Our one year anniversary is in two days! Hearing and realizing that we've only been married a year is shocking! It feels like we were married a long time ago, in a good way. A really good way. I wanted to write a few love letters to my Mr. van der Wel to celebrate our very first anniversary.
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Taken on our honeymoon road trip. I love this photo.
Dear Philip,
Our anniversary is in two days. Can you believe it? A lot has happened in one year. We were married. We moved countries. We became pregnant. We bought a house. We had a sweet little girl and we named her Audrey. We did all these things together which is my favorite way to do things.
I'll never forget when we first met. I had butterflies, actual butterflies! I was so nervous and clumsy around you. I had trouble understanding your accent at first, but I was so taken by your gentleness and sincerity, things which I still admire so much about you. I wanted to spend as much time as I could with you before I left to go back to the States. I remember sitting and playing guitar with you, grocery shopping, and taking walks in the snow. Even though we lost touch for a few years, I still treasure those moments in my heart. I'll never forget the last walk we had before my flight the next day. I cried.
Here we are, married now. I am so madly and deeply in love with you. You are such a pillar in my life and your love for me astonishes me every day.
I love you. Always.
Your wife,
Lamb shanks
Also from our road trip. It was awesome.
Audrey's weigh in.
Little Updates:
-Audrey lost her umbilical cord after 4 days. I'm not gonna lie, it really freaked me and Phil out. It was so gross and I couldn't tell if it was okay or not. It's all healed and looks great now. Deep sigh of relief. I did not enjoy that process.
-Last Monday our midwife dropped by to check on our progress and weigh little Miss Audrey E. After 1 week she is already back to her birth weight! Wahoo!
-I'm back into my pre-pregnancy jeans. I'm over the moon! I expected to give myself a few months to ease back into my old clothes. I'm already planning my outfits.
-No stretch marks! Again. Over the moon.
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Our tiny girl is a little wonder. I find myself staring at our beautiful daughter for long periods of time. She is so captivating, it makes it hard for me to do anything else. I'm amazed at how my love for her is growing and maturing every day. I love everything about her, including the fact that she needs me all the time.
I can already see her changing. I know that from the moment she was born she started growing up. It already causes my heart to ache. I'm trying to hang on to every precious moment and lock them up in my heart and my mind.
Lately, I'm also feeling really loved. When I think of how much I love and care for my little daughter, I am reminded of how much the Lord cares and loves for me. It chokes me up a bit. His love for us is beyond compare. My ears are so tuned to Audrey's little cries and puppy noises, just how God hears my cries. It makes my head spin with wonder and awe. Loving my daughter has brought me so much new perspective in my life. I can say that I expected some level of change on my perspective but never to this degree.
Our tiny girl is settling into our lives beautifully. I am feeling more comfortable and easy with my new role as a Mama. I am feeling more empowered and less afraid. I am getting used to our new sleep schedule and I feel more adjusted to life with a newborn. It's a gorgeous feeling.
xoxo
Talia Christine
Audrey is one week old today!
The first week went by really fast and felt like an eternity all at the same time. She is an absolute doll and I can't get enough of her. I find myself just staring at her when I should be catching up on some sleep.
Our midwife came by today to weigh little miss Audrey and she is back to her birth weight after one week! Yay! I'm a proud mama. I can't help myself.
I am feeling more like my normal self again, which is so wonderful! I love it! I still feel tired, but just normal not-getting-enough-sleep tired. Not tired from blood loss or low iron levels. Me and Audrey have had a wonderful day today. Things are really looking up.
I think I really like this whole "Mama Business".
xoxo
Talia Christine
Our little miss Sweet Bean is 6 days old today!
I can just barely handle her soft skin and kissable cheeks. We are totally and completely in love. She has stolen our sleep and our hearts. Funny how they do that, eh?
xoxo
Talia Christine
P.S. - She is already changing and growing* so fast! I have to keep the camera at my side just to keep up!
*But not growing too fast. Preemie clothes are still too big on her. Tiny thing.
No one really told me. Or I guess they tried but I didn't have the slightest clue what new mommy-hood would be like. I can honestly and very easily say it's the hardest thing I've ever done!
