Ethan's 1st Christmas

It's hard to believe that Christmas is already behind us! I remember this time last year when I wa pregnant and how I dreamed about how a year later we would have a 6 1/2 month old. Now that we are here, I am in awe each day of my life and my wonderful son and husband. This was our only quiet Christmas...each one from here on out will be so much more exciting with a toddler running around and bringing even more joy to the season.



We are so blessed to have such an incredible amount of love from our family. Even though Ethan is still a baby, he got lots of presents for Christmas. Here is a breakdown of his loot:

• musical play table


• colorful play floor mats


• Pluto stuffed animal


• Cars book


• Little People tug boat


• crawl/chase toy


• musical snail


• baby food


• socks


• bib


• tambourines


• hungry pelican


• drums


• coca-cola polar bear


• Nike hat and mittens


• pjs


• sleep n play outfits


• overalls


• sweater


• plaid jacket


• plaid shirt


• piggy bank


• touch n feel book

I am sure that I am forgetting something...we have a whole lot to look forward to as he continues to grow and develop!

Matt and I will definitely say that Ethan's 1st Christmas was not all that we had imagined....Ethan was terribly sick (ear infection and the worst cold I have seen a baby with), so all of us were not able to enjoy the festivities as much as we would have hoped. Actually, we all were sick. I am not sure who had it first! Ethan slept through Christmas at my mom's house on Christmas Eve; there was no opening of presents for him! No family picture either. Christmas morning, Ethan was so sleepy and ill that we did not even have him "open" his present from Santa. We got ready, and then headed down the road to my grandparents house. On Christmas day, I felt like I spent most of the time in a bedroom away from everybody trying to settle Ethan, nurse him, or get him to sleep. He wanted nothing to do with anyone except for me. I was not able to spend time with family that I never see, and they were not able to play with Ethan. And let me tell you, I love Ethan so much, but I definitely enjoy the time when he can be with someone else for a little while and give me a break. Needless to say, no family picture here either. Oh well...pictures are simply tangible ways of remembering.



Now that this year is almost over, it brings feelings of sadness and excitement to me. I am sad to see such a great year go, and sad to see my baby boy not such a baby anymore. But even more importantly, I am excited about what is to come. We have been so blessed, and I know it will continue.

Horrible blogger!

Wow! It has been a while since I have blogged! Needless to say, we have been extremely busy! Motherhood is truly wonderful, and my bundle of joy keeps me smiling and going each day. Here are some recaps of the past few months and how he has changed:



Ethan is now eating solid foods. I have made some of the foods (carrots, peaches, and pumpkin) and we are also using already prepared baby food; I am not adventurous enough to try everything myself. His favorites are squash and applesauce. It is so cute to watch him as he tries something for the first time. We are so accustom to him just eating milk, so this is taking morediscipline on our part.

Lil man is also sitting up all on his own! He is getting so strong; he leans over to grab toys and can put himself in different positions. It does not take much to keep him entertained! He loves banging on things like a table, keyboard, etc. Anything within his reach he will try to get. He gets fascinated with hair, fans, earrings, necklaces, strings, and paper.

Ethan and our dogs are too stinking cute together! Ethan loves them and will try to grab them and rub noses with them. When he is sitting up playing, they come over and check him out. Every now and then Ethan will get tickled with them; he loves to watch them chase each other and play. He will begin to laugh and it is adorable! Oh the fun that is to come with Ethan and the girls!

Ethan definitely knows his mommy and daddy. I will come home from work, and as soon as I am in the house and he hears my voioce, he begins to whine for me. Someone else can be holding Ethan, and if he sees Matt or me nearby, he will want us. I love that he loves us so much.

I will post things more often...especially with Christmas right around the corner!

A week of firsts...

Ethan rolled over the other night! He has not figured out that he can do it all the time, but I am sure it is only a matter of time before he is rolling all over the place. It cracks me up how he will do it sometimes and the a few minutes later he acts like he has no idea what to do! His poor chubby legs are so heavy to kick over! When we place him under his musical gym, I think he gets a little distracted by all the dangling toys over him. He could play with them all day!

