Family Pictures

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We took family pictures today and Lily had a great time!

She is such a natural in front of the camera!

Sometimes when Lily's eating, she will suddenly stop, pull away, and just look at me for a few seconds. With milk on her face, she gives me this sweet, silly grin that I can only describe as pure joy! She quickly goes back to eating, but will repeat the process a few times and it always makes me laugh.

Because her initial look is one of concern and then she gives me a smile, it seems like she's just checking to make sure I'm still there with her. Maybe she's just playing a little game? These tiny moments with her are like a precious treasure!

Our delicate flower!

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Heart beat...

It was exactly one year ago today that I first heard Lily's heart beat.

I still remember the day so vividly--I was nervous with anticipation. I didn't "feel" pregnant at that point although several tests had confirmed I was. I tried to imagine our baby growing inside of me.

And suddenly, there it was--This soft, but rapid, beating. So gentle and so strong at the same time. My mom and I began to cry. It was such a beautiful sound. The only sweeter sound is Lily's voice!

Lily's baby

"Don't even think about messing with my gloworm!"

Parker gave Lily this gloworm for Christmas and she absolutely loves it!

Below is a picture of her with it during our trip to Washington. Lily wanted to keep it close to her and she fell asleep cuddling it. Of course, Grandma Christy and I thought it was the cutest thing ever!!

Daddy's girl

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It is so sweet to see Lily and Eric interact with each other.

Eric's current favorite thing about Lily is the excitment she shows when she sees him.

She is such a happy baby and anyone who has seen it will agree--her smile is contagious!

*For the record, her hiccups are back. They returned the 23rd, disappeared for the 24th, and reappeared on the 25th. I guess she didn't grow out of them after all.*

Queen for a day

Thank you to all my family and friends for the calls, emails, texts, cards, and gifts for my birthday! Your thoughts and prayers were the icing on my cake! I am especially humbled by all your kind words and well wishes!

I was pleasantly surprised on Friday to learn that Eric had arranged a one hour massage, manicure, pedicure, and make-up application for my birthday gift! I've wanted a "make-over" for a while now, but never got around to making it happen. It means so much that Eric would coordinate the whole day for me. He even watched Lily while I was away!

On my way to the salon I felt a little emotional. I was so touched by Eric's thoughtfulness, I actually felt guilty for leaving him and Lily just so I could be pampered...but after the manicure, I was ready to be spoiled!

The afternoon turned out to be such a treat--every minute was bliss! I was so relaxed after the massage (and so confident in Eric's babysitting ability) that I even lingered in the boutique to pick a few gifts out for myself!

When I returned home, Eric had flowers and champagne waiting for me. We got ready and headed to the Power & Light district for dinner at Bristol. The meal was delicious, the service was excellent, and our time together was fantastic! After coffee and dessert we watched the snow fall and headed home to pick up our princess.

There is so much I want to say about the day and all the love I received from family and friends, but I can't seem to find the right words. Please know that this birthday was the greatest and just what I needed to help me face this new year feeling my very best!

Hugs and Kisses!

Birthday

As you all know, 25 turned out to be the best year of my life! God revealed more of His plan for me--and it is so good! He gave me the knowledge I was seeking about who I am and what my purpose is.

Today I am 26. I don't know if this year could ever top last year, but I know that I am maturing and living a blessed life! Every good and perfect gift truly is from above! With excitement, I look forward to discovering what this new year holds for me, all the memories we will make, adventures we will take, the new people I will meet, and the many ways I will grow.

Each morning I get to wake up to this little sleeping beauty. I watch her stir and stretch as she prepares to welcome a brand new day. Eric, Lily, my family, my friends...my life is so rich! I could not ask for greater gifts!

No hiccups today!

Today was the first day, since Lily was born, that she has not had the hiccups! I have come to expect them now and was wondering all day when they would come...but they never did! I was told she would eventually grow out of it, I guess it just took five months!

Here is a video of her with hiccups last month.

Today

It is so hard to believe that tomorrow my baby will be five months old! She will be older, smarter, more capable, and a little bit more of the woman she is destined to become...all such good things. And in this celebration of her talents and increasing strengths, a part of me is sad because I know it also means she needs me a little less than she did before. I remind myself that fortunately, I have been home to enjoy every little thing she does. My job has never been to keep her small, it has always been to help her grow. So today, like everyday, I make the decision to treasure who she is in this moment because she will never be the same again.

