They say a picture (or look) is worth a thousand words…well, here’s a ton of words.
Just Pictures
Visitors…and Life
There is one thing that being a dad and even being an expectant dad has brought into my life. I have closed my circle of friends and family. One unexpected part of that is that the people inside that circle are more important and valued than ever. Friends who I would normally go weeks without seeing and days without talking to, I now want to see all the time.
GiGi came to visit this past weekend. The weekend flew by so quickly without us really doing anything. Showing my mom the new house and watching her hold my daughter was more than amazing. Epic? Legendary? Yeah, I think the last one applies.
Keshia came to visit the weekend after my daughter was born. Past trips included going out for margaritas or a fancy restaurant. I think all 4 meals we had were takeout. And the trip was amazing.
It’s so great how the roles of people in your life and your loved ones lives change so drastically. Becky is now a mom and a wife. My mother is now a grandmother just like Emma Jean was to me. Keshia is now an aunt just like my Aunts (Jean, Elsie, Gretta, etc). And they are all perfect for the jobs as mine were before me.
Life is kinda funny like that huh?
-Brian
Whoa – One Month Already?
Emerson is one month old today…where did the time go?
A little recap…
- 1st week – a blur
- 2nd week – moved right along
- 3rd week – draggggged
- 4th week – wait, where did it go?
We are falling more in love with this little angel every day. She is our blessing from above.
Baby’s First Holiday – Easter 2014
We spent Easter 2014 at home. We were lucky enough to get Emerson’s newborn pics back just in time to enjoy them for the weekend – including one special shot of her in her Easter basket. Man, I love that kid. Thank you Aaron Yung Photography!
We took E to the Easter Bunny at Cool Springs Mall for her first visit. She slept the whole time and we got a good pic.
We shared an awesome Easter lunch with the Wakefield family – it was great having time to fellowship and enjoy some good food with our friends.
All in all, a successful first holiday weekend for our sweet girl. We are hoping to spend future ones with our family and friends.
-Brian
First Week!
We just finished our first week at home as a family of 3. We have loved our visitors – Aunts Chrissy, Laura and Keshia. We have started to find our schedule and are just loving having Emerson in our lives. She is a blessing and a beauty.
We had our first pediatrician appointment AND post-delivery followup. My lovely ladies are all looking great!
On another note…some wonderful and amazing people started a dinner caravan for us. So instead of another Papa John’s order or Chili’s takeout, we have had some delicious homemade meals…meals made with love. Oh, and people got to hang out with E too so I guess they got something out of it too.
Emerson Honor Williams – 4/2/2014
There are no words in the English (or anything other language probably) to describe what it feels like to hear your daughter for the first time. I heard her before I saw her and was instantly in love, intoxicated and overtaken with emotion. This being that had been talked about, hoped for, showered with attention and discussed at great lengths was here. As I watched the nurses and hospital team, clean her and check her vitals, everything seemed so serene-even with all that was going on. Mom was OK, baby was OK. Measurements were all good…This little girl, this angel had made it into our family at long last.
I am partial but she is a beauty. A sight to behold. I don’t know how any part of me became a part of her. Her hair, fingers, toes, lips, nose, legs, arms, eyes, smile, farts, face…all perfect and as God intended. She is already bathed in God’s love-we just have to keep giving her refresher courses. Our wedding official, Mike Wakefield, has already started us on that journey. I have a feeling her ‘Aunt” Lindsey will lend a helping hand there as well.It’s been an incredible 3 year journey of self discovery and planning to get to this point. I am so glad to be married to my ONE and to share this with her. I honestly have no idea how single moms or single dads do it..and I am sad that as they do it, there’s not someone else to share everything with.
There has not been a single minute yet where I would have wanted things to go any differently. She wanted to be here so she came…11 days early. She is now 2 and a half days old. She has met her grandmother who is about as excited as she was after our epic, mother/son dance at our wedding. Her Pop-Pop will keep her laughing for years to come with his stories and quick wit. Her aunties have been nothing less than stellar.
Well….that’s all. Thanks for reading this. And thanks for your support yesterday, today, and for all of the tomorrows.
Birthday Schwag!!
I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m a cheap person. Perhaps frugal or someone who looks for a good deal.
My birthday was a few days ago and I started looking a few years ago for ways to get free birthday stuff. A lot of it is for desserts where you have to buy a meal and I don’t really need the extra calories if they aren’t gonna be worth it.
But here is a list of things for my birthday that you can get in the Nashville and surrounding areas (I mark whether I actually use them or not)
- Regal Cinemas – if you buy one of those coupon books (which I highly recommend), you can get a free movie ticket on the day of your actual birthday
- Toots – $10 off (used)
- Famous Dave’s – $10 off (gonna use tomorrow!)
- Zaxby’s – free birthday nibbler (gonna use soon!)
- Starbucks – free coffee (doesn’t expire for a while so I’ll use eventually)
- Dave and Buster’s – $20 of gameplay for $10 (hope to use)
- Einstein Bagels – free breakfast bagel if you buy a drink (not that great of a deal and there’s not one within 30 miles of me)
- TGI Friday’s – free dessert if you buy a meal (not sure I’ll do this one)
- Gigi’s Cupcakes – free cupcake (will DEFINITELY use this one!)
Shower #3
We were very lucky to find Celebration Lutheran Church a few years back and start our married life in a spiritual way with the congregation there.
We also lucked out and they let us throw our latest baby shower there. Brian’s mom, sister and spouses came in along with our friends from Murfreesboro and even some Spring Hillers.
We are overwhelmed by everyone’s kindness and giving. Our little girl is going to be well stocked, well dressed, and best of all, well loved. The saying “it takes a village” has been going around a lot in my mind lately – if that is indeed the case, we couldn’t have picked better people to inhabit ours!
Kudos to Sam (and Sammie B’s Sweets) for yet another awesome culinary confection – popcorn shaped cupcakes!
The Women of My Life
I have always been blessed with women in my life.
Strong. Beautiful. Independent. Smart. Caring, Loving. Feminine. Resilient.
Maybe that was to make up for the lack of male role models. Now don’t me wrong, I have my fair share of men to look up to and guide me….Uncle Harold, Granddad E.C, my stepfather Leon, Mr. Phelps, Mr. Harper, cousin David and countless others. The 8 men I had stand at my side at my wedding are each phenomenal and have left an indelible imprint on my life. My own father is not a real presence in most of my memories growing up where he should have been. I’ve long since come to terms with that and that’s not the point of this message.
The leading ladies in my life all amaze me and have filled up my heart. My wife is a strong, independent woman who is not afraid to speak her mind. Her heart is among the biggest I’ve ever seen and she forgives people completely and honestly.
My sister is one of the smartest people I know. She does this while still being a fun, interesting and well-rounded person. My mother is one of the bravest and strongest people I’ve had the pleasure to know. Her willpower and resolve are second to none and she taught me and my sister how to love and live and endure the world.
It makes me happy to know that my daughter will have these 3 (and my other adopted Mom’s out there) in her life. I have no doubt she will be AMAZING!
-Brian
Baby Shower #1 – Michigan
Over the Christmas holidays, we had our first shower in Becky’s home stage of Michigan. We had so much fun and our little girl was shown so much love (and we got so many awesome items from overly generous friends and family)!
