Texas Sun...

Lorna loves being outdoor. Thanks to Texas sun, she can enjoy outdoors often. She especially loves water...

Lunch Time...

This is how we eat chicken noodle sup - naked!!! Who needs utensils???

We're Turning 1!!!

Thursday, November 17th 2005.
I can't believe it's been one year since our Princess was born... Wow...time does fly when you're having fun...

Since we've already had party, we decided to have a muffin with one candle at home, and then go to McDonalds and have Lorna experience her first Happy Meal. Just the four of us; mom, Ed, Lorna and I. We did invite dad and Andy (my in-laws), but Andy wasn't feeling up to it. She must have been sick.

Anyhow, we had great time, Lorna didn't care to eat (go figure!!!), but sure had fun in their play area. We poisoned ourselves with fries and sodas, took bunch of pictures, and went home... It always feels good to be home...

Big Birthday Party

Saturday, November 12th, 2005.

Even though Lorna was born on November 17th, we planed to have big b-day party little earlier. The fact that my brother-in-law, Mike, and his wife, Martha, are going to be visiting with us the week before, made our decision even easier – we are going to have the party on November 12th.

We all were busy preparing for another Lorna’s milestone; her first b-day party!

Somehow, we managed to have everything done a whole day earlier; the food is cooked, the cookies and cakes baked, house decorated inside and outside, the invitations had been sent out days before… everything was ready to accommodate about 25 adults and 10 kids.

I do have to mention that mema and pop-pop had ordered big Teletabies birthday cake from a local bakery, and that was great help. Uncle Mike and Aunt Martha were running last minute errands, and all in all – we were happily ready!

The party started at 2:00 PM. It was fun, Lorna acted like she new the whole day is all about her; she was parading in her new denim skirt that her little cousin Borno sent from Bosnia, chasing birds, playing with other kids, opening gifts (which, by the way, we got sooo many…)

By 10:00 PM that day, everything was under control; dishes cleaned and put
away, toys neatly stacked up in the corner, everything was were it belong. All in all – Lorna’s first party was big success…

LORNA'S NEW PLAYHOUSE

Saturday, May 13th 2006.
We bought her first playhouse. As you can see, she put her favorite Princess chair in it, and is happy reading her favorite board book...

Who's the Prettiest Little Girl???

Princess Lorna...

Baka Is Coming Back!!! Yahoo!!!

October 15th 2005.

Today is the day!!! My mom is coming to visit and (hopefully) stay with us for six months! We're so happy!!! I know it sounds weird, but my hubby is looking forward to seeing his mother-in-law again. They really like each other. (Didn't I tell you I married the perfect guy???)

And, he knows that baka will help us take care of Lorna. So far, we had no help form anybody else. Unfortunately, Ed's mom passed away over 15 yrs ago, and his dad and stepmom are not feeling well enough to babysit and help us with Lorna. So, we are on our own...

My mom's health is not great either, but she tries to do as much as she can to help us, and what's most important, to be with her granddaughter.

We're going to Houston airport to pick her up, and I've been up since 6 AM. Her plain should lend at approx. 6:00 PM, drive to Houston is about 4 hrs long. Need I say more???

Here we are - Houston! I'm getting really anxious, Lorna is behaving well, it's like she knows something real important is to happen soon.

Finally, they announces that her flight from Amsterdam arrived. Next 30 minutes or so, will be an eternity...

And the moment we all have been expecting - baka is here!!! Lorna went straight to her, baka had a Barbie doll for her. It looked like they have never been apart... Man, am I crying or what???

Am I Cute Or What???

Wow! I'm Almost 5 Months Old!!!

April 9th, 2005.
Baka Mira is going back home, and Lorna and I will go with her. We're going to Travnik, Bosnia to visit with my sister and her family. Lorna will for the first time meet her aunt Jadranka, uncle Dario and her little cousin Borno, who just turned 4. It's so exciting and kind of scary! The trip is almost 48 hrs long, but I don't worry too much, mother's strength is enormous.
The only bad thing about this trip is that we have to leave daddy here. He can't take off from work that much. It's going to be tough couple months, but daddy understands my desire to go and show off our daughter.

The flight was Ok, Lorna behaved pretty good. After switching from one plane to another, and then to one more, 1,5 hour long cab drive was piece of cake. We were finally there, it was well after midnight, but everyone was awake and anxious to meet this little miracle, named Lorna.

Two months went by real fast. On June 13th we were on the plain back to the States. I hate to remember this experience; Lorna screamed during the whole time, the plane was packed, the flight attendants were not helpful at all... all in all - trip from hell!!!
Boy, was I glad to see my loving husband at the SAT airport...
It felt good to be home again...

This is What Mom and Dad Want You, Lorna, to Know

Do you know what you are?
You are a marvel. You are unique.
In all the years that have passed, there has never been another child like you.
You are so special to us, and you are so incredible loved. There will never be another child like you...

The World Revolves Around Me

We all are adjusting to the new situation at home, and we love everything about it; sleepless nights, dirty diapers, dark circles around eyes, we even love (in a weird way) colics that bother our daughter from the second day we brought her home.
Life is good!!!
My mom, who came all the way from Bosnia, is great help. She cooks, and cleans, and enjoys holding her first granddaughter. You can see love floating between two of them. Daddy decided to take family leave, 2 weeks, and stay home, to experience this beautiful miracle called first days of fatherhood.
We take turns getting up in the middle of the night, changing diapers, feeding Lorna. I can not breastfeed, so Lorna is on formula. Luckily, I don’t have hard feelings about it, no guilt whatsoever. And why should I? I did whatever it took, but milk is not coming and Lorna doesn’t want to nurse anyway.
Thank God for expensive formulas.

When she was only 3 days old, we had our first outing together; went to the store where my father-in-law works. You should have seen how proud he was. Grandpa carried Lorna to the main office and showed her off to everyone. The only thing that comes to my mind is “The world does revolve around me…”

Lorna is very good baby. True, colics have been bothering her a lot, but if it wasn’t for that, she’d be sleeping day and night.

When Lorna was 8 days old, we celebrated our first Thanksgiving together. Once again, she was perfect little angel.

Then came Christmas… our first Christmas together. Lorna stares at all the flashing lights, she is cooing and making noises that could compare to Pavarotti’s 1 million dollar voice… Pavarotti??? Who needs him, when Lorna is in mood for singing…
I’m telling you – this child is so special… of course she is, SHE IS OURS!!!!!!

We're Going Home!!!

Thursday, November 18th 2004. I spent a restless night.
Nurses kept waking me up every hour in order to take my BP and temperature. How unnecessary!!!
As soon as I woke, went to the nursery to bring my daughter to my room. She was among at least 30 other babies, but my eyes could see only her. She was the most beautiful baby there, and the loudest, as well! Like I said earlier, like mother - like daughter...
On the way back to my room, I saw Ed and mom. Daddy was carrying Lorna's car seat. To me, that was a sign of freedom - we are going home...
However, hospitals have rule that baby had to be at least 24hrs old, to be released to go home. 5:00 PM seemed to be sooo far away...

But, we'll manage...

At about 11:00 AM, Lorna had her first bowel movement. Daddy changed her diaper, her first soiled diaper. And you know what, I think he even enjoyed it... Don't we all, just don't want to admit it???

After lunch, and nap, we're all dressed and ready to go home. Lorna was safe and sound in her car seat, mom, Ed and I very excited to finally start our life as a complete family...

We got home at about 5:30 PM. I was very surprised when I saw how busy my loving hubby was with decorating the house, inside and outside. Everything was welcoming Lorna home; pink balloons, the banners, stork. It was beautiful and I knew (once again) that I married the most wonderful man in the whole world, and I knew he was going to be the best daddy ever...

The day has Come (AKA The Star Is Born)

We've been waiting for this day - our baby is to be born today! Since my due date is long past, my doctor decided to induce today, Wednesday, November 17th 2004. Early in the morning, before 5.00AM, my loving husband Ed, my mom Mira, and myself are ready to go. The bags are packed, car fueled up, and since the night before was raining and stormy, we decided to leave even earlier. I am not scared, I am not panicking (yet!), I am sooo ready to meet one person in this world that we all will love unconditionally. We got to the hospital little before 5.30AM, signed in, they took us to the delivery room, gave me hospital gown, did all the preparations, and here we are - patiently waiting for my doctor. He showed up, broke my water at 7.00 AM, started me on the medicine that is going to cause contractions. This is a part I wasn't looking forward to. After couple of hours of, what I thought were unbearable pains, they gave me epidural. It worked for about 30 minutes, and than pain started again... And again... My nurse kept adding dosages of pain killer through my epidural tube, but I felt no relief. One of the hospital stuff decided to check my back, and found that the tube feel out of the channel, so I wasn't receiving any medications. Another round of epidural, another tube and channel in my back later, and I was in heaven!! oooo did that feel good!!!!! I even got some nap, that felt good, too. My mom is sleeping in a chair in the corner, my hubby went to eat something. He came back with his brother Randy, who came to be moral support, and to share this wonderful experience with us. Later on, he brought Sylvia to see our little angel. Randy and Sylvia, I am still grateful!
At 4:00 PM, I felt urge to push, and that's when it started. They brought in big mirror, but I refused to look in it. I still feel regrets for passing up this beautiful opportunity to see Lorna coming to this world. I pushed, and pushed, and pushed... And at 4:37 PM our daughter was born. She didn't cry at first, and that's when I started panicking, but when we finally heard her loud and piercing scream, we were relieved. We knew this world is better now that our daughter is a part of it...
I wish there were words big enough and important enough to describe what we felt when we looked in her eyes; You could almost feel love, and touch love...Now that we were finally holding this life we had created, my hubby and I realized that this is the most important task we have - to love, and to care for her, to give her everything she'll ever need...

My First Night as Mommy

My mom and Ed went home, and I was all by myself in my hospital room. They took Lorna to the hospital nursery so her pediatrician could examine her. I had few bites of dinner, and was very tired. My mind was elsewhere - with my daughter, couldn't wait to see and hold her again. A nurse finally brings her to me, and I felt like the whole wide world is mine. Just looking in her eyes gave me power to conquer the world, if my daughter wanted me to.
We try to put her on my breast, but she kept refusing to breastfeed. Either she didn't know what to do, or she didn't want to do what she knew she was supposed to do. Anyhow, after about an hour of trying, I gave her bottle. She was hungry, (DUH) and she ate. Then, right there, I knew she will be very strongwill, stubborn and will be difficult to make her do things if she doesn't want to do them. I smiled, yeah, she was her mother's daughter...

I spent a restless night, Lorna was in the nursery, I was told to get some sleep since this is the last night I have chance to relax... I was looking forward to being full time mom...