I'm a happy sweet girl!

Things I have learned in my short 13 weeks.
- I love smiling. Smiling is my favorite!
- I love sleeping through the night. I have been sleeping 10-13 hours straight and this is M&D favorite thing that I do!
-I love to stand on feet! I grab on to MorD hands and they pull me up and I love using my strong leg muscles to stand and wobble around. I've learned to grab on to the side of the crib and hold myself up too.
- I love playing in the park (our floor play mat) I have birdie friends that I love to play with. One sounds like a bird and the other is a rattle and I can watch all the balls move around when I shake it.
- I love to talk. I say all kinds of words and I like to try to repeat what M & D are saying but mostly I like when they copy me.
- I love looking at the mirror. It makes me happy and I smile big and giggle. I figured out it was me a couple weeks ago when mommy was pointing at me in the mirror and I kept jumping.
- I love getting kissed and loved. M&D smother me!
- I love to listen to music and watch M&D dance and sing to me. I'm starting to dance a little myself.
- I love waking up from a Nap
- I love to watch "toon toons" the images on the tv, the music, the color.. it all gets my attention and I think it is soo funny!
- I'm learning to be on my belly and hold my chest and head up high. I'm getting stronger but I don't quite love it yet.
- I'm close to rolling over and I know with a little more practice I'll have it figured out. M&D continue to help me learn.
- I've learned to sit up for about 5 seconds without folding over onto my face. M&D are so proud of me and I like to hear them cheering me on.
-I've learned to hold my bottle for short periods of time. The longest I've held it is for about 15 seconds.
-I'm starting to suck my thumb (AND FIST) and I do it very awkwardly. Mom thinks it is so cute..
-My MOST FAVORITE thing to do now is to SWIM! I LOVE SWIMMING! mommy puts me in the bathtub with a couple inches of water and I have FREEDOM! I kick and splash and have so much fun! I love to stay in my "swimming pool" for over 30 minutes and I don't like when I have to get out!
Here are a few pictures of me in action:

2wk checkup got 2 thumbs up!

Mommy and Daddy took me in for my 2 week checkup and were surprised to hear how much I've grown. I had grown 3 inches and gained all my weight back plus 3 oz so a total of 12 oz!!!
This was my 2wk report card:
Age: 2 weeks
Date: 11/2/11
Length: 21.2" (75%)
Weight: 6lbs 13.5oz (10%)
Head Circ: 34.6cm (10%)

They pricked my heal and I was so sad. Mommy held me tight and wanted to cry too. I hadn't cried that much since they brought me home. It was so hard for them to watch me cry. My umbilical cord fell off while daddy was undressing me to be weighed and they also said my jaundice was looking better and better. I'm changing so much! :) I'm holding my head up more and more and can move it from side to side. I've gotten a hang of this nursing thing and I can't believe how much I've learned in 2 weeks. Daddy & Mommy are so very proud of me.

Love,
Eden

I'm Here!

I surprised mom and dad early! Mom's water broke on Tuesday, Oct 18th at 3:30pm. She was pain-free and was not even sure that the small trickle throughout that afternoon was for sure the water breaking. They waited until 8:30 to go to the hospital where they kept mom and gave her pitocin to speed things up. The contractions started coming hard and fast and by 11:30pm mom was ready for the epidural.

I was so lucky to have grandma and Grandpa Simkins in town visiting. They met us at the hospital before mom got the epidural and were as excited and M&D. They left once mom requested epidural and returned around 2am when mom was given a 30-45 minute window before she should start pushing. Before they knew it I was here at 3:15am. :) It was smooth and stress free for me and I was eager to be in their arms. I weighed 6lbs 10oz and was 18"long. 1" long dark hair (mostly in the back) and lightly sprinkled hair on my back and the edge of my ears. My skin was beautiful.. no splotches or marks. I took their breath away.

