Welcome to the World, Baby Girl!

 

Eliza Mae Atkinson

Born: November 27, 2010, 9:18 am

Weight: 8 lb 4 oz

Length: 19 inches

Yes, she decided to come early.  Amanda and Eliza and doing well and should be coming home either tonight or tomorrow morning.

Arctic Storm

The "Arctic Storm" has been all over the news here. We ended up getting what they called a "solid dusting." Those of us who have ever lived somewhere with real snow make fun of the news during storms like this. Up in Seattle they got the real storm. My parents even had a tree fall through their roof into the house.

I took Isaiah outside to enjoy the snow. I think he might be related to Jerel because he just cried and wanted to come back inside.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Dear Family & Friends,


Thanksgiving is fast approaching so it’s time for our annual update. Mom & Dad are so busy getting ready for the new baby that they didn’t have time to write this year’s letter so they asked me (Isaiah) to take care of it. I love being a helper so I’m happy to do it!

Yes, you read that correctly—there is a new baby coming to our house! I made the announcement myself back in May while Mom & Dad were panicking about how to get ready for having another baby so soon (I’ll just be 16 months old when she comes). They still haven’t figured out how they’ll manage, but I think it’ll be just fine. I’ve been practicing showing people where the baby is. When Mom asks, “Where’s your sister?” I obediently pat her tummy (which is getting enormous, by the way, she hardly has a lap for me to sit on anymore!). I’ve also been busy the last few weeks trying to get used to my new toddler bed. Mom & Dad say they need the crib for the new baby. I think I should get to keep it since I was here first, but they disagree. To show my irritation I fall and climb out of the bed as often as possible, and of course I refuse to ever just lie down and go to sleep. I’m pretty sure they can tell I don’t like it but they haven’t given me my crib back yet. I don’t think they realize how stubborn I can be!

I’ve done lots of fun things this year. Mom & Dad had the kitchen remodeled in the spring so I got to get into lots of messes. They think it looks so pretty now, but I’m still belted into the same old high chair so I don’t understand what all the fuss is about. A few times this summer I got to go to the Oregon Coast. It’s so pretty there and the sand tastes so good, but someone should tell Mom it’s not a good idea to dip a 12-month-old into the cold ocean water—that was not fun at all even if I had been begging to try it!

In June I went on my very first cruise. We went with 27 of Mom’s relatives for a week in Alaska. I got to see glaciers, play with my cousins, and go on a hike. Mom & Dad didn’t realize mountains weren’t designed to be stroller-friendly so Dad & Uncle Rick carried me the whole way. I got the feeling it was more fun for me than for them. Mom worried the whole time on the cruise that I would fall off the boat, but I was just fine; it was dad she should’ve been worrying about—he got so seasick!

Alaska wasn’t the only new place I visited this year. I also spent a week in Utah with Dad’s family. I have 13 cousins there so it’s always fun! One night we even all stayed in the same house. We also got to drive up to Preston, ID to visit my great grandparents. I’m glad I got to see them because my Great Grandpa Weber passed away a few months later and I’m glad I got to meet him. We went on another trip—my first airplane ride—to Wyoming for his funeral, which makes five states I visited this year—I’m quite an experienced traveler now! Mom and Dad, by the way, were so excited about taking me on an airplane. We live near a small airport and I love seeing all the planes so they were sure I’d love riding in one. But they lugged on my carseat and strapped me in and it was just like being in the car!

And that, my friends, is what I’ve been up to all year. Now I’m just waiting for my sister to come. She’s supposed to get here just a few days before Thanksgiving so keep your eyes peeled for a baby announcement! You can always keep up to date on our adventures and see lots of pictures of me by checking our blog at www.jerelandamanda.blogspot.com. Me and Mom and Dad sure love you all and think of you with grateful hearts during this Thanksgiving season!

Coming soon to a birthing center near you (okay, near me)

Had my last checkup this morning and everything is set for a c-section at 8am on Monday. What the doctor neglected to tell me was that if you agree to an 8am surgery you have to be there at 6am. That part won't be fun. Actually I sleep so poorly lately it probably won't matter much. But I'm not allowed to eat that morning and that will be torture...Yes, I realize they're going to cut me open and cause major trauma to my body, but it's missing one day's breakfast that's really weighing on me!

ZayZay is doing so much better with his babysitter. He's been going over there during my doctor appointments to get used to it (before this he hasn't really had a babysitter) and is really making progress. The first time he went, he sat by the front door and cried the whole hour. Last week he only cried 20 minutes, and today he only cried for 5 minutes! Yea! I guess he cried when I left, then looked around the house to see if I was there somewhere, then gave up and looked for the cats. I'm not sure how I feel about being so easily replaced by felines, but I guess if it keeps him happy that's good! He's also doing much better in the toddler bed. He still won't fall asleep in it, he falls asleep in our bed, but we move him in there shortly after he falls asleep and the last week he's been sleeping through the whole night again. Hooray! It's so nice when everyone sleeps through the night...oh wait, I don't sleep through the night, I have to get up for a bathroom stop and a swig from the heartburn medicine bottle, but at least I don't cry and scream like Zay does when he wakes up!

