The Claussen Chronicles

Take me out to the Ball Game!

2009-07-27T17:29:00.008-04:00

Friday night was Cameron's first trip to a baseball game. In our town, the AAA affiliate of the Boston Red Sox has a team. They are the Salem Red Sox, and the stadium is literally 2 minutes from our house. Friday the weather was perfect, not too hot, not too cold and Cameron was a good boy all throughout the game! Okay, so he fell asleep in the 6th inning and we left in the 8th, but it was still awesome to have him there! Our seats were amazing...they were right on top of the Red Sox's dugout on the 3rd base line. In between innings, they had the "Sheriff of Mayberry" (hey, Andy Griffith is HUGE out here!) do contests with the Red Sox mascot and various fans. We caught some pictures of the Pie Eating contest that took place 5 feet from our seats! If you have ever seen the movie "Stand By Me" you'll agree with me that this scene was all to familiar! All in all, we had a fun, family night out and can't wait to do it again.

Mommy and Cameron:

Claussen's at the game!

Great Seats!

Pie Eating Contest!

Western Visitors

2009-07-26T20:23:00.007-04:00

Last week we were so excited to have my dad, step mom and 3 sisters come out to visit us in Salem. My dad, stepmom and 2 sisters came from St. George, UT and my other sister Hannah made it all the way from San Diego! It was their first time meeting Cameron and we had a blast for the few days there were here. Since they were only here in Western Virginia for a few days, we made the best of their short visit by jam packing our days and nights! In fact, Cameron had such a great time and was so worn out that the 2 days they were here were the only 2 days he has ever slept through the entire night! Anyway, we went to visit a historic town nearby called Fincastle, went out to a sushi dinner that night and the next day we drove to Williamsburg, VA. That was a loooong 4 hour drive but well worth it since not only did we get time with the Western Visiting Family members, but my brother Dan, his wife Merianne and their baby David (who, by the way is 20 days younger than Cameron!) drove out from the Washington DC are to spend the day with all of us in Williamsburg.
Here are a few pictures of the trip!

Cameron with Grandpa:

Sushi dinner:

Cameron and 3 of his aunts:

Claussen's in Williamsburg:

Dan and his wife Merianne in Williamsburg:

Ralph pushing Cameron through gravel streets of Williamsburg:

Sister Ellie holding Cameron:

My dad and Ralph at Williamsburg:

My boy is 3 months old!!

2009-07-22T15:37:00.005-04:00

I can't believe on Saturday Cameron will be 3 months. The best 3 months of my life. Here are a few recent pictures of my big boy.

Day at the Salem Fair

2009-07-10T09:19:00.012-04:00

Every summer the Fair comes to town, and even though this is only our 2nd summer here in Salem, it has become our tradition to go and "people watch" and of course, ride the rides and eat all of the greasy Fair food. It is well known around town that Roanoke's best of the best rednecks come out from their backwoods homes and hills to visit the fair. Because of this, the Fair caters to them and makes them feel right at home. We actually saw this vendor with nothing but Rebel bumper stickers!

Last July while my family was in town, we braved the Fair for the first time with them in tow, and boy did my dear West Coast family get an eyeful. My sisters Hannah, Ellie and Erika had quite the experience paying 50 cents to view "The Smallest Woman in the World" and riding the giant swing ride. Here's a picture from last year of me, my dad and Hannah just arriving for a night of fun:

But it was fun this year for just Ralph and I to take Cameron-- and even though we didn't get to ride anything this year, we had a blast just strolling him through the crowds of Confederate Flagged tee-shirts and overalls.
Gotta love the South.

It was Ralph's TV station's night at the Fair, so here he is representing!

The Smiles...oh the smiles!

2009-06-16T08:08:00.005-04:00

Okay so first things first...I swore that when I had a baby all my posts wouldn't be about the baby or being a mom. I lied. I'm sorry, but I really have nothing else going on in my world except him! Now for the fun stuff. Cameron smiled at me! I had been waiting since the day he was born for him to smile! And to smile at me, not off into space or one of those "gas" smiles. But the other day he finally did, and he has been smiling ever since. I got a really cute video of his smiling and cooing but I took it on my camcorder and I can't find my USB cable to get the video onto the computer. So yesterday I captured this video on my regular camera, it is shorter and not as many smiles, but you get the point!

