A Little Bug

Today we are experiencing our first bout of Emma not feeling well. This morning she felt a little warm to me so I checked her temp & it was 99.4 + she was sleeping more than usual, only waking up to eat. Then earlier this evening after I feed her a bottle & was burping her she threw up (mostly on me - YEAH) & no it wasn't spit-up (the volume was too much). So I called my mom (who is a RN) to ask her what I should do & she advised me to call the Pediatrician, they have nurses on call 24-7. She advised me to bring her into the office on Friday just so they could check her out, since she is so little. We already have to take her to have another chest xray on Friday to have her pulminary vein checked again, so we will be busy with appointments Friday.

Emma seems to be doing okay right now. She ate a little about an hour after she threw up & kept it down (so far), she just wants to be held so her Daddy is rocking her right now. I guess this is a small look of what is to come as parents, but I am still loving every second of it.

First Christmas

We have a great Christmas this year with the babies in family. Emma got a Glow Seahorse, blocks, books, baby steering wheel/car, activity toys & some clothes. She of course slept through most of the activities but what else can you expect from a 7 week old baby. Right now her favorite thing is her Glow Seahorse. Chris & I went very light on gift for each other this year. We just couldn't think of much we needed or wanted this year. After all, we have Emma, what else could we possibly need.

Emma with her new teddy she got from Grammy & PawPaw.

The whole family on Christmas Eve, even our dog Spencer.

Emma & Morgan having a brief discussion on Christmas day.

Decorating Dilemas

So this year Christmas decorating in our house was a bit challenging. Not only do we have a small infant in the house that requires most of my time during the day but we are seriously lacking square footage since Emma came to town. If you are not familiar with the layout of our house, its a 2-story with the living room, kitchen & breakfast area downstairs & all the bedrooms are up. In years past we have put the Christmas tree downstairs by our front door but now our living room is full. We added a reclining rocker before Emma was born + we have our pack n play & swing downstairs which filled up the space. Chris really tried to talk me into not putting up a tree this year but to me that wasn't an option with this being Emma's first Christmas (I know it will not be very exciting for her but she loves the lights). So I opted to put the tree in our breakfast area. I must admit it looks a bit odd there but the tree is very pretty decorated in blue & silver (the same as last year). I may post a picture or two so you see just how odd but pretty it looks. Hopefully next year will have better options.

More Appointments

On Wednesday little Emma went to the Pediatrician's office to get her first round of RSV shots (yes our insurance approved the shots) & they also sent us home with some Zantac. Emma still is under weight (8 lbs, 15.5 oz, she should be well over 9 lbs) & her doctor says she should be eating 4 oz at every feeding but she only takes 2 - 3 & maybe 3.5 if you are lucky. So Dr. Koonce wants us to try Zantac for 7-10 days to see if it helps with her fussiness during eating & it she will start taking more. She said if it doesn't change her eating habits we can stop giving it to her. She isn't positive she has reflux & we don't think she does either but she wants to give it a try. Emma is due to go back on Dec. 29 for another weight check & hopefully that will be the last one. Maybe she just isn't a big eater & is going to be a small little girl. She doesn't seem to be unhappy, hungry or fussy during the day, only during feedings. Her Daddy thinks she doesn't like her formula & wants to switch but the Ped isn't in favor of that, we may do it anyway. She is such a sweet little baby. She is babbling & smiling more everyday.

I had my post partum appointment yesterday & Dr. Zerkle lifted all my restrictions. He said I can now do anything I want to do, but I should pace myself. He said my belly would still be tender & numb for 2-3 more months & it may not heal completely for up to a year. I am due to go back in March for an annual exam.

Introductions

We were pretty busy this past weekend showing off our precious little Emma. The first introduction was to Emma's great grandmother, Granny Ruth (Chris' grandmother) who is in town for the holidays. She has seen many pictures of Emma but this was her first time seeing her in person. Emma did sleep most of the time she was visiting but she did open her eyes before Granny left & actually grined a little at her. That just made Granny's day. (Yes Emma does smile now & has been for about a week or so.)

Emma & Granny Ruth.

Then Saturday night we went to a Christmas party with my former co-workers. We all had a great time & Emma was such a good baby. It was great to see everyone & introduce Emma.

Then on Sunday we took Emma to church for the first time, boy was I a nervous wreck. Everyone was so excited to see her. There was also a pot-luck lunch after morning services which we stayed for as well & Emma did just great. She slept through the worship services & woke up in time for lunch, so I fixed her a bottle.

This is Emma all dressed & ready for her first visit to worship services. I bought this dress at a local consignment shop, its it pretty on her.

1 month checkup

Today Emma had her 1 month check-up at the Pediatrician. She weighed 8 lbs, 11.5 oz & 20.75 inches long, so with these measurements she is in the 30% for her weight, 45% for her height. So the doctor was us to start offering her more formula 4 oz every 3 hours instead of the 3 we have been giving her. Dr. Koonce wants Emma to come back in for weight check in 2 weeks. She also is suggesting that since Emma has a heart defect that we should give her the RSV antibody shot this winter. Studies have shown that children who were preemie, have a heart defect or neuro problems are more likely to contract RSV & she wants to be proactive. She is currently checking with our insurance to see if they will cover it since its very expensive. She also wants us to have her kidneys checked for any abnormalities. Dr. Koonce says sometimes babies with heart defects will also have renal problems as well so she wants to have an ultra sound of her kidneys just to cover all the basis. So the many doctor appointments continue.

Everything else is going pretty well. She is starting to make eye contact with you while you hold her & she is smiling + cooing more & more everyday.

Thanksgiving Blessings

As always we started our thanksgiving festivities with Chris' parents for lunch & then we head to my Mom's house for the rest of the day. We are extremely thankful this year to have 2 beautiful baby girls in our lives & we look forward to many more family gatherings to come to share with these little ones.

Here are a few of our favorite shots for the day.

Gram with little Emma at Mama's house.

Baby Morgan, who is now 11 weeks old.

My neice Caroline & Alex (1.5 years old), my cousin Trisha's little boy who became huge buddies. He followed her around all day wanting her to play with him & hold him.



This is the first picture we have of Emma & Morgan together where they are actually both awake & not crying. These are 2 pretty little girls.

Our precious puppy Spencer, taking a snoze at my Mom's house. Yes we do take him to family outings. Its probably a little crazy I know but he is just part of the family.

