AubreyScoutCarter

All of the...
waiting
planning
dr visits
vitamins
big ol' clothes
reading preggo books
feeling baby kicks
wondering what she looks like

...it's all over, and it was all worth it!! WHOOHOO!!


Scout arrived Sunday, March 5, 2006 at 3:32pm. She weighed in at 7 lb 6 oz and was 20 inches long.
It was SUCH an unbelievable experience, and now we finally understand why it is something that cannot be explained...but only experienced. This first week with Scout has been unbelievable. Matt and I keep saying that we feel like we have to take her "back" at somepoint, or that her rightful owners will come pick her up. Haha! It just doesn't seem real that she is ours...that she is a part of us. She's an amazing miracle and blessing from a loving God.

She is so laid back! We both had some of that to offer her...mostly Matt, but I have some in me too...haha! She hardly ever cries...just eats, sleeps, and chills...but then again, she has just been in the world for a week...haha!



Okay, on to the play by play of last weekend...

Friday - March 3, 2006

I had a doctor's appt that morning to check on the "happenings". Come to find out, nothing had really happened in almost 2 weeks. I was still 1-2 cm dilated and 50% effaced. So to "help" things out a bit, the doctor stripped my membranes...and yes, that does hurt even more badly than it sounds...hahaha!

Saturday - March 4, 2006 (the actual due date)

Matt had the day off (YAY!) so we just spent part of the day riding out in the country...trying to find some bumpy roads to pop out the baby...haha! We packed the car for the hospital before we left...JUST incase! Haha! It was GORGEOUS outside! We looked around at some shops for a rocking chair for Scout's room, but didn't have any luck. I was feeling what i was pretty sure was contractions by mid to late afternoon. Dinner time rolled around, so we ate at Cheeseburger in Paradise. I was feeling some pretty uncomfortable contractions while we were there...but still not in pain...just uncomfortable. Haha! Matt started timing them while we were in there...3 of them were 7 minutes apart...but then they would subside for a long while. Matt made the comment, "It would be just like us to have a baby at Cheeseburger in Paradise!" HAHA!

We came home and just chilled...I knew the contractions were progressively getting more uncomfortable, but I really wasn't expecting anything throughout the night...I guess since I had never "been there, done that", I just didn't know what to expect.
Around 1:00am, I woke up feeling pretty uncomfortable. I took a shower, and laid down on the couch for a while to watch tv. I was kinda scared to go back to sleep because I didn't want to "miss" something...haha! I still wasn't in pain. The doctor stressed to us..."don't come to the hospital until your contractions are very painful and are 4 min apart for a solid hour". I kept this in mind as I did not want to arrive at the hospital and be sent home, or have the baby 24 hrs later...haha! So, I went back to bed, fell asleep, and woke up again around 3:30am. Ouch! "Okay, Matt wake up...they're started to HURT!" Haha! We timed them..still not 4 min apart though...they were sporatic and around 5 min apart. Matt got up and got everything ready...I told him, "Let's just wait a while longer...until they're 4 min" We were both getting a little anxious at this point, but we were deadset on not going until we were supposed to. We hung out in the den watching tv. I kept getting up and walking...that seemed to help the pressure. We finally timed contractions for an hour that were 4 min apart...except 2 that were 10 min apart. But after those, there were 3 that were 4 min apart, that hurt like a mug!! So I said, "LET'S GO!!" HAHA!

So off we went! It was a painful ride...I only cried once. Haha! We were admitted around 5:00-5:30. We had decided (and heeded advice from friends) not to call family or anyone until we were actually admitted. This would ensure that no one had to get up at an ungodly time incase I was sent back home and told to wait it out. But thank goodness, we were not told that. The nurse said we timed it perfect...that it couldn't have been any better. YAY! We did it! Haha!


The nurse called the dr and he ordered pitocin which would help speed things up a bit. I was 4-5 cm at this point, and completely effaced. Our moms and dads, Angela (Matt's sister) and Jocelyn (our awesome friend that was our official videographer and photographer) arrived on the scene, I think around 8:00am. They were all so excited. I think I had the epidural at this point. I can't remember. But I do remember that it hurt like crazy when I did get it! I did cry then, and I cried a lot!! Haha! But after it kicked in, I felt like a new woman! Haha! Ralph decided to head to church and preach both services, after the nurse said nothing exciting would probably happen until he got back...haha!

Ma and Papa (Matt's grandparents), Teresa (Matt's aunt), Stephen and Holly (my brother and sister-in-law), Carey and Jack (my aunt and uncle), and Amy and Russ (our best good friends) arrived and we all just hung out until the dr came in again to "check out the happenings".

jocelyn...waiting to capture the "action"!


hangin' out until it's "time"!





