Maddie Moo!

Seaside with Maddie

2009-10-07T10:58:00.000-07:00

We were blessed with the opportunity to spend the weekend at a time share thanks to some amazing friends, and daycare parents of ours. We were given a two night stay, so Allan and I decided to go down by ourselves on Friday night, and the kids stayed with grandma and grandpa Christopherson. It was our first time being away from Maddie for the entire night, but we had a great time getting away. Then on Saturday, the grandparents drove down with the kids to meet us, and spend the day at the beach. We had such a good time. We got to go out, play in the sand, walked up and down the boardwalk, and had a great lunch before the grandparents took off to head home. We spent a lot of time exploring all the opportunities the timeshare had to offer, and enjoyed some time away, if even for just a few days. Maddie got to ride on her first carousel, and enjoyed watching the ocean. We went and got ice cream, and took lots of walks. On the way home, we decided to stop by Cannon Beach, and take some more pictures, and let the kids play in the sand one more time before heading home. It is hard to believe this was only Maddie's second time going to the beach. Hopefully we'll be able to change this, and get over to the coast more to do fun things at the beach. Here's some photos of Maddie's mini vacation for the weekend!

Maddie's FIRST big road trip

2009-10-07T10:39:00.000-07:00

Well... I know it's been FOREVER since I've posted anything on here, however, I thought I would take the time to update some of our adventures over the summer.

As some of you know, this was a very hard summer for us, financially, so we didn't get to do as many small trips as we normally try to do during the summer. But we did uphold our big family trip to Silverwood Theme Park that we try to do at the beginning of August every year.

Maddie had a good time, though living in an RV for four days is not the easiest for a baby. Nor is an 8 hour drive. But here are some fun pictures of our trip! Enjoy!

A Day with Family!

2009-07-27T11:06:00.000-07:00

Maddie got to meet lots of extended family this weekend. We had a good time visiting!

2009-07-14T13:56:00.000-07:00

Well, as Maddie gets older, and we visit the zoo more often, she becomes more and more involved in our trips. On our last excursion, she decided she was ready to get out and see the animals, instead of being confined to just her stroller. I thought I'd share a few of her adventures.

The Beaver, for the first time in a LONG time, was out in the water, swimming. Normally he's just in his little lodge sleeping, where you can't see him. But Maddie was SO fascinated with him. He swam up to the glass, I think because deep down inside, he wanted to attack us. And Maddie would just reach up to try to grab him. She really likes animals. She was just glued to him as he swam up and down the glass, scratching away at it.

She also got out to look at some of the fish and turtles. She wasn't as excited about them, but it was still a fun and new experience for her.

And of course, she had a lot of fun playing in her stroller as well. She was so happy and content, just to be out in the nice sunny weather. Made that trip a lot of fun. We're planning another trip coming up this Thursday. Can't wait! I love having a zoo pass!

Maddie's 1st Fourth of July

2009-07-14T08:37:00.000-07:00

This year we celebrated Maddie's first Fourth of July by attending the Hillsboro parade.

With all the floats going by, the music, and the occasional loud sounds, she actually did quite amazing and had a good time. She got a few toys to play with, her favorite being a little flag that they were handing out. She wore her best red, white and blue, and had a wonderful time. She lasted all the way until the end of the parade, when it started to get so unbelievably hot, and she just couldn't take it anymore. We're hoping to make this a family tradition, considering we've gone every year since Ethan was born. Fingers crossed!!!

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-24T16:25:00.000-07:00

I know it's a little late, but Maddie wanted to share her wonderful Father's Day adventure. She had a busy Father's Day weekend, with a trip to Woodburn on Saturday, and Salem on Sunday. But she broke out her best Father's Day shirt to celebrate her dad, whom she loves so much.

Because Allan wanted to spend Father's Day with his family at Enchanted Forrest, she was able to have her first trip at such a young age. Though there wasn't much for her to do, she was in such a good mood, and was so happy to just be out in the fresh air, even if it was a little chilly.

Me and My Big Brother!

2009-06-04T08:07:00.000-07:00

Here's Maddie and her big brother!

It is so funny to me, how they can look so much alike, yet look so completely different. I'm realizing at this point, how I remembered Ethan having so much hair when he was a little guy, but truth is, he had nothing compared to his sister, who can already have her hair pulled back in to ponytails. But I'm thankful for how different they are! They are two wonderful kiddos to have.

My baby is 6 months old...

2009-06-03T13:50:00.000-07:00

So we're here... Maddie turned 6 months old on May 18th - - I can't believe how fast things seem to be going by. Overnight she got SO big. She's fitting in to all of her 6 month clothes, she's eating cereal and fruits and veggies, and occasionally a cracker here and there. And her head is just FULL of beautiful brown hair. She's still rolling over like crazy, and is fighting as hard as she can to get as little tummy time as possible. (We're hopeful she won't fall in her brother's footsteps of scooting all over the place on her bottom!)
We decided to take the kiddos in to get their pictures taken, since it worked out perfectly that her 6 month fell right when Ethan was turning 3. She had SO much fun, watching them throw toys around and making noise, just to get her to smile.
She got in to a couple of different outfits, and had a few different back drops...
She loved all of the props used, and made sure that each one was appropriately introduced to her mouth! Even if she couldn't pick it up, she'd bring her mouth down to it.
She has a wonderful and infectious smile and I am so grateful to have such a beautiful baby girl!
At her 6 month appointment, we learned that she is doing just fine! Still no teeth broke through yet, but they are sure she is teething. She has moved in to the 65th percentile for height, and the 75th for weight, so she's broken out of that "tiny" phase. We're excited for the months ahead, as she moves in to getting teeth, to eating more solid foods, to using her hands more, and of course, crawling, and on to walking, and so forth. She's such a great baby girl!

Maddie on the Moo-ve!

2009-05-22T08:17:00.000-07:00

Well... since the sun has come out, we've found it more and more difficult to sit still. And of course, there's a lot more community activities to take part in once that big yellow ball in the sky starts to show it's face!

So we decided to take Maddie and Ethan to the Saturday Farmer's Market in Hillsboro! Maddie was just basking in the sights, sounds, and temperatures that surrounded her. We also decided to stop by and see the county building where dad is going to start working on June 1st. And while there, we decided to stop by the BIG Sequoia trees that were once planted by Maddie and Ethan's great-great-great... grandpa?? John Ramsey Porter. They are right next to the Courthouse. It's amazing how much of their heritage surrounds them. What with having an entire street named for them just off of Hwy 47 in Forest Grove, and another giant Sequoia that stands on the corner of B street and Pacific Ave in Forest Grove.

Yum!

2009-05-13T10:25:00.000-07:00

Well... we've reached that wonderful point... Introducing SOLIDS!

