Shelby Zarotney joined NEWS9 in 1998 and is an anchor and reporter. Shelby anchors NEWS9 Midday and co-anchors NEWS9 Live at Five and NEWS9 at Six. On November 13, 2007, Shelby and her husband Gary welcomed their first child into the world.

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PICTURES: Arwyn Sophia - 1 Month Old

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"Honey, grab the camera! I don't want to miss this!" Monday, January 28th 2008

I can remember as a child, maybe 9, 10 or 11 years old or so, making "mental notes" about how I would play with or treat my own child if I ever had one. Not only would I make these mental notes, believing I would remember whatever detail was important to me at that time, but I would go so far as to save things, little momentos that I thought would be interesting to share with a son or daughter decades down the line.

You may be wondering, what kind of things would I save? Remember passing notes in class; that was me, yep I did it, even against mom and dad's wishes. Here we are 20 some years later, I still have some of those notes-- the ones destined for that cute boy in class or my friend in 3rd period science-- they never made it to the intended receiver for one reason or another. Good thing because now, I have these silly notes to share with my daughter once she hits that age where "note passing" will be a favored pastime. WAIT A MINUTE!! Are kids still passing notes or do elementary and middle school-aged kids now have cell phones with which to text a friend? AGH!!!! If that's the case, Gary and I are in for a rude awakening before we even get really started here!!!

Ok, back to my original (and I think very sweet and endearing) idea about saving childhood momentos as a way to capture a moment in time and be able to relate to my (then future) daughter once she becomes a pre-teen and teenager (a.k.a. "Hellraiser"). Not only do I have these little love notes saved in some boxes marked "Shelby's Stuff," but I remember putting in there things like old Holly Hobby erasers, Garbage Pail Kids cards, long pens with rainbow colors and a fuzzy character at the end, ooohhh my diaries from childhood (that'll be juicy for a kid to get into), pictures of old friends from grade school and yes-- I even saved some graded school work.

There's a reason for everything I do. One could call me a pack-rat, or you can look at it the way I do-- first, I want my children to know no one's perfect-- not even their mother or father and that I can relate to them because I will actually have proof that I too was a child once, and second, I want them to know that capturing special moments in their lives is just as important to me as it was to hang onto and freeze in time moments in my own life.

Its important to me to share with them my own memories, the things I did, thought about and saw. I want them to know the myriad of activities and events in which I participated. My parents always had the camera right where they needed it when they needed it, and for that, we have a way to visually walk down memory lane.

Not unlike most of us, when I think back to my childhood, playing in the backyard, school, sports and the like, I remember specific events but its impossible to recall the events of an entire year. I guess, keeping these momentos in those cardboard boxes is like my insurance, that I won't forget any more than I already have so that Wynnie and I can open the boxes--- for her it'll be an entirely new world and a new way to get to know mommy, but for me, it'll be a trip down memory lane again-- and I'll do it with a smile, knowing I'm sharing the little girl in me with my little girl.

Mental notes--- I went so far as to make "notes to self" every time I attended a wedding before I got married, dissecting from the blessed events what I liked and disliked, in order to plan my own.

I'm already keeping momentos for Arwyn. Just a few examples to name, we have the first swaddle blanket from the hospital she ever used, the first wrap shirt she wore.... oh, the anklet and bracelets all 3 of us wore while in the hospital. You can bet, even after I finish this blog entry, I'm heading back downstairs to her scrapbook I'm putting together. Yes, I plan on glueing those bracelets, somehow, to the page. When she's 15, we'll look back on that and I'll tell her, "See Wynnie, you were so small."

She'll think I'm silly, but she'll also know deep down I'm keeping every darn thing...... because I am so in love with my daughter. I've lost count, how many hundreds of pictures we've taken so far.... but Gary and I can't help it. Almost every time we turn around, there's another reason for me to shout, "Gary, grab the camera and take this picture!"

Smiles, sleeping positions, freak-outs (meaning she's crying and is hungry), playing on her mat, even spit-ups... any moment can be a kodak moment. Baby world, I'm in the thick of it and I love it.

