Baby Lucas: 1 week old!

It is hard to believe we gave birth to baby Lucas a week ago!  Boy does time fly when you aren't getting much sleep and changing lots of diapers!  Where did this week go?  I really wish I could stop time.  This week has been absolutely perfect with Casey being home with us.  Next week we start to get a taste of reality as Casey goes back to work.  We are looking forward to having the Grandmothers join us in the next couple weeks.

We have taken so many pictures of Lucas.  All he does is sleep, but every time we look at him our heart melts + then we get the camera.

Here are a few pictures of our angel sent from Heaven during his first week of life.  You will see a common theme...

Lucas sleeping - paci and elephant blanket.

Lucas asleep in his Lamb Swing.

Lucas sleeping with mittens on - he loves grabbing his eyes.

Lucas sound asleep in his bassinet w/ handmade blanket from Grandma Reed.

We hear that he will start to be awake and more alert in the next couple weeks.  We are looking forward to seeing his beautiful blue eyes and taking more pictures!

Welcome Lucas Reed Clemmer!

Lucas Reed Clemmer

4.23.10

7 lbs 7 oz

20 inches

10:08 AM

Casey + I offically became parents yesterday!

It has taken awhile for it to sink in, but we are so in love already.

When he is not with us we miss him like crazy which makes us wonder what we ever did without him.

The c-section went well and both mother and baby are doing fine. 

Mommy, Daddy + Lucas are all tired.  After all, we only got 2 hours of sleep the first night. 

It seems like every minute someone is knocking on our door to check on me or him or both of us. 

Breast Feeding is definitely an art and although we haven't mastered it yet, we are definitely improving.

So far he just sleeps a lot and doesn't seem to be starving. 

I always knew Casey would be a wonderful dad and so far he has not disappointed.

He has changed every diaper and loves to swaddle him into a little burrito before snuggling him.

Here are just a few pictures we have taken of baby Luke so far. 

When we have more time and not so out of it, we will be sure to post more.

Thank you all for your continued thoughts and prayers.  We are very blessed.

 

Lucas arrives tomorrow - April 23rd!

For those of you who do not know yet, I have a scheduled c-section to deliver baby Lucas tomorrow.  At my weekly drs appt Tuesday the doctor did an ultrasound to make sure Lucas had enough fluid around him to go full term (one more week).  When she did the ultrasound, she realized that he was breech.  It was a complete shock to her and I both as we swore he has been head down for some time now.  Regardless, she has decided that he needs to come out this week and it needs to be done via c-section.

Casey + I are excited and nervous all in the same breathe.  It is hard to believe this part of the journey is almost over and the next chapter is about to begin.

Please keep Casey, Lucas + I in your thoughts and prayers these next few days.  I think we are still in a bit of shock as this is not how we "planned" to deliver Lucas, but know that God is in control and he will take care of us all.

As soon as we can, we will post photos to show you our new bundle of joy!  We can't wait for him to meet all of our family + friends!

God Has Welcomed Home An Angel: Isabel Nieto.

December 1976 - Grandma Nieto w/ me.

My sweet grandmother - my mom's mom - passed away Thursday, April 15th.  Isabel was 89 years old.  Although she had a few medical issues, it was still a complete shock to hear of her passing.  I know she is in a better place and looking down on us all.  We just all miss her so much and can't believe she is no longer with us here on Earth.

Her funeral is in San Diego today, Wednesday, April 21st.  B/c I am 39 weeks pregnant I cannot be there to say my goodbye.  It breaks my heart, but I am rest assured that she has kissed baby Lucas already and is sending him our way soon.

Please keep your thoughts and prayers with my family - especially my Grandfather.  Vidal + Isabel were married 66 years.  I can only hope for a lifetime of love like theirs. Casey + I strive for it everyday.

Here are some of my favorite memories of my Grandmother.

My Grandmother...

• ...married my Grandfather only after a month of knowing eachother. 
• ...was from Mexico and spoke Spanish as her first language.  Although she lived in the states forever, her English was never great.  Ever since I can remember, her favorite saying when she got excited about something was "Oh boy!"  It makes me smile just imagining her saying that.
• ...would forget that I myself do not speak Spanish.  So when I lived with her in 2000/2001, she would carry on a conversation with me in Spanish and then notice the puzzled look on my face.  She would laugh every time and then say "sorry, Becky".  Then she would tell me everything she said again in English.  It was so cute.
•  ...would take time out of every day to say the rosary.  I admire her for her faith where I know her and my Grandfather find their strength.
• ...was a good cook and bossy in the kitchen.  It was so funny to watch her tell someone they were doing something wrong.
• ...loved a small glass of port in the afternoon right before her nap.  My kind of lady!
• ...didn't like driving so she didn't.  Sounds like me.

Rest in Peace Grandma.  I love you always + forever.

