One of those weeks...

Do you ever have one of those weeks that you blink and is gone? But then you look back and can't think of what kept you so busy? That is how I have felt this week. I can't believe tomorrow is Friday! So here is a quick re-cap...

Monday: Errands! I was very productive... post office, salon, Costco, Target, Trader Joe's. Gracie was great, and slept so well in her car seat. I feel like I should be taking full advantage of these times while they last. I spent the afternoon going through the boxes of baby clothes that came from Sydney. Merrick and I have yet to purchase a single item of clothing for our child - and her closet is literally packed. It is great! The Schilperoorts came over with dinner - Annie cooked for us! It was fabulous food, and fun times with friends. It is amazing how big her boys are getting.

Tuesday: A few more errands (for things I forgot to buy at Costco yesterday) before heading to lunch with friends from Providence. Marisa and I carpooled, yet another thing to enjoy while it lasts, into NE to meet Courtney, Karen and Tara. We ate at the Alameda Cafe on Fremont and 46th. After lunch we stopped by Starbucks where it just so happened to be the first day of Pumpkin Latte season... how convenient.

Wednesday: Scrapbook extravaganza! I packed up Gracie's baby book and a few other projects and spent the day with my stuff strewn across Marisa's dinning room table. We both were able to accomplish quite a bit in between feeding babies and chatting.

Thursday: Lunch with the Gibson 5! This has been planned for a while, but we didn't confirm until this morning. I felt pretty good about myself getting up, feeding Gracie, getting showered and dressed, and arriving on time to the Old Spaghetti Factory at 11:30 a.m. for an early lunch. That was until I found out all that Sarri had done this morning... Her two big kids had dentist appointments, then met their grandpa (Sarri's dad) to take a quick airplane trip over the McMinnville/Sheridan area (Garrett told me all about the "rolls" they did in the plane), they all then drove from Mac to Hillsboro, and were more on time than I was - and, Sarri looked great! Again, enjoy my one child while I have only one... and stop complaining about how hard it is to get going in the mornings. =)

Body fluids and bare feet...

That pretty much sums up our fun weekend with Amy... yes, I do mean weekend, it has just taken me this long to get around to writing about it. Forrest was out of town last weekend, so Amy and Wallis (their dog) came down for a visit. On Friday evening we met Drew, Marisa and Sydney downtown for dinner. We got take out from our favorite Lebanese place, and headed a little further east to Laurelhurst Park. It was nice to just get out of the house and get a change of scenery. I am not sure why we don't do that type of thing more often. After dinner we headed back to the Coleman's house for games. We stayed up WAY too late, but had a blast. Saturday morning was nice and lazy. Gracie slept really well, so we got to make up for the late night by sleeping in just a bit. We made German pancakes for breakfast and watched a silly chick-flick ("Because I Said So") while we ate.

This is where the fun starts... Gracie has developed an unfortunate case of bulimia, and spits up (a lot) after about 50% of her meals. She soaked me three times in the course of about 10 minutes. Amy was finding the situation quite amusing, and not hiding her laughter as I cleaned myself over and over again. Well, she got what was coming to her when she went into our back yard to tend to Wallis, and stepped bare foot into... well, enough said. =) We took those incidences as our cue to take showers and stop being so lazy.

We (Amy, Wallis, Gracie and I) met up with Drew, Marisa, Sydney and Boscoe for lunch at the Lucky Lab before heading to the dog park. It was a nice day - not too hot - and the dogs had fun running off their energy. We then went back to the Coleman's for a delicious BBQ dinner and, you guessed it, more games! On Sunday, before Amy had to head home, we all met once again, but this time for breakfast at Tom's Pancake House. I swear we do more than eat...

It was a GREAT weekend with friends. I am so thrilled that Amy's folks are moving to the area because I am pretty sure I'll see her a little more often... well, I sure hope so anyway. Merrick and I miss the days of "communal" living in Corvallis with the Arnolds and Morses. Those were fun times.

