Happy Thanksgiving!

Riley had a great first Thanksgiving. She got to celebrate with the Hamilton's last Sunday and with the Olstad's on Thanksgiving. She is growing so fast it's amazing. She's gained 3 pounds and grown 4 inches since she was born. No wonder she has to stretch all the time! We're starting to get settled into a routine with her and it has been so great. For the most part she is a great baby and mom is starting to venture out with her more and more during the day. We go to the mall to get some exercise, we go meet dad for lunch, this week we're going to get some Christmas shopping done. She also went to see Santa last week and get her picture taken.
So we've been keeping busy. Life pretty much revolves around our little peanut. Ed finished up his school semester. We managed to squeeze in one date night a few weeks ago while my parents babysat. Riley's been to church a couple times and has done really well. Those are some of the big updates from us for right now!

Almost 3 weeks old

Man time flies! Definitely not updating the blog as often but I barely have time to check email anymore. We are on day 2 of attempting a nap schedule. So far....she's napping right now. So things have been going pretty good. She is still figuring out her nighttime schedule, so mom isn't getting a ton of sleep, but dad is good about coming home in the evenings and taking over for a few hours so mom can nap.
Ed had Art Attack this weekend, an art crawl at the studio all weekend, so mom and Riley were on our own. We took a trip up to the studio with Aunt Becky to see dad, and Grandma and Grandpa came over and visited Riley. She had her two week checkup last week and is almost back to her birth weight, which is awesome. Mom had her post op checkup yesterday and also checked out ok, so we're both doing good!
The only issue Riley's been having is with feeding. If anyone asked me if there's one thing I wasn't expecting with having a baby, it is how tough breastfeeding is. And how much work it is. She is such a putsy (is that a word? I use it but when I spell it out it doesn't look right. Whatever.) eater that she takes forever and she doesn't take that much when she's breastfeeding, so the last 3 or 4 days, she'll eat and then an hour be screaming hungry again. So mom talked to her other mom friend Jackie who gave her the brilliant idea to just pump and feed her just with a bottle so we know how much she's getting. And she drinks a bottle like a champ. So we started that last evening and she had a much better night! Actually went 3 hours between feedings without being hungry again. So we'll see how that goes. I'm kind of alternating between the two right now. But I've quickly learned that a full baby is a happy baby.
That's all for now....coming up this week Riley has her first lunch date out with some of mom's friends, and is going to her first football party this Sunday!

Life at Jen and Ed's.....

is forever changed! For the better! Wow. Most of you have probably seen pics of our babe by now. Riley Annamae Hamilton was born Thursday October 23rd at 10:56 AM. We spent 4 days in the hospital, which was very helpful. She is healthy and gorgeous and so sweet. We've been home now for 4 days and are starting to adjust to a routine. Although Ed goes back to work next week so that will all change again, but we're enjoying our time off together with her. She's already made a couple of outings (where else but to Target?), and to the lactation consultant for some help with the breastfeeding. She thinks it's funny to poop on her dad after he's pulled the diaper out from underneath her. She took her first walk around the block today. It really is amazing that life can change this quickly and I never thought it was possible to love someone as much as we've fallen in love with her.
Mom is doing pretty good too, she was born via c-section because she was breech. Surgery went well, and mom is recovering pretty good. It's been very nice to have dad at home to get me things so I don't have to get up. All in all we are loving life right now! Just wanted to give a quick update and post a couple of pics!

Waiting.......and waiting some more....

Literally. We sit around here and wait to have a baby. Ed asks me 5 times a day if I'm having any contractions. Nope. Nothing. So we're still waiting. Till next Thursday. It's kind of hard to believe in a week and a half we're going to have our little girl. I'm feeling ok, just not sleeping at night. I have two days left of work this week and then maternity leave here I come!! That I am very excited for.
About the only thing I've motivated myself to do lately is work on our office downstairs. See the pic on the left. Just trying to get our life organized before this kid comes. Because I hear it gets uprooted a little bit.
So....I'll try and post one more update before next Thursday, otherwise the next pics I'll be posting on here will be pictures of our beautiful little girl!!