6 Weeks Old Today

2009-06-06T12:06:00.004-04:00

I cannot believe how fast time flies. 6 weeks ago today I was pushing (hard!) to get this little boy out of me. Now, 6 weeks later, he is almost 4 pounds heavier and my arm muscles are getting pretty darn big! I have been a slacker on this blog lately, but I hardly have time to shower these days, and I'm sorry y'all, but getting cleaned off from spit up, poop, pee and who knows what else comes first!

I am a litle sad that I start back up to work on Monday, but feel blessed that I did get a maternity leave and that I don' have to leave Cameron in a daycare somewhere. Now we'll see how much work I will get done while breastfeeding, calming a screaming baby, changing diapers and trying to give my poor Sadie dog some attention as well.

I love being a mama!

The Happiest Day of My Life!

2009-05-05T16:36:00.015-04:00

For 9 months, you imagine how the day will go. When will it happen? Will you be nervous? How it will feel to have your baby placed on your chest for the first time? What will he look like? Will you be in too much pain to notice?

On Friday April 24th, I woke up thinking my water had broken. I was 39.5 weeks along, and all I knew was it felt like I had peed my pants overnight! I called Ralph to come home from work so we could go to the hospital. As we were driving there, all of those emotions that had been building for 9 months began to well up inside of me! Was this going to be it? I almost peed my pants for real just thinking about it.

When we got to the hospital, the Doctor checked me and told us that I had an amniotic fluid leak, and that the best thing to do was to start the labor process. So i was admitted and they started pumping me full of Pitocin to start my contractions.

And oooh the contractions!

They started about 90 minutes after getting the Pitocin and they were very painful! I only endured about 4 hours of this before I asked for and received my epidural. At this point I was only about 4cm dilated. It was about 3p at this point. The dilation process slowed way down after the epidural.

But, at about 1145pm, the nurse told me that I was 10cm dilated and ready to push! At midnight, the pushing began! I pushed for about a half hour with just the nurse, and the the Doctor came in for the final pushes and the delivery. The Doctor told us that the baby was in the occiput posterior position, or face up. In deliveries, babies should be face down as they come out or it makes for tougher pushing for longer periods of time. But not for me! I was determined to get him out! At one point, he was so close to being delivered that the Doctor told me to reach down between my legs so I could feel his head. I did, and i completely lost it...the tears started flowing and fogging up my oxygen mask! It was becoming so real!

After 14 hours of labor and 1 hour of pushing, my sweet precious angel, Cameron Ralph Claussen was born at 1:02am on Saturday, April 25th. He was absolutely gorgeoous, conehead and all! My doctor and all of the nurses said they had never seen an occiput posterior positioned baby come out in less than 2 hours of pushing...and I did it in 1. Yes, I truly felt like Wonder Woman at that point! When they placed him on my chest I could not stop crying, and neither could Ralph. It was the most amazing moment in my entire life.

Cameron was 8.5lbs and 21 inches long and was born with a full head of dark brown hair. Ralph and I are so much in love and are so grateful and blessed to have this sweet blessing from God in our lives.

The Agonizing Last Week...I'm almost there.

2009-04-21T15:51:00.003-04:00

A lot of people have emailed and asked me to send them a picture of my big ol' belly. I am 39 weeks...only 1 week to go! As much as I want this child out every single day, I am trying to remember that this pregnancy has been a true miracle for us and I should be taking in every last minute of it. Who knows when I'll be pregnant again! And seriously, forgetting about the last few weeks of irritability, so so swollen feet, ankles, fingers, excruciatingly painful tendinitis in both wrists, heart palpitations that just about make me pass out, peeing every hour on the hour, crying at Pedigree commercials and all that fun stuff, this pregnancy really hasn't been too much trouble at all!

It will be just under 3 years when he is born from the time we tried to conceive him, so I have said it before and I'll say it again --this pregnancy and baby are the answer to a lot of prayers from this mommy and daddy to-be.

So hopefully the next post you get from me will be of Ralph and I holding our little boy.

