My first week!

Quin turned one week old on Thanksgiving Day! We have had the most wonderful time
getting to know our little man's personality more and more everyday. Here are some "getting to know you" facts about Quin that he wants you to know! (and of course lots of pictures too!)

Hi! I'm Quin. My first week here has been great. My family loves me a whole lot. I have 2 big brothers that cannot get enough of me. Braidy kisses me CONSTANTLY and John likes to hold me pretty often. My momma just stares at me all day long, and my daddy gets me in the most perfect cuddling positions ever. I am a pretty scheduled guy by nature. I sleep ALL day long. The only time I cry is when my diaper is getting changed, I don't like it one bit. Other than that, I don't make a peep and I am 100% happy. At night I sleep great and wake up every 3 hours to eat. My mommy keeps saying she gets more rest now than when I was in her tummy. I change everyday, although I think I have my brother Braidy's nose, ears, and mouth, and daddy's eyes. I love to be swaddled in my miracle blanket...they don't call it the "Miracle Blanket" for nothin! I am usually awake for about an hour in the evenings, and I just look around and make funny faces. At my one week check (which was when I was really only 4 days old) I weighed 8lbs 1oz, and everything looked great. My mommy and LuLu gave me my first bath, and I really didn't like it. I prefer to have warm clothes on my little body! I love to ride in the car, it instantly puts me to sleep. Basically, I am SUPER easy going and I have been nothing but a complete joy to have around. My mommy and daddy say they're going to keep me!

Quin's Birth Story

I'm starting Quin's birth story before he's born.

Monday, November 8th:
Ryan, Braidy and I went to see the doctor at 2:20. I saw a different doctor than "my" OB, but I'd seen this one twice before. My doctor would be out of town from the 10th to the 14th. The heartbeat was nice and strong, I measured right on, and she informed me that I was dilated to a 4 or 5! Holy cow! The Thursday before I was still at a ONE! She said she could bring me in that night to be induced, but my heart wasn't ready quite yet. (Looking back, I might should have said OK!) She says it could be that day, it could be a week. We leave thinking this baby could be here any minute!

Monday - Friday, November 12th:
Pretty much everyday, we think "This might be the day!" Jess and Crockett come into town on Tuesday. Poppa comes into town on Tuesday also. Needless to say, they get to wait and wait and wait. Every night my contractions pick up some and are usually about 6 or 7 minutes apart for a while, then I fall asleep thinking I will wake up if it's the "real thing". Every morning when I wake up, I'm still pregnant! I got a wonderful massage on Thursday and Erin really worked on my ankles, but the contractions didn't really come like I thought they would. I'm getting impatient to say the least...although I know he'll come eventually, right?!

Saturday, November 13th:
Everyone leaves to head back home. Thinking maybe Quin was just waiting for everyone to get home before he decided to come. Not so much. Still waiting rather impatiently!

Thursday, November 18th:
Today is our doctor's appointment, I thought it might never come! I am dilated to a 4 (seems the other doc must have been a bit off, oh well) and Dr. Phillips gives me the option of "wanna go now?" I jump at the chance. I call Ryan and tell him to head home because we are going to go have a baby! Braidy went to LuLu's during my appointment, so I call them too. On my way out of the office I have a slight (ok, maybe major) meltdown. I am so ready to meet my little man, but at the same time I'm feeling all kinds of guilt. I really don't expect anyone to really understand unless you've had more than one baby. I felt like I needed to go say "bye" to Braidy and kiss him one last time. Looking back, it was kind of silly but wow, I was completely overcome with emotions on "losing" my first baby boy. I got to my mom's and he really made the situation better because he could have cared less about me leaving, he just wanted to watch Mickey Mouse. He was wondering why I was crying, but that was about it. I really wasn't sure I could love another baby as much as my first, but God has an amazing way of allowing your heart the ability of loving the new baby just as much. It's an instant and intense love that is just there.

Anyways, back to the BABY! Ryan and I pack the car up and head to UMC. We get there around 11:30, get checked in, changed into my HOT gown, and the IV's start, the monitoring starts and everything gets going. I see Dr. Phillips pretty quickly and she checks me and breaks my water. OUCH. Last time, I had my epidural before anything so I didn't feel anything. Oh well.


The anesthesiologist comes not much later and gives me my epidural (OUCH) and we are on our way. It takes a bit to kick in, but I'm feeling good very shortly after. Ryan was really upset that my legs never became fully numb, because his favorite thing to do is lift my feet up and drop them, where I Can't control them. He just gets a kick out of that! =) So, the epidural worked, but not completely. What felt like an hour later (really was about 3 hours later, at 4:00) Dr. Phillips came in and checked me and said "We're ready!"

