Coming Home With Claire!

I cannot believe its almost been a week since we brought our little one home! Claire is 8 days old today and beyond perfect in every way! She has settled in to home beautifully. She is a great eater and a great sleeper and brings so much joy to our hearts with every little breathe that she takes! I can look at her for hours and I am still amazed at what a miracle she is! I love, love, love my little tooter!

Here are some pics of Miss Claire in her "coming home" outfit when we left the hospital...

A Look Back

So its a little late, but I wanted to share some of the maternity portraits that I had done. Hillary Cornell of Hill House Photography did an amazing job at capturing such a special time in our lives!

Claire's BIRTH Day! 10.20.2010

     It is hard to even start this post, I get so emotional thinking about the day we first got to meet our baby Claire Elizabeth! There are no words for how overwhelmingly happy, excited, and blessed we are to have welcomed Claire into our lives! I've never experienced a love like I feel for my daughter and I feel a new love for my husband watching him become a father.
    
     October 20th, 2010 will forever be the most incredible and miraculous day of our lives.

     Clay and I spent the night at the hospital Tuesday night, October 19th, and my induction began at 5:20 am October 20th with the Pitocin drip to start contractions. The Dr. broke my water at 7:00 am and I got an epidural at 8:15 am. Between 8:15 am and 11:30 am I progressed from 3 cm to 9cm. Dr. Read arrived at 12:45 pm and decided it was time to push! Claire Elizabeth arrived at 1:19 pm, 7 pounds 14 ounces, 19.5 inches long, and perfect in every way!

     Here are some pictures of Claire's BIRTH Day!

Tomorrow is the BIG Day!

I had my 39 week check up today and my Dr. decided we need to induce tomorrow!! We knew this was a possibility after our appointment last week, but he made the final decision this morning! It looks like Claire is over 8 pounds and my Dr. is afraid if we wait much longer a c-section would be imminent. Right now we're getting ready for the hospital and we're due to check in at 5:00 pm this evening. The actual inducing part will begin early tomorrow morning and hopefully we'll have our baby girl in our arms tomorrow afternoon. Please keep us and Claire in your prayers! I could not be more excited to meet my baby girl!

Claire's Nursery

We could not be more excited for Claire's arrival and I cannot believe she could decide to join us at any minute! We are so ready, or as ready as we can be, for the arrival of our baby girl!

Here are some pictures of her nursery...

Love her wrought iron crib and rack for blankies and outfits!

Chandelier!

All of Claire's books with special notes inside from family and friends!

Can't wait to rock my baby girl!

The area rug and inspiration for the room!

Cornice board with velvet and lace drapery panels.

Teddy bear from my grandmother's fur coat!

Baby pictures of mommy and daddy!

Claire Elizabeth Crudup

Love the sweet doll on the top shelf from Aunt Hillary!

Changing table

Oh My Mommy Mobile!

Thursday, October 14th, was Clay and my anniversary and we agreed not to get each other gifts this year since we've been getting ready for baby Claire. We had planned on celebrating last night (Saturday) by going out to dinner, so Thursday night I cooked dinner and had a sweet card waiting for Clay when he got home. Well Clay didn't follow the rules and arrived home from work in a new car for this mommy-to-be! I was beyond speechless!! No more little car, now I have plenty of room for Claire and me in our new SUV! What an amazing surprise!
Thank you Clay for such a special anniversary! I love you more and more every year!

10.14.06

Today it has been four years since the day I married the most amazing man in the world! I don't know if I'm extra emotional because of pregnancy hormones, but I'm feeling overwhelmed with happiness and gratitude for the man that God put in my life! Clay has been a rock during my pregnancy, so supportive and loving, and I just know he is going to be the most amazing father. His love and support throughout our marriage has made me a better person, he really is my other half and I am so grateful! I feel like the fairy tale I dreamt about as a little girl has come true! I love you Clay! 

A look back at one of the happiest days of my life!

Family Additions

What an exciting month!! Not only will we be welcoming Claire to our family in a couple weeks, but my sister-in-law, Hillary, just got engaged! John proposed Saturday October 9th and Hillary, of course, said yes! I could not be more excited for the addition of John to our family. I have never seen Hillary so happy and I am so thrilled for the future of such a beautiful couple! Love you!

The Future Mr. and Mrs. Bintliff



The Blushing Bride!



John and Steve (his future father-in-law!)



The Bride to Be! Love you Hill!



The Showers Continue

Saturday morning, October 9th, my dear friends from work hosted another shower for baby Claire! D'Ann so graciously opened up her home to host the shower and served a delicious brunch! Claire is already so spoiled by friends and family, I can't imagine what it will be like when she gets here! These ladies went over the top and put together baskets for the mommy-to-be and the daddy-to-be complete with goodies to entertain us and to keep us comfortable at the hospital. What a great idea! You ladies are fabulous and I love you all! Thank you so much for such a wonderful day!

Claire's Fiesta!

Clay's mother's very generous friends, Pam, Jackie, and Kathy, hosted such a fun shower for Claire at Joe T Garcia's today, October 3rd! It could not have been a more beautiful day or a more beautiful event for Baby Claire! I loved spending the afternoon with some of my favorite women, my friends from work! It was such a treat celebrating the upcoming arrival of Claire with these fun women. I laughed a lot and remembered how blessed I am to work with such caring, special ladies!

Couples Baby Shower

Last Saturday, September 25th, my dearest friends, Ryan and Matt, Lindsay and Justin, Lindsey and Eli, and Scott and Jamie hosted a couples baby shower for Claire. We had such a fun night complete with tacos catered from Taco Heads (sooooo yummy!) and cupcakes from J. Rae's (mine and Claire's favorite!)  A huge thank you to Matt and Ryan for opening up your home! We didn't want the night to end and Clay and I even stayed at the party until 1:30 in the morning, way past this preggo's bedtime! All the guests brought a children's book with their gift to Miss Claire that had a hand written note inside the book. I adore this idea and can't wait to read Claire her books with special notes from all of our friends!

The Hostesses!

Claire's Books!

Diaper Cake!

The Dog Book was a Big Hit!



Mommy and Daddy to Be!