My Blue-Eyed Boy

Connor's 2nd Birthday!

2008-02-05T18:08:00.001-08:00

Although it's been 2 months since his party, I somehow feel compelled to post pics from Connor's 2nd birthday party (I suppose it's because I promised it wouldn't be 8 months before I posted again and darnit, I'm doing good, as it's only been 5 months!). Anyway, for those who couldn't make it . . .

(P.S. Hey Linds (I know it'll be a while before you see this, but), does the picture in the dining room (well, the 1/2 picture on the left side of the 6th pic down) look familiar? I'll have to take a picture of it and send it to you . . . looks beautiful framed!)

Till next time, bye y'all!

It's Been a While!

2007-08-11T10:07:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! I know . . . it's been a while . . . a loooooong while! But, I FINALLY found a few free minutes (hubby and Connor are napping) and thought I'd post a few new pics! Look right for new slideshows too! Nothing new is going on. Jacob and I are both at the same jobs. But . . . in April, Jacob and I made a trip to Atlanta for a friend's wedding (baby-free!) and we had Jacob's 10 year high school reunion a few weeks ago! It was a lot of fun seeing everyone we haven't seen in a while. Thursday was my birthday! 27. I feel old. But, one of my friends left me a voicemail letting me know that "27 is the new 21!" I hope she's right! I guess you can say I "celebrated" by spending 5 (F-I-V-E) hours at the DMV on Wednesday renewing my driver's license. Then, at work on Thursday, we all went out for lunch and they got me the cutest cake (it was white with pink and yellow polka-dots)! Miss you all and love you bunches! I promise it won't be 8 months before I post again!

Photos of us "baby-free" ( I missed him like crazy, though)!

Photos of Connor by Lindsey Gillette Photography . . . taken Spring 2007! (Thanks Linds!)

Connor disappeared at my aunt and uncle's house. THIS is where we found him! My little cousin thought Connor needed to "tee-tee" so he got his old step stool out and lifted the lid.
Connor had other plans for the toilet!

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-24T09:59:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday, Baby!

2006-12-10T17:24:00.000-08:00

Greeting Guests . . .

Connor with our Cousin, Zach

Connor with my Papaw (the one we almost lost before Thanksgiving)Hey Mary Kellan!

I don't think she's interested in boys yet!Havin' Fun . . .

Connor trying to steal his cousin, Brooke Emerson's, pacifier

Kate, Bren & Mary Kellan
Connor and his cousin, Benton, playing with balloons
Opening Gifts . . .

Getting a little help from his cousins, Chelsea & Whitney
Cake, Cake & More Cake . . .

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you . . .
Blowing out his candle
"I'm one!"
"Want some? I'll share!"Our Birthday Boy . . .

G-Daddy and Papaw hard at work

Where did that ball go?
It's My Party And I'll Cry If I Want To . . .

Santa Baby

2006-12-05T22:33:00.000-08:00

The past couple of months have been an absolute whirlwind! I can already tell my baby won't be my baby for much longer. So many things have happened, I don't know where to start. I suppose I'll start with Connor's favorite subject . . . food! We found out a couple of weeks ago (November 16th) that Connor is moving up to the toddler class at daycare next Monday. We also found out that he must be on solid food by then. Connor had his first "real meal" of a BBQ sandwich, french fries, a pear and a chocolate cream cake the very next day! Since then, he has been chowing down on chicken nuggets, pizza, fish, mac & cheese, peas, carrots and (on his first Thanksgiving) turkey & dressing! The child LOVES to eat and will eat pretty much anything we put in his mouth (he must take after his daddy). The only thing he wouldn't eat . . . the chicken I baked a couple of nights ago. I thought I was being the best wife & mother - finally cooking my family a healthy meal after 11 1/2 months of abstinence from cooking. What did my little man do? He spit it out! I'm going to say it was a little too spicy for his taste. Babies don't like spicy . . . right? Of course, Jacob thought it was hilarious. He sympathized with Connor by saying, "I know, she's making me eat it too."
What is my one-toothed child eating with, you ask . . . the two teeth that have come in since my last post! Connor's first tooth came in on September 17th (bottom right). His second came in on October 16th (bottom left). Finally, tonight the third is peeking through (top right) . . . just in time to dig into his birthday cake this Saturday!
November 5th . . . this date will stand out in my mind forever! Jacob and I were sitting in the living room watching Connor play when he stood up and took his first steps on his own (three to be exact)! It was unbelievable! We just stared at our beautiful creation. Then we stared at each other, smiling. The next night he was taking 7 to 8 steps on his own. Now, he's so fast we can barely keep up with him! He's so funny when he thinks we are coming towards him. He will start walking so fast his little legs can't keep up. Then he drops to his knees and starts crawling at lightning speed, never looking back!
Connor has become the most loving baby. He loves to give kisses and freely hands them out! He gives us kisses, the dogs kisses, his toys kisses. He even blows kisses. His kisses are unique! They are the biggest, wettest, open-mouth kisses you ever saw! It's so cute! I told him he HAS to learn how to give closed-mouth kisses soon because he is not allowed to be french kissing at two! He also has his own little unique way of blowing kisses. He makes a fist and puts the back of his hand to his mouth!
What else can he do . . . he can clap & wink (both eyes at once)! He can also call a deer! My dad bought a new deer call and got it out tonight while we were visiting. Connor was mesmerized! Then he took it from my dad and started blowing on it! When we would ooo and ahh over him making a noise, he would smile really big and start clapping. He was so proud of himself!
I will leave you with a few Christmas pictures of my little man . . . goodnight!

Thanks for the Prayers!

2006-12-05T21:28:00.000-08:00

I just want to thank you all for the prayers and give you a long overdue update on my grandfather. He was in the hospital for several days and finally got to go home the day after Thanksgiving. It turns out he didn't have a stroke. He had a problem with his kidneys which gave him many stroke-like symptoms. After several days of antibiotics, he was discharged. He is doing good now. He is still very weak and can't get around too well, but the doctor says it may take him a while to recover. We are truly blessed and this holiday season with our families will definitely not be taken for granted.

Prayer Request

2006-11-19T15:08:00.000-08:00

Please pray for my grandfather! He had a stroke yesterday and isn't doing well. He is very disoriented and not moving alot. He knows who we are (praise the Lord)! When I went in to see him, he said, "hey babe," which is what he calls me! When I took Connor, he said, "hey man!" If we ask simple yes or no questions, he can usually answer, but if we ask more complex questions, he gets confused. He can't tell us his name, the month or where he is. He seems to be hurting, but when we ask, he says no. When we ask where he's hurting, he can't answer. His vocabulary at this point pretty much consists only of "yes, no and okay." He has also been unable to eat or drink anything for over 24 hours. We've been told it takes several days to really begin recovering from a stroke. The staff at the hospital were stunned to know that he went from being very active to very frail in a matter of minutes. Right now they are saying he may recover and may not. We are praying for the best and ask each of you to say a special prayer for us!

Warm & Cozy

2006-11-12T10:23:00.000-08:00

Lions & Tigers & Bears . . . Oh, My!

2006-11-02T20:05:00.000-08:00

"The Fair"

2006-10-06T20:10:00.000-07:00

These are pictures from Connor's first trip to "The Fair" - the Mississippi State Fair. He loved it! He was absolutely amazed at all the lights and funny-voiced fair people. His favorite part was the Kid's Animal Exhibit. It is run by surrounding area high school students. One of the guys took us through the exhibit and we got to pet the sheep and goats. Then, a couple of the girls got a baby chick and duck for Connor to pet. He had so much fun!

Showin' Off His Pearly White!

2006-09-22T18:56:00.000-07:00

Big News!

2006-09-17T15:11:00.000-07:00

As in the House of G . . . the first tooth has also come through in the House of M!

CLICK HERE

2006-09-10T19:41:00.000-07:00

Click here to go to my new (hopefully temporary) blog!

Dumping Ground

2006-09-08T22:42:00.000-07:00

I don't post much about work on here, as my job requires me to meet extremely high standards of confidentiality. You typically wouldn't think of an attorney's job as being "entertaining," but mine is. For instance, we have a trial coming up. This afternoon, we called to speak with one of the witnesses. My boss gave the job of getting the witness on the phone to one of our paralegals. Well, she called, and this is how the conversation went:

(Ring . . . Ring . . . Ring)
Male answers the phone: "Hello"
Paralegal: "May I speak with ___?"
Male: "She's taking a dump right now."
Paralegal: "May I hold for her?"
Male: "Sure."
(Put on hold.)
Woman/Witness: "Hey (name similar to that of our paralegal)!"
Paralegal: "No, this is (actual name), not (similar name). I'm with attorney ___'s office."
Woman/Witness: "Oh, I'm sorry! I'm drunk! We're driving home from (city 2 1/2 hours away)!"

Setting aside the (highly inappropriate) drunk driving portion of the conversation, is it now socially acceptable to inform a caller that the person they are calling for is "taking a dump"?

Home Sweet Home in Oxford

2006-09-05T18:34:00.004-07:00

Connor made his first road trip this weekend - his first trip to Oxford! It was our first trip back since moving last May. Unfortunately, Connor got sick and fussed the entire time we were there, but he did get the chance to meet some of our friends living in the area. I assured him that in 18 years, he definitely won't be crying at the sight of O-town . . . I'll be the one crying when we move him into the dorm. Above: K, MK, Connor & me. Note: This pic was taken after K & I came to the harsh realization that we are now married with children, said to h*ll with looking cute and traded in our heels for t-shirts and flip flops. We decided not to attend the game, as we didn't think Connor's attention span could handle it, so we just walked around the Grove mingling with a few old friends. After the game (Ole Miss 28-Memphis 25), we went to visit a couple of other friends around town and then headed back home.
We later found out that the fussiness was for good reason. Connor woke up this morning with 103.2 fever. Jacob took him to the doctor and he has a sinus infection. This, coupled with the stomach virus the three of us had last week, well . . . you do the math. Hopefully our little family is on the road to recovery.
Yesterday we went to Lowes. We finally got sand for Connor's sandbox! He was so cute playing in it. He was really confused. He kept picking it up with one hand and trying to catch it with the other hand, but kept missing. He also tried eating it a time or two.
We also bought the rest of the light fixtures for the house. Once I sweet talk my uncle into installing them, I'll post some before and after pics.
Until tomorrow . . .

Connor at 8 1/2 months

2006-08-30T18:29:00.000-07:00

I'm Back!

