Year: 2008

Earlier this month Kyle, my dad, Sophie and I went to a quilt dedication at Creekside Elementary, where my mom teaches kindergarten. To create the quilt you see here, my mom’s students used a lot of the philosophies of the Reggio Emilia Approach (which my mom studied in Italy earlier this year). They sold homemade wrapping paper during the holidays to earn money to buy quilt supplies. With minimal guidance from adults, they chose the shape, size, colors and design of the quilt. They then went around the school in pairs photographing “the story of their school.” The perspectives of the resulting photographs were fascinating, as were the reasons the students chose to include them in the quilt.

I hope Sophie someday has a similar kindergarten experience.

Speaking of Sophie, she received many lovely homemade gifts, including several quilts. Following are just a few of them.

Here she’s doing “tummy time” on a quilt Andy’s mom made for him 29 years ago.

Here Sophie is on a quilt Jen Paisley made as a shower gift.

And here she is on a quilt my mom made before she was even born.

“Some may wonder if hand sewing, with its seemingly endless stitches, has a real place in today’s busy home. Just as comfortable a place, we reply, as the rocking chair in the nursery.” —Sarah Howard Stone

Sophie slept from midnight to 5:45 this morning, then again from 6:30 to 8:30. Life is good.

“Oh sleep! it is a gentle thing,
Beloved from pole to pole.” —Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Yesterday Sophie learned all about voting, mainly, that you get a sticker.

“It’s not just enough to change the players. We’ve gotta change the game.” —Barack Obama

Last week I finally finished my shots. Because of a possible Protein C deficiency, I had to give myself two injections of Lovenox daily, throughout the pregnancy. Starting at 36 weeks I switched to two injections of Heparin, and continued the Heparin for six weeks after Sophie was born. That’s 544 shots. And we still don’t know if it was the shots or something else that made this pregnancy viable but it doesn’t matter. It was totally worth it.

“There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as expectation of something better tomorrow.” —Orison Swett Marden

When Uncle Kyle and Christina came to visit, Sophie wore a onesie Uncle Kyle bought for her in Brooklyn, before she was born. It was made by a Brooklyn artist and has a cool screen print of the Brooklyn Bridge on front and says “Brooklyn Baby” on back. Sophie loves it.

“When Charles first saw our child Mary, he said all the proper things for a new father. He looked upon the poor little red thing and blurted, ‘She’s more beautiful than the Brooklyn Bridge.’ ” —Helen Hayes

Kyle’s girlfriend, Christina, seemed to be much more experienced with baby holding. She also offered to babysit, which Andy and I will be sure to take advantage of in the future!

And Sophie wasn’t fussy everytime Uncle Kyle held her.

Kyle, who lives in Brooklyn, met Sophie for the first time today. He carried her around Panera, watched her while I grabbed a drink of water, quieted her in the car and held her—despite her being a little fussy—for a few pictures.

“Sometimes being a brother is even better than being a superhero.” —Marc Brown

Today Sophie went in for her hip ultrasound (now often standard procedure when babies are breech). To keep warm, she wore a cardigan my Grandma Gebhart made for me when I was an infant.

“Sweater, n.: garment worn by child when its mother is feeling chilly.” —Ambrose Bierce

Sunday I celebrated my first Mother’s Day! I’ve been looking forward to this day for a long time. Andy and Sophie surprised me with a gift certificate for a pedicure and massage (and some time alone out of the house), which I’m looking forward to using.

We also celebrated Mother’s Day with my mom (and dad) with brunch at Chez Nora in Mainstrasse. As a new mother, I now have a new appreciation for what motherhood is—a strange and wonderful mix of anxiety, peace, frustration and joy. I’m grateful to have been able to celebrate with my mom and I’m so happy to finally be a part of the club.

“The world is full of women blindsided by the unceasing demands of motherhood, still flabbergasted by how a job can be terrific and torturous.” —Anna Quindlen

Sometimes sleep comes easily for Sophie.

And sometimes she needs a little help.

“Not being able to sleep is terrible. You have the misery of having partied all night … without the satisfaction.” —Lynn Johnston