Merry Christmas!

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

 With Love,

The Rea Family

Getting our act together...

When Curtis and I got engaged in 2006 we tried to come up with a creative way to send our save-the -dates to friends and family. Since we got engaged in September and were getting married 4^th of July weekend the following year we knew we needed to get them out early so people could make travel plans. We decided that sending Christmas cards for our save-the-dates was a great idea and we would be knocking out two birds with one stone. I loved our save-the-dates and just knew that we would send a cute Christmas card, with a picture of our new little family to our loved ones each and every year. Boy was I wrong! We haven’t sent a single Christmas card since the year before we got married, but I decided this year we are going to get our act together and start a new tradition!

I have used Shutterfly for my photo storage and sharing site for awhile now. Just after Cooper was born I made a precious photo book with pictures from his newborn session. It was super affordable and such a great quality product.

I also love Shutterfly's photo calendars and hope to make one next year to give as gifts to family and friends.  

I am sure that this summer when we begin to plan our big boy’s 1 year celebration we will be looking for birthday party invitations .How cute are these?!?!

 Shutterfly has a great deal this year just for bloggers! They are giving away 50 free holiday cards and I just couldn’t pass up this awesome deal!!  I have loved looking through all of their Christmas cards but my favorites are in the Christmas Stationery Cards. They are available in a variety of designs, look like they would cost a fortune but are very reasonably priced. I can’t wait to finalize our photo card selection! 

It's beginning to look at lot like Christmas...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around our house. We put our tree up and got it all decorated the weekend after Thanksgiving this year. It took a little longer than usual since we have a little distraction this year. Christmas is my absolute favorite time of year and I always get excited about all that the holiday season entails. This year things are a little different around our house. I'm taking more time to enjoy the true meaning of Christmas and there is nothing like seeing it all through the eyes of a child. Even at 5 months, Cooper is fascinated with the lights and ornaments on the tree. He also has a Little People Nativity Scene that we are setting up one piece at a time thanks to his grandparents. Each day as we remove the latest piece from our Fireside Advent Calendar, we play Away In A Manger and his little eyes light up and he grins ear to ear. Curtis and I are excited about playing Santa this year and cannot wait to see Cooper on his first Christmas morning. As we celebrate this holiday season with our precious son I hope that Curtis and I will begin to teach Cooper the true meaning of Christmas and the love of God and His most precious Son.

4 Months!

Cooper,

You are growing up way to fast! I cannot believe it's been 4 months since you came into our lives. Time is flying by and I cannot remember what life was like without you. The last month has been so much fun! You change a little bit each day and your personality is just blossoming. You are the sweetest boy, smiling and "talking" to everyone we meet, especially our family who you clearly recognize these days. You have done so well at Weezie's while Daddy and I are at work. I can't wait to start my new job tomorrow so we will have more time together!

You have become so much more animated this past month. Weezie told me at the beginning of the month she thought you had definitely found your voice and made sure everyone knew you were around. You coo and smile all the time, we "talk" in the car whenever we go somewhere. You are so excited and happy when we hold and play with you. You are still loving bath time, we even gave you a little bath book to play with and that has made it even more fun.

On October 11 I took you to see Dr. Delaney about your skin (you have eczema) and we found out some other news...you have a big flat spot on the left side of your head and tight muscles on the right side of your neck due to you sucking your left thumb every night while you sleep. We started physical therapy with Miss Rachel at Team Therapy on October 20. You get sooo mad when we do your exercises but as soon as we stop you are all smiles and ready to play with her fun toys again.  We started going to see Miss Rachel once a week and hope you are making progress but if not you may get a helmet like your cousin Andrew.

We got a new stroller this month and you and I have been on several walks together. You love being outside and often take your best naps as we stroll through the neighborhood. You still are not a big fan of your getting into your carseat but once you are settled you don't seem to mind riding. 

We celebrated your first Halloween and you were the cutest little pumpkin I've ever seen! We strolled around the neighborhood with Emily, Nick and Uncle AJ while Caitlyn went door to door trick-or-treating.

