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Saturday, May 14, 2011
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Rainbow Babies
Special thanks to Kelly for sharing this new term with us!
A "Rainbow Baby" is the understanding that the beauty of a rainbow does not negate the ravages of the storm. When a rainbow appears, it doesn't mean the storm never happened or that the family is not still dealing with its aftermath. What it means is that something beautiful and full of light has appeared in the midst of the darkness and clouds. Storm clouds may still hover but the rainbow provides a counterbalance of color, energy and hope.
A rainbow baby is a baby born after a miscarriage or any kind of loss...
A "Rainbow Baby" is the understanding that the beauty of a rainbow does not negate the ravages of the storm. When a rainbow appears, it doesn't mean the storm never happened or that the family is not still dealing with its aftermath. What it means is that something beautiful and full of light has appeared in the midst of the darkness and clouds. Storm clouds may still hover but the rainbow provides a counterbalance of color, energy and hope.
The cool thing is that we actually have two "Rainbow Babies". We had a miscarriage before Josephine and two before Beatrice. I've always struggled with a way to characterize births after losses, and this couldn't be a more perfect way to look at it.
Quick quote
Last night we were reading a book about a little girl who believes she is fairy princess. She lists off her royal dutie, explaining that she must spend some time each day catching frogs because you never know which one is going to be a prince. Josie's reply after I read this line of the book: "It's not that hard; just look for the one with the crown."
Note: Blogger was down for a few days and all the posts anyone made on 5/11 were lost. This was one of them and marks the reason why I write down these quotes in the first place. Already, just a few days later, I couldn't remember Josie's exact words. Who knows how much I would forget if I didn't record it all here. Three cheers for blogging!
Note: Blogger was down for a few days and all the posts anyone made on 5/11 were lost. This was one of them and marks the reason why I write down these quotes in the first place. Already, just a few days later, I couldn't remember Josie's exact words. Who knows how much I would forget if I didn't record it all here. Three cheers for blogging!
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Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Now that you're here with me...
Oh do I have a special surprise for you today!
I have spent so much of these first two months in pure "survival" mode - trying to figure out life as a family of four and all that this involves. Now that we are getting into our rhythm and the clock is ticking on my maternity leave, I've had some time to go back and do a few little projects. I'm almost finished with Beatrice's full birth story, but in the meantime I wanted to share these two things: 1) The images from our newborn photo session, 2) The best song, "Here with me" by Frances England, that touched me so deeply the first time that I heard it that it has heard it and has sort of become Bea's theme song. Crank up the volume, listen to the words and enjoy the photos!
Watch below, or for even more fun, click on this link and open the video full screen from youtube.
I have spent so much of these first two months in pure "survival" mode - trying to figure out life as a family of four and all that this involves. Now that we are getting into our rhythm and the clock is ticking on my maternity leave, I've had some time to go back and do a few little projects. I'm almost finished with Beatrice's full birth story, but in the meantime I wanted to share these two things: 1) The images from our newborn photo session, 2) The best song, "Here with me" by Frances England, that touched me so deeply the first time that I heard it that it has heard it and has sort of become Bea's theme song. Crank up the volume, listen to the words and enjoy the photos!
Watch below, or for even more fun, click on this link and open the video full screen from youtube.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Mama's Day
Mother's Day is always a little bittersweet for me - and just downright heartbreaking for a lot of people I know and have come to know over the years as we have shared our own story. This time last year, we had recently lost Camille. Mother's Day is certainly a great day to celebrate our own mothers and a day for those of us who are fortunate enough to have children to allow them to celebrate us, but for lots of women it is a gut-wrenching reminder of everything they long to have. I guess all I am trying to say is this - those of us who are mothers are enormously blessed. Those late-night feedings, the diaper blowouts, the hormones and pains of pregnancy - these are all things that so many women would give just about anything to experience. As we celebrate our own mothers and ourselves, just remember not to take anything for granted.
Here is my mother's day gift from precious Josephine. They worked on these all week at school and she absolutely couldn't wait to give it to me on Friday! In her words, "Mommy, I made you a special Mother's Day surprise. It's a big surprise and I can't tell you what it is...it is a hand-tree...a tree made out of my hand and I made it just for you! We can hang it in your bedroom, actually we should put it in my bedroom...Here open it, it is a BIG surprise!"