Well, he checked them and I was fully effaced and fully dilated!! It was 2:40pm and it was time to PUSH!! So everyone headed out to the waiting room except for Matt and Jocelyn.



Pushing was SO hard. I didn't feel like I was really doing anything to help things along, but Matt and the nurse assured me that I was. At 3:32pm, out pops Scout!!! YAHOOEY!!! I can't explain all of the emotions that rushed through me. I didn't know whether to cry or laugh...so I just did a lot of both! Haha! It was freakin' amazing!

Scout had a temp of 102.9 and so did I. But it wasn't long before it came down and all was well. They wiped her off and wrapped her up and Matt and I held her and just couldn't believe that she was here. Thank you, Lord!!







Okay, I am going to FINALLY post this since I am now FOUR weeks behind. My new strategy for keeping up with this is updating it every week (we'll see if that happens...haha)! So stay tuned! HAHA!

March 4 - Scout is due TODAY!

well, i can REALLY get behind on blogging again. we made it back safe and sound from st louey, and it is SO good to be home.
matt is the general manager at the chick-fil-a at haywood mall, and it is going GREAT! a breath of fresh air compared to the crapola he dealt with in lou-town. i went back to work at upward for 3 weeks...now i've been on maternity leave since this past monday. scout is due today!!! i've been having some contractions today, but nothing worth timing or getting all worked up about. so we're just waiting...waiting...waiting...haha! we're SO excited about meeting her! i had a pretty easy pregancy, but at this point, i'm ready for her to get herself on outta there so i can function like a somewhat normal human again. haha!

i have some pictures to share from our trip back, so here they are...

here we are right before we headed out. lookin' a little plump there, carla. yet, another reason i'm ready to pop this baby out! HAHA!


here's the E all packed up and ready to go! we were packed to the GILLS!!! HA!



bye-bye camden cove! :)


plotting our course...HOME!


we stopped for the night in nashville and met up with josh, heidi and ruby! it was great to see them! zeb is in nashville too at MTSU, so we all went out for dinner. that was fun and good! PIZZA!! we spent the night with zeb and his grandparents. they are the neatest people! they were missionaries in peru for 10 years when zeb's dad was a little boy. it was so fun hearing all of their stories and the cool things that God used them to do over there. zeb's g-pa is an unbelievable painter. he took us around their house that is pretty much an art gallery...FULL of all of the paintings he has done over the years. most of peruvians...they are awesome! he is 83 yrs old and STILL painting! they are VERY involved in their church...a spanish church...and God continues to use them there! they were VERY inspiring people!!!

here's one of the MANY paintings...this is one of my favorites!


here's a group shot before we headed out. there's zebbie in the middle with his monstrous beard! haha! and mr and mrs chamlee on the right.


WE MADE IT!!!



welp, that's about it. it was a great trip! no troubles along the way...that was a good thing considering the 8 month preggo in the car! HAHA! it's so good to be home! we're back to apartment living for a while until we know what chick-fil-a is going to do with us next. but one thing at a time...we've got a baby to birf fo now! hopefully, my next post will be pictures of scout!! we'll keep you posted!

peace out,
carla

:: let's try this again...

...tomorrow.

looks like we'll be heading out tomorrow. we didn't quite make it today. so much stuff to pack, and pack TIGHTLY in the ol' E. I need to take a picture of her when we head out...we look like the beverly hillbillies...hahaha!

we're both so tired now. packin' our fannies off all day and cleanin' the apartment up. although, the corporate housing people really left no instruction as to how we were supposed to leave the place, so we probably could have saved ourselves a lot of time and just not done any cleaning. but that would not have been very nice, now, would it? haha!

so anyways, we're heading out tomorrow morning...off to the great Nashville, TN! we're going to spend the day with ol' Zebbie and then go see Josh and Heidi, and their baby, Ruby. we haven't even met her yet, so we're excited about that...she's 15 mos old now...wow, we can really not see them for a long time!

well, i need to get. i'm whooped. need to rest our heads and get some good sleep tonight.

signing off...for the last time from st. louey!! (unless something else happens tomorrow and we are post-poned another day...haha! there isn't possibly anything else to pack, so that won't be post-poning us...haha!)

see you in SC!!!

peace out...

:: bye bye st louey!

