Welcoming in 2009!

Tomorrow we welcome in 2009.  It always seems like just as I get used to writing the correct year, we move onto the next....

But this year has definitely been one to remember.  I thought 2007 was great! I married the love of my life, my high school sweetheart, Nick.

But I had no idea that 2008 would be so much better!  When we decided we wanted to try to have a child, I never thought that it would happen on the first try... especially coming off of birth control.  But at the beginning of March, we found out the great news!  :o)

I think I speak for both myself and Nick when I say that we were shocked!  But at the same time we were excited and so extremely blessed!  

The beginning of my pregnancy was uneventful.  I had no morning sickness so I was very fortunate.  Because of this the days and even months seemed to pass by so quickly.  The baby was developing perfectly!  We heard the heartbeat on May 8th and on May 28th (one day before my birthday) we saw our beautiful baby on screen!  We were having a GIRL!  :o)

Again, the next few months went by without any problems.  Nick and I went on a little babymoon and I had my baby shower.  I then started going to the doctor every two weeks.  We were coming to the end!  But no sooner did I start my two week appointments, did I develop high blood pressure.  My doctor was keeping on eye on me but it did not go down.  Then I started to get constant headaches.  So at my doctors appointment on October 20th I found out that I was going to be induced.  The big day was going to be October 24th.  I would be 37 weeks and 6 days when I headed to the hospital.

After 25 hours in the hospital and only 30 minutes of pushing, our beautiful girl came into the world.  

She is perfect in every single way!  I cannot picture my life without her.  I love her more than words could ever explain. And to think that about 34 weeks earlier we had just found out that we were expecting.

This year has definitely been the best year of my life!  I have a wonderful husband and now a beautiful little girl to shower with love and watch grow.  She is already two months old and I can't believe how fast time is flying.  She is so big already.

So as I ring in 2009 tonight, I only hope that this coming year is as fabulous as this past one.  I will watch Hannah meet and pass milestones like rolling over, crawling, walking, saying her first words... I'm sure 2009 will pass even more quickly.  But I plan to savor every moment and truly enjoy the little things!  Hannah will not be little forever but she will forever be documented through photos and video, of which I will be sure to share with all of you!  :o)

Hannah-my sweet baby girl, 

Mommy loves you so much... more than you will ever know!  You are the most precious gift that I could have ever received! You truly are the light in my life!

Nick-my loving husband,

I love you more today than yesterday, but not as much as tomorrow.  Thank you for such a beautiful daughter.  This has been the most surreal but wonderful journey!

Happy New Year to everyone!  May 2009 be a great year for you! 

Year In Review

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?

had a baby

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I didn't make any

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

my cousin

4. Did anyone close to you die?

not super close to me but yes a few great people died way before their time!

5. What countries did you visit?

none this year

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?

more money

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

March 3rd--found out I was pregnant

September 29th--celebrated 1st anniversary

October 25th--welcomed our beautiful baby girl into the world

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Becoming a mommy

9. What was your biggest failure?

I don't know

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

just the normal colds

11. What was the best thing you bought?

stuff for Hannah

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

ummm... Hannah, I guess

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

I don't know

14. Where did most of your money go?

bills and Hannah

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

everything about Hannah--getting pregnant, finding out we're having a girl, seeing her beautiful face

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?

???

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? happier
b) thinner or fatter? slightly fatter - I have yet to lose all of the baby weight
c) richer or poorer? poorer but a baby and building a new house will do that to you

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

worked on my business

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

being a lazy bum  :oP

20. How did you spend Christmas?

Christmas Eve at Nicks family, Christmas day--morning at our house and then evening at my parents house

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?

more in love with my husband and then with my daughter

22. What was your favorite TV program?

Criminal Minds, Numb3rs, Jon and Kate Plus Eight

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

no... hate is such a strong word

24. What was the best book you read?

I guess a pregnancy book

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

???

26. What did you want and get?

a healthy baby

27. What did you want and not get?

my mommy mobile  :oP

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

probably The Dark Knight

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I think we went out to eat on my birthday---I turned 26

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

I don't know, it was pretty satisfying... although I guess more money would have been nice

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?

ugh, I was stuck wearing maternity clothes

32. What kept you sane?

friends and family

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

hummmm...I can't think of one specifically

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

I'm not big on politics but anything that comes out of Bush's mouth drives me crazy.  That man is stupid!

35. Who did you miss?

my Sara!  I haven't seen her in over 6 months and it makes me want to cry!

36. Who was the best new person you met?

Hannah!  :o)

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.

I don't think its a lesson so much but that family is the best thing in the world!

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

That's my daughter in the water
everything she owns I bought her
Everything she owns.
That's my daughter in the water,
everything she knows I taught her.
Everything she knows.

Santa wished Hannah a Happy 2 Month Birthday!

On Christmas Day Hannah turned two months old.  She is getting so big... it makes me sad.  :o( I wish she could stay little forever!

But Santa did pay Hannah a visit on her two month birthday!  :o)

Okay, this was on Christmas Eve so actually Santa came early for Hannah! He got her a teddy bear.

Then on Christmas Day he left a cute toy in her stocking...

that she took a nap with!

Santa also left some gifts under the tree!

Hannah got a Bumbo seat!  This might be the greatest invention ever and Hannah loves it!

So all-in-all Hannah had a great Christmas/2 month birthday!  :o)

Merry Christmas!

Hannah wishes everyone a Merry Christmas!

