first tooth, first food, first beach.

Big day today!!!

First Piper woke up with her front bottom right tooth finally though the gum (just a wee bit!). She seemed happy about this and wanted to celebrate by sleeping.

Have I mentioned how much my daughter loves/needs to sleep. I too would rather she want to play and go do "stuff" all day but no, she needs her sleep. You don't want to see her if she doesn't get it... but perhaps another blog about this sometime...

Anyway- hooray the tooth is here! Its so cute and little and white! I cant believe she already has a tooth!

After a couple naps Ty and I decided to let her have a go at eating (playing with) avocado. I am passionate about waiting to give babies food. Piper has been exclusively breastfeed since 5 mins after being born. I wanted to waited as long as possible so why did we decide to do it now???:

She is sitting up.
She got a tooth.
She is swallowing and digesting. (remember the posts about her unfortunately eating paper and dirt?)
She is reaching, grabbing and putting everything in her mouth.
She is hungry! Nursing OFTEN.
She is doing chewing movements.
She no longer has the reflex of spitting stuff out (whatever that is called)
By 6 months her gut is "closed".

However, I am not counting on her actually eating enough for any nutrition. This is just fun, practice, learning new sensations. And if she swallows some, ok. No rush. Breastmilk should be the primary source of nutrition until the age of 1.

I decided that organic avocado should be her first food. Why?

Rice cereal came along at the same time and same reasons as formula.
It is starch and added iron. Not much iron, if any will be absorbed. Therefore, no nutritional value.
It is a processed food... ie- not a WHOLE NATURAL FOOD which is what real FOOD is.
Rice cereal is a high glycemic food. Think sugar high. Think diabetes. Think BAD HABITS.

Avocado is whole and natural from the Earth.
It is easily digested.
It is packed with nutrition and GOOD FATS.
It is not sweet and sugary.
Its green. (this is just my opinion, not research. pi has seemed to like the color green. and no harm in kids liking green foods!)

So if this info can remind me for the next kid- cool. If it can help other parents... even better!

Here are the videos. Sorry they arent cut up in clips but... I HATE video editing but I know how much better they would be with some slow, serious flamenco music. (is flamenco ever slow?)









and the snap shots...


always analyzing...


squish!


feels funny..


weeeeee



Also, we went to the beach to try to get cute shots of Piper in heritsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini. We had been to the beach many times but it was only to walk (its been wintertime) and she was snuggled in her Ergo. This time she wasn't thrilled with the beach. The people, sun, wind, sand and waves seemed to be a bit much for our red head. She wanted to go home and sleep. Those pics are still on my Canon. I know... turns out being a mom is a really busy job.

btw:

pre-crawling!

The only commitment I made today was to do a beach, bikini baby photo shoot. I have been trying to do it for days! My dad (and photography buddy) came over to help me. We took some pics of Piper May in the dress that daddy got her for xmas. Here are some iphone shots of her in her dress. The other shots are still on my Rebel.

her favorite being in the entire world...








After this we got all our beach stuff and camera stuff and baby stuff and got in the car and wouldnt ya know... SEAFOG rolled in. We decided to check out the beach anyway. It was dark, cold, and smokey. The fog was litterally rolling down the street! ACK! People were leaving the beach in droves.
So we left. I was too tired to handle entertaining Piper by myself to I went back to my parents house. My mom layed down a blanket on the floor and told Piper it is about time to start learning to crawl. Apparently Pi took her very seriously because she immediately got up on her hands and toes in a plank! This was a first ever!



She is so strong! I then showed her how to crawl and how to scoot on her butt. Yes I scooted. I hope she doesn't scoot because I will be laughing all the time and will feel bad.

So then she really worked hard at it:


She was so tired she kept laying her head down. I figured she was done but as I was getting ready to go she pushed up on both of her knees! WOW! I tried to get it on camera but didnt... after this she was definitely pooped and could barely stay awake til 6. Actually she was asleep by 550...

Oh and I am pretty sure she said "Jackie" this morning.

when animals attack.

june 11th.
minutes after watching a beautiful sunset.
north clearwater beach, fl.
31 weeks pregnant.

My family and I go to North Clearwater Beach at sunset to swim a few times a week. It is great exercise for me and gives me huge relief from the weight of pregnancy. Last night, I stingray-shuffled my way out to the deeper water and advices Tyler to do the same because it is sting ray season. I actually was nervous about them and I usually am not (not to self: when are you going to start actually taking your intuitions advice? It is ALWAYS right!).