Admittedly so, we have not been on top of this as we were with Ethan. But we're slowly and surely getting there. At about 4 months we started giving this little munchkin rice cereal. To which she was NOT a fan. And at about 5 months we felt it was okay to start with fruits and veggies, and juice. And once we introduced those foods, she started taking to the idea a lot more. Of course, she's just like her brother, and has had a hard time adjusting to the solid foods, but we're working through those issues!

Maddie's First Easter!

2009-04-13T09:46:00.000-07:00

Well, we got to have a lot of fun experiencing Maddie's 1st Easter this year. We put together a fun little basket for her. Instead of candy, which is what you would think to put in a basket, she got containers of baby food, which she will get to start eating in a week! She also got a fun little Bubble Machine, a teething toy, and some hair ties, which she'll be using in no time. We also got to get a picture of her in her little Easter dress with cousin Lilly and brother Ethan.

It was actually quite funny to see her reaction when we first turned on the bubble machine. She sat for a moment, taking it all in, and then her expression changed to fear when she couldn't figure out why these little wet things were landing all over her. But it was a lot of fun, regardless. I was just excited that I finally got to put her in an Easter Dress!!! Looking forward to doing that more in the future!

Maddie in the Backyard!

2009-04-13T09:36:00.000-07:00

Maddie finally got to see the wonder which is her backyard, and all the wonderful toys that her brother has collected to share with her as she gets bigger. We spent as many afternoons as we could outside, basking in the sunlight, and playing in the grass.

Maddie fell in love with the swing right off the bat. She loved being pushed back and forth, and feeling the breeze on her face.

She also loved being able to swing with her big brother, who is learning how to swing on the big kid swings this summer! Of course she got to spend some time, rolling around in the grass as well. We had quite the fun adventure outside!

Of course all of her fun, made her SO sleepy!

Four Month Updates

2009-03-24T09:40:00.000-07:00

Well... It's been a while, I know! Maddie has hit her 4 month mark, and she's doing wonderful. She is now laughing up a storm, which is great! She can roll over (though she's only officially done it 5 times), and could you believe it? She is already pushing her back legs up underneath her and pushing herself forward. She's a lot more active than her brother was, that's for sure. She also, hates laying down (unless she's sleeping) so every time she is laid down, she immediately tries to sit up. So pretty soon, I'm sure she'll be sitting on her own. She's very strong, and has such a wonderful personality. She's talking a lot, and spending a lot of time in her exersaucer or laying on the floor with her toy mats.

Ethan is starting to show his few bouts of jealousy with her, though nothing horrible. He's just regressing in his potty training, so we're taking a step back and giving him some time. He's also decided that he will not sleep in his own room, since the baby does not have to sleep in her own room. So every night, at about 2 am, I'll wake to Ethan at the foot of our bed, after he's come in quietly, and trying as hard as possible to not be noticed. But if that is the worse of the issues we have to deal with, than I am okay with that.

So on to stats - - Maddie now weighs in at 12.6 pounds, and is an even 24 inches long. She's fallen to the 25th percentile in both height and weight (which surprised me because she's been chunking up like crazy!). Her head size remains in the 75th percentile (the one trait that she follows in with her brother!). She's started rice cereal, and soon, we'll be introducing fruits, veggies, and juices. She's growing so fast. I'm so thankful to get to be home with her through all these wonderful steps. I always regretted that I wasn't able to be there for Ethan when he was going through them.

Here's her most recent picture! - - SO CUTE!

My First Valentine's Day!

2009-02-23T16:55:00.001-08:00

Maddie's 1st Valentine's Day!

I know this is over a week late, but I thought I'd share my little Valentine! Hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day! Maddie and Ethan spent the evening with grandma and grandpa Christopherson, while mom and dad got a much needed break with dinner at the Outback Steak House, and take home cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory! yuuuum!!!

Please note the most CUTEST Valentine's Day outfit ever! The bib is not part of it, however, it speaks volumes about her!

2 Month Updates

2009-02-02T11:38:00.000-08:00

Well, it's finally happened. Maddie has hit 10 pounds 4 oz, and 23 inches long. What's even more crazy to think about, is those were my stats when I was born! I cannot believe one, just how big I was when I was born! Seeing it in ACTUALITY! But also, just how much she's changed even in just a month. She's in the 50th percentile for weight, and the 75th percentile for height. Which makes her just perfect in my book! haha....

We've been having a lot of fun with her over the past month. Aside from the day to day of going here and there, taking small trips, and just having fun, she's developed quite the interest in more interactive games with mom and dad. She LOVES peek a boo with mom and dad, but really loves it when Ethan gets involved. She looks at him with the biggest smiles in appreciation of her time with him. She also loves tickle time with dad. In all reality, she's developed quite the infatuation with her dad, and prefers to be held by him over mom. But I just chalk it up to the fact that she sees me all day! At least that's what I'm telling myself! But she's really developed quite the amazing personality, and has the most infectious and beautiful smile ever! It's exactly equal to her big brother's! I'm so glad that they are developing quite a wonderful relationship, and we look forward to this summer when we can get her outside in the sunshine, and playing! We'll of course have lots of big projects to accomplish, but we're excited to have her here to help get us through them!

Here are some photos of her up to date! Enjoy!

Updates!

2009-01-03T12:48:00.000-08:00

Well - - Maddie had her 6 week appointment (what with the snow storm making it impossible for us to get her in at a month) and things are looking SO good. For one, I just feel blessed because the Nurse Practitioner who has been seeing her could not stop gushing over how pretty and beautiful she thinks baby Maddie is. But on top of that, she's finally putting on some good weight. She weighed in at an amazing 9 pounds even, and is lengthening at 22 inches even as well. She doesn't like in-betweens I guess! They say she is exactly where she should be, in the 50th percentile for weight, and the 75th percentile for height. So that's amazingly great!

It's funny to think about how just last week we couldn't stop talking about how small and tiny she is, and then all of the sudden, with one doctor appointment, she's so big now! She's getting to be so chubby, and moving in to her clothes nicely! Hopefully she keeps growing at this pace though, so we don't miss any opportunities for outfits! Which I'm sure is out of our control.

She's talking up a storm lately, responding with more and more smiles, and is so much fun. Ethan is doing more and more great every week with her too. Just the other night he came up to me when I was holding Maddie saying, "I want to give Maddie kisses" - - and just kept giving her more and more kisses. And since his new fun treat is saying goodnight to everyone individually, he would go, "goodnight dad", and Allan would respond, then "goodnight mom" to which I would respond, and then finally, "goodnight baby Maddie" - - and no response, then about five more good nights before we'd say goodnight on her behalf. It's really cute! We love love love our little babes... They're just a lot of fun for us...

We'll keep you up to date as things progress, with stories and pictures!

