You + Me = 3

Shutterfly Rocks!

2010-11-29T09:55:00.000-08:00

Hi, all....

Well, I am long overdue for a post. Life has become a little hectic, and blog-writing seems to have fallen by the wayside. However, I have big plans to change this....look for an updated site and fresh material sometime after the holidays!

But for now, I want to tell you all about this amazing promotion I heard about from another blogger. Are you familiar with the AMAZING website, Shutterfly.com? Do you have a public blog? Do you like free things? If you answered YES to all three, this promotion is for you! Now through December 31, all bloggers who participate by doing a write-up about Shutterfly.com can earn 50 FREE holiday cards. Who doesn't like free things? And if you are like me, the fact that it is from Shutterfly is a double-bonus. To date, we have a huge album store on the site, from which we periodically print photos. In addition, I have made 4 photo books (which are an awesome way to commemorate a special occasion or milestone), 2 mugs (one for Jeff and one for me, each featuring Liam) and a 2010 calendar (I have big plans to order another for 2011). The website features amazing pricing compared to other sites, and the deals abound this time of the year. Not to mention, the site is extremely user-friendly. So, what do you have to lose? Check them out at http://blog.shutterfly.com/5358/holiday2010-blog-submission-form/, or on the main site (shutterfly.com). You'll become a Shutterfly-fan just like me, I promise. : )

-Farrah

One

2010-05-19T21:11:00.000-07:00

My boy turned 1 today. There is so much that I want to say, and it will come in the form of the next couple of posts. But for now, I will take a moment to watch my sleeping child, stroke his hair and kiss his cheek....and remember how this first year of his life changed my ENTIRE life for the better.

Mama loves you, my sweet monkey. Happy Birthday.

Rub-A-Dub-Dub

2010-05-12T10:27:00.000-07:00

Won't You Swing Along With Me?

2010-05-12T10:10:00.001-07:00

Persnickety First Snippety

2010-04-27T20:09:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, at 11 months + 1 week old, Mr. Liam had his first haircut. We thought it would be a disaster, as he is generally wary of strangers.....so a stranger holding scissors and buzzing clippers to his fuzzy little head surely would lead him to a meltdown.

That kiddo always manages to surprise us.

Doesn't he look dashing? : )

Then, Liam's stylist asked if she could give him a little baby mohawk, since we had asked her to leave his hair a little longer on the top (ok, that was MY request...I wasn't ready to totally give up his long flowing locks!). Apparently, Liam was just barely containing himself until this point, because here is what happened next:

Doesn't that sad little face just break your heart?

Luckily, however, Liam survived. : )

When did my baby become a boy? *sigh*

Hello...? Is It Me You're Looking For?

2010-04-01T07:46:00.000-07:00

I know I don't need to state the obvious, but yes, I have managed to slack off on my blogging duties for the entire month of March. I had the best intentions, but every time I thought about posting an entry I would realize that I still needed to upload the accompanying photos. And then I would get caught up in something else, forgetting to upload said photos. And then I would get mad at myself for forgetting. Repeat, repeat, repeat.....and now it is April 1.

I promise to post photos soon (for real), but for now here is a brief update:

Liam is now a very precocious 10 1/2 month old. His personality is developing at a lightning pace, and I find myself ruminating on how absolutely ADORABLE he is at least ten times a day.

Me: Did you see how he grips onto the front bar of the stroller, like a big boy? He is SO cute!
Jeff: (chuckles) Yes, hon.....he is cute. Just like he was cute when he sneezed an hour ago, and when he crawled into the kitchen holding a funnel a half hour before that.
Me: Whatever.

(Obviously, Liam gets his adorable nature from his Mama.)

Every day, it seems, Liam has picked up a new skill. He now knows how to:

* wave bye-bye (when he feels like it)
* play "So Big!" (he raises his arms as though he is Moses, parting the Red Sea)
* crawl like a wild man
* walk along furniture (though he is getting more brave about not holding on as tight)
* strut along while pushing his little walker (we still think he is on the brink of walking on his own)
* says "Mama" (on occasion), "Dada" (pretty frequently), "Baba" (for bottle), and as of yesterday, "Bop" (which we are pretty sure was in response to us making fun of his little 'burp')

A few of Liam's favorite things:

* Books, books, books (he LOVES being read to, especially Brown Bear, Brown Bear and his Sandra Boynton books)
* chewing up said books (we've already had to replace two)
* destroying any towers or structures that Mama and Daddy have built for him
* trying to sneak into the bathrooms when he thinks we aren't watching (what is SO interesting in there??)
* Being sung to (his current faves: Busy Little Bee, My Liam Lies Over the Ocean, Stinky Toes, The Nigh-Night Song and The Bathtime Song. All of these are nonsensical songs made up by Mama, which doesn't bode well for his future taste in music.)
* Going for stroller rides or spending ANY time outside
* Pulling Mama's cookbooks off the shelf
* Crawling the loop around the kitchen, dining room and living room, all while making little motor noises

He is turning into such a funny, happy little boy.

Man, are we lucky. : )

Nine Months

2010-02-19T08:17:00.000-08:00

The title of this post brings to mind the movie of the same name, starring Julianne Moore and Hugh Grant, who comically tackle the adventures and challenges of pregnancy and new parenthood. And while I'd be lying if I denied that I was daydreaming of going through that all over again (*SIGH*), right now my focus is on my adorable, incorrigible little nine month old, who officially reached that age milestone today.

Seriously. SO. CUTE.

Liam had his nine month appointment on Tuesday, and here are the stats:

Weight: 21 lbs. 2 oz. (60th percentile)

Height/Length: 29" (75th percentile)

So it appears that his weight is sloooowwwly catching up with his length, which we sort of suspected. At any rate, we have about 1 inch to spare before our little monkey can no longer fit into his infant carseat......so a-shopping we must go for a convertible version. I am SO not ready for that!

Doctor Rhodes-Dekko also said that Liam is doing so well, eating perfectly for his age, and that he is also very advanced in his gross motor skills. "I hope you two are prepared for an early walker," she said with a grin.

Um, what??!!??

Ok, so we suspected as much, but wow......it's hard to imagine that Liam will be toddling around the house in the not-too-distant future. Luckily, he's already kept us pretty busy with his hopalong style of crawling, which has definitely picked up speed over the last couple of weeks. : )

We have a NINE MONTH OLD.....a SOON-TO-BE-WALKING nine month old.

Oi.

But man, if he isn't the greatest thing ever.

The Social Lives of Infants

2010-02-11T07:01:00.000-08:00

Liam and I recently met up with our buddies in Mom & Baby group at our friend Susan's house in St. Louis Park. Not everyone was able to make it, but we still had a great time! Now that our babies are becoming much more mobile, it was entertaining to see them play together, rather than just laying on the floor, staring at one another. : )

"Whatcha doin', Momma?"

Upon spotting a toy, Liam the Bulldozer barrels over anything and anyone (poor Simon!)

in his path....

Victory!

Vivi and Claire looked adorable and content, but Liam was apparently a bit disgruntled...

Claire to Liam: "You're cute, but this toy is MINE."

Simon was content with his barnyard friends.....

And Liam kept his busy little self entertained for some time going through the rabbit hole...

It is difficult to believe that our babies are growing so big, so fast. Remember when they were just a bunch of little squishers, laying around and cooing?

*SIGH*

"Strange Things Are Afoot at the Circle K..."

2010-01-14T09:51:00.000-08:00

Now that the holidays are over and the tree has come down, our newly-crawling (as of a few days before Christmas!) Liam is busy discovering a whole new world....

"Yes, I know I'm cute..."

"Superstar!"

"Look, Momma....it's my identical hand twin!"

"Are you talkin' to me?"

So....perhaps we should finish baby-proofing? : )

Love,

Farrah, Jeff & Liam

Little St. Nick

2010-01-14T09:31:00.000-08:00

Trimming the Inches

2010-01-14T07:29:00.000-08:00

I am woefully behind on posting photos and updates, so my hope is to wade through the stacks and get everything up-to-date by next week. Lofty goal, I know.

CHRISTMAS/NEW YEARS

This year, we spent the actual Christmas holiday (eve and day) with Jeff's family. Even though his parents only live about 15-20 minutes north of us, the impending storm convinced us to pack a few (ha!) bags to spend the night, so we didn't have to make the trek back the next day. I'm so thankful that we did, as the storm created a landscape that was both icy and miserable. Despite the weather, most everyone was able to make the drive, and we had a wonderful time (and TONS of food)!

Mom & Dad Wiberg (and Jacob!) enjoying their gifts on Christmas Eve....

Ryan, Paul and Kris relaxing 'round the tree....

Christmas Day dinner was lively, with many members of the Wiberg extended family....(donning hats from our party poppers!)

King Liam says, "Where's my dinner???"

Back at home on Sunday, December 27th we received some very special surprise visitors....our dear friends Mary and Lindsay, in town from New York! This was the first time we had seen them since they moved to NY over a year ago, which also made it the first time they had met Liam (as well as our house).

