He's FINALLY here!

Wyatt Thomas Graves finally made his debut at 12:56 pm on May 12, 2008. He weighed 7 lbs. 6 oz. (the EXACT weight that the ultrasound on Friday, May 9th had estimated!) and was 20 1/2 inches long.

Our first family photo

I want to thank all of you who were praying fervently for him to come on his own rather than us having to resort to an induction. Even though he waited until it was almost too late, those prayers were answered! Here's how it all went down....

I was already scheduled to be induced on the 12th at 6:30am. So Sunday night, Kyle and I went to bed, planning to getting up around 5 am and heading to the hospital at 6am for the induction. We had mentally prepared for a long day of labor and knew we needed a good night's sleep to be ready.

Well, I woke up at 2:30 am with terrible "gas pain". No matter what I did, I just couldn't get comfortable and I was actually getting mad that the "gas pain" was keeping me from getting a good night's sleep. I took 2 Gas-X hoping that would help.....but it didn't......and after about an hour of tossing and turning I realized that this pain was coming and going every 5 minutes and then quickly progressed to every 1 1/2 to 2 minutes! I admit, I was in a bit of denial because I had finally just accepted that I was going to have to force this baby out against his own will. But it's funny, because as much as I wanted to go into labor naturally, I was actually a bit MAD that I was going into labor in the middle of the night the DAY BEFORE I was scheduled to be induced!!!

Good things come to those who wait --- that morning I learned that sometimes you have to wait, even all the way up until the point where you've given up hope!

So we were admitted to the hospital at 6 am in ACTIVE LABOR -- whoo hoo! I was already dilated to 5 cm and 90% effaced. I was having very intense contractions and sitting in the bed was the WORST position to be in, so I said, "Epidural now, please" and then life was much, MUCH better.

Epidurals ROCK!

At 12:45 I started pushing and at 12:56 I heard our precious baby boy's first cry as he entered the world! Kyle, my "cheerleaders" (mom, Beka, Heather, & Ginger), and I were all in tears as we caught our first glimpse of the little Wyatt.

He's not to happy to be laying naked on that cold scale!

Wyatt is Ginger's FIRST grandbaby!

Papa & Mimi are proud of their new grandson!

Aunt Beka & Aunt Heather were there to
witness their nephew's birth

My friends (& co-workers) Melanie & Rachel were there
to take care of Wyatt once he was born.

Rachel & Kyle doing Wyatt's footprints before his first bath!

Wrapped up like a burrito in his basinette

We brought him home on Wednesday, May 14th and that's when reality REALLY hit: he's ours and we are completely responsible for him! Talk about overwhelming. But then again, we know we're not alone in our new adventure.....thank goodness for having family that lives closeby.

Ready to go home!

Wyatt's Nursery is READY!

I'll be in trouble if HE comes out a SHE---but I bet she'd be the first (and probably ONLY) female Wyatt you've ever met!

It's finally finished! Thanks to his Mimi & Gigi's help, we finished hanging the artwork in Wyatt's nursery yesterday. I absolutely LOVE his room -- I find it so calm & peaceful when I'm sitting there in that big, comfy recliner. Having the room complete makes me & Kyle THAT MUCH MORE ready and anxious for our little boy's arrival into this world!

View when you walk into his room.

Changing area -- where all the "dirty work" happens ;)

Chloe can't wait to meet Wyatt!

Up close look at my masterpieces!

Preggo Pictures

It's no secret that I have been better about updating my Facebook and Myspace pages with new photos and neglecting this blog..... but I just figured out a way to remedy that situation. If you follow the link below, you should be able to view my facebook photo album, even if you don't have a facebook account.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=9770&l=cf9f1&id=559807894

If you have any trouble, please let me know.

In other news, I was completely blown away by the generosity of my friends & family with the three baby showers that were held for Kyle, Wyatt, & me.

Delicious cake -- I LOVED the way it was decorated!

Showered with lots of gifts:)

Surrounded by amazing friends/co-workers

Cutest table decor (all done by Crafty Barbie!)

We received so many great gifts...all the essentials for a new baby.....and then some! My upstairs looked like a baby store explosion up until last night:) So, when I'm not working, I have been diligently sorting and organizing all of the gifts. I've also been putting the finishing touches on Wyatt's nursery. This weekend, my mom and mother-in-law are coming over to help me with "spring cleaning". We're also going to hang the canvas artwork and wooden letters on the nursery walls, so once that's done, I'll take a photo and post it for you all to see!

I'm on the home stretch now......4 weeks till my due date (and hopefully not any later). We're just praying that Wyatt doesn't decide to come early (between April 15-20th) because Kyle will be in Florida, walking his beautiful sister/bride down the aisle! But if he must come early, then anytime after April 20th would be fine with me:)~

Arts and Crafts and Showers, Oh My!

Getting closer to becoming parents -- I'm 32 weeks pregnant!

Thanks Kelly for reminding me that it's been WAY TOO LONG since I posted a blog! A lot has changed since Christmas (my last post).....especially my belly! This baby boy sure is growing and with his due date quickly approaching -- only 40 more days till May 3rd -- Kyle and I have been busy getting things ready for his arrival! His nursery is nearing completion. I am quite proud of my canvas artwork that I painted to complement his bedding.


