We Miss U Nana Sally and Grandpa Tim!

Grandpa Tim and Nana Sally had to drive back home to minneapolis today, but we wanted to tell them that we miss them already and are so glad they could come out and visit and we are sorry that you didn't feel well but are glad you are feeling much better. Please drive safely and come back soon! 

We also had some good news this week. Una has surpassed her birth weight and is now 5lbs 13 ounces and doing a great job breast feeding...and boy is she an eater, just like her dad! so she's starting to grow into her newborn clothes and is sporting a new hat, shown above, which was given to her by Aunt Belle. I think it fits right in with Aunt Belle's May Day Parade theme this year. We'll be thinking of you and can't wait to see pictures!

QT with Una

Lots of quality time with ms. Una. Nana Sally finally got to hold her grandchild despite the nasty cold and its challenges; Aunt Jude, Laurie and Renne get their turns as well.

Birthday Baby Shower

Wow! What a fantastic party! Many thanks to Laurie, Ivy and Beth for really outdoing themselves with hosting both a birthday party for Ted and a baby shower for Una...with a great Dr. Seuss theme. It was the first time we left the baby, but we skyped her into the party so everyone could see her including her mom and dad. She partied at home with Nana Sally and Great Aunt Jude. It was wonderful to see everyone and get out of the house. 

Some of the highlights include a back pack carrier wrapped in tin foil from Jim, Kim and Trey. the tin foil kept on giving with anita, erika, joy, rowan and opal creating crowns, hats, and assorted jewelry from it. Ivy made the most incredible birthday cake for Ted...it was the Cat in the Hat's Hat, and i tell ya, it was to die for and unbelievably wheat and gluten free AND beautiful.We also took this opportunity to ask Laurie to be Una's Fairy Godmother, since she always seems to be in the right place at the right time.

Thanks to everyone who attended, either in person or in spirit, and for once again bestowing such generosity and warmth upon us.

What's up Racoon?

Sunday morning we got a phone call from a neighbor who told us we had raccoons on our roof. We went outside and sure enough, there were 2 racoons up there. The night before, i kept asking ted why it sounded like someone was running around in our crawl space. He thought it was the water heater. i'm just glad i wasn't hearing things. It took two days, but ted finally chased them off the roof with the garden hose.

how can something look so cute and so vicious at the same time?

Baby in a Bubble

Nana Sally and Grandpa Tim drove 3 days to see Ms. Una Belle. Unfortunately, Nana Sally got a bad cold along the way and so, they haven't actually had a chance yet to hold Una. Thank goodness for big picture windows! Because Una is pre-term, she can't be around anyone who is sick, especially right now as she is a bit in the weeds in terms of still loosing weight and getting rid of some jaundice. We think we might be turning the corner with all that, as she's been eating like a champ, sleeping a lot, and producing lots of messy diapers which helps to eliminate the jaundice. And even though it's just killing all of us to be so cautious, we all agree...better safe than sorry...and we've warned the neighbors not to be concerned with our "stalkers".

Thank you Navarre!

On Easter night, our favorite restaurant, Navarre (the place where we had our rehearsal dinner seen above in the photo), sent our friend allison to our house to deliver an amazing meal complete with pear chocolate chip pie. Poor allison had to walk through one of the most terrential spring down pours to get it to us, and we were so glad to see her! especially with a big bag of delicious amazing navarre food. We eat there at least once a week. It is our version of going to grandma's house because it just feels like home. Ted had called the restaurant while we were still at the hospital to tell them about Una and we found out that John's wife (John is the owner) has a store called Una that is just down the street. I know the store and it's beautiful scripted name on the front window...i would make a secret little wish for my own little Una each time i'd go by it), but had no idea about the connection to Navarre. Pretty cosmic.

Much love and gratitude to Navarre, and all the people there that make it so special!  and for those of you who are not in the know, go check it out:

10 NE 28th Ave
Portland, OR 97232
(503) 232-3555

http://navarreportland.blogspot.com/index.html

More Una

Happy Birthday Laurie!

