A few things...

I'm not sure than anything or anyone could have prepared me for motherhood... and as I rocked my baby to sleep for her nap this morning... I sort of compiled a list of things I've learned over the past 9 months.

#1:  First and foremost: I will NEVER judge another person's parenting... I think people do what they have to do to survive.  My good friend Jeannine told me this once, that she too learned this long ago.  She had her children on a schedule (when not in school) of going to bed between 9-10 pm... and waking up between 9-10 in the morning.  Prior to Callie... I may have thought... ugh... who does that!  Now, I have Callie on a schedule similar to that... we have the rest of our lives (probably starting in 2014) that we'll have to wake up at 6 am... or even earlier... so why do it now?  It works for us... and that's good enough for me.

#2:  Chicken Noodle Dinner, by Gerber, in stage 2, baby food, has created the biggest stain challenge for me... luckily, I have outsmarted it... with a combination of stain-fighting ingredients.  Still... there have been a couple of causality onesies that have ended up in the garbage :(

#3: Just when I think I know what I'm doing... something changes... and I realize I have NO IDEA what I'm doing.  Thank heavens for a mother who's on-call 24/7 and a neighbor friend, Mandi, that puts up with my random phone calls and SOS text messages.

#4:  Having a baby DOES NOT bring a couple closer together (this is an important one for those teens that think it does)... unless you REALLY work on it.  I've never disagreed so much with Phillip... but we've also never been happier...

#5:  I had no idea how much joy rocking my baby to sleep would be... most of the time :)  There's nothing more powerful to me than sitting there with her sleeping in my arms, one of her hands busily working her ducky paci (it's her comfort thing) and her other hand touching me somewhere... just to know I'm still there.  She usually slips her hand under my shirt or robe and rests it on my chest, just over my heart.  Phillip and I agree that there is simply nothing more satisfying than that.

#6:  Babywise is my arch-enemy... turns out it was not the "miracle book" I thought it to be prior to having my Callie.  (go ahead mother... insert your "I told you so" here...)

#7:  A nurse I worked with in Salina, told me, prior to delivery, to make sure we were financially stable enough (in response to my idea of quitting working in Salina), so that, if I went to Target, and saw the most adorable outfit, and just HAD to have it for Callie... we could afford it... because it would happen, nearly EVERY time I went to the store.  She was right.

#8: Baby shoes are cute... but not really functional... it's all in the socks... the super cute socks... that look like shoes... that's where the cuteness lies.

#9:  I couldn't be happier that I breastfed Callie... because I HATE washing bottles.  I can't thank Gramma and Grampa Meyer ENOUGH for the memory foam kitchen mats that I spend hours standing on doing dishes.  They are WONDERFUL!

#10:  This is the craziest journey ever... and perhaps (no... definitely) the most rewarding.  There are a million other things I've learned... probably more important ones than what I listed.  I'm so thankful God gave me the chance to be a mother.  It's the greatest!

So some of you may have heard the sadness I expressed when, after Callie was just a month or two old, and Phillip and I had a conversation where he basically said he didn't think he wanted any more children.  I was so sad.  To think that everything with Callie could have been the last time I experienced anything like it.  The pregnancy... the milk coma's... snuggling with a newborn.  There were so many phases that I was sad about it possibly being our last... until recently.  Phillip came home from one of his business trips and said "I think I'm ready for another one"... while my heart jumped with joy... my head told him that he was "plumb crazy" and that it would be some time before I was ready for that... but the idea that he reconsidered made me ecstatic.  It's so fun to watch him with her... everyday is more exciting and he just adores her.

So... these are, again, super old photos... I just realized I have over 5000 photos that I have taken on my camera.  I just haven't uploaded many of them... so here is a photo shoot we did this summer, August 27th to be exact, so Callie was 4 months old.

I love the little Cowgirl outfit that was given to her by the Long family, my Aunt Glenda... it was adorable!



Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day... a day early, which is, as you all should know, unusual for us Van Court's :).

