Our Week

This past week we went to Venture River with the church for family fun night. They go somewhere different every Wednesday night. We haven't been able to go yet because I was on bedrest and then Deacon was too little. We had so much fun and we are very happy Derek got to go too. Afterwards, we had pizza with the Boone's and Uncle Chase and Aunt Tay and then some of the group got in the hottub. Me, Deacon, Jackson and Jill chose to stay inside. Amelia had a blast playing in there though! We also went to visit the girls that I work with. We didn't take the camera but we had so much fun. I have missed them all so much.

This week Deacon and I are going to Nashville with Mimmie and Aunt Tay. We are also going to family fun night at the drive in and daddy gets to go too! This week Mawma and Uncle Chase have a birthday and next week Poppa does so we will be doing lots of celebrating! Mimmie goes back to work soon and we sure will miss her and all her help. We are going to spend lots of time with her this week to make up for it.

We are still having so much fun with Deacon. We fall in love all over again each day with him and with each other. Being a parent has been exhilerating and challenging all at the same time but we wouldn't trade it for a second. I love working alongside Derek to bring Deacon up the best way we know how.

Funny Mia in the hottub



Best Buds


The boys



First of many trips to Venture River

Nap Buddies

Professional pics

We spent Deacon's one week birthday with Amanda taking professional pictures at our house. Here is just a sampling. We love Amanda and can't wait for her to capture our first year!

Since we've been home...

Here's what we've been up to since we've been home. I will just post the highlights and then I'll start doing more regular posts. We are very fortunate to have had most of our meals provided for us by our family (including our church family) the past three weeks and we appreciate it so much. We were able to focus all of our attention on Deacon. Now Derek has returned back to work after being off almost a month and we are beginning to take care of things on our own again. It was nice being spoiled for awhile though!



Since coming home we:



~took our first bath




~sucked on our wubanubs




~went to the lactation consultant



~went to mommy's doctor (we appreciate her more than she will ever know)

~worked on Christmas presents

~went on the boat to see the fireworks

~went to the Calvert City festivities on the fourth of July

~saw Jackson in a play (he was a mischevious monkey)

~posed with the star

~spent time with mommy and daddy's first babies

~read books with Mimmie and Aunt Tay

~went on a boat ride with mommy and daddy and smiled the whole time

~used the self-timer-the first of many times!

~finally went to church. My mommy and daddy had missed 4 weeks in a row which is a first for sure and they was more than ready to get back to their church home!

More Hospital and Coming Home

Saturday, June 26th, was our last full day in the hospital. Dr. Anunciato gave us the option to go home that afternoon. However, Deacon had lost about 10 oz. so we began supplementing with formula until my milk came in so we thought it would be best to stay so he could be weighed the next morning and seen by the pediatrician. We had several visitors that day as well. The highlight of the day for me was when Taylor and Chase brought Red's donuts and chocolate milk. It was the first thing I actually enjoyed eating after the surgery. Nothing else had hit the spot.

We were able to come home on Sunday, June 27. Chase met us at the end of our subdivision to get the cameras from us so that we could have our arrival home documented. My sister and I have grand ideas typically and the men in our lives have adjusted to that well. Taylor and Chase had picked up Maddy at the kennel and cleaned up the house for us. Poppa and Mimmie were there as well and they had washed our sheets. When we got home I fed Deacon and then Derek and I cuddled up on our fresh sheets with Maddy and took a long nap while Poppa, Mimmie, Uncle Chase, and Aunt Tay watched Deacon. It was probably the greatest gift we could have received because we were exhausted and it felt so good to be able to sleep in the same bed.

Here are pictures from Saturday and Sunday:


Saturday night everyone had gone home except for Aunt Tay and we had a little photo shoot. Our very happy happy family. You can see the exhaustion!


Listening to Derek talk. He was definately our rock throughout the hospital stay.


Finally going home!



Maddy meet your baby brother..


This is what we've waited for since October...our family home at last!


No one else will ever know the strength of my love for you. Afterall, you're the only one who knows what my heart sounds like from the inside. ~Mommy~


Uncle Chase giving Maddy girl some attention


I'll always protect you baby boy. ~Sissy~


I'll even keep your bed warm while your away.


Look what Poppa, Mimmie and Aunt Tay were up to the night before I came home!

Sorry for the delay...

We have our computer hooked to our tv and our tv is messed up so that's why we haven't been posting. We will be back up and running this weekend!

Deacon's Second Day

As I said in a previous post I'm going to tell the story of Deacon's first few days in pictures. I will just put a caption for each picture and that will paint an overall picture. These are in no order but were all taken on Friday. I was very tired that day as was Derek so it was mostly a blur. I was going to add a picture of everyone who came that day but it was nearly impossible as we had so much company and sometimes my photographer was napping so I just posted some of the visitors but we appreciate everyone who came to see us!

Daddy and Deacon at the end of a long day.


Amelia holding Deacon-she couldn't be more proud

Jackson and Deacon-Jackson will be such a good role model for Deacon and we are blessed to have him in our lives.

Garlynn, Mrs. Janna, and Deacon-Garlynn loved holding Deacon and we cherish their friendship.

Mimmie and Deacon- we have finally agreed on Mimmie and he's going to be a Mimmie's boy for sure!

Pawpa and Deacon

Aunt Jill and Deacon

Mommy and Deacon in our matching pj's - I had seen better days but I was too in love to care. My awesome sister bought me these headband to wear in the hospital and they were a god-send. Amazing how she always knows just what I need.

Kisses for mommy's boy.

Pawpa and Mawma with Deacon-I was there first grandchild and he is the first great grandchild.

Daddy and Deacon getting ready for hospital pictures- you can view them on http://www.westernbaptist.com/.

I chose this sleeper the week I found out he was a boy and had his monogram put on it. Then Aunt Tay found the hat in Murray but not in his size so we searched the Internet high and low and found this blanket and hat. It was one of my favorite things we had waiting for him.

It took Tay and Daddy to get him ready while I was in the shower. I ordered the sleeper in newborn and 0-3 months and had both embroidered. When I got out I realized they put him in the 0-3 months but the newborn would fit him better so they had to do it all over again. For some reason I don't think they were surprised by this:)

His going home/picture ensemble.