Easter 2009

This Easter was extra special.....Not only did Aaron's mom come to visit us for the second Easter in a row but because Cannon is now here to celebrate with us the resurrection of Jesus!!

Last Easter we started a tradition with Ben, Danielle, Maddie, Mike & Gina for Easter brunch. They are friends who are like us and have no family here in Bluffton so being with such special people at times like this means everything to me. Last year Maddie was just months old and slept quietly in her car seat while we ate brunch but this year she had ants in her pants to get outside and run around in the sunshine. Cannon on the other hand was the baby this year and while he didn't stay asleep in his car seat for long due to hunger pains, he was a very good baby. I'm sure next year we will see two kids running around and two sets of parents chasing after them........oh, wait.....grandma can chase and parents can eat in peace! :)

Thank you Danielle for setting up a wonderful Easter bunch again for us and for the tradition you have created for our families. To Bonnie; hopefully you will be living down south by this time next year and to Mike & Gina; thank you for brightening our lives with your friendship!

Cannon meets Grandma

Before I update you on Grandma's visit, first let me give a run-down of all the living grandparents and great-grandparents names Cannon has......the list is a little long.....

Cannon's GRANDPARENTS
Nanny & Papa = my mom & dad
Pops = my father
Grandma & Grandpa = Aaron's mom & dad

Cannon's GREAT GRANDPARENTS
Mamaw & Papaw = My mom's parents
Grandma Adams = My dad's mom
Grandma Santilli = My father's mom
Grandma Wheat = Aaron's dad's mom

Cannon is SO BLESSED with family. It is actually how I grew up too. I had my great grandfather, Poppy, until I was 15 and great grandma, Meme, until I was 22. They are people in my life who had a strong influence on who I am today. They showed me love and good values that I will never forget. I can't wait for Cannon to know and understand the meaning of grandparents. They are God's way of putting angels in our lives to always love us here on earth then to watch over us when they are in heaven.

Okay...back to Grandma's visit.....

Aaron's mom arrived last week not only to meet her newest grandson but to continue a little tradition we started last year with her visiting at Easter. From the moment she laid her hands on Cannon, my life got a little easier.

My boss has graciously let me do some work from home so that is exactly what I did when Bonnie arrived. I even went into the office a couple of times which helped me get out of the house and have a break. As every new mom can understand those times away from your child, even if it is for only a short period of time, can be very hard. I found myself continuously looking at my watch and thinking to myself, what is Cannon doing right now. I can pretty much guess what he does since he is on a good schedule and he was in very good hand but still it was hard for me to relax being away from him.

Thank you Grandma for coming to visit and for loving Cannon with all your heart!!

Cannon catching Grandma texting her friend

A Visit from Aunt Anne

My sister Anne and niece Brena came to visit Cannon for the day while Brena was on spring break. They live in Florida about 5 hours away so it was very special to us that they came to visit. The weather was horrible that day and night so we sat eating pizza and talking about the best subject of all....family.

As children, Anne and I have wonderful memories of our great-grandparents and grandparents. They spoiled us rotten (like grandparents are suppose to do) and we love to reminisce about those days now with her children and someday with Cannon. So we told Brena a lot of stories she probably will forget since she is 15 years old and totally into other things besides hearing stories about her relatives. In fact, she was texting with a friend the entire time but she did join in the conversation and seemed to take interest in the stories.

Today I ask God to please hug my Meme & Poppy for me in heaven; strengthen my Mamaw & Papaw and give them healthier days, watch over my Grandma Adams, Grandma Santilli and Grandma Wheat but most of all please continue to bless everyone in our family!!

Hanging Out with Mom On A Rainy Day!

Okay, for as long as I have lived on the east coast now I have never seen it rain for an entire day...NONSTOP! Even hurricane weather doesn't produce an all day rain storm that I have experienced. The forecast called for 100% chance of rain and that is exactly what we got! So, Cannon and I definitely took advantage of the not so good weather and hung out for the day at home.

Cannon has started wanting to be propped up after he eats so he can look around. I always try to face him towards a direction with light so it will draw his attention to it. Sometimes that light is the large tv in front of him so we have to re-adjust and get his sensitive eyes away.

Now that we are approaching the 6 week milestone, it is getting a little (I emphasis little) easier to handle Cannon. He is not that delicate newborn anymore so I feel as if he isn't going to slip through my hands as much now as when he was born. He is starting to control his head more and is getting a lot more upper body strength........my baby is growing up right in front of my eyes and it makes me sad!!!!!! He use to be this tiny baby in the center of his crib but now when I go into his room in the morning to get him up, he has scooted from one end of the crib to the other.

