4th of July.....

This past weekend we headed to Rock Hill to celebrate the 4th. We hung out with friends, cooked out and swam. We had such a nice time I wasn't ready for Monday to arrive. Annalee got to hang out and meet some special friends this weekend. She also got to meet her bff Hattie. Hattie is only 6 days younger than Annalee. I think they hit it off and will be great friends.
This is all i can post. Annalee wants to play. She keeps on hitting the keyboard.
to be continued..........................

phase....

I think Annalee is going through a phase. A couple weeks ago when she was sick she wasn't at daycare for a couple of days. When she went back they told me "we are so glad Annalee is back, we didn't have anyone crawling all over the place or stealing pacis." The kids have to wear the pacis clipped to their clothes now so other kids (ie mine) don't take each others. I have walked into daycare a couple of times and she has had Porter's paci! (gross!) i go pick her up from daycare around 5 and the light is off. All the kids are playing, but only Annalee is sleeping, hence the light being off. They did not want to disturb the princess. Yesterday, Russ went to pick her up. When he got there she was throwing a dirt road fit. Of course she was in one of the daycare workers arms. He said she was doing the sniffles and wailing her head and everything. Come to find out she was throwing a tantrum because Julie took her toy! Yikes....

These things are pretty funny and her little personality is developing so fast, but the paci stealing has got to stop.

btw-check out the pic. Doesn't everyone eat with their feet in the air?

Weekend Recap----

This past weekend I headed to Lake hartwell to meet up with some of my friends from college. I was really looking forward to this getaway. Russ was watching Annalee and i could relax. We all got there Friday and of course stayed up way too late catching up. Saturday we headed out on the lake. It was so nice. Relaxing, soaking up sun, talking, gossiping it was much needed. Of course, where ever we go something always has to happen. Saturday night, Kelly and Leigh were outside and started hearing something. Then it got closer and closer! They ran in the house screaming and frantically locking all the doors. Tara and i were sleeping, LOL! So what do we do??? Call the cops! The cop came and was really nice. It was four girls and we were scared to death. He said he would keep an eye on us all night! Thanks!! After the incident we went to sleep, all sleeping in the same room of course and then headed home on Sunday! Thanks Kelly for letting us stay at your house! Thanks Kelly, Tara and Leigh for such a fun trip! I can't wait until we all get together again.

Also, Annalee is a big girl now! She got her first pair of kicks! You are not a styling 11 month old girl unless you have the pink and white stride rite tennis shoes! I will post a picture. She didn't really know what to do when she got fitted and then they put them on her feet! She was kicking and grabbing them! Thanks mom for buying her a great pair of shoes! She loves them!

Here we are today..... take 2

**** prelude to bolg post and why it is called part 2.... once upon a time i was part of an online book club and we used blogger to do post. That club ended a while ago but i still have saved right next to this blog. Well, I did this post posted a pic and everything and it was on the wrong blog. Seriously! How embarressing! Maybe i just need to go to bed. Oh well, i it gave me a laugh for today!

Here we are today..
Wow, it is crazy how time flies. I know people say that all the time, but seriously it does. Where do I even begin. Annalee will be 11 months old tomorrow. She is growing like crazy! She weighs in at 20lbs and is 28 inches long. She has two little teeth on the bottom. We thought she would never get teeth. She eats baby food, but for the life of me I cannot get her to eat table food. She is already a picky eater! She will walk while holding onto the couch so I am thinking we will have a walker on our hands in the next few weeks. Below is a picture of our little princess. This was taken at 9 months!

Who do you think she looks like? I love how this picture shows her little orange nose! Her nose has turned orange due to the fact that the only veggies she will eat are carrots, squash and sweet potatoes. Does that mean she is a Clemson fan?
The countdown is on! I start my clinicals in January! I am nervous, scared and excited all at the same time. There are so many things that you have to do to get ready. I have to make sure my immunizations are in order, have a physical, drug screen, background check, etc. I also am CPR certified. I took a 4 hour class on a Saturday morning. If you ever have the opportunity to take a CPR class i suggest you do so. You never know when someone you know or don't know needs it.
I did take an online class this past semester (that is a whole other post in itself!). Anatomy and Physiology. I don't even think i spelled that correctly. Lets just say school is hard and I am retaking the class, this time in an actual class and not online. My class starts at the end of Aug. Round 2 here i come!
Last weekend we had a yard sale and we actually had fun having one! Our "customers" were all really great and we made over $300. Not too shabby.
If you have read to this point you are probably thinking this is the most random post of all time. True it is, but when you don't blog for over 6 months you have random thoughts. I am definitly going to do better on blogging. So ta-ta for now!

stay tuned......

