Remembering Our Hero.

Today marks six months since I lost my brother, Derek. To say that I "lost" him is an interesting statement, since he's not "lost"...I know right where he is. So I'll say instead that six months ago, Derek made his appearance in Heaven. In another sense of the word, I (we) lost his keen wit, courageous smile, and warm concern for others. With Easter right around the corner, I'm so thankful for the reminder that new life awaits those who believe. Thank you, Jesus, for Your resurrection that makes it all possible.

On our trip to California, we had the opportunity to visit Derek's memorial in Turlock. It was Kendall's first visit with Uncle Dizzle since he tenderly felt her kicking in my belly. We adorned his marker with a few flowers, reminded him of how much he is missed, and snapped a few pictures.

March Madness!

Last year, a friend of ours from Vineyard invited us to play in his basketball bracket. It was a generous, yet stupid, move on his part since I've lorded my victory over him for the last year. It's my turn to defend my title- and I'm hoping my completely random picks pan out like they did last time.

I chose Kansas to win the whole thing...I'm not partial because of this, I just thought they looked good this season- along with everyone else. Fortunately, because I wasn't the only one banking on KU,, it didn't hurt my bracket much when they bit it in the second round.

This may come as no surprise to you, but I'm in FIRST PLACE.

And I hope that by posting this, it doesn't jinx me, because my Fantasy Football team sure took a turn south after this post!

Moments So Dear.

Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes,
How do you measure, measure a year...

...so the song goes.

I've been thinking a lot about time this week.

Chris will officially start a new year on Friday, Kendall will grow a week bigger, I'll pull out yet another gray hair (yes, they are there, though in much smaller supply since I stopped teaching!).

Last week, my Stockton church family lost another young person tragically. Unlike losing Derek, this came unexpectedly and there is still a lot of confusion. For some reason, Amy was called back to heaven. And for some reason, I am still here.

While I'm horribly embarrassed to share this, it was a wake-up call for me: After playing a game of Boggle on my iPhone today, I glanced at the accumulated time of play (yes, it records this so you can see how pathetic you are...). It currently reads "2 DAYS, 20 HOURS, 10 MINUTES." 2 DAYS! (Anyone dare challenge me to a game of Boggle?)

Now, in my defense, that has almost exclusively been time I've spent nursing in the middle of the night. But it's time I could definitely be reading...or praying...or gazing at my baby who is growing right before my eyes.

There are no time-outs from life. Every moment counts- and I'll be the first to say I need to be a better steward of my time.

West Coast Meet-and-Greet

Yeah, it was back in February.
Yeah, that was over a month ago.
So sue me. I've been slightly busy changing my clothes every ten minutes due to projectile spit-up.

Miss Kendall made her first cross-country trek to meet, oh, all kinds of fun family and friends. Our concerns about her airplane etiquette were quickly put to ease as she slept- literally- through both flights.

We were greeted in Portland by Chris' Aunt Bev and Cousin Sarah, who transported us to their home in Vancouver, Washington. We enjoyed a nice weekend and visit with Kendall's Great-Grandparents, a special time.


An unexpected treat was an impromptu coffee date with my former roomie, Juliann! Now that we are both mommies of little girls, it gave us good fodder for conversation- not that we would ever be at a loss for words!

A quick flight to Sacramento and we were soon home in Stockton, CA with the Petersen grandparents. Hugs from Grandpa Keith were reserved, however, due to a cold he was trying to contain. His sacrifice was worth it, as none of us ended up sick. Grandma Donna, on the other hand, had LOTS of time to snuggle and smile with baby K.


There are many special people to see when we visit Stockton, most of whom we see on our visits to First Baptist. We did have a special night out at BJ's with some of our must-see friends!

Unfortunately, my Grandma lost her husband the week prior to our visit. It was a blessing in timing to be able to attend his memorial service while we were in town. This Great-Grandma enjoyed loving on the baby...and it allowed us to get some four-generation pictures, too.



