Family Alive

Hello world! Hahahahaha. If you have ever taught yourself a computer programming language, you probably chuckle every now and then at such a greeting because of its perennial usage in the first program you are instructed to write.

I have been thinking a lot about the subject of this blog — organizing my life. From papers and books and mementos on my desk at school to papers everywhere in my office area at home, I am surrounded by physical clutter most of the day. This is not too mention the countless files that I have replicated, duplicated, and distributed on five computers that I use regularly. Similarly, my mind is also full of clutter as hundreds or maybe even thousands of things vie for my attention every day.

In short, it’s right about time for some good organizing in my life. What better place to begin could there be than with my spiritual life. Jesus commands us to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33) even before the seeking the things we deem vital necessities. Paul sets the example of a focused life:

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. ^{Philippians 3:12-14}

This then is the substance of what I am writing about tonight. I want to organize my life, but I must set my focus above on Christ Jesus, lest I get lost in all the clutter and the noise.

I don’t know about you, but I have to say, my daughter has the MOST BEAUTIFUL smile I’ve ever seen:) I’m sure every mother thinks so. But when Brian sends me a picture at work or I look at this great website with pics of my smiley little girl, my heart honestly just melts. She’s such a cutie!

This picture is one Brian sent me at work. She kind of looks like a little stuffed doll sitting in the glider rockers. She’s still a bit droopy when we sit her up:)

Not much new here. Grandpa Dale is here for a visit – he’s amazed at how big and interactive Analise has gotten. She’s started sucking her thumb, but she’ll also suck her middle two fingers to put herself to sleep. Last Wednesday, she was 3 months old, and she’s already 24″ long and 13pounds, 2 ounces! That’s quite an improvement over her tiny 19.5″ and 6pounds, 15 oz when she was born.

Everytime I think back to how we were so surprised to find out Analise was on the way, I can’t help but stand in awe. Married just 3 months, our plans were for kids in a couple years after we’d had some time to enjoy being “just the two of us”. Even as the pregnancy continued and a baby became more and more real, it was still impossible to know what our lives would be like when she arrived. I wondered if I would know how to be a mom. I worried that we’d miss out on all the things we could do together without a little one to think about. I tried – unsuccessfully – to imagine what our lives would be like. We were really excited, but there was so much uncertainty.

It’s been 3 short months since Analise burst into our world, after months of anticipation. I can’t imagine our lives without her. Being a mother came naturally, and I love it. Brian’s an amazing father – Analise could watch him all day, and she’ll just break out into a grin when she sees him. Sure, it’s harder to do things with a baby. But it’s no less fun. Seeing how she grows and changes every day makes it hard to get anything else done:) And her smile… when she’s smiling at you, there’s no room for thoughts of “what might have been”. God knew – far better than we did – that our lives needed Analise. We needed to be stretched, and to learn to give, and to see that it’s always possible to love more. And as for the future, there’s nothing more exciting than the thought of seeing who she’s going to be and having her to share in everything else that lies ahead of us.

WE ARE SO BLESSED!

Ok, enough sentiment:) At the top left is a picture of my lovely daughter from this past weekend. Though she’s full of smiles, it’s so rare for the camera to catch one! To the right, a second smile from last week. She’s EXTRA smilely lately because she’s got her TOES to play with! (By the way – if you’d like to see a bigger picture, click on the image, and you’ll find a printable picture.)

Yesterday was an exciting day. Analise found her toes… and has not wanted to let them go since!

She now will have her feet up in the air, holding onto her toes when she’s lying on her back.
Even this morning, half asleep as I was changing her before leaving for work, she was yawning, eyes closed, rolling around, and her feet came up and she grabbed on.

Makes it hard to change a diaper! It’s really cute though… here’s a glimpse!

We’ve had a babysitter most of the week, today Brian was on Dissertating Daddy Duty:) He’s doing such a great job… I’m jealous, but he’s been so great about sending me pics.

Today he had to run an errand at school, and we had an instant messenger conversation when he got back about their journey. Here’s a recap:

Brian: whew, i’m hot
Brian: my arms are very tired
Kristine: she’s getting heavy
Brian: yep
Brian: she went to sleep about halfway through the journey
Brian: which i will recap shortly
Brian: first, drove over to CS building
Brian: went to CS office to get form (i left it in my mailbox)
Brian: went to prem’s (adviser) office to get signature
Brian: Prem said she’s cute
Kristine: lol
Brian: then i went back to car
Brian: and drove around past the mondavi center to the metered spots on A street
Brian: walked a block and a half to the cashiers office
Kristine: wow
Brian: got up to the cashier and asked if they took credit card
Brian: no, no credit card
Brian: i said, no problem, i have my checkbook
Brian: flip, flip, flip, hmm… i appear to be out of checks
Brian: she said, there’s an atm by the bookstore
Brian: so, i walked another block and take out $120 from the wellsfargo atm
Brian: then back the block
Brian: back to cashier
Brian: paid the money
Brian: then block & half back to car
Brian: then drove back to CS building
Brian: then up the stairs again
Brian: and gave the form to Kim
Kristine: goodness
Brian: then back to the car
Brian: and back home
Kristine: and now you’re tired
Brian: she slept starting from as soon as I left prem’s office
Kristine: lol – i don’t blame her

So very glad it’s the weekend… I get to snuggle my sweet little girl for 2 whole days. Even more fun – we’ve got toes to play with!

