Here's to a new "challenge"...

And this one, unlike some of the others over the past few months, I asked for...
The website SB Parent was doing a "get fit" contest... So, for kicks, I entered.

I figured hey, I need some kind of motivation to get to the gym these days (though I have lost all of the baby weight which is nice.) And what better way to force me to go do something exercise-related than by entering a contest...
I didn't think I'd "win." But, I filled out the entry form. Answered various questions. And listed the types of exercise I like to do...
And low and behold... This morning a woman from SB Parent called to tell me I'd won and would be given a free exercise program of my choice - so long as I wrote a blog and participated in the classes/exercise as best I could.

So... she read me various options I could choose...
I decided to do the most time-intensive... Why not, right?
It is the KUT program - intensive kick boxing for 9 WEEKS - 6 DAYS A WEEK - just not on Sunday...
http://kickboxers.com/kut.html (for the program description)

There are classes starting at 6 AM which are looking like the ones I'm going to have to take to fit in working in the mornings at the office and taking care of Cyanne.

As part of the prize - you have to write a blog about your experience, thoughts, progress, and success (hopefully) in the end. I will post the link to that blog once I figure out how I'm supposed to do it... So, not only do I get to have my ass kicked... but I get to write about it too! Perfect!

So... we shall how it goes! I am looking forward to the challenge. Now I just hope that I can keep it up along with everything else!
Will let you know how it goes... =)

Cyanne Blabey - Middlebury Class of 2028

I love this...
Cyanne wearing her pink fleece Middlebury footed pj's
.
Cheer boys cheer, 'cause Middlebury's here!

Belated Christmas Posting

Here are a few shots from Christmas.

These first ones are photos of Cyanne on Christmas Day sporting her cute, Christmas outfit thanks to Nanna Blabey. =) She appears to really enjoy it. It was also the first time she'd ever worn a dress!







Tom & Cyanne over at the Secord's House during a pre-Christmas Dinner.


Cyanne as held by Nanny (her great grand-mother!) on Christmas Morning. As you can see, it's the same dress as above but will the bonnet still attached. The hat was vetoed later in the morning...


Tom trying out his Christmas present from my parents - A Ping G10 driver!! Look at the form... That's La Cumbre Country Club Golf Course he's aiming towards.


Tom & Cyanne post-church the Sunday before Christmas. We had to stop at this pull-out in Hope Ranch because Cyanne decided that she just couldn't wait until we got home to have some food. So instead of enduring a very un-fun 15 minute ride home, we pulled over, she had a snack, and then she and Dad took in the views of the golf course before we strapped her in and went home.


Our Christmas Tree!

Another one of Cyanne - this is the last time she got to wear this outfit that I loved... I'm proud to say she outgrew it and is now happily wearing 3 Mo. old clothing! Quite a sly look she's got going here...

Returning to Work

I have now (as of the 2nd) returned to work full-time.
For the most part, Tom & I have figured out a schedule that will hopefully be okay with both of our employers whereby I work in the mornings at the office and at home during the day and he does the opposite...
I have to say, it is quite hard to leave Cyanne after being with her every single day - all day. Wednesday was sad because I was gone for the longest period of time I'd ever been away from her (and the other side of that is that Tom was with her alone for the longest he'd ever been). I had been apart from her oh, 2-3 hours max... but not all day.
I was very eager to get home. =)... and see her little face and hold her. It's amazing how much I miss her during the day. Makes sense, I know... She and Tom were very content when I got home that evening...
I'm back at work all day today and will then start our self-made schedule next week.
I keep telling myself she doesn't really know that I'm gone during the day - but I do.
Three months of leave flew by. I have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that not only did I get three months off, but that those three months are now over, it's 2008, and I'm back at work. Incredible.
We shall see how it goes...

New England

Ah, the Patriots go 16-0!
Very exciting!!
We watched the game tonight & were very happy that the Pats pulled if off in the end. There were a few tense moments... but Tom, Randy, and the boys managed to pull through in the end.
We were at the Endless Summer (spot of the rehearsal dinner, for those of you who remember that)(actually, was Cyanne's first trip to the place...) and there was quite a contingent of Giants fans or if not Giants fans at heart, were those who just wanted the Pats to lose...
So they cheered more towards the beginning but in the 4th quarter - we definitely did our fair share of cheering and got many dirty looks towards our corner. =)
Gotta show Cyanne how it's done, right? =)
Cyanne was sporting her Red Sox get-up. She was representin' Beantown.
(We have no Pats baby gear at the moment).

So all turned out well tonight for Boston sports fans!!

Welcome Anna Sophia Gustafson!

Congratulations to Karen & Zach on the arrival of their new baby girl!!!
We Blabeys are so so very excited for them and to meet the little one. The Blabey family loves the name... =)
Also - props to Karen for such an excellent effort during the entire labor and delivery process.
It took a while and while not super fun - is now in the past!
And look who decided to come out and join the party.

Welcome to the world Anna!
Cyanne can't wait to meet her new friend!