(Liam, as you can tell from this photo, was absolutely giddy with excitement. ; ) )

The lovely Christmas weather caused a slight delay in my parents' arrival from ND (they arrived on Monday the 28th, rather than Sunday), but they made it in one piece to celebrate a late Christmas with us (as well as with my sister Laura and her family) over the New Year's holiday. Laura hosted the festivities at their home 10 minutes down the road, and it was lovely...though as was the case the previous week, we ate WAY too much! (We all decided that we made waaaayyyy too many treats this year, so next year will be scaled back a bit (tighten those belts!). I love holiday baking, so this will be a challenge for me....though less stressful than figuring out a schedule in which to bake 7+ treats!)

"Hello, doggie...."

Liam's first Christmas was a toy-a-palooza....!
As with any baby, nothing that resides under the wrapper is ever as much fun as the wrapper itself. : )
Alex and Gabe, looking SUPER stoked about the winter activities we picked out for them (actually, they were excited....the next day found them out in the drifts!)
The ubiquitous bow-on-the-head photo (can you tell that Liam was teething?)
"Mmmm.....trucks are TASTY.....!"

Jeff, looking dapper as always....
Jeff M and Laura....looking cozy
Getting ready to dig in to our "Christmas" dinner.... Mom & Dad (aka "Grandma & Grandpa") Haase get silly with our boy....

Gabe, Liam and Alex....completely adorable, and will probably give us a run for our money someday....! The boys with Grandma and Grandpa (or as Gabe and Alex call them, "Bubba and Dobby") Laura the card shark (is she cheating?)

Alex and I dueling on the Wii (and yes, he kicked my butt)

Daddy and Liam, ready for takeoff!

And in the blink of an eye/shutter flash, the holiday season was over. We had so much fun, and are so thankful for the time we spent with everyone (as well as for your generosity!).

Here's to an even better 2010!

Love,

Farrah, Jeff & Liam

Bon Appetit!

2009-12-29T08:18:00.000-08:00

After an inital rocky start, Liam has fully made the transition to the wonderful world of solid foods. While his main source of nutrition continues to come via "ba-ba" (bottle), he is developing quite the palate during his breakfast and dinner feedings. Maybe it is the result of being exposed to endless episodes of Top Chef and Iron Chef America while in utero, but our Liam is turning into quite the food connoisseur.

Therefore, in the spirit of such programs we present a multi-course spectacular, with Liam as head judge:

Allez cuisine!

(all scores out of a possible 5)

*RICE CEREAL*

*Taste: Bland, with a strange texture unlike any I have experienced before

*Plating: Um, it was off-white mush in a bowl. Although the choice of spoon was pretty cool.

*Originality: Hey, Mom.....you could have branched out a bit from the typical standard rice cereal to try multigrain cereal

*Score: 2

*APPLES*

*Taste: WOW! Apples are yummy...waaayyy better than that slop you served to me earlier!
*Plating: In my eagerness to gulp this down, I forgot to look at how it was plated....though it looks lovely dripping off my monkey bib.

*Originality: Maybe not so creative...but me likey!

*Score: 5

*SWEET POTATOES*

*Taste: Mmmmm....these spuds are sweet, yet savory. Props to Mommy for making them from scratch for me!

*Plating: Good call on the no-skid bowl....I got so excited that I nearly sent it flying.
*Originality: Creative use of both rice cereal and sweet potato to create a well-balanced meal

*Score: 4

*CARROTS*
*Taste: These were pretty good, but not as sweet as I would like
*Plating: Since the doc recommended Mommy not make my carrot mush from scratch (due to high nitrate levels), this was straight from a Gerber container.

*Originality: It was carrots. Woo-hoo.

*Score: 3

*PEAS*

*Taste: BLECH!! Peas are chalky, stinky....just plain disgusting! Why, Mommy....WHY???

*Plating: Who can pay attention to PLATING while eating something so...so...PUTRID????

*Originality: While I hope to NEVER eat another pea (Mommy: Ha..guess again!), at least Mommy & Daddy went easy on me the second time around by adding a delightful swirl of sweet potato to the mix.

Score: 1

*PEARS*
(see "APPLES")

*BUTTERNUT SQUASH*
*Taste: Not bad....though surprisingly, not my favorite either

*Plating: My first bites of this came out of one of Grandma Wiberg's fancy ramekins during Christmas dinner.....nice choice!
*Originality: I thought a touch of butter and nutmeg would have really made this dish sing!
*Score: 3

That's the spectrum of flavors so far. We've adopted the "2 parts sweet potatoes to 1 part peas" recipe for all pea endeavors, which seems to be working pretty well....or at least, Liam hasn't caught on yet. : ) Obviously, he enjoys his fruits.....but we'll need to start getting him used to foods that aren't so sweet, otherwise we're in trouble! Next up- avocado and banana. Anyone want to wager a guess as to the outcome? : )

Love,

Farrah, Jeff & Chef Liam

Santa Baby

2009-12-23T09:20:00.000-08:00

I have been horrible about posting all month long....my only excuse is that it is the holiday season, and who has time for ANYTHING these days?? Anyway, I have many photos stockpiling that I still plan to post, as well as MUCH updating that needs to be done on our Photobucket account. I have grand hopes of doing both in the next several days (perhaps while we are blizzard-bound in our home during the worst Christmas storm in 30 years??), but please forgive me if neither happens before the new year. You'll still love me, right?

Until then, let me appease you with a tasty little morsel. We took Liam to see Santa this past Friday, mainly (let's be honest) for our own benefit of fawning over our little guy. We pretty much had our minds made up that this outing would NOT go well; Liam, you see, is not exactly fond of strangers. There have been a number of incidents in the past where perfectly normal/harmless people have gently approached him with a smile, soft voice and gentle demeanor, and even that was enough to inspire Liam's trademark "sad lip", wails and crocodile tears. So the thought of a larger-than-life man in a red suit and bushy beard inciting anything but the same (or worse) reaction was highly unlikely.

Our game plan was simple: we fed Liam immediately before heading into the lineup of families waiting for their turn with the Big Guy, in hopes that he would be content to wait. As we stood in line, Liam was all smiles, cooing and watching the flurry of activity around him without a trace of grumbling. So far, so good. As we reached the head of the line, we decided to implement tactic #2 of the official game plan: We would not allow Liam to actually see Santa, in hopes of maintaining the aura of calm. This basically involved us backing Liam into Santa's lap, all the while cooing and making goofy faces at him as we slowly retreated in order to keep his attention on us. This worked for all of 15 seconds, until Santa (who apparently was completely oblivious to our ingenious plan) decided to start talking to Liam. We held our breath, waiting for the inevitable sobs....

Which never came.

Seriously......? YES!!!! : ) Liam appeared to be very curious about Santa, perhaps a mite concerned....but he simply adopted his usual "Stone Face" expression for the camera, and we got our photo. Considering all the children that preceded him with either panicked cries or complete refusal to stand for a photo, we were quite impressed with our little Liam.

So, one insanely expensive portrait fee later, here are the results:

Ok, Mom & Dad...this guy's kind of weird, but I'll put up with it....as long as you promise to pick me up in exactly ten seconds.

(Can you tell that I was off-camera, making funny faces and noises the entire time?)

What a rock star our boy is....he never fails to amaze us. : )

Happy Holidays to all of you......we are so blessed to have you in our lives! Enjoy the time with your families and loved ones!

Love,

Farrah, Jeff & Liam

Jump!

2009-11-30T08:39:00.000-08:00

Below are just a few of the moments we've captured of Liam in his jumperoo....

Love,

Farrah, Jeff & Liam

Six Months, and a Farewell to Fall

2009-11-16T13:07:00.000-08:00

Our little Liam is officially 6 months old, or will be as of this Thursday (he is actually 26 weeks old tomorrow). I know I say this every month, but where does the time go??!!?? Anyway, we have his 6-month doctor's appointment scheduled for Thursday, which will hopefully go well. We also tentatively scheduled him for a regular flu shot, but are on the fence as to whether or not we will actually go through with it. On the one hand, we obviously want to protect him from getting sick. On the other hand, he will already be getting a slew of immunizations at this appointment....plus, it's not as though he is going to a daycare right now where we'd have to be extra-worried about germs and bugs. Any votes?

We were also able to take the time to enjoy one of the last few decent fall days recently. Most of the leaves had long since fallen from the trees, but we managed to get a few decent photos with our little nature boy:

Liam, barely able to contain his excitement

"What ARE these things?"

"Oh, fiiiine......just take my photo."

Playing airplane

Mommy and Liam

Anyone else not ready for winter? Ugh.

-Farrah, Jeff & Liam

A Giraffe and a Half

2009-11-16T10:02:00.000-08:00

For Liam's first Halloween, I totally outvoted Jeff in the costume department. While he would have loved to see Liam dressed as a little devil, or as Yoda from Star Wars, I was determined to select something that qualified more as "adorable" rather than "awesome". And during these few precious years of veto power, I plan to take full advantage of it whenever possible. : )

Thus, Liam was transformed into the cutest little giraffe EVER:

"Really? I get to go trick-or-treating?"