Mom, Dad, Ty, and myself spend about 20 minutes out in the ocean, swimming and watching the perfect sunset. About 10 minutes after the sun went down, I decided it probably was a good idea to head back. I swam as far as I could... not far because the tide was way out and it was very shallow. I started walking. Ty was swimming a ways behind me and my parents were still farther out.

Suddenly I felt a snap on my foot and a sharp stab... like I was being stabbed by a hot metal prong into the top right side of my right foot. I fell over and yelled to Ty that I stepped on something. That iss when the pain started escalating... and fast. I yelled to him that I think I got stung by a sting ray. I told myself to stay calm and relaxed but thought that crying might be a good idea so the people around me understood the severity of the situation and maybe it would make me feel better.

Ty quickly came over to me and scooped me up and carried me in as I was letting him know that IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS. My parents thought it was cute that Ty was carrying me in. They had no idea.

He sat me down on the blanket (good thing he is so strong) and tried to tell my parents that I was hurt. They were coming in and couldn't hear him. The pain really started to intensify and was throbbing and shooting up my leg. I put a towel on the bleeding wound to apply pressure. I didn't know what to do. I started crying harder. Ty told me to stay calm and take long deep abdominal breaths. He said it would be ok.

My parents saw me sobbing and quickly figured out this was bad. I was saying over and over again that it hurt. I lifted the towel so they could see the wound. It was a puncture and was bleeding. It started to hurt worse. Dad immediately got on his phone and called 911. He went up to the road to try and explain where we were and meet the ambulance.

While we waited for a help a girl walking by, her name was Hillary, stopped and said she knew CPR and would stay with me in case I had trouble breathing. She was from Arizona and called her dad who was a firefighter for help. He said I would need medical attention. I was rocking back and forth and trying to stay calm for the baby. I was REALLY WORRIED ABOUT THE BABY and was telling my uterus to stay calm and please not have a contraction and keep the baby safe.

Someone near us told us we needed hot water. We weren't really sure what that meant but sure didn't have any access to hot water. Another lady came who said she used to be a lifeguard and said to rub sand on my foot and then cover it in ice. OUCH. I think that this hurt the worst because looking back this is the same time that I got into a trance and just focused on breathing and kept my eyes closed or barely open.

My dad came back at this time and said I looked really bad and was really worried about me. The ice may have taken my mind off of the pain because it was so cold that IT burned. The pain from the poison was still throbbing and pulsating up my leg.

Ty stayed next to me and was all the reason I was able to stay so calm and relaxed. I kept my head on his shoulder with my eyes closed. For a little while, I felt like I was going to vomit or crap my bikini (just being honest). And opening my eyes made it worse.

The life gaurd lady felt my pulse and said it was great and I was staying really calm. I figure out fast that when I tensed up it hurt WAY worse. Hillary occasionally asked me about my pregnancy and helped keep my mind off of it. Ty and my mom made sure I had water and my mom stayed down with my injured foot. Dad was waiting for the EMT's up at the road.

I am not sure what time the firemen showed up in their beach golf cart thing but it was almost dark. Ty helped me in and they road me to the fire station as my family drove there. They were going really slow so they didn't make me uncomfortable but I told them to speed it up that I was ok and I just wanted to get there. They said the best thing to do is put the wound in scalding hot water, somehow the hot water stops the proteins in the toxins. Or maybe the heat takes your mind off of it. Not sure. He said few people have allergic reactions and I probably would have already experienced that. He said the biggest concern is infection in the days after and I will have to keep a very close eye to make sure there is no infection.

When we arrived at the fire station there was already a girl there with her foot in the hot water bucket. The firemen and woman were so nice. I wanted to get a picture of my bloody swollen foot before I put it in the bucket. The awesome fireman Chris took this picture and emailed it to me with the title, "When Animals Attack" in the subject line.



I refused the hospital since just about the only thing I would be ok with getting was benedryl, and apparently I didn't need that.

The hot water was immediate relief and was refilled several times to keep it scalding. My family arrived and Chris the fireman stayed with us talking to us about stingray attacks and that I might need a soft tissue xray if it doesn't heal well to make sure there is no barb stuck inside. He also talked to us about his kids and wanted to hear all about our little bean. He also said they had 7 other stings that day and that usually the men are the wimps and they throw up and pass out and its the tiny little girls that are always the toughest. Ya! Go tiny girls! I think I was there first prego sting ray attack though...