Dad and I started crying before I was completely out. He took one look at my cute little scrunched up face and couldn't believe I was his "daughter" :) Mommy was in shock and took one look at dad and I and started crying too. They placed me in her arms and she kept gently kissing my head saying "Hi Eden, I'm your mommy". Daddy's tearful eyes were stuck on me too, looking lovingly with a big smile. :)

I calmed down once I was laying naked on mommy's bare chest and she gently rubbed my head which is my favorite way to be soothed. (how did she know?) We laid like that for awhile before they took me to test and to put a diaper on me, and move mom to a permanent room.

Grandma was there the whole time taking pictures and watching with anticipation for my arrival. They were all so happy that I came so healthy and happy.

Love,
Baby Eden

it's getting closer..

Mommy had an appointment last Wednesday at 36.5wks. She now is going to visit the Dr. once a week. She can't believe it is so close to my arrival. The Dr. had surprising news! She said mommy was already at a 3 and effacing. She predicts my birthday to be within the next couple weeks. She pointed to the calender and said that I should be here between Oct 14-21. Mommy couldn't believe it and hopes the Dr. is right. Her and daddy went to the hospital right after the appointment to do the early registration and Mommy came back to pack my bag for the hospital! They both want to be prepared if I decide to come 2-3 weeks early as predicted. Mom has felt like I would come on Oct 22 for most of her pregnancy.. Daddy on the other hand is hoping for Oct 23.. He likes the number 23. He is a big Michael Jordan fan and thinks that 23 is a lucky number! They will just have to wait and see.

Daddy has been working hard on my nursery and finishing up all the final touches! He likes to go and just sit in there and imagine me there. He talks to me and tells me that I will love the nursery and that he cant wait to see me. I can already feel all their love!

Love,
baby Eden

Daddy's girls are growing so fast!!

Here I am in mommy's belly at 35wks!!!!!!

I have kissable cheeks!!!

Ive been in here for 35wks and 5 days!!! Can you believe it?!?! M & D went to get ANOTHER ultra sound yesterday in hopes of finally getting a better look at me. They were hoping 3rd time was a going to be the charm, but I am so comfy in my little place that I still haven't moved. Mommy's placenta is a built in pillow... why would I move? Unfortunately for them, this means that they can't get a great look at me! I guess they will just have to wait another 4wks 2 days. They were able to get a small but detectable profile of me. My cheeks look round full and TOTALLY KISSABLE! :) I even might have a dimple.. or so it may seem. I'm still a girl and have lots of hair. The color is still a mystery but mommy thinks it will be dark and that it will turn blonder as I get older. They were able to count the toes on one of my feet.. I have all 5! They look long like daddy's left foot! :) I've been using them to kick mommy's right side a lot lately. It's getting kind of squished in here and I have to move and kick. The ultrasound tech said I weigh about 5lb4oz. Can you believe I'm getting so big?!?! Mommy thinks I look a lot like daddy but grandma thinks I look like Mommy did. I think they are all going to be surprised when they see me, cause I think I might just look like me.. Eden Grace! :)

My aunt Heather bought a ticket to come see me from Vermont. I hope I come by the time she gets here! I want to meet her. Plus, I have a feeling she will be a good snuggler and love on me lots & lots.

Love,
baby Eden

Follow up to Eden from Mommy & Daddy!

You are in big trouble little girl! :)

Lots of Love,
M&D

Request from Mommy to Eden...

Hi sweet baby girl, I'm 33 weeks pregnant today and we are going back to get a repeat 4d ultra sound of you with daddy in a few hours. I would love for you to be a little less shy today. We really want to see that cute face of yours. Maybe we need to be more patient and maybe we aren't meant to see you until you are born, but you are our first and we have waited a long time for you and feel a little inpatient. I hope you understand. :)
We have been looking forward to getting a gimps of you for 7.5 months now and cant wait to meet you. I haven't been sleeping... a little because I'm so nervous about being your mommy and all the responsibility it is going to be to make sure you are happy and safe and well rounded and loved unconditionally... but mostly because I'm really excited to meet you, hold you in my arms, and call you my baby.
So just one request... please smile pretty for the picture-- it would make daddy and I soooo happy!
Love,
Your mommy

Who knew..... I'm VERY camera shy!

