Jex Jots

Valentine's Day

2012-02-15T13:58:00.005-06:00

Well cupid was very good to us yesterday. When we got to Grammy and Papa's house, they had valentines waiting. An adorably decorated bag for Austin and a container of homemade Oreo Truffles for us.

Mom dropped Austin off at my office for a quick visit and then Zach and I took him to the Landing for a yummy Valentine's lunch. Austin was so tuckered from all the people chatting with him at lunch, he passed out as soon as we got in the car.

Last night Mom and Dad came over for dinner. Zach made his amazing stuffed chicken. Somehow he makes the world's most moist and delicious chicken stuffed with bacon, mozzarella, scallions, jalapeno, and cheddar. Every bite is like a party in your mouth. Then he paired it with a Caesar salad and Randa's recipe of homemade pan fried okra that is to die for. We drank wine as I told them all about Meghan's amazing wedding and finished dinner off with the Oreo truffles (made by mom) and chocolate covered fortune cookies (bought by dad).

I had promised Austin a Valentine balloon all day so here he is with his Valentine bear. He got tired after dinner and was just staring up at it.
It was a great day and I am so thankful for my adorable husband, sweet baby boy and my loving mom and dad. You guys make everyday fun!

Last night Austin had a really runny nose and every few hours he would wake up totally stopped up and coughing as he tried to breath. I would suction him and lay him back down but after a few times waking up I decided he needed to sleep elevated so around 1am I grabbed his cozy quilt and snuggled him tight and we slept together the rest of the night in his recliner. He is such a snuggle bug these days and just wraps his arms around you and nuzzles into your chest. I am now sooo thankful for that wonderful recliner that mom and dad bought us...it's so comfortable even for an entire night. I hope he gets over this pretty quickly but I hear from other daycare moms that a runny nose and cough are pretty much a constant thing during these months. Boo!

Home Sweet Home!

2012-02-13T23:08:00.005-06:00

(Sorry this is so fuzzy--- it was dark and all I had was my phone.)

I can't explain the feeling as I walked in Austin's classroom this afternoon to get this sweet boy after being away from him for 5 days. I seriously had to fight back tears when he saw me and started smiling as big as he could and whimpering for me to come pick him up. This little guy melts my heart.
I spent the entire night catching up on kissing those cheeks and I couldn't bring myself to put him in bed for his 5pm nap....I had to hold him. Ahhhh it's so good to be home with my boys.
Here we are having a Mohawk party before bed!

Too Tired to Eat

2012-02-03T10:24:00.004-06:00

One more picture from the other night. Zach had a late meeting and Dad was in Texas so mom came over to spend the evening with me and Austin. I was so excited about all the new snacks I got Austin so we let him try a few of each and then fed him his meal. Looks like all that food was just too much for the little guy and mom and I watched as his head slowly got heavier and heavier and then he was out. I wish I could have gotten a picture right when he fell asleep, his arm was straight up in the air and his head was cocked all the way to the side trying to look at the microwave. It was hilarious.

When will it get easier?

2012-02-03T09:45:00.007-06:00

No, I am not talking about parenting Austin, who quite possibly could be the easiest baby I could have wished for. I am talking about leaving him at daycare....when will this get easier for me??? This isn't rhetorical, I really NEED to know! I feel like the walk out to my car is the walk of shame. I open the door to his room and although it's super clean and the ladies in his class are so nice, I can just imagine germs jumping onto Austin. I know it is all in my imagination and I have to get over these daycare stigmas. He only goes Monday and Friday and I still have a hard time but I guess now that we have one month under our belts I should start putting on my big girl panties and dealing with it. I think it will be better when he reaches the age where he can come home and tell me all about it and how much fun he is having, but for now I assume he'd rather be at Grammy and Papa's!

Here are some pics form the week. I finally got back to running the other evening after taking a few days off after getting LASIK. Last night I took Austin on a long, wonderful and much needed jog to clear my head after a really tough work week. I could run for days in this warm February weather however it looks as though the mosquito can too. I was wearing pants and still managed to get eaten up so I was quick to put the mosquito net over the stroller so Austin didn't suffer the same fate. Let's hope he has his father's skin, he could be in the Louisiana swamps for days and not be bothered by those lil devils...I on the other hand, live in fear of contracting West Nile after grabbing the paper off of the porch.

Who is this little boy in my stroller???

I heard a saying the other day which I felt perfectly explained myself. I see life "through Mom-colored glasses". Like a lot of moms, I want everything to be perfect for this little guy and I know that one day I will have to face the fact that I cannot protect Austin from the world...but for now, while he is tiny and innocent I will live in my little happy place with A & Z!

When I look at this sweet face I cannot help but be so grateful for everything Zach and I have have been blessed with. So maybe I am seeing things a bit too rosey...but that is just me and as Zach always says..."I would LOVE to live in your world".

LOVES LOVES LOVES Bathtime!!!

"Look"ing forward to today!

2012-01-27T08:43:00.004-06:00

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7

A dear friend recently told me about a bible study she was reading about fear, anxiety and faith. What she said has stuck with me and I apply it to so many things on a daily basis. So thank you my dear friend {you know who you are} for this wisdom, I will be carrying it with me today as I have my LASIK done.

I found this that supports what she said-
“According to the Bible, there is nothing wrong with realistically acknowledging and trying to deal with the identifiable problems of life. To ignore danger is fooling and wrong. But it is also wrong, as well as unhealthy, to be immobilized by excessive worry. Such worry must be committed to prayer to God, who can release us from paralyzing fear or anxiety, and free us to deal realistically with the needs and welfare both of others and of ourselves.” -Dr. Gary R. Collins

and Happy Friday from A-Man!

Personal Best in '12

2012-01-25T16:29:00.004-06:00

I was telling my friend Lisha the other day on a long drive we had together that I am trying to commit myself to a personal best in 2012. Not just fitness or food, but all across the board... fitness, faith, eating habits, parenting, family, friendships, assertiveness, work etc. I have come to realize that excelling in some of these areas is outside of my comfort zone. I am challenging myself to change my ways, quit taking the easy way and step outside of that box and realize the potential, strength and control that I never knew I had. I commit myself now to everything I do but there is a difference between how I approach things now and a total devotion.

This is a process, and a long one. It will be a journey and not a destination. I am not sure you can ever feel like you are the best parent or the best Christian...but the goal is not to be the best, it is to do MY BEST and then year after year that best will grow better and better.

So cheers to all of you this 2012 and I hope you, too, have identified those things that you want to do better this year.

Now I'm off to teach my Body Jam {intense toning} class. Tonight is my 2nd week and I am loving teaching it. I got my CPR certification in December in case I wanted to teach {but I really just justified the cost of the class as a very important skill to know with a child and had no real intentions of teaching}. Well here I am, stepping WAY outside my comfort zone and teaching. Thanks to Zach, Shannon D. and Lisha for all the encouragement!

Speaking of being outside of my comfort zone, Friday I am going under the knife yet again. Call me crazy. Since ear surgery in November didn't quite satisfy my need to be poked and prodded, I am going back to have my eyes done. Yup, LASIK. So Megs and Lisha can no longer walk around wearing my "acid trip" glasses. [My girl friends in college said if they envisioned what they thought an acid trip would be like...it would be similar to walking around the sorority house in Shannon's glasses.]

Sick Baby Weekend

2012-01-23T13:41:00.002-06:00

Nothing pulls on your heartstrings more than a sad little baby with watery eyes and a runny nose.

Well this weekend we had big plans to attend a Mardi Gras Ball with Mom and Dad but Austin had his own agenda for the weekend that consisted of lots of sneezing, coughing,crying, sleeping, nose running, etc. The poor little guy got his first cold {no big surprise since we just completed the 3rd day of daycare}. So we cancelled our plans and hunkered down for the weekend with Austin.

Saturday he was pitiful but as happy as could be. He took 4 big naps and pretty much just woke up to eat. I hated to see him sick but I loved the snuggle bug he became. Usually snuggle time is limited to morning/night or during a bottle since he would rather be up exploring. Not Saturday, he snuggled and slept on and off the entire day and was perfect company during an entire movie on the couch. {ps. thanks to Tony's sisters for recommending Moneyball at Meg's bachelorette weekend...it was really good!}
Here we are snuggled on the couch-- poor guy is sporting some red, swollen eyes.

I took every advantage of the increased number of naps and hit the gym and the kitchen to make some baby food. So glad he loves sweet potatoes because he has enough to last him to spring. Seriously...I ran out of baby food containers and had to put the excess in a bowl.

I was so excited to find a few blogs recommending pureeing baby food in the Magic Bullet over the expensive Baby Food makers sold in stores...same functionality but much cheaper. Thanks to Lisha and Lee, we had one in the cabinet!! It was wonderful and in a matter of seconds it pureed the veggies and fruits much better than a blender. So all you new moms, start saving your baby food jars and grab a magic bullet and you are in business!

No pics from Sunday....because Austin was not a happy camper. We had lunch at Mom & Dad's and he seemed really content while we were outside trying out some new bikes, but that was pretty much the extent of his happiness. Instead of sleeping all day like he did Saturday, he decided not to sleep a wink and cry ALL day. I know the poor guy felt awful when he even cried when eating his bananas and taking a bath and those are his favorites. Zach laid in the nursery for over an hour trying to soothe Austin to sleep, what a patient daddy!

Finally at about 8pm last night, his nose started to dry up a little and he was in much better spirits. He slept a little shorter than normal but when he did wake up at 7:30am he was is a great mood....thank goodness. So even though he usually does Daycare on Mon & Fri, Mom kept him today while he is recovering. Grammy and Papa make everything better.

I am glad he waited until 6 months to get sick because I am not sure I could have handled worrying about a sick newborn. At least I knew that if he couldn't breath he would roll over and get comfortable. In fact, this morning when I went in his room he had 2 blankets, 2 small pillows and a sock monkey all piled up next to him hugging. He had scooted his way all around the crib grabbing these items we had tucked away when he sleeps. I guess we are passed the point of leaving things "out of reach".

Looks like we are on the mend but I hope we aren't revisited by any illness anytime soon!

6 months already???

2012-01-16T23:12:00.001-06:00

Happy 6 Month Birthday Austin…..{Lil’ Buddy, Sweetpea, A-Squared, A-Man, Punkin’, Punkin’ Pie, Love Bug, AJ}

We cannot tell you how much we adore you Lil’ Buddy! We can’t wait to go get you out of the crib in the morning and see that gummy grin smiling at us. Every day you have a new expression that cracks us up or a new trick to blow us away! Thanks for making the last 6 months so fun….our hearts our busting at the seams for you!

3 days

1 month

2 months

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 MONTHS!!!!

At 6 months Austin:

• Has 2 teeth
• Sits up on his own
• Rolls over. Used to only sleep on back but now he rolls to his tummy during the night
• Holds his bottle
• Sleeps 12 hours at night! (8pm-8am) Then 2 long naps during the day
• Loves the puppies and other babies
• Smiles a lot and laughs out loud
• Eats 4 bottles, 2 veggies and 2 fruits each day
• Loves his sock monkeys, musical lion and silver barbell rattle
• Loves his walker and "runs" down the hallway after the puppies
• Slept swaddled until 5 1/2 months
• Prefers to have classical music and noise machine at night
• Loves to walk holding your hands
• LOVES MUSIC, in fact he is mesmerized when daddy plays the guitar
• Doesn’t like really loud places- just like his mommy as a baby
• Is obsessed with lamps and fans-he smiles at them
• Does not like when Mommy wears hats
• Started daycare {school} 2 days a week and seems to like it
• Loves strolling {Grammy and Papa take him every morning}
• Obsessed with football, doesn’t really watch anything else on TV (we don’t encourage TV)
• Loves the forward facing camera on the iPhone and giggles when he sees himself
• Has not been sick one time {knock on wood}
• Speaks his own language
• Decided he was DONE nursing at 5 months. Way too cool for that.
• Loves being naked and enjoys baths
• Travels really well (by car, we are too nervous to try planes just yet)
*** He is the most amazing gift from God, and we are so grateful to have the opportunity to raise this sweet boy.

Ringing in 2012 with the Rosses!

2012-01-03T23:16:00.005-06:00

The week after Christmas we left for Texas where we celebrated Christmas and New Years with the 25 Rosses! It was such an awesome weekend packed full of lots of baby cuddling {by lots of family members that were meeting Austin for the first time}, the 1st Annual Paintball tournament {complete with bumps and bruises}, huge meals, loud games, lots of pies, lots of gifts and most importantly lots of love. We packed into Grandma's living room and one-by-one opened gifts. It was awesome!!! Cory gave us a very special gift, a flag with a single star. Family that has a family member deployed display this flag in the window of their home until their family member arrives home safely. If you have ever seen this flag anywhere, now you know what it means...and we are proud to hang ours on our front window when Cory leaves soon.

That will be a Christmas/New Years that will stick with me for a long time since it will be a long time before we have our entire family together again.

Here is our little Ross/Jex Gang! Love them to pieces!

Here is the order: {Back Row} Nate, Cory, Alicia, Nora Kate, Zach, Austin, Shay
{Front Row} Nolan, Dad, Neely, Mom

Christmas Time!

2012-01-03T22:43:00.005-06:00

Christmas was very special this year for 2 major reasons...Mom & Dad live here and we have Austin to share all the joy of Christmas with. Christmas Eve started by loading up all the toys we collected at our annual Christmas Party and taking them to the Children's home {well, this year Zach, Mom, Dad and Matt Pearson went while Austin and I napped as I tried to recover from the lack of sleep the previous night}. The rest of these pics are from Christmas morning with Austin. His favorite gift was his walker and he basically runs up and down the hallway after the dogs, it's hilarious. We got to spend Christmas with Mom, Dad, Steve, Sue, Kate and Victor. We really missed Kellen, B and Jules this year but he was stuck in Jackson working. We did get to have lunch with B and Jules and then spend a few evenings with Kellen after the holidays.
Truly a Christmas we will never forget and I am so thankful for the time with our family.