"Yeah....I know I'm adorable."

It was quite the busy day. We started off by attending our nephews' (Jacob and Ryan) birthday party, which was a lot of fun....and Liam got a kick out of watching his active cousins play around him. I can't wait for the day when Liam is able to keep up with them!

Ryan and Jacob, in awe of their new tool set

Then, Liam and I headed off to meet our Mom & Baby group friends (from our class this summer), so that we could catch up and take some photos. I love those ladies and their babies!

Pictured: Benji, Claire, Simon, (a very sad) Liam, Vivian, and Elise (not pictured: Kai)

Amy and Simon, Jannie and Kai

Jessie and Elise, Kristin and Benji

Liam and I met up with Jeff for pizza, then we headed to my sister Laura and brother-in-law Jeff's house to say hi and to see our nephews, Gabe and Alex, in their costumes.

Gabe (aka. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle)

Firefighter Alex

Uncle Jeff, and an angelic Daisy

Liam the Giraffe, munching on nearby foliage

The evening ended without much candy (thankfully), as we put our tired little giraffe to bed and passed out rather early ourselves. Maybe a little sugar would have done us some good. : )

Love,

Farrah, Jeff & Liam

Autumn Pickings

2009-10-19T11:52:00.000-07:00

Since Mother Nature decided to shape up and FINALLY give us lovely fall weather this past weekend, we decided to take advantage of it and headed to Aamodt's Apple Orchard in Stillwater on Sunday. Jeff and I ate our weight in apple-related treats (apple cider donuts, apple cookies, apple brats, hot apple cider, caramel apples, etc.), and Liam scoped out the sights from his Baby Bjorn-vantage point:

Family shot outside of the orchard

Liam, looking less than thrilled about our excursion

Relaxing during our apple-themed lunch (Liam got stuck with a boring bottle)

If I sweet-talk her, maybe the lady behind the counter will give me an apple donut.

Liam loves to chew on fingers these days....and really, ANY finger will do:

After apple-picking commenced (ok, we didn't actually PICK our own apples....unless grabbing them out of a bin in the orchard store counts as "picking"), we headed over to Axedahl's Farm down the road to choose our pumpkins...

Axedahl's Farm, a pumpkin/gourd mecca

Pumpkin Mountain

Liam, attempting to "scale" Pumpkin Mountain

Hello, pumpkin....I am going to eat you now.

Chillaxin' on his pumpkin throne

Oops! (Though in our defense, we found this sign laying on the ground, in a mud puddle.)

Random pumpkin/gourd photos:

One last attempt at a photo shoot with Liam, inside the barn:

What a trooper. : )

We headed home late afternoon, bellies and bags full of appley-goodness (and with two pumpkins for our front stoop). In short, it was a great day.

I hope I can remember this when we are knee-deep in snow this winter.

Love,
Farrah, Jeff & Liam

Five Months

2009-10-19T08:02:00.000-07:00

I cannot even believe it as I am typing this, but Liam is FIVE MONTHS OLD today.

Wow.

Where did the time go???

Our little guy is become more and more active (we've witnessed him scooting a bit while on his tummy), and we're convinced that he will be crawling sooner than we we originally anticipated. So in these remaining weeks of "freedom", Jeff and I are scurrying to get the house in baby-proof shape....or at least, for the most part. I'm certain that Liam will manage to remind us of areas we should have baby-proofed during his upcoming explorations. : )

Liam's two favorite places (besides in Mommy or Daddy's arms) these days are:

* The Changing Table

It is amazing how this kid gets so crazy-excited and animated on that changing pad! Jeff is convinced that the excitement is due to the homemade mobile (courtesy of yours truly) hanging above the pad, but I'm not convinced.

(video will be posted shortly....technical issues)

Liam also loves to show off his flexibility by sucking on his toes during changing time....

(Mmmm, Mommy......my toes are delicious!)

Not that I would want to still be that flexible, but man.....that is an impressive feat. : )

Liam's other favorite hangout is....

* The Exersaucer

This is a recent development, as we decided to test out the Exersaucer owned by Jeff's parents (while they were vacationing in Hawaii) to see if Liam would enjoy it, before we invested in our own. Turns out, our little monkey LOVES being able to stand (well, sort of) on his own two feet. That kid is STRONG!

(It is probably difficult to envision Liam's joy in these photos, because of the lack of visual confirmation. He is definitely smiling and laughing more and more often these days, but it is nearly impossible to catch these moments on camera! The instant a camera appears, he immediately adopts the expression we refer to as "Stone Face".)

Isn't is sad that we cannot recall these simple days of joy in our own lives? True, we all have things that excite or thrill us as adults, but there is nothing quite like discovering all of these exciting milestones for the first time through your child's eyes. : )

And just think....this is only the beginning. Five months down, a lifetime to go.....

Love,

Farrah, Jeff & Liam

Best Buds

2009-10-09T12:41:00.000-07:00

Hi, all....

Jeff, Liam and I were fortunate enough earlier this week to be invited for dinner at the house of our friends Amy, Ben and their son Simon. Our friendship with this lovely family sprouted during the labor & delivery class we attended together this past spring, where we learned that our babies were due on the exact same day (though they ended up getting to meet Simon a whole nine days earlier than when Liam made his entrance into the world). Since then, we've shared the same Mom & Baby class and a few get-togethers...and our little guys are well on their way to becoming best buds!

Here are Liam and Simon, chilling on Simon's blanket....it looks like Liam is somehow trying to protect his bud from the crazy photographers (notice Simon's toy looped around Liam's arm)....

(Not sure why this photo refuses to flip, but anyway....)

"Whoa, Liam....I think somebody tried to steal my toy...."

"I....uhhh....don't know what you are talking about, Simon..."

"You can torture me all you want, but my lips are sealed..."

: )

We were also lucky to be present for a milestone of Simon's.....he officially rolled over from back to tummy for the first time ever! Ben and Amy claimed that Liam had to show him the ropes, but we knew Simon had it in him all along. : )

We had a great time....and can't wait to hang out again soon!

-Farrah, Jeff & Liam

Four Month Appointment

2009-09-23T12:24:00.000-07:00

Hello!

I just wanted to give a quick update regarding Liam's four-month appointment on Monday. Here are his stats:

Weight: 14 lbs. (30th percentile)

Height: 25 1/4 inches (70th percentile)

Even though he slipped percentiles slightly in each category, Dr. Rhodes-Dekko said he is still doing great, and doing everything he should be (and more, like rolling over both ways!) at this age. He still tends to be a bit of a serious little guy, so I am hoping that we will see more and more smiles and laughter in the coming weeks. Because with parents like us, this kid is bound to be a goofball. ; )

Love,

Farrah, Jeff & Liam (18 weeks and 1 day!)

Summer School

2009-09-11T06:35:00.000-07:00

Hello, all!

I'm back, from a verrrry long hiatus. I apologize for the lack of posts during the past few months....being home alone with our baby this summer made it a bit tricky to fit in much computer time (especially on a computer that lives in our chilly basement office). And, to be honest, I was trying to just soak up as much time with Liam as I could, without the distractions of normal daily life. I don't regret it for a second (other than missing all of you).....because it was the best summer ever!

So, here it is....a Cliff's Notes-esque wrap-up of this summer:

What We Did.....

* Eat, sleep, poop

* Went for leisurely strolls through our neighborhood

* Eat, sleep, poop

* Hung out on Liam's activity center, watching the butterfly light up and the bumblebee shake its groove thing overhead
* Eat, sleep, poop

* Read all about: cows that jumped over moons, animals that exercise, singing pigs that say, "La, la, la", and loving each other all the way up to the moon- and back.

What We Learned.....

Liam:

* Mommy = Food

* How to stay awake while nursing

* If Mommy or Daddy leaves, they will always reappear

* I have hands!

* I am the ultimate champion of rolling over (both from tummy to back, and vice versa!)

* I love Mommy's silly songs, though I will never show it

* Hippo is my BFF

* Tooting is NOT fun; Peeing all over the walls during a diaper change, however, IS.

* Lights and music are AMAZING

* The world appears so much more interesting when I am sitting versus lying down

* Bathtime is awesome!

* I am known by many names: Little Liam, My Boy, Sir Toots-alot, Snickerdoodle, Butternut, Monkey Boy, Super Dude, Mommy's Sweetie-Boy/Lovey-Boy.......

* I love being talked to, and have started to find my voice

Me:

* In the beginning, learning how to nurse was so difficult that I nearly gave up; now, I wonder if I will be willing to give it up

* How to stay awake while nursing

* Baby sleeping through the night for the first time = PANIC! = amazement = utter joy

* A smile from my little guy is worth any effort, and can instantly make my heart melt

* My ability to dream up silly songs about Liam is neverending

* Our child has every intention of "marking his territory" all over the house, including our bedroom curtains, all floors, the walls of his nursery, my clothes, Daddy's head, etc.

* Spit-up: see above

* Liam's little noises and facial expressions are pretty much the greatest thing ever

* 1 Toot = funny; 2 Toots = DANGER!!!!

