Happy Father's Day!

I am warning you now... it's about to get MUSHY up in here!  If you can handle it... READ ON!

I cannot hold it in any longer... I want to shout it from the rooftop... Beeper Kraus, is not only an amazing husband, but also the best Daddy in the world! (Is this a real shock to anyone... I mean seriously?)

I married the man of my dreams and I loved him with all of my heart... then we had a child together! Everything changed... my heart grew and I now see my husband in a whole NEW light!  I feel as though my heart could explode, because my LOVE for Beeper has surpassed something that I could have never imagined!

I sit here now... glancing over to see him sleeping peacefully with our little blessing!  I reflect back 13 days ago, when Kingston was born and it brings tears to my eyes to remember what all Beep did for the both of us.  From the get go, Beeper was always concerned with how I was doing, feeling, and wanted to know if there was anything that he could do to help me.  He had to help me walk, get in and out of bed, potty, shower... you name it, he had to help me do it.  On top of that "Super Man" was taking care of our newborn baby at the same time.  We kept Kingston in our room the entire time that we were at the hospital.  He would stay day/night taking care of Kingston: changing diapers, feeding, holding, and just loving the little man.  Never complaining, always saying that he wouldn't have it any other way.

I have told him that I really think he missed his calling... he could have been making the BIG BUCKS, because he was supposed to be a "Celebrity Manny!" Maybe next lifetime.  Until then, he is ours...

Beeper is our rock and he definitely puts his family first.  He needs to help other men out and teach them how to be the "COMBO MAN,"  a great husband and Daddy. Kingston and I are so incredibly lucky to have such a caring and loving MAN in our lives. 

So raise your glasses and toast with me.

Here's to Beeper... may you have the best 1st Father's Day ever, 

because you deserve nothing, but the BEST!

Love, 

Kingston & his Mama    

Kingston Hunter Kraus

To all our LOYAL readers... I apologize for just now updating!  It's been 10 days to long... I promise that it WILL get better!  To tell you the truth and I am really not trying to make excuses... I have just been busy this week!  I mean you know having a baby and all! :)

Now that I have your attention let's back it up...

June 6th

Beep and I arrive at the hospital at 9:30.  I was having some MAJOR anxiety... NO LIE!  I prayed up until we walked through the ER doors, asking God to please send me a sign letting me know that everything would be just fine.  :)  As we were waiting on the elevator, I turned around and out of a room behind us came two men, dressed in black dress suits, and they were rolling out someone all ZIPPED up in a BODY BAG! OMG!!! Really?!?  Not, really the sign that I was looking for...

Super, we have been at the hospital less than 10 minutes and the tears are already building up in my BIG green eyes!  Beep was thinking... "Oh lordy, this could be a LONG day!"

Out the elevator and we are off to Labor and Delivery.  Round the corner and there is Joey, Nicole, and Flipper!  To sweet... after some high-fives we were off to check-in.

I was not heading back for surgery until 12:00, so we had two hours to chill-out, take pictures, and attempt to take-in what was actually about to happen.  Those two hours flew by and before I knew it was SHOW TIME... 

I enter the all white, super cold room (which felt wonderful) and I was thinking, "Is it to late to back out?"  They asked if some Kilgore College interns could watch... I told them that they could, but if I catch any of them posting it on you tube I would hunt them down. :)  I am still on the look out!

Shake.. Poke... Shake... Poke... Shake... Stab... Went my back!  Spinal Block, FINALLY in... Legs go numb... and I am still in SHAKE CITY.  I literally thought that I was going to shake off the table.  They straped down my arms and put up the sheet!  I was ready to see Beep and my Mama walk through the doors!  

The doors open and here came my "SMURFS," Beep and my Mama!  Beep sat right by me and my Mama had a side shot and watched everything that was going on. (No lie she could have delivered her grandson, with no problem!) :)  I kept asking Beep, "are you okay?"  I didn't need him hitting the floor! (No worries, he was a champ!) Also, Thanks Mom for being one "tuff cookie" and taking pictures, while your daughter was being "sliced & diced!  The pictures you took were priceless!!!