We are one day late in wishing the amazing Ms. Laurie Matthews a happy birthday. What would we do without her? Not only did she marry ted and i this past august, she also took me to the hospital when my water broke at work. Laurie captured a quick photo with her iphone. Here we are around 2pm, just after checking into our room, and hours away from meeting baby Una. 

Thanks Laurie! YOU ROCK! and we love you. Happy Birthday, Babe!

Our April Surprise

Una Belle Crimson Sawyer just couldn't wait to make her debut and decided to grace us with her presence a month early. 5 lbs 11 ounces and 19" long, she was born at 7:03pm, Wednesday, April 8th on a full moon and on passover. i had been feeling extra tired and weighty for the 2 days before...a definite sense that something had shifted...but when i woke up wednesday morning and went to work, i never imagined that my day would end holding a beautiful brand new baby girl.

Despite the fact that she was only 35 weeks, i feel blessed to have had such an amazing labor and birth...it all happened pretty quick. my water broke at 11:50am at work, 10 mins after i had met with my boss about my maternity leave. By 2:30pm i was 2.5 cm and 75% effaced. At 4:30pm i was 7 cm and 90% effaced and by 6:30pm i was complete meaning 10 cm and 100% effaced and ready to push. My doctor, however, was at another hospital, and so we weren't sure if she'd make it. Plus, she really needed to be home from 7:30-11pm to watch her young kids. But she made it, and barely had time to get into her scrubs. I pushed for about 20 mins and Una came flying out. Ok, it wasn't easy and it sure did hurt, but due to the fact that i didn't use any drugs and breathed through it all, i'd call it pretty darn lucky.

Also, Ted was simply amazing, wonderful and supportive. For most of the labor it was just the two of us up until close to the end when our nurse Bree joined us for the end of the transition period and then called the doctor. Ted was by my side the whole time, coaching me, supporting me and just being there which made all the difference. He was the one who told me that it was a girl (i couldn't believe it and said, "Are you sure?") and also cut the cord. It was all very euphoric.

So over the course of the last two days, i've watched my husband fall head-over-heels ga-ga in love with our little girl. I knew he would and he has become such a fabulous dad already. Her first day was a little rough with lots of tests that involved her getting poked with needles (unfortunately, she has my veins which tend to be evasive) and he was with her every moment, never letting her out of our sights, soothing her, and letting her know he was there. She totally calms down to his voice and touch. It's incredible to witness.

As far as her name, i found Una in an Edward Gorey book and just fell in love with it. It obviously means "one" but also means "friend" in Celtic. Belle is for Ted's sister Anne (it's what his mom calls her). Crimson is ted's invention, and is fitting as the daughter of a man in love with color. Plus, her whole body turns this color when she gets upset. pretty crazy.

What an adventure! I think its a good thing i had no idea it was going to happen so soon as childbirth has always freaked me out. i never thought i could do it! But Una is amazing, and we both feel unbelievably blessed and incredibly joyful and content, even though our hearts have been eternally stolen.

Hanami

oh glorious spring! i look forward to the cherry blossoms along the waterfront every single year. And, with today being the magnificent beauty that it is, ted and i decided to take the max downtown to grab some food at saturday market and view the cherry blossoms which are in their full glory right now. It's been a while since we actually took some time to just enjoy ourselves and do nothing, so it was a real treat and just another example of why i love portland. 

another thing i've noticed lately...i don't know if this is because i live in portland or if this is universal, but i've decided that being pregnant is a little like having a puppy. People who normally would never talk to you are suddenly bubbling with questions, comments and well-wishes. It's as if carrying this big old watermelon around gives them the opportunity to talk to you and in many cases gush...or tell me that i'm huge and "must be having that kid any day now, huh?" "well, no, actually i have 5 more weeks."  "Oh? so are you having twins? How are you going to keep growing for that much longer?" and one sweet homeless man told me i sure was pretty even after i told him i didn't have any change to give him. But the best was when we went to the grocery store and the big manly man butcher who is one of the most stoic characters we know (and we've been buying meat from him for like 7 years and he barely says hello), suddenly went off to ted about fatherhood and how great it is and told ted all about his 2 year old daughter. i was in the milk section and ted came over with this look of amazement on his face and said to me, "Dude! Dude just opened up to me!"