* Being a parent can be difficult one moment, and unbelievably rewarding the next

* The love I have for my boy is stronger than I ever imagined it would be

* The hardest thing I've ever had to do is go back to work, leaving him behind.

In the blink of an eye, my amazing summer with my sweetie-boy flew by...then came to an end. And now it is time to find a new way of being, and to learn how to be a parent with a day job. I will admit that navigating this new course over the past several weeks has been very difficult so far. To be away from Liam for 11 hours every weekday has taken every ounce of strength that I have, and then some. Though we are very lucky that Jeff's mom (and now Jeff) has been able to watch Liam for us (we can't commit to a daycare until Jeff finds a new job), I still struggle with the fact that I'M not the one who will be there for every new milestone. It literally breaks my heart to say goodbye to him every day, knowing that I will have only a few short (and busy) hours with him before bedtime. But it is the reality that I and many working parents find ourselves in....and I am trying to make my peace with that.

For now, though, I will continue to love my Little Liam.....to hold on to every moment I have with him....and to cherish my memories of that perfect summer.

Love,
Farrah, Jeff & Liam

You Are the Sunshine of My Life

2009-06-26T09:49:00.000-07:00

Hello, all!

I just had to share this image that I managed to capture of one of Liam's first smiles! His eyes are closed because the little orange blinky light on our camera went off right before I snapped the photo, so it caught him off-guard. ; )

Ok, seriously....is he not the cutest little boy ever??? I just want to squish his little cheeks! And that smile makes my heart melt....

Liam also reached a milestone last night......he slept from midnight to 5:00pm, without waking for a feeding! Five whole hours.....that's definitely a first! At first I panicked......after all, we are used to him waking up every 2-3 hours to eat (the same schedule he during the day). But then I realized, what the heck am I complaining about? : ) He is getting bigger every day it seems.....and I know the next milestone is just around the corner. The mommy in me wants him to stay little forever......but I also can't wait to see what he does next! : )

Love,
Farrah, Jeff & Liam

This is What Happens When You Ask For a Few Photos....

2009-06-25T10:38:00.001-07:00

Hello, All!

I just wanted to pop on to let you all know that I have now officially (or should I say, "FINALLY") posted all of the photos we have taken of Liam so far and arranged them into albums via Photobucket. You can access these photos albums on the side panel of this blog.....each photo represents a different album, and by clicking on this photo you will be directed to the Photobucket website to view them. Be on the lookout for additional albums, one for each month of Liam's first year! After that, I promise to consolidate them a bit. ; )

Things have been going really well here. After experiencing some difficulty with breastfeeding during the first few weeks of his life (which subsequently led to us to struggling with his weight gain), Liam and I have managed to find our groove and nursing is going much better for us now. We still have rough days where he either falls asleep during a feeding (a common occurrence) or wants to eat every hour or so (ouch!), but the good days far outnumber those. And obviously we are doing something right, because he has been gaining weight! We had Liam's one-month doctor's visit on Monday of this week, and he weighed in at 9 lbs. 14 oz. (which is an average rate, placing him in the 5oth percentile), a whole 1 lb. 4 oz. bigger than his birth weight (which he was still at two weeks ago)! It was SO reassuring to hear that news. Liam also grew over two inches....he started out at 20.5 inches, and now measures 22.75 inches (placing him in the 90th percentile)! Everything else looked great....Dr. Rhodes Dekko said that he is tracking movement with his eyes at a better than average rate, he is gaining great muscle control in his head and neck, and she also noted that he has perfect skin tone, considering that he is so fair (I guess fair-skinned babies tend to be more rashy). In the early weeks, she and another pediatrician had detected a heart murmur, which we ended up having further investigated by a pediatric cardiologist at the Children's Hospital. The consensus was that Liam had a tiny 1-2mm hole in the wall between his left and right heart ventricles, but the cardiologist (and Dr. Rhodes Dekko) are both certain that it won't be an issue for him, and it will most likely close on its own. Going through all of those tests was a bit rough (ok, mostly on me....it was so difficult seeing him strapped down for that x-ray!), but at least we gained some reassurance that our boy will be ok.

So now that we have gotten past that first month of uncertainty, we are doing so well! We have even both adapted pretty well to waking up every 2-3 hours at night for his feedings, which is impressive. : ) We've managed to get out for a walks around the neighborhood, as well as a few outings (running errands, going out for dinner, etc.), and I am learning how to juggle taking care of him while getting things done around the house during the week. I am so grateful to be able to have this summer with him!

And WOW, do we LOVE our boy.......we are cherishing every moment we have with him!

Take care.....we'll be back soon!

Love,
Farrah, Jeff and Liam

How We Started With a Sprout, and Ended Up With a Liam

2009-06-09T08:12:00.000-07:00

Hello, all!

I am finally back to post all about D-day....delivery day, that is. Here is the tale of how our little Sprout-nugget came into this world.....the day that changed our lives forever. : )

TUESDAY, MAY 19

(WARNING: If tales of labor and delivery gross you out, you may want to skip past this! I'll try to be as kind as possible with the details. )

10:00 am- I was at home (having taken the day off from work to prep for my scheduled induction the next day) and sleeping in when my friend Deb called during her work break to check in and see how everything was going. I informed her that no progress towards labor had been made, and that this baby was probably going to hang out in my womb until it was time for him to head to preschool. After hanging up, I got up to head to the bathroom. I noticed that I was (sorry, TMI) bleeding quite a bit. Feeling startled and a bit panicked, I called my OB's office and spoke with a nurse. After conferring with my doctor, she confirmed that the bleeding could very well be a sign of early labor, and that if it got heavier (or if I saw clots) I should head to the hospital/labor & delivery. Ten minutes later, both of these signs occurred. Meanwhile, Jeff was downstairs in the office working from home (how convenient!), so I waddled down to inform him that I was pretty sure that I was starting labor. It was like I had flipped a switch; instantly, he popped out of his chair and rushed around to get everything in order so that we could leave. I was a little more relaxed....the car had been packed for two weeks, so I just got dress and puttered around a bit as Jeff darted back and forth. I think the fact that my water hadn't broken and that I wasn't feeling any pain/contractions made it easier for me to remain relatively calm. I say "relatively", because I was also feeling a little anxious about what was to come, as well as excited. We were on our way!

11:45 am - After a ride across the metro to the hospital that resembled a car chase scene from a movie (whoa....slow down, honey!), we pulled into the hospital parking ramp just as I started to feel a slow trickle of fluid. As I tried to stand up and get out of the car (warning: TMI alert), the "trickle" became a flood as what felt like a river of warm amniotic fluid shot down my left pant leg and all over my flip-flop clad foot. It was a seriously gross feeling! There was NO way that I was going to walk into that hospital and leave a trail behind me, so I sent Jeff off to find a wheelchair. Minutes later he returned, unsuccessful. At precisely the same moment, an ER nurse walked by and asked if we needed a hand. He found us a wheelchair and moments later escorted us into the maternity assessment area. I was quickly checked in, and after determining that I was 4cm dilated, they shipped me down the hall to our new quarters in labor and delivery.

12:30 pm - Almost immediately after arriving in our room (216) and meeting our awesome L&D nurse (Denise), I started to feel intense pressure in my lower back. As this started to come and go in a pattern and also become very painful, we realized that what I was experiencing was back labor. This was odd, considering that most women who experience back labor do so because their baby is facing forward (rather than facing backwards, as Sprout was), causing their baby's head to place pressure on their spine. Regardless, I was stuck with these back contractions for the next four hours. For the first half hour, Jeff and I walked the halls, stopping as each contraction hit to breathe through it. Very soon, however, the contractions quickly ramped up in intensity and frequency, and it got to the point where I only had about 30 seconds to a minute in between each contraction to recover. I tried sitting on the birthing ball to work through them (all the while leaking more and more amniotic fluid!), but nothing seemed to help. I literally could barely catch my breath in between each one, and poor Jeff could do nothing except apply pressure to my back, hold my hand and offer words of encouragement. Eventually, I decided to hop in the shower and run hot water over my back to relieve some of the pain. This didn't help either, and after Jeff helped me out of the shower we decided our birth plan might need some altering.