2006-08-19T19:25:00.000-07:00

I'M BACK! To tell you the truth, I didn't go anywhere, I just haven't had the time to sit and type. First of all, I would like to say Happy Birthday to Katie and Allison! Next, I would like to thank you all for the birthday wishes! I kinda had a hard time with this one. I'm not sure why, but I keep dwelling on turning 30 in a few years. I view turning 26 as being on the downhill slide to 30. I know 30 is not old, but I remember when my mom turned 30. I was 4, and I remember thinking she was old as dirt. I wonder if Connor will think that about me in 4 years. Despite all that, I did have a great birthday. I got light fixtures - lights/fans for our 3 bedrooms and a light for our guest bath. Probably doesn't sound all that exciting to you all, but to me it means I'm almost finished replacing all the light fixtures in my house, which is step one in our "remodel."

As for Connor . . . his new favorite place to (try to) play is the dog bowl. When he thinks we aren't looking, he races to the laundry room and starts splashing in the water. He also loves to play with Tatum now. He tries to "give" her everything - his ball, teething rings, burp cloths, everything! And he laughs hysterically while doing it!

Last week, he had his first cookie, mashed potatoes and mac & cheese, which he loved!

The other day I went to pick him up after work. My mom said he had been crying all day, which didn't cease when I walked through the door. He also kept tugging on his left ear. I called to make him an after-hours appointment with his doctor. An hour and a half of crying later, she found no sign of an ear infection. What she did find was 4 (F-O-U-R) teeth trying to come in! None have actually come in yet, but we're expecting it any day! I have also been working on Connor's room. I suppose you can say it's been a work in progress since I was 6 months pregnant. We ordered the hutch to go over his changing table, which came in a couple of weeks ago. Then we re-arranged his furniture. Now, I just need to get his new light fixture and crown moulding up and he'll be set! I'll have to post pictures when it's finished.

Until next time . . .

How Does My Page Look?

2006-08-08T10:59:00.000-07:00

At home, my entries are on the left side with pictures, links, etc. on the right. At work, my entries are at the top and everything else shows up at the very bottom of the page. How does my page look on your computer(s)?

July 2006

2006-08-01T19:00:00.000-07:00

My Little Monkey

Connor's First Time Swimming - July 30, 2006

Daddy's Little Helper

Connor Riding in his Burley Bee

Heaven on Earth

2006-07-24T19:26:00.000-07:00

Our old printer pooped out on us, so we had to get a new one this weekend. I've just been playing around with it, trying to figure out how to use it. We did have a plain printer - now we have a printer/scanner/copier. If you know me, you know I'm extremely gadget-ignorant! Looking for a pic to scan, I came across this one. It's from our honeymoon 4 years ago! This pic was taken at Duffy's Love Shack in St. John, USVI. Our week and a half there was about as close to "heaven on earth" as you can get! I can't wait to go back! Anyway, just thought I'd share (and test out the new scanner).

P.S. - Connor loves the new printer . . . box!

July 22, 2006

2006-07-22T18:01:00.000-07:00

Jacob's brother got married today . . . the wedding was beautiful! I was so excited about getting some good family pics, as I knew we would be all dressed up. However, this is the only picture taken with our camera that turned out halfway decent. All the rest are really fuzzy (user error). The photographer took some of us, but it will be a while before we can get those. Disappointing.
To update you a little, Connor is (1) Crawling like crazy! No more "army man" crawling - this is the real deal! He is all over the house! (2) Pulling/Standing up on everything - the fireplace, the coffee table, the couch, up my legs, etc. The other I was cleaning the kitchen. After hovering over the sink, rinsing a plate before putting it into the dishwasher, I looked down to find that Connor had decided to load himself into the dishwasher - only a couple of inches of leg hanging off the side! He's a sneaky little thing! (3) Drinking from a sippy cup! (4) Playing the "coughing game." He will do a fake cough, we do it back, then he does it back, so forth and so on. He finds it quite entertaining! That's all I can think of right now! I think I'm gonna go join Connor for nap time!

"You will make many changes before settling down happily."

2006-07-17T18:39:00.000-07:00

I had Chinese food for lunch . . . this was my fortune. Fitting for my life right now. I'm having a bit of a hard time adjusting to the working mom routine. I thought leaving Connor would eventually get easier, but it's not. It gets harder each day. To make matters worse, Jacob has been working all the time. Between all the working and our "social calendars," we don't see each other much. I feel like I go to work, come home, be a single mom until Connor goes to sleep, set my alarm, crawl into bed, and do it all over again the next day. Then on the weekends, we have this shower, that wedding, this party . . . it's exhausting! It's starting to drain me both physically and emotionally. I know we need to make some changes. Just what changes and how many . . . I don't know.

Two that I have been pondering lately:

Jacob has always talked about going to nurse anesthetist school. There's not one in Mississippi, which means he would have a (long) weekly or bi-weekly commute OR we would have to move to Memphis or Birmingham (if he were to get accepted to one of those schools). I was totally against the idea of moving, but over the past couple of weeks, I have really been trying to open my mind to the possibility.

I'm tired of working (yes . . . already). All I have ever wanted was to stay home with my babies. When I imagined myself working, it was in my own little boutique somewhere. Hmmm . . . .

Jacob's brother is getting married this weekend! Which means (1) he is in love and (2) there will be lots of pictures to share! Here's one to hold you over (yes, I realize my baby is always naked - it's just easier than changing his spitup-covered clothes 25 times a day):

We Had To Lower the Matress!!!

2006-07-11T17:21:00.000-07:00

My Stressful Stress Reliever

2006-06-30T17:56:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was our 4 year anniversary! It's unbelievable how much our lives have changed since our wedding day! After work, we had a nice dinner out - a dinner with no crying, whining or spitting up! My mom offered to keep Connor so we could go out. In the past, we have made our anniversaries a weekend affair - we would find some little place where we could just get away. Now I wonder what we were "getting away" from. These days, just having a date night is like going on a vacation! Although we had fun, I was kinda glad to see my little stressful stress reliever at the end of the night. Even though being a mommy can be stressful, it's stress relieving to come home and see that cute little face smiling back at me! Here are some pics we took this afternoon. I may be biased, but I do believe he is the cutest thing I've ever seen!

We're Still Here

2006-06-26T18:37:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not . . . we're still here! Here's a quick rundown:
-We had to pull Connor out of daycare because he had a diaper rash so bad it was bleeding.
-My mom has graciously offered to keep him until September when there will definitely be an opening in one of the two daycares that we find acceptable.
-Work is going good - just hectic with all the deadlines coming up.
-I have a friend wanting to sell her (basically) brand new 2006 4Runner (she really wants to buy a house instead). I want to buy it, but I can't decide if I would rather have that or redo my floors & light fixtures before committing to a monthly car payment.
-I FINALLY got to see Carsen, Camden & Mary Kellan this weekend! They are all beautiful!
-I am about to download Quicken and finally get our finances in order!
That's about it! I'll try to post some pics this weekend!

Movin' & Shakin'

2006-06-18T19:51:00.000-07:00

I have a big announcement! But first, I would like to wish all the Daddys out there a Happy Father's Day . . . especially my Daddy and my husband on his first Father's Day!

Are you ready for the big announcement? Okay now, pay attention . . . Connor is crawling! I know it sounds crazy, but he is! He started doing it yesterday and we have him on video. (If I was technology savvy, I would post it for you all to see, but I'm not!) I guess you could say he's more scooting than crawling, since he hasn't quite perfected the crawling motions. But, he can get to pretty much anything he wants within several feet. He even has carpet burn on his little knees! It's so cute! He'll get in a couple of big scoots and grunt. Then a couple more and another grunt. Sometimes he gets to going too fast and "trips" over his arms because he can't get them out of the way fast enough! His favorite thing to go after is G-Daddy's (my daddy's) watch - he likes all things shiny that can be easily put into the mouth. I am in shock! I really wasn't expecting this whole crawling thing for another month or two. We haven't even finished baby-proofing the house! Luckily he's in the beginning stages, but I think in about another week to week and a half, he'll be everywhere!

Connor had his 6 month checkup last Wednesday and all is well! He had to get two more shots, which I was really concerned about since with his last shots he had a fever of over 103 degrees. These went really well though. He never ran fever and just acted as if nothing had happened. He is a whopping 15 and a half pounds! Sounds big to me, but he's actually a little underweight. He's eating . . . boy is he eating! But I suppose all the spitting up associated with his reflux is keeping his weight on the low side. Hopefully all this reflux stuff will be gone soon!

Well, that's all I have for now! It's bed time! Hope all is well!

IT'S A GIRL!!!

2006-06-13T20:12:00.000-07:00

Mary Kellan made her arrival at 10:19 this morning! She was 6 pounds, 12 ounces and 20 inches long! Mom and baby are doing great! You can tell Mary Kellan is going to be a daddy's girl . . . she is absolutely gorgeous and looks just like her daddy! Congrats Kate & Bren!

I Love Mommy & Mommy Loves Me

2006-06-11T12:07:00.000-07:00

Lazy Summer Day

2006-06-11T11:59:00.000-07:00

Bad, Bad Mommy

2006-06-09T20:48:00.000-07:00

This is what Connor is doing right now . . .

This is what I wish Connor was doing right now . . .

I hate that my baby has to go to bed so early! I feel like I just never get enough time with him!

I've been a bad, bad mommy lately! I have taken very few pictures since I started working and I am extrememly disappointed in myself because of it. No need to fret . . . I've decided that tomorrow will be picture day! AND I have found a great photographer to take pics of us next weekend - family pics and individuals of Connor! I just need to call & make the appointment. I really want a huge picture of Connor to go over my mantel. A friend of mine had one of her baby above her mantel and it was beautiful! So . . . that may just be my next purchase!

Connor is doing good . . . as adorable as ever! He is so sweet! I could just hold him and stare at that sweet little face and those chubby baby thighs 24/7! Oh, how I wish I could! He is eating all kinds of baby food now. Mostly just fruits, but we are about to start him on veggies too! He thinks he is SO big - he can hold his bottle (his "ba-ba") all by himself now, and does most of the time! He is sleeping through the night now and in his own bed! Not his big boy bed, his pack 'n play bed in our room, but he's in his own bed nonetheless! He can sit up all by himself for a few seconds, but then he just falls over onto his tummy and tries to crawl. He doesn't care so much for the sitting, he'd rather be moving!

Setting aside the fact that I must now leave my baby each day, I am really enjoying work.

Well, it's 11:25 and way past my bed time! I'll post some new pics soon! Nighty-night!

