Kaia's Blessing Way

Over Labor Day weekend Miss Kaia and I road tripped in the Suby down to Bozeman to enjoy some baby festivities with my lady friends (well, most of them...anyway! :)).  It was SUCH a special weekend, my sweet friend Kristen flew in from Portland for it and also planned the event with Kira and GG.  THANK YOU ladies!  It was an amazing, heartfelt day and I am still feeling all of your love and hugs even now...days later :) 

Not being a big traditional baby shower kinda gal (the whole melted candy bars in the diaper and various toilet paper games make me throw up in my mouth a little bit...), Kristen and the ladies planned a Native American ceremony (Blessing Way) that included all of my favorite things...food, good music, henna tattoos, words of wisdom and support from all of the ladies I admire most.  Kaia is one lucky girl to be born into this group of gals :)

Please visit my friend Meggan's blog for shots of the event.  Thank you Kristen, Kira, GG and Stephanie!  I love you all! :)

www.pronghorntrail.blogspot.com 

What's In A Name...

When we found out I was expecting and were discussing our options one afternoon in Whitefish...Will made the bold statement of, "I think it's a boy".  Now, we all know I'm not much for religion or signs from God or all of that hoopla, but there have been a few times since I've known Will that he has made some pretty shocking and profound statements...which came true.  He always tells me that we create our own reality...and he had me pretty hoodwinked that our little pea pod was of the Y chromosome variety. 

So, for the next four months we spent much of our time fighting about boy names, picking out little boy outfits at garage sales and coming to terms with having another little Will running around the house (oh dear:)).  But then...wouldn't you know it, we got a surprise.  Normally it takes 20 minutes to do an ultrasound, but our little gal was spinning and twirling and scooting away from the probe as fast as she could (she got those fast-twitch fibers from her dad) so our poor tech never got a clear shot.  After an hour, he finally paused the screen with glee, spurting, "you've got yourselves a little girl!".  I'm not quite sure what normally happens in ultrasounds, if parents get all weepy and emotional.  Will and I had a slightly different reaction.  "Really?"  Our little munchkin was already tossing us curveballs. 

We drove home that day in silence, both coming to terms with the fact that we were having a little LADY, and all of the planning we had been doing for a boy was now moot.  And actually...it was the best thing that could have happened to us.  We could not agree on a boys name to save our lives.  I had my heart set on Axsel Henry (after a kick ass Norwegian skier and my grandfather), and Will was in love with Hunter or River.  Neither of us were budging.  Stubborn pair :)

However since we were certain it was a boy neither one of us had put much thought into little girl names.  So, the afternoon of the ultrasound I was poking around Scandinavian name websites and when I got to the K's I immediately stopped.  Kaia.  I just knew that was her name.  Old Norse for "earth".  I showed the website to Will and he agreed, we had a little Kaia on our hands :)

Now, the middle name is more of my story.  As many of you know I've gone through a rough year or two...and during one particularly nasty spell I resorted to reading memoir's of Johnny Cash.  I was ready for a little escape from my reality and thought, "heck, you can't get much further than my world than a drug addicted country singer".  Little did I know I would identify with Johnny's wife, June.  Sassy, spunky, loved her family deeply, two failed marriages under her belt, and with a heart that outweighed her body by ten.  There were a lot of memorable quotes from June in that book, but the one that has stuck with me since was this.  During an interview she was asked what her life goals are, what she feels she can accomplish.  The interviewer anticipated hearing something grand about world peace or the end of poverty but in her typical spunky Southern drawl she said, "darlin', I just wanna matter". 

She went on to explain that she'd lived much of her life for her career, and upon starting this life with Johnny she wanted to put her family first.  Her children, her husband, her family.  She wanted to matter to them first, and everyone else second.  It was one of those "ah ha" moments in life for me.  I couldn't have said it any better myself.  Darlin', I just wanna matter. 

So Miss Kaia June Edwards Hammerquist, you are named after not only the earth that is our nuturing mother and provides us with the greatest wonders in the universe...but also after a saucy country singer who gave your momma some direction when she needed it most.  Oh, and June is also my favorite month of the year here in Montana...but that story isn't nearly as sexy :)

Kaia, meet your Auntie Kristyn

Hello Kaia the Kiddo...
It's about 3am and you are UP, moving around...kicking...twirling...dancing to the Wailin' Jenny's wafting from the computer resting close to your little ears.  You like them.  Just like your Auntie Kristyn.  There already are so many people in the world that love you, and can't wait for your cuteness to pop out so you can take over the world (remind me to read you the Atlantic article I saved for you on women taking over the world.  it's true :)).  And surely once you arrive and spread your own special brand of sweetness around the planet you will only charm everyone you meet and that already large number of people who love you will grow.  Of that my sweet, I am certain.

But let me introduce you now to the most important woman in your mommy's life.  She has been waiting a very long time for you to arrive, and she can't wait to take you on all sorts of energizer bunny adventures.  Meet your Auntie Kristyn.  You will soon find out that under the calm veneer your mommy usually exhibits there is often a storm brewing...and your Auntie Kristyn is the only person who can calm my churning seas.

