Christmas greetings

Christmas cards have been mailed ... so now I will post this here.

I tried to kill two birds with one stone with the Christmas card/birth announcement combo.

Some updates ... from September

In addition to having a new baby, there were some other things from September that I want to record for memory's sake.

(1) Bedtime.

David loves sleeping with all his toys at night. He is pretty adamant about having everything "just right" before he falls asleep. Looks pretty crowded in there to me.

Claire, on the other hand, sleeps with her duckie and lamb and that is about it. She will ask to sleep with Minnie sometimes too. (Minnie takes turns going from David's bed to Claire bed.)

(2) Fall Soccer.

Claire started back to soccer again this month. She is much improved from last year. And she is definitely the fastest runner on her team. See her as #10 below.

David is a big fan of watching the soccer ... or at least a big fan of the water bottle and the snacks that go along with soccer watching.

Claire had her own little fan club at the first game with Meme, Poppy, Aunt Ashley, Evie and Ian there to watch. It was hot, hot, hot that day!

Week 2 ... another hot day!

David & Daddy watching the game.

Claire & Mommy after the game.

Claire got tired of the other team scoring so she decided to play goalie. (Even though they don't have goalies in this league.) It was pretty hilarious. She blocked several attempted goals by the green team.

Week 3 ... picture day.

Team photo.

Warming up before the game.

(3) Carter's 5th birthday.

We have known Carter since he was born and I can't believe he is 5 years old! Carter's parents were part of our group of 5 couple friends who all had our first babies within 6 months of each other. Carter was the first and Claire was the last (and the only girl).

Carter had a pajama party complete with pillowcase crafts, pizza, movie watching in sleeping bags and popcorn (that all ended around 8:30 pm). Claire had a blast and has been asking for her own pajama party since.

(4) Getting ready for Baby Luke.

I spent some quality time with my kiddos the night before I went to the hospital to have Luke. Will usually puts them to bed, but I spent some extra time loving on them and praying with them before we left.

(5) Football. Typically, our September is filled with a couple of trips to Alabama football games. My how times have changed!! Will did go to the Bama/Penn State game with brother-in-law Jon the weekend before I was to be induced. I just prayed that I didn't go into labor while he was gone. We watched the next two games from the comfort of our own couch!

(6) Speech. After two IEP meetings in two different counties, we finally got Claire started in speech therapy through the school system. She is loving her new therapist. I am not loving have to take her over there two times per week, but she seems to be making good progress so it is worth it I guess. Did I mention that it is FREE?!?

(7) Newborn pictures.

The always amazing Jadie Thomas took pics of baby Luke at 10 days old. She still got some great pics despite the fact the he was not very cooperative at all.

Some updates ... from August

Here are a few things from August that I don't want to forget.

(1) A Baby shower for Luke given by my sweet friend Heather with the girls in my now defunct bible study group.

Look at this yummy dessert spread. Cupcakes from Gigi's are always a big hit with me!

And so are pajamas from Hanna Andersson.

Ashley, me, Krystie & Heather ... a fun group of girls and a fun shower!

(2) Claire started ballet at a new studio closer to our house. (Last year I drove her 40 minutes to ballet so she could dance with her cousin, Evie.) Each ballet studio always has their own rules about what to wear, how to fix your hair, etc. At "old ballet" we wore pink leotards. At "new ballet" we wear black leotards and pink tights. When Claire and I were shopping for some new ballet shoes and her black leotard Claire cried that she didn't want to go to "black ballet". Clearly it is all about the color leotard.

Despite the fact that she has to wear a black leotard and despite the fact that Evie is no longer in her class, she has really enjoyed her new class. There are only 4 other girls in her class so I am definitely getting my money's worth. And, it is only 5 minutes from our house! She is also getting to do some tumbling along with ballet and tap, which she really seems to love. She is really close to be able to do a cartwheel.

(3) A princess breakfast ... Claire attended this breakfast with her Aunt Brandi and cousin Breanna. Fortunately, we had plenty of wardrobe choices for a last minute invite to the ball. We opted for Princess Aurora (from Sleeping Beauty) because this is the only princess gown that we have the shoes, crown and wand to match.

Something every princess should know how to do!

What princess breakfast is complete without a prince. Claire kept asking to have her picture made with the prince. Breanna (age 8) told her that boys were "yucky". Claire told her that she thought he was "handsome". Clearly, I have my work cut out for me!

There were plenty of grown-up princesses there as well.