Baby's First Christmas

2008-12-29T13:07:00.000-08:00

Well it was an absolutely WONDERFUL 1st Christmas for Maddie! We had our worst snow storm in 40 years, so her first started out indeed as a white Christmas. We jam packed our week, with lots of last minute shopping, and some fun festive events. We made cookies with Grandpa Doug and Aunt Angie on Monday before, and headed out and about in the horrible driving conditions to get everything ready for her first BIG holiday!

Christmas Eve was spent with both sides of the family, in our grandest of traditions! We ate amazing prime rib with the Christopherson's, and it was top notch as always. In addition to the amazing piece of meat, we had lefsa, which is and will always be my favorite holiday tradition. I hope to be able to have Ethan and Maddie share in it as they get older! We opened gifts, and had a wonderful time! Maddie got some cute outfits, and some small toys! It really was a lot of fun, but honestly, what can you get a 1.5 month old for Christmas? It's tough shopping! haha...

Then we headed over to the Porter's for late night gift opening, in it's finest tradition. We attempted secret Santa's on both sides, and have come to the conclusion that we'd rather go back to the way things were. Ethan and Maddie definitely made out like a bandit.

Sadly, Ethan hasn't taken too much of an interest in Santa yet, so my attempts were futile when it came to putting out cookies, and having gifts left under the tree. Hopefully next year he'll be more cooperative.

Maddie sure was loving her stocking gift opening from mom and dad! We bought her mostly rattles and noise making toys, which oddly enough we never really had for Ethan. It was fun to see her face in reaction to the noises and sights as we opened them. Here's some fun moments of Christmas morning at the Porter household!

I just love the new expressions Maddie is starting to make. Of course she'll still giving us good smiles, and she's starting to talk here and there, finding her voice. It really was an awesome Christmas this year. Our first family Christmas!

2008-12-23T09:41:00.000-08:00

Well in the excitement of the Christmas season, we've started to notice our littlest of little loves doing a first! SMILES! And let me tell you, it is by far the cutest smile I have ever seen in my life, well okay, I lied, it's exactly tied with how cute her brother's smile is. But it is so precious to see her little face just light up. We've found her "smile spots" on her face, where we can tickle her to get a good reaction. It's actually quite precious.

Along with noticing how wonderful her smiles are, we've also been having fun just playing around and taking pictures of her. Daddy especially takes great interest in loving on his baby girl!

I do so adore the family that we've created. We just feel complete! Not that we didn't when Ethan was born, but things just fit, and feel right now! Our wonderful family of four!

The three greatest loves of my life!

and of course, what fun is it being a mom, if you can't play dress up with your daughter! My aunt Monica bought this wonderfully cute little hat for Maddie, and thank goodness, because we have the most perfect season for it. When I put it on her, I couldn't help but laugh, and tear up with joy because of how stinking cute she was in it. It's one of the most amazingly cutest things I've seen on her. So I took some photos, and wanted to share them with you! Enjoy!

and of course she loves it too!

We're just excited as she becomes more alert these days, waking up longer, and spending time looking around. She's so strong, her grip, her neck, just very interested in figuring things out. We're having so much fun going through all of this again!

Maddie meets Santa!

2008-12-23T09:33:00.000-08:00

I must admit that in the Christmas season, one of the things we are So blessed with, is a grandpa (my dad) who has the ability to get a Santa suit! It is one of the most excellent experiences in the world, not having to fight the mall crowds, and pay an arm and a leg to get a good (well, as good as they can get) shot of our kids with some stranger.

So this year, we had our session, first one ever during the day, and later than usual. We dolled the kids up, and got ready to get not only our annual shots, but to get our first Christmas pictures of Maddie with Santa. The experience was fun, and miserable, all at the same time. Ethan of course, in his two year temperament, and no matter how many times was told and shown that Santa was just grandpa, would of course give us no cooperation. But we did come away with some AMAZINGLY cute photos of our little Christmas baby! We will continue this tradition (hopefully) and as the kids get bigger, will come away with some great Christmas memories. Though let me tell you, a screaming child is no reason to not take some photos for blackmail later in life!

Maddie's 1st Snow Day!

2008-12-15T16:51:00.001-08:00

Well - - as most of you around here know, we've witnessed Winter Storm 2008! On top of the awesomeness of seeing nature's winter miracles, it was awesome that Maddie got to see her first snow day so early in life. And so we decided to catch this "Christmas Miracle" on film...

We bundled her up as best we could, and headed outside, to see how she'd react to this cold, cold, weather that we've been experiencing.

In some aspects, she didn't mind the weather so much, but the first initial shock of the coldness was not pleasing to our little Madito!

And then the cold hit... and as you can tell... she was LESS than happy about the conditions to which she was surrounded with.

look at that face... our daughter is NOT a snow bunny!

look how cute Maddie and Daddy are together! What a fun first time in the snow! We love our little bundle of joy... even if she doesn't appreciate the snowy goodness right now!

Christmas with Maddie!

2008-12-11T00:16:00.000-08:00

Well - - as Christmas time is approaching, we are learning the difficulties of baby's first Christmas, when baby is so small still. Though we're definitely making the most of this wonderful time of year. One of the traditions I've really tried to hold on to is always having Christmas photos taken of Ethan, and I'd like to continue this tradition with my beautiful little lady. So we embarked on a photo session with our two little ones, and needless to say, though the experience was less than fun, the moments captured are well worth it.

We decided to find the cheapest photo package we could find (because after all, we're not made of money), and ended up going where we had had Ethan's taken at 6 months for his first Christmas. Though really, they weren't actual "Christmas" pictures. Ethan of course was LESS then cooperative, and wouldn't sit close to his sister without having to "take a moment". So we, I kid you not, got ONE photo of the two of them together. And thank goodness it was SO precious!

Maddie of course was not very cooperative either. We'd have to plug the "bink" in her mouth until she'd calm down, then take it out quickly to get a shot of her, before she'd start crying again. It almost felt defeating! And let me tell you, it was worth the $5 the package cost us. But there were some OH so precious moments caught on camera, that we were so thankful for.

I love this photo, because really, it was just Allan calming our little bundle of fury down because she was SO upset, and it just shows that sometimes, all a girl needs is her daddy!

And in all honesty, who could NOT love that face. She's so amazingly beautiful. I can't get over how blessed I have been with the good lookin' kids that have been welcomed in to our household. I just stare at them in amazement of how so very cute and cuddly they are.

So look for your Christmas cards, they should be coming soon (as long as I have your address) - - though in truth, none of these pictures will be on them! haha... There will be more Christmas memories to share as Santa visits our home in the next couple of days to do our annual photo shoot! But I'll share more later.

Eventually, I plan on being able to take these photos on my own, because I love photography and want so badly to be able to do it for the rest of my life. But for show, I will let the not so professionals worry about getting my kids in good light!

The FIRST Bath at Home!