4:30 pm - Initially, I had intended to try some lighter pain management once the time came when I could no longer handle the pain, but that plan was based on the assumption that my contractions would slowly ramp up (the opposite was true). I hadn't really wanted to get an epidural, since I wanted the freedom to get up and move around (impossible to do when you are numb from the waist down!). But I always kept it at the back of my mind as a possibility. And after Nurse Denise examined me and told us my Plan A option of receiving meds intrathecally was no longer an option by this point (as I was now dilated to 7 cm), I was ready to reconsider the epidural. I was exhausted by the non-stop contractions, and I was worried that I wouldn't have the strength left for delivery if I kept up this pace. So, shortly after my sister Laura arrived to offer her support (THANK YOU!), I received my epidural. In that moment, I (the needle-phobe) didn't care that they were sticking a freaking long needle into my spine. I no longer cared that I wouldn't be able to get up for many hours, or that I now required a catheter (since bathroom breaks were no longer an option). Because twenty minutes later, I was feeling gooooood.
I will NEVER be one of those women who insists on giving soon-to-be-moms the advice that they HAVE TO get an epidural....but man, it was one of the best decisions I made that day. It allowed me time to relax and gear up for delivery a couple of hours later, and I was able to actually talk to Jeff, Laura, his parents and sister Kari (who also came to visit) instead of being balled up in pain. In hindsight, though, I would never have given up those four hours of labor pain.....it was uncomfortable, yet rewarding to actually be able to experience that part of the process. I also probably sound like a big wimp for only lasting through four hours of pain before I gave in to drugs.....but I don't care! Every labor experience is different, after all. 6:45 pm - After hanging out with our families for a while, Nurse Denise came in along with Dr. Gosen (Dr. Arnhold wasn't on call that day, though Dr. Gosen was a great replacement) to inform us that I was now dilated to 10 (WOW!) and it was time to start delivery. Laura and Jeff's family headed to the waiting room, and we quickly got down to business. Initially, Jeff had planned to offer moral support and hold my hand, while staying up by my head......but recent thoughts of reconsideration over the previous couple of weeks led him to wind up holding one of my legs (while Nurse Denise held the other) and be up close and personal for the birth of our son. (He later said he was SO glad that he chose that experience over the "safer" option!) Denise wheeled in a big mirror and placed it so that I was able to also watch everything, which I was SO grateful for. Initially, I thought I would be too squeamish, but it was AMAZING! It also helped me to witness myself making progress through those pushes, which was difficult to do when I couldn't actually feel myself pushing. As we all started to see Sprout's head emerge (with whisps of pale blonde hair, which the doctor and nurse couldn't stop cooing over!), we knew we were only moments away. After a mere half hour of pushing (which I was told is pretty impressive for a first-time mom!), we heard those first little cries.......

7:23 pm - ....and our beautiful baby boy entered the world! As I mentioned previously, Liam Asher was born weighing 8 lbs. 10 oz., and measuring 20.5 inches long. It was truly the happiest and most blessed moment of our lives!

Jeff was such an amazing support through all of this.....seriously, I don't know how I am so lucky to have such a wonderful husband. I couldn't have done it without him (other than for the obvious reasons)!

Everyone always says how incredible and unending the love you have for your children is, but we definitely never fully appreciated or understood that until now. Our little Liam is the light of our lives...and we can't to continue sharing that light with all of you!

Coming soon.....photos from Day #2 through three weeks old (can you believe he is already three weeks old today? Wow!)

Love,
Farrah, Jeff & Liam

The Day that You and Me Fell in Love with #3

2009-06-06T14:48:00.000-07:00

Hello, all!

I apologize for the delay in posting this, but WELCOME TO THE WORLD, LIAM ASHER! Our beautiful baby boy was born on Tuesday, May 19 at 7:23pm. He weighed 8 lbs. 10 oz., and was 20.5 inches long. We couldn't ask for a more precious, beautiful and amazing baby......truly, he has been such a blessing to us, and we love him more than we ever thought possible! I promise to post all about our labor and delivery in the next day or two, as well as post a ton of photos (being a new mommy has left me VERY little time to get to a computer!)....but in the meantime, hopefully seeing his sweet little face above is enough to get you by. : )

Take care....I'll be back very soon!

Love,
Farrah, Jeff and Liam (how great is it that we finally can call him by his name?)

The Bun That Wouldn't Come Out of the Oven

2009-05-14T08:12:00.000-07:00

Hey, all.....

Yup, I'm still waiting around, serving as incubator for our little Sprout-nugget. "What??!!?? I thought for sure that you would have had that baby by now!", you might be asking yourself....well, you and me both. As well as everyone else I know!!!

Jeff and I found out at my appointment yesterday that I was dilated to 3 (and still 80% effaced)...and my doctor said, "It will happen any time now". And I was like, "I've been hearing that for two weeks!" I realize I am still two days away from my "official" due date, but I am feeling so uncomfortable and impatient. Now that I have everything pretty much wrapped up at work (though I am still going to work), it's like a switch was flipped inside of me and I want to have this baby NOW! Especially when I constantly have people saying to me, "You're still here?" or "You haven't had that baby yet?" It's making me a little crazy. ; ) I guess I'm just too impatient. A couple from our birthing class (who we became friends with and was also due the same day as us) had their little guy (Simon) on Mother's Day. And my friend Lauren (also due the same day as us) had her baby boy Evan a week before that, even. I wonder what my problem is? ; )

(on a side note, I am still REALLY happy for both of you, despite my envy!)

Anyway, I've been trying all of the old wives' tales that I've heard to try to induce labor...walking around (as much as I can handle, anyway), eating tons of spicy foods, having my ankles rubbed, eating graham crackers, etc. So far, nothing has worked.....but I'll take any suggestions you all might have! : ) I have an induction set up for next Wednesday (the 20th) at 7:30am.......but I am praying that I have this little guy long before then. Jeff and I are sooooo ready to meet him!

In the meantime, here are a few photos of the nursery (minus the framed wall art, which is still on its way) to pass the time:

Crib and glider, with the wall mural that Jeff and I painted to match Sprout's bedding.....

Dresser (which Jeff refinished, as well as built the frame for the changing pad)...along with the little mobile I made on a whim.....

Little nook with bookcase, to house Sprout's growing library.

Ok, that's it for me. I am PRAYING that the next time we post, it is to introduce you to our little (soon-to-be-named) Sprout!!!! Take care, and feel free to pass along that induction advice! : )

Love,
Farrah, Jeff and a stubbornly incubating (yet inherently lovable) Sprout

39 weeks, 5 days.....EDD May 16

Say "Buh-Bye" to the Belly

2009-05-11T09:25:00.000-07:00

We've certainly had an eventful couple of weeks since I last posted....

* RKMC Baby Shower *

The girls at work threw me a fabulous baby shower (thanks, Leah and Stacey!) on April 28th, and our little Sprout-nugget was lucky to receive a handful of adorable outfits, a diaper changing pad and a slew of cool baby gear/gadgets. Of course I forgot to take photos of everything before I had washed and put it all away, but it is a guarantee that these items will all be making appearances on (or around) Sprout very soon! Thank you to everyone.....your generosity is so appreciated!

* Getting Ready for Baby *

This past weekend, I went with my sister (Laura) to get a pedicure.....I had been planning to get one before my due date, and it was a wonderful treat! Laura is chomping at the bit for Sprout to arrive, so I joked that she was going to slip my attendant a $20 to get her to massage the pressure point on my ankles that is said to induce labor. I'm still preggo, though, so nice try. : )

Earlier that day, Jeff and I had the Richfield Fire Dept. inspect our car seat and walk us through all the ins and outs of car seat safety, which was incredibly helpful and informative. It's great to have that task crossed off the list! Jeff and I have also gradually picked up the last of the immediate essential items we'll need for our little guy, including the baby monitor, some newborn-sized clothes, extra receiving blankets, a mongo case of diaper wipes, and a diaper bag that we both like (FINALLY). We still have our two family showers coming up (Wiberg family shower on June 20; Haase family shower in ND on July 18), so between the two of those we should be covered for our remaining registry items. The nursery is finally DONE (look for photos soon), other than hanging a few pictures on the walls. I made a simple mobile this weekend to hang above the changing table/dresser...and while I kind of rushed through it, it still turned out pretty cute. The whole room looks better than I ever imagined it would.....Jeff and I are thrilled!

* Mother's Day *

We had a great Mother's Day yesterday. While I was bummed not to be able to spend any time with my mom, I was able to talk with her for a while over the phone....and I am very excited to be able to see her (and my dad) when they come to visit in a couple of weeks. We were, however, very lucky to spend some time with Jeff's mom and family, as we stuffed our faces at brunch (Flame Restaurant in Roseville) then hung out at his parents' home. Even though our little guy hasn't arrived yet, Jeff was so sweet and gave me a lovely bouquet of flowers and a card in honor of my first Mother's Day.....needless to say, I was touched! I am incredibly lucky to have such an awesome husband. : )

* Belly Watch *

As of last week's doctor's visit on May 6, I was already dilated 2 cm and 80% effaced! Our doctor was pretty surprised with how things seem to be progressing, since most first-time moms tend to go past their due date. Dr. Arnhold, however, seemed pretty convinced that I will go early. And now that I have things pretty well wrapped up at work, I am honestly hoping she is right. Jeff and I are SO ready to meet out little Sprout....and to officially be parents! Yippee! : ) Admittedly, I am starting to get a little freaked out by the idea of labor and delivery......but my excitement far outweighs any worries I may have. And even though I'll miss being pregnant, I just want to finally be able to see and hold our little guy!

So now the clock is ticking.....this Saturday (the 16th) is my due date, and as of today I am still incubating. Anyone wanna place a last minute bet as to his arrival date? (Please, oh please, let it be today!) My last appointment is scheduled for Wednesday (the 13th) morning....it will be interesting to see if we make it until then!

Take care.....and we'll keep you all posted!

Love,
Farrah, Jeff and Sprout

And this, folks, is as big as it's going to get....

