Until Next Year

We managed to survive the holidays with a newborn!!!!

Erik's Mom, Gail, and Grandma, Dora, came up to Vacaville to celebrate Christmas on Sunday the 23rd. We had a nice visit, listened to Christmas music, Erik made a great breakfast and the little man was so happy to see his Grandma and Great Grandma. Grandma Gail makes beautiful stockings and we now have a "family" of stockings with Max's new sock. So much fun to look at. We have named Grandma Dora the Baby Whisperer because she seems to have the magic touch when she holds babies. A soothing touch that puts them at ease..then to sleep! It was so great to have them up for the day.

Every year Lubor and Ariane (Erik's Dad and step mom) host a holiday party on Christmas Eve. We all get to help decorate the tree and get ready for the visit from Santa. Max got to meet his cousins Roxy, Vivian and Ethan and he loved to watch them play. Lubor and Ariane prepared a delicious dinner and we had a fun time opening gifts. Last year I watched Erik hold Ethan (who was about 6 months old at the time) and I thought 'we could have our own baby next Christmas..that could be us next year..'. Sure enough, I got to watch Erik hold his own son on that same couch this year.

On Christmas Day we went to my parents house and enjoyed our last of the holiday parties. There were 9 of the 10 grand kids there so it's always the most active of the parties. My Mom and Dad fed us yummy food, had the house decorated beautifully and hosted another fun Christmas. We even pulled out the chimes again. We get better every year! My family is convinced Max doesn't cry. He does, I promise. Maybe he will be anti-social...he just chooses to sleep through all the activities so far.

We were really bad with the pictures this year. The one above of 'Neutral Max' was taken on the 23rd with Max's Grandmas here. Grandma Gail made the sweater and booties! The one with the tree in the background was taken on Christmas Eve at Lubor and Ariane's home. Vivian is on the left, then Roxy and Ethan. Our lighting was off in probably 95 % of the pictures that night. But, this one shows the kids with the tree and the pretty view of the water out the window. The last is our oldest niece, Kirra, holding Max. She just looks beautiful here so I thought I'd show her off.

So next is New Years...bah! Will thing ever calm down? Will things ever be the same? Probably not. Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

I haven't been very good at keeping up the blog...sorry. I went from posting about antacids to not posting anything about our little miracle. Bad. So, here are a few photos of our little man. One in a really cute outfit from Auntie Nini (Kristen). The others, well, they are failed attempts to make a cute Christmas card.

Max had his first appointment with the pediatrician yesterday. He's 22 inches long and weighs 11 lbs 3oz. So, there's a little difference. We have been advised to add more "food" to his diet. Hard to do when he doesn't want it. So, in addition to breastfeeding, we have to give him bottles with either pumped milk or formula. We'll see how well that goes. But, anything to keep the little big man happy.

He's already learned so much in just two weeks. He's a strong boy and can hold up his own head for a majority of the time. His legs are already helping him push off of our laps. Maybe we'll start some muscle training and he can grow up to be a professional wrestler someday! haha

I probably won't post anything before Christmas. And we didn't quite make it in completing the Christmas cards. I love how we can already use the kid as an excuse for everything!!! So...

Erik, Max and I would like to wish all of you a wonderful holiday! Happy and healthy wishes for the new year!

It's a boy!

He's finally here! Maxwell Lubor Mrazek joined us on Friday December 7th, 2007. He weighed 12 lbs 3 oz and was 21 inches long. Yes, it says 12 lbs, that's correct. It explains a lot. And it makes me realize how lucky we are to have the beauty of epidurals...and C-Sections. Or this true linebacker would have never made it out!

Our experience at the hospital was wonderful. we really got attached to our nurses. We were there for 5 days and got emotional when it was time to leave. Well, I'm getting emotional when I drop a sock these days. But, we really were happy being there. Happy to be home too. I think we both got about 8 hours of sleep in those 5 days. Luckily, Max sleeps well and we have been able to catch up easily.

Max is wonderful and we couldn't be happier. Maxwell is from my Mom's dad, Delbert Max. And Lubor is Erik's Dad's first name. Max is very lucky to have those names, both are very special men in our lives. We are happy to pass them on to another very special man in our lives.

We feel very blessed for Max. We are both very much in love with him and miss him when he sleeps. He does sleep a lot so we can still pick him up and cradle him while sleeping, he doesn't budge until he is ready. He is very stubborn like his mommy. We love his chubby cheeks and squishy body. He likes to cuddle already and we take full advantage of that! He's a wiggle worm and is very strong. So getting him dressed is like a cat and mouse chase.

We made it through the delivery. Now, we just have to figure out this parenting thing...wish us luck!

Eye'm Waiting...

So the day is here. We just called the hospital and we are expected to arrive at 7:30 pm. This might just be a little too weird for me. It's never me...it's always my sisters or my girlfriends doing this. I'm usually going to visit or getting very impatient by this time.

