Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Merry Christmas

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Praise God for His perfect plans to give us hope and a future through his son, Jesus Christ! We are so thankful for the plans God had in store for us in the year of 2012.

We found out in January that we were expecting our first baby and we were so excited to share the news with family and friends! God blessed us with a healthy pregnancy and quick labor/birth. Sariah Faith Nobile was born on September 17th and she has filled our lives with joy and laughter. Our little girl is growing fast and likes to spend time sucking on her tongue or hands, chatting and smiling, rolling over and listening to music. We pray that Sariah will continue to grow, eager to follow God’s plans for her life!

Danielly loves mommyhood and feels blessed to be able to spend lots of time with Sariah. She is still adapting to a slower pace of life and is very grateful for baby carriers! Life as a new mom can be quite challenging at times and Danielly is thankful for the moms we met in our birth class and is looking to build relationships with other mommies in Bellingham. While pregnant, Danielly made the hard decision to turn down the opportunity to photograph several weddings but she is looking forward to continue pursuing photography in 2013. If you would like to see some of her work, visit: DaniellyNobile.com
 
John is having more and more fun with Sariah now that she spends more time awake and he loves to make her smile by taking her on ‘flights’ around our home! John is still excited about work and feels blessed to have so many opportunities to grow as a Software Developer at Logos Bible Software. He is thankful God has provided a job that not only supports our family financially, but also has eternal kingdom value. John is also enjoying leading a bible study for college-age guys through Cornwall Church. He is passionate bout leading young men through the transition to adulthood and God has continued to provide opportunities for him to pursue this passion.

We feel blessed to have family and friends who have been a great source of support and encouragement this past year as we faced many changes in life. We ask that you keep us in your prayers as we strive to follow God’s plans as new parents!

We hope you have a wonderful Christmas and we wish you the best for 2013!

All our love,
John, Danielly and Sariah Nobile
Bellingham, WA


Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Life with a Baby: Diaper Rash

Sariah had her first diaper rash a week ago and I had no idea what to do.

I had been using cloth diapers on her during the day and disposables at night or when we went out. I only use disposable wipes when we are out, otherwise I use cloth wipes and water with a bit of witch hazel.

She had never had a reaction to anything before.

After reading everything I could find on how to deal with diaper rashes, I decided to give Sariah a bath in the morning right after she pooped. I added about 1/2 a cup of baking powder to her bath water and let her splash around. I then put a hospital pad on her floor mat, turned on a room heater and let her play naked. She absolutely loved every minute of her play time!

I rubbed coconut oil on her constantly, but the redness was not looking any better.

I stripped all the cloth diapers (processing of removing any chemical build up on diapers) and cloth wipes.

While the cloth diapers were bring stripped, I used disposable diapers - but I used cornstarch as baby powder to absorb any moisture that could cause the rash to get worse.

While trying to find other solutions to the diaper rash problem, I read that lanolin was great at healing rashes...and I decided to give it a try.

Right before bedtime, I rubbed a little bit of lanolin on Sariah and used a disposable diaper. To my surprise, the diaper rash was 80% better in the morning!! I used the lanolin a few more times during the day (with disposable diapers because I didn't want the cream to make the cloth diapers water repellent) and the diaper rash was completely gone by bedtime.

I will definitely use lanolin as a diaper rash cream from now on!



Monday, December 17, 2012

Three Months Old






Sariah...
  • Slept for 10 hours straight at night for the first time after Thanksgiving.
  • Loves to smile and chat.
  • Likes to grab and pull mommy's hair.
  • Got shots for the first time anf cried like she was dying. She proceeded to get really sore thighs, but felt much better the next day.
  • Started sleeping in her own room, in her crib (instead of the pack and play).
  • Loves music and cannot stop looking at mommy when she is singing.
  • Examines her hands every day and is starting to play with toys.
  • Started boycotting bottles...so we are working on getting her used to taking a bottle again.
  • Learned to use her legs to scoot around. We imagine she will soon get a bald spot on the back of her head.
  • Had her first diaper rash which led to cloth diaper stripping, naked play time and lots of coconut oil and cornstarch.
  • Rolled over from tummy to back four times in a row like it was no big deal.

Monday, December 10, 2012

Life with a Baby: Cradle Cap

A few weeks ago, I noticed that Sariah's scalp was looking very dry and flaky. I wanted to act quickly to avoid cradle cap. Thanks to the Internet, I found a simple and natural treatment that took care of the dry scalp in one wash:

Wash baby's head with baking soda and water, and then olive oil. For best results do this every other day until cradle cap is gone.
 
***I decided to do this while Sariah was taking a bath and she was all oily by the end. It would have been much better if I had applied the olive oil and rinsed it by washing her head in the sink.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Vulnerability

I listened to a talk on TED this morning that really made me think about the areas of life I need to be working on. I highly encourage you to take 20 minutes to listen to BrenĂ© Brown talk about the power of vulnerability.



I was somewhat shocked to hear BrenĂ© talk about how we cannot select which emotions we want to experience. When we are trying hard to hide or numb an emotion, we are also stopping ourselves from experiencing all kinds of emotions that are good and life-giving.

I am taking some time to examine my heart and find what is keeping me from living a vulnerable life. I hope you do the same!

