pope land

At Last!

2010-10-20T19:47:00.000-04:00

Greeting from Popeland! I apologize for being so severely remiss in this blog. Basically what happened is that I, Ashley, started graduate school and things got a little busy, including Benjamin! He's doing wonderfully! He's 15 and half months old and he's been walking since around 13 months old. Yes, it's been that long since we've blogged. He's got a lot more teeth and eats like a growing boy should! He acquired a strong affinity to Elmo and Thomas the Train. Granted, he only has one train and it's Duncan, but he loves the books and the occasional episode we let him watch. He has several words including Mama, Dada, ball, girl, Elmo, duck, dog, and a few others I can't think of right now. He loves to dance and sing--we hope to get a video of this soon, it is so cute. He sways back and forth or bobs up and down and makes little "ta, ta, ta" noises like he's singing. He loves, loves, his books and being outside. While Mommy is at class on MWF at 11:00, he goes to a little preschool that he really loves. He goes on MW from 9-12 and it's been really great for him (Daddy keeps him on Fridays while Mommy's in class). It took him about a month to not cry when I left him but now he loves it. Oh, in case my going back to school has any of your wondering why, I'm going to get a Master's in Teaching in Middle Grades Ed. Fun times. In other news, we went to Oakland, CA to visit my brother, sister-in-law, and nephew (Brandon, Sara, and Elliott). We had a blast! It was awesome to get out of Savannah and enjoy the weather and people of the west coast. It was Benjamin's first plane ride and he did pretty well. Also in September, we had Benjamin baptized in. Our good friend Alan came down from Nashville to do it. Also, for those of you who don't know, Craig and I are expecting a second baby boy near the end of February! Benjamin will have and be a brother! We are very excited to have two brothers so close together. Other than that, the Popes are rolling right along in the 80 degree autumn weather we're having is summery Savannah. Pics to follow!

Benjamin and Elliott in California. Cuties!

Family on a hill in Oakland.

In his Harry Potter robe, aka, Mommy's cardigan.

Uncle Brandon with the boys--Elliott is a little skeptical.

Riding on the train at the Oakland Zoo!

Daddy and the giant frog!

I got in my wagon!

I love pushing things!

Me and Grandma Christine!

Aunt Sara and Cousin Elliott

Down the slide!

Am I the cutest, or what?

1 Year!

2010-07-10T15:32:00.001-04:00

Hello all. Benjamin has turned one year-old and we can't believe it. It has been such a monumental year for both him and his mommy and daddy. We feel like completely different people almost. It is true there are few adventures as daring, dangerous, and rewarding as parenthood. As a mother, I have learned the valuable lesson of flexibility and trust that your baby will be alright in the absence of a nap or a full meal. That may sound simple, but it's an invaluable piece of wisdom it took a long hard road for to accept as actual wisdom. I would tell any new mother to treat this one word as the most important in her vocabulary: relax.

Now, onto the birthday boy. He a little guy, but healthy--he weighs 19 and a half pounds (about the 10%) and is 29 and some inches tall (about the 40%), so he's skinny and taller like his daddy. He loves to eat though and his favorite veggie is carrots followed closely by broccoli. He likes veggie burgers, beans, pasta, bread and hummus, any fruit, bananas with avocado, and, recently since we've introduced it, cheese and yogurt. We just finished off the last of his formula and so far, he is NOT a fan of cow's milk. We're experimenting a bit to get him to like it more, but I'm not too stressed. There are other ways to get his calcium. He loves the YoBaby yogurt drinks and I just put one in his sippy cup. He loves it. We've only been at straight milk not even a day, so we'll see how it goes.

He's almost walking. He'll stand up and take a few steps on his own and then fall down, so he's almost there. He loves all his new birthday toys including his helicopter, firetruck, drums and shakers, big leggos, and, above all, his balloon we got him the day of his birthday and that is quickly dwindling. He's going through a "I don't want to slow down to read my books" phase, but he still likes them every now and then. One thing we know he absolutely loves is playing in water. He loves his bath, loves being in the pool, and will even barrel down the beach, head-first into the waves if we didn't stop him! He's a little fish right now.

Benjamin is a happy, curious, loving, and...shall we say, determined little boy. We love him so much and are so happy and proud to have him for our son.

Below are some pics from our trip to Jekyll Island with Craig's family and pics from his birthday. Funnily enough, it was hard to get a picture of him smiling on his bday. But he was very happy. Just in constant motion!
__________________________________

JEKYLL

First time on Papa's boat!

It's windy out here!

Hello Mr. Dolphin!

Cousin pile!

B and second cousin, Addison, 9 months

______________________________________

1st BIRTHDAY!

Good morning, birthday boy!

Pool time! Pals Bryson and Ethan join the splashing

Presents!

The favored balloon.

Yum!

11 Months

2010-06-07T14:19:00.001-04:00

Benjamin is a wopping 11 months! I can't believe that in less than a month my little baby is going to turn, not only 1 year old, but into a toddler! He is so much fun right now. I guess I say that at every post, but it's true every time. Our little guy is growing up! He is cruising pretty quickly now across couches and ottomans, but he still favors his crawl to get around. He loves cars, blocks, and still anything he's not allowed to play with, particularly shoes and remotes. He loves eating and his favorites are bananas, cherries, pasta, broccoli, and a new addition, a ginger teriyaki veggie rice patty. Yum! No words yet, other than Mama and Dada, although he really doesn't use them to address us, we don't think. But if you say to him, "Go find Mama," or "Where's Daddy?", he'll immediately start looking around for that parent. He'll go to his books if you say books and there are some other words he seems to know the meaning of. His favorite new trick at meal time is to hold a piece of food over the floor from his perch in his high chair and just stare at me. I've told him "No" when he's dropped food on the floor before, so now he likes to play the game of "let's get Mommy's attention by attempting to drop this food on the floor". Usually, he's just stared me down while I say "No" and then he'll pop said food chunk into his mouth. However, lately, he's been dropping it on the floor anything, so my new tactic is to ignore it. The minute he brings to food over the edge of the tray in his sly characteristic way, I look down and don't look at him until he's put the food in his mouth. This usually works. It's the attention he wants, not the dropping of the food (even though I'm right there talking to him during his whole meal!). If he does drop the food, I ignore that as well and this has definitely decreased the behavior. It's the behavior analyst in me coming out! He's so funny! It's amazing how soon they learn what will push your buttons!

In May, the Pope clan went to Nashville. We loved being back in the town where it all started for Craig and me. Nashville will always be such a special place to us. The flooding had left its signs, but all seemed well and there were still many projects going on to help people clean up their properties. Benjamin did great on his first long, hotel-staying vacation, and so did Mommy! Craig and I got to go out two different night after he went to bed (our good friend who works with college kids found us a great babysitter, who basically just had to sit in our hotel room while B slept). We had a blast. One night we went out with some friends and the other we had a date, where we recreated what a typical date looked like for us when we lived in Nashville. We also went to the spot where Craig proposed and recreated the scene. We have some pretty funny pics from that! I've put some under the pics of B. All in all it was a great trip and made me want to be a Nashvillian again!