"Chunky Monkey"

2006-05-31T19:33:00.000-07:00

Chunky Monkey . . . that's our new nickname for Connor. It is unbelievable how fast he's growing! The past couple of weeks have been so hectic. I'm still not adjusted to this whole working mom thing. Tomorrow is pay day, but all I can think about is how badly I want to stay home with my baby. The irrational Amanda says, "downsize . . . just sell the house and stay home!" The rational Amanda knows that's not an option.

It's especially hard right now because Connor is sick. We got a call yesterday to come pick him up from daycare - he had over 101* temperature. Jacob picked him up and took him to the doctor. He has a cold and an ear infection. Luckily we caught both before they progressed very far, but he is fussy nonetheless. That was his first doctor's visit that I wasn't able to go to. I don't know what it is, but when I was sick, I always wanted my mommy. I want Connor to want his mommy. I feel so incredibly guilty for not being there for him!

Part of the guilt probably comes from the fact that I am utterly exhausted . . . still trying to get adjusted to my new life. I literally have a 24 hour job - working during the day and taking sole care of Connor at night (most nights anyway). Additionally, we have spent very little time at home over the past three weeks. We've been running to this graduation and that family reunion. May sound selfish, but I need some "me" time & we need some "Jacob-Amanda-Connor" time! This weekend is ours! All other requests for our time are hereby denied!

I feel like I'm being so negative. I'm not purposefully being negative - I think I'm just tired. To perk it up a bit, here's a picture of my Mother's Day gift from my little man! He and his daddy spent so much time working on it and I absolutely love it!

Hotty Toddy!

2006-05-28T20:08:00.000-07:00

I love my Ole Miss Rebels, or should I say the new SEC Baseball Tournament Champs?!! Hotty Toddy!

WELCOME TO THE WORLD BABY GIRLS!

2006-05-28T19:35:00.000-07:00

May 28, 2006:
*Update* Jacob, Connor & I got to see the twins tonight! They are so adorable! I noticed Mandye posted some pics to their site, but I thought some of you may not have seen them yet, so . . .

Daddy & Baby Girls

Camden - 5 pounds, 11 ounces

Carsen - 5 pounds, 1 ounce

(I think I got it right. If not, Mandye can correct me!)

May 26, 2006:
A great big welcome to Carsen & Camden! The twins were born this afternoon! Mom & babies are doing great! They were about a month early, but they each weighed in at over 5 pounds and they are in the regular nursery! I didn't get any pics because they were in the back of the nursery, but I did get to visit with Mandye & family! I hear they are gorgeous & I can't wait to see them! I'll post pics as soon as I can! Congrats Mandye, Anthony & Aiden!

Still here!

2006-05-25T18:47:00.000-07:00

We're still here! I check on all of you daily! I promise to write more & post pics this weekend . . . it's been a really long two weeks!

Spare time? What's that?

2006-05-17T19:25:00.000-07:00

Oh . . . how life is a changin'! I haven't had much time for blogging lately. New job is keeping me very, very busy! After all my worrying about how he would adjust, Connor just loves his daycare. This morning, he never even looked at me when I went to tell & kiss him goodbye. He is infatuated with the other babies and it really is sweet to see him interact with them!

The job is going good. I have so much to learn. In school, we learned about the law (origin, background, theories, etc.). We didn't learn how to actually practice law. Even when I finish preparing a document, I don't know what to do with it - I have to ask the paralegals. But, I'm sure it will come with time. The commute is terrible! Mornings aren't bad - I guess no one is in a hurry to get to work. Afternoons are a nightmare! It's chaos - bumper to bumper stop-and-go traffic! It takes me over an hour to get to the daycare, pick Connor up & get home, and it's only about 15 miles! The trip to the daycare seems like it takes an eternity, I suppose because I am so anxious to see him. I have decided that I was born to be a stay-at-home mom. I am *planning* to work just long enough to pay my student loan back & put Jacob through 2 years of Nurse Anaethesist school. Hopefully that won't take too long. Then, after my babies are a little older, I'll go back to work (hopefully only part time though). It's depressing knowing someone else gets to love on your baby all day & you only get 2 hours before he hits the sack for the night. Then I get his bag ready for the next day & it's time for me to go to bed. My spare time has suddenly just vanished!
On a happier note, look at my sweet baby! The top pic was on laundry day! The bottom two are when he was watching "Baby Mozart." On the video, there is this green lizard puppet that makes noises & sticks his tongue out making a "BLAHHHH" noise. The first time I watched the video, I detested that little puppet. Go figure that's Connor's favorite part! Yep, he's a boy alright! But he's MY boy & I love it!
Speaking of boys, two girls at work are pregnant. They are both finding out what they are having within the next week. Neither one of them wants a boy - they insist they want & are having girls. In the beginning, I guessed I was having a girl (obviously, I was wrong), but not necessarily because I *wanted* a girl. I just never could picture myself with a boy (those of you who know me know that I am a girly-girl). But, now that I have a boy, I can't imagine my life being any different. The way they talk, it's like they truly, honestly don't want a boy. One even said if she finds out she's having a boy, she is sending him to live with someone else (she's joking, of course). But it kinda hurts my feelings in a wierd way. What's wrong with boys? Oh well, they just don't know what they'd be missing!

Dear Connor,

2006-05-14T19:05:00.000-07:00

It is still hard for me to believe that you're really here. Not only here, but 5 months old! You have brought so much love into my life & into my heart. It is amazing how instantaneously I fell in love with you on that cold December night. I remember the first time I heard you cry - the doctor peered over at me & said, "Mom, isn't that the most wonderful sound in the world?!" It truly was. A few seconds later, Daddy walked over to me, his face beaming, with you all snuggled in his arms.

So much has happened since then. It is astounding how my love for you multiplies each & every day. The past 5 months at home with you have been the best of my life. You have taught me that being a mommy is a 24 hour a day job - it is utterly exhausting. However, you have also taught me that it's the best job in the world. You are truly a gift from God and I want you to know that I will always love you! Our first Mother's Day together has been wonderful! You & Daddy brought me flowers & a poster decorated with your tiny footprints. But you, my baby, are the best gift I could have asked for. I look forward to us sharing a hundred more days like today! Thank you so much for making me a Mommy!

All my love,
Your Mommy

Officially Employed!

2006-05-10T21:04:00.000-07:00

As of today, I am officially employed! I will be working for Jacob's uncle - a pretty big plaintiff's attorney here. I am not one to ask family for favors, so I have spent the past two to three months trying to do this job hunt on my own. I got a call last week informing me that he was looking to hire a paralegal and that he wanted me to get in touch with him if I was interested. Not being sure I wanted to take a paralegal position (less $), I put it off for a few days. Well, I was talking to Jacob's cousin yesterday (she is also an attorney - her dad owns the law firm) and I asked her if her dad was still looking to hire someone. She called me back a few minutes later & asked if I could be at their office at 1:30 today to talk to him. She also said that he was looking for an attorney, just one who didn't mind doing a little bit of paralegal stuff too. So, I went to talk to him today and I start Monday!

Even better, Jacob's mom called me this afternoon and said that Jacob's uncle is so excited. Jacob's aunt told her that "he is beside himself" that I am coming to work for him. That makes me feel so much better because I didn't want him to hire me out of pity (although my situation until today has been pretty grim). You really don't anticipate not being able to find a job (not a good job - a job) after dedicating 7 years of your life to school. Right now, I am in somewhat of a euphoric state - a huge burden has been lifted. My $35,000 student load debt isn't as intimidating as it was yesterday.

The bad thing is that anxiety has already set in. I guess you could say my anxiety is twofold. I have a little anxiety about actually signing my name to documents. I have worked so hard to get where I am, and one mistake could mean the revocation of my license. That is truly terrifying.

The majority of my anxiety, though, is coming from the realization that I will no longer be home with my baby. I am basically leaving him in the hands of a stranger 3 days a week. The lady keeping him is supposed to be excellent. She comes "highly recommended" and seems really sweet. Most of the children she keeps are 3 to 4 years old and have been with her since they were 6 weeks old. Nevertheless, she is a stranger to me. Although I have been preparing myself for this since before Connor was born, I anticipate tears streaming from my face when I walk away from him Monday morning. I am crying right now just thinking about it (for the fourth time today). I know that with the bad, good will also come. Rather than spending my time with Connor stressed out about not being able to find a job and trying to juggle our bills, I will be able to really enjoy the time I have with him. Sometimes I think it would have been easier had I not chosen to stay home with him for so long - I feel like it will be a hundred times harder to leave him now. But in my heart, I know I made the right decision. I wouldn't trade the 5 months I have spent at home with him for anything!

Well, now that I have successfully shifted myself from a state of euphoria to a state of sadness, I will go get my baby, turn down the covers and let the snuggling begin. I really want to cherish every moment I have with him now. If that means he's in our bed until he's 10, so be it!

Too Girly?

2006-05-05T10:44:00.000-07:00

I desperately need opinions here! My grandmother gave us this outfit to bring Connor home from the hospital in. It is size 3 months & runs big, so it didn't fit at all when he was born. We have decided to dedicate Connor next Sunday and I ran across this outfit in his closet. Surprisingly, it fits. Now, my question is: Is it too girly for his dedication? Or, is it appropriate since it's "babyish?" Opinions?
(I am not "attached" to this outfit, so no need to spare feelings.)

Mmm . . . mmm . . . good!

2006-05-03T20:36:00.000-07:00

Connor got his first taste of "real food" tonight. It was applesauce baby food. At first, he made a terrible face (the one he makes when he has to take medicine) and started spitting it back out. After a few bites, he got the hang of it. One time he reached out, grabbed the spoon & stuck it in his mouth! It was cute. It was also messy - it made me realize how OCD I am. I guess you learn to get over it!

Oh, please!

2006-05-03T11:27:00.000-07:00

Baby Einstein Video Teaches Children to Sing the Alphabet With Two "S's"

This goes along with Lindsey's post. It is absolutely hysterical! This man wants "compensation for [his] time spent on the phone" with the Baby Einstein company. If he came to me for legal advice, this is the advice he would get: "Why are you depending on a video to teach your child? Get off your lazy rear end & teach your child the freakin' alphabet YOURSELF!"

Now we're talking!

2006-05-03T11:22:00.000-07:00

Study: US mothers deserve $134,121 in salary.

Is it really safe?

2006-05-02T11:22:00.000-07:00

Those of you who (like me) read blogs religiously have probably noticed that Ultrabright made an announcment today that she has a stalker (something along the lines of someone wanting to kidnap her baby). She didn't give full details, which is probably best, since she is planning to file a police report. She also noted that she may be shutting down her blog. This has led me to sit down and really think about how safe it is to continue blogging/myspace. How safe is it? Do we really know who all is reading our site? Do we give away too much information? Any thoughts?

