CLICK HERE FOR FREE BLOGGER TEMPLATES, LINK BUTTONS AND MORE! »

Sunday, December 6, 2009

A tooth, a bowl and a cousin

Saturday was a big day in my life as I woke up all kinds of angry. You see, there was this little white thing, not to mention mom's and that mustached guy's fingers, in my mouth this morning. It hurt like a roll off the couch. I pitched a fit until mom gave me something out of a dropper and dad gave me some pills that I took with a shot of bourbon. These new things suck.













And to make things worse, mom made me eat with a spoon today. I have seen the mustached guy eat like that for a while. Man, he can put down some pudding. I did OK for a first-timer, I guess, but mom and that chimneysweep really were laughing hard.


After a while dad came back from vacation and I heard that I had a new cousin. Dad's brother had a little boy last night. His name is Finn. He is a pipsqeak compared to me, but I guess I do have chubby thighs. Man this cereal tastes like old socks, but it sure makes me regular.




Monday, October 12, 2009

Fall is here!




Since it is officially fall, I decided I wanted to get some of those cute "pumpkin patch" photos of Wells! So, mom and I went on Saturday to the St. Giles pumpkin patch armed with our cameras. 30 minutes later, we had a bunch of pictures of the top of Wells' head! I think he was so mesmerized by the pumkins he didn't want to look up at the camera!

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Wells rolled over - and mommy missed it!

Our big news is that Wells rolled over for the first time this morning! Unfortunately, I totally missed it! I stayed in bed while Bill went to get Wells from the crib, and he rolled from his tummy to his back to say hello to Daddy! I knew he was so close to doing it, and I am sad I missed it. I tried later to get him to do it again with no luck. In other news, we introduced rice cereal on Monday. People have been suggesting it as a way of getting Wells to sleep through the night again, and I finally caved in. I tried to feed him with a spoon, and it was hilarious! I don't think he actually ate more than half a spoonful! I laughed at him the whole time, but it sure was cute!


Monday, September 28, 2009

Wells' Dedication

On Sunday, September 20, we dedicated Wells at Earle Street Baptist Church. It was a beautiful ceremony, and it was such a special time for us and our family. Thanks to all of those who came to support us! We were a little worried because the service was right about time for Wells to eat, so I thought he might be fussy. But, we fed him a little before and he did great! He really was an angel through the whole thing, and even laughed through Stephen's prayer! Of course, Bill and I forgot the camera, so thanks to Aunt Megan for taking such great pictures for us!

Sitting in the pew waiting for our part of the service.

Perfectly at ease as Stephen paraded Wells around the church.

Posing with mom and dad... sometimes I get distracted by things besides the camera!


He was still in a great mood after the service was over! Wells loves to fly!



Am I cute or what?? Our previous pastor and his wife sent us this darling bib. It says "Jesus Loves Me" so I thought it was perfect for the occasion!

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Cruising into month 4!

Wells has passed the three month mark! We celebrated his three month "birthday" last Saturday, and we have lots of new things to talk about! He did not have an official three month checkup with the doctor, but I took him in for a weight check. He weighs 13 pounds, 9.5 ounces, which puts him in the 53rd percentile for weight. And, he was 25 1/4 inches long, which is 86th percentile for height! I cannot believe how quickly he is growing. He is just getting bigger before our eyes!

This is the giraffe that Aunt Sarah made for Wells. He is fascinated by it!

We put Wells in his "Bebe pod" (like a Bumbo but different) for the first time this week. He is almost big enough to sit up in it! He was just leaning a bit to the side. But, he enjoyed sitting in it for awhile!

What could Wells possibly be so interested in?? Why, the television, of course! I would like to point out that he was fussing at me just seconds before the tv caught his attention. Immediate quiet!

He really is a happy baby, and I love to see him smile! He is just starting to laugh out loud, but I have only heard it a couple of times!


Wells loves to play peek-a-boo!
His favorite toy right now is his burp cloth (or his bib).