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Proverbs

I decided today that I am going to read through Proverbs for the next 30 days, one chapter a day. Why Proverbs? Well, keep reading...

Purpose and Theme

1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
2 for gaining wisdom and instruction;
for understanding words of insight;
3 for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
doing what is right and just and fair;
4 for giving prudence to those who are simple,[a]
knowledge and discretion to the young—
5 let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance—
6 for understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.[b]
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools[c] despise wisdom and instruction."
 
I am reading Proverbs because I don't want to be a fool. I want to live a life that brings glory to my Father in heaven. I am not very good at being wise...so I have a lot to learn!

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Free Session Giveaway

My favorite month is here and I am celebrating by giving away two free portrait sessions! Check out my website for more info and feel free to share this opportunity with family and friends: http://daniellynobile.com/2012/12/free-session-giveaway/

Friday, November 30, 2012

Thankful

Day 1: Thankful for time alone with my husband.
Day 2: Thankful for the time I get to spend with other mommies and their babies.
Day 3: Thankful for a family that is willing to make sacrifices to spend time together.
Day 4: Thankful for the beautiful Autumn colors.
Day 5: Thankful for a healthy daughter who is growing way too fast.
Day 6: Thankful for opportunities to learn more about photography.
Day 7: Thankful for a caring husband.
Day 8: Thankful for God's unconditional love.
Day 9: Thankful for gluten free food.
Day 10: Thankful for friends who are willing to drive 4 hours with their toddlers in order to visit us.
Day 11: Thankful for afternoon naps.
Day 12: Thankful for a fridge full of food.
Day 13: Thankful for the Internet.
Day 14: Thankful for a clean home.
Day 15: Thankful for the heater.
Day 16: Thankful for all the baby items we have received as gifts.
Day 17: Thankful for a restful day.
Day 18: Thankful for the opportunity to see friends we had not seen in a year.
Day 19: Thankful for a husband that wakes up in the middle of the night and feeds the baby so I can keep sleeping.
Day 20: Thankful for the easy access we have to health care providers.
Day 21: Thankful for the time we will spend with family this week.
Day 22: Thankful for opportunity to see Sariah chatting and laughing with her grandparents.
Day 23: Thankful for my mom's gift of hospitality.
Day 24: Thankful for time with friends.
Day 25: Thankful for our church family.
Day 26: Thankful for a Moby Wrap - without it I would not have been able to accomplish much today.
Day 27: Thankful for telephones because they allow me to stay connected to the people I love who live far from me.
Day 28: Thankful for the Holy Spirit and his convictions.
Day 29: Thankful for a washer and dryer.
Day 30: Thankful for a morning date with John.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Community Living

Last night, John and I watched the documentary "Happy" and I can't stop thinking about the community living homes in Denmark.

Where can I find something similar in the United States?

It is so easy to feel alone and isolated in my own home. Sometimes a whole day goes by when I realize I have not talked to anyone since John left to work in the morning. Well, now I spend my days talking to Sariah...but these conversations are more like a monologue at this point.

I would love to live in a community where neighbors:
  • share meals everyday
  • help each other take care of the kids
  • plant a community garden
  • spend time together
  • etc...
I recognize that living in community can have its challenges, but I truly believe that we miss out on living a more joyful life because we are so individualistic.

Individualism and I have never gotten along and I dream of living in community. Just thinking about it makes my heart rejoice...but I don't really know how to turn this dream into reality. Any ideas?

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Two Months Old

I just want to squeeze her!

 
Sariah...
  • Loves being naked and will stop crying the minute we take her clothes off.
  • Takes a bottle of breast milk a few times a week and gets nipple confused from time to time, but she never says 'no' to milk.
  • Began wearing cloth diapers and did not notice the difference.
  • Discovered her tongue and spends quite some time making sounds with her tongue every day.
  • Likes to play on her floor mat every day! Mommy loves hearing her laugh and talk to her new little friends!
  • Gets a tummy ache when mommy eats spicy food.
  • Tries really hard to not stay asleep when she is in her crib.
  • Started sleeping with her little hands open and arms stretched out. Her hands are so tiny and perfect!
  • Has many nicknames like: little squirt, little one, baby girl and ninja baby.
  • Has been waking up at 8:30AM and as soon as she sees mommy or daddy she smiles excitedly. 

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Baby Dedication

In our church, we dedicate children, believing they are gifts from God. This follows Jesus’ example displayed in Mark 10:14, 16, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.”

This past weekend Sariah was dedicated to the Lord and it was such a joy to have our family present.

Sariah got to wear the same dress I wore when I was dedicated - more than 26 years ago. The little dress was a gift from my grandmother and I felt so honored to have photos of my daughter wearing it as well!




Friday, October 26, 2012

Outings with a Baby

For the first 4 weeks of Sariah's life, I was terrified of going anywhere with her on my own. I was afraid she was going to get hungry while we were out and I felt like I could not nurse in public because I didn't know how to nurse using a cover...and I could not nurse without the help of a boppy and a second pillow. I was afraid of forgetting something important like diapers/wipes. I was afraid she was going to start crying and I wouldn't know what to do to calm her down. Needless to say, we spent a LOT of time at home. It helped that it was cold and rainy outside, but I am an extrovert and my 'people bucket' was completely empty.

