He's Here

My water broke on Saturday afternoon. we had to head to the hospital for me to get some antibiotics I needed before he was born. Labor was VERY slow and painful until Sunday mid-morning when I could get my amazing, wonderful epidural. (don't judge!)

Smiling because I was told (Sunday night) that I could start pushing. This is the only "labor" pic I allowed. :)

After 4 hours of pushing- a few tears and a lot of questions like "are you sure he's coming?" "do you promise he's coming" and "can you get him out please???" Graham Bradley arrived. August 29, 2010 (Uncle Shawn's birthday!) 8 lbs 6.4 oz and 19/5 inches long.

We are still in the hospital because he's a bit jaundice and needs to stay under a light for the day/night, but we are planning on heading home tomorrow provided his numbers are lower!

We're thrilled with our little man and are so blessed. I'm feeling good and moving around quite well. Grace LOVED meeting him. She's headed up this afternoon again. I'll post pictures of their first meeting later.

Our week at a glance

34 years. :)

The Mall- She LOVES LOVES LOVES the carousel.

Another favorite- Target!

The playland in the mall.

Singing with Daddy- I think this picture is hilarious!

Grandma brough some play food. She had a great time playing with her new food.

Taking a walk. Notice the classes, puppy and tutu!

Still Cooking!

I've noticed that my counter has many more hits lately... Although I'd like to think it's because I'm filling my blog with such meaningful words and pictures that you can't stay away (ha!) I know it's because you are all checking to see if this baby is coming yet! He's still cooking in there. :) I went to the midwife yesterday and she said that all is looking great and that she doesn't expect him for another week or so. That's a little bumming but really, he's not due for a few days and babies really aren't overdue until 42 weeks. So... he'll keep "cooking" and I'll be taking lots of walks to move him down!

Today is my birthday and I had the very best morning. It started with Grace waking up wet so we all got up to change her sheets (not the best part obviously) I changed her dipe and then looked her in the face and said.. guess what? today is my birthday. She got a big smile on her face and said "I gotta go". She ran into her room looking for her daddy and said "I need mom's present!"

Last night Shane and Grace made me a card and she remembered and was SO excited to give it to me. I love that she knew it and couldn't wait to share it with me. After cards, we all went out for breakfast, another favorite thing to do. Shane took today off and we're headed to do a bit of retail therapy!

I'm going to leave you with Gracie's first time using the camera... self portrait and all!

self portrait

me trying to show her to get my face...

not really working though!

Grandma and Grandpa Visit

When my parents came to visit Grace was in Heaven. She LOVES showing people her room and her toys. I'm not sure how many times my mom heard- wanna go my room? wanna go my house? wanna build tower? They of course happily obliged!

One a walk. I like doing her hair like this because it stays and because it's cute!

We went on a boat ride around the lake! She liked it but liked driving with Daddy most of all. :) Thanks so much for coming Mom and Dad!

Found the Cord!

New pictures! This is how happy we are to have new pictures to share with you.

This was how excited I was when I found my camera cord in the garage on the shelf by the griddle. Good place for it! Never mind that i just ordered a new one about 12 hours before that :)

This is Grace's face when she has another grandma here to play with her. Grandma Shirley is here this week visiting and helping. She saw a blue truck go by yesterday and asked if Grandpa was coming over. :) I think she's liking having more playmates than just her mom!

This is the face of concentration. Of a very big girl using every sticker to put on Big Bird's face, one on top of the other.

39 weeks

I am now (well on Monday) 39 weeks. What does that mean you ask? Well, I can tell you what it doesn't mean.. it doesn't mean he is necessarily going to come any time this week, or possibly even next week! I of course am praying he does but as long as he's healthy...... :) (and as long as my family can take a crabby mama a few more weeks!)

So, no new pics. That is because I cannot for the life of me find the cord that connects my camera to my computer. It's DRIVING ME CRAZY! I'm about to have a baby, take a bazillion more pictures and no way to upload them. Please pray with me that I'll find it. I may just bit the bullet and buy a replacement online. We'll see. I've turned the house upside down. The positive of that is that it's fairly clean now!

