Mommyhood Nerves...

I am posting this to let you know, but also because I use my blog as a journal and want to try to remember everything I can about this pregnancy - since it will be my last!

I am getting really excited about meeting Hampton. It is so surreal that in less than 5 days we will have a new addition to our family. I am starting to get very anxious for Logan because he has absolutely no clue what is about to happen. It makes me sad to think of him not understanding. I know he will be fine, but it would be so much easier if we didn't have to leave him when we go to the hospital and all. But, that just isn't an option.

Yesterday, I had a bit of a meltdown because I was so stressed about what we are going to be doing with Logan and Dylan while I am in the hospital. Things were not working out and every option we had kept leaving some other loophole that needed to be addressed. But finally, I think we have it worked out on what we are going to do.

I have some of the best friends in the world, and it is so nice knowing that I can count on them. The two Jennifer's and their families are going to be with Logan on Wednesday while I am induced and Jeff, JG's hubby (and Dylan's youth pastor) is going to pick Dylan up from school and bring him to the hospital for me. Yay - one less stressor!

Patrick kept telling my not to worry about it that he would take care of it...Seriously??? I am a mother and have to know what is going on with my children. I am responsible for them every day and do everything for them and I am supposed to just trust that he is going to make sure it all flows smoothly??? This is not something he does on a regular basis and I am a huge planner so there is no way if I don't know the plan that I can relax and know that it is all going to be alright. So, after a long afternoon of stressing,worrying, crying, etc. yesterday, we have a plan in place and there is one little time we are waiting to hear about, but we have a great backup plan, so I am now at peace with that.

Now, I can stress and worry about the induction - which I am already starting to do. Why can't I just turn things over to God and let him take care of it? I am always worrying about something and I know it isn't healthy!

So, will everyone please be praying for me and that it will go smoothly and that I will be without a lot of pain and Hampton will arrive safe and healthy?

I would really appreciate it!!!

BTW - Dylan had oral surgery to have an abcessed tooth removed on Thursday morning and he is doing so well. Thursday he was pretty loopy and then once the numbness wore off he was sore, but he is now just a little sore and feeling better. He is eating and has just had to take it easy. The bad part is that he missed two days of school and doesn't have school on Monday. So, he will have to get all his make-up work and work on that next week - while I am in the hospital. I tried to get all the work from the teachers yesterday, but there wasn't a lot of work turned in to the office. Only one teacher literally gave us anything for him to do this weekend, and the others either didn't respond or just told us what they had been doing. That wasn't much help. So, we will see how that goes and hopefully they don't pile it on him on Tuesday! If so, I am going to be one upset momma!

Our little Republican

Logan LOVES to talk on the phone. Yesterday, we had to call a couple of people that he was asking for just so he would quit saying their names. Patrick caught these cute pictures of him in serious conversation...

Doesn't he look like he is really conducting some serious business?
Patrick usually hates smocked outfits, but Logan has now worn this outfit two days in a row (thanks to daddy) because Patrick keeps watching the DNC and I guess wanted to offset it through Logan.

37 weeks and only 7 days to go!

A picture of Hampton today. I think he looks just like Logan!
Hampton from the outside. Could my belly get any bigger???

I had an appointment today and it went very well. She walked in and said that her plan is that I have this baby within a week - a week??? Oh my goodness - that is so soon! Everything with the baby looked good and we got a great view of him with the 3-D ultrasound. He now weighs about 7 lbs 9 oz, so he is not as big as he feels! So now, I better get busy getting some stuff done around here that I want to accomplish before his big arrival.

If I don't have him before next Wednesday, I have an induction scheduled for 5 am September 3rd. Woo-Hoo!

The Nursery

We are finally getting somewhere with the nursery!!!

Yesterday, Sara, Katherine, Chappell, Marty and Sara Grace came over because we were all going to see Marty's sister's new baby - Tanner. Before we went to see him, we had lunch (our favorite, Bellacino's) and Chappell helped Patrick in the nursery by hanging curtains and "directing" him on what needed to be done - Thanks, Chappell!!! While Chappell and Patrick were working, we played with Sara Grace - what fun! She enjoyed a ride in the dump truck from Aunt Sara. Can't you just tell how much she loved it?
On to the nursery...

