Merry Christmas!

Friends already!

Jameson and big cousin Vivian! She told him jokes!

Merry Christmas to all my friends and family! We survived the holidays and Jameson was a trooper, starting on Friday night I think we hit about half a dozen Christmas celebrations. It was great to see all of our friends and family & Jameson has just about met all of his relatives. On Friday we visited family in Vincennes and Jameson did great on the long car ride sleeping both ways.

We had a quiet Christmas eve morning at home. We slept in, Jake made breakfast, we exchanged gifts and watched The Family Stone, absolutely perfect. Then we were off to the next round of parties.We had a great dinner at Eddie Merlot's and opened gifts at the Vieke's. Jameson mostly slept through it but he was spoiled with gifts and I am sure it is our last low-key Christmas for a while since from here on out we will be chasing Jameson around. We headed home for what seemed like a quick nap before heading to my parents for Christmas morning. The family was waiting and the highlight of the morning was watching Jake figure out his Metallica themed scavenger hunt to find one of his gifts. Afterward we had our traditional breakfast which was absolutely delicious. The evening was followed with presents and dinner at my grandparents after which we were sufficiently stuffed and happy to head home to our beds.

It has been a quiet week at home. We did a little shopping on Monday and hit some sales. Jake was happy to hang out at home and play with his new macbook air (so he doesn't have to be tethered to the iMac in the office). I am just happy to have added some new looks to my wardrobe which was very much needed after months in maternity clothes followed by lots of time spent in "loungewear". Jameson is readjusting to life not being passed around and napping in people's arms. We've had a rough couple of afternoons, which at first I attributed to a growth spurt, but after some thinking I realized Jameson really was hungry every two hours likely due to a decrease in milk supply. I guess I didn't think about skipping one feeding a day in the afternoon for four days in a row. Oops. With us running around and spending so much time with family and friends all I thought about was that Jameson was still getting a feeding, just from a bottle and we are paying for it now. So hopefully the next couple of days Jameson and I will get back to the right supply and demand so we aren't doing feedings every two hours from 4 until bedtime.In the meantime I've been working on finding places for all of our fabulous gifts.

As with every year, we are beyond blessed to have received so many wonderful gifts. I've also given myself the gift of getting the groceries delivered. It is such a big task to grocery shop with a baby in the infant seat. It leaves little room in the cart and I always feel rushed and seem to forget a lot of things which just means another trip back to the store and you can't leave your cart around the corner to go grab something real quick because I have no doubt someone might try and steal my adorable baby! Anyway, the prices are comparable and the delivery fee is only 6.95 (but free for 60 days!) which to me is worth it. Plus it keeps me from buying those impulse items and I can see my total with each item I add to my cart which helps keep me from overspending. Plus, the delivery guy puts the stuff right on my kitchen counter! All worth it when you consider putting the baby in the car then loading the groceries in then returning the cart and unloading at the house, I'm exhausted just thinking about it!

We hope the holidays were as good to you as they were to us and wish you all a happy new year! What an exciting year it is going to be!

Thinking very hard! This hat is from Kiki & Lo

Jameson and Lila snuggling the day after Christmas

Had to dress warm for the first snow day!

Taking in all the Christmas action

How Time Flies...

Where has the time gone? Since my last post we have been very busy, but who isn't at this time of year? Most importantly we had a great time at the annual Clark girls Christmas weekend at the cabin! The fun  kicked off on Friday morning as Stevie, Jameson and I headed out to the cabin bright and early and were greeted by our mom's, aunts and Bebe at the cabin which was very festively decorated. We didn't stay long though as we headed out for delicious sushi and grocery shopping. The sushi was amazing! We had our waitress surprise us with 6 rolls that weren't on the menu and each one was delicious. And of course we loaded up on their specialty salad dressing that is so yummy.

After that we headed back to the cabin and got all snuggled in. The rest of our party arrived and we could officially start the fun. Of course crafts and games were on the agenda and this year I felt that we did much less eating, which isn't to say that I still didn't overeat! All in all it was another great year and Jameson was practically bruised from being passed around so much ;) As always, I can't wait for next year.

