Z

Zzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!!!!  


I swear the mind's ability to forget certain crucial things is quite amazing when it comes to children.  


Like, I forgot until the last few hours of childbirth, how bad it really hurts.  And I forgot about the cramping afterwards.  And how it is near to impossible to walk for 24 hours.


I forgot how much my schedule or Russell's schedule really doesn't matter.  Because we are on Ryker's time.


I forgot about sleep (ZZZzzzz) and how precious and limited it really is during the newborn stage.

I forgot how taxing on a relationship newborns can be and how important it is to remember the little and simple things with each other.

I forgot how necessary and HOW lucky I am to have an awesome family and in-laws that have already been amazing and will continue to help us out with our children.

I forgot how amazing birthing a child really is...and how tiny and dependent they are ...and how I can't imagine not having children, but there is just nothing that compares.

Love to all
From A to Z (and I didn't forget any in between)

Your Momma
 

Y

Ryker Lee
Born at 3:18am on December 29th
Weight 8lbs 15 oz
Length 22 1/4 in

Strong and stubborn!

Birth story to Follow!


Yours Truly!

Momma

X

W

This post is dedicated to all the women in my life.....my family, my best friends, my friends that I just met, my colleagues, and those women that I come into contact with on a daily basis!

I had something come up a couple weeks ago and really relied on my women friends to assure me that I was okay, and beautiful, and things would be okay-for real, like really, for sure.  It was during that time that I realized how necessary women are in my life.  Going through pregnancy and motherhood, I feel like this is not even more important to have these women connections.  As much as a man can try, they will never fully understand what it is like to be pregnant, to give birth, and then be a mother.  Just the same that we will never understand what men go through. 

When I'm pregnant and at my most vulnerable point, I was able to reach out to my ladies and survive the moment.

I just feel very lucky to have you all in my life!  Thank you!

 Love, Momma

V

For Thanksgiving we were given the go-ahead by the midwife to head to our Home Away from Home-Nebraska.  It was a much needed VACATION.  We started out our journey at Auntie Laurel's house.  Well actually it's Annie Rose's house and Laurel and Dusty live there:)

Seriously, two cousins playing together does not get much cuter than this!

Russell and I commented how amazing it is that Annie and Aylen can be separated for months and when they are together they know each other right away.  It's some cousin connection that they have and it is JUST SO FUN to watch!

After Annie Rose's house we headed to the country at my LOVELY mother-in-law's house.  This visit was much needed as Gram (her mother, Russell's grandmother) passed away several weeks before.  It was hard not being close to family to give hugs, clean dishes, fix food, etc.  We were able to spend some good quality time giving hugs, loving on Aylen, and most important hanging with family-especially Grandad. 

 Russ even got to show Aylen his stomping grounds behind the house!  Aylen loved all the sticks, the sand and the leaves!

After Grammy's house we WERE completely full from an amazing Thanksgiving dinner and probably one of my favorite meals that my MIL makes-Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup. 

And from here we headed to Lincoln.  And for some reason my CAMERA never made it back out of it's bag.  I have zero idea how this happened-so please feel free to weed through my play-by-play:)!

I was experiencing one of these days, which was SEVERELY unfortunate because we had things to do and people to see.  But we managed to see my bestest work friends ever, head to Valentinos to meet my brother, his lady friend, and my BFF ERN! 

From there it was to our awesome friends Candels and Leland for a quick hello-and she presented us with Biscotti's quilt (you can see it here in her blog!)  She is so freakin' talented it is not even funny! 

We then had to pop over to our old house to check it out-and you can't really pop over there...because people are always out and about.  So we stopped over and hung with our neighbors.  They are awesome, and they forgave us for taking the "baby" away from them!  Ahh  good times, and good people!  We jumped over to our friend Cristale's mom's house.  Where we got to hang with our friends and their children!  For some reason I am still amazed when I get together with my friends and witness all of our children running around and playing with each other!  It truly is amazing!  It always leads me into memories of the good ol' days and wow-how cool these good ol' days are now filled with little feet, squeals, and the most amazing little laughs!

We ended our Lincoln trip here and it was up to Omaha we went.  From here, my father-in-law and Barb took amazing care of us.  After a day of being severely uncomfortable I was completely treated like a queen by Barb.  Good food, a big huge bubble bath, ginger tea, the promise (and occurrence the next day) of a desperately needed mani and pedi, and more amazing food!  We were able to have lunch with our friends Hunter and Josh, and then dinner with Russell's cousin and family, and Russell's best friend Scott and his amazing lady Jael. 

