Merry Christmas

From our family to yours -- all the best this Christmas and have a healthy, happy New Year.

Here are some pictures over the past few days, including Christmas morning. Hope to see you all soon.
















Jacob with the A&W Root Bear (Thanks Uncle Louie!)











Preparing Christmas Eve Dinner











Enjoying Christmas Eve Dinner











Maria and Lina











Ethan with his gift from Santa!

Edmonton

Well we're back and Bob is home safe from his trip to Yellowknife. Jacob and I had a great time visiting his Nana and Papa in Olds. We visited where Nana works (the Olds Elementry school) and got to see his cousin Kiera as well. Then we were off to Edmonton where Jacob and I visited Grandma Corse and helped her put up the christmas tree. On Tuesday Jacob's Nagypapa took the day off work and the three of us got some much needed last minute shopping done. It was a really good day. The rest of the time was spent hanging out around the house.

My sister Justine got season 1 of Prison Break for her birthday. Oh my Gosh! It's incredible. I'm so glad I didn't watch it in the regular season because every episode cliffhangs. It's so frustrating. I found myself screaming to Justine Hurry Hurry next episode. I have 6 more episodes to watch and you better believe I'll be watching it when it comes back on the air in January.

My Dad and Justine are coming for a visit on Sunday and will be sticking around till Tuesday. I'm happy I'll be able to spend some more time with him.

Well Christmas is around the corner and We're expecting My mother and My friend Lina and her family to join us for dinner. I need to start planning my menu and getting the house in order.

Jacob is doing well. Still sleeping well in the night but his days consist of little cat naps which make for a very cranky boy and he fights sleep when it's time to go to bed. If he could get a good solid 3 hour nap in the afternoon it would make both him and I very happy.

Well today I'm expecting the inspector for the electrical work in our basement to come by. The sooner the better so I can get out and run some errands.
Talk to you soon!

Road Trip

So since Bob is off to Yellowknife on business tomorrow. I decided that Jacob and I would go on a little road trip. We're off to Edmonton to visit my dad and on the way we will stop in Olds to see my inlaws as well. I'll update everyone on how that went in a couple of days. Take care!

Jacob

I thought I'd post some photos of Jake. You can really start to see his personality more. I think he's adorable, but that's just his mom talking.

Catch up

Last Friday Bob and I got to go to my work christmas party. You have no idea how good it felt to be able to interact with adults. My Super wonderful sister-in-law Jackie helped us out by babysitting Jake while we were out. He was good as gold! You know you get some kids who scream the minute you're gone. Well our little guy seems to turn the tears on when we walk in the door. Did I mention he likes to be carried alot? It's an ongoing battle.

On Sunday, Ethan and Bob went tobogganing. They had a blast! The weather was great and the snow was perfect. There were lots of other kids out there too. This week, Ethan and his Dad will be working on making a floating boat out of recycled products for a school project. We'll be sure to post some pictures of the end product.

Yesterday Bob and I got some grocery shopping done and while we were there we picked up some Formula and Pablum (Rice cereal). I'm not sure if I'm ready to start using the formula yet but we did whip up a little bowl of cereal for Jake and he gobled it all up. Jake is officially eating something other than breastmilk. To top it off he went to bed at midnight and slept till 9 am.

Now, if I could only get him to take a regular afternoon nap.

Long Time

Yes, Yes it's been a while. Let's see...what has been going on?... Jake is doing well. He had a doctor's appointment yesterday and he is now 14 pounds 2 ounces! Big boy! He's working my arms out when I have to carry him. He's over 24 inches long. Remember he was 21.5 when he was born? Yes he's doing well and obviosly eating well. He keeps me busy with feedings and diaper changes throughout the day but he also keeps me entertained with his smiles and coos. I swear he's talking already...it's just not english. His legs are strong. He pushes up on your lap and holds the position for quite a while. He's going to be tough.

Ethan's doing really well. His report card came in and science is one of his strongest subjects. I'd like to see about getting him into a science club here in Calgary. He's still in indoor Soccer and loving it. His skills are always improving. I'm going to register him for another session in January.

We put up the Christmas tree last week. As well as the lights outside. jake and I ventured out to the mall yesterday. (did I mention it's been -40 here with the windchill) Good Old Canada! Luckly the mall has underground parking and I was able to leave my jacket in the car. I got some christmas shopping done. Which is a relief, 'cause nobody needs to be in the mall at this time. It was so busy!

