Christmas Overload

No--I didn't have too much turkey or ham. And NO family--I didn't eat the whole entire bread section--but I could have! 35 weeks and counting at this point! I'm ready for him to get here already. I have the room all ready and I'm packing my bag for the hospital. I have mailed my 'pre admission' paperwork to the hospital. I don't think there is much else to do.

I have cleaned and un-cleaned and re-cleaned the entire house. I have organized and reorganized the nursery about 10 times. I can't WAIT for him to be here. I'm ready to meet him and hold him.

Christmas has come and gone. Time with all the family was great and exhausting. Laura Ann and Caroline both were quite excited to meet the belly and see it in person. Caroline has watched the nativity story this past week and she informed me that 'having a baby hurts'. Apparently the channel didn't get changed in time and she heard that tidbit of information. She was in love with the belly and spent more time rubbing it and touching it than she did running around and yelling. Laura Ann was in love with the oreo balls and Daniel was dressed in Speed Racer wear last night. He told us that he was not going to be Laura Ann's prince. Those kids are priceless and I loved spending time with them.

Almost ready for Hayes

Well the mural is 95 % done. I'm just waiting for Daryk to paint the water. I'm going to give him another week or two and then I'm doing it myself. Hayes will be here before that thing is done and then he'll wonder why the fish swim on the wall. We still have to put the finishing touches on the animals and their eye balls. Right now they look kinda creepy. I'm so proud of my mural! I painted most of it--yes ME! I've decided I'll tackle our room next and paint something fun on our wall too. I think maybe I see a business opportunity for us... perhaps we'll start painting murals. Much love to everyone and Merry Christmas!

THE Infamous Cheese Biscuits

We spent our Thanksgiving holiday on the legendary farm. I say that because until this Thanksgiving I didn't really even think it was a REAL place because I'd only heard stories and seen pictures. One could easily make up stories and find pictures in a magazine. :) Alas, it is a REAL live place--and I believe properly titled 'Memory Lane'. Or maybe that was just a temporary road sign that Jay stole... either way... it fit. I was able to see LOTS of our family in Vidalia and we were even blessed to have a baby shower! The Thanksgiving dinner/lunch was amazing. Never have I ever seen a WHOLE cooked pig on a table for your own carving. Bethany and I both had a hard time figuring out how to identify the body of the pig once it was cooked. I had some of the most amazing brownies and I would happily call them 'death by chocolate'. Got to see all the cousins I have come to love so much and spent time with them around the food and fire!
At our baby shower Saturday morning we got LOTS of books! We both love books and soon Hayes will have his very own shelves full of them. Daryk got a gas mask for the stinky diaper changes--thanks Brandy and Chris for that! I'll appreciate it. I promise to take a picture once he puts it on. Our little man also got some more diapers and lots of clothes. The girls even made him TWO blankets! I can't wait for him to get here so he can see all this cool stuff he got. Baby shower for the CHEESE baby allowed me to sample the CHEESE biscuits. Now--I've known this family for almost 5 years now and EVERYONE says these things are legendary. I love bread anyway so it wasn't difficult for anyone to convince me to try them. Of course they are marvelous! And everyone explained that I should eat as many as I could QUICKLY because they might disappear faster than they come out of the oven. No joke. Needless to say the last to arrive at the shower got NONE... her child was the culprit who ate the last of them! One day I'm going to figure out how to make those. So delicious!

Crunchy Pancakes

I love crunchy pancakes at the cracker barrel. I seriously think they are my favorite food group in the whole world. I am so lucky that my husband doesn't mind going with me several times a month to get my crunchy pancake fix! Since I've grown larger in the last 2 months I get some good stares at the crack house when I go in to eat. You know you are on display anytime you get seated there because EVERYONE looks at you. This Sunday we ate there on our way home from Vidalia and I had to giggle at this little girl who was pointing and asking her mommy about my belly. :) So funny. I love the questions people ask and the funny things that people say. Yes--I'm pregnant. I'm due January 25th. Nope... not twins. Just one--I hope! Its a boy and yes he's BIG. I'm praying he comes earlier than his due date--but not TOO early! Here are the latest belly pics so you can get some idea of what this belly looks like! 32 weeks and counting down to the due date.

