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Showing posts from November, 2009

We're Home!

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We drove back from Shreveport yesterday.  We had a great time and they gave us a fabulous shower.  I will post about the shower later with pictures.  After being away from Lucy for a week we were excited to pick up our fur baby!  Lucy stayed at Mom and Pops' house, the equivalent of Disneyland for a doggie!  She had a fabulous time taking walks, supervising Christmas decorating, and being the center of attention.  I'm glad she had some time away because she has recently had a run in with the law.  Yes, animal control has notified us that a neighbor complained about Lucy's barking.  Last week I contacted Angie, a fabulous dog trainer who has helped us in the past to understand Lucy's behavior and make her an enjoyable member of our family.  Angie's interpretation was that Lucy has a lot of nervous energy that may be due to her sensing the baby coming and is likely due to us being more busy than usual and me not getting out to walk her as much as usual, and this ner

Happy Thanksgiving!

We made it to Shreveport and have been enjoying our time to visit with Aaron's family.  Aaron and I are very thankful this year to be expecting our first baby and that we have had a healthy pregnancy.  That's a lot to be thankful for on top of all the other good things we have in life.  I hope everyone is having a Thanksgiving surrounded by people they care for and realizing how much there is to be thankful for.

Heading to Shreveport

Aaron and I have been busy getting ready for our trip to Shreveport for the holiday.  When we are there for Thanksgiving, we celebrate what we refer to as Merry Thanksmas.  In other words, we combine the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.  The good thing about this is that it has forced me to finish a lot of my Christmas shopping and the bigger task, getting the gifts wrapped!  I ran out of time this morning to do a belly shot, but will try to get a picture soon and may double up next week.  We have been so diligent about it that I hate to miss a week! Regardless of the picture, here is the update on sweet pea.   This week your baby weighs almost four pounds and could be up to 19 inches long. And though that's a head-to-toe length, your baby is actually back to a curled-up position (you try standing up in those cramped quarters!). At 32 weeks pregnant , you're likely feeling tapping and squirming instead of your baby's signature rocking and rolling. That's becaus

Visiting Friends

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On Saturday a close friend from my childhood and her husband came to stay with me and Aaron.  Kristi and I know each other from when our families lived on the same street in Houston.  Our families were good friends and stayed in touch after we both moved away.  Then, Kristi and I were roommates for a time at TCU.  Since college we have both been busy with grad school and haven't seen each other in several years, so this was a great chance to catch up!  We had a lot of fun visiting with them and hope that Kristi's husband, Ben, likes the program he is going to visit at UNC so they might be a little closer to us! 

3-D Ultrasound

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Yesterday we went for our 3-D/4-D ultrasound and it was quite amazing. Mom, Dad, and Jeanne' joined us for our first real glimpse of Sarah Graves.  We think she's quite the cutie already! We were able to see that sweet little face! She likes to keep her hands up over her face and seems to grab onto the umbilical cord a lot, but we managed to get her to cooperate some! I love the fat cheeks and those sweet little lips.  I have been in love with her for some time, but having a face to think about just makes me more in love!  I can't wait until we can kiss those sweet cheeks!  They might be chapped for some time! That's the umbilical cord coming down the side of her face, not a long ringlet!

The Search Goes On

Yesterday we met with another pediatric group.  This one is a little closer to our house.  I was hoping that we would be overwhelmingly pleased by one of the practices and it would make an easy choice, but they both have their pros and cons. Our start with this practice was a bit rocky as we had an early appointment and when we arrived the door was locked.  We proceeded to wait and other patients showed up and we kept waiting.  I knocked on the door, tried to call them, and kept looking for someone to flag down, but had no luck.  Finally, after waiting nearly 20 minutes, one guy had the idea to go to the practice next door to see if they had a way into the office and sure enough there was a connecting door that allowed us to get their attention.  They apologized for the oversight, but I see that as a potential flag for how they operate. We met with one of the pediatricians in the practice and she seemed nice, but not someone that I immediately fell in love with.  She was patient in

Don't Stand, Don't Stand, Don't Stand So Close to Me...

This song is all that I can think of now that I realize my belly has grown to new proportions.  I was ironing my shirt this morning when suddenly I felt a burning on my belly and realized that my belly hangs out so far I had accidentally burned it with the iron.  Don't get worried!  It's just a small burn where the iron got a little too close.  Baby girl is completely fine and probably only noticed the feeling of me jumping when I realized what happened.  I have noticed a similar type thing while cooking because I have to back away from the stove in order to keep my belly away from the burner. Maybe I just need a burn resistant wrap for my belly! 

