And Baby Makes Four...

Isaac Reading

2011-06-15T21:14:00.002-04:00

It's difficult to think we could create such a cute being.

Sunny days and Easter

2011-04-25T21:52:00.007-04:00

Isaac has gotten himself a little farmer's tan right now due to all the sun he is getting at daycare. He also gets to play every evening with Marvin and mom in the backyard. He really likes to be outside and throw Marvin's toys for him. The dog and the toddler are still just tolerating each other, but Marvin has allowed Isaac to pet him and has become more patient with Isaac.

Isaac got two more teeth at the beginning of this month. We had thought it was three at one point, and we are sure that he isn't done, we just don't know when they will come in!

Isaac had a great Easter. His mom was finally relaxed, because she had her Spring Break the previous week and she had turned in her final research paper for her graduate school work. It looks like she will be graduating on May 13th! Although she won't be attending the actual ceremony, some ideas are in the works to help her celebrate this accomplishment. Anyways, we decided to cook and celebrate with friends since we wouldn't be able to make it to see family. We met our friends Bruce and Christine at a local park to have lunch together. After some miscommunication on Annalee's part, we finally found each other and laid out our picnic appetizers. We had some wonderful crackers, glorious cheese, and tasty grape tomatoes. Then for our main course, we had ham, deviled eggs, warm balsamic potato salad, and greek yogurt coleslaw. The crown jewel on this meal was the lemon tart that Christine made. It was amazingly awesome, and I know that some are already planning for its next appearance! Bruce and Chris played with Isaac's toys, and we all took a long walk up to the putt-putt course. We got to see some people flying kites and narrowly avoided being hit. We also passed some great barbecues (especially a Korean chruch, that I almost filled up a plate at!). Isaac fell asleep in my arms on the way to the car, so we all headed home to take naps.

That night, we went to some other friends' house to have Easter dinner with them. Erin, Jacob, and Austin went all out for the Easter gathering. Austin and Isaac had fun playing outside together. Erin made cooked carrots, green bean casserole, corn mash, mashed potatoes, ham, asparagus, and rolls. We brought some deviled eggs again that were a big hit. Isaac ate most of his dinner and some of Austin's. We really enjoyed spending time with everyone, and we were spoiled with all the food. We took cheesecake home, because we didn't have room for dessert! Isaac was exhasuted, but he had a great day of playing and interacting with lots of fun people! Thanks to our friends for spending a the holiday with us and thanks to our families for thinking o fus even when so far away!

Mamie and Papaw's visit

2011-04-08T13:36:00.002-04:00

Isaac has had a lot of excitement over the past few weeks. First, he moved from the baby room to the toddler room at his daycare. He loves his new structured schedule and that all of the toddlers want to play with him. You can tell that he is the leader and that the other children like to play with him. So far he has enjoyed playing outside, dancing and singing along with the class, marching around the classroom, and doing lots of crafts and painting.

Isaac's Grandma and Grandpa Taylor (Chris's parents) sent down his first birthday gifts. Isaac has some new clothes for the summer, a ball, and some new books.

Last weekend on their way back from their winter home in Florida, Mamie and Papaw (my maternal grandparents) stopped by for a visit! We didn't make any big plans, but it was really good to see them and for them to see Isaac. We went out to eat and played at home with Isaac. We were really glad to see them and cannot wait to visit with them again!

Today Isaac and I are home from school. He had to come home due to some stomach issues. It sounds like he might be waking up, so I will go. It is amazing home fast 13 months go by!

Isaac is ONE YEAR OLD!

2011-03-03T10:16:00.004-05:00

Can you believe it? I can hardly. It seems like just yesterday, we were bringing him home from the hospital and adjusting to having a baby boy around. He is now so grown up, a toddler! Isaac is developing more of a personality and becoming more independent. He enjoys walking around and reading his board book "Brown Bear, Brown Bear". He says mom, dad, dog, brown bear, I spy, and more.

Towards the beginning of February, we had to put Isaac on soy formula. He still nursed in the morning and at night, but he got formula during the day. The week of his birthday, Isaac started nursing only at night. He nursed for the last two times on his birthday and yesterday night. It is sad for me, because I really enjoyed that time with him. Isaac has quite a wide range of foods that he eats. Here are his favorites (still): avocado and blueberries. He eats the following foods: zucchini, squash, green beans, peas, chicken, turkey, pork, salmon, tilapia, beef, apples, pears, mangos, peaches, bananas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, bread, pasta, rice, tortillas, and most recently mandarian oranges. I am sure that I forgot a lot; he loves to eat! Isaac has a sensitive to dairy still and tomatoes don't work for him, so we avoid foods with that in them. He also does not like graduate meals or jar food anymore, so he gets real food to eat. When Isaac doesn't want to eat something, he throws it on the floor. His teacher at school says that he also rolls his eyes, but we haven't seen that at home.

For Isaac's birthday, my parents were here! Isaac was Grandma G's little buddy. He went to her and enjoyed letting her hold him, feed him, and play with him. On his birthday, Isaac wore his birthday outfit that Chris and I got him and bib that my mom got him. I made him some healthy carrot cake and his classmates got to eat some chocolate cupcakes at school. While Chris and I were at work and Isaac was at school, my mom and dad did a few household chores for us! It was much appreciated and probably the best gift that could be given to this busy family! We ate some great pork and potatoes for dinner. Grandma G and Papaw Sam gave Isaac a big yellow dump truck. He loves to put his toys in the back and dump them out. After dinner Isaac, Grandma G, Papaw Sam, and I ran to the mall to get Isaac some shoes. That was my parent's gift to Isaac for his birthday. When we got back we had dessert with our friends Bruce and Christine. Everyone got to choose between healthy carrot cake and cherry pie that I bought for my dad's birthday. My mom did not like my carrot cake unless it had whipped cream cheese frosting on it. My dad found a new friend in Bruce, and he has already told me that I must include a game night with Bruce and Christine on our next visit. Isaac got some really nice cards for his birthday and phone calls from far away family. Bruce and Christine gave Isaac two pairs of jeans and two striped shirts that he will look handsome in! Thanks to all for the gifts; Isaac felt so loved!

On Saturday, we got a later start. We went to Brick House for lunch, which everyone enjoyed. Then we went to Discovery Place Kids. It is a museum designed for kids aged 0-7. Isaac had an amazing time. He loved playing in the water, walking around the "farm area", ringing the bell in the ocean area, sliding down the firemen's pole, building with large legos, and working on a car in the mechanic area. We did not even make it to the upstairs part, because Isaac was exhausted! He had so much fun, and we cannot wait to take him again. For dinner, we went to Railroad BBQ. It was very delicious. I enjoyed my first bite of macroni and cheese since Isaac was born. It was wonderful. Chris and I also gave Isaac his birthday present from us. We got him a blue wagon. He loves going on walks in his new wagon.

On Sunday, we went to brunch before taking my parents to the airport. Isaac had such an enjoyable weekend that he ended up succumbing to his sleepiness and put his head down on the table and slept. After my mom finished eating, she held him. Isaac was sad to see his grandparents to leave. We had such a fun birthday weekend.

Pictures of an active 11 month old

2011-01-30T14:28:00.002-05:00

Isaac loves to eat apples. We cannot eat one without sharing!

Isaac loves to rearrange the chairs and push them down the hallway.

This is a handsome outfit that he has, and a moment where he is not running around!

He and Marvin tolerate each other. Here they are both trying to play with the rope.

Isaac and Mom love to play together. He isn't one to watch the game just yet.

Boo Being Sick!

2011-01-28T07:48:00.003-05:00

Well, we had a very interesting time with our little man. Isaac got pretty sick, and Chris and I both had to stay home with him and miss work. I got the experience of a baby getting X-rays. No one warns you how awful that will be. Isaac was strapped into this contraption that looked like a bike seat with plastic that covers the baby's top half. The parent (me) has to hold the baby's arms above his head and let him cry, so that the X-rays technican can get good shots of the baby breathing while in distress. Isaac was crying and crying, and I wasn't allowed to comfort him. I had to stand there and say nothing, just hold his hands about his head. It was a miserable experience, but they didn't find anything in his lungs. He just had a really bad cold. Chris had been fighting a cold throughout the previous few days to Isaac being sick. After the X-rays, Isaac and I hung out at home and worked on getting him better. We had some really rough, sleepless nights. Chris and Isaac both are feeling better, but they are not yet at 100%. We all are sleeping better, and it really helps being on our regular routine.

Chris found out from his mom that his sister-in-law is pregnant again! We are excited to welcome another niece soon. We aren't exactly sure when she will arrive, but her head is already down. They have chosen some unique names from the little girl; we are intrigued to see which name they will choose. Congratulations Taylor family!

