Abram Wagner Cunningham

38 weeks, feeling enormous, and closer to holding my baby than I realized!

Finishing touches (still have to find frames for four pictures.)

I went into labor late in the evening of the 20th (38 weeks and 4 days) and labored all night and all day but my body just wouldn't cooperate. Curtis stayed with me the whole time and I practically wrung his hand off. I got an epidural near the end to see if it would help relax me, but after an hour of resting, I still hadn't moved past 7 centimeters. So they told me I needed to have a c-section, and that's how he arrived! Our friend, Donna, is a nurse in the Nursery at the hospital and she was there with us the whole time. Curtis and I wouldn't have made it through the whole experience without her constant support.

Mom and Dad, Leslie, Joe and Jill were all there for the birth! They had a long day in the waiting room (Mom came in with Curtis too up until the surgery). They all turned into the paparazzi as soon as Curtis and Donna brought Abram to the nursery.

Introducing...
Abram Wagner Cunningham
Born: January 21, 2011
at 8:57 PM
8 lbs 7 oz.
20 inches long

After a 4 day stay in the hospital, we were released to go home!

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

New Years Resolutions

So two years ago we started trying for a baby and I decided I'd grow my hair out as well to donate to Locks of Love. Fast forward two years...my due date is the 29th of January and I officially have enough hair to donate (min. 10 inches). So my New Year's resolutions are to cut my hair this month and to be a good mommy!

The size of my belly at 36 weeks (Jan 1st) and the length of my hair after not cutting it for two years! So ready for the hair to be gone...and the belly.

I decided I wanted to have my hair cut done at the Cabbage Patch so the kids could share in the experience. HBO sent us a copy of "Locks of Love: The Kindest Cut" so that the kids could watch the documentary and have a greater understanding of the process. Some of them REALLY didn't want me to cut my hair!

One down!

It's all gone!

My hairdresser, Sherri Wagner, came and did my haircut for me, although technically Curtis made the initial snips of the ponytails, Sherri stayed and styled it for me so I looked presentable. It was quite the surreal experience and I still can't believe my hair is so short again! It's going to be so much easier to care for once the baby arrives.

Now I just have to get to work on that "good mommy" resolution!

Feelin' Crafty

Some of this was for Christmas, but I think some of this can be blamed on that "nesting" instinct...I think it makes me want to make/create things. Here are some of my completed projects!

I made my front door wreath again this year using the extra branches cut from the tree. Waste not, want not!

I made Mom some pot holder/ towel things again this year, so I made myself some Christmas-y ones too!

Technically, this is not complete, nor is it solely my project. Dad did the lettering in pencil for me when he and Mom were visiting last weekend. Now I just need to paint them...and get the pictures ordered and framed to go around the rest of the room.

This took some time, but I finally finished it! This rocking chair was my great- great-great grandfathers ( I think that was the right amount of greats) and it was in need of cushions. They are really expensive to buy for rocking chairs, so I was like, "I can make that!" And I think they turned out pretty well!

View from the back.

No, this doesn't mean we know it's a girl! We just happened to buy going home outfits for a boy and a girl and the girl outfit didn't have a matching hat/hood or foot coverings. So I found some patterns online for hat/booties, did some fun "youtube" research on crochet stitches and voila!

Christmases (I think that's plural for Christmas) and New Years

We scaled back on our outdoor Christmas lights this year, but I couldn't NOT put them out...I love them too much!
We had SEVERAL Christmas parties that we attended in December. We got to see lots of family that we don't get to see very often. We didn't get pictures of all of them, but here are a few.

Our small group from church had a Christmas party and we played "Minute to Win It" games which were VERY fun! Dean and Rayla did a great job planning everything! Curtis was the first place winner, I came in second and our friend Donna placed third.

Donna and Curtis competing to stack5 apples. They had to stay stacked for 3 seconds. Curtis was a pro!

Me and Chris (Donna's husband) doing "Cookie Face"...I won that one.

This is a few of the Dubois (mom's side) clan...they were watching me unwrap some baby gifts. We also managed to make it to the Cunningham Christmas (Joe's side) earlier that day, but didn't take any pictures.

Our "haul" at Mom and Dad's house.