Home Alone

Yesterday Chris went back to work so that left Emma & I to fend for ourselves for the first time. I must say I do love staying home with her, but man am I tired. I will be happy when my belly is healed & I gain my strength back, maybe then I won't be so tired. I know motherhood does come with some adjustments to your lifestyle but I am still in the learning stages. Hang in there with me Emma, we will learn how to do this together.

Life with baby Byrd

Life is definitely much different since Emma has joined ours. It has been very hard but also very rewarding at the same time. Every time I sit & hold her it just brings tears to my eyes that she is finally here & we get to keep her. She is so precious.

I must admit that I decided to abandon breastfeeding, but I am very glad I did. I know some women really enjoy it & think it is very rewarding, but I didn't feel that way at all. I was only trying it because I knew I should & because I wanted to. Life is our house if much better since I made decision & Chris is totally fine with it too. He wants me to be happy & as stress free as possible.

This past week was full of doctor appointments for Emma & myself. We called the Pediatrician on Monday morning because Emma had yellowish/green discharge coming from one of her eyes that looked like snot. They said they wanted us to bring her in. It turns out she has an obstructed tear duct, which is very common in newborns. Since their tear ducts are so little & they don't really have tears yet it is very easy for them to get blocked. The doctor sent us home with some eye ointment which she will use until tomorrow. Then on Tuesday I had a blood pressure check at my OB office & it was good but they still want to keep me on my meds until my 6 weeks post partum appointment. Then on Thursday Emma saw a Pediatric Orthopedist & he has referred us to hand surgeon who specializes in children hand surgery. We will see the surgeon in 6 months & she may have surgery as early has next November around her first birthday to correct her 3 jointed thumb.

I am still recovering from my C-section & feeling a little better everyday. Yesterday was the first time I went out without having to go to a doctor appointment. I went to lunch with my sister's & baby neice Morgan. Of course my sister's had to help me since I am not suppose to lift anything heavier than 10 lbs for 4 more weeks, so they had to carry Emma in & out of the restaurant in her carseat. We had a great time, but I was very sore & wiped out when we got home. Emma & I both took naps.

Here are some pictures we have taken since we have been home.

Emma's first sponge bath.

Cousin Kaylee with Emma.

Cousin Caroline with Emma.

Sweet baby Emma.

Emma Comes Home

Here are some pictures from Tuesday, when we left the hospital.

This was the first outfit we bought her & I really wanted her to wear it home.

Emma in her carseat ready to go.


Emma in her hat supplied by the hospital.

Emma with the blanket Mrs. Betty made as we wait on Transport Services to escort us to the car.

Emma Grace's Arrival

As most of you may know Emma's arrival started with an induction on Nov 6 & we arrived at the hospital a little before 6pm. My doctor came in my room & started the process before 6:30pm. Then Friday morning 6-7am they started the Potosin. I got my epidural about mid morning once the contractions picked up & by 1pm it was time to push. One of my favorite doctors was on call Friday & I was thrilled to know she would be delivering Emma. Dr. Schneider & her (Dr. Clarke) both agreed that they would need to watch Emma's heartrate closely & if it started to drop they wouldn't hesitate to do a C-section. Well that is exactly what happened when I started pushing, so I only pushed for about an hour when the decision was made for me to have a C-section.

They prepped me & we were off to the OR & Emma was here by 2:50pm. As they were accessing Emma, I started to feel a little weird & it seems that my blood pressure had dropped. They ended up keeping me in recovery for 2.5 hours to watch me instead of the normal 1 hour, so we headed to a room by 6pm.

Once in our room the Pediatrician & Pediatric Cardiologist came to visit it. It seems that Emma does definitely have a minor heart defect (a whole in her heart) but it is a very common defect & will be watched very cafefully. The Pediatrician told us that during her accessment of Emma she discovered that her thumb on her left had has 3 joints instead of 2. We are planning a followup with a Peds Ortho team within the next weeks to discuss what can or needs to be done about her thumb, which right now isn't a big deal either. Emma is using both her hands as normal.

Everything is going well with the new addition to the family. We adore her & can't get enough of her.

This is my mother (Nana) on the left feeding Morgan (8 weeks old) & my grandmother (Gram) or Emma's great grandmother. Emma is Gram's 15th great grand child.

Nana & Emma.

Chris' mom (Grammy) & Emma.

Me & Emma. I really didn't want to be in the picture but thankfully you can't see very much of me.

This is one of our favorites from the hospital. Isn't she beautiful!!!

Break Down

For some reason last night I had an emotional break down/almost panic attack about being induced tomorrow. I suddenly started to think about it & just got very scared. Its not that I think I will not be able to handle labor, I am just really not looking forward to the pain. Needless to say I have been pretty emotional this week, so it didn't really shock me that I had a break down but the fact that it was unprovoked was a bit odd. Now we had been to dinner & grocery shopping which made me feel terrible, so that probably didn't help either. Thankfully this will all be over by Friday at the latest & we will have our baby girl.

Happy Halloween

We actually did very little on Halloween, mainly because I am 40 weeks pregnant & just don't have it in me (I am sure some of you can relate). Chris passed out most of our candy, I think I answered the door 2 or 3 times & I finished working on the church bulletin. Our 2nd trick-or-treat visitor was my beautiful little niece, Morgan. She was a pumpkin, isn't she precious. She didn't really want to open her eyes for the occassion but that is quite alright. She is still the sweetest pumpkin I have ever seen.

Induction Set

We are at 40 weeks with no change from last week except an induction date has been set. I haven't dilated anymore, just a fingertip, her heartrate is good, the non-stress test went well & the fluid levels are fine too. We did ask the ultra sound tech to measure her & she estimated her weight to be 8 lbs 6 oz, so she may be close to 9 lbs next week (Oh Boy). We are to go to the hospital next Thursday @ 5:30pm & Dr. Schneider will start inducing me at 7pm. I really thought I would be upset if we didn't go to the hospital today but the doctor explained that it just wasn't in my best interests since my body isn't showing signs of being ready to deliver & he would rather wait. I trust my doctor so I am okay with his plans. I am even more excited that he will be the one inducing me. Now he may not deliver her depending on how long it takes me to dilate but at least he will be there for the beginning.

Voting Done

Beverly, Morgan & I went to early vote today & actually got it done. Believe it or not they will let you sit in your car & vote, if you are unable (handicapped) & can't stand in line. Mama has a handicap tag for her rear view mirror that she used for Daddy & then passed on the Beverly since she had Morgan, so from time to time when Beverly & I we use it. We were not even aware that you could sit in your car & fill out a ballot but this little man came & asked us if we would like to vote when he saw our handicapped tag & we took him up on it. Now granted we were still there 30+ minutes but at least we didn't have to stand in the long lines in cold windy weather with the baby. Now it is all taken care of, we have casted our votes. YEAH!!!

