Christmas 2008-- The short version that is still long!

Finley in her Christmas Outfit

Has it really already been a week since Christmas? I think we're still recovering. All in all, it was a great Christmas, but I admit it was also a bit exhausting... however, I don't think I'd have it any other way. As much as I say that I hate how "busy" the season is, I also know that I'd feel guilty if we didn't at least try to participate in all the family traditions and enjoy as many aspects of the holidays as possible.

We started Christmas week by having an ornament exchange with Devin's parents, Amy & Dillon's family, Megan and the kids, and Craig and Linda. Tanner & Gabby loved being near Finley and it was fun to see them so interested. They are both really sweet kids!

On Christmas Eve, our family headed to Hennessey for the annual Curran celebration at Grandma Lori's house. We go to church for communion and then have a gift exchange afterwards. Most of Devin's cousins are our age so it is always good to see how their lives have changed over the year. Other than Grandma Lori, no one had met Finley yet so we enjoyed introducing her to everyone.

On Christmas Day, we woke up in our own house and celebrated Christmas on our own in the morning. I loved this! It was so great to enjoy Finley's first Christmas in our own way!

Finley's stocking is literally bigger than her!

We didn't know what to buy our 2 month old for Christmas so Finley ended up with clothes and books. We bought her over 20 books and I can't wait to read all of them to her!!!! My favorite gift that we gave her was a tiny pearl bracelet that will undoubtedly end up in her hope chest.

Devin went way over board on gifts for me... buying me my digital camera that I had been planning to buy with Christmas money! It is so much better than my point and shoot camera at capturing Finley's expressions... expect a lot of fun pictures in the months ahead. He also bought me an Ebelskiver pan to make mini filled pancakes. I had bought Beth one and was super jealous of it so I was really surprised to get it. We used it to start a new Christmas tradition at our house... filled pancakes every Christmas for the Curran clan!

Taken with my new camera!

After we had our own Christmas, we celebrated with my brother, his girlfriend, and his girlfriend's family. They went WAY overboard on presents for us and I felt incredibly guilty. My brother is absolutely in love with Finley and it was just precious to see! Tracey and her family are just so sweet and I am so happy for my brother. My favorite gift from them was a Cabbage Patch doll for Finley. I LOVED (was obsessed) with Cabbage Patch Kids when I was young so my brother wanted to make sure Finley shared in my love. He had the worker in Target search all their dolls for one with Finley's birthday, but was unsuccessful... still, he had the doll's birth certificate changed to Finley's name and birthday. So sweet!

After our time with them, we headed to Devin's parents house. To be honest, the whole time was a bit of a blur. By this point in the day, I was pretty tired and the pile of gifts were overwhelming. And when I say overwhelming, I mean having to feed Finley twice (her feedings are three hours a part!) during the event. And yes, it was an event. Finley got some more great books (WE LOVE OUR BOOKS!), some clothes, and a few DVD's. She also got the Fischer Price Noah's Ark which I can't wait for her to play with... I'm a sucker for religious gifts. Which also brings me to Amy and Dillon's gift to us... a nativity scene! I admit that I have put off buying one because the ones I like are always so expensive, but it hit me this year that if someone walked into our house and surveyed our Christmas decorations, they would have no idea that we celebrate Christ's birth so I am ecstatic about this gift! Devin's parents bought us too much to list, but two of my favorites were an external hard drive and a ton of nice picture frames.... now I can capture family memories and not only display them, but also back them up. (It truly was a "photographic" Christmas because my brother bought us a digital picture frame which is perfect for displaying ALL of Finley's pictures... I love not having to choose which ones to frame!)

We unfortunately weren't able to celebrate Christmas with my dad due to my grandfather's death. I think he needed some time alone and with the funeral being the day after Christmas, it just was a bit much. It was a tough way to end our Christmas week, but also a reminder of why we were celebrating the season... Christ's birth and death enabled us to be saved and spend eternity with our Savior and knowing that my grandfather was in heaven rejoicing made the reason for our celebration abundantly clear for me!

I'm already looking forward to next year's Christmas when Finley will be a bit older and we will have even more traditions to enjoy!

She's Such a Honey

So I'll have to blog about our Christmas soon, but wanted to blog about my dear grandfather who passed away right before Christmas. Finley was his only great grandchild and he was enthralled with her at Thanksgiving (as I've already blogged about) and again when we went to visit him in the hospital. I'm so thankful that he had the chance to meet her before he died and only wish that Finley could have also met my grandmother who died almost exactly a year before her birth. I will always remember my Grandpa telling everyone "She is such a honey!" and I thought that was such a precious way to describe our little Finley. We will miss you, Grandpa Ty.

2 MONTHS!

Finley is 2 months old today! She had her 2 month well visit appointment and Devin was able to go with us since he took this week off. I was so happy to have him there since it was shot day! I hated seeing her scream as the injection went in.... it was particularly sad since she was so happy just moments before. I posted the video of her getting the oral vaccine which wasn't nearly as traumatic... much more enjoyable to watch!
The pediatrician said she looked great though. I was a little concerned because she only weighs 9 pounds 5 ounces and I was expecting her to be about a pound heavier than that. He said her weight is proportional to her length (22 inches) and that she is just going to be a petite little girl. As long as she's healthy, I'm happy! So far she is doing fine and isn't showing any adverse effects from the immunizations which is a relief since I want her to fully enjoy her first Christmas!

