The City of Brotherly Love

Did we have fun or what!?  About two weeks ago, we headed on our very first family vacation-to Philadelphia.  Actually, we went to the Valley Forge Area to visit and stay with one of Ryan's Mission Companions and his family.  The drive was fun-we took the scenic route around to the West and stopped in West Virginia to eat at Cracker Barrel:

I want this huge lollipop

The Perfect Size Chair

We all arrived alive!  We played a lot of games, stayed up late, watched "Parking Wars" (to prepare for our visit to the PPA), went sight seeing, played with the kiddos, Trader Joe's, Kings of Prussia Mall (the biggest mall in Amurrica), drive through Valley Forge, watched Flo Rida on Good Morning America, etc...I mean honestly-it was awesome.  Here are some pictures of our adventures:

This is how you ride!

The Thinker

sweet!

Yes I did run up the stairs with Lillian in the backpack

This is the site where the LDS temple will be built in Philly-hard to believe that something so beautiful will be built on top of a parking lot soon!

cool!

Hershel's Deli-Soooooo good! Pastrami sandwich

Love Park

Mike's Philly Cheese Steak!!!

The city that loves you back:)

MY FAVORITE STOP!!!!  I WATCHED (AND REWATCHED) EVERY EPISODE-we rode the train into Philly, I have seen what could happen to you when you drive in

The trip was a lot of fun.  We are trying to be more adventurous-we are succeeding:)

She rules the roost

Oh sweet baby-Lil g, Itty Bitty, chunky monkey, etc...you are so loved.  Before I finish for tonight, I wanted to add a picture of her!  She got her first tooth breaking through the surface on 7/19/12 and started doing her first real crawls to get her anywhere on 7/16/12...she is super perfect to us!

12/6/11-sweet baby girl:)

HA! this is what happens when she is left with grandpa and dad!  she found the sweet stuff

Bucket List

I made a bucket list my Sophomore year of college-it was really deep and occasionally I find it where-I-put-it-and-wouldn't-forget-but-I-can't-find-it-right-now...I wanted to donate my hair.  After having worked at an Oncology (Cancer) office for a good 2 years, I saw the need for wigs on a daily basis.  My hair will grow back anyways, so why not?  Now I am a mom, so people may assume I did it because of that, but it isn't, however it sure is nice to not have to do much.  I finally had 10in. to donate and I asked Ryan and Lillian to come and support me...Here is the process:

so long, long hair

It was cut off with a razor!!

my first professional hair weave (as called in Utah) (or "highlight" as we say in Virginia)

i love it

I mailed it to Locks of Love and got a "thank you" post card in return...it was printed for "Dana"-oh well, atleast I received a cool post card!!

I had a baby...

7.5 months ago and things have been happening around here. I can't say that I don't blog because I have a baby so I am too busy-I am just too lazy...to do a lot of things. I feel like I need to put pictures on every post and I don't want to get up and find my cord and go through the hassle..yadayadayada...hopefully you're still reading...

Anyways, let's start with something that is not Lillian related-only because most every other blog post after this will be about her.

Ryan, Emily (his mother), Penny (a family friend), and yours truly ran a 5k on 5/12/12 for Ovarian Cancer.  I actually trained and felt great afterwards...I guess that is why you should train.  I was really proud of myself for training because I have always had good intentions and just haven't followed through. FYI-Lillian was being watched my Grandma Nas (my mom, that's her nickname and there is no reasoning behind it)

Ryan's eyes are clenched and you can't see mine-it was sunny!  Notice the big balloon arch-that was the end...

Here we are at the end of the race-we found each other:)
 

Sweet Lillian

Oh life is moving forward and it seems to go in a flash if you don't stop for a minute to savour in the moment. Lillian is so sweet and so kind. She seems to have such a "take it all in" personality and is very calm. She demands her meals and clean diapers, but I don't blame her. She enjoys her fish mobile, taggie, hands, mom's pinky finger to suck on, eating her blankets, and getting kisses from her soft bunny. She has a smile that takes over half of her face!! She is getting plumper by the second...

