2012

Wow what a year this has been, 2012 brought your daddy & I so many wonderful things but more than anything else it brought us you. You are a whole 2 weeks old today, and I can not believe it! I thought I'd take a moment out of our day to say what I would like to see for our little family of 3 within the New Year. . . Firstly I hope our little family continues to stay healthy, I know this is something that is easily taken for granted, especially in the winter when it seems like everyone we know has the flu! Secondly, I wish for only growth in love between your amazing daddy & I and for you to spoiled in it too : ). Third of all, and I say this with lots of love Harper but mommy wants to lose this remaining baby weight! I have big plans to run & work my butt of with the new year, I WILL be running in atleast one 5k, 10k and a 1/2 marathon this year! I making it a promise to myself & to you. & I will be helping your sweet daddy get into shape as well (: Fourth, I wish for growth in careers for both your daddy & I. I love my photography business and I would love to see it grow! & if it continues to do so I would be able to continue to staying home with you, which I would LOVE! I look forward to taking you with me on photoshoots! you = mini assistant ( : Your daddy also has some big career goals and more than anything I hope he accomplishes them, but I have all the faith in the world in him that he will. Last but certainly not least I hope to grow our relationship with God. I cant wait to take you to church and to see you grow-up learning about & loving the Lord. I could go on & on about what i'd like to see for you & for the future but for tonight I am happy to be snuggling with you & your sweet daddy! Your daddy & I love you so much Harper & we cant wait to see you 2013 has in store for all of us! (: P.S.- You have grown 2 inches already! Such a big girl ♥

Lazy Days

It's a wet and dreary day here, and you & your sweet daddy are napping so I thought I'd write about something that's been on my mind since we left the hospital. This post unlike my others is more advise for other moms to be, as well as a good reference if daddy & I decide to provide you with some siblings down the line.

1) Take a deep breath, ok I know it sounds silly but seriously you will blink and your pregnancy will be nearing its end. It was the first week of May when James & I found out we were expecting Harper, from that point on I remember telling our families,the day we found out we were having a girl, the day my best friends found about our little princess,Marrying my wonderful husband (:, the day I announced my pregnancy on facebook (Ok yes I know that it's a silly memory but honestly I was very nervous about announcing it. Yes Harper was conceived out of wedlock, but she was not conceived without alot of love. James and I both knew we wanted to get married and have a family of our own..someday, but we both feel like God had a bigger plan for us and knew it was the right time to bring Harper into our lives. Hence my favorite saying, everything happens for a reason. Now what does this have to do with facebook? Considering the amount of family and friends I have on my page I was extremely worried about the negative comments I thought I'd receive. Because when your pregnant the slightest thing can make you cry, well like a baby. The judgemental comments never happened for me though, for which I am very thankful. With that said, stand your ground, not everyone may be all giddy that your pregnant but don't let others comments effect you. ) After announcing my pregnancy on facebook it seemed like time flew bye, our baby showers seem to stand out next and then Harper's arrival. I never thought 9 months could come and go so quickly.

2) Accept others advice but remember it is just that OTHERS advices. Only you know how you want to raise your child. (I think that's enough explanation there.)

3) Understand all aspects of labor and delivery. I had braxton hicks contractions as early as I believe 21 weeks with Harper, and I also had back spasms, and back labor for most of my pregnancy. Understand what that is, and how to treat it, seriously otherwise you will be in pain which is no fun at all. Understand how long labor can last, I was beyond blessed that I was only in labor for 5 hours and only had to push for 20 minutes, I know now that this is not typical for first time moms, and even for moms with multiple children. EAT! Ok another one I know that sounds silly, but it was over 12 hours between meals for me when I had Harper and trust me I was starving! The hospital will let you have ice chips that it, now I am not saying go eat a massive meal when your in labor because you will not like the consequences, eat a breakfast bar a banana, something light but filling. Do your research on epidurals! I can not stress this one enough, I have no idea why I though an epidural was just a shot in the back that magically made all your pain go away, umh no. Its an injection of wonderful numbing medicine through a catheter placed into your spine, leaving a small pic line that allows for doctors, nurses whoever to administer more epidural meds during labor. I nearly flipped my lid when I saw a line coming out of my back, seriously. While I do not regret having an epidural I do regret how much medicine I allowed them to give me. I had 3 rounds of epidural medicine in me when I delivered Harper, don't get me wrong I didn't feel a thing, like literally not a thing. I could not feel anything from the top of my belly down. The nurses has to put my legs in the stirrups for me and upon having Harper she didn't cry. I honestly believe it was from so much medication, because trust me my little lady can cry. It took over 6 hours before I was able to stand up by myself, let alone walk. & I never knew that there is something called a spinal headache, resulting from an epidural. After delivery I began having horrible migraines and being very light headed, lying down only makes me feel like the room is spinning, when I have one of these moments I have to sit straight up, drinking some form of caffeine in a dark room.I have to be careful of how I sit, stand, even roll out of bed, I'm managing but it is something that I never thought could happen. One last thing here, check with your hospital to see if they will provide you with ice packs. Ours used baby diapers filled with ice, and trust me it will help you SO much after delivery.

4) You will bleed, its a tmi thing I know but seriously its a major part of it so be prepared. The hospital will provide (ours did at least) mesh underwear and pads use them. Mine were boy shorts and weren't uncomfortable, regardless it was nice not to have to dirty the ones I had brought from home because that's just more laundry you will have to do afterward. & having a baby increases your laundry ALOT! Talk with the nurses about clotting, know how much is to much and what you should expect once you get home. Also stock up on pads not only from the hospital but of an everyday brand; you will use them I promise. Final note here, remember pitocin makes you swell, I look huge in all my predelivery pictures! I had no idea how swollen my face got till I saw the pictures days later.