I push for about an hour, and yes, I could feel pretty much everything. Again, last time I felt nothing, and I had a little baby...it was a cakewalk. This time was different and I felt like that lady on the movie who was screaming. Towards the end, I did. However, at 5:16 PM the sweetest little man came into the world weighing 8 pounds and 12 ounces. Daddy cut the umbilical cord and I heard everyone laugh/gasp as they weighed him. I would have never guessed I would be birthing an almost-9-pound baby! WOW! He was healthy as could be, and it was love at first sight.




He stayed in our room the whole time until we went to post-partum. I got to nurse right away (he did SO good!) and I just loved having him next to us for everything...his tests, his bath (daddy gave his first bath), they don't take him to the nursery for anything which I loved.


LuLu, Papaw, Braidy and John arrived soon after he was born and the boys were really excited. They met Baby Quin and got to open thier presents from him. They were excited to officially be big brothers!!




All in all, it was one of the best days of my life. We are completely in love with this new little man. He is just adorable and has a ton of dark hair. When he wears a hat it comes out of the bottom, already a little frat daddy =) He definitely resembles his big brother Braidy, although he outweighed him by 2 1/2 pounds. He's just the perfect addition to our family. Thank you God for another perfect miracle. Our hearts are overflowing!

Pregnancy Ramblings and Nursery Pictures!

I'm 38.5 Weeks...any day now!


Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 38.5 Weeks
Size of baby: Quin is big. That's all I know.
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 18 lbs...exact same as with Braidy
Maternity Clothes: growing OUT of maternity shirts...PROBLEM!
Gender: It's a boy!!! Quin Joseph Curry
Movement: Tons of movement...all over the place. I think he's going to weigh 15 lbs and be 30 inches long...he's everywhere...high, low, I even feel kicks almost in my back!
Sleep: Not much, but I know God is preparing me...although I am ready to be up all night with a precious, sweet baby than just to go potty all night long!
What I miss: Walking without hurting, sitting without hurting, laying without hurting, that's about it!
Cravings: Candy and anything really bad for me. I just snack these days because full blown meals are not appetizing. ALthough, I've eaten my body weight in candy (candy corn, peppermint taffy, marshmallows) here lately.
Symptons: being tired all the time, back hurting...but I can't complain.
Best Moment this week: Getting his nursery DONE! Daddy worked SO hard last weekend painting and getting everything ready. It turned out SO cute...I love it!

So I haven't posted much on this pregnancy probably because so much is going on in addition to being pregnant. But I love this little survey I've seen, and I want to be able to look back and see what was going on. I've been going to the doctor weekly for about 4 weeks now, and each time I've been dilated one cm. A little frustrating, but at the same time I know he'll come at the perfect time. Up until now we really were NOT ready for him to come, our house has been a war zone. After last weekend it's much more "ready" or at least ready enough!

I LOVED being pregnant last time, this time I am just MUCH bigger (really, I am!) and much more uncomfortable. I think last time I could have played a game of basketball on the day I delivered. Nothing really hurt, I wasn't very big, I just loved being pregnant...what was there not to love? This time I'm just your typical big, tired, uncomfortable pregnant lady! ALthough I am still trying to cherish everyday I have left of the pokes and prods of the little man growing in my tummy.

I am also trying to soak up every minute of Braidy being my "baby" and being able to spend everyday at home with him, just the 2 of us. I am trying to enjoy the simple things...playing with blocks that get thrown all over the house, watching him paint, reading books. I'm trying to prepare him, the best I know how, of all the "cool" things big brothers get to do! I know he's going to be a fabulous big brother, but his role is about to change. He'll always be my baby though....I can't wait to watch him and John fall in love with thier baby brother. Lots of different emotions going on right now: joy, anxiety, guilt, wonder, nervousness, excitement...I could go on and on. Really, I'm just ready to begin life with little Quin as a part of our family!

Before I get too sentimental, here are pictures of baby Quin's nursery. I love love love how it turned out.




A blank wall...not sure what to do here...may just wait for some newborn pictures. Any other ideas?

My super talented friend, Emilie, made these...aren't they precious!

To Infinity...and Beyond!

