Too early for rugby?

I have strong aspirations to follow in my daddy's footsteps... But it might be too early. :)

Thanks Auntie Martha for my jersey!

Welcome James Hunter Larson!

Well he has finally arrived... the new love of our lives....

Introducing

James Hunter Larson

Born: April 21, 2011

Time: 8:54 a.m.

Weight: 7 pounds, 11 ounces

Length: 20 inches

He is named after his daddy and both his grandfathers, and is already such a huge joy to our lives. (The above picture was taken at 4 days old at the doctor's office awaiting his first check up... Jimmy's holding him and he is loving on his lovey... so sweet!)

Here are just a few pictures of our little love bug...

Seconds old...

Proud Papa and his son, just minutes old:

My sweet boy trying to figure all of us out:

Daddy and son snuggling on James' birthday:

James and I after his hospital photo-shoot :)

All snuggled up, and ready to see his new home:

As for me I'm figuring out this new motherhood thing one day at a time... but I got to tell you - it is MUCH easier when you have an amazing mom. My mom has been with us since we got home on Saturday, and she has really been spoiling me/us.

... my dad's favorite picture of James so far happens to be this one, below... This was our welcoming home committee on Saturday (4/23/11 - his actual due date)....

(We had a new roof put on the house on Saturday... Well it was suppose to be put on on Friday, while we were at the hospital, but it rained so.... this is who welcomed us home on Saturday - haha....)

(James, I'm sorry your family is so strange.... but I like to think we are a fun one!)

Our little family on Easter:

 More pics and posts to come... Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, messages, phone calls, emails etc over the past few days. I am so thankful for the amazing support we have recieved and I feel blessed that James is already so loved!

Is this what you're waiting on??

... little man? Did you want your nursery all finished before you arrive? Okay, well... it's done. Come on out now!

After some major frustrations with Buy Buy Baby and their mishap with paper work... our glider (that was supposed to arrive early March) arrived yesterday! Whoo hoo! So we were finally able to get that in, and hang the last few shelves... So the room is all ready - minus some picture frames that need sweet Baby Boy's smiling face in them.

Here are some pics:

The glider that was well worth the wait (so comfy!):

See all his books from our book shower?

Yes I made his little bulletin board from a cardboard box and left over fabric... Just call me Martha Stewart :) (and don't zoom in too close... haha)

Here is his little bed... Once we decide what his name will be, we're going to put his monogram above the crib in baby blue... The picture frames are empty, and will soon have his adorable face in them!

More crib / books:

This picture was taken the night of the PPParty... when we got home since we figured "it" was happening.... *HEAVY SIGH* (exactly 39 weeks...)

 

Proud papa in his PP's (plaid and pastel):

We're as ready as we'll ever be Baby Larson...  Come out and meet your family! :)

Almost Forgot to Mention....

So this morning I posted about how this baby is never going to come, BUT I forgot to mention we had a little excitement Saturday night! We really thought we were going to have a baby then (4/16/2011).

It started out at my parents' loft... we were supposed to have a birthday celebration for my Grandmother, but since she wasn't feeling well, we all got together at my parents (since the food was made and our calendars were clear). I started feeling a little Braxton Hicks, nothing out of the ordinary, but they were a little stronger than normal. But I kept it to myself, I didn't want everyone getting all excited over nothing....

Then it was off to the 2nd get together of the night. Carrie was hosting a PPParty (Plaid & Pastel Party) in honor of spring/Easter/fun/etc. We were there for about 30 minutes and we started to realize the Braxton Hicks were coming a little more frequently, and a little stronger... They were coming around 20 minutes apart (more or less). After about an hour and a half at the party -- I looked at Jimmy and told him I was having another one, and he said, "I think it's time to go.... just in case."

So we left the party, and we started talking about "what if this is it" -- and Jimmy joked that we should put on the movie Knocked Up just to help us pass the time if it was truly in fact "it."

Well we get home and what do we find? Little Miss Priss, aka Sadie, had destroyed a pillow. She hasn't done this in MONTHS and Jimmy and I both looked at each other and said, "She senses something!" So more signs were pointing toward baby's arrival. Then I lay down on the couch, get comfy and turn on the TV, and what is on? Knocked Up. The movie was on cable. No lie.

Jimmy and I started to get a little nervous at that point... Well I think Jimmy was just excited, I was the one getting nervous (because I haven't really thought about labor. I've been more focused on the end result rather than the whole process).

So then around 10:30 p.m. we decide to get in bed and wait and see.... Well, we woke up the next morning with no baby. Aw man! So close...

What's the saying... We Make Plans and the Good Lord Laughs at Us?

Soooo for those of you who read it, know my prediction for Baby Boy's arrival has come and gone (click here to read). Bah-humbug. I thought for sure the combination of the full moon, along with the fact that yesterday was my grandmother's, sister-in-law's and mother-in-law's birthday would bring sweet Baby Boy into this world... but nope. He's still all cozied up in mommy's belly. Ugh.

However, we know there has been progress. On Friday we went for our weekly check up (I was a day away from 39 weeks) and I was 2 cm dilated and "progressing nicely"... but obviously not fast enough for my liking ;-).

My new prediction? I'm going to have to be induced after my due date. Jimbo's still saying 4-21, and he's guessing 8 pounds 4 ounces. Some other family guesses are 8 pounds (Joy), 8 pounds 6 ounces (Gigi), 8 pounds 4 ounces (Hunter).... I'm just hoping for a healthy, good size little boy... and SOON! Mommy and daddy are ready to hold you already little man! :)

Happy (Belated) Birthday Zan, the Man!

