All I want for Christmas...

Merry Christmas! This year we celebrated in Houston as I am still on bed rest. It was really wonderful to be with both families! We must have been extra good this year as our home was overflowing with amazing gifts! I was a little sad that we missed Christmas Eve service due to contractions, but so blessed that baby William is still staying put and we were able to be with family. The nursery is almost complete with the new addition on the roman shade that the boys helped hang on Christmas and we are so excited for 2010! We are ready to capture the baby with our new HD video camera and Bill and I are both going to be in style with his new Luchese alligator boots and my new Christian Louboutins and Tory Burch flats! Here's to you and yours this holiday season!

Bill's Big Surprise!

The Robinson Family

All the grandchildren

The Johnson Family

This is what 8 weeks of bedrest will do to you!

So excited to get the Roman Shade up in the nursery

Wedding Band Christmas Party

Thursday night was our Sunday school's first annual Christmas Party at Kacey and Brent Riley's house. The Wedding Band II class has been such a blessing for Bill and I as we settle into our new church home. After what seemed an endless search, we became members at Chapelwood Memorial last May and have truly felt at home! Over the past few months, several young married couples joined together to form our new Sunday school class and we just love everyone! I was still on "bed rest" but my doctor said that attending one event and only going for a few minutes while sitting was okay. This was so exciting for me as I have been confined to the bed/house for the past 7 weeks. Of course I will do whatever necessary to keep our little one secure and safe, but this tiny bed corner I call my home/office/sleep space/Christmas wrapping center/etc. and the TV remote were really beginning to wear on me! The 40 minute outing was awesome and enough to get me through the next weeks! Hopefully we will be able to attend Christmas Eve service as well... but we will take it one day at a time!

For those of you wondering about the bump... we have come a LONG way! There is no missing this bump! 8 months and counting... such a wonderful feeling after entering the hospital at 25 weeks.

A Peak into William's World

Last week was a great week for Bill and I! I finished up playing santa from bed and now will hopefully finish wrapping this week. Wednesday, we met with our soon to be pediatrician who we absolutely love! I choose to believe that sometimes we are given little signs that you have made the right choice, little "God winks" if you will! After mentioning to our in-laws that we had chosen a pediatrician, we soon found out that he was actually Maggie's pediatrician when she was a little girl. What are the chances in all of Houston that we choose the same person? On Friday, we got to see our son in 4D! It was one of the most rewarding and amazing moments for Bill and I to be able to have a peak into little William Stone's world. As most of you know, I have been on bed rest going on my 7th week now and to be this far along is just such a blessing. We truly appreciate all of your thoughts and prayers throughout this process. Being able to check in on our little guy took my breath away! He has the cutest chubby cheeks and when he smiles you can actually see little dimples... ahhhh! The ultrasound tech said that she had never seen such an active baby! Thus my contractions i am sure! He spent the ENTIRE 45 minutes putting his long little fingers in his face, kicking the tech equipment, sticking his tongue out, smiling, arching and stretching, etc. We are going to have our hands full when he arrives! BUT the best part? Since he was moving so much we get to do it again next Friday no charge!!! Today, we had our Baby Care class. My doctor allowed me to go just for the class as long as I was sitting! Few contractions, but everything went really well for a first test run! Bill was such a natural at the burrito swaddle - he even got kuddos from the instructor!

Photos of our son! He totally has Bill's nose!

Look at that smile and those dimples!

Enough of the paparazzi shots please!

The shadow on his nose was the movement and my water... it goes away when he looks down!

One of the 10 tongue shots!

Aggie Ring

When I graduated from Texas A&M, I decided not to order my Aggie ring. I had just gotten a wedding ring, and so with all the planning and expenses, I decided that I would not need an Aggie ring - just didn't really think I would wear it to be honest. I come from a Longhorn family, so the Aggie Ring tradition was just not something I knew much about. Then, after living and working in Houston, I realized that I just might need that Aggie ring afterall. My husband and friends have been on me about it for years, and then finally, this year, my sweet husband ordered me one! I will not be dunking this ring as tradition holds seeing as I am pregnant; however, even if I was not I still think my choice of dunking would not be in the beer mug, but a champaign glass! Whoop!

A Different Thanksgiving

Well, we have a lot to be thankful for this year even if our Thanksgiving was a little different. As many of you know, I went on maternity bed rest at 26 weeks due to early contractions. I am thankful to say that our little miracle is doing well and we are now 29 weeks and counting. The night before Thanksgiving, Bill was having some chest pains that we thought were reflux; however after a visit to the ER, it was determined that Bill had pericarditis, an infection which caused him to be in a large amount of pain and unable to take large breaths comfortably! We are truly thankful that Maggie is now living in Houston and with my inability to get up from bed could take him to the ER. Bill is recovering very well and we both have enjoyed being together in the bed over the weekend with our meds, puppy and baby on the way! Bruce and Ellen, Bill's parents, came to help decorate the outside of our home for Christmas and we are blessed to have such wonderful family. Even though Bill and I gave thanks in bed with our turkey dinner, it was a great Thanksgiving and we are looking forward to a wonderful holiday season. God Bless!

Joy to the World!

So, I am still on bed rest, but the doctor is very happy with my progress and the baby is doing great! My Grandmother came on Wednesday to help with the nursery decor and fixed me some of the best meals! Thank you so much Gran! On Saturday, my parents came into town as Bill and I would not be able to travel for Thanksgiving. I have the most wonderful parents and amazing husband. They let me shout from the couch orders as to the Christmas decorating. WIthin 24 hours my Christmas tree was up and my home looked like a winter wonderland! Can you believe it? Bill cooked us all dinner from the grill as well. This man deserves extra under the tree this year! The decorating definitely made my day and brought tons of Joy!

Feeling a little bummed out that I would not be able to make it to Corsicana to get my maternity photos done by the lovely Charla, I suddenly remembered that my very own mommy was especially great with the camera! Talk about a fast and furious photo shoot... but does that woman take amazing photos or what? I am so pleased with how they turned out. You still have that magic touch mom... In both painting and photography!

A Birthday Surprise!

Wednesday I celebrated my 27th birthday and being 27 weeks pregnant! Plans for the day? Hanging out watching movies in bed with the baby and the dog! I have to say that I was a little bummed that this year I would be celebrating in bed, so Bill came home early and helped to wash and dry my hair and setup the sofa in living room to change my scenery. I also put on comfy clothes rather than pajamas to feel a little more normal! Little did I know that the girls were planning a birthday surprise (thanks to the master minds Alisa and Ashley for putting everything together). It truly brightened my birthday and was such a wonderful surprise. Ashley, Alisa and Jackie came running down the hall with balloons and the other girls showed up with so many wonderful gifts, food, etc. It was a really great evening! I also managed to stand up for 1 minute while Bill took a 27 week bump photo! After all the excitement, we did have a little set back on contractions, but everything is fine and we are taking it super easy this weekend! We also got our gestational diabetes test back and I passed with flying colors... take that to all you guys who thought the candy queen wouldn't pass! I know how to handle my sugar... wink!!!