Isaac's birthday is right around the corner! It is hard to believe that he is going to be one soon. I have started planning what we will do on his birthday and the weekend after. Because Isaac got so much for Christmas (we had to take a lot of toys back--it was just too much!), I wanted to let everyone know some items that he does need. We are in the process of opening a college savings account so we welcome donations to that. Isaac loves his daycare, so we would appreciate gifts that would pay for a week of daycare. Isaac wears size 4 diapers, so that is another great gift. He doesn't need clothes, and like I said previously, he doesn't need toys. We have toys in the attic that we haven't given him yet (they weren't age appropriate). We are excited to share Isaac's first birthday with everyone, so look for that post coming up (and some mail from Isaac as well).

No pictures this time--Chris has hidden the memory chip! Check out my facebook pages for images I took on my phone.

Christmas

2011-01-12T10:51:00.003-05:00

Isaac's first Christmas was busy. As I had posted on facebook, if stuff equals love than Isaac is really loved. He got way more than he will every need. We took off Thursday for Indiana and around Louisville, Isaac started screaming. He had had enough for the car (and so had Chris and I). We luckily didn't run into any bad weather and arrived around 6 or 7 p.m. to my parents' house. Marvin didn't make the trip with us, so the car had some more space than usual. My parents ordered Jimmy John's for us (yummy!). My niece and nephew also were spending the night that night, so we got to spend some time with them. Cousin Elizabeth and her boyfriend, Mamie and Papaw, and Leann and Andrew all came to see us and hang out for a little while. Isaac loved to watch his cousin Ty play.

The next day we went to the Japanese steakhouse with the kids and my parents and Mamie and Papaw. We celebrated Audrey's second birthday at Andrew and Leann's. We also did our family Christmas that night with Leann's mom and her boyfriend. Isaac really liked playing with this cousins and their toys.

Santa visited Isaac on Christmas morning at my parents' house. He really liked his food and his piggy bank. We then went over to Andrew and Leann's to see what Ty and Audrey got for Christmas from Santa. We also had some doughnuts together. My mom and dad made a ham lunch for us back at their place, and we let Isaac play for a little while. After that we went to Mamie and Papaw's for Christmas. Isaac was very tired, but he enjoyed seeing his family and sitting at the boys' table. I think everyone was impressed by how much avocado Isaac could put away. I spent most of the night hiding in the kitchen, so that Isaac wouldn't be so clingy. I thought the gift I got from my Uncle Rick was hilarious! I got a dog training book and some treats. Marvin this summer had bitten him, so it was a very appropriate gag gift! Isaac got some great outfits, a car toy, and a puzzle.

The next day, we went to visit my other grandparents. Isaac and Audrey had fun running around and chasing the dog. It was really great to see them as well and for them to see Isaac. Andrew, Chris, and my dad watched the Colts game while my mom, me, and Isaac visited with Mamie and Papaw. We had Mexican for dinner that night at Andrew and Leann's. Audrey and Isaac had a blast playing in the tents. That day we also discovered Isaac's fourth tooth!

On Monday, we headed up to Chris's family. I will let him write about our experience up there. The car was packed to the brim after we left his family a few days later. We barely had any room to move in the car. Isaac did not enjoy the ride back home. It was difficult for all of us. We were glad to be home. It was even more awesome to see Marvin. We all really missed our dog. It took some time to unload the car, and we are still making returns and reorganizing everything that we got for Christmas. Hopefully by this weekend and with the past three snow days off of work, we will have everything cleaned, organized, returned, and ready for the next adventure.

Thanksgiving

2011-01-12T10:39:00.004-05:00

Isaac was sick during Thanksgiving. My parents came down and brought with them a Christmas present. We were really thankful for their thoughtfulness about bringing Isaac's tractor down early instead of us trying to haul it back from Indiana. We barely had room to move after our trip back from Christmas but more about that later. Chris and I enjoyed cooking and made a very satisfying meal! Isaac loves playing with his tractor. It is his favorite toy!

Halloween

2010-12-19T14:02:00.005-05:00

We dressed up in a family costume to a friend's Halloween party. Isaac was stinker boy. Chris was punctuation man. I was math woman. We were supposed to be a group of reject superheroes :). Isaac also got to party at daycare; he was just a skunk for their Halloween parade.

Grandma G and Balloon Festival

2010-12-19T13:47:00.007-05:00

In September, Chris went on a trip with his school to the mountains. My mom came down to visit with me and help me out a little. I was really grateful, because I was feeling overwhelmed with work (both jobs), school, and caring for Isaac. My mom came down and helped me surprise Chris by having the carpets cleaned, framing our two oil paintings, and other general clean up. It was quite a surprise for Chris--we had to go to Ikea and get some new furniture! It so nice to have someone come down and lend a hand to help us out.

My parents and grandparents came to visit us again. It was really nice to have the extra help around the house again. It was a quick trip, but we made the most out of it. We went to the Lexington barbecue and the Statesville balloon festival. We had a good time and Isaac was happy to see everyone!

Williamsburg, VA

2010-12-19T13:25:00.002-05:00

Only a few days back from Cape Cod and Isaac and I headed up to Williamsburg, VA, to meet with my parents and grandparents. Chris and Marvin had to stay home, because Chris was getting ready to start school again. The drive was interesting; it was about four hours to get there. Isaac and I didn't do too bad. We got there in time for dinner. I had recently gotten my Droid, so we used it to determine where we were going to eat. We decided to eat at Second Street Bistro. It was good, and I would recommend it (stay tuned, there are lots of great restaurants that we ate at!).

The next day, my parents had to go to on a tour, so my grandparents and I hung around the house. Then we went to the shopping area. It was tax free weekend, and I desperately needed clothes for work--or that weren't maternity :). We didn't really find anything spectacular. We had a snack and then headed back to the condo.

It has been a long time since this, so I am going to summarize the trip from there:

--we went swimming a few times in the pool

--we went to Bush Gardens, but only rode one ride. Isaac wasn't big enough for the kid rides

--we went to the College of William and Mary (so beautiful!)

--we went to the Williamsburg Winery

--we went to the Jamestown Settlement

--I drink tim tams and tea Austrailan style (thanks Elizabeth :))

--we played dominoes, I am sure I didn't win!

--we ate at the Carrot Tree (a must go to, make sure you get dessert)

--we ate at the Blue Talon Bistro (very good as well)

Isaac and I enjoyed our time with everyone and were glad to share some vacation time with Mamie and Papaw Bill, Grandma G and Papaw Sam.

An update--FINALLY!

2010-12-18T11:11:00.004-05:00

Isaac is a week away from being 10 months old! It is hard to believe. I hope to have some of the pictures and news that I have missed over the past 5 months up soon :). Isaac has three teeth and is working on the fourth! Here is what Isaac can do and what he eats.
He can:

pull up

cruise along furniture

crawl well

crawl up the stairs

stand momentarily without holding on (did this last night for the first time in the bath!)

feed himself

walk behind his tractor

clap

wave and say "hi"

say "mom" and "dad" (almost says "dog" too)

points (not at anything specifically yet)

drink out of a sippy cup

He eats:

rice, barley, and oatmeal cereal

whole wheat toast

brown rice

whole wheat tortillas

puffs (blueberry, apple, peach, sweet potato)

fruits: blueberries (a favorite!), apples, peaches, cherries, pears, mango, banana

vegetables: green beans, peas, squash, broccoli, red pepper, yellow pepper, onion, cucumber, spinach, carrots

protein: egg yolk, avocado (a favorite!), beef, chicken, turkey

kidney beans
potato
sweet potato

Isaac is growing fast! He was 24 pounds and 4 ounces and almost 29 inches at his 9 month doctor's appointment.