Leslie and Travis with their "haul"...we got Travis a Superman Snuggie and it fit him perfectly! So funny!

Mom and Dad (and Chip)

Ah, big brothers:-) Sis is staying out of it...so wise.

We had this shirt made for Joe to wear when he does hog roasts for people...not sure if he was ok with pink...but what says "piggie" more than pink!

Eli was wiped!

Caleb waving goodbye to "Mammaw and Pappaw" Cunningham

Euchre, pool and ping pong were among the past-times at this year's Hardacre Christmas. That and the amazing food that I couldn't eat enough of!

And of course we had the annual Dirty Santa gift exchange...I think we had 30-odd people this year participate this year. I made out with the Tupperware that's sitting in front of my Aunt Nancy, and have already put it to good use!

This picture is just so "my dad"! :) A sharp-shinned hawk had killed and eaten a dove there in the yard (which we watched for about 20 minutes, much to my sister's disgust) and Dad just had to stop and admire the hawk's handy work when he took the trash out to the burn barrel. He was very impressed!

After Christmas, Mom surprised us with a trip to the Creation Museum, just south of Cincinnati. It's a very interesting place to visit with very impressive exhibits and compelling arguments about creation and the history of our planet.

Curtis stopped and smelled the roses in the Garden of Eden...that little penguin looks a bit out of place:)

Hobo was very happy (and affectionate) that we came home after the holidays.

This picture of the punch we made is our only one from New Year's, which we spent with friends from small group. We played games and stayed up to watch the ball drop. Can't believe it's 2011!

"It's snowing!" (name that movie)

I think we actually had snow every day, beginning Dec. 1st, but the first real accumulation was on December 4th, the day of Shamrock's Holiday Shoppe. Harriet, Joan and I braved the winter weather and went to the event. I took pictures of cats all day to post on Petfinder, Joan hid under a blanket in her cage all day...she's not good at "selling herself", and Harriet looked resplendent in her holiday collar!

There was another woman there who takes pictures for Shamrock and she has a MUCH nicer camera than I (I'm going to have to upgrade at some point). I had her take some pictures of Miss Harriet looking all beautiful...she looks 10 years younger doesn't she?? Ok, maybe 5.

As good as Harriet looked, she couldn't compete with the cuteness of this little booger named Cuzco. He got adopted of course!

The colder weather makes our animals get REALLY snuggly!

Actually, his bed just keeps getting taken by foster animals...darn that Joan. But what a nice doggie to share with a cat!

We got our tree, so out came the decorations! Hobo helped.

Oh, Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree! This is my favorite tree...Frasier Fir...we got a good deal on it and I really like the shape this year. So pretty!

Curtis was in charge of the dessert table at his staff Christmas party again this year, so he went on a week-long candy making binge. These were, by far, my favorite: Turtles! They were so cute, and so yummy. Don't worry mom, we bought ingredients to make them again to bring home:-) You gotta try these! haha

We used some of the bread and desserts to give as presents.

And this was the spread at the party...pretty impressive, right?

He really went all out...thankfully he's able to borrow service ware from Center Plate to make it all look professional! He had tons leftover, which the kids at the Cabbage Patch are appreciating as well!

Oh and, "It's snowing!" is from the movie Hook...you got it didn't you, Leslie?

The Nursery and Other Baby Things

I love this picture. All we need are some shelves over the dresser and the changing pad for the top of the dresser...and a pad for the rocking chair that I'm going to attempt to make:-) Gotta get those supplies.

This is our new desk...we downsized considerably. We still have to downsize our computer tower so that we can install the desk drawer and get all the "desk stuff" out of the closet.

I'm also still planning my "wall art" for the room. I have my idea...just gotta get working on it!

Curtis' co-workers got us the travel system. Yay, now we can actually bring the baby home!

Our swing from Emily and Jill. It's absolutely silent when it swings...and has nice nature sounds.

The pack n play from Mom and Dad. I think I have it situated how I want it...I need to clear a drawer for some baby clothes downstairs so I won't have to go upstairs for every little thing.

32 weeks! People tell me I'm small all the time and I just want to show them my picture from May and say "I'm not small!" I do hope that I can lose most of it quickly...I probably could stand to keep a few of the pounds.