OLD!) and it occurred to me that it is really silly to feel stressed and a little guilty for not having your letter done when I'm the one who chose to write them in the first place. Then I decided that this revelation is actually something worth sharing with you. Eliza, don't hold yourself hostage to self-imposed expectations. Goals are good and discipline is important, but if the things you're committed to are things like "finish the laundry by dinner on Monday" and "try one new recipe every two weeks" and "floss daily", give yourself some grace if you have trouble meeting them every now and then. (I'm kidding about the floss thing, Papa the Periodontist will know if you aren't flossing regularly, just remember that...when you have teeth.)

It's hard for me to believe that we've already made it past the one-month mark with you! In the weeks before you were born, I felt a little bit nervous about what this month would look like. Our first few weeks with your older sister were probably the first time in my life that I felt really pushed to the end of myself, and I was worried about how I would handle feeling that way again with TWO babies to love. Thankfully (and it really is with a true sense of deep gratitude that I say this), our first month with you has been SO MUCH EASIER. It was still an adjustment to bring you home, for sure. But, for the most part, you've been good at all the things newborns are supposed to be good at, namely eating and sleeping. That being said, we haven't been without our glitches. You tend to prefer to poop with your diaper off and several times I've ended up with several articles of clothing between us covered in your curry-colored poo (that looks like a gorgeous acrylic paint, by the way). Then there was the time you pooped all over as your dad let in some visitors and then projectile vomited up and over my arm onto my bare foot as soon as I carried you into the room to meet them. Your timing is superb.

My two self-centered, "gimme-gimme" prayers about you before you were born were that you wouldn't be born face up like your sister (self-preservation) and that you'd be a good nurser. You were delivered in 3 pushes during one contraction, and you nursed almost immediately after birth without a problem. Prayers answered! One of my hopes (different than a prayer; less serious in my book) was that you wouldn't have issues with your bilirubin levels, and that we wouldn't have to take you to the doctor several times during your first week home. Unfortunately, your levels were high and you didn't poop for days, so we ended up at the doctor's office twice in the first few weeks once again. Even this wasn't so bad though, because I'd been through it all before with your sister. All in all, my hopes for your birth and first few weeks were easily met.

I hoped and prayed for things that I wanted to avoid but I didn't foresee a difficulty we did end up facing-terrible, horrible, 14-day colds. Liv started it, then passed it to your dad and me. I started to feel a tickle in my throat during labor and by the time we left the hospital, our noses were running like faucets. We worked hard to keep our hands clean to avoid passing it on to you, and it worked! After hearing that your Uncle Danny picked it up while visiting and then passed it on to your Aunt Kathi who then passed it on to your Grandpa as they all helped her move to Chicago, I was even more impressed with your little immune system. This cold was clearly very contagious and was no joke-during each feeding I'd end up blowing my nose and sanitizing my hands several times. You didn't get sick, and we were shocked and thankful. (Incidentally, your Grandma and Aunt Claire stayed with us and helped for your first week home, and somehow they didn't get sick either.)

A friend once (actually, several times) described the first 6 weeks with a baby as boot camp. She also said that she thought God timed babies' first smiles perfectly-after about 6 weeks of boot camp, this demanding, squirmy, sleep disturbance suddenly looks up at mom or dad and gives a big, goofy grin. You're a little smiling prodigy, and have been recognizing the three of us since before you were a month old. I realize that most parents insist that their children smile when they clearly aren't capable of it, but there's a difference between your sleepy, gassy "smiles" and the way you look at me and your dad and your sister when we're cooing in your face. The other day, you were in your car seat and Liv came over to help put in your "yeyyow pasthi" (yellow paci), and you looked straight at her, focused for a minute, then smiled like the cutest little goober I've ever seen. Watching you two smile at each other gave me heart palpitations, in a good way.

I feel like a lot of this letter is actually more about me than you, and I think some of that is because we're still getting to know you. This is one thing I learned through your sister that makes my relationship with you a little bit easier-I knew we'd have to get to know each other. It's a surprising thing, as a mother, to give birth and have your newborn child placed on your chest expecting to see an old friend and realizing that instead you've delivered a stranger. I felt a little panicked about this with your sister but this time around I'm more patient. I know that through the feeding and the changing and the rocking and everything in between, we'll get to know each other deeply in no time. I'm enjoying that process.

As I think back on this month, what I keep coming back to is how shockingly smooth it's been. Your sister was a more difficult newborn, but became a delightful baby. You've been a wonderful newborn and we have no reason to think you won't but just fun as you continue to learn and grow. We are a family of four, and now that you've joined us, I spend more of my day feeding children and changing diapers than anything else. That sounds so mundane but the truth is, with you two in our lives I feel more myself than I ever have. Our lives are full, and Eliza, they are full because you are in them.

Love,
Mom

sweetly distracting

Snuggles

2011-09-01T15:11:00.000-04:00

Sometimes you just need to nap on your Grammie.

the sweetest thing

2011-08-29T13:35:00.001-04:00

So we got to the beach the other day, and I went into the bathroom to put my bathing suit on. I was excited to be on vacation, but not super thrilled to be displaying a 5-week postpartum body for all beach-goers to see. When I came out of the bathroom, sweet Liv was standing there in her own little swimsuit. She looked up at me with wide, blue eyes and said "Cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute."

I didn't really worry about how I looked after that.

Newborn Mojo

2011-08-25T06:00:00.000-04:00

It took a few weeks, but I officially have my newborn mojo back. By that I mean we have moved from survival mode to baby bliss. Eliza is less and less a stranger and more and more our incredible, sweet, beautiful snuggle-buddy. In the middle of the night, I'm less concerned about leaping back into bed as fast as possible and more concerned with a few more minutes of baby breath on my shoulder. When I say her name, it feels less like an introduction and more like a sparkly declaration. This is Eliza. She's 5 weeks old. She poops but twice a week. She loves her pacifier, and rubs my arm with her foot while she nurses. She knows the difference between day and night. She smiles at us. We adore her.

the story behind the name

2011-08-23T23:17:00.000-04:00

We've received a lot of compliments on Eliza's full name, Eliza Gretchen. People's eyes sort of widen when they hear the two paired together, probably because Eliza is sort of old-fashioned, but not uncommon, and Gretchen is a little more unexpected. The combination is, in my opinion, beautifully unique. That might sound like a personal pat on the back but the truth is, Duff and I didn't really come up with this name; my parents did, almost 30 years ago.

On September 25, 1981, my parents, both born and raised in Indianapolis, were living in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. My mom was pregnant for the first time, and she was carrying twins. She was a few weeks past the half-way point in the pregnancy when she started having some back pain. My dad was scheduled to be out-of-town that day, but changed his plans because he felt like he needed to be home. Together, my parents tried to walk for a while to try to help the pain my mom was experiencing. Eventually they called the doctor.

They ended up at the hospital; my mom was in labor, and it was too far along to be stopped. The doctor slumped over with his head in his hands as he told them there was nothing he could do. And so, my parents' first children, twin girls, were born that day, much too premature to survive 30 years ago. Their names were Gretchen Ann and Elizabeth Ann.

When Duff and I found out we were having another girl, we struggled to come up with names. I'd started to think about the name Gretchen, but I didn't want Duff to feel pressure to use it, so I hadn't mentioned it as a possibility. One day, he brought it up, and my heart jumped a little. Gretchen became a front-runner. We debated about whether to use it as a first name or middle name, and eventually settled on Eliza Gretchen because we liked it, and because it meant something.

Just a few months after Gretchen and Elizabeth were born and then buried, my parents were surprised to discover that my mom was expecting again. I was due on September 30, 1982, one year and five days after what was surely one of the hardest, if not THE hardest day of their lives. I took my time arriving, and was born on October 9. I've always been told that I look like my big sister, Gretchen.

No one but my parents will ever be able to fully understand what they went through. I think this has to be one of the great blessings and curses of losing a child-the story is intimately yours and that has to bring both comfort and loneliness. I know this story from my perspective, that of their "first keeper," as my mom calls me. When I arrived, in all my 9lb, 13oz glory, I doubt my parents considered that one day I might name my daughter after the baby girls that started their journey as parents. But almost 29 years later, I did-not to change or fix what happened, but to honor it, in a way. Today, when I look at this story and this cycle, I see the pain and all of those difficult questions, of course, but I also see the many years of memories and blessings. And most of all, when I think about this story, and I look at my brand-new daughter, Eliza Gretchen, I see the beauty from ashes, some restoration, and the hope.