5 months of Isaac and Cape Cod

2010-11-01T20:29:00.008-04:00

After our trip to Indiana in July, Isaac turned 5 months old. We had tried some rice cereal, but we weren't doing it often. We started to prepare for Isaac's first plane trip. We were flying to Boston, Massachusetts, for a wedding in Cape Cod of one of Chris's friends from high school. We left the house early enough, parked the car, and headed on the shuttle to the airport. I was probably more nervous than Isaac. We got on the plane first and got settled. I began to nurse Isaac as we took off. Luckily, he was great on the flight. We got our rental car and car seat and headed off into Boston to explore before we headed to the Cape. Neither Chris nor I had been to Boston previously, so we wanted to see some stuff! We ended up having lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe (yes, I am one of those dorks who collects Hard Rock guitars--my last one previous to this one was from Buenos Aires, Argentina). We also got to walk around Quincy Market which wasn't far from the Hard Rock. After a little bit of Boston, we decided to head out to the Cape. The trip was supposed to take an hour and a half, but it was closer to two and half to three hours to get out there. Our little motel was quaint. We checked in and got our welcome gift from Erin and Matt. We decided to take one of their recommendations and eat at Arnold's for dinner. Arnold's was a very popular place. We waited in line for over an hour, but the food was well worth it! Isaac was the life of the party until we sat down to eat; he nursed and then slept through dinner. Chris had some fish and chips that looked and tasted delicious. The next day was a little stormy when we woke up. We had a package to go whale watching, but we knew the boats wouldn't be running with the stormy weather. We ate breakfast, talked with the groom, and headed to the Cape Cod vineyard. It was a really pretty little vineyard. The tasting area was really neat, and Chris and I got to enjoy some wine. After a quick lunch, we headed out to the whale watching. It took us awhile to park, so we signed up for our trip and then went to have an early dinner. We had another fantastic dinner, and Isaac had quite the poopy diaper episode! We boarded the boat and took a seat on top. Another first for Isaac--a boat ride! Chris and I weren't really thinking and we sat near the horn. It scared Isaac pretty good. As the boat started out, Isaac fell asleep in my arms. We got some pretty amazing views of the cape on our way out to see the whales. The boat stopped once we saw the whale. Isaac woke up and found everyone's silence to be a moment for him to show off his screeching skills. We got tons of great shots of the whales and Isaac's enthusiam. It was just really cool. We started to make our way back to shore, and the sun was setting. It was absolutely gorgeous! We headed back to the motel, and Chris headed off to the bachelor party. Isaac and I enjoyed some time in the motel together.

The next morning, we headed off to the bay to play in the low tide. It was really cool to see all the different types of crabs and the oyster traps. Isaac enjoyed the warm waters as well. We headed off to lunch and then decided to take a trip out to the ocean side of the cape. We parked and decided to walk without the stroller to the beach. The walk was about a mile and half. It was a little chilly when we got to the beach, and Isaac wasn't really excited to see the ocean. The waves sounded scary to him because of the rocks. He got in for a second or two, but was more content to sit in the sand and watch Chris swim.

The next day was the wedding. We all got ready and headed out to the wedding site. The wedding was absolutely beautiful. Isaac wouldn't cooperate during the ceremony, so he and I did not get to hear the ceremony. We enjoyed the cocktail hour and the sitdown lunch. Everything was just beautiful, and we enjoyed being a part of Matt and Erin's day. After spending some time talking with friends, we headed back into Boston for our flight early the next morning. We had a great time in Cape Cod!

Part Two of the Indiana Trip

2010-08-14T17:09:00.004-04:00

After leaving my mom and dad's, we headed up to see Chris's family. They had planned a get together for that afternoon with his family. We had a great lunch and got to sit and talk to everyone. Isaac loved showing off how he can rollover onto his stomach and turn in a clockwise circle.

The next day we went out to Matt and Heather's for brunch. Chris played outside with the Dylan, Jaycee, and Kolton, and I stayed inside and played with Isaac and Addison. I think the kids gave Chris quite a workout! They played baseball outside for most of the day. Kolton had a baseball game, so we went to Michigan to watch him play. Matt is the head coach, and Chris got to fill in as a coach for his brother Thom. Kolton played outfield, catcher, and pitcher. He did a great job! They ended the game early in a tie. Isaac enjoyed watching the game for awhile, but he and I did do a lot of walking around. We went back to Matt and Heather's for dinner that night.

The day after that we had lunch at a local restaurant with Chris's parents and grandma. It was all decorated with Cubs stuff. It was very appropriate! We went out to Matt and Heather's again that night for dinner. Matt cooked spaghetti--it was really good! Marvin had some issues with one of the kid's friends that was over, but he really enjoyed Addison.

The next day, we left to come home. It was an 11 hour journey again. Isaac started to get fussy when we were an hour away from our house. He was excited to be home though. We had a lot of fun and enjoyed our entire trip to Indiana!

Four month doctor appointment and Part One of Indiana trip!

2010-08-12T10:06:00.006-04:00

Whew! July was a very busy month! Isaac, Chris, Marvin, and I are just getting caught up. Isaac went to his four month doctor appointment, and he was in the 75th percentile for height, the 93th percentile for head size, and the 99th percentile for weight. The doctor suggested that we wait on rice cereal due to his weight. The doctor was impressed with Isaac and his attitude of "faster and better" as his dad says.
We finally went to Indiana to visit our families and friends. I decided to do the trips in two parts due to all the excitement. The trip started with an 11 hour car ride with us arriving at my parents' new house at 2:30 a.m. Isaac was pretty good during the car ride, but he had definitely had it by hour ten. Marvin was also ready to get out and play. When we arrived, Isaac played on the floor, Marvin got a quick walk, and I got the tour of my parents' new place. After sleeping briefly, we were ready for the adventures of the day. My parents' went to some garage sales while we had breakfast and walked Marvin. They found a Combi stroller for ten dollars, which they bought for Isaac. It is great, because it is small, lightweight, and easy to travel with. For lunch, we went to a Japanese steakhouse. It is one of my favorite places to go while in the area. Isaac did really well while we ate lunch, and he wasn't scared of the fire (they cook in front of you). After lunch, we got to see Andrew briefly to give him some lemonade at work. It has been crazy hot this summer! We then had to pick up Ty and Audrey from daycare to do the grandkid pictures at the Farm. I couldn't believe how much Ty and Audrey had grown up! I do realize it had been over a year since I had seen them last but still! We arrived at the farm and got the kids all changed into their jean overalls. Colton was cute with his curly hair! It was pretty hot, but I think we managed to get a few good shots. Afterwards we hung out with Aunt Tracy, Uncle Tom, and Michael. We headed back to my parents for dinner. My dad had been busy cooking bacon while we were away. My grandparents and Uncle Tom and Aunt Tracy also had dinner with us. We had tomato and bacon sandwiches, Indiana sweet corn, and wilted lettuce. It was fantastic, and yes, I have pictures of the food!

The next day we had scheduled a playdate with Amanda's kids--Ellie and Kentley and Kayci's son--Gavin. It was great to catch up with them and see how much their kids had grown up. We all went out to lunch together. Afterwards, Andrew got his kids from daycare, and we all went swimming. It was really great to get in the pool. Audrey wouldn't let go of me though! Isaac enjoyed a meal after swimming for a little while. We had dinner at Andrew and Leann's house. It was the first time that we had seen their new house as well. I really like the colors and the layout. I really enjoyed the turkey burgers that we had for dinner that night.

The day after that we went swimming again in the morning. We had an open house in the afternoon so that all of our friends and family could come and meet Isaac. We also got to play some dominoes and eat The Ordinary's pizza. By the way, cheeseless pizza from the Ordinary looks very weird. Marvin ripped a hole in my Uncle Rick's shorts when my dad took him down to the house. Sorry again! Marvin has been afraid of storms, and he has been especially protective of us since Isaac was born. Thanks again to all our friends and family who made it out! We didn't get to see everyone, so we hope that we do on our next trip up!

We left the next day to go up to see Chris's family. Look for the continuation of our Indiana adventure in the next blog post!

Four months of fun with Isaac!

2010-07-02T19:32:00.003-04:00

Isaac is now a little over four months! We will have the updates on length, weight, and head size after his doctor's appointment (which includes his four month shots!). Uncle Thom came down for a visit with us. He got to come to my work and meet some of my colleagues, and he watched Isaac for 20 minutes all by himself! Isaac enjoyed his visit; Thom and Marvin did not get along, however.

The four of us met up with Grandma G, Papaw Sam, Mamie, and Papaw Bill in the mountains. Our cabin was up very high (up a very scary one lane "cow path"), but the view was beautiful! Isaac enjoyed some time in the hot tub (no worries--it wasn't hot at all). Grandma G made a fantastic birthday cake for me. Marvin kept his eyes out for the black bear that was supposed to be lurking about. We never saw him or any evidence that he was close by. We went into town and had lunch with some samplings of the local microbrews and strolled around the shops. Grandma G gave Isaac his new favorite toy--his jumparoo! He loves to jump for long periods of time in it (and his Mom and Dad appreciate the time to have our hands free). Chris enjoyed his first father's day with dinner and a card chosen especially for him by Isaac, Marvin, and I. It was nice to spend father's day with my dad and Papaw Bill again. My mom enjoyed her S&D coffee that we picked up for her for her birthday present as well. Isaac was much better on this car trip, so we are learning how to travel more with him (and Marvin)!

Isaac continues to roll over on his left side and occasionally on his right side. He has made /f/, /g/, and /r/ sounds and all of his vowels sounds. He loves to talk to people or his hands. He continues to amaze us everday!

