The Real Deal

The hard work, heaps of paperwork, and months of waiting were all worth it...


Lucas is now an official permanent resident of the United States! He had previously received conditional permanent residency pending the success of our marriage, pretty much. I guess they've deemed us 'the real deal'. We didn't even have to go in for the standard 2 year interview. I'm giving myself a big ole' pat on the back, right now, for a job well done. So no more worries and no more paperwork...... for 7 months anyway, when we'll start a longer and undoubtedly more expensive path to citizenship. Congratulations, Lucas!

Baby Kicks

As a pregnant woman, every guide you read will extol the joys of feeling your baby's movements. Some guides describe it as perhaps feeling like gas bubbles or butterflies. Most say the feeling is indescribable.

So, I'm here today to describe to you the feeling of my baby's first movements. It's indescribable! Really.

For the last week or two, I've felt something. Something different. I wasn't quite sure what it was. Of course, I speculated these were baby kicks. But as a first time mother I was really unsure. I would feel something and immediately stop to focus on what it might be. I would wait and wait for another one so I could confirm it did indeed feel like a baby kick. But then there was nothing. Just the one kick ~ or whatever it was ~ leaving me nothing to confirm my suspicions.

Until Tuesday. Tuesday I had a Reeses cup for breakfast and my Lean Cuisine Sesame Chicken for lunch, with a mini-Crunch bar for desert. Dang, that bowl of chocolate that keeps getting refilled in the office! On top of it all, it was my boss's birthday. And there was birthday cake. Not chocolate. But good. Sweet icing. Lots of it. So good. I enjoyed a nice big piece.

Afterwards, I sat down at my desk in front of my computer. As I was hard at work, relatively still in my quiet office, I felt something. I attempted the usual: Stop. Survey the situation. Focus. What could this be? Then again, I felt it. Then again. This is definitely a baby kick! I think she likes sweets.

All of the books and comments from my friends were right: feeling a baby kick is the most awesome experience! It is incredible, really, to know that I am growing a human being, and to see her in the ultrasounds, and then - on top of it all - to actually feel her moving. Awesome.

Her kicks are only faint now and few times throughout the day I actually feel them. In the afternoon at work (after my - what seems to be daily now - Reeses cup). In the evenings during or just after dinner. But I know with every day her kicks will become stronger and more noticeable as she grows more and more.

Her kicks are a reminder that I carry a precious little 12 ounce (and growing) gift.... who apparently really likes Reeces cups.

Have I Done This Before?

While pregnancy is opening my eyes to an entirely new world I've never experienced, I somehow feel that I've been here before. Taking one step at a time, listening to my body for signs of change, looking forward to the next big milestone, and waiting anxiously for the prize that awaits me when I've come to the end of this journey. Yes, this is all too familiar. Pregnancy is like a marathon. I've run this race before.

When I first began that run I was so excited to finally get started after all the anticipation and planning leading up to it. Yet at the same time, I was scared out of mind about what lied ahead and how I was ever going to cross that finish line. It seemed like an eternity away.


One foot in front of the other, I settled into a pace I felt comfortable with.

And, of course, it helps to have a support team.


Before you know it, I've arrived at the half-way point - feeling great and amazed I've already made it to this point!

(Only there was a lot more puking to get me to this stage in pregnancy where as, thankfully, there was none of that involved in marathon running. Sorry for that mental image.)

I'm on top of the world right now and feeling physically at my peak (for a pregnant woman). But I have a feeling that at some point in the not too distant future, I'll be more like this:

Needing assistance to get my pants off.

Lucas, that is where you will come in.

But no matter how miserable I feel, I will continue to put one foot in front of the other. Step by step. One milestone at a time.
Until I can see that finish line...

In that moment, I felt a sense of accomplishment and pride that I cherish to this day. It was an amazing moment in my life. One of the best. But I know it will pale in comparison to the moment I hold my child in my arms.


Don't get me wrong, I was pretty siked about this medal....

... and the cake.

Truth is, I know our baby girl will change my life forever. And I can't even begin to imagine how amazing it will feel. It is kind of sad that this marathon analogy is the best I've got. But it let's you see how truly special Lily Ann is. Nothing else compares to her.

I'm half way through this journey now. I can't believe time has passed by so quickly. So until I hold her in my arms, I'll cherish every pound I gain, every movement I feel, and all the good morning kisses her daddy can give.

And you can bet
there will be beer at the finish line.

Half-Way There

Lucas and I went to the doctor this morning and saw our precious little bundle of joy! She is doing excellent. She is measuring right on track and seems to be absolutely perfect! She was being a little bit stubborn (wonder who she gets that from), staying bundled up in the same position throughout the entire ultrasound. We couldn't get a good profile shot or a peek between her legs to confirm her gender, but we know.



