Please excuse me for the moment, but I have to take the time to brag. No.. not about me, but about the wonderful woman I call my wife. In my short stint at being a father I have come to realize very quickly that there are so many things that I cannot do and surprised at how easily they come to Haleigh. I can be at my wits end trying to settle Hunt down, but Haleigh can hold him and sing a few bars of twinkle, twinkle and he stops crying and appears to be in some sort of awe over her voice. I've always thought that I was the patient one in the relationship, but now Haleigh can spend an hour in the floor talking and working on Tummy time with Hunt long after my interest falls to the way side. Haleigh has become a wonderful mother and just seems to know what Hunt is thinking before he does and that is something i cannot do. I am very impressed with the way she has handled being a mother and know that she will continue to impress me as the years go by.

In the almost 4 weeks of parenthood, there are two images stuck in my mind that I will never forget... one being Hunt passed out in his milk coma on Haleigh while she takes a nap and the way those two look at each other(and yes I know he can't see very far or well at this time) when they're awake.

Everyone with kids knows exactly how these moments feel and those without... I can only suggest you find out someday. This is the greatest feeling I have ever experienced.

Baby Update

It has been a few days since my last post and I have so much to share. Here is my best effort of getting things up-to-date. We have been thankful to have many guests in our home recently to help welcome our baby boy. We have recorded every ones visit by getting them to record a few words in Hunt's guest book and getting a picture with him. We make sure that each guest leaves with a bubble gum cigar as well. Jeremy and I have also made two trips to the pediatrician for follow-up visits checking on Hunt's jaundice. Both times baby boy got his heel pricked and did not like it. At the visit last Friday Hunt weighed 5 lb 14 oz. So we imagine that he is close to birth weight now; especially since the Dr. put Hunt and I on a every two hour feeding schedule! Jeremy and I get to sleep a good bit at night, usually getting up once or twice to feed. We are so happy to be parents of such a precious boy. We have managed pretty well but are thinking that all this 'what seems to be ease of parenting' is the calm before some storm. We heard so many people gripe and complain about parenthood while I was pregnant, but we are having a blast sharing our day with Hunt and learning more about him.

Above: Hunt's First Bath at home, wrapped up in a hooded towel from when I was a baby.

Our first family stroll. The lens got hazy but at least the moment was captured.

We had my step-brother's fiance came to take newborn pictures at our home. I didn't want to go to a photo studio this early but I wanted some good looking pictures for announcements. We took a few of our own as well.

I love these two!

I am posting more pictures on our online photo album. The link is on the right of our blog page.

Posted Pictures

Please enjoy our picture album that we have posted online. It is under the Pictures link to the right on our blog.

Hunt

So I have been a little late on this update, but things have been a bit crazy lately-having a new born and all. So here is our story...

On Monday, June 1st, Jeremy and I went for our last prenatal appointment with our doctor. The baby was still in breech position and my belly had still not grown (hadn't grown in at least 4 weeks); which meant that we were still on for a scheduled c-section. Our doctor wanted to schedule the birth for June 4th (38w6d) because he was off on June 5th, but hospital policy prevented him from doing the c-section before 39 weeks. Because I have a LONG history with my doctor he decided that he would come in on his day off and deliver our baby boy. On June 5th, Jeremy and I woke up at 3am (because of our drive) to get to the hospital. We met my mom and grandmother in the waiting room and off we went to Labor and Delivery.


I got prepped (my nurse was Chatty Cathy), which included the epidural, and was wheeled back to get a tiny boy from my belly. On my way back to the OR, I was still able to move my left toes and feel my left leg. I was telling EVERYONE because I was so nervous that I was going to feel too much during the procedure. I will say that I was a bit sick throughout the c-section (and I had the shakes), which was incredibly weird because my epidural was so high and breathing and "getting sick" was an intense process. Jeremy got to see our little boy at 7:54am. He weighed in at 6lbs 2oz. I was able to "hold" him soon after. My arms were so heavy and shaky that I was extremely nervous to hold him, even in the recovery room. (I am probably the only one to appreciate the picture below. The doctor on the right is my doctor and the doctor on the left is his partner. Both these doctors were there when I was born - my mom also had a c-section. It was a neat occasion to come to a full circle. )

We soon headed to the room where we meet our visitors (my mom, my step-dad, my Aunt Nellie and Uncle Tommy, my friend Carrie, my grandmother, Jeremy's aunt Glenda, and Jeremy's cousin Darlene). Hunt was there to meet his family too. We had a good hospital stay overall until. Hunt had a bit of a problem maintaining his body temp and needed some extra warming. He also decided to turn a bit yellow towards the end of our stay; which meant that added an extra day to our stay. Jeremy had just made two trips to the car and was headed back up to go through the discharge process when the pediatrician told us that our boy needed some 'tanning bed time' (light therapy to help with jaundice). He was on a strict 3 hour feeding schedule so every two hours we were up pumping and headed to the nursery for a feeding. It was nice to give him a break from being under the lights.

