One week old!

Behold, children are a gift of the Lord... Psalms 127:3

It's hard to believe that Owen is already one week old! While he is still so tiny and new it's already hard to imagine life without him. He is such a joy to his parents, sister, grandparents and others. He is teaching us love, patience, gentleness and the importance of family all over again!

At his weight check yesterday afternoon Owen tipped the scale at 7 lbs 1.5 oz. He had gained 1/2 ounce since Friday's newborn check up. Hopefully this continues and he starts gaining weight like he should. We also went through this with Emma and apparently it is pretty common. Owen is currently running out of wardrobe options as he is so tiny. Size NB (newborn) outfits are still far too big! Regular baby socks swallow his sweet itsy bitsy tootsies and look more like booties!

Emma is a wonderful big sister! I must admit I was nervous about how she would react, but she has been very accepting and helpful. She constantly wants to hold him and assists with each and every diaper/clothing change! Last night she heard the mention of a diaper change and RAN to his nursery. She quickly returned with a diaper and wipes. Today she accidentely dropped his pacifier and immediately picked it up, wiped it on her shirt and said "It's not dirty"! Owen stares at her with amazement and wonders when he will be big enough to play :) She is happy to inform anyone that Owen is "zero" and she "three...almost"!

Owen is still pretty laid back. He goes with the flow and doesn't fuss unless he is hungry, wet or wants to be held. His sister must have given him instructions on how to break free of a tight swaddle! He is starting to smile. It could just be gas, but it is the cutest little boy smile I've ever seen! Sleep was an expected challenge. Owen has his days/nights totally mixed up. I am pretty sleep deprived but it is totally worth it! He slept in his swing for a 2.5 hour stretch last night so I was thankful for some rest on the couch. We have started sleeping for a few hours right after Jarrod leaves for work at 6am. It's hard to "sleep when the baby sleeps" when you have a two year old tornado to keep tabs on ;)

Snoozing on his one week bday:

I can't capture enough pictures of his sweet face!!


Emma was pretending to scream with Owen after his bath:

First sponge bath:

Home Sweet Home

We arrived home safe and sound on Thursday afternoon. We met my parents for lunch on Baylor campus and reunited with Emma :) Jarrod took Friday off school but resumed varsity game responsibilities last night and enjoyed another Yoemen victory! We are thankful for all of our wonderful visitors at the hospital and since we have been home. We are settling in nicely and Emma is being the best big sister. She is a big helper (most of the time).

Owen is such a joy already! He is very laid back and goes with the flow. He definitely has his days & nights mixed up. I forgot how challenging the first couple of weeks can be! He sleeps hard during the day and then is ready to play at night. He doesn't like the bassinet next to our bed and will rarely sleep in the baby papasan chair. I'm going to make myself take an extended nap this afternoon to catch up on zzz's!

Owen went back to Hillcrest for his first newborn check up on Friday morning. He had lost 5 oz before we left the hospital and evidently had lost another 6 oz since our release. We will weigh in again on Monday. He was tested for jaundice twice and does not have it.

Here are some photos of life at home so far. Hope you enjoy!

Roxie & Owen

Emma always wants to hold him!

Owen was not happy at the dr visit.

Welcome Owen!!

Owen Barrett Smith was born on Tuesday 10/20/09 at 10:10pm at Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center in Waco. He weighed 7lbs 12 oz and measured 20in long. He surprised us and came on his own a day earlier than our scheduled induction. I'll share more later but for the time being, here are some photos:

Just born!

Homeward bound....

My friend Sandra made and brought this adorable wreath! She is the best :)

One of his many tiny football outfits:


Where is Owen?!?!

Our handsome little man:

Big Sister / Little Brother:

Sweet Kisses!

