Addie's Nursery

Well, I know that I was supposed to put these pictures up as we prepared for Addie's arrival, but... well... you know the story. :)  We do things a little out of order around here. :)

 

I absolutely love how her room came together... it's just like I pictured it in my head when I was planning--even before I knew for sure she was a little girl. :)

Here is the before:

Yes, this was the junk room. :)  When we got married, we decided not to decorate this room (obviously) since it would eventually become the nursery.  This picture was actually taken on January 1... just a couple of weeks before she was born.  It looked exactly like this on the day I came home from the hospital. :)

Once we finally got the room cleared, it was time to paint!  Here we are after a long day at the hospital... good times.

This pink looked REALLY pink at first, but it is much better now that we have furniture and decorations!  Warren and Eric worked one day to put the crown molding and chair rail, too!  I love it!

This was on her door at the hospital, and now it's on the door to her room.

Here is what you see when you come into the room.  That little hamper is usually always full. :)

This diaper station will be her dresser when she gets older.  Love it!  We found the mirror and shelves at Hobby Lobby (1/2 off, of course! :), and the rocker was my Mama's.  My Daddy refurbished it for us... they rocked Trae and me, and now we get to rock our babies. :)

This bookcase was a nice addition and will hold lots of Addie goodies through the years. :)

Here is her bed. :)  She has slept in it since about the third day she came home. She stayed in her bassinet in our room for a few nights, but she's easily adjusted to her bed. :)

Probably my favorite part of the room... I couldn't find a font I liked for these letters (and all of the ones I wanted to order were too expensive), so I wrote out the letters and my Daddy cut them out for me!  Add the bows and voila! :)

This side of the room is not quite finished... Eric is going to build Addie a toy chest for that corner, and we're in the process of finishing her "bow holder" to go on the wall by the calendar.

Here is a shadow box with some things from the NICU... her first outfit, hat, bottle, etc. I think this will be great to have to show people just how far Addie has come!  It's hard to imagine how small she was unless you actually see this stuff!

One more pic of her bedding!  I saw this set when I first found out I was pregnant!  It was like $600 and I was NOT paying that much... but I loved it!  I ended up searching and searching and found another one that I could settle for, but this one was still my favorite!  One day back in December, we were going to order our second choice and Eric said, "Just search for the Abigail bedding and see if you can find it cheaper."  Lo and behold, we found one set that was less than half the original price!  Score!  I ordered it right then, and I love it just as much today as I did then! :)

Ok, that is all!  There are a few things left to do, and since I'm going back to work on Monday, I don't know when they'll get finished. :)  Maybe this summer?!

Wordless Wednesday :)

Walk for Babies :)

No one ever imagines they will give birth prematurely.  No one.

No one ever imagines the trials and tribulations that families endure as a result of premature birth.

No one plans to have her child whisked away from her as soon as she is born... only to see a picture of her sweet, fragile, tiny body on a big ole cold scale.

No one plans to see her child for the very first time like this.

No one plans to see these numbers on the baby scale.

No one plans to have a preemie.

We certainly didn't.

...but the good news is this:

Parents of preemies quickly realize how many people are trained to care for their children.

They realize how many people support you during the unplanned times in life.

They realize that doctors and nurses everywhere perform miracles everyday.

They realize that thousands of people donate time and money in hopes that one day all babies will be born healthy.  

Now, you must know that I've been completely overwhelmed these past three months when it comes to the support and prayers that Eric, Addie, and I have received... and I was again just overwhelmed (in a GREAT way) this past Sunday when we attended the March of Dimes walk at Centennial Park in Nashville.  There were thousands of people there to raise money and awareness for babies just like my Addie!  It touched me in such an amazing way... It was a comfort to see other families who had experienced what we had... and many families who had experienced much more.  I didn't know a soul there (except the nurses from Baptist NICU) but I felt completely at home.  It was weird.  It was almost like I felt like I was part of a new club or something... sounds crazy, I know.

Ok, I'm rambling.  All of that to say that I was touched and I'm looking forward to having "Team Addie" next year to raise money so that doctors and scientists can continue in their quest to make sure that all babies are born healthy. :)  It will be a fun tradition for our family!  I think it will be a great way for Addie to let God use her and her story. :) Just think... maybe one day there will be a way to detect infections early on in moms-to-be and a way to stop the baby from coming early.  How amazing would that be?! :)

Here are some pics from our day at the walk... the weather was ridiculously gorgeous!  (Sorry about the quality of these pics... we drove off without our camera.  We were sick when we realized it!  We are trying to get the hang of this whole parenting thing.. :)  Ah, well, thank goodness for camera phones!)