Update!

So....we made a practice run to the hospital today for the scheduled version that we had to try to turn the baby. It started out good, with two really bad attempts to get an IV in my vein, which look like garden hoses and I don't know how they really could have missed them. Then they basically gel up your stomach and one doc is trying to guide her head and one is trying to guide her butt and they dig in and try to make her do a somersault. They tried 3 times and she was not moving out of her comfortable spot. Hope its not a sign of things to come:) So how did it feel? Ummm......think like a deep tissue massage to the 10th degree on your stomach right where all your organs are. It was not pleasant, I'll leave it at that.
But, I am glad we tried it. Now we know we've done everything we can to try fro a natural birth and unless she turns on her own now, which they say is less than a 5% chance, this little girl has a birthdate! October 23rd, only three weeks from now, she is making her appearance into the world via C-section. So that was kind of exciting to get scheduled, and know that there's an end in sight and we get to meet her very soon! We'll keep you updated!
Two other notes - Ed and I celebrated our 1st anniversary this last weekend~ We kept it low key, but it was nice, we spent the day together, went out to breakfast, then went out to the apple orchard. Came home and napped!
And....just wanted to let y'all know that my sister right now is down in New Orleans with a bunch of her students for a class. They are working on a photographic essay. I find it a little amusing that my sister has to be the responsible one for her students. In New Orleans. hee hee. But it sounds like they're having a great time. If you want to check out her blog while she's down there, it's http://bucketinnola.blogspot.com/ (Sorry. I tried to create a hyperlink right to it, but again - technologically challenged!).

Go Twins!

We went to the Twins game last night and cheered them on to a big victory against Chicago. Imagine the funny site of a huge pregnant lady climbing down (and then worse, climbing up) stairs all the way from Row 10 up to the top out in the lower deck general admission area. Needless to say I got a few stares. But it was a lot of fun. I usually make it to a lot of games during the summer and I'm sad to say this was only the second game all season I've made.
Well, what else is new? I had a great baby shower this last weekend at my Aunt Judy's house. Both my family and Ed's family were there, and it was so much fun, so thanks to all who helped with it.
We had our OB appt yesterday, which now we'll have weekly until we deliver. She is still breech, so next Tuesday we are scheduled to go in and they'll try a version, where they try to turn her by putting an intense amount of pressure on my belly and move her around. Sounds like a lot of fun. I can't wait. I'll let you know how it goes.
That's all I have for now.....no new pictures. Mostly because I feel like the size of a house and don't really want to put any pictures of me on here:)

34 Weeks and counting!

6 weeks to go!! Or, as I say at work, 17 shifts left of work!
As you can see to the left we are working on the nursery. Ed put all the furniture together this weekend, and I started putting stuff away. I feel like we are somewhat organized should she choose to come a little early:) Still have some things to get, and we have some wall decorations we want to hang, but none of that is super urgent. I was trying to post a picture of our room downstairs too so you could see our colors we did down there, but I was having technical difficulties. One of these days I'll figure out how to do a slide show. I know this blogsite has that capability but I can only figure out so much.
So......here we sit. Some other news that we got today. We had an ultrasound this morning to confirm how she is laying and she is definitely breech. She's got her head jammed so far up in my ribs that she'll probably come out with a smushed face!! So.....they give her a couple more weeks to turn, but I think she's been in this position quite a while and is pretty comfortable. If she doesn't turn, we can try a version, which is literally a manual manipulation where the doctor tries to turn her. They don't sound fun. And if that doesn't work, I guess we'll know her birthday because we'll be scheduling a section. We'll probably know more next week, we have our OB appt on Tuesday.
That's about all thats new at the Hamilton house this week. Have a good weekend!

