First Birthing Class

Tonight was my first birthing class. I am taking a four week long birthing class at the St. Elizabeth Hospital. There are only four people in the class. (Ann the instructor, a couple Melissa & Ryan, and myself (my mom was here for the first week) At first I found it to be odd that the class was so small, but by the end of the three hours I was grateful for the individual attention. Ann is a wealth of knowledge and I found it to be so comforting that everything I have been experiencing is perfectly normal. (whatever normal is when you are thirty pounds heavier :-) For every question I had she had a thorough and kind answer. Prior to the class I thought I had a rough idea of what to expect. Boy was I ever wrong! I had no idea the human body was capable of such an amazing metamorphosis. Ann sent us home with homework assignments. There was so much to remember...breathing, relaxing, contractions, exercises, stages of labor, and if all else fails just start breathing again!!! I feel like I am preparing for another college soccer preseason again! In a way it's hard to think of the pain I will be in, however the results were always so gratifying. One class down and three to go!

My Baby Girl's Nursery

I am ready for you to come home baby girl. I even have a pink car seat for the ride!


Her closet is so sweet. I just love to go and stare at all of the itty bitty clothes that she will fit into soon.

When my cousin saw the baby's bookcase, she commented "your kid is going to be able to read before she can even walk!" ha ha I read a lot to her now while she is in my tummy, kids books, medical updates, political updates, and sports scores. I hope she loves to read like her Aunt Carla!

That is a cowgirl with a bad hair cut. A doll given to my little girl from Great Grandma Hayden.


Her first rocking horse. I am really hoping she loves horses as much as I do!

I sent away for her bedding from a western store in Montana. I am pretty attached to it! What could be more feminine then brands and animals :-)


This jumping chair makes me laugh. When the baby bounces it makes horse sounds. It will be a while before she can use it but I am sure the time is going to fly fast.

My mom took me shopping yesterday. My spirits were a bit down and she thought it would be a good idea to find the baby a "coming home from the hospital" outfit. So HERE IT IS!!! I love it! I just can't wait to put it on her and take her home for the first time. I have fallen so deeply in love with my baby girl it's hard to even describe in words.

The view from the hallway. I have a feeling that changing table/dresser is going to get a lot of use.

We officially have mom and daughter matching soccer balls. With my luck she will want to be a cheerleader! Well at least we have them and she most likely will be the only child who's mom plays soccer games with her in the living room! If something breaks it will probably be my fault!


A view of the cedar chest (handmade by Grandpa Ross) and changing table that I bought along with a matching crib.


So here is the crib! It is amazing.... It's a 3 in 1 crib. First a crib, then a day bed, and then a full size twin bed. I am hoping it lasts a really long time!

The picture above her crib. The Bible verse reads, "I press on toward the goal to with the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:14


Her mobile plays "Home on the Range." It turns in a circle and has a variety of fun horses.




Thanks again to Mom, Michelle, and Bruce for all of their help setting up her nursery. It makes everything so much more real for me. I could just stare at it all day. Thank you! It is so homey and sweet. I know she will love the time we spend together in there.

They were convinced they did not need the instruction manual. I didn't argue. I was just grateful for the help :-)


Moms just make everything better.

A view from the door of her room. So much love went into making her first room special.



Dear Baby Girl,

I am not promising life will always be easy. But I do promise that we will be in it together no matter what life brings us. I promise to always love you and protect you. I promise to listen when you want to talk, teach you respect and discipline, skip work when you are sick (or you just need me), teach you piano, take you to sports, go on trail rides and rodeos together, laugh way to loud, dance in the kitchen, teach you to drive a standard truck, sing off tune to songs in the car, take you to countries all over the world, learn a new language together, but lastly teach you all I know about being a strong woman. You mean everything thing to me and I am so blessed that God has brought you into my life. I love you with my whole heart and I am looking forward to meeting you in 9 weeks. Love always, your mommy

So What Exactly is Canada Day?

Since this whole blog is for my baby girl's scrapbook, I wanted to try to preserve her Canadian heritage. Since Canada Day (July 1st) is this coming Tuesday I thought it might be a good idea that I figure out what this holiday is really all about.... I hate the idea of being an ignorant American...so here goes...

