Thursday, August 29, 2013

Blessing Day


Sunday, August 17th Anna was blessed. During the blessing she was sitting high on her crochet blanket when she leaned to the side and slipped about 6 inches. The slip startled her and everyone in the prayer circle. She only cried for a second from the shock. Zach had planned on saying more but after that heart stopper decided to wrap it up and keep it short. It took us all a few minutes to calm down from the startle of almost dropping Anna but it was an overall great experience and a fun little story.  We felt so blessed to have our family and friends there with us. Anna is one seriously loved little lady.



Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Columbia




On Saturday we enjoyed hanging out with the Schustrom girls and getting another beautiful tour around campus from Lexi.  No matter how many times I see it I still absolutely love this gorgeous campus.  It was another day of perfect weather that helped really make visiting and exploring unforgettable in the best way.


Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Finishing Up Midtown


While Anna was happy and sleeping we enjoyed showing Zach's family around Midtown. We explored 30 Rockefeller, St. Patrick's Cathedral,  5th Avenue and Times Square. The weather was perfect and the company we enjoyed it with was even better.




Monday, August 26, 2013

Midtown and a Meltdown


Before going to the library we stopped to try a food truck hotdog. I have been pretty dissapointed by the Sabrett hotdog trucks. Both that I have had this summer were flavorless and soft, but it was fun to stop and try, and it helped to tie us over until dinner. 


After exploring the library, picking Zach up from work and walking around 5th Avenue, Anna started waking up. Paige was the one holding her on this stretch of the day and was stuck with the misfortune of carrying a screaming Anna for several blocks. Anna woke up ready to be fed and changed. She quickly became inconsolable as we tried to run back to Zach's office to comfort her. Paige did an amazing job keeping her cool and playing her aunt roll very patiently. Nothing is worse than having a newborn scream at you and not being able to do anything about it. We were so grateful we could heal our broken hearts by cuddling a soothed Anna over dinner and the subway ride home.  Being a few weeks old is hard work!

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Anna's Birth Announcment

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Thursday, August 22, 2013

NYPL Part 1


The Allens flew into town early Friday morning. After a good nap we headed out to explore the New York Public Library. This was my first time going inside. Zach and I had talked about it and walked around it many times but never ended up inside. I cant believe what we were missing out on. The architecture, the artwork and the exhibits inside were all incredible. As amazing as everything was to look at nothing compared to watching a proud grandpa show his granddaughter around. Anna is one loved little girl.

Monday, August 19, 2013

How Grandmas are Made

The story of Annas birth told from across the country by Grandma Erica:

"The day of Anna's birth was much anticipated and long awaited.  Her aunt Paige and cousin Cameron were visiting from Utah that weekend and camping in Glacier Park.  I was just getting ready to leave to join them in the Park early Saturday morning when Anna's dad called and told us, with great excitement in his voice, that Anna's mom was in labor.  YYEEEHHHAAAWWWW......but, HUGE dilemna.... whether or not to head to Glacier to meet the gang and risk missing any news or take a chance and head to Glacier, hoping there'd be coverage at the right times.  To make the dilemna more difficult, my phone wasn't charged because of technical difficulties and I wasn't sure where I'd be able to get electricity to charge it along the way.  Aunt Paige had her phone, but no charger and the battery was running low.  So, we were quite worried we would miss the news.  Grandpa Brett had planned to stay home so we decided he would keep me informed.  With the assurance of that knowledge, I headed to Glacier praying for you and your mom all the way.


Browning, located on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, is the last largish town before heading into the park.  I stopped there and ran into the grocery store to try to charge my phone enough to get news.  While standing in the bathroom, with the the phone plugged in,  Zach  assured me all was well but Anna probably wouldn't arrive for a few more hours.  A nice Indian lady came into the bathroom and looked at me a bit funny as I was just getting off the phone.  I told her my first Granddaughter was being born today.  She smiled, wished us congratulations and told me how wonderful grandchildren were.  With that, I headed on to Glacier to meet Paige and gang.  We met at East Glacier and immediately tried to call Zach for news, using Paige's phone.  No coverage....ARRGGHH.  We knew there was coverage in West Glacier, an hour away, so headed out and drove as quickly as possible.  Again, praying all the way for Sara and our Anna.  Upon reaching West Glacier Aunt Paige immediately called Zach for news.  They had reduced Sara's epideral dosage so she would be able to push, but Anna probably wouldn't be born for at least another hour.  We were so excited, the anticipation was killing us!  We then headed into the park for a picnic and then on up to the top of Going to the Sun Road.  I counted on there would be coverage at the top, but no such luck.  It had been about an hour and a half and I couldn't stand not know how things were going in that wonderful hospital room clear across the country. 

I dropped the gang off at the top of the pass, told them to hike to Hidden Lake and I would be back for them in an hour.  I then drove as fast as I could to the bottom of the pass and St. Mary's. Hallelujah, there was coverage there at the visitors center.  The kind park rangers let me plug my phone in after I told them I was expecting news about my first Granddaughter -they also offered congratulations.  After the phone was plugged in I got through to Zach and he told me all was well, but it would still be awhile.  So, thankful that all was well, but still on major pins and needles.  I headed back up the pass and picked up Paige, Cameron and Logan and we quickly headed back down to the bottom so I could check in again.  This time when we called there was no answer, so we assumed Zach was busy taking care of his girls.  We left and drove quickly to Browning where we, again, used the bathroom in the grocery store in Browing to plug in our phones.

YEAAAAHHHH....this time there was a  picture of our beautiful 8.06 lb Anna.  Lots of high-fiving all around and then we quickly called Zach and got all the news.  And wonderful news it was.  Our amazing granddaughter Anna was strong and Healthy and her incredible mother had pulled through like a trouper.  With that we headed home, where we were able to put through our first of many face-time sessions.  It was so wonderful to see your beautiful face for the first time.  What a beautiful baby you are - and not just because we're your grandparents!


Anna, you are loved more than you will ever know.  By grandparents on both sides of the family and a plethera of aunt's and uncles.  You have been much prayed for already and will continue to be so for the rest of your life.  We know you are one of Heavenly Fathers choice daughters and we are so thankful you joined our family.   You have the most amazing parents, who also love you dearly.  The day of your birth was one of the most exciting days of your grandpa and my  life.   Welcome."

Friday, August 16, 2013

Matching Faces



Who does this little lady look more like? Her dad (above) or her mom (very bottom)? While I think She looks more like her dad we are realizing how much of both of us she has, and yet she is all her own. Its so fun to  find ourselves in Anna. We are a little obsessed with this cute little Anna, 


Thursday, August 15, 2013

A Family of Three






We are the three best friends that anybody's ever had. The three best friends that anybody's ever had. We are the three best friends that anybody's ever had and we'll never, never, never leave each other...

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

6-Day-Old Anna




These pictures were taken when Anna was about 6-days-old. Now at 17 days we are already beginning to see changes as her features begin to mature. She has put on almost half a pound more and is definitely growing. She can now almost fit her newborn sized onesie. The 0-3 month ones still look like football uniforms without the pads underneath.

We are getting a good feeding routine down and with a breastmilk only diet we feel pretty confident she is getting the nutrients she needs to continue growing at a steady pace. Its still not a perfect nursing routine. Its predominantly pumping and bottle feeding now, but every once in a while we will get a skin to skin latch that rocks for both of us. Still it's a work in progress.

We were so excited to meet Anna before she was born. Now we are just as excited to cuddle with her when she is awake and excited to see how she grows and matures. She is by far the best decision we have ever made.



 Pictures taken by Zach and me.