Thank you everyone for the holiday cards you have sent... we love getting them, and it's so much fun to let little Miss Calpal open each one addressed to her.  Another special thank you to my mother for the AMAZING homemade sugar cookies!!  I LOVE them!  I'll still never forget, being pregnant, and not really craving anything sweet at all... but devouring any sugar cookie in sight!  My love for them runs... deep... I suppose you could say.

(that mother of mine is SOOO creative!!!)

This weekend we had our 9 month photo shoot along with Valentines Day photos.

So... without further adieu... the images :)

A special thanks to one of Stefanie's ex-boyfriends, for providing us with the HUGE stuffed bear to take our photos with...  Here are my two favorite Valentines this year (don't worry... Phillip comes in for a close 3rd place)

...we COULD NOT get little Miss Noodle bug to smile during this session... but here she is, talking her new "ga-ga-ga...ya-ya-ya" bit... showing off her little bitty teeth.  Beans was a pretty good boy... though his ears are lowered like he's in some sort of trouble... poor Beans...

Again... no smile from the Princess... but it turns out to be a pretty cute photo anyways... sitting in the rocking chair Grandma and Grampa Van Court got her for the Christmas before she was born.

A giggling smile!  Finally!  This was day two of the photo shoot...  notice the weenie-dogs with hearts on her dress :)

No Smile and No editing on this photo... I just love her eyes!

ANNNND... last... but certainly NOT least!  A photo she (and her father) will hate me for... forever!  I just think baby butts are the cutest... and I know I've already posted too many photos of hers... but, c'mon, it's a little cute, right?  Standing, er, squatting, in my red heels.

If you ever want a copy of a photo... I would be more than happy to print them and have them sent straight to your door!  I found an online print shop that prints wonderful images for just a few cents more than you'd pay at Walmart... anywho... I know I haven't been great about getting hard copies of images to people... so just "hollar" at me and I'll get them to you!



James Urso... Poppa U

On February 5, Superbowl Sunday, the New England Patriots lost to the Giants... and the Urso family lost one of the greatest men of our time. 

James "Poppa U" Urso was diagnosed with Stage 4 Stomach Cancer in December of 2010.  After an unsuccessful surgical attempt to remove the cancerous tumor growing in his abdomen in January of 2011... he battled the great fight with chemotherapy and some "still in trial" medications and treatments in Boston.  December 2011, his physician told him that there was nothing else that could be done, so Poppa continued the fight until February 5, where he passed away, on his couch, just as he had always wanted, surrounded by the love of his life, Gloria "Nana" Urso, and his children.

As a family, we celebrated his life in a small, intimate memorial service (Poppa had asked to not have a funeral) held at my parents house in Derby on Tuesday evening, led by Rik Alspaw, family friend and the minister at my wedding.  Each of us girls wrote a little something to share at the service, and here is my tidbit:

From the day I met my Poppa… until Fred’s great adventure just a few weeks ago… he always loved me… always treated me just like his other grand kids.  I was never different, even if his blood didn’t flow through my veins.  He went above and beyond to be interested and invested in my life.  I’ll never forget the moment I called both him and Nana, sitting at the island in the kitchen down at the lake, and I announced my pregnancy.  He was crying.  He was thrilled, exhilarated.  Even more excited than my parents!

A random quote I remember from him:

*“Eat (blank), it’ll put hair on your chest”: I distinctly remember him telling me this, for as long as I can remember, and jumping at the opportunity to eat whatever it was, partially to make him proud… and secondly to “put hair on my chest”.  There was an aura about Poppa that just made you want to be around him, and want to be like him.  Thinking back on this quote now, I wonder if he ever considered the ill-effect this could have on us girls eating/drinking whatever it may be.

