A Moment...

Tonight I went to pop Celia's night gown into the dryer because her slobber factor has increased greatly and I didn't want her sleeping in a wet outfit.  Bobby and Celia (shirtless) were in our bedroom across the apartment (or so I thought...).  I took the moment alone to sing my favorite Christmas song.  It's one about Kris Kringle that Bobby says doesn't exist.  I happen to think the song does exist and sing it intermittently throughout the year.  Nevermind that though.  So alone for a minute I not only sang the song, but I did a little dance in front of the mirror and checked out my tummy to see how the baby flummy looks.  I hear a snicker and glance up to see Bobby and Celia hiding in the hall peeking around the corner.  They saw the whole thing!!!!  I fell on the ground laughing.  And much to my pleasure Celia laughed hysterically too.  So did Bobby.  So there we all were laughing at the silly mama girl.  Oh embarassing moments.  They make the world go round and round.
Love,
Jenna

A Long Summer's Night

Well I've been waiting for the right time to tell this story. The story of Celia's birth.  I couldn't decide if this was the right forum for me, but I think I'll give it a shot.  The first real miracle I've ever experienced (at least that I can remember- for those of you who know my own start to this world) began June 14th. I'd waited, prayed, climbed stairs, eaten jalepenos straight up, had a very intense experience with some hot sauce at a Thai restaurant (we narrowly avoided the dreaded castor oil route) and Celia wouldn't budge.  She liked her snug little home and she wasn't sure what this world held for her, so I'm guessing she had some thought like- "Look Mommy, can you just chill for a few more days?  I'm stubborn just like you." 

And so as my dute date went flying past I became a ticking time bomb. Bobby was my shadow for the two weeks we waited (no complaints from me there). And each day we'd wake up and look at each other with this face like, "Dang, can you believe I slept like a rock again last night?  She's still in there!"  So my mom came to visit again for the tenth time (honestly 10 times) on Tuesday and when she left it was just like all the times before.  "Maybe next time you see me I'll be holding my baby."  I gave a weak, swollen faced smile and sent her on her way.  That night Bobby's parents got tired of waiting in Clemson and just decided to drive on to our house.  We went to have a quick dinner near our house.  I'd been examining every single pang, creak and ache to find out if it was labor and then it happened.  The first contraction... in Panera Bread of all places.  My face flushed with the intensity of it and I knew instinctively, "This is it!"  So we got back to the apartment and Jan (Bobby's mom) and I walked around our little lake for a mile.  I took a shower and drank tons of water (all things they say to do to make sure you are actually in labor) and the contractions kept coming every 30 minutes or so.  Bobby's parents left us around 9: 30 to begin the journey of labor by ourselves.  And as we settled down for a long summer's night we stood in the quiet of our home knowing it would the last time it would be just the two of us ever again.  ... To be continued....

I have a seven month old and it's half past midnight and

I'm awake?

Yes, you read correctly.  The bear is sleeping peacefully in her crib and Bobby is equally in dreamland and here I am just basically awake for the second night in a row... for no apparent reason.  Or so I thought... As I lay awake praying for people, mentally picking out outfits from our overstuffed closet (which I need to desperately clean out), planning my day, our meals, my latest excercise kick which I'll promptly start at 6am tomorrow (yeah right) it suddenly hit me: Starbucks ice cream!!

For the last two nights I've had Bobby scoop me two beautiful scoops of java chip ice cream with a dash splash of milk over the top and for the last two nights I can't sleep.  Is anyone else completely surprised by how completely surprised I am??  I've consumed alot(and I mean ALOT) of ice cream in my 26 years, most of it while pregnant (sorry Celia) and it's never interfered with sleep.  So bummer for me, but tomorrow I'll be faced with the gummy smile of my baby girl and she won't understand why Mama has such a weird dazed out expression.  And as all Mamas do, I'll give a toothy smile back at her and keep my fingers crossed that she'll want to be rocked to sleep for one of her naps. 

Oh yes and for anyone who's interested I have a pint of frozen caffeine with your name on it.  It's amazing with a dash splash of milk and a sprinkle of insomnia.  

Love, Jenna

My Celia Girl

Better late than never and blah blah blah.  I always start my posts with an apology (b/c they have a woefully long time in between each post), but I've decided to lessen the guilt factor immensely in 2012 and with that I will just begin to tell you all about our sweet baby face named Celia.  

She is all out crawling these days and today I put her down in the living room and literally ran to sweep the kitchen.  I got two, maybe three, sweeps in when a heard a soft splat right behind me.  Her chub a lub hand was making contact with, you guessed it, the kitchen floor.  She wanted to be where Mama was.  I choose to believe it's because she adores me, but it also has alot to do with the fact that my girl is a nosy rosy. She wanted to investigate what I was doing as well as crawl right through the newly gathered crumbs, dirt, etc. in a small heap in the middle of the floor.  After which she licked her hands and tasted her first dirt!  (That's a milestone to put in the baby book :)).  

I also have a suspicion that she is teething, but no swollen gums yet. Just a lot of drool and fussiness...  I would say this week has been one of her hardest weeks to date.  She literally wails and screams when I leave her room for her naptime.  Normally she gives me one last smile before snuggling down on her own to snooze.  Today I couldn't help but crack up when she was demanding I return to her crib and gripping the wrungs like I've left her in jail and it was a terrible injustice.  She's such a drama queen.  (Wonder where she gets that?)

She's begun eating baby food.  Favorite so far: squash.

 She pulled up on the side of the coffee table this week and gummed the side in between drooly grins in my direction.  I can't believe how much she is changing!

I've nicknamed her "bear".  And the more I get to know her she's living up to her name.  She has the snuggly appeal of a smiling friendly little teddy bear and the intensity of an actual bear!  In case the nickname harshes anyone out I also call her, " Baby Belle" and "Darling Heart".  It's official, I'm totally in love with her, my gift from God.

Love,

Jenna