Early Voting

This afternoon after Chris finished working we attempted to go early vote at the library a few miles down the road. Now Beverly & I attempted this twice on Friday at the Board of Elections in downtown Concord but it was raining, the line was out the door & we had Morgan with us of course. We decided to wait another day so we would have to stand out in the rain with the baby.

So Chris & I tried again today & there was an even longer line. He ended up taking me home since it was really cold out & I wasn't feeling like standing in line for hours. Chris went back & it took him 2 hours to vote. Who would have thought that early voting would have been such a big hit. I will probably continue to try daily to go vote until next week or when Miss Emma comes, which ever comes first.

Almost

Last night I think Chris & I both thought it might be time to call the doctor & go to the hospital but Emma decided not quite yet. It had been a pretty busy afternoon with me running errans with Beverly & baby Morgan & then we met up with Mama & Karen to go visit my 91 year old grandmother, Gram. We had a great time & of course Morgan was a sweet baby all day, as always. Then after dinner last night around 9:15 the contractions started & they were 5-6 minutes apart, unfortunately they only lasted for about 45 minutes & then I had my last one around 10:30. After that contraction I took my Ambein, went to slept & woke up to face a new day.

Today we plan to go watch our nieces play soccer, hang the window treatment in Emma's room & hopefully fix our closet that is literally falling apart. Have a great weekend.

Week 39

There is little progress this week but we do have some. I am dilated 1 fingertip (not quite a cm) & 50% efaced. I was definitely hoping for more & as soon as the doctor left the exam room I broke into tears. He is aware that I am very unhappy still being pregnant & he again told me I could go at anytime. I have tried to be as active as possible to try & move Miss Emma along & maybe that has sparked the little progress I have experienced so far, who knows.

Dr Schneider did tell me he wants to do an ultra sound next week to check the fluid & a non-stress test to make sure Emma & I can handle going past my due date. He said it is always possible that he could just send me across the street to the hospital after he sees the test results & examines me, so we will have to wait & see. He is such a great doctor & always thinking positively to keep my spirits up but this morning it just didn't help. After I got in the car I cried for another 10-15 with Chris sitting beside me trying to console me, but there just isn't any words he can say to help. I just don't want to be a pregnant woman anymore, I want to be a Mom.

Chris did tell me one thing that made me feel a little better. He said maybe Emma is waiting on me to be home before she makes her arrival. Chris is going to be working from home starting next week until she comes & maybe he is right. She is definitely trying to teach me patience & I thought I was a fairly patient person but I guess I have waited so long for this that its driving me crazy.

Shop til you Drop

That is exactly what we did Saturday. Neither of my nieces had soccer games on Saturday & that is how we normally spend our Saturday's is on the ball field watching them play, but instead Beverly decided she wanted to hit the consignment stores. So I called Karen & Mama & they joined us on our venture + Kaylee came too. We hit 3 stores & had a great time. Beverly & I both bought a lot of clothes + we found a bassenet & a pack -n-play for Chris' parents. Last week I realized I didn't have anything to for Emma to rest in during the day & night, all we have is a pack-n-play & crib which are both up stairs. I really wanted to have something downstairs too & we found this bassenet I fell in love with. Not that its beautiful or anything but I just really liked it + you can hide the wheels on the bottom & it becomes a cradle BONUS. So we will keep this in our room & put up the pack-n-play downstairs. Now all we need is a baby, come on Emma.

SLEEP!!!!

I finally got some good sleep last night with the help of Ambien. I think I may have slept too hard in fact. I kind of feel like I have a hang over + I am really sad today. My sweet puppy Spencer is trying his best to cheer my up every time I break into tears (for no reason) by jumping in my lap with his smiling face & trying to lick me. I can't help but laugh at him & it does help, what a sweet puppy, thanks buddy. He doesn't allow people to be sad around him if he can help it.

This is a picture of Spencer with one of his favorite toys, his noisy ball. It came from Cracker Barrell & it originally had a wessell attached to it + it runs on batteries running around the room on its own but he just plays soccer with it. We need to video it sometime to show how much he loves it.

Pot Luck Surprise

Yesterday Chris' department at work had a pot luck luck, which they do pretty often but little did he know it was also for him. They gave him a baby shower & he was so excited when he called & told me. After my OB appointment I went by Babies R Us & a consignment store in Pineville with plans to meet Anita & Vicki from the office for lunch. I didn't get anything at BRU but I did find a bouncer at the consignment for $20 & its exactly what I was looking for. I wanted on that either had lights or music along with a rocking/vibrations. The I got has an aquarium attached to the bar thet lights up, plays music & bubbles, score. I also pick up some clothes for Miss Emma too. I discovered over the weekend that she did have very many newborn things so this week I have picked up several things either on sale or from consignment stores.

So after shopping I headed to the office to meet up with Anita & Vicki & we went to eat a Chilil's & had a great time as usual. After lunch I went in the office to see the other girls from TCH & that is when I got the call from Chris about his surprise shower. We got some nice stuff. One of my favorites is a hand knitted hat & blanket that is still to come, she left us note telling us the blanket wasn't quite done yet but I can't wait to see it. I will post a picture of both soon.

Thanks so much Time Warner for the shower, which will be our 4th. We are so thankful to have so many family, friends & coworkers who want to celebrate with us Emma arrival. We can't wait till she gets to enjoy & use all these gifts.

Same Story, Different Day

Today I had my 38 week appointment & if you haven't guessed from the title of this blog, it was pretty uneventful. I have not dilated anymore but I did gain more weight, 2 lbs. My doctor said you really can't go by how dilated you are, he said you could go into labor anytime regardless. I did ask him how long past my due date he would let me go & he said he wouldn't let me go to 42 weeks. He said complications start occurring at 42 so he would induce at 41+. So hearing that made me feel pretty good. I would love to have her now of course but as long as I am not miserable I can continue.

Oh & Chris told him that I haven't been sleeping so he wrote me a script for Ambien. Last night I actually slept very well but it be because I made myself stay up late & I took my Tylenol PM late too hoping it would help. Not sure if it really worked or not but I was very glad to have a full night's sleep.

