First Snow!

Here is a photo of Addison enjoying the snow outside! Also a photo taken of her first Thanksgiving at home with Aunt AJ, Pap and Nana Diane. This was her first experience in the highchair too! Lastly, a photo of Addison and Daddy tonight-we had a fire in the woodstove tonight, it was so warm and cuddly she fell right asleep.

Mom, these are for you...

These clearly were taken a few months back, but are cute. Nick, Addison, Anna and Samantha went to the Fryeburg Fair together...cute!

Happy Holidays!

Here is Addison's first holiday card! Look at those eyes!

Happy Turkey Day!

Here are some photos for November...Addison is 7 months old! She has had a cold for a few weeks, but finally seems to be feeling better. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

More Photos...

Here are some photos to share....Nick and I had walked Addison and the dogs, then went to the backyard and took some photos...Also, a photo of Addison and her 1st sippy cup experience-she loved it! And knew exactly what to do with it!

Also a photo of Addison with her first carved pumpkin...didn't she do a good job! :)

6 1/2 months old...

Hello! Happy Fall...we have not been on here in about a month, so I thought it was time to send some updated photos.

Addison is doing great...can you believe she is almost 7 months old?? She had her 6 month check-up, and is growing/developing right on track. She is eating a lot of fruits and veggies now, and has tried practically all of them....some of her favorites are green beans and bananas (not together) :)

She has not started crawling yet, but spins on her stomach a lot and can roll over. We are very excited for the holidays which are right around the corner! So, here are the photos...enjoy!

Almost 6 months old!!

Here are some photos to share...Addison had not seen Auntie AJ in quite awhile, but clearly she was so happy to see her again! Addison is doing great-she now eats: bananas, pears, carrots, peas, winter squash, sweet potatoes, and rice cereal. She especially likes to bend over in her boppy chair (where she eats) and mash the food between her toes...yum! She loves her bouncy chair that hangs on the door frame. She loves the dogs; she watches them and smiles at them when they are nearby. All in all, things are really great. She's already almost 6 months!!

Addison in September...

I couldn't resist...

Quack Quack!

Thank you Nana Kathleen for my very 1st Halloween costume! I couldn't help it-we had to try it on in August...

Addison is great-almost 5 months old now. She has started eating solids-we started her on sweet potatoes, and she loves them. Next will probably be carrots...fun stuff!

Miss Addison

Addison is 4 1/2 months old! It's hard to believe...she now weighs about 15lbs, and has grown 5" longer since birth. She has started to eat solid food-right now it is just rice cereal...this is the second day, and she actually started to get it a little bit today-she wasn't just pushing it out with her tongue. She is still sleeping through the night really well (thank goodness). She is definitely more vocal now-she likes to coo and has started screeching...it's very cute. She loves to give smiles to people who look at her...I know these pictures aren't showing smiles, but she is a very happy baby!

She rolled!

Mommy and Daddy got to watch Miss Addison roll from her back to her stomach this weekend! We were all in her bedroom playing with toys, and she bunched herself up into a ball, rolled on her side, then straightened herself out and continued to roll on her stomach. Yeah Addison! She did it about 3 times. Here is a photo of the big girl sitting in her new borrowed seat from AJ's friend. She is about 3 1/2 months now.

Back to work...

So this is the first week that Mommy had to return to work. The first day was awful...not only was I leaving Addison, but I started a new position at MMC (trauma and the emergency room) so it was all just very overwhelming. Today, the second day, was a little easier, and I hope that each day it will continue to be a little easier. Addison has had two good days of playing with her new friends Grace and Sophia! Thanks for taking such good care of my girl!

11 weeks old

Addison is 11 weeks old today! She got a nice visit from her Aunt AJ this weekend. She has been sleeping well at night for Mom and Dad too! She goes down around 9pm, and sleeps until 5 or 6am. She is fed, and then will go down for another few hours...that's our girl!!

