Autumn B.- 24 years old MS/LA/AL

I am alittle rusty at this blogging thing... I haven't blogged since like week 24 of my pregnancy and now Emilee is HERE and 7 months old.. HA! But I am doing this for one of my great friends. I have faith in Kelly's SUYL so here's hoping I am cupid!

This is Autumn!

Autumn is a 24 year old 2011 graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, MS where she received her Masters in Accounting. While at USM she was involved in numerous school activites such as: Beta Alpha Psi, British Studies, Tau Sigma, Beta Gamma Sigma and the Business Student Advisory Council. (All while maintaing a stellar average)

Graduation Day!!!!



Honor Society Christmas tree decorating contest



This past summer she traveled to London to study!

She currently works for a succcessful accounting firm in the Foley, AL area.

After finishing college, she moved to the beautiful Alabama beaches! Well, sorta...she lives a few miles away but I can smell the salty air from her doorstep!

Autumn and I met in Junior College and immediately hit it off... since then...well the rest is history. I graciously turned over my presidency of Phi Theta Kappa when I graduated... she took it and brought it to new heights! Each time we get together is as if no time was spent apart and you can usually find us saying random things together that ONLY makes sense to us.  I can go on and on about her great qualities but feel it's best to include some of her thoughts.

My (Renee) wedding day!

I asked her the 3 words that she uses to describe herself and she told me the following:
1. Accomplished

2. Respected

3. Adventurous

Where does she see herself in 10 years?
"In 10 years I see myself as a Senior Manager in my firm, very involved in my community, and hopefully with a husband and child(ren)."


What is her best quality?
My big heart!

Sold yet?? There's more....

She's a great Christian. She attends church regularly and really lives for the Lord. Which these days, is a blessing in itself.

Her family is fantastic. I love her mom like I love my mom. She cooks fantastic breakfast! I stayed with them a few years back and she had breakfast cooked daily for us! Shout out to Ms. Debbie! Her dad is a hard worker who has instilled fabulous values in her and her sister and brother in law are awesome as well. Your not just getting a great girl, your getting a PHENOMENAL family.

And finally,

Her sweet dog Rosie!! Package deal!

Seriously yall, Autumn is one of the strongest people I know.  She has overcome obstacles in life that most people don't dream of... That is what makes her so great!! I could go on and on about her qualities...having her name three clearly wasn't enough but in the interest of time and hoping that someone will actually read ALL my ramblings... I hope this snapshot profile will do.

So, if your interested or know someone who might be. Comment here or email me at reneesullivan27@yahoo.com. I have to screen for crazies guys! HA!

Your getting a great girl. She will take you down at Putt Putt Golf on the beautiful beaches of Gulf Shores, or you can just spend the day doing nothing but reading the newspaper! Either way...this Autumn just isn't the name of a season...she could be the girl of your dreams!

OB appt 24 weeks

We had our 24 week appt yesterday (Thursday) and we attempted to repeat the ultrasound since our last one at 20 weeks was interrupted by a fiesty little girl! Spoiler alert though...this one didn't go too much better! Emilee had a GREAT strong heartbeat at 137 bpm. Weighs in at exactly 1 pound, 8 ounces. She measures alittle ahead of schedule in some areas, right on schedule in most. So no change in due dates... We are still trucking right along to July! We also met with our midwife, Dana. I have honestly grown to love her sooo much more than I thought I would. Midwives to me are so "old days" but Dana is right there with me every step of the way and even gave me her number yesterday so that when I go into labor I can call her day or night and she will come deliver my child...Not many doctors will do that for you. In fact, I am not sure ANY will. So I really love her for that. And she cries with me, and laughs with me and we just click. Keith really likes her too, she is always showing him and teaching him how to feel the outlines of my uterus so we can watch my belly grow, and shows him how to find the baby and such. Of course, Dana said everything was right on track and had no issues with anything. Says my pregnancy is a breeze. We will go back in 4 weeks for our 28 week appointment and at that time we will do the glucose test again to test for gestational diabetes and then we will start going EVERY 2 weeks! OMG! So close!