 5) Make time for yourself, both before the baby is born and after. It is hard, even harder to do when your little bundle(S) arrive but you have to take time for yourself for your own mental/emotional well being. I read so much the last 2 weeks before Harper arrived, messed with her scrapbook, painted, shopped (which resulted in swollen feet of course) and found activities to make me happy & keep me occupied. Now that I am on the reverse end I can honestly say it only gets harder. Naps and long showers are a luxury, without my husband I don't know how I would make it. I have gotten the most relaxation "me time" from the simplest of things. I colored my hair for the first time in over a year, I take a long shower or bath while shes napping or hubby's watching her. I get up everyday and get dressed, I may not always put my make-up on but it still makes me feel more human. I still haven't driven or even left the house by myself, but I am working towards that.

 6) Don't forget about your significant other, make sure they still feel wanted, loved and appreciated too (especially important after baby arrives). I leave little notes for James all time, make sure to tell him thank you and how much I appreciate & love him everyday. I make his favorite meals, and let him sleep late when I can because other than the fact I love him unconditionally and he is my husband, he is also the father of my child, and without him I would never have been blessed with her.

 7) When preparing for baby have some help, seriously. My doctor threatened me with bed rest, and put me on it so many times because I wouldn't behave. Its not easy cleaning a house when your newly pregnant and nauseous all the time.. imagine how it feels at 9 months when your carrying a 6+ pound baby around, don't be afraid to ask for help! Personally I totally sucked at this because I didn't want to seem needy, or unable to provide for my family but I paid for my foolishness a few times by going into preterm labor.With that said when you do start to arrange the nursery be as organized as possible. It has been a lifesaver to be able to easily find whatever I may need in the middle of the night when I may or may not have a cooperative baby on my hands. I have all of her blankets in one place, clothes sorted by size, diapers and wipes easily reachable etc. Also realize the laundry, dusting, dishes can wait. I am a neat freak plain & simple and its been hard to see my once spotless house because less tidy, but I have also realized that all of that is not important, spending time with my family is. James & I select a day, that were both home to clean up the house. Its nice to tag team certain projects & helps us get done just that much faster. Also one of the best pieces of advice I received was to premake meals. It has been such a God send to go into my freezer and pull out a healthy meal for James and I on days I don't have the energy to prepare a full meal. My crock pot is seriously becoming my new best friend, and now that I know how to do freezer meals I will continue to do so in the future.

8) Buy nursing bras whether you plan to breastfeed or not, trust me when I say I tried too skip this part, but ended up paying for it in swollen & bruised tatas. & When it comes to buying clothing during pregnancy don't skip out on buying a few nice things. I bought 2 pair of jeans and 2 shirts. . . but was blessed to receive garbage bags full of clothes ( which I am now passing onto others). But it is nice to feel pretty in your clothing especially when you feel like a beached whale.

9) Speaking of clothes, have you considered what to pack for the hospital? Here is what I packed that I actually used: 1 pair of jeans (that I wore to the hospital & to come home in) 2 shirts (one I wore into the hospital, and one out. I could have easily re worn the shirt I wore to the hospital because I had just changed out of my pjs but I used it as a back up shirt in case my other got dirty.) 1 to 2 nursing bras (I did not have these at the time I gave birth I had one regular bra that caused me a ton of discomfort.) 2 to 3 pairs of underwear (now I didn't use mine I used the hospitals but just in case you don't like the ones they provide you with). Toothbrush/paste, deodorant, face wash basically your everyday essentials. Nursing bra pads for when you start leaking. I also packed clothing for Harper, this was a personal choice but I'm very glad I did it. I packed her 3 outfits and 1 sleeper. 2 outfits for the day and one as her coming home outfit. I also packed a variety of sizes, Harper is very small so even newborn clothes swallow her, so the large 0 to 3 months I packed was out of the question, hence why its good to pack a variety! Now to what I packed a shouldn't have: Any type of sleepwear, you will be in a hospital gown from the moment you arrive until right before you leave there is no need to pack anything extra, new shoes of any kind. . . my feet were to swollen to even fit the new house shoes I brought! Pads, like I said the hospital will prove you with some. Now to my extras list, this is things I brought & was so thankful I took : Nursing pillow to make feeding easier. I also packed a snack bag of fruits, breakfast bars and chips and it was so much easier than running to a vending machine in the middle of the night when hunger strikes; a roll of quarters for said vending machines because while you may get free drinks your significant other or family wont. My nook, it keep my husband happy & occupied while waiting on little miss and allowed us some entertainment after shed gone to the nursery for the night. Camera, this is a must plain and simple. As a photographer I wanted these perfect pictures of our day (that and pinterest gave me the idea) but its not always realistic. James took the best pictures he could and I love what he did, do I wish I had more? Yes but its part of it, and as I began to feel better I took the camera into my own hands to document whatever I could.

10) Document as much as you can. This blog has been a wonderful way for me to keep our friends & family at home and in other states updated even if I didn't get to blog as much as Id like to of. Take pictures of your baby bump, no matter how big you feel at the time you will look back at those pictures and miss it. As I've mentioned I also started Harper a scrapbook and its filled with everything you could imagine; lots of ultrasounds and regular pictures with detailed descriptions of the events, souvenirs from baby shower games (like the 11 sheets of toilet paper that went around my belly or the birth stat cards that were made)& souvenirs from the hospital, like all our id bracelets & cards. Also something I did and I'm really happy about looking back now is I documented her birthdays events, like the how I was progressing and how long everything took. One last thing, I take a picture a day of Harper, excessive? Maybe but its been amazing so far to see just how much she has changed in her 11 days on this earth.

11) Now this is one for after the baby arrives - put the cell phone down, the computer away, any & all technologies down when you are feeding/holding/changing your baby. You would not believe the bond you can create with your newborn just by looking into their eyes and giving them your whole hearted attention. That text message can wait, your fb status can wait (exceptions made for pictures! ha ha) give your baby your all & you will see a difference.
12) Enjoy this time, being pregnant is a wonderful and beautiful thing that is so very easy to take for granted. I know its hard sometimes and your back hurts all the time but trust me when I say the reward is worth every single second. Being a mom is the best thing to ever happen to me. I love my daughter more than anything in this world and it does my heart good to see her smile. Now for the time being at least this is all the advice I have to give. I hope this helps someone else, or even myself again some day. ♥

Your First Week! ♥ .. & then some

We settled in to being home rather well (: I washed up all our laundry from the hospital, tried to put everything back in its place, and make dinner on the night we came home.I know that I over did it, but I so desperately wanted you to come home and our time together to be spent cuddling rather than mommy running around like a crazy person, so I took advantage of the fact that you were sleeping.

