1 Month

(I wrote this post a while ago...now Jack is almost 2 months old...but I wanted to publish it anyways so I can look back and remember what 1 month brought us in his life :) An up-to-date post soon to follow with lots of cute pictures!)

 I know, I know...I change my blog more than anyone you probably know but I get bored. And it's fall, I couldn't help it. Oh, and notice the awesome family photo in the corner...courtesy of the talented Brianne Haagenson!

This past month has been such a surreal whirlwind of both blessing and lots of prayer. Bringing a child into this world is one of the greatest yet scariest things. Jack is amazing but every day is a learning experience for both Matt and I. We are constantly laughing, loving, and smiling at him but our patience is also tested from time to time. I am beyond grateful for this although because I truly believe it has enhanced our marriage and lives.

1 Month @ A Glance:
Some of Jack's signature moves that he has displayed over the last 5.5 weeks include extremely loud grunting (both awake and while sleeping), stretching his arms into the air with fists squeezed shut, smiling and laughing in his sleep, gaining 6 pounds (yes, 6), eating at every chance he gets, and sighing with every breath while asleep (I just realized how funny he is when he sleeps). He loves sleeping on mommy and daddy's chest more than any other place. He also loves being patted on the butt and back but does not like his back rubbed. I think he's ticklish. Just this week, he has started to smile when you make funny faces at him and he LOVES being kissed...he think it's hilarious!

Tomorrow, we are taking Jack to the greatest place on earth...Montana! It will be his second plane time traveling via air...he's a frequent flyer already! Everyone is so excited to meet him!

our sweet little love...Jack {Part 2...Week 1}

We came home Saturday afternoon just after lunch. After the scariest car ride ever, we walked inside, put the carseat down and decided we weren't going to leave the house ever again :) The first thing I did was crawl into bed with Jack and we took a nap together...I was so tired, I could barely function. I had slept a total of 5 out of the prior 72 hours. This fatigue quickly went away though. Jack has been an amazing sleeper ever since we got home. I don't blame him for being crabby in the hospital, I wasn't comfy in my bed either. Matt has been home this entire week. It has been fun to spend these days as a family of 4 (Raleigh included), I couldn't have asked for anything more. Matt has been an amazing help, I couldn't have survived this week without him! As I look back on the individual days, they are kind of a blur but I'll remember them with a smile...so perfect.

Sweet boy Jack, 

You are such a blessing in Mommy & Daddy's life. You are perfect. We loved you the second we found out you were going to be a part of our family but fell even more in love the second we met you. You smell so sweet...your body and your breath. We love the way you smile in your sleep and purse your lips when you dream. You snuggle into us so soundly, it is hard to ever put you down. You only cry when you need your diaper changed or when you are hungry and sometimes, not even then. You are very mellow...always looking around and taking everything in. Your puppy loves you. She always wants to be by you and watching you. She whines if she can't see you in your bed so we prop her up to assure her that you're in there and that everything is ok. You don't mind when she tries to lick you, nudge you, or paw you. I think you already love her too. I know you'll be best friends soon.You only wake up one or two times during the night so I have to wake you up sometimes...a dream baby. You eat SO much but that's ok because it makes your cheeks extra cute! You are so strong. The doctor told us to never leave you alone because you move on your own already. You love your daddy so much. When he holds you, you just stare at him forever. When I hold you, well....you just want to eat :) You kind of have big feet but they are still cute as ever. We love the way your hair is already combed over...a true southern boy. We love to kiss your tiny neck, your skin is so soft. You have hairy ears which we think is hilarious and cute as can be. The doctor told us you would lose that hair but we kind of hope you don't...not for a while anyways! Your forehead wrinkles are to die for. And the way you cross your eyes always gives us a smile. We can hold you really close to our face to look you in the eye and you never cry, you just stare back. We love you so much, there are no words. Thank you for making me the only thing I've ever known I wanted to be, a mommy.

our sweet little love...Jack {Part 1...Birth Day}

Jack Matthew made his way into this world last Thursday, August 23rd at 3:55p.m. He was 7lbs, 7oz and absolutely perfect. In short, we made our way to the hospital at about 6:00a.m. on Thursday morning, got checked in, hooked up to an IV, had an epidural about 2 hours later, and peacefully waited to start pushing at about 2:30. Just a little over an hour later, Jack was laying on my chest. I felt this overwhelming love for this tiny human that I had been growing in my tummy for the past 40 weeks, I can't even explain how much I loved this little boy in just the first few seconds of meeting him. I know that anyone who has ever experienced this will understand that there are just no words.

The hospital that we delivered at is registered as a "baby friendly" hospital so they do things slightly different than other hospitals but I loved it all. After they put him on my chest, they waited to bathe him and weigh him until he had fed for the first time.  Let's just say he must have been starving in the womb beings that his first meal was 1.5 hours long :) Hungry bean! After he finished, they weighed him, bathed him, wrapped him up and handed him to his daddy for the first time. This was also a tender moment. He was so content, just staring at Matt. After my epidural had worn off, we transitioned into our postpartum room and started this journey as parents. We stayed in the hospital until Saturday just after lunch.

