New Blog!

Alrighty...took FOREVER,,,but I have a new blog. Follow me at: http://owningmyadventure.blogspot.com

See you there!

It's About Time...

Goodness. What a whirlwind we seem to live in every day now! You know I'm busy when I don't have time to read other blogs and even get updated pictures onto my own! :) I am continuing to "bloom where planted" and adjusting to everyday life around here. It was a tough season for me this year with Greg being gone for reffing out of town 5 days a week & having a new baby, but life is good. I've been learning how to deal with slight post-partum issues and am on the way back up. I've learned so much about our Heavenly Father and what it means to be a wife, mom, & individual. And how He enriches our lives in the most un-expected ways.

Many have been asking how things are going and what we have been up to here. So, below you will find an update, as well as some new pictures of the darling daughter, who is 7 months - now THAT I can't believe! Most pics were taken up in the great state of "Minn-eh-so-dah" visiting my best friend & her husband!

Just after Thanksgiving, I started working for a Commercial Lending Company - from home!!!! I've been helping them launch online marketing strategies and grow their list. This has been a challenging, but rewarding job and we thank God every day for my boss. He truly has been an answer to prayer and we are getting bills paid that didn't for the 6months I was unable to work due to the pregnancy complications. I love being challenged and I love the fact that I have the flexibility to still play with Kaileigh and hang out with friends during the day.

Greg is finally done with basketball and onto getting DLC started for the Spring. We're hoping to expand in the sprinkler work this year with the business.

Now for the pictures that Auntie Carolyn and others have been waiting for!

(PS - yes, our daughter is cutting her first tooth and is on her hands & knees now rocking, so I'm sure she'll be zooming around here in no time - yikes.) :-)

One of these days, we'll have a family picture where we're all looking at the camera! :)

As you can see, she was asking "who put me in this thing?!"

Happy Easter!

with her Auntie Buffy & cousin Seraphim

Christmas Photos

Here are a few Christmas photos of the kids(yes, Milo does count as a child)! I PROMISE I will post pics here over the holidays. :) I know it has been forever. But it has been CRAZY here!

Enjoy....

My first Christmas photo

Playing with my doll while I talk all sorts of baby talk

Laughing at Milo in the Santa hat

Re-Designing

So I am in the process of re-designing this site, so please excuse the mess. As far as recent pictures, scroll below!

Dedication Highlights

Alrighty. Here are just some of the pictures! Enjoy...
(if you're family, we're working on sending out JPG copies to you via email!)

Corporate dedication at church on Sunday morning.

Kaileigh and her cousins!

"Auntie" Katie at our house for reception

sleeping on Great Grandma Max's lap

4th Generation Photo: Great Grandma, Grandpa, Mom, Kaileigh

'talking' to Great Aunt Marsha

Various Family & Friends who came to dedicate Kaileigh:

Here are pics from last weekend!

Practicing sitting while waiting for my great-grandma

chillin out with Grandma before the football game

my Aunt Rachael loves me very much! She kept the wind off my face during the game

Watching football with my Dad

the wind got so cold that we had to move inside the stadium to watch game! Here Dad got me all bundled up to go back outside.

My Dad, me, Grandpa, & my Mom after the game before Grandpa went back inside with the team.

me with my Grandpa & Mom

a 4th Generation photo! Mom, Me, Great Grandma, Grandma. It was a special time!

just a few photos of Me & Mom

waking up with Dad

at Garden of the Gods

Playing with her Einstein gym. Colors, Shapes, & Sounds are all exciting now and can be focused on!

No Horror Stories Here

Any friends or people I'd talked to in the past who had had a baby, always felt the need to share their 'horror' stories, but particularly when I was pregnant, it's like people felt the need to share any and all details of how horrible and painful and terrible their deliveries were. Well, as you can imagine, that only added to my already anxiety-level fears of having a baby.

