She's here!!!!!

Addison Grace was born at 6:48 a.m. on Monday, February 25. She was 8 lbs. 7 oz. and 19 inches long. She is beautiful! Mom, dad and Addie are doing well. We leave the hospital tomorrow (Wed.) afternoon. Can't write much right now. Enjoy the pictures! We are blessed!

The nursery!

For updates read last night's blog entry (including a message from the dad-to-be). Below are pictures of the nursery and my "huge" belly as promised.

P.S. I have had some inquiries about leaving a comment. In order to publish comments (which we LOVE to read, by the way) read this...After each blog entry there is a small thing on the right that says "O Comments" or "2 Comments", etc. Click on this. To the right of the page there is a section for you to leave a message. You then can click on the anonymous bullet. Be sure to leave your name in the message box or we won't know who wrote it.


The closet...she has got some cute clothes! I can't wait for her to wear them!


The closet doors closed. Those frames will have her footprint and handprint on them.


Cute curtains that Leigh made. Everything in the room is pink and green. The curtains have pink buttons at the top.


I'm going to put her name in block letters on the wall above the crib. The bumper is too tall for the crib when the mattress is this high. When we lower the crib we will put the bumper up. It is the same as the green skirt.


Jeremy made the shelves


I can't wait to put more on the blank walls...pictures of her!


Fran & Terrianne made this (they go to our church...Terrianne and I grew up together). How cute is this?


The nightstand Jeremy made. It is beautiful! It is made of cherry so it will get darker over time.


I couldn't resist posting a picture of her night-light.


Almost 39 weeks...yikes!

Counting days...and thoughts from the dad

We have officially started a new phase in our lives. We now have a car seat in the backseat of our Volvo and baby monitors in our family room and bedroom. My how our lives have changed drastically over the past year and I know the biggest change has even happened yet!

We didn't do too much for Valentine's Day this year. Since we had our nice dinner out the weekend before we decided to just stay in. Jeremy made me dinner and then painted my toe nails! Pretty sad that little tasks like these (along with putting on pants and shoes) now are so much more complicated. I really have enjoyed every phase in this pregnancy, it's just that I am ready to not have a bowling ball under my shirt. When the nurses in the hospital ask me where I got my pedicure I will just brag on my husband!

Once again NO CHANGE at the doctor's office. I have another appointment scheduled for Friday. I guess then we will talk about how long I wait or if we induce. Jeremy and I are a little freaked out because everyone keeps reminding us of the full moon on Thursday. According to Jeremy's brother's girlfriend, Jenny, who is a Labor & Delivery nurse, the barometric pressure really does cause more women's waters to break. I think I will be on edge all day. One thing is for sure, she'll come on her own time.

I am continuing to work this week. We'll see how things go after Friday's doctor's visit to see about next week. I figure it is better to work and get things done then to just sit around and wait.

I will post pictures tomorrow of the nursery (finished until she arrives and I can put more things on the walls) and of my "huge" belly. Our camera just died right before I got ready to upload them. I say "huge" because the young cashier in Target told me twice on Saturday, "You are HUGE" and then proceeded to ask if she could touch my belly without waiting for my response...and yes, she touched it. I really don't mind when anyone I know touches my belly, but I did not like it when a stranger did it ESPECIALLY after telling me I am huge!!!

With everyday I am getting more and more anxious to meet this baby that has been growing in my belly since June. When I feel her move I find myself daydreaming of what her little feet will look like, will she have curly hair?, will she look like one of us immediately? and so on. Pregnancy truly is a miracle and I feel blessed that we are fortunate to be on this journey.

Love to you all!

************************************************************************
So it's about time, notes from a soon to be father. I will admit, Laura has been great about keeping everyone up to date on the progression of this experience. So I guess it's truly about time seeing we're almost at the end of the tunnel that I post something. This has been an amazing journey for Laura and I, we were so excited when we realized she was pregnant, then it set in...wow! we're going to be parents. Then it REALLY set in, someone is going to be completely dependent on us for everything; and yet, it really hasn't totally set in, it won't until she's born because we'll finally see this amazing bundle of joy and love we'll call our daughter.

The nursery has been pretty fun to work on, it really didn't feel like work. Some afternoons I could hardly wait to get home to continue to work on the nightstands for her. I'm sure my love for woodworking had nothing to do with that though. Laura was very patient with me while I worked on the room. I can be bad about waiting until the last minute... but I knew better on this one. I couldn't chance it if baby decided to make an early arrival. Everything is done now, and has been I'm proud to say for a few weeks as hopefully you've all seen on the blog. As a side note, the cherry tables I've built hold a special place for me, these are the first pieces I built in which I fell the trees and had the lumber milled. I've followed the progression of these tables from standing tree to finished product.

