Where Have I Been?

I have left all of you hanging for quite a while with no blog post. I have been so busy and really have not had much to write about. Right now, I could think of a ton of things to write about, but I am so tired and know I need to get to bed soon for my last day of work tomorrow for a week...YAY FOR VACATION. I am so excited that my vacation is coming...oh the FL Keys, how excited I am for that. I will definitely have to post a little something after my trip so you can see some pics and hear about how wonderful of a trip it better be :-)

I have been visiting with my niece and family almost every weekend since she was born. Some would say I am nuts and a little obsessive for visiting all the time, every weekend, BUT I have been able to help a lot and just love Emma so much. My sister is doing so much better recovery wise (it has been a rough road) and Emma is adjusting to life as best she can right now. She was 4 weeks old this week and really is a smart baby!!! I am not just saying that because she is my niece...she really is smart, been grabbing at things, smiling a lot at you, laughing, and the list goes on :-) For being a month old she is an advanced baby!

I have been so drained lately and things in life have been tough (not that anyone has things easy, I know, but they have been extra tough). I know I am strong enough and will make it through whatever the Lord puts in front of me, but it gets really difficult sometimes and it makes me miss all my close friends and family in Tampa and Bama. I am so lucky to have such a strong support system in ATL that help me through all of my hard times, it means the world to me..it really does. I do not know what I would without my friends here that are like family - and you all know who you are :-) Thank you for all you do!!

I will post more once I am back from what better be a relaxing vacation!! Oh and a shout out to my girl Stephanie whose Bachelorette "Day" is Saturday before I leave for vacation!! We have a full day planned - a brunch, mani/pedi, dinner, and going to some bars...going to have some really good times and make some great memories! I am so excited to celebrate her and she is getting married in 6 weeks...Saturday will be lots of fun and full of shenanigans, I am sure of it!!

Just thought I would leave you all with a little cuteness - Baby Emma (of course)!!!

No More Waiting Game...

Emma Layne has arrived...happy, healthy and beautiful. Tuesday, July 21st at 8:27pm CDT via C-section. She weighed in at 8lbs., 14oz and 23 inches long! The waiting is finally over and we couldn't be more thrilled. She was well worth the wait.

So, now for the labor story...Monday afternoon my sister was admitted to be induced because the doctor decided it was time for Emma to come into this world. My sister and her husband had been waiting anxiously for the arrival of their daughter and did not expect the doctor to admit her that day - on her official due date - for induction! What a great surprise!!

Of course when I got the call I left work immediately and went to the hospital to be with my family. My Dad also booked his flight for that afternoon and was able to get out of Tampa fast to get to his baby who was having a baby :-) My Mom was already there and had been helping prepare for Emma's arrival. It was so special that we could all be together as a family, my sister had hoped for that.

When I arrived at the hospital, they had my sister hooked up to a pitocin drip to induce her labor and they were starting it off very slowly to make sure they were being safe with Mom and baby during this process. They were also working their "magic" to help my sister dilate. It was an uneventful evening and no contractions had begun, so my Mom, Dad and I went back to my sister and brother-in-law's house to get some rest. Tuesday morning the doctor checked my sister for dilation and still nothing, so they decided to up the pitocin as planned. Later that morning, there were still no big contractions or dilation, so the doctor had said they would assess later that evening how things were progressing. All I could think to myself was "oh no please do not put my sister through another night of pitocin and trying to get her to dilate," but that was probably going to be the plan if her water did not break on its own.

At 1pm Tuesday, my sister's water broke!! Yay, progress...BUT still no dilation! Who knew this process would take so long?!? After the water broke, contractions were coming faster and stronger and I was watching my sister going through this pain of labor and was thinking to myself, she is such a strong and beautiful woman and I couldn't be more proud of her than I was at that very moment. It was surreal. She finally decided it was time for the epiderral, but they had a hard time getting that in because my sister has herniated discs in her back. Once they finally got it in, my sister turned a bit loopy and it was quite funny to listen to some of the things she was saying (I will not publish any of that here...hehe). She just seemed like she was on some heavy drugs, which she was!

Later that afternoon the doctor on call came in and my sister and her husband had already been seen by her once or twice throughout the pregnancy, but she said she would be the one to deliver the baby if she was coming Tuesday night. We got to talking to the doctor and found out she went to the University of South Florida for medical school and did her residency at Tampa General Hospital. Immediately I felt comfortable with this doctor since I knew TGH was such a great hospital and so was USF medical school...phew, what a relief. Also, it was kind of neat that Emma was going to be delivered by someone who had a tie to Tampa, her Mommy's hometown.

At 7:30pm the doctor came in to check on my sister and she was still not more than 2cm dilated and Emma was ready to come, so they decided it was best to get her out via C-section. That was the longest hour of my life while my sister was in that operating room. My Mom and I paced the halls peeking through different doors and windows to see if we could see where my brother-in-law was with Emma. The nurses told us that we would see Emma for the first time through a window and that her Daddy would come hold her up for us. So, of course we anxiously awaited and then we finally saw Jeff with his beautiful daughter coming to the window to show her to us. She was beautiful, mesmerizing and took my breath away. We all cried and cried, tears of joy and relief, and we all held hands and stared at Emma - this beautiful angel.