Date day with Mommy

2012-01-03T22:25:00.002-06:00

I found out Sunday that I had Monday off and it was the greatest news knowing I got to keep Austin at home and spend the entire day stealing kisses from my little man. We slept late, watched Live with Kelly, napped some more, had lunch with daddy, went shopping with Grammy at Kelly's kids, made a run to the grocery store and then made it home just in time for dinner. On the menu, Austin's first {and most likely favorite fruit} BANANAS! He loved them!

It was the best day and I truly admire stay at home moms, it's the most wonderful opportunity to spend everyday with your sweet baby. And Austin is obsessed with the forward facing camera on my iPhone...he cracks up watching the adorable baby laugh on the screen. I got some great videos of him cracking up.... will post soon.

Austin gets down Frosty style

2011-12-17T23:19:00.004-06:00

Austin dancing with Frosty, it is hilarious to watch him move his little legs and wobble back and forth. It reminds me of the scene from Forrest Gump when Forrest is a kid imitating Elvis.

Love it.

Oh and here is Austin at a party we went to tonight. This is him showing off for his baby friend Molly...he just loved her and was sittiing up like a big boy trying to get her attention. {okay okay he was really watching the football game}

Christmas Card Display

2011-12-16T16:44:00.003-06:00

Thank you Pinterest for lighting the fire in my creative sole that seemed to be extinguished as soon as I had the baby....because we all know when you have a baby you gain a person and a whole lotta love but you lose your mind, your sleep, and your free time. Those 3 things were a necessary combination to fuel the creative right side of my brain.

So I looked on Pinterest for a creative way to display my cards and saw where they used a frame and painted it red and then mounted chicken wire inside the opening so you could clip your cards to the wire.

I improvised due to the following limitations....1. I didn't feel like making a mess in the dining room trying to paint the frame and it was too big to paint on my art studio desk. 2. I don't have chickens, therefore no chicken wire.

So I used foam board wrapped in fabric and took a picture (and glass) out of a frame we were about to donate. I left the gold frame gold...although it is way too gold for my taste I think it screams holiday and works well with the fabric.

I secured the cards to the fabric-wrapped board with straight pins which I had in the sewing closet. So all in all, the project cost me $0 and I think it looks quite cute!

Birthday Boy!

2011-12-08T13:21:00.002-06:00

Happy Birthday to my fabulous husband, Zach!!

He's COOL...

HE DANCES...

HE INVENTS...

HE LOVES...

HE ROCKS!

Turkey Trot

2011-11-26T10:53:00.004-06:00

This morning we walked (well I strolled) down to the river to cheer on Papa in the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot Run. I insisted that Mommy make Papa a sign and cheer him across the finish line. He had a great time and was one of the first 10 people to finish the race, he even beat all the turkeys.

Mommy, Grammy and I watched from the sidelines this year since Mommy can't workout post surgery

I was so nervous I could barely peak out of my blanket

Don't tell Papa but I took a quick nap while waiting on him.

My buddy, Molly! We had a great time chatting about the diapered life! She is a cutie, I think I might date her in a few years!

But I woke up right in time to see him cross the finish line! I was so proud of my Papa!

Run Papa Run!

Mommy was trying to put my silly paci in my mouth, otherwise I'd be smiling!

What??? Surgery?? What??

2011-11-15T12:00:00.000-06:00

I wish I was here to report that I was going under the knife to get that coveted post pregnancy tummy tuck and boob job but it's not nearly that exciting.

If you know me well...or have been in a conversation with me lately in a noisy place than you have heard me say "What?" and then I probably refer to “my good ear and my bad ear”. Stand on my left side and we are all good, stand on my right and it's a crap shoot whether or not I can hear what you're talking about... and on occasion I might use this to my advantage just so I can claim "oh I didn't hear you tell me no, Zach". It's not really as bad as I make it out to be but with any background noise, hearing a whisper is almost impossible.

2 years ago I went to an ENT and discovered I had Otosclerosis, a condition in which spongy bone has hardened around the base of the stapes- the innermost bone in the ear. If the stapes is fixed in position (my condition), rather than being normally mobile, then a conductive hearing loss results. In 2009 it was minor and the Dr. said we would not need surgery or a hearing aid since my other ear is perfect and that ear wasn’t too bad. Then after I had Austin I noticed it was worse. So just in case you thought pregnancy only made your waist change you are sorely mistaken. It also can change your hearing, vision, shoe size, hair, skin, and the most common....it gives you a body straight out of Nation Geographic saggy skin edition. BUMMER! Good thing I have 14lbs of cuteness at home that makes everything worth it.

This is a picture of the inner ear....the tan area is where I will have the procedure.

In light of noticing additional hearing loss, I went to a specialist and they confirmed that the Otosclerosis has gotten much worse and surgery is the best option and the “do nothing” approach that we originally opted for is no longer desirable….for me or Zach since I am constantly saying WHAT? WHAT?? Not to mention he hears the baby monitor long before I do if I am sleeping on my “good ear”. So this surgery is going to improve my hearing thus improving Zach’s sleep. This coming Monday I am having a procedure called a Stapendectomy where they go in and place a micro prosthesis (see picture below) in my inner ear that makes up for the hearing loss and will be a permanent fix. A stapedectomy does not require any incisions on the outside of the body, as the entire procedure is performed through the ear canal.

The tan bone is the Stape and the Christmas Ornament hanger looking thingamajig is the micro prosthesis.

I was totally cool with the procedure until I did what any inquiring mind would do...I googled it. After hours of internet research, I am officially scared to death that next Tuesday I will be deaf, paralized, or dead....yup I am worried that an outpatient surgery might kick my bucket. Wow thanks INTERNET. Oh but there is ONE silver lining, it's free thank to Austin! We met all of our deductibles this year with the delivery so this surgery is on the house.

All kidding aside, prayers are welcomed and appreciated. Going into the week of Thanksgiving I have to say I am thankful for science and medicine. I am thankful for Dr. John J.Shea Jr. for inventing something so tiny that goes inside my head and allows me to hear my little boy whisper his prayers at night and deliver his Valedictorian speech at Ole Miss in 2034. I am thankful for my wonderful husband that is going to be there with me through the entire thing and thankful he hasn't divorced me for how many times I have said "what". I am thankful for Mom and Dad for being amazing grandparents to Austin and taking care of him while I am out of town and for Mom's generous heart. She is staying at my house to care for the baby 'round-the-clock while I recover and Zach works since I am forbidden to lift anything (which includes my sweet baby boy) for 2 weeks.

Please pray for the surgeon's steady hand and my tolerance of the pain and discomfort for the weeks following the surgery. And pray for my heart as it breaks everytime I want to pick up my sweet baby (12 billion times a day) and realized that I can't.

I'm sure gonna miss this :(

They grow up too fast

2011-11-03T11:08:00.004-05:00

As a kid, I always laughed at people when they look at kids and said "oh they grow up way too fast"...like we were actors on a soap opera that age 4 years over the summer. You tune back in after missing a few episodes and Sammy who was 9 and learning to ride a bicycle is now married with 6 kids. Well, now I get it.

This morning one of my best friends in the world gave birth to her 2nd daughter. Around 1am I had picture texts rolling in introducing me to her sweet little girl and as I looked at that tiny baby in her arms, I thought...."oh they grow up way too fast". So this morning when I got up to feed Austin, instead of putting him back to bed for an hour while I got ready for work, I just sat there for a few extra minutes. I held him tight and rocked him back to sleep and I can barely believe that this little boy in my arms that now laughs, holds his own bottle, and recognizes familiar faces was that same tiny baby I held in the hospital 3 1/2 months ago.

I have learned how to live in the moment and cherish every second with this little one. Even last night when he was screaming for no apparent reason, I held him close and thanked God for that sound.

holding his bottle

His new thing is he reaches out and touches your face when you talk to him. It's the sweetest thing ever and pretty much melts my heart.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

2011-10-28T22:48:00.003-05:00

Roaaaaaaaaaarrrrrr!

A mobile for Austin

2011-10-25T10:17:00.007-05:00

So for a few months now I have been on a quest for a mobile for Austin and in the process realized how tacky some of those prefab ones look. I have read a lot about using black and white (dark/light) and different patterns to stimulate babies minds so after a little research on Etsy I decided to make my own. Thanks to Kate, I had a nifty new circle cutter-she works at Michaels and always find me the most handy gadgets. In keeping with the theme of his nursery I used a variety of navy and light blue patterned and textured sheets of card stock. Then I went into sketch mode and planned how many circles I would need in each size and pattern. Mom had some wooden dowels and fishing line and I had hot glue, white paint and card stock so this project cost me a whopping $0!

I crossed 4 dowels at a centerpoint and hung a line of circles from the end of each dowel and then the longest line in the center point of all the dowels. Every other line is a different length so it has a cascasing effect and looks pretty cool from all angles. Then I spaced each paper circle 2" from the next by using a dot of hot glue on the fishing line. I finished it off by painting the dowels white and dropping fishing line from a tiny hook in the ceiling to hold it and ta-dahhhh!

Here it is from the side (aka. Mommy's view):

Here it is looking up at it (aka. Austin's view):

Austin loves it and this morning he spend 30 minutes talking to it as I was doing other things. His eyes get really big when it twists and turns as the fan blows. It has great movement and he told me he liked it much more than one of those stuffy store bought rigs.

I have a video of him talking all kinds of gibberish to it this morning but it won't seem to upload. I will work on that and hopefully get it uploaded soon.

In the mean time here he is in awe of him mommy's creation (or at least that is what I choose to think...he might just be working on a dirty diaper).

Balloon Race Weekend

2011-10-21T10:59:00.011-05:00

I can't sum up in a blog post what an amazing weekend we had with the family. These pictures are so precious to me. We feel so blessed to have had all of Austin's grand parents and great grandparents in town along with his great Aunt Bev (as the kids call Great Bev) and Uncle Cory, Aunt Alicia, Nathan, Nolan, Neely, and Nora Kate!

Meeting G-G for the first time. Grandma Marilyn gave Austin so much love this weekend!

Meeting Papa Leroy and Ebby for the first time. Austin reached out and "shook" Papa's finger like he was saying "how do ya' do". You couldn't pry Austin from these two!

Waking up Saturday morning to meet Mr. Austin. Me, A, and Nora Kate.

Nolan loving in Emma. Sydney and Emma loved playing with the kids this weekend since they are used to getting a little ignored when the baby is around.

Mama Neely. She was SO good with Austin. I just wished she lived closer so she could babysit one day! She would even rock him and whisper "shhhhhh" in his ear if he got fussy. She knew exactly what to do without us even telling her.

Saturday morning when the Ross Monkeys met Austin for the first time.

We spent all morning rocking on the porch, drinking coffee, having breakfast, and waiting for the balloons. My S.I.L. Alicia and Nora Kate.

Paint project with the kids. We painted canvas trick-or-treat bags.

A seasoned veteran!

All the little monkeys sitting in a row.....Let's see if I can get this right:

Nathan 11, Nolan 8, Neely about to be 7, Nora Kate 3, Austin 3 months.

Austin and Emmet hanging out! Shauna stopped by on her walk to say hi.

Neely feeding, notice NoKe supporting his head...too cute!

My awesome brother and SIL Alicia. Cory was squeezing in a lot of Austin time since he will be leaving soon for Afghanistan :(

Balloon races with G-Pa.

Aunt Bev and Grandma getting the low down about to help crew and launch the balloon.

Dad and Nora Kate watching the balloons launch.

Okay I have to blog about Sunday because it was so special. Austin was baptized at Jefferson Street UMC by Rev. Ed Temple and Rev. Karie Sue McKaleb. After Zach and I took our oaths as parents, Ed placed water on his head and baptized Austin into the Christian faith. It was a very important day and as Ed walked Austin up and down the aisles during the hymn I started to cry thinking about last year at this exact time. I had been praying for a baby for months and I remember balloon race weekend finding out 2 of our friends were having babies and I was starting to worry if it would ever happen for us. To think back to that time and then be standing there in front of the congregation, our family, and before God baptizing our healthy son overwhelmed me with joy and gratitude. Austin is such a blessing to our lives and although it is an enormous responsibility to raise him to be a good and faithful man, I can't think of anything I would be more proud to do.

Rev. Ed walking through the aisles with sweet sleeping Austin

After church we celebrated with friends and family at our house and had a surprise birthday celebration for Ebby. It was a day I am adding to "my favorite days" list.

Oh yeah and there were hot air balloons, carnival rides, and bands too.....sorry I didn't get any pictures of that. We were way too busy having fun with the family.

This weekend we plan to do NOTHING and recover from last weekend. In the 9 years I have known Zach I don't think I have ever seen him nap but after the company felt Sunday he did some serious napping.

Happy Friday everyone. Have a great weekend in this beautiful fall weather! Austin says have a great weekend y'all and bundle up!

God's Counrty

2011-10-03T10:59:00.005-05:00

It was the most gorgeous weekend in Oxford and Zach says it’s because the weather is always perfect in God’s Country. We came to celebrate the wedding of Zach’s buddy from law school, Joel and his bride Beth. We hit town right in time to catch lunch at Two Stick. Austin ordered the spicy tuna, volcano roll, miso soup, and ginger salad. Okay so maybe mommy and daddy had that while he sipped on his 5oz of milk but we could tell he is eager to learn the art of holding chopsticks and rolling sushi like Mr. Phat.

To finish off that perfect meal, we walked over to YaYa’s for some frozen yogurt. Yummy, that is our new favorite place in Oxford. Here’s Austin after he polished off chocolate with fresh strawberries. He requested one of the 8 flavors in his bottles instead of milk from now on. Okay, no need to report us to Child Protective Services…. Mommy scarfed it down before Austin even had a chance.

We ate our yogurt on the bench with William Faulkner. Austin enjoyed discussing poetry and short stories with him under the shade tree on the square. Austin’s favorite novel of his is The Sound and the Fury but he had to admit to Mr. Faulkner that it would be difficult to read in a town like Oxford due to being distracted by all the pretty girls walking by and lots of puppies too.

