I CAN do this!

Today was my first day home alone with the baby. The last of the grandparents left yesterday, and Jeff is at work today. It is 4pm, and Lauren and I had a very nice day together. She was a very good girl last night, and although she had to eat every 2-3 hours, she went back to sleep very nicely after eating almost every time. This is a big improvement for my little insomniac. So, we started out the day relatively well rested. I was able to eat both breakfast and lunch, and since Lauren's umbilical cord finally fell off this am, I was able to give her a real bath in her little tub. It went so well, and she was happy afterwards, so I put her in her bouncy chair and managed to get a bath myself. That is right- we both are clean and well fed. My attempt to nap while she napped- a huge failure, but I am taking my victories as outnumbering the one failure- what a nice day. I just need to figure out how to get her to nap on her own during the day and we are in the clear. In summary, I am going to survive my maternity leave and can take care of the baby on my own. Hurray!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from Lauren, Casey, Jeff and Nicole. Lauren is wearing her Christmas gown that was made with love by grandma Veryl. Hope you all have a wonderful holiday!

Lauren's first photo shoot

Lauren's 2 week pictures. Can you believe how gorgeous she is?

Lauren

Lauren loves her mini-boppy

Lauren got a very cute pink mini-boppy pillow from our friend Danielle. She can do tummy time or prop up to look around. She is so cute I can hardly take it!

Lauren photos

Lauren and daddy- getting to know each other. Jeff is really great with her- he is getting the hang of everything, and is much better at getting her clothes on than I am- those tiny arm holes are so tricky, I am afraid to hurt her arms!

Grandma Veryl gets to meet her sweetie for the first time.

Argh! I'm a pirate!

Casey and Lauren hanging out. Casey doesn't seem to mind the baby, but is pretty ticked off at his mommy still- he is on a hunger strike right now.

Lauren's liquor store run

For Lauren's 1 week birthday, we took her on her first liquor store run- classy huh? To those Denverites- you may have noticed that argonaut built a brand new store, and we were anxious to check it out. You can see that our new stroller even has a beer-holder (although Colt 45 would probably not be my beer of choice).
We also made a trip to the grocery store and bought our Christmas tree, but wouldn't you know I dont have photos of that trip- I got worn out from the liquor store so Lauren and I sat in the car. Once we decorate it, I will post some photos. Sorry about the lack of posting- this new baby stuff is harder than I expected. Lauren doesn't sleep at night- like basically she just screams from 11pm to 6 or 7am. This is gonna be hard...

Welcome Lauren Grace!

Introducing Lauren Grace
Born 12/6/08 at 3:06pm
8 lb 11 oz and 22 inches

Everything went very well, and we are all happy and healthy. She is the most beautiful miracle- our lives are so changed. It has been a whirl-wind few days- so many wonderful moments- so very little sleep. She is a nice baby who growls and squeeks more than actually cries. Her eyes are pretty almond-shaped and slate blue- sure to change, I bet. She has light brown hair, and a perfect pink mouth. She is pretty big for a newborn, but still so tiny she amazes us both. Some of her newborn clothes are roomy on her, she is mostly long and lean rather than chubby. I think she may turn out to be a super-model, Jeff is thinking basketball player.

Enjoy the photos- we have taken literally hundreds so far, so stay tuned for more to come...

Overdue and blue

We went to the OB again yesterday, the update is not exciting. Nothing at all going on with the baby- zero signs that I am getting ready for labor. This could be a while, and might not happen on its own. So please dont hold your breath waiting for our excited phone call. We are just going to work and going on about life, in the next day or so we may have a back-up plan finalized in case I dont go into labor by the weekend- and it doesn't seem super likely that I will. In the meantime- say a prayer for us that my body cooperates and we can meet baby soon- I am really sad and down-in-the-dumps about this dissapointing news. Will keep everyone posted if any changes. Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers!

Blue Topaz

Well, looks like Diva baby has made the decision to have a December birthday. Wise choice actually, because the birthstone for December is the blue topaz- very pretty. Much nicer than the yellow-ish brown topaz for november. Jeff and I are still working today, much to our chagrin. What else to do while your waiting for the baby to be born? Perhaps we should not have been so proactive in preparing for her birth- we could have spent today frantically painting her room or putting together her crib or something? Stay tuned, I am sure she is coming soon...

