The Redd's: 2010 in Review

Well 2010 was such a life changing year! We started the year off with the annual winterfest ice ball but I cannot locate the pictures! At the beginning of February I was stuck in glasses with no make-up for a couple of weeks because I had Lasix done in the middle of March. It was such a life changing event for the blind Christen and I am still so very happy that I went through with it. It has been amazing to wake up in the middle of the night and not fumble around for glasses. I then started invisilign to improve some crooked teeth and did not finish the treatment until December (one that was supposed to be completed in July.) I even ended up with braces on my top teeth from September to December and never expected that.

March 2010
At the end of March we planned an amazing trip out west with the pharmacy crew to Breckenridge for Brad and I's first ski adventure! It was AMAZING!!! It definitely was up there with my top two trips (tied with the wine trip to Napa Valley) I mean it was gorgeous and snowed every day and we exercised (skiing) and drank some wine and relaxed in the hot tub (could there be a better trip for me?!

April 2010

The day we flew in from Colorado we headed straight to Augusta for a practice round at the Masters. Yes we went from ski jackets, hats, and gloves to short weather and sun burns! I was sort of dreading the trip as I had to work long days the rest of the week and was ready to get settled back at home...but man did the Masters change my mind. It really was such a great experience! This is of course Brad's dream day and he soaked it up. He must have tried every single sandwich that they make and charge $1.50 and he drank quite a few $2 beers as he continued to collect Masters cups all day long. 2 of Brad's friends joined us Joe and Joe and the boys really had such a great time seeing all of their idolized golfers. I just couldn't believe how beautiful this golf course was in the middle of Augusta and how fun it was to be so close to all of the golfers that I somehow end up watching every Sunday on tv with Brad!

April 2010

The girls and I had been planning a trip to visit Britt in Charlotte and after having to push the trip back from March to April we finally got to see Brittany's life in the city. We spent Friday night visiting Britt's new home in Mooresville and got to see her beautiful new home on the lake. We made our way to the city on Saturday. Charlotte is so cute and I just love South Park and the downtown area. We had a great day of shopping and then planned a night out at a hotel in the Epicenter of Charlotte and ventured out for a girl's night out. We stayed up until almost 4 am having a blast out at the piano bar and others neat bars in the area.

Well Sunday morning after the Charlotte trip Brad had an interview up in Knoxville so I hurried home so that we could make the trip on Sunday and visit with Corinne and the girls for the evening. I wasn't feeling too well but just thought I had stayed up too late and needed some rest. Well Monday morning I still wasn't feeling well but thought it was because I woke up with Hayden at 6:30 and again was just a little too tired. On our drive home to Greenville Monday afternoon I told Brad I was still feeling really hungover or nauseous or something didn't feel right. I remember telling him to stop at Mcdonalds for some apple dippers (quite the weird request on a gas station stop but he did). I then remember talking to Hewy on the phone and she told me she was having a 2 day hangover so again I was just thinking that maybe us girls had just hung out too late and I didn't think much about it. I then worked Tuesday through Friday and remember feeling so exhausted on my way to work each day. One time on my drive home from the gym at 7 am I remember my head almost bobbing up and down and thinking I am never tired after a morning workout. Well Friday night arrives and I finally tell Brad that something is "not right." I told him I could not shake this nausea and didn't know what could possibly be wrong. I remember telling him that if in the morning (Saturday April 17th) I was still feeling well maybe we should pick up a pregnancy test. So the morning rolls around and I am supposed to be at work at 9 so Brad ran up to Bilo and picked up a prego test. Again, I didn't think there was anyway I was prego but thought I would just scratch out the possibility. So I took the test and Brad was downstairs making some breakfast and I didn't even have to wait the 60 seconds it tells you to wait. The second the pee hit the stick there was an instant line. I remember being in denial and thinking I must have been on the part that changes color there is NO way I am really pregnant. I called Brad upstairs and he is jumping up and down and so excited and I am still in full shock...I couldn't believe I was supposed to go to work for 10 hours....but I did and then we headed to Hope's birthday party at Amy's house and I remember just feeling awfulllll and wanting to take another test to confirm. So we picked up another test and same thing instantly the stick showed a positive result.....so forever our lives would be changed and we never looked back...we just started planning for this new life with this little nugget that we would patiently wait to arrive in December.

This picture was taken on April 30, 2010 when I was just 7 weeks along. Little Crawford was just the size of a blueberry. I had been to the doctor at 5 weeks where they didn't even confirm that I was pregnant they just gave me a lot of paperwork about how to start taking care of myself and baby. I couldn't believe that they didn't even need to confirm what I discovered on a stick but they said that the tests they use are just as accurate as the ones in the store so we were going ot have to wait until 9 weeks for the first ultrasound and bloodwork.

June 2010
So after confirming that there was indeed a baby cooking inside of me and making it through that first trimest of pure nausea...I arrived to the second trimester. Crawford was now the size of an orange and still causing mom all sorts of wonderful nausea...but at least that's the only troubles he caused....I was so excited to be carrying this baby and couldn't believe I had made it 1/3 of the way through pregnancy!

