HIGH FIVE FOR FRIDAY

For my holiday High Five for Friday I tried really hard to not make all five of these about Jack. I did my best, but didn’t really succeed…at least it’s not five headshots of him.

1. Ok, one headshot. But seriously, how cute is my boy in this outfit! You can’t go wrong with a baby in a sweater vest! 

2. Each year on Christmas Eve we get a photo with my cousins. It’s so cool that Jack is now included in this photograph! I just can’t believe that my cousin Liam started as a baby in these photos and now look at him (peace signs)! One day Jack will be his size and Liam might have a baby of his own! 

3. We started a new tradition this year of having all the grandparents and aunts come to our house for Christmas morning. It is so special that we all spent it together. I can’t wait until Jack eagerly awaits for everyone’s arrival so that he can open presents!

4. I was thrilled to watch my sister open our gift to her this year.  The Ginger gave her a Doctor Who necklace and River Song’s journal and together we bought her tickets to see David Tennant (her favorite Doctor Who) in a play while she’s in London. She was so surprised and excited. I just wish I could be with her to see the play! 

5. It’s such a joy to see my grandparents with Jack. I’m so glad that they will get to know him. I just wish my Pap-pap Joe was still alive to see Jack.

The Mask You Live In

As a new mom it is very important to me to raise my son to be a fair and loving person. I don’t want to box him into a little category of what a man is supposed to be. I want him to understand his emotions and be open to feel. I want him to treat all people with respect and understanding. I hope that he will call himself a feminist. 

I am very eager to see this documentary. The Miss Representation documentary, by the same creators, really moved me. I hope that by just raising my son, I can make a small difference in the way men and women are treated in the world. 

Happy Christmas from the Cole Family! 

I really love our Christmas card/Birth Announcements from Tiny Prints! 

Co-Ed Baby Shower

Just days before Jack was born, my mother-in-law hosted a second baby shower for me and the Ginger. The soccer theme was adorable with such a cute cupcake “cake” (from Giant Eagle!). I guess I’d better prepare to be a soccer mom, because that is certainly the Ginger’s plan! Jack is going to be all set in his first Riverhounds onesie, little trainers and already too many jerseys to count! 

Last Bump Photo

These are the last pictures of me before I gave birth to Jack! My sister and I were randomly out in South Side and decided to do a little photo shoot. Boy am I glad we did. I love these photos and I’m so glad to have some nice shots of me this big! I didn’t really document my belly enough during this pregnancy so I’m thrilled to have these at least. Next pregnancy I’d like to do a weekly photo to see the changes. Wow, did I say next pregnancy…that won’t be happening anytime soon. I want to enjoy just Jack for a while. But one day…

Our family of three

Our first family photoshoot! Our talented friend Heather Kresge took these photos during Jack’s first week home. I’m so excited to have photos from this special time. 

Birth Announcement

Introducing John “Jack” David Cole. 

I love that my last post was about preparing for the next few weeks, because little did I know I didn’t have them. I gave birth at 34 weeks to a beautiful baby boy. 

Jack’s birth story isn’t totally full of crazy complications, but we did have some ups and downs. I was diagnosed with severe preeclampsia the day before he was born. My midwives passed me off to the high risk doctors who chose to induce. Over 24 hours and 40 minutes later, Jack was born. Unfortunately his lungs were not totally ready and he had to be cared for in the NICU. After a dose of surfactant to coat his lungs, he started breathing properly and was on the road to recovery. He only had to be intubated for four hours. After a couple days on a feeding tube, we started feeding him breastmilk by bottle, and then 12 days later we brought our baby boy home. 

My emotions have been all over the place. I’m now totally full of joy and love each day more and more. However, those first few days…weeks really…were rough. I was so upset I couldn’t carry Jack to term. I felt like it was my fault he was in the NICU because I developed preeclampsia. When I was finally released from the hospital I felt so alone because Jack was still in the NICU. (The Ginger was amazing this whole time, but I still felt lonely without Jack) I missed him in my belly and I missed seeing him in the NICU. I really felt lost not being pregnant anymore. Despite some nausea and the high blood pressure, I loved being pregnant. I loved my figure, I loved my clothes, but obviously, most of all, I loved being so close to my baby.

