Getting Ready for the BIG MOVE!

Ok, well our little Gavin is 7 weeks old today....the time is already flying by. Before we know it he will be a year old! Everyday he it seems like he is able to accomplish something new. He is really starting to talk to us when he is awake....I love hearing all the new sounds he is making. We have been introducing a lot of new toys to him and he loves the toys with lights and sound. His little grip is getting pretty strong now too. He has a rattle that if I put it in his hands he will hold on to it for awhile. He also loves grabbing mom's hair....especially when we are nursing. Another exciting thing is that Gavin has started to sleep even more through the night. He now sleeps from 9pm until 4am without waking up. This all started about a week ago....so we will see how long it continues. He still is nursing every 2.5/3 hours during the day. He also smiles a TON now....I can pretty much get him to smile on que! It really is amazing how much we love this little guy....he truly is a blessing and I couldn't imagine one day without him!

Well, we have been talking about this for awhile now and the time as finally come! The Smith family will be leaving Northwest Arkansas and migrating north to Kansas City!! We will be packing our bags and moving the last weekend in October....so lets see that is in about 34 days. I guess I better start packing then!!!! We plan to head up to KC this weekend to finding housing....hopefully we can find something. With me working every weekend right now, due to busy wedding season, it has been hard to get up there to look. This weekend is going to be great thought because Gavin will get to meet his Great Grandma Olson and see Grandma Knapp again (Gigi)....he also will get to meet his Great Aunt Cathy! Of course in between house hunting we plan to get in a little shopping at the Country Club Plaza! SO EXCITED!!! We are really excited about the move and the change, it seems like the prefect time! With a new baby, a new location, brings a new bright future!

Our life is a little crazy right now with the move coming and working weddings....but my goal everyday is to stop and enjoy every second with Gavin and love on him as much as I can!!! Sometimes I feel like it I want to cry because the time is going by so fast already. I do feel very blessed that I have the opportunity to stay home and enjoy our little munchkin everyday! So, here are some pictures over the past few weeks of our little guy!

Hanging out on the deck with Mom and Dad....as they enjoy a nice steak dinner!

Thanks Aunt Vicki for the cool outfit....the ladies are lining up!

1 Month....already!

Well, it has been 1 month already!! I love watching are our little guy grow, but at the same time I want him to stay little forever. We had our 1 month check up and Gavin is weighing in at 10 pounds and 6 ounces. We just started to move into our 0-3 month clothes, as the newborn outfits are getting a little tight! This past month as been SO AMAZING!!! Courtney and I could not be any happier...we feel so blessed to have this little guy in our lives. 

Gavin is doing great at breastfeeding and is eating about ever 2.5 hours. He is still doing great at night. I'm still feeding him at 9:00pm and he sleeps until about 2:30am every night! Just in the past week or so he has started to smile back at us...I love it when he wakes up in the morning and is ALL smiles! I seriously think I have the cutest baby ever!!! Just saying...LOL. He also has started to make some "coing" sounds...I think he is going to be a talker like his mom, and grandmas, and great-grandmas for that matter!!! :) 

This past week I started back to work and had 3 weddings. Gavin was such a trooper for me. He came with me to all my weddings and helped me set-up decorations. Then during the event he hung out with dad up in the office. Well, here is a video of our little guy at 1 month, and some pictures from the past few weeks. We can't wait to see what the next month with bring! 

3 Weeks Old....and Loving Life!

Well, I can't believe Gavin is already 3 weeks old! Everyday he gets stronger and stronger and cuter and cuter!!! Life really could not be an better, I'm truly enjoying motherhood and loving on my sweet baby boy each day. Gavin has been doing great with breast-feeding and sleeping during the night. I typically try to feed him each night around 9:00 or 9:30 and then lay him down for bed. For the past week he has been sleeping from about 9:30-2:00am....which is AWESOME!!! He is such a good boy!! He then wakes up around 2 to eat and then again around 5:30. Now, he does have a fussy period each day which is typically in the evening when dad gets home....I think maybe Courtney is secretly pinching him! LOL j/k

We had our two week doctors appointment last week and he weighed in at 8 pounds and 4 ounces....so he is growing like a good little boy. We have not gotten out of the house to much, but we did go for our first stroller ride the other night and he loved it! I think he liked the breeze and all the nature sounds. We also started talking real baths this past week instead of sponge baths and he LOVES the water. He can be crying his little eyes out, but once you put him the water he stops immediately.

Gavin also got to meet Grandpa/Grandma Smith and Grandpa/Grandma Doerr over the past two weekends....he is one lucky boy with 4 sets of grandparents. I don't think he will be spoiled at ALL!! ;) Courtney and I received a new camera as a gift from grandpa Steve, so once we figure it out I will post some pictures of Gavin with the grandparents.

We also had his newborn pictures taken when he was 6 days old....so here are some of the pictures! He was such a good boy for pictures....he was awake more most of it and he didn't even cry once!

Gavin Bo Smith!!!

