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Hey, Lucia and I need some attention! If you drop by our blog, leave us a message, we'd love to hear from you!
We had a big day today!
I know this sounds absolutely insane, but Aunt Tara was over and we were taking pix of Luci in a bonnet on a blanket doing tummy time. All of the sudden, she went from her tummy, to her side, to her back! I am not kidding- the girl rolled over. LOL I know it probably was a fluke, but I think we're in trouble! I said she was able to flip in my belly with barely any wiggle room at 38 weeks so I'm sure it was easier to flip on the ground at 2 weeks!
We also took two long walks today and I have to say I healed so much quicker and easier than I'd ever anticipated from my c-section. It's amazing that you can have major abdominal surgery and be back on your feet so quickly. I really thought it would be much worse. I'm still not up to my pace prior to baby but I'll get there soon. I even think I'm going to start running again after my six week check up. I know I know, I hate to run, but there is something about the end of the run that I do miss. You just can't beat that feeling. I'll go back to the gym too, but like I said, it obviously won't be my biggest priority anymore.
p.s. We have a netflix account and we've been watching the show Arrested Development when we have down time and when I'm feeding Lucia. It is absolutely laugh out loud hilarious!

LSD???

My bro Justin was shocked to learn that "Lucy in the sky with diamonds" was about LSD. I had to set him straight, as that is the urban legend behind the song, but really John Lennon said his son Julian actually had a nursery school playmate named Lucy he called "Lucy in the sky" and drew a picture based on her.
Below are facts about the song:
http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=120

According to an article in the Daily Mail on June 15, 2005, the "Lucy" who inspired this song was Lucy Richardson, who grew up to become a successful movie art director on films such as 2000's Chocolat and 2004's The Life And Death Of Peter Sellers. She died in June 2005 at the age of 47 of breast cancer. From the story:
"Lucy was a few years older than Julian Lennon when he enrolled at the private Heath House School, in Weybridge, Surrey. But because John Lennon and the other Beatles used to visit the Richardson family's antique and jewelry shop, she knew the little boy. So when he became homesick and unsettled she would be called out of class to sit with him while he drew pictures. One of these pictures was of Lucy.
Lucy's sister, Mary remembers 'One day John Lennon came into the shop and said, "Hello, Lucy in the sky with diamonds." We thought it was just John being John.' When a song with that name appeared on Sgt. Pepper, the Richardson family began to wonder. And when Lennon announced he had been inspired by his son's picture of a girl called Lucy, the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle came together.
It was in a 1975 interview that Lennon said 'Julian came in one day with a picture about a school friend of his named Lucy. He had sketched in some stars in the sky and called it Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds. Mary, who still runs the antiques shop recalls, 'It was then we realized why he had been calling our Lucy, Lucy in the sky.'
Lucy remembered the times when she would sit with Julian as he drew pictures. She was rather chuffed to realize she had inspired the song title, but was very modest about it: 'There was another girl called Lucy who thought the song was about her, but we always knew it was our Lucy.' Julian Lennon, has recollected his drawing in interviews: 'I obviously had an affection for Lucy at that age'" (thanks, Edward Pearce - Ashford, Kent, England)

Many people thought this was about drugs, since the letters "LSD" are prominent in the title, and John Lennon, who wrote it, was known to drop acid.

The images Lennon used in the song were based on the book Alice In Wonderland.

George Harrison played a tambura on this. It's an Indian instrument similar to a sitar that makes a droning noise. He had been studying with Indian musician Ravi Shankar, who is the father of Norah Jones.

This was banned by the BBC (British Broadcasting Company) for what they thought were drug references.

In 1974, this was a #1 hit for Elton John. Lennon sang and played guitar on his version, but reportedly forgot some of the chords and needed Davey Johnston, Elton John's guitarist, to help him out. Lennon made a surprise appearance in Elton's Thanksgiving concert in New York and performed 3 songs, which proved to be his last public performance. (thanks, Ivan - Dallas, TX)

Actor William Shatner, who played Captain Kirk on Star Trek, covered this in his dramatic, spoken-word style. In at least one poll, this version was voted the worst Beatles cover of all time.

In 1974, Johanson and Gray named the 3-million-year-old Australopithecus fossil skeleton they discovered (the oldest ever found) Lucy, after this song because it was playing on the radio when Johanson and his team were celebrating the discovery back at camp. (thanks, Martuuuu - Capital Federal, Argentina)

Lennon said "The girl with kaleidoscope eyes" turned out to be Yoko.

