Pictures and rolling over!

Joseph rolled over today for the first time! How exciting! He is getting so big and grown up. He is all smiles and is starting to laugh as well. Sometimes now when we go to play groups and the like he isn't the littlest guy anymore. And seeing the really tiny ones I already feel nostalgic for when Joseph was so little . . .

10 weeks and very happy!

4th of July in Bristol (2 months old)

Cousins singing Joseph to sleep (@ 7 weeks)

5 1/2 weeks old

BIG Baby, smiles, getting out, and being a mom

Hi All!

I hope everyone is doing well and remember I would always love to hear from you—or better yet, get a visit!! Things are going well here. Joseph is growing and changing like crazy. He seems a totally different being then the helpless little guy we brought home from the hospital. He is so big I have to tell everyone how old he really is because everyone thinks he is much older. We have a pile of clothes he has grown out of and he fits into lots of 6 month clothes. Yesterday for the 4th he wore his first pair of overalls, which was so amazingly cute. However, the biggest news; the most exciting new development is definitely SMILING. Smiles, smiles, smiles. It is so great to see Joseph light up—often from just gazing at your face, which he can do for looong periods of time. Everyday seems to bring more smiles and he isn’t shy; he will smile at anyone. Also around the beginning of the month I was shocked to discover the Joseph seems to actually get bored. His favorite diversion: walking around the yard. Around and around and around. I like to say that as he has gotten older his bad moods have gotten worse and his good moods have gotten better.

Brad went back to work a couple weeks ago and that is going well—he has lots of work (actually two houses going at once). While he was home he painted the garage, the bathroom, and reseeded the lawn that was torn up, so things are looking good around here. He also put up a clothes line and made a compost pile—trying to do our part. Speaking of clothes line, I am now finally using cloth diapers when we are at home. Joseph and I are also getting much better at getting out and about. I am no longer totally freaked about him screaming when we are in public. We have now been to: Kinney’s, Shaw’s, the Shoreham Library, the Middlebury Library, the Middlebury Book Shop, Agway, the quilting shop, the Rutland Mall, a birthday party, a BBQ, NY state (Wal-Mart), McDonalds, a couple playgroups, a mom’s group, a fancy restaurant, a dinner party, strawberry picking, an infant massage class, the 4th of July in Bristol, and more. . . Pretty good hugh? Of course, as some of you have experienced, Joseph can be quite fussy, but I am learning to worry about this less. And I was actually very pleasantly surprised by how well he did at the 4th yesterday.

Everyone keeps asking me how it feels to be a mom. I never know how to answer this. It feels amazing. It feels like I am being let in on a secret; like now I can see the “miracle of life” for myself. Super cheesy I know, but it’s true. Sometimes I can’t believe I really am a mom and sometimes it feels like he has been here forever. On a practical level, sometimes it is completely overwhelming and sometimes totally invigorating. Mostly it is just amazing.

All my best,

Ruth (mom)

Link to pics

Soo, some of you are much more adept with computers than I and figured out that all you need is the link to view my photos on the york site. Here is the link:

http://www.yorkphoto.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=163869930/a=92522627_92522627/t_=92522627

Of course these are now somewhat outdated. I hope to post another batch soon!

Much love,

Ruth (and Joseph!)

The Diaper Song

Despite my complete lack of musical ability, I have taken to composing songs for Joseph and my entertainment, especially for often repeated activities. As you might expect therefore I developed my first song for diapering. Brad thinks no one is going to talk to me again after reading this, but I’m risking it . . .

This is the diaper song
We sing it all day long
‘Cause we are growing big
And we are growing strong
So we sing the diaper song
And we sing it
all
day
long

I like to poop and I like to pee
But I don’t like it on me
I go number one and I go number two
And
I might
even
get it
on you!

(Bridge)
I can spray a mile away
I can shoot my poop to the moon

SO PUT A DIAPER ON
And sing the diaper song!

Repeat. Many, many times a day.

Joseph stylin his cloth diapers

Pictures!! (on another site . . .)

