Try to either click on this link or copy and paste it into your browser to see some pictures of Jack:
http://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/welcome.sfly?fid=6e6f79d22543ebff5b2f2841c4d4a52e&sid=0AcM2TVk1asWrn4
Let me know if it doesn't work, and I can send it by email :)
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
He's here! (ok, I know, it's almost been 6 weeks!)
Where to begin... Jack is here.. and we are sooo in LOVE! Not to sound cliche, but it is truly amazing the amount of love you can have for someone who has only been on this earth for 6 weeks (almost). And it's amazing how much that love grows everyday.
I guess I can start with the story of Jack's arrival. I am telling it from my memory, however, every time I tell my rendition, Paul tells me I've got it all wrong. So, for the real story, you should ask Paul :) So, Thursday, July 26th, I woke up at about 5am having very slight contractions. Being that this is my first child, I thought all contractions were equal, so when Paul woke up at 6am, I told him that he wasn't going to work, and that I had been having contractions for about an hour, and they were pretty consistent. So, we called the doctor, and she said to go to labor and delivery. So, off we went. We called our parents, but told them to hold tight until we heard something from the doctor. My mom was adamant that Jack was going to make his appearance that weekend, so she decided that she and my dad were going to come down regardless.
Once we were at the hospital, they monitored me for a few hours, and then we were sent home because my contractions slowed down, and they said that was not the day that Jack would come. We were kinda bummed, but at least Paul didn't have to go to work!
So we went home. We talked to our neighbor who gave us some raspberry tea and told us her story about going into labor. She explained her walking route around our neighborhood. She would do about a 50 yard sprint, then proceed to walk around the block. I looked at her like she was crazy.. sprint in THIS condition?! I'll settle for walking.
I think Paul and I kinda got the house in order, maybe took a nap, then my family arrived. My mom came with my sister, Becca, and her two girls, Camden and Kellan. I was having contractions all day, and once my mom got there, we began timing them. They were getting more intense as the day went on. So, we decided to try all of the things we had heard send you into labor. We went and ate spicy Thai food with the family. I'm sure everyone in the restaurant was terrified that I was going to have my baby right there! I'm pretty sure they had 911 programmed and ready to call in case Jack decided to make his appearance at Mama Fu's Thai restaurant!
After dinner we went home. Paul made a big batch of the raspberry tea, and I began drinking it by the glassful. Also, Becca and Camden and Kellan began to give me foot massages.. it helped to keep my mind off of my contractions (mind you we were still timing them, so I had to announce when one started and one ended so we could get accurate times), and who doesn't love a foot massage, laboring or not?!?
Paul and I began taking laps around the block. We would take Bailey and walk the block (only running into a few neighbors), then come back, and I would chug a glass of raspberry tea, then rest. We would do our routine about 1x/hour. The contractions continued to get more and more intense. I found it most comfortable to lean over the back of the couch, close my eyes, and breath during my contractions. Camden, my 2 and a half year old niece was really sweet. During a few of my contractions, she came to me with caring eyes, and would tell me she loved me. She is such a caring, kind hearted girl. It was really sweet.
Paul and my mom went to bed, and Becca and I stayed up to watch TV and Becca was timing my contractions. Around midnight, my dad, my sister, Keri, and her kids, Riley, Peyton, and Connor arrived. I stayed up just long enough to say hello, then I joined Paul in bed. He rolled over as I got into bed, and asked if I was alright. I was in quite a bit of pain, so he recommended that I get in a warm bathtub to help take some of the edge off. It definitely helped. I labored in the bathtub for an hour or two (this is where my rendition starts to get iffy). Paul finally threw up the white towel, and called the nurse. She told us to go back to the hospital.
We gathered our stuff and on our way out woke Keri and Becca up (because they were sleeping on the couches downstairs) and told them they were welcome to sleep in our bed because we were going to the hospital.
When we arrived, they were expecting us, because the nurse that Paul spoke with let them know we were on our way. We were placed in a private room, and had the best nurse; Sarah was her name. She was very sweet and helpful. She placed a monitor on me to monitor my contractions and Jack's heart rate. Finally after 3 or 4 hours, the doctor saw us, and decided that we needed to be admitted. I was dilated to about 4 cm., so Sarah asked if I wanted to go ahead and order my epidural, and I said YES!
So, we got into our room around 7am (I think), and probably 20 minutes later, the anesthesiologist was in the room getting me ready for the epidural! I was still able to move my legs, and could feel them, but it definitely took the edge off of the contractions.
The contractions continued to stay about 3-5 minutes apart, but I was able to sleep because of the epidural. Paul was able to sleep as well. They had a pretty nice pull out couch for him to sleep on. Apparently every room in labor and delivery was full! Everyone decided to go into labor on July 27th! They even had to use the "demo" room, the room they show people on their hospital tours (that Paul and I did not go on-oops!).