(4) Will played in a golf tournament that is hosted by two brothers in our Sunday School class every year (for the last 10+ years). Will was partnered with their third brother that we don't know and all he heard about leading up to the tourney was how horrible this guy was at golf. But, they actually ended up almost winning the whole tourney. They lost by one stroke in a playoff hole. Oh well, maybe next year. My favorite part of this tourney each year is always after-party that night where we have been known to partake of a few adult beverages and possibly even have a few lawnmower races. Fun times!! Plus, the money raised in this tourney went to support a family in North Dakota who just lost their husband/father following liver transplant surgery. Read his amazing story here. The Arnold family were dear friends of a couple in our Sunday School class.

(5) Another baby shower for Luke ... with my sweet friends in Alabama.

Complete with a yummy chocolate cake from Edgar's Bakery in Birmingham.

A family photo.

My sweet friends who hosted our shower ... Laura, Candice, Kaisha & Heather.

Okay ... I think I have August covered. I hope I can get to Sept/Oct/Nov updated before the end of the year!

Welcome to the World!

Luke Taylor arrived on Monday, September 13, 2010 at 7:01 PM, weighing 7 pounds, 14 ounces, and measuring 20 inches long.

Big sister and big brother are smitten. Mommy and Daddy are too.

More to come soon ...

Mission accomplished!

I had one last sewing project I wanted to finish up before the baby came. I finished it today ... shorts to match the kids' big sister/big brother shirts.

Thank you Daddy Day Care and Labor Day holidays!

I did not make these shirts. They came from the fabulous Jenny Mo compliments of my in-laws. Baby Luke has a matching gown that says "I'm the baby brother". Fortunately, he does not need any shorts as a third pair might have put me over the edge.

We also got the shelf for the nursery painted, purchased the diaper champ and baby monitor, and bought gifts for the big kids from their baby brother. The "to do" list is getting shorter!

37 (almost 38) weeks

Oh my word, could my belly get any bigger? I don't think so, but it does. Each week, I manage to gain 2-3 more pounds. I think total weight gain is now 40-42 pounds.

But, that is okay because THE END IS IN SIGHT! We have a inducement date.

September 13.

I was sad to not be pregnant anymore when I had David. That is so not the case this time. I think the heat and sheer exhaustion have done me in!

Nothing else really to report on the pregnancy front so much. I was dilated to 2cm and 50% effaced at my doctor's appointment last Thursday. My blood pressure is still low and swelling is minimal. (I can still wear my wedding rings.)

My due date buddies this go round, however, are dropping like flies! My friend Mrs. Phillips delivered her baby boy on August 31st (10 days before her scheduled c-section) and Maggie delivered her sweet twins on September 1 (full term for twins). Oh, and Clay and Emily have their sweet baby boy in their arms (4 weeks early) and are awaiting adoption finalization. I have one more friend at church who is due two days after me and as far as I know, she has not had her baby yet!

Claire wanted to by in this belly picture. I thought it was funny that she was standing just like me. (She plays "mommy" all the time. Unfortunately for David, he is her victim. David will be very glad when baby Luke arrives and she can transfer all her "mommying" to someone else!)

Now that we have a date, I have cranked it into high gear to get everything finished up for Baby Luke's arrival. Everything is finished in the nursery except for (1) pictures in the picture frames, (2) a shelf that needs to be painted and hung and (3) name letters. We also need to buy (1) a diaper champ, (2) a new baby monitor and (3) a going home outfit for Luke.

I think that is it! The letters have been ordered and I am hopeful that Will will paint the shelf on Monday. The pictures won't be in the frames until after Baby Luke's newborn photo session. The rest can be taken care of with a quick trip to Target and a children's clothing boutique.

Sadly, I have to work on Tuesday and Wednesday this week, but we have two big mediations on Thursday and Friday that we are trying to get ready for. If these cases settle, I will have a much more pleasant maternity leave! I am hoping to spend Thursday getting a manicure and pedicure and running a few last minute errands while the kids are in preschool. On Friday, we have playgroup, a birthday party and soccer practice, and Will is headed down to the Alabama/Penn State game on Saturday.

A quick survey ... we want to buy Claire and David gifts from the baby when they come to see him in the hospital. Any suggestions?

35 weeks down ... 4 weeks to go!

Finally! Some good belly photos done by a professional.

I meant to do a pregnancy update sooner, but I kept forgetting to take a belly picture, and then decided to wait until after Jadie took our pictures this weekend since I knew she was going to do a few maternity shots. I am very pleased with the outcome!

As of yesterday, I was 35 weeks along. I will be induced the week of September 13-17 (at 39 weeks) so I only have 4 more weeks to go. I have gained about 5 pounds since my last update bringing the total weight gain up to about 35 pounds.

