Merry Christmas!

Zoo Nights & Lights

Saturday, December 5th we went to Zoo Nights & Lights at Gladys Porter Zoo after the 4:30 service at church. My parents came along with.

Zoo Nights & Lights: "Enjoy live performances from local bands and choirs while taking in the dazzling displays of approximately 135 lighted animal and holiday fixtures along with 800 luminaria bags placed all around the Zoo grounds." Taken from www.gpz.org

Posing for picture where we took one of our favorite wedding portraits!

Santa and his reindeer.

Reflection of lights in the California sea lion's pool.

My parents posing in front of a tree by the aviary.

We briefly met up with the Ponder Family checking out the Nativity.
Cliff & Michelle, Bennett & baby Brandon (in stroller)

Evalyn's First Illness

I was very sad when on Sunday Evalyn started getting really stuffy in her nose and then started with a slight cough. It got worse here and there when there was too much for her to deal with. Jason and I took turns staying up with her overnight since sometimes a coughing fit would break out and she's have a hard time breathing. We went to the doctor right away in the morning and they sent us to get a mucus test and x-ray of her chest to see if it was RSV, a respiratory virus. She has it. Since it's a virus there isn't any medication that can give to make her better. She is doing nebulizer treatments to help her little lungs deal with everything. It will take anywhere from 7-14 days for her to get over this. We have no idea where she got it either since we haven't been around anyone that has been sick.

Please be praying for her to get better and us to get enough sleep. Thank you all.

Passed out and sleeping in bouncer for just a little bit.

First breathing treatment with "Bubbles the Fish" mask. (That is the name on the paper it came with.) :-)

She looks so tired of all her coughing. She had just woken up from a nap.

Arrr, we will fight this and win!!!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Evalyn Watched

I put Evalyn down for pictures and got this one before she did .....

THIS

Later on.. we all watched this....

New Bouncer

Well, Jason and I finally took Evalyn to Target to get the registry completed for what we still needed/wanted. Here's a few pictures of Evalyn enjoying her new bouncy seat. I really needed another place to sit her safely while I did things around the house or made dinner. She seems to really enjoy it, and now she has woodland friends to talk to!

Peek-a-boo! My friends are hanging out behind me!

She likes the vibrating part.. zzzzz....

Watching her mobile on the swing.

Last Couple of Days

I know I need to post photos more often, but we're having a bit of an issue figurng out what mommy eats that baby's tummy isn't happy...so not as much computer time.

Diaper change time.

Napping on the sofa by Mommy.

Smiling in sleep.

Michelle's Birthday

It was happy birthday to me yesterday!

Jason had the day off from work and we just spent it relaxing as a family at home. It was very nice to get up from a morning nap to find roses and cupcakes waiting for me. He and Evalyn also got me two very great cards! We then went out to dinner at Red Lobster. Evie was nice enough to sleep through the entire meal so I got to eat when my food was still hot!

Here's a few photos from my special day:

2 1/2 Weeks

Here's a few new photos of Evalyn from the past week.



Snuggled with her blanket and paci.




This is the best picture so far of Mom's favorite face. "Cheerio Lips"



Hanging out in "my" new swing. (Wearing Daddy's favorite monkey jammies.)

Halloween 2009

Happy Halloween
from the Straub Family!

One Week Old

Evie at 1 week old.

Many of her ultrasound pictures show her with her hands up at her face, she still likes them there.

She also likes to hold her own hand. Too sweet!


*Outfit courtesy of Vero, Michelle's Jr/Sr High School Friend.

Video of Evalyn

Video when we were first were home from the hospital.

Enjoy!

Introducing Evalyn Alice Straub

Welcome

Evalyn Alice Straub

Born Monday, October 19th at 10:56 pm

Weighing 9 lbs 4 oz and 20 1/2 inches long.

Mommy and baby girl!
Yes I did it! Naturally too!

Proud Daddy!

Family of three now!

Evalyn about an hour old.

Proud grandparents, Marmie & Poppy.
All clean after a bath. Like my hair?

I like to sleep.

Holding on for a "ride."

Setting Up for Baby

Besides the usual question of, "how are you feeling?" I get, "are you all set and ready for the baby?" The short and easy answer is "Yes!" We have a place for baby to sleep and a place to change diapers. Babies really don't need more than that for the first few weeks. I guess that is another blessing for having helped with a lot of other families and seen how little you really need for the basics. Don't get me wrong, I think it is great for those that need to set up an entire room for baby, but sometimes it just doesn't get used for the first few months anyway.

Here is the cradle we will be using. This cradle my parent's bought for me, when I was going to be born, and stained it themselves. It is nice to be able to use it for our child now and any future ones we have. We have it set up in our bedroom close to my side of the bed.


This is the changing area set up on Jason's side of the room since we had space there. The top drawer in the chest to the right has all of our gDiapers covers/liners, cloth inserts, and cloth wipes. The drawers underneath have the disposables that have been given to use for the first couple weeks while we wait for baby to be able to use the gDiapers and bath and misc. supplies.

Blankets, swaddlers, burp cloths, and cradle sheets are all underneath in the baskets.


Right now baby's clothes are in my childhood dresser that has already been moved into what will become baby's room when we order/receive the crib. Hanging clothes are in my closet since it has plenty of spare room for them.


The one thing Jason wanted to have done before due date was install the car seat base. So Thursday evening we did that. It was his first time to do this and was quite fun to watch.

Now how do I get the seat off the base again?

Where are the LATCH buckles on here? (FYI, I had "stored" them where they were supposed to go so they were out of the way.)

This is easy! Snap on and good to go!

Now to get it nice and TIGHT! (I wound up kneeling on it and he tightened the straps, that sucker doesn't budge at all now!)

Snap in the seat.

Position handle to the back like it is supposed to be. We're ready to go!

Now we're just waiting on baby! Come soon baby Straub, everyone is so excited to meet you! Especially your mommy and daddy!!