Our new family of four :)

39 weeks.....(final survey)

How far along?: 39 weeks today

Total weight gain: right at 30 lbs

How big is baby?: over 7.5 lbs last Mon & around 20 in long, similar in size to a mini watermelon

Maternity clothes?: Yes....and the shirts dont cover to the bottom and the pants don't cover to the top (yikes!)

Stretch marks?: You all will be relieved to know that I do have one. It's a purple mark near my belly button....proving that my skin just shouldn't stretch that far!

Sleep?: acceptable

Best moment this week?: our diaper shower at school last Fri

Food cravings?: Halloween candy is NOT a good thing to keep around the house. Especially if there is none left for trick-or-treaters ;)

Labor signs?: Yes....contractions this AM.

Belly button in or out?: far out

What I miss: being able to clean house quickly and efficiently without sweating and waddling!

What I'm looking forward to: meeting Owen soon

Milestone: installing the car seat

Pumpkin Patch

This morning we took a trip to Silo Christmas Tree Farm in Moffat. They had tons of pumpkins and activities for kiddos. Emma had a blast and already wants to go back tomorrow :) She played in hay stacks, rode a pony for the first time, fed lamas & goats, rode a train...and of course even posed for a few pumpkin pictures!

Here is a preggo pic at 8 1/2 months:

"Lita", Mommy & Emma on the train ride

Riding a pony for the first time


Pumpkin posing!

Diapers, diapers and more diapers!!

This morning we were blessed by a diaper shower & breakfast at the high school! It was a joint shower with another school couple who has a daughter close to Emma's age and a 3 month old son. Once again we were blown away by the outpouring of love and support from J's co workers, fellow coaches, friends and community members.

Here are the diapers & goodies we brought home (side note: it is getting to be a bit of a challenge to take a decent pic of my almost 3 yr old)! Take a look at the cute diaper cake in the pic. Two of the ladies who hosted my surprise shower made that. Are they great friends, or what?! Luckily we got all different sizes in diapers. With adding these to our stash I estimate that we are covered for a good 6+ months! Woo hoo! This is especially wonderful as we are still in the early stages of potty training with Emma. I was dreading having two kiddos in diapers but now I can breathe a sigh of relief :)

Only 5 days left until induction! Our bags are packed and in the car, the infant car seat is installed, all clothes are washed in Dreft and are put away. Did I mention that we have received ALL sorts of hand-me-downs over the past week?! Owen is sure to be the most stylish baby on the block!

I'm a little sad to miss the varsity football game this evening, but just can't be two hours away from the hospital. This is the first game I will miss since Jarrod started coaching :( GO YOE ~ BEAT THE MUSTANGS!!

38 weeks + update

How far along?: 38 weeks today

Total weight gain: approx 30 lbs total

How big is baby?: over 7.5 lbs

Maternity clothes?: absoultely....and I'm really beginning to enjoy comfy elastic and large shirts!

Stretch marks?: none

Sleep?: Tolerable with the exception of numerous potty breaks!

Best moment this week?: getting to see baby Owen in ultrasound yesterday

Food cravings?: Nothing in particular, but I'll eat just about anything....and I'll finish everything on my plate :)

Labor signs?: just a few...

Belly button in or out?: far out

What I miss: breathing normally and having enough energy

What I'm looking forward to: Owen's birthday next week :)

Milestone: we finally finished the nursery (there are a couple more things to do, but it is ready!)

Update: Yesterday I had another weekly check up. After determining that I still hadn't progressed past 1cm and 25% effacement, Dr Wang decided to do an ultrasound to detect Owen's approximate size. She studied the screen for quite some time then told me that he is at least 7.5 lbs and has "very broad shoulders". The only concern about an early induction is the lungs. Initially she scheduled to give me a two series shot to ensure the maturity of the lungs, but this morning she called to tell me it wasn't necessary. Apparently she discussed my case with the head of NICU and Owen's lungs should be just fine at this point (yay)! On Tuesday late afternoon I will be admitted to the hospital. On Wed AM the actual induction will begin. If all goes well we should be able to go home on Thursday. Prayers are certainly appreciated and we will keep you posted!