Not a lot to report between the time we were admitted and lunchtime. Before noon, Dr. Schieffer (our actual doctor) came into to see if she needed to break my water. As she was checking me, my water broke. My contractions continued to remain consistent, with the same amount of time between and the same intensity. The nurse joked that Dr. Schieffer was going to lunch, so I needed to wait until she got back to start pushing. And wait, I did.
We waited and waited. My family visited, then left. Jack was just really comfortable in there, and I don't blame him! Finally a little before 6:00 pm we had made it to 10 cm. We could start pushing! They expected it to take a few hours, but after about 30 minutes, Jack was ready to see the world! They paged Dr. Schieffer (thankfully she was on-call that night), and she came in and got ready to deliver our boy! Because there were so many deliveries that evening, they were short staffed. We had to wait on the "baby catcher" and the sterile tech. Jack was born at 6:38 pm, and he came out screaming! Dr. Schieffer allowed Paul to cut the cord, he was a proud daddy! Jack weighed 8 pounds 1 ounce, and they measured him at 21 3/4 inches. Long and lean, just like his daddy!
So after almost 38 hours of labor, I wouldn't change a thing in the world.. Jack is more than worth it!!
I'll make another post with pictures. We have lots! I have been keeping a written daily journal of all of Jack's visitors and "firsts".. and will try to share when I post the pictures.
Sorry about the novel. I will try to stay on top of this now that Jack is here, and we have gotten used to our new normal!
going home from the hospital
Once we were at the hospital, they monitored me for a few hours, and then we were sent home because my contractions slowed down, and they said that was not the day that Jack would come. We were kinda bummed, but at least Paul didn't have to go to work!
So we went home. We talked to our neighbor who gave us some raspberry tea and told us her story about going into labor. She explained her walking route around our neighborhood. She would do about a 50 yard sprint, then proceed to walk around the block. I looked at her like she was crazy.. sprint in THIS condition?! I'll settle for walking.
I think Paul and I kinda got the house in order, maybe took a nap, then my family arrived. My mom came with my sister, Becca, and her two girls, Camden and Kellan. I was having contractions all day, and once my mom got there, we began timing them. They were getting more intense as the day went on. So, we decided to try all of the things we had heard send you into labor. We went and ate spicy Thai food with the family. I'm sure everyone in the restaurant was terrified that I was going to have my baby right there! I'm pretty sure they had 911 programmed and ready to call in case Jack decided to make his appearance at Mama Fu's Thai restaurant!
After dinner we went home. Paul made a big batch of the raspberry tea, and I began drinking it by the glassful. Also, Becca and Camden and Kellan began to give me foot massages.. it helped to keep my mind off of my contractions (mind you we were still timing them, so I had to announce when one started and one ended so we could get accurate times), and who doesn't love a foot massage, laboring or not?!?
Paul and I began taking laps around the block. We would take Bailey and walk the block (only running into a few neighbors), then come back, and I would chug a glass of raspberry tea, then rest. We would do our routine about 1x/hour. The contractions continued to get more and more intense. I found it most comfortable to lean over the back of the couch, close my eyes, and breath during my contractions. Camden, my 2 and a half year old niece was really sweet. During a few of my contractions, she came to me with caring eyes, and would tell me she loved me. She is such a caring, kind hearted girl. It was really sweet.
Paul and my mom went to bed, and Becca and I stayed up to watch TV and Becca was timing my contractions. Around midnight, my dad, my sister, Keri, and her kids, Riley, Peyton, and Connor arrived. I stayed up just long enough to say hello, then I joined Paul in bed. He rolled over as I got into bed, and asked if I was alright. I was in quite a bit of pain, so he recommended that I get in a warm bathtub to help take some of the edge off. It definitely helped. I labored in the bathtub for an hour or two (this is where my rendition starts to get iffy). Paul finally threw up the white towel, and called the nurse. She told us to go back to the hospital.
We gathered our stuff and on our way out woke Keri and Becca up (because they were sleeping on the couches downstairs) and told them they were welcome to sleep in our bed because we were going to the hospital.
When we arrived, they were expecting us, because the nurse that Paul spoke with let them know we were on our way. We were placed in a private room, and had the best nurse; Sarah was her name. She was very sweet and helpful. She placed a monitor on me to monitor my contractions and Jack's heart rate. Finally after 3 or 4 hours, the doctor saw us, and decided that we needed to be admitted. I was dilated to about 4 cm., so Sarah asked if I wanted to go ahead and order my epidural, and I said YES!