After a little shopping we were off to Taylor Grocery for the rehearsal dinner. Ribeye and fried catfish were on the menu and it was delish! I am starting to realize that every post about Oxford is centered on eating. I guess the “Square Challenge” from our college days where you would try to have one drink at every bar has changed to a meal at every restaurant…man we are getting old J

Continuing with our quest to eat through Oxford, Saturday brought lunch at Ajax with old friends. Austin loved the ambiance there and was mesmerized by all the funky lighting, or he was nervously staring upward and praying one of the 3 billion toothpicks stuck in the ceiling wasn’t going to fall on him.

After a little more shopping we went to visit our sweet friends, The Schoves. They were preparing to host a birthday party so Austin had to try on a party hat. Christopher is a really talented artist and drew Austin a few ships to go in his nautical nursery. Then it was off to the wedding and reception. Austin was a gentleman the entire time and didn’t cry one time the whole evening. Shout out to God for answering my nervous mom prayers! In fact he was an angel all weekend and I am so thankful that he is such a calm little boy with a happy disposition. It make traveling and socializing so easy.

Here is happy Austin right before we broke it to him that we are about to leave Oxford. We avoided a total meltdown by promising him another trip to God’s Country in a month and a condo on the square if he got a full ride to Ole Miss playing football. (that is if the football program doesn't lose its funding by then)

God's Country

2011-09-28T16:20:00.007-05:00

We are packing up and getting ready to introduce baby Austin to one of our favorite places on the map, OXFORD. I think we're gonna teach him to say God's Country instead of Oxford (just like he will learn Colonel Reb instead of the Black Bear). He had his Ole Miss duds all ready (thanks Aunt Eldy) but it looks like the forecast is going to be a little cold for anything like this so I went into his closet last night and pulled out all the 3-6 month fall/winter clothes for our weekend weather with lows in the 40's. I am dying to see him in his sweaters and jeans and sweat suits! This will also be his first wedding so we have to get him all dolled up for the ladies!

Looks like Grammy daycare will be closed for 4 whole days while we are gone. I asked mom what she was going to do with all her free time without Austin and all I got back was the text :(

I can't say it enough, we are so blessed to have Mom and Dad caring for our little dude. They have him smiling all day and it warms my heart to know he's in great hands when he is not in mine.

Austin and Papa watching the sunset on the river

Grammy loving on Austin

I have to mention our other kiddos, Sydney and Emma. Yes, they still live with us but they just don't get near the amount of camera time they used too. Here is Emmy on our walk. Zach and I walked a pretty far distance so we popped Emmy into the stroller. I really think she likes it!

Here is my new mommy product plug of the week....the SwaddlePod. We got this in the mail and from the night we started using it I have actually had to wake Austin up at 6:45am to feed him. Before SwaddlePod we would have to get up around 4am just for the purpose of re-swaddling because he would wake himself up. I think we would sleep another hour if I let him because he feels so safe and snug! Great invention especially since he was getting too long for his swaddle blankets.

2 Month Shots

2011-09-22T14:14:00.005-05:00

We're alive! We survived the 2 month shots and just in case you were wondering I was much more worried about how I was gonna handle it than Austin. On the way to the Dr.'s office Zach told me not to worry because Austin won't even remember today, I said that wasn't the problem because I will :( But we have a fabulous pediatrician who is so good with Austin so I knew we were in good hands.

He was such a little ham today at the appointment...he was a happy little guy through the naked weigh-in and the temperature reading (you know where!). Then he was all smiles for Dr. Weary and even warmed up enough to start chatting with her. She said Austin is growing just like he should. He is still exactly on the average curve for weight and still above average on height.... which I totally expected since we know he is taking after his dad judging by his big ole feet. She also told us we were so blessed and lucky to a baby on a daily schedule and for him to be sleeping through the night. When she threw out the word "luck" I had to grin because I really don't think luck had much to do with it. Zach and I have worked very hard since Day 1 to uphold his schedule no matter what ours may be and we put him in his crib to sleep every night. Although some days were harder than others, we have followed Babywise and it has really made life wonderful. (Highly recommend to all my expecting mommy friends)

Austin loves getting nakey!

Big Nakey Boy...11 1/2lbs

Dr. Weary and Austin chattin' it up!

I love when Daddy swaddles me!

Here come the tears, oh and Austin was upset too....but only for a few seconds and then he was okay.

After the appointment he totally zonked out. He even slept through a diaper change so I let him rest for a few minutes on the changing table before I swaddled him for a nap. Who knows how long he'll be sleeping. Poor lil' fella! Oh but check out the Bugs Bunny bandaid he is rockin! I can't wait for the days when we can give him ice cream and race cars as a reward. But until then we just showered him in kisses and love!

Here he is napping with his donkey Clyde. Clyde makes everything better.

Going Private

2011-09-19T15:49:00.007-05:00

Hey all, I am about to make our blog private. Don't worry...you still get to enjoy adorable pics of Austin and our endless home reno projects (2 underway currently that will be blogged about soon) but we are just limiting the access to friends and family...and friends of friends of friends! Since I post a lot of info on here about where we live, what we do and most importantly the journey of our little boy growing up...I just want to make sure not to divulge that info to the wrong people {insert mental image of creepy internet junkies doing bad things to good people}.

Space is limited so either email me (shannon.r.jex@gmail.com) or leave a comment on this post with your email address so I can add you to the approved list. I won't make it private for a few weeks to make sure and catch all of you that may not visit often.

And don't worry, if you are a friend of a friend or my sweet IO Metro staff that started following us by accident when we mentioned the Room Planner on a post...then come along for the journey too!! I would love to have all of you follow even if we have not met yet....just promise me you aren't a creepy internet junkie doing bad things to good people. :)

So send me your email so you can see more of this sweet face....

Roomspirations

2011-09-13T15:25:00.003-05:00

This is for all of my "uber imaginative, always on the lookout for inspiration" friends. Looks fun. (I had Lisha, McShane, my parents and my hubby in mind when I saw this!)

Head over to View Along The Way,

today's link up is living rooms

Here comes a photo dump!

2011-09-12T18:12:00.003-05:00

It was a fun filled weekend for our little family of 3. However we did take time to sit as a family Sunday night and watch the 9-11 coverage feeling so grateful for our safety and for each other. We watched the special on first responders and I was so thankful that we have such an amazing country filled with selfless people willing to give their lives for their neighbor. As my brother prepares for his deployment to either Afghanistan or Pakistan, I pray for his safety and that he won’t experience the evil abroad that we saw here on 9-11. Here is Austin, dreaming of how proud he is of his Uncle Cory and all his friends/fellow Marines for protecting him and allowing him to sleep safe and sound.

Friday night we got to watch hot air balloons fly over the river and then enjoyed catching up with our ballooning friends Ken and Leigh at Fat Mama’s. They have always piloted our company balloon and this weekend they were here for a photo shoot for the balloon races so Mom and Dad helped crew the balloon and Zach, Austin and I watched from the bluff. Top the evening off with fabulous fall weather and you really couldn’t have planned a better night.

Saturday Austin attended his first birthday party however this was just the beginning of his very social lifestyle. I think I have mentioned it but Natchez became the “One Born Every Minute” TV show this year and I can’t count the number of new babies that boosted the Adam’s County population. Little Jane Carby turned 2 and had an adorable Circus themed party. It made the gears start turning in my head for Austin’s first birthday. I have a feeling it will entail lots of scrapbook paper, ModPodge, and Zach dressed up as some storybook character!

Zach and I spent the day with our little man watching college football, working on his neck control in the bumbo and napping on and off…everything weekends should be! Then Mom and I took to the town for the 2^nd Saturday festivities. Every 2^nd Saturday all the art galleries and shops stay open late and serve wine and food. We joined in the walking tour group led by MiMi Miller to learn the history of the buildings on Main Street and then shopped. Austin was showered with love by a lot of his “Adopted Grandmas”. Many of Randa’s close friends were out and we enjoyed discussing who Austin looked like and talking about how much Randa would have loved on him and paraded him around town if she were here.

Daddy teaching Austin bad cheers about Miss. State

Laughing in his Bumbo

Sunday night we hit a HUGE milestone with the little man. Since he turned 8 weeks this weekend we decided it was time to skip the 4am feeding and PRAY that he slept from his 9:30pm feeding to his 6:30am feeding. We have been following the principles of BabyWise (thank you Aunt Franny for introducing us!) and he has really adopted the schedule wonderfully. He always eats, sleeps, and is awake at the same times. It makes it so easy to plan eating out, running errands, and his days at Grandma daycare because he is pretty predictable. I fully expected last night to be a “cry it out night” and I even warned Zach we might not be getting much sleep but when he woke up for his 4am feeding I gave him a paci and he was back asleep immediately, no kidding. I LOVE YOU BABYWISE! He stayed asleep until his 6:30 feeding! Per the book, as the babies grow they wake up because they are still in the habit from their newborn weeks when their tummies were tiny and they needed to eat. Now that his tummy is bigger he is filling up at his night feeding and is waking due to habit, not hunger. Babywise tells you to give it 3-5 nights to break the habit and he should not wake up at all. I think life is about to change dramatically for me if I can get 8.5 hours of sleep every night. Oh happy thoughts!

And for those that aren't into the posts and just visit for pics...here you go. PHOTO DUMP:

Zeppelin groupie like Daddy

Bathtime for Bonzo

Chillin' with Gramma and my sisters

Laughing with my grandparents

Chatting with Yea Yea

Strolling on the Bluff

Mom, Dad and I took a pottery class

Dad's Birthday & homemade Pecan Pie (8/23/11)

Dad playing with his goodies

Austin discovered his feet

Our Growing Boy

2011-09-12T11:57:00.005-05:00

Here is our little man Austin...oh wait that is a weed. But they are growing at about the same speed!

Here are the precious boys:

Mom, look how long I am!

Austin's stats:

Birth	8lbs 4oz (7lbs 8oz leaving hospital)	20.5 inches
1 week	8lbs 3oz	21 inches
2 weeks	?	22 inches
4 weeks	9lbs 8oz	23 inches
8 weeks	11lbs	24 inches

I know this is of no interest to most of you since all you want is pics of the little man but I am going to do a "lazy mom's baby book" at some point and turn some blog posts into a book so I want to make sure I document stuff like this :)

Colorful creations

2011-09-09T16:16:00.008-05:00

So lately I have been getting really creative for party gifts. I think partly because the nesting has not worn off at all and partly because it's much easier for me to make something at home then to find time and a babysitter to go shopping.

2 weeks ago, mom and I joined forces and made burp clothes for a few of my new mommy friends and I got to blow the dust of my embroidery machine and put it back into action. We just took cloth diapers, patterned fabrics and some cute trims and voila! I found myself searching Austin's room for articles of clothing I could monogram but had to restrain myself so if we have another boy one day we won't have use the same initials just so he can wear all of Austin's clothes.

Here are some of the finished products:

This week I was pondering what to buy our friends sweet little girl who is turning two. She is an adorable towhead with lots of energy and a great imagination, not to mention she got a cute little play kitchen for Christmas. Sounds like a kid I once knew...or a kid I once was. I would play kitchen/restaurant/country store for HOURS at Grandma Marilyn and Papa Stan's house and I would go to the living room and take everyone's orders (thanks Uncle Tim for teaching me all the cool restaurant abbreviations from your waiter days...like H20 for water) then I would go to the back room and fill the orders. Oh how I loved it! Especially since Grandma and Papa's house had a half door that I used as the pick-up window and a dinner bell I used when the "order was up".

That leads me into my next creation: an apron! I took bright colored coordinating fabric in bold prints and made a sweet new accessory for Miss Jane. I just love mixing and matching bold patterns. If I had more time (and skill) I wanted to do a patchwork apron of all different patterns but that will have to come later in my more experienced sewing days.

Here is Jane's apron complete with a pocket for her crayon and her REAL order pad I snagged at Office Depot. Happy cooking. Oh and it's reversible in case she doesn't want to use to pocket.

I think I can…I think I can….

2011-09-07T10:00:00.002-05:00

Bye Bye to the days of being home with Austin! :(

I think I can…I think I can….No I am not reading Austin the Thomas the Train book, I am trying to convince myself that I can make it another day at work. The work part is not bad at all in fact it was very refreshing to be back in my office in front of my Outlook calendar, my email and not to mention adult interaction throughout the day. The downside of being at work 8 hours a day is being at work 8 hours a day. That is 8 hours less I get to spend with our little man, strolling on the river, grocery shopping, napping, working out, showering, watching the Nate Show…you know, all the really important daily events I had become accustomed to as a temporary stay at home mom. It was the most gorgeous day yesterday and I had every intention of leaving the office, putting that sweet boy in the BOB and going for a jog after work. Yeah, not so much. I spent the majority of the evening fighting my eyelids and after dinner I lost the battle and actually fell asleep with my head on the Boppy next to Austin…how pitiful. Daddy daycare quickly assessed the scene and realized after my first long day at work I was not allowed to operate heavy machinery or take care of Austin.

So here is hoping that today is a little better as far as my energy level goes. I guess those occasional cat naps that Austin and I were taking over the past 2 months were helping me compensate for the lack of sleep. For the record I love my job and love being part of the work force however I have never envied stay at home moms more. I’m not gonna lie, it is a tough, non-stop job but it was the most rewarding and special 7 weeks that I got to spend with my son.

Here is Austin and “Grandma” {name still TBD} on their first day together. Notice Austin as he practices his snap and point followed by a smile and a “how you doin?”

One last thing, let me tell you about my fabulous daycare: Grandma and Papa Daycare! We originally were going to have Austin in Daycare 3 days and stay with my mom 2 days but the daycare we want is full so we are on the waiting list hoping for a spot. Until then, my parents are getting to spend a lot of quality time loving on Austin and I couldn't be more excited that it worked out the way it did because they get to experience his morning energy high, his heart-melting smiles and they get to see his little personality develop more and more each day. I feel so blessed to have them here with us watching Austin grow-up.