4 weeks

2011-08-17T14:40:00.003-04:00

Sweet Eliza is 4 weeks old today! To celebrate, Liv wanted Eliza to sit beside her so that she could share with her the gift of...The Backyardigans.

The Backyardigans, and a kiss.

Jokester

2011-08-16T20:39:00.000-04:00

Liv made her first joke! I was getting her dinner together and Duff was working on the computer when we heard her snicker in her high chair. We both looked over, and she'd pulled her shirt over her head and was laughing at herself. We never taught her that, or suggested it was funny, she just knew. Our kid has a sense of humor! Score.

Twinkies

2011-08-12T22:45:00.003-04:00

When Liv was born, I was totally caught off-guard by how much she looked like Duff and how little she resembled me. My siblings and I look so similar that I assumed the Hindman genes would trump the James genes...but I was wrong. I remember one particular point in Liv's early days-she and Duff were both asleep and their peaceful, sleepy faces looked so similar it was almost eerie.

You might think, therefore, that I'd expected Eliza to look just like Duff too, but I didn't. I didn't have a detailed mental image of what I thought she'd look like, but I figured it would be different, and that maybe she'd look a little more like me?

I was wrong. Again.

On Eliza's birthday, Duff posted these pictures on Facebook-

Liv, 11/2/09

Eliza, 7/20/11

Kind of a crazy resemblance, eh?

Several times now I've been amazed at their similarities (and my tendency to take the same types of pictures!). After I posted a pic of Eliza curled in a ball on my lap, I found one of Liv too-

Liv, week 1

Eliza, week 1

I have 595 photos on my iPhone, and most of them are of these beauties. I will say that these two, with the family resemblance in their cute little smiles, are some of my favorites.

Liv, approximately 6 weeks

Eliza, 3 weeks (this morning!)

What Child is This?

2011-08-08T22:00:00.001-04:00

Eliza surprised us with her size when she was born. At 37 weeks, my doctor felt around my belly and asked if I thought she was bigger or smaller than Liv. I said bigger, and he said he thought so too, probably around 8lbs. When Eliza showed up at 8lbs 10oz, everyone in the room was shocked. She lost a little weight after birth, like most babies, and on the Monday after she was born, she weighed 8lbs 6.5oz. The doctor wanted to see us back the next week to check her weight, so we went back the following Thursday. I was hoping she'd be around 9lbs, but I was stunned when she weighed in at 9lbs, 10.5oz. She gained 22oz in 10 days, which is more than twice the ounce-per-day goal.

While I waited for the pediatrician, I looked back at Liv's early days on this blog. I knew I'd mentioned her weighing 9lbs 10oz at some point, but I couldn't remember how old she was.

I found it. She was 6 weeks old. So Eliza weighs more at 2 weeks and a day than Liv did at 6 weeks. I was concerned that Eliza might not be able to wear Liv's clothes as she got bigger because the seasons were so off, but if she keeps this up she might be able to wear Liv's things early enough to make it work*. I love having a chubby little sweet pea this time around!

*I realized I was thinking about this backwards...this basically ensures that they will not be able to share clothes. Ah, well, you win some, you lose some. "Gabba" (My mom)-guess you'll have to keep shopping in the baby girl section!

Literal Liv

2011-08-03T20:40:00.001-04:00

Almost every day, Duff takes Liv downstairs after her nap to check the mail. The other day I had a few notes I needed to mail, so I asked her if she'd take some letters down for me. When I turned around, she had these in her hand-magnetic letters from the refrigerator. Very literal, and very cute.

Buds

2011-07-31T22:40:00.001-04:00

**Insert your favorite sister quote here**

**and here**

**and finally here**

Sweet Sleep

2011-07-29T14:27:00.001-04:00

Love this picture.

Not without our speed bumps

2011-07-27T17:05:00.001-04:00

This may not be our first rodeo, but that doesn't mean Duff and I have mastered this whole parenting thing. Shocking, I know.

Oh also, now that I have a newborn again, I'll have stories about poop. Starting now.

One thing I could never bring myself to do with Liv was take her temperature rectally. It scared me. I've always been an underarm, then add one degree kind of person and it worked well for us. But Eliza is so little and we've had these terrible colds, and the other day I got a little worried that she might be working on a little fever. So I decided to try it because I think it's more accurate and I'd heard it was faster. I got one of our many thermometers out (one that was appropriate for this type of measurement) and had my mom write "poop" all over it, so we don't accidentally confuse it with one that can go anywhere else. The poop thermometer and I mustered our courage and did our thing.

So we'd taken Eliza to the doctor the day before to have her bilirubin levels checked because she was looking a little yellow (jaundiced) and she hadn't pooped since the day after she was born. The doctor said that sometimes babies have especially tight um...bum muscles and he...helped a little with that. He said it was not a foreshadowing of her personality, which I appreciated.

Well, the thermometer "helped" too. So as soon as I began taking her temperature, she pooped all over. Again and again. I started to wonder if this whole rectal thing was any faster after all. Finally the thermometer was done (~~Liv~~ Liza was not) and I handed it to Duff and asked him to go clean it very, very, very well. As I did, I noticed some poo had made its way up by the sensor and I told him I supposed we'd have to throw it away and that it seemed like a major design flaw. I went back to Eliza's diaper situation and Duff stood there for a minute, then tapped me on the shoulder. "Babe..." he said, "you left the cover on."

Whoops. Sorry Liza. Ahem.

*It was a really small cover.
*Really small. Hardly there.
*How mortified would she be if she knew I was telling this story?

So...right. Parenting? Not mastered.

And, while Liv is still doing really well with having Eliza around, but she's also showing signs of either extreme exhaustion or feeling a little overwhelmed with change or just...being almost two. Or all three! Last night we had Eliza on the ground and Liv was "helping me" change her diaper. After we were done, Liv stood up and said "bonk" softly, while tapping Eliza's head. With her foot. I gently told her we can't bonk Eliza's head with anything, especially a foot. She looked at me and "bonked" Eliza's head again. I pulled her over to me and dealt with the situation, which may or may not have included a little bonk of her own. So she's checking things out, testing boundaries, etc. On the other hand, this morning she had something in her mouth that we'd repeatedly told her she wasn't allowed to have, something like a little bottle cap, and I took it away from her. She started crying and said "Whyyyyywa," then bent over and hugged the car seat where Eliza was sleeping peacefully. So cute to see her turn to her sister in her time of need!

Baby girls

2011-07-24T15:21:00.004-04:00

I realize it's only been a few days, but I have to say, I think Liv is the best oldest daughter since, like, me. (Look at that, I had a second baby and didn't lose my sense of humor!) She loves Eliza- she walks into the room and asks where she is, loves to pat her head, and hasn't tried to smear snot all over Liza's face even once. Speaking of, Liv had a wonderful gift to share with Duff and me this special week of Liza's birth-a raging summer cold. We sound ridiculous, between the coughing and sneezing and sniffling, and we have a newborn. Awesome. We're praying that Eliza stays germ free.

Earlier today, Eliza was in the carseat, just hanging out after a feeding, and Liv walked in with her bunny and paci. She pointed to Eliza and said "pah?" then pointed to her mouth, so I got up and got Eliza's paci and gave it to her. Then Liv lifted her bunny and said "nuhnny?" and pointed at her sister again, so I got Eliza's monogrammed froggie and put it in the carseat with her. Liv was so satisfied, like all was right in the world. It was incredibly cute.

Unrelated-one of the craziest things about having a baby is looking at her, in my case, after she's born and thinking about how strange it is that just days earlier, that being was INSIDE YOU. But then, the other night, Eliza curled up on my lap and I could kind of see how she fit after all.

Eliza Gretchen

2011-07-23T21:50:00.001-04:00

She's here!

Eliza Gretchen arrived at 2:30pm on Wednesday, July 20th, weighing 8lbs 10oz and 20.5 inches long.

We are home, and we are blessed.

Round 2

2011-07-19T12:52:00.001-04:00

WE'RE HAVING A BABY TOMORROW!

There is much more to be said...but that's all I really have to say.

What a doll

2011-07-18T21:24:00.000-04:00

This morning Liv and I gave her baby-doll a pretend bath. Afterwards I asked if she thought the baby needed a towel, and she got REALLY excited at that idea. I grabbed one of her towels from the bathroom and wrapped the baby up for her. When I handed her back, she snuggled and patted the baby, then gave the doll a sweet baby kiss.