2 month old Addison

Two months already!! I don't want to return to work in a month :)
Addison is now 11 1/2 lbs, and 22 1/2" long. Her 2 month check-up was good, although she had her vaccinations- 4 shots-ouch! She took it like a champ-Daddy held her, Mom comforted her afterwards!
She is now smiling and cooing...it's so fun to watch! She loves her cradle swing that is borrowed from her Aunt Anna-she swings away and smiles at the mobile above her. She is still sleeping a fair amount, but when she is awake she enjoys being read to, music, singing, and looking around. When I return to work Addison will be taken care of by a woman down the road in our neighborhood. She has two daughters who are thrilled to spend time with her...Addison will definitely have a lot of stimulation which is great. It will be 2-3 days a week, so Nick and I still have lots of time with her. My work schedule has changed to allow for more time-I feel lucky for that.
So, not much longer and it will be a 3 month update! Enjoy the heat!!

Ultrasound OK

Addison had an ultrasound scheduled recently to check on her hips and kidneys. Her hips were checked because she was breech, and apparently sometimes babies who are breech have more of a chance of having hips that pop out of socket. Her kidneys were checked because of the single umbilical artery issue. Both checked out just fine. She's our healthy little bean!
Her next check-up is in a few weeks with the pediatrician, and she will be 2 months old! It's going by fast already...

Happy Mother's Day! (a week late)

Hello hello!!

Tomorrow Addison will be six weeks old! She is doing very well. Here is a photo of her during her first Mother's Day! Doesn't she look thrilled?!

She had a great week last week-her Auntie AJ was able to come and stay for the week, so she had a lot of fun. Addison LOVES to be sung to, so Auntie had a blast singing her heart out. Addison also loves to snuggle, so once again Auntie was all over it.

Addison's other Aunt, Auntie Anna, came over Friday night to babysit for the first time. We had a wedding to go to, so we were gone for the evening. Addison did great (mom not so well). Thanks Auntie Anna!

The weather has been beautiful, so we've been trying to get out as much as possible, either walking or going to baseball games. The only problem has been the black flies!

The dogs have been doing well with her...Tanner loves her, and always wants to be near her. He also loves to lick her face-she is not a fan. Soon enough though I'm sure she'll be climbing all over him.

We'll check in again soon! Thanks for checking out the blog!

Almost 1 month old!

Wow...time really moves quickly when you have a newborn. I can't' believe she will be a month old on Monday. She is doing really well. She is eating a lot-last night I didn't know if I was going to be able to provide all the milk she needed...she kept me busy! With all that food, she is spitting up a fair amount...Nick is dealing pretty well with that :)

Addison seems to be much more alert now. She enjoys her playmat that has toys that hang down and play music. She likes listening to music, and she loves her dogs!

All in all, we are doing well. We only have to get up a few times each night, not too bad. Hopefully that will just keep getting better.

Addison is here!!

One week has already passed since Addison arrived. She was 7lbs, 10oz, and 20" long. She is beautiful!! Here are some pictures to share. The week has been busy, and Nick and I are figuring out a schedule so we can sleep a little bit. So, because I am exhausted, I am going to keep this short and sweet. She is doing great, she is beautiful, and a very happy baby.

Time off from work...

So, today is April 5th, and we have only a few days left until the big day!!! Miss Addison is still breech. Because of the physical symptoms I was having, my doctor thought it would be wise to slow down with work, so I two weeks ago I went down to 5hours/day instead of 8. That still wasn't doing much, so this past week I did not work at all. It's amazing what a difference it made. My swelling went completely down, and I feel good. I think mentally too, it helped knowing I could sleep when I needed it, and relax when I wanted. Now it's just a few more days until Addison's big arrival! We spoke to the doctor about what to expect with a C Section. I am nervous, but also realize that this procedure is performed more often now than ever, and everything will be ok. So, the next time I post, I will have pictures!!

Wow...I am big.

