And Baby Makes Four

Our Sick Little Girl

2009-03-06T21:37:00.000-06:00

Some of you are probably VERY surprised by this post. It has been a few months since my last entry. For this, I apologize.

Here is an update.

Mary Katherine is now 16 months...just a few days from 17 months! She is talking up a storm, saying 'mommie'...'daddy'....'kel-kel' (for her big sister)...'kee-cat' (means kitty kat for dusty, Kelsey's cat)....'dog-dog' for the doggies across the street. Those are just a few of her favorite words. She does call EVERYTHING a cookie! And...'na-na' for one of her favorite foods..bananas...oh, and her pacifier is called her 'bah-bah'...who knows why she calls it that! She loves putting that 'bah-bah' in my front pocket of my shirt!

Mary Katherine started Mother's Day Out a several weeks ago on Tuesdays. She attends at a church near our home. The ladies are very sweet. MK is mothering a few of the smaller kids.

One day at home, Mary Katherine picked up a small (Gideon's-type Bible that some of us got around 5th grade) bible and rubbed in on her cheek. We understand our Little Champion's Ministry (at our church) hands them those small Bibles and tells the children to 'love Gods word'....AWESOME!! It warmed our hearts to see this!!

Shawn is doing VERY WELL...as you may understand, she has had mixed feelings about sending her baby girl to Mother's Day Out! Shawn is enjoying her 'new' Christmas present. She wanted a sewing machine, but couldn't (in her mind) justify the cost of one. So, Kelsey and I gave her a 'gift certificate' for a sewing maching of her choice (since I'm not expert in that field)...she finally settled on one..an embroidery machine that is also a sewing machine from Singer. Pretty cool deal......she is really liking it.

I'm working with a new company. It is called Common Sense Publishing. We publish three magazines and a 'newspaper' type monthly publication. It is a wonderful place to work. We get to open up the word during our Monday sales meetings...I love working there! They've also assigned me a monthly column in one of our publications. That is quite a bit of fun...will be coming up with my April column over this weekend.

Lastly, Mary Katherine is struggling with a virus that is causing her to be unable to keep anything down on her stomach. Even water comes right back up. We hope she'll be past this in the next 24 hours. Please pray for her as you are lead. We are believing in her complete and total healing...in Jesus' name!

Hallelujah Night!

2008-11-01T22:25:00.000-05:00

We had an awesome time with Mary Katherine Friday night! Mommy got her a cute butterfly outfit at OLD NAVY. She really liked it and the outfit was quite warm on a chilly night. Two other little girls (around MK's age) were dressed as butterflies, too...including one who had the same exact outfit. I'll try and post pictures of all three of them!

1st Birthday Pictures

2008-10-11T22:11:00.000-05:00

MK's 1st Birthday!

2008-10-11T21:00:00.000-05:00

Some of MK's cousins came by for a visit along with 'Nin & Pa'
Across the back, Daniel, 'Nin, Pa, & Big Sis.
In front, Mikey, Jake, MK, Abbi, and Karlyn.

Mary Katherine is 1 Year Old

2008-10-11T15:40:00.000-05:00

Our little munchkin has finally turned one year old. Friday was her first birthday and she'd woken up just after midnight. So, not missing the opportunity, Mommy and me sang to her! :)

We had some family members show up on Friday after work to give her presents. My mom and dad came by before leaving to go on a trip. Also, her Aunt Karen, Uncle Rob, and their kids visited. We also saw Cousins Daniel, Abbi, Karlyn, Jacob, and Mikey. It was a fun time.

Mary Katherine ate some birthday cake and we have a video of it. Might be able to post it online. Will definitely post the pictures very, very soon!

Birthday party is October 18th at Burgess Falls State Park. If you're reading this and can come, just let us know!

8 Weeks To Go!

2008-08-15T06:47:00.000-05:00

...until MK turns one year!! The time has flown by...enjoy the pictures below...we have more to add very soon.

Her four favorite words...
Da-Da
Ma-Ma
Pa-Pa
Bye-Bye

Favorite foods...
Anything Mommy and Daddy are eating!

Favorite Playtime Companion...
Her Big Sister (I have to post video showing them playing..it is hilarious)

Big Sister News

2008-08-12T06:59:00.000-05:00

Check out the photo that WON First Place in our Putnam County Fair...it was Mary Katherine's big sisters photo of Mary Katherine! WAY TO GO KELSEY...we are so proud of you!

She Called Me Da-Da!

2008-08-11T20:21:00.000-05:00

Mary Katherine is beginning to say more and more words.

On Saturday, we heard Ma-Ma SEVERAL times and then today, at the fair (wouldn't you know it!), she blurts out Da-Da-Da-Da...

Just so it wasn't a one-time thing, she did it again on the way home...too cool! :) This Da-Da is very excited!

Mikey Brown's Birthday!

2008-08-10T21:51:00.000-05:00

We attended a birthday party for my nephew today. Also, this is Mary Katherine's 10 month anniversary of her birth. Hard to believe that in just 2 months, we'll celebrate her FIRST birthday. At Mikey Brown's party today, we enjoyed some good company and some good burgers! Even MK got to eat some of her Uncle Robert's cooking...she loved it.