I'm still working on the wooden letters that spell out his name, "W Y A T T", to hang on the wall above his changing table. Once the room is completed, I will try to remember to post photos. I must say, it has been fun making a few "custom" things for him and in the process, I've discovered that I am actually craftier than I ever thought I was!

With his arrival right around the corner, the baby showers have begun. I've really enjoyed the time with friends and family that I haven't seen in awhile. Here are photos from my first shower, March 9th.

Hostesses with the Mostesses:
My sister, Heather & my best friend, Melissa

Nursing School Friends: Erin, Melissa, & Rachael

The Johnson Family -- I babysat for these precious girls and now they're all grown up!

My dear friend, Joyce, from work.

My best friends & partners-in-crime, Rachel & Suzanne

My cousin, Jackie

College room-mates: Melissa & Monica

Good friends, Mary & Lewis Lea (they're expecting a baby boy June 3rd!)

Kyle's mom, Ginger (aka "Gigi") & Aunt Laura

My mom (aka "Mimi") and sisters, Heather & Beka

Christmas Time Was Here...

My handsome hubby & me

Kyle with his mom, Ginger

Kyle w/ Aunt Laura & Uncle Hugh

Well another Christmas has come and gone.....way too quickly! I had to work Christmas Eve, so I had to sleep the first half of Christmas Day. But that evening, Kyle and I (along with our doggies) went to Kyle's mom's house and had our Christmas celebration there. Kyle's Uncle Hugh & Aunt Laura were also there to enjoy the festivities. Once again, Chef Ginger's home-cooked gourmet meal was delicious and we all fell into a food coma before 7pm!

Chloe & Sophie enjoying their new doggy bed

We then celebrated Christmas with my family last night (the 27th). Once again, another wonderful home-cooked meal and too much dessert but hey, that's what the holiday's are all about, right??? Beka & Ben were not able to be there this year.....apparently when it comes to Christmas in Nashville vs. Christmas in Paris --- FRANCE always beats Tennessee, go figure!!

Picture Beka sent us from her Blackberry phone

But we were able to talk to them on the phone while we were all together, so that at least made us feel like they were a part of our Christmas get-together, even if for just a brief time. Heather and Robert shared some very exciting news with us last night: they just found out they're going to have another GIRL (due only 3 weeks after our little boy is due).

Kyle, Robert, Heather (18 weeks pregnant), Ellie, & Me (21 weeks pregnant)

I'm not sure if Ellie realizes how sweet of a deal she has right now, being the only grandchild and center of everyone's attention.....but next Christmas there will be 2 new babies at the Christmas celebration! However, I do know that she's going to be a greatest older sister/older cousin to the new additions in the family:)

Isn't she the sweetes thing? She LOVES her Auntie!!

The best part of the whole night at mom & dad's house was that we stayed up late, slept over, and woke up this morning to an amazing breakfast! Could life be any better?!?!

Dad with 2/3 of his son-in-laws

All in all, I feel like Christmas snuck up on me again this year. I mean, can it really be the end of 2007 already?!?! It just doesn't seem possible! But then again, it has been a great year and what a wonderful way to end 2007 than by spending it surrounded by the ones you love the most.

We're having a baby!

(This was our pregnancy announcement)

Well, as you can see it's been quite awhile since I updated this website. So since my last blog (in May) a lot has happened! Mainly, we found out we're going to have a baby!!!! Our little one is due sometime around the beginning of May 2008.

This picture was just taken on Saturday, which means I'm 19 weeks gestation and starting to look like I'm pregnant. My belly is starting to be noticeably bigger and not just an "I'm gaining weight bigger" but rather "I'm actually growing a human in here, bigger". We had an ultrasound today and were able to see the baby and it really looked like a baby! The previous 2 ultrasounds, the baby looked more like a little peanut (at 7 weeks gestation) and small monkey (at 10 weeks gestation)

(7 wks)

(10 wks)

But today, we were relieved to find out that everything looks "normal" and the baby has all it's required parts:) WHAT A RELIEF!!! Being a nurse and working in the NICU, I am plagued with knowing way too much. I know all the things that can go wrong --- good thing Kyle doesn't know what to worry about or we'd be a rather nervous pair. Actually, whenever I start to fear anything I just have to remind myself that the number of "normal/healthy" babies born into this world FAR OUTWEIGHS the number of "abnormal/sick" babies. I have spent almost every day of this pregnancy praying for a sense of peace throughout this journey. God has been so good to us in blessing us with a healthy baby and a healthy, uneventful pregnancy thus far, and I'm thankful every day for that! Here is a picture of our little one from today's ultrasound.......keep in mind, it's only the size of a can of Coke, weighing approximately 11 oz. right now. The picture makes it look much bigger than that:)

(19 wks - isn't he/she cute?)

This is a new thing for me...

This is my very first blog! I have been so impressed and inspired by the blog sites of my friends, Marlo & Tara, I decided I should give it a try. I am hoping that it will be a way to keep our friends and family in touch and up to date on our lives.

Kyle and I just returned from a Caribbean Cruise to Mexico, Honduras, & Belize with our friends, Melissa & Wess. We had a blast and it was over way too soon! But for now, I should go to bed......because it's 3:00 am and I have a lot of things to do tomorrow.