A New Year

Happy 2011! I have a strong suspicion this will be a good year. It started off on a fun note. Grandma and Abuelito Matteson volunteered to watch the Bear while Jon and I joined Kellie and fiance Dikran in Chicago. I LOVE Chicago.

We joined up with a very eclectic bunch. This is the third time I did the all inclusive dinner/drink NYE and I really think it's the best way to go. The food was DELICIOUS at Quarantinos (sp?) and I sampled a whole array of drinks. That was the biggest difference from last NYE when I was pregnant and focused on eating not drinking. I'm still on the fence of a signature Laura drink. I have yet to find it.
Well I made it through the evening with only minor social gaffs. Something to work on for the next year: be less awkward. Please feel free to call me out if I in fact am awkward in front of you. I need to learn somehow :)
It was odd to be away from the Baby for an overnight, the first time! I survived only because I knew he was in good hands.

I now have only 15 days to complete the remainder of my 26 things to do list. The pressure is on to finish some of them and brainstorm what to put on my next list. Suggestions are welcome :)

Lose All Baby Weight- Check!

Okay, I am pretty happy about this one :) I can honestly say I have no idea when and how much I lost over these past 6 months because I stopped being weighed by the doc. Anyway I do know I gained about 30-35 lbs over the entire 9 months. It's not like I've been ignoring a scale, but rather there really hasn't been one around me since my 6 week check up. And then I was still weighing about 10lbs up from my starting point. Well, Katie fixed the house's scale today and ta-da! I am -2lbs below my starting weight! Yay. The credit goes to baby walks, playing indoor and outdoor soccer and probably breast feeding. No credit is given to my current diet of whatever, whenever. :)

Run a Post-Baby Race- Check!

I did it! I completed my first post-baby 5K, the Alger Heights Halloween Run. I ran it with my sister while Jon and Baby Scarecrow cheered me on.

As you can see, I went as a pumpkin.

Katie was a little more creative and made herself a leaf.

Blurry Bear

We are just so excited that I finished!

Okay, I will tell the time, although a bit of an ego hit. 

31:08

Yay! 

A New Venture

Wow. After a long struggle with the State of Michigan'd department of education I am happy/nervous/excited/unsure to announce I am set to join the rank of teachers yet again. I have been hired at a National Heritage Academy Charter school in Kentwood. Here are the logistics:

I will start as an full time ESL Paraprofessional with the idea of graduating to a half time ESL teacher when I FINALLY get my Michigan license.

Positive Things: another income, a resume builder, a fun challenge, an in home babysitter (Aunt Katie)

Negative Things: full time, missing the Bear, having to find a part time (non family) day care

Lots of feelings on this. Misgivings on leaving the baby in non-family hands. Wishing I could just be the half time teacher right away. Excited to get back into a school setting. Anticipating setting up our little family in our own apartment after the new year. Lots of thoughts floating around right now.

Oh, not to be outdone, Harrison cut his first tooth today! Bottom front tooth has popped up. Time for the tooth brushes :)

Create a List of Baby Friendly Places- Check

We have been busy around here trying to take advantage of the sunny days and the final warm ones of the season. Our recent adventure helped me cross off yet another 26 Things thing. We joined Baby Time at Grandville Library. Its a little circle class of moms and babies (birth to 18 mo). Baby H is the youngest at 4 months. I always like looking at the various ages and stages of babies around him. Some crawling, some babbling and others quietly starring.  We all read a book together then sang little songs while tickling or moving baby. One of the 6 month olds was having the time of his life- cracking up when his grandma had the itsy bitsy spider crawl all over him. Harrison preferred to observe from my lap this time.

The other baby thing to add to our list is a mothers group in GR I sometimes go to through Baby Beloved. Younger babes tend to be there because its a breast feeding support group, and you need the support earlier for sure!

Well, its a rainy day here. Baby is slumbering on the bed and I'm about to read some more of the Millenium Series, I just finished the Girl Who Played with Fire so now on to the last one!

Join a New Sport/League

Check.

