Lately...

So....it has been a while!  A lot has happened since my last post when Andrew and I were soaking up the Aruban sun.  Baby Ella has arrived!  She made her big debut August 18, 2011 at 2:33pm weighing 7lbs, 2oz and measuring 20in long.  She is nothing short of perfect:)  We have definitely had to make some adjustments to our very chill lives as two (or three if you include big brother Jack...who has also had lots of readjusting to do). But it has truly been the most amazing experience of having a baby...we feel like we've been blessed with the most beautiful angel.  Hopefully I can start posting more often to capture her growing up:)

Bon Nochi from Aruba!

Me and Ella enjoying a dip in the ocean during the sunset...

Aruba!!!

"Aruba, Bahama, come on pretty mama!"  We are here!  We landed Friday afternoon to the beautiful place called Aruba.  Quickly rented our Mitsubishi Lancer (haha) and were on our way to the Marriott Ocean Club just in time to watch the sunset.  A couple beside us said we brought the nice weather with us.  They had been here for a week, with only one day of sun, the rest filled with clouds and rain.  We got back to our room to get ready for a nice dinner at Hadicurari (sp?).  Yesterday we spent the day on the beach, and walked to this nice quiet area a little ways down where we swam in peaceful ocean, just the two of us.  This place is absolute heaven.  Last night we went into town to have dinner at El Gaucho (the most amazing place to eat in the world).  We took my dad there for his birthday when we were here last October.  We were serenaded by a pair of guitarists who played the most amazing version of "Stairway to Heaven" we had ever heard.  It was so romantic!  This morning I was greeted by Andrew with the sweetest Mother-to-be Mother's Day card.  Ella seems to have grown so much in the past couple of days.  She has been kicking up a storm, and has been very entertaining for me and Andrew.  She keeps us laughing already, and I think she really likes it here:)  We had lunch on a dock that went right over the ocean, and could pretty much jump in and swim away afterward (obviously I didn't do that due to my current situation, but it looked fun!)  Andrew went running a couple of miles down the beach and found an amazing location that it seems only locals know about.  So he drove me there and we got to snorkel and relax on a little private beach (definitely going back there again).  I'm trying to get in all of the key things that have gone on so far.  Now we are off to dinner!  So far it has been the best honey/babymoon ever!  Ta-ta for now!

It's a........GIRL!

It's only appropriate for this post to be in pink:)  The word is out...Andrew and I are having a GIRL!  We couldn't be happier! I went to Atlanta this past weekend to see my family and attend one of my very best friends baby shower.  My mom thought my doctor appointment was on Monday, and had no idea I had changed it to Friday so I would be able to tell her in person when I saw her over the weekend.  I had planned on getting a bouquet of flowers (blue or pink, depending...), and when I got there, I ran around to the front of the house and rang the doorbell (with a vase of pink baby roses in hand), and she greeted me absolutely thrilled.  I handed her the flowers and told her I had seen them on the front porch and I wondered who they were from...  She was very excited and opened the card (labeled "Debs") and inside it read, "It's a GIRL!  Love, Em & Andrew."  It took her a second to register, and she was ecstatic:)  It was a great moment.

The Latest

We have had so much going on the past couple of months, so I've been kind of bad about keeping up with our new blog, but hopefully I will get better.  Just to recap: we got married on February 12, 2011 at Aldridge Botanical Gardens, and I'm now 16 weeks along in my pregnancy (and FINALLY feeling better!).  I'm staying busy at work, and Andrew has taken up golf (which has REALLY made him a member of the Staveley family)!  Here are some pics (done by Miranda Sparks with SparklerCottagePhotography)!

New Blogger Alert!

Well, where do I begin?  I've attempted to do one of these once before, and I had a hard time keeping up with it.  Now that Andrew and I are not only getting married (in 18 days!!!), but we're also expecting a baby!!!  I think I'll have PLENTY to write about now! 

First thing is first...we're GETTING MARRIED!!!  And I really have to make something clear.  You guys don't understand.  Andrew is my soul mate.  He is THE most amazing thing that has ever happened to me.  As much shit stuff as I've been through this past year and a half, I can only thank God and a special college friend, Nicole, for helping me get to this point in my life.  I'm not going to get into that "stuff", because it has been a long road to get past it, and now that I am, I can only look forward.  Andrew helped me remember who I was, and now I'm back to being the old Emily, and it feels amazing!  February 12th is the big day!  We can't wait!  

And now, baby talk!  We are having a little one in August!!!  "Little One" already has a couple of nicknames: "Flutterblake" (given by my mom) and "Little Rooster" (given by Zana, Andrew's cousin).  So feel free to add to the list if any come to mind:)  It has been a rough 1st trimester, with every-second-of-the-day morning sickness since the 6th week, headaches, and extreme fatigue.  But only a couple more weeks to go, then everyone says I'll be in the clear.  Definitely looking forward to that.

So here it is...our blog.  Hope you enjoy!