Well, we say goodbye to ol' st louey tomorrow...or Sunday...depending on when we get this place packed up. Ha! We're almost there...just a few more things to put into boxes, another load of laundry, and some cleaning, and we're good to go! We're excited to be getting back home, but also sad (in a way) to leave...and tonight we were reminded why as we said goodbye to the great people that we have met at our church, West Hills Community. These people have embraced us from day one...we have never felt like a stranger at the church. It's cool to see what happens when people devote themselves to doing exactly what God has commanded us to do...to love your neighbor as yourself. I've never seen a group of people that do this with the intensity and the sincerity that these people do. They're just good people. And we will miss them tremendously!

Okay, no more sadness...
We can't wait to see our family and friends!!!! We're stoked! We have an apartment waiting for us when we get back (thank you, Holly and Mom...they were our "scouts"...haha!)...so we'll start moving stuff out of storage and into the apartment...probably Tuesday, or whenever we roll into town...haha!

Here's an update on Scout this week...(from the BabyFit mailer...haha!)
Age of Fetus—33 weeks
The baby's growth is still going and many women notice a “drop” when the baby shifts into the pelvis. The baby almost always settles into the pelvis in a head down position. The baby's arms and legs are growing and getting longer.

Other changes that are happening:
A baby delivered at 8 months will lose weight because it has not fully developed its digestive system. It has, however, stored fat in the event of an early birth to survive the ordeal.
By weeks 36-40 your lungs capture 15-20% more oxygen.
Baby's Size and Weight this week:

Size: 13.25 inches (head to rump) -- 20.25 inches (head to toes)
Weight: 5.5 lbs


So that is really cool...I can't believe she is already that big! WOW! It won't be long now, baby! WHOOHOOOOOO!!!

Well, the next post I'll write will be from the GREAT SOUTH!! YAYAYAY!!! I'll be sure to post our Christmas pics then, as I have obviously not done that yet, nor have i said HAPPY NEW YEAR! HAHA!

Peace out...

:: Chrima Eve is here!! ::

wow! can you believe it?? chrima eve?? i can't believe it's already here!! we're going to open one present a piece tonight from my mom and dad, because they are going to be opening their's tonight...haha! but matt said that is all...just ONE! :( haha!
matt has to work until 5:00 tonight...although, he called not too long ago, and his cold is getting worse, so he may come home early. i hope he feels better!! he's had a lot of congestion, and i have just been coughing my face off...but i think that is thanks to little miss scouty...haha! but anyways, we're planning to go to the Christmas Eve service at church at 6:30. then we're going to come home and eat lasagna, then open the one gift of our choosing! haha! tomorrow, matt is just wanting to REST, and i can say that i agree! haha! we have a 10:45 service at church, so we'll go to that...but the rest of the day will just be spent chillin' and playing with all our toys..hahaha!

amy and russ left to go back to sc on thursday. we sure did have fun...we hated to see them go! but we were so glad they got to come up. here are a few pics from the week...

here's amy and russ having lunch at the science center. check out that contraption in the background...it was crazy! haha!


HEARING!!! bwahahha! i think this is so funny!! it was some kind of hearing test thingy. i guess they wanted to make sure that if you couldn't hear, then you could definitely SEE that it had something to do with HEARING!! haha!


here is the main reason we went to the science center. they had a Titanic exhibit. it was REALLY cool, and very interesting. they had lots of artifacts that had been recovered from the debris field. the exhibit was done really well...so fun!


we had to make sure that russ + amy took in the brewery! haha! it was gorgeous there...they had it all decorated for christmas...the stables were my favorite! they had garland and lights all in there and it was just so pretty! when we walked in, the 2 "bud" dalmations were in there running around as one of the stable keepers was tending to the clydesdales. so that was really neat to see...they were so pretty!

here's the "beer wagon" in the center of the stables...


here's one of the clydesdales with his "christmas coat" on..haha! how festive that their corporate colors are red and green! HAHA!


and here is one of the hitch thingies...they weigh over 150 lbs, i think is what the little tour guide man said. and each clydesdale has their own little cabinet that displays theirs inside...you can see them down the sides. so cewl!


we ran out of time on thursday, so we didn't get to go out to the arch. matt had some crapola come up at work, so we had to run around and get buns, chicken, and ketchup and take it back to the store. that really stunk, but that's what happens sometimes. but amy and russ were able to stop by the arch on their way out, so that worked out well! it was after dark and amy said it was really pretty! amy, you must send pics and i'll post them! haha!