Lots of emotions are starting to sink in. The house is ready, but are we? Are you ever ready for this? It's so close, yet so far away...wish us luck!

40 weeks!

Well...not much to post about today....aside from the fact that IT'S MY DUE DATE!!!!!!!

There isn't really much to write though. No activity here. Some pressure, no pain. Still feeling kicks. It's weird to think that I've officially met my date. I had the feeling I would deliver early. Wrong!!!

I thought I'd post about the hospital too. If I haven't gone into labor before then and the hospital isn't full already, we will be at the hospital on Thursday evening. According to my doctor the process could take 24 hours. So, as far as visitors go...there probably won't be much to see until Friday night. If that is how the process works, we might be at the hospital through Saturday afternoon, possibly Sunday morning. We just won't know until it happens.

In addition to going into this blindly, we have asked my Mom to join us for the actual delivery. Partly because of her experience but, more because she's my Mom. Erik is fabulous and I know will be excellent in the delivery room. But sometimes, a girl just needs her Mom.

We welcome visitors and hope (expect) to see most of you there to help us welcome the little monkey. Don't feel bad if you can't make it though. We completely understand different schedules and driving issues. As long as you don't feel bad if you are kicked out of the room. We have no idea how the timing will work. But, you are all on the list for calls.

Hospital visiting hours are from 9am to 9pm. I connected the hospital link for FAQ's, directions, etc. We are lucky enough to have a family full of kids. But, I don't know how flexible the staff/security will be with bringing in cousins (cousins under 12 that is). It says "siblings to the baby only". We can try, but I don't know if they will believe we've already had 13 kids!! So, as much as we want to share the experience with the cousins, they might have to wait to meet after we get home.

Keep your fingers crossed for a smooth delivery!

I'll post more if anything happens!

Anyone free Saturday night?

Erik called me this morning from work to check in on me and the conversation turns to our work Holiday parties. My office dinner was last Sunday, we didn't go because we realized that Sunday was our last full day together of "just us" for the rest of our lives. So, we missed out on a really good dinner and we enjoyed each other alone.

His Holiday party is this Saturday, the 8th. It's at one of the doctors homes. Last year it was catered Chinese food and was really fun. We ended up taking the huge amounts of leftovers to the ER at midnight to feed the staff that couldn't make it to the party. (If you have ever met anyone that works graveyards, you know they love free food at midnight!!)

So Erik continues to tell me that he RSVP'd a maybe. I quickly asked my usual "Areyouserious?" (Yes, it sounds like one word) and his usual quick comeback was, "Well, yeah, I just told them it all depended on how you felt that night."

What?

So, if I'm feeling well enough...who wants to babysit?????

(Yes, I'm kidding).

A day late and a dollar short

I got a call from my doctor today asking if we could change D-day back to Thursday. I'm okay with it and happily agreed. He told me I was very sweet (let's let him continue to think this way until he tells me some stupid "man comment" in the middle of delivery). Yes, it's 24 more hours of being pregnant. But at the same time, yes, it's 24 hours of being pregnant!

If all goes as planned, I'll be at the hospital by 7pm-ish. He can do whatever it is he needs to do. I can watch Grey's at 9....then deliver whenever...as long as it's after 10pm. Sad, huh? I'll have some words with the toddler inside me beforehand. See, this is a team effort, and we don't want to start of my making mommy mad.

S/he will catch onto that concept as grow up together.

As far as the dollar goes, California state disability is just making me mad. Oh well, just another test on my patience.

The Jolly Green Giant!

The camera was in the car...right next to my brain. There are just so many things I don't like about this picture. Any woman would be able to point them out. (Let's not go there though, okay ladies?) The photographer doesn't understand the "chins" concept. But, I know I will regret it if I don't keep these memories.

So here I am at 3 days shy of 40 weeks. To be honest, it doesn't really give the belly justice. You really just have to see it in person to understand.

Enjoy!

You come push it!

Do you know the Slowskys? We really like them. And they have a web page too. Bill and Karolyn Slowsky are the turtles that are used for Comcast cable advertising. We think it's the sarcasm used, by Bill not Karolyn, that makes us laugh so much every time we see one of their commercials.

The Slowskys

I have a feeling I might have to quote Bill a few times in the delivery room.

Have you seen my camera?

After our professional photo shoot yesterday I was all prepared to post a picture of my ever growing belly. The shoot consisted of a very experienced photographer, Erik, and a very inexperienced model, myself, all at very well known location, the baby's room. I hired the photographer to take some pictures and the shoot was cut short when 1) the model became upset 2) the model couldn't understand the photographer's requests 3) the model started raising her voice 4) the model was unhappy with the results.

Notice a pattern?

There were a couple pictures I was willing to post. Now, if only I can find that camera....