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July 27, 2006

Shannon and Peter are on Myspace

Check out Shan's Myspace and Peter's Myspace

Yes, we've really gone whole hog with this blog thing...well I am that is, Peter already had :) It is rather addicting and fun to find old friends and classmates.

Posted by Shannon at 01:44 PM | Comments (1)

Young Fame and Other Random Thoughts

So my daughter, at only 3 1/2 months, has just won a "major award." No, Christmas Story fans, not a leglamp :)
(Impressed with my linking skills? Had to ask Peter for help:))
Her picture was taken with Peter at a friend's wedding. With our permission the photographer entered it in our local fair, and it won best in show for color photos! So it's now "on exhibit" for awhile at our local civic center, and we'll get to keep the ginormous frame afterwards. No, we will not be mounting it over the fireplace...will just stow away for now to be produced for future boyfriends :)

In other news, Natalie is rolling from back to belly now. She got really good at it in the course of a few days. Now I cannot lay her on her back without her immediately heading for the belly. Of course, once she gets there and can't get back, she begins to get frustrated. If I do not intervene within a minute or so, shreaking and squealing ensue. A very persistent child, I'm afraid. So Mommy has to give her frequent exercise breaks, reminding her that she does not have to learn everything at once...by the way, this is a lesson Mommy is still learning herself :)

We're feeling thankful these days as Peter recently got a raise. He's keeping quite busy as the UMaine system leadership is in transition. He is doing a lot of work to facilitate things in the interim. I am picking up pool hours here and there at the hospital, and Nat has had some really nice Grammy and Grampy Cook time.

As much as I enjoy my nursing, I am so thankful that I can be mostly home (and by the end of the year likely completely home) working on my other two primary callings of wife and mommy (thank you Peter and God!) . Each day I learn more of the rewards and struggles involved with this path. The comparitive solitude of my day (no offense dear Natalie) has been a challenge for my personality but also a good thing, pointing me more to Jesus and showing me things in myself that need changing. Before now, my days had too many distractions in the way of that.

I am by nature a rather task-oriented perfectionist, so the girl has been great to slow me down and give me perspective. Daily I am asking myself, "Is this next task of eternal importance, or can it wait?" Still not making perfect choices in this regard but getting there.

And just when God knows I've been alone with my crazy thoughts a little too long, He sends the perfect encouragement/distraction such as a lovely visit or phone call with a friend, a song on my Nano (thanks again Hon!) or a walk with my Natters in our beautiful neighborhood.

Until next time...love and hugs and prayers to all of you...

Posted by Shannon at 12:41 PM | Comments (0)

July 16, 2006

Life With "The Nat"

Hello ever-so-patient (or not so patient :)) family and friends who've been waiting for an update since--oh my--the end of April (sheepish smile).

The baby blog will soon turn into a family blog (to be done by my more technologically savvy hubby), and my summer resolution is to write in it more. Now that I'm getting settled into being a mommy I feel ready to jump back in. The blogosphere (sp?) is getting less intimidating. I love reading our friends' blogs when I think of it and it seems a great easy way to keep in touch, so I will endeavor to participate more regularly. Keep me accountable on this! :)

Anyhoo...let me just say that I absolutely love being a mom!!! Yes, I've had my share of "weary and teary" days but definitely no regrets overall and cannot imagine life without her. It is a huge adjustment but a huge joy, and she is teaching me so much. Such a thrill to have front row seats to the development of a person, the unfolding of a unique personality. And such an awesome responsibility to shape that soul! But so far it feels like she is shaping mine more.

So the stats at three months and one week...she holds head up nearly 90 degrees when on her tummy and makes a lot of pre-crawling movements. Just today actually rolled from belly to back--so exciting!! She had the cutest surprised look on her face like "how did I get here?"

She loves to crawl up my chest with my hands as "launchpads" and propels herself right over my shoulder taking a header into the floor if you don't catch her first. I can already see hints of a driven perfectionist in these efforts, and I'm thinking "oh no, fight it girl." She gets so intense that we have to physically remove her from the activity when we see signs of frustration. She needs a little help to move into relaxation mode--don't know where she gets that from (again, sheepish grin).

She's definitely a girl when it comes to verbal skills, quite vocal and tells you when she is both happy and when a need is unmet with coos, "ahgoos and ahboos," hollers and squeals. And unlucky for Daddy, already has a well-developed and very cute pout. :)

She's grabbing and reaching a lot more and showing more interest in certain toys. Smiling like crazy and laughing, often quite heartily.
She's not a "delicate flower" at probably about 18 pounds now (was 16 at 2 months--need to do an updated weight). Definitely no failure-to-thrive here, and she's just now starting to lenghthen out feedings from 2 to 3 hours and sleeping a little longer at night. I have sadly packed away her little newborn things as she is in 6-9 month size across the board. :( You hear parents say how fast they grow, but the truth of this doesn't really sink in until you have your own.

More to come later--must go comfort my little girl as she seems to have had a very scary dream.

Love to all--Shannon

Enjoy this new photo!

Posted by Shannon at 05:37 PM | Comments (1)