What I have learned in 7 weeks...

• The BOB stroller and lamb swing are the best baby inventions. Ever.
• Video monitors are a necessary evil.  Yes, I am able to sleep in my own bed.  However, my nights are spent constantly watching her every move, checking and rechecking to make sure the volume is turned up and that Hallie is still breathing, and listening to her cute little pig noises all night.  Between the blinking lights and constant Hallie noises, our bedroom seems at times more like a night club than a peaceful place to sleep!  Well at least I'm in my own bed.
• I knew getting into this that I would go through diapers and wipes quickly; however, I had NO idea how quickly.  So far our personal best is 4 diaper changes during one sitting.  I learned my lesson on that one too.  I now have 800 diapers in her closet, yes 800.
• Moms of twins and single moms deserve two gold stars, I'm still trying to figure out how they do it.
• Brushing your teeth is apparently an optional task once you're a mom.  I have left my house more times than I care to mention when I realize mid-outing that I forgot.  Maybe I shouldn't mention that one?
• Grocery store outings:  well we are still working on that one.  Unless I only want to get a few items, I am forced to put her on the handles of the grocery cart in her car seat.  Standing at only five feet tall, seeing where I am going becomes an issue.  I am just waiting for the day where I knock down the stand of oranges or even worse, another five feet tall lady.  I feel like I need my own personal crossing guard while shopping. 
• Babies grow way too fast.
• Reflux is not our friend.
• Everything you read in books and say you will never do goes completely out the window from the hours of 12:00 am to 5:00 am.  After that, I do what the books say :)
• Like my sister once said, we did not thank our own mom's near enough.  Thank you mom for all of the sleepless nights I gave you!
• Watching Blake with Hallie is the best feeling ever.
• Being a mom is more amazing than I ever imagined...and I already knew it was going to be pretty darn good!

One Month Old

Happy one month Hallie James and happy birthday Nana!!  What an exciting day today!

Wow, you hear "enjoy it now they grow up so fast" pretty much every day that you are pregnant, and now I can fully comprehend that statement.  Moving from newborn diapers to size 1 nearly brought a tear to my eye...and I am supposed to drop her off at college one day?!   Here is what Miss Hallie has been enjoying over the last month:

Meeting my cousin Grady

Playing with my friend Alexis (4 days apart).  Our first play date consisted of

Alexis sleeping while Hallie ate her hand. 

Taking real baths now that my umbilical cord fell off

Riding my horse

Hanging out with my dad

Wearing all the silly bows that my mom makes me wear

And of course sleeping

Can't wait to see what month 2 has in store!





More pics!

First doctor's appointment. If only mom would have remembered the diaper bag and hospital papers...rookie mistake!

Hanging out with Gran and Aunt Joni

Aunt Kristin came to meet me!  Thanks for all you did and for letting my mom sleep!

Nana and Gonkey came to meet me as well!

Hanging out with Grammy and DanDan

Aunt Sara, uncle Bryan, and cousin Grady came to visit this past weekend.  I will post those pictures when I get them uploaded!

Whew, I'm worn out from entertaining all these visitors!

In the Beginning..

Here are some pictures of little Miss Hallie in her first couple of days home. 

Going home outfit:



On our way home:

We are home!

First bath



Happy girl that bath is finally over

Hallie and her sister Mia





Hallie James

Whew...where do I even begin?!  Hallie James was born on July 31st at 6:15 pm and weighed 7 pounds .3 ounce and was 19 inches long.  The little girl we dreamed of for so long is finally here.  We are cherishing every moment with her (even the ones at 3:00 am!). 

July 31st:  I woke up at 6:50 am and started to climb out of bed to of course, go to the bathroom.  As soon as I sat up, I felt like what I thought was the beginning of my water breaking.  I immediately went outside waiting for the big gush that you see in movies.  This of course did not happen, that would be too easy!  I sat for at least 20 minutes waiting for something, anything to happen.  Nope.  I went back and forth calling my sister and mom deciding what to do.  The last thing I wanted to happen would be getting sent home for "thinking" your water broke.  Could there be anything more embarrassing?  After an hour and a little more water, I mustered up the nerve to call my doctor who told me to go ahead and go to the hospital.  The end of the conversation went something like this- Kasey: "I am so sorry Dr. Fanous if I am waking you up for wetting my pants."  Dr. Fanous:  "Trust me, you wouldn't be the first."  Blake and I headed to the hospital crossing our fingers it was the real deal.  After an hour of tests and waiting at the hospital, it was confirmed my water broke (at that point it was obvious!), and Hallie was on her way.  I feel beyond blessed to have had a healthy pregnancy and delivery.  Here are some pictures from Hallie's birthday:

Waiting for Hallie to make her appearance.  Based on my facial expression, this was post epidural!

 And the picture that melts my heart...

Welcome to the world Hallie James.  We love you so much!!

You know it is time to give birth when....

• You have read every magazine in the doctor's office at least twice.
• Ice chips are even giving you heartburn.
• Your milk expires 2 days AFTER your due date.
• You have to use the bathroom a minimum of 5 times a night.
• You have 3 outfits that still fit and you rotate them from day-to-day. 
• Your hospital bag is overflowing because you keep adding stuff to it.
• Your walk resembles more of a penguin than a human.
• Your husband's nickname for you is "Waddles" (see comment above).
• You are willing to do ANYTHING anyone suggests that may put you into labor. 
• The neighborhood recognizes me from my multiple walks a day, and ask "so how many days away is it now?"
• You are considering re-washing everything to give you something to pass the time.

As of today, I am 39 weeks, 3 days.  I am scheduled to see the doctor on Monday and if everything looks good, admitted to the hospital Monday night and induced Tuesday morning (a day before my due date)!  This could possibly be the longest weekend of our life.  We could not be any more excited to meet our little girl. 

As you can see, she is pushing the belly out even further.  Wow, I still can't believe how far it sticks out!

Hopefully my next post will have pictures of Miss Hallie James!

The Calm Before the Storm

Hallie and I are officially full term now (37 weeks, 4 days in fact), which means Hallie is officially invited to come meet her mom and dad at any point now!  We had a much more eventful doctor's appointment Monday than we have in the last several months.  I was 1 centimeter dilated and 60% effaced...more than I was expecting to happen.  Even more exciting, we were able to see Hallie again!  It had been 17 weeks since we saw her last.  They were able to confirm that she was still a girl (maybe I can sleep better at night now knowing I won't have to take a boy home to a pink room with all pink clothes!) and estimated her at about 6 pounds, placing her in the 52nd percentile.  Because she is so big at this point, most of the ultrasound pictures we received were hard to make out anything.  Sorry for the poor photography pictures below:

If you can't read the caption to the left, it says "I'm still a girl"  Obviously the doctor's office knows of my irrational fears that she will come out a boy

Her sweet little foot that I feel several times a day!



Travis (our seasoned veteran dad) and Blake spent last weekend putting some of Hallie's things together.  They of course tested their efforts on Mia:

Blake and I are both told at least once a day to "relax now and enjoy the quiet time, it will soon change."  Well everyone, we decided to follow through with the advice.  We declared today "Lazy Day."  We ate pancakes in bed this morning and watched the British Open (okay well I read my book) and got out of bed at 12:30 just in time to shower and then go watch the Women's World Cup.  Perfect day at our house.  Only thing that could have made it better though was if we had Hallie with us! 

So Hallie, if you were just waiting to make your appearance until your parent's had one last relaxing day, you can come out now!