I've Been Baby Showered

2009-03-06T10:59:00.011-05:00

So as everyone knows, Ralph and I don't have any family here in Roanoke. Actually, we have very few friends either, except the ones we've made through work. But one of those friends (Rhonda) was so excited when I told her that we were pregnant way back in September that she told me she was throwing me a shower. And she did! We invited all the ladies from Ralph's work at the TV station plus a few others. I had an absolute blast. The thought of having everyone pamper me that day as well as celebrate this baby that Ralph and I have been waiting so long for was surreal. Here are a few shots from my awesome baby shower! Thank you Rhonda!

Eating cake and yummy finger foods in the kitchen:

The diaper "cake":

Chatty Cathy:

The generous gift pile:

The group (in the 2nd pic you can see our 3D ultrasound DVD we had playing in the background):

The diaper "teddy bear" gift"

Me having my tummy measured (it was one of the guessing games):

Happy mama opening presents (that's Rhonda to my right!)

Nobody cares what I want!!

2009-03-02T09:39:00.004-05:00

So my last post was called "I want Spring." I even wrote a line in there about the fact that I was sick of it being so cold and not even having any snow to enjoy. Weeeelllllll..... someone WAS paying attention about the snow thing. But apparently they also don't care that I want..no I NEED Spring! We don't get much snow here in the South, but Saturday night it started falling, and didn't stop until Monday morning. Here is what we got:

That's a picture of our backyard through our back window (Hey I'm not going out there if I don't have to!) All in all, we probably got about 4 or 5 inches, which for a city that hadn't seen ANY snow all winter long, it was a big deal. What makes me laugh though is that they close down all the schools and busnesses (even my Lamaze class tonight got cancelled!) and people are stocking up at the grocery stores like it's the end of the world. The peeps back in Salt Lake City would be laughing there heads off if they could see the pandemonium and breaking news stories. As for me, my commute from the upstairs to the downstairs was extra treachorous this morning. Maybe I'll say I need to take a "snow day."

I want Spring.

2009-02-26T10:31:00.004-05:00

So this morning I went outside to get some fresh air-- and enjoy the fact that it is 60+ degrees at 10am today. I was happily enjoying the warmth and playing ball with Sadie for a few minutes. Then I noticed this:

It is the cutest little Daffodil emerging from the garden! It gave me hope that despite the fact that the forcast for tomorrow and Saturday is a high of 38, Sping IS right around the corner! I am sick of wearing a down jacket to go to the grocery store. I'm sick of 20 degree days with NO snow to at least help you enjoy the beauty of winter. I am sick of dry winter skin and sore throats. I can't wait for those warm, non-humid Spring days EVERY day. Must be the San Diego girl in me that longs for those 75 degree days every day of the year!

Va-Va-Valentine's Day

2009-02-16T09:10:00.002-05:00

This year was a fun Valentiine's Day for Ralph and me because we knew it'd be our last with just the 2 of us. We tried to be as romantic as possible--- okay no we didn't-- we decided to do a deep cleaning of our house together! I started on dusting and then sweeping (our entire house is hardwood) and Ralph started on the kitchen. After about 3 hours of this, there was a knock at the door, and it was the flower delivery man. Here is what he brought:

This was the cutest gift ever from Ralph. The big bouquet was from him, and the card said "I love you very much! Love, your husband Ralph." Then i opened the card on one of the small roses. It said "I love you very much! Love, your son Cameron." Then the third card from that rose said "I love you very much! Love, your first born, Sadie." I started crying! The small roses totally caught me off guard, i had no idea who they were going to be from when I first saw them! Ralph outdid himself again, and i loved it.

Then after all the cleaning was done, we headed off to our dinner reservation. As big as my belly is now, I can't eat very much these days without getting too full, but I did get to enjoy about half of my delicious steak and potatoes! Here we are at dinner at Frankie Rowlands.

After that we came home and played games together (wouldn't YOU like to know what kind of games?!!!) Anyway it was another great Valentine's Day. And we have a clean house.

The Nursery is finally finished!

2009-02-09T15:53:00.008-05:00

It feels like Ralph and I have been working on the baby's nursery for months, but really it has only been since the beginning of the year. We successfully (I hope) transformed what was once "the blue guest room" into the blessed room. Here is the before pic, the "working phase" pic and of course a few of the finsihed product. Now all we need is the baby, but hopefully he's stays in there to cook for another 10 weeks or so.

