We are getting a court ruling this week and are asking God that we will get to have Bella this Christmas, despite the enormous cost of plane tickets. We hope that the court will raise our child support and make Bella's mom pay for all transportation costs.
Updates coming ASAP!
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Happy Turkey Day!
We made our first trip with baby in tow, and it was wonderful! We visited my dad's side of the family in Atlanta for a Happy Thanksgiving and a great celebration of my Grandma's 80th birthday!
Here are some pictures...
CiCi and Claire
MiMi and Claire
Genevie and Claire
Aunt Becky and Claire
Claire in her Thanksgiving dress (thanks Katie and Stephen)
MiMi, Michele and I
Misty, me and Mandy
Luke and I at the Smith House for Grandma's 80th birthday
Here are some pictures...
CiCi and Claire
MiMi and Claire
Genevie and Claire
Aunt Becky and Claire
Claire in her Thanksgiving dress (thanks Katie and Stephen)
MiMi, Michele and I
Misty, me and Mandy
Luke and I at the Smith House for Grandma's 80th birthday
Monday, November 16, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
From Claire's First Shopping Trip
Wednesday, October 21st was Claire's first shopping trip. Mom and I had to get a few things from Target. But Honey said "Her first shopping trip really should have been to Saks Fifth Avenue!"
Here we are...
Here we are...
Monday, November 9, 2009
More Journal Entries
First Pediatrician Appointment
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Today is the first day your Dad went back to work. It was hard for me to watch him leave, but I was ok knowing Honey and Granny Jane were there to help me. We put together your stroller this morning, which Honey calls the “Mercedes of Strollers.” It was quite complicated, but we figured it out.
Then, this afternoon Honey and I took you to your first pediatrician appointment. When I was 36 weeks pregnant, your ultrasound showed an enlarged ureter, which is the tube that carries urine from the kidneys to the bladder. My doctor wasn’t concerned at that point, but thought we should look at it after you were born. They did an ultrasound on you and today it came back abnormal, so we are having more tests run on November 3rd.
The nurse said you had some really strong legs after you nearly kicked yourself off of the scale. Coming home from the hospital you weighed 7 pounds 5 ounces and today you lost two more ounces. The pediatrician was concerned that you were not getting enough nursing, so we are supplementing with formula. I am still really hurting from delivery, so we went home to rest some more.
Lots of Visitors
Friday, October 16, 2009
We had lots of our friends come over tonight to meet you. Chris and Alise Cartledge came from Atlanta and Matt Ochocki and Kendall Crawford (Daddy is in their wedding next summer) came from Tuscaloosa. Uncle Jay came as well. He was so funny, really didn’t know what to think about you. Daddy grilled steak and shrimp and our favorite vegetables- squash and zucchini- and we had mini cheesecakes for dessert. I was exhausted, but it felt nice to actually get dressed up and put on makeup.
Alabama vs. South Carolina Game
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Honey and Granny Jane went to Huntsville to visit my Grammie, so Daddy and I watched football in bed most of the day. This is just the first of many Saturdays we will be doing this same thing. You will grow up watching football every Saturday in the Fall. It’s just something your Dad and I love to do, although he has control of the remote most of the day.
But that night, Grandmomma and Grandbarry came over with Archibald’s (your Dad’s favorite bar-b-que) and we watched your first Alabama football game. Of course, Alabama won, but Tennessee was off today.
Today is My Due Date & You Had Lots More Visitors
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Ahhh, it’s my due date today. I really think having a week old baby is way better than still being pregnant. Daddy’s cousin Erin and her fiancé Ron (actually they got engaged the following Sunday) came from Knoxville to meet you. And more family as well… Auntie Jessica and Camille, Auntie Bethany and Uncle John, Grandmomma and Grandbarry. And then we were able to see your nig sister Bella on the webcam. It was really a wonderful day, and you are ONE WEEK OLD already!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Today is the first day your Dad went back to work. It was hard for me to watch him leave, but I was ok knowing Honey and Granny Jane were there to help me. We put together your stroller this morning, which Honey calls the “Mercedes of Strollers.” It was quite complicated, but we figured it out.
Then, this afternoon Honey and I took you to your first pediatrician appointment. When I was 36 weeks pregnant, your ultrasound showed an enlarged ureter, which is the tube that carries urine from the kidneys to the bladder. My doctor wasn’t concerned at that point, but thought we should look at it after you were born. They did an ultrasound on you and today it came back abnormal, so we are having more tests run on November 3rd.
The nurse said you had some really strong legs after you nearly kicked yourself off of the scale. Coming home from the hospital you weighed 7 pounds 5 ounces and today you lost two more ounces. The pediatrician was concerned that you were not getting enough nursing, so we are supplementing with formula. I am still really hurting from delivery, so we went home to rest some more.
