Here he is!

Don't you just want to kiss those cheeks?!

Henry James Segedy

Uncle Michael and Aunt Renee (we love the sound of that) are turning cartwheels (or trying)! Marlee's cousin arrived yesterday around 8pm. He was so anxious to meet his mommy and daddy that made his grand entrance just 4 hours after Kathryn decided she was in labor! He weighs 8 pounds, 9 ounces (not sure of length yet). We'll be sure to post pictures of the handsome guy as soon as we have some.

Have we mentioned how much we already love our new nephew?!

MJ Tells Mommy a Story

Snowball Fight!

Marlee, Emily, Pruett, Nathan, and Sammy have some fun in the snow!

Don't send a lame Holiday eCard. Try JibJab Sendables!

Marlee's First Christmas

We kicked off Christmas with 4:00 Mass. Our church is undergoing a major renovation, so we attended the children's service in a giant tent in the parking lot. The tent was packed shoulder to shoulder. The children's choir sang, and I got excited thinking about Marlee sining in a few years. Right outside the tent was a live nativity, complete with real sheep and camels!

Marlee and Daddy at Church

After church, we went over to Dad and Wendy's for Christmas Eve dinner. The food was delicious, and, as always, the presents were out of control. Marlee got some super cute stuff!

Grandma Wendy and Great-Grandma Helen

Smiling at Auntie Jessica and Uncle Casey

Waking up Christmas morning was so great. I felt like a little kid. It was all I could do to keep from waking Marlee up. When she finally did, we headed out to the living room to see what Santa brought!

Can you tell Mommy is excited?

Daddy's excited too...he's just not a morning person.

I think Marlee actually enjoyed opening her presents. She wanted to take the time to look at and chew on each one before moving to the next.

A Raggedy-Ann doll from Great Grandma Kenalene

What's this? Leap Frog toys from Great Grandma Lois
and Great Granny and Poppy.

Are you almost done, Dad? Michael said it wouldn't
be Christmas if he didn't have to put something
together, like this Radio Flyer push wagon from
Grandparents Wymer.

Later in the afternoon, we went to Randy and Nancy's house. We had a gift swap, which was a really fun and special way to exchange gifts. Cousin Claire drew Marlee's name and got her an adorable pink puppy.

Gee, Grandpa Jim, you kinda look like Santa!

We wrapped up Christmas at Grammy's house. We used her camera to take pictures there, so I'll have to post those later!

MARLEE SAYS MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Oops.

Is it terrible that I just realized that the ticker on the top of the page was wrong? I looked today and it said " Marlee June is 3 months, 3 weeks, and 3 days." No she's not, she's 4 months today. So I went to the ticker site and realized that I used my due date, not her birthday...and it took me this long to notice. Sheesh.

Remember?

It was yesterday, 4 months, and forever ago. (sniff)

Playtime Video

Mmmmm...Rice!

4 Month Check Up

Marlee's check up was today. She weighs 12 lbs 9 oz and is 24 1/4 inches long. This puts her in the 63rd percentile for height and 31st for weight. Long and lean...wonder where she gets it?

Reunited

This is what I found in my office when I arrived this morning. My coworkers are too funny!

The passport has personal info, a picutre and hoofprint. It's has a stamp saying Lambie was at Ms. Marianne's house, where he had a baaaaath.

I gave him to Marlee, and she sqealed with delight!

Marlee Had a Little Lamb

Marlee's lamb is lost. We think he's somewhere at the school, but we can't find him. Marlee misses him terribly and so does Mommy (he helps her sleep). So sad, our first lost lovey. I bought it before I was even pregnant, thinking it was sweet for my future baby. It's been a while, so I don't know if I can find a replacement. I hope we find it...Lambie, come home!

Share Your Thoughts!

Did you know you can comment on blog entries? I just spoke to someone who said they wish there was a way...there is! Just click on the link at the bottom of the post (0 comments, 1 comment, etc), and share your thoughts! You can use your google account, but if you don't have one, just sign your name in the comment box and choose "anonymous."

The Kids

Just had to share this picture, taken at Marlee's baptism (courtesy of Jenn). From left to right, Nathan Buchine, Emily Butts, Marlee, Sophie Schug.

Festive Weeked

Let me begin by saying that with the temp outside a balmy 77, it's a little tough to get in the Christmas mood. We made a serious effort this weekend, hoping that surrounding ourselves with all things festive would force us to feel merry.

We started Saturday with a little bit of winter cleaning. I like the house to be nice and shiny for the holidays. We shampooed the carpets, washed the baseboards, and scrubbed the fridge. Don't you wish you'd been there? Actually, I'm not quite done yet, but it was major progress.