Ryan is studying hard and doing great in school. He is also doing great in the Airforce ROTC. I am enjoying staying home and being Lillian's mom.

Things I will be doing tomorrow

In my previous post, I stated that I would work out agression during my 30-20-10 class...and I did...I can hardly walk today, but it is a good feeling. I am feeling more calm and more in control and Lillian is fine! I have yet to call a new pediatrician, which I will be doing tomorrow. Even though I know how it is with switching doctors (I have worked in Doctor's offices for years now people), I am nervous about switching because I feel 'bad.' I am going to do it tomorrow.

Know what else I am going to do tomorrow...see Miranda Lambert in concert!


hahahahhooohooo people, it'll be so awesome. I am going with my friend Trish-lady's night.

For now, Ryan is studying, Lillian is sleeping (and making squeaky noises in her sleep), and I am asking myself "why aren't I sleeping." Goodnight.

PUNCH, PUNCH, JAB, KICK, PUNCH

Ughhhhh asdklj;cvn;lken;alkna;d,nac;andklgvnas;nae,rnma,dmn

That's how I feel today. I feel like a helpless mother. Lillian had to have an ultrasound on her hip because she was breached. Her left hip has mild muscle dysplasia. This means that her hip, when there is applied force (aka any movement), could come out of socket easily. The pediatricians office told me that "it is VERY important that we see a pediatric orthopedist right away, something bad developmentally could happen, yadda yadda."

When Lillian had trouble with gaining weight in the beginning, the Pediatrician told us that we HAD to come back for a weight check 3 days later (which would be right during our break at home) and I believed it...then I called and cancelled because I was NOT able to stay in Cville and had to go home.

Please know, this is MY blog and I am venting and I know that Lillian will be okay, but I feel helpless...although I am doing something by setting up the Orthapedic appointment...anyways...

I have felt like such a bad mom because I question the Pediatrician...and honestly, I AM THE MOTHER. I know what is best for my daughter because she is my pretty baby! I have maternal instincts and I know how to care for my child...I feel like I am 'bullied" in to doing things. People, I worked at an ONCOLOGY OFFICE...I know what it means to see the "walking dead." This is not a matter of life or death and I do not need to be bullied. We never "bullied" patients, we used compassion! I am feeling a lack of compassion and my find a new pediatrician. I just want to see a bit more compassion used and not so much "making me feel bad." Andddd, I am running on a little sleep every single day.

I will be attending a 30-20-10 class (30 min cardio, 20 min toning, and 10 min stretching) tonight to get some of this feeling of inadequacy off. I am going to do extra forceful kickbox punching in class. I would like to note, I could NOT do this whole parenthood thing without Ryan. He is so helpful...and without helpful friends and family who listen and help me.

Life with a Beautiful Baby

Oh Lillian, how you have changed our lives. I must say that having a baby right around vacation time (aka the holidays) was a blessing...our families helped us so much! Lillian was born during finals week(s) for Ryan and I had baby blues and didn't think I'd be able to muster strength to care for our little itty bitty baby...My mom rescued me and came to Cville to pick me up after we had been home for a week. Ryan was going to finals and going to work-which left me alone and sad...poor Itty Bitty was so hungry because I wasn't able to give her enough milk-and the doctors, I felt, were letting me know that I needed to make a lot of changes and be a better mom...well, let's be honest, I was hormonally imbalanced! So, I got a head start to vacation and Ryan soon followed after finishing with exams and working.

Vacation was a lot of fun...we had so many great times with family-both of them-the Bairds and the Shrefflers. Lillian was held so much and loved by everybody in the family, especially her mom and dad.

Baby Beautiful had her photo shoot, done by the talented Laura Barnett (Ryan's Sister) and she did such a great job. She was extremely patient in getting some great shots of such a beautiful, naked baby:)






and we had some family pictures taken by a family friend...she did an awesome job!