Thanks, all, for making our west coast tour so exciting! Have baby, will travel...

Things That Never Annoyed Me...Until Now.

Shirts that don't button up. Doing the whole lifting-up-three-layers business to allow Kendall to "get her milk on" is getting really old. If I could, I'd live in the easy-access nursing jammies that I'm quickly wearing out.

Lack of drive-thru coffee shops. Starbucks, Caribou...I'll pass if it means I have to unload the baby and reload her- with coffee in hand. I can just see the scalding hot coffee burns across her face.

Venues with no place to nurse. Ugggggghhhhh! Xcel Energy Center, I'm talking to YOU!

Diapers with brightly colored waistbands. Purely for vanity's sake, I'm sure that seeing your diaper through your clothing is the baby equivalent of panty lines. I'm not down with that. Must they all have big bird, Winnie the Pooh (although this one is slightly appropriate), or Muppet Babies strewn across them? Whatever happened to white diapers?

High heels. I've thrown fashion to the wind in lieu of practicality. I tried getting back into the heel this weekend for church, but my feet do NOT thank me for the 20 extra pounds of baby stuff I'm carrying while walking on a Bic pen...and they made me pay for it all night long.

The garage door. Baby's nursery is right above the garage. Baby is usually sleeping when daddy leaves for work...need I say more?

Snaps. I do realize they make the diaper-changing process much more convenient, but I feel like I spend hours of my life just snapping things up! Snapping up her clothes after changing, snapping up after laundry...I'm all snapped out. Bring on the zippers!

Teenagers. Okay, they annoyed me a little. But my annoyance has been amplified by the thought of my daughter becoming one of these self-absorbed, socially retarded creatures. An excursion to the mall the other day had me asking twice for teens to move out of the way since they were blocking the path for the stroller (to which they were totally oblivious). I was greeted with the famous look of disgust, as if I just told them that Zac Efron is NOT the "most gorgeous boy on the planet". Yes, I'm a grown-up now. Those darned kids!!


Here's your chance to add to my list, you cranky old scrooges!

She Keeps No Record of Wrong.

Let's review shall we?

I clipped Kendall's finger with the clippers. Not her nail, her FINGER.
I locked my baby in the car.
I've bumped her head on the handle of the infant seat multiple times.
I held her down while the doctor pierced her skin with a sharp metal needle three times.
Last night I scratched her chin with my wedding ring (I'll blame this on Chris for giving me such a big, fat diamond ;)

Before you call CPS, let me say that each of these instances absolutely broke my heart. And, obviously, continuing to keep a tally on every mistake I make as a mother will keep me discouraged.

When she looked up at me this morning with big blue eyes and scratched chin, I knew she had forgotten about it. And if I'm going to count anything, it should be all the smiles I get that assure me that she loves her mommy.

The spiritual parallel to this illustration may be obvious. As we enter this Easter season, I remember the wounds that Jesus bore on my behalf. And while I didn't deserve it, he forgave me and has kept no record of my wrong-doing.

Kendall will not always be so forgiving (the teenage years, after all, are only 13 years away...). But I'll always be her mommy, love her unconditionally and never hurt her intentionally.

Meet The Cousins

Technical difficulties delayed this post, but we thought Marcus and Mallory's first meet-and-greet with the baby in February was pretty funny. Mallory has a new favorite playtoy, and Marcus took great pride in his self-proclaimed soothing skills. Maybe a little overwhelming at times for Kendall, but we can tell these three are going to be the best of buddies as the years go by.

They Start 'em Young

This weekend we trekked to St. Paul, Minnesota for the annual High School Boys State Hockey Tournament and let me tell you...it's a BIG deal. The Excel Center was packed with 17,000 crazy hockey fans awaiting some exciting championship games, and they did not leave disappointed. One semi-final game was approaching the longest game in tourney history, seeping into 4 overtimes and well after midnight (Kendall and I enjoyed the end of that one in our jammies back at the hotel). Chris enjoyed sporting the Baby Bjorn, to which Kendall has taken a liking, even using it to nap from time to time!