With all this excitement waiting here at the end for the birth of our daughter, I haven't noticed that spring is almost here. Ladies make sure my guys know I'll still be playing golf, most of my friends will never see this blog, only here about it from their wives or girlfriends, so pass that along. I'm sure I'll still play, just not so much.

Well at any rate, thanks for listening or reading our blog, thanks to my wonderful wife for this blog but more importantly for our baby, and thanks be to God for this wonderful baby girl about to be in our lives. So with that, stay by the phone and say a prayer for a safe delivery.

The waiting game...2 weeks to go

We woke up this morning to a blanket of snow. It actually started snowing late yesterday afternoon. We haven't had a decent snow since Dec. '04 so that means the meteorologists are having a hay day! Sadie loves the snow and was very frisky.

We got another awesome surprise on Friday. Jeremy's work gave him a surprise baby shower. He really had no clue. His boss has him pegged. He gave the baby a pair of overalls with little tools all in the pockets...a mini tape measure, mini screw driver, pencil, etc. It was so funny! Jeremy loved it so much that they are currently hanging on the doorknob of the nursery closet. He works with some wonderful people!

On Saturday Jeremy and I had a date! Woo Hoo! For Christmas and for a baby gift, Leigh and Chad gave us a gift certificate to a really nice restaurant in town, L&N Wine, Bar & Bistro. Although I didn't partake in any wine (and they have one of the best wine lists in town), we both had a wonderful meal over great conversation. I think it will be a long time before we will have another night like this. Thanks Leigh and Chad for a wonderful gift!

The nursery is just about finished. We hung shelves that Jeremy made this weekend. The nightstand received its final coat of finish tonight. There are some things I still want to put on the wall, but that probably won't happen until after she is born. We are going to put her name in block letters on the wall (can't do that yet since we don't have her name) and framed pictures of her on the other wall. I'll post pictures soon. Just tonight when we were eating dinner Jeremy said, "I just like to sit in the nursery." I asked him if it was because it was new and he said, "No because of what it is...her room." We both get excited thinking about her and all the memories that will be made in that room!

Some lovely comments said to me lately. Once again, what am I supposed to say in response?:
*Wow, you're huge, you must be due soon!
*You have to have that baby soon!
*You're still pregnant, huh?

Still no change in the labor and delivery department...literally. I have had the same thing told to me the past three Fridays. I am hoping that this Friday will be different. We shall see. Jeremy's sister predicts the baby will be born on the 20th (her daughters are the 10th and 30th so it is pretty appropriate) and his mom says the 21st because it is a full moon. The due date is Feb. 27th...2 weeks! Any predictions?

Who knows when she we will get here? Jeremy and I are getting so excited and anxious to meet our daughter!


Right after Jeremy walked in. He was truly surprised.


Opening up some gifts


Opening up the overalls


Showing off his favorite gift

A great surprise

This weekend we got a lot of things done for the nursery and the baby. We didn't have any plans all weekend so that was so nice. I exchanged a lot of items, did more laundry (washing Newborn clothes and anything she will come in contact with in Dreft) and organized. Jeremy spent more time on the nightstands and built some shelves for the nursery walls. We went out and bought a couple of items we didn't have that we needed before she gets here. The travel system (including the car seat...which we obviously need to take her home from the hospital) and a mattress for the crib (again, a necessity).

We got together with our youth group for Super Bowl. At half time they surprised us with an awesome cake from The Homemade Pie & Ice Cream Kitchen (if you don't live in Louisville then I will take you there when you visit), some decorations and the baby crib bedding! It was such a treat! It was from the youth, their parents and other adult sponsors. We are so blessed to have such an awesome church family! Jeremy wore a suit he has wanted to break out for a long time. Pictures are posted below. It came from a guy at church who once wore it to a fraternity formal when he was in college. Nice, huh? No one could take Jeremy seriously all night. The high schoolers kept wanting to feel the baby kick and move. She did for most of them, but was shy for some others.

On Monday Jeremy and I met with a pediatrician. The practice came recommended from about five families at our church. We really liked the doctor we met with. I was pleasantly surprised by all the great questions Jeremy had (sometimes I admit that I don't give him enough credit). I was happy with the doctor's answer when Jeremy asked what temperature he recommended the thermostat be set on once the baby is here. It will be at least two degrees warmer in our house now during the winter! Yahoo! If you didn't know, I live with the thermostat Nazi. (Although I know that means the bill will go up some. Oh well!)

