Ready for the Cold!

I had to post this picture because he looked so snuggly! I hope I'm not an obnoxious first time mom posting all these pictures, but I seriously have my camera around my neck most of the day capturing cute photo ops, so I wanted to share. We are learning a lot in our crash course of first-time parenting and here are a few of those things:
1. The inventor of the Baby Bjourn is a genius and if I ever meet this genius I'm giving him/her a huge bear hug.
2. Every baby is different and for all the books I've read and advice I've been given, I have to remember that no baby does the same thing the same way as the next baby. Therefore, I have to respect Samuel for the little individual he is (all the while hoping/fasting/praying he will sleep through the night SOON).
3. Sleep when the baby sleeps, which I rarely do so by the time his bed time comes along I'm practically sleep walking.
4. Remind myself to get all the cuddles in now because he'll never be this little and cuddly again.

Okay, we've learned more, but Samuel is crying so that will have to end this post!

First Christmas!

We've had a fun December decorating and shopping for our first Christmas with Samuel. He is a very alert little boy and his eyes get sooo wide when he is looking around taking everything in. He loves looking at the Christmas lights! We have been rotating his Christmas outfits to get a lot of use out of them before Christmas and he even seems to like his Santa hat. It's exciting to know all of this is new to him and he will only continue to learn and grow. We celebrated Christmas with some of my family last night and will celebrate with Brian's family next weekend. It's a very special Christmas with a new little family member!

Our neighbor did a family photo shoot when Samuel was just shy of 2 weeks old and here are two of the pictures. The shoot was hilarious because it ran into Samuel's meal time and he was not happy! Still we were able to capture some precious memories and we are thankful for that. We are enjoying our little guy and starting to recognize what his different cries mean which is helpful. He is a great eater and weighed in at 9lbs/14oz last Friday. Poor guy has an ear infection right now though and is on antibiotics in only his 3rd week of life. He is hanging in there and hopefully will be feeling better soon. We have gotten out a few times with him and it's been smoother than our first outing to Danny's BBQ. We have not forgotten the pacifier again!

Samuel's First Real Bath

Samuel did NOT like his first full bath experience!

"Help me, mom!"

Safe at last!

We gave Samuel his first real bath this afternoon and it was quite traumatic for the little fellow. After being dried off in his froggy towel he was so snugly in our arms---it was precious! Plus he smelled sooo clean and nice like the Johnson's bedtime lotion that we wanted to eat him up. He is now 2 weeks and 2 days old and weighs 8lbs and 8oz. He is a healthy baby boy and a great eater! Although we are still very exhausted from the lack of sleep, Samuel is a very good baby and allows us bits and pieces of rest now and then:). We've enjoyed lots of visitors and family in the past 2 weeks and I think we are getting chubby from all the yummy food we are receiving! Brian has been off work the past few days and it has been so nice to have family time just the three of us. He has picked up Dunkin Donuts for me the past few mornings which is a bad habit I got into while pregnant--I craved doughnuts and still do!

Things have been quite busy in our household over the last 13 days. We are learning more and more about our little guy and getting into more of a routine. He is such a joy and we are thankful for a healthy, happy baby.

We had our first dinner date with him last Friday to Danny's BBQ. However, it did not go as well as we'd hoped--mostly due to the fact that mom and dad forgot his pacifier so after getting drinks Samuel woke up and was not happy. Therefore, Dad drove around the parking lot while my inlaws and I had dinner. Then I was flustered trying to get out of the restaurant and knocked over a ceramic pig shattering it in hundreds of pieces on my way out. Oh well, live and learn!

Samuel James

Our little guy is finally here!! I'm a little delirious right now so this post will be short, but we are just so happy to have Samuel in our lives. He is such a sweet baby and although we are utterly exhausted it is so worth it when it's because of him! Labor and delivery went well except my first epidural didn't take so six hours later I had another one that was HEAVEN! We had to laugh when we arrived home because we thought we were oh so prepared and realized we had no newborn diapers and the smallest clothes we had were 0-3 (not newborn). So, we did some quick shopping. We've had lots of help which has been great. Tons of meals coming in and my mom has been a lifesaver! This parenting/feeding thing is definitely not for the faint of heart, but I guess that is why God made babies so adorable--because they are so worth it!