I am bringing the blog back! After reading and stalking other blogs, I realized I need to document our lives. So much has happened that I should have been blogging about! So if I have any more of my readers still out there stayed tuned, an update is coming tonight!

Yes, i am here...

I know it has been what 4 months since the last blog. Since then so much has happened. Where should I start?? Annalee is now 5 1/2 months old! She weighs in at 15.2 lbs and around 26 inches long! She is eating every three hours and at night sleeping from 7:30pm-6;30am!! It is wonderful! She is happy all of the time and of course i think she is the cutest little thing! She is sick right now! :( i got a call from daycare on Tuesday saying she was wheezing and you could see her struggling to breath. I immediatly ran her to the dr. She has a respitory infection. She is taking steroids and breathing treatments 3x's a day. Lets hope we don't have any roid rages. I had to take her back to the Dr on Thursday because she wasnt' keeping anything down and still wheezing. So now she has a stomach virus on top of everything and we have added an additional breathing treatment to the day. She has to eat every two hours and only 2ozs at a time! My little one is used to eating 8 ounces at a time. Through all of this she is still always smiling and laughing. We are so lucky to have such a great baby!

I am back at work, working full time and going to school! My first class i am taking is Anatomy & Biology! It is the hardest class i think i have ever taken! So between being a mommy, wife, working full time, and going to school, this is why the blog has taken a back burner!

sorry for such a short update, Annalee is crying! I will update more soon! Promise!

Crazy..

I think i am going crazy. Tuesday I go for advising. I am going back to school. I having been thinking for a long time of going back and getting my nursing degree. I went to talk to an advisor about 3 years ago and decided at that point I wasn't ready. But apparently going back now while working full time and will have a 5 month old makes better sense to me (this is why i am crazy!). I am really excited though. I went to the campus on Tuesday to do paperwork and stuff and the students are so young. I am going to be that old person in the class! I don't start till Jan, but with the program i have to complete orientations and other stuff this semester, so i am kind of getting a small dose of how it is going to be. I have been out of school for awhile. Hopefully, i can get back in the swing of things. I am only going to take 2 classes in the spring. If all goes well I will be an RN in about 3 years! Crazy!

at home

We are home at last!! We were released from the hospital yesterday around 2pm. Annalee had a gasterial intestinal virus, which is a fancy name for stomach bug! Her antibiotics were all admistered via IV so she they didn't even need to send her home with any. We just need to follow up with her pediatrician on Tuesday. We are at our home with air that is working and our little baby is happy. Thanks so much for everyones thoughts and prayers!! It is ironic that we took her home on her 1 month birthday. It is hard to believe she is already 1 month! Have a great weekend!

Dr's appt

Well, the dr's appointment didn't go to well. When we got to the dr Annalee had a temp of 101.4. I am now sitting in a hospital room with my sick little girl. The dr came in the room looked her over and told russ and i we need to go to the hospital. Newborns with fevers are always admitted to the hospital. 10:15 was our dr visit, he called the hospital got us a room and we were admitted at 1:00. Since then my poor baby has had ivs, a spinal, blood drawn, cultures and a catheter. The fever went down overnight and her antibiotics are kicking in! She is doing really well and the drs think this may just be a viral infection. Please keep little Annalee in your thoughts and prayers. I can't tell you how hard these past two days have been.

Can't catch a break....

I guess the saying when it rains it pours is proving to be true! It all started when I had to go to the emergency room for my incision. I went back for my follow up appointment with the dr and he says it is healing great, but still not healed. So therefore, the nurse is still coming and I still can't drive. My dressing is being changed twice a day.
our car needs the window replaced. Yes, the window is broke. thankfully, it is the back passanger side. The window is somehow broke in the door, thankfully the window is up, so we don't have to look redneck and put a trash bag up. here is the kicker, my husband had to have a german made car, so it will cost us a fortune to fix.
next issue. we have no air at our house. Sunday when we got home from running errands it was a little hot. Russ checked and the air is not working. Great! We can suffer through the night and have the air guy come and fix. Well they came the next day, charged me $326 and said that is just to get started. Our air unit is apparently 15 years old and an off brand. So, they have to order the part. It will be here in 2-3 business days. We obviously can't stay at our home, so we have moved in with my parents. Thankfully, they are nice enough to keep us and don't mind us staying here. I can't even begin to tell you how hard it is to take care of a newborn at a place that is not yours! Hopefully, Friday we can move back home.
The big kicker is my sweet little Annalee is sick. I took her temp and it is right over 100. She is sleeping now and eating which is good. So at 10:15 we are heading to the dr. Well, my mom noticed she was warm this morning. I don't have a thermometer in the diaper bag (have 3 at my house), my mom had to run out and buy a thermometer. Well, i have no car here either, so Russ has to miss yet another day of work to drive Annalee and I to the dr.
Maybe things will start coming in order!

