Avery's Photo Shoot

An old friend of mine took some professional photos of Avery last weekend - we had a blast and the photos are amazing. Here are a few for you to enjoy:

Avery, Weeks 1 and 2, at Home

Here are some highlights from the past week - it's hard to believe she'll be 2 weeks old on Thursday and that we've been home for over a week now!!

She is the sweetest baby and Luke and I are loving our time with her. There are definitely moments where we wonder, "What in the world are we doing?", and Luke has walked in to see both Avery and I crying. We're still trying to get the hang of nursing, but overall that's going well. She loves bathtime, relaxing completely when I wash her hair.

She spends much of the day nestled in the corner of the couch napping, but today she spent some time in the swing and loved it!

One of my favorite pictures - I love how her little hand is tucked under her chin. It's also the only way her mouth stays shut.

Her hat was too big, and slipped down over her eyes during her nap. Ha!

I was so thankful for this, because I'm trying to keep her alert and happy during the day in hopes of better sleep at night, but when I hold her she wants to eat or sleep. I'm also thankful for help from the grammas the past 2 weeks. They have saved my sanity and been such a huge help!

Grandmommie and Avery, first week at home
Nana and Avery, yesterday

She has Daddy's cowlick.

A visit from our sweet friend Raine and her hubby Matthew (that's his arm), who brought us a delicious home-cooked meal.

Avery's Photo Shoot

A friend of mine took some pics of Avery yesterday, and the sneak preview pics are great! I can't wait to see the rest of them.

PureWonder Photography

We had such a good time, but poor little Avery just couldn't hold her liquids (or solids) in, leaving quite a mess. This was our first outing, apart from a trip to the doctor's office, so it was a big deal for the both of us - she slept all the way there and back in the car (yay!), which meant she wasn't quite sleepy enough for the shoot, but overall she did such a great job. I'm definitely not ready to venture out on my own though - it was a blessing to have Mom with me, to make sure I don't forget anything, or the baby!

Introducing Avery Jane

The long wait to meet our daughter is finally over - she was born last Thursday, April 2, at 4:24 pm. Avery was 8 lbs 2 oz of pure cuteness, with a full head of dark hair and huge blue eyes. At first she seemed to resemble Luke the most, but over the past few days she looks more and more like me, despite her coloring. Or at least more like my baby pics.

The birth story:
I went to the doctor Wednesday morning, fully expecting to set up an appointment to induce the following week. However, my blood pressure had spiked pretty high, so my doctor said it was time to bring her on out! They admitted me to the hospital Wednesday night to do a procedure to ripen my cervix for inducement the following morning. My parents and Luke's sister drove in Thursday afternoon, and we all went out for a last supper at Kerbey Lane before heading to the hospital to check in. Luke's parents arrived later that evening, so there was a whole crew of people in my L&D room - I think we overwhelmed the nurse at first.

The procedure went so well Wednesday night that I started having contractions on my own, and they delayed giving me Pitocin the following morning. The pain got to be too much - I thought I'd brave it and push through the pain, a supermom, doing it all naturally, but I quickly gave that idea up and had the nice anesthesiologist numb me up. I felt so much better after that, but in hopes of pushing later in the day, I didn't max out on the meds for fear of not feeling anything during pushing. Dumb idea as I later learned.

Lunch time came and went and still no baby - not to be unexpected, but I wasn't progressing fast enough because they couldn't get the dosage right on my Pitocin, and I kept coupling contractions, rather than having very regular ones. This also put stress on the baby, and with each contraction later in the day, her heart rate would drop by almost half. For a brief period of time there was a flurry of activity in my room as they tried to adjust me and roll me and get her heart rate back up. I finally made it to full dilation, but for a tiny little spot, which they decided to let me try and push through. After about 30 minutes of pushing, the baby was getting worse, and my doctor broke the news that my pelvis just wasn't wide enough for her to fit through, and that she simply didn't have the energy reserves to last through another couple hours of pushing. There wasn't even a guarantee that she'd come out at all this way. So, I was rushed off to the operating room for a c-section, crying and panicking because I hate needles and knives.

They upped my epidural dosage and tested my abdomen for numbness...only my left side went numb, while I still felt everything on my right. More bad news - they had to put me under general anesthesia in order to perform the operation, so that meant Luke was no longer allowed in the room with me. I went under not knowing if anyone had told him what was going on.

