Mason Is Here!

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Love,
Erika, Lawton, and Baby Mason

Hours Away!!!!

I'm now approaching 41 weeks and ready to see my baby boy! Since Mason chose not to come on his own, I'm scheduled for induction at 6am on tomorrow morning on Monday, June 29th. Lawton and I were told to call the hospital at 5am to give them a head's up so they can get our room/bed ready. I'm not supposed to eat or drink anything after midnight on Sunday since the digestive system slows down during labor and any food left in your stomach may cause nausea.

I'm sure I won't sleep much tonight...I'll be so anxious and excited.

This afternoon, Lawton and I hung around the house and got the last few things ready and cleaned. My mom and grandparents came to visit and that really helped the time fly by. I took a nap this afternoon so that may even help some. Although, I feel like this past month all I've been doing is catching up on sleep. I have a feeling it won't matter by the time he's here. I know I'll be a zombie the first 2 months!!! We're just ready for him to be here and in our arms. We'll keep Facebook and our other blog up to date with pictures, etc. so stay tuned to the next chapter in our lives.

Love,
Erika, Lawton, and Baby Mason

DUE DATE HAS ARRIVED

June 23rd has finally arrived... but we're still missing the baby! We went in for our doctor's appointment at 8:30 and even loaded up the hospital bag just in case. My blood pressure was 116/70 and Mason's heart rate was around 140. Everything was pretty much the same. We had the Fetal NST (Non Stress Test) today. The test involves attaching one belt to my abdomen to measure fetal heart rate and another belt to measure contractions. Movement, heart rate and “reactivity” of heart rate to movement is measured for 20-30 minutes. I had to press a button whenever I felt him kick to record it. Dr. Laffitte said I passed with flying colors!After my exam, the doctor told me that I'm still not dilated. I knew instantly we were going to have to talk about inducing next. He asked me, "So, when do you want to have this baby?" I said, "Um, TODAY!" He laughed and said, "How about Monday?" I gave a disappointed look and responded with, "What's that date?" Once he said the 29th, I was fine with it since we would still be in the month of June. I was more relieved that I only have to go 6 more days and not 2 weeks late, assuming Mason doesn't come on his own before then. I'm just so happy that he's doing well and still growing!

After the appointment and lunch, we decided to go on a daycare tour. We found one we really liked and have been put on a waiting list. Now, we just have to figure out how we can afford it. I plan on doing a lot more with Mary Kay cosmetics on the side, for some extra cash. So please let me know if you would like to have a Mary Kay party or order anything to help support baby Mason! :-) You're welcome to check out my website or contact me for more information.

Meanwhile, we'll keep everyone posted throughout the week. Who knows, maybe Mason will still make his due date....but it sounds like he's going to stay "in bed" a little while longer and I plan on doing the same.

Love,
Erika, Lawton, and Baby Mason

Tick Tock Tick Tock

Today is THE DAY BEFORE our due date! My granddad turns 78 and he was hoping to share his birthday! So far, NOTHING! I feel like a time bomb getting ready to go off! I've had a lot of strangers ask me when I'm due and when I tell them, they back up like I'm about to give birth right then and there! I'm doing everything I'm supposed to... resting with my feet up! I was on my feet all day yesterday so I'm relaxing today. I've done nothing but nap and watch movies. I've noticed my appetite starting to diminish. I felt a little "icky" today but have been hanging in there. Lawton and I are going for a walk later once it cools off. Maybe that will stir things up!I took a few pictures of the finished nursery! We were so excited to get our glider in before Mason's arrival. My grandparents bought it for us and since it was special ordered, it wasn't supposed to be here till mid-July, but we lucked out. Also, my aunts, Carol & Myra, got us a tummy tub that should have arrived at Carol's today! I'm excited to see how this new invention works that's been all over the television! It's supposed to make them feel secure, like their in the womb, while you bathe them. Maybe that's why Mason's taking so long to come out, he's just too comfortable!
Love,
Erika, Lawton, and Baby Mason

