Meet McCarthy!

Long Overdue (the blog, not the baby)...

It's been so long and sooooo much has changed since the last time I posted an update, I don't even know where to begin!  And it is very funny to me that it has actually taken me over a week to get this finished.  I plan to continue updating this blog on a regular basis (hopefully more often that once a month) because it's really the easiest way for me to document our life with Mac. 
We welcomed James McCarthy Huntley on Friday, September 30th at 11:59pm.  He was born at Baptist Medical Center South in Jacksonville.  I was induced that morning.  Ryan and I left our house around 5:30 that morning.  It was really a crazy feeling knowing that the next time we came home we would have our baby!  Our last picture at home as a family of 3 (Charlie got in on the pic).

Mac's Birthday

Warning...this may have TMI.  I really don't think it will, but I have lost any sense of modesty and privacy in the last 18 28 days.  So, Kinsley, consider yourself warned.

We got to the hospital and I was admitted around 6am.  I think Ryan and I were both pretty nervous since we had absolutely no idea what to expect.  Two nurses were there to get all the monitors, the IV, etc. all set up.  I have to say every single nurse we had was AMAZING.  After they left and we were just waiting for our parents and Dr. Brock to get there...and Ryan was googling "elective inductions" to see if our insurance would pay for it.  Ha!  We found out that morning that I was having an "elective" induction...I guess that's why I didn't really know why I was being induced before my due date.  And let me tell you, I would do it that way again...in a heartbeat!  The nurse checked me around 9am and I was still only dilated to 1cm.  Dr. Brock came in around 10am and said that we would start with Cytotek (a pill inserted near my cervix...I had never heard of it before).  I had to lay almost flat for 2 hours.  At noon Ryan and Mrs. Huntley noticed that I was having contractions.  I didn't even know, they just noticed it on the monitor.  Then, for the next 2 hours I had to walk around.  I started really feeling the contractions while I was up walking around.

Around 2pm the nurse came in to check me again (at that point I was reallllly, realllllly feeling the contractions :)...still 1 cm.  I was frustrated because the nurse and Dr. Brock had told me that if I hadn't dilated anymore they would try the Cytotek one more time.  (Which meant that it would have to be another 4 hours before they could start the Pitocin).  But, my contractions were lasting so long with very little time between them they decided to go ahead and start the pitocin.  At this point I was in lots of pain!  The contractions were lasting at least 2 minutes and I had about 90 seconds of relief between them.  The nurse said I could get the epidural at any time...all I needed was to be in pain...and I was.  I was apprehensive to get it so early (as far as I knew I was still only 1cm).  She assured me that the epidural would not slow the labor down and that I would still be numb regardless of how long it took me to have the baby.  So, I got the epidural around 4:30.  ahhhhhhh.  From here, I kinda lose track of time (everything I previously typed I had sent in a text message, ha!)...I was feeling pretty good!  The next time I was checked, I was dilated 6 or 7 cm...or maybe I was 4, I can't remember.  They turned off the pitocin to let me progress on my own.  Dr. Brock was going out for dinner and told the nurse she would need 15 minutes to make it back.  A couple of times the baby's heart rate would drop and I had to get oxygen...

Brad and Lindsey and Jason and Stephanie dropped in for a visit.  They left to wait it out at our house (and let Charlie out).  Shortly after they left, Mama and Daddy and Mr. and Mrs. Huntley left to grab a quick dinner at Zaxby's.  They weren't gone long when I found out I was at 9cm.  We waited a little bit, then called to let them know since I seemed to be progressing pretty quickly at this point.  I told Ryan that I would hate for them to have spent the entire day at the hospital and then not be there when our baby was born.  Not long after everyone got back to the hospital (and then went to the waiting room) I started "practice pushing" (after I had an epidural bolus...or 2).  I literally could not feel a thing.  nothing.  I had been "practice pushing" for about 45 minutes. During this time another nurse came in to set the room up for delivery.  I had decided that I must not be pushing very well since I was having to practice so much.  Next thing I know, the nurse called for everyone to come in for me to deliver.  When I saw Dr. Brock walk in, I thought--holy crap, I'm about to have a baby! It was crazy and nothing like I was expecting.  Ryan asked Dr. Brock if the baby would be born in September or October (it was around 11:50 when she got there).  One of the nurses (jokingly) said we need to deliver this baby in September since September 30 is the age cutoff date for a lot of sports and school.  And that was exactly what happened.  McCarthy was born at 11:59 pm!  The whole process what crazy and not at all like I was expecting. 

