Life with the Hunnicutts

2011-11-26T18:12:00.000-08:00

My sweet boy is 7 weeks old now! Time is just flying by! He is smiling and starting to put his fists to his mouth. Hayden is the sweetest and best baby ever. He hardly makes a peep and is content just being :) (occasionally gets fussy in the evening, but is content if being held) He is only getting up once at night now and wakes up at 7:30, which is making my life much more enjoyable. The only thing is that he likes to stay up to about 9:30-10pm, which can make for a long evening. There is definitely no "down time" with 2. We no longer have the evenings to relax and recuperate. I am trying to enjoy this baby time though b/c it passes so fast!

Ella is officially in the terrible 2's. Tantrums and pushing the limits! Not to mention, she's a very bossy! I'm already pretty bossy, so I don't think there is room for another one! She tries to tell us to...."stop talking", "be patient", "stop singing" (she doesn't like us to sing along with her songs)..."I will do it" ...She is trying to be so independent and is still not quite big enough, so she gets frustrated. A couple things she has accomplished this week are: putting on her shoes and velcroing them, and getting into the car and her carseat. I am trying to teach her things that will help me out :)

with their cousins on Thanksgiving

Ella loves being with Cody...you can tell by that smile

she's always kissing on him...too sweet

I hope this turns out...it's video of his 1st smile

Hayden Christopher has arrived :)

2011-10-11T08:06:00.000-07:00

Hayden has made his arrival in this world! He is a week old today! He weighed 7# 6 oz. and is 20 1/2 inches long. He is the sweetest thing ever and I am so enjoying cuddling with him. Ella was never a cuddler (from day 1) and so I am really enjoying it. Ella is so sweet with him and calls him "brother". She asks to "pet brother" all the time and is constantly saying that he is so sweet and so cute:) She is stepping up the showing off and dancing and singing! She doesn't want us to forget her:) The worst time is when I am breast feeding. She gets really jealous and wants to be in my lap and has even tried to pull Hayden off of me. So far, she's doing very well with the transition though...Chris and I are too;)

For those who want to hear the birth story... I went to the doctor last Monday and the midwife stripped my membranes (that was a lot of fun) and then I decided to go ahead and go to work (bad idea). I contracted and cramped all day. I left early at 7 pm and once I got home my contractions were happening every 5-6 minutes. I took a bath and drank lots of water hoping they would go away b/c I was exhausted from working...of course they didn't. They were getting stronger and were every 2-3 min by 1030. I called Chris to come home from work. I started calling my mom to come watch Ella, which took about 45 min to get her on her phone b/c she was asleep. I contracted at home until about 2 am and then decided to go to the hospital. Once I got there, I was 4-5 cm dilated and decided to get my epidural. I got epidural at about 4 am and the midwife broke my water at about 5 am and then I was able to rest some before I delivered. I was exhausted since I had been up since 7 am. I started to feel some pressure around 8 am. I was 10 cm at about 8:30 and pushed 20 min and delivered at 8:59 am. I had an awesome epidural and my nurses were great! My friends Brittany and Lindsey took care of me and did a great job! I sure am glad that is over though!! Now we can enjoy Mr. Hayden!

I love these pictures of Ella with Hayden...they are so sweet!

That looks like trouble

so sweet!!

Hayden Christopher will be here soon!!

2011-09-29T18:22:00.000-07:00

It's the countdown to Hayden Christopher's arrival! My induction date is next Wednesday, October 5th if I don't deliver by then. It is just 2 days before my due date, but the midwife and doctor that I love are going out of town on my due date! Bummer. I am not thrilled about being induced, but since it's my 2nd baby (and not #1) I feel okay about it.

I think I'm ready:/ Bags are packed and the nursery is semi-done. I have this long "to-do" list that is never-ending and as soon as I check something off it, something else is added. All the important things are done...just not things like clean all the windows and baseboards and paint the scuff marks on the walls:)

Chris and I took some pregnancy pictures ourselves. The 2nd baby just gets the short end of the stick. We are too poor now for the real thing;) Ella got these great pregnancy pictures from a professional and Hayden gets Daddy's talent :) Here's a couple shots...

I finally finished sewing Hayden's crib bedding and curtains. The walls are still a little bare, but that is in working progress. We used the same furniture from Ella and kept the room painted green. The theme is Route 66 and it's too cute! More pics to come when room is completely done...hopefully in next couple days. I really want to find an old gas station sign to go above the crib.

Birthday girl

2011-08-27T19:58:00.000-07:00

Ella's 2nd birthday party was today at the park. We had a good time and good weather. A nice breeze from hurricane Irene. It was Barney themed, since that's her all time favorite show. She loved all the attention and she kept saying "Ella excited" b/c most of her favorite people were all in one place. I think she was a little confused by that and overwhelmed by all the attention. She couldn't quite get why she couldn't play with all her toys when she opened them and why they had to stay in the box :) It was great to see her enjoy this day so much. I can't believe she's already a year older :(

Nonny with Ella

Papa with Ella

Her aunts...whom she adores

sneaking into the cupcake frosting

Ella's big girl room and fun in the mountains

2011-08-06T18:20:00.000-07:00

We made the big move this week! Ella is officially in her big girl bed. I was so nervous b/c of all the horror stories friends have been telling me about the bed transition. I might be eating my words later, but she has given us no problems yet. She hasn't cried or gotten out of bed one time. I watch her on the video monitor when she wakes up in the morning and she just sits there calling my name. I think she's scared to get down by herself. The bed is pretty high (maybe that helps?).

We have enjoyed the last couple weekends in the mountains. It has been so nice to get away and enjoy the lake and Georgia Mountain Fair. Ella loves the boat and the lake! On our way up there this weekend, she kept saying "Ella is excited". There is nothing prettier than Lake Chatuge!

