Wells and Wren make four!

I wish I were a blogger

2012-01-21T15:50:00.000-05:00

I really do wish I could keep up with this blog stuff. Obviously, it has been awhile since I've posted! Since then, we've doubled our number of children! Wren Delane Smith was born on august 13, 2011 at 11:10 am. Maybe one day I will post her amazing birth story. The Cliff Notes version is this: we hired a wonderful doula. My contractions started early in the mowning, and I labored at home (with Caryn's help) until about 6:30. We got to the hospital around 7 and I managed to complete my labor without any pain medication. I was only able to do this with Bill squeezing my hips during each contraction to help manage my back labor. Wren was born after only 10 minutes of pushing!

Here we are 5 months later, and life has changed a lot! Wells is a great big brother, and he loves his sister. Wren has been a bit of a challenge, with reflux and a milk protein intolerance. (I could have bored you with lots of stories as we tried to figure all of that out, but I was way too busy to blog!)

I'm currently sitting in the rocking chair with Wren asleep on my chest. Wells is napping in his bed. As crazy as it is, all is right with my world.

The Waaaaaiiiting is the Hardest Part

2011-08-12T20:24:00.002-04:00

So we are three days and counting past the landing date of our first supposed daughter. We really have no idea if she will be coming tonight, but there is a big ol' storm warning for the county. If you'll remember, two years back, it was a humongous storm that kickstarted Wells' mama motor. So maybe this storm will be the impetus for this critter, too.

We still are a little shaky about names for this munchkin but some of the current favorites of Mer are the following: Peristalsis, Myraqle, and Billirubin. On another, completely random note, we also have really enjoyed a few late night incursions into WebMD. Mom thinks Bridwell Rose Smith and call her Birdy. I am currently at a loss. I guess we need to have a contest to name her. Maybe I'll get that started next week. I am sure we have plenty of time.

Ain't it just like a Smith to keep her family waiting...

What is in a name?

2011-06-11T10:28:00.000-04:00

"...That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." - Juliet (Shakespeare)
"What, you want me to name someone? You want like a name? ... the pressure of a name..."

If you don't have children yet, you may not understand exactly how difficult it is to choose a name for someone! Just think - this little helpless person that you are responsible for will have to use this name for the rest of her (or his) life! So much pressure!

It seems that everyone I talk to recently wants to know "So, have you picked a name yet?" Well, the answer is no. We still have no idea what we will call this child. Hopefully we will get some inspiration soon! At the very least, I would like to have her named before she is born!

In the meantime, enjoy this recent cartoon from one of our favorite websites, http://xkcd.com/

A few pictures

2011-05-15T15:56:00.000-04:00

I am so far behind on pictures! We have a ton of pictures on our camera that haven't even made it to the computer yet, much less to someplace like a blog, or Shutterfly, or Facebook, where they can be shared with friends and family! But I do have a few pictures I would like to share with you!
First, here are a few of our baby girl. In the third picture, you can see she it looks like she already has super long legs!:

Here are a few from the Easter season. Wells and cousin Finn got their faces painted at the Easter Egg hunt at Earle Street Baptist Church. They also enjoyed the live bunnies at the Easter Egg Hunt at Legacy Park:

This is a picture from the Great Cloth Diaper Change Event at one of our new favorite Stores, Natural Baby, in downtown Greenville.

And finally, one of my favorite somewhat recent pictures of Wells:

Buying new bottles

2011-05-12T15:20:00.000-04:00

When we found out I was pregnant again, I really didn't think we were going to need to buy much. Since we didn't know if Wells was going to be a boy or a girl, we bought all of the big stuff to be gender neutral the first time around. And, we have a lot of newborn clothes that can be used for this baby, too, even though she is a girl!

But now we have decided we need to buy all new baby bottles. Have you heard of BPA? Well, most products don't use BPA in their plastics anymore, but apparently there are new chemicals that have replaced BPA that might be just as harmful. Bill got a little freaked out about it, and I started doing some research. We had pretty much made the decision to switch to glass bottles, and then this article was printed in the New York Times on Sunday. Granted, it is an opinion article, but it highlights a lot of our reasoning for switching to glass.