Played my second game tonight with a team I met on craigslist :) Really. But actually I am really excited to play of course and meet new people. They all seem nice (and good players too) and happily are my age. I am a weak link but will improve.

I had my first shot on goal today, it was weak but it was there. I also need to practice my crosses.

I also should go to sleep...it's 11:20 at night.

Volunteered!

Yes! I got to check off something on my list of things! Jon drove Harrison and I down to Reeds Lake where I volunteered at the aid station for a bike tour. It was through the Ronald McDonald House. Not many riders showed up however which was a little surprising. But I did it and that's the point. Plus I got to oogle pretty great bikes and a beautiful lake front.

I Harrison news, he is still adorable. The following pictures are of him talking to one of his favorite things, the living room lamp. He is always happy and surprised to see it.

He's been a smiley lad all week. His new talent is bringing his hands together, and sticking them both in his mouth. All this time his arms and hands have wandered around in circular motions, never touching. It's funny to see such a simple but important skill develop. Now he can catch a baseball (in theory).

 

Still loving his moose. 

And after a long day of talking to lamp and playing with moose it's time once again for story time (courtesy of Daddy) and dinner (served by me). 

 

Sweet dreams. 

Happy Birthday Harrison Paul!

Well here he is! After 39.5 weeks of waiting little Harrison Paul Randall made his big debut Friday May 21st at 1:01am.

He weighed in at 7lbs 8oz and 21 inches long.

I will write about Harrison's birth at a later time (it's pretty well seared into my memory so I think I can wait a bit). Most importantly we are well and happy to be home after a very LONG pregnancy. I was super happy to have my sister Katie spend the day with Jon and I at the hospital on the 20th. Mom also came over after work to say hi and ended up staying until after Harry was born. Jon surprised me the most as he was so calm and really interested in the entire process, not huddled in the corner like he thought he'd be. 

Here we are, happy to "meet" each other :)

I look forward to meeting his growing personality more and more each day :)

Baby Shall Not be Rushed!

I knew going into it that induction is not a guarantee that Baby will show up, so I shouldn't have been too surprised that Tuesday afternoon one of the doctors advised me to call it a day and go home. Okay, that's a bit of a bummer though. Made worse by the fact I was hooked up to an IV drip for 48 hours of drinking pitocin, penicillin and saline. Made even worse by the "labor diet" I was on which consisted of toast, jello and popsicles. Luckily Katie and Jon turned a blind eye when I stole food off their plates. Hunger really makes me ornery, no joke.

Now Jon is back to work, I am back home with Katie and Baby is lounging comfortably, just not in my arms yet. I guess I can take this as a sign to really finish up some last minute things around here, one being the final touches on the nursery. I really like the final outcome, my Mom did a lovely job on the floors, I'm really happy with my bookshelf and all his cute little clothes are stocked and ready to wear.

Knock knock!

Changing table (circa 1981, the era of older sister). I attempted some animal pictures but my dog looks a bit dolphin-like.

Jon and Katie put up the Blik wall sticker, it was a Xmas gift from Katie and we love it :) The crib is smallish but I really like it and that rocker is old old old but fairly comfy!

I love this area because it houses all of Baby's animal friends and scads of books that I poached from the basement. Katie painted the trunk the sweet green that I initially bought for the walls (now I would rethink that color for a wall- a bit overwhelming, plus I love the brown. The front of the trunk is chalkboard so that'll be fun to draw on eventually.

Baby is all set for clothing until he turns 2 I think! I've got them pretty well sorted by size now. I especially dig his bath gear complete with yellow duck robe! His sweater and pant set were a gift from Jon's sister and was a crowd pleaser at the baby shower :) So cute. The curious little blue pig is from Kellie, I love how he is spying out from the corner here :) That'll be Baby's college fund :) Ha. 

Mini Resolutions

Because I started off my List of Things so well this year it has inspired me to make mini weekly resolutions.  I have created a list of things I want to accomplish every day of a given week. For example my first week goal is to do Gym Week. So starting Monday I will get myself to the YMCA every day, even if it's just for a half hour I will get there. I'm already looking forward to music week where hopefully I'll see the cello again!