2 Month Appointment

I took Hannah to her 2 month appointment this morning and the doctor said she looks perfect.  

Here are her stats: 

 

weight: 11 lbs 55th percentile 

height: 22 ins 40th percentile 

head: 37.7 cms 25th percentile  

The doctor also said she is holding up her head and pushing up on her arms like a 4 month old. YAY for my daughter, the over achiever! :o) 

I take Hannah for her 2 month shots on January 5th. :o( I'm not looking forward to that appointment.

A Christmas Dance For You!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Looking Back

As I look back on my pregnancy and the recent weeks, I realize that there were things that I truly enjoyed and things that I missed or could have done without.

I enjoyed:

1.  feeling Hannah move inside of me.  It was such a surreal feeling but it was also the neatest thing ever! Especially when Nick felt her for the first time!  He got such an excited look on his face.

2.  finding out that we were having a girl and seeing her on the ultrasound for the first time.  I would have been happy either way but every girl wants a little girl of her own and I am so glad I have one to spoil!  :o)

3.  holding Hannah for the first time after my doctor place her in my arms.  She was so beautiful and tiny.  Nick and I were both crying.  It is a moment I will never forget!  

4. not getting any stretch marks!  I thought for sure that I would get tons of them, but I lucked out and didn't get any!

5.  having such an easy pregnancy.  I didn't have morning sickness or heartburn... and I didn't get all that huge.  It sometimes feels like I was never pregnant at all.

6.  not being visited my aunt flow every month!  It was wonderful!  :oP

7.  the excitement of being a mom.  It really is the best thing that has ever happened to me.  And I have the best husband who in turn is the best dad to our little girl!  Being parents is great!

I could have done without:

1.  not being able to drink coke.  I love my pop!

2.  not being able to eat sushi.  Oh how I missed my Indy roll!

3.  people saying hello to my belly before they said hello to me.  :oP

4. the pregnancy clothes.  Although the pants were elastic and quite comfortable, it was hard to find cute pregnancy clothes.  That and I love my normal clothes.  I miss my jeans.  

5.  the weight gain.  I gained 30 pounds, which is 'normal' but I have only lost half of that weight.  Again, I miss my jeans!  I will wear you again someday! 

6. people asking my how I was feeling.  I was pregnant, not sick and if you want an honest answer... I'm feeling fat!

O Christmas Tree!

Today me, Hannah and grandma went to Lowe's to get a christmas tree. (daddy couldn't make it :o( so we went without him.)  

We couldn't get anything big because of our current living situation but I love the cute little tree we picked out! :o)  

Here is Hannah looking for the perfect tree... okay, well, I guess it was just mommy and grandma looking for the perfect tree! Hannah was sleeping. :oP 

YAY! We found it! Hannah's first christmas tree! 

Here is is all decorated and with Hannah's first christmas ornament on it! (and yes, yes I did hang our ornaments using paper clips. I didn't have hangers because they are packed away somewhere) 

Ho Ho Ho!

Today we took Hannah to get her picture taken with Santa!  :o)  It was a lot of fun and the picture is too cute!  It was the first of what I hope will be many pictures with Santa!

We also went to my parents house for Christmas with my mom's side.... Hanna's first official christmas.  

She 'opened' her first gift... with the help of mommy, of course!  :o)  (it was a piggy bank from her Aunt Holly and Uncle Dan!)

And then she took a nap.

I loved on her.

And we got a family pic in front of the tree! :o)

I just love christmas! :o)

Tomorrow the plan is to venture out and get our own Christmas tree.  We're a little late in getting it but when you have a 7 week old sometimes its not so easy to get out of the house... especially when  it is freezing outside and that is where you have to be to pick out the tree.  Tomorrow it's supposed to be in the mid 40's though so hopefully it won't be too bad! 

Christmas Stockings!

Sorry it has been so long since I have last posted. :o(

This past week I tackled making our own christmas stockings.  I couldn't find one for Hannah that matched the ones Nick and I already had so I just decided to make four new ones (three for us and then one incase we decide to have another child).  

It was quite the project but I think they turned our beautimous!  :o)

 

the inside lining

 

the edging

 

the finished product!  :o)

Now I just wish we were finished building our house so I could hang them on the fireplace!  :o(  Oh, next year I guess!

Baby Swatchbook

I saw this in my American Baby magazine today and thought it was super cute and such a great idea!

It's a baby swatchbook by Stories by Everyone.

You can add up to 19 images on 15 different swatch pages and you have the option to put text on the back of the pages.  

FRONT (with photo)

BACK (with text option)

What a great why to highlight special moments in your baby's life... or to just put together some photos of you little one as a cute keepsake.  

And at $15.00 its a great price!

Mom, You're Boring Me!

I guess the play mat wasn't exciting enough for Hannah! It put her to sleep.   :oP

In the Spirit of Christmas

Since it is already December 2nd, I thought I would update my blog to be more in the spirit of Christmas!  :o)  

I just love christmas!  It is definitely my favorite holiday!  And although Hannah is too young to truly enjoy this years christmas, I'm sure next year will just be a blast! 

I have yet to start my christmas shopping, and we haven't gotten our tree.  Maybe we'll get our tree this weekend and I can start decorating it!  :o)  I just love the smell of a fresh evergreen tree!  And next year we'll be in our new house with our fireplace and we can get the smell of the firewood too!  AH Christmas!  :o)

I will leave you with a photo of our little girl!  I did a mini photo shoot yesterday and couldn't resist throwing in some christmas lights!  :o)