Today WAS my due date

It is CRAZY to think that Anders is almost two weeks old already and he really could have just arrived today.  Having him with us has been amazing -- he is such a sweet baby!  My favorite things so far:

1) I love seeing Todd as a father -- he has stepped into that role so easily and confidently.  He has been SO helpful with everything from changing diapers to bath time to feedings.  I think about a week past before I even changed a diaper!

2) Anders is beautiful and makes so many different facial expressions that I love to watch.

3) I LOVE when Todd, Anders, Bella and I are all piled on the bed because the whole family is together and I am so excited about our family :)    

Here are some new pictures...

Meet ANDERS...

Anderson Rhys Wines

Born: August 7, 2009 at 2:02pm

Weight: 7 lbs. 8.5 oz.

Length: 20 inches

Note from Todd:

Kirsten called me at 1:30am on Friday to let me know her water had broken. I was traveling with Kellie Pickler from southern Minnesota to Wisconsin. I got off the bus in Minneapolis-St. Paul and found a 5:55am flight to Milwaukee and made it to Nashville by 9am.

Thankfully, Kirsten's parents were in town helping out around the house. They got to the hospital around 2:45am and her parents took great care of her through labor. I got to the hospital moments after she had gotten an epidural. For the 5 hours I was with her during labor and delivery, she rocked it like a champ; she is an amazing woman. The delivery portion lasted about twenty minutes...then he was here.  The last 3.5 days have been amazing. I can't tell you what a wonder and a blessing Anders is. I find myself tearing up constantly as look at him and pray over him.

I promise to do better keeping up with our blog...

Okay, so tonight I played a little catch up -- it had been SO long since I had added anything to the blog that I had forgotten how to do it and needed to call Beth for help.  But I promise to do better, especially once our baby boy arrives & we have tons of pictures to share!  

I am just two weeks away from my due date (August 19th).  Todd & I can not believe how quickly the time has gone by and can not wait to meet our son!  Well, I can definitely wait one more week since Todd is out of town until Monday and I don't want to go into labor without him!  

Pictures of the nursery will come soon (it's not finished yet, but getting close)!  

My Baby Shower

On June 20th my dear friends Beth, Sarah, Jenn, Leah & Melissa threw me a shower that was SO MUCH fun.  I am SO thankful for all of my friends and the support & excitement they have given me during my pregnancy!  

Isn't that cake adorable!?!

Me & the amazing spread of food!

Beth came all the way from Austin, TX to help throw me the shower (she is just 5 weeks behind me and expecting a baby girl!)

Sarah made the AMAZING cake -- not only was it beautiful, but easily was one of the BEST chocolate cakes I had ever had!

There were SIX pregnant women at the shower & here we are all lined up in order from fewest weeks along to the furthest along -- it's so exciting to be going thru this with so many of my friends!

And here are the beautiful hosts: Jenn, Beth, Leah, Sarah & Melissa (and Jenn's dog Truman wanted to be in the picture too -- you can see him laying on his doggie bed down at my feet).

Selling, buying & moving...

This June was CRAZY...in less than three weeks we 1) put our house on the market, 2) sold it, 3) bought a house and 4) MOVED!  Some people thought we were crazy (and we probably were) for trying to accomplish all of that before the baby came -- and it wasn't easy but has been worth it to be moved and getting settled in a new home now.  We really could not have done it all without the help we received from my parents and our friends.

We purchased over the phone a roll of bubble wrap that was 750 feet x 4ft tall  -- had NO concept of how MUCH bubble wrap that would be until we picked it up and needed the trailer to haul it back.  Then we had to keep it in the garage because it couldn't fit thru the front door -- needless to say Todd & I had big time buyers remorse!  We think it was one of the worst purchases we have ever made, but we can blame it on being overwhelmed and not thinking clearly.  We just knew we needed bubble wrap but didn't know we were getting a lifetime supply!  And by the way, NOTHING broke in the move :)

The trailer loaded up with one of many loads!

This is our NEW HOME...we are getting settled and feel VERY blessed!

My Birthday

I got to celebrate my birthday several times this week & felt VERY loved! 

First Todd & I went to dinner with Jeremy and Sarah on Wednesday night -- had a GREAT dinner and wonderful time with them. 

Next, on my birthday I went out to lunch with everyone from my office and had a HUGE family style meal from Maggiano's -- ate ALOT and then spent the evening on the couch watching TV in my pj's (it was perfect)!  

Then last night I went out to dinner to Kalamata's (a great little Greek place that I love) with my girlfriends to celebrate.

There was a theme for most of the gifts I received this year -- SPOILING ME!  I got manicures, pedicures, prenatal massages and facials!  I am SO EXCITED for each of the them and am SO thankful that I will have times to escape, relax and treat myself to something so special.  I was already hoping to have regular pedicures during the next several months because: 1) I will only be wearing flip flops and 2) I can't reach my own toes to paint them very easily!

I can't believe how different this time next year will be for us, and how my birthdays will never be quite the same again!

Early stages of my baby bump...

Here are pictures from February and March to show my growing belly...

This one is with my sweet niece on her third birthday.  She stuck a balloon under her shirt and we both are here showing off our bellies!

I feel like I am showing much more now and will post more recent pictures soon.