2008 Herd Picnic!

2008-08-10T21:45:00.000-05:00

We all had a fantastic time at Cane Creek Park in Cookeville. It was fun to see everyone...don't think I'd seen some of them since our wedding...and, of course, we were overwhelmed with guests during that time in our life...so this get-together was quite nice. It is a lot of fun getting to know the people who are still special in my wife's life.

Photos, Photos, and More Photos!

2008-08-09T16:25:00.000-05:00

These are of Mary Katherine in the 8-9 month age range. She turns 10 months tomorrow (Sunday)..enjoy!

Enjoying Correction!

2008-08-09T15:37:00.002-05:00

Went to lunch today with my wife and a few of her high school friends. A couple of them commented they enjoyed reading Mary Katherine's blog. They mentioned I haven't updated it since late April. OOPS! So, I accept this correction and will commit to bringing you all updates on Mary Katherine's blog...

By the way, she is saying two clear words...one is 'Pa-pa' (my father in-law's name to his grandchildren) and the other is 'Bye-Bye'....it is so cute to hear her saying words we understand!

I will be posting some pictures VERY soon.

What A Girl

2008-04-27T17:29:00.005-05:00

Sorry for LACK of updates lately. We have all sorts of fun news.

1) Mary Katherine is GROWING, GROWING, GROWING! She is eating baby food now and 'talking' up a storm. She puts her toes in her mouth...and reaches for EVERYTHING...we constantly laugh at the neat, new things she does!

2) Mary Katherine's big sister, Kelsey, competed in the annual Fine Arts competition with churches all over Tennessee, at Cornerstone Church in Nashville. Her group qualified for the National Competition to be held in August in Charlotte, NC.

3) Mary Katherine had her first cold recently and kept Mommy and Daddy up all night!

4) She traveled with Mommy & MeMe (Shawn's mom) to Mississippi to see her Great-Grandmother, Great Aunts and Uncles with Mommy for several days and Daddy and big sister missed them both greatly!

5) Her last check-up and shots went fine...harder on Mommy than MK. She weighs 18 lbs and is very healthy.

6) Mommy really enjoys using the blue 'booger-puller' on MK....you know, that thing with the narrow tip on one end and the big ball on the other. I tried it on me and didn't like it a bit.

Neither does Mary Katherine.

7) Mary Katherine loves baths and her favorite food (other than Mommy's milk) is bananas.

Well, that's all for now...if you have questions or comments, post them and I'll answer back.

Again, sorry for the delay and I'll do MUCH BETTER about posting pictures and stories! :)

RIP Grandpa

2008-01-29T08:43:00.001-06:00

Found out this morning about 2 o'clock that my grandfather had passed away. The good news is he is dancing with Jesus at the throne of God! The last picture we took of him was from Christmas with our little Mary Katherine. He was 93 and had battled Alzheimers for several years. Funeral arrangements aren't complete.

Good Use of Starbuck's Gift Card Holders

2008-01-13T16:39:00.000-06:00

Having a little one is a barrel of laughs every single day! Starbucks should be so proud of their little mittens that gift cards come in! :)

Mary Katherine's Christmas!

2008-01-13T16:31:00.000-06:00

Our baby girl enjoy her first Christmas! We had fun shooting the pictures and for the most part, she cooperated nicely. Enjoy these.
Big Sister and Mary Katherine on Christmas morning! I think Big Sis was still a little sleepy!
Mary Katherine had enough of Christmas morning and High School Musical 2
Daddy playing with his little girl and a new toy from Grandma Detwiler.
Uncle Terry and his great niece enjoying a moment of posing for the camera.

Oh Baby!

2007-12-02T15:23:00.000-06:00

My beautiful wife couldn't resist the picture!

Here is a better one! Little Girl has found her fingers.
We love this Santa Baby shirt. Since it is small on her, we're having her wear it alot during this Christmas season.

Uncle Randy getting his 'turn' holding Mary Katherine.
Our little lady is such a blessing to our family. She is lots and lots of fun. We've taken her several places, including to Big Sister's Cross Country Banquet at her school last evening.

I Love Christmas (And Hangin' with Me-Me)

2007-11-29T13:22:00.000-06:00

Mary Katherine posing with her 'Me-Me' at Mimi's Cafe in Knoxville, TN!

Checkout Mary Katherine checking out her Me-Me!!

We took some family pictures over at my wife's brother and sister in-law's home. It was quite a bit of fun. Thought I'd share some of the pictures with you all!

Tell me I'm not the most blessed man in the world! :)
Does anyone think Shawn enjoys having a baby?
Mommy just LOVES this little outfit.
Santa-Baby is just too cute!

Fun Thanksgiving Photos

2007-11-25T11:47:00.000-06:00

Grandpa Hudson ("Pa-Pa") holding Mary Katherine and Macy Jane!

Mary Katherine is praising the Lord!!
If we could read her mind, she'd probably be saying "Oh No, not another picture Daddy!"
My efforts to get her & our Christmas tree in the picture.
Mary Katherine helped us decorate our home for Christmas!
Little bits has been a little cranky in the last 12 hours. I think her tummy hurts. We are watching her closely & have prayed over her.

2nd Place

2007-11-22T10:09:00.000-06:00

*****BREAKING NEWS*****
In dreary 40 degree weather this morning, Mary Katherine's big sister got 2nd place in a 5K Run (called the Turkey Trot)!! She moved up a division in age (13-15) and did well! We are very proud of her.

What A Beautiful Baby!