With his first birthday coming up, I'm reminded of the journey we've taken to get there and it's been amazing. He barely even seems like the same baby he was when he came home from the hospital and I suppose, he's really not. I love being a mother. It was hard going at first, but it is the best and most important thing I've ever done in my life and I'm so excited about our family and the future of our family.

Here are some pics from month 11.

'p['il;p;gtx0

The above text is what Benjamin typed when he sauntered over the see what I was doing. Probably some cryptic form of genius poetry. Okay, now for the pics.

Mommy and her sweet boy.

Special delivery!

Me and my Mimi!

B and my friend Bethany's daughter, Madeline.

B and some kids from our church in Nashville. He was a hit!

Blurry but cute pic of B rolling around on our bed in Nashville.

...and again.

Watching Lemurs at the Nashville Zoo.

I think this was at some wild cat cage. Maybe a cheetah.

My favorite pic of us so far. We're watching the giraffes!

The view from our hotel room in Nashville overlooking 21st Ave. That's Vanderbilt tower in the distance.

At the soft play in our mall in Savannah.

Over the bridge!

Who needs a car?

Watch out for that alligator!

And now from the magical recreation of Engagement 2006 at Percy Warner Park:

Awww...sweet love.

Oh my gash! I can't believe it! Yes! (I'm supposed to look like a total dork here, by the way)

It's so beautiful! I'm getting married! Woohoo! Yippee!

Me manly man. Buy diamond. Put on finger in woods.

And the rest is history.

10 Months!

2010-05-04T13:06:00.001-04:00

Benjamin is 10 months old! We can't believe he's almost a year. It's been an amazing journey with him up to this point. He is the sweetest little boy I've ever been around...of course, I'm sure I'm a little biased.

Benjamin is on the move! He loves exploring...just like his daddy. While he moves on his knees when he's turning around to get a new toy or whatnot, his preferred mode of travel is the army crawl--legs out, arms moving him along. He's pretty fast too! He's also pulling up on everything and I mean everything. Tables, chairs, ottomans, his jumper, cabinets, rocking chairs, mommy and daddy. Right now as I type, he's trying to get the doors to our sideboard open...unsuccessfully, but he's still very determined. Oops, spoke too soon. Just got it open. Pause for mommy intervention...as I was saying, he loves to stand. He'd stand on just about anything if he could. Everyone says that's a sure sign he'll walk soon, but who knows. He's not officially cruising yet. He'll move a little while holding onto the couch to get to something, but no big moves. He also gets quite upset when we won't let him go somewhere or get something, but he's pretty easily distracted back into happiness. He loves trying to get all of mommy's books, his car seat, the fireplace, our shoes, and into closets. Obviously, we don't let him do those things, but it's pretty funny to watch him take off across the floor when he sees daddy's running shoes in the foyer.

He's a great sleeper at night. He goes to bed between 6:30 and 7 and sleeps until 6 or 6:30. He usually stays in his crib until one of us drags ourselves out of bed around 6:45 to get him up. He takes two naps a day, usually around 9 and then around 1:30 or so. His morning nap is still less than an hour, but his afternoon nap is usually and hour and a half or so.

He's eating really well. His bottle is never the easiest to get all down him, but he loves his solid foods. He's just starting to eat finger foods and is starting to get very fussy during his spoon-fed foods. He loves feeding himself and gumming his foods. His favorite finger foods are puffs, pieces of wheat bread (he doesn't seems to have a wheat sensitivity), pasta, tofu, cheerios, banana, and carrots. We've done peas too, but he doesn't really chew them, he just swallows them whole. So he still gets green beans and peas in puree form for now. He tolerates avocado, but it's really the only food he wouldn't choose to eat.

He loves most of his toys, although I feel he is getting bored more easily. I do switch them out every now and then, but still. As he approaches a year, we definitely need more age-appropriate toys (hint: he has a wish list on amazon under my name, hee, hee). But he loves his books, clapping, babbling, blocks, balls, trucks and cars, his piano and xylophone, and of course, whatever he can't have.

This past month, we did a four-week swimming class and he really liked it. He floated on his belly, back, went under, drifted (where you let go of them for a second underwater and they drift in your current...a little scary for mommy, but he did great!), turned over in the water, practiced wearing a life vest, and "jumped" off the side of the pool into the water. The swimming is over for now, but we'll probably sign up again this summer. Other than that we run errands and go to a story time at the library on Thursdays and we're starting to have some "play" dates. B is getting very interested in other babies.

One thing I really love right now are the few moments I can steal a snuggle from Benjamin. He loves being with us, but he's not a real snuggly baby. So when we're putting him to bed at night and he's super tired, he'll lay on our shoulder and just snuggle with us right before we put him down. It's such a precious moment and Craig and I love it! Overall, I'm loving this age. Benjamin is such a fun, curious, sweet baby boy.

We love you, baby boy!

9 Months and Swimming

2010-04-06T14:28:00.001-04:00

Hello all! I'm sorry I've turned into a monthly blogger--basically when Benjamin turns a new month. I will try to be better. But I do have an update for you on our little buddy. He is 9 months old! We can't believe he's already 3 months shy of a year! We go to the doctor for his 9 month check up next week, so we'll know his weight and height then. He's acquiring lots of new skills. He is almost crawling--he army crawls across the room pretty quickly. He looks like a little seal. We'll post a video of this soon. He does get up on his knees and rock, rock, rock, so hopefully, he'll be really crawling soon. He still has just two teeth. He's starting to work on some finger foods during meal times. Mostly just puffs or peas. He's getting better at his pincer grasp but can't always get the food in his mouth. I'm not sure he realizes he can eat it! He's learning though and doing great with eating. He's still sleeping 11-12 hours at night and his naps are pretty good. His favorite toys right now are his little zoo, cars, peek-a-boo and basically anything he's not allowed to play with, i.e., the volume knob on the stereo.

A new activity we started just today is swimming! He's in a Star Babies class and it was very fun. He even went underwater! I'm glad they teach underwater at this age. Towards the end of the class, I think he got a little cold and hungry, but overall he did great! Below are some pictures. Craig has the whole week off this week so he went along to take pics and video. However, he thought I'd tell him when I wanted something videoed and I thought he would just video whenever. Thus, we have no video, but we'll get one eventually. We do have a video of Benjamin playing his favorite game--peek-a-boo with his bib. Unfortunately I only got one shot of it because once he saw the camera he was enthralled with it. But it's still cute!

Anyway, here are cute pics, swimming pics, and the video!

