The Library

I love visiting the library. Since my childhood visits, when I would fill a plastic basket with reads, I have always enjoyed exploring the shelves to see what would catch my eye and provide hours of enjoyment during the next few weeks.

It's a good thing I'm so in love with the library, because after what has happened during my last two visits, I may have been tempted to give up out of embarrassment.

Situation #1: A nearby town has an amazing, three-story collection of books. We love going to this library because it provides a much better selection than our town's one-story building. It's also fun to simply explore a new place. Although we'd been checking out books from this library for more than a year, I had always relied on Dave's card and hadn't registered my own. A few weeks ago, I decided it was time to stop embarrassing my husband with girly books to check out and use my own card. I approached the librarian, explained what I wanted to do, and waited while she phoned my hometown's library to confirm that I was a patron. I was surprised when the librarian waved me over and said, "She wants to talk to you." As I took the phone and said hello, the librarian from my library started asking me questions. "What is your address?" "Why isn't it on file with us?" As I explained that I had moved only a few months before and hadn't realized I had to register my new address, she seemed to get more upset. She sternly told me, "Well, you need to come here with proof of your new address within the next week. If you don't, your account will be blocked." What?! Now, I can understand a librarian being angry about someone using his or her card if that person has moved out of the district, but I was still paying taxes to fund her collections. I promised I would stop by, then handed the phone to the librarian, who looked shocked by what had happened. Fortunately, she was kind enough to proceed with registering my card, and I was able to check out books under my name.

Situation #2: Yesterday, we returned our books to the super library and went in search of new reads. I picked up a couple of interesting nonfiction books then selected a Sophie Kinsella book that I hadn't read yet for my "mindless" read. We approached the front desk, and I handed over my library card and books to the same librarian who had gone through embarrassing situation number one with me only a few weeks earlier. Everything was fine, until she held up the Sophie Kinsella book and asked, "Would you like to buy this?" I'm sure I must have had a confused look on my face as I glanced at the scratched-out barcode inside the front cover. "No," I replied, wondering how that book had ended up next to all the other Sophie Kinsella books that were not for sale. I told her where I'd found it, explained that I didn't want to buy it, and finished up the transaction, walking away without the book. Again, I had somehow managed to embarrass myself at my favorite library.

It seems that every time I visit this library, I'm taking a chance. Will I leave unscathed with my pride intact? Or will I find yet another way to make me look like a goon? I guess I'll just have to go and find out.

The Power of Words

I've finally got my hands on The Help and have been enjoying it immensely any spare moment I can find. A few days ago, I came across this excerpt and knew I needed to write it down so I would always remember:

She say, "Mae Mo bad."

The way she say it, like it's a fact, make my insides hurt.

"Mae Mobley," I say cause I got a notion to try something. "You a smart girl?"

She just look at me, like she don't know.

"You a smart girl," I say again.

She say, "Mae Mo smart."

I say, "You a kind little girl?"

She just look at me. She two years old. She don't know what she is yet.

I say, "You a kind girl," and she nod, repeat it back to me. But before I can do another one, she get up and chase that poor dog around the yard and laugh and that's when I get to wondering, what would happen, if I told her she something good, ever day? . . .

After while, Mae Mobley come over and press her cheek up to mine and just hold it there, like she know I be hurting. I hold her tight, whisper, "You a smart girl. You a kind girl, Mae Mobley. You hear me?" And I keep saying it till she repeat it back to me. (The Help, p. 92)

It's so easy for us to forget the power of words. Now that I have a child who is just beginning life with a clean slate, I have been reminded of how important it is to watch what I say. I want Miss G to be built up by my words, not torn down. I also want her to hear my words building up others rather than tearing them down.

It's easy now to encourage Miss G. She is surrounded by people who tell her she is the cutest, smartest, best baby in the world. But I know my desire will be challenged when she gets older. It won't be so easy to follow when she spills the milk for the hundredth time or makes a masterpiece with permanent marker on her bedroom wall. 

In the same way, as she comprehends more and more of what I say, it will be difficult for me to always say positive things about people. I don't want to be an example of a person who snaps at her daddy or badmouths others. I want her to see the value in positively encouraging others, whether in their presence or not. I want her to understand the power of her words and what they can do to help people.

Just like Aibileen, I want to tell Miss G, and others in my life, that they are something good every day.

One Month

Miss G, you turned one month old last Tuesday, but because our Internet and TV went out for a week, I wasn't able to post your one-month update.

It is hard for me to believe that you have been with us now for 5 weeks. You are growing and changing every day! 

The beginning of your first month was a bit difficult. Mama and Daddy were learning how to take care of you, and you were dealing with some challenges. Because your bilirubin levels were high, we had to use a bili light for you. You didn't mind one bit, but you did mind the daily blood draws we had to do 4 days in a row! By the end of your first week, you were good to go, and we were happy that we didn't have to visit the doctor again until your two-week visit.