I really am understanding now just how true all the parents were who told me this was going to happen.....children really do grow up too fast!!

The Good, The Bad & The FUSSY!

The Good...
Waking up everyday and knowing I am Cannon's mommy! I can remember after getting married to Aaron how having the new title of wife was a little weird to me and my vocabulary. I would reference being his wife in conversations then I would have to let the word really sink into my mind. The same is happening with my newest role...mommy. Again, it's those big blue eyes of Cannon's that look at me and I have to stop and say to myself, this really is MY life!

The Bad...
Saturday nights weather!! Holy Moly!! Aaron swears he should have been a meteorologist since they were predicting a lot of rain for most of Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Well....Thursday and Friday came and went with a couple of drops (so Aaron thinks they just lie) but Saturday night was tense. Severe weather and tornado warnings for hours, the sounds of thunder and flashes of lighting that had me thinking of getting into the "safe" room in the house. Since moving from Texas, I can always prepare for weather like this because whatever Dallas gets, we get it here in South Carolina days later but still this was some wild weather.

The Fussy...
Cannon's runny nose has made for a rough week last week, the weekend and so far this week. He was fussy everyday, sometimes for hours at a time which can make any new parent second guess their parenting abilities. Aaron and I would take turns trying to calm him down and sometimes we would just have to let the fussiness run it's course until Cannon couldn't take anymore and fall asleep...HARD!

To me I have been in control of things for so long in my life only for a child to enter my world to teach me that I really can't always be in control. If I was sick I would either take time out to get myself healthier or push through it. It's just not the case with Cannon. He is a newborn child and has to be attended to in ways that make me have to slow down. These times are helping me see the true value of what I thought was important in life and sitting with my fussy 5 week old son for what can be hours rocking him and calming him makes me stop in my tracks and feel grateful I have moments like these with him. Having control or seeming to be "in control" isn't always healthy! Feel better soon my precious child!

Cannon exhusted after his fussiness

Just Chillin...

When I was registering for baby items, I was overwhelmed by how many things you could buy for a new baby. I tried to be most practical in my selections since I knew Cannon could only experience so much in a little amount of time plus Kathi was so kind to give us some things that Abby wasn't using anymore. The one selection I did make was to get a bouncer and as you can see Cannon enjoys hanging out and looking at the monkey. He will be so surprised one day when he realizes that there is actually a lion and hippo too for his viewing pleasure but for some reason every time we put him in it he gravitates to that monkey!

Aaron and I already talk of how exciting it will be to take him up to Atlanta to visit the zoo and aquarium one day but until then, enjoy that monkey sweet Cannon!

Bath Time!

Yesterday's bath again became apparent just how much Cannon is growing. He was much more relaxed and seemed to enjoy the warm water a lot more this time than in the past. BUT, he still doesn't like getting his hair wet so daddy had to be fast with the camera.

And thank you Nannie & Papa for sending Cannon his cozy and warm hooded bath towel. I love wrapping him up all in it and just seeing his sweet face poke out of the hood.

Let me sleep Mom!

Last Friday we spent a couple hours in the afternoon out visiting with my coworkers and having a going away get together for Cristin. Cannon had been so good but was long overdue for his nap.

Grandma sent Cannon this cute outfit that actually fit him! He is still on the smaller side so a lot of his clothes are nice and neatly folded in his dresser. Before I changed him I wanted to get a picture of him in his outfit (and without the paci) and as you can see he wanted nothing to do with the paparazzi.....he just wanted to sleep!

I agree with you Cannon, afternoon naps are the best and I'm going to miss having them with you when I go back to work! Sweet dreams sweet boy!

First Month of Life!

As I was up in the middle of the night feeding, the clocked revealed Cannon was now a month old. Already?? How could this be?? I look at him and say to myself that everyone who told me the time would fly by....... was RIGHT!! For nine months I was told from friends, family, and total strangers that the life of your children will flash before you so take in every moment. That is by far the most true statement anyone has ever said to me.

This morning I captured some photos and as I look at them I do see so many changes in Cannon. The biggest change and most exciting is when those big blue eyes (verdict is still out if they will stay blue?) look my way, they are really looking at me, Cannon's mom. And when he hears Aaron's voice, his head turns towards that direction. This is when my heart melts!