Here of some shots of him at "daycare":

I arrived to this sweet sign on the back gate of Mom and Dad’s house yesterday!

Headed back to work

2011-09-05T23:55:00.003-05:00

Well it has been 7 1/2 weeks since Austin came into this world and I'm not really sure where the time went. I feel like my time at home went by in the blink of an eye but when I think about all that we did in those 7 1/2 weeks.... it feels like 7 months. I know I have been a terrible blogger since I have been too busy staring at my baby to really do much of anything. But here are a few highlights from Austin's life as a 7 week old:

He is smiling up a storm. His favorite things to smile about are Zach 'gobbling' up his feet and hands, when I rub lotion on his face, while I am talking to him as I change his diaper, and while in his bouncy seat looking at his toys.
He loves music of any kind...noise machine, glow worm, lullabies, guitar, bands at festivals, music in restaurants. He falls asleep to pretty much any tune!
He is holding his head up by himself although you can tell it's still a struggle
He LOVES ceiling fans and literally slips into a trance when he sees one
He discovered his hands and feet and loves to stare at them and move them like crazy
We still are trying to figure out who he looks like but most votes are for my brother Cory
He has grown 3 inches since birth and is now wearing some of his 3 month clothes because his torso is so long. He has his daddy's feet and is already wearing a size 1. He is well on his way to sharing size 14 shoes with his daddy
He loves holding your hand and that will calm him down when he is uneasy
He is a very calm baby with a soft little cry. The only time he really uses those lungs is to tell us he is hungry.
He loves to be swaddled and falls asleep almost immediately
He sleeps in his crib and has gotten into a good routine of waking up one time to feed at night, I am hoping to drop that feeding in the next week or two. We are following the principles of Baby Wise and have found it works great for us.
He has captured our hearts. Every time Zach walks in the door he heads straight to Austin to hold him. I have a hard time not holding him every second of the day while I am home with him. Both sets of grandparents are in love and are constantly over here loving on him, feeding him, and even changing dirty diapers.

Pictures are coming soon.... I have snapped a ton on my phone but I need to start using my camera more.

Sweet Baby

2011-08-20T20:23:00.004-05:00

There are some days when you feel like the world is raining down on you and you can't see through the storm but I just looked down and saw this sweet face and it makes everything go away. It is a wonderful feeling to look at a baby's sweet face and know this little person is so pure and perfect and only full of love. That something so small can make your heart feel so big.

I feel so blessed to have a little bundle of love! If anyone else is having a rotten day you are welcome to borrow him for a minute.

Holy moly I'm 1 month old!

2011-08-16T21:46:00.004-05:00

This is me looking totally baffled by the fact that I am already 1 month old, practically ready for potty training and big wheels. Where did the time go?? I guess between mommy staring at me and daddy kissing me, I was distracted as the days flew by. Here are a few highlights of my life so far. I have started smiling a lot and it pretty much melts the heart of anyone watching. I also was born with an amazing internal clock. I can wake up from a dead sleep on the minute that it's time to eat to remind momma I'm ready to nurse. I have grown 2 inches this month and Grandpa Steve is already guessing at what college I will play basketball. I'm already wearing some of my 0-3 month outfits that were way too big for me a few weeks ago...in fact I laugh looking at this picture of myself the day I came home from the hospital because my diapers used to swallow me and now I fill them out (and fill them up) quite nicely.

Lately I have been following things with my eyes and today I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and realized that I am indeed loosing some of the baby fat on my face but gaining a little milk belly.

Well, I'm off to celebrate my big 1st month birthday with a nightcap and a relaxing swaddle. I have to brag on my daddy who has one mean swaddle....it's awesome and it puts me right to sleep when he puts me in my crib at night.

I think I got the hang of this...

2011-08-11T14:09:00.004-05:00

A wise woman and fabulous new mother once told me what her first few months of motherhood were like. She told me that it doesn't come easily and it definitely doesn't happen overnight but instead it's a daily progression and some days you find yourself saying, "oh I got this" followed by a day here and there where you gasp, "what the hell am I doing??". Then the next day you say to yourself, "man, I got this!" And so on and so forth. This morning as I was breast-feeding Austin in one arm and putting his clothes away with the other, I found myself saying out loud, "oh I got this"! haha. Becky was right. Some days are harder than others and then days like today when you have fed the baby 3 times, bathed the baby, gotten you and the baby dressed, gone shopping downtown with your mom, and fixed lunch for you and your husband all by 11am..... you want to climb to the top of a mountain wearing a SuperMom cape and shout, "I GOT THIS!"

This week Austin brought so much joy to our lives. He has been smiling quite often and although it might be 100% gas, we like to think it's our hilarious banter and silly faces. He is very wide-eyed and alert and we finally are getting to see a lot more of those dark blue eyes. He's really strong and fights hard with his big ole head to hold it up. Looks like we lucked out with a very happy baby and he spends most of the day staring at fans, discovering his hands and fingers, hiccuping and sleeping. He has taken to breast-feeding really well and sleeps from 11-5am at night, wakes up to feed and than goes right back to sleep even if you lay him in the crib awake he will close his eyes after a few minutes and go to sleep as long as he has his paci to soothe him. This makes for one happy mommy!!!! Ever since we got into a good routine I have been getting a lot more sleep and have stopped napping (and started scrapbooking). He has made it through 2 church services and many meals at restaurants like a champ... sleeping the entire time. He loves walks in his stroller, listening to his daddy play the guitar, walking in his Baby Bjorn, and baths! We are still trying to figure out who he favors but we have decided for now he will just have to "look like Austin" since he is not a dead ringer for either of us... but you can be the judge.

Happy Birthday Nana Nell!!

2011-08-04T10:41:00.005-05:00

I went in to get Austin this morning and he was playing Go Fish with Mr. Teddy wearing this adorable number in honor of his NaNa's Birthday. Happy Birthday Nana Nell! She has been a saving grace since Austin arrived, coming over to relieve me so I can shower, going to the pediatrician with me, babysitting while I grocery shop and to let Z and I go on a date. We love her for so many reasons and if you know her, you can't help but feel the same way. We are meeting her at Mammie's for lunch to celebrate and Austin said he couldn't be more thrilled about his first trip to the big mammie, he's most excited about the chocolate icebox pie!

Zach caught Austin and I napping yesterday in the guestroom. I finally figured out those moms that said "sleep when he sleeps" were totally right. So Austin and I have started napping together after his 2pm feeding. This is one of my favorite times of the day!

But another favorite time is after his 8pm feeding- he just chills in the bed with us and is the sweetest little snuggle bug! Last night he was sporting his mohawk after his bath. Okay, I'm not gonna lie...I have about 100 "favorite" times of the day. Like right now for instance, we watch the Nate Berkus show every morning together, Austin just loves his design style and says he and Nate share personal style as well... neither of them like wearing socks and they both have great hair!

AAJ: Two Weeks

2011-08-01T13:40:00.004-05:00

Here is Austin, 2 weeks old doing his best Air Jordan!

AAJ: One Week

2011-07-26T13:08:00.002-05:00

Our little man had his one week appointment yesterday and he's doing great! He is almost back to his birth weight which means he is getting all he needs from my milk!

Birth weight: 8lbs 4oz

Weight when we left hospital: 7lbs 10oz

Weight at 1 wk appt: 8lbs 3oz (average)

Birth Length: 20"

1 week length: 21 1/4" (above average)

Austin has been a joy. He has 2 million different faces he makes that will melt your heart including the "stank eye" and the "milk-drunk grin". He also has an assortment of adorable noises that he alternates throughout the day...our favorite is the bicycle horn. He grins a lot after eating and has giggled in his sleep three times....FREAKIN ADORABLE! He has been sleeping in his crib since day 2 and is an awesome sleeper with the exception of last night, it was a little rough but we all survived. He has taken to breast feeding like a hotdog eating champ and never misses a meal which explains how he is already back to his birth weight. I'm not gonna lie, motherhood might be the hardest thing I have ever done. It has been a painful week between trying to heal from childbirth, getting used to breast feeding, and developing a case of mastitis which brings severe chills and a spiked fever every night before I go to bed. But God is providing me with the strength, energy and tolerance of pain to get through each day. Zach has been amazing and between him and my parents, I have been able to take some time for myself.

Things I have learned this week...

2011-07-22T22:19:00.006-05:00

Happy One Week Austin!

A week ago right now I was in the thick of contractions on my way to motherhood. Its hard to believe it's been a week....some moments it feels much longer but most moments it feels like it was just yesterday. It's like Zach and I took a crash course on parenting and have learned so much in such as short amount of time...many lessons we learned the hard way. So here are some takeaways from 7 days of parenthood:

1. Swaddling rocks but the double swaddle has magical powers. Thanks to one of our incredible nurses in the hospital, Anne, we learned not only how to swaddle but how to double swaddle to ensure that he doesn't kick out of the chimichanga during the night. The double-swaddle makes him feel so secure and ever since I started using 2 blankets, he has been sleeping all night. Coincidence, I think not.

2. Never say "We aren't gonna be ___(insert parenting convenience)_____ people". Things such as formala-feeding, sleeping with baby in bed, feeding the baby everytime it cries, etc. Well for us, it was "We aren't gonna be pacifier people". I guess I figured we would develop magical calming powers. So when we didn't, we became paci people. Austin's Dougie (thanks Aunt Eldy) is just what the doctor ordered when he works himself into a tizzy. It's a paci with a dog sewn to the end so he can hold onto the dog and the paci stays in his mouth. Genius invention.

Austin and Dougie

3. Zach discovered our child is a triple threat...and not on the ball field. Day one home from the hospital, we take off Austin's diaper when all the sudden a fountain of pee....followed by a the poop train... and to top it all off projectile spit-up (coming out of the mouth and the nose). We learned very quickly a) always have the back-up diaper ready, b) keep his peepee covered at all times during diaper changes, and c) sacrifice your body, clothing, and any other object in sight to save the carpet, wall, and lampshade.

After one of his baths

4. I learned to appreciate the small things like regaining the ability to tie my own shoes, shave my legs, sleep on my back, walk upstairs without getting winded, and not having to pee every 10 minutes.

5. I learned never to have your heart set on an outfit, for you or the baby. Inevitably one or both of you will end up with pee, poop, or spit-up on you before you make it out the door.

6. I learned "I always feed him naked". I know this sounds funny because I said it out load in the hospital with my entire family in the room and I got a lot of crazy looks before I clarified. I feed the baby while he is naked, not me. This goes back to #5, less mess and it helps to keep him awake.

7. The biggest thing I learned is that my heart has stretched and it will never be the same. I have experienced love on a whole new level. Love that gives you wings, may it be in the form of energy to get you up every 3 hours or the emotional high that takes you soaring every time you see that precious face. And seeing Zach as a father and a protector has brought more joy than I can explain. He has been amazing to our little man and amazing to me, especially when I felt less than amazing.

This picture pretty much sums it up... these 2 will never know how much they are loved.

Welcome to the world Austin!

2011-07-18T14:57:00.009-05:00

It's DUE DATE!!!

2011-07-15T14:31:00.003-05:00

Here we are...DUE DATE!!! I had to post some pictures of the day we found out our little baby was a boy! (Thanks to Becky for capturing the moment so beautifully) I can remember that amazing moment like it was a second ago and I can't even imagine the way we will feel when we hold our little man this week.

Beyond thrilled

My Momma telling her parents

The Jex Men super excited for the first Jex baby boy.

Dad on the phone with Grandma Marilyn

Let me start by saying how thankful we are for all of you! Zach and I have been overwhelmed with messages and emails with well wishes and sweet sentiments and are so excited about how lucky Austin is to be so loved.

This morning Zach and I had a big breakfast with my parents at the Coffee Shop, it was doctor's orders to eat a good meal before the tests and I wasn't complaining! Then Mom and I headed to the hospital for the Anti-Stress test and an ultrasound. I was monitored to test things like heart rate, muscle mass and fluid levels and they also did an ultrasound to measure the baby, make sure all his limbs were moving properly and get an approximate weight. After all was said and done, they compile all the tests and assign your baby a score from 1-8.

Our little Austin is already impressing us and scored a SOLID 8!! What that means is he has more than enough fluid, muscle mass, and dexterity to continue another week if needed. He is weighing in at an approximate 8lbs 6 oz....I sure did scream when I heard this! If he has another week in there he quite possibly could gain another 1/2 lb. However the sonogram tech said this is only an estimate based on the measurements and it could be +/-1lb. I felt heavier just getting up from hearing this news.

The contractions I was having the past 36hours subsided last night and I had only a few light ones today until about an hour ago. I had one on my way home and I actually had to stop the car it was so painful. So we will see what the afternoon brings...I will be totally amazed if this baby comes on his exact due date. But baby....I am up for being amazed!

Day 1: Countdown to Austin

2011-07-14T16:08:00.003-05:00

Zach and I decided since we didn't have anything else to do at 2am, we would time how long it took us to get to the hospital. Note sarcasm! Really, I started having contractions at 7:30pm and by 2am they were between 4 and 5 minutes apart. So we loaded up and headed to the promise land. After an hour and 1/2 of being monitored, the contractions grew stronger and continued to stay steady at 4-5 minutes apart but after that time I was still at 2cm which meant I was not in active labor since no progress was made. So around 4am we returned home and hit the bed, hard! I could barely pick my head up off my pillow this morning to get dressed for my doctor appointment. My poor legs felt like they had just run a marathon and my stomach ached like a well worn punching bag. I guess after your body contracts every 5 minutes for over 12 hours it begins to feel like a floppy noodle.

