Pearls & Pumps

730

2011-06-27T08:07:00.000-04:00

730

That's how many days it has been since the day that my beautiful baby girl was born. Things did not go exactly the way that we planned for them to on that day...

She decided that one is never too young to start giving her parents heart-attacks and grey hairs...

She was destined to be a girlie girl from the very beginning...(note the bow-bow)

On that day, we weren't sure that we were ever going to make it to this day...

But here we are, we have come a long ways!

Clearly, still ALL girl.

Today, I would like to wish a very happy 2nd birthday to the love of my life. Alaina, you are the most amazing little person I have ever met. Every single day you do or say something new that surprises me. My heart overflows with joy and love each time I look into your big brown eyes. I can't imagine living even one day without you. Don't ever forget just how incredibly special you are.

I am so, so proud to be your mommy.

I love you, Laina-bug.

Cliffs

2011-06-14T17:26:00.003-04:00

What is it about cliffs that makes them so enticing? What is it exactly that makes otherwise sane, rational people feel the need to walk right up to the edge and peer over? Furthermore, what is it that makes us think that hitting the bottom is going to be any less painful than the last time we jumped off? And yet, we leap time and again, hoping that this is the time the net will magically appear to catch us. We hold our breaths and pray as we take that first step off and begin to free-fall.

Oh and what a glorious feeling it is - the falling. The wind rushes past noisily, blocking out all other sounds and senses until the only thing left is the blissful feeling of complete freedom. Even the nagging voice reminding you that the ground is looming is quieted in that first instant. As the ground draws nearer though, that voice grows louder and more insistant that you hear its simple truth: you are going to hit the ground and it is going to hurt like hell.

In those moments we are torn in opposite directions, trying to prepare for the inevitable and desperately clinging to those final moments of free-falling bliss; all the while, still waiting for the net to appear. It is not until the point of impact, when the ground slams into us, that we fully accept what we have known in our hearts all along: there was never really any net at all.

Change of plans

2011-05-21T15:32:00.004-04:00

I had a plan for today. I woke up fully intending on getting about 8 different projects done, a lot of cleaning, and hopefully getting a little writing done in the evening. I sat down with coffee, allowing myself 30 minutes to catch up on some blogs I've neglected before getting started.

It has been almost 4 hours.

Usually, when I get sucked into the internet, it's random articles, that link one to another until a ridiculous amount of time has passed and I have no idea how exactly I came to be watching a YouTube video of a girl high on some good drugs after having her wisdom teeth removed.

Sidebar: You have GOT to go watch it. She even raps. True story.

ANYWAY.

Today was a different story. Recently, a friend recommended Christa Black's new book, "God Loves Ugly." Since I had never heard of her before, I popped on over to Christa's website to see what she was all about...my life will never be the same. Can I just tell you? This girl has got it going on. I have read, reread, and then read again for good measure, all of her blog. There is not a single post that didn't speak to me, inspire me, convict me, encourage me, change me.

The video about perspective? I need/want to watch it every morning to start my day off.

The post on swimsuit season? EVERY SINGLE WOMAN NEEDS TO GO READ IT. It's not just fluff...amazing. A-MAZING.

I could write for hours about all the things flying around in my head right now. I want to let them all soak in a little longer before I start trying to get it all down on paper though.

And, if I don't get on the cleaning and rearranging, there really is going to be nowhere for my new furniture to go. So, I am off to be productive. You guys, head over and check out Christa.

Go.

Read.

Be changed.

I am...who?

2011-05-02T12:30:00.004-04:00

There seems to be a lot of talk lately about labels and how we define ourselves and our roles in this world. Do those lables really make up the whole picture? Or are they just a snapshot, a 3x5, when the real picture is a panoramic? My lovely friend Brianna wrote an amazing post, painting us a bigger, better picture of who she really is. I am so often inspired by her words and this post was no different. So without any more babbling or stalling, here is my own.

I am Stephanie.

I am Betty McSunshine, Ashley, Kiwi, Alice, Georgia, Pima, Steph, Stephie to none, thank God.

I am Queen of Nicknames.

I am mom, daughter, sister, niece, friend.

I am a little exhausted, but mostly invigorated. Life is a precious gift and I don't want to waste a second of it.

I am an imperfect person.

I am giving myself permission to be an imperfect person. It is not an excuse to be lazy, selfish or intentionally hurtful, but a realization that I am human, and as such, will always fall short. If my house is not spotless at the end of the day, if the laundry isn't all caught up, if I didn't cook my daughter a gourmet meal, or get the pictures hung or the flowers watered, it is OK. The world will not cease to exist because my bed went unmade for the 12th day in a row. I can not be everything, do everything, please everyone. It is impossible and unreasonable to ask that of myself.

I am a good friend and I am fiercely loyal. If you need me, I am here. Regardless of the day, the time, the reason, if you call me, I will come. No questions asked. I am forgiving but I don't forget if you hurt me or my family.

I am a judgement-free zone. I may disagree, it may not be what I would have chosen, but I respect that we all have the freedom to make our own choices. I will never judge you. In return however, I ask that you not judge me. I absolutely refuse to build relationships with those who do.

I am bold and intense. I am loud and my brain has no filter. I am going to say something that hurts your feelings at some point. I am going to apologize for hurting you, because I am truly sorry that I did. I am never going to be intentionally mean.

I am addicted to post-it notes and quotes. Lucky for me they go together so well.

I am a creative soul. I love to make jewelry, cards, things for the house, etc. My favorite thing to make is baby blankets. As I sit with the soft yarn intertwined around my fingers, I pray for the child it is going to. That it will keep them warm and offer them security. I secretly hope that they keep it always and pass it down to their own babies.

I am brave. I am also terrified. Of so much I don't even know where to start. But I refuse to give in to the fear. So I put on my big girl panties and move forward, one tiny step at a time.

I am a believer in Jesus. I believe that He loves me always. I believe that He loves you always. I am so thankful that He extends grace and mercy to a train-wreck like me.

I am in love with my daughter. I am the mom who stares at her in awe and wonder. I am proud of her and the little person she is already becoming. I am her protector and I am always surprised how quickly that shield flies up.

I am incredibly blessed by amazing friends. Marcel Proust said, "Let us be grateful to those who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." My friends dry my tears, make me laugh, love me when I'm unlovable. They even hold me tightly while it storms and cover my ears when it thunders. Did I mention I am scared of storms? I am a sissy.

I am a writer. I write every single day, even if it's just for 5 minutes. I want to publish the novel I am working on. It is the first one that I believe actually has the potential to not suck. I dream of the day that I can hold my book in my hands and weep because I actually freakin' did it.

I am at peace the second my toes hit the shore of the Pacific Ocean. As the freezing water rushes past my ankles, my toes dig in a little deeper and root themselves to the spot. All extraneous noise dies, the voices in my head shut up, and all that surrounds me is the whipping wind and crashing waves. That is what happiness sounds like. I am blissful.

I am me and I am the only me there will ever be. I am strong and true and brave.

I am ME.

Borrowing words of wisdom

2011-03-20T19:33:00.002-04:00

I have been reading the words of Anne Jackson for almost 4 years now. She has made me search deeper for answers, given me hope, inspired me to act and challenged me to love more with each new post. She wrote something about a month ago that broke my heart completely. I wept openly as I read her words, aching for this woman I have never met because, I too, have been there. It is a unique form of grief that is indescribable on most days.

A couple of days ago, she wrote this. In it, she said everything that I wish I could say. She put on paper (or screen, if you will), all of the words that have been blocked inside of me trying to find their way out. So tonight, I ask you to go and read her words, really hear them, and remember that we are all imperfect people in an imperfect world.

Thanks.

No Words

2011-01-09T18:17:00.003-05:00

Writing is how I process things. I have to pour everything out together, stream of consciousness style, and then sort through it until it all makes sense and fits into place. While sometimes I get to the end and nothing fits or makes sense, I never have a problem with the spitting it out part.

Until now.

Now it's going something like this:

Stare at blank screen
Type a few words
Delete those words
Type new words
Delete those words
Repeat, Repeat, Repeat

I keep trying to get out all of the thoughts that are swirling around in my brain so that I can make sense of things. So far, I've got zip. Nada. Nothing. Meh.

And so another night passes, without words, without answers. Tomorrow, I shall try again.

Love in the Home

2010-02-24T11:23:00.006-05:00

One of the blogs that I am absolutely addicted to is Brooke over at the Veleber Chronicles. Her words always whisper quietly to my soul, often saying exactly the thing that I need to hear. This morning was no different. Her post on love was a perfect reminder to focus on the things that are truly important. I am re-posting her poem, but encourage you to go and read her entire post as well as her older material and be blessed!

“Love in the Home”

If I live in a house of spotless beauty with everything in it's place,

But have not love, I am a housekeeper -- not a homemaker.

If i have time for waxing, polishing, and decorative achievements,

But have not love, my children learn cleanliness -- not godliness.

Love leaves the dust in search of a child's laugh.

Love smiles at the tiny fingerprints on a newly cleaned window.

Love wipes away tears before it wipes up the spilled milk.

Love picks up the child before it picks up the toys.

Love is present through the trials.

Love reprimands, reproves, and is responsive.

Love crawls with the baby, walks with the toddler, runs with the child,

Then stands aside to let the youth walk into adulthood.

Love is the key that opens salvation's message in a child's heart.

Before I became a mother I took glory in my house of perfection.

Now I rest in God's perfection of HIS glory.

As a mother, there is much I must teach my child,

But the greatest of all is love.

--Author Unknown

It runs in the family

2010-01-23T08:55:00.004-05:00

If you look closely, you can see her talking with her hands just like I do!

I am finally posting again so crawl off my back, thankyouverymuch

2010-01-13T07:50:00.003-05:00

It has been brought to my attention that I have not updated my blog in awhile. So, here I am. And here's what you missed in 50 words or less:

Christmas came and went. Alaina ate the bows off her presents. New Years was uneventful. Spent time with good friends. Took 1000 pictures of my kid cause' she's the cutest thing ever. Got hooked on Scrabble for Facebook...it's like crack. Continued working out. The end.

And now you're all caught up!

Just in case you forgot what we look like...

Or forgot that my kid is THE cutest little girl ever...

Yes, that is a pink cowgirl hat. And matching boots. Thank you to Christen (and Cortlyn even though she doesn't know she's sharing) for the sweet hat!!!

Riding the Crazy Train

2009-12-21T21:53:00.003-05:00

Every now and then I get a little lost
my strings all get tangled, my wires all get crossed
Every now and then I'm right upon the edge
Dangling my toes just over the ledge

~Kenny Chesney, You Save Me

This song describes exactly how I have been feeling for the last couple of months. I have tried everything I know to snap out of my funk but nothing has worked. In fact, in some ways, I have managed to make it worse. It has been escalating on a daily basis and by Friday I was on the verge of a panic attack. So, I did what I do best.

I ran.

Well, more driving than running, but you get my point. My sweet friend Christen invited me to get away to her house in Mississippi and before I knew it, I was on the road! It felt so good to be spontaneous and just do something instead of thinking about all the reasons why I shouldn't go.

Saturday morning her hubby headed off to New Orleans for a bowl game. We were still feeling a little restless so we decided to pack up the girls and join him! We left at a much more respectable hour though, since traveling with babies who have napped recently is infinitely better than tired, cranky babies in the car. The girls did beautifully together and we just kept laughing about how bizarre it was that we were taking a road trip together. We got there and spent the whole day wandering the city.

