Five For Friday

I really like it when people have special days on their blog when they always post something themed. I have wanted to do this for quite awhile, yet I haven't because I have no idea from week to week what day I will have time to post. SO I will really try to keep this up each Friday, but if I miss one please cut me slack ;)

Here it is Five for Friday, or 5 random things that I feel are noteworthy for the week but not enough to constitute and entire post.

• I got new glasses with red trim.. and they make me feel sassy. Just call me Sassy Jesse Raphael.

• I wish I was more QUICK witted. I always think of funny things to say like 10 minutes after the opportunity to insert humor in the conversation has passed. Case in point yesterday I was picking up a roll or quarters at the Bank with Fiona and the teller said, "Do you ladies have big plans tonight? Actually it looks like a quiet night of laundry ahead of you..." I said, "yea just laundry." BUT it would have been funny if I'd- a- said.... "Oh we have BIG plans to hit the quarter slots at the casino tonight and try to win it big." OR "No these quarters are to fuel my insane gum ball addiction and I am hauling my baby to every gum ball machine in town tonight." OR "We are off to go pump these quarters into the Dance Dance Revolution game at the local arcade, we are quite the dance duo." OR "We are having a huge kegger tonight, and after the Beer Pong tournament we are going to play quarters." But of course it wasn't until my walk home from the bank that I thought of these... well at least I got a good laugh out of it.

• Fiona's Belly button looks like a perfect cinnamon roll swirl... and today she is one month old! Here is a censored picture of her in the tub to celebrate :)

• My sister-in-law sent me a new pair of PJ pants and I love them... they are the perfect way to start and end each day. THANKS TONI!!!

• Chuck has been working like an animal this week. He goes to work early every morning, and has been feeling the end of the semester crunch finishing up all of his projects, finals and papers. Yet he still manages to come home and give lots of love and attention to his girls. We are so glad when daddy comes home.

ReDefine

Normally I would leave the Alice in Wonderland quotations to Tammy, but this little scene from the book has been on my mind a lot these days...

ADVICE FROM A CATERPILLAR

"Who are you?" said the Caterpillar.

This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. Alice replied, rather shyly, "I - I hardly know, sir, just at present - at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then."

"What do you mean by that?" said the Caterpillar sternly. "Explain yourself!"

"I can't explain myself, I'm afraid , sir," said Alice, "because I'm not myself, you see."

"I don't see," said the Caterpillar.

"I'm afraid I can't put it more clearly," Alice replied very politely, "For I can't understand it myself to begin with; and being so many different sizes in one day is very confusing."

"It isn't," said the Caterpillar.

"Well perhaps you haven't found it so yet," said Alice; "but when you have to turn into a chrysalis - you will someday, you know - and then after that into a butterfly, I should think you should find it a little queer, wont you?"

"Not a bit," said the Caterpillar

Well, perhaps you feeling may be different," said Alice; all I know is, it would feel queer to me."

"YOU!" said the Caterpillar contemptuously. "Who are you?"

One of my mother's friends from way back when gave her a copy of Alice and Wonderland for a wedding gift. She wrote in the inside flap the following:

"I've touted this as a "frank and daring expose" of the confusions and experiences of married and family life." In truth, you will only see it as such on the bad days... but when those bad days come, you may think that you fell "down the Rabbit-Hole" and landed in "The Pool of Tears."

I really think that Lewis Carroll drew some interesting parallels to womanhood in general. Lately I feel Alice's sense of confusion over my ever evolving and changing body. I told a friend the other day that this has been one of the most challenging parts of having a child. I feel like my body keeps changing so much that I am constantly trying to figure out who I am.

I honestly catch my reflection in street shop windows and think, "Who the heck is that?!" Because I still think of myself as my pre-pregnancy self. Maybe some of you think of your body as simply a shell that houses your "True Self" or spirit. To me the body is much more than that, it makes up half of who you are... Body + Spirit = Soul. It just seems that the resurrection wouldn't be necessary unless our bodies were extremely important. Hence when my body changes I feel all out of sorts.

Your body should be an outward reflection of who you are on the inside, which I should add we can also change and improve. Life is a time for change and growth...

I have decided that post pregnancy I am not going to focus on "Weight Loss" but rather these next few months will be the Redefining of me. In fact I have no idea how much I weigh at this point and I kind of like it that way it helps me to focus more on how I feel... and when I feel like crap Chuck reminds me that a little fresh air is the perfect cure... walks are a great defense against postpartum depression.

