Cohen Kenneth Day

On Sunday, June 26^th, at 11:04 pm we welcomed Cohen Kenneth Day to the world.  He weighed 8 lbs, 12.6 oz and was 20 inches long.  He was born on my maternal grandfather’s birthday and his middle name is after Jason’s grandfather.  Here he is…another piece of my heart, beating outside of my chest…immediately after making his grand entrance...

Also, they no longer take the mug-shot style hospital pictures.  If you’re interested in seeing the pictures taken at the hospital, check out this link.  Click on “View Photos.”  The password is 0626cohenday.

bellababyphotography.com

We just arrived home from the hospital, and everyone is doing great.  More details to come…just wanted to share some photos as soon as possible! 

Reflections on Pregnancy...

Pregnancy is incredible really.  OK, so sometimes it means rude comments or hours hunched over a toilet, but it also means experiencing the miracle of sharing my body with a tiny little person that will change me for life.  Maybe I’m more grateful this time because I know how entirely Addy has consumed me and can’t wait for Cohen to do the same.  Maybe I’ve been less nervous about every pulling feeling or dizzy spell because I know that for the most part, those things are normal.  Maybe I’m more reflective because I know this will be my last baby.  For one or all of those reasons, I’ve been more contemplative this time about the beauty that is pregnancy.  It’s incredible that our bodies have an ability to create life.  In these last weeks, even though I’m becoming more and more uncomfortable physically, I am still enjoying it.  I’ll miss the way he moves and stretches.  I’m realizing that something I wanted to go by so quickly, I’m now not 100% ready to be over.  It’s magical to wake up every morning and think “this could turn out to be one of the happiest days of our lives”…any day now, we will know him and our lives will be even better than they are now. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.  Love.

Baby Watch!

I’ve already had a handful of people call or text wanting to know the details from my 38 week appointment this afternoon.  I thought I’d go ahead and post an update.  My apologies to anyone who doesn’t want to hear the graphic details…I’m 2 centimeters dilated and 50% effaced.  Progress!

We’ll be holding lil’ Cohen in no time!  J

Fadder's Day

Saturday I went on an impromptu wedding planning adventure with my freshman year college roommate, Lauren.  She picked out tuxes and super cute wedding invitations, while I waddled around the store, cursing the couple sharing the leather couch I coveted.

Jason and Addy stayed home to play.  While sister was running to the cabinet to get a new book out for Daa-Daa to read, she slipped and fell, hitting her head on the edge of the cabinet.  Jason said she was pretty inconsolable, that the cut hardly bled, but that a bump and bruise appeared immediately.  When I called to check in on them, she was lying on the couch with a blanket, a band-aid above her eye, an ice pack, and her pacifier (which she usually only gets at bedtime).  She was watching the birds on the birdfeeder, recovering from the accident. 

When I got home, Jason said something that I could completely identify with.  Obviously we don’t want to see her hurting…ever, but sometimes it’s  nice to feel like she still needs us...like we have the answer…we hold the key to making her feel better.  I mean, who doesn’t remember a time they hurt themselves in front of their friends, but couldn’t stop thinking, “I want my mommy.”  When you spend days on end watching your baby become more and more independent (which is completely amazing and wonderful), sometimes it feels really good to be able to be the one who rescues her. 

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Remember the kids' bathroom remodel I mentioned about a month ago?  It’s done!

Before

After!

I’m pretty sure that I married a perfect combination of Brad Pitt and Bob Villa.  And I couldn’t have picked anyone better to share the adventure of being a parent with.  Addy and I are definitely lucky to have him to celebrate on Father’s Day…and celebrate we did!  She woke him up with a shrill call from downstairs “Happy Fadder’s Day, Daa-Daa!”  We spent the afternoon with his family, swimming in Mimi and Clint’s new pool and playing in the sprinkler. 

She swam until her little lips were blue and then she ran in the sprinkler until her feet were covered in fresh cut grass.  It was a good day.  We came home in time to eat dinner and let Addy christen the new bathtub.

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Check back later…I have my 38 week doctor appointment this afternoon, so hopefully I’ll have some kind of news to share! 

*sigh*



See this magnificient heartbeat?!  This little heart is pumping life through the tiny body that is about to change our world forever.  It belongs to our little Cohen, who is, in fact, positioned head down.  :)  I should know more tomorrow after my actual OB appointment, but here's the scoop from today's ultrasound...