We plan to use these bottles made by lifefactory (www.lifefactory.com). Now we just have to make the investment!

Has it really been 8 months?

2011-05-12T15:13:00.000-04:00

Obviously, I am pretty bad at being a blogger! I can't believe I haven't posted anything here in 8 months. I promise it isn't because there hasn't been much to say. Actually, the opposite is true. I guess we have just been so busy living life, that we forget to keep you updated about it!

For those of you that we don't see or talk to on a regular basis, here are some of the things that have been going on:

Wells is growing, growing, growing! He is running around and into everything. He has a crazy vocabulary for his age, and loves to sing and read books. (technically, we are the ones reading...he isn't that advanced!) I can't believe he will be two in just over a month!
I changed jobs this year. I am working for a virtual high school called Palmetto State E-cademy. That has allowed me to work from home, although Wells is still in daycare. It has been a good change, though!
Our biggest news is we are expecting a second baby! Our due date is August 9, and it is a girl! We are all pretty excited to welcome her into our lives. I have no idea what Bill and I are going to do with a girl, though. I am sure the grandmothers will make sure she is spoiled!

I am going to try to be better about posting here. I can make no promises.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-01T14:09:00.000-04:00

This time last year

2010-06-11T22:44:00.000-04:00

I was getting my epidural...finally! Our baby was due June 10. On Thursday, June 11, I had an appointment at the OB office at 11 am. The doctor told us that I was not close to having the baby. He said I would probably make it through the weekend without a baby. Bill and I left the doctor and went to Corporate Deli for lunch. Then we came home and watched a movie (which neither of us can remember right now) while a thunder storm started outside. Toward the end of the movie, around 4 pm, I started having contractions. I had been having braxton hicks contractions for awhile, so I thought these would pass. I got off the couch and went to lie down on the bed. I thought if I took a nap, I would feel better. After about 10 minutes, I gave up.

I came back to the den and told Bill to start timing contractions. They were getting stronger and coming more often very quickly. By around 6, I was ready to go to the hospital. We gathered our things, got in the car, and started calling our families. We got to the hospital around 7, and I was taken to maternity admitting. They kept me in a "holding room" for way too long, because the hospital was crazy busy. By the time they took me upstairs around 9, I was begging for an epidural. Sadly, that didn't come until 10:30. Dr. Bailey came to examine me as the anesthesiologist was leaving, and I was already dilated to 7 mm. He left to deliver another baby, and when he got back, I was ready to start pushing. I started pushing around 12:30, and our beautiful baby boy was born at 1:05 am on June 12.

I really can't believe all that was a year ago. Time really flies. Bill and I also cannot believe how blessed we are. Wells has brought so much joy to our lives, and we are so excited to see him grow!

Randoms

2010-05-28T22:03:00.001-04:00

Wells is growing, growing, growing! I can't believe he will be one in just two weeks.

Here is a picture from the latest gathering of the cousins. Bill's cousin, Missy, has a son named Lawson who was born in December, and our nephew Finn was also born in December. Wells didn't quite understand that Finn and Lawson are not as big as he is. He just wanted to play with Finn!

Last year at Relay for Life...

...and this year!

And, in other news, I got my hair cut. It is a little shorter than I thought it would be, but I like it!

Before (at Easter)

and After

Wells is walking!

2010-05-19T22:14:00.000-04:00

Wells took his first tentative steps a couple of weeks ago, but he refused to do it at home, and when he did it was more like a stumble with only one, maybe two steps, before he fell back down. Well, yesterday we got home from daycare and he just took off, taking 10 or more steps at a time! So, now he is officially walking! What are we in for?