Goodness gracious great...

... aunts and uncles!

Yesterday Gracie and I met my aunt Sheryl and uncle Allan for lunch. They are up in town for the weekend, and hadn't yet seen Gracie, so it was fun to get together with them and visit for a bit. Sheryl had a gift for Grace, and it was so cute, I have to share pictures...

This fun hat looks like a flower from the top. It is hand made, and the lady that makes the hats makes each one different, so it is 100% unique. It is nice and warm and will be perfect for this winter... and perhaps even next winter too!

It starts out big, but lookin' good...

...then gets lower

...and eventually ends up like this. =)

Happy birthday dear...

...Gracie!

I can't believe it, but our little baby is 2 months old. She is so much fun, smiling more every day. We feel truly blessed to have her in our family!

I can't remember when...

...I used to sleep all night long.
...I used to run (almost) every day.
...I didn't have a baby.

Well, I honestly can't remember the last time I slept through an entire night. From the moment I found out I was pregnant I was up at least once a night, usually twice, to use the bathroom. Now that my bladder is not being pressed on, I have a baby to feed in the middle of the night. So, imagine how exciting it was to wake up this morning and realize that I had slept for 8 straight hours! Yep, Gracie slept from 11:30 p.m. to 7:22 a.m.

I also haven't run for almost an entire year. I had a few nagging injuries after Hood to Coast last year, so I cut back my mileage quite a bit when I was finished with that event. Then, I got pregnant, and was really sick and just didn't feel like running. So this morning, after feeding Gracie, I dug out my running shoes and headed to the track. It was GREAT to run again. My joints ached a bit, and I am sore tonight, but it felt great to move. I only ran 1 mile, and was careful to walk every other lap. (I went a total of 2 1/2 miles... half running, half walking.) My doctors cleared me to run, but said to start gradually, and since my belly scar still aches from time to time, I think I'll take their advice.

So, today was another fun day of what felt like firsts. And, though it is nice to get a full night of sleep, I would trade a lifetime of sleep for my precious baby. I honestly have a hard time remember life before Grace.

The good, the bad, the happy, the sad...

We hit a fun milestone with Gracie last week... on Thursday I had her in my lap and was just talking to her like I usually do. All of the sudden, she started smiling at me. She has been smiling in her sleep since birth, but now she is smiling at us on purpose! Merrick didn't see it until last night - I was holding her and he was looking at her over my shoulder and she looked right at him and gave a big ol' smile. He was thrilled!

Right after she smiled at him, Merrick grabbed the camera - of course she didn't do it again while he had it out and ready. Tongue kisses from Gracie.

On Friday, Gracie went in for her 2 month check up. She is still just a little peanut, but is finally on the charts.

• Weight: 8 pounds, 3 ounces (5th %)
• Length: 21 1/4 inches (10th %)
• Head circumference: 37 1/2 (25th %)

She also had to get four shots. The last time she had a shot they made her lay on the cold table all alone - it was awful to watch. This time the nurse let me hold her. It wasn't much better, but I felt like I could comfort her a little better. The really terrible part is that she was sound asleep in my arms before the first poke... imagine that rude awakening.

Gracie's band aids - you may not be able to see them since they are camouflage, but if you look closely you will see that there are three band aids on those skinny little legs.

On Saturday, Merrick and I bought new furniture! We had been looking for quite a while, and finally made a decision. (The three places we were looking all had sales last weekend, so we needed to buy while the stuff was discounted). We ended up buying a couch and love seat from La-Z-Boy. We didn't love the stock fabric, so we had it custom made with different fabric. I think we are going to love it. We opted to not get the chair and ottoman for now - we may get one or both later. The leather chair in Gracie's room will eventually come back down stairs to the living room, so we just aren't sure that we needed the chair. Plus, we saved enough money that Merrick now thinks he is going to get a big TV... we'll just have to see about that.
It will probably take a few months to get the couches, so we will be furniture-less after Dorsey moves out. Oh well, that will give me time to clean the carpets.