Of course, the highlight of our trip every year is hanging out with that crazy Stavenger family. Cousins, Aunts, Uncles and Grandparents made Kendall's first hockey experience extra special! Now, if we could just avoid massive baby poop explosions during the game, Mommy's experience would be much more enjoyable!

The cousins are totally into it...the band, at least.

Kendall had a good pre-game thumb-sucking session before...

...she went to sleep. Unbelievable what babies can nap through!

Her first hotel room, and she found the mirror quickly! A little obsessed with it, actually...I hope that's not a sign of things to come. :)

For The Ladies...

Jimmy Kimmel put together a fine-looking cast of gentlemen for this hilarious sketch. It's like he jumped inside my brain and assembled all the good looking men in there...minus Chris Stavenger (who really should appear in this skit). Enjoy the eye candy, and a good laugh!

Yummy.

That's Right...I'm Calling You Out!

Blogging...it's become much more difficult finding time to write with the little munchkin around, but I still read quite a few on a daily basis. With that in mind, there are a few friends who I think would make GREAT bloggers- so I'm officially throwing out the invitation to a few people I find intriguing. Or, at the very least, acknowledging their extreme coolness.

Michelle Watkins- We had a divinely-appointed (coincidental) meeting on our flight back to Minneapolis, on which she and her hubby were in transit back to their current home in New Orleans. Michelle is both charming and witty, two qualities that would make for excellent blogging. Plus, she's a Navy wife and probably has some killer stories to share. Get on it, Michelle!

Keith Dickson- Keith is one of the most amusing human beings I've ever met. He's got the sarcastic edge and keen observation skills that could make his blog one of the most fantastical works of comedic genius in history. The day his equally-entertaining wife started blogging was one of the greatest days ever. Speaking of...

Liana Dickson- Liana already HAS a blog. However, she abandoned it a while back and ever since, there has been an empty hole in my blog-reading heart. Being a mom now, I'm calling on you, Liana, to bring back your hysterical mom experiences for our reading pleasure. SURELY you have time!?!

Heidi Snavely- Oh, Heidi. You may think your life isn't interesting. But you live in Southern California! And you have a great eye for finding weird situations (especially in the company of Karen). Why not pen them for the world?

Mikey and Christa- On a serious note, these two also already have a blog, but have not updated it since returning from Haiti recently. Their ministry with Haitian orphans has surely been amplified in the wake of the recent earthquake. Pictures, stories and testimony are due!

There you go, friends. Get on it! And, since spring cleaning is upon us, I'm going to be fixing up the ol' blogroll. If you have a new blog you'd like me to include, or want me to remove yours because you are utterly embarrassed by your lack of activity, let me know.

This post has been brought to you by the Baby Bjorn.

Everyone's A Show-Off!

Kendall wanted to share with all of you the new skill she's working on- standing up with her strong legs! However, she's not the only one who wanted to get on camera...

So, we tried it again. This time, uninterrupted. :)

The Mom Diaries

Kendall is now two months old. It has been the most exhilarating and challenging two months of my life. Admittedly, for the last few weeks I've felt like my entire body is a clenched fist. To an extent, I've felt imprisoned in my home or under a sleeping baby. I've had no motivation to venture out into the world- it's just too much work. This feeling, I know, is nothing short of normal for new mommies.

Sunday night, I decided to intentionally regain some of my freedom. Yesterday, the sun was shining and enough incentive for me to get out of the house. So I packed up Kendall and ventured to the mall with stroller in tow. I spent about an hour just walking around- grabbed a coffee along the way and enjoyed my stroll. Kendall is a great traveler...the lull of the stroller quickly put her to sleep. I loved it so much that I decided to do it again today! With the weather warm-ish (high thirties...I can't believe this is my new warm....) but not yet warm enough to walk outside, the mall is a great option for me. I could spend hours at Barnes and Noble alone- that store is a drug!

