New Scrapbooking Blog

Emma and I have started a scrapbooking blog! Each week we will give each other challenges and post the result. I know I know...I am horrible at updating this blog. But if I'm blogging with someone else, and I have deadlines, then I think I can keep it up!

Anyway here is the link:

The Scrapbook Tree

It's not fully beautified yet but we're getting there.

baby giggles :)

Baby's First Christmas

We spent Christmas Eve at Morten's sister's house with his whole family. In Denmark we do the whole big celebration, dinner, presents, etc on Christmas Eve. I ate duck and liked it this year! I haven't ever liked it any of the previous times I've tried it. It's very traditional for Christmas dinner here.

Olivia wore her best Christmas dress and was very sweet while getting passed around to Farmor and Farfar (Grandma and Grandpa), an her aunt, uncle, cousins, etc. She was very cooperative while we ate Christmas dinner and seemed to really enjoy staring at the Christmas tree lights. We did end up putting her to bed at the usual time since we didn't want to keep a tired baby awake for something she wouldn't enjoy or remember anyway - but she got lots of nice presents and had lots of fun with them the next day.

It was all in all a very lovely evening and the 25th was great too. We decided that we are going to keep a bit of both traditions in our family no matter where we are for Christmas - so this year we also opened stockings Christmas morning, American style. It was a very nice and cozy morning and then we went to Morten's parents for the rest of the day to have the multiple course traditional Christmas lunch. There is fish first (ew...) then pate, then meatballs and pork roast, then pork tenderloin, then cheese, then fruit salad, then cookies and hot chocolate, etc. Each course comes after like an hour so we were basically eating all day. I got a moment to sneak out and call my family right when it was Christmas morning for them, so that was fun :) Olivia was being a little sweetie for everyone, wearing her new Christmas dress from Farmor. It was a great Christmas. Now I can't wait to go to the states in about 2 weeks, to see my family and let Olivia meet all her little cousins and uncles, and see Camille when she gets home from her mission!

I love my little doll...

I promise I will write a real post again soon. But in the meantime, quick update: Olivia is doing well! She was never really a "newborn" and is now moving out of that "4th trimester" stage. She is covering all the physical milestones about 2 months early, including: supporting her head, lifting up her head and chest (and everything else pretty much) by her arms, supporting herself with her legs, rolling over (front to back), grabbing at things, throwing crazy tantrums including head banging (usually when she doesn't want to go to bed), and becoming incredibly and adorably corpulent. She's our wee beastie. I have a feeling once she takes off she will be a little tornado! She gives us the sweetest smiles (see above), babbles all day long, and sometimes sleeps 7 hours through the night. Not to say that there haven't been challenges but we are just loving parenthood and loving our precious little munchkin. Can't wait to see what she does next!

Pictures

Just a few quick pictures while Livvy is napping.

Ain't she purty? We love her.

Olivia Dawn Jensen has arrived!

Our darling girl is finally here!!!!! It was Monday the 20th when I started having contractions off and on all day, and they got more regular around 5 pm. So, we spent the day/evening just relaxing and having a grand time at home, watching old musicals, and getting really excited to meet Olivia. We headed to the hospital at about 9:30, and found out I was already 6 cm dilated and everything was going well. According to the midwives, it was a "textbook" birth, meaning everything went smoothly and quickly without complications. Our beautiful Olivia came into the world at 1:03 am on September 21st: 8 pounds 6 oz, and 20.5 inches. Right away we noticed her long and thick, dark hair, and it also quickly became apparent was very strong - right away she lifted her head and opened her eyes to check out her surroundings.

It's impossible to describe how wonderful it is to have her with us and to be her parents. I will just say that our lives have been changed forever and she is more amazing than we could have ever hoped for.

Where, oh where can my baby be?

In her cozy little cocoon of course, being fed through a tube and enjoying the good life. Why would anybody in their right mind want to leave that and go out into the rain and cold where you have to breathe air and wear a diaper and put forth an effort in order to get fed.

Or maybe she knows what big hugs and kisses Mommy and Daddy (and everybody else) have in store for her, and she does want to come out but just hasn't quite figured out where the exit is.

Either way, here's hoping something happens this week!