School pictures Fall 2009

At least these are better quality than the other pictures school took- but really? We didn't buy any. The open mouth 'blue steal' look in the first pic is our personal favorite.

Sylvie's Sylhouette November 2009

Boy or girl? Poor Sylvie...

well.....here it goes....

It has been awhile, I am not sure where to even start! After Sylvie's birthday it was like she was doing something new every day. It was not soon after that she started walking. Sometime in the middle of September she decided that walking was much better than crawling and that was the end of that! She is a walking machine. It is so cute to see you 'power walk' to Ralph and I and give us big hugs around our legs! Possible the best feeling ever!
Sylvie also loves her bath time. This is another great part of the day. I will go and start her bath and then tell it is time for her bath. She is so excited and runs to the bathroom, clothes and all on, and stands by the tub for me to put her in. I have to pick her up to her dismay to go to her room and take her clothes off. She then runs (power walks) to the bathroom again and tries to get in. It is just so neat seeing that she knows how things work now, and words that we use. She definitely knows bath time!
Sylvie says a few 'words' as well. These aren't properly formed words, but Ralph and I certainly know what she is saying. She says mama and dada, Thank you (what a nice child), what's that, and i like that. A conversation with Sylvie might go as follows:
Sylvie: 'What is that?'
Mama: 'It's _____'
Sylvie: 'Is that?'
Mama: 'Yep'
Sylvie: 'I like that!'
Mama ends up filling in a lot! But she is certainly learning!

Another tidbit of exciting news, We are expecting our second baby! Sylvie will be a big sister at 22 months old. Ralph and I could not be more excited! Our 'plan' had been to have babies two years apart, and we have accomplished this so far. Now I am wondering what in the world we were thinking! Two babies under Two years old??!! I tell myself that millions of mommies and daddies do it and everything will be fine! Right now our due date is May 29th- this might change at our next appointment. I like Geminis, so I hope it doesn't change too much :)
I have heard that every pregnancy is it's own and completely different. So far, this is true. For one thing, we found out about #2 baby a lot sooner than #1 baby! With Sylvie, I just thought I had a cold and was feeling a little under the weather. With #2 baby, I am feeling horrible. It was become a little better, and hopefully that will continue!
We will also be finding out the sex of this baby before birth! This is very exciting to me for some reason, because I am all about the surprise. Ralph wants to know. We made a compromise during the first pregnancy- we will be surprised with the first and if we have another we will find out what we are having. But I am excited about knowing and 'bonding' with the baby a little sooner!

Well more new posts below, I have backdated so be sure to look around!
Hopefully I won't be such a slacker from now on....

okay I got tired, more posts to follow tomorrow ;)

New Posts...

Coming Soon. I promise.

Best Friends

I would like to think Addy and Sylvie are best friends, but I think Addy is using Sylvie. Sylvie feeds Addy at every meal and snack, pets Addy, and today she even opened Addy's 'house' (where she goes when she is bad) all by herself! Addy does not have any gratitude. She never says thank you and runs by Sylvie really fast to knock her over :(

cheeeeeesseeeeee

Christmas in August?

I received this email last week:

Dear karen,

Seasons Greetings from Santa at Phipps!

Can you believe we are just 2 months away from the opening of our appointment
system on Oct. 7th at 12:01am!!??!!

Santa will arrive at Phipps Plaza on Nov. 7th this year!!

We have just finished updating our website with important information for this seasons
appointment system...Please check the website frequently for updates as we approach Oct. 7th.

http://www.santaatphipps.com



We are looking forward to seeing all of you again soon...

Sincerely,
Big Shot

Wow. This is serious business. I will be up on Oct. 7 at midnight to make my appointment, that's for sure. I don't want to miss this Santa.....

One Year Checkup

We had Sylvie's one year checkup last week- the same week as her first fever and sick day. She is 90% for her height still, 70% for her weight and 60% for her head size. Doctor says she has a clean bill of health! On a scary note, we were one of the last appointments of the day and about two hours for the doc ( i see a theme here....). When the doc came in the room he apologized and said it has been a crazy day- there were TWO cases of swine flu in the office that day! The had to clear out the sick waiting room and wipe everything down. I am glad we were in the well room, but super scary. And i hope the poor kids are doing okay. Doc said Sylvie will have to have the swine flu vaccine when it comes out in the fall. That scares me as well because it is a new vaccine- no telling what it will do to our kids when they are 30.
Sylvie also has a nevus, a birthmark that looks like a mole ( a huge mole) on her back. She has to go to a dermatologist to get it looked at. Doc says that there it is nothing to worry about until she is about 4- but I have noticed dark smaller moles appearing in it. So we have an appointment for a pediatric dermatologist! I am not worried at all, but I will feel much better after a professional has seen it.
We have moved up, finally, to the baby B room at daycare! And yes, this is where she got sick. I suppose she had to get all the new germs and virus from this room over with. I had to keep her home two days ( thanks mom for watching her one of them!). She is much better and back to her old self.
Dada and baby had a nap after school when she was sick....
Sylvie has also learned how to drink out of a cup and is well on her way to being a big girl!!