8 Months!

2010-03-03T11:35:00.002-05:00

Benjamin is 8 months old today! I can't believe it. Our little boy is getting so big! Just yesterday I noticed a tooth starting to poke through, although he doesn't like my finger in his mouth to feel around! He's doing great with his solid foods and his faves are still sweet potatoes and banana-cado. He doesn't like avocado on its own yet, but loves it with banana. He's not crawling yet, but he is trying hard to get his knees under him when he's on his belly, so hopefully soon he'll be mobile. He's babbling away, his preferred consonant these days is da da, although we've heard ba ba and ga ga. No ma ma yet, but that's usually one of the last to come. He loves chewing on things, toys that make sounds and have lights, playing cars with daddy, dancing and singing with mommy, his jumper, his books, and peek-a-boo. He's sleeping all night now and rarely wakes up (at least in the past few days he hasn't). He goes to bed between 6:30 and 7 and gets up between 6:30 and 7 the next day. Sometimes he likes to wake up around 6, but he just plays in his crib until mommy or daddy can get out of bed to get him! He's a happy, healthy little boy and the light of our lives.

To Benjamin: We love you our sweet boy. You are so sweet and funny. We're so thankful to have you for our son and we can't wait to see the little boy you're growing into. We're excited about life with you and love you so much.

Mimi and Benjamin

2010-02-25T13:11:00.001-05:00

Mimi came for a visit last week and we had a great time! Benjamin loves his Mimi and they had lots of fun together! Here is a little video them playing together!

7 Months!

2010-02-03T15:22:00.002-05:00

I can't believe it's been over half a year since my little boy was born, but it is true. He is seven months old today and is a very happy little boy. A lot has happened since his 6 month birthday. He's eating solids (favorites are sweet potato, carrots, banana-cado, and pears, although he eats the green veggies pretty well!), he's started babbling and using consonants, he's sitting up very sturdily, and he's trying to crawl. By trying I mean laying on his belly and whining when he can't reach a toy and moving his legs a little. But he'll be on the move soon! He definitely knows his name now, and he loves his sippy cup, anything that makes noise and is hard (he's abandoned his soft toys pretty much), and likes anything like his burp cloths he can put over his face. Still no teeth, but he drools and chews a lot. He's still sleeping really well at night, though he still eats once around 4 or 5. I haven't the heart to wean him from it yet, but if he still wants it come 9 months, it's goodbye to night eating! His naps were getting longer...but then they just go back to 40 minuters. I never know when he'll sleep longer, though it happens more often now, so that's a good sign. I'm hoping when he gets mobile he'll reliably sleep longer for naps. Till then, we do our best. All in all we have a very happy little boy! Craig and I love playing with him--he is so amazing just to watch. Thanks for all of you being a part of his life so far!

2 Things

2010-01-31T18:41:00.000-05:00

One: Benjamin is saying some consonants! Finally! Not that he's late, but you know now I can freak. Mostly "ta" and "da" and he loves to do it right after he eats.

Two: I (Ashley) am going to try (again) to do a personal blog. This one is our family one about family stuff. The Ashley one will be...well...an Ashley one. I'll write about random thoughts, literature, faith stuff (if I can wriggle it out of me), and maybe even, if I have the courage, post some poetry or something. Deep stuff, man. Deep stuff. Check it. ashleypope.blogspot.com.

Solids

2010-01-21T16:39:00.004-05:00

Well we've been doing solids for about two weeks now and Benjamin is doing really well with it. We've tried yellow veggies and avocado so far. He loves carrots and hates avocado, which breaks my heart. He'll love it someday, hopefully! Here's a video of a mealtime!

Some Needed Perspective

2010-01-20T19:05:00.003-05:00

This past week has been a little...shall we say...less than ideal regarding Benjamin's napping. His night sleep, which is usually great and a sure thing, has also been slightly disrupted. Anyone who knows me knows I will analyze and stress over the possible causes of this, even though there could be many reasons. I'm not writing a blog entry about my child's sleep habits. That would be boring and certainly no one really cares except me. What I am writing about is how small our field of vision can get sometimes and this morning, thankfully, mine was widened a little. I was sitting in the rocking share feeding Benjamin and turned on NPR on his little clock radio on his night stand. Morning Edition was on and, as expected, there were many stories about Haiti. One in particular focused on the light in the darkness if you will. It talked about how, even in all the turmoil and chaos, there are moments of hope and reprieve. Through the report, I heard various Haitians singing. Singing songs of joy and hope. Singing "hallelujah" and "amen". These people have lost homes, belongings, family and friends, the ability to feed their children, and yet they sing. I was in tears by then end, realizing how much I have and how little I appreciate it. Sure, I can stress about Benjamin's sleep because, after all, I am his mother and I have to take care of him and that means doing all I can to keep him well rested. But at the end of the day--good day or bad day--I have Benjamin. I have Craig and a house and food and family and friends. But most of the time, I'm not singing. Something to think about.

6 Months

2010-01-11T15:50:00.005-05:00

I neglected to write an update for 5 months, so here's a 6 month one for you! Benjamin is doing well and thriving! He's weighs 16.4 pounds and is 26.5 inches long. He's a little guy, but he's very healthy. Remember, he started at a little bitty 6 pounds! We've started solids this past week, although after our Dr. appointment we are sort of starting over. He's only had cereal and bananas (only 3 times), but now we are starting with veggies and will go through all the veggies before giving fruits again. If he's like his mommy, he'll already be battling a sweet tooth! We also started his vaccinations this visit. He cried, but only for a minute and has done well the rest of the day. He has rolled over, although only once or twice since 4 months of age! He likes being on his tummy, just not rolling over! We'll get there though. He's almost sitting up by himself. He will totter for a few seconds and then fall over. He loves his toys--especially stuff he can chew on and anything new or that makes sounds, and loves his mommy and daddy's crazy faces! He's on the verge of putting some consonants to his sounds, so we're working on that too.

Our first Christmas was great and very special. All in all, he's doing great! I'll try to do more updates! Here are some photos of our cute boy, including some Christmas ones.

Benjamin with his Aunt Sara!

Daddy and Me!

Christmas Elf!

My first stocking!

How cute am I?

Cousin Elliott is checking me out.

I'm the best gift!

Christmas Elf!

2009-12-23T10:51:00.004-05:00

Just had to post this photo because it was so cute and festive. We will be celebrating Christmas Eve in our home tonight since we will be on the road for Christmas Eve. I (Craig) am leading the candlelight service at 6pm and then we are heading to Marietta. We are all looking forward to a road trip, family, fun, food, and fellowship (wait, that's youth group). Anyhow, all sorts of alliterative fun is surely in store. I might even construct a puzzle with the help of some ardent spirits. It will also be my first sunday off (12/27) since I began at the church. If I can finish my sermon for the following week today, then I can really have a vacation!

Merry Christmas to all our friends from the Popes - Ashley, Craig, and Benjamin. We don't have any dogs to include in that list since we got married at an older age we skipped the "practice nurturing through dogs" phase and went straight to human beings.

I'll leave you with the closing verse to a hymn - In The Bleak Midwinter - that has alot to do with the sermon I'm working on:

What can I give Him, poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;

If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;

Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

O Christmas Tree!

2009-12-05T22:15:00.009-05:00

We drove a mile down the road to Daffin Park on Friday to pick out the Pope Family Christmas Tree. Two years ago in Princeton it was snowing when I picked out our tree, and last year there were a couple of inches of snow on the ground, this year not so much. But it was at least pretty chilly outside.

