The Cain Gang

Birth...

2010-05-28T22:00:00.005-05:00

As I write this, I am well aware that sweet Cannon is now 4 months old. I have loved and I really mean LOVED having two babies to spend my days with...but... it seems I have had a little difficulty fitting in anything other than diapers, feedings, baths, toddler games and an occasional meal and a little sleep. Naturally ye ol blog has taken a little hit, but I feel strongly that part of my role is to archive our family. I love birth stories and I bet my girls will love to read their's one day. So, here I am attempting to catch up- please disregard all dates, and pretend it's - oh let's say around January 28th...

So Eden was born at 38 weeks to the day, and I had convinced myself that Cannon would come a tad earlier. After all, "the books" say that 2nd babies typically come sooner. I was 38 weeks on January 25th and nothing- not even a twinge. So...now what? Everyone says that each pregnancy is different and every baby is different, but it's really impossible not to compare and wonder- isn't it!? Well I didn't have to wait long. Around 2am on Tuesday the 26th I woke up and knew immediately it was a contraction. I jumped into work mode (mentally jumped because...well... I was huge).

I had a contraction timer ap downloaded on my phone in about 2 minutes. Made myself a little "labor station" on the couch complete with snack, remote, lots of pillows, the computer, the bills I had to pay, and my Bradley natural birthing book. You know, the book I had memorized by my 6th month with Eden. Thought I should probably review... At this point, my contractions were like 45sec long and about 8 minutes apart :)

Brett got up about 6am and when he asked what I was doing, I got to casually say "timing contractions". I love saying that... He said "really!? Awesome." He made sure I was ok and then went to work to tie up some loose ends. It was Eden's day to go to Ms. Wanda's house and I was easily able to get her ready and drive her over with no problem. Back to the house- figured and paid our payroll taxes. Paid all the bills that were coming up. Kicked back and waited... Contractions now about 1 min long and 6 to 7 minutes apart.

Brett came home about 2 oclock with Eden and gave our parents the word to hit the road. We had already put them on alert, but now I was sure that this was the real deal. I decided it was time to shower & primp a bit. Now, I'm not sure what made me think that I had PLENTY of time to casually clean up (1min long and 6min apart unless I was moving around and then about 4min apart- yeah, I know, GET TO THE HOSPITAL...) With Eden, things got a little serious as soon as I got out of the shower, so I went to the hospital with a wet head and mascara face. I was determined not to let that happen again and I kept remembering how much time I had once we were at the hospital (still having a hard time remembering that EVERY BABY IS DIFFERENT).

Anyway, back to the shower- contractions got to about 3 minutes apart and STRONG. Still I pressed on- dummy- I mean shaving my legs in between knee dropping contractions. Got out, make-up, dry hair- still dropping to my knees about every 3 minutes. By the time I finished dressing, the contractions were so bad that I had a hard time getting from the bathroom back to my bed. They slowed a bit when I laid down and relaxed but still- seriously- like 2 min apart- it was around this time that I fully realized I had pushed it a bit far.

Brett went out to load the car and get it ready. When he came back to the room, I was fully afraid that I wasn't going to make it. I really didn't know if I could get to the truck, much less IN the truck. So, you can imagine how I felt when Brett told me the car was completely out of gas and the "miles left to empty" said 1. It's a good 4 miles to the hospital... Now he casually told me we would have to stop for gas and I casually told him that that wasn't an option. We would just have to risk it. I somehow managed to get in the truck and we headed out. The miles went to 0 at the edge of our neighborhood and we just looked at each other... Well apparently we have at least 3 miles past empty because we made it just fine.

Now, I should back up and say that about 6 weeks prior I called the hospital to find out how to pre-register. They told me that they didn't really do that, but I could come sign some of the consent forms early if I really wanted to. Well, I'm sure you know what's coming. As soon as I told them why I was there (as if it me clinging to Brett for dear life didn't make it obvious)- what was the first thing they asked?! "Have you preregistered"? NO I HAVE NOT. So they put me in a wheelchair and proceeded with the paperwork... After about 6 questions, I knew that we needed to move on VERY quickly. The funny thing was that it wasn't the 3 women (who were most likely mothers) that noticed the HIPAA release really needed to wait- it was a nice young transport tech who was a guy and couldn't have been more than 19. Before I could get the words out he said- "I think we ought to get you back there". I love that guy. Brett stayed behind to finish the paperwork.

Got to the delivery room and I somehow managed to get changed into a gown by myself. My contractions were right on top of each other and as soon as I laid on the bed my body started pushing. The nurse checked me and said- "uh, yeah, you are ready". Doctor had not been called and Brett was still filling in blanks... I was laying on my side in the fetal position and seriously thinking I couldn't do it. Of course I was still remembering the 2 hours of pushing with Eden.

So push #1 happened as I laid on the bed. Brett came in on push#2. Doctor strolled in on push#3. Cannon's head was out on push #4 and the rest of her on push #5- so fast that I delivered her laying on my side. I didn't even have time to roll over. It was a grand total of 15 minutes from the time we pulled into the parking lot to holding Cannon. Brett and I were in shock. First at how close we had cut it, and second OH MY WORD that was SO much quicker. Now, just so I am VERY clear, it was just as painful but wow the pushing... I was in such shock at the speed of things that it took me a second to remember that I didn't know if it was a girl or boy. I had to ask and we could not have been more thrilled that she was a girl.

This time I made sure to have them lay her on me as soon as the cord was cut. I had read about how research shows that is important for bonding, infant mental health, etc. It was amazing. We locked eyes and just stared at each other for seriously more than 5 minutes. She never even cried, and I will never, never forget those minutes. I'm so thankful Brett got it on camera.

I am again silenced at how unbelievably blessed we are. I don't know why God chose to share these girls with us, but I am eternally grateful. God equip us to raise them to be the Godly women you created them to be.

She's Here... Oh She's Here..

2010-05-26T23:18:00.006-05:00

Cannon Jessie Cain was born on January 26, 2010 at 5:46 in the afternoon. She weighed 6lb 13oz and was 18in long. -And she's perfect.

La Navidad de Nieve

2010-01-24T20:40:00.011-06:00

Does it get any better than Christmas? Really? I am just so happy, and love my family so much. It was so wonderful to celebrate with them... We started in Abilene and woke up Christmas Eve morning to a blanket of snow. Eden woke up, leaned over, looked out the window and said "whoa". Cracked us up.

Within an hour or so of waking up we lost power- yikes- and still didn't have any 5 hours later- double yikes. Finally came back on just in time for us to get ready for church. We piled in the car and made the almost 20 minute drive across Abilene, in the snow, on treacherous icy roads. As we rounded the corner and spotted the empty church parking lot, it occurred to us that on the day of the biggest winter storm in recent history, we probably should have called to see if services had been cancelled. Hmmmmm... Back to the house for snacks and presents- NEVER cancelled.

This pic deserves some commentary- you see my sister gave my Mom the famous "French Cuff Classic White Shirt" from Victoria's Secret that she had always wanted. Come to find out Mom went from wanting to buying MONTHS before... The funny part was that Mom was WEARING the famous shirt. We laughed for half an hour...

Uncle Bud gave Eden her first piano. Without question it was the hit of 2009.

We left Abilene, spent the night in Granbury, and then headed to Tyler. Another fabulous time with our fabulous family. Lots of food and lots of fun gifts. It was so fun to watch Eden & Garrett play. They adore each other.

I am overwhelmed by how unbelievably blessed we are. It's really more than I can comprehend, I fully admit. With all my puny human ability, I thank you God for your Son. I look forward to the day in heaven when I can really appreciate and understand what that gift means. I thank you almost as much for placing me in a place and surrounding me by people that speak your name daily. It was an easy choice...

Oh the Christmas Card Picture...

2010-01-24T20:34:00.003-06:00

Let's just say we spent 65 minutes and 93- yes 93- shots trying to get a cute christmas card pic of Eden kissing my belly. Apparently I forgot to tell Eden that was the plan and she had scheduled something else. I tell you this so you will appreciate the card oh so much more...

