A wedding and a visit

My Granny was here to visit this last week!  It’s been so marvellous having her around.  If I wasn’t off doing something else this week, I was over at my Mom and Dad’s visiting.  She is such a beautiful, pleasant person to spend time with and is so full of wisdom and stories.  I am so inspired by the stories she tells of the old days when her and Grandpa were younger, trying to make it.  My Grandpa was so inventive and creative and Granny so full of fun and willing to go along with his interesting ideas.  If ever I begin to think that my life is difficult and begin to wonder how I can do everything, I need only to think of the example of my Grandparents and I realize I have life very easy! 

 It was such a blessing to be able to share Adalyn with my Granny as well.  I’m so glad she was able to see Adalyn at this early stage.  It’s such a beautiful thing watching the generations interact.  I wish I could have introduced her to my Grandpa as well.  He was a person so rich in character.  She has such a rich heritage!    

 My cousin Bonnie got married this last Saturday too!  What a beautiful wedding!  Her new husband Tai is so obviously in love and so adoring.  Bonnie looks so happy, I am so confident he will treat her like a queen for the rest of their lives.  I am SO excited for them!  He is a godly man and though I don’t know him well yet, they seem so perfect for each other.  I was so pleased to be able to spend the morning at her house with her and her sisters while they got all done up.  I left Adalyn at home in the care of Mark while I was there.  I was privileged to witness Tai the first time he saw Bonnie the morning of the wedding as well.  So awesome!

I don’t actually have a great photo of Mark and I and Adalyn at the wedding because the photographer took some of us.  I didn’t take my camera out to take my own pictures because I figured her photos will be way nicer and we can just get them from Bonnie later.  So unfortunately the nice pictures of Adalyn at the wedding will have to wait… but here are a few until then.

 As a result of the wedding, my good friend Rachel was here to visit this week as well!  It’s been an exciting last couple of days!  Rachel is a true friend.  She is one of those people who when visiting after time apart, it feels like no time has passed when you see them again.  Though it is wonderful to meet new people and make new friends, there is nothing quite like old friends.  Very refreshing to visit with her again and to introduce her to Adalyn as well!  

Mark is just about done one house for the summer, but still has two more to finish by October.  He’s doing such a good job juggling busy work and new family life.  He still has the ability to calm me and Adalyn when I am tired and frustrated.  How he does it, I don’t know!   I love him.  

  

We think Adalyn has begun smiling consciously!  I haven’t caught it on camera, but she definitely responds with a smile sometimes.  She is so much more aware of things now than even a week ago.  She can follow people with her eyes as they cross a room and listens much more intently when people talk to her.  Not that she didn’t listen before, but she just seems much more interested now than she used to be.    

Here we are again...

Here we are again, and one more week has past.  It’s amazing how fast time goes by these days!  Way faster than those last days of pregnancy!  It feels like my whole life revolves around Adalyn these days, so this is what I have to talk about!  Sorry to anyone who maybe wants to hear about something else!  Haha  

Things have definitely settled down a lot since last week.  We are finally settling into life with a baby and though it still feels like I have almost no time to get anything that I want to get done, done, we are slowly getting used to a new normal.   I still haven’t fully prepared a meal since Adalyn was born.  It always seems she needs attention right around meal times.  Mark has been so good and hasn’t seemed bothered by it at all.  I think he is having a much easier time adjusting than I am.  

 I have been on a few outings this week.  I think I’ve gone out almost every day, which has been very good for me!  My mom went with me to Winnipeg to shop for an outfit for Bonnie and Tai’s wedding on Saturday.  It was very successful and I found something very quickly, which isn’t normal for me.  I’m so happy with my new outfit and I can’t wait to wear it!  Adalyn has a very cute little dress too.  She’s going to be the best looking baby around!  

I was nervous about feeding times while we were shopping.  I’m not sure why I’m so uptight about it, I know I just have to feed her when she’s hungry and she is getting much faster at nursing which makes it a lot better. 

Pictures of us in our outfits are yet to come... the wedding is on Saturday, YAY!  I'm so excited!

Adalyn had her first baby shower on Sunday.  There were a lot of people there.  Almost 40 I think!  I am quite overwhelmed by all the gifts we got.  I finished sorting through the clothes yesterday and her closet is a lot fuller than it was a few days ago.  She got a lot of stuff to wear for 6-9 months and 12 months.  Quite a few pairs of jeans and t-shirts.  It’s nice to know I won’t have to buy very many clothes in the coming months.

Cauntie Elishema (cousin aunty :) )

Cauntie Char

Mark's Grandma holding Adalyn

This week I also took Adalyn to her first Dr.’s appointment by myself and she did so well!  We had to wait at least 45 min to see the Dr and even so, she still let me go do some other things after the appointment was over!  The more I go out the more confident I get.

We gave Adalyn her first real bath (meaning not a sponge bath) this week as well.  This week is all about firsts!  She loved it which kind of surprised me.  She cried for the first 30 seconds, but then just lay there basking in the warmth.  She is so cute!!  