2009-04-27T14:36:00.000-07:00

Hey, folks!

Here is my belly, photographed one week ago at 36 weeks, 2 days. I literally don't think it is possible for me to get any bigger than this....but now I may have just tempted fate with that remark. ; )

Jeff thought it would be funny to take this picture of me in the entrance of Babies 'R Us.....notice anything interesting? ; )

The funny thing is, until I saw this photo I honestly thought my belly was MUCH smaller than the woman's in the poster. Good grief. : )
I cannot believe how quickly time is flying by.......only 19 days until my due date!! Wow!!!

Love,
Farrah, Jeff and Sprout
37 weeks, 2 days.................EDD May 16

A Rockin' Shower, and Many Thanks

2009-04-20T09:16:00.000-07:00

I'm finally getting around to posting about a handful of photos that have been sitting on our camera for the past couple of weeks.....please bear with me:

*4/4/09- Couples' Shower

We had a fabulous time at our couples' shower two weeks ago. Hosts Jamie & Jill and Jared & Carrie provided an awesome meal (two different kinds of lasagna!), which allowed everyone the chance to visit and catch up. Then came the gift opening, and everyone was so generous:

baby bathtub and dino toy, from Jamie & Jill

sound & light toy, book, blankets, "udderly cute" onesie and other baby gear from Jared & Carrie

baskets, books, paci clips, pirate rubber duckie and outlet covers from Ryan & Becca

Then, in lieu of your "typical" shower games, we all spent the remainder of the evening playing Rock Band on Wii. Yes, that's right. And we are not ashamed to admit it. : )

First, the guys took the stage......

From left: Ryan, Jill (seated), Jamie and Jeff

After a startling rendition of Bon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer", it became clear that the ladies had to show them how it was done by rockin' out to Blondie (and two of us are pregnant, mind you):

From left: Farrah, Jill, Becca and Carrie

Dear Sprout: Let these next two photos stand as proof that your parents were at least a little cool once.

Daddy
Mommy

Thanks to our hosts and guests for such an awesome shower......we had the best time!

* More Gifts for our little Sprout

We seriously have the best family and friends ever, because gifts for Sprout keep rollin' in. Colleen gave us a couple of sleepers, Mom W. gave us a Diaper Genie (and yes, it is quite magical), Tanya gave us an adorable giraffe planter to place in his nursery....

Val gave him an cute onesie and sock set, plus a stack of books for his library (including her published juvenile sports books....awesome! I made her sign them.)

....and Judy gave us a great cookbook, as well as knitting a cute panda hat to keep Sprout warm next winter!
Thank you again to everyone.....your generosity is astounding and VERY MUCH appreciated! : )
Love,
Farrah, Jeff & Sprout
36 weeks, 2 days..........EDD May 16

April Showers bring May....Babies?

2009-04-01T07:46:00.000-07:00

Hello, all!

I thought I would hop on and post about my very first baby shower this past weekend (which, technically speaking, was held in March, not April...but I made my own rules when it came to the title of this post). My lovely sister Laura (with help from my dear friend Amanda) hosted the shower for me, and it was PERFECT!

Me and Laura

Me and Amanda

Here is a bit of the decor....

We had great food (props to my sis for cutting tiny sandwiches into the shape of little ducks), which included a darling cake and a fabulous rubber-duckie punch....

The ladies planned a handful of games, which everyone really seemed to enjoy (although I, for one, had a difficult time with the blindfolded baby food tasting. Let me just say....Gerber's mac-n-cheese is NOT tasty.). Tanya came the closest to measuring my belly diameter, but apparently everyone else thought I was much larger. Hmmm..... ; )

Here are the rest of the party-goers:

Alison, Tara and Deb

Tanya, Kristina and Colleen (w/ baby Micah on her lap)

One of the activities that Laura and Amanda had prepared was for everyone to decorate a little onesie for our Sprout.....and I have to say, no baby has ever had a finer wardrobe:

(Our designs, going clockwise starting with "Team Wiberg" on the far left: Kristina, Laura, me, Amanda, Colleen, Tara, Alison, Deb, and Tanya. )

Everyone was also SO generous, showering our wee baby-to-be with amazing gifts:

(The perfect bouncy seat, from Laura and family!)

(a onesie, burp cloth, and booties, handmade by Amanda, along with an adorable book and rubber duckie)

(A basketful of adorable baby gear from Deb, Kristina, Tanya, Colleen and Marge)

(a sampling of all of the wonderful items from Tara)

(adorable onesies and booties from Alison)

All in all, it was a wonderful shower.....and I feel so blessed to have such an amazing sister, and so many great friends. Thanks again to everyone......we appreciate your kindness and generosity so much, and Sprout is going to be stylin' in his new threads! : )

Love,

Jeff, Farrah & Sprout

33 weeks, 4 days...........EDD May 16

Does this bump make my butt look big? ; )

2009-03-25T14:24:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are a few updated pics of my baby-incubating belly (taken yesterday at 32 weeks, 3 days). And before you try anything, be warned that I will NOT giggle like the Pillsbury Dough Boy if you give me a poke. I may, however, poke you right back. ; )

(Hey, a girl's got to have SOME ground rules....)

And this is why you should never tempt fate...

2009-03-23T08:54:00.000-07:00

We had big plans for this past weekend. I had a to-do list that was a mile long, with every intent of checking every item off. Fate had something else in mind, however, at least where I am concerned. I remember telling someone a week ago how lucky I was to have been healthy for over eight months (which is VERY rare for me, since I seem to catch every bug that goes around)...seriously, I haven't even had so much as a sniffle all winter long. So what do you suppose I woke up with on Friday? Yep, that's right....a full-blown head cold. This wouldn't be so bad, except that in my current preggo state I can take next to nothing to alleviate the symptoms. Three days later, this cold shows no signs of departing. Blech.

Then, to top it off, I managed to tweak some muscles in my thigh (yes, I'm that cool), which then spread to my groin area.....leaving me in a great deal of pain and unable to walk or move around much for a good chunk of the weekend. A call to the doctor calmed any fears that something was wrong with the baby (considering where the pain was originating from, it had me a little worried), and he instructed me to take some Tylenol and use heating pads to take the edge off. Luckily, this seemed to help....as I am doing better today. I still have some pain, but as long as I take it easy I should be ok. The on-call doctor indicated that I can probably expect more of this in these remaining weeks of pregnancy, as everything in that "region" begins loosening up to prepare for labor and delivery. I'm sure I'll appreciate this once I'm actually in labor, but for now I am less than excited about this prognosis. : P

Anyway, as I said, these little "hiccups" meant that I accomplished next to nothing on my to-do list, which frustrated me to no end. Jeff, being the excellent caregiver that he is, insisted that I rest....so I felt pretty useless. I did manage to get a couple of things done, though, and luckily Jeff took care of a great deal. Other than a few touch-ups, the painting in the nursery is completed....yay! Jeff is also nearly done refinishing the dresser we bought for the room (last coat of enamel goes on today), which is great. I did some laundry, and he took care of some outdoor chores in the lovely weather. Next up.....doing our taxes. (Can you tell how excited I am?)

Sprout has been learning some acrobatic tricks over the past few days. He'll be quiet for a bit, and then all of a sudden I seriously feel as though he is doing somersaults inside of me! (Ok, he must have read my mind....because there he goes again!) It is becoming more and more evident that Jeff and I are going to have a VERY active little boy on our hands. : )

We didn't take our next batch of belly shots this weekend (which we do every four weeks) because I felt less than photogenic....so we'll take those tonight or tomorrow and post them soon. It's hard to believe it is already time for that to happen!

I was very excited to hear the news of my friend Ann Marie's arrival over the weekend.....beautiful little AnnaBeth was born late last week, and both mom and baby are doing well! I couldn't be happier for them. My thoughts and prayers are also with my friend Katie, who is set to be induced today. I know everything will go well, and I can't wait to hear all about it!

Take care, everyone.....look for new belly shots soon!

Love,
Jeff, Farrah and Sprout

32 weeks, 2 days......EDD May 16

That Tricksy Placenta

2009-03-11T08:05:00.000-07:00

Hello, all.....

I just wanted to post a quick update regarding our appointment last Wednesday (the 4th). As I may have already mentioned, we had our last ultrasound for this pregnancy....and it was SO great to see our little Sprout again! Here is his cute little face looking right at you, now filled in some with adorable baby fat so he doesn't look like a little alien anymore (keep in mind, it is pretty blurry):

And then he decided to start waving at us (literally) during the ultrasound, with his hand in front of his face as if to say, "Go away....I am done with you":

Sprout is doing really well, and is still measuring right on track....weighing in at approximately 3 lbs. 4 oz., as of last week. He should be gaining about an ounce per day at this point, so I'm guessing he will be at least an 8 lb. baby (but PLEASE, no bigger than 9 lbs.).

(WARNING: The words "placenta" and "cervix" will be used frequently in the next paragraph. If this makes you feel all squicky and weird, please skip ahead.)

