Monday, December 12, 2011

39 weeks....1 to go...maybe....


39 weeks

It's crazy to think he could be here anytime....

It feels like I was just telling Joshua we were pregnant and now Declan is almost here. Our precious bundle of joy we have dreamed about for years is almost finally here.

This post I dedicate to the most AMAZING Father and Husband, Joshua Ray. It's hard to put into words how amazing of a Dad I think/know you will be. You have worked so hard for our little family and I could not be happier and more proud of you. Declan has such an amazing Father who will love him unconditionally and has already devoted so much of his life to making OUR life amazing. Declan...we are pretty lucky. I don't know what I do without him...and well...you...there would be no you without him. I cannot wait to see the look on my husband's face as he holds our son for the first time...I know I will cherish it forever. To you, Joshua. I love you so much and I have been so thankful to carry your son these last 9 months and counting. You are a great support and I am thankful each day for such an amazing father/husband that God placed in my life. It's crazy to think that a high school romance turned into so much...10 years and counting of an incredible life with you and I look forward to MANY MANY more. Thank you...from the bottom of my heart. I love you...

Love,
Your wife and son

"I love you more than yesterday and less than tomorrow."

Monday, November 28, 2011

36 weeks and counting down....

Waiting on Declan...
36 weeks
35 weeks
34 weeks
33 weeks

I cannot believe he is ALMOST here! I am overwhelmed, excited, anxious, nervous, happy, excited, scared, excited!!! :) Declan Meyer Gilreath is about to be in our lives and Joshua and I could not be MORE excited!!! We are anxiously awaiting his appearance and planning for the big day!
Declan,
Mommy and Daddy say it's ok to come anytime. Now Granny T on the other hand says to wait until she returns from Florida but GG and Poppa want you to come before December 10th. :) Already so much pressure on a little guy but we all want to see you so bad! His room is a practically completed just a few minor things but it's VERY ready for Declan to be here. Daddy has put together more stuff in the last few weeks...bouncer, pack and play, and car-seat/stroller. We have your car seat in the car ready for you to come. It's so amazing to be driving and see that little seat in the back seat and know before long Declan will be riding along. I am so amazed how much I love this little guy already. Can't wait to be his Mommy!

So I have slacked the last week on posting anything so I will update with few pictures. Thanks for reading!
Love,
Whitney & Declan


Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Baby got Gap...

This comes directly as a result of spending a fair portion of my Saturday morning arranging baby clothes…

I don’t quite understand how it is that those tasked with the designing of clothes with months in multiples of three seem to get their measurements so perfectly. I mean, one day a kid is good to go for three months wearing 0-3, then all of a sudden he is pigeon-holed into a very specific time-frame, in clothes labeled “3 Mos”. Two days later he has to move on to 3-6, because the stop on three is very short indeed. I can only imagine that this is because those times must mean something.

I, thusly, have made the decision to only buy clothes with specific ages (3 mos, 6 mos, one-year, etc.) for equally specific, and event-appropriate milestone events:

Newborn /0 Months – Baby Gap sleeper for coming home from the hospital. Navy, Oxford grey stripes, footies… cute as can be…

3 months – one black Jones New York suit, skinny-ish tie, pressed blue oxford shirt for first job interview.

· These are tough times in this economy, so any additional family income helps, and I feel like this kid may be an over-achiever anyway. I will not limit him.



6 months - One pair of khakis and a polo, Kenneth Cole loafers for first day of work… entry level.

· It took him a few months to get here, but everyone knows it’s tough to get jobs right now. Three months is forgivable, and his mother and I were happy to support him as he lived with us.



9 months – Tuxedo, black. Work dinner… being honored for exemplary leadership and great numbers in the third quarter.

· His boss appreciates and rewards his youth, his new ideas, his ambition, and his MILF. He doesn’t mention all of these in his speech, but I can see it in his eyes. (On a side-note, his boss came onto both his mother and I at the event, and it was all quite confusing).



12 months (AKA, one year) – Second Tuxedo (midnight blue, because, along with tact, he’s added a palpable amount of confidence to his arsenal of traits). His first formal event to honor his philanthropic endeavors.

· Having been recently promoted (taking his sexually deviant boss’ job), he has the expendable income to pursue his lifelong desire to build playgrounds in Africa. Some find it in poor taste to promote heavy exercise for children in areas where potable drinking water is scarce, but those people don’t have events like this thrown for them, do they?



18 months – One pair of pleated khakis, one over-sized golf shirt, and boat shoes. Retirement.

· After breaking away to start his own companies, and then almost single-handedly jump-starting a second Dot-com boom, he surprises the world and announces an early retirement in Forbes Magazine. What began as a start-up in his father’s spare bedroom (with the i-Changing-Pad), and ended with the amalgamation of businesses (ranging from social media, to health-conscious baby food vending machines, to defense contracting), had come to change the world in ways that would have made Steve Jobs piss his diapers.

· He shortly thereafter moves on to days filled with early mornings at McDonald’s, followed by other McDonald’s inside various Wal-Marts, then alternating between visiting the bank and Walgreen’s every other hour, golf, using exact change to pay for all purchases, doctor’s appointments, and Skyping with his grand-parents.



