Pool Project - Start to Finish - Part 2

Here is the rest of the Pool Project:

First time in the pool...forget the fact that it is APRIL!! When kids make up their mind, there's no use in fighting it sometimes...it also didn't help that Daddy went off the diving board in March during Spring Break! How can you tell them no when Daddy already tried it out?

Even though the kids got in, we were far from finished. Here's part of the hard work on the 150 feet of retaining wall that we did ourselves!

Even the neighbor's kids and some dogs I've never seen before came to help!

We have steps!

My hubby designed all of this himself!

A nice view of a very weird sky. The pool project is still going strong, although you can see we have no fence yet.

Speaking of fences...Jason and I literally did this...just the two of us.

The exception was the corners which my daddy helped us with, b/c let's face it, you would have to be an octopus to hold everything straight on the corner and actually keep it level and plum.

Looking down the retaining wall and fence after we have some plants in!

And if you're wondering how we got the rock moved around? This was the preferred method. The rock was too deep to roll the full wheel barrow in, so my daddy and Jason devised their own method. It kind of looks like a horse being driven really hard. You think daddy is taking out any aggression on my hubby? No, that can't be...daddy adores Jason more than me!!

Posing in our luau gear...

And FINALLY...some fun in the pool!!

First swim birthday party for Annaleigh...yes, you can see in the background that we still have a lot left to do (including putting the swing set back together where we took it apart to re-stain it), but we were all needing some well-deserved fun and rest!

Everyone else enjoying the party...Those blinds are some we had custom made b/c the sun in the afternoon is so brutal that you can't sit on the backporch without them! The lower almost all the way to the floor. We wouldn't trade them for anything!

Hamming it up by the pool...

And why have a post if you can't embarass your family? I kind of dared Jason to wear this to our luau and he really has no shame! That's what I love him so much for! This is the family pic!

The Infamous Eye Surgery

I was looking for pictures of the Pool Project and ran across these. I thought since maybe my good friend Tanya (the only person besides my Mom who might actually read this) knew about the infamous eye surgery, she might want to see the pictures, although this was quite a while ago!

Alden Brock was born a perfectly healthy baby boy, other than the minor fact that his tear ducts were immature/very small, and that meant his eyes never properly drained and stayed matted with "gunk" all the time. When he was just a few months old, they were so bad that I would see him in his swing when he would wake up from his nap, and I knew he was awake b/c he was smiling and moving around, but his eyes were stuck completely shut! I would have to soak cotton balls in warm saline just to pry them open! When he was six months old, we finally broke down and had them fixed. The procedure took all of about 10 minutes and they haven't given us a minute's trouble since then!

When he was also about six months, we noticed a "bruise" of sorts under his right eye. As he grew, it got darker and darker. We were also out in the sun a lot, and it continued to get bigger and darker. Then finally one day, I noticed it was starting to become raised. After much agony and decision, we decided to have it removed upon the recommendation of several doctors. This was b/c it was on his face and we knew it would only get worse. His daddy had a birthmark on his neck at the hairline growing up and hated it. He finally had it removed when I was pregnant with Alden. For that reason, he could understand how Alden would feel with a birthmark...again, especially on his face.

So, we did all the research. We saw a dermatologist at Children's Hospital and determined it was not cancerous. Then we went  to a pediatric plastic surgeon at the same hospital. We were told he was the best of the best. As a side note, while we were in the waiting room to see the doctor for the first time, we really  realized how lucky we were. There were children with unbelievable needs. I overheard one grandmother brag to another mother (obviously being seen for the first time like us) about how good this surgeon was, b/c he was able to make her grandson an ear. Lo and behold, you could tell a difference in his ears if you really looked, but if you had seen this kid in the mall, you would have been none the wiser!! It was simply amazing.

Here are the pics of us at the hosptial on D-Day:

Alden's room was all ready for us...

Settling in and waiting for the doctor... There was a TV and DVD player, as well as lots of books... 

Not super happy about the gown...

BTW, when it comes time to head to the OR, you don't get rolled in on a bed like normal hospitals...

NOOOO, not at Children's....you walk your child back to the door where a sweet, wonderful nurse takes them herself! Very homey and much less stressful on the child...They also wait until the child is put to sleep before they start the IV! You can't beat Children's!

Right after surgery...very sleepy baby!

A close-up of the incision...

Later that day after we got home and he woke up...

There was a good bit of bruising...

Obviously the little fellow is feeling much better after we get home that day, b/c he seems to have found his way into the drawer under the dryer...   ;-)

And he brought some "men" along with him...

