Projects!

Soooo... I've been embarking on some creative projects lately. I've sanded and painted/stained to tv trays to make them look ALOT nicer! I just finished painting a welcome sign for my mom. Tomorrow I am sanding and painting Eli's dresser then changing the drawer pulls!! Next after that I will sand and stain Brandon and my dresser. It's a white wash and we like a bit darker wood. Well, I prefer DARK wood, like cherry or mahogany, and Brandon prefers medium colored wood, like pecan or special walnut. B's mom is going to give us her bedroom set and they are older so they will need a bit of work done to them. That's why I'm practicing on these other pieces before I get to the good stuff!

I watch HGTV all day every day and it gives me so many great ideas! I LOVE that channel! I've come up with awesome renovation ideas, decorating tips, and craft projects for cheap! I can't wait to have my own home to paint all the walls and do so many little things to make our home unique that no one else has! I am secretly considering becoming a professional stager! lol... or start my own Flight Attendant Home Improvement show!! Ha ha!

I will post some pictures up here soon. After I get done with Eli's dresser tomorrow!

OH!!! I'm also planning my friends baby shower and making all the invitations, party favors, and some decorations! I love this stuff! I just wish I had the urge/calling to scrap book. But I prefer photo albums!

**EDIT.... Here are some pictures of what I have accomplished so far!

Before and After



Top of Eli's dresser and drawer pulls

Welcome sign and Tv tray

My son, Eli Keeton

Here is a little collage of my Munchkin!!! Ain't he just the most adorable thing?!?! He was born Jan 6th, 2009 at 2:33 pm. He was 7 lbs 3 oz and 20 inches long!! Here is a little story about the crazy day he was born!!

It was a Tuesday morning and I went in for my regular doctors apt. and every thing seemed fine... I even had lost a pound since the week before!!! I told the nurse that Eli hadn't been moving much at all lately so my Doctor told me to go next door to the hospital for a biophysical (non stress test and ultrasound) to make sure everything was ok... They hooked me up to the fetal monitors and his heartbeat was strong and good and i was contracting ever 5-11 minutes... then i went for my ultrasound and the ultrasound tech was joking and laughing with us. About half way through the session she said he wasn't moving at all and then got real quiet... but his heart was beating normal and was receiving enough oxygen... he got a 4 out of 8 on his Biophysical Profile... which is bad.. you want a 6 out of 8 or more. After the ultrasound I went back to my room to wait for the radiologist to look at the ultrasound. After being in the room for 5 minutes my doctor comes in and says "Well, your baby flunked... he got a 4 out of 8... which isn't good.. he needs at least a 6 our of 8..." Then I asked if it was my fault and he said "No, but we'll have to deliver today... by c-section .. b/c you're not progressed enough" I was only a fingertip dilated at my apt. that morning... SOOOOO... Immediately after that I started crying because I was so nervous... My mom had JUST left the hospital 5 minutes earlier and my husband was down in the cafeteria eating because he hadn't eaten breakfast. So I got that news alone. I called him and was trying not to cry and he was like.. "Are you serious?!!? Don't joke with me Kristen." He came up stairs and then we were both crying!! I called my mom and she came back up.. She was in uniform (my mom is a deputy) and everyone thought I was an inmate!! HA!. She works at the jail in transport.. meaning she takes the people in jail to either other jails or Dr's apts. and she goes to that hospital alot. So everyone thought I was an inmate.. and I was like NOOO!!! Any who... this was all around 12:30 and the dr. wanted to deliver around 2!! So we were calling and texting everyone. Brandon was crying the whole time. I was too. The nurse came in and gave me an i.v. of penicillin because I am GBS positive.. and let me tell you.. it burned like a mother father going in!!! It was insane!!! I cried... then she shaved me and took me to the delivery room!!! They gave me a shot to numb me from the chest down. I was shaking I was so nervous. Then I couldn't feel anything but I could see them moving my legs around. That was funny! Then they put the sheet up and started prepping me. Then they brought Brandon in and got started. He was crying the entire time. It was soo sweet!!! Within minutes Eli was born!! His cry was so beautiful!! He had the cord wrapped around his neck and a true knot in the cord too!!! That's probably why he wasn't moving so much anymore. The doctor said that having a true knot in the cord is very rare (will paste definition on bottom of post) and that it could have potentially have been fatal (to Eli) if we hadn't done the non-stress test. Then they cleaned me up and stitched me up and I went into recovery. All the rest is boring compared to the beginning of the day. Except for the part where I got to hold my son for the first time!! He is so beautiful!! I love him so much I can't even describe it!!! I'm sooo glad he is here and that we caught the problem before it took his little life. I would have died if I lost him. BUT... my prince is home with hubby and me and we are sooo happy!!!

