Babies....

What a wonderful way to spend an afternoon relaxing... on the couch with my babies and my baby's baby.  Heaven on earth!

Adventures In Babysitting!

I didn’t have much babysitting experience as a kid/teenager, but boy have I made up for lost time!  Last week we had the honor and pleasure of house/baby sitting for some friends of ours….while they were off on a trip to Maui!   Yes, it was me and Chad, with FIVE girls (if you count Tess), 2 dogs, a cat, and a guinea pig, keeping everyone alive for the week!  This included school drop-offs, dinners, bath times, play dates, and the like….all while rocking the Honda Odyssey minivan.  It was hard work, but it was FUN.  I truly believe that anything is doable for the short term, and these girls are each so beautiful and sweet that it was a JOY to play house with them.  I rose to the challenge, I must say!  There was only one brief time where I had to say, “Nobody say my name or talk to me for 2 minutes!” which was, of course, met with small voices saying, “Why can’t we say your name, Miss Sarah?”  Definite highlights of the week were snuggling with the girls watching kid movies, answering difficult questions (like, “Why do babies come out all bloody?”), and hearing all sorts of random, inside facts about Mommy and Daddy while they were gone (like, “I’ve seen my dad naked, like, a thousand times!).   I’d truly do it again in a heartbeat….but I will never, EVER have four children.  Their mom is absolutely my mommy heroine – I have no idea how she does it all and is still so sweet and lovely herself.  That woman deserves a week in Maui!  Below are some pics from our week of FUN....you can see that it really wore Tess out, too!

"As A Child Enters The World"

I happened upon this poem on Facebook, in the context of a friend's son praying this blessing over his newly arrived baby.  It's just so beautiful and I think it captures how I have felt when I ponder the mystery of a the "veil parting" when a new soul enters this world. 



As a Child Enters the World
~ John O'Donohue ~

As I enter my new family,
May they be delighted
At how their kindness
Comes into blossom.

Unknown to me and them,
May I be exactly the one
To restore in their forlorn places
New vitality and promise.

May the hearts of others
Hear again the music
In the lost echoes
Of their neglected wonder.

If my destiny is sheltered,
May the grace of this privilege
Reach and bless the other infants
Who are destined for torn places.

If my destiny is bleak,
May I find in myself
A secret stillness
And tranquility
Beneath the turmoil.

May my eyes never lose sight
Of why I have come here,
That I never be claimed
By the falsity of fear
Or eat the bread of bitterness.

In everything I do, think,
Feel, and say,
May I allow the light
Of the world I am leaving
To shine through and carry me home.

Precious Girl!

When I found out I was pregnant I purchased a little leather-bound journal and began writing letters to our still-gender-unknown baby.  I had such fantasties of filling page after page with love letters to our child!  But the busy-ness of life had (and still has) other ideas.  Tess is now 15 months and the journal is still only about 2/3 full -- I am lucky if I can write something to her every couple of months.  As I was fretting this morning about not having written in the journal lately, I realized that what I really wanted to say to her are things that others might enjoy hearing, too.  So I'm writing it here and will print/cut/paste it into her little book. 

Do you see that gorgeous smile she has, and the face that's lit up with pure joy? That's our precious girl.  Last night I was working on a photo book of her first year, and I felt like I barely recognized the teeny tiny baby in the photos from August and September 2011.  It's not that she wasn't adorable (and fiiercely adored) back then, but I realize now that she was just...so....blank.  Her life was about eating, sleeping, pooping and not much more, and her personality had yet to shine through.  Now, Tess is so VIBRANT.  She is a little person, complete with her own voice, her own preferences, her own sense of humor, her own sensitive spirit, her own distinct giggle....the list goes on.  I would not change one single little thing about who she's become in 15 months. 

Being with her now is so full of meaning -- I am shocked on an almost daily basis about the amount of learning, imitating, and maturing that's going on.  I can hardly keep up -- every time I think I am going to stump her on something, she surprises me.  Like the time a few weeks ago when I had the brilliant idea to teach her how to count. I said, "Tess!  Say 'ONE!'" and she looked up at me and said, "TWO!"  And she is chock full of energy, but not the precocious kind.  Sure, if she is not played with deliberately, she gets into stuff -- but I love that she is genuinely inquisitive without being rebellious or destructive.  She is learning what "No" means (currently her favorite word) and starting to understand consequences (sometimes a repeated "No" lands her in her crib!).  She is so outgoing -- she loves saying "Hi" and "Bye" to people, which makes her a kick to take shopping -- and she will let just about anyone with a smile pick her up.  She is not shy in social situations, and she is not afraid to try new things (oh how I love that about her!).  She is adventurous like her Mommy, and willing to take risks (like on the playground or in her tumbling class), but also cautious and looks around to make sure that her safety net is nearby. 