So, I know that some of you are frustrated that I am a bit behind on posting pics! I finally have put a bunch on another site (which some family prefers). However, on this site you have to be invited to view the album. I sent an invitation email to many of you, but if you didn’t receive the email and want to see the pictures, just let me know. Perhaps I don’t have the correct address.

Everything continues to go well here. Tonight we are headed out for a first social visit without Brad, so we will see how that goes . . . especially since I didn't really sleep last night. Joseph decided he needed to be held all night for some reason. Let's hope this isn't a new routine. I love cuddling of course, but getting some small amount of sleep is nice too. Brad is back to work, but while he was home he managed to do all sorts of work around the house, including painting the garage and the bathroom, so things are looking good. We love to get visits from any of you who are around here and I hope everyone is doing well!

Ruth

Things I Have Learned About Joseph So Far

Hello all!

Things are going great here with our new family of three. I know I have been a bit tardy on all my electronic communication, but will continue to try and do better. I will post more pictures soon.

Here is a list of Things I Have Learned About Joseph So Far to explain a little about our life together and help you get to know him.

Warning: A lot of this has to do with body functions, which some might think is a bit gross. However, it seems that if you spend time with an infant this becomes customary.

• #1. He is just so damn cute and, as everyone says, it is crazy to know that he is mine and somehow Brad and I made him and you just have to love him to death.
• He might be an infant, but noises from both ends are certainly very grown up (i.e. screaming and farting).
• Eating and sleeping are his favorite activities, probably inherited from me. Most of the time he will sleep through the loudest noises and he will often happily drink his medicine.
• Related: he grows and grows and grows. At his one month checkup he was 11 pounds 10½ ounces.
• When he is going through a growth spurt he is perfectly capable of eating nearly constantly, including at night. Amazingly I have discovered I can function on just a few (seriously) hours of sleep.
• Even if he just peed on you, do not be deceived and think his bladder is empty and it will not happen again; it can and it often will. The amount of diapers we go through is astounding.
• Staring at himself in mirrors is another favorite activity.
• He also can communicate surprisingly well. If he is hungry he will let you know in the following ways: opening and closing his mouth, sticking his tongue out, putting as much of his hand as possible in his mouth, screaming, and if I am holding him diving toward my boob and head butting me.
• He is strong. Kicks, grasps, pushes, pulls, head butts, etc . . . are surprisingly powerful.
• If he is tired of sleeping all alone in his playyard, as he generally is by the early morning, he will effectively insist to be held and join the grownup bed.
• Pooping can be quite hard work and takes up another large chunk of his time.
• He changes and grows everyday. One day all of a sudden he was bright eyed, aware, and gazing intently in my eyes. And then he was holding his head up and turning it to look around. Every day he seems bigger, stronger, fatter, and more capable. Brad is sure he will be walking very soon.
• He certainly knows his mommy. I never thought it would happen, but in times of duress I can calm him and he responds to my voice. What an amazing feeling!

I am a mom!

He is here! Joseph Roger Bergevin (finally) arrived on May 6th 2007 at 1:34 AM weighing in at 9lbs 3ozs and 22.5 inches long. Though the labor did not go particularly well and ended in a c-section, everyone is fine and that's what matters of course. Joseph and I came home from the hospital on Thursday evening and are enjoying our time together. I hope to write more about this amazing expereince soon, but for now here are some pictures:

Still waiting . . .

Hello all,

This little guy seems to be pretty comfortable in my tummy and in no rush to leave. However, hopefully things will get going soon. If not, I am scheduled to be induced on Monday (5/7), but we are trying to avoid that . . . I guess I am going to end up being 24 when he arrives after all! So, for now, I am just hanging out enjoying spring and waiting for the big day. All my best!

At 40 weeks and thinking that baby was coming soon . . .

Last snow of the year

A week later and celebrating spring!

Wow! One big belly!

