Yet another catch up post!

 I've really fallen off the blogging bandwagon. My main intent on blogging about our journey to becoming moms was so I wouldn't forget any little details. My pregnancy blog, and the book I made from it, is like the best pregnancy journal ever!! So I wanted to keep a blog of Makena when she was born, even though I fully intended to make photo albums and scrapbooks, but since I haven't done any of that I especially like having this blog. And then I go weeks, months, without updating it. And when I finally think about it, so much time has passed, and so many things are worth noting, that it seems overwhelming and like I'll never truly capture everything I wanted to. But I think I know what's going on. I've been cheating on blogger somewhat, with a daily email program called OhLife. I have my account set to email me each evening at 7pm. The subject of each email is the same- "It's Saturday, Dec 10 - How did your day go?‏" All I have to do is reply to the email and it keeps all my entries on the website. I started it in May, and I'm proud to say I've kept it up almost every single night since then! Sometimes I simply write a sentence of something awesome that happened that day. Sometimes I write a couple paragraphs of what we did all day. The format is so easy, and it's been easy to stick with it. Still, it isn't as pretty and full of photos like a blog. So I will just have to pop in here from time to time to do catch up posts... We are in full swing CHRISTMAS mode here!

First I need to go back to last month though, because some big things happened. Most importantly, one of my friends since 4th grade had her baby on November 23rd! She came early, wasn't expected until after Christmas, but she and mom are doing great! I just visited for the first time the other night, and at 16 days old and only 5 lbs 15 oz, I held the tiniest sweetest newest little baby girl. I cried, it was just so unbelievably wonderful to see this healthy pink bundle. I didn't even cry when I held MY baby for the first time! lol. I still remember the complete utter exhaustion I felt when Makena was born. Joy and gratitude were there too, of course! But they were somewhat overtaken by how surreal the moment was.

Anyway. So that was awesome and I'm so happy to have a local friend with a baby! It's tough to have so many friends with kids who are too far away to get together in real life. I came home and snuggled with Makena who seems so big and grown up. I miss my newborn so much! She talks in sentences now, it seemed to happen over night. All of a sudden it was "mo wah pees!" or "bee an ah too!" or "oh no, no bah!" (More water please, beans and olives too, and oh no no bats- at the zoo) and it's so amazing to hear her say new things every day!

She's in the new phase of repeating things, and she'll repeat the funniest stuff. I might tell Pam that the stroller is in the back of the car now, and Makena will say "bah cah now!" She's become very sensitive, and I think she picks up others emotions easily. Lately she will hang her head and shrug her shoulders and pout for the silliest reasons. If I remind her not to put stickers on the tv for example. She will get sad and end up crying and wanting a hug. And maybe even milk. Because nursing still has magical powers to make everything better. ;) She also is having a hard time with friends who won't share toys. She seems to be the kid who gets things snatched out of her hands then turns and cries and comes running for a hug while she tries to pull herself together and makes herself hold in her sadness. It breaks our hearts watching her struggle to keep in her emotions. You can tell she wants to be strong and her lip will stick out and she sort of just swallows and whimpers till it passes. :(

Luckily she gets over things very quickly, it's pretty easy to distract her and she genuinely loves to be happy! Yesterday she was kneed in her ear by a friend, and it was very sad because she mostly seemed hurt that she was treated that way by someone she idolizes. After the apology she was all smiles, but when talking about it at home later and telling Pam what happened she cried again at the memory. She also cried when putting her pjs over her head, saying her ear hurt. :( But she's okay now. We had a great day today!

Oops, more on that later. There is still more from November! On the 15th Pam came home from work and I went on an errand. I was coming home and was stopped at red light at an intersection leaving downtown San Jose when I was rear ended and my car was pushed forward through the intersection. The big pick up truck that hit me must have been going pretty fast, at least 35 the report says, and he admitted fault immediately and said he just looked away for a second and didn't notice my car was stopped. Luckily a cop was there when it happened, and I was shaken up and crying with a pounding headache, but otherwise fine. The car looked to have minimal damage. I drove home and it was no big deal. After the insurance people came to assess the damage though, we were told there was significant damage to the frame under the car, and since it would cost more money to fix it than the car was worth, it was declared a total loss. Crap!!!! Out of nowhere we were faced without our beloved car, and forced to quickly buy a new car. We were provided with a rental car, borrowed a car seat, ordered a new car seat which got lost by FedEx, ordered the same car seat from another retailer, got reimbursed, cleared out our old car and signed paper work and handed over the title that we had only just received a couple months ago after FINALLY paying it off, I went for a massage to help with my slight neck pain, we went car shopping a few times, and then found a car and bought it once we received our settlement check. It was a real whirlwind of events and a huge headache.

We had a simple cozy Thanksgiving at our place, my parents came over and we ate enchiladas. Pam left after eating and got us a new TV during a midnight Black Friday sale at Target. Sunday the 27th was the Festival of Lights Parade, and we had some friends stay with us from out of town. That was fun, Makena loved having a friend over!

Then we went to visit those same friends and Makena was so great during the over 2 hour car ride. She slept almost the whole time. Can't ask for better than that!! At our community Tree Lighting Ceremony Makena got her first face painting (she picked a Christmas tree) and she sat so still the whole time.

 Then we saw Santa and it was rushed and Makena cried and it wasn't good. :(

Today we waited on a long line at Stanford Shopping Center to get a real photo with Santa, and thankfully it paid off. Makena was excited, then restless, then slightly nervous as we got to our turn. We talked to him for a bit then I put her on his lap and Santa threw her Minnie Mouse doll to me and we played catch like that for a bit while Makena smiled and the photos were snapped. Lol. Afterwards she told him we were going to Disneyland, and asked for a present. He gave her a little stuffed bear, and Pam and I got chocolates. We bought her some cute clothes and had lunch. She napped on the drive home. Tonight in the bath she lost her balance when she tried to move from where she was sitting, and as she went to steady herself on the side of the tub she slipped and fell sideways into the (only up to her belly) water a bit. She was okay, just scared. I was sitting there by the tub in arms reach. So fast, something bad can really happen in the blink of an eye. :(

Every night as I nurse her to sleep I really cherish the fact that she's here, in my arms, falling asleep next to my heart beating. I can't imagine a safer place. It makes me think of the mothers who don't have their children, and I feel so grateful for how wonderful Makena is and how lucky I feel that she's mine.