The Justices

The More I Try

2009-08-07T12:01:00.002-05:00

Posted by: Cory

Seems like the more I try to find time to give updates, the less time there is. The "weekish" I mentioned in the last post turned out to be "monthish", although it doesn't seem that way to me. A few days ago I was thinking that I really need to update the blog because it's been almost 2 weeks since I did the "Coming Soon" post. I went back and looked at the date I wrote the Coming Soon post and it had been a month. I was thinking about 2 weeks, when in actuality it was a month. Just goes to show the time perspective of a parent, I guess.

Another reason I haven't given an update is because I can never remember to bring the memory card with me to work, and I didn't want to post an update without the photos to go with it, which is why this post isn't an Eli update.

We cancelled our home phone and internet to cut back on costs, and the only place I have internet access is at work. I usually post updates on my lunch break, but haven't even had time to do that here lately. I may just take some time this weekend to write the update in Word at home and upload it all next week. Then again, the more I plan to make time, the less likely it is to happen; so maybe I should say I won't write an update this weekend. Maybe if I don't plan to do it, it'll happen. We'll see....

Coming Soon...

2009-07-07T13:15:00.003-05:00

Posted by: Cory

Over the past couple weeks, I've had a few people request a blog update. This post it to let you know that several months worth of recap is coming soon. I know some of you are tired of seeing the Easter Bunny photo and really want an update. I plan on starting the recaps within the next week-ish. And those working parents know how limited time is. Your patience is greatly appreciated.

I plan on picking up right where the last post left off, so there's plenty to post and more photos to come.

Thanks!

Almost 3 Months!

2009-05-15T12:30:00.004-05:00

Posted by: Cory

Wow...it's been over a month since my last post. I've been slacking, I know. But it seems that spare time doesn't exist anymore. Time itself seems to have no meaning anymore. The weekends have become the only time to do the things that can't get done during the week (i.e. cleaning, laundry, dishes, cleaning some more, and maybe rest a little), which means the word "weekend" has been redefined and often doesn't reflect a time of "whatever we want to do" that it once did. Pre-Eli I can remember weekends where we would still clean some (did a lot of it during the week), but still have plenty of time to catch up on shows we had DVR'd (aka Tivo'd), or watch a movie, get out of the house for a while and go wherever. Clara would watch some of her shows in our bedroom while I would rock some PS3 for a couple hours. Fast forward to present day - Clara hasn't watched tv in our bedroom and I haven't even picked up the PS3 controller in months! I guess I say all that to say, if we don't have time/energy for leisure things, then the blog gets neglected, too. You who are parents know how it is.

People warn you...well, maybe "warn" isn't the appropriate word...people inform you that having a baby changes everything. When I heard that, I knew life would change, but you really don't know, truly know, the extent of the change until it happens. True there are times I really miss PS3, but our priority list has a new #1. Not only does Eli have to be top priority, we want him to be. I'd much rather play with him than PS3. And all this change isn't a bad change...it's just a change from what we've been used to for the past 2 years we've been married. And most definitely different than college days!

Now, on to Eli:
He's growing like crazy! A month or so ago he slept about 6 1/2 hours and we thought that was very nice. Then he broke that record a few weeks ago with 7 1/2 hours. Last night he shattered that record...8 1/2 hours of straight sleep. Granted he was exhausted from little to no sleep that day, but still. His average is about 6 1/2 hours. We consider ourselves very lucky and blessed parents.

There was also a first the other night as I was laying him in his crib. The way he likes to be held when we're getting him to sleep is tummy to tummy with this arms and legs straddling our arms as if he's lying on his side. Apparently that's how he wanted to be even after I laid him on his tummy in his crib because he started pulling his legs up under him then doing a kicking motion. I called Clara into the room to watch. Suddenly he used his left leg as a kick stand and rolled himself onto his side. We just stood there with a look of impressed surprise.

He'll be 3 months on Sunday! We'll blink and he'll be 3 years (prob with a sibling here or on the way).

I've got several more photos to upload, but that will have to be later...hopefully not a month later.

Eli & The Easter Bunny...and more

2009-04-09T19:31:00.000-05:00

Posted by: Cory

Notice: New slideshow posted!

Yes, I know it's been forever since I've posted, and I felt bad about it until I thought, "Nothing really major has happened over the past few weeks. And what we consider 'major', other people might not." which is why I haven't posted. But when there's no time and no energy to do anything but breathe after taking care of Eli, posting every single week gets a little much...at least for now. Anyway...on to the update....

Back in March was my Nana's (mother's mother) 75th birthday and we had a small family gathering at mom's house where mom cooked spaghetti and Clara made a birthday cake. And of course Nana really didn't finish eating because she wanted to feed and hold Eli, and while she was doing that we presented her with the birthday cake. There's a photo of that in the new slideshow.

Eli had his first set of shots last Thursday. It didn't go as bad as I thought it would. I held him while the nurse gave them, which was kind of good because I couldn't see his face when he would scream. Clara said his normal expression turned into a sad face, then his bottom lip would quiver, then the scream, but, he only screamed for just a few short seconds after each shot (there were 3; 1 in left leg consisting of 3 different vaccines, 2 in right, and 1 orally). We were proud of him. I had heard stories of babies screaming for a while after shots, but Eli was tough! He also weighed 10lbs, 9.5oz!! I knew that carrier was getting heavier, and my biceps are getting bigger!

The following Saturday we went to Freed-Hardeman University (where Clara and I both graduated from) to see an annual musical event called Makin Music. That was Eli's first big trip, and it went really well. Clara rode in the back with him most of the way so she could keep his passy in. We also got to show him off to all our college friends, and to Clara's aunt who had not yet met him. He was passed around so much that weekend, he was probably sore from all the handling. Clara's mom babysat Saturday night (thanks, Grandy!) so we could hang out with our college friends and catch up - we don't get to see them but about once a year when we all gather for Makin Music.

This past Tuesday we took him to the mall to see The Easter Bunny. We had to window shop for an hour or so because the bunny was at lunch, but after he finally got back we took a couple photos and were done. He didn't cry at all, except a little bit when we took his passy away to take the photo. I had never been that close to a costumed character like that before and I have to say...there is an underlying creepyness about those people/characters. The fact that they can't say anything, and knowing they can see you but you can't see them...there's just a slight oogeyness about it. The photo was cute and that'll probably be the only photo we get of him with the bunny because next year it'll probably freak him out. This Christmas will reveal a lot when we try to take him to see Santa Clause. Will he completely freak or will he be cool with it?? We'll see.

Next weekend is the Amory Railroad Festival, so we're really excited to take him to that. And Clara's family is coming down, too, so that'll be a busy weekend. Maybe we can let them babysit and Clara and I will catch up on much needed rest. I'm sure they won't mind.

There is one photo called "Eli the Arabian Prince" and here's the story behind it: The swing in our living room came with a head brace but it wasn't thick enough to keep his head from bobbing back and forth when the swing was running, so we bought a thicker one and just laid it down on swing, not attached to the swing in any way. I had laid him down in it so Clara and I could eat supper. Right as I finished eating he started getting fussy, so I went to pick him up out of the swing and when I did the head brace came with him. He looked just like some Arabian royalty or like he needed to be on a camel crossing the desert. I laughed until I cried. That photo is in the new slideshow.

There are few little things that have changed, like his awake time has increased a little and he's starting to eat more. He's starting to go from those little split second grins to all out smiles now, but no laughing yet except in his sleep. He's also starting to "talk" and look at things more. As we were walking through the mall waiting on the bunny to get back, I held him where he could see where we were going and he would look everywhere and at everything, taking it all in. Tomorrow he'll be a week away from 2 months old. My goodness, where has the time gone??? Clara and I still can't picture him walking or even crawling. We know he's at least going to start crawling before this year is over, but we can't picture it yet. I'm ready to hear those all out belly laughs! I would say the best is yet to come, but I personally think you can't get any better than hearing that first cry. More fun times are ahead and we can't wait!

