Life on the Hill

Merry Christmas . . . from our family to yours!

2011-12-11T09:59:00.000-08:00

Here are a few of the professional photos we had taken 11/30/11. I am still amazed that we managed to get pictures of both the boys looking at the camera! We were out at the "tobacco barn" in our neighborhood for the photo shoot . . . very cool little place!

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-27T17:56:00.000-08:00

A very fun Thanksgiving with the Bates group . . . including Project Gingerbread House Co-op, Early Christmas Present Extravaganza, Jordan Lake Tree Farm Outing with all 4 boys, and Nanny's surprise Birthday party!!

Thanksgiving Day . . . feasting with the family . . .

Early Christmas . . . especially fun for the kids (wait a minute, . . . which ones are the kids?)

Ian, wearing Jackie's Christmas present . . .

Jordan Lake Christmas tree farm . . .

Hayrides!

Cam had had enough!

Pictures from Nanny's surprise (early) Birthday party . . .

Ian was just interested in the cake

Just before our movie outing to see the new Twilight movie . . . our hubbies joined us (although a little begrudgingly!).

Lizards and Tigers and Dragons . . . Oh My!

2011-11-27T17:34:00.000-08:00

Halloween 2011 - this year we were excited to share our Trick-or-Treating with Noah and Ian! We kicked off this rainy, Monday Halloween night with a little neighborhood Hotdog social at our house . . . lots of fun to see all the neighbors and their costumes! A few pictures . . .

Trying to get a group shot with all the kids was nothing short of impossible, and hilarious!

and there goes the Dragon! . . . .

What we're up to lately . . .

2011-11-27T11:35:00.000-08:00

Cam's smile has been described by many as "mischievous" or "up to something" . . . whereas, I just think it's endearing!

Fun in the bathtub . . . well, maybe not for the one getting dumped on!

Grey's appetite and zeal for eating has now much improved . . .

Outside to carve the pumpkin . . . AKA, mom chasing the boys around while she attempted to do the pumpkin

School Days, School Days . . .

2011-10-01T12:03:00.001-07:00

It is so hard to believe that my little guy has been in preschool for a month now! Grey started attending Aldersgate Church Preschool on Tuesday September 6th. His class is from 9 to noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
There are 10 children in all in his class, 5 girls (Madison, Madelyn, Matilda, Gianna, and Lila) and 5 boys (Miles [our neighbor!], Wyatt, Sebastian, Luke, and Grey). I love hearing all the names - haven't names changed so much in the last few years? Matilda and Sebastian are actually twins, and their parents are from Sweden. They apparently speak 3 languages (French, Swedish and English). Meanwhile, Grey isn't even talking! What a range of abilities at 2 years! Truly surprising.
Anyway, their time at preschool is very structured with lots of group activities. We are very pleased so far, and we really love their teachers - Miss Holly and Miss Julie. They always talk fondly of Grey.
Here are few pictures of Grey at preschool (sent by Miss Julie) . . .

I love this picture! Grey, approaching the two girls . . .

Snack time around the table, and the children sing a blessing before eating . . .

The blessing song is sung to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and goes like this: Thank you for the stars at night, Thank you for the moon at night, Thank you for the birds that sing, Thank you God for EVERYTHING!

(Matt said he was disappointed that Grey was pushing a pink baby stroller around the playground - I thought it was cute!)

Play dough time!

My little artist!

Miss Julie said that Grey was slow to participate on this day, carrying his mouse around the table while the other children made sponge bubbles . .

Grey's favorite times seem to be on the playground and at the drawing board . . .

Miss Julie sent a schedule of "A Day in the Two's" (also called the "ducks"):

9:00-9:10 Washing hands, playing in room

9:10-9:15 Circle Time - Surprise bag with Rocky the raccoon and Hickety Pickety & Song time

9:15-9:45 Free Play - Kitchen cooking time, Painting, Art table projects, Block building, Reading

9:45-10:15 Playground time

10:20-10:25 Washing hands

10:25-10:30 Setting the table before snack time with napkins, cups

10:30-11:00 Snack time with blessing song and then stories with Miss Julie

11:00-11:30 Clean up snack time with clean up song and dance, Play dough time

11:30-12:00 Playground time/ free play/ clean up room/ chalk on sidewalk/ singing songs

12:00 - Mommy (or nanny) Pickup time!

Lake Gaston - Labor Day 2011

2011-09-25T10:10:00.000-07:00

We stayed three nights at Olde Ferry Estates over Labor Day, and we love the lake! Sally and Shelton, along with my parents, and Jim & Steph joined us in the 5 bedroom lake house (which was fully equipped with gourmet kitchen, classy decor, wood floors, luxurious master bed and bath, pool table, ping pong table, huge dock/boat house, etc). The boys had a ball, although, there were times that fatigue trumped the fun. Cam refused to sleep in the pack n play - screaming bloody murder for hours when we tried to put him to bed. Grey slept OK, but refused to eat anything! Besides that, mommy did find some peace and relaxation on the boat (Steph & Jim's fish-n-ski boat).

Returning from our first outing on the boat . . .

View up the cove from our dock:

Pics of the house we stayed in . . . huge kitchen that opened to the living/dining room:

The back porch . . . the boys and their "papa":

Returning to our "estate" on the boat, we were the last dock on the left:

Matt, coming out to help unload the boys from the boat . . .

More house pics . . . the living room:

Geared up and ready to roll . . . out on the lake, that is . . . sun screen, hats, water shoes, and life jackets, check!
(Can't you see the enthusiasm?)

Pa, giving tips to the lake-goers . . . don't jump out the boat!

The only way Cam would sleep was in the boat . . . so, lots of boating during nap times and just before bed!

Grey's favorite was driving the boat (with Mr. Jim, of course)!

A-hoy Mate-ys!

The CREW . . . captain Jim, first mate Grey, concierge Pa . . .

Mom and Cam

Cam, feeling the wind in his hair . . .

Oh, so tired! Resting his head on the boat!

Cool Dude!

Cam's "do", looking like the wind has been in his hair

SOOOOOOOOOO TIRED!!! (and still refusing to sleep!)

Grey's first time catching a fish! (but he accidentally touched its fin, and he was scared of it after that)

Sunday night, out to dinner at "The Pointe" . . . almost everyone ordered fish n chips!

All-in-all, a great mini-vacation. We would definitely recommend Lake Gaston - very family oriented with nice houses, and prices were definitely cheaper than Smith Mountain Lake. The house we stayed in was brand new and very spacious. We are definitely keeping the lake trip in our vacation rotation!

Summertime (July - August 2011)

2011-09-11T17:46:00.000-07:00

For once, my boys sitting with each other and enjoying it . . .

Cam's first haircut - a rather hairy ordeal (pun intended!)

It's amazing how tolerant Jackson is! Cam definitely pushed his limit!

More posts coming soon . . . Grey's first day of preschool was Sept 6th (last Tuesday), and for Labor Day, we visited Lake Gaston! Good times, Good times . . .

My Birthday Boys

2011-08-01T06:44:00.000-07:00

Sunday afternoon, July 3rd, we celebrated Grey and Cam's birthdays! It is sooo hard to believe they are already 1 and 2. We had lots of guests - lots of friends for the boys to play with . . . and they had a ball! We had pools on the screened porch and outside with sprinklers. Cake and presents . . .
Actually, neither Grey nor Cam much enjoyed the cake - a few force-fed bites and they were done!

Birthday butt shot!

Of course, all good things must come to an end . . . in this case, it ended with a fight over the new xylophone . . . poor Cam

June pictures

2011-07-19T18:16:00.000-07:00

Cam around 11 months and Grey around 23 months . . . contemplating future careers in medicine?

Gotta get the giggles out . . .

More Nags Head Pictures . . .

2011-07-19T17:28:00.000-07:00

Nags Head really was a total blast - it's always so great to get the cousins together! So many memorable times . . . Currituck Lighthouse, the wild horses (driving on the beach), shopping at the boardwalk in Duck, beach time, family time, movie time, our night out to eat, crab night by Uncle Connor, etc . . .

Pics at Currituck . . . up in the lighthouse . . .

Note the relationship between Grey's feet and the sand . . . he tried to preserve this fragile relationship as much as he could . . . (and it didn't help when "E" dumped sand on him!)

Cam did not share Grey's reluctance about the sand . . .

Finally, a way to enjoy the beach without the sand getting in the way!

So, a few side notes about this unique trip . . . I think if we had just brought an ER doc with us, we would have been fine. The vaca started with Strep throat, vomiting, a 104 fever, and a trip to the urgent care. Middle of the week entailed a horrible back spasm, rendering the victim completely unable to move - for a day (and this included getting out of bed to the bathroom) - followed by several visits to the chiropractor. Also, a fall down the stairs & huge egg-sized lump on the head, as well as the most horrendous cold endured by all the males and grandma for over a month! Seriously, it knocked Matt and the kids out for several weeks. Oh, and Grey had projectile vomiting toward the end of the trip.

Like I said, a memorable trip . . . but getting to spend time with our family made it all worth it!

the Novelty

2011-05-18T17:34:00.000-07:00

just getting started with a post about our Nag's Head trip . . . I will come back and post more!

It's amazing how many brain cells I feel I have lost in this whole "having kids" experience. It feels a little like being brain washed on some days. (and I didn't preserve any brain cells by going on vacation either!)

But on the other hand, I seem to be using new parts of my brain that I didn't even know existed. I don't have any memories from when I was 1 or 2 yrs old. But I feel like I am reliving those years. Everything my kids experience, I am experiencing too. I can't even explain the identification you have with your children. Their perspective becomes your perspective. Their frustration, hurt, joy, amazement, excitement becomes yours. It's like a whole other world that you step into. It's like . . . a bigger picture.

