365 Days of Jaiden!

Happy 2010 Everyone!

We have been so blessed in 2009 with a beautiful, healthy, perfect baby boy. He was six weeks old yesterday and is growing and changing every single day.

In 2010 I have decided to embark on this photo project called, "365 Days of Jaiden." The photographer that came out when Jaiden was two weeks old told me about this (so I can not take any credit for this.) Everyday, starting on January 1, 2010 going until January 1, 2011, I am going to take a picture of Jaiden. At the end of every week I am going to post each week's photos on the blog for you all to see how he is growing and changing. Day to day he might not change but when I look back over the weeks I can see a change in his personality and appearance! I know it seems like a challenge and some of you might think that it is a little ridiculous to take a picture everyday for the next 365 days!! They say that in the first year of life is the year that you change the most. In six months from now I do not want to forget the faces that Jaiden made when he was a month old or the way that he just started to smile!! After I collect all of these photos of him I am going to make a bound photo book of all my hard work.

Here's to me not missing a day...

Love,
Dada & Mama J

The Reason I Don't Sleep!

The first week bringing Jaiden home from the hospital was like a blur ... J was off that week so we were able to do shifts. J took the early shift until around 3am and then I was up with him until he fell back asleep around 5-6am. J was really amazing that week, I was able to recover from my c-section and J took care of everything. That week we also celebrated Thanksgiving so we had constant visitors and almost 18 family members celebrating at our house. I was exhausted and in constant pain so I really enjoyed the 5-6 hours of sleep I was getting every night. I was blissfully unaware that it was shortly going to end when J went back to work.

The second week was when reality set in! I was going to need to figure out how to get him to sleep at night so that I could get some sleep as well. The beginning of the week we were basically up all night, because all he wanted was to be held! He did not like his pack and play, his crib or his snuggle nest. He only liked MY ARMS!! Don't get me wrong, I could hold him all day but at 3am when your exhausted and keep dozing off, the best place for him is not in my arms.

By the end of the week I knew exactly how to get him to sleep and get him back to sleep after his 3am feeding. I do the following -- change his dirty diaper, feed him, check his diaper again, swaddle him, give him one last chance to eat then rock him for about 8-10mintues until I see that he is asleep enough to be put down in his snuggle nest. I then jump into bed and cross my fingers that I do not hear constant crying coming from his crib. Nine out of ten times I am able to go to sleep for about an hour and a half before I have to do it all over again!

I love spending my days with him and I consider myself blessed that I am able to do that. I know that eventually I am going to have to go back to work and I am going to miss the days of lounging together. J and I could not ask for anything more than a happy and healthy child... the rest of it we will figure out along the way!




Love,
Dada & Mama J

Jaiden Alexander's Birth

Jaiden Alexander Williams was born at 3:52pm on November 20th, 2009 weighing 7 pounds and 2 ounces and 20 inches in length. Sounds like a heavyweight champ!

I don't even know how to express the happiness and excitement that Baby J has brought into my heart. I am almost overwhelmed. He is the coolest baby ever. Everything little thing he does just makes me smile. He is very very responsive already and reacts to everything.

The actual process at Virtua in Voorhees, NJ was pretty simple and pretty quick. Jess said the worst part was getting the IV put in. We got to the hospital around 1:25pm after taking a few last pictures together so that we would have a last record of how big Jess was. They moved us right into a prep room (we had already done all the preregistration stuff) where they had "Welcome Jessica" on the TV screen. Before we could blink we had nurses, doctors, anesthesiologists and everyone you could think of coming into the room, welcoming us, and getting Jess ready for the main event. It only took about 2 hours before Jess was taken into the operating room and prepped for surgery. Everyone was very friendly and told us exactly what we needed to do and what to expect. They told me to wait outside while they got everything ready. I was basically shaking with excitement in my scrubs and mask. Soon enough Dr. Colella came by to wash his hands and get ready. He went into the room and they brought me in about 5 minutes later. They had me sit down behind the curtain next to Jess' head. I talked to Jess and held her hand. She said, "I don't even think they started yet." This was pretty funny because Baby J was just about ready to come out by this time! Before I knew it, the anesthesiologist signaled for me to stand up and I grabbed my camera to prepare for Baby J's first moment in the world. It was tough to get a good shot because the curtain was hanging taller than I and there were doctor's and nurses' hands everywhere. I managed to get one good shot of them lifting him out.

Next they brought him over to the table with the heat lamp. He didn't even make a sound. Jess and I thought there might be something wrong because he wasn't crying yet but the nurses just needed to suction his airways. He began to cry. What a wonderful sound! Next they cleaned him off, put his hat on, stamped his little feet, and bundled him up. They brought him over to Jess while she was still in surgery so that she could get a moment to see him. The anesthesiologist was so awesome. He offered to take a few pictures with all of us right there.

