Baby & Nursery Update

I am 34 weeks along & we are so excited & ready for Jake to come. He still does not cooperate for the ultrasounds. He has 1 more chance at my 37th week appointment. The problem is not getting him to move, but getting him to move where we can get good views of him & there is nothing in the way. We were at least able to finally get a profile shot. His cheeks are very chubby. Neither Robbie nor I were tiny babies, so I have a feeling we have a cannonball on our hands. He is head down with his legs crossed & tucked in. In all the ultrasounds, his hands are reaching for something & usually get in the way of the ultrasound. His favorite past time is hiccuping. He has them 4-5 times a day. (Thankfully the doctor said that it was a good sign & nothing to worry about.) Sometimes they are tiny hiccups & other times they shake my whole stomach.

Jake's nursery is coming along good. All we have left is to hang wall decor, curtains & refinish the chair side table. The bedding is finished and on the bed. We absolutely love it. I had some pictures from catalogs & ideas in my mind of what I wanted the bedding to look like, but could not find the one I really wanted for Jake. My sweet Aunt Deborah went all over Montgomery & Birmingham gathering fabric samples for me to choose from. Then she & my 2 cousins April & Tiffany gave me the bedding as our baby gift. Aunt Deborah made & put everything together. It looks better than I could have even pictured it. I just wish that these pictures did it more justice! I am so excited for Jake to fall asleep each night on bedding that was specially made just for him & with so much love. I cannot thank Aunt Deborah enough and it means so much to me.

Our chair & ottoman came in Friday. We were so excited to finally get it. I tested so many gliders and always came back to this one. It is unbelievably comfortable & the fabric is so soft. I cannot wait to rock Jake to sleep in it (& probably fall asleep in it myself). My parents gave us the chair & ottoman as a baby gift. We cannot thank them enough. It is something that we will use for so many years to come. I cannot wait for my mom to come & read to Jake (her specialty) in the chair. We have so many wonderful memories to look forward to.

Birthday Weekend

Robbie & I spent the weekend in Atlanta to celebrate my birthday/Christmas shop/enjoy one last weekend away together before the baby comes. We had a great time. We shopped on Friday & then had dinner with my sister Lindsey & her husband Brooks. We had such a great time hanging out with them & seeing their new place. On Saturday we did some more shopping until it was time to watch the AL/FL game. Even though Bama did not win, it was a great game to watch & I was so proud of the way they played. That night, Robbie & I enjoyed a nice dinner just the 2 of us. On Sunday (my actual 30th birthday) we headed back to Chattanooga. We had our hospital tour that afternoon and then dinner with friends at my favorite restaurant. It was such a wonderful weekend. Many people have asked me how I felt about turning 30. I've never been one to dread birthdays. My 20's were great. I feel like I lived them to the fullest & I'm just glad that I made it out of them in one piece! I am actually looking forward to the next phase of my life. I feel so blessed to be married to my best friend & the most wonderful man I know. I cannot wait for us to meet our son next month & I am surrounded by such amazing friends & family. I don't know how I made it these 30 years to be so lucky, but I cherish it & look forward to what all the future holds.

Well, we got the house decorated for Christmas. Ha-ha! We actually came across this house in Buckhead while shopping in Atlanta. They had between 50-75 of the huge inflatables covering their front yard. Tacky & over-the-top... but very interesting!

Happy Thanksgiving

We had a busy, but great Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for & feel blessed to celebrate with both of our families. On Wednesday evening we drove down to Prattville to see my family. Maddox (my niece) & Isabella (my cousin's daughter) were our Thanksgiving entertainment Thursday.

Maddox & Isabella playing the piano & singing Christmas carols

The fashion show

Dancing during their fashion show

On Friday we headed up to Birmingham to spend time with Robbie's parents. Then on Saturday we drove over to Tuscaloosa for the Alabama/Auburn game. (*See game commentary on blog entry below.)

Robbie with fellow Auburn friends Brian & Richard

Julie & I

Robbie & I (33 weeks... only 7 more to go!)

On Sunday we headed back to Chattanooga. We have 2 more weekends of travel before we have to call it quits for a while. (We would travel up until our delivery date, but the doctor said no way.) We hope that everyone had a safe & great Thanksgiving.