Our growing family:)

Anyways, while on vacation, we did a lot of talking, eating, playing, walking, talking, reading, holding baby, waking up at odd hours of the night with baby, eating, talking, family time, improving our skills on the Kinect-especially dance central!, watching tv, staying up late, not starting a schedule, sleeping, talking, and eating. It was a great way to get help with my new role as a mother...I had great examples-my mom, my mother-in-law, my sister-in-law, my sister, Dorothy (on the phone), and of course our "mother in training," Lil d (she may not have kids of her own yet, but she knows how to be a mother!). And it was so fun being with all Lillian's Aunties and Uncles...they all were wonderful and helped me a lot!

We are back home in Charlottesville now and we are working on improving our schedules-so that we can be better prepared for our roles as mother, father, wife, husband, student, providers, fun seekers, and amazing people contributing to the whole of society.

The Arrival of Baby Beautiful

This is the morning of the scheduled C-Section

a close up of her cute face

And the naked, screaming baby pic

12/6/11-Add this day to my favorite days ever

Lillian Gabriela Baird was born into our family at 9:36am on 12/6/11. She weighed in at 8lb 4 oz, 20.5 inches long, and beautiful as can be. We love her, she is perfect and the most beautiful child that I have ever laid eyes on.

At 32 weeks, I asked the OBGYN doctor to see if he could tell me her position-she was in a perfect position for delivery, but she fooled us! I was going into the Doctor's Office 2x/week because I was having swelling and my blood pressure was being monitored. At about 36 weeks, my stomach was measuring big (at 40cm) and the Nurse Practitioner wanted me to get an ultrasound. Within 2 miliseconds, the tech told us that Lillian was breeched, with her head around my right rib cage (which is why it was also difficult to breath walking anywhere). She was still measuring where she should be, but we were able to schedule a C-Section at 39 weeks. I was offered the opportunity to have version, but I quickly turned that down and thought the C-Section would be the best option. After speaking with the nurse, the date was set for 12/6/11 @ 9:15, arrival at 7:15 to Martha Jefferson Hospital, Dr Matthew Montgomery would be the delivering doctor.

Everything continued to go smoothly and we were able to get everything prepared at home (to the best of our ability). 12/6/11 is one of the happiest days of our lives. She was delivered butt first and started crying as soon as they were suctioning her off. Ryan was able to watch Lillian come out and was with her the entire morning, even helping with her first bath. The first bath took awhile because her body temperature was too low and she had to sit under the lamp.

During the procedure, my blood pressure was dropping and I was throwing up...I felt extremely nauseous. I had been pumped with fluids for such an occasion, I felt like I was floating. The spinal block was painful and at one point, I thought I was going to shoot off the table with pain as the medication was put in. Ryan was dressed as a smurf and he couldn't come in until after they had started cutting me. He held my right hand behind the drape and I was situated leaning slightly to the left. Ryan asked when he could take pictures and the doctor responded as soon as she was pulled out...within minutes (it felt like seconds because I was going in and out of it), Lillian was pulled out and Ryan was leaving my side to be with her:). The anesthesiologist told me to look to my right and I could see my baby-and low and behold, there she was, looking at me...with a look of question "that's my mom?" and I was thinking "that's my baby?" She was so wide eyed and looking around and then started screaming. I was sewed up and went into the recovery room. The anesthesiologist (Dr Stadler) asked if I wanted medication to help me sleep and all I could think of was "no, I want to hold my baby and breastfeed." So, I wasn't given much of the medication and waited for Ryan to come back. He came to my side with Lillian and I tried holding her, but hadn't regained my strength. Ryan talked to me and the nurse was trying to monitor my blood pressure and body temperature which was going crazy. I again asked to hold my baby and she was placed in my arms and mouthed her way to my breast and started sucking away-knowing exactly what to do. Ryan then took Lillian to the nursery to be bathed and I went to our room and rested.

I could not stand being stuck in the bed-at 5am the next morning, I asked to my have urine catheter removed and the leg pumps that help blood circulation, so that I could stand up and take a shower. It was difficult, but with Ryan's help (and help from the nurse), it was accomplished and I felt so much better. I got up every day and walked around the floor to gain my strength back. I was not allowed to pick the baby out of her basinet by myself, so I asked Ryan to hand her to me often. She liked sleeping on my chest and sleeping in my arms. She was such a cute bundle of baby. I feel like such a happy mommy to have such a wonderful, healthy baby. She has an awesome daddy that loves to sing to her and hold her. It is nice to be home and have so much help from both our families...She has 2 sets of grandparents, a couple of uncles, and LOTS of aunts that love her and enjoy taking care of her.

