Three Months Old

Cora Leigh turned 3 months last Wednesday on December 16th. Life has been so crazy getting ready for Christmas, I just had no time to get her pictures up until now. She is doing great - growing like crazy! I measured her at 23 inches long and she weighed in at 12 pounds. She is talking more and more these days and has the cutest smile! She was just smiling at me before I took her pictures, but as soon as the camera came out, she just wanted to stare at it. :) I still managed to get some cute pictures.

Welcome Hayden Olivia Bramlett!

One of the fun things about my pregnancy was that my sister-in-law, Amye, was pregnant at the same time. Our due dates were exactly 8 weeks apart. Amye's due date was actually Thanksgiving Day. We had hoped that her baby girl would come before Thanksgiving, but each week she would call me after her doctor's visit and tell me that she hadn't made any progress. At her last visit, her OB scheduled her to be induced the Sunday night after Thanksgiving. Apparently her baby was very comfortable in the womb - we didn't have any holiday excitement rushing to the hospital or anything. So Sunday night, she and Bryan went to the hospital to begin the induction. We joined them Monday afternoon. When we arrived, Amye was 3 cm dilated. After a long afternoon of anxious waiting, Hayden Olivia Bramlett was finally born at 9:20 PM on Monday, November 30th after her momma heroically pushed for 2 hours! She was 8 lbs, 4 oz and 21 inches long. Here are some pictures from the afternoon/evening and the next day.

The future parents anxiously awaiting their daughter's arrival


Aunt Mandy with Amye


Me and a hungry Cora Leigh with Amye


Mom and Dad looking forward to meeting their granddaughter!

Excitement in the hallway - we heard the baby cry!

Amye's sister and aunt waiting to meet Hayden

Aunt Mandy and Kirby

Cora Leigh was excited that her cousin was here

What a proud father - glowing after the birth of his daughter despite being exhausted

Welcome Hayden Olivia - she looks just like her mom!

Happy family

The next day after a shower, Amye was feeling much better

Sweet baby

Me and Bryan with each other's daughters

What a lovely family

Thanksgiving Holiday

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! It was our first trip home to Tennessee and Cora Leigh's first time getting to meet a lot of her family. We were off to a rocky start as Cora did not want to go to sleep Thanksgiving Eve. Unfortunately, I was up with her until 12:30 that night, knowing that the plan was to leave after her first feeding Thanksgiving morning. Well, she decided that she wanted that first feeding to be at 3:30 AM, which left me with very little sleep. Nonetheless, we were excited about getting home, so we left after that feeding.

Much to my surprise, Cora Leigh slept all the way to Chattanooga! She did start to wake up a few times but never woke up enough to realize that she might be hungry. Our first stop in Tennessee was to see my cousin, Amy, and her husband, John. I did have to feed Cora there. Afterwards, she got to spend time with her Auntie Amy (not to be confused with Aunt Amy) and Uncle John. They of course thought she was just adorable and so sweet! Cora also got to meet her great-grandmother this trip. Unfortunately, my grandmother was under the weather, so she didn't get to hold her, but at least they got to meet. My aunt and uncle were also sick, so they missed her this trip. Hopefully everyone will be well by Christmas! My sleep deprived mind forgot to take pictures at this stop....hopefully I'll be able to get some from Amy.

Our next stop was Jasper, TN to visit with my family. Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Mandy, Uncle Bryan, and Aunt Amye were all glad to see Cora Leigh again! It was the first time Uncle Bryan and Aunt Amye had seen her since she was a week old. Cora Leigh's great-grandfather also got to meet her for the first time. She just loved Papaw B! I've never seen her smile like that when she met someone new. It was a really special time. That day, we just spent time with our immediate family. Pictures below:

Meeting Papaw B for the first time


Cora smiling at her great-grandfather


Papaw holding his great-granddaughter for the first time


A very pregnant Aunt Amye holding Cora

Cora Leigh hanging out with Grandma

Thanksgiving sleeper

Playing with her toy

Thanksgiving bath

Crazy after bath hair!

Snuggling with Aunt Mandy

The day after Thanksgiving, we had dinner with my dad's family. Afterwards, we went to the nursing home where my grandmother lives to have dessert with her and to let her meet Cora Leigh. She loved her! She can't remember much anymore, but they said that on her way back to the room she kept talking about how Cora Leigh was the prettiest baby she had ever seen. I'm not sure she ever figured out that it was her great-granddaughter, but it was still very special. More pictures!

Cora hanging out with me, Tiffany, Amye, and Bryan


Meeting Mamaw B for the first time

Mamaw held her like she hold her baby doll

Cora Leigh with her parents and great-grandparents

Chris and Tiffany with Cora

Aunt Jo and Cora - they matched!

Saturday, we headed to Birchwood to spend some time with Jeremy's family. Again, Cora got to meet some great aunts and uncles that she had never met before.

Cora with her Papaw and Great Aunt Dora

Modeling her Thanksgiving outfit

Meeting Great Aunt Reba and Uncle Billy

Cora Leigh with Papaw and Nana, ready for the ballgame

Sunday we went to church with Jeremy's parents. Afterwards, we had lunch and decorated the Christmas tree. Jeremy headed back to Lexington around 4:00 or so. He was nice enough to let me stay behind and be there for the birth of my niece. Amye's labor was being induced that night (posting coming soon!).

Here's Cora Leigh in her Sunday outfit

And a family photo - Cora Leigh and I were still in our church clothes, Daddy had gotten comfortable

Here are some more pictures from the following week:

Aunt Mandy snuggling with Cora

Grandma was very popular this morning - she had Cora Leigh and Fluffy in her lap and Selena was waiting for her turn!

Cora Leigh in her new outfit that Auntie Amy and Uncle John bought her!

Cora Leigh in her sea creature sleeper - hanging out with Grandma