Life with Hope!

Food for thought!

2009-08-03T21:58:00.000-07:00

At our 4 month check up Dr. Ware said that I could start Jules on some cereal if she was acting like she was ready
for food. She had definitely been eyeing everything I ate and lunging toward my plate at the dinner table. I decided
when we got back from Jamaica we would start her on some cereal. She takes after her momma and LOVES to eat!! It was
a complete disaster but she enjoyed every bite!! By day three she was a pro. My favorite pics are of her asleep in the
bumbo seat- "pooped!"- literally haha! She fell right over and stunk up the entire kitchen for at least 30 minutes.
I think the smell is what woke her up :)
She also has decided that she likes the activity center-that I was so resistant to put in my house! Thank the Lord
my sister in law gave me one, because she can get out of her bouncy seat now so this is the only place I can make her
stay put other than the bed!
WOW- and she is not even crawling yet!! My life as it was is disappearing more and more every day... but she has
made it so much better in a completely new way. I'm so BLESSED!!!

Jamaica Mon!

2009-08-03T21:42:00.000-07:00

As a wedding planner, sometimes duty calls and I have to go out of town for an event or wedding. This June- my job
took me to Jamaica for a Destination wedding (darn! :) ) So- I decided to bring Jules with me because the thought of
leaving her at barely 5 months old was unbarable. My sweet mom was on board to go with me and take care of her
while I worked. Let me tell you- Jules was the HIT of the resort. We were in Montego Bay and stayed at the Ritz
Carlton. Every employee and most all of the guests new her name and looked for her daily. I was so wrapped up in work
when I would get a free moment I would wonder around looking for mom and Jules. People I had never seen before would
see me and say "Your mom and Jules are over there" and point me in the right direction!! She really became a little
celebrity while we were there! She just smiled at everyone and showed off for them-it was too cute!! This was the perfect
time for mom to bond with her because I would be leaving her for the very first time the end of July for a work
conference. I was most worried about our flight- and that was a breeze. I was so thankful that she slept almost
the entire time and did not cry at all. So were all the people on that plane too!
We arrived back home in Memphis on Father's Day. I was so happy to see my sweet husband and Jules was just as
excited to see her daddy! For his Father's Day gift- we had a photo shoot done on the beach in Jamaica. It was
a blast and the photos turned out precious! My good friend and photographer Donny Granger with Creation Studios
took the pics. Thanks Donny!!
I hope our next trip is a real vacation- and Darrin will get to join us! The countdown is on for the end of Wedding Season
-it is almost over! Yippie!!

First things First....

2009-08-03T21:07:00.000-07:00

Everything is a first for Jules- including some very important happenings and events in her life recently!
One of my very best friends since childhood, Courtney Hopper Mischen had a baby girl just one week after Juliana was
born. How crazy that we live in different parts of the country and were literally across the world from one another
when we found out we were pregnant! And then we had the SAME due date!! It has been such a blessing to go through this new stage of life with such a close
friend. Courtney and baby Madeliene came to visit her parents in Oxford so Jules and I drove up for the afternoon to let
our baby girls meet! They were hilarious and we just had the best time!! I only wish we lived closer so we could
see each other more often and have play dates!
Jules also had her first boat ride at the Lake- she loved it! After a short cruise she fell fast asleep. This will
just be the beginning of lots of fun memories she will make each summer at the lake- can't wait!!

Dedication to the Lord & Our Mother's!

2009-08-03T20:28:00.000-07:00

Well... just as promised, here is my LONG OVERDUE post on what has been going on over the past two months!!! Time is flying and it's harder to find a moment to update my blog :)
On my very first Mother's Day, we dedicated Jules back to the Lord. My whole family came in town for the celebration and we had a great time at the Hope's (my in-laws) after the service. Her cake was my favorite part!! We also had our 4 month check up and Juliana continues to grow and do new things every day!
We simply can't imagine our lives without her now.
I pray that she will love the Lord and always put Him first in her life no matter what. And I pray that I can lead by example as my own mother has done for me. Darrin was out of the country for 10 days for work (Saudia Arabia)- and I was so blessed to have my mom come and stay with us while he was gone. He got back the night before Mother's Day and the Dedication- it was a sweet home coming!