My word, there are some interesting people there. I'm fighting with my computer but I promise to post pictures soon. There was one woman who was wearing a shirt that hit her right at her waist with what I thought were leggings.

No, no, they were tights. Just tights. No undergarments.

I almost pushed the stroller into 10 people trying to get a picture to post without her realizing that I was taking pictures of her. None of them came out perfectly, but I never claimed to be a professional. And I am sure that Annie Leibowitz does not have bangs, a stroller, or a thousand drunk Saints fans to interfere with her photography greatness.

After a truly wonderful day, we packed up the girls and headed home. It was such an easy, successful trip that we are already planning our next road trip. We plan to brainwash our children into believing that this is a way of life so that they'll be seasoned travelers by the time they get old enough to start driving us nuts. Portable DVD players go a loooong way.

Yesterday was my dad's birthday, so I stopped in Birmingham on my way home and told him Alaina wanted to sing to him in person. He and my mom had no idea that I was coming so they were both thrilled to death that we were there. It was so nice to see them and it gave me a great break to stretch my legs and get something to eat. We finally got back on the road and got home late last night.

It was a wonderful, exhilarating, exhausting weekend and it was exactly what I needed...an open stretch of highway, good music, and time to sort out all my thoughts. Some of the things that I've been struggling with were suddenly crystal clear. Some are still murky, but it was only one weekend after all.

And this crazy train has been around for a long time...

Perfect Definition

2009-12-17T09:02:00.001-05:00

Chatting with an old friend last night who described me as:

"delightfully sarcastic and bluntly amusing."

Love it!

Tiny Little Bug

2009-12-15T18:03:00.003-05:00

Tonight, I got to spend some much-needed time with Hailey and her sweet Logan. I am amazed at how much he's grown in the last month! Even though he's definitely getting bigger, he still seems so tiny next to Alaina. I love knowing that our babies are growing up together and can only hope that they will always remain good friends.

Don't you just love his sweet baby face?!?! He was being so good and just stared at the camera the whole time we were taking pictures.

He felt so small tucked into my arms. Alaina weighed 2 whole pounds more than he did when she was born! Of course, by the time we held her, she was so full of tubes and fluid that she was super heavy. It's been a long time since I snuggled a baby that tiny.

Our two babies snuggled up together! In between pictures Alaina kept leaning over and trying to kiss the side of his face. Hailey and I are thrilled they are so taken with one another because we have already considered an arranged marriage. We would get to be in-laws and could pass over all those pesky dating problems that parents of teenagers have...

Now if I could only find a way to skip the years of sighing and eye-rolling!!!

Off to see Santa

2009-12-13T15:10:00.004-05:00

I have been very apprehensive about taking Alaina to go see Santa. It's something that I've been looking forward to since last Christmas and SO many of my friends have had horrible experiences trying to see Santa. Either their kids were crying the whole time or they freaked out and just refused to go near him. I realize that I have no control over how it went so I am thrilled to report that...

She LOVED it! My happy little baby smiled and talked the whole time that she sat on his lap. Everyone in line commented on how cute she was and my heart swelled with pride. Santa was so sweet with her and just laughed when she got her fingers tangled in his beard. Overall the experience was just about as perfect as I could have hoped for!

Inviting the Crazies

2009-12-11T22:20:00.002-05:00

Do I have some sort of beacon that calls out to crazy people? Something that says I am just waiting to hear what they have to say? It happens every where I go! Understand me please, I am not talking about generally chatty people, as I am one. I will make friends anywhere, anytime. Seriously. I met my friend Maria because I was lusting after her silver purse and just had to know where she got it.

But I think you have to draw the line somewhere. Tonight I was at the gas station, minding my own business, and the woman at the pump next to me starts talking. I am being friendly and listening, but then she starts telling me about how she is banned from the front office at work for being unprofessional. As I'm nodding along, wishing the pump would move a little faster, she continues on, telling me how she got passed up for a promotion because she's a woman and her boss said she just has penis envy but it's not true because, "hers is bigger".

What???

I just stared at her dumbfounded for a minute. The shock wore off and I quickly finished at the pump and drove away, laughing out loud at the absurdity of it all.

So, if you are embracing the crazy tonight, bring it on! My ears are open and ready to listen...

Cookie Exchange

2009-12-10T07:30:00.002-05:00

Cranberry & White Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon brandy
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup dried cranberries
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchement paper.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and brandy. Combine the flour and baking soda; stir into the sugar mixture. Mix in the white chocolate chips and cranberries. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes in the preheated oven. For best results, take them out while they are still doughy. Allow cookies to cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

If any of you have any great cookie recipes, now is the time to share them!

Brutal Honesty

2009-12-09T22:01:00.002-05:00

A few days ago, I shared my obsession with laying under the Christmas tree. Scotlon happened to be home last night when I crawled under and this was our conversation:

Him: What on earth are you doing?
Me: Looking at the lights. Come lay down with me.
Him: I don't want to.
Me: Please. It will be fun.
Him: Fine. (He sighs and crawls under the tree)

30 seconds pass...

Him: You are a FREAK! This is dumb. (gets up and walks away)

I love it when we share.

Be encouraged

2009-12-09T00:28:00.002-05:00

Every Tuesday I look forward to reading the Titus 2 Tuesday at happyascanb. She honors the amazing women in her life each week and I think it's so awesome! We spend too much time tearing each other down instead of building our sisters up. This week she asked any who want to participate to share about the women that encourage us and the women that teach us Godly lessons.

I am so encouraged by each of the women in my life in different ways and I couldn't do it without any of them. You see, I need the person who will let me whine ENDLESSLY and never tell me to snap out of it. Who will ask if I want advice or just to vent and then do whichever I choose. The person who will not only join me, but will throw one heck of a pity party for me at the drop of a hat. Who will inflate my ego and tell me 1000 times how wonderful I am for no reason.

If she was the only person though, I would be so much harder to live with than I already am! I also need the person who will let me whine when it's justified, but tell me when I'm harping too long and need to move on. Who will prayerfully and in love, get in my face and tell me that I need to clean up my act, stop being an idiot, and get right with Jesus. The person who I ask when I need a brutally honest, don't-hold-anything-back, opinion because I know that she will tell me EXACTLY what she thinks. You know, in the nicest way possible.

I need the person who will sit quietly and hold my hand, transfering all her love and strength to me in the silence. Who knows me so well that no words are needed to convey exactly what she's thinking.

I need the woman who knows my past, loves me in the present, and looks forward to being a part of my future.

I need the woman who has struggled with the same things that I am struggling with so that she knows exactly how to pray for me.

I need the woman who knows my deepest, darkest secrets and still refuses to pass judgement.

I could go on forever because each woman in my life plays a different, vital role but this post is getting long already. So tonight, I thank ALL of the women in my life for the unique blessings that they bring to my life. I wouldn't be who I am without your influence!

Unspoken

2009-12-07T19:08:00.003-05:00

I am usually specific in my prayer requests, but tonight I ask you to lift up someone without knowing who or why. Lift up the person that is walking a dark and scary road tonight. Pray without ceasing for strength and courage. For wisdom in all decision making. That our Abba Father will wrap loving arms around this person and pour out His love. For the peace that passes all understanding. Please stop what you are doing and get on your knees now.

Romans 8:26: In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

Thank you so very much,

Stephanie

I'm a little all over the place

2009-12-06T20:58:00.002-05:00

I'm a little scattered tonight so I'm posting bulletin-style instead of trying to write something cohesive.

~My Christmas tree is finally up and decorated. The rest of the house is on it's way but not quite done yet. I figured about the time we finish, it will be time to take it all down again.

~Alaina has a cold and a double ear infection. She has not been a super happy baby this weekend for good reason. On the upside, she seems to like the way her antibiotic tastes so we're not having to fight her to get it down.

~I'm a little over drama and the people who thrive on it. I know that we can't always avoid drama in our lives (hello!) but there are people who just love to be in the middle of it all. It's like they can't function unless all the attention is focused on them. You know exactly the kind of people I am talking about. You probably know at least one.

~Football is a beautiful thing unless you're watching your team self-destruct. It is then the most frustrating thing in the world. This was the case in my house on Saturday night and I would like some credit for not throwing the remote control.

~Sometimes I wish that no one knew that *I* was the one writing this blog. And then I could write exactly what I feel or think without the worry of upsetting someone that I might wish to write about.

~It's so cold here and I love it. I really, really wish that we would get snow again this year. Preferably on a weekend so I can really enjoy it.

~I have only purchased 2 Christmas presents so far. I am WAY behind and instead of being stressed about it I am very zen. I plan on shopping like a man this year and finishing the rest of it on the 23rd and 24th.

~I have to stop posting random things and go put together bottles to send with Alaina tomorrow. Aren't you glad that there is finally an end to this nonsense???

New trick

2009-12-05T15:45:00.003-05:00

It takes her a full minute or so to get warmed up but she is LOUD after that!

$100 buys a lot of chocolate

2009-12-04T07:37:00.002-05:00

Big Mama and the fabulous people at Hershey's have sponsored a $100 giveaway! I don't know about you, but after all the holiday crazy, I could use a little extra spending money. All you have to do is leave a comment with your favorite family tradition during the holidays. Head on over here and enter for your chance to win!

There are so many things that I love about Christmas. Listening to Christmas music alone is enough to make a rotten day instantly better. Something about the way the house glows with lights makes me all warm and fuzzy. The smells of the tree mingle with baking cookies and cinnamon candles. Watching A Charlie Brown Christmas and The Grinch all snuggled up with my honey on the couch. Starbucks Christmas Blend coffee.

My favorite tradition though (silly as it may seem), is laying underneath the tree and looking up at the lights. When all I can see is the glitter of the ornaments hanging on green branches and the tiny white lights, all is right with the world. Time stands still and for just a moment everything else fades away. I am looking forward to crawling under there with Alaina this year and can only hope that she is as mesmerized at the lights as I am.

What is your favorite Christmas tradition?

Fortune Cookies

2009-12-02T12:13:00.002-05:00

One of my silly guilty pleasures is fortune cookies. I don't always think that they're accurate but I love to open them up and read the tiny paper. I even have a box where I keep all of them so I can look back later and laugh at them. Lately there have been a few that have stared at, jaw on the floor, because they've been so unbelievably perfect.

So, last night I took a break from all the cooking I usually do (ha!) and we ordered Chinese. When the food arrived, I opened my fortune first because it's my fortune and I am not known for my patience. It was:

"An unexpected event will soon make your life more exciting."

Hmmm...I can definitely think of a few unexpected things that would make my life MUCH more exciting! Winning the lottery is somewhere near the top of that list...though I'm pretty sure I have to play the lottery before I can win the lottery. Details.

Scotlon's fortune was just as good:

"You will soon be picked for a promotion."

Wouldn't that be great?!? He would love to move up and I've already started dreaming about/spending the extra money in my head.

Because if the fortune cookie says it, it must be true, right?

Santa Baby

2009-12-01T08:59:00.001-05:00

Me Ma and Pa Pa brought Alaina this super cute Santa hat to sport this Christmas. Of course we had to try it on her immediately! She was (of course) adorable and thought her hat was great. I am so, so glad that she loves wearing hats. It's going to make this winter much easier!

How can anyone resist that face???

Trustworthy

2009-11-30T08:55:00.000-05:00

"Trust enables you to put your deepest feelings and fears in the palm of your partner's hand, knowing they will be handled with care." - Carl S. Avery

I read this and thought it was incredibly accurate. I've realized reccently that there are very few people that I trust enough to truly open up to with my most intimate thoughts and feelings. That I can say anything to without fear of judgement or criticism. That I can tell my deepest, darkest secrets to and know that they are safe. That I can be completely open and vulnerable with. That will always have my best interest at heart. Very few people that I willingly share every aspect of my life with. That I can be 100% myself around.

