In case you are bored...

Here is a link to a video from yesterday.  CRACKS me up-- Cal is playing, cheering, making farting noises with his mouth (remind me later that I found this funny) dancing, and riding his pony/Hank.  The video is about 7 minutes long....so you have to be pretty bored to watch that one....

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And here is a link to the photo shoot that we did in late October with Evolve Studio.  I really like the way some of them came out!  This link will only be active for another week, so if you want to see it, don't wait too long :)
Go to www.evolvestudiophoto.com/ and click on "proofing" and enter my email address: carriewilliamson2@gmail.com.  Let me know what you think!

HoHoHo!!!

Someone is getting excited for Santa to come!

Prenatal Peek

All I want for Christmas is.....to know what this baby is!!! Eddie's mom asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I thought a session to prenatal peek would be so fun. I just want to know the gender of this little one before Christmas (really for no reason at all, I am just curious!)....oh, and I want to hit up some after Christmas sales for some cute holiday outfits for the little one for next year!

So, we booked an appointment for the 9th of December.  I added a poll to the upper right hand corner of the blog.  What do you think?  Will Cal be getting a little brother?  Or a little sister? 

(and on a side note...I am already 15 weeks pregnant....isn't that hard to believe???  With my first pregnancy, I was blogging about everything pregnancy related and reading every book out there.  I have yet to pick up a book this time around.  Isn't that horrible???  Oh well....I guess everything is still "fresh" in my mind...or at least I am telling myself that!)

Gobble Gobble!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year! My parents bid on a rental house in the mountains of Virginia for the long weekend (Tuesday-Saturday!) and it was the perfect spot for all of us.  My brother, his wife, and their two kids came up, and so did Eddie's sister, Carrie.  There was plenty of space for everyone and everything.  This house was ah-mazing!

My mom went into mega planning mode ahead of time and each night had a theme to it and she gave the kids a different gift each night.  My brother and his family will be in Savannah for Christmas this year, so I know she was trying to make it extra special for everyone.

The first night the theme was "Cars and Trucks and Things That Go."

Here is Cal's toy:

 And here is Jackson opening his:

The second night we were there, the theme was 'The Kids Were Nestled All Snug In Their Beds" and each kid got a sleeping bag with their name on it.  Cal LOVED his!  He immediately sat on it and was kissing it non-stop!

Friday night was puzzle night, but I didn't have my camera out for that one :(

We spent a TON of time out on the huge back deck, despite the freezing temps.  The sunsets were amazing each day!

And then, just some fun pictures from the trip

 Playing outside

 Hi Mom!

 Happy Boy!

 With Aunt CB!

 Just making a phone call!

 Sunset with Daddy

 Picking up rocks

 Hats are needed when it's cold out!

 HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I hope you each ate way too much, watched some excellent college football, slept a lot, and took some time to reflect upon all of the things for which you are grateful.  I feel so blessed and beyond thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We are leaving tomorrow for the mountains of Virginia with my family and Eddie's sister, so I wanted to say Happy Thanksgiving to you before we leave!  I hope you each take them time to really reflect upon all of the things for which we have to be thankful.  The past few months have been so eye-opening to me...life is so short.  Make sure to be thankful for what you have...when you have it!

LIVE from New York!

Okay, so not really Live, but you get the point....

One of the highlights from our girls' trip to New York was visiting Regis and Kelly on Wednesday morning.  We got up early and checked in at the studio at 7:45, just as the instructions asked, and waited in a fairly long line for what felt like forever!  They didn't open the doors to the studio until 8:45, and the show started at 9:00.

When we walked into the studio, the audience manager asked how many were in our party and we said two.  She told us there were two seats in the front row and to go ahead and take them....!  When we sat down, the lady behind us told us that the people who were there before us moved because the camera would be in our way for most of the show.  We didn't care-- we were in the front row!!!