Also on Saturday I took Gracie to her first wedding. Jennifer Swanborough got married. I had worked with her in the Admissions Office at GFU, so it was fun to go to the wedding and see her again. There were a few other people from Fox there too, and some friends from my old church, so it was fun to catch up with people I hadn't seen in a while. While there, Gracie had her first ever "blow-out" diaper. Poop soaked through her fancy white pants, up her back, pretty much it was everywhere. I was really glad it happened while she was wrapped in a blanket... I had packed extra clothes... and the people I was around were used to that sort of thing.

Hannah and Grace... pre-poop accident. =)

A new pattern...

I can't get too excited, because it has only happened a few times, but Gracie has started stretching out her night feedings and is sleeping for over seven hours before needed to wake up to eat, then going back to sleep for at least another three hours! It has been nice to be getting much more sleep with fewer breaks. I'm lovin' it!

We have been out and about running errands for most of the day... I think she is probably ready to be out of her carseat.

It's about time...

...for one big ol' update. I just realized that it has been a week since I posted anything - and there has been some fun stuff happening. (Well, fun for me, maybe it isn't big news, but I'll still write about it).

Last week I took a few trips to Target to buy baby food using the coupon I posted last week. I ended up buying a total of 180 containers of baby food. My pantry is stocked (for now) and I am getting very excited to start feeding Gracie the food we now have!
On Thursday evening my grandma, mom, Gracie and I headed to St. Vincent hospital to do a photo shoot. Working for the health system has some benefits, and some silly responsibilities like this... we were asked to do a "generational" photo shoot for the upcoming magazine that is produced by the health system. Since it is my old department that is working on the magazine, they knew I had just had Grace, and that my family lived in the area, so we got roped into this. It was really not that bad, and it was fun to hang out with mom and grandma for the evening.
Also on Thursday, the Blue Angels came into town! Our house is about 3 miles from the Hillsboro airport - shorter if you could fly from here to there. We often hear planes flying over the house, but on Thursday I was woken up when our bed started shaking as the jets did fly-bys over the house. On Friday and Saturday I sat outside and watched them zoom overhead - it was incredible - like having our own private air show.

This is the corner of our roof... it was SO loud!

These two jets just floated by - right across the street. I should have gotten a better picture, but didn't have my camera ready in time. Bummer!

This is the top of our house - the jet flew out and straight up over our heads!

Along with these still shots, I was taking some video of the occasion. I wish I knew how to post video on my blog, because it is pretty fun to watch.

On Saturday we had a big family gathering at our house. The Diefenbaughs, Merrick's dad, Merrick's cousin and her family, his aunt and uncle from Minnesota, and some family friends came for dinner. There were 16 of us all together - counting kids and babies. It was fun to have a house full of people and have the chance to sit around and visit with family that we don't see often enough.

On Sunday, after church, we headed out to Portland to visit the Elite 8. This time it was at Justin and Melissa's house. Unfortunately Kevin and Annie's boys weren't feeling good, so we didn't see them this time. Joel and Sarri made it though and we had fun hanging out with everyone, eating great food and playing some new games. Merrick and I were there ALL day, and buy 11 p.m. started packing up. Gracie was starting to act hungry, so I decided to feed her there before leaving. Good thing, or we would have missed the real excitement of the day... Barkley, the Burch's 10 pound mini-wiener dog had been out in the back yard for a while. We were sitting in the front room talking when Justin jumped out of his seat and yelled at the little dog. He had come into the laundry room - through his doggy-door - with an opossum! The rest of us were thinking it was pretty funny, but Burch didn't want that little guy in his house, so Merrick and Justin went around back to get it out and threw it over the fence (yep, he tossed it over - and I am being nice by using the word "tossed" rather than hucked). Anyway, it was quite exciting, and I was glad to witness the entire episode.