Sleepless in Concord

Yea, that would be me. My contraction may not be forming any type of pattern by my lack of sleep sure is. Every other day since Saturday night I am waking up between 2-4am & I can't go back to sleep. I just lay there wishing or sometimes crying trying to get myself back to sleep. I even take Tylenol PM each night before I go to bed but its almost as if it wears off & I wake up. Dr. Moore offered me Ambien a few weeks ago when I had that really bad week but I declined & told him it was a rare occassion for me to feel bad & not sleep. Tomorrow I just might have to ask Dr. Schneider for something, since last night was another sleepless one. I have even resorted to taking a second dose of Tylenol PM when this occurs which does help me go back to sleep but then I still feel terrible the next day. Last night I told Chris I felt like I may be getting the flu & hopefully its just because I am so tired & that is why my entire body aches.

There is one bright side to this story & its that I am thankful I am not working through the end of my pregnancy, especially since I am not sleeping. Our dear Lord does work in mysterious ways. I truly believe he is watching over Emma & I.

Checkup

This afternoon I had to go back to the OB for a preeclampsia check & everything was fine, except I have gained 4 lbs since Thursday. Luckily Dr. Zerkle said its most likely water weight but its still something I didn't want to hear. He was a little concerned about my swelling as they all have been so I have to go back again on Thursday & I get to see my doctor, YEAH.

I also went shopping today for nursing pjs, clothes for Emma & a bouncer but all I came home with was clothes for me. I found some really good buys & a few things for Emma I may go back to get but tomorrow I plan to hit the consignment store down the road from our house.

Another Good One

We had another really good weekend after the small scare from Miss Emma on Friday morning. I already had plans to go with my sister, baby Morgan, my cousin Trisha & her 15 month old little boy to visit our grandmother for lunch. Thursday was her 91st birthday & we wanted to visit her for a belated celebration & we all had a great time. I had originally planned on taking my camera but with the excitement of the morning it kind of slipped my mind. Above is the most recent picture I have of Gram & my Mom 4 weeks ago at the hospital with 1 day old Morgan.

Then after lunch Karen, my oldest sister & I stopped by one of the consignment stores we neither one of us purchased a thing. I am looking for a bouncer & she is searching for a car seat base, our searches continue.

Saturday was a pretty busy day in our house. Chris left really early to go help his parents move some things into storage & had a baby shower for a friend to attend + I had cooking to do for our church picnic later that afternoon. The shower started at 1pm so I left before Chris came home & he left before I returned so he could play ball at the church picnic. Unfortunately I didn't get to the picnic until 6pm (the shower ran really late) so I missed seeing everyone playing softball but I hear they all had a great time. even baby Morgan was in attendance. The picnic was a lot of fun & of course ended with me having contractions as we were walking to the car. I only had a few but they were pretty strong.

Saturday night was not a good one for me at all, since I had trouble sleeping & I am not sure why. I wasn't uncomfortable or in pain, just awake from 2-5am. I did finally cry myself to sleep from exhaustion but I felt terrible on Sunday morning of course. I had several strong contractions while at church Sunday morning but again nothing in a pattern or enough to call the OB but of course I was crying by the time services were over due to being extremely tired + in pain. I only had 1 more contraction the rest of day right after lunch so my hopes that this weekend was going to be it did not happen. I take a nap Sunday afternoon but it wasn't quite enough to help me feel myself. Last night I slept great & I feel much more like myself today.

A Small Scare

This morning I got a bit worried that I wasn't feeling any movement from little Emma so I gave Chris a call at work. It was 10am & I had already had breakfast + 2 glasses of OJ which normally wakes her up but not a peep out of her. So I call the doctor's office & left a message for the OB nurse (they have to call you back). Then Chris called my oldest sister Karen & she came over to take me to the doctor. We waited 45 minutes & finally the nurse called back & offered to let me come in so they could check for a fetal heartrate after she heard I had already drank OJ but Emma didn't respond. We got to the dr's office & Chris was waiting for me & about to go crazy. The nurse took us back & at first her heartrate was 120, which was lower than yesterday & Dr. Clarke didn't like it in the 120's, so the nurse checked it again. The second time it was 128 & I was starting to feel her move a little. Then she checked it one more time & it was up to 156 which was great. Chris & I both teared up when we heard her strong heartbeat.

We told the nurse we were in the office yesterday & Dr. Clarke put me on a preeclampsia watch & that was why we were concerned that she wasn't moving (it was one of the things the doctor told me to look out for). So the nurse checked my blood pressure too & it was much better today 120/78 which is normal for me. It was a very emotional morning but we are so glad everything turned out okay. Chris said Emma is grounded when she is born for scaring him to death.

3 Weeks & Counting

This morning was my 37 week OB appointment & we saw a new doctor who just started at my office last week & we liked her very much. She is young, peppy & very proactive. She has put me on a preeclampsia watch. My blood pressure was too high, she didn't like the swelling in my feet/ankles, I have been having blurred vision & Emma's heartrate was much lower than normal. My proteins were good & my weight didn't increase from last week so she was happy with those results.

Unfortunately I am not any closer to deliver Emma than I was last week. I am still 75% efaced with no dilation but I do have a few contractions per day just not enough to progress me any further. So I have to go back Monday afternoon to be checked again as a precaution. So now I am wondering if they will end up having to enduce me, either for preeclampsia reasons or because I am past due. I guess time will tell.

New Bras

Now I know this may be TMI but I felt like I just had to share my new bra purchases. I went to Motherhood Maternity today to get fitted for new bras, the ones I bought 2-3 months ago are getting snug & I knew I would need more once I start breastfeeding. Would you believe I purchased "E" cup bras, I was giggling while in the dressing room. Just the idea of my in an "E" is amazing, normall I am a "C." I knew they had grown & that there was more to come once I started nursing but I wasn't prepared for that at all.

Now all I have to do is wash them & put them in my hospital bag. Its getting really close & I must say I am ready but also a little scared about labor/delivery.

Visiting Friends

Today I met to friends I used to work with at the old office, Stephanie & Varsha to help them with some computer software issues. It was really great to see them. I have spoken to them several times over email but it has probably been at least 2 years since I have seem them both. Varsha is from India & made us lunch with authentic Indian food which was great.

After eating I headed to see Anita from the office, today is her birthday. I ate cake with the girls stayed for a while & headed back home. Today has been another good day, but I am tired.

A Great Day!!!

That was what Sunday was, just a great day. Morgan went to church for the first time & she was just perfect. I got to feed her during services & held her the entire time. She was awake & hardly made a peep. After church we went to Mama's to have lunch & to celebrate Morgan's homecoming from the hospital. Chris went to the Panthers game with several guys from church & my brother-in-law was out of town working & we think my brother, Michael was at the Panthers game as well so it was just the girls of the family. We had a great time. Morgan has brought so much joy to our family, which has been overdue for sometime & we just can't seem to get enough of her. She is such a sweet baby. Here are some picture of our afternoon.

