Hamilton and Collier

Mimi and Hamilton came to visit us this morning in the hospital. Hamilton seemed a little more interested in little Collier: He kept pointing to him saying, "Baby, baby!" He, however, did not want to hold Collier when Mimi asked him. Mr. Morgan recorded this video from our morning visit. I think it's indicative of what's most fascinating to Hamilton at this point.

Sweet Videos

To keep our faraway family updated, Mr. Morgan recorded several videos of Collier's first day. If you like videos of babies, feel free to enjoy watching little Collier's first bath and diaper change, time with Mama and Daddy, and newborn noises and coos.

Collier's first day shown in videos:

Finally, Collier Welch Morgan Arrives!

At 5:02 pm on Thursday, April 28, Collier Welch Morgan was born. He weighed nine pounds, and he was 20.5 inches long.

Claire was ecstatic yesterday to see Collier; she's such a proud sister.

Hamilton, on the other hand, was a little wary of Mama in a strange bed and a new, swaddled baby. He spent most of the visit playing with his truck and finding used surgical gloves on the floor.

Mimi loved welcoming another grandchild into the family.

Tomorrow

Despite our best efforts which included daily, two-mile walks for the past two weeks and stern warnings to come out or else, baby Collier seems to be waiting for my scheduled induction tomorrow morning. My biggest consolation in most likely being induced is that I'm scheduled to have my favorite nursing midwife attend me. Carrie was wonderful to me during Hamilton's delivery, and I'd been a bit nervous about giving birth this time with a different midwife.

So Mr. Morgan and I will head to the hospital early tomorrow morning, and Mom and Dad who are coming tonight will be taking care of the kiddos. I've been busy this week cleaning the house and stockpiling food, so now all we need is baby Collier to come.

Here's my belly at 41 weeks and 3 days.

Her Style

Claire informed me on Monday that she'd determined the art area in which she was most gifted. She went on to explain that artists usually focus on one art area and that over spring break she'd discovered hers. Mosaics she's decided is her favorite style of art to do, and she's been obsessed with collecting paint-sample cards from home-improvement stores to use in her mosaics. Yesterday she told Mr. Morgan she'd "found her style" before giving him this picture.

Easter Sunday

While part of me was disappointed to be still waiting for Collier to make his appearance, I was happy not to miss Easter Sunday at church. We hadn't made any grand plans for the day, since we weren't sure if we'd be in the hospital. We enjoyed a church-wide breakfast before the worship service, and the men's horn group played during worship, which is always such a special treat.

I tried to get some pictures of Hamilton in his Easter finest, but he was much more interested in the cookies that are served following the service. I placated him with two fig newtons, which we called cookies, though I'm sure he'd have preferred the chocolate-chip ones.

For lunch the Hardee-Whites invited us to join their family celebration which included Alex's parents, so we enjoyed a delicious Easter dinner and fine afternoon fellowship. The boys played outside after lunch--the big boys did too.

Though the sunlight was much too bright for this picture, I thought we'd better snag a family photo (minus Claire) before the little one arrives.

Hunting Easter Eggs

Hamilton's school held an Easter-egg hunt on Thursday. Since this was Hamilton's first hunt, I wondered how he'd fare. He and his classmates walked hand-in-hand to the playground for the hunt.

He and Grady, who's a veteran Easter-egg hunter with two hunts already under his belt, went to work "finding" eggs lying in the grass and filling their baskets.

Hamilton's already getting bored with saying "cheese" for Mama to take a picture of him, so I didn't get any direct eye contact this time.

I think the boys were comparing their loot.

Hamilton's basket (the only one I had in the house) is from our wedding. Claire carried it down the aisle while she dropped rose petals. Hamilton really excelled at finding the eggs, quickly filling his little basket. He spent most of the remaining time putting his eggs back in his basket when it continued to overflow.

Hamilton figured out that the eggs open, so he was quick to check out the insides. Much to his and Grady's dismay, the eggs were empty.

I dressed Hamilton in his Easter-Sunday outfit for this occasion because I wasn't sure (and I'm still not) if we'd be able to attend church on Easter Sunday. He thought the smocked bunny on his jon-jon suit was a horse, so he kept saying, "Ahsee, ahsee" all day when pointing to his chest.

JaiLynne and I attempted to get our boys to stand by each other for a picture with their full baskets. This shot is as close as we got.

Hamilton did stand still long enough for a quick picture with me--and my big belly.

Back in their classroom, the kids enjoyed cupcakes, juice boxes, and bananas.

Though Hamilton went for the bananas first, he thoroughly enjoyed his cupcake.

Readying the Nest

Yesterday was my official due date, so I guess technically I'm "overdue." Babies tend to come when they're ready, so I'm not fretting too much at this point. Plus, I have several things that need to get done during this Holy Week, and there are several events at church I'd rather not miss either.

Today I finished the nursery officially. Saturday I finished touching up the paint in a few places, and today I vacuumed one last time. We've made a few changes since it was Hamilton's nursery because now it also doubles as a guest bedroom.

We also added a chest of drawers to make it friendly for overnight guests.

The crib is in the same place with the same bedding, but Deb replaced the squashed stuffing in the bumper making it all look new again.

I love seeing all the little clothes hanging in the closet, including the bumblebee costume that will hopefully see some more use.

With the furniture rearrangement leaving no wall space, I moved the monogram letters to above the curtain. Now the nursery is ready, and we're ready for Collier Welch's appearance any day now.

Patio-Pool Playing

This afternoon Hamilton played in the pool that sits on our patio. He loved splashing around in the water and throwing all sorts of things into the pool.

Helpfully, he says "cheese" when I break out the camera, and he does have the cutest little smile.