When it comes to eating

2010-04-30T10:35:00.000-04:00

Wells will eat just about anything! He is growing so much, and I cannot wait for him to go back to the doctor to see how much he weighs these days. We are getting more adventurous on the weekends with feeding him "real food." On Sunday, we went to Poinsett Bar and Grill for lunch, and Wells ate meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, green beans, and part of a roll! Last week, we went to Irashiai for sushi with some friends, and he ate a whole (small) plate full of chicken fried rice. There have been very few things that we have given him that he hasn't liked. He seems to especially like bananas. He is still eating a lot of pureed vegetables, like squash and green beans, especially during the week at daycare. These pictures aren't really related to the food thing, but I wanted to show off our son's wardrobe!

My mom bought him this shirt!

This one came from mental_floss!

And this is his newest diaper, "The Sea One" from Good Mama. (Of course, this one was recycled from one of my online mommy friends.)

Balls everywhere...

2010-04-24T09:42:00.000-04:00

One of the toys that Wells got for Christmas was the Playskool Busy Ball Popper. At the time, he would sit and watch it, but it didn't really seem to excite him that much. Recently, it has become one of his favorite toys! He loves to make the music start, and he dances while it plays. He has even started to chase the balls and try to put them back in when they pop all over the place. Excuse the poor cinematography.

In this one, you can see how good he is getting at standing on his own!

Diaper Giveaway!

2010-04-21T13:25:00.000-04:00

Although I am not good at updating the blog, I enjoy following other people's blogs. I have made a lot of "internet friends" through BabyCenter. Several of them are blogging about their June babies, and I love reading their stories. One of my friends made a post about a diaper giveaway, so I thought I would pass along the information. Flying Giggles and Lollipops is a blog that often talks about good deals, and she is hosting a giveaway of Smartipants diapers. For those of you cloth diapering, please check it out!

Google Fiber!

2010-04-07T19:58:00.001-04:00

Ok, so this is not about Wells. But it is really important. Go to this website and vote to bring Google Fiber to Greenville! If they come to Greenville, we will get free trial networks to all homes in Greenville. (No more Charter!) Vote Here!

Spring is Here!

2010-04-01T21:56:00.000-04:00

Spring is here, and we have been enjoying afternoons outside in the yard! I've also been trying to capture some of Wells' cutest moments on video. This first one I was trying to get him to show off his dance skills, but he wasn't cooperating. It still turned out cute though.

Wells has started pulling up on everything, and he has even started walking a little around the furniture and such.

Adventures in Cloth Diapering

2010-03-06T21:09:00.000-05:00

Before we had a child, I thought there was no way that I would ever use cloth diapers! I thought it was disgusting, and they seemed very difficult with all the pins and what not. But, after doing some research and trying to come up with ways to save money, I decided to give it a go. It turns out cloth diapers are totally different than what they used to be! They work basically just like disposables, you just throw them in the wash instead of in the trash can. Poopy diapers are a little challenge, but we have a diaper sprayer to help with that!

We started with 7 Bum Genius diapers, and we used cloth on the weekends for the first few weeks. We now have 24 cloth diapers, and we have been cloth diapering full time for a week and a half, even at daycare. I am really enjoying them, and Bill doesn't even seem to mind them. We have 20 Bum Genius, 2 Flips, and 2 Happy Heinys. The Happy Heinys are really cute, but I don't like the way they fit as well.

Wells loves the diapers, too! I think this one is the cutest that we have, but the solid color ones fit him best!

And I had to include this picture of Wells in his new "babylegs." They were perfect today when it was warm but he still needed something to protect his knees when he crawls all over the place! As you can see, he is always getting into something! The leggings were made by one of my "online" friends, Lisa Barney. Check out her etsy store!

So much going on!

2010-02-22T16:48:00.000-05:00

My my, Wells has been a busy little boy! Unfortunately, he has been sick a lot the past month...bronchiolitis, then an ear infection, then a cold, and now double ear infections! I swear we just can't keep this baby well. The plus side is that he doesn't seem to be letting it slow him down. He has been crawling all over the place and getting in to everything. We have to watch him like a hawk!