I missed having a reason to get dressed in the morning. I missed seeing people. I missed having conversations with adults.

This past week, I made myself get out of the house with her even though my fears had not diminished. My first outing was to the grocery store (we were out of food after 4 weeks of no grocery store trips). I walked in the grocery store carrying Sariah in her car seat, a diaper bag and a few reusable shopping bags. I got everything on my lists as fast as I could and headed back to the car. Sariah was napping, so I decided to head over to a park and look for the best places for an upcoming Family Photoshoot. I put Sariah in the Moby Wrap and walked around, completely enjoying the Autumn colors and the fresh air. I still wished I had a walking buddy with me - but it felt good to be outside.

So far, Sariah and I have been to a potluck, a coffee shop and we even ventured out to a pumpkin patch with some friends from our birth class.

While going out with my little girl alone still makes me nervous, I am starting to feel more comfortable being with her and slowly but surely life is becoming a bit more normal!


Wednesday, October 17, 2012

One Month Old

I think she looks 100% like her daddy!


Sariah...
  • May be small, but is full of personality! When this little girl is not happy about something, she will let you know with her whole body.
  • Has gained more than two pounds since birth - daddy says that mommy has super milk.
  • Falls asleep just a few seconds after mommy puts her in the Moby wrap.
  • Is starting to smile on purpose these days!
  • Does not love her pacifier and only keeps it in her mouth for about 30 seconds.
  • Loves to look at her daddy when he is talking to her. We never new a newborn could be so focused!
  • Surprises us with poopy diapers at least 4 times a day. We go through a whole lot of diapers in one day.
  • Can now go about 5 hours without eating at night.
  • Has the cutest lips on earth and when we talk to her she makes a little "oooooooh" shape with her mouth - mommy loves it every time!
  • Loves to be bounced on the exercise ball. We are not sure what we would do without our giant, red ball.
  • Was born with her hand against her face and she never liked to have her hands swaddled. She sleeps with both hands up, close to her face.

Friday, October 12, 2012

Our Little Girl!








Monday, October 8, 2012

Sariah Faith is Here

John and I are so excited to announce that our daughter, Sariah Faith Nobile was born on September 17th at 5:54am. She weighed 6 pounds and was 19 inches long.
Birth Story:
My water broke at 2:00AM, Monday morning and I called my midwife to let her know. She said sometimes it takes a while for contractions to start, so I could go back to bed and try to get contractions going in the morning. She told me she would call me at 8:00AM to see how things were progressing.
About 10 minutes later, contractions started on their own and very quickly became super intense! I started to walk around the house and John kept trying to convince me to go to sleep and relax. I was so excited that we were going to have a baby soonish...at least in the next 48 hours, there was no way I could go to bed and sleep. About 15 minutes later, the contractions were so intense and my lower back hurt so bad I decided a warm shower might help. John headed over to the kitchen and started washing the pile of pots and pans we had used to make apple sauce and apple butter the previous night. I love him for knowing that I would not like to come home with a baby to find dirty dishes in the sink. 
I had texted our doula twice, but she had not called back...so I just swayed my body under the warm water for about an hour until I could no longer stand without holding on to something. The contractions were only lasting about 30 seconds, but they were coming every 1.5 minutes. I remembered that we were told to head over to the Birth Center when contractions were lasting about a minute and were 4-5 minutes apart...so it seemed that my labor was not following the 'normal pattern' we were anticipating.  
At some point, I started to moan and groan pretty loud in the shower and told John to call the midwife and let her know the contractions were really intense and I could not endure it until 8:00AM. I knew I was going to have to get out of the shower in order to head over to the Birth Center, but I could not imagine HOW I was going to get out of the shower. I am so thankful our doula helped me find a breathing pattern that helped me through the phone! We headed out to the Birth Center at 4:30am -John had packed everything in the car, had his shoes on, the car running and the front door open because I had to somehow get out of the shower, put some clothes on and get to the car before another contraction came. The 5 minute drive was really hard as I went trough three contractions, but I was so happy that we had made it to the birth center where my doula and midwife waited for our arrival!
I got in the tub right away (I think) and it felt wonderful to let my body float and relax a little. John rubbed my lower back during each contraction and it was so encouraging to hear him say that he was proud of how hard I was working! I was in the tub for about 40 minutes when I felt like I had to push, so the midwife decided to check me. I was terrified she was going to say I was only 4-5 cm dilated because I didn't think I could handle the intensity of the contractions for another 10 minutes. Seriously, I felt like I was getting hit by a train every few minutes and there was hardly enough time to catch my breath before another contraction came along. I was super surprised when she said I was ready to push! Praise God for the quick progress because I was starting to think that trying to go through labor and birth the natural way was a stupid idea. At that point the Epidural sounded like a miracle drug from Heaven. 
Through many grunts I pushed for about 14 minutes and Sariah was born! John and I were in complete disbelief of how fast everything had gone and as I sat in the tub, holding Sariah I kept repeating that I couldn't believe I had just had a baby!

Up until I started to push, John was completely oblivious to the fact that labor was not going to last 12+ hours. He remained calm the whole time because he thought we were still in the beginning stages of labor so he was pacing himself for the long marathon ahead.
The minutes and hours after Sariah was born were completely magical! John and I could not stop looking at her perfect lips, toes, ears, hands...She is so precious!

