Miriam's story

Dear family and friends,

Jon and I are excited to announce our baby girl's arrival! She was very prompt and born on her due date, October 10, at 4:48pm. Weighing in at 7 lbs, 3 oz, Miriam Isabel has a head full of hair, strong legs, long fingers, and a peaceful disposition. The labor was under 24 hours, which was my prayer... but it was much more intense than I could have imagined.

On the night of October 9, Jon and I went out for his birthday to a Thai restaurant (if you're in DC, you should really try Little Serow). We had hoped that the spicy food would trigger contractions. Whether or not the food actually did, contractions began 1.5 hours after we got home! I was too anxious to get any sleep that night (big mistake!) and Jon just got a couple hours. We stayed home as long as we could; contractions kept getting closer together, so we left for the hospital around 4am. From then it was a bit of a whirlwind and you do not want to hear most of the labor details. I will say that I am so thankful for the midwives we saw (Wisdom Midwifery at George Washington University Hospital) and our doula. They were so caring and encouraging during the whole labor process. And of course, Jon was a wonderful support the whole time. I couldn't ask for a better team.

We are so thankful for all the family that came up over the weekend! My mom and Jon's parents made it to the hospital before Miriam was delivered. Shortly after, my dad and many of our siblings came to meet Miriam. She was held and loved and watched and obsessed over... We feel a great deal of support already and are so grateful.

More about our daughter's name:  Miriam is Moses and Aaron's sister from the Bible who was a prophetess and is known for leading a victory song and dance after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea (Exodus 15:21). She's also known for being a strong leader and playing the tambourine. Jon is thrilled that her name is associated with music. For her middle name we chose Isabel, which is a family name and means "devoted to God."  Jon's maternal grandmother recently passed and her middle name was Isabel. Also, my great-grandmother recently passed and her middle name was Elizabeth. Since Isabel is the Spanish variation of Elizabeth, Miriam's middle name was meant to honor both Grandma Dafoe and NanNan; they were incredible, godly women and we are excited to tell Miriam about them often.

In sum, we pray that Miriam comes to know the Lord early, is bold about her faith, and loves music. :)

Thanks for your prayers and support and encouragement. We thank the Lord for a healthy daughter and mommy; we are beyond blessed.

right before dinner 

Little Serow

on the way to hospital

first hour in the hospital

first moments after birth 

right before leaving hospital

on the way home from hospital

Miriam singing into her fist

a peaceful smile after eating

showing off her long fingers

pregnancy highlights | 39 weeks

how far along: 39 weeks

due date: October 10
size of baby: watermelon - 20 inches, ~ 7 lbs.

gender: girl!

best moment of the week: Spending all of Saturday with my husband around Virginia & Maryland. We hiked/walked around Great Falls, taking in the Potomac and all the trees. Then, after eating lunch at Chick-fil-A, we headed west to the Chesapeake so I could put my feet in the sand. I love the beach and it's been a year since I've been to one! 

 

 

daddy: He tells me I'm beautiful every day and helps me stay active. What more could I ask for?

prayer requests: Selfishly, you can pray this little one comes out sooner than later. I'm starting to get impatient and am just ready to have her in my arms! 

Since there haven't been many changes from last week, I thought it only appropriate to bring up the baby pool some of you filled out back in May. We will be giving away 2 prizes: one for the overall most accurate guesser (according to the pool's rubric), and one prize for who we deem the second most accurate guesser. Since nobody filled out the pool after the gender reveal, I have closed it. 