Why does life seem so exciting when you're two? I think . . . it's the novelty. Why are new things fun and exciting? Doesn't it always seem like the first time you experience something, it is extra memorable? extra stimulating? intriguing? beguiling? And, even though I'm not the one experiencing everything for the first time, my kids are. I think I get even more joy from experiencing life through them then I do on my own! (if that even makes sense) The best analogy I can make (and this analogy doesn't even do justice to my thoughts) is when you are watching your favorite movie with your best friend whose never seen the movie before.

Why did mom always say that if we lived at the beach, it just wouldn't be special anymore? that we wouldn't want to vacation there anymore?

it's the mystery of the novelty of things . . .

a Southern Easter in the Pines

2011-05-18T17:13:00.000-07:00

Not just on Easter, but everyday it is easy to forget what happened on that Easter Sunday so many centuries ago . . . the resurrection of Christ. We forget . . . He did it for us! because He loved us. Without this gift, we would have no hope. Pastor Mike reminded us on Easter morning that it is personal.

We hope your Easter was a personal reminder of Christ's love for you as well. God Bless!

Bathtime with Boo-Boo

2011-03-27T12:43:00.000-07:00

The very first thing Cam does when he gets in the bathtub is to take a nose dive for these little rubber balls (many times ending up with a face full of water, coughing and sputtering). In the mouth they go, as he proceeds to frantically suck on them . . . interesting . . .

Of course, it's a different story when Grey and Cam are both in the tub, battling it out for the rubber balls . . .

Both in search (no doubt) of the balls . . .

"Boo-boo" is my nickname for Cam, mainly because he is an accident (hence the term "boo-boo") looking to happen. He is truly impulsive. There are no moments of hesitation, no stopping to ponder the possible consequences of his actions. He just nose-dives right into whatever it is he's doing . . . head first off the couch, up (or down) the stairs, ripping toys out of Grey's hands (truly a boo-boo waiting to happen), pulling the cords of lamps (hence pulling the lamp off the table), etc, etc . . .

Very unlike his big brother, who models cautious, thoughtful behavior (and I'm being completely serious).

It is truly a full-time job, just making sure "Boo-boo" doesn't end up with a boo-boo. But, I wouldn't trade my Boo-boo for the world . . .

Thank goodness for the beautiful weekends we've had recently. It's been great to get the kids outside and burn off a little energy. Hopefully more nice weather will continue our way (unlike this weekend, rainy and freezing cold)!

All you need is one large box . . .

2011-03-27T11:38:00.000-07:00

. . . for hours of fun! Just don't ask either one to share it with the other one - apparently there is only room for one . . .

Grey's "I-don't-like-to-share" face . . . (we're working on it!)

Frankie, want to play??

2011-03-27T06:43:00.000-07:00

As much as I complain about the cat (her meowing in the middle of the night, her stinky poops, her puking on our bed sheets), I must say . . . she has been a wonderful source of entertainment for the kids. Good thing she is fully de-clawed (front and back), or else there would be quite a few "boo-boos." However, she is NOT de-toothed, and a few injuries do still occur . . .

This is about as close as she'll allow Cam (see the below picture), who relentlessly pursues her around the house (regardless of the fact that she is a hundred times faster than him and the chances of him actually catching her are practically nonexistent! still, that does not seem to deter Cam.)

Grey, with his now-toothy-grin, also loves pursuing the cat. However, he is much more restrained in his advances toward her (gentle touching mostly). She seems to understand this and will allow Grey to get much closer for much longer time . . .

Of course, she will still bite Grey (much to his surprise, every time)! Actually, Grey's very first "boo-boo" was a Frankie bite to the wrist. Months later, you ask Grey to show you his "boo-boo" and he will point to the original Frankie injury. funny.

Grey, giving Frankie "love" . . .

Cam, now eating 3 meals per day, is a bit more enthusiastic about eating than Grey . . . this was a particularly passionate meal with green beans . . .

Both are always . . . on-the-go!

I just love Cam's (slightly mischievous) grin . . .

February Pictures

2011-03-26T10:54:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the late post! Of course, we've been extremely busy lately (us and the kids!). Grey is now walking EVERYWHERE (started walking the end of January), and Cam is crawling just as fast. The cat is getting a real run for her money! Cam is learning quick to follow in his big brother's footsteps, and whatever one is doing - that's what the other one wants to do as well (and that leads to lots of fighting!). Pictures from last month . . . Cam now pulls up on everything to stand - and even pushes the walking toy all around the living room. It won't be long before he's walking too! Showing himself off on the book shelf . . .

Mommy got new scrub hats for Christmas, and here are Grey and Cam modelling them . . .

Our house of little monkeys!

We have definitely taken advantage of the nice weather over the last few weekends, and let the boys have some outdoor time . . .

here we see Cam exploring the taste of dead leaves . . .

A Week Away . . .

2011-02-03T08:05:00.000-08:00

. . . to visit the Aunties! Jan 1st - 3rd we spent with Aunt Jackie's group in Towson, MD. The drive up actually wasn't too bad - just under 6 hrs, and I-95 was a clear shot (no one out on New Year's morning!). And the boys were really good in the car. We arrived Saturday (1/1/11) afternoon, just in time to celebrate Noah's birthday. Pa (Carly's dad) also drove down from his Christmas visit in NY, just in time for the birthday party. After an extensively planned out treasure hunt, Noah finally found his super fun birthday present!
Sunday we went to the Baltimore aquarium, which was quite amazing. The dolphin show was fantastic - they are such smart creatures! Of course, Grey and Cam were a little too young to fully appreciate it. The only bummer was that strollers weren't allowed in the aquarium. Noah and Ian were, of course, able to walk through it, but our two had to be carried the whole time. Bummer!

Noah's birthday present . . .

More pictures from our time with the cousins . . .

Ian is so affectionate! He can melt your heart in a minute! and quite the little personality - such a happy-go-lucky kinda fella! I think it was so good for Grey to spend some time with Ian. Grey, the quiet reserved personality, is well balanced by Ian's outgoing and gregarious spirit! perfect match for best buds!

Aunt Jackie getting a litte love from Grey. . .

Lots of reading and story times . . . (always a favorite pasttime for Grey)

Jackie's boys . . .

Noah is doing soooo good in his Montessori school! Jackie and I picked him up from school on Monday, and he talked about all of his activities there on the way home. It sounds like such a positive experience for him and an outlet for all of his creative energies. We hope Grey's preschool will offer a similar positive outlet for him.
Noah and Uncle Matt - truly bonded spirits after this visit . . .

Our last evening with Jackie and Connor - fancy burgers in their huge kitchen! Even Noah fixed himself a whopper! Good times, good times!

Happy travels - back to Chapel Hill for a night and then onto visit Aunt Becca and Uncle David in Myrtle Beach.

Don't be fooled . . . everyone was NOT this happy the entire trip!

We stayed at David's grandmother's (his mom's mom's) beach house, right ON the beach (Jan 5th-8th). The house was awesome! Here are some views from out the back . . .

the neighbors to the left . . .

the pool and beach (morning sunrise) . . .

Becca's dog Jackson, was as you can see very thrilled to have company . . .

Aunt Becca and Cam . . .

Grey's sandy toes on the beach . . .

Grey felt very bonded to Jackson . . . (I don't know if the feeling was mutual!)

His tail!

We really don't get to see David and Becca enough, so this visit was a great time to catch up on everyone's happenings. We had great evenings & conversation with them (after the kids went to sleep of course!). Unfortunately, David's grandmother (on his dad's side) passed away while we were there, and we were sad to hear of this hardship.

Otherwise, we pretty much hung out around the beach house, playing with the boys and getting take-out for lunch. I cooked a meatloaf dinner one night, and David and I cooked a big breakfast with pancakes and sausage one of the mornings (yummy!). Sally and Shelton stayed at the beach house with us for the last night we were there. We did not want to come back home (and back to work :( ).

I have to apologize that it took me so long to post our adventures from a month ago! It is getting harder and harder to find time to get anything done - both boys have become very mobile and into everything! Grey just walking about a week ago (18 1/2 months old)! Cam is crawling everywhere - usually trying to keep up with big brother or the cat! With 2 bottom teeth, Cam now has a wide toothy grin that is easy to elicit! He is such a happy boy, well, they both are really. I can't complain! God has blessed me with two great children, and I love them with all of my heart!

Jan 19th was the doctor's appt for both of them. Grey weighed 23 lb 11 oz (21 st percentile) and Cam weighed 16 lb 2 oz (16th percentile). Very healthy, except for the runny noses we've had for the past month!

Christmas 2010

2011-01-23T11:33:00.000-08:00

At one-and-a-half and a-half, Christmas hasn't quite reached it's peak of excitement . . . but next year, I'm sure it'll be quite different. Both boys loved all the attention, though, and new toys. Nanny and GG were here until Christmas Eve, then we spent a "quiet" Christmas morning together, just the four of us. Christmas afternoon we headed to Clinton, to see Matt's relatives at his Aunt Delores' house.

Grey, smacking his brother on the head, which earned him a time-out.

A few pics from Clinton . . .

Cam found a good friend in Aunt Ann!

A White Christmas . . .

2011-01-23T11:10:00.000-08:00

The day after Christmas, it snowed. A lot! 5 or 6 inches. Grey's reaction to the snow was similar to his reaction toward sand - he did not want to "dirty" his hands with it.

Getting bundled up to go outside . . . the enthusiasm is contagious!

Soup for the Soul at Thanksgiving

2010-11-28T06:32:00.000-08:00

Spending time with family is truly "soup for the soul." Even the moments of craziness (kids crying, not sharing toys, underfoot in the kitchen while you're cooking, into every messy thing possible, etc, etc) were good for the soul. I looked around yesterday after everyone had left and had a couple thoughts: Wow, for the first time in 4 days, my house actually looked clean. And, for the first time in 4 days, it seemed cold and empty (until my kids woke up from their nap - then not as much). But it impressed upon me how much it really means to spend the holidays with family. The house was so full of life and energy - I loved it!
Jackie, Connor, Noah, Ian, Nanny & Pa arrived Tuesday, and departed Saturday in the late morning. And so, the adventure began . . . a few pictures from their visit:

Lots of walks and wagon rides . . .

