She's Here!

I don't have a lot of time to post, but just wanted to make an official announcement.

Miss Presley Elizabeth has arrived!

She was born on December 29th at 6:33am. She weighed 7 lbs. 12ounces and was 20.5 inches long.

We love her more than we ever imagined possible.

(I promise I'll give the whole story as soon as things slow down a bit. It's actually pretty funny).

Christmas 2009

WARNING: Long post with lots of pics. If you don't make it to the end, I completely understand.

If I'm writing this post, it must mean that Christmas has already come and gone. Seriously???? I wait in anticipation all year and it goes by so fast. We had a wonderful Christmas this year even though Santa didn't bring me the present I wanted most...

Our families live in different cities, so Brandon and I rotate holidays every year. It was our turn to spend Christmas with Brandon's family. Since my sister in law, Brittani, lives in Georgia with her husband, and my other sister in law, Brooke, lives in Houston, it's pretty rare to have everyone under one roof (I'm pretty sure that was a run-on sentence). We really treasure the time we get to spend all together and always have so much fun!

This Christmas Eve we decided that everyone was going to wear Christmas t-shirts.
I could only find one that fit, and by fit I mean a shirt that didn't bare the belly. Were thinking the next Christmas we may have to get a little crazy and do a "tacky Christmas sweater" Christmas eve!

We also got an unexpected gift this Christmas. Our very first White Christmas!

This Christmas was also extra special to Brandon and me because it was the first one we were able to spend in our house. We were determined to drive home on Christmas eve, which probably wasn't the wisest decision. We saw about 30 wrecks on the way home from all the ice. Woops! Anyway, we made it home safe and had a wonderful Christmas morning together.

This is what we woke up to on Christmas morning.

Santa payed us a visit

He was also kind enough to leave presents for Presley even though she wasn't technically here to open them.

Santa aka Mom surprised me with a kindle! I wanted one so bad!

Brandon was very excited about his new jacket. This one is extra special because cat hair won't accumulate on it. We have a hair control problem at our house.

As soon as we opened our presents and stuffed our faces with orange rolls, (baking orange rolls is a Sunday morning tradition in our house, but we decided Christmas would be a great excuse to have them) we headed back out to Brandon's parents to spend Christmas day.

I think this wins the prize for cutest stocking stuffer!

Opening Presents

Brandon doing what he does best!

After all the presents were open, we left to have Christmas at Brandon's Aunt Kathleen's house.
All the cousins

Our last stop of the day was to visit Nana in the rehab center. We wish she could have been home for Christmas, but we made the most of it. Well, most of us did anyway...

All the grand kids with Nana


We also made it out to the "Prairie Lights" in Grand Prairie. Technically this was the day after Christmas, but we try and prolong Christmas as much as possible.

You can barely see us, sorry! (It's Brandon, Shai, Brooke, Britt, Heath, and I in the pic)

Brandon and I...oh, and Presley...still cozy in my belly!

This was another wonderful Souders' Christmas! Of course, I missed seeing my family this year, but they will all be up this week. On Tuesday, we will officially be one family member bigger...

10 Months!

I'm pretty sure I specifically asked Miss Priss not to make me write a post titled 10 months...
Anywhoo, I have officially made it to my due date. There were times when I thought December 23rd would never come. It was so surreal looking at the baby Souders countdown on my blog and seeing 40 weeks. Brandon also woke up this morning and wished me a "Happy Due Date". I love it! Happy due date to me! We decided to celebrate by stopping for donuts and kolaches!! Yum!!!

We also had a doctor's appointment today to just make sure nothing had drastically changed. I had a little more progress from Monday. I'm still only 1 cm dilated, but I'm now 80% effaced. The doc said that I have absolutely no more room in my belly, and is guessing this little babe might weigh in the high 7's!!! I also lost weight from Monday, so that's pretty awesome. However, seeing as Christmas eve is tomorrow, I'm pretty sure that weight I lost will find its way right back. We ended the appointment deciding that I will go into the hospital Monday night and be induced super early Tuesday morning!!!! Assuming she doesn't come on her own, it looks like Miss Priss will have a birthday on December 29th.

Brandon has been feeling pretty down lately about the baby not being here yet. He was hoping to get time with her this week and next before going back to work. Since we have no control over her arrival (until she is evicted on Tuesday), we have been trying to do things to pass the time. We finally tried Twisted Root burger company in Deep Ellum. This place is amazing, and I can't wait to go back and try their amaretto oreo shake when I am no longer with child. We also went to see "The Blind Side". If you haven't seen it, you need to! Then we decided to get a little creative and decorate Christmas t-shirts. They are super tacky, but we had so much fun. Here's a little preview:(Please ignore the horrible mess in my dinning room).
Brandon and I are also looking forward to spending our first Christmas morning in our house (last year, we closed on December 22nd and then drove straight to Houston to spend the holidays with my family). We have been busy buying stocking stuffers, wrapping each others presents, and preparing a Christmas breakfast. We had a little talk with Santa and he has agreed to bring Presley presents this year even though she will probably still be nice and cozy in my belly.