Sunday morning we got up and had a yummy breakfast then took Marlee to the mall to see Santa. He's a very busy man, and we had to wait 2 hours to see him. We ended up having to wake Marlee up, so she's in a bit of a daze in her picture. After the mall, we went to church to get a Christmas tree. It looks so pretty in the living room, but it's not decorated yet. We finished off the day with a birthday celebration for my dad.

Boyfriend?

Marlee and her friend Jake in dueling exersaucers. She was just cooing and smiling at him...so cute!

Big Changes!

I'm so thrilled to share the news...in a couple of weeks, I'll be cutting back at work to spend more time with Marlee. I'll be at school two days a week and be able to devote the other five to taking care of and having fun with my girl!

The decision was tough...a battle between head and heart, but in the end, Marlee wins!

Just for Fun

Some cute pictures...

Marlee and Lovey Bear


Grumpy Sleeper

Chillin' with Daddy

What a Weekend! (Belated Post)

It was so wonderful to spend time with everyone who visited for Thanksgiving (MJ liked her taste of turkey gravy) and Marlee's Baptism. We missed you, Godmom Kacey!

Big thanks to Grandma Cathy who made MJ's beautiful dress from my wedding gown!

I'm waiting for pictures from many different cameras...more coming soon!

Another First!

She's on a roll...literally! Marlee rolled from her tummy to her back today at school!

A First Today

Today marks an important first...MARLEE LAUGHED!

I don't think there is a sweeter sound. Too bad I looked like an idiot crying at the pediatrician's office when she did it!

Finally on the Mend

So Thursday I said MJ was sick...that was just the beginning. I decided that morning I'd skip a trip to the pedi. I knew that with a temp of just 101 or so, they'd tell me she had a cold/flu-type thing and send me on my way. Around 4pm, I gave her a dose of Tylenol and put her down for a nap. A couple of hours later, she woke up feeling HOT. The fever was just over 103. Because I had just given her Tylenol, I was concerned. I took her to a pediatric urgent care where they ran the gamut of tests. The even mentioned the possibility of a spinal tap...AGH! Fortunately, they decided it wasn't necessary because she has had her first round of immunizations. After multiple attempts to draw blood and a catheter to get a urine sample, we waited for results. Her white blood cells were high (fighting something!), but the doctor couldn't figure out what was wrong. She gave her a shot of broad-spectrum antibiotic and sent us home.

Friday we followed up with Dr. Jina. Marlee was doing much better, so the antibiotic shot was working. They still couldn't tell what it was working on, but it was working. Dr. Jina decided the shot was probably enough and chose not to prescribe continued antibiotics, which I appreciated. If only the shot had been enough...we woke up this morning with another fever. I took her back to the pedi, and the infection finally revealed itself...in the ears. I'm grateful it's not something worse. Now that we've got 10 days of Augmentin, Marlee's finally on the mend!

Sick Baby

So much worse than sick mommy! My heart is breaking for my poor little punkin. I guess I gave her what I had. She's been congested for weeks now, but feeling fine overall. Yesterday, she slept for over four hours at school and missed a feeding (clue #1). Then, she woke up crying last night. I know you are going to find this hard to believe, but Marlee has NEVER cried during the night since she was 2 days old. She wakes up and makes little noises to let me know she's hungry, but that's it...no crying. Last night I was woken up by a full blown wail. She was calm after a couple of minutes, nursed, and went right back to sleep. She wasn't her usually smiley self this morning, so I took her temp, and there it was...100.2. Poor Baby!

She's fine, really. 100.2 isn't even high enough to require keeping her home according to daycare rules, but it is for me! I figure, if she feels even a little under the weather, she needs her mommy. So we've both got on jammies and we're snuggling in the bed while I work from home as much as I can while she sleeps. Have to admit, that part is kind of nice :)

Sick Mommy

I'm sick. Not terribly sick, but sick enough. 3 months ago, I would have put on some sweats and crawled into bed, only to emerge when I felt better. But now there's Marlee, and she is quite demanding of my time and attention. So I'm quickly learning how to take care of her while still taking care of myself. After all, a happy mommy is a happy baby is a happy mommy. This is the first time I've really felt challenged by parenthood. If only I could sleep it off....

Bumbo Fun

I haven't posted much lately...been crazy busy. But here's a picture to get you through the weekend!

(Yes, I know about the recall, blah blah blah :) )

NIAW

It's that time of year again...Today marks the beginning of National Infertility Awareness Week.

I remember this week exactly one year ago. My feelings were mixed: One moment complete dispair, the next, hope. We had been trying for a baby for years and were beginning to take the next step. I was optimistic for our chances of conceiving with IVF, but dreaded the devestation if it didn't work. We'd already experienced so many failures on our own and with other treatments.