We were pretty worn out from the weekend and spent a day recuperating. We had a few lunch dates this week and Jameson even got to visit Santa! I wasn't really planning on having a visit with Santa this year, because Jameson is so young and the lines are always so long, but it must have been our lucky day because as we were walking around the Hamilton Town Center we spotted Santa and there wasn't a single person waiting in line! We were in and out in less than 5 minutes! So it was kind of impromptu but the picture is just precious.

Jameson & Lo

Thinking hard about something...

Snuggling with Aunt Ann

Clark Girls

Tiffani, Avree & Sydney cuddling on the couch

Playtime at home

I put Jameson on the scale with my on Friday and he was weighing in at 13.4 pounds! I cannot believe it. He is still wearing a lot of 0-3 months but I decided to go ahead and wash his 3 month outfits and to my surprise he fits into many of them just perfectly! How can that be? I'm just glad I went ahead and washed them so he can at least get a few wears out them. We are bordering on size 2 diapers. He still has a few size 1's left that I have been putting them in but I bet that the size to diapers feel a little more comfortable. We've also got a pretty comfortable routine going. Most nights, Jameson sleeps from around 11 to 7 am. All in all, he continues to be a very sweet little guy. I try not to get to happy when I report that he is a very good baby because I don't want him to change but he is a very good baby and he brings us so much joy. He has become very interactive and smiles and coos. He has found his hands and likes to suck on any fingers he can get into his mouth. I went in to wake him up one morning this weekend and he had his thumb in his mouth (which he gets from his Uncle Will). It was so precious but of course by the time I got my camera ready the moment had passed. 

We've been running all over town finishing up last minute Christmas shopping and errands. Jameson spent the day on Sunday with my parents as Jake and I shopped and went to a movie. And today he got to spend some time with Jake's mom and brother Matthew while I went to a doctors appointment and ran a few more errands. We can't wait to celebrate Christmas all weekend long. We have quite a few parties on the agenda and look forward to seeing everyone. Hope everyone has great holidays!!

Goofballs!

Kiki hugs are the best!

Snuggling with Maverick, who isn't supposed to be on the bed!

Santa!

Hey there Uncle Matt!

Love these little feet!

3 weeks old

I cannot believe that Jameson will be one month old this week! Time really flies when you are having fun. Just for kicks and giggles I put Jameson and I on the scale the other day, and if it is accurate and I did my math right the not so little guy weighed in at 12 pounds! Now if only I could lose that same amount! He is still fitting in 0-3 month clothes thankfully and is still in a size 1 diaper but I might try out some 2's when I finish off this last box because he has peed out of a few diapers recently.
This week Jameson got to visit my coworkers. He was a hit and of course it was great to catch up with some of my friends. He also went on a big shopping trip to Mass Ave with my mom, Bobbi, Mary Connell and I. It was great weather and lots of fun. We enjoyed our visit from Mary Connell and Jameson can't wait to meet all of his other friends in Nashville! The biggest event of the week was leaving Jameson and Jake for a night out. That's right! Mary Connell and I went to go see Breaking Dawn on Friday night so it was just Jake and Jameson at home together. Of course, Jameson slept practically the whole time and was a perfect angel so I would say it was a pretty smooth night for Jake. Jameson must be breaking him in slowly ;)
Also I am very happy to report that on Friday night Jameson slept from midnight to 7am and on Saturday night he slept from midnight to 8am! A girl could get used to that! I've been working very hard to make this his routine and I am hoping it sticks!
Here are few pics from this week. I realized that the only ones I have in my phone are mostly just outfit pics! My onesie of choice is of course the Juicy onesie, which Jake always blames any crying on when Jameson is wearing it. And then obviously the Star Wars onesie is one of Jake's favs! Also, how cute is Lila all cuddled up by the fire?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Jameson has officially celebrated his first holiday! We kicked it of with my parents annual Thanksgiving eve cocktail party which was a lot of fun and Jameson practically slept through it all. He was totally zonked as he was being passed around all night long. Of course, that meant that he decided to be awake that night from about 11 to 3. That made for one tired mama, but that just meant we slept in the next morning. Then we were off to Jake's parents for our Thanksgiving feast. It's nice that their house is just around the corner and Jameson got to meet his uncles, Noah & Matthew. We had a delicious meal prepared by Jake's parents and we enjoyed a great afternoon and even watched one of my favorite holiday movies, Elf.