And you know what? I am okay with that. Because those few are more precious to me than anything in the world. So to my "people" that are good, honorable, and worthy of trust...

Thank you.

5 months

2009-11-29T18:45:00.003-05:00

Due to the crazy of the holiday and everything else going on, I am a couple days late getting Alaina's 5 month pictures up. She is getting so big, so fast! She talks very loudly and ALL THE TIME. I can't imagine where she gets her gift of gab from...

She is so animated! She has really started to realize that she can grab things and pull them. Mostly she just grabs my hair, but she caught my lip the other day and that hurt!

We officially entered the stage where EVERYTHING goes in our mouth. And if it's too big to put in her mouth she will just press her mouth against it and gnaw on it.

I am so incredibly grateful to have my baby girl. When I think back on the beginning and how far we've come it brings tears to my eyes. I am so blessed by this sweet, healthy daughter that God has given me!

My Sadie

2009-11-28T21:38:00.003-05:00

I don't have a lot for tonight. My sweet Sadie had to be put to sleep today and it's been rough. To make matters worse, it was totally unexpected so I didn't even have time to prepare for it. I've had her for more than 5 years and she was my baby. While I am so, so sad that she's not with us anymore, I am glad to know that she's not hurting anymore. I thought I'd post some pictures of my girl...

This picture always cracks me up! She had really long fur that got tangled so we had to give her a bath periodically. She was NOT happy with us.

I took this on Christmas last year. I was playing with my new camera and she was just sitting at my feet looking up the whole time.

Even though she was my baby, she was a Georgia fan. She loved to stick both her front paws into Scotlon's slippers and then take a nap. No matter where he left the slippers, we'd find her sacked out in them.

Change. It's inevitable.

2009-11-27T00:08:00.003-05:00

Change. It's inevitable. No matter what you do, there's no way to stop it. It's going to happen at some point so you might as well embrace it.

Riiiiiight.

Every year, I spend the day after Thanksgiving shopping with Hailey and the rest of the Norton crew. There are usually 7 or 8 of us and we have honed our Black Friday skills. Seriously, we have walkie-talkies and we're not afraid to use them. We are gone roughly 19-20 hours from the time we pull out until the time we pull in again. It is exhausting and exhilarating and just plain fun.

This year there will be no shopping. No thermos of coffee, no code names, no stop at the McDonald's in Greenville on the way home. Don't get me wrong, it's not that we don't want to go; it's just not feasible this year. Something about major abdominal surgery 2 weeks ago and two infants that don't need to be exposed to all those germs. We hope that we will go again next year when life isn't quite so crazy. I will get over it, but tonight I'm a little sad that it's changing.

I generally avoid change like the plague. I like things all happy and lined up in a neat little row. There is no hiding from it though. And this year has been one for changes! It's been full of new jobs, babies, and a million unexpected things. While my first instinct is to panic, I keep trying to remind myself that some change really is good. It's just that while it's being good, there's a fear of the unknown. It can be scary when you don't know what's up ahead!

It is also a little exciting too though. New people, new experiences can lead to a place that you never dreamed you would be, doing things you never dreamed you would be doing. I want to get swept up in the excitement instead of being crippled by the fear. I want to embrace change for breaking up the monotony of life. I want to seek out new challenges.

While all of those things are true, there is still a tiny part of me that wants things to stay exactly the way that they are because that is where I am comfortable. That is what I know.

So today, I will sit at home and drink my coffee from a Thermos and do a little online shopping to make it feel more real. I might even make Scotlon talk to me on the walkie-talkie from the other end of the house.

After all, while I have decided to try and embrace change, there's nothing that says I have to embrace it all at once...

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T16:10:00.003-05:00

Our little turkey talking to daddy after dinner! He was the one filming, hence all the shaking.

Enjoy!

Date Night

2009-11-25T22:43:00.003-05:00

Tonight Scotlon and I did something that we haven't done in a long time.

We went on a date.

It was wonderful. We haven't been on a date since we brought Alaina home from the hospital and we were in desperate need of one. It was so nice to have some adult time where we could talk without one of us tending to a baby. Not that we don't love our child to pieces, but we just needed to be "us" again. I even had my mom take a picture of us to mark this great event.

Wow, we are some seriously pale people.

After a wonderful dinner, we wandered the mall and did some shopping. It's amazing how quickly the shopping high sets in. It's been so long that I think I actually forgot how much I love to just browse with nothing in particular in mind. No where to be, nothing to do, but just look. I am so, so thankful that my hubby likes to browse too so it was fun for both of us.

After we shopped all that our wallets will allow (and then some since VS was having a sale), we headed over to the movies to see The Blind Side.

If you have not seen it yet, you need to. Even if you're not interested in sports at all. It was incredible and I am so glad that's what we chose to see. Sandra Bullock was just precious and did an awesome job in her role. We don't buy a lot of movies anymore but I can promise you that one will be on our shelf when it comes out. Seriously, go see it. You won't be sorry.

And now that I've told you all about my super exciting evening, I'm off to bed. It's late and tomorrow's going to be a lovely, but very busy day!

Random Thoughts for the Day

2009-11-24T09:18:00.003-05:00

So...I had this ready to go for yesterday's post and accidentally hit save instead of post! My blonde is really starting to show...none the less, here it is.

Random Thoughts for the Day

1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.

5. How in the world are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

6. Was learning cursive really necessary?

7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

10. Bad decisions make good stories.

11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.

13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.

14. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this -- ever.

15. I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Darn it!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?

16. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

17. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

18. My 4-year old grandson asked me in the car the other day "Dad what would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How the heck do I respond to that?

19. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

20. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lite OR Budweiser than Kay.

very productive day

2009-11-22T22:09:00.004-05:00

Being the procrastinator that I am, I waited until the weekend before company coming to tackle my dining room table. For the last 6 months or so, it has served as my craft table and it was COVERED in stamp stuff. In fact, I don't think covered even begins to describe it. If you've visited recently, you can attest to that fact. So, after many hours of cleaning and organizing, I am proud to say that my table now looks like this:

It's been so long since it was clutter free that I forgot how much I love my dining room set! I had to post a close-up of the pretty lilies that my hubby brought me last week. It was a rough week for me and it was so sweet of him to surprise me!

Christmas Wish List

2009-11-21T20:58:00.004-05:00

I was doing some online shopping earlier and came across a few things that I wouldn't mind finding under my tree this year. Bear in mind that under no circumstances will any of these things actually BE under my tree, but a girl can dream, right?

~I would love, love, love to have a new phone this year. Seeing as they don't offer insurance on the iphone, I have been told repeatedly that this is not an option. You drive away with one phone on the roof of your car...

~I have an addiction to coats. I have at least a dozen so I'm sure that means I definitely need this one from Express. I just love the bright blue color!

~These are so pretty. I will NEVER own them since they cost more than my mortgage payment. Should I ever win the lottery though, these babies are mine!

~Best sheets ever hands down. They are on my bed right now and I love them. I just need a couple more sets so that I can rotate instead of washing and then putting my current set right back on.

~I was recently introduced to this lotion and I hate her for getting me addicted. It's stupid expensive but it smells SO good.

~I never cook so the need for a new frying pan really isn't that immediate. When I do decide to I would like to have more than one pan to choose from though.

~Ah, Lush. You are too good for words. I would be happy with any of their products but this body wash is my absolute favorite. It has real cocoa and coffee in it. It's like they made it just for me!

~Just looking at this makes me want to get my craft stuff organized.

~And while we're dreaming big here, wouldn't mind having a pair of these bad boys.

Seriously Cute

2009-11-20T18:57:00.003-05:00

My good friend Allison is keeping my girl this week and took this picture of her! It cracks me up!

Thursday's Ten

2009-11-19T18:52:00.005-05:00

Today I'm joining Lora in Thursday's Ten! Everyone who knows me will tell you that I'm addicted to quotes. There are so many that I love that it was hard to choose just ten!

"Everybody likes to go their own way–to choose their own time and manner of devotion."

~ Jane Austen

"There are moments in our lives when we find ourselves at a crossroad, afraid, confused, without a roadmap. The choices we make in those moments can define the rest of our days. Of course when faced with the unknown, most of us prefer to turn around and go back."

(One Tree Hill)

"A woman uses her intelligence to find reasons to support her intuition."

~ G.K. Chesterton

"Housework, if you do it right, will kill you."

~ Erma Bombeck

"Later that day I got to thinking about relationships. There are those that open you up to something new and exotic, those that are old and familiar, those that bring up lots of questions, those that bring you somewhere unexpected, those that bring you far from where you started, and those that bring you back. But the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you can find someone to love the you you love, well, that's just fabulous."

(Sex and the City)

"Those who don't know how to weep with their whole heart, don't know how to laugh either."

~ Golda Meir

"Wherever you go, go with all your heart."

~Confucius

"The truth is the kindest thing we can give folks in the end."

~ Harriet Beecher Stowe

"In a good shoe, I wear a size six, but a seven feels so good, I buy a size eight."

(Steel Magnolias)

"A happy heart makes the face cheerful"

~Proverbs 15:13

A good day for a run

2009-11-18T07:36:00.005-05:00

I got home from work yesterday and decided that it was a good day to go running. No, that's not a typo.

Seriously, pick your jaw up off the floor...I've been known to run on occasion! Mostly when being chased but that's so not the point here.

It was a little damp but a perfect cool fall day. So, I loaded up Alaina and away we went. Thirty seconds later, I remembered why I don't take my child running with me. Strollers are HEAVY. Seeing as my neighborhood has crazy steep hills, I spent the entire hour either being dragged down and trying not to fall, or moving at a snails pace trying to push it back up the hill. Every time I stopped to breath for a second, my child would look at me and laugh. Apparently, mommy about to pass out is the most hilarious thing in the world.

Whatever.

After our run we had a great impromptu photo shoot that resulted in exactly 3 acceptable pictures. I won't tell you how many I took to get those 3. It was so much easier when she was less active!

She loves her jumparoo! She cracks me up because stares at the little animals for the first couple of minutes in awe every time we put her in. It never gets old for her and I love it.

She is the happiest baby all the time! The only exception is if you are jet-lagged and have gotten zero sleep. Then she's a rat and will do nothing but cry and refuse to let you put her down. Mostly, just smiles and giggles.

Scotlon makes fun of me because I have an obsession with her feet. There's just something so sweet about tiny little baby feet!

Crazy Days

2009-11-17T07:24:00.002-05:00

What a crazy few days it's been! Sunday morning I took Kris to the airport and it was so sad. We had such a wonderful visit and I've been in a little bit of a funk since she left. Even Alaina misses her. Aunt Kris taught her how to blow raspberries and she refuses to do it now that she's gone!

Hailey & Logan are doing well and settling in at home. He's such a cutie! Alaina usually stays with Hailey but she's hanging out with Allison for the next few weeks. Allison's kiddos, Justin & Chelsea, are so sweet with Alaina. They are thrilled to death to have her there!

Scotlon has a busy schedule this week and then a mid-term on Friday. We will both be SO glad when he is done with school. Only 2 more classes to go!

I am going to completely ignore the fact that I didn't post yesterday and pretend like I didn't fail my 365 day challenge one week in...

Hope that you have a wonderful day!

I saw that going differently in my head...