2008-12-09T12:29:00.001-08:00

Well... our second little one has proven to be just as modest as her big brother. Amongst getting used to the schedule of a new born again, we are remembering the fun of first. Since we had been home for a few days now, it was time to give Maddie her first bath. I had been taught a really good trick by my delivering nurse regarding how to give babies baths in the beginning. So we started with the unpleasant part. As you can see, she was less than thrilled.

But then the fun part began. After getting her full body wash, it was time to wash that WONDERFUL head of hair! And wouldn't you know it, she LOVED the sound of the running water. She calmed right down, and allowed us to run her head under the water. All swaddled up, she just patiently allowed us to finish up with her bath.

She is so precious about getting her hair washed too! She'll move her head from side to side, depending on which side we're attempting to get wet or rinse off. She's a natural already!

It's the best shot I could get of her being held under the faucet, but her face is so precious when she's getting her hair washed!

Then it was finished, and she was at peace! All swaddled up! We had a wonderful first bath, and have had a few good ones since. But we're mostly excited for when she's big enough to sit in the big bubble bath! But we're still quite a few months away from that!

AND THEN THERE WERE FOUR!

2008-11-25T20:43:00.000-08:00

HERE SHE IS! LITTLE MISS MADELYN!!!!

Well, it was a LONG and HARD process, but she is finally here! Her official due date was November 14th, but she decided to wait and make her grand entrance on her own special day! It was a fun, and slightly interesting story, and I wish to tell you EVERY rough minute of it!

On Friday, November 14th, I went in for a doctor requested appointment, to see if I had made any progress toward labor, to which I had not. So Allan and I were given some information regarding induction, which I will say, I was not all that excited for. But because my doctor (being as everything needed to be on her schedule) decided that she wanted me to attempt to deliver before she went on her Thanksgiving vacation. So we were scheduled to go in to the birthing center on Monday morning, November 17th, to be induced via Mistoprystl. She had decided because naturally I was making no progress, it would be a bad idea to use Pitosin, because it was a "losing battle". So we heard the information, and signed our hesitance away for them to do this procedure.

I had called down as I was supposed to on Monday morning, to make sure a bed was available, and a nurse. Originally I was told I would need to be there at 7:30 am, and they would start inducing by 8 am. Well, everyone in the world knows nothing EVER works the way it is supposed to, and so they told me to come down at 8:30 am when I called, and didn't even start the process until 10:15. What were they doing you ask? That's an excellent question, and I wish to goodness I had an answer for you!

Then, slowly but surely, the contractions started... they were light, but noticeable. I laid down for an hour, then sat up for an hour, and then was allowed to walk around for an hour. Inducing was not as fun as you'd think it might be. Then after the first dose, they did another treatment. I again had to go through the same process. My contractions started picking up, to being about every 7 minutes, and not lasting very long. But I noticed them. The nurse then decided because I was having contractions, that it would be a good idea to not do another treatment, and allow my body to try to start it's own natural pregnancy. So at 4:30, I was on my own. And you know what, nothing really changed. The contractions started to get a little stronger, but nothing too difficult to bear. Family and friends sat around, waiting for something to happen. I walked the halls, waiting myself for something to happen. And then at 7:30 pm, the doctor came in, and it was the worse news in the world. She said I was making no progress, and that they were most likely going to send me home (I could have told her there was no progress, because wouldn't you know, they didn't give me the additional doses they probably should have!). She said because I was having contractions, they were going to monitor me for a couple more hours, and then make a decision. To which they did, and then 3 hours later, they told me they'd monitor me for another four hours and get back to me. There were a lot of mixed emotions that I don't want to go in to, and a lot of frustration about the HORRIBLE nursing staff, and the even worse doctor who was treating me. As you know, I didn't like her to begin with. So at 1:30 in the morning, they decided to send me home. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!?! I was SO horribly upset at this point. They sent me with some sleeping medications, to which I did not take, and basically left me with no real resolution. Only fears of what this would lead to.

The next morning, I woke up, and the contractions were still there, VERY noticeable. I was also having some other concerns, so I decided to call and talk to the birthing center, to get their advice. They told me that nothing seemed to indicate pregnancy at this point, and to just kind of monitor things. So for the day, every 5-7 minutes for the most part, I was having contractions, and they'd last about 1-2 minutes a piece. But we didn't let it stop our day. We went out to the stores, stopped by and ran some errands, and just went about our day. And things seemed to keep progressing as they did, but I thought NOTHING of it. Then Allan's brother and wife came over to make us dinner, and help us out with a few things, and I noticed that things were getting far more noticeable, and more painful. So at 6:30 pm, I decided to start monitoring my contractions. They were consistent, every 3-4 minutes, lasting 45 seconds to a minute. At 9:30, I decided to call down to the birthing center, and explain what was going on, and they requested me to come in to get checked out. So needless to say we rushed in, in the most pain I have EVER been in in my life! Okay, that's not true, but it sure felt like it. They sent me to the exam room where Allan joined me, and guess what they found out. I was already at 9 cm. And everything from there was a wonderful rush! They wheeled me in to my room, where I had to rush to get all my papers signed, and my IVY in. Allan rushed calls to family to tell them to get down to the hospital as quickly as possible. And before we knew it, she was on her way!
And she was born, not even an hour later! Weighing in at 7 pounds and 2 ounces, and 19 3/4 inches long. Her official time of birth was 10:45 pm, and her head was FULL of black hair, as you can tell. It was perfection! I couldn't have asked for a better labor, since I got to do most of it at home, and a better delivery, which only took about 30 minutes!

She is so delightful, though we've found her to be SUCH a night owl, which I guess she gets from her mom! But she's so quiet, even when she's all worked up, you could barely hear her. We just adore her little voice!

When she is awake, she's SO curious, she just looks around to explore the world around her. Of course she had a natural tendency to put her thumb in her mouth, just like her brother, but she seems to have grown passed it! We just are in awe remembering what it's like to have such a little, little one around! Ethan is doing WONDERFUL with her for the most part! The only time he really has a hard time is when people come to visit, and they don't focus all their attention on him like they used to. But he's good at helping get her baby diapers, and putting her pacifier in her mouth when she's upset, and he likes to tell everyone who his baby is. Though it took him a while to realize that baby Madie wasn't in mommy's tummy anymore. He really is going to continue to be a great big brother in the end!

Well, I'm sure there's so many more stories to share, however, I need to tend to my little miss! but I wanted to make sure to get everyone updated! Please feel free to stop by and visit any time, as long as it's after 10 am! Or else I won't hear the door! haha. Have a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving. I know what we're thankful for this year!

I'm ready for the big entrance...