Our silly family pic, Jameson was not a happy camper!

He wore himself out and were able to get a good family pic

After celebrating Thanksgiving we spent the rest of the weekend quietly cuddled up at home. We ate on leftovers and watched movies and played with Jameson. I did some online shopping, although I only bought for Jameson, even though he doesn't need a thing!

I have finished decorating the house for Christmas and today it is snowing! I can't wait to start some holiday traditions as our family grows. This year it pretty much has been me watching every single lifetime or hallmark holiday movie! I guess that is the joy of being on maternity leave during the holiday season! And I can't help it, they are usually so bad that they are good!

Jameson's stocking

Jameson is doing great getting settled into a routine. I feed him about every 3 and a half to four hours during the day. Then we spend some time after feedings awake, either playing, doing tummy time, swinging or whatever. I try to keep him up for about an hour and by then he is usually ready to lay back down for a nap until the next feeding. This starts every day at 8, with the last feeding usually between 10 & 11, but after that last feeding it is straight to bed. The last couple of nights he's only been up once between that last nighttime feeding and his 8am feeding, going 5-6 hours. The best part is he is learning to fall asleep with more ease if he's awake when I put him in his crib. He lightly fusses for a few minutes but then after that he drifts off to sleep. He's not super interested in his pacifier, which I'm trying to look at as a good thing. He is also becoming a more efficient eater. He is nursing closer to 20 minutes now whereas he was previously going 30-40 minutes which is fine during the day, but was rough at 3 am! Basically, I think he's perfect 

Taking a bath today

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!

Sweet baby Jameson

He's Here!!

Jameson Tyler Vieke was born Monday, November 7, 2011 at 6:34 pm weighing 10 pounds 5 ounces and 22 inches long. I cannot believe that it has already been 2 weeks since he was born! I have so much to update on already, so I guess I should start at the beginning.
We went to the hospital on Sunday night for an induction after a dinner with the family at Buca di Beppo. We arrived at the hospital and got all checked in and snuggled up and ready for the evening. I was started on Cervadil to help me dilate and start some contractions. Needless to say I was too excited to sleep and then the pain kicked in and I was unable to sleep anyway. Plus anytime I would finally get comfortable the baby would come off the monitor and the nurse would have to come back in and readjust. I was started on Pitocin around 6:00 am and was dilated to about 3-4cm. By 7:30 I was ready for the epidural (OUCH!) and not much after that I was fully dilated.
The epidural was great and definitely made things much much better. By noon I was ready to go, but Jameson's head was as far down as it could be so the doctor wanted to let me labor for a little while longer to help push him down without me having to do all the pushing. I was pushing by 4 and 2 and a half hours later we had baby Jameson!
The NICU had to be present because sometime between having my water broken and the time I started pushing he had a bowel movement and that put him at risk for swallowing some of that fluid or being depressed at birth (not vigorously crying). Luckily, I knew the NICU doctor from work and when Jameson came out he needed very little intervention. He also had a giant knot in his cord! Dr. Webber said it probably happened in the 8-12th week of pregnancy and if you remember, he was bouncing around on ultrasound at 11 weeks so it is not surprising that he got all tangled up. I could not believe my ears when they put that guy on the scale and told me he was 10pounds 5 ounces! I was already bawling, but when I heard that number I just lost it. Not long after that Jameson and I were reunited and he was just so beautiful and I was so overwhelmed and I couldn't stop kissing his sweet little face. It was a great experience and I don't think things could have gone more smoothly!
Of course then we were flooded with eager friends and family waiting to meet the baby. It was so fun getting to show him off to everyone and to see the look on everyone's face when I told them how big he was. After a few hours I watched Jameson get his first bath and then we were wheeled up to the postpartum unit where we stayed for the next couple of days before going home.
Needless to say we feel incredibly blessed to have been given such a sweet little baby boy. I know I am biased but he is practically perfect in every way and I love each day seeing the changes in him and trying to learn who he is. Life at home is great. We've made a few adventures out into the world so that I don't get too stir crazy, but it is amazing how quickly you run out of time to get things accomplished when you are feeding a baby every few hours. Jameson is doing great nursing and I try to keep him on a three hour feeding schedule during the day and of course at night he is allowed to sleep as long as he wants!! Some nights that is only 2 hours and others it is 6 hours. Luckily it is usually about every 4-5 hours at night and after those first few nights he has been pretty consist and we haven't had those every 2 hour wake-up calls.
Tomorrow we have a pediatrician appointment and I am anxious to see how much he weighs. I know there is probably much more to update on, but my time is limited! I hope to get back to you sooner next time. And hopefully I can upload some pics too, or just check facebook! Jake and I are going to do a little newborn photo session tonight too if the baby cooperates so hopefully some precious pics are to follow!