I've also been putting Kendall "down" more often, letting her learn some self-soothing methods on her own. This is mutually beneficial, as I can then complete much more work at home. The Baby Bjorn has also gotten some use, although Kendall hasn't decided that she loves this apparatus yet, and never fails to let me know...very loudly.

Yes, I'm slowly getting the hang of this mom thing. And accolades are due for typing this whole thing with one hand. :)

Meet the Cousins!

Kendall endured her first 5-hour road trip to Moorhead like a champion (and by champion, I mean she slept like a rock). Unfortunately, she had to endure the unruly dog in the back of the car. Maybe Luna will be staying at home next time...

Anyway, the Stavengers were all awake and excited to see Kendall Rae, some for the first time! The cousins, Marcus and Mallory, only know the baby by Skype, and the anticipation of meeting her in person was almost too much to handle. Both have developed a small obsession with the little munchkin, which made it extra fun to watch as they interacted with the newest Stavenger!

Smiles and kisses were distributed upon arrival!

We think she likes this place!

Mallory was quite a nurturer...

...and definitely wanted her "turn" to hold the baby!

Marcus' magic touch kept the fussies away (or so he thought).

Kendall had a little "gift" for Uncle Brian!

First Sunday at church in Moorhead!

BEWARE: This is the first of an onslaught of photo posts!

Let's Hear It For The Girls!

Definition of a good friend: one who will visit Duluth in the middle of the freaking winter just because she loves you and your new baby. I have at least two such friends: Stephanie and Beth, who left the warmth of Long Beach to kick it arctic-style with Kendall and me for a few days. I'm pleased to report that they both survived (granted we only left the house once) their first sub-zero experience. I thought the fact that they were taking pictures of our car's external thermometer the whole way to Duluth was amusing (Look! Now it's 8 degrees! Now it's 0 degrees! Now it's negative 2! I need a picture...). We loved, loved, LOVED our girl time- and were so thankful they were there to help with the baby as I endured another relapse of Mastitis. Needless to say, I know I have the best friends in the whole world. Come back any time, y'all!

Kendall laughs with Auntie Stephanie...

And is comforted by Auntie Beth.

First trip to the Mall of America!

This may be the last time she sleeps through a trip to the toy store.

Beware: Ranting Wife.

Ok- a little break from the baby-ness to write a diatribe about one of my least favorite days of the year...Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition Day. At the risk of sounding like a prude, I can't believe I haven't heard more women complain about this little "gift" our men receive in the mail once a year. Am I the only one that hates it!? Chris has had a subscription to SI for years, and gets 52 appropriate magazines a year with it. Why they have to throw in this ridiculousness is mind boggling for a couple reasons:

1) What do scantily-clad women have to do with sports?! (Other than the fact that men who love sports also love scantily-clad women...)

2) For a swimsuit edition, there are an awful lot of women NOT wearing swimsuits...

When this magazine showed up at our house last year, I had a lot to say about it. Chris hadn't really thought about how upsetting it would be, and compliantly discarded it. This year I averted the discussion all together and just tossed it- which Chris didn't care about at all. He's lucky I'm not still pregnant- things would have gotten ugly.

I won't go off about the female image in today's media- but I will say that I lump SI Swimsuit together with Playboy and Victoria's Secret catalogs. It's disheartening- especially for new mothers- who sacrifice our bodies to bring babies into the world. I don't need half-naked women showing up on my doorstep to rub it in my face.

Men...if you "love swimsuits" so much, I'm sure your wives would take you along to shop for a new one! Summer is coming, after all...

P.S. Couldn't find a tasteful swimsuit edition pic for the blog, so I threw in some Brett Favre love for all you Minnesotans :)

Saddest Face Ever.

Doesn't that just break your heart!?