So, we got into our room around 7am (I think), and probably 20 minutes later, the anesthesiologist was in the room getting me ready for the epidural! I was still able to move my legs, and could feel them, but it definitely took the edge off of the contractions.
The contractions continued to stay about 3-5 minutes apart, but I was able to sleep because of the epidural. Paul was able to sleep as well. They had a pretty nice pull out couch for him to sleep on. Apparently every room in labor and delivery was full! Everyone decided to go into labor on July 27th! They even had to use the "demo" room, the room they show people on their hospital tours (that Paul and I did not go on-oops!).
Not a lot to report between the time we were admitted and lunchtime. Before noon, Dr. Schieffer (our actual doctor) came into to see if she needed to break my water. As she was checking me, my water broke. My contractions continued to remain consistent, with the same amount of time between and the same intensity. The nurse joked that Dr. Schieffer was going to lunch, so I needed to wait until she got back to start pushing. And wait, I did.
We waited and waited. My family visited, then left. Jack was just really comfortable in there, and I don't blame him! Finally a little before 6:00 pm we had made it to 10 cm. We could start pushing! They expected it to take a few hours, but after about 30 minutes, Jack was ready to see the world! They paged Dr. Schieffer (thankfully she was on-call that night), and she came in and got ready to deliver our boy! Because there were so many deliveries that evening, they were short staffed. We had to wait on the "baby catcher" and the sterile tech. Jack was born at 6:38 pm, and he came out screaming! Dr. Schieffer allowed Paul to cut the cord, he was a proud daddy! Jack weighed 8 pounds 1 ounce, and they measured him at 21 3/4 inches. Long and lean, just like his daddy!
So after almost 38 hours of labor, I wouldn't change a thing in the world.. Jack is more than worth it!!
I'll make another post with pictures. We have lots! I have been keeping a written daily journal of all of Jack's visitors and "firsts".. and will try to share when I post the pictures.
Sorry about the novel. I will try to stay on top of this now that Jack is here, and we have gotten used to our new normal!
Thursday, July 12, 2012
38 weeks and low fives
What has happened to the past 3 weeks? July is flying by! We are now 38 weeks.. getting so close to meeting our little waffle!
Since our last post, we have been pretty busy! We had another ultrasound on June 27th, but the pictures didn't turn out very well, so I will spare you the time to try to decipher what you are looking at.. but the doctor said he's still a boy.. and he is BIG! She said he is measuring at 7lbs 7oz., and his feet are long. She said his torso is long, and thin, and his femur is measuring right on schedule. But, his head... she said his head was measuring at 40 weeks (like a full-term baby!!), and he was only 36 weeks at that point!!! I don't know about you but, with that description, I was picturing a mini-Paul in my head! And then the doctor turns to Paul and asked if he had cloned himself?! Paul said if he comes out with red hair (like Paul did when he was born), there is no denying that the waffle is indeed his!
So, the weekend after that appointment, we traveled to Dallas for our baby shower there. Originally we wanted our Dallas shower to be a couple's shower so we could get together with all of our friends who are living in Dallas, and make it a sort of party. But, there were limited weekends to do so, and it didn't pan out that way, so the Saturday before our shower, we planned a little get together at a local bar.This way we could see our male friends who would have been less than thrilled to attend a baby shower at 11am on a Sunday! That was a fun night, and we were able to catch up with a lot of our friends!
The shower on Sunday was wonderful! Since Paul and I had to drive back to Austin that day, the shower started at 11AM. Paul's mom, Nancy, and his sister, Melissa, made wonderful food! They baked a ton of delicious muffins, made a french toast casserole and a breakfast casserole with sausage, egg, and every delicious breakfast good you can think of, and a beautiful fruit salad! It was so delicious! And we received an amazing amount of gifts to complete our nursery and odds and ends that we still needed. To make it even better, Paul decided that he wanted to attend the entire shower to see everyone and to celebrate our son with all of the "Dallasites" and family members. It couldn't have been more perfect!
Didn't she do an amazing job!?! I love them!
After maternity pics (could you tell it was 95 degrees outside?! Didn't think so!), we relaxed in the pool - I love feeling weightless - and then made our way to a fourth of July party hosted by CJ and Jenny's friends. They had a ton of delicious food (that I grazed on all night), and lots of good conversation. When it started to get dark, we also were given a great fireworks show! I swear it lasted close to 3 hours! It was awesome! And somehow, Simon slept through the whole thing, sleeping in his mama's arms! It was quite amazing, and so beautiful to see how comfortable he was being in Jenny's arms.. I can't wait to have that with Jack :)
The weekend after the fourth, our good friends Katie and Kevin came into town from Houston. This was our second annual Nowak/Cozzolino "fourth" of July get together. We made a plan last year to get together at least once a year, on the fourth. So, since the fourth was on a Wednesday this year, our get together had to wait until the 6th. We had a lot of fun showing them around Austin. We went to several different places Paul and I have never been to.. so we were all tourists together :) We promised to get to Houston sometime this fall or next spring, when it's not so miserably humid there, and maybe enjoy a little football or tailgating!