That night you slept in your crib and continued to keep on the schedule we've set for you, while mommy was unable to sleep and stayed awake all night standing over your crib or picking you up and holding you close...while crying my eyes out I must add. I just honestly couldn't believe you had finally made it here, my pregnancy felt like it lasted a lifetime and while it was by no means the easiest I wouldn't trade a single second of it now that we have you here. Our second day went incredibly smooth, your ate, slept, dirtied diapers, and enjoyed tummy time but your second night was anything but smooth. You my sweet baby had a horrible belly ache that kept you & I awake most of the night, it was well into the next day before you were back to your happy self.

The next few days we continued to settle in, having to run errands and go back to the doctor for blood work. You had to have your jaundice levels check, which you do have a very mild case of. I nearly cried when they drew your blood, had your daddy not been standing there holding me I would have.. you my little brave thing slept the whole way through though. We had company alot those few days, even having your grandma & grampa (daddy's side) come by for dinner and Christmas gift exchange & we even when to visit with your great grandma and grandpa. On Saturday & Sunday your grandma & great grandma (my mom/gma)came down from TN to meet you. I wished so badly they could have come for your birth, but they were both sick and we couldn't take any chances. We really enjoyed them coming to visit, getting to meet you and exchanging Christmas gifts, I know that both of them couldn't get over you. (:

On Christmas Eve (Monday) miss Harper you turned 1 week old, and I'm not going to lie, my heart broke a bit. I know that in the blink of an eye you will be 1, then 5 and starting school,then 10 entering into your long anticipated 'double digits', then 13 and entering those talking back teenage years, then getting your first car, and going to prom (by yourself because you still wont be allowed to date! daddy's rule not mine![: ) graduating high school then going off to college. I know that you will grow up way before I'm ready for it to happen that's for sure! We celebrated Christmas today with your great grandma, grampa, aunt Brandy & uncle Matthew (who came in from TN & couldn't wait to meet you!) great uncle Jerry (who came in from TX), and had your great aunt Janice, cousin Jud and his fiance Wendy all stop by to meet you too! You got so much stuff for your first Christmas, I believe I will be unpacking gift bags & boxes for days!

I have to say Harper that your daddy is everything I could have ever imagined and so much more, not only as my husband but as your father. He loves you SO much and I have been reduced to tears a few times just watching the two of you together. He doesn't mind feeding you, or changing your diaper and often times helps me dress you in the mornings. He loves to snuggle with you, talk and sing to you, and play with you too. He is the love of my life, and you my little darling have stolen his heart a million times over and already have him wrapped around your little fingers whether he likes to admit it or not. Your daddy told me tonight that he thinks I am a fantastic mother, of course once again making me cry, his comment really means so much to me because I want nothing more in this life other than to be a good mother to you.

I want you to grow up and be proud to call me your mom, to come to me over the years as a friend not only as a daughter, to know that even though you wont always get your way or have every thing you want that you will always be provided with what you need. I want you to grow up wanting to find a love like your daddy & I have, honest and forgiving, passionate and whole hearted. To have faith in God, faith in this world, faith in us but most of all faith in yourself. I am so happy that you have made your grand entrance into this world Harper you are everything I imagined you being and so incredibly much more!

We had such a blessed Christmas day, surrounded by family. You received so many nice things for your first Christmas, needless to say you are well stocked on clothes & toys for awhile (: Mommy & daddy still have a few things we'd like to get you though. My favorite gift, other than you of course has to of been the charms for my Pandora bracelet. Your daddy bought me the bracelet last year for our first Christmas, with a charm of an angel in memory of your uncle Andy. This year I was blessed to get a baby carriage from your grandma (my mom), a block letter H from your great grandma (my mawmaw) & a camera from your aunt Brandy.

I am normally not one for material things, but this means so much to me. The entire time I was in the hospital, and waiting on your arrival I wore my bracelet, then with just the angel to have a little piece of my brother there with us..watching over us. I think about him alot, well even more now that your here. I know he would love you so incredibly much. I'm not sure I ever mentioned it or not but my maternity pictures were done in a sweater of his, it was actually an accident because I forgot an undershirt but I feel like it made our pictures even more special & meaningful. I have been planning your newborn pictures, over and over in my head. I'm hoping that tomorrow will be a nice (warmer) sunny day and we can get over to your great grandmas house to do them. I can't wait really! For now though I am about to wake your sweet little self up and cuddle with you before your next feeding, as we wait for your sweet daddy to get home from work.

Your daddy & I love you so very much love bug & we look forward to everyday that we are blessed enough to spend with you (:

December 17th, 2012

Is the day a beautiful little miracle came into our lives. At 3:20 in the afternoon Harper Lynn made her arrival, weighting in at 6lbs 8oz and 18 inches long. She has her daddy's nose,chin and ears; her mommas eyes, mouth and hair line. She is brown headed like her mother, with straight hair like her daddy. She has the biggest, brightest eyes that will most likely turn hazel like them both. She has her mothers calm nature, but her daddy's temper. She is long and skinny just like her daddy; and has two birthmarks just like her momma. She has her mothers hands; and daddy's feet.She is the perfect blend between the two of us and we couldn't be more in love.