Yes we are first time parents but this is our time and we are soaking it all up moment by moment. We are so grateful for Cannon's life and still thanking God for this wonderful blessing in our lives. My prayer today is that God will continue to bless not only Aaron and I as parents but all parents!

Let March Madness begin!

Go Texas Longhorns!!

Go Maryland Terrapins!!

Happy St. Patty's Day!

Cannon sported his green today in celebration of St. Patrick's Day.

May this Irish Blessing be upon you today and everyday....

May the road rise to meet you,May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

The rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

May God be with you and bless you:

May you see your children's children.

May you be poor in misfortune, Rich in blessings.

May you know nothing but happiness from this day forward.

May the road rise up to meet you

May the wind be always at your back

May the warm rays of sun fall upon your home

And may the hand of a friend always be near.

May green be the grass you walk on,

May blue be the skies above you,

May pure be the joys that surround you,

May true be the hearts that love you.

Formula really does do a body good!!

After six doctors visits and a ½ of can of formula, I'm happy to report that Cannon has gained 12 ounces in one week.

I was committed not to use formula until Cannon went to daycare but when you see your child not gaining weight doctor visit after doctor visit, my commitment had to change.

Cannon is becoming more aware of his surroundings and enjoying longer hours of sleep at night (so is mommy!) since we starting supplementing with formula.

I'm so grateful for all the wonderful staff at the doctor's office and to Heidi who had become our biggest "weight gain" fan!

A Father & His Son

Being home with Cannon brings us a lot of moments together to bond but when I see Aaron having those moments, it melts my heart.

To Aaron, I say this....

When we married, I saw you as perfect,
The ideal husband and more;
I thought I knew all about you,
All the things to love and adore.

But when you became a father,
I saw new qualities to treasure.
You enrich all our lives in fresh ways;
As a dad, you bring so much pleasure.

Our child is forever blessed to have a father like you,
And I love you more than ever,
You’re the best man I ever knew.

Happy Birthday to Mommy!

Yes, I got to add another digit to my age. This birthday wasn't a big deal to me but my early birthday gift was.....the birth of my sweet baby boy!

Aaron brought home lots of gifts and flowers from him & Cannon which was a total surprise. I got a lot of wonderful emails, calls & Facebook messages from family & friends which put a smile on my face but the best part of my birthday was enjoying our very first family dinner out.

Aaron and I had agreed that it was something we were going to try and if Cannon had other plans for us to stay at home then we would accept that; however, Cannon was a saint and didn't make a peep the entire time.

It's a nice day for a walk

On Sunday we couldn't help but dust off our shoes and go for a walk. Aaron put together the jogging stroller accessory that held the baby seat and we were off!

Cannon sometimes got the sun in his eyes which made us pull down all the shades on him. Then when the sun wasn't taking a direct hit on him, we opened up the shades and let him take in the breeze and nice weather.

It won't be long until the weather takes us to the beach.....I can't wait!!

Formula is good stuff!!

From the last post you can see that Cannon was given strict instructions from the doctor to gain weight which made for formula to become part of his feedings.

I'm happy to report a 7 ounce weight gain for Mr. Cannon!! YEAH!!!

We can't completely celebrate just yet as it only gets him up to 6lbs 2oz so we are still using formula to get back up to his birth weigh which was 6lbs 5oz.

As you can see from the photo, Cannon is digging the formula. It makes him "chill out" enough to hangout with us for a while and take in the sights around him.......then it totally puts him to sleep for HOURS! We both have been getting some good long periods of sleep since formula came into our lives.

I'm not getting fat!!

As adults, we don't like to hear anyone suggest us to get fatter; however, Cannon got just that news today from the doctor. As with most babies, they lose weight when they are first born and it's us moms who feed, feed, feed to try and get the weight put back on. Well, the weight gain for Cannon is going at a snail's pace so I was told to supplement with formula a couple times a day.

Tonight was his first bottle and Aaron took the honors. He, both Aaron & Cannon, did great!

I'm very proud of the boys I have. Aaron has been so supportive in my new role as mommy and Cannon has made me just as proud to call him my son. There is a lot of love flowing in our house and the blessings seem to keep on coming.

Tired?