And he KNOWS he's being very mischievious AND getting away with a lot b/c he's sick!

A few weeks after surgery...

Yet a few more weeks later and the scar is fading fast!

As a side note, this pic is taken at the hospital where Alden was born. We were there to visit our new niece, and we had to stop by and see "our picture." The photographer we use is A-MAZING and WAY after Alden was born, we found out she had used this picture of him in the maternity ward there! In that pic he is 3 weeks old and is laying over his daddy's kevlar helmet. It says "Welcome Home Hero" all around the sides of the canvas. We have this in our living room, but it's the first time we had seen it anywhere else. Needless to say, we were a teensy bit proud...

Here is a pic about 6 months later, and the scar is completely healed.

Pool Project-Start to Finish-Part 1

Since this weekend is a snowy one in Alabama, and I am looking longingly at my pool, wishing for warmer weather, I thought I would show our pool project...start to finish....which has taken 2 years and is still in the works!! For the record, I, my dear hubby, dear father, dear mother, dear church family, and dear neighbor did almost all of the work ourselves (with the exception of the real pool stuff that we were unqualified for.) If there was heavy lifting, as in 150 feet of retaining wall using 13 pallets of blocks where each block weighed 75 pounds, then we did it. If it was shoveling over 25 tons of gravel and river rock, by hand, then we did it. And when I say me, I really mean it. I can shovel and keep up with any man!

Laying out the outline. I know our yard looks like the carnies just moved out, but I promise it gets better!

1st Day of excavation! So exciting to come home from work each day and see what had been accomplished!

Annaleigh and Alden exploring in the giant hole that would become the pool...Yes, if you are wondering, that is a LOT of sandrock that had to be broken up!

The walls going up...

We had custom steps built, so they actually cover all of the shallow end. This gives lots of room for the babies to play on the steps with Mom and Dad.

Concrete on the bottom...

The liner goes in....

The brick coping is being laid around the outside...

Concrete molds are being designed...we have lots of room for flower beds...

Houston, we have concrete!

Part 2 will follow soon and maybe you'll get to see that it really does all come together!

Show Us Your Life - Valentine's Day

In the "Show Us Your Life" tradition from Kelly's Korner, here is my V-Day memory:

My most memorable Valentine's Day happened just four years ago. I was due to deliver my 2nd child, on February 25th, but at a regular doctor's visit, we found out the baby was making an early appearance (we didn't know the sex ahead of time). I went from the doc's office straight to the hospital and checked in about 7pm. My dear hubby had to go home and get all the bags, and despite the fact that most of it was already packed, he had to go through and gather some items that couldn't go in ahead of time (i.e. flat iron, makeup, pillow, carseat, etc.) He did a wonderful job.

Settling in at the Hospital

I just knew we were going to have our baby on Valentine's Day, but this took a little longer than we thought, although it did still happen very quickly compared to some people! The doc finally broke my water around 2am and we welcomed our baby into the world at 3am! I anxiously awaited the announcement, "It's a .........!" We didn't have to wait long, and I asked my husband, "What is it?" The look on his face was priceless. Although we didn't want to find out what we were having, I secretly really thought it was a girl again, because all of my symptoms had been the exact same with my daughter. After I asked, my husband looked at me, and through disbelief said "It's a BOY!" He might as well have said it was a puppy, and I wouldn't have been any more surprised if it was! Although he was a surprise, I wouldn't trade my little boy for the world. Although he was technically born on the 15th, this will always go down as my most memorable Valentine's Day ever....at least so far!

First Mommy and Baby picture

Sweet Baby Boy

Alden Brock Baggett

February 15, 2006

3:00am

7 lb, 11 oz

20.5 in

First Bath with Daddy

Now a clean, sweet baby boy

Meeting big sister, Annaleigh, for the first time

Getting ready to go home!

FYI-We have decided to not find out the sex of this baby that we are carrying now. In August, I'll anxiously await the announcement, "It's a ............!"

Pregnancy-Week 13

Well, I finally broke down and took some pictures of my baby belly. I had hubby take several in attempt to find my best side, but again, I digress.

I think I've been avoiding the picture b/c I know I am quite a bit bigger than some of my other counterparts who are MUCH farther along than I am. I just keep telling myself that this is my 3rd, right??!!

Here is a pic where I attempt to look normal. For the record, these are maternity pants, but a regular shirt.

And another where I admit that I'm not! This is the real me at 13 weeks!