Belly Shot!

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Sweet pea is getting to be a big baby girl! As far as growth goes, your baby's still on a roll, measuring an impressive 18 inches and weighing in at more than three pounds. At 31 weeks pregnant, you can still expect your baby to gain at least three to five pounds, possibly more, before you two meet. Your baby's brain is working overtime these days, developing faster than ever. Connections between individual nerve cells are growing at a frenetic clip, and your baby can now perceive information from all five senses. Sure, your baby can't smell anything right now, but that's only because he or she is still submerged in amniotic fluid and needs to be breathing air to get a whiff of anything. Lucky for you — and your baby — yours will be one of the very first scents your baby breathes in, a scent that will quickly become his or her very favorite. So what's your little dove doing all day while you're busy feathering your nest for his or her arrival? Making faces,

Shower Pictures

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Okay, so here are pictures that I took with my camera.  These are a smattering of pictures of some of the gifts with a few others thrown in.  Hopefully, I will have some people pictures to add to the mix soon. I love these tulips! The roses were so pretty! Except for the pink frilly stuff, this is all cake.  A friend of my Mom's decorated it for us and it looked adorable and tastes even better! The same friend also made these pretzels that have been dipped in chocolate with these cute baby things!  They tasted so yum! Now we can have a clean baby!  This tub is shaped like a whale! I am so excited that we have a bassinett for her!  Yes, it is all setup and waiting for her in our room.  I wanted to test out putting Lucy in it, but Aaron said Angel would have to do as the model. Here is Angel again testing out the Bumbo chair.  It can even hold up a doll! I think Angel's favorite thing is this doll chair.  It is handpainted with flowers.  Perfect for a baby girl&

Baby Shower

This weekend we had the couples baby shower in Atlanta hosted by my sister and several of my Mom's friends. Everyone worked really hard to put it together and Aaron and I are so grateful!  Aaron was a little skeptical about the idea of a couples shower when it was first proposed, but I think he had a good time getting to share his excitement with everyone. I couldn't believe how many people came and how many nice gifts we received.   They went all out with the pink decorations and everything looked adorable!  There was an amazing cake and my sweet tooth has been satisfied by it. We got busy talking and visiting with everyone, so I forgot to take many pictures, but I will update later this evening with pictures we have.  I didn't sleep well several nights before it and we were very late getting home after, so I am moving a little slow. 

Shopping for a Pediatrician

Yesterday we went for our first consultation with a pediatrician's office.  This practice came recommended by a girl I met at a JL meeting (the same one who had the newborn that I couldn't take my eyes off), and one of the pediatricians in the practice is voted one of Atlanta's top 10.  It's not too far from our house, which is another plus.  I'm not really sure what we are looking for in a pediatrician, so it's hard to form a strong opinion.  I liked that they have totally separate waiting areas for sick and well kids, they have a number you can call after hours to get advice or ask questions, during the school year they offer sick appointments on Saturdays, and the staff seemed friendly.  The parts that weren't impressive were the building looks dated and the more important one is that the doctors do not have privileges at the children's hospital.  This means that should she need to be hospitalized, we would have to see some other doctor during our s

Update on Zach

It looks like Zach is going to be fine.  They believe that the injuries to his neck will be able to heal with a neck brace, but will know for sure today when they have him standup and do some more tests.  His friend is going to have jaw surgery and after that they will wait to see if he is able to wake up and be alert.  Thanks for all the prayers.

This could be a serious problem...

I have acquired a craving for candybars that could be a serious problem.  I think about it all the the time.  We had some candy leftover from Halloween and it is almost gone.  A part of me would be glad not to have it available, but another part of me is worried what I will do about this constant desire for the candy and nothing to satisfy it.  In case you're wondering, Twix is my big desire.  Because I am staying away from foods with peanuts in them while pregnant, that has reduced the options for candy that I really like.  Twix is definitely the frontrunner.  I think about eating it in the car, I think about it first thing in the morning, and it goes on all day.  This is a similar desire to the one that I had for orange juice in the beginning of the pregnancy, but there is no way to reconcile that eating Twix bars until your heart's content could be good for me or the baby.  There is no nutritional value for her in a candybar.  Why don't I have a craving for something l

We have a glider!