In between sickness, Wells experienced his first snow, and he got to spend time with his cousins, Finn and Lawson. Here are some pictures for you to enjoy! There are more on Facebook.

"Who are these babies? They're boring!"

Starting to pull up! (He can't quite get to his feet yet.)

Snow!

Yummy!

Valentine's Cards taste good!

First teething biscuit. What a mess!

Wells is crawling!

2010-01-22T22:23:00.000-05:00

Well, it happened. Wells started crawling last weekend. Saturday morning, he took a few "steps" in our floor. That afternoon, he and I went to visit his Granny (Mama Martin) and he went crazy on her hardwood floors! He hardly wants to be held anymore; he keeps leaning down toward the ground so he can get around some more!

Unfortunately, Wells also got his first real illness this week. Last Friday, he started coughing, and he had a fever on Sunday. It turns out he has bronchiolitis, caused by a virus. So, we are having to let it run its course. He has to use a nebulizer to clear his lungs. His fever is down now, and he is feeling better (and sleeping better) but he is still coughing! Poor baby!

A tooth, a bowl and a cousin

2009-12-06T13:43:00.010-05:00

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.

Fall is here!

2009-10-12T15:48:00.001-04:00

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!

Wells rolled over - and mommy missed it!

2009-10-10T18:41:00.000-04:00

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!

Wells' Dedication

2009-09-28T15:00:00.003-04:00

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!

Cruising into month 4!

2009-09-22T14:49:00.003-04:00

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!

Naked Baby Dance!

2009-09-02T16:19:00.005-04:00

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!

2009-09-02T15:35:00.005-04:00

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!

6 weeks already??

2009-07-27T15:00:00.007-04:00

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.

First Bath

2009-07-06T13:10:00.003-04:00

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...

2009-07-06T13:06:00.002-04:00

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!

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-29T13:53:00.002-04:00

2009-06-14T13:53:00.002-04:00

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.

Plus One

2009-06-11T17:37:00.004-04:00

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.

4 Days until D Day!

2009-06-06T22:25:00.002-04:00

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!

38 Weeks and an Ultrasound

2009-05-26T17:49:00.007-04:00

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

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

2009-05-15T10:34:00.004-04:00

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!

Less than 6 weeks now...

2009-05-01T14:58:00.002-04:00

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!

Another Shower - EHS

2009-04-17T20:39:00.009-04:00

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!

Baby Shower

2009-04-17T20:15:00.010-04:00

Saturday, April 11 was our first baby shower, and it was so much fun! It was hosted by my aunt Terry, my cousin Shelley, my mom's dear friend Linda, and my friends Candace and Mary Beth. It was at Earle Street Baptist Church, and there were so many wonderful people who made it to help us celebrate the coming birth of this precious baby! I didn't get very many pictures. My mom took a lot more of me with the grandmothers-to-be and lots more presents. You can check out those pictures on Facebook if you want!

All of the hostesses with me before the shower. Check out the gorgeous diaper cake Shelley made!

There were so many presents I couldn't believe my eyes! I just kept opening and opening! Thanks to everyone for being so generous and thoughtful! We got our car seat, a stroller, a pack 'n play, and lots of other wonderful things!

My friends Laura and Jennifer from high school!

My belly in all of its glory!

The Countdown is On!

2009-04-08T21:53:00.002-04:00

Well, last week we officially made it under the 10 week mark! And, as of today, we are 31 weeks pregnant. I finally feel like it is OK to start counting down instead of counting up. It is so hard to believe we are more than 3/4 of the way through the pregnant stage of this new addition to our lives! We have so much to be thankful for and so much to look forward to!

I went to the doctor last week, and everything still looks good. My blood pressure is on track, the heartbeat was strong, and my belly measurement was good (I still don't really understand that one!) I will be going in for checkups every two weeks now until I reach 36 weeks, when I will start going every week. I feel like my belly is getting huge, but other than that, I am feeling great, so I am certainly not complaining!