All the boys . . . Boys, Boys, and more Boys . . .

Cam and Ian (being held by Pa) . . .

the attempted group shot - no one seemed to want to cooperate, except Ian (surprisingly!)

Noah, tell us how you really feel about having your picture taken!

the Bates family, just before Jackie & Connor's dinner out at Fearrington (Matt & I's Christmas present to them!) . . . .

Family times the living room . . . Nanny holding Cam with Ian "helping"

Cam, ready for his walk around the neighborhood . . .

Noah, watching TV

Grey, Ian and Connor

Cam, showing off his fat little legs . . .

To the playground! Ian in the swing (and Grey was in the swing next to him) . . .

Jackie and Grey - same color eyes!! Wow!

Grey standing on the rock in the park . . .

Wagon ride down the street to watch Pa and Noah fly the airplane . . .

Ian, ready to jump ship . . .

Noah loved to play with Grey and Cam (he especially liked to pull Grey's bink out and then give it back) . .

Ian liked Noah's Christmas present from Pa the best!

My boys!

Trying to remember everything that we crammed into those four days is hard!

Lots of walks to the playground and around the neighborhood, and to see the model homes
Grey and Ian did a couple wagon rides
Jackie and Connor did several trail runs
Noah and Pa flying the airplane
Lots of play time at the house - scooters, puzzles, legos, train paint set, race car track
Evening movie time - my fave was the Sherlock Holmes movie! (Eat Love Pray was a real bummer!)
the Dry Ice experiment - at least an hour of entertainment
Tons of cooking and Eating - Carly's pork tenderloin that turned out to be something else (mystery meat!), Lasagna, Thanksgiving turkey dinner! pumpkin pie!
Sally, Shelton & Becca's visit
Jackie and Carly - Fearrington Spa getaway! with seaweed wraps!
the Jordan Lake Christmas tree farm on Friday afternoon - where everyone first stopped at the wood shed to get hot coco and hot cider - then onto to shop the trees
Jackie & Connor -dinner at Fearrington on Friday night (we won't mention their bill!)
Saturday morning - Noah helped decorate the Christmas tree
Morning time was always my favorite - coffee and bagels with everyone gathered in the kitchen & living room -cozy!
and of course, all the cousin time together (very special)

The only thing that made me feel better after everyone left was to start planning our next family adventure . . . trip to Baltimore possibly in January (and perhaps to Little River as well), family beach trip in May or Sept?

Oh, and Cam's 4 month doctor visit went very well (2 shots poor baby!). November 8th - Cam weighed 13.56 lb (17 th percentile) and was 25.25 inches long (55th percentile).

Happy Hallowing

2010-11-07T06:36:00.000-08:00

This time, recent pictures! All of these are from the last 2 weeks . . .

Cam now sits up in his bobby chair all by himself!

Is someone trying to reach me? I'm ready to talk!

Walking with his "hippo" walking toy . . . almost 16 months and still not quite walking independently, but getting close . . . (look at the concentration)

Me and my brother . . .

Cam, in his johnny jumping chair . . .

Cam, eating his johnny jump up chair . . .

Grey's first haircut happened Saturday 11/6 . . . a memorable occasion

Daddy cutting the curls . . .

The night of the "hallowing" was not very happy - Grey actually hated his costume and repeatedly tried to rid himself of it . And eveyone who rang the doorbell elicited a screaming tantrum from Grey (he does not like the doorbell).

Grey and mom out for a little trick-or-treating. We actually only made it to about 4-5 houses b/c mom's arm was about to fall off after carrying him around. No walking on Grey's part. And he certainly wasn't interested in taking any candy - he just stared at everyone who tried to offer it to him, like "who are you? and why are you trying to pawn this stuff off on me?" (oh, and if you can't tell, mom is supposed to be a gypsy)

this year, Cam was the Doctor in Training

Get tigger off of me!

We're about to do what? Not sure I'm on board with those plans!

One more picture of the (almost) walking . . .

Cam has his 4 month doctor appt tomorrow, so we'll update again after that!

Celebrating 4 months old with 3 month pics . . .

2010-10-29T12:47:00.000-07:00

Cam is 4 months old today, which I find really hard to believe! You blink your eyes and a month is gone. Cam is doing great, loving life and loving his big brother. He loves to watch Grey, who can amuse him for a significant amount of time. Cam is a talker, too - cooing and babbling, excited squeals when he sees Grey doing something funny. But watch out, if he starts crying, Grey is quick to follow suit. (Mommy has to escape to her mental beach house when this happens.) Cam is also a TV fan and will sit on your lap, mesmerized by the TV. Eating about 5-6 times per day, and pooping almost as much. And, best of all, sleeping through the night (since about 10 weeks old.) I really can't complain.

A few pictures from a month ago (end of Sept). Cam is about 3 months old, and Grey is about 14 months.

Grey is obviously not happy about something . . .

Grey, giving his brother some love . . . (which means a "gentle" head butt)

I will post again soon with some 4 month pics of Cam . . . it takes my camera all night long to upload pictures - so I am going to start now!

Our Great Escape . . .

2010-08-24T08:14:00.000-07:00

. . . to Ocean Isle Beach. We loved every minute of it! 1 Moore Street, our canal house, was simply perfect - wide sweeping decks overlooking the canal. Lots of porch swings to relax on. Swimming in the canal, boating in the waterway, and all the people around who love our boys! We really didn't want to come home.

Grey's opinion of the beach was, well, somewhat lacking in enthusiasm. He was not a fan of sand on his hands (or feet or eyes, for that matter), nor saltwater in his face. The waves were fun for a little while, until he received one to many splashes in the face. All-in-all, I think the beach will have to grow on him . . . a perfect picture of his "beach" face . . . ('please, I don't want any sand on my hands!')

Mom and Grey, relaxing on the deck swing, enjoying our beautiful view . . .

the house . . .

the steps to the canal . . .

our back deck . . . so nice! many evenings spent out here with a glass of wine (or beer), listening to Jack Johnson . . . the ultimate relaxing way to spend a vacation

view from the top of the stairs, looking down on the living room . . .

our master bedroom . . .

view from the deck off our master bedroom . . .

Brian, Lindy, and Addison joined us for the first weekend . . . our first morning on the beach . . .

Grey and his grandmas, with dad, first time in the ocean . . .

Cam's favorite way to spend his time - in GG's arms!

Grey's first boat ride (this life jacket was a little too big) . . .

Boating with Stephanie and Jim . . .

Aunt Becca and Cam . . .

Grey and Aunt Becca on the swing . . .

Matt and Becca, out for a ride on the jet ski (or wave runner, as James called it) . . .

Our visit to David's (Becca's husband) sister's house . . . these are her two little girls, Margaret and Liza (maybe Grey is not a fan of girls yet) . . .

Our night out to eat with Stephanie and Jim, Becca and David, to Inlet View . . .

Grey, giving his brother a love pat . . .

My good friend, Christina, came to stay with us for a night (Friday night), this is her little girl Anabelle (one week younger than Grey) . . . Grey's face says it all.

In our little swimming pool with the Little family . . .

Last ride on the boat . . . Grey fell asleep on Aunt Becca (the sun is tiring!) . . .

floatie time in the canal . . .

Grey's first attempt at tubing . . .

Beach pics of the family . . .

Cam's first "sand between my toes" feeling . . .

I definitely had a hard time leaving! I really love the beach . . . and it was so nice to spend such a relaxing week with our loved ones. Mom and grandma (GG), along with Sally and Shelton, stayed with us Saturday (8/14/10) to Wednesday. Then Stephanie (our nanny) and Jim joined us for the rest of the week. The boys had an absolute ball! We hope to make this a yearly beach trip . . . that is, of course, until we finally buy our own beach house! :)

One Month Old

2010-08-01T08:18:00.000-07:00

I think time must be on a roller coaster. Up hill until the delivery, and now that Cam is here, it's flying down hill. Already a month has gone by . . .

Our angel . . . (sleeping angel of course . . . when awake, not always so angelic, especially at 2am)

family photo . . .

Nanny, GG and Grey . . .

Stephanie (our "dream" nanny) with the boys . . .

Grey, happy in this picture . . .

and, not so happy in this one . . .

the big "One"

2010-07-15T14:51:00.000-07:00

the big one, the big bro, has turned the big "one". His One Year birthday party was last Saturday, and it's so hard to believe that we've spent a whole year with this kiddo. Wow! Time sure does fly! I have loved every minute with him and wouldn't trade any of it for anything!

So, for Grey's party, we invited over a small group of family and friends (and a few of our neighbors) for cake and ice cream. Grandma & Grandpa Raynor, "Nanny" (my mom), Becky and Karina, Herb and Patti were some of the party-goers. Our neighbors Cate & Andy (and their kiddos, Maggie & Myles) and Emily (with baby Claire) stopped by as well. Lots of fun times for Mr. Grey.

Picture just before the party . . . a preview of his mood during the party . . .

He did NOT like his birthday cake . . .

in fact, he threw it off his highchair - wanted nothing to do with sugary icing . . .

Becky and Karina, giving Cam some much appreciated attention . . .

Next door neighbor, Myles, came over to play during the party . . . (along with a few other kiddos)

Outside on the screened porch . . .

Back inside with the air conditioning and toys, the party continued . . .

as did Grey's poor spirits . . . this was actually the point at which I was wishing I hadn't planned his party during his usual nap time (Go Mom!) . . .

Now for the presents . . .

and tissue paper (which was a much bigger hit than the presents!) . . .

family photo . . .

Finally, a toy all to myself . . . thanks Aunt Jackie!

Cameron Thomas Raynor

2010-07-07T12:18:00.000-07:00

. . . born at 4:32 am on June 29th. Wow! What an experience - something I will never forget! Lets just say, faster is not always better, but what matters the most is that Cam and I are both healthy and happy! Here are a few pictures from the hospital . . .