(1st picture: I'm resting on my right hand up against the placenta. 2nd picture: It looks like I might be a thumb sucker. My head is wedged in both pictures in between the placenta and uterus with very little fluid)

M&D just got back from a 30 wk 4d ultrasound and I am apparently more camera shy then my mommy. I used my hands and arms and leg and foot to cover my face. They are learning a few things about me already... I'm Very flexible, shy and STUBBORN! I hope I don't feel like hiding next week when they get to do a repeat peak on me! Oh and on a good note..I'm measuring another wk earlier. I'm already 3.5lbs with "long legs" and "chubby cheeks" Lets hope I come early and that I'm just not a HUGE baby! Poor Mommy! M&D walked away a little disappointed after weeks of looking forward to seeing me. I promise I will be more cooperative next week. Sorry M&D!


Love,
Baby Eden

I'm 30 weeks and mommy's getting BIGGER!

Today I get to put on another show for M&D they have scheduled a 4d ultrasound and are so excited to take a look at me. I can't wait to show them all the tricks I've learned in the last 30 weeks. I'm getting bigger and stronger and can hear my M&D voices. Daddy plays his guitar for me and sings to me. Mommy usually just tells me how excited she is to see me and lets me know when I'm kicking her a little to hard, sometimes she even pushes back. They both love to feel me and watch me move inside mommy's belly. I've got hick-ups a few times and mommy rubs me and calms me down. I can't wait for them to see me today!
Here is Mommy and I at 30 weeks!

Love,
Baby Eden

I'm a Dancing Machine

I am 24 weeks along and I am the size of a ear of corn around 12.5" and I weigh a big 1.25 lbs. I am really getting a hang of my little arms and legs and love to move them around. Mommy & Daddy can now feel my little movements and it makes them so happy. M can also watch her stomach twitch and jump if she is laying still.

They have started calling me by name "Eden Grace" and other then a possible spelling change.. They are pretty sure they love that name for little me. I think I love it too. :) Aunt Holly still calls me "baby blue" She found out about me when I was the size of a blueberry..(luckily not corn.. yikes!) I hope my very first nickname sticks. I love "baby blue"! :)

We had our 23 week check up last week and mommy is measuring perfectly and my heart sounds strong and healthy. Time seems to have gone by so fast for M&D and they can't believe that I am going to be there in 3.5 months. They still have lots to do before I get there including getting my nursery done and a big baby shower in September. This next few months are going to be busy... I'm going to be growing fast and they better start working even faster.

Love,
Baby Eden

I must be getting bigger... cause mommy sure is!

I am now 22 weeks along and weighing 1lb. I'm growing fast this month. Mommy knows this cause she can no longer hide her belly. She even started wearing her maternity cloths. I can finally hear things going on around me. My favorite is to hear daddy's voice talking to me and singing his made-up songs. I also hear M&D laughing a lot. They seem to be having a lot of fun.

I'm getting so big & strong that Mommy thinks she feels me moving the last couple of days. A few times she has watched her tummy move and is almost convinced it is me. So much so, she told daddy to put his hand on her a couple of times but I was a little shy for him... maybe he will feel me in a couple more days! :)

I have a lot more growing to do this next 18 weeks so I'll be sure to keep you updated.

Love,
Baby

My 20 week Check-up

(look at the picture in a mirror and it will say 20) :)

M&D scheduled for my 20wk check-up at the hospital, and were equally excited and nervous. They were hoping I was still a girl after 6 weeks since they saw me last. The good news is.. I AM! I also got measured to see if I was growing the way I should and everything looks great! My little heart is strong, and all more organs look just the right size. Even my feet and arms and legs are growing and moving just the way they should. Things are going so good in fact.. that I may be coming earlier then expected. My new ETA is...... October 31st! Yup, thats right... a Halloween due date. Mommy isn't to excited for that. She wants me to have my own day to celebrate my birthday, so she hopes that I come early or late.. she will just have to wait to see..