I THINK her interest in dolls is perfectly timed. I say THINK because I'm not 100% confident in her ability to distinguish between what she is allowed to do with her dolls and what she will be allowed to do with her sister.

We shall see!

You know your kids are close in age when...

2011-07-16T14:19:00.003-04:00

-you realize you're out of diapers and immediately look at the stack of tiny ones you received at your diaper shower to see if you can somehow squeeze your toddler's buns into one of the bigger infant sizes to avoid going to the store.

-you open your Gmail to find one Babycenter.com email titled "My pregnancy this week: 39 weeks" followed immediately by a second titled "My toddler this week: 20 month-old: Week 3."

-to put your induction orders from the doctor in your purse, you first have to push past 2 diapers and 5 knit finger puppets.

Baby Bird

2011-07-11T20:08:00.001-04:00

I may look a little silly but you haven't tasted this ice cream...

Tired Face

2011-07-08T21:31:00.002-04:00

I'm 37 weeks and 6 days in to this pregnancy, and I have tired face.

Back in college, my friend Emily and I shared an alcove in our sorority house and as we sat at our desks one day, we discussed the specifics of our fatigue.

Kristi: Ugh, so tired right now.
Emily: Me too. Like, the kind you can't shake.
Kristi: Yes, exactly. My eyes feel sleepy and...
Emily: ...and my face feels puffy. My face is tired. I have tired face.
Kristi: TIRED FACE! Exactly. I have tired face too.

Tangent: Two days ago I received a text from this Emily with this picture:

The text introduced these two fishies as Blade and Sir Mix-A-Lot, the Blender Buddies. Sick. Amazing. I love it. I wonder what lives in her food processor?

Anyway, tired face. I've got it. All the time. It's different than just being tired. With tired face, your body can feel fine, totally awake, but your face is still hours behind. I'd like to see it added to the list of commonly experienced pregnancy symptoms, maybe under a more official name like Benign Situational Facial Fatigue (BSFF). Sleep doesn't help. Liv, sweet, brilliant Liv, has been sleeping like a CHAMP lately which I will thank her for profusely when she's older. But even the extra hours at night and the occasional naps during the day can't fight this tired face. I'm not normally a big napper but Liv's afternoon snoozefests have allowed me to be able to do a few things and then lay down and sleep HARD. Like, wipe-the-drool-off-the-entire-right-side-of-your-face-when-you-wake-up hard. (Anyone else drool profusely during naps and not necessarily at night? It is something that I find both consistent and so strange.) I haven't had a ton of caffeine during this pregnancy but I'm convinced that even an IV drip of Diet Coke wouldn't help me shake it. Tired face is powerful stuff.

And the reality is, we're just getting started. Imagine how tired this face will be when I'm not getting my beauty rest. I suppose I'll just have to snuggle up with a baby or two.

Worth it.

4th

2011-07-06T22:37:00.002-04:00

With a full, free day ahead of us, Duff and I decided to join our little neighborhood's 4th of July "parade." It was to start at a great bed and breakfast around the corner, so we threw Liv in the stroller and headed over. I may have failed to mention to Duff that by "parade" they meant "walk alongside everyone with their strollers, dogs, and kids." We were led by a drummer from a local marching band and I think somehow there was music playing...but it may have just been in my head.

Before we left, I looked down at my shoes and noticed that the position of the ties screams 9 months pregnant.

The parade was that kind of hometown fun you want to have on the 4th of July. There were water stops for the dogs but not for the humans (luckily we brought our own), and we met several new people along the way. (We did not meet the cute couple in this picture, but we'd like to someday.)

Incidentally, this was not my first parade. Back in high school I was part of the opening act for the Indy 500 Festival Parade, which was televised. Sounds kind of cool, right? It wasn't. I was in a city-wide choir (youth chorale, to be exact) and they asked for some of us to chaperon the little kids while THEY sang "Back Home Again in Indiana" over and over for the entire parade route. The opening act part ended with us throwing confetti in the air as part of the embarrassingly simple choreography, all while otherwise standing still, spelling out "INDY" as a group. My arm still fights the urge to fly up when I hear the line "when I dream about the moonlight on the Wabash, then I long for my Indiana home" which, I'll admit, is not that often since I've lived in the Carolinas for the last 6 years. I digress.

I was hoping the parade might kick me into labor but instead we spent that evening cooking out in the back of our apartment building with our neighbors. It was great to spend time with them and get to know everyone a little better. Liv's favorite part? The "weee" off to the side.

On Siblings

2011-07-02T20:39:00.003-04:00

I am the oldest of 4 siblings, and I am also the queen (princess?) of joking about how Kathi and Danny's birth when I was five was The Great Dethroning of Kristi. (For the record, Duff is a middle child and the king of rolling his eyes at my firstborn antics.)

I think this all started when I was about ten years old and I found the twins to be somewhat enjoyable but mostly annoying. They were needy and I was supposed to be responsible because I was older, and that was a total drag. (The truth is, even when I was ten and they were five we had some pretty good times). So I started sarcastically longing for the days before their arrival.

With the addition of Little Eliza coming quickly, I've spent a lot of time thinking about siblings and what having a little sister will mean to Liv. They'll be much closer in age and people tell me that it's good that she's so young, because she won't remember life before Eliza and she won't be jealous yet either.

I don't know why we do this, why we act like adding siblings is such a bummer. I know I've done my fair share, but as I've really thought back on it over the last few weeks, the truth is that my good memories from before Kathi and Danny were born aren't good because they weren't there, and my bad memories from after they were born aren't bad because they were there. I'm sure there was an adjustment period for me but my parents are the ones that are more likely to remember that, not me.

Kathi and Danny's arrival was actually something I was thrilled about. I remember being so excited that my mom wasn't having just one baby, but TWO. I wanted a sibling so badly and I tried hard not to burst when my preschool director asked if anyone had younger siblings that might need a registration form for the following year, because finally I could say "YES, I need TWO please." This is kind of ridiculous because the twins were still two months away from being born by the time the next school year started, but I didn't know that, I was four. And I was just so excited. I remember being at my Aunt Carol's house when the phone rang with the news that the twins had arrived, and I remember jumping in circles with my cousin Mary at the announcement. Someone made a white sweatshirt with the words "I'm the twin's big sister" on it in red letters and I remember being so so so proud to wear it. So while things did certainly change for me in a big way when Kathi and Danny arrived, they definitely didn't get worse.

Now that I'm the mom, I feel like I have a totally different take on the whole thing. As the adult (ha!), I'm aware that there was life before children. Duff and I dated and got married and, except for a few hiccups, had a great time with all of that. We were blessed with a good life before Liv. But then we had her, "good" became MUCH bigger. We didn't need Liv, but when we had her, the goodness in our lives increased exponentially. Children are (always) a blessing. I don't mean to say that it was easy, by any stretch of the imagination. I just mean that emotionally, the capacity for love and the tendency for my heart to explode went through the roof. And I don't mean that those things are only directed at her, either. I would say that having Liv has opened me up to loving Duff in a new, better way. So what I'm saying is, when Liv was added to our lives, the hinges were blown off of our little love nest and we built a bigger, better one. Although I haven't asked my parents for their thoughts on this, I think that happened with the addition of each of my siblings as well. As we look forward to the addition of little Eliza, we (Liv included) have no reason to expect anything different.

At the library last week I was looking through children's books in the section about new siblings. I flipped through several and was really disappointed with most of them-they all seemed really negative and spent a lot of time talking about how hard it was going to be for the existing sibling when the new one arrived. I know they were just trying to acknowledge and anticipate the feelings that an older sibling may have, but that just wasn't the tone I wanted to introduce to Liv because it didn't represent how I feel. So I found one that explains things like babies sleep a lot, and sometimes you have to be extra quiet when a baby is sleeping. It has one page that talks about how everyone seems to love a baby, and followed by one that says "sometimes you may feel a little left out." When we read that page, we make a sad face. But then it talks about how little babies are "tiny persons who need lots of love." It talks about how by loving them, they learn about talking and smiling and caring and sharing and so forth. In each of the pictures, the baby is watching the bigger sibling with big, smiley eyes.

This is the tone I want to introduce. I want all of us to feel like yes, things are about to change quite a bit, but did you in your wildest dreams imagine they could be this good? That our little life, though chaotic and challenging, could be this full? And that you, Liv, and you, Liza, would be some of the greatest tools God chose to bring this goodness to us? Because while this may be most obvious for Duff and me, as we continue on this journey as adults who understand, to an extent, what is going on, it is also true for our daughters and their individual lives and their lives as siblings as well. Liv's life will be better because Eliza was in it, and the same will be true for Eliza. God wasn't finished when he gave us Liv, he still had Eliza up his sleeve and this is a blessing for both of them, and for all of us. And if there are more little James babies to come, it will most certainly be true for them as well.