She did it!

2010-01-24T20:23:00.003-06:00

My baby sister graduated from A&M on Saturday- and that, my friends, is no easy task. Is it really possible that she's older than like 12? Way to go Anna!!

Santa... Not so much.

2010-01-24T20:12:00.005-06:00

So I can officially say that Miss Eden is not a fan of the Claus. For those of you who don't know, the Northpark Santa is the Santa that trumps all Santas. So, when she didn't warm up to HIM, I knew it was hopeless. He was very sweet about it- after all, he's Santa...

She actually adored him from afar. Not so much from aclose...

Love doin Northpark with Rosanne & Miss Aubrie.

It's Parade Season...

2010-01-24T14:42:00.005-06:00

If you haven't heard, I love- LOVE- parades. I have for as long as I can remember. It's hard to say exactly why. I suppose it's just that everyone is smiling and waving and celebrating something wonderful... It was very easy for me to make the Neiman Marcus Adolphus Children's Parade a yearly Christmas tradition. It's a GRANDADDY parade and oh so fun. This year Brett raised the bar and got us a room at the Adolphus and then to top it all off, our dear friends The Clark's from Andrews were able to join us. I can't remember the last time I had a day so wonderful...

Eden and Landes Clark- I hope they are great friends 30 years from now just like their Mamas are.
Can I tell you that beret was worth EVERY PENNY!

Each time a new float or balloon came into view, Eden would say "WHOA!"

Pretty girl in front of the pretty tree in the lobby.

Later that afternoon we went to "Ice" at the Gaylord Texan with the Andrews crew. It's a beautiful resort if you have never seen it. "Ice" is really neat too, but Eden is still a little young to appreciate it. She had a little cough and later I realized she had a fever- so happy I took her through a show that was 9 degrees! Mom of the year...

The Friday after Thanksgiving was the annual Christmas Parade in Granbury. I am so proud of our little town for being so good at celebrating things. I like to joke that I moved here because they have parades for everything you can think of- just got back from the Wednesday afternoon parade- he he. Seriously I had no idea of what a parade lovin town this is, but it was a super great surprise!

She LOVED it! Just like her Momma...

Thanksgiving

2010-01-24T13:55:00.006-06:00

I am ashamed at how much I have to be thankful for and how seldom I stop and acknowledge it. It shouldn't take a holiday for me to show Him my gratitude... I am so thankful that He loves me anyway.

Thank you God for my life. For allowing me to be born during this time, to this family, and in this country. I truly want for nothing. Thank you for my health and the health of all those I love. Thank you for all that you have protected me from and for continuing to bless me- often in spite of my foolishness. Thank you for my amazing husband and for my children- they are so much more than I deserve. Thank you the most for your grace and your Son. There is no greater gift.

We made the I20 roadtrip again this year. I didn't manage to get any pictures taken in Abilene but here are some good ones from Tyler...

All the cousins! There are 3 sets of twins in that room!
Sweet Grandma Jessie. She is so special.

Our favorite nephew
The best Sassy in the world.

The Zoo

2009-12-15T21:39:00.008-06:00

Can I just say that I love zoos? I will never forget going to the Fort Worth Zoo as a little girl- it's hard to say what was my favorite part. I love zoos almost as much as I love parades, but that's a story for another day...

Little Miss Eden took her first trip to the zoo on Wednesday and OH WHAT FUN WE HAD!

Halloween

2009-12-15T21:28:00.004-06:00

We took our great friends The Wilkins to Tyler for a little Halloween fun over the weekend. Cousin Garrett stopped by for a bit and then Eden & Johnna had a blast trick or treating around Brett's parent's neighborhood. Check out our little chicken...

Happy Birthday Brett

2009-10-08T01:01:00.015-05:00

You make me happier than I ever dreamed possible. I hope your day was wonderful... I am so happy you were born and I am so happy God shared you with me.

This weekend we took a little trip to San Marcos and Fredericksburg for Joe & Casey's wedding. Driving through the Hill Country never does get old....

Yes my dear Aggie friends... Miss Eden had her first Freebirds burrito. She loved it of course. I am considering petitioning the AAP to make it a true developmental milestone.

Here we are all gussied up for the wedding...

Just Perfect!

2009-09-21T22:02:00.007-05:00

We had our 19 week sonogram Tuesday. Babyboo looks just perfect! Weighs in at about 9oz and is about 6.5in long. The technician was EXCELLENT at concealing the gender, so no educated guesses here! I can't believe how much faster it is going than it did with Eden... I mean seriously, I am halfway there!

Look how beautiful!!!

We counted all 10 fingers and all 10 toes... These are all the toes in case it isn't clear!

A Couple of Firsts...

2009-09-09T20:35:00.010-05:00

First Pigtails...
(As an aside, I included this picture because you can see the big 'ol molar coming in on the bottom right. He has brought along 3 of his friends and it has been a little rough. She really is handling it like a champ, but sleeping is a little rough and most of the time she just wants to sit and snuggle... so sweet)

First Chopsticks...

(Now of course she didn't actually eat with them, but when she saw us using them she tried to stack her food on the end of one- it doesn't sound nearly as funny as it really was.)

Happy Birthday Little Miss Eden!

2009-08-20T09:46:00.015-05:00

Is it really possible an entire year has gone by??! It absolutely feels like a couple of months ago we were in the hospital in disbelief at the perfect little gift we had been given. It's hard to put into words how much she has given us... has changed us. It sounds corny and cliche, but life really is sweeter. I laugh more, I cry more, I love more deeply, I hurt more for others, I rejoice more for others, I treasure my family more, and I understand my God and Savior so much better... Thank you Eden, and thank you God for sharing her with us.

**Update 8/22/2009
We had a fabulous party for our little half pint today. Celebrating Eden was more fun than I ever dreamed. She loved every minute- of course having no clue it was all for her! Once again I'll share WAY to many pictures, and in case it's not obvious- the theme was polka dots!

The cake was PRECIOUS and SOOO yummy. Each layer was a different flavor! For any Granbury folks I highly recommend Jennifer May for all your special occasion cakery needs he-he :).

MMMMMM.... My little brother came in from Abilene just in time for the party and then turned around and drove right back. It meant the world that he was there!

Swimming (obviously). Eden has a game where she dips her little face into the water and this is how she looks when she comes back up. You'd never know it by the picture, but she thinks it's great fun!

I made a "special" little cake for Eden. Those of you who know me well know exactly what that means :).

No surprise... she ate it up!!

... And OH the presents!

It's so nice to have close family and friends all around!

I still can't believe it's been a year... a whole year! Oh, they're only babies for a blink aren't they?! I must say we are having more fun with her than ever before. Itis incredible how quickly they learn things! She is literally more independent everyday... a new word, a new activity, something is always new.

She now says (for my own record-keeping)- MaMa, Daddy, bye bye, night night, diaper (biper), uh-oh, nana (banana), all done (duh), book (boo), no-no (that one is pretty funny), hello (hiya-and only when she is "on the phone"), PaPa (my dad), hi, shoes (chzzz), up, baby (used for both babies and puppies) and I think she was saying Sassy (Brett's Mom) today. At least those are the words that I am certain she understands the context. She repeats lots of our sounds and words all day long!
She waves and says "hi" when she sees us. She loves to share things- her food, milk, pacifier,- and she thinks it's hilarious when we "partake".
She is very interested in putting things into or onto other things, so we find stuff all over the house in the strangest places...
She loves to dance and clap anytime there is music and knows exactly which toys will play songs.
She still loves to eat, although not quite as "crazed" as she once was. We have begun practicing with the spoon and she can use it to finish a whole bowl of yogurt- but it's not pretty folks, not pretty at all :).
She LOVES to play chase- both receiving and doing- and laughs harder than I've ever seen her.
She still signs "more", "eat", "all-done", and "bath". Those are really the only one's we've worked on- I really should do better...
She has become VERY interested in what we have and wants to have the same. Particularly with eating, which makes eating out very interesting. She will have the exact same thing in smaller bites on her plate, but she would still rather have mine- "MAMA" "MAMA" "MAMA".
She is so, so silly- just like her Daddy. It facinates me that she understands what that means, but boy does she. She will make a sound or a face or she will stick a toy on her head or you name it- simply because she knows it's hysterical. I can't tell you how much fun we have...
Oh there is so much more. I really just wanted to get some things down before I forgot them.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Eden Marie. I love you sooooo much!