2007-11-22T09:20:00.000-06:00

It's fun having an infant around the house!

She is looking up at her Mommy!
Daddy smiling for the camera with his baby girl.
Daddy asleep, Mommy took these last night. Both Daddy and Daughter sleep with their hands over their heads.
Allow me a moment to recommend to all of you a product. Please, please, please get an external hard drive. Especially if you take digital photos and store them on your computer. What would happen if your computer's hard drive crashed? What if you had to reformat your hard drive? In most cases, all information stored on your computer's hard drive would be lost. Could you imagine losing those wonderful pictures? That would be terrible. The solution is an external hard drive. They are available from your local computer stores, from office supply stores, from discounters, and from electronics stores. About a 100 bucks gets you more storage than you'll ever need. Also, if you go on vacation, the external hard drive can be stored in either your home safe or a safe deposit box (in case of fire or theft, you'll have your information). Ok, I'm done!

Family Holding Mary Katherine

2007-11-18T12:45:00.000-06:00

Cousin Daniel getting his turn!

Cousin Abbi (all smiles) in the hospital with baby
Mary Katherine asleep with Big Sis and Daddy.
Grandma (Katherine) holding Mary Katherine
Cousin Karlyn last night (Saturday 11-17)

Scripture of the Day!

2007-11-18T12:41:00.001-06:00

Can you see it?

Many prayed for this little girl!

Thank you Jesus for Mary Katherine.

Thank you Chris and Amy for the blanket.

Sunday Baby Shots!

2007-11-18T11:30:00.000-06:00

Mommy and I just returned from church with Baby Girl! Since it was so pretty out, we decided to snap a few shots. The first one here is a keeper. We love the little bow on her head. Mary Katherine loves hearing her Mommy's voice and snuggling next to her mommy.
This next one is a fun shot where I took the camera and put it up close to Mary Katherine's face. She wasn't too thrilled (as she was just waking up and was a tad hungry!) about Daddy sticking the camera in her face.
This shot was taken last night around 10:00 pm. Mary Katherine was enjoying a good snooze, so she could be awake while her Mommy and I tried to sleep! Isn't that how it works?? Oh well, no complaints from Daddy...that is for sure.
Mary Katherine is doing well. She likes waiting until we are changing her diaper to 'let loose'! She also enjoys barfing right before we are about to walk out the door! She is trying really hard to hold up her head. She loves stretching out her arms and legs and also trying to roll from one side to the other. The other thing we've noticed recently is she loves the light and looking at the ceiling fans in our various rooms. Hopefully, I can get her to start watching ESPN SportsCenter and football!

Big Sister Talent

2007-11-11T15:27:00.000-06:00

Kelsey is learning how to work with Adobe's Photoshop program. :-)

More Of Our Sweet Baby

2007-11-10T15:35:00.000-06:00

As I post these, Mary-Katherine is in my arms cooing! Life is grand!!!

Baby Pictures

2007-11-08T10:32:00.001-06:00

More pictures of Mary Katherine are coming soon! :) Keep checking back.

November Baby Pics!

2007-11-05T12:20:00.000-06:00

Family Fun Photos

2007-10-22T21:44:00.000-05:00

We had visitors today (Monday)!! Great-grandmother Hudson and Great-Uncle Terry from Lafayette stopped in for a while. As you can see, they were having a GRAND time with the kids. Mary Katherine also had a visit from Cousin Isabelle, Olivia, and Macey Jane. They are all sweet and wonderful kids.

We took Mary Katherine to the doctor today for her 'weigh-in'. She is now back up to 8 lbs and 4 oz. :)

Mommy and Big Sister are both doing well. The pictures above were taken just after church yesterday. Speaking of church, our pastor called me up to 'show her off' to the congregation. That was LOTS of fun. I'll have to check the church website and see if it's on yesterday's video.

More Baby Fun! :)

2007-10-20T06:55:00.001-05:00

Is sleep deprivation ever worth it?

YES!

How about getting jarred awake by a screaming infant?

YES!

How about poopy diapers?

YES!

What did we do before she was born?

Great question!

Is big sister proud of her little sister?

Just look at the last picture! :)

Mary Katherine goes on her first big trip today to Knoxville, TN to see her big sister compete in the State Championships for Middle School Cross Country. Congratulations Kelsey...we are so proud of your accomplishments!

Final Tally

2007-10-16T07:02:00.001-05:00

Here are the final results on the poll question "What Will Mary Katherine Weigh?"

49% of you guessed between 8 and 9 lbs
26% guessed over 9 lbs
23% guessed less than 8 lbs

Thanks for voting! At my office, Helen won the birthdate sweepstakes with a guess of 10-11 (missed by just one day). Danny guessed her weight EXACTLY!! Way to go!!

Alot more pictures coming soon. Also, we'll have a site you can visit to see all of them in one sitting. Baby doc visit today to 'weigh-in'...we'll let you know how that goes. :-)

Sunday Visitors

2007-10-14T19:59:00.000-05:00

This first picture says it all! We have a beautiful and sweet child. Can you tell her Mommy is quite smitten with her?

Mary Katherine had several visitors today. Her Grandpa and Grandma Detwiler stopped in for a visit (pictured above), her Uncle Randy and Cousin Abbi came by. Also, we saw Uncle Heath, Aunt Joyelle, Cousins Eli and Isabelle (pictured below with Mary Katherine).

