Wow! We have been busy!

Sorry it has been so long since I last posted anything but we are been busy! I will start with the 4th of July...
We traveled on an airplane to Cocoa Beach, Florida to visit with my dads side of the family like we do every year. Even Jack being only 6 weeks old wasnt going to stop us! We got to see Clintons grandmother and Uncle while we were there as well. I am so glad that Jack got to meet his great grandmothers! I have lots of pictures that I will post at a later date...you're just lucky I found a few minutes to type!
We returned from Florida on the 6th with Cita (my mom) which was a great help! Cita then took off for Nashville and Jack and I followed behind via Pocahontas on July 17th. Yes, road trip by myself with a baby by myself...He did great! We visited the Rolling Hills Country Club in Pocahontas where Gran (Clintons mom) showed him off! We then took off for Nashville surprising Cita a day early!
Nashville was so much fun! Sally Coble threw a sip and see and lots of old friends got to meet Jack! I was so glad. But the real reason for being in Nashville was for Neely Cobles wedding. It was absolutely beautiful. We then had a LONG drive back to Fayetteville but it was a great time! Poor Amanda shared her room with Jack and me so she got NO sleep the whole week and has now said that she isnt having kids for at least 10 years! Ha ha!
We are headed to Pocahontas again this weekend for a golf tournament!
Tex has been very sick though..... They found a large mass in his stomach and probably one in his nose which is causing his nose bleeds. He is taking medicine which is making him feel better but it is very sobering to know that his time on this earth is limited so we are spoiling the hell out of him!
So, like I said... a lot going on and I promise to post pictures soon!

Love, Elissa

The first 2 weeks

Well, everyone says the first 2 weeks are the hardest, but Ive been blessed with a little angel! He rarely cries and if he does it is because he is either wet, gassy or hungry. I only have to get up once in the middle of the night to feed which allows me some sleep! He has been a dream....but I have also had my mother and mother-in-law in town to help which makes a huge difference, so now that I am on my own during the days....I may change my mind! Either way, Im in love with this little guy!

Jack Norman Bennett has arrived!!!!

Hi All! Well it is official! Baby Jack has entered the world! He weighs in at a tiny 6lbs 3oz and believe it or not, 20 inches long! He is doing well and is so sweet! He just looks at me and my heart melts! I now understand what everyone has been talking about all of these years.

Because he is so small and is a little slow to figure out the whole eating thing...we are going to stay tonight as we will and head home tomorrow afternoon. We cant wait to take him home to meet his big brother Tex!

So here are a few pictures of Jack, but don't worry this is only the beginning!!! Thanks to all for all of our support over these past nine months! We could not have done it without each and everyone of you.

This Is The Final Countdown!

Amanda (Elissa's sister) here. Lis is in the bed right now, hooked up to juice and ready to have this baby! At 41 weeks she's been quite a trooper. Honestly, coming from a sister who would love to give her a hard time about as many things as possible (payback for all the years she gave me a hard time...and for the time she pushed me down the stairs in a suitcase*...but that's another blog), I can't find one thing to rib her about when it comes to being a high-mai pregnant lady. She's been a champ. We've been walking day and night, pushing on pressure points, eating eggplant/thai food/hot salsa/large Italian meals, more walking, wii-fit hula hooping (hysterical by the way), more walking, more eating, more crazy old wives' tales... But, nada. 

So, yesterday at her 41 week appointment (evidently an appointment that no pregnant lady wants to have (much less one whom was told 3 weeks ago that she'd be unlikely to make it to her due date)), Elissa and Clinton, through the encouragement of their doctor, decided to go ahead and induce. 

So here we are, Jack's Welcome Committee, posted in the delivery suite, waiting out the next few hours until Jack makes his debut. AND, big news: her water was broken a few minutes ago! So, as Clinton's mom Kim just said it best, "There's no turning back now!"

AND, as I wrap-up this post, Lis has started to have a few contractions!! (She starting to think that she might be getting that epidural now.... In her own words, "If this is 'nothing,' I don't want to know what 'something' feels like.") 