New Slideshow Added

2009-03-24T12:14:00.001-05:00

Posted by: Cory

If you'll notice on the left side of the screen there's a new slideshow posted. I picked out just a few of the best ones from the most recent photo shoot, one of which is the photo of me holding him funny (mentioned in previous post). Also, I've got a video uploaded onto YouTube of Eli laughing in his sleep. Click here to watch it.

Not a whole lot has changed since the last post, which was well over a week ago...sorry. He's steadily growing - weighing over 9.5 lbs. now. I can definitely tell he's gained weight after I've carried him in his carrier for a few minutes. My biceps are starting to look pretty toned! He's also starting to have longer periods of awake time and starting to grin more. He hasn't reached the all out smile yet...but we're getting there. Now that his umbilical stump has fallen off (which only took 1 day shy of a whole month) we can give him big boy baths now. The first one wasn't as bad as we had heard it was going to be, and he likes having his hair washed - seems to be comforting to him. He's really starting to like them. I hope he'll like the water like Clara and I do. We're going to Orange Beach sometime in July, so that'll be his first trip to the beach. And by then he'll be over 4 months old and really alert. We're really looking forward to that trip! Our first family vacation! There'll be plenty of new photos after that trip.

The Past Week

2009-03-12T18:51:00.001-05:00

Posted by: Cory

It sometimes seems like every day is a new learning experience. True, we learn a little something new about Eli every day, but then there are those "really good to know" things...namely about a baby's pooping habits, especially if they're on formula. Let me explain.... We found out that to help a baby's "digestion progression", you put Karo syrup in their bottle. It was this past Monday that I called Dr. Sheffield's office because Eli hadn't done a stinky since the Saturday before. He was working on 2 straight days without a dirty diaper and we began to get concerned. I talked to the nurse and she schooled me on what to do in this situation. I told her the circumstances and she said they don't label it "constipation" until he's gone 3 days without a BM, and formula takes longer to digest than breast milk. She instructed me to put a teaspoon of dark Karo syrup to every 2oz. of formula to help it move along. Why dark Karo instead of light? It has more sugar...who knew that helps. I did as instructed. Fast forward a day - it's now Tuesday morning and still no dirty. Finally, later that day Clara called me and said, "Guess who did a stinky?!" Thank goodness! Before the day was over he did 2 more stinkys. The Karo definitely works. First we were worried about him not peeing after the circumcision, and that was alleviated, now we know his bowels work fine, too. I think it's safe to say his digestion process is totally normal. What will we worry about next?? I never thought I would worry about another persons digestion (or lack thereof), but it's amazing the things you get concerned about when it comes to your child.

It may seem kinda weird posting (and reading) about Eli's pooping habits, but that's our life right now - feeding, rocking, and changing diapers. He's starting to eat more at a single feeding, and also starting to sleep a little longer. He averages about 5 to 6 oz per feeding, and sleeps about 3 1/2 to 4 hours per nap. As long as we keep him full and dry, he hardly ever cries. We couldn't ask for a better baby boy!

There was one funny instance where he was getting fussy, so after a few failed attempts to comfort him I found a position he likes to be held in. The funny thing was how I was holding him. Clara took a photo of it and I'll try and post it soon.

I hope to keep the posts weekly (emphasis on "hope"), so stay tuned for the latest Eli news.

Eli's First Sunday...and Snow

2009-03-05T18:54:00.001-06:00

Posted by: Cory

We got Eli out of the house and took him to church for the first time this past Sunday, March 1st. As the first couple photos show, it just happened to snow enough the night before to coat everything in a white blanket - a rare occurrence around here. We didn't let that stop us from getting him out...well, if you consider going from the house to the car, and from the car to the church building "getting out". We bundled him up so well all you could see was his nose and eyes and a few fingers, which we later covered up with socks. This photo cracks me up every time. The very nice hand made blanket was made by one of Clara's good college friends/roommates (Thanks again, Ashli!) He most definitely wasn't going to get cold.

This was the very first time we got to show him off, and we loved every minute of it.

Our First Eli-less Outing

2009-03-05T12:36:00.002-06:00

Posted by: Cory

This past Tuesday we had a date night, compliments of Daddy Paw (that's what my dad called his grandfather, and what Eli will call my dad)...hence, Eli was not with us. Nonni (what Eli will call my mom) was more than glad to babysit for a few hours! Actually, I don't think Nonni did very much since uncle Caleb and Stacy, Caleb's girlfriend, did most of the work; and even then it wasn't that much work since he slept most of the time. We ate at Pizza Hut and went to see Taken (awesome movie) in Amory since Tuesday night is bargain night at the Amory Twin Cinema ($4 each...sweet). I text mom once during the movie just to check in, and of course all was just fine.

Leaving Eli wasn't bad for either of us because we knew he was in very capable hands, not to mention we weren't even gone 3 hours. However, as soon as the credits came at the end of the movie, I said to Clara, "Let's go get little man." She was as ready to see him as I was. We called mom to let her know we were on the way to which she replied, "Y'all go shopping at Walmart in Tupelo or something."

I think we're both dreading the day Clara goes back to work. Maybe, since I'll drop him off in the morning and she'll pick him up, it won't be as bad as it would be if she were dropping him off. It's crazy to us that she's only got about 4 more weeks of maternity leave. 6ish weeks sounds like a lot longer than what it is. We're swiftly coming up on 1 month! That just doesn't seem accurate...but it is. And it's only getting faster. We're holding on for the ride.

Sleepless In Hatley

2009-03-02T19:41:00.001-06:00

Posted by: Cory

Last night wasn't too restful. Clara was up several times trying to get Eli to sleep. I don't know if he was just fighting it or if he had a little gas that was keeping him up...or the fact that he slept too much Sunday afternoon. He slept through church (both services) and in between. Although Clara has most of the night shift during the week, I still woke up from hearing him on the monitor, and still heard it when the monitor was off. I didn't totally wake up, but just enough to interrupt that restful sleep that comes in the final hour before the alarm goes off. Clara threw in the towel sometime right before dawn and put him in the bed with us...I know...uh oh..."he'll get used to that". Well all 3 of us finally got a little sleep. And now that we've started, it may be the only way to get him to sleep longer. Maybe we can wean him off of our bed before it's too late. Can he get used to it after only 1 or 2 times?? I know Clara was exhausted before I left for work this morning. I told her I'd take him when I got home so she could get a little sleep before the graveyard shift begins again.

It may sound like I'm complaining, but I'm not. We know it's not going to last forever; it just takes a little adaptation that we've never dealt with before, but we're getting there. Although these past 2 weeks have sometimes felt like 2 months, we're loving every minute! It's all worth it when we watch his funny faces and every now and then catch a quick smile :o)

Sweet Sweet Slumber

2009-02-26T12:42:00.000-06:00

Posted by: Cory

We're gradually learning what Eli likes and doesn't like. We found he likes sleeping on his tummy much better than his back because....*drum roll*....he slept almost 6 straight hours last night!! We put him down around 9:30 and Clara didn't have to get up to change & feed him until around 3...AND, he did not wet his pj's or the sheets! Now if he'll only keep this up we'll all be doing great. I know these days you hear "never put a baby on their tummy to sleep", but Clara and her 2 sisters slept on their tummy, I've talked to a pediatrician whose children slept on their tummy, and I'm pretty sure I slept on my tummy...we're all still here and healthy. The only objection those that oppose it have is it apparently increases the risk of SIDS. However, when a baby sleeps on its back, there's a risk of them spitting up and choking on it, so there's pros and cons for each. We keep a very close eye on Eli and make sure he can breathe easily. Granted we can't watch him all night long, but that's where faith in God comes in.