Does Anyone Really Understand . . .

2006-05-01T10:50:00.000-07:00

HEALTH INSURANCE? I really think this whole health insurance thing is one big scheme created by the devil to throw us into fits of rage & confusion! That, or the Lord created it simply for entertainment purposes.

Just a little update.

2006-04-29T17:14:00.000-07:00

To the left, Connor excited about his new choo-choo train hat (his Nonnie works for the railroad & found him this little hat - it's really cute, but you can't tell much from the picture)!

Just a little update on my job interview: It went surprisingly well! Please keep sending the prayers up for me!

Snotty Nose

2006-04-26T19:16:00.000-07:00

Well, I did have fun plans for today. Connor & I were going to visit my friend Katie. That is until he woke up with a cold. He was coughing, sneezing, snotty, fussy & had a 101.5 fever. I thought he just had a cold, but the fever thing bothered me, so I called to make him an appointment with his doctor. They were booked up for the day (I guess all this crazy weather is making everyone sick), so I had to wait until the clinic closed and then call back to make an after-hours appointment. It ended up being pretty nice though. We only had to wait like 5 minutes - great with a fussy baby in tow! Just as I suspected, he has a cold. The doctor gave us some Robitussin & sent us on our way. He said he would be sick for about a week and a half. (Side note - he was 14.5 pounds . . . crazy, huh?) Sometimes I feel like a hypochondriac, but I guess I'm just protective. Anyway, it has not been fun around our house today, and I suspect it'll be that way for several more. Wish me luck!

Speaking of luck . . . I have another job interview on Friday. It's not an attorney's position. It's to be a financial advisor with a pretty large financial group. Sounds pretty cool. I have talked with a couple of people who are/used to be financial advisors and they seem to only have good things to say about it. I'm not gonna hold my breath though, as my last 2 interviews were complete flops! I guess we'll just see how this one goes.

A Man & His Recliner

2006-04-24T15:55:00.000-07:00

Not much time for blogging lately. I have been extremely busy trying to find a job. It's a full-time job just trying to find a job. Ridiculous. Anyway, I just thought these pics of Connor were cute & worth sharing. I titled them "A Man & His Recliner." Typical!

Easter Bunny Loot

2006-04-16T15:58:00.000-07:00

Well . . . my baby's first Easter has come and (is almost) gone. We started out the day planning on going to church. Unfortunately, we didn't make it. Connor had a bad night last night (he was tired & whiny from refusing to take a nap yesterday) and we were just too exhausted to make it to early service. We couldn't go to late service because we were to be at my grandparents' house for lunch around noon. Nevertheless, we had a good Easter. The Easter Bunny came to visit Connor and brought him a Jump & Go & basket filled with eggs, bottles, a blue elephant & sun-hat (I guess the Easter Bunny knows about the trip to Destin we have planned for May). He was so cute when we showed it to him! He LOVES his Jump & Go! After we got dressed & Connor saw his Easter basket, we went to my grandparents' house. After lunch, my cousin Zach wanted me to hide Easter eggs for him. Connor with Zach (above)
Connor with his ducky from Uncle Mike, Aunt Danette & Zach (below)I grabbed his basket of eggs & off I went. I hid the first 3 successfully. Number 4 was a different story. I tried to put it on the ledge of a bird house. Well, the ledge was slanted & it wouldn't stay. When I moved my hand out of the way, I realized that I wasn't alone. This . . .was in the birdhouse! I seriously almost wet my pants! At first, it poked it's little head & claws out of the hole. I thought it was a mouse & freaked out hoping I could get out of the way before it scurried out at me. I went inside & told Zach I was finished hiding eggs for the day. My grandparents started laughing & my grandpa said, "Oh, that's just a flying squirrel. I thought he was gone." Apparently the birdhouse has been home to this "flying squirrel" for a while now and I never knew it. When you tap on the house, it comes out and sticks itself to the side of the tree. It's the craziest (& creepiest) little creature!

Yesterday, my mom and Jacob's mom both came to visit with Easter baskets in tow for Connor. This is the one from She-She (my mom):This is the one from Nonnie (Jacob's mom):
They are both so cute! Both She-She & Nonnie had picked out a Baby Einstein DVD (different ones) and Connor has been watching them this afternoon. I don't know what it is, but he is infatuated with those things!
Well, my baby is now screaming for my attention so as not to have to go to sleep. I leave you with a picture of his latest milestone. This morning, he held his bottle on his own for the first time! Not completely on his own, but he would hold it for about a minute or two by himself. He would take it out of his mouth & guide it back in. It was so sweet! I can't believe how fast my little man is growing!

A New Ride

2006-04-10T18:06:00.000-07:00

We had yet another eventful weekend. My cousin, Heather, got married on Saturday. The wedding was outside on the lawn of her parents' house. It was so beautiful! My uncle has a green thumb and their lawn is always immaculately manicured. The weather was gorgeous . . . in the upper 70's & sunny! Since our whole family was dressed up, we took some new pictures (I don't know how my dad missed skipped out on picture time, but somehow he did).
Today was another beautiful day (sunny with a high of 80 degrees). So, we went to the park to play disc golf with some friends. They played while I pushed Connor around in his stroller. Connor will soon be getting a new ride! I have decided to get him a Jeep Jogging Stroller. It is really cool! It has a place where you can plug your MP3 player into it and the songs play over speakers in the stroller. Unnecessary, I know (and it'll probably just be one more thing to break). But, I was going to buy a jogging stroller anyway and it's about the same price as others, so what the heck? Hopefully I will get it tonight or tomorrow. I hesitated to buy one at first because I didn't know if we would actually use it, but we have been outside alot since the weather has been pretty. I hate to ruin his good stroller by taking it outside all the time, especially since we're planning to use it with the next baby also.
Anyway, I just thought I'd share some new pictures with you. My favorite is the one with Connor and his daddy - just look at that smile!

Connor & Daddy
Connor with Aunt Tracey & She-She
Everybody says Connor looks more like his Aunt Tracey than me.

My Little Thumbsucker

2006-04-06T09:43:00.000-07:00

It has been quite a 2 days dealing with this round of shots. Connor has been feeling terrible. His fever shot up to almost 103 degrees Tuesday night, he has been crying inconsolably and sleeping alot. It's like all his energy was drained. He slept in his bed last night for 5 hours, which is totally out of character for him! When he was awake, he would be fine for a few minutes and then all of a sudden start pouting. He seems to be much better today. His fever finally went completely down last night and I have my happy boy back! Right now, he is in his swing watching Baby Motzart and playing with Mr. Giraffe. I can hear him talking to Baby Mozart, so he must be entertained!

Over the past week, my "pouty boy" has also become my little thumbsucker! Yep . . . I said thumbsucker! He has refused to take a pacifier since day one, but everything else goes into his mouth. This now includes his thumb! I am not too thrilled with this since it can cause dental problems. I guess we'll have a heck of an orthodontist bill in a few years! At least there's a bright side. His pediatrician says the good thing about the thumb vs. pacifier is that when the thumb falls out of his mouth at 2 a.m., he can put it back in himself!

Since I'm always hearing about all this HNT stuff and it's highly unlikely you'll be seeing me HN anytime soon, I thought I'd give you the next cutest HN person (okay . . . we all know he's the cutest and you'd much rather see him HN over me anyday)!

Hippity, Hoppity, Easter's On It's Way!

2006-04-04T19:50:00.000-07:00

This is Connor's first time to see the Easter Bunny! He really wasn't amused at all. He had just taken a nap and was still groggy. I made a fool out of myself trying to get him to smile, but he wouldn't budge. We have decided that Easter Sunday will be the first time we take Connor to church. He has the cutest Easter outfit with bunnies on it (thank you Mandye, Anthony, Aiden & Neener)! We have also decided that he will be dedicated on May 14th, Mother's Day! If anyone is interested in coming, let me know and I will get you the infomation!

13 Pounds, 13 Ounces & 25" Long

2006-04-04T08:40:00.000-07:00

Connor had his 16 week checkup and shots this morning. He weighs 13 pounds, 13 ounces and is 25" long. The nurse said he is in the 50th percentile for his length and just under the 50th percentile for his weight. It's kind of wierd . . . everybody always says, "Oh, he looks so big!" But, he's almost 4 months old and he's still in 0-3 month clothing. And some of those clothes are too big. I think he just looks older than he is because his face is full and he is more alert and active than many babies. Dr. Sherwood said we better watch out because he is going to be crawling soon. She also said that as much as he likes to move, wiggle & roll over, he is going to be into everything! I guess we need to get serious about "baby-proofing" the house.

Everything looks good and she decided to put him on Zantac for his reflux. We started putting rice cereal in his bottle a couple of weeks ago to make his formula "stay down." His spitting up has reduced from about 15-18 times per day to 6 -7 times per day. So, that was a start. Hopefully the Zantac will help a little more. Doctors say it will really only helps with the burning associated with acid coming up the esophagus (and, consequently, the fussiness associated with the spitting up), but moms with relux babies say the Zantac actually helps with the spitting up. Any pharmacist opinions out there?

He was pitiful when he got his shots. These were much worse than the last ones! They were the exact same shots as last time, but he is just so much more alert and aware of what is going on now. It absolutely broke my heart. He looked up at me as if to say, "Why are you letting this happen to me?!" His face turned red and he let out one of his "I'm in serious pain" silent cries! He cried and cried until we got in the car and he fell asleep on the way home (see above picture).

Changing the subject, does anyone happen to know where the line for the unemployment office starts? My interview yesterday was a complete failure. Not because of anything I did, but because they "don't have any positions open at the moment." What??!!! You mean, I got up, got dressed, woke my baby, dressed him, packed his bag for the day, drove him 30 minutes to my mom's house, drove another 20 minutes to the office, waited 45 minutes in the lobby, and had a 30 minute conversation with the owner of the lawfirm for no reason? Yep . . . I did! About 5 minutes into the interview, he said, "Well, we really don't have any positions available right now, but I like to interview anyone who sends in a resume. I never know when I might need someone or if I might be able to set you up with someone else. I hope you don't feel like I've wasted your time." Ummm . . . okay. Yeah, I do. To make matters worse, I had no idea who the man is. After my interview, I talked to a friend who works for another law firm. When I told him who I had interviewed with, he said, "Really?! He's one of the top 4 divorce lawyers in Jackson! He only deals with people who have serious money at stake!" I had absolutely no idea! I literally just b*llsh!tted with a big-time divorce lawyer for 30 minutes, having no idea who he was. I feel like an absolute idiot! Nice guy though. I have now come to the conclusion that I have interviewed with the best of the best and the worst of the worst in the past 2 weeks . . . literally! I have an appointment with my dad's business attorney this afternoon to drop off some resumes. He said he would help me get them out to people he knows. I am also going to drop resumes off at any firms I see in that area. Then, I am going to come home and get to work sending more to other law firms, title companies, insurance companies and banks.