As I mentioned earlier, our ultrasound was eventful again. She cooperated ALITTLE bit better than last but not much. She really loves to keep her hands and arms up near her face so we can't see anything. We did get to see her heart though which was most important to me. I read alot of blogs that have either lost children due to congenital heart defects or are expecting children with them. So I was super worried about it. But I am VERY happy to report her little heart it perfect. I personally counted 4 chambers, watched the blood flow through her heart, saw those valves opening and closing, and saw a really nice strong beat. So that relieved me so much. We still didn't get everything they need so I will most likely have to have another ultrasound but of course I don't mind that. However, Miss Emilee did show us her little mouth for a moment when she STUCK her tongue out at us! We were fortunate enough to get pictures of it but of course seeing in in real time was amazing. I know I will have a full time job on my hands with this little girl. She is going to be something! Her little legs never stop moving either. She is definitely very active! HA!

And that is it. Everything is going great and I couldn't be happier. Now if I could just pick out a stroller....

See ya soon!

Prego Mego- 23 weeks

Here we are, again a few days late, at 23 weeks! Next week I will turn 24 years old...and I will be 24 weeks pregnant...I think that is so cool. Emilee and I have made some pretty big strides this week. She is definitely making her presence known lately!

23 Week Highlights

Weight Gain/Loss: I weighed this morning at have gained a total of 3 pounds...after losing nearly 30...But 1 of those 3 pounds comes and goes...so it depends on the day!

Gender: It's a girl! Emilee Sullivan

Size: This week, Emilee is the size of a.... Papaya! Again! Apparently this is the size we are going to stay at for a few weeks according to thebump.com.

Symptoms: This has been the biggest change for me this week.. Emilee is growing like a little weed and she is showing me how much by stretching me out! We have definitely been dealing with some growing pains. Last night (Wednesday) was the first night that I was completely totally unable to get comfortable due to the growing pains. Finally Daddy propped some pillows up ALL around me and I was able to get some rest. I find myself laughing soooo much throughout the day because depending on Miss Priss's mood, I can look sooooo pregnant and then look soooo not pregnant. When she wants to be known, she comes to the front and sticks it all out, but when I am stressed or anxious or if she is just being alittle trickster she will hide over by my hips and my belly that was there 5 seconds ago is GONE. I find my patients looking at me soo funny sometimes cause they are like...well I THOUGHT you were pregnant but your belly just disappeared! It's our act! HA!

The only other symptom to talk about is HEARTBURN! I swear I am growing a "Cousin It." Thankfully Tums relieves most of this so its not a big deal. Just want to stand up alot!

Maternity Clothes: If you see the above about Emilee's disappearing belly act you will understand that sometimes I clearly need the prego clothes, sometimes I don't!

Miss: Nothing.

Movement: She moves alot more lately. Not while I am at work...me walking keeps her snoozing most of the day but at night she gets busy! Still won't let Daddy feel her yet but I think that is Emilee being alittle trickster!

Sleep: I sleep great, a few potty breaks...not every night, some nights.

And this weeks update from thebump.com:
"Baby's little face is fully formed...minus the baby fat, of course. The next task at hand for baby: sprouting two teeny-tiny nipples!"

I can't believe that I only have 4 more weeks in the second trimester! Could this be going ANY faster?!?! I am so in love with my little girl and she isn't even here yet. I just know that she will be sooo special and bring so much joy. I can't wait to tell her ALL about her namesake and how much he meant to mommy and how special she is that she gets to be named after him. And how daddy goes to the stores with me and I end up having to drag him out before he spends our life savings. So many things I can't wait to show her, teach her but most of all... I just want to hold her!

As always, see you next week!

Emilee's Crib

This past Sunday...two very important things happened... MY BIRTHWEEK began AND Emilee got her crib! What a way to start my birthweek! Birthweek's by the way applies to the week leading up to your birthday... As if that wasn't obvious.

None the less, MeMe bought Emilee her crib! It was a complete surprise and a very welcome one. We couldn't wait to get her crib home and put it together. I was alittle nervous about putting it together. I have heard LOADS of scary stories about hours it takes, etc.... I was nervous! Especially when Keith said "well as long as I use MOST of the screws..."

Keith unboxing the crib.... this box was the biggest box  I have ever seen! So many pieces!

SOME of the boxes INSIDE the boxes!

