Announcing our little love...

*These were made by the lovely and talented Jill Young. Her company is called Sprouts of Joy and they do announcements and childrens stationary among other things. If you're interested:  SproutsofJoyCreative@gmail.com

Mother's Day

Yesterday was my very first Mother's Day. Aaron was incredibly sweet--- he took me out to dinner for our very first date night since Everett was born, he made an entire breakfast spread with all my favorites- bagel, eggs, turkey bacon, juice, and of course coffee, he even made the pasta salad for our family lunch so I didn't have to. He made me feel incredibly special and said in his card to me "Everett is a lucky boy!" It got me thinking about Everett and how incredibly blessed I am to be his mom! He is such a sweet boy. There are so many days that I just look at him and can't believe that he's mine! I'm pretty sure I love him a little more each day. It's such a wonderful feeling when he looks at me and smiles or is comforted just because I pick him up. Everyone says it's a different kind of love and it really is. Something that you can't really understand until you're a mom. You want to give them everything, protect them from everything, and you love them more than anything. So this first of many mother's days... I'm really thankful. Thankful for Everett. Thankful that the Lord entrusted us with this perfect, tiny blessing. Thankful to be a mom.

so he DOES look like his daddy...

My family has always said that they think the first-born child looks just like their father, so Aaron and I assumed the same would be true with Everett. Sadly though, when Everett was born, we all thought he looked just like my family and nothing like Aaron! Yesterday we were finally able to see Aaron's baby pictures and I have to say Everett looks a lot like Aaron too! I'm really glad that Everett looks so much like his handsome dad :)

Aaron- October 1983

 

Everett- March 2010

Aaron- 1983

Everett- 2010

Diane and Aaron

Everett

Cousins!

yeay for cousins!

Aidan (almost 8), Everett (2 months), and Ethan (4)

all smiles

like mother like son???

1983

2010

Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us, no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare. (Psalm 40:5)

Everett Aaron Windle

Last Tuesday night started out like any other. I ate dinner (a huge portion of cheese tortellini by the way) and was headed out to hang out with my lovely friend Sara Wise. She was treating my pregnant self to a pedicure and I was pumped! We were in Walmart before the pedis looking at (what else) baby stuff when all of a sudden, I realized that my water had broken and it was running down my leg! This was a surprise since I had just been at the doctor that afternoon with no signs of impending labor. After going back and forth with Sara  "I think my water broke (me) No it didn't!? (her) Yea, I think my water broke? (me) No, it didn't?! (her)"  I became panicked wondering how exactly I was going to get out of Walmart without someone snapping a picture of me and putting it on peopleofwalmart.com. ha! Sara calmly walked behind me as I frantically called Aaron. Luckily, Sara was driving her husband's car with leather seats, so I didn't do too much damage to the car (thanks Bry!). We headed back to my house to my equally frantic husband and called my doctor. We were told to report to the hospital and so we finished packing our hospital bags and were on our way. I wasn't really feeling any contractions at that point, just the nervous anticipation of labor and finally meeting our little man. We made phone calls to our parents and (me) to my work on the way to Reading Hospital. They held us in triage while I was being admitted and hence the pictures, I was still feeling just fine:

After being admitted around 8pm, we settled into our room, took a 25 minute walk, and watched episodes of Criminal Minds and 16 and pregnant... Around 11:30, they gave me a pill to jump start my contractions- and let me tell you - that's exactly what happened. After about an hour and a half of sheer pain, I was dialated to 3 cm and was given an epidural in the middle of contractions. By 5 am I was fully dialated and we frantically called our parents to get to the hospital! In the end, my doctor had us wait until the baby was ready and Everett decided to show up at 8:20 that morning, March 3, 2010! Our little man ended up weighing only 7lbs. 7ozs. and was 20 perfect inches. We could hardly believe how small he was. Just a little peanut :) Now, 7lbs. may not seem small to you, but coming from a family where 10lb. babies are common, we were expecting a jumbo baby!

an hour before Everett showed up

the whole family a little after Everett was born

getting checked out

world's best grandpa (times 2)

grandmom

mimi

a little haggard after 12 hrs of labor- but it was totally worth it!

in love already

daddy- wrapped around everett's little fingers already :)

our first night together

so stinkin cute

last day at the hospital

time to go home!

sleepy

no seriously, hug me, or pick me up, or something!

Marley, not sure what to think, but thoroughly interested

:)

looking like a little old man

I'm adorable

daddy is smitten

wide eyed, for once!

I love hugs...

The past week has been quite an adventure. We are so grateful for the support of our families and friends and for all of their help! (Especially Mimi who came to stay and get up in the middle of the night to help change dirty diapers and rock Everett back to sleep!) We can't wait to see what the rest of this adventure has in store for us. Either way we are excited and thankful for this little blessing!

Sons are a heritage of the Lord, children a reward from him--- Psalm 127:3

photo shoot

A friend of a friend is starting a photography business and needed to build her portfolio. One way she wanted to build her portfolio was to get a maternity photo shoot, so I jumped at the chance for free pictures and more documentation of my growing belly! I am full term in the pictures (37 weeks) and wondering if this belly could really get any bigger?! Denise got some great photos despite the fact that Aaron and I were probably less than perfect models, laughing often (I know you're surprised) and trying not to pose awkwardly ;) Below are some of the great photos that Denise took:

our little family of four... soon to be five!

love!

one of my favorites

big belly:

loving our little man already :)

Congrats Bro!

The last weekend in January Seth graduated from West Chester University. We're really proud of him and all his hard work and perseverence! CONGRATS BRO :)

34 down, 6 to go!