I also have to clean my house from top to bottom. I think there is about a cup (a measuring cup) of dirt on my kitchen floor. Our dogs track dirt in every time they go outside to potty and it makes our house filthy. Ugghhh! After that, hopefully I can go hunting for cute baby shower invitations for a very special someone's shower coming up in about 3 weeks! Since that's the only fun thing on my list, I'm saving it for last!

Well, I better quit jabbering and get started on the multitude of things I have to do today! Until tomorrow, a sleepy (and sore-legged) Connor says, "bye-bye!"

The Future Mrs. Connor

2006-04-02T21:56:00.000-07:00

We had a great weekend! We actually got out of the house for a change! It started off Friday night with a "Baby Dinner" for our friend Sunie. She is expecting a baby boy, Noah, the first of May. She had several baby showers planned already, so she wanted us (me, Mandye, Katie, Hope & Heather) to take her out to dinner instead of having another shower. We started out at El Charro Mexican Restaurant. Then, we surprised her with her gift from all of us (a stroller/carseat combo). We finished up the night by having ice cream at Marble Slab Creamery! I had the "Snickerbar Sundae" . . . yummy! It was so much fun just getting to hang out with the girls!
Saturday, Connor, my mom and I went to the mall to have his picture taken with the Easter Bunny. He had just taken his nap when we got there, so he wasn't "all smiles" like I had hoped, but the picture is cute anyway. Jacob played in a soccer tournament Saturday morning and then went mud riding in Anthony's jeep in the afternoon. Saturday night, we went to a surprise birthday party for our friend, Gray. It was at his sister & brother-in-law's new cabin on their land in Madison. It was so much fun! We took Connor with us because they have a ton of kids in their family. When we got there, Lauren's (Gray's sister) baby, Doty, who is about 6 weeks older than Connor, was napping. When she woke up, we introduced them. They were so cute! They just kept staring at each other like they were trying to figure each other out. Then Connor started flirting with her! He kept smiling at her and reached out and grabbed her hand! It was adorable! Gray had already "claimed" Connor for his sweet little niece when he was only about a week or two old! Since they get along so well, it's a done deal! She will definitely be the future Mrs. Connor!
Today, we slept in and then went out on the reservoir with Jacob's cousin and his girlfriend. We came back and I sent Jacob grocery shopping. That's usually my job, but he agreed to do it for me in exchange for my going out on the boat with them (I was really tired and had tons of cleaning & grocery shopping to do, so I wansn't really up for boating). He called 5 times - 5 times - asking me questions! It was kinda funny. But, he got back with everything I had on the list AND it was all right! Since he did such a good job, he may be our permanent grocery shopper from now on! Sounds good to me!
Now, I'm just starting to get anxious about my interview tomorrow. I hunted down the building yesterday so I will definitely be on time (no being late for me)! It looks really nice. It's in a great location and I don't *think* traffic would be too stressful in the mornings (if I get the job, that is)! I guess we'll see! Well, I'm off to bed . . . busy day tomorrow! I leave you with pictures of my little man playing with "Mr. Giraffe"!

Mornin' Sunshine!

2006-03-30T11:05:00.000-08:00

"Mornin' Sunshine!" That's how Connor and I start almost every day. He opens those big blue eyes, stares at the ceiling fan in our bedroom and starts smiling at me! It is so wonderful now that his own little personality is starting to shine through! He is still growing like a weed. I took him to the doctor last week for reflux and he weighed a whopping 12 pounds 5 ouces! His hair is even growing like crazy (although you can't tell it in the pictures). He has the turning over thing down pat! I can't put him on his back without him turning over to his tummy - on a blanket, in his bed, on his playmat, everywhere! Yesterday, we had another afternoon photo session (I don't know what I'm gonna do when I am working and can't get our daily photo sessions in), but he wasn't in the best mood. The sun kept getting in his eyes and making him mad. I did manage to get a few good pictures. Enjoy!

Another Door

2006-03-29T12:42:00.000-08:00

Yay! I have another interview on Monday! After turning the other job offer down on Monday, I have really been doubting whether or not I did the right thing. I have student loans to pay back and my "goal" was to have them paid off within 2 years of graduation. Well, it's almost been a year and I haven't even made a dent in them. Plus, Jacob is really wanting to go back to school. For him to do that, it is absolutely necessary that I have a job. And not just a job - one with good pay and benefits since he won't be able to work full time during school. Since most of you don't live here, you probably don't know that legal positions are very hard to come by in this area - the market is extremely flooded! It's really unheard of to turn down a position. The firm I interviewed with last week was just not one that I would "fit in with" at all! Honestly, when I walked in the door, I thought to myself, "I don't give a flip about what these people think of me . . . I am NOT taking this job!" With that attitude, I seriously doubt it would have been good for me or the firm if I had taken the position out of desperation. So, I turned the offer down with faith that God would open up another door for me.
Well . . . this morning I got a phone call wanting me to come interview on Monday. It's with a family law firm. Their work is mostly divorce with a little other stuff thrown it (child custody, etc.). I looked up their website and it looks perfect! There are five attorneys, mostly women, and mostly from about 25 to 35 years old. They all look really sweet and they seem to really care about their clients. Family law is not exactly what I have always pictured myself doing. Divorce is a very touchy subject matter and can get really "dirty." However, I LOVED my family law class in school. I don't know, maybe this is what I am meant to do. I am so excited and I can't wait until Monday! I'll just be brushing up on my interview skills between now and then!

Fun Stuff!

2006-03-28T07:59:00.000-08:00

The PJ's You Are Most Like: No PJ's

You're a bit of a hedonist - opting for comfort over everything else
You have an understated, easy sexyness that men love
You'll risk that for the feeling of sheets against your bare skin!

What Kind of PJ's Are You?

Our Family

2006-03-26T15:15:00.000-08:00

I realized the other day that I have flooded our site with pictures of Connor, but I haven't really posted any of us as a family. Then I realized that it's because we didn't have many pictures of us as a family. So, we made a point to take one this weekend while we were dressed to attend a wedding (you can just see the excitement on Connor's face - that's okay, he didn't go anyway).
The good news: I finally got an interview and a job offer! The bad news: I'm not gonna take it! I interviewed with a criminal defense firm on Friday. They offered me the job on the spot. It's good money and 30 vacation days per year, but I just don't think I can do it. I have been struggling with the decision all weekend, but I just can't find an inner peace about it. I strongly believe that criminals belong in jail. I would not be able to live with myself if I defended someone only for them to be set free and commit the same crime again (or a worse crime, which is usually the case). Honestly, I have no desire to be involved in the criminal justice system at all. I believe it is necessary to our society, but it's just poses too high a danger to myself and my family for me to be directly involved. It may be the biggest mistake of my life, but I am going to turn the position down. Please continue to pray that I will find a position that will be good for me and my family. Hey Kate - same prayer tomorrow morning, just ask for it to be in a business-related firm this time! :)

For Sarah

2006-03-23T11:13:00.000-08:00

Sarah was commenting on the random phrases found on churh marquis. I was instantly reminded of Katie & Brendan's wedding. This was the marquis on their wedding day (that's the groom standing under it before the wedding):

If that didn't give them the "wedding day jitters" I don't know what would! Despite the sign, they have been married almost 3 years and are expecting a beautiful baby girl , Mary Kellan (we think), in June!

An Inquiring Little Mind Wants to Know . . .

2006-03-21T22:00:00.000-08:00

Are you a Friend or a Foe?
Think you know us? Give this Quiz a shot!

My Beautiful Boy!

2006-03-21T10:59:00.000-08:00

87

2006-03-20T17:15:00.000-08:00

87. That's how many resumes I got ready to mail out today! My mom came over to help me out by watching Connor for a few hours. My dad also came over to visit for a little while when he got off work! My hubby has been threatening me that he is going to get me a job as a "greeter lady" at Wal-Mart if I don't hurry up and find a job on my own! So I decided it was time to really get the ball rolling on my job search. Of course Connor was an absolute angel while they were here. I got so much done! All I had left to do was to sign my cover letters and stuff the envelopes when my mom decided she was going to head home to beat the 5 o'clock traffic. Of course the minute she walked out the door, Connor pitched a fit. So, I put him in his swing to distract him and here he is now . . .

Nevermind! This what I get for bragging on him! That (above)was him a minute ago! THIS is him now . . .

No, I am not a bad mother. I only let him cry long enough to get the pics. He's sitting in my lap, slobbering on my hand now!

Spring is in the Air!

2006-03-17T12:20:00.000-08:00

This morning, Connor successfully rolled over from his back to tummy! It took him about 3 to 4 minutes to get the bottom arm out from under him, but he did it! He's growing up too fast! Random thought for the day: Isn't it funny to think that one day your whole goal in life was to get your arm out from under you?

A Week of Triumphs!

2006-03-15T21:30:00.000-08:00

This has been quite a week! Connor rolled over for the first time on Sunday! We were playing on a blanket and he successfully rolled from his tummy to his back all by himself. He hasn't quite mastered back to tummy yet, but he's working hard on it, so I'm sure it won't be long! Then tonight, he laughed for the first time! Jacob was holding him while I was making funny faces at him (the "monkey face" to be exact)! Out of nowhere he just started laughing! It was the cutest thing!

Rejected . . . again.

2006-03-15T12:46:00.000-08:00

7 years . . . over $30K in student loan debt . . . 1 Bachelor of Arts degree . . . 1 law degree. What does this mean for me? Simply put . . . squat!
I have yet again been disappointed. I applied for a job a couple of weeks ago. It was absolutely perfect for me. The position was one in the field of creditor bankruptcy and real estate law. I was so excited when I got word this firm was looking to hire a new attorney, especially when the posting said "no experience required." As usual, I got the rejection letter today. It said they hired another applicant last week who already has experience working in the Jackson area and can bring his current clients with him. I didn't even get a chance! No interview, no nothin'! In my opinion, if you advertise "no experience required" you should actually mean no experience required! Now this guy they hired (the one who ALREADY HAD A JOB) has a new job and I am still left with squat! What I really wanted to do is send the hiring attorney an e-mail back asking which firm this new guy is leaving. Maybe if I act quickly enough (before the new February graduates and 6,000+ attorneys fleeing the gulf coast looking for jobs) I could get his old job, but I felt that a tad inappropriate! :) So . . . I pose two questions for you all:
First: How are you supposed to get experience if every employer out there only wants to hire someone who already has experience?
Second: How did you "sell yourself" to potential employers before gaining experience in your particular job field?