Getting weighed . . . obviously not that much fun . . .

First moments of life - right to mom's belly for skin-to-skin time (I think his fingers are still purple in this picture) . . .

Cam weighed 6 lb 6.7 oz and was 19 1/2 inches long . . .

Love this pic with his left eyebrow arched . . .

First day in the hospital . . . Cam and Mom . . .

Dad and Cam, showing off the view from our room at UNC hospital . . .

the story . . . soooo, I'd been having contractions since Saturday night, but nothing too regular or frequent, and they would disappear during the day (only to reappear at night - Sunday night and then again early Monday evening). I worked until 3 pm on Monday. When I went to bed Monday night (6/28), the intensity of the contractions increased, but unfortunately, not the frequency. At 10 pm, I called the on-call nurse midwife to see if I should come in . . . no, no, just wait until the contractions are 5 min apart. Well, at 1 am, they were coming about every 10 min (and sooooo painful), and I told Matt to call Stephanie (our nanny) to come over because we were going to the hospital! (Stephanie had had her bag packed for a week and was on call for us 24-7. She's a dream nanny!)

By the time I actually got to the hospital, it was close to 2am. The contractions were now about 5-7 min apart and just about unbearable. All I could think about was the epidural. Matt pulled up outside the hospital lobby. Just as I stepped out of the (new) car, I was greeted with the strongest contraction yet. There were people sitting on the benches outside the hospital, and I know they thought I was a lunatic! Anyway, I thought, if I don't get on the ground, I'm going to fall to the ground. So there I was, on all fours on the concrete pavement outside the hospital lobby . . . and that's when my water broke! A NICU nurse came running over to me, yelling at me - are you OK? are you OK? I was crying that my water broke. She told me to hang on, and she went inside and called a "stork code" on me - I guess she thought I was going to deliver right then and there! By this time, Matt had finally located a wheelchair and had brought it over. He and the nurse both helped me into it. When they wheeled me in, I could hear the overhead hospital paging system, "Stork code, ground floor, children's hospital; Stork code, etc."

I had another contraction in the elevator, and another one at the check in desk. (and the check-in lady was really rude!) Anyway, by the time I got to my room, they were coming every 2-3 min and I was feeling like I needed to push (which really panicked me, because I still didn't have my epidural!). My nurse, Bo, was great (although, I know I was behaving badly!). However, when she checked me, she told me I was fully dilated and there would not be enough time for an epidural. Now, this is when I would say that I lost it. I really started crying. But when I turned around, Megan (anesthesia resident) was setting up for the block. (Never have I been so happy in my life!) I asked her for a spinal, and she said that's what she was planning. Within 10 min of being in the room, the spinal (or CSE actually) was in! Matt said I became a different person after that! Suddenly, the pain was gone. I really do love anesthesia!!

Now the nurse and nurse midwife were in no hurry to deliver the baby.

We did admission paper work, got charting caught up, got my epidural hooked up, administered a dose of pencillin, etc, etc. See? Anesthesia also helps the hospital staff, not just the patient!

At 4 am, I started pushing, and by 4:32am, Cam was born! Full head of dark hair; dark green-blue eyes, squinting in the bright lights. Apgars 8 and 9 (he was pretty purply-blue when he first came out!).

Again, I couldn't believe how quickly I fell in love with him! Once again, he was the most beautiful baby I'd ever seen!

And, once again, I couldn't believe how exhausting all this was!

And, now a week later, I'm still in complete love with him, and still surprised on how little sleep you can actually function on!

Cam's first week home

2010-07-07T11:51:00.000-07:00

Cam's first week with the family has been an exciting one. Jackie, Connor, Noah and Ian took the loooong drive down I-95 to visit us last Thursday. It meant so much to me to be able to share this time with her . . . these things only happen once! Sally and Shelton also made multiple trips to see us that first week, bringing food, clothes, and of course, entertaining the big brother for us!

A few pics of Cam's first days at home . . .

First bath . . . not a huge hit

Just after the first bath . . .

Sally and Grey at the pool (one of our many trips to the pool with Jackie, Connor, and their boyz) . . .

Me and Cam, chillin in the shade at the pool . . .

Grey and his other grandma ("nanny") enjoying the pool . . .

Pool floaties . . . a must-have for any pool adventure!

Grey and Ian . . . best buds already! (watch out for the drool, though)

So, at this point, our old camera broke, and we had to buy a new SLR camera (of course!). These next pics were taken with the new camera (in automatic mode - I certainly can't work the manual mode - yet!)

Love the look on Grey's face here . . . can you guess what he's thinking?

Grey having splash time on the screened porch . . .

fuzzy hair after his bath . . .

Imminent

2010-06-28T16:26:00.000-07:00

Tonight? It could be. I've been having contractions on-and-off now since Saturday night. Delivery could be imminent, which brings a myriad of thoughts, feelings, apprehensions, and anticipations . . . but overall, a sense of awe that we'll soon be meeting our new son! It's really hard to believe we're about to embark on this adventure again, but hey, such is life (my saying lately). Grey, I do believe, has little idea of what's to come. He is still fascinated with my belly, pulling up my shirt to stick his finger in my belly button (and this happens in all sorts of public places - the pool, the grocery store - classy, huh?). But I don't think the implications of that belly have any meaning for him . . . yet!
Grey, me and the belly tonight . . .

Grey playing with Daddy's hair . . .

and slapping Daddy on the head (pretty hard, too) . . .

And, I should go ahead and mention . . . Congrats to Matt on his graduation Friday night. His UNC urology fellowship is officially complete - the final graduation! I am so proud of him! His career in academic urology (also imminent) will begin next month . . .

Picture from his graduation . . .

more pics of Grey - 11 months old . . .

Chillin' at the pool with his shades . . .

_______________________________________

Remembering back to when Grey was just a week or two old, and how small he was . . . and now about to have another retracing those same steps . . . it's truly amazing. I remember how immediate the love was that I felt for Grey, and it's only grown with him. I know that love is imminent once again, and I am so grateful. I am also prayerful that this delivery will be just as miraculous as Grey's. (and that my epidural works!)

Here's remembering how small Grey was . . . the bear was bigger . . .

My how time changes things . . . the bear no longer has the size advantage . . .

And, let me not forget to mention one more change in our lives . . . MOBILITY!

Update from my last OB appt (last Friday) . . . I was dilated 1-2 cm and 50% effaced (and that was before all these contractions started). My BP was high, though, at 145/97 with trace amounts of protein in my urine . . . so they are on the lookout for the beginning of pre-eclampsia. But I am not too swollen and no headaches. Also, I was measuring a little small (external uterine diameter), and so they have scheduled another ultrasound for Wednesday morning . . . if I make it that far! I am hopeful I will deliver before then.

so, please keep us in your prayers . . . as it could be tonight!

Big Bro . . .

2010-05-30T18:54:00.000-07:00

Grey is already 10 months old, which is so hard to believe . . . and even harder to believe is that he is going to be a big brother. He is just a baby himself and about to assume a larger position in the family. Amazing! And, what a personality. Babbling all the time. It started with "NaNa" and "DaDa" (no "ma-ma's" yet), and now he has progressed to all kinds of syllable combinations. He lets you know what he likes and doesn't, mostly through a series of grunts, whines, and waving of the arms. Amusing.

Last weekend, we went to Southern Pines on Sunday to celebrate cousin Kileigh's two year birthday. Picture with Aunt Becca and Uncle David, getting ready to walk downtown for lunch:

Sitting with daddy, legs crossed:

Like I said, Mr. Personality:

Getting better doing it by myself:

8 months inside, 10 months outside:

Why not put it on the head? Lots of things go on the head these days . . . bibs, blankets, clothes, toys, food, water, etc, etc . . .

Loves his dad!! the whole face lights up when Matt walks in from work, then a series of grunts and excited little "Ugh, ugh's" until Matt comes over to give him some attention . . .

I'm feeling a little sorry for Grey, as his one year birthday is approaching. It will certainly be difficult to have any type of grand celebration, with his new baby brother having just arrived. I'm sure he'd be just as happy with a cupcake all to himself, but I'm feeling guilty. A lot of the attention he receives will be redirected to the new baby. But, hey, what's better than a brother? (well, the appreciation may have to mature a bit!)

I am currently 35 weeks pregnant, with just over a month to go. I am getting NST's (non stress tests) and ultrasounds once a week now, due to my amniotic fluid being a little on the low side. But, the baby is doing great . . . moving and kicking through most of the day (and night, it seems). I'm not near as swollen as I was with Grey, and I've really been feeling quite well, just a little tired. Grey is quite intrigued with my big belly. He'll pull up my shirt, stick his finger in my belly button (which is now an "outie" I'm afraid to say), and then proceed to slap my belly with his little hands. This elicits a round of internal kicking (yes, my whole belly seems to move) . . . I'm wondering, is this a foreshadowing of what's to come?

7 Months Inside and 9 Months Outside

2010-05-01T12:22:00.000-07:00

Here I am with 7 months of one child inside, and 9 months of the other child outside . . .

Our new backyard landscaping . . .

Concentration

2010-04-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

I don't know how much focus other 9 month olds have, but we're pretty impressed with Grey. He has a bead toy that he will sit and play with for 10-15 min at a time, very focused on it. See the video below.

Nine months

2010-04-17T07:37:00.000-07:00

Meal times are becoming more and more fun. We are just starting to introduce finger foods, like cooked carrots, teething cookies, puffs, noodles, etc. At first, Grey just choked and gagged on them, but now he is getting the hang of it. Stephanie (our nanny) laughs about his "chicken face," the face of extreme disdain when he eats chicken.

Play time is always quite amusing. Multiple new toys (thanks to his grandmas!) . . .

Grey had his 9 month doctor appt last Thursday. 19 lbs 9 oz! 27 1/2 inches long! Such a big boy. The doctor looked in his eyes and ears, listened to his lungs and heart. Everything looked good. But the doctor was concerned about his lazy eye, so we are going to see a pediatric ophthalmologist in May. We'll keep you posted!