Finley's First OSU Game

Someone at work gave Devin tickets to last night's OSU basketball game! We were very excited since this is the first year that we haven't had season tickets. When we got to the game, Devin only handed them two tickets to see if they would request a ticket for Finley (we had one for her, but we were curious if they would actually require one) and they didn't! We had asked several people at the football games if they had to have a ticket for their newborn and all of them rolled their eyes and said "YES!" so I expect that if the basketball game last night had been a bigger game that they would have wanted a ticket for Finley. Anyway, we were also excited to use our Baby Bjorn for the first time. Finley liked being cuddled up against my chest in it, but was also pretty content in Devin's arms watching all the excitement. I can't wait for her to meet Pistol Pete!

So Cozy!

I just wanted to post this super cute picture of Finley all cozy in her warm sleep sack! Since it was so cold outside, we decided to stay home all day and indulge in my favorite secular holiday tradition... wrapping presents while watching Ally McBeal Christmas episodes!

The Christmas Spirit

Yesterday, Beth came to visit us.... she hadn't seen Finley in awhile so it was fun to have her here and for us to catch up in person instead of on the phone! We decided to go grab something to eat and run by Target before she left and walked outside to a very cool wind. By the time we got to Target, it was 20 degrees and we were trying to hurry so that Beth could get on the road in case the weather continued to get worse. Well, as soon as we made it back to the house, I realized that I had left my purse in the cart at Target! (In my defense, I was very concerned about getting Finley into the car and out of the wind as quickly as possible so I wasn't even thinking straight.) I freaked out of course and yelled our alarm code to Beth and headed back to Target as fast as possible. I called Devin on the way and I have to say that my husband is so amazing because instead of being upset, he just reassured me that everything would be okay. For those of you who don't know, this same purse was stolen right before Finley was born and though my purse was recovered, it was missing my credit cards, cash, and camera so needless to say, I'm beginning to think this purse is cursed! Anyway, I was in complete hysterics feeling like I was going to have to deal with cancelling credit cards again and figuring out how to afford Christmas presents since the money we reserved for presents was in cash. So Devin called Target while I was on my way there to let them know that if anyone found a purse that I was on my way to claim it. Luckily, he found out that someone had already turned it in and it was waiting for me at Guest Services. And even better, when I picked it up, it was still completely in tact... everything, including my cash, was still in my purse. It's so nice to know that there are still honest people in the world and that despite the economy, the person who found my person demonstrated the Christmas Spirit by returning it. On a side note, poor Beth had to figure out how to get out of our house without leaving it unlocked since I literally just dumped her off without even thinking about the fact that our front door only locks with a key. Luckily, she was able to jump the sensor on the garage door and escape without leaving anything open! It's so nice to have best friends who you don't have to babysit and who understand when you're a little self-centered!

How NOT to Start the Day

So we've all been there... fast asleep when the alarm goes off and you wake up in a panic wondering what your name is, where you are, and how to turn off that awful noise. Well, that was my morning except the awful noise wasn't coming from an alarm that I had set, but from the baby monitor alarm telling me that Finley had stopped breathing. Let me repeat that, Finley had stopped breathing? A whole new sense of panic set in as I quickly sat up, leaned over the cradle, and began gently shaking Finley and yelling "Wake up!" (because THAT was going to help!) Finley opened her eyes and looked at me like I was crazy (or maybe she just opened her eyes...) and I scooped her up, holding her tight to me (almost suffocating her in the process, I'm sure) as I was still trying to get my contacts to settle back onto my eyes (yes, I sleep in my contacts). As the panic wore off, I realized that Finley, the wiggle worm (I don't know where she got that from! Ha, ha!), had simply wiggled herself so far down in her tiny cradle that the sensor pad under the mattress couldn't sense her breathing anymore and had gone off. Complete false alarm... A sense of relief washed over me, doubled by the fact that we have our CPR class this Saturday, and my heartbeat, two hours later, is finally returning to normal.

Carli

Each Christmas, we choose an angel from the Salvation Army Angel Tree and this year our angel is Carli. She is five months old and in need of clothes and a carseat. We chose her because we thought it would be special to choose an angel that is close to Finley's age each year in the hopes that when Finley is old enough it will be particularly meaningful for her to shop for someone who is her age and yet not as fortunate. What I wasn't prepared for was how emotional shopping for Carli would be for me... I didn't expect it to be difficult, but I found myself fighting back tears at times when I would think of how hard it would be if Devin and I had trouble providing for Finley. She is such a joy in our lives, but I have to wonder if we were struggling to give her what we thought she deserved (and I'm not talking about material things, but carseats and clothes) whether we would be filled with as much joy or if we would give into stress instead. I hope Carli's family enjoys the gifts we were able to buy her, but more than anything I hope that they are truly enjoying their baby girl the way we are enjoying ours!