On the bright side, look at my sweet little snoozing baby:

Happy Three Month Birthday Connor!

2006-03-13T13:25:00.000-08:00

Today has been such a good day! Connor and I slept in after a long weekend. We got up and I called to make him an appointment to have 3 month pictures taken. Well, the portrait studio never answered the phone. I left a message and they still (hours later) haven't returned my call. So, I dressed him up and we had our own little photo session! He was in such a good mood and I got some really cute pictures! I FINALLY got pictures of him smiling! Yay! Previously, I only had one good picture of him smiling and it was on my camera-phone, so I couldn't print it out or share it with anyone. So . . . after three months, I finally present my smiling boy!

FAITH

2006-03-09T21:20:00.001-08:00

"If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed . . . nothing shall be impossible unto you."
-Matthew 17:19-20

H & J: We are thinking of you and praying for you! We love you!

LOOK MA . . . NO HANDS!

2006-03-07T19:58:00.000-08:00

This is Connor playing in his Exersaucer the other day! He isn't supposed to be standing yet, so I raised it up as high as it would go and let his feet dangle. Then I padded around him with a blanket so he wouldn't tip over. He loved looking at all the gadgets and tried his best to reach them. He was able to reach a couple!

"I'll Start Tomorrow"

2006-03-06T20:34:00.000-08:00

Well, I did it! I FINALLY found Connor a daycare! I visited a ton of daycare centers a couple of weeks ago and only found one that suited me. We had to be put on "the waiting list" for that one. When I asked how many were in front of us on the list, the lady said, "about one hundred." I replied with what I thought was a logical question, "one hundred total, or one hundred in his class?" "Oh, in his class." WHAT??? There are 100 babies wait-listed for the 6 weeks to 1 year class! Apparently I was supposed to put him on "the list" at the point of conception! I wish I had known that a year ago. Oh well!
After asking around a little, I was referred to a lady that keeps children in her home. I called her and we went to visit. She was really, really sweet and I think she will take great care of Connor. Plus, he will be the only baby! She only keeps one his age (smart woman). Most of the kids she has are about 2 to 3 years old and have been with her since they were 6 weeks. She comes "highly recommended." So . . . I filled out the paperwork and wrote her a check to hold his spot. He will only be staying with her 3 days a week. Jacob will be "Mr. Mom" the other 2 days I'm working. The fact that he only has to be in daycare 3 days each week makes me feel a little less guilty about going to work. I really believe it will be the hardest thing I've ever had to do and I am NOT ready. I don't think I would ever really be ready.
Now I have to find a job. I keep telling myself that I will "start tomorrow." Well, the tomorrows keep coming and going and I still don't have a job. I really am going to start tomorrow . . . wish me luck!

Special Prayer Request

2006-03-05T16:17:00.000-08:00

I should have posted this days ago, but I have a very special prayer request. One of my best friends is having some pregnancy complications. I don't believe she would be comfortable with my putting her name on here, so I am not going to, but she knows who she is. I know she and her husband would make the most wonderful parents and they already love their baby incredibly! Pray that God will heal her and take away all complications. Please pray for this very special couple and their baby!
To her: Have faith and know that God has so many special things planned for you! I love you so much and I am thinking about you and praying for you constantly!

Home Sweet Home

2006-02-28T10:22:00.000-08:00

My baby is home sweet home! Well . . . he got home at 7 last night. That 10 hours seemed like an eternity! I eased the pain with a little retail therapy! I went to the mall with my mom and bought 3 new dresses from Ann Taylor. They are for my brother-in-law's wedding, rehearsal dinner, and several other weddings and showers that I have scheduled between now and October. They are adorable and I just love them! Check them out: #1 #2 & #3! Then, I came home and did some laundry & cleaning before my boys got back. It's hard to get much housework done these days! After dinner, we settled in to watch the seaon finale of The Bachelor Paris. The Bachelor is not a show I usually watch, but for some reason, I have been hooked all season. Everyone knows the last 30 minutes is the best! I'll give you two guesses as to when Connor started to get fussy . . . the last 30 minutes! So, I handed him off to his Daddy so I could cheer on Sarah! She has been my favorite from the beginning. I don't know if it's a "southern thing" or what. The whole episode made it look like Travis was leaning toward choosing Moana, and I vowed that I would NEVER watch the show again, until he finally revealed that he was choosing Sarah! They are too cute! Anywho, enough about that! I just wanted to show you a picture of my sweet little baby who, despite my worrying, made it home yesterday safe & sound!

High Anxiety!

2006-02-27T06:57:00.000-08:00

New Camera = New Pics! The lens on our camera broke last week and we have not been able to take any new pictures . . . until yesterday! We got a new camera that I absolutely love! I think I just love it because I love to take pictures of my baby!
On another note . . . despite my joy over the new camera, I am not in a joyful mood right now. We woke up this morning and Jacob got ready for work. They called and cancelled him because there aren't any surgeries planned for today, so they are "shutting down" the unit today. Anyway, he decided that since he has the day free, he would take Connor to see his grandmother. I love his grandmother and I am so excited she gets to see him because she has only gotten to see Connor once before. However, I am about to have an absolute anxiety attack! I know Jacob is an extremely good and capable daddy. I have just never been away from my baby like this. By "like this" I mean he has never been on a "road trip" without me before. Jacob's grandmother lives about an hour away. I already had plans with my mom, so I decided not to go. I cried like a baby when they were packing up to leave! It was absolutely ridiculous! I know my husband must think I'm a basketcase! They have only been gone for 30 minutes and I am already ready for them to be back. I just hope I make it through the day without either being sick or being committed! I miss my baby!
P.S. - How do you like the new look of our site? Much better, huh?!

Good News!

2006-02-24T09:34:00.000-08:00

Good news! I just talked to Anthony and Mandye finally has a diagnosis (as of yesterday)! I am not even going to attempt to spell it! Heather, if you're out there, you can post it on the comments! Anthony said it is basically a combination of several viruses and it just has to run its course. Mandye is doing really well! She hasn't run fever since she got to Jackson on Wednesday night. They have moved her from the labor & delivery floor to the postpartum floor and taken out her IV! They did a sonogram and the babies are doing great! If some tests run today come back okay, they may even discharge her tomorrow! She is going to be in Jackson for about a week and they are even planning to bring Aiden to see her - she hasn't really seen him in a week. Hopefully we will get to visit her sometime today or tomorrow! God is so good!

Pray for Mandye!

2006-02-20T16:38:00.000-08:00

Hey!
I just wanted to update everyone on Mandye's (flowersfamily) condition. Some of you may not know, but Mandye was admitted to the hospital last week with a fever. They thought she may have the flu or a flu-like virus. She was released over the weekend, but admitted again yesterday. She is running fever and has severe headaches, along with other symptoms. Doctors have run several tests on her and think she may have meningitis. They don't have all the test results back yet. If she is officially diagnosed with meningitis, they are *pretty sure* it is the viral kind, not the bacterial kind. This is actually good news, since viral is supposedly less severe and easier to treat. After talking to Anthony, if the doctors decide it's not meningitis, they are pretty much baffled. The girls are doing just fine - no immediate threat to them. So . . . just be praying for Mandye, Anthony, Aiden and the girls!

**Update 2/22** I talked to Katie. Still no "definite" diagnosis. She said Mandye has had a rough couple of days with high temps and severe headaches. They are thinking about moving her to Jackson. I am waiting to hear more.

**Second Update 2/22** She is being moved to Jackson today.

My Valentine!

2006-02-16T09:02:00.000-08:00

Tuesday was our first Valentine's Day as a family! Although we did relatively nothing, it was the best Valentine's Day I've ever had! Jacob had to work all day, so we didn't go out. I just fixed taco salads for dinner when he got home. He gave me a box of chocolates and a diamond necklace that I love! Connor also gave me a box of chocolates! I think they're trying to make me fat - or at least keep me from losing the 5 pounds of "baby fat" I have left! Either way, I don't care because it is so good! After we ate, Connor got ill because he was sleepy and we spent an hour trying to get him to sleep. Then, we had about 30 minutes to spend together before it was time for bed. So, even thought it was probably the least romantic Valentine's Day in our 10 1/2 years together, it was the best because we got to spend it at home with our son! We also reached a milestone on Tuesday! Connor finally slept through the night for the first time! That's the first time I've had more than 3 consecutive hours of sleep in weeks! Yay!

38 degrees

2006-02-11T12:33:00.000-08:00

38 degrees. That's the "high" temperature for today! Now, it's not a big deal that it's 38 degrees outside. It's a big deal that it's been 70 degrees here all winter long and it decided to get cold today! Today, when my daddy is playing in a tennis tournament. Mommy and I would l-o-v-e to be there watching and cheering him on, but I can't be outside when it's 38 degrees. I might catch a cold! So . . . instead of watching daddy, I'm stuck here inside the house with mommy. I think she's gone crazy! She keeps dressing me up and making me take pictures (see below)! I think she's afraid I'm gonna grow out of half my clothes before I get a chance to wear them. But anyway, it's about my naptime, so I gotta go! I just wanted you to see me snuggled up in my cute little hat (thanks Mandye & Ashley)! Good luck daddy!

Lil' Rebel!

2006-02-11T12:25:00.000-08:00

Welcome Ali Jane!

2006-02-10T10:00:00.001-08:00

Lindsey & Wes welcomed their baby girl, Ali Jane, into the world Wednesday night! Ali was born at 9:31 p.m. weighing 7 pounds 11 ounces! We are so excited and can't wait to meet her! Congrats Linds & Wes!

Growing Boy!

2006-02-10T09:59:00.000-08:00

I forgot to mention in my doctor's appointment update that our little man is growing like a weed! He is a whopping 10 pounds 9 ounces and 22 5/8 inches long!

Snuggle Day!

2006-02-08T10:50:00.000-08:00

Well, we had Connor's doctor's appointment this morning. Honestly, it went much better than I had expected. He had to get 3 shots - 2 in one leg and 1 in the other. With each stick his face turned red and he cried so hard no sound would come out! It was pitiful! But, by the time I got him dressed and packed up to leave, he had stopped crying except for a few little wimpers. When we got home I gave him some Tylenol and we've been snuggling on the couch ever since! He cries when I get up and leave him, so I guess we'll just have a pretty lazy day today. I did tear up a little, but it really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. However, next time I think I'll send daddy with him!