At your two-week visit, we found that you had regained your lost weight (you'd been well under your birth weight of 7 lbs. 1 oz. with the first-week troubles) and had climbed up to 7 lbs. 7 oz.! We haven't had you officially weighed lately, but you are becoming a chunk! You've outgrown the newborn size diapers and are now on to size 1! I am so grateful that you are eating well and gaining weight.

One big milestone for your first month was eating from a bottle for the first time. Daddy did a great job feeding you, and you seemed to love it! We only give you a bottle every once in a while to get you used to it for when I go out or go back to work in the fall.

You also experienced your first bath. At first you weren't sure what to think of it, but you hardly cried. Now, it's one of your favorite parts of your nighttime routine. You are so relaxed and chilled out once Daddy wraps you up in your hooded towel and holds you. We usually read your bedtime story at this point, and you like to fall asleep in the middle of it.

Your first official outing was to Chick-fil-A and the library after your two-week visit. We went to both early in the morning to avoid crowds. Other than that day, we kept you home or in the car until you were four weeks old. Our favorite restaurant was Sonic because we could all stay in the car.

Baby Girl, we love you so much. I can't imagine life without you now that you're here. I have enjoyed getting to know you during this past month, and I am excited about seeing your personality develop more and more as I get to know you better.

Newborn Necessities

We are only into our fourth week of being parents, but we already have our favorite baby items. These products have helped make the last few weeks easier. (BTW--I'm not getting compensated for mentioning any of these. I just like them a whole lot.)

  Fisher-Price Rock 'n Play Sleeper


We decided to have Miss G sleep in our room for the first few months, and we use this sleeper as her bed. I love how the design cocoons her and makes things cozy for her to fall asleep. When she does fuss, her movements cause the sleeper to rock, soothing her without any action need by me or Dave. I also appreciate that it's light enough to move from the bedroom to our living room for daytime naps.

HALO Sleep Sack Swaddle



Again, I appreciate the coziness that this product promotes. I am a big fan of swaddles and sleep sacks, and this product combines both. Miss G likes being swaddled--but she loves having her arms free. It's funny to see how she escapes when we do wrap her up completely. She also likes to kick her legs a lot. The sleep sack swaddle allows us to wrap her up (minus her arms), still giving her room to kick. Because it's a sleep sack, we don't have to worry about her feet slipping out in the middle of the night and getting cold.

Pampers Swaddlers Diapers


We have our hospital to thank for getting us hooked on these diapers. The color change wetness indicator is my favorite part of this diaper, and I'm sad to hear that it is only available for the newborn size. This diaper also absorbs a lot and fits Miss G well. We've only had one oops moment. Once she outgrows the newborn size, we may start looking for another, less-expensive brand, but for now we're a Pampers household.

Gerber Flannel Receiving Blankets



This is such a shallow reason, but I really like these blankets because they're so cute. We requested mostly gender-neutral items so we can reuse them for any future children we may have, whether they're boys or girls. Most gender-neutral things are, in a word, boring. Yellow seems to be the common color, and although it's a fine color, I was getting a little tired of seeing it. When I opened up these blankets, I was pleasantly surprised to see the design and various colors. I also appreciate the thickness of the blanket--not too heavy and not too light. They are great to wrap Miss G in when she's taking a nap or too put on top of her when we put her in the air-conditioned car. She doesn't get overheated but is kept warm. 

So, there you have it--my list of must-haves for the first month of parenthood. I'm sure this list will evolve as we enter new stages of Miss G's life, but for now these are the items we love the most.

I Make My Own Sunshine

When I was in the hospital the day I had Miss G, Dave and I spent the entire morning watching the home improvement shows on HGTV. I was so grateful to have that channel available! Watching people demolish their bathrooms and kitchens was a good distraction from my contractions. Because we had the TV on for hours, we managed to see a Lowe's commercial about a bazillion times. Well, it felt like a bazillion times every time I saw the freaky frog in the commercial fly through the air.

I was done with that commercial by the end of our HGTV watching that day, but my opinion of it changed once we got home with the baby. Now, every time I see it on TV, I tear up because it reminds me of that very special day. Just so I don't forget, I wanted to post it here.



When I was looking up the commercial for this post, I discovered the full version of the song that appears in it. It's a catchy tune, and I really appreciate the lyrics. It's one of my summer favorites for 2012.

Crazy Mama

Before we found out we were expecting Baby G, I was well-known for being a worrier. It got so bad at one point that my body freaked out from the stress and my heart rate was affected enough that I had to visit urgent care and get hooked up to a heart monitor. When I found out about Baby G, something miraculous happened, and my typical worrying ways fell by the wayside. I became more relaxed and didn't obsessively worry about bad things happening during the pregnancy. It was a strange but amazing feeling being able to enjoy the pregnancy without being paralyzed by fear.