I woke up an hour later in a strange room, asking if she was out of me yet. I had NO idea what had just happened. Luke showed up a minute later pushing our daughter in her bassinet, handed her to me, and she smiled up at me, the second she was put in my arms. It was probably just gas, but I like to think that she knew who I was. They wheeled me down to my post-partum room where the entire family was waiting (this time the room was smaller, which probably overwhelmed the staff even more). I had the shakes so badly that I couldn't hold Avery, so I spent the first few hours watching her from a distance. Before the delivery, I had dreams of holding her right away, nursing her, loving on her. Instead, I was drugged up and in pain. But, in the end it was all worth it, knowing that she was her safely and that she was healthy. God was gracious.

We're home now finally, after a very long stay at the hospital where I still battled blood pressure problems. I was up and moving the morning after though, and on solid foods, so I healed fairly quickly, although now that I'm home, I'm still moving slowly and wishing that I would just be better already.

New Pics

The parents wanted a pic of both of us while I'm still pregnant - this was quite an ordeal, trying to get Luke to smile right. This was the best one, and half of his hair is cut off. Oh well.

39 weeks

Me and Chef Naomi at an art gallery downtown, where I helped her set up some chocolate showpieces for SXSW. Notice I'm wearing an old chefs coat from culinary school - it's a bit more snug than it used to be!

I've been trying to stay busy while I wait for this baby to make her debut, but it's been hard. I let Luke take the car most days, so I sit at home twiddling my thumbs. Thankfully I've been able to get together with a friend a couple times this week and hang out with her and her cutie kiddos. I'd post a pic from our time at the park, except I don't look pregnant - just ENORMOUSLY fat. It's quite awful. Pics should not be taken of me sitting down.

39 Weeks

I officially have one more week until my due date. I am bored beyond belief, sitting at home. There is only so much you can clean in one house, and there is only so much laundry in the world. I can only walk around the neighborhood for so long before my back starts aching to the point of not being able to take another step. She sits on my bladder constantly, or hits the nerves in my lower pelvis, making me quite uncomfortable. I have played Pyramids (a card game on Yahoo) for the past week, hours a day. I have gone through old Puzzle books. I am watching CSI Miami on Netflix, which has to be the cheesiest of all CSI shows. I cook. And freeze what I cook. I bake. And freeze that. I throw stuff away. And organize. And reorganize. And mess up the house just to organize it again. I try not to call family too much, because they all panic when they see my number on their caller ID.

She's so cute though, moving around in my belly, trying to stretch out. Poor girl - there just isn't enough room! Thankfully there is an end in sight, even if I don't know when that will be. I can't be pregnant forever. I hope.

38 Week Belly Pic

Me with my parents, at Pappasito's of course.

Sigh

Week 38 finds me quite uncomfortable, bored, and grumpy. I'm officially done with work, and I enjoyed the first couple days off, but now I'm itching for something to do. It's just been the crappiest week ever. This baby needs to come now to bring me some happy.

Baby Update

I'm a little over 37 weeks at this point, and had my latest doctor appointment this morning. I've made good progress since last week. I'm now at 1 cm and 70% effaced (how thin my cervix is becoming). She's predicting she'll see me at my regular appointment next week though, so that means I've got to figure out how to spend the next week of free time! Tomorrow is my last day of work, which means I'll be bored and trying every trick in the book to encourage our baby to come on out. I know, I know, I should be enjoying these last couple weeks of "freedom", but really, how free can a girl be when she has to have constant access to a toilet? I've had 8 1/2 months to enjoy my free time, although I didn't get much of that due to work. I'm just ready to meet and hold and love on my daughter.

Things That Make Me Happy Today

Cupcakes:
moist. delicious. real buttercream. all natural. locally made.
the way cake should be.

New jewelry:
swollen fingers. something new and pretty. and very fake.

And most of all, her:
tiny. precious. a blessing. my daughter.

