Three Women and a Baby

I spent this past weekend at the Kenney's with Haley and Jenny.

We had a fantastic time but there was one problem. 3 Aunts + 1 Anacapri = not enough baby to go around. We had our stop watches ready, timing each others cuddling sessions. This is a slight exaggeration but she is addicting; the more you look at her, the more you want get your hands on her. For three days (minus the PM hours) she was being held by someone and we loved every minute of it.

Daddy, Anacapri and Jack watching football.

It was great to be back together again! We spent the weekend doing the things that we love most - relaxing, gossiping, reminiscing and eating. That's the thing about spending time with good friends, you don't have to 'do' anything to have a great time. By Sunday morning we were ready to leave the compound so we went for a walk around the Furman campus. The scenery and the weather were equally beautiful.

My obsession with birds continues.

Everything about this picture is beautiful!

The Rose Garden.

A black swan! This picture does him no justice.

The weekend went by way too fast! Before I knew it we were packing the car for home. I don't think it would have mattered how many days we were there, it wouldn't have been enough.

BFF!

Lots of Love!!

I am looking at these pictures, thinking of the memories we are making. One day when Anacapri is older we will be sitting around relaxing, gossiping, and reminiscing about this weekend!

Is it Over Already???

After many weeks of wishing, planning, and missing out we were FINALLY able to spend a weekend at the lake!

It has been so long. I found myself standing in my bathing suit in the middle of the yard wondering what to do. Oh yeah, we are supposed to relax when we are here! Maggie and I enjoyed basking in the sunlight while watching Pat ride his jet skis (they are identical so I'm not sure why he needs to ride both of them but whatever??).

Maggie did more lounging than watching

Soon Jesse came to join Pat in the jet ski fun and after a few minutes I decided I could find something more constructive to do with my time then watch grown men play in the water like little boys.

Earlier in the day when I was arranging my towel on the boat I noticed that there were feathers everywhere. Hmmm? When I got up to leave Maggie started sniffing around the storage compartment. She stuck her head in and quickly pulled it out. There was a duck in there!

With eggs!

This spring we had birdies hatch in our back yard and ever since I have taken a liking to birds of all kinds. I never thought much about them before but now I notice them everywhere.

I love the Purple Martins, they are so cute!

This guy is always hanging around the cove.

I have been trying to get a picture of him standing on one

of the docks but no luck yet, he is so long and skinny!

And, of course, the ducks. I think it is so funny that the males are the pretty ones.

Thank goodness that doesn't hold true for humansJ

They are especially beautiful in flight.

After I grew bored of bird watching I went back to my original plan of finding something constructive to do. I recently realized that I missed my calling as a plumber. 3 years ago I did a bathroom renovation at my house and told myself I would NEVER do that again but...a few months ago I helped my parents replace one of their existing toilets with a new low flow model. It took longer than it should have and the seat is a little crooked but it works! So I thought I would try to help them out again by installing the last toilet while they are out of town. I got out wrenches - the cranky kind, the kind with the screw, the ones that look like a 'c', I had all of them. I meticulously read the instruction, being sure that every screw was where it should be---Just kidding! There are only 3 pieces to a toilet and very few parts to hold them together. Once assembled I put it in place, turned on the water and voilá, it worked!

Until I sat on it and almost fell off! It is slanted. It must be the floor; surely it couldn't be my mistake??? I will be back out there later this week, I am not giving up on my plumbing skills that easily.

After Jesse left, we enjoyed a boat ride before Pat and I went to the ever-so-classy Buffalo Creek Grille. You can always tell when summer is coming to an end by how many tables are available at the marina restaurant and for a Saturday night there were quite a few. We enjoyed a meal of all things fried and slept like babies that night. The rain on Sunday was a good excuse to lounge ALL day. It doesn't matter if we are outside enjoying the water or inside enjoying the view; it's always nice to be at the lake.

I don't know if it has something to do with getting older or the events that have/haven't place but the summer season seems to be getting shorter and shorter. I know there are a few "official" weeks left but the end of summer 2012 is in site.

It's A Girl!

Thursday, August 10 at 2:13am we welcomed Anacapri Rose Kenney. (Pronounced An∙na Ca∙pri) A beautiful 6lb 5 oz, 19.5 inch bundle of joy!

A heads up for the few fellows that may browse this blog every once an awhile...you will probably find the following timeline to be T.M.I and a little boring.

But I would like to walk the rest of you through the last few days step by step. 

Wednesday, August 8^th:

4:30pm: I leave for Greenville to spend my day off of work with Shelly.

7:00pm-Until : Honestly, I don't remember what we did. This wasn't the important day anyway.

 

Thursday, August 9^th:

            8:30am: Shelly and I go for a walk around the Furman campus.