A milestone reached!

2010-06-23T10:24:00.004-04:00

After about a month of trying, Isaac rolled over! He rolls over to his left side. After a month of getting his left arm stuck underneath him or getting distracted by sucking on his thumb or distracted by toys, he pulled his left arm out yesterday and did it!

The picture is of Isaac dancing during our trip during Uncle Thom's visit to the Carolina Brewery. Isaac started dancing to the live band's verison of "Brown-eyed Girl". He entertained not only our small little group, but the other tables surronding us too!

Birthday, Aquarium, and First Swim!

2010-06-21T21:15:00.006-04:00

It has been another busy month already. For Chris's birthday, Isaac made a card at daycare! It was a very special card. Annalee told daycare that it was going to be Chris's birthday, so that made sure to make it a surprise! We had our first family roadtrip (minus Marvin) to the Aquarium. It wasn't the most successful car trip with Isaac; both mom and dad learned a lot! When we first got to the hotel, Isaac slept on the bed. We took off for the Aquarium first thing the next morning. Isaac was hungry as soon as we got in, so Annalee fed him before we did anything. Isaac then fell asleep, so Chris carried him around. It was all of our first time at the Aquarium, so Chris and I enjoyed it even when Isaac was sleeping. Annalee went to check out the penguins, and Isaac woke up! He spent most of his time in the stroller or in the carrier with Chris. Isaac really liked to watch the fish and other sea creatures as they moved around. He particularly liked the coral reef animals.

When we got back from the Aquarium, it was time for Isaac's first trip to the pool! He loves bath time, so we figured he would love swimming as well. Chris took him into the wading pool at first, and then we all three got in the regular sized pool. Isaac did not seem to like being in his turtle--he was not heavy enough to touch the water with his hands. Chris and I both took turns walking around with him in the pool. He seemed pretty indifferent. We are sure on his next swimming adventure, he will be happier!

Busy, busy and so much has happened!

2010-05-23T19:34:00.004-04:00

Well, our little family sure has been busy over the past six weeks! We wanted to give you a brief update on all the happenings:

Grandma G came down to help Annalee get ready to go back to work. It was hard putting in Isaac to daycare, but it was great to have an extra person to support her! Grandma G also was a big help in cleaning and making a few meals that Chris and Annalee both enjoyed eating! Thanks again, Grandma G!

Isaac started daycare. We love his teacher and have enjoyed watching him grow as he learns at his "school".

Annalee started school. In some ways, it has felt like she never left. In other ways, it seems like she missed a WHOLE bunch. It is always interesting trying to find the time and place to pump.

Isaac got his first fever and cold. He got it and had to stay home with dad. It was the same day he was supposed to have his shots, so they got postponed. At that appointment, which was his two month appointment, he weighed 13 lbs. 6 oz. and 24 1/8 inches. He is in the 90th percentile for both height and length! No worries about being too big: he is in the 50th percentile for his weight compared to his length

Isaac got his first shots! He cried, but Chris fed him a bottle left over from daycare, and he was just fine!

For Mother's Day, Isaac made his mom a very special Mother's Day card. It had his picture and his handprints. It made his mom cry.

Isaac had his pictures taken at daycare--his first school pictures! He also fingerpainted a flower that is displayed in the classroom.

Isaac was the life of a party celebrating a good friend's birthday. His parents were glad to get out of the house and enjoy some adult company.

Isaac got a visit from his Uncle Ricky and Aunt Lauren, and Lauren's sister Erin and her parents Pat and Tyrone! We had a fantastic brunch with them and enjoyed the opportunity.

Isaac is the happiest little guy: he loves going for walks with Marvin and smiling and laughing and "talking" to his mom and dad. He likes holding his head up and looking around, and he's trying very hard to roll over. We think he will do it very soon. He has slept through the night three nights in a row, but the streak was broken by another cold.

Isaac continues to grow so fast. He is well into 3-6 month clothes and is even wearing some that are labeled 6-9 months. Since there is no three month doctor visit, we weighed and measured him this weekend: based on the bathroom scale and dad's tape measure he's 15 lbs 12 oz and 25 1/2 inches.

Update more soon!

Sixth week with Isaac

2010-04-12T11:44:00.005-04:00

Here are some pictures of Isaac as he plays in his pack n play and in the bath! He is learning more and more everyday. He enjoys hitting his rattles and looking at himself in the mirror. He has started sleeping in his crib in his bedroom. It is hard to believe how fast the time is flying by!

One month and counting...

2010-03-31T11:04:00.005-04:00

Last Friday, Isaac, mom, and dad went to the doctor for our one month check up. Isaac weighs 9 pounds 15.6 ounces (50 percentile) and is 22 1/2 inches (75 percentile). To quote the doctor, she said, "He is perfect!". Of course we already knew this! He is lifting his head for longer periods of time during tummy time, tracking toys from left to right, and recognizes mom's, dad's, and Grandma G's voices. Isaac loves the sunshine and warm weather, so we walk as much as possible with Marvin. We have moved from Newborn size diapers to size one, and Isaac is now wearing 0-3 month clothes instead of Newborn size. Although there are a few outfits that are newborn that he can still wear! We are developing more and more of a routine. Isaac sleeps three and half to four and half hours during the night. During the day, he likes to play in his activity center and watch the mirror and mobile on his swing. His all time favorite activity is to walk around the house in the baby carrier with his mom.

After our first outing last week, Isaac and I were more confident to go out on our own. We visited dad at work and had lunch, went to the dry cleaner and Target, and Babies R Us and Chick Fil A. Chris and I also took him to Punchy's for dinner over the weekend. He did really well and did not get fussy until we were about to leave. Mom also went grocery shopping over the weekend without Isaac. It was a good test for Mom! Dad enjoyed his time alone with Marvin and Isaac.

Isaac and Mom's first outing

2010-03-23T16:41:00.003-04:00

Today I decided to take Isaac out on my own. I knew that it would not be easy due to some of the lifting restrictions that I still have, but the day was so beautiful, we had to try! I had some things that I wanted to take back to Wal-mart. If you know me, I am not a big fan of Wal-mart, but there was a new one that was close by, so I decided to chance it. We spent most of the morning getting ready to go. I kept finding little things that I wanted to clean up before we left or Isaac would be asleep in his swing or in the carrier, and I didn't want to wake him! Finally after lunch, we made our way to Wal-mart. We sang in the car and enjoyed the fresh air with the windows rolled down. As soon as we got to the parking lot, Isaac started his "I'm hungry now!" screams. I hopped in the back of the car and began to feed him. A half hour later and his stomach full, my little man poops. It was a true gem of a diaper to change! I threw the diaper away and grabbed a cart to go into Wal-mart. We returned the items and then did a quick lap around. Isaac had a fun time looking at baby clothes and all the colors in the store. He did a lot of cooing as we wheeled around. Before we left, we used the gift card to get Chris a special something as an early Easter present. Isaac slept all the way home and then enjoyed some tummy time with Mom when we got home. It was an adventure, and we cannot wait for our next one!

Chris will be posting soon about his Spring Break and the visit from his parents and Grandma!

Napping with Isaac

2010-03-16T13:57:00.003-04:00

Chris and I love to nap with Isaac. Below is Isaac with Chris on the couch. To the right is Marvin, Isaac, and Annalee resting upstairs in the bed.

Doctor's Appointment number two

2010-03-11T10:55:00.002-05:00

Isaac, Chris, and I went back to the doctor today to see if Isaac is gaining weight. He weighed 8 lbs. 8 oz. today. The doctor said that was good enough, so we can continue breast feeding. I was very happy to hear that! I don't enjoy breast-feeding, but I think it is best for Isaac. He is a healthy baby. I think every nurse at office had to take a peek at him. He is so handsome and friendly to others.

Isaac has decided that sleeping isn't important for his mom. He likes to start hollering about the time we try to put him to bed. He cannot seem to fall asleep unless he is resting on my chest either (which I love!). We are trying really hard to get him to love his bassinet. The best resting period for him is during the early to late morning. I am trying to get him into a routine, so that our transition back to work will be smoother. I cannot believe I only have five weeks left!

I am MOM!

2010-03-04T09:44:00.002-05:00

It is crazy to believe, but one week ago, I became a mother. Since then this has been a week of firsts with Isaac and an adjustment for the whole family. First, I had a C-section. It was determined to be necessary after Isaac was facing posterior, only at +1, and a factor we didn't know until after delivery--Isaac's head was 14 3/4 inches. My baby has a big head like his dad! Because I had a C-section, I had to stay in the hospital a little bit longer, I cannot drive for two weeks, and I cannot lift more than 20 lbs. I am trying not to go crazy with the restrictions!

