Easter

We took our first overnight trip to DeWitt for Easter.  It was a fun-filled weekend for everyone.  Sidney had trouble adjusting to the volume of around 25 people together but on Sunday he was calm and enjoyed his day.  The Easter bunny brought him a great robot basket filled with toys, books, and argyle socks (just like daddy).  Sidney was able to meet all his new 11 cousins and aunts and uncles! 

Introducing Sidney Michael Miller-Prouty

Weighing in at 6 pounds 15.6 oz. and 19 and 3/4inches long,  Sidney was born on Friday April 8th at 2:29pm.  We checked into the hospital to be induced Friday at 7am.  I was given pitocin to start my labor and at 8:45 the doctor came in and broke my water. We were a little nervous because my water had a large amount of meconium in it.  The baby had already had a bowel movement which can be common when a baby is post-term.  Things started to speed up shortly after these interventions took place. I went from being dilated at a 3 at 7am to an 8 at noon.  Labor became very intense and difficult after that but Jeremy was the most supportive partner I could have asked for.When I was finally ready to deliver the baby but our doctor had not yet arrived!  The nurse asked me not to push, (as if I could stop at that point) luckily she came in then and 3 pushes later the baby arrived. They were able to suction the meconium out before it was swallowed and that may have had to do with the fact the umbilical cord was wrapped around baby's neck twice. The nurse later said that the cord being wrapped around probably helped prevent the baby from digesting the meconium.  Oddly that was comforting.
The baby arrived and I had to ask "is it a boy or a girl?"  No one had told me since they were so busy making sure he was healthy! "It's a boy!!!"  Jeremy stayed with the baby while the doctor finished with my needs and then we decided together just looking at this beautiful baby that Sidney was the pefect name.  Michael is Jeremy's middle name and a family name on my side of the family.  Grandpa Mike, Brian and Caulin all share this name as well.
He is a wonderful little boy, who is eating well, sleeping lots in the day (and not so much at night) and makes the most amazing faces.  I love to watch him after he eats when he is the active alert stage.  He will look around and smile a little, then gets cross-eyed a bit while he opens his mouth and makes funny little sounds. 
Today we took a walk outside with Dottie and later tonight we are going to give Sidney his first bath.  I am so excited to watch Sidney experience all these things for the first time.

Here are a few shots for you all to enjoy! I can't wait for you to meet baby Sid!!!

Four Days 'Til Due Date!!!

Here is a little sneak preview of Jeremy as he prepares for fatherhood! 

We'll keep you all posted! xoxoxo

Family time...

We had some fun with my mom, my sister, my nieces, and Jeremy's sister this week!  We went to the park and the Waterloo Arts Center, out for ice cream and had a great time!  I am tired from a fun-filled week.  Looking forward to a low key two weeks before my due date.  Wish me luck!

Happy Spring Break everyone!

Spring Break with the animals!

Enjoying my first days of Spring Break with a some last minute artmaking for the baby.   I finally finished my mobile that I started over Thanksgiving.  Jeremy hung it up and Roosevelt promptly attached it.  Luckily he grew tired of it quickly so it remains intact.

I also finished a few hats for the baby in case the beginning of April is chilly. I had help with these as well.

Still need to  finish a few more projects this week and get a few naps in between grading!
Happy Spring break!

Karaoke Fest 2011

 We had 4 couples over last night for the 2nd Karaoke fest.  Everyone received Rock Star, performance-enhancing glasses to wear. I fully believed it helped everyone's score- especially Zak's since he one by a landslide.  He is the one in the middle with the prize winning pink glasses.  Check us out!

It's party time!

It seems like everyone has had the same idea this month! Let's get through winder by throwing a party...
We went to Cupid's Red Hot lovin' Chili Party at our friends Sarah and Zak's house in Cedar Falls over Valentine's Day (who I am delighted to say are having a baby in August!!!!)  Good Chili and great entertainment, too bad I was unable to sample the home brew.
The next weekend we attended a really Good 80's party at my sister's house.  We played 80's trivia (which I can proudly say my husband knew all but like 3 questions, I always say he is the king of useless knowledge).   We won great prizes and sang a few 80's songs!  Here is a picture of the costume winners:  Jeremy got 2nd place- I believe...

