10 Weeks and Sleeping,....

THROUGH THE NIGHT!!!!!! Well, it happened right before I returned to work but then it stopped due to a new schedule. Now, she has developed a pretty consistent schedule and is sticking with it. This past Saturday, she slept from 8PM-7AM! This is the new parents' dream! Ok, I will stop rubbing it in to those of you that look fondly on the first months of your child's life but remember many months of sleep deprivation (I am silently bracing myself for the next child who is bound to be less cooperative). Also, Meredith is now carrying on conversations with A LOT of cooing and responsiveness. I am looking forward to summertime when we can spend our days together again now that she is getting so interactive.

This week, we also went to see IV's soccer game and went to the Trinity High plant sale. John and I were excited about Meredith getting out during such a warm and pretty weekend. We were excited that IV won his game and that we were finally able to polish off our yard with some hanging baskets and filled concrete pots.

This coming week, John and I are looking forward to our retreat with our small group, taking Meredith to John's softball game, and continuing to enjoy the warm weather! By the way, congratulations to Matt and Maureen....they just found out that they are having a GIRL!

Here are some pictures of our house at springtime:

Busy Busy Week!

Last week was a very busy week! We had Meredith's 2 Month appointment, John has been playing church league softball twice a week, we spent time with friends and family, and are still adjusting to our new schedule which has occasionally created "Meredith Melt-Downs"!
Meredith saw Dr. Meyers at High Point Pediatrics on Wednesday. She is 22 inches long and weighs 10 lbs. 12 oz. She falls in the 50 percentile for both height and weight. She got four vaccinations which she obviously did not like! My poor baby cried like I have never heard her cry before. We were also informed that her eyes will probably be blue and that her hair is definitely getting lighter and more blond (a reverse dye job). We were able to report to the doctor that she is smiling and cooing a lot, is now drinking anywhere from 4 to 7 ounces per feeding, she is following movement across the room, and has returned to sleeping through the night (8PM - 5:30/6AM). John has been busy with softball and Meredith and I are hoping we can make it out to watch soon now that the weather is clearing up as well as getting warmer. This is the first year that this particular group of guys are playing together and I know that they have a bright future despite their struggles lately!

We also spent time with friend and family this week. Matt and Maureen McGee came over for a great evening on Friday filled with John's specialty of chicken parmesan with tortellini...he even made banana pudding for dessert! We played Sequence (girls won!) and Wii Golf--it was not my best game! It was a perfect evening despite Meredith's hour long melt down! Also, Meredith got to spend some time with her Granna and Poppa on Sunday which we all enjoyed. It gave John and I a chance to go out and find a new ottoman for our family room. We were wanting to replace our coffee table with a more kid-friendly piece of furniture--it even has storage drawers for toys!

Backtracking to the meltdowns, Meredith has developed a new addition to her daily routine. Occasionally, between the hours of 7 and 9PM, she experiences the most pathetic meltdowns. The poor baby gets completely over-exhausted and just cries her little heart out. Some of you may be thinking that we aren't putting her to bed when she immediately demonstrates signs of tiredness but you are wrong. Although we put her down, she just cries and cries and cries. During these evenings, our best bet has been to comfort her until about 9PM where she goes down immediately without a fuss. We have no clue but try to patiently ride it out during those evenings. Hopefully these will end soon!

Some things we are looking forward to are a cookout with our Sunday School class this Friday at the Fahning's, a retreat with our small group in a couple weekends in Highlands, and an increased amount of time outside. We will be posting pictures of our weekly events. In the meantime, enjoy the below pictures!


A Conversation Between Daddy and Meredith about Boys:














Daddy: "Meredith, I think you should know that I will not let you date until you are 18."














Meredith: "Daddy, this is what I think about that!"














Daddy: "I am not kidding, Meredith...this is non-negotiable."














Meredith: "MOMMMMMMMY!!!!"














Mommy: "Don't worry, dear. Mommy will talk to Daddy."


By the way, below is a picture of our new area rug for our dining room we purchased a couple weeks ago. We got it 75% off at a SofaExpress liquidation sale! We were really excited!

Tag, You're It!

Ok, so I have not been officially tagged but I thought, why should only those tagged get to fill this out! So here goes nothing!

Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Current- Trinity High Science Teacher, I work daily to educate and inspire 14, 15, (and some unmotivated) 16 year olds! This job has definitely brought out my more laid back side, if you can believe it!
2. Assistant Manager at Riverwood Cafe' - Owned by Fred Smith who is currently running for governor. On a side note, he really is not that friendly but I might have to vote for him since he supports family values. We will see!
3. Sales and Marketing Coordinator at Exhibit Resources - I basically did project managing, minor inside sales, and prided myself on managing our sales margins :). I kind of miss that anal side of me who appeared at that job daily every now and then!
4. Corporate Sales Representative for the Carolina Mudcats (AA Affiliate for the Florida Marlins) - The job was pretty tough...very little pay, working 8 - 5 PLUS home games from 5 - ~midnight during baseball season. NOT WORTH IT!