39 1/2 Weeks - Erika's Tummy

This past weekend we were really hoping to have Mason. What a great Father's Day present that would have been! But, we have to keep reminding ourselves that his due date is June 23rd and that there's a chance we'll go over. Boys tend to be later than girls, from what I hear. I just really don't want to have a C-section. I wanted to experience normal child birth (with epidurals of course). I've been so prepared and have been looking forward to saying, "Honey, it's time!" but now I'm starting to feel like I will have to be induced. I've hardly had any contractions, mostly just back pain. My feet are still really swollen and I feel like a big puffy marshmallow. I honestly feel like the majority of my weight gained is just fluid. I'm looking forward to dropping this weight very soon! Our next appointment is on our due date at 8:30 in the morning. We'll be in touch....

Love,
Erika, Lawton, and Baby Mason

39th Week - Doctor's Appt

The doctor's appointment went well this morning. My blood pressure was 120/80, weight's good (even though I've passed Lawton) and the heartbeat is normal. We saw Dr. Laffitte and he said I'm about 60% effaced, but still not dilated. That's okay though! We're still on schedule. If I don't have Mason by Tuesday, the 23rd (his due date) then they'll do a Fetal Non-Stress test to monitor Mason's movements, heart rate and my contractions. That's less than 6 days away, so I'm just going to relax and enjoy my time on the couch! I took today off from work since everything was under control and no one needed me.

Last night I went to the neighbor's house for a Tastefully Simple party. Never go to that party pregnant, you'll buy EVERYTHING! It's amazing food that's quick and easy to make... which is what I'll need after Mason's born. I had a great time and it was good to get out of the house and spend some time with females! I noticed after tasting all the yummy foods, that my feet became really swollen, more than usual. I couldn't even put my flip flops back on! It was kind of funny. I had to walk home barefoot. I'm now wearing Lawton's Adidas sandals. At least I'm comfortable and sporty, right? Haha!

Love,
Erika, Lawton, and Baby Mason

10 More Days!

Lawton and I had a photo shoot today to pass the time!
Here are some pictures that he took of me and my baby bump.

Can't believe we have less than 10 days!!!

Feel free to check out our new blog where you'll find more photos and will be able to comment!

Love,
Erika, Lawton, and Baby Mason

Final Countdown

I know exactly what you're thinking.... OUCH! Yes, I've experience my share of pains this week. Poor Mason is out of room and I haven't been able to eat much anymore. My belly button has now protruded and can be seen poking out from my shirt. We only have 11 days left! I'm wrapping up the end of my 38th week and cannot be happier!

The doctor's appointment this past Wednesday was good, a little disappointing, but good. We're both healthy. My blood pressure dropped back down to 108/70. I think it's because I had the day off and didn't come straight from work! Mason's heart beat was perfect and my belly measured 37". Even though I'm still not dilated, my cervix is thinning and preparing for his debut. I know it's hard to guess when a baby will come but after having several friends have theirs 2 weeks early and reading that 95% of babies will be 14 days before their due date, I just kept getting my hopes up. Dr. Holladay told Lawton and I to prepare ourselves just in case he is late. I mentioned my swollen feet again and the Braxton Hicks contractions. He informed us that we'll know when it's the real thing. He said don't worry about timing the contractions.... there's no point. When it's real, they'll bring tears to my eyes and I'll be huffing and puffing. He turned to Lawton and said, "When she starts calling you names that you've NEVER heard before, then you know it's time to get to the hospital." Before we left, he did a quick ultrasound just to make sure Mason is head down and he's definitely in position! He told me to continue to drink plenty of fluids and stay away from salt. That should help with the swelling. I will continue to put my feet up and enjoy the massages.

