Aiden's First Halloween

Here are a few pictures from Aiden's first Halloween.  He looked so cute in his Halloween outfit and his baseball costume. Aiden also was cheering on the Phillies in the World Series this year!

Introducing Aiden Wiley Jones - 6 Weeks Early!

Well this past Thursday (October 29th) was my expected due date for the birth of our son.  However, he decided to have other plans and arrive six weeks early!!! It certainly was a surprise for both Clay and I as there were no complications or signs of pre-term labor with my pregnancy.

Aiden Wiley Jones was born on Saturday, September 19, 2009 at 2:25 a.m.  He measured 19 1/2 inches long and weighed a whopping 5 pounds, 9 ounces.  He was a great size for being six weeks early - just think how big he would have been if he was born at full term!

Here's a brief version of the birth story:

Early Friday morning (9/18) I woke up to realizing that my water broke.  I told Clay that I thought that's what happened and we called the doctor.  We made our way to the hospital after getting instructions from the doctor.  I was concerned that we were going to get stuck in rush hour on GA 400 (one of my fears throughout most of the pregnancy was that I would have the baby in the car on the highway) but thankfully, we made it to the hospital in one piece and they confirmed that my water did break and that we would be having a baby soon.

On the way to the hospital I called my sister to tell her my water broke and I would keep her updated on what was going on. So, after I found out we were going to have the baby, I called her and told her.  She told me I needed to wait until she got there because she had already booked an airplane ticket for that weekend to visit us.  She had planned on surprising me at our baby shower scheduled for Saturday!  I'm not sure who ended up getting surprised - I think all of us did!  Instead of attending a baby shower she was going to attend a birth! 

After a long day of contractions, an epidural, visitors, and trying to get some rest, Aiden Wiley Jones was born early Saturday morning at 2:25 a.m.  It was such a surreal experience!  Aiden was checked out by the NICU team and then brought over to me for a brief moment before being taken to the NICU.  We were able to go see him in the NICU later and spend some time with him.
Aiden is absolutely beautiful and a treasured gift from God.  Clay and I are so blessed to be his parents and hope that we can honor God by raising a well behaved God-fearing little boy!  We love him!!

34 Weeks Pregnant!

Today I am 34 weeks pregnant and we only have six more weeks to go - give or take a few days. It's hard to believe that we are already at this point. Time is flying by so quickly, yet at the same time I can't wait to meet our little boy.

On Monday, we had our 33-34 week doctors visit. Everything appears to be just fine and progressing like it should. The baby is doing just fine and growing like he should be. We were able to hear his heartbeat again. It was hovering around 140 bpm. The midwife told us that she believes he is head down and in position, which is a good sign, but that we will have another ultrasound in two weeks to confirm that! That's great news for us because a few weeks ago we were told we may not have another ultrasound at all. We were disapointed about that because we really wanted to see how much our baby boy has grown. The last time we had an ultrasound was at 20 weeks when we found out he was a boy! We're very excited to get another peek at our little one before he's born.

My blood pressure and weight gain are right where they should be, at least that's what the doctors tell us. It feels like I've gained so much weight when I look at the scale but when you look at me, it doesn't appear to be that much. I guess it's just 'all baby'. I have surpassed Clay's weight already and am hoping there is not much more to gain. :) Over the last week or so (starting on vacation) my feet/legs have really started to swell at night. Some nights it's been pretty painful but I'm trying to drink lots of water and elevate my feet as much as possible to decrease the swelling. Clay's been really helpful around the house when all I want to do and can do is sit with my feet up. It's kind of wierd not having ankles right now - I joke with Clay and tell him my feet/calves look like elephant feet - but it's not really that bad it just feels like it.

Another new experience with this pregnancy has been my first cold. I have been really lucky that throughout the entire pregnancy I have not gotten sick so I guess it's about time. I've only had it for a few days but it's amazing how much energy it drains out of you. I should be thankful that it's this late in the pregnancy and I'm just now having some discomfort. Overall, I really have had an uneventful pregnancy.