Back at it

2011-06-30T12:42:00.003-04:00

One day before we moved, Duff had been cleaning out the shed in our backyard and commented that he was really going to miss having a yard to work in and tools to work with. Because the nature of his work is mostly in the head, working with his hands is a great outlet for him that yields tangible results. When he mentioned missing the yard, I remember thinking that he'd probably figure out ways to be creative and build things, even without a yard and all of his (and his dad's) tools.

I was right.

Behold: our new pot rack-

I love that it's not JUST a cool-looking pot rack because it's made of an old window; he took it a step farther and hung it in an aesthetically pleasing way AND hand-made the copper hooks. Good work, James.

How Long?

2011-06-26T20:59:00.000-04:00

When we moved, Duff's work library came with us. Because he doesn't have an office at the moment, his books are now displayed on shelves we bought for our living room and bedroom.

Yesterday I was sitting on the floor, reading to Liv. I was sitting Indian-style and kept trying to put Liv on my left leg so she wasn't leaning back right on my stomach. But she doesn't like to sit on the side, and showed me by climbing back down between my legs every time I moved her. I sighed and put my hand between my stomach and her back to take some of the pressure off. As I glanced up, I saw this wonderfully appropriate title on the bookshelf in front of me. It is a chorus that can surely be heard from women in their last few weeks of pregnancy everywhere:

Mountain Mama

2011-06-23T23:21:00.000-04:00

Saturday we woke up and Duff asked what I wanted to do that day. I was thinking lay around for a while, then maybe hit up a bakery on the west side that's very kid friendly and has amazing cinnamon rolls, then come back for my daily foot and shoulder rub (right)...and then...

While I daydreamed, Duff suggested that we drive to Mount Mitchell. Sounded like a reasonable alternative to me, so we packed lunch and hopped in the car.

The drive was beautiful, we really do love living in such a dramatic landscape. We made it to the top of the road, and started up the path to the actual summit. I actually wasn't convinced we were walking to the summit, the parking lot was summit enough for me, but Duff carried Liv and I carried Eliza, all the internal stuff that sustains her and makes the number on the scale creep up and up, and our camera.

This path is not long, but it is steep. We I had to stop partway up. This baby is big enough to be born and not necessarily have to go in the NICU but she hasn't dropped down at all so my lungs are just totally smooshed. (I am very technical about pregnancy symptoms.) I told Duff this walk was enough to send me in to labor. He said I'd probably have to be picked up by a helicopter if I went in to labor. That would be exciting but I figured they probably had some back room somewhere that they'd put me in and a Ranger would deliver the baby. Less glamorous and certainly not my birth plan, so I tried to take my time.

While I huffed and puffed I snapped a picture of my loves.

Steep, right?

Liv has been very in to rocks lately. She'll pick one up and I swear she would hang on to that thing until bed if we let her. Unfortunately she sometimes likes to put them in her mouth, and when we told her no during our half-way-to-the-summit stop, she was sad. You can see her sad teary eyes in this pic. She hates having to be corrected.

She recovered. Here she is at the actual summit.

This is the closest I'll get to putting any sort of belly-pic up, so enjoy. She's hugging the baby here (with a rock still in her right hand).

And finally, here's Liv exploring her new home in western NC.

On the way back down we decided to save our sandwiches and eat at the highest restaurant east of the Mississippi, right outside of the Mount Mitchell park area. The food was less than impressive but we ate at a landmark, and that right there is the good stuff family memories are made of.

After what really was a strenuous walk for me up to the summit and back, then a slightly questionable meal, I was looking forward to putting my pregnant feet up for a while when we got home. Unfortunately, both of the elevators in our apartment building were under "preventative repair" when we got back. Sigh. As we climbed the stairs with our kid and all of our junk, I got the giggles thinking about how surely THIS would send me in to labor. It didn't, and neither did carrying Liv up and down the stairs a few times before they were fixed the next day. I suppose this little girl needs to cook a little bit longer, and I'm ok with that.

Overheard Earlier

2011-06-19T21:27:00.001-04:00

Duff: Hey, thank you for a great Father's Day.

Kristi: Oh, well...thank you for having low standards.

Happy Father's Day to my wonderful, albeit slightly undercelebrated husband. I'm so thankful for you and I know "Wee" is too.

Wee James

2011-06-18T20:13:00.001-04:00

In the last few days, Liv has started saying her own name. I love hearing how little kids pronounce their own names...I remember when we were talking as a family about what my youngest sister, Claire, would be named, Molly was one of the front-runners, partially because "Mowwy Hiiindman" would have sounded really cute. I predicted Liv would be "Owiviya Jamesth" or "Yiv Jamesth", but "Wee" is a pretty good start to a cute-as-can-be introduction. Her friends, by the way, have come up with unexpected variations such as "Yi" and "Fauve."

She's started using her name more and more; tonight in the car she did it without prompting. She was talking about going to bed and she pointed to her chest and said "Wee, Wee" and then listed all the things we do to get ready for bed. "Pah"-paci, "Nahnny"-bunny, "wock wock"-rock rock, and "boo"-books.

This morning I caught it and my other favorite word of the week, "Coooool."

Getting Ready

2011-06-16T22:24:00.002-04:00

Last weekend we were in Columbia, and I went to a friend's baby shower. Her little boy is due in August and it was so fun to watch her unwrap all the brand new baby things. It also kicked me into baby-prep mode, which is probably good considering we've got about a month to go. So I've been doing baby stuff...getting out the newborn onesies, burp clothes, blankets, etc. Although I think it's a bit unnecessary, I bought some Dreft (baby detergent, for those without kids), because it makes things smell like newborn. Then I did a load of baby laundry, folded the impossibly small clothes, and put them in their new home in the bottom drawer of the dresser. I believe this is called nesting?

Duff keeps asking if I did all of this this early last time, and I'm pretty sure it was around the same week. The Babycenter weekly email I signed up for with both pregnancies recommends washing the baby things in the 34 week email, I believe, and I think each time I waited a few days after that so as not to seem overzealous.

I did a few other things today...like cleaning pacifiers. In the first few days after Liv was born, we sent my mom to Target to find a pacifier she would like. I think she bought one of each and as a result, Eliza will have her pick as well.

I never thought I would be the kind of mom to dress her kids in matching clothes. I HATED doing that when I was little. But then...I found out this baby was a girl and without thinking, bought these matching dresses with my mom and sister. I won't match them very often, I promise...but this is kinda cute.

Even cuter? The little bloomers that go underneath. Teeny tiny bum covers.

Next week we have a hospital tour and I start going to the doctor every week. We're getting there...ready or not.

Leetle Lady?

2011-06-15T22:46:00.000-04:00

I think the thing I say most about Liv is that she's hilarious. She just makes us laugh so hard, both at her and with her (too honest?) and she loves to laugh with us. Lately, however, I've felt like we're starting to set ourselves up for disaster.

Liv has discovered that she can stick her finger up her nose.

She doesn't do it daintily. She sticks that finger up so high she's got to be tickling her brain. Definitely up to the second knuckle. I realize her fingers are small, but so is her nose. I made the mistake of laughing at it the first time and now she does it BECAUSE we can't help but laugh. Then today she started doing it in the checkout line at Target to make other people laugh. They did. So did I. Then I decided it was all probably getting a little out of hand. Pretty stinkin' funny though.

She's also really in to what we call "toot-toots" (or in her case, "tooth-tootsth"). She tells us when she's "toot-tooted", and giggles. It goes like this:

Liv (pointing to bottom, grinning): Tooth-tootsth
Me: Ooooh, Liv, did you toot-toot?
Liv: Naaoooooh (no)
Me: Really?
Liv: Dada.
Me: Did Dada toot-toot?
Liv: Naaoooooooh. Mama.
Me: Mama toot-tooted? Mama didn't toot-toot.
Liv: Naaooooooooh. Otter? (Oscar)
Me: Did Oscar toot-toot?
Liv: Naaoooooooooh. Toot-tootsth.

We have this conversation several times a day. Often we end up including grandparents and friends. Are you on our list of toot-tooters? I'll never tell...

But I will tell you to watch yourself around my observant little girl. She ain't afraid to call a toot-toot when she hears it.