I've enjoyed having Lawton home to drive me everywhere. It's been very uncomfortable just riding in the car. My belly seems too big to be behind the wheel and my feet are so big and puffy, I don't feel safe driving. Work has been slow....I haven't been working full days lately. I'm just so worn out. Now that Mason has dropped more, I feel the pelvic pressure often and the sharp pains in my lower abdomen. Lately I've found it more comfortable just to stand instead of sit. I walk around a lot just to help with the Braxton Hicks. I'm trying to take everyone's advice and enjoy this "quiet time" with Lawton but it seems like we just find more projects to take on before Mason's arrival. That also helps take our mind off of things. It's crazy how my pregnancy just FLEW by and now these next couple weeks are going by so slow! I feel like I can't call anyone because I freak people out... they think I'm in labor every time I want to chit chat! Maybe we'll have an eventful weekend. I feel like it's almost time.... probably just wishful thinking, but don't worry, we will be calling and/or sending out texts when we're on the way to the hospital. No matter what time of day! I know Lawton will be blogging, posting, and tweeting away... hopefully not while driving me! We'll be in touch....

Love,
Erika, Lawton, and Baby Mason

Early, Late or On-Time?

Today, I saw Dr. Stands for my 37th week check up. My blood pressure went up from last time, but it's still normal (120/77) and the strep test came back negative. My stomach measured 37 inches and Mason's heartbeat was perfect. They also said my weight was good but that I had a lot of water retention. My feet are obviously still really swollen. I hate that I can't put them up at work, but the second I come home, Lawton has 2 pillows under them! I'm also lucky that he actually enjoys rubbing them! Dr. Stands checked my cervix and I'm still not dilated... he said that maybe one finger could squeeze through but that's it! He said Mason's in position and his head is extremely low. TELL ME SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW! I knew that already because of all the pressure and lower pain. He asked when Lawton would be out of school and that I shouldn't be by myself much. I told him this was his last week, yippee!!! So that means he can start coming to my appointments now! The next one is scheduled for Wednesday, June 10th.

Baby Lawton

&

Baby Erika

Lawton reminded me that when he was born, he was 20 days early, which would mean me going into labor today! But, he was the third child. I, on the other hand, was the first and only baby, but 10 days late/C-section. What's really cool is that Lawton's original due date was February 28th and mine was the 29th, a leap year. We would have had the same birthday, just different years!

Just last week, I had a dream about June 11th; when I mentioned it to Lawton, he said, "Nah, my guess is 2 weeks from today." When we looked at the calendar to record our "guestimates" it turned out that he picked June 11th too! So I don't know if that's another coincidence or a sign! If Mason's anything like his mom, he'll be right on time but if he's like his dad, he'll be stubborn and late! What's your prediction?

Love,
Erika, Lawton, and Baby Mason

23 More Days!!!!

Now that I'm starting my 37th week, I go to the doctor's office once a week now for the next 23 days unless Mason arrives early like they suspect. As most of you know, I haven't been sleeping much since I'm going through the "uncomfortable/miserable" stage of my 9th month. I'm healthy though! This past Wednesday's appointment, my blood pressure was 116/62, my protein was good, and they didn't complain about my weight this time, so I guess I'm staying steady. Mason's heartbeat is 135 which is normal.

This week I saw Dr. Becky Ridenhour. She noticed that my stomach was very tight and asked if I was having a contraction at that moment and I said yes, gotta love Braxton Hicks! She also did a Group B strep test on me and checked to see if I was dilated. So far, I wasn't but she said my cervix is already very thin and soft and Mason's head is low. Not much longer!!! I'm already starting to feel the pressure on my pelvic bone and bladder, so I'm going to the bathroom every 30 minutes to an hour, yikes! 

Since my feet are very swollen and tender, they told me to put them up as much as I can and to stay off of them. I also can't be traveling other than to work or to the hospital. Hopefully I haven't upset too many people. I think I disappointed Lawton at first, but he understands that I need to put Mason's safety first. Hopefully everyone understands why I need to be home and near the hospital "just in case." I've noticed this weekend that it's difficult just walking up and down the stairs or just riding in the car for 20 minutes. I've been very emotional about all of this lately and how inconvenient it is, but I realize it's all worth it and am looking forward to seeing Mason.

