Multi-tasking

Clint multi-tasking in his office today: Sermon, Bible, Cell Phone, Coffee, Tobi (the cat) & Noah

African-American

Being the church secretary, I used to have to go to the post office quite alot. Every week I would wait in a massively long line and finally get to the counter...only to be asked the same question...."can I have your ID number please?" Well....as an American, I don't have an ID number. Its kinda like a drivers license number, but even more important than that! I can't have an ID number, or a bank account number or anything that even remotely marks me as a South African until Clint and I are married for 5 years (coming up in October.) And so I always respond "I'm American....I don't have an ID number, can I give you my husbands?" Which is always met with this stare of disbelief...followed by a few seconds of humming, then finally "yeah, I guess so." Its like I'm the only person who's ever immigrated to this country from America?????

So yesterday this comes in the mail addressed to "Noah Archer" (his birth certificate) and low and behold HE has an ID number BEFORE ME!! So he is a South African Citizen now as well as an American. He even has a social security number and everything. We were actually hoping he'd be born on 05-06-07 (just because thats such a cool birthdate!) but he was born one day early. 05-05-07. I didn't realize what a blessing this will be for him until I was filling out his birth papers, and realized that it won't matter how he fills out paperwork, cause in America you write "Month-Day-Year," and in South Africa you write "Day-Month-Year" which is endlessly confusing. Clint's driver's license had his birthday wrong the whole time we were in America 'cause of this problem...but Noah will never have to go through that cause its 05-05! How cool is that?

Our first outing with the "Baby Bjorn"...we discovered its impossible to drink a cappuccino with these things on... (it should come on the warning label!)

Noah with his first "tie" on for church on Sunday

Hiccups

It's finally Autumn in Durban. My favorite season. The wind is cold, the skies are clear and blue. Ahhh, and now that the smell of coffee doesn't repulse me anymore (I haven't had coffee for 9 months!) ...I just wish I could pop into a Starbucks and get a Pumpkin Spice Latte. Yum. *Sigh* I think I'll try and make some spiced apple cider today...just to celebrate my favorite season!

One of the coolest things that happened in the last months of pregnancy is that Noah would hiccup like 6-7 times a day....and it was so fun to feel the rhythmic little jumps in my tummy....and now outside the womb he hiccups just as much. He always looks at us with bewilderment when he hiccups, like "can't you make it stop already?" This is Clint trying to console him....they usually go away if he lies on his tummy.

And then me playing with him an hour later (yup...they last that long!) Its my favorite time with him cause the hiccups keep him awake....and he's always sssoooo content and happy to stare at you...and of course, grip your finger SUPER tight...just to say hello!

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day! (To all those mothers, or soon to be mothers reading!)

Now how lucky am I that with Noah only 8 days old that its already Mother's Day? :) Noah (and Clint) woke me up with my first mother's day present! Noah was very good in church today, his first time hearing Clint preach. He didn't cry or make a peep, so I got to sit in the back with him and enjoy the whole service. I missed being in church...it was good to be back so soon.


Clint's mom came for a week to visit Noah and help out with stuff around the house while I wasn't able to. My house is spotless and Clint well fed! Thank you, thank you! :) She goes home today....yikes, now I have to clean?! :) It was the first time Clint had to buy 2 mother's day cards!


Big yawn!

Noah in his dungarees

Oh another South Africanism: overalls are dungarees! :)

Baby Africanisms

Daddy's favorite time: Burp time!

Noah learning how to hold his pacifier in his eared hoodie

Noah falling asleep to the music of his favorite Pooh Bear

So of all the "South Africanisms" I think "baby items" have the most differences.
I asked so many times for a diaper in the hospital...and nurses gave me blank stares!

So here is "Baby Africanisms 101"

Diaper=Nappy

Burp=Wind (You wind your baby not burp him!)

Stroller=Pram

Diaper Rash Ointment=Bum Cream

Play Pen=Pack n Play

Pacifier=Dummy

I am recovering well from my c-section, thank you for your prayers! I never even payed attention when people talked about having a c-section cause I thought it would never happen to me! I never realized I can't drive or pick up much of anything for 6 weeks, pretty crazy. But the Lord has been so good. I'm just glad that Noah is here safe and sound! I also never realized how quick it was. After going through so many hours of labor, and then them telling me I needed a c-section, within a half an hour I heard his little cry! He turned a week old today, and we took him on his "first excursion" to Mugg & Bean (a coffee shop) to take Clint's mom out for Mother's Day.....here's the photo of his first car ride out on the town. I don't think he even knew he left home he was so sound asleep!