Canada Day
Background: On June 20, 1868, a proclamation signed by the Governor General, Lord Monck, called upon all Her Majesty's loving subjects throughout Canada to join in the celebration of the anniversary of the formation of the union of the British North America provinces in a federation under the name of Canada on July 1st.
The July 1 holiday was established by statute in 1879, under the name Dominion Day.
There is no record of organized ceremonies after this first anniversary, except for the 50th anniversary of Confederation in 1917, at which time the new Centre Block of the Parliament Buildings, under construction, was dedicated as a memorial to the Fathers of Confederation and to the valour of Canadians fighting in the First World War in Europe.
The next celebration was held in 1927 to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Confederation. It was highlighted by the laying of the cornerstone by the Governor General of the Confederation Building on Wellington Street and the inauguration of the Carillon in the Peace Tower.
Since 1958, the government has arranged for an annual observance of Canada's national day with the Secretary of State of Canada in charge of the coordination. The format provided for a Trooping the Colours ceremony on the lawn of Parliament Hill in the afternoon, a sunset ceremony in the evening followed by a mass band concert and fireworks display.
Another highlight was Canada's Centennial in 1967 when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II attended the celebrations with Parliament Hill again being the backdrop for a large scale official ceremony.
The format changed in 1968 with the addition of multicultural and professional concerts held on Parliament Hill including a nationally televised show. Up until 1975, the focus of the celebrations, under the name "Festival Canada", was held in the National Capital Region during the whole month of July and involved numerous cultural, artistic and sport activities, as well as municipalities and voluntary organizations. The celebration was cancelled in 1976 but was reactivated in 1977.
A new formula was developed in 1980 whereby the National Committee (the federal government organization charged with planning Canada's Birthday celebrations) stressed and sponsored the development of local celebrations all across Canada. "Seed money" was distributed to promote popular and amateur activities organized by volunteer groups in hundreds of local communities. The same approach was also followed for the 1981 celebrations with the addition of fireworks displays in 15 major cities across the nation.
On October 27, 1982, July 1st which was known as "Dominion Day" became "Canada Day".
Since 1985, Canada Day Committees are established in each province and territory to plan, organize and coordinate the Canada Day celebrations locally. Grants are provided by the Department to those committees.

So...I think things may be a little clearer now. I think she will probably just enjoy the fact we will set off fireworks and have BBQ's on both July 1st and the 4th of July!

Trip to Chicago...

Just finishing up a three day Novartis Meeting in downtown Chicago. My brother Aamon was also here for training with his job. We meet for dinner on Wednesday night and had a blast!!! What are the chances of meeting up in Chicago at the exact same time?

Aamon and his wife Kristen are expecting their second child next January. So we will end up having 2007, 2008, and 2009 cousins. That should most likely lead to really fun holidays and reunions :-)

Our 7 month check up was last Tuesday. The doc says the baby is doing fantastic! In order to accommodate schedules he wants us to be induced on Aug. 27th (a whole week early). I am pretty much thinking that is NOT going to happen at this point. It's always nice to remember that we hire our doctors....they work for us!

The Man in the Mirror

I can't remember a single poem from school, but Travis recited this entire poem to me the other day....

When you get all you want and you struggle for pelf,
and the world makes you king for a day,
then go to the mirror and look at yourself
and see what that man has to say.
For it isn't your mother, your father or wife
whose judgment upon you must pass,
but the man, whose verdict counts most in your life
is the one staring back from the glass.
He's the fellow to please,
never mind all the rest.
For he's with you right to the end,
and you've passed your most difficult test
if the man in the glass is your friend.
You may be like Jack Horner and "chisel" a plum,
And think you're a wonderful guy,
But the man in the glass says you're only a bum
If you can't look him straight in the eye.
You can fool the whole world,
down the highway of years,
and take pats on the back as you pass.
But your final reward will be heartache and tears
if you've cheated the man in the glass.

by

Dale Wimbrow 1934

Pictures from the Ajax Party

Here are just a few pics from the Ajax Party last Wednesday. Thanks again to all
the parents that made it possible! A funny story.... I ran into two Ajax players at the
mall on Thursday evening and they just sat down and talked to me for an hour. They weren't scared or nervous....We just sat and talked/laughed about summer plans, the baby, and how they planned on getting more money out of their parents. It made me laugh... I guess I don't have the scary intimidation factor anymore. (it was all an effective act :-)

What we accomplished on the field was pretty amazing, but the fact that one player donated 10 inches of hair to Locks of Love, two others taught soccer moves 1-10 to a younger girl's soccer team, two more volunteered at a local nursing home, one player told her mother she wouldn't make excuses why her soccer homework wasn't done, and one decided she would have her OWN garage sale to earn money (perhaps a business owner one day?) Those character stories are what it's all really about folks!

That's a good way to go out as a coach and into momhood! Ten years of coaching and I a feel like a winner....

This will make you laugh!

PARENT
Job Description

POSITION :Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma, Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, Pop

JOB DESCRIPTION :Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required, inclu ding trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities! Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES :The rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, or until someone needs $5. Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly. Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf. Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks. Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarr a ssmen t the next. Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices. Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product. Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION :None. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE :None required unfortunately. On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION :Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent. When you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS :While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth, unconditional love, and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.

** AND A FOOTNOTE ? THERE IS NO RETIREMENT -- EVER!!! **
If you are fortunate enough you will become grandparents

I thought this was great...

This was sent to me from a dear friend in Tulsa...