Last night we started Ethan on cereal. He did not care for it too much, but we are gonna keep trying each night. Matt and I absolutely love watching his facial reactions to the new substance in his mouth. I seriously think that more of the cereal ends up on Ethan than in his mouth. He doesn't seem to like the cereal, but yet when he sees us come near him with the spoon, he opens his mouth. The little rugrat is learning, and I do not think it will be too long before he realizes that the cereal is oh so yummy!!

We are so blessed!

I know every parent probably says this, but Ethan is so perfect! I cannot get over how even-tempered, calm, and serious -aced he is all the time. He is rarely fussy, and if he is, it's because a nap or food is needed. I absolutely love holding and cuddling with him. He nuzzles his precious face next to mine , and it is pure bliss! He is at the stage where he is showing so much personality. He laughs and talks to us in his own baby language. His legs are so strong; he loves his jumperoo and bouncing on our laps. We are waiting on him to roll over...he seems so close. I know that once he becomes more mobile, life will really change!

I find myself just gazing at him in amazement. It is still hard to believe that he is mine. He has brought so much more joy to our lives. Even though he cannot talk, I can tell that he loves us, and that makes me smile!

Matt is now able to work from home. An opportunity was placed before him that would allow him to work at home, more money, time with me and Ethan, and a career growth for him. We could not ask for anything better right now. With Matt's other job, he was getting home after 9pm and working weekends. We both knew that it would make for a very interesting time starting a family. This new job came at the perfect time, and is yet another blessing from above! He is with Ethan all day, which I am so thankful for....it also makes me a little jealous! I keep telling Matt that Ethan will always know who mommy is! So far, that has been oh so true!

I am back at work, and everything is going well. I never dread going in to work; I love my job and my students. I do dread leaving Ethan, but I know he is in good hands. I am one of the first ones out of the school building each day, and I cannot wait to get home to my lil man! Oh, and of course Matt too! I feel like Matt and I have waited so long for this point in our lives. We have only the Lord to thank for all of this!

Things that have surprised me

I have been a mom for 6 weeks now, and I have enjoyed every second of it. There has been lots to learn, and even more to come! Here are some of the things that have surprised me so far:

*the amount of laundry 1 lil guy can produce! From onesies, to bibs, blankets, and burpcloths, he sure can fill up his hamper!

*the noises he makes while sleeping--grunts, sighs, laughs, wimpers, and just deep breathing

*the noise that he can sleep through--2 huge dogs in the house barking and running around, TV, me talking

*how I can sit and stare at him and then wonder where the time has gone

*how much I love him; I knew I would love him, but it is really indescribable.

*how much he can eat!

*bodily noises--he already sounds like a grown man!

*how fast he will change right before us. He is showing personality and growing more each day.

*how he has us figured out--he knows when I walk in a room, who is holding him, and what cry to do to get our attention

Some of this I knew, but seeing it all firsthand in my own house has been quite the experience.

The joys of motherhood

I knew that we would be excited to meet Ethan, but no words can express the love and joy that Matt and I have for him. Even though he keeps me up at all hours of the night and will whimper and cry and I have no clue what he wants, I would not have it any other way. Here are some of the things that I absolutely love about Ethan and being his mommy:

1. the noises he makes as I feed him

2. watching him make faces as he sleeps; the smile is my favorite!

3. the way he kicks and punches

4. the way he will whimper and then when I hold him he is suddenly at ease

5. watching him fall asleep in my arms

6. taking naps with him; we cuddle together

7. his monkey toes; he got them from me!

8. watching Matt console, feed, burp, and entertain his baby boy

9. the way he will gaze into my eyes as if he is telling me he loves me

10. the way he sleeps...either on his side or on his back with both hands up over his head

11. his awesome hair that I hope he does not lose!!

12. the way he clamps on to my fingers with his hand

13. his cries...it lets me know I am needed

I know this list will continue to grow as he does!