When your Auntie K and I were little, she was a lot older than me, 5 years to be exact.  But I wanted to do everything she and Uncle Bruce did.  I drove tractors and combines with Uncle Bruce, and ran cross country and went skiing like your Auntie K.  When I was REALLY little, my first memory of her was playing with the kitties.  I used to want to carry them around on the farm (we had SO many!) and Auntie K had them all named and loved them all.  She was patient and kind even then...just like she is now...and she let me pick up her prized felines by their front ends as it was all my little arms could carry, and she would diligently follow me around supporting their rears.  The funny thing is, your Auntie K still does that for me.  I generally just want to keep up and plow forward and play with all of the toys the world has to offer...and don't always think about my ability to carry the whole kitty.  So she is still following me around...helping me carry the cat.  Whatever the cat may be.  She will do that for you, too.

So my sweet girl, it's in your best interest to spend lots and lots of time with your Auntie Kristyn.  She's an excellent water skier.  She will take you on many long death march runs, skate skis, and road bike rides.  And she has the best giggle in the whole wide world :)

Thanks Auntie K...for being my glue.  I love you!

Kaia's Mobile

So, my sweet sister tells me that mobiles really aren't necessary as most babies rarely sleep in their crib until they are older, and in that case it may become a hazard if they can reach it.  However, I decided to cast aside her astute logic and buy this little piece of baby art.  If nothing else...I'm going to hang it above MY bed!  Mommies need mobiles too :) 

Not that I'm organized enough to actually have Kaia's room set up or decorated...much less a "theme" picked out (do people really do that?  who has that kind of time on their hands?  or am I just missing the cutesy baby-mommy gene?!)...I have decided that my little lady should be surrounded by a few owls.  Unlike her mommy's spirit animal of a wolverine (for obvious grouchy, stubborn, pain-loving reasons:)), and her daddy's spirit animal of a mountain goat...I think our little lady is going to be a whole heck of a lot smarter than all of us.  Owls have always brought about a feeling of wisdom, safety and protection for me...and she is certainly much wiser than Will or I already by deciding to be conceived when neither of us had her on our agenda :) 

Welcome, baby Kaia.  Your owls will be here to greet you.

womb dance parties

hi everybody!  i bet you never thought you would see a baby blog...in the womb nonetheless!  but, my mom and dad tell me i'm extremely gifted...so...i guess i'm a quick learner.  my name is kaia june edwards hammerquist, and i've been swimming around in my mom's belly for six months now.  it's pretty cushy right now...lots of elbow room, good music, and chocolate EVERY night!  but i think i'm going to be getting big...really big...so things may be a little crowded soon.  but while i'm the princess of this lily pad...here's some of my favorite activities thus far.

womb disco parties
-my mom really likes sad, emo songs and bluegrass (I knew who Conor Oberst was the day after I was conceived)...but she also REALLY likes a little hip hop on occasion.  which is my favorite.  i like to practice my club moves to Atmosphere (mom says it's okay when they swear because they are from minnesota), the Flobots, NASA, Jay-Z, and of course the Beastie Boys 'cause my Auntie Kira likes to bedazzle...and I guess they do too.  My dad really likes reggae and "songs with meaning" so we listen to a lot of Michael Franti and Matisyahu.  mom says next year i get to go to the sasquatch music festival (if dad says it's okay...) and then I'll get to try out my moves under the sunshine, instead of in all of this amniotic fluid.  woohoo!

tele turns
-my mom can only turn left on her tele skis, so i guess i'm going to have to take lessons from my auntie kristyn and uncle dave.  but, my dad has been telling me about whipping hele's and all sorts of cool jumps and tricks he's going to teach me.  so, in the meantime, i like to huck myself about against my placenta.  it's a perfect crash pad.

eat dairy
-mom says i'm definitely an iowa girl 'cause i really like milk.  she does too.  we drink at least a half gallon a day, and i just can't get enough!  we also really like kozy shack pudding, greek yogurt and ice cream (with chocolate sauce of course).

action adventure
-my mom says i really slow her down 'cause i take a lot of energy to haul around and grow and stuff.  but she seems okay with it now :)  even at our slower pace we've been doing lots of fun stuff like hiking with the puppies, eating cookies in Polebridge, rowing my dad and aunties becca and julie down the rapids on the middle fork of the flathead river, and paddleboarding!  i can't wait to go climbing, skiing, and mountain biking next year.  daddy got me a super sweet chariot so i can go on all sorts of adventures.

howl with the doggies
-apparently i already have a brother and sister.  i hear them talking, barking, and howling ALL of the time.  McKinley is my brother and likes to nap with me.  Lily is my sister and she smells really bad.  but i still like her.  we like to howl together at night...especially when it's a full moon.

anyhoo, i can't wait to come out and cuddle, vomit, sneeze and giggle with everyone in person!  in the meantime i'll keep sending updates from the womb.  with a little help from my mom and dad :)