Fountain of Youth

2011-06-07T21:53:00.000-04:00

Liv and I had a great day today-we started with storytime at the downtown library. I go to storytime at two different libraries on two different days. I was going to try both and pick one but I like different things about each and now I feel like I'm starting to meet people at both and...I'm not exactly in a position to turn down friends. Today Liv and I stuck around for a while after storytime was over and I talked to one of the other moms for a while. Turns out we have a friend in common, and she got my digits for a future playdate, so I'd say it's the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Until, a few weeks from now, she reads this on my blog and decides I'm a weirdo.

ANYWAY, we walked around downtown for a while afterwords and I found one of Asheville's two chocolate specialty stores as well as some other fun places.

This afternoon we ventured somewhere I'd had my eye on for a while. You see, while my cousin recently moved from South Bend, Indiana (which is actually almost as far north as you can go in Indiana) to Nashville, Tennessee and was shocked to find pools open already this early in the summer, I recently moved from the hottest city in the south to the mountains. I was shocked to find that the pools DIDN'T open until Memorial Day and then was shocked again to find (yesterday) that they don't REALLY open until this weekend. So, no pools this hot, hot week. But there is this little splash park downtown right in the middle of everything. They recently redid this park, apparently, and after a few scouting trips I decided to take Liv.

Carb-loading in preparation for some serious play.

So this little place is one of those where some of the tiles have fountains in them and they go on and off in a pattern I didn't bother to try to learn. I wasn't sure how she'd feel about it. Most kids don't love getting sprayed in the face and I although she's pretty smart, she's also 19 months...and that means sometimes she's kind of stooopid. Like when she bites her fingers while eating (which for the record, I totally did, and my mom said I was kind of stooopid, and I'm fine with it). Anyway, I figured she'd get caught off-guard at some point and there would be some level of melt-down. Not so.

Ready.

For the first few minutes she stood at the perimeter and watched, giggling the whole time. She started to venture in, and would run back every few minutes and put her little hand on my leg. It's like I was home base, and it was very subtle and very sweet.

Home base. (That's my knee she's touching.)

At the park the other day she was the only kid without a hat on. Today she was the only kid WITH a hat, and shoes...so I'm quickly on my way to accidentally causing her fashion distress. Score! She still looked pretty cute...

This year's bathing suit brought to you by
Grandma Hindman and Aunt Claire

As Liv played, my biggest concern was that she was going to be standing directly over one of the fountains when it came on. I just figured that would startle her a little too much.

Impending doom.

She moved around too much for that to be a problem. I will say that it seemed like most of the kids loved standing directly over the fountains as they went off. One kid tried laying face down and putting his face on the fountain spout while he waited. His mom scooped him up before disaster struck. Cute, but also stoopid.

I try not to take pictures of other people's kids but that was difficult today because two little girls, about 8 years old, took her under their wing and helped her "find water" as the fountains went on and off. They were so good with her, little maternal things, and they played a big part in how much fun she had. When the little brother of one of the girls decided he wanted his cars back (after sharing VERY well with Liv), the older girl gave her a hug because Liv was sad. I mean, so cute. Kids are awesome.

After about an hour I scooped Liv up and put her in the stroller. Her friends ran over and hugged her good-bye. The boy with the cars hugged her too and said he hoped to see us again. See? Kids are great.

One positive thing about moving is that you DO this kind of thing. When you've lived in a place for a while, a lot of times it's easy to forget about fun little things to do around town. When you've just moved to a place, you NEED this type of thing, so you look for it...and sometimes you find it.

And sometimes you get home and discover that perhaps you should have put some sunscreen on your own pale pregnant self and not just your little kid. Sometimes.

The Help

2011-06-02T21:10:00.000-04:00

'bout time.

3 years

2011-05-31T09:22:00.001-04:00

This morning when I woke up and looked outside, I realized that when I told Duff I'd like to spend our 3rd anniversary in the mountains, he took me seriously. Very seriously.

I feel like we have more to celebrate now that we did that day, and for that I am very thankful.

Oh no he DIDN'T

2011-05-29T21:57:00.003-04:00

Well I learned something about myself yesterday afternoon...I am not afraid to direct my serious-as-a-heart-attack mom voice at someone else's kid if I feel that he or she is a threat to my child.

My brother and sister are here for the weekend, and Kathi and I took Liv to the park for a while. I was already feeling a bit defensive because there was a pit bull ~~walking~~ pulling his owner around the parking lot on his leash and it just didn't look like a situation that was 100% under control. But we went in anyway. There was a 3 or 4 year old little boy playing while his dad sat a few feet away, watching. When Liv climbed up to the part of the playground he was standing on, the boy turned around abruptly and...

...gave her a hug.

Liv loved it and gave him a huge grin. She watched him jump off the playground element with admiring eyes.

So we live in the mountains now and while the playground is level, the ground is not. One end of the play place is a few feet off the ground and the other end is like, 15 feet off the ground. My vertically challenged friends might have trouble "spotting" their kids way up there. I, however, am 5'8" and have freakishly long arms which came in handy during my rock climbing phase in college and are once again serving me well.

Yesterday Kathi was with us so she climbed up on the playground with Liv while I stayed down on the ground waiting for her to decide which giant slide she was going to throw herself down. At some point the little boy joined Liv way up off the ground at the highest point of the apparatus. They had to climb through a tunnel to get there and Kathi opted to stay behind (she later climbed through, proving that she is not only the fashionable aunt, as Claire calls her, but a self-sacrificing aunt as well.). So it was just my leetle Liv and this boy, up on the playground. Liv moved towards the giant curly slide and I moved around to encourage her to come down and also to catch her.

That's when the clouds darkened and a cold wind began to blow.

Liv was standing with her toes on the edge of the slide, getting ready to sit down. The little boy walked right up behind her and started to move his grubby little hands out towards her to hurry her up. I looked at him with steely maternal eyes and said "HEY-do NOT push her. DO. NOT." He backed up a little and she backed away from the slide a bit. His dad came over and said something about being nice to the little girl. Both kids wandered dangerously close to another edge and Kathi almost threw herself over the tunnel to grab Liv before she went over. I told Liv to move back and she did. Then while the boy was over there looking at his dad, I suggested to Liv that she go down the slide now. She walked back to the slide and contemplated going down, and the kid was back up on her like cheese on pizza. At this point I almost exploded-I firmly told Liv to sit down and in the same breath instructed this kid to step back from her and not to touch her. His dad was standing about 3 feet from me. He said to be nice again, and I continued to tell his son what to do (and what NOT to). I told this him that she's not even two yet-good one, mom, way to reason with a 3 year-old. I think I was just trying to get him to look at me rather than messing with her. Liv sat down and the kid walked up behind her, sat down, and nudged her with his body. She came flying down with a look of terror on her face. I caught her, picked her up, and said something about how that was super fun even though SHE WASN'T READY TO GO YET. The dad picked up his kid and said something about leaving.

They left.

So really, thankfully, nothing happened, except that I learned that I ain't skeered to protect my baby. And that's not really all that surprising, is it?

Facebook Friends

2011-05-27T12:46:00.003-04:00

Our friend Jeremy had a link about how 83% of women find some of their facebook friends annoying based on a survey-he linked to the article and a link to THIS video was in that article. I laughed out loud while watching...I believe I have friends in every one of the categories mentioned in the video and I supposed that also makes me part of the 83%?

Post on, my friends.

Baby Seeks Yogurt

2011-05-25T22:05:00.000-04:00

Liv has always liked yogurt but lately she's asked for it several times a day. I don't know if it's because I keep it at eye level in the refrigerator or what, but as you can see in this video, she runs over and hangs on the handle till I answer her. The best part is the way she says it...more like "ageegolgeegolgeegol" than "yogurt." It's hilarious and cute and I now present you with a video to prove it. You can hear it best at the beginning of the video...and I have no idea where the rest of her clothes are. It's been unseasonably hot, remember?

getting to know my kid

2011-05-22T17:27:00.001-04:00

There have been several pleasant surprises so far during this move- we haven't used the AC since the first two days, Duff had a great week work-wise, and we're within minutes of our neighborhood Moe's. And a Homegoods. Also I got a pedicure Friday. And Oscar loves apartment life and must be 98% bladder because the dog can hold it for a conveniently long time. So lots of good things going on over here.

I think my favorite thing though, has been learning things about my daughter as I've watched her continue to adjust.

