She's here!

Addison Camille Crawford is finally here! I am in love. Here is a picture made when she was one day old. Notice her sporting her "faux hawk" after her bath. :) Love it! We are still in the hospital, but I will post more when we get home!

Addison Camille Crawford is finally here! I am in love. Here is a picture made when she was one day old. Notice her sporting her "faux hawk" after her bath. :) Love it! We are still in the hospital, but I will post more when we get home!

Baby Update and Current Musings

This morning I am 39 weeks and 2 days pregnant. I can't believe how close the time is nearing for us to bring a child into the world. As far as her arrival goes, she should be here soon! The finality/reality of our "date" approaching has left me with sleepless nights and anxious thoughts and unbelievable joy and anticipation. At my 39 week appointment, we set up an ultrasound for this week to see her exact position and estimated weight. She is a squirmy wormy thing and we're not sure if she is lodged with her head down. My "Doc" also thinks that she could be a big little girl, and a measurement combined with her positioning will determine which way we'll need to deliver her. Either way, we're "on the books" at the hospital for her special arrival, and unless she surprises us before then, she will share my "MawMaw's" {great-grandmother's} birthday. Of course I am scared and excited and nervous all at the same time, and I just ask for special prayers for this week--for her health and mine, for a safe delivery, for a clear decision, and for us to truly experience the Lord through all of this.

This week will be spent finalizing sub plans, cleaning, nesting, and waiting. I imagine it will be some LONG days. :)

In other thoughts, I have delved into the book Velvet Elvis. I noticed that Tiffany had read it, and it's been collecting dust under my nightstand for over a year along with the current craze The Shack--which I have started several times but haven't been able to get through. Last Sunday when I began reading it, I thought to myself that God' timing was so good--it has been just what I have needed to ponder over and recenter with. I'll include some of my favorite passages so far:

A Christian doesn't avoid the questions; a Christian embraces them. In fact, to truly pursue the living God, we have to see the need for them...Questions are rooted in humility. A humility that understand that I am not God. And there is more to know...Truth always leads to more truth. Because truth is insight into God and God is infinite and God has no boundaries or edges. So truth has layers and depth and texture...

More to come on this as I continue to read and process...

This morning I am 39 weeks and 2 days pregnant. I can't believe how close the time is nearing for us to bring a child into the world. As far as her arrival goes, she should be here soon! The finality/reality of our "date" approaching has left me with sleepless nights and anxious thoughts and unbelievable joy and anticipation. At my 39 week appointment, we set up an ultrasound for this week to see her exact position and estimated weight. She is a squirmy wormy thing and we're not sure if she is lodged with her head down. My "Doc" also thinks that she could be a big little girl, and a measurement combined with her positioning will determine which way we'll need to deliver her. Either way, we're "on the books" at the hospital for her special arrival, and unless she surprises us before then, she will share my "MawMaw's" {great-grandmother's} birthday. Of course I am scared and excited and nervous all at the same time, and I just ask for special prayers for this week--for her health and mine, for a safe delivery, for a clear decision, and for us to truly experience the Lord through all of this.

This week will be spent finalizing sub plans, cleaning, nesting, and waiting. I imagine it will be some LONG days. :)

In other thoughts, I have delved into the book Velvet Elvis. I noticed that Tiffany had read it, and it's been collecting dust under my nightstand for over a year along with the current craze The Shack--which I have started several times but haven't been able to get through. Last Sunday when I began reading it, I thought to myself that God' timing was so good--it has been just what I have needed to ponder over and recenter with. I'll include some of my favorite passages so far:

A Christian doesn't avoid the questions; a Christian embraces them. In fact, to truly pursue the living God, we have to see the need for them...Questions are rooted in humility. A humility that understand that I am not God. And there is more to know...Truth always leads to more truth. Because truth is insight into God and God is infinite and God has no boundaries or edges. So truth has layers and depth and texture...

More to come on this as I continue to read and process...

New Hot Spot

For all of you Nashvillians, you have to show this new place some love: Curious Gourmet Cupcakery! , home of the "Keep it steady; they're a little top heavy" cupcakes. I had read about it in the VIP Franklin magazine, and yesterday, after an especially long day at work, my dear IHS friends {April, Becky, Heather} and I needed to relieve some tension and have some "friend time," so we made our way to Downtown Franklin's Main Street to enjoy this delectable treat. As we entered the cafe and saw the array of flavors displayed, we began salivating on the spot. These cupcakes are straight from Heaven and JUST what this pregnant girl needed! We each ordered a different flavor: peanut butter cup {pictured left}, vanilla bean, devil's food, and lemon meringue and tried a sample of each. We sat for two hours on comfortable chairs and sofas and destressed over good conversation, our devouring of our treats, and coffee drinks. I was able to bring home one for Patrick, and he agreed that we will frequent this place for after dinner dates!

