It's a.....BOY!

Okay, folks, so here is the story...Nathan and I were planning on waiting to find out whether we were having a boy or girl until the very end! Well, we recently have become aware of a few blood disorders that are dominant on my side of the family. Therefore, I have to now get tested to see if I have a blood disorder. Even if I don't have a blood disorder, the baby still has a chance of getting one because I can be a carrier...

SO, the doctors that are doing all of this testing for me have to know the gender of the baby in order to predict the probability of the baby having a blood disorder. (Most of the blood disorders on my side of the family are male dominant). Basically, the higher the probability of a blood disorder, the higher the likelihood that it was going to be boy. So instead of accidentally finding out when someone slipped and said something, we just decided to find out!

I am still adjusting to the fact that this little one is a boy :) Since we already have a girl, it was hard to envision a boy in there! Nathan and I are so excited to meet this little man in January! We already have a name picked out but you are going to have to wait until January to find out! Bailey doesn't completely understand just how much this will change her life but she is going to be a wonderful big sister!

Bailey's First Year

O MONTHS

1 MONTH

2 MONTHS

3 MONTHS

4 MONTHS

5 MONTHS

6 MONTHS

7 MONTHS

8 MONTHS

9 MONTHS

10 MONTHS

11 MONTHS

12 MONTHS

Pictures from her birthday weekend coming soon!

Baby #2

Baby #2 is happy and healthy and 12 weeks along already! Can't believe how fast the first trimester has gone! We are so excited to welcome another little blessing into our family! :)

We have decided to do an all natural birth at a birthing center (weather permitting since the birthing center is in Omaha)! I am a little nervous but so excited to experience child birth again and this time without the assistance of an epidural! I truly believe that God is going to give me the strength I need to do it! :) 

Bailey is a busy busy 10 month old! She experienced her first night of fireworks and really seemed to enjoy them! She is crawling everywhere and pulling herself up on anything that will hold her weight! Her first birthday is right around the corner....I have a feeling she might be walking before I'm ready for her to start! She keeps me on my toes, that's for sure! 

Bailey has a secret to tell...

...she is going to be a BIG SISTER! 

You can't see it in the picture above but her shirt says BIG SIS! We are so excited to finally let all of our friends and family know our exciting news! We had an ultrasound this week and we are 7 weeks along which puts our due date January 22, 2013! Obviously we still have a ways to go but we just couldn't wait any longer to share our news with everyone! 

We will keep you posted as we will have another appointment in a few weeks! I am feeling great, just had a little bit of nausea during the last week but feeling much better this week! We are so blessed to have another little blessing on the way and pray that the Lord would prepare us for this next season in our life as parents of two children (yes, the doctor confirmed there is only ONE baby in there)! 

Stay tuned....more updates to come very soon!

Full of Giggles

Wow, time is flying by! Nathan and I are enjoying every moment that we have with our sweet baby girl! She will be six months old in a few weeks! We have taken some fun videos of her over the last month or so! Enjoy!

Bailey laughs at my hiccups!

Go figure her favorite toy would be a water bottle...

Bailey started cereal and fruits! :) Yum Yum!

Bailey (6 months) & Cousin Daxton (2 months) 

Hope you are all having a wonderful February as we anticipate spring! 

So Thankful

Nathan and I have so much to be thankful for this year! Our first home, the blessing of our first born daughter and soaking up every moment we can with her! I can't believe that one year ago I was pregnant with Bailey and didn't know it yet! Christmas morning was the day we found out we were pregnant and here we are a whole year later and we have a beautiful 3 month old daughter!

Parenthood has been quite an adventure! I work part time 2 days a week at Collage Center. While I am working, my mom stays with Bailey. She loves her Grandma time (and Grandma loves her Bailey time)! Bailey started sleeping through the night at 7 weeks and now goes down about 9pm and sleeps until 8am! This is very nice for both Nathan and I to have a full night's sleep! Bailey and I enjoy our days at home when I don't work! Being a stay at home mom has always been something that I have looked forward to and I am so thankful that I can still spend the majority of my week at home with her while still being able to be in the office doing something I am passionate about at Collage Center!

Bailey has grown so much in the last 3 months! She has almost doubled her weight! She is a whopping 15.2 pounds as of December 3rd! She started giggling, blowing bubbles, holding some of her toys and sitting up with help from us! We love making her laugh and smile!

On November 20th, we made a public dedication with our church family to bring up Bailey in a household that serves the Lord. We were blessed to have lots of friends and family come to her dedication to support us as we endeavor into the realm of parenthood.

