You decide...

So obviously the one on top is Owen because Ethan is also in the picture. But look at the uncanny similarities! The bottom picture is Ethan just days after he was born (hence the nice jaundice tan) and the one on top is Owen at one month old. I think they look like twins separated by three years.

Christmas Letter

Dear Friends and Family,

We hope this letter finds you and your family well this holiday season. We have had many blessings in our lives this year. Most importantly our second son, Owen James, was born safe and healthy in August. He is a happy child with an amiable personality. Ethan is thrilled to be a big brother and has transitioned into the role smoothly. Also, Ethan turned three this year and attends preschool, which he loves. His current interests are in cars, airplanes, any sports, his friends at school and next door, and craft time at home.

We moved back to Middle Tennessee in May and have been very fortunate to purchase our first home in McMinnville. We feel so blessed to be raising the boys so close to family and in the area in which we both grew up.

Chris joined a law firm in Manchester and is working hard to establish himself in this new city. He has been able to become reacquainted with old hobbies such as hunting and fishing… and some newer ones such as mowing our lawn, cleaning gutters, and fixing any plumbing problems that may spring up.

Jaime graduated with a bachelor’s degree from East Tennessee State University in May and currently spends her time caring for the boys and maintaining the home.

This year we have missed our friends in East Tennessee thoroughly. We have also been blessed to become reacquainted with old friends and to make new friends here in our home town.

We hope that you have had a wonderful year and that next year will be a blessed one for you and your family. Please contact us by phone, email, or pen with the information below to let us know how you are.

Love,

Chris, Jaime, Ethan and Owen

Thanksgiving 2009

So we hosted Thanksgiving Day again but this time we had much more room to cook and dine. My mother, Chris's brother Greg, and family friend Joyce, friends Doug & Susan and their son Preston, and our boys Ethan and Owen were in attendance.

The company was great! The food was delicious! And we had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

The dinner table....


Susan McAbee and Preston.


I have no idea why Ethan is laughing so hard.


Me and Owen!



Greg and Chris smoking the turkey...


This is my mother and myself in the midst of cooking. I am so glad she came to spend the evening with us.... and so thankful she took Owen for the night so I could get out and sleep a full eight hours.


This is Joyce and myself. I am so glad she came too! She is SUCH a great help too-- and a cooking whiz...

Catching up...

After Owen's birth I became negligent with my blogging... but, hey, you have to be lacking somewhere.

Since then we have all been just basically adjusting to life with a baby in the house again. We are also really enjoying fall weather and enjoying just spending time together as a family.


We have done a few fall crafts to help get into the mood such as candy apples and decorating leaves with glitter.... and making ghosts with cotton balls.

Of course, fall also means UT football-- so there have been many games in Knoxville and much screaming at the television... and always lots of good game-day food.

We are looking forward to Thanksgiving here in McMinnville with family and close friends. Then we will begin the process of Christmas decorating.... (Ethan is already asking to hang his stocking"-- ha.).

Owen's Arrival

Owen James Stanford

Owen is finally here. He was born via c-section on August 11th at 12:11 p.m. at 37 weeks gestation. I went to my morning appointment with my midwife on the 10th after having contractions every 2 to 3 minutes (my usual) all the night before and all that morning. I was in pain and upset, which made my blood pressure rise-- so they decided to go ahead and induce me.

I was so excited to FINALLY being nearing the finish line of this pregnancy. I called Mom and Chris and made arrangements to pick up Ethan from school. I went to the hospital and got hooked up to an IV and got some fluids and pain meds. They gave me a pill to soften my cervix and to encourage more contractions around 10 p.m. and continued me on the pain meds all night. Well, my contractions continued to come quickly and hard but I only dilated to 3 cm by noon the next day. When the doctor saw that Owen's heartbeat was not reacting to my contractions they decided to induce me. I was TERRIFIED!