We went to a Lion's Club tree lot with all proceeds going to charity, which meant that Craig had to suppress his urge to bargain.

A Giant inflatable Santa was featured:

Benjamin discovered the wonder of shiny ornamentation:

The tree is secure, and it's all smiles:

After a harrowing mile-long return journey home - featuring speeds up to 38 mph - we arrived safely home, stuffed the tree through the side entrance, and stood it upright with literally an inch of vertical space to spare. With the lights in place, Benjamin was ready to stare:

And stare some more...

We watched Home Alone, hung the ornaments, and officially began our first Christmas season as a family. Ashley made a wreath for the front door that looks really great. We've got a chimney sweep coming tomorrow to check out the fire place and get it ready to use, as the previous owner had blocked it off. If we actually get a fire going, I'll post a picture, along with our stockings hung with care (in hopes that St. Nicholas soon will be there).

Remembering...

2009-11-18T20:00:00.015-05:00

With all the changes of the past 6 months, I've often thought about, a.k.a., pined over, my past. Granted not all parts of my past. There are plenty of dark corners on which I'd rather not shed anymore light. Usually, swimming around in yesterday's pools are is not the best way to spend one's time, but in this case, it's led me to a nice discovery. I have loved my life so far. With all the ups and downs and inevitable regrets that come with every human life, I think back on everything I've done since college and I'm thankful for every experience. From teaching and Starbucks, ridiculous mistakes and guitars and songwriting, to Nashville, marriage, and Princeton, I've loved it all. I followed a superbly impractical path after graduation which led me to the dynamic duo Day 39--just me and the brilliant and insanely talented Erin Faith Moniz. Catastrophe in my personal life rocketed me to Nashville and it was the best move I ever made. I loved (and still do) everything about Nashville. Through it all there always remained Rachel the beautiful, my best friend since my senior year at Berry. She was a freshman and it was extremely unlikely that our friendship would continue past college. But here it is almost 8 years later and we still talk at least once a week. Once in Nashville, I met great friends like Emily and Alyssa who stood by me as I married the other great thing Nashville brought me, Craig Andrew Pope. Daily I'm in awe of him and his compassion, love, humor, and passion. We followed the adventurous path to Princeton, New Jersey (which is beautiful by the way), and Craig got another Master's degree while I got the best experience I could ever ask for in teaching kids with Autism. Now here we are in Savannah, with a beautiful little boy and a new adventure. In all the change, I find myself in new territory with new emotions and new fears. In the past few months I have discovered the depths of love I have to give and the terrors I can unleash on the physical world. It's not always been pretty, but it's been new and amazing to realize a love unmatched by anything else on earth--that of a parent to a child--and to discover fresh the love that will help carry me through life--that of two lovers in a new city and a new realm of life. With all of this, the past, remembering it and enjoying what I've experienced, both good and bad, helps me to hope and even to enjoy the life that I have now. Soon--too soon most likely--today will be yesterday and I may find myself wistful over today's hardships and trials. It has been a lesson in learning to live today. It sounds extremely cliche and certainly it is on some level, but living in my present has been an extremely challenging thing lately. Remembering the past--the fun, the pain, the adventure, the music, the coffee, the boy, the move, the kids--just may be the key to enjoying the present.

Here are some fun pics capturing the journey...

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The Day 39 days...

Friends...

Craig and Ashley meet...

...and fall in love...

...get married...

...move to New Jersey...

...and make a baby...(ewww!)

...the most beautiful little boy...

...and become a family...

4 Month Update and Shots

2009-11-06T11:34:00.002-05:00

Today we took Benjamin to our pediatrician for his 4-month check up. We entered the office amidst vomiting and swine flu and roseola. It was lovely. Needless to say we touched nothing and basically took a bath in sanitizer. Anyway, our little boy is doing great. He's 13 pounds and 13 ounces (45%) and 24 and a quarter inch (25%). Healthy and happy!

At 4 months we still had not started his immunization because they did not have the ones we needed at his 2 month check up. Today they only had one he needed. I'm not sure why. However, the important thing is we talked to the doctor about it all. Since Benjamin is not in day care, we've decided to wait until he's 6 months to start any immunizations. While the shots he'll get are mercury free, they still, as all immunizations do, have amounts of preservatives in them like aluminum something or other. Basically, one shot contains a lot more of these fillers than is good for a baby per kilo. Meaning, the heavier they are, the better their body can handle the toxin and get it out of their little bodies. Since B is not at high risk for getting anything right now, our doc felt perfectly fine about waiting. He said he even prefers to wait to start them until 6 months if possible. There are only 2 he would say get now and since B stays at home with me, he's fine to wait 2 more months. So that's it. We are going to get all of his immunizations, so never fear. We're just putting it off for a couple months! Don't worry, I don't think he'll get polio before then.

Happy Four Months, Benjamin!

2009-11-03T15:46:00.007-05:00

We can't believe that our Benjamin is 4 months old today. He has changed so much and it seems like so long ago and yet only yesterday that he would only sleep on our chests! He's becoming more and more interactive every day. He loves his toys (especially a cow named Carlita and another cow named Violet...he has a fondness for cows right now), and it just starting to handle them a little bit with his hands. He loves his hands with or without toys and sucks on them all the time. He has the greatest little laugh and loves smiling. He's officially in all of his 3-6 months clothes now and while we won't get him weighed until Friday, we think he's 13 something pounds. Just today, he rolled over from his tummy to his back. He did roll over about a month ago, but hasn't done it on his own again until today. He still not crazy about tummy time and even though he's shown he can roll over, he hasn't quite figured out that rolling over is the way to end the dreaded tummy time! He's still a short napper, much to Mommy's dislike, but he seems to be happy when he wakes up now, so she really can't complain too much. I hear the naps get longer soon! He is, however, an awesome sleeper at night. He goes to bed around 7 and doesn't wake up to eat again until between 3 and 4, usually. A few times he's gone till nearly 5:30! We're on our way to an uninterrupted night! After eating he goes back to sleep until around 7 or 8. He still loves his bath time and kicks, kicks, kicks!

Four months after having him, I (Ashley), am feeling like I'm finally settling into motherhood. It was a rough go there for a while as various issues kept creeping up. And while issues will always be creeping up with kids, I think I've learned a little better how to roll with it. Or at least, I'm learning it still. It's a lot easier when the hormones settle down!

To Benjamin: you are my sweet boy. I love you more than I ever knew possible. You love smiling at your mommy and daddy and we love smiling at you. We love blowing raspberries on your little tummy and hearing you laugh at our funny faces or your silly toys. Mommy loves to snuggle you close while you eat (if you let her!). We love watching you sleep with your little arms above your head. We love your blue eyes and your little bald head! We love your coos and squawks and wide-eyed wonder. We love how your eyes get really big when a lot of stuff is going on--you're such a little observer! We love you!

Mommy's little cutie!

Notice the cow hanging above him! That's Carlita!

The love affair continues...

Little pumpkin head!

Love those hands!

