Baby Adi is Here!

I really hope Brad and Chel don't mind my posting their exciting information, but I feel I kinda got permission when I know Chel's momma is reading my blog in excitement and anticipation. :c) So, here is the big news (which Missy posted in the comments, too)!

Just minutes after I posted the first time, Baby Adi made her appearance quite quickly at 4:08 p.m. weighing just 7 lbs (exactly like her big sis Ella!) and 19 inches long. She unbelievably has a head full of BROWN hair! She is soooo gorgeous!!

While there we did not get to see the new baby girl but through the window. But we got to see her get her first bath and that was pretty neat. Ella and Maia loved watching. Ella kept wanting to go see mommy so Maia and I would stay. She was quite taken by it all. Maia told me "mommy, that my baby" and I said "okay, . . . yeah . . ." and then she said "mommy, I hold baby?" and I said "maybe you can hold baby" and she replied, "she's little?" almost as though she was asking my permission to hold her because she's just her size to hold. It was too cute.

Chel is doing very well. She looks amazing. I wish I had looked that great after my two birth experiences. Hopefully tonight Chel will get a good nights sleep. She was so very exhausted. At least they don't have to worry about Ella because Aunt Val is taking good care of her tonight. And what fun it is taking care of her. It's so great having the two girls together. They're a blast.

So here are some pictures which I'm sure the majority of you will just skip right to and dismiss all my yammering. :c) That's okay, I don't blame ya! This baby girl is perfection. I cannot wait to hold her tomorrow and take some pictures of this great new family of 4.

Congrats to my dear bro and sis. You did a wonderful job :c)

Here ya go Momma Buhr! (These were all were all taken from the other side of the glass, so they aren't the greatest pictures -- sorry!)

Meet Miss Adi!

(Nana, O'ma, Grandma, everyone (!) make sure you click on the pictures because they'll enlarge so you can see the details. I wonder if she has the cowlick and the dimpled chin?)

Hi from Oklahoma with news!

This will be short but sweet. We made it to OK with no troubles, just one melt-down (Maia) 10 minutes before we landed. I kept praying that we would be on the ground soon so we could get off and RUN. I was so embarrassed. Ah well. Such is toddler-hood; such is my precious daughter.

The news is that we're at Brad and Michelle's house but Brad and Michelle are not here. They are at the hospital! There will be a baby today!! Her water has been broken and as soon as Ella gets up for her nap, we're heading to the hospital to see her mommy, daddy and sister!!!!

I'll be back later . . .

p.s. It's 75 degrees here today, but don't quite be jealous yet. It's suppose to be in the 40's tomorrow. But I'm soaking it up today while I can to last me till spring in good ol' Illinois :c)

Oklahoma here I come!!

I'm taking a vacation starting Monday! I haven't peeped even one word about it yet, but I'm flying solo (by myself, without kids, without hubby, all alone!!) on Monday to Oklahoma to spend 5 days with one of my bestest friends in the entire world and favorite brother-in-law and favorite niece, Ella!! I can't wait!

I'm nervous about flying since I've never flown by myself, and I'm nervous because I've never left my kids for more than 2 days, but I think I'll probably be very busy and have a lot of fun which will make the time go by fast and make me not think (too much) about my kiddos.

Plans are for Michelle to be induced on Wednesday, but but but . . . she'll probably be having baby A before that!! Maybe even now?! If not now, probably this weekend!!!!!! (Yesterday at her appointment she was 3 cm's!!!!!) Yay!!! Regardless, it's still good timing because I can do whatever I need to do to help Chel with the new baby and help Ella get accustomed to new baby. I don't really care what I do, because I'm there for Chel, Brad and Ella. I've never given myself fully like this before and it feels really good to be able to.

Did you read that Chel is 3 cm's as of yesterday?! Baby is coming sooooooon!!!!! And you know what's the most exciting about this trip?! I get to take newborn picture of baby A!!! Fresh brand new pictures!! I can't wait :c)

Now hopefully this winter storm that we are suppose to be getting doesn't hamper anything. We are getting up to 10 inches of snow this evening. Probably by Monday it will be all clear and the planes will be ready for take off.

Oklahoma here I come!

Gooooo Oklahoma!!!