My Son.

2009-02-04T09:55:00.004-05:00

Last night Ralph and I went to have a 3D ultrasound of our boy. Although the picture is still a little fuzzy, it's still better than those black and white 2D ultrasounds where you can't really see facial features. Ralph thinks he looks like me, but I still can't tell. All I know is, seeing him was the neatest feeling in the world. And watching him move around and kick while feeling it at the same time was unreal. I can't believe this little person inside of me will be out in less than 3 months! Cameron, I can't wait to meet you, sweetheart!

The Best Creation Known to Man....and Woman..

2009-01-20T17:12:00.003-05:00

BEHOLD! The Cadbury Creme Egg!! I have to say that I love those months every year between January and April when the stores start selling these delicious confections. I seriously have to have mini-talks with myself so that I do not eat a dozen of these every day. Luckily they come in those handy 4 packs so I have no choice but to ration them during the week. Thank you Cadbury, thank you.

25 Week Belly

2009-01-12T15:57:00.003-05:00

Oh my...I just looked back at the last time I posted a picture of my belly (19 weeks). It has gotten a wee bit bigger since then, and I can't believe I am more than 6 months along. It's funny because other than my backaches and not being able to sleep very well I don't notice my belly getting that much bigger. I have raved before about the wonder of maternity jeans and I'll do it again. I love em. I want to wear them for the rest of my life. You just never notice that you are getting fatter in them because they just keep stretching and stretching and stretching...and, you get the point.

Holly Jolly Christmas

2008-12-29T09:38:00.009-05:00

Christmas definitely snuck up on us this year! With Thanksgiving being a week closer to Chrimstas this year, plus work travel and just being overall swamped at both of our jobs Ralph and I felt like we didn't even really get to enjoy the season this year. It was about 68 degrees on Christmas Day, and after opening presents, we sat on the back patio in our short-sleeved shirts! I felt like I was home in San Diego for Christmas this year! Anyway, as usual, we spoiled Sadie with gifts (she got nice Candycane rawhide bones!) and we enjoyed our last Christmas morning together as a child-less couple!

This is me opening up my new COACH BAG!!!

Ralph tearing open his present!

Sadie enjoying one of her smaller rawhide candy cane bones!

Ralph helping Sadie open up one of her presents while she waits patiently!

Ralph wearing his new coat that Santa brought him!

The stockings...

Mmmmmm.. Peanut Butter Balls!

2008-12-19T09:01:00.002-05:00

For those of you that know me well, you know that I really cannot cook or bake (except Chocolate Chip cookies-my specialty!) even though I try. Since I've been married, I have been trying to cook some recipes for dinner here and there and feel like I am getting better at it with the help of my sister in law and Mom.
So last night, I wanted to try one of my favorite desserts-- one my Mom only makes at Christmas time--Peanut Butter Balls! The problem is, this recipe is not really for beginners, or at least moron beginners like myself! Thanks to my wonderful mama being "on call" throughout the night, I was able to semi- pull it off! On a positive side-note, my wonderful husband was very supportive of the whole thing and told me I had the best looking balls he'd ever seen (HUH???) So BEHOLD!!! My batch of Peanut Butter Balls! I know I'll enjoy polishing them off.

The Great Christmas Tree Hunt

2008-12-14T12:29:00.008-05:00

Ralph and I have made it a new tradition to drive up to the mountains each Christmas to a Christmas Tree farm, and chop down our own tree! It is such a difference experience than going to Target and picking one out (although I loved doing that too with my mom when I lived in San Diego!) Anyway, this year it was super cold on the day we drove up so we were bundled up good! After being Mr. and Mrs. Picky and totally indecisive, we finally settled upon one. Here is the nice man with the chain saw (uhh...weird combination of words) chopping our tree down for us. And then of course the finished result in our living room. We are now officially Christmas-ready. HO HO HO!

