Santa's Spy

There is a baby blue elf lurking in our house And I think he pooped his pants!

Me & my Munchkin

All dressed up matchy-matchy for our big day of Christmas shopping




I know, I know, boys don't like to dress up with their mommies... But I dont care. As long as you cant lift your own head I choose how cute you can be.

one thumb two thumb

Dum Ditty Dum Ditty Dum Dum Dum

Frozen fire

This week was tough.
I was alone of course (single-mother syndrome). Then all of a sudden the power went out. Baby & I managed one very cold night okay by snuggling tight together in bed and drinking cold bottles. but by the middle of the next day and the temperature continueing to drop inside, it started to make me worry. PGE projected another couple days of this! It's amazing how much we rely on electricity.
It soon became very clear to me as the wind came howling through the slits in our windows and the water in my cup was iceing over that it was time to reach into my survival bag of tricks. Our house was below freezing!
Thank goodness for Holiday Inn Express (and their complimentary breakfast)
and dear Grandpa Saxey for paying for it.
All in all it was three days without power and a whole lot of trouble with baby in tow.
Thanks dad for making it easier for us.
We love you :)

Interview Season

If you were wondering why Keith has been gone so much lately it's because we have entered the season of giving.... interviews that is.
Keith is near finishing medical school and has applied to a bunch of hospital accross the country for a position in their Plastics Residency program. This is the most competitive field to go directly into so he's taking all the interviews he can get.
Everyday he checks his mail for invitations and so far has recieved about 16 which is a really good amount. Each interview is about 2 days long plus travel time. So you can see this could be very time consuming and tiring, not to mention costly! Since the baby came he has interviewed in Loma Linda CA, Houston TX, Temple TX, Seattle WA, and Rochester NY. Today he is in Cinncinatti OH and from there he is going straight to Virginia. Saturday he comes home for 2 whole weeks - Yay. But then things gets really busy! He'll be gone every weekend in January, part of Feb, and there is a 10 day
stretch in there too where he'll zig zag all over.
The next question I get asked is:
When will you know where you are going?
There is a thing called "Match Day" where everyone in the country finds out at the same time where they finally got accepted to (if at all). This is in March sometime.
How does that work?
Well, it works on a national lottery system where all the applicants rank their schools in order of preference and all the school rank the applicants. (that happens in Feb). Then that goes into a big ol' computer that matches you up according to who likes who first. It's supposed to be fair.... but the tricky part is guessing how much They like you and where they will rank you so you can know where to rank them.
So the point is
In march we will find out what part of the country we will be living in for the next 6-7 years of our life! It could be anywhere ~
When will we move?
Keith graduates in May and we ship out in June. We have 2 weeks off in April to find and buy a place to live (wherever that may be)
So now you know why Keith is gone so much right now and also why this time is so important. These interviews will determine what our lives will be like for a very long time.....
Good luck honey - You are the best...... even if i do miss you like crazy ;_(

4 weeks and 2 pounds later

Motherhood update

Baby:

• My Dakota Jack is getting so big he has already outgrown his first outfit.
• He loves to eat and is a little too good at it
• His eyes are turning a very deep dark gray (so far)
• He still has night & day mixed up :(
• His toots make me laugh
• Bigest milestone, He Smiles!
• and for some reason I just can't stop kissing him

Physically:

• Im exhausted. and generally fatigued
• Im still very achey and sore from the rough delivery
• My nipple has stopped bleeding
• Still feeling fat and mushy (though my shoes do fit again)
• I did manage to excercise for the first time yesterday
• When I can't shower I make up for it with many teeth brushings
• Wrist is cramping up from holding baby
• Dieing for a foot massage

Emotions:

• Lonely - I miss my husband half the time. I also long for my own mother...
• slightly overwhelmed
• Cooped up - today I took the baby out for a few hours but it can truely be a logistcal nightmare for the serious shopper
• Nervous about germs/driving/falling weird stuff~
• Enormously Gratefull for my beautiful healthy little family and all our zillions of blessings
• In total Awe everytime i look at my baby boy

Favorite things:

• Having my husband home
• The 3 of us together snuggling in a warm down comforter
• Showering
• baby bums (clean ones) & tiny finger nails
• free dinners that i dont have to cook
• xmas cards & gifts in the mail
• did I mention, having Kieth home?
• Most of all.....Sleep

Daddy!!!! No milk is coming out!

Dakota meets the Grandparents...