I spent the first 4 1/2 months truly dreading the labor process. I wanted the baby, but not the delivery. And then as my pregnancy became trying and high-risk, I wasn't sure I wanted anything except the baby to come out by the snap of my fingers! Well lo and behold, I happened to be visiting a friends website on Myspace that I'd come across and I hadn't seen her in several years (though we go to the same church and sing in the same choir!). I happened to read about her new business that she was doing and checked out the website that she posted for everyone to read. Turns out, she had been working as a Doula and she also did private, in-home birth education. I'd never heard of a Doula before, so I sent her a quick message asking some questions about birth and delivery and agreed to meet up with her to talk more in-depth about birth education. I knew Greg would not be comfortable in a group setting at the hospital practicing 'breathing' techniques and we both wanted to learn more than just breathing, but learn about the pros & cons of different birth choices, birthing positions, and pain management that wasn't drug induced. At any rate, we ended up working with her for the full services of education and Doula.

Her goal was for us to have the best possible birth experience that we could have and leave the hospital feeling like we had no regrets about ANY decision that was made. I honestly cannot say that I had a terrible or dreadful experience during any time of my labor and delivery - and I did it all naturally with no drugs of any kind. And I honestly don't even think it hurt that bad, It was more hard work than anything, but that's normal! And had I not had the abnormal uterus & brith canal, there wouldn't have been any surgery afterwards - that's how smooth it all truly went!

Our Doula worked with us as our advocate, coach, and friend. She spent the months leading up to delivery educating us on all the pros and cons of drugs and of not using drugs, continually reminding and reassuring of all the symptoms during labor were normal and that I could do it, she educated us on laboring positions, techniques, and relaxation, she encouraged me throughout the entire labor either by phone or at our house and then at the hospital, she was able to help Greg coach and encourage me and free him up to be what he needed to be - my husband, she stayed through for my surgery afterwards, and met with me postpartum.

Now don't get me wrong. I don't condone or think it's wrong to use drugs for pain management, but we didn't want to have to use it if we didn't need to. And she would've been just as supportive and done all the same things if we had chosen to use all the pain killers there were. Point is - she was there to encourage and advocate on our behalf and to make sure that we walked out of their happy about our birthing experience.

If we ever decide to have a 2nd child, you better believe we will use a Doula again. I can't imagine any woman not having one.

It was a great birth experience and I truly have no horror stories to share or compare!

Three Weeks

Kaileigh is 3wks old today! Being a parent is everything and more than we expected. What a blessing she is in our lives.

Below are some more pictures for all to enjoy!

Aunt Rachael

Sunday football naptime with Dad

Uncle Joel - and he didn't drop her!

Proud Mama Max

Auntie Jess &Uncle Doug

Cousin Seraphim

Meeting my 2nd cousin Kolby

Kaileigh Michelle

She's here! Our daughter, Kaileigh Michelle was born last Saturday, September 8, 2007 at 2pm. She weighed 6lbs 14oz and was 20 inches long.

check out www.belliblossom.com/davis for some great photos as well.

Below are some pics of the new family:

Only seconds old!

All clean after my hospital bath. I'm told that my daddy went with me while mommy was recouperating from my very fast arrival!

Our first Family photo!

A very proud daddy

Headed home from the hospital as 3!

Kaileigh loves her Grandpa!

Aunt Rachael & Uncle Joel love on Kaileigh

First Bath

And The Assembling Begins

So growing up, every holiday I have memories of my Dad, Grandpas, and Uncles all doing assembly projects for us kids for some toy or contraption. And it never failed - there was always something every holiday. In fact, on my side of the family, we joked just this last Christmas that it'd been years since anyone had gotten a gift that required self-assembly.

Well, the cycle has started all over! Only this time, Greg is the Dad and as you can see below, he is on his 2nd official assembly(the dresser) for our daughter and she hasn't even arrived yet! (A BIG HUGE thanks to Uncle Josh for the wonderful gift and helping of putting it together!)

Here's to many more years of self-assembly projects all over again...

What's Been Up Around Here...

So, I've discovered that though I've not been working, I've found plenty other things to keep me busy! I honestly spend my days now getting baby stuff ready, sleeping, and going to doctor and chiropractor appointments. In the past month, we have seen miracle after miracle with my pregnancy - my uterus has completely adapted and isn't an issue, the canal has shifted to a normal position, and the baby has turned head down! All these things they said would be factors of risk and now they are gone. Praise God. 3wks ago she officially moved me off the 'high risk' pregnancy and I now I have a 'normal' tab on my medical file!!!