BIG NEWS!!!!

2009-08-06T17:57:00.013-05:00

1. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a walker....

She took her first step on July 4 and was walking more than crawling by about July 18th. Oh how I can see the toddler emerging!!! Oh, and yes, she does sing as she walks most of the time. We are so very proud of her...

2. For those of you who haven't heard, may I present Baby Cain #2.
EDA 2/8/10.

We are beyond excited...

The Beach...

2009-07-06T21:35:00.014-05:00

Where did June go!!! We have had such a wonderful summer. Eden is getting more grown up by the minute. Suddenly a little toddler is in front of me... She is talking more and more. She says MaMa, DaDa, Bye Bye, NaNa (banana), PaPa, boo (book), Bipe-Bipe (diaper) and her favorite word is Uh-Oh- and let me tell you, she knows exactly when to use it. It is so funny- anytime anything falls or we toss something on the bed or the sofa "uh-oh". I still can't believe how grown-up she is!

We took a fabulous trip to Gulf Shores, Alabama with Brett's whole family in mid-June. It was such fun! I highly recommend it for a great, affordable, family vacation. We really didn't do much, which is the best part, just a lot of pool and beach time. So, I'll just bombard you with pictures...

The first three days Eden was sick with a fever and sore throat, but with lots of prayer it left as quickly as it came!

No doubt these two are cousins...and both look like their daddies!!

First time on the beach!!! Our little strawberry was still feeling kind of puny, but how sweet does she look...

This is one of five, yes five bathing suits that mad the trip with us. A girl just can't have too many...

This is how Eden liked to enjoy the pool. Just kick back and float... she's just like her Daddy!

Miss Eden and her "Sassy" (Brett's Mom). Bathing suit #2!

Check out the shades... Bathing suit #3!

She LOVED the ocean! Try to ignore the "yes I'm a Momma now" swim suit.

My very smart friend Rosanne gave us the idea of putting a little pool on the beach to keep sand out of little eyes and little mouths. It worked like a charm!

Brett's brother Jim, his beautiful wife Tricia and Garrett, the best cousin in the world.

Daddies and their babies.

The whole family... Sarah (Brett's Mom), Me, Tricia (Sister in Law), Tony (Brett's Dad), Brett, Jim (Brett's brother), Eden, and Garrett

Us.

Sassy & Grandpa and the Grandbabies...

Us again.

My Loves.

Stuff...

2009-05-13T21:08:00.006-05:00

We were in the kitchen. I pulled something out of the fridge, walked it across the room and when I came back to close the door, this is what I found...

We knew she could crawl, knew she could pull up, didn't know she could climb.

We took a quick trip to the botanical gardens this morning. Look at the pretty pictures...

WHOOP!!!

2009-05-04T22:15:00.005-05:00

OH YES WE DID!!!! We took Miss Eden on her first trip to the Holy Land- oh I mean Aggieland (thanks Jason Karnes)- this weekend. It was beyond fun. There is just something about being there... All my Aggie friends know what I mean. I must send a million thanks to my sister Anna. Her boyfriend Buck is in E2- the outfit that cares for Miss Reveille- so we totally took advantage and Rev was able to fit us into her very busy Spring schedule. We ate Wings and a burger at Koppe bridge (Freebirds has kind of lost its luster for me, but we'll save that for another day), and we had a yummy sausage dog at a crazy fun baseball game- aren't those the greatest?! Now Eden will certainly have her choice of schools when college time comes...really, she can go wherever she likes- we won't pressure her in the least...really... I would never play the War Hymn while she sleeps or frame photos of her and Rev in her room or pin an Aggie jersey in her closet...really... Enough talk, just check out the slideshow on the left.

Happy 8 Months!!

2009-04-22T07:05:00.009-05:00

I CANNOT BELIEVE MY CHILD IS 8 MONTHS OLD!!

Highlights-

She sleeps like a dream (now that she has discovered tummy sleeping it's even better)
Three square meals a day (I know you were worried by how thin she is :))
She LOVES sweet potatoes and DOES NOT LOVE green beans (she is, however, very polite about her dislike and simply looks at the floor and refuses to look at me...)
She has begun feeding herself little bites of banana and cooked carrots (for all my OT friends, she has an excellent pincer grasp)
She says DaDa and NaNa (for bananas), and for now she says BaBa instead of MaMa, but we're working on it...
She understands the signs for milk, eat, drink, all done, and more.
She does raspberries, clucks, growls, and coughs and loves to copy us making those sounds
She gives kisses when asked, but so far only to Mommy (I just hate that...)
She's very curious about everything (this has been confirmed by BOTH the church and MOPS nurseries) and always wants to find and investigate sounds, or play with whatever we (or other children) have
She pulls up on anything she can get her little hands around. Her favorite is our big magazine basket and ottoman. She'll stand and cruise around those forever.
She has been standing alone for a few seconds (her record is 7 seconds, but I was the only witness :))
Little Missy can crawl! This video was right after she started so she has gotten much smoother and faster, but she still uses one foot and one knee- it's really funny (people kept telling us how our lives would change once she was mobile, but I really had no idea...)

There are no words to tell you what joy Eden brings to both of us every single day. I still cannot believe God let us be a part of her life. Isn't His design amazing!!!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-13T10:20:00.007-05:00

We've had such a wonderful 2 weeks!!! On April 5 we had the joy of dedicating Eden back to God during our Sunday morning service. God continually gives us so much more than we will ever deserve and that certainly includes our children. I am priviledged beyond measure that God has let us be a part of Eden's life and I am so aware of what an awesome responsibility Brett and I have been given. It is my heart's cry that she grow up with a deep and lasting understanding of the incredible love of Christ and it is our responsibility to create an environment for that to happen. Nothing brings me greater peace as a parent than to know that God loves Eden so much more than we do and I am excited beyond words to see what He does with her life...

Of course our families came to encourage us and commit to Eden girl with us, and of course there was some fun...and food...and fun...and food...

On Saturday we went with Brett's parents to a local organic strawberry patch and yes oh yes WE PICKED OUR OWN STRAWBERRIES!!!!! Now for any of you who don't know, this is the kind of thing that makes me want to skip down the street singing John Denver's "Country Road" then can some peaches and maybe quilt a little. I make no apologies. It was almost magical...

...and then there was Easter. Is there a better day? I mean really? We get to celebrate absolutely the greatest event that has ever happened in the history of everything... and we do it with family and friends that we love... and it's a beautiful time of year (rain or no rain)... and we get to put really pretty dresses on really pretty babies... and we get to eat really good food and watch really good golf... and there's candy for days... not to mention baskets and eggs- two of my favorite objects on the planet... I mean really?!

Happy Easter...

Ya think it was all the prenatal yoga?

2009-03-27T15:23:00.006-05:00

Occasionally she even moves from this fabulous plank to an exceptionally good downward facing dog!

Look out, she's mobile! Miss Eden SO wants to crawl, but hasn't quite gotten there. She scoots backwards on her hands and then performs her infamous "plank" as seen above. She started out on the blanket and ended up at the closet. It's so funny to watch!

Just Stuff...

2009-03-22T17:50:00.008-05:00

Eden took her first trip to the park for a "play date"

You know that warning about taking off all hats, headbands, bows, etc before putting your infant in the carseat... Eden started yelling and this is what I found (she couldn't get it off because it was tied)...

Yeah for Daddy running a great 10k yesterday...

May I present Miss William Brett Cain, II...

2009-03-18T21:42:00.005-05:00

I know...she looks just like him!

Thank You God for the rain, just so Eden could wear this...

