The last few days...

Today is the tenth day of getting to know, and love, our little Clare-Bear. We've been busy learning how to best meet her needs, and we we're adjusting to the new adventure. Our little bundle of smiles! She makes us smile all day long...even when she's sleeping. Nap Time
Napping (again) on Mommy's lap.
Today was our first time out of the house.
Time with Grandpa Hillary
Tummy time with Grandpa Durham

Playing with cousin William...

look at the difference that three months makes.

Clare's first time in the swing. She LOVES the swing

(thank you, Mann Middle School)!

Daddy-Daughter Time

Phil loves snuggling with his little girl.

There's nothing like it!!!

One Week Old!

Clare is already a week old. WOW! The past week has been an amazing blur, but it feels like we've had her for much longer than that. It's impossible to describe the joy that she's added to our lives in just seven days.

Bath time with Mommy and Grandma went much better this time around. The first bath was a bit traumatic, but she actually "liked" this one. :)
Daddy trimmed Clare's nails while she was asleep. No more face-scratching!
As every day continues getting better and better, we can't wait to see what the second week will bring.

Rewind a few days...

It's hard to believe that Clare is almost a week old. Several people have asked for details about our labor and delivery. So, for those of you who actually care, here is a brief summary of how we ended up with our precious daughter on Wednesday, August 13th.



I had a doctor's appointment, at 10:30 on Wednesday morning, because I was five days post-due. The doctors wanted to make sure that everything still looked okay. Phil was back at work, so my mom joined me for the appointment. As the doctor did her typical exam, I said something like, "I sure hope I'm further than 2 cm. because I've been there for over five weeks." She gave me a strange look and said, "Are you feeling contractions?" I told her that I had been feeling Braxton Hicks for a while, but that was nothing out of the ordinary. She then told me that I was 5 cm. dilated, in active labor, and that I needed to go directly to the hospital. WHOA! I wasn't expecting that at all. Phil and I were registered at the "premiere birthing hospital," but that was 40 minutes away. She told me that I needed to go the local hospital and that I didn't have time to go home and grab my bags. DOUBLE WHOA! My mom (the first-time-expectant grandma) started crying with all of the excitement. I called Phil, with our emergency page code, and told him that it was baby time.

My mom helped me check in to the new hospital, and my sister grabbed all of my bags and hospital stuff. Phil, my dad, and Ann made it to the hospital around noon, and I was already between 6 and 7 cm. dilated at that point. Things were moving quickly, and I was VERY THANKFUL to see my hubby's face. Phil was a magnificent coach, and he helped me through every contraction. For several reasons, I was bound and determined to give birth without any medication. Therefore, I had to employ other strategies (my favorite CD..."Fruits of the Spirit" - thank you Eric Schrotenboer, breathing techniques, etc.) to make it through the labor, but I truly couldn't have done it without Phil. By 2:45, I was ready to push that little babe out and see her beautiful face. The pushing went "well," and it was actually a relief to be in the final stages of labor. The last few contractions resulted in some earth shattering screams. Since I hadn't screamed during the first couple of hours, all of the nurses knew that is was time to have the baby. After pushing through a few contractions, the doctor said that I needed an episiotomy. I was hoping to avoid that, but it really helped. At 3:10 PM, Clare Ann was born on the very next push.

After Phil cut the cord, they placed her directly on my chest. There aren't any words to describe that moment.
For the past six days, we haven't been able to take our eyes off of her.
My mom and dad...the proud new grandparents.
The stork is a tradition in The Hillary family. Keith and Wendy kept the tradition alive by storking us while we were still in the hospital. It was a fun surprise when we arrived home on Friday evening.

We're a "LITTLE" camera happy!!!

So, who does she look like? We found a baby picture of Corrie. Can you tell who is who???

Of the countless pictures that we've taken in the last five days, these are some of our favorites!

Clare loved spending time with Auntie Ann. Unfortunately, my sister had to head back to Qatar this afternoon. We miss you already!!!
Nap time with Auntie Ann
All smiles!!!
Incognito!!!

I'm TIRED of taking pictures. Please just let me sleep!!!

Now I'm ready to pose for the camera!

Daddy trying our the Baby Bjorn. It's still a bit big for her.

Clare with a few of her cousins. Keith and Wendy are in Florida for a little vacation, so Clare got to meet three of her cousins: Gabe, William, and Maria.

