Merry Christmas

Here is Samantha plum worn out after a nursing. We are sporting our matching bracelets that Keith got us. Mine had a lock attached and hers has a key. She is a doll baby! :)


Everyone took turns holding Samantha. Though, Nana and Papa were difficult to pry her away from! :) We also started a new tradition this year - Keith's idea - to buy everyone Christmas PJs that they have to wear all Christmas day (we opened them on Christmas Eve). They could be funny, dorky, cute -but whatever you got, you had to wear. Hence, the Grinch PJs Keith has on. :) Keith had also bought mine in secret and I had bought Mom's so when we opened them, we found we had the same pair. Though, bless Keith's heart because the man got me a small and with the "special" padding and underwear that I am wearing post-labor and my new found body, the small were more like spandex (but, I sported them proudly).
Samantha has been such a joy over Christmas, even though she has no idea what is going on. Here is Samantha posed with all of her Christmas goodies. She has no idea how many people love and adore her already. She will be one spoiled chick - but look at that face, how could you not love her?!

Welcome Baby Samantha!

Baby Samantha is finally here! She arrived on Monday, December 22nd at 7:31 pm. She was 7 lbs 12 ozs and 20 inches long. She is so beautiful - even beyond our obvious biased -- she is gorgeous! She has these chubby cheeks you just want to slobber with kisses, potty lips and Michelin Man tire legs -- what could be cuter!
The delivery went well overall. I was induced about 8:30 am that morning and only really had to push for 2 hours. The memory of labor pains is already vanishing. I cannot put into words the flooding of emotion that comes over you when that baby is first placed into your arms. My husband and I were just a bucket of tears. It is the most amazing experience of my life and this little girl is my greatest miracle. We feel so incredibly blessed!



To us she is perfect. My husband was also a super man in labor - being more supportive and caring than I could have imagined. I could not have done it without him.

We are now a family, and we are proud to be parents to Miss Samantha Paige.

Thank you for all of the prayers, flowers, gifts and words of love and encouragement. We love you all and we can't wait to have Samantha meet all those people in our life that mean so much.

Dad's Recovery

This past week has been quite an emotional roller coaster to put it mildly. My parents came in Sunday afternoon, Dec. 14th to be here for the birth of Samantha. That evening we went to the Christmas party with my church group and everything seemed fine. However, the world changed drastically on Monday morning. On Monday I was awakened by my Mom's cries to call for help, because my father could not be awakened from bed. His eyes were wide open but not moving - just glazed, he would not respond and he was so cold. We thought he was dead! Eventually, my mother was able to wake him, but he was disoriented - not knowing us or where he was. The EMT came and took him to Saint Vincent's hospital for several tests. They eventually diagnosed him with a TIA (mini-stroke). While that was scary enough, that was not the end of our ordeal! The doctor scheduled him appiontments with a neurologist on Wednesday. After seeing him, that doctor admitted him as an inpatient to Saint Vincent's Stroke and Heart center for evaluations. After multiple tests, we were getting not closer to real answers. Then, like a blessing from God, my father had another episode at the hospital while hooked up to his telemetry (see white equipment he is holding) and what the doctors saw was terrifying - my father's heart stopped for 20 seconds! The blessing was that they saw it, and he wasn't just released to go home with no real answers. After reviving him from this pause, they went on to do several procedures - such as placing in some stints in his heart (he had multiple blockages, one being 95% blocked in what they call the Widow Maker artery) and yesterday he got his pacemaker. He just came home today - the same day as Samantha and his first chance to see her. He is sore, but healthy. So, this Christmas we might be drained emotionally, but we have seen in so many ways the miracles of God. Because of him my father is alive and my daughter is here.
I must say thanks to all the prayers that people said for us - church groups, family and friends around the US prayed for a miracle. Let noone ever say that there is no power in prayer. We are proof there is!

Christmas Decorations

Click on the title "Christmas Decorations" to see Keith's you tube video. Keith took a video of some of our Christmas decorations. It gave him a chance to try out the new camcorder, before Samantha gets here, and to show off his Griswald decorating skills. The heavy breathing during the you tube video is because it was freezing outside! :)

3 Weeks to Go!

Keith trying to show sympathy with his "baby bulge." It didn't help me much, as you can imagine. :)

With only three weeks until our December 18th due date, I am busting at the seems (literally) and we are getting both REALLY excited and REALLY nervous! I think those childbirth classes we have been taking have only made us feel both emotions even more! Here are the last pictures I am revealing of my monstrous belly. It does sort of make you feel like invasion of the body snatchers and definitely makes you appreciate your body beforehand (despite its flaws). :)
Keith better enjoy his sleep now - he won't be napping like this once baby is here. Isn't it funny though how tired the men get during pregnancy. You would think they were carrying around the baby weight, muscle aches, etc. ;)

The baby's room is all done, now all we need is the baby. :)