He's Gaining on Us...

"Can a guy get any gel around here?"
"But, I don't want to wear the cow hat today..."
Precious!
"Well, maybe the cow hat is not so bad."
"I've figured out how to pull my hair."

We had our weight check today and Colton gained 4 oz in 4 days, so he passed the test! He's now 8 lbs 11 oz. His umbilical cord fell off yesterday, so we're looking forward to a real bath later today. We think he had another growth spurt yesterday as he was eating every 2 hours and was pretty fussy. However, Aunt Pam and Mom brought him a swing on Saturday and it was a lifesaver! He seemed to really enjoy it.

A Few More Pics...

Colton getting his hair washed and dried. He loves the blow dryer!

Getting a shampoo :)
Coming home from the hospital!
This is my favorite photo from Colton's birthday. I love Jack's smile in this picture!

Happy Two Week Birthday, Colton!

Two weeks and the living is easy!
"Mom, really?!!! Enough with the pictures"
Bad case of "bed head"
2nd Family Photo - We all had matching shirts in anticipation of Colton being born on the 4th of July... but we thought we'd wear them anyway 10 days late.
"Playing" and showing off muscles...

I can't believe Colton has only been with us 15 days. I already can't imagine life without him. He is sleeping right now and I finally have a chance to blog. Today he hasn't napped much which seems weird for a newborn, but he sleeps really well at night so I cannot complain. He actually goes 4-5 hours between feedings twice during the night, which means mom gets to sleep 3-4 hours straight. It's almost like he knows when its nighttime and is content to sleep a little longer.

We had our two week check up yesterday at the dr's office and a newborn screen back at the hospital. Colton did GREAT! Two big outings and he handled them like a pro. He seems to like his carseat a lot. The dr. said he was "perfect" to which we agreed 100%. He is 8 lb 7 oz as of yesterday so we need to go in for a weight check on Monday to make sure he is gaining 1 oz a day. Dad gave him his first bottle last night and he ate nearly 5 oz. We're trying to "bulk" him up.

After Monday's weight check, we won't go back to the dr. until his 2 months check-up. He is 21 1/4 inches long which means he has grown 1 1/4 inch since birth. He's in the 75th percentile for height so maybe he's taking after his Daddy!

There's so much I want to remember about this special time, but it seems to go so fast and to be so busy. Here are a few of my favorite things about being Colton's mom!

1) The way he half smiles when he's waking up or falling asleep.

2) The way he fake coughs when he's hungry - and if you don't hurry it turns into a frantic, fast paced "WAH, WAH, WAH".

3) The way he sucks on his bottom lip and looks like a little old man.

4) The way he furrows his brow nearly 75% of his waking hours. What he has to worry about, I'll never know. He seems to be a very intense, thoughtful little boy.

5) I love the way his eyes stare at me when I talk to him.

6) I love the way his daddy calls him "Little Critter" and worries about him being comfortable.

7) I love the way his hair looks when he wakes up and how he stretches so big to try to wake up.

Ok, I guess I should stop there or this post will never end. I'm so thankful that God picked Colton to be our little boy. He is such a delight!

One Week Old Today

Happy One Week Birthday, Colton! We had a little fun with his one week pictures today. I got the block idea from a friend's blog, who I think got the idea from someone else :) If I can remember, I want to take a picture of him each Thursday in the first four weeks and then every month on the 12th to see how much he's changed. We're sporting the "slick" hairstyle today! We gave Colton his first shampoo on Tuesday. He seemed to enjoy getting his hair washed, but he did not like the sponge bath. After his shampoo, his hair was so wet that I was afraid he would get a cold, so we used the hair dryer (on low of course) and dried his hair. He loved it!!! I'll post a picture of his "blowdry" soon.

One week old today!



These "swaddler" blankets are the best. He loves being swaddled tight before his naps.

Day 5

Here are a few more pictures of Colton's debut. He is already so loved by so many! We are doing great and enjoying being at home! I know I'm biased, but he's such a wonderful baby. I cannot believe how much I love him already! Basically, he eats (often), stays awake for 5 minutes or so and then sleeps until its time to eat again.

Proud grandparents (Grandad Frazier and Grandma Karen)
Proud Grandmothers (Bunny and Grandma)
Uncle Zach and Colton.
Proud Papaw (This was Day 3 - Colton is sporting the "Rock Star" hairstyle.) Days 4 and 5 show Colton wearing the "Slick Look." I'll post a pic soon.
Bunny (Pennye) - Mom is staying with us this week and has been a lifesaver! I'm so blessed to have such great family! More pics coming later...

He's Here!!! Colton's Big Debut!

***********COLTON FRAZIER CONLEY***********
Born: Thursday, July 12, 2007
Weight: 8 lbs 12 oz
Length: 20 inches
Eyes: Navy blue
Hair: Dark, long and curly
I'm here!!! Just a few minutes old!
Future ACU Wildcat???
Our precious miracle!
Proud Daddy and Son!
Mom and Elvis (I mean Colton)...After his bath, the ladies in the nursery styled his hair.

Better than Christmas Morning...

