She did this all on her own. I don't know why I think these are so funny!

At one month old, I'd say she's the happiest bunny in the Conejo Valley!!
Thanks for the cute bunny hat, Amy!!

I get by with a little help from my friends... and although she doesn't quite know it yet, these are some of Ever's friends!

Here's Princess Zoey and her mom Lisa!!











And here's Charlie with his mom Julia. I think Charlie might be sharing his "Charlie Bucket" nickname...








Clearly these two have already taken a liking to each other.










Ever hasn't quite caught on to the mommy's day, but she'll get there...








More friends to come...

What could I possibly say about these. They speak for themselves.




















And right after I took these, she peed in my bed.

Inquiring minds want to know...
It seems my little baby girl has been catching up on her movies and wrote to top movie critic Bill Harris of the Inquirer with the following question. It's a little hard to see but as Sheri said, who even knew she could type?? I'm so proud.


Yes, this really is from the National Enquirer. Pick up this weeks copy and see page 48.

Que sera sera... whatever will be will be...

Ever and I were having a little chat the other day about what she wants to be when she grows up. Here's a few ideas she's came up with...

BALLERINA???
















MUPPET???
















WAYNE NEWTON GROUPIE???










Only time will tell...

Okay okay, I know you've all been checkin in for the latest post. I've been trying to find the time but WOW the time flies like crazy. I think of all the things I used to get done in a few hours and now it's over in a FLASH!! It's been 3 weeks since Ever arrived and it feels somewhere between 3 days and 3 months. They grow up so fast!! weep weep.

David has gone out of town for the first time since Ever was born so it's just the gal's hanging around this week but I know he's missing his little girl (and hopefully me too a little). But we took a few shots just before he left for me to send to him and then he forgot his computer. OH WELL! I'll post a few for all of you instead.














I think Ever's #1 fan, however, is Cousin Carly! She's been so cute and loving and buying fabulous gifts that she's picking out by herself! And I think we all can't wait til Ever is old enough to actually play with her favorite cousin! And #2 fan is Ever's Aunt Julie who I cannot thank with enough words for all the gifts and clothes and attention she's been giving her new niece! Ever is one lucky little lady to have such a great family to grow up with!!
































So, all in all, there's not a whole heck of a lot to tell about the last few weeks. Eat, poop, sleep... eat, eat, poop, poop, sleep, poop, sleep...

It's an exhausting life for a cat.

Gave Ever her first bath yesterday. I couldn't get a shot of her in the bath cause that would be bad!! But here's a coupla shots of her wrapped in her little towel, nice and clean!!




























And thank you Aunt Nancy for this very cool (and yummy) gift!
I obviously can't save it for her so I'll just have to eat both
her portion and mine. Hm, bummer. Hard to tell in my
photo but this is a GIANT fortune cookie. I've never
seen one like it but you can check out similar stuff
at www.goodfortunes.com.

The little bunny had a very upset stomach today so I think this wouldn't be a great thing for her to eat at the moment anyway.
If I could turn it into breast milk I would.

Here's one more shot just cause she's so cute!!!
I love the hand on her head.