Easter Weekend

2009-04-14T20:20:00.000-07:00

"Life with Hope" is true for us all because of Christ and I'm so glad he rose again so we can be with Him in eternity one day! This past weekend we had Jule's first Easter! I dressed her all up in her Sunday best and we went to church. She even had on her newborn pantie hose! We had lunch at Darrin's parents house and took our first picture of all their grand kids together! That was a challenge :)
Although we didn't get a picture this year with the Easter Bunny (It was really for me)- I got some cute shots of her and her daddy (without the bunny ears I wanted him to wear!). Rudy is still OBSESSED with Juliana and insists on being in the HOT bathroom when I'm giving her a bath. We keep a heater on and it's like a sauna in the room-which she loves-and Rudy just tries to drink all her bath water or lies down beside the tub like he's doing his job protecting her. It's so cute!
Juliana is now 2 months old! It's so amazing how fast the time really does fly. Her eyes are still a beautiful blue color (I think they may be her Pop Pop's eyes-fingers crossed!)and she still has a head full of hair. Her weight was up to 9lb 8oz at our last Doctor's appointment and we are anxious to see what she weighs at her 2 month check up on this Thursday. Everything seems to be going in the right direction and we are on our way to feeling like we know what we are doing as parents! So thanks so much for all of your prayers and support! We definitely feel them. Jules has been sleeping for 8-9 hours a night now and taking good naps in the day- and I'm so thankful for that. She is really a wonderful baby, we are sooooo blessed!
I will post another blog after our Doctor's visit this week. And please save the date for May 10th- when we will dedicate our baby girl to the Lord at our church. We will be doing this in the 9am service and I'll send out more details when it gets a little closer. It will be my first Mother's Day and I can't think of a better way to spend it than to give her back to the Lord since He has given her to us. We would love to have you all there if you can make it-but I know it's a special day for all mothers if you can't be with us. The support of all our friends and family is so special and important to us as we try to raise our daughter to always put God first in her life. We love y'all!! Stay tuned for our 2 month update!
Love Love
Michelle

6 week update!!

2009-03-29T14:46:00.000-07:00

Well- it's been a while since I have posted an update and that is due to this crazy and amazing roller coaster ride we have been on with our baby girl! We have had so many ups and downs and mountains to overcome these past few weeks! I thought I had a realistic view of how life would change with a baby- but in no way could I have ever imagined or planned for the emotional,physical & mental exhaustion that comes with this bundle of joy named Juliana :)
So a little bit about what has been going on with us:
Last week we took our very first road trip with Jules- to my home town to stay with my parents (Lolli and Poppi)so I could finish up preparations for my little brother's (Kyle) wedding on March 21,2009. I have been planning their wedding since August. Juliana did great on the way down- which is a 6 hour car ride. She slept the entire way!! At my parents house she begin sleeping 6-8 hours at a time each night- which was AMAZING! I felt like a new woman with so much sleep :)
However, prior to that trip I had developed a rash from an allergic reaction to Fenugreek (herbal supplement to help increase milk in breastfeeding). We were trying to get back to where we needed to be since her tongue was now fixed. The rash was horrible-like poison ivy all over my body! Thank the Lord it cleared up somewhat before the wedding. I was taken off the supplement and took benedryl and used a steroid cream to clear it up. This has now caused me to take 10 steps back with feeding (decreasing my milk) and as a result we had to start on some formula supplements this week :( This was not part of my plan, but I know God is in control and his plan is better than mine! Jules weight is still not as high as it should be but we are steadily and slowly gaining. She was 8lb 6 oz on Monday the 23rd.
Back to the wedding- everything was lovely and turned out just how I wanted it to. My team and business partner, Jaime-came from Memphis to help with the coordinating,tent and lighting- and I could not have done it without them!! Thanks guys!! We are still getting compliments on how great it all was. I'm so happy to have Lulu in our family now and look forward to future family get togethers with all of our spouses and kids! :)
Upon returning home we have been trying to get on a schedule somewhat. If you can do that with a 6 week old?! Jules has started smiling and cooing/talking - already taking after me in that aspect of course! ha!
She is so alert now and interested in what is going on around her.
This past Saturday (the 28th) we hosted a couple's shower at our house for good friends- John and Brandy. It was lots of fun and we got to hang out with all of our friends for the first time in a while. Juliana has not slept much during the night since our trip to the Coast so we are hoping to get over this hump SOON so we can get some sleep again! We have also had some professional photos taken of Juliana and hope to get out our announcements with in the next week or so.
The pics are posted on facebook if you want to check them out.
All in all- no matter what-she has been such a blessing and we are so in love with her!! Children truly are a heritage from the Lord- and we are grateful that he has blessed us so much! More to come sooner than later next time!
Love y'all-
Michelle

