Video of Aidan

Aidan Christopher Darling

Aidan Christopher Darling born May 28th, 2010

Daddy and Aidan


BIG baby

Lots of Lungs :-)

Long feet

22 Inches Long

I look disgusting, but Zach likes this picture so here it is....

Love, Love, Love

So beautiful

Come on ride the train....

Showin the guns

Word to the homies

Deanie and Aidan

Aunt Ally and Aidan

This one's for Janet... "Call Me"

39 weeks and a Big MOVE

Hello to all! Sorry for the lack of posting lately. You would think that among the extreme boredom of playing the waiting game I would have some time- but it's a little more depressing to not have any noteworthy news. And sorry for my computer not spacing everything the way I want it to- it seems to have a mind of its own today. I promise I do know how to form a paragraph.

38 weeks

39 weeks 3 days

The red and sweaty face is from my "get out of my belly" walk with MJ this morning. A combination of sunburn and 50 lbs overweight-out-of-shape-ness.

Last Friday we went to the Dr. and I was a "good" 3 cm and 80% effaced. Then she proceeded to ask me "how are you still pregnant??" Well, that's a good question. She thought for sure Saturday or Sunday I would go into labor. After we left, I said- I am not getting my hopes up. Good thing cause there is still a baby in my belly. So now we just wait some more....

We do have some noteworthy news though that has nothing to do with the baby. Zach and I are moving back to Atlanta within the month. I know we are crazy for attempting this with a newborn- but so far we just really like to do things the most difficult way possible! haha. I have accepted the head vball coaching job and a history teaching position at Heritage High School in Conyers, GA and Zach is going to be the asst. varsity and head JV bball coach at Dunwoody High School. We are super excited to get back to Georgia with all the relatives. And, even though it was a hard decision, we know it is what's best for our family. So, we could potentially be moving with a 2 week old if he decides to cook for that long. Awesome!! Since our parents are super-amazing we will be staying with them in July so that we don't have to rush into making a decision on where to live and what place to live in. God has really put everything out on the table for us and has really answered our prayers so we couldn't say no to the opportunity.

38 weeks and Counting.....

Sorry for the delay on the doctor post. Everything went well last Friday (the information I am about to write about might be "TMI" for some, so don't read it if you don't want to know~)

The doctor said everything looked great. I am 3 cm dilated and still 50% effaced (but my cervix is much softer than last time, so even though I am not more effaced it has made some progress). The baby is lower than the last visit, which is also good. She said that she doesn't expect to see me at the next doctor's appointment (this friday). I took that with a grain of salt, because I know that I could very well see her at the next appointment. And, good thing I did! Cause it's Tuesday and we still have a fetus and not a baby!

False alarm: Sunday night I could not sleep at all so I moved into the living room to lay down. I started getting some painful contractions around 2am or so. By about 5:30am they were regular and ten minutes apart. I thought- for sure this is it right? I will let Zach sleep, cause there is really nothing he can do right now and we will probably have a long day ahead of us. Well, at 5:40am- nothing came. By 5:50- still nothing. They disappeared just like that- so weird. So close- yet so far away!!

Life is much harder now. Uncomfortable has turned into miserable. Sleeping is difficult and rolling over is like a chore. Yes, the stretch marks have begun to appear (gag). So in the midst of my miserableness, we wait....

The doctor has been "delayed".....

No picture again- sorry for slacking. Maybe tomorrow....

Well, on Monday I got a call at about 4:55 pm from the docotor's office (we had an appt. on Tues.) We were informed that our doctor has been "delayed" in California and will have to cancel all of her Tues. appointments. "Delayed"...hmmmm... extended vacation??

So I asked when is the next time we could get in. She answered with "umm, Friday. Friday the 21st."

"The 21st?? almost two weeks from now? I am supposed to be seeing her weekly at this point." What I should have said, but I didn't- Don't I get some sort of priority here? I'm about to pop a baby out.

She told me to call on Wednesday and see if the Doctor had opened up any more appointment time because "surely" she would.