Daniel Radcliffe from Harry Potter was on, but he came to the studio very early and they pre-taped it and showed it while we were there.  It was fine with me though because that was more time for Regis and Kelly to interact with the audience, which was PERFECT since we were right there in the front!!!  You are not allowed to use flash photography in the studio, so my pictures are awful (plus I look like a house in both of them....Regis and Kelly are tinier in person than on TV!  Oh, and the angle my from which my mom took the picture is not flattering either....ignore).

 Waiting for the show to start....again, these are HORRIBLE pictures!  I have about 8 chins in all of them :)

 Me and Regis! I am wearing Uggs...and I am THAT much taller than him!

 With Kelly Ripa-- she is soo so sooooo nice!  She even gave me a big hug before this picture...hence my goofy grin...

 And when Regis came back out in a purple tie, I had to get a picture of him doing the Horned Frog sign for my father-in-law (which Regis gladly did).

And sportscaster Jim Nance was there with his mother who is obsessed with Regis and Kelly, so as we were leaving I got a picture of him doing the frog sign too :)

Here is a link to the "host chat" from the day we were there...you can see me and mom at about 22 seconds in :) haha

Big Ed

(are you so sick of me writing about bad things happening to my family???)

My sweet father-in-law, or as I call him, Big Ed, is a football coach for TCU, as I have written before. As I wrote in my last post, Eddie flew to TX with Cal for the game on Saturday. The only place to find Eddie during one of his dad's game is on the sidelines. In fact, at the bowl game last year, you had to have government clearance to get on the sidelines and Eddie about had a fit trying to get down there!

So this Saturday, Eddie was on the sidelines and Patty, my mother-in-law was in the stands with Cal. During the first quarter, someone came over to Eddie and asked what was going on with his dad. Big Ed was walking to the tunnel with a trainer and a team doctor. Eddie ran over to him and he looked at Eddie and told him he was having a heart attack.

They got to the training room and his dad got on a table and was really in a lot of pain. Eddie tried to call his mom, but her phone was in her purse so that she could hold Cal. Once they determined that Big Ed needed to get to a hospital quickly, Eddie ran into the stadium to find his mom. Since he has never sat in the stands with her, he had no idea where she sat. So, in a state of panic and fear, Eddie ran up and down the steps in the stadium searching for his mother. A police officer joined him and they were able to locate her.

Patty and Big Ed rode in the ambulance to the hospital and Eddie and Cal rode in the police car. Eddie called me somewhere in there beyond upset. I have never felt so helpless. I just wanted to be there for him and for them and there was nothing I could do. Eddie told me not to tell his sisters yet (even though I had been talking with both of them since the pregame), so that he could call them.

Halftime of the game came, and the head coach informed the players (on the field before entering the locker room what happened to Coach Williamson) and then the sideline reporter followed up by asking him questions about it in an interview-- all on live TV. Eddie had told his sisters about 5 minutes before that.....Big Ed's parents were watching the game so they found out for the first time by hearing the reporter talk about it.

As soon as Big Ed got to the hospital, he went into surgery where they put in a stint to repair the problem. 

My mom and I were scheduled to fly out Sunday morning for our trip to NYC.  I told mom we needed to cancel it and I was going to fly to TX to pick up Cal so that they wouldn't have to worry about him while trying to deal with Big Ed and being in the hospital, etc.  Eddie told me that I should absolutely still do my trip.  He said that this whole thing taught him that the time with our parents is so precious and the most important thing was for me and mom and have a great time enjoying each other (I mean, how sweet is that???). 

So, I called two of the coaches wives and arranged for Cal to be picked up from the hospital Saturday night and then kept over night.  They were SO SO SO sweet.  They kept sending me texts and pictures and videos of Cal having the best time.  I can't even begin to thank them for taking such good care of Cal.  I felt so selfish not being there to help, but with these women, there was nothing more that I could do; they were taking SUCH good care of him, and Cal was having a blast. 

Big Ed left the hospital on Tuesday and is expected to have a full recovery, thank God.  We are all SO thankful that he was where he was when it happened.  He could have been driving down the road, or out for a jog.... instead, he was standing about 10 yards from a trainer and a doctor and the ambulance was already at the game.