And then the night came and went and we were looking at Sunday already.  We sadly and amazingly packed our car (seriously, 3 people and their bags, our dog, a Megan-sized teddy bear, Aylen's car seat, Biscotti's car seat, and enough snacks to tide Aylen and I over at a moments notice=in the prius!)  Before we completely left the state we were able to sneak in a mid-morning snack with my Grandpa.  It was great to see him!

And to Colorado, home, we went.  It was our first trip back to Nebraska for the mere purpose of seeing our friends and family.  (No packing, no selling a house, no busy-work).  Just laughs, naps, and catching up on life!  Ahhh, I feel so blessed!

Love to everyone!
Momma

U

can I get a UNCOMFORTABLE up in here!!!

that's right ladies and gents.  i'm at the end of the lovely pregnancy journey.  it's weird this time around because I have definitely experienced way more aches and pains this time-yet it has gone by at lightening speed!

i started off this pregnancy being extremely nauseous.  no throwing up, but feeling like I was hungover for the first trimester was the pits.  especially mixed with quitting a job, packing a house, moving to another state, moving in an apartment for 3 months and then moving to a house--all while wanting to hangout with the porcelain statue.  but whatever we made it!

due to the above activities I then acquired a lovely inguinal hernia-pretty rare I guess for women.  this was a pain, literally.  however; i was good and babied it and it's not as big of a problem as it was!

and then there was the third trimester...which has been an experience.  for those of you who know me, know that I'm not a holder-in of my gas.  if you gotta go, you gotta go.  but I can't even begin to tell you the pains that I've had this last trimester.  and I was watching what I ate, and still to no avail I would be miserable.  i tried alot of things, but often the cure was for me to just go to sleep and in the morning-it would be better.  i also managed to get either the flu or some type of intenstinal thingy the past 3 weeks for only a day at a time.  lovely.  i finally did puke once (tmi-I know), but I'm telling you that is NOT cool when you're doing that and you have a baby in your belly.  i know there are many people who can relate, but I seriously have never experienced that and it was no good.

the other thing that is taking some getting used to--is how to navigate this belly with Aylen John!  the above picture was taken when Aylen and I were cuddling this am.  he had a fever and needed some good momma time.  biscotti was not a fan of sharing my stomach, but Aylen was totally asleep.  so biscotti got the short end of the stick-which I think actually meant I did and I dealt with some leg/knee/foot/hard body part in my rib cage for 30 minutes.  needless to say I was relieved when Aylen decided to be awake and i could finally move.  Ohhhh let the games begin of sharing Momma's cuddle space.  it will be okay.

people have babies close together, people have twins and triplets and their babies are well loved.  we will find a way and it may be uncomfortable, but we will find our system of sharing space and love and lots of kisses.

i'll leave you with some pregnancy photos!

love you all,
momma!

T

Transforming our house to home!  Check out what we have done!

 

It has been so fun to start making this house into what we want!  I know that I've mentioned this before, but really this house feels special.  It's like we know that this house is going to be the homebase for our children!  And talk about perfect timing in that I'm nesting-well I've been nesting-so starting out with an empty space was excellent!

Thanks a bunch to my hubby and all the family and friends that helped in this process or helped watch Aylen:)

Love to all,

Momma 

S

Slide: 1    Aylen:  0

 This is how yesterday started out...

And then this is how it ended....

 

I've learned that lip wounds are horrible.  The amount of bleeding that occurs is no bueno.  I always have two thoughts when Aylen gets hurt--1) I love this child more than ANYTHING in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD, and 2) How do people hurt children???  It never fails that these thoughts pop in my head.

It was tough because he busted his lip just in time for me to cuddle with him, get him to sleep, and then head off to my weekend training.  It was so hard for me to leave the little guy-but thankfully he has an AWESOME daddy that I knew would give him loving.  And thank goodness for Aylen's Auntie Laurel who assured me that it would be okay and heal fast.  Bless nurse Aunties!

I swear, I love that little boy so much.  I feel like this is all just the start of things...there will be more falls, more bleeding, more sadness.  And I'll always be on the other side...wiping tears, kissing boo-boos, and just telling him-"It's okay sweetie. Momma loves you.  It will be okay."  Even when I'm freaking out inside because he's hurting.  Thank god for Russell.  Seriously, Russ has always been a rock for me.  And I look to him so much to say..."Yea Meg.  It will be okay."  And when he says it, I trust him.  I trust him so much:)

Darn.  I'm kind of emotional today.  I'm blaming pregnancy!  Who knows.  But I'm thankful for my family and for being a Momma!