Now that Jack is home, it’s almost been a month, I feel so much better.  We are learning how to do this parenting thing and I gain more confidence each day. Jack is developing so well! He weighs a whopping 7 pounds 4 ounces now, compare that to five weeks ago his birth weight of 4 pounds 13 ounces! Our boy loves to eat! And best of all his lungs are great. He is developing just as he should be! Our next goal, according to the pediatrician (other than keep gaining weight), is to get an intentional smile! I can’t wait for it! 

HIGH FIVE FOR FRIDAY

This is week 33 of my pregnancy. It’s getting a bit harder as the weeks go by, but I know that in just a few more it will be worth it because I’ll have my little boy! My goals for these weeks are to take care of myself, relax, and enjoy the people in my life! 

1. The Ginger and I have only one more birth class left! I really enjoyed the classes because we did learn a lot of techniques to use. My goal is to give birth naturally…or as naturally as possible. I will be induced because of some high blood pressure that I’ve been having with the pregnancy. But I really hope to use the techniques to get through the birth without an epidural or other drugs. 

2. I had a really trying day at the hospital this week because of the blood pressure, but then I spent the rest of afternoon with my sister. We had such a fun time, eating, talking and taking pictures. It totally changed my mood for the day and I’m so thankful! 

3. As difficult as it is to have complications with my pregnancy, twice a week I get to hear my baby’s heart beat for about 20 minutes and it’s wonderful! It’s a necessary test to be sure everything is going as it’s supposed to and it really makes me feel better to know that he is doing well! 

4. The Carnegie museums were free on Thursday! The Ginger, Hope and I wandered through it for a bit, mostly talking. We’re not great at museums…we get bored…but we had fun none-the-less!

5. Those feet! I can’t get enough of this pup! She’s just too cute! 

30 BEFORE 30

To make the most of my twenties I decided to start a list of things I’d like to accomplish before it’s over and I become a thirty-something. I tried to be realistic, but know that I have to work hard for many of these goals. Now let’s see what I can get done in the next four years!

30 before 30

1. Kiss my baby boy
2. Have a drink with my 21-year old sister
3. See a Liverpool game at Anfield with the Ginger
4. Be able to have a full conversation in Italian with my relatives
5. Run a marathon
6. Open an Etsy store with my mom
7. Buy a canoe or kayak
8. Complete a juice cleanse
9. Plant a vegetable garden
10. Spend Christmas in Willamsburg, VA
11. Hit the 5-year mark of full time at KDKA
12. Read Daniel Striped Tiger to my baby
13. Take a full family portrait
14. Feel confident as a TD
15. Learn to properly use my DSLR
16. Put my feet in the ocean with my baby
17. Be totally debt-free
18. Scrapbook my childhood photos
19. Have a weekly date night with the Ginger
20. Learn to play tennis
21. Explore a new city
22. Spend a whole week without social media and TV
23. Fill an entire journal
24. Make all the recipes in my Betty Crocker cookbook
25. Become pregnant with my second baby
26. Get a pixie haircut
27. Crochet a blanket for dad
28. Join a bowling league
29. Stay at the Priory for my fifth wedding anniversary
30. Go to the Harry Potter Park in Florida

High Five for Friday

So this is my first High Five for Friday post in a while! I think it’s the perfect way to appreciate some of the little things that happened during my week. Oftentimes, I blow past good moments and dwell on the negative. I hope to use this fun link up to give me better perspective.

1. I had a really rough time last Friday at a freelance job. It was my first show on a new switcher and it was not pretty, to say the least. I was back on my normal switcher this week for a different show and it was SO much better! It kind of brought back my confidence!

2. The Ginger got a new job a few weeks ago and it was about time I stopped by to check out his new office. And of course I had to take a cheesy proud wife photo!

3. My mom is THE best, hands down. She made curtains for the nursery from fabric I designed and had printed! She was so nervous that she would mess up, but they turned out perfect! They bring so much color to the room. I can’t thank her enough!

4. After many years of waiting, our favorite pub opened up a small take awayshop for fish and chips! The Ginger and I grabbed a quick bite before our birthing class. SOOO good!

5. My week wrapped up with another freelance job. It was a big show as it was the start of basketball season in a new conference, and it went really well. Plus, I worked with some of my favorite people!