I am going to the doctor every week now. Yesterday, I was dilated to 1cm. Last week, my cervix was still closed ... so, there has definitely been some progress. Over the past 2-3 weeks, I have had some really bad pain in my lower back and pelvis area. My doctor said it was something called symphasis pubic dysfunction, which means that the ligaments that normally keep my pelvic bone aligned become too relaxed and stretchy and that causes pain and instability. My treatment options are Tylenol or wearing a maternity girdle. Um, no thank you in this heat. I will take some Tylenol and just deal with the pain!

The baby has dropped a little bit, which makes sitting more comfortable, but now my belly button has popped out. This is a first for me! The heartburn is a little better now too. I don't really crave anything food wise and can't eat my whole meal without feeling full-up.

The sleep is going much better. I just can't get enough of it. I have been getting in bed right after we put the kids down at night (around 8:30) and I'm still exhausted all day long. But, on the plus side, my blood pressure is still low and I haven't experienced any swelling (yet), which is shocking considering how hot it is outside.

I am starting to get a little freaked out by how soon this baby is going to be here. I'm ready for the baby for the most part, but it's trying to get the rest of my household situated before the baby comes since I will be out of commission for a few days. And work is really busy. Depending on what date I am induced, I only have 10-12 more work days. Yikes!

This & that

We have had a busy August ... and it's only halfway over. Due to all the busyness, the blog has been a little neglected. Here is a snapshot (in list form) of our life over the past two weeks.

(1) We have played outside in the 95-100 degree heat and gotten hot and sweaty. Then acted really silly at dinner.





(2) I've done a lot of laundry due to all the playing outside. These are my helpers ... and yes, that is dirty laundry they are wearing.


(3) Claire got a haircut. We love it except that now she looks SO GROWN UP!

(4) Claire also went for a follow-up hearing exam (which was supposed to be done last summer ... oops!). She has some very mild hearing loss in her left ear due to the hole in her eardrum from her tubes that were removed last year. So, now we get to go to the ENT and have her eardrum patched. That should fix the problem we hope!

(5) Will sanded and painted the new crib. In our hot garage.

It is now fully reassembled in the nursery and pictures have been hung. Still waiting on name letters that I apparently waited a little too late to order. Oh well, maybe Will can hang them while he is home on paternity leave. (Yes, he gets two weeks paid paternity leave ... at least one of us will get paid while we are home with the baby!)

(6) I have been in nesting, I mean organizing mode around the house. Look at all the neatly organized art/craft supplies put away so the kids cannot freely access them. And they are close to the kitchen where we do most of our art/crafting.

I also organized the downstairs toys. All of the junk that was stacked on top of the shelves is now neatly stored underneath the train table. I don't know why I never thought to use that huge, empty drawer before.


(7) We tried out some new local Mexican fare at Swanky's Taco Shop and The Local Taco. Both were very good, but on the fancy side of Mexican food. Of course, I'm more of a sloppy Mexican kind of girl and the kids only eat chips and cheese quesadillas, which are pretty much the same everywhere!

(8) My kids discovered pudding. I don't know why I've never made pudding before. It is a much healthier treat than candy or ice cream, which my kids usually ask for (and I oblige if they have eaten a good meal). I got this 6-pack of pudding for like 25 cents at Publix one day and the kids love it. It's very messy, but very good!

(9) Claire started ballet this week at a new studio. It is about 5 minutes away from our house. She is "a little sad" that she is not taking ballet with her cousin Evie anymore (and she will gladly tell you all about it), but I just couldn't drive her 30 minutes away for ballet every week anymore. At our new ballet, she has to wear a black leotard instead of a pink leotard and Claire has been crying that she didn't want to go to "black ballet." All was forgiven though when Ms. Beth (her new ballet teacher) had Skittles after class and drew rainbows on her hand. She had a really fun time I think!

(10) Will got to spend a few nights at a fancy hotel about 8 minutes from our house for a work meeting. It was bad enough that he was away, but somehow, it seemed even worse that he was so close by and not sleeping at home. We survived even though I can now barely bend over the bathtub to give the kids a bath!

See ... we have been busy. I think they will only be busier as the month goes on as we start back to our Wednesday night routine at church, Claire starts soccer, we get ready to start back to preschool and I try to finish up a bazillion things at work before I am on maternity leave for a few weeks. Of yeah, have a I mentioned that we are having a baby in less than one month now?!? Yikes!! I need to go take a nap now.