Annalee's arrival...

Annalee was born via c-section and let me tell you they are not fun! We arrived at the hospital at 5:30 Friday morning and immediately were admitted. We went to our room that is much like a hotel. The nurse started my ivs and asked all kinds of questions. We were then taken to the pre-op room. There they ask several more questions and hooked me up to all kinds of machines. You name it I had it! Then at 7:30am we were ready, but no doctor. The doctor was paged. He called back and said he didn't know I was scheduled. Great! Luckily, he is wonderful and I completely trust him. He came to see Russ and I at about 8:00. He did a short prayer with us and then I was taken to the OR. Let me tell you this was the first time I was ever in an Operating Room. It was kind of scary. There were 4 nurses in the room, 2 for me and 2 for Annalee. Russ at this point wasn't with me he had to get suited up.

Finally, they were ready for the Spinal. The dr came in and put the big huge needle in the back of my spine and administered the meds to make my body (chest down) completely numb. It hurt so bad, then all of a sudden I couldn't feel anything. Russ was then able to come and be with me. Dr. S came in to start the delivery and at 8:50 Annalee was born. Below is a picture!

Now is where the fun part begins. Part of the reason I had to have a c-section is because they had to remove a quarter size cysts from my ovary. Yes, when they were operating the nurse said "wow that is huge!" They thought they may have to take the whole ovary, but luckily they got the cyst by itself. At this point Russ and Annalee are in the nursery and I am by myself with the dr and nurses. During the surgery I started having a lot of pain. It was horrible. All i could do was move my head from side to side. The nurse says "i think her spinal is wearing off!" That is all i remember! Next thing i know i am in the recovery room with my baby!! The next few days i am recovering and with my husband and baby!!!

Fast forward to this past Sunday. I had to go to the emergency room. Russ and I get there (my mom watched Annalee). My incision is in pain and bleeding. The dr tells me it is infected. I get an IV of antibiotics automatically and then they also give me fluids because i am dehydrated. After being in the ER for 5 hours we are finally allowed to leave. It was very scary for both Russ and I.

I go back to my Dr Monday and he has to reopen the incision. Apparantely, this happens with c-sections. So, he cleans my incision that is open!!! And tells me they are going to send a nurse to my house because someone is going to have to clean my incision 2x's a day. OUCH!!

the nurse came yesterday and so far so good! I must say I had a very good pregnancy and if this is the worst that can happen I consider myself lucky. My baby is healthy and that is all I can ask for!

She's here----

Annalee Victoria arrived Friday July 24th @ 8:50 am. She came weighing 7.5oz and 19 3/4 long! She has a head full of hair and is wonderful. I can't describe the feeling it is to be a mommy and i can't stop staring at her. I don't have a lot of time to blog about the details, but when i do i will. until then here are some pics of our beautiful healthy wonderful baby girl!

here she comes....

I am going to apologize in advance for the rambling of this blog. It has been crazy the past 24 hours. I had my doctor's appointment yesterday. I was really excited I just knew something was going to happen. Russ and i got to my appointment and waited for the doctor. Thirty minutes later he came in. They measured me and i was measuring at 40.5 weeks!!! I am only 38.5. They checked and i still wasn't dilated, Annalee still hadn't dropped and I have a cyst on my ovary. The doctor suggested a c-section. It sounds scary, but when he told us the options and his advice this was the way to go. We agreed to go along with the c-section and he said "let's schedule, how about Thursday or Friday!" I said "this week?" he said "yep!" Russ and i looked at each other. For nine months we have waited to meet our little girl, but i think this is when reality truly kicked in. So, Annalee will join us on Friday, July 24th at 7:30am and we couldn't be more thrilled. I go in at 5:30 for all of the pre-op stuff and surgery will start at 7:30am. I am excited, nervous, anxious, you name it. They have me down for surgery for an hour and a half. To deliver the baby and remove the cyst. Russ and I have been so blessed throughout this pregnancy and I know everything will go smooth with the delivery. Today I have been frantically getting everything off of my desk at work for my leave. I will be out for 12 weeks!! Tomorrow I am doing all of the last minute things and cleaning the house! Friday our lives change! Next time I post I will post pictures of our little girl! how exciting!!! OMG!

In loving memory...