Guess who's trying to be more like me?

Jerel.  I know it's hard to believe but he's turning into me a little more every day.  No he's not struggling into control top nylons every Sunday, or crocheting doilies, or doing the laundry.  But he does have initials after his name now!  That's right, Jerel is officially a CCP.  Certified Compensation Professional.  What does that mean?  I'm not really sure, but he got a plaque so that must be cool right?  I mean when I got my CPA license I had to PAY for the certificate, and it was only paper not a plaque.  I noticed on the plaque (which arrived yesterday) that he was certified on October 29th.  You might be wondering why it took me a whole month to tell you guys.  Well, I was wondering why it took Jerel a whole month to tell ME!  Anyway, congrats to Jerel, you're one step closer to being just like me!

Zay's new room

Here are before and after pics of how we (I) painted Isaiah's new room. Before it was kind of a gray-blue and it was a pretty bad paint job. So I painted the ceiling (to cover where they'd messed up and gotten gray-blue on the ceiling) and then after about 6 years of negotiation with Jerel we finally settled on new colors. Tan for the bottom (because Jerel has a special place in his heart for all things beige), and sky blue on the top (to go with the airplane theme), and a chocolate brown stripe around the middle (because I have a special place in my heart for all things chocolate). Then we ordered this dark red airplane decal. Imagine in your head that I have made darling vintage airplane accessories, curtains, bedding, etc. in blue and red. It hasn't actually happened, but that's the plan.

Family Pictures

Jerel hates having his picture taken.  A lot.  For example, when we had our engagement pictures done he purposely came late and knew we had another appointment right afterwards for the cake.  So our poor photographer had a total of 12 minutes to take engagement photos for us...Picture time just doesn't bring out Jerel's most cooperative side.  So you can imagine his excitement when I told him we were having pictures done.  Actually I was too scared to tell him, I just wrote it on the calendar on the fridge.  Then when he saw it he said "I don't remember agreeing to this."  But he came along anyway, after much discussion over whether or not he could wear black when I was wearing brown (my answer, of course, was no).  He got even more excited when the photographer (Erika, also my official baby-shower-thrower) explained how this particular pose would work.  It didn't turn out quite right because Isaiah wouldn't look at the camera, but I like it just because I can't believe we got Jerel to do it.  And also because it makes Jerel look like he's about 3 inches thick and I look about 3 feet thick.

You can see the rest of the photo shoot here  http://www.flickr.com/photos/28030935@N06/sets/72157625293188403/show/

By the way, if you're in Portland and need family pictures done you can see Erika's photo website at http://www.glimpsesbyerika.blogspot.com/

Zay's retirement account

We decided since he's coming up on 16 months old it's about time we open a retirement account for him. Okay, not really, but we did have some dollar bills here and there that he has received as gifts and I decided we may as well put it all in a bank account for him. So I took him to our bank, after checking the website to see what documentation I needed, and got him all set up. They almost wouldn't do it because I didn't have his social security card with me and even though the I explained that the website specifically said it wasn't required, the lady insisted it was. So I looked as pregnant and frazzled as possible while she tried to tell me I'd have to come back another time. It helped that Zay was running around like crazy and that I seem to pretty much always look pregnant and frazzled these days. And she magically figured out she could do it without the card after all. Seeing as this was such an exciting event in his life I decided to get a picture of him with his money, but this blurry snapshot was all I could get (after several tries) because as soon as I put the money in front of him he'd throw it on the ground. Oh well. He'll thank me when he reaches retirement age and his $31.25 deposit has turned into a whopping $768! (Based on the first future value of money calculator I found online, which I think I used incorrectly).

While we were there, Zay found a quarter on the ground. Since it wasn't ours I tried to give it to the bank lady, but she wouldn't take it. She said "Sorry, we're not allowed to accept cash here." Wait, what? Bank tellers aren't allowed to accept cash? So instead she added it to Zay's deposit. I guess they're allowed to encourage receipt of stolen property by others, just not take it themselves?

Baby shower for #2

I am a little slow getting things posted these days. I am actually a little slow about pretty much everything these days. But last weekend my friends Erika & Jeana threw me a baby shower for the little girl. I felt bad because Erika also threw my shower for Isaiah, which was just over a year ago, but she didn't seem to mind. The theme was Sugar & Spice, colors were pink & brown, with an emphasis on polka dots. It all turned out so cute! This picture shows my favorite part--the pink, brown, and white milk. Of course served in carafes. And of course tied with coordinating ribbons. And let's not forget the adorable food labels Julie made. Everything was so fun & festive & girly! We have most of the baby gear we needed so everyone brought clothes for the baby. We got so many nice things! It looks like she may not have to wear all of Zay's boy clothes after all. My mom & sister & nieces made the trek down from Seattle to celebrate with us and many of my friends were able to come. We all had a great time and I've promised Erika she never has to throw me another shower. Although when we were jokingly planning the shower for 2011 (since I seem to have one every year) I suggested a parasite theme, because having a baby growing in you is basically like having a parasite feeding off of you, and we came up with lots of fun bug/parasite ideas...