A Long Post...

Here are the captions for the pictures b/c I can't figure out how to do it otherwise!

Starting at the top:

1. She loves to sleep with her hands over her head! 2.Ana-Looking at my favorite painting on the wall. 3&4. Our happy little family. 5. I can talk 6. Why am I all squished? 7. A few days old 8. Looking at Mom 9. My foot just looks really big- it is actually just the bootie. 10. You don't say? 11. Looking at the painting again 12. My headband is about to fall over my eyes-that is why I look mad. 13. With Grandma and Grandpa Lucas 14. Big Yawn! 15. I don't like this. 16. Really don't like it. 17. Ana is not happy, but we are. 18. David wasn't ready for this one. 19. With Grandma Lucas 20. With Great Grandma Lucas 21. I can kick too! 22. On Valentines Day 23. Laying on Mom's lap. 24. Am I adorable or what? 25. Play time! 26. Little family again 27. And again 28. 1 month old-February 26th, 2009 29. Don't you like my headband? 30. I am all squished! 31. Tummy time! 32. Yawning and talking are two of my favorites! 33. Me, Ana, and Grandma Karen or Grammie 34. In her cute duckie outfit 35. Me and Ana 36. Listening to Grammie 37. More of the duckie outfit 38. I don't like this thing 39. I don't like being naked! 40. I am tired can you tell? 41. Holding Daddy's hand. 42. Big Yawn! 43. Ana got caught off-but David is a pround Daddy. 44. In the cute sweater Aunt Rachel and Uncle Tim got me 45. David, my stepmom Val, my dad, and me after we told them we were having a baby. 46. What? 47. I listen very intentley if you talk to me.

Another big gap between posts I know... though if I can get it to work I have several pictures to post.  We are very grateful these days.  David as some of you know was out of work for a couple of months.  He started to work here at our apt complex as a porter this past Monday.  It gives us a nice discount on rent and he is of course close to home.  I still have to work, but that is ok.  He has a job.  We were able to get through the rough period due to PTO donations of my generous co-workers and several funerals that David did.  Honor guard.  Ana is smiling and cooing a lot and is a lot less fussy than she has ever been.  She went this past Monday for her 2 month check-up.  She got 1 oral vaccine and 3 shots.  She cried a lot, but wasn't  really fussy or running a fever that night.  I was thankful for that.  She is now 9lbs 6oz and 21 and 3/4 inches long.  She is doing wonderfully amid all of the change of me going back to work.  I have been thankful that she has been good for the people that are watching her.

My best friend Christian just recently got engaged and I am so happy for her!!!  With as crazy as life has been for both of us, it has been harder to keep in touch.  Though we still manage to muddle through with the help of the internet.

I don't know if I had told everyone that my cousin Rachel was due a mere 5 days after I was with a baby girl.  I had mine late and so did she.  She had little Katie on February 5th.  We talk a lot and compare notes.  I am so grateful to have someone who has a baby so close in age.  It provides a wonderful support system.  Thanks Rachel!

In a few of the pictures, if I can get them to post, you will see a multi-colored crocheted blanket.  This was given to Ana from Grandma Thelda that I work with at SBA.  I almost feel like Grandma was a gift from my grandma who passed away a little over a month before I met Thelda.  She reminds me a lot of my own grandmother.  She is stern and stubborn, but very sweet and caring.  I am so grateful to have her in my life!

Yesterday started bad weather for us here in Sunflower Land.  A pharmacist I work with always get concerned with those of us that live out of town.  There had been multi vehicle accidents on the highway that I travel in to work on.  I went down to fill the Pyxis in our ER, and the place was swarming with people.  It was so bad they were calling in nursing supervisors and calling in people from home.  These accidents had started happening a mere 45 minutes after I got into El Dorado.  I had missed all of them by that short of a window.  I was so thankful.  Heavenly Father was protecting us.  So after a couple times of him saying he thought we should get out of there, I listened.  He didn't want us to get stuck.  I called Margaret, my mother-in-law, and had her bring Ana back to El Dorado.  We took the turnpike home.  Ana and I got into Wichita after it had already started sleeting.  It was mixed in with a little bit of thunder, so of course they call it Thunder Sleet.  The sleet was coming down so well that it looked like a light layer of snow on the ground.  I had to go back out after it had mostly finished sleeting yesterday evening.  There as at least 2-3 inches of sleet on the ground.  It was raining which I knew would all freeze overnight.  Last night we started getting snow.  It continues to snow and blow.  We have been under a blizzard warning.  I don't know how many inches we have gotten so far, but we are hunkering down and staying warm.  I was supposed to work today, but even the turnpike was said to be in bad shape.  That is usually the one road that is fairly clear in bad weather.  Not even the turnpike.  We are thankful to be safe, warm, and gainfully employed these days.  We love little Ana so much and are glad that Heavenly Father has sent her to us!

Pictures to come soon I promise...

So while you are waiting for pictures, I thought I would entertain you with some of my thoughts. Right now David has a fire going in our wood burning fireplace. I love the smell, sound, sight, and warmth of a wood burning fire! Now for a few thoughts on motherhood...
Ana is now almost a month old and being a mommy is great! I do feel like what Heidi Murkoff calls the "Perpetual Lady of Exhaustion." I have learned that showers are sacred and wonderful! I thought that a hot shower at home after a week of Girls' Camp was great. A shower after an exhausting night and morning of caring for your little one is heaven sent! Ana is doing great with trying to hold her head up already! She is a strong little girl. When we have her upright, she can hold her head up for at least a few seconds. She is already smiling. She actually has been since she was almost 2 weeks old. She will sit and listen to you if she is content. Even when I wrap her up in a blanket, she can get her arms or at least hands out. If the blanket is loosely wrapped, she can push it and then kick it off. Another thing that is great...time out with my husband. David's parents have been great. They have already stayed with Ana twice so David and I could go out. Not for very long, but if feels great to get out of the house! I will have to return to work in a couple of weeks and I am not looking forward to it. Daycare is not an option. Though we are looking for someone to watch her in their home. If you are in the area and know of someone, please clue me in! Now for a few funny things...

David left the closet light on a week or so ago and I asked him to turn it off. He said "but my clothes are afraid of the dark!" Silly man. I have to tell about the first time David changed Ana's diaper. I guided him through the process at first. I told him to work quickly. Afterwards, he said quickly is a relative term. I don't think so! So he opens the old diaper. He takes the old diaper away. This is point when I tell him to act quickly. Ana is laying on his lap by the way. Ana then proceeds to pee on his lap. All over the crotch area of his pants. He gets up and is trying to get himself together and get the other diaper. She then starts to poop. It is all over his hand so he quickly walks over to our step trash can in the kitchen. He steps on it, the lid comes open, and he holds Ana over the trash can. I start laughing. He says with a look of desperation on his face "Can I get some help here?" I start laughing harder. He repeats his plea, but I can't help but continue to laugh hard. My mom had to help him. He went to go take a shower and my mom and used the sprayer on the kitchen sink to spray her off. It was that bad...but so funny!!!

She is here!!!

Our beautiful baby girl Ana Sophia Lucas was born January 26, 2009 at 3:20 AM.  She was 6lbs 15.4 oz and 19 and 3/4 inches long.  She is doing well and is as cute as ever!  By the way...you pronounce her name like this- Ahna.  I have tried to post pictures, but is not letting me do it right now.  Check out my facebook for pics for the time being.