She is here!!!

One week ago, the redskins game started and we were sitting on the couch chatting with our neighbor. I heard a pop and thought, "um, this might be it!" We made our way to the hospital where no one was in a hurry. I guess most first time moms have long labor. Well, I did not. I got hooked up to a monitor and four hours later, Annie arrived! I will spare you the major details but lets just say that I asked for an epidural and barely got a spinal block before I pushed her out. It took the edge off and I told the doctor that I loved her because the pain of progressing that fast was unbearable.

All of the nurses and doctors were amazing and super surprised that I went that fast. (as were kenny and myself!) We had a great stay at the hospital as my post partum nurse was the grandmother of a cheerleader/student of mine. The lactation consultant was the mom of a cheerleader/student of mine. And the woman who wheeled me to the car has a son who was in my advisory class last year. Small world!

This has been the best adventure of our lives bringing little Ann "Annie" Havins Vaughn into the world. She is so sweet and snugly. We are so in love!

Here are some pictures!

37 weeks!

And I got off bed rest!! Baby Vaughn has been excelling each week and so has her momma. So after 4 weeks on bed rest, we made it to full term and have been released!

Now I am not allowed to get my heart rate up, but I can go to target and walk around or drive myself places! I just can't do anything strenuous like run marathons or hike mountains :)

First up was to target where I walked around so excited to be out and about! My sister can attest to the excitement in my voice as I chatted her ear off about the things I saw...bless her for listening to her babbling sister.

Thank you for all your prayers and love! Now it is just a wait until she makes her debut!

Please excuse the awkward picture. We tried 3 times and this was the best one from the iPad/my photographer. I swear my face looks way way better and is practically back to normal. :)

Happy New Year!

We want to wish you a happy new year from the Vaughns!

We hope you can toast to the end of 2012 and a blessed beginning of 2013!

Much love,
The Vaughns

(still resting, but Wednesday is 37 weeks!)

Happy birthday sister!

It is Meg's birthday today, and so, as her favorite sister, I have taken it upon myself to create a list if possible gifts for her...(don't worry, I already got her gift and she has it!)

Meg is a history nerd, too... So this would be perfect to hang in her home.

Or this to keep her facts straight on those presidents.... (please note that my boyfriend is one of them)

Or this to hang and point to so that my niece and nephew know what to do...

Just some thoughts if you forgot to get my favorite sister a gift...

Love you Meggie!

One chapter ends...

Some of us know what we want to be from a young age. I always wanted to be a teacher except for the one year I wanted to be a dairy farmer having never seen a cow up close and personal. I am special. I know. What can I say? Middle school is a confusing time!

I obviously haven't been in my classroom for almost three weeks since being put on bed rest, but yesterday I returned to clean it out. (don't worry, I sat and directed Kenny to grab stuff). I thought I would have been way more emotional about it. Pregnancy alone should have made me a sobbing mess or just being grateful to be out of the house and see other surroundings should have had me in tears, right?  Then I had some time to reflect (because I have a lot of time) and I came up with some pretty awesome thoughts I wanted to share...

1. God gives us great gifts to share with others. Teaching though does not have to just be confined to the walls of a school, so I can still share my gift. (please read that without the arrogance that could come across).

2. God also knows what we need and provides for us. I knew leaving my students would be so difficult, and by being on bed rest, I got to do so gradually. I was able to send them a letter explaining everything, and that allowed them to process and be able to write sweet letters back.

3. God knows us better than we know ourselves. I only know how to give 100% to my kids. God knew I needed to shift my focus to my most important kid, Baby V. He made me take time out to do so and spend some quality time savoring our little family before the big (or little) addition arrives.

4. Lastly, I have the most awesome journey to begin in being a mom, and every day I will be teaching her (and not just about Thomas Jefferson, I promise).  I will hopefully teach her important things like sharing love with others, that God is always there, and respect your mother and father :). That one momma b and daddy b certainly taught us.

So although I won't be in a classroom, my journey as a teacher isn't done. It has really just begun. The next chapter is starting. My greatest pupil just hasn't arrived quite yet....

a little hootie hoo!

So baby V and I are still hanging out and resting the best we can.  We have gotten good reports each week, and I have been granted permission to leave the house for things like going out to eat as long as I sit!  I am at 35 weeks, so two more and she will be full term.

We have kept ourselves busy by reading, doing word jumbles, writing letters, emailing friends, wrapping up my school stuff, and crafting a little.

I had a vision for making a mobile for the baby's room.  I am by no means the most crafty person, but the ones I saw online were all over $50.  So before I had even gone on bed rest, I had purchased almost everything I needed to create a mobile.

First I found a little owl design online and traced and cut out the pieces.

Then I hot glued the eyes and nose on, sewed up the little owls and stuffed them.

Then I sent my man servant (aka Kenny) to get a circle that I painted white and hung the little owls.

Kenny figured out how to hang the whole mobile as I obviously cannot climb on ladders, etc.  It is by no means perfect, but I like the simplicity of it.  I also love the fact that when we move, it will NOT be a big deal if something happens to it as in total it was about $9.  Kenny also got to use a hot glue gun for the first time.

Her room is pretty much done at this point.  She just needs to hold on two more weeks before she can see the whole thing!

Next up is setting up the pack n play and Christmas! Hope you all are gearing up for a great holiday!

A little Christmas Cheer

Before all of the excitement occurred (well except the Bell's palsy), we decorated for Christmas!  We have not put up a tree for the last two years, so it was fun to pull out the ornaments and put lights on the tree.  It was also fun for Kenny to get to put lights on our house which we haven't done as home owners. Here is our pretty home decorated!

Our pretty tree (and a puppy hiding in the left corner)

Our pretty home with the lights!

The first fire of the season and the 34 week pregnant lady!
(I promise I only stood for a moment to warm myself by the fire.  Then I got warm because well, I have my own heater on my front if you cant tell!)

Baby V and I are doing well with our feet up and resting.  She is moving and grooving and my blood pressure is better. I am 34 weeks, so she has 3 more that she has to stay in before she is full term. I even got to escape to go to a baby and you class last night due to my good behavior (per doctor's permission).  And my face is slowly regaining movement on the right side.  Daisy gets a little bored with my lack of movement, but at least she has some company during the day (but can't sneak onto the couch).  Kenny is thankfully working hard and not having to wait on me too much.  Online shopping and wrapping up the lose ends of my job (since I was leaving anyway) has kept me pretty busy so far.

Thank you again for all the prayers and support.  We truly are blessed with the love we have felt and continue to feel.