Summer has been glorious with our little man! I don’t have a picture or video of it yet, but Zion is “walking” in the pool now. He will toddle from one side of the reef ledge to the other, about 5 feet, and if we offer any help, he pushes our hands away! We are so very glad we went ahead with ISR floating lessons when Zion was 6 months old! Oh, he figured out how to open the gates a couple weeksago, so we ran out to buy caribeeners right away! We are in awe of his developmental milestones, but how does a parent keep from feeling a twinge of sadness, as he grows and relies on us less and less? I suppose this is why I enjoy nighttime parenting so much...sleep is so overrated!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
The best 4th of July ever!
Jason had a meeting on Monday and everyone attending was asked to share their favorite part of the 4th of July weekend. Today is Friday, and I still can’t stop thinking about one thing; what a joy it was to watch Bubbie and Grandad enjoying being grandparents. The three spent all day Saturday together; swimming, playing and just hanging out. Zion’s face must have hurt by the end of the day; he didn’t stop smiling for one second! We are so very blessed!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
“Today is a beer day!”
“Today is a beer day!” 
I laughed when Jason woke up a couple of Saturdays ago and announced this to his son. Ever since Allan bought “us” the kegerator as a housewarming gift, then my parents gave Jason the equipment to keg his own brew on his 30th Bday…
I laughed when Jason woke up a couple of Saturdays ago and announced this to his son. Ever since Allan bought “us” the kegerator as a housewarming gift, then my parents gave Jason the equipment to keg his own brew on his 30th Bday… EVERY day has been a beer day! Our latest creation is FJZ ESB: Faith, Jason & Zion’s Extra Special Bitter. In addition to learning skills such as blowing kisses, high-fiving and peek-a-boo, our 9 month old is also mastering the basics of mashing and sparging. Here, Daddy and Zion are forcing carbonation into our first family brew .
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
20 pounds and 8 ounces of yum!
I had visions Zion running around (or doing his swashbuckler crawl) in nothing but a cloth diaper this summer. Well, Zion has a different idea. I can't say I am surprised. After all, his Mama did invent the word nakedeez!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
I heart Jason.
I was surprised to wake at 9:00AM Saturday morning. NINE O’CLOCK!…and my boys were nowhere to be found. Curious. I was greeted by the mystery men moments later, who had been playing in Zion’s room for two hours. I kept thinking, as we cuddled in bed and planned our day, not only do I have the perfect husband for me, Zion is blessed with the perfect dad.
Friday, June 26, 2009
No, it’s not Oprah and Bon-Bons…
When asked, “What do you do all day?”, I usually draw a blank. I find being a SAHM quite stimulating, we always manage to stay busy! And if you’ve stopped by my house unexpectedly, you’d know I don’t spend much time cleaning! Here is a snapshot of the past two days…
Wednesday
• Breakfast an
d play date with Grandma and Grandpa Haywood.
• Costco with Rachel and Galilee (Zion’s BFF). We love being a spectacle. We are always stopped and questioned if the babies are twins. While eating out with Jason, (Haven was away at work) I’ve even tried out the whole “Rachel is our second wife and we planned to have our babies four days apart” response. Reaction: “Whatever works for you, just don’t run out on the check”!!! Another cool moment: I wore Zion on my hip in the Ergobaby and put my nursing cover on. He ate while I shopped…could it get any easier?
• Picked Jason up from work, drove to Hillcrest to buy a compact dryer we found on craigslist. Jason wowed us all by carrying it to the van by himself. What a man.
• Ate dinner at Pizza Fusion where Zion melted my Italian heart by dipping his whole grain breadstick in marinara, oil and vinegar AND olive tapenade.
• Jason wore the Ergobaby and we walked to Best Start to show Zion where he was born. Yes we were teary-eyed, and feeling so blessed to be part of this loving community.
Thursday
• Stroller Strides in San Marcos. We try to go four times a week. I actually feel like my old self again! While we are doing ab exercises, Zion does not hesitate crawl around and visit other Mamas and babies (and steal their toys). I am always keenly aware of how secure he is. Another proud-Mama moment.
