Things I didn't expect...

Yes, another list post. Sorry, it's the best way for me to organize my (extremely scattered) thoughts...

• Everyone told me that I would love Crawford more than I could ever imagine (and it's true!), so I think I expected that. I didn't expect how much more I would love David through the whole process. He has been wonderful. In the hospital, during labor and delivery, helping me recover, at home those first few nights figuring out what the heck we're doing, every day sending me the sweetest text messages thanking me and loving on me, every night rushing in to take his boy for their time together. My heart could explode with more love for him than I thought possible! I can hear him downstairs right now talking and singing to the baby. Love him.
• Night sweats. What?? The first week at home I was like change-the-sheets sweaty every night. Gross.
• We thought friends had told us or we had read to expect a newborn to go through about 12 diapers a day. I thought we were going through more than that, so I kept track on Friday. We went through 20! Sixteen were poopy and the other four were just wet. Since then, we've gotten a bit more liberal on how often we let him go in between changes :)
• Laundry. It's not laborious, but it's constant. 
• I actually miss Crawford when he's sleeping. The second night in the hospital when they took him to the nursery for the night, I cried. I would never have imagined that I want him with me so badly. All the time!
• I could have sworn I heard that breast fed babies' poop doesn't stink. Wrong! This kid is gassy to the max, and dang it stinks. However, somehow the trashcan full of poo manages to stay pretty stench-free.
• Crawford's crying doesn't bother me. Granted, he isn't much of a crier so we don't have to deal with it much (yet). The past few days though, he's had a few fussy spells and (because I know he's not in pain or danger) it even sometimes is cute to me. I'm SURE that will change with time!

week one

Hard things:

• Night one at home. Ok, nights one and two were pretty rough. Friday night was insanely overwhelming. Crawford just wanted to nurse all.night.long. and I couldn't take it. Turns out, my milk hadn't come in yet (and it didn't until Monday... no one warns you that that is possible!), and the poor boy was hungry! About 3am we got a hold of an on-call nurse from the pediatrician's office, and she told us to supplement with formula. Thankfully, it worked and Crawford went to sleep about 5am. He took a bottle without any problem, and we supplemented with formula (after each breastfeeding) until going to the dr Monday. You never had nipple confusion and always preferred the breast over the bottle. Thank goodness!
• David not being home. He went back to work on Monday because my sister had this entire week off work (she starts a new job next week and had time off between the old and new one), and she offered to be here to help. We wanted to take advantage of her offer and save David's time off for when there isn't anyone else around. The realization of David leaving really hit us on Sunday, and the melt-downs began. We both spent the day in quite a funk just dreading the inevitable. I guess we prepared ourselves for the worst because we've all done really well and had a great week.
• Change. The realization that newborn babies aren't necessarily fun and that staying home for 6ish weeks (darn RSV and flu going around...) may be pretty lonely and that changing 20 (yes, 20!!) diapers and countless outfits (of the baby's and mine) a day gets tiring, well... that is hard to swallow. Our day on Sunday was riddled with tears. 
• Keeping up with your "schedule". Sarah recommended the Baby ESP app for my phone, and that has been so helpful, but dang it's hard to figure out and remember how often should I feed you/should I keep you awake between feedings/how can I get you to sleep longer stretches at night/etc. The first few nights were trying, but we have all gotten better as the days have gone by. Each day is still different from the previous ones so who knows what tomorrow will hold, but for now I'm pleased with our progress! I'm feeding you every 2-2.5 hours during the day, trying to keep you awake as much as possible (often to no avail), "cluster feeding" in the evenings and crossing our fingers for night time :). You've been getting up 2 times at night for a diaper change and a feeding, and you go right back to sleep. 