God Bless,

Shelby Zarotney

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Motherhood: A Selfless Vocation, Monday, January 21st, 2008

I can still remember those weeks and days before the start of a new school year. It was a most exciting time for me and my siblings, but quite a trying and challenging time for my parents; the reason..... back to school clothes shopping.

I am the oldest of 3, I have a brother nearly 2 years younger and my sister is 5 years younger than me. So as you could imagine, shopping with 2 girls is not the easiest adventure for a parent to embark on.

Anyway, here we are, myself, brother, sister and mom all heading out to the mall for new digs for school. Mind you, mom and dad sat us all down well before we packed in the car for this trip and explained to us the monetary limitations we each had once we got to the stores. Our heads bobbing up and down to indicate to our parents we understood the fact that we couldn't have --everything-- we set our eyes upon and that we would have to exercise some restraint in our shopping excursion.

I share this with you because I can still remember the look on my mother's face as she tried to do what every parent attempts at least once, that is taking all the kids shopping-- then finds the smarter way "around the mountain" (one child at a time).

I can still see each of us running to the clothes racks, picking out the outfits we loved most and coming back to her, "Mom, can I get this one? Mom, can I have this? Mom, why can she have two and I can only have one?" My brother, the middle child, was really the easiest..... boys seem less serious about clothes than girls, plus, he never put up much of an argument on what he was and wasn't allowed to get. So anyway, here's this wonderful woman, this mother of all mothers who always seems to know everything there is about any topic, nearly tearing her hair out in the middle of the store, becoming visibly frazzled that her three children are wanting so much all at one time and overwhelming their mom a great deal.

In the midst of this very --brave-- mother who decided to take all three of her children clothes shopping at one time, she puts her finger to her mouth and stops all of our questions and pleading for this outfit or the other and says, "I can't handle all of you at once asking for so much. We're going home and I'll take you each out one at a time to shop."

Maybe its our level of innocence we have as children-- thinking moms and dads have unlimited access to money, maybe kids are a bit selfish by nature, or maybe we just don't know what we just don't know because we were children.... but parents go through so much.

I use the shopping experience as just a small example of our whole lives as parents that we are the givers, the ones who make sacrifices for the sake of our children, the ones who put their needs, wants and desires before ours. I mean, on those days when we shopped for clothes, not once did my mother buy something for herself... and you can bet, that woman loves to shop!!

Now that Gary and I are parents, it is apparent to us more and more everyday, how selfless a vocation it is to be a mom or a dad. Having a child is the greatest gift, but raising one is such an act of selflessness. Whether its our money, our love, our time, our comfort, our words or just our presence..... we are always and will always be giving to this person who looks to us for all the answers and looks to us to meet all her needs.

Some of us are called to have children by giving birth, some called to adopt them--- no matter how any one person becomes a parent, it is the role of our lives. There's no real way to try out for the part, and no one gives you a raise if you do really well. :) Sometimes we learn on the spot while other moments we are reminded of some advice a friend or family member gave us once and we use it in hopes that it will work for our child.

I'm so glad I "signed up" for this vocation. It will be the most important role of my life-- and I know there will come a day when Arwyn will run to the clothing racks and pick out all of her favorites and come running back to me wide-eyed and smiling saying, "Mom, can I have these?" I will be reminded that day of all the shopping trips I took with my parents. I wonder what I will remember most about those trips-- whether they said yes or no to what I wanted, or the time spent with them and what it felt like to know mom or dad will always take care of me. They'll care for me before themselves..... every time.

The roles in life, they just keep growing. I'm a daughter (of my parents and of God), a sister, a niece, a friend, an aunt, a career woman, a neighbor, a wife and now a Mother. I love all of them but being a mother is a role that truly stands alone. When she smiles at me, she is smiling at "Momma." That alone gives me tingles..... I am still astounded by her.

God Bless,

Shelby Zarotney

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"Ouch, That Hurts!!!" Tuesday, January 15th 2008

Monday was "that" day for Wynnie. You know, the first day she felt pain.... it was vaccination day.