The nurse said we could probably do a quick ultrasound at my next appointment to get those shots. And I jump at any chance I get to see her!! So I'm super excited about seeing her ~ even if only for a few minutes ~ in 4 weeks.

Happy 20 Weeks,
Lily Ann!
We're half way there!

Sewing - Take 2

So, my first sewing project involved a gender neutral outfit for our little baby boy or girl. I am so excited to craft some more now that we know we have a little girl on the way! My mom has been sewing up a storm! Here are a few pics of her projects she has emailed to me:


Aren't they adorable?!? And she has done soooo much more. Believe me. She is going crazy. Anyway, I'll take some pictures of the other projects she has completed and show you next week.

So as not to be overshadowed by my crafty, overachieving mother (who I am very thankful to for passing down those traits to me), I have been sewing some myself! My first girly sewing project was a big hit, but Lily Ann has to learn how to share. So we made this first outfit for a good friend of mine who now lives in Nebraska and is expecting a little girl in only a few weeks! She will probably receive it in the mail today or tomorrow, but I don't think she reads my blog so I think I'm safe. If not: Hey, Carrie! Surprise!

(Camera wouldn't focus for some reason - "Specially Hand Made by Ashley")

But don't worry, I bought double the material so that Lily Ann can have one, too!! I can't wait to show you more of what we've been making for Lily Ann and some of the oh, so cute outfits we've already bought for her. Can you say 'ruffle butts'?

Grass ~ We've Got It!

Remember this?


Well Goodbye, Dirt! Helloooooo, Grass!

Yes, that's right - We've Got Grass! And not this kind either.


It isn't perfect just yet. We are waiting for it to mature and spread a little more before we overseed spots we may have missed. This weekend we are going to fertilize it to give it an extra boost! I just couldn't wait, though. Maybe we have a future in horticulture if our current careers don't work out. Okay ~ let's not push it! I'll keep my day job.

Guest Blogging @ Alabama Bloggers

Check out Alabama Bloggers to read all about my first Bama game and see more pics!!


(Look! Lucas even wore an Alabama shirt and cheered along with me! Miracles do happen!)

I'll Be Here Tomorrow

Bryant-Denny Stadium

I'll be here tomorrow (in the rain)! If you will be there, too, leave me a comment! If not - leave me a comment anyways.... prefaced with a Roll Tide!!!

In My Mind...

I was a much cuter kid.

Mom is digging through old photos trying to find a decent shot of baby me. In the mean time, she sent me these two photos. In my mind, I was a much cuter kid.

Lucas's mom sent over a gorgeous photo of him as a baby. I was trying to find a similar photo of myself so that we could frame both and hang in the nursery. I've got to find one of myself that can compete with his cuteness, though. At least the beautiful photo of Lucas is good news for Baby Lily Ann! I hope she has a little Colombian charm! Haha!

Sewing Seeds

That's what we did this weekend. You see, when we bought our home almost two years ago we fell in love with the big trees and crawling ivy.


What we didn't realize is that ivy keeps growing and growing and growing and eventually kills the big trees we first fell in love with. Also, these big trees mean lots of leaves during the Fall and getting leaves out of thirty years worth of ivy growth is not easy. Big trees also mean very sparse grass, which is probably why the ivy was put there in the first place.

So, for the past year we have been ripping out ivy..... little..... by..... little. We still have some ivy growth in the side lawn, but we have finally won the battle against ivy in our front yard! Late August / Early September is the best time to sow grass seed in the South so that is what we did on our Labor Day!

We tilled the yard and started with some fresh dirt.


Then Lucas took our grass seed made specifically for shady lawns in our area and spread them with our new handy, dandy seed spreader.


Then we spread the wheat straw over the lawn and started the sprinkling.

We're going to put mulch and a border around the trees for the time being. Eventually we'll plant some shade plants around the trees. For now, we are focused on eradicating what is left of the ivy on the side and growing some nice fescue!

Grow, Grass, Grow!!!

(Ahhh! Just to remember those days when home
ownership was a fun and exciting new adventure.
So glad we got rid of that orange, by the way!)

It's almost Fall in the South...

and you know what that means:

FOOTBALL SEASON!!!

College football 'officially' starts tomorrow when the Crimson Wave will hit the field against VA Tech in this year's home opener at the Georgia Dome.

ROLL TIDE!!!!!

I'll be writing a review over at Alabama Bloggers, to feature some game highlights and how we party for football. ** Note: my definition of 'party' has changed somewhat over the last few months - ahem - being that I am with child. **

And next week, we'll be traveling to Tuscaloosa for the first home game of the season and my first live college football game! So excited!!!