This past weekend we finished cleaning the house, including the guest rooms! We went to visit Sarah and Marty and he helped Lawton put the car seat in the 4Runner. My hospital back is packed except for last minute things that I'll throw in, so we're ready when Mason is!

Love,
Erika, Lawton, and Baby Mason

Erika's Tummy - 35 Weeks!!!

We are wrapping up our 35th week and can't be more excited about Mason's arrival. I have about 2-5 more weeks left, even though the nurse that was leading our child birth class said it could still happen "at any time," for anyone! That made Lawton's eyes jump out of his head! The class we went to at Baptist this past Tuesday night was very informative. We learned about the different stages of labor, what contractions feel like, what to expect and what to do when the time comes. That evening, I got about 3 hours of sleep. I tossed and turned and just could not get comfortable. Work has been hectic as I've been busy training my "fill-in" and trying to meet deadlines. So I think my lack of sleep has a lot to do with a racing mind as well as the pregnancy. Next week, at our child birth class, we'll have a tour of the hospital and will get to see the "nesting rooms." Speaking of "nesting" our eggs have hatched! We have baby birds in our grill! It's very symbolic.... happening at the same time as us.

Overall, we're ready for Mason! Earlier this week, I had a consultation at Lexington Pediatrics with Caroline Webber, who I knew from high school. Caleb and Dawn will be moving back into town and Caleb will be our pediatrician, so we're very excited about knowing 2 of the doctors at this practice.

This Memorial Day weekend, we will NOT be traveling. Instead, we will have our yard sale... I'll start packing a hospital bag....and will finally finish writing thank you cards. I plan to get as much done as I can but lately it's been so hard since I've just been miserable, out of breath and uncomfortable.... but deep down I know it's all worth it. I already know I'm going to miss feeling Mason's kicks, movements and, lately, hiccups!!!

Love,
Erika, Lawton, and Baby Mason

Nesting Before Resting

Today, we started to cook some hamburgers, but when Lawton lifted the lid on the grill, a bird flew out and inside he found a nest with eggs. Hopefully the momma bird will come back and not leave her babies stranded there. I ate a grilled cheese and Lawton had fish sticks instead. Haha!

I immediately started thinking that our little one will be here soon and I have a lot of "nesting" to do! So this weekend, we're going to finally finish the rooms upstairs and pack up a lot of things that we don't want or need anymore. I want this place spic and span for him! I even thought about hiring a maid to come in just one time to clean everything really good since I can't do it and Lawton won't do it to my liking.

We received a note on our mailbox this afternoon informing us about our neighborhood yard sale next weekend, so we will prepare to sell a lot of stuff on the 23rd. Hopefully we will get rid of all this clutter in the house and also make some extra cash to buy the last of the necessities on our registry that Mason will need. So basically, the last weekend in May is when I'll start "resting."

Until then, Lawton is in the process of switching our blog account over to a different domain, called Humzoo. We will let you know when that's ready for viewing.

Love,
Erika, Lawton, and Baby Mason

Doctor's Appt - 34 Weeks!!!

My doctor's appointment went well this morning. I got to meet Dr. Grumbach for the first time. I liked him a lot! He delivered a friend of mine's baby, so I know I'm in good hands with him too. My blood pressure has remained consistent... still 100/60. They said no other patient is like that. I told them that's because I'm a perfectionist. My weight was fine too, 174lbs! No complaints from the nurse or the doctor. Mason's heartbeat was normal, 135 and I'm measuring 34 inches.

Dr. Grumbach noticed that I dropped too and I immediately asked him if he could tell how much Mason weighed or how he was positioned.... and he said he's about 5 lbs (guessing) and he felt his head in my pelvic area, so he's definitely head down. His head is about the size of a baseball and mentioned that Mason should stay like this for the rest of the trimester. He asked me if I've had Braxton Hicks and I described what I was feeling and he agreed that it was definitely the "fake contractions" preparing me and to let him know if they are regular and consistent.