I am 29 weeks pregnant today, and getting very big! I've been asked if I have twins or triplets in there . . . no just Irish twins I tell them! ha!

time for patio tea

2010-03-20T16:46:00.000-07:00

Our new patio furniture has arrived! A few pictures of our big splurge . . . . any and all visitors are welcome! We can do tea on the patio!

Still planning to do a few more things to the back porch and backyard, including hanging bamboo blinds and landscaping.

Picture from this evening . . . this is the face of "I've been up since 5:15 am and have slept for a little over 1 hr all day long" . . . fun stuff

some of my favorite things . . .

2010-03-20T16:21:00.000-07:00

Lots of favorites lately (and not so favorite things, too) . . . mr. personality!

Being held by my grandma's . . .

my toys . . .

NO SOCKS!! definitely not the socks . . .

rolling over . . .

sucking on my fruit mesh toy . . .

hugging my new orange stuffed animal . . .

clapping & patty-cake . . .

the kitty . . . now if I was just a little faster . . .

holding my beach ball with one hand (quite the skill!) . . .

and last, but definitely not least, I love attention!! . . .

Two-fers

2010-03-07T05:33:00.000-08:00

Two teeth have officially made their debut through Grey's lower gums. This, of course, has been associated with much drooling and chewing on everything! He will be 8 months on Tuesday, the 9th, and we can't believe how much he has changed! and what a personality! A few pictures from the past month . . . (7 month old pictures) . . .

Thanks, Aunt Becca, for my new tie shirts . . . I look so dashing in them . . .

Good picture of the new teeth . . .

It's easy to be happy with so many toys!

Trying on mom's new work hat . . . looking good! ready for work in the OR!

At Grey's 7 month appt (for shots, poor baby!), he weighed 18 lb 11 oz! He is quickly outgrowing the clothes we have for him. It is shocking how much (new) baby clothes cost and how quickly they are outgrown! Carter's 9 month stuff doesn't even fit him anymore! So we now have a paucity of 12-18 month clothes, and I am hoping to rectify this with some baby consignment shopping - why spend a fortune for clothes that are going to be drooled on, puked on, pooped on, and then outgrown in a few months? lets be sensible here! (although, we went to Old Navy yesterday and they really do have some super cute baby clothes!! that's how they lure you in!)

wintery delights?

2010-01-31T13:31:00.000-08:00

How much Grey really enjoyed the snow is still up for question. But, he suffered through the ordeal of multiple pictures with his parents outside in the freezing cold. such a good sport!
A few pictures from this weekend . . .

getting ready to go outside, in his white bunny suit (yesterday) . . .

our snowy street . . .

pictures from Matt's iphone (as our camera kept running out of batteries every 15 min - something is definitely wrong with it) . . .

here is Grey at the Harris Teeter today, a very exhausting experience, riding in the buggy, going up and down every aisle in the store . . .

last night, Grey on the couch . . .

Outside, yesterday, for snow pics . . .

Matt thinks we both look quite miserable in these pictures . . .

Oh, goodness gracious, it's snowing outside, and my fur just isn't keeping me warm enough, and gosh, am I relieved to see that mom turned on the fire so I can warm my little toes . . .

the newest member of the clan . . .

2010-01-31T13:12:00.000-08:00

The newest member of the clan . . . is a boy! (apparently, Matt is part Scottish, so I though "clan" was appropriate.)

Anyway, I am now 18 weeks prego, and things are going well. I've had very little nausea, unlike my first go-round, and so far, no swelling! I've only gained about 5 or 6 lb so far. The ultrasound last week was done at 17 weeks, 4 days, and it clocked him at 17 weeks, 2 days (so we're right on track). Everything looked in order - size of the head, arms, legs, fingers, toes, spinal cord, heart, kidneys - they checked it all! And, he had his palm open, seemingly to wave at us. We learned that is a very good sign. He was 213 grams, or 7 oz. Just this week, I've started feeling a little movement. It seems like whenever I feed Grey, he just goes hay-wire - kicking me like crazy! (maybe it's just my imagination, or gas, who knows) Anyway, my clothes are definitely getting tighter, but the need to eat everything in sight has abated (although, I'm still hungry a lot!).

A few ultrasound pictures . . . the front of his face (alien shot) - his face is turned 90 degrees to the left, if you are having trouble deciphering it . . . (looks like he is grinning)

and of course, we had to include a picture proving that he is indeed a boy!

My next appt is the end of February, so we'll keep you posted. We've switched OB practices; we're now seeing a group of midwives at UNC. So far, we like them a lot better, and it is a small group (5 of them). You get to see all of them, and one of the 5 will be at the delivery. (unless it's a c-section, then you get whatever doctor is on call, but oh well - can't have everything!)

Happy Half Birthday

2010-01-31T07:24:00.000-08:00

Grey turned 6 months old on Jackie's birthday, January 9th . . . a half birthday and a whole birthday! Growin' like a weed! Grey has cut his first tooth - the bottom left incisor is just peeking through those pink gums, and he is chewing on everything he can get his hands on. Drooling, too. That little chin just stays chapped!
A few pictures from the last couple weeks . .

Matt's parents came for a visit on Grey's half birthday . . . these are some pictures taken on Jan 9th . .

Preparing for the cold weather . . . this is Grey's warmest hat, and he wears it everytime we go out (matches his eyes!).

Grey's first Christmas

2010-01-05T13:07:00.000-08:00

We spent Christmas at the grandparents' this year, first to Southern Pines and then to Gastonia. We arrived in SP on Christmas Eve day and celebrated with the Camerons that evening - home cooking and a gift exchange. Christmas morning we opened presents with Grandma & Grandpa Raynor and then stopped by Bert and Brenda's for a Christmas morning visit. Then, on to Gastonia - we arrived a little late for the afternoon dinner at my parents' house, and everyone was very excited to see Grey.
Here are a few pictures from Christmas morning . . .

Grey in his new walker at Grandma & Grandpa Akulis' . . .

playing on the floor . . .

Christmas afternoon at my parents' . . .

Grey saying hello to his second cousin, Cayden . . .

Grey test-driving the new pedal car that Pa built for Noah . . .

the trip back to Chapel Hill . . . Grey and Frankie both excited to be travelling together

if my arm was just a little longer . . .

Back at our house in Chapel Hill, Sally and Shelton brought over more presents for us . . .

GG (great-grandma) came for a visit the week of New Years to watch Grey while our nanny was on vacation. I can't tell who had more fun - Grey or GG!

So, to be honest, I was a little nervous travelling so much with Grey, but he did great! He continued to sleep through the night and be his usual good-natured self at both the grandparents' houses. Not to mention, I think he really enjoyed all the attention from the family! We have so much to look forward to, and we are so grateful to have Grey!

We hope your Christmas was as blessed as ours. We'll post again soon!

Expecting the Unexpected . . . .

2010-01-02T18:20:00.000-08:00

Need I say more?

For those of you who haven't yet heard, I am 14 weeks pregnant today (1/2/09). My due date is July 3rd. Yes, yes, we know . . . Irish twins. Yes, yes, they will be less than a year apart. Yes, yes, we know . . . we should have known better.
All-in-all, we are very excited and believe this to be God's hand in our lives. We are praying for a healthy baby, be it boy or girl. Although, I think my mother, sister, and nanny are praying for a girl!
I will post about our Christmas soon. this week for sure. I've got some really cute pics of Grey from over the holidays!

growin', growin', growin'

2010-01-02T18:05:00.000-08:00

Look Ma, my legs are longer than my pants! Yes, Grey is growing so fast, we can't even believe it. He has outgrown his 6 month baby clothes and now wears 9-12 month size! I was browsing through his newborn pics today, and he looks nothing like those photos now! He's definitely put on the chub!

Sitting up (almost)!

Yes, his cheeks really are that big . . .

Think I would like to try some coke . . .

A few of mom's favorite pics . . .

a few Thanksgiving pics . . .

2010-01-02T17:58:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving was at our house this year, in Chapel Hill, and my parents and sister's family celebrated Thanksgiving here with us. Here is Grey, sampling the sweet potatoes. Grey started on solid food about two months ago now (beginning of November), and now loves his rice cereal with fruit and veggies. Sweet potatoes are one of his very favorites!

In my bouncy chair

2009-11-13T11:21:00.000-08:00

OK, so I'm a cluster blogger! By the time I sit down to update the blog, I realize I have a month's worth of pictures to share. So, here are three posts in one day! Grey has had a lot of "firsts" lately, here is the first time in his bouncy chair . . . now when we put him in it, he bends his knees and actually does some jumping! really cute!

Grey is getting better being on his belly . . . now he'll prop himself up on his arms and look at his toys. Not rolling over, yet, much to his father's chagrin, but it's sure to happen soon!

Grey had his 4 month doctor appt today, with two more shots, and he sure didn't like them! His bottom lip puckered right out, and big crocodile tears! poor little guy. He weighed 14 lb 2 oz and is 24 1/2 inches long, just under the 50th percentile for both catergories. Head circumference was 16 1/2 inches, which was right at the 50th percentile. Our doctor said he is growing really well and that we can start introducing fruits and veggies along with his rice cereal (but get ready for some stinky poops!).

First time with a spoon!

2009-11-13T11:06:00.000-08:00

It was a messy endeavor, but the first time with a spoon was a success! Of course, as much of the rice cereal ended up on the front of Grey as it did down in the tummy, but such is life when you've never eaten anything before! Last picture is a video of Grey eating.

Doctor in Training

2009-11-13T10:52:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago we had Halloween (and a rather warm Halloween it was, too). Our neighbors all got together that afternoon to take pictures of the kids and commemorate the first Halloween at Briar Chapel. We dressed Grey up in the scrubs that his Aunt Becca got for him. Everyone loved it - future surgeon, Dr. Grey!