June 2010

The first gifts I ever bought for little Crawford. 2 books that are from my birth city New Orleans!

We had planned a trip with Brad's parents to New Orleans (which his parents had never visited) and then on a cruise to Mexico. Our first stop in the city was the famous Cafe du Monde. We ate up some beignets during a downpour in the city. We spent the day walking around and exploring before having a dinner full of red beans and rice and jambalaya and walk through Bourbon Street.

The next day we got to visit my Godfather (Uncle Terry) and Aunt Marion where they had prepared quite the welcoming New Orleans feast. We had a great time all visiting together and enjoying gumbo, crawfish, stuffed artichokes and all of the finest New Orleans cuisine!

After touring the city we left on a Carnival cruise to Mexico. The 4 of us had a great time enjoying nice breakfasts together, time at the pool, a little time in the casino, the entertaining shows, and of course the 3 course dinners.

In Cozymel Brad and I decided to rent a jeep and tour the island. We had a great time just driving from one end to the other while Brad's parents enjoyed a historic tour of the city.

July 2010

Brittany and David invited us to the lake for July 4th weekend. Alexis and Michael were able to join us as well and us girls had a great time catching up while cruising on Britt's new boat!! We spent time discussing baby names for hours and the nights were spent playing drinking games while prego over here hit the bed early!

July 2010

I enjoyed a nice long visit from Corinne and the girls in July as well. Everyone knows how obsessed I am with my nieces. We took the girls to the waterpark in Greenville and had a great time watching Ryan go down all the waterslides. I remember their visit quite well because it ended with my sick in bed throwing up (the only time in the 9 months that I got soo sick).

July 2010

The day was finally here....the 20 WEEKS APPOINTMENT! aka the day we found out Crawford was a little boy growing in his mommy's tummy. I remember waiting for that date for soooo long and then when the day came all I kept thinking was oh dear Lord please tell me the baby is healthy. I must have asked the sonographer a dozen times if the baby was going to be healthy. She assured me that he looked 100% healthy and so mommy was just so estatic while his daddy about lost it when he found out he was going to be having a son! It was such an exciting moment an I will never forget Brad's reaction!

August 2010

I knew my days without baby were coming to an end and there was still one city on the list that I wanted to make it to before having a baby....Chicago! Jenny and I planned a girl's trip to Chicago and we had such a great time exploring the city via the hop on/hop off bus int he midst of the heat....we enjoye deep dish pizza, nice Italian dinner, a comedy show, a boat cruise alone the river, shopping along Michigan Ave., a Cubs game, and of course a hot dog for Jenny!

September 2010

Well I worked a couple of weekends, we spent Labor day at the Hendersonville apple festival followed by apple picking, I went to Hilton Head and spent some time with Corinne and the girls on their beach trip, Brad went to Vegas for Nick's bachelor party and Cathleen came to visit and help me with baby projects!

October 2010

We planned a weekend in Athens/Atlanta. We went to the UGA/UT football game and planned a fun tailgate with the girls and then headed to Atlanta to watch the Braves in the playoffs. Unfortunately they lost to Giants but it was a fun experience to be at one of Bobby Cox's last baseball games ever!

October 2010

A couple of weeks later the girls had planned an amazing shower for me at Chateau Elan outside of Atltanta. We enjoyed watching football and having lunch when we arrived and then spent the afternoon showering me with an overwhelming amount of gifts and games. We had just decided on name the week before...so yes it took us 30 weeks to come up with the name Crawford but we couldn't be any happier with our decision!

October 2010

The last weekend in October we got to celebrate the Brown's marriage. It was a great weekend and the wedding was at Larkins (where we got married but it was inside and completely different)...still such an amazing place to get married and they are such good friends to both of us so it was great being able to celebrate with them on their special day!

The following day Janet and Cathleen through me another incredible shower. I got to include my friends from work and Janet was able to include many of her great girlfriends that are always so great to see. Again everyone was so generous and kind and made me feel like one special girl!

November 2010

We had planned to make it to one Clemson game as well since it was more difficult this year to find time for tailgating on the weekends. It just so happens that Doug was able to get some box tickets for us and it was soooo much fun watching Clemson from a box with all you can eat food, indoor warmth, and comfy seats ....truly amazing for a girl that was 35 weeks prego!

Novemeber 2010

The Mathias's and Edward's through us a great couples shower at the end of November and provided dinner, diaper cake, and a lot of fun with friends! The girls even made the trip to see me one last time before Crawford's arrival!

December 2010

We were able to enjoy one last night out with friends at the beginning of December. This was also the day I got my braces off so I was in a great mood....I remember Brad was still not feeling well and kept getting so worried that Crawford would arrive while he was feeling so sick...but Crawford decided to hang out past his due date so even though we thought this was our last night out we were able to throw in a couple more dinners in there before he arrived!

After about 11 hours of labor with little progress I was taken back for a c-section where this adorable bundle of joy entered our lives and forever melted our hearts! Crawford Baylen Redd was born at 4:42 on December 15, 2010 weighing in at 8 lb 7 oz and 21 inches long!!