Happy Birthday, Jenna!

Sweet Jenna has completed her first trip around the sun, her first 12 months, and her first year of life!  Amazing how things are moving so quickly.  She is full of energy, sweet as pie, and beautiful!  Justin just loves it when they can have a play date...and so does Aunt Colie ;)

Watching Otis play in the yard

We love you, angel baby!  Hope your day is fantastic.

How Great Thou Art

Even though it sounds sappy, and perhaps cliche, every morning when I get Justin out of his crib I begin praising God for this wonderful little creation.  This itty bitty miracle I get to snuggle up with and have incomprehensible conversations is absolutely amazing.  Several people assured me that I've never loved anything as much as I'd love my children, but that's something you absolutely can't wrap your mind around until you have them.  Justin is more like an extension of myself (especially since he's nearly always with me...) than a separate person.

Our 7 month old brown-eyed wonder is cutting two upper teeth!  It's not always easy, but I think he's taking it pretty well considering.  If we thought he was a drool bucket before, we had no idea how it would be once teething started.  It just POURS out!  Sometimes gross, but not always.  :)

Justin can also sit by himself now.  That has opened up a new world of play for him.  He's definitely "all boy" and is pretty rough on his toys.  I see a future of patched jeans and broken playthings, bruises, bumps, wrestling, and such!

Otis and Justin are BFF's now!  Well, most of the time.  Otis doesn't always appreciate the ear pulling, and fur grabbing.  They love to lay in the floor together, and Justin will giggle and squeal with delight watching Otis play with a ball or listening to him bark.  I love that they love each other.  Otis marches ahead of me into the nursery every morning and at the end of both naps to get his baby up. So sweet.  :)

We've also experienced healing with his left eye!  Justin was born with a blocked tear duct that mattered up and caused issues from the first night we brought him home.  I clearly remember waking up that next morning and freaking out because he couldn't open his eye because it was so crusted over.  I just knew we'd already broken our sweet boy.  Our doctor explained that most cases clear up within a few days to 6 months, so we diligently massaged, applied warm compresses, prayed, and even tried a few other suggestions with no signs of success.  Since it had not healed by his 6 month appointment, we were resigned to the fact that we'd have to have surgery to correct it, but amazingly, on November 8, his eye was completely better!  No tearing, gunking, mattering, boogering at all!  God is good!

Now that Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's are upon us, I am SO EXCITED.  I've always loved this time of year anyway, but to experience it again through Justin will be so amazing.  I can hardly wait!

Happy Half Birthday, Justin!

How time seems to fly!  Justin is 6 months old (on Wednesday)...halfway to his first birthday.  We are enjoying every moment with our sweet baby.  His little personality is quickly turning into a BIG personality!  Some of my favorite times of the day are when he is just waking from a nap and gets his first glimpse of me peeking over the crib rail.  It always results in the biggest toothless grin, and it melts my heart!

We took Justin on his first real vacation earlier this month.  We drove from Dothan to Townsend, TN (a 9 hour trip with stops for feeding figured in).  He did extremely well under the circumstances, especially since he's never been a fan of the car seat.  We drove through the Smokies taking in the colors, wildlife, sights, and sounds.  The temperatures were in the mid 50's for the whole trip, so it was perfect!

Moving into the holiday season excites me so much!  I can hardly wait to share Justin's first Thanksgiving and Christmas.  This is such a sweet and precious time.  Don't get me wrong, I miss my squishy little newborn, but now that he is happy and somewhat mobile, life is SO fun!  I want to freeze us at this moment and never let it go.  So, I do all I can while he's this age to savor and remember...because I'm pretty sure when he's 13 he won't sit in my lap and let me smell his hair.

5 months!

Our Justin-credible is 5 months old today!  He is growing and changing almost right before my eyes.  It's such a blessing being able to stay home with him and watch him meet milestones--seemingly daily!  He is such a sweet boy.

Justin is already eating veggies!  I make pureed sweet potatoes, butternut squash, zucchini, etc.  He seems to enjoy sweet potatoes the most.  He is also very ticklish!  He laughs and squeals with delight if you even mention you're going to "get him."  Justin also absolutely loves to be read to.  Any book will do, but he wants to see the pages and help you turn them...and possibly taste them if he can get close enough.  ;)

Continuing Education...Mama style.

I've always been a learner.  Not to say that other folks aren't, but in my case, I always found that being a student of ___ (fill in the blank with whatever you desire) was much more natural to me than teaching.  Can I say that the past year has taught me more than the lifetime before it?  It's certainly true. Feel free to laugh (or sympathize) at these observations and lessons from the school of motherhood, and I'll go ahead and apologize if some seems like TMI...