Fun things:

• Aunt Duck. Ash called Crawford her little duck the whole time I was pregnant, so we decided it would be a cute aunt nickname for him to call her. Also, Chase is going to be Uncle Bill (his name is William Chase). He isn't thrilled about it, but we're going to make it stick. Ashley has been here all week, and she has been the biggest blessing ever. Not only does she love our boy nearly as much as David and I do (if that's even possible), she has been the greatest servant I could have asked for. She has changed more diapers, done more laundry and made more meals than I could have imagined I'd have help with during this first week! Crawford is seriously going to miss having her around to love on him, but I'M going to miss her company more than anything (and I'm crying as I write this!). Chase even got to come up on Wednesday and work from his company's Chattanooga office for two days while he hung out with us in the evenings. It has been such a fun week together. 
• Friends who visit (and bring sweet gifts!). Jodi and Greg came on Sunday, made us dinner, cleaned our house, walked our dog, and let me cry (lots!) to them. They were exactly what we needed exactly when we needed it. Becca came to spend the day with us AND take hours of newborn pictures of Crawford. Leigh and Max came over and brought the ingredients for pomegranate margaritas! It was an awesome surprise. Kara and Ryan were in town for the weekend and got to meet C! They brought dinner, too! All the Bryant kids (including MS and Pat, who were in town for the weekend too) came to meet their new little buddy. John was so cute to be sure that he was dressed in appropriate "baby safe" clothes. Becca Hart, Aunt Pat, Anna C., and the list of people who have called and texted goes on and on and on! I think I'm going to really appreciate company in the coming weeks when I'm home by myself, and can't go many places outside the house!

• Going to the pediatrician. Ashley left Birmingham at the crack of dawn Monday morning so she could be here in time to help us go to the pediatrician's office. Thank goodness she was there! I don't know if I could have done it without her. The dr was awesome. We've had to switch doctors because of an insurance snafu, so I was nervous about seeing someone we hadn't actually met before. Dr. Brannon was so wonderful and reassuring though. Crawford weighed 5 lbs, 14 oz when we left the hospital on Friday, and by Monday he was up to 6 lbs, 5 oz! He had gained 7 oz and was above his birth weight! I was so excited, and the dr was so encouraging that I was doing a good job feeding him.
• Breast feeding. You're pretty great at it! I love that this isn't something we've had to struggle with because it is such a sweet time together. I haven't minded letting other people hold you all day long because I know that no one else can have that special time we get together.
• Mommy friends that I can go to for advice. I posted one question on facebook on day two at home, and got 40 helpful responses (and one not-so-helpful-not-so-encouraging-to-a-3-day post-partum-mama that got deleted :)) and a dozen lengthy messages! I was overwhelmed with all the good info! I've texted tons of questions to lots of different friends, and I've inundated my in-person mama friends with even more inquiries! I'm so thankful to have lots of people to learn from.
• Face time. Since Ashley was here all week with her iPhone (I don't have one), my parents got to see loads of the little man. We face-timed with my mom, dad, brother, Courtney and Chase all pretty frequently throughout the week. They just watched him nap or look around, and we all could have spent days that way! We've introduced all of David's family to Crawford via face time since none of them have been able to be here yet. 

Things we've learned about Crawford:

• You love to sleep on your side. I put you in your crib and you immediately roll onto your right side to sleep. 
• You occasionally find your pointer finger and suck on it. It's adorable. 
• You hardly cry. I'm not even exaggerating. You're sometimes unhappy, but you rarely voice it by crying. Even when you wake up at night, you just chill in your crib until I hear you and get you up. Thank you for that!
• You sneeze an awful lot. I don't know if this is typical, but it's seriously cute.
• You are more sensitive to light than to sounds. Harley freaks out and barks at people outside the window, and you don't even flinch.
• Speaking of Harley, you guys don't seem to notice each other. I'm sure you will one day, but for now it's super nice that he is being pretty chill and low-maintenance. He does tend to linger near wherever you are. I'm pretty sure he knows you're something special.
• You are a tiny heater! You definitely got that from your daddy. 
• So far, you like your car seat, take a paci (Nuk brand) and tolerated the bath. You're really a laid back little dude. 

There are so many details to your little life even in this very first week. It amazes me how drastically our lives have changed, and how much we love our new normal!

Oh, and there's no way I'll keep up with a post for each week. Ha! I'll do my best.

Here he is.

Where do I even begin?? This blog post is ridiculously overdue, and the only excuse I have is the new tiny human living in our house (which, quite frankly, is a pretty legitimate excuse). The past week has literally been the most amazing of my life. It's going to take me a few days to get every memory recorded (because I don't want to miss a single detail!), but for starters, here is the story of labor and delivery of our favorite little person: Crawford David Geyer.