Our Trip to Monticello....Again

2008-12-04T16:11:00.003-05:00

Since Ralph and I have lived in Virginia (keep in mind, just a little over a year now) we have been to Monticello four, count em FOUR times! For those of you who don't know what Monticello is, it is actully Thomas Jefferson's home and has been kept pristinely in place since the 1800's. It is beautiful and fairly nearby to Roanoke (it's about an hour and a half away) but at this point Ralph and I should join the Virginia Historical Society and give the tours ourselves! Each time we have out of town visitors to our home, they all want to see the historical landmarks in this part of the country. This is totally is understandable, so we take them to the most famous places--TJ's house being the most famous of them all. So when we first moved here, we went by ourselves. Then we went when my Dad and family came to visit in July. Then again in September when Ralph's friends came out from Chicago. Then again over Thanksgiving with Ralph's family from Chicago. Anyhow, I thought after all these times going, we should probably document our visit. So, here we are, though we look very tiny in comparison to this giant house, which by the way took 40 years to build, and Thomas Jefferson died here on July 4th, exactly 50 years after the Declaration of Independence was signed, 4 hours before John Adams......

19 Week Belly

2008-12-01T14:25:00.003-05:00

Okay, I don't want every post to be about my pregnancy, but I thought I'd give a quick belly update. Since we live so far away from everyone and I am hermit-like here in Roanoke, a few people have asked to sneak a peek at the growing belly. And is it ever growing! I felt like I wasn't showing at all a few short weeks ago and then all of the sudden something popped! I had to buy my first pairs of materntiy pants and am loving the elastic waistbands. I think I'll wear these for the rest of my life. They worked wonders on Thanksgiving!

I also felt my baby boy kick last night for the first time! About a week ago I thought I had felt him, but it was so soft I couldn't tell. But last night there was no denying it! Ralph and I watched the Bears on TV and the baby went kick-crazy! It was the coolest feeling in the world. I can't wait to meet him.

Well........

2008-12-01T09:55:00.002-05:00

I Hate Work Travel

2008-11-19T20:27:00.002-05:00

Imagine this...you are at the end of a 3 day meeting stint in the Eastern Hills (make that backwoods) of Tennessee. You are counting down the minutes until that last minute is finished and you can get your tired self to the airport and on the plane to get home. But then, you get to the airport and your flight is delayed. And then delayed again. And then one more time. 3 hours of delays to be exact. By this time, your delayed flight means you will miss your connection to your next flight home. Which means you get bumped to the last flight of the day. Que the next installment of a new 3 hour wait at a new airport.
Did I mention I was exhausted and just wanted to get my pregnant butt home and in bed???
And it smells like curry in this stinkin (literally) airport, which happens to be Atlanta.
At least if I was going on vacation I'd know there was no work in the near future. But alas, that is not the case. Tomorrow is a new day of new meetings, only not from the Hills of Tennessee, but the Hills of Home Sweet Roanoke.

Utah Wins!

2008-11-07T11:40:00.004-05:00

You know you are a true fan when you are at a different college's football game, yet you sit and watch your cell phone for score and play by play updates from a game going on across the country!

Last night Ralph and I went to the Virginia Tech/Maryland game which was fun since VT won, but my heart was definitely in Salt Lake City last night.

Utah pulled off the last minute win against TCU, who was favored to win by the way, and it was awesome for this Utah alum. Even if I did only get to read about it on my tiny Razr Phone until the wee hours of the Virginia morning.

So, in honor of their win and my nostalgia and homesickness for Utah Football games, here is a picture of me and my 2 best friends, Kristy and Andrea at the Utah vs. San Diego State game back in 2004 (Utah's other magnificent year!)

The first picture is us tailgating before the game at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego and the 2nd is us during the game.

GO UTES!!!!

Getting into the spirit!

2008-10-31T16:05:00.010-04:00

Last night was pumpkin carving night. Ralph had a "mouse house" pumpkin idea in mind that he saw in a magazine, and I, as usual was Mrs. Traditional. Sadie, as it turns out, loves to eat pumpkin guts. But I don't know what that surprises me because this is a dog that will eat lettuce if I give it to her. Anyway, we had a blast and are looking forward to all the Trick-or-Treaters tonight!

Happy Halloween!!