Movie time

Here is Lily on New Years Day enjoying a piece of Celery. I think she likes the cool temperature and firm texture on her gums.




This is a video of her in the jumparoo she got for Christmas from grammy. She used to just hop from one foot to the other but recently started jumping straight up and down. She really enjoys the freedom she has to move and definitely keeps us laughing as she learns new tricks!

Party Girl

Tonight we attended the birthday party of our friends Jessica and Kai. Not one to miss out on the fun, Lily spent time visiting with people and dancing to the music. She especially loves to spend time with Jessica's parents because they treat her like a little princess, it must remind her of being in Washington where she is always the center of attention!

More pictures of Miss Grant!

I wanted to share a few more pictures of our niece Halle, borrowed from her mama's website (please visit the Grant Family link for more information and pictures) and she's so precious. She looks just like a little Smith!

Welcome Miss Halle Rose Grant!

Born: Janurary 12, 2009 at 7:40 PM (PST)
Weighs: 7 Pounds 9 Ounces
Length: 20 inches

Carli and Landen were planning a natural and peaceful home delivery for Miss Grant--an intimate family affair welcoming her into the world...And that's exactly what they got: Carli's labor progressed so quickly that Landen delivered Halle by himself, before the midwife even arrived! Meanwhile, Caleb slept soundly, unaware of the pain, excitement, and hard work taking place in other parts of the house.

When Carli called, although admittedly in shock, she sounded calm, rested, and at the same time, elated! It was so neat to hear about the dramatic delivery, but have Carli sound completely "put together". She wasn't drowsy from a long night, she wasn't absentminded from pain medication. She sounded...absolutely beautiful!

Hungry?

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Apparently she really wanted a chip!

Parker and Lily sitting in a tree...

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Here are a few pictures from Parker and Lily's home photo shoot. Parker is the son of our friends Jon and Tara--the boy I used to babysit. He's just a doll and SO sweet with Lily!

Snow Joke!

About the cancelled Pasco flight, as mentioned in Our Trip Home - Part 2...

This makes every goodbye bittersweet. So, when our flight from Pasco to Seattle was cancelled due to snow, I wasn't too disappointed.

Unfortunately, Eric had to get back to work on the 3rd and we were told if we didn't make our flight from Seattle to Kansas City on the 2nd, it would cost $600 to reschedule! Eric promptly handled the situation and made the necessary arrangements to get us home, and sadly, we left Kennewick on the 2nd after all. Mom drove us to Yakima, where we were scheduled to leave for Seattle around 2 PM. This would leave us just a small window of time to make our connection in Seattle (to Denver), allowing us to make the flight to Kansas City and spend that night in the comfort of our own home. However, when we arrived to the tiny Yakima airport, we were told that flight to Seattle was delayed an hour, thus sealing our fate to miss the last flight of the day from Seattle to Denver.

So we said a prayer and tried to keep a positive attitude. Lots of other people were praying for us too! By the time we finally did land in Seattle, we were told we could get on standby for a 6 AM flight to Denver the next morning, but after that there was no guarantee that we could get to KC. It was disappointing to think that there was still a chance we would have to pay for tickets from Denver to Kansas City (which would still be around $600, because the airlines wanted to charge a $150 re-booking fee for each ticket, plus we would owe a balance on the rate difference--at that point it would have been cheaper to just rebook completely new tickets!). On a postitive note, we got to enjoy a bonus evening with Landen, Carli, and Caleb--Thank you Grant family for being such welcoming hosts on short notice!

That next morning, we left for the airport while it was still dark. The drive through Seattle was so beautiful. There weren't many cars on the road and the city lights were still on. I haven't ever seen Seattle in such a peaceful state--it was the perfect way to start what seemed would be a very stressful day. We got to the airport and were sitting in the boarding area in a matter of minutes. Except for the sniffles Lily and I shared, it was all fun in an odd way. God had given us peace about the situation and we knew He would get us home.

In Denver, the plane to Kansas City was delayed and by divine intervention, we were able to secure seats after all. It was such a great moment to finally know that home was only a few hours away! With all this drama, we were confident nothing else could go wrong.

But like all new parents, we were in for a real treat! Ten minutes into our flight to Kansas City, I could feel that Lily was a little gassy in my lap, but I was so congested I couldn't smell anything weird. She didn't act fussy and we all fell asleep for a nap. Twenty minutes later, I got up to use the lavatory. As I reached down to unfasten my seat belt, before handing her over to Eric, I could feel something wet. Lily had a dirty diaper and it had somehow, squished out the sides, all over me! No poo was actually visible on Lily from the outside of her clothes and I am still curious how it got everywhere...but it did. My seat belt buckle was such a mess, even the straps were covered. My right leg was bright yellow. And Lily just let out the sweetest giggle!