I am happily nearing another cross-off on The List! Last Sunday I really sat down and devoted the day to my first quilt project. I am actually quite proud of it!
Take a look from pieces to the finished front.

Yeah! Now to piece on the back and batting in the middle. I wanted to put a little sailboat in the lake but...eh. Maybe I'll sneak a dog in there to finish it off well!

Hooray for projects!

My Trip to NYC

Pictures from my trip to NYC! Now, I really, truly tried to play tourist with our new camera, however I failed! I managed a couple of shots but after awhile sort of gave up on the documenting thing.

I had so so much fun staying at my old apartment in Harlem and seeing the girls again :) I am happy to say it really felt easy to jump back into the swing of things. It would be great if the whole family makes a trip again soon, maybe in the fall to cheer on my ex-roomie in the NYC marathon!!!

First off I'll start with the pregnant picture where I am "framing" baby. I'm hoping to look more natural and maternal as time goes by....less awkward! Oh- this was taken today, so I'm 22 1/2 weeks. After this photo shoot we hit up Babys'R'Us and started the overwhelming process of registering...I have a lot of research to do!

I went to Times Square! Even though I avoided it because of the slow moving crowds I decided why not? Lucky for me I went early enough where things were just opening up. Places like Toys'R'Us where I bought....

hehe

Two reasons I love this picture. #1 My teacher friends from IS 52 met me for a delicious brunch for my birthday! #2 this restaurant appears to be named Sex, in fact it is Essex, my bad for missing half the letters

Kerry, Ilya and me at Liza's going away party. So glad to have seen her before the big move! Yummy pizza here too!

This is were my son would play if we got to live on the UWS right by Central Park! It was actually a beautifully warm weekend, not so drizzly at it appears here.

Note to self: get myself a haircut with bangs :)

I was so happy to see Emilia at the end of my trip, she just got in from Miami and we decided to hit Max Brenners for some chocolate!

 Yum :)

So there it is, my record of NYC in pictures :) I'm already getting excited for my next trip!

Downtime

The good and bad thing about working part time for the YMCA is that I have a big part of off time in the midday. This can be goood- I can be productive. Today I met with my Dad for coffee and a chat. He is thinking about getting some chickens for his backyard. I love this ide :) Now I am home and going to get a real start on my first applique quilt for the baby. I have al my design cut out but am really just winging the process of putting it together. Fingers crossed :)

End of a short week! NYC really refreshed me and has motivated me to use my midday for good! I certainly had a tendency to use it for naps and t.v. earlier. I was so so tired for weeks! Feeling a lot better now. And I finally told my boss about baby! I'm not sure why I put it off so long...

Oh! And since it passed my birthday I am now officially on to my new To Do List of 26 Things to Do While 26! Here they are in no particular order;

• visit New York City :1/15/10-1/19/10 birthday weekend!
  
• have a healthy baby : 5/21/10 @ 1:01am 
• travel to a new destination
• go on a sister's weekend 
• lose all baby weight: November- 2 lbs under my starting weight!
• make a quilt: January 2010, a play quilt for baby 
• cycle a century (100 mile bike tour)
• scrapbook for my past lists of Things to Do While __
• go on a babymoon with Jonathan 
• attend Katie's graduation from Western Michigan University
• volunteer somewhere in Grand Rapids  8/28; bike aid station for Ronald McDonald House
• join a sport league  in Kentwood with a team I met on craigslist 
• complete monthly sewing projects: shirt, Mandy's baby quilt, knitting projects
• take guitar lessons
• go camping
• move to a nice apartment
• create a list of baby friendly places around the city : Grandville Library Babytime, Baby Beloved Mothers Support Group
• go on a girl friend vacation
• decorate the baby room : finished in May 
• complete a post baby race : 10/30 Alger Heights Halloween 5K; 30:08
• cut credit card debt in half : December: paid off 1 card and paid down 1/2 of another. Now 1.5 cards left
• take a dancing class
• take a college class (Spanish, art?)
• attend a concert 
• cycle to Lake Michigan 
• get a job : 10/26 ESL paraprofessional at National Heritage Academy, Ridge Park