Amusements and things I should be ashamed off?

It's tough being parents. But I am just going to come out and admit the things we do to cut corners. I think Ralph might make me take down this post tomorrow....

--we set up the pack and play for Emmie when she came over. That was two weekends ago. We now use it as our closet- our clean clothes are in it just waiting to be put away.

--We have a box of hand me down clothes (thank you Melissa!) for Sylvie. In the morning I go to this box to dress my baby because I have not done her laundry.

okay, two is enough. I don't want to admit anymore.

and onto amusements from my sweet daughter...

--Sylvie got a toy baby stroller with a doll baby in it from her grams for her birthday. She loves it! The day after her birthday she was walking around with it all morning. I took the doll baby out and showed it to her. She looked at the doll, then the toy stroller, then the doll, then the dolls legs, and then proceeded to try to get INTO the toy stroller. hilarious.


--We found a Yoda stuffed animal at target so I brought it over to the cart to show Ralph and Sylvie. She smiled so big when she saw it, laughed, and then it seemed that she scooted over in the cart to Yoda could sit down next to her.

Grandma Jean Ramsey

I was very lucky to have met you- you are such a wonderful person. And I am so happy Sylvie got to meet her Great Grandmother. Ralph and I will make sure Sylvie knows how special you are. We miss you :(

1st Birthday!

I just cannot believe how fast this year went, and I would not change any of it for the world.
Sylvie's first birthday came and went. She was so good, loved all her friends and family being there and enjoyed every minute of it. Sylvie did so much better than her mommy did, I was a little stressed!

One of Sylvie's favorite presents was a toy baby stroller. I almost died when she got right up and started walking and pushing the stroller! She's been walking that stroller around ever since her birthday party!
The day after her party, she did try to get in the stroller though.

Sylvie got her first cake- she looks kind of disappointed- all her friends get sugary cakes to smash all over their face, and her mommy gives her a measly banana cupcake.
Everyday Sylvie is doing something new and I just love her more everyday. Ralph and I could not have made a better baby! I run home from work just to see her and see what she is up to and hug her and kiss her. I cannot get enough of her smiles and laughs.


Thanks to everyone for all your help this past year!!

10:35 on Aug. 1 2008

10:35 Aug. 1 2009

July 31, 3008

I thought I would write this down, because neither Ralph nor I remember me being pregnant. What was it- 10years ago?

Last year on this day Ralph and I went to our regular scheduled appointment. I believe it was at 2:45. I also believe that I took a 'nap' most of the morning. By this point in my pregnancy I was tired, hot, large, uncomfortable.
Ralph and I were excited because we were going to have another ultrasound! Last week the midwife said the baby was big- and we needed to have an ultrasound to make a decision about what to do- induce or wait and see if baby was ready to come out at all- I was 0 dilated/ 0 effaced at that time. 000.
I was excited to see my baby so close to my due date- to see what he/ she really looked like! I just had no idea in my head what this little person could be like, and any glimpse I could get- I took.
We got to the doctor's office early- probably around 2:20. They are never in a hurry there and I could tell they were especially busy that day. There was a student nurse that had been in the office for the past couple of weeks. And since I had been going to the doc every week, I had gotten to know her. She recognized Ralph and I and said 'Oh- I was hoping not to see you again! I wanted you to have that baby!' Ugh. I felt like I would never have this baby. I felt like I would be pregnant forever. I felt like my body would never be the same- I would never be able to put pants on without sitting down, I would never be able to stand for more than 10 minutes at a time, I would never get rid of the invisible fur coat that I had on.
We waited. And waited. I saw a couple come out of the ultrasound room, and the couple sitting next to us go in. There was still a women sitting in the waiting area with us- I hoped to god she was not getting an ultrasound. Our appointment time passed and I was getting more impatient- everyone was leaving and the nurses were doing their closing cleaning. There is no other nightmare than being 9 months pregnant and sitting in an uncomfortable waiting room chair for more than 10 min. I kept seeing my Doctors nurse and the student nurse walk by and look at us and smile and then I heard them go behind the wall and whisper. I wanted to tell them to hurry the ultrasound lady up!
Finally, at about 3:45, the nurse called me back. They were going to do the doctors stuff first and then the ultrasound. We went to the room- had a hilarious discussion with the student nurse ( not web suitable). The Doc checked and I was not dilated at all. Such a heart sinking feeling. Will this baby ever come out? The doc sent Ralph and I into the ultrasound room. He was going to talk to the ultrasound tech when she was done and call me with any news.
I don't remember seeing my baby at all on the tiny screen. She put the mouse thing on my stomach and didn't even turn the screen so we could see. She moved it around all over and said that she had to go get the doctor- she hoped a doctor was still here. I had been trying not to be the emotional pregnant lady my whole pregnancy. I did not even look at Ralph. I remember thinking - if Ralph is calm than I have nothing to worry about. Finally I looked at him and asked what was going on. He had no idea either and I broke down! I could not image what was wrong! I had carried this baby for NINE long months with no problems. What could possible be wrong now, at 9 months and 3 weeks???? My mind was racing.
Doctor came in with the ultrasound tech. She said- I don't see any fluid. The Doc turned to us and said ‘looks like we are going to the hospital tonight!’ Tears were running down my face. Doc held my leg and looked me in the eye and assured me baby is fine. I could not believe that. The ultrasound tech did some more searching and they found some water. The doc was not amused. He said ' imagine that - she found some fluid'. I felt the same way. Why get me all upset?!
Doc left and said I would hear from him later.
The ultrasound tech continued to do a test to see if the baby was moving. She held the buzzer to my stomach many times and baby was not moving much at all. She asked what I had had to eat that day. I realized all I had before the appointment was a coke (and breakfast earlier). I was not expecting to be here all day!
At 4:45 it was over. We were walking out of the office and the main nurse stopped us. She said she talked to the doc and he said to go ahead and send me to the hospital. The baby was running out of room, and baby was not moving much during the stress test.
I was in shock. What? now? Am I ready. It is finally here- the day I will have my baby. I will meet him or her. I will know what it is like to have a child. I will have this responsibility for the rest of my life. It is today? I think I smiled. I might have laughed. I am pretty sure a tear came out of my eye. I looked at Ralph - scared and excited at the same time. This is it!
Somehow the papers were in my hand and we had our instructions. Wait until about 5:30 and then if I have not heard from the hospital saying they had a room- call them. I am not sure how I remembered this. I think Ralph actually did. I asked her what I could eat. She said you can eat - just not a big hamburger or anything too heavy. How did she know that is all I wanted?