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About 6 weeks ago we picked out the glider that we wanted for the nursery and it is finally here!  I am really excited about the color and how well the chair fits.  You may recall that I was very anxious about it being too large for the space and Aaron convinced me that we had space for it.  He was right.  Good thing one of us can envision how things will fit! It is very comfortable and the back is a great height for me to be able to lean back and fall asleep.  I envision that we will be spending a lot of time right there in that chair.  The ottoman is great because it can glide, or it has a piece that pulls out to make a footrest for when you are nursing.  I am so looking forward to us holding her and being able to read books to her before she goes to sleep. Thank you Mom and Dad for getting this for us!

Belly Shot!

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Here's what Sarah Graves is up to this week: Your baby's height and weight haven't changed much in the past week, but the big news is your baby's brain gain. Until now, the surface of your baby's brain was smooth. Now, your fetus's brain is taking on those characteristic grooves and indentations. The reason for this change in appearance? Those wrinkles allow for an increased amount of brain tissue — a necessary change as your developing baby prepares for life outside your womb, and the street smarts he or she will need. Another big change at 30 weeks pregnant: Your baby's bone marrow has taken over production of red blood cells (before, tissue groups and then the spleen took care of producing the blood cells). This is an important step for your baby, because it means he or she is better able to thrive on his or her own once born (with a little TLC from you, of course). So it's in with the new (brain cells, red blood cells) and out with the old (lanu

Gumbo Good

On Saturday, Aaron and I looked at the calendar and realized that we may not have another completely free weekend until Christmas.  I have been wanting to make a pot of gumbo, so we decided this might be our only chance.  The weather in Atlanta was nice, but not exactly gumbo inspiring, but we figured we should make the most of the weekend.  I forgot just how long it takes to make what ends up being enough gumbo to feed a small country.  Saturday evening Aaron helped by chopping all the vegetables.  A few onion induced tears and many batches through the Cuisinart yielded about 6 cups of chopped onion, celery, and bell pepper.  I worked on boiling the chicken to make the stock and then de-boning all of the chicken.  The recipe I use calls for 8 ducks, but since I don't have whole ducks hanging around, I went with about 10 pounds of chicken.  Sunday we came home from church and I started on the roux.  This is the part that I had forgotten how long it takes to make. I stood and st

Prayers Needed

First, Aaron and I are just fine.  My cousin Zack was in a bad car accident over the weekend and he and the friend who was riding in the car with him were badly injured.  Please say a prayer that they are both okay and make a full recovery. 

Check-up

We went for a check-up this morning and everything looks good!  My blood pressure is low (not too low), our measurements are on track, and Sarah Graves' heartbeat was good.  She had her back facing out, so the heartbeat wasn't the loud thudding, but we could definitely hear that sweet sound.  I asked a lot of questions about the labor and delivery so that I can put together my birth plan.  It's hard to imagine what it will be like and how we might feel when we have never experienced anything like it.  I guess I'll keep reading and asking for the input of the midwives. We will go back for our next appointment at the beginning of December.  After that we will go every 2 weeks. 

More Shower Gifts

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At the shower we received several very special gifts that will be used for the christeining.  These will also be special keepsakes once Sarah Graves gets older.  They are so sweet and so thoughtful that I thought they needed their own post. My Maw-Maw Yvonne picked out this sweet, little bracelet for her.  It has her initials engraved on the inside and it is just adorable.  What girl doesn't need some jewelry? Aaron's Mom sent this very sweet gift to the shower. It's a little gold ring with a heart on it for Sarah to wear as a baby. It is so sweet and simple. I know that she will treasure it long after her little finger outgrows it. When my Dad was born, an aunt made a christening gown for him.  The gown is beautiful with French hand sewing and all the children in the family wore it up until my youngest cousin was christened.  When my cousins started having their children, my grandmother started the tradition of letting each one pick out a christening gown for he

Baby Shower Gifts

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Yesterday I posted some pictures of the people at the shower and today I thought I would post some of the pictures of the gifts.  I mostly have pictures of the clothes, probably because they get the most oohs and aahs.  What sweet outfits for when she is brand new.  Aunt Nay picked out gowns and this tiny sleeper that has ballet shoes on the feet.  She is going to have a ball with this in her crib.  When she kicks the piano, it makes noises. Our friends Dustin and Lorna gave this adorable outfit with these sweet shoes to match.  And Aaron didn't think she needed any shoes! What a sweet picture frame!  Can't wait to have sweet baby pictures to go in it. This little outfit has a dragonfly on it and all the accessories to go with it.  You know, bib, booties, hat. Maybe with the monitor we will be able to leave her in her crib.  Not sure Aaron is going to want to put her down, ever! I love the little ducks on the feet of the pants! My cousin DeDe made this sweet blanket an