Instant Classic

Morgan recently discovered her toes, but they are always covered up. So while getting ready this morning, she took advantage of the opportunity of having access to her bare feet. I quickly ran to get my camera and was able to get this photo. I knew it would be an instant classic - one of those that will go in her baby book, show up in those cheesy "Memories" films they do at graduations, and be shown (to her dismay) to her future husband. Won't she love me then?

And while I'm talking about my adorable daughter, can I just say how irked I was yesterday when a lady at church (who I don't know and who doesn't know me) looked at Morgan and said "Hi Fatty". Um, excuse me, NO ONE calls my kid fat ... or chubby, chunky, pudgy, fluffy, healthy, or any other similarly "nice" adjective. Talk about making me want to lose my Christianity right before church...

Baby Ross is here....

... and she's a girl :) Steph gave birth to Kassia (pronounced "Kay-sha") Danielle late this morning. A proud Scott called to let Jonathan and I know that his new daughter is beautiful and his wife did just great throughout the delivery process. We are so excited for them! We haven't met Kassia yet but can't wait to.

So far I am one-for-one. I thought Steph and Matt's baby was a boy (see post below) but thought Steph and Scott's baby was a girl. I'll go ahead and stick by my projection that Rachel and Pete are having a boy. If I'm wrong there, I'll officially give up guessing.

And speaking of Rachel and Pete, I think they need to have Baby Springirth on Wednesday so there will be a day-on-day-off pattern between all three of these baby's births. I love this... Morgan is gonna have so many new friends!

I'm an AUNT!!

Hooray! Steph gave birth to Madelyn Rose Polites this evening at about 6:45 after almost twelve hours of labor (with no pain meds :). Madelyn is 6 pounds, 7 ounces and 20 inches long. Both she and Steph are doing great, and Matt sounds like a proud papa already!

Steph and Matt didn't even call us this morning to tell us that they were in labor. Jonathan and I were watching a movie tonight and Matt calls both of our cell phones (which makes us suspicious) so we call him back. I jokingly ask, "So are you having a baby?" And he cavalierly replies, "No, we already had her." I had to question him several times to find out if he was teasing me, but he started rattling off Madelyn's stats and telling me the story. So crazy...

Don't you love her name? They aren't sure yet how they will spell Madelyn (obviously, I'm pulling for this version ... or even Madelynn). I'm adverse to the freaky French spelling Madeliene - like the weird children's book. But hey, she's their kid :) Regardless, they have already given her the nickname "Maddie" which is ironic since I already call Matt "Matty Pants". (1/20 postscript: Looks like they are leaning toward Madeline).

Congrats Steph and Matt! We love you and are so proud of you. Maddie, we are SO anxious to meet you and greet you into our family ... you are going to be so loved!

When being wrong is alright...

So I'm a perfectionist ... and I'm comfortable with that. Accordingly, I love my planner. Well, "Pay Property Taxes" has been glaring at me from the January 31st box. My planner and our bank account haven't really coordinated on this issue however.

Another "to do" for this month is gathering our tax information for our accountant. In the process of doing this, I had to get proof of our tax payments for 2006 and realized that our tax payments are due in June and November ... not January and November. While this would normally frustrate my anal retentive side, in this case I'm quite relieved to be wrong. And learning to be okay with being wrong teaches me to be gracious with others who are wrong ... like Morgan's pediatrician :)

Yesterday was Morgan's four month check up. Everything was cruising right along until the pediatrician checked her eyes. Apparently, something wasn't right because the pediatrician took us into another room to test Morgan's eyes a second time and then when she wasn't satisfied with that called in a second doctor to look at Morgan's eyes. The two of them in doctor talk tried to tell us that Morgan needed to see an opthamologist because there wasn't enough "red" in her eyes and that might be a sign of infantile glaucoma or something else (which they were never very clear on). While they told us it was "probably nothing" and "better safe than sorry", they nonetheless set up an appoint with an opthamoligist for us and said we needed to get it done before we left for Illinois in a few weeks.

A few hours after Morgan's appointment, the pediatrician called me back and asked me to bring Morgan back in because she believed the eye instrument she had been using was faulty. Sure enough, it was all the instrument and Morgan's beautiful eyes are just fine! Hooray for the doctor being wrong :)

Seriously Mom?

Yes, it's 70 degrees and my daughter is wearing a hat and mittens! I got them after she had to wear her socks on her hands when we went down to the Riverwalk over Christmas (jenky, I know :). But even though it's warm here right now, I know that hat and those mittens will get used as I just booked us tickets to Chicago in February to visit my family! Hooray!

2007 Year in Review

Another year come and gone... All those adults who told me as a child that life speeds up the older you get were right (I hate that!).

As I hastily review 2007, here are a few of the highlights I can remember:

• The exciting news of our pregnancy warmed our hearts in January even as the much media-hyped "Arctic Blast" shut down all of San Antonio.
• In March, Jonathan turned the big 3-0. He passed on a big party and instead opted to have a diamond placed in his Aggie ring. (I swear he now likes it better than his wedding ring!).
• Jonathan and I celebrated three happy years of marriage in March. Still going...
• My sister Kel returned from two years of service as a missionary associate in Cambodia. It's been great to get to see and talk with her on a more regular basis!
• Jonathan and I were joined by four other couples as we birthed from the Espinoza's Young Marrieds small group to create a new one with JD and I as the leaders.
• In April, JD & I "baby-mooned" in Kauai for a week courtesy of Grandma Boston.
• Jonathan's sister Jen had a successful gall bladder removal surgery and made other significant health strides, including overcoming gluten intolerance. These were huge answers to the prayers of us and many others!
• Steph & Matt, my sister and brother in law, announced they are expecting their first child in February. I can't wait to be an aunt!
• I was blessed with several wonderful baby showers from caring family, friends and co-workers.
  
• For my birthday in August, Jonathan surprised me by flying my parents down for a visit. Wonder what he'll cook up for my 30th this year...
• On September 13th, our lives and family were changed forever as beautiful Morgan Leanne was born! Being a mom is one of the best gifts God has ever given me!
• At the end of October, after much prayerful consideration, I resigned from my job as an assistant district attorney. It was four great years! To my friends there, I miss you...
• Finally, we closed out the year with our families here in San Antonio helping us celebrate Morgan's first Christmas. She and we had a great time and made several special memories.

We look forward to God's continued faithfulness to us in 2008 and anxiously await to see where He leads us next!

Thanks to all of you whose friendship has enriched our lives this past year ... whether near to us or far away, know that we think of and treasure you! Our prayer is that God blesses you with greater amounts of Himself in each of your lives in this upcoming new year.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord,
plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future.
- Jeremiah 29:11

Red, Green, and Blue...

I remember as a kid the sadness I felt as I went to sleep Christmas night. My favorite day of the entire year was over, the culmination of a month's worth of anticipation ended. Soon the Christmas tree would be on the curb, the beautiful decorations would be stored away for another year, and everyone would return to their same daily routine lacking that special joy and glow they carried during the holiday season. I must confess that I don't think I've outgrown the post-Christmas blues. In fact, in some ways it has become harder as now the end of Christmas also means parting ways with my family once again.

I haven't found a solution for the post-Christmas blues except to leave the lights lit a little longer, keep playing carols for a few extra days, and to recount the holiday highlights through viewing pictures and video taken. So in that vein, here are some of our Christmas highlights...