Ethan's journey into this world

It all started Saturday June 7 around 1o pm. I was having contractions, but nothing too close together. They were making me wince in pain, and I knew that the time was near. We went to bed around midnight, and around 1:00 am I was woken up with some steady contractions (about 7-8 minutes apart). I did not wake Matt up yet; I just wrote down and kept track of the contractions. Around 2:30 Matt stirred, and I called the midwife. Needless to say, she told me to wait until they were 5 minutes apart and unbearable. I was frustrated because I could not sleep and just wanted my baby. We went back to bed, but I did not sleep at all. Contractions continued all morning long on Sunday, but still nothing was consistent enough. I told Matt that I could not take this much longer! This baby better come soon! By 3:00 pm, the contractions were more intense, but anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes apart. I called the midwife again and she told me to either wait it out or come to the hospital for them to check me. No brainer there...we were headed to the hospital!!

On the way to the hospital, I was having contractions consistently at 7 minutes apart. By the time I was checked, I was 3 cm and 100% effaced. My last doc appointment was on Friday, so I had made a lot of progress over the weekend. I was admitted, and now we were ready for baby!

It was about 6:00 pm that we got to our labor and delivery room. The nurses did all their stuff, and then Matt and I went on a walk to get things going even more. My family showed up during this time, and I was so glad to see their love and support!

I got the epidural (lifesaver!!!) and was now just laying there waiting for actual labor to begin. I was progressing...I went to 4 1/2 centimeters in about 1 hour. My contractions were still not coming as hard and steady as they needed to be. The midwife started me on pitocin to make things go even faster. During all this, the midwife discovered that the baby was turned a little, so they had me changing positions every 30 minutes to get him to move. Also, when I was having contractions, the baby's heart rate was doing weird things that they did not like, so they gave me an oxygen mask. I am not gonna lie...that really scared me. Within another 1 1/2 hours, I was at 8 cm. The pushing began about 1:30 am. Matt, my mom, and my sis were there for the whole thing. It was quite a miracle! Little Ethan came into the world at 2:50 am June 8.

2 cm and waiting...

I will be the first to admit that I truly thought I would have a baby boy in my arms by now. The pregnancy has been wonderful, so surely he would grace us with his presence before my actual due date. Apparently my baby boy already loves being with his mommy and is not wanting to let go!

I can really feel the end of this pregnancy. I am cramping, having intense pains at random moments, feeling the need to always sit down, and getting immune to the lower back pain. Everyone keeps telling me to relax and take it easy, but when I do that too much, I find myself thinking about nothing else but this baby coming. I do not want to become too anxious, so I am doing things to take my mind off of just sitting and waiting. I am constantly cleaning (not a bad thing at all!), running errands, going to the mall with Matt or family, reading a book, etc to stay active.

I think we are both a little skeptical of the whole labor ordeal. We both want to see him so bad and bring him to our home that we often forget about the process of him getting here. Matt laughs at me because I am such a planner and want to know how everything will happen...like the exact route to the hospital, where we will park, what our house will look like when we leave it, leaving Mags and Kay (the dogs) for who knows how long...the list could go on and on!!

I have been thinking about some things that I will truly miss about being pregnant:

1. Having an excuse to sleep and eat when I want without a reason

2. Feeling my baby move inside of me

3. Experiencing first-hand one of God's miracles at work

4. Nesting...I have really gotten some things accomplished...maybe it will keep up!

5. Late night runs for ice cream and other sweet treats! Thanks Matty! :)

6. the natural glow I feel like I have at times...being pregnant does make you excited and happy!

7. reading and learning all about my growing and changing baby inside of me...now I will read about the actual baby!!

8. Seeing an even softer side of Matt--he has really been a trooper and sweetheart through the pregnancy...I can't wait to see him as a father.

Here are the things that I am ready to give up or go back to with my pre-pregnancy life:

1. Running and working out!!

2. drinking Coke

3. not having to pee 2+ times during the night

4. not having random people comment on my belly...well, now it will be the baby

5. being able to wear normal clothes

6. being able to walk without my back aching

7. explaining to everyone how I am doing and what is going on with the pregnancy...I do not lke all attention on me...again, this will now be on the baby

8. being able to see my feet

9. eating feta cheese...I LOVE Greek salads!

10. SHOPPING!! I have not bought myself any clothes (besides to necessities for the growing belly) in what feels like forever! I go to the mall and just look...

Kids say the darnest things!

This might be the funniest thing that has happened to me since I have been pregnant...