Lots of Visitors
Friday, October 16, 2009
We had lots of our friends come over tonight to meet you. Chris and Alise Cartledge came from Atlanta and Matt Ochocki and Kendall Crawford (Daddy is in their wedding next summer) came from Tuscaloosa. Uncle Jay came as well. He was so funny, really didn’t know what to think about you. Daddy grilled steak and shrimp and our favorite vegetables- squash and zucchini- and we had mini cheesecakes for dessert. I was exhausted, but it felt nice to actually get dressed up and put on makeup.
Alabama vs. South Carolina Game
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Honey and Granny Jane went to Huntsville to visit my Grammie, so Daddy and I watched football in bed most of the day. This is just the first of many Saturdays we will be doing this same thing. You will grow up watching football every Saturday in the Fall. It’s just something your Dad and I love to do, although he has control of the remote most of the day.
But that night, Grandmomma and Grandbarry came over with Archibald’s (your Dad’s favorite bar-b-que) and we watched your first Alabama football game. Of course, Alabama won, but Tennessee was off today.
Today is My Due Date & You Had Lots More Visitors
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Ahhh, it’s my due date today. I really think having a week old baby is way better than still being pregnant. Daddy’s cousin Erin and her fiancé Ron (actually they got engaged the following Sunday) came from Knoxville to meet you. And more family as well… Auntie Jessica and Camille, Auntie Bethany and Uncle John, Grandmomma and Grandbarry. And then we were able to see your nig sister Bella on the webcam. It was really a wonderful day, and you are ONE WEEK OLD already!
Friday, November 6, 2009
Pictures of Claire
I know I have been terrible about posting pictures, so here we go...
2 weeks
3 weeks
Just one that I really like
2 weeks
3 weeks
Just one that I really like
Monday, November 2, 2009
Completion of the Birth Story
This is from Claire's journal, so it's written from me to her...
Getting Ready for Your Arrival
Friday, October 9, 2009
My doctor had originally scheduled for me to be induced on Monday, October 12th, but at my 38 week appointment, he told me he didn’t work on Columbus Day, so I would have to wait until Tuesday, October 13th. I figured I had waited for you my entire life, what was one more day.
Friday night I was standing in my good friend Tifanni’s wedding (yes, people told me I was crazy for being in a wedding nine months pregnant). Honey and Pop drive in from New Orleans and met me in Tuscaloosa for the wedding and then we drove back to Birmingham for the night.
Honey’s mom (my Grammie) had a stroke in Huntsville the weekend before, so they were going to visit her the next night, and then we would get ready to meet our little angel. Little did we know, we wouldn’t have to wait long.
Birth Story
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Your dad and I were watching football (as we do every Saturday) and I decided to go upstairs and get ready for bed. Right after I laid down, I felt a pop in my stomach and realized the bed was wet. I first thought maybe I had wet the bed (because you often treated my bladder as a trampoline). And earlier that morning, Honey and I were getting ready to go have a manicure and I noticed my shorts were wet. I rested on the couch, but had no contractions, so we thought it was nothing and went on shopping and out to lunch. I realize now, that was your way of warning us that you were coming. I am somewhat grateful for that false alarm because until then, your dad did not have his hospital bag packed!
But when I got out of bed that night around 10:30pm and walked to the bathroom, I could tell my water had really broken. I called for your dad and he ran upstairs (I think he could tell by my voice something was up). When I told him we were about to have a baby, he called Grandmomma and Grandbarry and I called Honey and Pop. They both told us to hang up and call the hospital instead!
I took a shower, dad packed the car and we headed to the hospital. We checked in around 11:45pm and the nurse (as sweet as she was) told me to rest. I was about the have a baby and they expected me to rest. Honey and Pop arrived from Huntsville around 1:30am. Dr. Foster came in (of course my doctor was not on call on a Saturday night- he doesn’t even work on Columbus Day) and told us that nothing would happen before daybreak, so I told Honey and Pop to go home, but they wouldn’t. Daddy laid down on the pull out sofa and Honey in the recliner. Pop just paced the halls of the hospital all night.
Happy Birthday Claire!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
The nurse gave me some pain medication around 2:00am and then came the epidural at 5:00am. I was really nervous about that big needle, but it really didn’t hurt that bad. At this point I was 3 cm dilated and 70% effaced. They gave me a little pitocin to speed up my labor, but I apparently didn’t need any help. By 7:00am, I was fully dilated and effaced and it was time to push. The nurses started wheeling in all this stuff, and I had to wake up your dad (who was sleeping soundly). And so I started to push… for three hours. And in those three hours, the Lord taught me the virtue of patience. I had to wear an oxygen mask to make sure you were getting enough. I would pull it down every now and then and your dad would feed me ice chips. Everyone kept saying that I was a trooper and doing such a great job, but I was just driven by my desire to meet you, and preferably sooner rather than later. Daddy and I couldn’t wait to see who you looked like or whose personality you had. We simply couldn’t wait to start being your parents.