Ok, everyone sorry it has taken me so long to blog....I'm sure you are all wondering what happened! Well, Gavin Bo Smith made his appearance into the world on August 6th @ 12:48pm and we couldn't be happier and more in LOVE! It all started about 1:00 in the morning when I started having contractions, I woke Courtney up around 2:00 when I realized it was the real thing. Courtney helped me get through my contractions as they got closer and harder. We finally realized at about 3:30 it was time to go to the hospital. By the time we arrived at the hospital it was about 5:00 and my contractions we about 2 minutes about. At this point I was feeling really bad. I had the shakes and vomiting in between my contractions, which made it very difficult to stay calm in between. When we arrived at the hospital I was only dilated to a 4 and 95% effaced, so we decided to get an epidural. After I got my epidural the doctor came and broke my water around 7:30, then a few hours after that I was dilated to an 8 and 100% effaced. Before we knew it I was a 10 and ready to start pushing!!! It was a wonderful experience has the anticipation built, we couldn't believe that we would be bringing our little guy into the world at any time! We did end up having to wait an extra 45 minutes before I was able to push, since another lady came into the hospital with her 4th baby and she didn't have much time to waste! So, finally @ 12:48 Gavin was born! It was the most AMAZING experience of my life!!! Watching him being born and Courtney cutting the cord was breath taking. It is so true....you never know how much you could love someone until you have a child. Becoming a parent and the love that you feel is simply a miracle!

So, here are some pictures of our sweet baby boy.....I must say it is so hard to not kiss and hug him every second!!! I love his little cheeks!!!

We have enjoyed family coming to visit and would like to thank our mothers for all their help and support during the past week! Gavin is very blessed to have such amazing grandparents! We still have some other family coming in the next few weeks and Gavin is super excited to meet his other grandparents!!

Until next time.....

40 Weeks....Eviction Notice!!!

Dear Baby Smith,

Ok it has been 40 weeks..... and your time is up! You need to decide to make your appearance. There are too many people waiting for your arrival and I am running out of room at the Inn!  :) What do we need to do to convince you that its time??? New Toys? New Clothes? A promise that we will always think about saying "Yes" instead of "No" when you ask for something? Ok, you got it....now come out!

P.S. We are extremely excited to meet you and love you to pieces already!!! :)

Love,
Mom and Dad!

Here I am 40 weeks......

39 weeks....any day now!!! YAY!!!

Well, we are 39 weeks and the doctor says it can be any day now. We had our appointment on Thursday and found out that I'm dilated to 1.5cm and 75% effaced. So, really that means we could go into labor any day or it could be a week yet. However, our doctor did say that our little guy has dropped a lot so we might see some action this coming week. Either way Courtney and I ARE READY....so whenever this little guy wants to show his face we will be waiting with open arms. As for momma, I'm still feeling great and going about my normal day....I made it to the farmers market this morning and got some great goodies!!! Gotta love fresh fruit and veggies!

This past week Courtney and I meet my cousin Dalton (from Atlanta) in Joplin, MO for dinner. It was great seeing him, since I think it has been about two years. I remember holding him when he was a baby....hard to believe he is in college now. He has turned into such a strapping young man!!

Ok here is our latest and possibly last belly picture @ 39 weeks....I can't believe this 9 month journey is coming to an end! I'm going to miss my belly!!! Hopefully the next time I post.....we will have BABY SMITH!!! Until next time....

37 weeks....and counting!!!

OMG....I can't believe we only have 3 weeks left (really 2 1/2) before we get to meet our little guy. Courtney and I lay in bed every night is such "amazement" that we will be bringing him home so soon. I'm not sure if I'm ready for this pregnancy to end....I have enjoyed every aspect so far of being pregnant. I feel great and I love rubbing my belly and feeling him move all around. I can't even imagine what it is going to feel like to hold him for the first time!!! All I know is that we love him more than anything already and he is not even here yet. We truly are so excited to meet him!!

At our doctor's appointment last week we did find out that I'm dilated to a one and starting to thin out. Everything else is looking good...heart beat was 140 again and I'm measuring right on track! Now it is just a waiting game. Also, over the past few weeks we have really focused on getting every thing as ready as we can before the BIG day. Which means checking things off our "To Do" checklist:

1.) install car seat- check
2.) pack hospital bags- check
3.) get insurance information ready and filled out- check
4.) prepare birth plan for hospital- check
5.) pre-pay hospital bill- check
6.) carpets cleaned- check
7.) get guest room ready- check
8.) nursery done- check

We also have some other BIG exciting news....we will officially be moving to Kansas City in the fall!!! We don't know the exact date yet, but it is looking like it will be either the end of October or November. Once we know more details we will fill you all in. So, it looks like we will have some house shopping to do here in the next few months.

 I wanted to share one of baby Smith's new hats!!! I think it is SUPER CUTE and I can't wait to use it for newborn pictures!!! 

Also, here is our latest belly picture @ 37 weeks....I think that is all until next week!!