Already learning to read - turning the pages on his own!

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Naked Baby Dance!

Don't worry... he's not actually naked in this video! This is the "dance" that Wells often does when we are changing his diaper or his clothes. Bill has termed it the "naked baby dance" and it is so cute! Be patient with the video - Wells doesn't like to perform on command, so it takes several seconds for him to actually start dancing!

11 weeks and growing!

We've been very busy these last few weeks, and Mr. Wells is growing so fast. Bill started work August 3, and I started August 13. Wells started daycare at the Bob Jones CDC on August 14. He seems to enjoy the people there, he is always happy when I pick him up, and I have been very happy with them there! The ladies that take care of him are really sweet, and they always tell me how much they enjoy him (especially his smile!) Here are a few pictures of what we've been up to!

Cousin Matthew wanted to play ball with Wells!

Look at me stylin' in my robe!

Sometimes I sleep in the strangest positions!





I love my daddy!


I'm getting so big!


So happy after a bath!


We went for our first walk in the carrier the other day. Wells wasn't quite sure what to think of it. He had a death grip on the side most of the walk!

Monday, July 27, 2009

6 weeks already??

Once again, I am astounded at how I haven't been able to manage keeping up with this blogging stuff! We have had six fun-filled, very busy weeks with Wells in our lives! We are a little sleep-deprived, but not much worse for the wear, and things continue to improve daily! We are starting to be able to tell the difference between his cries: "I'm wet," "I'm hungry," "I need my munchie" (pacifier for those of you not in our household), "I'm really really really tired but am refusing to go to sleep," and "Why the heck did you put me in this crib when you know I would rather just sleep on your chest??"

During this time, we have had a lot of "firsts." We took Wells to his first movie, to the beach for the first time, to the pool, and to church. He has also started to sleep through the night. (whew!) He has slept at least 7 hours for 6 out of the last 7 nights, and usually it is from about 10pm - 6am! We are very happy for the sleep we are also getting. Of course, we are still trying to get the boy to take naps regularly. One thing at a time.

We have taken lots and lots of pictures, and these are just a few...


We tried to have "tummy time" but he wasn't quite ready!


He likes the bouncy seat for short periods of time only.
This was back when he still had hair! (1 month old)

Wells didn't mind the water on his feet, but didn't like it when it came up on his body!


He took a great nap on the beach.

Out to dinner at Russell's seafood


Family portrait


He didn't so much like the water at first!
It wasn't so bad once he got used to it.

He has started smiling a lot and "talking" to us.
It is really hard to capture the smile on camera, though.
Notice the receding hair line... he has rubbed off the hair from the front of his head onto the bumper in the crib!

This is his "big boy" outfit that he wore to church for the first time yesterday.
He's posing on the giant dog that we got as a shower gift.

Monday, July 6, 2009

First Bath

Bill and I are becoming accustomed to being parents, and Wells is starting to get the hang of being a person. He is sleeping a little better at night, which means we are too! When we went to the doctor at two and a half weeks, his weight was up to 9 pounds, 2.5 ounces. He is eating well and becoming a big boy! His umbilical cord stump fell off last week, so we were able to give him a "real" bath. He did really well, and almost seemed to enjoy the warm water. We still didn't really cover him with the water, so I guess it was more of a sponge bath. But we got some cute pictures, nonetheless!

And the winner is...

Well, it seems that having a newborn takes a lot of time and energy! Therefore, it has been awhile since I have posted anything. I am glad Bill at least got the update posted that Wells was born. It is good for Daddy to take charge every once in awhile. Thank goodness for Daddy! I don't know what I would have done without him these first three weeks! I did want to let everyone know that we had a winner in our baby arrival wager. My aunt and uncle, Ken and Terry Bridwell, picked the day and time closest to Wells' arrival, and they guessed that he would be a boy! Congratulations!

Sunday, June 14, 2009






It's a boy!