We are still waiting on the bedskirt and the hamper, but Gloria gave me the curtain and the bumpers. She did such an amazing job and I am so excited about it. The bedskirt is going to be a mini-replica of the curtain, so I can't wait to see how it turns out.

We still have some things to hang and work on, but I have been promising people I would post, so I finally am!
It is kind of hard to tell here, but the curtain (as great as it looks here) looks so much better in person. The outside fabric is striped and it is trimmed with a gold animal print and matching buttons. It is so beautiful. I will try to get a better picture that shows more of the details. I picked all the fabric and I am very pleased with the way it all came together. You know I am not a creative person, so it is nice to know that I actually had something to do with it and it turned out great!
I went in after taking pictures of the nursery to kiss Logan good night and he wanted his picture taken with all his friends. Yes, he does sleep with all these animals every day and night. He also knows if one is missing. There are probably 7-8 friends that he has in that bed - AND we can't forget the paci's. He has to have 3 of those!

Concert at the Ridge

Last night we went to church for the annual Concert at the Ridge to kick off the fall and our Home Groups. We had a meeting before so we were a little late to the concert, but we had a lot of fun while we were there. We were walking in and Logan heard the music and started running. He danced the whole time (his dance consists of clapping and some kind of little gallop he does). Here are some pictures Dylan and I caught of an excited Logan...

We did get him to stop and eat a hot dog, but he wouldn't really "stop" he just carried it around while he danced - I know, I know - it's a complete choking hazard, but we were all right there watching him.
Cooper was crazy dancing, too. He was hilarious and even got upon the stage sitting there clapping like a little groupie. It was so cute!
Caleb was excited to be out there running around with all the other kids, too.


Logan even tried to line dance!

We had so much fun watching the children dance to the music. We don't get to have all our children together often enough so it was a lot of fun!

Hampton's Baby Shower

Saturday my friends, Katherine, Jennifer Brewer, and Jennifer Gray, all hosted a shower for Hampton and me. It was the sweetest shower and I had the best time. I didn't get a picture of everyone there and wish I had now. I hate that I didn't think to do that while I was there - but, sometimes my pregnancy brain runs a little slow!

Here are some of the highlights from the shower... Katherine made this diaper cake for us. Didn't she do an amazing job??? It goes right along with the theme of the room and I just love the nightlight on top. I was so excited to have gotten that and I just love Hampton's monogram!
My hostesses with me - Kat, me, Jennifer B., and Jennifer G. - I can't thank you girls enough for being so sweet and having this shower. I really and truly appreciate it!!!
Chappell pinning on the corsage.
We played one of the funniest games ever (and, one of my favorite). The way you play is there are diapers filled with melted candy bars and you have to guess which candy bar is in that particular diaper. I missed two of them, but somehow won the prize - a bottle cleaner!

I just love the faces of all these women smelling in the diaper - like it would really stink - it's a candy bar!!!
Chappell had to help Nana. I am sure Nana was wondering why in the world we would be smelling a diaper like that!
Patti, Gloria, and my aunt Patty
I couldn't figure this one out for the life of me!
On to the gifts...
Hamtpon got some of the cutest things!!! He got a couple of cute blankets, lots of monogrammed stuff, diapers, wipes, diaper genie, a monitor, clothes, stationery, a couple if frames, a cute diaper bag, and so much more. I have so many thank you notes to write!
The diaper genie - I think Patrick was most excited that we got this. He loves having that. It really does keep the odor out of the room.

