All I want for Christmas is...

Some days I feel like he isn't even mine. When he awakes it is time to start the day. The morning flies by in the blink of an eye and before I know it, we are out the door and on our way. Then after 8 hours I rush to pick him up, get home and make and feed dinner and get him ready for bed. There really isn't time to play or spend quality time.

I am looking forward to having next week off for vacation (although it is not a paid vacation) to spend reconnecting with my little man. He has grown up way too fast and I need to save this time in a bottle before it is over with.

"Thing One"...

2007

2008


2011
apparently we didn't celebrate Thanksgiving in 2009 or 2010!!

I sure do love fall...

but not nearly as much as I love these two

Some days are hard...

From outside the bathroom door, strangers could hear the desperate plea from a new mother. She only wanted Him to hear her and didn't care if anyone else did. Her daughter would be one month old in two days. During the next month she should be reaching new milestones. Holding up her head, smiling for the first time, meeting extended members of the family.

Gain weight. Rid the body of excess fluid. Maintain strength long enough to finish nursing or a supplemented bottle. Instead of a monthly goal, her goals were daily and hardly ever achieved.

Each day was recorded in a journal. How many wet diapers? What time were the medications administered? How long was the feeding and how much was eaten? The team of doctors we visited twice a week were seen more than family members. Only a select few could come visit. Did they just sneeze? Was that a cough? Infants at one month shouldn't be sleeping through the night yet. Under normal circumstances a new parent would be happy. This was far from normal. In and out of the hospital. Those chairs are uncomfortable to sleep on. We have had no privacy. We rushed a baptism.

Trauma doctors are now in and out of the room trying to stabilize her. The twenty-first is 5 days away. Are we going to Boston tonight? Will she live to see Wednesday? Will she live to see tomorrow? Will she be gone by the time I leave this bathroom? If I stay in here long enough pleading with You more, will I wake from this nightmare?

How did this happen? Why her? Why us? Why?


I will do anything You ask of me! Take me! Spare her life! If You just give her a chance at this life, I promise I will not take one day for granted! I will be a better person! I will be a better wife! I will be the best mother! I will let her know how loved, appreciated, special she is! She will know how much she was wanted! I will be forever grateful to You! Please God, let her live! Let her live! Take me...just let her live!

Some days are hard...and on those days, I reflect on how they could be much harder.



"Her name means peace. Her passion for life is remarkable. She is extremely dependable in all situations. She has a terrific smile. Adventure is what she is. Supports any cause that is noble and worthy. Everyone admires her positive attitude. Fanatstic things are accomplished by her." The Historical Research Center, Inc.

Magoo...

My slobbery, gummy, hungry, can't sit still, no nap for me thankyouverymuch, happy, sitting up, smiley, teething, 95th percentile for height and weight, stuffy nosed, spiky haired, chapped cheeks and chin, handsome 7 month old little man...






I love you, VERY much!!! XOXO Mommy

"Moon date"

I'm being followed by a moon shadow
Moon shadow moon shadow
Leaping and hopping on a moon shadow
Moon shadow moon shadow...

Someone is 6 months old already!

My "Magoo Magoobie"...

I can't believe you are already 1/2 a year old! This will be a month full of growth and development! You have already begun sitting unsupported and scooting across the floor. You are on the move!

Your bright blue eyes light up when you hear your Daddy's voice, watch your sister make faces at you or when you get tickled by Mommy!

You LOVE to scream, yell, sing and babble! You are also a pretty good whiner and have no problem making your presence known when you want attention for one reason or another.

Food has always been one of your favorite things and this past month you have really begun to dive in to some really good solid foods! Your favorites are bananas, peaches and sweet potatoes. You would think that all this food consumption would help you sleep soundly through the night...you have those 2 bottom teeth struggling to make their way into your mouth, to thank for that! You aren't a very good napper for anyone other than Mommy which makes things difficult at times, especially when you want to go to bed at 5:00 after fighting to keep your eyes open on the ride home from Auntie's house!

We love you very, very much and can't imagine life before you came. Wish I could write more but once again you are crying for me!!!

I love you, Ian Miles!

"It's been a GREAT summer...

is it really all over??!!!"

Fall semester off...

I have been super excited to be able to further my education at CCRI this fall. I love going to school and learning new things. I was looking forward to taking Composition 1 and General Psychology. But after today I am realizing I have two VERY important reasons why I should put my plans on hold and take this semester off...


CCRI will still be there in January!

Summer 2011

I can either join Ian and cry that the summer is quickly coming to an end...


or enjoy every last minute of it like my oldest girl always does!!



I think I will try to cherish every moment!

Ian sMiles

Ian sMiles has reached another developmental Miles-tone...sMiling!!