Eli's first doctor visit is tomorrow and depending on what the doc says, we may be able to get him out of the house for a little while, which we're really looking forward to.

Our First Week With Eli

2009-02-24T14:15:00.007-06:00

Posted by: Cory

The Justice Family is doing great!

I'll combine the past week into one post so here goes....

Looking back...
During labor Clara performed like a champ! Once she got the "push pattern" down, it was only a matter of time...about 20 minutes actually. She dilated from 4 to 9 in about 2 hours, and once she pushing started, 20 minutes later Eli was here. Dr. Lacy said Clara did excellent for a first time mother. Apparently a focal point in the room is the key to a swift delivery. Clara said she was focused on the fire sprinkler in the ceiling, and with every push I could see that dark hair getting closer and closer. Suddenly doc said, "Ok, with this next push we're gonna have a baby." With that one sentence a flood of thoughts and emotions ran through me. This was really real...really happening. The moment we had been waiting on for the past 9 months; the moment we sometimes thought would never come was just seconds away. For me, that one simple sentence really made it real. But the thing that made it more real that it had ever been before was the sound of his first cry. And with that sound our lives changed and will never been the same. With that sound the most responsibility a person could ever undertake was introduced to us. With that sound we were responsible for the life of another person. With that sound...we were parents. As I wiped the tears out of my eyes, doc wrapped him in a blanket and laid him on Clara's chest. Almost immediately he stopped crying and we just sat there looked at him and him at us. I then cut the umbilical cord and after a few minutes of lying on mama's chest, they put him under the warmer and checked him out and cleaned him up a bit. After they cleaned the room and cleared out all the equipment, I went to the waiting room to let dozens of family members know the good news. I went through the L&D doors and there was my mom and dad outside the waiting area. Smiling, I asked them, "Would you like to meet him?" "Yes!", my dad replied as he gave me a huge bear hug. I hugged my mom, too, and then went into the waiting room to get Clara's family. There were family members all over the waiting room - so many I had to look the room over to find Denise (mother-in-law) and the 2 sisters, who were very ready to meet him. We all went back to the room where the "awwws", photographs, and the "look at that hair!" began.

The first night wasn't too bad. She tried to nurse him every 2 to 3 hours, but it was like he really didn't want it. He would nurse for a minute or two then stop and sleep. We tried everything to wake him enough to eat continuously - tickling his feet, stripping him down to his diaper, brushing his face with a cool washcloth, etc, but he just wouldn't take it long enough. We tried different things for about an hour and a half that night - late that night, but nothing worked. Later that day we found out why. The following afternoon he did his first dirty diaper, which is the infamous meconium diaper that looks just like tar and almost as sticky, and he filled his diaper up, then some. I wanted to change his first dirty diaper, so as I was cleaning him up I had another first...he decided to empty his bladder (and I do mean empty) will the force of a fire hose! You know that commercial that shows a new dad changing his sons diaper, and as soon as the dad takes the diaper off, a stream comes out so powerful that it hits the ceiling, knocks over lamps, etc....yeah....that was Eli. Before we had time to react, he had sprayed my arm, Clara's leg, and christened himself from head to toe. After totally emptying himself he was ready to eat! He would drain Clara of the little colostrum she had then cry for more, so she had to supplement with Enfamil Lipil formula. After that, he was fine.

Thursday morning he was circumcised and that afternoon we were released around 12:30 and very much ready to go home. After 4 trips to the car to load our stuff, the only things left were Clara and Eli. I strapped him into his carrier/car seat and after stopping by the nurse's station to take the sensor off his ankle, home we went. As our mailbox came into view we could see blue balloons bouncing in the wind, and as we pulled into the driveway there was a wooden "It's A Boy!" stork sign by the front door. On the door was a hand-painted sign that said "Welcome Home Eli J" that aunt Courtney had made for him. We walked through the door and into his nursery finally able to complete it. We were home!!

Later that night we got worried because he had not had a wet diaper (or stinky diaper) since the circumcision. We called Dr. Sheffield’s office and I talked to her nurse who told us that since Clara’s milk had not yet come in that he may not have enough fluids in his tummy to pee, and reassured us that it had nothing to do with the circumcision. Clara had convinced herself otherwise. Doc told us to give him at least 2 ounces of formula and call back a couple hours later if he still had not wet. Eight o’clock rolls around and still nothing. By this time Clara is about in tears and worried sick. Dr. Sheffield had put a pressure gauze over his business after the circumcision, so when we called back she said take that off and gently wipe the end of his stuff with a wet cloth to stimulate it and to call her back if that didn’t work. I took the gauze off and followed her instructions…it worked!!! Hallelujah! My parents had been texting me worried about him – I texted them back and told them I had never been so happy to see pee in my life! We were so relieved that I forgot to call Dr. Sheffield back, but she called later that night to make sure he was ok. (Dr. Sheffield is highly recommended, by the way! We have been very impressed so far.) That was probably the worst thing that’s happened since we’ve been home.

Currently...
He's sleeping pretty well at night, only getting up about twice to be changed and fed. Clara's milk came in yesterday and it seems that Eli's appetite is never ending sometimes, so no problems nursing...well, the only thing is he nurses for a few minutes then falls asleep. But he doesn't get full because when we try to lay him down, he wakes up still hungry. We're steadily getting into a routine though. We're all learning as we go.

Clara’s mom leaves tomorrow night…after that it’s just us. I know the transition would have been much rougher had she not been here. But my family is close, and we know they’re there when we need them. The hardest transition has been sleep deprivation. Veteran parents inform you of these things months before, but now that he’s here I didn’t really realize how much we slept before – one of those “don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone” kinda things. You don’t really understand until it happens. I can keep coffee and Mt. Dew on hand, but unless we want a hyper little boy, Clara doesn’t have that luxury. She’s been a fantastic new mommy and she’s only getting better...we're only getting better. Together we'll make it.

He’s a week old today, and from waiting on pee to watching his funny faces while he sleeps, it’s been a roller coaster of a week. We can’t wait to see what happens next!!

New Slideshow Added

2009-02-23T15:30:00.002-06:00

Posted by: Cory

As you can see I've added a new slideshow on the left. Click the photos for a larger view, then in the new window click "Slideshow" by the green Play button at the top left of the page.

Enjoy!

Meet Eli

2009-02-18T00:41:00.006-06:00

Posted by: Daddy

Meet Eli Walton Justice - the most beautiful baby boy ever! He arrived on Tuesday, February 17, 2009 at 5:07 pm weighing 7 lbs 10 oz measuring 21 inches. As you can see he has a head full of dark hair and a beautiful complexion. His APGAR score was 9.9, only .1 away from a perfect score due to his hands and feet being slightly blueish purple after he was born. If you don't know what an APGAR score is, click here for more info.

For those that were expecting a more prompt post, my apologies. Between the dozens of family members, the hundreds of photographs, medical staff coming in and out, tending to Clara, and overall constant activity, it's a wonder there's a post at all. It's 2:40 am and a little over 2 more hours I will have been up for a straight 24 hours, so I'm going to try and get some sleep before the next feeding. Yes, he is breastfeeding, but since Clara is very sore, I get up, get him, and hand him to her to feed. I'll post many more photos and write a more detailed entry tomorrow.

G'night....or...g'morning.

And just in case you were wondering, those white things on his hands are socks to keep him from scratching himself. Socks stay on better than mittens or anything else. (A helpful tip from Elizabeth Connell...thanks!)

Relief At Last

2009-02-17T13:09:00.002-06:00

Posted by: Cory

She finally dilated to 3 and the doc popped in the epidural (which was a different experience for me, much less Clara). With a dose of Demerol and numb from the chest down she's completely out and resting good. They're going to check her progress every couple hours and hopefully by nightfall we'll meet Eli! If not, doc said they'd do a C-Section.

