One week old

how does time go so fast? they say it goes faster with each child, and that seems so true. it has been a week (actually 10 days) since abby may was born, and it just can't have gone by that fast. but, in a way, it feels like she's been a part of our family forever. a little piece that we never even knew was missing, has just made our little puzzle complete. :) she has fit into our family so perfectly, so seamlessly...it just seems too good to be true. you are such a sweet, sweet baby, abby may. you don't really fuss. except when you're hungry, need to be changed, or are naked. you don't like being naked, and your father and i would like to keep it that way ;) you are TEE TINY! we are not used to having a baby this small. you are like a tiny little baby doll. while this is sweet, you need to put on some pounds, little miss. none of your clothes fit, and washing the same 3 outfits every couple days is getting old :) you have your daddy (well, your mommy and brothers too) wrapped around your finger, and have from the minute you were born. i'll never forget...as soon as you were born and they handed you to me, your daddy looked at you and said his first words to you...i don't even know what they were...and you poked your little bottom lip out as far as it would go. it began there. mere seconds after you were born...you had him.

there are so many pictures i would like to share, but for now, all i can manage is a few to capture her "one week" milestone. one of the only true 'outfits' that fit her. otherwise, she is usually in a gown. when jackson saw her in this he said "wow...she looks like a real girl today!"
your brothers LOVE you to pieces. i can't even keep track of how many times they kiss your little head each day. it just warms my heart :)
luke really wanted you to see his slap bracelet

and here is further proof that you are, in fact, your mama's girl. the animals have claimed you as theirs :)

i LOVE it!

hopefully there will be more pictures to come soon. for now, we are just enjoying our little girl and couldn't be happier!

She's here!

Abigayle May Dennis

"Abby May"

born January 21, 2011

11:08 a.m.

6 lbs 6 oz

20 inches long

Praise God!

One day

One day! Well, by now, it's really like 3 or 4 hours. We should get a call to come into the hospital tonight around 10 or 11 (although with Luke we didn't get the call until 4 am). But soon we will be starting on this journey! It has been kind of a crazy day...very emotional for me. I really had pictured that this day would go so much differently, but oh well. I have still had some sweet time with my boys, some great love and snuggles from my animals, and managed to squeeze in a nap and dinner at IVP :) So, as promised, here are the pictures of my sweet girl's nursery. (The curtains are temporary...just fill-ins until Teddy's handmade ones with the BEAUTIFUL fabric are finished :)) Quite a change from the blue and the trains, don't you think?

Her crib View from the doorA guest bed for whoever would like to get up with little miss :) Her sign, just waiting to be filled in
Her sweet coming home outfit

One of my favorite things in her room. There are a lot of handmade touches, mostly by Mommy, but I did ask Jackson to draw a picture of our family for his baby sister.

I just adore it.

So there you have it. Now all it needs is a sweet baby to fill it with memories...for the next 5 months anyway.
Looking so forward to holding you in my arms, Abby May.

One week

One week. In just 7 short days, our little girl will be here. Surreal probably sums it up the best...and ready :). If you're doing the math, yes, her arrival has moved up by about 10 days. Lots of things factored into this decision that are probably too personal to share in such a public forum, so I'll just say that after much discussion between Brad, myself, and our doctor, we decided to welcome our little girl into the world on January 21st.
Jackson can hardly stand it. His countdown chain is getting shorter by the day, he loves to look through all of her stuff (and believe me, she's got a LOT to look through), and he's always talking about what she'll be like. He has even made a pretty good guess at her numbers...7 lbs, 10 oz, and 20 inches long. Luke thinks she will have black hair and black eyes...mmmm.
So we are enjoying our last week as a family of 4 (well, 7 if you count the animals...which I do). Next week, we will be forever (for now) a family of 5 (8 :)). I am nervous, anxious, scared, but most of all, just excited...and extremely thankful.
The nesting is in full swing, although I would be getting a lot more accomplished if I could sleep at night and have the energy during the day to actually "nest". Doesn't that seem cruel? That with one week before I have no choice but to go without sleep, I sleep at most, about an hour at a time? It's miserable...but totally worth it. The weird thing is that the little increments of sleep that I do get are filled with crazy dreams. For example...last night I dreamed that my mom and I were out shopping for my birthing gown. Yes, my birthing gown. It was quite similar to a wedding dress. Big and white, with a huge ball gown skirt. Only, it was filled with my big pregnant self and I was going to give birth in it :) The dressing rooms at the salon were even equipped with stirrups so you could get the "full effect" of just how you would look in your big white gown as you were birthing your bloody, messy baby. Lovely.
The nursery. Oh, the nursery :) I have waited 5 years to have my lovely little pink-bathed nursery, and I have had SO much fun bringing everything together. I am not finished quite yet. I promise to post pictures when I am. For now, I'll leave you with the before pictures of sweet Luke's nursery...which is now, a thing of the past...
So these last few days I will try my best to rest, I will love on these sweet boys and animals of mine who's lives are about to change yet again, and I will try not to be overwhelmed with emotion as I think that in 7 short days, I will be holding my daughter in my arms :)