Welcome... Christopher Matthew!

Here's the official scoop:

I was shopping... big surprise there... in Target after walking the mall all day (trying to get things finished and 4 days overdue) and I started to feel crampy. I don't know how I got out of there so fast and drove home, but by the time I got down the road to my house, I was having serious contractions. I got home and hubby was just getting home too and I told him we have to go to the hospital. Well, you never saw a man move so fast! He grabbed all the bags and my water broke right there in the hall. We got to the hospital, got a gown on and monitor hooked up in 30 mins and I was in serious pain. Epidural started another 30 mins later... Thank the GOOD LORD! After it got started, I was ready to go! 5 pushes and WELCOME TO THE WORLD... Christopher Matthew was born on January 29, 2009 at 5:42pm.

He was 7 lbs. 14 oz. (now 7 lbs. 11 oz) and 20 1/4 " long.
Here are some pics of my new little man!

Christopher

Brand New... (my hair looks pretty good after labor huh?)

One Day Old

Big Brother, Mark! He was so cute about holding him.

Nicole is going to take amazing pics later! I am excited!

I feel pretty good, just really tired. Those hospitals are noisy and very busy! I had a room all to myself on Thursday night, but Friday the babies were coming and all the rooms filled up with roommates. So, I had one. Nurses coming in and out and family members visiting. I was so tired and distracted. All in all, we are adjusting well and I am excited to sleep in my own bed and be home! Thanks!

Sneek Peek

It's that time again... sneek peeks of the delish Feb. Bad Girls Kit!!! Here are a few of my layouts in peeky form.... You are SOOOOooo gonna love this kit. So bright and cheerful. It's SWEET!
The big reveal will be soon so stay tuned!!! Hope those girls at CHA are having a great time and loading up on the goodies for our future kits!!! I have been so excited about what I've gotten to work with so far! It's so good to be BADDDD...

Patience

Patience.... it's my word of the year. I mean really... it is truly testing me. I am still waiting to have this little bundle of new boy joy. He is being nearly as stubborn as my first one. I'm now 1 full day overdue. My due date was yesterday and I was disappointed that nothing happened. Well, except being uncomfortable and having a very hard time sleeping. So, today I went back to the doctor's office for my sono and non-stress test. It was kind of exciting to get to see him again on the screen and they even did a couple 4-D photos!!! I saw his cute face and little hand. WOW! Very cool. I need to scan that in here. Okay, so then I had to be hooked up to a monitor to check his heartrate and see if I'm having contractions. NO contractions but a good steady heartbeat and movements. He was kicking me up in my ribs the whole time. Then to doctor examined me and I'm 3 cm dilated now. That's big! However, that in no way means he's going to cooperate and come tonight. So, I have to practice patience. I'm cranking, whiny, and sore, but I will try to be patient. I was scheduled to do this all over again next Monday. At least that is a goal.. Hopefully, he comes before then. If he does then I will meet him in person and not on the screen!
So after my appt. I went to Barnes & Nobles and got myself a new smutty romance novel, an art book (Mixed Emulsions) and a journal/sketchbook. I plan to start a visual journal this year. I want to do a 2 page spread a week. We'll see if that happens, but at least I have the book now. I might start tomorrow if nothing is happening. I'm seriously BORED and clearly driving myself and everyone around me nuts with my complaints. I hate staying home and waiting! But going out may mean that my water will break in the company of strangers. That would be bad, so pretty confident that nothing will happen today, I took advantage of being out and about. I might go walk the mall tomorrow. We'll see how confident and brave I am. Maybe a trip to Babies R' Us will get me feeling confident. LOL! OR I'll just stay home and create more artwork. I'm on a roll and it's crazy how creative and full of ideas I am. I can't possibly do them all right now. I have a few in progress works and finished all my Bad Girls DT layouts for Feb. I'll post sneak peeks later this week when I get the okay. Here are some of the new layouts that I finished for no good reason other than I was feeling creative:

Home is Wherever You Are

Grow Together

Wall Hanging using Prima/ Webster's Pages/Tim Holtz Masks!

Please send me a little labor dust and good vibes this week ! I'm hoping for a quick, but not too quick birth. I want that epidural in the worst way! LOL!

Do YOU Have What It Takes to Be Bad???

Well, you are in luck... Bad Girls Kits is looking for a couple new designers to add to their team!!! This is a HUGE deal girls! Wendy is opening a call for DT members... check it out here:

Bad Girls DT Call

All the info is there and it's open until February 11, 2009 by midnight!!! So get your creative mojo in gear and get creating. What are you waiting for??? Go forth and create art!!!

There are big changes over there and I'm part of it all ... so exciting. I love that it is so ART focused and inspiring the "outside the box" mixed media artists and scrapbookers. Even Tim Holtz featured us on his blog the other day! WOW! I'd love you to join the team so please apply!

