Hello Good Friend!

So it's been a while since I've sat down to write something on here... we've had a lot going on and seems like more and more everyday. In November we went and visited my parents and sister in Spokane... We rode over Space A which was a huge C- 17? Ivan will probably correct me on this later... Any who... It was very loud and cold but we were able to lay down and walk around! Anton and Daddy even got to meet the pilots!! Once we got to Spokane we had a blast we got to see our little niece Gretal and she was such a little cu-tie. I think she is a mini Bridge I just loved getting to hold her and snuggle with her! Anton had a great trip he adjusted to the time change going over perfectly... but coming back took about 2 1/2 weeks to get back on schedule! He was always surronded by family and good friends who wanted to hold and cuddle him! He did great except at night when he only wanted Mommy... which drove Grandma crazy! He got sooo many cute outfits and an amazing quilt from the neighbor and good friend Beth! But mostly he got to meet his family! Bridge and John just ate him up... Uncle T.J. was a little unsure what to do as most children run and attack him the moment they see him!! Soon hopefully! And he got to see his grandparents again!! Grandma hardly ever put him down we have pictures to prove it!! It was just an all around great trip!! On our way home we flew into Maryland and we rented a car to drive down to Delaware to get on another plane that would take us home... so we very quickly stopped and took pics of Washington Monument! When we drove by them on the Highway we were like WOW we are in our Nations Capital and I got some major goosebumps... then Anton started crying and were like back to reality! We can't wait to see our family again... hopefully next time we go we can go and see Ivan's family too!!

HARD

This mom thing is harder than any other job I have ever had. At least when I started a new job I got either hands on training or I got a manual. No one gave me a book or prepared me for litterally exausting nights, no "ME" time...even the cats want to sit on me or want me to hold them. The only thing I am ever lonely for now is adult conversation. Don't get me wrong I wouldn't trade being Anton's mom for the whole world he's the cutest little boy and so much fun when he's not screaming bloody murder! Sometimes I don't feel like I'm doing anything right or I feel like I can't do anything right I'm not sure which one. Forget a schedule I don't remember which breast he ate on last let alone how long he's been asleep or what time I changed his diaper last...was that one poopy or was it the one before that?? I feel bad for Ivan I know he's not getting much sleep either and every time he trys to complain a little bit I come back with...Oh your not getting enough sleep?? I have decided to not do that anymore...sleep means different things for different ppl...I'm ok with waking up during the night...but the hardest parts for me is when I'm tired at night and want to go to bed and Mr Anton wants to be wide awake and cry...or in the morning I need a slow wake up process crying is not slow...it's very loud and abrupt....This whole thing of sleep when he sleeps that in theroy sounds great but I have in-laws coming and my house is literally a disaster area what excuse do I give them...oh I had a baby 2 months ago. Ivan says just let him cry and get done what you need to get done...this sounds great and I have done it twice...this is really hard for me crying at night when it's sleepy time is all well and fine but when I'm awake and can be there to play with him and interact with him I feel guilty for putting anything above his needs...what can you do?? I'm sure I'll get the hang of this mommy thing eventually but until then I thought I'd just vent into my blog...gotta go he's crying....I know why am I on the computer when I could be cleaning the bathroom???

All Smiles!

Our Big BOY!!
So Anton is now 6 weeks old and he's giving us a run for our money!! He defenitly knows how to make his mommy and daddy's heart melt though...he has started smiling...and not just smiling for any old thing...he smiles when we talk to him and look at him it is so wonderful...Also he's been taking naps with mommy and daddy...were pretty sure the mommy and daddy enjoy them more than him...but don't tell Anton!!!

It's my turn....I'm an Aunt!!!

I'm so excited to be an Aunt...Look how beautiful Gretal Amelia Harris is!!! Look at that black hair just like mommy...and she has already latched on to Bridge's breast so we know she's going to be really smart like her daddy (no pun's intended!) She is the most beautiful little baby girl I have ever seen!!! I can't wait to get to meet her and to hold and snuggle her!! Now for the nitty gritty...She arrived 8 days early on 09/10/09 at 10:30 pm...she weighed 6 lbs and 9 oz and was 20.5 inches long!! Bridge went to the hospital at 9 am on the 10th and she had her precious Gretal at 10:30pm that night!! We are wishing the Harris family a full and fast recovery! We love you guys!!!!

First hours!!!

Baby Anton only a few minutes old...he got to do skin to skin with daddy while mommy was getting stitched back up! Ivan and I are both firm believers in skin to skin and we've seen the power it holds ...Anton is a huge daddy's boy and he even tried eating from daddy which left a few hickeys on Ivan's chest! For the first few times Ivan held him he would root looking for food...and with me he wouldn't know what to do...however we have the roles corrected now and if he hears, sees or smells me now he immediately thinks he's hungry!! Wow we are so blessed to have this perfect little guy in our lives!! Oh and the other picture is him getting his first diaper change...he made sure to poop for the nurse!! he he What a good little boy!!!

Anton's first Photo shoot!!