2009-11-15T00:20:00.003-05:00

So often I look around at a moment or situation and think that it didn't go quite the way that I saw it happening originally. Pictures that I tried to take of Alaina. A conversation that went in a totally different direction. A relationship that has completely changed from what it used to be.

I like to have a plan. And a back-up plan. And a back-up, back-up plan. I plan for all of the different variables that might possibly happen. It's so incredibly frustrating when that carefully constructed plan comes crashing down. I want to throw my hands up and just quit planning things all together! After I've analyzed how my plan got a kink in it, I usually go right back to planning it again in a new way. I'm relentless.

However, there are times that my plans get changed and it's so much better than what I had planned. More exciting, more fascinating, more stable, etc. I tend to get so hung up in the fact that it wasn't the way I pictured it that I lose sight of how great the new plan is. I can only hope that as time goes by, I can learn to relax a little and let go of the crazy plans and just trust that there's nothing up ahead that I can't bear.

Hailey's Surgery

2009-11-13T07:58:00.004-05:00

Good Morning! I'm posting early today to ask for your prayers. My best friend Hailey is having a C-Section this morning! Please pray that everything goes perfectly and that she and baby are both healthy. I'll update as soon as there's more to share!

********************************UPDATE************************************

James Logan Emerson has arrived!
8:06 a.m.
20 1/4" long
6 lbs. 7oz.

Once I've gotten more details and gone to visit I'll have some pictures for you!

Friends

2009-11-12T21:30:00.003-05:00

My all time favorite tv show is hands-down 'Friends'. I've watched every episode so many times that I can recite most of them from memory. It never stops being funny and I never get tired of watching. Since we are spending the evening on the couch watching hours upon hours on DVD, I thought I would share some of my favorite quotes.

Carol: Oh, what do you know? No-one's going up to you and saying, "Hi, is that your nostril? Mind if we push this pot roast through it?"

Reporter: I like that. what's your name?
Phoebe: Phoebe. That's, P, as in Phoebe, H, as in heobe, O as in oebe, E, as in ebe, B, as in bebe, and E as in... Ello there mate.

Monica: My motto is get out before they go down.
Joey: That is so not my motto.

Phoebe: We can be guys. Come on, let us be guys.
Chandler: You don't want to be guys, you'd be all hairy and you wouldn't live as long.

Monica: Okay, I've got a leg, three breasts, and a wing.
Chandler: How do you find clothes that fit?

Monica: Is it me? Is it like I have a beacon that only dogs and men with severe emotional problems can hear?

and my all time favorite...

Joey: You're so far past the line, you can't even see the line. The line is a dot to you!

Veterans Day

2009-11-11T22:38:00.001-05:00

Tonight, I just want to take a moment to recognize Veteran's Day and all my friends and family members who have served this country. So often, we take our freedom for granted, but it has come and will continue to come at a great price. Our veterans deserve our thanks for keeping this country the greatest country on earth. Let us all be sure to say thank you to them not just today, but every day!

Happy, happy bath time

2009-11-10T22:34:00.001-05:00

Let it go

2009-11-09T21:15:00.004-05:00

Over on Without Wax, Pete Wilson wrote a post about striving to be a person who is fast to forgive. I have to say that while it was not what I wanted to hear, it was exactly what I needed to hear tonight. Those who know me will tell you that I am definitely not fast to forgive. I am the queen of holding on to things that I should have let go of years ago.

I don't know why I struggle to let things go. I choose to let things eat at me instead of just moving on and focusing on something else. I know that forgiveness isn't always an easy thing to accomplish, but I rarely even try. I think there's something about holding onto my indignation that makes me feel like I'm taking back a little control over a situation that didn't go as I had planned. It affects every relationship & friendship that I've ever had. I feel very certain that I would be a much happier, lighter person if I could just learn to let it go. I let myself get robbed of so much joy because I'm too busy focusing on who I'm mad at today.

So, going forward I am going to make the conscious decision to be fast to forgive. Or at least make a valiant effort...

Magic Couch

2009-11-08T22:21:00.004-05:00

I planned on writing a great creative post today but you know how plans go...

Alaina was super fussy and a serious grump today. My in-laws came and visited for the afternoon and I cringed the entire time because my house is SUCH a disaster. I hate when people come to visit and my house is a mess. Not enough to actually clean it, mind you, but still.

I stayed up entirely too late last night and slept right through church this morning so I don't even have a great sermon to tell you about. Pretty much, this is a post about nothing in particular because I started the 365 day challenge and I can NOT fail on day 3.

I promise that I will have better content in the very near future to share with you.

Oh, and I have a magic, magic couch. In case you wanted to know...

Live, laugh, love

2009-11-07T19:49:00.002-05:00

Today was a great day of fun, friends, & football. What could be better?

Like a breath of fresh air

2009-11-06T21:13:00.003-05:00

Today has been a wonderful, lazy day. My friend Kristine is here from California and we spent the day just laughing and catching up. I forget how ridiculous and giddy we are until we are together again. She is an absolutely wonderful friend and I feel incredibly blessed to have her in my life.

During the time that Alaina was in the hospital, we were blown away by the love and generosity that was poured out on our little family. One of the most incredible things was done by Kris and her fiance Bryan. Because the majority of my maternity leave was eaten up by Alaina's NICU stay, I was only going to have a week or 2 home with her. She decided that it just wasn't acceptable that I only have a tiny amount of time with my child so she did what any good friend would do.

She threw us a party.

A ton of people that we have never met got together to celebrate my daughter. They donated money. They donated items to raffle off. They made us beautiful handmade gifts that we will cherish forever. A couple weeks after the party, I got a package with the presents and a check that enabled me to stay home for 5 weeks with my baby girl. It was one of the most incredible, generous things that anyone has ever done for us.

I can not express enough how grateful I am to her, and to all of the people that supported us during that season. You blessed us in ways that I can not even begin to describe.

Thank you.

365 day challenge

2009-11-05T09:41:00.002-05:00

There are many areas of my life where I am steadfast and consistent. However, when it come to blogging, I'm a total flake. I am so bad about posting on a regular basis. It's gotten better since Alaina was born but I am still more sporadic than I want to be. I always intend to write more and I even have several posts that I've started and never quite gotten around to finishing. Somehow I manage to get distracted by just about anything else and then forget to post.

In an effort to change that, I'm joining love and marriage on her 365 day blogging challenge. Perhaps if I have to be accountable for my goal, I will actually reach this one! I won't promise that all of my posts will be deep and meaningful, but I will post something every day. So for those of you brave (or crazy) enough to read this, here goes nothing!

Happy Halloween & Game Day

2009-11-02T07:41:00.003-05:00

Since I know several of you are Georgia fans, I'll get the game day portion out of the way first. Being the always fair person that I am, Alaina was house divided on Saturday. She wore a black shirt & Georgia socks with her Gators bib. Which she drooled ALL over.

I think she took it to heart when her daddy told her that, "Dawgs rule & Gators drool."

Her first Halloween was wonderful. We spent the evening over at the Emerson's and had such a great time. We took the girls trick-or-treating until it started to get cold and windy. Scotlon and I headed back to the house with Alaina while Hannah braved the elements in search of more candy. She was NOT going to let a little wind get in her way! I don't blame her a bit, by the way. I would have done the same during my trick-or-treating years.

I know that I am a wee bit biased but Alaina was the cutest thing ever. Don't you agree?

I hope that you all had a wonderful and very happy Halloween!

Check-up

2009-10-30T08:00:00.002-04:00

I just had to write a quick note to tell you how big my sweet girl is getting! At her check-up yesterday she was 12 lbs. 14 oz. (45th percentile) and 24 3/4" (75th percentile). It looks like she's going to be tall and lanky like her daddy!

4 Months

2009-10-28T00:14:00.007-04:00

My sweet baby girl is 4 months old today! It's hard to believe that the time has gone by so quickly. She is doing new things every day and getting bigger by the minute. I swear I pick her up after work and she's heavier than she was when I held her that morning. Hailey swears that she's not feeding her miracle gro but I'm not so sure... We tried to take some 4 month pictures but our photo shoot was not entirely successful.

After several minutes of this, we changed locations and finally got a good one!

My sweet Alaina,

You are such a joy! Your daddy and I are ridiculously in love with you baby girl. You have really found your voice over the last few weeks and you are not afraid to use it! You usually wait until we are trying to talk on the phone and then you chime in nice and loud. After not getting to hear you make any noise for so long, we are always tickled when you talk to us though. You absolutely love your jumparoo and squeal with delight when we put you in it. We love that you are happy and we have free hands to eat dinner with:) While it is a little sad that you are getting SO big, we look forward to seeing what the coming months hold. We are incredibly honored to be your parents and thank God daily for giving you to us.

I love you,

Mommy

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-23T09:54:00.010-04:00

One of my favorite things to do each fall is go to the pumpkin patch. Last year, I found out I was pregnant right before our annual trip and I remember thinking about how great it was going to be to come back with our sweet baby. We usually go to Burt's and we tried to again this year but it was just miserable. Since Burt's is so far away from our house we decided to try a new place near Athens.

It was awesome.

Instead of having all the pumpkins together, they're still sitting on the vines.

Alaina thought the vines were really cool. And then she tried to eat them.

She wasn't so sure about the pumpkins themselves. She kept touching them and then pulling her hand away and looking at us.

We took a million pictures and tried to get her to smile but she only looked at us like we were crazy. As soon as I lowered the camera she would smile and giggle again!

Finally on our way out to the car I caught a couple of her smiling at us.

Overall it was a wonderful trip and I can't wait to go back again next year!

The Sullivans

2009-09-23T07:52:00.003-04:00

I just learned of this family recently and my heart is breaking for this new father and newborn baby girl who have just lost their wife and mother. I can not even begin to imagine what they are going through right now. Please keep Brady & Chloe in your prayers as they deal with their new reality.

Happy Monday

2009-09-21T07:20:00.003-04:00

One of my favorite times of the day is when I'm getting Alaina up and ready to go. She's such a happy baby in the morning! I love peering over the edge of her crib to see her smiling back at me. This morning she was especially friendly and was smiling in her sleep.

Then we get up and change out of our pj's and into a super cute outfit. The hardest part is picking which one to wear for the day!

We spend the majority of our morning eating breakfast...no pictures needed of that though! After breakfast it's off to the swing to hang out for a few minutes while mommy packs the diaper bag. It should have been packed last night but football was on!

Here we are all buckled up and ready to go to Aunt Hailey's! She's still not so fond of the carseat unless it's moving...

I hope that you are having a wonderful Monday morning!

Love,

Stephanie & Alaina

Baby Dedication

2009-09-14T20:40:00.002-04:00

Last night was Alaina's dedication at church. It was an incredible moment that we give Him all the glory for. During the dedication, she decided to show off her nice healthy lungs! All in all, she didn't do too badly considering she never had a nap on Sunday. We both just feel so blessed to have our baby girl home with us!

It's only fair

2009-09-13T08:38:00.002-04:00

Since I posted pictures of my baby girl in her Gator gear last week, it's only fair that I post a picture of her in her Georgia gear this week. She was a good little cheerleader for daddy's team yesterday!

The clouds parted and angels sang

2009-09-11T07:15:00.002-04:00

I am doing a happy dance this morning because my baby girl slept ALL night last night! When the alarm went off it took me a few minutes to realize that it was 4:15 and not the middle of the night. Once I did, I was so giddy I could barely contain myself. It was such a treat to sleep 6 hours straight! I hope that your Friday morning is every bit as spectacular as mine!!!