Ed's First Art Speech

Hey All! Two posts in one week for me. Guess I'll get them in while I can. Thursday we took a little day trip down to Mankato. Ed got his two year degree at Bethany Lutheran College, which is now a private 4 year school, and they had asked him to come back, show his work, and give a talk about his art. So he'd been working on his speech pretty hard for the last few weeks. They told him most visiting artists talk around 45 minutes.
We got down there in time to meet Scot and Mandy, a couple of good friends for dinner. We headed over to the campus, and they had quite a few chairs set up for the speech. Ed's show looked great, see the pics on the side. A couple of the art professors have their students come and take notes, and then they have to write a paper. All about Ed:) So they had over 100 people there, and all these diligent students (because it was the first week of class), were taking notes all through his talk. He did awesome. Didn't sound nervous at all, just got up there and told his story. I was so proud! This gets to be my bragging moment. Afterwards people asked quite a few questions, and they had a reception for him afterwards. It was really a great night for him.
Today we are hanging out, getting some house stuff done. Ed is laying the carpet in the basement room. Really. It might actually be done this week to the point where we can move stuff down there. And then I can finally create a nursery. I know I've been saying that in every weekly blog, but this week it might actually happen.
Have a good weekend!

Happy Fall!!

And YAY for 70 degree weather!! Nothing a pregnant girl likes better than cool weather. We had a pretty busy, fun-filled labor day weekend. We went up north on Saturday morning to visit Ed's brother and sister-in-law Denny and Denise and Denise's family at their cabin up in WI. We actually stayed in a hotel and visited with them Saturday and Sunday. What a great time and what a fun family! And great cooks too. I think I gained 10 pounds. There was a whole table just dedicated to bars. But lots of fun and there was a birthday celebration for Jaelyn and Dennis as well. Of course look to the left and you can that Ed was enjoying taking on the girls in video games.
We managed to fit in some alone time too, the hotel we stayed at was really nice, and we went swimming in the pool and played some mini-golf. Which Jen let Ed win. Again. Though she did get a hole-in-one!
We came back Monday morning, rested for a bit, then had to gear up to get to the State Fair. My friend Jen and I were taking the guys to their first country concert, Toby Keith. Mostly they were proud of the can coolies from the K102 booth they managed to score. They sweet talked the girl into giving them after they told her it was their first country show. But it was a good 90 degree day and we went a few hours before the show so we could eat. So by the time the show started Jen was pretty good and hot already. I lasted about halfway through in our seats, but got so overheated, Ed and I went and stood back by the entrance where there was a breeze and could at least get some air. We lasted close to the end, but I had to leave. Lately I kind of hit my point of no return and I need to rest. Immediately. And Ed has even learned to recognize that look on my face when I need it. So we left. Bought ourselves some Sweet Martha's cookies for the walk back to the car.
So that was our weekend. Yesterday was a little too much for Jen and I ended up taking a holiday at work today (that's what happens when nursing is overstaffed - they call you to ask if you want the day off. Its pretty great.)
This is another busy week. At least for Ed. He starts school on Wednesday and Thursday we head down to Mankato for his art show and he gives a talk about his art. He's been working pretty hard on the speech so wish him luck!

My first shower!

So last weekend my girlfriends threw me my first baby shower - thanks everyone, especially Heather!! It was a lot of fun, and Heather had a great project that everyone worked on for us. She gave them all a plain white onesie with some fabric paint and stencils and they all turned them into a work of art for the baby to wear. Example - see picture on the left! I thought they were great.
I also posted a picture of myself, now at 30 weeks. If you scroll down a bit you can see me at 22 weeks. This baby is definitely growing!! She must like her sweets as much as mama does. But we had our checkup on Tuesday and everything looked good and she's measuring right on track. And i took my glucose test to check for gestational diabetes and passed that with flying colors. Amen. Otherwise Jen would have been one crabby bitch to live with for the next 10 weeks having to live on that strict diet.
Ed left tonight to head out of town, it's his annual guys weekend up at Mille Lacs. So I am headed to the great Minnesota get-together tomorrow with my sister. If we find anything new and interesting to eat (or see anything interesting people watching), I'll be sure to take pictures and post them.
Have a good weekend!

One note - the blog website isn't letting me post pictures for whatever reason right now. Check back later for those!