Picture of the neighborhood kids - Pooh and Tigger live beside us. The rest live within a block of us. Lots of friends for Grey!

Grey doesn't know what to make of everyone's costumes! Everytime he saw Emily's headband with bouncy balls on top, he broke into a huge grimace!

Briar Chapel dads and their kids . . .

Cate and Myles are our next door neighbors . . . Myles is only 6 weeks older than Grey!

Tummy Time

2009-10-29T13:00:00.001-07:00

Grey's pediatrician says we need to give him tummy time, and not just at night when he is sleeping! So, much to the chagrin of Grey, we have been giving him playtime on his belly (which lasts about 5-10 min before he gets really frustrated!). Here are a few pictures of Tummy Time:

Last Saturday, Matt's relatives in Clinton (his dad's side of the family) hosted a lovely get-together for us, including a baby shower. This was the first time many of them had met Grey, and I do believe Grey enjoyed it as much as they did! Here are a few pictures from the trip to Clinton:

Grey, almost asleep in the car, after mauling the poor frog toy . . .

Our family (me, Matt & Grey, Shelton & Sally [Matt's parents], and Becca & David [Matt's sister and brother-in-law]) . . . Grey was tired of pictures and letting us know about it . . .

Matt and his cousin Cody . . .

Four generations of Raynor men . . . Matt (who had his eyes closed in every picture I took of the four of them), Grey, Matt's granddad, and Shelton . . .

Grandpa and Grandma Raynor . . .

Aunt Becca and Grey . . .

Aunt Delores and her new puppy (Wall-ley, I think) . . .

This is my last week off, before I start back to work on Monday (Nov. 2nd). We have found a wonderful nanny, Stephanie, for Grey, and she worked with us some this past week. I feel much better about going back work knowing that she will be here with Grey. She was truly an answer to prayer, and I am so blessed to have found her! We'll keep you posted about my job in the upcoming weeks!

Mr. GoodTimes

2009-10-20T10:24:00.001-07:00

Having a 3 month old and a brand new house is keeping me extremely busy! So, I apologize for not writing in so long. We closed on our house 9/9/09 and moved that weekend. Our new house is awesome, and we've already made a lot of new friends in the neighborhood. Grey is now 14 weeks, and full of personality! My parents and Matt's parents are in love with him (as are we)!

Last week, we had lots of company. My sister and her family, my parents and grandmother, my Aunt Diana (from NY), and Matt's parents were all here on-and-off through the week. "Mr. Goodtimes" was the name coined for Noah by Aunt Diana (in appreciation of his never-ending search for the next good time)! Here are some pictures from last week, in no particular order:

Here is Grey, feeling the excitement that only family can bring . . .

Aunt Diana and I, enjoying a glass of wine in my new kitchen . . .

Grey, laughing at his cousin Ian (who is only 3 weeks younger) . . .

Sally and Grey . . .

Connor (Jackie's husband) and Ian . . . (classic Ian face!)

Grey, laughing hysterically at his "nanny" (my mother) . . .

Nanny and Ian . . .

Grey and Ian, best buds already . . . (we now keep a bib on Grey d/t his constant spitting up)

Our family . . .

Jackie's family (minus Mr. Goodtimes, who is, without a doubt, having a good time somewhere else) . . .

Mr. Goodtimes, himself, and his mother . . .

Movie of Grey (7 weeks) & GG

2009-08-30T15:18:00.000-07:00

To Grandmother's House We Go

2009-08-26T17:56:00.000-07:00

Matt started work on Monday at UNC Hospitals, and so he has temporarily relocated to Southern Pines to be closer to Chapel Hill (an hour commute to work). Therefore, Grey and I spent the last few days in Southern Pines with Matt and Grandma & Grandpa Raynor. The car trip to SP entailed 2 1/2 hrs of screaming crying, but then Grey slept for 6 hrs that night (hmm . . . is 6 hrs of sleep worth 2 1/2 hrs of hysterical crying? that's a tough-y!)
We celebrated Matt's 33rd birthday on Tuesday with gingerbread cake and lemon sauce! Here are a few pictures from that night . . .

Here are a few shots of Grey at 6 weeks . . . at this time, he has spent half of his life in NOLA and half in NC (half Cajun & half Carolinian!)

Here, Grey is sporting his Budda onsie (it says, "I am here to teach you . . . patience")

Great-Grandma (GG) and Grey

A few pics of Grey and mom, back in Gastonia . . . luckily, the trip back to Gastonia was much quieter!

Baltimore trip & the Family Reunion

2009-08-19T16:52:00.000-07:00

Last week Matt and I travelled to Baltimore for 3 days and then to Charlestown, WV for my family reunion (actually, my mother's side of the family). Traveling with a 5 week old is really not that easy. We packed 3 bags of stuff for Grey, and Matt and I put our clothes in one suitcase! Not to mention, the pack'n play and car seat . . . it's really a lot of stuff for one little guy! In addition, because our Grey is a 'spitter' (to say the least), we had to do laundry every other day.
Anyway, a few pictures from our trip . . . Matt and Grey at my sister's house in Baltimore (both are very excited to be there, obviously) . . .

Jackie's new little one . . . Ian Russell Bates at 2 weeks old

Trip to Charlestown from Jackie's house . . . Grandma ("Nanny"), Noah, and Grey in the backseat

Grey in the car, on the way to Charlestown - Grandma is trying to appease him during the ride with the binky

Grey's first dip in the pool . . . he didn't seem to enjoy it so much . . .

Friday night, at Valerie's (my mom's cousin) big victorian house in downtown Charlestown, we had a big cook-out with burgers and chicken (great food). Here are some photos from the front porch . . . . first, the Bates family . . .

Jackie and Ian, me and Grey

Jackie with my cousins Kristen and Kim

Jackie with her snug-bug

Picture of Grey at Val's

Grey, passed out at the hotel . . .

Grandma with Ian on her shoulder . . .

Grey, Grandma, and (great) Aunt Sheila

Aunt Sheila, Aunt Donna & my Grandma (sisters)

Me and cousin Sara (actually my second cousin)

Matt and Grey at the reunion . . .

My Aunt Diana's family (from left to right, top row then bottom): Mike, Paul, Matt, Paul's girlfriend Brittney and her little girl, Uncle John, Aunt Diana, and my Grandma

So good to see all the family, and Grey was a big hit! Everyone loved meeting him, and baby Ian. I am so glad I got to spend some time with my new nephew - Ian is just precious. Visit my sister's blog to see more pictures of him.

the Faces of Grey

2009-07-20T06:29:00.000-07:00

Our little fellow has such an array of faces . . . lighting up our life! You can always tell what's on his mind . . . here are just a few of his many faces . . .

Grey is doing extremely well now, except for the daily tummy ache. He is eating about every 2-4 hrs, which is, of course, associated with much spitting up, burping, and pooping. I almost bought this onsie that said, "iPood", on the front - how appropriate that would have been (it was just sooo expensive)! Grey sleeps a lot as well, which allows us to get a lot of packing done. The big move day is planned for July 31st, and Matt's big exam is on the 29th. So, much to be done still.

My Sleepy Grey

2009-07-14T18:35:00.001-07:00

The past few days have been a bit overwhelming . . . worrying about this little guy is about to do me in. In the past 2 days since we've been home, Grey has been sleeping A LOT . . . which I know is normal for newborns, but he had a nap for 7 hrs on Sunday and for 6 hrs yesterday! I tried to wake him up to eat, but he was not interested . . . sleepy Grey!
We had his first pediatrician appt today, and the report was really good. He was back up to 5 lb 5.5 oz, which is close to his birth weight (he was down to 5 lb 3 oz when we left the hospital). And, the doctor thought his jaundice looked better. I reported his lengthy naps to the doctor, and even he thought that was a long time for such a little guy to sleep without eating! (so I'm not completely crazy - just rightfully concerned) Anyway, he is eating really good now, and my milk supply has definitely come in. So, hopefully now mommy can get some of that peaceful sleep that Grey is so enjoying!

My mother arrived today from North Carolina to help us out for a little while, and I am so appreciative! Already, she has cooked us a meal, cleaned up around the house, and of course, helped with Grey. We are really thankful to have her down here . . . it will be a comfort for me and Grey! More updates to come . . .

When the whole world fits inside of your arms

2009-07-13T15:29:00.001-07:00

When the whole world fits inside of your arms . . . this is a line in a Jack Johnson song, but it has been running through my head over and over. Suddenly my whole world does fit inside of my arms, and just about nothing else matters. Everyone was right - you really cannot fathom the love you feel for your baby until you experience it. I would give my life for him in a second, without a second thought. It's truly amazing!
So, here's the whole story . . from the beginning. Wednesday I worked all day (6:30-3pm), came home and napped, bathed, finished packing, and then Matt and I left for the hospital around 7:30pm. Here is my last pregnancy shot . . . 38 weeks and 6 days.

Once we arrived at Lakeside Hospital (which is actually not anywhere near a lake), we went to ER to be admitted and arrived in our room a little after 8pm. The nurse, April, came in and started my IV and placed the cervidil. I really liked April, she was so supportive and really took great care of us. Anyway, the cervidil took immediate effect, and by 1 am my contractions were coming in groups of 3 and 4 (and not returning to baseline) . . . it was extremely painful. So by 2am, I asked for the epidural. The anesthesiologist did an awesome job - after that, I felt nothing! (no pain, and also, no legs - I could feel nothing below my belly button . . . I kept touching my legs to make sure they were still there. It was really a weird, out-of-body experience!) After this, Matt finally dosed off for some sleep, but I just couldn't. At 5 am, April started the pitocin, and I was dilated 2cm, effaced 70%. At 7am, we got a new nurse, Linda . . . who had been doing L&D for 30 yrs! She was extremely knowledgeable and also took excellent care of us. Dr. Grace came in around 9am and broke my water (which I could not feel, thank God!). By 12 noon, I was dilated 8-9 cm and fully effaced with contractions. By 2pm, I was fully dilated, but the baby was still a little high (+1 to 0, for those who know what that means), so Linda said to wait just a little while longer to let the baby come down. By 3:30pm, I was ready to push and just waiting for the doctor to get there - so I got my epidural redosed. Just before 4pm, Dr. Grace arrived and I started pushing. Everyone was so supportive and encouraging . . . Linda coaching me through it all, telling me when to push and when to breathe.
These are pictures of me (and of me and Matt), just before the pushing . . .