Game Day Baby

2009-09-08T05:10:00.005-04:00

This weekend was the start of college football and what a great day it was! Well, for me at least. Daddy's team...not so much. I thought I'd share a couple of pictures of my sweet girl in her game day gear. My dad bought her this stuff last Christmas and I've been anxiously awaiting the day that I could put her in it...thank you Pops!

Two Months

2009-08-27T20:59:00.005-04:00

I can hardly believe that my baby girl is already two months old! Has it really been two whole months since we took this picture? My belly was so big! Scotlon took this picture at 2:07a.m. when we were leaving to go to the hospital. I was definitely between contractions since I was smiling!

A lot has changed since her one month pictures...praise Jesus! I remember being so sad that her one month birthday was being celebrated at the hospital. The nurses were so sweet and decorated her sign after I left for the day.

My sweet girl today! She's hanging out with her daddy and loving every second of it!

Alaina, my love, there are no words to describe how happy you make me. You are getting so big now and I so enjoy watching all the new things that you're doing. You are such a happy baby and you smile all the time now. Last Friday you rolled over for the first time and your daddy and I were so excited! You are so strong and it's hard to believe that you are only two months old sometimes. You are the best thing that God has ever blessed us with and we can't imagine life without you! I love you baby girl,

Mommy

So grateful

2009-08-19T21:47:00.003-04:00

Tonight I am overwhelmed with gratitude for my healthy daughter. Nothing happened, nothing changed, I am just loving my beautiful baby girl. It's been a rough couple of weeks since we came home. Alaina hasn't been sleeping well, Scotlon has been putting in a ridiculous number of hours at work, and I've been beyond frazzled. I've cried because being a mommy is so much harder than anyone tells you it is and then immediately felt guilty because our story could have had a very different ending. I've looked at my kid and said, "come ON, I just need 5 minutes of peace" and then hugged her so tight she probably couldn't breathe because I do love her so very much.

If I had to guess, I think every new mom probably feels that way to some extent but no one really talks about it. Why is it so hard to say that I need help? Why do I feel like I have to have it "together" all the time? We put so much pressure on ourselves and each other to not show any signs of weakness when it's not weakness but reality that we can't do it alone. Can you imagine what a difference it would make if we spent half as much time building each other up as we do picking each other a part?

I'm a little scattered tonight. I'm not sure exactly where I was headed when I started this post but it definitely wasn't where I ended up...

~Stephanie

Typing with one hand

2009-08-16T19:28:00.003-04:00

I have been working on this post since we got home but can't quite seem to finish it. Right now I am typing with one hand because my sweet daughter screams when I put her down. It is so thoughtful of her to reassure me that her lungs really are healed now! Anyhow, here are some pictures from our first week home. Enjoy!

Love,

Stephanie

In the very beginning

2009-08-03T12:00:00.003-04:00

Last fall when we first started trying to get pregnant, I decided to keep a journal for our baby to be. Little did I know that there would be so much to fill the pages with at the time! I was re-reading it and thinking about how far we've come since that day in October...

My beloved child,

This is my first entry in this journal and I feel like it is a good one to start with. This morning my devotional was about the night that Mary gave birth to Jesus. I can only imagine how amazing it must have felt for her to hold her son, knowing He would one day save the world. I can't help but wish that I was there to see a young mother hold her tiny baby, in awe of how something so tiny can make your heart so full. Even today, Jesus and his many blessings make my heart so full I feel like it is overflowing out of me. I pray that one day you will know the joy and peace of knowing Jesus as your savior. He is the best thing that ever happened to me and I can't wait to tell you of His great love.

I need to tell you here that I don't know if you are even growing inside me yet but it doesn't matter. I know that I love you so much already. I want you to know that I loved you more than I can even begin to say before you are here. I dream of what it will be like to carry you and to feel you grow within me. I long for the day that I can hold you in my arms and kiss your sweet face. I know that as you grow up, we will have our differences. We will fight over stupid things that seem so important at the time. Never for one second do I want you to doubt how much I love you. There is nothing on this earth that could ever make me love you less. It is one of the reasons that I am starting this journal for you. I want you to be able to look back and see how much you were loved from the very beginning. I can't wait for the day that I get to look at your tiny face and whisper those words to you. It can't get here soon enough!

Love,
Mommy

Abba Father we praise you! We thank you for walking along side us and lifting us up when we stumble. We thank you for healing Alaina and for carrying our burdens when we could no longer bear them. We thank you for blessing us with an incredible amount of support from loved ones and from those that we have never met. Her story is an awesome testament of your love and we give you ALL the glory!

Home Sweet Home

2009-08-02T20:35:00.003-04:00

As of 3:30 this afternoon we are officially done with our stay in the NICU! Praise Jesus! It's so surreal to have this day finally be here. We kept looking in the backseat on the way home in disbelief. We are absolutely thrilled of course and have spent the last few hours just beaming with happiness. The last 5 weeks have been incredibly difficult but rewarding as well. God is so good and has used this season to reveal Himself in so many new ways. We praise Him daily for healing our baby girl and bringing her home to us.

"Along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them."
~Isaiah 42:16

Love,
Stephanie

Room-In

2009-07-31T22:09:00.003-04:00

Last night I got the opportunity to room-in with my sweet girl at the hospital. They asked me to stay to see how she would do solely nursing through several hours. Needless to say, I jumped at the chance! It was so wonderful to get to sleep with her next to my bed.

I use the term 'sleep' loosely since there was absolutely no sleeping going on. Please keep this in mind when you're reading this post:)

Scotlon had to work but Hailey was so kind and stayed with me so I wasn't alone. She was a huge help and I could not have done it without her. Around 5:30, the machine had been beeping non-stop because the wires were twisted, Alaina wanted no part of nursing or the bottle I was trying to give her, I was running on about 90 minutes of sleep total, and I was so glad for another person in the room with me. Hailey kept me from going completely crazy and I will forever be grateful for her!

This morning after her 9:00 feeding the nurse pulled Alaina's feeding tube out. They want to observe her for 24 hours and if nothing crazy happens, Scotlon and I will room-in again tomorrow evening. Then on Sunday we will get to take our sweet daughter home! We are VERY excited and just a little nervous. Please pray that everything goes smoothly and that the next time I'm writing, it will be with my girl sitting next to me!

Love,
Stephanie

No news is good news

2009-07-30T10:56:00.002-04:00

Alaina has had a wonderful week! They were able to turn of her oxygen so she is breathing completely on her own now. Also, the doctors let me start trying to nurse 2-3 times a day if I'm there. If you have any mail to send I can get you the address since I never leave now:) I think that the nurses are probably getting tired of seeing me there!

We are getting really close to being able to take her home. The ONLY thing that we're waiting on is for her to take all her feeds without needing any through the feeding tube. After she does that for 24 hours, they'll pull the tube and then observe her for 24 hours and we're home free!!! She's doing better but she'll get a few down and then have to tube some so the clock starts over again. We're both so ready and anxious that it's hard to be patient during this last leg!

Please pray that she continues healing and that she is able to come home soon!

Love,
Stephanie

I can't think of a witty title so we'll just go with 'Update'

2009-07-23T18:01:00.004-04:00

Today has been a good day, full of rest for me. I spent a lot longer at the hospital yesterday and I think it wore me out more than I realized! It was a wonderful day though and I wouldn't have traded it. Aunt Jana, Aunt Hailey, Uncle Michael & Hannah all came to meet Alaina! Hannah had to wait outside because she is still a little young to visit, but they'll be spending a lot of time together in the near future.

Alaina also had a visit from our pastor and she decided to show off her ever-improving lung power for him! I can't blame her though since they were inserting a new feeding tube up her nose. Of course...if she would stop pulling it out they wouldn't have to put a new one in as often. I tried to tell her that but she refuses to listen. I never would have expected a stubborn child since Scotlon and I are so easy going and sweet...ha! In reality, I'm shocked that she's not more of a pill given the genes that she got:)

Last night when Scotlon got there to visit, she had managed to work her oxygen tube out and it was resting up on the bridge of her nose. The good news is that her stats were okay and she was breathing totally on her own for a few minutes. It's too much work for her to keep that up right now though so the nurse put new tape on the tube and we're hoping that she'll leave it alone.

Her feedings are going okay so far. She's not doing really fantastic but she's not doing really badly either. She gets a good rhythym going and tends to take about half the bottle before she needs a break. Once she sits up to burp, she gets tired and has no interest in working for the other half of the bottle. The physical therapist has reassured us that this is perfectly normal and that feedings are typically the last thing to master before kids leave. We are continuing to pray that she gets the hang of it. Once she gets it down a little better, they are going to let me try to nurse. I'm very hopeful that maybe by the weekend or first of next week, they'll let us try. Not that I don't love my pump, but feeding my kid has to be more rewarding than feeling like cattle...

Sometimes I get so tired and frustrated but then I look at that sweet face and it's totally worth it. Don't you just want to squeeze her???

I love that face too:)

Her new room in the Intermediate Care Unit. They didn't know her room was in ladybugs when they made the sign for her crib.

Aunt Jana, Aunt Hailey, Alaina & Me. We all look so much alike in this picture though none of us are actually related!

"Then they cried to the Lord

In their trouble and he saved them from their distress.

He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.

Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love

and his wonderful deeds for men."

~Psalm 107:19-21

Love,

Stephanie

Major Strides

2009-07-21T12:33:00.003-04:00

Alaina is doing FANTASTIC! She has made some major strides in the last few days and they're hopeful that we can take her home in as little as two weeks!!! Please continue to pray that she heals at the rate that she has been and that there are no big setbacks. We have two big hurdles to cross and then observe for a couple of days and we are home free!

1. She needs to get down to 21% on her oxygen and be able to turn the flow off completely. She is currently hovering between 30%-35% and her flow is 1 liter. She was on 3.5 liters just 3 days ago!

2. She needs to be able to eat all of her feedings orally instead of through a feeding tube. Currently they're trying to give her a bottle twice a day to see how she does. So far she seems to be getting the hang of it slowly but surely. Once she is doing better with the two they'll start increasing the number of times that they try to bottle feed.

She was moved down to the Intermediate Care Unit from the Special Needs Nursery so we're one step closer to the door:)

I am going to the hospital now so that I can get there in time to try to bottle feed. I'll take some pictures of her new room to share while I'm there. Thank you for your continued prayers and support. They are what is carrying us through day to day and I thank God for providing people to share the burden with as well as celebrate with.

Love,
Stephanie

Picture Post

2009-07-14T12:02:00.004-04:00

Here are some new pictures of my sweet girl! There's not much new to report right now as far as she's concerned. She is getting better slowly but surely and it's just going to take time for her lungs to heal after the trauma that they've been through. She's doing really well though and we're praying for the rest of her recovery to be speedy! We are both so ready to have our baby girl home with us. Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support. It means more to us than I can even begin to tell you.

I just love the back of her sweet head:)

Throwing a major tantrum!

Sleeping peacefully after finishing our tantrum.

Snuggled in daddy's arms and all is right with the world.

Love,

Stephanie

Quick update

2009-07-12T22:35:00.004-04:00

It's been a crazy couple of days so I'm just now getting on to post. Alaina is doing well and hanging in there. She is definitely a rotten little stinker though...she pulled her intubation tube out on Friday night. They watched her closely and decided that she didn't need to have a new one put in. She is now getting oxygen through a nasal tube. She is stable and just trying to work on continuing to heal. And, for tonight that's all I've got since the storm is getting really nasty here and I need to turn off the computer. I promise new pictures and more info soon.