November was a month filled with blood tests, injections and pills. I was tired, bruised and an emotional wreck. We smiled through the roughest time in our life to hide the rollercoaster we were on. Only a few of our closest friends knew what we were going through.
On December 6th, we got up at the crack of dawn and drove to the doctors office we'd been to dozens of times. An anesthesiolgist put me under, and doctors used a needle guided by ultrasound to retrieve 16 eggs from my ovaries. The eggs were fertilized by ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection), and we waited. Five days later, we had five thriving embryos. Two were transferred into me, and we began our 30th and most grueling "Two Week Wait."

During that time, the shots and pills continued, the worst of which was a 1 1/2 inch needle Michael would stick into the muscle on the back of my hip each night for over 70 days.
On December 18th, I took a home pregnancy test and couldn't belive my eyes. It was the most beautiful pink line I'd ever seen! I called Michael and told him to hurry home. We were both over the moon with excitement. A blood test confirmed the pregnancy, but the next few days were tough as more blood tests detected that my hormone levels were rising, but not as quickly as they should. Doctors discussed the possiblity of an ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage. I wasn't sure I could possibly handle either one. My rope was beyond frayed, and one more devestation would snap it. On December 26th, an ultrasound revealed a healthy pregnancy, and my hormone levels bounced back...It was our very own Christmas miracle. January 5th we saw the first flicker of a heartbeat, and on August 24th, 2007, we held our baby girl.

She was worth the wait.

Visit http://www.reslove.org/ to learn what you can do to raise awareness and ease the pain of the one in eight couples who suffer from infertility.

Happy Halloween!

Back to Work

I returned to work yesterday. It's been bitter-sweet. I love seeing all the families again, but I really miss my time with MJ. Fortunately, she seems to like her new school. Every time I peek in on her, she is happy and busy. It's true what "they" say...daycare is much harder on Mommy! I just focus on the fact that I'm lucky enough to have her just a few steps from my office.

The Trip Part Two

The drive from Tennessee to Virgina through the Shenandoah Valley was beautiful! We were there just as the fall colors were their brightest. It made the drive feel like a bit of a vacation itself. I regret not taking pictures.

It was so great to see the Mas! We've missed them terribly and enjoyed our quick visit. We rolled in Saturday around 8 and had a delish dinner of frozen pizza, pizza rolls, and motz sticks for old time's sake. We chatted about Marlee and Pru and introduced them to each other. We did some shopping on Sunday and went out for a fun dinner. The food was awesome, but spending time with our good friends was ten times better. After dinner Michael and Chris watched some football while Kacey and I bonded over our motherly duties. It felt like we had to leave as soon as we got there, and we headed home Tuesday at 6am. The drive took 14 hours due to Tiny Dictator, but it was uneventful.

Pru and MJ stylin' in their shades.

The Trip Part One

We're back! We got back Tuesday night, but this is the first chance I've had to write since I returned to work Wednesday. We had a great time on our road trip. Marlee was great, of course. She is such a happy, easy baby (knock wood).

We left Friday afternoon and arrived in Townsend, TN around 9. It's a pretty quick drive, but we had to stop about every 3 hours or so for Marlee time. Michael has named her the Tiny Dictator. We got a chance to introduce Kathryn and Steve to their niece before hitting the sack

Saturday morning we got up and met some of the family for breakfast, including Marlee's cousin, Allison. We had lunch with the Wymers and returned to the hotel to rest up for the big event. The wedding was beautiful. Meg was a gorgeous bride, and the setting was picturesque. Everything was perfect from the flowers to the perfect fall evening. Marlee sat quietly through the ceremony and slept for most of the reception.

We set out for Virginia after another family breakfast.

Road Trip Preparations

Friday the Wymers are hitting the road! We're off to Tennessee for cousin Meg's wedding and then to Virginia to visit the Mas and Pru. We'll be back Tuesday night. That's 5 days, but I feel like I'm packing for a year. I started preparations on Saturday with one of my favorite pastimes...list making. Packing for Michael is easy. Finding five days worth of clothes I like that actually fit me is another story. And toughest of all is Miss Marlee. I'm pretty sure we're taking everything she owns. And let's not forget George, who's off for a vacation at Grammy's...his bag needs to be packed too! Gone are the days of throwing a few things in a duffle for an impromptu weekend road trip. Endless preparations aside, I'm really looking forward to our first family vacation!

Make New Friends, Keep the Old

I'm so lucky to have so many wonderful old friends. A fun lunch date with "Sissy Teeny" made me thankful for all the people who have been a part of my life for years and years. It's hard to maintain relationships when our lives are so crazy, but worth the effort. The best friends are the ones you can go forever without seeing and pick right back up like no time has passed. Mindy, Katie, Christine, and Matt...you all have been around for an awfully long time, and I'm so glad to have you in my life today.