More Baby Update

Baby time is right around the corner. I'm not sure who is more excited, Ryan or I?! My baby is big...I'm not exaggerating-of course there are always bigger babies out there, but Lillian is gonna be a big one! 2 weeks ago at her ultrasound, she was 7lb 7oz....that's my girl:) At her ultrasound, she also showed us that she is breeched...more specifically "Frank Breeched." That's my favorite breech position that we learned about in Child Birth Class-she is pretty much in a 'v' position holding up her legs. She is probably using my rib as a pull up bar because she used to be low and now she is really high. At 32 weeks, she was head down and right in a good position, getting lower each day-well between 32 and 36 weeks she changed position and is now riding high. Already with a mind and might of her own...

So what can you do-you schedule a C-Section-and I'm okay with that. Right now, with planning involved, she will come December 6th (hopefully in a wooden shoe, set out by St Nick-that's St Nick day ya know, put out your shoes)...Obviously she'll be precious and beautiful-and BIG. Oh I can't wait to hold my baby burrito and to see Ryan as she gets wrapped around his little finger-or does he get wrapped around her finger? Either way, he's going to be such a happy daddy-and so proud too.

However, if she decides she will be coming between now and 12/6/11...I would most likely start labor and go in for an "emergency" c-section...the only reason it would be emergency is because it wouldn't be planned and my OBGYN's office policy is not to deliver a breeched baby vaginally-and realy that is OKAY with me. I'll take Lillian whenever she is ready, so will Ryan, I'm sure of it!

In other Baird news, Ryan is finishing up classes...guess when his last day is!? It is 12/6/11 and he is scheduled to miss it, but he doesn't mind. He is really smart and I know he'll have amazing grades. He is also working hard at CustomInk and loves it. And to top that all off, he is doing very well in the Air Force ROTC. He looks really good in his uniform, it doesn't matter if it is his blue uniform, khaki and tshirt uniform, or pt uniform...he is looking mighty fine. I am working, and yes, full-time...I'd get bored at home sitting around waiting...let's be honest, the house isn't getting any cleaner whenever I am home (and Ryan puts up with me). I am taking naps when I get home from work which help me feel wonderful and able to stay up and talk with Ryan a little after he is done with work. I am not teaching Exercise Classes for the rest of the semester and will start back up mid January. My feet are BigFoot Feet because they are swollen and 3x the normal size-I feel like they could burst open at any time! I wear the same smelly flip flops every day...and Ryan has been instructed that if I wear them home from the hospital, they must be thrown away the VERY first thing we do when we enter the house.

And there is a quick update on Baby and the Baird's in Charlottesville:)

The growth of Gummy Baird

Hello, we are all still alive and doing well. For those of you who are unaware...we are going to have a baby. I am 28 weeks pregnant with Gummy Baird-real name to be Lillian Gabriela Baird, and yes, she is a girl. Here are pictures of the growth of baby and of me...

Here is where Gummy got her name...she looks like a floating gummy bear holding a balloon. Here, I was about 6.5 weeks.

Here is Lillian in her ever growing form. Really just a cranial picture...from another view she seemed to have my Bjarnason honker nose and Ryan's double jointed fingers and toes. She gave us thumbs up, hand laid back on her forehead...she uses the placenta as a pillow and kicks her legs around all the time. The other night, her foot was poking out of my tummy about 3 inches above my belly button.

Here I am at 12 weeks...and I was illiterate on the day because it was Sunday may 29, not 30th.

