Her name is Faye, and she has been awake since 1 a.m.

Baby Faye, just minutes after being born.

This little girl slept and ate like a dream all day yesterday, and then she really turned up the volume at night! We have our work cut out for us here. It's funny how she's still so easy to love even when she's demanding so much.

Now check out this outfit, from Auntie Ashley!

Baby Faye's first time playing dress-up.

Finally, a baby!

The girl kind! We could not be more thrilled. This morning, the resident who was at the birth said he's never seen someone so excited to have a girl. I will admit, I was sort of freaking out when she was a born at 1:46 a.m. She is 8 pounds and 2 ounces of perfection, and we love her a lot. Details to come. Like a name, if we ever choose one.

I can't make this baby come, but I can make stuff.

The baby's room. With my mom's help, I got a whole lot more comfortable with sewing while making these curtains. The mirror is a yard sale find, spray painted. The beautiful desk (now changing table and dresser) was Rick's parent's desk.

The opposite wall has this couch. The very day that I mentioned to my mom that I wanted a couch to nurse and snuggle the baby on, she was going to put this out at a yard sale! I think I will make more of a picture collage on the wall once we know the baby's gender and name.

As a beginning sewer, I am quite proud of this little curtain. My first ruffle! And the lamp below as well as the sparkly pillow above are from my new favorite store, World Market.

I also made a few onesies.  This one is for sweet baby Haven.

And some more onesies. You can't see the contrasting colors of thread around the shapes, but that's my favorite part.

Oh, still no baby? Guess I will make some more onesies.

A new chevron pillow for the couch. I am waiting on some fabric to make one more pillow that I am very excited about. It's a large floral print that has the blue and the red in it and will brighten things up a little.

And finally, there has been no shortage of making food around here. In preparation for baby, I usually cook extra and freeze some dinners. The freezer is full and so is that 40 (41 tomorrow) week belly.

I was a little tired after all that cooking. And I have the best little snuggler ever.

It's a quiet evening around here.

Rick is at a meeting. Carson and Everett are playing some game where they are "buying" onesies and diapers. And I am thinking that it is about time to have this baby.

I had decided that I wasn't going to be set on an early delivery. Just because my other kids were born at 37 and 39 weeks doesn't mean this one will follow suit. But as my due date approaches (Wednesday), I can't help but feel surprised that I am still pregnant!

This pregnancy has really been enjoyable, and I am going to miss it. Continuing to run (jog) all the way up until the end has made all the difference. I attribute my feeling great and not even experiencing any of the usual third-trimester tiredness to getting up early to exercise. I am so lucky to have two friends who are equally excited about meeting at 6 a.m. when it's 30 degrees to jog through the neighborhood streets.

It has also been so fun to talk about being pregnant and having this baby with Carson and Everett. Carson has felt the baby kick and frequently talks about when it will "burst out." (He came up with that expression.) Everett rubs my belly and says, "gentle, baby," and lately when I tell him I want the baby to come out, he knocks on my belly and watches it, as if a little door will open up.

I will miss this baby's gentle movements in my belly. But really, I am about to applique another set of onesies, and after that I just don't have much more to do to prepare for this baby! So hopefully recording these thoughts on this lovely pregnancy will bring on an equally exciting delivery!

A few final pictures of the belly.

Taking down the Christmas decor, and the baby's tiny stocking.

38 weeks.

Ok, this one makes me look REALLY big. It's just the shirt; I promise.

He's a sunbeam!

Starting at the beginning of the year, our Carson became an official graduate of the nursery at church. He now attends Primary, where he in the Sunbeams class. We really had no worries about this boy transitioning to the big kids' class; he certainly thrives on structure and organized activities. Isn't he a cute sunbeam?? And a "sun" has become his new favorite breakfast.

Christmas morning 2.0.

A couple of days after Christmas, we were delighted to have some visitors: Ashley and Tim, and then Grandmama and Pappy. (This is my kind of Christmas... no traveling, and the family comes to US!)