*Grandma Norman isn't too please with the mention of this fact in the post. So, to appease her, a) Elissa is not an evil person, and b) Jack, if you read this in a few years, don't get any ideas.

.......AND WAITING!!!!!

So my due date was 2 days ago! But for some crazy reason he has decided to stay put! I guess the whole "you wont make it to your due date" was a BIG LIE! Ha ha! I luckily have felt fine just like the rest of the pregnancy really so if he needs a little more cooking time I guess I can accept that!

I have had time to finally get his room together and now since my sister is here she is able to add the final touch of his monogram above his crib! (We are doing that this afternoon so its not in the pictures yet.) Here are some pictures of the nursery....I just hope he will be here soon so he can enjoy it as much as I have!

Still Waiting.....

Well, since the doctor thought I would deliver before my due date of May 12th, I had my mom come early.....
She was originally suppose to arrive the 9th (tomorrow) which right now looks like she would have been just fine!
Having her here though has been a blast! She went to the doctor with me Monday where I was told I was 2.5 cm and 80% effaced! We just knew that her coming early was the right decision, however, my mom was at 3 cm for 3 weeks and 6 days LATE! with my sister so maybe I am just going to follow in her footsteps! If I made it to my next appointment, Dr. Partridge said we could talk about inducing, but since I dont want an epidural (I know...Ive lost my mind) I would prefer not to do that so we will just wait and see!
We have finished getting everything ready, washed, and pressed for Jack's arrival. We have walked mile after mile but he just seems pretty happy in there I guess.
I have had a lot of cramping and some contractions but nothing seems to stick around for very long, but hey, its better than nothing!
I hope my next blog has little pictures of Jack on it, but if things keep going like they are... dont count on it!

Let the Count Down Begin

So I went to the doctor Monday and was 1.5 cm and 70% effaced so she doesn't think I will make it to my due date of May 12th. My sweet mom changed her flight and gets in Sunday afternoon! I am so excited to have her here so I don't have to "keep him in" any longer! My sister is super busy with her best friends wedding and a college roommates bachelorette party in Nashvegas! But, she will come just as soon as she can! I got some more pictures from Cody Smith and will post those soon, just wanted to catch everyone up! I hope to be posting pictures of Jack very soon!

Showers and Maternity Pictures

Since my last post I had great showers in Pocahontas, Arkansas and in Fayetteville!

The Pocahontas shower was thrown by several of my mother-in-laws friends who I feel so blessed to have gotten to know over the years. They all treat me like family and make me feel so welcome when we visit. I can't wait to take Jack to Pocahontas so he can meet all of his second grandmothers!

My shower in Fayetteville was amazing. It was thrown by my great girlfriends Allison, Beth, Crandall, Courtney, Judith, Katy and Stephanie. Jack got some very cute stuff and everyone was so sweet to come and share in this special time!

Clinton and I were lucky to find Cody Smith during a "free weekend." (She had a ton going on, but was so sweet to fit us in!) Clinton, Tex and I met Cody in Fayetteville and took some great pictures! A few weeks later, some friends convinced me that I needed to take some belly pictures as well, and did. Cody was great! She did such a good job and I cant wait for Jack to be here so she can take some more!

I started going to the Doctor weekly now! I cant believe it is so close! I'm not dilated, but that is OK....I just want him to come when he is ready, but sooner is fine with me if that is what he wants since I am 37 weeks tomorrow! I never thought I would get to this point but everything has flown by and now we just cant wait to meet him!

Showers= almost time for Baby!

I just returned from Nashville, TN for my second baby shower! My sister, Amanda and her best friend is who pretty much my sister Mackenzie were so sweet and threw an amazing shower. My mom came into town to visit her friends and to be there for the shower! It was so great getting to see everyone.

Since my swelling is getting worse, my legs were very sad when I arrived. When driving, I want everyone to get out of my way, so I can get into my rhythm and keep going. However, I had to stop every few hours to stretch my legs but i don't think that really helped! By the end of the weekend they were better and weren't too bad for the drive home!

I got to see friends that I haven't seen in FOREVER at the shower and everyone there made it such a special event for me! I cant explain how i much i appreciate everyone and how much it meant to me now and always.