Here is my oldest niece Kaylee (12) & baby Morgan. Aren't they both just beautiful. I can't believe how old & grown up Kaylee is.

This is Caroline (10) & Morgan with her paci she loves.

Here is Aunt Karen (Kaylee & Caroline's Mom), Morgan & our dog Spencer. They were trying to keep him from licking Morgan. He did get in one or two on her little head. He loves baby Morgan. Its good practice for him for when Emma arrives.

Morgan & Spencer

BreastFeeding & Car Seats

Today we went to our breastfeeding class & I really enjoyed it. I was afraid the instructor would be just as annoying as our Child Birthing Class instructor but this lady was a lot of fun.Now granted there wasn't much she told us that I didn't know already but I am very glad we went.

After lunch we went to Babies R Us to purchase a shower gift for some friends who are having a shower next Saturday & we picked up a few things for ourselves too. We also went to the fire station later in the afternoon to have our car seat installed. I know feel like a real Mommy & I can't wait to place Emma in the car for the first time.

A Good Buy, Sadness

After my OB appointment I headed to Marshall's on a mission to find this diaper bag I spotted the day before at another location, but it had a hole in it while Chris headed off to work. Luckily I found the diaper bag & purchased it for only $18. Now there really isn't anything extra special about this bag except I was pretty sure it was one Chris would be willing to carry (not girly) & we needed one that was a little larger. Thankfully he liked the bag once he saw it & now we don't have to purchase the expensive ones we registered for at Babies R Us.

The rest of my day was not as good as my morning. For some unknown reason, call it hormones or whatever, I pretty much cried & ate the rest of the day. I was so tired & sad but I have no idea why. Every time I would get myself together & stop crying the tears would start to fall again. I even tried to take a nap & I couldn't sleep so, guess what that caused more tears. I did finally stop crying about an hour after Chris came home & thankfully today is a better day.

36 Week Appointment

Well we found out today that I am 75% efaced but no dilation. Dr. Moore said most women are usually dilated at least 1 cm at 75% so he suspects I will start dilating soon. He told me the sharp pains I have been feeling are my pelvis moving/opening up to make room for the baby to drop & pass through & not a part of contractions. He said the cramps that are accompaning the sharp pains probably are contractions & that is to be expected at 36 weeks. He also said its not that abnormal to suddenly start feeling bad when I have felt so good through out the pregnancy & its totally normal at 36 weeks. He said I am progressing as normal & baby Emma is still head down. He also said my lack of sleep has nothing to do with how bad I feel either, which was what I thought, its just part of being 36 weeks pregnant & nearing the end.

We go back next Thursday to see a new doctor they just added to the practice & we will now be going every week. We should also get the Strep B culture results.

Just as a side note, I am feeling pretty good today. I am pretty tired but not sore or uncomfortable like I have been earlier this week.

New Look, New Name

I finally got it to work. I have tried several times to change my background & this is the one I have picked for now but I am sure I will change it again soon. I was actually going to wait until little Emma was born before I changed the title of my blog but I went ahead & did all the changes at the same time. For those who may not know Byrd is our last name & I thought this title would be really cute, but if anyone has any other suggestions feel free to throw them out.

Happy Anniversary

Yes today marks 9 years with my lovely husband Chris. We had agreed earlier this year, even before I was laid off from my job that we weren't going to exchange presents, but he broke the rules like he normally does + he gave me my present early. He got me a gift certificate to get a massage & he gave it to me Monday night. Bless his heart, each night this week when he has come home from work I end up in tears from being extremely tired & not feeling well. I have been having cramps & some contractions in the late afternoon & evenings which really make me feel pretty bad. I have been in the bed each night by 7:30 or 8:00pm. I am sure the lack of sleep I have been getting at night isn't helping matters either. I plan to take it easy today & even take a nap so maybe I can at least make it through our anniversary without tears. We are planning on going to dinner when he gets home from work at a nice Chinese restuarant we haven't been to in years.

Morgan Goes Home

This afternoon Morgan was discharged from the hospital. The surgeon came in early this morning & removed the packing from the surgery site & said everything looked great. The culture results came back & said there was no major infection just some bacteria so they switched her to Augmentin instead of the heavy antibiotics she was on. The surgeon did want Morgan to stay at the hospital for a few hours to make sure she didn't have any reaction to her new meds & she didn't so we left with her around 2:30pm.

Morgan & Mama Beverly are home now & very tired but glad to be out of the hospital. Last night was a rough night, baby Morgan was up all night with a possible upset tummy & finally fell asleep at 4:30am. We are suspecting all the antibiotics probably upset Morgan's tummy just like they do with adults but that is the only issue we have seen. They have a follow-up appointment tomorrow morning at the Pediatrian's office.

Morgan's Progress

She is still doing really good but was a little fussy last night & this morning. Beverly said they came in almost every hour last night & every time she got Morgan settled someone else would come in & want to poke at her. But she seemed muck better after my oldest sister Karen feed her lunch & she took a quick nap. Then I got to hold her & she was awake with bright eyes & as happy as she could be.

We are still waiting on the culture results from the surgery to see what type of staf infection she had & her IV fell out last night so now they are giving her liquid antibiotics. They are not going to try & place the IV back in since they had so much trouble with it over the weekend. They will probably come home on Thursday as long as Morgan continues to show no signs of further infection. Her voice is a little raspy but the doctor & nurse checked her out & she seemed to be fine. She may just be hoarse or have a little sore throat but other than that she is doing great. What a sweet baby we have.

Morgan update

We (Chris & I) were at the hospital last night until 8:30 when I knew I needed to go & rest plus my family was strongly suggesting me to go home too. Of course I cried because I didn't want to leave but I knew I needed to. The last we had heard at that point was they were coming to get Morgan at 10pm for surgery & I knew I would never make it that long. I was already extremely tired & I didn't want to end up in misery.

They did come get Morgan at 10:30 pm for surgery & that is when the torturous waiting began. Morgan had not eaten since 2pm because they kept telling us all day she was next for surgery but several emergencies Peds cases were in front of her & of course it should be that way. Then finally at 1:30am the surgeon came to speak to Beverly with Morgan screaming due to hunger & she had been screaming since 10:00pm to tell her Morgan may have to wait 2 more hours. He also gave Beverly the option of moving Morgan's surgery to 7:30 am today & promised she would not be bumped. Beverly asked if she moved her to 7:30 would Morgan be able to eat & he said yes, so she didn't hesitate & moved her surgery. The nurses immediately brought Morgan some PediLyte & some formula which Morgan drank like it was the best thing ever. They were able to give her one more PediLyte before the surgery too.