So due to the oversensitivities of some in the south, I have taken down the business end of me son. I guess, after a bit of considering, that the picture may have been tatamount to kiddie porn.


Still he is hung like his Uncle Doug. You just can't see through the swaddling.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Plus One

So. We are here at home at t-plus one day.

What? You can go past the due date?

Ahhhhh yes, paduan. Apparently it is a common thing for womenses to go past their due date. In fact, the date is actually given a few weeks before the baby REALLY is supposed to pop out just to piss off the mama and turn the dad's stomach into a clothes washing machine filled with mentos and diet coke.

And it looks like, as many should have guessed, my child will arrive later than expected. Who saw this coming?

So the wife is now trying to walk it out and I am keeping tabs on when the contractions are hitting... right now we are looking at about seven to eight minutes between the times that my wife thinks that I should have been (or could be soon) testicleless...

Oh yeah, we did the same thing Sunday night to the tune of nine to ten minutes apart for a few hours. Did I mention that I sometimes have a hard time making a decision?

And we are still at home, not running off to the hospital because those doctor-people say that we have to have five minutes or less in between the big fat sigh/ groan things that my wife spurts out. She is trying to read crappy fiction to get her mind off the painish.

Breathe woman!

I try not to get too close so that she can't get a good hold of anything dainty. Duck and weave. Duck and weave.

I ask about having more kids. She says that the mothers "forget about the pain". I still remember the pain bestowed upon me by the little turd that kicked me in the jewels in the fifth grade before a soccer match. Yes cleats. I am not yearning for another run-off-into-the-bushes-because-my-testicles-are-exploding kind of pain anytime soon. But that's me. And I guess I didn't get any joy out of the experience, except for the raking of his legs later in the match. But you do get some with a new child, I hear.

Irretardless, we are going to have a child soon. Make way quickly and quietly for all planetary exits. Quickly and quietly. Do not rush. You do not have time to collect all of your belongings; take only needed items. Leave the kids. Take the Wii.

Saturday, June 6, 2009

4 Days until D Day!

Well, several people had bet that we would have a baby by now, but not yet! We are four days from the due date, and we have no clue if our sweet little one will come before, after or on that fated day! I know that he or she will come when the time is right, so I am trying not to get too worked up about it. As you know, I have had Braxton Hicks contractions for quite some time. However, I think the contractions I have had the last few days are more "real." They are certainly more intense and slightly painful, but they are only coming every few hours. So, we are still waiting to take that ride to the hospital! If you want to place a bet, we are still taking them, and we will keep you posted when the big day comes! We cannot wait to have our baby in our arms and introduce him or her to the world!

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

38 Weeks and an Ultrasound

I wasn't sure I would ever make it to be able to say I am 38 weeks pregnant! But, tomorrow marks that occasion! I can't believe how close we are! We went to the doctor today, and they did an ultrasound. The doctor I saw last week was not sure the baby's head was down, and I have been measuring big, so they just wanted to check everything out. The baby's head is definitely down, and it looks like he or she is not a giant, so that is all good! The current estimate is 7 pounds, 5 ounces, but those ultrasounds are known for being inaccurate! They also said my fluid level is good, so everything is on track! Dr. C-R did not check my cervix, but they will check next week to see if I am progressing. This baby could come any day now, but will certainly be here in less than three weeks (they won't let me go more than a week past the due date!) So, if you want to get your wager in the pool, let me know! And, you can check out the calendar at the right to see what others are thinking!

Check out the pictures below. The first are from our Cafe and Then Some baby shower on May 3 (along with Happy Graduation for Sarah). Bill's brother Matt gave us the gift that keeps on giving... Tony the Dance Machine! There are no words to explain! If you have never seen him in action, check out the video of him with Betty Lay (Susan Smith's mother) and Pat. The last two pictures are from Memorial Day at Doug and Meg's house.
Sarah and Me



Me, Tony, and Bill

The baby belly

My Mom and Dad

Friday, May 15, 2009

When will this baby arrive? Do you dare to wager?