This last Sunday Bob, Ethan and I met up with my sister-in-law Jackie and my neice Kiera and a few more friends to see a Chrsitmas Carol that was put on by Theatre Calgary. Excellent show! The kids loved it. It really get's you in the Christmas mood.

I'd like to attempt to get some christmas baking done. If Jacob lets me. I've also been trying to get my thank you cards out to people who gave Jacob such wonderful gifts. As well, we have some Christmas cards that need to go out. Hopefully I'll get them out before January.

Other than that things are going well here. Jacob and I are finally figuring eachother out. And with his routine coming around I am able to plan days a bit better. Tomorrow we will have a visit with Cousin Cathy and the neighbours have been over for coffee a few times too!

I'll leave you with a few pictures of Jake's beautiful smile as well as some pictures of the Chrstmas tree. Be sure to check our Flickr sight for more photos.
Love
Nadia

Sleeping through the night!

Jacob is officially sleeping through the night. It's been happening for about a week now. He settles in between about 11pm and midnight and usually doesn't wake up until 6am, at which point he eats and then falls back to sleep again. I'm a much happier person now that I'm sleeping through the night as well. I'm so glad this happened so soon!

This weekend Bob and I will attempt to switch him from his bassinet in our room to his crib down the hall. I'm not sure I'm ready to have him so far but I know that the best time to do this is now. Lord knows I don't want a two year old always climbing into bed with me. Thankfully Bob has this Monday off so I'll have an extra day of help to soothe any of Jake's tears.

Jake gave me his first smile last week. It was at about 8am and I looked at him and said "good morning" and he just grinned from ear to ear. Melted my heart. It's a day and time I'll never forget. Since then, he's grinned for his Daddy, Mama Maria, Aunty Jackie and a few of the Moms at Ethan's soccer practice. He's going to be a heartbreaker.

Last Thursday Bob got an opportunity to ride down Canada Olympic Park in a Bobsled. Thanks to our neighbors Sarah and Cristiano. They need to test some new sleds out and asked Bob if he would like to go for a ride. Bob had a blast. It was the fastest ride he had ever been on. I guess I'll be next in a few months. I can't wait. I've added some pictures of that night.










This is Bob and the team "flying" in. (please excuse the blurriness)











Bob getting out of the sled after his wild ride.











Bob with Sarah.

No real big weekend plans. Bob and I plan to get the Christmas lights up (weather permitting). Our basement has been wired for electricity so our next step is to start putting up drywall. I think we should get through Christmas first!

Trick or Treat!

Happy Halloween. We had a fun time in Tuscany with a total of 39 ghosts, goblins, witches, ferries, devils, etc., etc. We did not go out ourselves because Ethan was with his Mom (they stopped by to show off Ethan's scary costume), and it was easier to keep Jake inside.

Finally, I've been able to include some pictures. Enjoy!



The Haunted House... Ooooooooo











Ethan in his Devil costume

Lazy Saturday

Bob and I are enjoying a wonderful Saturday. We slept well. Jake went to bed at midnight and woke up at 4:30 am for a feeding and then slept till 8:30 am. That's my idea of a perfect night. Bob took some more pictures of Jake before he had his bath. We did a little Anne Geddes inspired poses. I think there wonderful. I'll have to make prints of these. If you want to see any, click on our Flickr page on our links list or just click on a picture in the box to the right of this blog.

Ethan is full into his soccer practices. It's a program that teaches him more skills and drills. He's already showing huge improvement since last week. He'll be set to go when outdoor soccer starts up next year. School is going really well for him. His reading skills are very good and he's doing very well in Math and Science.

We finished decorating the front of the house for the kids this Halloween. Hopefully we get a few Trick or Treaters. Tonight we are going to a little dinner party with some friends. Other than that we are doing well. Still trying to figure out a routine with Jake but I think we're getting pretty close.

Family Visit / Banff Day Trip

We hosted Nadia's Dad and sisters this past weekend. They mainly came to visit their newest pride and joy, Jake, and to spend the day in Banff\Canmore.

While they were here, we enjoyed the beautiful Fall weather -- mild temperatures with lots of sunshine.

Jake is a growing boy. His last doctor appointment (October 13) had him weigh-in at 9 pounds 11 ounces -- well over a pound from his birth weight. Mommy is feeding this boy well! Otherwise, Jake is truly a baby. He still spends much of the night feeding, and isn't entirely into a sleeping routine. This makes Nadia's life a challenge, but all the struggles disappear once Jake suggles into her for a long nap. Thankfully, everyone is healthy and enjoying our little blessing.