Yesterday (aka Monday) was a marathon shopping day. Marisa and I (with Drew, Syd and Grace) headed out to IKEA. It was a little last minute, and we had no idea what we were in for. We left Marisa's house at about 12:15 and got back to her house at 6... yep, almost 6 hours of shopping and driving - no wonder the girls were screaming on the way home. We putzed around the top floor show room for a while, ate lunch and then went through the store part down stairs. It was fun to see everything. We really didn't end up with all the much, but I feel like there is more I would like, and I got some good ideas for things to do around my house. We'll see if I ever get to it. Gracie did pick out a few toys for herself - a camel (to be like her daddy) and a musical turtle (to be like her mommy).
Looks like the foundations are being poured soon... work is continuing next door.
Today, after taking lunch to Merrick, we stopped at Target. It wasn't a necessary stop, but I needed to look at a few things, so I thought we'd run in. I walked around the first corner in the store and bumped into Kelsie's mom, Pam! We visited for a bit, just until Gracie started to fuss, then I headed off to run a few other errands. It was fun to see her and chat for just a bit.

The End

Something I must share...

For anyone out there who uses Gerber brand baby food... you need to know about this coupon. I found it randomly on another blog that I happened across. You can generate as many coupons as you would like - and Target has no limit with how many you can use at a time. The coupon expires on 8/15, and if you are stocking up on baby food, just watch the expiration dates.

Some jars start at $0.52 each, so when you buy two and get $1 off, they are $0.02 each. I just got back from Target, where I purchase 30 jars of baby food for a whopping $5.09! I am going back tonight to get more... why not stock up and save?

So, pass the link on to anyone who has babies and needs (or will need) baby food! This is a great deal.

Gracie taking a nap in her bouncer this afternoon.

The first cut is the deepest...

On Friday I got Grace all ready to go out and run errands. She was sleepy, so I figured she would snooze once she was strapped in the seat... well, she lost her binky and started screaming. I was in the kitchen filling my water bottle. I knew she was just fussing about the pink bink being gone, so I ignored her temporarily. The screaming got louder, so I went to investigate, and discovered that she had clawed her face (which happens frequently around here), but since her nails needed to be trimmed, she cut her eye and actually drew blood. No wonder she was really screaming! I think I would have been too. Good news is the pink bink worked wonders, and she was immediately calm once she had it again. I took the picture of this... her first real "injury."
For the first time we thought to take pictures of Gracie's bath time. Merrick threw on his bathing suit and hopped in with her so we could get some pictures. This picture doesn't reflect it, but she LOVES the water. She can be in a screaming fit, but once her body touches the water, she is calm. We can't figure out which she likes more... the water, or the noise it makes as the tub is filling up.
On Saturday we went out to Lake Oswego to visit my parents. They invited us over to celebrate my birthday. My mom made a great dinner of roast beef and mashed potatoes (I love mashed potatoes!). Grace seems to be plenty of entertainment for them, so we didn't do much. Just hung out and let them hold the baby. We did watch The Bridge to Terabithia. Merrick and I read the book at Christmas time when we found out they were making a movie. They did a really good job with it - it made me cry. Gracie fell asleep on grandpa during the movie and wasn't happy that we moved her to go home. She fussed most of the way home - probably she was just hungry, but we'll let Bob think it was because she missed him so much.


Yesterday we went over to see the Sinclair family . Pete, Jennifer and Kayla welcomed baby Sam on July 25! It was fun to visit with them again and also to see our aunt Sandra who lives in Minnesota and we see about once a year. The family seems to be doing well. Kayla has adjusted to life as the big sister, and Jennifer looks GREAT! We both has c-sections, so I am comparing her to how I looked and felt at this stage of recovery...without a two-year-old running around my house!
Gracie is no longer the littlest... for once, there is a baby that she outweighs. I am sure it won't take Sammy long to catch up and surpass our little peanut, but she got a bit of a self-esteem boost from our visit yesterday. Now she has a big-baby complex.