8 Weeks Ago

2006-02-07T01:00:00.000-08:00

8 weeks ago, at this very moment, I went into labor with my little boy! I was having contractions so severe, they literally woke me up at 1:00 in the morning! Now, I just sit here wondering where the time has gone? I can't believe my baby is 8 weeks old! So many things have changed since then! Connor has developed quite the personality! He knows what he wants and screams until he gets it. He's a very demanding little fellow! But . . . I can't complain because what he usually wants (other than food) is to be held. Can you say "spoiled already"??!!! But, how can I resist cuddling and snuggling that sweet little man? He is getting so strong! He lifts his head up and looks around every time we hold him! He has started cooing at us and he smiles all the time now! Not just a little smile, a mouth-wide-open, toothless, all-gums smile! It is the cutest thing! The disappointing thing is that I have yet to capture it on film. When the flash light on my camera comes on, he just gets this really confused look on his face like, "Mom . . . why do you keep putting that bright orange light in my face?" It makes me feel better knowing it won't be long until he's a camera hog! Then I can get all the smiling pictures I want! One day he won't be smiling is Wednesday! Connor has his 8 week checkup on Wednesday morning and I am NOT looking forward to that! He has to get his first round of vaccinations. It is literally going to take everything in me not to cry when he cries! Just remember to pray for us around 9:30 that morning! I'm gonna be a sad mommy with a sad little boy! Okay . . . enough about the bad stuff, I just wanted to post a few new pictures so you all can see how he is growing!

Your eyes are gonna stick like that!

Don't you wonder what babies dream about?
His Nonnie says angels . . . any other thoughts?
His attention span is very short .
Enough with the camera . . . what's next?
He was smiling at his daddy, but I don't think you can tell in the picture!
Look how strong! Baby Olympics anyone??!!!
Just a Swingin'
We haven't quite figured this look out yet!

Ooops . . . I Got Tagged!

2006-02-03T20:00:00.000-08:00

4 jobs I've had in my life:
Daycare Worker
CPA Office Assistant
Law Office Assistant
Lawyer (soon)

4 movies I could watch over and over:
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
Someone Like You
Serendipity
Under the Tuscan Sun

4 TV shows I like to watch:
Friends
Will & Grace
The Bachelor
Desperate Housewives

4 Places where I have lived:
Oxford, MS
University, MS (on campus at Ole Miss)
Brandon, MS
Pearl, MS

4 Places I've been on vacation:
St. John, U.S.V.I.
St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.
Cancun, Mexico
Colorado

4 Places I'd rather be:
France
Italy
New York
California

4 of my favorite foods:
Anything chocolate!
Fettucine Alfredo
Mashed potatoes & gravy
Cheese Pizza

4 websites I visit daily:
www.mullinsbaby.blogspot.com
www.babymakes3.blogspot.com
Babycenter.com
Potterybarn.com

4 people to pass the baton to:
Mandye
Heather
Lisa
Katie

Updated Pics - 5 to 6 Weeks!

2006-01-22T20:29:00.000-08:00

Connor's New Favorite Thing!

2006-01-22T20:02:00.000-08:00

Connor has become much, much more alert and aware of his surroundings over the past couple of weeks! He loves to look at his colorful toys, especially those that light up and play music! He also follows us when we move from one side of him to the other. He mostly just follows us with his eyes, but he has turned his head a couple of times! He is getting so big! I weighed him a couple of days ago (a crude measurement b/c I just weighed myself w/ him and then w/o him) and he weighed about 9 pounds!!! I can't believe it! My little boy is growing up already! I know people think I'm crazy when I say that because they respond with, "Well, my baby was 9 pounds when he/she was born." But, you have to remember that Connor was only 6 lbs. 2 ounces when we brought him home from the hospital just 6 weeks ago! He has even grown out of some of his newborn outfits! My little boy really is growing! I thought I'd post a few pictures of his new favorite thing! His first was his baby papasan and his second was his baby swing (he still just loves both). And now . . .
This is his play gym! He just loves to look at himself in the mirror attached to it and stare at the little animals dangling overhead! He even grabs at them. He doesn't have "controlled movement" yet, but he slaps at them to make them move! The other day, we started having "tummy time"! This is where I lay him on his tummy and he practices lifting his head (it strengthens their neck muscles). I put him on his play gym and he lifted his head and turned it from one side to the other! Such a big accomplishment for such a little boy!

Daddy's Little Hunter!

2006-01-15T20:15:00.000-08:00

This weekend was Connor's first trip to the lake. By "the lake" I mean my parents' lake house. We have a house/cabin on Nine Mile Lake about 20 minutes from Canton. Several families have houses on the lake and most spend weekends there just hanging out, hunting and fishing. Jacob, Connor and I went up on Saturday and stayed overnight. My dad and Jacob spend most of the weekend hunting while my mom, Connor and I stayed warm and cozy in the house! It was absolutely freezing, especially with the wind coming off the water! Anyway, I just wanted to share a couple of pics of Connor and his first of many trips to the lake!

Show me the woods!!! Well . . . after I finish napping! Daddy & Connor after the morning hunt!
No deer, but hanging out with our little Bambi is much better than getting a deer anyway!

Welcome to the World Sidney!

2006-01-15T19:50:00.000-08:00

My fellow blogger PeppermintPatty welcomed her new baby boy into the world on January 12th! Congrats!

Our Little Man!

2006-01-08T16:29:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures I took last night that I absolutely love!!!

A Few Firsts!

2006-01-08T14:56:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! Connor is doing great! I just thought I would share some of the many "firsts" he has experienced over the past few weeks!

First Car Ride - To his 2 day checkup at the Newborn Outpatient Clinic at Baptist.

First Bath - He absolutely loved it until we took him out and he got cold. See his mad face?!!!

First Bottle - Such a good daddy!

First Look at Himself in the Mirror - This entertained him for about 30 seconds!

Connor's First Christmas!

2005-12-27T18:00:00.000-08:00

Connor Snoozing With Santa

Christmas Morning!
Look what Santa left behind for Connor!
Mommy & Daddy with with our Lil' Santa!
Mommy & Her Little Man!

First Christmas as a Daddy!

Connor with his "She-She" & "G-Daddy"

Connor's Rocking Horse that Santa left at She-She & G-Daddy's!

Nonnie & Connor

Ho Ho Ho!

Connor's Arrival!

2005-12-27T16:42:00.000-08:00

Just thought since I have a few spare minutes, I'd let you all in on Connor's arrival. On Tuesday, December 13th, I had a doctor's appointment at 10:15 in the morning. Jacob went with me and I kept telling him that I thought I was having contractions about every 7 to 8 minutes. But, since I didn't know what contractions were supposed to feel like, I wasn't sure. I told my doctor about the contractions, but he said that since I hadn't progressed any from the week before, they were probably false labor. So, once again I went home disappointed. I had a haircut at 1:00 and I noticed that the pains were about 5 or 6 minutes apart. It was all I could do to make it through the haircut. My mom met me at the salon so we could go pick out something to put on the hospital room door when I had the baby. I kept telling her that I was hurting incredibly bad and that there was no way that this was false labor. I was convinced that I was just a huge wimp and would never make it through labor. After we picked out a door wreath, I told her that I had to go home and she decided to come with me to make sure I was okay. Once we were at my house, we started timing the contractions and they were 2 to 3 minutes apart. She kept telling me to call my doctor, but I refused. He had told me to take some Tylenol and a warm bath to help ease the pain, so I wanted to try that first. I took some Tylenol which did not even begin to phase me and about an hour later, I caved in and called. They told me to come back to the office and get checked out again. So, my mom and I packed my hospital bag just in case and headed to the doctor's office. Once there, I had to wait an hour to see the doctor because they were so busy. The doctor checked me at 5:00 and said there had been no change since the morning, but since I was hurting so bad, he sent me over to labor and delivery to be watched for a couple of hours. It was about an hour long process getting checked into the hospital and settled in. The doctor on call came in and by that time I was 4 cm and completely thinned. I was given some pain medicine which made me really spaced out. My mom called Jacob (he was at home asleep because he was supposed to work that night) and he talked to the doctor over the phone. He jumped in the shower and when he got out, our dog, Memphis, was incredibly sick. He thought she was about to die and started freaking out because he didn't know what to do. He decided he finally had to leave her (because I was laboring so quickly) and just hope for the best. He FINALLY made it to the hospital and since I was already 4 cm, the nurse told me that I could get an epidural, which I quickly accepted! A few minutes later, the doctor came back in and I was 5 cm! The nurse thought I would definitely deliver by midnight, which I was thrilled about! Everything was going great until Connor's heartbeat went down with a contraction and wouldn't come back up. My friend Heather (a former labor & delivery nurse for 3 years) was in the room and calmly walked over to me and told me to turn over on my side. I said, "Heather, I can't. I can't even feel my legs." Then she just calmly told me that I had to and started to turn me over. A few seconds later, nurses busted through the door to my room and started putting oxygen on me, telling me to take deep breaths, and turning me from side to side. I kept asking if Connor was okay and nobody would say anything, except Jacob, who kept reassuring me that everything was fine. The doctor came in and said I had to have an emergency c-section and the nurses started unhooking all the monitors, etc. They rushed me across the hall to the operating room and Connor was born within 16 minutes, at 7:50 p.m. It was honestly the most frightening experience of my life! I had no idea how relieved I would be to hear his first cries! I never knew I could love someone so much! The doctor later told me that the umbilical cord had gotten clamped somehow and Connor wasn't getting enough oxygen. He thought maybe the cord was around his neck, but when he got him out, it wasn't. So, either Connor was holding the cord in his hand, or it just got clamped in that crowded little space! Either way, it remains a mystery. I just like to think he was so excited to get here, he couldn't wait another minute! Maybe he just wanted to make sure he came on Aiden's first birthday!
The first picture below is of Jacob in the newborn nursery with Connor right after delivery. Jacob was able to stay with him the entire time! While the nurses were doing their jobs, he was able to touch and comfort Connor. He stayed right with him and just rubbed on him! At one point the nurse had to do something, so Jacob backed up to get out of her way. When he did, he took his hands off Connor's feet and Connor started to cry! I guess that just goes to show that babies just instinctively love to be comforted by their mommies and daddies!
I have spent the past two weeks recovering! The first week was terrible! It was so hard to even get out of bed. But, it has gotten better and better each day. Now, I am feeling pretty good. I'm now just uncomfortable as far as the surgery recovery goes. I know it won't be long until I am back to normal!
We just want to thank everyone for all their support and prayers! So many people came to meet Connor in the hospital and many more have come to visit us at home! Thanks for all the phone calls and e-mails to let us know you were thinking of us! Connor is so sweet and our love for him is just indescribable! We can't wait for the rest of you to meet him!