Ella with her 2nd cousins, Katie and Cody, whom she adores

Ella and her "Nonny", Chris' mom (she couldn't say Grammy)

Fair time! We had a good time watching Ella on all the rides, but I will say that the fair is super expensive these days!

Chris had as much fun as Ella!

Ella's new room. We painted it and I made the bedding and dust ruffle. It is so girly and fun!

2011-07-16T13:28:00.000-07:00

Here's our little man! This was a week ago and he was 27 weeks in these pics. We have 12 more weeks to go now. Can't wait! Still no official name. We're contemplating a couple names, but nothing set in stone. I found out yesterday that I failed my one hour glucose tolerance test, so I have a 3 hour test next week. If I fail that, then I'm gestational diabetic. Yuck! Pray for me.

His nose looks big in some of the pics, but the ultrasoundgrapher said it just the angle or he's pressed up against the uterus. I was a little concerned he was going to have a huge honker!

Surf's Up!

2011-06-26T12:26:00.000-07:00

Our little family had a blast in Florida last week! We rented a condo with 2 other families (the Hewatts and Geairns). There were 6 adults and 6 kids in the 4 bedroom condo. I little cramped, but all the more fun. Ella had a blast with her little friends. We realized that Ella is destined to be president or something b/c she bossed all those kids around for a week (she made sure they weren't doing anything they weren't supposed to be doing) :) Thank goodness she loved the water and sand. We were worried b/c she doesn't like being dirty and doesn't like her sandboxx at home.

We got a couple good family shots. Ella didn't cooperate well..wanted to play in the water

We rented bikes for a couple days and it was so fun. I definitely recommend it! Ella loved it!

25 week baby bump. I feel bad b/c this is the 1st bump picture I have taken of this pregnancy. It's a little different the 2nd time around.

Eating raisins in the sand. She never wants to eat...but ate the whole time we were at the beach!! We need to put a beach in our backyard!

View of our awesome pool from the condo. It had a great kiddy pool with a fountain for the kids to play under.

Chris was in Mitchell Edward's wedding the weekend before we left.

Here we are dressed up for that

Brenda and Melissa came down for wedding. Ella was excited to see her Nonny

It's a...

2011-05-15T20:24:00.000-07:00

We had some fun on finding out the sex of the baby...Our families came over for dinner and when we cut into the cake, we all found out the sex of the baby at the same time!!

BOY!!!

We are super excited that we will have one of each!

How fun to see the difference in boys and girls!

Family fun in Kentucky

2011-04-25T18:51:00.000-07:00

Our family spent a long weekend in Kentucky visiting my dad and lots of family. It's always good to see family. Wish we lived closer.

We celebrated Easter with my dad's family at my grandma's house

A few of my cousins Margaret, Katherine, McCabe and Margaret's fiance' Thomas

Daddy and Ella egg hunting

Ella with her the girl cousins

Ella at Papaw's house (my dad's farm)...she looks so big hanging onto the fence

She is pointing at all the horses...she was so excited

My grandparents (mom's parents) celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary

...isn't Nanny cute in her veil!!

4 generations

All of their offspring...minus my 2 brothers

Ella just walked up and hugged Ginger without any prompting...we laughed so hard

Maybe Elizabeth will be the next to wear the veil!!

Spring has Sprung

2011-04-14T17:52:00.000-07:00

We had fun taking some spring pictures in our backyard today. Ella is wearing her Easter dress a little early. She was a wiggle worm because she kept looking at the new fish we put in the pond today. We got some cute shots of her though.

This one is my favorite of her playing peek-a-boo

I am very proud of my flowers...this is my clematis

3+1=4

2011-03-23T13:27:00.000-07:00

Yay! We are excited to announce that we are expecting baby #2 this coming October 7th! We went to the doctor today and the baby is measuring 11 weeks and 5 days. The baby has a strong heartbeat and was moving all over the place. We go next week for an anatomy scan to make sure everything looks healthy. The ultrasoundagrapher said everything looked perfect today though. I have been feeling quite fatiqued, tired, and queezy...poor Chris and Ella. They have to put up with my moodiness. The queeziness is tolerable until I brush my teeth and then I gag and it's all over. I told Chris that maybe I won't brush my teeth for 9 months ;) I bet nobody would want to be around me then. So, we are very excited and will keep you posted on the baby's progress. 7 more weeks and we will know if it's a boy or girl!

Ella visiting daddy at the firehouse. She enjoys the fire engine

2011-03-13T17:48:00.000-07:00

We have been enjoying this beautiful weather. Ella, like most kids, loves being outside. She loves the birds, sky, rocks...she is really interested in the moon and stars. Every night she looks out her window and asked about the moon and stars. She is obsessed with her ball and kicking it. When she wakes up in the morning, she will ask for either her ball or her baby doll. Tomboy or girlie girl...I guess we'll have to wait to see. She's trying really hard to put 2 words together and she just talks all the time (when her thumbs not in her mouth). She's going to be a chatterbox.

Here she is with her ball

Cancun

2011-01-16T18:38:00.000-08:00

Chris and I just got back from a wonderful Cancun vacation. We went to celebrate my upcoming 30th birthday next month! We stayed 4 nights at Secrets Silversands Riviera. It was absolutely amazing...great food, drinks, and service. We relaxed by the pool and beach for 4 days and got spoiled rotten with people waiting on us. It was a much needed vacation, but I was sure ready to get back to my Ella. I missed her sooo much.

Picture of our resort...6 pools, jacuzzi tubs in every room, beds on every balcony, 5 star restaurants...amazing

Poolside restaurant and bar...

Our room was super nice with an pool/ocean view

View from our room

The main lobby...they had music every night

One of the 6 infinity pools

Elvis was one of the nightly shows...we really enjoyed his show...he was very funny

Some of our new Canadian friends that we hung out with

The Holiday Season

2011-01-04T20:31:00.000-08:00

We had a great Christmas season. This year felt really laid back and we really enjoyed each other so much. We started a new family tradition where we cut down our own tree... it felt much like "A Christmas Vacation" when we forgot the saw and money after driving 1 1/2 hours to get the tree :) Good memories:)

This is as close to Santa as Ella would get...she was terrified!