Spring Strings Concert

Tonight was Claire's end-of-the-year Strings concert, and with some family finagling we all attended. I say "finagling" because Claire had to be at the concert site an hour early, plus the location was 40 minutes from our house in afternoon traffic. And everyone still had to be fed around concert time. So after working out several details so our family could attend this concert in support of Claire, I was a bit frustrated that the gymnasium chosen for the concert wasn't nearly big enough for all the performers and their families.

Many folks had to stand for the whole concert just like us.

We stood in the corner and listened without really seeing much of anything, though Hamilton was able to play freely. He enjoyed dancing to some of the music, and he loved all the clapping and cheering at the end of each song.

He spent lots of time staring at another little kid who was on the top row of the bleachers.

Claire and the other fifth graders did a great job, and she loved hearing the middle-school and high-school students perform. Both were excellent and entertaining. I'm not sure if she's inspired to keep playing the viola next year at middle school, but the students' progress from fifth grade to middle school to high school was impressive.

So if anyone involved with the Strings concert reads this blog, here's my plea to please consider a bigger venue for next year's concert.

Blog Anniversary

Today is my blog's two-year anniversary. I looked back at last year's post on April 12 wondering why I hadn't thought about my one-year anniversary then. When I saw my post about finishing the Twilight Saga books, I remembered my preoccupied mind during those weeks.

My first post ever outlined why I started a blog, and many of those reasons haven't changed. I've enjoyed most everything about blogging these last two years, and I'm looking forward to growing and expanding Morgan Adventures. To my faithful readers, thank you for reading. You are such an encouragement to me.

Quick Getaway

Friday Hamilton and I headed to the farm, so I could leave him with Mimi and Pops for about 24 hours. Hamilton was super excited to be at the farm because Mimi and Pops just got some baby chicks.

Hamilton ran around the chicken coop for the longest time talking excitedly and pointing to the chicks. He couldn't get enough!

I had a girls' night planned with my Mountville girlfriends up in Saluda, NC. With Hamilton settled, I eagerly jumped in the car with Mollie and headed up the road. We girls dined at The Purple Onion on Friday night where we enjoyed delicious food and non-stop talking, sharing, and catching up. The last time we all gathered in the mountains was three years ago, so it was high time we did it again. While feeling so full from dinner, we headed back to the mountain house where we stayed up until nearly 2 am doing more talking and laughing.

Saturday morning Mollie made us sausage casserole for breakfast as we sipped coffee and talked some more--noticing a theme? We stayed in our pajamas most of the morning until Emily had to leave early. Panic set in because there was no time for all of us to get "camera ready" for a group shot before Em left. So she and Becca are pictured here as the two of us out of pajamas by 11:30.

The rest of us finally dressed and headed downtown Saluda for lunch at "the grill" which was part of this quaint grocery store. 

We each ordered cheeseburgers and onion rings. Becca and I, the pregnant ones, finished our meals with thick chocolate shakes.

We missed all the other cousins and sisters who weren't able to come this time, but we're hoping to have another getaway in the fall. I enjoyed my fun night and day with my oldest friends, and I'm so glad we were able to get away before my little one arrives.

Mr. Morgan and Claire had some fun, father-daughter time with a bike ride on Friday afternoon and a trip to the Charleston Air Expo on Saturday. Claire enjoyed searching out the booths that were giving away free stickers and inflatable airplanes. She came back with a bag full of free goodies. I'm sure she also liked seeing the fast-flying, twirling jets.

Twenty-One Months Old

Today Hamilton is 21 months old, and I've always thought about my boys' being 21 months apart in age. So planning this monthly update made the next one's appearance so much more real and definite. I've compiled a things-to-buy-before-the-baby-comes list for several weeks, but today Hamilton and I finally went to Babies "R" Us for the necessary items (e.g., newborn diapers).

Hamilton's vocabulary continues to expand, and he's much more eager to try to repeat words that I say. He's also putting more of his words together into phrases, even without prompting. Sunday Hamilton and I drove separately to church from Mr. Morgan, and as we pulled into our parking space beside Mr. Morgan's Explorer, Hamilton said, "Dada truh." I'm not sure that Hamilton actually recognized the vehicle because he's since said that phrase for some general trucks that don't look anything like our Explorer. But maybe he did recognize the Explorer and realize that he could describe it with two of his known words.

He's also begun putting together other known words like "nih, nih, Mama," and "bye-bye, Dada." He now calls the dogs by their names: "Faa-e" and "Fee." He's copied my hand gestures for when I fuss at the dogs, and he likes to say, "gii," as he seriously waves his hand. I guess the phrase he's heard me say to the dogs the most is "Get out of the kitchen!" Another gesture that I suppose Hamilton picked up from watching us is throwing his hands and arms out to his side as if to say, "Where is it?" He does this gesture whenever we're looking for something or if he doesn't know where something is.

I've started concentrating on getting Hamilton to help clean up his toys, which requires patience and energy on my part that I sometimes don't have. In the last few days he's shown me my labor has not been in vain. He's capable now of putting away his favorite puzzle after he plays with it--with little assistance or cajoling from me. Since he unpacks this puzzle half a dozen times a day, I'm thankful for this newly acquired skill.

Hamilton's latest sign is "hurt." Mr. Morgan taught him the word "boo-boo" to go with the sign, and Hamilton's good at pointing to scrapes and scratches while using his new word. If he cries like he's hurting, then I'll ask him what hurts (using the sign), and he's begun knowing what I mean.

He still loves trucks especially the little ones that Uncle Billy and Aunt Linda bought him at a yard sale back around the holidays. He can play with one truck for a long time running it over many different surfaces around the house.