Isaac has now spit up on, peed on, and pooped on me! He tends to save his nastiest diapers for me once Chris has left for work. We are breast-feeding, which so far is going pretty well. Marvin hasn't decided what he thinks of Isaac yet. Although during the day, when Isaac is sleeping so are Marvin and Mom!

On Tuesday, Isaac got to experience his first snow. We also went to the doctor for the first time. Isaac weighs 8 lbs. 2 oz. He is gaining weight since we left the hospital (He was 7 lbs. 15 oz on Saturday). He is a healthy boy! Yesterday, we gave him his first bath. He didn't really seem to like it, but Chris and I both agree that he feels so much better. He lost his belly button decoration last night, so now we can actually give him a real bath. After much debating (mostly in my head), we decided to give Isaac a pacifier. He slept well last night because of it. I am not sure if it was the right decision, but he is happier and sleeping well!

Introducing...

2010-02-26T14:33:00.000-05:00

...the newest edition to the Taylor family, born at 4:46 am on Thursday, 25 Februray 2010, measuring 22 inches long and weighing in at a healthy 8 pounds 10 ounces.......ISAAC WILLIAM TAYLOR!!!

I figure most of you who are reading this probably knew all that, but I always wanted to introduce someone public-address-announcer-style. For those who we haven't had a chance to share more details here:

Annalee was induced into labor late in the morning on Wednesday. It was long and arduous, but Annalee was amazing. The whole process just reinforced what I always knew: Annalee is SuperWoman! I've never seen in person such determination and shear will under such difficult circumstances.

Isaac is a big boy (more evidence to mom's superhero credentials) that is perfect in every way (I know I'm biased, but I will argue this point with anyone). He was really alert right after he was born, looking around and listening to what was going on. He's been eating and sleeping and crying and pooping as he should.
As you can see in the pictures, Isaac has a full head of dark hair. I know that with newborns that it probably will fall out, but I think he's already in the top 2 or 3 for scalp coverage when stacked up against many of the Taylor men in my immediate family.
Last night was a long one. He didn't really cry a whole lot during the day yesterday, but through the night he decided to continually do his screech-owl impersonation. It's pretty good, so mom and dad are running on fumes sleep-wise. From what I'm told, it comes with the territory.
Annalee's parents have been around all week and have been a tremendous help with keeping Annalee busy and calm in those last few days of pregnancy, in the delivery room, running errands, walking Marvin, and so much more. They have been invaluable. Thank you Grandma G and Papaw Sam.

All our friends and family have been fantastic with their gifts, well-wishes and the help we have and will continue to receive through this transition into parenthood. We can't thank you enough.

That's probably enough for now. I know Annalee has bunch she wants to share when she's feeling up to it. And I also know Isaac is excited to meet all of you.

Forty weeks and one day...

2010-02-23T06:28:00.003-05:00

Good morning everyone! We are still pregnant today. Yesterday we went to the doctor, and she sent us over to the hospital to have a stress test, monitor my blood pressure, and draw some blood. Everything was good. We are now dilated 4 centimeters and having irregular contractions. Our little guy is quite the mover and shaker. He seems to be quite comfortable where he is, so we shall see when he decides to come out!

And we wait...

2010-02-21T21:25:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is the due date. There have been a few times in the past few days when we wondered if things were going to start happening, but nothing that lasted very long. So at the very least it looks like our little guy will be here no earlier than the due date. The question is how much longer will he wait? In addition to suspected but mistaken progress, Annalee has in the last few days stated for the first time that she's ready to not be pregnant anymore. Time seems as though it has slowed to a crawl in the last couple weeks. Hopefully we won't have to wait very much longer.

Be sure to vote in the two polls at the right for when the baby will be born, how much he will weigh, and how long he will be. I've set them to stay open until midnight on Monday.

Thirty-nine weeks and counting...

2010-02-14T20:53:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow marks 39 weeks of pregnancy for me. It is hard to believe that it is almost time to meet this little guy. He has already been showered with love and gifts from our colleagues. Both of the schools hosted baby showers for us. We were overwhelmed with all the gifts, great food, and friendship that was shared. I am dilated two centimeters, and we are monitoring my blood pressure daily. We shall see what this week brings!

Getting Ready...

2010-02-07T17:26:00.001-05:00

We're about two weeks out from the due date. We've spent a lot time in the last few weeks trying to make sure we are ready for our little guy to make his world premiere. Last weekend we packed our bags for the hospital, and tried to take inventory of what we still need and what we still need to do. Through this process I have decided there are two schools of thought on "readiness" when it comes becoming parents:
1) You are never truly ready; you approach readiness without ever actually getting there like some cruel parental-asymptote (a shout-out to my math brethren).
Or..
2) You reach a point where you are as ready as you're going to be and will have to adapt on the fly once he gets here.
I don't know (or won't admit) which I subscribe to. One could argue that they are really the same, just a glass half full/empty proposition. But I digress...

Last weekend (including a Monday snow day) was also a time for me to finish up projects that I started with our bundle of joy in mind. In recent weeks we purchased curtains for the nursery and the last of the crib bedding. The curtains are hung, crib made, furniture re-positioned, leaving the baby's room all but done.

I did most of the major work (moved office furniture out, patched walls, took "popcorn" off the ceiling, painted the ceiling white and walls green) in the nursery over the summer after we found out we were expecting. In retrospect that was a smart move because I had much more free time.

Little-by-little we've been adding furniture and trying to get things set-up the way we want. There are still some "small" things to do. We've got some pictures to hang on the wall We'd love to get some new bedding for the twin bed to better match the rest of the decor. We'd still like to add a chair of some sort. In general though, I'm feeling pretty good about it.

My other project was to get the kitchen painted. I did most of the work over our winter break. Seemed like a perfect time since we were here for the holidays.

Again I spent a lot of time preparing: patching walls and taking "popcorn" down (whoever thought this stuff was a good idea deserves to be drug out in the street and shot). I got the ceiling painted and the walls painted the blue that was inspired by the tea kettle.

Monday I put the finishing touches on it by cleaning the cabinets real well and adding new knobs to everything. We are really pleased with how it turned out. The difference in there is pretty astounding. Except for the laundry room, it was the last room in the house to be painted. It probably should have been one of the first. We had put it off because we always thought that when we did it we would do a bigger remodel with the floors and countertops. Everything seems so clean and inviting now. It even makes our ugly floors, cabinets and countertops seem less so. While I was at it, I rearranged some things to make room for some baby stuff in the kitchen and make everything a little more functional.
___________________________________________

Today is Super Bowl Sunday and since we are huge Colts fans we're pretty excited for the game. We did our regular Sunday trip to the grocery, decked out in our Colts gear: I in my Freeney jersey and Colts hat, Annalee in my Manning Jersey, and both of us in our Colts socks. Not too many Colts fans in the Carolinas, so we certainly got noticed.

Marvin of course has his Colts blue collar and leash as well as his rubber
horseshoe (it's the wrong color but he doesn't mind).

Our little man got some pretty cool Colts gear for Christmas, but we're glad he won't get to wear it this weekend. Being in the hospital for the Super Bowl would not have been fun. And even if he were at home already there's the whole issue with staying up late when you are already sleep-deprived and holding exuberant screams because someone is sleeping. This will have to do:

We know he'll be kicking and moving around during the game just like the rest of us. GO COLTS!

Birthing class, Colts Playoff wins, and 1st Baby Shower

2010-01-24T19:51:00.009-05:00

On January 9th, Chris and I attended an all day birthing and preparation class at the Family Center where we will be delivering our little boy. We were there along with 10 other couples, most of whom were further along in their pregnancies than we were! Our nurse/presenter, Cindy, was fully of energy and very helpful with all her information. She took us on a tour of the different rooms that we would be in throughout our stay in the Family Center. The check in room, the labor and delivery room, and of course, the room where the majority of our stay will be spent with the baby. With a normal delivery, we will be in the Family Center for 48 hours after he is born and 4 days if I have to have a C-section. They do not have a nursery as they want to encourage rooming in. We got to have lunch at there, and it was pretty decent. Afterwards, we watched some videos (not as grossed out as I expected to be) and learned how to do some breathing and massages. It was a lot of information thrown at us, but I feel more prepared and ready for what is going to happen very soon!

On January 16th, Chris and I prepared for the first Colts' playoff game against the Ravens. Chris made hot wings and seasoned potato wedges for the occasion. He even let me wear his Manning jersey, since my Marvin Harrison jersey is too small currently! We were glad for the win and even more happy for the amazing food that Chris made!

