Feetsies- Good To Walk With!

Chris=Hilarity and Cuteness.

Thanksgiving and Thanks

Stella had a very wonderful Thanksgiving and proved to be quite popular with her relatives. Everybody wanted their hands on her, and she was plum tuckered out by the time we got home. She slept until 8 am the next morning and napped the morning away. It was her first long trip and her first time in Wisconsin.
Stella visited Streamwood today to see Gram and Gramps and Aunt Jennie. She missed them on Thanksgiving, but got to watch Eric romp around. Lots of fun, but she was a little tired and crabby from all of the Thanksgiving festivities the night before...

We are having trouble finding opportunities for Stella to debut her expansive wardrobe before she gets too big, so here is a little ditty including an ultra-sheik sweater with a pompom. Wicked cuteness.

Bathtime is getting to be a bit more fun and more frequent since the day I couldn't figure out what the smell was- and the smell was my baby's neck. Here is a little video of how it is happening these days.

And who doesn't love a naked baby...

And finally... The little chatterbox is beginning to show off a bit, but only when Chris gives his Swedish Chef impression...

Stella Smiles

Cutie Stella has had some fun lately. Grandma and Grandpa Stahlmann played with her over at their house, and she also met the birds and Finchie and Grandma Lundgren's. She is looking forward to Thanksgiving at Aunt Maria's (although she doesn't know it). I picked up some wrist and foot rattles and we have been having fun with those as well. She also loves her new butterfly mobile.

I captured Stella smiling on film for the first time as well!

Moving and Shaking

Our blue jean baby queen got to rock her first outfit. We have been in sleepers every day until this fresh ensemble was debuted. Stella got dressed to kill for her first play date, and looked very preppy in the process.

Daddy has decided that the moby wrap from Second-Cousin Sarah is super fly. He is sporting it often these days. Stella is snug as a bug as he lumbers around the house.

Stella slept through her first family walk. She opened her eyes a bit over big bumps, but was way too cozy to wake up and take in the sweet Fall views. Daddy managed the dog, and we made the loop around Friendship Park. Mom was sore after the exercise, but it was great to make use of the $50 infant stroller. We have used it twice, so that is $25 a walk! By the time the weather is good enough to go out again, we will be in the jogging stroller in the Spring!

Stella Starts Doing Stuff

Stella has had a few new experiences lately. Chris and I have been bathing her, and she is learning to love it. The first bath, as shown by the photo, was a bit unpleasant. We were scared of scalding her, so we made the water way too cold and she certainly let us know! She really enjoys baths now, and kicks and splashes. She hates, however, getting out of the bath, but we can't blame her for that.

Some co-workers from school gave her a pumpkin outfit for Halloween, so that's what she wore all day. Chris went to a party at Aunt Jennie's, but Mom and Babe stayed home and played. We missed out on candy, but enjoyed the day nonetheless.

Stella went over to Kelly's to meet Jake and have a first play date. Jake is 14 weeks, but Stella is just as big (she is only 6 weeks). Stella pretty much slept the whole time, but woke up to eat and get a new diaper. She got to wear her outfit from Andrea and looked super cute in her jeans. Mom liked the day out, but was majorly freaked to drive her all by herself!

Stella met her great grandparents when they stopped by for a brief visit. Great Grandma Margaret got to hold her for a bit, but Stella was a crabby girl. Great Grandpa Lundgren agreed that she looks a bit like Grandpa Gary.

Some Photos and Videos of Queen Baby

Here are some photos of Baby Stella and a recent video.

Welcome Stella Abigail!

Stella is now a month old, so I believe it is time that I start her blog.  I've planned to use this forum as a means to update and share pics and videos with interested parties, and I hope to keep up with it!  I guess I will start at the beginning, with a brief synopsis of her wonderful and anticipated arrival...

Baby Stella Abigail was born September 30th 2009 at 4:12am and was 8lbs and 7 oz, 20 inches long. She was born on her due date!

We had just gone into the doctor, who checked me and told us that we had no progress and that we were scheduling a cesarean on Friday. We had been expecting a c-section, so we weren't totally bummed.  I think that I had major labor fears during the pregnancy, and this led to my desire for a c-section.

We stopped for dinner on the way home from the appointment and ate some Portillo's. We ate a lot of Portillo's during the pregnancy- we went after every appointment!  When we arrived home I laid down with a book. Suddenly, I felt a pop and my amniotic fluid gushed everywhere! I yelled for Chris, and as I yelled, there was more. It was all over the floor and I was soaked. It was just like it happens on TV, despite my having been told that it doesn't happen that way.

We headed into l & d and because I had just eaten I was told that we'd have to wait six hours for our c-section. I started contracting an hour later and I am amazed by my body and how it just new exactly what to do.. I have never been so astonished by nature, nor have I felt more "womanly". I know it's dorky.

I labored really well, and was fully dilated in six hours. I had an epidural at 6 cm, and since I had progressed so quickly- we decided to scrap the cesarean and give it the old college try. I pushed for thirty minutes only, and kept asking, "What's the catch?" Everything was just so smooth and, dare I say, easy. Pushing was a lot of work, but the whole team there was pretty impressed with my effort. I didn't swear or cry and I managed to tell a few good jokes.

Stella is perfect and sweet girl. We adore her. I am so floored by how very blessed I am, and I have never been more in love. I feel like I have been waiting for her my whole life, and I didn't even know what I was missing. It is a little overwhelming.

The last month has been incredible and exhausting!  Stella is a hungry girl and doesn't allow us to get much sleep.  With Chris back at work, I have been trying to take the majority of the nighttime feedings so that he can be as rested as possible.  She is waking about every three hours, and since we are bottle-feeding, she takes her sweet old time and can take up to an hour and a half per bottle!  

She is starting to do some cool things though- she really likes to watch us and we have some serious staring contests.  She has given us a few smiles, and is starting to vocalize (other than crying) a bit.  She really likes to be held, and requires this for the whole day, and won't fall asleep without being cuddled.  We don't mind cuddling, but we are looking forward to her being able to self-sooth a bit.

Overall, we are adjusting well, and love the feeling of finally being a family!