• Lunch and play date with Robin and Fairfax. Robin was my boss while I was pregnant, and one of the main contributors to my overwhelming enjoyment of pregnancy, she is a gift from heaven! Zion chased Fairfax around, he just loves animals. Weird. You know me and Jason
! Achoo!
• Picked up Daddy from work and did something I never imagined would take place…we adopted two cats; Izzy and Blane (or to Jason; Cat 1 and Cat 2). We thought some furry friends might enjoy country-living, and make it a little less like a Bambi movie around here. Jason fishes rodents out of the pool on a weekly basis, hopefully that is about to change!
• I went to Dream Dinners with Michelle while Jason and Zion did man-stuff. Michelle is in her 3rd trimester now and looking as cute as ever!
• Made dinner; fresh rosemary rubbed pork. We’ve really been into homemade sweet potato “fries” lately. Zion loves them. He’s pretty much eating everything we do now. But he still LOVES THE BOOB (Now that is a proud-Daddy moment)!
So there you have it. Every day I try to show Jason how appreciative I am for this life we are enjoying. No, it’s not Oprah and Bon-Bons…it’s much, much better!
Wednesday
• Breakfast an
d play date with Grandma and Grandpa Haywood.• Costco with Rachel and Galilee (Zion’s BFF). We love being a spectacle. We are always stopped and questioned if the babies are twins. While eating out with Jason, (Haven was away at work) I’ve even tried out the whole “Rachel is our second wife and we planned to have our babies four days apart” response. Reaction: “Whatever works for you, just don’t run out on the check”!!! Another cool moment: I wore Zion on my hip in the Ergobaby and put my nursing cover on. He ate while I shopped…could it get any easier?
• Picked Jason up from work, drove to Hillcrest to buy a compact dryer we found on craigslist. Jason wowed us all by carrying it to the van by himself. What a man.
• Ate dinner at Pizza Fusion where Zion melted my Italian heart by dipping his whole grain breadstick in marinara, oil and vinegar AND olive tapenade.
• Jason wore the Ergobaby and we walked to Best Start to show Zion where he was born. Yes we were teary-eyed, and feeling so blessed to be part of this loving community.
Thursday
• Stroller Strides in San Marcos. We try to go four times a week. I actually feel like my old self again! While we are doing ab exercises, Zion does not hesitate crawl around and visit other Mamas and babies (and steal their toys). I am always keenly aware of how secure he is. Another proud-Mama moment.
• Lunch and play date with Robin and Fairfax. Robin was my boss while I was pregnant, and one of the main contributors to my overwhelming enjoyment of pregnancy, she is a gift from heaven! Zion chased Fairfax around, he just loves animals. Weird. You know me and Jason
! Achoo!• Picked up Daddy from work and did something I never imagined would take place…we adopted two cats; Izzy and Blane (or to Jason; Cat 1 and Cat 2). We thought some furry friends might enjoy country-living, and make it a little less like a Bambi movie around here. Jason fishes rodents out of the pool on a weekly basis, hopefully that is about to change!
• I went to Dream Dinners with Michelle while Jason and Zion did man-stuff. Michelle is in her 3rd trimester now and looking as cute as ever!
• Made dinner; fresh rosemary rubbed pork. We’ve really been into homemade sweet potato “fries” lately. Zion loves them. He’s pretty much eating everything we do now. But he still LOVES THE BOOB (Now that is a proud-Daddy moment)!
So there you have it. Every day I try to show Jason how appreciative I am for this life we are enjoying. No, it’s not Oprah and Bon-Bons…it’s much, much better!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Birth Story
Zion, I want to share with you a story; the story of your birth that started almost a decade ago in our hearts, and continued when your Father delivered you with his hands on Monday, September 29th 2008 at 12:37 in the afternoon. I woke up early in the morning on Monday at about 2 o’clock. I went to the bathroom a few times and felt like you may have been preparing the path to come. I remember lying in bed at 4am and telling Daddy as he rubbed my back that “at this time tomorrow morning, we will be at home with our son”.