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After knowing for sure that we would be meeting Crawford on Wednesday, we tried to take advantage of all the time we had left on Tuesday. David's sweet boss sent him home early and we tried to nap and relax right away. We attempted to get a few hours of sleep before leaving for the hospital around 11:45pm. I heeded several friends' advice and ate a peanut butter & honey sandwich and a bowl of grapes literally on our way out the door to help tide me over until I would be allowed to eat again.


We got to the hospital (with our LOADS of luggage :)) and admitted in no time flat, and by 1:10am I was all hooked up and getting the pitocin to begin my labor! My parents and sister arrived shortly after we did, and they waited in the waiting room until there was a good time for them to come in for a visit. The pit started working immediately, and my contractions got pretty intense right away. They checked me when I got there and I was still 3cm, so I was hopeful that the pit would make the process speed along. My nurse was super. Unfortunately for her, I was awkward. At one point when she was standing close to me, I turned (apparently awkwardly, in her face) and said "you smell like a donut". Ashley and David were about on the floor laughing their heads off. I quickly started to back pedal because I didn't mean for it to be offensive! I said "oh no, that's a compliment! I love donuts!" ha. No dice... She wasn't nearly as amused as the rest of us.

I was planning on making a game time decision about getting or not getting an epidural, but as soon as that pit kicked in, I was positive I wanted it! Maybe I'm a weenie or have a low pain threshold, but whatever. I am SO, so glad I got it! At 4am I was 4cm and ready for my epidural. The CRNA who administered it was fabulous, and it was no sweat at all. Well, for me :). Because of how I had to sit, David stood in front of me and held me steady through the contractions as they put in the epidural. When she was finished, I looked up at David and his lips were white! Apparently his knees were locked and he was desperately needing to sit down. He couldn't even see the actual procedure, so it wasn't that he was grossed out or anything, I just squeezed the life out of him!

So, the epidural kicked in right away, and it was heavenly. From about 4:30-6am we turned out the lights and tried to rest. David got some actual sleep, but I was only able to rest. Regardless, it was nice to have that down time. At 6am, Dr. Brody came in and broke my water and checked me. When he broke my water there wasn't much fluid at all, which really confirmed the reason we went ahead and induced in the first place (low levels of amniotic fluid). At that point I was 6cm- right on track with the 1 cm/hr trajectory they told me to anticipate. I figured if I continued to progress at that rate then we should be ready to push around 10am, and Dr. B suggested that he thought I'd have a baby here by lunch time. I was good with that timeline!

After my water was broken, C's heart rate started dropping during each contraction. After monitoring it for a while, they decided to put in a IUPC (intra-uterine pressure catheter) to replenish some of the fluid with salene to give him some cushion. It worked well, but made me shiver really badly. I felt totally fine, and wasn't cold at all, but my teeth were chattering like I was freezing.

After that hoopla died down, my family came back in and hung out and visited for a while. They were busy in the waiting room dealing with some really annoying company in other waiting families. My mom was knitting the sweetest little toy for our boy. My fam got breakfast and brought a biscuit to David (who kindly ate it in the hallway so as to not make me jealous). Becca got there around 7:30, and I was so glad to see her! It is so special that I experienced KJ's birth with her, and she was there with me for Crawford's.

When 8am rolled around it was time to check me again, and my parents and sister were hanging out in the room. The parents waited behind the curtain, and everyone was within earshot to hear the progress. My nurse Ashley (ironically) said she thought I was an 8, but she wanted to have someone double-check for her. She called in another nurse, who checked and was confident that I was actually a 9.5! They decided it was time to call the doctor and get things ready for pushing! I kind of started freaking out because I thought I still had a few hours to "prepare", but I was so excited that things had progressed so quickly and comfortably (again, epidural= heaven). I had started to notice that my epidural was wearing off on the left side, so my nurse asked if I wanted them to "top it off". I debated about whether or not to get it, but I decided to go for it, and it was totally the right decision. The CRNA came in and just gave me a bit more, and it was exactly what I needed. I didn't feel ANY pain through the whole process!

After I got the extra epidural, I started feeling nauseous. David had the foresight (this was not our first rodeo) to ask for a barf bag, and we needed it momentarily. I threw up the last bit of stuff on my stomach, and felt much better. It's so funny because I hardly remember that happening, but it was traumatizing to my sister. Of all the things she saw that day, me throwing up was traumatizing. Ha!