Perhaps it’s only because this rendezvous of mine happened so recently in memory… but I can remember every detail of that visit with him.  I know he didn’t want me to see him, as he was, but I didn’t see him as the very sick Poppa he was.  He looked just like himself to me… and maybe it was because I was trying to hard to see past what the stupid cancer had taken from him.  But his voice, his face, his hands… it was all my Poppa.  I can’t describe to you how content I am, that he held my baby… kissed her… hugged her… and that he then held my hand and told me that he loved me, and that he was thankful he got to meet his Sweet Caroline.  Other people may regret that trip… but I never will…

It is this man I have to thank for the life I lead now.  For the values, morals, and high expectations he instilled in Fad that pushed him to be the man he is today, who then, went above and beyond to be the most amazing father a girl could ever hope or dream of, and instilled the same beliefs in me.  Some people may say that I am not biologically an Urso, but I will tell you that I am who I am today because of his blood and that makes me one.

Father, you’ll never be THE Poppa U, so don’t stress yourself out trying to be him… but I know you will be just as amazing of a grandfather to Callie, and all of the little people to come… because he taught you how.  It was funny sitting in that parlor with you both on that Friday night… the resemblance was “uncanny”… things you say, gestures you do… the way you walk and wear your hat.  Poppa U live on through you, more than you’ll ever know. 

I am forever indebted to this man, my Poppa and there is no doubt in my mind that all of heaven is rejoicing and greeting him the same way we did when he walked down that hallway at the airport…  I think he’ll be waiting for us with a poster he made saying XXOO until all of us arrive and can celebrate eternity with him.

There is a story I have been waiting to post... simply because Fad (my dad) is so private.  So please let me explain "Fred's Big Adventure". 

Since the time Callie was born, I wanted her to have the chance to meet all of her living relatives.  Including Poppa U and Nana.  There just never seemed to be the right time to do this... so, one weekend in January, while Fad was out visiting in Boston... I bought a plane ticket out of Kansas City... and Callie and I flew to Boston.  We pulled up in front of my grandparents house, where my dad was, and I called him from my cell phone and told him... that we were parked in front of the house.  Shocked, as you can imagine, he came outside and snuggled his little "Pooda-head" Callie.  After some delicious Venice (Boston-style Pizza)... Fad introduced Callie to her Urso Great-Grandparents.  It's a moment I will never forget... sitting in the "parlor" (aka-living room) with Nana and Poppa... watching Nana play with her Sweet little Caroline (Sweet Caroline is the theme song for the Red Sox-- Sorry Meyer family! <--they're Yankees fans :) and Poppa, despite being as sick as he was (he could hardly stand), hugging, kissing, and joking just as he always had with me, with my baby... was one of my happiest moments of the year.

It was a crazy, spur of the moment decision to do this trip (truly it was something I had been wanting to do for a long time...) and I will remember it for as long as I live.


My Caroline Faith Van Court in the hands of Poppa James Urso
... a photo I will treasure forever...

How he will forever be remembered, as the good looking man he was!

Me and My Poppa U

Thank you all so much for the prayers and support during this hard time of losing such an amazing man.

Feel free to leave love and kind thoughts for the family to see on this guestbook page:

James "Poppa" Urso

  All our love...

A few old photo-shoot images revealed

I have a million photos of our little one... and have only revealed a few... so here are some that I've spent time edited and never posted.

Bampa Urso meeting his little "pooda-head" for the first time:

I had this photo printed and sent to Dr. Kuhlmann's office.

I was going to include this on a Christmas card...



Just before Christmas, Phillip went out and bought a couple of outfits for Callie, the first clothes he has ever purchased for her on his own.  I thought they were very cute, mostly because he picked them out on his own.



She looks like a little old woman in this photo!  She's so funny!  I love it!



Auntie Puppy and the Noodle Bug... sharing secrets

(not the greatest quality photo... but I love the moment that was captured)

Oh my goodness I could eat her cheeks and not feel guilty... they are absolutely the most kissable cheeks ever!  Love them!

(I also LOVE LOVE LOVE the eyelashes she got from her daddy!)

LOVE!!!

Miss Noodle and her crazy bedhead getting some love from her Gramsie

Well... naptime is nearly over and I have to plan dinner... Auntie Em is coming to play tonight!  Hopefully we'll capture some more images tonight!

Love to all...