Officially ONE MONTH OLD!!!!! I just can not believe it---- No, really- I can not!!!! I have not posted on our blog in almost 2 months!!! So much to update on--- beginning with the single most important thing that has ever happened to me----- The birth of our son, Henry Arthur Pitt!!!!!!

Henry was born on December 29th 2011 at The University of South Alabama! He was born at 12:27am weighing 8lbs, 5oz and 20.5inches long!!!! Alex and I are absolutely OVER THE MOON with this little boy! Labor was rough--- 14 hours and ended up needing a C-section but totally worth it. He came out screaming and kicking and we were both able to hold him immediately.

Henry and I were discharged from the hospital on New Years Eve, where Alex and my dad came and picked us up and brought us home:) It was honestly the most magical time of my life. For you that know me well, it came as no surprise that I wanted children but I did not know the love you immediately feel when you birth a baby. It is really indescribable.

Alex was able to spend an entire month here with us. He left last week to head back home but will return here in February to "collect us" to take us home----exciting yet nervous!!! Henry's passport has already been issued and arrived in the mail on Friday which makes it official that we are heading home to Dubai.

So, let me just tell y'all how AMAZING my little boy is-----Ok- He hardly ever cries!!!! He is just so content in someone's arms:) Henry placed himself on a 3 hour schedule when he was 2 weeks old and is pretty much sticking to that as of now. I am wondering when I can move him to every 4 hours. He sleeps ALOT! In the past week, he has had more "awake" times but he still is a very sleepy baby-----and I am not complaining!!!! Alex's mom brought pictures of Alex when he was a newborn and they are identical. Henry looks just like his daddy--which is fine with me:) He was last weighed 2 weeks ago and he was 9lbs 7oz so I imagine he is near 12lbs now. He goes back this week for a "check-up."

Alex and I could not be happier and we can not wait to watch our little boy grow:) Stay tuned for more pictures:)

December 17, 2011-- 39 weeks!

Mom, Laura and I at my shower

Our  sleeping angel- 1 day old

In the recovery room

Alex hangs his flag!

Mary Stevens and Warren meet their cousin

dreaming

Snuggle bunny

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

It's official!!!! I am definitely pregnant:) 36 weeks to be exact and I am feeling every single week at this stage. I hate to complain, but my goodness--- people were right when they said the 9th month is the hardest. I am gigantic---- as round as a butterball turkey and I have 4 weeks left. After finding out yesterday that Henry is now weighing a whopping 6lbs, 7oz...... I am scared to think how BIG this boy will be when he makes his debut.

Alex and I have now been apart for 8 weeks. It has been very hard but the end is near!!! 2 weeks from Friday, I greet Alex at the New Orleans Airport. The date---- DECEMBER 23rd!!!!! So, if you could all start praying now that he makes it to New Orleans for his scheduled arrival, that would be GREAT. Thanks.

For the past 4 weeks, I have been extremely busy preparing our new home for my husband and our first child. If you do not know, I absolutely HATE decorating. Some people LOVE it-- like my mom--- but it is just not for me. I do not have "an eye" for decorating, so when I go to look for furniture I find myself totally OVERWHELMED! I mean, we had to start from SCRATCH! I am talking about EVERYTHING! Have you ever thought about how hard it would be to stock a home--- starting from the basics of trashcans, toilet cleaner, silverware, lightbulbs (oh, and the lights)--- AND EVERYTHING ELSE!!!!!!!! When you move, you usually bring the basics with you--- Well, not us:)
 My mom and sister have been a great help and I pray that Alex likes what we have done. Of course, I send pictures to him all the time, but it is hard to envision what it actually looks like, especially since he has never stepped foot into our home. Did I tell y'all that? Nope, Alex has not been inside our home yet. That day comes on the 23rd of December----see why I am so eager for this day to come!!!!!

Fairhope is such a sweet little town. I really am so happy that we choose to have a place here, and it makes it even more special that my sister and family are so close. It is still SHOCKING that I can jump in my car and be at my sister's house in 4 minutes:) Mom and dad are only 2 hours away and they are here most weekends. I can see lots of tears in my future when I have to head back to Dubai.

I thought I would add a few pictures of the inside of the house that I have been so busy at decorating--- or at least attempting. Laura and Patrick surprised me last night when I arrived back in Fairhope with a REAL CHRISTMAS TREE!!!!!!!!!! It was so so so special and I have been decorating it today:)

32 weeks and Alabama

I am currently in Alabama, setting up our new home for the arrival of our little boy, who will make his debut in 8 weeks!!! I will be here until Feb 15th and Alex will join me in December. Since my last post (which was 1.5 months ago), many things have changed. Firstly, Alex and I are homeowners in the state of ALABAMA! After a year of searching for the "perfect home" I was able to fly down in July to visit my family and took this time to look for a house with the help of my sister. Laura and I found the perfect house and Alex made the offer which was accepted in August. On my 32nd birthday (Oct 19th), we closed on the house and I was handed a nice pair of shiny silver keys!!!