Proud Papa!
Mommy, Daddy & Connor in the recovery room.
I'm a Mommy!
A Daddy's Love!
Connor all warm & snuggly!

THE BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVER!!!

2005-12-16T21:48:00.000-08:00

Connor Bradley December 13, 2005
7:50 p.m.
6 pounds & 11 ounces
19 1/2 inches long

Two Words

2005-12-08T12:56:00.000-08:00

We had another doctor's appointment this morning and it can be summed up in two words: NO CHANGE! I'll post more later when I'm in a little better mood!

For Allison!

2005-12-05T20:45:00.000-08:00

My friend Allison called today wondering what kind of dog Tatum is. I was telling her how cute she was when we first got her last Christmas. She was tiny and chocolate brown from head to toe! Well . . . she has grown up now and her coloring has completely changed. You wouldn't even know it was the same dog! Anyway, here is a pic of her last Christmas to compare to what she looks like now!
Then . . .
Now . . .

Diaper Shower Cookout!

2005-12-04T22:00:00.000-08:00

Last night our friends (Bunner, Melissa, Diane, Tracey and Mrs. Deborah) threw us a diaper shower! Actually, it was a cookout and the "admission price" was a pack of diapers! It was really cute and we got about 20 packs of diapers ranging in size from newborn to toddler! This type of shower is great for couples, especially those with lots of guy friends! What could be better than burgers for the guys and a closet full of diapers for the new mom??!!! We also got a couple of blankets and other "baby necessities." The hostesses gave me an overnight bag and some really cute Victoria's Secret pajamas to take to the hospital! We had tons of wonderful food and loved being able to see everyone! Hopefully the next time we all get together, Connor will be able to join us in person!

"Bunner" & Me!

Melissa cheering on LSU. . . sorry Mel!

Mrs. Deborah & Brad goofing off!

My Other Babies!

2005-12-04T20:51:00.000-08:00

Here are some Chrismas pics of my other two babies, Memphis and Tatum! We adopted "Memphis Belle" from the Memphis Animal Shelter almost 3 years ago! We only got one picture of her because she is afraid of cameras. Seriously . . . she is! When the camera comes out, she darts to our bedroom and hides under the bed! "Ole Miss Tatum" (the little one) is not so shy! She was my Christmas present from Jacob last year and she loves to have her picture taken! Aren't they cute??!!!

37 Week Belly Pics!

2005-12-03T15:30:00.000-08:00

My sister (Tracey), my cousin (Zach), and I got together to take some "Christmas pictures"! So . . . I have posted a few to show you my ever-growing belly!

Connor's First Christmas???

2005-12-01T18:00:00.000-08:00

Hi!

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted, but there haven't been too many eventful things going on around here lately! I have had a couple of baby showers, but since I forgot to take my digital camera to either one, I have no pictures that can be downloaded. But, I will try to get them scanned and post them.

Connor and I had another doctor's appointment today and he is doing great! Mom, on the other hand, isn't doing so great. Well, physically I'm pretty much as good as can be, but mentally . . . .

As for Connor:
We had our last sonogram and he looks perfect! He is still a boy!!! I had her double check before ripping off all the tags on his clothes to start washing them! He is a fiesty little guy! Every time the sonogram lady starts poking and prodding, he starts fighting back! He was punching at her last time and he started kicking her today! She just started laughing! His organs all looked good and he is "head down" which is a very good sign! They estimated his present weight at 6 pounds 8 ounces! YIKES!!! I was not expecting that at all! They said that his weight is in the 50th percentile, so basically, it's the perfect weight for him at this point in the pregnancy! I just hope for my sake that he doesn't get much bigger!

As for me:
This may be too much information for some of you, but I figured since most of you who read this are pregnant, what the heck! The not-so-good news . . . I have not yet started dialating. But, my cervix has softened and the doctor could feel "the presenting part," which I suppose means he could feel Connor's head since he is head down. That's not too bad, since he's not technically considered "term" until this weekend. But, I was kinda hoping he would be here before Christmas, so I would be happier if I had started making more progress! But, as I have learned over the past few months . . . my comfort doesn't count. As long as he is healthy, that's the only thing that is truly important . I asked my doctor if he thought Connor would be here by Christmas and he didn't sound too sure, which was a little disappointing. He said if for some reason he isn't here by Christmas, I will be induced between Christmas and New Year's. So . . . he will definitely be here by New Year's! Considering that's a month from today, I don't really know how I feel about that. I am already soooo uncomfortable. There's no more sleeping, just numb arms and out-of-place hips from having to sleep on my side. On top of that is the all-night peeing! I am really glad that I only have two more Christmas presents to buy because I can't really go shopping anymore either. Well, I can, but it's frustrating because my feet hurt and I have to hunt down the bathroom in every single store (Sorry mom! She is always having to wait on me!)! Taking a shower now takes twice as long and I even had to get Jacob to tie my shoes the other day! But, there are still three more weeks until his due date, so as for now, I am still holding out hope that this Christmas will be his first!

The really good news . . . I haven't gained any weight since my last appointment two weeks ago! Considering that was the week of Thanksgiving and I LOVE Thanksgiving food, I was pretty happy with that! Hopefully I have reached my max weight, and any weight Connor gains between now and delivery, he can just steal from me! But, for those of you who have expressed concern, don't fret . . . yes I am eating! I love the holidays and holiday food, so be assured that neither one of us will go hungry any time soon!

I have posted a sonogram picture from today! Keep in mind that I had to take a picture of a picture, so that's the reason for the "bright spots". It is also kind of hard to see because Connor is so big now! But, we are looking at his profile. His head is on the right (he is looking up). His back is, of course, running along the bottom of the picture. On the left, that "bump" going inward that is at about the same height as his face, is his knee. He is pretty much just all squinched up in a little ball!

See below for the "progress" Connor has made over the past few months!

How he's grown!

2005-12-01T17:30:00.000-08:00

I just thought that since we have had our last sonogram, I would post the "progress" Connor has made since we first saw him in June! It's amazing to see him go from a little peanut to only being able to fit 1/3 of his body in the sono pic!

Connor at 11 week sonogram!

Connor at 20 week sonogram!

Connor at 36 week sonogram!

Baby Shower Deux!

2005-11-03T18:00:00.000-08:00

We had our second baby shower on Sunday, October 30th. It was given by Jacob's Aunt Belinda and two cousins, Christie & Ashley. Everything was beautiful, the food was fabulous, and we had so much fun getting to visit with his family and friends. Connor got tons of adorable baby clothes, a highchair, a swing, a fold-up "baby bather" and lots of other essentials! It was so much fun having Jacob at the shower. Seeing him opening all that cute little baby stuff just makes me smile! I have posted a few pics. The first pics are of Jacob and me opening gifts. The third one is of "Nonnie" (Jacob's mom), me, Jacob, and "She-She" (my mom). The fourth pic is of the new aunts & uncle - Tracey (my sister), Michelle (our future sister-in-law), me, Jacob, and Luke (Jacob's brother). The last pic is of Jacob's Aunt Kim and Aunt Michelle rubbing "our babies"! Enjoy!

Ditching School!

2005-11-02T14:59:00.000-08:00

Well, we had our third childbirth class on Monday night, but decided to skip out on it to give out Halloween candy! In some odd way I felt guilty, like I had ditched class and might get caught. I don't know why I felt that way because I skipped class all the time! I guess I know in the back of my mind that I'm not doing things for my sole benefit anymore, I'm doing them for Connor now too. So . . . I don't know much about the epidural situation, but I guess I can just read up on it (or just ask one of my gazillion friends that work in labor and delivery)! The only other thing we missed was hearing a family psychologist speak. I don't claim to know everything (or anything about raising a child for that matter), but I do have a degree in psychology, so I don't feel so bad about ditching that one! Maybe we'll learn enough next week to make up for missing this one! I sure hope so since it's our last childbirth class! Then comes our "infant care" class. That makes everything seem so much more real! Yea!!!

More Hee, Hee, Hooing and a Good Checkup!

2005-10-27T22:00:00.000-07:00

Hi!
Well, we had our second childbirth education class on Monday night and it was pretty good. We watched "birth videos" and did more breathing exercises. Next week an anesthesiologist is coming to talk to the class. Now THAT is what I want to hear about! I'm not going to be one of those people who is determined to get an epidural the second I walk through the door, but I am certain that I will want one at some point. I am NOT one for pain. I'm afraid I'll look more like a baby than Connor does if I have to deliver "au natural"!
On a better note, Connor and I had another checkup last Friday and everything looks great! His heartbeat was a steady 140 bpm and the doctor said I measured "perfect"! It was really cute when the nurse came in to check the heartbeat. She asked me beforehand if I had been feeling the baby move and I told her that I had. Then, she started searching around for the heartbeat and couldn't get it because Connor was moving around so much. He was kicking and turning so much my belly looked deformed! It literally took her 5 times longer to find it that it ever has before. Once she finally was able to keep up with it to get an accurate number, she said, "Yep, he's moving alright!" So . . . all good signs for now! Only a few more weeks to go!

Hee, Hee, Hoo!

2005-10-18T20:00:00.001-07:00

Well, Jacob and I had our first childbirth class last night! It was . . . interesting! They taught us the warning signs of labor, the stages of labor, and a couple of breathing exercises! It was rather amusing! There we were, lying on our blue mat and 5 bed pillows amongst a bunch of strangers, all making "hee, hoo" sounds! Since it is hard to have "pretend contractions", our teacher had the dads pinch the backs of our arms while we tried to "breath through" the pain. I'm sure Jacob loved that! He got to punish me for all the whining, complaining & mood swings that I have had since April (heck . . . since we first started dating in 1995)! But before you all start feeling sorry for me, I have to admit that he wasn't too hard on me!
Some of the dads were complaining about their babies being born during hunting season. Now, Jacob likes to hunt and all, but come on! Others were complaining because they were told by the teacher that they can't (1) eat in front of "mom" during labor and (2) leave "mom" in the labor and delivery room alone while they go get dinner. What??!!! Is dinner on delivery day REALLY a top concern for these men 2 to 3 months before their babies are due? I feel sorry for their wives! They must cook 24/7! These men would starve if they had me for a wife! I suppose I just never realized how good I have it! I just wonder what next week will bring! I guess we'll see!