40+ weeks

Well we've rolled past my due date which I had prepared myself for but I can't say that's made it anymore acceptable. I woke up at 40 weeks feelings very pregnant and somewhat frustrated. Mostly I'm just over having all the attention on me, I'm ready for it to be all about the baby!
After my appointment on Thursday everything looked good with the baby and my doctor scheduled me to go in for an induction on Sunday night. I am still not really dilated, I think he was gracious and called it a centimeter which was a slight improvement from last weeks 1/2 centimeter. So the plan is to eat a big dinner on Sunday and head to the hospital to start the induction which can be a two day process. Let's hope this baby makes his debut by late Monday or early Tuesday.
Until then I hope to get a few things wrapped up around the house, though I would say everything is pretty much ready to go. We are anxious and ready to meet our cute little guy and hopefully the next post will be lots of pictures of our cute little bundle of joy.

39 Weeks

Tick Tock Tick Tock....

Has time slowed to a halt for anyone else? I feel like I have been waiting on this little boy for-ever! It seems he's on his own schedule and no amount of bee-bopping my large self around at work or house cleaning will get him to budge! Oh well, I figure as soon as I quit worrying about it he will come, just like when you feel like you can't wait for your food at a restaraunt any longer you go to the bathroom and ta-da, your meal appears! Unfortunately that trick does not work for inducing labor, trust me, I go to the bathroom about once every 30 minutes.

I am guilty of a lifelong habit of "observing" those around me (aka "staring" as my mom puts it). Now I am the object of way too much gawking. Can't a pregnant lady wobble around Best Buy in peace! You know it's bad when I say to Jake "I feel like everyone is staring at me" and he says "Yeah, I've noticed!" I've obviously reached that point where I am about to pop and everyone around me is just anxiously awaiting that moment. Each day I make it to work everyone is surprised to see me back for another day. Yes, I'm still here friends!

Until Jake Jr decides to make his debut I'll keep on smiling and be thankful for each day that I was able to keep my little guy safe and carry him to full term. I have to keep some perspective here, everyday I see plenty of parents who would do anything to carry their child to 40 weeks. So, I will continue to enjoy my last days of freedom, because I doubt there will be much more sleeping in til 10, watching Ellen all day long and I should have plenty of time to squeeze in a mani and a pedi!

37 & 38 weeks!

Although I feel as though time is getting slower I have apparently been too busy to blog! Between a roadtrip to Cincinatti, finishing up the nursery, a weekend at the cabin and working a little bit of OT to kickstart labor I've gotten a little behind. Developmentally the baby is essentially ready for the world but I'm convinced he won't be making his debut until 40 weeks which is just fine (I guess) since I still feel pretty good. Contractions when I am up and moving around are expected and I try to look at it as welcome sign of hopefully getting just a little bit closer to real labor. Sleep doesn't come so easy unless it is in the form of a nap between bathroom breaks and the once simple act of rolling over! After ditching my rings last week (which I don't wear to work anyway) I haven't put them back on since they seemed to be getting harder and harder to pry off my chubby little hands. Swollen ankles are essentially a given now too although the left is always more swollen than the right. I never thought I'd see the day when even my maternity clothes seemed to be getting a little tight, but they just aren't as comfortable as they once were. I don't know if it's just because the baby has gotten bigger or if he is starting to drop because my bladder is in overdrive once again and rarely feel relieved for long. I have received a few comments about looking like he's dropped a little so I am just going to go on ahead and believe that. I haven't packed my "go" bag as Jake called it because I don't want to be too prepared for fear that he will never come. And although I am anxious to meet him he isn't allowed to come until after this weekend since my dad and Will will be in South Dakota pheasant hunting. Until next week friends!