The baby's nursery is basically done. We have a few more things to put in, but the necessary items are ready and organized! Our bag is packed and the contractions are slowly rolling in, so it is just a matter of when the time comes...I must say that my entire outlook has completely changed in the past 9mo on this! 9mo ago I would've told you I was going to never be able to handle this entire process, but today I am encouraged and ready to labor :). We hired a certified Doula to work with us over these past months and boy has it been great! We have had private, in-home birth education classes and a wealth of knowledge and techniques brought to our attention. I'd never heard of such a person until I was reading one of my friend's websites and noticed that was what she did! She is a blessing from God to our family and we're so thankful for everything she does for us! I'd (obviously) recommend her personally to anyone, but a Doula in general - in our opinion - is something we think every couple should have the privilege of! You can read about it here.

I've also been spending the last month and a half placing bids for some freelance projects that I can do from home for a few months to help supplement while I'm on unpaid leave. This has been hard work, but a fairly rewarding search. All deal with curriculum development and/or welfare to some extent and are temporary. So, I will continue to do this until I re-enter the world of Social Services in January!

Here are some pics of the nursery and me at 38wks!

At The Farm

We have spent the later half of our week out here with Greg's family. Greg's been re-installing the sprinkler system and I have been, well - um...sitting in the air conditioning either at the house or at the coffee cafe(they don't have a website, but here is a good article on them). This is the only coffee type place anywhere remotly close, so I spend lots of time when we visit here. I love the atmosphere, the smells, free wi-fi, and the ice cream that they serve - in addition to the coffee. :)~

Tomorrow Greg's aunt & cousin are doing a small shower, which should be lots of fun. Until then, I will be spending much more time inside and out of the humidity and probably will have ice cream at least once today!

I am officially done with work right now! I've been doing lots of nothing as of currently. :) Minus doing lots of reading on birth, nursing, etc. I haven't engaged in a whole lot. My body has definitely been winding down and I'm finding myself trying to figure out a whole new routine. Mainly, I just do a BUNCH of sleeping! I'm about as tired as I was at the beginning of the pregnancy (or at least it seems that way).

We got our crib last night from Greg's parents, and I have been working on getting some ribbons sown onto the bassinet. And today I will probably start going through our gifts and getting the clothes somewhat separated and organizing everything else to some extent so we don't have gift bags everywhere! We are both getting very excited and it's hard to believe that we're down to + - 30dys. We will be assembling furniture for the nursery when we get back into town next week! So, I will have pics posted soon. :)

Count Down Begins

Painting, showers, reading books, birth classes, weekly doctor appointments - we're counting down!

I've officially reached the "I'm uncomfortable, let's get this baby out" stage. Thank goodness we don't have humidity here and that the house has air conditioning! At the bottom is also the just about finished product of the nursery - I think it looks great! Big thanks to Greg & Katie for doing the bulk of the work :)~

We went to visit our new 24hour old neice yesterday! Hard to believe that in 6wks, we will have one of our own. lol. She was as cute as ever and we're so happy for Brian & Buffy, and for Seraphim who is now a big sister!

Ok, for the pics...

7 Weeks & 2 Days

Well, yes, it's been over 3wks since I've posted! But it has been busy around here. I am getting ready to close stuff up at the office & have been training my Interim on top of doing things at the house! As you can see, we are approaching the 6wk mark and getting very excited for our daughter's arrival.

This weekend we got started on the nursery and got it pretty much finished - we will have it done before Thursday, as we have company arriving and the other spare room will need to be cleaned out of everything we moved in there! We have the chair rail and baseboard to get on to complete the project.

For those who'd asked, I was going to post some recent pics this eve, but the cable is hiding in the mess, so will work on getting those up tomorrow!

More will be coming, as I have more time at home and less time in the office. Keep posted for pics of the belly and the nursery!

Maternity Leave Countdown

Can it be true? Am I really training the Interim to handle my projects for the next 6 months? I can't believe it! By the end of the month, she will be completely trained, and then I will shadow her for two weeks as she carries functions out on her own; then I will be home free until sometime in January or later.