Well I called back and low and behold she had NOT opened up any more appointments and was still going to take a half-day on Thursday. Really?? The front desk lady did get me an appointment on Friday and apparently that time is triple booked so I will expect a looong wait time.

So hopefully I will have good news tomorrow and that good news will balance out the anger that I will have from waiting for hours in the waiting room.

As of right now, I am having plenty of painLESS contractions which serve no purpose. I keep saying I just want some pain with these things!!! I know I might regret that statement, but I figure it is going to happen anyway, so why not today right?

So this is what I have to look forward to??

So my sister sends me this picture (and I blacked out the face 'cause this isn't my kid I don't have those kind of rights~). Her student got stuck in the baby swing at the park. HAHA. She had to flip him upside down and shimmy him out. Good 'ole Woodward Academy edumacation.
So this is what I have to look forward to?? Hopefully my child won't choose to stuff himself into a baby swing- but at least now we know who to call on to get him out- Aunt Ally!

36 Weeks 5 days!

No picture today- sorry. I'm still huge-hasn't changed!

Went to the Dr. this afternoon at 36 weeks 5 days. I have been getting more and more contractions lately (nothing painful at all, I really don't even feel them except for the tightness in my stomach so I wasn't worried). But, because he has dropped and because I wanted to know, I asked the nurse if the Dr. was going to check me today. She said "no, the Dr. probably won't check you until about 39 weeks." So I asked the Dr. if she could check me today because of all of the contractions I have been having and she said sure.

After the nurse left I looked at Zach and said - "39 weeks? I might have already had the baby by the time she gets around to checking me!"

Sure enough- 2 cm dilated and 50% effaced. The Dr. seemed so surprised that I was that far along. Um, yeah I have been trying to tell you people that this is what I'm feeling! He is trying to escape! She said if he starts bearing down on the cervix I could go into labor any time. But, some people sit at 2 cm for a few weeks- so who knows! Either way she was pretty sure that I won't make it until my due date.

She did tell me that I am not allowed to have him this weekend because she will be out of town. To which I said, I have an exam on Friday so I at least need to make it until then.

Soooo- starting Saturday I will do lots more walking and eating lots more spicy food and might hit up the Olive Garden for Eggplant Parmesan.

But, now I'm stressed with getting everything ready! Geez- I'm not even full term yet. The baby clothes have been washed and put away and I will be pissed if he is a big baby (not only because I want to go natural- but because he has so many cute newborn clothes that I don't want him to skip to the next size up!). The car is in the process of being cleaned out completely (we still need to install the car seat). Baby D's bag is packed, Zach's bag is packed, and mine is packed (except I need some pants- but waiting on the laundry to be done to finish that up). The room is ready. The house is relatively clean (good enough). So now we wait.....

Nursery Time!

I had all intentions of taking you around the room in an orderly fashion- but then I just started taking pictures. Oh well,

View from the doorway as you come in

(apparently I took a picture of part of the doorway too)

Cute little chair

The glider

(I will explain about the pics above the glider further down....)

Books on the left of the dresser
Diaper changing stuff on the right side

I know, I know- it's not centered.

But after about 4 holes in the wall I think it looks great right there!

No there is not a big black box on the wall.

I painted block letters of Baby D's name in Navy Blue to put above the crib

Another view of the crib

The video monitor is up on the opposite wall of the crib

Next to the crib are all of his big toys (like bouncy seats, etc...)

Another crib view.

These are the pictures above the glider.

Apparently Baby D needs a framed picture of Deron Williams because it matches the colors of the room and we are starting him off right on who to look up to. I'm sure this has nothing to do with Baby D's Dad wanting a framed picture of Deron Williams..... That's crazy talk.

Inside the crib.

Zach gave me the bunny on our 6 month (dating) anniversary. We made it at a build-a-bear factory in Dallas. We gave it to Baby D - only after we took the pink hair bows and pink t-shirt off :-)

End of tour...

35 weeks 3 days