We got to do presents all over again with them, and then that very afternoon we received some amazing packages from Grandma GJ and Grandpa Sam. Our boys were in heaven with all the presents to open!

My outfit is proof that I went running that morning. Thank you, thank you.

One of Everett's favorites. Thanks, Reagan!

Love the fresh jammies!

Both boys love this book, where the reading is recorded by their Grandpa. I am getting used to hearing my father-in-law's voice very often!

I think Rick might get more excited about new clothes than I do. Thank goodness for his mother, who will always be the expert in picking out clothes for him!

Everett in another cozy outfit from Grandma GJ.

Pappy took the boys for a little sled ride just before they left to go back home.

But they'll be back soon... just as soon as this baby decides to make an appearance!!

Christmas morn at home.

It was just our little family for Christmas, and I LOVED having my boys all to myself!

After a fun Christmas Eve party with friends, we came home, put some excited boys to bed (Everett, of course, had no idea why he was excited), and played Santa. We watched Little Women while putting together a large wooden firehouse, wrapping little gifts and stuffing them into stockings, and consuming Santa's cookies and milk. What fun!!

The stuffed stockings.

Carson was actually a little disappointed that Santa left some of the cookie.

The BIG gift of the year: the rescue station! It is sort of my dream come true, too, since it's the closest I can get to a dollhouse with boys.

I haven't had time to make covers for the bean bag chairs yet, but these are for the reading corner in the boys' room. Although they have been used much more for jumping, diving, and wrestling than reading so far.

The boys loved their books from Gram (my grandma). Carson's is called I love you Stinky Face: such a cute book!

Our boys are so blessed to have lots of loving family and had plenty to open with gifts sent from Utah and Virginia. Here Carson models one such gift: perfect for my little helper!

Part of Christmas was that Carson was allowed to watch Toy Story! He is definitely a fan.

Christmas Day's lunch was a special feast. Carson had requested foods, "like the snack foods on the airplane and the car." The boys enjoyed fruit cups, pretzels, and little hot dogs. Real special, huh?

The snow started to fall just as we were finishing opening presents. It was a perfect day.

This Everett.

This little Everett boy is quite a hoot. If you can't find him, he just may be standing alone in a dark bathroom with a drum and drumstick in hand, banging away. He will cry for his entire naptime instead of sleeping if you don't read him Curious George. He will play outside by himself for as long as you'll let him, even if it's 30 degrees outside. If you really want to laugh, ask him to snort like a pig. If you give him a football, he will run around and around in circles and fall down, yelling, "TOUCHDOWN!!" He doesn't have a preference for which thumb he sucks when he's tired, but the opposite hand is always stroking his ear. This boy and his brother often call back and forth to each other from their beds, "marco! polo! marco! ..."

This little Everett melts my heart, and I am just feeling a little sad that these are the last few days he will be my baby!

Our camel.

When I told Carson that he would be participating in a nativity at a friend's house on Christmas Eve, his first idea was to be one of the gifts that the wise men brought. Later he decided that being a camel would be a much better idea. So we threw him in a doggie costume and rolled up a towel for the hump in his back. He was definitely the best looking camel there!

Thanksgiving Pre-School.

"Turkey Target Practice," where the kids had to aim and throw a ball at the correct letter of the word "Turkey," was definitely a favorite!

Thanksgiving, and the ladies of Sea Lavender.

Rick is in heaven on Thanksgiving.

For Thanksgiving, my parents came, picked us up, and took us on the perfect little weekend trip to Charleston, SC. My dad's two aunts recently retired there and were wonderful hostesses. We will always think of them and their two friends as the lovely ladies of Sea Lavender. Visiting with them was a blast! Thank you thank you to Sooze and Annie for the fun time and delicious food.

Rick ran around for a bit before Thanksgiving dinner to make room for more food.

Sooze instructs my dad on carving the bird.

We had so much fun visiting with the ladies that we didn't even really see much of Charleston. During the couple of hours that we were going to sight-see, it started to rain, and we decided to just head home instead of making the boys sit in the car for additional hours. We want to go back to see the city, but for now we were perfectly content with our visit!