We were at the birth center for about 3 hours before heading home and life with a baby has been a wild roller-coaster ride. We are completely sleep deprived and completely in love with our daughter.

Stay tuned for photos of Sariah!


Sunday, September 16, 2012

Pregnancy #1: Third Trimester

The third trimester was filled with excitement and anticipation to finally get to meet little Sariah!
  • I experienced a lot of hip and pelvis pain. I guess that is just what happens when ligaments and joints are loosening up for birth.
  • John and I attended a great birth class, learned lots of practical information and got to meet other soon-to-be mommies and daddies.
  • Chocolate became a bit too yummy!
  • I started a TO DO list for after I have Sariah. I wanted to make sure I have some small goals to work on even when I am tired and sleep deprived.
  • We finally made a decision to use the Flip cloth diapers.
  •  I had to focus to not pass out after fasting for more than 12 hours for a glucose test. While the needle poking and sugary drink were not pleasant, that worst part was not eating for so long.
  • None of my bras or underwear fit anymore. 
  • We were still able to enjoy the outdoors and to my surprise, I managed to hike a few mountains.
  • John and I celebrated our 4th anniversary at the coast and I loved the fresh sea food.
  • We were abundantly blessed at two baby showers. Sariah’s wardrobe is not lacking anything!
  • Everyone says I look tiny for being in the third trimester, but I feel a little bit like a whale at times and definitely miss my old body.
  • We started planning for birth and postpartum. I am so glad John will be able to take some days off to stay home with us!
  • I started feeling a bit more tired, especially during Sariah’s growth spurts.
  • Very few clothes still fit me.
  • The nursery is done and all the baby clothes are washed and put away.
  • John helped me cross off things from my TO DO list.
  • I do not want to cook anymore...it's too much work.

Monday, September 10, 2012

These Last Pregnancy Days

I am about to enter week 39…and I feel as though I may explode before week 40 gets here. I am a little nervous Sariah will not come until week 42, but I am also trying to convince myself to be patient and trust that she will come when she is ready.

 Now days, it is hard to accomplish pretty much anything. Little tasks like washing the dishes seem like a huge adventure and I have to sit down and rest afterwards. Needless to say, I feel exhausted at the end of the day when I go on a 2.5 mile walk, do the laundry, clean the bathroom (including the bathtub), vacuum, cook dinner and wash the dishes. I don’t know how women survive these last pregnancy days when they have other little ones to take care of all day. Seriously, how do you do it?

 I also don’t know what I would do without John. He has encouraged me to take baths, nap during the day (I can’t ever nap during the day), continue going on walks … and I love it when he offers to rub my feet at night! He also puts up with my moodiness, exhausted complaints about how my whole body hurts, helps me get up to go to the bathroom at night and constantly tells me that I look absolutely beautiful when I am wearing sweatpants, a t-shirt that no longer covers my belly and my hair is everywhere from lack of brushing. I am a lucky woman!

 Despite the tiredness and discomfort, I am oh so happy to know that I will be meeting my daughter very soon! The fact that we are going to be parents still feels like a dream. We are blessed beyond measure and I cannot believe God has entrusted us this little life. I am so humbled and thankful!!!

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Lists, Post-it and Baby

I like making lists and checking things off as I accomplish them. People often comment that I have a great brain that remembers everything, but really, I am not sure what I would do if I was not able to write everything down on a million post-it notes of all colors and sizes.

With only two more weeks until Sariah’s due date, I am a list making machine! Pink post-its are currently covering our desk as I try really hard to remember EVERYTHING that needs to be done before our little girl arrives.
I told John last night that I don’t think I have enough time to get everything done and he asked me to name a few things that still need to get done. So here is what I shared with him:

·         Finish the art project for Sariah’s bedroom

·         Print and hang family photos in the hallway

·         Do the laundry

·         Order a breastpump

·         Find a Pediatrician

·         Buy cloth diapers

·         Put away the pile of things that are on the floor in the nursery

·         Finish a few photoshoots

·         Clean the house - again

·         Prepare and freeze a few meals

·         Throw away the recycling

As I told him the things that must absolutely get done, I realized that none of these things are absolutely crucial. Yes, I need to choose a pediatrician and it would be helpful to have a few meals ready to go in the freezer, but those things are not essential.
So, I am trying to focus on the important things (like investing in our time together because we will soon have a third person living with us) and not get overwhelmed by little things like throwing out the recycling and hanging photos on the wall.

Monday, August 27, 2012

Here I Go Again

I have spent a lot of time these past few weeks preparing for birth, postpartum, parenthood...but I recently have been hearing the Spirit whispering, reminding me to not forget my first love.

As I stop to listen to those whispers, I pray for those who come to mind, I praise God for His unfailing love, I ask for direction as I want to glorify Him with my life. Although parenthood is still around the corner, I am starting to see how distracting a child can be and how easy it could be to become so involved in my role as a parent that I forget to spend time with my Father in heaven and even ignore His call for my life.

