True Joy with Emily Joy Designs

I have to give a blog-shout out to Emily Joy Gresham of Emily Joy Designs. She is a photographer that was recommended to me by friend Brooke Chamblee. She has a fairly new photography business, but is gaining experience fast as word spreads of her great work.

I had been wanting to do some pictures with newborn Lincoln and of our new family of four, to use for Christmas cards (coming soon to a mailbox near you!) and to have as portraits. This sweet, so-tiny, wrinkly newborn stage passes so quick and I wanted to try to capture it. She got some beautiful pictures, despite having to work with a busy, whiny 20-month old, a hungry newborn, and our messy house. Yes-she even came to us!

She is very reasonably priced- $50 includes her sitting fee and a cd of all pictures. She does a lot of pictures at the botanical gardens too. And, I love the music on her website! :) I recommend her to you! (She also did the picture that's now the header of our blog & the family picture)

Here are few of my favorites:

Grandad Time

Mom & Dad switched spots and Dad was here to help us for a few days. I really appreciate how they split their visits to extend our help! It just made life so much easier to have full-time, live-in help for Georgia for our first 2 1/2 weeks home with a newborn. It gave me time to adjust and Georgia some extra-special attention during this transition.

Grandad gets a snuggle with Georgia & Lincoln

We had a list of projects around the house for dad, since we know he likes to keep busy when here, but I think he only got to a few of them. Georgia did a pretty good job of filling his days and the rest of the time he was gracious to help with the more mundane stuff like laundry, cooking dinner, grocery shopping and bottle washing. He also took Georgia on walks, played outside with her, and he & Larry took Georgia to the McWane Science Center to see the train exhibit and play with their many things to play with!

Georgia & Grandad do a duet on the giant piano at McWane

Thanks again, dad, & we're looking forward to having you and the rest of the family here next week for Christmas!

Grandad's baby girl, all sweet and clean out of the bath!

Lincoln enjoys some special time with his Grandad

Grammie Time

It has been such a blessing having my mom here the last two weeks. She flew in pronto when I went into labor with Lincoln, and has been taking care of us, and especially Georgia, ever since. While it's been wonderful having someone taking care of things like dinner, laundry and feeding the dog, the best has been the extra-special attention she's given Georgia. And while we know we may have some Grammie-detox to do with Georgia after she leaves, it'll be worth it because I know they both have truly loved this time together.

Thanks so much and we love you, Momasita!

Here's a glimpse of the fun:

Making sugar cookies...

and a gingerbread house- Georgia wanted to taste all the gumdrops before putting them on the house!

Watching the FL v. AL game and snuggling with brother!

Riding the reindeer at the carousel in the mall!

Little elves ready for shopping!

We trade grandparents tomorrow, dropping mom off at the airport and picking up my dad. He'll be here thru Wednesday to extend our help and, of course, play with Georgia. We're all looking forward to it!

And, of course, here are some more pictures of our sweet boy :)
Lincoln: One Week Old!

Our sweet little boy

Kisses from big sister

Snoozin on daddy

Home with Lincoln

It feels great to be home! We got home late Wednesday and spent the last two days just getting settled. Larry went back to work since Grammie is here to help with Georgia. Georgia's enjoyed having the special attention, which is nice for me so I can focus on remembering what to do with a newborn! Nobody tells you that just because you've done this before doesn't mean you have all the answers the 2nd time! Lincoln has generally been a good boy, except he is either scared of the dark or unhappy with the firmness of his bassinet mattress, because he's spent the first two nights crying from about 12-4am. But overall we're doing great- he's eating well, and generally being sweet the rest of the time.

So far I have to think Georgia is at a great age to be getting a little brother. She's really self-involved enough at this age that this really hasn't affected her, in her mind. She'll want to come see brother, give him a kiss and pat on the head, and then she's on to find something else to do! But he's really not even on her radar. She's spent much more time on her baby-doll, strapping her into the swing, putting diapers on her and wiping her off, and carrying her around in her new baby-carrier that straps baby to her chest, like a Bjorn. (Thanks, aunt Karen!!)

Georgia gets to hold "brother"

I love how she smooshed his face in close for kisses!

I am thankful for how the Lord has sustained me with energy and patience. It seems you get a much-needed dose of both upon arriving home with a newborn. I've been so thankful for mom and Larry's help as we get settled into a feeding schedule that allows little time for sleep! But I'm also amazed on how the days are already slipping by- tomorrow Lincoln will be a week old and it still seems amazing that he's here. We're just trying to soak it all in as it goes by!

The Hipp boys hanging out at home!

Lincoln's first bath at home!

Welcome, Baby Boy!

Lincoln Eli Hipp

officially came into the world, our family and our hearts

Monday, December 1st, 2008 at 6:25pm.

He surprised us all by weighing in at a whopping

8 pounds, 14 ounces

and is 20 inches.

Everyone has a birth story, and since we're basically just sitting at the hospital waiting till we can be discharged tonight, I'll give you the short story on Baby Lincoln...

I started having back pains about 4am Monday (boo- back labor again!). By 7am we were throwing Georgia in her car seat with a cereal bar and heading out into the morning rush hour to get to the hospital. Side story- on the way to the hospital the lady in the car behind us was rear-ended by the car behind her and she skidded to a stop inches from our bumper. Praise God-because I was not stopping for a fender-bender!

We met Matt & Sandy at the Summit and literally threw Georgia in their car with her toys and gear and headed on to the hospital. (THANK YOU aunt Sandy for watching her all day for us!) My mom was due in town Tuesday for Georgia-duty, so we were so grateful for the Phelps being our back-ups. Mom caught the first flight in to Bham and made it in time to be here for Lincoln's arrival, and has had Georgia for us since then.

I got admitted, and they hooked me up to the monitors, but after 2 hours I was not progressing much so they sent me on my way. This did not make me real happy b/c I was still contracting and just knew I was in real labor! Larry & I headed to Panera Bread to get some lunch and contemplate our next move. I kept contracting all thru lunch and as we finised our last bites, I looked up at Larry- "My water just broke!"

Yes- in Panera Bread.

Truly, I was thrilled because now I knew they would admit me to the hospital! So we left probable health-code violations at Panera and headed back- by the time we got there I was sitting in a puddle! I dripped my way up to my Dr's office, who confirmed my water had broke (duh!) and I finally got a room, a gown, and some meds!!

That was really the exciting part- from then on it went as well as could have. I labored, got my epidural, continued to labor, went from 6cm to 10cm in an hour, pushed for 25 mins, and my baby boy was born! The whole room gasped "whoa!" as the little chunker came out- even the doc had predicted him b/w 7-8lbs. Compared to Georgia who was 7 lbs 6oz, he is truly huge! He has adorable, pinchable, puffy cheeks, rolls on his arms and legs, and a double chin! He's beautful, healthy, eating well and a miracle! God has certainly blessed us with our babies and we are so grateful and give Him all the glory for them!

We go home tonight and will really start life as a foursome. Georgia came up to see her brother for a few hours, but mostly just ran around the room getting into stuff, like normal! She gave brother kisses and hugs and told him to "hush" as he wimpered- so bossy! I think it'll become more real to all of us as we get settled in at home.

Thank you for your prayers- we'll post more soon!