An In-Town Vacation

Ed and I decided that since we aren't really going on any type of vacation at all this summer, we at least needed to have a day of fun here in town. So Saturday we got up, went down to the U of MN campus and parked in Dinkytown and walked the whole campus. I mean the WHOLE campus. East and West Bank. It was such a gorgeous morning, and it was so much fun to walk through where I graduated from 10 years ago (God I'm dating myself) and reminisce. And we got to see the new Gopher Football stadium they're building and it looks amazing. I cannot wait to see a game in there!
After that we went out for breakfast, then had to stop home for a small nap. In the afternoon, we went over to Centennial Lakes in Edina where they have this great mini golf course. Its an 18-hole course with real greens and sand dunes and everything (See picture to the left for pic of Ed in the sand dunes). Hee hee. But in the long run, I did let him win. By quite a bit.
After that, we ventured over to Southdale and saw the new Batman movie. It was amazing! I loved every second of it. Then.....we were getting pretty tired out. Or I was anyways. So after dragging Ed to the Galleria to check out the Pottery Barn Kids store, we picked up some Chinese food, went home, ate on the couch and watched the Olympics for the night.
What a good day.

What's New.....

Not much is new. Guess that's why it's been a little bit since I posted. We've just been busy with day to day life. I just finished painting the closet in the nursery, which was a complete bitch (excuse my language) to paint. It's one of those small long, narrow closets with a small door, and everytime I even tried to turn around in there I backed up into a wet wall of paint. I think I'm wearing more than I got on the wall. Never mind trying to fit the step stool in there to get the high part. I tried that for a while then decided that is a better job for tall Ed.
My dad is currently on a fishing trip in Alaska where it is reported they are catching bucketloads of Halibut and Salmon. But it also means we are postponed in finishing our room downstairs until he gets back. But it's really close!! I'm just so excited to get everything out of this future nursery and get it downstairs so we can buy furniture and get all ready for this little one. So my goal is by end of August to have it done.
Well there you are. I don't even have any good new pics to post, so I thought I'd share an oldie but goodie. This is from when my sister lived in Boston and I visited her. We toured the Sam Adams brewery. The tour is about 10 minutes long and then they sit you down in a real bar with a sample glass and you get 3 big pitchers of different types of beer to share with your table of 6 people. Needless to say it was a good thing we took the train out there. Have a good week everyone!

It's almost August????

Summer is flying by!! I feel like every day we're so busy that the weeks fly by and I'm already into my third trimester this week! Let' see, this week has been full of babysitting (see pics on left), painting, deck staining (that's Ed's job), and an interesting trip to Home Depot with my dad and Ed to pick out ceiling tiles.
Sunday we got to babysit for our niece and nephew, Zander and Alivia. Or should I say, practice for the real thing. We took them up to my cousin's graduation party, where they had much fun bouncing in one of those blow up castles.
Wednesday mom came down and helped me paint the nursery. I hate painting. HATE it. But I like the end results. This one looks pretty good. Got us excited. I'll post some pics when it's all decorated and done.
Well, I have a couple days off work now. And tomorrow is the all day "Birth and Parenting" Class. I mean ALL day. So hopefully it's interesting and we learn a thing or two. Like what we're supposed to do with her when we actually get to take her home:)
Have a good week!

So far so good

Jen and I were married just over a year ago. Jen is better looking today than ever! I can’t wait to come home and see her, hold her and kiss her everyday.

It really is the little things that I have been noticing. She does the laundry but doesn’t put my clothes away, I love that, and I get to finish the job. She doesn’t complain even when she is pregnant and is at an art show for 3 hours on her feet. She has the Twins games on in the evening, because SHE wants to watch! She cooks great meals. She keeps up on a lot of household chores, shopping, cleaning, pays bills on time and so on.

I do what I can too, trying not to let her spoil me too much. I kill bugs, do some light yard work, make a mess in the basement and the garage and keep the fridge stocked with beer. I think I work hard too, between my job and my art projects there isn’t don’t always much time for anything else.

So, as we near our one-year anniversary, have a baby on the way we are settling into our family life together. There is something that everyone should know, I won! I have the greatest wife ever! I love you Jen.