Three generations: Grandpa Hillary, Daddy, and Clare

Our Little Clare-Bear

All is well with The Hillary Three! We arrived back home on Friday evening, and Corrie's family had dinner all prepared. Three cheers for something other than hospital food!!! Clare is getting used to all of the new sights and sounds, and she slept very well last night.

Her little outfit (which is actually quite big on her) says "Daddy's Girl," and that is an understatement. I love the way she stares at him...although I can't blame her.

I think she's Mommy's Girl, too. I love our snuggle time!!!
Sound asleep in her bassinet...thank you Grandma and Grandpa Hillary!!!
Welcome Home, Clare-Bear! (Even though we're not in Fremont anymore, she's still a Gerber Baby!)

Who does she look like?

This is a picture of Clare (taken this morning) and Phil (taken 29 years ago). We are anxious to get a picture of Mom soon to compare features. We think that Clare has Daddy's eyes, hair, and chin, and she has Mommy's nose and lips.

Her second night was better than the first, and mom and dad even got some sleep! We are anxious to get her home this afternoon and settle into our own routine.

6 hours old and we're in love!

This is Auntie Ann posting for the proud parents...

thanks for letting me brag about the little bundle of joy!

Corrie was amazing throughout the entire labor and delivery. It was so beautiful to watch Phil support Corrie throughout the process and witness them experiencing the miracle of life together.

The nurses and doctors could not stop talking about Corrie's amazing poise and strength. She didn't use any medicine and hardly made a noise until the final contractions.

Clare is taking after her Auntie Ann with a full head of hair at birth.

Phil is a natural! When he first held her, Clare couldn't take her eyes off him. She loves her daddy! (And I think he's pretty enamored by her as well!)

She is perfect! Her skin is so smooth and clear and she has the cutest cubby cheeks!

Daddy loves his little girl!

Baby Hillary is HERE!!

Greetings from The Sunshine State!

We are excited to announce the arrival of our daughter, Clare Ann Hillary.

Date: Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Time: 3:10pm
Weight: 7 lbs, 3 oz
Length: 20 in

Clare's name has special significance because The Hillary family started in County Clare, Ireland. Her middle name, Ann, is in honor of her only aunt on the Durham side... Corrie's sister, Ann. :)

Mommy, Daddy, and Baby are all doing well. We will send more updates and pictures soon.

Who is the REAL prego???

Yes, Corrie is still pregnant. Ann, on the other hand, is NOT. Can you tell who is who? Scroll down for the answer...

Obviously this isn't the answer, but it shows a funny shape that our little girl rolls into every once in a while. My whole body slopes downward, and we think that she must be mooning her daddy. The sister on the right is carrying a full-term baby, and the sister on the left is carrying a full-term watermelon. Unfortunately for Corrie, the delivery won't be as easy as it was for Ann. We all enjoyed her "baby" as a part of our dinner.

My mom and dad arrived today, so we're hoping that our little babe will finally make her grand entrance. Perhaps she was just waiting for Grandpa and Grandma.

Reflections at 4:03 AM

Yes, it really is 4:03 in the morning. I've been awake for over two hours, and I just can't get back to sleep. I just ate a bowl of oatmeal, checked my email (I enjoy all of the little notes of encouragement and comments on our blog posts), and then made a second bowl of oatmeal. Despite my frequent yawns, my mind is spinning too rapidly to fall asleep. So, what is keeping me awake? That's a great question...

I'm going to be a mother within a matter of days, and that is such a HUGE life transition. I've been blessed with a wonderful example, but I still have major anxiety about how I will fill this role. Everyone says that my instincts will kick in, but I still have millions of unknowns swimming through my mind. I'm sure that's "normal," but I also think it's part of what is keeping me awake right now.

My husband, the greatest man I know, is so supportive and encouraging. He's going to be an amazing father, and I've already seen him transition into that role. Phis has made this pregnancy such a blessed time, and I treasure every moment with him.

