better 3gether!

Merry Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Blomgren2) — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 21:12:00 +0000

Praise the Lord for sending little Jesus to this earth, what an amazing sacrifice He gave for us all!

We are thanking God for bringing us back together for the holidays! Merry Christmas to you and your family, we hope you are enjoying your day together :)

Here we are on Christmas eve!

Norah in her Christmas day apparel (thanks Ter!)!

Mom and Dad on Christmas morning opening stockings with the Moselle family.

Norah "met" Santa last night! She slept through the meeting but it was cute anyway.

Visiting Cali

noreply@blogger.com (Blomgren2) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:14:00 +0000

Last weekend we had the chance to visit some of our good AF friends! They are stationed at Vandenberg AFB and live in Santa Maria, CA. The base is beautiful and is located on 40 miles of coastline. Here's a sneak peak of our trip!

Here is David and Norah after our late flight. We were back in Denver a little after midnight and then drove back to the Springs.

This is David after we had a day visiting some vineyards, sleepy David!

The whole group at the first vineyard, it was beautiful!

Kelly, David (and Norah), Shay (wine tasting expert), Brandon, Mary & Stacey (who drove us around!)

Kelly & Mary

Visiting the beach... it was cold!

The JAGs

Our family (sans Wrigley)

Norah was a GREAT traveler and was very relaxed. We had some loooong days in the car seat.

And, David is back! He loves to take the camera and play with it :)

R&R in Vail

noreply@blogger.com (Blomgren2) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 20:58:00 +0000

We went to Vail for about a week when David arrived home. We relaxed and got reacquainted. We are so grateful to the condo owners and David's parents for opening up the condo to us again! We loved every day we were there :) Here are a few snap shots from the week together.

Both kiddos playing with Daddy

Norah looking mighty cute!

She's really starting to get her smile on :)

LOTS of snuggles with Daddy in Vail

We tried to cook a few dinners... it was fun to be back in the kitchen together (not that we've experienced a lot of kitchen time together before but we're working on it).

Snuggled up for a walk!

Home, Sweet Home

noreply@blogger.com (Blomgren2) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:17:00 +0000

Thank you all for your prayers, care packages, thoughts and emails while I was in Iraq. I really appreciate it. I know that your prayers paid off and that God was watching over my colleagues and me during my time there. Please continue to pray for those that are over there still. It was an incredible feeling to walk off that plane and greet my beautiful wife and meet my precious daughter. However, it pains me to know that many servicemen and women did not have the opportunity to walk off a plane to their loved ones. While I was deployed, 298 US military personnel were killed in action (55 in Iraq, 243 in Afghanistan), and many more were injured. Please keep those families in your thoughts and prayers during this Christmas season. Thanks again for your support (to both Kelly and me) during these last 6 months....it's great to be back!

Wrigley Greets Daddy!

noreply@blogger.com (Blomgren2) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 01:09:00 +0000

We Are SO Better 3gether :)

noreply@blogger.com (Blomgren2) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 02:31:00 +0000

Welcome home my Love. We all missed you. We are all so grateful for your service and we appreciate your sacrifices. SO GLAD YOU'RE HOME!

First hug with a few tears

Norah meets her Daddy!!

Getting aquatinted in the first few minutes

LOVE!!

Norah's first feeding from her father :)

noreply@blogger.com (Blomgren2) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 06:34:00 +0000

Since David left I have...

*Been waiting 4,296 hours for his return

*Paid six water bills and six electric bills

*Been to the airport 16 times

*Cried countless times and laughed a lot too

*Had a baby :)

*Made some new friends and really cherished the old ones

*Taken out the trash about 23 times. What can I say, I miss a few weeks!

*Learned how to use the weed waker (see this post!)

*Had a lot of company both out of towners and locals - thank you everyone!

*Tried to "cook" for one - it's really not easy

*Gotten really close with my mom!

*Joined a new small group for mothers and I love it!