2008-11-07T09:30:00.000-08:00

Well - - needless to say, YES, I am one week away from my dreaded due date, but this last week has been the MOST difficult for me (what with Ethan being born TWO weeks early) - - I have been anticipating the labor pains, and hoping that they will lead to the big delivery, however, I have had many many contractions, not close enough to mean anything, yet feeling like I need a sign that the end is coming! haha... I won't lie, I am more scared of this labor than I was of Ethan's, mostly because I know what to expect with this one. But I am sticking to my convictions of a drugless labor, with the support of all my family and friends. Truthfully, I'm more scared of not realizing I'm in labor! I know, crazy as it sounds, but I'm just someone who has a completely different body chemistry than most of the women I have talked to. With Ethan, I was awoke from my sleep to what I thought was a horrible moment of "peeing my pants" - - which I later learned was my water breaking. Never have I felt more ridiculous. And needless to say, contractions to me, really feel much like menstrual cramps, so what if I'm sitting here, uncomfortable as can be, having contractions, without realizing that they pains I'm feeling are labor pains? How crazy am I??? I know... These are the things that are running through my mind DAILY!

Allan has been wonderful this past week, while also anxious for the delivery, because he's looking forward to his 8 week vacation! And I don't blame him! But he's definitely been making me take every step possible. We've gone out walking, and he's even gotten to the point of requesting that I walk on the treadmill downstairs while we're watching shows. Because I'm eager to have this happen to, I'm definitely not fighting his requests. He has been far more understanding to what my body has been going through this time around, than he was with Ethan. But I think my strength through all of this has shown him how much I can handle. Today (11/7/08) marks my last day of doing childcare until after the baby is born. I will take 3 weeks off, and since Allan will still be here, we will transition back in to our daily routines. So hopefully that's a sign that she'll come by Monday! With Ethan, I worked up until "literally" the day he was born. He was born on a Monday, and I was at work the previous Friday. But every other opportunity I've had for this pregnancy to resemble his, has failed me! haha...

So now, it's all down to waiting. At my last appointment (11/3/08) she had said that I had noticeably dropped, however, my cervix was not showing much movement. She said not to be discouraged because it could change at any point, but she was sure I would be in my next clinic appointment. So far, she's right. I go in again on Monday (as long as no labor starts over the weekend) and she'll let me know where we're at there. I am hopeful I will have made some progress by that point.

I am hopeful that the next blog I post will be the arrival of this wonderful bundle of joy. I'd like to meet her. See what she's like, see who she looks like, and am more than convinced that she will be every bit as beautiful as her brother was and is! I just want to hold her in my arms, instead of in my tummy. But I'm convincing myself that it will all take place in God's perfect timing. Well... It's time to get back on my feet. Hopefully something will work in my favor!

Thanks for taking the time to read of my frustrations and fears... I hope all are doing well!!! I look forward to being able to introduce you to our wonderful blessing!

A Day to Celebrate the Little Lady!

2008-10-06T08:30:00.000-07:00

What would my little girl's baby shower be without a Minnie Mouse cake???

It turned out to be SUCH a wonderful baby shower! I couldn't have asked for a better turn out, and better food, and even more important, such wonderful blessings for our little girl. I really was blessed by my family and friends on this amazing day, and there is just not enough "thank yous" in the world to give to everyone to helped planned, and who made an appearance. Here's some wonderful photos of the day, the games played, and the amazing people in my life!

Here is three generations celebrating together. My mom, and her mom, and I, all together, celebrating the arrival of the fourth generation of girls in the family! The last time we had a photo like this was at my wedding, so this was very exciting for us!

Part of the baby shower party. Here are my mom and grandma again, my sister in law Angie, and her mom Diane, and one of the greatest daycare moms in the world, Catharine! I hope they had as much fun as I did, they were such a blast to have at the festivities!

Also, baby Cate, two weeks old, was able to make an appearance. My soon to be daycare addition! I was very excited to get to see her again. She belongs to Catharine, and is going to be roughly two months older than Miss Madi, and they are destined to be Best Friends Forever because they share a name in common (as Madi's middle name will be Kate just like her mommy's)! Her big brother Corbin and Ethan are only 5 months apart, so I couldn't ask for a better Daycare family!

Also joining the party were such WONDERFUL friends of mine, Tammi (who's daughter Tori is only a month younger than Ethan), Mandy (who helped plan the shower, and who also has a daughter Jilly who is 3 months younger than Ethan) and my Heather, whom helped with taking the pictures at the party! What a life saver! I couldn't ask for people who lift me up any better than these three gals! I was blessed to have them there!

My Trisha! One of the many who also helped plan my baby shower, she also did TREMENDOUSLY wonderful things for me! Aside from helping Mandy lead the games, she took me out shopping to be able to have a WONDERFUL baby shower outfit the week before. I was SO grateful and thankful for her pampering! She also picked me up and delivered me home from the events. She's such a good friend to me, and I'm so thankful to have her in my life! What a great hostess (of the many that were there!).

The other master of ceremonies, Mandy, whom made Madi the most BEAUTIFUL picture frames, that everyone signed, to hang in her room! We're excited to get those put up! These two girls really made the events and the day SO much fun! I am so lucky to have wonderful people in my life!

Me and my wonderful Daycare mom Catharine! What an awesome lady. Just had her baby TWO weeks ago, and she's back on her feet like it was no big feat! She's an amazingly awesome lady, and I appreciate her family so much, and am so thankful for the opportunity to get to watch her kids during the day while she works. I look forward to taking them back on after I heal from having little Madi. I enjoyed being able to spend the weekend with her!!! (As her son Corbin's 2nd birthday party was the day before!).

More wonderful people in my life. My mother in law Sue, her neighbor Sarah, my sister in law Katie, and Sarah's mom Rene. Sue and Katie also contributed SO much to this shower to make it So wonderful! I was so blessed by the things they did for me.

My wonderful family! My cousin-in-laws as I call them, Nicole (my cousin Chad's wife), Danielle (my cousin Josh's wife), my aunt Monica (their mother in law) and my cousin Brittany. It was so nice to get to see them and catch up a little.

The table that I made my stake at! There's me, Trisha, Margie (a GREAT family friend, and a wonderful ex-coworker!), my mom, Malaika, and my other great Friend and ex-coworker Sarah (Malaika's mom!). We had fun cheating off each other's game cards, and chatting, and telling such great stories! It really was a fun day. If you didn't have a chance to make it, you REALLY missed out!

We played some REALLY fun games. One being the "Candy Bar Pregnancy" game, where people had to match candy bar names to pregnancy terms, and it really turned out to be so much fun. People got to see candy bars in a whole new light! We also tested people on their "observance" of baby foods, and seeing if they could name them, just by looking at them. Then during the gift opening, we handed everyone a "baby pin", and anyone who got caught saying the words "cute", lost their pin, and the winner was the person who held the most pins at the end of the gifts. It was fun to see everyone put their heads together, and get things accomplished!

The gift table was absolutely covered with such wonderful blessings for our little girl. Thank everyone SO much for being SO wonderful to us!