Here is a list of natural induction methods that we've heard in the last week:
- Eat pineapple (I'm allergic...too bad.)
- Drink raspberry leaf tea (I've gone through half a box in the last few days.)
- Eat spicy foods (Phil added Tobasco sauce to my salsa and Ann added wasabi to my sandwich.)
- Go for walks (My shoes are wearing thin.)
- Take a bath or shower (Well duh...that's kind of a daily routine.)
- Mow the lawn (Phil would kill me if I even thought about it at nine-months pregnant.)
- Walk up and down stairs (I think this strategy would lead me to a heart attack rather than labor.)
- Relax and watch movies (Ann and I have done A LOT of this one.)
- Massage (This is always great...not just a pregnancy thing.)
- Activate pressure points (Tried it...no luck.)
- Eat Eggplant Parmesan (We didn't know where to find any.)
- Drive down a bumpy road (Seriously...does that work???)
- Get a pedicure (Phil gave me an "at-home" pedicure...still no baby.)

- The MOST COMMON suggestion: "What gets the baby in, gets the baby out." (NO COMMENT for this one.)

Okay, it's nearly 4:30 AM now. I may try to crawl back in bed. I think there will be a nap in my schedule for Tuesday. If, however, I go into labor, I will have to add my strategy to the list above: Wake up in the middle of the night, eat some oatmeal, and post a blog. We'll see if that works! :)

Yes, we're DORKS...

That's what happens when you're sitting around and waiting for a baby...you act like dorks! Phil has had the past FOUR days off of work, yet our little girls has shown NO SIGNS of arrival. He goes back to work tomorrow (Tuesday), and Grandpa and Grandma Durham arrive. Maybe she's been waiting for them to get here. Who knows what she's waiting for? We had our second Non-Stress Test (NST) today, and everything still looks good. She is in the right position, she showed a lot of activity, and her little heart was pumping away. We also got to see her on the sonogram, and the doctor and Phil noticed that she has chubby cheeks. I still can't distinguish one thing from another on that stinkin' screen, so I just listen to Phil's reactions. Apparently, everything looks great. I'll just have to wait until I get to see her in person...hopefully SOON!

Fully Baked...40-Weeks...Where's the BABY?

Still no baby! Phil and I were interviewed today, and the following link directs you to the coverage on our local news. Click on the "Play Video" link above our picture.

http://www.tampabays10.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=86814&catid=8

We had a doctor's appointment this afternoon, and everything is still the same (2 cm. and 50% thinned out). It doesn't look like she will arrive tonight, but mother nature knows best.

My sister, Ann, is in town while we await the big arrival. She is taking GREAT care of me, and it makes Phil happy to know that I'm not home alone. I love having my sister here, and Little Squirt loves having her Auntie Ann here.
Phil LOVES kissing his daughter, and she always jumps when she hears his voice and kisses.
We've been trying EVERYTHING under the sun to "naturally induce" labor. The walking, spicy food (tabasco sauce mixed with salsa...pictured below), complete relaxiation, raspberry leaf tea, pressure points, and other methods haven't proved successful yet. Soon enough...

We will pass along the news as soon as we have some. Thanks for all of your support and encouragement. :)

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!

Today, August 6th, is my mom and dad's 31st anniversary! They've set an amazing example of how to build, nurture, and sustain a loving marriage. I've been richly blessed by their love story, and I can't wait to see where they'll be in another 31 years. Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!!!

Today also marks the anniversary of my other "mom and dad." Pam and Tom Huissen are celebrating 20 years of marriage, and they have also been positive role models in my life. I'm so thankful for the role they have played in my life and the influence they have had on me.

Every year, on August 6, my parents and the Huissens share dinner together to celebrate their combined anniversaries. Therefore, I would like to wish them:

"Happy 51st Anniversary!"

39-Weeks and GETTING READY!!!

Today marks 39-weeks, so we are just one week away from our official due date. WOW! We spent the day doing some final preparations: assembling the stroller and swing, practicing with the carseat, and making one more trip to Babies 'R' Us. Doesn't my belly look funny? It really looks like I swallowed a watermelon, and it kind of feels like that too.
Phil was the handyman, and he put everything together. It will be even more exciting when there's actually a baby inside all of these contraptions.
Do I look like a natural? I may feel differently when I'm carrying a baby versus a teddy bear.

Tragedy Strikes!!!

After THREE years of growing this pineapple (and transporting it from Phil's old house to our current house), it was brutally attacked by an armadillo. As you can see, it is beautifully ripe. Phil patiently waited for it to reach its peak, and it was destroyed last night. When Phil went out to pick it this morning, I thought that there was a death in the family...the death of a beautiful pineapple.