*Took trips to MN, IL, Vail & Denver

*Learned that I am not in control (it's funny it took me this long to get that. I'm not saying I won't struggle with this later on)

*And gotten really attached to both Wrigley and Norah as my housemates and companions!

Okay David... I'm really ready for you now! Can't wait... only 12 hours and 10 minutes until his airplane arrives!!!!

Trash Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Blomgren2) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 07:35:00 +0000

I know it seems strange that I'm excited about trash pick up day huh? It's more the fact that next week when the trash gets picked up my man will be here too!!!!

As I've been going through the last few days I keep thinking things like this :)

Yeah for David's homecoming in less than a week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Birth Story

noreply@blogger.com (Blomgren2) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 08:10:00 +0000

I've been wanting to share my birthing experience with you since it's a wonderful testament of God's faithfulness to us... and I'm very proud of it too! Here it goes...

On Saturday night (the 19th) my body had a few sudden changes concerning my fluids. I knew it had to do with the pregnancy and was excited to tell David things were progressing. I didn't think this progress meant I was actually in labor just that my body was coming closer to delivery! I emailed David knowing he was at work and told him to call me if he had a chance. During his call to me, around 12am, I had my first contraction. I knew it was a contraction but I thought that it was definitely false labor pains since it was way to early to have my baby!

As the next few hours went on I continued to have contractions and feel sick. I timed them and tried to go to sleep hoping they would settle down. I talked to David on the phone around 2am and he encouraged me to call the hospital. I knew they would tell me to come in so they could monitor what was going on. They did tell me to come in and I was very unenthusiastic about it, mostly because I was afraid.

I woke up my cousins and told them what was going on. They seemed way too excited considering the fact that I was in pain :) They were both so encouraging throughout this whole experience and again, God's hand in the timing of them being at my house was amazing! Jessica drove us to the hospital on the Army base which is about 40 min from our house. Once we got there we got to the labor and delivery triage and they checked a lot of things including fetal movement, my contractions, checked to see if my water had broke etc. After all these exciting tests and many more contractions they said my water had indeed broke. This baby girl was ready to meet me, I on the other hand wasn't so sure!

Since Norah was going to be born soon and I was only 35 weeks along they had to transport me to a hospital with a NICU. I was brought by ambulance to a hospital near down town for a safer environment in case of emergencies. When I arrived at the other hospital it was about 5:30am and things continued to progress quickly! Norah entered this world at 7:16am and was obviously perfect (there's no bias here :)). No breathing problems or oxygen needed. There were a lot of concerns because of her early arrival but again, God's timing was amazing and she was perfectly healthy!

(I just had a baby!!! Welcome to the world Norah Linn, you're our miracle girl!)

Throughout the night my cousins would call and update David on my progress. He was probably pacing around his office in Baghdad! I talked to David within a minute of delivery and told him we just had a baby!!! I was overwhelmed with excitement and disbelief as I'm sure David was. After I briefly talked to him I had to go cut the umbilical cord and focus all of my love and attention on Norah.

Even though I went into labor so early the hospital staff was very accommodating to my requests. I wanted to have a natural birthing process, hold Norah for as long possible after birth, cut the umbilical cord myself and a few other important things to us. I was able to have all my wishes and again God's perfect timing in everything made this possible. If there were complications I probably wouldn't have been granted many of my desires for the birthing process. Praise God for his faithfulness to me in this trying situation.

(Cuddling with Norah a few hours after delivery)

Here's the rundown of the night:

12:ooam Water broke

12:30am 1st contraction

2:15am Leave for Evans Army Hospital

3:15am Check into triage at labor and delivery

4:00am 2cm & 90% effaced

5:00am Ambulance ride to Memorial Hospital

5:45am 4cm, 100% effaced & +2

6:20am 7cm

6:50am 9cm

7:03am Start to push!

7:16am Norah was born!!!!!!!

