Our Daughter, Cori Elizabeth Brewer is HERE!

We are so excited to announce that Cori is here!  After months of praying for her safety and development, my water broke at midnight on week 37, day 0 Sunday morning, August 5!  My mom was staying with us because this was a busy weekend for our family-- Brent was taking a core class at TCU to be able to graduate in the Fall, it was his month end close, we had just RSVP'd "yes" to a couples shower for that evening, and my OB was on vacation  ;)

Headed out the door close to midnight

Brent and I drove up to the hospital and we were hooked up to the monitors around 1:30am.  The nurse confirmed that Cori was still breech, and we would be having a C-Section at 5:00 after the antibiotic drip had a few hours to go to work (I was Step B positive).

Last pregnant belly picture

Dr. Rost came in at 5 am, we had an ultrasound and a few minutes later we were headed for the OR.  It was cold, sterile, and Brent was not with me for the spinal block... I was overwhelmed but excited that in a few minutes I would meet my daughter!  I have scoliosis, so the spinal block went in a little crooked, so they had to position the table inverted and to the right to get my tummy numb- whoa.  Brent watched the whole thing, so I made sure to not look at him because I didn't want his face to freak me out :)  And at 5:37am, I heard the most beautiful, strong, lady-like cry.  I am still speechless with the emotions I felt.  My family was complete- thank you Lord.  

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the first moments of Cori's life.  We are blessed and humbled by our friends and family as you have loved us, encouraged us, prayed for us, cooked for us, put your lives on hold for us, and showered us.  Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.  

Cori Elizabeth Brewer

August 5, 2012

5:37 am / 6lbs 2 oz/ 19.5"

Recovery- First cuddles

All settled in our room- First Bath

Beautiful Girl

Luke meets Cori!

 Visitors:

 Sarah got the first dirty diaper!!  

 Our family of four!

Hearing Test

 Dr. New 

Nurse gifts and baby book for visitor's sign in

Welcomed Home:

Cori, welcome to our family... you have no idea how excited we are that you are a part of it.  We love you so much and cannot wait to see you grow up in our home.  We love you sweet girl.

Taking a Stand With Chick Fil A

Chick Fil A's owner is a Christian who believes in marriage between one man and one woman.  One night, a political figure Mike Huckabee, said on his show how Christians should stand with Chick Fil A and support the ethics behind the company.  Chick Fil A was ready and so were the masses!  Here was the line to park!

Luke and Granna supporting marriage.  We talked lightly about it while in line so Luke would know why so many people were there that day.

We got it to go since there were no seats!  Cori, you were there too!

Brent had class, but he went for lunch and took his pic of making history too :)

Brent had class that evening, so he had lunch at Chick Fil A from his desk.

36 weeks!

My Superheros

Spidey and Iron Man

The Evil Dr. Blanket is underfoot.

35 weeks!

Cori is still breech but still has room to turn.  We said if she turns, we will still try normal delivery but not use forceps or other means to help her out like they did with Luke... if she isn't progressing, we will do C-Section.  If she is still breech, we will do C-Section.  Dr. New is on vacation next week, so I'll see Dr. Livers for my regular check up.  They were sending my records over to L&D after my appointment so they are in place should i go into labor.  I told him I was feeling the start of contractions and taking Procardia about every 5 hours (supposed to wait for 6) and it seemed to calm things down.  He said the Procardia won't stop actual contractions, just uterine irritability, so that sounds like what is happening right now.  I still have one more week on the 17P, so that should help get another week or so in!  He measured her and thinks she is about 5 pounds, heart rate looks good (144 I think).  I gained 6 POUNDS in two weeks... my eyes must have jumped out of my head because Maria, Dr. New's nurse, said, "Well, you just had lunch...", okay, so maybe we are a pound off!!!  Whoah!  She is bent in half, bottom by my bladder, head centered below my chest and foot up in my right rib cage.  And my FAVORITE part... he said she has a full head of hair!  HELLO BOWS!  We are excited to meet our little girl in just weeks now!  

A Few of my Favorite Things

CORI
Favorite Foods While Pregnant:
1.  Watermelon
2.  Subway Sandwiches
3.  Banana Peppers
4.  Sonic Sluches
5.  Puppy Chow

Favorite Pregnant Moments:
1.  When the new Kroger opened, I really wanted to check it out on opening weekend, so Luke and Granna and I went on Sunday night for just a few things... the grocery bagger guy asked if we'd like help out to the car to which I promptly said "YES!", I handed the keys off to my mom to walk ahead with him, but he hung back to walk with me (I go pretty slow ;) as we were walking through the cart area, he said, "MAM, if you would like to ride on a MOTORIZED CART out to your car, that would be fine".
2.  Doctor Days.  I love getting dressed up to go to visit with Dr. New and see how Cori has grown every week!

LUKE
Favorite Phrases:
1.  Luke calls Wasp, the superhero, "The Wast" and Captain America "CaptainIN America"
2.  First restaurant request was "That Sandwich Place" (Subway)
3.  At the Cats game, Brent was telling Luke that the Pitcher stands on the mound, Luke asked Brent "Are there ants in there?"
4.  Luke will do something on his own for the first time (like take the straw out of the wrapper on his juice) and I'll make a sad face and say "You don't need me to do that anymore?" to which he will reply, "But when I grow up, I'll still be your baby"

BRENT
1.  Non-TCU Brent (now that he has a few weeks off)- his smiles are lighter, his mood is happier and we love having him home at night!
2.  Watching Mad Men at night and eating popcorn together, just us
3.  I love watching Brent take care of Luke so well since I am limited, he picks up ice I drop on the floor, he brings me surprise slushes from Sonic, and he has even asked me if he can help me put on my shorts-- I guess I make it look painful-lol!