Suspecting this day would eventually come, I had sanitary wipes, napkins, disposable washcloths, and her necessary toiletries in her diaper bag. What I didn't have was a change of clothes for her (I'd like to mention that this is the only time I haven't had extra clothes for her, making this situation even more hilarious)! I took her to the lavatory and gave her a quick bath, while she stood over the sink. Eric showed up and surprised me with clean (but mismatched) clothes of Lily's he had packed in his carry-on, to save room in our checked suitcase.

Even with all the romantic/sweet/happy moments we've had together, this truly is the greatest "Knight in Shining Armor" moment Eric has ever had, in my eyes! I was feeling hopeless in the bathroom imagining all the strange looks we would get as we carried her off the plane in only a diaper and blankets...When suddenly, unannounced, Eric burst in and SAVES THE DAY!!

Once I got Lily dressed and sanitized the lavatory, I had to scrub the stain off my jeans. Luckily the disposable washcloths are durable and I always carry around a Tide pen. Although the mess wasn't completely cleared up, it was a lot less noticeable than before. I headed to my seat to tackle the soiled seat belt and we laughed the rest of the way home!

Just waiting for bath time

Better than coffee and donuts!

At 5:30 this morning our security system issued an alert that there was a problem with our phone line. It doesn't sound like the intruder alarm, its just a few quiet beeps, but it managed to wake Lily. Normally, I would try to get her back to sleep, but she was so sweet and cuddly this morning, I didnt' want to miss out this special time with her. So we got up for breakfast and I decided to get in some reading time. For nearly two hours she laid in bed next to me while I read to her and talked to her. She watched me and reached her hand up to the book pages. She turned on her side and actually put her little hand on my cheek for a few minutes--it was such a peaceful, beautiful morning!

I wonder if all mothers share my experience of complete enchantment with their first baby? I just never imagined loving someone this way. I think its the closest to understanding God's unconditional love for us, that we can have.

Lily's 4 month check up

Well we visited the pediatrician today, we like to call him Doc Hollywood. As many of you know, Lily is a big girl and this visit confirmed that. She is 26 1/4 inches long and weighs 15 pounds 11 ounces. Those numbers put her in the 100 percentile for height and 90 percentile for weight.

Watching her grow and learn new things about the world everyday has been such a pleasure! I feel incredibly blessed for the opportunity to stay home and enjoy her!

Our Trip Home - Part 2

On the 28th we headed over the pass to Eastern Washington to spend time in Kennewick. Although I am 25, there is still something SO nice about being home and having mom there to take care of everything! Food tastes better, clean laundry smells nicer, the shower water feels hotter...its just good to be home!

After a great lunch, we said goodbye to Ed and Christy and started to settle in for another action packed week. There are always so many people to see, it can be a challenge, but we try our best. This trip we were able to spend more time just relaxing--playing games, watching movies, and truly enjoying the company. I love seeing Lily interact with everyone and once again, she was just wonderful! I guess she enjoys the attention...I wonder where she gets that from?!

On New Years Eve, we attended the Tri-City Americans hockey game and even got to witness a few fights on the ice. Everyone agreed that we really got our money's worth with all the second period action. When it was over we went back home for more games and lots of snacks. I'd like to give a special shout out to our favorite rocker chick BG for the stunning performance!

Our trip was originally scheduled to end on January 2nd. It had been a fabulous trip with lots of hugs & kisses, laughs, and gifts. Although the last time I was really living in the Tri-Cities for longer than breaks or vacation was 2000, it means so much that when we do go back there, we can just pick up where we left off. Everyone has changed since we last visited, but the love and closeness is still the same. This makes every goodbye bittersweet. So, when our flight from Pasco to Seattle was cancelled due to snow, I wasn't too disappointed (More to come on this dramatic situation--Snow joke!).

Thank you to both our families for such a fantastic visit! We loved seeing you all and only wish we could be part of your daily lives as well! We hope to be back to Washington again in the spring and we welcome any visitors who would like to come stay in Kansas City for a while! XOXO

2009

Happy New Years!