Eddie rearranged his flight to come home on Wednesday night, the same time mom and I landed so we got to see them in the airport. 

So there...I am sure you are entirely over reading my posts on these horrible things happening, and to be honest, I am WAYYY over writing them!  Seriously! My brother called us while we were in New York and we kept getting cut off so we just hung up and he sent a text that said "call me."  Umm, we freaked out.  We were both almost in tears when we got it....how sad is that???  He wanted to give us some GOOD news!  We are just living scared of answering the phone right now. 

Take a minute to tell your loved ones that you love them.  This has been so eye opening for everyone involved (Eddie, the pickiest eater I know, is ready to start eating broccoli...!!!).


xoxoxo,

SUCH a baby!

WAH- I am SUCH a cry baby! I took Cal and Eddie to the airport this morning for their flight to Texas to visit Eddie's family.  My mom and I are (hopefully) leaving on Sunday morning for our trip to New York City, so that's why I didn't go too.  YES, I am enjoying the down time, and YES, I have a million things to do, and YES, I need to catch up on my sleep and work on growing a human, BUT.....I sure do miss my little guy.  My days are filled with him, from start to finish, and the house is super quiet right now (although I am watching What Not To Wear and the "participant" is cussing up a storm, so I keep hearing the BEEP over her trashy voice). 

Eddie is a rather nervous flyer anyway and everyone has been telling him how hard it is to fly with someone Cal's age (I am trying to do the opposite and tell him how great they are BOTH going to be!) and he woke up sick to his stomach this morning so that added to my nerves.  I had Cal fully packed and their carry on bag stocked with everything they could need in the air: books, snacks, drugs, sippy cups, tissues (he has a mean runny nose right now), more snacks, diapers, a TON of wipes, pacis, etc, etc!

We got to the airport and I ended up parking and walking in with the boys.  While Eddie checked in, I took a little extra time kissing on Cal and that's when the water works started for me!  Cal wrapped his little arms around my neck and squeezed.  I melted.  I stayed staring at them as they walked through security (did I mention I was in sweatpants and a sweatshirt?  Speaking of What Not To Wear......), with tears streaming down my face.  Every time I would take a deep breath and pull myself together, Cal would turn back around and wave at me.  Again, I melted. 

I know they are going to have the best time and Eddie's parents are beyond excited to have them out there.  I am thankful that they are so loving and sweet to my family (can you imagine if they didn't want to see him???).  We are ALL going to have a great time on our trips, but MY GOD, I am missing my boys right now. 

Yes, I am a cry baby.  And yes, I am tearing up as I write this.  ME=cheesy!

So, I left the airport, grabbed breakfast, went to the gas station, went to the car wash-- MUCH easier to do without a baby!-- and then took my time at the grocery store!  I am going to have lunch with my mom, clean out my refrigerator, get a mani/pedi (maybe) and get ready for New York!  Oh, and I am going to start digging out my maternity clothes too....I am not fully showing, but jeans are not comfy on my belly any more!

have a GREAT weekend! (and shoot me an email...I am lonely!)

12 weeks!

I am 12 weeks pregnant today! WOOHOO! My babycenter.com update said my little sweet pea is the size of a lime and is about 2 inches long.  Pretty cool, if you ask me!

I am still feeling great for the most part.  I had some nausea last week, but it passed fairly quickly.  The main symptom I have right now is EXHAUSTION.  I had forgotten what first trimester exhaustion is like!  HOLY CRAP: I can't keep my eyes open!  I need to force myself to rest more when Cal is sleeping, but that is my go go go time to get stuff done.  The doctor called yesterday to check to make sure my spotting had stopped and it actually came back again.  I was told to listen to my body and rest....it's just hard to rest with a 13 month old who is going full steam ahead ALL the time!

No matter how tired or worn out I am feeling, I feel extremely blessed.  God has given us some amazing gifts and we owe many thanks to Him.  (Pardon the cheese....I just feel it's good to give credit where credit is due....)