aighty, i have mucho to do today, so i must get busy! will be back next week with a "post-chrima post"! haha!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:: twas the week before Christmas... ::

wow! i can't believe it is just one week until Christmas!! where in the heck did this year go?! craziness! well, for once, i have all of my shopping done way before Christmas even gets here! i can't wait to give Matt his gifts! we both submitted a "wish list" this year...something we have never really done. we've "mentioned" things we'd like to have, but never had a full blown list. we put tons of things on there so we wouldn't know what we might be getting! i don't think Matt knows what his "big" gift is, and no, i'm not going to tell...because he WILL find out...he has his ways...haha! he "found" a johnny cash DVD that i had gotten him in the closet last week...ugh...i was irked! i can't imagine what our kids will be like when Christmas rolls around if their parents are this curious! haha!

anyways, we're stoked! because this week, our friends, amy and russ, are coming up and will be here mon-thurs! YAY! they left today and are spending the night in nashville with a friend...then will head on out tomorrow and get here sometime around lunchtime probably. i am taking a half day tomorrow, and full days on tues, wed and thurs. we're gonna have a blast! it will be so good to have them here so close to Christmas! i'm so glad they are able to come! here they are..

hope y'all are having happy travels now!! :)

well, i spent most of the day yesterday working on Christmas cards. i LOVE doing Christmas cards! i think that, and shopping are my 2 most favorite "preliminary" Christmas activities..haha! although, i was early with my shopping this year, i wasn't early getting our cards in the mail! haha! with matt's crazy work schedule, it was so hard to find a time that we could go and take our picture for our card. we needed "daylight" for it, and since he doesn't get home until the evenings (and since it gets dark at 4:45 here), we've had a hard time finding a time to take our picture! haha! so we FINALLY went last sunday afternoon, and BARELY got it taken before dark! whew! haha! i loved the way it turned out! i hope you do too!

matt didn't get home from the store until 2am this morning, so we didn't quite make it to church today. :( but it has definitely been a day of rest! haha! we haven't left the apartment all day long, and matt has been in the bed most of the day. i cooked breakfast this morning, so he had breakfast in bed! haha! so, it has been a good day! the Lord had our best interest at heart when he commanded a day of rest! and real rest! haha! it sure does make you feel good! because we haven't had a lot of "together" time here, we spend a lot of our sundays running around, doing this and doing that, shopping and stuff, that we are exhausted by the end of the day. i'm glad we stayed in today. matt especially needed the rest! i just can't stay in the bed all day though...i wouldn't consider myself a "busy body", but i do like to keep myself moving most of the time...haha! oh, back to "2am" last night...yeah, matt and some of the other workers at the store stayed to clean last night, because their closing staff consisted of only 3 people last night. so the 3 of them, had to clean everything after they closed at 10:30. after they finished, around 12:30 or so, they were leaving and one of the guys had a flat tire! ugh! so matt took him to walmart to get some fix-a-flat...that didn't work. they got 2 more cans...still nothing. so matt ended up having to take him home. poor thing was a zombie when he walked in.

i think we may go see Narnia tonight! wheee! i never read the book...can you believe it? haha! i think i started it once when i was in the 5th grade or something, but, like most books, i never finished it. not because of lack of interest, i'm just such a horrible reader. i either get the movie or the audiobook, on most occasions...haha!

oh, our anniversary! yeah, it was GREAT! we took each other shopping...matt got a new cable for his bass guitar, and i got the first season of the Cosby Show! haha! and we ate at this really cool restaurant out at "the valley"...that's what they call it. it's a humongo shopping area out in the middle of nowhere...it doesn't look like a valley, because there are no mountains, so i'm not sure why it's called that. haha! but the restaurant was really good...kinda like "on the border", but more authentic mexican food, and a better atmosphere. when we were finished, we ordered Smores! they bring a little fire thingy to your table, and you roast your own marshmallows and everything! haha! it was fun! oh, and it started snowing while we were there too!! it was so pretty!

well, i think this is quite possibly one of the longest posts i've ever made...i think i better sign off before you fall asleep! haha! oh, before i go...HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RALPH!!!! today is ralph's bday!! he is 54! wowsa! HAHAHA! WE LOVE YOU, DAD!! :) and with that, i will leave you with this....

:: happy 4th anniversary...to US!! ::

wheee! today is our 4th anniversary!! i'm in a rush to meet a deadline at the moment, but i'll be back to expound later! haha!
until then...here's a pic from 4 years ago tonight!! :)

:: more snow today!

here is a pic of the pond taken yesterday afternoon...


...and here it is today!


