precious nicu newborn pictures

In February one of my very good friends had her baby four weeks early, and her sweet baby girl ended up staying in the NICU for about one month. It was obviously a pretty stressful and emotional time for the little family, and I wanted to help out in any way I could. I'm not an amazing photographer by any means but I do love to take pictures, especially of babies and kids and families. I figured it would probably be really nice to have some pictures of little baby Lyla while she was still so new, and even though the setting wasn't ideal, it is part of her history was nice to capture what life was like during those first few weeks.

I hope you enjoy the pictures, I loved taking them and think they turned out so beautiful. I only wish that I would have had my new camera back then so that they would have been a bit less grainy.

To see more pictures of Lyla check out her official newborn shoot from Relic Photographic, here. They are so beautiful, Hanna does such an amazing job.

pretty little poser

Riggs and I hung out over at my friend Sarah's house all day today, it was so nice! We basically just sat around and talked the entire time (except Sarah was pretty busy...I guess I should say I just sat around and talked ;) probably a bit more accurate).

I had to take a few pictures of baby Lyla when I was there. I would have loved to take more, but there was the whole Riggs-opened-up-the-baby-lotion-and-was-rubbing-a-big-glob-of-it-on-Lyla incident, so I only got a few. He had watched closely when I changed Lyla's diaper earlier, so I guess he decided he needed to rub some lotion on her diaper area too...my little helper ha.

Lyla is such a little model already, she posed so prettily for me as I snapped some pictures. Isn't she just gorgeous?!

love you little Lyla!

You need to read this..."Kids Just Aren't Worth it"

I ran across this article and was shocked, so I thought I'd share it here to get your feedback on it...can you believe the author calls children "economically worthless"?!  Taken from

Kids just aren’t worth it 
CAROLYN ROBERTSON
MOMS ON THE EDGE
posted: 03/07/2011, 10:01 am

  

in: Baby, Big Kid, Preschooler, Toddler, You and Your Family, Me & My Kids, News, Mom Stories

4 comments

I hate to be the bearer of bad news here, folks, but it turns out that kids aren’t worth it after all. According to a new study published in the Journal of Psychological Science, our little cherubs aren’t so much a joy as they are a big old financial burden.

Gone are the days when kids used to work on the farm and such, benefiting the family finances. Instead, parents shell out big bucks to raise a child – $190,000 over 18 years, according to one recent estimate – and get little reward in return. Researchers at the University of Waterloo have found that, faced with the overwhelming expense of parenting, we tend to overstate the joys of having children in order to make ourselves feel better about the decision.

The result? “The economically worthless but emotionally priceless child,” to borrow a phrase from Princeton sociologist Viviana Zelizer.

“Many people believe that to be truly fulfilled in life, it is necessary to experience the joys of parenthood. Children are considered an essential source of happiness, satisfaction, and pride,” write professors Richard Eibach and Steven Mock. “However, the idea that parenthood involves substantial emotional rewards appears to be something of a myth.”

“The costs of raising children motivate parents to idealize parenthood,” they continue. “The perceived joys of parenthood may thus be a rationalization of the high costs of having children.”

I can’t argue with the fact that kids can cost a bunch. From diapers to child care to food and shelter, the expenses do add up. But it’s easy to tally the $2 for the loaf of bread and $200 for the soccer team. What’s harder is to put a price tag on the joys – and yes, there are joys. Not only the cuddles and kisses, the first steps and first day of school, but the inexplicable reward of watching your child grow into a person all her own.

I spent yesterday afternoon blowing bubbles in the front yard with my “economically worthless” children. The baby curled cozily against me in the sling, I watched as my 4-year-old twirled dizzy circles in the grass with her wand outstretched, lost in a swirl of bubbles. She’d spin until she fell down, an exaggerated, laughing collapse, and then run over to squeal at her baby sister, who happily squealed right back; their own little language.

I wasn’t thinking about the cost of the bubbles or the new shoes I’d have to soon buy her, the preschool fees that are due this morning or the college fees down the road. I wasn’t thinking about much at all. But I was happy, purely. I don’t imagine that kind of joy can be quantified.

Babies!

Nearly everyone I know is having babies. Literally.  Just in the last week I learned of two new pregnancies, and there are about three babies due within the next two months, and this is just at my small church!  It is crazy!  And the weirdest part?  Nearly every soon-to-be-mama is within two years of my own age...it's like a conspiracy or something!  Just saying.

So I thought I would dedicate a post to the chubby little cherubs who mesmerize most of the female population of the world.  The movie Babies, is a pure joy to watch.

I snuck it into our instant queue on Netflix, and forced Steve to watch it about a month ago.  We were both glued to the television nearly the entire time, which says a lot about the movie, as we both have a tendency to zone out, read, or just completely ignore many of the documentaries available to watch instantly on Netflix.  My favorite, by far, was little Ponijao, from Namibia.  The difference in child rearing techniques is literally astounding!  Best moment, by far, was the "diaper change."  This consisted of little Ponijao pooing, and his mom wiping it on her bare leg, then rubbing it off said bare leg with an old corn cob.  Not even joking.