Grammy joined us in our snowman building

Ella was scared of him once he was built. She thought he was a real...maybe Frosty does come to life:) He lasted 4-5 days and she had to look him everyday (from afar). She named

him Hat because he wore Daddy's hat.

Ella gave both her Grammy and Nana calendars of her for Christmas

Her new tunnel...she LOVES it.

She's sitting in her new chair...she didn't know what to think of all her presents

...she was confused

Ella and Grandpa

Who's the child in the family?:)

Halloween

2010-11-04T18:29:00.000-07:00

We took Ella trick-or-treating on Sunday. I think it was more for us than her! We got to eat her candy =) She was too cute as Minnie Mouse, but sure didn't like those ears. They didn't stay on much. Her favorite part of the night was everyone's pets...cats...dogs... she had to see them all. She loved riding in her wagon too. Everyday since then we have to take a ride in the wagon!

2010-10-30T11:38:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't blogged in awhile. Life can be so busy. We are all doing good, especially Ella. She is walking (practically running)... learning sign language (she has learned milk and banana this week).. learning new words (bird, hot, no, )...sings the "row,row,row" part of "row, row, row your boat". She is getting so smart and it is amazing how fast she catches onto stuff. Sometimes you don't think you are teaching her anything and then all of a sudden she will do it out of no where. She's obsessed with all dogs, especially the neighbors. She's constantly running towards the street to go see their dog. I am having the hardest time getting her to eat more than just fruit, cheese, milk, and goldfish. Those are her staples right now and doesn't want to eat anything else. It 's very frustrating! These pictures I included are some of her 1 year photos and we worked hard for these photos. She was not wanting to cooperate this day.

Ella''s 1st Birthday

2010-08-30T19:35:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that Ella turned one today!! Times flies. It's hard to believe that a year ago, she was a tiny 7# 10 oz. Now she is 19 lbs, walking, babbling, blowing kisses, giving hugs, feeding herself...Wow, how can someone so little learn so much in 1 year?! I feel so blessed to have a healthy baby girl that I love sooooo much.

We celebrated on Saturday with a few family and friends. The party was a bumble bee theme and I made her outfit out yellow/black fabrics. She looked absolutely adorable!! Of course, she had no idea everyone was there to see her. Although, I do think she was a little overwhelmed with all those people in her house! She didn't know how to act. She got too many gifts, including a sandbox that she has thoroughly enjoyed.

She was very lady-like with the cake. She never really dug in, but just ate the icing. I do admit that I was slightly disappointed that she was so "proper" =)

Maybe she wasn't too proper

Aunt Elizabeth gave her a dog and she's giving it a hug. She just learned to bark like a dog!

Aunt Catherine and uncle Jeremy sure are fond of her. She isn't lacking in love!

Introducing "The Swagger Wagon"

2010-07-10T18:22:00.000-07:00

I am so excited about our new boat, "The Swagger Wagon"!! It is a 30 foot party boat! Really, it is totally a family boat, so we couldn't help but give it such a cool name. We bought it last week and are super excited and can't wait to enjoy the next few summers on it (hopefully).

It will be something the whole family will enjoy! Although, Ella is still getting used to her huge lifejacket! It is the law for her to have it on at all times, and the poor thing can't even move with it on. You should see her try to crawl! Here she is...

The Swagger Wagon

Ella and Grammy

Ella loves her cousin, Katie!

going for a swim

HAPPY BELATED 4TH OF JULY!

Ella and I spend it at the Braves game with my family. Daddy had to work=(

Atlanta skyline was so pretty!

Papa turned her into a Braves fan with her new onsie!

Ladies of Liberty!

I had to add this pic of her giving her teddy a hug (she's just learned to give loves)...Sweet

Last minute trip to Folly Beach

2010-06-30T08:32:00.000-07:00

Last week, Ella and I decided to meet my parents at Folly Beach near Charleston. It was our first road trip by ourselves. She slept almost the whole way there (5 hours)! Although, it was quite difficult when we stopped for gas and bathroom break, with a baby in one arm and a diaper bag and purse in the other! The beach and family time were well worth the drive though. We had perfect weather and a great time. We took a carriage ride in Charleston, played on the beach, ate some good seafood, celebrated Catherine's b-day, and Ella ate some sand!

The family + Taylor Beck

It doesn't get any sweeter than that!

One tired girl!

Ella update

2010-06-17T06:46:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that my Ella is 9 months old!! Time flies. She is more fun everyday! It's amazing how much personality she has already. She has decided that she is a big girl now and doesn't like baby food. She prefers whatever we are eating and must eat if we're eating. She grunts until we give her a bite. She also gave up nursing and is now on formula. I was sad for about a day and then I realized it was freedom!! It was crazy how she hit 8 months and decided to do everything at once. Her newest accomplishments are crawling, pulling up, walking around things while holding on, standing by herself (for about 30 seconds), playing peek-a-boo, eating finger foods...I can now rock her and she will lay her head on my shoulder! She's never been a cuddly baby so I'm cherishing it!

She loves bath time! She's a prune by the time she get out.

I know bath time is over when she starts sucking her thumb!

Showing off her new shoes that her NeNe (her grandma in Kentucky) made her
The poor cat is constantly being chased and layed on

she's making her "scrunchy" face where she puckers her nose and mouth up...too funny!

Strawberry Fields Forever

2010-05-23T18:14:00.000-07:00

Kim, Amie, and I thought it would be fun to go strawberry picking at Washington Farms! We failed to think about how much work it would be with a 8 month old and a 18 month old! My back is sore today from carrying Ella, my camera, and the strawberry bucket through the strawberry fields while bending over and picking strawberries =) You truly do grow another set of arms when you become a mother! I shouldn't make it sound like all work, because it truly was a lot of fun. Ella was so cute eating the strawberries afterward. She shoved as many in her mouth as she could...she was afraid I'd take the bucket away!