Here are some pictures of Jake and our weekend.










Jacob's little fingers











Enroute to Banff













Jacob and Daddy











Ethan singing Karaoke











Bob giving it a try











Alex shows us how it's done

My first week home alone

So everyone has gone back to work. Bob went back last Wednesday and my mom went back just this Monday. I have officially begun my new job as a mom.
Jake has been incredible. I couldn't ask for a better kid. He barely knows how to cry. If you keep him dry, and fed he is a happy boy. He's becoming a little accustomed to waking up at 10pm which is when we like to go to bed so that has been a little bothersome. I like to try and keep everything under control at nights so that Bob can sleep and be well rested for work. Jake usually eats in 3 hour intervals which means he's up at midnight then at 3am then at 6am. He needs to be fed and changed and then he goes back to sleep. On Friday and Saturdays Bob helps out by changing him at every feeding so that I can get that much more sleep. Everything was going really well until last night. Jake was up to eat at 9pm then he never really went back to sleep until after midnight. After 2 hours of trying to get him to sleep Bob got up and took over and managed to get him to sleep relativly quickly. Which made me feel a little incompetent. Maybe when Jake realized that dad was holding him he knew we meant business. Ahh wishful thinking. I hope he doesn't make a habit of this.

Another thing I realized was that I haven't had a straight 8 hour sleep since I gave birth. When I was in labour, by hour 18 all I wanted to do was sleep. Once I was able to push, I pushed so hard to get Jacob out so that I could finally sleep. Wrong! They gave me enough time to have a shower (which I admit I spent alot of time "stalling" in before facing the real world) then I was whisked away to my room where I began feeding my little guy every three hours. The beginning of getting through the day on 4 to 6 hours of sleep. Not that I'm complaining. Jake isn't fussy or colicky. I'm sure I'm getting way more sleep than most of the moms out there.

Jake is a gem! He's such a happy baby. He smiles alot, even though I know it's just gas, it still makes my heart melt. I'm looking forward to his first offical smile, his first giggle and the first time he sees me and greets me with a grin. Right now he can hold his head up high and he really likes tummy time! He's peed on me 8 times and counting. He doesn't mind sponge baths but still hates a full bath. And today I realized that he wakes up a little scared when he doesn't hear my voice. I'll keep everyone posted on Jake's firsts and share my experiences with all of you. Take care.

The Lepchuk Reunion

Thanksgiving 2006 also brought together dozens of Sons, Daughters, Grandchildren, Great Grandchildren, and Great-great Grandchildren of Katie (and Mike) Lepchuk.

We travelled up with Ethan and Jacob to Manning, Alberta (one hour North of Peace River), where a surprise reunion was held to celbrate Grandma Katie's 90th birthday. Yes, she was surprised, and absolutely happy.

It was fantastic to see so many family members -- some we haven't seen in over ten years. Only a few cousins weren't able to make it, but it was still a full house.

Click Here to see pictures from the Lepchuk Reunion

Meeting Nagypapa

Jake met his Nagypapa (Hungarian for grandpa) last weekend for the first time. He was very well behaved. Nagypapa was very excited to meet him and couldn't stop kissing and cuddling him. Jake also meet his Aunty Lauren and Justine. They still can't believe that they are aunties. Here are some pictures for you to enjoy. The last picture is Jake next to a few pictures of Nadia when she was a baby. Can you spot the resemblence?

Jacob's First Bath

Here are some pictures of Jake's first bath. He did really well. Didn't cry too much. Only when he was exposed to the cold air. I really like his mohawk. I think it's a cool look for him.

Thank You

Nadia and I wish to thank all family, friends, and co-workers for their messages of love and congratulations regarding the birth of Jacob. All the voice-mail/e-mail/e-cards/beautiful flowers are greatly appreciated.

For any relatives from the Lepchuk clan keeping tabs on us -- we are heading up for the reunion this Thanksgiving weekend. We all can't wait to see you.

Of course, here are some more photos of Jacob, etc.

Jacob at his first Doctor appointment





Tiny Foot





Dr. Taylor, who delivered Jacob





Checking out the crib





"Why does this guy keep taking my picture?"







A little snooze on Daddy.












Life is good!





Jacob's big brother looking after him.