Food was brought tonight by a fine family from our church. Our church has been awesome! I'm going to end up a fat boy if they don't stop! :) We are very grateful for their generosity.

Life With A 3-day old Baby and 13 year old!

2007-10-13T20:07:00.000-05:00

Life couldn't be any better! :) She keeps getting prettier and prettier each day. I am one blessed father to have two wonderful daughters. My sleep deprivation continues, but GOD is good and in charge. Miraculously, I am not tired.

Early this morning (on very little sleep), I traveled with the big sister up to Lafayette, TN for the Middle School Region Championships for Cross Country. As you can see above, the big sis competed. We are pleased to announce that she has qualified for the State Championships to be held next weekend in Knoxville! WAY TO GO BIG SIS!

Look What We Saw Today

2007-10-12T18:49:00.000-05:00

We heard from friends and family that a billboard went up here in Cookeville with Mary Katherine and Kelsey (the big sister) on it!

Shortly thereafter, I received a call from the General Manager of my office and he said one of my great customers wanted to do something special for us to announce the birth! It's humbling to see how kind people are to offer up their advertising space to announce the birth of your child.

When we were released to go home, we drove by and saw it! Too cool! :)

Thanks to Whit Carlen and the fine people at Carlen Chevrolet in Cookeville. Your generosity is wonderful.

Mom and Baby are doing excellent. We are thrilled to be home. I'm working on posting ALL of the pictures somewhere for you guys to see. I'll let you all know when it is complete.

Beautiful Baby Mary Katherine!

2007-10-11T13:11:00.000-05:00

(Daddy kissing Mommy seconds after Mary Katherine was born)

Her arrival was grand! She is such a cute and tiny creature. Her Mommy has never looked more beautiful.

It was a wonderful event last night when Mary Katherine was born. Two nurses in training who we had never met cried like they were her relatives. One of them had never participated in a delivery while the other had helped another girl earlier in the day. Our RN is a close, personal friend and was such a blessing. Our Doctor is a wonderful man who called our little girl 'his miracle baby'!!

I have all sorts of pictures and will share them as time goes on. For now, Shawn is doing GREAT, Mary Katherine is doing GREAT, and me and the BIG SISTER are just ecstatic!

Mary Katherine is Here

2007-10-11T07:48:00.000-05:00

Mary Katherine was born October 10, 2007 at 7:38 p.m. CDT. She weighed 8 lbs 12 ounces and was 21 inches long. Mary Katherine and mom are doing great. God is so good!!

* Posted by a proud Uncle Randy!

Baby Update

2007-10-10T14:20:00.000-05:00

At 1:00p.m. CDT, Shawn had progressed to between 5 and 6 cm. She's had an epidural and is progressing nicely and resting. Will update when more information happens.

*This post made by Uncle Randy.

The Time Has Arrived

2007-10-09T14:09:00.000-05:00

We'll check-in tonight at 6 pm at the hospital as the arrival of Mary Katherine is imminent. You may ask what happens tonight??? I'm not real sure, but they expect her to be born sometime tomorrow. More later.

And The Countdown Begins....

2007-10-08T10:31:00.000-05:00

To borrow a NASA term, we are "T minus 48 hours" from the birth of Mary Katherine! :)

Life will be different, as we know it, with a newborn around our home. My wife and I both have said that we don't think it has quite hit us yet.

One interesting story from church on Sunday. We had a wonderful group in to minister at our Women's Conference over the weekend. They also spoke at our morning services and led Praise and Worship. Their drummer was quite good and Mary Katherine was HOPPING around in Mommy's belly quite a bit during church!! :) I think she really enjoyed the high energy church service.

The group, called Chosen, is with Karen Wheaton Ministries. They are from Hamilton, AL. Their website can be accessed by going here. Karen's website is available by going here.

Doctor's Appointment

2007-10-05T18:05:00.000-05:00

***Breaking Mommy News***

Great report from the Doctor today! Mary Katherine weighs approximately 8 lbs. 14 oz. and she is OVER 40 weeks according to the ultrasound machine measurements.

This puts her in the 90% percentile in relation to her size. Guess we're having a big ole baby!

We are scheduled to go in on Tuesday evening for preparation for a Wednesday delivery!!! :)

Breaking 'MOMMY' News

2007-10-04T17:25:00.000-05:00

*UPDATE*
Our Doctor has scheduled for Shawn to go in to the hospital on Tuesday evening, October 9th for induction on Wednesday morning, October 10th!!!!

Of course, we could before then if she goes into labor. :-) Keep on posting your guess in the comments section below!

My officemates have decided to try and guess Mary Katherine's birthdate and size.

The rest of you may also participate. Here is how:

In the comments section, put your FIRST name, DATE of her birth, and SIZE..that is, the amount she weighs at birth.

From the gang at Lamar, here are the guesses:
Michael (daddy) 10/08 9lb 7oz
Brad 10/15 7lb 11oz
Ashley 10/06 9lb 4oz
Ron 10/05 8lb 5 oz
David 10/05 8lb 2oz
Helen 10/11 8lb 7oz
Danny 10/07 8lb 12oz

Shawn is doing well. She is definitely in that FINAL stage of being pregnant. Those of you ladies who've had children understand exactly what the 'final stage' is. She is quite a bit more tired than normal and tends to wake up several times throughout the night.