I've been moving a lot in here, and I practice moving all the time. Mommy still doesn't think she can feel me & the Dr said it is because my placenta is lining the top right over her stomach and that she won't be able to feel me until I'm bigger and stronger! So maybe a few more weeks. M & D are looking forward to it! I am growing bigger and stronger and mommy is getting bigger too. You can finally see that she is expecting me in another 18 weeks!!!!!!!

Love,
Baby

I'm one lucky little girl

So many people are excited to meet me. M got a package in the mail from her friend Lara in CT. She is so excited for me to come and bought me my first stuffed animals. A nice soft bunny and a pretty pink giraffe.






My cousins Desmond and Zoe also thought of me and bought me their favorite book. I can't wait for them to read it to me.








Grandma Simkins couldn't resist these cute little onsies while she was shopping in Las Vegas for Aunt Jeanie's birthday. Won't they look so cute on me?










M&D visited Aunt Hailey in CA last weekend and even Hailey couldn't resist thinking of me. Look at the fun outfits she bought. I will have to model for her when she comes to visit.











Dad took part of all the fun too, and when they stopped at Children's place outlet in CA he went ahead and bought my entire 2012 summer wardrobe! I have a feeling I might be Daddy's little girl.







M likes getting all these fun things for me. She loves to imagine me in them. Time has gone by so fast until now. I hope the second half of this growing stuff goes by just as fast. I know they are excited to meet me!

Love,
Baby

"oh my darlin" secrets out!

I'm a 14 week old fetus and lots of things are happening to my little body. I'm now the size of a navel orange (4.5in, 2 to 3 oz) I'm getting bigger everyday. I am doing daily aerobics- kicking, pointing my toes, waving my little arms and wiggling my little toes and fingers. I'm also learning to swallow, breath, & suck so I'll be ready for my big debut. I cant wait to leave my comfy womb and move into my comfy home.

I may be getting bigger but I am still to small for mommy to feel me. The good news is that I am big enough to show my little secret. Mommy and daddy went to Fetalfoto on Saturday to see if I was ready to tell them if I as a girl or boy..... and I sure was. I could hardly wait. They saw me movin and groovin in here and I showed them all my neat tricks. I waved at them with my fingers, I put my hand behind my head and posed, I tapped my toe to show that I've got rhythm, I did some yoga poses, sat Indian style, pushed myself off of the womb to show them how strong I am, did some crunches and they saw my little heart beating nice and strong, they even got to hear it. Then I showed them the very best part. That I am................ A LITTLE GIRL!!!!!!!!!!

They weren't surprised... in fact nobody was- starting with Mommy's friend Arynne who predicted me before she even knew I was coming. :) But they are SO HAPPY! :)

Everyone was excited to hear the news and celebrated in their own ways. M&D bought a dvd of the whole thing and shared it with all daddy's family on mothers day. This is how they all found out and they were so excited. Especially aunt Taylor...she was trying to find out all day. My cousin Christianna is happy to. She was smiling all day and didn't get sad once. :) She knew I was coming. We are going to be best friends! :)

Here is a few pictures from my FIRST photo shoot.























Aren't I soo tricky? Hope you enjoyed the show. See you in 6 more weeks!
Love,
Baby

Look Mom and Dad... here I am! :)

I waved at my M&D today for the first time. They were so excited to see how fast I've grown. I'm already a 11 week old fetus. They weren't expecting to see my little arms waving! Dad thinks I'm a fighter and that I was throwing punches. Mom corrected him, saying I'm a lover not a fighter. I wonder who will be right! :)
You can catch me in the top left corner of the screen! :) I wanted to make sure that they saw me because my heartbeat was a little to hard to find. My great idea was to wave my new arms in the air so they couldn't miss me & also so they knew I was okay. I think I got their attention! :) Can you see me?



Click here for the full video.

Here we all are waiting for the Dr. :)







They don't look nervous... but they are! :)

Love,
Baby

Did you know Foetus means "little one"?

