Daddy's Girl

Throughout all of my posts I have realized that there is one person that is missing. My dad. I don't have any pictures of him on here with me or Stratton and I only mention him a few times. I love my dad. He's been such a great dad throughout my whole life. I have always been a daddy's girl ever since I can remember.

My favorite memories are not only with Grandpa B but most of all with my Dad. He took me with him everywhere. I remember going crappie fishing with him when it was SO cold outside and being so happy that I got to spend the day with my dad. I also remember all the times that we would go fishing and just drive around. I loved when we would drive to different lakes and wildlife reserves and he would point out all the different kinds of animals to me. My favorite part of hanging out with my dad is the we talk about everything! It doesn't matter how dumb the stuff I talk about is, he always humors me and talks to me. Now I really appreciate what all my dad has and does for me. He has taken such good care of me and my sister when we were growing up. He would drive me to see my mom while she was working so I could nurse when I was a baby. He would make videos for my mom of my sister and I when we were little to send to my mom while she was away for work. He got my first dog for me. (Mac) He taught me how to widdle with a pocket knife. He taught me how to like potted meat. He also helped make me the person that I am today. I look up to my dad so much and I know he doesn't always get credit for all that he has had to put up with over the years. He really is a great dad and I know he is going to be an awesome Grandpa when Stratton gets older. I can't wait to see Stratton go out with my dad and learn how to hunt and fish like I did.

Thanks Dad for all that you do. I love you so much!

Something fun to look back at

I was looking through my pregnancy journal and again I realize why I have such a great mom and sister. They wrote down all the things that happened during my labor and delivery.

Here's all that they wrote.

1am- arrived at SE Hospital
5:30am- mom & dad come up
6:45am- Dr Morton broke my water (2.5cm)
8:30-Casey arrived
8:45am-I got my epidural- was wonderful! 90% effaced
Derek went home to clean up and smoke
9:30am Cathy Schloss comes by to check on me
11:00am-4cm
11:15- Casey & Derek went to lunch
1:00pm-Grandma Kathie, Grandpa Calvin, & Great Grandma Marge ate at Lacy's on the Hill
NOTE- Great Grandma Marge is driving to STL to meet up with a person because Grandma Kathies conference she couldn't make. Instead-Taco Bell.
2:00pm- 10cm
2:40pm- contractions harder -pushing -more drugs
"feels like I have to push"
2:50pm- first pushes begin with the nurse
2:55pm-bringing in all the equipment for delivery!
3:20pm- Stratton is HERE!
7lbs 7oz 20 1/2 inches

Daddy and Baby

The last six have been some of the hardest but most rewarding weeks of my life. I have become a mom on my birthday to the most beautiful little boy that you could ever see. I have been a wife to the most genuinely great guy ever and have been able to give him one of the best presents ever. A son. I know we fight every now and again and we snap at each other...but who doesn't? I fall in love more and more with Derek everyday when I watch how he smiles and loves on our little boy. He is such a great dad and husband. I am so lucky to have such a great guy. He truely is my best friend. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with him watching our little man grow up.

It's so easy when the whole world fits inside of your arms

So this week is the last week that I get to stay home with my little guy and every time I think about it I get a huge knot in my stomach. I hate it. I hate that I have to give him to some lady that I don't know that well. Don't get me wrong. She's a great baby-sitter. But, it's not me that he gets to stay with all day everyday anymore. I just know he's going to scream the whole time. Err. I hate this. I don't want to go back to work but Derek and I need the money. I hate talking about it so I'm just going to put my latest pictures of the little guy on here. He's 6 weeks next week. It seems like just yesterday we were bringing him home from the hospital and scared sh*tless about having to take care of a newborn. I had no idea what to do when he cried or how to make him stop crying or even really how to change his diaper without him peeing all over the walls. Now I've finally gotten into a routine and gotten him to where he sleeps in his bassinet and I have to forget about the routine and give him up. This is really killing me if you haven't already noticed.

Anyway, work is going to be kind of a bear going back to. Not just because I'm still having to wake up every 2-3 hours to feed and change the little man, but because a lot of changes have occurred since I've been gone. The changes aren't ones that I particularly like but I have to just be thankful that I still have a job. I'm going to just leave it at that.


Here are some of the pictures that I have been promising. The first one here is from Stratton and my birthday party. The little man slept most of the time. :) I'm going to have to get my dad's memory card so I can put some more from that day on here. These two are from Halloween. Stratton's FIRST Halloween. He was a skeleton. His Aunt Casey got his costume for him. This is Grandpa Calvin's Halloween setup that he makes every year for the trick-or-treaters. He's so crafty. We sat outside and helped Grandpa Calvin and Matt hand out candy. It was cold though so I had to bundle up and snuggle under the covers.

Grandma Kathie helped get the little man all cleaned up in the sink when I gave him a bath. He did not like it to say the least. Haha. He cried the whole time until we bundled him up in the towel.Grandma Kathie was such a big help. I just stood around and took pictures. I'm such a great mom. Haha. Ok, so I helped a little in the beginning but he still cried. Naked Baby! Finally done and wrapped up in a towel. Yay! Clean!

These next pictures are some of my favorite. They show some of the MANY faces that little man has been making lately and some black and white and sepia pictures that I took also. Grandma Kathie thinks this looks like those big nose dog pictures that are all contorted and close up. Haha. I think it's cute. This is his confused look. BIG yawn.Kinda mad. Really mad. Pissed. Smile! Now he's a happy baby. All smiles.

Here are the pictures that I took that are in sepia and black and white. These are some of my favorites.

Here is Stratton with his favorite toy and a great big yawn.

I know there aren't many pictures of my mom (Grandma Kathie) and my grandma (Grandma Marge and Grandma B) but I'm going to try to get more on here. I have some from the hospital that I still need to put on here as well. Here are a few of my mom and grandma.

Pregnant Pics

So here are pictures that I have been meaning to put on here for quite some time now as you can probably figure out by the first one. These are pictures that my friend Nikki took when I was around 38 weeks pregnant or so. I look so bloated in these pictures but it's just part of being pregnant and i accepted it (after and had him and my body went back down to normal). Anyway, here are some of the pictures that she took. They are so cute!