While I believe that being the best parent I can be is part of God's call for me, I am convicted that being a parent is not the whole picture. My Spirit thirsts for me to encourage others while sharing about God's love and plan for each and every person. My hearts yearns for me to speak the words of life with fire in my eyes.

The song "Here I Go Again" by Casting Crowns, perfectly describes what has been in my heart today:


Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Maternity Photos

My dear friend and photographer, Hailey, took our maternity photos a few weeks ago and I wanted to share a few of my favorites with you all!

As a photographer, I get to capture lots of special moments for many people...but I am hardly ever in front of the camera. This maternity session helped relate to my clients a little bit more!





To see more photos from our maternity session with Hailey Rahm Photography click HERE!

Monday, August 6, 2012

The Heat Visited Us

We don't get too many hot days around here, but summer's true heat decided to visit us this past weekend. I refused to complain because I spend 90% of my life complaining about how cold it is up here all the time.

So, this past weekend, John and I filled water bottles with ice-water, packed a cooler with watermelon, cheese and crackers, grabbed a few blankets as well as a few books and headed to the park. We sat under a shady tree for hours and hours and enjoyed every minute of it. Also, have I mentioned that I love to just sit in public places and watch whatever is going on around me?

Saturday and Sunday I saw:
  • A little girl continuously try to get in the water while at the park. She made me look forward to future park days with my little girl.
  • Lots of sundresses and sandals!
  • Couples in love.
  • Sail boats.
  • A wedding photographer dominate the direct sunlight with some awesome equipment.
  • Little boys climbing trees!
  • Some HUGE sunglasses.
  • A dad try to teach his son to fly a kite for hours.
  • My swollen hands and feet.
  • Two pugs having a hard time breathing while on a walk.
I saw a lot more...but I think you get the picture.

On a different note, John is all excited because we finally got a carseat - and therefore are ready to have a baby. I must admit that I still don't feel 'ready' and may never feel as ready as I would like, but I love how practical my husband is. He was worried that our baby would arrive early and we would not have a carseat to bring her home. Now that the carseat is sitting in her room, John feels totally ready to go! At least one of us is feeling ready - six(ish) more weeks to go.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Life is a Miracle - Enjoy It!

Once again my heart is aching for friends who have lost their baby long before the arrival of their due date. Today it feels like too many mommies and daddies will not get to see their little ones grow up.
When John and I found out we were pregnant, we were excited to share the news with family and friends. We decided to go against the trend of waiting until the 12th week of gestation (when chances of miscarriages are much lower) to share the news because we felt our little baby was a precious gift that must be celebrated, even if we did not get to meet him or her after a full term pregnancy.
During those first few months, I remember asking John if he thought our baby was going to make it. I remember him looking straight in my eyes, right into my heart, while saying: “I think so, but only God knows for sure.” I was afraid something was going to happen and our joy would turn into mourning. I was afraid I was going to experience what so many of my friends have already experienced.

I often fell asleep praying for the little baby inside of me; begging God to keep him or her safe. I didn’t care if we were going to have a boy or a girl; I just wanted to hold a healthy baby in my arms.
Since those first few months, I have learned that every day of life is a wonderful miracle worth celebrating!

During this pregnancy, I have refused to let joint pain, lack of sleep and heartburn ruin my joy and excitement for the life that is growing inside of me. I have refused to let fear take away my joy because too many of my friends have not gotten to experience 33 weeks of gestation.
In the past year, my heart has hurt again and again for friends who could not hear their baby’s heartbeat during different stages of pregnancy. Witnessing their loss and pain has taught me to celebrate every minute of life; after all, we never know if we will get to celebrate it tomorrow.

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Showered with Love

I am SO thankful for the community of family and friends who have showered us with encouraging words, priceless advice and an abundance of gifts!

Over the past few months, I have received so many cute things for our little girl! She definitely has more outfits than her daddy. Granted, her outfits are tiny so they don’t take as much room, but we are definitely certain we will not be buying Sariah clothes for a while.

Yesterday I took some time to look through everything we have in order to decide what we still need to get and I was overwhelmed by the abundance of cute clothes, hair clips, pacifiers, blankets, shoes, bedding, shampoo and lotion, diapers, toys, swaddles…etc.

Friends and family, THANK YOU for blessing us and showering us with love!

32 Weeks

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Where did July Go?

It has been a while…and I can hardly believe August is almost here. What have we been up to this month? Well, here are a few things:

·         We have been learning a lot about birth, postpartum and newborns at the Birth Class we have been attending.

·         We traveled to the beach to celebrate our 4th anniversary and had a great and relaxing time. The highlights were the yummy crab cake dinners, beach hike and watching our wedding video!

·         We joined our family at a great reunion filled with activities, catching up, delicious meals and wonderful conversations.

·         We had our first baby shower – and John’s favorite gift was a California Baby Bug Repellent. He can’t wait to go hiking with Sariah!

·         We have been on the road a lot and I have visited lots of bathrooms.

I still feel like we are entering summer, but autumn will be here before I know it. To tell you the truth, thinking about the end of summer makes me really sad because I will miss the daylight, warm nights, a sun kissed tan, fresh fruit and veggies, taking walks, wearing skirts, etc.