His Room

We have been slowly but surely working in that room I call a nursery. Why do we call it that anyway!? It is my baby's room.
We--well... really I had decided long ago that Noah's Ark would be my baby room decor. I am so blessed to have married an art teacher who has this kind of stuff down to a science. We started with a drawing and added the paint today! I am so proud of the 'work in progress.' I had some help from Daryk drawing it and from McKenzie who helped me paint today. I was insistent on the animals being REAL colors and not silly colors. I spent time researching each animal to get an idea of their coloring and markings so we could paint them and make them look like (well TRY to look like) they do in real life. We have a gazelle, an antelope, a panda bear, giraffes, a lion, an elephant and hippo, a monkey, some fish, and a few birds. All of them are as real as possible.











His furniture is from my collection of antiques (minus the crib--it is new).... a wash stand by the window. Chest of drawers that's full of clothing already! The dresser will double as my 'changing table' and I'm really excited about the rocking chair/glider. Love it! I hope to spend hours in that chair rocking and reading to my little man. He has quite a supply of books already thanks to BeBe and Aunt Patsy.

Out of the mouth of babes... and Pop

We are so blessed! We had another shower this weekend and got lots of great stuff for Hayes. I have to stop myself from calling him Baby Hayes... I'm worried that I'll keep calling him that after he gets here and I just want him to be Hayes. I got to see some old friends Saturday and my little cousin Laura Ann. She did not quite understand the baby in belly concept. She kept trying to look up my dress to see him and she was quite puzzled that we just had a belly and no real baby to look at. She asked a few other ladies if they had babies in their belly too. :) I can't wait to hear what she asks her parents about that later!
Sunday afternoon we had family dinner/lunch for mom's birthday. Lunch was amazing as usual and the family was funny as well. Pop asked me how much weight I had gained and I told him. He has decided I can't be called 'little momma' anymore. I'll have to be 'big momma' Awesome. I love my Pop. He's just so precious. I had a really good time with my family this weekend. Kitty made an AMAZING peanut butter pie for us yesterday.

Nursery Puzzle

We started working in the nursery this weekend. Furniture from the basement--beautiful oak pieces that look great in the room. A new crib and glider courtesy of the mom in law. :) I'll post some pictures soon. I put all his clothes up in the drawers and we are working on the closet cleanout so we can put his stuff in there as well. I never knew babies came with so much stuff! His room is going to be so much fun once it is all done. I assembled the crib with little help (because I wanted it done and because I'm stubborn) and did a pretty good job! Hayes has a little jungle full of animals in his room to welcome him. The mural will be ready in a few weeks! I can't wait to have it all ready for him when he gets here.

He has plenty of clothes to fill his closet and drawers. I'm also obsessed with shoes so he's got pleny of those as well! We are so blessed with family and friends who care. I can't wait to see what we will get this weekend at the shower!

The Man Party

Daryk had a Diaper Shower Saturday for the GA/FLA game. We are so blessed with people who LOVE us! Our family and friends both were so generous. Almost 900 diapers and wipes of various sizes were added to our baby collection! Our friend Josh had the best advice--he walks in and says "Nobody told me diapers were $30 a box. I'm never having kids." Hilarious.

We had a great time and visited with some great people. Lots of wrestling coaches and some of our coaches from school as well. I know that the food was good and we loved being around MawMaw and PawPaw--Dad and Sheila. Even Papa Jack came. I only took a picture of the stack of diapers?? I must have been distracted by the food--I know it wasn't the game!

We (and by WE I mean ME) are planning to work in the nursery this weekend. I'm patching holes in the wall and going to touch up the paint. Don't worry--the room will be well ventilated and I'll be sure to take plenty of breaks. Hayes has a crib and a rocker on the way. As soon as those things get here we will begin to set up his room!

Happy LATE Birthday to Pop, Haley, Aunt Patsy AND Happy Birthday this week to Grandma Ouida!

Pretty Colors

I went to the dr yesterday and met one of the midwives in my dr practice. Loved her. Wendy. I am going to meet the other 4 as the next few weeks unfold. I am to the point of going every 2 weeks now. I hear that means the end is getting closer... scary! At the dr yesterday we did my gestational diabetes test. Routine for everyone--no reason to panic. Dr says they will call if I have it and if I don't hear from them I'm good to go!

We got the crib and glider chair ordered for the nursery--thanks mom in law! Can't wait to put that room together. We have touch up some of the paint and patch the 900 nail holes in the wall--then we can start the animal murals.

Tonight Hayes is moving around QUITE a bit. He's all over the place and I am just laughing at my belly moving around. Daryk and I had dinner in the city after school. We had an amazing dinner at our FAVORITE spot--Joe's and we shopped at Ikea after that . I can't wait to get the nursery together and fill in the blanks with Ikea stuff. So much fun. I am so thankful that I do not live here and work in the city. I could NOT do what Kat does. I am not a fan of traffic or stupid people who cannot drive.