We got in the car. OMG. I didn’t even call anyone yet. I had to call someone. I called my mom and told her the Baby is coming tonight. I told her the news. She kept asking questions and I could not explain fully because I was not even sure what had happened. I could tell she was a little apprehensive about inducing. I called Katherine. I called Heather. I texted. There was traffic. What if the hospital called while we were still in traffic? I still had not eaten anything. My mom said to eat scrambled eggs- not too heavy. I got home and called Katie. She had been induced with her second child and told me what to expect. I had not read up on induction. I cannot remember ever even thinking about it! I made my eggs- I could not even eat them. Ralph took a shower. I had showered right before my appointment- so I decided not to shower again (if I had to do it all over again- I would shower). I called the hospital at about 5:45- they had no rooms available and I was on her list to call when they became available.

Ralph went to bed around 10pm and I tried to follow him. I kept checking my phone to make sure it was on. The bags were packed in the car and I was just waiting. At 10:30 the phone finally rang! The nurse asked if I could be at the hospital around 11:45. Who was she kidding, we were there at 11:20.

We waiting a little for our room and walked it. I just could not believe this was it! My parents came to see us. The nurse asked me 1million questions (how do women with full on contractions answer these questions?). My favorite question, and favorite only because it took me by surprise, was when the nurse walked over and whispered in my ear something along the lines of ‘does your husband hit you’. They sure do cover all bases here. I remember wondering if I could tell everyone what she had asked.

Since I was being induced, the nursed had to do an ultrasound to make sure that I did indeed need to be induced. This was the most uncomfortable ultrasound I had ever had. Sylvie was in the right position to come out, which is a good thing for birth, but not for what the nurses needed. The nurse had to get a shot of the WHOLE baby from head to toe to show the doctors at the hospital that the baby was big and I needed to be induced. Who came up with this bright idea? If the baby is BIG- why in the world would you try to fit the whole baby in one shot? The nurse was poking and prodding me to no end. I thought she might push the baby out. I was having braxton hicks contractions the whole time and thought I might die right there- and this was only the beginning!

She finally had to call in a more senior nurse who did get the show in the end.

I was finally given Cervadil at 2am. They would start the pitocin around 8am. They said I should have a baby by lunchtime the next day!

Beautiful Girl

One big circle

Last year on this day Ralph and I went to get my free dinner at Provinos. I did not realize it, but I was going to have Sylvie in 10 days. I ordered my free entrée, ate half of it and then felt like I had stuffed a 20lb ball into my stomach. I was so full with food and baby I thought I was going to give birth right there. It was horrible.