I don’t want summer to end – but I am SO excited to meet Sariah in about 8 weeks! John and I find ourselves daydreaming about her, wondering what her birth will be like, imaging a bald little head and dreamy brown eyes. I can hardly wait to hold her little hand and warm her tiny toes.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Anniversary #4

My Beloved,
I continue to fall more and more in love with you!
Place me like a seal over your heart,
like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death,
    its ardor unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
    like a mighty flame.

Many waters cannot quench love;
rivers cannot sweep it away.
If one were to give
    all the wealth of one’s house for love,
    it would be utterly scorned.
Song of Songs 8:6-7

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

One Step at a Time

I went on a real hike for the first time 6 summers ago while in Alaska. I didn’t know what to expect and was not prepared physically or mentally for what was ahead. At the time, I thought we (a group of friends) were going on an easy 30 minute stroll…so I thought I would definitely be able to make it.

Well, 30 minutes turned into an hour and then two hours and then I decided I couldn’t handle it anymore since I couldn’t even see the top of this mountain.

I sat down on a rock and announced to the group of friends that I was just going to sit there and enjoy the view from where I was. My plan was to wait for the group to come back down and hike down together. In my mind that was a perfect plan…but the group didn’t feel the same way. To tell you the truth, I don’t remember much more other than the fact that one of the guys present told me to get on his back (as if I was his backpack) and he carried me to the top of Mount Ripinsky. To this day – more than six years later – I still cannot believe that happened. Someone carried me up a mountain.

The good news is that in the past six years, I have become a bit more used to hiking! My legs know what to expect when I put on my wool socks and hiking boots. My lungs no longer struggle the way they used to only 20 minutes after leaving the trailhead. My brain is more prepared to push through when my legs are tired. I can now focus on the goal without panicking that I may not be able to take another upward step.

This past weekend, John and I went on a hike that gave me the opportunity to really focus in order to make it. The hike was not very hard, but it had some pretty steep parts with lots of tree roots and rocks. It was a warm day and I am 7 months pregnant. Before starting the hike I told John that I was afraid of not being able to do it. I was afraid of being tired 20 minutes into it. I was afraid of sitting on the side of the trail ready to give up like I have done before.

John was very encouraging and told me we could go slow, focusing on one step at a time. That is just how I did this whole hike: focusing on one step at a time, allowing myself to become aware of my surroundings - the sounds, the landscape, my breathing and posture.

John led the way at a pace I could follow (he leads because I am terrified of snakes…so he gets the snakes out of the way before I arrive) and up I went; one step at a time.

I was definitely tired by the time we got to the top and I also REALLY needed to pee! We rested for a little bit, ate a snack and headed back down. By the time we got back to our car, I felt like my legs were going to detach from my body, but I felt like I had accomplished a milestone. I didn’t panic and I was never really tempted to sit on the side of the trail (especially knowing there were snakes around). I was able to focus on one step at a time and follow John’s lead. I did something I didn’t think I could do and I was so happy to experience this accomplishment with John!

During the hike, we talked about how hiking seems to be somewhat similar to the process of giving birth. As we prepare ourselves to the day when we get to welcome our little girl, we are exploring ways to work as a team when it is time to focus on one step at a time. While I have no idea what Sariah’s birth will be like, I am looking forward to working as a team with John and feeling like we accomplished a great milestone together!

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Getting Things Done in Slow Motion

I have been feeling tired and slow lately. Simple tasks appear to become more complicated every day and sometimes I feel like I am not getting anything done. I was somewhat very unproductive yesterday (but I was still making a baby) and decided I had to get things done whether I felt like it or not.

So, I started by getting dressed in real clothes - not my pajamas. I headed to the grocery store and came home with lots of veggies! I cooked dinner, cleaned the kitchen, made THIS laundry detergent, cleaned the bathroom, folded the laundry and waited for John to come home. His first words upon entering our home were: "Are you ok? You look beat!"

I not only looked beat, but I felt beat.

I ended the day by taking a nice bath that definitely helped me relax! I felt light and fell asleep a few minutes after I kissed John goodnight. Sometime in the middle of the night, I turned over and heard this really loud POP. I am not sure what happened but my hips were hurting so bad I had to breathe deeply and force myself up when I had to go to the bathroom (again).

Today, I took a long (and painful) walk and now I feel like my hips might somehow fall apart. I was SO tempted to go back to bed...but I fought the temptation by making the bed, dusting the furniture and vacuuming the house. I still need to edit some photos, iron some clothes and go through a pile of papers from my high school/college years. It is time to throw away and/or recycle the million assignments I have been saving in boxes for the last few years!

Although it doesn't feel like I am being very productive it is exciting to write down the things I am slowly accomplishing everyday!

