Time Flies!

    I can't believe how fast our little boy is growing up! Everyone always warns you that they grow up so fast but I didn't think it went this quickly. The above photo was taken at six days old (isn't he cute?! Of course, I am a little biased). When James was born he was three weeks early, weighed 7 lbs 8 oz and was 20 inches long. (Thank goodness he was early because full term he would have been huge!)

   James spent six days in the NICU because he couldn't regulate his blood sugar levels and the last day because he was jaundiced, so he spent the last day working on his tan under the lights. The blood sugar problem the doctors figure was because he was born so early but they don't anticipate any long term issues and he is just fine now.

       At his one month check up James has gained a full pound, weighing 8 lbs 8 oz (putting him in the 22 percentile range) and his height is 21 3/4 inches (59 percentile). At one month he knows Mom and Dad, and tracks both of them. He is raising his head some, loves playing on his toy mat, falls asleep when placed in his carrier but really sleeps on every car ride.

   Hanging on the wall in my house growing up was a hanging that my mother toll painted, I'm sure most have heard it before but it always struck me and I have reminded myself of it several times as I started to feel guilty while holding my baby, looking at the dishes that needed washing or the laundry that needed to be folded and taken care of.  So I have refused to allow myself to feel guilty and just recite this poem when my mind starts down that path:

Cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow for babies grow up, we've learned to our sorrow. So batten down cobwebs and dust go to sleep, I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep. 

 Colby and I are both so grateful to have this little soul in our life!

The New Addition to the Family

 

RJ decided to surprise by coming three weeks early. My water broke early on Friday and we were excited thinking we were going to get a Friday the 13th baby. But he surprised us again and wasn't born until 5:01 Saturday morning (I have to admit this surprise was not as fun for me...). For the most part every thing went well with the delivery. But about four hours after delivery, they nurses checked his blood sugar and it was dangerously low so he was rushed to the NICU. He has been in the NICU since then but he is doing well, he is eating well, he is responsive, super adorable (of course I might be biased) and we cautiously hoping he will be coming home on Thursday. 

Pinterest and Too Much Time On My Hands or the Quest to Finish the @#$% Quiet Book

   

     For those of you not aware, I have been taking a break from working until after the little munchkin gets here (partly because it took so long for the Bar results to come in and by the time they did I was already 5 months prego but for a few other reasons). This means that for the first time since I was 12 I have not had at least a part time job, this has been interesting experience for me since I am essentially a stay-at-home mom with no kids. So what do you do with your time, you ask? Well, thanks to the wonder that is Pinterest I get delusions of grandeur and forget the reality that is my skill set. I found this great quiet book idea at Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows and thought, I can totally do that!

    I totally forgot that 1) I really don't like sitting at a sewing machine for hours at a time and 2) I really have no sewing skills, no really, it is one of the few crafts I have been unable to master. But me being me, once I start a project I am dang well going to finish it!

    So, three weeks later...I am not even kidding this thing took that long between all the small pieces to cut out, double sew and hand sew on it took me that long to finish it. All I have to say is that RJ better LOVE this book and hopefully (fingers crossed) he doesn't destroy it within three months of actually using it.

Jillian and Joe are Married!

I can't believe my baby sister is married! Luckily I like Joe a lot or else I wouldn't have been okay with it! I don't have the photos from the actual wedding yet, just the bridal photos we took earlier so we could display them at the wedding reception. We had an AMAZING photographer and I HIGHLY recommend him, he was easy to work with, got us the photos back super fast and he did an incredible job! His website is PhotoSynthetix , he is new to the wedding photog business but don't let that stop you from hiring him.

Jill decided (and I was totally jealous because I wanted to wear it when I got married but it didn't fit me) to get married in the same 1940s dress that our grandmother, Fae and our mother, Julie, were married in. Because she decided to wear the original dress we decided to go completely vintage on the theme for the wedding and thanks to the amazing efforts of Kay (and everyone else who helped) it was fabulous!

Instead of going with the traditional flowers, Kay made this amazing bouquet using some old costume jewelry (some was Grandma McArthur's, some was mom's and some was mine from my beauty pageant days), fake pearls, and some new jewelry that looks old.

Those of you who know Jill well know that she loves wearing her Converses so when we started talking shoes she had her heart set on ordering a custom pair from Converse. I argued against it but obviously I lost and Jill got her custom shoes with her wedding date on them.

She looked amazing and so much like Mom! I can't believe she is old enough to get married, I swear just yesterday she was 8. Like I said, once I get the photos from the actual day I will post them.

Colby and I are Expecting!

If you aren't friends with me on facebook (or haven't seen me in a little while) you might not be aware that Colby and I are expecting our first child in October. RJ will be joining our family in the next couple of months and we can't wait for him to get here! (Yes, we have a thumb sucker!)

Jillian's Bridal Shower

It has been an eventful last couple of months! We held Jillian's family bridal shower April 25th when I happened to be in town to help with the wedding preparation. I am always so glad when we have an occasion that brings the family together.

It was great to see everyone's little ones, to catch up in person (and not just a the quick statuses read on facebook) and to help Jill celebrate the beginning of this next big step in her journey. Jill received some needed household items and some items that made her blush but I am sure made Joe happy after the wedding. :-)