The food was DELICIOUS. Mandy contributed her AMAZINGLY awesome vegetable tray. It was delicious! I was so grateful for it! And Trisha made Guacamole, Hummus, and brought plenty of chips and dips to share. They were also amazing! And my mother in law made a great meat and cheese tray, with crackers included, and an awesome apple and caramel tray. It really was an amazing spread of food!!! I ate to my hearts content! I hope everyone else did too!

The moments of me opening Madi's WONDERFUL gifts. It was really an awesome day for this little girl. She ended up getting SO much, and we were SO thankful and grateful for that! I look forward to getting it all put away, and now I am just at a loss for what her going home from the hospital outfit is going to be. I gave up my "cute" pin VERY early in the game (on the first gift actually!) because I couldn't contain myself. I was very excited to see the wonderful things that my friends and family BLESSED my little lady with!

New Additions for the New Addition!

2008-10-02T11:06:00.000-07:00

Well, her room is JUST about complete... and as I was sitting, making up a poster board to display at the baby shower, I decided I would share some updated photos of how the room has come along. It really looks amazing. I can't compliment my husband ENOUGH on how great of a job he did designing, creating, and completing her room. He's a great dad! And these kids could not be blessed enough with the wonderful things he creates for them! Here is her new Crib organizer! I had to add a touch of Care Bears to this room, naturally, as it was a childhood passion of mine, and some of the additions are things I have had since I was a young young little girl. This however was not one of them, we bought this at resale, and the colors matched, so Allan was delightful enough to allow me to put it up! I think it's a GREAT addition!
This bumper we were lucky enough to find at resale as well. It matches the colors, and adds a few. It is butterflies, which is one of the three things we've put in the room, and we were excited to finally be able to say that the Crib is MOSTLY complete. Just need a blanket, and we're set!
The crib sheets were a fun addition as well. This is one of four that we've added to the room. I like the color of the stripes, and how well they work in the room! It's very much something that makes me happy! Couldn't ask for things to fall in to place better!
The changing table has started to be organized, with the few things that we have! I love the free samples that we keep getting. Looking forward to getting more! haha... Just needing to change the cloth on the changing pad, and paint the stars on the side, and when that is done, it will be complete!
The curtains turned out AMAZING. Allan really is a great sewer! They are identical to the curtains in Ethan's room, only these are purple, and his are blue! We did both sides of her curtain in the same pattern, unlike Ethan's, who has a Mickey Mouse head print on the inside layer. But they look great in the room!

There's more photos added, of the additional things we've put in the room! Looking forward to sharing things from the baby shower!

HELP! I'M NESTING!

2008-10-01T10:29:00.000-07:00

Well, this last week has been a REAL organizing experience for me. So far we have been fairly blessed with many hand me downs (which I am not complaining, and am looking forward to more!) and some new clothes to add to Miss Madelyn's wardrobe! I have been playing with them here and there, looking at them SO intently, and imagining how wonderful she is going to look in each little outfit we have. But last week, this urge hit me. And just having them piled up in bags, was not doing any good for me. So I decided it was time to ORGANIZE and CLEAR OUT! The only problem, I don't have a dresser for her yet, and we don't have enough storage containers. So it had to start somewhere, and that place was going to be with Ethan's room! I made Allan grab me down the bins of clothes I had stored up in the Attic. Then I brought those out in the living room, along with all the bags of clothes that I have been browsing through. I cleaned out all the clothes in Ethan's dresser and closet that he just can't wear anymore. Then it was down to business. I sorted through EVERY box, picking out the things that I HAD to keep, and putting them in to bins by size, then putting everything I was going to be willing to part with in bags to hand down to someone else. By the time I was finished with Ethan's clothes, I had his bins down to two, one was for birth through a year, the other, a year through his current age. Then I FINALLY had bins to be able to separate out clothes for the little miss. I decided I was going going to keep out the newborn through 3 months, and put the rest up in the closet in the bins, as she grew. I started at 9 pm on a Thursday night, and worked hard on this project through 4 pm on Friday afternoon (that includes sleeping, eating, and playing with the kids!). I was EXHAUSTED by the end of the day, but I couldn't stop. Needless to say, all I need to do with the clothes now, (besides collect more!) is get her a dresser to decorate up, wash the clothes, and put them away appropriately. So my eyesore is not completely gone, but it's not as bad as it was!

I'm excited for the baby shower this weekend! I hope people come! I'm excited to post some pictures, and talk about all the wonderful blessings and games that will take place. I'm excited to share in this moment with all my friends and family! Plus the gifts and attention is always nice to have every one in a while! I won't lie!!! haha... And hopefully she gives me some time to get organized and put away before she decides to make her special appearance!

Keep an eye on the blog for more information to come!

The New Doctor...?

2008-10-01T10:19:00.000-07:00

Well, as many of you know, I had to choose a new doctor to deliver the baby and see me for my last month and a half, as my current doctor has come to retirement. It was a sad day to hear that, as she has been such a good doctor to me, despite my original issues! But she referred me out to another doctor who used to work in her offices, and who practices much the same that she does. I was nervous about what was in store for me, but I knew that no matter what, I had to be able to move on and be strong. So Monday, we tracked off to the new office (which surprisingly is actually just right next door to my old doctor's!) and prepared for whatever was to happen! The office was quiet, and no patients were in there (you would think that would be scary, but we prefer it that way, it means quicker care!!!) and they got me right started with all my paper work. As I filled everything out, they came out quickly to bring me back. First, hitting the scales (because I didn't quite have to pee yet... the dreaded test I have to do EVERY TIME I go in! haha). ONE POUND LOST!!! YAY!!! That's a good sign right. She weighed me twice, just to be sure. I was ecstatic! The nurse was very nice, and helpful, and that made things a little easier. Then we waited patiently for the doctor to arrive. Not knowing WHAT to expect... I had only seen her picture on Tuality's website, to try to bring a little bit of comfort, but wouldn't you know, she resembled nothing of that picture. She was shorter than I expected (which of course is not a bit deal) and had made some changes since that original picture. She was very comforting, and very quick to greet us properly as she walked in. She asked us all the usual questions, then got RIGHT down to business. She mentioned the weight loss, but said it was nothing to be concerned about because of the weight I am at to begin with. She measured my tummy, and said I was a little bit smaller than what I should be... that was surprising to me, because Dr. Arrington always says I'm perfectly on track. So hopefully she was just measuring wrong??? But the bonus to that is that I get another ultrasound if she thinks I'm still measuring small!!! I wouldn't mind another one of those! She said my iron was a little low (as determined by my previous glucose blood draw) but I am not surprised, because I am having one heck of a time getting those prenatal taken everyday. I'm working hard at it, but I'm not a pill taker, so it's very hard for me to be consistent at something I'm not used to! But I'm working on it! But other than that, things went very well with this appointment. I see her again in two weeks, so we'll see where things are at then!

