Reflections

Okay, I'm stealing this idea from Lindsey...but our memories are different...so I hope she doesn't mind!!

As I am relaxing (finally) on my couch tonight, with my new computer (yeah!!) in my lap I find myself typing on the blog...and typing and typing and typing.  Once I finished, I went to check up on Ella's blog (even though we just had dinner with Matt, Lindsey and Ella tonight!).  After reading Lindsey's memories of 2008 I wondered what I would recall....so here goes!

2008

January

My parents and grandparents came to Mt Pleasant to celebrate my Nannie's 81st birthday.  The remainder of the month seems to be a blur!  I know I had a baby shower at Aunt Gails and at my church...and we got lots of stuff...which now I am wondering where I will store!!

February

 A very pregnant me went to the Duke game in the Dean Dome and I was miserable - I have a certain way I lean my elbows on my knees to watch basketball games and I was not able to get my elbows to my knees!  

Chad and I start our childbirth classes.

Also, a very pregnant me, with swelling and hypertension, was told I could not be a bridesmaid in my friend Holly's wedding...we were all so sad...until the day before I got the ALL CLEAR!  Chad and I made our final road trip "pre-Payton" to celebrate at Holly's wedding in Winston.  It was a wonderful day...in my black, sequined, size 10 flips flops (the only shoes that would fit...I wore them for the next 4 weeks!)

March

The waiting begins!  Payton's nursery is finished up with new furniture, the crib my dad built, and the monkey on the wall.

We watch UNC games from home with Andrew and Laura because I'm far to pregnant to travel!

I decide that if I have Payton before March 7th (due March 24th) we could travel the the Final Four...thankfully we didn't waste our money!

I continue to swell and swell and swell....and swell!

We celebrate Easter at First UMC and then have brunch at Poogan's Poorch - a lady, wearing an Easter hat, is delighted to hear that I will be having a "native Charlestonian"

March 24th 7:00 - I'm induced...we wait and wait and wait

March 25th 12:23 AM Payton arrives via C-Section...our lives are forever changed!

Payton wears his first UNC outfit in the hospital

April

We lose to Kansas

We start adapting to life with a newborn

May

Our first road trip with Payton - which included one night in Myrtle Beach, one night in Wilmington, and two nights in Chapel Hill for CJ and Leslie's wedding

Travel home for Mother's Day and my Nannie finally meets Payton.  The rest of our family meets him too!

We have visitors for Memorial Day and take Payton to the beach.

I start infant massage class and meet Lindsey and Ella..thank goodness!!

June

We travel home for Cole's graduation and our family sees Payton again.

Happy Father's Day!

June 21st - I turn 27

The last weekend in June we had to leave Payton with Chad's sister, Chandra and Carson while we traveled to Kansas City for Jonathan and Hilary's wedding.  First experience traveling with breast milk!

After the wedding, we head to OIB for the 4th

July

4th with the family at OIB

My Grandmother gets sick and quickly passes away.  Cherie watches Payton for several days so I can attempt to mentally and physically handle the events that had occurred.

I have to start back to work at MUSC, I have also taken a job as a school nurse

Lindsey has picked a wonderful Nanny - Cindyrella!  We are blessed to have her to watch our children

August

Chad turns 30 and I pull off a BIG surprise party

We have our first babysitter

Chad's family travels to see us for a long weekend

I start my job as a school nurse - I have every Friday off to spend time with Payton

Payton is christened at Mt Pleasant UMC in Sherrills Ford

September - October

We travel to Chapel Hill for the Va Tech and Notre Dame game, Payton LOVES his first trip to Chapel Hill

We have an adorable lobster and take a trip to the pumpkin patch

We start to settle into our new routine...I guess! 

Payton has 4 teeth and is eating baby food.  

November

Chad and I travel to Maui with Chandra, Allen, Calyn, Carson while our parents share Payton for the week.

We start getting ready for Christmas and start our new holiday traditions.

December

So many memories of Payton's first Christmas!  Picking our tree, the Holiday Festival of lights, decorating, listening to him babble more and more each day, traveling to see family, watching Payton interact with everyone and seeing him walk walk walk behind his new toy!

My favorite memories involve Payton and I will cherish so many of those memories forever!  I love this age....but maybe I'll say that again next year.  It is so exciting to watch him grow and change every day.  There is a new sight, sound, or smell for him to learn from everyday.  I will never forget holding him for the first time, seeing Chad hold him for the first time, holding him in the hospital while he stayed awake for the entire UNC game, seeing his first smile, P Mo, watching him learn to roll over on the beach in his tent, seeing him reach to Bailey for the first time, hearing his little cackle...I could listen to him laugh for hours!...Bailey licking him in the face, watching him jump and jump and jump, seeing my grandmother's face and the excitement in it as she held him, bath time, cuddling time, Friday and Saturday mornings when we let him snuggle in the bed with us, smiling at the sight of my face, smiling with two buck teeth, flirting, learning to crawl and really picking up the speed and now seeing him as he is learning to walk and explore all his new toys.  He still loves Bailey.  He definitely knows who MaMa and DaDa are and he has started clinging to us at times.  His Santa hat.  Some days I wish I could freeze him and hold on to my little baby forever...but then I realized I would miss the excitement of my little toddler!   So many memories...I know I will cherish them always!  2009 will be another wonderful year with my little man!