It's a......GIRL!!!!!

Our little baby girl is HERE!

Our little baby girl is HERE!

Annie Laura arrived on December 19th at 4:02 PM

7 lbs. 14.5 ounces

19 3/4 inches

She was our biggest baby!

Everyone is adjusting to our new "normal" at home! Numero uno can not get enough of her and wants to hold her all the time. He asks questions like "why doesn't she have teeth" & "She doesn't look like a girl - when she grows up will she look like a girl?"

Little man could take or leave her! He will run up to her and say "hey, baby" and give her a kiss and then run off which is fine with me!

There is never a dull moment here! We are constantly busy so phone calls, emails, etc. are falling to the wasteside! We are enjoying our family of five and trying to settle into our new way of life!

We are excited to celebrate the birth of Jesus on Thursday!

Tomorrow's a new day in our family!

Everyone has been anxiously waiting so patiently but tomorrow at 7:30 am - we will be induced to bring this baby into the world! I've never been induced - I've always gone into labor on my own so it's been a strange feeling knowing today was my LAST day - how do you decide what to do with your time? Are you ever really caught up? Are you ever really READY?

I've had such mixed emotions about a "Christmas baby" but as I was driving around today, my mind racing with all the to do's of the season, I was reminded of what a special time of year this is. This birthday, this child is such a blessing from God and His timing is perfect.

So.....we shall know tomorrow what this new little member of our family is and would ask that you say a little prayer for us in the morning. Thanks for all your support and we'll post an announcement soon!

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas.....

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas at our house! With a new baby on the way any day, I simplified this year and didn't pull every single decoration out (knowing I'd have to put it all back up!) But....there are some things I can't do without at Christmas -

Here are a few of my favorite things:

This sign is GREAT! It's hard to see in the picture but it actually has a silvery glitter to it.

My Willow Tree Nativity Set - I couldn't love anything more!

2004 - 3 months

2005 -16 months

2006 - 2 years & 5 months

2007 - 3 years & 17 months

2008 - We'll have a new family member!

My grandfather used to make cars & trucks for us each Christmas. These are the only four I've come across and I cherish them so much! I'm not a very fun mom when the boys want to play with them because they are so special to me! They are WAY UP high so they can't be reached!

Here is our family Christmas picture in 1975 -

This is my dad's side and the last year that all were living - I'm the tiny baby (3 months old) sitting in my grandmother's lap on the right. While I don't remember this exact moment, Christmases at that house with those people are some of my favorite memories of all time.

Merry Christmas to you and yours!!!

Eggplant Parmigiana Baby!

I don't know who this baby is but it's one of the babies that Scalini's Restaurant has dubbed the "eggplant babies". The eggplant legend started two or three years after they opened when people started coming in and mentioning they had eaten the eggplant and shortly gone into labor. One person told another and the legend grew by leaps and bounds. This legend has carried on for 25 years.

So a little over two years ago, on July 2nd 2006 at 7:45, I decided to put this legend to the test and went and had the famous eggplant parmigiana at Scalini's in Marietta. My due date wasn't until July 16th but I was 38 weeks and had my first child at 37 weeks! I had never been pregnant for 38 weeks!!!! What was up with that? So it was worth the try to me.

Well needless to say, it worked! You are supposed to go into labor within 48 hours and I had my second little man on July 4, 2006 at 3:11 PM. I got a $25 gift certificate for another dinner, a Scalini's baby tee and the option to put a picture of him on their famous "baby wall". So I had no reason not to try it again!

Tonight was the night! Even though my due date isn't until Christmas Day, I'm now 37 weeks and 2 cm and 50% effaced. I just need a little quick start! So if it works, I should have baby #3 by the end of the weekend! If it doesn't work, the eggplant is delicious so I at least enjoyed a great meal!

Keep you posted!

Never a dull moment....

I guess any mom of two active boys (or girls) for that matter could agree to this statement - "There is a never a dull moment around this house" but sometimes my kids are so active, I really can't believe it. For the past few days, I feel like all I've done is sit and watch them two wrestle, run around the house chasing each other and holler (screech) at the top of their lungs. And what's so funny about it is that THAT is a normal day for us!

But yesterday added a whole new dimension to the craziness we've been experiencing. First of all, I pick numero uno up from school and his teacher has some concerns (well quite frankly, I have too!) She wonders if his glasses are helping him see (which freaks me out!) and he's making up stories and seems very anxious! I can tell all of these things at home without even sending him to preschool and to be honest, our entire family is anxious! And it's not BAD anxiety, it's just the waiting of when will this baby come?, all of our plans on hold and I'm sure it's even more so for the boys (especially numero uno) that mommy is trying to take it as easy as possible and definitely isn't acting like her normal self. So needless to say, I was even more worried about him after his teacher mentioned something.

Then I pick up little man from his class and get him to the car to realize he has a poopy diaper! Yes, he could have just done that when I was picking him up but they hadn't used any of the diapers I sent in his bag that day so I know he wasn't changed. So not only was he messy but soaked as well. Probably just an oversight but still something that will put an emotional pregnant mom over the edge.

So at home, I go to change this gross gross diaper and while i'm changing it - I notice Andrew has something in his hand - a necklace with dog tags from a G.I. Joe doll. Harmless right? Well, harmless until he SWALLOWS IT at least! I hear him choking and it hits me that he's just swallowed that necklace! I jerk him up - poop everywhere - and sure enough, he's already swallowed it. Is any time convenient for this? no but not when you are just about to lay your kids down for naps, eat a quick bite of lunch for yourself and get some much needed rest! So we headed off to children's healthcare (urgent care thank goodness!) and had an xray done! Basically, it can get lodged or stuck in three places, and luckily this little necklace wasn't lodged but sitting right in his tummy! Where it should be! (well it shouldn't BE there but when you swallow it, you want it to be there!) They said he should pass it in 3-7 days....nice.

I have this wooden thing that I keep in my window that says:

Normal Day - Let me be aware of the treasure you are

I did get a relaxing dinner out with the girls Monday night - we ate dinner at NINE Restaurant in historic Roswell and it was just great to sit and catch up without the worry of kids. They brought baby stargel some fun little goodies! Here is a picture of us and my big belly at 36 weeks!