Three Weeks in a Nutshell :)

2009-03-06T17:25:00.000-08:00

Wow- I can't believe we are three weeks into the life of Juliana Jade already!!
Time is really flying by. We are all doing well and adjusting just fine to life with Jules. Here is a little recap on all that has happened to bring you up to speed! After arriving home from the hospital on Valentine's Day I realized that something was not right with how Jules was feeding. To make a long story short- at our first Pediatrician appointment that Monday we learned that she was tounge tied (meaning her tounge was tied down and she could not latch onto me properly, causing blood blisters!!!!Terrible!). Our wonderful doctor- Julie Ware- helped us in deciding to have her tounge clipped to ensure she would be able to eat and start gaining her weight back. We were down to 7lbs from her 7lb 10oz birth weight and not gaining any back which was a problem. Thank the Lord we are now on the road up and her new tounge is working perfectly!! Dr. Ware has been such a God send and a huge support for me with the trials of feeding and I know I would have given up without her help! Juliana weighed 7lb 8oz at her last visit and I'm sure she is continuing to gain weight daily- she is eating all the time!
So- a BIG Praise the Lord for bringing us through all of that! My precious mom was with us for the past 18 days- taking care of me and helping with the baby. I don't know WHAT I would have done without her!! I was so sad that she had to go home :(
We have had two out of town visitors come to see us- my best friends Leigh Jones (from Orlando) and Lara Barratachea (from Houston). Our wonderful church family and supper club friends have been bringing us dinner a couple nights a week- which has been so nice! With my little brother's wedding just two weeks away- I have been trying to finalize the last minute details along with taking care of the baby- a little bit more of a challenge than I expected :).
We are really looking forward to seeing all of my family and friends at the wedding so they can meet Jules!
The puppies have also adjusted very well to Jules. Rudy is OBSESSED with her and Daisy is not really that interested. They are too funny and I can't wait to see them together once she is older.
Above all- I want to give God all the Glory again for the blessing she is to our lives! We are so greatful that she is such a good baby. She does not cry unless she is hungry or cold. I could not ask for anything more.
This pretty much wraps up our first three weeks in a nutshell! Hopefully I will be able to post more often as she continues to grow and change- and I get more sleep :)
Love to all-
Michelle

Juliana's First Week...

2009-02-19T17:43:00.000-08:00

It's so hard to believe that our little Jules is already 1 whole week old! I don't know where the time has gone :) She could not be more sweet, we are so blessed! Our lives have definitely changed already and we are getting adjusted pretty well I think. We have been to our pediatrician and had to get some help with feeding due to a little tounge tie issue- however things are now on the upswing and we should have it all corrected by next week. Our doctors have been awesome!We are actually getting some sleep believe it or not! My mom has been with us and will be here another week- THANK GOD!!! Between the three of us we are doing our best to keep Juliana happy as a little clam. We go for our first pictures on Monday and I'm really excited about that! Rudy and Daisy are doing really well adjusting- Rudy is much more interested in her and acting protective already! It's so cute. Well- it's time to feed her so I've gotta run! Enjoy the pics!!
Love
Michelle

Hope Family of Three

2009-02-15T21:52:00.000-08:00

Well, it has been four days now since we have become the Hope Family of Three :) We are in heaven! We made our debut back home on Valentine's Day and introduced Jules to her new home and anxiously awaiting dogs- Rudy and Daisy. They loved her but I think they think she is just a visitor! My whole family has been here and staying with us so with all the people and excitement, they have not realized she is here to stay. I know they will love and protect her and she will love them once they all get adjusted. Stay tuned for some pics of the three of them! My niece Micayla- who is my twin brother Michael's baby girl- is 6 months old and was here this weekend as well. We took their first pictures together! They are going to have so much fun growing up together being so close in age. My little brother and his fiance (Lulu) were also here for her birth. Jules will make her first big trip to their wedding in 5 weeks! Overall everything has gone really well so far and we continue to give God all the Glory because there is no way this could be going so smoothly without His hand being in it all.