This is our little muscle man...just like daddy always showing off the muscles!!!! He did so good for this photo shoot. We are truly blessed to have such wonderful friends who are talented and are willing to take our pictures!! We hope you all enjoy them as much as we do!!!

Our Birth Story

Ok so here is our story....
Wednesday August 19th 7:40 am as my mom and Ivan were getting ready to go and pick up my dad and grandma from the airport (which is 2 hrs away) I was sitting in our computer chair and my water broke...so plans changed my mom was going to go and pick up my dad and grandma from the airport and Ivan and I were going to the hospital. Since we only had one car my mom dropped us off on base so that a friend could take us to the hosptial. So we got to the hospital around 9:30 am and checked in they did a test to make sure that my water broke and to test to see if I had an infection...my water had broken and I did have a slight infection so I was admitted and started on antibiotics. So we spent all day walking stairs, walking halls, taking naps and just haning out....no contractions had started and so around 4 pm they gave me a champange cocktail to try and induce me. No such luck...so we stayed that night and the next morning they gave me a pill to try and induce me the first one didn't work but the next dose started some contractions...so around 3 pm we started some "good" ones they were about every 5 min...we started walking the halls and stairs and hoping it would make me progress...after walking what seems like forever...I was only dialted to 2 cm....so more walking and stairs....then the contractions started to get stronger and were coming on every 90 seconds...more walking and stairs...went back in to check my progress and I was at 3 cm... and that's the way I stayed for the next 6 hours...I stayed at 3 cm for over 6 hours and so they said I needed to relax and gave me an epidural...which was supposed to help...but I still felt the contractions...not as strong but I still felt them!! Then after still being at 3 cm...the Dr and the midwife came in and started watching the baby monitor...they had me lay on my sides to see if there was a difference in the baby's heart rate...finally they had me lay back down on my back and they left the room...a few minutes later they came back and the midwife started prepping me for a c-section saying she was still waiting to hear if the Dr thinks the baby was in stress and needed to come out ASAP or not. By the time she was done prepping me the Dr came back in watched the monitor for a few more minutes and said we need to have an emergency c-section. They immedieatly started wheeling me to the O R. My mom came with me into the operating room as we didn't think Ivan would bbe able to handle the sounds/smells...and about 20 min later at 00:28 Mr Anton Marijan Alandzak was born!!! Dad got to hold the baby skin to skin until I was done in the operating room...Ivan also cut the umbilibcal cord!!!! While dad was holding Mr Anton he tried to latch on to Ivans chest...we got some pics of the hickies dad got!!! So there's the story of how our little guy came into this world!!!

Stats:
Born: August 21st at 00:28 at 7lbs 6 oz and 20.6 inches long

Our Boy

Anton Marijan Alandzak
Born on 21 Aug 2009 at 00:28
7.6 pounds
20.27 inches

Baby Room

Here is the baby room!!! No baby as of yet...August 15th...which I may say is one day past his due date!!! But The funny story about the baby room is that at first it was supposed to be green with a brown stripe...so we went to the store and bought green and brown paint...we had the green done and then started in on the brown...we did a small section to make sure that it would look good...dang good thing we did cuz after that spot dried it looked plum purple...so it was back to the store to try a different brown...so we came back home with 1 liter of a paint we choose and had mixed ourselves more of a cow brown and painted a small area with that...ugh...that was defenitly poop brown...so back to the store again...this time we bought a tiny little bottle of brown...and it was the best brown so far but when we painted a larger spot it clashed so badly with the crib we knew it wasn't going to work...so...we decided to take a break from painting and to tape up the walls so that when we did find the right brown we could just paint it on and pull the tape....after taping one wall I changed my mind and we decided to change colors to green and blue!!! So we went back to Toom and took the painters tape with us got blue paint that matched the painters tape and voila...This is our baby's room!! I owe a very huge and special thanks to my mom who after 4 trips to Toom ( not all paint related) was still chipper and had a good attitude...which is more than I could say about me (this was week 39 in pregnacny...so I was almost in tears after the last 2 failed paints and to put the tape line up I had to walk away about 5 times so I didn't punch a hole in our concrete walls) But we did it...we love it and now I just can't wait until our little guy gets to sleep in here!!!

Last of the Maternity Photos

On Sunday our friend Cass took some maternity pics of us! She did a fantastic job and I love them!! We both loved this old school look where the color is tweaked a little bit! But my favorite is the one of Ivan looking at the camera...I call this Mr Blue Eyes...and hope when our little one comes he has his daddy's eyes and eyelashes for that matter!!! Ivan was such a good sport thru it all I love him very much and hopefully that translated into the pics!! We also love the heart on the belly pic!! We went to Wittlich, Germany to take these photos and had a blast walking around the walkplatz looking for one special door...which we didn't find but we did find the famous pig!!! Then we came to this park and walked around for bit and then got right to it!! Cass is also going to come and do newborn pics for us as well...I can't wait!! We both feel very blessed to have such great friends with such great talents in our lives!! Hope you all like them!!!

Maternity Photo Shoot

Belly Pics....here they are for all of those who were harassing me about more pics...The only one I can remember the actual weeks on is the white w/ gray sweater that is me at 35 weeks!