Baby watch

So, today I saw the doctor for my 40 week visit- the one I was hoping I wouldn't need. I am actually 39 1/2 weeks along, and showing no signs of any baby soon. Jeff asked her if we would have a Turkey day baby and she said she didn't think so. All in all- things are still going very well for us, but we are just getting excited and anxious. The unknown is crazy- we are such planners it is hard to just sit around and wait for the biggest event of our lives to just happen. Tomorrow we are going to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal and watch football and just have a nice day together. I have to work on Friday, but Jeff does not - so I am trying to find him shopping tasks to take care of Friday- it is the biggest shopping day of the year. If I dont have baby this weekend, I am planning on going to work on Monday :( - my supervisors have been really flexible and are letting me work up until she is born if I want to. I think it will make the time go faster, and being active cannot hurt the process. So, stay tuned for more baby news- probably not until next week. Happy Thanksgiving!

Prayers for Grandpa

Everyone please say a prayer for my Grandpa- he is in the hospital recovering from a stroke and a heart attack. He had the heart attack on Thursday evening, it was quite serious but he seemed to be recovering and was even transferred out of the ICU to a step-down unit on Friday. But then he had a stroke Friday night and was back into the ICU and MRI scanner. He is back out of the ICU and making some great improvements the last few days- but certainly has some rehabilitation to do. It sounds like he is able to somewhat use his weakened side, and is talking to everyone, although is still difficult to understand at this point. Today is intensive rehab for him- hang in there Grandpa- I know it is going to be a long day!! Please keep my grandpa in your prayers this week, he is a sweet man who has had a really tough year and deserves a speedy recovery back to his normal self. Love ya Grandpa!

Nursery Virtual Tour

Take a tour of baby's new room. It is all set up and ready for her, we think it is a beautiful relaxing room for her to start out her life. Cannot wait! Thanks Bob and Karen for the new video camera- many more videos to come!

Casey's baby seat

Today we went shopping and to dinner by the mall and decided to take Casey with us, since it was a warm day and he likes to hang out in the car. He discovered the baby's car seat, and decided it is a nice cozy place to sit. It is all installed, and I have some blankets in it already, so we are prepared to take baby home from the hospital when the day comes. Turns out that Casey thinks it is a warm cozy place for him to sit, and he can see out the windows better. He spent the evening riding around in the car sitting in the baby seat- at least he is safe! I am just hoping that he realizes he cannot climb up in there when baby is sitting in it- I am thinking that Casey is going to have to learn some new rules, because he is just going to love all of her soft snuggly stuff.

BIG Belly

This is what 38 weeks pregnant looks like. :) Shockingly huge, I know- if feels even weirder than it looks. I still am feeling very well, and things are going great. We are just getting excited and anxious for her arrival. I am "nesting" I think- and my sweet hubby is kind enough to be helping me this weekend with my urgent need to scrub and disinfect every baseboard and crack with a scrub-brush until it sparkles. Jeff doesn't believe that the compulsive cleaning thing is nesting- he thinks I am just losing my mind, but he is helping none-the-less. What a sweet heart. It has to be hard not to chip in though, when I am crawling around on the floor looking this big!

First snow of the year

Last night we got the first snowfall of the year in Denver. Yeah!! I love the snow. It is basically all melted already, but it sure was pretty this morning. Slippery, too- i fell right on my butt this morning trying to get into the car. There were still leaves on the ground and they got slippery with the snow on them. It's so pretty when it snows... and so nice here that we dont have to shovel- just wait for it to melt. :)

37 1/2 weeks

So, I am 37 1/2 weeks along- baby is officially term, so she could safely be born any day. I got to see her on ultrasound on monday - she is a looker. Perfect little rose-bud mouth, and the sweetest face I have laid eyes on. The ultrasound tech used the 3D ultrasound so we could really check out her face- it is amazing! I really cannot wait to meet this lovely little girl in person. Overall, I am feeling well- my aching hips and back have actually gotten better over the last few days, and I feel great. Not really getting tired of being pregnant at this point, but i am so inpatient and anxious to hold and kiss and hug my lovely little angel- I almost cannot stand the wait anymore. Every day I talk to her and try to convince her what a great birthday it would be. Today I am working on how awesome it would be to have a birthday of November 12th. Last night I was reading her some books and pointed out to her that it would be more fun for her if she would come out and see the pictures. So far, she seems quite content and cozy where she is... patient little stinker! She doesn't get that from me!