Play, play, play! (That's Violet)

Four months old today!

3 Months!

2009-10-05T20:50:00.005-04:00

Benjamin turned 3 months old this past Saturday (also my brother's birthday)! We can't believe he's already out of the "fourth trimester". He is growing more everyday. He smiles more and more, coos, and is holding his head up pretty regularly. He has recently discovered that he loves to suck on his hands. I can hear him going at it from a different room sometimes! So far, he loves his baths, his play gym, walks with Mommy and Daddy, and his books (right now he loves Brown Bear, Brown Bear and Sandra Boynton's A to Z). He also likes it when Mommy sings and play the guitar for him...most of the time! He also loves his Bumbo seat! What a great invention! We didn't have a doctor's appointment this month, but we are pretty sure he weighs close to 13 pounds. He's still in all of his 0-3 month clothes, but that's okay since it's still 90 degrees down here (they're mostly all short-sleeved). He is sleeping in his crib really well. Mommy or Daddy rock him to a sleepy state and he goes to sleep pretty quickly on his own after that. He's a no-nonsense eater, which can be nice and poses it's challenges. But all in all, he's a happy, beautiful boy and we love him! Here are some recent pics.

Tummy time!

Is there anyone more handsome than me?

After my walk with Daddy!

Benjamin and his cousin Tyler

Tyler was quite enamored!

Sleeping on Grandpa during church!

Roadtrip!

2009-09-09T19:57:00.006-04:00

Benjamin took his first roadtrip this past weekend. It was just an overnighter, but it was a big step for our small family. All in all, it was refreshing to get out of the house, and into entirely different scenery at my (Craig) parent's house in Brunswick. It was a good visit and Benjamin didn't miss a beat in his sleeping and general happiness. Grandma and Papa were quite happy to see, hold, and make funny noises and faces with Benjamin.

Benjmain and Grandma on the back porch with the new camper in the background.

At the casino on St. Simons. It was good to visit the Island again, and we ate lunch at Barbara Jeans! Benjamin's first time eating out, and one of my favorite places to eat.

Benjamin spent most of the day in his Ergo baby-carrier.

Benjamin's Accomplishments

2009-09-07T21:45:00.002-04:00

I wanted to take a post really quickly and talk about all the great things Benjamin is doing! Of course, you already know that he is smiling. Everyday, he is smiling more and more. We just have to look at him and he starts staring at us, entralled, and smiling! He is also beginning some cooing and some imitating of our sounds. We think he is really strong already, although we have no one to compare him to! Still, he holds his head up pretty well--he looks like a little bobble head, though. He stands up on our legs when we hold him up and can push himself up a little bit during tummy time. All of this is very short in duration, but he's getting stronger everyday! As far as sleeping going, he's doing so awesome. I (Ashley) have him napping every hour and a half to two hours after he woke up from the last nap. During the day, he only sleeps about 40 minutes to an hour, which I've read will lengthen in the next few weeks. At night, he goes to sleep between 7:30 and 8:00 pretty reliably, and wakes up around 2:30-3:00 for a feeding. Then he's back to sleep until 6:30 or 7:30. We are very happy with his nighttime sleeping right now. Of course it all could change! The best part is, we soothe him until he's drowsy and then put him down awake and he gets to sleep on his own. Sometimes it take a while, but he does it eventually and he doesn't cry (with the help of a pacifier!).

Anyway, those are some things he's doing. Sort of a boring post, but I actually really wanted to write it so I remembered when he started doing all these things!

We took our first overnight trip this past weekend to Craig's parents' house and Benjamin did great (so did Mommy, for that matter)! We'll have some pics of that in the next few days.

2 Months!

2009-09-03T21:34:00.010-04:00

Benjamin is 2 months old today! He now weighs 11lbs 1oz and is doing great. He looks much less like a newborn. He can follow us around with his eyes when sitting in his perch (what I - Craig - call his swing), and he looks at our faces and smiles and even sort of repeats sounds. After 6-7 weeks of no interaction, it is so amazing to have these moments.

What a sweetie!

Funtime with Mommy.

Every morning, weather permitting, Benjamin and Daddy go for a walk around the neighborhood. Today was actually a little cool, so Benjamin is snug in his blanket.

He's smiling! Is there anyone cuter?

6-Week Update

2009-08-16T19:22:00.002-04:00

Since our 1-month update failed to include some stats on our little Benjamin, we will include some here. Now, Benjamin was 6 pounds when he was born and 5 pound, 5 ounces when we brought him home. At 2 weeks, he had gained back his birth weight and was 6 pounds, 3 ounces. When we took him in for his 1-month checkup, we were making guesses at what we thought his weight might be. Oh, he's seven pounds easy by now, we said, but not more than say, 7 pounds 5 ounces maybe. Well, the nurse put him on the scale and the little scale measuring thingy (what are those called?) just kept going and going. 8 pounds, you say? Nope. 9 pounds, 3 ounces at 1-month old. He loves his food. Yesterday I went to a lactation appointment and he has since gained another 10 ounces since last week. Granted, it was a different scale, but still! Aside from weight, he's doing great. He's having some more awake time and we are really ready to see that first smile and have him actually look at toys and stuff. Awake time can get a little boring and thus, a little fussy. He's sleeping great and actually started sleeping 5 to 6 hour stretches at night! Mommy and Daddy appreciate that! Anyway, that's our boy for now. We'll keep you all updated as he grows!

Uncle, Aunt, and Cousin!

2009-08-11T16:13:00.005-04:00

This past week, Benjamin's Uncle Brandon, Aunt Sara, and Cousin Elliott came for a visit for the first time! Mimi came too, but she's seen Benjamin before! We had a lot of fun, mostly just hanging around the house since Benjamin doesn't go too many places, though we did manage to go out to eat one night! We haven't seen Elliott since Christmas and he's now 9 and a half months and such a big boy! Here are some of the pics of the visit.

Brandon and Elliott

Aunt Ashley playing with Elliott

Uncle Brandon and Aunt Sara with Benjamin

Aunt Sara with Benjamin

Uncle Brandon with Benjamin

The attempted cousins picture. Elliott wanted Daddy. Benjamin probably just wanted to make sure his cousin didn't grab his nose!

The only way we could do it was to hold our own children. Elliott became very interested in Benjamin by the end of the visit!

One Month

2009-08-03T23:10:00.006-04:00

Today marks Benjamin's completion of one month of life outside the womb. It also marks the completion of one month spent by his parents of recreating the womb for him. He is definately pudgier and, in my entirely objective opinion, cuter.

Here are some of his faces:

Tummy Time!

He did that all by himself.

Bath Time

2009-07-28T21:10:00.007-04:00

Here are some pics of Benjamin's first bath time! Well, it's not really his first, but it's the first where we got some pics. He seems to like the bath--the warm water calms him and he's been a little...shall we say, tense for the past two days. The pics aren't numerous or very good, but it's all we could get while making sure he got clean and didn't go under! But he sure is cute!

Scrub a dub bub!

Don't let me drown, mommy!