There is something about this event that is similar to birthdays for me, in that it reminds me life is too short to be static. My friend Jessica has this quote on her myspace page, "I am not the girl I was yesterday, therefore I will not be the same woman tomorrow." I know the same is true of myself. With each new day and experience I change a little bit more, hopefully for the better.

A few years ago, I would have classified myself as someone suffering from the Peter Pan syndrome--afraid of commitment, afraid of growing up, afraid of too many responsibilities or anything permanent. This last year Eric and I have both matured in unexpected ways and the truth is, its been so exciting and satisfying to grow up!

Like years past, although sometimes I fall short, my mission is to be a blessing to others; to be a better wife, daughter, sister, niece, cousin, daughter in law, friend, and now mother! I hope to keep maturing and learning, progressing toward that woman God has created me to be. To hold tightly to the friends, lessons, and knowledge that propels me, to let go of the people, places, and events that hinder me, and to truly be present "in the moment".

A new year is a new opportunity to succeed, overcome obstacles, and shine brighter. My personal goals for this year include becoming more organized, de-cluttering our home, preparing healthier meals for my family, using the word "like" less, and becoming more punctual. Feel free to hold me accountable--that's why I am sharing my goals with you! :)

May 2009 be your best year yet! May you accomplish more with what you have, achieve your personal and professional goals, and enjoy the peace and joy our savior provides! I have always believed life is like a Choose Your Own Adventure book--let us make the most of this year!

Our time home - Part 1

This year we were able to spend 11 days in Washington and the entire trip was wonderful! We arrived in Seattle on December 24, greeted by lots of snow, which really made it feel like Christmas. Eric's parents had received 40+ inches over a few days in Spokane! We went straight to the Reinstra Christmas party and had lots of fun opening gifts, showing Lily off, and eating great food. After a long day of traveling, Lily did surprisingly well at the party. The best part was getting to see everyone and their kids together--we hadn't seen some of the family since our wedding!

On Christmas day we opened gifts and enjoyed a leisurely morning at the Olsons. For our entire Western Washington trip, Bob and Joann opened their beautiful home to us. They are both such great hosts, we felt very comfortable! We spent the afternoon at the Smith family party in Arlington and getting there was quite the adventure! The streets had not been cleared so the snow had packed down and frozen, leaving the road much like a children's carnival ride. It was bumpy and slick to drive on, people were getting stuck or nearly colliding into parked cars...but it was also a good time bouncing around in the Trooper!

After four busy days, it was time to head back across the mountains to spend New Years in Eastern Washington. We were sad to say goodbye to the Reinstra and Smith families and hope to be back again soon!

Our Christmas Letter

Happy Holidays, family and friends!

We hope you are all well and ready for this Christmas season. For us, each passing year is even better than the year before and 2008 is no exception! With job changes, buying our first house, and of course the arrival of our darling daughter, Evelyn Lily, there was hardly a dull moment!

Eric took on a new role with Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad this year as a transportation manager. It has been a great learning opportunity for him and allowed him to expand his network. While he didn’t get to golf as much as he would have liked, he had a busy summer working on the inside and outside of our new home. It’s surprising how much effort goes in to maintaining a house (even if it is new construction) but we both agree that the work is more rewarding as a home-owner than as renters! This fall he spent time bow hunting, and while he didn’t get his buck he still loved being outdoors.

At the end of March I made the decision to leave Cerner Corporation and spend six months enjoying my husband and my pregnancy. Although it was a difficult decision, all the free time Eric and I were able to spend together over the summer really allowed us to bond even more as we made preparations for parenthood! I know there is no greater “job” I will ever have than raising Lily and I am so thankful for each day that I get to nurture and love her. She has changed my life entirely and now I understand my own purpose even more!

Regardless of late nights, diaper disasters, and all the craziness to come, Lily truly is the most precious gift from God! As first time parents, we were filled with worry over the unknown—How would we know what to do when she cried? How much time should a newborn spend sleeping? What if she doesn’t like us?—But she has brought more joy and love into our lives that we could have imagined! She fit so perfectly into our lives it is hard to believe we were ever able to live without her! Like most people tried to reassure us before her birth—God really does give parents the patience, common sense, and intuition to know how to care for a baby! His plan is so beautiful—we are in awe that He would choose us to participate in her life and the purpose He has for her!

We look forward to our trip home this month and hope to spend at least a little time with each of you. May your year be richly blessed and memorable in 2009! Merry Christmas!

All our love,

Eric, Sarita, and Lily

Merry Christmas!