The next day, we were busy cleaning and getting ready for our baby shower hosted by Christine and Erin. It was an international baby theme with the word "baby" written in several different languages decorated around the house. Our new kitchen color matched all of the decorations that Erin and Christine had as well! We started off by eating (of course!). Christine and her husband, Bruce, made hummus with pita rounds from Turkey, brie with mushrooms from France, tomato basil bruschetta from Italy, chicken tostadas from Mexico, spicy Asian wings from China, teriyaki spareribs from Japan, and tabbouleh salad from Lebanon. Marvin got a lick of the spareribs, and Chris got to eat a few things before they took off to play at the park while the girls enjoyed the shower festivaties. Christine and Erin had planned all sorts of fun games! We played a game where everyone had to guess how big my belly was. Most seemed to go too small! We also smelled (some even tasted) some melted chocolate in diapers to determine what type of candy bar it was. Another game was for all the guests to make a baby out of Play Doh, and I had to guess who had made it and say who had done the best. Finally, there were some questions on a napkin about me and the baby, and my guests had to try and guess what my answers were. Then we ate cake--YUM! After cake, I opened all the baby's gifts. He got a lot of great stuff! I was very thankful for my hostesses and all my guests for coming and making my baby shower so much fun! After the shower was over, Bruce came over and took some pictures of Chris and I goofing around! It was a great day! We had leftovers for over a week from the shower!

Today was the Colts' second playoff game against the Jets. Although I spent most of the game on my laptop preparing for a presentation I am giving tomorrow, it was an exciting game! It was a big day for Pierre Garcon! Chris made chili for this occasion, and it was delicious! We cannot wait until the Super Bowl!

Tomorrow marks 36 weeks of pregnancy for me. We go back to the doctor. Our last visit on January 15th (at 7 a.m.!) was pretty routine. The doctor told us everything seemed to be going well and that the baby will probably be average sized. Everything seems to be right on track!

For Sue and my other "fans"

2010-01-08T18:00:00.007-05:00

I was talking to my friend Sue last night, and she said I need to put up more pictures of my pregnant belly for all my "fans". I have recently "popped", so there is more to see! Enjoy!

These three are of me and the bump. The top is not a maternity top but the pants are. You can see the baby doll that we are using to help Marvin to adjust to his new sibling in the lamb swing in the background as well!

I promise to post more soon!

Holidays

2010-01-05T13:37:00.007-05:00

Today I am 33 weeks and 2 days pregnant. It is crazy to think how fast the time goes. Chris and I were able to get a lot done with our time off. On Tuesday, December 21st, I went back to the doctor. It was just another routine visit. Everything is going well, and I am measuring right on schedule. My next doctor's appointment is Tuesday, January 12th. My parents and grandparents came down for a few days to celebrate New Year's Eve/Christmas with us. We got the opportunity to eat a lot of good food and try some new restaurants while they were down here. When my parents got here on Tuesday night, we ate at Max's Alley in Concord. It was really good! Chris had had lunch there before, but I had never been there. I had baked chicken stuffed with tomatoes with spinach and rice. Chris had stuffed trout, spinach, and the most amazing sweet potatoe puree that I have ever tasted! It was awesome! My parents split trout with green beans. They really seemed to like the place as well. The reviews online said it is the best place to eat in Concord. I must say it is pretty high on my list. My grandparents arrived later, so after we ate, we went to their hotel and visited. Mamie had pictures of Christmas at her house, so I got to see everyone. I also saw some pictures of my niece, nephew, and cousin's son playing at Mamie and Papaw's. They are such good great-grandparents. On Wednesday, we went to downtown Concord. There isn't much to do, but it is a good way to kill a few minutes. My dad found a coin shop and has already made a date to go back in February once his grandson is born to show off some of his coins. We also ate at the chocolate shop--Yum! We all split an oreo cheesecake and apple tart. I had a hot chocolate too--It was so good! Mamie has those pictures, so I will have to get those from her. After spending a little more time in downtown, we decided to get lunch. We went to the Greek restaurant and had grouper pitas (Chris had a NY gyro). It was delicious as usual. Do you notice the theme of eating all the time? Since we were so close to Chris's school, we went to Cannon for a visit. We all got to see his classroom and marvel at how great a school it is! My mom and dad really like the S&D coffee that is made here in Concord, so we went to the gift shop to get them some coffee to take back with them. I had an eye doctor's appointment, so we all trooped to that as well. The one positive thing about all this driving around were the heated seats in my mom and dad's van. It sure made my backache feel better! While I was at the eye doctor, the rest of the crew went to the mall across the street. Papaw need sweatpants, because he was so cold. For dinner we went into Harrisburg and got Dino's pizza. It is really some good pizza. We enjoyed it. Thursday was New Year's eve, and we got off to a slow start. Everyone was busy doing there on thing. My mom had made dinner reservations at McCormick's Seafood Restaurant for 4:15 p.m. in South Park. It takes a good 45 minutes to get to that part of Charlotte from our house, so we left a little early. We were seated right away. After looking at the menu, I knew I would have a hard time finding something for me to eat. I am not really allowed to have shellfish or fish due to the mercury, and I had been getting sick on red meat. There were really about two options on the menu for me. My dad and Papaw got King crab legs. That was the whole reason for going to this restaurant! I ended up getting some salmon. My dinner salad was amazing! I really liked it. For dessert, I got apple pie with cinnamon ice cream. My mom got carrot cake, and Mamie got creme brulee. I personally think my dessert was the best! After dinner, we went back to our house and opened our Christmas presents. Baby Taylor made out really well getting a lot of cute outfits. This baby is going to be really well dressed! My friends, Kayci and Amanda, also gave us a big thing of diapers and wipes! We were really excited to get that! After that we played Apples to Apples and Sequence. The girls beat the guys in Sequence, and I won Apples to Apples. We missed the actually dropping of the ball by a few seconds but thank heavens for DVR! We rewinded it and then we headed off to bed. On Friday, my parents, Chris, and I ate at the Harrisburg Restaurant for breakfast. It was fabulous as usual. Great food for a very reasonable price. Then we were off to IKEA. My parents really like IKEA since we took them there in September, and it was Mamie and Papaw's first time. Mamie was able to get something for their place in Florida. Chris and I also got a bookshelf and a small side table. Mamie and Papaw have already visited the IKEA in Orlando! We hung out at our house after that. For dinner we tried a Mexican restaurant in Concord. It was pretty good. I know that Chris really enjoyed his meal. I was sort of underwhelmed. Mamie and Papaw said their goodbyes. They were headed off to Florida in the morning. Marvin was sad, because he had grew attached to cuddling with Mamie. My parents left Saturday morning to go back to Indiana. Chris and I cleaned some more and were able to set up the nursery and finish cleaning a few more things before we started school. I will let Chris write about his Christmas presents and the Kitchen project. We also have our birthing class and hospital tour on Saturday, so we will have more to write after that!

Decorations and Renovations

2009-12-27T20:56:00.008-05:00

Well, I have not posted for awhile. I am still getting used to the idea that I am pregnant and cannot be such a workaholic as I used to be. Chris and I were told at both of our December Doctor's appointments that we should not go to Indiana for Christmas. I was happy to be able to rest and not have to run around, but at the same time, I was sad not to be able to see family and friends. I went in for a little while to work on Monday and then tried to finish my Christmas shopping for Chris. We decided that we were going to do stockings for each other and one present. I was having a really hard time, because I forgot that we live in North Carolina and Colts's jerseys are not easy to find here! The rest of the week I watched as Chris painted the kitchen and just laid around to rest. I did accomplish to clean our guest bedroom (guests, we are ready for you!) and get all of our Christmas decorations out and up. Chris got me a Garmin navigation system for Christmas. I am so excited about it! I have wanted one for awhile! We got Marvin a leash, new treats, and some wet food to mix in with his dry food. He really seem to enjoy this. I think that he enjoys time with his mom and dad even more. We did not get anything for our baby boy, because I hear he is getting a lot of stuff sent down from Indiana. My parents and grandparents will be here later this week to celebrate Christmas with us, and we are going to skype Chris's family tomorrow to celebrate Christmas with them. It was hard not being with everyone during the holidays, but I think this was best for Chris and I both to get some rest and stay healthy.

Due to the high volume of requests, here are some pictures of the pregnancy belly and some other updates that Chris and I have neglected to post about:

Here are some pictures of me and my pregnant belly. I will be starting my 33rd week tomorrow. I measure at 33 cm, so I am right on track! Our little boy is very active and likes to kick on my right side quite often. I still wear a lot of non maternity clothes especially tops. The styles are really good for this! So far no stretch marks, which is really making me happy. I do have the beginnings of my line that goes from my belly button down. My belly button is disappearing quickly.