We are all prepared for her. The room is ready, clothes and bedding washed and put away, diaper bag loaded and waiting for her. I didn't pack my bag for the hospital yet, but everyone knows how much i hate to pack- I have her stuff packed, though! Best of all- I think she is going to have a name! Jeff and I settled on a short list of names we both like, and will bring the list and pick the final name once we meet her in person- whew! - just in the nick of time. Although Baby would have been a nice name, too....

Diaper changing kit

Today we got a very nice care package from my dad and donna. There were some cute little plush toys for the baby, a pampering shea butter foot lotion and cozy socks for me, and a diaper changing kit for Jeff. Check out the gear- goggles, a mask and some gloves. Jeff is psyched- he felt he needed to get prepared. It is not quite his plastic shirt yet, but necessary accessories to go with the plastic shirt. Thanks Dad and Donna!

The Woodhouse

Today was a Nicole day. I had the day off, and took full advantage and had a wonderful day. I went to The Woodhouse spa- it is one of my favorite places in Denver. It is a lovely, relaxing spa in a 19th century mansion on 17th avenue. It used to be within walking distance of my job, before the hospital moved- and they still give a 10% discount to Children's employees. They have plush robes, and gorgeous rooms complete with hardwood floors and antique furniture. And the spa services are wonderful. I highly recommend it to anyone in the area- its the best.

Today I decided to treat myself to a pea-in-the-pod massage and a pedicure- wonderful idea. Then I did a little shopping, and found a couple of things I have been looking all over for. I feel so relaxed and happy. And tonight I am having a glass of alcohol-free champagne that actually tastes really good. It is Carl Jung- they really have the best fake wine. I bought a bunch of the Sutter Home Fre, but it is not as good as the Carl Jung, not even close. What a nice Nicole day- gotta squeeze them in while I can, I guess...

36 weeks

So, I am officially 36 weeks pregnant. It has been a long haul, and I am happy to be drawing near the end. Up until the last couple weeks I have loved being pregnant and could never understand why people hoped to deliver a bit early. Now I get it. Baby is getting heavy, and her squirms and kicks sometimes hurt more than they tickle. I understand why people say "good luck" when I say I plan to work up until I deliver. It is getting a bit harder to run around at work as much as I usually do- the hospital is so big, and I get braxton-hicks contractions from taking the stairs just one floor. My sleeping is hurting a bit too- between my multiple (like 4-6) potty breaks and aching back, I dont really get all that much sleep and it is starting to wear on me. Today is my 7th day in a row working, and I am excited to have tomorrow off and get a massage!

On a more perky note- I saw the doctor on Friday, and everything is great with the baby. I am right on track- she is probably 5-6 lbs now, and we are both doing quite well. There are no signs of her making her entrance anytime soon- she is snug and comfy on the inside world, and likely content to stay there for a while. Which is good, because we have still not packed our bag for the hospital- I dont really know what my hold up is, but I think I should get moving. Maybe this week....

Care Package

Friday night we received a great Trick-or-Treat package. There was a box on our porch when we got home, and inside were two big tupperware dishes of home-make cookies from my mom. YUMMY! My mom makes the best chocolate chip cookies ever, and these were no exception. Jeff and I felt like we were in college, getting a cookie care-package from mom. So yummy, they really hit the spot. Thanks Mom!

Pickles and Ice Cream

So, I came home from work today and was STARVING. It was a long, painful day at work- and Jeff had to go to PT after work, so it was going to be a while before we ate dinner. I decided to have a nice big bowl of ice cream to lift my spirits and tone down my growling stomach. It really hit the spot, but I finished the ice cream and thought, man I am still pretty hungry and could go for something salty. Well, we have a few homemade pickles from north dakota left- these are the best pickles ever! They are kinda fizzy and spicy, and just so yummy. So I grabbed a few pickles to snack on. As I sat on the couch with my pickles it occurred to me- I just experienced the ultimate pregnancy cliche- PICKLES and ICE CREAM! It took me 8 full months to get there- but I am officially a pregnant lady eating pickles and ice cream- not together, but i think it counts if they are directly following one another.

A great after work snack- I recommend it to pregnant and non-pregnant people alike- filled my tummy and made the baby happy!