...and here's the parking lot and our lovely, tacky chrima lights! i love 'em!! haha!



well, i just got in from my 6 month dr's appt. everything was well! dr freeman said, once again, that she is a very active little thing. oh great. hahaha! that is fine...we're just glad she is healthy! now instead of every month, i will go every 2 weeks back to the dr. i am really going to miss my doctor here...and the nurses. they have just been wonderful!! just so friendly and helpful. i was a little anxious about switching doctors going into this pregnancy, but it has just been great. SO great that i wish i was going to deliver here...that is, if friends and family were here. but i'll trade the good doctor and nurses for my friends and family any day! HAHA!

i just realized that i never posted the ultrasound pics on here...here they are...these were taken oct 13.


this is my favorite...of her feet! haha!


well, i have bunches more, but you really can't tell what they are of...unless you use your imagination! haha!

well, that is all for now! happy holidays!!!!! wheeeee! :)

:: snow is on the ground! whee!

this is the view outside my "home office" this morning! wheee! so pretty! not much of it...and that's all of it for today. they are calling for a big snow on thursday, so we'll see! the E looks cold out there...poor thang! haha!

:: Brrrr!

i've always wanted some of these, but could never justify buying them, because why would you REALLY need flannel lined jeans if you live in the south? well, i can now justify the purchase! (although, of course, now that i need them, they don't come in maternity sizes...haha!) yesterday, matt and i were out doing a little christmas shopping, and holy moly! it didn't get above 27 all day...but it felt like -27! haha! it pretty much felt like i wasn't even wearing any jeans! just cut right through! haha! and right now, it's a balmy 16! holy majoly!
well, this was a random post...but at least it's a post! something i tend to forget to do! right, rita? haha!

:: Happy Belated Thanksgiving!

okay, so i've kinda gotten behind again on blogging...i think that is how it's just going to have to be...haha!

we had a great thanksgiving and i hope you did too! stephen, holly, kaylee and sunny were all here...and boy, did we have a good time! we didn't do the turkey thing...holly and i were kinda scared of that madness. but we had a roasted chicken, stove top® stuffing, cranberry sauce, yams (matt's request), sweet potato soufflé (sent by my mommer), rice, gravy...and i think that's about it. oh, and i made 2 pies...a pumpkin pie and another pie that pretty much tasted like a big ol' block of baker's chocolate because i ran out of whipped cream to mix with it...so it was a little on the strong side...haha! but we had a great time, and it was fun even though our meal wasn't like mom's...haha!

stephen and holly were here for a week, and that was nice! matt had to work most of the time, so i showed them around st louey the best i could...i'm not great with directions, but i must say we got around pretty good even though i had to be the navigator. haha! friday, after thanksgiving, is one of the craziest days at the store...since all those crazy shoppers like chicken so much. so i went in for a few hours to help out. i washed dishes and made lemonade. oh the joys! haha!

here are some pics of our fun week!

poor matt...even had to work on thanksgiving! he had to make a few runs to get fries to be ready for the next day of craziness! he was only gone a few hours in the morning, though...just in time for our scrumptious spread! haha! here he is on the phone with the family!


here's our holiday spread of food! haha! look at matt's face..i think he is snorting at holly or something...haha!


sunny and kaylee at the kiddee table...haha!


we had Christmas together (on Thanksgiving...haha) since we won't be able to go home for Christmas. here's Sunny opening her little strawberry shortcake art set.


...and kaylee got a bead making kit.


sunny, the artist...


and kaylee, the fashion queen! she made those herself! well, with a little help from me and holly...but it was her "vision"...we just helped...haha!



all bundled up...ready to go look at the christmas lights!


anheuser busch was pretty much the only place that had their lights up early! boy, was it gorgeous! here are the stables where they keep the traveling hitch of horses. so pretty!


saturday, we went downtown to take in the arch. on the way we swung by busch stadium. they are in the process of tearing it down, as you probably know, if you follow baseball at all. they were taking out another section while we were down there...there were a lot of people hanging around to watch the ball swing.


we went up in the arch. sunny didn't really like the ride up...it was too loud for her, i think. but once we got up there, they loved looking out the windows! here's a shot looking down at the city. you can see the stadiums...the old one on the right, the new one on the left.


there's the happy family! see 'em? over on the right...real tiny! haha!


kaylee and sunny posing by the mississippi...


this is kinda random, but i FINALLY got a picture of this massive Amoco sign. it's on the way out of downtown. it's so funny...i just laugh every time i see it, but i never have my camera! so i was glad to finally get a picture! haha! what's even more funny, is that it's not even an Amoco...it's a BP...haha!


the last night they were here, we went to clayton to eat some of the best pizza ever! here's sunny peeking in one of the store windows...soooo cute!


i love sunny's face in this picture! that's her "i'm freezing my hiney off" face! HAHA!


this isn't the best picture of us, but i haven't posted one of us in a while, so here it is...as good as it gets...haha!