Once Miss G arrived, I figured that the worry would reappear. After all, here was a human being I was suddenly responsible for more than watching the foods I ate. I certainly wasn't worry free, but I enjoyed this new little person more than worried about her.

That is, until this past Wednesday night. As Miss G and I were enjoying each other's company on the couch while Dave was at a VBS meeting, I noticed there was an extra bump in Miss G's nostril that I hadn't remembered seeing before. I studied that bump for a long time; I couldn't stop looking. I noticed that it partially blocked her airway, and I worried that she wouldn't be able to breathe sufficiently. Suddenly, I had visions of some kind of laser surgery where doctors would have to go in and remove it. I fought the urge to call Dave at his meeting just to tell him what I discovered. I also fought the urge to cry because my daughter's nose wasn't perfect. Yeah, I went a little crazy.

After praying that God would remove it, I tried really hard to forget about the bump, but the next day I found myself studying it again. This time, it looked a little different--more like snot than cartilage. I attempted to remove it with the bulb syringe, but it wouldn't budge. Up and down my emotions went. First I was excited that it was a temporary blockage, then I was upset that it was indeed a growth when I couldn't remove it. Dave told me not to worry and took the baby upstairs to change her while I continued to fret.

A few minutes later, Dave called to me from the baby's room. Apparently, I hadn't been forceful enough with the bulb syringe. Dave's expert way of using it ended with our daughter's booger--not growth--being removed from her nostril.

I guess that means I have to work a little more on not worrying.

Baby Girl

Friday, May 18 began like any other day. Dave and I left for work, excited that it was Friday and looking forward to our final pre-baby date night to see What to Expect When You're Expecting that Saturday. My employer had a spring cleaning day, so I spent 8 hours sorting through every piece of paper and every book in my office. I joked that my nesting instinct hadn't kicked in at home, but it sure had kicked in at work. My friend and I went to Chick-fil-A, noting that it may be my last outing before the baby came. I was pretty sure I'd have a few weeks left for another Chick-fil-A lunch. After all, at my doctor's appointment the day before, there was absolutely no sign that I'd be going into labor any time soon. I was quite confident that I would make it to my June 12 due date after that.

That evening, Dave and I ran some errands so that I could gather the essentials for our upcoming hospital stay. At one point, we parked at one end of a large strip mall to pick something up at Old Navy. Then we walked all the way to the other end so Dave could check out Game Stop and I could stop at Bath and Body Works for some aromatherapy lotion I wanted. As I looked at the choices on the shelves, I started experiencing severe pain in my abdomen. It was unlike any Braxton Hicks contraction I'd had, but it didn't feel like what I thought a contraction should be. I gritted my teeth, bought the lotion, and headed to a bench outside to sit down. When the pain subsided enough for me to get up again, I walked over to Dave, told him we had to go, and then sat down again while he walked all the way back to the car.

We got home and immediately checked online resources about contractions, but everything we read convinced me that I wasn't in labor and that I must have simply overextended myself by walking too much. I went to bed that night comforted by the fact that I hadn't experienced another episode like the one I'd had earlier.

Then I woke up just before 3:30, and there was no doubt that the baby was on her way. I called the doctor, who told me to get to the hospital within the hour. I'd already woken Dave up to tell him what was happening, so we hurriedly cut tags off the things we'd just bought hours before, threw it all in a suitcase, and headed off to the hospital.

Right before we left for the hospital at 4 in the morning

I was still in denial that we would be having our daughter that day. I even told Dave not to bother requesting a sub for the next Monday and Tuesday at school, because I was certain we'd go to the hospital and be sent home. (I blame the middle-of-the-night wake up for that error.)

Sure enough, at the hospital, it was confirmed that I was in labor, and I was admitted. I spent the next several hours watching HGTV and sipping apple juice before it was banned and ice chips took its place. My parents drove up to say hi, and my mom served as my backup labor coach when Dave left for a quick lunch.  Finally, the labor was too intense for my liking, and I requested an epidural. Oh, sweet relief! I am of the belief that every woman should do what she feels is best for herself and her baby. That epidural was one of the best decisions I made that day. A few hours later, it was time to get serious about having this baby, and at 9:33 pm on Saturday, May 19, little Miss G was born. She was hurried over to the NICU team to get checked out because she was technically pre-term, but after they gave the okay, I got to hold my precious baby girl. With Dave beside us, I told her that we loved her and that Jesus loved her, and I prayed that she would grow up to love Jesus, too.

Our baby girl came much earlier than we'd expected, but I can't imagine waiting any longer to meet her. God knew exactly when she needed to be born, and she arrived at the perfect time according to His schedule.

Me and my little girl a week after she was born