Final Road Trip

2007-09-29T14:52:00.000-05:00

Mommy took her final road trip today to see Mary Katherine's big sister compete in a Cross Country match in Smyrna, TN. While it was a short trip (just over 1 hour), the time in the car at 38 weeks pregnant is almost too much.

Kelsey finished 14th out of nearly 100 runners. Her time of 10 minutes and 44 seconds was a personal best today. Her team took home 3rd place honors out of 13 teams. Not bad for the first full season of Cross Country at her school!

We have another appointment this week with our OB Doc along with an ultrasound.

Friday Mommy Update

2007-09-28T19:02:00.001-05:00

As I type this at 7:00 pm, my beautiful bride is napping! I am cooking dinner...well, Stouffers made dinner in some factory (Lasagna).

Anyway, all is well. She feels good, is all packed for the hospital when that time comes. I love my planner wife!

Latest Doctor Visit

2007-09-27T16:02:00.001-05:00

We had a nice visit today at the OB.

First off, Shawn had an ultrasound to measure the fluid. All was just fine. Also, they measure Mary Katherine's heart rate. It was good.

Next, we were taken to a room to measure movement, heat rate and contractions. Mary Katherine slept through the first half of these measurements, so it took a little longer. All was fine with this evaluation.

Finally, we saw a Midwife. She encouraged Shawn to 'take it easy', to put her feet up for at least one hour, three times daily. She encouraged her to take a break after getting home rather than just going right in to fixing dinner. She encouraged her to work less and relax more.

We are progressing nicely and are right on track. Next Friday, we go for an ultrasound that will measure Mary Katherine's size. That should be interesting! :)

Update from Mommy

2007-09-26T19:38:00.000-05:00

Well, I am so thankful to be married to Michael! He's a blessing and has made pregnancy such fun as we've shared in lots of exciting moments. I am doing good and trying to get some rest when I can. The ol' feet are getting quite swollen...it's all normal.

Need a laugh: we met the other Dr. that works with our Dr. last week and he was super nice. I had only gained 1 pound since the week before and I was so proud...so I told the Dr. He said, "sweetie, I gained that at breakfast...you're doing just fine." SO....he was my new best friend for the day!

I got to see my Grandmom and Uncle Terry today! They came over with my mom and looked at Mary Katherine's room. My sister-in-law, Joyelle, made our baby a pillowcase dress from my Grandmom's antique pillowcase....it's beautiful! Made Gram happy to see that today.

Mommy Update

2007-09-26T18:07:00.000-05:00

As we get closer, Shawn is taking some extra time off from work. Obviously, at almost 37 weeks pregnant, she isn't moving quite as fast and is needing MUCH MORE rest. I will continue to do whatever necessary to help her.

Doctor's appointment tomorrow morning. I will post an update as soon as I know something.

Any comments on the 'new look' of the blog???

Be blessed.

Mommy and Big Sister News

2007-09-25T20:08:00.000-05:00

First off, a Mommy Update

We went to the Anesthesiologist office today and got an 'education' on what that was all about. If we come in to the hospital at 7 cm or more, it's a 'no-go' on an epidural. If, however, we're at 6 or less, that's fine and it's given (generally) around 5 cm. Hey, I was listening! :-)

Our next appointment with our OB Doc is on Thursday. We'll have an ultrasound, see our Doctor, and get hooked to the monitoring equipment. I mean my wife will get hooked up to the monitoring equipment. I'm guessing Mary Katherine will be in the 8+ lb. range on Thursday.

Big Sister Update

Mary Katherine's big sister, Kelsey, ran in a Cross Country match here in Cookeville today. Several teams from across Middle Tennessee participated. One of them was Central Middle School from Murfreesboro, TN. They are one of the top programs in the state. Kelsey finished 4th overall out of 53 runners, she was third on her team (which had the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place runners). Her team (in it's first year) finished first in the event while Central finished second. Central had finished first in the last two matches that Kelsey's school had participated. I'm really proud of Kelsey and her effort. She posted a time of 11:50, her fastest time ever on her home course.

Bathroom Tour

2007-09-23T21:07:00.000-05:00

Latest Video hosted by Big Sister! A tour of their bathroom.

Nursery Tour

2007-09-23T20:48:00.000-05:00

Latest Video hosted by Mommy! Tour of Mary Katherine's nursery.

Video Capability

2007-09-23T07:53:00.000-05:00

One thing I was advised to purchase was a Camcorder.

After doing my research AND consulting with my budgeting chief (that'd be my wife), we decided to purchase the Samsung SCDC173.

I've used a digital camera for a few years, but this is the first jump into video. We chose this one based on features. It had quite a few for the money. Also, it records on mini DVDs. That'll help us pass them to family members! :)

By the way, we have a poll going on the right of this page. Guess the weight and register your vote!

Our First Video!

2007-09-22T16:02:00.000-05:00

Hey Guys...A special video message for you!

Latest Ultrasound Picture

2007-09-22T14:55:00.001-05:00

Can you see her? That is our beautiful baby daughter...Mary Katherine!!

Mommy Update!!!

2007-09-08T20:07:00.000-05:00

Latest (as in 5 minutes ago) pictures of the happy mom!! :)

The happy couple in Chicago!

Opening presents!
Crib is finished!

Mommy w/sister in-law (she's the EXPERT seamstress!)