Morgan was out of surgery & back in her room this morning at 10am & is doing very well. It turns out they are now just calling it an abyss not the brachial cleft cyst. Last night after we left the abyss opened on its own & drained a lot of fluid & the doctor took a sample of it. The results from the sample probably will not be back until tomorrow or Wed but they are pretty sure it was just a staf infection. Mama said as soon as the abyss drained Morgan's skin was laying flat & no longer raised or yellow. They did make a small incision to check the abyss & get more drainage & they didn't see any other infection other than the abyss site. They were also able to finally get an IV line in Morgan's little foot while she was sedated so now they can administer her antibiotics that way instead of injections every hour. Morgan does have a bandage on her neck & will probably be in the hospital until Wed or Thurs but everyone is doing fine. There are still no signs of a fever or Morgan being sick at all she is just very tired, as is Beverly.

New Nickname

Have a mentioned yet that my mother gave me a nickname while my sister was in labor 2 weeks ago? I am now "Angie Byrd Square Feet" instead of Sponge Bob Square Pants due to my very swollen ankles & feet. I had been calling my feet Fred Flinestone feet since they so swollen. Just a funny I thought I would pass along.

14 days old

and my baby niece, Morgan had to be admitted to the hospital. She isn't sick, she has an boil/abyss on her neck that is raised & had us a little concerned. We suggested that Beverly, my sister, contact the Pediatrian & they said they did want to see her. The Pediatrain saw her Saturday morning & said Morgan should be admitted. They are thinking it is just a localized infection.

Saturday they tried 5-6 times to place an IV in her with antibotics but were completely unsuccessful in her hands, feet, arms, legs & even her scalp. They are giving her antibotics by shot until they are able to get that IV in. They tried again today to place the IV & they still are not having any success. They have been using warm compresses on Morgan to try & get the abyss to open on its own to drain. Its about the size of the tip of your pinkie finger & raised about .5 inch off her neck near her collarbone.

The surgeon was just in a few minutes ago & he seems to think its a brachial cleft cyst which is when while a baby is in utero these places normally close up but Morgan's did not & it became infected. The surgeon consulted with a Peds surgeon & he thinks they need to do a small incision to get it to drain instead of waiting on the compresses to drain it.

Now we are just waiting on the Peds surgeon to finish with some other patients and they are going to come get Morgan. It may not be until tomorrow morning until they do surgery on Morgan to drain the cyst since she isn't showing any other signs of infection. She doesn't have a fever, she is eating fine, going in her diaper fine & she is acting just like herself, she just wants everyone to stop poking at her.

I will update you when we know more. My sister, Beverly is doing fine, she is just tired as we all are since this all started Saturday morning at 11am & Morgan didn't get her 1st dose of meds until 11pm Sat night. Yesterday was a very long day & today has been pretty much the same.

Last Class

I totally forgot to mention our last child birthing class we had on Monday & maybe that was because it was pretty uneventful. Most of the class was about taking care of Mama & baby after delivery & once you get home. She also showed us the things the hospital would give us during recovery after the delivery. We learned how to swaddle & a Pediatrian was suppose to come visit but he didn't show. All in all it was a pretty boring class & thankfully we got to leave early that night.

Good Times

Yesterday the ladies from the office gave me a baby shower. Amy hosted it at her house at lunch time & we had mexican, since they know I have craved that a lot while being pregnant. They were originally planning on surprising me with a shower last Wednesday, but that plan got busted by corporate's lay offs. We had a great time & I got some really nice things. Now I just have to put it all away after Chris has a chance to see what all we got, which is actually a chore I enjoy. I just love walking into her room, it makes me smile everytime.

Mean Mail

I have to share or vent, which ever you would like to call it, about the mail I got over the weekend. I got a certified envelope from the corporate office & we just assumed it was Cobra insurance papers or something, but no. It was a package disclosing the discrimination act, a list of all the employees titles (not their names) that were laid off & their ages. I guess its a way to cover themselves from lawsuits. Then the last 8-10 pages were of all the employees that still remain working there & their ages. Now that is just mean. It even mentioned that this was an agreement between the party it was delivered to & HR, but I didn't agree to this arrangement. Now don't get me wrong I do look forward to staying home with little Emma as long as I can, but I still loved my job & will miss it & all the people I worked with a lot. Anyway, just thought I would share that little tid bit with you.

34 weeks

Friday was my 34 week appointment at the OB & it went pretty well, except for having to wait 45 minutes to see the doctor. I am not real sure why they have become so slow but hopefully next time will be better since our appointment is at 8:30am. My blood pressure was a little elevated so the doctor had the nurse come back in & check it again before I left & it had dropped so the doctor let us go. She was a bit concerned about the swelling in my feet & ankles & told me to elevate my feet as often as possible. Its funny, the last doctor we saw 2 weeks ago said that wouldn't really help much but I will do it regardless. I gained 3 lbs in the last 2 weeks & externally I measured dead on 34 weeks. I wonder when Emma will decide to make her appearance. In 2 more weeks at my next appointment they will check for Strep B & to see if I am dilated or thinned out.

She's growing

Yesterday was our final appointment at the Maternal & Fetal Medicine office & it was a great visit. We got some great ultra sound pictures of little Emma & in some of them she is even smiling. They even gave us some 3D/4D images to take home. According to their measurements I am 6 days ahead = 34 weeks & 6 days, but they said that was still in the normal range. Emma estimated size is 5 lbs, 5 oz so she is growing wonderfully. I can't believe we only have 6 weeks or less until we get to meet her.

Corporate America Strikes Again

in the Byrd houshold. Yes, I got laid off on Wednesday, again by the same company on Wednesday but at least this time it wasn't a total surprise. We got word that our boss who is in Atlanta at the Corporate office was coming into town for a Production Meeting, yea right. The last time he came to town was to interview me almost 2 years ago, so we got a little concerned. The other 2 girls I work with Anita & Vicki started probing him with questions which he avoided answering, so we got our Publisher to do some digging. She asked our Regional Manager if she knew any details & she said she knew John was coming to town & that it wasn't for a good reason. Our minds started to spin & we thought maybe they were moving our art departement of 3 to the corporate office & that all 3 of us were being laid off. My gutt told me otherwise. I had a feeling it was going to be me since I was the last one hired & our new CEO was streamlining. We also found out on Tuesday that several higher ups were laid off as well.