James McCarthy Huntley was born September 30, 2011 at 11:59 pm.  He weighed 7 lbs., 4 oz. and was 20 3/4 inches long.  He is PERFECT!  It was incredible! And it still is!  Mac makes us happier than we could ever have imagined.  We are so blessed.

Here are a few more pictures from the hospital:

Everyone meeting Mac for the first time--

Mama and Daddy





 Mr. and Mrs. Huntley

Lindsey

Stephanie

Jason

Brad

Ryan giving Mac his 1st bottle.  I'm breastfeeding, but had to supplement with formula because of the hematoma on his head (you can kinda see it in the picture).  The pediatrician was concerned that as the bump goes down, his bilirubin would increase.  He only had 1 pee diaper in a little over 24 hours, so the decision was made to give him some formula (in addition to the breast milk).

 McCarthy his in "going home outfit"...tie-dyed by Kinsley. 

Strapped in and ready to go!

Leaving the hospital

Ryan, Mac and Charlie settling in at home!

More pictures to come...We came home on Monday, October 3rd.  Mama and Daddy stayed with us for the rest of the week, but made a quick trip (ha!!) back to Iuka for homecoming at the high school (Kinsley was on the Homecoming Court).  Brooke and Josh flew in on Friday and Mama and Daddy, Beebs, Nikki, Nate and Kinsley came in on Saturday/Sunday to meet Mac. 

To all my friends and family that are having babies...just wait, it is WONDERFUL!

Ok For Real...Any Day Now!!

39 Weeks!

It's official! If I don't go into labor before Friday, I'll be induced.  I'm so scared and so excited and so nervous and so thrilled...every emotion imaginable, all at the same time!!  Ryan is soooo excited, too!  We had a doctor appointment today.  I am dilated to 1 cm and very thin.  I have a lot of swelling in my feet, especially my right foot (she says from the position of the baby) and my blood pressure was high...according to the nurse..."not freak out high, just a little high."  The swelling in my feet really got worse last week while I was in Orlando and the swelling just hasn't gone down.  My hands are kinda swollen, too.  I got a "pregnancy wedding band" from Moore's Jewelry when we were in Iuka during the summer.  At the time it was big and just barely stayed on my hand, now I have an indention from it.  I'm planning on having it engraved with the baby's name and birth date and will keep it for him or her. 

We have been busy this past week just trying to get last minute things ready.  We got the bases for the car seats installed in our cars.  It was quite a process and soooo glad we went to Safe Kids for the installation.  They covered everything...they installed one base and then Ryan installed the other so they could see if he did it properly.  It was a lot more difficult than I was expecting it to be.  I can't wait to see how cute the baby looks in the car seat!  We have our bags packed for the hospital...well, we have the baby's bag packed, my bag packed and Ryan says he knows what he will throw in his bag.  We now have the Pack'n Play, swing and bouncer set up and waiting for a baby.  Some clothes, towels, wash cloths, burp cloths and blankets are washed and ready, too.  I'm sure there are other things that I'm forgetting...if you think of something important I may have forgotten PLEASE let me know!! We didn't do such a great job on our "trial run"--the trip to Orlando.  We planned to bring everything we would need at the hospital, but forgot EVERYTHING we had packed for the baby. HA! 