Dad and Daughter Fun!

2007-08-19T15:12:00.000-05:00

While Mommy was at a baby shower weekend for herself and a friend, Kelsey (the big sister) and I were invited to take a trip down the Ocoee River. As you can see from the picture, we didn't have 'any fun' at all!

This move on the whitewater is called "Riding The Bull". Kelsey got to do it through a Class IV rapid! She was on the nose of the raft holding on as best she could. Let's just say this was an experience she won't soon forget. Neither will Daddy!

Our visit to the doctor was fine. He is happy with her progression and has advised us to go visit pediatricians to see which one we will be taking Mary Katherine for her visits.

Mommy and Baby are doing well. Other than the normal stuff of swollen feet and being a bit tired, Mommy is happy. Baby Mary Katherine continues to kick and roll around. It's a wonderful thing.

Getting Closer! :)

2007-08-14T07:02:00.000-05:00

As the clock ticks down toward our due date, we are finding ourselves more and more excited about the impending arrival of Mary Katherine. Many folks have remarked that Shawn appears that she'll go early. In our birthing class last evening, our nurse said this was very rare to go early with the first. She is good at providing us the facts of what they see in labor & delivery.

I must say the whole epidural thing is a bigger deal than I first believed. Wow, a little education will sure wake you up! It's ok though...I know this is the way my bride wants to go and I support her in this decision.

Mary Katherine is moving so much inside of her Mommy's belly. The interesting thing is she gets very active after a meal. Next doc visit is this Friday.

As I posted earlier last week, we've purchased a recliner for the nursery. Several times, I've gone and sat down to visualize what it'll be like having our new little one. It is exciting, very exciting.

Mommy Update

2007-08-07T20:14:00.000-05:00

Some of you have asked for a 'mommy update'...I have good news, here in a picture (and they are hard to get, as she doesn't like being photographed now) of my beautiful bride. We are a little less than 11 weeks away from Mary Katherine's birth.

Last evening, we went to our first birthing class and it was VERY interesting! I learned that as the 'Coach', I will have to remind her to breath properly, provide moral and positive support and to FORGET any 'bad' things she might say while in labor! :-)

Right now, Shawn and Joyelle (our sister in-law) are working on the nursery. They are sewing and ironing and I'm staying as far away from all of that as possible. I did fix (order) dinner tonight...pizza and wings!

We have another ultrasound in the morning and expect to get a real good look at Mary Katherine! Praise God for her continued growth.

That's all for now, we love hearing from you all, so don't forget to leave us a COMMENT!

Cute Cousins!

2007-08-05T21:07:00.000-05:00

Here are two more of Mary Katherine's cousins! They are precious little girls who make us laugh and smile constantly. As you can tell by the pictures, these two are very close. The taller one (Isabelle) is about 9 months older than the other (Olivia).

We are down to just 11 weeks until the big day (of our due date). I guess she could come earlier or later. God will deliver her to us when it is the RIGHT time. My wife continues to do well. She feels good, she looks GREAT and is healthy. She enjoys feeling the baby kick and I enjoy seeing and feeling her kick! I won't let her lift anything (and she'll try if I'm not paying attention!).

We found a recliner for the nursery and were able to get it for about 1/2 of what we thought it would be! Thank you Jesus :)

Practice!

2007-08-03T07:33:00.000-05:00

Had the pleasure of babysitting our niece who is 6 months old. She is just a beautiful, little angel. It was great practice for what is in our VERY NEAR future. She woke up a couple of times overnight and we're somewhat sleepy today! :) We learned how valuable the bassinet and crib are going to be for not only Mary Katherine, but for Mommy & Daddy! Enjoy the pictures of our sweet niece.

12 Weeks To Go

2007-07-30T21:58:00.000-05:00

Just 12 weeks to go until our due date! Mary Katherine is kicking regularly and I can see her kicks on her Mommy's belly. It is just TOO COOL! I could literally sit all day and watch this happen.

I hope she has red hair just like her beautiful Mom! :)

Big Sister's Artwork

2007-07-29T14:53:00.000-05:00

This is an awesome piece of artwork done by Mary Katherine's big sister. She made this for the bathroom they will share. Tomorrow (Monday), Mom and her sister in-law will begin the sewing for the dust ruffle, bumper pads, and trimming out the curtains. We're getting CLOSER AND CLOSER!!

By the way, we've registered at Babies R Us, Target, & Wal-Mart. That was fun! :)

Update on Baby's Room

2007-07-24T19:37:00.000-05:00

The nursery is really coming along nicely. Randy helped me finished up the 'cutting in' of the pink walls. The area around the ceiling still had the original color bleeding through ever so slightly and Shawn wanted it covered.

We are supposed to pick up the last piece of furniture for Mary Katherine's room soon. The only thing we lack other than the tall dresser is some kind of rocker/recliner. We're still in search of that!

Mary Katherine's big sister painted a flower on a canvas along with several scriptures. We've hung that in their bathroom. I will get a picture of it and post it here!

Mom is growing and is doing very well. Thanks to all of you for your prayers. Words cannot begin to express how grateful we are for this time in our lives and for all of you.

Nursery Update

2007-07-21T12:33:00.000-05:00

From this fan

To this new one. Notice the new curtains, too!
Her nursery is coming along nicely!
We appreciate Randy's help.