Overall, he said everything's going well and it wouldn't shock him if I went into labor at 37 weeks. But like he said, Mason will come when he's ready! After this next appointment on May 27th, he said I will start coming once a week so they can check to see if I'm dilated. How exciting!!!! This weekend Lawton and I will finish cleaning and getting everything ready for his arrival. I want to be prepared and nest early so that I can relax this last month!

Love,
Erika, Lawton, and Baby Mason

My First Mother's Day

I celebrated Mother's Day this year, even though I don't have an "outside baby" yet. I finally cashed in my birthday gift certificate to Urban Nirvana. It was amazing! I went with my mom and grandma for a girls' afternoon. I had a facial, prenatal massage and a bed head rub. I was so relaxed and will definitely have to go back! This was my first massage and now I'm beginning to understand why people are addicted. Mason loved it too... he was kicking a lot and the therapist even got to feel him move around. When I got home, Lawton wrote me a very sweet note, rubbed my feet and helped me A LOT around the house. It was a perfect day! I can't believe we're already down to 6 more weeks!

Love,
Erika, Lawton, and Baby Mason

Baby Shower #3 - May 9, 2009

Our third baby shower was on Mother's Day weekend... the end of my 33rd week! As you can tell in the above photo, I've "dropped" a lot this week. This particular shower included close friends and family and was given by my Clemson girls: Sarah Cox, Jennifer Thomas and Heather Falzetta, who was nice enough to open her home to all of us! I was happy to have Lawton with me to take lots of pictures too!Not only was there delicious food, but a lot of fun games too! The first one included yarn and everyone had to cut off the length that they thought would wrap around my belly. Whoever gets the closest wins. Not everyone was nice to me! I saw a lot of really long pieces, haha! For the second game, everyone had to draw Baby Mason on a paper plate on top of their head and I had to pick my favorite one. Those were funny to look at! The final game involved a sheet of paper with MASON REED written down the side and we were to write down baby related items that started with each letter of his name. Those with matching answers didn't count... very similar to Scattergories and very FUN!
Afterwards, we opened gifts and and enjoyed each other's company. Mason has no idea how spoiled he is! Lawton and I are very grateful for all the wonderful gifts we received this past weekend. I'm so happy that my favorite color is BLUE, because it was everywhere! Here are some pictures that we took at the end of the shower.

Lawton with his sisters, Ouida (her daughter, Hunter) and Garnette

Mason's cousins: Hunter, Mary and Beth

Mason's great grandma, Norma... his Nana, Sue (my mom)... ME... his great aunts, Carol & Myra
Mason's other grandma, Alta and Mary

Mason's adorable parents

Sarah made this awesome diaper cake that I got to take home with all of these lovely gifts below!

Thanks again to my hostesses for all their hard work putting all this together for us and to our families and friends for coming out and celebrating with us! We love you all!
Love,
Erika, Lawton, and Baby Mason

32 Weeks - Erika's Tummy

Today I had my routine doctor's appointment at 8:45 am. Everything went well, as usual. My blood pressure was 106/60 again and Mason's heartbeat was perfect. I measured right at 32" and this is my 32nd week. I mentioned to the doctor about my swollen feet and how much they hurt when I walk lately. He said I could have slight tendinitis or it could just be that I've been on my feet too much and the extra weight doesn't help. YES, HE BROUGHT UP THE WEIGHT AGAIN! I need to "be careful" he says. I gained 4 lbs since the last visit. Everyone else tells me to not worry about it since I look fine. Here's a front shot of my belly after eating dinner tonight with my mom for her 53rd birthday! Looks like I'm smuggling a basketball or a medicine ball. Haha! Thank goodness our pool opens this weekend so I can relax and work on my tan!
Love,
Erika, Lawton, and Baby Mason

Mason's Bookshelf

Today I worked on Mason's bookshelf. I took an old one that we had,
primed and painted it. It looks great!

This is where all of the books Mason has received so far will go. Erika and I
are looking forward to reading to him everynight.