A few weekends ago I also had a shower in Fayetteville hosted by Martha Ellen Myers, Cristy Smith, Erica Martin, Ginger Hyneman and Theresa Fender...and their husbands....

It was so great getting to see several people that we had not seen in a while. Luckily, with this group I've got plenty of people that I can go to with all of my questions! I'm so blessed to have such amazing family and friends in my life! It sure makes having a baby so special when there are so many people to share it with! Thank you all for making this time in my life so special!

Counting Backwards with less than 9 weeks left!

I know I know!!!! It has been a long time since I last posted anything but things have been pretty busy. We have had smiles and tears but it's just one foot in front of the other. I want to thank everyone for their prayers. My mother-in-law is doing much better. She will be going back for more tests because her last set of tests didn't show any signs of seizures, so when she gets back from Colorado she will have some more tests, but shes very strong and I know she will be just fine! Ashley, Kevin, Grace and Bennett are doing well too. The loss of their baby girl Julia will stay with us all forever, but in the 3 days that she was with us, she taught us more than we will ever realize. All of your prayers have made each day a little easier, and wanted to thank you all so much.

Over the past 2 months we have really been getting ready for baby Jack! The nursery is coming together, and the signs that he will be here soon are all over the place since we had our first baby shower last Saturday! We have such amazing friends! I feel so blessed that I have "family" in Fayetteville since our family is so far away.

Back on February 10th we had an ultra sound done at What's Kickin' and he really looks like a little boy! I just can believe that was 4 weeks ago! He moves all the time and has been trying to escape from my right side, but I keep telling him that is the wrong direction!

We finished our last prepared Childbirth class last night. The first night, while watching a video Clinton fell asleep! I was so worried about how the rest of the classes would go, but he was actually very involved. He changed the dolls diaper, gave it a bath, and held it like a pro! He's going to be a great dad! We were laying in bed in one Saturday morning and he got down near my stomach and said "No!, No Jack", "Dont touch that", "Stop that!" I asked him what he was doing and he said that he wanted Jack to know his voice and those were going to be the most common phases that he would hear! I thought it was pretty funny....I don't know if Jack did and Tex sure looked confused!

Over the past few days I have official gotten kankles and heartburn! I've been so swollen at the end of each day, so I have been trying to put my feet up as much as possible and I have a bottle of Mylanta by my bedside table. Oh the joys of pregnancy!

I am starting part time with my job March 23rd, so I will have more time to blog and will keep everyone updated with the latest news! Sorry Mom and Kim that it has taken so long, but here ya go!

Christmas, New Years and Bedding

There have been 3 exciting events that have happened since I last posted anything:

1.Christmas

2.New Years

3.Picked out the Bedding!

Christmas was amazing. Clinton and I spent it in Hawaii with my family. My mom broke her wrist right after Thanksgiving and it was still giving her pain so that was a bummer, but it was just so nice being able to be with them. They got little bennett several cute outfits and the softest pillow and blanket. Clinton and I also celebrated our 3 year anniversary right in the very spot we got married. While we were there we found out that they do not let people get married in that spot anymore since it has a lot of Hawaii Historical History....or something like that.....

New Years was spent in Carbondale, Co with Clintons family. It was so much fun playing with our Niece Grace and Nephew Bennett. Clinton showed what a great dad he is going to be! Grace is skiing and its amazing since she is only 51/2! I did not do any skiing, however my sister in law who is due Feb 18th did! Shes good! We will have to go out again soon so the cousins can hang out and I can ski!

Clinton springs the whole "we are getting the nursery painted in 2 days so pick out colors" on Sunday. This caused my picking of the bedding to be pretty fast! I found this on the internet and fell in love so I hope I like it as much in person! Everything is starting to feel real. Im 23 weeks and he is moving like crazy! He must be just like his father! We can't wait! Clinton finally got to feel him the other night....because he actually left his hand on my stomach longer than 2 seconds! I think if he felt him, it would make everything real so he was trying to hold off! Ha Ha!

Here is a picture of the belly at 22 weeks!