We had a great weekend- my parents came down and spent Saturday with us. It was fun for Grace to play with them and show them her toys and her room. We also took a boat ride. (pictures, yes, but they are on my camera still!) Today we had church and then youth group. This next week will be pretty relaxed... bring on the baby!

Sprinkle

Last weekend my friend Nicole was in town visiting from Texas so we had a girls night at my house. Shane took Grace for the night and the ladies, ate, talked, laughed, and ate some more (we are very good at that!)

Our famous eyes closed picture. This started in Texas, in... wow...2005? 2004? not sure. We went with it and now it's a staple in group pics.

the pretty princess was with us for a bit on Sunday- she was loving the attention from the girls!

Then on Monday I met them in Fort Wayne and the surprised me with a sprinkle! That's like a baby shower for the second or third but not as intense, no planning, just good food, friends and fun!

Avery and Grace- she's still talking about Avery!

Joanne, Jayma, Courtney and Quinn

Quinn, Jodi, Nicole, and me. Thanks ladies... it was so fun- and thanks for the pictures!

Wednesday

She asks now... "Can I please play chalk? Please?" Who's going to say no to a sweet request like that? :) Then she shows you her chalky fingers and you just have to take a picture of it. :)

Loving this breeze

I (for the FIRST TIME maybe all summer!) have our windows open. Shane has Grace at work for a bit and I'm LOVING the quiet and the breeze. I was doing so good posting for a bit and the realized I needed pictures from my camera.

So here are a few random ones... Lately Grace has taken a LOVE to her blanket. I mean that she wants it with her ALL the time. She will ask if she can take it ouside. She wants to cover up in it, play hide and see in it, put her puppies in it... you name it!

Watching tv in a box. :) cheap fun entertainment!

38 weeks! I didn't sleep well at all last night but Shane let me sleep in a bit more today so that helped. Hoping for a good nap this afternoon!

Our last little project to finish- Shane's dad built this bookshelf for Grace and we needed to paint it. It was SO hot in the garage there was no way I was going out there- I'd have rather left it till the winter! So Shane opened the kitchen door, let some of the airconditioning blow into the garage and put some fans out there and helped! We got coat number one finished and hopefully will finish it up this week. Thanks Brad- we love it!

Pool time

We went to Huntington to visit Jodi and get some pool time. The first part was not all that as Grace decided to have an attitude and whine but she managed to turn it around and have fun at the end.

Last Saturday Shane Grace and I went to the CA pool and she had a great time there. (I think it takes her a bit to get used to wearing her puddle jumper) She's becoming so much better at kicking her feet to get where she wants. Next year she'll be swimming like a fish!

The Dixie!

Last Sunday we decided to do a family outing and we rode the Dixie! It was a bit too sunny upstairs so we hung out downstairs, which proved to be great because Grace could move around more.

Her new "cheese" face.

I'm not loving pics of myself these days but I do want her to remember her mom did go with her places!

On top. She liked seeing the boats go by and now when we hear the whistle she says.. "oh oh, I hear the Dixie!" :)

This is Grace dancing to the music (cute!) Tonight we went on a walk and saw the Dixie. She loved it and thought they were tooting their horn just for her! - by the way she calls it the Mixie!

what we've been doing

checking daddy's messages....

watching Sesame Street*.....

The end is getting closer... 3 weeks (hopefully!) so we are inside lots, just resting.. Actually I've been getting some cleaning/organizing done which has made me feel much better about stuff but other than that we have been hanging out- We did have VBS last week and Grace LOVED it. We've walked a few times when it's been a bit cooler. There aren't many hills around here but there is one that I usually have to stop at the top of and rest!

*- no, I don't let her watch tv that close, but she pushed the ottoman up there and was pretty proud of herself. :)

The Best Thing

Shane told me about this last week, but tonight he invited me to experience it for myself.

Every night he puts her to bed. They go back to her room, he closes the blinds, turns her music on and then climbs in with her. They "talk" about her day for a bit and then pray before he leaves. Tonight he asked her if she wanted to pray... She bowed her head and I heard- "Jesus, thank you for day... and then some precious toddler talk for a bit..... and then Amen"

Melted my heart into pieces! ... Praise the Lord that He's already working in her heart!