Happy Mother's Day to all the mamas out there - my mom, the women I am lucky enough to share motherhood with who influence and inspire me as a mother so much, all the women out there who have lost babies and children, and all the women out there with aching hearts longing to be mothers.
Here is my mother's day gift from precious Josephine. They worked on these all week at school and she absolutely couldn't wait to give it to me on Friday! In her words, "Mommy, I made you a special Mother's Day surprise. It's a big surprise and I can't tell you what it is...it is a hand-tree...a tree made out of my hand and I made it just for you! We can hang it in your bedroom, actually we should put it in my bedroom...Here open it, it is a BIG surprise!"
Happy Mother's Day to all the mamas out there - my mom, the women I am lucky enough to share motherhood with who influence and inspire me as a mother so much, all the women out there who have lost babies and children, and all the women out there with aching hearts longing to be mothers.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Friday, May 6, 2011
Sisterhood in Song
We captured this little gem of Josephine singing a song to Beatrice that she made up (with some school friends thrown in there for good measure). Music to a mama's ears...
Sorry for the sideways video. We shot it on Lou's cell phone and uploaded directly to youtube from there. Lesson learned.
Sorry for the sideways video. We shot it on Lou's cell phone and uploaded directly to youtube from there. Lesson learned.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Butterflies!!!
The Butterfly Show at Krohn Conservatory in Cincinnati is an annual favorite. This year Carissa and I took the girls and the butterflies cooperated. Even though I forgot my portrait lens, I still got some pretty fun photos. If you are local and haven't been yet - put on some brightly colored clothes, grab your camera, and get your buns over there! (I highly suggest late afternoon on a weekday if you can pull it off. Weekends are packed and afternoons beat the school field trip crowd.)
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Big Ballet Show
The Cincinnati Ballet Academy Children's Division Spring Production was Sunday night at the Aronoff Center downtown. How cool that the little ones get the chance to dance on the same stage as the Broadway shows and top concerts that come through Cincinnati.
We were all a little nervous, but she did great! And she had a HUGE glowing smile (that has earned her the nickname "Sunshine" among her teachers at school) across her sparkling pink cheeks the whole time. There was no doubt at all that she was having a great time and was really having fun up there!
Now for the bad news, we don't have any photos or videos of the actual performance. Both were strictly prohibited and our seats were right by the ushers. The girls were dressed and undressed backstage in their costumes so the only time we saw her in it was when she was on the stage. All this said, she did have a photo taken a couple of weeks ago in her costume and we do get a DVD of the performance so the big show will make it to the blog...eventually.
In the meantime, here are the photos from home before and after the big event!
Josie was really excited that she got to wear "stage make-up". I had so much fun doing her hair and makeup (although it was a very surreal moment for sure) but my heart broke a little when I looked at her in the mirror and realized how big "Sweet Baby Josie" has gotten.
Her lip gloss lasted about 2.2 seconds because she just couldn't stop touching it to make sure it was still there.
DD and his girls (Isn't Bea's expression hilarious?)
What is a ballet show without adoring Grandparents?
All the ladies
After the show, Josie was WHOOPED but not too tired for a few photos with her flowers (thanks to Carissa for telling us that flowers for the ballerina were a necessary part of the event and to Grandma & DD for stopping by Whole Foods to pick them up).
In fact, speaking of Carissa - did I forget to mention that she spent the WHOLE WEEK with us last week?! It was Josie's spring break and Carissa drove down from NY to spend it with us. I can't believe how quickly it went by and it was so fantastic to have her here! Josie will always love her Sisis! And so will we!
One last twirl from the ballerina before bed -
And she's officially done. Bedtime.
One last thing - is this not the most beautiful ballerina bun you have ever seen? I'm so proud of myself. :)
Little Ballerina Josephine twirled her little heart out on the big stage!
Now for the bad news, we don't have any photos or videos of the actual performance. Both were strictly prohibited and our seats were right by the ushers. The girls were dressed and undressed backstage in their costumes so the only time we saw her in it was when she was on the stage. All this said, she did have a photo taken a couple of weeks ago in her costume and we do get a DVD of the performance so the big show will make it to the blog...eventually.
In the meantime, here are the photos from home before and after the big event!
Josie was really excited that she got to wear "stage make-up". I had so much fun doing her hair and makeup (although it was a very surreal moment for sure) but my heart broke a little when I looked at her in the mirror and realized how big "Sweet Baby Josie" has gotten.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Ballet show day!
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