Two weeks from today, that is what I am banking on. It's amazing how quickly I went from happy pregnant woman to miserable, tired, bloated, ready to get this baby out of me pregnant woman. Last week during work, my co-worker suggested I sit down for a bit-she said I looked flushed, and I didn't feel well. My blood pressure and heart rate was up, and it took about an hour to get back down. I have started now too with headaches, so during last week's check-up, the doc wrote a note to reduce my hours at work. So, starting today, I am down to 5 hours per day instead of a full day. It was nice, I came home and took a nap with the dogs on the couch.
My heartburn is worse now than ever, and I'm just tired. I know I'm not sleeping well at night-can't get comfortable and of course once I do, I have to go to the bathroom. Normally that wouldn't be so bad, but for the split seconds I am in there, Tiva finds her way to my side of the bed and makes herself comfortable. And then here I come, huge and half asleep, trying to gently move my limp 60lb dog. Poor Nick, I don't know how he sleeps at night.
But, I am aware that this is almost over, and it will all be worth it once I see Addison! TWO MORE WEEKS!!!!

She's a big girl!

Happy St Patty's Day! We had our weekly checkup last week, and a scheduled C Section has been planned. Addison is still breech, so in case she does not turn in time, her birthday will be on April 7th, 2008! Nothing like planning ahead! This week on Monday we did have an ultrasound to check out her size and her position...she is now 7 1/2 lbs, and still breech...I have a feeling she is going to be a good size baby....maybe it's good that she will be delivered via C Section! So, 3 more weeks to go!

35 WEEKS!

We are so blessed...

Yesterday there was a surprise baby shower for Nick at his work-his colleagues planned it for him-yes, 2 men. How sweet is that? There was good food (thanks Grantie) and good company. One of the best gifts Nick opened was a little pink softball glove with pink and white softballs. Addison also got her first piece of jewelry, a silver bracelet. Nick and I both have really been overwhelmed with all of the caring, thoughtful gifts and well-wishes. It's just so nice to know that we are loved and supported by so many...Addison is very lucky.
So, we are 35 weeks along today! Only about 5 weeks to go. I'm big, I can't touch my feet, I've given up shaving my legs. Poor Nick has to help me with my socks, both putting them on and taking them off at night. I'm getting swollen ankles, and now have started getting swelling in my hands. I'm still eating a lot, and my heartburn is as bad now has it ever was. Am I complaining a lot? It is pretty amazing that it is so close to the end now...I'm so excited!

She has hair!

We are in the middle of week 34, only about 6 to go!! Had an ultrasound on Monday, and she is about 5 lbs, 9 oz at this point. It looks like that is right on target, although it sounds like a lot. Here is a 4D image of her, and also an image of her hair! The white stuff is hair on the back of her head. I ended up going in on Tuesday because I had more swelling in my legs, ankles and feet-everything checked out ok, just need to keep drinking fluids and put my feet up when I can. Today is Thursday, and I ended up staying home because I wasn't feeling well today, felt sick and had some cramping earlier. I was able to rest and relax at home which I think was needed!

Next week I have another OB appointment for a quick check-up. Addison is still in the frank breech position, so hopefully she'll soon turn!!

Mom, AJ and Anna had the baby shower for us last weekend! It was a lot of fun, but the weather wasn't great, so only about half of the people expected were able to make it...I don't blame them, I wouldn't have driven!! Addison's room looks amazing, and is definitely ready for her. The pack n play is all set up in our room too, most likely where she will be sleeping when she first returns home.

A surprise shower!

So last week Nick and I went to my Mom's to pick up the dresser and crib she had been finishing with Stan. When we got there, Stan's family was there along with AJ for a surprise shower!! It was so sweet and unexpected...and very very thoughtful. And another big surprise was what my Mom did to the dresser....it's incredible...look for yourself. The other two images are close-ups of her work...isn't she talented!?!!?

Addison also loved her new stroller/carseat that she got from her Auntie AJ, and all the great gifts/clothing from Stan's family. It's been so fun preparing the room, and now it really looks great!

Last night I had Braxton-Hicks contractions...my stomach was really tight, and after a few they stopped. I'm still feeling her, but she is definitely running out of room in there!

We have another check-up Monday with the doc...