Then they brought Baby J to the nursery where we were met by many loving family members. We snapped a few more shots and then he went in to get weighed, measured, and bathed. I was the only one allowed in the room since Jess was still getting stitched up and resting in the recovery room. The nurse was very friendly and we chatted about Baby J's first minutes. After he was all cleaned up I went to see Jess in the recovery room.

Jess was still pretty numb and couldn't move her legs. I told her all about Baby J since she only got to see him for a few seconds. We were there for about a half an hour before they brought us to our room. We didn't end up in a private room the first night because they said they delivered about 20 babies that day. Packed house!! As soon as all the family saw the baby getting wheeled into the room they all followed and we had a large visiting time for a good hour. The whole time Baby J barely even cried. He is such a trooper. He was not afraid of all the new people and new world and he opened up his bright blue eyes to see.

Later when Jess and I were alone with him we held him, played with him, and Jess gave him his first feeding. It was the most fantastic day of my life. Everything went so smoothly. I couldn't have asked for a better day!

Love,
Dada & Mama J

TOMORROW is Baby J's BIRTHDAY!

Hi Family and Friends,

This has been a crazy week and such a week of birthdays!! My best friend's from WD, Katie and Kelly celebrated there birthday on the 18th. Then today, November 19th, is my father's birthday. And tomorrow is our SON, Baby J's, BIRTHDAY!!

I cannot believe that this time has gone by so quickly and tomorrow Baby J will be born. I have been on a roller coaster of emotions this past week with trying to get everything accomplished and feel "ready" to have this baby boy on Friday. I am so excited that this time tomorrow we will be able to hold our son. We will get to see what he looks like -- my prediction is that he will have all dark features, darker skin and hair ... but I am praying for blue eyes like mine!! I am also very anxious about the surgery and the recovery, but I know that I have to be strong for the both of us. J has been amazing this whole time -- working like a mad man, helping with all things baby and putting up with my crazy pregnancy hormones that kicked in these past few weeks. He stays so calm when I become anxious about the surgery, recovery and new baby. He is going to be an exceptional father :)

I know that you were all hoping that J would be blogging tomorrow from the hospital but I assure you I will not be letting that happen. I will post pictures on here hopefully sometime over the weekend from the hospital. And I will send out a picture and reveal his name tomorrow night as well once I am out of the recovery room :)

I wanted to thank every single one of you for the well wishes that you have given to us. Baby J is already surrounded by people that love and care about him!! We are so lucky to have great friends and family that are so supportive.

Please say a little prayer tonight for a safe surgery and a healthy baby boy!

Love,
Dada & Mama J

Single Digits with PICS!

After I got back from my spa night I had J take some pictures of me because the only time I want pictures taken of me now is when I at least feel pretty! So this is what I look like at 38 almost 39 weeks pregnant!! Not much to say other than I look and feel BIG!! Excited that we are down to single digits now :)

Love,
Dada & Mama J

10 Day Countdown!

I know that I can speak for J when I say that we can't believe we are going to head into the single digit countdown. We are both so excited that next week we get to meet our little man! Sorry for there not being as many updates -- there is just not much to report. I go to the doctor's every Thursday and they always say "Everything looks great," "Not too much longer," "Hope you're not too uncomfortable." So nothing blog worthy, but sometimes no news is good news! I have been both busy and bored as I spend my days working on a new project or complaining to J that there is nothing to do. But I am still walking about 2 miles a day and shopping and cooking and cleaning...I certainly have not slowed down -- maybe in how fast I can waddle, but not in what I can accomplish in the course of the day!! I am excited for tomorrow because I have turned it into a spa day -- I am going to get a manicure, massage and my hair done! All of which I have been putting off until the last possible minute so that I can feel and look as good as possible while I enjoy my three day hospital stay. I am very excited so once I am home from spa day I will have J do a 38 week photo shoot and let you all see how BIG I am! I promise pictures for later on in the week and until then continue to just google "cow" for a picture of how BIG I am.


Love,
Dada & Mama J

Halloween & Room Progress

Halloween costumes!

Since it was one of J's favorite holidays we decided to dress up even though we were just going to be handing out candy to trick or treaters. After going to many a Halloween stores I gave up and realized that there is not going to be anything that a 9month pregnant woman can wear. J actually suggested a just buy plus size!!! So he found a 'bun maker' costume and we decided to go from there...

On Friday, I spent the afternoon with the oversize box that the crib came in and a box cutter! I constructed an 'oven' and even made it so that the oven was able to open. It was painted and accessorized so it would look like my stomach was inside of the oven.

My 'Bun in the Oven' costume! Timer: 20 Days (As of Halloween!!)

On another note, I have been spending a lot of time getting the babies room organized so that way it is done just in case my water breaks before November 20th. I am posting a picture of the furniture and the beginning of the organizing process! I will post more pictures later this week once I feel more accomplished!!

Love,
Dada & Mama J