As Gary and I drove her to the pediatrician's office, we shared memories of our childhood and going to the doctor. I can remember to this day the big square waiting room with seats that looked much like the ones in my doll house. They were low to the floor, square seats with canvas red cushions on them. The seats, arranged in a square so everyone could look at everyone else. Moms and dads (but mostly moms) sitting on those chairs, either knitting, reading or scolding their children in a low tone so as to not embarass, and the children, playing in the boxes of toys at each corner of the room. I almost can still remember the smell of the doctor's office. I remember the nurses and reception staff behind that big glass window, looking out with their charts, ready to call the next child. And I knew, my name would be called soon.... any minute now, they'd call my name and mom would pick up my coat and say, "Come on Shelby, we're next." I anticipated that moment so much I started to get so anxious..... thinking about the coldness of the stethescope, the eye and ear examiner and the dreaded question, "Mom, do I have to get a shot?"

Granted, Arwyn could not ask us that question.... at least she can't yet. We know it will come one day. As we drove to the office, which isn't too far away from our home, we talked about how she might feel, what her immediate reaction would be like and how wonderfully calm she had been all morning--- soon to change her tune once the warm, safe, comforting place she knows changes to a cold room with bright lights and some woman sticking her with something that hurts.

So, we arrived at the office and the receptionist slid the glass partition to the left, said hello and told us we'd be called any minute. I then turned to Gary and said, "Just like some 20 years ago and I remember it like it was yesterday."

Gary held Arwyn before we went in, comforting and soothing her with his steady, deep tone. I held her coat and blanket, just as my mom had all those years ago with me every time we were scheduled to go. My husband and I smiled at each other, knowing the moment was ever closer and so too would be Wynnie's frightful tears for this infant knows not what's before her.

Our doctor and the nurses in the office are WONDERFUL!! They are so great with children and so caring-- very tender. Obviously we knew we and our daughter were in the best of hands, but little Wynnie had no idea what immediate fate lie before her. First thing's first, check her weight and height. Wynnie's doing great! At birth she was 6 lbs 10 oz, now, she's a whopping 11 lbs 2.5 oz--- very good news for this nursing mom. Ok, in terms of height-- and I'll admit, I'm much taller with my 3 inch heels that I love to wear; Wynnie is above the 50th percentile in her height right now..... hopefully she'll get her dad's genes when it comes to how tall she'll be. At birth she was 19 3/4 inches and now, she's stretched out to 23 1/4 inches-- here's hoping.

Eyes, good-- she follows the doctor well. Ears, looking good in there too and nose. Reflexes, check. Only thing left, a silver tray with 3 needles on them and a dropper. One vaccination is now in the form of liquid and for babies and kids, its a tasty grape flavor. Wynnie swallowed happily. This is where Gary and I pulled back and doctor and nurse took over. The first shot, in Wynnie's left arm, as soon as the needle went in, her poor little face turned beet red, then the second and third shots were administered in each thigh. In seconds, mom and dad swooped in, scooped her up and did what we know to do best, naturally---- soothe our crying child.

That's what we did. A little rocking from dad, a little children's Tylenol and minutes later, and to my surprise, our little Arwyn was calm, then dazed, then sound asleep.

I couldn't believe it!!! She was such a trooper!!! I was very proud. We didn't know what to expect. Only thing is, another round of shots are scheduled for 2 months from now.

We'll be with her, and do what we do best as parents, soothe our crying child.

God Bless,

Shelby Zarotney

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Honey, Grab The Camera! ... 524, 525, 526... Saturday, January 12th 2008

I remember, as a child, being so fascinated by the stories my parents would tell me about what I was like as a baby. Mom and dad would go through photo albums... page after page of this couple with this baby, and that baby was me!!! I remember even having favorites from those albums. I can still see them in my mind now... the picture of me in a small yellow tub, all soapy and wet, oooh, and another one, where mom is holding me up in the air, and she's lying on her back on the floor. I'm flying like superman. I especially love the picture of dad holding me in my red coat in Georgia.

I loved all the pictures then, as a child, and I love them now as an adult. So thanks mom and dad, for setting such a good example and for always having the camera within arm's reach because WATCH OUT--- Gary and I take pictures non-stop.

That's right, based on the title of this entry, you can imagine after only being on this earth for 2 months and we've got now, close to 600 pictures of Arwyn.