{ 39 weeks }

pregnancy highlights | 38 weeks

how far along: 38 weeks

due date: October 10
size of baby: PUMPKIN!- 20 inches, ~ 7 lbs.

gender: girl!

movement: yes. and i just found out that her confusing rhythmic "movements" have actually been hiccups, which is cute & fun (thanks, Nicole!). 

symptoms: lack of sleep... it's okay, though, I know it's preparing me for her arrival!   
food cravings: bread.    
maternity clothes: of course... but I'm more than ready to wear normal clothes.
what I miss: wearing jeans. 

best moment of the week: I have two: 1) spending some quality time with good friends, Graham & Nicole and their son Simeon. even though they live pretty close, we don't get to see them near enough. it was good for my soul. 2) going out with some other mothers from church - it was a blessing to meet new women and hear their stories. 

getting ready: I spent a few hours walking at the mall yesterday to prepare for a hike Jon and I are taking tomorrow. this may not qualify as getting ready for the baby, but it helps me to be active. 

daddy: Jon is attentive and supportive, helping out in any way he can right now. I'm thankful to have such an encouraging husband. 

prayer requests: Today is the funeral service for my great-grandmother, NanNan. She was a loving and godly woman who lived an active 98 years. She is a saint and will be dearly missed by all. 

{ NanNan at our wedding Nov. 6, 2011)

{ NanNan giving Jon a kiss... so precious }

{ 38 weeks! }

pregnancy highlights | 37 weeks

how far along: 37 weeks

due date: October 10
size of baby: winter melon - 20 inches, ~ 6.5 lbs.

gender: girl!

movement: yes. she's still moving a lot and has really found her home in my ribs. i've just accepted that discomfort. :)       

symptoms: not too much besides nesting, i suppose.   
food cravings: fruit, like pears & apples.... and ice cream.    
maternity clothes: yes, but i've had to retire most of my non-maternity clothes now. so, i'm wearing dresses & leggings almost every day! 
what I miss: being able to bend over. i can't fold in the middle at all anymore - haha!!

best moment of the week: since i missed posting last week, I have 2 favorite moments. First, I got pedicures with another mama-to-be. She's due just a few days before us and having a little girl also, so we both needed a little TLC. Second, I visited the Franciscan Monastery twice this past weekend - once with girls from church and then Jon and I went on Sunday morning. The Monastery has beautiful gardens, mosaics, and replicas - and situated inside the city, minutes from us actually. it's peaceful and good for the soul.

These are pictures taken on the Metropolitan Branch Trail in our neighborhood. 

{ metro & the Capitol in the distance }

{ close-up of the Capitol }

{ beautiful sky over a strip mall }

getting ready: making lists and checking things off... hanging shelves, organizing clothes and diapers and other itty bitty items.

daddy: He is a great support and growing more & more sentimental every day. Our daughter already has him wrapped around her finger.

prayer requests: Please continue to lift up our families. I keep coming back to this passage from the Bible:

"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us."

 - 2 Corin. 1:3-4 (NLT)

{ 37 weeks / full term! }

pregnancy highlights | 35 weeks

how far along: 35 weeks

due date: October 10
size of baby: coconut!! - 19 inches, 5.5 lbs.

gender: girl!

movement: the midwife confirmed this week that our little girl likes to stretch her legs into my ribs - it makes so much sense!       

symptoms: just some swelling and some heartburn.  
food cravings: apples. SO glad apple season is back!!!!   
maternity clothes: yes of course... cotton spandex is my best friend. 
what I miss: being around family.

best moment of the week: Labor Day on Monday because (1) Jon was off work - it's always nice to spend more time with him; and (2) we had great seats at a Washington Nationals game. 

{ Nationals vs. Cubs }

getting ready: finishing loads baby laundry, organizing the room for her, and packing all our hospital bags!

daddy: He is doing good and being patient with my manic-ness about having everything ready ASAP. 

prayer requests: We (especially Tiff) are feeling a little overwhelmed. I mean, we are bringing a kid into this world in a month (or less)... !!!  Our lives are really about to change, and we recognize this is a great responsibility. Please pray for peace of mind and rest. We are so thankful for this little gift and excited to embrace this bundle of joy very soon!

{ 35 weeks - at the end of a long day }

pregnancy highlights | 34 weeks

how far along: 34 weeks

due date: October 10
size of baby: butternut squash - 18.5 inches, 5.5 lbs.

gender: girl!

movement: again, her movement is really fun right now. we love trying to guess if what we see is a hand, foot, knee, elbow, etc.      

