Collins's First Christmas

Merry Christmas! I had this post ready to go on Christmas day but Blogger would not cooperate! Collins will be 4 weeks old tomorrow (Today is December 30 by the way...I don't know how to change the date on the post) and we are loving every minute (even the lack of sleep) of our time with our sweet girl. Today was her actual due date..it's crazy to think that we could just be meeting her today! Sorry about the lack of posts...I'm learning how to juggle the simplest of tasks and sometimes even a shower is hard to get. Every day gets a little easier and I can't remember life without Collins. Have a Happy New Year!

The Sweetest Surprise

Just when you think you have life figured out...a crazy turn of events can turn it upside down!

Thursday morning, my alarm went off at 6:30am and I jumped out of bed to prepare for another day of school. Little did I know, Collins had her own plan for my day. Half way to the bathroom, my water broke. I instantly froze and in a panicky voice just managed to get out..."Graham, I think my water just broke." He jumped out of bed, ran to every wall to find the lights, and immediately began getting dressed. I was not completely on board and grabbed a towel to get back in bed and think this over (did I mention I was in shock). Graham called the doctor and got me moving. I had planned for the 23rd and the 23rd was when she was supposed to come! We left in the next 10 minutes with only the clothes on our backs and headed to the hospital. I called my parents on the way and they too jumped in the car in a craze.

Once at the hospital, it was confirmed that my water had in fact broken and I was going to have a baby that day! I began thinking of how little she would be at 36 weeks and of course panicked again. I got my epidural around 8:30am and from then on it was all a blur! I dilated quickly, pushed for about 10 minutes, and Collins at 6lbs 6 oz and 18 3/4 inches long was born at 11:52am!

We only stayed in the hospital for one night and life at home has been wonderful. Collins could not be more perfect and the only problems we have had have been getting me well from lung complications from a sinus infection. That's where my mom comes in.....she has been our angel. Since I have not been feeling 100% (which I don't recommend with a newborn) she has been taking Collins during the night and letting us get some much needed rest. I don't know what I would have done without her!

Graham is the best father in the world. He went back to work yesterday, and we have missed him terribly. Collins has him wrapped around her finger already! Watching him around her makes me melt...

We could not be more proud of our sweet girl. Even though her arrival really threw us for a loop, Collins has been the most wonderful surprise we could have ever asked for. Stay tuned for more pictures as we stick a camera in her face 100 times a day!

It's in the books!

We had a great OB appointment today! Collins's induction is scheduled for December 23rd..so she will be here in 23 days unless she prefers an earlier arrival!

We couldn't be more excited! The doctor said that she is in perfect position and I'm already a centimeter dilated. We have our last ultrasound next Wednesday to find out how big she is and then it's just a waiting game...YAY for my sweet Christmas baby!

It's Finished!

I am so excited about how the nursery turned out. We changed the paint color to a brighter green, added pink and white polka dotted curtains, hung the mirror, and FINALLY got our sweet froggy (it's made a long, crazy journey but that's another post). We are absolutely ready and now my favorite part...waiting. I am not the most patient person in the world so these next few weeks will be filled with getting ready for Christmas, getting through 3 more weeks of school and being with my sweet kids, getting maternity leave plans ready (this seems to never end), and cheering on my Tigers as they beat the Gamecocks, win the ACC, and earn a trip to the Orange Bowl!

BTW- Graham thinks that he can sweet talk our doctor into inducing on December 21st so I'll keep you posted on how the shmoozing (sp?) goes!

C is for Collins

This past weekend, Christie, Hunter, and Margaret threw the most darling shower for me. Check out the pictures....it was themed C is for Collins!

My frog picture finally came in and the nursery is complete! I will upload pictures on Sunday after our last weekend in Clemson : ( Cross your fingers for a win and a chance to go to the ACC Championship Game!

Only 5 1/2 weeks left...I am beyond excited!

56 Days?!

According to my little pea in a pod above, I only have 56 more days! 8 weeks are going to fly by!

I have stayed super busy with going to Clemson almost every weekend, getting maternity leave plans ready for school, and setting up the nursery (thus the blog neglect).