On a side note, Eddie is flying SOLO with Cal out to Texas this weekend.  They decided to do a trip for one last TCU home game while mom and I are gone (we don't leave until Sunday though....).  I am excited for the Williamson's to get to see Cal and Eddie, but I am freaking out already.  Let the waterworks start!  When I drop them off on Friday, I know I am going to be a basketcase of emotions.  I am going to be in my house without my baby or my husband for a few days until we leave.  It's going to seem so....empty....and lonely.  I know I will use that time to get all of the things done that I never have time to do, but it's going to be sad.....wahhhhhh!!!

xoxo,

Highs and Lows

Talk about an emotional rollercoaster....!

My last post was Saturday before the big TCU game.  Right before the game started, Eddie went out to get the mail and came in and said, "Why would you be getting mail from Regis and Kelly?" I had written in for tickets forever ago for our trip to NYC coming up next week. Every year my mom and I do a girls trip together.  We normally for to New York, but last year, with Cal nursing, we went to Atlanta and took him with us.  Getting the tickets: Definite HIGH!

Half way through the game, TCU was beyond dominating: HIGH!

I got a text at halftime that Grandma was in the hospital.  She was complaining of stomach pains and they decided she needed to go in for more work: LOW

My mom and dad were once again out of town (remember when Grandpa passed away?  They were in FRANCE! This time they were only in Florida.), so my aunt was with my grandma in the hospital: LOW

My Aunt texted me (about 3rd quarter of the game) and thought it really wasn't anything bad-- more than likely it's just constipation or something like it (sorry for the TMI, but this was good news): HIGH

The game ends and TCU CRUSHED Utah: HIGH!  (again, both teams were undefeated and this was a tough game for TCU.  They didn't just win, they pulverized them.  The announcers were singing the praises of the Offensive Line (which my father in law coaches) saying that the OB had enough time to make an eat a sandwich before throwing the ball-- HIGH!

I get a call from my mom in Florida.  Grandma is worse than we thought.  She is getting rushed into emergency surgery.  The doctors said if they didn't operate right then, she would die within the week.  Soooo, I run to the hospital to sit with my aunt and wait for news.  They said the operation could take 1 hour, or it could take 8, there was no telling how bad it was and they would know more once they got in her: LOW

Grandma got out of surgery after an hour and a half and it was the best case scenario; they were able to clean up the infected area and her colon would not need to be removed: HIGH

My Aunt and I stayed at the hospital until around midnight, then left and decided to come back early on Sunday.  The time changed Saturday night and Cal handled it really well, sleeping until 7:15 (new time): HIGH

At 8:00 on Sunday morning, we arrived at the hospital to find a verrrry confused grandma.  The medicine she was on had her hallucinating and very unaware of her surroundings. LOW

Mom and dad were able to catch an earlier flight home and got to the hospital around 4:00: HIGH

I left at 5 to go home to Eddie and Cal (Eddie was such a trooper, thank goodness) and my mom and dad stayed with her until about 7 when she was so tired she was just going to go to sleep. 

My phone rang at midnight and it was the nurse on duty who had my number from the night before during the surgery.  Grandma was awake and VERY upset and very confused and wouldn't let anyone near her.  He said she needed a family member around her at all times to keep her calm so she could hear a familiar voice: LOW

My dad went and spent the night with her and it's been a battle with her ever since.  She is getting better, but she is still confused and right now thinks everyone is out to get her or hurt her.  She is saying some really hurtful things to people around her.  We all have to remind each other that she doesn't mean it: LOW

When I left on Sunday evening, I had some spotting.  I have had some spotting before in this pregnancy, but normally it is light brown (sorry again for the TMI), but this time, it had a more pinkish tinge to it.  It was also heavier than my normal spotting.  I am 12 weeks tomorrow so this scared me quite a bit.  LOW

I called the advice nurse on Monday and she wanted me to come in just to make sure everything was okay and thank goodness everything is fine.  I got a full check up and an ultrasound and the baby has grown quite a bit and "its" heart beat is still strong! HIGH!

