La mia zia è a Firenze fino a aprile

Dear Aunt DJ,

I am so glad you made it to Florence!  I will miss you while you are gone and I'll make sure my mommy keeps you updated on all the new things I can do.  Don't forget to bring me back a souvenir.  Love you.

~Davis

Play Hard, Sleep Hard

It's amazing how many 'tools' we use during the day to keep Davis entertained!  These two toys attach to the side of his crib and he can sit in his Bumbo chair and talk to himself for at least twenty minutes!!

We are still working on napping during the day.   Davis seems to think it's absurd that we would want him to nap on his own (without us holding him)!  On Friday he managed to take a one hour nap in our bed and this made Mommy really happy!

Dear Mr. Weather Man

Thursday we spent time outside enjoying the beautiful weather.  On Friday we stayed inside all day because it didn't even make it to 50 degrees!

So maybe it's a little early

Davis got an Excersaucer for Christmas and although it's recommended for a 4 month old I decided to go ahead and put it together (well, Jeff put it together) and see if he was in to it. Here's the result.

For the record, his feet do touch the bottom he just needed to be convinced to put them down. Now he sits in it when it's collapsed down flat which seems to work better for now.

Big Boy

It's true - they do change so fast.  Davis is holding his head up and trying to push up with his hands, babbling, smiling and grabbing on to his toys.  

Mr. President

All eyes will be on Washington tomorrow as we swear in our 44th President of the United States.  I don't consider myself to be overly political (don't worry, this is not a political post)  - BUT - I do think it's important to exercise your right to vote.  I was proud to be able to take Davis with me as I cast my vote back in November!  

I am mindful that there was a time when women didn't have the right to cast a ballot.  

Blue Burrito

The swaddle blanket is our friend.  Every night Davis gets swaddled right before his last feeding in preparation for bed time.  We refer to him as The Blue Burrito!  

Highlight Reel Part 2

The day it snowed.

It snowed in Dallas on the day of Davis' two month doctors appointment.  When I realized it was snowing outside I was very excited and wanted to capture a picture of Davis and his first site of snow!  I quickly bundled him up in fleece from head to toe and then I threw on a sweat shirt and my crocs - it's important to mention that I had just stepped out of the shower and my hair was wet and I was not wearing socks.  You may be wondering why I mention such details but it's a key element to the next part of the story.  I grabbed the camera and Davis, stepped outside, shut the door AND locked us out of the house!  It's snowing and I'm standing outside  in the snow with a two month old and a camera. 

Panic.

The story has a happy ending because within minutes I found a neighbor who let me come in her house to use her phone and track down Jeff at school.  I had to call the front office and confess to my mistake.  Jeff had to find another teacher to watch his class so that he could run home and open the door for us.  

I did get a picture of Davis and the snow so all was not lost!

Feather Weight

Davis may have to wrestle in the feather weight class for a few more months. We went to a weight check appointment with the doctor today and he's up to 10 lbs. 9 oz. Believe it or not this is considerably more than he weighed at his two month check up! The doctor and I were very pleased with his progress. He's long and lean! Clearly he gets that trait from me! :)

Peri

Davis got to hang out with his friend Peri one night this week.  She's an older woman so she has a lot to teach him!  She was trying to show Davis how fun it is to play on the play mat.  

Let The Sun Shine In

This is the time of year when you have to check the weather every day because it could be 80 or 45!  On Friday it was a beautiful sunny day in Dallas so Davis and I soaked up some soon in the back yard.  Davis would get a funny look on his face when the wind blew thru his hair!

Photo Shoot

I went out to run some errands one night last week and Jeff and Davis had some quality time together.  You can see the results below.  Pictures courtesy of our Mac.

Just for the record - I could not do this parenting thing without Jeff. Love you babe.

I heart my cousins

I love you Cousin David and Cousin Crystal!  -Davis

Working Girl

Mommy went back to work this week and Davis went to Mrs. Sherrie's house.  We both did great!  I've gone back to work at Central Dallas Ministries part-time so I'll be spending two days in the office each week.

Davis is starting a new adventure at Mrs. Sherrie's house.  Mrs. Sherrie takes wonderful care of our little guy and she sends Mom pictures during the day.  

I need to get a picture of Davis and Sherrie but until then I'll leave you with this cute face.

Highlight Reel Part 1

Davis has had a fun filled 12 weeks.  The next few posts will hit the highlights!  

When he was 8 days old he went to his Daddy's fall concert at BHS!  We were both really proud of Daddy.  It's worth noting that our biggest fear was that Davis would be born the day of the concert - good thing he came the week before!

At five weeks old Davis took his first road trip to Abilene.  I was really afraid that he would cry the whole way but he went to sleep and missed the beautiful drive!  Our road trip was prompted by the birth of Keaton James Kilmer, son of my college roommate Wendy.  Keaton and Davis had due dates 9 days apart but since Davis came early and Keaton came a few days late they ended up being born four weeks apart.  This is just one of many pictures these two will take together.