Nursery Finds

I had quite the successful shopping trip today, trying to find things to outfit the nursery. A rug from Target for $5, curtains on sale at World Market, and a hanger for the mobile half-off at Hobby Lobby, bringing the cost of that project to about $2 total. I've done a total redesign on the mobile - I decided that sewing a dozen birds was not going to happen due to my lagging energy. I'll reveal it all once we get the nursery done after the move, but here's a peek into what's coming:The last picture is of the graphic Brittany designed for my baby shower invites - isn't it darling? I'm going to frame the invite - it has a precious quote underneath, but I can't remember it off the top of my head as I type this post. I can't wait to get this room ready! It will be such a sweet place to spend time with our new daughter.

He Makes Me Laugh

I've been washing some of the baby clothes, at least what she needs for the first week.
When sorting through our gifts from the baby shower, the clothes were Luke's favorite - he loves how tiny they are. He asked me if we could just keep all of her laundry on the couch so he can look at it while he works. He stood up to get something from the other room, and as he was walking away, I noticed this:
Somehow a onesie had tucked itself under his hoodie - he denies any attempts at putting it there. Likely story.
He's going to be such a good dad.

Our Baby Shower, Part 1

My sister Michelle and my friend Crystal threw us a beautiful baby shower on Saturday. They came up with a nesting theme to go along with what I've been planning for the nursery. The decor from the shower will transition into items to decorate the nursery with. So fabulous! Here are some action shots of me opening up gifts. I'll have to post pics of the shower decor later when I get them from Bri.

Look! Cloth diapers are so cute!

Thank you to everyone who came to the shower, and especially to those who drove in from out-of-town. I had a fabulous time, and Luke loves all of the tiny little clothes!

Our Baby Girl

We had our last ultrasound today, which means you get to enjoy another video! She was quite sleepy this time, despite the handful of M&Ms I shoved in my mouth in the hopes of waking her up with sugar. The technician is quite good at belly jiggling, so we were able to get her to wake up a bit. First we confirmed that yes, she's definitely a girl, so no need to return any girl items I've bought already. Whew. She likes to keep her hands right by her face, which made it hard to really see her at first. At one point she had them clasped together right under her chin - precious. If you watch closely you can see her yawn hugely (around 1 min 45 sec), and then she keeps smacking her lips throughout the video. She started blinking as she woke up and you can see her stick her tongue out. Apparently, she has Luke's lips, and the cutest chubby cheeks ever.

Baby Toro at 34 weeks from Luke Presley on Vimeo.

I'm a Winner!

There is this fabulous little blog, The Blah Blah Blahg, that is having a month long giveaway project called The Bright Side Project. I LOVE giveaways. I NEVER win. But today I was delighted to find an email in my inbox stating that I had won one of the lovely prints being offered up. Here's my darling print, from Argyle Whale. You can find her awesome prints on Etsy (another of my favorite sites).

Isn't this print fabulous?! Be sure to check out The Blah Blah Blahg also for more giveaways through the end of February. The Bright Side Project is oh so fun and makes each day happier because I get to discover new artists out there.

Cute Video

I wonder if our dog Molly will be this kind to our baby.

Fabulous

My friend Diane is always on top of all things related to Anthropologie, and she's one of my inspirations for creativity. She clued me in to this fabulous lady and her fabulous giveaway - check it out. I know I'll be looking in on her blog from now on.
A Bushel and a Peck

Nursery Design Inspiration

I found this nursery today on Ohdeedoh, and jumped on over to the owner's own blog to see more details. I'm obsessed with looking at this website, and they always have the best nursery tours. I'm hoping one day I can post our baby's room on there as well. Right now I'm sad that we won't have a nursery for the baby when she first arrives, since we're moving shortly after her birth. I can't decorate like I want to because why put in the effort when I'll be packing it up 3 weeks later? She won't notice of course, and she'll be in our room to begin with anyways, but the nesting side of me feels the need to have a completed room for her before she gets here. Sigh.

Chickpea Stew with Tomatoes and Polenta

I tried another new recipe today, courtesy of Cooking Light. This one is for a chickpea stew. The chickpeas and polenta are a nice subtle balance against the tangy tomatoes and lemon juice. I fell in love with polenta when I worked at P*ONG in New York...Pichet had a polenta and corn pudding that was to die for, although it doesn't seem to be on the menu anymore. It was delish. This particular recipe for the stew needs a little tweaking - I think it could use more cumin and pepper to kick it up a bit, but overall, a nice winter meal to warm you up on a cold night.

