Parenthood and Sleep

Last night as Chris and I were going to bed:

Me (in my head): "I hope Katy doesn't wake up at 4:30 again.  Please sleep until 6:00, Katy."

Chris (out loud): "I'm going to sleep until 9:00 tomorrow."

Me (in my head): "So cocky."

Delicious Naps Continued

Mmmm, chest hair naps with Uncle Casey.

Four Generations of Women

Katy met her great grandma for the first time this month.  I attempted to take a nice generational photograph to commemorate the meeting.

My mom is skeptical as she attempts to soothe Katy.
Meanwhile, Mimi gives Katy a mischievous glance.

Katy's crying intensifies and Mimi appears to be unaware of
the camera.  Obviously, I find this hilarious. 

Katy continues to fuss despite the new seating arrangements.
At least my mom and mimi and are enjoying themselves.

Forget the picture!  Hurry, calm the screaming baby!

A final attempt an hour later.  No one is crying, squinting,
or looking mischievous.  That's good enough for me.

Related Post: four generations before Katy was born, with my grandmimi.

Baby Cat Calls

This week I took Katy for a walk in our neighborhood using my baby carrier.  After strapping Katy to my frontside, I put on a lightweight jacket in an attempt to hide my leggings.  The jacket did little to cover the tightness of my pants, but it did hide the straps of the baby carrier on my back.  Being too lazy to change into more appropriate pants, Katy and I left the house.  After walking for a few minutes, I heard someone yelling, "hey baby" from behind.  I turned my head just in time to see a car driving in my direction. There was a kid in his late teens or early 20's with his head out the passenger window staring at me and making kissing noises in my direction. As the car passed me, however, the cat calls stopped when the baby strapped to the front of my chest became visible to the vehicle and its passengers.  I guess the gawking kid was interested in tight leggings but not so interested in a mom or a baby.        

Is She Talking?

This week at Katy's two month check up with her pediatrician, the nurse was questioning me about Katy's development.  After a couple of questions about sound reflexes, the nurse asked, "Is she talking?"  I wanted to answer by saying, "Yes, but her opinions on the situation in the middle east are quite immature."  I was good, however, and simply responded by stating that yes, Katy is making cooing noises.  

Beautiful Baby Katy

Eight days old is a lovely time for pictures - so soft and cuddly that no one minds if you pee and poop on them during the photography session.  All photo credits go to the talented Nichole Alvarado of Dulce Baby Portrait Studios.

Nichole Alvarado of Dulce Baby Portrait Studios

Nichole Alvarado of Dulce Baby Portrait Studios

Nichole Alvarado of Dulce Baby Portrait Studios

Nichole Alvarado of Dulce Baby Portrait Studios

Nichole Alvarado of Dulce Baby Portrait Studios

Nichole Alvarado of Dulce Baby Portrait Studios

Nichole Alvarado of Dulce Baby Portrait Studios

Nichole Alvarado of Dulce Baby Portrait Studios

More pictures of Katy at Dulce Baby Portrait Studios.

Texas Names

Before Katy was born, Chris and I heard a radio segment by W.F. Strong titled "Baby Names," one of several segments in a series called "Stories From Texas." The segment discussed baby names based on Texas cities and counties.  Chris and I loved the idea. We were both born in Texas and have lived here all or most of our lives.  We went to college in Texas, we met in Texas, and we were married in Texas.  Life as a Sias started in north Texas, and we have since lived in West Texas, Central Texas, and South Texas.  Texas has been so good to us and we love this state!  After hearing the radio segment, we decided to name our baby after a place in Texas.

Chris and I also wanted our baby to have a name that began with the same phonetic sound as our names.  We read the "C" and "K" section of alphabetical listings of Texas cities and counties a few times and setttled on Carson for a boy and Katy for a girl.  

While I was pregnant, Chris and I referred to Katy as Carson.  We did not know her gender and I suspected I was carrying a girl, but we still referred to her as Carson.  When I finally gave birth, Chris had the privilege of announcing the gender.  While the doctor transitioned Katy to my chest  following the birth, Chris gave Katy a quick look, was surprised to see that Carson was actually Katy, and proudly announced, "Meet baby Katy."

That's how Katy got her name, and we haven't called her Carson since.    

Delicious Naps

Eight Weeks and Counting

Katy is eight weeks old today.  Her accomplishments so far include her first bath, her first visit to church, and meeting both sets of her grandparents.  She loves to kick her legs and look at faces when she is awake, she makes the cutest cooing noises and tiny smiles, and she recently discovered the joys of a playmat.