No room at the inn!

Hi Everyone,
I thought this would be a blog filled with pictures of our new baby or at least I thought I'd be in labor by now, but NOPE to both! We were supposed to check into the hospital last night, but they had no birthing rooms empty and told us to be on call. Well, the call never came so I called this morning and they said they are still completely full so I should go to lunch or shopping and enjoy my day because it could be tonight or tomorrow before we are checked in. It's kind of funny since I've told everyone that we were having peanut today and now we are at home watching TV eating doughnuts:). I don't mind though because I'm hoping it gives my body an extra day to do some of this on its own! And, the baby gets more cook time. So, hopefully my next post will be pictures of the baby, but I have no idea what day he'll be here now. It's a waiting game!

Officially Overdue

This is my last prego picture (taken at 40 weeks/2 days) because one way or another by this Wednesday our little guy will be here. I need to update my poll because I think he is going to pass all the dates (sorry Dad V, Mom, and Teecy--they all had birthdays that were on the poll). We have nested every weekend since my 35th week. I really don't think there is more I can do to get ready! Today I actually washed/dried/packed all the clothes I wanted to take to goodwill. I've vacuumed my house so many times in the last month I can't count and every weekend I do a frig purging to make room for the meals my sweet friends have volunteered to bring over. We put together the bouncy seat, diaper pail, pack-n-play, and gym and the batteries are in place. I even scattered some of these items in different rooms since I really don't know where I'll be using them. I've read so many baby books that I think I'm more confused than ever, but we'll figure it out. My bag & peanut's have been packed for a month and I've taken his little outfits from the bag and "played" with them a million times. I've started stocking up in ridiculous quantities on items such as paper towels, toilet paper and dish detergent like we will never be able to go to grocery store again. It's so funny how nervous energy can make you do crazy things! I know that no matter how much we nest/prepare that real life experience is going to be the best education we will receive.

So, in two days we will check into the hospital and by Wednesday night our little son will be in our arms! It is such a surreal feeling. I think I've said to my hubby 50 times this weekend, "can you believe on Wednesday or sooner we'll meet our son!!?!?!" And, then I go on to probe him to share his deepest feelings on the matter:). We are so overjoyed, scared out of our minds, giddy, nervous, excited and just sort of oblivious to what having a baby will really be like. Over the last 40 1/2 weeks I've felt like I've been preparing for the biggest exam of my life and it will be time to use every bit of advice and book knowledge on Wednesday. Except this exam is one that will last a lifetime. I'm sure we will make our fair share of mistakes along the way, but thankfully we will get many second chances as we stumble through this new thing called parenthood. And, it is all worth it to have our sweet little boy in our lives. Thank you all for keeping us in your prayers. We will be so excited to introduce you to our little boy in a few days!!

Fully roasted, but no peanut

Well, I just had my 40th week check up today and we are a little sad. No new progress in the south, so I have an induction scheduled for next Wednesday, November 7th. We would check in Tuesday night and by Wednesday night peanut will have a real name! There is a 50/50 chance for a C-section with an induction, so we are praying for peanut to arrive on his own. Here lately every Friday when we go out we say, "this is probably our last date night without a baby" and every Friday night we are wrong! So, this Friday night we KNOW it will be the last one before peanut arrives.
We will keep everyone posted if anything new progresses. We have one more doctor's appt on Monday to check everything out so we'll see how that goes. I'll plan to bring my laptop to the hospital to share the good news with pictures of our sweet little guy.
Thanks for your prayers blogger fans!

And Away We Grow!!

I am now 38 weeks and 2 days! The top picture is my 38th week and the bottom is my 37th...I've dropped! This pregnancy has flown by in some ways and poked by in others. All in all, it has been a fun pregnancy and I have no complaints. The sleeping issue has finally be resolved since I discovered our couch is a much better option for sleeping these days than the bed. If I had my guess I'd say peanut will arrive before his due date, but we'll see! We finally got the carseat in yesterday and it was our last big thing to accomplish. We still need to assemble the diaper pail thing, but at least it's not essential. I cannot believe all the items you need for something so tiny! I know the real fact of the matter is that 1/2 the things are for the parents use. Thank goodness for new inventions to help with sleeping, diaper smells and feeding!

