Happy Birthday, Dad!

You know all of those "Things I Learned from Dad," articles, cards, or cartoons? I've learned a lot from my dad over the years. He has always been a great person to learn lessons through and to model your own attitude after, but I've never sat down and thought about what the specific things I would say I've learned from him are. Let me give it a go in honor of his birthday today...

-Work hard, have goals, and know where you're headed.

-The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

-Never assume you're getting a deal unless you actually try to deal.

-Throw caution to the wind when excitement or passion supersedes other anxieties about purchases, choices, decisions, etc.

-Be honest.

-Record the game and fall asleep during the playback.

-Be nice, but don't be taken advantage of.

-Have fun in your work and play.

-Love your family.

-Don't be afraid to repeat a great joke, or even just your run of the mill smart-ass remark.

-If you've already sold it, stop selling it.

-Mom is right.

-Find people interesting.

-Believe in magic. But, don't teach people your tricks unless they're going to use them.

-Be the kind of person that is spoken well of, especially when not present.

-Make the most of your resources... When writing an amazing list for Dad's birthday, make it count for Father's Day, too. Happy early Father's Day, too, Dad!

I love you and am so proud to have a dad that has spent his short sixty-three years being the kind of man who teaches his daughter these lessons. Happy Birthday!!

...and Happy Father's Day, too!

Tell Me About It Tuesday

Time for me to tell you what's been up with me...



1. The first thing I'll tell you about, of course, is Cora. She had her two week check up yesterday and weighed 5 lbs, 12 oz! This was very exciting, considering she dropped too far down from her birth weight, wouldn't eat well, and was jaundice at the end of her first week. Now she wakes up crying to eat - it's like having a real baby, or something! ;). So even though Cora is really the majority of what's up with me, now I am going to try to come up with other things to tell you about.



2. Many people want to know how it feels to be able to do stuff once again, now that I'm off of bed rest. It feels fantastic! I am able to help and do things for myself at the house (thanks to the Moby wrap), run quick errands, when I have help with the baby, and go on walks! I've taken excursions to doctor's offices, CVS, Bye Bye Baby, Target, my parent's house, and Matt and Sarina's house. Woohoo for mobility!!



3. It should be noted that Miles and I became completely obsessed with the tv series Mad Men, thanks to my cousin, Joe. He lent me all the seasons, and we literally watch it all of the time. We are trying to catch up to the current season, airing now. We are making great progress towards that goal, thanks to the ability to avoid true responsibility.



4. I've decided to bite the bullet and buy a new computer. Mine has been on the fritz for some time now, and even though Joanie told me the steps I should take to fix it, I have never done so. I really believe it is an investment and something that will last a long time, so why not!? For a while I've been thinking I might get a desktop computer this time, but now I'm questioning if that's my best option. I don't seem to have a ton of say about where I'm sitting to complete tasks, already. Hmmmmm...



5. It's May today. I love summer, even with the heat that it brings us Texans. I love the sun, swimming, lazy days, lake trips, patios, and all the good times summer brings. I'm happy it's May today.



6. Tomorrow is Jacob's birthday - Happy Birthday, Jacob!! He and Joanie are in the midst of packing and moving this week, so my birthday wish for Jacob is that he gets a moment to relax...soon!



7. I tried those peel and stick nails, and I was disappointed. Maybe I didn't do it right. All I know is I am glad it's in light pink, so that I don't have to remove it right away. It took too long not to leave for at least a day or two.

8. I was really trying to make this a list to ten, but I don't have anything else tonight. Considering this took me almost 24 hours to write, I was probably pushing it getting this far. :)

The End

My Baby Girl

Who is it that has...
simultaneous smiles and frowns?








legs for days?








dark blue newborn eyes?








caps and not clothes?








huge hands?




squeaks for cries?




socks for gloves?




sleepless nights?








pondering poses?








family surrounding her with love?












the happiest mom and dad?




That's right - it's Cora Kaye!  She arrived, Monday, the 16th, at 5:26 pm.  Cora weighed 5 lbs, 8 oz, and measured 18 in long.  We are so in love.

Bye Bye Bed Rest

I have been anxiously awaiting being taken off of bed rest.  During this time I have realized how blessed I am to live close to such amazing friends and family.  

My friends, sister, and sisters in law rocked out my nursery.  They made sure I had everything I needed and got it set up for me!  My mom and Miles' mom spent day after day doing my chores, washing baby clothes, and sometimes just keeping me company.  My dad, my aunt, and father in law made special trips out to my house to bring food and break up the monotony.  I can't explain how amazing all of the support was to me.

Miles did a wonderful job with my sudden "absence" from our household and our social life.  He did great keeping up with things, and, mainly did a great job keeping me together.  Because, despite all of the support and care, I had some bad days and nights dealing with my situation.  

All in all this experience taught me some life lessons and changed my perspective a lot.  To be completely honest, though, I'm still not ready to fully reflect on all of that at this time....

I am selfishly, unrealistically, BEYOND EXCITED that tomorrow I am being induced, delivering this baby, and being taken off of bed rest.    I can't wait to meet our baby girl,  I can't wait to be "better," since delivery is the solution to my health issue, and I can't wait to come home and move on in this new faze of our life!!