Waiting on Baby - Day 6...

Well, we are less than 24 hours away from meeting our sweet baby! I am so excited. I don't know if I'll be able to sleep a wink...

The plan is to go in tomorrow morning for an induction starting at 7:00 am. Jack took me out on the town this evening and we had our "last meal" as DINKs... This time tomorrow, God willing, we'll be holding Colton!

Thanks for your continued prayers and sweet encouragement. Parenthood, here we come!

Waiting on Baby...Day 5

I realized it's actually Day 5 past our due date. The doctor's appt. went well. I'm 90% effaced and 2 cm dilated. Other than that, no change. We're still on for inducing Thursday. I was able to ask some more questions and am feeling better about being induced if need be.

My sweet husband and mom are taking good care of me. I've been "banned" from driving myself anywhere, so mom has been a very gracious chauffer! Yesterday, we hit Target, Wal-Mart and Barnes and Noble for some last minute errands. Today, she drove me to the dr's office and then hung out with me until Jack got home. We watched "Freedom Writers" - it was really good! Thanks Mom for all your help!

I feel a little bit like a "ticking baby bomb". I could explode at any moment :) Thanks for the prayers and thoughts! Hopefully the next post will announce Colton's big debut!!!

Waiting on Baby...Day 4

No news yet...It's looking like Colton is holding out 'til Thursday. However, we are going to the doctor today one more time at 1:30 just to check on things. I wasn't supposed to go in again, but I started getting nervous about waiting 10 days in between appointments, so I asked to come in one more time. I'll let you know how it goes.


I'm really hoping to avoid being induced if at all possible. Please say a prayer that Colton will come on his own and that it will be the right time. No matter what, though, I know God's in control and we can't wait to meet this little man, regardless of how he gets here!

Waiting on Baby...Day 2

So, no baby yet. He's got exactly 7 hours to get this show on the road if he wants to be born on 7/7/07... We've had a little talk and I just don't think he's quite ready. I've told him that the sun if finally out in North Texas and yet he seems content to stay put. I'm afraid he might take after his mom in the "running late" department. Oh well.

In other news, Jack and I had an exciting day of errands. I'm not being sarcastic either. It was really fun to get out of the house and see the sun shining! First off, we went to eat at Potbelly's. Next, I went and got my hair cut while he browsed around Barnes and Noble. Then we took our coins to Coinstar at Kroger. This is one of my favorite things to do in the whole world. (I know - it doesn't take much to make me happy.) We've been putting all our change in this "vacation jar" since we got married. We also have an overflow ice chest that was about 1/2 way full. I predicted we would net $150, Jack predicted $90 and Colton got in on the game with a guess of $75. Colton was closest - our grand total was $67. (It was $73 before the Coinstar took it's share.) Looks like we won't be going far on vacation...smile. Actually, we've both been guilty of stealing quarters out of the jar quite frequently... We wondered if people at the store felt sorry for us as we must of looked kind of desperate - a way pregnant woman and her husband lugging an ice chest full of coins.

The last time we went to Coinstar - Jack had a completely full ice chest of change (don't ask me why he stores his coins in an ice chest...) and he made $300 - enough to pay for movers at the time.

I've been listening to my Ipod and thought I would leave you with the words to some sweet songs I'd forgotten I downloaded... They are from a CD called "We've Been Waiting For You" by Carolyn Arends. I've been a mess since I listened to it! We can't wait for you to come, Colton!


Come Anyway by Carolyn Arends

I’m not the least bit ready for you
But come, come anyway
I’m not the least bit worthy of you
But come, come anyway
I’ve only seen you in my dreams
And gleaming in your daddy’s eye
But I love you madly already
You need to know that I Can hardly wait to see your face
So come, come anyway
I know the worlds a scary place
But come, come anyway
Cause you’re the greatest proof there is That there’s a loving God alive
And I love you madly already
You need to know that I Never heard a sweeter sound than your heart beating
Never had a higher hope than you
I’ve only seen you in my dreams
And gleaming in your daddy’s eye
But I love you madly already
You need to know that I Can hardly wait to see your face
So come, come anyway Come, come anyway
Come

Moving

It was just a little flutter like a butterfly... oh yeah
A tiny kick or something somewhere deep inside... oh yeah
Was it an elbow, was it a knee
Were you trying to say hello to me
Well hi to you and let me say
Baby you just made my day
Chorus: 'Cause I'm so moved to feel you moving
Just to know you're in there grooving
To the song of life inside your soul
Baby it's so wonderful
To know your heart is pounding and you're really real
I'm so moved to feel you moving
I wish you coulda seen your daddy's face... oh yeah
A little like you were from outerspace... oh yeah
And then we laughed, and cried a bit
We never quite imagined it
Would be so great, and sweet and strange
To know for sure you're on the way(Chorus)
You're moving us to parenthood
It's awful scary but it's really good
And until now we never knew
That as you grew our hearts would too
And we're so moved to feel you moving
Just to know you're in there grooving
To the song of life inside your soul
Baby it's so wonderful
To know your heart is pounding and you're really real
I've gotta tell you it's the biggest deal
And now we're falling head right over heels
We're so moved to feel you moving
It was just a little flutter like a butterfly... oh yeah

Psalm 139

I run to the cleaners
Stop by the bank
Pick up some groceries
Gas up the car
Same old routine
EXCEPT
Now all of it's sacred
Charged with wonder
Every breath is for two
YOU
Are being knit together
Here in my womb.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me...
Too lofty to obtain.