Erika has been cleaning up all day long. We almost have the house
ready for our little man. I would think we will be completely done in
a week or two.

Erika's Tummy-2 More Months!!!

This is our 31st week and today is April 23rd, so you know what that means... 2 more months exactly! It is really starting to go by fast. The aches and pains I felt weeks ago are NOTHING compared to what I'm going through now. My back hurts, my feet are achy and swollen, my stomach is heavy and tight and Mason's kicking and moving in every direction. I get up twice in the middle of the night to use the restroom. Lawton says it's like clockwork.... right at midnight and again at 4:30 am. I've even been experiencing nose bleeds! I haven't had a nose bleed since I was in daycare! My mom would pick me up after work and I'd go home with a bloody nose and this boy Brad would go home with a black eye and bite marks all over him. Haha! Feisty indeed. Let's just hope Mason behaves better than his mother!

Today, Lawton brought some books home for Mason that he bought at the school book fair. We are going to enjoy reading to him every day. Right now we're trying to figure out what to do about a book shelf and where to put it. Just another fun project in the making!
Love,
Erika, Lawton, and Baby Mason

Rock-a-bye Baby

My grandmparents bought us Mason's very first glider for the nursery! It has finally been processed and ordered from Babies R Us. We ended up going with the Rock-A-Bye Micro Fiber Upholstered Glider. This picture shows the tan one but we special ordered the chocolate one so that it will match better. The good news is it's VERY COMFORTABLE and roomy, which I like, especially if I have a boppy around me. It twists, turns, rocks and glides. The bad news is it takes 12 weeks to get here and I only have 9 weeks left! So we will just use our regular recliner until this glider arrives around July 13th. It will definitely be worth the wait. We're very excited about the last few touches on the nursery. This will surely complete it!

Love,
Erika, Lawton, and Baby Mason

Our First Baby Shower - 4/19/09

Today was the perfect day for a baby shower! We had gorgeous weather, about 75 degrees and sunny! I was up early, as usual, and was told to leave my house so Amanda and Sarah (my hostesses) could decorate and get the food ready. Everything was a surprise for me! They bought me flowers and sent me off to get a mani/pedi at 10am. When I returned, I was blindfolded and sent upstairs until they were finished. The only thing I could see was the cute diaper wreath on the front door that Amanda made.
About 12:30, I came down and was shocked at what all was done! They did such an amazing job and I was so excited for everyone to see it too! Balloons, streamers, confetti, lollipops, snacks, everything was blue, even the punch! I was stunned to see the table full of presents and no one had arrived yet. You should have seen it when it was full top and bottom, covered in gifts for Mason! He's spoiled already!
There were all kinds of snacks/food: meatballs, chicken fingers, chips, brownies, veggies, fruit, chicken salad sandwiches, quiches, even my favorite TEDDY GRAHAMS!!! The cake was awesome too! It was a storybook.... half vanilla, half marble cake with chocolate filling on the inside. YUM!
I can't thank Amanda and Sarah enough for all of their hard work and thought that they put into this shower...every little detail. I started to realize there was a theme to this shower. Everyone brought a book with their gift for Mason and wrote a little note inside. What a great idea to start his library! Amanda even made an ABC scrapbook for him with all kinds of pictures and memories.
Everyone had such a great time. Lawton, Mason and I enjoyed and appreciated all the gifts! There were about 16 guests, including me & my hostesses and 5 children. We got a variety of goodies: diapers, wipes, gift sets, formula, blankets, clothes, bibs, bottles, toys, hooded bath towels/wash clothes, cups/bowls/spoons, the list goes on.... but the part we loved the most was spending time with friends and neighbors. We are so lucky and grateful to have a wonderful group of people in our lives who are able to share this special time with us. I just wish there were more hours in the day. I felt like I didn't get to talk to everyone as much as I wanted to. It was so overwhelming, exhausting (in a good way) and FUN!!! We ended the day with some funny pictures and we said farewell to our guests!Love,
Erika, Lawton, and Baby Mason