I am out to discover my new "mom body" and seek to get it into shape before I decide to have another baby and go through this adventure all over again (Which I most definitely will... babies are great).

And now because I know that some of you don't read my posts but only look at the pictures and because I can't help it... here are two pictures of Fiona sleeping.

Thinking Cap On... let the ideas flow

So I just had the greatest revelation of what I want to be for Halloween this year. I don't usually think about this kind of stuff so far in advance, and I wonder if I should even tell you as it might spoil the fun and surprise. Well I still have to convince Chuck on his portion of the costume.

In our house it seems whenever someone refers to "The Babe" the other replies, "The Babe with Power" and we no doubt break into Magic Dance by David Bowie.




Perhaps that is all I can say, until I speak with my husband.

Now for an inside comment to Chuck that perhaps only he will understand.
Chuck will you "Wear the Eye Patch... the freaky freaky eye patch man?"

Who Rang that BELL!

(one of my favorite scenes from the 1939 movie, although it happens much differently in the book)

I just finished reading The Wizard of Oz to Fiona. it is a little past her reading level but I still think she enjoyed it as it put her to sleep and who doesn't love being whisked away to dreamland. The book is much different than the 1939 Warner Brothers version. However the movie was so remarkable for it's time and still an American classic that the story is known pretty much by the movies depiction. Here are a few differences...

• The ruby red slippers were not red at all, they were actually silver.


• In the emerald city everyone had to have green glasses locked to their heads by the keeper of the gate... they were told it was to shield their eyes from the brilliance of the city, but really it was so that everything would appear green to the people.


• The Wicked Witch of the West sent Wolves, Black Bees and Crows to attack Dorthy and her friends before the flying monkey's were unleashed.


• The Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz appeared to the group in different forms, a giant head, a beautiful young fairy, a burning ball of fire and a ferocious beast with multiple eyes and bigger than an elephant.


• There are other people in the land of OZ like the Winkies, the field mice, Boq the richest munchkin, the hammer heads, the China doll people and the Quadlings. (the Lion, Scarecrow and Tin woods Man all become kings in various parts of the country by the end of the book)


• And the book does not end with Dorothy appearing to have dreamed the whole thing up... it actually happened.

I started to wonder why no one has ever re-done the movie as stories like Alice in Wonderland have been made into like 6 different versions. I thought "Tim Burton should be enlisted for the task", turns out thanks to Google, someone already asked that questions and a new "darker" version is already in the works... Click here for details.

L. Frank Baum wrote 14 books in the Wizard of Oz series, I read them all in 6th grade because I have always had a fascination with the Wizard of OZ. It all started in 5th grade when my class did a musical production for our parents and "someone" was going to get to sing Somewhere Over the Rainbow as a solo. I tried out and didn't get the part (I was heartbroken) but continued to sing that song to my stuffed animals convinced that I could have done a better job... I am still working on getting over it.

Next Fiona and I are going to read Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. My friend Jenny gave me the 1463 page unabridged version and I figure what else am I going to do during my almost 8 hours of daily breastfeeding? Plus it is fun to read out loud to her and pretend that she cares but really in her mind she is thinking... Milk is good, milk is great, milk milk milk sleep sleep milk sleep (or something like that)


(this is her chillin in the car seat watching mommy blog)

File it under V for Victory

Yesterday I went for a walk with Fiona for the first time.... we walked all the way to the Snelling. I felt like we had conquered the world.

Goodmorning Peanut

Is there anything more wonderful than a fuzzy baby head.... I love starting my day to Fiona's fuzzy little melon, and then carefully smoothing it all back down.

She is so animated in the space between sleep

This is when her little baby smiles come out. People say baby's this young can't smile and that it is just gas. I don't care if it is her genuine joyfulness or indigestion it always makes me happy.

She really stops time for me because I feel like I could sit and stare at her for hours.

It is like when people tell you to stop and smell the roses.... around here we have stopped to stare at (and smell) the baby

These pictures would really be more true to life if they were scratch and sniff, you don't get the full effect without that new baby smell... especially her breath. Chuck thinks we should work on trying to market the baby's breath scent.... we would be rich!


kisses everyone!

We will just be hiding out in our little heaven until mommy has made a full recovery

Nevertheless

(this is one of my favorite pics from the hospital)

I have wondered over the last few days how I would tell you all about my birth experience. I have written this post about 30 times in my head....