Muah my family!

Love,

Momma 

R

Remembering those that have gone before us....

Today would have been my Mom's 57th birthday.  It's weird because I honestly never really knew her birthday.  It's like I would look to see when it was, I would note it in my head and then it would come and go.  I used to feel really guilty that I didn't know her birthday.  But, then I realized I was too young.  Too young to know dates, too young to know when to celebrate, just too young. 

Lately, it seems that personally as well as professionally death has been in abundance.   It's hard to see people so sad.  Grief is such a powerful thing.   Kubler-Ross was really onto something and it seems almost inevitable that you will go through one, if not all, of the stages.  I digress...

So this post is dedicated to some of those that went before me...So here you go Aylen and Biscotti, here are some very special people that I want you to know.

this is my Momma, your Grandmother, Tommie Lee.  I wonder what she would have wanted to be called--Granny, Grandma, Nana.  It's weird because I knew her as a young lady and all of my pictures are of her when she was young.  It's hard to imagine what type of Grandma she would be--but I know she would be pretty darn hip, perhaps hippyish:)  Aylen you would be happy to know that you got her nose-at least I think you did.  A fun story that I will tell you alot while you grow up is what your Grandma's recipe for Hiccups was...."If you have the hiccups, you just fill a ziplock bag full of water and put your head in it."  Odd that this memory has stuck with me.  I never questioned her logic, it made sense to both of us at the time.

Happy Birthday Momma-Grandma! 
And ps.  I can't wait to give Biscotti your middle name.

Aylen, the lady third from the left is Iona.  She was my surrogate mother during the days.  She taught me about spinach, following the rules, and that my Dad would eventually pick me up (even if it was not when I thought he should be there!).  I can't remember all the stories but I know she was a pivotal part of my development. 

alrighty Jenny-Russ said you would kill me if I put this picture up. BUT darnit I can't help it you LOOK so awesome and happy!!  So Biscotti-this is your Auntie Jenny.  Sadly, I didn't ever get to meet her-but her stories will live on.  I've been informed that if you ever get into boy bands-Auntie Jenny is your person, your guru, your all-knowing Auntie.  Auntie Jenny would tell you to be yourself-because that is all that you can do (says your Daddy).

alright Ninos...the guy going for the garter with the bandana on is your Uncle Kenny.  He was a way cool dude, that is really missed.  He would call you, "Kid", and laugh his great laugh.  High on life that is what he was....

Biscotti this is your Great-Grandma Gram.  She never knew you but she met your brother.  She knew about you-I wish we would have asked her what she thought you were going to be--BOY or GIRL.  Your Great-Grandma was feistier than the feistiest!  Great-Grandma Gram would have asked you-"What's going on here?"  if you and Aylen were messing around.  You would have loved to see your Daddy and Great-Grandma Gram messing with each other-it always brought laughs to EVERYONE in the room!

Aylen, this is Great Papa.  You knew him!  He loved to tell stories about how he was never allowed to be in the room  when his children  were being born.  He told you things like, "Keep it between the fence posts", and as one that we never got to hear but Daddy says he would say was, "Ishkabibble."






So there you go Aylen John and Biscotti-these are some very important people that have passed either before you were born or soon after.  You will know them by the pictures we show you at home, and the stories we tell you.  That I promise both of you.

Love to all and those watching out for us up there:)

Momma

Q

this post is dedicated to me and all my QUIRKS, but really the Good Stuff!

alarm clocks-I insist that my alarm clock (as well as Russell's if I can pursuade him) is SET on a weird time.  It's hard to explain, but I don't like my alarm clock to be set on times such as 5am, 530am, 545am, 6am, etc.  I want it to be on 532am or 546am.  It has nothing to do with more time or anything-I just prefer it that way!

words I despise include:  MOIST, fine (thanks Della-fine means--"F*ed up, insecure, nuertoic and emotional), curdling

I have issues with my eyes.  I was born cross-eyed, yea whatever, that was me!  I had to wear a patch for awhile--ehhh matey.  And then I wore crazy classes for a long time.  Blue Sally Jesse Raphael glasses.  There were awesome.  Anyways-you know when those 3-d puzzles came out and EVERYONE was obsessed with them.  You were supposed to stare at it and then eventually see something.  Well I LIED about what I SAW...ALL The TIME!  I hated not being able to see the picture.   Anyways-a couple years ago I was at the eye doctor (which by the way I have near perfect vision after all of this-without the use of contacts or glasses) and he asked me about seeing double with that goofy eye thing they make you look through.  I didn't see double, I saw one.  After a couple of tries-he learned and conveyed to me that my eyes do not work together.  Instead one takes the lead and will switch off to the other eye as needed.  This made a TON of sense for a variety of reasons including:  my depth perception stinks, I often have to verify that a car isn't coming multiple times because I have SWEET blind spots, I couldn't figure out those darn puzzles, I didn't have the best shot in basketball, etc, etc.