We are getting very excited to meet our little boy for the first time. We cannot wait to see his little face and hold him. It's such a surreal feeling knowing that he'll be here within days or at least not passed Nov. 10 which is the latest they'll let us go. We appreciate all the prayers and will keep you posted with this little guy decides to meet the world!

Priceless...

A Labor of Love

Memaw and I weeks after her diagnosis


Anyone who knows me at all, knows the deep relationship my grandmother (Memaw) and I shared throughout my life. Memaw was a constant in my life amid everything else that seemed to change. She was there for school lunches, plays, homecoming, college, graduations and my wedding. Truly, she was a gift from God and I'm so thankful for the 29 years my life was blessed with her in it.

Tragically in 2005, Memaw was shockingly diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor and given less than six months to live. We savored every moment we had together with visits, calls, and heart-to-hearts I will never forget. Memaw was an avid writer and had many pen pals. A holiday never passed without one of her festive cards gracing my mailbox or just a letter detailing what was happening on the homefront. For my 29th birthday, I received my most prized letter from Memaw. The envelope adorned her notorious smiley stickers and sweet sayings as if it were no different from any letter she’d sent me. But, as I opened it, I knew that it was. It was her good bye, her final letter to me. She knew the tumor was growing and in time she would not be able to write at all, so she seized this opportunity to put on paper her final thoughts, advice and undying love for me in one very special letter.

For 20 minutes I read her recap of our past 29 years together as one of the closest grandmother/granddaughter relationships I’ve ever known. She talked about my childhood all the way up to my wedding day and beyond. She gave me life advice for my future and ended the letter – my last letter from her with, “Continue to live God’s way and He’ll bless you. Wear your seatbelt and know your notes, letters and cards are kept in a special place. Love you darling, Memaw” In the days following her death, I found her “special place” in a dresser drawer—it was a box containing every letter I’d written her from the time I was 2 years old.

Now, let me explain the quilt picture above. Two days before Memaw passed away peacefully at the Hospice House, I was looking through drawers in her home just to hold on to anything that was hers. It was then I found a bag with blue quilt squares with different images quilted on each one. All it needed was to be sewn together for completion and I knew exactly what it was. Memaw had started a baby blanket for me and it was for a baby boy!!! It was a project she knew she would never finish before she passed away, but she got as far as she could. By this point Memaw was breathing heavily and not responding (talking, etc...). Yet, during my visit with her the next day when I whispered to her that I found the blanket and I would make sure my mom finished it on her behalf I noticed that she paused in her breathing as if she were intently taking in my every word. I'm so glad I was able to let her know I found her priceless treasure.

Today, my mom brought me the final precious product seen above. It is so neat that she was able to finish where Memaw left off and "peanut" will always know the love that was put into his blanket from both Memaw and my mom. Of course I've shed more than a few tears looking at the blanket knowing how proud Memaw would be of it. I cannot wait to wrap him up in the blanket at the hospital and know that a piece of my grandmother is there with us!

Different Shower, Same Dress

My mom the lovely hostess...

Dolly has now officially been at all of my baby showers--what a trooper


Dolly, it's okay that you love shower food!

A few of my aunts and cousins...

Yummy cake!




This past weekend my mom threw me a family shower. It was so nice to visit with my aunts, cousins and grandmother all the while indulging in yummy shower food. We had a nice afternoon and I received a lot of nice gifts. Dolly and Leland were going to fly out of Raleigh on Sunday morning so they spent Saturday night with us. They made it for the tail end of the shower which was fun. This was my last shower, so now we just wait for this little guy to make his grand entrance! Oh, and I am wearing the same dress as my last shower a week ago...I mean I have 5 1/2 weeks left so I'm not investing in more maternity clothes!

Baby Shower

Here are the two proud grandma's!

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Some of the guests...

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Dolly was so sweet to come down from VA to be at my shower.

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Heather, Amy, Merritt and Jessica--the shower planning girls (oh, and Amanda but she is on her way home from South Africa). They made everything so nice for my shower. I loved everything about it!

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My friend Jenna made the awesome cake...obviously mom and peanut loved it!

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Somehow Brian always manages to make it to the tail end of the showers and usually is caught around the food table.

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Jenna's cake creation...pound cake with raspberries and cream cheese frosting!