It is strange to see a "true" newborn (well, he is two weeks old, but close enough) and to realize how much Gracie has changed over the past six weeks. She is still so new and little to us, and since we see her daily, it is hard to see the subtle changes she has gone through.

Today we woke up to the sounds of large equipment working nearby. Sure enough, they have started excavation on the empty lot next to our house. This is the view from our bonus room. Soon there will be 6 huge houses out there... the only window that faces this direction.
We've been told they will be huge houses, and on big lots (well, big compared to the standard lot size these days anyway). I know it will only increase the value of our home, but we have really enjoyed the empty space and the privacy that comes with that.

Amazing and unexpected gifts...

Merrick and I have been surprised at how thoughtful people have been when giving gifts to Grace and us. Not that people in our lives aren't usually thoughtful, but it has been the people that we have little contact with normally who have been extra thoughtful and sent some very meaningful gifts to our little girl.

About a month ago my grandma called and said she had a few gifts to bring over - little things from people at the church I grew up in and something from my great aunt Alice in Pennsylvania. I opened the little package from Alice and there was a card with a very old picture of a woman on the front. (I have been meaning to scan the picture and post it - perhaps someday.) Inside the card was the following letter...

"Dear Grace Marie,
We are so happy that you are safely here and have come to join your nice family. You certainly were loved before you were born, by your parents and now by everybody. Enclosed is something I want you to have. When you are older, I think you will appreciate having them. These five silver spoons belonged to your great-great-great grandmother. Her name was Grace Winifred Carey. She was my grandmother. Grace was tiny and quiet. She was born in Pennsylvania. She married young and had three children, but only one, my mother Rosilnd, survived childhood. She moved west with her husband, Darwin Greene and daughter. They lived in Oakland, California and were there at the time of the big earthquake in 1906. Years ago, my mother gave a doll to your grandmother, Nancy Minthorne. This doll had been given to Rosalind when she was little and was dressed in clothes made by Grace and her sister. I played with it all my childhood and I called her Grace, after the grandmother I never knew. I am happy to know that these little spoons will now be yours.
Love,
Your great-great aunt,
Alice"

When Merrick and I picked the name Grace for our first daughter, we had no idea that it was a family name (on both sides of our families). Now, my little girl has these 5 silver spoons with her name engraved on each, that are over 100 years old! I am amazed that they have survived in my family for that long, and that my great aunt was so kind to pass them on to my baby.

The next incredible gift again was delivered by my grandma. On Tuesday Gracie and I went to Newberg to visit my grandparents and pick up another package from a lady that I used to go to church with. The card attached to the package read:

"Hannah -
Eight years ago - when Daria was born - I was given many baby blankets. Some were so beautiful I had a hard time using them! One of them was made by your grandma Etta. After she died - I decided to save the one she had made for you. I don't think I used it - it seemed so delicate and Daria was a spitter. :) I hope that you enjoy it - and that it will bring happy memories to you of your beautiful grandma.
With much love,
Christine"

For those of you who don't know, my grandma died six years ago. She was only 63 years old. None of us expected her to die so young - she was healthy and very alive! She used to love making afghan blankets for everyone - my brother, cousins and I all had many that grandma had made. Because the cancer took her so quickly, she never had the opportunity to make blankets for her future great-grand kids. The little yellow and white blanket that Christine thought to save for me is absolutely priceless. I will never be able to adequately thank her for the incredible thoughtfulness she showed by saving something so precious for my baby. I just wish there were three more out there for Craig, Jeff and Andrea to have someday.

So thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, for the gifts that just keep coming. We truly are blessed!

Gracie on the blanket from great-grandma Laughland!

Newborn pics...

We had Soren take pictures of little Gracie when she was just four days old. (He took our wedding pictures, and we love them, so we went back for more!) We just got the negatives from him - here is a slide show of a few of the best pictures... he took over 400 so there were many to choose from.