You are still taking 2-3 short naps each day but the best part is, you go to bed and sleep ALL night!! You eat 5-6 times per day and hopefully you'll get to start some solid foods after your 4 month checkup this Friday. Can't wait to see how much you've grown!

We survived!

So my first week back to work was tough but we survived! I only worked Monday and Thursday, giving me plenty of time in between work days to get my baby fix! Cooper made dropping him off at Weezie's so easy, he just smiled and looked as comfortable as can be with her. I called for an update each day and was so pleased at how well he was behaving for Weezie. He ate well, slept well and was just as pleasant with her as he is with us.
Cooper gave us a pleasant surprise last week and he couldn't have chosen better timing! On Wednesday night, before my second day back at work, Cooper slept through the night for the very first time!! He went to bed around 8:15 pm and did not wake up until 5:30 am! I was soo excited and thought for sure he would never do it again but he has been pretty consistent all week with the exception of Friday night. His wake up time of 5:15-5:45 am is perfect for my work schedule and on my days off he goes back to sleep for another 2-3 hours.
Cooper also found his hands last week and started sucking his thumb this week. We tried at first to stop him but gave up. He must find it soothing because we catch him doing it during the night and during the day when he is trying to calm down and go to sleep. It's super cute but I hope he can stop before he starts school and before we need major orthodontic intervention!
We've had a big week full of milestones and firsts. I'm so thankful that I only have to work 3 days a week, I love being home with Cooper as much as possible and I don't want to miss a moment of his growing up!

Our Little Tiger Fan

I have been a Clemson Tiger for as long as I can remember. One of the first stuffed animals I received was a tiger that I still have to this day. I remember going to Clemson with my dad when I was little and when it came time to applying to college Clemson University was my first choice. My four years at Clemson were some of the best of my life. I made a career choice, made life long friends, learned a lot about life and met the man that I would spend the rest of my life with.
When Curtis and I discovered that we were having a baby last fall one of the many things we looked forward to was bringing him or her to their first Clemson football game. Yesterday we made that dream come true. We packed up the car and the three of us traveled the two hours to God's Country to see our Tigers play!
Cooper slept most of the way up and was in the best mood all day long!

On my way to see the Tigers play!

We arrived in Tiger Town and walked through a couple of stores downtown before heading to the tailgate. After tailgating with Pop, Travis, Kelly, Uncle John and Aunt Ginny we headed into the game.
We missed the Tigers running down the hill and kick off but enjoyed two quarters of the Tigers kicking some PC Blue Hose tail! Cooper stayed awake most of the time, just looking around. It was so fun just having Cooper with us in our favorite place! At halftime we left the game and went back downtown for a little while before heading home. It was a short trip but worth every second. We can't wait to take Cooper to Clemson for many years to come and hope he will share our love for the Tigers!

Back to reality...

This post is going to sound really pathetic and whiny and I'm sorry but I'm writing what I feel to have a documentation of our life at this very moment...

I can't believe it's already been 10 weeks since I met my precious Cooper. I can't believe my maternity leave is already coming to an end, I feel like my time with him just began. The last 10 weeks have been the best of my life and I have treasured each and every moment I've had with our sweet little boy. I have struggled emotionally every night this week just thinking about leaving him. I feel like leaving him is some sort of torture. I know that he's in good hands with Weezie and that it will be good for both of us to have a little time apart each week but that doesn't make this any easier. I only have to go to work for a couple of hours tomorrow and I hope this will break us both in a little. Monday will be the real deal, 12 hours of work, almost 14 hours away from my sweet boy. I hope everyone will be patient with me as I adjust to our new normal. I'm so thankful for Curtis, he is my rock and is so comforting and supportive. I know I could not do this without him by my side. Here's to hoping things go as well as possible over the next week..

Happy 2 Months!

