Some Caroline Factoids

So I thought I should start writing in more detail the fun things that Caroline does, so I might as well write it here in my blog :) We went in for her 6 month checkup this week. She is growing so big-- 16 lbs 8 oz. I went to visit my good friend Jennifer's new baby girl this week and the difference between holding a newborn vs. Caroline is crazy. I can't believe how small she once was and how big she is getting. The Dr. was impressed that she is already sitting up by herself-- he said that she's a little early doing that-- way to go C!!!
She does so many cute things now-- today she reached for me to hold her when I came home and hadn't seen her in a few hours. It was so cute-- she has never done that before!!! She laughs easily and smiles at everyone-- she's a total joy. I'm so thankful for her sweet temperament!!!

So my friend Jan tagged me to do this quizzy thing... I guess I haven't posted in a while so this is a good place to jump-start my posting again :)


FOODOLOGY
Q: What is your salad dressing of choice?
A: I love ginger salad dressing at Japanese restaurants :)

Q: What is your favorite fast food restaurant?
A: Chick-fil-A or Thundercloud

Q: What is your favorite sit-down restaurant?
A: Shogun or Sekisui-- both Japanese restaurants (in Little Rock)where they cook in front of you :)

Q: On average, what size tip do you leave at a restaurant?
A: 20%

Q: What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick off of?
A: I eat cereal every day, and usually a turkey/cheese sandwich for lunch. But I kinda get sick of them

Q: What is your favorite type of gum?
A: Extra

TECHNOLOGY
Q: What is your wallpaper on your computer?
A: Pictures from "My Pictures" folder-- most have either Caroline or a flower arrangement in them... that's the subject of all my photos lately

Q: How many televisions are in your house?
A: two

BIOLOGY
Q: What’s your best feature?
A: That's a hard one.... I'm liking my eyes more now that Caroline has the same ones

Q: Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
A: Teeth and a baby

Q: Which of your five senses do you think is keenest?
A: Taste-- I love food

Q: When was the last time you had a cavity?
A: Not sure-- a while ago

Q: What is the heaviest item you lifted last?
A: Flower arrangements-- they are so heavy but I'm a control freak so I usually carry them myself

Q: Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
A: No

YOU-OLOGY
Q: If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?
A: No.

Q: Is love for real?
A: Absolutely

Q: If you could change your first name, what would you change it to?
A: I like my name

Q: What color do you think looks best on you?
A: Not sure-- I wear a lot of light pink

Q: Have you ever swallowed a non-food item by mistake?
A: Not that I'm aware of

Q: Have you ever saved someone’s life?
A: Not that I'm aware of

Q: Has someone ever saved yours?
A: Jesus :)


DAREOLOGY
Q: Would you walk naked for a half mile down a public street for $100,000?
A: No way!!!!

Q: Would you allow one of your little fingers to be cut off for $200,000?
A: No way!!!!

Q: Would you never blog again for $50,000?
A: Sure.

Q: Would you pose nude in a magazine for $250,000?
A: No.

Q: Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1,000?
A: Sure

Q: Would you give up watching television for a year for $25,000?
A: Sure

Q: Give up MySpace forever for $30,000?
A: In a heartbeat

DUMBOLOGY
Q: What is in your left pocket?
A: A key to my house

Q: Is Napoleon Dynamite actually a good movie?
A: I like it-- lots of '80s throwbacks like the Caboodle

Q: Do you have hardwood or carpet in your house?
A: Carpet and Tile

Q: Do you sit or stand in the shower?
A: Stand

Q: Could you live with roommates?
A: Yes.

Q: How many pairs of flip-flops do you own?
A: More than 10

Q: Last time you had a run-in with the cops?
A: It's been too long to remember, thankfully!

Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?
A: Not sure yet :)

LASTOLOGY
Q: Friend you talked to?
A: Jeff
Q: Last person you called?
A: Mom

RANDOMOLOGY
Q: First place you went this morning?
A: I haven't been anywhere yet today, but we go to the pediatrician in 30 minutes for Caroline's 6 month appt.