If you have not seen me in person recently, then after you look at the below pictures you may wonder why my belly looks the way it does. It is very pointy and does not look like any other pregnant belly I've seen before. Some people have asked if he is laying sideways instead of up and down. I've been curious too so on Monday I asked the midwife. Apparently from what I understood, it is because I have a herniated belly button where the stomach muscles (commonly referred to as your six-pack) have separated and pulled away from each other. This makes my belly button stick out farther than most and my uterus to be closer to the surface (not hiding behind muscle like it normally does). She reassured me there is nothing to worry about and it's just the way I am. Who would have guessed? So that's why my belly looks so funny :)

So that's the update on the pregnancy so far...just a few more weeks to go. I've got to get busy because there's so much to do between now and then to finish getting ready for Baby Jones.

Family Vacation - Marco Island, FL

We spent last week (Labor Day week) in Marco Island, FL for our Bach family beach vacation. Since it's about a nine hour drive from Atlanta, Clay and I decided to leave on Friday afternoon of Labor Day Weekend and drive halfway then finish the rest of the drive on Saturday morning (our check-in day). It took us forever just to get out of Atlanta on Friday afternoon - I guess everyone else had the same idea of leaving town early :) I should have known that would happen but even though it took longer on Friday, it helped break up the long drive overall and was well worth it.

We had a great week with Mom and Dad Bach; Becca, Daryn, and our adorable nephews Matthew (2 years old) and Nathan (4 months old); and all of my brothers Kelvin, Jeff, and Tim. Jeff could only stay about halfway through the week because he had to get back to work. Although there was some drama and an ER visit for Matthew on the first night, we all had a fun time eating, relaxing, being at the beach and the pool, and enjoying each other's company.

On Labor Day, Jeff took us to a state park to go canoeing on the river. Everyone went in the canoes except for my mom and I who were taking care of Nathan. I didn't think it would be a good idea if I tried to canoe so my mom and I had fun with Nathan on the shore line. Nathan was, as always, wonderful and was really alert watching all of his surroundings like the dragonflies and birds.

They had to use three different canoes and apparently the canoe that Jeff, Becca, Daryn, and Matthew were in came right up next to an alligator. I'm glad I did not see it! I think Jeff took some pictures of it but I haven't seen them yet. I think Matthew really enjoyed being in the canoe.

It was so much fun being with all my family and seeing the nephews as they are growing up so fast. Matthew is turning into an independent little boy and is talking so much now. You have to be careful what you say because he is listening and will repeat a lot of it. Clay and I taught him how to say "Go Dawgs!". It was so cute. Matthew was also pretty interested in the baby inside my tummy and would kiss him goodnight and give him hugs. I can't wait for when our little boy will get to play with his cousins - I'm sure they'll teach him only good things, right? ;)

Nathan is growing more and more each day and really is developing a personality. I got the chance to help feed him, put him down for naps, and hold him. The holding him part was a bit of a challenge since my belly seemed to get in the way a bit. He is so adorable and we're so thankful for this little miracle and that he could be with us on vacation!

It was sad to leave on Saturday to go home since the next time we will see everyone (or most everyone) will be at Thanksgiving. By that time, we will have added another member to this family - our little boy!! Times like these really make me wish that all of our families (both Clay's and mine) lived close by so we could see each other more often. I guess that just makes us cherish the times we do have with them even more.

Here are some pictures from the week in a slideshow format.

Getting Ready for Baby Jones

Lately we have been busy preparing for Baby Jones. It's really been tiring but a lot of fun. A couple Mondays ago, we had our hospital tour to learn about the hospital and probably most importantly where Clay needs to drive me and where to check in. It was really helpful to get a feel for the rooms and what to expect during our stay. We even got to see some of the babies in the nursery :)

The following Saturday, we took a childbirthing class which took up a good part of the day and then afterward we worked on transforming the guest room into the nursery. We had to clean out the closet and the room to make room for all of Baby Jones' stuff. It was good to get it cleaned out but by the end of the night I was completely exhausted. I couldn't wait to prop my feet up and go to bed. That was the first time that I really felt like my feet were swollen. Up until this point I had not experienced any swelling and have been very thankful about that.