I'll update again in a couple hours.

The Doc Is In

2009-02-17T07:15:00.002-06:00

Posted by: Cory

Dr. Lacy just came in to see how much Clara has progressed, which would be...none! She was still at 1, so doc just broke her water, which she said would make the contractions stronger. Between that and the Pitocin we should have a baby in the next few minutes...if only.

At The Hospital...Really Early

2009-02-17T06:05:00.003-06:00

Posted by: Cory

I said the next post would be introducing Eli, but I decided to chronicle the hours before his arrival. Right now we've got the Pitocin IV & fluids, 2 monitors, and a BP cuff going just waiting on contractions to start. The photo above is Clara just chillin watching the morning news. However, since that photo (just minutes ago), she has gotten sleepy and is now [trying] to take a nap.

Earlier...
Our alarms went off at about 4am, but neither of us were really asleep. We keep a small, dim light on in the dining room all night and it shines ever so softly into our bedroom. After silencing our alarms we faced each other with the dim light shining in just enough to see each other's face. I smiled at her and said, "Let's go have a baby." She smiled back and said, "Ok." That was the start of our morning.

With the majority of the bags already loaded into the car, we got up and she got in the shower while I got dressed. I found myself walking around the house not really doing anything, just trying to work off some nervous energy I suppose. My stomach wasn't in the eating mode like it usually is, so I didn't want to eat anything and the house was totally clean, so nothing to do there. Clara got out of the shower and fixed her hair, put on her makeup, got dressed, and by 15 til 5 we were ready. We loaded the car with the few bags that were left and off we went. As we drove through Amory everything was totally still and quiet. We saw 2 other vehicles on the way. We pulled up into the Women's Center, parked and made our way to check-in. After some paperwork and routine poking and prodding we're just waiting.

Dr. Lacy should be in shortly to see how she's progressing.

No Progress Yet...But...

2009-02-11T17:05:00.003-06:00

Posted by: Cory

Clara is still at 70 & 1, but the doc said if she hasn't done anything on her own by Tuesday, then she'll be induced! So definitely Tuesday! We've got to be there at 5am to get the process going. Needless to say I'll be worthless until then.

The next post will be introducing Eli!!

More Waiting

2009-02-09T08:47:00.002-06:00

Posted by: Cory

No Eli this weekend. Our next doctor visit is Wednesday at 4:00, so maybe then. I told Clara if it doesn't happen this week, I'm gonna reach in there and get him myself. I'm trying very hard to be patient, but the closer it gets, the harder it gets!

She actually slept better last night, but we stayed up a little later than usual watching Fireproof (highly recommended), so we didn't really get enough sleep, and we're both paying for it today. Tonight will be different. She really didn't even feel like teaching today - said she felt really heavy...but she is going to be observed by the principal this afternoon, so she felt like she had to go. I may talk her into taking tomorrow off - or might as well just start maternity leave.

Maybe Wednesday we'll get good news.

Failure To Launch

2009-02-05T16:51:00.004-06:00

Posted by: Cory

Ok...I admit it...I got my hopes up a little too high and it was a long way down. No progress since last week. She's still 70 & 1. And according to the ultrasound, he's 6 lbs 10 oz. with a heart rate of 148. The ultrasound tech said everything looks great and right on track. Dr. Lacy did laugh and ask Clara, "Where are you hiding a 6 lb 10 oz baby??"

She hasn't even had any real contractions yet, so "there's still some more cooking to do." as the doc put it. My only option now is to just sit back, (try) to relax, and be ready for the call. I'll have to keep myself crazy busy to make the time pass quicker. There's a full moon next week, which is another thing we've heard is common with labor. Next Friday is also the 13th...not really our choice for birth dates, but it's not a big deal - we're not superstitious - not like we have any control over it anyway.

Her next visit is Wednesday, Feb 11th at 4. I'm not going to make any predictions this time.

And...Still Waiting

2009-02-04T12:15:00.002-06:00

Posted by: Cory

Nope, no Eli this past weekend.

Clara's next visit is tomorrow at 3:30, and I think (probably more like hope) there's a good chance of them putting her in then. We're at 37 weeks...he's fully developed and we're so anxious that it's getting hard to function normally...well, for me anyway. Clara, on the other hand, is at that 24/7 uncomfortable stage. For the first time a few nights ago she said, "I'm ready to have this baby." I would have been saying that weeks ago. Obviously she's got more stamina than me...is that sad or what? The same night she admitted she's ready to have him was the night that she hardly slept at all. Each time nature called and she got out of bed I would wake up and ask her if she was alright. I knew she was just getting up to pee, but it's almost like an instinct now to ask her if she's alright after getting up in the middle of the night...especially when I'm half asleep and have been dreaming about having him. I don't think I've really gotten that deep REM sleep in a while, and I know if Clara can't even get to sleep, then she's definitely not getting deep sleep.

I've heard several people say when she gets to that "can't sleep at all" stage, then it's about to happen. Or when her nose starts flaring it's about to happen. Well, both are true now so why isn't it happening?? I might as well suppress my impatience...he'll come when he gets ready...or if Dr. Lacy says it's time. The only reason the doc will induce is if she thinks Eli is getting too big for Clara to have easily (if there is such a thing). With Clara being as small as she is, I don't think doc will let Eli get too big. For those who have never seen Clara, she's 5 ft. tall and when she got pregnant she weighed about 106 - very petite.

We'll know more tomorrow, and maybe, just maybe be parents by the weekend! Keep us in your prayers that all goes well...thanks!

When it does happen, I'll do my best to have photos on here not long after.

Start The Countdown

2009-01-29T17:26:00.002-06:00

Posted by: Cory

As of 2:30 today Clara is 70% thinned out and dilated to 1! A week from today is the last ultrasound where we find out his approximate weight and if he's face up or down. The Strep-B test came back negative, which is a bonus - that means no antibiotics during labor. Dr. Lacy said she's carrying him really low, which is a good thing for dilating quickly. Next week is week 37 - FULL TERM! Pre-term is anything before 37 weeks, 37 to 40 weeks is full term, and after 40 weeks is post-term. I must admit there are times we thought we'd never get there, but go time is finally within view!

We'll know more next Thursday...if we make it that long :^)

Locked & Loaded

2009-01-22T12:41:00.001-06:00

Posted by: Cory

Clara had her latest doctor visit yesterday (weekly visits now). She's measuring fine and Eli's heart rate is 151 and strong. Dr. Lacy said Clara hasn't dialated any yet, which is good because it's a little too early, but she has thinned out 50%, which is perfectly fine and typical of women who are on their feet and active a lot. Clara is most definitely on her feet a lot. Eli is head down and in position, which was one concern that we had - Eli being in breach position. Without an ultrasound she couldn't tell if he was face up or down. We'll find that out the first week of Feb (at 37 weeks) when they do the last ultrasound. At least he's not breach, so that's one worry alleviated. The doctor said now that he's in position, he won't be moving back to breach...whew! Not that breach is an awful thing - she's just more likely to have a C-section if he is.

I asked Dr. Lacy what her gut feeling is regarding the Feb 19 due date and if she thought Clara would make it that long. She didn't think so, especially with the job she has of standing a good part of the day. As long as we make it to 37 weeks we'll be good. We've been told (by others and doctors) that boy's lungs develop a little slower than girls, so it's best that boys be at least 37 weeks before birth so that their lungs are fully developed. We really don't want any time in NICU.

I also asked Dr. Lacy if she thought anything would happen in the next couple weeks. She didn't think so, but I say who knows. Having a baby isn't an exact science, and no doctor is 100% accurate 100% of the time. Can you tell we're very anxious??