So the Illini did not do so well last night. They tried and had lots and lots of chances to have done really well. But nonetheless, they didn't try hard enough and lost in the Rose Bowl.

But tonight we have the opportunity to root on our 2nd favorite team . . . Oklahoma Sooners who play West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl. Maia and Noah's Uncle Brad has been in Arizona for a week now preparing for the big game. Even though we don't have any Oklahoma gear for the kids to wear as we watch the game (hint, hint, Uncle Brad!), we'll still be cheering on the team and looking for Uncle Brad on tv :c)

Boomer Sooner!!

(Have fun watching the game, Ella, as you cheer on your team and watch for daddy!)

Mish Mash

Where are my commenters? I know, I have nothing exciting to say. Sorry. My life really isn't all that boring right now. I swear. It's pretty un-boring, actually. Today Noah, Maia and I began making a gingerbread house. I forgot how long it takes because if you don't follow the instructions and let the icing/glue dry, well, it will fall apart. Lesson learned. So we'll finish decorating it later.

I've been spending so much time on work, like every waking hour it seems, that this week I'm trying my hardest every day to make quality special time with my kiddos. Just me and them. And it's been such fun. I love my babies. (Even though yesterday, on the way home from school, Noah informed me again that he's not my "baby" but my "big kid". *sob*)

Yesterday, Maia and I made a quick trip to D-town to buy a giftie for one of my blogging pals and new shoes for the wedding I'm shooting Saturday. Maia was such a good girl. She got so many compliments on how well-behaved she was. What can I say, she is never imperfect. (Hahahahaaaaa!!)

So yes, I have my last wedding of the year on Saturday, and so I finally get to wear THE dress. (I'm not so sure how sexy I feel right now after still feeling bloated and slightly frumpy from Thanksgiving and all the leftovers.) And, I did find some kick-booty shoes to go with the dress, so I think the outfit is finally complete. Nothing like waiting last minute. That's how I work if you forgot. ;c)

I think the shoes are very simple, yet hot :c) And they are quite comfortable. A must when you're on your feet for 10 hours. They're by Joan & David if anyone cares.

I'm quite excited for this wedding Saturday because I get to see my love, Johanna. I can't wait to hang out (during any possible "down" time) with her. But I'm hoping (and praying) that Saturday is a nice day weather-wise . . . at least no snow or rain . . . please?!! . . . so I can stay busy with my cool photo ideas. Brandon and Holly (my couple) are the cutest, prettiest couple. I can't wait to catch them radiating on film (I mean, compact flash).

This coming week, drumroll . . . Alexis is coming "home". So it's not really "home" to her anymore since she's been in NC for over a year now, but to Jamie and I, we say "home" because we hope it'll always be a "home" for her. I might not see her much till Wednesday, but that's okay. She's going to the Christmas walk with mom, Heather and I, downtown. And then Thursday I get to take her to the airport. We're leaving early and mom's watching the kids so that we can do what we do best . . . talk, shop and drink coffee. I'm really excited for our time, even though it'll be short and sweet, it's absolutely better than not seeing her at all. What a great Christmas gift I'm getting.

Sad news. We aren't going to Oklahoma for Christmas. :( After tossing and turning over what we should do, Neil and I decided together that we couldn't go. We still have not sold our lot. It sits there, sadly. I wish we could keep it, but having to be making (in a way) two mortgages, is hard. Very hard for us. We are barely scraping by. (Thank GOD for my business lately!) We just can't afford the trip this time. We hope by the time baby A.C. is born in Feb, that we can go to OK to meet her. So, now we're staying home for Christmas, but that's exciting for me because it's our first Christmas here in our new home with the kids. It should be a really fun Christmas. Neil and I decided that we aren't doing anything at all that day but having a family day, just the 4 of us, in our jammies. And I can't wait. We're going to really miss doing this with our bro, sis, Ella & O'ma, but thankfully they understand 110%.

So, the next few days I won't be posting much as I finish up on some major orders, deliver 2 wedding albums, shoot a wedding and proof a wedding. Monday I think we're going to take a family day and finally put out our Christmas decorations and go get our tree. So I end with this . . . from keri @ flickr . . . I love her stuff.

Never forget that there is no day but today.

Off to decorate the gingerbread house!