Parade Plus Pumpkin Patch=

A fun fall day! The morning started with the Roswell Youth Day Parade, which goes right past our house. We parked the Pathfinder at the end of the driveway and sat in the back to watch the floats and bands go by. Once our street was re-opened, we hopped in the car and headed to the pumpkin patch. I was excited about Marlee's first visit to the patch, but she was too worn out from the parade and slept the whole time! We still got some really cute pictures!

Ahh, Fall!

Fall is here! Okay, so it's officially been fall for a few weeks now, but we're just getting our first taste of cooler weather here in Atlanta. Fall is our favorite time of year. We started dating in the fall, got engaged in fall, and were married in fall. The brisk fall air seems to bring all of these memories front and center, much like a smell can remind you of a person or place. The weather reports say that the cool weather is only temporary, but we're enjoying it while we can. Even Marlee is taking advantage of the chill and dressing for the season. Isn't she a little "deer?"

Happy Wednesday!

Separation Anxiety

Saturday night I did it. We left Marlee with my mom (and Alex and Jenna) and went to see a movie. We attempted this last weekend, but I couldn't bring myself to leave. MJ is going through a fussy evenings phase, and I hated the thought of not being there to comfort her. It had nothing to do with my mom's ability to take care of her, and everything to do with my ability to be away from her. I knew that the day was going to come, and figured it would hurt whether it was sooner or later, so might as well get it over with.

We saw The Heartbreak Kid, which I found to be disappointing and even offensive at times. I can't believe I left her to see a movie I didn't even like! It served it purpose of distracting me though. I only left the movie once to call and check on Marlee. I did shed a couple tears on the way home, desperately missing my baby.

As hard as it was, I'm glad to have gotten that first time over with. I think it will get easier each time...not that I'm planning on doing it again soon :)

6 Weeks Old

Marlee is 6 weeks old today! It's amazing how much she's changed. Her little personality is really starting to emerge. Here are some pictures of our big girl!

A New Look

New colors for the blog. Pretty, no? :) By the way, I'm liking the current blog name. It was meant to be temporary, but I think I'll stick with it for a while.

The Scoop on Poop

Since Marlee was born, it has become a frequent topic of conversation in our house. For the past couple of weeks, MJ has decided to go only when she feels like it, which can mean skipping several days. After calls to the pedi, I've been told that this is because breastmilk is the perfect food and creates very little waste. This is BS. Why do I know this is BS (at least in MJ's case)? Because when she decides to go, it is not "very little waste." It is 4-5 days of poop. Out the diaper, up the back, in the armpits and hair kind of poop. "Very little" my pregnancy-enhanced tush. And both of the times I've had the pleasure of experiencing the big poop, it has been just hours after giving my sweet girl her bath. So she gets another. It's a good thing she likes it. My advice for mommies with babies who have skipped a few days...try a bath.

First "Play Date"

Marlee and Emily's first meeting...Best friends already!

Emily Claire Butts

She's finally here! Emily was born at 11:24pm on Saturday, September 29. She weighs 7 lbs, 12 oz and is 20 inches long. She is such a cutie and looks just like her daddy! Jenn and baby are doing great!

CONGRATS BRIAN AND JENN AND WELCOME BABY EMILY!!!

Request for Labor Dust

Please send lots of labor thoughts to Jenn. She's 40 weeks and 3 days today and VERY VERY pregnant. She would really like to meet little Emily and so would the rest of us! Let's all send good wishes and hope that she doesn't make it to her scheduled induction date next Thursday. Bring it on!

My New Friend

On Monday, Marlee and I had a girls' day out. We've been out together several times, of course, but Monday was different. We went to Phipp's Plaza to run an errand and ended up spending the whole day hanging out together. She is suddenly more alert and interactive, and I enjoyed watching her take in all the sights around the mall. I took her to Tiffany's and showed her the sparkling diamonds. We went to a children's boutique and picked out a special gift for Pru. Then we went to a bookstore, and I bought a book to read her when we got home. By that time, I was starving and browsed the directory for places to eat. I saw the Nordstrom Bistro and knew that was our spot. I remember eating at Nordstrom on special shopping trips into San Francisco with my Granny and Mom. I sat Marlee in her seat across from me, and she cooed and talked while I ate my yummy lunch. I realized then that I don't just have a new baby, I have a DAUGHTER and a friend for life.

Smiles from Marlee

My heart is melting!

One Month Old!

Our baby girl is one month old today! Isn't she a cutie?!