One Week Old!

What a week! It is hard to believe just one week ago Samantha was still in Amy's stomach. What is even harder to believe is that this coming Friday (May 2nd) was our scheduled induction date!

As most of you know, Amy is a terrific scrapbooker. Once we found out we were pregnant, Amy began a "belly book". Basically it is a journal you keep for the entire time you're pregnant for the baby to one day hopefully read. Part of the journal was taking a picture of Amy's stomach from week to week so you can see the changes. We usually took our picture on Monday nights. The picture we took this week was particularly special . . . . because we could see Samantha!

Hard to believe something the size of Samantha used to be in Amy's belly just one week ago!

Samantha looks a little spooked in this picture as if she'd like to be back inside!

That's better

Samantha meets Doug

One of the books that Amy and I read to Samantha while she was in the womb was a wonderful book entitled "Ma! There is Nothing to do Here!" It was a funny book that anybody expecting a baby should have in their collection.

http://www.amazon.com/Theres-Nothing-Baby-Waiting-Picture/dp/037583852X

In the book, the baby in waiting cannot wait to get to the "outside" and play with a teddy bear named Doug. Samantha's Big Guy (Amy's Dad) has always made sure Amy had her fair share of teddy bears. So it is only fitting that Big Guy bought Samantha her first teddy bear . . . . that we are calling "Doug".

This picture was just too cute to pass up.

Samantha sizing "Doug" up

An Apple a Day . . .

It was time for our first doctor's visit this past Monday. Samantha received excellent grades from the doctors at St. Mary's . . . . now it was time to see if Mom and Dad had done anything to screw it up during the first two nights at home.

The doctor at the KPA (Knoxville Pediatric Associates) said Samantha is perfectly healthy and very alert to only be 5 days old. I (Steve) think the doctor was really impressed with how Samantha already knew the starting line-up for the Cubs and the 2-deep rotation for the Vols on the defensive line. I'm kidding of course, but if Samantha keeps chugging the formula at the rate she is currently I think she could challenge for a spot on the Vols d-line next Fall (although that is not really saying that much considering how thin the Vols are on the defensive front).

Getting ready for our first trip out of the house in a pretty pink dress from Uncle Jason and Aunt Krystyna

Pretty in Pink!

Locked and loaded . . . . bring on the doctor!

One Elise . . . Two Elise . . . .

THREE ELISE!

These pictures are Samantha's 2nd full day on Earth when her Great Aunt Elise along with cousins Will and Caroline came up from Chattanooga for a visit. It was a VERY special time for everyone as Samantha Elise is named after Elise and Caroline (all three have Elise as their middle names).

We were very excited and happy they made the trip to meet Samantha. We know Bill, Elise, Will, and Caroline will be a very important part of Samantha's life and cannot wait to add to the happy memories already experienced between the Noland and Mitchell families.

Caroline Elise, Martha Elise, and Samantha Elise

The first of many meetings

Will now has a little cousin to watch out for along with his little sister

A VERY happy bunch!

The Great Escape

Daddy working like heck to figure out the car seat. She was strapped in pretty tight!

Big Guy patiently waiting for Samantha . . . he was quite the video guy!

As you can see, Samantha is pretty excited to be home. The combination of a bottle before she left the hospital and the car ride had Samantha down for the count.

She survived her first car ride!

Tired but VERY proud parents!

Samantha's "coming home" outfit. It is complete with little socks for her feet with pink bows on them. She looked adorable!

Steven's WaWa has been keeping a watchful eye over Samantha's pack-n-play just waiting on her arrival.

Samantha's WaWa and PaPaw bought this for Samantha for Christmas last year. The words in the verse mean so very much to all of us because of the long journey it took to get her here.

Wash the Baby . . .

Samantha got a good report on her jaundice on Saturday morning! So there was only one thing left to do before we busted out of the Hotel California that was St. Mary's Women's Pavilion . . . . get the baby so fresh and so clean clean!

Every night while she was pregnant Amy would give her belly (Samatha) a Cocoa Cocoa Butter bath. Johnson's baby wash has now replaced the Cocoa Cocoa Butter.

Samantha's hands are so small her mittens look like oven mitts! Samantha says "DINNER'S READY!"

Home Sweet Home

This picture was taken right before we left for St. Mary's on Monday night

Amy and I find out today (Saturday) if we get to take our little miracle home after a long but glorious week at St. Mary's. The doctors, staff, and especially the nurses have done a wonderful job of taking care of Samantha and Amy . . . . but we are more than ready to get her home.