We had another baby shower and a doctor's appointment yesterday. The baby shower was put on by Paul's co-workers. We went to Bar Louie by Paul's work with all of his co-workers and some of their spouses. It was very nice to meet all of the new people.. now I can put a face with a name! I was so excited because Paul clued one of his co-workers in on the one thing left on our registry that I still really wanted, but didn't think we would actually receive. So, Paul's co-worker took the initiative and got everyone's money together, and got us our JOGGING STROLLER!!! I was so excited when they rolled it into the bar! It was decorated with flames down the side, a skull and a sign that said "Cozzmobile" on the front! The perfect gift from his co-workers! I am so excited to put Jack in there and start using it!
As for the doctor's appointment, I am still only dilated to 1-2cm, so no progression from last week. And the doctor was worried because she no longer felt the baby's head.. she said she thought she felt feet.. UH OH! Did Jack do a somersault, is he now breech?! Although our doctor had 4 women in labor at the time of our appointment (2 were at 10cm and ready to start pushing), she wanted to do another ultrasound to confirm that those were feet she felt. So she took us to another room for the ultrasound, and PHEW, must have been his hands! (Paul said Jack gave his first low-five that day to the doctor!) His head is still down, he's just higher up than he was last time. So, she told me to start walking more and being more active to get the contractions going to help Jack move down. We are happy that he is still head down, but he still has some progress to make in the next few weeks to get ready for delivery, so I'll try to keep you all updated!
Until next time:)
Since our last post, we have been pretty busy! We had another ultrasound on June 27th, but the pictures didn't turn out very well, so I will spare you the time to try to decipher what you are looking at.. but the doctor said he's still a boy.. and he is BIG! She said he is measuring at 7lbs 7oz., and his feet are long. She said his torso is long, and thin, and his femur is measuring right on schedule. But, his head... she said his head was measuring at 40 weeks (like a full-term baby!!), and he was only 36 weeks at that point!!! I don't know about you but, with that description, I was picturing a mini-Paul in my head! And then the doctor turns to Paul and asked if he had cloned himself?! Paul said if he comes out with red hair (like Paul did when he was born), there is no denying that the waffle is indeed his!
So, the weekend after that appointment, we traveled to Dallas for our baby shower there. Originally we wanted our Dallas shower to be a couple's shower so we could get together with all of our friends who are living in Dallas, and make it a sort of party. But, there were limited weekends to do so, and it didn't pan out that way, so the Saturday before our shower, we planned a little get together at a local bar.This way we could see our male friends who would have been less than thrilled to attend a baby shower at 11am on a Sunday! That was a fun night, and we were able to catch up with a lot of our friends!
The shower on Sunday was wonderful! Since Paul and I had to drive back to Austin that day, the shower started at 11AM. Paul's mom, Nancy, and his sister, Melissa, made wonderful food! They baked a ton of delicious muffins, made a french toast casserole and a breakfast casserole with sausage, egg, and every delicious breakfast good you can think of, and a beautiful fruit salad! It was so delicious! And we received an amazing amount of gifts to complete our nursery and odds and ends that we still needed. To make it even better, Paul decided that he wanted to attend the entire shower to see everyone and to celebrate our son with all of the "Dallasites" and family members. It couldn't have been more perfect!
Food
Cake
Ashlee and Whitney-two of our wonderful hostesses!
We celebrated the fourth of July for 2 days! We went with our neighbors to watch fireworks at a location very near our houses on July 3rd. I think we got the best seats in the house. With some careful maneuvering, our neighbor, Mike, got us into a very good parking spot where we were able to put the tailgate of his truck down, and watch fireworks with a pond as the foreground, and the full moon as the background.. it couldn't have been more perfect! So the waffle got to experience his first fireworks show; at least the sounds that go along with it!