Here are a few pictures from the baby's room.  These pictures may not post very well because they are from my iPhone.  These were taken a couple of weeks ago, so it actually looks a little different now.  I know the walls look really bare, but we are hoping to make it a little more gender specific after the baby arrives.  The car seat is actually in the car now.  We got this super cute little "diaper buggy" (think diaper cake, but it's a baby buggy) that is sitting on the little bookshelf now.  Most of the furniture in the room came from Ikea. In this picture the curtains, bookshelf and baskets are from Ikea.  We got the rug at West Elm.  Luckily we had the walls painted this color when we moved it, so we didn't do any painting. 

We decided just to use the dresser (from Ikea) as the changing table.  We got the paddle with hooks on it from Town & Country in Iuka.

We (my parents, actually) have a chair ordered from Circle K Furniture here in Jacksonville that will go here.  It's a brown upholstered swivel glider/rocker.  It was so comfortable in the store, can't wait until it comes in.  The night stand is from Ikea.

Ok Healthy Families people, before you freak out.  All stuffed animals, bumper pads, boppy pillow, blankets, etc. will be removed from the bed before the baby goes in.  I've had to review enough child deaths to know that safe sleep is no joke...not pushing my opinion on anyone else...but, I'm telling you, having to review 1 file where a baby dies due to unsafe sleeping conditions is enough for me. And, unfortunately, I've had to review way more than 1.  Ok, I'm done.  That's your Public Service Announcement for the day! :)

April Shea is doing a painting of the baby's name on a canvas to go above the crib.  She is soooo talented I can't wait to get it!  We got the crib bedding from Pottery Barn.  We really wanted something very plain, without any kind of pattern (and this is definitely very plain) and we (Mr. and Mrs. Huntley, actually) got the crib at Pottery Barn. 

Thankfully, the room is big enough for us to keep a bed in there...considering my family travels from Iuka as Ryan says in a pack, I don't think we would be able to make it if we lost a bed!  I say they travel as a circus...and after all the stories they have from the trips (think wart flying off the top of the minivan and their clothes all over the 4-lane--before they even get to Cherokee...the passenger side door not opening so my grandfather having to crawl out the driver's side...Kinsley texting me quotes from MawMaw and PawPaw--none of which I will repeat!) I think my description is better!! HA!!  One of the yellow pillow cases is missing (I left it with April so she could match the color for the painting).  We got this bedding from West Elm, I think we got the headboard there, too (but we got it right after we got married).  The star fish wall art was a little DIY craft project that Ryan and I did (thank you, Pinterest).  Actually Ryan did it all (cut the bead board, sanded, painted, etc).  I just hot glued the star fish on and all but 1 has fallen off, so I'm thinking he's a better crafter

Due Date: October 4, 2011 October 3, 2011 (I've been wrong since our 18 week ultra sound!)
Size of the baby: Baby Huntley (according to my book) is almost 7.5 pounds and total length is about 21 inches.
Weight gain/loss: Last week at my doctor appointment I lost a pound. So, I was at 35 pounds total.  Today at the appointment I had gained 3 pounds. Putting my grand total at 38 pounds.  I was hoping to stay under 35 pounds, but I didn't.  I celebrated after the appointment with a Big Hot Ham and Cheese Combo from Hardees--this is without a doubt one of my top 5 FAVORITE foods.  I'm serious and I won't be having another for a lonnnnnnng time.  If you haven't had a ham and cheese from Hardee's, you are missing out!!! Oh, and I got a some kind of cinnamon doughnut from Krispy Kreme, too.  Yeah, so I may be over the 40 pound mark now. :)
Maternity clothes:  Everything is maternity and very little still fits.  MY STOMACH IS HUGE. 
Gender: We will soon find out!
Movement: The baby is still moving a pretty good bit. I hoping this means the baby still has room to move and the size of my stomach is due to hot ham and cheeses and not the size of the baby!!! HA!
Sleep: I'm still sleeping good.  I've been very lucky with sleep.  I get up several times to go to the bathroom, but I'm able to go right back to sleep. 
What I miss:  Bending. Shaving my legs in the shower.  Not having to roll myself out of the bed or off the couch. 
Cravings: We still eat at Picasso's a lot (actually we ate there again tonight). I've been eating a lot of sweets lately, too.
Symptoms:  Heart burn, swollen feet and ankles, weight gain, etc.
Best moment of the week: Finding out that Friday is the big day!  I realllly can't believe it is here already!!  This time next week we should be home loving on our sweet little baby Huntley!!! WE CAN'T WAIT!!!