2009-03-12T17:36:00.003-05:00

Southbound 35...

2009-03-09T21:18:00.006-05:00

The three of us spent all of last week in Ausin while Brett took a course. It was SO much fun to get away. We really didn't do much, but it's nice to get out of the distraction of my house and just hang out with my favorite people...

On Thursday night we drove over to Round Top to eat at Royer's. If you have never been there, it's so worth getting off the beaten path. They have wonderful food, but the trip is really for the pie- lets all be honest. Brett and I were having great pains deciding what kind to get, so we got 4- seriously. Drumroll please: buttermilk delight, chocolate chip, cinnamon bread pudding, and apple. Oh what I might do for another piece of apple right now!

On Thursday morning I hit the outlets in Round Rock and may I say that the only way to shop a place like that is on a weekday morning. It was like I had the place to myself. Eden and I did some damage, I can't lie. I think she enjoyed herself almost as much as I did. Brett is in such trouble...

Raspberries...

2009-03-04T15:00:00.005-06:00

Just wanted to share this silly video. Sorry it is so dark- I guess you get what you pay for- ha! Eden has actually been doing this since about 41/2 months, but got on a big kick about 2 weeks ago. She did this for literally an hour straight at the grocery store. All the people we passed were cracking up. Oh goodness this Mommy thing has been fun! (oh, and please forgive the TV background noise. I have got to remember to turn that off)

Big Month of Firsts.... and Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-14T21:45:00.029-06:00

We celebrated our Valentine's Day on Wednesday night 2/11. Brett took Eden and I to Rough Creek Lodge, a fancy, outdoorsy-type resort between Glenrose and Stephenville. We saw about 200 deer on the drive from the entrance to the lodge and a pheasant landed about 5 feet from my open car window. It was BEAUTIFUL... When we arrived Brett told us girls to

get all dressed up and then he escorted us down to a super fancy dinner. It was so cute, they had our table all ready- complete with high chair and baby fork and spoon. We stayed in a beautiful room that overlooked the pond and then had a fabulous breakfast before driving home. Way to go Brett, you make us feel SO special!

Now, aside from Valentine's Day, the past month has been a big one for Miss Eden Marie...

First real food...

We started with sweet potatoes, then added bananas, and then butternut squash. She gets so excited when I put her in the high chair and squeals with her mouth wide open until I can get a bite in. This week we added avocado and mango- neither of which she was crazy about- but I learned that if you offer it enough times she finally likes it (or she just gives up). By the way, if you are wondering why I am letting a crazed truck driver feed my daughter, it's actually my sweet husband wearing his newest marketing product. Can you believe he actually bought 12 of those hats!

First shopping cart ride...

Eden is an absolute joy to take to the grocery store. She smiles at everyone she makes eye contact with, so we end up having multiple silly conversations with strangers as we shop. At last count we talked to 10 different people in the same trip due to "smiley girl".

First Haircut...

Do you guys remember ALL that dark hair Eden had when she was born? Well it all fell out at about 4 months except for a few random long hairs and a little patch right in front. It was painful, but I finally admitted we needed to do something about it. She was such a good sport!
The pictures are before, during, and after.

I was very hesitant to add our final "first" lest it jinx the tremendous blessing it has been, but then I remembered I don't believe that blessings are jinxable. So...without further adieu... Miss Eden Marie now sleeps through the night! It only took a short 165 nights for us to finally get it right... Now that girl was a pro at the whole "sleep training" business. I had been laying her down awake with no troubles for about 6 weeks, and then she would sleep hard... for 3 hours at a time. When I woke up the first morning and realized she had slept for 10 hours, I rolled over and said to Brett "Hi there. How have you been for the past 6 months?"

Good Things Since Christmas

2009-01-16T13:08:00.018-06:00

1. Eden Marie Cain: Surprise, surprise. Ok, so I must confess that deep down I thought that after a while you just get used to having a baby around and the amazement of it all wears off a bit. Not the case. EVERY DAY is so exciting in my house- still. I didn't know it was possible to have this much fun... Thank you so much God for designing it this way!

2. Business is suddenly booming- WOO HOO! I am so thankful for my entrepreneur husband who dreams bigger than I do but loves me enough to let me be a part of it... and I am so thankful for a God who takes care of us- in spite of us.

3. The Office. It's just so funny... so funny.

4. The discovery of melting chocolate chips with half-n-half for strawberry dipping delight.

5. Wii Fit balance games. It is the ONLY physical activity in which I have EVER beaten my husband. He is still practicing.

6. Haagen Dazs Reserve Pomegranate Chip and a spoon.

7. Holding up the end of your nose while talking for a much funnier conversation. (yes this is the kind of thing we do in the evenings. Don't roll your eyes, you know you are trying it!)

What a Merry Christmas!!!

2009-01-01T22:15:00.015-06:00

Oh... I've gotten so very blog-lazy lately! One of my many New Year's resolutions is to return to weekly posts. You'll notice I am off with a bang by covering Christmas events on New Year's Day, but it's simply the best I can do. Lately I have been striving to be just adequate and I am perfectly ok with that... excellence is just too hard!

Ok, so quick update. Brett and I went on our first baby-free evening in mid December. We went to a little Christmas mixer and then the Granbury Live show downtown. Thank you Eisenrich's for hosting such a fun evening, thank you Doll for watching our Eden and putting our (my) minds at ease, and thank you favorite Kenneth Cole boots for finally fitting again...

Little Miss Eden just gets more fun every day. She has very distinct moods- silly, sweet, serious, cuddly, and occasionally grumpy! She is getting more active, but reminds me a little of myself. I won't use the word lazy, but lets just say content. It's like, "oh, there is my really fun toy over there but I would have to roll over to get it... so even though I am quite capable of getting there, I think I'll just lay here and play with my hands instead". It's humorous to watch.

Speaking of hands, that little girl is getting better with hers by the minute- literally. She went from holding them out to grabbing my nose to patting my cheeks in a matter of hours. I get so excited I can hardly contain it. Seriously, if nose-grabbing affects me like this, I may need sedation when she takes a step or says a word!

Speaking of saying a word (ha), she is getting so many new sounds and loves to "talk". She will sit and "coo" and "ahh" and "goo" at me or a toy or the wall... It's so sweet.

On a sadder note, almost all of her beautiful newborn hair has fallen out. She has a little patch in the back and one right on top. To be perfectly honest, it looks a little like a toupe. It's interesting though, the new hair seems to be really light and her eyes are still dark blue. Who would have ever dreamed I would birth a blonde hair, blue eyed baby... but it seems I may have. It's a little hard to tell in the picture, but most of what you see sticking up comes from 2 square inches on the top of her head!
So, Christmas was pure joy! Santa brought Eden an exersaucer and rumor has it that she may have gotten it a couple of weeks early because... well... she needed it. And she loves it.

My family came to my house in Granbury on Christmas Eve because Mom and Dad are still in the middle of building their house. Here is a good shot of Eden and Anna,

On Christmas morning, we packed up and went to Tyler to celebrate with Brett's family. It was so fun to watch Eden and her cousin Garrett. I am excited to see them actually "play" when they are a little older. Eden was pretty good at opening the packages and of course she didn't get a thing!

This is the little kitchen from her Uncle Jim, Aunt Tricia, and cousin Garrett and I can also thank them for the sweet outfit she is wearing. Now the bow is especially for her Annie and her friend Johnna, you big bow lovers know who you are!

We are unspeakably blessed and I am moved daily by all that God gives me... in spite of me. I can't believe that I get to be married to the man I have and be a part of this amazing little girl's life. God must love me more than I will ever know... He must.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2008-12-02T20:41:00.008-06:00

I know, I know, I am way behind in blog land... Miss Eden turned 3 months old and is more fun than ever. She is sleeping through the night most of the time. She is really starting to use her hands to play with toys and pull out her pacifier- but hasn't figured out how to put it back in! She smiles all the time and last week she laughed for the first time when I was kissing her neck- it is amazing how tiny things now rock our world...