  My little star! :)  We got these shades at a shower a few weeks back, and I was so glad Eric grabbed them as we left!  They were a little big but perfect for keeping the sun out of her eyes.  Plus, they totally matched her sweet outfit!  Bonus! :)

Mommy and her little miracle :)

Daddy and his baby doll :)

It was SO great to see Nurse Carly!  Addie was a complete angel for her... I like to think she recognized her. :)

One more pic of my angel... :)

So, thank you to all who have ever supported the March of Dimes!  If you ever see those little tubs in stores asking for spare change or if you're asked to make a donation, take time to spare a few bucks for preemies... for little Addies everywhere. :)

Happy 3 months, Addie! :)

It's hard to believe that we just passed Addie's due date (April 12), and she is 3 months old already!  She is the light of our lives (obviously), and we can't imagine life without her!  Here are her stats and some info about our 3 month old:

-Weight: 6 pounds, 11 ounces

-Length: 20 1/4 inches
-Clothes size: some preemie, mostly newborn :) 

-She is eating only Mommy's milk... she took formula for a little while to gain weight, but the doc said no more formula!  Hooray!  That stuff was not her favorite...

-Addie sleeps most of the time.  We keep her awake as much as we can during the day, but the girl just likes to sleep. :)

-She eats, on average, about every 4 hours.  Sometimes it's sooner; sometimes it's later. :)  She is taking a lot more milk than she used to, so she's full a little longer which is very nice for Mommy and Daddy. :)

-Addie is a cuddle bug!  You'll never hear any complaints from us!  We waited a long time to cuddle with her, so we love every minute!  We do put her down in her bed a good bit so she knows how to sleep in there... she's getting much better at putting herself to sleep. 

-Addie loves her playmat, her paci (only when she's hungry and waiting for her bottle to heat), simethicone (gas drops) :), riding in the car, the sound machine ("the beach"), and the vibrating seat.  We've started watching Baby Einstein videos, and we can tell that she is focusing a lot more lately!  She loves the music and bright colors. :)

-Addie is a social butterfly!  She is very sweet to anyone who holds her... she just curls up and falls asleep!  Taking her places is usually a breeze!  I think the sounds from the NICU helped her tolerate more sound outside of the hospital!  Those thousands of insurance dollars were well spent. Thank you, Consociate and BCBST! :) ha

-She has stolen the hearts of her Mommy and Daddy.  I tell you what... I cannot imagine my life without that little girl.  Although it is sometimes very hard to get out of bed for the thousandth time in the middle of the night, as soon as we see her sweet face, the frustration goes away.  It is the most amazing feeling to know how much she needs us.  I know that won't last forever, so I am relishing every second. :)

Ok, here are some of her 3 month pictures:

 

 In her Daddy's hands :) My fave thing about this one is her miniature booty!  We worked long and hard for that little thing! :)

Love her little bow... her Mommy is slowly converting her Daddy into a fan of bows!

Cutie booty!  Thanks Aunt Azzie and Uncle Adam for my bloomers!

This is one of my favorites... makes me tear up! :) Addie sleeps with her little hands under her face quite a bit. :)


Addie,
We just love you!  You make each day so much fun!  We are very proud that God chose us to be your parents, and we can't wait to see what He has in store for you. :)
Much love,
Mommy and Daddy

Beach Baby :)

My sweet baby took her first trip to the beach today!  The weather was absolutely gorgeous!  We've been in Mississippi since Sunday, and we are loving our first official family vacation! :)  Here are some shots from our photo shoot today:

Even though it was pretty windy, Addie did really well at the beach!

Blue water in the Sip?  I think not.

I heart photo shop. :)

First dip in the Gulf of Mexico :)

Bathing beauty :)

So sweet.  I can't get enough of those cheeks!

Wittle toes in the sand :)

Family pic :)

Looking at these shows me just how blessed I am... Wow. :)

My two favorite girls :)

As soon as I looked at those new changing table pictures of Addie, I knew there was one similar of Abbie when she was a baby.  Amber found it, so I thought I would show you:

Abbie :)

Addie :)

Happy Easter!

...from our family to yours!

We have so much to be thankful for this Easter, but nothing can ever match the amazing gift we have in Christ!  We hope this Easter season finds you happy, healthy, and in awe of God's beautiful creation!

Love,

Eric, Johnell, and Addie