At 4:30 in the morning we arrived at the hospital, we knew it was time. By 5:30 a.m we had been admitted and an IV had been started, by 5:45 the pitosen had been started as I continued to dilate from a 1.5, in just 15 short minutes I was already dilated to a 2. An hour later, at 7 I had reached 2.5 centimeters dilated and 90 percent effaced. Time seemed to stand still for the next few hours, I had been given medicine to help the pain from back labor, and it made me very sleepy. We had a few visitors during that time, your grandfather and his wife, your grandmother and aunt, your grandfather and great grandmother, along with lots of nurses and doctors. By 10:15 I had dilated to a 4 and was given an epidural and a catheter, 11:10 rolled around and my water was broken. By 1:00 in the afternoon I had dilated to a 6 and had become fully effaced. The told me that you were in complete position by 2:00 as I was dilated to a 6.5.

By 2:30 I was between an 8.5 to a 9, and have to have my epidural increased twice. The doctor was then called. At 3:00 in the afternoon I began pushing. After a blessed 5 hours of full labor and 20 minutes of pushing you made your grand entrance into this world. Your daddy held my hand and stood right there beside me encouraging me the entire time. You didn't cry when you came into this world instead you bit the doctor on his finger, to which he stated, 'looks like you wont be a vegetarian like your momma!' Which of course made everyone laugh. But in an instant I began to cry, because they laid you on my belly and I got to look at you for the very first time. I can not explain how I felt in that moment other than I was in heaven. They took you quickly away though, because you still had not began to cry, I knew you were just fine though, just dazed from all the epidural medicine. After checking all your vitals, and stats your daddy was able to snap a few pictures of you to which he left the room to show all our family.While he was gone, and I was finishing delivery a nurse was attempting to make you cry, mean ole woman pinched your foot and your my little spit fire punched her!

After I was finished with delivery they handed you to to me once again. It seemed like no more than a second had gone by when your grandad (my dad) walked into the room. He was completely elated to be the first one to see you. He literally could not stop smiling, shortly after our room was filled with family, and as quickly as they came it seemed they all left. Your were taken to the nursery...were all the family migrated too, as I was being prepped to move rooms. They allowed me to eat a quick meal though, & trust me little one after 13 hours of no food, your mommy was hungry. (Broccoli & cheese potato and a salad...yum!)

In a normal vaginal delivery they make the new mommies walk from the delivery room the recovery room, but because I had 3 dozes of epidural medicine I was unable to move or feel anything from my belly down. I had to be transferred to my new room on my bed. Even beforehand while they were setting me up for delivery I was so unable to feel or move my legs that the nurses had to do it for me. It seemed like the nursery kept you for hours, mommy was able to eat (twice) before we saw you again. When they finally brought you back to us your Aunt Kelly & Uncle Jason stopped by to meet you, aunt Kelly had been there the whole day, but wanted to see you again. I believe they stayed about an hour, but we took lots of pictures while they were there.

The rest of the night comes and goes, I know they took you back to the nursery around 10 o'clock, because I was still not able to get around by myself. A few hours later I was able to get cleaned up in a whirlpool tub (something I miss now![;) I know shortly after your daddy & I both went to sleep, I don't remember what time we woke up the next day or how many nurses and doctors we saw, all that was important to us was seeing you again. It was almost like a wonderful dream that we were trying to wake up from. Your grandpa (my dad) & grandma (daddy's mom) stopped by sometime that afternoon to see you again. They are both beside themselves to be grandparents (your grandma a two time grandparent this year!)

When they, or anyone else in our family look at you I can see how much they love you and it warms my heart. Dr. W came to visit us again while we were in the hospital and he kept saying how amazed he was with how much like daddy & me both you look, he said he believed it was because your daddy & I are truly made for one another, and because we have such a harmonious relationship. (: Needless to say we adore your delivery doctor. He was even sweet enough to take a picture with you! Your pediatrician Dr.S stopped by several times to check on you, during labor mommy had to be put on oxygen because you or I neither one were getting enough. Even after birth you were put on oxygen for a small amount of time because your hands and feet were blue. The gave us a technical name for it, but said that it was of no danger to you and would go away on its on (which it has).

The next day we were able to bring you home,it was the sweetest thing to see our now 6lb 3oz baby (you lost 5oz in the hospital) tucked into this big ole car seat. It was late in the afternoon but your grandma game over to help us in, and to hold onto your 'big brother' Shorty, a 25+ pound fiest/terrier mix that has become your guard dog! You did fantastic on your first car ride and slept the entire way home!

While we were away.. ♥

My darling baby girl, we are literally a week or less away from meeting you. I can not put into words how excited your daddy & I are to meet you! We talk endlessly everyday about how much our lives are about to change & how we couldn't be more ready to start this journey together creating a beautiful life together & with YOU! ( : It has been so hard on Mommy not to write to you as often as I'd like to of, but Daddy & I have been doing great & are so excited to share all the wonderful things that have been going on in our lives since we last wrote. So here is a little update. . .

October 7th was the first full day in our new home, and it didn't take us long to have everything put together, well everything but your nursery. Your nursery was a challenge for your daddy and I, but we are so happy with the way it all turned out ( : (Will post pictures soon) On October 13th your daddy and I made our way to TN for mommy to photograph a good friends wedding. It was such an incredible & fun day...that landed this mommy to be straight in the hospital. You made an attempt for an early escape as I lost my mucus plug and started having contractions. Thankfully we were able to stop the contractions & after a negative fft test we felt reassured that you would continue to bake a little longer.We also learned at this time that you were already flipped head down!

On October 23rd we went back for a check with our doctor and had an ultrasound done. Your heartbeat was 154 beats per minute, and they guessed you weighed 3lbs 9oz at 30 weeks along.( : We got some wonderful pictures that day that we were able to take and show off just days later at our TN baby shower.

On October 27th your daddy and I also had the opportunity to have our maternity pictures taken by your awesome Aunt Brandy and her husband Matthew. It was a extremely cold October day, but it was an experience that James and I will never forget. ♥ On October 28th at 31 weeks along we had friends and family gather at the Hilltop-Rosenwald park building in Mommy's home town for your 1st baby shower. We were so unbelievably blessed with all that we received that day and by the amount of support we were shown.

