Harper Has Arrived!

Harper Nicole has arrived! After 20 hours of labor, we finally were able to meet our precious little girl. She is absolutely gorgeous and we are so in love.  I thought that I was going to have all this time to blog during the first week but getting adjusted to our new life took longer than I expected :).. So, thanks for being patient but I am back!

These were on our mailbox when we came home from the hospital.

Harper was born on February 16, 2012. She weighed 7 lbs and 8 oz. She measured 19 inches in length. Which, explains why I was always feeling her kick my stomach with those long legs. Her head measured 13 1/4 inches and chest 13 inches. Overall, we think she is perfect:)

Right now, we think we got blessed with the most content baby. She sleeps all the time and only cries when she needs to eat, get changed, or wants to play. We have been so fortunate with her sleeping. She goes to sleep at  midnight then wakes up around 4 for a feeding. Then after 20 minutes she goes back to sleep until 8 am.  So, I am getting plenty of sleep and feel blessed she that she loves it. We keep joking that she got my sleeping genes because my whole family loves to sleep all the time. So, I am glad I was able to pass that on to her :) Hopefully, this is something that does not change in the future months.

Below are photos from her birth to her hospital stay. 

Harper and I on her second day of life

Will being a proud dad the night she was born!

Harper dressed and ready to meet our friends who visited us at the hospital.

Harper dressed and ready to go home.
This was the exact dress I wore home from the hospital when I was born.

Harper loving her swing.

Harper with her proud granddad. I love how she is looking up at him. 

Sleeping on Grammy.

Harper with Uncle Bryan and Shelby..
It was so sweet of them to make the trip from NOVA to see her the day she came home.

As you can see we are proud parents and are loving every moment with our little princess.

Happy Valentine's Day

(Yes, I am still pregnant and just waiting. ) This Valentine's Day was very different than any year in the past. This year, we decided to take the laid back route. We enjoyed a nice LONG walk this morning (hoping to start my labor process) followed with a wonderful lunch at my favorite sushi spot Ben Gui Sushi. However, I only ate tempura sushi but it kicked the sushi craving I was having.  

We also went to a local party store and bought “It’s a Girl” sign for our yard and candy cigars for when she does arrive.  

Tonight, we are going to stay in and enjoy our time left with just one another. I have made homemade baked ziti and (store bought) bread. 

Do not worry, the wine was more for looks. However, I am going to have my 1 glass. :)

We were hoping that our Valentine’s Day gift would be Harper but as of right now we only have 6 more hours left of this day.  It is funny how things are already so different than years past. Last year, we spent our Valentine's Day at The Greenbrier Resort enjoying wine tastings and great meals. The whole weekend we kept saying that we hoped that by the following year we would have a little one.  So, I do not mind relaxing and waiting on her arrival. 

I wanted to take a moment and express my love to my Valentine, Will. I feel like I am the luckiest girl,  since I not only have a wonderful husband but the best friend any one could ask for.  When I was growing up, my dad always said to be sure to marry someone who gives you their all, loves you no matter what, does not give up on love, is patient, is your best friend , someone who you love to do hobbies with (like golf  for us), works hard to provide for you and your family and of course a true Redskin fan. Well, I think that Will meets this description and more. So, happy Valentine's Day my love. I cannot wait to share the next adventure in our life, Harper.

**Tomorrow, I will share our love story since it is our 7 year engagement anniversary.  So , stayed tuned :)**

The Waiting Game

   Well, right now I am just sitting on my couch with Will and Lilly waiting for little Miss Harper to arrive. Yesterday, my doctor tried to start my labor by stripping my cervix which should promote my water to break. However, she did inform me that sometimes it does not work and that it is up to mother nature. She assumed that it would work on me, since I am already dilated and effaced but as of today nothing has happened. I have been having really strong contractions but they are just false. So, I guess Harper just likes making her mom suffer through the pain :)
   So, here is my weekly pregnancy update, since I am still waiting. 

Pregnancy Week: 39 Weeks and 2 days

Size of Baby: Approximately a little over 7 pounds; the size of a mini watermelon.

Weight Gain: 30 pounds. All my weight gain is in my belly which I am hoping goes away soon after her birth.  I have had no swelling and still am able to take my wedding ring/bands on and off. So, hopefully it stays this way for one more week.  

Maternity Clothes: All maternity clothes.  So, READY for normal clothes. Cannot wait to spend my Christmas gift cards at The Loft on new spring clothes. 

Gender: A little girl, Harper Nicole.

Movement: Harper is very active. I can actually see her foot when she kicks me now. I think we are going to have a little cheerleader.  She also enjoys to be awake and busy at 12 am and 4 am. So, I am going to have my hands full when she arrives. I am just going to act like I am back in college where I stayed up all night and still made it to class the next day. Main difference, there will be no partaking in alcoholic beverages :)

Sleep: I sleep until 4 am every day. Then, she seems to move so much that it keeps me awake. Luckily, I have finished working so this week I should be able to catch up on those hours in the morning. 