Our big news is that we bought a new car today! Well, not really new, but new to us. Sadly, I had to trade in the Mini Cooper (sniff) but I am relieved to have a car that we can actually fit a car seat into. We bought a 2007 Mazda 5, which is kind of a combination of a station wagon and mini van. From the outside, it just looks like a big car, but the back doors slide like a mini-van, and it has third row seats, which fold down for the same amount of storage as a station wagon. I am really excited about it!

I have my first baby shower on Saturday, and I am so excited about that, too! I will post another update with pictures next week! Thanks for keeping us and this baby in your prayers!

2009-03-22T16:44:00.003-04:00

After a punishing day of crappy chairs and information overload, Smith Family Robinson is now ready to kick Bill2.0 out of the 34 pounds o' uterus that are currently growing inside Meredith. I'll explain.

About two lectures in to our class yesterday, our helpful nurse Michelle started passing around life-sized models of babies at certain stages: 8, 16, 22, 28 and 40 weeks gestation. Our size, 28 weeks, was easily palmed. That forty-week sucker though weighed as much as a heavy backpack of school books and wobbled like a jello boulder. And the uterus model was as big and heavy as a donut tire from a crappy import car. Holy cow. All this business is growing in wifey's belly?

After we wolfed lunch, we toured the Casa de Poppage to find out where we need to be and when. It seems a bit surreal, but I am holding auditions for a cameraman who can be a good back up for the delivery room. Let me know if interested. Please send references.

ttfn

28 Weeks

2009-03-19T21:05:00.003-04:00

I am a little belated in posting this update! I went back to the doctor last Tuesday. Everything checked out great. My blood pressure is good, the baby's heart rate is strong in the 150s, and I wasn't too disappointed by the number on the scale! They also did the Glucose Screening Test, which I assume went fine. They told me they would call in 2-4 days, and I never heard back from them. So, I am guessing that no news is good news in this case! I also went to the pulmonologist last Thursday, because my asthma has been acting up lately. Long story short, my lung capacity is terrible. However, they have put me on some new medicines that are safe for the baby, and life seems to be improving!

Here is a picture of me with my friend Erin at her baby shower last week. It is looking like she is going to have her baby, Parker, next Monday (if she doesn't have her on her own by then, they are planning to induce!) On the other side of things, Mama Martin is currently in the hospital. She fell yesterday and has a head injury. It seems she is improving, and they are hopefully going to move her out of ICU and into a private room tomorrow. I am trying not to worry. This baby needs to meet her Granny!

26 Weeks!

2009-03-03T21:03:00.004-05:00

Here I am at 26 weeks! I cannot believe how quickly time is going by! I am still feeling good, although I am starting to feel the weight of the growing belly! By looking at the size of my belly, I feel like I am further than I actually am! We are sneaking into the third trimester, and I can only pray that things continue to go as well as they have through these first 26 weeks. I am still having Braxton-Hicks contractions here and there but I am trying not to worry about them. I will mention it again next week at my monthly appointment. I will also be taking the glucose test next Tuesday to make sure I don't have gestational diabetes. I have heard that it is not a fun test, but hopefully they will give me the "all clear!" I took advantage of the snow day today and went to Babies R Us to begin the arduous task of creating a baby registry. Bill and I went in a couple of weeks ago to pick out some of the big stuff, but I went by myself today to actually start the registry. I had no idea how much stuff there was to choose from and how many things a baby needs! I still didn't get it all done, but I got a good start! We are both so excited for the weeks, months, and years to come! Bill has been practicing his daddy skills...