Loving the strawberries

Liam is all boy...playing in the dirt...eating rocks...eating rotten strawberries off the ground...you can see the dirt and strawberry juice mixture on his face...so funny!

Liam thought Ella's strawberries look better!

You know it was a rough day when you fall asleep in the sitting position!

Our 1st Family Vacation

2010-04-28T17:46:00.000-07:00

We just got back from our 1st family vacation to St. George Island, Fl. It was a blast! Although, I must say that we packed the kitchen sink. We borrowed an external baggage carrier b/c we couldn't fit everything in the car! We looked like the Beverly Hillbillies on their way to the beach. Grammy, Chris' mom, went with us and it was so nice to have a 3rd person to help watch Ella. Chris and I even got a date night and some alone time on the beach! Ella loved playing in the water and eating the sand. She definitely didn't mind getting dirty. She loved the seagulls too. We were thankful she was sooo good. She even took a couple naps on the beach in her little tent! She couldn't have been any better.

Chris has always bragged about St. George (no other beach compares), so I finally got to see it. Boy, was I in for a treat! It is the best kept secret (I probably shouldn't be telling you about it;) Absolutely beautiful! It has white sands, few people, a large national seashore, no hotels, and no commercialism. I can't wait to go back!!

She learned to play peekaboo in the mirrors

Sweet girl

2010-04-11T19:04:00.000-07:00

Groovy chic!

Her first 2 teeth are here!

They are both very excited about the gold fish in our pond!
Having fun in the spring flowers!
Not so lady like when she eats
Her 1st easter...she got 6 easter baskets...a little much don't you think
5 generations! Ella is actually my great grandma's mothers namesake...we didn't know that until we already decided on her name...pretty cool!
Ella with grandpa (my dad)
Ella and her uncles!

Priceless

2010-03-27T17:54:00.000-07:00

You spend tons of money on toys and they love the FREE balloon!!

Spring is here!!

2010-03-24T14:16:00.000-07:00

I am so glad spring has sprung! I don't know about you, but this has felt like the longest winter ever. Miss Ella takes lots of naps (which I can't complain), so I haven't been my "busy body" self. We have been indoors a lot and that makes for long winter days. I know now that I am definitely a spring/summer person. My mood is effected by the weather and sunshine. We've been taking walks in the neighborhood and Ella has made friends with neighbor babies...she loves little kids and babies. It is so funny how she knows that they are like her...her legs and arms kick and she squeals=) Ella had a doctor's appointment and she is 16 lbs. 8 oz. (75th percentile) and 26 3/4 in. (90th percentile)... nice and healthy!! She continues to sleep 12 hours a night (7:30-7:30) and takes 2 naps a day. Continues to nurse. She eats a variety of fruits and veggies now. I bought some chicken and turkey baby food...it smells and looks like cat food...do people really give there babies that stuff? I couldn't bare it! Better go. Enjoy the great weather.

2010-02-25T19:28:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted in awhile because I've been on a little technology hiatus. I know technology is supposed to make our lives easier, but I feel that it makes life more complicated sometimes. You begin to feel bound to your cell phone, computer, TV, and iphone... you know what I mean? It feels freeing to not feel obligated to "be connected". Anyway, I hope that didn't come across harshly. That is just my little soap box for the month!

Our lives have been good this month. We have had a good month of birthday celebrations and family time. We enjoyed our weekend of good weather. I can't wait for spring to get Ella out strolling and swinging at the park!

I have had fun making Ella's clothes! It is dangerous having a girl! I could go crazy=)

Ella is sitting up by herself now!

Enjoying the neighborhood park. Ella didn't know what to think of the swings! I think her stomach was in her throat the whole time=)

We started cereal last week and she isn't too thrilled about it. Can you tell by her face?!

The big 30!

2010-02-01T18:27:00.000-08:00

I threw a surprise 30 b-day party for Chris this weekend at a cabin in Blue Ridge. Chris has never had a surprise party and I figured what better time than his 3oth! He thought the 2 of us were going to celebrate our first night away since Ella was born. He was in for a treat...the Hewatts, the Capes, and the Geairns were there to surprise him. We had a great time with some great friends! Although, it was a little stressful getting everyone up there in the winter storm (of all weekends)! We all got there and back safely... and have great memories to cherish...

30 candles...where's the fire extinguisher?

They lost in a game of pool...and had to put their butts in the snow for 30 seconds...men still act like boys..even when they are 30!

Photoshoot

2010-02-01T17:38:00.000-08:00

I get a little carried away with the camera sometimes. I used to love taking pictures of nature and old buildings, but now I have a new subject... poor Ella! It's so funny too b/c when the camera comes out she gets serious! Normally, she is smiley baby. Ella is doing great... 90 th percentile for her height and weight (15 lb. 8 oz. and 25 3/4 in. tall)... continues to sleep through the night (7 pm to 8 am)...how lucky am I! She is fascinated with Derby, our cat...can't take her eyes off him if he's in the room. She eats her feet and constantly kicks her feet (I am going to invent socks that stay on babies' feet b/c I have yet to find them).

Our little puppy dog=)

What's new in Ella's world...

2010-01-12T17:12:00.000-08:00

Once again, I haven't blogged in awhile. What's been happening?... We've been so busy with work, holidays, traveling, and my etsy business. We took a trip to North Carolina to see my grandparents. They got to meet Ella for the 1st time and we had a wonderful trip. I always love going to visit them. Ella slept pretty much the whole 7 hours there and back! I have such a good baby =) Ella sleeps through the night most nights. She can now turn over from her front to back. You can no longer leave her on the bed alone! Although, she hates being on her stomach so she starts screaming the second she rolls over! We had the pacifier battle and we officially have a thumb sucker now. She sucks her thumb when she is tired or falling asleep. So cute! Or course, Chris got to see her do both of those things 1st and failed to mention them to me until after I saw them for myself. He didn't realize that they were milestones to be written in the baby book! Here are some pics...