We were probably there for 45 mins before I wanted to go home. He was so nice to send us home with a little bucket so I could keep my foot in the water.







But as soon as my foot came out of the water... intense pain came back:


I kept my food in more hot water at home for a while and ate some yogurt before I finally got a shower and went to bed. Only after Ty put neosporin and a band-aid on my boo-boo. He kept saying "why did it have to be you my little annie". But if it was him I dont think I would have been able to carry him.

My family was SO amazing. They all stayed calm and worked extremely well together. Talk about good labor and delivery practice! There is no doubt in my mind who I trust to have assisting me and Ty in the birth of our daughter. And Tyler... I fell a LOT more deeply in love with him after last night. He truly is my beacon of light.

Today I am a little sore around my foot and overall very sleepy. I will be returning to bed shortly and baking those firemen a pie ASAP! Goodnight!

ps: jackie wants to play with baby already...


pss: my hero (who is now on a softball team and is clearly the mvp)

30.4 weeks at the beach.

On Saturday, after spending a long day painting and hanging curtains and a tapestry, the family (me, ty, mom, dad, and eric) went to North Clearwater beach for some sunset swimming. The water was warm but perfect. There was a lot of waves and staying afloat in them was excellent pregnancy exercise. At 30 weeks, my belly is feeling very heavy and uncomfortable and being in the water takes all of the discomfort away. That and my recent trips to the chiropractor. Sciatica was bad... chiropractors are amazing!

all of us minus eric.


mommy and me.


angles by tyler.
















daddy!


eric!


tyler <3


parents.


my father is a very talented photographer.

ode to the one.

We did it.

Even though we aren't terribly interested in traditions, Tyler and I have been talking about getting engaged for a while. We thought it might be rather nice to symbolize what we have felt since just about the first night (new years eve) when I was annoyed at the bar while trying to get my free champagne and when I turned around this giant red haired kid was staring at me. I mean- really staring at me. Maybe I'll post that special little story on the upcoming new years eve... aw... Gross I know.

Anyway, after talking about going to look at rings for weeks at where my Aunt Barb spends her Saturdays, (and looking online at everything from Moon stones to Sapphires but not really considering diamonds and not liking ANYTHING) we finally go to take a peak. We didn't know what to expect, especially since I am not a jewelry person. But then THERE IT WAS. An antique, art deco era diamond ring. When I tried it on, we both melted. We knew it was perfect and left with it! But it still wasn't mine....

That night we had a great time at my parents where Ty and Dad watched the depressing Gators game.

The next day, Sunday December 6th (Happy Birthday Ashlee and Madden!!!) Ty asked me if I wanted to go to the Osprey trail on Honeymoon Island since I had been asking for weeks. It was cold and wet, which if you live in Florida is considered a nice day! We had no idea what we were gonna see so I thought it was a good idea to pose.

And I forced him too.

As we walked I was really hoping we would start to see the birds and then a nice Englishman informed us of a huge 5 ft long diamondback rattlesnake snoozing in the brush. he was cold! And I was scared which is why you can barely see him!

We saw so many beautiful Osprey flying and sitting on top of old trees. Of course, the old trees caught my eye just as much as the Ospreys.

We got to a part in the trail that was blocked off because of a Bald Eagle nest. We saw the nest and the Eagles in it and thought it was very romantic.

We decided to keep going on the trail and try to find the ocean. We did find a body of water after walking quite a ways...

We turned around and kept going and eventually did escape. Then we went to the beach. We sat on an big wooden swing right on the beach. It was really cold and windy! We talked and talked and talked until the sun started to set (and I wondered if I was ever gonna see that ring again)...

Then he did it. He got down on one knee, and there we were finally face to face. He pulled the jewelry box out of his pocket, opened it, looked me in the eye with the beach behind him and said, "Andrea, will you marry me?" At that moment, I realized there was a very small and lovely wedding being conducted right behind him. I took the moment in, got all teary and said, "Of course." He hugged me for a long time and I sobbed like a baby. I was just so... happy.

Finally I stopped crying...

When we got home both moms where at our house and they got to hear the whole story, the very not short version.

Love.