And at 10:37am, you entered our lives, which would never be the same. To hear your first cry was the most wonderful sound. When the doctor asked me if I thought your cry was a glorious sound, I told him it was much better than hearing “push, push, push!” Everyone thought it was funny, but I just wanted to hold you, and hug you, and love on you. But after Daddy cut the cord, they washed you up and he got to bring you to me. It was if I was created to love you, and I will cherish that job for the rest of my life.
We had tons of visitors all day, and after the last person left that night and it was just the three of us, it was like the beginning of the rest of our lives. I wish Bella could have been there to meet you, but she will be here soon, and she is so excited about being your big sister.
More to come... I'm just a bit busy!
Getting Ready for Your Arrival
Friday, October 9, 2009
My doctor had originally scheduled for me to be induced on Monday, October 12th, but at my 38 week appointment, he told me he didn’t work on Columbus Day, so I would have to wait until Tuesday, October 13th. I figured I had waited for you my entire life, what was one more day.
Friday night I was standing in my good friend Tifanni’s wedding (yes, people told me I was crazy for being in a wedding nine months pregnant). Honey and Pop drive in from New Orleans and met me in Tuscaloosa for the wedding and then we drove back to Birmingham for the night.
Honey’s mom (my Grammie) had a stroke in Huntsville the weekend before, so they were going to visit her the next night, and then we would get ready to meet our little angel. Little did we know, we wouldn’t have to wait long.
Birth Story
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Your dad and I were watching football (as we do every Saturday) and I decided to go upstairs and get ready for bed. Right after I laid down, I felt a pop in my stomach and realized the bed was wet. I first thought maybe I had wet the bed (because you often treated my bladder as a trampoline). And earlier that morning, Honey and I were getting ready to go have a manicure and I noticed my shorts were wet. I rested on the couch, but had no contractions, so we thought it was nothing and went on shopping and out to lunch. I realize now, that was your way of warning us that you were coming. I am somewhat grateful for that false alarm because until then, your dad did not have his hospital bag packed!
But when I got out of bed that night around 10:30pm and walked to the bathroom, I could tell my water had really broken. I called for your dad and he ran upstairs (I think he could tell by my voice something was up). When I told him we were about to have a baby, he called Grandmomma and Grandbarry and I called Honey and Pop. They both told us to hang up and call the hospital instead!
I took a shower, dad packed the car and we headed to the hospital. We checked in around 11:45pm and the nurse (as sweet as she was) told me to rest. I was about the have a baby and they expected me to rest. Honey and Pop arrived from Huntsville around 1:30am. Dr. Foster came in (of course my doctor was not on call on a Saturday night- he doesn’t even work on Columbus Day) and told us that nothing would happen before daybreak, so I told Honey and Pop to go home, but they wouldn’t. Daddy laid down on the pull out sofa and Honey in the recliner. Pop just paced the halls of the hospital all night.
Happy Birthday Claire!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
The nurse gave me some pain medication around 2:00am and then came the epidural at 5:00am. I was really nervous about that big needle, but it really didn’t hurt that bad. At this point I was 3 cm dilated and 70% effaced. They gave me a little pitocin to speed up my labor, but I apparently didn’t need any help. By 7:00am, I was fully dilated and effaced and it was time to push. The nurses started wheeling in all this stuff, and I had to wake up your dad (who was sleeping soundly). And so I started to push… for three hours. And in those three hours, the Lord taught me the virtue of patience. I had to wear an oxygen mask to make sure you were getting enough. I would pull it down every now and then and your dad would feed me ice chips. Everyone kept saying that I was a trooper and doing such a great job, but I was just driven by my desire to meet you, and preferably sooner rather than later. Daddy and I couldn’t wait to see who you looked like or whose personality you had. We simply couldn’t wait to start being your parents.
And at 10:37am, you entered our lives, which would never be the same. To hear your first cry was the most wonderful sound. When the doctor asked me if I thought your cry was a glorious sound, I told him it was much better than hearing “push, push, push!” Everyone thought it was funny, but I just wanted to hold you, and hug you, and love on you. But after Daddy cut the cord, they washed you up and he got to bring you to me. It was if I was created to love you, and I will cherish that job for the rest of my life.
We had tons of visitors all day, and after the last person left that night and it was just the three of us, it was like the beginning of the rest of our lives. I wish Bella could have been there to meet you, but she will be here soon, and she is so excited about being your big sister.
More to come... I'm just a bit busy!
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