The Group B Strep test was also yesterday, and we get those results back at the next visit. For those of you who don't know (I didn't at first), Group B Strep is a bacteria that resides in about 25% to 30% of all women. If you've got it, then it's there all the time and virtually harmless to the mother. However, if it's not treated during (not before) labor, it can cause complications with the baby as he/she comes through the birth canal. The reason it's not treated before labor is because if you kill the bacteria too early, it can come back. So if Clara tests positive for it, they'll give her antibiotics via IV during labor to kill the bacteria. After he's out and they take her off the IV, it comes back...again, harmless to Clara. Here's a couple excerpts from the CDC's website:

How does group B strep disease affect newborns?
About half of the cases of group B strep disease among newborns happen in the first week of life ("early-onset disease"), and most of these cases start a few hours after birth. Sepsis, pneumonia (infection in the lungs), and meningitis (infection of the fluid and lining around the brain) are the most common problems. Premature babies are more at risk of getting a group B strep infection, but most babies who become sick from group B strep are full-term. Group B strep disease may also develop in infants one week to several months after birth ("late-onset disease"). Meningitis is more common with late-onset group B strep disease. Only about half of late-onset group B strep disease among newborns comes from a mother who is a group B strep carrier; the source of infection for others with late-onset group B strep disease can be hard to figure out. Late-onset disease is slightly less common than early-onset disease.

Are there any symptoms if you are a group B strep carrier?
Most pregnant women have no symptoms when they are carriers for group B strep bacteria.
Sometimes, group B strep can cause bladder infections during pregnancy, or infections in the womb during labor or after delivery.
Being a carrier (testing positive for group B strep, but having no symptoms) is quite common. Around 25% of women may carry the bacteria at any time. This doesn’t mean that they have group B strep disease, but it does mean that they are at higher risk for giving their baby a group B strep infection during birth.

You can read more about it at the CDC's website.

We'll know more next week, and even more the week after that. I'll update again then.

The Nursery

2008-12-30T16:49:00.013-06:00

Posted by: Cory

Our goal was Christmas Day and we made it! Time to pull back the curtain!

Clara gave me the idea for the canvas with his name, so I designed it and Clara painted it.

The stuff on the dresser/hutch consists of things from Hobby Lobby, Doodles, various items from baby showers, and Christmas gifts.

Clara also came up with his initials in different frames on the white shelf above the baskets - Eli Walton Justice. (For those of you just now reading the blog, Walton is Clara's maiden name.)

I'll try to take some more detailed, higher quality photos over the next few days while I'm off and put them in a slideshow.

We're both very glad it's done!

Countdown To Nursery Unveiling

2008-12-22T12:21:00.000-06:00

Posted by: Cory

We've only got a few more days to get the nursery ready for the unveiling. While an anxious family awaits, we've been getting the last of the major phases complete. We've moved around furniture, put together furniture, hung up clothes, and removed tags all weekend. We also purchased a small bookcase that we're going to put 6 brown, square, woven cloth baskets on which contains his bibs (all 29 of them...yes, I counted), lovees (8 of those), a few toys, washcloths & towels, and various other items.

Clara bought 3 picture frames of different sizes and she's going to draw his initials and put them in each of the frames, then put those frames on a shelf above the basket bookcase. Then she's going to buy a big canvas to paint his first name on, and hang it above his crib. After a few finishing touches, all will be complete and ready for Eli!

Now daddy just has to find a spot to put the video baby monitor. There's no crib mount for it and it has limited positioning options. I worked with it for about 30 minutes last night and finally gave up (temporarily) after Clara and I both were getting frustrated. I may have to come up with some kind of rig...make that a cute rig so mommy will be ok with it. Maybe some kind of sling made out of striped ribbon or something. I'm determined to make it work.

The nursery debut is Christmas Day! I'll take photos and post them next week, so check back.

Right On Track

2008-12-12T16:00:00.003-06:00

Posted by: Cory

Clara and Eli are right on schedule!

He was really tumbling last night. It was such a strong push, I could almost feel what I thought may have been the bend of his elbow or knee. I'm thinking by the end of the month we'll start seeing little knots poke out! We can't wait!!

Judo Chop!

2008-12-11T12:11:00.002-06:00

Posted by: Cory

Nothing out of the ordinary is going on right now. I felt Eli practicing Judo the other night - either that or he's practicing to be a gymnast in the 2030 Olympics because it felt like he was doing all kinds of flipping. Still waiting to see a little knot poke out.

Clara has a routine checkup today, so I'll update on that in the next post.

We got the video baby monitor in yesterday, which was cool. I tested it last night. It works great and even has automatic night vision. Since all the showers, the nursery looks like a Babies R Us, Target, Walmart warehouse, so we've got a good bit to get done to meet the Christmas deadline for having it "Eli ready". We're going to start hauling the carrier/car seat around in January...never can tell...Eli might not wait that long. We've gotten all of the major stuff now (stroller, carrier/car seat, jumper, swing, breast pump, monitor, booster seat) except for the high chair - that's the only big thing we lack - so I'd say we're doing pretty good.

I have a strong feeling Clara will get in the super ready mode by next month and start washing and cleaning everything. We were told in birthing classes that would happen about a month before term. We've got about 75 days to go! Clara's due date is about 6 days after the "digital conversion" where all the tv broadcasts go digital...so I'm reminded how long we've got every time they flash that countdown clock on tv. It feels like we've been waiting years on Eli. Guess that's what happens when you find out after just 2 weeks along. Hopefully these next few weeks will fly by.....yes, we're that anxious.

I'll post again with the results of the latest doctor visit.

The Results Are In...

2008-11-26T12:22:00.002-06:00

Posted by: Cory

...and all is clear! Clara's does not have gestational diabetes! We both breathed a sigh of relief yesterday when the tests came back OK. Although she wasn't able to eat until they were done sticking her 3 and 4 times, she didn't get sick...but she was starving by the time it was over.

We finished Child Birth Classes last night. Our final lesson was on breast feeding. I never knew there was so much to know about a seemingly simple subject - the methods, positions, frequency, duration, accessories, etc. We got schooled. And the real schooling has yet to come.

I dreamed about Eli last night for the first time, which was neat. And there was a second boy in my dream, too, that I'm pretty sure was his brother. Who knows - it may be a glimpse of things to come (quite a bit later down the road). I just hope the next dream doesn't have 2 or 3 more boys...whew. I think I'd run screaming for the "snip clip" doctor after waking up from that dream.

We're off to The Ville (Nashville) tomorrow afternoon for Thanksgiving with her family, and also for another shower Sunday afternoon, then coming back Sunday night. We hope everyone has a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

Constantly Changing

2008-11-22T21:42:00.003-06:00

Posted by: Cory

We're at home just chillin this weekend, so I decided to post an update.

It's amazing how life changes when you know you're about to be a parent. Things we wouldn't think twice about before seems less important now. For example, this weekend Clara asked me, "What do you want for Christmas?" To which I replied, "I would say Call of Duty: World at War." (To those of you who don't know, that's a Playstation 3 game and PS3 games run right around $60.) "But we need baby stuff more than anything right now, so I don't want anything. I can rent it [the game]."

Another example - a couple months ago we had a yard sale to help increase our "emergency fund" (we're going through Financial Peace University, aka "the Dave Ramsey thing"). One of the things that brought in the most money was DVD's that we never watched. I've been collecting DVD's for a few years and had around 250-300. I never could bring myself to sell them until then. I knew we needed the money to get ready for Eli and suddenly they seemed less important. Clara also had several she'd collected, most of which was also sold at the yard sale. We picked out our favorites to keep and sold the rest.

Things like that are what you never think will never change...until you have a child. I know..."Welcome to the world of a parent." It's not a bad change, just a change. It's all in perception.