Thanks everyone for all your sweet comments, text messages, emails, thoughts, prayers, etc. throughout the pregnancy.  I can't even begin to tell you how blessed Ryan and I feel to have so many people so supportive and so excited for us.  I promise that we do not take it for granted.  We have definitely been blessed far more than we deserve and we thank the Lord for it all the time.  This is such a special time for us and all of you make it that much more special! 

Please continue to keep us in your prayers.  Please pray for an easy, quick! (but not too quick!!) and safe labor and delivery.  Please pray that Baby Huntley is as healthy as he or she can be.  And please pray that Ryan and I are the kind of parents to our baby that ours were to us! 

Any Day Now (at least that's what I like to think)!

Hi everyone!  Hope all is well!  We are doing great.  I'm 38 weeks today and getting SO nervous and excited and every other emotion imaginable!  Didn't Ryan do a great job with his post?!  We've had a great week...and since (hopefully) things will start moving along now I'm going to try to update at least weekly.  Just a warning there may be a little TMI in this post, but you've been warned (Kinsley!)...

We had a doctor appointment on Wednesday, 9/14.  Everything was good.  It was my first "cervix check."  Yowser.  That's all I can say about that.  I was dilated about a "fingertip" (that makes me laugh because I just told Lori Beth about a month or so ago to remind me not to use that term...then, that was EXACTLY what the doctor said when she checked).  No weight change since my previous appointment (thank goodness, since I gained 6 pounds at that one).

On Friday, 9/16, my co-workers surprised me, TOTALLY surprised me, with a baby shower at work.  It was so sweet of them.  They even snuck Ryan in for it.  I have some pictures that co-workers took...but they are at work, I'm at home so I'll have to add them later. 

Saturday, 9/17, our friend, Jamie Holmes, got married.  He and Ryan have played soccer together basically their entire lives.  He even played at Birmingham-Southern with Ryan.  It was such a beautiful wedding in Fernandina and reception at the Rebault Club.  We had a great time and loved getting to catch up with friends from our Birmingham-Southern days.  I don't have any pictures from the wedding.  Dang it, I gotta get better at this picture taking thing. 

I had another doctor appointment today.  I'll be in Orlando for our annual Healthy Families Florida meeting at the end of the week, so she wanted to see me today to clear me to go out of town (Ryan is going, too).  I can't wait to see my friends that I worked with in Tallahassee!  Everything was good with the baby today.  I am still dilated about the same.  She said she was going to go ahead and schedule me to be induced on September 30th, but if I haven't progressed any more by my next appointment (9/26) she will push it back into October.  We can't believe the baby could be here in less than 2 weeks...or maybe a little longer.  We aren't in a rush...we're ready whenever the baby is!! We have an appointment to get our car seat and a base for Ryan's car installed tomorrow, so we will realllly be ready then...except we still haven't packed bags. 

Hope you all have a great week!  I just can't wait to be posting pictures of the baby on here!  Please please say a few prayers for an uneventful delivery and a happy and healthy baby. 

Beth

37 Weeks (Ryan's Perspective)

Hey Everyone!  This week instead of me blogging, Ryan is going to do it...