Grace during the Holidays

Finley in her Sunday best

We took Finley to church for the first time on Sunday. She was a perfect angel! She was awake during the beginning of the service and didn't make a peep. She then fell asleep and stayed that way throughout the the service even though it was time for her to eat. At this age, it is still pretty easy to get her out and about for which I am so thankful!

The sermon was from Luke 1:16 "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. " The pastor made the point that Jesus came in GRACE and truth... not in judgement or condemnation... and that during the holidays we are often confronted with a multitude of opportunities to show grace because we are with family and friends who may celebrate differently than us or who do things differently than we would. And because it is the holidays, we are put in situations where these differences are magnified. Obviously, we are to have grace for others, but without going into detail, I really needed to be reminded of this after the past week!

6 weeks!

Finley grabbing at her toys... You can see her fascination with Christmas lights as she tries to choose which is more interesting... the tree or the toys on her seat.

So I swear Finley laughed this morning. It was so adorable. She is definitely more alert these days... She is fascinated with the Christmas lights and now when she looks at you, it is with true recognition. I love it! As sad as it is that she is growing up so fast, it is also fun to see her change and exclaim over the new things she can do. I was carrying her up the stairs yesterday with her head on my shoulder and she put her little arms around my neck... accidently of course, but it felt like she was hugging me and I just melted!

I had a doctor's appointment yesterday and there was a couple next to me who were there for their first appointment. They were so cute! You could tell they were a bundle of nerves, excitement, and anxiety. It so reminded me of our first appointment and I admit I was pretty jealous of this couple who is about to experience all of the amazement that comes with having your first child. I'm so ready to do it all over again!!!!!!! (Don't worry, Devin thinks I'm crazy too.)

Another Year

So yesterday would've been my mom's birthday. It affects me a little differently every year, but obviously, I knew it would be difficult this year. I so want Finley to know about her Grandma, but I remember so little about her that I don't know how to go about that. I remember calling Beth in tears when I was three months pregnant because I was so afraid that Finley would look just like my mom and I wouldn't know how to handle it. When Finley was born, she looked a lot like me which means she looked a lot like my mom. In fact, the reason I even began to contemplate Filnley looking like my mom was because someone stopped me in Bethany one day and asked me if I was Pam's daughter because I looked just like her. That's pretty crazy considering my mom passed away almost eighteen years ago and this was someone I hadn't ever met! I posted this picture because there is something in Finley's expression that reminds me so much of my mom.

I know this is a depressing post, but I just wish that my mom was here. I just want to hear how much she adores Finley and to tell me how I was at that age or to reassure me that I am being a good mom. There are some things that only have meaning when they come from the right person and I think having your own mom tell you that you are a good mom is one of those things. This is one of the reasons why I really wanted to have a girl. I want to be able to give her all the things that my mom and I missed out on. I want to live out the relationship with her that my mom would've wanted to have with me. As if I didn't have enough pressure to be a good mother! =)

I know I quote from the Proverbs 31 blog a lot, but there was one before Thanksgiving that really touched me because it made me realize that we all have grief. We all have loss. We all feel like we have to live without something or someone that we wish we didn't have to. Only God can truly heal our broken hearts and dreams. Contentment is only found when we put our entire hope in Him. The prayer at the end of the blog was especially meaningful:

Dear Lord, In times of grief, help me remember You are my Hope and You are right there with me. I pray You open my eyes and heart to others who are hurting and help me remind them of the Hope. Please give me boldness and compassion during this season to introduce the ultimate Hope to others in need of hope. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Our Thanksgiving Weekend

On Thanksgiving, Devin and I loaded Finley up and drove to my Grandpa's house in Pawnee. He hadn't met Finley yet and instantly fell in love with her. She's his first great grandchild so I'm sure that made her even more special. I loved that he was so interested in her... he just couldn't stop staring at her and even though I'm sure he was nervous, he even held her for awhile. It meant so much to me. Finley also had the chance to meet her Grandpa Bill, Aunt Sharon, and cousin Tyler for the first time. Though we had a good time with my family, it seemed a little bit rushed as we ate lunch with them and then hurried back to Oklahoma City to celebrate with Devin's family. It's just hard trying to fit everything in, but I'm glad we were able to do both and not have to make a choice about whose family we were spending the day with.

Finley with Great Grandpa Ty

We celebrated with Devin's family over at Dillon and Amy's house. Amy and I had a ton of fun cooking on Wednesday for it so I felt a little more a part of this celebration. Finley hadn't met Amy's dad or sister, Mary, so she had more introductions to enjoy. We were exhausted by the time we got home, but it was a great first Thanksgiving for Finley!

Our Family at Dillon & Amy's

(I know I look drunk (which I wasn't) in this picture and Devin's head is cut off, but it is really difficult to find a good picture of all three of us!)