I'M FINE!!!

2008-09-23T14:41:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to add a little update to my latest blog. I had to go in and do my lab last Friday. I dreaded the experience ALL week. Thinking of the worse things that could happen. Getting sick from the glucose, or passing out from the lack of food, you know, the silly things! My right arm was STILL bruised from my first draw, and so I was worried about what it was going to take to get my blood.

Well, let me tell you about my day! I showed up at 8:15 as I was told to, thinking that I was a "priority" because I was scheduled to be there. Wouldn't you know, even RIGHT as the lab opens, there's a line. And the two women working at the desk made no care for their slower than slow work habits, and kept up their banter and chit-chat with the folk they could "relate" to. I had finally made it to the front of the line, when one of the ladies behind the desk comes over. Apparently, she was "concerned" about the lady behind me. The lady insisted she was fine, and would continue to wait in line for one to be open (as I'm thinking you're wasting our time by being over here in the first place!) - - but the admissions lady wouldn't have it. She made her and her son go sit down to wait. Then as she went and finished helping the person who was waiting at her station, she gets up quickly and walks up to that lady she so insistently made sit down, and tells her to come up and she'll help her out. The lady, being a rare breed, looks at me and says, "actually, she was next, I'll wait" - - but again, she wouldn't have it. She told her that her station allowed her to sit down, and that would be best for her, and that I would be helped by the other lady. I was FURIOUS! who wouldn't be? A friday morning in a lab?? She then looks at me and says, and I quote, "I'm going to help her so she can sit down, you don't mind do you" - - not to be a spoiled sport, I looked at her and asked, "Do I have a choice?" - - sorry... I guess I was being a spoiled sport wasn't I??? So anyway, another 3 minute wait, and finally the other lady became available to help me. She RUSHED my paperwork because guess what, my first draw was supposed to be done at 8:30, and it was already 8:35 - - oops... their bad I guess... So I waited about 2 minutes and they took me back... DREADED!!! haha... They explained to me how the lab would work, no leaving the waiting room, accept to go the bathroom across the hall, if I get sick, I need to tell someone, yada yada yada... then they took some of my blood... not cool... I was told only three draws... not four... Then the glucose... at least they had the lemon lime there... I drank it quickly and went to my "chair" to wait for my first hour... BIG stack of magazines in hand.

For three hours I sat there... having my blood taken every hour, and would't you now, from the same arm... because I guess my bruised arm just wasn't being cooperative... Though I will say, for having FOUR draws out of the same arm, my bruise is MUCH smaller than the one draw I had the week before. Weird how that works? - - anyway... Allan's mom and sister were nice enough to take Ethan for the morning for me, and allow me to stay there for the afternoon until Allan got off work, so that I wouldn't get too sick trying to take care of him on my own. They took me out to a LOVELY Red Robin lunch, and my day was all a hazy glucose fog from there!

I called the advice nurse today to discuss my results, rather, to see if they had come in. Dreading the worse of course. She returned my call this afternoon, and wouldn't you know, I'M FINE! She said my levels were completely normal, nothing to worry about... I was so excited that that whole experience doesn't matter, as long as I know I can still have my ice cream!!! haha... But I wanted to give an update since I had posted about my last appointment. I go in again on Monday, and meet the new doctor! I'll let you know what I think!!!

One More Appointment Down... 31.5 weeks! We're getting close!

2008-09-15T16:35:00.000-07:00

Oh Goodness... I hate not having any pictures to share on here, but I just don't take good pregnancy pictures! haha... Well, I attempted my next doctor appointment, my 31.5 week. Eeks... and though it was delightful to hear that I'm doing so well in this pregnancy, with my good blood pressure, and this little one growing right along as she's supposed to, yet, in many ways, this was my hardest doctor appointment.

We did get to hear the heartbeat, and she's now at 140 bpm - - her heart seems to be slowing down quite a bit, and I guess it's okay because the doctor doesn't seem to be alarmed. Yet for me, I'm curious as to whether or not it's normal, or even okay! haha...

After putting off for a month my LEAST favorite lab work, the gestational diabetes blood draw, I was hesitant to ask if the results had come back. With a giant bruise on my arm where they took blood from, I stared in horror as the doctor checked. Wouldn't you know, they were back. And even worse, my levels were "a bit high" as the doctor stated. A BIT HIGH?!? I'm scared. After not eating anything from 10 pm the night before, and having my blood drawn at 8:30 in the morning, I can only fear the worse of this situation. The doctor says it's probably nothing to worry about, that often they come back high, and the second test confirms everything is okay. But here's the kicker, if I thought the first attempt at this lab was horrible, the second one is going to be MISERABLE! I have to show up at 8:15 in the morning, and then at 8:30 they will make me drink that disgusting glucose syrup... hopefully they'll let me have lemon lime! Then, I have to sit there for an hour... doing what? I have no idea... Then they will draw my blood... then guess what??? I'll have to wait ANOTHER hours... then they'll draw my blood again... and if that wasn't HORRIBLE enough, I have to wait yet again another hour, and have my blood drawn one final time. I am so scared and worried... mostly because I hate needles as it is... but the other is because I will be all on my own as this is happening. No one to keep me company or keep me calm. Usually I have Allan to distract me for these things, but he can't escape for 3 hours for this test. No way... So needless to say I'm miserable right now... but I'll get over it...

The other thing that made this visit hard on me, was that it was the final time I would be meeting with my current doctor. She will be retiring from Obstetrics on October 1st, and has referred me to a new doctor. Aside from some of my own problems in my last pregnancy, she has been a wonderful doctor for me. She doesn't BS me, she tells me everything straight to the point, and doesn't worry me over things that don't need to be worried over. I could tell in many ways that her heart was breaking at the thought of knowing she would be leaving a profession that she has practiced her WHOLE career. But in all that, she had given me and Allan her personal contact information, so that she could at least be informed of the delivery. I told her I wouldn't have it any other way. She asked if she was welcome to come down while I was in labor, and we heavily encouraged it.

I'm nervous about meeting this new doctor I'll be seeing for my last two months. But I am sure she will treat me well. Dr. Arrington wouldn't steer me wrong... I don't think??? I'll be starting with her on September 29th, and hopefully will have some great updates about the new doctor. I am hopeful that everything will turn out well as far as this transition goes, and the only REAL fear that I have is that I am "due" on November 14th, and I have to hope that I either go early, or right on time, because she goes on vacation November 19th... SCARY!

Well... there's your latest update... Hopefully there will maybe be some prego pictures in the near future, but I wouldn't hold your breath! haha... The baby shower is coming up soon, so believe you me, there will be many great stories to share from that. And of course there will be a great deal of pictures to share from that experience!

Well, I'll keep you updated as the appointments continue to take place, and I'll let you know about how I feel about the new doctor! Until then, keep me in your thoughts that everything turns out just fine!!! And that my big fears of gestational diabetes is just a fluke! Talk to you soon!