My sweet Cooper,

I can't believe you are already 2 months old! Some days I feel like I just met you yesterday and other days I cannot remember a time without you. The last 2 months have gone by so fast and I wish I could just stop time. Here are a few things I want to remember about you these days...

• Your little personality is really beginning to shine these days. I love when your eyes lock with mine and you just grin. It's the sweetest thing I've ever seen. You've started to make little cooing noises and sometimes it sounds like you're about to giggle.
• You love to snuggle and your daddy and I love that about you. It's one of our favorite times of each day.
• You love to be sitting up and look around the room, studying everything around you. You are getting better and better at holding your head up, you are so strong for such a little guy.
• Music and soft sounds seem to calm and comfort you. Miranda Lambert and ocean sounds are your favorites!
• You love to take a bath! You always look totally relaxed in your little tub. You smile and coo when the water is poured over you and cry every single night when we get you out!
• You do not like tummy time unless you are lying on mine or your daddy's chest. If we put you on the floor you kick and push with one side until you are on your side and roll over by accident.
• You are a great little traveler, you slept all the way to the beach and back on our trip last week!
• You have started to sleep longer at night which is so nice for mommy and daddy. You are usually in bed between 8 and 10 pm and sleep until 2-4 am then again until around 6-8 am.
• You and I have little outings each week just to get out of the house. Sometimes we have lunch with friends or go for walks, other times we just run to Target or Chick-fil-A to keep mommy from crawling the walls :)

We love you more than we ever thought possible. Having you is the best thing I have ever done and I tell people all the time that this is my favorite part of my life so far. Thank you for being such a sweet, precious baby. I can't wait to watch you grow up, but please take your time :)

6 Weeks Old!

I can't believe my sweet little boy is already 6 weeks old! He has grown so much in such a small amount of time and I notice new things about him on a daily basis. I wish I could just slow time, keep him sweet and small as long as possible but I know that's not going to happen. Since I can't stop time or stop him from growing up right before my eyes, I have been taking a TON of pictures. Yesterday we had a little photo shoot, just the two of us. Here are the latest of our little munchkin!

Sweet feet!

Cooper's Newborn Photo Shoot

On July 24 a sweet girl I went to high school with named Lindsay Alexander came to our home for our first family photo shoot! More importantly, Lindsay got some great shots of Cooper while he was still small and newborn looking. Lindsay was so sweet to come all the way from Fort Mill, SC to work with us and was so patient when Cooper did not want to participate at first. She is so talented and I would recommend her to anyone looking for photos that your family will treasure for years to come! Check out her blog for her most recent work.

I received our package with all of our images yesterday and I am so pleased with how they all turned out and could not wait to share a few with you.

One of my favorites!

So cute!

A special ring shot with our new little Tiger fan!

Family Photo

Thanks Lindsay, we love all of our pictures and hope to have you take a few more in the future!

Cooper goes to church!

Today was the first time Cooper went to church! It was quite a feat getting everyone ready and out the door but once we got to St. David's it was worth every minute. All of Cooper's "church clothes" are still a little too big so he wore the same outfit he came home from the hospital in. We only took one picture right before we headed out the door.

After the service Cooper and I stayed in the pew while Curtis took care of a few things. While we were seated many of our close friends had the opportunity to meet Cooper for the first time. It was also the first time I had seen most of the same people, it was great to catch up even if it was only for a minute or two.

After church we headed to Irmo to have lunch and spend a little time with Grammy and Pop. While we were there Leslie, Ryan and their new puppy, Beaufort, came by to visit. Beaufort is so cute, he was chewing on everything though, including Cooper's foot!

We had a great Sunday, the perfect ending to a fun weekend!

Clemson Roommates Freshman Class of 2028

Cooper and I went on a little road trip today to meet his newest friend, Baxley, who was born on August 29, exactly 4 weeks after Cooper! Baxley's mom, Merrill, was my roommate my freshman year at Clemson and our dads have worked together for years. In January when I found out that yet another friend of mine was pregnant with me I was so excited! Merrill and I emailed back and forth throughout our pregnancies and attended baby showers for one another before the boys arrived.