I continue to visit the doctor's office every Friday. Two Fridays ago I was 50% effaced (or thinned) and not dilated. I met with my doctor at that time. I kinda got freaked out being a little more than a month away thinking she could come very soon. Last Friday I met with a different doctor. (They rotate the doctors since there are 7 OB doctors in the practice and any could deliver the baby depending on who is on call.) She checked me and I hadn't changed at all. She told me not to be surprised if I go past my due date since this is my first. Then I have been told from other people that their doctor said the same thing, but the baby came at least a week early. So what I have come to learn over the last two weeks is...no one knows when this baby will come except for her!!! The good news is that she is 37 weeks, so she is considered full term. I guess we all get to play the waiting game now!


A delicious, cute cake! Look at those pink booties! :)


In front of the cake


The full length view. He's such a dork! The pants are a light salmon color. Even Sadie doesn't know what to think of him.

More pics

I forgot to mention two weeks ago that I got a pregnancy massage. David and Carrie got me a gift certificate for Christmas. It was amazing! I highly recommend it for any pregnant woman. It was a full body massage on a special table. I got to lay on my stomach for the first time since September! I would have been satisfied with just that. Thanks David and Carrie for such a treat!

Thursday was our last class on anesthesia. I'm a little nervous about an epidural, but I know I will be glad that I did it. I think my impatience is kicking in. There was this one girl in the class that kept asking questions that had already been answered. Don't you hate when people do that? Jeremy and I were both annoyed. :)

I wanted to post some pictures that I just received. These are pictures from the lunch a few weeks ago with my wonderful friends from high school, Laura and Robyn, and their moms.

Well, off to exchanging gifts, getting some essentials, organizing the nursery and getting ready for the baby to arrive. Have a fabulous weekend!


A baby celebratory lunch...Robin, Linda, Robyn and Laura


With the gals I love...Robyn and Laura

4 weeks!!!!

Wow! We are down to less than a month and it is hard to believe! In some ways I feel like I have been pregnant FOREVER and in other ways it feels like it has flown by. Soon this little one that been growing in belly will make her way into the world. I don't think there is much more in life that brings more excitement!

We have been busy the last week or so. Leigh (my best friend from church since about grade 5) is going to make curtains for the nursery. We went and picked out fabric. It got me excited about decorating the nursery. I can't wait to see the finished product! On Thursday night my parents, my grandmother (we call her mom-mom), Jeremy and I went out to eat and to see "Phantom of the Opera," the Broadway show. My brother and I got tickets for my mom for her birthday. I work at the performing arts center in Louisville (where the show was) and our friend (and one of my colleagues) got Jeremy and I seats in the 4th row. He works in the production department working all the behind the scenes stuff. It was awesome! The baby enjoyed it too. She kicked and turned the whole time! I will be surprised if she doesn't like music. I sing in our praise team at church and just sing a lot in general so she has been exposed to a lot of music during her life thus far! I sat down and played the piano the other night and she responded to it by moving around. It is amazing that she is not even born and responds to music. Pregnancy sure is fascinating!...sorry, I digressed.

I went to the doctor last Friday and now go weekly. I think by the end of the month I will feel like I live there. Everything looked good and as of right now the baby is head down. I was correct about guessing where her butt is. She pushes it out all day long making my stomach look pretty funny up-close. I guess we have a booty shaker in our hands...gosh, I hope not! :)

This weekend was probably one of the hardest weekends for me. Jeremy and I are youth sponsors (volunteers) for our high youth group at church and have been for over 4 years now. The annual youth ski trip was this weekend. I love to ski, but this year I couldn't ski...obviously. That would have been a funny sight on the slopes! Instead I stayed in the lodge and hung out with other adults and played games with some kids while Jeremy got to snowboard all weekend long. It wasn't too bad, but I sure missed it! When we got home on Sunday afternoon we just relaxed and watched movies except I had a hard time relaxing. I think the weekend wore on my body and I was uncomfortable just laying around on the couch. I was having mini-contractions and she was positioning herself right underneath my ribs. Ouch!

Monday night we went to an infant CPR and safety class. The women said, "We are here to cover the basics and let you know what to do until help arrives." We were really glad we went. We were given baby models with removable faces so we can share the models with other people in the class. It was very strange looking. I should have taken a picture of Jeremy because he was being silly with the removable face.

Our last class is tomorrow on anesthesia...yep, I'm going for the epidural. I'm not trying to be a hero! I really did think about it, but I am most concerned about being too exhausted that I won't be able to push when it comes time. God made medicine for a reason, right? :)

I hope to update the blog at least weekly up until D-day (delivery day that is). We will definitely update this with pictures of the new addition whenever it comes time, but let's pray that we have a couple more weeks left. We hope for at least one more week because at 37 weeks babies are considered full term. There is still so much to do. I started packing my hospital bag last night. It is all setting in that we will be HAVING A BABY ANY DAY NOW!


36 weeks...do I look like I am ready to pop? I get lots of "you are looking really pregnant these days!" comments. Nice!