On Black Friday, we did a little shopping, but not a lot. We don't seem to have a lot of "mall" gifts to buy this year so we didn't see a need to fight the crowds. I'm having a hard time deciding what to buy for Finley. I want to buy her something special for her first Christmas, but at the same time, don't want Christmas to be just about gifts and since she is so little, there isn't anything she really needs or wants. Friday night, we went down to the river to watch the boat parade. It was FREEZING! I was so cold and it was a bit cheesy, but the Christmas music and lights did put me into the spirit.

Finley enjoying a nap during our Black Friday shopping trip!

Us at the Boat Parade

(Yes, we realize it is dorky that we have almost identical glasses... it was completely unintentional.)

On Saturday, we decorated the house and prepared for Bedlam! Grandma and PaPa Curran kept Finley for us so that Devin and I could go to the game. It was difficult to leave her while we went out of town, but there was no way we could afford a ticket for her and it was really too cold for her to be outside for that long. The game didn't go our way, but one thing is for sure... Finley is definitely a Pokes fan! (I just love these pictures of her!)

Finley signaling for a TOUCHDOWN!

Finley's best cheerleading pose

Pistol's Firing!

(It's hard to see, but her left hand looks to be in perfect Pistol's Firing position!)

Traditions

So I'm a huge traditions person now that I have a family of my own and even though Devin and I started several Christmas traditions when we got married, we didn't really have any Thanksgiving ones. Well, this year we have implemented a few though I would love to hear other ideas if anyone has any to share! Here are the two traditions we started:

• Provide food or other necessary items to a non-profit organization or a family in need


• Read the true story of Thanksgiving from Thanksgiving: A Time to Remember and keep track of how we spent the day in the journal part of the book

Next year, I want to make a Thanksgiving Countdown Calendar like the one sold at Pottery Barn Kids... each day leading up to Thanksgiving, each family member records something he/she is thankful for and puts it in the pocket. Here is a picture of what it looks like:

I'm sure I will blog about Christmas traditions in an upcoming post, but I'm also looking for good traditions to start for Finley. I want the holidays to be so special because they are her first, but it is really hard since she is so little. Still, they are much more meaningful to our family because she is here with us! Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

One Month!

So Finley is officially one month old! I put together a slide show of pictures from the first month and it was fun to go back and "relive" everything. I am trying very hard to look forward to the future and not be sad that she is already growing up. Before I became a mom, I used to tire of every mom saying "They just grow up too fast!", but now that I'm in the midst of it, I am much more sympathetic.

Yesterday, Devin and I took her to the post office to find out how much she weighed now. It wasn't nearly as successful as we had hoped! It was actually fairly comical. Once we put her on the scale, she started flailing about and so the scale couldn't really register a weight. Devin finally put his hand on her to help balance her, but that obviously changed the accuracy. Not to mention that she was fully clothed (with a dirty diaper)! Anyway, the scale read 8 pounds 5 ounces, but I think she is probably closer to 7 pounds 14 ounces since she was consistently gaining an ounce a day when we went to the pediatrician. Our next appointment is December 23 so we'll have to wait until then to get an "official" weight.

Aunt Amy also helped me work on Finley's birth announcements. They are almost done... one month later! I think they're going to turn out pretty well. I'm super jealous of Amy's MAC.... The announcements are much more professional looking because I was able to use her computer instead of mine!

Pray and Wait

"Pray and Wait" has long been mine and Beth's anthem. We have spent years calling each other for advice only to hear the other one respond with "Just pray and wait." It has been such a meaningful part of our friendship and our lives that Beth's blog address is even titled "Pray and Wait." And though it is often exactly what we need to do and need to hear, there are times when we both (okay, maybe I shouldn't speak for her, but it's definitely true for me!) want to say "Are you serious? Again? I have to sit back and just pray and wait for an answer?"

With Finley's birth, I have heard the "Pray and Wait" phrase more and more. Everytime I worry about whether I'm being a good mom or whether or not she is going to hate me as a teenager or whether I'm already screwing her up or whether I'm truly appreciating the time I have with her right now or whether she will follow God's plan for her life and not her own or whether I'm doing everything I can to instill in her the values she needs and so on and so on, I hear the "Pray and Wait" phrase because that is honestly all I can do... I can pray and give it completely over to Him and then wait for His answers.

So today, the Proverbs 31 blog said:

"...praying was “all I could do.” What I meant was that my prayers were a last resort, something to do when there was nothing else I could do – no meals I could bring, no Band-Aids I could apply to the hurt, no actions I could take. And yet, I was missing the best possible response I could have. I needed that reminder that praying is not a last resort, it’s a first response. It’s not the action of a powerless, hopeless person whose hands are tied in every other way. It’s the powerful, Heaven-summoning activity of a warrior who doesn’t want to fight alone. Praying, as I learned that morning, isn’t all I can do, it’s the best I can do."

I was instantly convicted because typically hearing "Pray and Wait" is the last thing I want to hear. I often do use praying as a last resort or at least don't appreciate the power it has. I am such a "doer" and so impatient that I often lose sight of just how important prayer is. I am determined to cast my cares on Him and not be anxious about the future... to make the CHOICE to Pray and Wait... not because it is the only thing I can do, but because it truly is "the best I can do." (I'm putting this in writing so that I will be accountable to making this choice each day!)