My goals, or aspirations I suppose for birth were three fold:

• Get the Baby Out


• To receive as little medical intervention as possible


• To not be afraid

Growing up I heard the most horrendous birth stories, watched movies of women screaming and sometimes dying in childbirth and heard women use it as an argument as to why they are superior to men and deserve whatever they desire. So naturally like most women approaching birth for the first time I had concerns and fears. My approach was to meet each one head on, to research my options to know the possibilities and to be accepting to the fact that these circumstances could happen to me. I feel like I have been on one of my life's greatest journeys of self discovery.

There were many pain coping techniques that I practiced and looked to for relief when things were difficult. I will never again underestimate the power of JUST BREATHING! And nothing had a more powerful effect or brought more calming relief than the ability to pray. I think I talked to God quietly in my head through most of my labor.

I will not spell out the details of the experience as every women experiences birth differently. My labor was extremely unusual and lasted longer than I ever would have imagined it to. I remember someone asking me once if I had prepared for a long labor.... in my mind that meant about 24 hours. My labor began at 3:00 am on Saturday morning and Fiona was born at 4:06 pm on Tuesday. I will let you do the math on that one if you so desire.

My biggest battle was exhaustion and fatigue... well and I suppose frustration. My cervix just would not progress. I would go through hours of labor only to be checked and show minimal to no progress. The more the clock ticked the more I felt like there was no end in sight... there were a lot of tears and I don't know what I would have done without the words of encouragement and comforting faces of Chuck, my mom, the nurse, and the midwife.

It was during about the final hour when I was ready to throw in the towel. The moment I had hoped would not come was here... I looked at Chuck and said, "I think I need an epidural." We had everyone leave the room to discuss alone, I felt my body had had enough and needed to rest I didn't think I could make it. So I called the midwife to ready the pain relief. Yet the next 30 minutes would prove to be the most painful and yet exciting time of the whole process thus far. It was shortly after my request for drugs that my body shifted into what is known as the Transition of labor and to be quite honest I felt like I tasted death... Chuck said at this time my eyes were glossed over and I kept reaching to grab his face. I honestly think I was trying to hold on to life.

The midwife having seen countless women experience this decided to check my cervix one more time before administering the epidural. And then she said those four magic words that made everything better...

"Your cervix is gone"

This meant it was time to push, and push is what I immediately did. Up to this point I had felt that I had absolutely no control over the events of labor... yet now I could take charge. I was ready to meet my baby and I did not want to wait a moment longer. I mustered up all remaining strength that I could and listened closely to my midwives instructions. Fiona was born 15 minutes later.

And you know it's just like people said it would be. The second they plop that warm little body on your chest, nothing else really matters. It is like the greatest pain reliever. I was so in awe by it all, and will never forget the faces of those present as they watched it all unfold. Especially my sweet husband who was right there by my side through the whole thing. Chuck you are the best!

Birth is amazing... WE had a baby!

I titled this post Nevertheless because it was a word that has been going through my mind these past few days. My mission president used it in such a way that it felt like encouragement when he said it. Like if I was frustrated or felt hopeless he would just say "Nevertheless!" It meant we have to keep going anyway. It was his way of saying not to give up.

In the scriptures perhaps the most famous usage of this word was by the Savior himself when he suffered in Gethsemane:

"And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt."

Jesus suffered more than any person can imagine for the pains and sicknesses of all mankind. In a small way I felt like I understood him a little bit more through my period of transition.

But here is the great part about it... Shortly after this moment when he hung on the edge of life and death, when he bled from every pore and plead for relief he was able to experience LIFE, and the resurrection. He overcame death, it was an absolute miracle.

That is kind of how I felt through this labor... I thought death was imminent and I plead for relief, yet I was able to experience a new little life.... and it made the rest not seem so bad anymore.

I have to believe that is how it is for Jesus. I don't think he dwells on the hard and painful times like we often do when we remember his sacrifice. Right after the pain came something so wonderful the bad stuff just kind of melts away.

I am still in recovery, and adjusting to my new life as a mommy. It is a lot to take in all at once and newborn babies are an around the clock gig... I am amazed I even wrote this post (well it did take me 4 days :)

Love you all,

Tacy Marie

So Glad We've Got the Real Thing

After nine long months of waiting, our baby is finally here.

I want to write all about my adventures in birth... but I am typing with my hands and rocking a baby in car seat with my feet waiting to eat. Needless to say I ain't got the time!!!

Say hello to Fiona Grace Call

Born March 29th 2010 at 4:06 Pm at St. Joseph's Hospital in Downtown St. Paul

These pictures are from the hospital, we are so happy to be home and getting into the swing of things without someone wanting to check my blood pressure every 30 minutes.

Till next time. Thanks for checking in with us.