I used the word DETHAW for many years until my wonderful husband pointed out to me that it wasn't a word.  In fact-it was a complete contradiction to itself.

I have almost no clue how to do my hair.  Well I know how to straighten my hair but that is about it.  I can't tell you how many friends I have that I asked to teach me how curl my hair, but to no avail.  My hair is thick and long and well a pony tail is just too easy!

I can hardly buy anything for Full Price.  I know that many alot of people do this, but I mean I seriously don't (with the minor exception!).  I fully believe in thrift stores, sale racks, and percentage off sales-otherwise it's not for me.

I've told you this before, but I have a crush on Tom Arnold (I get it Roseanne...I totally do).

I blush easy and sometimes really hate that.  I used to tan sometimes so that I wouldn't blush so easy-bet you haven't heard that one too often!

I keep asking my husband about my quirks, but HE can't remember any...How the heck does that work???  We watched Goodwill Hunting the other night and seriously one of my favorite parts, where I always look over at Russ and just smile is this one:
 
“Sean: My wife used to fart when she was nervous. She had all sorts of wonderful little idiosyncrasies. She used to fart in her sleep. I thought I’d share that with you. One night it was so loud it woke the dog up. She woke up and went ‘ah was that you?’ And I didn’t have the heart to tell her. Oh!
Will: She woke herself up?
Sean: Ah...! But Will, she’s been dead for 2 years, and that's the shit I remember: wonderful stuff you know? Little things like that. Those are the things I miss the most. The little idiosyncrasies that only I know about: that's what made her my wife. Oh she had the goods on me too, she knew all my little peccadilloes. People call these things imperfections, but there not. Ah, that's the good stuff.

~ Robin Williams as Sean Maguire, Matt Damon as Will Hunting.”


So here's to you and me and the Good Stuff!
Love,
Momma

P

A couple of weekends ago-Russell's sister and niece came to visit!  We had an AWESOME time at the Pumpkin Patch.  I couldn't help but to reflect on the year before when we visited the pumpkin patch with my parents!  It's completely amazing the growth that Aylen has made in 1 year!!!!!

He had a blast at the Patch.  He ran around to check out EVERYTHING--the music, the animals, the hay, mazes, pumpkins.  The little guy is so inquisitive of everything and HE seriously has no fear.  Sometimes those child backpacks make sense to me...because Aylen loves to just TAKE off and you better be paying attention!

Here are some photos from the weekend!

Love,
Momma!

O

Oh, baby-baby-baby!

Remember 2 years ago, when I was pregnant and I took pictures of my BELLY every single week so that Aylen could see himself growing!  Yea remember the awesome scrapbook that I spent hours and hours on.  

Oh, and remember swearing that this second baby would have an awesome scrapbook too.  Oh, and weekly pregnancy pictures.  YUP-not happening!  Yikes, don't hate me Biscotti.  It's just the classic case of Second Child Syndrome that I wanted to avoid.  EEKkk.

For the record-I do have a scrapbook that is actually pretty up to date, just not near as pretty.  And zero pictures, but that is what happens when we move two times in less than 4 months.  And whatever-excuses...but for real it's on soon with printing pictures for the scrapbook!

But until then here are some preggo photos--for you Biscotti!

Love,
Momma

N

Next summer is deemed the 2012 Non-Preggo-Paloosa, for this girl.  That's right-it feels like I have been pregnant for 3 years, which is an honor.  Don't get me wrong-I feel blessed that we have a child and that we are expanding our family, but it doesn't come with its share of frustrations.  Nah that isn't the word I'm looking for, what is that word?? For the love--perfect example here people....PREGGO BRAIN!  Is it tradeoffs, no, not quite the word.  Shucks you know what I mean, you probably actually know the word I want to use....anyways letting it go.