Award Winning Blog

2007-07-20T16:48:00.000-05:00

As you can see on the right side of this post, we were honored with a "BEST BLOG OF THE DAY AWARD"....on July 17th, Bill and his gang over at Famous Blogs gave us that high praise and we appreciate it. We never realized when we started this thing that anyone other than friends and family would read it, much less award us for it. We are humbled by the attention.

Mary Katherine, Mom, Big Sister, and Dad are all doing well. We've settled back in to our normal day to day routine since our return from vacation. Mom's fire ant bites are looking a whole lot better...hard to believe that was 7 days ago!

We registered Mary Katherine's big sister for school last night. Can you believe it is that time once again? She's really looking forward to attending her new school. It is alot larger than her previous school, but she is thrilled about meeting new people and making some new friends. I believe she'll have a great influence on those at her new school.

We (my brother in-law) and I are putting up a new ceiling fan in the baby's room. May take a picture or two and post it! :)

Vacation Pictures

2007-07-15T16:46:00.000-05:00

Hello Friends and Family. As some of you know, we've just returned from vacation in Venice Beach, Florida. Here is another link to Venice. It was a wonderful time. I'm posting some pictures here from our trip. All of them are 'people' pictures (that is, one's with us in them). Later, I'll post some sunset pictures along with photos of we stayed.

Didn't know this at the time, but Shawn and Kelsey were wiping off fire ants from Shawn's arm. To answer your obvious question, yes...they hurt.
This was before the fire ant attack...Mom and Daughter enjoying time together.

Taken at Gus and (cousin) Patty's home in Venice Gardens. They have an incredible number of Orchids. We have some photos of them and will post later.

Mommy didn't know I snapped this picture! :)

Picture of my beautiful bride and me!

The family on the Venice Pier!

More photos and fun stuff coming soon!

Back From Vacation!

2007-07-14T23:26:00.001-05:00

Baby Mary Katherine's family is back from vacation. We have some fun baby news and will be sharing that by Sunday! Talk to you then!

Photography

2007-07-06T22:45:00.000-05:00

We had a wonderful lady from our church come over and take pictures today of all 4 of us! Then in a couple of weeks, she'll be back to take more. It is called Progression Pictures (hope I'm not fouling the name up). We were pleased with how these will turn out. Lots of fun and quite simple. I believe my wife and daughter could make great models! :)

We're going to take some R & R, so if you don't hear from us for a few days, it's ok!

Back From Chicago

2007-07-03T13:26:00.000-05:00

Mary Katherine's big sister is BACK from Chicago. We really missed her. She went there with her grandmother and cousin. They had an excellent time. She brought back some gifts for her Mom. Two more maternity shirts. One is perfect for the 4th of July and one is perfect fall colors! Big Sister loves the nursery.

My wife and I came home today for lunch and ate a bite with Big Sister. Mary Katherine began to move around and her big sister felt her move!! EXCITING!!!

We are glad she is home.

Baby Room UPDATE!

2007-06-30T19:01:00.000-05:00

Crib has been assembled by Daddy and Uncle Randy!

Left to Right: Aunt Karen, Cousin Abbi, Mommy w/Mary Katherine.
Changing Table

Mommy is VERY happy....woo-hoo! :)

Baby's Room!

2007-06-30T13:19:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm almost done with painting the baby's room. It is looking very nice. Here is a current picture of 'the situation'. As you can tell, we're getting close.

Here is one of the pieces of furniture for Mary Katherine's room. It's by a company called Baby's Dream. The Generation Next Collection. You can click the links to see the company website. More later!

Way to go Daddy!

2007-06-29T09:30:00.000-05:00

Michael has been a busy daddy!! Last night after work we picked up some of her baby furniture and then Michael started painting her room. The color is "sweet pink". We still have another coat to put on there....I think it's going to be beautiful. I was no help in painting. Michael forbid me from the nursery because of the fumes. So, I folded clothes and fell asleep on the couch!

I tried to put on one of my favorite (non-maternity) white shirts today....it was not a pretty sight! So, I am thankful for the maternity clothes that I have-I'm needing them (thanks Mom). I've gained more than the 9oz. Mary Katherine gained in the last three weeks...we'll keep that # a secret though!!

Doctor's Appointment Today

2007-06-26T21:16:00.001-05:00

(click on picture for better view)

We had a 10:30 a.m. for another growth scan by the ultrasound technician. Here are the results. Baby Mary Katherine has grown from 11 oz just 25 days ago to a whopping 20 oz today (1 lb. 4 oz.). Her heartrate was 154 beats per minute and her numbers show that she is progressing very favorably as a 23 week-old baby.

We visited with one of the nurse practioners who was pleased with all the numbers. Shawn is definitely feeling her move more and more.

Thank you Lord for the continue progress of our little girl. :-)

Family Reunion Weekend!

2007-06-24T22:17:00.000-05:00

We had a great time down in Holly Springs, Mississippi visiting with a bunch of my wife's family members. The weather was WARM, the food was great, and the conversation was wonderful.

We have some great pictures of my pregnant wife and I'll post those soon. Mary Katherine is kicking my wife from time to time. I put my hands on her stomach to feel it and then she stops! Oh well, maybe next time.

We realized this evening that our family vacation coming will be the last time it's just the three of us. The next time, we'll have FOUR!!