Ella with great-grandparents, Grandma and Pop

taking a sink bath at Grandma and Pop's house

thumb sucker
She loves being naked
She loves stinking her tongue out and it cracks us up!

The more we laugh, the longer she does it!

Back to work

2009-12-13T17:45:00.000-08:00

I haven't blogged in a while. I am learning to juggle work and motherhood! Working 2 days/week is definitely better than 3 days at work, but it is still an adjustment to get used to. I was with Ella for 3 months straight and to have to go 13 hours without seeing her was hard. I just finished my 3rd week of work and I am getting the hang of it. It really hasn't been too bad leaving her since I am blessed to have 2 great babysitters (mom and Chris). I have only had one melt down at work so far! Here are some updated pictures of Ella. I still manage to take a million pictures. I think she probably has a picture of every day of her life!

She loves the lights on her Christmas tree

I am very proud of the $1 tights I found in the Target dollar section

All smiles as usual!

"It's a major award!"

2009-11-20T14:13:00.000-08:00

For years, I have loved the leg lamp on "A Christmas Story" and wanted to sport it in my living room window. Well, this is the year! We won the major award! "FRAGILE" it must be Italian!

For years

The Hunnibees Knees

2009-11-14T12:01:00.001-08:00

Most of you know that I have always loved being crafty. Mom and I have been making home decor and kid's stuff for a while now and recently opened an etsy store for kids stuff, called

The Hunnibees Knees at www.thehunnibeesknees.etsy.com

Eventually, we hope to have a home decor store as well. Everything in the store now are things I made a while ago. We will be adding more things as I get adjusted to the mommy thing! I hope you like what you see!

My heart is melted!

2009-11-09T08:40:00.000-08:00

I know all my blogs are about Ella, but she is my life right now. She melts my heart! There is no love greater (except for God's love for us)! She is becoming so fun and I love to hear her coos and see her smile. My inner child is definitely coming out. I will make any face imaginable to make her smile! I will even sing to her (Kim)!

Grandma, she's wearing the hat that you knitted and looks adorable in it!

Having some, not so fun, tummy time to strengthen those neck muscles
Those big eyes melt my heart!
Sweet smile!
I love watching her sleep. She is so beautiful to me!

Our little Ladybug

2009-11-04T17:54:00.000-08:00

Our little Ladybug didn't like her Halloween costume too much. You can see that in the pic of her and daddy. We went to visit daddy at the fire station on Halloween. Then we decided to make her a pumpkin and she didn't like that too much either. I think our neighbors thought we were torturing our baby! When I look at these pictures, I realize how big she is getting. She now smiles, focuses on faces, and follows objects with her eyes. Before we know it, she'll be crawling =(

Newborn Pictures

2009-10-19T09:44:00.000-07:00

We just received Ella Cate's newborn photos and I am so proud of them! It was an adventure (to say the least) to get them made! The photographer told us the session would probably take 2 hours and the longest it had ever taken was 4 hours. We broke the record for 4 hrs and 15 min! Go Ella! Ella peed and pooped on us several times and did not want to go to sleep. I know we were pushing our luck by asking our 1 week old baby to fall asleep after we stripped her naked and twisted her in all sorts of positions! I am so happy they turned out so well. You can view the rest of the pics through the link on the side. Ella is getting so big now and she looks so tiny in these pics. She now weighs 10# 14 oz. and is 7 weeks old. She's a good eater!

5th Annual Family Girls Retreat

2009-10-01T13:46:00.000-07:00

Ella Cate had her 1st weekend getaway in Gatlinburg with the girls. 22 of us girls, on mom's side of the family, gathered together all weekend in a cabin in the Smokey Mountains and had the time of our life. My family is sooo wild and crazy! Every year, it gets more fun! We pick a different location each year and hang out and catch up. We were in our PJ's almost all weekend. We danced, hot tubbed, sat in massage chairs, ate, and laughed until we couldn't laugh anymore. I have to say we broke Ella in b/c if she could sleep through that loudness, then she can sleep through anything! My great grandma (Ella's great-great grandma) came too, so we had 5 generations there. That was priceless! The ages ranged from 4 weeks old to 87 years! I wouldn't trade those memories for anything.

Ella Cate at 1 month old
2nd cousins Bobbi & Tion dancing
Aunt Kim & mom cheering!
Me with 2nd cousin Bobbi and 1st cousin Katherine
5 generations! What a view from our balcony!

2009-09-21T14:02:00.000-07:00

I am skipping my nap time to post some new pics on the blog. They say to sleep when the baby sleeps, but what do you do when your baby rarely sleeps? I have found that if I get one thing done a day, then I feel accomplished! Ella is a busy body already and likes to be awake during the day and can't stand to not see what's going on around her. I swear she is already trying to smile and she lifts her head up like it's nothing! She is growing like a weed; she weighed 8#2 oz. last week. Chris goes back to work tomorrow after being off for 3 weeks and I am not looking forward to that. It has been so nice having him here to help me and to make meals. He feeds me while I feed Ella! Here are a few pictures I took this week.

Ella Cate is here!!

2009-09-02T16:35:00.000-07:00

We are proud to announce our new baby girl, Ella Cate! She was born Sunday, August 30th at 7:38 pm and weighed 7# 10 oz. and is 20 1/2 in. long. She is absolutely perfect! Even more perfect than I could ever imagine! I can't take my eyes off of her! The labor story... we went in Saturday night at about 2:30 am after I had been having contractions q 4-5 min for about 4 1/2 hours. I was planning an epidural for pain relief and ended up getting one at about 6:30 am. They started pitocin at about 5:30 am and my water broke around 9 am. I was 10 cm at about 6:45 pm and pushed for about 45 min. The whole experience was so surreal and I still can't believe that I just delivered a baby and she's now mine! Chris was so supportive through the whole labor and delivery (and even more supportive since we've been home). I couldn't have asked for a better husband. Ella is sooo wonderful and beautiful. I never knew I could love someone so much so quickly!