Love,
Stephanie

It will never lose it's power

2009-07-11T18:17:00.002-04:00

Angie posted this over on her blog and it both made me laugh and brought tears to my eyes. God never fails to have me hear exactly what He wants me to and His methods never cease to amaze me. Please take time to watch the video; it's only a few minutes and I promise it will make you smile. Enjoy!

Love,
Stephanie

Back to good old Gainesville!

2009-07-09T19:34:00.003-04:00

Man, do we have some huge praises since the last time that I posted! Even more so than when Hailey posted for me (thank you to her by the way). I know that you've all been dying to know what's going on by the number of phone calls we've received and it warms my heart that there's that many people praying for us out there!

Alaina has made incredible strides in the last 4 days. She had an AWESOME nurse at Eggleston named Risa who had a tough love approach and told Alaina that she was not allowed to be a diva anymore. Just because it was a holiday weekend did not mean that it was going to be drama-filled and she needed to settle down. Apparently Alaina realized that she was not going to be able to milk it anymore and settled down happily! Scotlon and I are thrilled to learn that now so that we can be prepared with a no diva rule in our house in the future:)

They were able to wean her off of the Nitric Oxide that she was on and lower her Oxygen even further. Because of these things we were able to hold her! Scotlon was there on Tuesday night when they decided to let us hold her and he is quick to remind me that he held her first. He feels this is very fair since I held her for nine months. I tried to tell him that I paid my dues in swollen ankles, back aches, the incision in my belly, but he wouldn't budge.

Anyway...

I spent just over three hours with her snuggled in my arms yesterday and got to feed her for the first time. Granted, it's through a feeding tube but it was my milk feeding her and that made me feel very much like a mommy. I know that I am a mommy but it doesn't always feel like it so yesterday was just incredible.

Today we got the call that they were shipping her back to Gainesville! She came back this afternoon and we have already been over to make sure that our girl got settled in okay. She wasn't as thrilled by this car trip but seems to have calmed down a bit more now. We're hoping that she stays calm so we can get moving on making some more progress.

We still have absolutely no idea how long it will be before she comes home to us. There's still a long way to go before that happens, but unless something crazy pops up, we feel very confident that we will at least get to bring her home at some point. Up until now that's been up in the air and it feels really good to see an end in sight!

Lord we praise you! Thank you for the healing that you have done thus far on our sweet girl. We ask that you continue to put a healing hand on her and love her as only You can. Please provde strength and peace for Scotlon and I as we walk through this season. Please help us to remember that you have a purpose for every thing that is happening right now and that you will use this for your glory!

Psalm 100:5 - "For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations."

Dark eyes just like her daddy!

Love that sweet girl!

Daddy and Alaina completely in love with each other

Mommy trying REALLY hard not to cry (which lasted about 30 seconds)

Love,

Stephanie

Please Stay Tuned…

2009-07-08T18:44:00.005-04:00

I am commandeering Stephanie's blog for one more super short post; the Internet is down at the Hughes residence, so that is the reason Stephanie has not updated you about Alaina since Monday morning. I will not give away anything special, but Stephanie has some very exciting news to share as soon as their Internet connection is up & running!

I return you to your regularly scheduled blogger,
Hailey

Holiday Weekend

2009-07-06T11:40:00.003-04:00

This weekend was a little bit of a tough one for us. Alaina continues to be stable and is happy hanging out where she is. There have been no major leaps ahead in her progress and no major setbacks. We are thrilled of course with the fact that she is stable but frustrated as well at the lack of progress forward.

Saturday was her first holiday and it was really hard to not have her with us. She had a little outfit that we bought and she was supposed to be home with us wearing it. We were supposed to be enjoying the day with our new daughter, laughing and loving, not driving home from Eggleston's empty handed. We came in and just sat there together, trying to ignore all of the fireworks outside. Normally we love the fireworks but our hearts weren't in it this year. This was just not the way that it was supposed to be.

Please don't misunderstand, we are so happy that she's doing okay. We praise Jesus for all of the progress that she has made so far. We belive whole heartedly that He can heal our baby girl. We still have a long road ahead though and right now, we're both so exhausted and emotionally drained that we can't see straight.

We continue to ask for your prayers for Alaina to be healed. Will you also pray for strength and peace for Scotlon and I? We want to remain focused on the positive and not let anything steal our joy in the progress that Alaina has made. I've included the newest picture of our girl-her daddy brought in pink mittens instead of those yucky white hospital ones.

Matthew 11:28- "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Love,
Stephanie

Little Milestones

2009-07-03T22:08:00.015-04:00

I promise one day that I'm going to get my post up before the very end of the day. Well, I promise to at least try to get it up before the end of the day.

Our visit with Alaina today was incredible. The paralytic that they had her on is continuing to work it's way out of her body and she's moving around a lot more. I put my finger under hers today and she flexed her fingers around it and held on. What a feeling to hold my daughters hand for the first time.

Today was actually full of firsts! We happened to be there during the time that they were taking her vitals and we got to help. I took her temperature and got to change her diaper. Which, by the way, is not as easy as it sounds when you're working around a lot of tubes. She put up with my shaking hands though and we got the job done. Speaking of diapers, she has already outgrown her newborn diapers and has moved to size one! We finally got a measurement of her length and she's 22 inches long. I can not believe what a big girl we have!

Her stats all look about the same today. We just got our bedtime report and she's stable and tucked in for the evening. Her blood pressure has been going up and down and they would like for it to be a little steadier. She's still on the nitric oxide along with oxygen and they want for her to come off of that completely before they transfer her back to Gainesville. Overall, she's continuing to improve but needs a lot more time to heal.

What a praise for her to have come this far! Less than a week ago we were facing very grim possibilities. The power of prayer is an amazing thing and 6 days later, here we are! We are very aware of the fact that things could still take a turn for the worse, but are choosing to trust that God has us exactly where we are supposed to be in this moment. We will continue to praise Him for all of her milestone's and lean on Him for strength when things aren't going as well.

Please continue to pray for Alaina's healing and for strength for Scotlon and I. We were talking earlier about how people without faith in God get through things like this. I can't even begin to imagine how much harder this would be if we didn't have hope that it was going to get better. If we didn't know for a fact that He is with her tonight, watching over her as she sleeps. Our sweet Jesus has been holding us every step of the way and I am so grateful that He is.

Psalm 106:1~ "Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."

Love,
Stephanie

Girlie Girl

2009-07-02T21:48:00.003-04:00

I am going to be brief tonight as it's been a good, but long day and I am drained. Alaina is doing very well today. They have taken her off of her blood pressure medication completely and have turned her oxygen down. The most exciting thing though is that they have taken her off the paralytic. She's still very sedated but she's moving around a little bit. We were there for about two hours earlier and we got to touch her soft skin and see her open her eyes! They are dark just like her daddy's and I am thrilled that she got his eyes.

If Alaina continues to improve the way that she is, there is talk of moving her back to the NICU in Gainesville in the next couple of days. We are cautiously optimistic and would love nothing more than to have her so close to home. Of course, the more exciting part is that they will not move her back until they feel that she is out of the woods. We're still not there, but it seems that there may be an end in sight! Praise Jesus and His awesome healing power!

One of the things that we did today was take our girl a bow for her hair. The nurse was sweet enough to put it in and take a picture for us, which I included below. Isn't she just beautiful?

Love and blessings,

Stephanie

Home

2009-07-01T22:16:00.003-04:00

Hello all. I apologize for not getting this post up sooner. I had really great intentions this afternoon but found it difficult to type with my eyes closed. Who knew that pain medication made you so sleepy?

Alaina has had a good day and is doing well right now. They have stabalized her blood pressure and were able to turn down that particular medication. She's not weaned from it completely but it's half of what they were giving her previously. They had turned down her oxygen to 85% earlier today but have moved it back up to 95% now. We were a little concerned about that but the nurse explained that they will continue to move it back and forth while her lungs are getting stronger. They want her lungs to get used to working on their own but then give them time to rest until they are strong enough to be off of the additional oxygen completely.

Overall she is doing very well today. In fact, the transport team said that as soon as they were headed towards Atlanta, she started to improve. Apparently she just wanted to go on a road trip and see the city:) She's still in critical condition and we're far from out of the woods but it is such a relief to have some positive news to report.

I was discharged from the hospital this morning and am settled in at home. Walking through the door without my baby is the hardest thing I have ever done. I stood with Scotlon in her nursery and cried because she should have been there with us. I know that it's only a matter of time and she'll be here, it's just so surreal to be here without her right now. We're praying really, really hard that that day comes very soon. Until then I'm getting as much rest as possible so that I'll be all healed when she does come home.

A dear sister in Christ reminded me that I once posted this verse and I think it's perfect for today.

"My soul trusts in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by." Psalm 57:1

He is good ALL the time and we are resting in His love and peace tonight.

Love,
Stephanie

Jereiah 29:11

2009-06-30T23:31:00.004-04:00

Hey guys...I am finally on here to post myself! It's been a whirlwind the last few days and I so appreciate Hailey posting on my behalf. She is the best friend a girl could ask for and I just love her. Last June she was posting for me after my ankle surgery so I think that we may just hibernate for the entire month next year!

I can honestly say that this has been the most exhasuting day of my life. If you told me a few months ago that I would have a child at Egleston's I would have looked at you like you were crazy. I had a perfect pregnancy and took for granted that we would have a normal delivery and be home with our girl in a couple days. On Friday night as we were headed to the hospital I made Scotlon take a picture of me going out the door (I actually made him take a few). I am grinning like an idiot and holding my belly because the next contraction had just started. I look back on those now and wish that I could go back and capture that light-hearted feeling for just a second. Tonight, I would settle for anything lighter than what I'm feeling now.

Alaina was transfered to the NICU at Egleston's tonight. Scotlon rode down there to meet the team and make sure that she got settled in okay. I just spoke to him and she is all tucked in with her new doctors and nurses. For the next 24 hours they plan on trying to just keep her stable and let her rest since she's been through a lot today. If all goes well tomorrow (or later today technically) they will discharge me from the hospital and I will be able to go down and see her. There are so many different variables that are playing a part in her health right now. For the next couple of days we are trying to get her well enough that she doesn't have to go on the ECMO machine. There's only a short window that they can introduce the ECMO though so they may have to just so she doesn't miss that window. It's so much information to take in and we're still trying to process everything.

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support. I am speechless at the number of people that are lifting up our sweet girl. Scotlon and I are overwhelmed and incredibly blessed by all of you. Please continue to pray for healing for Alaina and for strength & peace for us. We know that He has a plan and we will continue to follow Him faithfully.

Jeremiah 29:11~For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Sweet Jesus, I ask that you put your healing touch on our baby girl. You are the Ultimate Physician and there is no docotor on this earth who can heal her the way that you can. Touch her with your hands and let her feel nothing but love pouring over her. We are placing her life in your hands, Lord.

Love,
Stephanie

Update on Alaina

2009-06-30T20:08:00.003-04:00

I just spoke with Stephanie, & Alaina is moving from North Georgia Medical Center to Egleston Children's Hospital. Alaina has continued to be in stable condition since my last update, but her precious doctor feels that she will receive better care with his mentor in Atlanta.

Please be in prayer for the Angel Team from Egleston who are en route to fly Alaina to Atlanta, as well as the medical team that will be responsible for her care until she is able to come home with her Mommy & Daddy where she belongs.

We love you so much baby girl, please don't stop fighting.
Aunt Hailey

Update on Alaina

2009-06-29T23:54:00.003-04:00

Michael, Hannah & I have just returned home from visiting Stephanie & Scotlon at the hospital. Alaina is stable for this very moment, but she is still a very, very sick little girl in desperate need of our diligent prayers.