Yesterday was a sad day for the Hopper's. Our family dog Pepper had to be put to sleep, he was 16 years old. Pepper was a schnauzer who was full of life. He battled through cancer, tumors, bladder stones and hip problems. He was part of the family. Yesterday my mom woke up and found Pepper having a seizure. He was twitching and foaming at the mouth. My dad rushed him to the vet and they said he had had a stroke. The vet told my dad that there really wasn't anything they could do and the best option was to put him down. pepper was given pain medicine and my dad brought him back home. It was decided that we would all meet at the vets around 5pm to say goodbye. I got a call at 4:30, Pepper had another stroke. I got to the vets along with my family and said goodbye. It was so sad, but at least he is at peace. The vet was wonderful and made things a lot easier. Our family is sad, but we will get through. We will miss you pepper!!!

ponds, 4th of July and baby news

I know I have not blogged in forever! Surprise, Surprise. We have been very busy getting things around for the baby and Russ building a couple of small ponds in the backyard.

Our backyard is very large and wasn't very well maintained when we moved in. Russ has been working very hard and our yard is looking really good! We have plants in the front and two small ponds in the back connected with a waterfall! I must say it looks really good! There are also goldfish swimming around! The picture below is when the pond was first being built!! It looks completely different now, but this gives you a little idea!

The fourth of July we went to the beach for a few days to visit some friends, shoot fireworks and have a good time! It was our last outing until the baby comes!!

The baby is due in 3 weeks! The nursery is ready and we are set. We went to the doctor yesterday and she is measuring big! The dr thinks Annalee is around 7lbs right now and thinks I may go early! That would be wonderful as I am now very uncomfortable!

So now is the waiting game......

7 weeks

Yep, that is the number of weeks I have left of being pregnant! Let me tell you the pregnancy is kicking in full force! I am huge, my feet and hands are swollen and I am uncomfortable. I did go to the Dr Tuesday and everything is still right on schedule!
Tomorrow we go on a tour of labor and delivery. That should be interesting. Sunday work is having a baby shower for me!
I don't really have anything else going on. Last weekend I went to my friend Jeni's baby shower! She is due 2 weeks after me and having a little girl too! I can't wait to see them together.
Hope everyone has a nice weekend!

Baby Shower...

Yesterday my mom and sister threw Annalee and I a baby shower. It was wonderful. I must say Russ, Annalee and I are so very lucky. We had wonderful family and friends that attended. Annalee got so many wonderful things that makes it so real that we are one step closer. We received, pack-n-play, highchair, the bedding, cute outfits, diapers, diaper caddy, cute receiving blankets, baby tolietries, and so very much more!! It was all so wonderful! I was overwhelmed with joy. So many people traveled a great distance and it just meant so much! I can't wait until Annalee gets to meet all of these special people! We had good food and played games and laughed a lot! Thanks everyone for making the day so wonderful!
Last night after the shower I had a breakdown. I think it is due to the lack of sleep and the hormones! I just started crying and telling Russ that I am so scared of labor and having Annalee. I can't wait to meet her but I worry that I won't know her needs. Russ of course was there to let me know that everything will be ok and that my maternal instinct will come. I just hope he is right!

name...

I have a quick update. We have decided on the baby name!!! Annalee Victoria Compton.

I can't wait to get her stuff monogrammed!!!

6 months...

We had our 6 month visit last week. I know it is a little late for the post. The baby is growing bigger and bigger and is very healthy. She now weighs 1.7lbs! It was so amazing to see how much she has grown. We got a couple of decent shots as keepsakes and can see her little face. I think she may look a little like Russ. We don't go back for another month, but things are progressing nicely. Next appointment is my glucose test Again. I hope I am successful as I was the first go around.

We ordered the crib, hutch and dresser/changing table. Everything, but the crib should be in sometime next week. I can't believe how fast the time is going. We will hopefully start painting within the next month.

Russ and I will be married 1 year on Sunday. It seems like just yesterday we were walking down the aisle! We have definitly had a lot of changes over the last year.

Below is a sneak peak at the bedding:

Hope everyone had a Happy Easter!

and they.....

LOST!!! Can you believe it?? Clemson lost in the first round of the tournament! They lost to Georgia Tech. We DVR'd the game and just finished watching. It was a huge disappoinment. Booker played well, but they just couldn't get n'sync. (i just got the giggles thinking about the boy band n'sync!) So, now I need to think of some other options for Russ's birthday. I am open to suggestions! He doesn't want a party or to go anywhere! Maybe he is depressed about turning the big 3-0. He will just have to get over that! That is all i have to blog about now. The lose of the basketball game has gotten to me.
Also, thanks to Jenn and Steffi for the background suggestion. I think my blog got a nice facelift!