So here is the latest from the doc: They were very happy that my body has started the process on it's own (many first babies have to be medicinally encouraged) and with the contractions staying consistent they said it really is just a waiting game for the contraction to loosen my cervix. I am still 70% thinned, 2cm dilated, and on my way to babyland. However the train to baby land has many speeds and we are just waiting it out. If the baby doesn't come tonight, I have a stress test/ baby physical first thing in the morning to make sure he can handle going past his due date. Then if I don't deliver this weekend, I have an appointment Monday to evaluate my progress and we will then schedule and induction for either Tues, Weds, or Thursday.

For now, I am resting a lot and I have stopped working. Doc said it's time to get some sleep and hydrate like a fish.

I am praying for this little man to make a lot of progress in the next day or so and I know his cousin Nate is praying for the same thing so Austin and Nate will share a July 15th bithday. I just really want him to to come safely on his own..not to mention contractions aren't a cake walk so the sooner the better!

Feeling blessed at the moment! Somewhat surreal to have looked forward to a day for over 9 months (okay I am lying....I've looked forward to it my whole life) and knowing it is almost here.

Prayers welcome!! Thanks for the continued love and support!

Day 2: Countdown to Austin

2011-07-13T10:40:00.005-05:00

So here it is....from 4 to 40 weeks! The first picture was taken within an hour or so of us finding out we were expecting and the last one is me today, hopefully an hour or so before I go into labor! Wishful thinking, I'm sure!

Austin, it's been a fun ride and you really were pretty good to me! With the exception of a handful of sick evenings and a few dizzy spells, I can now say I really enjoyed being pregnant. So my little buddy, I hate to evict you but your lease is almost up!

Day 3: Countdown to Austin

2011-07-12T14:01:00.005-05:00

I know I said I would try and do something each day pre-baby that I couldn't do once he gets here, but with a full time job that is getting harder each day. To be honest, absolutely nothing noteworthy happened yesterday except for a full days work. I guess that's something I won't be doing right after the baby... so I will count it.

As the summer heats up, it seems like the yards and flowerbeds are yearning for a drop of that sweet liquid from the sky. The dark clouds gathered over Natchez last night but to our surprise we received no rain. Instead, I began to rain, emotionally. I think I was due for a good cry and upon doing so I realized, or better yet, I was reminded of what a wonderful man I married. Sometimes you just have to let it all out for everything to make sense.

Thank you Zach for being a very supportive husband. I know I am going to find a million more reasons why you are amazing over the next few weeks when I see you as a father.

Day 4: Countdown to Austin

2011-07-12T10:08:00.002-05:00

Last night consisted of furniture re-arranging, design star, and a late-night 80's movie.

A little nesting followed by a little relaxation! We are enjoying these last few days (maybe weeks) before the baby arrives and with each passing day I accomplish a little more around the house that I never would have done otherwise so I am starting to enjoy my last days of productivity. Oh but don't misunderstand....the baby is more than welcome to arrive anytime!

Day 5: Countdown to Austin

2011-07-11T13:26:00.006-05:00

5 days pre-baby and it was time to roll up our sleeves and be productive. We finally completed the finishing touches on the nursery bathroom makeover. I love how bright and happy this room looks now and I feel like we really accomplished the "Hampton's Beachy chic" look we were going for.

Here are the improvements we made:

We replaced the vinyl flooring with 14" ceramic tile in a tumbled ivory.
We replaced the unfinished vanity and laminate counter tops with a new vanity, warm cinnamon granite counter top and and ivory undermont sink.
We replaced all brass fixtures and faucets with nickle fixtures.
We added wainscoting to the walls as well as a new, detailed chair rail.
We painted the walls to match the darker strip in the nursery and used a contrasting white on the wainscoting.
We added brighter vanity lighting and a new large mirror (to accommodate both short and tall people!)
Although we originally wanted to re-tile the shower and replace the toilet, once we replaced other dated elements in the bathroom, the shower and toilet blended nicely and got to stay!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

I also finished hanging Austin's keepsake shelves in the nursery. I wanted a place to display my silver rattle, spoon, and cup, his new silver cup (to be engraved), Zach's framed lock of hair from his first haircut and Zach's baby dress shoes. I also added some empty frames awaiting his pictures and tah-dah....the diaper changing wall is complete. Now Austin can come.

Day 6: Countdown to Austin

2011-07-09T19:19:00.007-05:00

On day 6 pre-baby we slept in (past 7:30am) and had a late breakfast from the Coffee Shop. The rest of the day was pretty low key and I did something I could never do with a new baby....I scrapbooked for hours! Austin's momma is slightly artsy-fartsy so a generic, store-bought baby book just wouldn't fly and thanks to nesting, Austin's baby book scrapbook is now close to 40 pages! I wish I nested right after our wedding since I have yet to choose our wedding album photos let alone scrapbook the event.

Here is a little peek into his album. I was able to use many of my blog posts over the past 9 months to chronologically journal and I highly recommend this to anyone that blogs because as I read through them, I realized how few details I remembered. I got chocked up reliving some of those emotional days!

On the agenda for Day 5..... clean up the total mess I made in the art studio.

I guess a mother's intuition doesn't take effect until the baby is actually born. I totally thought today was going to be the day I went into labor....but it wasn't. So Happy Birthday Aunt Nette, looks like today will continue to be your special day...no need to share.

We just topped of the day with a fabulous dinner prepared by my "shoulda' been a chef" husband. On the menu: Chicken breasts breaded with a secret seasoning, lightly pan fried and then baked with rosemary roasted red potatoes. Amazing.!!! Zach warned me it might make my legs swell....hahah! This deliciousness is worth the risk!

Final Countdown Friday

2011-07-08T11:01:00.004-05:00

Okay peeps, turn your volume up and JAM WITH ME!!!! It's the final countdown ladies and gentleman. This last week of pregnancy deserves a little 80's rock!

I decided to start a daily FINAL COUNTDOWN. I might make it one day... or I could make it 15. Who knows, but starting today I plan to do at least one thing a day that I won't be able to do PB (Post baby).

Day 7: Countdown to Austin

Today's agenda includes a leisurely adult-only lunch at Mammie's Cupboard. Chicken Pot Pie is Friday's special so Zach and I are meeting Mom and Dad out there to stuff ourselves with Southern goodness. I might even finish the meal off with a slice of pie.... because I am pregnant and I can! Tonight I plan to walk Silver Street (the big hill on the river), take a really long shower, pluck my eyebrows, and stay up really late watching a movie with the hubs. And when I say late, I mean irresponsibly late. Like 12am or maybe even 1am.

The whole table split Banana Caramel Pie, yummy!

Prayers for Elle

2011-07-07T12:13:00.002-05:00

My best friend's baby, Elle, is undergoing open heart surgery as we speak to repair her sweet little heart. She is 28 months old and has been such a tough cookie her entire life! Please pray for the wisdom and steady hands of the doctors at Texas Children's Hospital as they operate on Elle. Visit THEIR BLOG for more updates.

We love you Lisha, Lee, and Eleanor!

39 week update

2011-07-07T11:35:00.004-05:00

This morning I went to the doctor to check on the baby- we will be 39 weeks tomorrow. Everything is looking exactly like it should. Here is the rundown:

2cm dilated

80% effaced

Belly is measuring 39 weeks (right on the money)

I lost 1lb from last week (Most likely due to swelling I experienced last week. It has completely gone down which is great news) +29lbs overall

Doc was able to feel his head- said he is head down and ready to rock-and-roll

* * *

So I have heard so many different schools of thought from women concerning how their doctors approach the final weeks of pregnancy and how they address going past your due date. To each, his own and please don't take offense if you totally disagree with me....this is just my perspective as my first pregnancy comes to an end.

Today I asked my doctor what his beliefs were and why. Dr. Guedon will not induce your first child before the due date if everything is progressing normally…period. He said it’s so important to let your body take its course on your first child so you know what your body needs in order to prepare. It may need more time to grow/stretch/dilate, etc. Not to mention the baby might need those extra days to position and prepare. Not only will this provide you an accurate frame of reference as to how your body works for your next pregnancy but he said many 1st time inductions can lead to c-section due to the body not responding because it's just not ready to have a baby. Not that c-sections are frowned upon but once you get one you need to have the remainder of your babies by c-section. I know c-sections are routine but to me, surgery is surgery and if there is a way to avoid it, I will.

He said inducing in subsequent pregnancies is very common and he's much more flexible in that situation. In our situation (first time baby approaching the due date) he said he will do a stress test the week of the 18^th (3 days post due date) if the baby has not come and at that point we will consider our options (most likely he will induce early that week) but he said as of now we just play by the little guys rules. I told him I really respect him as a doctor for letting mother nature take its course and letting God be God when it would be easy for Doctors these days to play God, especially to keep a complaining woman shushed.

I am sure if I was swollen, miserable, or sick I might not be so accepting of his cautious principles but as a first time mom, I am so grateful for such a quality caregiver.

I will keep you updated as we head into the last week of the pregnancy and please pray for this little guy and his mama if we do go into labor this week. As eager as I am to meet Austin, I am also very nervous about labor and everything to follow. I pray that I will make a good mother and that God will lead me through the sleepless and helpless moments with confidence and patience.

Ah Sweet Relief (38 ½ weeks)

2011-07-06T11:55:00.003-05:00

Well I didn’t produce an offspring on the Nation’s birthday like I had hoped however I am feeling better than I have in weeks. The last 2 weeks I have been struggling with uncomfortable contractions, swollen feet and ankles, and just a general feeling of blaaahhhh! Can I make that a double BLAH with a side of gross…supersized.

But Friday brought sweet relief and I started to pull a 180! My ankles and feet are totally back to normal, I have been able to exercise again, Zach and I did some major house cleaning and preparing and I feel like I did at the beginning of my 3^rd trimester. I think it might be God cutting me some slack because he knows I have a rollercoaster on the horizon. So whether this is here to stay or simply just the calm before the storm, honey I will take whatever relief I can get!

Also the baby has dropped a few inches so I can breathe again! I can’t describe what a wonderful feeling this is….my lungs are in heaven. I find myself taking really deep breaths just because I can.

Special thanks to my parents, my father-in-law and my wonderful husband for spending their 4^th of July with me sticking close to home. Usually this is an eventful weekend at the lake but this year they all hung out with me… swimming, eating ribs and homemade Butterfinger ice-cream, and enjoying a really great fireworks show. I realized how lucky I was to have such a loving family that made our low-key 4^th of July very special. (I'll post pics as soon as I get them from my family..I don't carry a camera these days...I just look too scary!)

I go to the doctor Thursday to see what, if any, progress this little guy is making. It feels like he is just as snug as a bug in a rug and has no intentions of arriving anytime soon. Zach’s guess is the 16^thand I think my guess might be the 11th but anyday now would be fine with me!!

HELLO JULY AND HELLO FULL TERM!!!!!!!

2011-07-01T14:25:00.003-05:00

I have been counting down the months, days, and minutes to July for what seems like an eternity and I am so glad it's here! Sounds like a great month to become a mommy to me! Today I am officially full term and 38 weeks pregnant! So he could come any day but most likely he'll be camping out for another week or 2.

We installed the carseats in both cars this week and I still am not used to seeing that cute little seat in my car...makes me smile everytime! And thanks to my sweet husband for a mani, pedi, massage certificate....I went and got a manicure so I could officially be hospital ready! I waited off on the pedicure and massage because there are so few comfortable positions for me these days and I didn't want to chance that the massage might be a really bad experience so I figured I would just wait until after the baby. Also my feet have decided to swell up like the marshmallow man so there was no way I was wasting a pedi on these pitiful pups.

This weekend we plan on getting the house ready inside and out for the baby's arrival. That means lots of cleaning. laundry, organizing, etc. Then we'll be celebrating the 4th with my parents and Zach's dad...just doing what you do on the 4th....cooking out, making homemade ice cream, watching fireworks, and maybe even going into labor!!

I hope all of you have a wonderful Independence weekend full of family, friends, food, and fireworks. Be safe and if you have a spare minute...pray for a 4th of July baby (I will be!!)!

37 weeks & 4 day Update: He's the size of a 6lb watermelon...OUCH!

2011-06-28T15:16:00.005-05:00

Austin, like most 1st babies, is taking his sweet time and it looks like my dream for a July 4 baby is just a dream. I have 2 requests from Austin's uncles: Cory & Alicia would like me to wait until the week after the 4th because they will be in Virginia on the 4th looking for a house and Kellen has requested anytime after the 12th due to his residency schedule. Looks like Austin is siding with his uncles instead of his mommy. Not a good way to start off little buddy.

17 days until the July 15th due date

Progress: 1 1/2cm dilated, 70% effaced...only a slight difference from last week.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I’ve gained 30lbs. One pound gain since last week. In the beginning the doc told me to gain 30-35lbs.

Workouts: Started walking 2 miles in the evenings. It really does feel good and relieves some pressure.

Pregnancy Highlights: Watching Austin's knees and feet poke out of my belly...sure am going to miss this little man moving around! I also love how exciting this time is for me and Zach. We keep saying "this might be the last time..." to almost everything we do. I feel so lucky to have such a sweet man to share this with.

Symptoms: Lots of Braxton Hicks contractions in lower belly, feet and ankles very sensitive to swelling if I'm not guzzling water and propping feet up. I've given up salty food until he comes...it's just not worth the pain of being swollen.

Today I had a really great moment at the doctor's office. No, it was not the 2 1/2 hour wait due to the doctor being in surgery and it was definitely not the fact that I was the only patient in the waiting room that found it necessary to come to the gynecological unaccompanied. People, is it really appropriate to bring your mother, 2 children, sister, and husband/boyfriend to the gyno. Most of the women weren't even pregnant and they had a posse of 5+ people...oh and here is the kicker, they not only accompanied them in the waiting room but also back to the lab and the room. Ewww!