"Your going to feel some pressure," says Dr. Hutchison.  PRESSURE?!  It felt as though they had lifted my legs up in the air over my head.  I felt all the blood rush to my head and then, at 12:28, my ears heard the most precious sound... our little baby boy! My eyes were immediately filled with tears of HAPPINESS. I couldn't believe that he was finally here!  They whisked him away and I watched from the side as Kingston's proud Daddy cut the cord.

Beeper walked over and kneeled down beside me... and then he kindly introduced me to our son!  The proudest moment in my life was right then, this was the son that we had been praying for!  He was perfect... and he was ours!  

Kingston Hunter Kraus was born at 12:28 p.m.  He weighed in at 9lbs. 6.7oz. and was 20 1/2 inches long.  (He be BIG BOY... BIG BOY long time!)

I am so glad that he is finally here, healthy and ready to enjoy life with his Mama, Daddy, and Bailey Boo!

So here are some long overdue pictures of my precious baby boy and all his family and friends that helped welcome him into the world! :)

A big thanks to the best sister-in-laws in the world!  You two helped capture everything on camera and video and I can't thank you enough!  Thanks for being there!!!  :)  Love ya'll!

Also, to Kingston's TALENTED Big Daddy...  the 7ft. stork was AWESOME!  What a way to come home and let everyone know about our "special delivery!"  You are truly the most talented and creative person that I know. Thanks again for making everything so special and personalized Dad!  Love you so much!

  

Doooo-Do! Dooooo-Do! (Jaws Theme People)

I am sitting at my kitchen table, looking out at the pond, the 3 neighborhood ducks, people leaving for work, others taking there morning stroll.  This is just another day for them... I want to run outside and scream "DO YOU KNOW WHAT TODAY IS?" But I guess it is too early for all that...   :)  or should I?  

I stayed up last night, with a thousand thoughts running through my head... "Love on Bailey, did you do this, oh don't forget that, Love on Bailey, make a note so you don't forget, wash this, Love on Bailey some more..."  Then I think that my brain had enough and CRASHED!

Is it still totally weird that I cannot wrap my brain around what is actually happening today?  I mean, I have had 39 weeks to prepare my brain for this new little resident that will be living with us and still... I don't believe it!  I set up a nursery fit for a little "King!"  Yet, STILL I DO NOT believe it!  We keep talking about this baby... I feel him daily... I'm talking ALL DAY AND NIGHT... and still I feel like we are talking about someone else!

I was awakened by "boo-coo-tools" of text from family and friends expressing their happiness, prayers, and excitement!  Thank you all for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers... we are so lucky to be surrounded by such caring people! 

I am beyond the point of excitement... I am so ready for the reality of it all to begin and to see what God has created for us to share with the world! 

On that note... I better go get ready!  This is something that I actually should be ON TIME for, don't you think?  (Otherwise I will never hear the end of it from my Mother, but Mama Shirley you understand don't-cha?)  :)

Let the countdown begin... 

We'zzzzz Gonna BE PARENTS YA'LLLLLLL!

Holla Back! :)

We have a PLAN!

I wasn't supposed to go in to see Dr. Hutchison until Tuesday, but I couldn't wait any longer!  I called this morning at 8:00 and she called me back around 9:15, telling me to come on in at 11:00.

We arrive and I can see her eyes are HUGE... she had just looked at Kingston's sonogram pictures and measurements!  She said, "Girl what do you want to do?"  I wanted a plan... and I didn't want to wait until Friday that was FO-SHO!  So she brings in all the sono. data and we start to deliberate.  

Kingston's head is in the 93% percentile and as for his belly... well it was off the charts! My son's TUMMY is SO BIG that it could NOT be measured people!  She then told me that she would prefer to take him out via c-section.  I just nodded thinking, "DAMNIT - Why did I skip all those chapters in my baby books!"  Back to earth... "Okay, yeah I guess I can do that... so when are we talking here?"  "Whenever you want!"  Holy Smokes I am going to get to pick out his birthday...

