Thursday, February 23, 2012

Readers Are Leaders

Lucky enough for Emilija, her Cousin Heather is a big-time jet-setter.
And lucky enough for Heather, she has an adorable 6-week-old to send books to from around the world.

 We've already received a set of books from Bali (Indonesia) and the Philippines.
And Ya-Ya (Heather's nickname for Emilija) loves seeing these packages on the doorstep.

Inside one book, Cousin Heather wrote:
May you always want to explore the places that you read about! -Love, Heather

 In response, Emilija says:
 Readers are leaders. -Volim te, Emilija


Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Way To Go, Coop!

by Cooper Dearborn
Joe & I's little bro is quite the ar-teest.

We just got word today that Cooper was 1 of 3 third-graders chosen to have their masterpieces displayed in a local show.

Let's hear it for Cooper D!

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day, from Emilija.
We usually opt for our diaper-only outfit.
Today we wanted to do something special.

And for added flare,
Emilija is shooting the I LOVE YOU sign with her left hand.

All you need is love.

Friday, February 10, 2012

One Month Old

1-Month Onesie made special for Emilija by Teta Nicole. (Hvala!)
One month?  4 weeks?  28 days?  No matter how you say it, I can't believe it.

I remember when you had just turned one-week-old and I couldn't imagine doing that three more times.  Well, turns out we did.  And survived. 

We've sort of turned into a pro-mother/daughter team.  I pay attention to your every detail, your every move.  And you mix it up every day so that I have no choice but to pay attention.

According to the doctor, you are happy and healthy.  Your most recent weigh-in was 8lb, 7oz; that's in the 50th percentile.  You continue to measure long; you're in the 94th percentile for height.

You're a seasoned breast milk connoisseur.  Like experienced wine drinkers that sniff their glass of vino and swirl it around before taking their first sip, you too have a method for drinking your favorite liquid gold.  You first perch your neck up like a tiny turtle.  Then that turtle turns into a barracuda aggressively attacking; your head swinging side-to-side violently until you are latched.  If it were a live animal you would've destroyed it in the first bite.  Dad & I laugh hysterically every time.

You're a great sleeper at night.  You're always giving us at least 4 hours of rest and relaxation.  Mornings are great for eating and sleeping, too.  However then comes the 'witching hours' in the evening and you fight sleep like a champ and are always wanting to be held.  Luckily Dad is home by this time.  And believe me, some times it takes a 2-man team to handle you. 

We give you lots of kisses on your lips.  And you like it and let us know with a smile.  I don't care what those milestone charts say about a baby not being able to socially smile until they're 8-weeks-old.  I really think you are smiling right at us, eye contact and everything.

We have lots of names for you:
Emilija - the most obvious one.
Mila - a little nickname that we call you occasionally.
Em - I've never called you this in person but use it in texts/emails to friends.
Kickin' Wing - Dad calls you this a ton.  Especially when you really get those legs going!
Stinky Butt - This name comes out when you've got a ... you guessed it ... stinky butt.
Hot Mess - This name comes out in the evenings when ... you guessed it ... you're a hot mess.

We think you're perfect. 

You like when we sing to you, in (Mom) or out (Dad) of tune.  You like Rock-A-Bye Baby.  I think Dad & I have both sang that one million times each to you.  You also like Favorite Girl by The Icarus Account.  I discovered this when I was looking on our photographer's (maternity and newborn shots) new website and this song was on repeat.  Your ears perked up and I could tell you were intrigued.  So if Perry (photographer) has an ITP address tracker, she'll see the same Wilmington computer log on every day, several times a day.

We already think you are super smart ... and advanced.

Did you notice that you are holding up '1' finger in the picture on this post?  You're sneaky.

We think you are the most beautiful baby we've ever seen.  

We love you like crazy.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Year of the Dragon

It's the Year of the Dragon in Chinese culture.
Babes born in 2012 are supposed to be some of the Luckiest.
Looks like the chips are stacked pretty high on Emilija's side.