At 4:39 pm central time, Harrison Grey Raynor was born . . . 5 lb 7oz and 19 3/4 inches long. The experience was almost surreal . . . I just couldn't believe I was holding my little boy! Then, I just remember being overwhelmingly tired. I felt like I could hardly hold my eyes open.

Our first picture together . . . me and Grey . . .

Just after the delivery - Matt, Dr. Grace, Grey and I . . .

I think Grey was more awake than I was at this point . . .

First moments of life, and a camera flash in your face! How happy would you be!

Getting weighed was not fun either . . .

Matt and Grey the next day . . .

Now this picture almost broke my heart . . . definitely brought tears to my eyes - look at his little heels. He had had to have multiple blood sticks, and bandaids covered his little heels.

After sitting on ice for 24 hrs, and 2 days in the hospital with horrible hospital food and no privacy, we were discharged home. Saturday morning, we met with the pediatrician, and then around 11:30am, we packed up our room and Matt went to get the car. I was told to wait for the wheelchair, which arrived with a 79 yr old woman to push me out. I felt so guilty riding in the wheelchair with her pushing it! I felt like I should be giving her the ride!

Meanwhile, our carseat swallowed Grey whole! He was tiny in it!

Because of his size, hydration status, slightly elevated bilirubin level, and no breastmilk yet, we decided to supplement Grey's diet with some formula . . . here is Matt feeding him a bottle . . .

Grey always looks very serious/concerned during feedings . . .

Grey's first bath . . . not a big hit . . .

Just after his first bath . . .

More pictures . . . on mommy's lap . . .

On daddy's lap . . . bright eyed . . .

To help his jaundice, the pediatrician recommended that we put him in the sunlight . . . so his crib has been right by our big bay windows . . .

And no problem sleeping in the sunlight . . .

Picture from Matt's iPhone . . .

Please keep us all in your prayers. I thank Jesus everyday for such an incredible gift! I don't know what I did to deserve him, and I will probably never be able to answer that. But I'm so in love! and so is Matt!

Thank you everyone who came to the hospital to see us, and all the phone calls. We are blessed by having such a supportive network of friends and family!
Follow this link to see all pictures: http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=bjqs4gp.1puo9hml&x=0&y=-88ro0p&localeid=en_US&cm_mmc=site_email-_-site_share-_-core-_-view_photos_button

House pictures from 7-13-09

2009-07-13T15:20:00.000-07:00

More good progress on our house! Matt and I are so excited to be moving to NC and absolutely cannot wait to live here . . . and raise little Grey here! I'll let the pictures speak for themselves, but we are extremely pleased so far with how the house is coming along. Closing is officially set for 9/9/09, with the new home orientation and walk through on 9/2/09.

Counting the Days Now

2009-07-03T18:56:00.000-07:00

Well, we're still here in Louisiana, hangin' with the heat, humidity, and swelling . . . only now we are a few days away from being a family of three. To celebrate the imminent arrival of our son (and to take advantage of one of the last opportunities to eat out as a childless couple), we had dinner at our old fave ~ Dante's Kitchen. Blue crab & cantaloupe salad, red snapper with watermelon, and blueberry pie for dessert!

the NEWS . . . last Tuesday, at our OB appt, we learned that our little one was, well, very little. Dr. Grace says he is IUGR, which stands for Intra-Uterine Growth Restriction, and signifies that he is much smaller than where he should be for almost 38 weeks. The ultrasound measured him at 5 lb, 3 oz, or around 33-34 weeks gestation (less than the 3rd percentile). This is, of course, concerning, and could be caused by a great many different factors. Top on the list is the fact that neither Matt or I are big people (genetics). However, the concern is that the baby is not getting what he needs from my placenta. So we are scheduled to go in next week for an induction. We are also doing NST's (non stress tests) twice a week, which measure the baby's heart rate and activity level. We actually had one today, and he passed with flying colors (lots of heart rate variability and very active)! We have another NST scheduled for Tuesday morning. Then, Wednesday night (7/8) we pack our bags and head into the hospital for the induction at 8pm. If everything goes as planned, we should meet our little one on Thursday, July 9th!

Prego pic's from a few days ago . . . I am 37 1/2 weeks in these . . .

(looks like a big belly to me!) Anyway, as time slips by so quickly, my head is whirling with the implications of having a little one to take care of! What kind of mother will I be? Will he sleep? Will he be a good eater? Will he be a snuggler? I know it is all in God's hands, and He will take care of me and the baby. I have been praying everyday that our little one is healthy and happy, and that the Lord's protection be upon him, during and after the delivery. And, of course, I am a bit apprehensive about the delivery. I know it's going to hurt . . . just how much and for how long is what I want to know (and the suspense will be short lived, as I'll find out soon enough)!

So, please keep us all in your prayers as we embark on this adventure.

Dinner at Dr. T's

2009-06-24T18:19:00.001-07:00

Last night (Tuesday 6/23), we had dinner at Dr. Thomas' house . . . excellent Indian cuisine and Banana's Fosters for desert (really good!). Here we all are in Dr. T's dining room . . . the residents (from left to right: Ugur the fellow from Turkey, Matt Oomen the first year urology resident, Luke Fifer the fourth year resident, Matt and I, Brian Richardson the third year resident, and Ash Bowen the second year resident).

Matt's Graduation Weekend

2009-06-24T17:47:00.000-07:00

This past weekend just flew by! Matt graduated from his Tulane urology residency, and we were excited to have the whole family in town for the event. We really appreciated our parents and sisters (plus David and Winford) making the long trip down, and hated to see them leave. This weekend was truly a tribute to Matt and his awesome accomplishments during the last five years, and we could not be more proud of him!
Friday night, the whole family had dinner at Dante's Kitchen (our favorite restaurant in NOLA) - we all ate in the blue room (a first for Matt and I). The food was excellent (as usual), and everyone really enjoyed the atmosphere. Much discussion was given to the naming of our children (Jackie's little boy and ours) . . . nothing decided . . .

Jackie and Winford . . .

Matt and Jackie outside Dante's kitchen . . .

Family pictures (boy, was it hot . . . over 90 degrees at almost 10pm)

Saturday morning, we all walked around downtown NOLA while Matt attended his urology conference. The weather really was dreadful - the heat was just about unbearable. I was quite miserable, and my swelling reached to new proportions (I felt like half human, half Pillsbury dough boy!).

Here, Jackie and I are posed in front of the Court of the Two Sisters . . .

Saturday evening was the graduation ceremony, a formal event at the Windsor Court Hotel (very fancy)! We arrived at 6:30pm for cocktails (none for Jackie and I of course) and pictures. Here are our family photos before the ceremony . . .

Becca and David at our dinner table, just before the dinner . . .

Matt being introduced by Dr. Thomas . . .

Luke and his wife Nikki . . . Luke is the upcoming chief resident who will take Matt's place next year . . .

After the graduation, we stopped by the hotel that Matt's parents and Becca & David were staying at . . . Matt is receiving more gifts (Fleur de leis bookends in this picture) . . .

Sunday, Jackie left at 5:30 am to catch her flight back to Baltimore. My parents then left at 10:30am to drive back to Gastonia. Sunday afternoon, Matt and I joined his family for some more shopping downtown. However, the heat was, once again, just about unbearable. We retired home by 4pm, and I think I was feeling the strain of the heat by that time. I lounged around, taking it easy, for the rest of the evening. The rest of the family went to dinner at Zea's Rotisserie around 8:30pm on Sunday night.

Pictures from Sunday afternoon - downtown NOLA was just steamy!

Paint and Dry Wall

2009-06-24T17:35:00.000-07:00

Here are the most recent house pictures from Korey - the house is now painted, and we couldn't be more pleased with the color scheme (after our long deliberation about which colors to choose). The gray stone along the front porch has not been laid yet . . . that will really set off the exterior when completed.

Some interior pictures of the dry wall . . . the living room

dining room

master bath

bonus room

They are moving right along, and we should have a closing date within the next week or so.

Don't anger the sun spot

2009-06-17T14:34:00.000-07:00

This past week has been full of pleasant experiences (feel the sarcasm) . . . between the dermatology appointment, OB appointment, and our warm-fuzzy buyer-seller experience, I am ready to pull out my hair! First, though, a look at our house . . . the siding is up! I am really impressed with the progress being made, and I just hope it continues. My parents are meeting with the builder tomorrow to do the pre-drywall conference, and we should hear about a closing date then. (Cross your fingers for end of August/beginning of Sept!)

So, back to my dermatology appt . . . I had/have this sun spot on my nose that has become larger/darker with the pregnancy, and I just wanted it checked it out. The dermatologist felt that although benign, it required some liquid nitrogen to burn it off. Yes, folks, the sun spot was angered! Boy did that thing hurt, and then turn black! I can't tell you how many people this week have commented about the big black mark on my nose. Ughh! (and just in time for Matt's graduation this weekend) In addition to the liquid nitrogen treatment, the dermatologist found a suspicious looking mole on my back, and decided to do a "shaving" biopsy. He scraped off most of the mole (all but a small outer edge) . . . and why he couldn't have just taken the whole thing is beyond me! Just so he can do another procedure on me if the specimen comes back as questionable. And, let me say, this has been a throbbing sore spot on my back for a week now!

Anyone watch Friends? The episode where Ross goes to the herbal guru to have a suspicious looking skin lesion removed from his rear end . . . the guru puts some potion on it, and Ross screams in pain. The guru says, "Oh! Definitely NOT the way to go! We appeared to have angered it!" Then he goes on to tell Ross that, really, the lesion just needs "La-uve!" Anyway, it reminded me of my own experience this week . . . not enough la-uve I guess.