You are SO loved by so many people, its amazing. Some of mommies wonderful best friends came (all of these ladies I have known 6 + years) Your "Aunties" often call/text to check on us, as they are so anxious to meet you!

Melody, Myself, Amber, Drea, Bekka holding Laylah (Amber's baby)& Alyssa ( : See this beautiful cake?! Melody made this special for us! Can you say Blessed. Some more of the wonderful people that came to share their excitement with us, Jessica & "Auntie" Brooke (Mommy's old roommate & long-time best friend)

We also had so many other friends come & even more send their well wishes & gifts for you! We even got a present from Kristen, a good friend of mommies who is stationed all the way in Virginia. (:

The shower was hosted by your (TN) grandmother & great-grandmother, with photos done by Aunt Brandy. Here is you Aunt Brandy & the onesie she made for you! Isn't it just the cutest!

Your (AL) grandmother made this awesome diaper cake for us! Alabama, Mommy's favorite of course ( :

We played a few games including word searches,unscrambling words, and the dirty diaper pin game, but my favorite activity (& everyone elses) was decorating you some fabulous onesies!(seen here)

Mommy wasn't the only mommy to be there, Ashleigh, Janet & Myself.

It was such a fun filled and memorable day ( :

On October 31st we had another recheck with the doctor, and much to our surprise I had started dilating! It was only a finger-tip at that point but it was still unexpected. At that point our doctor was giving us between the end of November, first week of December as your estimated arrival dates. (Thankfully we passed those!) From that point on I was put on medicine to try and stop any contractions from happening for fear that you would once again try to escape. But of course that night (Yep Halloween) mommy did indeed start having contractions & went to spend the evening with your (AL)grandmother watching scary movies while daddy was at work. He was to scared to watch them when he came to pick mommy up too! ha ha On November 11th at 33 weeks along Daddy and I were blessed once again to receive a second baby shower, this time in our home state of Alabama. Your (AL) grandmother, Aunt Kelly and Uncle Jason were gracious enough to host for us. It was so much fun to have all of daddy's siblings (4 including daddy) in one room. & Have some of Mommy's aunts,cousins and your wonderful great-grandmother there too! We were once again overjoyed with all the wonderful things & DIAPERS (HA HA) we received.

We played a game where everyone had to guess how many sheets of toilet paper would fit around my belly. Lets just say some of the guesses were way off with numbers as high as 26 sheets, but Daddy some how managed to be the closest with his guess of 13 sheets (Actual amount was 11 sheets) We also had everyone guess what your birth stats would be (birth date, weight & length) as well as give us the first time parents to be some much appreciated advice. The earliest anyone thought you'd arrive was November 20th; Smallest weight anyone thought you'd be is 4lbs 5oz, and smallest length was 15 inches. The latest anyone thought you'd arrive was December 21st; Largest weight guessed was 7lbs 6oz, and longest length was 22 inches long. Here is the funniest piece of advice we received..."Make James change dirty diapers!"..Ok so maybe daddy didn't think it was all that funny but I sure did! & One of the sweetest and most true pieces of advice we received was, "Always remember Harper will be gone and grown one day & all you will have is each other." We pray everyday that as you grow up and get big that your our love for each other as well as you only continues to grow stronger. (:

Your (AL)grandmother made so much amazing food that day, and we were able to show off once again the diaper cake she made. Her & Rodney also made daddy the greatest Daddy to be gift EVER! It was an apron which included ear plugs, gloves, protective eye glasses, nose plug, wipes & so many other things that I am unable to remember. Once again we were blessed with a wonderful day filled with great memories (:

On November 15th we went back to the doctor for another recheck, this time we found out that while I had not dilated anymore I had started to thin out, making us believe once again you would try to escape early. Aunt Brandy,Uncle Matthew, your grandpa (my dad),your great grandmother ,daddy and I spent a wonderful day filled with great food and even better company on Thanksgiving.After all the food we were happy to go shopping and give our bellies a break. We enjoyed a late thanksgiving a few days later with daddy's side of the family & loved every laugh filled moment there too ( : On November 25th we celebrated Daddy's 22nd Birthday. The day before we had gone to Tuscaloosa and ate lunch & spend a fun filled day together, but on the day of Daddy's birthday he requested and received a relaxing day curled up on the couch watching movies all day (: Mommy & your great-grandmother made daddy his very own diaper bag! Camo & all, he was at a loss for words when he received it, but was so happy! Your daddy received lots of nice things for his birthday, and claimed it may have been his very best birthday to date..(Something says with you here it will be even better!) On November 26th we went back to the doctors once again for a check-up. We were so excited to have an ultrasound done, your heartbeat was 141 beats per minute, and they guessed that you weighed 6lbs and 1oz at 35 weeks. This appointment however was not a typical one as we actually believed mommy was in labor & had to make an emergency appointment with the doctor. We were once again given a fft test, but this time it came back positive, stating that you would arrive within 2 weeks. At this appointment we learned that I had dilated to a 1 had continued to thin out. I was told to increase my contraction medicine to 4 times a day, and completely stop any activity. I was told to not even do laundry. Yikes! We received a very special little gift on December 2nd in the form of your daddy's doggie named Shorty (seen here) He has been the biggest comfort for me, as I sometimes get lonely being at home all day by myself while your sweet daddy works his butt off for us. He will be such a good "big brother" for you!