We are very excited for her to see her new room! Cousin Linda Whitehead and Amy did a fantastic job planning and coordinating the nursery. We know Samantha will love spending time and can't wait for you all to come and visit her.

Let's hope the doctor gives Samantha a clean bill of health on her jaundice so we can get her home!

Stick 'em Up!

Authorities in the St. Mary's Women's Pavilion have been on the lookout for a newborn about 21 inches long with blue eyes, lots of hair, and 2 sets of grandparents that follow her every move. This newborn has many aliases . . . . among them Baby Girl, BeBe, Little Girl, Angel, Princess, and lil' Sam. She has been accused of downing whole formula bottles in a single sitting and then telling her Dad to throw the empty bottle against the wall. Security briefly apprehended "the formula crushing bandit" and placed her in an incubator (her Mom and Dad thinks it looks like a tanning bed). As you can see from the picture . . . . when they told Samantha to "freeze and stick 'em up" she did as she was told.

Samantha is fine. She was slightly jaundice on Friday. The normal count is 12.0 and she came in at 12.3. She had to stay under the "tanning bed" for 24 hours. It was harder on her parents and grandparents than it was Samantha as no one could hold her. She did look REALLY cute relaxing all day under the lamp with her sun glasses. Samantha enjoyed her downtime and is really happy her tan lines should be evened out now for pictures to be taken in her sweet coming home outfit her WaWa bought her at Crenshaw's the very day we found out we were having a little baby girl.

Breaking News - Steve & Amy hold Samantha!

Samantha Noland - Curse Breaker?

Well Samantha has only been in the world for 38 hours and already she has begun undoing the many injustices of the world . . . . here are just a few examples (thanks to Mark Miller for pointing some of these out).

1. In April of 1995 Tennessee high school basketball phenom Ron Mercer of Nashville selected the Kentucky Wildcats over his home state Volunteers ending a bitter recruiting battle between the two schools by leaving the Vols at the alter . . . . . again.

On April 23rd of 2008 (a certain someones birthday), Kentucky high school basketball phenom Scotty Hopson chooses Bruce Pearl's Tennessee Vols over the home state Cardinals and Wildcats. Order is restored.

2. On March 31st of this very year the Chicago Cubs opened the 2008 campaign in classic Cub fashion with a 3-run homerun in the bottom of the 9th to tie the game at 3-3 only to give up a run in the top half of the 10th to lose 4-3 sending the Opening Day patrons home disappointed

On April 23rd of 2008 Aramis Ramirez hits a dramatic 2-run homerun in the top of the 9th to give the Cubs a 6-5 lead against the Colorado Rockies. The Cubs of course gave the lead right back in the Rockies half of the 9th to send the game into extra innings. This time however the Cubs did not go Cub . . . . with lil' Samatha in the world the Cubs mustered up the courage to take the lead for good on a 2 out RBI single by Ryan Theriot in the top of the 10th. Carlos Marol came on in the bottom of the 10th to retire the Rockies in order for the Cubs 10,000th win! Coincidence . . . . . you decide?!?!

3. In April of 2002 University of Tennessee basketball player Marcus Haislip after a break-out season declares himself eligible for the NBA draft thus trashing the hopes and dreams of Haislip and Ron Slay forming a potent scoring duo for the following year and a run at a SEC championship. Yet another star leaves with potential unfulfilled.

On April 24, 2008 first team All-SEC sophomore Tyler Smith announces he is returning to Rocky Top for one more year turning down NBA riches for another run at a SEC championship. He did not site the emergence of Samantha Elise Noland as a deciding factor, but who is to say he did not take it into consideration?!?!

1st Full Day . . .

I just flew in from Heaven . . . .

and boy are my arms tired! (insert drum rim shot here)

Samantha's first full day on Earth was spent sleeping, eating, and sleeping some more. It did not really matter what she did though . . . . as during no point in the day was she not being held or loved on.

The doctors and nurses all said it was perfectly normal for her to sleep 95% of the time for the first 24-36 hours as the affects of the epidural wear off. We expect her to be a lot more active today, and by active we mean "vocal". According to our sources . . . today will be the day she learns the wonderful world of her digestive system. Although she was starting to "release some air" last night after we fed her.

I'll post some pictures from yesterday. Lots of doctor visits, but somehow the grandparents still found some time to squeeze in with Samantha . . . imagine that!

Happy Birthday Samantha!

Here are some random pictures from Samantha's first 3 hours on Earth. As you can tell from the pictures . . . . she had a lot of flashing lights upon her arrival. Doctor's have given her a clean bill of health and Amy is bouncing back quickly. Mother and father are tired but eternally grateful!