My sister was in recovery and we went upstairs to the room they would be coming to afterwards and got their things in there to help settle them in. About 10:30pm that evening we saw my sister in the hospital bed being wheeled down the hall, holding Emma and Jeff walking beside her with a perma-grin. I have never seen Layne and Jeff light up like I did that night and I will never forget meeting my niece for the first time.

She has already changed my life...I love her more than anything and would go to the ends of the Earth for her. I never knew I could love something so much. This is only my niece, so I cannot imagine what it will be like when I have my own baby one day! I cannot describe her beauty - there are just no words. I cannot describe how proud I am of my brave sister for all she has gone through. I cannot begin to tell you how proud I am of Jeff for being SUPERDAD!! They are both such wonderful parents already and I am so happy and proud of both of them. They truly deserve this belssing from God. We all love Emma!!

The Waiting Game

"We just have to wait." These are the words I hear from my sister after her last doctor appointment to see how she is progressing along to having the baby. She is 39 weeks now and Emma is just under 8 lbs., she can come anytime, but we just have to keep waiting until she is ready to make her debut.

It is so hard to hear those words because we just want her to be here, healthy and in our arms. I know I am being impatient and should just be happy things are coming along and everyone is healthy, and I am, believe me, but it is still just so hard. My sister is miserable and getting so big, she is not comfortable any which way she adjusts and is just ready to give birth already! I know all pregnant women have to go through this, so it is par for the course, and I know all the Mother's out there reading this blog are thinking "cry me a river," but again just so hard. It is just a waiting game.

It will be perfect if Emma comes before my birthday, July 23rd. I just really want her here before that day - that is too far out to wait! We have lots of people guessing dates; today, the 14th, my guess is the 17th or 19th, the 27th and so on. I know she will come one of these days, but we are all so impatient. The doctor told us to stop talking about it and thinking about it, but let's be realistic...every time my phone rings and it is my sis, brother-in-law or Mom, I think Layne has gone into labor and that is why they are calling me. But, nope that has not been why they are calling so far. There was a false alarm or two, but not the real thing. I know the phone call will come soon, but this labor process is so slow.

I guess for now I will just wait because that is all I can do, but it makes me very anxious. When Emma finally gets here, I know I will forget all about this waiting we have had to do because it will be so worth the wait. Come on Emma!!!

My First Blog Post

So, I'm officially here. In the blogosphere. Finally.

I have been wanting to be a part of the blogosphere for a long time now and just have not broken down and done it. I am so glad I finally just said, do it - and here I am. I always worried about what would I write about? Would my family and friends like it? Would people comment on my posts? Could I write enough to at least post something once a week and keep people coming back to my blog? All of these things are just petty and I cannot worry about it because I cannot control them. So, I hope you read this blog and are intrigued and want to come back and read more, but if not, that is ok too, I can accept it. But, here I am and here goes nothing.

I read about what to write in a first blog post (of course). And all I kept finding was to tell a little about yourself and then why you are blogging. First, let me just say, I am blogging to blog...I like to write my thoughts down, record them and a blog is a great way to do that. No crazy idea I have to make this blog make me money or anything like that, just want to be a part of the blogosphere. I stalk lots of people's blogs and am proud of it, so now people can blog stalk me too..if they so choose.

So who the heck am I? I am a single gal living in the Atlanta area with my adorable Shih-Tzu, Madison (aka Maddie). I moved to Atlanta a little over 4 years ago after graduating from The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, AL...ROLL TIDE ROLL...I miss those T-town days! I am a native of Tampa, FL and miss the FL beaches and my friends and family there A LOT!! But, I love the friends and family I have here in Atlanta and know that most of them will be friends for a lifetime. I have worked for a marketing firm for just over 4 years now and I do love my job and the people I work with...that helps motivate me to get to work everyday! My life is great...great friends and family, good job, fun, fun, fun, but is missing one small part...a significant other to share my life and hopes and dreams with. However, I know that I will meet my Prince Charming one day and will live happily everafter. Who knows, maybe he will find me by reading this blog...hmmm...a girl can dream can't she?!?

What is consuming my life right now is that I am about to be an Aunt! My sister is about to have a baby girl...any day now! We are not so patiently waiting on Emma to grace us with her presence and couldn't be more excited, as most of you reading this probably know :-) I just hope she comes into this world happy and healthy and knows what a loving family and community she has ready to watch over her and be there for her, always. We all love her so much already, it is unbelievable. She is the first grandchild on both sides for my sister and her husband, so that could have something to do with it! As soon as she comes into this world, this blog will have a lot of posts and pics all about her - no surprise to the people who know me!

I just consider myself lucky to be alive and well and plan to wow you all with my blogging abilities...ha...just kidding! But, I hope you all keep coming back to check up on me, my life, my friends and family, and enjoy the posts I share in the blogosphere. Any suggestions to this new blogger are also welcome anytime :-)