He's Here!

Matthew Stephen Preece

11/25/09

7:03 PM

8 lb. 4 oz.

20 3/4 inches

We almost had a Thanksgiving baby this year! Off by just 5 hours. :)

Matthew was born on Wed., the day before his due date. I went into labor Tuesday night and went into the hospital early Wed. morning. I was scheduled to be induced that day, but since I was already in labor on my own - the doctor decided to see if I'd progress more on my own without pitocin. They had me walk around a lot to get things going, and broke my water around noon...but the contractions weren't regular enough to jump start things. Finally, I was hooked up to pitocin around 4:00 and little Matthew was born just 3 hours later.

He's finally here! After a LONG anticipated wait for his arrival, we're so grateful for a beautiful, healthy, happy baby - needless to say, we're overjoyed! I'm recovering well, although a little sleepy. :) Ashley loves being a big sister (aka - mommy) and we couldn't be more in heaven having him in our home.

We definitely have a lot to be grateful for this year!

Also - my friend here in Durham took some beautiful photos of Matthew the day after he came home from the hospital. Check out her blog to see a sneak peak of just a few of them! They are amazing...then again, I'm a little biased. :)

http://melissaephotography.blogspot.com/

Week 40

Here you go people - in all my 40 week glory.

Went to the doc today and she said they will induce me this Wednesday if I don't have the baby before then (which I might, because I'm dilated to nearly a 4 and 50% effaced).

Either way, we can't wait to meet this little guy! Been a long time comin'.

Now, if only we could decide on a name...

Fall, Pumpkins, & Trick-or-treating

FALL FUN in NORTH CAROLINA

~PUMPKIN PATCH PICKIN'~

~FALL PHOTOS AT LITTLE RIVER LAKE NEAR OUR HOUSE~

~PUMPKIN CARVIN'~

~HALLOWEEN PARADIN'~

~TRICK-OR-TREATIN'~

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Happy Birthday Ashley!

Last month (I know, I'm behind) - my baby turned 4!! I still can't believe it...

We had a lot of fun celebrating, starting the weekend before when we went to dinner with our friends and mentioned it was Ashley's b-day dinner outing. WELL, needless to say the restaurant went OVER the top with balloons and toys for the kids, oh yeah - and also the free "birthday treat" (see below - Steve was literally going around the restaurant offering cake to other people. We've never seen anything like it! Whatever happened to just the little scoop of ice cream? That restaurant rocked!)...

Then, the morning of her birthday, Ash got to eat her breakfast in her "birthday bowl"...

and open one of her gifts from mom and dad...

Later that day, Ashley had a "princess party" (her choice) at our house with her friends from the neighborhood, church, and school. The night before, I had fun making the cake...

At the party, each girl showed up wearing their princess dresses. I had crowns and wands for each girl to decorate with plastic jewels along with wooden princess stand-up dolls to color and decorate.

We also played "pin the crown on the princess"...

Then we had a "tea party" luncheon. (I had planned on doing it outside in our backyard, but it was pouring rain all day :( --- still worked out I guess). I served "princess wands" (skewers with fruit and marshmallows), "princess jewels" (jello jigglers cut out in shapes of heart, diamonds, etc.), and other finger foods...

That night, Ashley opened the rest of her presents from us and grandparents, etc. What a day!

Ashley's highlights this year include some big ones...a cross-country move to a new home -- TWICE (Baltimore to SLC; SLC to Durham), anticipating becoming a big sister, starting pre-school, dance classes, learning to write her own name, starting to read, fun trips, etc.

Some of her current favorites are:

~ READING BOOKS!!! She can't get enough of them. Will literally carry down a stack of 15 to sit in front of the couch and read for an hour.

~ TV shows: Little Einsteins, Blues Clues, Dora, Diego, and Olivia.

~ MOVIES: Any of the Disney Princess, Barbie, or Strawberry Shortcake ones.

~ FOOD: apples, hot chocolate, cereal, cheese and crackers, pizza, and of course CANDY and ICE CREAM (she has a huge sweet tooth!)

~ Riding her trike all the time.

~ Going on runs with daddy.

~ Showing us how she can whistle, snap, blink, and hop on one foot...at the same time!

~ Playing "Go Fish" and "Old Maid".

~ Hiding behind the couch and "scaring daddy" every day when he comes home from the hospital.

~ Going to pre-school and dance class.

~ Singing primary songs.

~ Playing the piano. She can now play "Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater" and "Mary Had a Little Lamb" all by herself!

~ Writing letters to anyone and everyone.

~ Writing her name. She's gotten pretty good at it!

~ Playing with, arguing with, or bossing around her imaginary friends "Apoepa" (sp? we've never figured it out, but it's pronounced "Ah-Poe-Pah") and "Asosa" ("Ah-Sew-Sa").

~ Going to primary.

~ Doing her own laundry - yes, she really does this and it's fabulous! :)

~ Helping me dry the dishes.

~ GIVING "tweeties" a hundred times a day to Steve and I (little kisses right next to your eye --- the sweetest thing ever!)

What can we say, WE LOVE THIS GIRL!!!

The adventures of the Duke Football Game and the County Fair...

Last month we experienced a few North Carolina "firsts"...

1st Duke Football Game...

1st time wearing the color BLUE to any college sporting event (and felt very weird about it...to this day)...

1st time seeing a camel at a neighboring county fair...

and the 1st time riding a "dumbo ride" at the county fair where the ride operator was smoking a cigarette while lifting children in the ride...(wish I had a pic of that one - it just all happened too quickly).

Also went to our 1st "Pig Pickin'" --- think luau, but in the south, along with hush puppies and vinegar bbq sauce...

A few randoms

I'm trying to catch up on my blogging...or lack, thereof. I have to do things (mostly) in chronological order so I can keep track because this is a form of "journaling".

So here are a few randoms from the remaining part of August.

We went to the Durham Bulls baseball game and BBQ dinner courtesy the Duke Radiology Department...

...and ate lots of cotton candy with the Paxton girls.

Ashley also discovered our master bathtub, and so it has been nearly 2 months now that she has taken a bath in her own tub.

And we were also given an impromptu "sharing time/primary lesson" one afternoon after coming home from church...which lasted over an hour. (literally. i have video to prove it.)

Elder Smoot

My little brother entered the MTC (Missionary Training Center) today.

He'll be serving in the Manchester New Hampshire Mission for 2 years. His mission includes Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and parts of New York and Massachusetts. We're so excited for him and he's going to be a terrific missionary for our church.

Dropping off missionaries nowadays at the MTC is different --- you pull up, open the trunk, missionary gets out of the car, and you drive off. Think airport curbside style.

So, we all said our goodbyes at my parent's house before he left...

Good luck Elder!! WE LOVE YOU! See ya in 2 years!!!