*True Knot*

True knots and false knots can form in the umbilical cord. True knots occur in approximately 1% of pregnancies, with the highest rate occurring in monoamnionic twins. False knots (kinks in the umbilical cord vessels) are more common.

True knots arise from fetal movements and are more likely to develop during early pregnancy, when relatively more amniotic fluid is present and greater fetal movement occurs. True knots are also associated with advanced maternal age, multiparity, and long umbilical cords.True knots have been reported to lead to a 4-fold increase in fetal loss, presumably because of compression of the cord vessels when the knot tightens.

False knots have no known clinical significance.Detection of umbilical knots has been reported with ultrasonographic imaging. Prenatal diagnosis has occurred largely in monoamniotic twins, when the condition was specifically sought.

A cesarean delivery may be considered if a diagnosis of a true cord knot is made. The usefulness of antenatal testing in the followup of pregnancies with this condition is uncertain.

Ok ok... I am too!!

So... seeing Valerie's and Tammy's blogs about their exercising endeavors I, too, have been motivated to get my butt in shape! FINALLY! It only took 6 weeks! Oh, by the way, Eli is 6 weeks old today!! After he finishes eating and me too, me, Brandon, and Eli are going for a walk at that soccer park by West Airport. I'm sooo excited! When Brandon gets paid in two weeks I think we're going to join Lifetime Fitness so I can go work out on my favorite eleptical machine! And join a step class (those are amazing!) I'm already a member of a club through my dad, but it's by I-10 which can be a 30 minute drive! I don't want to have to drive that long to go to the gym always. But It's free for us so no wasted money!

I'm getting quite excited at the idea of being able to fit into my old clothes... and then later.. my OLDER clothes!! I went grocery shopping yesterday and I did soooo good and got NO junk food what so ever... except for milk chocolate pudding for Brandon which he loves and I had a bite and it's official. I HATE MILK CHOCOLATE! I thought the pudding was expired or something but Brandon said it was amazing. So, it's dark chocolate for me only now I suppose! But I bought all sorts of good things to make meals! I'm experimenting now and Brandon loves anything I cook so it's lots of fun!

We are going to our friends house tomorrow and I'm making fudge brownies with peanut butter mixed in!! Well, melted reeses mixed in. (no I didn't buy this at the store... already had the box of mix and the candy.. trying to get rid of it!!) I am pretty sure Val is making chili.. that would be awesome!! Eli is staying with my mom though.

Ok.. gotta go get dressed for our family walk!! BEFORE it get's too dark! lol

Just a little about me... VERY little!!

A little about me and my family! My name is Kristen Drake. Formerly Kristen Hedrick. I'm married the Brandon and we have a son named Eli Keeton! We married July 1, 2008 and I gave birth to Eli on January 6, 2009 (at 2:33 pm). I am a flight attendant for Southwest Airlines and Brandon works for Shell. I am currently on maternity leave and LOVING every minute of it. Spending time with Eli is my favorite thing to do! He makes the silliest faces and is so much fun to watch!

Brandon is from Breckenridge, TX and I am from Sugar Land, TX. We currently live in Sugar Land. His mother and I lived together in Orlando, FL and she introduced us! We've inseparable ever since! We were kind of shocked when we found out I was pregnant. It only took us about an hour to realize that we were totally ok with having a baby and then we were so very excited!!

Well, little one is about ready to eat so I have to go and feed him for he runs things now!!