Things learned while surviving newborn-hood...

• Take every premonition and expectation you dreamed up while reading those well-meaning pregnancy books, listening to advice, and planning the way you thought it should be, and THROW THEM OUT.  Go with your gut.  Roll with the punches.
• There are books, articles, and lectures on how to raise your child.  Take them with a grain of salt, and know that whatever choice you make, if you feel good about it, is the right thing.
• Everyone says "You'll never sleep again..."  Not true!  You'll fall asleep sitting straight up, in the middle of conversations, you name it.  Sleep isn't the same, true, but it happens.
• And on the subject of sleep, dad will sleep through those nighttime cries.  Don't get mad at him.
• Breast feeding is a wonderful bonding experience, but not in the first few weeks.  It hurts, it's frustrating, and the baby wonders what's wrong with you...but if you stick with it, the benefits outweigh the hardships.
• If you have a c-section, don't expect to be able to walk upright for the first couple of days.
• The phrase, "This, too, shall pass" comes up wayyyyyy more than you expected.
• Growth spurts are the devil.
• Plugged ducts are the devil.
• Gas pains are the devil.
• Poo stains are the devil.
• Always take a spare change of clothes when you're out.  Hiroshima-sized blow outs happen.
• Extra crib sheets are a must, too...
• Swings, play mats, and nap nannies were invented by GENIUSES.  Get them.
• Take pictures.  Babies change hourly (seemingly).
• Keep a baby book or journal!  You will forget the day to day things that were so amazing.
• Just because you ended up 5 pounds from your pre-pregnancy weight doesn't mean your new found big booty will fit into those pre-pregnancy jeans.  
• And also in regards to the above statement--NOTHING about your body is the same.  Other folks may not notice, but you totally will. Totally.
• You will wonder, "How can something so small poop so much?"
• The first few weeks of baby's life will be consumed with poo concerns.  Never have you ever paid so much attention to poo...amount, timing, consistency, color, etc.
• Even if you never had a silly bone in your body, you will find yourself doing anything to get a glimpse of that toothless smile.
• You will fall madly in love with your husband again watching him hold and talk to the baby.
• You will develop a sense of pride in your family when they hold the baby.
• That outfit you splurged on that he'll grow out of in a week?  Yeah, he just pooped on it.
• Shaving your legs is a luxury.
• If you have a boy, point it down when you change his diaper.  Don't know why?  You'll find out.
• If you have a boy, cover it up when you change his diaper.  Don't know why?  You'll find out.
• When people ask you if you need anything, without hesitation respond with, "DIAPERS."
• You will accidentally baby talk to other people.
• That whole mom thing with licking a finger to clean a face starts early.
• No matter what Stacy and Clinton say, sweat pants and t-shirts are perfectly acceptable postpartum.
• Baby blues are almost unavoidable.  Find someone you can talk to.
• You will mourn your pregnancy as if it was a close relative that died.
• That pregnancy brain that made you forgetful and loopy?  It won't go away easily...if ever.
• That advice about napping when the baby naps...take it.
• Learn how to operate the buckles on the carseat before you try to take the baby home from the hospital and spare yourself the embarrassment.  (no, not us, right??)
• Random things will make you cry:  Johnson and Johnson commercials, not having time to clip your toenails, one of your wedding photos, someone took the last kleenex, etc...
• Even though there was some serious pain, stress, and worry, you will want to have another baby.  Amazingly.

Better late than never...

So I had all these dreams that I'd be blogging about being a new mom and all the joys and pains that come with that, right? For those of you that were initiated into motherhood before me, spare me the "I told you so's"...I get it.  But I love being too busy to update you on the joys of my new life.

Justin Michael made his appearance 3 months ago today.  I'm not all sappy (yet) wondering where the time has gone, but it does sort of blow my mind that a quarter of a year has gone by almost without me realizing it.  Let me tell you, if you want time to fly, give birth.

April 17th was quite a day for us.  We were laboring at the hospital for between 12 and 13 hours before Justin was born.  It was a smooth day up until the end, and from there it was all a little too dramatic.  We ended up with a c-section because Justin was sunny side up (aka not in the right position) and refused to leave his comfortable quarters.  I was placed under general anesthesia for the ordeal as well due to my chiari malformation, and an epidural that had run out right at the 10 centimeter, push for your life, get-this-thing-outta-me point.  So, I was not awake for his birth, and I remember nothing until the day after his arrival.  Really my memory only gets clear from the point we brought him home.  Thank goodness for videos that I have watched, sobbed over, and re-watched innumerable times.

Aside from the soap opera entrance into the world, Justin is one incredible little dude! (Hence his daddy's nickname for him: Justin-credible.)  Admittedly, motherhood has not been the most natural feeling thing for me, but we've kind of grown fond of each other since he came home.  He is such a happy baby, and, if I may say so, is so very handsome!  His little smiles just melt my heart, and make my soul sing.  He's rolling over, cooing, and holding his head up on his own.  He just loves to be outside to look around and explore his world.  I can hardly wait to show him all of it...or at least as much as we can.

As for Kerry and me, we're still the same old us!  We spent so long wondering how we could ever manage to grow from a family of 2 to a family of 3, and now we can't imagine not being this way.   Even Otis is in love with the new addition.  We are tremendously blessed, and we aren't afraid to say it.

We are so excited for what the future holds!

It's the Final Countdown!

(cue dramatic music)

The final countdown is ON...this week we will hit the 36 week mark, and venture into the ninth month of pregnancy. It has flown by and crawled by at the same time (how is that possible?).  Things are still going smoothly.  I'm slowing down, tiring out, and just edging into the "waddle like a duck, would rather wear my husband's clothes, swell like a water balloon" phase of it all.   Several folks have told me I look great for being this far along, but really, does it help to say that to someone who has never weighed this much in her life?!  You're telling me it could be worse?!  Wow.  Haha!  And yes--I know the end result will be worth it and so much more.

Dr. Nicholls says things are progressing right along and that if anything I shouldn't be OVERdue, but then again, do we really ever know when and how these things get geared up?  Justin's room is ready, all his stuff is put together, and my bags are packed, so whenever he's ready I assume I am too.  ;)  Although, I'm pretty sure I'll have that glazed over look of shock for the first few months after he's born.   Newborns are strange and foreign concepts to me--and I imagine to Kerry as well!  He's great with kids, but I've never quite been able to picture us as parents to anyone besides Otis.  Besides, that maternal instinct thing has never been me...hopefully that comes with the territory.  I imagine our mothers will be tired of seeing our phone numbers pop up on the caller I.D.!

Kerry is loving his job, and we are still loving our new home!  We're still working on nailing down a church to attend, but we feel we've narrowed it down to a much shorter list than we started with.  I'm so glad it's springtime and we can get out and enjoy our yard!  It really has been beautiful the last month.  I get tickled watching Kerry mow the grass and pull weeds because that's not really been something he's had to do since we've been married, and he LOVES it.  Good thing for me, right?

Keep paying attention in the weeks to come!  Justin will be here before we know it!

32 weeks!

Oh my...are we really at 8 months!!??  Holy moly!  Not too much longer, and I'll be writing about adjusting to new parenthood.  Exciting stuff!

This past weekend we had our maternity portraits done, and we are thrilled with how they turned out.  Jay from Click Photography is easy to work with and does fabulous work, if I do say so myself.  (That's a couple of the shots up there at the beginning of the blog).  I can't wait for her to take photos of Justin when he's here!

The aches and pains are creeping in on me, but I still feel pretty great.  I get out and walk and exercise a pretty good bit, and the normal chores are still easy enough for me to tackle, and I still sleep like a baby.  I tend to get a little apprehensive about taking care of a newborn, and I know we won't necessarily be winging it with all the help we've been offered.  We attended our childbirth/parent prep/breast feeding classes not long ago, too.  So maybe we're pretty well prepared??  Or not?   AHHhhhh!  Prayers will be appreciated in the months to come--for our safety, health, and sanity!

30 Weeks and counting!

That's right...30 weeks down, 10-ish to go.  Sounds kind of bizarre knowing we've already come this far, but somehow when I sit around and think about it this doesn't seem real.  Even as I typed that I got my little reminder that it IS real in the form of a kick in the ribs. ;)  Sometimes I sit in the rocking chair in his room and just daydream.

My last appointment with Dr. Nicholls went well, and he is proud of us for being "perfect". (HIS word, not mine.)  We had our 4D ultrasound the following day, and just as we thought, he's adorable!  I've started having a little bit of swelling in my fingers, but it doesn't usually stick around all day.  My energy is slowly leaving me again, and I'm back to napping off and on just like in the first trimester.  Everyone says that's normal, and thank goodness I have a little time to give in to the nap urge.  We'll go back to him in 2 weeks--lots more frequent visits now!