So, Dr. Brody said he was on his way and they started bringing in all the baby equipment. By 9am, we were ready to get started! The nurses were SO wonderful, and they wanted to do some practice pushes to see how I would do and how quickly the baby would descend. Apparently, the pushes were successful because they told me to stop after just one contraction (3 pushes). Dr. Brody got there, and we started the real deal. Ashley stayed in the room, and she was so helpful! During the pushes, she held my left leg while the (other) nurse Ashley held my right leg. David stood next to Ashley by my head and was so encouraging. He talked me through each contraction, stroked my head and kept the ice chips coming!

Since I couldn't feel ANY pain, I sincerely loved the whole process. In between pushes, I kept saying "this is so fun!", and it really, really was. I had said that I thought I wanted to bring a mirror in so I could see part of the process. Once I was in the go position, I decided I just wanted the mirror to see a snapshot of him crowing. The nurses were great to oblige. After I saw his little head, they moved the mirror out of the way. A few pushes later, Ash and David were giving me a play-by-play (excitedly!) as you could see more and more of his head emerge, and I decided I didn't want to miss any part of it. Becca was there taking pictures, so I asked her to pull the mirror back around for me to watch. Holy cow. It was the coolest, most amazing experience of my life to watch myself deliver this baby.

So, I pushed for about 25 minutes, and he was out at 9:25am on Wednesday, February 15, 2012! I was crying and laughing and freaking out all at once! Dr. Brody was holding Crawford upright, and I asked if David could cut the cord. Dr. B said said, "sure, as soon as he stops peeing!" Crawford was a pee machine as soon as he was born. It just kept coming for the first minute of his little life. David cut the cord, and then everything gets blurry in my memory. There was so much going on, and I was overwhelmed! They put him on my chest and I cried and kissed him and kissed David and cried some more. Wow. Just reliving it in my mind makes my heart smile! What a happy time.

I was so curious to see how much he weighed, and I guessed eight pounds. Dr. Brody laughed at me and said "that is no 8lb baby! He's probably six something." Obviously, he knew what he was talking about! I couldn't believe it when they said 6lbs. 4oz. and 19.5 inches long! What a little squirt! David kept running back between me and Crawford, and I told him to just go be with the baby. Dr. B kept me company while he sewed me up (I had a mild second degree tear), and he was so sweet to me. I am so thankful he is my doctor and was the one to bring Crawford into the world! He was so caring and loving to all of us. While he was sewing and everyone else was cleaning, I was saying how miraculous of an experience that was. He told me that even after countless number of deliveries (he told me the actual number, but of course I can't remember... I think it was in the 70,000s) it still is the most amazing thing he has ever seen. I'm so glad he still feels that way!

I hollered over to the group at the baby to make sure someone checked for 10 fingers and 10 toes. They were all there :). I also remember asking what his APGAR score was, and the nurse told me 8-9. David's prayer for Crawford throughout my whole pregnancy was that he would be strong, and I felt such relief when he was born just so! He cried right when he was born, but after that he was pretty content. He was WIDE-eyed and totally alert (so, don't listen when people talk about epidurals causing a drowsy or lethargic baby... I had about as much epidural as you can get, and my kid was bright-eyed right away!). I kept looking at him thinking "I know this kid!". It sounds so strange, especially to type it out, but I expected to feel like he was a stranger because I had never met him before, but he looked so familiar to me. Ha! Turns out, it's because he looks just like me. I'll post some comparative pictures soon ("soon" is going to be a relative term from here on out... be warned!).

My parents and Jodi were waiting outside the delivery room, so as things started to calm down Ash went to tell them the news. Becca helped me try to breastfeed (thank goodness she was there!), and he latched on pretty quickly. He didn't really eat much, but I felt good about our attempt. We let everyone in the room after the bf attempt was over, and everyone got to meet our boy! Again, words don't do the emotions justice... fortunately, Becca captured every moment on camera, and this gorgeous slideshow is the most precious memento (other than Crawford himself) of our most special day:

Crawford's birthday video

week 40- it's GO time!