I've also begun to do some things I never thought I'd be doing...like painting Clara's toenails and putting on her socks and shoes - both of which I'm glad to do for her. I haven't had to shave her legs yet, but all she has to do is say the word. I've thought about giving massages as a side job since I'm getting so much practice, especially on feet. I've been told you've got to be licensed to do it and get paid for it though. So much for that thought.

In other news, Clara is getting to that stage where a little bit of activity brings on a lot of sleep. The naps are becoming more frequent, and she's sleeping deeper. We cleaned house this weekend and it was like, sort clothes, take a nap; wash clothes and dust, take a nap; strip the bed, take a nap. I will admit, while I didn't nap today, I did take one break and played a little bit of PS3. We almost got the cleaning whipped when we both totally ran out of gas and decided to waive the white flag in surrender. We had planned to get our Christmas tree up, but that didn't exactly happen...yet. We head back to Nashville late Thursday afternoon to have Thanksgiving with her family, after having it with my family just a few hours before. Needless to say, we'll be miserably full Thursday night.

Gotta go help put fresh sheets on the bed so we can actually go to bed, so that's all for now. Stay tuned....

Rigged Blood Sugar Test

2008-11-21T11:33:00.002-06:00

Posted by: Cory

Tuesday morning we were at the doctor's office so Clara could take her blood sugar test. For those of you who don't know (I didn't until it was explained), this test is to see if Clara has/will have gestational diabetes. We got there at 8am, went to the lab, they gave Clara a big bottle of orange flavored sugar water to drink, then told us to come back in exactly an hour so they could draw blood. An hour later they drew her blood and we signed in and waited to be called back. We finally got back to the exam room and were waiting on Dr. Lacy when a nurse poked her head in and said, "You were a little too sugary. The limit is 139 and you were 144. You'll have to come back in a week for the long test." The nurse left and I looked at Clara and was like, "Too sugary?!? No friggin kidding - they just gave you a big bottle of sugar water! What did they think you were gonna be??" I really didn't understand this rigged test. When Dr. Lacy came in, the first thing I asked was what's up with this sugar test?? Why do you have to drink that bottle of sugar water?? She said it was to test Clara's tolerance to large amounts of sugar. I asked since she was only 5 points over if we could maybe waive that and call it OK? "Nooo," she replied, smiling.

So now, Clara's gotta go back on the Tuesday of her Thanksgiving break and be there at 8am, again, and not only drink that sugar water and get pricked, but she has to drink 2 or 3 bigger bottles and get pricked each time! The whole time not being able to eat anything. Her appointment with the doctor isn't until 1. The whole reason I took off work this last time was because I thought if she failed the first test, they'd give her the longer test and I'd be there in case she got sick from not being able to eat. But no...that would be too convenient. I won't be able to take off work for the long test. She's assured me she'll be alright. And, if she doesn't pass the long test, then we get to meet with a diabetic dietitian, and she will more than likely have to take insulin shots close to term. Not the most fantastic of scenarios, but if that's the worst part of the pregnancy, we'll definitely take it. Dr. Lacy said there's a possibility of Clara developing diabetes around 30 or 40 years old if she has gestational diabetes. But I don't think that'll happen, especially since there's no family history of it. We're praying all goes well.

On a brighter note, we're starting to see Eli's kicks now. They're just little vibrations right now, making Clara's tummy bounce just a little bit - not the knots just yet. I'm guessing by this time next month we'll see an elbow or foot poke out. We've read online that he's starting to blink now, too. No more fused eyes! I'm anxious to see the next ultrasound. We're probably not going to do the 3D ultrasound. The $150ish cost of the 3D ultrasound could buy a bunch of diapers or other stuff we need. Although I would like to have it since it's our first child. Oh well.

I'll post again with the results of the day-long test.

Slacker Daddy

2008-11-17T13:39:00.002-06:00

Posted by: Cory

Ok, so daddy has been slacking on the blog updates here lately. This time of year is the hardest time to get the most simplest of things done...why is that?? It seems like every hour and minute since Halloween has been dedicated to something; and obviously this blog wasn't one of those things.

Since the last post, we've got the bedding on the crib, attached the mobile, hung the curtains, and put up all the clothes from Clara's first shower. We've also done a little more organizing (and I do mean a little) of the armoire. Now we've just to got to find the time and energy to put the rug down. After that, all that will be left is finding some accents, then it'll be ready for Eli. I'll try to take some pictures of the progress this weekend and post them next week.

We got tons of clothes from Clara's first shower that the Amory church gave her! Thank You to all who attended and/or gave! Her next shower is in Nashville on Sunday, Nov 30th. We had a wedding to attend in Franklin, KY this past Saturday evening, so we spend the night in Nashville Friday night, then went to the wedding on Saturday night. While we were in Nashville, we registered at Target and Babies R Us. What is it about registering that's so grueling you just crash when you get back home? All you do is walk around and scan stuff...so why were we give out by the time we got home?? Granted we did all that on Sunday afternoon when we're both used to taking a nap...which could be the reason. We're also realizing Clara's traveling days are numbered until after February. Any lengthy travel takes it out of her; and she's always tired right now anyway. We go to Nashville again in 2 weeks for Thanksgiving and her shower (all in the same weekend), then her sister graduates from FHU (Freed-Hardeman University) in December. That will be the end of our traveling until Eli gets here.

Oh, I'll also try and take some tummy pics this weekend, too (emphasis on "try"). This weekend is the only weekend we've got to put up our Christmas tree and decorations, so the pics may or may not be posted...we'll see.

And...we've also started child birthing classes at Gilmore. Every Tuesday night in November we learn a little more about what's to come. We've seen videos, had discussions, and toured the LDR rooms, the C-section room, Sitz bath, seen some of the tools they use, etc. We really enjoy going. It's a small class and we really have fun. Definitely learned some stuff in that video! Never actually seen a placenta before - that was different.

I've always had a great respect for women, but my respect got a little deeper after seeing that video. Mothers, you are not appreciated enough for what you have to go through getting our children into this world. Any way you go - natural, epidural, or C-section - you either get stretched like giant rubber band, stuck in the spine with a huge needle, or sliced like a watermelon. I applaud you! Fathers, show her you appreciate her! You know what she likes (or at least you should) - get her something or take her somewhere she likes (yes, even if it's shopping), or spend quality time with her doing something she's interested in. Put your own selfish desires on hold for a day (yes, a whole day). To those men who've been married forever, I'm talking to you, too. When Clara and I are 100, I'm determined I'm still going to love her and treat her like I did before we got married. Don't treat her like you treat yourself - treat her better than you treat yourself! Love her more than you love yourself! I've too often heard of the romance and affection stopping after the "I do." Why is that?!? Some might say it's not manly to show affection. Why not?? There was some apparent affection in the beginning. So what happened? I say "Man up!" and show your wife you love her (children or no children). If only you could make some men physically feel what it's like to bring new life into the world...maybe then they would be truly appreciative. Obviously I don't know what it feels like either, but I'm appreciative regardless. The same applies to children. Kiss them, hug them, and verbally say "I love you." I've known people who never heard those words from their parents, namely the father. It's a sad thing. The lack of love and affection to your wife and/or kids is the opposite of manly, and it's a big part of what's missing from the world. That's my speech to all those dead beat dads/husbands. I'll get off my soap box now.

I'll try not to be lazy with the posts anymore. Our next doctor visit is tomorrow morning. Clara takes some kind of blood sugar tolerance test. If all goes well, it'll be a short visit. But if the results aren't satisfactory, then we get an extended visit. Continue to keep us in your prayers - they are all very appreciated.

What's Kickin?