Bailey & I

Our Family at Bailey's Dedication 11-20-11

Daddy & Bailey

We were able to spend Thanksgiving with Nathan's family since my parents traveled to VA to see Holden, Rachel, Eric & Carley. It was great to just relax the whole weekend! I even got in on some Black Friday shopping with one of my friends. Stood in line at Kohls for an hour and my friend and I decided that we need a better strategy next year and we are already making plans! Here was Bailey's Thanksgiving outfit...

Everyone is thankful for ME!

Chillin in her bumbo seat...

Cousin Fletcher catching some snuggles with Bailey and Uncle Nate!

We are looking forward to spending Christmas with both of our families! Bailey will get lots of lovin, I'm sure!

She's here!

Bailey Elizabeth Fries


August 25, 2011
4:59 AM
8 pounds 5 ounces
19 3/4 inches


8:45 AM - Wednesday, August 24th -
On Wednesday, August 24th, Nathan and I went to my OB check up to find out that I was still 3 cm and 80% efaced (the same as I had been the week before). I had decided on Monday, August 22nd that I wasn't going to go to work anymore so that I could stay home and rest before baby. So after our appointment, Nathan went to work and I went home and waited...I was really nervous that my water would break while I was in the car, sitting on the couch or while I was walking around Walmart. So I decided to just relax at home.

9:00 PM - Wednesday, August 24th -
I was having contractions but wasn't sure if they were real contractions or Braxton Hicks contractions which I had been having for several weeks. But then I started having really sharp pain in my lower back. Nathan had gone to youth group and got home about 9:00PM. We went for a walk around the block and then decided to time out the pain I was having to see if there was a pattern. While I sat on the couch and timed out the pain, Nathan did some last minute packing in our overnight bag.

10:45 PM - Wednesday, August 24th -
There was not a real consistent pattern between contractions so we decided to just go to bed. We laid down and I laid there for 15 minutes and couldn't sleep through the pain I was having in my lower back. So I decided to call my Dr...when I got a hold of her she happened to be on call that night and was already at the hospital because she had 2 other patients in labor. So she said that I should come on up to the hospital and she would check to see if there was any progress. So we packed up the car and checked into the hospital at 11:25PM!

11:25 PM - Wednesday, August 24th -
I wasn't completely convinced that I was in labor for real so I was preparing myself to be sent home...After changing into a gown and getting hooked up to the baby heart monitor and the contraction monitor, my Dr. checked me and I had progressed to 4 cm and 100% efaced. My Dr. looked at me and said that she could break my water and get me going and that I would most likely be having an August 25th baby. I looked at Nathan and gave him a look that said, "I'm not sure if I'm ready for this..." We called my mom and Chelsea because they were going to be in the room when Bailey was born. The Dr. came in after I got my IV and said that she had ordered the epidural if I wanted it, all I had to do was ask. I said I was doing okay and would wait a little bit. Well, after she broke my water the contractions hit my like a freight train....I looked at Nathan and told him I wanted to get things rolling for the epidural...

2:00 AM - Thursday, August 25th -
Chelsea came as they were prepping me for the epidural and my mom came in just as they were finishing. I felt so much better as the epidural took effect! My mom got my sister on the phone and I talked to her for a few minutes. She said it was killing her not being there and that she couldn't sleep she was so excited. Well, little did I know that the reason she wasn't sleeping was being she was just about an hour away from Kearney. She had jumped in the car with Riah and Cliff almost 24 hours prior and started driving to Nebraska from Virginia. Her mother in law met her in St. Louis and drove the second half of the trip with her. She drove my dad's car from Grand Island to Kearney and Riah and Cliff went with her mother in law. So about an hour after I talked to her on the phone, in she walks into my hospital room. I seriously get teary just thinking about it again. I thought I was dreaming when I saw her. Because my blood pressure was being monitored, my tears caused my blood pressure monitor to start beeping but I didn't care! I couldn't believe she had driven so far to be there for my labor and delivery. Obviously, she wasn't planning on cutting it so close. Her plan was to get to Nebraska and be here when I went into labor but I happened to go into labor while she was still travelling. I'm so thankful she left VA when she did!

2:30 AM - Thursday, August 25th -
After my epidural, I had progressed to 7 cm! Nathan, Chelsea, Mom, Rachel and I just kind of relaxed in the room. It still felt so surreal that we were about to meet our baby girl!