First trip to church.  She was so bored she slept the
whole time.

First bath took place in the kitchen sink.

Meeting Grandma and Papo for the first time.

Meeting Gigi and Pops for the first time.

Because Katy has limited means of communication, her body language is especially interesting.    Sometimes when someone is moving or shifting her, she will narrow her eyes, furrow her eyebrows, and stick her hand up with her palm out, as if to say, "Wait."  Often when she first begins eating, she will close her eyes, raise her eyebrows, and tilt her head back slightly as if she has discovered something wonderful for the very first time.  If she is particularly fussy when she begins eating, she will try to fuss and eat at the same time, resulting in funny, rhythmic grunting noises.  When her tummy is full or near full, she sometimes lets out a grin and soft sigh.  Most of the time, however, Katy looks pretty serious when she is awake.  I often wonder if her serious faces are simply the by product of an overwhelming task - absorbing a new world - or if they are indicative of something bigger - her emerging personality.

Wait.

Silly faces.

Serious face.

Looking serious again.

One amazing thing about Katy is her lack of fear.  She is helpless and completely dependent on others to care for her.  Despite this, she is so beautifully innocent that she has no reason to fear others will take advantage of her helplessness or hurt her, even when someone new is holding her for the first time.  Her trust is limitless.  It is no wonder the bible says,

People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them.  But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kindgdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

Luke 18:15-17.

Happy Katy.

Feed Me

Just a few days after Chris and I brought Katy home, she was sleeping in her swing in the living room with the baby monitor resting in her lap.  Chris was in the living room with Katy, and I was in the bedroom.  I noticed the other end of the baby monitor on the dresser and decided to have a little fun with Chris.  I picked up the baby monitor, pressed the talk button, and slowly said, "Feed me," in  a quiet, shaky, high-pitched voice.  At first I thought Chris didn't hear me, so I repeated my line.  That's when I heard Chris' confused and somewhat scared response.  Turns out Chris did hear me the fist time; he didn't respond because he was afraid his daughter was possessed.   

Baby gear can be fun.

Silly Katy Girl

Yesterday I was changing Katy's diaper when she made me laugh for the first time.  She was awake but contently staring at a banner on the wall above her changing pad when she suddenly began crying loudly as if in immense pain.  As I searched for the cause of the pain, the crying became screams interrupted by brief gasps for air.  Then I found it.  Katy had grabbed a fistful of her own hair and  began pulling on it when her wiry arms began moving in their normal, uncontrollable fashion.  The pain caused by the uncontrollable movement of her arms caused her to cry, which caused her arms to flail more uncontrollably, which caused her to pull her fistful of hair harder, which caused her to scream louder, which caused her arms to flail even more, which caused a quickly escalating, unknowing, self-inflicted cycle of pain, crying, and screaming.  Not until I pried the ball of hair out of Katy's tightly clenched fist did she relax and resume staring at the wall. 

Life is rough when you can't control your own arms or understand how to stop hurting yourself.   

Hot Air Balloon Nursery

Chris and I finished Baby's K's room the evening I went into labor.  I remember lying in the bath tub while my uterus contracted, listening to Chris hang book shelves in Baby K's room.  Luckily, Baby K could care less that we finished the room at the last minute.  In fact, she doesn't seem to appreciate the yellow, grey, and white color scheme or the hot air balloon theme nearly as much as I do.  I guess that much was to be expected.

A panoramic view.

Wreath on the door to her room.

One of Chris' favorites.

A very close family friend made the organizer on the wall.

Doug would love to get his teeth on the
rubber duck.

If I can't have an Eames rocker, I'll settle for tiny Eames
elephants.

Chris found the awesome dresser, and I splurged
on the chair.  I spend a lot of time in this chair!  

Balloons made from paper lanterns.

A baby bowl I used when I was a baby serves
as a catchall next to my nursing chair.

Can't have too many books!

My dad refinished the cradle, and Chris painted the

book shelves.

DIY rag banner turned out so cute!

I made the mobile, and my mom made the
blanket on the cradle.

My mom and I sewed the curtains.

I love goats, so naturally I love this hamper!

Tiny baby clothes are sooo cute!

Baby K is only two weeks old and already she has been showered with several pink gifts.  At this rate, it's only a matter of time before the girly pinks overtake the room.

