Dr. Visit

Hey Little Girl,
Today I went to the dr. Everything is going good. I had another ultrasound and your hiney is still up and your head is down! I asked the lady if the BIG lump that I see is your hiney and she said it was! As of today, nothing has happened to indicate you will be here any time soon. Your due date is less than two weeks and I hope things start to happen soon......I am not very patient! I know that you have your own timeline, but please hurry up!!!!!! Daddy and I can't wait to see you.
I love you,
Mommy

WAAARRRR EAGLE ..... HEY!

Good Evening Dori!

Tis the season for college football and with the first kickoff right around the corner, we had better make sure that you are onboard. Down in this great state of Alabama, there are two teams that matter ....... Auburn and Alabama.

It has been a long-standing family tradition that we cheer for The Auburn Tigers ..... anything less is unacceptable. Now your Mommy was an Alabama fan when we first married, but we have forgiven her and she has converted ...... Everybody loves a winner ..... we're going for 7 in a row over Bama.

So with that, I leave you with Waaaarrrr Eagle. You're gonna look great in Orange and Blue. I'm also attaching some pictures of our annual bowl game trips ...... perhaps this year we'll be playing out on the West Coast for all the marbles, but we'll take New Orleans.

Love, Daddy

Belly Cast

Hello Dori!

Today Mommy and Daddy did your belly cast. Yes, you are probably wondering what's a belly cast ..... I asked the same question when Mommy first brought it to my attention. Mommy is so creative and does a great job of coming up with new and exciting ideas. In fact, this entire blog and many of the wonderful things that we've done together to celebrate your upcoming arrival is all because of Mommy.

So as the name implies, the belly cast is just that ..... a cast of Mommy's belly with you inside. We first mixed the plaster in a bowl and then coated Mommy's belly. It was a messy, but fun experience. After we let it dry overnight, we then decorated it as you can see in the pictures. The thing that I was most proud of is the princess crown that we drew to dot the "I" in your name ..... Daddy's special touch because you are my little princess.

I think the finished product turned out great and I hope someday that it will be very special to you. We knew that Mommy would only be pregnant with you one time in our lives and we wanted to create a lasting memory. We love you so much and can't wait for you to get here!


Love, Daddy

Baby Shower at The Lake

Dori,

Today all of the nice lady's at the lake where we go to get away gave Mommy AND Daddy a surprise shower! They are all very nice and are extremely excited about your arrival. We had a cookout with hamburgers and hotdogs and gathered at the pavilion to eat and open gifts. They got a cute cake and made homemade ice cream. You got everything from clothes, a snuggle buddy, picture frame and album, all of the great diapering necessities, money and a diaper bag with your name embroidered on it. The cutest would be a bib with "Happy Little Camper" embroidered on it!

You have no idea how blessed you are to already have so many people that care about you and are so very happy that you will be here. You will be the only small child at the lake, I am sure that you will love it! I hope that in many years you look back and have many great memories of time spent there.

I love you!

Mommy

Dr. Visit

Dori,

You are already such a good girl!! You listened to Mommy....YOU TURNED!!! Daddy and I went to the dr. today to schedule our c-section and plan our big day. Well.....Dr. Heath decided since I do not feel you that much (only about once a day) that she would do an ultrasound to check the fluid and to see about your position. After that I had a non-stress heart test to check out your heart. Everything is going good and you have turned your little hiney up!!! The only bad thing is, me being the planner, I am not able to plan when you will be here. I am now not stressing over the c-section, but about the house being clean. I guess each morning I will have to get up and dust, clean the floors and do all of the small stuff that only gets done once a week! Daddy tells me that I worry too much about the small things....he does too!!!!
Anyway, I do hope that you get here soon. I am swelling and by the end of the day I am pooped! I feel like I have done well and only gained about 23 pounds....depending on if I am not swollen, it is less!!!!! I have not had any problems since the first trimester of being queasy all day everyday. There was the hospital, but that was not really a pregnancy thing. If you just continue to be a good baby like you are now, everything will be ok.