Two Doctors' Visits in One Week

2009-02-16T10:59:00.002-05:00

Our monthly visit to the doctor was last Monday. Everything checked out great - my blood pressure is low; no protein in the urine; the doctor said my uterus is measuring where it should be, with the top at my belly button; and the baby's heart rate was 140. When the doctor told me the top of the uterus was at my belly button, I wondered what all the stuff is making my belly pop out above the belly button!
So, after my wonderful check up on Monday, I started feeling some strange things on Tuesday night. At first, it felt like the baby was pressing its head really hard against the bottom of my belly. Then, the more I felt it, I realized it was a little too big to be the head at this point. So, by Wednesday I started thinking, "Is this what a contraction feels like? Maybe it is Braxton Hicks?!?" On Thursday, I decided to ask some of my friends at school who were pregnant recently if they had Braxton Hicks and what they felt like. They convinced me I should call the doctor, so I did. At this point, I was pretty calm about the whole thing, but when I talked to the nurse, she said I needed to come in right away. So, of course, I started panicking and imagining all sorts of awful things. But, when I got there, Dr. Demosthenes checked me out and said everything is fine. She confirmed that they were Braxton Hicks contractions and nothing to worry about unless they start hurting or coming regularly. So, the panic subsided! I had a few more on Friday, but haven't felt any in a few days. I have been feeling the baby more and more, though. He or she is moving around like crazy now!

2009-02-16T10:09:00.001-05:00

Santa Vaca!!! I felt the baby. It felt like a Hong Kong Phooey chop.

Kicking!

2009-02-06T15:59:00.002-05:00

Last night, I felt the first "big kick"! Bill and I had just gone to bed, and I was lying on my back. I just happened to have my hand on my stomach, and I felt this big kick from the inside. Then I realized that I had actually felt it on the outside as well! We sat there for another 10 minutes or so, with Bill's hand on my belly, hoping it would happen again, but no such luck. There were a few more movements, but nothing that strong that could be felt from the outside. It was such a cool feeling, and I cannot wait for Bill to be able to share that, too!

We're over half way!

2009-02-04T17:29:00.002-05:00

Well, I am officially 22 weeks pregnant now, which is amazing to think about. Time seems to be flying by. No matter how you count it, we are over the half-way mark! That is very exciting for us, but also a little nerve-wracking, because we still have so much to do! Thanks to my dad, the nursery was painted this past weekend, and I think the yellow is going to look great with the bedding and the artwork! Now we need to get the crib in there and make sure we have all of the pieces to put it together. We have several hurdles that we need to start working on soon: registering, getting a car big enough for baby and all the accompanying "stuff", finding a pediatrician...

I guess the exciting news is that I am feeling some movement from the baby now. It is still just the "flutters" with no real discernable "kicks" yet. It is so cool to feel that wave of motion through my belly, and I am looking forward to when Bill will be able to feel it, too. Although, I hear that might be a bad thing, with the baby keeping me up at night and so on! As you can see from the picture, I am still growing (and fast)! This picture was taken last week, at the 21 week mark.

The Ultrasound!

2009-01-13T13:19:00.006-05:00

Yesterday, we went to the doctor for the big ultrasound! Bill and I were amazed as we watched our little baby move around, wave, and suck its thumb, all inside my belly! Bill was in biology nerd heaven listening to the ultrasound tech describe all of the baby's anatomy in great detail. I think she was excited to have someone who knew exactly what she was talking about, too. She looked at the spine, heart, abdomen, and lots of other things that would be indications of some problem with the baby. Everything was normal and looked great! We decided to wait and not find out the sex, but we are thrilled to know we have a healthy baby in there, and we are so excited to meet him or her in person! Currently, I am feeling that it is a boy, but I think Bill still feels like it's a girl. We got lots of great pictures, and a 15 minute DVD with the whole ultrasound. I cried through the whole thing!

This is one of the great profile shots that we got!

I think he or she is going to be tall! It looked like he or she was stretching out those long legs!

In this picture, the baby was smiling and waving at us! (At least that is my interpretation!)

And, finally, here (s)he is sucking on that thumb! Looks like we will need those pacifiers if we don't want a thumb in the mouth all the time!

Christmas - 16 weeks

2008-12-31T12:55:00.008-05:00

On Christmas Eve, we officially reached the 16 week mark!