 
Every prayer I had been praying (even the selfish, petty ones) was answered when I went to the doctor today! I am 3cm dilated and 60% effaced, so these contractions have been doing something! I'm at -1 station (or however you say that... the baby is really low) and ready to go. My blood pressure was higher than it has ever been throughout my pregnancy and my amniotic fluid was low, so Dr. B said he really didn't want me to wait another week before having this kiddo. The low fluid level basically means the placenta is maxed out, so he really ought not get any larger (fine by me!). I so didn't want to have to make the decision to induce or when, so having these additional factors come into play was actually a huge blessing. We decided to aim for tomorrow, and the hospital scheduled us to come in tonight at midnight. Ah!! We're six hours away from the beginning of this whole process! I'm actually still having lots of contractions, so I'm hopeful that I'll be even more progressed by the time we get all checked in.

I left the doctor and started making calls and sending text messages. My parents and sister will meet us at the hospital (yes, in the middle of the night!), and David's mom is coming tomorrow! We'll be busy face timing my brother and the Johnsons, and all the other family members who aren't here will have to get phone calls and text pictures. 

After the doctor, I went to Target and walked around with my head in the clouds. I probably looked lost and so confused, but I just could not focus! I saw a friend from church and word vomited out our news! I couldn't contain myself. I almost told complete strangers that I was going have a baby tomorrow. 

I came home and tried to get some stuff done. Fortunately, I had mopped the kitchen before I left for the doctor, so I only had a few things left to accomplish. After David told his boss the plan, she was so sweet and sent him home early to rest and get ready! We both took naps this afternoon, and we just got back from eating a romantic Valentine's Day dinner at Jet's Pizza :). Speaking of Valentine's Day (because I keep forgetting that's what today is), David totally outdid himself:

please excuse the ridiculously chubby fingers! ew!

This ring is a green amethyst (who knew such a thing existed?!), which is the birthstone for February. Granted, I did pick it out and email him not-so-subtle hints that I would really, really like it :). He still totally surprised me!

What a day. 

What a day tomorrow will be!

HUGE updates to come! Crawford is on his way!

thoughts on the last week

Beware... this is going to be a doozy of a blog post! As always, I'm writing this stuff down for my own sake, and I don't want to forget all of the various emotions I've felt in this (potentially) last week of pregnancy.

It has been crazy to not go to work every day! I love it, but it just feels like I'm on vacation, not waiting/preparing to have a baby. I got a mani/pedi, worked on sewing projects, returned/exchanged baby stuff, semi-organized said baby stuff, saw friends, took the dog on more walks than he's gotten in the past several months and made 6 meals + several loafs of banana bread to freeze.

Bryce & Crawford's Easter outfits

Overall, I have felt SO unlike myself - in the best possible way - this week. I've been totally calm and relaxed about this little guy's arrival. I know it is out of my control, and there is great freedom in that! David has been taking his cues from me, and since I haven't been feeling at all (maybe to a fault) that labor and delivery are immanent he's cool as a cucumber. Granted, it takes a whole lot to stress that kid out, so he's pretty much being normal. I think my parents are anxious enough for all of us! My mom said my dad is like "a cat on a hot tin roof" and he says he's just so "freaked out". ha! This is going to be a wild ride :).

I have never in my life texted as much as I have this week! So many friends and family members have been so, so sweet to think about us during this "last week". Everyone has been checking in for updates and sharing their well-wishes, and it really has meant so much!

My longest-friend Niki came to visit! I'm working on an entire post dedicated to that, but having her here was exactly what I needed. In fact, I'm amazed by how the Lord has given me the exact conversations and exact people to spend time with for the past week. Niki will graduate in May from med school as an OB/GYN, so I talked her ear off with questions about what is to come. I've been so free from worry about when Crawford will arrive, but as we've neared his due date and begun the conversation about potentially inducing, I've had much more anxiety (though, still not much!) about now having to make some big decisions. Talking with Niki (and Samantha and Alex) totally put me at peace about inducing if it comes to that. Overall, we're waiting for my due date doctor's appointment to determine exactly what the plan is, and I'm praying for progress (effacement! dilation!).

