12.21.2018

our 2018 Christmas Letter

2018 christmas letter header

When what to their wondering eyes should appear, but a prompt Christmas letter and one crying toddler! (Don’t worry. Ian and Anna rescued Lucy from the clutches of that red-suited terror moments after the photo.) Yes, it’s a Christmas miracle: the Scherling family’s annual awkward, third-person Christmas letter has arrived in inboxes around the world before December 25!

4.25.2018

Lucy's birth story

Three weeks and about 12 hours after Lucy popped into the world, she finally came home! We're so grateful to the NICU team and our community for taking such good care of her (and us) on this journey. #nicugrad // lyric by @mutemath

I went into labor a year ago today, which feels like an appropriate time to finally share Lucy's birth story. It was a bumpy entry into parenthood, but it reminds me I am stronger than I think, Ian is my rock, Lucy is incredible, and God is in control.

My pregnancy started out textbook. The biggest hiccup was needing a second take on our 18-week ultrasound (which resulted in our first parenting lessons: dealing with fear and accepting our lack of control; we also remembered why it's never a good idea to Google anything medical—our doctor suggested sticking with the Mayo Clinic).

Things continued along swimmingly until April 7, when I went in for a growth check ultrasound. I was measuring a little small at my previous appointment and the doctor wanted to confirm the baby was still on track. The baby's size was fine, but the ultrasound revealed an umbilical cord cyst. The ultrasound doctor assured me it wasn't a problem, but we should monitor it to make sure it didn't become one. I drove to my prenatal appointment with the news, but my doctor immediately sent me to the Brigham for high blood pressure. This was the first appointment where I was flying solo and, already stressed, I had to drive down Route 9 to Fenway. I called Ian to meet me at the hospital, and spent the afternoon hooked up to monitors. The baby's heart rate was strong, and my blood pressure was back in the high range of normal, so they sent us home with a directive to take things easy—a challenge given our not-quite-completed bathroom project.

3.04.2018

and the 2018 nominees are...

the coolidge

This is Ian and I's tenth year following the Oscar-nominated animated shorts. We had to improvise a bit this year, since a family vacation meant we wouldn't be able to catch them at the Coolidge before the awards show (we still plan to go, and it will be our eighth at the Coolidge). Even though we cobbled it together (thanks to Amazon, iTunes, and Netflix) I'm so glad we're still able to enjoy our longest family tradition (I can't wait until we can include Lucy!). Our prediction record is now 3 for 7, counting just the years we've seen all the animated shorts. Fingers crossed we can bump up our batting average this year.

2.19.2018

our 2017 Christmas letter

scherling christmas 2017

All the Christmas trees have made their trip to the great forest in the sky, which means it's time for the Scherling family's annual, awkward, third-person (usually late) Christmas letter! Perhaps Anna and Ian should admit defeat and call it a New Year letter, but they're optimists at heart.