Coming home!

1st bath!

Our little procrastinator!!

2009-08-29T07:26:00.000-07:00

Well, we are 2 days past due and still no baby yet! I was 1 cm and 80% effaced this past Tuesday. I'm having some irregular contractions, but nothing too intense =( If we don't have a baby by tomorrow night, then we go in for an induction. I'll get a cervidil (cervical "ripener") Sunday night and then pitocin Monday morning. Until then, we are just passing the time. It is odd just waiting around for something to happen. The house is thoroughly cleaned! Chris and I went yesterday and got foot massages and they massaged the pressure points that are supposed to stir up labor. I'm trying anything at this point. I'm officially miserable! We will keep you all posted in the next few days! Will it be a boy or girl? My vote is a little boy that weighs 7#3 oz and Chris votes a girl that weighs 7#9 oz...we'll see...

Belly Shots

2009-08-21T16:01:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share some of our belly shots with you all. We had so much fun at the photo shoot and we're happy with how they turned out. There pics were when I was about 33 weeks pregnant. The quality of the pictures aren't that great b/c I had to scan them into my computer.

Patiently awaiting Baby H...

2009-08-15T07:00:00.001-07:00

We are now counting down the days! August 27th is just around the corner and we're patiently waiting on Baby H. The room is complete and our bags are packed! So far, I haven't had one real contraction. I'm still hanging in there and not too terribly uncomfortable yet. I've been blessed to have such a great pregnancy so far! I do admit that I'm a little nervous about the whole labor/delivery. I'm ready for that part to be behind me! I think that a little ignorance is bliss with your 1st baby can be a good thing and I don't get that luxury since I work in L&D. Keep me and the baby in your prayers over the next couple of weeks and pray that the delivery goes well and we have a healthy baby! I posted some pics of the baby's room. I worked hard at sewing the crib bedding and curtains. I thing it turned out pretty gender neutral. Lots of green!

Baby Shower Time!

2009-07-14T06:35:00.000-07:00

It's already baby shower time! I am so blessed to have such good family and friends that have offered to throw baby showers for me. So far, we have had 2 showers. Chris's mom, Brenda, gave us a shower 2 weeks ago for his family. She got out Chris's old stroller and we had a good laugh at the difference in the 1980 stroller vs. the 2009 version!

A few friends (Kim, Amie, and Jessica) threw me a shower this past weekend at my house. We had a really good time, especially with the toilet paper/plunger game! Below is my mom and Stella, Chris' stepmom, trying to put the plunger in the toilet paper hole! It might be a little inappropriate for a baby shower, but it sure was funny!

4D Ultrasound

2009-06-23T17:23:00.000-07:00

Our sweet baby's 4D ultrasound was today and I have to say Baby H is already the cutest thing I've ever seen! The baby was giving us quite a performance today, with a SMILE, yawn, sucking, and eye blinking. Baby H is also quite limber with his/her feet up near the face (maybe there's a cheerleader in there). In one ultrasound picture, you can see the foot up near the face! The most important thing is that the baby is healthy and measuring right on time, with an estimated 3 lb 8 oz. I also included a pic of the "coming home" outfit. Chris asked me where the boy's outfit was when I showed it to him! It is quite feminine, but I thought I'd a blue hat or pink headband for either a boy or a girl =)

2009-06-21T08:52:00.001-07:00

More beach pics...Chris is being goofy in the sunset pic! He does look pretty cute though!

Beach Bums

2009-06-21T07:58:00.000-07:00

We just got back from a week long family vacation,with my fam, at Santa Rosa Beach (near Destin) and it was absolutely perfect. Our beach house was so cute; each room was a bright tropical color! No rain and beautiful sunny skies for 7 days! The heat index somedays was in the 110's, so you can bet that I spent a lot of time under my umbrella. Chris and I had in our minds that this was our last relaxing vacation, so we literally sat on the beach all day with a book and umbrella. It doesn't get better than that for me! Yes, I wore my bikinis and loved it! It felt so free having my pregnant stomach hanging out! My pregnant skin was a lot more sensitive in the sun, especially my stomach. It was very strange! Chris and all the guys in my fam went deep sea fishing one day and Chris caught a 3o lb. amberjack that took 15 min. to reel in. He was so proud! They caught so much fish that we'll be eating it for a year! The girls spent a day at the outlet mall and I got some good baby deals, including the coming home outfit! It was fun spending the week w/ the fam and chillin' on the beach! Now back to reality!

My Savannah Fix

2009-06-02T06:26:00.000-07:00

For all of you that know me, know that I must get my "Savannah fix" every few months. So...we went this past weekend with Brenda and Melissa, Chris' mom and sister. We had a wonderful time and had perfect weather! Brenda had never been to Savannah, so we ate at Paula Dean's restaurant, took the city trolley tour, and the ghost tour of course. We enjoyed looking at the gravestones at the Colonial Park Cemetary b/c many had been changed by soldiers during the civil war and some people even died before they were born. The pic I attached shows a boy who died at age 11, his wife died at age 17, and his son died at age 12 (just a few days after his dad). Figure that one out!