Halloween Party

2008-10-27T11:19:00.006-04:00

It has been a few years since I dressed up for Halloween, so when Ralph and I got invited to a Halloween party this year, I only had one costume in mind....a Newsie, because that was what I was back in 2006. I told you before, I'm not very creative! Only I didn't really want to be a Newsie again! I mean, how many times do you get to go to Halloween parties? Okay, maybe YOU do, but we don't! Anyway, Ralph jumped at the chance to get away with an easy, in-house costume, so he was the Newsie. I copied some co-worker's ideas from that Halloween in 2006 and chose to be a Mobster. It was hard getting my pin striped mobster slacks to button up over my ever-growing pregnant belly, and I had to borrow one of Ralph's white shirts to be able to button it up over these giant pregnant boobies! But it all worked out and we had fun getting out and hanging out with the living---or in this case, the dead! (It was Halloween, get it??? Okay I'll stop typing now.)

Mom and Me go to D.C.

2008-10-21T09:32:00.007-04:00

I was so lucky to be able to have my mom come out and visit Ralph and I here at our home in Roanoke. She came all the way from San Diego! Anyway, we had so much fun together and it was so nice to have someone to talk to every day (no offense, Sadie). We shopped, cooked, joked and just did all kinds of mom and daughter stuff.

Anyway, on one of the days that she was here, we drove out to visit my brother Dan and his wife Merianne at their house in Washington, D.C. Since my brother works in government (top secret job!) he was able to get us "backstage passes" to the Capital building and our own private tour. Since 9/11, the public can take guided tours through but we got our own little tour courtesy of Dan.

Here are some pictures of our day at the Capital:

This next one was taken right in the center of the Capital, and Dan the tour guide pointed out that this spot also marks the very center of Washington D.C.

Dan, Mom and me inside the dome:

What that beautiful dome looks like from the inside:

I'm in love!

2008-10-16T15:37:00.002-04:00

Yes, of course I'm in love with my dear hubby but I was referring to the unborn in this case. We had our 12 week ultrasound a few days ago and got to see the little one moving and sticking out it's tongue. The ultrasound tech said in this picture she thought the baby was sucking its thumb. Anyway, it was so nice to have my mom come with along with Ralph to the ultrasound since she was in town these past few days (more pictures and entries to come on that later!)

Baby Bump - 11 Weeks

2008-10-07T11:20:00.003-04:00

A few people have asked me to post updates on my baby bump every month or so. For those of you that don't know, this baby took almost 2 years to create. We are so excited and happy, but are cautious at the same time. We feel truly blessed with this baby and Ralph and I are eagerly awaiting December when we will find out which of our guest bedrooms (We have one currently painted rose pink, and one painted baby blue-- we did that last year when we moved in) will be transformed into the nursery. Stay tuned....

Our House- In the Middle of the Street

2008-10-03T09:04:00.003-04:00

...okay so it's not exactly in the middle of the street. But someone suggested I post a picture of our house since we live so far away from everyone and no one had been here before (are you now starting to get that we don't have much going on in our lives right now??) But actually now that I think about it, my entire family has been out to visit. (except YOU Andrew!) Anyway, the house is a 1890's Victorian with 4 beds and 4 baths. The crazy part is, it cost just about the same as our house in Salt Lake City, that had 2 beds and 1 bath!! Soooo, without further adieu...here is our home on the 4th of July in the great Commonwealth of Virginia.

SLC Wedding

2008-10-01T12:25:00.002-04:00

Ralph and I just got back from a trip to Salt Lake City (weird that we now vacation there, I know). Anyway, one of my best friends, Andrea, got married. She looked beautiful and it was great seeing old friends again. This is my friend Kristy with her baby, Eva, Andrea and me.

Congratulations, Andrea!

My co-worker

2008-10-01T11:55:00.002-04:00

So most people know that I work from my home office here in Virginia. But what they don't know is that I have my very own assistant and co-worker. Just like a regular co-worker, Sadie is here offering interruption after interruption and needing attention. She doesn't quite do my filing or faxing for me, but hey, she's a German Shepherd.

Finally

2008-10-01T11:38:00.002-04:00

Okay so I'm not the most creative person in the world, but I figured it was time to start a blog for the fam. Don't expect glitter and glamour, because that's not me, but I will try to update as much as possible-even though our lives often include sitting in front of the TV for hours on end!