We are now within four weeks of our due date! It is hard to believe we are so close, but we are getting more excited by the day. With all of the Braxton Hicks contractions, I cannot help but wonder if our little baby might come a little early, but we have no real reason to think that might be the case...

That being said, we are finally getting around to following up on an idea that Bill's grandfather gave us months ago. We thought we would have a little fun with the baby's birthday, and we would like to invite you to join us! Several of our friends and family members have been putting up a lot of talk about when they think the baby will arrive, so we invite you to put your money where your mouth is! We are setting up a little wager: for $10 you can choose a day on which you think the baby will be born. You should also give a time, which will only be used if two people choose the correct birthday to choose the person who was closest! The winner will receive a $50 prize, and any extra money we raise will be put into Baby Smith's college fund. Also, you can place a side bet on whether the baby is a boy or a girl for an extra $5. If you are the winner of the birthday competition, and you also guessed the sex correctly, then you will win $100 instead of just $50! If you want to participate, place your bets by e-mailing me. We will accept entries up until we head to the hospital!

Friday, May 1, 2009

Less than 6 weeks now...

Time is really flying now! On Wednesday we hit the 6 week mark (34 weeks pregnant) and things are really starting to feel real. I think it is slowly dawning on Bill and me that we are actually going to have a baby to take care of really soon!

We had a third shower on April 18, given to us by all of our dear friends from JL Mann. Unfortunately, the camera that I brought to take pictures had dead batteries. Mom took lots of pictures, but I haven't had a chance to get them from her yet so I can post some. I will get back to you with that. We got some really great gifts, including a ton of gift cards to various places: Babies R Us, Baby Gap, Target, and Barnes and Noble (If I am leaving any out, I am sorry!) We also got some cute clothes, diapers, baskets to help organize the nursery, an awesome diaper bag monogrammed with an S, and some great childrens' books. It truly was one of the best parties I have been to with so many friends present! We have our final shower on Sunday, hosted by Susan Smith and the Cafe crowd. It will be a combination "Welcome baby Smidwell" and "Happy Graduation Sarah" party, and I cannot wait. Bill is cooking his famous spaghetti, and I know a fun time will be had by all!

Amid all the festivities, I did have a little scare last week. On Wednesday, the Braxton Hicks contractions that I have been having for 10 weeks or so started getting worse. I finally started writing down times, and I ended up having 6 in one hour and 7 in the next hour, despite sitting down, putting my feet up and drinking lots of water. I called the doctor and went in for an exam. They said my cervix was still tight, which is the most important thing. The contractions had slowed down a bit by the time the doctor examined me, and he said it could have been caused by dehydration and being tired. I am supposed to continue monitoring any contractions that I have, drink water until I float away, and stay off my feet as much as possible. Things have been more "normal" since then. I went back to the doctor Monday, and everything checked out fine. When I go back May 13, I will be going once a week until the baby arrives! We are getting so excited!

Friday, April 17, 2009

Another Shower - EHS

Bill and I really are the most blessed people on this earth! My friends from Eastside gave us a shower this afternoon after school at Rafferty's. There was a great turnout, and we got more wonderful gifts! We got the stroller frame for our carseat so we can take this little boy or little girl for walks around the block this summer while Mommy tries to lose her baby weight! Mom gave us the window valances for the nursery that match our bedding. Our rocker and ottoman came in yesterday, so hopefully we will pick them up tomorrow. Once we get that in, the nursery will be almost complete! I will try to get some nursery pictures up here soon! Here are some pictures from the shower!


Jane, Mary Ann, Mary Kay, Lisa Sheila, Jenny, Betty, Tory, Patty



My mom and me... Bella to be!
Look at the basket of goodies from the admin! Emily's daughter Kate... cute, huh?
We had a great time hanging out with friends from Eastside! Thanks girls!