I also had a really nice baby shower in Florence a couple weekends ago and got to see a bunch of friends I hadn't seen in a while. I am super excited about this weekend's game against Florida State because my aunts and grandmother are having a Clemson themed shower/tailgate! And because I am SUPER SPOILED with such amazing friends and family my sisters-in-law, Hunter and Christie and my friend Margaret are having a Beaufort shower for me next weekend!

Sorry for the lack of updates- I just haven't had much to say! I had an OB appointment yesterday and my tummy is measuring right on schedule and Collins's little heartbeat was perfect. The nursery is almost ready so stay tuned for the final product pictures coming up next week!

P.S.

I asked my parents for a "big girl" camera for Christmas so I promise when I start posting pictures of my sweet girl they won't be the terrible quality that the ones are below! Do you love your camera? Let me know which one I should get!

Nursery Sneak Peak

Our nursery furniture FINALLY came in from market and my parents came to visit and deliver it yesterday! Here are the first pictures of the nursery! We are still waiting on my pink and white polka dot curtains, circular mirror, floor lamp, and we are looking for a print to go above the chair. Any suggestions for a cute nursery art website? This cute froggy is all I have found so far...I just want to make sure I have exhausted all other options before ordering it. I'll keep updating the pictures as the room transforms!

View from the door

Monogrammed pillow

Riggs is already jealous and felt like he needed to get in a picture...

Never could have done this without my Dad's patience!

All is well!

Marshall informed me today that she has been bored in class and needs some updates....so sorry for the lack of posts (have I already mentioned that I am terrible at this blogging thing).

Well, I don't have much to report! Baby Collins will be 27 weeks tomorrow so we are moving right along. I am counting down the days until we get to meet her and I am "in aw" of my belly grow bigger and bigger everyday! Graham and I are loving her constant kicks and wiggles which really helps on the "is she really ok in there?" worries. I have to take my glucose test this Thursday so fingers crossed on passing it. (No Smore's the night before, right Lauren?)

We have been to the last 3 Clemson home games and have gotten wet no DRENCHED at the last one. Needless to say, I am looking forward to a pajama weekend and sleeping in my own bed. Not that I don't love my tigers and being in Clemson seeing my family and buddies but prego needs a break from the 4 and half hour car trip!

School is busy, busy, busy but I am really enjoying my sweet class and will miss them terribly when I am on maternity leave after Christmas Break. Wish me me luck as we head into the third trimester- I just can't wait!!!

What in the world?

I have no idea what this crazy background stuff is....I am working on this nonsense!

St. Simons Wedding

Me and my Graham

Cheers!

It was so good to see you Steph!

This is for you Utsey!

We just got back from a wedding for Graham's high school buddy- Billard. We roomed with Graham's cousin Edward and his g/f Britney and had so much fun! It was the start of our fall full of traveling with Clemson football coming up this weekend! Can't wait!

Just added new pictures of Collins below...she is growing so fast!

Growing Like a Weed- 22 weeks and 2 days

Guess she got my long legs!

Smooshed

Isn't she darling?

Cute piggies

"I'm doing A-OK in here everybody!"

We stopped through Savannah to get another ultrasound on the way to a wedding in St. Simons (are we spoiled or what!?) She is looking great! Her legs are measuring a week ahead and she is in the 77th percentile overall...I guess that's why I was asked if I was carrying twins this weekend!

Half Way There!

I can't beleive that I am 20 weeks today and will get to see my little girl in (greater than or less than) 20 more weeks!

I have been feeling great and very busy getting ready to open up a new school this Monday...I have 22 little darlings and if you've been keeping up, that is is double the amount I had last year! AHHHHH! Oh well, maybe they will cut big ol' fat

Mrs. Sanders a break! More to come about the very exciting Riverview Charter School!

Here is Collins (not sure if I've posted her name yet...it's my maiden name) at 19 weeks. She is still measuring a week ahead in all areas so I guess that explains my belly growing big

ger and bigger by the second!

2 years

Happy Anniversary to my amazing husband Graham! The past two years have been perfect and I can't wait to share a precious little girl with you soon...I love you!

Pretty in Pink

We had an extremely fun, successful market this year! We found a crib, changing table/ dresser, bed linens, swivel glider and ottoman, the sweetest outfits, and of course there was a pit stop at the HOBO sample room!