During the media controversy over this song in June of 1967, Paul McCartney admitted to a reporter that the band did experiment with LSD. (thanks, Adrian - Wilmington, DE)

In 2004, McCartney addressed the issue of drugs in an interview with the Daily Mirror newspaper: "'Day Tripper,' that's one about acid. 'Lucy In The Sky,' that's pretty obvious. There are others that make subtle hints about drugs, but it's easy to overestimate the influence of drugs on The Beatles' music. Just about everyone was doing drugs in one form or another, and we were no different, but the writing was too important for us to mess it up by getting off our heads all the time."

A group called John Fred and his Playboy Band had a #1 hit in 1968 with "Judy In Disguise (with Glasses)," a song that was a parody of this.

In the Anthology one of the Beatles referred to being on LSD as like seeing through a kaleidoscope. Although Lennon denied this is about drugs, it does refer to "The girl with kaleidoscope eyes." (thanks, delirium trigger - new brunswick, NY)

This song is very distinctive musically. It's in 3 different keys and uses 2 different beats. (thanks, Bertrand - Paris, France)

So there you have it! I wouldn't name our daughter after a drug! I love the story behind it and the innocence of the actual lyrics.

this is my uncle ryan

thank god i didn't get that tan!
p.s. i know i shouldn't be using luci's page to make fun of ryan but i couldn't resist.

absolutely obsessed

Every night since Lucia was born, I lose my mind during the night. I either wake Travis up with a start asking him to "take the baby" for him only to point out she is in her bassinet, shoot straight up thinking I am holding her and that I've fallen asleep, or think I've lost her in the comforter. It's insane.
Thankfully I am well rested so it's not from lack of sleep. As many of you know, I don't need much sleep to function and I have made many a roommates' lives miserable by waking up before the break of dawn after a bender looking for some amusement. Said roommates had hoped that once I had a child, paybacks would come, but for the most part, I am doing really well on the sleep I'm getting through the night with Luci. Granted she's a good baby, but I'm still getting up every three or so hours, not to mention the added value of my delusions during the night.
Anyway, the only explanation I have for my night awakenings is my absolute obsession with our little one. My mom thinks I need to put her bassinet on Trav's side, but then I wouldn't be able to stare at her! So she'll be staying on my side!
Last night I was holding her and she gave me the hugest smile. I know she's not conscious of her feelings yet and isn't aware it is necessariy a smile of joy, but it was still a smile nonetheless. And it absolutely melted my heart. I was talking to her asking how I was blessed with such a sweet girl when I've been naughty most of my life. :) The only explanation is she definitely not only has her dads looks (and toes) but also his mellow and laid back ways. I guess that leaves her with my sparkling personality. LOL

mom revelations

Three friends told me the following after they had babies and I've definitely experienced their feelings now as well.
1. The Nooks told me that after she had little Reesie she was consumed by all books about baby. I find myself being consumed also. Every little thing Luc does that I question, I refer to one of my trusty baby books and read up immediately. When I "diagnose" her and explain to Travis what is normal and maybe why she is acting the way she is acting he is dumbfounded at the wealth of info these books provide. I'm just consumed by them!
2. Amy Moon said after she had Logan she would look at herself in the mirror and give herself a nod like "honey you look good!" :) Even knowing you have a ways to go to get back to your pre baby body, it is really strange to look at your new figure after seeing yourself so large and in charge for so long. I look at my stomach and while it's still flabby of course, it's nothing it was at the end of my pregnancy and moving around is a lot easier! I've never felt more proud of my body than I do now. Even though I've always had insecurities about it, I hope I never obsess over it again. I think back to my endless dieting days and talks about weight and I must have been really ANNOYING. Who wants to hear that? And now, while I definitely do want to get back into my pre pregnancy clothes very soon, it's not going to be my driving force anymore. How boring. Plus, I need to make milk for god's sakes.
3. Maggie said that on her first car trip away from her newborn Olivia, she blared the music (for some reason I am thinking it was "Free Falling" by Tom Petty) and just took a deep breath like I'M FREE! (for a half hour). I drove to Foods for Living which is about 1.5 miles away and it was unlike any car ride I've ever taken. I left Luci with Trav and just took a little break. It's crazy to think that for the next 6 months to a year I will not be able to take even the shortest trip without thinking about her eating schedule and the fact that we are tied together. But that's ok by me!

umbilical cord

Luci's cord fell off last night! And I don't know what to do with it so it's sitting by her changing table. LOL Travis said to get rid of it, but a part of me feels bad for throwing it away. Am I that much of a sap???
We just gave her a sponge bath that she really enjoyed (on a full belly of course) and now she's having some time with daddy.
These days are absolutely flying by. It's amazing how production wise I am doing so little, but in reality accomplishing much more than I ever could in any other sense. I'm enjoying just getting to know little Luci by singing to her (she loves the Beatles!!!), feeding her, massaging her, taking her on walks and even changing her diapers! (p.s. whomever said breast fed babies poop doesn't stink was wrong- Luci's definitely does, but it's not unpleasant, just has an odor to it)
Luci's aunt Mallori and Grandy P came to spend the afternoon with her today so that was nice. She's had such an influx of visitors, I need to upload more pix asap and I will to show off all of her friends and family that have come to give her so much love. We are so blessed!
Now I'm off to spend some QT with Beatle while Trav holds Luci.