Finley's First Bottle

Our pediatrician said we could start giving Finley a bottle of breastmilk after a few weeks so we decided to try one tonight!

More Pictures from This Weekend

I tried to post some pictures that Aunt Beth took this weekend on yesterday's post, but couldn't figure out how to get them off of Shutterfly. Now that I know, here they are!

Meeting PaPa for the first time!

Meeting Ruger... he was SO protective over her! It was hysterical!

Finley in her tutu... it was huge, but we pinned it.

This is the BEST picture! Finley is looking at these bears like "Who are you?"

Sleeping in the Pack-n-Play for the first time...

Such torture... we even put her in a pumpkin!

Can I also say just how grateful I am that my two best friends (my husband and Beth) get along so well???? Devin literally laid on Beth's couch all day on Saturday watching football and caring for Finley while I was doing wedding stuff. I absolutely love that he can hang out at her house without me there and it not be awkward! Such an answered prayer! (BTW, I don't understand why the pictures have a white background.....)

Kendra's Wedding

Kendra and I

Our Family Photo

So this weekend was Kendra's wedding! I think I have finally recovered. We had so much fun, but it was a bit exhausting. On Friday, Finley and I drove to Stillwater for Kendra's bridal luncheon. Finley was a perfect angel... sleeping the entire time. I was so relieved because even though everyone was happy I brought her, I wanted the focus to be on the bride and not on my fussy child! After the luncheon, we went to meet Aunt Beth during her lunch hour and then hung out at her house until the rehearsal that night.

Aunt Beth watched Finley during the rehearsal and it was the first time I had ever left her. I was sad to leave her, but not worried because I knew Aunt Beth would spoil her while I was gone. Finley (with the help of Aunt Beth) even sent me a text message with her picture telling me that she missed me! It actually made me tear up a bit. I just love her so much!

Devin picked up Finley on his way into town and met me at the rehearsal dinner at Hideaway. I was so thankful that my husband drove in just to spend the weekend going to wedding stuff and chauffeuring Finley to me to feed. I love that he realizes how important it is that we attend things together! At first, we thought he would just drive in for the wedding so that he could get stuff done around the house and be somewhat productive, but then he pointed out that others might receive the wrong idea if we weren't together. I am so grateful that he wants to protect the sanctity of our marriage and understands that we as husband and wife are a ministry.

On Saturday, I was busy helping decorate the reception place, getting my hair done, and taking pictures so Finley had some quality time with Daddy and Aunt Beth. For the wedding, Beth took care of Finley so that Devin could attend without worry about crying sprees. Because Kendra's wedding had a lof of similarities to mine and Devin's, I left the weekend feeling even more convicted to be a good wife and mother. As JB was performing the ceremony, I felt like I was taking my vows with Devin all over again. Especially since it was basically the same ceremony JB performed for us. Before I was married, I loved attending weddings for all of the great ideas, but now, it is a perfect way to renew my vows and refocus on my role as a wife.

After the ceremony, we picked Finley up for the reception so that she could enjoy it with us. She even had her first dance with Daddy... actually it was more like a family dance since I was a part of it too! =) After the reception, we went back to Beth's to watch the end of the OSU game with her and Ken. All-in-all it was just a great time.

God's Answers

So I know I'm a dorky mom, but Finley received her first official piece of mail today (Grandma and PaPa Curran sent her a Halloween card) and I took a picture of it! It's so fun to see her name in print. When we went to our first pediatrician appointment and I had to fill out all the paperwork, I couldn't help but smile as I wrote her name. For so long, Finley Ela was a name on a list or a name that Devin and I would throw around as a possibility, but now it actually belongs to our wonderful little girl. In a weird way, it just makes her more real to see her name in print. I wonder who she is going to be as she grows up and whether her name will seem fitting as her personality develops more and more.

God is so gracious in His answers. I prayed my whole pregnancy that Finley would have a "quiet, gentle spirit" and so far she truly has one. Even though she cries at times, she usually just whimpers when she needs something and only fully throws a fit when she's cold or we're trying to let her put herself to sleep and her pacifier has fallen out of her mouth. She usually sleeps 3 1/2 to 4 hour stretches during the night and has been a great eater since the beginning. I am amazed at just how perfectly God created our little girl for us. In her, I see God's answers in the smallest details (such as her belly button healing super quickly since I have such an issue with belly buttons!) and am blown away by His grace.

Why do I ever doubt Him when I look back on every major event in my life (as well as the small events, of course) and can clearly see that God has always given me exactly what I needed and answered my prayers even when I couldn't understand why my life was on the path it was on? He has never failed me and yet, I still seem surprised with His answers. What a lack of faith I have sometimes... that and a short-term memory of all that He has done for me! Because He created me and knows my heart, He always knows what is best for me. And that gives me the promise that because He created Finley and knows her heart, that He will also guide the path of her life. I can't wait to see His plan for our little girl!