What I miss: ALOT.. I miss being able to just jump into bed with no problem, not going to the restroom 100 times a day, eating pizza or pasta without acid reflux, walking with no  waddle, and being able to shave my legs without taking a bath :)

Cravings: I have been craving chocolate cupcakes like crazy. It was so bad last week that I kept going to a local cupcake shops website and thinking about what cupcake I was going to get on my way home from work. Sad part, I was so exhausted from work that all I could do was go home and take a nap. 

Symptoms: I keep having false contractions which are really painful. I just hope the real ones start soon.

Words of Wisdom:  Do not google anything related to labor. I thought that having my cervix stripped was going to be AWFUL based off the Internet. However, it was nothing. So, from now on I am not worrying. 

Best Moment(s) This Week: Being able to say goodbye to all my wonderful students. It was a bitter sweet day , since I will not be returning this school year.  It was nice to be able to say my goodbyes and wish them luck in the future. I am really going to miss my kids but am happy to be able to spend time with my own child.

Mid Week Confessions

This week has been very busy and crazy. My last day of work is today and on Friday my doctor is starting my labor. However, I am not going to miss out on confessing things :)

~ I cannot get any sleep. My mind keeps going on and on about finishing my school year and the unknown of what lies ahead for Will and I.


~ I am beyond done with being pregnant. I cannot sleep, eating is hard, since I have acid reflux and I am sick of maternity clothes.


~ I have NOT had the nesting syndrome where you are supposed to clean and be OCD about everything in your house in preparation for a baby. I guess it may be because I am exhausted from teaching all day and not sleeping at night. Luckily, I have a wonderful husband who has decided to clean our entire house the last two weeks, do all our laundry, go to the grocery store, and make all our meals. I feel beyond lucky to have such a great guy.


~ I am in love with Swamp People. I think it is such a neat show. Growing up we always went to Naples, Florida which is an hour away from Everglade City, Fl. We would go to Everglade City for an afternoon and take the fan boat tour of the everglades. So, in a way this show reminds me of the fan boat tours we would take as children.


~ In this last week, I have gotten my hair done, nails done, and bought new makeup. I find it important to have all these things in order before Harper arrives, since there is no telling when I will have free time in the next few weeks to do each of these things.


~ I feel so blessed to have some of the best friends and family a girl can have. Over the last week, many of my closet friends and family members have reached out to me about Harper's arrival. You really do know who your true friends and family are during times of change.


~ I watched the Super Bowl but only paid close attention to the commercials. My favorite was the H & M commercial. You know the one with David Beckham. haha


~ I cannot wait until next Wednesday when I hopefully get to confess about Harper being here and the changes in my life. 


Thanks for reading my confessions..Now You Link Up !!

Letter to Harper

Harper, 

     I wanted to write you a letter to tell you how much you are already loved and always will be. I never thought that I would want something as much you. I dreamed and prayed for a whole year to have a blessing like you come into our lives. Then, to our surprise you arrived. I must say that you have already been a piece of work and made us worry about you. The parenting aspect has kicked in for your dad and I. From the start, I was always sick with morning sickness and worrying about you growing into the little baby your are today. As of recently, I realized the love a parent has for their child when my doctor said something could be wrong with you. Luckily, you are perfect and doing well. It was just that your mom does not carry much weight except for you when she is pregnant.

     I want you to know that your dad and I are going to try to be the best parents a girl can have. I know there will be a time when you do not like us , but that is what parents are for. When you are my age you will be happy that we put restrictions and rules on you. Believe me, grammie, grandpa and I did not always see eye to eye. However, now looking back I am so happy that they did have punishments for when I broke their rules. Just know that we are doing all these things because you mean the world to us and we want you to become a wonderful young woman. 


    I cannot wait until the day when I get to show you off to all my friends like I already do with your ultrasound pictures. I am anticipating when we get to see you at the beach for the first time, your growing bond with Lilly, learning to play golf your dad and I , our weekly trips to the mall (a girl has to shop), learning to cook from your dad (sorry, I'm just not the cook of our family), interacting with your grandparents and great grandparents and just being you. I just cannot wait for all these things to happen. 

There are some things I pray and hope you live by.

First, go for your dreams. Really, dream as big as you can and go for it. You can do anything; But while you’re dreaming big, also be sure to live in the here and now. Enjoy the present because before you know it, it’ll be the past. The worst feeling is wishing you had done something you did not do.

Know that goals can change, and that’s ok. You aren’t a failure for changing your mind. You’re brave for going for something new. Your dad and I will always back up your choices and goals. Don’t keep wishing for what others have. You’ll never have enough if you keep comparing yourself to others. Learn to be happy with what you have, and remember life is a journey, not a competition. Don’t waste the journey trying to outdo others.

Don’t waste time trying to please everyone. You can’t. Some people just won’t come around. Some people won’t like you just because of the way you look. It’s not right, but know that you’re better than that. Try to see the good in them still.

If there’s one word you should live by, let it be “love.” Love those who hate you, and those who love you back. Your compassion will shine through, and help others who need that light of positivity.