This past weekend I had a baby shower hosted by some of my close friends here in Raleigh. I was blown away with all the details that made it so special. It was a 1:00pm luncheon and the food was incredible...I've never seen such a spread!! Luckily I went home with a lot of the extras so I'm still reaping the rewards of their cooking abilities. The decorations were so cute and classy too. They even had my favorite flowers, blue hydrangeas, displayed in teapots around Jessica's house. The favors were adorable little personalized tea boxes. I loved all the games, the guests, the food and the gifts! I felt so loved and overwhelmed with everyone's generosity and the time/effort the girls put into my shower. Thank you so much!!

Peanut has a real nursery!

Finally, our little guy has a room that is almost complete. For all who know my husband, the theme is obvious---GOLF. We had fun getting his room all ready and we were very happy with how the golf painting turned out. She also put little bees over the windows because our bedding has bees on it (golf bedding is non-existent!). Be on the lookout for a new post about peanut's shower!

A Taste of the South for my Northern Sister-In-Law

Oh, where do I even begin in describing my sister-in-law? She is truly one of a kind in so many ways. She's hilarious, completely impulsive, always up for a good time, extremely ambitious and a female version of her dear father. For those of you who do not know the story, the weekend I met Brian at my friend Brett's wedding, Lynnie marched up to me at the rehearsal dinner and asked if I'd be interested in marrying her brother because she could see herself spending holidays with me. Little did any of us know that two years later I would indeed be marrying her brother.
Another tidbit about Lynnie is that she is a proud Northerner through and through! She loves the blizzards, accents, cable knit sweaters and of course the beauty of New England. However, after living in Boston, CT, and NJ for almost two decades, Lynnie decided it was time to hit the South and so she moved to our neck of the woods. Bless her Northern heart....she just happened to pick the hottest summer on record in NC to join the ranks of those of us stowed away in our air conditioned homes until mid-September. She was a trooper (well, she did have her raving fits about the heat now and again) and decided she was going to give the South her all. Over the last eight weeks I've tried my best to make her a Southern belle. I couldn't wait to introduce her to the simple joys of sweet tea and good 'ole Danny's BBQ. She never caved. However, today I was able to convince her to join me at one of the cutest tearooms in the area. She was a real sport even agreeing to play dress up in the feathery hats and colorful boas. After sipping on tea, nibbling on scones and lots of lively conversation I believe Lynnie truly enjoyed her taste of the South. We had a great time!

One thing I must note, however...in two weeks my dear sister-in-law is moving back North to Massachusetts after only 2 1/2 months "roughin" it in the South. Again, this deserves another, "Bless her little Northern heart"....

Mom and Dad V are mending nicely

In my blog entitled, "Papa's Gotta Brand New Hip" I explained how my sweet father-in-law (Dad V) had hip replacement surgery a few weeks ago. Well, here is an update--he is doing GREAT! It was a very rough week post surgery for him (and for me when I had to give him shots!) but he says it is all worth it. After only 10 days with the new hip he flew back to PA on only one crutch! The surgeon is going to feature him on the video they send patients to watch before surgery. Dad V is a character so I'm sure he'll add some spice to it! He has his ole spark back and we are thrilled. He started driving again about 3 weeks after surgery and is 100% now--actually better than before!
Now, on to Mom V (my mother-in-law)who had her gallbladder removed yesterday. She was sent home after being in the hospital for greater part of the day because it was outpatient surgery. Although she's in pain today, she is mending nicely. Dad V is doing his best as her Florence Nightingale. We are just thankful all the surgeries are over and successful. Now they will be feeling spunky by the time they come down in Oct/Nov to meet their first grandchild!

Sneak Preview!

Yesterday Brian and I had our 3D ultrasound and it was amazing to watch our little guy wink, swallow and wiggle around. We could have watched the screen all day, but alas, it was over in about 30 minutes. Luckily we have some great video clips and pictures to gaze at until we see him in person in only 11 weeks. The nurses loved his chubby little cheeks and we can't wait to squeeze them:). He currently weighs in at 3 pounds, 1 ounce. The last picture is my 7 month bump. I'm sure there is a fashion rule against pregnant women wearing busy patterns, but I don't care--it's my most comfy shirt!