Wow...don't ask me to remember anything

Ok...I'm getting bad...
So yesterday, I came home and found another W-2 in the mail that I had forgotten to include in our tax info (that I already sent). In my defense, it wasn't sent until this week to me, but I should have remembered...then, I came inside and found Tiva with something in her mouth. I went upstairs, and found 3 of my books shredded to pieces. I left the gate down and the dogs had free reign upstairs. As I'm picking up the pieces (trying to bend over to do this) Tiva jumps up on the bed, unfortunately hitting my head with hers. I know have an egg above my left eyebrow...ouch.
Today didn't get better...I left for work today, and had this awful feeling as I'm driving in to Portland that I forgot to unplug and turn-off my straight-iron. As I'm driving, I hear two stories of homes burning down the night before-I'm sure this is a sign that I have left it on. By 10am, I can't stop thinking about it so I drive home to check (mind you, it takes at least 30 minutes if not longer). I get home, go upstairs, and don't even see the iron on the bathroom sink! No, it's all wrapped up nicely in the basket I keep it in when I'm not using it!! I had not even plugged the thing in today! Oh...it gets better...so I race back to work, park near the hospital to make an appointment at noon. I usually park in a lot a few blocks away, and take a shuttle to the hospital, but I did not want to be late so I parked in a 1hour spot. Well, of course I forgot this when I finished work. The shuttle was pulling away, but the driver saw me and stopped. I jumped on, relieved I wouldn't have to wait in the cold. As the shuttle drives on, I realize that my car isn't in the lot....great! So I got to take a drive with the shuttle-man...oh yeah, and I had a ticket when I did finally make it to my car...I'm now eating donuts.
In 2 days though we will be at the 33 week mark!! Exciting!!

I am pregnant, therefore I waddle...

Happy Valentine's Day!

We had our checkup this week. We are at the 31 week mark, and Miss Addison is 4lbs, 12 oz at this point. To me, it sounded like a lot, but she is right where she wants to be right now. We did find out that because of the single umbilical artery, Addison will not be allowed to go past her due date of April 13th, so we know that if she isn't here by then, she will be induced. So, we are on the countdown...9 weeks to go!
Nick and I went to tour MMC this week...Nick thought it was very cool-during our tour of one of the delivery rooms, he was checking out the menu (the important stuff). It was good to walk around and see where things are-we saw the delivery section and the family center where we will be once Addison arrives.
Hopefully we are picking up the crib and dresser this weekend!
Also, we received the boppy pillow in the mail. Very exciting, but there was no packing slip with it, so we have no idea who it's from...if you read this, oh kind gift giver, please let us know who you are!!! We want to thank you!
Our next check up is in a few weeks...we'll talk to you then!

HEARTBURN!!!

Hello!

We had an ultrasound on January 22nd, and the bambino is 3 lbs! Everything looked great...she is folded up in half, so her head is resting on her hands AND feet...can't be too comfortable. Also, I took the glucose tolerance test last week and that came back normal. A blood test did reveal that I am slightly anemic, but just have to start taking a daily supplement of iron...no problem.
So, have been feeling good, still tired at the end of the work day (normal) but have been having bad heartburn. A few times it has woken me up in the night, so now I'm taking Pepcid AC when it gets really bad. Maybe she'll have lots of hair when she's born-that's the wive's tale, isn't it??
Nick and I have been watching a good DVD called "Laugh and Learn about Childbirth"... this is a childbirth class in the comfort of your own home! We've already learned some new information that neither of us had before, so that's great. Nick was NOT a fan of hearing about an epesiotomy...lucky for him, he won't be getting one, and hopefully I won't either.
Mom came over last week and painted Addison's room! We also ordered some ladybug cutouts to use as a border around the room. Her bedding has ladybugs, so we are going with that theme. Mom is also working on finishing the crib and dresser-the crib was used by AJ and I as babies, as well as my mother and uncle when they were babie...we are keeping it in the family! Mom is going to be staining the dresser we bought to match...can't wait to see it! Thanks Mom!!
Besides that, we are just so excited for April 2008 to role around. Can't believe the due date is in 2 1/2 months. Until then, we will keep you posted!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year 2008!!

We have started our year off to a great start. Yesterday we had an ultrasound. Addison is 2 ounces shy of 2 pounds!! We are 25 weeks along. Everything looked great. She is positioned so her feet are near her head-you can see that in the pictures.

I'm feeling great. Sleeping well, and just a little tired after a work day. Only 3 1/2 more months to go!!