O Baby

A little photo recap of last year at this time:
Daddy was so excited to have the little fella home!!
Looking like a little hobo in his 'billy blanket' and tons of mismatched clothes.
Monkey suit from Auntie Josie
Auntie Anna and Oliver, both having the time of their lives.

(I thought I would lend some visual relief after I punished everyone with that picture of me in the hospital..I don't know what I was thinking. Someone remind me next time to at least sit up so I don't out do the babe with the chins!)

Proud mama and papa

01.31.07

A year ago today was one of the most incredible days of my life. We welcomed little Oliver Isaac into the world! You know how moms always say they'll never forget the feeling of seeing and holding their baby for the first time? Well, not to sound cliche..but I agree with those moms. The first time I held Oli it was the most emotion I've ever felt..the Dr. just said, "It's a BOY!"..and the tears started flowing from my face. Joy, love, awe, relief, surprise, gratitude, humility. What power a newborn has. All that pain and uncertainty comes to a halt the instant you see that baby. So helpless and interesting looking. Ha! It's so amazing to physically hold this little babe who's been squirming inside you for so long. I miss feeling him inside, kind of. I even sort of miss the rest of it--being in the hospital, waking up in the middle of the night to a nurse monitoring my contractions..PUSHING!!!..sorry..it's just all so exciting! What's even more exciting is that I'm a year on this side of it. Here we are, family of three + Hector. All I can say is I'm feeling a lot better today than I was last year at this time..I was in rough shape. What a champ Andrew was through the whole thing. Everyone should know what he went through during those hours..but if you knew you'd probably cry, puke, pass out or all of these. Just know that to Oli and me he's a hero. And how unpredictable life is! We are thrilled and scared to see what God brings us next..or where He brings us. Now THAT'S exciting!

Sour coffee?

Sounds disgusting, right? Don't worry, it is. I guess I just felt guilty throwing out a perfectly good cup of coffee, and since it was still in the pot from yesterday, it was a cinch to reheat. (The fact that it was Starbucks Christmas Blend made me even more hesitant to dispose of it.) So I did just that -- reheated it, poured myself a cup and sat down with some peanut butter cup bars thinking it would be the perfect mid-morning treat after chasing an energy infused Oliver since the moment I opened my eyes today. What a major disappointment. I could hardly enjoy my bar because I was washing it down with nastiness. I kept thinking I would be surprised and the next sip of coffee wouldn't be as bad as I thought..nope, worse. Yuck.

party on

I realize that my blog is already clogged with pictures, but here are a few more from the party. Andrew's family was there, also, which the previous pics didn't let on..

my gal sal

sally is one of the funniest people i know. she doesn't let on to this usually..you see her and think she's just some raving beauty who is somehow above the rest (because she's too pretty to be equal). then she starts singing 'from this moment' in a voice so inhumanly hilarious and she makes this face that is so inhumanly scary and scarring, that you become confused and don't know which one is her really -the bomb shell or the bomb. this takes talent. she really does have a killer voice, too..besides the voice that sounds like it may indeed kill you. she's so in love with taking abstract photos of herself you must hide your camera if she's around or you'll find yourself innocently scrolling through your family pics on your camera one day and come across something that could cause a mild heart attack. smart as a whip, pretty as a picture, skinny as a rail is my sister sal.

the other day we discovered that mom's camera has the ability to take continuous shots without having to readjust every time..just a constant stream of clicking. we tested this out at great length and i also became addicted to self-photography..look out! here are some of the highlights of our photo sesh..

A very pirate party

This first mate had his first birthday! ..the party, anyway. And the 'pirates who don't do anything' helped him celebrate!
After the cake
The one earring club of crazies.
Arrr you scared?

Are those real pirates? I AM scared.
So, as you can see, the adults had just as much fun as the babies.

Good Old Oli, Anj, and Ann

Well, I really wanted to post an exciting new picture, but my camera is still under the weather and the one I had on loan seems to have fallen into the hands of a certain beautifully wonderful yet crazy teenage girl.. aka Sally. Needless to say, this pic is a little on the old side. (Funny how something that was new a month ago is now considered old ..only when it's a snap of a growing baby..or milk.)

A few words on the world of television... This evening I waisted some time watching TV as Andrew worked late and I'm wondering: How is it that I could possibly have the most channels available to man -not really, but only slightly exaggerated- and there's NOTHING on? Oh, it's not that there's literally nothing on, but it's a crying shame to watch most of the garbage offered. My favorite channel, HGTV, is usually bowling me over with it's creative new ideas, inspiring me to get out there and do something to better the world decoratively speaking. But not tonight.. though my number one show was on earlier, they're finishing the night off with a couple hours of HOUSE HUNTERS!! For those who don't know, this is an alright program, but lacks the zestful before/after affect of an A-1 design show. There's usually a married couple looking to buy a home, so a realtor sets them up with three houses to look at..they use a half hour of my life to show three houses and choose one. This is doing nothing to make me a better person.. creatively, mentally, spiritually, financially. Sickening. I should give a shout out to Divine Design and Color Splash, however. They're always challenging me with their innovative and thought provoking design, using the most brilliant color pallets, textiles, space planning/managing. What style. What class.