3:45 AM - Thursday, August 25th -
My nurse came in and checked me to find out that was 10 cm! I looked at her and said, "What does that mean?" (even though I knew). She said that it was time to start pushing! Hardest thing I think I have ever done in my life! My body was so tired but thankfully I had some awesome coaches! Nathan was behind me and was massaging my head, Rachel and my mom were at my left side and Chelsea on my right. I was getting really tired but then I heard the nurse say she was going to get the Dr...I was so relieved because I knew that meant that it was almost over and our daughter was about to be born!

4:59 AM - Thursday, August 25th -
Finally, after 1 hour and 7 minutes of pushing, Bailey Elizabeth Fries was born...all 8 pounds and 5 ounces of her! When I saw her for the first time, all I could think was, "How in the world did that pile of chubby baby come out of me?" She was beautiful!





Nathan and I couldn't be happier! She is adorable and will be 3 weeks old this week! She left the hospital at 7 pounds 12 ounces and at her check up last week she was 8 pounds 10 ounces! She is well on her way to being a chubby baby! She is a great eater and sleeper except for some minor issues with gas... We love just starring at her and taking in all of her faces and little smiles that randomly pop up!

Rachel and my mom took turns staying with us that first week! It was so great to have someone there to help us when she woke up in the night those first couple nights so that Nathan and I could get some extra rest. Chelsea came for a day and helped me tackle laundry, dishes and cleaning (and snuggles with Bailey of course)!

Riah and Cliff got to meet their little cousin! Riah would look at her and say, "She's just so cute!" Aunt Rachel enjoyed her snuggle time with Bailey since she will not see her again until Christmas...




Kellen, Barrett and Fletcher also got to meet their baby girl cousin! Yes, Bailey has a total of 5 boy cousins with a 6th little boy arriving to Nathan's brother and sister in law in December 2011 when they will welcome a 4th little boy into their family.






Nathan and I are so blessed to have supportive friends and family who have come around us as we begin our journey as parents! We are often overwhelmed with gratitude for all the support, meals and time that people have invested in our lives! We are really looking forward to what God has in store for our family as we raise Bailey :)

MOVED IN :)

Sidney Patten
October 2, 1923-June 15, 2011



My Grandpa Patten went to be with the Lord last week. He was a man of integrity and humility. I have so many sweet memories such as homemade waffles & raspberry jam, his passion for gardening, his quiet spirit, his laugh, the fact that he never forgot to send a birthday card and eventually anniversary cards. He is rejoicing with His Savior as you read this post as well as reunited with my Grandma Patten who preceded him in 2008. He certainly left a legacy behind him, along with 9 children, 32 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren. It saddens me that our little girl will not have the chance to meet him on this side of heaven, but Nathan and I will be able to share with her what a wonderful man he was!



Baby Girl Fries



Our baby girl is right on track for her expected arrival date of September 5th which ironically happens to be Labor Day... She is close to 3 pounds and never stops moving, kicking and elbowing! I am fairly certain that I have internal bruising, especially on my diaphragm. It is such a blessing to feel her leaping within my womb and we just imagine what she will look like when she finally joins us! Nathan and I are thoroughly entertained by watching her movement cause my stomach to roll. She very much favors laying on the right side which often times causes my stomach to be a bit lopsided!



NEW HOUSE





We moved in our first home on Sunday, June 12th! We had lots of help from faithful friends and family! The unpacking process is slow but it is fun to find a place for everything. Thankfully, the kitchen was the first room completed and other than not being able to find the alarm clock, we are as settled as we can be. Here are pictures of the house empty before we moved in...

LIVING ROOM

KITCHEN

Bedroom #1: NURSERY

Bedroom #2: GUESTROOM/OFFICE

Bedroom #3: MASTER BEDROOM

BATHROOM

MUDROOM/ARTS & CRAFTS CLOSET FOR AMANDA

BASEMENT

1/2 BATH in BASEMENT-eventually full bathroom with shower hopefully!

BASEMENT

BASEMENT-Laundry Room

CLUBHOUSE IN BACKYARD

BACKYARD

BACKYARD PATIO


There is one more room in the basement that I didn't get a picture of before we filled it with stuff...it will eventually be a family room. We are very excited to get the walls painted upstairs so we can officially be moved in! We currently have our bed set up in what will be the nursery so that we can paint the office/guestroom and master bedroom first. We are so excited to own our first home and look forward to getting settled and making it our own!

More blogs to come with updates as we paint and unpack!