As much as I miss the tiny, cuddly, and immobile baby she was, I am loving every second of the interactive, learning and growing little girl she is.  I have said it before: my only consolation that she is getting bigger is knowing all we have to look forward to.  In the meantime I am trying to consciously savor each phase we are in, and I'm grateful for God's grace in not giving me a terrible-two toddler or a snotty teenager off the bat.  I appreciate that each stage naturally eases into the next, sortof like progressive training.  And I am savoring moments, like today in the car, when we were stopped at a long light and I got in a solid minute of tickling and laughing with her, or listening to her chatter away about all the groceries I am putting into the cart. 

I thought I knew what being in love was when I was getting married, or when she was born.  Right now, being in love means that every second she is awake -- even when she is telling me "No!" repeatedly -- there is nothing I'd rather do than pick her up and hold her and cover her face with kisses and wish she could understand that she is the best and most beautiful thing I have ever known. 

Jen's Baby Shower

This past weekend I helped host a baby shower for my "sister-cousin" Jennifer ~ she's expecting baby Zoe by June 15th! The shower was held at the home of her sister (my other "sister-cousin"), Lisa.  It was a gorgeous event ~ a tea party theme with fine china and silver, delicious food, and beautiful Asian-themed garden decor.  Here are some of the pics I took. 

What Is It About Grandmas?

I don't know about you, but when someone's baby is fussy or screaming, I don't race over and say, "Awww, let me take her!" If anything, I am either handing the baby back to Mommy and/or waiting uncomfortably for the responsible party to figure out how to quiet the thing down. 

But not Grandmas.

Tess is lucky to have three Grandmas and a Nana who see a fussy, crying baby as a challenge. Not a challenge to be conquered or subdued, but one to be loved on until the crying stops.  I'm not sure there's another relationship like this.  I mean, I'm her Mommy, but there are times when even I know that handing Tess over to Grandma is the best solution for everyone involved. 

What is it about Grandmas that makes their love so....grand?  It makes me think of my Grandmas and how many wonderful memories I have of them from my childhood.  But what I remember most about my Grandmas is how they smelled.  In fact, just the other day at the store I stopped to look at the lotion and opened a bottle of Jergens Original Scent.  I took a long, deep breath and inhaled the scent that will always, always remind me of my Grandma Fern (who, to this day, keeps a bottle of Jergens on her nightstand).  It must have been all the cuddling, rocking, and soothing they did that makes me associate certain smells with my Grandmas. 

Tess is well on the way to having some wonderful Grandma memories of her own!

"A grandmother is a little bit parent, a little bit teacher, and a little bit best friend." ~ Unknown

It's So Fun....

...when you aren't the only one getting bigger! My dear friend Tiffany stopped by the office today (she used to work here) to say hello. Her due date is just 7 weeks after mine. Tess, meet Max!

Yesterday was my 28 week, appointment, which produced some positive results:

--I passed my glucose screening test with flying colors! I'm nowhere close to having gestational diabetes.

--My blood pressure continues to be excellent.

--I'm a little low on iron, so I'll be taking some extra-strength iron going forward, and "beefing up" my diet (ha).

--I've gained 22lbs so far. It looks like I'm on track to gain about 35 total, assuming I can keep things in check during the third trimester. Allegedly I will have "10 extra pounds" to lose after baby arrives. I can totally live with that, and it's been GREAT to eat what I want up to this point. Now, though, with my stomach lodged up near my sternum, I just can't hold as much food. I'm hoping this helps offset my 9pm bowl of cereal habit...

Yesterday I also went to Motherhood Maternity to splurge on a few more maternity clothes. Specifically, I needed more pants for work. WHAT A DIFFERENCE it makes to have a GOOD pair of maternity slacks that fit right and don't bind. Baby and I are soooo comfy today.

And, I've got 3 baby showers in the works, thanks to wonderful women in my life who asked to bless me by hosting them....invitations are going out soon!

And, we have officially started the nursery.

And, the baby registry (Babies R Us) is almost complete, too.

"Operation Baby" is ramping up!

Everlee's Birth Announcement

Getaway Weekend In Berkeley & Meeting Baby Everlee

This past weekend we took one of our semi-annual "getaways" to the Claremont Resort in Berkeley, CA. Thanks to Living Social, we got 50% off our stay and 2 free bottles of wine (too bad I couldn't drink them!). We had a wonderful stay! The weather was gorgeous on Saturday and we enjoyed breakfast overlooking the SF Bay, and spent the afternoon walking around Berkeley and the school campus. We also had a delicious late dinner at Rivoli Restaurant -- Asparagus Risotto for me and Lobster Ravioli for Chad. On Sunday we took our time heading home and stopped at Ikea to see if they had anything we might like for the baby's room. Below are some of the few pics I took over the weekend. I just didn't have it in me to take any more, which is unusual! Chad and I have been so busy, I was more interested in looking at him vs. thru a camera lens.

