The First of Many

Well since it's my first note, I guess I should begin at a place that makes the most sense - the beginning!  :)

There was a time in my life that I wasn't sure if I wanted to become a Mom or not.  To be honest, I didn't think I would be a very good one.  So from the age of 26 - 28, I spent a lot of time and energy convincing myself, and everyone else in my life that I didn't want to have children.  My parents (now Grammy and Grandpa!)  took this really hard, probably because with me being an only child; this was their only chance to have grandchildren.  My husband (your Dad!) was disappointed too, but was very supportive and stood by me, which shows what a wonderful person he truly is.  At that time, we started planning our future, picturing what it was going to be like with just the two of us.

But just as we were trying to picture this future, I started to realize that the picture had holes in it.  Something was definitely missing.  It wasn't long before I realized that I wanted to be a mother after all, and that it was okay to be scared about whether or not I would make a good one...

I bet there are mothers out there that fear this every day. 

Noah:

I knew I was pregnant with you long before the test confirmed it.  I guess this was the early signs of "Mother's Intuition".  I was sitting in a classroom as a Teacher's Assistant in a high school, when I first felt you kick me and I burst out laughing.  :)  Before we knew you were a boy, we were going to name you Chloe Marie if you were a girl (I'm sure glad you turned out to be a boy!), and we had a heck of a time trying to agree on a boy's name.  We decided to find out what sex you were, and were then faced with trying to come with a boy's name!  Your Dad came up with the idea of both of us making a list of names and whichever name was on both of our lists, was going to be your name.  And lo and behold... Noah Alexander came to be.  :)

You were born via Cesarean section on Tuesday, May 4th 2004 at 8:20 am, weighing 8 pounds and 12 ounces.  You didn't cry at all - in fact you had this really unimpressed look on your face when Dr. Scheeres brought you around the curtain to see me and your Dad for the first time!  I couldn't believe how beautiful you were!  I remember thinking, "Is that my baby?"  Wow.

Now, you are 6 years old.  You are about to finish Senior Kindergarten with Mrs. Potts, and you are going to be starting T-Ball next week with Dad as one of your coaches.  You are "in love" (your words!) with a cute little red-head named Lauren that you have known from daycare since you were both just over a year old.  Your daycare provider Aline now has the nickname "Linnie" ever since you started calling her that as soon as you started talking.  You still sleep with "Puppy" - a stuffed doggie that your Dad picked out and you 'reached' for it for the first time when you were 6 months old.  I am so proud of you, and very thankful that you still love to cuddle!  xo 


Julia:

Once your Dad and I were ready to become parents, I knew I wanted to have 2 children.  Growing up as an only child was pretty lonely at times, so I knew I wanted to have you as soon as I was pregnant with your brother.  Throughout my pregnancy with you, I always felt that you were a girl, but didn't know for sure.  We tried to find out during your ultrasound, but of course you didn't want to show us!  :)  I decorated your room with ladybugs and bees and using alot of greens and oranges and yellows!  If you were to be a boy, your name would have been Nathan Christopher.  Christopher was to be named after a former student of mine that your Dad and I became very close to along with his parents.  And since we no longer liked Chloe Marie as a girl's name, we decided very easily on Julia Grace.

As my belly grew, it became easier for  2 year-old Noah to understand that there was a baby inside.  He loved to talk to my belly, saying, "Hi Baby!"  He also liked to make 'raspberry sounds' on it and thought this was really funny.

You were born via C-Section too on Friday, September 22nd 2006 at 8:35am.  you weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces.  You were squawking like crazy when Dr. Scheeres held you over the curtain and said, "It's a girl!"  Your Dad's faced lit up completely.  :)  Dad would have been happy to have another boy but he REALLY wanted to have a girl this time.  You spent the first couple of days wearing your brother's infant sleepers as we didn't know you were going to be a girl!  Papa Bannister bought your first 'pink' outfit and brought it to the hospital.  Lots of cute pink girly outfits followed soon after.  The first thing Noah did when he first saw you was kiss the top of your head, then he tickled your feet. 

Now you're 3 'and a half' and getting excited about playing "Blastball" (a step before T-Ball).  Dad just signed you up for hockey for the fall, as you spent the last hockey season watching Noah on the ice and 'wanting to play hockey too'.  You love to sing, brush your hair in the mirror and wear 'pretty clothes'.  You love to cuddle too, but it has to be on your terms which I admire about you.  You're growing up way too fast for me, and will always be my baby girl...even as you start Junior Kindergarten in the fall.  xo 



To be continued......

Love Mom xoxo