Here I am at Ryan's half sister, Leslie's wedding in Macon, Ga. I am 16 weeks pregnant (June 24th, 2011)

And here I am, today- 9/18/11 at 28 weeks. Same tee as 6 weeks...Things are going well for the most part. I am losing feeling in my hands at random times and my feet are getting huge because they are so swollen...but somehow, Ryan helps me manage. I couldn't be living the pregnant life without him (well literally, it is true)...but he helps me so much and takes care of me when I randomly start crying or can't even function to get into bed. Who knew that growing a baby was so EXHAUSTING. I am teaching classes at the Fitness Center, Aquatone, WalkFit, and a 30 min Spin class...as you can see, it helps me keep my slim figure. Lillian moves all the time and does NOT like when I lay on my left side..I always get a good, hard kick when I try to do it. Ryan and I have spent a little bit of time getting the nursery together...it has been fun. Even with Ryan being so busy, he is always available to help me and to listen. He always talks about holding Lillian and all the things that he will do with her so that I can rest. I appreciate him and I am glad that he is my best friend, husband, and soon to be father!

a long time coming...

oh goodness me, it's 245 in the morning and i just cannot sleep. i'm not sure why i'm awake so early, but here i am. lil d is participating in a half ironman so i'll have to be up in about 1.5 hours anyways...i suppose i'm getting a head start.

ryan got accepted to uva!! we are so excited:) he will start in the fall. he is working on getting financial aid, being accepted to the air force rotc...and we are working on finding new/cheaper/safer housing. it is all very exciting. work for both of us is going.

back in the day, when i would pick lil'd up from highschool, she was very embarrassed by me. i would get my friends to come with me to her basketball games or golf tournaments and i always made signs and screamed for her and routed for her. i would also go pick her up after practice in the crown vic and yell and honk out the window that i was here to get her. to me it was funny and today, to us, it is funny. well for the half ironman today-ryan made tshirts, lil'd and i made cardboard signs (who care if they get wet), we painted our car, and we have 2 cowbells to scream and route for her. i'm excited...i love this stuff. my children should prepare themselves because i am totally on their side and i'll be in the stand routing for them-band, sports, drama club...it doesn't matter, i'll be there (and most likely, ryan will too). get excited lil'd, today is all about you. you got it girl...woot woot...GOOOO LIL'd!!!

Moving Forward

It sure has been a long time, huh? Well we are both still alive and moving forward with life and the many things that are bumps along the way. A new year, brings new beginnings and many wonderful memories of what the old year had for us. We are looking forward to this new beginning in the new year. New beginning? Everyday is a new beginning...

Ryan will not be starting school yet. He is hoping to find a full-time job, possibly at a screen printing shop. I am still working at the Cancer Center as a receptionist. I am hoping to start as a Group Exercise Instructor at the UVA campus Fitness and Aquatics Center...I have heard there is a Aqua Instructor opening...I hope it becomes mine...I will be a fast Aqua class learner, not having much experience, but having the desire to learn and do it.

We are still participants in a running club-it's fun, I'm glad we do it to atleast run sometimes...I do hope to be better at running (especially in the winter). And that is life as of now.

Slammin' Tim Tams

Christmas season has officially arrived! Tim Tam cookies (from Pepperidge Farms, available at Target) have officially been stocked on the shelves. Nothing says Christmas time more than slamming Tim Tams. Tonight we had our first official slam of the season.

First, you take the cookie and bite a hole in 2 opposite corners...

Then you suck Hot Chocolate through the opposite corners until you feel the cookie become moist with goodness...

IT'S TIME TO SLAM- put it in your mouth and feel the good chocolaty taste of the cookie melt in your mouth

It really is that easy...You can become a pro on your first attempt. The Baird's taught me, the Lewis' taught them...really it's a loved, handed down tradition.

Now excuse me, Ryan is setting a mouse trap...

Our Accomplishment

Coming down the escalator as we waited for the train to take us to the starting line.

OMGosh-I was really nervous...not gonna lie.

We made it through the race and even found each other at the end.

So, as you have seen from the previous post, Ryan and I have been running. Well, we started training in June for a half marathon-and the 10 miler happened to be training:) On 10/16/2010, we ran the Balitmore Half Marathon and it was great, awesome, worth it, incredible, an accomplishment. Ryan and I stayed in a hotel for the weekend and made a vacation out of it.