She is pretty much just eating (and that is going well with the exception of some pain on my part- which I will hopefully get past SOON!), sleeping, and getting her diaper changed. Juliana is so sweet, even when she cries- which is not often- it's the sweetest little cry you have ever heard... but don't get me wrong it BREAKS my heart when she does cry!

I have to wake her up to eat now that she has gotten milk- she is so funny after eating- it's like she is in a drunken bliss :)

Tomorrow my dad goes home and it will just be the three of us and my mom who is staying to help us out for a couple of weeks (and we are SO GRATEFUL for that!).

While in the hospital my dad worked on our house finishing up some renovations we recently made to prepare for our little arrival- Thanks Dad!

We have the greatest family in the whole world and are so happy they have been able to share in this special time with us.

We look forward to our first week of doing life as parents and having visitors coming over to meet her!!

I can't say or type it enough- God is SO Good! This little miracle named Juliana has forever changed us and I love that we can share some of that with y'all.

Stay tuned!

Love

The Hopes

Juliana is here!

2009-02-12T20:59:00.000-08:00

Wow! What a day- our precious baby girl Juliana Jade was born at 2:26pm. at 7lb 10oz and 19 1/2 " long- with a head full of hair! God is so good and I just want to give Him all the Glory for the wonderful experience we had today and our baby girl! I'm just overwhelmed by His grace and mercy and the blessings he has poured out over us today! Juliana is perfect and we had a great labor and delivery with no complications and very little pain. My mom and Darrin were in the room as she came into the world and they both have not been able to stop talking about how amazing it truly is to see a baby born.

She is a very happy baby- so content with Darrin's laid back personality ( I think). Thank you all for your love, support, and prayers-which I know will continue as we are only just beginning this new adventure!

Love from a blissful new mommy!

Michelle

The Last Bump Day!

2009-02-11T06:10:00.000-08:00

Me, Daisy, and Juliana- a nice shot of the baby "Bump"

Good Morning on this dreary Wednesday! I'm up early and thought I would take the time to post on my last "Bump" Day! Today is the last day I will be pregnant with Juliana, our baby girl :) We are very excited and I can't believe I'm finally going to meet her tomorrow!!! My family is all travelling in tonight to be with us on such a special day and such a BIG event! Darrin and I will officially be parents tomorrow (don't let Rudy and Daisy hear that though!).

We have done EVERYTHING I think you can do to possibly prepare ourselves and our home for this sweet baby girl. However, I know we could never truly prepare ourselves for the life change that is about to take place. We are so blessed and want to give God all the Glory now- even before the delivery, because I know he will be with us and take care of us and everything is going to go according to His perfect plan- which is perfect! We are so thankful to all of our friends & family who have thrown us showers and given us tons of great advice and support over these past 9 months. God is so Good! Since this is my first baby and delivery- I'm not sure how realistic this is, but I plan on posting tomorrow night after we have her to let you all know about the experience and how everything is going..... and also to show you what she looks like!

Until then..... I'm going to enjoy my last day with this baby bump! (ok it's hardly a bump anymore).

Love Love

Michelle

My first blog entry!

2009-01-07T21:43:00.000-08:00

Hello to all our family and friends! I have joined the world of blogging due to our approaching bundle of joy- Juliana Jade Hope! Since so many of you are far away (which makes me sad)- I want to be able to keep you updated with our family and the new baby! Hope you enjoy this as much as I know I'll enjoy writing it!
I'm 34 weeks pregnant now and only have 5 weeks to go! Wow- has time flown. It just seems like yesterday when I found out I was pregnant and thought- "I'm gonna be pregnant FOREVER!" I cannot complain- the Lord has been so good to me over the past 8 months. I have not been sick at all and the aches and pains I have had are minimal.
Our lives are hectic now trying to finish up the nursery and get organzied before the baby comes.
We have our couples shower this weekend-hosted by our dear friends The Lotterhos', John and Brandy, The Scott's, The Barratachea's, The McDonalds, The Dodds, and The Shumakers. We are so blessed to have such great friends and a support team- most of them already have kids so we are some of the last to get on board!
Juliana's nursery is almost complete- so that is a major check mark off our list! I had a doctors apt. yesterday and they think she weighs close to 5.1 lbs.! That seems big with 5 weeks to go potentially! I will put pics up of her 4 D ultra sound and the nursery on the next posting.
Please continue to keep us in your prayers over the next couple of weeks! We will keep you posted on her arrival!

Love
Michelle