Henry is here!

On Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 6:28 AM we welcomed Henry Jay Harrod Nye into our family. He was 9 lbs. 8 oz. and 21.5 inches long. Jason and I were so excited to meet our little boy after nine months of waiting and wondering! The girls are all delighted with their baby brother, and so are we.

For anyone curious about his name: not only did we like it, but each name has some special significance. Henry is my paternal grandfather's middle name. Jay is what we call Jason. Harrod is my mother's maiden name and in honor of my late Grandpa Harrod.

Henry is not the best sleeper at this point (but boy can he eat!), so I don't have a lot of pictures (or blogging material). I'm mostly just trying to stay awake. :-) The majority of these were taken at the hospital or soon after we came home. The last few I took today just so the girls would have some photos to show at school!

Before I had Henry

Right after he was born

Mamaw with Henry

Papaw with Henry

Chloe and Henry

Sophie and Henry

Aunt Anna holding her nephew

Audrey taking a turn (good practice for her baby brother due in October)

Me, Charlotte and Henry (I've got to say, I've looked better... eek!)

Great-grandma Ferrill

Aunt Chris a.k.a Mamaw Twisty

Ready to go home

Nate and Henry

Charlotte is doing a great job as a big sister.

Daddy with his two youngest

Hubert Henry Hampton holding baby Henry

Marilyn Witte with Henry and Charlotte

My sweet boy

So glad he's a part of our family!

ABC's

Charlotte's current favorite song...

40 Week Appointment

Yep, I'm still pregnant...

Total weight gain: 35 lbs.
Blood pressure: 104/60
Fundal height: 41 cm
Baby's heart rate: 136 bpm
3 cm dilated, 50% effaced

I had to do a non-stress test today just to make sure the baby is doing well enough to continue waiting. He or she did great and seems quite happy staying put. I am scheduled to be induced August 23rd, but I am hoping to go on my own before then!

Furry Little Thieves

The squirrels discovered the bird feeder, and now the feasting is over for our fine feathered friends. Maybe I can just relocate the bird feeder to the front yard? I was at least entertained watching him hang upside down by his tiny feet to eat the seed.

(These pictures are a little fuzzy because I took them through the window screen.)

The First Day of School

Today was the first day back to school for Chloe and Sophie. They were both a mix of nervousness and excitement. Chloe is in Mrs. Ludlow's 5th grade class and Sophie is in Mrs. Fenton's 3rd grade class this year. I am always sad to send them back to school after summer break. It is such a long day away, and I miss having them at home! Charlotte is not in preschool this year, but she always wants to have her picture taken when the girls do. And although we no longer require diapers for her, we do still take a bag with us, so she had a backpack for her pictures as well.

Chloe

Sophie

Charlotte

All three girls

Chloe can choose between choir and band this year. This morning she was able to try out instruments. She chose the clarinet.

Sophie at her desk

Chloe at her desk (I promise that Charlotte is only pinching her nose in this photo)

Last Days of Summer Break - Part 2

Jason took half of the day off of work on Friday so we could spend some family time together before school resumes on Monday (boo-hoo). We told the girls that if they finished their summer workbooks we would take them to Chuck E. Cheese, and both of them got all their "homework" done. We spent a few hours at Chuck E. Cheese, ran some errands, then finished the day swimming at Grammy and Grandpa's pool. It was a fun day for all of us!

Last Days of Summer Break - Part 1

The girls and I stayed in on Thursday enjoying some fun before Chloe and Sophie head back to school next week. I painted their fingernails and toenails. They painted and decorated acrylic rings from a craft kit. We enjoyed pizza and watching Phineas and Ferb (possibly the greatest cartoon ever) at lunch. And finished up by making some of those Perler Bead crafts that you have to iron.

Charlotte, Chloe, and Sophie

Chloe's fingernails and rings

Charlotte's fingernails and rings

Sophie's fingernails and rings

The Perler Bead crafts: Sophie's, Charlotte's, and Chloe's (arranged in columns left to right)

39 Week Appointment

Total weight gain: 33 lbs.
Blood pressure: 106/70
Fundal height: 40 cm
Baby's heart rate: 142 bpm
2 cm dilated, 50% effaced

Here and Now, There and Then: A Lecture Series on Revelation

 My weekly womens' Bible study takes time off over the summer since our older kids are out of school. However, Lifepoint Church (my parents' home church) was offering Beth Moore's study on Revelation, so four of us decided to do that study together over summer break. As with every Beth Moore study I've done, it did not disappoint. Now that we are all wrapped up, I am struck by memories of all the times a study of the book of Revelation was brought up in various groups I was in, only to have people shy away or refuse to do it altogether. I now wonder if that common fear of studying Revelation is a lie, a deception of Satan (John 8:44 does tell us he is the father of lies). Avoiding Revelation steals the blessing promised in Revelation 1:3 "Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near." I concede that there are some pretty frightful things witnessed by John in his vision. However, over and over in scripture we are told that fear is not of God or not to be afraid, so I refuse to let my response to Revelation to be fear. Instead, it is a chance to get a little closer to Jesus, to see a little bit more of who He is, and to rejoice in Him. Look at all of the names attributed to Jesus in Revelation: the Lamb (5:6), Faithful and True (19:11), the Word of God (19:13), King of kings and Lord of lords (19:16), the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End (22:13), the Root, the Offspring of David, and the Bright Morning Star (22:16). After seeing the Bible's final picture of Christ, is it any wonder that the book concludes with an invitation to come to Him? Knowing what He has done already and seeing what He will do, how could you not? Revelation 22:17 says, "The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!' And let him who hears say, 'Come!' Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life."



Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
--Revelation 22:20

38 Week Appointment

Total weight gain: 33 lbs.
Blood pressure: 110/60
Fundal height: 38 cm (baby has dropped a little lower)
Baby's heart rate: 130 bpm
2 cm dilated, 50% effaced

12 days until the due date!!!