 

{ babe at 33 weeks - eyes open. daddy's cheeks. mama's nose. }

symptoms: some feet swelling and impatience (we are eager to see her little face in person).  
food cravings: chocolate ice cream :)   
maternity clothes: i am actually wearing one of Jon's button-down shirts today. sadly, i'll probably grow out of it soon - haha!
what I miss: being around family.

best moment of the week: it was definitely my release from bedrest (yesterday)! this means i can pretty much do anything besides heavy lifting or running - and it is such a blessing. 

getting ready: i'm really looking forward to deep cleaning the house a few times before the babe arrives.

daddy: I need to give him a shout-out: He has been so supportive during this time of bedrest - cooking, cleaning, running errands, listening to me, and being present and loving... all while working full-time. I've been amazed by his attitude and energy, and I can't wait to share the joy of parenthood with him. Jon, I'm so thankful for you.

prayer requests: please continue to pray for our friends and family who are dealing with pain and hurt. pray they will have peace from the Lord and feel loved. 

{34 weeks - both sides - i think my belly looks bigger on the left. }

pregnancy highlights | 33 weeks

how far along: 33 weeks

due date: October 10
size of baby: durian fruit - 18 inches, 5 lbs.

gender: girl!

movement: she's definitely moving. we love being able to feel a little foot here and there - as she's getting bigger and has less protection from the real world.      

symptoms: just the usual fatigue, discomfort, and nesting.  
food cravings: pick your favorite fried food... i choose french fries right now.   
maternity clothes: mostly dresses. I might need to start wearing Jon's clothes soon!
what I miss: independence. :)

best moment of the week: we received a message that i will probably be released from bed rest after our 34-week appointment next week. we are very thankful for this news.

getting ready: we have re-arranged our home, done some baby laundry, built a swing, and will be installing shelves & organization soon.

daddy: Jon pretty much re-arranged the house last weekend while I directed him. He is mostly proud of coming up with the term "bedrestaurant" - his word for making dinner at home.

prayer requests: please pray for our friends and family who are dealing with pain and hurt. pray they will have peace and feel loved. our hearts are hurting for them.

{ 33 weeks | yes, i gained 10 lbs in one month }

pregnancy highlights | 32 weeks

Not much has changed since last week, so I've only answered some of them. :)

how far along: 32 weeks

due date: October 10
size of baby: jicama - 16.7 inches, 3.8 lbs.  

gender: girl!

food cravings: fried everything.   

best moment of the week: I've gotten to see a lot of friends in the past week (almost every day!). As an extrovert, this has been wonderful. 

daddy: Jon came back with a lot of information from the infant care class and even got to hold a fake newborn baby!

prayer requests: Today, we received good news about our little one. She's measuring about a week ahead and seems to be pretty happy in utero. Also, continue to pray that we can support our family & friends who are going through difficult times. 

{ 32 weeks }

pregnancy highlights | 31 weeks

how far along: 31 weeks

due date: October 10
size of baby: pineapple (!) - 16.7 inches, 3.8 lbs.

gender: girl!

movement: the baby girl's been moving in ways that are painful. whether it be her kicking or just moving for 5 minutes straight, her action is pretty uncomfortable!     

symptoms: I am experiencing a lot of rib pain. I made the mistake and read online articles about rib pain... let's just say, I'd rather grin & bear it than get an orthopedic brace in the case I have dislocated ribs. also, nesting... but there's not much i can do about that right now. 
food cravings: right now, I'm craving that pineapple pictured above!!!   
maternity clothes: dresses, both maternity & non-maternity, are a staple for going out. a good friend also sent me a pretty scarf that i wore to my appointment this week. :)
what I miss: getting ready without being out of breath - haha!

best moment of the week: we received positive news from our ultrasound again. we are feeling more & more confident that I'll go full term.

getting ready: i stay up at night re-arranging our furniture (in my head) in hopes that we can get everything ready before she arrives. thanks to some friends & family, we have a good plan. 

daddy: he is currently taking an infant care class at the hospital - while I'm sitting here watching Wheel of Fortune. I'm really proud of him.

prayer requests: we have several friends and family who are going through difficult times - with babies, with health, with life. I just want to go hug all of them, but I can't - pray we can support them well. 