Bring on Fall :)

I love Fall. It is my favorite season. Even though I don't see much of my husband, I love EVERYthing else about it :) Summer is my LEAST favorite season, so this makes me love Fall even more.

I love when the leaves change beautiful colors and fall in the yard. I love the first day that it is so chilly a sweater is required to go outdoors. I love putting away shorts and tank tops and bringing out long sleeve shirts and boots! I love hot chocolate, especially from Starbucks! I love decorating my front porch with pumpkins, scarecrows and flower mums. I love warm and inviting candle scents....my newest favorite is creamy nutmeg from Bath & Body Works. I love wearing sweat pants and goofy Halloween socks. I love dreaming up costumes for the kid(s) to go trick-or-treating in on Halloween night.

What is YOUR favorite season? What do you love so much about it?

Organization for Owen

Yesterday at my check up it was determined that I hadn't progressed past 1cm. However, Dr. wang wants to induce on or around Oct 21st if Owen hasn't made his grand debut by then (yes, that's in just 2 wks)! The fact that Emma was 3 wks early and weighed 7.5 lbs (and taking in consideration that boys are generally bigger) she doesn't want him to be too big. Owen is already in the head down position and his sweet little back is curled up on my left side (which now makes perfect sense as to why I've felt so many kicks in my right rib cage)! Owen's heart beat was 144 BPM and I was so happy that Jarrod could come along for the appt! I go back next Monday and will keep you all posted :) Considering induction is a new concept for us. It makes me a little nervous that my body wouldn't be starting the process naturally. On the other hand there are so many perks to it! I wouldn't have to worry about traveling an hour in an emergency situation, we can send Emma to my parents' house ahead of time and Jarrod could tell work exactly when he needs off.

This afternoon I have focused mainly on organizing for Owen. I was very productive in the nursery on Sun but will feel much better once it is a finished product. I like how the sports theme with primary colors turned out. We still hope to spruce up a large blank wall with a homemade goal post out of PVC pipe and find a neat quote to put beside it. Enjoy the pics! Some other things I have done in preparation today include wash his first load of laundry, charge batteries for the camera & video recorder, start packing our hostpital bag and make/freeze my first dish.

Here we go again (37 wks)

How far along?: 37 weeks

Total weight gain: 27 lbs (none this past week)

How big is baby?: Dr Wang guesstimates between 6-6.5 lbs

Maternity clothes?: Yes - and thankfully Aunt Linda got me three new cute tops for my bday!!

Stretch marks?: nope

Sleep?: So so

Best moment this week?: My best friends coming in town to celebrate by hosting a shower :)

Food cravings?: no

Labor signs?: nothing new

Belly button in or out?: way out

What I miss: laying on my tummy

What I'm looking forward to: finishing the nursery (which I am close to!)

Milestone: discussing a possible induction date

Whirlwind of a weekend

This was quite a whirlwind of a weekend! On Fri the Yoemen beat the Taylor ducks 47-21! I had organized a coaching family get together at the field house for after the game. We had a great turn out, including my best friends Mandy & Lauren and her hubby, Josh.

On Sat morning we attended our annual Bell family reunion. Somewhere along the way I was designated the organizer for that. I guess someone knew how much I enjoy shopping, decorating & party planning and knew it would be a good fit :) We had a rather disappointing turn out compared to other years. Music is always expected but unfortunately some of the older leaders of that were unable to attend due to health and travel concerns. My maternal grandmother, "Memaw" always comes from west Texas for the reunion and enjoys getting to visit with her siblings. This year only two sisters were in attendance but it's so neat to watch them reunite! A cousin from out of state was sweet enough to send three different vases with a dozen roses eachn for Memaw and her sisters. They were super elated :) I gave prizes for the oldest & youngest family members in attendance. The oldest was mid 80's and received a Fall garden mum while the youngest was 18 months and received some fun Halloween books!