Then on the fourth of July, we started the day fairly early. Jenny was gracious enough to take some maternity pictures for us! I wasn't sure I wanted maternity pictures at the beginning of all of this, but I am enjoying being pregnant, and wanted to document this time with some prettier pictures than the ones I take in the mirror :) So, as any good photographer would do, Jenny did some research on some awesome places to take pictures in the Austin area. We had a lot of fun doing it! She took a ton of photos, and there were so many that I turned out really good. Here a few of my favorites:
After maternity pics (could you tell it was 95 degrees outside?! Didn't think so!), we relaxed in the pool - I love feeling weightless - and then made our way to a fourth of July party hosted by CJ and Jenny's friends. They had a ton of delicious food (that I grazed on all night), and lots of good conversation. When it started to get dark, we also were given a great fireworks show! I swear it lasted close to 3 hours! It was awesome! And somehow, Simon slept through the whole thing, sleeping in his mama's arms! It was quite amazing, and so beautiful to see how comfortable he was being in Jenny's arms.. I can't wait to have that with Jack :)
The weekend after the fourth, our good friends Katie and Kevin came into town from Houston. This was our second annual Nowak/Cozzolino "fourth" of July get together. We made a plan last year to get together at least once a year, on the fourth. So, since the fourth was on a Wednesday this year, our get together had to wait until the 6th. We had a lot of fun showing them around Austin. We went to several different places Paul and I have never been to.. so we were all tourists together :) We promised to get to Houston sometime this fall or next spring, when it's not so miserably humid there, and maybe enjoy a little football or tailgating!
We had another baby shower and a doctor's appointment yesterday. The baby shower was put on by Paul's co-workers. We went to Bar Louie by Paul's work with all of his co-workers and some of their spouses. It was very nice to meet all of the new people.. now I can put a face with a name! I was so excited because Paul clued one of his co-workers in on the one thing left on our registry that I still really wanted, but didn't think we would actually receive. So, Paul's co-worker took the initiative and got everyone's money together, and got us our JOGGING STROLLER!!! I was so excited when they rolled it into the bar! It was decorated with flames down the side, a skull and a sign that said "Cozzmobile" on the front! The perfect gift from his co-workers! I am so excited to put Jack in there and start using it!
As for the doctor's appointment, I am still only dilated to 1-2cm, so no progression from last week. And the doctor was worried because she no longer felt the baby's head.. she said she thought she felt feet.. UH OH! Did Jack do a somersault, is he now breech?! Although our doctor had 4 women in labor at the time of our appointment (2 were at 10cm and ready to start pushing), she wanted to do another ultrasound to confirm that those were feet she felt. So she took us to another room for the ultrasound, and PHEW, must have been his hands! (Paul said Jack gave his first low-five that day to the doctor!) His head is still down, he's just higher up than he was last time. So, she told me to start walking more and being more active to get the contractions going to help Jack move down. We are happy that he is still head down, but he still has some progress to make in the next few weeks to get ready for delivery, so I'll try to keep you all updated!
Until next time:)
Monday, June 25, 2012
35 weeks and counting!
Sorry for the slacking on my end! We have been pretty busy.. but that's no excuse!! This post is going to be a long one, so bare with me :)
Since the last time I posted (May 7th.. sheesh!), a lot has happened. My best friend from high school, Abby, drove into Dallas from Denver with her new baby girl, Tyler, and her son, Owen, and her husband. So, Paul and I made it up to Dallas to spend a few hours with them before they made their trek back to Colorado. It was so good to see her. We hung out at Ashlee's house (my other best friend from high school), and it was as if we didn't miss a beat. Aside from the children running/crawling around, everything was as if we were back in high school spending a night together gossiping, laughing, and catching up! I really miss those girls!
So that following Sunday was mother's day. We were still in Dallas, so we got to celebrate with a brunch at my sister's house before heading back to the ATX (Austin, TX, for those of you not familiar!). And although I am not a mother YET, my sweet dad bought me a gift card to Bath and Body Works so I could pamper myself. He is always so thoughtful! And my wonderful husband surprised me with a new iPad!!! I didn't think I would get anything, since technically I am not a mother.. but an iPad, nonetheless! I told Paul he is setting the standards pretty high for years to come ;)
Since the last time I posted (May 7th.. sheesh!), a lot has happened. My best friend from high school, Abby, drove into Dallas from Denver with her new baby girl, Tyler, and her son, Owen, and her husband. So, Paul and I made it up to Dallas to spend a few hours with them before they made their trek back to Colorado. It was so good to see her. We hung out at Ashlee's house (my other best friend from high school), and it was as if we didn't miss a beat. Aside from the children running/crawling around, everything was as if we were back in high school spending a night together gossiping, laughing, and catching up! I really miss those girls!
We finally made our way back to Austin, and randomly, the next week, Paul ran into a friend of his who he played club soccer with in high school, Danny Grieco. They hadn't seen each other since their sophomore year in high school, and they happened to both be at a networking happy hour after work one evening. They ran into each other, and couldn't believe they were in the same city, much less the same networking event! Pretty cool to get back in contact with people you haven't seen in 10+ years (especially those you want to get back in contact with!).. Paul is now trying to recruit Danny to come play on his indoor team!