We still need to send out her announcement picture, but in the meantime, we printed out the first 350 or so pictures. In our rec room, they are spread out everywhere as I am trying to organize them from early labor and delivery to just a few weeks ago over the Christmas holiday. I've started a scrapbook-- no doubt you're familiar with those-- but my problem is, I've got 3 others that I'm also working on that aren't finished. Well, a scrapbook, I guess never gets "finished," but I'd at least like to have them completed to present-day.

Arwyn's is taking priority right now over the one I'm doing for my niece, the one I'm doing of our wedding (nearly 6 years later) and one of my brother, sister and me. Its so easy (and way too tempting) to go into the craft store and buy every little cute thing I see for her scrapbook. I tried to pace myself the other day when she and I went. I don't think of myself as especially crafty or artistic, so this scrapbook is taking me a while--- basically I'm trying to make each page as interesting and creative as the previous.

I'm extremely analytical (sometimes my husband would tell you its to a fault) and so I'll look at the pictures, and it'll literally take me hours to decide which pics go on a given page and in what order. Needless to say, I've gotten about 4 pages done, front and back, in the last few days because it takes me so long and well, there's Wynnie :) "Naps only last so long, mom."

It is so fortunate though, to be able to capture and chronicle our childrens' lives in so many different ways; the camera, video camera, digital albums, hand and foot prints (oooh, which by the way, we need to do for her) and journals, like this one.

Ok, admittedly, we bought our digital camera about a month before Arwyn was born. I am sure glad we did. Neither Gary nor I have put it down.... in fact, just yesterday was Wynnie's first time in a restaurant-- we went with a neighbor friend and you guessed it, I brought my camera and we took pictures of her first trip to dine out. Granted, Wynnie slept the entire time-- which was a good thing, I had just fed her and technically, it was her nap time.

The way I see it, when she's older, I want her to see as much of her baby and toddler life as we can possibly capture.

I remember when my parents moved from the home I grew up in to the home where they live now. All of us kids came over to help-- I was out of the house by that point. I remember going through boxes of "stuff" I had kept from grade school on up through high school years-- I mean, I had things like Holly Hobby erasers and cute pencils to my 4th grade diary to momentos from old friends and boyfriends to schoolwork. I transported them from my childhood home back to the apartment I was living in at the time-- and while I was going through them-- sitting in my parents house on the couch curled up with goodies of yesteryear, I remember thinking back to why I kept all that "stuff" in the first place. I kept it all so one day, if I ever had children of my own, I could show them what Mom was like when she was a girl, what she thought about, what she collected, the kind of people she liked and yes, the "variety" of grades she got. :)

You could call me a bit of a "pack-rat." I get that from my dad. He did the exact same thing, saved "stuff" all the way down to particular tools his dad or uncle had that he still keeps today. I mean, we played with the Lincoln Log set Dad had as a child when we were kids!! I love that.

So for me, the pictures we take of her, the videos we make, are so important. Kids get a real kick out of hearing about what they were like when they were babies. They love hearing stories and seeing pictures-- for them, its such a joy to see how small they really were. For us parents, its a much loved trip down memory lane because the time, it does go by so fast. Its a trip I'll be more than happy to make, countless times, I hope, with Wynnie. I want her to know she is so loved, so cherished, so respected and a blessing, a miracle from God.

We've posted some of our favorites so far of Wynnie on the blog page, and Gary and I will continue to post more pictures. Its amazing how in just a few weeks, you really can see a baby continue to change. I'm enjoying sharing her growth with you and I look forward to telling her about this time in her life when whe's older.

God Bless,

Shelby Zarotney

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Jewelry, Hair, Makeup, Boys, Phone Calls-- But For Now She's Just A Baby

Dare I get way ahead of myself, but the other day my mind flashed forward to a different place in time. My mind went ahead about 15 years where Gary and I were smack in the middle of teenage life with Arwyn.

The reason my mind jumped so far ahead, I went to the mall. Let me clarify, I went to the mall to buy a gift for another friend who had a baby and the day I went, Friday night. Yes, Friday night!!!! Its "teenie-bopper" night at the mall. I used to be one of those teens!!!

All around me, I either saw families with their toddling children who's moms and dads ran after to keep within reachable distance, or young teens moving in clusters throughout the mall. Both scenarios are interesting in their own right.