For Halloween, I dressed up like a redneck man. We had our friends, Christine and Bruce, over to have dinner and to entertain trick-or-treaters. They made an amazing chicken tortilla soup, and we made a loaded potato soup. Both were delicious and we were glad for the leftovers! Here are a couple pictures of me and Marvin in his bowtie.

Here is a picture in our kitchen from Thanksgiving which we celebrated with my parents. Last year my dad came home from Iraq on Thanksgiving, so we were especially thankful to have him here with us. Chris and I cooked a turkey, apple stuffing, mashed potatoes, and a cherry and pumpkin pie. We also made some crescent rolls and caesar salad. It was all very good! This picture also gives you something to compare our new kitchen renovations to once we post those pictures on here!

I do not have an pictures of this, but I wanted to mention how thankful Chris and I are for all the generous gifts that family and friends have given us for our baby boy. My brother and sister-in-law have given us a lot of baby stuff that have been transported to North Carolina by my parents as well as many items my parents have purchased. We have also gotten a box of clothes from my cousin Megan that were all so adorable! Chris has had several co-workers given us clothes, wipe warmers, and other items that we might not have known to get. Dr. Lauren also sent our baby his first toothbrush and some socks and hats. We are very thankful for everyone's gifts and the advice that I have been given by others as well!

We hope to put some more pictures on here soon. Our next doctor's appointment is on Tuesday, so we will have an update about that as well.

My Wild Weekend

2009-12-15T21:19:00.000-05:00

I knew it had been a long time since we posted anything, but had no idea it had been that long. It seems like so much as happened, but yet not much that was worth writing about. We've both been crazy busy with school stuff: I've had teaching and coaching responsibilities that seems to keep me from ever being home in the daylight, and Annalee's work is never done with meetings and workshops and lesson plans and helping teachers. Add to that Annalee's grad courses, Marvin and his 90 pounds of 2-year-old energy, the "joys" of home ownership, my marathon training, and those pesky eating and sleeping habits that we just can't seem to kick, and there just doesn't seem like there's enough time to post to the blog. Oh, did I mention that we have a baby boy due in just over two months?

On the baby front everything is great. We're going to the doctor every two weeks now, and today was our most recent visit. Everything seems to be as it should. At our last appointment, the doctor strongly recommended that Annalee not travel, so we've decided we will be staying in NC for the holidays. It's disappointing that we won't get to go home to Indiana and see family, but at the same time it does eliminate a lot of the stress and pressure that comes along with such a trip that would only be amplified by the pregnancy.

No name yet. We've test-driven a few different possibilities for about a week at a time, but none seemed like "The One." We'll get it figured out eventually. The baby is moving a lot; he seems to move more when there's music playing or when certain people are talking. Could be coincidence, but we like to think otherwise. The baby's room is coming along. We're still trying to find homes for all the stuff that was in there when it was our office, but we're getting closer. Should make some progress over the break. Little by little we seem to be getting the baby necessities, mostly through hand-me-downs from family, friends and co-workers. How wonderful that has been! I don't know if we can ever fully express our gratitude for everything that has come our way. Thank you so much. I can't think of anything else baby-wise right now. I'm sure there's more, but I'll let Annalee add the rest, since he's living in her belly.

This was supposed to be a huge weekend for me. Here was how it was supposed to play out:

Friday was to be a fairly normal day at school. Exams are this week, so we have been mostly in review mode, so it should have been pretty relaxed for me. We had an away basketball game which wasn't my first choice of how to spend a Friday evening, but still not a big deal. Saturday was the Thunder Road Marathon in Charlotte, which I had been training for since August. A big deal, but something I was ready for and not nervous about. On top of that, awhile back I jumped at the chance to take a trip to Indy to see the Colts and Broncos with some buddies from college. I figured, I don't do enough fun things for myself, so why not get on a plane 6 hours after my first marathon and try to spend 24 hours acting like I'm still in college? I even worked it out so I could see some family, albeit briefly, which was fantastic since it would probably be the only opportunity for a while. I would take Monday off to travel back in time to give my exams, and then be off for Winter Break and two weeks of relaxation.

The plan seemed foolproof. It would be difficult but not impossible. And heck, that's half the fun. Here's what actually happened:

I've been busy. It seemed like the to do list never got any shorter. It seemed as though there was never enough time in the day. Needless to say I've been stressed. It was going to take a lot of hard work to make sure everything was in order before I left, but I was determined to make it happen.

Thursday it looked like everything was going to work out, but I was feeling a little bit off. I just chalked it up to the stress. Woke up Friday morning with a bit of sore throat, still a bit cranky and run down. I tried to convince myself it was no big deal. As the day wore on, I felt worse and worse: I was chilled and the throat got worse. I started feeling achy, moving slower. About lunch time I started to worry. About 1:30 I went to the school nurse to see how worried I should be. She took my temperature: 102.4. I can't remember ever having a temperature that high . She told me I probably had the flu and that I should go home. No basketball game for me, and the rest of my epic weekend was looking seriously in doubt.

Now I wouldn't say that I'm overtly stubborn, but I have my moments. I had looked forward to this weekend for a long time, and I was not going to accept that some little virus was going to derail the entire plan before it got started. I was going to do everything possible to hold it together. I went home, stretched out in the guest bedroom (I figured I should try to isolate myself. Sick, pregnant wife = bad news), took some NyQuil and went to sleep. Later, I got up, walked the dog and ate some dinner. I was feeling a bit better. I decided I would see how I felt in the morning. If I thought I could run, I was going to try.

Saturday morning, I actually felt really well. I decided to run. Now the nurse at school, after she took my temperature and I told her I was supposed to run a marathon, told me explicitly not to run. That morning though, it wasn't going to stop me. So I ran, and it was mostly good. I felt fantastic for the first half or so. The last few miles were a struggle, but I think that's pretty typical in a marathon. My final time was just under 3 hours 30 minutes which was right where I'd hope to be before I had any illness to contend with. Can't be disappointed with that. (I could get into much more detail about my run, but I'll do that in a separate post.)

The run took a lot out of me. I felt better than I might have expected given all the circumstances, but I had been bed-ridden a day earlier and just run a marathon. The next decision was whether or not I wanted to get on a plane in a few hours. The wild card in all this is I had to be productive educator at school this week. After much debate, I decided that the trip was not a good idea. At one point that afternoon I was feeling well enough I almost got on the plane, but I certainly wasn't out of the woods in terms of illness or leg stiffness. Getting in a cramped, flying germ incubator, and potentially infecting friends and family with my sickness just didn't seem prudent.

I've felt pretty crummy since then. A lot of coughing and congestion. I think that verifies that I made the right call. Maybe it validates that I shouldn't have run the marathon. Who knows?

Ramblings of a mad pregnant woman

2009-10-26T21:36:00.003-04:00

It has been way too long since a post has been made on our blog. My belly is expanding, and Chris is running more miles each week. We registered at Babies R Us. Oh my goodness, that was an experience. I highly recommend that if you are wanting to register, go to another store first. We registered for over 200 items and spent over 4 hours. It was quite a bit overwhelming. We haven't been to register anywhere else, because we aren't sure we are ready to devote that kind of time.
Marvin has been kind of clinging lately. He likes to lay his head really close to Chris or my face. He also has been sort of ornery. His favorite thing is to try and eat our socks before we notice. He also likes to tear up the couch. We are dealing with his little tanturms the best we can. If he has a particularly good day, we try to treat him with a trip to the park or another type of special treat.
We were surprised to have a niece born earlier this month. Addison Renee made quite an entrance. Chris and I had a lot of fun shopping for her. I also spent some time shopping for our little guy while we were out. Chris says that all clothes that are small are cute. I disagree. We just happened to find a lot of really handsome outfits! We are starting to make a collection in the range of newborn to 6 months. Don't worry; I am sure our baby will need lots more than what we have so far.
Names have been quite a hot topic with Chris and me. Right now we have a spreadsheet of names that we like that include middle names and different combinations of the names. We cannot decide what we are going with yet. It may become a question on our blog soon.

Well, I am tired, so that is all for now. We will post some more belly pictures soon!

And the Winner Is...

2009-10-03T21:56:00.004-04:00

As you can see at the right, out of 22 votes in our gender prediction poll Girl won a majority of the vote over Boy by a vote of 12 to 9 with one vote for Alien (thanks Thom). So on Thursday we had our doctor's appointment and ultrasound as planned. Most of the visit we watched the ultrasound technician take pictures of the developing bones and organs and explain what we were seeing.