36 Weeks

Weighing about 6 pounds and measuring somewhere around 20 inches long, our little baby is almost ready to be in the real world! Right now, most of his systems are just about fully equipped for life outside of the womb. Though his digestive system is ready to roll to, it hasn't really gotten a work out yet since he still receives all of his nutrition from the umbilical cord.
At the doctor this week we learned that the baby is still head down and will unlikely change his position at this point in the game so that is very good news. Unfortunately I am not dilated even the teensiest bit, although I am 50% effaced. Dr. Weber said he pretty much expects to see me weekly for the next month :( This is all fine and dandy I guess if it all means a happy, healthy full term baby, as long as he doesn't wait too long to make his big debut. I am feeling rather large and in charge and refuse to think about how much bigger I might be getting if the little guy really does want to wait another 4 weeks before moving out of his little condo. I am sure it will continue to go by fast, but I have little faith in my ability to go into labor naturally since it seems tricky for the women in my family, but I'm holding out hope.
I've been feeling great and all in all I have been enjoying the great fall weather although I am finding that all my summer maternity clothes need to be accesorized with a cardigan or sweater. I noticed my left ankle was swollen last night and appears to be again today, why just the one? Who knows. I can tell that the baby is getting a little cramped because his movements are occasionally painful to me so if you see me suddenly squirming like I've been shocked it's usually because someone has decided to punch my hip or kick a rib.
As I round the corner toward the end of my pregnancy I can't help but look forward to lifting some of those pregnancy induced restrictions. First off, I will go back to being a mostly normal person! No more being treated like an invalid (although at times I can't complain, it is a little hard for this independent woman!) and I will be able to bend and snap and hop out of bed with ease. I look forward to a glass of wine with dinner and eating sushi until I am sick of it. But most importantly I can't wait to meet our sweet son face to face.

35 Weeks

As the baby continues to pack on the pounds, about a half a pound a week, he is likely at his birth length and won't do much more vertical growing before the big day. Brain development is continuing at a mind-boggling pace, making the baby a little top heavy. Most babies have also settled into their heads down, bottoms up position in mom's pelvis by now, or will soon.

After a whirlwind trip to Nashville this weekend and a couple of days at work, this last week just flew right by. I am getting very anxious to meet the little guy but I know realistically I could have another 6 weeks, which kind of seems unfathomable. 3 weeks sounds so much better! That being said I am hoping to find a dresser this week and put the finishing touches on the nursery. Work has been going fine and those are the days that I have the most contractions, but luckily things have slowed down a little and I don't have to do as much running around as I was doing a few weeks ago. I feel rather large and try not to think about how much bigger I could get if I really do have to wait for this miracle for another 6 weeks. For now, I think that pretty much sums it up! I hope to have more to report next week after my doctor's appointment!

34 Weeks

This week the baby is as tall as 20 inches and may be up to 5 pounds! Other than growing he hasn't been up to much! The soft fur, lanugo, that covered the baby's body for much of his stay in the womb is now almost completely gone. The baby continues to develop his own immune system, instead of relying solely on antibodies received through the placenta. His fat layers are filling out making him nice and plump and will help keep him warm when he makes his debut.


Everything checked out at the doc again this week. The baby is now measuring about a week ahead, which just means he has probably added on a few extra ounces like his mommy has added on a few extra pounds. The doctor said contractions at this point are normal and expected and that I have been making it too easy on him. We have another appointment in two weeks and then from there on out I will go back weekly, but hopefully I won't have to do that for too long!

I had a ball last night watching my parents strategically place the alphabet on the wall in the nursery. It looks great and I think it is really unique and a very special idea for the baby. He will love it!  See facebook for pics!


Our due date is rapidly approaching and I cannot wait to meet him. It has all become very real as we are putting the final touches on his nursery and everything is coming together. In reality he could come at any time, but ideally it would be best if he waited until 37 weeks, but not much after that ;) I have been feeling great and continue to have few complaints. I am increasingly fatigued, but nothing I can't handle and actually find it easier to get through the day without a nap if I just keep moving, but that also means more contractions (especially on work days). If I lay low and keep my feet kicked up I  experience a few or no contractions in a day but find myself fighting those afternoon naps. As soon as Jake and I settle in to watch a little TV it often seems like I am out like a light! I still feel pretty comfortable otherwise. I hope to post a belly pic soon, but my photographer is out of town so stay tuned!