What a fun Halloween we had! Buzz (aka Braidy) had a blast trick or treating. LuLu came with us and so did our friends, the Gwinns. We walked and walked and walked some more, and although he got pretty tired, he had a ball. He loved saying "Trick or Treat" and "thank you" after he got his candy. Most of the time he'd stick his hand in the basket and help himself to as much as he wanted. We'll work on manners for next year! At one house he picked up the watering can that was sitting on the porch...he was going to help water her plants! At another house there was a couple sitting in their driveway and the man had on a very scary mask. Braidy stood there, I think in shock, until we pulled him away. He couldn't decide whether he wanted to laugh or cry. He saw a few dogs that he fell in love with and he even got to pet some. Daddy had to go up to some of the houses with him and he got to carry him a good part of the way!

He was definitely the cutest Buzz there is. His Nena found the costume for him and he wore it very proudly! We practiced saying "To Infinity and Beyond" all week, and he finally got it down! I think he's eaten more candy in the last 24 hours than he has in his whole life, but it sure was worth watching him have as much fun as he did! Here are a couple pictures from our outing in the neighborhood!


And, although John was not with us this Halloween, we still got some awesome pictures of the Tech football player himself! Here is he is....#10, John Curry!

Shower of Blessings #2!

My fabulous sisters and sweet, best friends threw me another baby shower last weekend. It was wonderful and perfect. So much thought was put into every last detail. The food was FABULOUS, the decor was precious...all perfect for me and little Quin. I love these girls so much. Even though most of them couldn't make it I am still so appreciative of them all. Wish all my friends and sisters were cool like me and stayed in Lubbock their whole lives....ahhh well. =) I didn't take a ton of pictures but here are a few. Also, thanks to LuLu for letting us have it at her house and for helping make it all happen also! Love you all!

We were definitely blessed once again with lots of diapers and wipes (can you ever have enough?!), giftcards and other cute baby stuff. We are very blessed with some wonderful friends! Can't wait to introduce Quin to them all!

Pumpkin Playgroup

Our weekly playgroup went out to At'l Do Farms this past week for a fun fun time! This may have been my most favorite playgroup we've had. There was next to no one there, the weather was gorgeous, and it was just a fun place to go! The kids seemed to love it too. We took some pictures by the "face animals", we looked and petted the real animals (goats, pigs, cows, turkeys), we went on a hayride, the little ones picked their very own pumpkins, the little ones went thru the mini maze, and they rode the cow train. They were in heaven!

Funny Story Time: While we were standing around we found a frog and Braidy just chased it and hopped to it, just DYING to step on it. I told him over and over not to squish the poor froggy. He got one step ahead and smashed the poor thing. We all about DIED (especially his mother). I just knew he had sent the little frog into froggy heaven because he was FLAT and NOT MOVING. I looked away for a while and when we looked back he had blown back up and hopped away! Hallelujia. My child is not a frog murderer after all! It was pretty funny....boys will be boys.

Here are some pictures of our sweet friends from last Wednesday!

M-E-S-S!!!!

I often wonder if Braidy will grow up thinking his name is "A MESS"...because no fewer than 20 times a day, I tell him "you're a mess!". Thankfully he knows his name is "Baydee Penser" but still.

This weekend when Uncle Bob was in town, he was talking about what Ryan was like as a little boy. He said if Ryan was quiet for more than 5 minutes, they knew he was up to NO GOOD. Braidy is little Ryan. When this child goes quiet, you better run. Fast.

And really, he's just happier when he's a mess. He loves ice cream, but I think it's more for the "fun" of eating it and getting it all over him. Same goes for just about anything. He's always been a mess, and probably always will be! I sure do love that mess of a boy though. He keeps us laughing!

Our most recent "challenge" is that he has figured out that he can drag a chair from the table over to the kitchen so that he has access to all cabinets, sinks, drawers, etc. Me and that chair go round and round.

He has found the chocolate milk powder, which was quickly emptied onto a cookie sheet of cresent rolls. He has "cooked" in my skillet with an entire box of Chex cereal. He has played in the sand and dust from when we were getting stone put onto the outside of our house. He has had MANY chocolate pudding instances. And chocolate ice cream. And pumpkin cookies in the car that ended up everywhere but in his mouth (duh, mom!). Just last night he fell asleep with a handful of M&M's and he woke up this morning with M&M's stuck to his jammies, stuck to his sheets, and crumbs everywhere! Oh, I can't wait until he has a son of his own that is a little "Ryan/Braidy"...

I have been collecting these pictures for a while now, and I know there will be more to come, but here are our "MESS" pictures from the last month or so.