9:45am: I accompany Shelly to her doctor’s appointment. The doctor tells us he expects that she will have a baby before the weekend!!!

10:50am: We eat at a Mexican restaurant downtown. I know it doesn't sound like a good brunch and technically the restaurant wasn't opened yet but it hit the spot.

11:30am: We go for a walk around Falls Park.

2:00pm: We go to Walgreens to pick up a few things and a bottle of caster oil (Shelly’s doctor told us that a spoonful or two could help “speed up the process”)

2:30pm: Shelly takes 2 swigs of caster oil followed by a large gulp of orange Fanta.

3:00pm: We meet the painters at her new house and take a walk around the golf course while we wait for them to finish up.

5:30pm: We sit on the couch to relax and Shelly starts feeling some contractions. (I feel like I need to mention that Shelly has been very in tuned with her body throughout her pregnancy and she has been experiencing braxton hicks contractions from an early date.)

6:00pm: Shelly calls veteran mommy, Patricia, who has 2 children. She suggested a bath to ease the pain so she tries it.

6:10pm: The caster oil works for its intended purpose…’nough said!

6:30pm: Rob comes home from work.

7:30-9:00pm: Contractions continue. We have been timing them but they are very sporadic. 10 minutes, 3 minutes, 8 minutes…we are all waiting for them to be “5 minutes apart”!

9:45pm: It has been about 20 minutes with no contractions so we all decide to go to bed.

10:27pm: I am awakened by the sound of Shelly crying. Her water broke!

10:30-10:52pm: Rob and I are speeding through Greenville – LITERALLY!

11:00pm: We are at the hospital. Shelly is 5 cm.

12:30am: Epidural has been administered. Things are getting better.

12:45am: The nurse checks Shelly again. “Honey, you are completely effaced and 10 cm.”!

1:00am: “It’s time to start….”

2:13am: Shelly has a living, breathing child on her chest. In a matter of seconds, she moves legs and cords and what-not to find, “A girl!”!!!

It was one of the most exciting and awesome things I have been privileged to experience! I have relived these moments with family and friends as well as over and over in my head and it never gets old.

Shelly was amazing! For all of you women out there that have had a baby naturally, more power to you. For all of you women that have been honored to have an epidural, the nurse told us that based on Shelly’s progression she was probably at 8cm before the epidural was administered! She was so strong and Rob was there helping her through each contraction.

Now we have a beautiful baby girl to stare at in amazement. Every feature seems to be flawless. She has the perfect amount of hair. A tiny button nose. Long fingers and toes. And she is covered in the cutest fuzz I have ever seen!

Well enough with the anticipation, here she is...

Proud Daddy!

Mommy loves!

  

In Uncle Pat's arms.

Papa Kenney

Preparing the house for their arrival...

Welcoming Anacapri to her new home!

Auntie Lissa loves you!

So does Aunt Becky.

The Kenney Clan!

I don't feel like I would be a good Aunt without including my nephews, the big bros, Yoda and Jack. Thank you boys for keeping me company Thursday night or Friday morning?? What day is it again?

I was so sad that I had to leave that sweet face but now that the excitement and adrenaline has worn off my lack of sleep is starting to take affect. So please excuse any typos and wish me sweet dreams...

                                   

An Ideal Situation

I have been blessed in the family department. Not only immediate family but I couldn't ask for more when it comes to in-law's (my brothers wives included). For those of you that may not know my sister-in-laws happen to be my best friends!

To make a long story short... Shelly (Pat's sister), Haley (Pat's sister-in-law) and myself have been friends since high school. My relationship with Shelly was almost instant. We had Spanish together my sophomore year and that was the beginning of it all.

Haley and I took a little longer to cultivate a relationship. We all cheered together and it didn't take long for me and Haley to realize we had a lot in common. One of those things being our non-committal relationship with cheerleading and secondly our need to have as much fun as possible!

Our lives post high school took us all in different directions. Shelly and I did a decent job of staying in touch but 2004 was when we all began to become family.

Since then I married Shelly's brother and Haley married her other brother, therefore we have the most ideal in-law situation EVER! While most couples argue over which family to spend holidays with I am tore between the two.

That brings us to this weekend...

My mother-in-law, Christie and I went to Greenville to help Shelly and Rob prepare their new home for the arrival of their new baby! They recently purchased the perfect house to begin their lives in the south as well as accommodate their growing family. We stripped wallpaper, moved boxes, cleaned moldings and managed to squeeze in quality time. I love their new home and I cannot wait for our family weekends together there.

I also can't wait for the BABY. Despite my hopes and all of Christies prayers the baby didn't come this weekend but I have my phone charged and ready for that call.

Shelly stopped mid-trim of the bushes to pose for one last picture pre-baby!

Come on Baby Kenney your room is ready for you!