We took the usual I-20 road trip for Thanksgiving. Thursday morning to Tyler to celebrate with Brett's family. We were able to hang out with his parents and his brother's family. Our nephew Garrett is 16 months old and such fun. I was so glad to get to spend some uninterrupted time with them. We took some really cute pictures of Eden and Garrett together, but I don't have them yet... Isn't this sweet of Eden and Brett's mom- "Sassy"

Friday evening we came back to Granbury and then left Saturday morning for Colorado City. We spent the afternoon with my dad's extended family and it was such fun to introduce Eden to all of them...

I pray that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and had at least a moment to thank God for all that He has done and all that he has given us. My cup overflows!!

My Daughter is a blogstar...

2008-11-17T22:24:00.001-06:00

check it out

Our Little Tomato...

2008-11-09T21:16:00.009-06:00

Better late than never! I have no great excuse for just now getting Halloween pictures posted, except that I am STILL amazed at how very little I get accomplished on any given day. I have never been a terribly organized or disciplined person, but I was always able to pretty well disguise myself as one... then along came Eden... I really wish I had nipped some of my inefficient habits in the bud before children, but that's a topic for another day. I will say (before moving on) that I wouldn't trade my inefficient life for any other on earth. Gosh I love that baby.

...Back to Halloween. We took a quick weekend trip down to San Marcos with our good friends Katie, Dewayne, and baby Johnna (Johnna is just 31/2 weeks older than Eden- I know, how fun!). Great weekend for early Christmas shopping, and once again Brett was a champ and watched BabyGirl so I could power shop. True to my roots, I didn't take a single picture all weekend, so I have to be honest and tell that the shot below is from a week earlier at Brett's triathlon- but you get the idea. I giggled every time I looked at her- still do when I see the picture. Thank you Doll for such a fabulous costume!

For any of you that don't know, Halloween is also my birthday. Sweet husband of mine got me four gifts (not including the Starbucks breakfast): 1. beaded make-up bag I'd had my eye on
2. Pepper spray 3. Book on jogging stroller fitness (what is there not a book about) 4. Super cool jogging stroller. I must share that he took all of the gifts (minus the stroller) to Bealls and paid them to wrap them because he knew I loved pretty wrapping (mind you none of them were purchased at Bealls). Isn't that so thoughtful and really funny!? The shot below is of our first jog the other day. May I just say that "pre-pregnant" jogging and "post-pregnant" jogging- NOT THE SAME! Still not sure whose body this is... It was really nice to get back out there though. I'll just be glad when it doesn't feel like my stomach is jogging with me.

The last picture is just because I love it... and her.

Rock the Triathlon...

2008-10-27T14:28:00.013-05:00

My stud of a husband finished his first triathlon yesterday! It was a sprint distance with a 300 meter swim, 12 mile bike ride, and 5K run. I am so, so proud of him! I had a blast watching him and he did fantastic- especially for a first attempt. Isn't it funny how you forget about certain parts of a person you know well- like a spouse for instance! I mean, I'm quite familiar with the brillant lawyer, master hunter, bookworthy husband and father- but I had truly forgotten that I am married to an elite athlete! I had never experienced watching him in competition before and woo-hoo I could really get used to it... There is just something about cheering for someone you love! I am so excited about the next one and if I wasn't certain that I would die a slow drowning death I might just think of joining him at some point. Land, people, I stick to the land... Way to go Brett- we are crazy proud of you!

Eden's Nine Weeks Old

2008-10-24T16:18:00.009-05:00

Highlights:
*She poops without assistance- yeah!
*She LOVES to take a bath and HATES to get out
*She smiles and "talks" all the time
*Still wakes up about every two hours- Boo

It is such a pleasure to be her Mamma!

Happy Birthday to My Favorite...

2008-10-08T11:55:00.009-05:00

Yesterday my favorite person in all the world had a birthday...

Brett,

You have given me a life better than I ever imagined- really. I thank God every day that He gave me a person that is SO much more than I deserve and more than I ever wanted...

Thank you -for loving me so selflessly- for working so hard to provide well for our family- for trying to get better at everything you do- for being so patient with me this year- for stopping by the house during the day, just to say hello- for always telling me you think I'm beautiful- for learning to listen to me- for making everything so much fun- for making me laugh hard everyday- and for teaching me the value of silliness. I love you more than I can say.
Happy Birthday!

For Brett's sake I must tell of the Great Deer. Last weekend Brett went with his good friend Dewayne to hunt his family's land in Golthwaite. It was Brett's first time to hunt with a bow and he got this 9 point from less than 20 yards away. You should ask him to tell the story! We are so very proud!

A little bit of Eden...

"Rough Night."

"Big Girl"

First Trip to Sassy & Grandpa's House!

2008-09-28T13:28:00.006-05:00

Well, Brett marched in on Thursday and said "let's go to Tyler", so we just packed up and left! Of course it now takes us 4 hours instead of 30 minutes to "pack up"- gives a whole new meaning to 'spontaneous'. We had a great time and Eden was a charm as always. We all went to eat at "Jakes" for dinner -which is now under new ownership and is EXCELLENT for any of you Tylerites reading this- loads of fun. Saturday we had little early birthday celebration breakfast for Brett who turns thirty-something on Oct. 7 and after Brett picked out a new golf bag (happy birthday from Mom & Dad), we headed home... It is nice to be back to some "normal" activities.

As a quick update, Eden has been pooping on her own every two to three days now- Praise the Lord! We have also started some "sleep training". Nights are still a little rough, but improving- today though, Eden put herself to sleep for a nap just beautifully- yeah!!!

Sassy & Grandpa (Brett's parents), Eden and

Garrett (our nephew)

Poop in Progress...

2008-09-21T21:39:00.010-05:00

Isn't she beautiful...look at that precious Cain nose.

I meant to include this pic from the hospital long ago. Our great friends T.O. and Candace gave Brett that shirt.

We took Eden to the GI specialist on Friday and she said what we already suspected- that Eden is probably normal and that we should just continue our current pattern. She did prescribe Lactulose to see if that increases her frequency. If any of your babies have taken it, I would love to hear how it went. She wants to see us back in 10 weeks and if we are still having problems, she may order the diagnostics for Hirschprung's disease. The absolute best part is that Eden decided it was time to poop- right there in the doctor's office. I think the doctor wondered if we new what we were talking about!

Because we were already up in Hurst, we decided to drive over to Plano/Frisco and spent the night. We stayed at this new hotel at the shops at Legacy in Plano called Nylo. It was one of those places that was trying really hard to be super fancy, but just kind of missed it. It was really modern and just pretty interesting- the walls, ceiling, and floor were all unfinished concrete and the plumbing and ducts were all exposed- interesting- super comfy bed, though, which is the MOST important thing to us. You can sort of tell from the picture below. We had lots of fun, but I think next time it's back to our staple Westin Stonebriar.

Growing Up Already...

2008-09-12T20:08:00.019-05:00

Gotta love that boppy...

Thank you Moore Family for my swing...I love it

and so does my Mom because I take my best naps in it!

Look what I learned to do Mom!

Well Eden is 3 weeks old and it feels like she's been with us forever! What a pleasure... She is loving her baths, and she will sleep for 2 hours at a time on her own... still working on it. Pooping is still a problem. For the past 10 days she only goes every 4 days when I give her a glycerin enema (one of the many pleasures of motherhood- but I really don't mind). She doesn't seem the least bit uncomfortable- thankfully- and when she does go it is nice and soft- no constipation. We are going to see the gastrointerologist a week from today. The pediatrician wants us to make sure that it isn't Hirschprung's Disease which is where a portion of the colon lacks nerve cells that stimulate it to contract. It's a little tough to hear the word disease in reference to your 3 week old... There is a greater chance that Eden is just what they call a 'normal variant' (no disease)- I prefer the term 'extra special'. I must declare from the rooftops, however, that today while shopping at Target with our very special friends Katie & Johnna- Eden pooped on her own! I have to admit that I cried a little bit! Of course, the moral of the story is that shopping really can cure anything... In all seriousness, thank you Lord!