They prepped me in the matter of minutes and rolled me into the operating room. They gave me meds in my IV to make me numb and the nurses kept pinching me over and over to see if I could feel anything.... I kept asking if they were pinching hard enough and that seemed to convince them I was ready. Chris came in as they put the sheet up where I couldn't see anything. My midwife came in to help me through the whole process. She talked me through the procedure (which took all of about 10 minutes-- and yes I could feel everything but it did not hurt). Chris got to watch Owen being born and then was also able to roll him into the nursery where Mom and Brooke were watching at the windows. I got to watch Chris's face, which was priceless and I got to hear Owen's first cry and see him.

After a brief stay in the post-op room I went back to my room and got to hold Owen. He looks SO MUCH like Ethan to me. He weighs 6 lbs. 11 oz. and is 19 inches long.

Ethan was THRILLED to see his brother and has shown no jealousy for him. He came into the hospital with huge eyes saying "That's my brother: Owen!"



I am now home and we are recovering from the surgery. It is not for the light-hearted but I'll admit it may be a bit easier to cope with (as the days roll past) than my first childbirthing experience with Ethan.



Chris and I are so happy to have two wonderful boys and lots of family & friends around to help us adjust.

37 weeks and STILL counting....

Well, I thought I would post some belly pictures on here before the belly is gone (which I hope is SOON).


I have a doc appointment today ... in which I may resort to begging. I spent another lovely evening in the hospital last night but at least I got a shot of State-all (sp?) for it. If you don't see me on facebook complaining then hopefully I got some good news :)

Ethan's 3rd Birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ETHAN!

We celebrated Ethan's 3rd birthday this past weekend even though he doesn't officially turn three until Wednesday. We're hoping we will be dealing with a newborn by then and next weekend. But, the impromptu birthday bash was lots of fun and Ethan got everything he wanted (cars, cake and a transformer)-- he's so easy to please!

And here's a snapshot of the belly bumb....
... but excuse the no makeup/bad hair day.

More news on baby Owen

As many of you know (via facebook) I am having lots of preterm labor and have been ordered to strict bed rest. My mother- and sister-in-law came in for three weeks to help out but had to return home in Utah. So, we put Ethan in childcare yesterday. I can literally see the school building from my living room window so it's nice knowing that he is not too far away.

I have a handy little IV pump in my leg that gives me a continuous dose of meds and bolus doses (larger doses) every four hours. So far, that along with bed rest have kept me from progressing any further. However, on July 31st they are going to take me off all medication and if I go into labor they will give me a steroid shot to help Owen's lungs develop and then just let me deliver. That will put him at 36 weeks gestation.

I have been told that Owen should be perfectly fine if born at 36 weeks gestation and shouldn't have to spend any extra time in the hospital. I go in again today for another ultrasound and will post any good 3d pictures I get.

Here are some I got a couple weeks ago and a belly shot or two.

This is me at 6 months in the back yard with Ethan in the background.

This is me at the Gilley pool in McMinnville at 7 months.







Here are a few shots of Owen at 29 weeks gestation.

Catch up time....

Soooo much has happened since I last blogged. So this should be a fun little entry in playing catch up.

First, Chris got a job in middle Tennessee as a partner in the Fisher and Williams lawfirm in Manchester. He is really enjoying it right now and we are loving being back in the country. Last night I sat out on the porch and listened to the crickets and frogs for a while... my favorite sound in the world... and could not hear the faintest hint of a car.

The website for his new firm is www.fisherwilliams.com. It will soon be revamped with pictures of him and the other partner and the local area.

While Chris was away from Johnson City with this new job, Ethan and I stayed while I finished school. It was difficult but I have great friends who kept me upbeat and I did graduate on May 9, 2009.
















Lots of family came out for graduation. All of Chris' immediate side of the family and my mom and aunt.











After that we went to St. Augustine, Florida, for a little vacation and to see my brother-in-law Matt and Jamie Cantrell get married! The ceremony was beautiful. And I am so happy and thankful to have such a wonderful sister-in-law.
















When we came back we immediately moved to middle Tennessee. We bought a house next to the country club golf course (so far Chris has not been out to play golf yet) and we are really happy with it. Now if anyone wants to come visit they can have their own room, bed and bathroom. Ha. No more sleeping on the living room floor!