Liesl tells it like it is.
Can't say we are all that sad to see 2009 go. It was a tough year. We had lots of great things happen... a pregnancy, a new house, and the birth of our precious little girl. But we had lots of struggles too. The parents divorce, my dad getting sick, auctioning my parents house... This year was the first year since I was a kid that I didn't have plans on New Years Eve, and if you know me and how much I love New Years Eve... you know that sucked. And just to send the year off with a bang, my dad passed out in our driveway yesterday and cracked his head open.


Thank Goodness I got a girl. How flippin cute is she?!?!?

Our Christmas photo shoot.

I bathed both the kids at 7pm on a tuesday night and dressed them all up in their Christmas outfits. The photo shoot that followed took less than 20 minutes and came out much better than I thought. Liesl cried most of the time, we'd stick a binky in her mouth till she settled down then pull it out and take pictures. (I'm so mean) Couldn't resist taking a few of her crying too, afterall that is her normal state.

Overachiever

My little angel rolled over!! Belly to back for the first time before she was even 6 weeks old. At first I thought it was an accident, but she did it over and over again without assistance. Doesn't this baby know that I want her to stay tiny forever. She is already growing way to fast.

Look at ALL that hair!!!

Ever since Liesl was born and people stopped asking me when I was due, it seems the ONLY thing we hear when someone sees her is: "Look at ALL that hair!!"

I promised her that before long someone would have something to say to her besides that. Like maybe...."What a pretty smile". Though at this point it will probably be "Have you tried a pacifier?" (She cries ALOT)

Big Brother Braeden!

Braeden just can't get enough of his little sister! He took her pictures to school and showed everyone including the bus driver.

He loves holding her and feeding her and is especially proud of his "magic touch" when it comes to burping her.

He is a BIG helper, getting extra clothes, binky's and bottles. He even wants to help change diapers!!

Once when he heard her crying in the middle of the night he even got out of bed to see how he could help me. :)

He has been super understanding when I can't get up in the morning to wait for his bus with him, and when we can't play games after dinner because that's Liesl's fussy time. She is very lucky to have such a wonderful big brother.

a child is born.

Liesl Victoria Seidel

11-10-09

6lbs 8oz 19inches

8:00a.m.

I know this comes a month late, but that's just how much she has consumed us. We all love her sooo much.

removing my rose colored glasses

In a flu season like none other in recent memory, Southwest General is temporarily modifying its visitor policy to prevent the spread of the H1N1 and seasonal flu to our health care workforce, our patients and their visitors. The new limited visitation policy is effective Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009, and includes the following temporary visitation changes:

•Visitors seeing patients will be limited to those 18 years and older. This includes visitors and siblings to the Maternity Unit.
•Visitors will be limited to one visitor per inpatient. Two visitors are allowed in the waiting rooms to accompany patients having procedural treatments such as surgery, cardiac catheterization, etc.
•Visitors who have been diagnosed with the flu in the last seven days or who have flu-like symptoms are not permitted in the hospital.



In anticipation of mothers being admitted to Southwest General with the flu or ILI during delivery, we have developed a policy following the most current CDC guidelines. Click here for more information.

•When entering the Maternity Unit, you and your significant other will be instructed to wear a surgical mask.
•A new Maternity Unit policy that applies to ALL patient visitors: Visitors, including siblings, must be aged 18 or older. The father of the baby is not considered a visitor. Two visitors are permitted with mom in the Labor and Delivery area. After delivery and in a postpartum bed, mom is permitted one visitor, and baby also is permitted one visitor (consistent with hospital policy of one visitor per patient in a bed). All visitors will be screened for ILI or ILI exposure prior to visiting. Visitors with flu or ILI are not allowed on the Maternity Unit.
•When delivering, you will need to wear a mask to prevent the spread of the flu to your newborn.
•After you deliver, you will recover in a private room. Your baby will need to go to the Nursery to be placed in a warmer separate from the other babies in the Nursery.
•Because your baby is particularly susceptible to this illness, we also need to make sure the baby doesn't come in contact with anyone with the flu. Unfortunately, this also includes you. Until you have been on anti-viral medications or have had no symptoms (fever, sore throat, cough) for 48 hours, you will be unable to have contact with your baby.
•If you are breastfeeding, it is recommended that you pump and express your milk. It is okay to breastfeed while taking anti-viral medications.
•Your significant other will be able to enter the Nursery to feed and hold your baby. He/she will be instructed to wear a cover gown while in the Nursery.


Sooo. My little shiny happy memory is getting a bit more sterile. I am so sad that Braeden will not get to come to the hospital to meet his new baby sister. Or to see me and make sure that I'm ok. I will not have the wonderful moment of him crawling up on the bed and everybody smooshing together to take a photo. No big brother peering through the nursery window.

I realize that these precautions are for our own safety and all that blah blah blah, but I am still super sad for me and for Braeden.

Add to that, The ex called to say he will be having his kidney stones removed on the wednesday that I am in the hospital and will not be able to take care of Braeden on the 3 days that he was supposed to. Of course, I can handle this because I always do, but still it aggravates me that he scheduled his procedure without even thinking about who would care for his son and made NO effort what so ever to find someone to help while he was out of commission. Just leave it to good ol' reliable Leslie.