Then on Sunday afternoon our friends Ken and Stephanie came to help with the set up of the nursery. We really needed Ken's strength to help Clay move the furniture around and pick up the crib from the store since I'm not allowed to lift anything heavy right now. So, the boys did all of the heavy lifting and Stephanie and I had fun organizing the closet and dresser with all of the cute baby clothes and necessities. Clay and Ken finally got the crib put together (it didn't really take as long as I thought it would) and we got to put the bedding on the crib.

Although we're not finished yet, the nursery looks so nice and is starting to feel like the nursery and not just 'the room that will become the nursery'! I feel much better about this since I was starting to panic not having anything done. I know it will all come together and I don't have anything to worry about but I can't help but worry a little. The progress that weekend has definately allowed me to cut back on my worrying - at least about setting up the nursery.

Thanks Ken and Stephanie! We could not have gotten so much done without you. You are great, great friends :)

Two years ago today...

Today is our second wedding anniversary. It's hard to believe that two years have flown by so quickly and yet I remember that day like it was yesterday.

Two years ago today...

...I was eagerly awaiting for 4:00pm to come.

...I was with my closest friends and family about to celebrate and participate in a wonderful, God-filled ceremony.

...I saw my future husband (the love of my life and my soulmate) at the end of the aisle with tears in his eyes.

...we sang Come Thou Fount, had communion, heard beautiful solos, and recessed to Jane's very talented organ playing of 'Toccota'.

...Clay and I professed our love to each other through the saying of our vows and exchanging of rings.

...we ate, danced, laughed, talked, and partied at a fantastic reception.

...was the start of a blessed union between husband and wife.

...was the best day of my life...or so I thought.

It seems like each day since then has become even better and better because I am living it with my best friend, soulmate, lover, father of our unborn child, and husband. I only hope the next two years, and the next two years after that, and the rest of our years on Earth will become the best days of my life!!

Happy Anniversary sweetheart!  I love you :)

Surprise Baby Shower

We try to get out to Greensboro, GA (Clay's hometown) at least once a month to visit with Clay's grandmother and uncle and work on cleaning up more at his mom's house. Recently we have been trying to coordinate our visits with Amanda and Edmund (who live in NC) so we can all be there at the same time. So...last month we planned on going out there the weekend of August 14-16th. About a week before, Clay told me that he had to be on-call for work on Saturday morning and since it was right after 'close week' for him, I didn't think anything of it and we decided we would just drive out Saturday afternoon.

When we pulled up to the house, there were a bunch of cars parked in the driveway but I just thought that Amanda had friends over since she and Edmund had gotten there the night before. That was, until I saw a minivan with Florida tags - I thought to myself, I think that's Aunt Sandy's car. Then it hit me - this wasn't just a typical "cleaning weekend" in Greensboro. It turns out Amanda and Edmund planned a surprise baby shower for us!!

I have to say, I was completely surprised! In fact, even after I realized the surprise I still thought Clay was really on-call that morning - but no - that was just an excuse to get us to leave Atlanta on Saturday afternoon instead of Friday night like we originally planned. They really got me good! Had I known we were having a party and weren't just cleaning all day, I probably would have worn something a little nicer and bothered to fix my hair!

It was a great time of catching up with our friends and family and seeing some out-of-towners like Sandy and Steve from Florida and Mr. & Mrs. Bishop from South Carolina. I'm so glad they were able to come. We had a ton of delicious food including Edmund's fabulous baby back ribs! We ate, played some games and won fabulous prizes, opened presents, ate, talked, and ate some more!

"Gator" outfits for our brand new "DAWG" fan courtesy of Sharmein & Jeff

Everyone was so thoughtful and Baby Jones is so blessed to have so many people who care about him and spoil him even before he arrives. We received wonderful gifts and some very sentimental gifts like handmade baby blankets from both of Baby Jones' great-grandmothers.