On the way home from Berkeley we stopped in Modesto to see our beautiful new niece Everlee Joy Hayden, who is just 2 weeks old and (of course) a total doll! Below is a slideshow to some of her newborn pics. We're hoping this is a good indication of how beautiful our little baby girl will be, and we anticipate that she and Everlee will be great playmates!

Baby On Board!

I'm way past due (hehe) on sharing our BIG NEWS with the blogging world... We are expecting a baby in August! In fact, time flies -- today is already the first day of my second trimester (13 weeks).

Here's the scoop, for those who are interested...

We found out on December 14th and got to tell my parents on Christmas Day. It was so much fun to see their reaction! We only told just a handful of other people, since we wanted to wait until we had confirmation from the doctor that it was a healthy pregnancy and baby before making the announcement to everyone we know. Below you can see the first ultrasound pic, taken at my 8-week appointment on January 12th. What an amazing experience, to see a little baby (with tiny arms and legs, too!) and hear the heartbeat for the first time!

I feel very blessed to have had a fairly easy first trimester. I haven't had much nausea, and have only battled extreme fatigue -- no other "adverse" symptoms (unless you count not being able to drink wine!). That is slowly getting better, and I fully expect to have much more energy within the next few weeks.

Now that everyone knows (and it took us a while to make all those phone calls!), it's becoming more real and fun. I'm just now starting to show a little baby bump, although my pants have been tight for several weeks. At this point there are only a few pairs I can still wear!

Lots of people are, I'm sure, wondering why we are JUST NOW having a baby after almost 12 years of marriage. The truth is... we (well, mostly I) just haven't been ready until now. I always thought I would be a mom by age 28, and when I was in my late 20's the thought of it still terrified me. Not because I was scared of pregnancy or parenthood -- I just wasn't ready to give up life as I knew it. Right around the time I turned 30, it just "clicked" and I realized that becoming a parent was something I really wanted to experience. It took another year or so to feel ready to start "trying."

Here's where I may get into "too much information" for some of you...

I went off birth control in Fall of 2009, but we still weren't "trying" (i.e., we weren't watching the calendar). In January 2010 we got more intentional about it, and conceived in April. It caught me off guard, and I remember feeling really scared -- almost like it was happening too fast and too soon. Unfortunately, I miscarried at about 6 weeks. What a shock -- it was truly the last thing I expected. And, as I discovered, it's SO common -- about 40% of first pregnancies end in miscarriage. I'm grateful for the support of many girlfriends who have been through it and provided me with encouragement when I needed it. We didn't tell many people until a few months later, because it just felt so personal. Right afterward, I was determined to get pregnant again as soon as possible -- I felt like I needed to get back what I had lost. But it took a few months for my body to recover, which turned out to be a much-needed time of personal growth healing -- physically, emotionally, and also spiritually.

Fast forward to November of 2010, one of the busiest months we'd had in a while, where all of the planning and calendar-watching got thrown out the window. "We'll make a better effort in December," we told ourselves. As it turns out, we got pregnant when we least expected it.

I could write so much here about what a faith experience this has been for me, starting with "trying to get pregnant" to "wondering if I can get pregnant again" to "Is this really happening? Because I'm afraid to believe it" to "Is there really a baby in there?" I'm asking God to prepare me emotionally and spiritually as he prepares me physically... I truly want to be transformed/conformed according to His will into the best mother I can be for this little one.

Of course I will continue to post updates as the pregnancy progresses. We feel incredibly blessed, and are encouraged by the excitement and well-wishes from our loved ones!

8-Week Ultrasound Pic

A Sweet Baby Girl For Valentine's!

We were blessed with a wonderful Valentine's Day gift this year -- a new niece! Everlee Joy Hayden was born February 14th, weighing 8lbs 4oz and measuring 19 inches. We are rejoicing with Chris, Kristi, and Elise over the addition to their family!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Weekend Trip To Phoenix

I spent this past weekend visiting our dear Phoenix friends, Jason & Stacy, and their adorable little boys, Ethan and Dominic. Check out the baby pics below -- at 7 months, Dominic is one of the sweetest and snuggliest little guys I've ever met! Ethan turned 3 this week and is all about his Daddy; it's very cute. Stace and I had a great time catching up and doing what we do best: talking, shopping, eating, and pampering ourselves with pedicures. We also caught up with an old college friend and that was fun, too! I'm so grateful for the ability to travel to see out of state friends.