But keep focused Megan, we are talking about the Non-Preggo-Paloosa!   So far this is the activities that will occur during this Paloosa---we will have:

1. Alpine Slides-Never done them, heard about em' from Russell and am now determined to race him or anyone else who thinks they can beat me!
2. A Wine Fest- Perhaps this one- http://telluridewinefestival.com/ or any other one because it appears that these Coloradans LOVE their wine.
3. Beer Tasting Brewery Bike Tour- My good friend invited us along on one of these just after we moved here and WHAT a great time!  Despite my inability to drink it was still great to be out and about with new people, talking, biking, and drinking WATER.  But not this time, no sireee, It's Non-Preggo-Paloosa time!
4. White Water Rafting!-  I was lucky enough to go white water rafting 3-4 times (I can't remember) while I was a tour leader in the Dominican Republic and I haven't gone since!  I got to hear the stories of my good friends going recently while Aylen and I hung back.  It's time rapids.  It's time.
5. Tattoo Time-  I've been eying various tree tattoos for several years now.  I want a tree on my back with some additional seagulls to add to my lonely seagull collection.  The seagull is an important (see again-I'm struggling with my WORDS)...is an important SYMBOL (geesh-that shouldn't be so hard!) in my life.  And now I need some seagulls to represent my little ones!
6. Hotel Room Night- Yea yea yea...don't get all-EWWW that's gross, inappropriate to put on your blog.  I LOVE hotel room beds.  For sleeping.  Cmon people!  I'm serious--I know I kinda saw the Dateline episode regarding bedsheets at hotels...whatever.  I'm in denial.  I like germs.  I DON'T Care.  I trust that we don't stay at a scary hotel.  BUT I can sleep so awesome with those dark shades drawn.  AND there is something about just hanging out when you wake up and watching TV, and not having to make a bed, or pick up your clothes, or clean your toilet.  So yea.  Hotel Room Night.

Alrighty I think that about sums it up.  As I told my Friend Mandy, all are welcome to join in any and all of these events!  Well-ok maybe just Russ with #6, but anything else-Cmon on DOWN!  I love my little ones, but know that this little Paloosa will keep me on track for being a great mom and realizing that I still got some life in me:)!

Love to all and Happy Friday,
Megan

M

We go to the Mountains...!

I have missed posting, but life is SERIOUSLY crazy! Crazy good! Quick update and then I will finish with the Mountains:)

Russ completed his second to last MBA class! Can I get a woot-woot!  He will start his last class tomorrow, and will finish in time for the arrival of Biscotti!  Let us survive this last class.  Can I get an AMEN....(amen, amen, amen)...   Last Tuesday, Russ gave his notice at his current job.  He will start his new job October 3rd down in Greenwood Village.  The good news- mo' money and mo' interesting.  Bad news- here's the commute- 

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=greenwood+village&daddr=longmont,+co&hl=en&sll=39.89229,-105.02648&sspn=1.047308,2.469177&geocode=FbqCXAId4pO--Sl1RXWwcolshzFXc-U-_vRtNg%3BFSfnZAIdmEW8-SlJM8zVCPlrhzE1J6Pz7qF9wQ&vpsrc=0&mra=ls&t=h&z=9

That's right--one hour is the minimum, and well we don't talk about the maximum.  Lastly, with Russ he lost his first grandparent a couple weeks ago.  Papa is now resting in peace.  I wasn't able to attend the funeral, but Russ did and had one of the most bonding experiences he has had with his family as of late.  Makes me think of this quote:  “They say such nice things about people at their funerals that it makes me sad to realize I'm going to miss mine by just a few days” Garrison Keillor quotes

Aylen John- he is doing very well!  We all have survived some crazy times with Aylen the past few weeks-- our best guess is SEVERE teething pain, change with schedule and visitors, and Who the heck knows.  But he has been swell and shared his cold with his mama.  Sweet boy!  Cute things he is up to include dancing, taking apart our kitchen door on a daily basis, talking more, hitting HIS MAMA in the face-but hugging his daddy dearly, and WALKING everywhere!  I swear the bruises and bumps he gets on a daily basis is pretty ridiculous!

Biscotti-nothing much to report!  Moving and shaking as always!  Growing right on track!  Although, Biscotti has helped me obtain an awesome Inguinal Hernia (that's a new phrase for this blog).  Basically due to the weight of Biscotti + moving (and no I haven't lifted heavy boxes-just a lot of light boxes)= HERNIA.  There really isn't anything to be done other than be gentle with myself.

and Lastly, Momma!  I'm doing so well!  Seriously-I love my mountain life, my family, and my job!  I think on a regular basis how happy I am to be here in this place and in this time:)  I have met some friends from my job and we go out every Thursday.  My bosses are SO great and supportive and let me do my thing.  Both schools appreciate me and my work.  My house rocks.  My husband is not only handsome but great.  AND my kid is seriously the cutest!  So life is good!

And seriously with this minutes away from us....it's really all good.

Love to all,
Momma