Our First Birthing Class

Brian and I had our first "Preparing for Childbirth" class last night and it was quite an experience! First, we show up empty handed and immediately notice that every other couple did their homework and brought two pillows and a yoga mat. I swore to Brian that no one had informed us about this, but was busted when he pointed out the instructions on our registration form. I do recall thinking when we were walking down the hall to our classroom that maybe we were supposed to bring something besides our giddy selves.

Next, we start the breathing exercises. After the teacher showed the dad's how to lead the mom's using hand motions it was time to shine. We turned to our spouses and let them take the lead. However, my poor husband was flushed and all confused. Instead of putting up the three fingers for the three "hee, hee, hee's" and then closing his fist for an exhale, he kept putting up more fingers until I thought he was waiting for a high five. Poor guy never got it completely right and we were giggling like school kids. All in all it was such a fun night although I don't know how fun it will be in labor and delivery when we realize we did not retain a single thing!

SURPRISE!!

Brian and I drove to Charlotte last Saturday for Dolly's surprise 30th birthday party. This picture says it all---she was surprised all right! Leland did a great job making sure her 30th was special (and there is more to come because her actual birthday is the 19th). We had Qdoba for dinner and Dolly's sister, Donna, made a mean peanut butter/chocolate cake as well as a key lime pie. We had a blast playing a few rounds of Mafia before the night was over. Happy Early Birthday, Dolly!

Papa's Gotta Brand New Hip!

Brian's dad (Dad V to me) had total hip replacement on Tuesday. He has been such a trooper and the entire hospital staff is in love with him. Those that know Dad V know that he is a spitfire Italian man full of energy and sparkling personality. Some of the scheduling staff even made a special trip to visit him the day after his surgery! He'll be coming home (our house) tomorrow for 7 days before heading to PA. He'll be running circles around us with his new hip in no time!

Weekend at Dolly's

What a wonderful weekend! First of all, let me say that Dolly is a domestic goddess--seriously! I walked into her beautifully decorated home Friday night to the smell of a Home Sweet Home Yankee candle not to be overshadowed by the scumptious aroma of BBQ cooking in the crockpot. Then I noticed the freshly baked chocolate chip cookies cooling on the kitchen counter-I thought I'd died and gone to heaven! After 3 cookies, 2 helpings of BBQ and literally half the pan of homemade mac-n-cheese, this pregnant girl was fat and happy! And, she didn't stop there folks, she had a pan of just made banana pudding for dessert! I had to brag on her because she is the incredible cook, hostess and wife we always knew she'd be. Leland is blessed, but then again, Dolly got a great guy too!

We had such a fun time seeing a lot of cute places in Lynchburg. Of course I loved our quality time, shopping at cute places, yummy food and pedicures. Leland and Dolly were incredible hosts and spoiled me completely--thanks guys! Oh, and the weekend would not be complete without some affectionate time spent with Laverne and Shirley (Dolly's kittens). Dolly has grown quite fond of her new pets and loves her daily mouse on a stick play time with the little rascals.

P.S.--Several people asked for an updated picture of my bump, thus the top snapshot. I'll be 26 weeks on Wednesday and growing everyday!

Girls Weekend!

What a fun girl's weekend! Teecy, Dolly, Mary and Kirsten flew/drove in for a girl's weekend/my baby shower. Everyone stayed through Monday so we had a fun weekend filled with memories. I had to post the eating picture, because we are all usually congregating in the kitchen around food! Since college graduation we've tried to have at least two reunions a year and we've already met the quota this year. Dolly's wedding was our first reunion in April...it was a wedding fit for a princess and Dolly fit the role perfectly. As soon as she returned from her two week honeymoon in Hawaii the girls started planning for another party--my 1st baby shower! After 13 years of friendship, we are more like sisters and so grateful that God crossed our paths at Liberty University. Here's to lifelong friends and kindred spirits!

1st Baby Shower

My college girlfriends came in from all over to throw me a very classy baby shower. We had a great time eating and catching up. It was fun to reunite with my DC girlfriends and share fun stories from our days in the "big city"! Everyone spoiled mom and baby with adorable outfits, bath essentials, chic diaper bags, blankets, books, a bouncy seat and even a high chair! Even Brian caught the tail end of the shower long enough to watch me open his awesome gifts...including the "I'm told I like golf" onesie. He's training him early!