ALK Brain Thought:  "Yeah, well Wednesday isn't really good for me, because that is our ANNIVERSARY! Hello, Mr. Kingston has to have his OWN day!  Umh... Thursday is the 11th and 6/11/09 I don't really care for that.  Friday is just TOO FAR AWAY!  Back up to tomorrow, Tuesday, 6/9/09... numerical order... multiples of 3...I like that!"  Just an FYI: on 6/9/34; Donald Duck made his 1st film appearance.  That's it... IT WAS MEANT TO BE! lol  

So there you have it people... Big Mama is going to the BIG HOUSE, Good Shepherd tomorrow at 10:00. I will be prepped at noon and Mr. Kingston will come out, into this CRAZY WORLD before 1:00.  NOW THAT IS A PLAN, and if you know me at all, you know that is ALL I ever wanted!  

The only thing is... now I feel like I am taking a test tomorrow that I haven't studied for at all!  Oh geezzz... I've gotta start reading! :)

Stay Tuned,

One Anxious Mama-2-Be 

Whooooo wants an update.... Who? Who? Who? Who?

For those of you that don't play the game name that tune very well... I feel the need to tell you to go back and read the title singing the tune "Who let the dogs out! :) There you go... MUCHO BETTA!

I thought that I should put out a written update on Mr. Kingston... if you haven't heard by word of mouth yet!

Tuesday, June 2nd 

I went to the doctor for our regular weekly checkup.  Everything was going normal... I was even impressed that I actually DID NOT gain any weight from the week before! Can I get a little what-what for BIG MAMA?  Anyway, she then says, "umh... I just don't really remember you measuring and looking so BIG last week!"  I'm thinking "umh...  that was below the belt, but I will let it slide!"  She then told me that she thinks that Kingston is going to be bigger than what she had expected and she wants for me to have a sonogram to measure his weight.  Alrighty then... I made an appointment!

 Friday, June 5th

Our appointment was for 11:00... Beeper & I got there at 10:35!  YOWZA - anxious, much?  I was so excited, we hadn't seen him since March.  So we assume our positions and look up at the the screen... and there he was... Mr. Kingston... and all smooched up! Bless his little heart, I just "thought" that he was uncomfortable!  The sono. tech then began to measure his head, belly, and thigh.  "What a big belly he has!" she said. After that she said, "well do you have any clue what he weighs?"  Beep & I had discussed it before... he thought 8 lbs. 5 oz. and I was thinking closer to 8 lbs. 7 oz.   Comically she smiles and states, "well.... my measurements show that right now he weighs 9lbs. 10 oz.!  UH-DOO-WHAT?  Come again?  One more time?  

We then walk out of the room... with CROOKED smiles on our face (for different reasons I am sure)!  I am baffled... Beep is PROUD!  Of course my doctor isn't there for me to talk with her about the results that we have just heard!  My next appointment is Tuesday, June 9th!  Yes, I know, by then my son could weigh close to 10lbs.  Ahhhh! 

As I sit here and type... I glance out the window to see a bright sky, lit up by one BIG FULL MOON!  

 "I'm ready... BRING IT ON... It's GO time people...let's get this BIG slugger OUT!"

Stay tuned... 

Gotta Give Props!

Let it be known that I had the BEST photographers to capture my "big-bellied-self" and all my glory.  My sister-in-law, Nicole, and her sister, Jessica have started a photography business... and I'm not just saying this... BUT THEY ROCK!  

I was privileged to have them come to my house and take some maternity pictures... the session lasted three hours... and we had SO MUCH FUN, and yes Beeper was a trooper!  Don't ever let "Lil Kraus" make you think that he doesn't enjoy being in front of the camera!  The Pretty Boy LOVES IT!!!  :) 

Here are some of the pictures that they captured... 

Did they do an AWESOME job or what?  I can't thank you enough Nicole and Jessica for coming down and taking pics of  "our bellies!"  Some how you two managed making this "Big Girl" look halfway decent and for that ALONE... big kisses to you both! Mmmmwwwwwahhhh!

Too see more pics that have been crafted by these "Talented Twin Sisters" check them out at http://www.jessicawilliamsphotography.com/