I just want you to know that I’d never do anything to intentionally hurt you. You’ll have to make your own mistakes, and I can’t make you learn from mine, but I will try to guide you in the right direction. When you mess up though, (we all do) never be afraid to call me. I will am here for you. Always.

When you are much older and fall in love, know that I don’t care what your husband looks like or what job he has. I care about how he treats you. And the person who earns your heart should love you for your beauty inside. I want you to marry someone who is your best friend. That is why I married your dad. Being able to spend the rest of your life with someone you love to do everything with, support through the good times and bad, and love unconditionally goes a long way.

Someday, when you have children of your own you’ll know how much I love you, and you’ll understand where I’m coming from.

I send these words from my heart to yours, and hope you’ll keep them close.

Love you so,

Mom

Week 38 Update

Pregnancy Week: 38 Weeks

Size of Baby: Approximately 20 inches & 6 to 7 pounds; the size of a pumpkin ( Last week, our ultrasound showed that Harper was 6 pounds)

Weight Gain: 27 pounds. My doctor thinks that I should have gained more weight, but by the pregnancy books I am reading it seems to be the right amount of weight gain. 

Maternity Clothes: All maternity clothes. I am really getting sick of wearing maternity clothes. I have already started shopping online for my after baby clothes. I cannot wait until then.

Gender: A little girl, Harper Nicole.

Movement: Harper is very active. She is moving all the time. I have a hard time telling if she is moving or if I am having Braxton Hicks Contractions. 

Sleep: I do not sleep well. I actually have made Will sleep in our guest room the last few nights because any movement seems to wake me up. 

What I miss: Running outside. Since, it has been around 65 degrees everyday I keep wanting to run. 

Cravings: I have been craving salads and ice all day long.

Symptoms: I keep having false contractions, throughout the day. This makes me paronoid because I am still working.

Words of Wisdom:  Do NOT read birth stories on other peoples' blogs. I keep worrying that I am not going to have an easy labor.


Best Moment(s) This Week:  My student assistants surprised me with a gift. My two student assistants, Clare and Shannon, gave me pink and green balloons with one saying "It's a Girl", a keychain with #1 Mom on it, and a pack of cards with 52 activities for you and your baby. I thought this was so sweet. Below are the photos of each.

What I'm Looking Forward To:  Meeting our little girl. I have her going home dress ( the same one I was brought home in), a cute pink coat, and a pink flower bow packed and ready to be worn.  I cannot wait to dress up a little girl.


Right now, I am already dilated and waiting for her to arrive any day.  I will keep you posted!

Midweek Confessions

I really enjoy this time of the week. I feel like it makes the week go so much faster since I have something to look forward to on Wednesday.
 So, here are my confessions...

~ I am addicted to ice. For some reason, I can eat ice chips all day long. I think I am going to ask for a snow cone machine for Valentine's Day or Mother's Day..haha

~ I have been extremely tired from work so, I go home and take a nap everyday. This is so unlike me, but I guess being 38 weeks pregnant has added to that.

~ I really like the new facebook timeline. I have been going back to 2005 and laughing at all my posts from my graduate school year.  It is so amazing how much has changed in those 7 years.. Ahh. I cannot believe it has been 7 years since, I was in college..

~ I get a kick out of asking Lilly (my lab.) "Who is it? What do you hear?" When I hear a car going up our street. For some reason, Lilly thinks she is our watch dog and loves to run to every window, pull back the blinds, and bark at nothing. She really sounds mean , but if you were to meet her she would just lick you to death. I love that she thinks she is protecting our little family.

~ I shop at this particular Food Lion near my house because every time I go there I am always greeted and asked how I am doing. The Kroger near my house is much nicer and has better food options, but I can not deny that the Food Lion employees hospitality has me returning each week.

~ I am terrible at doing laundry. I always do a good job at putting the clothes in the washer / dryer, but when it comes to putting them up I seem to take forever doing this.

~ In the past, I have "accidentally misplaced" some of Will's clothes. Will always tries to be a trend setter (normally, he is a great dresser), but sometimes I do not like his new trends. For instance, he used to wear these not so pretty plaid pants (which he loved) and well let's just say they "disappeared" one day :).. Since, he does have a lot of clothes , he never seems to realize that these items are missing until many months later. I know that this is bad, but believe me if you saw some of these outfits you would do the same. Sorry, sweetie..Now you know what happened to some of your "cool" clothes.

~ I do not understand how people always have spotless homes. I clean my house all the time and I still feel like I would be embarrassed if Publisher's Clearing House came to my home with a video camera and came inside. I feel like I would have to block them from coming in so they would not see that I still have cups from the morning on my counter top and dishes in my sink. However, I would take the million dollar check they were handing out. haha

These are my confessions for today.. 


Right now, there is a rumor going around school that my water broke and kids keep coming into my classroom to see if I am here. It was actually another teacher who made the announcement in her class. Apparently, one of my students told her this false rumor and she believed them..Oh High School...Now I'm getting paranoid that something like that may just happen this week..  :/

Join in on the link up..