It's February!

Which means March is next, as Luke pointed out excitedly to me last night. Apparently telling him only 8 more weeks meant nothing, but the realization that next month is THE month, that March comes after February (as it has for, well, ever) made him nearly jump out of his seat. I have the most adorable husband.

I had a doctor's appointment this morning - everything is coming along nicely, and she's head down at this point, which is a huge relief to me. As long as she stays that way, we'll avoid a breech birth. Her little feet keep pushing up on my ribs, but thankfully they haven't slipped under there yet. These doctor appointments are always so boring, though, because I pee in a cup, I step on the scale, I wait for an eternity, and then spend 5 minutes with the doctor. Sigh. At least she's a very nice doctor - my favorite out of all doctors I've ever had. They check the heartbeat each time (always so strong!) and measure my stomach (32.5 cm today, from top of stomach down to the bottom, not around my waist - that's much larger, ugh). Reassuring news - she doesn't seem to be on the large side...so we're hoping that we don't have a sumo-baby. Or at least I'm hoping for that. Luke still thinks it would be cool to have a 10-pounder. I then repeat these words to him: "tearing" and "episiotomy". He shudders.

In 2 weeks we have our last ultrasound, where she should look more human thanks to some fat forming on her little body. Last time she was downright skeletal. After that, I start going to the doctor every week! Oh. My. Gosh. I'm so excited.

The Countdown Begins

...or continues really. I've been counting down for months now. But! Only 8 more weeks until we meet our daughter. Some major changes are coming for our family, and it's exciting to see where God will lead us. We toured the hospital last Thursday, checking out labor and delivery and the fabulous new postpartum wing. I've been in major nesting mode and went through all of the papers that have been piling up in our house, tossing and shredding and filing. I've also started an updated address list so I can print out labels and stick them on birth announcement envelopes before I leave for the hospital. I'm ready to pack my hospital bag, but Luke says it's too early. So I wait, because I'd unpack it 20 times before then because it'll have something I want now. We've scheduled pediatrician consultations, and it's just a matter of hoping I have the evening off on those days, or else I have to reschedule them. Did you know they schedule a month out, and only in the evenings?! Geez. I hope it's not that hard to get appointments when our daughter is sick. The baby shower is in 3 weeks, with a friend's wedding the weekend before. February is filling up fast, because we're trying to cram as much in while I'm still feeling good, with what my schedule allows. Once March hits, we're bunkering down - no more out of town, although we've pretty much stopped that already. I'll have two weeks off of work before my due date, in hopes that it'll be enough time to get the house cleaned and in order before she arrives. My checklist was shrinking for awhile, but it's growing again! It happens at night when I can't fall asleep (which is almost every night now) - I keep tacking on things I want to get done.

So, off I go to try and check a couple things off the list before work tonight.

Blog Beautification

Luke is going to start building a custom design for this site, but until then, I'm borrowing a template. Isn't it cute? I lost the pregnancy ticker in the transition, so it's now at the bottom of the page because I couldn't figure out how to embed it at the top.

And, since Luke never posts on here, and it's really just my blog, I've changed the name. It might change ten more times as I work through my vision for this site. I'm trying to figure out what direction to take it. You'll still be able to read about our daily life here...the content won't change.

Love to you all!

Pregnancy

Woes:
heartburn. the inability to breathe fully and deeply. active baby when i'm trying to go to sleep. swelling in my fingers. having to get up to pee 3 times a night. balance issues. not being able to carry heavy things, requiring more trips back and forth. having to eat tiny little meals all day long. people asking if i'm sure i'm not having twins, or triplets. being told how large i am every day. forgetfulness. lost ability to count. itchy skin. gas. restless legs. waddling. needles. weird dreams.

Joys:
God's blessing. feeling the baby move for the first time. learning that we're having a girl. the realization that i'll be "mom" and he'll be "dad". hearing the heart beat for the first time. increased metabolism. calling it a craving makes it okay to eat ice cream every night. foot and back massages. tiny little clothes. nesting. reading to her and playing music for her. seeing the joy on other family members' faces. praying for her. the automatic bond between all pregnant women. not being pregnant in the middle of the summer. anticipation and eagerness. long talks at night with the hubby about our daughter.

