Nori's 2nd Week

Life with Nori

Nothing can prepare you for having a child! The past two weeks have been a blur of beauty, emotions, physical pain, and tears of amazement- this is our child! She is wonder-full in every way. We spend hours everyday just looking at her and even now as I type, I keep stopping to take her in- a bit like looking at the ocean or a campfire- she is mesmerizing and it is hard to look away.
She has grown so much already- getting new rolls under her chin and a bigger belly. She is making great progress holding her head up and since birth has been fascinating with her fingers- at times she looks like she is conducting an orchestra.
She has incredibly long fingers and toes. Her eyes are changing a bit from light blue to a blue brown. She gets A's in every class so far- eating, pooping, peeing, and our favorite- sleeping. Pete says he can see the Roberts in her, and I was thinking- maybe her ears? are mine, but I think I am really searching! She is Daddy's girl.
We are getting a bit of schedule down throughout the day-nursing, shower, staring into each other's eyes, nursing, some food for mama, nursing, staring into each other's eyes, some crying, nursing, some exercise for mama, nursing, a nap together, nursing, DADDY'S HOME, a bath or phone call for mama, nursing, time together as a family, nursing, then the blessed land of sleep interrupted a few times for nursing.
Other than a little tiredness I am feeling physically well now. The first ten days were rough with the injuries of birth and the adjustment of my body becoming a 24 hour dairy queen.
I love spending time with her and being home, but my "go" personality needs to get out a bit. This week we went to our goddaughter's basketball game and to the grocery store. On the way back from the game, she got the "I AM HUNGRY NOW" cry and we had to pull over and nurse on Broad Street. I have a feeling this is just the being of what it means to be flexible as a parent!
My parents were God-sends and spent a week here getting us settled. As they were leaving I had a few tears (they come easy nowadays) in realizing for the first time the love they have for me. A friend told me that the child can never love the parent equally back and now I know it is true. The love of a parent for their child is beyond any love I had known before now.
I can understand now this quote that I was given a few months ago: "Making the decision to have a child- it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." Elizabeth Stone

Nori's Coming Out Party

Wow! She came a lot quicker and easier than we ever expected!! The day before I started feeling low back pain and a sense that she was done cooking and soon to makke her appearance. Throughout the day I tried to stay busy as we were told that "prelabor" could last hours to days. We went for a hike with Bella and then to Home Depot and I ate a big dinner. After falling asleep for a few hours, I got up at 130am to watch a movie because I couldn't sleep and by 3 am I could barely make it up the stairs to wake Pete. The contractions were only 30 seconds long (we were supposed to call when they were a minute long) but after a half hour of that, I made Pete call because they were so close together and strong. They told us to come in and and we were there by 430am and 5cm dilated. By 730 I was ready to push and they let me start a little before 8. She came out after 16 minutes of pushing at 8:11 am on Monday, January 11- Noriana Clare Huynh- an all natural beauty. 7 lbs, 9 oz and 21 inches long!

Nori's First Week

 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

Her name. . .

We first heard the name Noriana when we were dating and visited a friend, Jamel, in Harrisburg. His baby sister was named Noriana and we both thought it was different and pretty and really liked the shortened "Nori." We thought about Nori Anna, but decided on Noriana. We liked the short "a" sound and so we could have a middle name too! Nori is actually a Japanese name and means law, doctrine, or belief. Belief is neat because she is the result of our believing that we will have a child.
As you know, it took us awhile to get pregnant and during that time while we were praying, Pete felt that God assured him we would have a baby girl and that we would name her "Clarity." So, jokingly, yet true, Pete was told by God that it was girl. Of course, I didn't dig the name Clarity, but we did like Clare. Especially because of St Clare. When we started dating I was living in a community house named "Clare House," after St Clare. St Clare was St Francis's side kick and an amazing woman. She loved the poor and God, both of which we pray Nori will follow after. Clare is latin in origin and means clear, bright, or famous.
So, there it is: Noriana Clare Huynh.
Hope we aren't surprised by a boy!!

Waiting. . .

Here we are: waiting. The past nine months have been full of activity, each week and month bringing with it a different aspect of preparation outwardly and inwardly. The first weeks of keeping our burning secret to ourselves and praying for her health. Then sharing our news and starting to have a bump-it's a girl! Then collecting stuff (lots of stuff) far and wide: craigslist, showers and from second hand from friends and family. With the change of seasons, summer to fall and the fall to winter, my body and mind have slowed each week, coming now to an almost stop. Past the warmth and fullness of Christmas, winter now brings a quiet, clean stillness. The new year feels fresh like the snow that fell last night. In the "deadness" outside, there is a life bursting to be born within. It is into this dead of winter that she, fully alive, will come.