Four movies I've watched more than once:
Ok, so I haven't watched alot of movies lately...if you don't know why, check out my last eight posts or so.
1. The Notebook
2. Baby Einstein - Mozart (my favorite)
3. My Best Friend's Wedding
4. Pride and Prejudice


Four T.V. Shows that I watch:
1. Big Brother - I didn't get into it until last year...I think it is interesting how personalities change as well as the dynamic of the house every week as someone leaves. Very interesting!
2. Biggest Loser - I love the show and it keeps me motivated on my venture to lose weight
3. Bones - Will they just date already?
4. Jon and Kate plus 8 - It makes me thankful that I only have one child right now!

Four places I have been:
1. LA - Rose Bowl in December 2006 because John won Fantasy Football for College Bowl Picks in the nation so it was compliments of ESPN.
2. Gulfport, MS on mission trip in January 2007 with Wendell Baptist Church
3. Pagosa Springs, CO - Honeymoon
4. North Myrtle Beach - as much as possible
Side Note - I will be chaperoning the Emerywood Baptist Youth as we go on a mission trip to Boston in July!

Four People who e-mail me (regularly):
1. John
2. Trinity Faculty
3. Babycenter.org
4. Small Group at church

Four of my favorite foods:
Lately, in my attempt to lose baby weight:
1. Walmart brand Tropical Trail Mix
2. Bananas
3. Multi Grain Cheerios
4. Low Fat Ice Cream

Four Places I would like to visit:
1. Ireland - I still have family there
2. Hawaii
3. Spain
4. South Africa on missions

Things I am looking forward to in the coming year:
1. Watching Meredith grow
2. My first summer off from work
3. Lots of beach time with John and family
4. Mission trip to Boston

Ok, four people I tag:
1. Maureen McGee
2. Katie McWilliams
3. Cassandra Alderin
4. Samantha Sult
**Jenn, I would tag you but you never UPDATE your BLOG!

2 Months! What a big girl!

Meredith is now officially 2 months old! This week has brought some fun events and passing of milestones. Meredith is getting great control of her head and is smiling more and more each day. Also, she is doing great with "tummy time" and tolerates it very well. She is no longer sleeping through the night and our only guess for the cause is the new schedule with visiting our sitter during the day while I have returned to work--however, she only wakes once during the night which is very manageable. John and I alternate getting up which has been great! Tomorrow, John and I will need to go get "big girl" 8 ounce bottles because it looks like we are moving on up to 5 ounces.

We attended a couple Trinity High sports events as well this week. Our friend and coworker, Erin Bass, coaches Men's Tennis so we watched her in action. We had a great time watching the match with another friend and fellow teacher, Kelly Ivey. However, it was very warm and Meredith got to the point that she had enough and wanted to get out of the sun and head to Granna's for dinner! Also, we visited the JV Girl's softball game to see some of my girls play. On Saturday, Meredith was also very excited to see her Nana (my mother) who got to play with her and was sweet enough to watch her and allow John and I to go out for a much needed dinner alone.

By the way, keep us in your prayers...Meredith's 2 month doctor's appointment is this week when she gets lots of shots :-(.

7 Weeks and Growing Too Fast!

Our little Meredith is 7 weeks and it has been a big one for the whole family! On Tuesday of last week, Meredith began sleeping through the night! We prayed it wasn't a fluke and low and behold it wasn't--at least not yet! She has slept at least 8 hours since then and we are thankful! We have found out that she does not like to go to bed until 9PM and so the whole 7PM bedtime is out the window for now. We keep trying at 7PM but she isn't interested.

Also, I returned to work on Thursday. I was nervous about how I would handle leaving my little girl in the hands of someone else, but it really turned out to be ok. Our care provider is wonderful and Meredith smiled at her all day the first day. Also, there is another 8 month old baby there who also happens to be our neighbor. Apparently, they smiled and giggled at each other which makes me feel like Meredith is surrounded by people who will fill her days with joy. I am glad to be back at work just for the fact that I am not a person that can sit at home all day. I have always gotten my energy from being around people and feel renewed by returning to teaching. It is interesting how weekends have a new meaning now, though. I looked forward to Friday afternoon when I knew I could spend the next few days with John and Meredith. I have had waves of guilt of leaving my little girl with someone but I keep reminding myself that I am blessed to have a career that will soon give me two months off with her this summer and LOTS of holidays/days off.

The below pictures are of her playing in her Baby Einstein Jungle Gym. She loves it and smiles continuously at the flashing star that also plays music.

New Cell Phone Number

I just wanted to let everyone know that I have a new cell phone number! Make sure to change it to: 336.318.5186. I hope you are doing well today! I have some great photos of Meredith that will be posted soon!