Our first baby shower is this weekend, and I'm so excited!  I never liked showers when we got married because the attention made me uncomfortable, but this time it's not necessarily for US but for Justin, so I feel differently about it.  Kerry will also run his first half marathon this Saturday!  I hate I can't be there to support him, but I know he'll do great.  He's pretty great at anything he does ;)

Gettin' into the Groove

Moving day has come and gone, all boxes are unpacked, and things are starting to shape up.  Hopefully we'll be putting on some finishing touches this week when our new bedroom and dining room furniture arrive!  So far, we LOVE our new house home.  I've worked a little on the nursery, and a lot on everything else.  It feels good to have somewhere that's OURS.  :)

Dothan has welcomed us with open arms.  Kerry's job is going wonderfully!  He loves his work and his co-workers, and that makes all the difference in the world.  Our neighbors are all very friendly and have introduced themselves and even helped us out on a few occasions (like the afternoon we locked ourselves out...yeah).  Otis is the only one of us having difficulty adjusting.  He doesn't want to be left at the house alone...think he has anxiety issues?  Never ever has he been this way, and it's very sad.  He's slowly coming around though.  One neighbor has 2 dachshunds that "talk" to him when he's outside, and he's figuring out that I'm here a good bit.  We also have been putting down some throw rugs on our floors so he has traction to run around and jump on the couch.  Poor fella.

We're in the process of searching for a church home, as well.  We visited Harvest this past Sunday, and found it very similar to where we worshiped in Panama City.  We haven't decided where we'll attend this coming Sunday, but we'd like to go to several to ensure we find a place to serve God and branch out.

Justin is still doing well!  He's quite an active baby, and I'm starting to notice patterns in his movements throughout the day.  Tomorrow officially starts the third trimester, so time is drawing near!  I can't wait to meet the little guy.  :)

Signed, Sealed, Delivered...it's OURS!

Today was the big day...CLOSING DAY.  We now own our very first home.  Neither of us have signed our names so many times!  Moving day will be Saturday, and rain is forecast, so prayers would be greatly appreciated for the ordeal.  I will have to post some pictures after the fact to show off the new digs.  Both of us are so excited to decorate Justin's room and make the place ours!

I also went to the doctor this morning for another checkup, and another good report.  The glucose test was negative, and I'm not anemic...both good things.  Mom was with me so she got to meet Dr. Nicholls, and I believe she approves. :)  He says everything is "perfect" and right on schedule, which thrills me because I can be a bit of a worrywart. 

Justin is definitely growing if my expanding waistline is any proof!  There's no doubt it's baby belly and not a "food baby" in there.  Besides that, he moves and grooves a lot more than in the previous weeks.  Like clockwork every evening around 7:30 he has a little tapdance session.  I just pat along and smile. 

Kerry's first week of work is almost complete, and he LOVES it!  I'm so proud of him, and I'm even more proud that things are so great for him there.  Blessings coming down from everywhere!

As Good as it Gets

What an amazing month we've had!  Of course you know about graduation, and probably already know that Kerry passed his boards, and even the packing up process to prepare for the move...but did you know how much answered prayer has come to us on top of all that??  Today was a complete example of that.

We got up early to drive from Panama City to Dothan for my first appointment with our new doctor.  I've not been too keen on the idea of having to switch in the middle of pregnancy, but even from the first phonecall they reassured me that everything would be just fine.  We had another ultrasound to see our precious boy, and since they had a brand new machine, the tech went ahead and did some 4D work just to "play with the new scanner".  I wish someone could have taken a picture of Kerry and me, because we were in such awe at the sight of his face that the room fell silent for a minute (which if you know us, you KNOW that's an accomplishment!!).  After the talking resumed, we decided he's adorable and perfect...and that he has my nose  ;)  We met with my new doctor for over an hour talking about anything and everything that came to mind.  My mind is SO much more at ease now!  And at the end of all that, the man invited us to church.  How do you like that?

Another major concern for us is that we're in a weird gap between insurance coverages right now.  After being prepared to pay a nice sum out of pocket today, the biller looked at us and said, "Oh, you can put that checkbook away.  You don't owe us a dime."  Say what!?  For a record SECOND time today we were rendered totally speechless.  I'm so thankful for these people, you just don't even know!

We walked through our new house again today--this time to measure spaces and decide where furniture will go, etc.  I was so excited to see it!!  We met a neighbor who welcomed us readily.  I have a feeling we'll really like it there. 

We spent the rest of the day doing paperwork for Kerry's job and for the mortgage stuff, and eventually made our way back to Andalusia, both exhausted and overjoyed.  Things really are lining up...things we've prayed hard for over the past several months.  I can hardly wait to see all that God is going to do in our lives if he's already done so much for us.  Somebody pinch me.  :)