Stil opening up those boxes.

Sophie checking things out......

IS THAT FOR ME?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Working hard for his little girl's bed.

Emilee watching all the action...

ALMOST DONE!



DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And the only screws left are for the conversion kits that convert from crib to toddler to full size. I promise!


And that's our crib! It is currently still sitting in our living room, mainly because I couldn't WAIT to put it together but until the bed comes out of the nursery, there is no room for a baby bed. So Ms. Sue and Mr. Gary if your reading this....I have a bed that needs to come to Centreville! :)

Prego Mego- 22 weeks

Here we are 22 weeks along...this week has been crazy to say the least. Lots of things have transpired over the last couple of days and to be honest my head is still spinning. Good thing I have this sweet little girl in my belly who encourages me to stay CALM! Other than that, just your normal prego update.

Week 22 Highlights

Weight Gain: 2 or 3 pounds according to my scale.

Gender: It's a girl! Emilee Sullivan!

Size: This week Emilee is the size of a papaya! Picture from thebump.com

Symptoms: None except...emotional, hormonal, all the "AL's" in life! I even cried during an epiosde of Saved By the Bell this morning....

Maternity Clothes: I am wearing them OCCASIONALLY. It depends on Emilee. If she sits in the front of my belly I will wear the maternity shirts...if she sits anywhere else, I continue to wear my regular clothes. It's funny because some days I LOOK pregnant, and some days I look so NOT pregnant.

Miss: Nothing much...

Movement: Every now and then.... But still not too frequently.

Sleep: Sleeping GREAT! Still on my stomach most nights or just on my side.

And this week's update from thebump.com:

"Baby's settling into sleep cycles, snoozing about 12 to 14 hours a day. It shouldn't be hard to figure out when -- just pay attention to those kicks as they start and stop."

Really no other updates to talk about. Wish I had more to say! We will continue to work on Emilee's room this weekend. Hopefully get all that furniture out of the room so we can really get down to the nitty gritty. So we will see. And we need to finish registering. Aunt LiLi is planning our baby shower and she has me all sorts of deadlines to hit! HA!

See ya next week!

Prego Mego- 21 Weeks

Ok so this may be a few days late but on Tuesday I had the day off and spent the day working on Emilee's nursery and spring cleaning our home. I took pictures throughout the day of working on the room and will post them all in one big post. Before/After thing. I was just glad I didn't find another family living in my guest bedroom. I haven't been in that room in FOREVER and had no idea what was behind that door.

Week 21 Highlights

Weight gain/loss: Gained maybe a pound or two. It fluctuates daily.

Gender: It's a girl! Emilee!

Size: This week, Emilee is the size of a... BANANA! (picture from thebump.com)

Symptoms: Some heartburn  but Tums fixes that right up. And some others that are not Blog mentionable! HA!

Maternity Clothes: Have them, don't wear them too often. They are so comfy though!

Miss: Nada. Having too much fun to miss anything. Since I have gotten pregnant, such wonderful things have happened in my life. I had a horrible 2010...and at the end I was blessed with this sweet little girl, and since then things have certainly changed. My relationships have changed, I have made some AWESOME new friends in the most random of places, Keith and I are so blissfully happy it is even disgusting to me sometimes! Life is really fabulous right now. I couldn't complain even if I wanted to.

Movement: I am feeling Emilee more and more. Alot at night. Poor daddy can't quite feel her yet and this upsets him, but he understands that his little girl is still just alittle small! But he can't wait!

And this week's update from thebump.com:

"Baby's digestive system is busy creating meconium (a tarry black substance made of swallowed amniotic fluid, digestive secretion, and dead cells), which will fill the first diaper after birth. And, if baby is a girl, her womb is now stocked up with her lifetime supply of six million eggs (the number will drop to around one million by birth)."