By chance our trip also fell on the Saturday of the second round of playoffs for the ACU football team.  We were there to see the Wildcats score an astonishing 93 points!  Our future Wildcat was decked out in his ACU gear.

Auld Lang Syne

Our last picture of 2008!

I would have sworn that the words to that old classic were 'Old Ang Zine'. :)

We had a great time ringing in the new year with some wonderful friends.  This was the second year in a row that we played Wii games and I'm sad to say I didn't get a picture of me winning the girls bracket of bowling!

This is our first family picture of 2009.  You can tell that Davis partied hard until the end.

Davis' new year's resolution was to make the move from the pack and play in Mom and Dad's room to the crib in his room.  The first night was a huge success.  In fact, I think Mom had a harder time than he did!

Happy New Year.

It's the Holidays

Davis was not disappointed by his first Christmas.  Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and cousins brought him all the toys he could want and Santa threw in a few gifts too!  

We spent the weekend before Christmas with my family here in Dallas.  Jeff's family had a big celebration on Christmas Eve with the cousins in Scurry, Tx.

Christmas morning was a time for the three of us to celebrate together in our home.  We started some new family traditions!

Davis was very thankful for his Mommy and Daddy this Thanksgiving!

Davis enjoyed his first Halloween.  During the day he was decked out from head to toe in his Orange and Black and then he put on his costume - he was a football!  Jeff and I look forward to taking him trick or treating next year so we can eat the candy.

Bringing Home Baby

Davis, meet your brother Scout!

We're home

Davis has hated his car seat from Day 1

Our family

The Big Day in Pictures

Look at these pictures in reverse order!

The last belly shot.  Taken Monday, Oct. 13th.

Davis Dickson Goolsby

Let the Clock Begin:

Davis' due date was November 1st so when my water broke on October 14th to say I wasn't ready is an understatement!  I was planning on using the remaining two and a half weeks to pack my bag, write out my birth plan and get emotionally geared up.  But, babies come when they're ready right?

Here's how it all went down.

Friday, Oct. 10th

Last appointment with my doctor.  She assured me that the baby had not dropped at all and it was going to be closer to the due date before Davis made his appearance.  In fact, she said that since he hadn't dropped it would be unlikely that I would go in to labor on my own.  In hind site I should have realized that my high blood pressure at this appointment (for the first time in my pregnancy) was probably an indicator of what was coming.  

Tuesday, Oct. 14th - Wednesday, Oct. 15th

Another day at work.  I left the office at 4:00 pm to go to an eye doctor appointment.  I wanted to get the lenses in my glasses updated so that I could wear them in the hospital and really be able to see.  5:00 pm I left the eye doctor and headed to Forney where I was dropping off food for the Gregson's who had just had Cayden three weeks earlier.  I picked up Chilli's to-go (what? you expected me to cook?) and stopped by for a brief visit.  I then drove back to Dallas and picked up Chick-fil-a for dinner.  This is a good time to mention that Jeff is working.  He's at a local high school judging UIL All-Region Choir Auditions. His cell phone is off.  I pick up my dinner and head home.  I have been at home for approximately fifteen minutes and while innocently sitting on the couch I feel a thump and to my shock and horror my water has broken.  It's 7:30 pm.  What happens after that really can't be justly recorded but let's just say I walked around the house in aimless circles trying to pack a bag, track down Jeff and find someone to take me the hospital.  My bag didn't get successfully packed but I did pluck my eye brows!

Over the next hour I call several friends, leave Jeff a very calm and casual message, talk to the doctor on call, talk to my Brother-in-law (who leaves to go find Jeff) and ask my friend Jackie to come get me and take me to the hospital.  

Jackie picks me up from the house, Kenneth finds Jeff and we all find each other at the hospital.

The hours ahead are the longest of my life.  My 'birth plan' involved labor with no epidural and so after getting checked in to a room and getting set up with the nurse we began the long process.  There was a lot of counting through the contractions and changing positions for comfort.  At 12:30 pm on Wednesday (yes, 17 hours after my water broke) I was between 4 and 5 cm dialated and the doctor is talking about potossin.  I was exhausted!  The sleepless night had taken a toll on me and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to conjure up the strength when it came time to push.  I decided that it was more important to get some rest than continue with out drugs.  I got the epidural and they started the potossin.  Can I get a 'Thank you Jesus' from all the moms out there who have had an epidural?  Wow.  I was able to sleep for the first time in over 30 hours.

The end is near.

At 2:30 the nurse wakes me up.  She has been watching Davis' heart rate and has called the doctor in to check out the situation.  At 2:40 the doctor says she wants to go ahead and get Davis out via C-section.  I don't need convincing.  I was ready for it to be over and for Davis to join the world.

Davis Dickson Goolsby arrives at 3:08 pm weighing in at 7 lbs. 3 oz.  He is healthy and beautiful.  There are not words for the first moment I held him.

**Blogger note.  I'm learning how to blog and I can't figure out how to put the pictures where I want them so I'll put them in a separate post!