Awake & Sleepy :)

Noah during his "awake time" today...And sleep time (Clint sleeps just like this with one arm over his head!)

Children of God

Noah is 4 days old now, and I am 4 days old as a mother. I must say, I'm in love with 2 men in my life! :) Noah is just so amazing....I keep staring at him in disbelief that he's actually mine, and I get to take him home! When I put him to sleep I miss him. When he cries I want to cry and laugh at the same time cause of his helpless little cries! Everyday he learns and as he does so do I about God's abundant goodness in our lives, and His love for us as His children. I feel so priviledged to be a mother...and of such a content little guy!


"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are." I John 3:1

Noah....

Introducing: Noah Knightley Archer
Born on: May 5, 2007
Weight: 3.46kgs or 7lbs 10oz
Length: 55cm

This photo was taken 1 minute after he was born! After my water's breaking, 14 hours of labor, including an epidural and being induced as well, I had an emergency c-section because his little head just didn't want to drop! He was born with some bruises on his head and his eyes were swollen, but other than that....a healthy happy boy!

Proud daddy!

I love this face!


It's been so awesome bonding with this little guy, he's my love!

Pics

Clint writing: So putting pics up was easier than I thought. Read below for my comments.

NOAH KNIGHTLEY ARCHER

Clint writing: After 14 hours of labor, the Doctor called for an emergency Ceasarian insection (which I now now how to perform!). I got to wear those nifty scrubs like in ER. Step aside George Clooney. The Ceasarian is named after the first person delivered in that way. Ceasar (Augusts, I beleive) was due in a few days, but his mother fell off a horse and was dying. To ensure the heir to the empire was not lost, a brave doctor puled out what I imagine to be an unhygenic blade, and wet in to get the Emperor. So, like Ceasar, Noah was 'untimely riped from his mother's womb' as Shakespeare said. Which means Noah is qualified to slay MacBeth.
His middle name is for the character inJane Austen's Emma, who embodies al teh virtues of gentlemanliness. KIm and I both studied Austen at college and loved Mr. Knightley.

For the ladies
Noah weighs 3.5kg and is 55cm long. Kim will have to do the conversion to pounds and inches for you when she gets back in 3 days. I think its about 7.5 pounds. Either America needs to change tot he Metric ssystem, or (more likely) the whole world will need to stop being so stubborn and conform with US standards.

For the guys:
Dude, it was awesome! I was freaking out about Kim's pain. I asked for aenesthetic for me, but I think they thought I was joking. So I had to endure the labor with all my senses in tact. I am grateful for the health of the little tike, for the privilege of such a courageous wife, and for the fact that I am a pastor and not a surgeon! Blood belongs inside a person.

No pics yet. My wife is the blog-savy one. But if you e-mail me, I'll send you a couple. He looks just like any baby, only a bit more handsome.

Parenting...

I definitely won't be taking parenting advice from msn.com...this was todays article on discipline: Yikes:

"What exactly does it mean to "discipline" a toddler? Some people equate it with spanking and punishment, but that's not what we're talking about. As many parenting experts see it, discipline is about setting rules to stop your little one from engaging in behavior that's aggressive (hitting and biting), dangerous (running out in the street), and inappropriate (throwing food). It's also about following through with consequences when he breaks the rules -- or what Linda Pearson, a Denver-based psychiatric nurse practitioner who specializes in family and parent counseling, calls "being a good boss."

So basically your kid is ok if he doesn't strike someone or get killed crossing the street. Yikes

Last days!

This is baby Archer at 39 weeks preggo....only 4 more days to go! Its been so weird just waiting....knowing there is nothing I can do to know exactly WHEN this little guy is coming. It totally reminds me of the passage that says that the Lord will come back like a thief in the night, or like labor pains on a woman. I know that its coming.....I can see the signs....but when exactly? When....when....when? "Where is the promise of his coming?" Clint and I were thinking that this is actually more exciting than your wedding day. Cause your wedding day you know when it is, who your gonna marry etc. Baby day....you meet him or her for the first time...and there is no real anticipation of the EXACT day..its a surprise!



These are photos of the house we are building. Well, the model home anyway. It should be ready sometime in September, although right now its just a trash heap (see just behind Clint? that's our property...the pile of mulch!) So that pile of trash is where our house WILL be! And if you look WAY beyond Clint....you can see the ocean! (well, kinda....its that faint blue line) We are so excited to move cause they are building a HUGE office block right next door to the church's property....so all day we hear massive construction noise. Not very condusive to a pastor counselling and studying....

Although when we move we won't live right next door to the church....so no more walking over at 9:14 to make it to church by 9:15!