It's Official. I'm a Maternal Basketcase.

What happened to me? I used to have a good head on my shoulders and emotions that were, for the most part, controllable. Now I'm flighty and mildly paranoid, interspersed with random weeping and clumsiness. Such is motherhood.

I locked my darling baby in the car. I had my hands full, and prior to loading her infant seat in the car, I placed all other belonging- including keys- on the front seat. Somewhere between closing the back door and proceeding to the driver's side, the auto locks kicked in. I don't think I've ever felt my heart race so fast. It didn't help that Kendall was ready for lunch and was screaming in the car. Before heading to a neighbor's house to frantically call for help, I recalled Chris saying something about changing the code on the driver-door keypad...and, fortunately, I'm a good listener. It opened on the first try and I slowly regained sanity.

Later, I intended to feed the baby while at my church meeting since I'm not a huge fan of breast-feeding in public. With Kendall still fussy, I put together a bottle of formula. However, I neglected to include the oh-so-necessary nipple for said bottle. Plan B- whip out the boob. Awkward, but it worked. Too bad I also forgot the burp-rag.

It's unbelievable how much this little baby has rocked my world; namely, my sanity. I know I'm not the only one- many friends have retorted that they, too, have had the same experiences. They say that brain cells die during pregnancy and you never really get them back...I, apparently, won't be disproving this theory.

Basketcase or not, I'm loving every minute of it.

Winter Thanks

It's wintertime. Literally and figuratively. Literally, as subzero temperatures lurk just outside this warm house. Figuratively in the midst of sadness in our family. Both give good reason to stop and reflect on life's blessings, large and small. Here's my list:

*For Kendall, who has filled up my long, boring days with new challenges and new joys.
*For my husband, who keeps me sane.
*For telephones and Skype.
*For grocery shopping. Used to hate it. Now, it's a welcomed retreat from the routine, and time to myself.
*For drive-up grocery loading at aforementioned grocery store.
*For a great church with a great coffee bar.
*For friends who care enough about me that they would visit Duluth in the heart of winter. (Thanks, Steph and Beth!!!)
*For hot chocolate (which I forgot I made half an hour ago. Oops!)
*For some great new pictures of our family.
*For warm slippers (thanks, mom!)
*For the new Bachelor...he's a treat for the eyes :)
*For grandmas that have been such a huge help around the house.
*For random memories of my brother that make me smile.
*For snowfall that I can enjoy from inside.
*For baby smiles and sparkling eyes.

First Photo Shoot!

When scoping out suitable photographers for Kendall's first photo session, I found the best right at our church! We had Lyndsey from On3Design visit our home to snap a few shots of the babe (3 weeks old) and, well, they turned out amazing! Check out a few of the faves at the On3Design blog, or delve in to the whole gallery! (Instructions below)


To view or order pictures:

1. Go to http://on3design.org
2. Click "Ordering" on the top bar.
3. Type in password "KendallS"
4. Order by clicking on thumbnail and entering size.

Getting To Know You

We've been living with this tiny person now for one month, and have yet to experience the full realm of her personality. However, we have been taking note of little quirks that surface from time to time, and love getting to know our baby girl! Just a few observations at this point in time:

*Fascinated by light. Will fall asleep staring at the bright window.

*Mesmerized by the blueberry wreath above her changing table...and does not like being disturbed while in this blueberry trance!

*Always has her little feet crossed. Cuteness.

*As seen in the video, has a bit of trouble keeping her eyes closed when she's sleepy...

*Must be a Niner fan, as she pooped all over my Vikings shirt ON game day.

*Finds burp rags a personal challenge- will avoid at all costs. This usually means the last minute head-turn or (my personal favorite) the over-the-burp-rag spew. Bonus points if she spits up all over mommy at church.

*Formula for instant sleep: A full tummy, a binky, and mom or dad's chest to rest against.

*Looks like she's going to be a water bug...she enjoys bath time with daddy!