28.5 Weeks - - Can you believe it?

2008-08-29T15:03:00.001-07:00

Well - - we've reached the third trimester, and have had little issues with the pregnancy up to this point. I have had one strained back muscle, which was probably the most miserable experience I have ever had to go through (even more than labor with no meds, if you can believe it?) and I went through one bladder infection, which wasn't as bad because they at least gave me some pain meds for overcoming that! Since it was safe for the little miss. But this last Wednesday I had my most recent visit to the doctor. Of course this little lady has been moving and kicking like crazy, so I didn't have any fears of bad news going in to this appointment, but expected to get an earful about my weight, which I wouldn't blame her for getting on my case about. But I didn't even get any of that. We quickly looked for the heartbeat, and there it was, at a strong 150 bpm as it has remained since her very first monitoring! Occasionally it was a little bit faster, but has always evened out to be about the same pace. The doctor said that she is growing right as she's supposed to, and my prego tummy is exactly where it's supposed to be. So far my blood pressure remains in good standings, which I was worried about because with Ethan, mine started to raise and was pretty cautionary. But this time I'm more mellow I guess! haha... So far no swelling (except an occasional bad night or two) but she is definately treating me a lot better than Ethan did. I think it was because he was so ready to get out and meet these voices he had been hearing that he'd of done anything! The only bad news that we've gotten, is the doctor I have been seeing, and who delivered Ethan, has decided that she is retiring, and will be ending ber OBGYN practice on October 1st. EEEKS! I'm not due until November 14th. So I am in the process of finding a new doctor who will suit my needs for the last month. She did refer me out to the OB next door, whome she says practices very similar to her, so of course I'll be contacting her first! But am very nervous to have to do this so late in the game. But who knows, in the end I'll probably get stuck with some on call doctor anyway (just hoping it's not the guy doctor!). I am hopeful to remain an all natural child birthing mama this time around, so I have to find a doctor who is going to support those desires and needs as well. I have to start going in every two weeks from this point on, and eventually I go down to my weekly appointments. It's amazing how fast this pregnancy is treating me. Eventually I guess I'll have to take some belly shots, but I'm dreading it because I feel like I look HORRIBLE! But I have to have at least one photo to commemerate me as a prego right?!? I'll keep you posted as we draw near to the due date. I'll maybe also write some stories about the Glucose test I am dreading taking in the next week. You never know!

A Nursery DESIGNED for a Princess!

2008-08-18T15:17:00.000-07:00

Here is the beginnings of her walls. Allan picked out the colors from a pamphlet we got at Home Depot. They technically were for "High School Musical" - - or Grease 2008 as it should be called. But I think they are lovely! The room started coming together RATHER quickly!
Allan decided that he wanted Madelyn's room to have some "Depth" and so he went with the crown molding, which isn't a "top" choice for me, but I must admit, it looks cute. He also decided that the ceiling would be painted as well, which again I would not make that choice, but this is his room! haha... I took control of Ethan's room and was VERY particular about it, so I am patiently sitting back and only making sure he doesn't make it TOO busy!
The fan looks SO cute. It has since been modified even more, but he's doing wonderful things with adding colors and depth to this room!
And the border... Allan designed it for the most part, I made a few suggestions, and in the end, this is what we have come up with. It looks SO darn cute that I just can't stand it!
And the infamous Allan lightswitch cover! He has a SPECIAL ability to make things look so cute! I am always in awe of how much talent my husband has. We were sitting discussing last night that you know, we don't have a lot of money, we pay our mortgage, we pay our bills, and occasionally we can go do fun things, but in the end, we've been able to BLESS our chidren with awesome rooms, without having a large budget to do so. We're excited to be able to bring her home to this AMAZING sanctuary that was designed JUST for her. Ill have to do a blog on Ethan so you can see the amazing Mickey Mouse room that has since been transformed and is a room that EVERY kid would want! Let me know what you think!

From Beginning to Now!

2008-08-18T09:09:00.000-07:00

Well - - I should have started this a long time ago, but it's never too late. As all of you are aware, in March we found out that the latest addition to our family was going to be born. It was such an AMAZING blessing because we weren't sure if I was going to be able to have any more babies. We took all the precautions, and kept me as healthy as possible in the beginning to be able to get to the point that we're at today.

6 MONTHS PREGNANT!!!

It has been a better pregnancy than my last one in so many ways. No swelling yet! With Ethan I started swelling before 6 months, so hopefully I can keep from doing so for the remainder of my pregnancy. I have been able to be home working with this pregnancy which I think has helped me to take better care of myself. I have had amazing family, friends and support to keep me feeling REALLY good about how this pregnancy is going as well! Now the only fears I have (outside of worrying if this labor will be TOTALLY more difficult than the last one!) are if I will be able to successfully breastfeed this time around. But I'm looking in to a good pediatrician who offers support, so hopefully things will work in my favor!

In June we found out that our little baby was going to be a little Miss! How exciting! We're like the all American family! First born son and second born daughter! We were so hopeful for a daughter this time around, because we wanted to be able to have some more girlyness in our household! As soon as we found out, Allan was on a WAR PATH to design the PERFECT room for his little girl. He looked through all kinds of ideas, and finally found the room that was PERFECT for his daughter. We started working on it in July as soon as we had funds to start, and we contine to draw closer and closer to it's completion. It's filled with pinks, yellows, purples, and a few other colors mixed in, and the theme, to top it off and add perfection, is Minnie Mouse!!! As Ethan's room is filled with Mickey Mouse, nothing could have been MORE perfect for her. The room looks GREAT! Allan has done a WONDERFUL job! He truely has a talent for these things, there's no doubt about that!

So far Ethan has taken a liking to the idea of mommy having a baby in her tummy. He talks to her, tells her he loves her, and is more than happy to show EVERYONE where his baby is! I think he's going to be a WONDERFUL big brother. They all start out so wonderful though don't they?!? He sometimes gets confused and tells dad that he has a baby in his tummy too. But we're really trying to make him feel like he's part of this whole thing! And he's shown to be VERY affectionate, caring and loving toward his new sister, so we couldn't ask for anything more!

She's been moving around here and there. I definately feel more movement this time around than I did last. The doctor says her heartbeat is strong, that she's growing right as she's supposed to, and hasn't been commenting on my weight gain, so I must be doing okay! My blood pressure has been really good, and hopefully will remain good throughout the last three months. The only problems I've had have been a strained muscle in my back, and a bladder infection, which was not fun at all! But other than that, she's treating me well so far! I am excited for the next three months to pass, because I'm SO excited to meet this little lady! But I'll take it one day at a time, and enjoy these last few months of pregnancy!

Soon I'll post up some photos of the nursery, and some more stories as they come to me! Until then, just keep us in your prayers!