 I hope I’m not missing anything.  So much has happened in a week’s time.  Emotions aren’t running quite as wild anymore which I am grateful for!  I am also so thankful for God who never ceases to give us the grace to handle each day’s challenges and continually gives strength when I am weak.  This is one thing I am definitely learning… “One day at a time sweet Jesus”…

Adalyn is so beautiful and I love her immensely! 

   

One more thing!  I realized I hadn’t posted any pictures of the Saskatchewan Thiessen Aunts and Uncles holding Adalyn, and also my brother David didn’t have a picture with Adalyn so here are the updates!

Auntie Lorissa

Uncle J.J. and Uncle Matthew

Uncle David

Adalyn's first week

Well, finally a moment to sit down and write down some of my thoughts and feelings about the last week!  What a roller coaster!  Mothering is the most beautiful thing and also one of the hardest things I have done in my life up till now.  The last week has been a crazy whirlwind of visitors and trying to figure out my new schedule, or rather Adalyn’s schedule, amidst the exhaustion of not having slept for 2 nights straight and then very little the following nights.  I don’t think I was prepared for the amount of work it is to take care of a newborn. 

Adalyn Joy was born on Monday, June 27 at 4:00 in the morning.  My water broke after church on Sunday afternoon and then began the labour process.  It was worse than I expected, but when I think of it now a week later, the memory of the pain has faded.  Women always told me this is how it was and while I was going through it I wondered how anyone could ever forget the agony!  I understand now, though I'm still definitely not ready to do it again any time too soon!

It’s almost impossible to describe the awesome relief and joy when the baby slides out and is laid in your arms.  After everything I went through, I felt like laughing and I’m pretty sure no one could’ve wiped the huge smile off  my face! She was so perfect and beautiful!  I couldn’t stop saying to Mark and Adalyn, “We did it!”  We made it!” 

Monday afternoon we had visitors.  My mom and dad were the first ones to see her.  Later Tim and Angela came with Isabelle, Mark’s mom came for a while and later in the evening Meg and David came as well as Mark’s dad.  We were so proud and it was so much fun to show off our beautiful daughter! 

 

Grandpa

Granny

Auntie Angela, Uncle Tim and Cousin Isabelle

Grandma

Uncle David

Auntie Meaghan

Grandpa

The next day we had company from my mom and her friend and from Bonnie and Taunte Tina.  Later after we got home our neighbour lady stopped in with her 4 children, Josh and Cara came with Carter and my Aunt Norma came with cousins Anna Marie and Nancy. 

Bonnie

Uncle Paul

Great Auntie Margaret

I really wish I could share this with my sister though.  It's hard that she's so far away.  I'm so grateful for skype, that we can visit that way and that she can actually see Adalyn in real time.

  

I felt so unsure about everything the first couple of days.  Feeding was a whole new thing.  I was constantly worrying about whether or not she was getting enough and if she was eating too often and getting into a bad routine.  I still wonder and am still learning, though I feel much more confident about it now than I did 2 days ago.  I imagine it will only get better. 

Coming home from the hospital was the first time I shed tears.  We packed her up in her car seat and she looked so tiny in it.  I sat with her in the back seat of the car and half way home my tears started flowing.  I just couldn’t believe that such a sweet beautiful baby was ours and that we were actually taking her home to stay!  I think having her in our space made everything seem so much more real to me.  She was coming to invade our lives and our life would never be the same.  I remember one morning after only about 4 or 5 hours of sleep most of which were broken up, I said to Mark that I just wished our life could go back to normal, just for one day or night. Haha.  I would never trade Adalyn in though.  She’s amazing!   

I think I have cried every day since we took her home.  My emotions seem to be running wild and I will cry at the silliest things.  My mind goes wild and it’s hard to think logically. Sometimes I have no idea why I’m crying. haha Like I said, it’s been a roller coaster!  

 

I have had so much help from family the last couple of days.  I am overwhelmed by the support I’ve felt.  The house has almost never been empty with just Mark and myself.  Mark’s parents are living in their camper at our place for a week while they are moving.  They don’t have a home right now so Mark’s mom has been extremely helpful in making meals and cleaning up the kitchen and just caring for Adalyn so I can have some naps.  My mom was over for a day as well to help me do laundry and other household chores while Mark was away helping his parents pack up.   

Sometimes while I feed Adalyn I read the Bible out loud to her.  It is so precious and helps me to focus my attention on what really matters.  It also helps remind me that these present troubles and hardships are only for a time and my strength comes from God.  I feel so inadequate to raise Adalyn.  My deepest heart’s desire is that she will grow up right and trained in the ways of God.  I want her to know that God loves her unconditionally and be a person that brings glory to his name.

 

Mark is such an amazing daddy.  I love watching him with Adalyn.  The next couple of months are going to be pretty crazy with work for him and I am praying that we will all make it through that time. 

Friday was Adalyn’s first outing.  We went to a grad party for Mark’s cousin.  I was nervous about going out, but it all went very well.  I think the more I go out the more comfortable I will get with it. This morning we went to church and it was awesome.  I don’t know what I was so worried about. 

Well, perhaps I’ll stop my rambling.  Sorry to those who’ve made it to this point.  I think this post is almost more for myself  then for anyone else’s interest.  I don’t want to forget what these first couple of days were like.  

Adalyn's first bath.