So, the only baby action we've seen this week started Friday night around 7:30pm. We had just gotten home from dinner with the Linhosses, and I started having Braxton Hicks contractions. Granted, I've had these since right at week 20, and they've been fairly regular all along. This time, however, they were back-to-back-to-back. They kept on coming, and I did start to wonder if it was real labor. I've been nervous that because I'm SO used to the BH that I won't know when real labor happens. So... I went to bed and slept for a couple of hours, but after a midnight pee break, I never fell back asleep. I ended up watching tv on the couch for the rest of the night, and finally called the doctor around 8:30 Saturday morning. After 13 hours of BH + some intermittent back pain and menstrual-type cramps, I thought something real could be going on. The doc on call said it didn't sound like real labor, so he advised a warm bath and some Tylenol to relax the uterus. I was a little bummed, but David hooked me up with an awesome bubble bath and Downton Abbey on the iPad, so I enjoyed a relaxing bath. Of course, it was snowing all day Saturday- the one day I really wanted to walk and walk and walk until this baby comes out! So, I headed to the mall to do just that. I walked laps (and stopped a bit to shop, of course) like the old people.

enjoying the fire, BH contractions

We met the Rochas for lunch and spent the afternoon getting stuff done and laying low. I had a few real (read: not BH) contractions, but they stopped after a few hours. We got a huge surprise when David's grandparents called to say they were in town! We knew they would be driving through on their way to Florida, but we didn't think they were planning on stopping in this trip. We met them for dinner, and loved getting to have a surprise visit with them. Our plan for the weekend was to relax, spend time together and spend time with people we love, so seeing them was a perfect addition to our plans!

By Sunday morning everything was back to normal. Lots of BH, but nothing unusual. We went to church and then to lunch at the club with the Bryants (including Kevin's parents!). Again, this was totally unplanned, but such a nice way to spend part of our weekend! Everyone told us to go see a movie, so we saw Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. It wasn't what we expected, but a really good movie none-the-less. We spent the evening napping, cooking and washing everything in our house (nesting, much?).

Though I didn't intend for this to be a play-by-play of our last childless weekend, it was exactly what we needed, and I'm so thankful for all of the time we had!

up next... unless he comes today, I'll post my "official" 40 week picture and and update from my due date doctor appointment tomorrow!

week 39

Week 39... crazy. It was my last week at work, and it was so nice. Because I had been sick the week before, I ended up having plenty to do to stay busy enough but not super frazzled. Everyone was so sweet to me, and it was an all-around nice week.

I still am having a really hard time sleeping at night. I'm going to the bathroom 4-6 times per night, and that keeps me pretty occupied. I came back to bed after a bathroom trip one time, and I found that David and Harley had moved to the couch. He thought I'd have a better chance at sleeping well if I had the whole bed (and he was right). Poor guy! A few things that I haven't really dealt with much have really crept up this past few weeks. My heartburn is so bad at nights!  When I lay (lie? I never know...) down it kicks in. Also, my sense of smell is on overdrive. I know it's a pretty common pregnancy thing, but that hasn't been the case for me until recently. Oh, and the gas! Ah! It's horrific. So, sorry to everyone else on that one.

At the doctor this week, I was still 0% effaced and only .5cm dilated. I totally expected it though, so I wasn't disappointed at all. I've said all along that I think this kid will be late, and so far it's looking pretty probable. We've starting talking about induction possibilities, and as much as I hate to do that, it's better for me mentally to be prepared in case it comes down to that. My mom sent me a funny text in response to my doctor update: "He doesn't know that we are out here waiting for him and we are pretty cool!" It cracked me up.

One more week!

shower #6- Chattanooga peeps

Wow! I still can't believe the title of this post. We had six baby showers! If I ever need to feel affirmed or loved, I need to just browse back through all of these posts, because I don't think I've ever been so overwhelmed with love and support by the people in our lives. 

These fabulous four ladies (Mary Shelton, Mrs. Mosier, Lynn and Sam)- representing three generations of Mosier women!- threw us a baby shower brunch this past Saturday at the Bryant's house. It was over-the-top wonderful. The food was amazing, there were gorgeous flower arrangements and a really, really special group of friends gathered together. Literally everything was perfect (except that my mom and sister weren't there!). The Mosier/Bryant/Hudson/soon-to-be Wells family is so special to us 100% of the time, and this occasion just threw our appreciation for them way over the top.