Tuesday, as I mentioned earlier, I had the day off. It was Mardi Gras here in South Louisiana. One of my favorite holidays. This year though was SOOO NASTY! Rainy, tornado warnings, flooding rain at sometimes. So we decided to stay home. So I sent Keith off to get me and Emilee some pancakes from McDonald's... (funny, she will eat the breakfast but NOT anything else....we do NOT like Chicken Nuggets, which totally breaks my heart.)...so anyway, I am laying in bed relaxing and my sweet Sophie comes and joins me. Now she always lays with me, this is a usual thing, we are extremely close. She is my first little lady! But that morning she laid in a unusual space...she usually lays up on my chest, closer to my face, but that day she laid right on Emilee. So I start petting Soph, and she starts purring and Em goes NUTS. And I don't know if Sophie could kinda feel it maybe but Sophie would try to bury down in my belly more like she was getting close to Emilee. Awe! Sisters! Bonding already! Keith says it could have been Emilee trying to get away from Sophie. But I tend to go with my first thought. Here is quick picture I snapped.

Then, last nigt (Wednesday).... Emilee had some crawfish! I had had a few once before maybe back in December but now since Em can actually TASTE what I eat..I was anxious to see what her opinion of crawfish would be....well... in conclusion! SHE LOVED THEM! True little coonie after all!

See ya next week!

HALF WAY THERE!!!!!- 20 weeks

Wow, 20 weeks pregnant. Half way through, in roughly 20 weeks I will be holding my little GIRL in my arms. My sweet little Emilee. My precious little baby. I am sooo enjoying my pregnancy that I have mixed emotions, I feel like it is flying by, but at the same time I am glad it is because I can't wait to have her HERE! BTW, I have been taking weekly belly shot pictures, when I remember, but I always keep forgetting to post them. Bad mom award!

20 Weeks

Weight Gain/Loss: Gained like a pound,  but it seems to go and come.

Gender: It's a GIRL! Emilee Sullivan

Size: This week, Emilee is the size cantaloupe! Picture from thebump.com

Symptoms: Heartburn alittle more frequently. Most notably this week it feels like Em is hanging out wayyyyy low.... Which kinda concerned me because I was having some back aches and some cramping...but a quick call to the doc and I was reassured that everything is A-OK, just my body doing natural pregnancy things!

Maternity Clothes: Have them, don't really wear them. Although I can honestly say, Keith and I went to a baseball game Tuesday night and Emilee, who usually hangs on my HIPS or on my back bone, decided to move her little self to the front of my belly for the first time and wow did my belly finally look pregnant! I could barely zip my jeans and my shirt was alittle snug in the mid area! It felt so good for her to be OFF my hips but felt even better to actually look pregnant! Plus I can feel her alot better when she moves when she is out front instead of the "hip zone."

Miss: What is there to miss?!?!?!!

Movement: Everynow and then. Not alot, but sometimes. Which is still completely normal for this stage in the pregnancy.

And finally the weekly update from thebump.com:

"Baby gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid every day, both for nutrition and to practice swallowing and digesting. And, these days, those taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies respond best to tastes they've already had via amniotic fluid. Meaning, think about what you'd like your future child to eat as you prepare your own lunch."

As I mentioned, Tuesday night Keith and I (and EM!) went to the LSU vs. SELU baseball game. It was my first visit to the new Alex Box Stadium and it definitely won't be my last! Emilee and I enjoyed an array of food: chicken tenders, fries, corn dog, drink, etc. (no this wasn't all for me! Keith and I shared!)....if only I could have gotten them dang Cracker Jacks! We enjoyed the game and the Tigers pulled out a victory. Most thankful for the elevators at the new stadium because those stairs were killer but the sweet men let me ride them up and down as many times as I needed! It was so great to be at the ballgame. Emilee's cousin and namesake, Emile, was a great baseball player and had a love for the game like no other. I watched him play TONS of games from little league to high school. I hope to share his love for baseball with Emilee. Maybe she will play softball? Or maybe not. Maybe she will just love the game and the atmosphere like I enjoy. I played alittle softball (slow pitch...I was the pitcher!) when I was younger but never anything else. But I love to watch the game. It's an American Tradition. I sat in the stadium last night just taking in all the things baseball has to offer and knew that Emile was with me and I know he is watching over my Em.

Anyway, this week we also have our montly OB appt and an ULTRASOUND. Which would make on average a ultrasound every 2 weeks thanks to Autumn at First Glimpse who has been kind enough to give us a "glimpse" of Emilee so often! This ultrasound of course will be for the doctor so alittle more in depth!

See ya next week!