The main purpose of this ultrasound was to check the positioning of my cervix and placenta, which had been a little too close together at my January ultrasound. But, alas, the placenta hasn't really moved away like they hoped it would. Right now, the bulk of it is situated about 4 cm away from my cervix (it has to be at least 3 cm away in order to allow a vaginal delivery), but the very tip of it is right at the edge of my cervix. My doctor seems to think that there is still a chance that it might move a little further away, and she also seems fairly confident that it won't move closer to cover my cervix.....so that is what I am counting on. I will be so disappointed if I end up having to have a c-section, but as our doctor told us, what matters most is that Sprout is born healthy.....not the manner in which he was delivered. Still, I am saying MANY prayers that everything turns out the way we hope!

We are now at the point in this pregnancy where we will be having appointments every two weeks.......a fact which is unbelievable to me. So next Wednesday (the 18th) we are back at the doctor's office.....though these visits should be fairly routine from here on out.

I am definitely feeling very pregnant these days. My lower back has been causing me some issues, and I also haven't been sleeping the greatest. But really, I have had a pretty great pregnancy so far.......so I can't complain too much. And all of this pain and discomfort feels completely worth it every time I feel Sprout kicking and moving around (which happens VERY frequently these days). : )

We also managed to (finally) complete our baby registries at Babies 'R Us and Target over the last few days. We registered for lots of duplicate items between the two stores, which will hopefully be helpful to those who only have access to one or the other. I have to say, this process of registering for Sprout was much more overwhelming than I thought it would be......it is unreal how many items such a little person requires! But I will say, most of it is pretty darn cute. ; ) We still have a list of items to purchase for the nursery, and a bit of painting to do.....but it's getting there. Our goal is to have the whole room completed by mid-April, so here's hoping.

That's it for us....take care, and we'll check in soon!

Love,

Jeff, Farrah & Sprout

30 weeks, 4 days.........EDD May 16

Our Babymoon (Don't worry, the following content is all PG-rated)

2009-03-03T07:47:00.000-08:00

Hello!

I just thought I'd pop on to share a few photos from our little getaway this past weekend. As you may recall, Jeff and I spent a couple of days at a bed & breakfast outside of Taylor's Falls along the St. Croix River, in an effort to get away from everything for a bit and just focus on spending time together. We spent some time poking around in antique stores and hanging out at coffee shops, as well as getting pampered with massages at the B&B. And while the temps were a bit chilly, we managed to get in a little time outside...at least long enough to snap some pics.

Here are a few shots of the B&B:

* St. Croix River Inn, built around 1900

* Jeff, looking stoic in our room (the Afton Suite)

* Me, obviously going for a more dramatic entrance

Grecco's on the St. Croix, our dining destination on Saturday night (it was FABULOUS!)

Sights along the St. Croix River

Jeff thought it would be funny to take a series of photos of me shivering in the cold (stupid me forgot to bring a hat)

Our faces may be frozen....but damn, we still look good. ; )

A random, ancient pop machine at a gas station that we thought was hilarious (if you look closely, you'll see that back in the day, Mountain Dew was brewed in the "traditional hillbilly style" and promised to "tickle yore innards".)

While scouring antique stores, Jeff was reunited with his past.....

It was a lovely, perfect weekend......and we didn't want it to end! But we had to face reality as Sunday evening rolled in.....and we headed home. We have big plans of making the same treck along the St. Croix River this summer or fall, when we hope to bring Sprout along to see the sights and enjoy the outdoors. Thinking about that prospect makes it easier to accept that we are now in the midst of another work week. : )

Take care, all.....I'll update after tomorrow's doctor's appointment!

Love,

Jeff, Farrah & Sprout

29 weeks, 3 days.....EDD May 16

Loch Ness Monster vs. The Belly

2009-02-25T08:48:00.000-08:00

Hello, all!

It's hard to believe how quickly the last few weeks have flown by...and here I am again, apologizing for not having posted since earlier this month. To say that time moves at a different and surreal pace these days would be an understatement. : )

It's also time again for a new belly shot......here I am, 4 weeks later, at 28 weeks (taken on Monday):

I have LITERALLY been gaining all of my weight (limited as it has been) in my belly. Already, I cannot see my feet, or bend over much at the waist. Very soon, I will also no longer be able to:

* sit in a car without denting in the dashboard (or drive, for that matter)

* hula hoop

* pull my shoes on while standing, without tipping over

* wear 90% of my current wardrobe

I've come to realize, though.....even though this belly has taken over my body and my life, I absolutely LOVE being pregnant. : ) Sprout has been getting more and more active as the weeks progress.....he usually goes a little crazy when he's hungry (ie. before I am due to eat a meal) and late at night (fun times), and will even kick in reaction to certain noises. I've been really into spicy foods the last few months, which also seem to really get him going. : ) He also has a clearly developed stubborn streak....whenever I try to have Jeff feel some of those kicks, suddenly our little boy calms down and stops moving around. What a little stinker. ; )

Jeff and I have made it through the first three weeks of our 8-week Labor & Delivery class, and so far are not TOO traumatized. (I think the one hit-and-run that Jeff had a couple of years ago with the Discovery Health Channel has made him immune to any sort of panic induced by labor and delivery videos, however.) Actually, the classes have been really awesome.....the other couples are so nice (one couple even shares our exact due date!), the instructor has been amazing and helpful, and the material hasn't made us change our minds about wanting to be parents (haha). In this week's class, we discussed pain management options, which has really made me question my earlier thoughts on epidurals. Everyone always says, "GET THE EPIDURAL. It is a GODSEND." But now that I really evaluate this option, I wonder.....do I actually want to be numb from the waist down? I'm sure most mothers will respond with a resounding "YES", but I'm not convinced. Looks like I have a big decision to make!

We also had a tour of the Birthing Center and Postpartum wards at Fairview Southdale Hospital.....even though we'd been there before when Jeff's sister Kris had her babies, we were definitely viewing it through different eyes this time around. The hospital has made some nice renovations and upgrades in the past year, so we are very happy with our choice to deliver there.

We have our next appointment coming up on March 4th, and from this point on we'll be seeing the doctor every two weeks. I can't believe we've already reached that point! Anyway, they will be taking one last ultrasound, so we are excited to be able to see Sprout again. Here's hoping that this third trimester continues to go well!

Lately I have been stressing about not having any control over when, where and HOW Sprout is going to make his appearance into the world. (Yes, it is shocking that a planner like myself would feel compelled to plan even this moment in our lives.) In particular, I worry that I will be at work, in the middle of a meeting in one of our boardrooms, and my water will break. I realize this isn't a very likely outcome, but you never know! I had a dream last night that Jeff and I were hanging out with my family in ND, and everyone suddenly wanted to take off and head to a beach in California, where a sea creature (I think it was a multi-headed Loch Ness Monster) had been sighted swimming along the shoreline. I was the only one who thought it was a bad idea, but I went along anyway. When we arrived, we saw the sea creature bobbing around in the ocean, with swimmers of all ages climbing all over it. The only problem....the multiple heads on this creature kept attacking and killing those daring enough to hop aboard! And yet, they just kept on coming....it was ridiculous. When I woke up this morning, I was still shaking my head. I looked up "sea creatures" in a dream dictionary online to find out what it might signify, and here's what I got:

You are afraid that something or someone will overwhelm you in your real life, or put you in a situation that is out of your control.

Hmmm....point taken. Obviously, this is one pregnant lady that needs to stop worrying about all of the "what-if's" regarding going into labor! No matter where or when it happens, the end result will be a beautiful, healthy (hopefully) baby boy.....and I can't really ask for much better than that. : )

Jeff and I are taking a 2.5 day weekend starting this Friday as a sort of "babymoon".....we are heading to a B&B along the St. Croix River, where we will spend the weekend relaxing, getting pampered and doing a bit of fine dining. We both can't wait....it has been AGES since we've gone anywhere together, and we know this is our last "hurrah" of sorts before Sprout arrives in May. We can't wait to be parents, but we also know that it is important to nurture our relationship as a couple!

We'll be in touch soon....look for new ultrasound photos next week!

Love,

Jeff, Farrah & Sprout

The Nastiest Drink in the Universe

2009-02-09T08:10:00.000-08:00

Hello, all!

Jeff and I had our monthly doctor's appointment last Wednesday, and it was the one I had been dreading for some time......the glucose test. You know, the one where you have to drink a high glucose beverage (provided by the clinic) and they test your blood one hour later to see how it processed the extra sugar. For those of you who know me well, you would probably assume the reason I was dreading this test was because of a needle being in the vicinity of my finger/arm/any body part. But no.....this time it was about the contents of that little bottle. I had been warned about the Nastiest Drink in the Universe by many pregnant pals, the one that some health professionals have the nerve to call "juice". When I sat down to have my blood pressure taken, the nurse handed me the bottle filled with neon orange liquid with a sympathetic head tilt, followed by "I'm sorry that you have to drink this....I know it's bad". (Um....great. Sure, go ahead and take my blood pressure now....I'm feeling nice and calm.) The nurse started my five minute timer (the amount of time I was allotted to chug the juice), and I cracked it open.