Ahhh, warm and cozy

Arctic Cod Liver Oil

2009-07-24T10:50:00.005-04:00

Omega-3 Missiles

I found this in our kitchen this morning, and I remembered that Ashley has been taking these at the direction of our pediatrician, who basically said, "you need to be taking Cod Liver Oil." No explanation, just a matter-of-fact, common sense admonition in the Nike marketing tradition: Cod Liver, Just Do It.

So, as I was in the kitchen, looking down upon this bottle filled with Omega-3 missiles, I had a vision: The year is 2039, and I am being interviewed by Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times - which has now gone entirely digital - and he asks me:

"Before the age of 30, your son Benjamin has managed to push universal health care through congress, win baseball's triple crown, and write the Great American Novel. What was it, more than anything, in his formative years that enabled him to rise to such great heights?"

And I reply, "Four words: Arctic Cod Liver Oil."

by Craig

Some Reflections

2009-07-22T19:27:00.004-04:00

Since our little Benjamin came into our lives, everything has changed. No kidding, you may say. Sure, when I was pregnant, everyone told me to enjoy my sleep now and life will never be the same. But you never really get that until you live it. Everything is different. Everything. Many of those changes are good and some of them will be good soon. This newborn period is tough, though it is already much better than it was even a week ago. Craig and I have worked out a night schedule, more or less. That is, we take shifts with Benjamin calling the shots. Well, in the words of my favorite songwriter Sandra McCracken, "the child takes the throne, displacing us all in good time...just in time". It's good for us--that is, humanity--to live for something other than ourselves. Benjamin has blown in and dethroned us and it is hard and painful and joyful and refreshing and terrifying. Many emotions fly through my heart a thousand times a day, with the help of some crazy hormones. Regardless, there are a million things to feel and I sense at times I cannot contain it all. I would not trade Benjamin for anything in the world. But I might give my right arm for an 8-hour stretch of sleep. I'm left-handed anyway.

Here are some surprising things that I find bring me comfort during times when I feel overwhelmed. Mind you, some of these things are weird:

1-My husband. He is my sanity and my rock. We haven't slept in the our bed at the same time since Benjamin was born and I miss him a lot, but I know it will pass. Regardless, he is a wonderful father and husband still, just as I expected he would be.
2-Other mothers. Just a quick conversation with mothers near my age has been a tremendous help. I've talked with my sister-in-law, Sara, almost every other day and she has been an immeasurable comfort to me, as she has a 9-month old and has been through all of this quite recently.
3-Memories of Princeton. Surprisingly, I miss Princeton a lot. I didn't until now. When we first moved, I was so consumed with setting up the house and then trying to get the baby to turn that I didn't realize it. Now that I have "time" to ponder in the midnight hours, I really miss it. I miss the simple beauty. The farms and orchards. My work and co-workers. I miss walking places. I realize now that being able to walk to pretty much anything is invaluable. While we lived there, I did realize that we were living in a special place for a while, but it's still hard to appreciate it while you live it.
4-Here's a weird one: Harry Potter. Seriously. I reread all the books right before I had Benjamin and I've been going through the movies in the mornings as Benjamin permits. It's just really one of the best stories of our time. The themes and lessons taken from it are timeless and important, not to mention just plain entertaining. I won't lie, the fact that the sixth movie is out and I can't go see it yet contributed to some tears last week when I feel my hormones were going berserk. But thinking through the stories has been an odd comfort.
5-Support from family and friends. This goes without saying, I would hope. Everyone has been wonderful.
6-Last but certainly not least, my beautiful son. Benjamin is a miracle that I marvel in everyday. I can't believe Craig and I made him. Even when I am most tired and impatient, he captures my heart and I'm in awe that I have been privileged to raise him. It's terrifying. But amazing.

In conclusion, here's to my son, a future, and a hope.

2-Week Checkup

2009-07-14T16:22:00.003-04:00

Hello everyone! We took Benjamin for his 2-week checkup today and he's doing awesome! He's gained 11, that's 11 ounces in 6 days! Needless to say, that quelled some of Mommy's fears. He's growing and eating well and we love our pediatrician. Mom (Ashley) is feeling much better physically and emotionally, although ups and downs are part of this time! Thanks for all of your support!

Packing on the pounds (ounces).

One Week

2009-07-10T17:31:00.011-04:00

Benjamin is one week old today. Here is his week in pictures:

Entering the world.

Being held needlessly long in isolation chamber while Mom waits to see him.

Reunited at last!

Dad time in dad's chair/bed.

Headed home, at last. Yipeee!

Napping with Mimi, who was an invaluable helper during Benjamin's first week.

Ashley the Mom - a natural.

Trying out the furniture.

Benjamin's favorite place of all.

It has been quite a week, and we are excited to see what comes next (hopefully more sleep). We love our little guy.

Benjamin Action Video

2009-07-09T18:01:00.006-04:00

Just a quick entry to post a short video of Benjamin....sleeping. I'd like to get one up with his eyes open, but those moments are hard to capture as the open eye wondering quickly moves to frowny gas face.

He is doing well and has finally gotten on the same page with Ashley regarding feeding. That has made baby and mommy much happier. He even made it through the night last night without any screamy crying whatsoever.

People from the church have already begun to bring meals, and we are blessed with a surfeit of Southern casseroleia.

Here, then, is the video:

Benjamin Andrew Pope

2009-07-07T21:17:00.005-04:00

Benjamin is finally here and we are all finally home from the hospital. Ashley is recovering well from her c-section, and Benjamin is healthy and basically happy. Last night we slept very, very little, and managed to get him to sleep for a couple of hours total. Meaning, we got about the same amount of sleep. Luckily Ashley's mom (Mimi to Benjamin) took him in the morning and we got a couple more hours of uniterrupted sleep.

He is so beautiful and we love to just look at him and marvel at his little face, hands, feet, and ears. It is all just so amazing.

More pictures to come of our little guy.

Baby Pope on the Way

2009-07-01T21:14:00.003-04:00

Ashley is going in Friday or Saturday to have a c-section, so they can go in and pull out our son.We are both really ready and excited to finally get to see and hold him. If it turns out to be Saturday, he will be a fourth of July baby. Ashley's mom just got in town today, and my mom is at the ready just an hour down the road. With the grandmas and the church folk, we have plenty of support.

We will post some pictures of our little guy when he arrives. Until then, enjoy this picture of Pastor Craig - eat your heart out:

The next Billy Graham.

Update and Pictures

2009-06-20T14:10:00.012-04:00

Well, everyone, Mr. Baby Pope still has not turned. We are going on Monday to have an external version done, where doctors try to move him with their hands on my belly. We'd appreciate your prayers as there are some risks, though rare. Other than that, the little buddy is having a blast in there, happy as a little bee. We'll keep you updated on what happens Monday.

Below you will find, finally, some pics of the inside of the house. You won't find, however, pics of the kitchen (still a little cluttered), the master bedroom (we're getting the rest of our furniture on Wednsday), or the dining room (furniture also on Wednesday). You will see the spare room, the den/library, the living room, and the baby's room. There are still little decorative touches to be added here and there, especially on walls, and our newer picture frames are still pictureless as we are waiting for news on with/of the baby. Other than that, here's case de Pope!