 Christy and Chad

Spring Break Karaoke Fest- Our house March 12th 7pm.... be there!

Lamaze class

We have one more Lamaze class to go and alittle over 6 weeks before the baby is due!
We have been learning so much in class about birth positions, pain interventions, and how to time our contractions.  Interesting folks at Lamaze class too!  This week, Jeremy and I wrote out our birth plan and now we are getting our suitcase packed.

The car seat arrived and I think we settled on a daycare provider!  I guess you could say we are getting close to being ready for baby to join us. I will have no problem though filling my next 6 weeks with lots of school work, art projects, and final preparations for baby.  I also plan to get in a few naps as well!
Here is Jeremy wearing the empathy belly at Lamaze class. It even had a bag that fit into the belly area that applies just the right pressure to the bladder so he can feel what I am feeling- the constant feeling that I have to PEE!

 Oh Baby!!!

Sock Monkey Mania!!!

I guess word is out that I love to make ( and collect) sock monkeys.  I have been given some of the sweetest sock monkey gifts for the baby. Here is a sampling of booties, monkeys, bibs, toys, onesies, and blankets.  This adds to my collection of great sock monkey books I have been collecting for years.
Hurry up baby, I can't wait to share these with you!

MA in Art Education at UNI

I have been working for the last two years to develop a new program to earn an MA degree in Art Education for working teachers.  We are getting ready to take applications and I am getting excited!  I will hopefully start teaching, in late June, my first group of students. Wish me luck!

 

Don't you want to come spend the next four summers with me?

Baby Shower time!!

  Rachel and Kirsten threw me the most wonderful shower at Home Ec in Iowa City in early January.  Everyone was asked to bring a favorite children's book.  It was so much fun to read each book that was given to us and I am so excited to read them all to our sweet baby! 

    The greatest surprise though was decorating onsies!  Check out all the talented friends that attended my shower and their beautiful work. My baby will be the best dressed baby in Waterloo! What a wonderful way to celebrate!

 My mom made this great bag!

 Rachel and Kirsten (the greatest hostesses and greatest friends!)

 One of the sweet baby books- it looks like Roosevelt and Mabel!

 Here we are decorating onsies!

 My mom and my sister are freshening up on their sewing skills!

 Aren't these just amazing!!!

   ____________________________________________________________________
    Back in Cedar Falls,  we were given a couples shower by our dear friends Steve and Elizabeth.  It was a perfect day- we had 6 couples attend the shower at Steve and Elizabeth's new house.  It was an afternoon filled with fabulous food, hilarious games like guess how many nipples Elizabeth is holding up, and my all time favorite shower game-  pick the parents of the famous people on the card.  The mayor of Cedar Falls was my favorite ( inside joke in CF).
      We received lots of great sock monkey outfits, blankets, and bibs... I feel a photo opportunity coming on for this little one in all the great outfits!
How wonderful it is to feel so warm in the cold month of January!
 Here are a few pictures from the couples shower!

 Elizabeth has 13 nipples- who knew?

 Andrew ( my colleague at UNI) and his wife Leah

 Jeremy sporting some of the new baby gifts!

  Thank you everyone!!! We feel so lucky to have such great friends!

Only two and a half months to go!!!!

Catching up!

It has been a busy few weeks and I have had a difficult time sitting down to share these few weeks!

Christmas break was fabulous!  We spent a great deal of time at home, working on house projects and baby preparation.  We decided to remove the last little bit of wallpaper in the entry of house. To our surprise- there were many layers of paper and lead paint underneath. With the new baby on the way, Jeremy wanted to cover the paint ASAP!  He researched and had some estimates and found out that drywalling the entry way was the best way to go. He amazes me with his ability to learn new skills on the job.  Jeremy successfully drywalled the entry way and I helped as I could with texturing and painting.  I'll do a before and after for you now...

Christmas was wonderful. Mom came up with this great idea for everyone to go bowling!  Jeremy and I volunteered to make 25 bowling trophies to give out and we made Grandpa Mike the "King Pin" and he got to choose the winner of each trophy.  Check out some of these great bowling shots!

Look at that face!  The trophies were a hit!