For me this has been a very emotional time. I am definitely getting more and more ready each day for our daughter to arrive, and seems that's all I can think about most days. But then I have my days where for the first time, I actually feel sad that I don't have the 'creative' energy and passion for my job as I did and that I'll be giving up a portion of myself when I leave the office. Not that I can't ever come back to it or do it again somewhere else, but it's just hard to have to let go.

So, enough processing for one day. :) It's time for some Bugles!

1st Father's Day

This past weekend we went camping with my parents. It has become an annual tradition over Father's Day with them!

Greg & I had tried for over 3wks to get out and camp, but had been so busy, so this was the first weekend out for us, and I did surprisingly well. Wasn't too sure how I'd handle the air mattress and the ground, but that wasn't what bothered me! It was so hot where we were at, that the heat and the bending over constantly is what eventually got to me. We're hoping to make a few more trips up the mountains before Baby Davis arrives!

Below are a few pics of the Dad's enjoying their weekend:

Burgers, Brats & Bellies

Nothing like good clean 'nothing' for a 3 day weekend! Below are pics from the past weekend out at Greg's family farm. The wheat was extremely lush and green--quite the change from the past 4yrs I've been in the family.

Here we are with Greg's middle brother, sister-in-law and our niece:

Below are just some of the wind towers that have been installed on the Davis properties:

My sister-in-law and I going belly to belly. Obviously I lose in this category! (not that I'm disappointed!):

Greg with Uncle Harry & Uncle Dave:

My niece didn't want to think about food when she could be playing outside (without her shoes, of course...)

And this just proves that boys never grow up and they're never too old to play with toys...

14 weeks & 4 days

That's right! 14wks & 4dys is the magical number in this house -- the 'due' arrival date of our daughter! Definitely am at the counting down stage and getting excited - and nervous - and anything else in between. :)

I'm tired and EXTREMELY hungry all the time now. This is a switch, as the first 4 months I didn't have any kind of appetite or too many cravings. Not the case now. lol. I do feel that I eat constantly, but the weight is still not going on. Tis ok. Least I am not losing, and that is what matters most. Until it does, milk shakes and pizza - here I come...

Below are some recent pictures of baby and I. Hope you enjoy!

Ah, Summer

Well, I have re-constructed this webpage! I will be adding some different side links as time progresses. I felt the need to have something that expressed the stage of life I am now in; and it is definitely learning to 'bloom where I am planted' at.

I met with a friend the other afternoon who really encouraged me along in my pregnancy. She was very reassuring of all the feelings that had been rushing around the past month! And believe it or not, for the first time in this pregnancy, I am actually feeling confident and excited for the birth process. I shared with her that I felt that I have no vision of where I am going -- I mean, I can dream and imagine what the future will be like, but for a visionary person such as myself, I cannot see past September. For the first time I am having to look at the details in-between of a task and responsiblility that I know not of! Ha, well, here we go....

Greg & I are looking forward to what God has in this new chapter of our lives. A special plan lies for our daughter and God has chosen us to help show her the way. WOW. Another adventure is just beginning.... :)

Relieving Gas Pains

So with gas ranging anywhere between 3.25 and 3.40/gallon here in town, I will be taking some extra steps to alleviate my gas pains--for the price of 1 1/2 weeks worth of gas in my car, I can ride the bus for an entire month. SOOO...beginning next month, I will be riding the Metro 5 days a week. Believe it or not, there is an Express Commuter Bus that leaves from the Forest here and goes all the way downtown to the main station. (which is only 2 blocks from where the County Parking Garage is at that I normally drive to and then walk). The bummer? My work schedule just jumped an extra 3hrs a day doing this; not because of driving times, but because of pickup & drop off schedules when it runs back and forth. Is it worth it? Well, I will let you all know!

My Best Friends Wedding

My best friend, Ceccy, is engaged!! I am so happy for her!! I haven't had the privilege to meet the lucky man myself, but I've heard nothing but the best about him.