The families, I gazed upon with a warm feeling because this time next year that will be Gary and me, trying to wrangle a 1 year old who will, I am sure, want to climb on everything, go into the stores that look most appealing to her, and freak out once she's way too tired to be there anyway.

The teen groups, I really tried to pay attention to how each interacted in the group. From the standpoint of my child psychology background, you can pick out the leader, his or her sidekick, the friends who are part of the group because of another friend, the mischevious one, and even the wallflower mascarading as someone else in order to be accepted.

The breakdown of teen groups has never really changed over decades or with different generations. In fact, children learn from an early age how to interact in groups and the alpha and the followers are decided early on too, based much on personality traits.

I degress...... as I was watching these teens, what really caught my attention was how young, small and unaware of the world many of them are. Not all teens... but almost by definition, that's exactly what teens are. I mean, it can't be helped, I was that way, we all were. Simply because, we only really know through experience and that's why there are stages in life--- so we don't get too far ahead of ourselves.

So I'm noticing the kids and many of their behaviors and realized, this current generation has the cell phones, blue tooths and ipods, they are drinking espresso and capuccinos.... and in large quantities!!! This generation is growing up with such advanced technology; I mean, my 4 year old niece is learning to read on the computer. Yes, she still has books read to her, but its the computer that seems to be one of her first reading instructors.

These teens, mainly the girls, they've got their hair done, makeup just so, clothes that (I feel) are way too tight and some kid's arm wrapped around them.

Then it hits me.... I am now entering that world all parents live in. I am a parent and one day Arwyn will be 10, she'll be 13, 15 she'll graduate from high school, etc. I know its not going to happen tomorrow, but it will happen. She'll ask us to go to the mall one day, or maybe she'll even try to sneak out (although I hope that never happens), she'll want to drive her friends here or there. In the mall that Friday night I began to feel a little sense of panic. I began to realize how far away from the age of 14 I am, yet at the same time I feel very young. I mean, I am very young!!!! I also began to work really hard at remembering what I was like as a teenager, even a pre-teen and what I felt. I hope to remember those images, those feelings and the things I did, because I want to relate to my daughter, not just tell her things as a parent.

But I guess we have that perspective because we've been there. For now, today (and the next couple of years) I am going to enjoy her as a baby. But you can bet, my husband and I are stocking piling our "arsenal" of advice, values, family events and preparing for the "I can't stand you!" statement. I'm not blinded by my rose-colored glasses, challenging moments will arrive.

That's why there are stages, and right now we're going to keep enjoying the baby stage. She is so precious, such an angel. I'll try to stay clear of the mall on Friday nights.

In the meantime, God bless the children.

Shelby Zarotney

My Husband: My Love, My Friend, My Life-Partner, My "Middle-of-the-Night-She's-Crying-Needs-Fed" Teammate...Friday, Jan. 4th, 2007...

I was sure I heard it, crying. I was sure of it. Somewhere, in the middle of the night, through a sea of dreams and the fog of sleep deprivation, I was sure of it. Every baby's cries are distinct, and Arwyn's.... well I think I know all of hers. But getting back to this strange awakening....

I stirred a bit and thought maybe I'm dreaming about her, and big surprise--- she's crying in my dream. But then I heard another voice, this one deep, steady and comforting. It was then I realized this wasn't a dream.... this is real life, and that deep, steady, comforting voice is that of my husband's.

In the last week, we've been sleeping on the futon in Arwyn's room as we develop a routine with her and help her soothe herself to sleep at night. That way we can both be there, but she's in her own crib.

So anyway, I peered over to my right and cracked open my right eye just a bit....enough in the darkness to make out my husband's silhouette sitting in the rocker glider with our daughter, feeding her a bottle while caressing her hair and telling her stories she's too young to remember. It was another one of those moments where so many thoughts go fleeting through your mind. The one thought that stuck out, how lucky I was to have married such a man and how much more in love with him I am, more everyday seeing him care for our little girl.

Gary's a big guy. He played football in high school and never lost that thick, "I could tackle you at any moment," build. But his hands, so graceful, so soft to the touch on our child's skin, comforted her and made her feel safe, secure and warm. Exactly what a father's hands are supposed to do.