Baby Shower!

This weekend, our good friends Trina and Geoff had a lovely baby shower for us. It was a great evening, filled with great friends, and lots of food and drink- of course I was drinking the alcohol-free wine- bummer- just 5 more weeks to real wine again!!

The boys lucked out- Geoff made sure the only games being played were college football on TV, so the men in the room had a great time, too. I think little Miss Kaiser has all of the things she will need- thanks to all of our wonderful family and friends showering her with wonderful gifts. We are truly lucky beyond words- to have such wonderful people in our lives. It makes it easier to take on such a big life change, when we can count on our friends and family for love and support.

Only 5 short weeks until my due date- I can hardly wait that long. I am so excited and anxious to meet our little angel, and snug and kiss her!

We voted today

Jeff and I voted today. Gotta love the mail-in ballot- all of our voting was done from our dining room table. Now we have the perfect line for the next annoying person who calls or knocks on our front door to give us voting advice/ literature- we already voted- too late!

Everyone get out there and vote- it is your right (and you cannot grumble about the results of the election unless you did your part and voted!)

Happy 1st Birthday Alex!

Today is our nephew Alex's first birthday. They are having a bash at their house to celebrate- wish we could be there. We have to miss the party- my ability to sit in a car for 8+ hours straight is gone. Alex is a happy, sweet, laid-back little guy, we are hoping his new cousin takes after him a bit. Have a fun party guys- send us some pictures!

Sex Drive

Saturday night Jeff and I had date night. We went downtown, ate a nice dinner at Marlow's and caught a movie. We went to the new move called "Sex Drive." It was a corny, silly comedy- much like the American Pie movies. We both liked it- it was a nice night out. We dont go downtown often enough anymore- we are going to make a point of heading out down there more often in the next month, while it is still easy. I am feeling a little self-conscious in public with the big belly- I look ridiculous no matter what I wear, and I get some silly comments and looks. The guy at the movie theater who took our tickets said it didn't look like we needed to see the movie "Sex Drive"- he thought we had it figured out. And then added- "no accidents please" ha ha- very funny.

Farmer's Market

This has been a beautiful morning. Jeff, Casey, and I went to the Cherry Creek Farmer's market. We bought lots of fresh fruit and veggies, sweet corn, and brats from the Bavarian sausage guy. We grabbed yummy breakfast burritos and sat in the sun eating breakfast while a man played accordion and we people watched. Casey was well-behaved and friendly with other dogs- it was just a lovely morning all around. It is sunny and warm today, and just a perfect day to hang out with my boys. My idea of how to start out a saturday...

Long week, ugh

This week has been brutal, TGIF! Jeff was out of town all week, so I was responsible for myself and the dog all week (5:30 am walks...) on top of a killer week at work. I am not as young (or thin) as I once was and I am dead-tired. Jeff came home on thursday, and man are Casey and I glad. We missed him a lot, and he bought pink roses for me and baby. Today he had the day off, and he did one million errands- pulled up the garden, winterize the swamp cooler, cut the lawn, did our laundry... a regular house-wife. I came home from work tonight after a crazy day at work, and so many things were taken care of, it was nice. Tomorrow my plan is to sleep in and go to the Cherry Creek Farmer's market with Jeff and Casey- fun!

34 weeks down- 6 to go.
We went to the OB today- nothing exciting to report. I am just a run-of-the-mill pregnant lady- too boring to get an ultrasound. She wasn't sure, but thinks baby is already head-down and ready to go. It is just a matter of growing her a bit larger before she is ready to see the world. The down-side of things going so well, I may not even need another ultrasound at all- guess I should be thankful, but I like to see her on ultrasound. My weight gain is on track- I finally cracked the 20 lb mark, so everyone is happy with my size (not my aching back, though). You would think that given free reign it would be easy to gain a ton of weight, but my metabolism is rev'd up like a 14 year-old boy's right now.

I did have blood drawn to test my varicella titers- after yet another exposure to shingles. Working with immunocompromised children, I never realized how often I get exposed to chicken pox and shingles- but I have had blood drawn now to hopefully prove once and for all that I still have immunity. As if the memory of being almost 16 yrs old with chicken pox all over isn't vivid enough- I will now have it on paper that I am safe.