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Beautiful


I see Your face in every sunrise
The colors of the morning are inside Your eyes
The world awakens in the light of the day
 I look up to the sky and say
You’re beautiful

  I see Your power in the moonlit night
 Where planets are in motion and galaxies are bright
We are amazed in the light of the stars
 It’s all proclaiming who You are
You’re beautiful, You're beautiful

  I see you there hanging on a tree
 You bled and then you died and then you rose again for me
 Now you are sitting on Your heavenly throne
Soon we will be coming home
You’re beautiful, you're beautiful

When we arrive at eternity’s shore
Where death is just a memory and tears are no more
We’ll enter in as the wedding bells ring
Your bride will come together and we’ll sing
You’re beautiful, You're beautiful, You're beautiful

I see Your face, You're beautiful, You're beautiful, You're beautiful
 I see Your face, You're beautiful, You're beautiful, You're beautiful
 I see Your face, I see Your face
I see Your face, You’re beautiful, You’re beautiful, You’re beautiful

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Pregnancy #1: Second Trimester

The second trimester was full of excitement as it became more real that we were indeed having a baby...and with that realness, we also experienced lots of changes.
  • When John and I first moved to our apartment, our goal was to stay for a year. With our lease ending in July and the baby scheduled to arrive in September, we decided to stay where we are for now.
  • Energy returned and I felt 'normal' again! However, my ever changing body made it hard for me to get used to me.
  • I started looking pregnant closer to 20 weeks (5 months mark).
  • I felt the baby move for the first time during the 20th week of pregnancy in the middle of the night...and I wanted John to be able to feel it so bad.
  • I felt so hungry I thought I could eat a cow daily.
  • We found out we are having a girl! John and I both thought we were having a boy and we had gotten used to calling the baby 'he.' We were so surprised to find out a little girl was joining our family. We named her Sariah Faith Nobile. The name Sariah is of Hebrew origin, meaning "Princess of the Lord." We pray that our daughter will grow up knowing how precious she is to her Father in heaven and that she will always choose to live by faith: "being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." We can't wait to meet her!
  • I made a spreadsheet of "Baby Things To Buy" and tried to eliminate some things after asking family and friends what they thought were necessary or helpful items.
  • I had to turn down the opportunity of photographing 8 weddings because lots of people decided to get married late in August, September and early October. I knew the baby was my first priority, but it was still VERY hard to say 'no' to photography.
  • I attended a few Baby Consignment Fairs and quickly became overwhelmed by the amount of stuff present. I did still manage to find a few awesome deals! Ex: I found a Bumbo seat with tray for $15.
  • My hips started to feel like they were going to fall apart anytime I exercised, but the hands' joints were no longer an issue.
  • We started working on the future nursery! We chose a gender neutral theme (colors blue, green and yellow) so we can use our baby things with the future boys and girls that may join our family.
  • I got tired of Tums and decided Fish Oil could not be nastier.
  • John and I enjoyed our date nights and always tried to make 'us' a priority.
  • By week 24, it looked like Sariah was practicing her martial arts skills in my belly. It was so fun to see my belly move around out of control. Sariah seems to like to show off to John because she always gets super active whenever he puts his hand on my belly and chats with her!
  • I borrowed all of my sister's loose shirts because mine didn't fit me anymore. I always called my sister's shirts "maternity shirts" because they have the high waist and flowy material...and I am glad she has selflessly let me borrow a part of her wardrobe.
  • I started to sleep with a few more pillows that helped me get through the night.
  • I will forever be thankful to John, who often rubbed my aching back in the middle of the night.
  • I felt pretty good most days and nights and could still hardly believe our little girl was growing inside of me!

Monday, June 25, 2012

Strawberry Picking

John and I had friends over this past weekend and I was praying the rain would take a break so we could go strawberry picking. After a very rainy and stormy night, we were blessed with a cloudy morning and no rain. We headed toward the strawberry farm not sure what to expect, but were welcomed with rows and rows of sweet strawberries.

We grabbed a few buckets and began our journey through the muddy strawberry patch. Below are a few photos of John with his "nephew" Micah!

Micah has always called John "uncle John"... so we decided to call Micah "nephew Micah". Although Micah may not be our biological nephew, we definitely love him very much! Watching John and Micah together brings me so much joy.

Friends, thank you for spending the day with us during this busy time of life. We look forward to always being a part of your lives and sharing many sweet moments together, along with our children!








Sunday, June 17, 2012

Father's Day

I am so thankful for the father God has given me!

Dad, I will always cherish you and do my best to honor you all my days.

Friday, June 15, 2012

The World's Best Pancakes

My husband, John, makes the world's best pancakes! I have not made pancakes once since I got married (almost 4 years ago) because I could never make pancakes that come close to being as wonderful as John's. He somehow manages to combine strawberries, bananas and chocolate chips with some other stuff to make a stack of pancakes that melt in my mouth. Oh, I have to add that ever since I discovered that I am gluten intolerant, he changed his recipe and has mastered making gluten-free pancakes!!!

We just recently got rid of all our Teflon pots/pans and now use stainless steel and cast iron. Below are a few photos of John using our new cast iron griddle to make pancakes for dinner!





Love, thank you for making me yummy pancakes, even at mid-night sometimes. No one will ever be able to beat your pancake making skills...and I am so glad I get enjoy them!

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Quilted with Love

Sariah just got her very first quilt as a gift from a dear friend who spent many hours working on her very first quilt. Can you believe this is her first quilt? I absolutely love it and cannot wait to see Sariah enjoying it!

Erica, thank you so much for the beautiful quilt! I can't wait for you to meet my little girl!




Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Inspired by Colors

I love going to Home Depot and looking at all the different paint colors available. When I see all the colors together, it makes me want to buy a gallon of paint for each color and start painting the world. However, when it comes to picking colors for my own home, I think I tend to be a bit boring...