Chick Fil A

This cow knows how I am feeling at 34 weeks!  

Happy Father's Day!

To the funnest, most creative, loving Daddy... we love you so so so so GOBBS.

A Full Heart

I am having one of those full-hearted moments... they don't happen all that often and overwhelm me when they do!  My sweet boys are outside pulling weeds- I can see them through my bedroom window, Luke's hat turned backwards digging in the dirt with Daddy, having deep conversations about spiders and rocks.  I just talked to my sweet sister in law who is about to meet her first born, my first nephew, in 2 more days!  I am overwhelmed by God's provision in Chris and Christy's life and look forward to how little Caleb is going to change them forever- in 2 days!  I am sewing Cori's Christmas stocking, listening to Hilsong-- my mind is flashing to all those moments that God has blown me away- my marriage, my children, my friends and family, trip to Romania, provision after provision.  God is great and even if all of those things were stripped of me, He is still Great.  I remember typing the song that touched me when I was pregnant with Luke, and the one that surrounds me now is this:

THE GREATNESS OF OUR GOD

Give me eyes to see
More of who you are
May what i behold
Still my anxious heart.
Take what i have known
And break it all apart
For you my god are greater still.

No sky contains
No doubt restrains
All you are
The greatness of our god.
I spend my life to know
And i'm far from close
To all you are
The greatness of our god.

Give me grace to see
Beyond this moment here.
To believe that there
Is nothing left to fear.
That you alone are high above it all.
For you my god are greater still.

Thank you Lord for who you are.  Thank you for moments when I see you-- help Brent and I to take these moments and praise you in front of our kids.  Let us trust you in all things- right now and for our future.  Thank you for directing each moment and let us always rest in your loving, protective, gracious arms.

30 Weeks!

Made it to 30 weeks!  We are looking forward to meeting our little girl in just weeks now!  Goal is 7 more!  Luke is practicing holding his Didi soft like a baby and kisses Cori every morning when we wake up... we love you sweet Cori!

Luke Stole the Camera

It is funny what little minds think are picture worthy...

 Self Portrait of tootsies, and my favorite pic :)

Granna Visits

Granna came to visit when I went on bed rest... she sewed a table skirt, so the boys put the table together...

 Luke had Pirate Day at school... I made that eye patch with construction paper the morning of and he work it ALL day, wouldn't take it off, not even at nap time :)

 Luke had an all "green" week at school, so Granna took him for donuts to celebrate!  He ate all you see here!

Preterm Begins

I have done a pretty bad job of keeping up with Cori's pregnancy... here is a recap from where I left off:

25 weeks, Mothers Day, I woke up not feeling great... we went to Sunday School, then I asked if we could just come home.  I laid in bed all afternoon, drank lots of water, but started getting intense contractions in my back... by 4pm, we were headed to the hospital to see what was going on.  They hooked me up to the monitors and watched... at one point I was contracting every 3 minutes and it was debilitating.  Brent took Luke to the QT for some slushies while we waited for test results:

A shot of terbuteline and an overnight stay later (Luke left me one of his books to read before they left for home), the next morning after a good ultrasound, I was released to go home, on bed rest.  My sweet friends came to my rescue with hot meals- BBQ, casseroles, PUPPY CHOW, yummy salads, lasagna to feed an army- until Mom could get here, prayers, encouragement... I just kept saying how humbled I was by their kind words and actions.  One friend put post it notes around her house to pray for Cori every time she saw one, and another told me "God already knows Cori's birthday"-- it was just what I needed to hear.

28 weeks, 4 days, had a great check up, glucose test, 17P shot, Memaw saw Cori for the first time, we had lunch and bought a few new maternity shirts.

28 weeks, 5 days, I woke up bleeding.  Memaw took Luke to school, Brent turned around from driving to work and we were checking into the hospital by 7:50am.  Dr. New checked everything out, I met with the high risk Dr., another shot of terbutelie, monitoring me, and all is still holding stable.  I did see a girl I had been praying for that I'd seen in passing at 25 weeks... her water had broken and I told her I would pray for her and her baby... When our eyes met, we both squealed and I told her God was answering my prayers for her.  He is so GOOD.

Luke drew me this picture since we left him in such a rush.  He asked Memaw to show it to me as soon as I got home.

Again, I feel humbled by my friends... sending prayers through text messages, bible verses that keep my focus on the Lords protection over Cori, friends "praying harder than they have ever prayed before", friends on their face in their closet... what have I done to be SO blessed!  Blessed by family who are putting their lives on hold to help me cook meals, do laundry, grocery shop, get Cori's room ready.  I am just so thankful to you all and hope I can return all of this to you in the future.

I will leave you with Cori's profile picture... Dr. Pierce said she has a pointy nose like her daddy.... isn't she so sweet!!!

Luke Graduates from Swim Lessons!

All ready!

 Best buds:  Josiah, Patrick, Luke

 Floating on his back

Safe Splash had show and tell for all of the things they learned (holding their breath, monkey crawls, jumping in, getting out, kicking with pool bars, floating on their backs) and then Luke got his first ribbon!

Thanks, Granna for getting these pictures... apparently they don't mess with Grandma if she takes the pictures!!!  Ha!

Green Thumb

Luke planted a lima bean in Sunday School... he took such good care of it, he watered it, I made him talk to it :) and we came back from a weekend trip... it was a foot tall!!!  

Painting the Nursery

Cori's nursery is sooo pretty!

 It has perfect pink and cream stripes:

Bedding pictures coming soon :)