I've known Liv loves people for a while, but really I've seen this as more of a convenience than a big part of her developing personality. She only cried like, twice, when I dropped her off at the church nursery and that was because one of her best friends started crying as she was being dropped off. Sometimes she'd cry when I went to pick her up instead, actually. I appreciated that when we'd walk through First Pres, she wasn't overwhelmed or crabby when so many people knew who she was. She almost always smiled and waved or did some other cute trick and that worked out really well for me. But I think I just kind of assumed it was because she spent so much time there.

But this week I feel like I finally got it-Liv is an extrovert. Tuesday it was cold and rainy, and by 8:30am I was wondering what in the world we were going to do all day. Liv had recovered from her virus and was doing really well, but I felt like we'd been having to tell her "no" a lot as we all figured out the boundaries in this new place. I felt like she needed to really be able to go nuts and play play play without so many cautions. But I had no idea where she could do that on a rainy day. So we went to the mall.

We shared a pretzel and walked around, and I saw some signs for a kids play area. One side of my brain started going "GERMS. CRUSTY VOMIT. BOOGERS OF STRANGE KIDS. CREEPY ON-LOOKERS." The other side suggested that we do a quick walk-by to see if maybe, somehow, someway, it could be a good idea. We found it in the middle of the Food Court, and I was pleasantly surprised. It had foam covered elements with a campfire theme. Nothing over 3 feet tall. Lots of kids and parents sitting on the benches lining the perimeter. I had plenty of hand-sanitizer in the car, so we ventured in. Two minutes later she was running from one side to the other squealing at the top of her lungs with jazz hands. I would have taken a picture but that would have been uber creepy. I watched Liv play and although she wasn't making any friends or following anyone around, she loved interacting with the other kids and parents. After helping her up the river rapid slide, one mom came over and commented that she's one of those kids that's so cute, no one can say no to her. I agree that she's particularly cute, obviously, but I think part of it is that she isn't afraid of people either...I watched her, and it didn't appear to cross her mind that this other mom wouldn't want to help her up the slide. I know this will probably change a little but I hope that doesn't happen for a long time.

So Wednesday we went to storytime at the local library branch. I took her to the 18-36 month group because the library in Columbia was very particular about the age range and if you had graduated from the previous group, you had to move up. I assumed they were as strict here, but when we got there I quickly realized how over her head this group was. Still, she lit up when we saw the other kids and had a great time not following instructions. I talked to the leader afterwards and asked if she thought the younger group would be better-she said it might be and it was worth a shot, and that there were several kids older than the age limit in that group.

So Thursday we went to the younger, Mother Goose storytime. It was SO much more her speed, but again, she walked in, saw the crowd, and was visibly energized. She didn't need to be sitting in my lap or even near me-she preferred to be up by the leader or, for a period, in another mom's lap. She picked up a book and backed her little booty in to this woman's lap without hesitation while the woman's actual daughter sat next to her. I smiled apologetically and the mom said it was fine. So I sat by myself and did all the gooby toddler songs with my child on the other side of the room....it's fine. Near the end, we were supposed to dance with our kids while they played some music, and then we were all going to sing the good-bye song. I picked Liv up and we bopped around with everyone else. As the song ended and the group dance party came to a close, Liv let out a happy squeal so loud everyone looked at us and stopped trying to talk. She was so excited and she could not hide it.

So after three days of watching her at home with me and then watching her interact with other kids, I'm realizing that Liv is truly an extrovert. My favorite working definition of an extrovert (yes I have one, don't you?) is one who is energized by spending time with groups of other people, and that is certainly my little girl. I'm glad I'm learning this too, it helps me think through the next year for her more clearly. We're talking about preschool, and my initial instinct was to just send her one day, but honestly, I think she might enjoy two days more. She loves being out with other people, and I love that about her.

Friday morning we found this great little bakery on the west side of town and she toddled behind me like a little pig-tailed duckling while I got my coffee and found a table for us. She sat in a big girl chair and shared a roll with me, and then we stopped in a little play area with toys and couches. There were three other kids there and she acted like she'd known them forever. A little too much at times. But, as we both experience so many new things each day in this place, I'm incredibly thankful for who my daughter is and honestly, how much easier having her around has made this transition for me. She's my little buddy, my almost-constant companion, and so far she's been up for anything. I love this little girl.

People-watching at the bakery

I wonder...

2011-05-17T22:33:00.001-04:00

...if the nurse at my new doctor's office would still have said "you look great, keep doing what you're doing" with regards to my weight if she was fully aware of the trail of empty Phish Food cartons in my wake.

Remember that one time...

2011-05-16T21:24:00.003-04:00

-We arrived at our new apartment just before the movers and realized we had no power...then called the power company only to find that same-day service wasn't an option. No problem, you may think...the weather in Asheville is significantly cooler than the weather in Columbia. Contraire, mon frere. Last week it was unseasonably warm and after enduring the still humidity all day, Duff made an executive decision-we were going to stay in a hotel. And that we did.

-That night a pretty big storm rolled through and the hotel lost power. Apparently, when a hotel loses power it does so with kind of a surge that woke us both up. Then as we were leaving in the morning we heard what sounded like tornado sirens...we comment on them, had a quick convo about our memories of tornado siren testing (midwest living), and finished packing. We were about to leave when we heard an announcement over the (weak) intercom system in the hallway that the fire alarm had been activated, but we weren't to evacuate, we were to stay in our rooms and familiarize ourselves with the evacuation route while they investigated. That seems like faulty logic to me, but then again, we're the idiots who ignored it and took the elevator down on our way out.

-For the record, moving when you're 7 months pregnant is 80% awesome. I spent Monday mostly in a rocking chair on the porch watching the movers pack and load our stuff. Then I spent Tuesday pointing out where the stuff should go in our new apartment. I did do some unpacking so it wasn't all palm fronds waving over me, but I think if we ever move again I'm going to try to get pregnant again beforehand.

-We picked Liv up from Duff's parents on Wednesday night. We met them for dinner and brought her back with us. She woke up on the wrong side of her crib on Thursday and by the time she went to bed we were exhausted. It was hard on both of us. Then Friday she woke up with a fever, which made me feel better and worse about Thursday. That's a lot to go through as an 18 month old-a few days without mom and dad, a new home, AND a virus. We kept her pretty medicated and she seemed to feel better but the fever was definitely sticking around. We had plans to go to a new friend's birthday party that night and we REALLY wanted to go, so we did...but a few strange sounding burps from my daughter changed my mind. Kid puke was not exactly part of the first impression I had in mind. Duff dropped us off back at the apartment and ran to the store to get a pizza for us and I brought Liv inside. I kept telling Liv we were going to go home. When we walked in our new door, she looked around and said "NO no no" and put her head on my shoulder. I'm still finding pieces of my heart all over the floor. It was terrible. But...she was sick. Saturday was better and when we walked into the church nursery on Sunday she lit up like her old self and ran off to play with the kids and toys. She's been back to her old ways since. I'm so thankful for her.

-Oscar likes his new digs. I think the adjustment has been easiest for him.

-I had my first appointment with my new doctor today, and it went pretty well BUT they had to take blood because in NC they're required to do an HIV test in the third trimester. More blood! I still have bruises from the Glucose Tolerance Test. I like what I saw of the practice but it was a little overwhelming and I'm thankful this ain't my first rodeo.

-Duff is at a show tonight and I'm sitting here with the windows open while a nice breeze blows through. There is post-blog ice cream in the freezer waiting for me. We miss home, we really do, but I think we're gonna like it here.

On the move

2011-05-13T22:25:00.000-04:00

Beginnings

Old

New

Boxes filled the room but magnetic letters were ready and waiting for her arrival.

Mother's Day

2011-05-08T21:02:00.000-04:00

When I laid Liv in her crib tonight she looked up at me, flashed me her palm and said "bye" with her sweet southern twang. She's been doing that lately when I put her down for naps or bed-waving bye before I leave the room. You know what I love about that? It shows that somewhere along the way she really did learn to put herself to sleep and she's ok with that.

It was the last time I'll put her to bed in her first room because we're moving to Asheville tomorrow. I kind of like that it worked out like this...that this last night in the room where we first struggled and snuggled is Mother's Day.

Happy Mother's Day!

Adventures in Phlebotomy

2011-05-06T22:59:00.002-04:00

I had an hour-long, customized prenatal massage yesterday morning. For those of you who are worried that I'm going to do too much as we move during my 29th week of pregnancy, may the drool I left on the pillow reassure you-I'm trying to take it easy.