We headed home on Tuesday and are doing well so far. We saw our pediatrician on Wednesday and he put us on a fabulous feeding schedule. The first night we attempted the schedule we only woke up once for a feeding. HOORAY! I am glad we are home and Jeremy and I are so glad to be parents to a beautiful boy.

He's still a boy.

As it turns out the sonar was right.... IT's A BOY!! We welcomed the new addition to our family this morning. We have a 6 pound 2 ounce 19 inch long baby who is doing very well at this moment. We have a large gathering of people at this time and when things slow down I'll post more pictures. His temp was a little low so they are baking him a little longer right now, but other than that he is good.

One of my Favorite Things...

My great gal pal Jenni created this beautiful step stool for my baby boy. It represents the story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff, my favorite childhood story. I LOVE IT! It will be something that you can grow with because it is not super baby-ish. I loved this story because when my dad read it to me, he would do the best voices. Because it was a high-demand story, he stopped reading it and would simply recite it. I thought he was so smart because he 'memorized the book'. Actually the story is not difficult to repeat, but boy did I think he was so smart, and with the best goat and troll voices to boot.

Our Weekend

Side note: This is my BELOVED reacher-grabber. Some may have seen it used by inmates to pick up trash along the roads, others in my profession see it used as an assistive device to help those with limited mobility. I have been using it to SURVIVE. I hate not being able to bend over easily. I started cursing every time I dropped something (which has been happening more; nature is full of irony). The reacher-grabber has saved my sanity and possible my marriage :)

We had a laid-back weekend (for us). Laid-back weekend usually means hanging out with our neighbors, Jeremy doing a 'outside' project, and lots of cleaning. This weekend Jeremy made a flower bed to go in front of the nursery window that facing out in our back yard. The dogs scratch the window screen when they hear me in the room. There is soon to be a lot of noise in the nursery so I wanted something to keep them from tearing up the window. We are going to add a small decorative fence, dirt, and plants. Hopefully it will help.

Also, we had dinner at our neighbors' house Saturday. My friend Holli came over as well. We rolled fresh summer rolls with tons of yummy goodness. I was going to take a pick but totally forgot. We used poached pork, shrimp, thai basil, cilantro, mint, green onions, cucumber, and lettuce in the rolls. So good! Before dinner, we took some 'maternity pics'. I tear up when I see other mommys' maternity pics and thought I was totally missing out. Because we recently got a posh camera and could not see us spending mu-lah on a photo session, so to the neighbors' beautiful back yard we went for some pics.

We have a doctor's appointment on June 1st (well today actually). We will send an update out when we return (if we return). We are taking our hospital bags, complete with camera, today to satisfy that "just-in-case" feeling.

Above: In front of Yung's backyard pond.

One of my favorite's from the shoot. Thanks for taking it, Auvie.

The beginnings of the bed...

Cache posing in front of the new bed. He is starting to really like the camera. I think it is all the "Good Boy"s he gets when he poses. Marlee still just wants me to pet her, so I get tons of pics of her right in the lens.

Mommy-Sitted

Last Tuesday, Jeremy headed back "home" to Rainsville, Alabama to attend his cousin Taylor's graduation. It is a very small town about 2 hours northeast of Birmingham. Commencement is held in a civic complex that was constructed WITHOUT AN AC (those penny-pinchers). We went to a graduation there last year, and because Jeremy's sweet aunt always runs a little late, we sat upstairs (even hotter). The whole town shows up to graduation so the place is packed (even more hot). SO, I decided the environment was not the best for a pregnant lady who is ALWAYS about to combust. We currently have our air set on 66 degrees and I am constantly sweating and complaining about it being hot. If any of you have ever seen Father of the Bride II where the mother and daughter are both pregnant and Steve Martin (the husband and dad) is running around the house is ear muffs and gloves because the air is so low, then insert that image in your brain (right here). Also, if I went into labor and needed to get to the hospital then I would be even further out. Because our sweet boy is Breech, the sooner we can get to the hospital the better. I ended up staying with one of my greatest friends, Wyspr, and her husband Jason. They mommy-sat me in Birmingham while Jeremy went to graduation. No labor, obviously- because I wouldn't be blogging about being mommy-sat and a hot gym, instead there would be pics up. I had tons of fun seeing Wyspr and Jason made some AMAZING brussel sprouts. Yum!

All in all, we are VERY proud of Taylor. He has been through a lot over the past couple of years and he GRADUATED. Now go get a job!!! Love you Taylor, but really get a job!