Happy Birthday, My Naomi

Dearest Naomi,

You turn 1 today, and it 

has been a bit emotional for me.  Excitement as I prepare to celebrate, ennui as I think of how fast the year has gone, and a little guilt for how little I have documented this first year of life for 

you.  Believe me daughter, it hasn't been for a lack of things to say, for you are always learning and doing something new.  So today, I wanted to return to the blog, and tell you just what this past year has meant for me.

When we brought you home from the hospital, I was amazed at how perfectly and immediately you fit into our family.  Those first peaceful days were dreamy and wonderful, and honestly, I feel as if they never ended.  You have grown into this beautiful, sweet child that brings a peace to the whole household. 

 

I have fallen in love with you, my little Naomi.  I have watched your personality develop this past year.  I can tell already that you have a gentle spirit.  But not in that "wall-flower" type way.  You are so playful and always ready to have fun. You smile does something to my heart - it just makes me feel good.  

I am sitting here, and thinking about why we chose your name.  And I am so glad it fits.  At first, I wasn't sure I liked the meaning of

 Naomi for you.  Naomi is a Hebrew name, meaning "Pleasant."  I almost thought it was too boring, or too plain of a meaning.  But as I get to know you, I see what a blessing that quality is.  You have this amazing ability to calm my spirit, and I pray that quality will continue to develop as you grow into the woman God will have you be.  You middle name is Abri, a French word for "shelter." I know, it seems kind of weird and meaningless, but I promise it is not.  L'Abri is an organization, begun by Francis Shaeffer, offering a physical and emotional refuge for Christians in Europe.  Your Daddy and I wonder if your gentle spirit will manifest in your life in a similar way.  Perhaps friends will find in you a supernatural comfort; a Pleasant Shelter.

Well NayNay, it has been an awesome year with you.  I really have loved every moment. You are such an amazing person already (and you can't even talk yet!)  I look forward

 to watching you grow, physically, mentally, and spiritually.  You have won my heart, mi Noemi.

ER visit

So, Annalia has not had the most wonderful trip to California so far.  Upon arriving at Nathan and Angi's house Monday night (after a full day of traveling, very well I might add) she was acting kind of funny.  Then I picked her up, and she threw-up all over me.  We thought it was just some bad chicken nuggets.  But when we started driving to the home we were staying at, she kept throwing up.  She continued to have episodes until midnight.  The next day, we thought she was feeling better, but she had a couple episodes on the way to Sea World.  She again, had a couple episodes on the way home.  By Wednesday morning, her stomach wouldn't hold anything.  Food was coming up almost immediately after she ate it.  We contacted our insurance, and they said they do not cover California (so much for a PPO), but they would cover emergency care.  So, we took her to the ER (quite possibly the best ER experience ever).  There was no one ahead of us, and we were seen immediately. (although it didn't start out that great when they insisted she have her temp taken rectally)  

 decided to give her an IV to get fluids in her.  Of course, though, because she was dehydrated, it was not easy.  The (not so perfectly nice) nurse started poking her, she thought she got it, but the IV blew, and they had to start again.  The same nurse tried again, and Annalia was not very happy. (She kept saying "they're sticking me again, they're sticking me again!")  When it didn't work, they called in an IV tech, who was much better with kids.  She tried once, and we were all exhausted after it still didn't go.  Finally, on the 4th try, she got it.  While they drew blood, my poor girl was held down, as we all told her it was all done and no more needles.  But she had had it.  She tensed up, looked the nurse in the eyes and said with all the authority of a 2-year-old "THAT"S ENOUGH!"  

Once the IV was running, we could see the color return to her face.  She fell into a shallow sleep, and we were released a couple hours later.  We even made it back for Christmas Eve dinner.  