Matt and I went to the mall last night to hang out and see a movie. The walking around was good for me, even though it was not the easiest task in the world. We were in Journeys (a shoe store) just looking around. There was a boy of about 4 years old (at the most) in there with his parents. I hardly even noticed the boy until he came up to me. Here is how the conversation went:

Boy: What you got in there?

Matt and I were confused at first, and then we realized that he was referring to my belly.

Boy: What's in there? Let me see.

He obviously thought I was hiding something under my shirt.

Boy: Lift up your shirt! I wanna see!

Me: (laughing) It's a baby...you looked like this once too.

Boy: No!!! I wanna see...what is it?

He was laughing and jumping up and down anticipating the magic show of me showing him what I was hiding under my shirt. I suppose he has not seen many pregnant ladies before, and my belly to him just looked like a big ball or something else really exciting. Needless to say, Matt and I were laughing about it the rest of the night!!

Just waiting...

I am a few days over 37 weeks, and I just sit and wonder when Ethan will begin to make his journey into this world. I am fairly confident that we have everything ready. I am such a planner, so not knowing when he will come just about drives me crazy! I am trying to take it easy this weekend. I have been rather busy at school with packing up my classroom, finishing the school year, and just being busy getting ready for Ethan. I have really worn myself out.

I went to the doc on Thursday, and they think he is about 6 1/2 pounds. Only time will tell! Matt and I talk all the time on how we want to see his little face! It's so hard to believe that he is almost here.

I can really tell that the pregnancy is coming to an end. Everything just feels different. He has moved down a good bit, which makes me go to the bathroom all the time! My back aches, and I have had trouble sleeping. He moves all the time, and these movements poke and pry at my body! I cannot wait for him to be here!!

Mother's (to-be) Day

Even though Ethan is not here yet, I consider myself a mother already. I have been preparing, loving, and caring for this baby for many months now. It is so weird to think that this time next year my baby boy will be almost a year old!!

Matt gave me a very sweet card and signed his name "Dad."--it made me laugh, smile, and almost cry at the same time. I told him not to go overboard with anything for me because I know that he can get a little carried away. He bought and picked out a book for me; he knows I love to read and that I will be rather lazy this summer, especially when the baby is sleeping. I was totally surprised and impressed that he remembered my favorite author, Jodi Piccoult, and got me one of her books. He was so down on himself though when I told him that I had already read it; it was actually the first book of hers that I read about 3 years ago. I did not care at all; I do not own the book and would love to read it again. He was not satisfied at all. Needless to say, he returned the book and had me pick out another one. When I got home from work yesterday, he had also picked out a pair of Crocs flip flops that he knew I liked. He is so sweet!!

My aunt sent me a card in the mail about becoming a mom, my uncle called me, and my sister gave me a card and a present. This is becoming more and more real!! I cannot wait to really become a mom and experience the true joys of motherhood!!

Counting down the weeks!

Oh my how this time has gone by! We only have about 4 1/2 more weeks until the expected due date (June 11), but only God knows when precious Ethan will come! We still have some things to do, but my goal is to get it all accomplished over the next week or 2 so that I can relax.

I went to the doctor this past Monday, and everything looks great! I am measuring right on schedule, blood pressure is amazing, and I have a total weight gain of 28 pounds. Ethan is in a great position for a normal vaginal delivery. His head is in the right spot, and it is very unlikely that he will move from there. His movements now are becoming a little more uncomfortable. Sometimes I feel like he is trying to puncture my ribs and other organs. I am having to use the restroom a lot more frequently; I can surely tell he is bigger and right on my bladder!

I am fairly certain that I have experienced my first real contraction, not a Braxton Hicks. It woke me up the other night. It was like a really bad cramp that lasted for a little while. Everything was extremely tight, and I felt as if there was nothing I could do to alleviate the pain. Once it surpassed, I got out of bed to use the restroom, and then I proceeded back to sleep. I suppose I should get used to these things! I keep reminding myself that my mom delivered all 3 of her babies at 37 and 38 weeks, so that is very soon for me! I really should be more productive on this Saturday!!

Strange Pregnancy Happenings

Being nearly 32 weeks into this, there have been all sorts of things to happen that have caught me off guard. No matter if someone told me about it, I read it in a book  or it was just common sense, it is all different when it really happens to you.

