I love this time of year!

We're getting ready for Christmas around our house and it's been so much fun this year!

A Random Fall Post

I finally got around to downloading some photos off of my camera and editing them to post. As I look through my blogroll and see how long it's been for most of my IRL friends to put up a new post I realize I'm in good company. Oh how things change when you have a baby... After working all day, by the time I get Hunter to bed in the evenings, make dinner (or order dinner...ha!), wash bottles, straighten up the house, and get things ready for the next day all I want to do is watch some mindless tv and go to bed. I'm so thankful that he's started sleeping well through the night again (knock on wood) because that definitely makes things a little easier! He continues to be the most happy, joyous baby and not to mention the light of my life! 

The sweetest UK Fan I know!

The past few months have been so much fun as Hunter is becoming more interactive each day. We're quickly learning that he's a little smartie and we will not be able to get much by him. Here's a list of a few things that he's doing right now so I remember. At 6 1/2 months, Hunter, you are:

1. Rolling everywhere, back to front and front to back

2. Babbling a lot, making mostly "g" sounds

3. Eating solid food 3 times a day and not really wanting your bottle too much anymore.

4. Sleeping through the nights most nights and going to sleep on your own with a paci and your blankie

5. Trying so hard to crawl. You will lay on your stomach and kick so hard that it looks like you're competing in a swim meet.

6. You can get up on your hands and knees but don't really know where to go from there

7. SOOOO interested in Dakota! You love to watch her and crack up if she barks or makes any noise. She however...is sadly not so fond of you yet. She may come up and sniff you every once in a while but mostly she avoids you.

8. Starting to show a major preference for your Mommy. I can't say that I mind too much because I just can't get enough of you.
9. Giving open mouth, slobbery kisses. Your Grandma taught you how to do this and it melts my heart every time, especially when you grab my face and kiss me right when I get home from work.
10. Taking two good naps during the day usually for about 2 hours each
11. You love books and being read to
12. You have two teeth on the bottom and love to chew on anything and everything!
13. You DO NOT like to be made to lay back. Whether it's to take a bottle or to be rocked, if you have your mind made up that you want to sit up, you are going to sit up.
14. Your Daddy thinks you look like the E-trade baby and keeps encouraging me to enter your photo in a baby photo contest
15. Last but not least you are so smiley! Strangers have commented to me about what a sweet smile you have and I have to agree 100%!! You have the cutest little dimple on your right cheek that only comes out when you give a big grin. Making you smile and laugh is just the best and makes me feel like I've won the lottery every time!

Here's a few more photos from the past couple months:




Family trip to the pumpkin patch

 

 

He loves the Baby Bjorn!



Hunter's 6 month picture in his Halloween shirt from Great-Grandma Jane

 

Our cute little Puppy



More newborn pics

I realize these are not the most recent photos of Baby H but we just got them so I thought I would share. I LOVE them! I will cherish these precious memories of my tiny babe. He is growing so fast and changing all the time. Enjoy!

Finally...Baby HTL!

I know I've been MIA for three months...sorry about that. I was off enjoying every minute of my maternity leave and learning how to be a mom...ha! There is a lot I want to document and hopefully getting back into the swing of blogging will help me do that. Just to give you a brief update until I get the full post finished, Baby H was born on my due date April 28, 2011 at 10:01pm. He weighed 6lbs 13 oz. (much smaller than everyone anticipated) and was 19 inches. Three months later he has already caught up and is now my little chunky monkey! More to come later but I'll leave you with a few of his hospital photos. We were suckers and paid the ridiculous amount for the cd with 8 photos but didn't care because he is our first baby and we are so proud! Enjoy!

Showered with Love!

The theme that keeps resonating with me as I look through these photos is that we are so blessed! Our family and friends have truly surrounded Mr. L and I throughout my pregnancy and shown us the most amazing love and support. I hope I can express to Baby H one day how excited everyone was for his arrival and how much he was loved before he was even born. If you're reading this and you had part in any of these events I can't say thank you enough!

Lewin family shower hosted by my MIL and two wonderful sister-in-laws

It was a jungle theme and the cake was absolutely adorable!

My little helper was so excited to help me open the gifts

Mr. L stopped by at the end to say thank you to all the ladies in his family that came to celebrate with us. It was so great to see everyone!

Here I am with Mr. L's Mom, sister, sister-in-law and Grandma. Baby H is going to get lots of kisses in the future from these ladies!

My Grandma was able to attend the shower as well. She is so excited to meet her first great-grandchild!

Next was a shower hosted by my sister at my parents' house. Our nursery has a sports theme so she did the shower in a sports theme and it turned out great!

Such cute ice cream sundae desserts in little reds hats!

My friend Bethany with her adorable son Jett! So sweet of them to come!

Baby H's future buddies, Liam and Jett

Baby H was very spoiled!

Some of the best friends a girl could have! Quite a few of us have known each other since elementary school, through middle and high school, and even went to college together. So lucky to have them! I can't wait to see what the future holds for all of us and our little families!

My last shower was hosted by my wonderful sorority sisters in Lexington. I always have such a ball when we get together and this was no exception!

Everyone decorated cloth diapers for Baby H for me to use as burp clothes. They all turned out so cute!!

This lovely lady drove all the way from Dayton to join us!

We're never short on laughs, that's for sure!

Me with my lovely hostesses! You may recognize a few as fellow bloggers. I don't think my college years would have been the same without these girls! One of them just got engaged and I couldn't be happier about!

Beautiful Alpha Gams!!

I was very excited that my little Alpha Gam family was there. Me with my little sis on my left and big sis on my right. My big sis is a new Mommy to sweet baby E. She is so precious! Maybe a future wife for baby H!

And last but not least a photo with my Mom and Sis. They were such troopers coming to everything with me and helping me in all my preparations for Baby H. Can't wait for him to meet them!!

Ready for Diaper Duty!

Baby H...Daddy is ready for Diaper Duty...ha!

Some of Mr. L's great friends hosted a diaper party for him a few weeks ago. We were so blessed by them and have such a great supply to start out with! This get-up was one of the funny gifts that he got. I think he has everything he needs to tackle some stinky diapers...what do you think??

We're getting close!

As the end nears I get more and more excited about meeting my little buddy! Now that I'm officially full term he could come at any time and I am READY! Everything is done, everything is washed, the bags are packed, carseat installed, we are good to go. At my last two doctors appointments I've been 3cm dilated and around 50% effaced. This last time the doctor thought that I looked "big" and wanted to do an ultrasound to measure the size of Baby H. Luckily it turns out that he is an average size and they're not worried about needing to induce. My next appointment is this coming Wednesday if he hasn't arrived before then so I'm excited to see if there is any more progress. I'm definitely feeling more low pressure when I walk and many people have told me that I look like I have dropped.

38 weeks

My blood pressure continues to be good as well as his heartbeat and I've lost a pound at each of my last two appointments. I guess at this point everything I'm eating is going straight to the baby, which I can't say that I mind because I'm spoiling myself and indulging on ice cream every night before bed. I have to enjoy this while it lasts...ha! As soon as he's here it's back to watching what I eat.

39 weeks

Countdown until my due date...2 days. Pray that he comes soon because I'm getting less and less sleep each night and if I'm going to be awake to see every hour on the clock I'd at least like to have a little baby to cuddle and love on! I'm going to do my best to post photos and updates when he comes so stay tuned!