The spare room

Our tribute to NJ in the spare room

The den/library

...and again

...the fireplace in the den/library

The living room

...and again

All of the following are the baby's room, which still need a few little touches here and there.

Well that's all I got for you for now! Of course, you can always come for a visit if you'd like a closer look.

2009-06-11T21:17:00.004-04:00

Craig here, doing some blogging on the ole internets. I'm a pastor now. That's new. This week I mostly spent all my time composing my sermon, planning the other parts of the worship service, and arranging my office. Here are some pictures I took of the church in a fit of creative energy.

Montgomery Presbyterian Church began as a Sunday School in 1915 in what was once a rural area that attracted people looking for property with access to the marshes and inland waterways. The current sanctuary was built in 1938. The original entrance, seen here, is now the location of a modern stained glass window.

Got some moss draped live oaks on the grounds.

My spot.

The front walkway of the church is framed by two large Southern Magnolias. As you can see, they are blooming.

We'll see if we can get a picture of me wearing my collar up here if Ashley doesn't burn all my clergy shirts first.

Frank Breech

2009-06-11T18:10:00.003-04:00

Unfortunately, that is not the name of a neighbor or church member. It is, however, the name for the position my baby is in right now. Yes, we found out on Tuesday that he is in a frank breech position, which means his head is up, butt is down, but he swings his legs back up toward the top. My midwives have recommended several things to get him to put his head down. For one, I'm going to a chiropractor everyday who has a pretty high success rate (though not 100%) at getting breech babies to turn. I'm also doing this very uncomfortable exercise where I get on my hands and knees and then lower my shoulders to the ground with my butt in the air and hold it for as long as I can possibly stand, and I'm supposed to do that several times a day. I've resorted to some pretty crazy things--I put clothespins on my pinkie toes for 30 minutes day for crying out loud! It's a pressure point that is supposed to stimulate the uterus to move. My midwives say there's a good changes he'll flip because we still have a few weeks and there's still plenty of fluid in there for him to move around in. If he doesn't flip however, it'll be a C-section because my center doesn't deliver breech babies. For anyone who has talked to me even a little throughout my pregnancy, you probably know how heart-breaking the prospect of a C-section is for me. I've been pretty teary the past two days. But, I'm trying to think positively and have faith that my little buddy will move into the right position. After all, that's how he was designed to do it! Let's just hope he doesn't pick this particular issue to be a rebel. I'm all for setting yourself apart, but not in this case! So if you're the praying kind, send one our way. We really, really, really want to be able to have this baby in the center, naturally. If it comes down to it, of course, we will do what is needed and we'll have our beautiful boy either way, but we still hope for one way over the other. Pray for me as well, that I'll relax about the whole thing, thus, I believe, enabling him to have more conducive environment in which to do a little somersault!

Some Observations

2009-06-08T11:26:00.004-04:00

Today officially marks Craig's first day of work as a pastor! All very exciting and we'll update you on that as the week progresses. It also marks my first official day as a stay-at-home...mom to be I guess. This morning I took my first official grocery trip and let me tell you, getting the bags in the house with my huge belly was no small feat. Now I am beginning to wash the baby's clothing and linens, as we got most of his furniture last night. So that's me.

I've noticed some interesting things since being back in the good ole south. I hate to admit it to my northern buddies, but people are generally a little friendlier down here; smiles, nods, waves, good mornings, etc., flow in abundant supply from stranger to stranger around here which is something I have missed. That's not to say it never happened in New Jersey. However, when it did, it was usually a surprise. Another thing I've noticed that is not a nice change is this areas array of natural and organic foods. Now I haven't been on an in depth search yet. I do know that Savannah has a few natural food stores, locally owned, which I fully plan to check out and frequent often. With all the craziness though, we've settled for the old reliables in the south: Publix, Kroger, Piggly Wiggly (aka, The Pig). All of these fine establishments, I regret to say, have pretty abysmal selections of natural goodies. Publix is definitely the best and even have their own line of organic stuff called Greenwise, which makes it even more disappointing that their natural food aisle is literally half an aisle, when I'm used to Whole Foods or a good four or five half aisles at Wegmans. Another weird thing along similar lines is the use, or lack thereof, of reusable shopping bags. In New Jersey, it was unusual to see people using the plastic or paper bags the store supplied. Here, at least so far, the only person NOT using them is myself. On the brighter side for our planet's fate, recycling here seems to be pretty common.

Well, that's my spillage for now. I'm sure I'll have more nearly useless observations as I learn to be a southerner once again.

Update

2009-06-01T15:16:00.003-04:00

Greetings! Well, we still don't' have air conditioning but the good news is that we are getting a brand new system and most of it is covered under our home warranty. It's inconvenient now, but it will end up saving us a ton o'money in the future! It should go in tomorrow. I have my first pre-natal appointment here tomorrow and we should get cable and internet tomorrow. Tomorrow is a busy day. The house is getting set up. We're unpacked as much as we can be right now--waiting on our bedroom furniture and baby furniture! I'll have pics as soon as it is to my liking. Craig has been hard at work constructing inside and working on the backyard.

On a deeper note, I always forget how hard it is to move! I tend to be pretty eager to make the new start and then spend a few weeks in misty reminiscence over my last dwelling, a.k.a., Princeton. Don't get me wrong, I'm still thrilled to be in Savannah, but I miss my work and kids and co-worker and the overall familiarity that was my life for the past two years. On the other hand, the closet space is a bonus.

Baby Boy seems to be adjusting well to his new environment. I took out all of his clothes, bedding, and blankets yesterday to get them ready to wash...I love everything people have given us! Thanks all!

More updates to follow...

Home

2009-05-26T23:10:00.002-04:00

Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures yet. Even if I did, it would be a bunch of cardboard boxes! However, we did arrive safely, but hit a snafu once we arrived. Our air conditioning had broken! It was working at the inspection and when the previous owner moved out, but no more, my friends. It's hot. It's muggy. Luckily, we have a home warranty and the AC people are coming out tomorrow morning. But, needless to say, we have not yet slept in our new house!

We are going through the house, one room at a time and setting things up. Craig is busy constructing our IKEA furniture while I arrange and move and sort in between my breaks on the couch. Despite the unfamiliarity of things, I really like the house. The colors we picked are perfect and once it's all together, I know I'll love it. I did find myself having a few moments of nostalgia for our little apartment in Princeton. I follow a pattern every time I move: readiness and impatience to move and once I'm in the new place, I want the old place for a little while. Still, I'm excited. I can't wait until it's all settled and then we can focus on baby stuff!

Well that's all I have right now. I'll have some pics soon, although I'm such a mess, I may or may not make an appearance in said pics. But when I'm sufficiently clean again in a cooled house, I'll post a belly pic. 34 weeks on Thursday!