2008-10-24T17:12:00.000-05:00

Posted by: Cory

Or should I say who's kickin? That would be Eli. Daddy got to feel a little tap tap tap...finally! The flutters are turning into small kicks, and I finally got to feel him for the first time the other night. We were lying in bed and Clara suddenly said, "Give me your hand." She put it on her tummy and we were quiet and still for a min. Then...bump....bump bump on the palm of my hand. "I felt it!! Did you feel it!?", I excitedly asked (duh, I know). She laughed and said, "Oh yes." The moment I had been waiting on for a while - finally feeling my little boy move. I probably laid there for another 10 minutes with my hand moving from one spot to another on her tummy trying to feel it again, but he must have decided to go back to sleep.

Since June, we've found that certain things make it more and more real every time they happen.
The first ultrasound, hearing the heart for the first time, the morning sickness, the freezing house, buying nursery furniture, feeling the first flutters, seeing an image of an actual baby at the second ultrasound, seeing her tummy grow, painting the nursery, putting the crib together.... And that night it got really real for me. Seeing her tummy grow is exciting, yes. But actually feeling our baby was indescribable. If I'm like this now, I can't imagine what I'll feel when he's born. Clara & I will be responsible for another human. It's ultimately up to us to see that he's raised to be a Godly man who will one day, Lord willing, be a parent himself. It's the most responsibility a person can ever have, and it's worth every moment. With God's blessings we'll get there. Maybe not unscathed...but we'll get there.

Registry Update & Clara's First Shower

2008-10-24T15:05:00.003-05:00

Posted by: Cory

We're registered at Walmart and Lala & Co. on Main St. in Amory. Clara's first shower is at Amory Church of Christ on November 2 from 2:00 to 3:00.

Thanks!

One Giant Leap...

2008-10-20T12:27:00.002-05:00

Posted by: Cory

...for the nursery. And two major projects (painting & crib assembly) done for me. The walls and ceiling are done, and the crib is in one piece. You can see the Before & After shots in the slide show. (Clik on slide show to enlarge in new window)

It was me, the paint, and XM Radio's 20 on 20 (blasting in home theater surround) all Friday evening and all day Saturday. It was a good bit for one person to do, but I whipped it. Even got the crib together by myself. Of all the stuff I've assembled in my lifetime, this was the easiest and hardest thing, by far. Easy because it only had about 7 parts to it - the 2 headboards, 2 rails, 2 stabilizer bars, and the mattress support. Hard because there were a few times where I had to use my head, arms, legs and toes in place of another person; and it was a balancing acts at times too, but patience prevailed - in spite of the "Ok, got the head board balanced. Now just....oh shoot...don't fall....don't fall!" and "Both hands are full, knee is bracing something, and I can't move, but I need those tools over there." moments.

Clara knew I was going to have the painting done by the time she and mom got back, but little did she know I'd have the crib put together, too. And I was determined to surprise her with it. It was all worth it when she saw it for the first time with that big smile and I heard, "Aww...the crib!"

Most of the major things are done now: bedroom furniture moved out, painting done, crib finished. Now all that's left is to find a rug, put up the curtains, and get the bedding. After a few accents here and there, all that will be missing is Eli.

Speaking of which, Clara has her next doctor visit on Wednesday (10/22). I think they're going to measure her tummy, check her weight, and make sure she's still on track. Pray that all is still going well. With God's blessings everything has been picture perfect and right on schedule so far.

I'll update again as things change.

Picture Puzzle

2008-10-12T21:44:00.001-05:00

Posted by: Cory

You know those small plastic square picture puzzles you played with when you were little? Those where you had to slide the small squares around to make a complete picture (which I always got frustrated with and never finished)? That's what it's been like at our house this weekend. We have a laundry room/back porch that's had all kinds of odds and ends things in it since we moved in - don't we all have a room like that? We are going to move a bed and desk back there in order to get the nursery (previously guest bedroom) ready. But before we could do that, we had to clean out/rearrange the back porch. And just to be clear, it's not an open porch like you would sit on during a summer evening. It's totally closed in, but has several glass windows almost all the way across it (with curtains), and a back door. We just call it the back porch. And to put things a little more into perspective, our house isn't big by any means. Living room, 2 bedrooms, one very small bathroom, small kitchen/dining room, a glassed-in side porch, and the back porch. It's very quaint and perfect for us and soon to be Eli. Now...we've had to shuffle stuff on the back porch to make room for the stuff coming from the guest room. After getting the back porch prepped, we had to shuffle more stuff in the guest room to get the bed and desk out and navigated through the house to the back porch, which now has plenty of room.

So far we've successfully converted the back porch into the "new" guest room. So now that room is the guest room/laundry room/back porch - might as well say multipurpose room. There's just a few more random things to get out of the former guest room before we pull all the nursery furniture to the middle of the room so I can start painting this weekend. I'd say we've got the picture puzzle about half way done.

We also bought the paint, fabric for the curtains, and curtain rod this weekend. Now all that's left is a big rug, and a few odds and ends nursery accents and we'll be finished. Oh yeah - how could I forget the focal point of the entire room....the crib! I've still got to put that together. I told Clara I'd have the whole room painted before they get back Saturday afternoon. Maybe I can have the crib put together, too. Wish me luck!

We've Registered

2008-10-09T17:15:00.001-05:00

Posted by: Cory

I forgot to mention in the last post that we're now registered at Walmart. Clara's first shower is at Amory Church of Christ on Sunday, November 2nd. Not sure about the time. I'm guessing around 1 or 2. We're going to try and register at some other places around town before then. I'll give an update on that later.

Thanks!

Nursery...Coming Soon

2008-10-08T12:24:00.000-05:00

Posted by: Cory

Here is the bedding we've picked out. It's called Migi Splash. We've also decided on the colors for the nursery.

(If you want a bigger pic, click here.)

For the walls, we're using a shade of the green in the bedding. And for the ceiling, we're using a shade of the light blue in the bedding. The trim will be white. Now we've got to pick out fabric for the curtains or valance, which if you click the link above and zoom in on one of the fish in the mobile, we're probably going to use the brown fabric with a small white polka dot pattern that matches that fish.

I'd also like to thank Steve Sanderson in Amory for helping pick out the colors we've chosen. He also picked out the colors for our house when we first moved in and have been extremely happy with what he chose. If you've ever tried to pick out paint colors yourself, you know what a beating that can be - especially after buying gallons of paint you found you didn't like after it was on the walls. Use that money and consult Steve - not only for colors, but also for remodeling plans! You're welcome, Steve.

Now for a Clara update:

She's been battling sinus problems for the past week or so, but Claratin-D and Benadryl are helping that. And thanks to a pretty stressful job, she gets a pretty rough headache sometimes, especially after dealing with little boy in her class all day that can't read, is very disruptive, and refuses to learn - but that's a whole other story. She does get the occasional sick feeling, but the nausea medicine stops that.

On a happier note, she's really starting to show. There's a little bowling ball starting to show through her clothes now, and she's feeling Eli's flutters on a regular basis. Those flutters will very soon turn into all out jabs and kicks. I'm definitely ready to see a little bump poke out of her tummy!

That's pretty much it right now. We've got several people requesting tummy pics. We may have time to post that this weekend, but we're starting to move the remaining bedroom stuff out of the soon to be nursery and get it ready to start painting, so the tummy pics might have to wait a bit longer. Sorry.

Ultrasound Pictures...finally!

2008-09-29T20:33:00.000-05:00

(Click the images to enlarge)

Posted by: Cory

Here are the ultrasound pics you've been waiting for! I tried to upload the video, but it was in pieces and formats that I didn't have time to alter, so that probably won't get uploaded.

For those of you who've "never been able to see anything on ultrasound photos", it's obvious what they are...to us at least. Our favorite is the first one (top left) where his knees are in front of him and his arms are crossed. The second one (left middle) is his arm. The next ones (bottom left & top right) are 2 shots of the "man business" (the Indian style view referenced in the previous post). The next (right middle) is his foot. And last (bottom right) is the top of his head with his right leg in front of him.