Last week Ceccy called me to let me know what dates they were looking at, so I could plan to be in and around all the festivities -- then something unplanned happened -- her fiance's brother found out he was being transferred back out to Iraq. This moved the wedding from October to August. What's the deal you say? Well, I can't travel at 8months pregnant on an airplane, nor can I risk a 12hr drive 3 1/2wks before my due date. Then it hit me -- I have to tell my best friend that not only can I not be in her wedding, but I won't even be able to attend it. My stomach sank and I cried. Of ALL the friends, this was not the one I'd ever dream of having to miss. But realizing I couldn't quite control the situation, I figured "I'll get over it - eventually." :)

Well, this past weekend she called to inform me that she and Curt had decided to move the wedding to Colorado beings half her family is here anyhow, and just make it a smaller, more intimate wedding. And the best part?! That's right -- I may be 8 months pregnant by then, but I will be rejoicing with my best friend as she enters into her marriage covenant!

Truly shows that God has a sense of humor. The little things that become most important always work themselves out; it just may not be as we thought they would.

The Slacker Is Back

I am welcoming myself back into the land of Blog world! Below I have posted some pictures on behalf of those who have been wondering how my belly looks. (Ceccy, so sorry for taking so long!)

The past month has been very rough for me physically. I have dealt with colds, flu, and sickness for at least 16wks of my pregnancy(I'm currently in week 19!). Today was supposed to be my first day back at work in 14days after coming down and recuperating from pneumonia. However, I am going to be out on bed rest for at least another week. I have been on bed rest and will be slowly easing back into a daily routine. Has been rather discouraging, as this has not been an easy pregnancy for me. At any rate, the baby is healthy and doing fine and I am being diligent as possible to rest and get fully healthy and recuperated.

Enjoy the pics below! I should be back to a more 'normal' blogging schedule once again!

To Be, or Not To Be?

So, I have quite the serious thoughts to post this evening. And, I will be asking for input and thoughts at the end.

It has been quite the busy few weeks as it's been more than I can do to just barely survive with work. I have been so exhausted that I come home and crash and when I'm on the road it's all I can do to smile and be polite with those I'm speaking to. lol. I actually spent the last few weekends in bed because I get to the end of the week and my body rebels -- I was spotting consistenly too much. Basically, I have a hard time slowing down and letting my body develop this tiny life inside of me. I'd forgotten that it's no longer just about me, but that I have a life inside that is dependent on me taking care of my own self so he/she can thrive and grow. So what did I do this week? Only was out 1 night this week and spent the entire day today resting -- even got a massage!! Now I have the fireplace on and will be watching a movie -- my husband gets back into town tonight and I can't wait! I'm sure I'll be asleep on the couch when he arrives, but nonetheless, there will be someone home tomorrow to watch the Super Bowl with!

Ok, for my serious thoughts:

Greg and I were talking last week about what my routine will look like once Baby Davis is here -- do I continue to work full time and hire a nanny, do I work part time and do part time nanny, or do I not work at all for one whole entire year and then re-evaluate about going back? These are the questions we talked about, and funny because before we both thought, "hey, keep working, hire the nanny, and do both." Well, there are mixed emotions for us on all these thoughts. If I continue full time, I'd be home 1 day a week and travel about 2x a month to DC or NY, but I'd be gone for a full 10hr day all week. We'd have a full time nanny to be here at the home so that during bball season, for example, there is 24/7 care when we're not around. On the other hand, even though we'd trust and love this nanny, do I really want to spend that much time away from a newborn? Or do I want to take that 12 months and begin to write on our child's blank slate the things that we want to see in our child? Am I willing to give up what I see for myself as pleasure and fulfillment and replace it with another, and if I do, will it be fulfilling? And most importantly in all this -- what does God want us to do as parents in our situation? My job is purely just for me -- the income is great, don't get me wrong -- but if I were not working, it would not hinder us. Then there is just me scarred because in the midst of all this change, I will have no "known" to return to. Everything for me will change and if I didn't return to work , that would be the one common, or known, factor that would not be existent. And for the first time, I had to be honest and ask myself this question, "Do I know who I am without my occupation? Do I put value in what I do instead of who I truly am?" Ah yes...that tis a humbling question! But yes, I can answer yes in that. I do know who I am outside of my occupation, but then why is it so hard to think of having to give up?

So, I want to hear from you all who are moms--or not :). I want to hear from you if you're a working or home mother. I want to hear what your pros and cons are and I want to know if I'm the only one that feels the way I do right now. I want your input and thoughts! Please feel free to post instead of email. Looking forward to reading your thoughts and stories!