My precious baby girl is asleep in my lap. It's 7:30PM and feels like the middle of the night. We have already gone to bed for the night and she woke up crying. Her skin is so soft and new. She smells good. I can't explain it really, she just smells brand new. My daughter is 4 days old. I can't believe we've only had her 4 days. It seems so much longer than that and at the same time everything is still so new and sometimes really scary.
Yesterday was the worst. It was easily the worst day I've ever had. I know that sounds dramatic, but it is what it is. The culprit? Not my baby girl, but hormones. I've heard of "baby blues" but I had no idea how hard it would hit as my hormones drastically changed after giving birth. YIKES! I literally cried all day. I felt palpable fear rack my entire body. My muscles still aren't forgiving me for the stress that I felt yesterday.
I felt scared of not ever recovering (not logical, I know). My stitches hurt. My breasts were aching. Holy crap I'm a mom. I feel nauseous. I feel dizzy from blood loss. Am I healing OK? Is my baby breathing? What if I get an infection? What do I do? How do I make it to the next hour? I haven't had sleep since birth. Somebody save me! Someone make it better. I miss my mom.
These are some of the mental and emotional challenges I faced yesterday, and it was just too much. The funny thing is that today I'm fine. Today I feel like me again. I still feel exhausted but today I am stronger. I cried out to God so many times yesterday. He carried me through, but I had my doubts I would make it.
Yesterday is gone and I am so madly in love with this baby. It's silly how much I love her. She is still sleeping and I am going to try and get some very much needed rest.
I can honestly say though, that I love being a mom. I love this tiny life that we were entrusted with. I am blown away. Today was easier than yesterday. I look forward to tomorrow.
Love,
A very sleepy Talia Christine
Audrey Eleanor van der Wel
Born on June 13th, 2011
Weighed: 6lbs 1oz
We are so in love with our little tiny girl!
My waters broke at 3:30 AM and we have been laboring for over 12 hours now. My contractions have slowed down a bit but have increased in intensity. In all likelyhood, we'll be meeting our little one tonight!
Please keep us in your prayers!
xoxo
Talia Christine
Hey everybody!
Just dropping in to say that the due date has come and gone! Still no Baby vdW just yet. Sigh. In the meantime, I'm baking cookies, getting lots of rest, and watching cowboy movies with Phil while we wait for this little one's arrival.
This waiting business is tough stuff. Keep us in your prayers!
xoxo
Talia Christine
Dear Baby van der Wel,
Today is your due date. Me and your father would very much like to meet you and I think today would be a good day. Hurry hurry! We love you!
Love,
Your Mama
My pregnancy notebook that my midwife writes my progress in currently says:
Well and waiting.
Let me tell you, it is SO hard to be this near the end of the pregnancy and not feel antsy! Trying to find contentment is harder and harder. I'm finding I really have to dig deep and trust in God and His timing and it's harder than I thought. To counteract the restlessness and anxiousness I've been feeling, I've been counting my blessings. I soon realize that all of the good FAR outweighs the waiting.
I have the most fantastic husband, ever. That's a fact.
We are incredibly blessed beyond belief in our marriage, the things God has provided for us, and the fact that baby is really healthy.
So blessed. And even if none of that were true, I can still find peace in God knowing that we are in His hands. At this point I am just being impatient and that's a place I don't want to be!
So in the meantime, me and the Mister have been busy with the last of the preparations for baby. We bought some bottles, a rocker/recliner bouncer thingy (courtesy of my sister and her husband), and the cutest little brown pants you ever did see. And since I have so much time waiting on Baby van der Wel's arrival, I decided to make a little miniature hoodie!
Wah! It's so cute! I can't wait to dress up our little Bean!
Keep us in your prayers! We will keep you posted. Come on, Bean. We are ready to meet you. Pretty please?
xoxo
Talia Christine
P.S. - The pattern for the little knit hoodie can be found here! Aw!
We've been busy around here and we've finished the final prototype for our baby moccasins!
After lots and lots of mockups, stitching and restitching, we finally have a pattern that we're ready to go forward with! We'll start production and sizing soon. I'm so excited! Stay tuned!
P.S. - Why is anything miniature SO MUCH cuter than its bigger size?
xoxo
Talia Christine