Wishing all our friends and family a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

The Nativity Story According To The Gospel Of Luke

1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to his own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,14 "Glory to God in the highest,and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

Adventures in Babysitting...

After Lily's first babysitting experience, we were unsure whether or not we could leave her with someone anytime in the near future. She is generally a light sleeper (like her mama), we do not normally bottle feed her, and I always carry her around the house with me. I love spoiling her with attention and affection, but I know that not all babysitters or friends will be able to do the same when she is in their care.

I am tempted to not leave her until she is a few months older and can communicate better...but at the same time, I know Eric and I need a date night once in a while. Without family around to care for Lily, planning a date with Eric is actually pretty stressful--which negates the whole point of the evening!

Two weeks ago our friend Tara organized a progressive dinner party for the girls so Eric watched Lily for six hours straight all by himself! In preparation we worked on giving Lily a bottle once a day so she would be comfortable with it by Friday. He only called once to find out when I was coming home--It sounds like the night was pretty difficult, but the important thing is that we all learned from it. The time away was relaxing and allowed me to "recharge my batteries" and Eric gained more confidence in his parenting skills. I realized that too often, I jump in and try to "help" by telling him my way of doing things and he doesn't get to try things his way. I know my way isn't always the best way and its certainly not the only way for things to get done, so I am working on letting him figure out how he likes to dress her, change her diapers, and put her to sleep without giving unsolicited instructions.

Her next babysitting experience, last weekend, was with our friends the Webbs. They also have a little princess, Alexa, so they have experience with baby girls. I was a little nervous because a few hours before dropping her off, I left Lily with Eric so I could get a manicure and pedicure. When I called home to check on her, it sounded like she was upset. I didn't want that to be foreshadowing of what was to come, but the Webbs said she did really well and when we picked her up, she was sound asleep!

While it is nice to get away together, we actually really miss her when we're gone! We always love love love coming home to her! Its so amazing to me how much a baby changes things!

Snow Day!

Lily's first time in the snow! It was cold and windy!

Cell phone pictures

I just transferred over all the pictures from my cell phone to our computer and these were a few that made me laugh. I can't believe how much she's changed in only three months! I remember each of these moments so vividly. I'm glad I was able to capture them in pictures because I don't want to forget the emotions I was feeling at the time.

This was right after eating breakfast one day as she was about to take a nap. When Lily was first born she would fall into a coma-like sleep right after eating, regardless of what time of day it was. I'm guessing the smile on her face is the satisfaction of a full belly?

This was right before her bath. Lily loves being in the water and also loves naked time. That morning we took an extra long bath so she could play in the water. Oh yes, the bed also got peed on while I was changing her diaper. I'm a lot faster at changing diapers now!

This was early one morning as we started our day, right before eating breakfast. I remember sending this picture to my family with the caption, "My favorite morning breath!" because she always smelled so sweet! This was before she started babbling so the only communication was these little sighs she would make.

This is a picture of Lily when she was only ten days old, on our way to get her pictures taken. We have so many pictures of her with a hand under her chin, she must have a lot on her mind! She's always looked mature for her age!

Holiday

Our Thanksgiving holiday with the Sarasch family was really fun! Jessica put so much thought into planning the entire day--everything turned out fabulous! She organized games and prizes, crafts, a delicious meal, home-made decorations, and of course she was a wonderful hostess!

Lily did really well with all the new people she met. It was so great to see Jessica's parents with Lily! They are absolute naturals! I think they're ready for a grandbaby of their own!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all our friends and family!

We are so thankful for the lessons we've learned this past year about ourselves, about each other, about God's grace, and life in general. We have been blessed in our marriage, blessed with a new home, and greatest of all, blessed with a new baby!

Thank you to our friends and families for such amazing support during this past year! The encouragement when we were nervous, the patience when I was emotional, the love you all showed Lily when she was born...It means so much to us!

Thank you to our moms for coming out and helping us that first month of parenthood! The cooking, cleaning, prayers, advice, all of Lily's care...We were spoiled by your service and love!

Thank you to my wonderful husband for working so hard to allow me the opportunity to stay home with Lily!

Of course around the holidays Eric and I end up asking ourselves why we aren't closer to home. We've been praying about a move for three years now. We love our lives in Kansas City...but it would be nice to raise Lily around the family. Maybe the fact that God hasn't "opened a door" allowing us to move back home is His answer to our prayers??

Hugs and Kisses to everyone!