Come on, April 15th - you've just turned into so much more than tax day!!

  

Hello, World!

Happy Birthday to the newest member of the Schneider family!

It's the debut of our new nephew... Campbell Benjamin Schneider, born at 7:45 am on April 7th!!

Sarina did such an amazing job throughout her 20+ hour labor.  Matt was also a trooper, being with her every minute of the way.

Campbell weighed in at 8lbs and 8oz, measuring 22in long.  He is a big boy.  He is, of course, taking up an even bigger place in all of our hearts.

Now, they're in the midst of the newborn reality.   It's the beginning of what will be an amazing adventure in their little family.

Congratulations, Matt and Sarina! Welcome, baby boy, Campbell!

The Second Year

Happy Two-Year Anniversary, Miles!!
*Yesterday :)

Two years ago in Mexico.

I feel like I've been married longer - not in that bad, it's never going to end, type of way - but in the, I feel like I've known you forever type of way...

Nine years ago in college.

It's always funny, when you're getting married, to hear everyone say things like, "The first year of marriage is sooo hard," or "The first year of marriage was really fun and easy!"  As with most things in life, people tend to want to warn you, share their experiences, and project their lives on to your own.

In our first year.

People don't mention much about the second year of marriage, though.  It's the year you're left to fend for yourselves.  And, you crave it by that point.  You want to be left alone, to focus more on creating your own family, as a couple.  Miles and I did that.  We made an effort to be one another's partners and to put our needs first.  Other people might have not even noticed, or maybe they were offended, but the second year was our chance to move on from the after-wedding glow and into building upon that sweet foundation.

In our second year.

Things in our second year of marriage happened quickly...
We took a quick vacation to Mexico.
We quickly (and surprisingly) became pregnant.
We spent the quick-paced holiday season with loved ones.
We had 2012 quickly slap us in the face with health issues.
We thanked God for our family and friends' quick willingness to be there for us.
We quickly developed a relationship TWICE as strong as in our first year of marriage.

Now, we know our third  year of marriage is truly going to change us.  We will be parents very soon - a mommy and a daddy to a sweet baby girl.  It is special, and it is scary.  Our relationship will grow and change, as it does every year.  I don't know what people think, what advice people might share, or how other's third year of marriage fared.

All I do know, is that we will come out THREE times as strong.

I love you, Miles.

Go to Bed

My poor little blog has been neglected this month!  I bet you're all very curious what I did with my extra day in February, haha.  We did use it to go pick out a rocker for the nursery.  I sure am glad we ordered it that night, with the newest occurrences in our lives.  I've been put on bed rest - doctor's orders!

It is crazy to feel so out of control of my life.  People may joke that as I've come to terms with my situation because I have certainly taken to the role of delegation, but I have no other way of having any control of things happening in my household right now! 

When I found out about bed rest orders, I was not okay.  I was an anxiety-ridden mess and couldn't stop crying.  The anxiety was due to the following:

1. work
How am I logistically supposed to deal with leaving school in the middle of the day, with my desk a mess, my lesson plans incomplete, my 177 students needing me, and just trust other people to cover for me?  How am I supposed to take care of what I still need to do from home with no supplies, resources, or things I may need?

2. Miles
Call me old fashioned, but I like to be there for my husband - even if I am the pregnant one.  He's been dealing with some health-related business of his own, and being placed on bed rest totally compounded the stress of his situation, for me anyway.  I also have to watch him work hard all day and take care of me each night now.

3. control
I enjoy taking care of my own "stuff."   We are super lucky to have amazing support from our family and friends.  We already rely on them a lot in life.  I usually can manage my own household, though, so knowing I would have to let someone else help with laundry, dishes, cleaning, food, everything freaked me out, badly.  It isn't due to not feeling as though they will complete a task to my standard, it's just that I actually like doing things and being the one to have done it. 

4. preeclampsia
I have preeclampsia, which is not a very nice thing for my baby, or me, apparently.  She will most likely be joining our little family earlier than planned.  All I want is for her to make it full term - 37 weeks.

5. life
All of the sudden my chance to do this or that before baby arrives was gone.  Some of that was selfish, unimportant "should haves," such as getting to go do this or that with friends, but mainly it was that to do list.  It was getting to attend the baby showers that people lovingly planned for me.  It was the fact that I thought I had time left before I was a mother to be me or do certain things, and now that was time was gone. 

So, that's where my head was at for about the first five days of bed rest.  It was reeling with one anxiety after another.  Today, day thirteen of bed rest, I am at a much better place.  I've embraced the support and love surrounding me, and I have come to terms with the fact that I am not allowed to do anything.  I'm also feeling a ton better than I have in a really long time, physically.  It makes me realize that this is what I need, what the baby needs.  That helps me be okay with it all.  Every anxiety I've listed above is still there, but I've learned how to cope with each in its own way.  My perspective on some things has changed and my heart has melted with how much everyone is willing to do for me.

Thank you, with all of my heart, to everyone who has sent encouraging thoughts, brought amazing meals, helped me throughout the day, been there for me in any and every way.  I appreciate it so much and can't wait to be back on my feet to help you, pay you back, and be there for all of you!