37 Weeks
Quick synopsis of what's happened since the last post:

• Jacksonville shower - The shower was hosted by my cousin, Julia Lawless.  Beth's parents and my Grandma McCarthy made the trip down.  They helped assemble items from the shower and finish setting up the baby's room.  We are so blessed to have such loving family and friends that have been so generous and just as excited about Baby Huntley as we are.
• We have completed 2 of 3 childbirth classes.  Both classes have been informative and interesting to hear other couple's prospective.  Something new I learned in the class was about the epidural procedure.  It's actually a catheter, not a shot. 
• Interviewed the pediatrician.  I think we got it...one interview=one pediatrician.  Beth and I both really liked her and felt really comfortable with her.
• Tour of the hospital.  This was actually a lot quicker than I thought it would be.  Pretty simple, we toured the waiting rooms, nurses areas, patient rooms (where Beth's going to be the whole time) and the nursery.  One thing we took away from the hospital tour was that babies do not stay in the nursery.  The baby's stay in the room with his/her parents basically the whole time.  I think we only saw 1 baby in the nursery (for circumcision) and all maternity rooms were full.
• Doctor's appointment.  Really not a whole lot happened.  Dr. came in, measured Beth's stomach, listened to the heart beat and told us she will see us next week unless Beth goes into labor before. 

Something Beth hasn't shared with everyone are the names we have picked for the baby. 

Girl:  Mollie Bryant Huntley (after Beth's grandmother, Mollie Darwin, and Bryant is my mother-in-law's maiden name).  My wife is from Mississippi where I think it is the law to have at least 1 child with a double name, so we will call her "Mollie Bryant."

Boy:  James McCarthy Huntley (McCarthy is my mom's maiden name and James after my Grandfather Huntley, Beth's dad, brother and grandfather).  We will call him McCarthy (or Mac).

Due Date: October 4, 2011
Size of the baby: Baby Huntley (according to my book) is almost 6.5 pounds and total length is about 21 inches.
Weight gain/loss: Beth had a doctor's on Thursday (9/8) and had gained 6 pounds since her last appointment (2 weeks ago).  That brings the total to...36 pounds.  I told her she looked like she lost weight. 
Maternity clothes:  She is wears a lot of the same outfits over and over. I guess she has slim pickings.
Gender: Don't know.
Movement:  The baby is moving a lot.  I have actually seen her stomach move when the baby moves.  In the past I had to put my hand on her stomach to feel it.  She told me today that the baby was moving a lot while she was at work. 
Sleep: I would say Beth is sleeping good.  Her snores and groans have increased in the last week.  She is not getting up to go to the bathroom as much, which makes me nervous.  Charlie has moved to my side of the bed due to the lack of room on Beth's side. 
What I miss:  I think she misses a glass of wine every once in a while and being able to bend at the waist.
Cravings: Picasso's, a restaurant by our house. We eat there once or twice a week and she craves anything on the menu.
Symptoms:  Swollen ankles, tired, heart burn, weight gain, grouchiness...just joking
Best moment of the week: Getting together with my parents for family dinner and Beth's parents being there. 
A few pictures from the weekend:

34 weeks!

34 Weeks! (and 2 days). 

First off--HAPPY 38th ANNIVERSARY to Mr. and Mrs. Huntley!    

This is moving soooo quickly!  I am still feeling good, but definitely more uncomfortable.  Luckily most of my discomfort is at night, especially when I get up to go to the bathroom and in the mornings.  I think moving around during the day actually makes me feel better.  I have a lot of pain in my right hip and under my stomach.  It's kinda funny to me because almost every morning (or during the night) I wake up and hobble to the bathroom...hobbling like I can't put pressure on my right leg or my hip will "give out"...and I tell Ryan, geez I feel like Brooke (Gentsch NUNLEY) and Tag (her brother).  If you don't know them, they are both VERY athletic and very tall and have been very hard on their joints.  It takes both of them at least a good hour in the mornings to "get going" and be able to walk without limping.  My ankles and feet have been swollen a couple of nights, but all in all I really can't complain. 

I know I mentioned on an earlier post that we were trying to decided whether or not to go to childbirth classes.  I went to a breastfeeding class last and it was SOOO helpful and I really realized what a HUGE commitment it is.  Makes me nervous.  We enrolled in child birth classes, too.  We start this coming Tuesday and will go each Tuesday for 3 weeks.  Let's see...what else...we are still in limbo about childcare.  Just on waiting lists.  The room is almost finished.  I'll post a picture as soon as it's a little more organized and get a few things hung on the walls.  And I have the baby's coming home outfit, made by his/her Aunt Kinsley...or Auntie Thundercat, as she prefers to be called.  Kinsley made them in a size 0-3 months, so she's going to make a newborn size, too just in case.  I am realllly hoping the baby will need the newborn size!! 