EUPHORIA

Just a little bit ago, Luci and I ventured out into the neighborhood for a walk/saunter alone while Trav mowed the lawn. Tara came and took Beatle on a walk earlier, or else I would have felt guilty for not taking him. Once my incision is healed, I definitely can handle walking him and a stroller, but I did not want to push it this early in the game. Anyway, as we sauntered around the neighborhood (and I say saunter because that is my pace right now) I just felt so blessed. Here I was walking around our neighborhood, the proud mom of a baby girl. It just seemed so natural, yet surreal at the same time. I keep thinking life can't get any better than this and I am just enjoying every single minute of it.
Luci is a really great baby, and as I type that, I feel like retracting it because I know they can turn anytime! But she really is. She's a great eater and sleeper and loves her swing and bouncer and going on walks and rides in the car. She doesn't fuss at much at all! My next step is trying on the moby wrap to see how she likes that. I'm assuming she'll love it as well!
When you're pregnant you hear so many horror stories about babies and I think we all prepare ourselves for the worst. Everyone has a story about a naughty baby and I can't count the times I heard stories that scared me. I can't discount many of them, but oftentimes, I do think people focus on the worse and frankly like to bitch about everything. It's like being pregnant. Sure I was uncomfortable at the end, but I was so happy to be pregnant I focused on the good not the lack of sleep, body aches, and everything that went with it. I hope to carry that over into new momhood. Sure I'm tired and lacking sleep now but I'm enjoying every minute of it! It scares me to think how fast she'll grow and how I'll never get this time back. That's one bit of advice I will listen to, and that's to enjoy her every day. And I'll just keep smiling and nodding and not listening to a quarter of the other cliche advice I get because we all need to learn on our own anyway!

the weepies...

I've come to realize what hormones are all about in these past few days since I've had Lucia. Now don't get me wrong, during pregnancy, I would cry at email forwards (particularly about animals), the thought of Lucia, greeting cards and random quotes. One night I found myself tearing up over the movie "Thirteen going on Thirty" or whatever that movie is called starring Jennifer Garner. I got pretty ridiculous. However, nothing prepared me for the rush of emotions I would experience after Luci was born.
I've cried thinking about her growing up quickly. After taking our "first walk" in the neighborhood together as a family, I cried that that was one less "first" I'd be able to experience with her. I cried when Busie bought us this blog and I checked it out for the first time. I cry listening to the songs I had on the birth mix. I cried yesterday after Luci's first big trip to Fenton to see her Grandma and Grandpa and other friends. I cried because I felt sorry for Beatle because he wasn't our only "baby" anymore but he couldn't comprehend why. I'm crying now. Travis is used to it now and I just wave him away telling him "I'm fine" because I am. I'm better than I ever have been before. It's just amazing how quickly life changes for the better and I've always heard about it, but could never understand until now. It's insane to me that I'm responsible for this little person that I've only known a few days, but love more than anything else in the world. It all makes sense now!
Below is a quote that made me cry when I was pregnant and makes me cry even harder now!
"Before you were conceived, I wanted you.
Before you were born, I loved you.
Before you were here an hour, I would die for you.
This is the miracle of love."
-Maureen Hawkins
Ok now I have to go and blow my nose and maybe try to explain to Trav this latest bout of tears. :)

So how did Beatle handle it???

Everyone I've talked to about Lucia has asked this million dollar question and I'm so happy to say, he is adjusting very well!
When we brought Luci home from the hospital, he really only cared about seeing me and then immediately after his greeting, he focused on shunning me. :) He sniffed and licked her head and was a bit curious, but overall, he keeps his distance and really could care less.
I know his sleep is being affected along with ours and when she wakes in the night he gives me a look like "are you kidding?" I think he's realizing she's here to stay and we're making it a big priority to give him as much attention as he always got. Trav has been taking him on long walks and of course he's invited into our bed to relax with us still.
So all is well. He'll always be our first born son so we are treating him accordingly!

ok one more post and then i have to go eat while Luc is sleeping!