The belly is growing ever larger, causing some of my "friends" to ask "Are you sure you aren't carrying twins?" We had an amazing Christmas, and the little one has already received several gifts! Bill surprised me with original artwork for the nursery that I had begged him for, but I thought it was too expensive. It is called "P is for Promise" by one of our favorite local artists, Judy Verhoeven. It is amazing and beautiful and already hanging on the nursery wall, although we have a lot of work to do in there!

We also got our nursery bedding from my parents, a cute t-shirt for the baby, some burp clothes, a sweet blanket (called a "nite-nite" in the Bridwell family) and lots of awesome books! Look out world, this baby is going to be spoiled!

We have picked out the paint for the nursery and will hopefully start that process soon. Thanks to one of our good friends, we also received a beautiful white sleigh crib, only slightly used, that will go great with everything else we have picked out. Sometimes I am just overwhelmed at how blessed we are! Now we are looking forward to the ultrasound on January 12!

2008-12-21T16:24:00.005-05:00

Well we just finished the first trimester and are now in the great powerslide to Christmas. Things are good. Both of us are gaining weight at acceptable levels and enjoying the plumpness that is soon to be critter. Well, hers anyway.

We finished putting up the Cristmas tree last night and found so many of Meredith's angels from her kin growing up. It was really kind of nice and perfect: the dogs molesting me as I put together some ornaments and Mer putting them on the tree.

We really are enjoying life... all three.

peace

Doctor Visit

2008-12-11T20:28:00.002-05:00

Well, our December doctor's visit was this week on Tuesday, and it went really well! All of my vitals were normal and good... blood pressure, hemoglobin, and whatever they are checking for in my urine! The good news is that so far I have only gained 6 pounds. Of course, that may be a lot, but it was not as much as I feared! The best part was hearing the heartbeat again. My heart melts every time I hear that sound! I just wish Bill could have made it to be there with me! The heart rate was 150, which is good. Dr. Stamm said "If you believe the old wives' tale, that means it is a girl... of course, I don't believe that wives' tale." Hmmm... Bill thinks it is a girl now, too. I'm not sure why he got that feeling all of a sudden. My next appointment is January 12, and that is when we will have the ultrasound! We are still not sure if we are going to find out the sex now or wait until he or she is born. I guess we need to make that decision soon! Either way, it will be amazing to see this little one inside of me!

12 Week Update

2008-12-01T20:04:00.003-05:00

Well, here we are at 12 weeks! I cannot believe I am almost at the end of the first trimester! Of course, it is exciting, and I am glad to be feeling better. I'm still looking for that boost in energy that is supposed to come with the second trimester, though. Despite the fact that all the books say "you probably won't show until about 16 weeks," I am definitely showing, as you can tell in this (unattractive) picture. On Thanksgiving, I realized that my belly is also starting to get firm, which is good news for me, because it lets me know that I'm not just getting fat. There really is a baby in there! It is finally starting to sink in that this pregnancy is for real, and I am actually feeling pregnant. Now I cannot wait to be able to feel the baby move! We go back to the doctor next week for our third check-up and to hear the heartbeat again! I wish we could go every week!

The First Doctor Visit

2008-11-23T18:55:00.002-05:00

On October 17, we went for our first Doctor visit. You know, the one where they give you tons of information, ask you a bunch of questions about your family history, and do one last "pre-baby" exam. The most wonderful part was the ultrasound! They did an ultrasound to confirm the due date and make sure everything was looking good in there. We both shed a tear or two the first time we saw our baby! And we got to hear the heartbeat, which is the sweetest sound in the world! We found out that I am not quite as far along as I had thought. They said everything was normal, but the baby will be due 5 days later than I had thought. So, we will be looking for this beautiful critter to arrive in the world on June 10, 2009!

We're Gonna Have a Baby!

2008-11-23T18:38:00.000-05:00

On September 29, 2008, we found out that I am pregnant! It was amazing because it was my birthday. We already had a big family dinner planned that night, so we decided to go ahead and tell the family, even though I was just over 4 weeks pregnant! The grandparents-to-be are ecstatic, of course, and we cannot wait!