How the time flies!!!

Wow...it's been almost 4 months since we wrote on this blog. Now Lukah is 7 months old, eating yummy mushy foods, getting close to crawling and sprouting little new teeth. She's been to the California Redwoods, camping and swimming near Crater Lake, hiking to Hobbit Beach and up Spencer's Butte. She has fuzzy peachy hair and expressive deep brown eyes. It seems like she grows bigger and taller after every nap!
In two weeks we move to Minnesota and start a whole new life with our family and the Big Lake. What a journey that will be! What a journey it has already been. Let's let the pictures do the talking for now! Will try to update this more often!

Lukah 3 1/2 months

Weighing in on Tuesday at Baby Clinic, she surprised everyone with gaining ten ounces in the last seven days. The meter read 12lbs. 12ounces.
Wow, BIg Girl! She gained nine ounces the week before, growing and chewing/licking anything she can reach and grab.

We all went to the coast last week. Luminessah taught a workshop in the morning, and performed in the evening. During the afternoon, we had a picnic on the beach in Florence.
Windy but sunny, temp. in the mid fifties. We had a great time. Lukah slept later before the evening show, and then woke up right before her Mama and Luminessah appeared on stage. She even gave a shout during the second quieter song, watching them dance with a smile on her face.
She is stronger and bigger every time she wakes up from a nap, and in the mornings she smiles, laughs, farts, and flails her arms and kicks her feet, happy and ready for another day...

Lukah's baby buddies

Lukah has been a social butterfly lately, hanging out with all kinds of baby buddies!
It's so much fun to watch them stare at one another, smiling and cooing and even holding hands. Babies are so amazing!!

Here are a few new friends she has:

This is her friend Ian, born only a few hours after Lukah in the same birthing center!
She's got some catching up to do on those cheeks!



Here is her good friend Hannah Marie, born exactly one month before Lukah, also on the full moon! She looks like Snow White!



This is baby Griffin...he's almost 6 months old here (weighing in at 24lbs!!!) Mama worked with Griffin's papa Dave in the Sundance produce department.

The Story of Lukah

I've created several versions of Lukah's birth story, but this one is a special poetic ballad I created for KC on Valentine's Day. I was so impressed with my rhyming ability, I wanted to share the poem with you all. So here we go...



The Story of Lukah...the Story of Us

It started with an owl, a rabbit and a tree
and two young lovers, walking gleefully.

The night was quiet as the owl came down,
and the rabbit took a bow, forfeiting the crown.

The two young lovers, they quietly observed,
and knew that something cosmic had just occurred.

From that point on, they walked hand-in-hand,
dancing and swaying and sailing across the land.

One special night as they dreamt happily in bed,
the little Light of Lukah entered gracefully into their heads.

They knew is wasn't yet time to bring her to Earth,
but rested well knowing she would be ready for her Birth.

They were engaged amongst the Rainbows,
and married upon the Big Lake,
and after a blissful year in Spooner
headed west to see what they could make.

They crossed mountains and plains, forests and rivers.
Oh! the sights they took in gave them quivers and shivers.

Little Lukah stayed so close, often visiting in dreams
and shining her Light through their art in multi-colored themes.

After several years of growing
and through waves of ups and downs
the two young lovers felt ready
to give Lukah her golden crown.

There was a very special morning
the young man heard angels singing
and out of Light walked in his Grandpa
Oh! what sacred words he was bringing.

"Six day time" is what he said,
six days time and they would know
that inside mama's belly
their little Lukah had started to grow!

And from that point their world took on
a whole new meaning and a whole new song.

They had nine short months
to prepare heart and home
for the upcoming arrival
of this gift from the gnomes.

And quickly those days did fly
but were filled to the brim
with all the love, joy and celebration
that one could possibly fit in.

For this little one was surrounded by Light
that drew family and friends
to witness the sight
that just happened to occur on a Full Blue Moon night!

Her arrival long awaited, as she was ten days past due,
with mama and papa working so hard
all twenty-six hours through and through.

And finally she entered into the world
with Grammy Linda there to greet her
and gently detach her from her cord.

And just ahead of a fierce winter storm
inside they snuggled
all safe and warm.

Star Baby, Star Baby
we welcome your soul
Little Lukah Gracy
you've made our hearts whole.

The Birthing Center needs your help!

Birth Center in 1923!

The Nurse Midwifery Birth Center where we had our Lukah is in danger of not recieving funds to relocate. The hospital in Eugene has relocated, and the birth center needs to be near it, so they too need to relocate. But now the hospital is threatening to cut out the funds that were reserved for that move. We need to let them know how essential it is to keep the birth center going!

Please check out the birth center blog to sign their petition, contribute money, or to simply educate yourself on the situation so you too can spread the word!

www.lanecofbc.blogspot.com

We also have a link on our blog site to them.

Check out the video they posted as a way to get support. There are a few pictures of Lukah in it! It's a beautiful video with one of my favorite songs!

I know that being able to have Lukah at the birth center made all the difference in the world to us. We felt so welcome and supported the whole time, and still do, attending the weekly well-baby clinic and visiting with other mamas.

If we had Lukah at the hospital, I would have had to have a C-Section since I labored for over 24 hours past my water breaking. I would have had to stay there for 3-4 days as well. How different the birth would have been for me...instead of empowered, perhaps I would have felt defeated. Not that having a C-Section means defeat at all, but I knew I could do it on my own, and because of the support of papa, my labor team and midwife, I did have her naturally, on our own time, and in the comfortable homey atmosphere of the birth center.

Please check out the blog and offer as much support as you can. The time is dire for them!

Blessings

Lukah is 2 Months Old!!

...and what an adventure it has been! She is sizing up to be a lovely lady indeed. At just over 10 pounds, she seems ready to take on the world.

Her grip is becoming stronger as her hands and fingers fill out. She's gotten a few good grabs at mama's hair, and occasionally holds onto one of her toys.


Speaking of hair...hers is getting much thicker! My color too. ;-)


When she's not quietly observing the world with her keen awareness, she is becoming quite the blabber mouth! She spends 20 minutes at a time staring up at papa and me talking talking talking that precious baby language. I think sooner than later words will form. It's already sounded like she's said 'hello' and 'I love you'.


She melts my heart every time I peak into her crib for nursing time, and am greeted with a great big Lukah smile, that special one reserved for mama only.

Bathtime Baby

I had to post these pics of Lulu in the tub with her bath boat....too cute! She's giving her papa the lovey-dovey eyes.





Here's one of her wearing her baby leg warmers...way too big but I had to try!



Here is most of our baby group that we went through prenatal stuff with. We all had our babies back-to-back starting with Lukah on the 12th, then baby Ian (far left) eight hours later on the 13th, then Emerson on the 14th and Victor (check out that hair!!) on the 15th!




Midwife Emily who was there for Lukah's birth...