I was feeling sick to my stomach and jumped out of bed just in time to make it to the sink. I actually felt relieved. We were surprised that I threw up a few times, but I didn’t mind because it was always when a contraction was finishing so I knew I had a moment to rest. From that point, I got in the bathtub and Daddy stroked my face and whispered encouraging words to me through each contraction. He noticed that the contractions were coming quickly, three minutes apart, and lasting for at least a minute. Daddy knew it was time to pack the car to go, so I stayed in the bath, and turned one of the jets in the direction of my lower back. I realized that traffic would be unavoidable on the way to the birth center, so I had decided that it would be best for us to stay home until at least 8am, I wasn’t worried about having you somewhere in between, it just seemed like the logical thing to do.
At 6am, I was still in the bathtub as I heard Daddy on the deck talking, I knew that he must have been making a video for you…even at a seemingly chaotic time; he is always clear-headed enough to capture a special moment. It was an absolutely magical morning, there was thunder and lightning, but the sun shined brightly and a rainbow was painted across the sky. Daddy came inside and helped me out of the bathtub and into the shower. The warm water was just so therapeutic. Though my contractions were back to back at this point, I kept thinking this must get harder. I trusted the urgency in Daddy’s voice when he asked me to get out of the shower and get dressed.
He helped me get my clothes on as I leaned over the bed, never was getting dressed so complicated or time consuming! During the process, I was crawling from place to place and felt quite animal-like, Daddy says that my sweat had a very unusual scent, and he enjoyed seeing me in such a raw state. As we drove down the hill at 8:30, Daddy started tearing up and said; “When we return, we’ll be a family”. Daddy had made the most wonderful CD for us to listen to during labor; I closed my eyes and allowed the music to wash over me. I asked Daddy to repeat the songs Let it Go and Falling Slowly over and over again. I didn’t even mind being stuck in traffic because the sun was so warm and soothing and your Daddy hummed with me through contractions to make sure I stayed low-pitched and calm.
An hour later, we were a block from Best Start Birth Center in Hillcrest and my water broke, it felt like it was boiling and I knew I had made a huge mess! Daddy asked, “How do you know your water broke”? I just laughed and said, “oh, you’ll see”. We decided to leave our bags that had been perfectly packed and ready for the past month in the car and settle into our room first. One of the midwives, Ruth, set us up in the smallest, but most private room, and checked my progress. I was shocked to see surprise in her face when she announced that I was 10 cm dilated and asked if I had the urge to push? I replied, “I guess so”. She encouraged me to move around the room, get undressed for the bath, and said she’d be back soon. I squatted beside the bed for the first pushing contraction and Daddy reached down and exclaimed “I can feel Zion’s head”! I literally tore off my clothes because I knew the next contraction would be coming quickly.
Ruth returned and started the bath, I practically dove in. I squatted in the tub and Daddy sat on the edge behind me, the water was so welcoming, that the urgency of my contractions seemed to melt away. Ruth asked me to make some noise while I pushed; I really had to muster up the ability to bear down. I wasn’t tired, I just felt very peaceful, and even napped between contractions. I could feel you descending even when I wasn’t pushing, so I asked if I could allow you to slide out on your own. Ruth and her assistants laughed and said no, that they would like me to keep pushing. Another midwife, Jude, noticed that you weren’t turning, I looked her straight in the eye and was determined to do whatever I needed to in order to avoid complications. I did two lunges on the side of the tub and Daddy was amazed that he could actually see you dramatically drop, gravity is an amazing thing! I was rushed to the bed to check your heart rate, and all was well. I was eager to get back into the tub, and looked to Daddy for approval, as we always worked as a team.
“Oh, Zion”, I called you by name again and again, gently encouraging your birth. I felt your head a few times with my hands; I knew that you would come when you were ready. Daddy massaged my perineum and seemed to assure you that it was safe to join our world. He welcomed you home and placed you on my chest. You glanced up at us, announced that you had arrived with a little yelp, and latched on and began breastfeeding immediately. I told Daddy “this could not be more perfect”. You didn’t leave mine or Daddy’s chests for hours, as we reveled in your strength and perfection. Zion, you made us so very proud that day, we know that you will continue to make us proud. You, Zion, are our heaven.