Ryan and I have been trying to do some things that won't be as easy for us to do after the baby comes.  Like...going to the movies on a week night, going to the gym together (don't get excited, I walk at 2.5 mph watching something on Bravo on the treadmill while Ryan actually works out and runs 394873874 miles), staying in bed until 10am one morning (which we NEVER do...and may have been the result of a birthday party the night before), Libby spent the night with us one night and other things like that.

Sooooo, here I am.  34 weeks, 2 days...and I can't believe that I'm going to keep getting bigger!

Due Date: October 4, 2011
Size of the baby: Baby Huntley (according to my book) is almost 5 pounds and total length is about 19.5 inches. 
Weight gain/loss: I had a doctor's appointment today and had gained 5 pounds since my last appointment (3 weeks ago).  The nurse tried to make me feel better by saying that I had an afternoon appointment instead of a morning appointment this time.  HA!  That brings the total to...30 pounds.  Yikes, I have 6 weeks to go!  The doctor also said that my belly is measuring right on target, not too big— (definitely) not too small.
Maternity clothes:  Basically maternity everything.  And I'm quickly outgrowing a lot of my maternity clothes! 
Gender: We won't know until the baby makes his or her grand appearance!  Recently most people have been telling me they think it will be a boy. 
Movement: Still feeling lots of movement!  I just love it.  Ryan and I THINK we may have felt the baby having hiccups last night.  My friend, Madison, is due with twins the same week I am and she described to me what it felt like and that was exactly what we were feeling last night.  At night after dinner the baby is usually really active, so it's great for Ryan to be able to feel and see him/her move!
Sleep: No change.  I'm still sleeping good.  There are fewer positions where I'm comfortable and I get up about 3 or 4 times to go to the bathroom...but, I always go back to sleep very easily.  And I'm still sleeping on my back most of the time.  My doctor assured me today that if it was hurting me or the baby, then I would not be comfortable sleeping that way. 
What I miss:  Ok, this belly is reallllly starting to get in the way.  I really miss just being able to bend over and pick something up.  I have a collection of pens and post-it note pads under my desk that I have absolutely no intention of picking up any time soon.
Cravings: I am back to anything and everything with no nutritional value...blueberry cake donut from Dunkin Donuts, any combo meal from any fast food restaurant (especially hot ham n cheese from Hardees), laffy taffy, sour patch kids...cheesecake, etc.  
Symptoms: HEART BURN (still killing me!). Weight gain, crazy dreams, itchy belly, leg cramps...just general uncomfort. 
Best moment of the week: Definitely both of us getting to feel the baby move!

Someone has started nesting!!!!

And...we took care of our lead paint situation:

We had all of our windows replaced.  I'm sooo happy that we did.

I would be shocked if anyone has actually made it this far!  But I  hope you all have a great week and weekend.  Please keep us in your prayers!!

Less than 2 months left!!

Just a quick update, so I don't forget all this.  It's kinda boring (sorry!). 

31 weeks!!!