10/09/2010

What a beautiful picture, no? And look who had to be pictured with us...see right there, between Ryan and I? Ryan and I signed up to run a 10 mile race in Manassas-it was called "General Ridge's Challenge." I didn't notice the challenge part of it until after we paid...it was 5 miles on the hilley, extremely hilley, golf course-the rest of the 10 miler was on the street through neighborhoods. Dorothy and Denise ran in a 5k and Nas watched the girlies-Chloe and Scarlett. Nas would have run, but she was out of commission for this particular run. We had a great time. See that medal I am wearing? Well, Ryan won 2nd place in his age group and he gave it to me because I am his motivation. It was an awesome run and I was grateful Ryan stayed with me on the golf course.

As of Late...

I've been missing from the blog scene. I asked Ryan if he would please post because I did not care to. It was the honest truth; however I am once again feeling back into the posting phase. Although there are no pictures, here are my words.

We have been loving the Charlottesville life. It has been so fun being on our own and getting to know each other again. We are in love. We have made some great friends-Sam and Sara and we spend a lot of time with them. We have 'Survivor' parties, eat dinner together, go on hikes, apple picking, to ikea and visiting mine and Ryan's parents, to highschool football games (where there is a real lion and fireworks at every touchdown!!!-really, I kid you not), to Sara's family farm, long drives, Yoders-a Mennonite store, eating at Charlottesville Buffalo Wings, trying new recipes, meals with the missionaries...really the list goes on. They are our friends and we feel grateful.

Ryan has been doing a great job at cooking meals, cleaning, and going to work. He has been looking into possible scholarships, working on puzzles, studying Russian, trying new recipes, and lots of reading. I love seeing him when I come home because we hardly saw each other the first 8 months of our marriage because of work/school schedules when we were on our own. We have been preparing for our half marathon in 2 weeks. We will make it to the end!!! We will be running a 10 Miler next weekend...a first for us on both of those occasions. I have been enjoying my job and decorating our home. Life is good, Ryan is cute, and I'm in love. We are well.

Atop Old Rag Mountain and floating down the lazzy James River

Labor Day weekend for us was all about the great out doors. We wanted to make the most of our weekend together so we decided on a couple of things to do. On Saturday we hiked Old Rag Mountain and on Monday prefering a shorter drive to scottsville than to Virginia Beach decided to go tubing down the James river.

Last Year Dara and I and mom and Kara tried hiking Old Rag Mountain but the weather took a turn for the worse and the rain and the cold made for icy conditions at the summit and so we sadly turned around. On Saturday Dara and I drove to Old Rag Mountain and met up with my mom. Together the three of us hiked and seriously climbed about 3 miles up to the summit (3,291 ft). It was one of the highlights of our summer. We all had a good time going through rock crevises and climbing over bolders. Climbing a mountain no matter the height or level of difficulty is a fullfilling journey. When we got to the top we felt like we had challenged ourselves and found the strength and determination to meet those challenges head on.

The beautiful vista at the summit overlooking the countryside and the Shenandoah National Park was spectacular. We felt like we were sitting on the top of the world, well at least from our vantage point at the top Virginia. We sat at the top for a while and just took it all in as we snacked on some food that we packed and made phone calls to family. The hike over all was amazing It was an enjoyable trip up the mountain and going down. Dara remarked as she was in a tough spot on the acsent that inorder to climb up and over a rock you have have to wrap your leg around it like you're pole dancing. Getting back down was far easier and we walked gracefully back down a few more miles. We came, we saw, we conquered. Another day lived and one mountained conquered.









So on Monday we had planned on going to the beach but we were feeling lazy in the morning and did not want to wake up and drive 3 hours or more to Virginia Beach. Instead we decided to go to Scottsville, VA where we outfitted ourselves with innertubes. One for each of us and one for our cooler full of food. I have to admit that it was a little risky going when we did becasue the river was low in several spots exposing pleanty of rocks to get in our way. For the most part we enjoyed floating along the river where we could enjoy just being in the water and out in the sun. I forgot how peaceful a river can be and it was nice to share in this tranquil experience with the woman I love.