The following weekend, we went back to Dallas to attend a concert with (most of) my family. I love the Dave Matthews Band, have been a fan since middle school. So, my dad found out they were coming to town, and bought tickets for himself, my mom, my sister, Becca and her husband, Doug, and Paul and me. Although Paul is not a fan of Dave Matthews, he toughed it out because he knows how much I enjoy seeing his shows! We had such a good time! Before the show started, there were girls walking around with large signs that said something to the effect of "show me your VW car keys, and we will upgrade your tickets to the pit". Doug drives a VW, so I borrowed his keys and ran my pregnant butt over to those girls, and got the upgraded tickets! Now, I'm sure everyone was wondering why in the world a pregnant woman would want to be in the "pit".. but it is not the kind of pit where people get crazy. Basically we were standing 6 or 7 rows back from the stage.. it was awesome! And Jack really enjoyed his first concert!
So now we get to some "sad" or bittersweet news. Paul's truck is no longer working :( It is sad news because he has driven that truck all across this country (Texas to Florida and back, Texas to Seattle and back), and he has used that truck to do so many side jobs, that it has basically paid for itself. That little Ford Ranger did so much good for Paul (and me - that's the truck he was driving when he drove me to the Big Sur to propose!). So, it's a little bittersweet that the Ranger is on its way out. Although it is not a very comfortable ride for Bailey dog, she loves sitting in the front in between Paul and I on our many trips to Dallas! I think she will miss more than me!
It is tough being a one car family, but it is very nice to have company in the morning on the way to work! Even if we don't talk about anything, I like having a passenger. Paul and I rode to work together for about 2 weeks. And one Friday, I had a doctor's appointment. I had to have blood work done. They needed me to stick around for 3 hours, and draw my blood every hour on the hour for those 3 hours. It was pretty miserable (they were testing me for gestational diabetes - no worries, I passed). Anyway, I wasn't feeling very well after my first blood draw, so I went to my car, blasted the A/C, and laid my chair back to try to get some relief. As I was laying there, I felt my car get hit! So, I quickly sat up to see a truck drive away in my rear view mirror. I swung my door open, leaving the engine running and the door open, and ran after that truck! Luckily for me, he parked about 10 spots away in a handicap parking spot. I approached the man, who had a broken foot, and told him he hit my car. He didn't believe me, so I had him come take a look. He did not want to give me his insurance information, and told me he could fix it himself! I'm no fool! I got his insurance information, and my car is currently in the shop getting all fixed up! And, I barely made it back to the lab to have my second blood draw.. made it by 2 minutes!! So needless to say, these last few weeks have not been good weeks for the cars in the Cozzolino family!
June 9th we had our first shower!! It was a couple's shower at our neighbors' house, two doors down! Very convenient! We are so blessed to have found the friends that we have in the almost three years we have been here! Our shower was hosted by our neighbors, Mike and Christy, CJ and Jenny, Amanda and Trey (who we met through Mike and Christy), and Lindsey Mason, who we met through Amanda and Trey (we play soccer with her). It was such a wonderful shower. My aunts were able to make it, my cousin and his wife, and so many of our wonderful friends and co-workers. And Jack was blessed with so many wonderful gifts. We had the best time just being with everyone to celebrate the soon arrival of baby Jack.
The week after our couple's shower, Paul took the last two tests he needed to take to become a registered landscape architect. He has worked so hard to get to where he is now. He has already passed 3 of the 5 necessary tests, so now all that stands between him and being registered are these last two tests. I know he did great! I can't wait until all of his hard work pays off, and he gets that letter in his hand! He deserves it, and so much more!
We went back to Dallas the weekend of father's day.. June 15th. Paul had a bachelor party for one of his friends from high school, Colby, and I attend my best friend, Ashlee's, little boy's 1st birthday party. I don't know the details of the bachelor party, except they were on a lake, and Paul came back sunburned and in one piece :) But the birthday party for Judd was a good time! Again, I got to hang with Ashlee just like old times! We also played in the bounce house that was provided for the kiddos.. I say you're only as old as you act! So, we made good use of the bounce house before they came to take it down.
That Sunday was Father's Day. So, what did Paul get for father's day? I had to top the iPad, right? What better to top the iPad, than... drumroll... a new truck! Ok, maybe it wasn't for father's day.. he got it about a week earlier.. and it was definitely out of necessity with him not having a car, and a baby on the way, but we can say it was for father's day, right?! Paul deserved to get a new truck. He has been driving "hand me down" cars since he started driving (don't get me wrong, he LOVED the Ranger), but it was time that he got to pick a car, or truck rather, that he truly wanted. I am so happy he got the truck of his dreams! He keeps telling everyone he's fallen in love 3 times; me, Bailey, and now his truck ;) Now number 4 is on his way!