And they lived happily EVER after.... luckily!!
I know you've all been waiting patiently for my "story". Sorry for the delay but I've been a little busy, folks! and I haven't even been home a week yet so, uh, well, get over it.
I'll try to make this story short and sweet, although it may turn out more like long and whiny. It's not a particularly pleasant story so I figure after what I went through I deserve a little bit of whining. Therefore, you'll have to just endure it. Push through the pain, people, you can do it!! So, for those of you who read my sisters email and said, "Oh, she must mean she was in labor for 27 hours...", make no mistake. I actually PUSHED for 27 hours. I think it could be one for the Guinness book of records...
My water started leaking on Thursday and I think the midwife thought I was the boy who cried wolf cause when I called her, she told me to wait til Friday to see if I leaked through the night.
And guess what? I continued to leak through the night. Yeah, it was a good 24hours, but my contractions finally started on Friday while I was enjoying a lovely lunch at my friend Kathleen's house and at that point were about 5mins apart. I hung in there, but by 1am (sat morning) they were more like 3 mins apart so off I went to the birthing center. THIS WAS IT, finally! By around 3am I was 10cm dilated... which happened really quick considering how long I had been waiting! and I started to push... and push... and push... and push... and push... (shall I continue?) And for whatever unknown reason, in the words of Bruce Burmester, I was having "a midwife crisis" and my midwife was on a mission to be the hero. She really wanted me to have this baby the "natural" way and was unwilling to give in no matter what the cost! Hours and hours and hours went by in spite of my begging and pleading to go to the hospital. Although I was aware of the passing time and the pain and what was happening, it was like a time warp. At one point she even told me I had to stop looking at the clock! Totally surreal when I look back on it. Each time I was ready to put my foot down and go to the hospital, the contractions would come faster and faster and the whole cycle would start all over again. So what can I say. Without giving you ALL the gory details, around 6 am on Sunday I FINALLY put my foot down and said "TAKE ME TO THE HOSPITAL NOW!!" So off I went on the gurney to the hospital for what inevitably turned into a c-section. By the time they cut me open, I was completely infected. Remember, my water had broken a good 3 days earlier and I'd now been pushing unsuccessfully for an unheard of amount of time so my insides were swollen and ruptured and according to the doctors, unrecognizable and not very pleasant smelling. The baby was completely wedged into my pelvic bones which were not going to budge and they had to literally pry her out, and we were both very lucky to be alive. Sounds pretty scary, I realize. And it was! But at that point I was just so grateful to be numb and have that baby out, all I could feel was relief. And when I finally heard her cry from the other side of the curtain the tears just poured down my face!! We were both alive and well... granted we both had a fever and had some serious recovery to get through, but she was out! And beyond beautiful and perfect!! In the long run, what more could I ask for.
And now, after a week, I can only say that the gods are with me. I guess they figure I'd been through enough cause she couldn't be a better baby. Okay, she's only a week old, but she's not fussy, she doesn't cry, she sleeps, she breast feeds (which took a while to get the hang of but I think she had it down all along... it was her Mom who couldn't figure out how to do it!!) and she smiles and simply brings me so much joy I can't even put it into words. She my little miracle and I am so very thankful and grateful to have her. Words cannot express my feelings on that enough.
She's been to the pediatrician now for a check up and she's doing fantastically well! She's even gained a whopping 1/2 a pound from 6lbs/14oz on Friday to 7lbs/6oz on Monday! Go girl!
I'm very proud of her! And proud of my boobs for withstanding the pain thus far. It'll get better... I know it will I know it will! And hey, not that I'm complaining cause for the first time in my life, I've got boobs! What could be bad about that, even if they're only temporary.
I'm obviously including a bunch of pictures cause what sort of Mom would I be if I didn't? Plus she's just EVER so gorgeous I'm more than happy to show her off!!
I'm doing my best to recover quickly so I can get out of the house (I'm not allowed to drive for a few weeks) and let you all meet her! So in the meantime, enjoy the pictures... that's all I can offer you. Thanks all of you for your nice emails and concern and good wishes! I really appreciate it!!
These are two of my favorite pix...
My Sis took most of these.










Here's a shot of the proud Papa...








And the proud Grandparents...
Grandma Cookie and Grandpa Lee,






and a visit from Grandpa Sunny...










G & G looking at Ever from the nursery...





And the proud Aunt Julie and Uncle Gregg...









Here's a photo of Ever's first baby bracelet made by Lisa Lo!
Sorry I didn't get the official shot of her with it on at the
birthing center, but here it is!!! She loves it and says
thank you very much for making it for her!!

And last but not least,
for those of you wondering,
my feet have been unswallowed
by my body and are on the
road to recovery!!