Laney & Ellie; all the Mosier women

We got tons of awesome goodies for the babe. A swing, an exersaucer, the video monitor, tons of precious homemade clothes, a crocheted blanket, I could go on and on. Everything was awesome, and we're definitely 100% ready for Crawford's arrival now! 

parting thoughts

I can't believe it's here, but today is my last day at UTC. Technically, beginning Monday I'm on maternity leave until the middle of April-ish (woo hoo, paid leave time!), then I'll officially be unemployed. My office peeps have been so sweet to bring breakfast and we're waiting on lunch delivery from UPD. I've gotten so many "congrats" and "happy last day" texts and emails, and even a special smoothie delivery! All the sweetness really makes me feel good about my time coming to an end. I've had several super kind emails from donors and alumni volunteers over the past month, and I am genuinely going to miss my interactions with some of these folks. Granted, I'm really not going anywhere! I'll certainly be stopping in to visit the Development Office, and with David's involvement on the Alumni Board I'll definitely be seeing all the rest of my UTC gang regularly.

Overall, I'm just so thankful. I've spent the past three years, eight months and one day working as the Director of Development for Annual Giving at UTC. This is my second job out of college, and the only job I interviewed for in Chattanooga. I've been blown away at the goodness of God in so many areas of my life, but this position at this institution is definitely high on my list. I've learned a ton about myself- as an individual and a professional.

It's a little bit scary to be giving all this up voluntarily. I have great pay, awesome benefits, more flexibility than most, supportive co-workers and a pretty stimulating collegiate environment. When it comes to "9-5" jobs, there aren't many I'd rather be doing than this one. I think the terrifying part for me is that I'm pretty confident in my abilities to do my current job well. I am so NOT confident in my abilities to do my next job even half-way decent. I'm sure I'll figure it out, and we'll survive and all that jazz, but it's scary starting over!

David and I have planned and prepared for me to be able to stay home full-time since the day we got married (so you'd think I'd be more ready!). I'm so thankful that he's as excited as I am for this to be our family's new status.

As nervous as I am and as weird as it seems to be leaving UTC... I am 110% confident in the new job God has called me to, and I'm so excited for the next leg of this crazy journey.

Recipe Index

Per Melissa's request, I'm posting our family recipe index. Ironically, I had JUST done the same thing as her, but not for public consumption. Unfortunately, my list sucks. We eat very simply, and without a whole lot of variation... Thus, I'm (ashamedly) posting my list because I need help! So, leave a comment with your favorite go-to meals or post them on your blog and let us know!

Meals:
· Tacos
· Enchiladas
· Sloppy joes
· Lasagna
· Chicken pot pie
· Spaghetti
· Breakfast for dinner
· Grilled chicken
· Burgers
· Broccoli & chicken casserole
· Hot dogs/sausages
· Meatloaf
· Pizza
· Stromboli
· Chicken Alfredo
· Steak
· Shrimp
· BBQ chicken
· Chicken teriyaki
· Chicken Parmesan
· Pot roast
· Frozen turkey
· Penne pasta
· Cheeseburger pie

Sides:
· Macaroni & cheese
· Mashed potatoes
· Scalloped potatoes
· Twice baked potatoes
· Baked potatoes
· Rice
· Broccoli
· Asparagus
· Salad

shower #5- friends shower

A few weekends ago my Chattanooga friends threw us the sweetest shower. There were so many thoughtful details in the food and the decorations and the gifts! It was the most fun shower because even though having people watch you open gifts is extremely uncomfortable no matter what, the girls there are my best friends and I felt like I could completely be my awkward/goofy self. Crawford seriously is the most spoiled little boy (with stuff and love), and I can't wait for him to get here already and meet all his new friends!

sooo many awesome gifts. wow! and, my friends are insanely crafty and talented!

me & Paula (friends since... elementary school!); me & Grandy (the boys didn't come to the shower, just came to help clean up)

Jill (she's next!) & Maya (holy cow, look at that face!)

small group ladies; David & Batch

matching shirts for D & Crawford; me and Anna

CVP besties! She came all the way from Atlanta. Love her so much.

sweet hostesses (sad that it's out of focus...); sis (surprised us and came!) & mom (still working on a grandma name...)