Due Date: October 4, 2011
Size of the baby: Baby Huntley (according to my book) is about 3.5 pounds and around 18 inches long, the size of 4 naval oranges.  I had a dr. appointment this week and she said the baby was probably around 2.5 pounds. 
Weight gain/loss: I gained 4 pounds since my last appointment.  That brings the total to...25 pounds.  The doctor also said that my belly is measuring right on target, not too big—not too small.
Maternity clothes:  Ryan and I had to take a little shopping trip to Old Navy to get ole Bethy some new maternity clothes.  And I am sooooo glad that I did!  I just didn't realize how much I was having to squeeze into some of the pants I was wearing.  I am so much more comfortable now!
Gender: We won't know until the baby makes his or her grand appearance!　Most people seem to think the baby will be a girl.  I did a few online gender predictors this week.  According to the Chinese calendar, we have a boy.  Some questionnaire thingy: 53% chance girl, 47% boy.  The baby's heart rate at the appointment was 150-160, I think that is supposed to mean girl.  Can't wait to find out for sure!!! 
Movement: I have been feeling the baby move A LOT in the last 2 weeks.  I love it!!!  Everyone keeps telling me that I will get tired of it.  But, I just don't think I will because I've been wanting to feel it so badly!  I came home from Iuka with a cold a couple of weeks ago and still have a cough.  The doctor said that may be part of the reason the baby has been moving so much...because I'm coughing so much.  I'm kinda thinking I don't want to take anything to get rid of the cough! :)
Sleep: I'm still sleeping good.  I really can't complain. There are fewer positions where I'm comfortable and I get up about 3 or 4 times to go to the bathroom...but, I always go back to sleep very easily.  Knock on wood.
What I miss:  My thighs not rubbing together (I am still missing that!!). 
Cravings: I haven't really been craving anything lately.
Symptoms: HEART BURN. Weight gain, crazy dreams, itchy belly, leg cramps...is having to move your seat  back to get out of the driver's seat a symptom of pregnancy??
Best moment of the week: Definitely both of us getting to feel the baby move! 

I was 30 weeks in this picture: 

This was Ryan at 15 weeks:

Here he is at 30.  Ha!!

Isn't he so much fun and such a good sport?! I'm so lucky! (and yes, we have been in this house for a year and I still need to hang something on the wall!)

Hope yall have a great weekend!  Please keep us in your prayers!

Iuka Showers!

We had a whirlwind of a weekend in Iuka last weekend.  We had 2 showers--one on Saturday at Rebecca Skinner Gray's house and one on Sunday at Mt. Evergreen UMC.  I am so lucky to be from a town like Iuka.  I haven't "lived" there (except for summers while I was in college) in 11 years and when we get to Iuka, it feels like I never left.  Ryan and I drove to Enterprise, AL Thursday night to break up the trip a little.  Ryan's mom, our sister-in-law, Stephanie, and niece, Libby, flew into Birmingham on Friday.  How sweet of them to make the trip to Iuka to be at the showers?! A trip to Iuka is not easy or convenient (especially a quick weekend trip) and we soooo appreciate them going out of their way to be there for us at this special time! Ok, I'm not going to ramble on about the showers.  But, I really want to thank Lori Beth Rhodes, Rebecca Gray, Brooke Gentsch, Lisa Locke, DD Lambert and Paula Moore for everything they did this weekend!  We are so blessed to have friends and family like all of you!

Here are some pictures from the showers--

Sweet messages to baby Huntley

Everyone made a prediction...

Some I appreciate, some I don't!! HA!

Everyone picked napkins according to whether they thought the baby would be a boy or girl...

I picked girl...Nikki picked boy

My aunt, Lisa, Nikki, my grandmother, Beebs, me, Kinsley (she got off work early and was able to stop by) and my Mom

Lori Beth (due Feb. 1st), me (Oct. 4) and Erin (due Dec. 7th)

 I want to say something cheesy about being best friends and sisters.  But, I won't.  Nikki and Rebecca have always told us that Big Sisters rule, little sisters drool.  Looks like the Big Cousins will rule!!!

When we got back to the lake, I had to get everything back out so Ryan could see.  We are soooo blessed!  So much good stuff!  I just cant wait to use it all!

Shower at Mt. Evergreen (there aren't as many pictures here, mainly because I am NOT very photogenic at the moment :)

 Mrs. Huntley was very sweet to get my mother a Grandmother gift. 

 Me, Stephanie, Mrs. Huntley and Libby

I came home and got everything out for Ryan to see :) 

Thank you to everyone! 

And just a few more pictures from the weekend:

Hope everyone has a great week!