See you soon...LOVE Mommy,

Our Home

Dori,

I thought it would be neat to look back one day and see your first home. We live in Pelham and love our location. Compared to the rest of our family, we live in the "city." Our home is four bedroom and three bath. Downstairs, is Daddy's "Auburn" room. (soon to be your playroom!) I have posted a few pictures and hope that you will enjoy looking back years from now to see how things were when you were born!

Love,

Mommy

Our Home

Mommy annd Daddy's Room

Kitchen

Living Room

Dining Room

Extra Bedroom

Daddy's Office

Baby Shower at Re/Max First Choice!

Dori,
Today the Re/Max Gang gave me a shower. Brooke Hutsenpiller is expecting Anna James on Aug. 16, so we had a double shower! You will owe a special thanks to Tarah Shoemaker and Kimberly Tyner for getting everything organized. We had lots of great food and got lots and lots of great gifts! Daddy is out of town, but I have put all of your things in your room and I am waiting for him to see them before I put them away. I do believe now you are set and we are just waiting for you!!!
Love,
Mommy

Your room is ready!

Dori,

Today MeMaw and I went to pick up your dresser that is FINALLY here. You have no idea how much I have stressed out about it not being here yet. Yes, I worry about things that are out of my control....that's just me. It is already full. I have put all of your PJs and things like that in there. Daddy and Hunter said that it would not hold anymore...so I guess, for now, Mommy is cut off from shopping! Don't worry, that is only the stuff for the first few months, so soon I will be able to swap all of that out for bigger sizes soon!!! Actually, we have not had to buy a whole lot of some things like your PJs and play clothes because Aunt Mindy gave you all of Paige's things. On the other hand....Aunt Mindy and MeMaw came back from the beach with TONS of clothes for you. I bet Aunt Mindy bought you about 20 outfits for this winter...she is out of control.

You will find that I have posted pictures of your room. I would say that it is finally complete, but I am sure that there is more to come!

I love you little girl....I will see you in 35 days....no longer than that!

Love,

Mommy

Belly Pic

Okay, okay.....this is as close as close as it gets. I know some of you have been asking for belly pics, so this is as good as it gets!!! I have not been much for pictures but now that I am pregnant....I REALLY don't like them!

Piggy Bank

I just realized that I have never posted the finished product! Daddy put a lot of thought into this. And yes, you already have money in it!!! Aunt Angie made you one too. It is a large plastic baby bottle and she put your name on it........it has money too!

Daddy' Gift

Dori,

I know that all of this baby stuff centers around little Dori and Mommy and the fact that Daddy has NEVER changed ONE SINGLE DIAPER......Mommy found Daddy a special gift! It's the Daddy's Diaper Duty Device!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It comes with gloves, diapers, tongs, protective glasses, face mask, wipes and some other goodies!!!! I could not pass this up. There is a little secret about Daddy....he doesn't do poop very well!! I know that he will be just fine and will do whatever he needs to to get the job done.....even if he has to do like Uncle Terry's family and take you outside and wash you with the water hose!!

Love,

Mommy

Educated and Hospitalized!!!!!!

Hey little girl,

Mommy and Daddy have had a pretty crazy week......all to do with you! First, we took a class at the hospital to get ready for your arrival. It was a two day class that shared lots of great information. Daddy learned how to change diapers and swaddle. He also got to wear a pregnancy belly! It weighed 25 pounds....that's more than Mommy has gained so far! Posted is a picture!

After our Friday and Saturday class, we were at the gym Sunday afternoon when I started not to feel so well. When we got home we both thought I had pulled a muscle...Daddy thought I was being a wimp and said now I know how he feels when he pulls one. Well......after some VERY bad pain, we called the dr. After two calls, they had me go to the hospital. Once we got there, they found out I was having some contractions and my white blood count was extremely high, so I had infection. The rest of the night was a blur to me. They sent me to ultrasound around midnight to check on you and see about my kidneys. The results were.....I had a swollen kidney which meant I had a bad kidney infection. They are not sure if I passed a stone. I was also dehydrated. So all of that meant that I had to get some medication to stop the contractions and I needed IV antibiotics and fluids for a few days. All is well now and we are back home. The only thing they are concerned with now is that you are breech....so listen little squirt.....you BETTER turn your little hiney upward because Mommy doesn't want a c-section!!!!!

I love you bunches!

Mommy