On December 4th we went back to the doctor for another check-up, this time we were told that I was dilated to a 1 . 5, and 80 percent thinned, and Dr. W even said he could feel your head! At this time I came off all my contraction medicines, and was allowed to resume activity (Thank goodness!) We really believed that you would be here within that week...WRONG. You my little lady have discovered the Hurry up & wait game, you make us believe you are coming and then nope you decide to stay a little longer! Somehow though your daddy & I are getting a little giggle out of it, because it shows us that your going to have our well worn senses of humor.On December 11th on my way home from visiting your great-grandmother, and aunt I managed to take the life of a little deer, while it managed to damage the front of my car. It has been so hard on mommy not having my own wheels, especially because it was our planned vehicle to take to & from the hospital. :/ Thankfully my airbags didn't deploy, nor did it cause you or I any injuries! Which we confirmed on December 12th when we went back to the doctors for another recheck, honestly believing that we would be put in the hospital after the weeks and the ones prior events. After a ultrasound showed you weighing 6lbs 14oz with a heartbeat of 153 beats per minute we truly believed Dr W would tell us that I had dilated lots more & we would be rushed over to the hospital in preparation for your birth. . .Well much to our surprise I had made no progress at all! I'm not going to say that we weren't a little disappointed, but we know that God has a planned day for your birth & we just have to wait it out, well till the 20th at least when our scheduled induction date is! As for the past few days, I have been nurturing your sick daddy back to health and trying my best to live in these last few days of silence. I see lots of cooking, cleaning and laundry though in my future for the next few days. We go back Monday for a recheck with Dr. W & he told us things do look promising for that day so I want us to be as prepared as possible!(: As always my little love we can not wait to meet you & we love you SO much! -Love Mommy & Daddy

Birthdays & Moving ( :

I love this photo & it was so fun to recreate! - via pinterest!

Where has this week gone? Last Saturday your daddy & I took this sweet picture & roasted marshmellows with friends (: but ....we also recieved a call about a new apartment opening up, and just in time too! We now FINALLY have a two bedroom place to call our own. We have been packing and moving all week long & should finish up tomorrow sometime. Being 7 monthes pregnant makes moving alot more difficult, and your sweet daddy has been a trooper, moving anything and everything potentially heavy by himself. I plan on buying him a new hat with a little thank you card for all his hard work. ( : Tuesday was also mommys birthday! Many dont know this but a funny little fact, at the moment and for the next (cough cough) 50 days I'm older than your daddy! This is something I love to pick at him about, and im sure I always will. (: Your sweet daddy took me to breakfast that morning, and we ran errands all the way up until the time he left for work. Wednesday was the real start of our moving adventures, as daddy took the day off to load as many things into our new place as possible, Thursday we finished most of our moving endeavors, all we lack is our bedroom furniture, because we decide to unpack as much as we could at the new place to avoid any bugs that may of been living in our storage bins - yuck- As for today, I plan to let your daddy rest, while I go work on unpacking, and rewashing well everything. Im hoping we can make a rather large dent in all the boxes before Sunday, so we can have a rest day. We also have a new baby in the family this week! On Oct. 3 James sister had her baby girl, she was born around 6:15pm is 15 inches long, and 3 pounds 3 oz. She truely is a little miracle! Jessicas pregnancy went undetected for over 7 monthes even though she had taken several tests, including blood tests. The doctors are unsure how far along your aunt Jessica actually was, but their best guess was 37 weeks. James & I are continuing to pray for both these beautiful girls, as baby girl remains in the NICU. We are so thankful for your new cousin, and are making a care package that we are hoping to take to them very soon. (:

With all the moving & stress from this week it was certainly much needed to get a little comic relief the other day.. Your dad and I were in the bathroom getting ready at the same time, I had just washed my face and stepped back to allowing him to do the same, moving on to my hair, we continued our little dance around each other. I decided to scrunch my hair that day and set my scrunching product where your daddy had placed his wedding band (its a little big on him) on a self right above the toilet, well needless to say my hair product knocked his wedding band into the thankfully empty toilet! Your dad looked at me with probably the most serious expression I have ever seen and said was that my wedding band? I couldnt stop laughting long enough to answer, after retrieving the band with a coat hanger and it sitting in perioxide for 20 minutes he finally agreed to wear it again! I recieved the "mean wife" title for the day, but it was really funny! We cant wait for you to arrive & be able to bring you home to our new place! Im so excited for us to be able to put you in your own room! We love you Harper very much & we cant wait to meet you! ♥

New shoes & Doctor visits

Mommas got a new pair of shoes. (;

Today has been a wonderful day, your daddy & I had a check-up this morning where we got some exciting news.... We are now set to induce, unless you decide to come on your own, on...(drum roll please). . . December 22, 2012 (: Now why would we be doing this you may wonder, since its only a week before your original due date? Your daddy & I calculated it this morning and we live over 75 miles from the hospital we're due to deliver at, which is a scary reality. We just want to be safe rather than sorry. So do the math & instead of 96 days, we have 89 days...or less! We really are so unbelievably excited though. At your appointment today you had a strong heartbeat & are still favoring my left side something which Dr. W said we will be working on. You must have been feeling feisty today because you kicked the doctor! Hard too, he even stepped back. (haha)

I cant believe we are already 26 weeks along! Here are our stats this week (: I have gained 7 pounds to date even though I look like I'm smuggling a watermelon! So you've guessed it, all my weights in my belly, and I often question where did my feet go. You are currently the size of a head of lettuce, a LARGE head of lettuce is my guess! Current food cravings : brussel sprouts & sonic slushies (YUM!) Favorite activities this week: Being outside, HELLO FALL. (: I have also been a shutterbug lately. Ive also been just generally crafty! I love scrapbooking, and I'm teaching myself to crochet now ( See what I mean? Crafty Crafty Crafty) Best moment this week? : It would have to be getting furniture set up for your nursery! We even have a big space cleared out for your crib to go! Agh! Its starting to become real! Any complaints?: Severe back pain this week, and all those muscle spasms! Heating pad = new best friend. Doc gave us some meds for this so hopefully it will subside soon. Also I wish I could remember to take my prenatal, I forget constantly, which makes me feel like a terrible mom to be. Anything else?: My feet have started to swell, hence why momma got a new pair of shoes (: I'm seriously not going to complain though, I've never liked my shoe size much anyways, and its kinda nice to get a little treat every now & then (Even better on clearance! Score!) Goals this week: Clean out summer clothes, & declutter, well everything we don't use anymore. & to take more belly & mommy & daddy pictures. it wont be just us for long (: We go back in two weeks for the ever lovely glucose test, and my first 3rd trimester check-up! Yay!! We love you Harper & can not wait to meet you!