Welcome to the Family, Ian!

Hey Ho, our family of three
Is growing beyond my mommy, daddy, and me
Hey Ho, just how will it be
When we add another branch to our family tree



I’ll be the protector, so strong and wise
I’ll be the cheerleader always by his side
This cute, little baby will soon enough see
No one could love him any more or better than me



I’ll teach him all the things I’ve learned along the way
I’ll help him blow out the candles on his first birthday
We’ll grow up together, side by side
Take care of one another - full of love, full of pride




~ Frances England Family Tree

wehadababyit'saboy...

Do you remember that commercial? The father has to dial his family collect so instead of making them accept the charges he delivers a run-on sentence to save them a few bucks..."Wehadababyitsaboy"!

For some reason I can't get that phrase out of my head! Or maybe it's because we...
HAD A BABY...IT'S A BOY!!

Ian Miles Saraiva was born Friday, March 5th at 1:39am. He weighs 6 lbs. 12 oz. and is 21 inches long. Thankfully this little guy who decided to wrap his cord around his neck twice and complete it with a "true knot" is in PERFECT health!

Pictures coming soon!

Any day now...right?!!

I need daily reassurance that I won't be pregnant forever. I didn't feel like this with Erin. Planned C-sections will do that for you. Every extra little movement, every extra braxton hicks contraction, another bathroom trip needed in the middle of the night is bringing me closer and closer to meeting my new little miracle...

Right?!!

37th week

February 22, 2011...One Month to Go?!!

9/17/10

11/29/10

12/24/10

2/22/11

34 weeks...the countdown is ON!

- This little guy is due to make his appearance soon!

- He has sent me to the hospital twice now for false labor. Once for my own
stupidity and the second to keep me on my toes!

- He is already 5.5 lbs. at 34 weeks. At 36 weeks he will start gaining 1 oz. /day!

- The ultrasound tech. said he has a big head and a chubby body!

- He finally has a name and we are STILL keeping it a surprise! (who knows if we'll change our mind again?!)

- I am out of work until 6-8 weeks post-partum now due to preterm labor. I am about "1 finger nail to 1 cm. dialated"

- I know a big sister who is beyond excited to see her little baby brother...she has NO idea what she's getting herself into...

- We are still trying to decide where we will be putting the pack and play/crib. I have solution but hubby thinks his is better. Big surprise!

- I know it "just happens" but I can't imagine my heart growing any bigger than it has already grown

The name game!

Just when I think we have finally decided on a name for this little boy, we change our mind!! We know we want to keep it a secret which makes it harder for us when people ask, "Well, what names do you like?" We have a few favorites, most of them 3-4 letters long, Irish/English origin and not too common.

I think what will end up happening is that we will continue to have our "favorites" list until I give birth. Then we'll look at him and say, "he looks like a _____!" Hopefully! I've seen episodes of that popular wedding dress shopping show where the women have high expectations and think that when they are wearing the dress that they are supposed to buy, they will just know. Often times they are disappointed that they don't get that "feeling" of this is my dress and leave the salon unhappy. I'm sure that situation won't happen to us at the hospital. This little boy won't go through life nameless because I didn't get "that feeling" of this is his name...right?!!

Some people I have talked to have said that they had been in the hospital for up to 4 days without a name and I think, "how sad!" Here you are, bonding with this little bundle of joy that you have been waiting 9 months (or sometimes longer) for and you can't come up with a name to call them?!!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that sooner rather than later we will have a name for this little guy, who has so far has tried on every name in the book!

31 weeks

Things have been going well with this pregnancy. Much easier than my last, thankfully! I can tell now that I am in my 3rd trimester. My energy is slowly going downhill. I am more uncomfortable, irritable and moody. We go for our 34 wk. ultrasound on February 9th. to check the size and position of the baby. I can already tell he is head down (he hiccups a lot!)and this time we are hoping to avoid a c-section, although I am scared to death of the alternative just as much as I am scared of a section!!

Erin is BEYOND excited to meet her little brother, who to this day does not have an official name. I thought I got my way on my birthday and was able to name him as a gift. But since then Greg has vetoed my choice of name. I'm just going to wait and name him after my countless hours of labor. Who can say no to me then?!!

In other news, Erin will be turning 4 on Wednesday! Can't believe it!!!! She is SO 4! It's been fun watching her over the past couple of weeks growing in to her age. She is interested in knowing how to write her name. She loves to retell stories and as her teacher puts it, is the Rain Man of songs! She remembers every lyric of every song she hears! She's just very musical. Erin is also in a very "spongy" part of her development. She listens and retains everything and she amazes us daily with her knowledge of penguins and other topics! She's just too funny for her own good. Drama should be her middle name! She's going to make a GREAT big sister!