Okay, off my soapbox and back to my wonderful moment...my nurse practitioner came in with a nurse practitioner student doing her residency. As they looked over my chart, she points to my stats and says "now this is what a perfect pregnancy looks like"... then looked at me and said "not to mention an awesome patient that has not complained"...then looked back at the resident and said "don't get your hopes up, you won't see many of these". That is when it hit me that after MONTHS of worrying and praying every single night that God give me a healthy baby or the strength to manage the alternative...here we were, 3 days away from being full term and God has blessed us with a wonderful pregnancy and a healthy and fully developed baby. I have never been so thankful and awed by the entire perfectly timed process.

Random weekend where nothing went as planned

2011-06-28T10:42:00.005-05:00

This weekend set the tone for the next few weeks I’m sure….teaching me that I can plan, plan, plan... however things will happen as they will. To start off, here I am at 37 1/2 weeks with what looks like a beach ball under my dress.

I took a vacation day Friday to help Mom & Dad unpack but as I mentioned before, my poor ankles were still pretty swollen so I was forced to only unpack boxes that I could reach while sitting down. In doing so, I finally discovered someone that rivals Lisha in the office supply hoarding department. I hadn’t seen so many sharpies, highlighters and post-it notes since I lived with Lisha in college. I think hoarding might be the wrong word for these office supply maniacs because they both have the most organized collections you will ever see. So even though I had planned on being a huge asset that day, my assistance was limited to unpacking Mom’s overly organized office supplies, unpacking Dad’s endless alphabetized DVD collection, and filling the bookcase with books. Lackluster at best.

That evening Zach packed up and went to the church for the youth group’s summer canoe trip. About 30 minutes after I dropped him off I get a call that he decided to stay because he was worried about me- going into labor, not staying off my feet, overdoing it, etc. He is already becoming the most thoughtful daddy and I was so glad to have him around for one of our last weekends before the baby!

By Saturday, my ankles were doing much better and I was even up for the grocery store. I had planned on cooking some banana bread and organizing Austin’s closet, however when I got home from the grocery store a nice little wasp decided to attack my shin as Zach and I were unloading the car. You have got to be kidding me…..so it was back to the couch for me…this time with gooey baking soda paste on my leg. The picture on the left is in the morning (my skin felt so tight like it would pop) and the right is after having it elevated all day to keep the swelling down where I was stung.

So here is Austin’s poor closet….it is a mess and I will be so embarrassed if he has to come home from the hospital to this…what a bad first impression. I can just see him rolling his eyes at me in disgust. Hopefully we can tackle it this weekend as long I can stay away from wasps. I did manage to finish his laundry that goes in the dresser- onesies, blankets, bibs, burp clothes, etc. And his hospital bag is packed and ready for departure!

My plan is to distract Austin from his unorganized closet with his stuffed animal posse! They decided to congregate in his crib as a welcome home surprise!

Zach and I came across Green Button and White Button, his blankeys that he toted everywhere as a child. Although he hoped we could pass them down to Austin, I think it’s a better idea for Austin to have his own NEW, CLEAN set of blankeys. However these will find a special place in the nursery!

Welcome to Natchez Dale & Lynell!!!

2011-06-22T16:27:00.007-05:00

Moving day....

truck arrived at 9:15am....

rain arrived at 9:20am (boo!)...

truck left at 9pm 18,000 lbs lighter (seriously, they weighed the truck!)

But it ended up being a really nice day around 11am. Overcast and cooler than normal- perfect moving conditions!

Here is Theodore wandering around the house looking for mom. The pups were so confused but once the living room rug came in, they rolled around on the familiar smell and finally took a nap.

So they have officially moved to Mississippi! You can’t imagine how happy it makes me to say those words. I know I would be a lot more nervous right now about the baby if it wasn't for the peace I get knowing Mom and Dad will be here to help us. It might be as small as walking our sad and neglected dogs, washing towels or cooking dinner but it will make a world of difference to us as we try and settle in with our little man. My grandparents are coming to Natchez tonight to help them get settled- mom and grandma are super-duper organizers so I can't wait to see the house transform into a home. Also papa is bringing the family cradle that he made for Aunt Lynette's babies and then refinished it so we could use it for Austin! We are so excited. Speaking of organized, here is some of my mom's handiwork....she had drawn diagrams of the upstairs and downstairs for the movers and then each room had a sign on the door so they could easily differentiate the attic from the kitchen. Just in case they got confused :) Just picking on you mom...that is a great idea!

I pulled a mean trick on one of the movers. The guys were so nice and one stopped to chat with me and asked "When are you due"...I replied "Due for what?" and gave him a blank stare. His face dropped and I could tell he wanted to crawl into the cardboard box he was carrying. Then I gave him a big smile and told him I was just kidding and that our baby would be here in 2-3 weeks. He looked so relieved and I couldn't help but laugh. That trick just won't get old. Oh but I'm sure I will get a taste of my own medicine when someone asks me that question a month after the baby is born. Ouch!

Everyone has been so nice to Mom & Dad! We met their nextdoor neighbor and their across the street neighbor Smokey. Your typical southern men sitting on Smokey's front porch enjoying a glass of whiskey under the stars. Then a couple we go to church will delivered dinner and dessert to their house last night. People are so thoughtful!

What is my role in all of this chaos, you ask?? Well I have a rolley chair and a foot stool that I direct from. I will assemble a lamp here and there but mostly I just give my decorating advice on where certain pieces of furniture should go. I know it sounds great, not having to lift a finger and just giving orders, but it is so hard for me not to dive in and help move boxes and furniture. I actually started to help a little and then my legs and ankles began to swell like hotdogs on the grill. No kidding, you could press you fingers into my ankles and leave a 1/4" indention. That is when I decided, and was instructed by Mom & Dad, to sit down and stay there.

Dear Lauren and Lisha...

2011-06-22T12:06:00.002-05:00

I know I have been a bad blogger...thank you for being such caring friends to "remind" me that you guys needed a total update on our life including lots of pics. And no, Lisha, nothing is wrong....I have just been large and lazy!

Austin is so lucky to have such loving Aunties.

I'm back on the blog wagon.

Love,

Big Mamma

37 Week Update

2011-06-22T11:05:00.006-05:00

Before I begin Austin's update I am so excited that we found out Austin will have 3 little girlfriends on the way! My best buddy and her hubby found out they are having another girl in early November! Congrats Lauren and Brandon!! Then our friends Lauren and Wes found out baby #2 is going to be a girl, also due in November. Then to top off the girl streak, our friends Laura and John found out they will be welcoming a girl in November as well....and have already decided on a name and I am totally obsessed with it....Quinn! I think it's so unique and beautiful (just like her mommy!) Austin is really excited that he will have so many lovely ladies in his life!

So here I am at 36 weeks, 5 days....Large and In Charge!

23 days until the July 15th due date

Progress: 1cm dilated, 70% effaced (my doc touched Austin's head!) Weekly appointments are going very well. I tested negative for Strep B (whoo hoo!) and my stomach measurement is increasing each week right on schedule.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I’ve gained 29lbs. Austin is weighing in around 6lbs. (FYI- everything is an estimate depending the measurements they take of his bones and body. Just in case you were as curious as I was about how they were able to weigh him)

Workouts: Officially stopped Turbo Kick 2 weeks ago. We are getting a treadmill today (thanks Mom & Dad) so I will continue to walk indoors but I think walking outside is not an option. It’s far too hot even after the sun sets.

Pregnancy Highlights: The peace of mind that we have made it so far and even if we delivered tomorrow, this little guy is strong and healthy. We have been so blessed!

Symptoms: Contractions here and there, restless sleep, feet and ankles swell if I am on my feet a lot.

Father's Day & Twin Oaks Baby Shower

2011-06-22T11:04:00.008-05:00

TWIN OAKS BABY SHOWER

This past weekend was Father’s day weekend we celebrated 3 special Jex dads in Natchez- Steve, Zach and Kellen. We had such a wonderful weekend with the Jex family—great meals, lots of laughs with our adorable niece and Sue and I even made time in the 500 degree weather to go to the blueberry farm and pick some yummy berries. We also had Austin’s last baby shower and it was gorgeous. Regina, as always, went all out and hosted the most beautiful baby shower for me at Twin Oaks. I feel like most of the special events in my life take place there…my wedding, Cory’s wedding, my baby shower. Who knows, maybe Austin will marry his Ole Miss sweetheart there too. No pressure baby boy. It was a wonderful shower and I got to spend time with so many lovely ladies that have been so supportive and loving to us over the years. We didn’t open gifts at the shower so it was so much fun to bring them home and open them with the family! I am so glad Zach got to be part of all the fun for once! We were overwhelmed with gratitude for all of the wonderful things Austin received…he officially has more stuff than Zach and I combined. What a lucky kid, too bad his nursery looks pretty tragic right now. I just have not had the energy to put all the gifts away but this week Mom and Grandma Ebby are here so I know the nursery will be perfectly organized by the weekend.

YUMMY!!!!

OPENING A's NEW HIGHCHAIR

AN ADORABLE SHELF PAINTED FOR US BY ELLEN HEFLEY

Happy Father's Day to our fathers, grandfathers, and my amazing husband that will be a father very soon.

Happy Weekend!

2011-06-03T10:52:00.004-05:00

Well hello everyone and happy Friday and happy June, where did half the year go?? Our anniversary beach trip was fabulous and for the first time in weeks I found the one position I could lay in for hours without an appendage falling asleep or my back beginning to ache…. flat out on a raft in the pool! It was fabulous and I spent almost all day everyday enjoying the weightlessness and comfort of my $2 Wal-Mart raft! And to top that off I had some yummy seafood, virgin pina coladas and my husband focused on relaxing and not working….so it was a very successful babymoon!

Where I spent the majority of the vacation

Our View

Eating at Hooters- Zach told me I was the best wife ever since I went to Hooters with him pregnant. Major brownie points for that one. But look how happy he is.... and just in case you wondered, that is 20 chicken wings as hot as they come. That boy can eat!

I told Zach about 10 months ago that if and when we got pregnant I would try not to complain since we had been hoping to get pregnant for months with no success. Well now that I am 8 months pregnant, that promise is getting harder and harder to keep. I knew it would be hard to sleep, I’d tear a path in the carpet from the bed to the bathroom and that I would see every part of my body become larger than life. But there are 2 things that I really didn’t anticipate.

First, my feet grew. What?? I already spent a small fortune on a new wardrobe and now you are telling me that for the next 40ish days I have to either buy new shoes too or feel like the fat kid at the bowling alley that asks for a 9 and all they have left are 6 1/2’s. It literally feels like my toes are slowly curling underneath my foot and it forces me to take very small steps. Combine that with my new flailing arm movement and the preggo waddle and I look like I’m doing the “I have 3.2 seconds to make it to the bathroom before this is bad” walk….and YOU know exactly what walk I am talking about. My only relief comes when I wear flip flops or tennis shoes- neither of which meets the work dress code.

Next, my mom told me it would be hard to get up but nobody warned me that I might not be able to get up at all. Last night Zach and I were about to begin our normal routine downstairs of getting everything turned off to go to bed and I attempt to get out of the chair- not one, not two, but three times before I give up and realize Austin has positioned his little butt right in my ribs making it impossible for my body to bend. So I just lie there, as Zach probably sneaks a laugh in the hallway, and wait for the baby to reposition so I can move.

But, hey….our son is healthy and growing so if he wants to sit on my ribs for the next 5 weeks then have at it little buddy! The doctor told is he is 5lbs 6oz and is head down. He is measuring a week ahead of his July 15 due date. Everything looks great and my next appointment will be the first of my weekly visits until his birth.

Here is a picture of me at 34 weeks- sorry I look like a drowned rat, I just finished turbo kick but I thought my attire would do the belly justice. My poor Size M UnderArmour shirt is probably busting at the seams however I refuse to add workout clothes to the list of things I need to buy in a larger size.

These two boys have my heart

2011-05-31T15:38:00.003-05:00

3 years ago today, I married my best friend.....

it sure was a hot day, but the best day of my life.

Today, we saw our son...

who happens to look a lot like his daddy as a baby...

He even blew us a kiss.

Sometime over the next 6 weeks, we will have the honor of meeting this little guy....

and then I will have 2 best days of my life.

Our Growing Boy!

2011-05-27T07:30:00.001-05:00

Happy Memorial Day weekend friends and family! Hope you have a safe weekend with wonderful weather.

Here is the latest progress on our growing boy. I will have to add the 33 week beach picture when I get back.

Celebrations around every corner!

2011-05-23T17:30:00.005-05:00

As the temperature creeps higher….I get slower and slower mostly due to the size of this belly I am toting around, it just make the everyday movements a little harder. Zach has now volunteered to tie my shoes for me...I just hope I can make it to the end still shaving my own legs.

Last weekend my girlfriends in Natchez hosted a beautiful baby shower for me. Austin officially has more clothing than his father and I could just drool over all the sweet linen, seersucker, and gingham outfits he received. I got his new loot packed away in his nursery just in time to pack my bags and head to Jackson for the week for work.

Wednesday, I was coming out of a meeting when my co-worker Kensy asked me to run by another conference room with her to check on something. As we open the door, a crowd of co-workers yell “SURPRISE!”. Somehow, over the span of a month of planning and organizing not one of my co-workers spilled the beans or so much as hinted to a surprise shower. It was awesome and I actually love the feeling of being truly surprised….sometimes… and in the right circumstance (this being one of them).

The conference room had been transformed into a beautifully nautical themed party complete with a “Message in a Bottle” table, tons of wonderful food and punch, the most adorable diaper cake, a baby due date pool and life preserver décor with “Ahoy, it’s a boy” and “Austin Alexander Jex” strung across the walls. Then after I opened all the gifts, Laura D walks in with the BOB jogging stroller I have had my eyes on for months. I lost it! I was totally overwhelmed with gratitude for my amazing co-workers. Over the past 6 years, this group has seen me through the best of times and the absolute worst and somewhere along the way started to feel like family. It was an amazing day and I cannot express how thankful we are to all our friends for the support.

By Friday night, I had his new loot all packed away and although we still have 7 weeks, after the last 2 showers his nursery is officially ready for his arrival.