Welcome, Jacob William Taylor

We'd like to introduce you to our newest family member. Jacob William Taylor was born at 3:04 AM on Sunday, October 1, 2006 -- one year after his parents were married. 'Jake' weighed in at 8 pounds, 8 ounces, and was 21.5 inches long

For any Mothers comparing labour experiences, Nadia's totaled 26 hours. This began at 1:15 AM Saturday, when her water broke. We arrived at the hospital soon after to monitor Nadia's condition. However, after a couple hours they sent us home until Nadia's contractions became stronger. Upon returning home (4:30 AM) Nadia's contractions did become much stronger, and spent the remainder of the morning pacing around the house and leaning on furniture every two minutes or so.

We returned to the hospital at 12:00 PM where they continued to monitor Nadia. Nadia's doctor examined her and announced that she was only 2 cm dilated -- which was very frustrating for Nadia based on her efforts thus far. During this time we were also waiting for a birthing room to come available. Nadia continued to walk the corridors of the maternity ward, plus some stair climbing, to help progress her labour.

7:30 PM arrives and we finally move into our birthing room. Another examination by Nadia's doctor determined that she was still 2 cm dilated (after 15+ hours of contractions). So, the doctor ordered Nadia on oxitocin, commonly referred as 'the drip', to better progress her labour. Nadia's contractions soon became more intense and lasted much longer. After another 5+ hours (20 hours total) of hard work, Nadia was fully dilated and was given permission to begin pushing the baby out.

The pushing phase ended up being much shorter, but equally as difficult for Nadia. After 55 minutes of pushing, Jacob William Taylor was born.

Nadia's efforts are admirable enough, but more so considering that she never once used any pain medication during the entire labour and birth (i.e., no laughing gas, morphine, or epidural).

Currently Mom and Baby are doing great. Jacob is quite content and is only interested in sleeping and feeding -- although it's unfair to assume one's character when they're not even one day old. Mom can't wait to come home on Monday, and I can't wait to spend a week at home enjoying my beautiful new Son.

Enjoy some pictures of Jake and the family...

- only minutes old

- big brother, Ethan









- new Mom with her baby

Still tick tocking away!

We're still waiting. I went to the doctor on Wednesday and I'm still one centimeter dialated. Bummer. I thought for sure with all the mini contractions I'd be a little more progressed. I'm still feeling irregular contractions and at times it can get quite uncomfortable. I'm having trouble sleeping but I'm not sure if it's because I'm uncomfortable or because I'm anxious.

Hopefully something will happen this weekend. My doctor said that they don't like to go 10 days passed your due date so I should be having a child by October 8th. It would be a little sweet if we had the baby on Sunday as Bob and I are celebrating our 1 year anniversary.

Other than that things are going well. Ethan's doing great in 2nd grade. And he starts Indoor Soccer on the 14th of October. He's also anxiously awating the birth of his brother or sister. (really I think he's more intrested in visiting the hospital and seeing where babies are born)

Unfortunately this baby will arrive on it's own time. In the meantime we all have to be patient. Thank you so much for all the concerns. I must say that I've been doing really well and still feel really healthy in the pregnancy.

Stay Tuned.....(I feel like a broken record)

Tick Tock Tick Tock Tick Tock

I'm playing the waiting game. It's very frustrating! I went to the doctor last Wednesday and found out that I am 1 cm dialated and she could feel the baby's head. Oh my gosh! I've been having irregular contractions off and on since then and I've noticed that they are getting a little more frequent. Hopefully any day now and we'll be able to see this little angel.

In the meantime I'm done work. And have officially started my maternity leave. I spend my days cleaning, watching Ellen, Regis and Kelly, The View and of course The Mom Show, A Baby Story and Bringing Home Baby just so I can be prepared. I love that those shows are on. Soap Operas are just terrible.

Pretty soon my day will be filled with breastfeeding, diaper changing, rocking, cuddling, sleeping whenever I can and getting accustomed to this new job of motherhood!


Stay Tuned!

Getting the Nursery Ready

(by Bob) This past Labor Day weekend, while others relaxed or ran away to enjoy the last weekend of Summer, the Taylor's worked hard to make a new room for our (soon to be) family member.

We began Friday evening by clearing the bedroom of all office/computer related items, and taped-off the area for painting. Saturday was spent painting, and Sunday was spent putting up molding and establishing the baby furniture. We were happy that there was not one problem encountered during the entire project. Everything went seamlessly.

Monday was spent on the couch watching T.V. (we deserved it). Here are some pictures of the new room.