Above is a picture of the face. On the right is the forehead and eyes, in the middle is the nasal cavity and upper lip. At the bottom is a hand that had made it's way into the picture. Below is the baby's profile with the head at the right, torso in the middle and a knee sneaking up on the left side. Notice the hand up by the face still.

Finally, after she had shown us the whole baby from head to toe, and everything looked normal and seemed to be developing how it should she asked if we wanted to know the sex of the baby. We said we did and this is what she showed us:

In a slight upset Boy takes the title. We are so excited, and family and friends seem to be excited too. We would have been excited either way, but it's really cool to know. Now the baby is a "he". Now we can start focusing on names. (My brother Thom who was the one Alien vote says it should be Elliot due to the initals it would create. He's so clever). We went to Babies-R-Us today and started our registry, which was an experience and will have to be a story for another day. It all has reached a new level of realness. The feeling is amazing.

The coolest part of the ultrasound for me was the clarity of the images. The still pictures are detailed, but it doesn't hold a candle to what we saw on the actual screen. I was surprised how often I knew what we were looking at before she told us, which I think was rather amazing considering how fast she talked. But the coolest and most detailed images came when she showed us a 3-D rendering of our baby's face and put it into motion. Below is a still capture:

Notice his right hand and forearm stretched in front of his face. You can also see some of his other hand above his head. We seem to have a shy, wiggly little boy. As I'm sure you've figured out, he kept moving his hands up in front of his face and moving around as though he didn't want his picture taken. All of this also confirmed to Annalee that what she had been feeling was in fact the baby moving. She was pretty sure that's what it was, but to see it happen on the screen confirmed it. Now it seems like he's moving all the time.

The rest of the doctor's visit went great, except for all the time we spent waiting for the docotr. Everything seemed to be in good shape. He is currently 11 ounces which they said was right where he should be. Annalee's gaining weight at a healthy rate, and her blood tests from our last visit were all normal. The ultrasound technician was not able to get a picture of the baby's stomach because it was empty. She said it was nothing to be concerned with, just Annalee has to stop back briefly next week to hopefully get a good picture.

Marvin's Graduation

2009-09-27T19:41:00.004-04:00

Yah for Marvin! Yesterday was his third graduation from Pet Smart's dog classes. He has graduated from puppy school, intermediate school, and now the advanced school. In these classes, he learned how to do things that would help him pass the canine good citizen's test. He can sit for a greeting, stay, and walk. Above is Marvin with his diploma. Below is Marvin with his proud dad and pregnant mom.

Labor Day Weekend

2009-09-12T08:59:00.001-04:00

Annalee is turning into a monster! Okay not really. Actually we (more specifically, I) have been very fortunate that the hormonal moodiness that generally comes with pregnancy (or so I have read/been told) has yet to rear its ugly head. I'm going to count our blessings and knock on the nearest wood or wood-type product. But right now the idea of "Preg-zilla" is fun to joke about, and Annalee is being a good sport about it, laughing right along with me, so we'll go with it for now.
The Preg-zilla name came from one of many conversations this past weekend with Annalee and her parents who were visiting over the weekend. As has been the case as long as I’ve known them, when Annalee is with her family she becomes an easy target for teasing. And I have been known to give a hard time or two, so I am not innocent in all this. It’s all in good fun: Annalee takes it in stride and gives her fair share back. Being with child is still relatively new so it is an obvious source of inspiration for the good-natured ribbing. Almost without exception, the teasing is steeped in hyperbole: if Annalee is the least bit disagreeable or cranky, she must be morphing into a monstrous caricature of her former self and it would behoove everyone to stay out of her way. From my standpoint this couldn’t be further from the truth, but it’s still funny.
We had a lot of fun this weekend. As is usually the case anytime we go somewhere or someone visits us, the weekend centered on food. On Friday evening, we went to the Wild Wing Café in Charlotte which gave us our wing fix for a while. Two mornings we went out for breakfast: Saturday led us to the Parkway House in Concord and Monday morning was at the Harrisburg Family Restaurant. Both were fantastic. Your typical breakfast fare, which on the one hand is hard to screw up, but on the other hand, can you really go wrong with biscuits and gravy, eggs, omelets, hash browns, etc? Both mornings I think any or all of us could have fallen into a food-induced coma directly after. Saturday night we went to P.F. Chang’s, which is always a positive eating experience. Sunday evening we went Bio-M-Bos in Concord for Mexican food which never disappoints. I personally think they have the best salsa of any Mexican restaurant I’ve been to.
The other meal from the weekend worth mentioning was lunch on Sunday during our trip to IKEA. For those who have not had the pleasure of shopping at IKEA, it is an experience unlike any other. Where else can you shop for all your home needs, eat a good meal, laugh at all the Swedish names, and do it all without spending a fortune? Sam and Gaye enjoyed the obligatory Swedish meatballs and mashed potatoes and gravy with ligonberry sauce. Annalee and I did the less interesting Buffalo chicken wrap and the chicken strips with fries. Topped off with apple cake and chocolate-chocolate cake.
Despite what all this eating might imply, “Baby” was the overarching theme of the weekend. Sam and Gaye brought four large boxes of stuff for us to go through. Some of it was Annalee’s from growing up, some of it hand-me-down, inherited baby stuff. It was a lot to go through. A lot of it we won’t keep, a lot of it we will. Some if it will just sit in the attic until we find out the gender of the baby or until the baby is older.
While Marvin and I went to his obedience class on Saturday, mom, Grandma G and Papaw Sam went to a bunch of garage sales. Most of them were a bust, but a few had some good stuff. We ended up with some onesies and the like and a toy. Gaye found a skunk Halloween costume that should be perfect for Audrey.

Aversions and Cravings

2009-08-30T21:31:00.002-04:00

So, we are ending the 15th week of our pregnancy. I need to catch everyone up on what has happened. I have having serious food aversions that include (but aren't limited to): red meat, onions cooking, green peppers, bananas. It does drive Chris a little bit crazy, because it limits our options on dinner choices. I haven't really had any cravings. Although I do enjoy mac and cheese and chicken. I am not hungry most of the time but thirsty all of the time!
In the beginning I was sick a lot. By the way, the person that named it morning sickness was very wrong. Sickness happens all day long. I believe that I am over it, but I do sort of have a gag reflex going on when I brush my teeth and take my prenatal vitamins. In addition to the sickness, I am tired all of the time. It is crazy how much I needed to sleep! I would fall asleep watching T.V. or reading. I am thankful that my husband allows me to take much needed naps. This has helped me to leave school earlier and be more efficient when I am awake. I am still working on this especially at home with cleaning!
Today, Chris and I think that we felt the baby kicking! I had thought I had felt the baby kicking this weekend, but I thought maybe it was just wishful thinking. Tonight, while Chris was making dinner, he thought he felt the baby kicking too! We aren't sure, but it is exciting either way. According to our baby book the baby is only about 4 inches long. The baby will be growing a lot in the next few weeks (or so says the book). I have noticed that my clothes don't fit. They are too small, and I normally end up with buttons undone on my pants. My chest is also much larger. I cannot wear any of my button up work shirts!
Marvin seems to be adjusting to me being tired more often. He likes to sleep with me on the love seat which is hard to do comfortably with a 90 pound dog. Marvin doesn't even look at me anymore when he is ready for his walk. He knows that I am a lost cause. We are taking him to a class, and he has improved his behavior. It is hard for him, because he still is a spoiled puppy.
I am sure we will have more to post soon! My parents are visiting this coming weekend, and it seems it will be filled with exciting activities. Also, Chris and I will post belly pictures as well.

First Post

2009-08-23T23:10:00.000-04:00

So we're having a baby. We are about 14 weeks into this pregnancy thing, and we've talked about making a blog since we found out about our developing offspring. This is the first time we've truly worked toward getting this thing off the ground. We were inspired by friends who had created blogs to keep their family and friends informed of their goings-on: it seemed like the perfect medium to share our lives with those we love and those who love us. Unfortunately the twists and turns that are thrust upon a young couple during the first trimester of pregnancy are not conducive to sitting at a computer and pouring your thoughts onto a screen. We have begun to adapt to many of the realities of pregnancy as other complications sneak into our consciousness: the bottom line is even when it seems like things are getting easier, they are not. Now seems like as good a time as any to get the ball rolling. So here we go...

The main idea of this site is to share our experiences and perspectives as our family grows and develops. Initially it will probably center around dealing with pregnancy and the prospect of adding a small screaming infant to our household. What it will become is hard to say. We no doubt will share every aspects of our life: work, hobbies, goals, travels, mundane daily chores and annoyances. There will certainly be stories and pictures chronicling our adventures. It's fairly likely one or both of us will use this as a forum to vent and rant about who knows what. No matter how this site evolves, we hope it opens a window to our lives for those who read it.