One Year Ago Today...

April 24, 2008

12:30am: roll my round pregnant belly out of bed to go pee and realize my water broke. 

12:31am: Wait stunned in the dark until reality sinks in. (TEN days before my due date?!)

12:35am: try to wake Ryan up. "Ryan?... Ryan... RYAN! I think my water broke." Ryan, out of a dead sleep, sits up too fast, "You THINK, or it did?" "Um... I think it did."

12:40am: call the doctor and explain my symptoms. Dr. H. says, "Okay, I think it's time for you to head on over to the hospital."

12:45am: Ryan and I run around the house like crazy people trying to pack a bag. Since I wasn't prepared, I got out the "What to Expect When You're Expecting," book and looked at the list of suggested items to bring with you to the hospital. I was so irrational, I wanted EV-ER-Y-THING on that list (yes, Whitney, including the ipod dock and board games). We hadn't even got the carseat out of the box. 

1:15am: On the way to the hospital, I have my first contraction.

1:30am: We arrive at the hospital. It's almost empty. The nurses are waiting for us when the elevator doors open on the maternity ward. "Mr. & Mrs. Williams? Welcome. Your room is all ready for you, right this way..."

2:ooam: Ryan falls asleep on the pull out chair/bed. I'm hooked up to monitors & too excited/uncomfortable to sleep.

2:00am - 8:30am: I watch movies on HBO (princess bride, the graduate, rumor has it, etc.) and eat ice chips while my contractions get stronger.

9:00am: Ryan wakes up and calls our parents. I'm READY for the epidural!

9:30am: while filling out paper work, Ryan asks me, "What's the abbreviation for New Mexico?" "Why?" I ask. "Because they want to know my mother's place of birth." I laughed SO hard. "Ryan, I think they mean the mother giving birth, not your mother." We still didn't have it in our heads that we were about to be parents. He needed a whole knew packet of forms, he had filled out pages of information about his mother & father.

10:00am: Very thankful to have a large needle shoved in my back. Ryan goes to the cafeteria to get some breakfast so he doesn't have to watch (needles make him pass out).

11:00am: Our parents and my Grandma Lamb show up. They're almost as excited as I am. 

1:3opm: Our visitors leave and I start to push. Ryan makes me laugh during the pushing and all the women in the room who've given birth without drugs are slightly baffled.

2:57pm: My sweet Wendy FINALLY joins us. One of the best moments of my life.

I don't quite remember anything for about 4 months after that though. 

Good thing I've got a lot of it on video.

Happy 28th Birthday Ryan!

I'm really glad you were born.

HAPPY EASTER!

11 MONTHS!!!

*BIG mistake giving her her 1st bubble bath for a photoshoot. She hated it at first.

Wendy at 11 months:

• finally got her 1st tooth! and her 2nd one for that matter (*see 1st picture)
  
• gives high fives
  
• SO over baby food- only wants the grown up stuff & wants to feed it to herself
  
• if you ask her, "What does a monkey say?" She'll hit her arm pits and say, "Eee, eee, eee!"
• LOVES anything yo gabba, brobee is her favorite (I wonder if we brain washed her)
• favorite toy: dancey dance brobee

  

*photos by nessa :)

Hotel in review

Our balcony

So, if you're looking for a nice getaway (but don't want to spend a ton of money) I know where you should go! For our 5 year anniversary, we just wanted to get away for a weekend and stay in a nice hotel. We called our friend Amelia, who has been to a million nice hotels because of all the weddings she photographs, for some ideas. She recommended Casa 425. 

Here are some reasons why this place is so amazing:

1. Location, location, location. It's located in Claremont Village. Random, I know, but that's one of the reasons the prices were so good. I had never really been there before. It's only about 20 minutes away and has a super fun feel. It's an old town with rad old architecture and HUGE trees that hang over the streets. Plus, there are tons of cute shops and restaurants and a gorgeous college campus.  

     

2. FREE BIKE RENTALS! They had the cutest matching vintage orange beach cruisers! And we had so much fun riding around old town Claremont. We got to see the city and scope out a good restaurant for dinner that night.

 

3. Spa tub... in the middle of the room! Ryan & I aren't really "bath people," like the rest of my family. But the spa bath (with jets) was a.ma.zing. I think I might convert.

4. Complimentary Breakfast. Just LOOK at that spread!! I'll be honest though, we didn't make it down in time for breakfast. It was my first time leaving Wendy over-night and I was not going to miss out on the opportunity to sleep in for the first time in 11 months!

Needless to say, I can't wait for an excuse to go back to this place. 

5 Years!

5 Years ago today, I married this wonderful guy. We met so long ago, we don't really remember when, I must have been about 14 and he was probably 16. All through our teenage years, we were friends, but we never even considered dating each other.

*at Nan & Myles' Wedding, 1998 (?)

On August 19, 1999, when I was 16, I wrote this in my journal:

• "This is why I love Ryan- when he introduced me to his friends, he put is arm around my shoulders and said, 'This is Heather. She is awesome. Just look at her, she's one of the coolest girls you'll ever meet.' I LOVE him for that! That's pretty much the way he always introduces me to someone new. I don't think he'll ever know how much he does for me when he says those things."

To continue where I left off in my journal 10 years ago, here are some more reasons why I love Ryan:

He's a romantic. I can't tell you how many times he's brought me flowers when I've had a bad day, or how many little notes he's left around the house. Even this morning, despite the fact that he had to leave the house by 6am, he took time to leave me a very sweet homemade anniversary card where he knew I would see it as soon as I woke up. He gives me compliments- he always tells me if he sees something he likes (a new hair do, out fit, or if my daily treadmill time is paying off :). And after 5 years, he still calls me on his lunch break to chat every day.

He helps me out. Without me even asking he will do the dishes after dinner, fold the laundry, or play with Wendy so I can take a much needed nap. Also, I like to make "To-Do" lists (it makes me feel productive to cross things off). If he sees my list, or hears it verbally, he will quietly start doing tasks on it. I. REALLY. LOVE. THAT.

He's fun. Everyone knows that Ryan is silly. He can turn any boring evening into a party. I'm pretty sure he's made me laugh at least once every day for the last 5 years.

He's benevolent. (be·nev·o·lent adj. 1. showing kindness or goodwill; 2. performing good or charitable acts and not seeking to make a profit). He's the first one on the scene to help out if someone is moving, needs a ride, or needs his help in the middle of the night. He's ALWAYS got his cell phone on him, he ALWAYS answers it, and he ALMOST ALWAYS will drop whatever he's doing to help you if you need it.

He's talented. He can play any instrument he picks up (accordion, piano, saxophone, bass, harmonica, steel drum, I mean it ANY instrument) and make you think he's been playing for years. He has an amazing singing voice. He's been in numerous a'cappella and singing groups, and has even toured Europe with one of his choirs. He speaks spanish, which I love. Also, he never forgets names. Ever.

He's an amazing father. Wendy is such a daddy's girl already. She lights up when he walks into the room and freaks out if he leaves. He is so good with her. On the day she was born, though I was choked up, Ryan was the one flat out sobbing with tears of joy. I hope he doesn't get embarrassed that I wrote that- it really made me fall in love with him all over again.

So instead of making a card, I made this blog to let my husband know how much I love him. He really is my best friend. So thank you for all that you do babe. These have been five of the best years of my life. I love you.

*kinda cheesy, I know, but I love it.

Good morning!

"IIIIIIII'm gonna PUNCH YA!"

Ryan & I LOVE waking up to 

this silly little girl every morning. It's the best way to start your day.