My second favorite was definitely Bayar, from Mongolia.  The cat dragging that went on in that little home between Bayar and his brother was quite shocking.  Least favorite had to be the American baby, Hattie.  Not because she wasn't adorable, she was.  It was just the way American's were portrayed as parents.  Not every parent takes there child to earth loving sessions and chant "the earth is our mother" over an over again like crazed hippies.  Not that there is anything wrong with that (ahem).  But still, seriously?  For those of you who saw the movie, what did you think?  And is there a baby boom going on in your area?  I think it's taking over the globe!

Lessons from Little Women

Little Morgan, hanging out with her Auntie

My little ray of sunshine, who always loves me no matter what :)

Jillian's Babyshower...can you tell it is a girl?

It was a long, busy, and emotion-packed day. Ben and Mercedes were here with little Morgan, and they had lots to do before they could actually hit the road for Homer. I got some much needed time with miss Morgan, who is getting cuter everyday. Steve is sick, so he is a little out of sorts. I have quite a bit of homework, but do not want to do it. Unfortunately, procrastination only makes me more stressed, and having a poor, sick husband to take care of does not help. Once the little Homer-bound family hit the road, I got the dishes and some laundry done before showering and heading to the church to set up for a friends baby shower with Kelsey. It all came together just in time, and the party was a successful two hours of fun and fellowship. 
Seems like I would have had a great day, right?'

Wrong. Once I got home, I settled into my recliner to finish Little Women. It is such a good book with a heartwarming story and realistic characters you cannot help but love. And it was written in a different time, and thus gives realistic insight into the day to day lives of women during the end if the 19th century. I cried bitterly tonight as the plot unfolded. Not just for what happens in the story, but also with disappointment in myself. How lazy and undisciplined I am compared to those "little women!" I have been struggling with similar feelings for weeks, and this book brought those feelings to my attention like a knife to my heart. How poorly I feel I do at maintaining my home and my tongue the way God had instructed me to do so in his word. Yet all I can do is feel ashamed, rather than making any changes! I try, but clearly I do not try enough because I know "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." This includes living a life of responsibility and discipline, it must!

It isn't that my house is dirty or that I am often speaking negatively, although that is the case occasionally. It is that I know I could do even better at keeping our home organized, or at planning meals better so we waste less food and feel less tempted to "run to the store" for ingredients to make a certain meal, when we have food at our home to eat. It is that I could speak less and listen more, and save many conversations for my Heavenly Father. It is that even when I get home exhausted from work with school still to do, that I give my husband the attention and love he deserves, rather than expecting it all from him without giving of myself. It is all these things and so many more. I am praying that I may increase in Godliness each day and therefore improve in all these things I have mentioned and in those things I did not mention but that still weigh heavily on my heart. My tears can be shed in conversation with my God, who soothes better than any on earth and loves truer also. With these serious thoughts I bid you goodnight....

well....

Holy cow it has been a long time since I blogged last. I've been pretty busy; busier, in fact, than I think I've ever been before. Ever. So that's why I haven't blogged. But I have the day off tomorrow and can do homework then, so I decided I could squeeze in some blogging tonight.

Lots has happened since I last blogged. My niece was born, which was pretty exciting. She was born at 7:31am, Tuesday, September 7th, 7lbs 6oz - Morgan Serena. She is so beautiful and perfect and I got to fly down as soon as I heard the news and spend some time with the new family, trying to help out as much as I could. She is now three weeks old today, can't believe how fast time flies.

Steve with week-old Morgan

The happy family the day after Morgan was born

Things have been super crazy at work, since we are in the process of switching over from our summer stuff to winter, which has been fun despite the craziness. The "official" day of the switch it snowed on the mountains and little baby flurries even floated around in Anchorage. I was and am so excited! I love winter, it's by far my favorite season. It's cold so I get to wear lots of cozy clothes and drink hot cocoa. Plus all the best holidays are in the winter, and it just feels like the best time of year. I love playing in the snow, skiing, biking, snow angels, whatever. And there is nothing, seriously nothing, like walking in the winter, feet crunching loudly in the snow, breath clearly visible, but other than the crunchy feet there is almost complete silence, like the world is a wonderful, peaceful place and you just smile and smile. (Can you tell I love winter?)

In other news, I've started knitting! I am very excited about it and have a page on Ravelry where you can check out my projects and other cool stuff. I've knit two hats so far and am in the process of knitting up some baby legs with stirrups which I know will be very cute.

Infant hat I just finished. It's even my own pattern!!

Me at the Zoo this past weekend with my nephew, Noah. He's wearing the hat I made him for his birthday and the sweater him mom (my sister) knit for his bday.

Schools been CRAZY and I just can't wait to be done, so that's all I'm going to say about that. I don't even want to think about it until I have to tomorrow when I work on the multitude of reading and writing I have to do.

What do you all love about winter?? This is a positive post, I don't want to hear any complaining!!!! So if you comment you have to mention something you love about winter :)