Welcome to the World Baby K

Baby Sias is here!  She (it's a girl!) entered the world two weeks ago, measuring 20 inches long and weighing 7 lbs., 14 oz.

Baby K just a few hours old.

In preparation for Baby K's arrival, Chris and I took birth classes designed to train couples in natural child birth.  Deep down inside, I desired a natural, unmedicated child birth but was afraid to admit this fact for fear I would fail, disappoint myself, and cause others to say, "I told you it would be too hard."

The birth classes featured interviews with mothers who successfully birthed their babies without medical intervention.  These mothers spoke of how the birthing process was a beautiful and empowering experience.  Although I understood how it might be empowering to endure what I expected to be the most difficult experience of my life, I doubted it could be beautiful as well.  Several artistically edited birth videos shown during the birth classes did not convince me otherwise.  Still, I desired a natural birth because of the complications that medical interventions can bring.

As a result of our birth classes,  I hired a doula, drafted a birth plan, and switched to a new doctor.   The doula emphasized relaxation techniques, and the birth plan forced me to commit to what I desired.   My new physician welcomed the presence of my doula, expected a birth plan, and openly answered my questions.

Measuring my belly at the church baby
shower the day before I went into labor.

Despite all of our preparation, however, I was still nervous about the unknown.  Then, one morning I woke at 4:30 to stronger than normal Braxton-Hicks contractions.  I visited my doctor, who informed me that it could still be days until the baby arrived.  Without confirmation that I was in labor, I worked all day and ran some errands in the evening.  In hindsight, I believe I entered early labor while I was at work and began active labor sometime around 8:00 p.m.  At the time, however, I thought the contractions were merely false labor because in my mind they were too manageable to be actual labor.

By the time Chris started timing around midnight, my contractions were approximately four minutes apart.  Less than three hours later, my water broke.  We were at the hospital by 3 a.m., and I was relieved to learn that I was already between 5 and 6 centimeters dilated.  I began mentally preparing myself for several hours of intense labor and pushing.  I never expected Baby K to enter the world less than four hours later.

Consistent with the desires spelled out in my birth plan, I was able to labor free from fetal monitors and an IV.  This allowed me to move around rather than be confined to lying on my back in a hospital bed, a very uncomfortable labor position for me.  The doula made sure the lights were dimmed and my music was playing, which transformed the sterile hospital room into a calm environment.  The doula recognized that I was experiencing back labor and recommended a labor position that turned out to be invaluable.  The doula made sure I stayed hydrated and comfortable in warm socks and my own gown.   The doula took the pressure off Chris to do and remember everything, which allowed him to focus on supporting me during contractions.  The doula was invaluable.

Chris provided amazing support through positive encouragement and quick responses to my directions for counter-pressure during contractions.  As we labored together, I kept waiting for transition labor, the point at which I imagined the pain would become unbearable, I would lose control, and I would utter our code word for "give me an epidural."  That point, however, never came.  Instead, it became impossible to relax through the contractions and I finally told Chris, "I think it's time to push."  It turns out my instinct was right - I was dilated to ten centimeters and the baby was in position to come out.

Once it was time to push, the room filled with medical staff and equipment.   Despite the flutter of activity, however, the room remained quiet and dimly lit.  I recall the nurses quietly standing, watching, and waiting.  The doula later informed me that when the nurses attempted to make small talk, the doctor quietly waived his finger to cut them off.   I recall the respectful demeanor of the doctor, who sat patiently at the side of the bed with his legs crossed, quietly rocking to the music between contractions, and gently assuring me that I was making progress as I pushed.  I recall the doula instructing me on how to effectively push, and the doctor calmly suggesting that I listen to the doula's instruction.   I recall focusing on the songs playing between contractions and talking through the immense pressure on my lower body.  I recall telling Chris between contractions that it hurt not to push.  The doula and doctor immediately smiled and nodded in agreement, a small but powerful affirmation that I was doing something right.

After about half an hour of pushing harder than I ever imagined possible, Baby K entered the world.  Chris announced Baby K's gender, and she was immediately placed on my chest, newborn goo and all.  The rush of emotions and adrenaline that followed the final push and my first contact with Baby K was amazing.

Birthing Baby K was an extremely positive experience.  Was it hard? Heck yeah! I had a face full of popped blood vessels and a body full of sore muscles to prove it.  Was it painful?  Of course!  What woman doesn't dead menstrual cramps on speed and the infamous ring of fire?  The pain was manageable, however, thanks to Chris' support, a knowledgeable doula, the right medical staff, and our birthing classes.  I now know that with the right preparation, birthing a baby can be an empowering and beautiful experience.