(Norah Linn - 4lbs 13oz and healthy and strong!)

My labor and birth story is so special and I'm very proud of it! It was intense but such a wonderful and amazing to experience. I am so thankful for God's timing with all my anxieties about birth, not having to deal with my gestational diabetes for very long, having my wonderful cousins in town, and meeting my baby girl earlier!

This Makes Me :)

noreply@blogger.com (Blomgren2) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:49:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (Blomgren2) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:33:00 +0000

David will arrive back in Colorado December 2nd!

He will have been "deployed" 178 days and at training another 25 days.

What a day of celebration we'll have on December 2nd - only 13 days away!!!!!!

Norah's Guests

noreply@blogger.com (Blomgren2) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:23:00 +0000

Thank you to everyone who traveled so far to see Norah and myself. I am so grateful for your support and love during this transition without my Hubby. I know time is precious and flying and driving is not cheap but please know that words cannot describe the support I've felt through your days here in CO with us.

In order of appearance, here are Norah's already faithful family and friends visiting her during the first two months of life!

My AMAZING cousins Kyleen and her baby girl Joy (not pictured) and Jessica! They were in town from MN when I went into labor - more to come on my labor and delivery later. Ky and Jes were obviously an amazing support and really just a gift from God. I'm so grateful for their support and love, especially through Norah's birth!

My Mom was able to fly in on a whim and arrived the day Norah and I were discharged from the hospital. What a special three generational picture!

Nana lovin' on her 1st grand-baby.

Auntie Kim and Papa drove through the night from MN to meet Norah. Their 14+ hour drive each way was so sacrificial and they could only stay for a day and a half. That's love!

Papa REALLY excited to meet his 1st grand-baby too.

Thanks for coming to see us!

Auntie Kristin was planning on visiting me before Norah arrived! She came a week before Norah's actual due date and Norah was already 3 1/2 weeks old.

Grandma came to visit during Kristin's week here to meet her 1st grand-baby too!

My mom made her way back over my due date and enjoyed a little more granddaughter love.

My Dad and brother then drove in from MN (Dad, you're crazy to do that again!)!

Of course uncle Aaron brought Norah a Wild hat! She's working on growing into that now :)

My wonderful friend Polly and her one year old flew in from Rapid City. They were able to stay a week and show Norah and I what life will be like in a year from now! Scary.

Grandpa Chuck FINALLY got to meet Norah! He was psyched to arrive in the Springs to hold his 1st granddaughter just like everyone else :)

It was hard to get him to look at the camera since he was usually just staring at Norah's beautiful face :)

Auntie Kim and my college roommate Ashley arrived after the grandparents. We had a great time doing girly stuff.

Thanks for making time to visit Ash, it was so special to have you.

Missing Our Man

noreply@blogger.com (Blomgren2) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:51:00 +0000

I still try to send David a picture everyday! Since Norah's arrival though it's been much less than everyday. Here we are today! We love you Daddy, come home safely!

Norah doesn't always like pictures.

The Blomgrens Are Moving To....

noreply@blogger.com (Blomgren2) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:54:00 +0000

Spokane, WA! We just got word that we'll be moving next summer. I'll be stationed at Fairchild AFB. All these big life decisions that we don't get to decide! So exciting...and nerve-racking.

noreply@blogger.com (Blomgren2) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:39:00 +0000

This is where Saddam was tried and convicted. It was interesting to see...rumors are that he was hanged in the building I work in, but I'm pretty sure that is completely false.

I see this everyday. It's a good reminder.
Cross swords on a typical dusty day. Baghdad is actually a really neat city, apart from the people trying to kill us, of course.