I think that about sums up the last two months of our lives! We are 35 weeks and 4 days. We have our last ultrasound on Wednesday, June 27th. After this appointment, we will go in to see the doctor once every week until baby Jack makes his appearance! We cannot wait to meet this little guy! I had a dream about him last night. I saw his face and everything.. but of course I couldn't remember it this morning! We also go to Dallas, again, this weekend for another shower! We're hoping he doesn't decide to make his appearance before then, or even while we are in Dallas! We'll keep you all posted!
Love to you all!
Monday, May 7, 2012
Third trimester.. the homestretch!
In my haste to get the Easter blog posted (and with the internet acting up and my computer freezing, etc., etc.), I realize that I wrote nothing about the awesome Easter meal we had with the Cozzolino family! It was such an exciting Easter this year because Declan and Ellie actually got to "hunt" for their Easter boxes! And the excitement they showed when they would find their treasures was just awesome!
We had the traditional Polish food that we eat at Easter time, then, I was introduced to the bunny cake (that was later shared at the Lief family Easter). I don't know how, in the almost 10 years that Paul and I have been together, I have NEVER seen or even heard of this incredible bunny cake! First of all, it looks like a real bunny.. and was DELICIOUS! Now, Nancy's spice cake is my favorite of the cakes she makes, but the bunny cake is a close second! And, of course I erased the pictures I took of it :(
After the excitement of the hunt and the delicious cake, we got to sit outside and watch Declan and Ellie play with all of their new toys that the Easter Bunny brought. Unfortunately Simon was napping.. but it's so exciting to thing that next year, the little waffle will be out there with his cousins!! Hanging outside with the family and watching the kids enjoy their new toys was probably my favorite part of the day!
It's on her nose, ears, both sides, and on her tail, too! She looks so ashamed.. it's probably because I could not stop laughing hysterically! I love that puppy dog! Oh, and just for future reference (in case you are ever in this situation) just a simple bath does not remove the latex paint from dog hair! It took a lot more work than that!
So, Bailey voted for the blue, and that's what we put on the walls!
Oh, and here's our little waffle's bedding, too! We wanted something that didn't have too much of a "cartoon" look. So this is what we came up with! I can't wait to get some decorations up on the wall so we can break up the blue a little bit. Of course, right after we finished painting, I told Paul I didn't like the color.. he told me to sit on it a few days. I still don't LOVE it, but I think once we get some decorations up, it will be much better :)
For those who have not heard, we have pretty much decided on a name (but being how indecisive I have been throughout this entire pregnancy, in my mind, it could change any day)! So, as of today, we have decided to name our little waffle Jackson Lief Cozzolino. Because I am (was) the "last" Lief (we have no males in our family to pass the name on), Paul and I wanted it to continue (because let's face it, it's a pretty awesome last name;)), so we decided to use it as our little man's middle name. Jackson will be shortened into Jack, but we just thought Jackson flowed better with Lief being the middle name. So, this is a little project I found on pinterest.com. Not sure where we will put it yet, but, I'm sure it will help me with breaking up all the blue in Jack's room!
Sorry, this post is so long.. apparently a lot has happened since the last post.. and I'm sitting here during a fantastic thunder storm while Paul is at an event for work. I love rain!
Here is a picture of Paul and I from a wedding we went to a few weekends ago. It was Paul's good friend from high school, Damon. He got married in Austin; how convenient for us! We had such a good time at the wedding. We got to see a lot of people we haven't seen in a long time. A few of Paul's friends have moved out of state, so we were able to see them, as well as some people we rarely get to see who live in Dallas. Overall, it was a very fun weekend!
We had the traditional Polish food that we eat at Easter time, then, I was introduced to the bunny cake (that was later shared at the Lief family Easter). I don't know how, in the almost 10 years that Paul and I have been together, I have NEVER seen or even heard of this incredible bunny cake! First of all, it looks like a real bunny.. and was DELICIOUS! Now, Nancy's spice cake is my favorite of the cakes she makes, but the bunny cake is a close second! And, of course I erased the pictures I took of it :(
After the excitement of the hunt and the delicious cake, we got to sit outside and watch Declan and Ellie play with all of their new toys that the Easter Bunny brought. Unfortunately Simon was napping.. but it's so exciting to thing that next year, the little waffle will be out there with his cousins!! Hanging outside with the family and watching the kids enjoy their new toys was probably my favorite part of the day!
We are 28 weeks now! This means we are in our 3rd and final trimester! So much closer to meeting our little waffle! We finally picked a color for the nursery, and Bailey is in complete agreement! I'm sure you are wondering how we know what color Bailey likes.. dogs are color blind, right?!