*Becomes a human squeak-toy when hiccups come...and they come often!


I got Kendall out of bed to feed her a few nights ago, and she looked up and smiled at me. I'm not convinced this was intentional, but it gave me a glimpse of what is to come, and I can't wait!

Happy one month birthday, my sweetie!

It's Never Too Early...

...for a Starbucks date with mom! I don't know how many times in the last week I have sat down to blog these pictures, but here they are- a little late. Little Miss K visited St. Arbucks twice in her first 20 days. Lucky mommy!

Our first trip was with my wonderful Irish gal pal, Edeanne.

Crazy Sleepy Eyes

Yes, I guess I'm going to be one of those moms who posts embarrassing videos of her kids. This one features Kendall's (somewhat freakish) sleepy-eyed wake up routine. I think it's the sweetest- and captures a couple cameo smiles.

Dear Derek,

Dear Derek,

I miss you. Our family just isn't the same without you. We talk about you often, and are determined to keep you as a big part of our lives, even in the midst of your physical absence. We trust that God is passing along the hugs we send up daily, and that you are smiling down upon all the new joys we are experiencing here.

Your niece is beautiful. Kendall is a big girl with a wonderfully calm demeanor, something we prayed would be much like her Uncle Dizzle. She reminds me of you from time to time...the way she looks at me with funky eyes, the hiccups that she gets, the way she purses her lips when she's concentrating...

The holidays have come and gone, and it's odd beginning a new year without you. As I look ahead, I wonder who I'll call for the latest movie review, or who will hook me up with the latest music and technology. I'll miss calling you to debrief the last episode of "Idol" or "24", and miss the updates on Crosswalk each Sunday. I know your absence has left a mark on that congregation as well.

I just wanted to write a simple note to let you know that you are missed, and definitely not forgotten. I will be working hard to make memories of you come alive for our little girl, and to remind us of what a great blessing you were in our lives. You still make me smile.

Love,
Your proud sister.

Baby Face

Wonderment.

Apprehension.

Hunger.

Inquisitive.

Done.

A New Season...of Television!

Don't know how the mom's of yesteryear endured all their midnight feedings without the luxury of the television or iPhone for entertainment! I also can't imagine enduring a long winter indoors without some good programming to view. While the baby's on the boob, this mom enjoys the boob tube...and January is going to supply some good entertainment (finally! It's been a long hiatis!).

Here are some programs we are looking forward to at the Stavenger home:

American Idol. This is a favorite in the Petersen family- Chris and I watched our first season together this past year. Introducing Ellen as judge #4 will be an interesting (and likely entertaining) twist this season! The downside of this show: fear that it may produce another Adam Lambert.

Survivor- Heroes and Villains. We don't usually watch Survivor, but my parents continue to tune in every season with friends. We watched the last couple episodes with them here in Duluth, and were enthralled with one of the characters. Since he will be making an encore appearance in next season's game, we may have to tune in! Downside: Just one more show to TiVo on Thursday nights....sigh....

The Bachelor. I wasn't religious about tuning in the past few seasons, but tuned in enough last season's "The Bachelorette" to know that I really liked Jake, the pilot. Now, Jake is in the "pilot's seat" as the new bachelor, and so far he seems to be a nice guy. The downside of this show: hottubs and skimpy suits abound needlessly.

24. Why this is so far down on my list, I don't know. Of course, it's the most highly anticipated around here. And with rumors swirling that this is the final season, we're intrigued. Jack Bauer was on his death bed at the end of last season...yet he looks just fine in the previews. We may have to make some pork butt for dinner to remember Derek and kick off the new season! There is no downside to Jack Bauer.

Brace for Impact. TLC's special this Sunday night is about the airplane incident in the Hudson river, narrated by Harrison Ford and honoring Chris' man-crush, Captain Sully. It's been on our calendar for a while now.

How about you? Any favorites we should check out?