Welcome Preston Heath Jones!

Preston Heath Jones.

April 16, 2010

8 lbs 15 oz

9 3/4 in

April + Heath FINALLY became the proud parents of this precious baby boy.

Casey + I were fortunate enough to help welcome this little bundle of joy into the world over the weekend.

Both mom + baby are doing well and are already home.

Welcome to the world PHJ!

We love you already + can't wait to watch you grow.

Baby Bump: Watch Us Grow Updated - 9+ months!

I haven't posted a picture of my ever growing belly since month 7, although

we did have professional pictures taken month 8 that you can see HERE. 

I figured we should get one last photo of Lucas before I pop.

This picture was taken at 37 1/2 weeks.  In just a few days we will hit week 38, but whose counting.

All is progressing well as I continue to see the doctor weekly.

Just when I think I can not get any bigger, I do! 

It took me a while to "look" preggo, but I definitely look it now. 

It's been an amazing journey.  Casey and I are just ready to meet our little guy who will forever change our lives.

P.S.  Please continue to keep April, Heath + Preston in your prayers as they still have not delivered.  I think we are guaranteed to meet Preston later this week - some 2 weeks late!

Lucas' Room: Finished.

If you know Casey and I at all, you know we are somewhat organized. Some would even say we have "OCD" - Casey more than me of course. So Lucas' room has been done for some time. We have put the finishing touches on it though and took a few pictures to show you the end results.  We really didn't have a "plan" when it came to his room - I am not a "theme" kind of girl - but we are both happy with the end results. 





(Click HERE, HERE + HERE to see other posts of pictures from his room.)

Homemade canvases sporting a hippo, giraffe + monkey; Rocking chair full of soft goodies; Homemade quilt from Grandma Reed for Lucas' crib

Now all we need is the little man himself!  We are 36+ weeks and making progress. I am seeing the doctor weekly and all is great. By this weekend he will be considered "full term" at 37 weeks.

 Now it is up to God when he wants to show us Lucas' adorable face.  We have a drawer full of diapers - not enough I am sure - and a closet full of clothes just waiting for him!  Thanks to friends + family, Lucas has enough clothes to last him his first year!  We are very blessed.

Easter.

It's hard to believe it is April already and Easter has come and gone.  Although I realize Easter is a religious holiday, there is just something so precious about an Easter Egg Hunt.  Casey and I have been living vicariously through Brady for the past 4 years and always get a kick out of being around him during the holidays.  There is something about experiencing the holidays through a child's eyes now that we are grown ups. 

My parents sent Brady + Ralphie on an Easter Egg Hunt in their backyard on Saturday. Above are a few pictures.  It was a hoot watching Brady look for the eggs and then get excited when he spotted one!

I have very fond memories of Easter growing up.  We always went to church in our new "festive" outfits and then headed to brunch.  This is where I found my first love - chocolate covered strawberries!  Once we got home, we had to go entertain ourselves while our parents - i.e. Easter Bunny - hid our eggs.  For some reason our hunts were always indoors (I blame Houston weather) and my mom could never remember where she put all the eggs.  Months later we would come across an egg that she forgot about!

It's hard to believe Lucas will be almost a year old for his very first Easter Egg Hunt! 

We are looking forward to it.

Lindsey Cheney's "Imperfect: Q + A"

I follow Lindsey Cheneys' blog, Imperfect, b/c I am inspired by her style, creative and ability to do it all with 3 kids.  She is currently celebrating the 3 year anniversary of her blog and asked us - her readers - to email her with questions.  Whatever we wanted to ask, we could.  I normally do not partake in such "call to actions", but decided that I will never get anywhere with just sitting on the sidelines. 

See I have always been creative.  I get it from my mother.  Family and Friends have always encouraged + praised me to "do my own thing".  I would love to, but have no idea where to start.  So that is what I asked Lindsey. 

And she responded!  (see below for her response)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I would love to be a stay at home mom and be able to have my own business to help contribute to the family finances. I have a lot of ideas, but I just don't know how to get started. What advice can you give me? How did you get started? Any books you suggest I read?

i kind of got started on accident. i decided a few years ago to make all of our christmas presents. that kind of reignited my love for sewing and crafting and i decided to host a small boutique with other crafty friends the following spring, selling some of the items like i had made for christmas gifts. when i showed pics on my blog of what i had made, i had some requests from readers to buy some of it. so then i started selling on my blog, then eventually moved into my big cartel shop. i never intended to start a business, it just sort of happened. if i could do it all again, i'd be much more prepared and understand the business side of things much better to start out. a great book to help out is craft inc., by mateo ilasco. i also just bought the handmade marketplace, but haven't had a chance to crack it open yet.

Thanks Lindsey!  I will definitely take a look at the books you suggested and see what I can come up with!  Oh how I feel inspired!