Alabama / Auburn Game

As Robbie & I drove in the rain on our way to Tuscaloosa, I began to have second thoughts on if going to the game was such a great idea. I was the one really pushing us to go. I just felt like it was only fair if I was going to lug Jake to so many Auburn games, he needed to go to at least 1 Alabama game. Thankfully, it completely turned out to be a great idea (or at least for me:))

We had fun tailgating with friends before the game. Once in the stadium, even though we were sitting in the Auburn section, we had "that" Alabama fan sitting behind us. The one drinking heavily, yelling loudly & a complete know-it-all. I cringed as he bragged about all things Alabama & talked horribly about Auburn. It was embarrassing as all of the Auburn fans sitting around us gave this 1 Alabama fan such horrible looks, which he was oblivious to. Robbie kept looking at me & I knew he was wanting to either tell the guy off or punch him. I tried reminding Robbie that I have to sit through the Auburn games listening to "his" teams' fans. And that last year I had to listen to the same crap when Alabama played Auburn. When that argument stopped working, I reminded him that I had no idea where the Tuscaloosa jail was if he got arrested & I would be left all alone. I must admit though, this guy was so annoying, I was even hoping Auburn would make a good play just to shut him up. Just when I thought that Robbie was going to lose it, he proved why he is such a great fan and all-around person. He turned around & complemented Alabama on a play. Robbie took a few jabs at the guy, but was able to do it in a way that the guy thought it was funny. Other Auburn fans around us began to follow Robbie's lead. The guy toned it down & become somewhat tolerable. He even said a few nice things about the Auburn team. It prevented what was becoming a horrible situation from escalating. (At least until the end of the game when an obnoxious Auburn fan a few rows ahead of us began doing the Florida gator chomp at the guy, which he in return unleashed on her. They both had it coming.) I was very proud of Robbie for how he handled the situation. Plus, he stayed & cheered for Auburn until the very end.

Robbie & I both agree that it is important to be a gracious winner & gracious loser and to always be a faithful loyal fan. Even though it is more fun being on the winning side. I do have to admit it was nice to be in the stands watching all the bama fans & players celebrate. 6 years of finger jokes & taunting is a long time. As this football season comes close to an end, I look forward to hoping Alabama pulls off an upset & beats Florida and Robbie is now looking forward to Auburn's swim season. And we both look forward to next season introducing our little guy to this crazy obsession & love of college football.

Last Auburn Home Game of the Season

This past weekend was the last Auburn home game of the year. We will only be traveling to one more football game this season, the Alabama/Auburn game in Tuscaloosa. I cannot believe that next season we will have a 3rd member of our family. Very exciting! We only have 9 more weeks until we meet our son!

Yikes! I'm blaming my size on Jake. I'm pretty sure he is a 20 lb. baby. Please excuse my snowman look!

Chattanooga Shower Photos

Wonderful food!

Jake is a very lucky little boy

With my sister & mom

With hostesses - Andrea (Robbie's sister), Lara, Kimberly & Alli

It was such a wonderful afternoon! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

Chattanooga Shower

Over the weekend, our friends here in Chattanooga hosted a baby shower for us & Jake. We had such a wonderful time and we just feel so blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful & caring friends. I will post pictures on Sunday! It was such a special time and I cannot thank everyone enough.

Thanks Mom!

Another great thing about this weekend was getting to spend more time with my mom. With busy schedules and living 4 hours apart, we talk all the time, but it is rare for us to get to spend 2 weekends in a row together. On Saturday she helped me pick out & bought the glider & ottoman that we will use in the nursery. I know that it will be used countless nights rocking a little boy to sleep. It is strange that growing up, there were so many times that I doubted her wisdom & didn't want her advice, and now I crave them both. My mom is a remarkable woman. Her time is so stretched between driving 3 hours each month to take care of her ailing mom and in less than a year, she has had 2 daughters get married, and will witness the birth of 2 grandchildren. No matter how much we pile on her plate, she somehow handles it. Between the weddings & births, she has attended so many showers, doctor's appointments & spent more time on the road than at home. But she has never complained once. She just says, "tell me when you want me there, what you want me to bring & what I need to wear". I cannot begin to thank her enough for all of her love, support, and prayer. I would not have been able to make it through this last year without her and I'm so excited for the new experiences that this new year will bring us.

Double Shower

On Saturday, several of our friends hosted a double baby shower for Stephanie & I. We had such a wonderful time and it was so great to visit with our friends from college & family. We are so lucky to be surrounded by such special women. Thank you to everyone who attended & especially to the hostesses who threw such a beautiful shower.

The shower was held at Southern Homes & Gardens

Phi Mu's

Stephanie & I

Stephanie & I opening gifts

Jake & Grant got so many cute gifts!

Stephanie & I with 4 of the 7 hosts (we missed you Amy, Dori & Jessica!)

The Hollon Family

Stephanie & I with our moms

Jake's Mimi (Robbie's mom) & Nana (my mom)

Weekend Update

On Thursday, our friends Brooke & Matt & their 10-week old daughter Anna James stayed with us as they were on their way to Knoxville for the TN/AL game. It was so much fun to have a baby in the house! Anna James is such a good little baby. The few times she would cry though, it would cause Jake to stir around. We enjoyed our 2nd weekend in a row at home. On Friday night we went to McCallie's football game & on Saturday we enjoyed being able to watch football at our own house. We also made progress in Jake's nursery. We refinished 2 pieces of my furniture that were used in my nursery as a baby. I think Robbie got more than he bargained for with the antique chiffrobe. It needed more work than I originally thought. It has been moved several times & is very old. I don't think that I'll ever be able to convince Robbie to let us have another piece of antique furniture again! I just love them so much & am so happy with the finished product. Thank you Robbie, you did such a wonderful job!