Hafer Park

So this weekend, we took Finley to Hafer Park to take some pictures. It was a beautiful day and a lot of fun to take her to the park. We took a million pictures, but because it was so bright, it was difficult to see the screen on the digital camera and therefore, impossible for us to tell if the pictures were turning out. Here are my two favorites....

Devin's Birthday

Devin and Finley blowing out candles!

Finley with the cousins!

So Thursday was Devin's birthday... Finley and I went shopping for him and let me tell you that the mall looks completely different when behind a stroller! I never knew malls had elevators! Or that my main paths in the mall included stairs instead of ramps. I had to completely relearn how to manuever the mall in the quickest manner!

Anyway, I cooked Devin a nice meal and his favorite dessert for his birthday and then we spent some quality family time together. I was really disappointed because I had ordered Devin something from Finley and it hasn't come in yet. I did get her a card to give him and I wanted her to "sign" it. I found my pink inkpad and pressed her little hand in the ink. She immediately made a fist and I soon realized my 2 week old daughter is stronger than I am! I was finally able to at least wash most of the pink off of her hand and Devin received a footprint as a signature instead!

On Saturday, we had Devin's family over to celebrate his birthday and watch the OSU game. Cousin Adam is so sweet with Finley. He always wants to hold her and is surprisingly very gentle with her. He is very curious about her and wants to make sure she is okay. When we were eating dinner, Adam asked whether Finley could eat cake and icecream and Amy explained that she can only drink milk until she is a bit older. Well, Adam held up his sippy cup of milk and said "She can have some of my milk!" It was precious! I hope his protection of her continues so that she will have a big "brother" in her life. I loved having an older brother to look out for me and would love Finley to have that as well. So far, Cousin Nathan isn't too interested, but as the picture shows, he did hold her for a little while.

My Get- To's...

So with my new INTENSE pumping schedule, I've had a couple of pitty parties. There have literally been times this week where I would feed Finley, pump, sterilize the pump parts, and then start the process all over again.... and again... and again without any in between time to do something else. The worst part was that I didn't even feel like I was spending quality time with Finley. I just felt like a "milk cow." It was in the middle of one of these brief pitty parties that I remembered Colossians 3:23-24 "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance It is the Lord Christ whom you serve." We memorized this verse in my bible study and one of the ladies in my group had taped it above her kitchen sink to remind herself of who she was serving when washing all of her baby's bottles. She said after only a couple of days God used the verse to remind her that she GETS to wash baby bottles instead of HAS to. What a difference one word can make and a perfect example of one of mine and Beth's favorite new phrases: Don't ever let your blessings become burdens!!!!

I GET to feed my beautiful, HEALTHY daughter.

I GET to pump extra food for her to use after I'm done breastfeeding.

I GET to pray for her and tell her about Jesus.

I GET to wake up in the middle of the night to spend extra time with her.

I GET to cuddle her close to me when she is fussing.

I GET to put her pacifier back in her mouth a million times a day because she can't do it herself yet.

I GET to do a load of her laundry every day because she still only has 5 outfits that fit her.

I GET to change her diaper, file her fingernails, clean her bellybutton, bathe her, swaddle her, and sing silly songs to her.

I GET to look into her eyes and see her little mouth try to smile.

I GET to take a billion pictures of her that never capture how beautiful she is.

I GET to forego naps so that I can watch her take one.

I GET to LOVE her and see her change and grow each and every day... because I only GET her for 6570 days before she turns 18 and is officially an adult. (BTW, I'm crying just thinking that I only have 6555 left.)

Finley's Due Date!

Finley with Praying Hands!

Today is Finley's due date and though I am so happy that I've had two full weeks with her already, I'm a little sad that she isn't being born today because her birth was so amazingly special. I just want to do it all over again! It is such a miracle that God allows us to bring life into this world and that regardless of the pain, we are more than ready to do it again. I feel particularly blessed to have such a healthy child who is a dream in every way!

Today, Grandma Jan and I took Finley to the pediatrician for a check-up. She is up to 6 pounds 15 ounces! It's such a relief to know that she is gaining weight the way she is supposed to. Everything checked out fine and all of my first-time mom questions were answered as well. We won't go back until her 2 month appointment so hopefully I won't have toooo many questions between now and then!

On another note... Last night, we went to Scott and Amy's house for an Election Party. We had such a great time and everyone seemed to fall in love with Finley. I've discovered that all a parent really wants is to have everyone be as entranced by your child as you are. =) This morning, I have to admit that I woke up feeling a bit "heartsick" about the election results. I couldn't shake the anxiety and fear in my heart. Fortunately, I took Finley to my last bible study to show her off and instantly found comfort with the rest of the group knowing that God is still in control. I realized just how important it is to surround myself with fellow believers at times when it is easier to listen to the world's views rather than God's. No one knows the future or what God's plan is in all of this, but we can trust that God's plan is always the perfect one. Here are 10 promises that we must continue to proclaim: (Thanks Stephanie for sending this to me!)

1. The Bible will still have all the answers.

2. Prayer will still work.

3. The Holy Spirit will still move.

4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.

5. There will still be God-anointed preaching.

6. There will still be singing of praise to God.

7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.