However, right after dinner, Justin and I started vomiting.  We were both so violently sick, that Angi drove us home, and helped us get ready for bed.  Shortly after she left, Naomi started vomiting.  I knew there was no way I could take care of her (I could barely move my stomach was in such sharp pain.) so I called my mom, and she came over and nursed us through the night as Justin, Naomi and I were continually sick.  Finally, by morning, we were all feeling much better.  Annalia has had one episode for the past couple nights, but she is acting like herself during the day.  We are praying that tonight (6 days later) will be the first night without being sick.

Naomi is 6 months old.

Just wanted to post an updated picture of Naomi.  She is 6 months old now, and just a doll.  Reaching for everything, playing with her sister, saying "dadada, and baba."  I will try to get some more updated pictures of the 2 of them.  Man, they grow up so fast.

Rembrandt

So, Annalia loves to paint, and most of all, all over herself.  This is her bath outside after covering herself with sidewalk paint.

Then we come inside and she wants to paint with watercolors.  She was in her pj's so I took off her shirt so she wouldn't get the sleeved all painted.  I turn around, and she looked like this.
So, after that, she needed to be washed off again.  And since she is obsessed with the new shower downstairs, she asked to wash off in there.  And she wanted to be by herself. So, at 2 years old, she has taken her first solo shower.  She did a pretty good job.  I didn't have her wash her hair, but she did use the washcloth to get all the paint off.

A Day at the Farm

Yeah, so I know I am behind, this really happened a couple weeks ago.  

We had a great time at Sunrise farms.  Annalia was so excited to go to the Pumpkin Patch, and as soon as she saw the pumpkins on the ground, she somehow knew exactly what she was supposed to do.  She ran over and picked out the perfect pumpkin.  (Which She and Justin carved last night)

They had a cute hay-bale maze for the kids.  I didn't think she would understand what she was supposed to do, but after once through, she just kept coming back to the beginning and going again.  

This is our friend MJ on top of the hay-bale maze.  But if you look in the back, you will see little Anna figuring out how to solve the whole "dead-end" problem.

We went with the MOPS group, and Andrea had her stroller.  For the first hour, Annalia pretended to be scared of the animals, and wanted to ride in the stroller.  Then we figured out that she was just cold.  All us moms were taken by surprise at the temp that day.  I am sure we all went home and finally pulled out the winter clothes!

A la Playa

One of Annalia's favorite books is Dora at the beach.  She loves the sand and the water.  This girl has no fear.  She would have walked right out into the bay if I let her.  Instead, she had to live vicariously through Elmo.  As she was able to toss him into the waves, and he always came back to her (except that one time Mommy had to wade out to retrieve him.)

Ode to my Children

I was convicted recently that I, as a parent, need to make sure that I share the blessings of parenting.  (Not just the "poop in the hair" or the "she ate a cricket" stories, and good as they are).  A friend recently mentioned that Justin and I have convinced him not to have kids yet, with our night-time tales, and the crazy things that kids do.  (Don't get me wrong, I know he loves my kids, he showed up with an Elmo couch for Annalia one day, just because.)  So, I wanted to share some of the beautiful stories.

• I had a really bad day, where everything I tried to do seemed to fail.  I was sitting down with Annalia, feeling sorry for myself, and I asked her "Can you say, 'Mommy's a failure?"  She looked me straight in the face and said, "No Mommy, I can't say that."  Then she held me as I cried tears of joy.
• Most mornings, Naomi wakes up happy, and when I come in, she is cooing, playing with her hands, and just all together beautiful.  When I walk into her line of vision, her eyes meet mine, they light up and her face breaks out into the biggest smile.  My heart just melts.
• The other day, as I was nursing Naomi, Annalia was, ever so gently, rocking Ernie to sleep.  While holding his head, she used her whole body to gently lay him into Naomi's Moses Basket.  When I said I need to put Naomi to sleep, she calmly informed me that Ernie was sleeping there and Naomi would have to find another place to sleep.  Eventually, she was able  to agree to a co-sleeping arrangement.  She is such a good little mommy.
• For the past couple weeks, everytime Justin comes home, she runs into his arms and says "Mommy AND Daddy are home now!"

I will have to share more later.  I promised the cutie we would play with sidewalk chalk today.