07.11.08

The past week has been fairly busy with work and Ed's show. The show went great, thanks to everyone that came out and supported Ed and his art. It was a lot of fun to see everyone and I heard a lot of great compliments on his work (this is my chance to brag!).
We had the last of our weekly ultrasounds this week and everything looked great! Now probably no more until we get to see the real thing in a few months!!
Today is very, very hot. Pretty much our air conditioner is on all the time now and I feel like I have a heater in my belly. Yesterday Ed actually complained that it was cold in the house. I was roasting, so the A/C stayed on. So other than my trip to the chiropractor, I have not gone outside today. Actually I've had a hard time leaving the couch today. I've been so exhausted the last few days and not totally sure why. But I have to work all weekend so I figure I'm resting up for that. I do 12 hour shifts at the hospital and those are getting pretty long. Ok, enough complaining about how rough it is to be me. I'm headed back to the couch.

Happy 4th of July!

I can't believe it's here already but hope everyone had a happy, safe 4th. We have a tradition of going down to my dad's cousin's house. They live in Hudson and have a great house on the beach with a lot of beach property and always throw a fantastic party every 4th. It usually involves a lot of relaxing, swimming, catching up with people we haven't seen in awhile, and volleyball. This year I finally had a legitimate excuse not to play volleyball. (Besides the standard "I really suck and don't want to embarrass myself" - that one doesn't usually work).
It was a great time, beautiful weather and very relaxing. We came home after dinner and Jenni crashed on the couch. Our plan was to walk down to Powderhorn Park to watch fireworks but Jenni wasn't moving. When we heard them start though, we actually walked right out into the front yard and had a great view right from there. And then could go right back to bed.
Today is drywall day downstairs. Dad, Ed and a couple of his friends are working on the basement room to help get it done. My job - supply the food and beer. Guess I can handle that.
This week is Ed's big art opening for those of you in town! Thursday night from 7-10, if you want more info let me know, we'd love to see you!

Life being pregnant

I don't really know where those women are that say they love being pregnant. I can't wait for the end result, but if I could bypass these next 4 months I'd be completely happy. Ed probably would too, with all the complaining I do:) Had to make an extra trip to the chiropractor today just to get my back in somewhat working order and it's still bad.

We had another ultrasound today and things looked good. Somehow about 8 weeks ago, Jen was exposed to and infected with parvovirus, also known as Fifth's Disease. It's ok if you've never heard of it. I'm a nurse and I've never heard of it. But I probably was exposed to it at work and developed some symptoms. So they tested me to confirm and sure enough.....so they told us there's a small chance it can pass on to the baby. Because of that, they're doing weekly ultrasounds to keep a close eye on her. Good news is, all looks good so far. And they told me today probably only two more weekly ones and the risk of her getting it should be gone. Which we are very excited for!! As much as we love getting to see her every week (and we probably have more ultrasound pictures than we know what to do with), it will be nice to know that she's healthy and have this behind us.

Not much else new at the Hamilton house this week. Ed's been keeping busy getting ready for his art show coming up. He painted a portrait of yours truly, which I actually think turned out pretty good. Check out his website for that one.
Have a good week!

Our first post!

Hi! Welcome to Jen and Ed's blog. We thought with a little one on the way this would be a good way to keep our friends and family up to date with life at the Hamilton's.

Right now we are 21 weeks pregnant and expecting a little girl around October 28th. It's been a good pregnancy so far and Jen is really enjoying her ice cream!

It's been a busy and exciting week. Ed got accepted at the University of Minnesota into their Program for Individualized Learning to finish up his Bachelor's Degree. He'll start in the fall with evening classes. We celebrated Jenni's mom's birthday last night with a dinner at Busters, one of our favorite neighborhood restaurants. And we had an ultrasound today to see our little baby girl, who is looking very healthy.

We're doing some remodeling around the house, finishing off a room in the basement to make room for a nursery on our main floor. Jen is hoping the guys are done by the time the baby comes, or she'll be sleeping in an office. That's all that's new for now, check back later!