Birthdays have a whole different meaning after you have a child. When I had birthdays before Sylvie, I never thought about how much I had accomplished in one year, or how quick the year had gone by, what I would be doing the next year in my life, or even what I had done the year before. I guess I lived in the present. Now I am thinking about how quick this year went by, I have had a child this whole time. I keep thinking about what I was doing last year at this time, I didn’t even know if Sylvie was going to be a boy or a girl! My how things change. Everyone says things will change after you have a baby, but you just cannot explain this in full until you have a child. It is amazing how EVERYTHING changes. Your body, your mind, your memory, what you think about, what you eat. Everything down to the size shoe you wear. I struggled a little with this at first, I felt like I didn’t even know who I was, because everything had changed so drastically and so quickly. I felt that after Sylvie was born everything had changed and I felt like I should not be the same person. I felt like I should be different, and I was different. But even though everything had changed, I was still the same person. I am still Karen. Now I am just also mama.

This year we went to Provinos agian. I got my free dinner and felt the same as I did last year- except with a beautiful child (along with my handsome husband) to share it with.

Sunday mornings

Sunday mornings are my favorite. I relax a little, drink my coffee and read the paper.

Mommy went to Orlando and all I got was this t-shirt...

Rotten Fruit

Ugly or Pretty?
I think it almost looks like this peach had surgery and was stitched up.

These peaches were amazingly good!

Best Friends

Sylvie has met many of her potential besties recently. Last Thursday we went over to the Mansfield's to see Emmie. She was so sleepy! I did get to hold her though :)

Sylvie was intrigued a little with Emmie. She was more intrigued by playing with Emmie's socks.

Emmie and her mama

Beautiful sleeping baby

This Saturday Ralph took Sylvie up to the Prue's in South Carolina. Conner is almost 2 and a little brother is due the first week of August! Of all our pregnant friends and friends with babies, there are only two with boys- and the Prue's are about to have another boy! I need to figure out their secret when we decide to have another.
Such cute babies and playing so nicely!!

by the way, I am well aware that Sylvie is almost the same size as Conner.

11 months

Finally

Sylvie is holding her bottle by herself! Only when she is laying back on her bobby though. She learned this at daycare. Ralph picked her up early one day and Miss Annie was a little nervous- 'oh daddy is early today!'- because Sylvie was seated in a bouncy feeding herself.
I was also called out at a work BBQ the other day- Sylvie was sitting in my lap and I was holding the bottle for her- and my co worker turned to me and said ' what is this? At this age you are supposed to just hand her the bottle!'
I blame it on glass bottles. I don't want her to drop it and hurt herself!

Cheap Toys

Of all the toys we have for Sylvie, she loves the cheapest ones the best. She loves the rings that come with all her toys- so you can attach them to the bouncy, etc. They are probably 10cents each. She also found two water jugs- she loves those as well. This child is easily pleased!

Sylvie and her jugs.

Father's Day and beer!

I took Ralph to the Terrapin Brewery in Athens for Father's Day. Chris and Krystal joined us- it was a fun day!

Here is Chris teaching my 10 month old daughter how to drive. A little irresponsible- don't you think Chris?

Daddy enjoyed is beer.

A good thig about having a kid with you is you get free things! The lady at the cash register at Terrapin thought Sylvie was so cute- so she gave her a little stuffed turtle. Sylvie enjoyed knawing on it.

redneck?

I bought Sylvie this take top because it was white- so I wouldn't have to worry about matching early in the morning- and because it was cute- of course.
I put it on her with shorts and was very disappointed to see that it looked like a wifebeater.

When she came home from daycare with carrot stains on it....all she needed as a can of apple juice and she would be right at redneck.

Sylvie can make anything cute though.

....a very beautiful baby was born....

Congrats to Heather and Nate!

Emersen was born on Wednesday June 24. I got to meet her last night - I was only there for about an hour but she was calm and sleeping. I was dying to hold her but I guess that will have to wait until she is awake. I cannot wait for her and Sylvie to meet.

Emmie learned early to shield her face from me...the paparazzi.

Wedding!

I photographed a wedding! I hope that I did okay. It was Heather G's uncles wedding- Thanks to Heather G for gettin' me some work!

The Groom is a wine connoisseur so at the rehearsal dinner on Saturday night there were a lot of wine bottles being opened. I am sorry that I was working...I think he had some great stuff in his cellar.

Mary Kay was his beautiful bride. Her family was wonderful! Everyone there treated me like family and there were so fun to be around. I really enjoyed her parents:

The wedding was Sunday night at Villa Christina. It was HOT, but gorgeous. Some shots:

A baby Shower!

Heather M and I threw a shower for Heather G last weekend. It was so much fun! I love seeing all the baby stuff and I am really excited to meet Camryn!
Little did we know this was 4 days before HLM's baby day.



We are all having (have) girls and I am so happy they all get to get to grow up together.
H & H were such a great support to me when I had Sylvie and was pregnant that I can only hope I can do the same for them!