Q: What can you not wait to do?
A: Honestly, I have 2 weddings (floral design) this weekend and I'll be glad when they're behind me.

Q: What’s the last movie you saw?
A: Elizabeth-- it wasn't good

Q: Are you a friendly person?
A: Yeah!

Picture People

So, I have really been aching to get Caroline's picture taken at a portrait studio. I know that these places are BIG on the hard sell, and most of my friends walk out of the studio $300 lighter.... I was determined not to go overboard. We went to Picture People in the mall on Friday and what fun! Jeff and I pulled out all of our "make Caroline smile" tricks-- and they worked! We got some amazing shots... hopefully I can share them digitally once we've made our purchases today :)
Speaking of pictures-- no one told me that "photo & video management" goes right alongside diapering, feeding, dressing, playing, and cleaning up after a baby. I absolutely LOVE taking pictures of Caroline and this crazy guilt comes over me whenever we have a sweet moment or cute outfit on that isn't chronicled yet in the digital realm. For instance, her cry has changed.... from the newborn cry (always the same pitch and duration) to more "grown-up" protest cries (varying in duration and pitch). So now I have a little worry that I didn't ever capture her newborn cry on video.... I'll have to let it go. These days are all about living in the present... she is ever-changing and I am just trying to take as much time as possible to stop and smell the roses, or the lavendar baby wash....

Blessing

I feel like shouting to everyone “I’m the MOST blessed person in the whole world.” But I won’t, because when someone is extremely blessed, it reminds most others of their trials and the reasons that they don’t feel blessed. We’ve had our share of trials, no doubt, and during the trials, it was hard to imagine any time of blessing. But the most difficult trial of my life is the reason that I now recognize my blessedness—the arrival of our precious daughter, Caroline, six days ago, is the inspiration for my joy. I could never have imagined or prepared myself for the heavenliness of her arrival. She is so perfect—I love the way her mouth moves when you stroke her cheek, and I love the way her eyes look when they are wide open and the way her face changes shape depending on whether she’s asleep or awake (chubby when asleep, slender when awake, by the way). I love the way we can soothe her when she is so troubled with gas or some other “baby trauma.” She makes me want to be a better person in all ways, most importantly in the way that I follow Christ and live out His will for my life. I feel undeserving of this amount of joy. My heart overflows with love for her and for my family and friends. My eyes overflow with tears (I know there are hormones involved, but….) at my blessing.

Labor

How to know if you’re in labor…… no wonder there are a million lists in every book and on all the pregnancy websites… it’s kinda tricky to know if it’s really “time.” So, it’s 1:08 am on December 6th and I’ve been timing contractions since about 9:30. I’ve been having them all day, but now they’re getting closer together and a little trickier to ignore. We’ve been praying that Caroline would show up without having to be induced—I think this is our answered prayer! We are so excited to meet her—that is an understatement. After 2.5 years of infertility and two miscarriages, we sometimes were scared to think that this day might never come. Praise the Lord for His mighty plans—our faith has grown throughout this journey and as difficult as the trial was for us, we know He used it to shape us and draw us closer to Him and each other.
Jeff and I have enjoyed our six years together as “just the two of us” so much. We are absolutely best friends and really can’t imagine life with kiddos. But I know that in just a few weeks or months, we’ll have a hard time picturing what life was like before Caroline came. Thankfully we have been able to travel together, enjoy movies and cooking at home, and dote on our precious dog to our heart’s content these past few years and we have lived the “before kids” part of our marriage to its fullest. Now we start the next chapter that will last the rest of our lives, Lord willing. We can’t wait to be parents and get to know our kiddos and watch them grow. We pray that their ministry greatly surpasses any ministry we have – that would be our greatest joy.
Just wanted to journal a few of these random thoughts as I sit here at my computer waiting to make a call to the doctor to go to the hospital. How surreal to think that my next night that I am home, we will have a precious daughter at home with us. Another contraction… 1:17 am. Seven minutes from the last one… it won’t be long now.