There's a quick shot on the video that we're convinced is him sucking his thumb - or that's what we like to think, at least. The next ultrasound isn't until close to the end of the year - but the way this year has flown by, that'll be here soon. That will be the one where we have the option to get the 3D views. We're still debating over whether or not to do that though. We've heard those are anywhere from $130 to $300+ out of our own pocket, so that's still undecided...unless, of course, friends and family would like to contribute :^) If you've never seen a 3D ultrasound, click here & here to see a sample. Amazing, huh? Like I said, contributions are appreciated, haha.

There ya are...ENJOY!

It's a BOY!!!

2008-09-24T18:51:00.005-05:00

Posted by: Cory

Eli Walton Justice currently weighs 10 ounces with a heart rate of 154.

The ultrasound lady first checked all the major organs, spine, etc., which were all right on schedule and fine. She said the heartbeat looked and sounded beautiful. We got close to the end and didn't think we were going to get to see the goods, and she gave it one final try...that's when we got the money shot! It's a view as if Eli is sitting Indian style on a glass floor and your under him looking up. There's definitely no denying that he's a he. We've got several good shots of arms and legs, a foot, and head. We also got a DVD of the entire ultrasound, heartbeat and all. I may can post that later. I'll definitely post the ultrasound pics.

Mamma is doing just fine, except for the occasional bad headache, which only sleep can help.

I'll update this same post with pics and all later, so keep checking back.

24 More Hours

2008-09-23T15:00:00.002-05:00

Posted by: Cory

Exactly one more day until "the Big Reveal"...or, at least we hope there will be a reveal. How disappointing it would be to finally get the ultrasound and the baby have its legs crossed or in some weird position that hid the goods. We've been told that Clara needs to have a full bladder to help enhance the view. If she has a full bladder and they go pushing and poking on her, they might just end up with a wet chair. Oh well. Can't really control the view. Here's hoping.

We both work only half days tomorrow. I leave at noon, and Clara leaves school not long after that. I seriously doubt I'll be able to concentrate on anything at work tomorrow. It's just like that feeling you got as a child on Christmas Eve night - can't sleep because of the excitement. I dreamed a little bit about it last night. I can't imagine what it'll be like tonight. Then again, you have to actually sleep to dream. Doubt I'll be getting much of that, much less dreaming. Even if I/we don't sleep tonight, we'll be running on excitement adrenaline tomorrow.

Clara thinks she may feel it moving. She feels strange sensations, but not sure what they are. I say that's probably a good indicator it's the baby moving. I suppose it's going to take a foot to the ribs before she's convinced - and that's not too far away. I'm ready to see some external visual confirmation - like the imprint of a foot show through her tummy. That will be exciting! We're a few months away from that kind of evidence though.

I'll try and post the results ASAP tomorrow. Oh, I believe they've also got to do a little more lab work on Clara tomorrow. Not really sure what for - some routine tests I think. Keep us in your prayers that all goes well. The next post will be the "It's A..." post. We can't wait!

Answered Prayers

2008-09-19T17:59:00.003-05:00

Posted by: Cory

Clara has been doing much better these past few days! Her body seems to be realizing (finally) that she's in the 2nd trimester. She's not taking her nausea meds as much, and we're starting to slack off the early, early, morning crackers. Still doing the Gatorade, though - just to stay hydrated, plus she feels like she needs it before her feet hit the floor. Whatever it takes to keep the nausea away is what I'll be glad to do - regardless of what time it is.

She's also starting to get an obvious baby bump. If you don't know what that is, Google it. Our lives are already changing and "E" isn't even here yet. It's about to hit warp speed. Hang on....

One More Week!

2008-09-17T08:54:00.000-05:00

Posted by: Cory

One week! One more week from today is the ultrasound we've been waiting for! Blue or pink? Tonka trucks or Barbie? Baseball caps or hair bows? Either is fine with us. We're just so ready to call it something besides "E" or "the baby", we don't care what it is.

Clara has wanted a girl ever since we found out. At first I was leaning towards a boy, but I think having a girl would be nice for a change - since most of my family is guys. Clara says this family needs more girls. Although I would tend to disagree sometimes since (almost) all of Clara's family is girls (i.e. her mom, two sisters, an aunt, two girl cousins) and Clara; then you've got my mom. Let's do the math: 1+2+1+2+1+1=8! Eight women. Let's just say during the holidays I'm left bobbing around in the estrogen ocean. But it's all good. It's Cory in the Land of Women - sounds like a movie. So I'd be fine with one more girl, especially since she'd be mine. I'd also be happy with a boy - another buoy to bob around with me.

The countdown is on: 1 week, 6ish hours....

Learning As We Go

2008-09-16T12:11:00.000-05:00

Posted by: Cory

Clara had a new baby-related event yesterday at school. She suddenly got a cold sweat and felt like she was going to pass out - all while she was herding her kids back into the classroom. Thankfully she got to a seat fast enough and instructed one of her students to get her the trash can. After getting rid of a little nausea she was fine. Kinda freaked some of her kids out, though.

She told me about it later, which freaked me out, too. She reassured me that she had her kids trained on what to do in case of a worse scenario. I'm just glad she's got adults (kids too) close by all day.

She called her doctor's office this morning to find out what could have caused it. They said her blood-sugar probably got a little low, and to keep peanut butter and crackers close by. She also found out that leg cramps were probably the result of low potassium, and told her to eat bananas, potatoes, and drink orange juice. We'll try that, and hopefully that'll help her (and me) get more sleep at night. Not that I mind waking up and rubbing her legs; I just want her to get all the constant rest she can. I suppose these frequent "rub my legs" wake ups are just preparing me for Feb. I'm actually looking forward to it. I know...I say that now. It might be a different tune later.

Baby On The Way

2008-09-15T16:24:00.002-05:00

Posted by: Cory

As many of you already know, we've got our first baby in the making! We (and I do mean 'we') are in our 2nd trimester. It's the beginning of our 18th week and things are going very well...as far as baby development goes. Mommy, however, has had it kinda rough the past few weeks. The books and online articles we've read says all the nausea and 1000 pee trips per night are supposed to decrease after the 2nd trimester. I think Clara's body got the 1st and 2nd trimesters confused. It hasn't been as bad as some stories we've heard, but it's pretty rough on us. As long as Clara keeps her nausea medicine (we call the wonder pill, Reglan) close at hand, a full tummy, and the room temperature just above freezing, she's good to go! The past couple weeks have been easier, though. (Better not say that too loud.)

Aside from the nausea, many many pee trips, 2am and 3:30am and 4:15am leg cramps, and a freezing house, we're both getting ready for her next doctor visit. On Wed., Sept 24 at around 3:00ish, we'll find out if the baby is Eli Walton or Ella Caroline! Yes, the moment we've all been waiting for...aside from the actual birth, which by the way is Feb 22. And for those of you who don't know, Walton is Clara's maiden name. The girl's name isn't a family name, but we liked it and decided to make it a family name.

Clara says the nursery will be totally ready by Christmas. We've already got a crib (click here to see a pic), armoire, dresser with hutch, and a glider. Also, on a trip to Nashville to visit Clara's family, we got our stroller and carrier/car seat on sale. We've got bedding picked out for a boy and a girl. Now all we've got to do is find out which (the grandparents need) to buy - and that won't be long.

Clara and mom are going to a Ladies' Retreat in October, and Clara says I get to paint the nursery while they're gone. Silly me thought I would get to play PlayStation 3 all weekend. Instead, it'll be me, the paint rollers, and XM Radio all weekend - which is a close 2nd to PS3.

That's all for now. I'll update again soon. Definitely by next Wed!