Friday, Mom and Dad came to town to open accounts, visit their new house (Dad’s first time to see it), and to celebrate my birthday. What an awesome weekend and I still have a hard time wrapping my mind around the thought of having them here for good. I feel like the luckiest gal in the world just knowing they will be 0.7 miles away especially since I have not lived less than 6 hours away from them since l left for college 11 years ago. We found this awesome end table for the nursery at an estate sale for.....get this... $20! SCORE!

Here I am this weekend....told you I'm getting LARGE!

Sunday I turned 29, and it was a wonderful day. Church, brunch at the Castle, relaxing, a yummy home cooked dinner and cake. I couldn’t imagine a better day especially @ 32 weeks pregnant. I had a few hours of pretty uncomfortable Braxton Hicks contractions that afternoon and for a minute there I thought Austin might think it was his birthday instead of Mommy’s. As we count down weeks until Austin’s birthday, I have a new appreciation for birthdays altogether.I always thought of it as MY special day but yesterday I thought, May 22^nd was a day that Mom & Dad (and others) looked forward to for months just as Zach and I anxiously await July 15^th. A birthday is a yearly reminder to all involved of the excitement, preparation, prayers, sacrifice, discomfort and extreme joy that lead up to that one day... that birth day.

(excuse my appearance, I had been laying on the couch with B.H. contractions all afternoon so I looked pretty rough by b-day dinner)

This is the adorable teddy bear Ann Tillman made for little Austin...I am in love with it!

We have an exciting week ahead as we leave Thursday for Jackson to see my amazingly gifted brother-in-law, Kellen, graduate from Medical School. Then we head for the beach to celebrate our 3 year wedding anniversary/babymoon to soak up some sun. Well, let me clarify…I will be lathered in SPF 80, under an umbrella wearing a ridiculously large maternity swimsuit and Zach plans to go commando. As in no sunscreen…he will be wearing a swimsuit. You can all predict how this week will play out… I have a feeling he will be joining my SPF 80/umbrella club by day 2. I promise to take lots of pics however don’t plan on seeing another blog for a while… I have some major relaxing to do since it might be the last time I get to in a long time!

Happy 2nd Birthday Jules!

2011-05-13T13:45:00.005-05:00

This past weekend we celebrated Julia Claire's 2nd birthday with a fun backyard party. Ann made delicious Grits & Grillades and we finished it off with yummy birthday cake...I think Austin and I could have eaten 8 pieces of that deliciousness! Jules had a blast playing with her new toys especially the bubble machine and the sidewalk chalk...she was in awe of the bubbles. Note to self: Buy Austin a bubble machine if I want to get anything done!

Sue (Yah-Yah) practicing for Austin's arrival...she is SO good with babies!

Sweet Jules sharing her cookie with Mr. Bug

Miss Eden is seriously the happiest child, I guess with Aaron & Sarah for parents you have a reason to be!

I just love this pic, can't you just see them 20 years ago doing the same thing!

I am so excited about tomorrow, my girlfriends in Natchez are throwing me a baby shower! Thank you so much Laura, Lauren, Amy, Julie, Amanda, Martha, Shannon, Courtney, and Sue...you are so thoughtful!!! Also this weekend we will continue to watch the Mississippi River rise...and rise...and rise. At noon the river was sitting at 59.87' above sea level, breaking the 1937 record of 58'. Please keep the families in Vidalia, LA and Natchez in your prayers as many of them move out of their homes and to higher ground until the waters recede. The river is supposed to crest on May 21.

Baby Jex Weekly Update: All is well with the little man. We have 9 weeks to go if we make it to 40 weeks...I have a feeling this little man might want to come a early....heaven knows I would like for him to (only if he is healthy and ready though)!

An Endless bucketlist!!!

2011-05-10T15:12:00.006-05:00

Stop reading right now if you have a big project in your near future, a homework assignment, or basically any other reponsibilty because what I am about to share with you will consume your life...even more so then Angry Birds and Words With Friends.

Coolest thing in the world and I have to share with everyone. So I am mildly obsessed with the blog Young House Love. It is written by an adorable and uber saavy young couple chronicleing their life as they renovate their home, find awesome deals, turn trash (or craiglist) into treasure, or just do insanely cute stuff with thier baby girl Clara and dog Burger. Anyway, if you haven't read it, you should start. This came straight from their blog, a way to store everything you love. I do this now on my computer but just with a folder. This poor folder houses all the images and articles I referenced for the kitchen renovation, nursery ideas (saved long before we even dreamed of being pregnant), great photography and art ideas, and so on. Two main issues, if I ever needed more info I rarely saved the site where the image came from and I always dreaded the day my computer crashes and I don't have it uploaded to my external hard drive....all of my inspiration would be in the cyber blackhole and I would be in a severe state of depression.

Fear no longer..... I found Pinterest! This site lets you store all the things you LOVE. Sherry stores all kinds of things.....for the baby, for her, for the house, art ideas, etc. Well this Mother's day her amazingly sweet hubby got on her Pinterest (take a look at hers HERE) and found something to get her without her even knowing. It's like the world's coolest wishlist and idea hub all in one! This totally revolutionizes my creative world not to mention holiday gift giving! And you don't have to be an artsy fartsy dork like me, use it to bookmark favorite fashion trends, books you want to read, vacation destinations, restaurants, recipes, etc. I think I might call this my endless bucketlist. Hope you enjoy as much as I plan to!!!

Oh, one last detail that makes it even more desirable...you have to be invited to join. I am awaiting my invitation as we speak, I am officially on the waiting list. Now I have something as equally exciting as awaiting the arrival of our baby...the arrival of my Pinterest invitation, okay maybe not equally exciting....but close!

The belly is officially growing at warp speed!

2011-05-07T15:34:00.003-05:00

The picture above is my belly at 28 weeks....

This picture is me at 30 weeks....just 2 weeks but what a difference!

WE HAVE A RIGHTY…or at least that’s my theory. This kid is sitting all nice and comfy on my right side. When they checked his heartbeat they started the Doppler on the left side and I could see the doctor’s furrowed brow as he heard nothing….I told him oh he’s not over there, try the right side. And there he was, my little righty. I’m not kidding this boy has set up shop and refuses to test the waters on the other side. I might be forced to start walking like I have a severe case of scoliosis due to his huge body crammed into my right ribs. This leads me to my theory…not only will he be right handed and be a fabulous right handed pitcher for a MLB team but he will also share a love for all things artistic and creative just like his mama, a fellow right-brainer. Sorry Zach, the next baby can be your right brained app-developing smarty but this one is all finger paints and jello sculptures.

30 Week Update

10 weeks (69 days) remaining and he is 3.2 lbs and is expected to gain ½ lb per week from here on out. At 18" long he is now the size of a head of lettuce.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 20lbs WHOA! I’m seeing numbers on the scale I’ve never seen before.

Pregnancy Highlights: Seeing huge movements of his entire body.

Symptoms: Well you hit 30 weeks and everything changes. Read at your own risk.

· I started having Braxton Hicks contractions Thursday. For those of you not familiar, these are intermittent rhythmic and slightly painful contractions. But unlike true labor, real contractions grow consistently longer, stronger, and closer together…I have just experienced these for a few hours in the morning and then they go away.

· Another wonderful symptom (note sarcasm) is my constant need to go to the bathroom. When we were at Double Decker I literally used almost every restroom on the square, Corey was in awe. That is the one time “own the bump”- I stick my belly out as far as possible and rub it to make sure that the vain girls in front of me that go into the bathroom in groups don’t spend 30 minutes primping when there is an obviously uncomfortable pregnant girl waiting. You wouldn’t believe how often this took place.

· I have given up on sleeping through the night. I can’t get comfortable and I constantly have an arm or a leg falling asleep so I am always tossing and turning. I’m so glad Zach sleeps through it, or at least he is pretending to so he doesn’t make me feel bad.

· And finally, I’m so freaking emotional and I HATE IT. We got a bill that was much higher than I planned for some renovations and I just shut my office door and started bawling….and this lasted a good hour. In those few moments I went from cloud 9 after a good doctor appointment to ground zero. I felt like our whole life was crashing down and we would never recover. Poor Zach, he is so good with me. After telling me we are fine and will be fine no matter what, I started to believe him. He even brought Debbie Downer breakfast to cheer me up. Oh and I put myself on probation from sad-blog-reading. I can’t handle people’s blogs about natural disasters oh heaven forbid a birth story. I will be puffy eyed the rest of the day. It's truly is pitiful.

Best Moment this week: Spending the weekend in Oxford with my girlfriends. Also after working out, I took a bubble bath in Austin’s new bathroom. I lit candles, turned on James Blunt and relaxed the day away. I just closed my eyes and thought about how much life will change in 10 weeks. I really like the nursery but I keep thinking “it’s just missing something” and that night as I was relaxing I realized…it’s missing Austin.

Weekend in God's Country

2011-05-02T18:00:00.010-05:00

What a beautiful weekend to head up to Oxford with some of my favorite girls. The weekend started off at Laura's with Tivo'd coverage of the Royal Wedding accompanied by Tea & Crumpets. By "tea" I mean Skinny Girl Margaritas for them and crystal light for me and by "crumpets" I mean cookies! I wish I had pictures of us Friday night as we greeted Lisha at the Jackson Airport terminal wearing feathery mesh hats in honor of the 22 page wedding etiquette guide ....hat's highly encouraged. I think some people at the airport thought we were on a field trip from the loony house but when we all get together we don't seem to mind what anyone might be thinking! Then it was off to Oxford on the most gorgeous day, 75 degrees and sunny.
The square greeted us with the sounds of live bands and the smell of BBQ, Fried Catfish, and funnel cakes. We made our way to City Grocery where the girls had a baby shower and lunch planned. The shrimp and grits were amazing but nothing in comparison to the company of my girls. They showered me with awesome gifts for Austin and then we hit the square for shopping. I picked up this Larry Wamble print for Austin's bathroom. This artist is special to us and the Oxford print is hanging in our guest room and we gave the College Station print to Cory for his A&M graduation. I picked up a few other pieces of art and then we headed to Frank and Marlee's to sit on the deck and enjoy the day.
It was such a fabulous weekend filled with amazing food, side cramping belly laughs, and some much needed girl time. It was so hard to say goodbye to my girls and think that the next time I see all of them life will be very different- I'll be a mommy. As Farris Bueller says, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." I am so grateful for weekends like this because as the years go by they are harder and harder to come by. The 8 of us are spread out over 6 states however when we get together it's like a day hasn't passed and we all fall back into finishing each others sentences. We missed Meghan, Kathryn, and Laura who are spread all over the country and couldn't make it. Kathryn was supposed to come but she gave us a pretty legit excuse, she lost everything including the diaper cake in Tuscaloosa's F5 Tornado. Our thoughts and prayers have been going out to her and Alex as they try to start over. This is her house and car after the storm, it's hard to believe it until you see the pics. We are so glad they are alive!She sent me this picture of what the diaper cake looked like pre-tornado....
And here it is after the tornado...We thought the weekend couldn't get any better until I returned home to see the news of Bin Laden. Not that is what I call a PERFECT weekend!

29 Week Update

2011-04-28T14:42:00.003-05:00

29 weeks, 11 to go. Austin is weighing in at 3 lbs and is 17" long while momma is weighing in at +17 lbs. It's hard to believe he is only a few inches shy of his birth length yet will double or triple in weight. Oh golly, help me!
No real changes on the pregnancy front but as promised, I am posting weekly pics for the next 11 weeks since this baby has some substantial growing to do. (I lied about starting to use our nice camera, it intimidates me. I will leave the photography to Zach once the bambino arrives) Yesterday I passed my Glucose Test with flying colors so we don't have to worry about gestational diabetes and I also got my RhoGam shot since I have negative blood. Lately, Austin had made his presence know, that's for sure. He river dances all around my stomach pretty much every hour or so.
We have been enjoying this awesome weather by spending many weekends in the yard. I have to admit, I will complete a project two and then I mainly watch and rock in the rocking chairs while Z finishes the hard work. But that's his request so I am glad to abide. Emma and Sydney love passing out on the front porch in the sun. They get so relaxed they often give the horse-drawn carriages a break by not barking at them like normal. I'm sure a weenie dog and a Corgi intimidate those horses so much.

In other news, Cory is still awaiting news on his fabulous job opportunity at Vandy in Nashville. I would love to have my brother and sister-in-law that much closer so I have been crossing my finders, toes and anything ease that will still cross. He is so deserving of this position and it would be his dream job in the Marine Corps. Also Mom and Dad got an offer on their house this week. It's not final, you know how contracts work but if all goes well they will have a sold sign in the yard by this weekend and the move to Natchez will be in full swing. Dad has been a nervous wreck about selling, I think I am finally starting to realize where I get my impatience from. Especially since it has only been on the market for about 20 days!

And finally, I am headed to Oxford with my girlfriends this weekend to relive the college days, minus the booze. haha. Double Decker Arts festival is this weekend and my sweet girls are throwing me a baby shower. City Grocery Shrimp and Grits, here comes mama! But first we are making a detour through Jackson to stay the night at Laura's house where we will be soaking up the fabulous footage of the Royal Wedding. Yup, that's right, hats and all. Laura says she has a special night planned. Tea and crumpets anyone??

Austin's Hamptons Hideaway

2011-04-26T09:43:00.008-05:00

Okay, our little boy's name is now B.O. and F.B.O (blog official and Face Book official)

Austin Alexander Jex will be joining the Jex crew in the next 11 weeks. We are getting so excited and now the the nursery is done it is so hard to be patient. Here are pictures of the completed nursery and then later this week I will post before and after pics so you get the full story of how much effort Zach and I poured into this room. We also renovated the bathroom and pics of that will be coming soon too. Hope you enjoy the sweet nursery...what I call his "Hampton's Hideaway". We already enjoy it and some days we will just go in there and sit a spell and enjoy how peaceful it is.