A few friends came to visit, we felt beyond blessed by their willingness to bring us food, gifts for Jack, you name it...we just felt very loved. It was sad that our families weren't here to experience this with us but thanks to technology, we were able to spend some time on FaceTime. All of the nurses and doctors were amazing...I was sad to say goodbye to them. I know that sounds weird but they had just shared in one of the best days of our lives in a way that no one else did. I absolutely loved our doctor, she is as sweet as can be and was so encouraging throughout delivery. We couldn't have asked for a better experience. We delivered at a newer hospital campus that is HUGE and never very busy. We were one of two patients delivering on Thursday so I was my nurse's only patient that day. She was so attentive...this pattern continued with all of the other nurses throughout the weekend...so grateful.

In the weeks and days leading up to delivery, I was very anxious about it. I couldn't stop thinking about how I couldn't wait for it to be over with. On the day of although, I felt nothing but peace and contentment and was not scared at all. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. It was perfect. 

August 23, 2012:

walking into hospital at 6 a.m.

We loved our nurse, Erynn!

This is how I felt right before I started to push!

So in love

First Bath

Daddy and Jack drinking coffee

Sweet Boy ready to go home!

Happy Birthday Raleigh Belle!

39 weeks, 4 days, and still cooking! I am trying oh so hard to enjoy my last few days of pregnancy. I know that the future days, months, and years will never just be about myself again but the anticipation of meeting this little one is killing me. I have indulged in baking, watching movies, and snuggling with Raleigh this week, although, and I won't complain about that!

In fact, Miss Belle enjoyed her very first birthday on Monday so we were able to celebrate her before her little brother joins the world!

This was RB when we first picked her up last October...I think she was about 8 weeks old at this point.

miss this tiny face

And here's our princess at 1 year! Still as sweet as ever...

As an "only child", I told her not to get mad next year if mommy and daddy forget to get her a birthday cake as our priorities may have shifted slightly by then but this year, she made out well. Matt would kill me for blogging about this but we used to take RB to doggie daycare once a week while we were both working. Since I finished teaching in June, she hasn't been back to see her friends and only gets to hang out with me most days. She LOVED going to daycare so for her birthday, I dropped her off and she was able to play with her friends all day which also gave me some relief of having to exercise her...so it was a win, win. I then picked her up and we went to Hairy Winston, the pet boutique by our house, so she could pick out a toy and some treats. We also picked up this...

Puppy Birthday Cake made with all natural ingredients...and yes, I did eat some of the yogurt icing!

After dinner, we let her enjoy half of the cake...

She put the entire cake in her mouth and moved it from her bowl to her bed. She didn't want to share apparently.

Lastly, I hope this is the last pregnant photo that I'll be sharing and the next will be of our little boy! Let's pray...

39 weeks

PGA Tournament Weekend

(iPhone) photos from this past weekend...I never took my real camera out once :( #regrets. Nor, did I get any pictures with my pops!! #doubleregrets

the kitchen in our beautiful beach house

living room

 

low country boil dinner

38 weeks pregnant family photo...although you can't really see the belly

dinner at Husk

Waller women on the joggling board (I think that's what it's called!)

Jennygirl and her brothers...not sure where Luke was?

soon to be Wallers!

Jenny's awesome photobomb

Stevo & Matthew

 

Raleigh and Auntie J bonding...

Brothers. Dressed exactly alike. Clearly still competitive.

two years down & forever to go

I met Matt almost 10 years ago now...seems hard to believe. We were both in high school and meeting for the first time on Halloween as our two groups of friends joined together to go to a haunted house. My side of the story will always be that Matt tried to hold my hand in the haunted house, which I let him for about 10 seconds, and then pulled away thinking "who does this guy think he is?!" Matt's side of the story is that I tried to hold HIS hand which we all know isn't true...let's be honest with ourselves here. Regardless, I'm grateful that we met on that night and little did I know how the next 10 years would unfold thus far but I'm more grateful for this man today than ever before. From high school to college, and college to Seattle, and Seattle to Charleston (exactly one year ago today!), Raleigh Belle, and now the greatest gift, our sweet baby boy who we will meet next week...I couldn't ask for a better life. I love you, Matt...you are the best husband and are going to be one amazing daddy. Happy Anniversary!

37 weeks & 4 days

I decided to switch up the blog a little bit. It's slightly confusing but just know that the upper left hand corner always has the most recent post. Well, it's officially a week into August and hopefully can be considered Baby Boy's birth month...I pray that he is not born in September as he would be over a week late. The entire Waller clan shows up tomorrow in Charleston as well as my dad and I'm really looking forward to that! It gets a little lonely from time to time all the way out east here as it's not exactly easy to see your friends and family as much as we'd like. I tend to struggle with this but Matt reminds me to be content in knowing that living in Charleston is probably only for a short season of our lives. I need to find the joy in every day that we live here because I know when we leave, I will miss it. Today, I am grateful for family coming to visit, a weekend in a beach house, my pregnancy coming to an end (slowly but surely), and a husband who remains such a constant. Pray for my sleep in these last few weeks. It is basically nonexistent at this point and I actually am starting to dread the nights as they last forever while I'm lying awake in bed. It's probably God's way of preparing me to be up taking care of a little one but at least I would have a purpose for being awake if he was here now!

 

 

 

36 weeks

37 weeks

our family of 3...soon to be 4.