Before leaving Dubai, my great girlfriends gave me a baby shower! It was so sweet! It was held at Charlottes home and my closest girlfriends made it so special. After the shower, I gave a tour of Henry's nursery:) 

Our son is actively growing! My last ultrasound graphed him at 3lb, 5oz! I am still loving this pregnancy but can not wait until Jan 2! I met my new doctor yesterday who will be delivering. Alex and I have decided to deliver at The University of South Alabama in Mobile. Being a NICU nurse, I thought it was important to be in a hospital with an NICU in case we need that speciality. Hopefully, we will not, but I did not want to take any chances. Stay tuned to Henry's Alabama nursery:)

25 weeks

 

The time has once again slipped past us and the days and weeks are quickly approaching until we meet our little boy! Alex and I have just returned from a 3 week vacation----and it was just what we needed. It seems that life can certainly be so monotonous that we miss out on lots of little things in each others lives. Work, sleep, eat, work, sleep, eat....etc....... So we took a break and headed to Turkey for 10 days for our BABY MOON!!!! We arrived in Istanbul and stayed 4 days touring the city and eating delicious seafood. From there, we loaded up in our Ford Focus and took a 12 hour drive down the coast to Cesme, Turkey. For 7 straight days, we did absolutely nothing----other than finalizing a name for our dear boy----and it was fabulous. I embraced the swimsuit fully, thanking GOD above that I knew NO ONE THERE other than Alex. I am a firm believer that tanned fat looks much more beautiful than white fat!!! Here are a few pictures of us in Turkey:)

From there, we flew to London for 6 days. The weather was cool and "fallish." Our very close friend Hugh celebrated his 30th birthday and we were there to celebrate!

 The next few days in London were spent in baby shops with my mother in law and sister in law. I can not tell you how much fun we had!!!!! Pictures to come soon when I have the nursery finished (although I have yet to even buy any furniture!) 

Ed, Hugh, Tim and Alex at Hugh's 30th birthday!

From London, we took off to New York for a very close friends' wedding!!! It had been 2 years since I was back in New York and it felt so great to be back. Hannah and Sebastian were married on Saturday in a beautiful park on the upper west side. We danced the night away to great music and amazing speeches!! So sad the night had to end!

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19 weeks down, 21 to go...

NEARLY HALF WAY THERE.......

It has been the longest 19 weeks of my life---not to say some of the best though:) Once I got over the terrible weeks of morning sickness (which lasted all day and night), I have felt better than ever expected. I told my mother that I do not even feel pregnant, just a little "pudgy."

Alex and I were away in London mid July and then I flew home for 3 weeks to spend time with Laura and the family, mom and dad. It was so nice to be home, more so than usual. I guess when you are hormonal you need your family (and of course your significant other) to lift your spirits. Alex, unfortunately did not get to make the trip down south this time though. 

Over the past three weeks, we found out that we were having a BOY!!!!!! I was scanned by three different people, who all said BOY, so I am pretty positive that the gender is not going to change. We are both very excited. Mary Stevens ended up telling Alex over the phone what the sex of the baby was......it was supposed to be a surprise when I returned to Dubai. It was hilarious how she did it though. Being only 4, she has ears that work better than all of ours. Mom, Laura and I were talking about a special way to tell Alex that he would have a son.......and how important it was that it was kept a secret until I returned to Dubai. Well, Mary Stevens jumped on the first attempt when she heard I was speaking to Alex. She ran over to the phone, in a loud voice and said " Alyson has a baby in her tummy.....and its a BOY Uncle Alex!" I nearly dropped the phone and then of course started laughing. She KNEW that it was supposed to be a secret! She it TOO smart for words.

Another very exciting thing happened while I was back in the US......Alex and I bought our first home!!!!!! We close at the end of the month so I do not want to count my chickens before they hatch, but all is looking well. Laura and I spent a day with a realtor when I was back and fell in love with this Southern Living Cottage in Fairhope!!! Can not WAIT to bring our little boy home in January!!!

Dad, Laura and Patrick in Orange Beach

Our Southern home in Fairhope!!!

Sun-kissed 

The loves of my life

18 weeks pregnant!!!!

Mouth of the South-- Mary Stevens

Patrick and Warren

Practicing with Warren

Slip n slide

Mary Stevens in her full "summer gear!"

It's time:)

 It is time to announce that Alex and I are expecting our first child in January!!!!


Phew- It's out there now:) I have been wanting to shout from the rooftops that we were pregnant, but as we all know it is not wise to do so before 12 weeks. So, we have passed that benchmark and we are now telling friends and family about our exciting news. 


I am nearly 14 weeks and have had 2 scans already. We want to know the gender, but it is too early thus far. Hoping to find out in the next 4 weeks:) 


Stay tuned for the updates:)


xx

June

May has come and gone and the beginning of June is here. Dubai heat has everyone staying cool indoors as it is way to warm to be outside. 
Laura and Patrick have finally moved into their new home in Fairhope. Do you even know how hard it has been to be here in Dubai when your entire family is all together, doing something that is extremely exciting? I wanted so badly to be there with them, helping with the kids, helping Laura and Patrick decorate.....but I couldn't. I am in Dubai- a million miles away from everyone! Don't get me wrong- I do like it here, but there are times that I would do anything to be back closer to home. The summer is really hard to be away. Mom and dad have also just bought property in Orange Beach on Memorial Day weekend so every weekend they are at the beach! I am so happy for them both. Mom and Dad are LOVING having their grandchildren a 2 hours away. I am hoping to head home in September! Fingers crossed that we will all own property in Alabama by then:)


Alex and I went to London for Ed and Charlotte's wedding mid May. London's weather was amazing and it was so nice to be able to breathe in fresh air. The wedding was absolutely stunning and we were lucky to be a part of such a special event for our very special friends. We head back to London in July for another wedding and we are both looking forward to leaving this sauna for a few days.


As for now, we are enjoying time together here and working hard. We have been told that we must move out of our apartment by July, so we are flat hunting. Never a dull moment-
How is everyone's summer going? Would love to hear from you all!!