Week 2 and Playing Catch-Up

2008-09-04T13:18:00.017-05:00

Every day just gets better doesn't it... Eden is wonderful. She will now nap on her own but still needs to be next to Mom to sleep more than an hour overnight...we're working on it. Bath time is MUCH better. She won't admit it, but I think she even likes it a little bit. Thank you moms for all the great advice. One tiny hiccup- Eden doesn't poop! We are going on 41/2 days with nothing. I know that is common for breastfed babies but not usually this soon. She has no signs of constipation- thankfully. Her doctor is going to consult a GI specialist today to get some input, because we are both a little stumped. Anyway, please pray for poop!

Birth Story-

I know for many (or most) of you birth stories are a little like dog stories- only interesting if it's your own- but for any of you who are strange like me and love all the details I wanted to finally take the time to tell about Eden's arrival. I'm sure you'll want me to just get to good stuff already, but these are MY precious details- so bear with me and feel free to skim to the end!

I went to the doctor on the morning of Tues 8/19 and she told me I was 80% effaced but not dilated at all. She suspected Eden would arrive around her due date of 9/3 and told me I would be officially 'full-term' (38 weeks) the next day (8/20). That late afternoon Brett and I went and had 'maternity' portraits done thanks to an incredibly sweet gift from our friends Bryan and Jennifer. Toward the end of the session I felt a little achy and more tired than I had ever been. We went home and I could barely peel myself off the couch until bedtime (I made an exception for an incredibly healthy dinner from Chicken Express)- still just achy below my belly-button (not unusual for 38 weeks pregnant). Around midnight I noticed the achiness was coming and going and I had the fleeting thought that these could be contractions- but no, it was still a bit early and after all I hadn't had my nesting phase, diarrhea, an energy surge, braxton-hicks or any of the other 'omens' of labor, and all those books MUST be right! By 2a.m, the achiness had turned into burning that was definitely regular and intermittent- I got up to go to the bathroom and lost my mucus plug. That's when I first thought- this could really be it.

I went to the sofa because I was way to uncomfortable to sleep. True to my personality, I got my stop-watch, pen and paper, and extra pillows so that I could strictly follow the instructions from all the 'birthing books' I had read (they hadn't been exactly right so far, but one's gotta have a plan!). Again, true to my personality I didn't wake Brett- after all, what could he really do at this stage and at least one of us should have a good night's sleep. So, the 'pains' got stronger and gradually closer together. Just an aside- I expected contractions to feel like a strong muscle cramp- not so for me. They felt like bad burning indigestion only low in my abdomen- strange I know.

So, about 6am I heard Brett's alarm go off and I went in and told him I had been having contractions all night. It was just like a movie- in the fog of sleep he said 'oh really', then his eyes jumped open and he flew out of bed and said "We're having a baby today-Gotta get ready!"

He made sure I was comfortable and was able to time the contractions and then he got to work- unsolicited no less. He picked up the entire house- garage cleaned out, nursery set-up finished, everything! He even called the cleaning lady from the office and arranged for her to come clean while we were gone. He was amazing.... such a good one.

According to our plan, we left about 1pm to head to Fort Worth. It seems really funny now, but we stopped at the office so I could get payroll done and get a deposit ready- then we drove through the bank to deposit everything. We saw a friend who worked at the drive-thru window and I am sure she thought we were crazy running errands while in labor. I just stopped to breathe with every contraction and worked in between. Off to Fort Worth...

We got a hotel room in FtW to wait until 'time' to go on to the hospital. The doctor (and all my precious books) said to wait until the contractions were 4 to 5 min apart, at least 1 min long for at least an hour. Well, my contractions were 1min long practically from the beginning and they would vary from 5 to 9 minutes apart- so no rush. After all, I didn't want to be turned away from the hospital for not being far enough along... Brett got us a little food and we were ready to just wait it out. We figured out that my contractions got closer together if I moved around, so I commenced to pacing. Still not consistently 5 minutes apart, I decided to take a quick shower

(I knew it may be a while before the next one). Ladies, the moral of the story is that if labor seems a bit draggy, take a shower! Oh my, a HUGE contraction hit and lasted for - no lie - 3 minutes! I was frozen, couldn't do a thing... Brett had to get me out of the shower, dry me off, and put my clothes on. He even tried to wipe mascara off my face- funny picture now, not at the time. Again, heck of a man I've got.

Needless to say, off to the hospital ASAP! Got there (thank God for valet parking- literally), got checked in. The nurses weren't nearly as panicky as we were- it was as if they had seen this all before. I had to answer very important questions like what kind of vitamins I took and when I saw my doctor last- still with contractions on top of each other... Now I am well aware that all the questions serve a purpose, I just REALLY wanted someone to make sure there wasn't a baby coming out of my body. The contractions slowed down a bit and then the nurse finally checked me. Now my fear was that after everything, I would be dilated to like a 4- well, not so, I was at an 81/2 already! The nurse was shocked and asked if I had waited so long on purpose.

The next little bit is kind of a blur. I was sad to find out that my doctor wasn't on call. They paged the guy who was, wheeled me into the L&D room, and then we just waited. About 30 min later, the doctor came in and I was still at an 81/2. He broke my water, but apparently I wasn't progressing fast enough for him, so he told the nurse to give me some pitocin. Now, even in the fog of labor- decisions made about me, right in front of me, and not discussed with me don't go over very well. Brett and I piped in and finally agreed to allow the smallest possible dose of pitocin because Eden's heart rate was a little high.

Well, God is so gracious in every way. Eden's heart rate almost immediately got high enough to be a concern so they had to stop the pitocin and had me lay on my left side. I realized that I had stopped relaxing during the contractions, which I knew was critical for labor to progress. The doctor told me he would have to restart and increase the pitocin as soon as her heart rate went down or if it didn't, he would have to "take her fast" which I presume meant a c-section. Now, I was willing to do whatever I needed to protect Eden, but dad gum it I hadn't gone this far to lose control now! So, I made the decision to try with every ounce of my power to relax during the contractions and move things along. So, with every contraction- only by the Grace of God- I forced myself to stay relaxed and I prayed for that sweet girl to move down where she needed to be.

Brett watched the monitors and her little heart went down to a normal level, as I kept concentrating. Now at this point the contractions were pretty bad and I finally reached a point that I really didn't think I could do it anymore. As I was saying that to Brett, my body began pushing on its own- I kid you not... Brett grabbed the nurse and sure enough we had made it to a 10! Praise God! I give Him full credit for giving me the strength, protecting Eden, and getting her down where she needed to be. After all, He invented this process- right!?

Just like I had read, hearing it was time to push renewed my strength! We were in the home stretch now... Oh my, I remember my Mom saying that she remembered birthing babies as just being really hard work- I was totally unprepared for how right she was! Pushing out a big 'ol baby is just as difficult as it sounds. I was pushing with all my might and felt like NOTHING was happening. The nurses kept telling me I was doing great and moving her down. I believed them until I felt like I had pushed for an hour (actually about 10 min) and the nurse declared she could see about a half dollar size of her head. Seriously! There was no way I could keep up this pace to push out a whole head- I mean I thought we should at least be seeing some little eyes or something! Well apparently that's not exactly how it works...

Two big pushes later, I had again reached the point that I thought- I'm done, I can't do it anymore... I was completely exausted. All of a sudden the nurses declared "you did it!" and they backed away from the table, flipped on the surgical lights, threw up some stirrups, and put on surgical gowns and gloves. Brett likes to call that moment 'lights, camera, action'... We were both like, I did what!? I wasn't sure if they noticed but the BabyGirl was still very much inside of me. One of the nurses said "you are ready to have your baby". I thought- "are you kidding me? What exactly have I been doing for the past 20 hours?" Well, apparently you push with the nurses for a long time until the baby's head moves below the pelvic bone so that it can't move back up between contractions. Then it's just a couple of pushes later and the baby is out... That's exactly how it happened. Three pushes later and Eden was here!