8. There will still be room at the Cross.

9. Jesus will still love you.

10. Jesus will still save the lost.

Our Election Day

Isn't she lovely?

Thanks Grammie for my super cute headband!

So today I ended up making an appointment with my OB to check on my mastitis. It simply wasn't getting better. I'm so glad I went in because my OB put me on new antibiotic and is letting me borrow her breast pump to see if it might make a difference. (We're even going by her house to get the replacement parts.) She thinks that if I pump every two hours in addition to feeding Finley as usual that we can get rid of the infection. She is so wonderful! I always feel like she goes above and beyond her role as an OB and truly cares! Plus she is an OSU fan! =)

The only downside is that I'm on even more medication. Devin says he feels like is married to an 85 year old! All the medication is taking a toll on my appetite and I now weigh 5 pounds less than I did before I became pregnant! I guess that could be seen as a good thing, but my body just doesn't do well with lots of medication and is about the only thing that keeps me from eating everything in sight!

I promise to stop blogging about breastfeeding now because it definitely isn't as interesting as our sweet Finley! So other than visiting my OB, Finley and I also went to vote and did a little birthday shopping for Devin. She is just such a good baby that it makes it tough for me to not just load her up and take her with me on errands. Devin's office bought us our sling (AND our exersaucer AND one of those cool monitors that senses your baby's movements and notifies you if she hasn't moved in 20 seconds!!!) and I am already in love with it. In fact, Finley is in it right now as I'm typing this. I love having her so close to me!

Our Weekend

Finley on Halloween

Daddy and Finley on GAME DAY!

On Friday, we went up to Devin's office so everyone could meet Finley. The women seemed more impressed than the men... big surprise! But it was fun to get out and show her off. That night, we went out to eat as a family for the first time. Finley slept the whole time so Devin and I had a chance to enjoy each other's company for awhile. Afterwards we took Finley over to Grandma and PaPa Curran's house to "trick-or-treat"! Her onesie read "This is my costume...." It was way too big on her so it was hard to read in the pictures we took. Her pants were especially big. We're having a hard time clothing her since she's inbetween Preemie and 0-3 months. There just isn't a lot of Newborn size clothes to choose from and even some of it is too big for her.

On Saturday, I woke up running a fever with flu-like symptoms. In our baby classes, we had learned that breastfeeding moms often come down with an infection called mastitis so we called the hospital to get an antibiotic to fight the infection. Because my fever kept waivering between 101-103 degrees, we ended up staying in bed most of the day watching football and sleeping. Even though I felt horrible, it was nice bonding time for Finley and Devin and forced us to just take it easy for a day.

On Sunday, Aunt Beth came to visit us. She had already planned to spend the day with us, but since I still wasn't feeling 100% , it was nice to have her around. Grandma and PaPa Curran brought us food over as well so they were able to see Finley and make sure we were all doing okay. Devin went into work for a little while so Finley was able to experience true "girl" time with me and Beth. So far, Finley fits right into girl time... she is a really great listener, doesn't interrupt, and is a nice distraction when we need one! =) I also felt like a horrible mom for the first time. Devin and I had given Finley a bath Sunday morning and when her hair was still wet, I put her hat on to help keep her warm. Well, when we took her hat off, her hair didn't want to lay down the way it normally does so I kept telling everyone that she was having a "bad hair day". After everyone left, I felt so guilty! I want to uplift her and I realized how even something as small as saying she is having a bad hair day could hurt her self-esteem or make her self-consious. Sigh.

Happy BIRTHday, Finley!

I hope to write Finley a letter each year on her birthday and here is my first one!

My dearest, sweetest, most wonderful daughter, Finley Ela,

I can't believe after so many months of anticipating your arrival, that you are finally here!!!!  It seems surreal on so many levels that I am able to hold you, swaddle you, smell you, feed you, study you, sing to you, and love all over you.  After feeling you inside me for so long, it is such an amazing feeling to actually be with you.

To be honest, there was a part of me who wanted to keep you inside me forever.  To protect you from the world.  To keep you to myself.  But seeing you with your dad, your grandparents, your aunts and uncles, your cousins and more, I am so thankful that you are truly here and are able to be enjoyed by all of those around you.  I am so thrilled to share you with all of those who haven't been able to enjoy you inside my belly.

Seeing you brings a whole new level of understanding to God's love, for you are truly perfectly and wonderfully made.  I want to strip you down and study every little inch of you, but unfortunately, you do not like that at all!  I can hardly stand how small you are and yet how incredibly perfect.  You are beautiful, Finley.  Absolutely beautiful!  My heart is so full and so completely in love with you!

May you never doubt how much I love you, little one!  You are part of me and part of the man I love more than anything.  You were created out of love and there is no way to describe how I feel when I look at you.  There is nothing I wouldn't do for you and I pray that God will enable me to be the mom that you need in every single aspect!

Thank you for being my daughter!  Thank you for letting me love you!  Thank you for (already) enduring my constant picture taking and my unswaddling you so that I can memorize your every detail!  I never want to put you down.  Never want to stop kissing you.  Never want to stop feeling your baby breathe on my cheek.  Never want to forget how amazing it was to give birth to you!  