However, the last few weeks haven't been without their hitches. Last Friday I had my 28-week appointment and let me tell you, it was a doozie. I remember this from last time-not only did I have to do my glucose screening test but I also had blood drawn and was given my first Rhogam shot (because I'm Rh negative). I left with several bandaids and an injection site that would get increasingly sore as the day went on. Unfortunately, after one staff person took my blood and another weighed me and pricked my finger, I was told that I failed my glucose screening test. Fortunately, I asked why two different people were poking and prodding me rather than just one, and I learned a new word.

Phlebotomist: (noun)-A medical worker trained to take venous blood for donation or testing.

Sharon the phlebotomist explained that she wasn't allowed to prick my finger or weigh me, but she could draw my blood. I told her I thought this was kind of silly and then told her my weight so she didn't feel left out. She laughed and thank me. I said "phlebotomist" under my breath, because it's fun. Try it.

Anyway, I failed the glucose screening test which is the initial round of testing for gestational diabetes. This wasn't a total shock because diabetes, especially gestational diabetes, runs in my family, and because I ate some eggs right before drinking the sugary drink they gave me. But I was still really bummed that I'd have to be sent for the more intense, 3-hour glucose tolerance test. It just wasn't what part of what I'd imagined for my last week before moving. Massages? Yes. Playdates? Yes. Gagging down a sugar filled drink on an empty stomach and then having my blood tested for 3 hours? Notsomuch.

So Wednesday morning I skipped breakfast and went to the testing center. This phlebotomist did her thing and then gave me my drink, which was twice as strong as the one I'd had a few days before. I asked why she couldn't just prick my finger to test my blood sugar, and she said the venous blood gives more accurate results. Accurate, schmaccurate, I don't usually have my blood taken 4 times in a YEAR, let alone in a day, let alone a single morning. I realize I'm lucky to be healthy, and that some people have to have testing like this done quite regularly. This made me sad. Then I thought about how horrible it will be when I have to sit there while they have to draw Liv's blood for the first time. Ugh. To lighten the mood (in my head?) I pointed out to the phlebotomist that it's ironic that pregnant ladies have to drink this drink, because nobody enjoys it, but if you gave it to a bunch of elementary school kids they'd probably ask for another. Sugar fiends.

When I finished the drink, she took me to an office-ish room with a cream-colored recliner, some toddler toys, a couch with a blanket and a pillow, a fan, a desk, and a TV. I was free to use anything in the room except the snacks and the TV; the snacks because I was doing a glucose test and the TV because they hadn't hooked up the cable yet. Did I mention that this is a 3-hour test?

Thankfully I had our new Ipad loaded with a book Duff purchased for me. And that is how I came to spend Wednesday morning alternating between dozing off and reading Tina Fey in a recliner off of Colonial Drive. The phlebotomist was very skilled and none of the times she had to draw blood were terrible. So while I wouldn't recommend throwing the glucose screening test in order to veg out for three hours during the glucose tolerance test, it really wasn't that bad. It isn't very often that a mom of an 18 month-old gets three uninterrupted hours in a comfy chair all to herself.

The best part is that I passed the test, I do not have gestational diabetes, and I'm fine to finish off the pint of Ben & Jerry's Phish Food ice cream that I started in case I was about to find out I'd have to cut down on sugar. Smart, I know. Also, I think I just set a new world record for number of times the word phlebotomist is used in a single blog post.

Phlebotomist. Fun, right?

North Meets South

2011-05-02T12:47:00.000-04:00

I'm from Indiana, but I've lived all over the country, and I don't have much of an accent (according to most people). Duff is from South Carolina, but doesn't actually have much of an accent either. So I've wondered if Liv would pick up the accents of those around her even though she doesn't hear them much from us at home.

She did.

Her "Bye" has turned in to a very very southern sounding "Bah" instead of the more northern "Bi-yee." At lunch today I captured both...after a slight detour to her milk. I was trying to get her to give a southern "bah" but she went with the yankee version twice, then threw in the local one for good measure.

2011-04-30T14:02:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite things about Liv's age is that she's both snuggly toddler and spunky companion. She loves to hop in the car with me to do whatever we need to do...especially when that involves a stop for ice cream, like it did this particular day:

Just the two of us, hanging out. She's my little buddy. I know this will change some when Eliza arrives, but I hope to be able to maintain some sense of this with Liv while building it with little Liza. I realize this will be difficult at first, and for that reason I'm trying my hardest to soak up these sweet every-day times with my first little girl.

Ponies and Piggies

2011-04-27T13:42:00.000-04:00

No, we did not visit a petting zoo.

We (I) did, however, discover that Liv's hair is long enough for big-girl ponies and piggies.

The Pony:

The Piggies:

Piggie on the left:

Piggie on the right:

Piggies from the back:

I know there's a poem about sugar and spice or something, but I think ponies and piggies are what my little girl is made of.

Comparison

2011-04-26T15:01:00.000-04:00

These are the iPhone photos I sent to my family on Easter last year and this year. So much has changed!

Nice Hair

2011-04-21T20:50:00.000-04:00

Went to a new park today while to kill some time between errands. Liv was digging the new tube slide. And I was digging her hair.

Cuteness Alert

2011-04-21T13:50:00.001-04:00

On Tuesday, some of the ladies in Duff's office gave him this set as a gift for Daddy and his little girls:

Our friend Kristy (and maybe Abigail too, I didn't hear for sure if it was a collaborative effort*) made them. The dress on the left is a 3 month, for Eliza, and the jumper on the right is obviously for Liv. For those of you above the Mason-Dixon line, the thing in the middle is a bow-tie for Duff. Yes, people do still wear them down here! Duff doesn't, the ladies were teasing him with it a bit, but I'll get a picture of all three of them in these outfits if it means learning how to tie a bow-tie and then drugging Duff to put it on.

Thanks friends!

*This just in...Abigail did the bowtie and jumper and Kristy did the Onesie-dress.

About last night

2011-04-18T15:42:00.001-04:00

I'm not even sure where to start with last night; I know I won't be able to do it justice. Duff's last official day in the office at First Pres was this week and last night he preached his "farewell sermon" in the evening service. It was definitely one of those surreal events where you kind of understand the weight of the moment in the moment, and at the same time, you can't truly grasp what is taking place.

One of the weirdest things about being a pastor's wife is that when your husband makes a career change, you are involved in a way most wives aren't. My dad changed jobs recently and as far as I know, my mom didn't go to the interview with him. When it came time for Duff to be interviewed for this position, they asked me to join him, and I was interviewed as well. My involvement has rightfully continued, including last night, when, after his sermon, both of us were asked to come to the front of the church and kneel before the congregation while the other ministers and Duff's dad (and elder in the church) prayed with their hands on our shoulders.

I've been in that spot a lot of times-walking through before and after services, when I joined the church and took my membership vows, when I took my wedding vows, etc. But I've never, ever thought of kneeling there, especially in front of the congregation. It was powerful. Until that point, I had sort of lamely tried to hide my tears at different points in the service, but as we walked up to that posture and that prayer, I stopped trying-I knew no one would blame me for being overwhelmed and to those of you who were sniffling with us, we don't blame you either. It was an emotional family event.

After the service, the Women of the Church put on a reception for us in Jackson Hall, much like they did after our wedding. And very much like at that wedding reception, we didn't taste the food but it looked like quite a spread! I was a little bit worried about being 6 months pregnant and standing in one spot, shaking hands and hugging our friends until almost 9pm without dinner. But honestly, I felt totally fine and wasn't even all that famished when we left. I'm so thankful that I was able to really be present to enjoy that time. I had countless people look me straight in the eye and tell me they'd committed to be praying for us. And I tried to look straight back at them and tell them with everything in me that we were relying on those commitments in a way neither of us have before.

They gave us a computer. A MacBook Pro. What in the world. They also gave us an iPad (at least, a gift card for one because apparently they're a little backed up with orders right now). This is hard for me to wrap my head around but it's just another demonstration of one of the things I've seen happen over and over again with this church-a generosity that exceeds necessity AND expectation.

I really don't know how other people felt last night...I don't know if it felt as weighty and powerful to others. I hope that it did, but there's probably very little chance that it meant nearly as much to anyone else as it did to Duff and me. Duff talked about how as he goes, he is the resources of First Pres sent out and put to work. In the 216 year history of this church, he is the only minister to have been born there, baptized there, brought in to membership there, sent off to seminary from there, and then called back to minister to those who ministered to them. And before you start to think he's the only one who holds a position in the history of this church let me remind you that, although I haven't checked my facts here, I'm pretty confident that in the 216 year history of the church, I am the only wife of a minister of the First Presbyterian Church of Columbia, SC to have her nose pierced.