Once again, I just want to thank everyone for all their love and support. I walked out of my doctor's appointment with about 17 texts and voice mail messages waiting to hear the latest on Presley. It made our day! I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful Christmas. I plan on taking full advantage of the belly this year and eating my way through the holidays.

1 is the Lonliest Number...

Well, I had my doctor's appointment today.

I am now dilated to a 1. Yay!

It's not enough progress to be induced tomorrow. Boo!


I was REALLY hoping that 1 cm would be enough, but it's not. So I'm still here and still pregnant. I have an appointment on Wednesday, so I'll update again then. Thanks to everyone who sent me good luck wishes this morning. Also, a little confession. I was pretty bummed after the appointment, so I came home and opened up Brandon's stocking Candy that I bought. I have pretty much eaten through it, so now I'm off to the store to replenish his sad supply.

Thank You!

Just a quick little post! We wanted to tell everyone thank you so much for all the phone calls, emails, Facebook posts/messages, cards, texts, letters etc. that we have received letting us know how excited everyone is for Presley to arrive. It's so sweet and means so much to us. I have saved every card that has been sent (Mamaw, I believe your guilty of sending about 20). We are truly blessed to have such wonderful family and friends! Your excitement makes this experience so special for us.

Here is the latest picture of my belly. I really really really don't think it can get any bigger. Can it???

5

Well, it looks like we made it to the final countdown. I'm exactly 5 days away from my due date. In honor of those 5 days, I think I'll share the top 5 things I LOVE about being preggo and the 5 things that I, well, don't love so much.

5 reasons I LOVE being preggers (in no particular order):

1. I can get as full as I want and nobody can tell (I can also double as Santa this year).
2. Feeling this sweet baby move, kick, wiggle and hiccup inside of me
3. Watching Brandon talk to my belly in a rather high pitched voice
4. Having random strangers give up their seats or bring me chairs so I can sit down.
5. Knowing that I have two hearts inside of me.

5 things that aren't so great about being Preggo:

1. I really miss wine
2. Watching the scale go up instead of down
3. Random strangers telling me how huge I am
4. Linea Negra (yes, I have the ugly line that goes all the way down the belly. I hear it goes away. We'll see).
5.Having to go potty 20 billion times a day/night

In all seriousness, I have had a wonderful pregnancy. Even at almost 10 months preggo (yikes!), I feel really good. As excited as I am to have this little babe, I think I might actually miss carrying her around inside me. However, I'm way more excited to finally get to see her. It's so close!!!! I can hardly stand it!!!!!

Dear Presley Elizabeth,

You are our sweet gift from God and have already brought so much joy to our lives. I get to meet you any day now, and it's almost too much to take. I dream about what your little hand will feel like wrapped around my finger or what it will feel like to kiss your tiny toes. We loved you from the moment we found out God had blessed us with you, but everyday we fall more and more in love with you. Watching you wiggle around in my tummy is one of my favorite things to do, and your always doing some crazy move that makes Daddy and I laugh out loud. Thank you for all the laughter, love, and joy that you have already brought into our lives.

Love,
Your Mommy and Daddy

Dear Santa,

I know I'm a little old to be writing you a letter, but I have a very special request this year. I was wondering if I could possibly have my Christmas present a little early? What I want more then anything is to have our sweet baby girl here before Christmas day. I know it's probably not fair for me to get my gift early, while everyone else around the world has to wait. However, I feel this year, out of all others, I have been extra good. Thanks in advance for your consideration.

Love,

Ashlie

Ok, so onto other things! Today, I have officially entered into the last week of my 9th month. Crazy to think I've been pregnant for 39 weeks!!!!! I had my doctors appointment this morning and got better news then the week before. My cervix has started to thin and baby girls head is engaged. However, I have barely dilated...like not even a full centimeter. The best news is that she wants to see me back on Monday morning ,and if things look favorable, then I will go into the hospital Monday night....and drum roll, please..........be induced Tuesday morning!!!!!! I'm really trying not to get my hopes up because if nothing has changed then they won't do anything until the 28th, yuck (assuming she doesn't come on her own). I also gained a half of a pound this week, which brings my total weight gain to 23 lbs.!!!! So much for my goal of 20, sigh.

Here is my 39 week belly
and yes, I'm well aware it looks like I have a poinsettia growing out of my behind. Thanks!

Anywhoo, I just wanted to brag on my sweet husband a little. He came home last night with the cutest outfit for Presley. He went shopping all by himself, and said that he wanted to get her a little something on his own. First, he informed me that he knew how picky I was about baby clothes, and was afraid that I wouldn't like it (I'm not a huge fan of baby clothes that look, well, babyish). This made me feel like a terrible person, especially when I saw how proud he was that I really liked the outfit he'd chosen. This little babe is so blessed to have such a wonderful Daddy, and one with good fashion sense I might add. Ahhh....I can't wait to see her in it! Hopefully, I will only have to wait 6 more days.