On Sat afternoon my friends Lauren & Mandy hosted a baby shower for me at my parents' house in Temple. They did a FABULOUS job with the invitations, decorations, food, games and more!! I have included some photos but didn't capture many due to battery issues :( Owen is a lucky little boy to have so many amazing friends and family members! On Sat evening a bunch of us went to BJ's for dinner and so that the guys could watch the Aggie game...(luckily the Baylor game was also on and had a more favorable final score!)

Today is a lazy Sunday. I am so happy to have Jarrod home ALL day. This is our "off week" in football terms. Jarrod cooked a nice big breakfast before finishing the fence, we washed most of the windows, I am putting away gifts and making final touches to the nursery and odd jobs have gotten done around the house.

TO DO LIST UPDATE

Some of you will remember my big "TO DO" list from a couple of weeks ago. Here is the list again with progress updates. It helps that all of you are my accountablilty partners! I'm feeling much better and prepared:

-Renew drivers license - The Milam county office has odd hours/days, so this just hasn't worked out yet. With it expiring this WED I must take care of it on MON!

-Get an eye check up COMPLETE

- Start decorating and organizing Owen's nursery HALF WAY THERE!

-Finish tagging items for Just Between Friends sale COMPLETE & made some extra cash!!

-Find a few more pieces for Emma's bee Halloween costume COMPLETE along with the generous contribution of a matching candy pail from a sweet friend!! I also bought a cute pumpkin onesie for Owen, in case he decides to show up at least 3 days early! Also, I scheduled a costume playdate for our playgroup at our hosue on Oct 14th....yay for trick-or-treating :)

-Christmas shop (get as much done as possible) - Will have to wait, I have 2 gifts so far.

-Finish unpacking all moving boxes and decorate house - Most of the boxes are unpacked and gone...yipee! I've realized that the decorating process will take some time...and that's okay.

-Finish Emma's scrapbook - I've come to grips with the fact that I'll be juggling TWO scrapbooks before long, but someday I WILL finish them!

-Figure this whole breast feeding thing out - I've asked for advice from other mommies and will do my best. Hopefully my husband will bring back the remainder of our storage items soon because my electric pump is in there!

-Prepare for Emma's 3rd bday party - I've narrowed it down to a date & a few themes (polka dots, candy shop, Nemo or Princess). It won't take long from here....I just can't believe she will be THREE in 60 short days :(

-Prepare for Jarrod's 30th bday - struggling a little here.....(but I have a few ideas!)

-Make and freeze meals for when Owen arrives (must wait for stove to arrive!) - The stove is finally here! I purchased ingredients for a few of our favorite dishes and we hope to have a cooking day soon to prepare!

-Pack our hospital bag as well as Emma's bag - I keep procrastinating on this one! This AM I packed a small toiletry bag for myself to grab if an emergency arises. Other than that, I invision myself running around like a crazy lady trying to remember everything on the way out the door. I also keep reminding myself that I should CHARGE BATTERIES for cameras, etc!

-Grocery shop so that we have plenty of extras and won't run the risk of running out of anything - 99.% COMPLETE

Surprise shower

This morning Emma and I got ready and went to playgroup as usual. This time something was different. When we walked in the door we were pleasantly greeted by "SURPRISE"!! A surprise baby shower had been planned in Owen's honor :) What an unexpected treat! They did a wonderful job including lunch, cake and gifts. What a sweet group of ladies & kiddos! It's so nice to be a part of a community with caring and generous friends.

It was neat getting to quiz moms who already have boys. It sounds like boys can be very different than girls, in many different ways! Everyone in attendance made a prediction on Owen's birthday. Here are the guesses in date order:

Kristy - Oct 9
Shari - Oct 16
Stacy - Oct 22nd
Addie - Oct 25
Lisa - Nov 1
Martha - Nov 3