33 Weeks

Wow! The baby and I sure had a lot of fun this last week! We had friends and family in town to celebrate and we couldn't feel more blessed. The outpouring of love and excitement was just overwhelming and I still find myself trying to take it all in. Starting on Friday we had visitors from Nashville. Our friends Travis & Brittany and their 15 month old, Owen came and stayed the weekend with us, as well as Mary Connell and Stephanie, two of my best friends from nursing school. Winning the award for farthest distance traveled goes to my bff who came all the way from new hampshire! I was so excited to spend some time with Kaily even if it meant a late airport pickup and very early drop off and not enough hours in the day to catch up. My cousin Logann probably tied her for distance traveled as she came all the way from Savannah, GA for a soccer tournament that happened to be in Indy.

I couldn't be any happier than when I am surrounded by my friends and family in my home and making them feel welcome. On Friday night we got to hang out and catch up and watch Owen run around the house! His mommy was nice enough to bring outlet covers to start baby proofing my house for me! Late Friday night I got to pick up Kaily from the airport and show her the house and give her lots of hugs! She was pretty obsessed with my baby belly and I decided she has to stick around all the time because she was always giving me compliments ;) I could hardly sleep Friday night despite being pretty tired because I was so excited for Saturday. We had a lovely breakfast of muffins, fruit and coffee and honestly what is better than that when you get to hang out in your pjs with your very best friends? The girls got ready for the shower and I'm not really sure what the boys did to keep themselves occupied.

The shower was absolutely beautiful! My cousin Tiffani and her mama, my aunt Christy, aka Hick threw the most wonderful shower! The sun was shining, they had kiddie cocktails for me and Kelli (Jake's mom) brought a gorgeous cake! Everything was perfect. I appreciated every little detail and all the hands that came together to make it a very special day. After some eating and drinking it was time to open presents and oh my word were there presents! It was almost never ending. Our baby is definitely very much loved and spoiled. His closet is full and he has plenty of toys and books to keep him occupied for a very long time. Jake was also pretty excited about some pretty cool stuff that the baby got, but I have no doubts that his favorite probably include the Metallica lullabies and the model airplane inherited from my uncle Gordon. The gifts were all so personal and thought out and I was really touched. My friends and family know us very well. Each guest also included in their gift a letter of the alphabet that they either designed or bought that will go on the wall in the baby's room for a really awesome collage. My mom, who I think was the brains behind it all, is going to help me place all the letters and I will soon post a pic of how it all looks once we get the few missing letters.

Well after all the shower excitement we decided we probably needed to go and get manis and pedis and beverages before moving the afterparty to my parents house! So surrounded by my very best girlfriends we took over the nail salon. We met up with the boys afterward for a party at my parents house. Again we were surrounded by amazing food and even better company and conversation. We all left with our bellies full! A million thank yous again to all those who helped make it a fabulous weekend. I love each and everyone of you!

This week the baby is gaining weight at an average of a half a week, which means he is likely around 4 and a half pounds at this point. The baby still has plenty of growing to do and may grow a full inch this week alone. He his getting close to maxing out his space in my uterus which explains why some of his pokes and kicks are getting more and more uncomfortable, there is also less amniotic fluid to soften the blows. Antibodies are also being passed from me to the baby as he works to develop his immune system. These antibodies will definitely come in handy on the outside and will protect the baby, along with the strict handwashing rule his crazy mama is going to enforce ;)

I am still feeling pretty good! I find that I do require a few more breaks in the day when I am otherwise go, go, go! I usually know that it is time for these breaks when I feel tightening and contractions. Work is still going pretty good, but I find myself eyeballing the elevator often when I almost always take the stairs. I am trying to remind myself to take it easy, but I feel like I have a lot of loose ends to wrap up. Most things have come together and I know that we are mostly prepared so I try not to worry about it too much. Jake is going on a hunting trip soon and so who knows all the money I can spend and things I can get accomplished while he is gone ;)