She's here!

Russell and I are over the moon to introduce you to our little girl...Ella Marie.  She made her debut on October 12, 2010 at 9:03pm.  She weighed in at 8 pounds 4 ounces and was 21 inches long.  She is so beautiful and has filled our lives with more love and excitement than we could have ever imagined.  The labor and delivery went great and our hospital stay was wonderful. We were able to bring Ella home on Thursday, October 14.  My mom stayed with us for about two weeks which was a huge help for me.  Ella is so blessed to be surrounded by so many people who love her.  She is growing like a weed and changing everyday!  We have been to the doctors for our 1 and 2 week appointments.  He says she is healthy and growing beautifully.  She has quite the appetite which keeps mommy on her toes!  Daddy has jumped right in with both feet and is such a huge help. Ella just adores him. Thank you to everyone who sent gifts, flowers, cards and prayers to welcome Ella.  We truly appreciate your love and thoughtfulness.  Below are some pictures from the hospital and our journey home. 

Week 40 Belly Pic

Well, here is the final belly pic.   I am 40 weeks and anxiously awaiting the arrival of our little girl. Hope you have enjoyed the journey as much as I have.

Week 39

We had an appointment last Thursday and no new news to report. Baby Pea is still not ready to make her debut.  Her heartbeat was 134 this week and the doctor said it sounds great.  Dr. Geier also told us if  she isn't here by my due date of October 11 then we will start seeing her twice a week to make sure things are still okay in there.  We have our next appointment scheduled for October 12.  They will do a non-stress test of the baby and an ultrasound.  I will let you know how things go.

Week 38 Update

I had my 38 week appointment yesterday and Baby Pea is still not ready to make her debut.  My doctor said she is happy right where she is now.  I am still walking and we are patiently waiting. My belly is measuring right on and my blood pressure continues to be good.  As for Baby Pea, she is still head down and active as ever.  Her heartbeat was 156 and hard to find at first since she was on the move! I feel great and are busy doing last minute things.  I will check back after my next appointment unless she decides to surprise us!

Week 37 and counting....

I wanted to give you the latest on our progress.  My blood pressure was great and my Group B test came back negative which is great!!!  I am measuring right on track and she is still extremely active even though space is becoming limited.  Baby Pea's heartbeat sounded wonderful and was 156.  There are still no signs of labor so my doctor has asked me to start walking more regularly to see if we can get things going. My next appointment is Wednesday, so I will check back  with everyone then.  Please be praying for a smooth labor and delivery of our little girl!

Charleston Baby Shower

On 2 September, some of the girls I've met gave me a shower in honor of Baby Pea. It was so thoughtful and I felt so blessed. These ladies have made me feel so special and accepted since day one. I am honored to call them friends and so happy to be sharing this special time with such wonderful women. Thanks girls, y'all are the BEST!

Belly Pic 34 weeks

Baby Pea update week 36

Well, it is hard to believe but we only have about 4 weeks left until we meet our precious little girl. Russell and I are over the moon with excitement. The nursery is coming along slowly but surely. We are still waiting on a few pieces of furniture and pray it will be here before she arrives. My doctor's appointment on 13 Sept. went great! My blood pressure is fantastic and my belly is measuring right where it's suppose to be. Baby Pea is very active in spite of the lack of room! She seems to be a morning person just like her daddy! I go every week from this point on, so I will keep you posted on our progress. Please be praying for a smooth labor and delivery!

The Little Blue Box

I am married to the most amazing man! He surprised me with the little blue box and white ribbon every girl dreams of receiving. I am so blessed for so many reasons. Thanks my love for making me feel so special!

Showered with love and so much more!

August 14, my mom gave me the most beautiful baby shower. She put so much thought into each and every detail...starting at the wreath on the front door, to the bassinet for presents, to the storybooks I'm sure to read Baby Pea, down to the delicious food and the cupcakes which were so yummy! I was surrounded by all the people I hold dear to my heart. It was PERFECT in every way. I am so blessed to have such an amazing mom and hope I can be the same to my precious little girl. Thanks mom for making me feel so special and loved!

Our trip to New Orleans

Russell had a business trip to New Orleans and asked if I wanted to tag along. One of the families we hung out with while in Germany just moved there, so we were able to spend some time with them too. We walked around downtown and enjoyed a nice dinner at the Rib Room. We stayed at this old hotel called The Columns in the Garden District. We tried to leave a day early when tropical storm Danielle threatened to hit New Orleans, but couldn't get a flight. Luckily, she diminished and we just had some strong thunderstorms. I was a little worried seeing how we were suppose to be at my baby shower in Florida on Friday. Needless to say, it all worked out. Here are a few pictures from our trip.

Chattanooga Here We Come!

Russell and I went to Chattanooga, Tennessee to visit the Emery Family at the end of July! We had a blast. We hung out and caught up over some yummy burgers and sausages! Downtown was great and we stopped off for some ice cream at their favorite spot...Clumpies. Boy was it delicious! Russell and I really enjoyed hanging out and it was hard to say goodbye, but we will be seeing them again once Baby Pea arrives! Here are a few pictures of our friends!