Let's see how many strange happenings I can recall:

1. can't get enough sleep (especially at the beginning)

2. not being able to sleep (3rd trimester...hence why I am writing this at 4:30 in the AM!!)

3. eating all the time and still feeling hungry (just ate some Frosted Flakes!)

4. getting emotional about shows like Biggest Loser

5. bloody mucus

6. bleeding/sensitive gums 

7. the urge to clean everything in preparation for the baby

8. worrying more than usual

9. feeling like my stomach is contorting when the baby moves/rolls around

10. watching my stomach move with baby...this can amuse Matt and me for hours!!

11. HORRIBLE leg cramps (especially in the middle of the night!)

12. headaches (early in pregnancy)

13. not being able to breathe for nearly 5 weeks (I was so congested and could not do too much)

14. waking up to pee in the middle of the night (this has never been an issue for me; it always seems to be from 3:00-4:00)

15. feeling like I am going to bust and then being surprised at how little comes out

16. not having to pee until I stand up, and I feel like a little kid running to the bathroom

17. getting out of breath from walking

18. feeling like I ran 3 miles after walking up 3 flights of stairs to my classroom (the extra 22 pounds right now is making a significant difference!)

19. constipation (1st trimester--I think my body was adjusting to the prenatal vitamins)

20. extra water weight that I really cannot see (well, except for the underwear and bra that will not snap anymore!)

21. vivid, crazy, random dreams

22. more acne than usual

23. dry, flaky scalp

24. swollen female parts

25. backache (this is a more recent one which will only get worse)

Notice I have not said anything about nausea. I have been oh so thankful to not have this one! I know this is a long list, but this pregnancy has been wonderful! I am ready for Ethan to be here, but I will also miss this joyous time in my life.

Hiccups?

I have been feeling this odd jolting, vibration, movement of some sort. It has startled me at first, yet sometimes it is so faint that I do not even notice it. I have come to the assumption that it might be hiccups. It is not a big movement like all the other ones that I feel. How sweet! Matt and I find ourselves literally staring at my belly! Ethan seems to be rather active around 8:00-10:00 at night; it is a little after I ate dinner or a snack, and Matt is home.

Everything is becoming more real! I am getting the crib and glider tomorrow morning. A very dear friend of mine from work is giving us the crib and glider; she has one child, and has told me for the past several years that she wanted to pass the furniture on to me. I am blessed to have her in my life, and I cannot wait to see the nursery come together!

It feels like a brand new house!

It has been a really long time since I have updated any info! Needless to say, Matt and I have found ourselves extremely busy preparing for the baby. Lots of changes have been made in the house and lots of money has been spent! There are more changes and money to come! I am afraid that we have only gotten started!

Here are some of the big accomplishments in the past month:

1. organized/cleaned garage

2. painted nursery

3. painted guest bathroom

4. painted office/guest bedroom

5. installed new floors throughout the ENTIRE house; Matt did nearly all of this himself!!

6. major cleaning out of all our junk--it's amazing how much stuff we had accumulated over the past 4 years!

7. bought and put together new office furniture

Still to come:

1. assemble crib

2. paint dresser/changing table

3. organize kitchen cabinets

4. clean out bonus room and attic

5. donate stuff to Goodwill

6. get twin bed to add in office 

7. continue to make room for all the baby accessory items that will be joining our house!

Lots to do before he comes...

I believe it is called "nesting:" the process of cleaning and fixing up everything before baby's arrival. It is part of a mother's nature to have everything perfect for the baby. I honestly think that Matt may have it worse than me! We have decided to use this time to really do some major home improvement stuff around the house. We are going to clean and organize the garage, paint the nursery, office, and guest bathroom, and then get new floors in the entire house. After the cleaning and organizing, we are going to have a garage sale. We really need to do some Spring cleaning, and this baby boy is giving us reason to make it all happen! We have accumulated so much stuff over the past 4 years, and it is only about to increase! 

We plan on starting with the garage tomorrow. We may also go ahead and pick out some paint colors; that will give Matt something else to do when he is off of work or in the evenings. I am so excited to see things change and get ready for our little baby boy! 

Surprise, Mrs. Johnson!