This blog was a gift from Busie and her boyfriend Joe and when she told me what they had done, I couldn't believe it! Our baby girl has her own blog! I have to say that it's definitely one of the coolest things anyone has ever done for me. I plan on updating this blog often regarding all things Luci!
Joe designed the Luci logo with the little diamond above the i. So cool!

it began with a dream...

Many people know that a month before Lucia was conceived, I dreamt of my late Grandma Dee very vividly. We had been trying to have a baby and I regularly talked to my Grandma, asking her for a sign as to when our dream would come true! One morning, I awoke with a vivid memory of my dream the night before with my Grandma, holding a baby girl saying "isn't she the most beautiful thing you've ever seen" and was granted a sense of peace and knew that one day soon, I would get pregnant.
A month later, on my Grandma's birthday, we officially found out I was pregnant. I knew immediately that if the baby was a girl, we would give her the middle name Dee. My Grandma and I were very close and I wanted to honor her in the most special way I could.
It may be hokey to some, but I truly believe that before Lucia was born, her soul was taken care of by my Grandma Dee. It was only fitting she was to be named in honor of one of the most awesome people I have ever known. ;)

my birth story

At our 38 week appointment, our doctor informed us that the baby was probably breech. Needless to say, this came as quite a surprise as the sexless wonder (we had no idea that Lucia was Lucia) had been "in position" and raring to go just the week before. We opted to try a technique called a Version, where the doctor would manually try to externally flip baby. This is usually performed at week 36 or so, so the chances of it working for us were minimal, but I still wanted to try.
The version was performed at 38.5 weeks and did not work. Travis watched as two doctors wrenched on my stomach and attempted to flip baby Luci to no avail. Some people choose to have an epidural for the procedure but I opted out of it. I think I was so set on having a natural childbirth, I was prepared for any type of pain, and dealt with it accordingly. Because it did not work, we were informed we had to schedule a c-section as no doctor or mid-wife in the area (or anywhere really!) will birth a breech baby. We couldn't believe it! This little punk was already giving us a run for the money! Side note: only 3-4 percent of babies are breech at full term. :)
Another side note: In addition to the Version, I also tried putting cold packs on my upper abdomen hoping Luci would seek warmth below, did flips in my parents pool, practiced visualization, placed headphones on my lower abdomen, shined a light at my lower abdomen and did ridiculous stretches that shocked Travis when he walked into the room. I also wanted to try a procedure with my acupuncturist, but he was honest and said it would most likely not work this late in the game, so I resigned myself to the inevitable.
We decided to schedule the c-section but only let our parents and siblings in on the date for several reasons. We had been looking so forward to surprising everyone with the phone call announcing our birth and the sex of the baby, we didn't want to alert everyone of the scheduling. We told people the deal, but said to still hang tight for the big call! That kept the element of surprise and some anxiety out of it for the both of us. Trav and I went out to our "last supper" as a couple Tuesday night, and just enjoyed the night as we knew the next day, our lives would never be the same.
Our doc agreed to allow us to bring my ultimate "birth mix" into the Operating Room, as I had of course painstakingly spent the last month or so putting it together. Hearing the songs I chose helped both of us focus on other things aside from the cold operating room and machines beeping. And everyone in the OR loved our mix, and said they'd never had a patient do that before. I couldn't believe that! We still had our doula accompany us to the hospital and she really helped in calming our nerves prior to the surgery. She also was there immediately following the birth in the Recovery Room to help with breast feeding. I can imagine the agony our moms felt as she was led back to see baby Lucia before anyone else! lol
The birth of our baby Lucia was fast and furious and the doc remarked she came out kicking. The best part of the birth was the fact that our doctor let Travis announce to me that she was indeed a girl and we were both overcome with so much emotion. Also as she was pulled into this world, the song "Yellow" by Coldplay was playing, and that was the song that was playing as Travis and I walked down the aisle after being married almost four years ago! Very cool indeed.
I had dreams of her birth and had been preparing for it for months. I know everyone says you should never have a birth plan, but I still believe we should all be prepared. While Luci's birth was not what I intended, I still felt empowered in knowing we did all we could to personalize it and make it our own. And the reward is so great, it's obviously indescribable. What everyone says and then more. We love our little "Luci in the sky with diamonds" so much!
I'm already thinking about another baby (in the near future, let's not get carried away!) and our doc said he would in fact perform a VBAC if the next little punk decides to stay in position! So that gives us hope! Either way, Lucia is healthy and perfect and I truly believe she decided to come into this world on her own terms. We're in trouble!

I'm Here!

I was born on Wednesday, July 16th. I'm 7.8 pounds and 19 3/4 inches long. My mom and dad will post more here as I start to grow up.