This "little one" is 10 weeks old today!!! I'm growing fast and my little organs are formed and starting to work together. My tiny toes have formed and soon my boy/girl parts will begin to differentiate, and my last secret will be shared in 10 more weeks. Am I a boy or a girl? :) My biggest news this week is that I'm magic. I've made my tail disappear! :) YAY

Yesterday was a big day. Two more people heard my secret. More people are learning about me and I feel so loved. I can't wait to meet everyone!

M&D called Aunt Heather and shared the news over the phone. She lives far away in VT. She wanted to know every detail and she shared it will my two cousins Desmond and Zoe. Desmond's eyes got bigger and Zoe smiled and rocked quietly in her chair. Uncle Nate said a quick congratulations as he left out of the door! Mommy and Aunt Heather talked for another hour about me and I know she is excited to finally be an aunty. She shared with Mommy some great places to buy toys and cloths and I know she will be very helpful to her throughout my life. I can't wait for visits with my cousins Zoe and Desmond. We are going to have so much fun together! I LOVE having Cousins! :)

My Aunt Hailey lives far away in CA and was Sooooooooooooooooo Excited to hear about me over the phone. It was late and she couldn't scream very loud, so she was doing a quiet scream over and over again in the phone. It was squeaky and airy and I know she was trying really hard to bridal her excitement! She said she was smiling ear to ear and was so excited for me to come. She can't wait to meet me and She was so sweet to tell Mommy that she is going to be the best mom ever! This made mommy smile! She thinks Desmond needs a boy cousin and also thinks if I'm a boy I could be a "perfect package" (learn how to cook, treat a lady, polite, but also be manly and learn how to build from my daddy and ride dirt bikes). She also said it would also be fun if I was a girl cause I would be so fashionable and stylee! ha ha... cute aunt Hailey! I can't wait to meet her!

I feel lots of love from all my aunty's! I know we are going to have fun times. They are one of the most important things to my Mommy and I know they will also be important to me.

Love,
Baby

I'm growing fast and furious!

My fetus is now 9+ Weeks Old! I'm the size of a prune but not nearly as shriveled! :) I'm looking more like a human and my knees and ankles are forming and I'm pretty sure they will be better then mommy and daddys. My elbows can flex and I will be moving around very soon. I'll try to be very careful to not hurt my mommy's organs while I'm in here. The tooth bud fairy has also came to visit me and I'm forming little chompers under my gums. But it won't be until I am 6mths old until I can use them.

This week has been exciting for so many people. The 3 of us went to CO/WY to see my uncle Jerry get married and we stayed at my Aunt Kristen's house. She asked how things were going with the baby making and Daddy couldn't hold it in. Her and uncle Jared were really happy for us. Kristen has been giving Daddy lots of tips and even suggested a few things to Mommy about getting me here sooner. She was so happy that her suggestions worked and I am on my way. They are going to be fun to visit when I get older. I will have 3 NEW cousins to play with.

Grandma and Grandpa Southworth were also in CO for the wedding and Daddy told them the very first chance he got. We were talking about their new job and ancestry.com and Daddy said that we are going to have to go get a vital record for a birth-certificate soon. Mommy wasn't sure what that meant but Grandma and Grandpa sure did! They were so excited and had smiles from ear to ear. They couldn't believe it and felt so happy for Daddy. They know how long he has wanted me to come to earth! We are going to have lots of great memories together. I can't wait for them to teach me all the songs they know and I hope I can learn to play a guitar just like them.

After the wedding we went to dinner and Daddy was sitting next to Grandma Darling. They hardly see each other and he knew this was the perfect time to let her know the exciting news. Her reaction was tearful and overwhelming with emotion. Daddy had told her to try to keep it quiet because not everyone in the room knew about me, but she was so happy and laughed and cried and buried her head in her hands and I knew just how excited she is about me. It made me smile inside. I know I'm going to be loved.

The next morning the 3 of us and G&G Southworth met up with the newlyweds and Aunt Angie and Jared for breakfast. After breakfast Daddy was being silly and asked them if they like cats. Neither of them did but he said he had a cat to let out of the bag. He told them about me and they were so excited. They all had big smiles and expressed how happy they were. I'm going to have a great family and I can't wait to meet all of them.

Love,
Baby