The window wall was a Family effort: Zach constructed valance, I made the burlap valance cover and painted monogram, Mom made window seat cushion, window seat toy box was the Jexes, Steve made rocking horse long before Zach was born, Mom & Dad took us shopping and bought us the new leather glider/recliner, I made the throw pillows for the window seat and drew the sketches on the wall, the rocking chair was Zach's as a child.

Distressed oar from Pottery Barn and Lighthouse painting by me. I will take closet pictures once I finish hanging his clothes. The 50 baby hangers I have are far to few for his clothing loot even though Papa Dale believes a man only needs 45 articles of clothing. Also in the closet is the chest that was passed down from my mom to me when I was a baby and now to Austin.

Austin's bed where he will sleep peacefully through the night starting on day 1 :)

Sweet monogrammed bedding from Polktotdesigns.com

His window seat/toy box....thank you Mom for the seersucker window seat cushion. Seriously people, this thing looks like a pro sewed it. Contrasting piping all the way around top and bottom and a hidden zipper in the back. It's amazing. And thank you Dad for finding the most awesome foam in the world at a specialty store in Houston. It so comfy you could sleep on it! I sewed the pillows (look very amateur next to Mom's creation) and the Teddy Bear is from the English Teddy Bear Company. I got it 8 years ago when I was studying in England.

Pencil and Ink drawings I drew. The entire collection is for sale on my site (boys, girls, and neutral)

Zach's rocking chair from when he was a child

Cute little toy basket on the changing table from Mrs. Anne

Custom Row Boat, hopefully he won't try to paddle away from his crazy mom that won't stop hugging him.

Zach's little pony from when he was little.

His new book collection thanks to his Aunt Bev, the Kingwood shower hostesses, Mrs. Anne and an adorable book I found with Aunt Nette in Colorado. New bookshelves I picked out with Mom and Dad at Ikea.

Sweet wreath for nursery door and hospital door..thanks Aunt Ruth!

Old trunk that Randa refinished for Zach when he was in college. This is Austin treasure chest!

Rocking horse Steve built for his son Zachary (I built it long before he had a child on the way but he knew he was going to have a son and name him Zachary!)

As you can tell, the nursery is a collection of many old items that have been in our families, a few store bought pieces of furniture and a lot of little hand made creations from both sides of the family. This little man is so loved.

28 Week Update

2011-04-22T11:45:00.004-05:00

(apologies for the photography...this was in my hotel room mirror via camera phone. I promise to start posting real pictures from our nice camera)

28 week Update

How many weeks/days remaining: 12 weeks (84 days)
Expected Due Date: July 15, 2011
Next Dr. Appointment: April 27 for RhoGam Shot, blood test, and glucose test

Size of baby: A head of Cauliflower- 16” and 2.5lbs

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 15lbs

Workout: Still 3 days a week but Turbo Kick is getting tougher….those kicks don’t come easy these days. I try to mainly focus on upper body and squats. Also a huge thanks to Cory, Alicia, and Aunt Nette for keeping me motivated and completing another workout bet with me. Congrats Nette, winner winner chicken dinner!

Here is a little background on what this bet is all about, these bets started with my uber fit sister-in-law Becky and her family. Then 3 years ago before my wedding I started one with all my girlfriends, then the next one some of my family joined in and this last one was all my family and some friends of the family. The bets range from 5-7 months in length and it’s a daily bet where if you miss the designated workout or forget to send your “Workout Complete” text by midnight you paid the pot, then the person with the least missed workouts at the end takes the pot o’ cash. The workouts consist of cardio, abs, and jump rope 6 days a week unless you are pregnant and then it’s all cardio 3 days a week. If anyone is interested, I want to start another bet this fall!

Movement: Tons of movement all day long but especially when I lay down. He gets the hiccups about every 2-3 days. Zach will lay his head on my stomach and talk to him at night, the baby loves this and reacts a lot. I think Zach is a little jealous that the baby can’t be in his tummy moving around, he loves feeling him move!

Pregnancy Highlights: I love always having a little buddy with me. I was traveling this week for work and I just loved my car companion (the baby), he was moving a lot and it kept me smiling on the long trip and at night in the lonely hotel rooms!

Symptoms: Aches and pains in my ligaments and the sides of stomach. Doctor says this is all very normal since the uterus is expanding and putting a lot of pressure on those round ligaments (where the leg meets the torso). I had 3 more lightheaded spells this month, nothing too dramatic just enough to make me sit down, put my feet up and eat something right away to get my blood sugar up. I’m pretty nervous about the glucose test next week since I seem to have a tough time with my blood sugar sometimes (although my doctor says that is very common)

Best Moment this week: I am finishing the nursery, FINALLY!!! (pics coming). I just have a few hours left on the painting and we are DONE. His closet is filling up quickly with the cutest stuff (no Zach, we aren’t going into credit card debt) but my associate pastor gave me all of her adorable clothes from her son who is now a toddler. Plaid church jackets, lots of overalls and smocked outfits, and swimsuits! Another blessing this week, our friends Laura and Scott welcomed Molly Elizabeth McLemore into the world on Tuesday!

I hope you have a blessed weekend. May this weekend give you reason and hope and remind us all that the blessings we experience and get to blog about all come from one place!

Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. Luke 24:46-47

Kingwood Shower April 2, 2011

2011-04-15T09:40:00.006-05:00

The 4 generations: Marilyn, Shannon, Baby J, Lynell, and Evelyn

The adorable wreath Ruth gave us for the hospital and nursery door! The lamb is a Scentsy lamb so it makes the nursery smell so good.

I am still waiting on some pictures from friends of the shower but I wanted to go ahead and blog about this so I didn't forget. What a gorgeous weekend to spend with family and friends in Houston. Friday morning Mom and I met Lauren, Deb, and Hunter at the salon to be pampered hand to toe, followed by a beautiful lunch outside by the lake. It was a fabulous afternoon and I treasure the time I get to spend with Lauren and sweet Hunter. I really miss her but when we get together it's just like old times...well old times plus an 18 month old and 2 buns in the oven. I also got the treat of seeing Lisha and Mrs. Anne that afternoon, who arrived with more treats in toe. Everytime I see these crazy ladies they bring adorable gifts for our little man! They are spoiling him, and I LOVE IT! That evening I met mom, dad, and all of my grandparents for dinner. It was great and I just love hearing my grandmothers talk about when they were pregnant. It was a totally different world then however we had so many things in common. Priceless moments I will cherish forever!
Okay okay onto the shower. I had a blast catching up with all our Houston folks! Some I have not seen in years and I wish I had hours to spend with each one of them. I was overwhelmed with all the sweet gifts we were given. Outfits for days, books for days (yippee!!!), handmade monogrammed burp clothes that had been individually prayed over.....seriously I was blown away by the thoughtful gifts. Also, I received 2 very special outfits. An outfit my grandfather bought in Germany during Vietnam. Ebby was pregnant with mom so he bought a girl and a boy outfit since they didn't know what they were having. He was at war when mom was born so he did not meet his baby daughter until she was 9 months old, can you believe that. It makes you feel so fortunate to live in an age of great technology where soldiers can meet their babies via Skype or FaceTime. Also Alicia and Cory gave me a box that contained Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed and when he is born he will get the something Blue. Something old was an adorable smocked romper that Nathan wore, something new was a set of adorable sock/shoes, and the something borrowed was a double breast pump! My brother can only refer to it as a "milk collection device" since he is still in denial that yes his sister does in fact have breasts. What a fabulous and creative gift!And if you know me, you know everything already has a place in the nursery and the newborn clothes are already washed (with sweet smelling Dreft) and tucked away!

Thank you so much to all of our friends in Texas that came to the shower, showing us more love and support than we could ever hope for. This baby will be so loved.

Pregnancy Moment #54259811

2011-04-13T14:35:00.005-05:00

In case you thought wearing my underwear sideways ALL DAY was the kicker, just wait for this pregnancy moment. I am getting worried that these are happening more and more frequently. Alicia assures me it only gets worse (she has 4 kids worth of experience) and that baby J is guaranteed to be a genius. I guess her logic is that he is steeling all of my brain power to power his own. Go right ahead, little man! I knew you were a genius anyway.

So here is goes. This morning started out with a trip to the OBGYN (where I talked with about 12 people), then onto work (where I was talked with about 6 people), then home for lunch (where I had a long conversation with a good friend in my front yard), then the post office (where I talked to 3 people), then back to work (where I talked with a guy visiting from another office)....that brings the grand total to 23 people that did not inform me that I was wearing 2 TOTALLY DIFFERENT EARRINGS. I am so embarrassed- they either thought "bless her heart she is so tired with the pregnancy she can't even put the same earrings on" or "Bless her heart, she is so unfashionable she actually thinks a blue long dangle earring matches a short drop pearl earring". 8 of the 23 were men, so that makes me feel better because you know darn well they didn't notice a thing.

I am hoping my big belly was distracting them all and nobody noticed. So if you weren't having a good day...just look at yourself and realize that you actually match and that is something to be proud of!

Week 4- Week 26

2011-04-12T14:51:00.004-05:00

Enjoy the progress of Baby J.I used to take pictures every few weeks but I am going to start weekly because he is growing so fast at this stage. A pair of slacks I wore just last week now feel totally different! We have our 27 weeks appt. tomorrow, please pray for a healthy report!

iVite in the NEWS!

2011-04-12T12:58:00.002-05:00

Zach's newly launched app, iVite was featured on The Next Web- a huge international technology site that serves 2 million unique visitors and over 4.5 million a month..whoa! Great job Zach!!

SEE THE ARTICLE HERE

An Exciting Week!

2011-04-08T10:48:00.006-05:00

Well here is a rundown of this crazy busy yet productive week...

Monday night we put away all of our goodies from the baby shower in the nursery. Mom helped me wash all of the new born clothes and blankets and man did they smell good! Our little man has so many clothes, I just hope he grows slowly so he can wear all the cute outfits for a while. More pictures to come of the shower once I get them from the hostesses.
Tuesday, Zach took the Tom's challenge to go a day without shoes. I was very impressed that he did this on a Tuesday which is court day. He said it was perfect timing because it was guaranteed to be noticed and make a statement. So off he went, Shoeless Jex, to work, lunch downtown, and even looked at a business property with a realtor. Hahaha he was a site to see. After a long foot soak and cleaning, I allowed him to get into bed that night.

Wednesday, mom looked at more houses, visited banks, visited the chamber, and all the other things newcomers do. We all met for lunch at Mammy's to grab a delicious lunch and regroup. That afternoon is when we found the house I blogged about yesterday. After a long tour, she knew it was perfect for her, dad, and the pups!

Thursday was an action packed day! Happy Birthday to our nephew Nolan, he turned the big 8! Thursday afternoon we celebrated the good news that Apple approved and launched Zach's iVite app. Zach has been working so hard day and night for 3 1/2 months with his developers in Russia to build this awesome app. If you have ever used evite, it is very similar but for phones. You can use it to send reminders and invitations to your friends, family, and co-workers. I send reminders to Zach for things like "pick up milk", "lunch with friends at Pearl Street", or "trip to Houston" and then set a time to alert him in advance and notes if needed. It is so neat and very handy! If you have an iPhone you can get it here. The basic version is free and the premium version is $1.99. The Andriod app will follow. A little brag on Zach, he did all the design for the app. It looks great! He has a few other apps in the works so stay tuned, 2011 will be an exciting year.
Also we met with the owners of the house and agreed on terms of a contract. Then we had our awesome family attorney, Shoeless Jex, draft the contract. Within a few hours the contract was complete. That evening mom took me and Zach for a "thank you" dinner at 1818, the restaurant in Monmouth. It was nothing short of divine and the perfect way to celebrate so many exciting things that happened this week. We ended the night with white chocolate bread pudding and a bottle of wine. Here we are, all grinning ear to ear! (Don't freak out... the waiter poured wine in my glass but I wasn't drinking it)Friday is finally here and I am ready for a relaxing weekend. This morning Mom signed the contract on the house and headed back to Houston. I am getting so spoiled having her here and I can't wait until it's permanent. She wouldn't let me lift a finger and it was so nice to have an extra set of hands around the house, she even went grocery shopping for us! I have been out of town so much I think I will actually take time this weekend to just relax, go to the lake and do a little artwork for the nursery so it will finally be finished.

So in case you were wondering what our baby boy was doing all week while we were all 90 to nothing....he decided it was time to grow and show off!! I have gained 5lbs in the last 2 weeks and that includes a legit belly bump! This boy is getting really big and I feel bigger each day but I don't mind it just as long as he is healthy and happy in there!! I can now feel a big head or rear bulging out the sides of my stomach!

Wow, I am exhausted just recapping the week. Happy weekend everyone!

A home for Mom & Dad

2011-04-07T10:52:00.003-05:00

WE FOUND IT!!!! Thank you to all our family and friends that have been prayer warriors for us over the past few months as we try to find a home in Natchez for my parents. It was much easier said then done. There is very little to choose from in a small town and for a while it seemed like all the good ones were gone...until yesterday!

We found this majestic gem on the hill, right in the heart of downtown Natchez and complete with a view of the river from the upstairs windows. It is literally 1 street back from the river and a few steps from what I think is the most scenic part of the bluff (gosh I am kinda jealous of the view!) Here are some pictures...sorry some are blurry since I pulled them from the website.
Doesn't this home just beg to be called by a charming southern name?!?! Recommendations welcome.

Enjoy the pics, more to come in June after we have the keys!

Pregnancy Moment #54259810

2011-04-06T11:07:00.002-05:00

So this is too good not to share no matter how embarrassing! Yesterday I was quite uncomfortable all day and I was facing the sad fact that it was time to upgrade into a size larger underwear. Then I got home from work and am changing into my workout clothes to go walking with Mom, when I realize I sure do have my underwear on SIDEWAYS. No, not inside out....that is too normal. Mine were sideways. No wonder I was uncomfortable, my newly thick waist was shoved into the leg hole.

Ah the joys of being pregnant, it causes you to be totally absent minded the majority of the time and I hear it only gets worse once the baby arrives.