Clay and I are so thankful to have such wonderful family and friends and can't wait to introduce Baby Jones to everyone! Thanks to Amanda and Edmund for throwing a wonderful shower!

Carter Family Festival

The first weekend in August, Clay and I traveled to Hiltons, VA (right outside of Kingsport, TN) to attend the Carter Family Festival. This is a 2-day long Bluegrass tribute to the Carter Family. Clay and his family have been attending this event for many years but this was my first time at the festival.

The festival is held in an open-air building with no air conditioning. It was hot but they do have ceiling fans to cool the place down a bit. It has a stage for the performers, a dance floor, and then stadium like seating for the audience.

There were many different bluegrass groups there including the Dan Tyminski Band who is probably most famous for the song "Man of Constant Sorrow" in the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? All of the groups were really good and Baby Jones really seemed to like the music. He was very active and "dancing" all around in mommy's tummy. We even got to see cloggers. Clogging is an American Folk Dance that began in the Appalachian Mountains and is similar to tap dancing. It is a very interesting dance. A lot of the audience had on their "clogs" and went out on the dance floor to clog and two-step. Clay and I decided it was best if we didn't clog because we didn't want to make a fool of ourselves trying it but we did learn how to two-step. It was pretty funny trying to learn and we definately would need more practice if we ever try it again.

Below are some pictures from the festival weekend.

Babymoon Surprise Weekend

A few months ago, Clay asked me if we had anything planned for the weekend of July 17th-19th and after looking at our calendar I said no. He told me to leave that weekend open but would not tell me why. So July 17th came around and all I knew was that we were busy and possibly going somewhere that was accessible by car (instead of via airplane).

We started driving Friday afternoon and ended up at Highland Falls Bed and Breakfast Inn near Blairsville, GA. I was completely surprised as I had no idea where we were going or what we were doing that weekend. The Bed and Breakfast was so beautiful, quaint, and secluded in the North Georgia mountains. When we reached the Inn, Clay informed me that we had no activities planned for the entire weekend - just relaxing and soaking in the beauty of the mountains surrounding us.

We were greeted by our "inn keepers" - Jeanie and Pete Bullock who showed us around the house and to our room. Jeanie and Pete were so very nice and hospitable - it was almost like we had known them for a very long time. The house has a great back porch that overlooks Pete's garden and the mountains and is equipped with a large number of rocking chairs - (my kind of porch!). There are only a total of three guest rooms (all equipped with a jacuzzi tub) which makes it very intimate and cozy setting even with a full house. The room we stayed in is called the Summerour room named after locals from the area and is the best room in the whole house. It has a separate door that leads straight out onto the back porch.

Friday night we went into Blairsville and listened to a free bluegrass concert in the old courthouse and grabbed a bite to eat at the Hole in the Wall restaurant - the happening place on a Friday night in Blairsville.

Saturday morning we awoke to a wonderful homemade breakfast that included fresh fruit smoothies, fresh fruit cocktail, biscuits and sausage gravy, homefries, and peach cobbler!!!! The food was so delicious and we were both so stuffed afterwards that all we could do or wanted to do was to rock in the rocking chairs on the back porch. We spent the rest of the day reading and enjoying the view from the porch, "playing" horseshoes, taking walks, and playing card games.

Sunday morning we both woke up very excited to see what would be for breakfast that morning. We were greeted with more fruit smoothies and fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, biscuits, and let's not forget the best part - homemade cherry pie!! Mmmm....the food was so good. We had a good time talking with Jeanie and Pete and their daughter, Terri over breakfast. After breakfast it was time to pack up and head for home. But first, we wanted to get a picture with Jeanie and Pete.

On the way back home, we took a detour to Brasstown Bald - the highest mountain in Georgia (4,784 feet above sea level). We decided to take the trail to the top of the mountain which although was only 6/10 of a mile was pretty steep. The view from the top was absolutely breathtaking!! On a clear day, you can apparently see four states (GA, NC, SC, and TN). It was pretty windy and chilly on the top of the mountain even though on the ground at our car was probably well into the mid to upper 90's.