Overall, I feel well, just a bit tired again, and heavy. No puffiness yet, nothing really to remark on. Just getting geared up for little Diva baby's impending arrival. The name issue is still a stuggle. We are officially past all of the close friends & family having their baby girls, so we are free to committ to our own name fully without having to change it. We just cannot come to a consensus. All suggestions welcome.

The babies are coming...

Congratulations to Laurie and Joe- yesterday they brought a gorgeous baby girl into the world! Her name is Ella Marie- a very fitting pretty name for a precious little girl. Laurie is a great friend of mine who has been my "pregnancy buddy" throughout this time- and I am so proud of her for making it through a tough couple days with style and grace. She took the hard road- labor and pushing followed by a c-section, but in the end has a lovely young lady to love. They are truly the nicest family, and deserve nothing but wonderful things, my thoughts are with them as Laurie and baby both recover from a tough couple of days. If you know Laurie and Joe- you can check out their website for photo of Miss Ella and a bit more information about their daughter.


Now, I just wait for our day...

Hunting Widow

So, the hunters have arrived. Wednesday night we had my uncle Ricky and Bob come to visit- it was great to see them and we had a wonderful evening. It was especially nice for Jeff- because he had someone to talk hunting with and get him geared up for the big elk hunt. The guys stopped by Cabela's (of course!!) on they way out here and brought us a great surprise. Check out the camouflage baby outfit- complete with eyelet lace trim on the cuffs and bootie. It is pretty cute! I can just picture these two grown men in cabela's picking out a baby outfit. It is perfect- and in the 3mo size so she will be able to wear it this winter/ spring. I am thinking she is going to have a grandpa who will be mighty proud to see her clad in camouflage from one of his favorite stores! Not to mention a daddy who will no doubt proudly tote her around in her new hunting duds.

So, Jeff's dad and Russ drove straight into winter park (after a while at Cabela's as well) and Jeff met them up there last night. He will probably not come home until next weekend, so I am a hunting widow for the next week. I am planning some projects and lots of rest- nothing too exciting for me. Work has been a zoo, so it will be nice to just go to be really early and rest up. I was hoping to drive up to winter park for dinner on saturday, but there are supposed to be some snow storms, so i am going to wait and hear about the weather. My OB said there is no problem with me traveling to altitude, but think twice about getting stuck on the other side of Berthoud pass- not really a convenient place to be having the baby. I am not too worried about her trying to be born this month, but none-the-less will cut out any unnecessary blizzard driving.`

Diaper bag- feedback needed

Help! Feedback needed!

So, I have been carefully trying to decide on a diaper bag. You know how I am with accessories, and it has to be just right. I have the added challenge of picking out a diaper bag that is useful- but I dont know anything about what makes a diaper bag useful. I also want a diaper bag that is not seasonal or too feminine- more of a classic. I would like Jeff to feel somewhat comfortable carrying it around as well- so pink and super girly is out. I found this elegant diaper bag by Oi Oi- it is black and white with red trim inside and comes with a red changing pad and red insulated bottle thing (who knew?). I think it is pretty nice, but need some feedback- what do you guys think? Is this the bag? What am I looking for in a diaper bag anyway? What would you think of a guy carrying this around? I still have to show it to Jeff and get his feedback, I kind of think he wont mind it since the color is pretty neutral- but I was considering solid black or brown. Does anyone have any hot tips on nice diaper bags- where to look, what type to get?
Thanks for you help!

Warren Miller- Children of Winter

It's that time of year again- Warren Miller Film time!! This year's film is called "Children of Winter" and it looks awesome. Click on the movie title to check it out on youtube. They are hitting many great locations including Japan, Austria, Iceland and a bunch of colorado sites as usual including Leadville, Steamboat, Silverton and Crested Butte.

I always get so excited for the Warren Miller flick- it gets me psyched up to do crazy stuff on my snowboard. And we usually go with a great group of friends, so it is twice as fun. Last year was the first year we didn't go in all the years I have lived in Colorado- because I was still recovering from surgery. This year I am not letting a "little" thing like being 39 weeks pregnant stop me. I just will spend half of the movie in the insanely long potty lines. (I call an aisle seat!). We are not the coordinators this year though, just in case we cannot make it due to labor or something- thanks to Jason for getting the tickets this year! We are going friday 11/21 to the 6:30 pm show- contact Jason if you want to join in.