Recent Photo

Here is a recent shot taken by our wonderful local photographer Ms. Jennifer Secord.

Cyanne's First Trip to the Christmas Tree Lot

Last weekend, Tom, Cyanne & I ventured out to get our Christmas tree.
We tried to explain the differences between the Noble, Douglas, and other Fir trees... but I am not sure how much she'll remember.
The brisk Southern California air and the scent of pine trees seemed to have put her to sleep.

Cyanne & her buddy Max in the Pack n' Play

Before some of you freak out about my mixing cats and babies - We try and take Max out every time he jumps into the Pack n' Play. Evidently, we missed him jumping in this once and this is what I found when I went to check on her.
As I said, they're going to be buddies.
I love the fact that they both have the same sleeping position - arms/paws over the head.

More of Cyanne & her baby group

Here are a few more shots of Cyanne and her baby group. It was quite a task lining all of the babies up and having all of these moms shoot photos before there were a few meltdowns... Cyanne behaved perfectly =).
She's already learning quickly that she'll have to have a good amount of patience posing for Mommy and her ever-present camera. =)

Please note her sporty Red Sox footed PJ's... It was the only thing that I had
that looked remotely "Christmas-y" - being red and white.
The Red Sox candy cane look...

A few amazing moments

This first photo is my favorite thus far.
I love the expression in her eyes.

Cyanne & her Daddy.

Cyanne's Baby Group Christmas Photo

Cyanne's baby group took a promo Christmas shot to do some fund raising.
She's 2nd from the left in her red & white Red Sox footed PJ's.
I have a few other group shots with all of the babies - probably 30-40 of them all lined up on the floor. Very cute.
I will post those shortly!

Three Cheers for Food Network and ESPN

So as I sit and nurse Cyanne, often I am sitting on the couch in our living room.
Straight ahead of me happens to be the TV.
While there are times I sit there in silence or listen to music I happen to have on - often times I watch TV.
Frankly, it makes the time pass more quickly and keeps me occupied. Especially at 4:30 AM or whatever time it happens to be... I suppose then it helps keep me awake =).

That said - these are the two channels I watch all of the time:
Contrasting you may say but hey... it works for me.

Everybody give a big cheer for Food Network and ESPN!

I laugh because oh, a few years ago, I never watched ESPN. Ever.
And now I watch it all of the time - I know various shows, commentators, and yes, I miss not watching SportsCenter if it's been a couple of days... I think Tom is entertained/scared by my sports watching these days.
Oh how things change.

The Food Network watching is less surprising - I have learned many many
new techniques and have picked out several new recipes.

Ah, good times while nursing.
Hey, a girl has got to do what she can while having no free hands.
=)

Vaccinations, Acid Reflux and all things less than fun at the Doctor's Office...

Cyanne had her "2 month" check-up this morning (even though technically she's actually 9 1/2 weeks old now.)
The 2 month visit - as most of you know - brings shots. 4 of them! And two oral doses.
However, one of the oral ones was Infant Tylenol so that one was okay. Cyanne really wasn't sure what she thought of the cherry flavor. Quite different than milk, that's for sure!

Here's the update:
Weight: 10 lb, 1 oz.
Height: 21 1/2 inches (she grew 1 1/2 inches since the last visit)


The Ped. gave her an "A++" for this visit. =) Everything looked great.

We also then discussed some of our difficulties when feeding her as of late and he determined that she is experiencing some "acid reflux." Poor girl.
So, we are now equipped with some Zantac in liquid form that we're going to try and see if that helps her upset tummy.

Then... the nurse came in... bearing a tray of shots (4!! as I said above...) and the oral doses.
Cyanne was a trooper.
She was a very good little girl - she did cry - but stopped right away once the ordeal was over.
I did okay... =) (as did Tom). I didn't cry though it was hard and I had to fight it off as I was holding her, staring down into her little face and eyes as they filled with a look of shock followed rapidly by pain as she got each shot. I just felt so bad because she had no idea what was going to happen, what was happening, and why it was happening.
And we get to do it again in 2 months time.

She's been okay so far - we have the Infant Tylenol close at hand to give it to her if she gets fussy - but she seems to be handling it all well at the moment. Perhaps I shouldn't say that until we get past a couple of days so as not to jinx myself.

Just wanted to post this so you could have the update.

I will post several posts w/photos this weekend - we've had several "blog-worthy" events happen recently.
Plus she's getting pretty darn cute and that's reason enough, right?

Walk along the ocean

We grabbed "the BOB" and took Cyanne for her first walk along the ocean.
We ventured down to Cabrillo Blvd. and walked along the ocean first from the wharf down to East Beach and the back up all the way to the Harbor and then back to the car.
It started out sunny with blue skies and then turned dark with approaching clouds from the mountains.
Lucky had a fantastic time as an entirely new world of smells was his for the sniffing...
There were lots of people - we passed kids, bikes, Rollerbladers, a massive drum circle with all sorts of um, shall we say... eclectic dancers embracing the beats, families, dogs of all sizes, and a few other baby strollers.