Baby Bump

2009-05-01T06:19:00.000-07:00

I can finally say that I have a baby bump! Over the last week, my belly has popped out. I'm 23 weeks now! I can no longer fit into any of my pants or shorts, so I broke down and bought some maternity stuff. I wasn't very excited about the whole shopping experience. I actually walked around the store aimlessly for about 30 min before trying on anything. It's hard for me to buy clothes that I'm only going to wear for a couple of months, but what else can I do.? Chris was sweet by surprising me with bead board in the baby's room. We weren't planning on starting on the room for about a month or so, but he took the initiative when I was out of town and put the bead board up. It looks so good! Wow, I feel like everything is starting to move faster now with the pregnancy. The past few weeks have gone by so fast! Hopefully, the next weeks will move just as fast.

"What happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas"

2009-04-19T18:00:00.000-07:00

I'm a little behind in my blog update, but Kim and I ventured to Las Vegas last weekend! We had a great time and were good girls! I only gambled $25 over a 3 day span...probably because we stayed at the penny and quarter slots. A 100 pennies goes a long way! I did enjoy gambling and could see how it would get addicting if you kept winning. I won $12 off of $1!! My favorite thing was the amazing hotels and their different themes. The Venetian and The Bellagio were my favorites! The music coordinated fountains in front of the Bellagio were beautiful at night. I felt like I was on "Ocean's Eleven"! One day, we drove to Hoover Dam and The Red Rock Canyon. Both were way cool and nothing like anything I'd ever seen! We laughed at all the hispanics handing us call girl flyers. They would all line up on the side of the street and wave naked call girl flyers in our faces! We were starting to wonder if they thought Kim and I were a couple! We had a good time and I guess that's my last "girls trip" before the baby! That's crazy to think.

18 week ultrasound

2009-04-01T06:50:00.000-07:00

We had Baby "H"'s 18 week ultrasound on Monday and decided to torture everyone by not finding out the sex. Mom and Chris' mom, Brenda, were both there with us and you should have seen how excited they both were! They both had tears streaming down there face during the ultrasound. I wish I would have had my camera at that moment! Baby "H" is healthy and all the anatomy looks perfect. Baby "H" weighs about 8 ounces and is 6 inches long! We feel so blessed and relieved to have a healthy baby! Keep us in your prayers for the rest of the journey. After the ultrasound, we celebrated over lunch and laughed as the grandma's kept looking at the u/s pictures. This baby is going to be so spoiled being the 1st grandchild on both sides! Sorry, the 3D picture is a little scary!

Girls weekend in Savannah

2009-04-01T06:21:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed a great girl's weekend in Savannah with my sister, Elizabeth, and mom. Savannah was beautiful with the azaleas in full bloom! We were lucky to be there during the annual tour of homes, so we toured 9 old homes. Some of the homes even had the before and after pictures of their restoration, which was so cool. Right up my alley! We stuffed ourselves at Paula Dean's restaurant that night and the food was great! I had to unbutton my pants after that meal so that my jeans would fit! We had a great time and I am so glad that we got to spend some quality time together.

Winter Wonderland

2009-03-03T06:08:00.000-08:00

Chris and I enjoyed our 1st snow at our house on Sunday. It snowed huge snowflakes, the size of my hand, for hours and hours. We were worried it wasn't going to stop! We got about 6 inches and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, especially Chris. He was like a child with his snowboard asking me to watch him and take pictures of him! We attempted to build a pretty pitiful snowman...poor frosty! I had to capture our fun b/c we probably won't see another snow like that for many years.

Baby H update

2009-02-16T06:12:00.000-08:00

Here is Baby H at 12 weeks and 2 1/2 inches long. Baby H is growing good and I am finally over the nausea and have a little bit of energy now. I actually feel like getting off the couch and doing something worthwhile. We've decided that we are definitely not going to find out the sex b/c it will be so much more exciting in the delivery room and you can't change it anyway. I also posted a pic of a t-shirt quilt that I just finished for someone and am very proud of it. I just love turning something that won't be used, like old t-shirts, into a memory that will last forever. We also had a baby shower for Donna Bennett this weekend and a good time. She looks great and is expecting in the beginning of April.

Cirque du Soleil

2009-02-08T18:06:00.000-08:00

We were lucky enough to go to Cirque du Soleil this weekend with the Hewatts. I say lucky enough b/c the tickets are so dang expensive...it was definitely worth the money though. It was the "Kooza" show, or Kudzu, as we call it here in Georgia! The acrobats were amazing how they twisted their bodies around. I definitely recommend going...they're here until the end of March!

Charleston

2009-02-08T17:40:00.000-08:00

Chris and I celebrated our b-days this past week in Charleston. We had some fun with our new camera! This trip was a little different for us b/c I was so tired. We were in bed and watching TV at 9 pm every night. We're boring now! It was nice to relax away from home. We went to on a plantation tour, shopped, ate, road our bikes...The bike riding is one of my favorite things to do in Charleston, it makes you feel like a kid again. As you can see in one of the pics! The tree in one of the pictures is about 900 years old. I fell in love with that tree. Yes, I'm a tree hugger! Those massive live oaks on the coast are one of my favorite things in the world. The peach colored hotel is where we stayed and Chris said we were "fancy" since they served wine and cheese every afternoon! (even if it was cheddar cheese cubes and cheap wine) We had a good time=)

Life, as we know it, is about to change!!

2009-01-23T07:45:00.000-08:00

Yeah!! Chris and I are expecting our first baby! It is so surreal, yet so exciting. We are due August 27th. Yes, it is going to be a long hot summer! I am so glad we just got a new heating/air system in our house. Last summer, it decided not to work with the 95 degree temperatures. I am 9 weeks now and feeling quite lethargic. The past few weeks have been filled with nausea, irritability, exhaustion, emotions...poor Chris! He is looking for things to do outside in the cold weather! He is planting bulbs in the yard as I write. He asked if I will be like this for 9 months. I laughed and said wait until July! Our 1st ultrasound was this past Wednesday and we got to see the heartbeat. Of course, I got teary eyed because it was a sigh of relief. I had a great fear that there wouldn't be a heartbeat. When the baby jumped on the ultrasound, Chris got teary eyed and couldn't believe that it actually moved. I told him that it is a human being and they do move! Well, we are super excited and please keep us in your prayers during these next months.