Week 27 Belly Picture

Here are the latest pictures of my belly. I am 27 weeks and my growth is right on track. My belly bump is definitely growing, but it is so exciting to know a precious little girl is in there. We can't wait to meet her!

Romantic Getaway

Russell and I went to Sea Island for a romantic getaway. What a gorgeous place! We walked on the beach one night and ate some yummy food. Another day was spent lounging by the pool and eating a fancy dinner which was wonderful! Finally, we spent a day being pampered at the spa with a couples massage followed by a soak in the whirlpool. It was absolute heaven. Just nice to be away and have some much needed time with each other away from the craziness. The time away always seems too short! I am sure we will be back again since it ranks as one of our favorite places

Latest on Baby Pea

On 2 July, I went for my week 25 appointment. I have started seeing other doctors in the practice in order to get acquainted in case they are on call when Baby Pea makes her debut. This week I met with Dr. Hammond and she was great! I am right on track and my blood pressure was wonderful! I also had my glucose and anemia test which both came back normal...what a relief! Baby Pea is very active these days and often wakes me up at night with her kickboxing practice. She also seems to be a morning person which she clearly gets from her daddy. Sleep is becoming more difficult but I guess that is prep for what is to come! We have managed to paint her room which I love! We are in the process of getting registered and preparing her room. I can' t believe all the things there is to do, but I am enjoying every moment. We are getting very excited and can't believe how fast the time is going. She will be here before we know it...YEAH! More updates to come along with the most recent belly pic..stay tuned.

Baby Thurston is a ???

Russell and I are excited to say that our little bundle of joy is a...

GIRL!!!

Baby update

On June 1, Russell and I went in for my 20 week ultrasound(but I was really 21 weeks). My first ultrasound was at 10 weeks, so it has been a while since we've seen our little baby. It was quite exciting, but kind of nerve racking as well. The 20 week ultrasound is a diagnostic one, so they are looking for abnormalities, etc. Karen was our sonographer and she was wonderful. It lasted about an hour and baby cooperated the whole time. Baby Thurston is healthy and developing perfectly! The baby weighed 14 ounces and the heartbeat was 153bpm. Below are a couple of the ultrasound pictures of our little bundle of joy!

Profile picture

Picture of the heart with heartbeat

Belly Pic #3

Well, here is my most recent belly pic. I am 21 weeks and my belly is growing like a weed. Hope you enjoy!

Belly Picture #2

Here is another belly pic at week 16. Not much of a difference but keep checking back!

A Weekend with Family

Russell's parents stayed with us on their way to Virginia to visit his grandma. We had a great time visiting Fort Sumter and the USS Yorktown. As an added bonus, the Blue Angels were in town so we sat on a dock and watched the show over Charleston Harbor. The weather was beautiful and we were blessed to share it with great company!

Belly Picture #1

Well here it is...a picture of my belly at week 13. Not much to see but I am sure that will change soon enough. Stay tuned for more!

Isabel's "2nd" Birthday

My niece Isabel turned two on March 21. In order to celebrate, her parents gave her a party starring her favorite character Minnie! It was great and full of excitement including bounce houses, a jungle gym, ball pit, pinata, and Minnie herself was there. What more could a child ask for? I can't believe she is already two...boy time flies. She was precious as usual and I am so glad I was able to celebrate with her this year! Hugs and kisses Love bug!

Mom's "60th" Surprise Birthday Party

We surprised mom for her birthday by getting some friends and family together to celebrate this milestone. The party turned out great and mom was surprised and excited to see old friends. It was the least we could do for such an amazing mom!

We're Having a Baby!!

On February 5, 2010, I learned that we were expecting our first child. It was so exciting and felt almost surreal. When I learned of the news, Russell was on a business trip in Tampa and was due home for one night before he left again for Germany. I kept praying that those plans wouldn't change because I wasn't sure I could keep that secret for a week and a half until he made it home again. Needless to say it all worked out! We feel so blessed and can't wait to start this new chapter in our lives.

Grandma Lily's "90th" Birthday/Family Reunion

The first weekend in October, Russell and I drove up with the rest of the family to Virginia for his grandmother's birthday/family reunion. It was so nice to meet his grandmother and other family members for the first time. I could finally put a name with a face! We had a blast and I loved to see and learn about his family roots. Here is a picture of us on grandma's front porch.

Disney World Here We Come

Around Thanksgiving time, Russell and I drove down to Florida to join the family at Disney. It had been years since we had been there and looked forward to being a kid again! The first night we went to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Parade which was a lot of fun and something we have never experienced before. The following day we went to Animal Kingdom and revisited the Magic Kingdom one last time for good measure! We had a blast and closed out our weekend with lunch at T-Rex at Downtown Disney. It was so much fun to be with family!

Great Times with Wonderful Friends

Russell and I were greeted by our friends Becky, Eric, Evan, Lynn, Nick and little "Nicky" about a week after our arrival in Charleston. They rented a beach house on Isle of Palms so we spent the week catching up and enjoying the Charleston weather. It was a blast to cook out, head to the beach, swim in the pool and just hang out with friends we haven't seen in a long time. Thanks so much for making the trip...we loved you being here with us and look forward to the next adventure!