Audrey Grace R entered into this world at 1600 PDT on Sunday, 5/17 via c-section.

She was 7 lbs 1 oz and 18 in long.

Baby is doing good. Momma is recovering. I'm slowly eating breakfast ... My first food since about 8 pm Sat night.

Audrey is perfect! She's sleeping like a rock. And is feeding really well.

Will post more later when its not from my phone.
~Christine

baby 2.jpg

Audrey Grace

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Thankful Thursday

I'm very thankful that my pregnancy has been normal, routine and healthy.

As I approach the finish line, I thank God for all His protection during this and pray that He continue to watch over me and deliver Audrey Grace in His perfect timing.

As an aside ... I learned that Audrey Grace is a species of Dahlia.

Additionally, Audrey means ' noble strength.'. I really like that meaning, especially combined with the middle name Grace.

Happy Mother's Day

Mom,

You've been my mother for 29 years. I've learned so much from you. I
learned many practical things such as how to tie my shoes, how to comb
my hair when it's full of knots, how to apply make-up, etc.

I have many fond memories of our times together growing up. Our many
shopping trips, our breakfasts after a morning appointment, getting
silly prizes at the grocery store just because I was sick, and my
fondest is our summer when I worked at CDOT with you. I feel like our
relationship really blossomed that summer. That may be what brought
me out of my teenage attitude and really started to see you as a
person.

I was thinking yesterday about all the many Subway sandwiches you
brought me during marching band and how few times I thanked you. I
didn't realize how unappreciative I was at the time.

Thank you for the sandwiches for 4 years of marching band. Thank you
for the moral support during my activities, thank you for the fun we
had when we hung out. Thank you for being you.

Thank you for praying for me. I know you never stopped doing that.
Thank you for letting me make my own mistakes.

Most of all...thank you for showing me the love of God. You showed me
how to have a relationship with Him. You taught me about His
salvation. That is the best thing you've done for me because it meant
my eternity.

As I begin to embark on my own journey of motherhood, I hope/pray that
am to my daughter what you are to me.

I think Gramma Molly started a great tradition of mothering and you
were successful in passing it on. I hope I am as well.

I love you mom.

Happy Mother's Day
Chrisi - cause its easier to type........................

quick hello and ramblings

Just a quick post to say, "Hello ... I have not forgotten about you."

Simple request: if you read my blog, please click on the "follow" button on the right-hand side. This does require a Google profile, but those are quick and easy to sign-up if you don't have one already.

Also ... I have recently finished a few books and want to post some reviews, but need time to gather my thoughts and put them together into a review. I hope to do this shortly. But as a teaser, the books I've recently read are

The Birth Partner - by Penny Simkin
Don't Let Go - by David Pierce
Foreign Body - by Robin Cook

I recently started The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - by C.S. Lewis

Not so recently read, but I think not reviewed or commented upon was Ina May's Guide to Childbirth and What to Expect when You're Expecting.

Not sure how much I'll review on the pregnancy books ... but I DID read them. So I should mention them. I am still reading, even if not at the same rate as previously.

On my "would like to read someday" list, but haven't yet obtained this book, is Last Child - by Michael Spooner (my uncle).

I have only one week left of work until I'm on leave. It feels like the week before summer break. This last week is going to be grueling. I was doing better before I knew when I was going to be done. Now that I know I have a date to finish, I wish it were here already. I spent today getting some things finished so that I can be gone for 3 months.

Weekend plans include another Band Review competition for Kymberly, church on Sunday, and then veg Sunday afternoon. Sunday evening the kids are going to dinner with their mom, so it'll just be me and Josh for dinner and a movie. Who knows ... maybe I'll have a baby that day.

I'll leave you with a fun photo. Not new this week, but from my baby shower. This is me and my cousin Nancy.

Some photos for posterity

38 weeks 0 days - notice the stretch marks????

All my belly pics

Some posed photos a friend took of Josh and myself

Band Review

P1060293
Originally uploaded by Christsstar

It's been awhile since I've posted anything. Just been very busy getting ready for the baby coming and supporting kids' school activities and work and ........

Speaking of supporting kids school activities, this is Kymberly marching in the Del Mar Band Review. It's a competition for the local bands to show off their drumlines, marching bands, color guard, concert bands and jazz bands.

Kymberly started playing the trombone last year in music class. She played for a whole 3 weeks and really loved it. So this year she wanted to play it full time in the band. She started in the beginner band and has really excelled. She puts all her energy and concentration and everything into playing and marching.

The band review was a format that I'm not familiar with. It was set up around the perimeter of a local high school, on the residential streets. There was a small piece of road set up for the drumline to showcase themselves. After they finished their performance, they rejoined with the band and they marched up to the next street. The band had one block to practice their parade tune. Then they turned the corner and repeated it for the judges.

The marching band for this middle school is incredible. They have discipline and showmanship and professionalism that I respect and don't see often in young children.

After the marching competition, they had a couple hours break. Then they had a concert competition. They only played two songs (no photos, sorry). After the concert competition, the jazz band had a chance to play also. Because the soloist had an injured mouth, they were unable to play to their highest caliber.

The marching band placed 1st.
The color guard placed 1st
The drumline placed 2nd
The drum major placed 2nd
The concert band placed 3rd.
The jazz band didn't place. :(

We are so proud of Kymberly and her efforts and participation in this program.

She has another band review next weekend that we will attend and support barring any babies being born.

(Clicking on the photo will take you to all the photos of the day on my flickr site.)