This weekend was a wonderful weekend for Clay and I to spend some time together without the hustle and bustle of every day life just relaxing and enjoying each other. It was also nice to have a small "babymoon" before our little blessing arrives later this year. I'm truly blessed to have such a great husband who loves me, our baby, and planning surprises! :)

24 Weeks Pregnant!

Our 24 week doctors appointment was on Friday July 10th. At this appointment Jen had to drink the sugar solution for the glucose tolerance test. She did not like the taste at all but was able to finish it in the appropriate time. Then we had to sit around for an hour before blood was taken. Meanwhile we met with another midwife in our OB practice and really liked her a lot! She was very friendly and answered a lot of our questions. We received our pre-admission packet and scheduled our child birth class. It's amazing how fast the weeks are flying by!!

So far, everything is going well with the pregnancy. Baby Jones was very active at this appointment. His heartrate was around 145 bpm. Baby Jones likes to lay pretty low in Jen's belly. Jen's weight gain is tracking normal too - gaining between 12-14 pounds since the beginning of the pregnancy. Here's the latest picture of her belly at 24 weeks.

Happy 4th of July!!!

Mom and Dad Bach drove up from Florida on Thursday night to spend the July 4th weekend with us. Since they got in really late on Thursday night (after midnight) we all slept in a bit, did a bit of shopping and then spent the afternoon by the pool. It was pretty hot out so it was nice to cool off in the water.

On Saturday (July 4th), we continued our tradition of "running" in the Peachtree Road Race (the largest 10K in the United States). We've ran this together each year since we started dating - only this year we decided to walk the race instead of run given Jen's condition :) The weather was actually very comfortable with very little humidity making the 6.2 miles more bearable! We finished the race in just under two hours. This was an okay time considering all of the pit stops made along the way due to Jen drinking lots of water to stay hydrated.

That evening, after grilling out, we all walked to Wills Park to watch the Alpharetta fireworks. The fireworks were really spectacular - more than what you would expect from a little town! Baby Jones wasn't sure what to make of all the noise - once the fireworks started he was kicking up a storm. We're not sure if he was excited or just startled! Clay had fun taking pictures of the fireworks with his camera since last year his batteries died before the show started.

Sunday was filled with church and a trip to Clay's hometown, Greensboro, GA. We spent the afternoon with his grandmother and uncle. Mom and Dad Bach had a good time visiting with them as well and seeing more of the town Clay grew up in.

Monday morning brought us all back to reality as Mom and Dad Bach headed back to Florida and we headed to work. We had a great time spending the weekend with them and hated they had to leave but we can't wait to see them again soon!

Catching Up

After almost 1 1/2 years of marriage, and Jen finishing graduate school, we decided it was the right time to add another member to our family. We found out that we were pregnant in late February by taking a home pregnancy test. We were thrilled!!

It was even more exciting to have it confirmed by an ultrasound in late March. The ultrasound was amazing as we could see the beginnings of our new bundle of joy being formed. We could hear the heartbeat which was nice and strong - even at only 8 weeks!

Jen was just starting to have a little baby bump although many people may have wondered if she just ate too much chocolate cake ;)

8 weeks pregnant!

Our next ultrasound was in April at 13 weeks. At this ultrasound we were able to see more defined features of our baby such as it's profile and it's nose. The heartbeat was once again beating strong. Jen's belly was getting slightly larger as seen in the below picture.

13 weeks pregnant!

13 weeks ultrasound

17 weeks pregnant!

We both were so excited for our next ultrasound and doctors appointment since we decided that we wanted to find out if we were having a boy or a girl. That awaited day finally came on June 11th. At the ultrasound, Baby Jones let us know that we were having a.....

BOY!

He was breeched but the technician told us not to worry as there would be plenty of time and room for him to change positions. He was moving around a lot but for some reason did not want his feet showing. The technician had a difficult time trying to get a picture of his feet but finally got one. He also kept putting his hands in front of his face :)

20 weeks pregnant!

20 week ultrasound - IT'S A BOY!