We checked into the Ritz on Friday around lunch time and went straight to the porch where we had an awesome lunch to gear us up for super shopping. We headed over to market and immediately went to the fine linens floor where we knew the baby showrooms were. I originally thought I wanted a dark-stained sleigh crib but after seeing one in the first showroom I decided that I wanted something less dramatic and more casual. Well, did I hit the jackpot when we strolled into the Peas and Honey showroom! We immediately fell in love with this hand-stitched silk, one of a kind, perfect set!

Disclaimer: This picture was taken by my mom's iphone and

will never do this designer justice (she was there and I fell in love her). The colors are pale pink and pale green and this is not the crib that we chose but it is in the same line...it's white, distressed wood, and more of a sleigh crib design just not as big and bold). Everything should be arriving in the next 8 weeks so I'll give a room tour when everything is done!

After hitting the mother-load in Peas and Honey, I enjoyed walking around browsing with less pressure. That night we went back to the porch for an awesome dinner and it was bed time!

Breakfast in bed (spoiled rotten...I know) got us energy for a full day of the gift building and chair hunting! I found a beautiful leather HOBO purse and a mustard colored clutch for my mother-in-laws birthday...gotta love the HOBO sample room. Then, we went to the baby apparel floor and found precious smocked bubbles and dresses and Kissy Kissy galore. Later that day, the perfect chair was spotted and the nursery is complete! I got a linen slip cover with green welting...and it could not be more comfortable. So after another amazing meal at the brand new Il Mulino next to the Ritz, it was back to Beaufort to show Graham all of the loot and await my furniture and bedding!

To Market, To Market...

to buy my little girl some furniture! I am leaving for Florence tomorrow to spend time with my family before my mom, one of her friends, and I head to AmericasMart in Atlanta!!!!!!!!

We will spend the whole weekend trying to conquer wholesale heaven, looking for the perfect crib, chair, changing table/dresser, and not to mention lounge and dine in the beautiful...

Ritz in downtown Atlanta! The three of us went last year and had a ball and if you've been you know its something that cannot be described. It's truly an experience that is a shopper's dream and this time I get to venture onto the baby floor....watch out Atlanta here we come!

Sorry about the picture delay...I'll try to get those up tonight!

It's a...

GIRL!

She is precious! We went to Savannah yesterday to have an ultrasound and right when she came up on the screen she let it be known that she was not going to have her daddy call her a "he" anymore! She wiggled, squirmed, and even sucked her thumb (cutest thing ever)! She is definitely going to be a giant like her parents because she is already measuring a week ahead in length...we weren't really expecting any less!

Graham is going to scan the pictures in tonight, but I just wanted to post an update in the meantime....we are so proud of our little girl!

Happy Belated Father's Day!

Of course I called my dad on father's day and told him how much I love him but I haven't had a chance to post a picture due to a very intense week of Riverview professional development happening this week!

My dad has always been my rock.  We are alike in so many ways and I will always aspire to be even half the wonderful person that he is.  I love you!

And of course a Happy Father's Day to be to my husband!  He too is going to be an amazing daddy come December!

Limes, School, and Birthdays

Limes:
And no...I'm not making margaritas...although this brutally hot summer is making it hard to be a good mom and not partake...

That's what our little one is about the size of these days! Graham and I went to our 12 week check-up today and the doctor says everything seems to be perfect (gotta love perfect). She prepared us with the "you are right on the edge of being able to hear the heartbeat so don't freak out if we can't hear anything." (Don't freak out???? She obviously doesn't have a clue about my serious anxiety!) Well, it turns out that we didn't even need the disclaimer because our little citrus fruit behaved and let us hear his/her heartbeat and movement right away! Hopefully, Baby Sanders will cooperate like that when we go check out its private area in 2 weeks...we are dying to find out what it is!

School:

Since I went on somewhat of a blogging hiatus, I haven't announced yet that I will be moving schools in August! Although I loved the children at BA and could not have worked with nicer people, I have always wanted to get back to my public school roots. As fate would have it, a group of women had been working tirelessly for the past 3 years to start a charter school here in Beaufort and Riverview is planning to open its doors this fall. I interviewed on a Monday and got offered the job on a Tuesday..it was just an opportunity that I could not pass up and a huge honor to be able to be on the planning end of a brand new school AND my niece will be in the first grade there as well! I am sure they were just "thrilled" to here my baby news since I will be out of commission after Christmas, but once again the I got dealt a lucky hand and the first grade aide that will be taking my class while I'm gone is a parent of one of my students and a former teacher with me at BA....couldn't have worked out better!