He is most definitely a he.  Based on the measurements the ultrasound technician took, she gave me a revised due date of June 29th (up one week).  She estimated his current weight at somewhere between a precious 6 lbs, 12 oz and 7 lbs, 12 oz.  He slept through the entire ultrasound, with his little hands curled up around his face, so we didn’t get to get a peek at him, but she did see some hair on the back of his head!  She must have told me 10 times that he’s “just so squished in there!”  Anyway, things are looking great…I can’t wait to meet him!  It will be a beautiful day, my friends. 

What a Hoot!

So I definitely didn't win in the picture department with Addy's second birthday party.  It was hot and sticky and there was much fun to be had, so please excuse the fact that I didn't corral all of the kiddos for a shot together.  At the end of the day, it wasn't about the balloons or the favors or the pinata stuffing  or how many pictures I took...it was about enjoying her "birfday party."  Don't get me wrong, those things are more important this year than they were last year, but would she miss them if they weren't there?  I think not.  I just love any chance to watch her eyes light up at the sight of balloons.  I love that she knows, or at least someday will know, that I can't imagine not taking time on little things like tissue paper flowers for her. 

Owl treat bags filled with gummy worms (yes, I know real owls tend to favor mice).  I finally got to use some of the pretty cardstock I had in the craft bin...

Girlfriend got some pretty great gifts.  Her current favorites are the water activity table, a baby doll, a doctor kit, a lady bug that projects stars on the ceiling, a tutu, new books for bedtime, and this... 

her very own little purple guitar, which is actually a real ukulele.  She was pretty excited to have a guitar like daa-daa's.

To prevent Jason from being the next dad hit you-know-where and starring on an episode of America's Funniest Home Videos, we got a super cute pull string pinata. 

Here's the loot!

She wasn't quite sure what to make of everyone singing to her.

But that didn't stop her from blowing out the candles on her cake...

We had a "hoot" :)

Quick Cohen update...went to the doctor today for my 36 week appointment.  I'm 1 cm dilated.  I go next week for an ultrasound to pinpoint his position and then for my next weekly appointment.  He'll be here before we know it! 

Walls of Sound

 I meant to post this a while ago, and it completely slipped my mind...remember the seriously patient sister-in-law who did my hair for Jason's graduation?  Check out what her and Jason threw together in like an hour last weekend.  Seriously?!  They are ridiculous.  I really hope Addy inherits this trait from his side of the family...

Time to get ready for a birthday party!  Hope everyone has a great Sunday! :-)

Two.

So…I have a lot of catching up to do.  Month end closing was crazy at work, and I’ve wanted to devote every spare moment to Addy, Jason, and my growing bean.  Now I’m going to take some time to just reflect.  It seems like we spent the entire week (when I wasn’t working) celebrating the 2 year anniversary of the beginning of Addy’s life.  We celebrated who she is, what we’ve learned from her, how we’ve been changed by her, and how perfectly lucky we are.  On Sunday we went to the children’s museum. 

On Monday we went to the zoo, out for her first Countrystyle ice cream cone, and then played in her pool in the driveway. 

We fed birds...

She rode on a pony...

This goat tried to eat my baby's precious hand...

We rode on the train...

and on the carousel...

(just like on her birthday last year)...

mmmm...a vanilla Countrystyle cone...

And pool time!

On Tuesday, her actual birthday, we ate her favorite pizza, gave her a shiny pink tricycle, and watched her blow out TWO candles on her cupcake (before we even finished the song).  We ended the night with a Mr. Bubble bath.  In case you don't know, that's the good stuff...the pink syrup that makes much more bubbles than the sensitive skin friendly stuff she usually gets. 

Any spare time was devoted to preparing for her birthday party.  Constructing felt owls, making favors, stuffing the pinata, baking cakes... All week Addy has heard me say, "That's for your birthday party!"  I can't wait to see her sweet face light up at the sight of all of her favorite people in one place at one time.  It's going to be magical.  What is it about a birthday party that makes me all sentimental? Watching our nephew Ethan at his birthday party made me want to burst into tears...what a little man he's become...

Anyway, two years ago we started an experience that we couldn’t even fathom the magnitude of.  Her.  And now she’s this little girl with pigtails and a personality.  I don’t know how it happened.  You don’t realize how true the clichés about children growing up quickly are until you live them and you’d give anything to go back, just for a day, to when she smelled like sweet milk and was swaddled snug in a blanket.  Still, I look forward to seeing what she will become, the beautiful person she will be. 

She puts the color inside of my world.  Happy Birthday, Addy.  Mama loves you.