So I run to the cleaners
And I stop by the bank
Afraid and in awe...

Everything's different
Because even this moment
You are being fearfully, wonderfully made.

Waiting on Baby...

We are officially ready for baby. Not that it's up to us of course, but we had a small crisis that was just averted 2 hours ago when the Fed Ex truck dropped off our new camcorder charger. You see, we purchased a camcorder about a month ago to capture Colton's birthday and newborn moments and a couple of days ago we decided to charge it and get it ready to take to the hospital. We discovered that we had lost the charger and no stores in Dallas sold a replacement. And our camcorder was completely dead! Talk about a little panic. We had to order directly from the manufacturer. Thankfully it came before Colton did! So, we've given him the all clear to get on with the show.

Here are a few things I've been up to to keep occupied. It's so hard waiting!

• Cleaned the bathtubs.
• Organized all my stationary.
• Vacuumed the closet.
• Vacuumed the baseboards.
• Downloaded 15 CD's to my Ipod and made a "labor" playlist.
• Watched way too many "Baby Stories" and "Birth Days" on TLC and Discovery Health.
• Attempted to read several baby books - I just can't concentrate on anything for very long.
• Made a hair appt. for a hair cut tomorrow that hopefully I'll have to cancel.
• Washed all the sheets and clothes in the house.
• Washed all the dishes.

Now, I think I'll go for a walk. I know I should appreciate this non-busy time of life, but we're just so ready to meet this little man. I dreamed about him for the first time last night. He had blue eyes and spiky blond hair. Not sure if that is possible with Jack and I's genetics, but we'll see. I've had lots of weird dreams about random things but never specifically about him. Maybe that means he's coming soon. I'm still predicting 7/7/07... I'll keep you posted.

Two Years Down...

Jack and I celebrated our 2nd anniversary on June 11th and I'm just a little slow in posting pictures. I thought it would be fun to highlight our "DINK" years (double income, no kids) years before we sooon become a family of 3 and "OIOK" (one and a half income and one kid). I am so blessed to be married to Jack. He keeps me laughing and makes me feel so loved and special. I can't wait to share parenthood with him. He will be a wonderful dad to Colton!

Here we are in the dating years! We had our "first" first date in May of 2003. We went to a restaurant called "Johnny Orleans" in uptown Dallas. Our "second" first date happened in late August of 2003. We went to "Tin Star" and played putt-putt.
Here we are on the evening of our engagement: December 4, 2004.
Our first home: Established June 11, 2005.
The dozen beautiful roses Jack sent for our 2nd anniversary. We celebrated by eating at "Patrizio's" in Highland Park and watching the movie, "Breach." I am bummed that I didn't get a picture of us all dressed up for our 2nd anniversary, but the one below is close enough. This is us now - happily married and awaiting our little miracle, Colton! Parenthood...here we come. Hopefully, we will always remember to date each other and keep our marriage centered on God - the giver of all these good things!

Latest Baby Update...

Well, I had my last doctor's appointment today and I am 80% effaced and dilated to a 2 which means progress...yeah! The doc said things look "favorable for labor" and that hopefully Colton will come on his own. However; if he doesn't come by July 5th (the due date) - she will go ahead and induce on July 12 (9 days away!) So there's a pretty good chance that he will come on his own between the 5th and 12th...which is what we want. I'm still voting for July 7, so we'll see.

This is a good time to practice patience and wait on the Lord's perfect timing! Any ideas on how to do that are welcome... It's definitely easier said than done.

Have a wonderful 4th of July everyone!

Fireworks

Loyal, patriotic, proud, all-American...these are just a few words to describe my wonderful husband. He is very supportive of our troops and loves American history. However; he gets "beat down" by fireworks. I know! What's more American than fireworks? He says, "Seen one firework, you've seen them all." Ugghh! Thankfully, our little firecracker, Colton, hasn't seen one yet, so Jack will get to experience them for many years to come through his eyes!

To his credit, he did pull over last night and let me watch the end of the Wylie fireworks show on our way home from the movies. So fun!

We keep thinking of these Saturdays as "bonus" days. We took full advantage of our married without children status and slept late, read, ate lunch with friends, then went to the movies and saw "Live Free or Die Hard". It was really long, but good. I always worry that the loudness of the movies disturbs little Colton, because he becomes really active during movies. I had a few contractions during the movie, but nothing lasting long enough to call the hospital about. On the way home we decided to rent the original "Die Hard" since I had never 1-3. It was a little too much excitement for one night, I guess, because I fell asleep and missed the last hour.

*Baby Update - Nothing yet. We have our next doctor's appointment on Tuesday, July 3rd, so we'll see if we have reason to rent "Born on the Fourth of July!"