Visiting Friends In AZ

This past weekend we packed up and headed for a warmer climate in Arizona.... or what we thought would be warmer, but was unusually chilly & windy! (Chilly for me is below 70 degrees.) The purpose of the trip was to visit 2 sets of very dear friends -- Michael & Sara in Tucson, and Jason & Stacy in Phoenix. We had a GREAT time with all, and packed a lot of fun stuff into 4 days. It really felt like a mini vacation, which was much-needed. In Tucson we relaxed and read, had coffee, wine tasted, the girls shopped (while the guys had cigars), and went for a wonderful desert hike. In Phoenix we girls shopped & got pedicures (while the guys watched Avatar), visited Cornerstone church, enjoyed plenty of time outdoors, and spent time doting on our new "nephew" -- he arrived in February. We feel blessed to have such genuine and hospitable friends to open their homes to us. Thanks to the Eastons and the Coyles for such fun and memorable times together!

Let The Holiday Madness Begin!

As you know, the Haydens are "tres busy" once the holidays get started. We had a great long Thanksgiving weekend, visiting family and friends both near and far. Highlights included time with my girlfriend Andreana, visiting with my 2 best friends from college -- Kimberly & Stacy (Stace lives in Phoenix now but was visiting parents in the Bakersfield area), catching up with an old high school friend who was visiting home from Aberdeen, Scotland (hi Josh!), and visiting the "Fullerton parental unit" in Southern California.

With Andreana...


The Haydens!


Pretty Thanksgiving table...


Chad with his nose in a book... as usual!


Zsa Zsa, my kitty from home...


With Stace & Kim... Stace is having baby #2 in February -- we can't wait to meet him!

Kim, Stacy & I met the first day of college (freshman year) at Fresno Pacific. They had both come to FPU from Shafter (near Bakersfield) and were sharing a room down the hall from me in "Module B." We became instant friends and have been inseparable ever since! We've shared boyfriend drama, bridal showers, weddings, being bridesmaids in each others' weddings, baby showers, pregnancies and babies...and we manage to stay close depsite being long distance at times. When we're together it feels like "home!"

Welcome To The Family, Gabrielle!

The Watson side of our family just welcomed a new baby -- that's 2 in just one year! (We welcomed baby Teg in April.) My cousin Heather and her husband Brian (who were married less than a year ago in October) welcomed Gabrielle Marie Byrd on August 29th. Born 5 weeks early, Gabrielle weighed 4lbs 9ozs and measured 19 inches. Congrats to the new parents! Can't wait to meet our newest little cousin.

Connecting With Old Friends & New Family

This past weekend Chad ventured down to the L.A. area for the state speech and debate tournament. I decided to take a little road trip of my own, and went to Thousand Oaks area to visit with some friends and family! On Friday night I reconnected with my childhood best friend, Judy Turner. Judy and I hadn't seen each other for probably 5 years, and had been out of touch for 2 or 3. We got back in contact through Facebook and I had a great time catching up with her! Judy and I met when we were barely 4 years old, so she has known me longer than anyone who isn't family. It's a friendship that will always be there, and will always be a blessing. I hope to see her again soon!

On Saturday, I hopped over to Simi Valley to see my cousins Bruce, Jaimie & Sabrina Watson. They had just returned from Ethiopia the weekend before where they picked up the newest member of our extended Watson family: Lucas Alan Tegegne Watson ("Teg" - their son!). You can read more about their journey here. It was so wonderful to see this beautiful baby that the family had hoped and prayed for for almost 2 years! Valerie met me there so that we could meet Teg together and get all gaga over our newest baby cousin. Bruce and Jaimie also let us watch the video of their trip (which included 2 days in Dubai). It was strange to think they had just been there 5 days ago, and when they left they did not have Teg....now he is a permanent part of our lives and family! The video was so touching, as we got to see the orphanage and "transition home" where Teg had been living, the nannies who had been caring for him, and the (extremely emotional) first time he was brought out to meet Bruce, Jaimie and Sabrina. Bruce and Jaimie also shared openly about the adoption experience -- the faith journey (aka the really long wait!) and the testimony of God's love and grace that they will share with people who meet them and Teg. Teg is slowly making the rounds, meeting all of the Watson clan, and we all adore him! As you can see by the picture below, he's a very happy baby....and who could resist those gorgeous brown eyes?

A Special Delivery....From Africa!

We were THRILLED to get the news last week that my cousins Bruce & Jaimie Watson (and their daughter, Sabrina) were approved to adopt a beautiful baby boy from Ethiopia. After what's been a very lengthy and trying process, a court hearing confirmed that they are officially the parents of Lucas Alan Tegegne ("Teg") Watson. They're leaving for Africa next week to bring baby Teg home! You can read more about their journey and see pictures of Teg here. We're excited to meet the newest member of the Watson family!