I have been meaning to create a post about this, but I am still in the midst of the worst cold of my life! It has been another rough week of sleep, working all day, and trying to maintain my house!

I of course told my students last Thursday that I was having a boy. They were excited, and it was cool to see them show emotion. On Friday morning, I left my classroom before school even began to go to the bathroom; I knew that the time was approaching when the students would be arriving, and being pregnant and all, going to the bathroom is a much needed necessity! As I was making my way back to my room, I was constantly stopped by various teachers, and it was annoying me because I was trying to take care of a few things in my classroom before the day fully began. I had no idea that while I was out of my classroom a group of my students were decorating my room and were going to surprise me. 

My classroom was full of streamers, "It's a Boy!" banners, balloons, a HUGE pin for me to wear, and a present for the new arrival. I was so astonished that they went out of the way to do such a thing, and it really meant a lot to me. 

We are having a precious baby boy!

A boy it is! We are both very excited, and the whole pregnancy seems even more real now. It was so incredible to see him moving around. He was yawning, stretching, moving arms and legs, and other sorts of things that kept us amazed. At one point, one of his feet was up at his head...WOW! He weighs right at a pound, which will surely change a lot as the time goes on!

Matt is stoked, as any dad would be. I can see it now; a guitar buddy, Playstation trouble maker, and mountain bike partner! We bought the baby boy his first outfit--a grey onesie with a guitar on it! It is precious and suits our family quite well!

sick and preggo...not a good combo!

I have been fighting a cold all week. It is that time of year, I am a teacher, so it is nearly inevitable. I thought I was going to be okay until Thursday. My throat was scratchy, and it was difficult to talk all day long to 8th graders. Yesterday, I had 2 cough attacks at school; I could not stop. When I woke up this morning, I literally could not breathe. I have been lazy all day because I know my body needs the rest. Sudafed, Tylenol, tissues, my pj's and bed have been my best friends today! I have come to the conclusion that my throat was giving me such fits because I had drainage seeping down. Now I am just waiting for Matt to get home so that I can try to feel a little better and have some energy.

4 more days until we see our baby on the ultrasound!

Halfway there!

It is hard to believe that I will be 20 weeks tomorrow!! We are halfway there, and maybe less than that if the baby decides to come sooner!

I have still been so blessed through this pregnancy. No sickness, nausea, food aversions, etc. This cold weather has been messing with my nose and throat, and there is only so much that I can do. I never want to get up in the morning, but who does?

I have been feeling the baby move for about a month now, but now I can feel it more distinctly, and the coolest part is feeling it from the outside! Matt has been waiting to feel it himself, and he has now! I have never seen him so excited! He always wants to touch my belly to see if he can feel him/her. 

We are both so excited about going to the doctor next Wednesday; we find out what the baby is!! Then the fun, stressful planning of the nursery and all the other things will come into play!

Cravings: sweets, which is not like me at all! I went through a whole package of Oreos in about 4 days. 

Weight gain: according to my scale (which I try not to get on), it is about 12 pounds. I go to the doc in a week, so that will be more accurate

Baby movement: all the time!

Clothes: definitely getting snug! I have a "baby bump," and I am finally looking pregnant!

Nicest Pregnant Person

It is good to be back at school and in a routine again. I love my job and the students; if I didn't, it would quite tough to go in each and every day. The kids have been great these first 2 days back (which I was a little scared of after having a winter break!). I have had fun with them, like I always try to, and I am trying to ease them back into the groove of thinking and analyzing everything around them. I told them about feeling the baby move, and they were excited with me. They all want to know what the baby is, and I know that I will be bombarded as soon as I find out! 

In my last class today, I had a student say out loud to the entire class that I was the nicest pregnant person she has ever met. She claimed to have been around many pregnant people and she has had several pregnant teachers, and she said that I am by far the nicest. I reminded her that I am only about 4 1/2 months into this, and she might not be saying that the last week of school. She thought about it, and then continued with, "No, I bet you will still be nice and cool." She really made me laugh, yet at the same time feel really great about myself. Being pregnant has been a blessing and has been amazing so far, and I am glad to see that my students see me as the same laid back, transparent, and welcoming teacher I was before. We all know how pregnancy can change a person!! Oh the things students will say!