My OB appt went well yesterday . . . and Matt was able to go with me. I am starting to dread the scale - it is not my friend! Everytime I get on the darned thing, my weight has increased. I probably shouldn't admit such a thing on the internet, but I have gained an alarming 45 lbs. Yes, folks, I have officially surpassed Matt's weight. (feeling good about myself - nice and attractive!) My swelling is only getting worse (thanks to this hot and humid Louisiana climate). On the bright side, the baby seems to be doing really good - good strong heart beat and moving around A LOT! His head is very low in my pelvis, and I am already 1 cm dilated (which the doctor was excited about). My stomach is huge, and I can't see past my belly button when I'm standing up. This makes it very hard to pee in a little cup at the doctor's office, and yesterday I accidentally spilled half the cup of urine on myself. Pleasant!

And finally, the selling of our condo here in Louisiana . . . definitely frustrating! We received another low-ball offer last night (after dropping our price from $199k to $192.9k). So disappointing! We countered back, meeting the potential buyer more than halfway, and he has now re-countered with an offer only slightly up from the original. I am so disheartened, and mad! We really need to sell this place to avoid a double mortgage (the worse case scenario), but his offer would make things so tight (financially) for us. I just don't understand . . . we made such a large concession with our counter offer, and I feel like he is being rude to split hairs like this! Not to mention, he hasn't even applied for a mortgage yet. We had already turned down an all-cash offer for the same amount, and now we aren't even guaranteed that he will be able to buy it. I am so frustrated and overwhelmed with the whole situation! So I just told Matt to handle it, and I think he is going to agree to this low ball offer. Matt is just ready to be done with it all.

We'll post again after this weekend . . . we have company (Matt's parents, sister & brother-in-law, my parents and sister) in town for Matt's graduation. We are going to dinner at Dante's Kitchen on Friday night. Saturday night is the graduation ceremony at the oh-so-fancy Windsor Court Hotel. I will post pictures next week of the festivities.

We have windows!

2009-06-02T15:22:00.000-07:00

How exciting! Our house now has windows . . . and a roof! Our builder is definitely making progress!! According to our MI Homes agent, Korey, the HVAC system is being installed today, and tomorrow they will start on the plumbing. Once the plumbing is finished, the electricians will take over. Our next conference with the builder is tenatively set for June 18th. I don't know if I will be able to make the trip up or not . . . will have to talk to the boss.
Looks like a beautiful Carolina day in Chapel Hill! (It's currently raining here, but it does that a lot in NOLA!) We'll keep you posted as more progress is made on the house.

I'm growing more than just a baby . . .

2009-06-01T12:36:00.000-07:00

I'm growing cankles, too! I am very swollen these days, and the Louisiana summer heat isn't helping! I feel like I'm carrying around an extra 10 lbs of fluid (in addition to the 5 pounder in my belly!). Anyway, here are a few pictures of my belly from this weekend . . . 33 weeks and 2 days.

Hope this doesn't offend anyone . . . here are my cankles!

Such a rough life! No clue as to what's coming!

looking like a house!

2009-05-30T14:53:00.000-07:00

Progress on our house! I just received these pictures from our MI Homes agent, Korey . . . and we are glad to see that it is finally looking like a real house! He said the house is now finished with the framing (with more pictures to come soon). We'll keep updating you, as the house progresses.

three D ultrasound pictures . . .

2009-05-20T14:25:00.000-07:00

Not really sure how I feel about these pictures . . . they are definitely weird looking to say the least. But I wanted to share them anyway, in case my child really does look like an alien when he is born, we will all have had a heads up about it! (just kidding) And, whose nose is that anyway? Matt says it's just smushed against my pelvic bone . . . I just don't know . . .

Hand in the eye . . .

good picture of hand and lips . . .

So my OB appt was yesterday (5/19), and he weighed about 4 lb, 3 oz (44th percentile). I asked Dr. Grace which way he was turned, and she felt my belly and said head-down. Then we confirmed with ultrasound, and sure enough, his head was down, back toward my right side (so, turned facing left), and feet were in my ribs! During the 3D ultrasound, he was just wild! He would not hold still, kicking me continuously . . . maybe he doesn't like having his picture taken!

I am still having swelling in my feet/ankles, but my BP was low and she was not worried about it. I still haven't done my glucose screening test . . . maybe on Saturday I will do that. I have to go to the doctor every 2 weeks now, so I will be sure to keep you all updated!

some may call it progress . . .

2009-05-20T14:14:00.000-07:00

The "progress" on our new home was a bit disappointing, when we arrived in Chapel Hill last week. When we met with the builder on 5/6, they had just broken ground and started pouring the foundation. The building permit had been delayed for over 1 month . . . so instead of seeing our house going up, we were able to see concrete being poured.

(on the bright side) As I mention in my next posting, we were impressed with the builder, Eric Andrews. He seems to be really on top of everything and very capable. Our real estate agent has heard excellent reports of his work from around town. So we are hoping he will deliver good results, with completion of the house in September.

three peas in a pod . . .

2009-05-17T12:50:00.001-07:00

May 2 - May 9th . . . our "vacation" to NC. Somehow, our vacation entailed over 3,000 miles of driving and a rather stressful meeting with our builder. Next time, we're going to Antigua!
(just kidding) It was great to see our family and friends. We stayed in Southern Pines with Matt's family from Saturday to Wednesday. Saturday, May 2nd, we attended Matt's cousin's wedding in Clinton, NC . . . a very splendid affair! On Sunday, I journeyed to Raleigh to see Christina and be a part of her baby shower (see the next posting). Monday, we spent in SP with Matt's family and had dinner at Vito's Italian Restaurant (yum!). Then on Tuesday and Wednesday, we travelled to Chapel Hill/Raleigh to pick out lighting for our house and meet with the builder. At least, when we left our lot in Briar Chapel, they had (just) broken ground, and we felt that the builder would be very proactive in moving things along. Our new estimated closing date on the house is end of Sept.
One of my favorite parts about being in Southern Pines was breakfast with Matt's dad (on Monday and Wednesday morning)! I love our conversations with him, and he is absolutely thrilled about being a grandfather.
After our visit in Southern Pines, we journeyed over to G-town to stay with my parents. Jackie and Noah also decided to come for a visit, which was a wonderful surprise. We also visited my grandmother, who just moved into a beautiful new condo in Belmont, NC.

three peas in a pod . . . One morning during breakfast, my dad pulls out his tape measure and measures my belly (36.5"), Jackie's belly (37"), and his own belly (37")! We all had a good laugh!
Jackie and I are about the same size, as you can see . . . me at 30 weeks and Jackie at 28 weeks.

Matt . . . taking notes on how to feed a 2 yr old breakfast (mommy obviously eats last!).

Noah (almost 2 1/2 yrs) . . . one big bundle of energy! Always laughing, smiling, and into something!

Mom and Jackie threw a beautiful baby shower for me (Saturday 5/9). I was really touched by everyone's thoughtfulness and generosity!

UNC tarheel binkies! a must-have in this family! (thank you Kristen and Kim) I also received this blue boppie pillow, which I know will help with the breastfeeding.

hours of fun and enjoyment . . . a breast pump!

Frankie was really a trooper, making the trip from NOLA to Gastonia, 10 + hours in the car. Sleeping sitting up!

My poor feet . . . the swelling seems to be getting worse every week! My work shoes are so tight, I have to really squeeze to get my feet into them!

And, just for comparison, here I am at 28 weeks prego.

During our travels, we saw this interesting sign in the back of a pickup truck . . . we had a good laugh! how true

two baby bumps . . .

2009-05-16T17:47:00.000-07:00

Christina's baby shower . . . a beautiful afternoon in Raleigh, spent at Emily's gorgeous home. The weather was perfect, the food was yummy, and the girl time was too much fun! Here are some pictures from the event. Emily's backyard was amazing, and we spent most of the afternoon lounging on her back patio/deck.
Christina and I are both right at 29 weeks (we are due within one day of each other).

We were wondering if there was a matching one for mom? too cute!

Godzilla thoroughly enjoyed the baby shower . . . Emily has her own baby!

the girls, enjoying the back deck after opening gifts

Anne, Allison, Christina, me, Jacqi (sp?), Lee, and Emily

We all had a fabulous afternoon and are hoping to get together again soon (hopefully, once I move to Chapel Hill)!

More Belly Shots

2009-04-19T17:56:00.001-07:00

See if you can tell a difference in two weeks . . . the first two pictures are from two weeks ago, when I was 25 weeks prego. The next pictures are from today . . . 27 weeks prego.

Overall, I've been feeling good. Falling asleep is getting difficult, as I find myself slightly short of breath when I lay flat. Not mention the continuous kicking that occurs when I lay down to go to bed. Then I toss and turn to find a comfortable position (for me and the baby!). He does not like to feel pressure against my belly, and he will kick until I turn on my back to relieve the pressure. It is definitely turning into a process to fall asleep. And, between the cat, the baby, and my extra 30 pounds, I think Matt's portion of the bed is shrinking!

Otherwise, I've been working a lot (over 20 hrs of overtime in the last two weeks), and I was exhausted this weekend. Matt and I have also been putting a little extra work into keeping the condo clean for potential lookers. No one has come to see the place in the past week, but it is still early for us to sell. Please keep us in your prayers . . . that our house sells in a timely fashion, we find child care in Chapel Hill (that doesn't cost a fortune!), and most importantly . . . that our baby is born healthy (and easily)! Matt is convinced I am growing a big baby, and even more convinced that I will need a c-section. It is all in God's hands, so I am not worried one way or another.

We have a week of vacation coming up in two weeks . . . the first week in May. We are travelling to NC to visit Matt's family (and go to his cousin's wedding), to check on our house, and to visit my family (and do a baby shower). I will post again when we return.