Yipee Skippy!

We are so excited to announce.... We are officially in the double digits now! 99 days or less till our baby girl arrives! ♥ Is it December yet?!

My little gymnast (: & tales of a wonderful weekend

You sure do like doing barrel rolls in my belly! Sometimes I feel like you are planning a great escape of some kind (oh wait you are! [: ) Your mommy has been a very busy lady today, cleaning of course ( & scheming on plans for your nursery!) After finding one crib, and falling in love with it, I realized due to space constraints, that it just wasn't going to be the crib for us. So after more research I found one that I love equally as much. I realize I don't need a changing table for you, and one of the many dressers in our room, will work just as well. : ) So ta da... here it is!

I'm so excited to have this in your nursery (aka our room) I have also, as pregnancy hormones/ law dictates, changed my mind on your stroller/car seat. After much negotiation with your oh so sweet daddy of course. But thankfully we are both happy with the one we chose for you, which is a total win in my book. (: On another good note, your daddy and I (FINALLY) finished your registry, while we were in Tennessee over the weekend. We may have gotten a little to carried away with the registry gun, but it sure was fun to do! In addition to all the registry fun, we had such a wonderful time while on our visit. Mommy got to visit with some of her lovely friends ( that she misses, so much! ) Here are a few

After seeing these lovely ladies ( while your daddy was watching football of course) We visited with family, then went to visit more friends. I'm sad to say, no pictures there, but it was absolutely wonderful to see them too! While we were in TN we also happened to pick up decorations for your baby shower! 39 Days & counting! I cant wait to share all the wonderful things we bought for you, but I want it to be a surprise for now. We also visited with your great grandparents, & got some fun stuff for mommy to start crocheting you sweet little things with. My first attempt will be a hat for you (: I cant wait to see how it turns out. I'm hoping tomorrow that your daddy & I can pick-up a few things, so we can start constructing your nursery. (Fingers crossed) Until then I think I will curl up with my what to expect when your expecting book & head to bed, since your daddy has to work late tonight : ( We love you lots Harper!

Sunshine & Roses

Oh Harper, something tells me your going to have SUCH a sense of humor. I have been having braxton hicks contractions all day long. I have also been having something very similar to a contraction, that I will be calling your doctor about tomorrow. ( : I am not due to see Dr. W for another 2 weeks, so you little lady need to be patient, & get cozy because I am not ready for you to arrive. As much as I cant wait to meet you, I couldn't imagine you coming right now. There are so many loose ends that need to be tied up, bills to be payed, LOTS to be bought among a million other things, so please no early escapes! Ok I'm done begging my unborn child to bake a little longer ; )

Because of the massive amount of contractions Ive had I've sat my happy hiney on the couch all day long. A glass of water, a heating pad, and a laptop have been this mommy to bes' best friend today. Ive worked on your registry which I'm having such a hard time with. I am so money conscience that I am putting must haves only, and not all the cutesy things that are fun. (Hopefully I can get over that a bit!) Daddy & I are planning a trip to Tennessee this weekend so hopefully we can go to some stores and finish your registry there. I have also been on Pinterest ( my guilty pleasure ) alot today, I found the cutest drawer set turned into an amoire on there. I have an old drawer set that belonged to your Uncle Andy, my brother, who passed away in 2010 that I believe would be perfect for this project. & I know that he would want me to pass it down to you anyways. While we are in TN this weekend we plan to go visit your great grandparents ( : Which I'm super excited about! We will also be dropping off clothes that belonged to Andy, so that your great grandmothers sister ( i know a mouth full) can make a car seat cover quilt out of his clothes! I can not explain how much this quilt mean to me, and everyone else in our family, and I hope to you one day too. We have so many people to see I just cant contain my excitement! For now though I am going to lay here waiting impatiently for your sweet daddy to get home from work ( : Hopefully tomorrow will be a contraction free day, so I can run errands, but we will see! We love you Harper! ( : ** Also I would like to say thank you to all of the troops, their families, fire fighters, and police officers, and all of the other innocent people that lost their lives 11 years ago today. I pray for all those many people, and everyone affected.**

24 weeks Today!

For you to be such a growing girl Harper, I have stayed relatively the same size. In this picture I was actually 21 weeks, as of today I am 24 weeks, and still the same size. I know by saying this I am going to be eating my words & I'm sure to gain a ton of weight out of no where [ oh please Harper don't do that to mommy! (; ] I have tried very hard to behave with my eating and not eat everything in site... trust me its really hard sometimes! These days though I tend to eat alot of fruits, bananas, watermelons and peaches. Lots of veggies, broccoli & brussel sprouts are my favorites right now. When I snack I try to eat the 100 calorie packs of, well anything really. Its not so much that I don't want to gain weight, because trust me I want to be able to provide you ample room, its just I know it will be a struggle for it to come back off. Ok enough about food, its only reminding me that I need to go fix dinner before your daddy gets home from work!

On another note, your aunt Brandy sent me this darling picture today. Her & your uncle Matthew bought this for you in Georgia, on their way home from vacation. They are Alabama fans too, just like we hope you will be. & For future reference don't mind your silly daddy, he just thinks hes an Auburn fan! haha. I actually bought you the sweetest onesie awhile back, that will be perfect during Auburn game days, it says.. Back Off I'm feeling crabby! & its blue and orange too! I plan on making you a little tutu to go with it. Ok enough picking fun, I know your Daddy will get me for writing that. Today has been a lazy day really, I had such a busy day yesterday that it has been nice just to rest today. I have been working on your baby registry, well attempting too. I know of so many things that I would love to have for you, but its been hard to narrow them all down, and to figure out exactly where I want to register. We have been very blessed to have already received a swing, bouncer, glider, several clothing items, books, a ton of baby lotions & body washes, a play mat, and many other things. I know even though this seems like alot, you will need so much more, but all my little mind can think of is DIAPERS! & lots of them. I have also been setting up other baby shower details, one in particular that I cant wait to share! Daddy & I will be having a little photo shoot this weekend, and well that's all of our little secret I want to share. ( : Mommy & Daddy love you Harper!