Asheville it is.

26 Weeks

2011-04-16T11:13:00.000-04:00

This cartoon is from my Babycenter e-mail this week. I'm 26 weeks-just a few weeks left in the second trimester before we enter Phase Three: The Final Expansion. Radiant, indeed.

Where'd they go?

2011-04-12T17:05:00.000-04:00

In the last few days, Liv has really looked like a KID. She's talking more, she can run, her ponytails are getting longer, it's crazy. Today we had a quick chat while she sat in her high chair. Just before this video she was repeating her favorite phrase over and over-"Dada work." All day long she walks around saying "Dada woooork, Dada woooork, Dada wooooork." I'll try to get that on video too but I love her "Where'd they go??" confusion here.

That's my girl

2011-04-10T16:34:00.002-04:00

When I was little, my dad took me to swim classes at the Y. If I remember correctly (which would be a miracle because I think I was like, 2), we had a little class lesson and then some parent-child free swim time. There was a milk crate of toys (I do remember this specifically) that they would bring out for us to play with, and every time, my dad would ask what I wanted to do. Every time, my response was "I don't want to do eeeneeething, I just want to play with the purple boat."

Friday night, Liv and I went to her friend Arlie's first birthday party at a place called My Gym. It's one of those places that's like, completely covered in soft foam from floor to ceiling so kids can climb and flip and such without getting hurt (with a spotter of course). I THINK this one is specifically geared towards kids 2 yrs and under, or maybe that was just the party...anyway we went. Liv hadn't been there before, and she was a little overwhelmed. I guess I wasn't 100% surprised when, out of the entire room of balls and tiny trampolines and ball pits and slides, the thing she MOST wanted to do was sit in a pair of tiny blue plastic chairs just outside the play area. This picture is terrible, but imagine a room full of kids working out some birthday fun, and Liv, sitting here:

All she's missing is a purple boat.

He loves me, He loves me not...

2011-04-08T15:30:00.002-04:00

I tell you what, this whole moving thing is really cutting in to my interwebs time. Duff and I went up to Asheville this week to find an apartment, and we did, but it was a much harder process than I'd imagined. I'm really happy with where we ended up. It'll be more city-style living than we're used to now but I'm kind of pumped about that-a new adventure for sure.

We missed Liv a ton while we were gone, but my mom and sister Claire came to stay with her because they're on spring break. It sounds like they had a great time...until Claire got a stomach bug. Sweet Aunt Claire was (still is, sort of) sick as a dog, but still made a point to apologize to Liv for scaring her a little in between bouts of sickness.

We're back in Columbia and the weather is BEAUTIFUL, so while Claire continues to recuperate, Liv and I went outside to play.

She found some flowers...

And played her first game of "he loves me..."

"...he loves me not."

"What the what now? He doesn't love me?!"

I told her it happens to the best of us, sometimes he realizes later that he DOES love you and wants to marry you and you still want to marry him, so you get married and then have the cutest baby in the land and then prepare to move to Asheville and...um...that we'd talk about it more later on. Ahem.

We decided to move on to the itsy bitsy spider. (I'm serious, that's what she's doing here.)

The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout...

Down came the rain and WASHED the spider out.

Out came the sun and dried up all the rain,

and the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again. YAY!

Blegh

2011-04-01T12:45:00.001-04:00

This morning Liv and I were hanging out on the couch. She pointed to a baby on the back of her Baby Einstein DVD case and say "baba" (baby). So I said "Yeah! That's a baby, do you love the baby?" And she hugged the DVD case. I said "Can you say Eliza?" and she said "blegh" and stuck her tongue out with her mouth open. Confused, I asked her to say Eliza again and she said "BLEGH" again, this time with more force. I started to get a little concerned about how Liv was going to welcome her sister, but then I realized she was pointing to the back of the case, to a picture of this guy:

One of her favorite parts of the video is when this guy comes on the screen and says, you guessed it...BLEGH. Looks like Liv and Liza can be besties after all.

Dissolved

2011-03-30T21:08:00.000-04:00

So because we're not simply church planters, we're Presbyterian church planters, we had to go through a number of specified steps in order to not only go to Asheville, but also to leave First Presbyterian Church. I may not have the order exactly right, but from what I remember, Duff had to write a letter to our session (group of Elders) to request that the pastoral relationship between Duff and the congregation be dissolved. Then, the session had to approve the request (or recommend that the congregation approve it or something) and call a congregational meeting, since the congregation actually does the hiring and releasing of ministers. So that meeting was this past Sunday; they cancelled Sunday School (this could affect as many as 1,000 people) and everyone who was there at the 10 o'clock hour met in the Sanctuary instead. I had been sitting in the balcony during the 8:30 service, but Duff motioned for me to come down front for the meeting. We weren't the only item on the agenda, but the people related to the other item weren't present, so I felt pretty conspicuous. The congregation voted unanimously to approve the request that the pastoral relationship be dissolved, although several people said that isn't how they WANTED to vote. That was very nice of them.

So every time this meeting was talked about, the world dissolve was used, and several people commented on the fact that that language sounds so harsh and final. I agree, but I know that it's just the way it's written in the denominational instructions for this process. On Sunday, Duff talked about how we don't see it as a final separation by any means; rather we see this work in Asheville as an extension of the ministry of First Presbyterian Church. It really can be nothing else, because Duff was born to members of First Pres, was baptized here a few months later, in the same spot where he baptized our daughter 30-something years later. His first and only church membership was here, he first took communion here, he became a believer here around the age of 18. Some people might find those events to be out of order, but the fact that he became a believer after 18 years of being at that church is actually a great testimony to the influence and investment of its members. Duff went to college, and came back to serve as an intern. Then he went to seminary, where he was supported financially (and otherwise) by this church. And after all of that, despite his resistance to going home, he ended up back here, at First Pres, ministering to the congregation that ministered to him for so many years. Duff and I met at this church, on the third floor of the Palmer building, just outside the elevators. We dated here, and after a while, got married here. I walked down this aisle as his bride. The Women of the Church threw us a reception that allowed us to invite the entire congregation, and many people came. A year and a half later, we welcomed our daughter Olivia, and in February of 2010, she was baptized just feet from where we took our vows. So, to say that the bond between what is now the family of Reverend Duff James and the congregation of First Presbyterian Church will never be fully dissolved is an understatement.

One thing I've noticed about growing up (and by this I mean the growing up that happens after college) is that when we think about what big life events will feel like, we often over-mysticize them. Like a wedding day-when you're growing up and you're picturing that day, it's a fairy and unicorn filled fuzzy montage. Don't deny it. The reality is, on the day of your wedding, you wake up with the same bad breath and bed-head as you did the day before, and as you will the next day (no, morning breath doesn't take a honeymoon haitus). You get ready, you get yourself to the church, and you walk down the aisle. You say words, you sign papers, and you're married. Then you celebrate. But you DO these things, they don't just magically take place while you float on a cloud with pixies combing your hair.

I wasn't sure how I'd feel during the congregational meeting-I knew it was one of the last things that had to happen before we'd really be set to go to Asheville. So it was a big deal, kind of surreal, but at the same time we just did it-all of us-Duff, me, the congregation. And although just a few short weeks ago I was crying every day before noon thanks to pregnancy hormones, I held it together and didn't get watery-eyed.

That is, until after the meeting, when a friend who is also the mother of one of the women who works in the nursery a lot came up and told me that her daughter had mentioned that she was sad that she wouldn't get to continue to help raise Liv. It caught me off guard, warmed my heart, and I dissolved, into overwhelmed, preparing to move, pregnant-lady tears.

Eliza Gretchen James

2011-03-28T10:41:00.003-04:00

Yesterday at church, Dr. Ferguson mentioned our family-he said "Duff, Kristi, Olivia, and the yet to be named, or perhaps named, but yet to be born little one." Duff nodded at him when he said "yet to be named" because we have named her, and apparently quite a few people saw it because after that we had several people ask! So we figured it's time...

This little girl, the one kicking in my belly as I type this, is Eliza Gretchen.

We'll call her Elle, and probably Liza too. Her name is very special-I will explain why at some point. Liv hasn't quite mastered it yet, but we've already started working on it. It is adorable to watch her try, and she seems to approve!