The Annual Calendar, The 10 Month Fog, and Postpartum Depression

In 2005, I started making calendars for the grandparents (and for ourselves) every Christmas. It’s this wonderful, neck cricking tradition where I pour over all of the photos from the year, trying to pick only the 20 or so best ones. I always end up in a very melancholy place while doing this because looking at the moments that are gone and the children that just keep growing is terribly sad to me. I know. Perhaps this should not be, […]

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How I Lose the Pregnancy Weight

  What I look like, every single time, right after giving birth:  This was a few days after I had Caleb. I weighed about 170 pounds in this photo. And this is what I normally look like: That’s a 35 pound difference.  (After all, a few pounds actually DO belong to the baby.)   This is not my favorite topic:  weight loss.  I don’t like discussing it because it often makes us feel bad. Maybe it’s just me, but when […]

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Fall: Taking Stock

Three months out from the new baby:  This is what my closet actually looks like right now.   Ah, Fall.  Who doesn’t love Fall?  The further north you live the more exciting it is!  (And also a little foreboding at the same time).     I love it just as much as anyone, and as CEO of our little abode, it is my duty to take stock of everyone’s closet situation each fall.  Then I must fill in the gaps, […]

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Rainy Day Review

As I was de-cluttering our bedroom yesterday, I came across this highly detailed Google art that Joshua did this past year in Art class.   I LOVE his great attention to detail. Here’s another one: This was his Mario /Baseball themed one.   Last week my mom was here.  It was amazing how much laundry got done, how many delicious dinners were cooked, desserts made, and even a little guilt-free free time.       Mom left yesterday, and by […]

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Summer Progress

11th Wedding Anniversary   I can’t believe it, but here we are with only three weeks of summer vacation left.  Phew!  We’ve been working towards this goal all summer, and yet there are so many things on my “summer to do” list that have been left undone.  You really cannot imagine or remember how difficult it is to get anything done with a new baby around.  I always forget just how much work it is!    I mean, sure, he […]

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The New Normal Postpartum

 John David and me 6 weeks postpartum I have returned to wearing make-up –finally– but my hair straightener will probably be completely rusted before it sees usage again!      I just love this little outfit.  By the way, after Daniel the Chubby it’s nice to have a baby who can fit into newborn socks! He’s still grow-grow-growing, and he still looks like Joshua to me. *********   The New Normal   It’s been 7 weeks now, and I’m not […]

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The Miracle of Iron for Postpartum Anemia

If you have read the blog lately you know I have had a hard time with anemia for a while.   Have you ever woken up one morning feeling miraculously better??  I had that happen today!  (Praise the Lord!)  The iron supplements are working, and I can’t tell you how exciting that is.  I was able to actually work today, and when I say work, I do mean work.    I just refuse to call myself a stay at home […]

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Six Weeks Postpartum C-Section: Anemia, Sleepless, & Happy

For six weeks I’ve been dragging around this house like a zombie I kept thinking of six weeks as the magical mark I needed to make it to, and then things would be better.   Last week was rough, and I began to have my doubts about that…Recovering from the c-section is no joke.   Then today good things happened! No, not sleep…..I wish…..   This morning, before I even got out of bed, I prayed that my 6 week […]

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Newborn Parenting

….because sometimes reality looks like this   Phew!  What a week.  I usually live for the weekend, but this weekend Alan had to work on Saturday too, leaving me looking like John David does in the photo above!  With Alan gone 11 hours/day and my mom gone, and still in recovery from the c-section, this week was one I will choose to never remember.    Next week doesn’t look much better, but at least it will end at Friday.   […]

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Summer Fun

4 1/2 weeks. This Sunday I went back to Sunday School for the first time, had friends over for lunch, and went to our Supper Club for a bit that evening.  It was a BIG day, and by Monday night I was exhausted, but it was worth it.   Apparently this is my go-to postpartum dress b/c this is me 2 years ago, with Daniel 4 1/2 weeks after his birth.   The baby is now officially 5 weeks old. […]

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