So I'm a terrible aunt in that this post is well after his birthday (April 7), AND I didn't even make it to his birthday party, but alas... here is my birthday shout out to my favorite 2 year-old nephew, Zan! :)

When Jimmy and I called to wish him a happy birthday last week he kept saying, "Birfdayyyy.... TWO!.... Birfdayyyyyy.... TWO!" What a smart boy! Although Tricia told me that apparently he started the day telling everyone he is three - haha, what a cutie.

Zan, I can't believe it has been OVER two years ago since you were born... Jimmy likes to joke that the only day you were "small" was the day you were born :)

You were such a sweet, cuddly baby and we all were so excited to hold you!

I still remember Big Brother Hamilton checking you out with his doctor's kit. He had to make sure the blood pressure in those toes were okay! :)

You've gotten so big, with so much personality... .

It's so much fun watching you grow into a big boy.

We love you Mr. Zan the Man! :)

I can't wait for you to show your baby boy cousin how to be so sweet!

Video of My Future Son

Soooo here is a video of the moves our future son will have... Enjoy :)

PS-He practices every morning around 4:00 a.m.

ONE

So my count down for Baby Boy Larson has been a count down of Mondays. How many more Mondays do I have left? After today that number is ONE.

Jimbo's count down for Baby Boy Larson has been a count down of paychecks (typical of my accountant hubby). How many more paychecks do we have until he arrives? ONE.

Ahhh - we're so close. I hope the day comes sooner rather than later. Then again, I keep getting warned, "Be careful what you wish for...."

But I can honestly say I'm just ready. I've read all the books, online articles, talked to my friends/family with kids. I'm ready to do this already! :)

37.5 Week Check Up

Don't laugh at my "0.5" added on to my 37 weeks... Every little bit brings me that much closer to April 23! :)

We just left the doctor's office and everything looks great. Unfortunately it doesn't look like I'm dilated at all, but we confirmed with an ultrasound that Baby Boy is head down and in position. The reason we had the ultrasound was the Doc wasn't 100% positive he was head down.

I was hoping the ultrasound tech would give us a little more than just a shot of his head (i.e. how much he is weighing, let us stare at our little bambino, etc....) but... she didn't seem to be in the best of moods. (Bah humbug.)

Oh well, at least we got to see him, hear his strong heart and know he is in position to come out and meet his family!

March Weekend(s) Recap!

So we've been ooberly busy, but wanted to share some fun stuff we've been doing the past few weekends!

MARCH 4-6, 2011

We had some great friends visit from Nashville, TN! The Kane's, aka Ian and Britnie, came to visit for a quick but fun time. They didn't get to our house until almost 3am Friday night... or should I say Saturday morning (yikes) and they still managed to wake up at the crack of dawn for the Reedy River Run in downtown Greenville! Being the large and in charge preggo women I am, I was the caddy and cheerleader (who did not run).

The weather could have been better, but the threesome braved the weather and had a great time! The below picture was before the race (trying to get out of the rain):

While these hardcore, dedicated citizens ran the 10K I met up with Carrie and her sister at Liquid Highway for something warm and cozy to drink (out of the rain). After we chatted for a bit, we raced to the finish line to cheer on the runners. This pic was after the run... GREAT JOB GUYS!

We spent the rest of the weekend just being lazy and catching up because it felt like forever since we'd all four hung out. It was a great time and I can't wait to go visit them in TN!

MARCH  11-13, 2011

Although I didn't get any pics OF the event, my family threw a party for Mary Sims and Thomas to celebrate their upcoming nuptials! Here is a pic of the "spread" -- it was a great time!!

MARCH 18-20, 2011

My fabulous aunt, Gigi, hosted a Couples Shower for Jimmy and I to "shower" Baby Boy with lots of books to add to his little library... Well, little no more. He has a ton of books and here are just a few of the pics from the night. It was so much fun, and we are so thankful to all of our friends and family who made the night so special! (Baby Boy also really appreciates the books!)

We didn't leave until after 12am, which is WAY passed this girl's bedtime, so we waited until the next day to see what books Baby Boy got... Below is a picture of me opening our loot! Baby Boy is going to have PLENTY of books to last him a long time! :) PS-Notice Sadie's new favorite spot. Mom isn't so impressed that I allow her up there... oh well! :)

MARCH 25-27, 2011

We headed to A-town for another little fiesta for MS and Thomas, which was a great time. I, unfortunately, left the camera at home, but it was a great time catching up with old friends! Steeplechase was the same weekend, but I decided to NOT be a trooper and to sit this one out. I didn't really feel like squeezing into a sundress and waddling around. There's always next year though!

APRIL 2011

So... as you can tell we had quite the busy March. Now that it is April and I'm exactly three weeks away from Boo-boo head's arrival, it's time to take it easy.

Although the majority of my family (including Jimbo) is in Charleston for the Cooper River Bridge Run this weekend, I'm having a pretty enjoyable weekend myself. Yesterday I took advantage of my prenatal massage my awesome girlfriends got for me.... which was spppaaaaaaa-aaaamazing! Mom and I had a wonderful meal of lobsters (yummm). Today Mom and I went for pedicures and now I'm just relaxing.

From what I hear this will be the last time I have to do so -- so I'm enjoying it! :)

For those friends and family out of town, here are a couple 37 week belly shots in the nursery: