6 Weeks Old - Baby's First Christmas

Comparing size with the bear

Up close with the baby fat rolls - when we took Clara to the pediatrician
last week she weighed 10 lbs 6 oz!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve

The three of us celebrated Christmas on its eve since Nathan was working on Christmas day.


Clara got a pony for Christmas from Great-Grandma Polderman. Please keep Great-Grandma in your prayers. She has had two heart attacks and is in the ICU. Nathan flew to Grand Rapids on Christmas to be with her and his family.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds...

...while visions of sugarplums danced in their heads.

5 Weeks Old

Conversations with the bear

Big blue eyes - will they stay or will they go?

More Clara babble... She is a very animated speaker!

Letter to Clara: Month One

Dear Clara,

Today you are one month old. While I feel like I was pregnant yesterday, life before loving you also seems like the distant past. The delight of feeling you kick inside of me is no comparison to the joy of seeing and knowing you as a cuddly little person.


I love watching you as you sleep and catching glimpses of your baby dreams as they swiftly pass across your face. You have smiled and giggled in your sleep since your first week and we eagerly waited to be the recipients of your sunny graces...and when you bestowed them, we were smitten anew!


In addition to smiling this month, you have also gotten your first tooth and begun babbling to us. You seem to have quite a bit to say if you have a captive audience that cheers you on (and descends into baby talk in an effort to elicit your response!)





You have made my world so much bigger. Yet, the world seems like a scarier place now. I watch the news and shudder to think that you are living in this fallen world. I pray each day that the Lord will draw you to Himself and that your sojourn here will be characterized by faithfulness to His calling.

Love,
Mama

Rubber Ducky You're The One...

Erin's first word was "duck"...like mother like daughter?

So far, this is about as close as Clara comes to smiling at us while awake.

Bath time following major diaper malfunction.

No, she really isn't that chubby...although she has been feeding off and on for nearly 8 hrs today without sleeping!

3 Weeks Old

3 weeks old...yippee!

3 weeks old, the extended version

What can I say...God has blessed us with a beautiful little lamb!

Grandma and Grandpa Polderman

My parents were in town over the weekend to see their 3rd grandchild...and us as well. There is one thing Clara has no shortage of and that is grandparents...2 grandmas, 2 grandpas, 2 great grandmas, and 1 great grandpa!

Dream Girl

I managed to get a short video of Clara during one of her many animated REM sleep cycles. She often giggles and smiles during her sleep...one can only imagine what the dreamworld of a 3-week old infant consists of. We are looking forward to the day when she giggles and smiles at us while awake.

Clara's First Bath

Clara's umbilicus (stub from the umbilical cord) fell off on Friday...which meant it was bath time! Needless to say it was not her favorite activity.

Thanksgiving Weekend Pictures

A view of the living room in our cozy two-bedroom apartment. The rocking chair Erin is sitting in was graciously donated by a couple in our church.

Grandma Toelcke ('Grammy') enjoys some time with Clara.

Auntie Emily.

Grandpa Toelcke ('Grampy')

My first Thanksgiving outfit!

Cleaning up after a long day.

Thanksgiving

The rest of Erin's family arrived in Houston to celebrate Thanksgiving with us. Our family has so much to be thankful for, especially when I reflect on all that has transpired over the past 10 months. Our transition from Memphis to Houston has been a difficult road at times but God has been so faithful in all things. Nowhere has His faithfulness and mercy been more clear than in Erin's pregnancy and recent arrival of our precious daughter Clara. Erin endured no significant sickness or complications during the entire pregnancy, and was only in true hard labor for less than an hour. Clara was born perfectly healthy and has made great progress with nursing and growth, and overall is a very well-mannered child (so far). The Lord also provided a buyer for our townhouse in Memphis, despite the slumping market, and we will close on the sale this Tuesday! Join us in praising God for this and many other blessings.

We read Psalm 138 at the dinner table on Thursday:

1 I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing your praise;
2 I bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.
3 On the day I called, you answered me;
my strength of soul you increased.

4 All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD,
for they have heard the words of your mouth,
5 and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD,
for great is the glory of the LORD.
6 For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly,
but the haughty he knows from afar.

7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life;
you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
and your right hand delivers me.
8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;
your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.

Caution: Cuteness Factor Increasing

Extreme close up. Clara is wearing one of the little hats we brought home from the hospital as the ones we have are nearly twice the size of her little head!

Ok, I know...the bib's a little too big yet...just a cheap marketing ploy by daddy here. Remember, this little girl has already flown Continental around 12 times during her stay in Erin's tummy over the summer! I will have to send this photo over to the marketing department.

For now, we have Clara sleeping in a comfy Moses basket that Erin's mom got for us. We can transport it around the apartment quite easily. She loves being swaddled up like a little strawberry muffin in these very soft cotton pink blankets that Auntie Barbara gave us.

Homecoming Day

Clara continues to bring much joy. Our second night was better than the first, a little more sleep for all 3 of us and continued progress on the breastfeeding front....baby steps. Here are pictures from her last few hours in the hospital and the ride home to our apartment.

Clara wearing her first outfit.

Heading home...great care, great nurses for the entire stay.

First car seat ride...slept through the whole thing. Clara is wearing the same bonnet Erin wore when she came home from the hospital as a baby.

Two bleary-eyed but joyful parents relaxing at home with Clara this evening.

Long First Night

Shot this short video with my digital camera about 3:30 am on Tuesday night with Clara. As expected, she kept us up pretty much the entire night....though I cannot think of a better reason to lack sleep than to spend time with this angel. Witnessing the bond between Clara and Erin develop through the breastfeeding process has been truly remarkable....a tribute to God's incredible design.

More hospital pics

Clara arrived home with us from the hospital early this afternoon. Here are some more pictures from the hospital. Enjoy!

Bonding with daddy.

Bonding with Grandma Toelcke.

Clara's not-so-subtle reminder of what she wants.

Abundant Life, Abundant Joy!

WHAT A BLESSING!!! Praise God!! The pictures speak for themselves. I just ran home to upload these pictures due to no internet access working at the hospital. Erin and Clara are doing great! The pediatrician came in tonight and said she was "perfect"...despite her powerful wailing during his poking and prodding. This girl has some lungs!