I owe a huge thank you to Nicole Hoff, our birth doula; Dr. Lee, the OB/GYN; and Chris, a wonderfully supportive husband.  Chris and I also owe a huge thank you to the staff at the hospital, who were so accommodating when Baby K had to stay longer than I did.  Praise God for surrounding me with the right people and most importantly, praise God for a healthy baby girl.

Baby K, two days old.

The Big Reveal

At the end of September, Chris and I painted the walls in the baby's room, which led to a discussion about replacing the carpet in the baby's room, which led to a discussion about replacing the carpet in the entire house, which led to a discussion about replacing the kitchen flooring, which led to a discussion about replacing the kitchen cabinets, which led to this:

That's my kitchen about two weeks into a remodel project that involved:

1. Removing a wall between the kitchen and dining room;
2. Removing a load bearing wall between the dining room and living room and replacing it with a support beam inside the attic; 
3. Closing in a door that provided access to the kitchen from the carport; 
4. Adding a door that provides access to the kitchen from the laundry room and carport; 
5. Moving the dryer vent and electrical to make room for a new door in the laundry room;
6. Replacing wood paneling in the dining room with sheetrock; 
7. Adding a gas line in the kitchen to connect a gas cooktop;
8. Moving electrical and water lines to a new location for the refrigerator;
9. Replacing the cabinets, countertops, backsplash, sink, faucet, vent hood, cooktop, and microwave in the kitchen;
10. Installing a stackable washing machine and dryer in the laundry room; 
11. Replacing all flooring in the kitchen, dining room, living room, hallway, and hall closet; 
12. Wiring and installing recessed lights in the kitchen and dining room; and
13. Installing a new light fixture in the dining room.

While this list represents a thorough outline of major work done on the Sias house, it does not include the hiccups that are bound to accumulate during a remodel project.  The more serious "hiccups" started with the general contractor's failure to obtain the required permit and escalated into a battle with incompetent painters and several random holes in our new sheet rock in search of a mysterious gas leak.    

Also, note that the extensive list of work above does not include replacing the carpet in the baby's room, the impetus for our major remodel project.  After expending large amounts of energy and money on the rest of the house, Chris and I drew the line at replacing the carpet in the baby's room.  Because the baby's room was the only empty room in the house throughout our project, it became a staging and storage area for work taking place in the rest of the house.  As a result, the baby's room went through various stages that rendered any ideas of replacing the carpet utterly unthinkable:

The last bit of major work was completed on December 18, although minor touch-ups continued through December 22.  By December 24, I had almost everything back in place and had even managed to hang a few Christmas decorations.  On December 25, Chris was the recipient of a generous Christmas gift, a new TV.  By December 26, my living room was filled with dust and there were new holes in the wall to make room for wall mounts, plugs, switches, and hidden electrical wires.  Three days later, on December 30, all work was finally complete.

Are you dying to see pictures of the newly remodeled Sias house?  You are in luck because I have plenty of them.  Before I post pictures of the finished project, however, pictures of my house pre-construction are mandatory.

Looking into the kitchen from the far end of
the dining room.

The kitchen with the old door from the carport located
to the left of the stove.

Looking into the dining room from the kitchen.
Note the walls separating the two rooms, as well as
the wall on the right side of the dining room separating
the dining room and living rom.

Looking into the dining room from the kitchen.

The living room.

I could post several in-between pictures showing various stages of exposed framing and wires, half-finished cabinetry, and the like.  No one really enjoys the in-between stages, however, including the homeowners living through it.  Those weeks are weeks I would like to completely erase from my memory.  So, I'll just skip straight to the big reveal!!!!

The finished kitchen! 

No walls between the kitchen and dining room!

Looking at the dining room from the back of
the kitchen.  This flooring continues into
the living room and hall as well.

The new door leading from the laundry room
into the kitchen.  I love the little hidden cabinet
by the door!

My new light fixture and the recessed lights.
I love it!

No more walls between the kitchen, living room, and
dining room.

The living room feels soooo much bigger! 

I love that the new light fixture is visible from all three rooms!

Now that the house is back in order, I can finally focus on finishing the baby's room.  Only five more weeks, give or take an unknown amount of time, until baby Sias enters the world.