Birthdays:

June is a huge birthday month for my family and friends and I failed to post a big happy 24th birthday to my Graham on Tuesday, June 16th! Since his birthday falls in the middle of tomato season he swears that something always breaks or he has to get extra dirty on his birthday...well all seemed to be going well until he had to figure out how to get a huge tractor out of a ditch (I'm sure he would want me to clarify that he did not drive it into the ditch).

In addition to MY BIRTHDAY ON JUNE 24th here is a shout out to all the rest of the June/July babies I love!

My momma- June 1st

My little brother Davis, turning 17- June 19th

One of my Clemson roomies, Mary- June 22nd

My other little brother turning 21 (WOOHOO!)- July 1st

Hopefully I can keep this regular blogging thing up...we'll see!

From the Field to Your Plate

It's that time of year again! As I am sure I have mentioned before, my hus

band grows tomatoes for his family's farm, and June/July is when all of his hard work pays off and the tomatoes are picked and shipped all over! Hopefully these pictures (taken by Hunter and so nicely shared with me) help put the whole deal in perspective. It's a far cry from a couple of dinky plants and farm animals that I pictured in my head when Graham told me his family owned a farm freshman year...he sure showed me...I know...I'm a dope.

Big News!

Are you (all 5 of my readers) tired of checking my blog for a different post/big announcement and seeing darling little Riggs? Well, I finally have some new material to blog about for a LONG time!

We are having a baby!  Graham and I are beyond excited and counting down the days until our little Christmas baby arrives (December 3o is the due date).  I wanted to wait and post when I got to 12 weeks but some people (you know who you are) have been "harassing" me to see something other than sweet, baby Riggs so I have compromised and I am now 11 weeks and 2 days!  The ultrasound is our little gummy bear at 10 weeks...and I can safely say that that was the BEST experience of this pregnancy so far.  We have a video of he/she just squirming and dancing around...it was perfect!

I have loved every minute of being pregnant so far...even the feeling green, dead tired, in my pjs by 4:00pm, wanting weird things to eat, getting pudgy feelings have been not so bad.  I can't wait to find out if its a boy or a girl so I can stop saying "it", plan the nursery, buy sweet outfits, etc....I will DEFINITELY keep you posted!  

Check back for some neat tomato pics soon courtesy of Hunter photography...

Our 98 lb "Puppy"

Getting some sun on the dock

See ya!

Cheesin' it

Being a sweet boy

Awkward, lanky stage

Graham's little buddy

The day we brought him home 

Yes, our baby Riggs is 98 pounds and he will be considered a "puppy" until October when he is 2 years old!  He is the most spoiled rotten dog in the world but I wouldn't have it any other way.  He goes to work with Graham everyday and then bounds up the stairs to tell me hello and to take him on a walk!  He is doing much better on a leash but if he sees another dog...forget it... he is dragging me down to the ground!  The pictures above are obviously ordered backwards because I can't figure out how to move them on Blogger since we got our new MAC...please comment on this post if you can help this apple beginner!

Because I am such a TERRIBLE blogger ( I admit it) I have lots to update on.

My parents and my little brother Davis just came and stayed with us this weekend and we had a ball!  We went out to my favorite restaurant, Bateaux, on Friday night with Graham's parents and then to the JSLB BBQ on Saturday night.  Michael Ross stayed in Charleston for the St. Patty's day parties but we missed him!

The twins are doing great and growing like little weeds!  I run over to see them whenever I can and I just can't get enough of them.  Graham and I are so excited to be Harper's Godparents and they will be baptized at the end of May!

Graham is in the middle of planting tomatoes and working every day.  He's exhausted but always comes home and watches (tolerates) my shows and we just veg out on the couch with Riggs taking up the majority of it.  My little class gets cuter by the day...although I have to admit I am counting down to Spring Break in April!

Well, thats about it..look for another post on the NCAA tourney coming up later on this week... WHAT??? 2 posts in ONE WEEK???  We'll see...