But oh the selfishness of me! Here I sit complaining about what's on the tube -and what's not- while even now, at 10:45 at night, my hard-working husband is finishing up his day with a trip to the grocery store. He hasn't even been home from work yet, but he's kindly picking up a few things for me on his way. He didn't act like it was a drag for him, he just called to ask if there was anything else I needed. Wow, what a man. I'm really surprising myself lately with how selfish and self-centered I am..all those terrible hyphenated words that begin with 'self'..self-absorbed being a big one. (I didn't come to this conclusion on my own, but was made more painfully aware of it through an incredible book I'm reading..Strong Women Soft Hearts.) Hopefully instead of becoming more of this, more like myself, I'll start to become more like Jesus. Here's hoping!!..and praying.

I haven't been keeping a steady Blog lately because Anna's been home for about a week and a half now and she's kind of distracting. I'm having a blast with her and wondering what God's thinking having her reside in Dayton OH. I love my sister. It's been so fun having conversations with her now that we're both married adults. She is always so full of wisdom...keeping me on my toes, challenging me and holding me accountable to and reminding me of the high standard Christ has set for living. What a dear. It's a very humbling experience to have your little sister calling you on something..but she always ..um..usually (okay, she's not perfect), does it with such grace. Not only are we able to encourage each other, we also laugh our heads off and argue and laugh some more. She makes me want to be a better person..and isn't that what friends are for?

At Large

This is a picture of Andrew & I last year at Mom & Dad's for Christmas.

I've just been thinking about a year ago at this time and how painfully pregnant I was. This thought led me to the memory of going in to one of my check ups and having the Dr. tell me my blood pressure was a little high- great, overweight with high blood pressure = ME. Soon after that appointment, which was toward the end of the ninth month, I went in for an unscheduled appointment as a result of my paranoia. My Dr. didn't have any openings, so I saw a different guy who I'll call Dr Smith. A very nice guy, he comes in, glasses on the end of his nose, looking at my file (which was almost as big as me by this point) asking what the problem was. I had been experiencing heart palpitations and was nervous that it was an unhealthy combination with the 'high blood pressure'. I almost crack up just thinking about it -he goes on to examine me at length, all the while giving a narrative so full of highly intelligent, speedily mumbled medical jargon, I still don't know what he said. I listened carefully for words like 'problem' or 'complication' -since these were terms I could understand- and I came to the conclusion that things must be alright since I didn't recognize any of the words Dr. Smith used. Luckily my brilliant nurse-of-a-sister Anna came along so she could translate after we left. (It was also unlucky that she was there, though, because if we looked at each other we got the giggles!) Due to the mumbling, she didn't catch much of what he said either, but could deduce that everything was fine.

And behold, everything is fine. It's been just about a year now, and we've got an overly active toddling Oli whose mommy can't remember life without him...but imagines it was pretty peaceful...and boring.

Cowbaby

Just some action shots (even though 'action' was not supposed to be involved) that Mom got of Oliver the other day. His Grandbobby calls him Cowbaby whenever he wears his hat from his grandpa and grandma T.

Worst day of the year

We took down our Christmas tree yesterday. Taps would have been very appropriate as I removed ornaments, watched Andrew take off the lights...then, all of a sudden, the whole thing tips over!
A mistake that we made our first Christmas was thinking it would be easier to take the stand off OUTSIDE, which meant we tipped the tree over INSIDE..resulting in sap-water stained carpet. I thought we learned from that...
So, amidst my sadness I had to let out some giggles because the thing just kept going down as poor Anj tried (with much physical force, I might add) to extract the last of the lights. He thinks the silly thing was probably just balancing all season. There was water all over the floor, mingled with so many needles and pine cones. A fearsome thing to behold.
Now today the house is nothing but gloom. Lonely nails, empty shelves, the tree tossed carelessly in the snow bank. With the same intensity that I love Christmas, I loath putting everything away and pretending that regular decorations are just as warm and fantastic as Christmas ones.
About the tree balancing act: I can't believe it never crashed the zillion times Oli tried taking it dancing...

Oliver: here and now

I hope that no one tires of the main topic of most of my writing..he's just so doggone interesting and active and this is my life now. I couldn't have had a blog pre-Oli, because I wouldn't have wanted to promote boredom. Now there is just an endless story..he's an unlimited resource..