My thoughts for you...

I think of you often my darling little girl, and in these thoughts I wonder what is it that I want for you, for your life, for the future of our family. Here are some of the many things I want for you. First and Foremost, I want you to be healthy. You have the heart of a fighter and I know that you will be a strong minded and strong willed little girl. I honestly couldn't imagine you any other way. I want you to be independent, the kind that drives your daddy & I crazy because you always want to do things on your own. I want you to want to pull my pots and pans out and make LOTS of noise. I want you to want to dress yourself with your shoes on the wrong feet, and hair in a mess. I want you to be helpful. I would love for you to be under my feet in the kitchen wanting to help me bake cookies, or cook dinner. I want you to want to help daddy & I around the house, and learn that we appreciate all the little things you do. I want you to be caring and loving. I'm often accused of having a huge heart, and I want the same for you. While there are times that caring as much as I do is more of a curse than a blessing, I would still want you to care & love with all of your heart. I want you to want to learn. I love to read, and its something I hope you like too, Music is also a huge influence for your daddy & I, and I hope you experience the same joy from it as we do.

I want you to have faith, and to be faithful. I want you to want a relationship with God. I want you to love going to church, and reading stories, singing songs & praising him. I want you to pray, often, and know that God will guide you in good times and in bad. Many many years from now I want for you to be a faithful and loving partner to the man of Gods choosing. (Like I said many many many years will be just fine by me.) I want you to be active and adventurous. My hope for you is that you love sports (Especially Alabama Football! ), and want to play every sport imaginable. I also want you to love nature, and really appreciate the beauty of it.Daddy & I both love being outdoors, and hiking & I really would love if you did too(: I hope you want to ride your tricycle all around the driveway, and not be afraid to scrape your knee a time or two (or 30). I want you to be silly and kind of quirky. Your daddy is the funniest person I know, and he keeps me laughing constantly. I hope you have a least a little of his sense of humor, well certain parts anyways. I want you to smile and dance around, and sing silly songs and not care what others think of you. To have confidence in yourself, and have a positive body imagine. Its so hard these days to have a positive body imagine with how the media is, and I can only imagine what it will be like when your a teenager, but I hope you can put that fear aside and shine through any negativity. Your daddy & I want the world for you Harper. I cant wait to help you grow and discover, and learn all about life, love & faith. We love you baby girl & we can't wait to meet you!

Finally an update! Almost 24 weeks ( :

The last month has been a whirlwind. You gave us a big scare a few weeks ago, after several days of not feeling movement from you, and mommy being very dizzy, lightheaded and sick, an emergency room trip, and a doctors visit later we were relieved to know that you were doing wonderfully. The doctors explained that I may not feel you as often because your a GROWING GIRL who is quite SQUISHED! On August 24th we went to the doctor and he told us that you are currently 1 pound 5 oz, your little arms and legs are so long. I wonder where you got that from? ( ; With all of the craziness and health issues your daddy & I made the decision to let mommy take a break from working. This has been a huge adjustment for me, I'm so used to working long hours, or multiple jobs so I've been trying to find activities to occupy my time.A few weeks ago I photographed my cousin Auston's senior pictures. We had so much fun doing them & it was really nice to get out of the house. (: & Last weekend I photographed a wedding on the beach! ( With your sweet daddy's help! )

(Here we are at Orange Beach, AL after driving all night long! We were so tired! ) It was such a wonderful experience for both of us, and we really enjoyed being able have a little " honeymoon" of our own, since we did not have one. Other than taking and editing pictures, I have been working on a scrapbook for you! I'm so excited about it & I cant wait to pack it full. As of today I am 23 weeks 5 days along, it seems like time is flying bye! Here is just a quick preview of your scrapbook, for all of mommy & daddy's friends & family (:

We love you Harper & get more excited to meet you every single day !

BIG NEWS!

We have had so much going on the last few weeks little one! We have experienced some of the most exciting times in your Daddy's & my relationship! (: Your Mommy & Daddy officially have the same last name. We tied the knot on July 23, 2012 and have truly never been happier! We also found out what your going to be..... ITS A GIRL! (: You my little one no longer are referred to as Baby E but as Harper. We hope you love your name as much as your daddy & I do.

We have been having so much fun planning your nursery & secretly planning your baby shower. Thank goodness your Grandma loves looking at baby shower stuff just as much as I do! Your Mawmaw & granddad have been helping me find some of the sweetest little things for you, we cant wait to get everything all together. Daddy and I also met your grandma and great grandma a few weeks ago for lunch & brought home lots of goodies for you! We now have your very first books ( : We also got some little Alabama booties, and a Alabama cap (ROLL TIDE) & we can not wait for you to wear them. I swear your sweet little daddy is quite out numbered. I'm so excited that you are already 19 almost 20 weeks along. Time is flying by! Before I know it you will be here. You have been such a wiggle worm here lately & Daddy has finally gotten to feel you kick. He was so excited (& so was I)!! You must like music Miss Harper, because you wiggle around whenever you hear it. Especially country music! We were so happy when we had our ultrasound last week, we have it on video & it was wonderful to watch you move around, but you sure do like using momma as a punching bag! I feel like I could write to you all day long little one! With all my love HARPER!

P.S. little one - You had a playmate born this week! One of Mommy's favorite people, your Aunt Amber had baby Laylah on Sunday Aug.5 @ 12.58 am. Miss Laylah was 6 pounds even & 18 and 3/4 inches long! Your Daddy and I are going to Tennessee this weekend so we can visit them along with so many others. Were so excited! ** Update ** I had to share this extremely sweet picture of miss Laylah, she was 5 days old here & was an absolute doll! We are so happy for Amber & Jhonny!