The best way I can describe the "juice" is this: You know those Popsicles in a plastic tube that you would eat when you were a kid? Well, take 50 of the orange variety, and let them melt to their original syrupy form; pour into a small glass bottle. Add about a cup of sugar, followed by some carbonated soda water. That, my friends, is THE DRINK.

I managed to power through, sip by agonizing sip....even though I am notoriously bad at having to drink anything quickly. Then, since we had to wait one hour until my blood draw, we met with a nurse practitioner (in lieu of our doctor, who was out that day) for my exam. Little Sprout's heartbeat was at 145 bpm...nice and strong! I am still measuring right on track, though the nurse did mention that I hadn't gained much since our last appointment. Looking at my belly, I tend to disagree....but whatever. Speaking of my belly, both Jeff and I laughed later at how enamored the nurse practitioner (and the student who was shadowing her) were about my belly....they just ooohed and aaaahed over it (I think this is mostly due to the fact that I am so far stretch-mark free!). Anyway, everything is looking great so far.....which is always good to hear. : )

What was also great to hear was that I found out at the end of that hour that I passed my glucose test! I was SO thrilled....not only because this meant that I did not have gestational diabetes (or I'm at least not at high risk for it), but I also would not have to go back for the three hour version of that test (which involved a drink with DOUBLE the sugar content of the last one....EW.)! We are so happy that everything seems to be going so well in this pregnancy for our little one. We celebrated the good news by eating a big bowl of ice cream that night. Hey, pregnancy excuses everything (even for the daddy). : ) And I've been eating very healthy during this pregnancy (for the most part), so there.

Our little guy has been pretty active these days.....and based on what seems to be his "schedule", he is most active before I eat meals (when he is obviously hungry himself) and late at night. He is also starting to respond a bit to noise, now that his ears are fully developed......so it will be fun experimenting. Jeff has already started talking to my belly in the evenings, though sometimes when his head is too close he gets a kick from Sprout (haha). I love that the two of them are already developing a bond! As for me, I talk to our little one at various points throughout the day, as well as play classical music for him while I am sitting at my desk. So far, the music seems to soothe him.....and once we purchase a better pair of headphones, it will be fun to try other types of music to see what he reacts to.

Jeff and I are hoping to paint the wall detail in the nursery sometime this week, and Jeff also plans to paint the dresser we purchased off Craig's List to match our crib (which is still on its way). He already did a great job of painting the base coat on the nursery walls, so it will be great to see everything all put together. Also, tonight we start our 8-week Birth Preparation class at Fairview Southdale Hospital......and we are very excited! We meet every Monday night from 6:30-9:00pm, and it should result in some interesting stories. ; )

That's it for us......take care, and look for updates soon!

Love,
Jeff, Farrah and Baby Boy (aka. "Sprout")

Another bump....

2009-01-26T08:35:00.000-08:00

Sorry that things have been pretty quiet around here for the last few weeks.....needless to say, Jeff and I have kept ourselves pretty busy. This includes building up our stockpile of essential baby gear. Here is a list of what we have managed to accumulate in the last few weeks:

* Crib bedding

* Crib (thank you, Mom & Dad Wiberg!)

* Graco Pack-n-Play (thank you, Mom & Dad Haase!)

* Stroller

* a handful of clothes, all found on awesome clearance sales! (most of these are winter items, including a winter coat, so they are sized for next year's use)

Ok, even though this list is quite impressive, it makes me realize that we still have a lot to accomplish! Jeff plans to paint the baby room this week, and we'll also start planning out our baby registries so we can get all of that squared away ASAP.

We have really come to realize that our lives are already consumed with all things "baby". And you know, that's not such a bad thing. ; ) It's hard to believe that we are already at the six month mark, and just two weeks away from that infamous third trimester. Here is the latest belly shot, for those of you on "bump watch":

24 weeks, 1 day

And for the very observant, yes.....my timer (aka. belly button) has officially popped. Ding.

Our little Sprout is getting more active every day, which has been awesome yet crazy at the same time. We can't wait for him to keep getting bigger and stronger, though I've been warned that soon my insides will feel like a trampoline (according to our friend Colleen)! Bring it on, I say. : )

Jeff and I are also planning a little weekend get-away for (hopefully) sometime in February, kind of as a last "hurrah" for just us, before Sprout makes his appearance in May. Even though we are limiting ourselves to the tundra of Minnesota for this little trip, it will still be lovely to just relax and unwind together. We are also planning a trip to visit my family in ND sometime in March, before I get too huge and can no longer fit in our car. : )

That's it for us.....take care!

Love,

Farrah & Jeff (and Sprout)

"Drumroll, please......"

2009-01-09T09:09:00.000-08:00

Hi, all!

Jeff and I had our big ultrasound on Wednesday afternoon. The whole appointment went so well! It was really cool to see all of baby's different parts, like the four chambers of the heart, the different sections of the brain, etc. Everything looks great (all organs are coming along nicely, no cleft lip, etc.) and baby is measuring perfectly. Baby is currently weighing in at approximately 1 pound, and is about a foot long! I have to go back for one last ultrasound at 28 weeks, because my cervix and the placenta are too close together right now, so they want to monitor it again at that point to make sure they are positioned correctly.

We almost didn't get to find out the "big" news, though.....even though baby was active and kicking (after all of the OJ I ingested in the morning to get baby moving!), baby was FACE DOWN and BUTT DOWN, with legs and feet tucked under! It wasn't until the nurse almost gave up after an hour, and then rolled me onto my side, that we FINALLY got the shot we needed. So.....here is the result:

Can you believe it?? As many of you may recall, Jeff and I had been thinking that we were having a girl....in fact, EVERYONE (except for his dad and my friend Amanda) thought the same thing! I had actually been mentally preparing myself for the last few weeks (I just had a gut feeling that we would all be wrong on this one!) that we were probably having a boy....but even so, we were still floored!!! I must have had some sort of a delayed intuition, though, because whenever I have daydreamed about our baby in the past week, it has been a boy (as in, thinking about boy's names, about him growing up, etc.). And Lord knows we have a lot of experience with boys, with four nephews! But above all else, we are completely thrilled.....we have a healthy baby boy on the way, and he will be the light of our lives!

Jeff videotaped the whole ultrasound, so I can't wait to go back and watch/hear our reactions when the nurse told us the news. Maybe we'll even post a bit of the video in the next few days. : ) Here is a photo of what our nurse referred to as one of the best 'money' shots she has ever seen....seriously, there is NO denying what the gender of our baby is!

He's not a shy one, is he? ; )

Now it's time to start getting serious about baby names, since we were waiting until we received the news to get going on it. This part will be kept a secret from everyone, though....Jeff and I want to have it just be our thing for now. And actually, we plan to narrow our list down to two names....and then decide on which name best suits our baby boy after he arrives. So for now, we are trying to come up with a good nickname for him, so we don't have to keep referring to him as "baby". (haha)

Ok, even though he looks a little bit like an alien baby from this angle, don't you just love that little smile?

That's it for now.....we'll post again soon!

Love, Farrah, Jeff & Baby

21 weeks, 6 days

Bellies Aplenty, Bellies Galore....

2009-01-06T07:27:00.000-08:00

Hello, all!

Ok, as promised, here are my series of belly shots, from nearly the beginning:

12 weeks

14 weeks

16 weeks

18 weeks

21 weeks

Man, after looking at all of these in a row, I can't believe how quickly I grew! And it's a good thing that Jeff took over as photographer...those first two shots that I took using the mirror were pretty sad. : ) Look for a belly update about every four weeks! We love you all!

-Farrah, Jeff and Pumpkin

21 weeks, 3 days

"And then there were 3...."

2009-01-03T15:19:00.000-08:00

Hello, and welcome! Jeff and I have started this blog to keep all of our loved ones (yes, that means YOU) up to date on our little family. There will be life updates, photos, relatively humorous anecdotes...you name it. Just remember....you asked for this. (haha)

I guess the inspiration for us to start this in the first place was our journey TTC (trying to conceive, in layman's terms) over the past year. After trying for nearly a year, we finally got our wish on September 5th.....when we found out that we were FINALLY expecting our much wished for baby! Though the road felt long to get to that point, we couldn't feel more blessed.

What started as this.....

....Quickly grew into this:
(8 weeks, 3 days)

And then, this:
(11 weeks, 2 days)

Despite battling with a few mysterious bouts of bleeding in the first trimester (which, thankfully, have disappeared), we have made great strides since that last ultrasound. I am now currently 21 weeks along, and well into my second trimester. Every monthly appointment we've had has shown that our little pumpkin is growing at a healthy rate, with a strong heartbeat. It's hard to believe how quickly the time has flown by! And in just a few days (on January 7th, to be exact), we will FINALLY find out if we are on Team Pink or Team Blue (aka. whether we are having a girl or a boy). So far, all voters (except for Jeff's dad) are convinced that we are having a girl......so it will be interesting to see how this plays out. Either way, we will be so happy to (hopefully) hear and see that our baby is doing great!

Coming soon.....some lovely belly shots (you know you love it).....

Love,
Farrah & Jeff