Bloggie Carnival

I've discovered this great website
It has almost 1000 links to giveaways on the web. The best one of all? The one from Nurse Mommy with a giveaway for the Bumbleride Indie stroller. I've been eyeing this stroller for months now, ever since we found out we were pregnant. I still can't decide on strollers, because I'm just not sure what our needs will be, but this one is at the top of my list right now. It's so cute and multi-functional. Plus, the reviews have all come back as quite positive for this brand. I'm hoping to win this stroller so that I can try it out. Luke is hesitant because he thinks it's too pricey (I should show him the Bugaboo...he'll change his mind then). Fingers crossed!

New Recipes

Since my pregnancy cravings are quite random, it's always interesting trying to find food to cook that will still sound good four days after I go to the grocery store. Last week's craving was Indian food, so today we're finally getting around to making a chicken curry and some roasted potatoes to match. I wanted to make fresh naan, but I ran out of time, so later in the week I'll make naan and hummus. Yum!

Boredom

I'm thankful today for my job. Many days are very hard and long, but at the end of a hard day's work, I'm thankful for my husband who rubs my feet and puts my (large) pregnant self to bed. And I'm thankful that the day passed quickly. I have 4 days off in a row this week, which is an unexpected blessing, because I am in dire need of some quality R&R, particularly because I don't sleep well at night these days. However, despite being at home resting, I find that I'm quite bored here. People at work always ask how long I'm going to stick it out, because they see me growing bigger each week. They think I'm crazy for not sitting on my couch, eating bon-bons, as some have affectionately referred to the glorious life of the end of pregnancy. It's because I'd go out of my mind crazy with boredom! Work keeps me distracted, and I like my job. I can't imagine how painfully slow these last two months of pregnancy would be if I were at home all the time.

On another note - I've been catching up on Luke's blog. I've been a bad wife and haven't read much of it. I may be biased, but I think he's quite talented as a writer - he expressed himself well, in a style that I enjoy reading. My writing style is boring - I really need to get him to write on here and record our daily life, because it'd be much more entertaining. Or I should just change the title of this blog, since it's really just my blog, where you can read about our life from my perspective only. Anyways, I stray from my point. He's been trying to develop a new hobby, find new meaning and purpose in his life, and writing has become that. He always talks about doing something more creative with his life than working in grey-cubicle-land. I highly encourage this, but I also pray that he sticks with his day job until he writes a best-seller. I know this has become a struggle for him - he's not really happy with his role at work, and corporate America and Luke just don't seem to mix well, despite how well he does and how hard he works. It's not his passion...it's simply a means to an end. I wish I could see him happy in his work.

The Latest Doc Appointment

I'm going in this morning for my glucose test, bloodwork, my rhogam shot, and a check-up. Lots of needles. Ick. 28 weeks is not fun. Luke's cooking me breakfast right now, and then I have to drink this syrupy "fruit punch" drink - at least they let me take the stuff at home, instead of waiting in their office for an hour. Wish me luck!

The Nursery

Our nursery is coming along finally! The theme is birds (everyone knows my love for them), which will be so precious for a little girl.

Artwork from p.carter carpin on Etsy:



Bedding from JCPenney:
We also found a cute blue striped rug on sale at the Pottery Barn outlet (yay for bargains!!).

Here are three cribs we're trying to decide between:

JCPenney

AP Industries

Restoration Hardware

Fabric that I just found that I'm considering purchasing:

I can't wait to meet her and enjoy her room with her.

Merry Christmas!

This year has been so busy for us, especially in the past few months, so I have failed and didn't manage to get Christmas cards out this year. So, in lieu of them, Luke and I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year via our blog. We wish we could celebrate the holidays with all of you and we miss you all dearly.

We had a fun visit into Houston the past two days to celebrate early with each side of the family. It was quiet at Mom's house, with only my sister Brittany there. Luke's parents' house was a little more lively, with his nieces and nephew there, but we missed seeing his older brother and his family. We visited my grandparents for a little while on Monday, but I wish we could have stayed longer - I don't get to see them enough.

Tonight Luke and I will exchange our annual Christmas Eve gift (new pjs) after I get home from work, and then tomorrow morning I'll continue the tradition that my grandma started, with a delicious Christmas morning brunch. We're inviting a friend over to celebrate with us, so it won't be quite so lonely. Then I'm off to serve hundreds of other people Christmas dinner/dessert at work!

