I Don't Think I Can Wait!!

One more week until we know if the little baby is a boy or a girl!! This is going to be the longest week ever. Except maybe the week before my due date :)

My New Hobby

I have gotten into sewing this summer and it has been such a fun hobby! Clark was so sweet and bought me a new sewing machine. I love it!!!!!

I went from this Singer that I bought last summer at Wal-Mart for $99...to this Husqvarna Scandinavia 300!

My new machine is so much fun to sew with. It makes the sewing part really easy. Here are a few of the outfits I have made this summer. I'm gonna be in trouble with a closet full of girl's clothes if Baby Lyon ends up being a boy!

Jay's First Photoshoot

How cute is my little nephew?? I am so in love with him already! I want to take him home with me! I have spent most of this week at Dana and Nathan's house playing with William (Jay's big brother), holding Jay, helping Dana, and helping everyone get ready for Jay's bris tomorrow. Dana and Nathan are such awesome parents and they make the first week home with a newborn and a 5 year old look so easy! I have definitely learned alot about babies this week!

Dana dressed Jay up in this precious gown today and we had our first little photo shoot. Poor baby, he had flashes coming at him from two cameras. The gown is special to our family because my Mom made it for my aunt to bring my cousin (Sydnie) home in almost 24 years ago and then my Mom brought Peter home in it when he was born. Almost 20 years later, Dana brought William home in the same gown. I think we will use it as our coming home outfit if Baby Lyon is a boy! Speaking of boys, we will find out the gender on August 20 at 9:30!! Less than 2 weeks away. Some people are sure I am having a boy while others swear it is a girl! I would love to take a poll to see what most people think and it will be so fun to look back on the predictions later in the pregnancy. Leave your guess as a comment to this posting so we can see what you think! My guess is BOY!

Joseph Stark Handmacher

Baby Jay was born this morning at 10:30. Dana and Jay are doing great and Jay is such a CUTIE PIE!! He weighed 7 pound 13 ounces and I think he was 21 1/2 inches long. And he has a head full of thick black hair- so cute! We loved being at the hospital and luckily Dana had a very easy labor and delivery. I hope I will follow after my big sister in January! Here are a few pictures that were taken right after we met him for the first time. Check back this weekend for more pictures of this precious bambino!

Baby Handmacher Update

5:30 AM: Dana and Nathan just left for the hospital! I am at their house keeping William until time to go to school at 8:00 and then I am off to the hospital to wait for my 2nd nephew to arrive! Everyone is very excited and anxious to meet the new baby! Please keep Dana, Nathan, and baby in your prayers today. We are hoping for a quick and easy delivery :) Check the blog for pictures later today!

A Little Sneak Peek

Today was by far the most exciting day since I found out I was pregnant! I went to Dr. Shields for my 14 week appointment and got a huge surprise...my FIRST ultrasound!! I started by asking why they do not do an early ultrasound, and after hearing her explanation (it is basically an insurance thing) I proceeded to ask if I can pay for one out of pocket. She laughed at my suggestion but I guess she felt sorry for me when I told her I have been having weird dreams about things that can go wrong with the baby, etc... She told the nurse to go and get the machine, and the next thing I knew, we were getting a sneak peak of little baby Lyon! It was amazing. Even my Mom was speechless. (She went with me just for fun!) First of all, I was surprised that the baby did not look like a jelly bean, which is what I kept picturing, and we couldn't believe how active he/she was! Little one was stretching his/her little arms out and kicking his/her little legs, and I think he/she even did a somersault or two!! The only thing I regret about the experience is that Clark was not there, but he will get to see this amazing baby in 4 weeks!! Thanks, Dr. Shields, for putting me at ease and helping me realize there really is a real, live baby in my belly!

Almost 13 weeks!!

It is a really good feeling to know that I am about to finish the first trimester and begin the second! I am feeling so so much better than I felt a few weeks ago, and I am starting to get my appetite back. Some things still make me cringe...chicken and pork especially, and I am still loving all fruit, dairy, and carbs! I will be going to the doctor next Wednesday, so I will post any exciting baby news after that.

Camille's is coming along well too! Construction is under way and the cement walls (framing) are up so it is fun to see just what the restaurant will look like in a few months. I'll post pictures soon. Clark hired an awesome General Manager this week as well. She is from Mobile and is also a graduate of Johnson and Wales in Charleston. Kinda cool that she and Clark have the same background. Anyway, she is really sweet and we are excited to start working with her in mid August.

This week we got some exciting news that our good friends Maribeth and Daniel are expecting a baby around February 17!! Maribeth and I have been friends since we were in preschool and it will be so much fun to raise our little ones together! I know Maribeth and Daniel are going to be amazing parents.

Clark and I had a busy weekend. Friday night, Clark, Gaylord, Dad, Peter, Nathan, and our friend Baxter headed down to the Lyon's house at Dauphin Island. Mom and I went to Dana's for a little girl's night (with William) while the boys were away. Saturday while the boys fished, us girls headed to Dana's baby shower hosted by a few of her work friends. They were so sweet to throw Dana a shower and it was great to meet the teachers and parents from the school. For those of you who don't know, Dana is the resource coordinator at the Little Tree School in Mobile. Saturday night, we went to a fun engagement party for Julianne and Kendrick (Julianne is Maribeth's twin sister!) in Fairhope. Today, I helped host a baby shower for my sweet friend, Jacqueline, while Clark fished once again with a few buddies. It was a busy weekend but lots of fun!!