On the Road

2009-05-24T23:10:00.005-04:00

Hello friends! As I write this, I am sitting on the luxuriously scratchy bed linens of the Sleep Inn in dazzling Fayetteville, NC. That's right folks, we have left Princeton for the foreseeable future and are well on our way to Savannah. We traveled all day with our faithful moms and had excellent driving conditions despite a few isolated downpours. That's the south for you in the summer. We should only have a four-hour trip tomorrow and will arrive at our HOME around noon. It's very weird for Craig and I to think that we won't be making a return trip to the north and that this road trip is leading us to our home for the next several years. We are experiencing a mix of excitement, disbelief that this time is finally here, and nostalgia over the past two years in New Jersey. Little Baby Pope is doing well and seems to respond favorably to road trips so far! This has been the most comfortable trip I've taken, physically, since being pregnant and for that I am extremely thankful! Once we arrive tomorrow, some folks from our new church family are coming over to help us unload (okay, let's be honest, to help Craig unload). We are very excited to meet more of the Montgomery community and are thankful they are so willing to help us already!

We'll keep you updated as the relentless unpacking begins! Hopefully, if I can remember to find my camera and then use it, we'll have some pics of the new digs up soon!

28 Weeks

2009-04-20T21:02:00.004-04:00

Well, with the turn into the 3rd trimester, I feel huge, although I know I'll get much larger! Other than getting bigger, not a lot is going on other than the day to day--Craig's done with classes and is finishing up final projects. I'm at work. We're dreaming of our new digs. We're wondering why today was 48 degrees and it's April 20th. Anyway, here's a new picture!

East 39th Street

2009-04-13T20:42:00.007-04:00

After much research (on Craig's part) and wondering and dreaming and hunting, the Popes of Pope Land have found it! We have found our home in Savannah! It is a quaint little bungalow, built in the 1940's, in excellent condition, and I (Ashley) panted like a dog who had been starved for days the moment I walked in. Barring a disaster at the inspection on Tuesday, which Craig will attend, you will soon find the Pope's on East 39th Street in Savannah, GA. Below you will find some pics, obviously furnished with the current owner's effects, but you'll get the general idea. The house has 3 bedrooms and two full baths. I only have good pics of the two spare rooms (aka, the baby's room and spare room). But the master bedroom is really cool too.

Expectation

2009-04-04T13:10:00.003-04:00

Well this is it. The last of my (Ashley) twenties. It actually feels little different from when I was 25 other than the fact that I'm a little wiser (I would hope) and now have a human growing in my abdomen. That's pretty different, actually. Speaking of said human, it's amazing to me how quickly you love and, consequently, start worrying about your children. I already feel quite smitten with my little boy, thanks to some miraculous hormones and some daydreaming. At the same time, I already worry. Is he moving enough? Is he moving too much? Will he be a nice person? Will he like his name? And so on and so on. I realize this is nothing new for expectant mothers, but it's new to me. It's a different kind of love/concern that I feel for family and friends and Craig. It goes deeper, or so I perceive. Still, with the added concerns that inevitably and naturally come with parenthood, I wouldn't be without them for anything. Daily I'm reminded of the privilege of being an expectant mother and I'm thankful.

The Marshes of Glynn

2009-03-30T13:35:00.005-04:00

One of my favorite geographical features of coastal Georgia are the Live Oaks (Quercus virginiana), which are also known as the Southern Live Oak. They branch out in unpredictable gnarls and expand in all directions. Sidney Lanier meditated on the oaks in his poem "The Marshes of Glynn," composed while visiting the Glynn County area (i.e. The Golden Isles) in the 19th century.

A little about Lanier: "Lanier found his purest voice in the religious vision of "The Marshes of Glynn," which was inspired by the poet's visit to Brunswick. Set in southeastern Glynn County, the poem begins with a rhythmic description of the thick marsh as the narrator feels himself growing and connecting with the sinews of the marsh itself. Then as his vision expands seaward, he recognizes in an epiphanal moment that the marshes and sea, in their vastness, are the expression of "the greatness of God" and are filled with power and mystery."

He found, as I do, spiritual significance and in the beauty, simplicity, and rhythm of the marshes of Glynn - the marsh, yes, and the trees, the rivers, inlets, and ocean, the beach, the palms, the sandpipers, and the salt in the air.

Here is an excerpt focusing on the live oaks:

With intricate shades of the vines that myriad-cloven

Clamber the forks of the multiform boughs,--

Emerald twilights,--

Virginal shy lights,

Wrought of the leaves to allure to the whisper of vows,

When lovers pace timidly down through the green colonnades

Of the dim sweet woods, of the dear dark woods,

Of the heavenly woods and glades,

That run to the radiant marginal sand-beach within

The wide sea-marshes of Glynn;--

Beautiful glooms, soft dusks in the noon-day fire,--

Wildwood privacies, closets of lone desire,

Chamber from chamber parted with wavering arras of leaves,--

Cells for the passionate pleasure of prayer to the soul that grieves,

Pure with a sense of the passing of saints through the wood,

Cool for the dutiful weighing of ill with good

This is a grove of live oak on the north end of St. Simons Island, near Fort Frederica, visited by Ashley and me.

This live oak, the Angel Tree, is estimated to be 1400 years old. It is located in coastal South Carolina. Although, the live oak is the state tree of Georgia.

Clearly, I am happy to be moving back to Georgia's coast. It has always been 'home' to me - the place where I belong, the place I always look to return to, and the place where I feel I am most myself. To leave home and return imparts the benefit of making novel the familiar and allowing one to see the riches that were always there, yet so much a part of life, that they could not be seen as they are. It's like the main road in my parents neighborhood. It is incredibly windy, and indirect, increasing a relatively short drive (as the crow flies) to a rather long one. One time, after college, when visiting my parents, it struck me why the road was so long and windy - it took its peculiar and inefficient form to preserve the trees. Our neighborhood is adorned with several very old live oaks. This neighborhood was built when what was oldest and most precious was given deference over alternative designs that were surely more profitable and effecient. I am thankful for that decision and hope for more like it.

As we look for homes in Savannah, next to all the desired features - 3 bed, 2 bath, fireplace, laundry room, patio - I have placed: live oak.

by Craig

Introduction

2009-03-16T20:28:00.012-04:00

Greetings friends and family! Welcome to our new blog (I think this is the third one we've had, but hey, we keep trying). We have plenty of motivation to keep you updated on our everyday goings on, our amazing adventures of life. I would imagine anyone reading this will already know that we are expecting our first child--a boy--in July. To add more excitement to that huge life change, we are also moving to Savannah, GA at the end of May! Back to the south! Craig will be pastoring a small church there and we are both very excited about the coming changes. While a little impatient for them, we try to enjoy our remaining time in Princeton, NJ, a.k.a, the Land of Perpetual Winter. We will keep you updated via this blog on our progress of buying our first home and the growth of my belly as well as the non-growth of Craig's (see below). For now, here are some pics.

Little Baby Boy Pope at 22 weeks:

Big Mama Pope at 23 weeks:

And Daddy Pope at 23 weeks: