Love, Mom

"Pregnancy Loss"

Dear Kate and Riley,
This is a beautiful post written by the woman who founded and runs the MISS foundation. She talks about the use of language and how it affects people's perception of things. She mentions the term "pregnancy loss" often used to describe a stillbirth, a term that I, too have come to hate. I like how she ends her post...

"In more than 13 years of working with bereaved families, I have never had a parent of a stillborn baby say, "I am so sad that I lost my pregnancy."

That is not, most often, their reality. They say simply, "My baby died, I lost my beloved child." And so it is."

I am so glad that there are people out there working with families and working to change misconceptions.

Love, Mom

Pictures!

Dear Kate and Riley,
We love Megan! My cousin, Megan, is an AMAZING photographer! She did our engagement, our wedding and we've been lucky enough to have her around twice this year to take great pictures of Zachary. We are so lucky to have such a great photographer in the family, we just wish she lived closer. Luckily she loves to visit California so we should be able to bribe her out here again some time.

Hansen Family Reuinion

Dear Kate and Riley,
Its been a long time since I've written anything because its been a busy few weeks. Zachary had swimming lessons for two weeks, we spent a week recovering and getting ready for our reunion, then we spent a week in Carlsbad with the Hansen side of the family and we are finally home (and almost unpacked after a week!). I thought things would calm down once we got home but we are just trying to soak up every minute of summer and have been at the beach or the pool every day.

The Hansen family reunion happens every two years and at the last one I was pregnant with you. It is hard to believe how much has happened in that two years. Zach loved playing with Summer and Ali and for the first time I held both of them at once, we snuggled on a chair for a little bit and I had a wistful sort of 'what if' moment and really missed.

Zachary is getting so big, he did great at the beach, loves the water and especially the sand. He is standing now and I know he is going to take off walking any day now. We mostly just hung out at the beach all week, Dad did a little golfing and Grandma and Grandpa did a little babysitting, which was great! I'm already excited for the next reunion, I wish it was sooner!

Love, Mom

The "original" Hansens, Alisa, Kent, Grandpa Ross, Marsha, Kathy
and Grandma Great and Grandpa Great

Vampire Baby!

Dear Kate and Riley,

I think THIS is what happens when you read the Twilight books while pregnant. Like one of our friends said, its a good thing vampires are "in" right now. As you might be able to tell, it was more than a little bit of a struggle this morning to try to get a picture of BOTH fangs at the same time.

Zachary turned 9 months old this weekend. Besides growing fangs he has also learned how to pull himself up on just about anything and everything and is very pleased with his ability to stand. He doesn't "walk" along the furniture yet but I know its coming soon. He is getting into trouble and messes everywhere and mom has learned her lesson not to turn her back for even a second as she learned when he took a little tumble about half way down the stairs last week (luckily I caught him half way down). He is the star of mommy and me swim class along with some of his friends and even blew some bubbles last week, in addition to swallowing about half the pool.

Love,
Mom

Off Topic...

Dear Kate and Riley,

Ok, this has nothing to do with you or our family or anything but Grandpa Ross found this blog, accused either me or Aunt Jenny of writing it, and I have to admit that I just wasted Zachary's nap time reading it and laughing so hard I just about peed my pants. I thought some of our friends might get a kick out of it.
I especially enjoyed the intentional misspellings of their/there/they're and improper use of apostrophes since those are the two things in the blogging world that drive me nuts!

Love,

Mom

Like Father, Like Son

Dear Kate and Riley,

Sunday Zach got to wear his first tie ever for church. Dad and I found ties on sale for $.99 at an outlet on our drive to Utah a few weeks ago and I have to say they were a great purchase (we have ties to fit him until he's five now!). When I got him dressed in the morning I had to bring him downstairs and sing "I hope they call me on a mission. When I have grown a foot or two (or five!)"
Although I get sad about not having my girls here to dress up pretty and put bows in your hair, I do love dressing Zach up, especially when it makes him look just like daddy!

Love,

Mom