Brian, Analise and I just got back from an extended visit to Alabama. We left on Sat. Sept. 11th, supposedly to return this past Thursday. Hurricane Ivan blew in and changed our plans, so we got a couple extra days relaxing with the Grand-Toones and exploring the area that will be our new home in late December. We ALSO managed to find a house, put in an offer, and finalize a contract!! Maybe I can get Brian to upload a few pictures and I’ll post them so you can all recognize the house when you come visit:)

Here’s a picture from some mommy-daughter time during the Hurricane in Alabama!

For almost the first time since before Analise arrived, it’s just us in our apartment. Brian’s parents were with us from June 14-July 6th. We were in Wisconsin from July 9-20th. Then my mom joined us on August 3rd through the 24. The Grand Toones arrived again thanks to a cheap ticket 3 days later, and stayed til Sept. 9th, and we just got back from a week long visit to Alabama (all dates are approximate).

So we’re settling into our routine – I’m up before 6, feed Analise at 6:30, catch the bus to work at 7:15, Brian is a stay-at home-dad during the day, I get home at 6 to a HUNGRY baby, then we’re off to bed by 10. So this is what “normal life” looks like. Then again, has life ever been “normal” for me??

Today, though, a friend of mine, Heather, started watching Analise. She’ll be taking care of her for 5 hours, 3 days a week. I hope it’s going well – I’ll let you know!

Yesterday was a little rough. I think Analise was a little “off” from the travelling. She hardly slept, and instead of just her tired fussing, she was actually crying. I felt bad because I would have given anything to trade places with Brian. But he did well, and I came home to a smiley sweet girl, who proceeded to fall asleep immediately when I put her to bed at 7:15. She’s easy enough for me!

The week has flown by, and I’m just now getting the chance to check in.

Grandma & Grandpa Toone were here until this morning. Analise has been blessed with so much family time since she was born! 3 weeks with my mom, meeting everyone at Anna and Hal’s wedding when she was 10 days old, and the GrandToones 🙂 visiting when she was born and for the last week and a half. I wish we could be closer to everyone so they could see her grow up, but this website will have to do.

At the right, Analise tries to get milk from her cow rattle… She’s laying under her “gymini”, an arch with hanging toys that she LOVES to kick and grab at.

For your enjoyment, you can catch a glimpse of Brian’s life as a stay-at-home-write-dissertation Dad. Today’s highlight was a near blowout diaper and a trip to Starbucks. Lucky for you, there are only pictures of the latter:) Click here to see the photos!!

What a great holiday – I get to spend the ENTIRE day at home with my sweet little one. I love 3 day weekends!

As Analise was nursing this afternoon, I was thinking back to how far we’ve come. We just barely managed to catch onto this breastfeeding thing. Days of finger-feeding her, trying to teach her to suck correctly, then the pressure of travelling to Wisconsin when she was just 10 days old… I was ready to toss in the towel and bottles were so easy (and not painful!). Someone asked if I’d miss the “bonding experience” of nursing her. I was so stressed and sore that I felt much more bonding as she contentedly took a bottle after I pumped.

But we stuck it out, amazingly, and on the plane to Wisconsin as she was crying and a bottle was out of reach, she latched on perfectly for almost the first time and hasn’t looked back since. It used to take all kinds of positioning and time to get settled and get her fed. Life revolved around feeding times. Now, Analise snuggles in and sucks contentedly, sometimes trying to smile and gurgle up at me with her mouth full:)

I have to say, all the pain and perserverance were worth it!

I can’t believe Analise is 2 months old already! She had her 2 month doctor’s visit this past Friday, complete with shots. She grown a lot – at least it seems like it to us! – and weighs 11pounds, 12 ounces. She’s getting tall, too, 23inches – which excites her vertically challenged mother! The shots were the worst thing we’ve experienced yet as parents, though. All a necessary part of childhood, I expect. Anyway, I hope to keep you all updated on the life and times of The Three Toones here!

Hello everyone. Today we went to church. During communion, I ducked out to the baby cry room with two units of bread and juice each — one for me and one for Kristine. It turns out that the communion servers had not forgotten about Kristine! Having in our possession extra bread and juice, we celebrated communion the three of us together in the cry room.