Well, we went to Home Depot and brought home two jars of sample paint because we couldn't decide which we liked in the store. So, we bought two pieces of poster board and painted each with the colors we were debating. Then we hung them on the wall to decide. I decided to do the painting of the poster board outside, because anyone who has ever painted with me knows I'm not the neatest painter! I painted the poster board in the grass in the backyard. Bailey was outside with me, and I thought nothing of it. So I brought my masterpieces inside to dry, and left Bailey outside to enjoy the beautiful day. About 20 minutes later she was at the backdoor waiting to come inside. I let her inside, she walked by me, and I couldn't help but crack up!! She had BLUE paint all over her!
So, Bailey voted for the blue, and that's what we put on the walls!
Oh, and here's our little waffle's bedding, too! We wanted something that didn't have too much of a "cartoon" look. So this is what we came up with! I can't wait to get some decorations up on the wall so we can break up the blue a little bit. Of course, right after we finished painting, I told Paul I didn't like the color.. he told me to sit on it a few days. I still don't LOVE it, but I think once we get some decorations up, it will be much better :)
For those who have not heard, we have pretty much decided on a name (but being how indecisive I have been throughout this entire pregnancy, in my mind, it could change any day)! So, as of today, we have decided to name our little waffle Jackson Lief Cozzolino. Because I am (was) the "last" Lief (we have no males in our family to pass the name on), Paul and I wanted it to continue (because let's face it, it's a pretty awesome last name;)), so we decided to use it as our little man's middle name. Jackson will be shortened into Jack, but we just thought Jackson flowed better with Lief being the middle name. So, this is a little project I found on pinterest.com. Not sure where we will put it yet, but, I'm sure it will help me with breaking up all the blue in Jack's room!
Here is a picture of Paul and I from a wedding we went to a few weekends ago. It was Paul's good friend from high school, Damon. He got married in Austin; how convenient for us! We had such a good time at the wedding. We got to see a lot of people we haven't seen in a long time. A few of Paul's friends have moved out of state, so we were able to see them, as well as some people we rarely get to see who live in Dallas. Overall, it was a very fun weekend!
Kinda blurry, but you get the idea :)
Since it has been a little while, here are a few "belly" pics. I took them this morning before work.. so, yes, I have a black tank top on that I wear under my scrubs! At least I keep it consistent!
Front Shot
Side shot
Currently Paul is working on building a work bench in the garage. He bought a table saw when we put in the new floors.. and has so many other projects he wants to do..but nowhere to build them! So, here is a shot of one of the cuts he made to start the construction of his work bench!
He was very proud because it is the first cut he has made of its kind (there's a name for it, but I can't remember what he called it). I can't wait to see what else he can build! It's incredible all of the things he has been able to do around the house! I am so proud of him! (Beware, sappy, pregnancy, hormonal passage starts now) It's amazing what he can do when he puts his mind to it! He decided he was going to put in floors; he did (with help from CJ and Jenny, of course). He decided he was going to build some stairs; he did. My air conditioning in my car started acting up, he figured it out. There are so many things that he decides he wants to do, and he will do anything to figure out how it's done. He is such a talented guy.. I am so lucky to have him for the rest of my life, and am so lucky to be carrying his child. Thank you, Nancy and Cliff, for raising such an amazing man! I can't wait to see what the future holds for our little family!
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Easter
We are now 25 weeks! Time is moving right along! Not a lot has happened since the last update.. We had a doctor's appointment, and the doctor said everything is as it should be! Couldn't be happier about that! Our due date is still July 27th!
We did make it back to Dallas for Easter. Paul had to work on Good Friday, so I headed back on Thursday by myself. Friday was such a special day for me! My niece, Payton, turned 7 on the Thursday before Easter. Although, I wasn't able to make it to her dinner, we did get to spend the whole day together on Friday! (You can see Connor in the backseat!)
After Payton got her nails done, we went with m mom and Connor to see Mirror, Mirror. For those of you who don't know, it is a spin off of Snow White. It was so much fun getting to spend the day together.
That night Payton and Connor go tot have a sleep over at Mimi and Pop's house! And Uncle Paul showed up just in time to have a little fun in the back yard before going to bed! He made a make-shift butterfly catcher, and Payton made a little habitat for the butterflies to live in for a little while.
On Easter Sunday, we got to celebrate Payton's birthday with LOTS of cake! We had ice cream cake, bunny cake, better than
For all of you who are asking, here is an updated belly photo. Baby is about 1.5 lbs. and moving soo much!! Paul gets to feel him move all the time now! And, yes I know I ALWAYS have a black tank top on in these pictures.. it's usually because I just got off of work, and I always wear a black or white tank under my scrubs! I swear I have more clothes than what you see here :)
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