Well, Cannon might be tired and sound asleep but I can't get enough of going to the edge of his crib and looking at this sweet baby boy of mine. He looks so peaceful and when he sleeps in my arms, I get to see his facial expressions. Cannon is starting to smile a lot in his dreams and I believe it is when he finds that place where Sadie Mae is and they then get to hang out. Sadie would have loved this child and keep watch over him if she was still with us.

So, sleep tight my precious son and if you are in that place with Sadie Mae, have fun!

Priceless!

Need I say more?

Little Baby Goes Poop......all night long!

It's not the favorite part of being a new mom but it is what it is.......poop!

All newborns need to have those nice poopy diapers to kick start their system. Well, I think Cannon's system is in first gear now. Aaron experienced the very first poopy diaper at the hospital and surrendered his rights to change him and it seems he got another free pass when he was at work and Cannon decided to have his first BLOWOUT!

With this blowout came the discovery of just how good a set of lungs can be on a week old baby. I'm sure if Cannon could speak he would ask what took so damn long for me to change him and get him redressed. I'm still perfecting the changing of clothes on a newborn, it seriously does take me forever because I'm afraid I'm going to break his arms trying to get them in his clothes.

Once again, it's these very small things in my new son's life that I will come to miss when I have to look back in the years to come.

To all parents around the world who have come before me in changing poopy diapers.....I am now officially part of your elite group!

Welcome to the World!

Cannon arrived Saturday, February 21, 2009 at 3:36am

STATS:

Weight - 6lbs 5oz

Length - 20½

Ten fingers

Ten toes

Hair that is already overdue for a cut

Lungs that will wake you up

Eyes as big as Texas!

I must give God all credit in the birth of our new son. He gave us the perfect love in Cannon. We never imagined how much joy this little one would bring to two people, as well as to so many others who have prayed for this blessing in our lives.

From the bottom our mine and Aaron's heart, we thank our family and friends who have truly prayed for Cannon, then supported us while we awaited for his arrival.

Until my next posting I send out this advice......stop and thank God for the blessings in your life, large and small, they are what makes life worth the ride!

Proud Mommy!

Proud Daddy!

Only hours old

Signs of whats to come.....LOTS of sleep

See...I told you!

Leaving the hospital.....as a family!!

My first car ride

Awww....my crib!

Hanging out in my pack & play and enjoying the sunshine

Thank you Town of Bluffton, Grandma Wheat

and Laura & Alexa!

FEET!

Going to my first doctors appointment

It's getting close to "B" day

That would be BIRTH day for sweet baby Cannon! Only 3 more weeks.

We feel as if we are ready. The crib is done, diapers are bought, bags are packed and I feel as if I couldn't get any larger at this point.....but they tell me I can!!

Cannon, you are so very loved by so many people. Last week, the Planning Department threw mommy another shower and they gave you so many great things. Cristin is really getting into making sure mommy has just the right things for you so she has been a GREAT help in preparing for your arrival. Even today mommy got a cute outfit from Kim at work and I can't wait to put it on you and hold you.

THANK YOU Town of Bluffton for loving & supporting me and Cannon. I can't wait for everyone to meet my baby boy!

Look at you grow!

Cannon is taking full advantage of these last weeks to grow big and strong. It truly feels like he is practicing for a soccer match or is it his left hand winding up to pitch at his baseball game......that's what daddy wants to believe atleast.

Only 5 more weeks until we meet face to face with you Cannon. So many prayers have been said for you and in just a short while, they will all come true!

Until we see you, sleep tight and keep warm! We love you!!!

Your new sleeping quarters

As much as mommy loves to have you tucked away in her belly where you are safe and sound, you are going to need a bigger place very soon to grow more and stretch out. Well.....daddy finished your crib today and we can't wait for you to be here and enjoy your new sleeping quarters.

You were showered

Today mommy went to a baby shower in your honor Cannon!

So many of mommy's friends came and gave you wonderful gifts. From toys to cute outfits and even a Radio Flyer wagon. You are so loved and everyone can't wait to meet you!

Thank you Danielle, Gina, Melissa, Reilly and Isabella for all you did for Cannon!

Cannon doesn't like late night meetings!

Tonight as I sat in a meeting until 8:00pm at work, Cannon continuously let me know just how much he didn't want me sitting there but wanted me home. I honestly think with the cold weather he was making snow angels in my belly. My coworker sitting beside me kept laughing because she could see Cannon having so much fun.

This might have been uncomfortable at times but it brings a smile to my face everytime I think about the day my son will be in my arms instead of in my belly.

Only 7 more weeks to go!