So Wednesday morning came & I was asked by our Regional to step into our conference room & there sits our boss on the other side of the table. I sit down & he tells me HR is on the phone to witness & he starts reading his script. I handled it really well & didn't shed a tear. There was a severance package offered & we plan to accept it. After the script was read & I asked the few questions I had to the HR rep on the phone, it was a done deal. Then my boss & I spoke candidly, which of course we were not suppose to be doing but he is such a nice guy I wouldn't expect anything less. He was visibly shaking & continued to apologize, not only for laying me off, but for having to do it a second time & to a pregnant woman. I told him that I total understand that he is just the messenger & that I don't hold any bad feelings for him at all. That is just how it goes sometimes. I just hate I have to leave a job & co-workers that I love, again.

So our plan now is for me to be a stay-at-home mom until I find a new job. Hopefully I will find one faster than I did last time, 11 months but we know the good Lord will take care of us in the mean time.

Introducing...

my niece, Morgan Riley Shane born Saturday, Sept 13 at 3:19 am. She weighted 7 lbs, 4 oz & was 19.5 inches long. Is she a cutie or what. She looks so much like Beverly. We love those little chubby cheeks & she also have very long fingers (Beverly calls them basketball hands) & toes.

I love this one, aren't they sweet!!!

This is my mom & her mother, Gram, who will be 91 next month with Morgan (she's yawning).

This is my oldest sister, Karen with Morgan & her paci which she loves.

This is me of course with baby Morgan sleeping (please ignore the cleavage, Chris was behind the camera).

As for the story of Morgan's arrival, it went really well. Beverly had been having contraction off/on all week last week but Friday afternoon they started around 5pm. I got a call from Mama around 6pm saying her contractions were 5 minutes apart for at least 30 minutes & she was heading over to check on her. Then I got a call from my sister Karen around 7pm saying they were heading to the hospital.

Chris & I got the hospital around 8:30 & Beverly was getting her epidural already. We got to see her about 10pm & she was moving right along. By 1am Saturday it was time to push & she arrived at 3:19am. It was a hard labor since Morgan was face up instead of face down but Beverly & Morgan made it through with flying colors.

Beverly didn't get to hold her since Morgan was grunting a little from possibly swallowing merconium so she only got to see her & talk to her. Mama & Beverly say when Beverly spoke to Morgan she turned her head straight toward Beverly & looked at her, which made it all worth it. The took Morgan to the NICU just as a precaution to observer her but Morgan was fine & was able to get rid of the merconium herself. The NICU kept her for a little while & Beverly finally got to hold her around 2pm Saturday afternoon, after she had been admitted to the regular nursery.

The Pediatrian says she is in the 50% & has strong muscle tone, which saw frequently. Morgan is holding her head up & turning her head all by herself already. She is constantly turning in Beverly's direction when she talks which is very sweet. We are all so glad to finally meet her.

My niece

is here!!! She arrived early this morning 9-13-08 at 3:19 am. Beverly, my sister & baby Morgan Riley are both doing well. We haven't seem Morgan yet, but Beverly said she has chubby cheeks & is very cute. She weighted 7 lbs 4 oz & I don't know a length yet. They did take Morgan to the NICU for observation to make sure she didn't swallow any merconium. We are heading to the hosptial in a couple hours & I hope to post some pictures by tomorrow. I can't wait to see her.

EPIDURALS!!!

That was the topic of our 3rd birthing class this past Monday night & I was surprised to hear that our instructor who is a licensed doula had one with her last child. She has been so against them since our first class & then she mentioned she had one, but she of course wishes she had not. She informed us that she got her when she was 7 cm & 45 minutes later she had her baby, which she seemed to think was a bad thing. But she also continues to tell us that at any point during your labor you decide you can't see yourself handling the pain/discomfort in an hour that it is probably time to ask for an epi. So at least she isn't telling us not to get one at all.

We watched 2 videos & the first one was fine which Chris didn't watch but the 2nd one made me a little uneasy. It was on epidurals & they showed it being administered, which I didn't watch (I just can't handle that type of thing). Then after the video she passed around medical equipment that would be used during labor/delivery & I thought I was going to have to leave the room. I started to get really hot, light-headed & a huge headache. I just kept telling Chris I don't want to see any of it, I just couldn't handle it. The only instruments I did look at was the monitors that would be placed on my belly. I can handle watching birthing videos all day long but I can't deal with seeing all the medical instruments or needles. Chris of course was fine, what a pair we are - me a medical whimp & he gets nervous with the whole reproductive/birthing issues. Luckily I don't have to see the epi being administered & Chris will he at my head during labor/delivery so we should both make it through without getting sick. Although my Mom will be on stand by just in case her assistance is needed.

1 down, 9 cm to go

No, I am not referring to myself, but my sister Beverly. She had her 38 week appointment Friday afternoon & that is what they told her. They also put her & the baby on a monitor for 20 minutes because Morgan's heart rate was a little lower than they liked. In those 20 minutes Morgan's heart rate did increase & Beverly had no contractions so they sent them on their way say see ya next week. The doctor did of course suggest that she walk if she wanted to push herself into labor sooner. Right now her doctor is predicting Morgan will be here fairly close to Beverly's due date, Sept 18. Beverly is of course hoping for are earlier delivery, she is really ready for little Morgan to arrive.

Uneventful appointment + consignment shopping

I had my 32 week appointment yesterday and I must say it was pretty uneventful, except for having to wait 45 minutes to see the doctor. My blood pressure, proteins, weight & Emma's heart rate were all good. Although I am up to 34 lbs gained so far the doctor is still okay with it. She did tell me to start paying attention to how much she moves since now she will be running out of room in the uterus. In a 2 hour period while I am at rest or at least still, she should move at least 10 times. The doctor especially brought this to our attention since Emma has a rotated heart, she wants me to pay special attention to her movement. She was actually a little surprise that the Maternal & Fetal Medicine doctors do not have me monitoring her heart rate myself at home, but that has never been mentioned.

So today I went on a photo shot at work with the Art Director & didn't go into the office. After we ate lunch I headed to 2 consignment stores near by to shop. I ended up buying 8-9 outfits for little Emma & I can't wait for her to wear them. I really wanted some dressy clothes for her to wear to church & outfits that are not pink. Most of the clothing we have received as gifts is pink but I wanted a variety. I totally understand that girls should wear pink but really, not every day. Anyway I had a great time today, I only wish I could have shared my shopping fun with Chris, my sisters or Mama.