Here is a picture of the latest picture of sweet pea:

HIGH

We still do not know what is going to happen with Grandma or when she will get out of the hospital or where she will go when she gets out.  Therefore, it is not 100% that mom and I are going to take our trip.  My dad had a trip planned too (he does an annual trip too for his birthday while mom and I are gone), but mom and I have tickets to shows that are non-refundable, so he doesn't want us to miss our trip.  This is just a big question mark right now: HIGH/LOW?

We are thankful for our health and the growing baby in my belly and the family surrounding us. We are so blessed to all have each other close by to be there for Grandma!

PS-- My mom and dad are never allowed to travel again.  Just saying.....

Football Frenzy

Football season is a big deal in the Williamson household. TCU is having a great season and we are VERY proud of Eddie's dad!ESPN's College Game Day was at their game today against Utah.  Both teams are undefeated....! 

Football coaches (and their families) are very superstitious and usually hate to have rituals broken. Starting last season, I have sent Eddie's dad a "game day text" from Cal before every single game. It reads (the same every time): "Go get um, Poppy!! Love, Cal" I also have a ritual with Eddie's mom....I send a game day picture of Cal on every single game day. The ONE game I didn't do it last year (because we were with them), was the ONE game that TCU lost.

Anyway, I usually take a picture with my iPhone and email/text it from there, but lately, Cal has been SO busy that it is darn near impossible to get him to hold still long enough to take his picture with that.

Here are some pictures from yesterday and today, Game Day! 

Cal's message to Utah...

blurry, but he thinks he's pretty funny!

GO FROGS!!!!!

Halloween Weekend 2010

As you saw from my last post, Cal was a Cow for Halloween this year.  I thought it was kind of a fun play on words.  All of his buddies that are older get it mixed up all the time and when their mom asks them to say hi to CAL, they mooo instead.  Sigh.  Might as well make the best of it! haha

I got Cal his costume from Bye Bye Baby for relatively cheap so that if he hated it, it wouldn't be a huge waste of money.  Well, we got every cent worth of our $19.99!  He wore that thing non-stop!

Friday, we had an afternoon costume playdate.  Cal wasn't quite sure about the head piece, so wore it around his neck for most of the time.

After the playdate, we came home (still in costume), and I tried to carry Cal inside.  He threw a FIT!  I let him play in the front yard with Hank and the kid was going wild!  He was running all around the yard, chasing Hank, shrieking at birds and chattering up a storm.  He decided at this point that he loved the head piece and wouldn't let me touch it or move it.  I tried to take it off for him and he again threw a fit. 

I just LOOOOVE this one! Cracks me up!

On Saturday morning, we went to a park in Raleigh to have some family pictures taken.  We had professional pictures of Cal at one month and again at 6 months, so this is sort of his one year/family shots.  I thought it was important to do this before the new bambino arrives (or before I am so fat that I don't want to have my picture taken-ha!).  After the quick (and I mean QUICK!) session, I grabbed my camera out of the car and took a few on my own.  By the time we were shooting our own, Cal was wayyy over it all.

Sunday was Halloween and when he woke up, Cal immediately grabbed his costume:

 My mom and I took Cal out to visit my grandmother-- still in costume!!!

 We had a birthday party at 4:00 on Halloween.  All of the kids were encouraged to come in costume.  It was adorable!  It ended up being a perfect late afternoon thing to do with kids.  We all had fun.

After we left the party, we headed over to THE BEST neighborhood for trick-or-treating.  Every house is decked out, kids are everywhere, everyone is laughing, most parents are carrying a beverage in their hand (side note: this does not make it the best neighborhood, and I did not partake in the drinking, BUT, it does say something for the environment....happy parents, happy kids, happy times!). 

Cal had a fun time trick-or-treating.  He loves carrying around bags, so he grabbed his pumpkin and would walk up to the doors and while the other kids were waiting for candy, Cal would try to push past the home owners to get inside their house!  I have no idea why, but it was all he wanted to do over and over again! 

Hope you all had a great Halloween!!!  Hard to believe next Halloween I will have a 2 year old and a 5 ish month old!!!

xoxo,