Merrill and I at my baby shower, May 22, 2010

I'm so glad that over the last 9-10 months we have been able to reconnect and support one another throughout our pregnancies and our first few weeks as new moms. We took several pictures during our visit and I'm sure there will be many more over the years, perhaps even as they move into their freshman dorm at Clemson in 2028!

Baby Swap!
Merrill holding Cooper and me with little Baxley

Some Very Special Visitors

Cooper and I started our day out a little on the early side. My little man decided he was ready to go bright and early this morning so after breakfast we headed to the dam for a walk. It was overcast and humid but it was nice to get out and get a little exercise for me and a little fresh air for my boy.

Kathy took a study break to come love on Cooper for a little while and catch up over lunch. We are so excited that their next little bundle of joy is going to be a GIRL! We can't wait to meet her in December.

After lunch and a quick nap, we had some other very special visitors. While I was at Clemson, I made my extra money babysitting for the Latiff family. I watched their 2 children, Ashley and Andrew, grow up over my 4 years of college. After I left Clemson they moved to Hilton Head for a little while and then moved to Chapin a few years ago. I'm so glad they live close so that I can see the kids and continue to see them grow up. Catherine and the kids came by to meet Cooper and brought us the cutest gift from a store in Clemson, Razzberry Fizz.  It was so great to catch up, I can't believe it's been 9 years since I met them, seeing how big Ashley and Andrew are makes me feel so old!

It was so fun seeing the kids with Cooper and we can't wait to get together again soon!

Childbirth Class and Family Baby Shower

We have had a great weekend! On Saturday, Curtis and I attended a childbirth class at the hospital where Cooper will be born. It was quick and to the point, thank goodness. The best part was that our friends Jenny and Will were in the class with us. It's always nice to have other people there to laugh with and talk to before, during and after any class like this. We watched some videos and went over all kinds of things related to labor and delivery. We also went on a tour of Labor and Delivery, the Nursery and Postpartem floors at the hospital.

I thought this class would make me more comfortable and less anxious about everything but it seemed to do the opposite. Now I am analyzing and worrying about every possible situation we could possibly be faced with. I know that I need to just trust that God will take care of everything but it's so hard not to worry!

Today we had our first baby shower! Curtis' "aunts" Jackie and Carolyn and his sister, Kirsten, hosted a family shower. Unfortunately, Curtis had to attend some classes for work and was not able to be there. We we received some wonderful gifts for Cooper and had a great time visiting with everyone. These are just a few pictures from the shower.

Wendy and I with the yummy food and precious decorations!
And no, we didn't plan to dress alike, there are very limited options for maternity clothes in our area!

Cooper and Andrew are going to be so loved! We can't wait for them to get here!

Waiting to open all of our gifts!

28 Weeks, 12 to go!!

Today was fabulous!! Curtis and I chose to have an additional ultrasound today so we could get another chance to see our sweet boy! The best part was that it was 4D! We were able to see Cooper's facial features, hands, legs and feet the way he would look if he were born today. It was absolutely amazing, I think I laughed and giggled from the beginning to the end. During the ultrasound Cooper moved around a good bit, opened his mouth, waved, and let us have peek into his world for about 30 minutes. We were able to video tape the entire ultrasound and the tech captured over 60 still images. Technology has advanced so much and we were very lucky to have the opportunity to see our little man again!

Cooper is measuring right on time except for his head, it's measuring 2 weeks ahead of schedule!! I asked the tech if this was ok, and she said, "Yes, just be thankful for epidurals!" Looks like he got a McKenzie head for sure and could be a big baby! He is weighing in at 2 pounds 14 ounces, give or take a little bit. He has the cutest chunky cheeks and we can't wait til we can give them a squeeze!

12 weeks or less and Cooper will be here!