The monitor - Thanks, Robin.
Aunt Sara got Hampton some really cute smocked outfits and she also got him some jammies that say "Daddy's little Builder" that are really cute.
This picture doesn't do this blanket justice, but it is soooo adorable. Aunt Kat Kat got Hampton the softest blanket with little stuffed giraffe heads in each corner and his mongram on one of the corners. It is so precious. I just washed it and can't wait to put it in his room.
Debbie and Aunt Eloise got lost coming to the shower, so when they finally arrived they had to leave because they had reservations for dinner that they needed to get to. It was so sweet of them to come all the way from Sumter to Lexington for the shower. I felt so bad they were lost for over an hour! Anyway, they (along with Stacey) got Hampton the most beautiful picture.
Debbie knows a lady (Cindy James) who paints the most gorgeous pictures and she, Aunt Eloise, and Stacey had her make this one for Hampton. It is so beautiful and I am so excited about it. It is now hung above his crib and I will post those pictures later.

Our Family - Nana, Hampton and me, Mimi, Debbie, Sara, Aunt Eloise, and Chappell
More gifts...
This is a cute little lovey that Jennifer gave to Hampton. Logan loves his lovey, so I am excited that Hampton now has one of his own. I just love the giraffe print!
After the shower, Sara, Kat and I ran all the goodies for Hampton home and saw Logan for a few minutes. He was in the bath and decided he wanted Aunt Sara and Aunt Kat Kat to get his jammies on him. He just looked up at them and grabbed their hands so they could walk him to his room. He refuses to wear the towel down the hall. He's going to kill me for posting naked pictures of him one day. But, he has such a cute little hiney!

What a fun shower I had. I have the best friends in the world. I really appreciate everyone coming to celebrate Hampton with me. It meant the world to me to have everyone there and I can't thank everyone enough.

I want to give a special "Thank you" to my hostesses. You were so sweet to throw the shower for us and I can't thank you enough. I love you all and really appreciate it!!!

Dylan's Red Belt Test

Dylan had a belt test Saturday morning and he did so awesome. I was/am so very proud of him. He started back to classes on Monday and had to learn his form and all about it just this week. You would have never known he hadn't been here all summer practicing. It was so impressive. There were moments where I started to cry (I am sure I may just be a little hormonal). He just loves Tae Kwon Do so much and is so good at it. His belt ceremony is Tuesday night and hopefully, he passed his test (if you ask me, he did). Enjoy these pictures I got throughout the different parts of the test.

Doing his forms with the other people his belt level
More forms
What a great kick!
Isn't he intimidating?

His 360 roundhouse kicks are so impressive .
On a side note - The day that I was admitted to the hospital for my bronchitis, Kat was in the hospital room with me and had called to check on the boys (Blake and Dylan were watching Logan) for me. So, the story goes...
Kat hears a loud crash and Blake all of a sudden says, "Oh no you didn't. - Hold on." So, Katherine is sitting there not wanting to tell me, but I can tell something is wrong. Apparently, earlier in the day when Patrick got Dylan from TKD, Patrick is telling Dylan about my being admitted and they don't know what's wrong, etc. Dylan doesn't even care - he immediately starts telling Patrick all about this new kick he learned. Well, when Kat was on the phone with Blake - that is what Dylan was trying to show Blake - the kick. And while doing so, he takes out my two lamps on the sofa table. Lucky for him, the lamps are ok and it makes for a funny story. Had the lamps broke, maybe not quite as funny...



One step Sparring


Dylan reading the bad habit he is going to break. His was to quit messing with his dobok (TKD uniform) during class.
Practicing the 360 roundhouse kick to break the board.

He did so awesome breaking his board. He did it the first try, kicked it right in the middle and it flew across the room in 3 pieces. It was so awesome.
Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of the actual break because people kept walking in front of me (rude) so I missed it with the camera. But, I am sure you can get the gist with these pictures.

Sparring - where I almost had to hurt someone for hurting Dylan! (Dylan is on the right)

They had told this grown man to hold back and not be too aggressive and of course he didn't!

I was so mad!!!

Finally, they told him to take it easy (twice) because he was being so rough. I was very proud of Dylan. He stayed right in there and gave it right back to him.

Dylan doesn't like this picture because his hands are supposed to be up, but it is good learning for him to see on camera what he is doing wrong, I suppose.

Congratulations on a job very well done, Dylan. We are so proud of you and you are doing so awesome!!!