Please continue to pray for her & her sweet Mommy & Daddy.

Many blessings for your kindness,
Hailey

Urgent Update on Alaina

2009-06-29T16:29:00.003-04:00

I just spoke with Stephanie & Scotlon. Alaina's blood pressure is bottoming out. She is receiving an immediate blood transfusion in hopes that the extra blood with help stabilize her, but if this does not work, Alaina will be transported to Egleston Children's Hospital in Atlanta this evening.

Please, please pray for our sweet little girl's healing.

With much gratitude,
Hailey

Alaina Kristine Hughes

2009-06-29T11:58:00.014-04:00

This is Stephanie's friend, Hailey. Stephanie asked if I would post a short update about Alaina's birth. I will not go into grave detail, because I am sure that once Stephanie regains her strength, she would love to share the entire birth story in her own words.

Alaina Kristine was born Saturday morning at 8:07 via emergency c-section because after laboring for several hours, her heartbeat kept fading from the fetal monitors. After she was born, the doctor found that she had been living in a severely significant amount of meconium for about a week. Apparently Stephanie's placenta had aged prematurely, causing Alaina a great deal of stress. The lack of amniotic fluid & oxygen in the placenta triggered Alaina's premature bowel movement, releasing the meconium. The doctor was able to remove a large amount of the meconium from Alaina's lungs, but the remainder of it is preventing her from breathing properly & has to be dissipated by her body. She is making small improvements, but she still has a long road of healing ahead of her. Fortunately, every report that we have received from her doctor since early Sunday morning has been encouraging.

Stephanie is doing well. I can not imagine the torment that she & Scotlon are facing. Alaina is in a zero-stimulus environment in the NICU where they are not allowed to hold her, touch her, or even speak to her. Thankfully, Scotlon was able to touch & visit with his daughter immediately after she was born. Stephanie was able to touch & visit with her daughter only minutes before she was taken to her postpartum room to recover.

Thank you for your prayers. I know that Stephanie & Scotlon are both extremely appreciative of every prayer, every thought & every kind word of encouragement. Please continue to pray for Alaina's & Stephanie's complete & speedy healing, as well as peace & wisdom for Stephanie & Scotlon during this terrifying time.

With much gratitude,

Hailey

Baby Bump

2009-06-26T07:34:00.004-04:00

For those that have complained because there are no pregnant pictures of me, here you go! These are from the shower that Hailey through me a few weeks ago. I promise that we didn't all plan to match ahead of time:)

Report

2009-06-24T09:56:00.000-04:00

SOOOO...nothing new to report! I went for my weekly appointment yesterday afternoon and there's been no change. I go back next Monday if I haven't had her before then. However, I am praying with everything I have in me that she comes before then. Before you start thinking it's just because I'm 47 months pregnant and every woman feels that way, I can assure you that I have two very good reasons:

1.) My hand-picked, fabulous, calm in every situation, nurse leaves for vacation to Cabo San Lucas on Sunday morning.

2.) One of my dearest friends is moving several states away on Tuesday. I would really love it if Alaina could meet her before she goes!

So, if you would join us in praying that our sweet girl will make her appearance in the next few days, we would really appreciate it!!!

Pampering

2009-06-22T14:34:00.001-04:00

While I wish that I had something more interesting to report this morning, I am still pregnant and trucking along! There is no doubt that she is my daughter and determined to do things in her own time. However, as long as there's air conditioning I'm happy to house her until she's ready to come out!

This weekend was just about the most perfect weekend a girl could ask for. My wonderful friend Nina planned a surprise day of pampering for me on Saturday! We went and had lunch and then she took me for a wonderfully relaxing prenatal massage. Girls, I'm telling you this is the way to go. Seriously, beg, borrow or steal to find a way to get one (or more!) while you're pregnant.
After that we went to the mall and shopped, splurged on a couple of pieces of Godiva chocolate, had dinner at Macaroni Grill and headed home for the evening. Saturday night, Scotlon & I headed to a birthday celebration where the cake was an oh-so-creamy homemade cheesecake.

Hmmm...there's a distinct possibility that Alaina is staying put for good reason. After all that fabulous food, can you blame her???

Work Shower

2009-06-19T07:43:00.003-04:00

As promised, here are some of the pictures from the shower I had at work a couple of weeks ago. The girls I work with did such an awesome job! As soon as I get the ones from Hailey's shower I will get those up as well.

As far as Alaina goes...we're ready anytime! I'm still not dilated at all but am now 70% effaced so I'm slowly moving in the right direction. We think it would be really cool if she was born this weekend since it's Fathers Day, so if you wanted to send prayers that direction, it wouldn't hurt my feelings any. ;)

Hope that you all have a great weekend!

Wonderful Weekend

2009-06-15T07:11:00.001-04:00

This weekend was absolutely wonderful...uneventful, but wonderful! We got together with some good friends to celebrate a birthday, slept late, enjoyed some time at the pool and just took it easy. Yesterday afternoon we wandered the outlets and bought some cute things for our girl. We're trying so hard not to buy everything we see, but Carters was having a sale. It's hard to say no when everything at the already discounted outlet is even cheaper!

Mom Norton (Hailey's mama) came over last night to work on the nursery and we had a lot of fun painting together. She's doing a super cute border around the room that I can not wait to post pictures of. She is so talented and I love that Alaina is going to have a nursery that's unlike any other! Now if she would just get here so she could see it...

On that note, nothing new to report. We're down to only 12 days and I am SO ready for baby girl to get here. I'm doing everything that people tell you to scoot her along, walking, hanging out on my yoga ball, eating spicy foods, etc. Scotlon is really crossing his fingers that she's born on Fathers Day (6/21) which is next Sunday. Since there's supposed to be a full moon that day he may be on to something...I go back to the doctor on Wednesday afternoon so maybe I'll have something more to report then!

Blog Slacker & Random Update

2009-06-09T07:51:00.002-04:00

So...I've been away from my blog for over a month now. I swear I just posted the other day, but time has started moving faster and faster as we approach D-Day! None the less, I am here now with a random update on what's been happening lately.

~I am 37w3d pregnant which means we only have 18 more days if Alaina comes on her due date. Does that seem really close to anyone else??? However, as of my last doctors appointment she appears quite content to hang out in the home that I've made her so that number may or may not be accurate! I go back weekly now though and promise to try to do better on the updates.

~Our house has become an explosion of all things pink and baby. My cats are terrified by all the new noise makers in the house...if they only knew what was up ahead! They can smell change coming though...we've been trying to give them extra love and attention so that they will bond with Alaina when she gets here. Worst case scenario, we'll just sprinkle cat nip all around her and they're sure to love her, right?

~I've had two baby showers and am working on trying to get the pictures from them so I can put them up. Both of them were absolutely wonderful and I can not believe how sweet and generous people are! We only have a couple of things left to get and we're finished.

~There is officially no way to walk without waddling now. I look like one of those Weebles-Wobble that I used to play with as a kid. Unlike the toy, I will fall down if you barely bump into me though...my balance is gone!

That's all for now folks! Hope that you have a great day!

Childbirth Class: Week 4

2009-05-07T11:20:00.002-04:00

Now that we're nearing the end, we finally had a class that was fairly uneventful! Not that it was without it's humorous moments, like our instructor breaking the forceps that she was trying to demonstrate with, but in comparison with previous weeks it was pretty tame.

The most interesting part was watching the girl across from me during the breathing exercises (I get distracted easily). Her mom is her labor coach and there seemed to be (and by seemed, I mean harsh whispering that was hard to ignore) a dispute about whether or not she was breathing correctly. I might have been able to ignore them, but halfway through each practice contraction, Scotlon would whisper, "She's at the 40, the 30, the 20, the 10, TOUCHDOWN!". While I usually appreciate a good football reference, the image of me running (waddling) down a football field in a hospital gown was making me giggle. Have you every tried to take deep, even breaths while holding in a laugh? It's not possible people!

Next week is our last class and I can only imagine what might be in store for us...

Childbirth Class:Week 3

2009-04-29T10:23:00.002-04:00

I'm sad to say that our break from the crazy lady (as I affectionately call her) is over. Last night we focused on things the coaches can do during labor to help mom stay on track with her breathing. The first thing she mentioned is getting right in front of mom's face and telling her very firmly to focus. Riiiiiight. Knowing the gentle spirit that I am (ha!), I can tell you with confidence that this is not going to be a move that we use. My husband is smart enough to know that if he gets that close and starts barking orders, I'm liable to grab a handful of his hair and pull until I start to feel better. I love my sweetheart and I don't want to hurt him, but these are extreme circumstances people.

We were able to tour the hospital last night and see where we're going to be in a few weeks. It was pretty cool, though the highlight was when crazy lady decided to show us one of the antipartum rooms. Does she look on the sign to see if it's occupied?

Nope! She just walks right on in!

The room was definitely taken and I'm not sure mom was super thrilled to be barged in on.

On a serious note, I'm going to ask for your prayers. One of the girls in our class was admitted to the hospital and will be there until she delivers. She's only 31 weeks pregnant and they're trying to buy her a few more before they induce her. I cannot even begin to imagine how scared she is right now. Please pray for peace and healing for both her and the sweet boy she's carrying.

Thank you!

Childbirth Class: Week Two

2009-04-22T07:27:00.002-04:00

I am happy to report that our class last night was much less eventful than last week. I'm sure that it has nothing to do with the fact that our regular teacher couldn't be there and we had a substitute teacher. Who, might I add, was awesome.

Going into last night, I was super bummed because my hubby is out of town and had to miss class. However, I am so blessed because my labor & delivery nurse happens to be a great friend and she attended with me. How awesome is that? In addition, Nina is best friends with the woman who was our sub so I was definitely in good hands.

The only downside to the whole evening was the labor video. Not specifically the video itself, but the two fabulous women who were whispering about how hard that particular phase was, etc. I leaned over and whispered as politely as possible, "NOT HELPING!" Nina laughed and promised that every second was worth it in the end. While I know that in my heart, the screaming woman on the screen is still haunting me a little.

The best part was practicing this weeks relaxation technique...massage. I feel very confident that it won't be quite so pleasant when I'm actually in labor pain, but last night it was pretty nice.

Overall, a much better experience than last week. Here's hoping that next week goes just as well!

Sweet Little Bunny

2009-04-17T07:46:00.005-04:00

Yesterday, we went to the doctor's for our 3-D ultrasound pictures and it was incredible. I know that there is a real person in my belly, but seeing her sweet face for the first time was a moment that I will never forget. She was so cooperative and gave us a great picture with her eyes open. We can tell already that she's going to be a thumb sucker as she had it there almost the whole time!

You can't see it here but after a few minutes of blinking at us, she decided that we weren't so interesting and tried to take a nap. The picture below is one of my favorites because you can see her sweet little face so clearly. Bless her heart though, she got my fat cheeks!

Overall it was a great day for us! We can't wait to meet our sweet little bunny!

Jeremiah 1:5-"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart."

Inappropriate Classroom Behavior

2009-04-15T07:19:00.003-04:00

Last night, armed with two pillows and a blanket, we attended the first week of our childbirth classes. We were a little unsure of what to expect since we've never had a need to attend this kind of class before. Nothing, NOTHING, could have prepared us for the next two hours.