And in that moment, I felt so complete (and ridiculously tired!!). But seriously, its in those moments where I know, without a doubt, we're a team in life, in marriage, in raising our daughter. That particular feeding I think was around 3 or so in the morning, and just a couple of hours later, Gary got up (for real this time) to get ready for work. But that's how it is, isn't it? You're so tired, and don't think you can move a muscle, don't think you can get up one more time, or be alert just enough to take care of your child, then, BAM, you do it and survive.

There are many occasions just like the one I described. We really are a team and share even in those 3 am feedings. Its amazing the grace God gives us and the patience and strength with which to make it through the difficult moments. Its in that grace, and the love I have for my husband who is so attentive, that I feel so blessed.

So let's raise our glass (or bottle as it may be ) to the men in our lives. That their eyes continue to sparkle with love for their families and that their hands continue to be agents of compassion, comfort, security and warmth.

God Bless,

Shelby Zarotney

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Put The Baby Down And Step Away...Wednesday, Jan. 2nd, 2007

First of all..... Happy New Year to you!!!! We celebrated (barely staying up for the ball to drop) at home quietly in our rec room. Dick Clark and Ryan Seacrest were helping ring in the new year at Times Square in New York while my husband and I were doing our best not to "drop" ourselves before we could wish eachother a happy new year and blessings in the year ahead. It was funny though, while watching everyone in NY celebrate by screaming at the top of their lungs, Gary and I "quietly" exchanged good tidings to one another, so as not to wake sleeping Arwyn. Then, we got on the phone and called our parents, wishing them a happy new year too.

Getting Arwyn to sleep at night on New Year's and in recent days before has been, interesting, to say the least. The natural instinct when you see a baby, when a baby is crying or cooing or looks like he or she needs some attention, is to pick them up. Sure, who wouldn't want to hold such a precious, perfect bundle? And more over, what baby doesn't want to be held? What baby doesn't want that warm, reassuring, tender connection with another human being--especially to be held by the person who supplies her with nourishment, love and comfort? But Gary and I have quickly learned, Arwyn-- God bless her heart, all of 7 weeks old now, has trained us and trained us well....

Yep...she cries, we've picked her up. Now, I'm talking at night, from about 10:30 pm on, when its technically what I refer to as "sleepy time" for her and she is more than welcome to drift off to dreamland. Sure, sometimes her cry tells us she needs a diaper change or she's hungry--- but then there's that cry that, you know it, that one in which she's almost saying to you "pick me up, pick me up please."

We've learned to differentiate the cries....sometimes its tough to tell the difference. But we've also learned, if we don't allow her to try and soothe herself, before long we'll have a 3 year old on our lap, who, in the middle of the night, wakes up crying and we're in the rocker with her for hours, well, because she's done a bang up job of training us to hold her all the time.

So now, at night, after her feeding, we put her down, soothe her by caressing her head or her back a bit and tell her "Mommy and Daddy are here and you're fine." She cries, we continue to quietly calm her, she gets quiet we walk away....then she cries and we return and continue the process. It goes on like that for about a half an hour....then BAM.... she's asleep!!! Yes!! Mom and Dad 1, baby Arwyn, 0. While it seems like a tennis match, back and forth until one of us breaks..... Gary and I know in the long run, its a good way to help Arwyn learn to soothe herself and essentially, become a little independent...all the while, with mom and dad looking on, reassuring her about the world. Hopefully it will even help to make her a "go-getter" in life.

It was hard at first, letting her cry it out a bit. As her mom, I want to hold her all day. But on the advice of my sister, who has a 4 1/2 year old, I'm learning to put the baby down and walk away. My sister told me, "Shelby, you've got to put Wynnie down sometimes and let her soothe herself. If you don't do it now, she'll always need to be held, even in the moments where its totally fine for her to entertain herself." My sister, Brie, was right. She'll love the fact that for once, she's the one giving me advice and I'm the one taking it. She's a smart cookie.... I'm sure I'll need to call on her now and again for more "mommy advice."

In the meantime, I'll be holding that precious baby as often as I can when she's awake and ready to be stimulated. She's already smiling, cooing and gazing at people and objects and displaying pleasure while doing it.

The time is flying by so fast.

God Bless,

Shelby Zarotney