She immediately let out a wail and I have never known relief like I felt at that moment... never. The doctor warned me she had a little cone-head, but oh my word, that poor child looked like she was wearing a dunce cap cocked to the right side. I know that their little skulls are made to do that, but it is bound to cause a headache! I found out later that the goofey doctor had also cut her little head when he broke my water- apparently quite common, but irritating nonetheless. She was the most beautiful baby I had ever seen- ever. The same goofey doctor was about to cut the cord when thankfully Brett piped in and told him he wanted to cut it. They wrapped her up and put her on my chest and she immediately quit crying- wow- no words for that moment.

Brett went with the nurse and Eden to the corner to finish cleaning her up. Brett got to put on her first diaper and I could just hear him saying "oh my gosh, she is so strong". In the meantime (forgive the gorey details), the doctor commenced to delivering the placenta and the 'repair' work. Now that was the part I was really unprepared for. It actually hurt more than anything else. I had lost all composure by that point- strength was totally gone- so I wasn't exactly quiet about my discomfort. The doctor actually said- "I'm sorry, I'm not used to doing this on someone without an epidural". Really. Really.

It's hard to see in the picture, but I had pushed so hard that my vision was blurry, my face was swollen, and my face and neck were covered in tiny red 'freckles' from all the broken blood vessels- wow. All things told, it was an amazingly difficult and wonderful experience. I have to say that was one of those incredible times when I was faced with something I really didn't have the strength to endure and God revealed His strength at precisely the right times. I wouldn't change a thing and have absolutely no regrets. For anyone reading this who has not had a baby, I want you to be encouraged. As difficult as certain moments were, with God's grace it is absolutely possible. After all, women have been doing this for thousands of years... God bless 'em all!

Weeks, Poops, Baths, and other Firsts...

2008-08-28T19:20:00.005-05:00

Eden was a week old yesterday! I know parents always say this, but I can't believe how fast the time goes! It has been more fun than I ever dreamed. So often in life things are not as good as our imagination when we actually experience them- but then God decides to do something and WOW! That's how my marriage and my daughter have been for me- WOW- better than I ever imagined...

So, back to the title-

First Week- We saw the pediatrician and Eden is wonderfully healthy. She weighed 7lb 2oz and was 19.5 in long- just perfect for 5 days old. The doctor helped us with some ideas for getting her to sleep somewhere besides her mother's arms (a subject for another time)- super sweet but none to practical.

First Poop- Well obviously she pooped several times before we left the hospital, but then she decided to wait a good 48 hrs after we came home to do it again. We were beginning to get a little concerned when she gave us a BIG surprise. The really funny part is when she decided to do it, Brett was the only one awake. Now keep in mind that he had never changed a poopey diaper and found himself alone. He did a great job and didn't wake up a soul- he's a good one. Even funnier is that her second poopey diaper came 24 hrs later while mom and I had taken a quick and rare trip to the grocery store. Once again Brett found himself alone- to make a long hilarious story short- The pediatrician called (to see if she had pooped) as he laid Eden
down to change her. As he was telling her we had success, Eden decided she wasn't finished and let out a BUNCH more. Brett quickly hung up and then as he lifted Eden to clean her, she peed all down her back and arms. Daddy did a fine job, but needless to say he was REALLY glad when we got home.

First Bath- Well, we attempted her first bath on Monday night. Eden was none to pleased to put it lightly. She didn't like any part of it. The picture was obviously taken BEFORE we actually bathed her. I am going to have to figure some way to keep her warmer, do things MUCH faster, and keep her little belly button dry all at the same time. I know all you veteran moms must be laughing at me. Any tips on bathing and sleeping in the cradle are more than welcome!

Eden is Here!

2008-08-22T20:07:00.005-05:00

Our little missy surprised us and showed up a couple of weeks early! Eden Marie Cain was born on August 20 at 10:48 p.m. She weighed 7lb 5oz and was 19.6in long. No problems with either one of us, but I must say that having babies is not for sissies! Anyway, more details later- just wanted to share pictures. Check out the slideshow on the left. Isn't she perfect!

Friends and Showers

2008-08-13T20:37:00.006-05:00

My very best friends Candace and Kristi came in from Andrews to spend the weekend. It was so much fun... I didn't realize how much I was missing these girls. There is nothing like being with your lifelong friends during a life changing time. I love the way God designed us to need each other.

On Thurs night we made fajitas, then on Friday we met our other friend Amy in downtown Ft Worth for a little PF Chang- YUM. We literally had lunch for 3 hours- appetizers, meal, dessert.... sooo fun!

On Saturday Candace, Kristi, my sister Anna, mother in law Sarah, my mom and I all went to The Bisque House to paint pottery. We had a blast. If you haven't ever done that, I highly recommend it.

On Saturday night we had yet another Baby Shower. I am so, so blessed with good friends and family. It was a couples dinner and shower at Jay and Charli Sherrill's house and they served a wonderful brisket supper. Everyone wrote a blessing for the baby on a scrapbook sheet and there were lots of precious gifts. I still can't believe all the wonderful people around us.

36 Week Sonogram

2008-08-13T20:23:00.004-05:00

Well, we had the 3rd trimester sonogram on 8/5, and everything looks great! The doctor said that she was right on track with our due date, that I had plenty of fluid, etc. She said from the measurements that the baby is around 6lb 4oz right now and she expects her to be a 7ish pound baby. Sounds good to me!

I am still feeling great. I overheard Brett telling someone how miserable I was the other day and I realized that I should really stop complaining to him... Sleep is getting a little tough, and my pelvis sometimes complains about the teenzy bit of extra weight on it. Otherwise, I'm just perfect- it could be so much worse. We are just getting really excited to meet her!

Showers and Such...

2008-07-30T08:57:00.015-05:00

OK- So I'm playing a little catch up... It's been crazy busy lately- but wonderful!

On July 12 we had our first baby shower in Tyler. My precious mother-in-law Sarah, sister-in-law Tricia, and good friend Stori planned a wonderful luncheon and shower at The Potpourri House in Tyler. It was SO much fun... of course celebrating babies is ALWAYS fun.

My mother-in-law Sarah and my blossoming belly

What a sweet cake (ha)!

Just look at all the wonderful gifts! My sweet sister-in-law FILLED and I mean FILLED a baby tub with all sorts of wonderful things- including a custom made diaper bag..... I am SO thankful!

Ummm....Lunch

So, then on July 19 & 20 Brett and I attended "Prepared Childbirth", "Breastfeeding", and "Early Infant Care" all crammed into 11 glorious hours at Baylor All-Saints hospital. No pictures unfortunately. Brett was a real trooper and is SO much more interested in the birth, changing diapers, and he knows more about how a breast works than he ever dreamed. It actually was a lot of fun. I think the best part was getting to tour the L&D department at the hospital. It's brand new and just beautiful. We are so thankful to have our BabyGirl in such a neat place!

We headed to Abilene on July 25th and celebrated my Dad's birthday at Perini Ranch in Buffalo Gap- sooo yummy!

On Saturday, we had our 2nd baby shower in Abilene. My amazing mother and 10 of her work and church friends put together a beautiful brunch for us. It was so nice to see lots of friends and close family that we rarely get to spend time with.

Me and all the ladies...

Me and my favorite ladies...

Won't that be a beautiful "coming home" blanket...

So, after the shower, my mom got to work. Her gift to us is "custom-made" baby bedding. We found all the fabric weeks ago, and then this weekend we camped out at my brother's house and my mother literally sewed non-stop for 2 days. She is probably the hardest working woman I know...literally. It is almost finished, so I will post pictures of the final product when it's all together. Thanks so much Mom! BabyGirl, Brett and I appreciate your time more than you know.

Momma hard at work...

Isn't that BabyGirl growing!!!!

Independence Day!!