For SuperBowl Sunday, we got REALLY crazy here in the Madzar house.
We ordered in Chinese.
In honor of Emilija's good fortune.  To celebrate football.
And more importantly, one less dinner to cook.

After my tasty Sesame Chicken delight, I asked Joe to hand me a fortune cookie.
One of the most deserving fortunes I've ever received read:
 Looks like that 'someone' is looking at me right now...

Monday, February 6, 2012

Life With Baby

The ME who is sitting here next to my snoozing three-week-old fresh off a big breast milk breakfast looks back and thinks the past 21 days have completely flown by ... too fast.  The ME who was rocking an overtired three-week-old at 3:30am this morning begs to differ.

And this is my life with baby.  The emotional pregnant woman I once was has just upgraded to the Lifetime Pass for this amusement park that is life ... and has hopped on the roller coaster with the most vertical loops and hoops.  Becoming a mother is the most amazing and most scary thing I have ever done.

There are three things (short of God) that have gotten me through this ride.  The first is my mother's intuition.  Having a child and recognizing what she needs and when she needs it has come so natural.  Thank goodness for biology.  The second is the father's intuition of my husband.  Like me, he has gracefully fallen into his new role.  I COULD NOT have done any of this without him.  And last but not least is Emilija.  Looking in her eyes, at her feet.  Kissing her lips and feeling her skin.  Watching her hand grasp my finger.  Running my hand over her barely-there hair brings all new meaning to life.  It makes you keep going.  So me with Joe and the ever-precious Emilija are figuring our new life out together; we're the perfect team. 

My life is 90% Emilija, 8% Joe, & 2% everything else.  Friends, extended family, laundry, dusting, bathing ... have not only taken a back burner to life here on Hibiscus Way, they are still in a vintage Pyrex bowl on the counter waiting to be mixed.  I am a devotee of this perfect, little girl who has flooded my life and our home with nothing but the purest of loves ... straight down from heaven.

Newborn Shot by Perry Vaile Photography.

Friday, February 3, 2012

The Low Down

Tuesday, January 10
9:30pm - The first contraction hits.  Nothing alarming though.  I had been having 'fake' contractions for months and just figured this was another round.  I prepared myself to go to bed and wake up the next morning with them completely gone.  I ended up never falling asleep that night...

Wednesday, January 11
6:30am - Joe questions, 'Should I go to work?'  I insist and send him out the door.  At this point, I'm pretty sure this is the start of EVERYTHING.  I'm just not sure how quickly it will all progress.  I call in sick to work and decide to relax in bed and play everything by ear.

7:00am - Contractions persist and are getting a bit stronger.  My first phone call is to my mom who catches me completely off-guard by answering the phone, 'Today is the day!'  I'm speechless as she proceeds to tell me that the sky in Florida that morning was the brightest color pink.  She sends me a picture of the sunrise before calling US Airways to book her flight.

9:00am - The small swell of contractions are turning into 3 foot surf-able waves now.  I call Joe and relay my mom's catchphrase of the day.  He heads home immediately while I begin to email/text the Good News.

1:00pm - Joe has been timing the contractions all morning and they're getting stronger and closer together.  We call the triage nurse and she gives us the O.K. to head on to the hospital.  Unfortunately it takes us close to two hours to get me ready amidst the constant pain. 

3:00pm - My mom arrives at the airport and I decide we should go pick her up before heading to the hospital.  Joe & Mom think I'm crazy.  I like to think I knew what I was doing the whole time.

4:00pm - We Three Stooges arrive at the hospital to find out I am 5cm dilated.  I have officially labored halfway through this whole thing.  HIGH FIVE.

12:00am - It has reached midnight.  No baby today.

Thursday, January 12
3:00am - Karen, our nurse, happily informs us that I am now 10cm dilated.  Let the2-Hour Push-Athon begin!

4:45am - I'm exhausted.  Joe's exhausted.  My mom, exhausted.  Enter Dr. Wilson fresh off a three hour nap, catcher's mitt in hand. 

5:06am - One last push and she's here!  Cue the waterworks.

8:00am - Joe & I finally decide on a name.  Presenting ...

Compliments of Teta Nicole.