I stick with earth tones and neutral colors. I know there is nothing wrong with that, but I guess what I am trying to say is that my living habitat is very different from the paint isle at Home Depot.

This past weekend, I got to photograph a bridal session for a middle school friends who happened to have lots of colors incorporated in her wedding details and I felt like I was in heaven. I couldn't get enough of pinks, reds, oranges, purples, blues...and now I want to add more color to my world!





Check out more photos from this beautiful wedding at www.daniellynobile.com

Monday, June 11, 2012

Almost 4 Years

John and I will be celebrating 4 years of marriage a few weeks from now and I can't wait! We'll be heading to the beach and I am hoping for sunny weather, long walks, frozen yogurt and foot rubs. I don't think John knows that foot rubs are part of our vacation plans...and I also don't think he knows that he is the one who will be giving the foot rubs. Love, will you rub my feet after our long walks? I'll carry our daughter during the walks. :)

In the past, John and I have hiked and camped during our anniversary. This year the plans are more laid back due to my pregnant body, but I am still so looking forward to going away for a few days to be with no one but John...(well, I guess Sariah will be coming too). I am looking forward to sleeping in, cuddling, watching our wedding video, remembering the ways God has blessed us in the last four years and dreaming about the future.

I have no idea what our lives will be like four years from now and I certainly didn't think we would be where we are four years into marriage, but whatever happens, I am glad I get to live it with the man I love; the man who takes care of me and tells me how beautiful I am every single day.

My dear John, I am so glad I get to be yours!

Monday, June 4, 2012

Such a Fun Proposal!

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Looking Forward to This:


If our baby girl is anything like me, she will get a bit of hair around her second birthday...but with hair or without, I am SO looking forward to cuddling with her!

I recently photographed a newborn and spending time with a tiny baby made me so excited to meet Sariah Faith.

Prepare yourselves to see lots of photos of her once she is born!

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Magic Wand

I have been feeling the irresistible desire to clean and organize absolutely everything. Yesterday I organized the tea basket, container cabinet and the recipe books. I created room in the kitchen for future bottles and sippy cups.

John broke down a twin bed that will have to go to make room for a changing table and we moved out a bookshelf. The future nursery is currently a room full of piles and even with the irresistible desire to clean and organize, I am starting to wish I had a magic wand.

I want a magic wand that will go through books, reorganize the closet, set up a changing table, paint a crib, do the laundry, break down a pile of cardboard boxes…the list goes on and on.

With less than 4 months to go until we meet our little girl, I am finding myself anxious to get the house ready. I can’t wait to see her crib and changing table set up, her clothes and diapers organized, and above all, I can’t wait to see her sleeping in her room!

I had a dream two nights ago that I went into labor super early and we didn’t have anything ready for the baby. We didn’t own a car seat, diapers or clothes…and I am sure that dream is the reason I now feel like we have to get ready RIGHT NOW! And a magic wand would help.

In case I end up not finding this magical wand, I have been creating “To Do” lists that will hopefully keep me on track.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Four Months to Go

In about 4 months we will be meeting our little girl!

I cannot believe how fast time is going by. When we first got pregnant we shared with family and friends that we felt like we had no idea what we were doing but we had to make decisions such as: baby names, midwife vs. doctor, birth center vs. hospital, prenatal tests, to move or stay where we are, which stroller is the best for our lifestyle, cloth diapers or disposables…the list goes on and on. At the time it felt like we had a lot of time to ask for advice, read, research and decide what we wanted. However, while many of those decisions have been made, it seems that time is evaporating right in front of me and at times I still feel like I have no idea what I am doing.

When I freak out about how soon she will be arriving, John reminds me that we will be ok! I love him SO much for loving me when I am a complete mess.

Ready or not, I am beyond excited to meet the little person that loves to move around inside of me! Feeling her move might have become one of my favorite things in life and I can’t help but smile when she becomes extra active when John puts his hand on my belly. I don’t know if this is possible, but it feels like she knows when her daddy is trying to feel her move and she totally shows off!  
Sariah Faith, you are so loved!

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Mission Aviation Fellowship

Please consider sponsoring the Monsons as they follow their calling to work with Mission Aviation Fellowship in the E DCR! Watch the video below that highlights their mission.


Monday, May 14, 2012

This Year's Mother's Day

Yesterday I got to hear a lot a of people wishing me "Happy Mother's Day"... and it was so weird to think of myself as a mother. Although I don't quite feel like a mother yet, I sure am excited to celebrate next year's Mother's Day with my little girl!

I hope I can be the kind of mother my mom has been for me. I feel SO blessed and overwhelmed that God gave me a mother I admire, cherish and absolutely love! Sariah is already blessed to have the grandma she has...and the thought of seeing my mother spending time with my daughter brings so much joy to my heart. Praise God for his blessings!!!


21 Weeks

Friday, May 11, 2012

Some Photography Humor

Happy Friday!

Monday, May 7, 2012

We are Having a Girl...

...and her name is Sariah Faith Nobile.

The name Sariah is of Hebrew origin, meaning "Princess of the Lord."

We pray that our daughter will grow up knowing how precious she is to her Father in heaven and that she will always choose to live by faith:

"being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1

We can't wait to meet our little girl!
Related Posts with Thumbnails