Stone Mountain Christmas

2008-12-22T19:31:00.000-08:00

Tonya and I had a Stone Mountain Christmas this weekend. We felt like kids again while riding the train and watching the laser show. We had a blast!

Hometown celebrity

2008-12-07T12:48:00.000-08:00

Chris and I had a blast at the Corey Smith concert Sat. night. He is our local rockstar since he's from Jefferson. He gave a benefit concert at Jefferson HS and raised over $10,000. I kept thinking that it must have been awkward for him to sing "Let me love you on the back roads" with his grandma in the front row! I am sure some of you know him by the song "Every Dawg has it's day".

Churchill Downs

2008-11-29T18:46:00.000-08:00

All of the cousins hanging at Nanny and Papaw's
Nanny and me at Churchill Downs
cousin Taylor, sis Catherine, sis Elizabeth, me

Our immediate family traveled to KY to see the extended family this week. I had a great time at Churchill Downs (home of the Kentucky Derby) on Friday! Mom's entire family, including great-grandma and 2nd cousins, started a tradition the day after Thanksgiving where we rented tables and bet on the horse races and ate all day. What a cool way to see everyone! My family is so much fun!

Everywhere we turn, there are more babies!

2008-11-14T20:03:00.001-08:00

We got to spend this evening with Jessica, Shane and Kensleigh Hewatt! Kensleigh is such a doll and has the perfect little lips! Jessica and I laughed as Chris and Shane as they went off shopping by themselves with Kensleigh in the stroller. What a cute couple they make!!

Welcome Baby Liam!

2008-11-05T19:52:00.000-08:00

Amie delivered Liam Elijah Kirk on Monday, Nov. 3rd, at Gwinnett Medical. He was a little early at 32 + weeks due to preterm labor, but he's doing great and breathing on his own! He weighed 5# 6 oz! He's big for his age. Amie is doing well too! Keep them in your prayers!

My week

2008-10-29T18:25:00.000-07:00

Chris and I had a horrible kayaking experience this past week. It was supposed to be a 3 hr trip and ended up being 6 1/2 hrs (and we never did finish) b/c Chris didn't realize how low the river was! It was so low that we pulled ourselves (in our kayaks) the majority of the way through the rocks. At one point, I got so frustrated that I slammed my ore down on my kayak and popped my shoulder out of socket! It started to get dark and cold...I couldn't feel my feet...Chris' cell died when he dropped it in the water...Chris's mom was waiting on us at the end...but we didn't know how far the end was... it was 3 hours past the time she was supposed to pick us up...we got out and walked (dripping wet and cold) to an old lady's house. She drove us to meet his mom (in the mean time, she calls the police and his whole family). They were all waiting on us, with tears, when we got there! I told Chris that it will be a long time before I kayak again (if I ever do)! We laugh now, but that night there were a few harsh words!

Family Fun Weekend

2008-10-29T17:49:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, Chris and I joined my dad, Linda, and brothers in Tennessee for a weekend of camping and horseback riding. It was Chris' 2nd time riding a horse and he said it might be the last time (at least for awhile). His butt was so sore after the 1st day, that he didn't ride the next! That 1st day, we all rode horses down to a hostel/restaurant that had no electricity and the only way there is by horse or hiking. We ate food, that was cooked on a wood burning stove, beside oil burning lamps. It felt like Little House on the Prairie times! It was a good time with my family and spending quality time together.

Mountain Retreat

2008-10-12T17:07:00.001-07:00

Kim and I took our annual trip to the mountains to relax. We had a good time lounging at Terry's (Chris dad's) cabin and making each other laugh. The 2 of us always have a fun time together and find each other very funny! We were brave enough to go fishing and we even put the worms on the hooks all by ourselves! We went hiking at Fires Creek Park in Hayesville, NC. Mom and Catherine came up Saturday night and we enjoyed sitting on the front porch together and watching movies. The leaves were just starting to change color and they were beautiful. It was fun just having girl time! It needs to happen more often.

Mom's Birthday

2008-10-09T16:18:00.000-07:00

We celebrated mom's birthday last night. We went to the Iron Wok and embarrassed her to death. The waitresses came and sang her Happy Birthday and made her wear a little beanie hat. What made the night was that they posted her picture on the Birthday board as you walk in the restaurant! Mom does not like having her picture taken! We laughed so hard! Everyone was there for dinner, except Elizabeth. We missed her, but I know she's studying hard at GSU!!! She got a bike for her b-day so that she can come ride it out in the country with me!

2008-09-27T18:08:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it! Yes, I have started a blog. I never thought I would actually do this, but it is actually kind of fun. Recently, we took a trip to Hawaii and had the time of our life. We flew to Honolulu (thanks to skymiles!) and cruised on Norwegian cruise line from island to island for a week. We cruised to Oahu, Kauai, Big Island, and Maui. Each island is different from the next, but I will have to say Kauai was our favorite. It's the mountainous (is that a word?) one in most of the pictures. Our most favorite adventure all week was the helicopter ride...I got tears in my eyes seeing all the beauty God put in one place...We got to see the sunrise atop a volcano one morning. Yes, we woke up at 3 AM to drive to the top of the Haleakala volcano to see the sunrise above the clouds... Well worth it though. In Maui, we were brave enough to go to a nude beach! We embarrassed ourselves so bad...no we didn't get naked, but we saw a man surf naked and an old woman do yoga in the sand. Everyone knows I couldn't keep a straight face while seeing a bunch of naked people! Those people take their nudity seriously. On the Big Island, we saw a black sand beach and lava pouring into the ocean...While snorkeling, I unintentionally swam with a 6 ft. shark! I never knew I could swim so fast back to the boat once I spotted it below me... Well, I could go on all day about Hawaii. I do suggest everyone goes once in their lifetime!