For all of you Nashvillians, you have to show this new place some love: Curious Gourmet Cupcakery! , home of the "Keep it steady; they're a little top heavy" cupcakes. I had read about it in the VIP Franklin magazine, and yesterday, after an especially long day at work, my dear IHS friends {April, Becky, Heather} and I needed to relieve some tension and have some "friend time," so we made our way to Downtown Franklin's Main Street to enjoy this delectable treat. As we entered the cafe and saw the array of flavors displayed, we began salivating on the spot. These cupcakes are straight from Heaven and JUST what this pregnant girl needed! We each ordered a different flavor: peanut butter cup {pictured left}, vanilla bean, devil's food, and lemon meringue and tried a sample of each. We sat for two hours on comfortable chairs and sofas and destressed over good conversation, our devouring of our treats, and coffee drinks. I was able to bring home one for Patrick, and he agreed that we will frequent this place for after dinner dates!

Questions I'm Considering...

When is imitation NOT the highest form of flattery?

With the full acknowledgement that there is nothing new under the sun--that everything has been said, done, experienced, thought, etc. by someone before you, how is it possible to maintain uniqueness and individuality?

For example, I love decorating and personalizing my house with my unique flea market finds to reflect what Patrick and I are interested in and our sense of style. Admittedly, I get good paint colors, ideas about spacing and color combinations from Pottery Barn magazines, creative design blogs that I peruse, and sometimes even from my mom's house. However, my ultimate goal is to try to make it "us."

I love choosing clothes and making fashion decisions that are unique as well--trying to "pull things off" that sometimes I'm successful with and other times not-so-much. Of course I find inspirations from Anthropologie and JJill, but would I ever copy a friend's wardrobe from head to toe? I really hope not...

Another thing is names... Unless you completely make up a name by combinations of names like Kristrick or Patsty, or use bizarre spellings, hasn't every child's name been used at least once in all existence. Yet, it is still such a paramount decision because in choosing a name for a baby or child, you are giving that child its first sense of identity. After we named our baby girl, she has completely shaped into her name as far as we've been concerned. Many people over the years have used Addison and Camille in their names--Camille was my middle name that my parents chose for me. Can we "claim" those as hers/ours--as a part of her individuality? Of course not!

When is imitation NOT the highest form of flattery?

With the full acknowledgement that there is nothing new under the sun--that everything has been said, done, experienced, thought, etc. by someone before you, how is it possible to maintain uniqueness and individuality?

For example, I love decorating and personalizing my house with my unique flea market finds to reflect what Patrick and I are interested in and our sense of style. Admittedly, I get good paint colors, ideas about spacing and color combinations from Pottery Barn magazines, creative design blogs that I peruse, and sometimes even from my mom's house. However, my ultimate goal is to try to make it "us."

I love choosing clothes and making fashion decisions that are unique as well--trying to "pull things off" that sometimes I'm successful with and other times not-so-much. Of course I find inspirations from Anthropologie and JJill, but would I ever copy a friend's wardrobe from head to toe? I really hope not...

Another thing is names... Unless you completely make up a name by combinations of names like Kristrick or Patsty, or use bizarre spellings, hasn't every child's name been used at least once in all existence. Yet, it is still such a paramount decision because in choosing a name for a baby or child, you are giving that child its first sense of identity. After we named our baby girl, she has completely shaped into her name as far as we've been concerned. Many people over the years have used Addison and Camille in their names--Camille was my middle name that my parents chose for me. Can we "claim" those as hers/ours--as a part of her individuality? Of course not!

The waiting game...

{This picture was a PKCRAW collaborative creation and is now hanging on the wall to the right of the window}

Her room is done. Her clothes and sheets are clean. Our bags are packed. The presents have been opened and thank you's written. We're finally inside 20 days, and we are so excited to meet our daughter. So far, impatience has not set in, but we get more anxious and giddy each day.

I'm still working and feeling pretty good. I'm loving my kids and my classes and spending time with my work friends. I'm not cooking much these days because when I get home, I am wiped out, but working has been a nice distraction.

Here are some pictures of Baby Addison's nursery.

{This picture was a PKCRAW collaborative creation and is now hanging on the wall to the right of the window}

Her room is done. Her clothes and sheets are clean. Our bags are packed. The presents have been opened and thank you's written. We're finally inside 20 days, and we are so excited to meet our daughter. So far, impatience has not set in, but we get more anxious and giddy each day.

I'm still working and feeling pretty good. I'm loving my kids and my classes and spending time with my work friends. I'm not cooking much these days because when I get home, I am wiped out, but working has been a nice distraction.

Here are some pictures of Baby Addison's nursery.