With love, in the Spirit of Christmas,

~ me, Val ~

P.S. Neil's cousin just found out she is having a baby boy in April. Congrats, Kara and Josh!

Big Sister, E

We just got word from our bro and sis that Ella is going to be a big sister . . .

to a baby SISTER!!!!! I'm going to have another niece! (This will be my 4th niece!)

What's funny about this is that Chel and I both only have brothers, so we don't even know what it's like to have a real sister. Although i know good and well it doesn't take blood to be sisters or brothers or anything of the like! But it still will be different for me as an auntie and Chel as a mommy to TWO GIRLS! Wow, this is going to take some getting use to!! But what fun it will be. (I'm absolutely giddy about it!)

So question now is, will baby girl #2 become the first female football player in OSU history? Will she wear frilly dresses and bows in her hair, or will she wear sports attire and help her daddy out on and off the field? Only time will tell! Whatever they become, I'm so excited to be a part of it. And Daddy Brad and Mommy Chel will have the best time teaching them the Sooners songs and how to yell "We're #1"!

Congrats, guys! Now there's lots of decisions to be made! (and I can't wait till we can go shopping together, Chel!!)

P.S. and for those of you who may not know, I'm not losing my marbles. The dress Ella has on above is a Chicago Bears dress, however, Brad no longer works for the Bears, but the Oklahoma Sooners, so this next baby girl at 6 months won't be wearing a Bears dress but a Sooners one! (Sooner Boomer! -- did I do it, right, chel?! lmbo!)

The stork plans to deliver again!

Blogging frenzy for me again, I know. I can't help it. I've been away too long and have too much to talk about! So bear with me on these days when I have time to blog. I may go overboard, but well, you have missed me, right?

I have some of the most exciting news ever! My brother-in-law and sister-in-law are preggie again!!!!
Look, a baby bump is emerging!

I knew it when we were on vacation in Georgia. Actually, that's when I found out. It was a sweet moment as Michelle said, with some tears in her eyes, how hard it was flying out there because she had to use the puke bag for the first time. But what a great reason to have to use it, right?! When I was sick, it was always a refreshing memory, like a reminder from God, that my baby was safe and growing perfectly inside my womb.

It was funny, because when it was known to me, Brad couldn't even look at me. I think (knowing him and knowing his brother --- my hubby! --- and how they act) he was afraid he'd cry. He was pretty excited, I could tell.

And talk about excited, so are WE!! We get to be an aunt and uncle again and my kids get to have another cousin to grow up with and share memories with. And come February, I will have a new niece or nephew to hold in my arms! I am selfishly wanting them to have a boy because Noah does not have any other boy cousins and I don't have a nephew, and I so badly want one! But of course, if it's a little girl, nothing can stop me from buying more frilly pink things or passing down something of Maia's.

I so hated knowing when it wasn't told to others yet, because I wanted to tell!! But I think I did a good job at keeping that secret safe. It's funny though, how some things you just want to shout to the world :c)

Congrats again, to my very special brother and sister. We love you guys so much and wish only good things throughout this pregnancy, once baby C is here and forever more. Oh I love babies! And oh how I love my nieces! I can't wait for one more. See you in a couple months! Give big huggies to my favorite little niece. And Maia said to tell her "El-la" hi :c)

Reality . . . can bite

Anyone know anything about macs? I am seriously very much disliking mine right now. (Re: my previous post.) So no pictures from Georgia from me to show you for a long while probably. In the meantime, please take some time and check out Michelle's blog. She posted some cute pictures from Georgia. And maybe she'll post more since I cannot (hint, hint, Chel!). I miss Sea Island so much, but my dear sis, bro and niece even more. Oklahoma is just way too far away.

Chel, I shot pics of baby James today (he is sooooooo dang cute!!). Ang was saying how she hopes you guys come back sometime to stay. Permanent stay. So it's not a secret anymore, but I secretly am hoping, too . . .

Check out Chel's Sea Island pictures here. We had such a great time. Back to reality now . . . packing boxes and computers crashing. As the movie title says "Reality Bites" sometimes.

Seriously, anyone know anything about macs crashing? What does the blinking flashlight mean? What does the fan on the hard drive going really loud and strong mean? It's not good, is it?