Little Bits Is Moving Around

2007-06-22T07:02:00.000-05:00

Little Mary Katherine continues to move around at pretty much the same times each day. We know she sleeps and wakes on a schedule. Kelsey and I are quick to put our hands on Mommy's stomach to see if we can feel her moving.

We have a short weekend trip to see some relatives on Shawn's side. It'll be lots of fun.

Shawn is harvesting squash, cucumbers, and tomatoes from our garden this morning! YAY!! :)

Continuing to Grow

2007-06-20T21:51:00.000-05:00

In the next month, our munchkin will double in weight. Interesting.

My bride is really looking pregnant. People who we've not seen in a while will say "You're PREGNANT!" I'm thinking "No Kidding"...but I smile and nod approvingly! :)

Our next growth scan and ultrasound comes up on Tuesday. Can't wait to see our little one again. At that time, I'll be picking up a CD with a whole bunch of ultrasound pictures.

We're close to being able to paint the nursery! I think we're having a baby!!!!! :)

More Fun Baby Stuff

2007-06-18T22:33:00.000-05:00

We were in Knoxville today and stopped by Baby's R Us after grabbing a bite of lunch. How fun is that??? It was all baby stuff, all the time! WOW!

Got to feel Mary Katherine move tonight once again! Got out the stethascope to see if I could pick up her heartbeat, but since I have no medical expertise...I struck out...oh well, I'll keep trying as long as her Mommy lets me! :)

We found out today that a friend of my wife's (she attended high school with) is having TRIPLETS...all I can say is WOW! Their life will sure change for the better. They are due sometime in December. We pray blessings over them for a safe pregnancy.

Happy Father's Day 2007

2007-06-17T14:32:00.001-05:00

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads! It's a great thing being a father. The above photo was taken this past February when my daughter and I attended FATHER/DAUGHTER DATE NIGHT put on by our city's Leisure Service's Department. Can't wait for daughter #2 to get here. It's been a special father's day indeed.

Update from Mom

2007-06-16T23:32:00.000-05:00

Well, I sure am thankful that my husband is keeping everyone informed of our progress. We are doing wonderful and I am feeling really great....besides still getting tired sometimes.

We were at the lake this weekend and it was lots of fun. I did ride the jet-ski, but refrained from sliding down the slide...even though some of Kelsey's friends thought I should take Mary Katherine for a ride.

I am very thankful to be carrying our little gift and we are quite thrilled by all the milestones along the way!

I Felt Her Kick Today!

2007-06-16T22:57:00.000-05:00

Yeeeee-hawwwwwww!!!! :)

I felt Mary Katherine kick this morning...how cool is that? Shawn was laying on the bed and said "Come over here, she is kicking"....about 2 minutes later, BAM!

Friday Update

2007-06-15T06:54:00.000-05:00

As we enter our 22nd week, I'm very encouraged with a couple of things. The first is my wife felt Mary Katherine kick several times on Thursday. Secondly, while reading her baby book last night, she kicked again...she is an active baby!

The other encouraging news is about the 2 sets of sextuplets born in Arizona and Minnesota. Both families have strong faith...both were encouraged to 'selectively reduce' the number of babies to increase survival of the others...both sets of parents said NO...if you click on the blog title, it'll take you to a story of these wonderful folks. As I write this, one of the Minnesota babies (born at 22 weeks) has passed away. The parents released a statement saying "Our faith remains strong in the midst of mourning our son"

Please pray for these parents and their children!

Wonderful Wednesday

2007-06-13T21:47:00.000-05:00

My beautiful bride wore a cute, brown maternity dress today. I complimented her on how great she looked and (take note guys)...she really liked that I think she is a beautiful pregnant lady!

I'm really blessed and I know it!

We got a new Parent's Magazine in today and are looking at baby furniture...this is all becoming MORE REAL by the day.

She's tired again tonight (which is normal) and is snoozing near me....baby is continuing to grow and we'll have another ultrasound soon. Thanks for the great comments.

Good Day for Mom and Baby

2007-06-12T18:27:00.000-05:00

Shawn got in bed last night EARLIER than usual. It helped her today! This afternoon, when I got home from work, my bride was snoozing on the couch. I'm glad she has been able to rest. Would have snapped a picture of her asleep, but I know BETTER! :) ....yeah, right!

Big sister tells me that she is wanting to knit or crochet Mary Katherine a blanket....

Monday Update (LATE)

2007-06-11T22:33:00.000-05:00

My wife feels Mary Katherine moving again today during lunch. I guess she really loves the Fajitas and the Chips/Salsa just like us! Shawn is a little more tired today than normal. I think we've been going a little faster than usual. We will slow down over the next few days. We are more than 1/2 way to holding our munchkin.

Sunday Sleeping Beauties!

2007-06-10T13:23:00.000-05:00

Hey, there is a baby inside that belly!

My wife and our teen decided to take a nap after church and lunch. Thought I'd snap a picture of them snoozing and post it! ;)
According to The Pregnancy Journal, we are on day 133 and have 133 days left to go. Our baby weighs about 16 ounces and almost 7 inches in length. We should be able to hear her heartbeat with just a regular stethoscope.

More updates to come soon!

Purpose

2007-06-10T11:25:00.001-05:00

We want to keep our family and friends informed on the progress of our new baby!

I will be posting ultrasound pictures here very soon. Also, you'll be able to read Mom & Big Sister posts!

Come back and visit often! :)