24 months-2T – I feel as though he probably has his sartorial selections under control from this point. Let him be his own man, you know?



These timelines may be slightly off, as this is my first child, but I feel the details to be fairly represented… thanks for reading.

Friday, October 28, 2011

33 weeks....

33 weeks....

Declan Meyer Gilreath


Time is flying by and we are getting so much closer to meeting Declan!!! I cannot believe I am already 7mths and have 7 weeks left till he gets here.
We went to see the high risk ob doctor on Monday...no worries. Declan and I both are going to be just fine. We got to see him and found out that he is ALREADY 5lbs 4 ounces and has a BIG head and feet! A few things a first time Mom doesn't want to hear....BIG HEAD! OMG...Dr. Lyons is not really worried about it but we will see. I went for my 33 week f/u appointment today and go back in 2 weeks. After this next appointment I will start going weekly. Eeekkkkk....getting soo close. Joshua and I are going to work more on the nursery this weekend....pictures coming soon.

Thanks for reading.
Love,
Whitney & Declan

Sunday, October 23, 2011

32 weeks and counting down...

My cake at the 1st baby shower...so cute and sooooo good.
32 weeks
32 weeks
30 weeks...never posted this.
30 weeks.

I have been terrible about keeping my blog updated. I am so sorry...

I am not 32 weeks and counting....Hard to believe that in only 8 more weeks Declan Meyer will be here.
We had our first baby shower yesterday and I was overwhelmed with the amount of things we got for Declan. Sooo many people love this little man already! :) Thanks to all who made that first shower so special. We definitely had plenty of laughs/fun during the shower. This shower was held in Gallatin, TN by my Mom's wonderful neighbors. Thanks again Kimberly and Jolene...it was perfect!
Declan and I are doing good, we now go to the doctor every 2 weeks. I am feeling good, little bit tired more than normal but things are going well. I still have occasional cankles, depending on how long I have been standing for the day. We do have to make a visit tomorrow to a high risk ob doctor b/c Mommy's thyroid level was a little off whack with the last appointment. I am confident that the doctor's know best and this is in God's hands. I will keep you all updated after the appointment tomorrow.
We are slowly getting Declan's room put together and I promise to post pictures once it's all together.
Here are a few new pictures for you enjoyment!
Thanks for reading!

Love,
Whitney & Declan

Friday, October 21, 2011

Don't Act Like You're Not Impressed...

One thing important to winning your father’s love is impressing him.

Sons have been using this method for millennia. Some try to make good grades, conquer foreign lands, and walk on the moon (these are considered “ideal”). Others have blown up buildings, initiated Ponzi schemes, and killed their fathers (these are generally considered “terrible ideas”, and I would not recommend them).

Now, Declan, you may have a hard time with me, because it comes as no secret that I am not easily impressed. I have seen pictures of the Great Wall, and I think I would have assigned it a less haughty nomenclature… Long Wall, maybe? Or Okay Wall, sure, but “Great” is a little pretentious.

Just a hint: I am in no way impressed by celebrity status of any kind… If a famous person has done something amazing, I respect their achievement, but, unlike most Americans, I could not care less if I get a “star’s” autograph. I once stood in line directly behind Dan-Freaking-Marino and didn’t say a word to him because he was with his family and I, unlike the other idiots in line, didn’t think it prudent to ask him to sign my Atlanta Braves gear.

I am not impressed simply because you are on TV…If I saw Chaz Bono in Wal-Mart, alternating between the women’s blouse and men’s overalls sections, you could be assured that he/she would be surrounded by “fans” at some point or another. Take solace in the fact, my son, that I would not be one of them, as he does not impress me simply because he is the son of a another trans-gendered famous person and is dancing on TV. Now, the doctors who switched up his indoor to outdoor plumbing get some kudos from me, although I don’t see anyone from either side of the gender divide taking the “bait”. Hang in there Buddy/Chick…

This is all to say that, although you will certainly be tempted to do something amazing to impress me in the future, I will accept you being my son as impressive enough.

Whether you come out as a musical prodigy or genius, or whether you come out as a gay Asian child who can’t do math or karate, I will be impressed… because you are my son, and that is something that I have been looking forward to a long time.

Now if you want to be a prodigy and make us some coin in the process, I will not stand in your way…

Monday, October 3, 2011

29+ weeks and counting...



29 weeks....30 weeks on Friday. Let the countdown begin! I went to the doctor last Friday and I now start going every 2 weeks. Everything is going great so far, no problems. I only gained 2 lbs this last visit. (Now officially up to 17lbs total) I am feeling great...no complaints besides Declan loves loves loves to kick his Mommy... so hard sometimes. I think he thinks it's hilarious. I can just see him cracking up. :)
Joshua and I are trying to be more productive in getting things ready for Declan. We will spend the weekend trying to organize his room a little more. We will try to update pics of the nursery as it comes together.
Thanks for reading.

Love,
Whitney & Declan