Dakota Jack Neaman

Born November 14th 2006

At 11:49 pm

8lb 2oz 21 inches long

Perfect Health :)

Complete Joy!

Hi
I am in the hopital now
I am in labor and uncomfortable and not on any meds
This is going to happen today at some point.
Ouch!
gotta go....

Hi, if you haven't already done so, please take a minute and put your birthday into my alarm list (link below...)

http://www.birthdayalarm.com/dob/46963278a431030231b363

(...this was a great idea sent to me by Lumina!)

wounded

This morning's Redness from last night's tea...

Ouch

I was just trying to speed things along by enjoying a piping hot cup of red raspberry leaf tea, when Baam! I spilled it down my lip, chin and chest leaving painful scalding blisters.

-Not feeling so good.

What is your favorite flower?

Mine changes from time to time...

This spring I was all about Peonies

Of course I allways love roses, lillies & daisies....

I guess the type I preferr depend on the season and quality.

For instance; I was buying some roses for a friend yesterday. Normally my favorite are pink roses but in this particular case the yellows were in such better condition that they swept me away~ and of course, that's what I chose.

Today, I'm attracted to big explotions of colorfull boquets that make you want to hug them!

Let me be

Thank you to all the millions of people who have sent me their advice on inducing labor.

I now have a sufficient database file to draw on and will do what I will.

However we are not accepting anymore tips at this time

Thank you & have a nice day :)

like mother, like daughter....

Feeling a little better now.....
Apparently my beautifull Mother had to go through the same thing with me - Twice.
Keith has been wonderfull. He looked up articles about failed inductions and according to my bishops score, I fell into that "lucky" 1% of not working. Yesterday just wasn't his birthday.
I hope it happens before my hubby leaves again for 5 days. (thats on thur. the 16th)

Did anyone feel the earthquake today?
kinda neat :)

update

I am home now
Had a very hard day yesterday
12 hours of yucky stuff
Left exhasted and extremely down.
Dr said he is very surprised that I didnt progress. 2-3 percent chance of that.
Very bad pain in the middle of the night.
Slow walk in the woods today with no talking.
Just need to be alone for a while

7 hours later....

my contractions seem to be getting smaller. they keeep uping the meds but im not doing much. this is getting a bit boring actually....
in a couple hours Dr. Bair will check me and we may decide if this will even work today.
sheesh, Im supposed to wish for the pain to overcome me.
I keep asking if its possible that im one of those people that contractions are easy for - i may not even notice the birth.
they just smile real big nodding "no, that wont happen.."

I am hungry!!! I had breakfast at 4 am. I have been at the hospital since 5 am. Started Pitocyin at 7:30 am. Now it is 11:15 am my tummy hurts and I really want a sandwich!
No food allowed until I finish this whole thing. Sheesh. Feed me Seymore....

I'm all hooked up man! It's happening now.
Shamalongadingdong!

Keith will update for me throughout the day when possible.... Unless I get sick of it.
For now though,
we're just trying to entertain ourselves with all the funny buttons and lights in our room.
We've been making a movie since last night - Starting from my Jello bath. Thats right - I said Jello bath. It was more like a warm slurppy and later i will post pictures of it. It was the best thing I did in a long time!
That jello bath is my happy-place now.....

Honey, it's time....

Just returned from the doctor's

Status: Cervix is 90% effaced / Dialation at 2 centimeters / Head is engaged low at -1

All this mumbo jumbo means..... It looks like I'm having a baby!

Im scheduled for an induction this Saturday the 4th at 0500 hours (if he doesn't come on his own before that)

Average labor takes 10 - 14 hours.

So,

Here we go.....

I feel like I've boarded a rollercoaster ride that is too scary for me and it's too late to get off!

This is where I'll be if you want to visit me..... (Sunday only)

Providence St. Vincent Medical Center

9205 SW Barnes Road Portland, Oregon 97225

http://www.mapquest.com

*Go into the main entrance or the west pavillion, find the Purple Elevators, Go to the Third Floor and sign in at the family maternity center.

Call Keith's or my cell first to know when we are recieving visitors.

Pray for us Please!

Potter responds!

Dear Emily Potter finally speaks from her exotic hideaway!
I love hearing about her colorfull adventures in teaching acrross the world.....

Teaching children in India!
Teaching Fun!
Horray for my friend! See her life unfold here: http://www.soulofthemoon.blogspot.com/



Sending you my hugs & loves!