And a pause for reflection - the state of the economy has helped refocus us on what's most important to remember over Christmas. Usually we get all hyped up on gifts, and though we are still exchanging them this year, it's become less about the items bought and money spent, and more about the spirit of giving. I won't be able to attend any church services this year due to my work schedule, but we'll take the time tonight and tomorrow morning to reflect on the greatest gift of all - Christ.

Luke 2:9-11
"And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them...Do not be afraid; for behold I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."

2/3rds of the Way Through

I'm almost done with my second trimester. Things are getting harder, like breathing...I find it difficult to sit for long periods of time because everything in my abdomen and chest all squish together leaving no room for the lungs to expand. I'm thankful that I have a job where I can stand all day (what normal person is thankful for that?!), so that I don't have trouble breathing. Going upstairs at work is difficult. I can't take them as fast as I used to, or else I'm short of breath. Bending over - what a comic sight. I do this weird squatting thing, since I can't really bend at the waist anymore. Putting on socks - ha! I can still see my feet, but it's hard to reach them. I feel enormous - this extra weight really takes a toll on me. And I still have a long way to go in that department - yikes! I toss and turn all night because I can't ever get comfortable, but thankfully I'm still able to lie on my back for short periods of time to stretch out a bit.

It will be interesting to see how I do with work in the next 3 months - my goal is to work until the last possible day, since it keeps me busy and makes the time go by fast. The job is fun, and everyone has been very gracious and helpful as I've gotten bigger.

24 Weeks

I'm liking the Christmas tree as the backdrop for all of my belly pictures this month. Back to the plain boring wall next month.

23 Weeks

I'm actually at 24 1/2 weeks now, but this is a pic from last week.

It's the Holiday Season!

Luke and I finished setting up our Christmas tree last night. We put on the Christmas music and made hot chocolate. I love reminiscing over the ornaments - our tree may not be stylized where everything matches, but each ornament has a story. We purchased the tree Sunday night, but it was too wet to put lights on it, and I fell asleep around 9 pm, so we did all of our decorating yesterday. Trying to get the tree felt almost Griswold-like - I almost talked Luke into a tree that upon getting it home, we would have had to do a chop-job on it in order to get it to stand upright in our living room. Thankfully, he's so wise, and talked me into the shorter tree. Now, if we had only realized that skinnier would have been better too. It's quite fluffy!

The dog has been trying to eat the ornaments and lights, so she's spending time outside whenever we're not home.

Thanksgiving was wonderful, even though not quite on the right day. I had to work Thanksgiving day, so we went to see my family Wednesday, had a great dinner, stayed the night, and drove back to Austin Thursday morning. A whirlwind trip, but we were able to have a great meal with the whole family - all of the siblings were there. We're hoping that even though Christmas will be much of the same, we'll be able to catch all of Luke's family this time.

In baby news - I feel her moving around and kicking much more lately. Some mornings I wake up and it seems like she's doing somersaults in there. The roommate has moved out, so now I can start working on the nursery!! First step is to organize everything and get rid of all of the junk. I really don't know how we accumulate so much stuff. Also, they say that second trimester is when you have all of your energy back, plus some, but I'm not feeling it so much. It must be my work schedule and the type of work I do, because I'm exhausted most of the time. And as I get bigger, it's harder for me to move around quickly, and bending over is almost a no-go at this point. It's just too much effort. I know I have a long ways to go yet, but even this small amount of extra weight makes things difficult. What an incentive to stay in shape after the baby is born!

I'm thankful that I have the next couple of days off so I can finish decorating the house for Christmas and get some Christmas shopping done. I'm also fighting off a cold or sinus infection, so I plan on getting some rest as well.

Luke has been super busy with work - he's having to take over work for a gal that left, on top of his regular duties, so he's a little tired right now. Pray that he'll have the strength to get through the next few weeks, until Christmas when he'll have some much needed and much deserved time off.

Oh yes! I passed my 90-day review at work, which means I'm an official employee now. As a perk, we get a night at the hotel, which will be a nice little vacation for us. Not exactly going very far away, but it's a night out of the house!