Here is something - my son is a....POINTER!!!! It started with Andrew and I asking him, "Where's the Christmas tree?" It didn't matter where he was, near a Christmas tree or not, that question would prompt him to point..at nothing really. Well, then he started pointing at random people. It's evolved into more of a jab now. He'll get his little finger out there and just start poking at the air. He did it to a lady at church the other day. Quite embarrassing.

Also, Oliver is an ADVENTURER..you'll notice him climbing through a chair in the picture. He's always wanting to get into small spaces, such as under my desk, his crib, the Christmas tree. He once tried to crawl under the pack n play.. I guess the three inches of clearance were not enough for his head.

Most of all, this little dude is a BLESSING. I never would have thought it possible to enjoy all the labor (before and after!) that motherhood brings, but it's just so much fun! I mean, it's exhausting and scary and smelly, too, but all of those things rolled up and tied with love equal the greatest blessing and responsibility I could ever know. Andrew and I acknowledge almost daily how amazing it is that God knows and cares enough for us that we were given the opportunity to experience parenthood. Talk about adventure. We are lusty adventurers.

"Not a smich of temperature!"

I thought I would borrow from It's a Wonderful Life and quote little Janey Bailey to say --- Oliver is fever free!!! It's crazy how something like a fever can effect everyone around it. Poor Oliver was not himself in the least - he was actually snuggly, which is not in his character. This afternoon, after we thought he was better because he was no longer running a temp, he was a little bear instead. Finally tonight we went out for pizza (I've been confined to the house for what feels like forever but has only been four out of the five days this week, aside from running quickly to Bible study for a few hours yesterday..which was also wonderful) and Olives slept on the way there, so when we arrived he was fully energized and ready for action. He was a complete nut at supper. I guess I should brace myself for all of the naughtiness he didn't perform while he was sick, and will now try to make up for. Since we've been home he's been pretty much talking non-stop, zooming all over the place. I tried to get a picture of him being such a tiger, but he wouldn't sit still long enough. His daddy says he's a goose. I say they both are....I sure do love geese.

Just a few more..

All because of Mom and her super sweet photography skills, here is one more set of Christmas pictures.....

Jonny getting a kick out of our Spoons game


Not something you see everyday


The only picture of Mom and Dad on Christmas
(proudly showing the gift Jonny made them)


Daddy and the little Wuv

More Festive Photos

Oliver checking out the present situation

Jess and Jonny frosting cookies..or their hands..

Anna and I in our cheery Christmas shoes

Sally using the greenest frosting ever as lipstick

Sally trying to kiss me with said green lips

Obbo

Over the Christmas holiday our small son learned how to say his first word..his own name! Since then he has haphazardly thrown around words like ball and woof. So much for the friendly game of "whose name will he say first?" that Andrew and I were playing..we've been beat out by the dog, ball, and baby. If only Hector would appreciate it as much I would have..

But poor little "Obbo" as he calls himself (which I don't think he knows is him, but he knows how to say it..does that make sense?)..he has a terrible cold and spent most of yesterday with a fever. Last night I took his temp, which was a shocking 103.4. Yikes! Some acetaminophen, a cool bath, a cold washcloth, and some cuddling with Mommy had him zonked in no time. I got a little scared for a bit there, though..but after a call to the hospital who transferred me to the nurse's line, who only had a secretary who said the nurse would call back in 45 minutes to an hour gave me some time to pray and think things must not be too bad if no one in the medical profession thinks it's urgent. So after some worrying by me, some sleeping by Olives, and some healing by God, the babe is now on the mend.

Andrew also had the flu yesterday, but being the man that he is, decided he should go to work. About half way through the day he called to say he was headed home, and upon arrival, read his new John Grisham book for a few minutes, then took a 3 hour nap. That otta do ya! He felt much better after that. Then, I don't know how, but he also got a full night of sleep after such a stunt. He's crazy..but I love him.

I also was feeling pretty under the weather, but I've discovered that being the mom is much harder than my own dear mother ever let on.. you don't have time to care that you're sick, because you're busy caring for everyone else. Not to paint myself as the heroine or anything -I didn't do it without an attitude at least some of the time- but I did learn that my love and concern for my family grows more and more every day.

Sorry about the long-winded post!

Christmas

I love Christmas!! We've had such a blast with family and friends during this whole festive season of Christmas and New Years. I wish I had something cunning and/or clever to write today..but I don't think I do. I'm just thinking about how much fun was had..it's sad that the celebrating is over - even more sad that we didn't see Isaac and Jessica during the marvelous season - but it's also just fun to have all the memories and the photos and the post-Christmas lull. Another bummer was Andrew's brother and his family had the flu over the holiday so we missed them this year, too.

Here are some pics of the Toftness family festivities....



Here we are Christmas Eve morning..just us


Mom's sweet new camera really captured the tree in all its glory


Saturday, December 22 at our house


Sorry for not cropping..my boys in their Christmasy best


Luke and Anna guffawing over a most hilarious gift they gave me..re gifting a homemade wedding present