Before I was a Mom: I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.I never thought about immunization.Before I was a Mom:I had never been puked on.Pooped on.Chewed on.Peed on.I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.I slept all night.Before I was a Mom:I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests. Or give shots.I never looked into teary eyes and cried.I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.Before I was a Mom:I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put her down.I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.I never knew that I could love someone so much.I never knew I would love being a Mom.Before I was a Mom:I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.Before I was a Mom:I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.

10 and Half Weeks To Go!!!

I am really starting to come to the realization that I will be here (Nebraska) the next two months until the baby arrives. So in order to salvage my sanity I went ahead and signed up for 5 childbirth/care classes! I am sure this seems a bit extreme to anyone reading this blog, but I need things to fill up my time and the HOT Nebraska summer. (anyone that knows me I am sure this doesn't come as a suprise) Typically I would just find another job or coach more, but I think it's time I just focus on myself and this beautiful baby blessing. So here are the classes I signed up for...Just the Facts on Labor class on July 28th, Christian Lamaze-Prepared Childbirth that begins June 30th, the Breastfeeding 2-week Series starting on August 4th, Infant Care and CPR-3 Sessions that begin August 5th, and the Birth Center Tour at 5:30 p.m. on August 7th. ha ha ha Can you tell I am a first time mom at 30?

Everyday the baby is kicking harder and harder. I have beome a little more clumbsy and I would forget my head if it weren't attached. My mom is coming from Colorado on Saturday...moms have a way of just making everything a little brighter. (dads are pretty great too :-)

So Blessed!

Thank you so much to everyone who attended the Baby Shower/End of the Year Ajax Party last night!!! It was so much fun to see everyone again. It's really hard to believe I won't be coaching next fall. I also want to thank everyone for the wonderful baby gifts, cake, and food! You have no idea how it blessed me. I may be a little biased but I truly think the Ajax players and parents are some of the greatest people I have ever been associated with during my coaching career. I will post a few pics from the shower in the next few days, for now I would just like to bask in the memories of our last game as the U-12 CSA Ajax!

Some of you may ask...how is she going to survive without her sidekick Al? Well...he doesn't know it yet, but I do need a partner for my birthing classes! ha ha Wouldn't that just be a hoot! Once again thank you, thank you, thank you, if my little one ends up half the children you have raised I will be one successful mom. Please stay in touch with me via blog, emails, and a good old fashioned phone call. I have loved on your daughters so much (ok..ok..tough loved :-) I would really like to know where life takes them. For those of you who have offered to babysit, you may actually regret that.... Coach

Pictures from our trip to Canada

For all of those who believe Canada is 3 degrees year around, I am hoping these pics dispel that myth :-) These pics were taken just a few days ago outside of Travis' house.

The shortest job I have ever had...

On my return yesterday from High River, Canada, I received a job offer letter from Sodexho at 8am. I immediately called Travis and we were both overjoyed. We finally had a plan and I would be moving in 2 weeks. However, by 4pm yesterday I no longer had the job. By far the shortest job I have ever held! The company was informed by their HR department that the proper steps had not been taken to hire a foreigner. These steps can take anywhere from weeks to months. So quite honestly now we are completely back to square one.

We both were crushed.... It looks like I will be staying here throughout the rest of the pregnancy. I am trying to keep my stress levels down for the health of our baby but in situations like this it can be very difficult. Needless to say it looks like I will be spending the rest of the pregnancy here in the States. I know God has a plan, I just don't understand what that is quite yet. I am really trying to stop worrying. I have to tell myself to relax, breath, and stay positive.

So for all of those who are wondering...is she moving? Is she having the baby in Canada? The answer as of June 18th is...no I am not moving, and I most likely will have the baby right in Lincoln. Please keep us in your prayers!

Patience is really not one of my finer qualities!

Last Friday around five I finally heard from Sodexho (international food company). They want me to start part-time as soon as possible in Calgary. A lot of logistical paperwork has to be completed in the next few weeks. So I am trying not to get my hopes up until we are in the moving van crossing the border. (but at least they called and we are back on track)

In the meantime, I am headed to visit Travis this Thursday through Tuesday. We haven't seen each other for two months and I am having a hard time being patient.

Over the weekend my cousin and I visited Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. We had an absolute blast!!! We left at 8am on a Saturday and got back home at midnight on Sunday. It was so beautiful. I learned a lot and we laughed 90% of the way. (pictures to follow soon) The baby kicked me 50% of the way especially after I downed a root beer on the drive home.

We are just waiting...and waiting...and waiting.

The baby should be here in 89 days and still Travis and I have no idea whether he/she will be born in the US or Canada. I am flying up to High River to visit him the 12th-17th. We haven't seen each other in two months so the days until the trip are crawling by... Good news is the baby is doing fantastic! We just had our 7 month check up and the doctor said the baby is "right on track" and couldn't be more healthy. (what a relief)

So I have started this blog in order to stay in touch with both friends and family from Canada and the US. I guess in a way this is a modern day diary. I am not really good at writing in baby books so I figure this is something our baby will have as they get older.