We will use the 3-drawer chest as a dressing table

All that is left to do with the chiffrobe is replacing the door mirror. Because it is an odd size, we had to special order it & it should be in on Monday.

A few months ago, Robbie & I found a crib that we fell in love with at a baby store in Chattanooga. Robbie's sweet parents gave us the crib as an early baby shower gift. It means so much to us, and we are so happy that it will be a gift that Jake will use for so many years to come. The crib is a convertible crib, so it will convert to a toddler bed & a full size bed. Jake thanks you Mimi & Granddad! Robbie & I planned to pick up the crib during the weekend. Friday during the day, Robbie went by & picked up the crib, put it together & had it ready to surprise me when I got home from work.

2 Trimesters Down, 1 To Go

As of Saturday I am 28 weeks along and entering my 3rd trimester. I cannot believe that we are down to our last trimester. 12 more weeks to go. The first part of the pregnancy seemed to go by so slow. In week 19, we found out we were having a boy & I felt him move for the first time. Since then, time has flown by. I have been very lucky during the pregnancy, I only hope it continues. I have not been sick any & have felt good. I am starting to become more & more uncomfortable each week though, but I try not to think about it. I want to make sure to save up my complaining for the last few weeks, when I'll probably need it most! Jake is doing well. Some days he is more active than others, but his movements are not uncomfortable... yet. He is actually moving around as I write this entry. Each time he moves, it is a reminder of the miracle growing inside me. I smile every time I feel him. I think he can sense when Robbie is nearby though because he tends to move around more when he is around. Especially if Robbie puts his hand on my stomach. We had a doctor's appointment last week & everything is looking great. His heartbeat was good & he is measuring for normal growth. This was the last of my 4-week appointments. I will now start going every 2 weeks. I am embarrassed to admit that for the last 2 weeks, if I sat a certain way, I could see a small hump in the middle of my stomach. I thought that it was a body part of Jake's. I would rub the little hump & talk to it. I asked my doctor which body part of his it might be. Turns out, that it is just the muscles in my stomach separating, causing a hump in my stomach when I sit a certain way (or something like that). Anyway, it's not Jake, but my own body part that I've been talking to. Oh well! Won't be the first mistake I'll make!

Weekend

Robbie was in Auburn for the game while I stayed in Chattanooga to attend a wedding. Since I was staying in Chattanooga, my best friend Stephanie came up to spend the weekend with me. It was the first time in years that the 2 of us have spent the weekend together, just the 2 of us. No husbands, no parties to host, just a weekend of shopping, eating out & comparing pregnancies (our due dates are 2 days apart). Jake likes to stay in the bottom center of my stomach, while Grant likes to hang out on Stephanie's side. While it has been so much fun to be pregnant at the exact same time, it makes us both a little sad that we will not be able to be there for each other's sons birth. We have been there with each other through all major events in our lives for the last 11 years. But we will be traveling down to Fairhope to see them in '09 as soon as possible. I can't wait for Jake & Grant to have their first real play date. Hopefully Jake will love road trips as much as his parents. So, how soon can you travel 6 hours in a car with a newborn?

Lara's Birthday

Happy Birthday Lara! Friday night I helped host a birthday party for Lara. I was so excited to finally get to do something for her. She has been such a good friend to both Robbie & I. She was one of the first of Robbie's friends that I met. We hit it off right away and became instant friends. I lived with her the year before Robbie & I were married and she & Robbie have been friends since junior high. So she is a very important & special person to Robbie & I. We were both so excited to celebrate her birthday with her and celebrate what an awesome friend she is!

Lara with hostesses Shelly, Kelli & myself

Beautiful view of downtown Chattanooga from Kelli's deck

Emma, Lara, Jamie, Jennifer & Shelly

Robbie, Zach & Chris
Emma, Lara, Kimberly & Alli
Robbie & I (25 weeks! Only 15 more to go!)

Birthday Sandwich Weekend

Robbie & his good friend Zach share 9/27 as a birthday weekend (Robbie's is the week before & Zach's is the week after). Since we go to all of the Auburn home games & Zach & Kimberly go to all of the TN home games, there are not a lot of weekends in the fall that we are all in the same city. This year, as both guys celebrate their 30th birthdays, the Auburn / TN game fell on their birthday weekend. We enjoyed a large crowd of both Auburn & TN fans at the tailgate and game. It was a great birthday sandwich weekend!

Celebrating Friday night

Kimberly, Lara & ILara & Robbie

Game Day SaturdayTN Friends - Zach, Kimberly, Abby, Chris & Alli w/ Robbie & I

Lara & I

Henry enjoying the tailgate

Auburn / TN Tailgate Group

The Regular Tailgating Group - Tricia & Brett w/ their son Cole, Gary & Summer w/ their son Henry and Robbie & I