Pacifier Madness

noreply@blogger.com (Blomgren2) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:34:00 +0000

I knew there were different kinds of pacifiers but had no idea how many! It's kinda silly but it's also helpful. These little kiddos can be quite picky about the ones they will and will not let pacify them :)

noreply@blogger.com (Blomgren2) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:59:00 +0000

One of our artistic and creative friends took some beautiful pictures of Norah when she was about three weeks old! I've only gotten a sneak peek at some of the pictures so I'd thought I'd share them! If you want to see a few more check out our friend's blog!

Cuddle Time :)

noreply@blogger.com (Blomgren2) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:45:00 +0000

Here's a sweet shot of Norah taking a snooze while I was walking around the Garden of the God's last week (obviously the date on the picture is wrong!).

She's a huge cuddler and I'm trying to take advantage of it! :)

I love her so much! Who wouldn't really?!

A Funny Thing

noreply@blogger.com (Blomgren2) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:05:00 +0000

Norah and I have been working on our nursing relationship! It's quite the journey and has had it's ups and downs. It's a special time for mom's to bond with their babes and I think it's a really awesome thing to invest yourself in! Maybe I'll post more about our journey at a later time. For now, there is a pretty funny breast pump one might want to invest in! Check out the website HERE. :) There are so many other cleaver products surrounding breast feeding. Here's one more - My Brest Friend

R&R

noreply@blogger.com (Blomgren2) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:42:00 +0000

This past week I was able to take some much needed R&R in Qatar. It was extremely nice to: 1) not be in Iraq; 2) wear civilian clothes; 3) not wear a weapon; 4) have some beer (limited, of course, by the military); 5) go on some excursions; and 6) see some familiar faces--I met up with Mark & Martha, Kel's uncle and aunt. Although getting there involved some not-so-fun times on military aircraft, it was well worth the trip. Here are some highlights from my trip:

Downtown Doha in the background

Driving through Doha--very futuristic looking city (the architecture reminded me a bit of Hong Kong)

In the Souqs (specialized stores)

Not my flight, but an example of what it looks like inside a military aircraft. This one, actually, is the more comfortable plane.

Walking and talking with Mark in one of the malls in Doha. Qatar is a very wealthy country (lots of oil money), so the stores were way out of my price range!)

Norah's Growing Up Already!

noreply@blogger.com (Blomgren2) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:49:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (Blomgren2) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:07:00 +0000

Sentence Served: 126 days

Sentence Remaining: 53 days (8 weeks : 3,018 hours : 181,057 minutes & 10,863,425 seconds :))

We are now 70% of the way done with David's time in Iraq! Still thanking God for each day down :) Can't wait to have you back baby!

A CO Baby Shower!

noreply@blogger.com (Blomgren2) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:44:00 +0000

Well, who would have guessed that I would have a wonderful baby shower the day I went into labor?! What a whirlwind of events that whole weekend brought... my cousins being in town, Steve and Colleen getting married, my baby shower and then the baby! Here are a few pictures from the wonderful shower.

Leah and Katie hosted and planned the whole shower! It was a hit and I think everyone had a great time. I sure did! Thank you ladies so much for blessing me and making Norah feel like she had all she needed to make her debut :)

A few of my friends from work that were able to make it.

Katie, Allison, Leslie, me, Liz & Grace

A few friends from church: Michele, Olivia, me, Cheri and Karen

More Love for Norah

noreply@blogger.com (Blomgren2) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:01:00 +0000

I'm having a hard time getting pictures of me and my girl. I wish David were here to capture some of my love for Norah :) So, I'm trying to capture some of the love between us myself!

I cannot say it enough - I LOVE her hair! It's so soft and beautiful.

2 Weeks Old!

noreply@blogger.com (Blomgren2) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 03:51:00 +0000

Here are a few pictures of our baby girl! She's over two weeks old already :)

Sleepin on Mama's lap

One of my FAVORITES, thanks auntie Kim

She's already taking after me!

Wrigley and Norah are both cuddlers!

Throwing the peace sign already!

During her first wash at home. Gotta love those long legs. Reminds me of the ultra sound picture where you could tell she took after both mom and dad!