Now, go visit Alabama Bloggers and 'score' for your team in the Football Carnival. Alabama is kicking tail, as if there was ever any doubt.

Welcome to the world,

Landon Cole!

August 24, 2009

5:41 p.m.
7 lb. 8 oz.
20"

Congratulations, Chris and Aida!

(Can you believe she just gave birth? Amazing.)

Landon is so lucky to have two such wonderful parents (and not just because he obviously inherited your amazing good looks).

Thank you so much for letting me be there and be a part of Landon's birthday. I am so honored to say I have known him since his first breath of air. I truly love him so much already! I can't wait to raise our children together and grow even closer as friends ~ no, family. Who would've thought five years ago when we were drinking 'three legged ducks', going to 'white trash bashes' and toga parties, and molding the young minds at college orientation that we would be forever friends and raising our children together. (Though I did know you and Chris would be together forever. Recall the bonfire where you two were fighting and I sat in the front yard sobbing because my friends were going to break up. Yeah. I knew it was meant to be.) ..... one day I'll break out photos of these old memories for you all to see. That will be a fun day. :)

All that to say: Landon, your Aunt Ashley loves you very much.


Uncle Lucas has even become quite attached already.

We can't wait to watch you grow!!

And one last photo of a precious baby...

Isn't he the cutest baby you have ever seen??
You better say yes. At least for another 5 months. ;)

"Surreal, but Nice"

"Surreal, but nice." A quote from one of my very favorite movies ~ Notting Hill. And it describes that moment perfectly.

We drove with my parents to a prenatal imaging center in Nashville. Lucas and I had been there once before with our friends Chris and Aida for their 30 week 4D ultrasound, so we sort of knew what to expect. What we ~ or at least I ~ didn't expect was the news we would receive a few moments later.

Throughout the entire pregnancy I have felt like this was a boy. I don't know why. Call it a guess. Call it a motherly instinct (though if that is the case, I certainly hope mine gets better). I just knew it would be a boy. You see - I have this nightmare of having three boys. Don't get me wrong - I like boys. It is just that I really would at some point like a girl and have feared ~ irrationally, for quite some time ~ that that may not happen. Lucas is one of three boys. My dad is one of three boys. One of his brothers has three boys. I don't know. Just felt like that may be my destiny. So I felt pretty confident that my little baby was a boy, and I had sold myself on the positives of having a boy. Almost so much so that I woke up that morning and thought - "you know, self. it might really be fun to have a little boy. i think i'll enjoy this. he and landon (chris and aida's baby) will have so much fun together."

All the while, I carried on this tiny little glimmer of hope that perhaps this little being inside of me might be a girl. I tried not to get too caught up in that possibility. But oh what fun I would have with all the lacey outfits and the ruffle butt diaper covers! The sewing and the dresses and the monogramming and the appliqueing!! And the perfect name we already had picked out for her (more on that later). But I didn't dwell on that too much. I knew it was a boy.

Lucas, on the other hand, firmly believed it was a girl. In fact, at our previous doctor's appointment we heard the heartbeat and Lucas said, "Yep! That's a little girl's heartbeat!" Uh, huh. Whatever, Lucas.

Well......
I was laying there on the ultrasound table as Lisa ~ the nice technician lady ~ was performing the ultrasound. We were gazing at the screen and at each other, and ooing and awwing over the cute little baby we saw (who now actually looks somewhat like a baby and not like a little worm as on the initial ultrasound 9 weeks prior).



I was looking over at Lucas and at my parent's reaction to all of the baby excitement when all of the sudden I heard my mom let out a big gasp. I immediately looked at the screen and Lisa had typed "girl!!!" on the screen next to a little arrow that was pointing to her lady parts.

GIRL!!!!!

Oh, my goodness! Let me just tell you ~ I about fell apart. The room was spinning. I was crying. Lucas was crying. My parents were crying. Heck, Lisa and her daughter (who was answering the phone in the lobby and could obviously hear us) were almost crying, too!



The blood rushed from my head quickly and, I promise you, didn't return for quite some time. You will notice this light headedness because I don't think my hand leaves my head in any of the photos for a good hour!

(Sharing the good news with my grandparents who had planned on being there but, due to a health issue with my granddaddy, were unable to come with us. Thankfully, he is much better now.)

It was surreal, to say the least.

(Phone Call to Colombia!)

(And, of course, you know my mom can't do anything small. She had leis and carriage signs in pink and blue to celebrate whatever news we would hear. She also had presents for the baby ~ boy or girl.)
After some pictures and more celebration, we headed to Opry Mills to do some serious shopping. Can't wait to show you all what we bought her! Stay tuned.

And now, I leave you with beautiful photos of my baby girl.