Okay, now about me... Just got back from the doctor's and NOTHING has changed. WHAT??? I really thought that with all the tightening and pressure I'd be farther along. I guess he is comfy in there and not ready to come out into this bitter cold world. It's freezing lately here... literally 5 degrees right now! Brrrrr... that's COLD baby! I'm cozied in and getting geared up to take down Christmas decor. I know... it's January 15th right? Why do I do this to myself. I should have taken it all down weeks ago, but I dread the barren look of the house after it's all down. BLAH. If I had energy I would make something to put in it's place and make the house still seem wintery and cozy. Oh well, I guess it has to get done or it will be up into February. LOL! I have to wait to take the tree down until tonight though when Mark gets home from school because he wants to help take the ornaments down. I just know it would be very disappointing for him if he missed that. So, I'll do that last. I am going to go start bringing little things downstairs to put away. Wish me luck. I'll need a nap after all this.

More Photos and a WOOOP WOOP!

Guess what I got???? I had my shower on Sunday and the girls got me a COACH diaper tote!!! I am in such euphoria over it! It's got so much room and I will look fabulous with it! They know me so well... I love them all... THANKS... Nicole, Holly, Bon Bon, Shelley, Sherry, Kathy G., Kathy C, Pam, Cari, Amy, and Marty!!! LOVE you girls! I got a lot of other amazing gifts to round out my excitement... lots of adorable outfits for baby, necessities, gift cards (which I've already used to get a few much needed items), soft blankets(a knit set from my MIL), keepsakes, and my dad got him golf clubs... yep, I said GOLF CLUBS>.. he did the same thing with Mark... so both will have a set now.. They are so cute. My parents threw the shower and it was a great time at my favorite restaurant. Mark was so good too! What a wonderful celebration to welcome my new boy!

I'm uploaded a few more maternity photo session pics as promised here...
And a few of my first baby! Mark is such a big boy... Nicole took a few of him and I'm so glad! He is so cute especially with his lovey, Ducky. I used Photoshop to just color the duck and his jeans! So cute...
Okay, so that's it for today... still pregnant and uncomfortable. Matt is going out of town tomorrow (unless I guilt trip him otherwise) overnight and I'm nervous that I will go. He will be 2 1/2 hours away! YIKES! It's gonna be COOOOLLLD here tomorrow too. We are talking below zero temps! I might just snuggle in and get cozy and create tomorrow!

Photo Session

I want to share some of my favorite photos from a maternity photo session with my fabulous friend, Nicole. She is wonderful and did this as a favor for me. I love the way they turned out! She is so talented and has 3 boys of her own that are adorable! She made me look good!

It's been awhile since I updated.... Friday was my last day at work. It was a bittersweet day and I felt very sad and empty leaving the building. I got my room in order and finished most of what I set out to do to get ready for my substitute teacher to take over. I thought the kids would be more vocal about me leaving, but they are 9th graders so they really are more about themselves. A few have emailed me saying that they will miss me and good luck wishes. I got a handmade card from my hearing impaired student who is a sweetheart and she had the whole class sign it! So cute. I'll save that one for my portfolio! All in all, I am mostly ready for this little guy to come. I started washing baby stuff and am making a list of all the things I'll need to get to fill in what we don't have for him. I have alot left from Mark, but there are some new things I want to get. He will need new onesies and t-shirts as i threw out most of the stained ones from Mark. I also want to get some PRETTY burb cloths. I used fabric diapers for Mark and YUCK they are not pretty! I saw some at Babies R Us that are adorable and have great patterns. So, here are my Five Friday Favs (on a Sunday..LOL) that I found for baby...
1. Pottery Barn Kids Feather knit baby blanket: These are the softest most delish blankets for baby ever!!!
2.Adorable onsies from Target... I love this one with the tattoo on it! So cute!
3. We had one of these for Mark and it was great! I'm not sure what happened to the one we had, but I like this design better.


4. Pretty burp cloths and bibs. Where were these 4 years ago??

5. Finally, I've hinted and hinted.... This is what I REALLY want! A Coach diaper tote!


I know.. it's shallow of me to covet a $400+ bag for baby stuff, but I LOVE IT! It's gorgeous. I must have one. IF I don't get one at my shower, then I'm buying myself one... I don't care what hubby says! It's a must have for my last baby!!!

I'm a BADDDD GIRL!

I'm officially a Bad Girl Kit Design Team member today!!! It's a dream come true... I have had incredible inspiration from this site for well over 2 years now and dreamed of being a BAD GIRL. Wendy, the owner, emailed me and invited me to join this talented and fun group! I was beyond thrilled and am looking forward to being a part of this team. There are lots of new things for 2009 on the site and off... Stay tuned for more info... you can find it here: Bad Girls Kits.

You MUST visit this site for it's exquisite design, gallery, and fun forum. The store is full of goodies that are must haves in the mixed media and scrap world! Wendy and the other DT members are easy to talk to and so very talented. The monthly kits are absolutely drool worthy! I'm talking the best of the best, creme de la creme, to die for! You won't be disappointed!

Just wanted to shout my joy and excitement on this venture for 2009 and I hope more to come!!!