Enjoyed my date night with Daryk. Ready for this weekend! Daryk's diaper shower and the Ga/Fl game. Sunday morning Daryk and I are going to tour the birthing center at the hospital and become more familiar with the areas of the hospital. Can't wait to see where my little guy will make his debut!

Long Time Gone

We have been so busy this month. We are gearing up for wrestling season and I'm actually excited about it. Daryk is having a 'man shower' this weekend. Just guys and diapers. I hope we get LOTS of them! I got to go to the Bama game this past weekend and had a blast watching everyone panic during that last 4-5 minutes of the game. I got to see Daniel, Haley, and Dan James AND we celebrated Haley's birthday. I spent time traveling with Uncle Malcolm and Aunt Patsy. We had lots of yummy food AND I got to see my baby sister--she's my favorite baby sister. She was so kind and so much fun this weekend. Love her so much and I miss her lots when she's away at school. :)

Baby Hayes is moving around a GOOD bit these days. Every day is something new and different in my belly. I'm getting used to the constant movement. Sunday at church he was quite active as Pastor Greg spoke. I'm pretty sure he was making sure that I was paying attention. I talk to him and he moves and I am finally able to recognize his body parts moving about inside the belly. Hayes is quite active during the day between about 11-2 pm and in the evening from about 6-10 pm. Here's hoping he sticks with that schedule after delivery.

I'm right at 27 weeks--which means 13 more to go. Doctors say that you are supposed to gain a pound a week in the last trimester. I hope not--I'll be huge. The last 5 weeks baby is supposed to be gaining a pound a week too. I'm pretty sure I'll be birthing a toddler at that point. This kid is going to be huge.

Baby Shower

We had a baby shower this weekend! I am so blessed with such amazing family and friends. Hayes got some gift cards, some diaper and bathing supplies. We got a bouncer seat and lots and LOT of clothes. I can't wait to dress up my little man when he gets here. The brunch was SO yummy too. I think my favorite gift was the cheese balls... I'll post those pictures later. This is our princess picture pose for Caroline.

Baby Hayes

These are the latest pictures of our baby boy. He's moving lots and lots these days! We had an amazing trip to the dr last week and got to see his face, heart, brain, legs, and lots of other parts! He is quite an active boy in my belly. Friday night I sat in bed and just watched my belly all night long. I laughed at myself because I literally WATCHED my belly move as he moved around. My first baby shower is coming up this Saturday and I can't WAIT! After a lot of consideration and thought Daryk and I finally decided to share his name with the world. Thomas Hayes Cochran will join the world in January (hopefully)! He has a lot to live up to with those names and we have no doubt that our boy will be an amazing human.

Cheese Ball

Last night I could NOT get to sleep... yeah yeah... I know its just more of what's to come later. He was moving SO much after 11 pm and I just wanted to go to sleep. I rolled over and told Daryk he needed to just be patient and put his hands on the belly. Eventually he would kick/punch/flip hard enough for Daryk to feel it. So he did for about 90 seconds and gave up. I made him do it again and just told him to be patient. Daryk finally listened and just sat there. About 2 minutes after that my Cheese Ball kicked so hard that Daryk jumped back and says "Was that you?" NO! I started laughing and all he could say was "WOW!" I laughed so hard at him with his eyes bugged out of his head. It was worth no sleep to see that reaction. The pictures are my 23 week pictures. It is so hard to believe that in just 4 weeks my belly shot out like a rocket. Haven't gained any lbs.... just got this belly to show off! I love taking the pictures and laughing about how funny the belly looks.

Flood of 2009

Georgia hasn't seen this much rain in a few years! This weather is insane. We are home from school today because the rainfall washed bridges away all over Douglas County. Last count I heard was 15 bridges and we may be out of school tomorrow too! Daryk and I are enjoying the day with Lucy (who spent MOST of the night under the bed) and catching up some house work.

My little man is moving a good bit all day these days. Last week he began moving more during the early hours of the morning. He kicked up a fit last Thursday when I poked at him. I poked and he kicked back with some intensity! It was funny. Daryk is finally able to feel him moving a bit more. He's not sure what he's feeling for, but he knows he feels something.

Baby Boy slept great through the night of storms and woke me up early today moving around. He quieted down after Daryk talked to the belly for a bit. Feeling him move inside my belly is such a blessing. This is the coolest part of mommyhood I have experienced so far!

19 week pictures

15 week pictures

Rookie Post

So I'm trying this out for size. I'll post some belly pictures after I figure this all out. Haley will have to give me lessons next time I see her. She's the professional.