I love you in every way, my sweet angel!

Happy Birthday,

Your MOMMY!

Top Ten List

Finley and I the day she was born!

Finley and I at 1 week!

Finley is officially a week old! I can't believe it! Everytime I got up last night to feed her, I would think "This time last week, I was getting an epidural" or "This time last week, I was holding you for the first time!" It's crazy how fast one week can go. I thought I would create a top ten list of what I've learned my first week of motherhood. Let it be known, however, that I've learned A LOT more than just 10 things!

10.) Your hearing actually does improve the instant you become a mom... I can hear every whimper and sigh Finley makes... as well as the cat's pathetic crying in the garage... from most anywhere in the house. (Who needs a baby monitor????)

9.) Infant girls can actually have what's called a "false period."

8.) There IS a difference between Huggies and Pampers. Finley is a Pampers girl... at least for now!

7.) The point of staying in the hospital for two days is that when you leave, you actually appreciate ONLY being woken up every three hours by your baby when you get home! (My only complaint about Mercy! I absolutely loved all of my nurses! I actually had one nurse come by during her shift to show me how to make cute bows for Finley's hair!)

6.) It actually is possible to be excited about poopy diapers... even when they're explosive and end up on 3 outfits, 2 blankets, the wipe warmer, two clean diapers, the changing table, and even the wall!

5.) It is also possible to breastfeed and have the hiccups at the same time. Finn is actually quite good at it.

4.) There is a natural mother bear tendency that comes out the moment you become a mom. My sister-in-law, Amy, used to tell me this, but I quickly found out for myself how true it is. When we were leaving the hospital, I had a grandma and granddaughter try to touch Finley. We were stranded in our wheelchair while Devin and the nurse loaded the car with all of our stuff. Though at first, they seemed nice enough, admiring my precious child, they soon began bickering over how "fat" the granddaughter was and how she and her mother should stop eating! I tried to be nice, but I wanted to grab Finley and move her away from such negativity!

3.) Having a baby gives you an amazing new understanding of God's incredible sacrifice of His Son for our sins. It's astonishing how quickly your perspective on life changes by the addition of a child... I'd often heard this, but it's absolutely true.

2.) Your husband is never more attractive than when he becomes a father.

1.) "When you have a child, no matter how much you think you're prepared for it, you will be stunned by the capacity you have to love somebody."

This is a quote from one of my favorite TV shows (Is it okay to be a mom and still a TV fanatic???? Please say it is!) and is so accurate that I had to make it my #1 lesson learned!

What's in a Name?

Finley and I in front of the Spirit Rider statue at Homecoming.


The plaque on the statue recognizing Finley's contribution to OSU.


Our precious Finley!

The most frequently asked question so far has to be "Why did you name her Finley?" so here goes... And I should warn you that this is NOT the Reader's Digest Version!

When we became pregnant, we were looking for a name that was meaningful. I think that is probably pretty typical, but when you add an ultra Type-A, perfectionist (ME!) to the mix, finding THE name becomes quite a challenge. I would keep recalling Proverbs 22:1 "A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, Favor is better than silver and gold." and would put even more pressure on us to choose just the right one.

So we agreed that we wanted a name that was:

1.) Versatile and somewhat unique
2.) Meaningful to her as a child of God
3.) Meaningful to us in someway whether that was a family name or something connecting to our relationship

For our one year anniversary, Devin and I took a trip to Jamaica and on our way back there was an adorable little girl with a backpack embroidered "Finley". I turned to Devin and mentioned what a cute name that was and he replied "Don't you think that's probably her last name?" And who knows, it probably was, but it soon became a favorite of ours and was immediately added to the list once we knew we were pregnant. But did it meet the criteria???

1.)Finley was definitely versatile... could be girly or could be shortened to Finn if she is a tomboy. Also, pretty unique, but not too crazy different. Check mark!

2.) When we looked up what Finley meant in all the baby books, we found that it means Fair Warrior. I instantly loved the meaning because it reminded me of Ephesians 6:12-14 and how we are to put on the full armor of Christ. We want her to be a warrior for Christ and the fair gives a feminine spin to it. We want her to run the race, fight the good fight. And so for all these reasons and more, Finley definitely encompassed who we desire her to be as a child of our Most Heavenly Father. Check mark!

3.) This was the hardest criteria to meet. Devin and I struggled to find any family names that we really loved and so in trying to find a name that was meaningful to our relationship, we turned to OSU! Afterall, we met at an OSU football game, had our first date at an OSU basketball game, became engaged at the Spirit Rider statue, and held our wedding reception at the OSU Alumni Center. Two weeks before Finley joined us, I was searching online and found that the Spirit Rider was implemented at OSU by a man named Eddy Finley. CHECK MARK! I couldn't even believe it as I was reading the article because it seemed so obvious that Finley should be her name! Finally, it was clear who our little girl was going to be.

Her middle name Ela comes from my mom's name Pamela. Though Finley will never meet her grandma, she will definitely hear about her and feel her presence in her life!