Nursery Progress

The nursery bedding has arrived! I chose the Kasey Stripe Bedding from Pottery Barn Kids when we first found out we were having a boy. I loved all of the colors and how it was "all boy" but very simple and did not follow any type of theme. When the bedding arrived I also received the new catalog from Pottery Barn Kids and couldn't resist looking at the new bedding designs. What a mistake that was. Looking through the catalog made me question my decision over and over. Finally, after talking to Curtis and realizing what a pain it would be to pack everything back up, mail it to the store, order the new bedding and wait for it to arrive, I just decided to keep what we had originally planned. Now that everything is beginning to come together I'm so glad I let it be. Here are a few updated pictures even though we are far from finished.

25 Weeks and Counting

Cooper and I had a great appointment today! The appointment included a doctor's visit and my glucose tolerance test (checks for gestational diabetes). Once I got checked in, I had to drink this super sweet fruit punch flavored stuff and then have my blood sugar checked. I sure hope I pass the first time because that stuff is nasty!!

Cooper's heartbeat was strong and regular, and we are measuring right on schedule. I am feeling him move more and more each day. Feeling him kick, roll, punch or whatever is going on in there is so much fun and never gets old. It catches me by surprise everytime and I love it!

Everything else is going well, Curtis and I are working on getting the nursery together and hopefully we will have some pictures in the coming weeks. Thanks for checking in!

UPDATE:
 
I passed the glucose tolerance test, no gestational diabetes for me :)

Nursery Furniture

Curtis and I picked out the furniture for the nursery several weeks ago at Baby Furniture Plus Kids. We had originally planned to pick it all up in a couple of weeks but I just could not wait any longer! While I was at work on Saturday, March 20th Curtis and Rob went to pick up the furniture and then we spent the evening putting it all together and started setting up Cooper's room!

Curtis working hard to get his boy's room ready!

Dresser and Hutch

Crib

We are far from finished but there will be many more pictures to come as we get closer to Cooper's arrival!

22 Weeks and a Shower for Baby Dooley

Curtis and I went today for our 22 week ultrasound to follow up on our appointment 2 weeks ago. We had this repeat ultrasound done since Cooper was a wild man and the ultrasound tech was unable to get all of the measurements necessary the first time around. Everything looked great and it was wonderful to have the opportunity to see him again.

This past weekend several of my friends and I threw a baby shower for our friend Ashley who is due in May. It was so much fun, and Ashley and Chris received so many wonderful gifts. There are 5 of us girls expecting and we were able to get some fun pictures before everyone headed home for the day.

Alana, Marian, Christie, Ashley and Wendy

Alana is due any day, Ashley in May, Wendy in early June, Christie later in June and myself mid July. It's hard to believe that at the next shower Baby Miller will have made his appearance!! All of these boys are sure to be fast friends, we just can't wait to welcome them all into the world!

On Sunday, Curtis took a picture of me to show how big my belly is at this point in the pregnancy. I can't wait to watch how these pictures change over the next 18 weeks.

22 weeks

Can't wait for the next couple of months to fly by, we are ready to meet our sweet boy!

It's a BOY!!

On March 1, 2010 Curtis and I went to my appointment for my 20 week diagnostic ultrasound. This ultrasound is to measure the head, brain, stomach, kidneys, heart, etc but we were also able to find out the sex of our baby at this time.

We were so excited to just see our baby again and hear it's precious heartbeat. The fact that we found out that we are having a BOY was icing on the cake! Thomas "Cooper" Rea is doing well, measuring exactly as he is supposed to! I had orange juice with breakfast that morning and he was a wild man! He would not stay still long enough for the nurse to get the pictures of his heart that we needed so we get to see him again in 2 weeks.

After the appointment we called both of our families and shared the big news! Curtis and I ran to a great children's clothing store, Little Lambs and Ivy II,  to buy our first items for our baby boy. Since Curtis had to get to work I met my Dad, Mom and sister for lunch. Mom showed up with a bag full of precious baby boy clothes and I've been shopping ever since! Cooper is going to be one very loved, well dressed little boy.

Thanks for stopping by, we look forward to sharing this journey with you all!