{ 31 weeks: it takes a lot of focus for me to do anything these days }

pregnancy highlights | 30 weeks

how far along: 30 weeks

due date: October 10
size of baby: large cabbage - 16 inches, 3 lbs.

gender: girl!

movement: her movement has been very different lately. I'm guessing it's because she's bigger and I'm feeling a lot more than just kicks & punches.  

symptoms: I am much more hungry. still no swelling - yay! 
food cravings: I believe I'm craving doughnuts so much because I haven't had any recently! :) Other than that, my appetite is pretty normal.  
maternity clothes: since I'm not going out in public much, I'm not buying a lot of maternity clothing. most of what I wear around the house isn't even maternity... just really stretchy! 
what I miss: visiting family & friends and going on vacation! hey people, it's the summer so GO TO THE BEACH!!!  I usually spend a lot of my summer visiting folks, especially my Nana - who I haven't seen in over a year. It will be fun to get out of the house and travel once our daughter arrives.

best moment of the week: there's so much to say here!!!!  Some friends threw a shower for me in my neighbor's place upstairs. friends and family traveled to DC for it, and having so many loved ones around all weekend was life-giving! we feel so blessed and thankful for the gifts and love we received. 

getting ready: .... now, we just have to re-organize our house to make room for all the baby stuff!

daddy: Jon is taking fatherhood seriously and has signed up for an infant care class, which he will take next week. he will spend 3 hours learning about diapering, swaddling, bathing, baby safety, etc. I'm proud of the initiative he has taken and encouraged by his support.

prayer requests: we were surprised when receiving positive results from our weekly ultrasound! we are even more hopeful now that our daughter will arrive closer to her due date. Pray for mama and baby to stay healthy. 

{ 30 weeks }

pregnancy highlights | 29 weeks

Hi there! Since Jon just posted on Saturday, I thought I might go in a different direction with this weekly update.

Wednesdays are technically our "change dates"- which means our little one is right at 29 weeks today.  We count each day as a blessing and hope to have a couple more months before we go to the hospital. 

The rest of the post is going to be a series of pictures to fill in some highlights I want to document.  

{ 19 weeks: Nationals game with friends Hillary & Donato (and Teddy Roosevelt!) #RacingPresidents }

{ 20 weeks: friend Megan visited. brother-in-law Scott came with dog Wyatt.  Em & Will also in DC made for a fun weekend! Here we are at Northside Social in Arlington. }  

{ 20 weeks again: a talented brother trio entertain the rest of us out on the back deck }

{ 23 weeks: my brother TJ came to visit the week after I was put on bed rest, so my wonderful husband took TJ around DC all weekend }

{ 26 weeks: Jon left for his sister's wedding and my mom came up to hang out. She cooked, cleaned, ran errands, assembled furniture, everything!! It's no surprise I don't have any pictures of her, but here's one of me on the 4th of July watching fireworks from the front porch. }

{ 26 weeks: This is Jon's family in Orlando to celebrate his sister marrying Kyle! They ran a 5k to kick off the festivities.  Scott, Anne (bride!), Kyle (groom!), Emily, Sarah, Jon }

{ 27 weeks: my friend and upstairs neighbor took some maternity pictures for me - so sweet!  Check out more of her work here - Whit&Whimsy. }  

{ 27 weeks: Meet my sweet nephew Davis. He's about to turn 3 and has named our baby Lilly-Pok (haha!!). We love getting pictures and videos of his latest antics. }

{ 28 weeks: We decided to celebrate our girl's 28th week with a cookie cake - thanks to my sweet husband! } 

{ 28 weeks: Jon's surprise treat to me was a Coke float....almost like being at the Soda Shop! }