I was feeling sick to my stomach and jumped out of bed just in time to make it to the sink. I actually felt relieved. We were surprised that I threw up a few times, but I didn’t mind because it was always when a contraction was finishing so I knew I had a moment to rest. From that point, I got in the bathtub and Daddy stroked my face and whispered encouraging words to me through each contraction. He noticed that the contractions were coming quickly, three minutes apart, and lasting for at least a minute. Daddy knew it was time to pack the car to go, so I stayed in the bath, and turned one of the jets in the direction of my lower back. I realized that traffic would be unavoidable on the way to the birth center, so I had decided that it would be best for us to stay home until at least 8am, I wasn’t worried about having you somewhere in between, it just seemed like the logical thing to do.
At 6am, I was still in the bathtub as I heard Daddy on the deck talking, I knew that he must have been making a video for you…even at a seemingly chaotic time; he is always clear-headed enough to capture a special moment. It was an absolutely magical morning, there was thunder and lightning, but the sun shined brightly and a rainbow was painted across the sky. Daddy came inside and helped me out of the bathtub and into the shower. The warm water was just so therapeutic. Though my contractions were back to back at this point, I kept thinking this must get harder. I trusted the urgency in Daddy’s voice when he asked me to get out of the shower and get dressed.
He helped me get my clothes on as I leaned over the bed, never was getting dressed so complicated or time consuming! During the process, I was crawling from place to place and felt quite animal-like, Daddy says that my sweat had a very unusual scent, and he enjoyed seeing me in such a raw state. As we drove down the hill at 8:30, Daddy started tearing up and said; “When we return, we’ll be a family”. Daddy had made the most wonderful CD for us to listen to during labor; I closed my eyes and allowed the music to wash over me. I asked Daddy to repeat the songs Let it Go and Falling Slowly over and over again. I didn’t even mind being stuck in traffic because the sun was so warm and soothing and your Daddy hummed with me through contractions to make sure I stayed low-pitched and calm.
An hour later, we were a block from Best Start Birth Center in Hillcrest and my water broke, it felt like it was boiling and I knew I had made a huge mess! Daddy asked, “How do you know your water broke”? I just laughed and said, “oh, you’ll see”. We decided to leave our bags that had been perfectly packed and ready for the past month in the car and settle into our room first. One of the midwives, Ruth, set us up in the smallest, but most private room, and checked my progress. I was shocked to see surprise in her face when she announced that I was 10 cm dilated and asked if I had the urge to push? I replied, “I guess so”. She encouraged me to move around the room, get undressed for the bath, and said she’d be back soon. I squatted beside the bed for the first pushing contraction and Daddy reached down and exclaimed “I can feel Zion’s head”! I literally tore off my clothes because I knew the next contraction would be coming quickly.
Ruth returned and started the bath, I practically dove in. I squatted in the tub and Daddy sat on the edge behind me, the water was so welcoming, that the urgency of my contractions seemed to melt away. Ruth asked me to make some noise while I pushed; I really had to muster up the ability to bear down. I wasn’t tired, I just felt very peaceful, and even napped between contractions. I could feel you descending even when I wasn’t pushing, so I asked if I could allow you to slide out on your own. Ruth and her assistants laughed and said no, that they would like me to keep pushing. Another midwife, Jude, noticed that you weren’t turning, I looked her straight in the eye and was determined to do whatever I needed to in order to avoid complications. I did two lunges on the side of the tub and Daddy was amazed that he could actually see you dramatically drop, gravity is an amazing thing! I was rushed to the bed to check your heart rate, and all was well. I was eager to get back into the tub, and looked to Daddy for approval, as we always worked as a team.
“Oh, Zion”, I called you by name again and again, gently encouraging your birth. I felt your head a few times with my hands; I knew that you would come when you were ready. Daddy massaged my perineum and seemed to assure you that it was safe to join our world. He welcomed you home and placed you on my chest. You glanced up at us, announced that you had arrived with a little yelp, and latched on and began breastfeeding immediately. I told Daddy “this could not be more perfect”. You didn’t leave mine or Daddy’s chests for hours, as we reveled in your strength and perfection. Zion, you made us so very proud that day, we know that you will continue to make us proud. You, Zion, are our heaven.
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