Tummy cast--of course now it is even bigger

Diapers

What I am going to miss (and not) most about being pregnant

No, he has not arrived yet. So this is what I am doing with my time:

What I am going to miss most about being pregnant:

1. The amazing feeling of creating life. What could be more exciting or more important?!?!
2. Being part of something so natural; feeling connected to the countless women before and after me who have experienced what I am priveledged to be going through now.
3. Feeling and seeing baby move inside of me.
4. Wondering and dreaming about what he will be like and what kind of life I can provide for him.
5. Eating (almost) anything I want and not feeling too guilty.
6. Prenatal exercise and yoga classes!
7. My massive library of pregnancy and childcare books (not to mention the pregnancy magazines to which I often treat myself). Current count: 24 books! Also, numerous weekly emails customized for where I am in pregnancy with information about babies development and all sorts of other info.
8. Everyone’s amazing generosity, including the two biggest parties ever thrown in my honor.
9. Maitri (my OBGYN group).
10. Having a good excuse not to work!
11. Taking the time to really be good to myself; to eat right, drink lots of water, exercise, sleep, nap, read, write, etc . . . (Hopefully I can keep some of these good habits going even after I have the baby!)

What I am not going to miss about being pregnant:

1. Constant worry.
2. Missing having my mom around.
3. Gaining massive amounts of weight—so far 50 lbs, making Brad and I just about even. My original goal was 40, but now it has been revised to just not breaking 200!
4. My sausage fingers, ankles, and double chin.
5. Not having any clothes that fit and therefore completely giving up on fashion.
6. Zits, zits, and more zits (especially “backne”).
7. Spending the majority of my time in the bathroom.
8. The amazing effort it takes to do everything (turn over, stand up, put on socks, etc. . .)
9. Sleeping only on my side. Oh, to lie in the sun on my back!
10. Wondering when we are going to get this show on the road . . .

Why "still the flowers grow?"

Perhaps you wondered about my strange blog title. It is the first line of one of the first poems I remember writing. Actually, I didn’t exactly write the poem, instead I dictated it to my father as I had not yet learned to write. I think that this was around the time I was in kindergarten or first grade.

The poem (slightly morbid) is as follows:

Still the flowers grow,
but soon they will die,
under the dark evening sky.

I have no idea what happened to the original piece of writing, but both father and I have remebered the poem all these years.

More pictures (Tummy, Ultrasound, Brad & I, Shower, Kitty . . .)

Me and my tummy!
(33 1/2 weeks)

Fuzzy picture of the ultrasound
taken at 20 weeks

Brad and I at father's

Opening one of the many, many gifts
at my baby shower (with some help)

Kitty thinks it was all for him
(he is in for a shock!)

36 weeks (9 months) along!!!!

first blog (ever)

Hello all!

I thought I would enter the technological age and take advantage of “blogging” to keep in touch with everyone (or at least those who are into this sort of stuff). Anyways, keeping touch is very important to me and I always love to hear for people and I am very interested in what everyone is doing.

In terms of my life right now: as most of you know, I am in sort of a transition, a waiting, a calm before the storm sort of period. However, this wont last long! I expect the baby that is currently crammed into my huge tummy to make his entrance soon. At present I am estimated to be about 35 1/2 weeks along, meaning I have 4 1/2 weeks to go until my due date. However due dates are of course only an estimate and mine in particular is probably quite vague, so all we know is: sometime soon! Again by these estimates, only a week and 1/2 until he is considered full term, which is very reassuring. So basically my life revolves around this little life growing inside me. Suddenly it seems very close and very real. Today Brad and I visited the hospital; now at least we know where to go (they were too busy for us to actually see a room)! So far this whole has been both the most amazing and most terrifying of my life, and I fully expect parenting to be the same.

Below are two pregnant pics (and soon I hope to post more):

At 5 months 3 weeks (23 weeks)

And again at 8 months 1 week (33 weeks) with kitty!

Finally, I want to thank everyone for their love and support! Yesterday I had the most amazing baby shower and I was totally overwhelmed by all the love. I cannot say thank you enough!

Sweet dreams!

Ruth