New Name

I am considering renaming my blog & changing the design & I thought I would ask from some input from all of you who visit regularly. I haven't quite picked out a design yet but the new names I am considering so far are (which incorporate our last name):

"The Byrd Nest"
"The Byrd Seeds"
"The Seeds of Byrd"

If you have any suggestions or votes feel free to chime in. I am not the best wordsmith & welcome any assistance you can give.

Great Weekend

I love weekends like the one we just had + we got an extra day. We spent a lot of time with our families & had a great time. Friday night we went shopping for baby Emma, but came home empty handed. I was looking for an outfit for her to wear for her first picture at the hospital but didn't find it. Saturday we went to 2 local consignment shops with my sister & mama & picked up 1 outfit & 2 pairs of pants for Emma. Beverly got a Boppy & infant swim suits. Saturday night we went to Chris' parents house for dinner to celebrate Chris' birthday, its a bit early but his brother was in town from Maryland. Sunday we went swimming with my family. Monday we went to the White Water Park in Charlotte just to walk around & to eat lunch. My mom & oldest sister Karen + her family had never been & we just tagged along. We didn't ride any white water rafts or anything but we still had a great time walk around the park & watching (its free). I only wish we had remember to take the camera. We could have gotten some great shots for our adoption profile which we need to update soon. Then we went swimming & ordered pizza. Weekends like this help me appreciate the fact that our families live so close by & we can spend time together.

Yea Emma!!!

She finally kicked for Chris last night. I was very tired last night & got in bed by 8:30 & Chris came & laid down with me for a little while with his hands on my belly hoping he would feel her move & he said he did. I must have fallen asleep because I kept telling him I didn't feel anything so then he showed me what he felt & it had to be her. She hasn't woke me up yet, but there has been times when she was very active at bedtime & it was hard for me to fall asleep. I must say, Chris was very excited. At first he thought maybe it was my tummy rumbling but he kept his hand there & she kicked some more. Way to go baby girl, Daddy is so proud.

Major Movement

I made the comment to Chris last night that Emma hasn't moved much in the last few days but she is definitely making up for it today. I can actually see waves of movement not just kicks & pokes. It is apparent that there is a creature in my belly & it just makes me giggle to watch. I sure hope she will do it later for her Daddy, he really wants to be able to see her move.

Weather Geeks & Our House

They are out of control again. If you don't know what I am referring to, that is what we call in our house the weather men when the interrupt TV shows to discuss the weather for hours on end. Last night they interrupted the evening world news to tell us about a tornado warning that was about to expire in 30 minutes & then this morning the stayed on the air past 7am & interrupted Good Morning America. It is fine if they come on with a weather update & run the little strip at the bottom of the screen but they don't need to stay on the air. Yes we are aware that we got more than than was expected (8.5 inches in the last 36 hours) but come on, the sun is out now. I know there was some flooding & they even cancelled school in the county we live in today, but I think they are completely out of hand. It is suppose to start raining again this afternoon so I am sure they will be in full force again tonight since the ground is totally saturated & can't with stand anymore water.

Just a little rant I wanted to share with all of you.

Oh & thanks to the wonderful rain, that I know we really need, we have a leak in the kitchen. It has leaked before right after we moved in the house & we thought it was fixed but no. So Chris was a bit upset last night when I found it. Plus the siding on our house keeps coming lose & its lose again due to the storms last night, even though he just popped it back in a few days ago. Then this morning Chris went in our closet & one of the racks has fallen off the wall. Chris said, "our house is literally falling down around us." I couldn't help but laugh. If you know my husband, he doesn't rant or complain very much at all, unless he is behind the wheel of a car (totally different story, for another day). So now we have to call someone to fix our leak, he has to get back on the roof once it quits raining (Friday/Saturday) & he has to fix the rack in the closet. Happy Wednesday!!!

Birthing Class Part 2

Last night was our 2nd birthing class & it seems to go much better than the first one. Our instructor wasn't as anti-meds as she was last week but she still had some choice comments. One of our favorites, which I may have mentioned last week, "water is just as effective as narcotics." Who is she kidding? She did ask us who all was planning on a natural birth & only 1 lady raised her hand & another one said she hasn't decided yet, so she has her work cut out for her if she thinks she will be changing the minds of the rest of us.

We discussed "active labor" & what to expect, watched another birth video, learned some breathing techniques & my favorite part, our partners learned some massage skills to help mom relax. I love massages as I am sure most women do & I will take them anytime I can get them.

Oh there was this one woman in our class last night who is 34-35 weeks along & she started having contractions during our 15 minute break. We were a little concerned that we might have to take her down the hall & possibly have her admitted. Luckily her contractions & cramps stopped but I was a little concerned for her. Her husband wasn't with her & she had to drive home in the rain alone. I would have been a bit scared if I was her. We did walk out to the parking deck with her & she seemed fine so we went on our way.

Church Shower

Yesterday was a really good day, we had another shower hosted by the church. This is a copy of the invitations that Janet made & sent out. Janet took a picture of the cake & refreshment table before I arrived & I don't have that picture yet, so I may share it later. It was at Betsy's house & the other 2 hostesses were Janet (a dear friend of the family) & Pam (the minister's wife). We had a great time & received a lot of nice things. Thanks ladies for the wonderful shower.

Emma got another hand crocheted pink blanket made by Connie Rowden. I had no idea she even made blankets & its is very pretty. We also got our high chair, a lot of long sleeved clothes, a small diaper bag & a very pretty large pink one filled with diapers from Denise. I think we will probably use the large pink one as luggage to travel to/from the beach.

This is just a random picture of me opening some books we got from Betty. Note Karen peeking around the lamp in the picture. She was telling me that she got "The Velveteen Rabbit" from Betty too when Kaylee (my oldest niece) was born. Also note my belly in this picture, it almost resembles a pregnant belly. The ladies at the shower told me when I came in that didn't look that pregnant but this shirt I have on is pretty big & just hangs off my shoulders but I really like it.

We also made a trip to Babies R Us last night to use our gift certificates & coupons which were about to expire to get our Pack n Play. It only cost us $40 after the GC's & the coupon, YEA!!! We plan on going back later this week to use another coupon & gift card we received at the shower to use for Emma's mattress. Oddly enough I don't think we are going to have to return any of the items we have received. We have not gotten in duplicates but I wide variety of things. We are so grateful to everyone.