2008-07-06T15:38:00.005-05:00

I love the 4th of July! Honestly, Christmas and Easter certainly "mean" the most, but the 4th of July has always been my favorite celebration. Warm weather, great food, great friends and family, and just "hanging out"....so much fun. This year we spent the weekend in Granbury with our new great friends Dewayne & Katie. Here's the run down-

Friday, Brett & Dewayne golf, then meet up with the girls and Dewayne's cousins later for pizza. That night we joined the church (and the rest of Granbury) in the Walmart parking lot for fireworks.

Katie and I waiting on fireworks...

She is around 36 weeks pregnant and counting. I predict future BFF's in those bellies!

Saturday- we met up with the same crew for a morning parade then shopped the arts and crafts around the downtown square. I didn't find a thing, but Katie found a precious toy box for baby Johnna. Now her nursery is complete. Home for a MUCH needed nap, then a quick stop for dinner at another friends birthday party. Met back up with the Wilkins crew and headed to a street dance in their neighborhood with lots of folks we know... So much fun.

The whole crew waiting on the parade. My sister Anna is front and center, then sweet Katie (so sorry I caught you drinking), then Dewayne's cousin Landon, Brett, Dewayne, and Landon's brother Garrett.

We have been especially blessed with good friends lately. I hope everyone else out there had just as wonderful a celebration.

I Love Being Pregnant...

2008-06-30T19:19:00.007-05:00

I really don't title this entry with tongue in cheek... I actually do love being pregnant. It must be said that I have had a wonderfully easy time of things as I hear tough stories of terrible morning sickness, swollen feet, stretch marks, aching backs, hands, heads....and so on. I just wanted to share a few of my favorite things about being pregnant, and then a few things I have found...well...interesting.

My Favorites:

1. Being with my babygirl literally all of the time....often just her and me (doesn't that sound like terrible grammer- I promise it's correct, I checked). I can't wait to meet her face to face, but I know somehow there is a "specialness" about this time that won't be equalled.

2. My husband loving on me like I didn't know was possible... I still can't believe I get to have him.

3. Not even caring what the scale says or how my hiney looks in a pair of stretch pants (notice the horizontal stripes in the picture)...sweet freedom.

4. Getting a bunch of new clothes in a really short period of time....so much fun.

5. Lets all be honest... the attention is really nice. Family, friends, strangers... I assure you I have never been this interesting before.

6. Feeling my babygirl move. I never get tired of it... it's like she's talking to me.

7. God revealing parts of me that He created, but I'm just now beginning to see. He's so amazing.

Now, for some of the more interesting parts of pregnancy...

1. The body that had been so familiar to me for so long was suddenly abducted by aliens... whose body is this!?

2. Just about the time I get adjusted to how I am feeling....it changes.

3. No matter what position I am laying in, some body part falls asleep. The other night I woke up and tried to throw my hand out of the bed because I thought it was a book, yes- it was that numb. (should I be concerned?)

4. Hair. I love it on my head, eyebrows, and eyelashes- otherwise it's just so in the way (sorry, TMI I know).

5. My stomach is full yet I am still hungry. I didn't know those two feelings could exist at the same time...

6. How many times can one person pee in 24 hours? Seriously, what's the record?

7. Being out of breath from watering flowers.

8. Catching my reflection in a glass storefront and not immediately recognizing the person- weird feeling.

9. Being hot most of the time (I was once the girl with the blanket). Brett nearly teared up with joy when I scolded him for turning the air warmer than 68 degrees.

10. Cleavage- I have never had to deal with it before. (actually, I should probably be honest and move this up to the first list).

Vegas Baby!!!!

2008-06-11T20:05:00.003-05:00

If you haven't been to The Wynn, it is sooo worth the trip. Beautiful!!!!!!!

OK, my sweet husband golfed all day in the heat and we finally sat down to eat at 9pm. This was actually a $38 dollop of pasta and it tasted like spagettios. He still managed a smile, but NOT one of our most successful meals.

I truly think I was the only pregnant tourist in Vegas. Perhaps it's not exactly a "prenatal" friendly destination.

It really doesn't need words....

Brett is a little shy of heights and it was REALLY windy, so we spent a total of 5 minutes at Hoover Dam. I loved it!

So, we took a final "pre-baby" vacation and Las Vegas was just the natural choice.... I mean, where else do you take your 6 months pregnant wife!?

It really was a load of fun. Neither of us had ever been there before, so I think we literally spent 3 days just walking around and looking at everything. It truly is larger than life...hooray for capitalism! We stayed at the MGM Signature which was perfect for us... It's connected to the MGM Grand, so you have easy access to all the madness- but it's closed to all but patrons, so it's nice and quiet. The rooms are all suites with insanely comfortable beds (very important to me right now). We loved it.

As cheesy as it is, I have to say my favorite part was having undivided play time with my husband. Before Brett, I really had no idea it was possible to enjoy a person so much- God is just amazing...amazing. Now, my second favorite thing was my prenatal massage. OH MY WORD! For any of you who have not experienced this, you HAVE to put it on your "next pregnancy" list. They had this awesome pillow with a cut out that looked like mickey mouse, and all the "bumpy" parts fit into the holes- you get the idea. Now I must admit, it was worth most of the cost just to lay on my stomach for a while- but the massage... well you just have to get one. I felt great for days!!!

The only downside was the trip home. Just FYI, I'm not sure if this is an American Airlines or Las Vegas airport rule, but apparently if you don't check in at least 45 min before your flight then they give away your seats and you have to fly stand-by. You can see where this is going... Now, we are not completely irresponsible, we were a the airport about 90 minutes before our flight but we had a little rental car return problem. So, we didn't "check-in" for the flight until 42 minutes before departing. You guessed it, because we were 3 minutes late it took us 8 hours to get on another flight. Yes...8 hours in the airport. The worst part was that there were flights back to DFW about every hour and we had no idea which one we would get... so, we had to just sit at the gate all day. It was awful. Brett was so calm and I don't know how. I suppose he realized that getting angry wouldn't get us anywhere. I just stood there and cried. Seriously, couldn't speak - just cried. Oh well, makes for a pretty good story now!

It's a Girl!

2008-04-12T22:08:00.004-05:00

We had our 19 week sonogram yesterday and it was amazing! Is there any more tangible evidence of the existence of God than the creation of a child... I mean, 11 weeks ago there was just a little ball of cells, and then yesterday I got to see a baby, a real live little indivdual that is fearfully and wonderfully made. I love that He chose to bring people into the world this way. I am humbled to tears that I get to be a part of this little creation.
She is beautiful and perfect and amazing. Everything looked just fine and he said she weighed about a pound. Her little ankles were crossed, just like a lady! Brett just kept saying "I'm so happy", "I'm so excited". He told me, "you need to prepare yourself. I'm going to be her favorite". That'll be just fine- besides, I'm used to it! Brett's everybody's favorite... I can't wait to meet her in person!

Here We Go...

2008-03-30T20:48:00.004-05:00

Well, we are making an effort to improve our technology savvy around here- otherwise this baby will be born knowing more than we do! We also decided that this is a wonderful invention for keeping up with all the family & friends we love so much! So here goes....

For anyone who doesn't know, Brett & I married almost 2 years ago on May 20, 2006. It was without question the most wonderful and most important day of my life! I will definitely get some pictures posted ASAP. I am sure our friends and family thought we were crazy as we began "serial moving"- we started in Tyler, then moved to Plano 7 months later, then Ft. Worth 5 months after that... You would think that would be plenty, but then a short 4 months later we finally landed in Granbury in September! I think we are here to stay...we love it.

Brett has a private law practice here and is doing great! Within 4 months we hired a full time paralegal and then last month brought on a second attorney. I still can't believe it. I am doing home health physical therapy which is definitely not my calling, but is wonderful for our family right now. I am happy to do it.

The newest and greatest news is that in December we found out we are having a baby! He or she is due on Sept 3, so we are almost halfway there. I still can't believe it, but my growing belly certainly reminds me! We are so happy right now we can hardly contain it... We are incredibly blessed- God has given us so very much more than we deserve! We find out what we are having in a couple of weeks, and I will be sure to update! We are struggling in the name department, so we welcome any suggestions! We love you all! Be sure and leave a comment below- we would love to hear from you!