We arrived early and met the woman who will be teaching our classes. Off the bat, I'm wondering how many years it's been since she has actually been in labor. Seriously, I think she might be related to Methuselah (we later found out that she has 8 great-grandchildren). I admonished myself for being so judgmental and thought about all the wise older people that I have learned from over the years. After attending only one of our five classes, I can tell you with confidence that she is not going to be one of them.

We get in and settled into the very back row of the classroom. I usually don't sit in the very back because I'm a nerd, but Scotlon insisted and I am so glad that he did. As people are filing in, I'm secretly thrilled that I am not the largest woman in the room. I mean, I love the girls I work with but they're all dieting and skinny. It did something amazing for my self-esteem to sit with women who are not shrinking more by the day. We go around and everyone introduces themselves, when they're due, etc. Then we got down to business.

As we're discussing the progression of labor, our instructor picks up the skeleton pelvis and the doll so she can demonstrate. She shows the baby moving down and everything is going fine until she puts the pelvis back down on the table...with the baby's head still stuck in it. The baby is now sticking straight up at a 45 degree angle out of the pelvis. Perhaps if I had gotten enough sleep on Monday night this might not have been so funny. However, it caught me just right last and the laughter started. At this point, it was still containable though.

We move on to relaxation techniques and visualization. The woman on the tape she's playing has us visualizing ourselves in the womb, talking to our babies, what is your baby telling you? (My baby is telling me to get out...there's barely enough room for her in there)! Then we're imagining our babies in the ocean with water all around. (What the crap is my baby doing in the middle of the ocean? She can't swim people, she's going to drown! How is this supposed to be relaxing me)?

The tape transitions into relaxing each part of our body individually. Each appendage is getting heavy and warm. When she gets to our legs getting heavy and warm, soooo relaxed, all I can hear is Ron White doing his bit about floating down the river peeing on himself. I've got the giggles at this point and I am trying desperately not to laugh out loud. She then says to imagine ourselves warm and flaccid. I will not share my inappropriate thoughts here, but my composure took a nose dive and my shoulders were shaking uncontrollably. The girl in front of me turned around to glare at me, which only made me laugh harder. Not only am I not doing the breathing exercise, but I can't stop laughing long enough to suck in ANY air. The tape finally ends and the instructor lets us have a break. I bolt for the door as fast as my 30 week pregnant belly will let me, praying that I can hold in the laughter until I get outside.

Bear in mind, that we're only halfway through the class at this point. The rest was filled with more of the same uncontrollable laughter and praying that the time would pass quickly. The conclusion that we came to on the way home was that we essentially paid $75 for a self-esteem boost and a great abdominal workout.

I can't wait to see what's on the agenda for next week....

Happy Birthday Hailey!

2009-04-10T07:44:00.002-04:00

Today is a very special day...27 years ago today my best friend was born! We didn't meet until 12 years later and I am so very glad that we did. A lot has changed over the last decade or so but our friendship has only grown. Through the years there have been mission trips, Top Gun viewings, boyfriend highs and lows, Friends' marathon weekends, crash diets, surgeries, weddings, funerals, babies, and everything in between. She has the biggest heart of anyone I know and I am so honored that she chooses to spend time with me! I could go on for days and still not come close to telling you how spectacular she truly is.

Hailey/Goose/NB, I love you more than words can say. I hope that you have the most fabulous day ever. I look forward to celebrating many more birthdays with you in the years to come!

Pregnancy Brain

2009-04-02T09:57:00.003-04:00

My daughter is slowly draining all of my brain cells from my body. I promise that I used to be an intelligent person before I got pregnant. In fact, I used to secretly scoff at the girls who blamed "pregnancy brain" for their space-cadet moments. I am here today to tell you that pregnancy brain is very real. I forget what I am saying mid-sentence. I walk out and climb into my car, only to realize that my keys are sitting on the counter. I will ask you a question three times, listen to your response, and still walk away without knowing the answer. It's gotten proportionately worse, the farther along I get in my pregnancy. However, last night takes the cake.

I was working on a special gourmet dinner of Hamburger Helper and Five-Cheese Bread (don't be jealous of my mad cooking skills), and everything was going along fine. Ground beef is done, I added the additional liquid needed, set the timer, and walked away. When the timer went off I came back and instead of seeing a finished meal, I see white & grey gunk. Confused, I open the lid and stare at the pot for a good two minutes trying to figure out what went wrong. I call Scotlon to ask if he thinks it looks odd when I notice the box sitting off to the side.

Unopened.

I realized at that moment that while I added liquid, I never actually added the box of Hamburger Helper. Even though his shaking shoulders were giving him away, I give my husband serious credit for not laughing out loud as he tried to console his overly-emotional, pregnant wife.

Perhaps boxed meals aren't idiot-proof after all...

Cure for the Monday Blues

2009-03-24T06:58:00.007-04:00

I hate Mondays. I struggle to get out of bed and then try to ward off feelings of mild depression as I realize that I have 4 more days before I can sleep in again. It didn't use to be quite as bad, but I am finding myself moving a wee bit slower these days! Yesterday was particularly challenging because there were two of us trying to get ready. For the first time since we've been married, we don't each have the bathroom to ourselves in the morning. We discovered quickly that we both missed the day in kindergarten where you learn to share things! Adjustments were made on both sides and we managed to make it out of the house without strangling each other.

The end of the day, however, was much better than the beginning! We spent the evening at the Emerson household where we were treated like royalty. Hailey not only made her famous lasagna but surprised Scotlon with his favorite dessert...cupcakes with homemade buttercream icing. Nothing cures the Monday blues like licking fresh icing off of the beaters! In the midst of the mixer going, pots and pans banging, the boys yelling at the xbox (because that will keep their players from dying), I look over and see this:

Girlfriend is passed out. I have no idea how she is still sleeping with all of the noise around her, but I hope and pray with every fiber of my being that Alaina sleeps just like her cousin!

After she finally woke up we put her new t-shirt on her and tried to get a picture of her in it. Ha! She did NOT want her picture taken, which she told us very clearly over and over again. Being the persistant people that we are, Hailey was finally able to get a good one (note the saying):

That's right! Hannah is going to be a big sister on or around November 20th! She already loves her "baby" and will kiss & pat mommy's belly. She got a little confused when we tried to explain that Aunt Stephie had a baby too, but we'll work on that:) Of course, Hailey & I are thrilled to be having our babies together! After all, we do everything else together so why not this???

Here's hoping that your Tuesday goes by quickly and smoothly. If not...only three more days to go!

Love,

Stephanie

Hallelujah!

2009-03-19T10:39:00.002-04:00

Scotlon will be starting his new job on Monday! He just got the offer this morning and we are so very thrilled. It has been a long 8-weeks but God has been so faithful every step of the way. Thank you all so much for your constant prayers and support. Words can not express how grateful I am to you.

"Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare or ask or hope." - Eph. 3:20

Quiet Moments

2009-03-18T07:25:00.001-04:00

I love it when the alarm goes off in the mornings. At least for the last couple of months or so. My sweet baby girl wakes up at the same time I do, and greets me with lots of kicks! It is still dark, all is quiet and it's just us (Daddy is still passed out cold). I love to put my hands on my belly and feel her swimming around beneath them. If I press on a specific spot she will get annoyed and kick back over there. It's a silly game we play, but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I lie there and thank God for such a wonderful blessing and wonder how I can possibly love her anymore than I already do. I know I will, but it's just that my heart is so full that it's overflowing.

While I long for the day that I can hold her in my arms, I know that I will miss this feeling. I will miss this quiet time together. There will be so many more incredible moments but it will never be quite like this again. Is it silly if that makes me just a little sad? This time is flying by and I just don't want to forget one second of it...

Abundant Blessings

2009-03-05T08:31:00.001-05:00

I have been a terrible blogger lately. I can not believe that it has been over a month since I last posted! I kept meaning to get on and the time just flew by me. For the few of you who actually read this, I promise to try to do better in the future.

To give you a quick update, baby and I are still doing great. After much debate, we decided that Huey needed a more feminine name:) We finally settled on Alaina and love calling our daughter by her name! She's growing strong and we're over halfway there. Only 16 more weeks to go!

Scotlon is still out of work. It's been almost 6 weeks now and while we have some leads working, nothing definite yet. To add to that, the Department of Labor takes forever to approve unemployment when there's severance involved and we haven't seen the first check. For the last 4 weeks we've been surviving solely on my salary and on God's promise to provide. And has He ever...

I have a confession to make. We are terrible tithers. In the past we have always meant to tithe more consistently and have even had numerous discussions about it. However, we have never been consistent about following through. Until now. When Scotlon lost his job, it felt like the end of the world. When we calmed down we realized that God was using this period as a teaching opportunity. We were asking Him to provide for our needs and to bless us while being directly disobedient to what He was laying on our hearts. He made it abundantly clear that it was time for a change.

Can I tell you that He has provided in ways that we could never have imagined? He has strengthened our relationship in a time that we could have easily been at each others throats. He has poured out blessings from the most random places at exactly the time we need them. He has stretched our dollars further than we have ever been able to make them go on our own. It hasn't been easy and I don't expect that's going to change. But I would not trade the peace that has come from really trusting that He is in control for anything in the world.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."
Phil. 4:6-7

Team Pink

2009-02-04T07:14:00.003-05:00

Our 20 week doctors appointment was yesterday and Huey is a girl! Of course, we're going to have to start calling her something other than Huey:) We thought for a a minute that we were going to have a surprise baby because she refused to uncross her legs. Scotlon and I feel very blessed that our daughter is so modest already! She eventually got annoyed with all the poking and proding and shifted for us. We are so thrilled that she did! I will try to get the pictures up tonight.

The rest of the ultrasound went very well. She weighs about 12 oz. and is growing like a weed (which makes two of us). It's hard to believe that I'm already halfway through my pregnancy. The time has just flown right by! I hope and pray that the second half goes every bit as smoothly as the first!

Ephesians 3:20

2009-01-23T10:01:00.001-05:00

Let me begin by saying that we are all (including Huey) healthy. However, we found out this morning that my husband's company cut his position along with several others. While, I don't understand where this road is leading us, I know that God is good, He does have a plan, and He will provide. I read this scripture on another blog this morning before I found out about his job and I am clinging to it!

"God is able to do immeasurably more than all we could ask or imagine." ~Ephesians 3:20

Please pray for peace for Scotlon and I while we wait for Him to reveal what our future holds.

Love,

Stephanie

Indescribable

2009-01-13T17:14:00.004-05:00

After many technical problems, I finally got the latest ultrasound picture up! It's so hard to believe that I'm getting close to the halfway point. I feel like I just found out I was pregnant yesterday and yet here we are. Just a couple days ago, I felt my peanut move for the first time! It was the weirdest and coolest thing in the whole world. I am so in awe of this miracle growing inside me. I haven't really "felt" pregnant so far but something moving inside me makes it very real! I can hardly wait until our next appointment when I can see the baby again. Hopefully we'll be able to find out if we'll be painting pink or blue then as well! I promise to let you know as soon as we know for sure!

Thank you, Lord!

2009-01-12T08:05:00.002-05:00

God is so good. No matter what the circumstances are, that fact never changes. I am forever in awe of the ways He chooses to reveal Himself in simple moments. A call from a friend when I need encouragement. Money that appears out of nowhere when I need a little extra. The perfect scripture on the first page I open my Bible to. Sudden peace that passes understanding when I have every earthly reason to be terrified. He is there providing for every need, even when I don't know exactly what I need.

Today, I just want to say thank you Lord! Thank you for all of the blessings in my life, for carrying my burdens when they're too heavy to bear, and for simply being who You say You are. Thank you.