Burrr... Baby It's Cold Outside

As Olivia and I get ready to escape into the warm sun of Arizona, a cold front is moving into Omaha. Poor Brad!!! As much as I really don't care for the freezing cold weather of Omaha, I do love it when it snows. This year we had 3 big storms where the snow stayed on the ground for a few days. We had so much fun taking Olivia Sledding for the first time, she thought it was fun until she got covered with snow and it got too cold. Brad built Olivia her first ice castle, which only lived for 3 days, but it was really cool and she had a blast playing it it. She even mastered walking in knee deep snow. Although, we will be missing the snow this weekend, I am glad to be heading to Sunny 80 degree weather for Cortney's wedding. I hope that Brad and all of Our Omaha friends stay warm this weekend, we'll be thinking of you and sending warm wishes your way!

She's Walking

Olivia is now walking and boy does she know how to get around the house. Her new favorite toy is a silver waste basket, she scoots is all over the kitchen. Infact, that is how she taught herself to walk. I think that she is practicing being a bag lady, cause she loves to collect stuff from all over the house a store it her trash can. So much for the shopping cart we got her for her Birthday.

Happy Birhtday Olivia!!!

On Monday January 7, 2008 at 10:30 am, we went to Dr. Krisch to go over the blood and urine test. I had lost 3 pounds since I went on bed rest, weighing in at 164. My blood pressure was still high and there was so much protein in my urine that they were worried. They checked my cervix and I was still not dilated and I also had a step B test. My blood pressure went down a little after lying on my side for awhile so they let me go home to continue my bed rest. Later that day @ 1:30 we had an appointment with Dr. Barsoom for an ultra sound to check on the baby. Since she had little fluid around her, the cord was wrapped around her neck and the placenta had little blood flow to it, they decided that she was better off outside the womb. So we were rushed over to labor and delivery for a c section. Dr. Krisch delivered her at 3:48pm. Olivia was so tiny, only 3 pounds and 9 ounces. She cried as so as she came out. Everyone was so amazed at how much hair she had and how long she was, 17 and ½ inches.



It only took 12 days for Olivia to break the 4 pound mark and to hold her body temperature, so that she could come home. Olivia left her NICU home on January 19, 2008. We were so excited to take her home, especially since they had estimated that her stay in the NICU would be around 6 weeks. This just proves how strong willed Olivia is.



Today on Olivia's first birthday she weighs almost 17 pounds and is over 27 inches tall. She is crawling all over the place and is close to walking by herself. Olivia loves to dance and give kisses, especially to her mommy and her little friend Parker. We are so excited to spend this special day with Olivia. Happy Birthday Olivia!!! We are so proud of her and love her so much. We can't wait to see her continue to learn and grow. We love you Olivia!!!

Thanksgiving in Arizona

Thanksgiving with the Sellers Family!

Back to Blogging! It has been a bit since the last posting . . . but that is because we have been busy having so much fun.

Thanksgiving was spent in beautiful Arizona with Brad's family celebrating two holidays at once while we had everyone together. It was a full house, and a great time to have a lot of fun. Olivia had a blast being around so many little cousins and held her own playing with all the toys at Grandma and Grandpa's house. While in Arizona we celebrated Thanksgiving and had a great meal with all the trimmings!

Thanksgiving fun wasn't done at the end of the meal though . . . that night, in anticipation of all the Black Friday deals, Brad and I went to the Disney Store to get some holiday deals for Olivia's first Christmas. Getting Brad to go to the store at midnight for little disney toys shows REAL love!

Later in the week, on Saturday we had a great get together with all of Brad's cousins and family. It was really cool, . . . a Carnival themed party, music, games, and food, that all the kids and adults alike had fun and games to keep them busy. It was a lot of planning and work, but between Brad's Mom and siblings, everything ran great.

To end the trip, the day that we were flying back to Omaha, . . . Brad's good friend that practices law in Arizona was able to meet him in Phoenix and be his sponsor for admission to the United States District Court in the District of Arizona. It was a proud moment to see Brad sworn in by the Federal Judge (since his admission to Arizona state courts was by letter).

We had a lot of fun, but not a lot of time. Hopefully next trip there will be a lot more time to see friends. We hope that everyone is well and happy!

Halloween

Sorry, It took me so long, I'm kind of a slacker... Olivia loved her first Halloween. We couldn't have asked for better night to go trick or treating. This was the first Halloween in Omaha where is wasn't absolutely freezing. Yeah for us!!! It was so much fun to watch Olivia trick or treat. She really got into it, . . . walking to the doors (with our help) and picking out her own treats. Her favorite piece of candy was an orange lollipop that she carried around with her for the whole night. Too bad she couldn't eat any of her treats, maybe next year.

October

Olivia at the pumpkin patch

NYC

Who said you can't travel with small children? I have debunked that myth. Last month our little family joined up with my Dad, Mom, and sister Jenny for a trip to New York City. It was a blast from start to finish (even if that meant we were merely riding the metro because we got lost)!

One of the first things that we did upon arrival was buy a week long metro pass for the NYC mass transit system. Let me tell you, we got our monies worth out of those passes. Whether it was riding to Time Square for a play (almost a daily occurrence. . . thanks Jenny), hitting Central Park for a run (Brad and Dad), or somehow landing in China Town for the many wares (the whole family is responsible for that one), we could always count on the metro to get us where we were going. That did NOT mean that we got there right away, or even in a organized fashion, . . . but eventually, with metro maps, Brad's Blackberry Maps, and our innate sense of direction, we did get where we wanted to go. In fact, sometimes, we got there by accident!

I have come to realize that the reason family vacations are so great is not so much the location, the amenities, or the activities (although they don't hurt), it really is spending time with the ones you love and making lasting memories. This trip included many moments that our family will treasure. Some funny (losing Mom on the metro the very first day [don't worry Mom, it's only funny in hindsight]), and some not so funny (like trying every single Cheesecake shop to find good cheesecake, . . . a failed mission). But the most important part is that we were together, making memories with one another.

All the while we had beautiful lil Olivia in our arms, the stroller, or Baby Bjorn to the Statue of Liberty, Central Park (for family pictures), Park Ave., Manhattan Temple, Brooklyn Bridge on a doubledecker bus, and even her first Broadway play (it was Mary Poppins, . . . too bad she spent the latter half of the play in the foyer crying,. . . not so cheery I guess).

While we were there we all got to share as a family some great news that Brad received, and even celebrated by going out to a fancy dinner.

Thank goodness for digital cameras, without them I would feel like I missed so many good opportunities for pictures, or Brad would have to buy some stock in Kodak, . . . lots of stock!