Happy Thanksgiving!

It is hard to believe that November is over after today! We spent the Thanksgiving holiday in Indianapolis. It was great to be with family. Everyone was so excited to see us but we know it was all about Reagan. :-) On Friday we headed up to Fort Wayne for the day so that Reagan could meet Great Grandpa Schoenherr. What a treat! I think they both got a kick out of eachother. We were so thankful to have four generations together in one place.

Reagan was great the whole weekend and we are grateful she is such an easy kid in the car. She slept well again away from her bed.. yes!!!

We are now getting ready for Christmas and having family in town. Our first Christmas at home!

Below are a few pics since our Thanksgivng Weekend.

Family Photo

All the "Kids"

Meeting Great Grandpa Schoenherr!

Four Generations

Ladybug Ladybug

October was quite a month for the Murray house. We had our first road trip to Chicago with an overnight pitstop in Indy. Reagan was a fantastic traveler and had no problem sleeping in beds that weren't her own. We had a lot of fun getting to see family and friends and introducing Reagan to everyone. We also made a day trip up to Columbus so Reagan could hang out with her Aunt Ann and see her new apartment.

October also brought a change to our daily routine. I went back to work the last week of October. Ugh. The first week was really tough but the second week got a little easier. I am only in the office three days a week which makes it a little more tolerable. Reagan seems to be adjusting just fine to daycare. The staff love her because she is so little compared to everyone else. Staff from the whole building come in the room to see her and hold her so we know she getting love while we are apart. It also helps that they have a camera in the room that I can log into while I'm at work and see what she is up to. It's hard to leave her in the mornings and that is why I delegated the role of dropping Reagan off at daycare in the mornings to Jim. Then I pick her up on my way home. It seems to be working out.

Then came Halloween and as you can see, Reagan was a ladybug. We didn't actually do any trick-or-treating with her and by the time kids started coming to the door she was over being in the costume and took a little nap before heading to bed. But while she had it on, she was so cute!

Below are a couple pics of Reagan from October. How is she already over three months old??

Enjoying some tummy time at Aunt Ann's apartment!

Reagan's fingers got in a scuffle with her face during nap time and the fingers won... her nails were trimmed promptly afterward.

Football!!

Now that football season is full swing, I thought it was time to let the cat out of the bag. Reagan is just like her mom and is a huge Colts fan!!! Dad is trying hard to have her be a Bears fan but with a man like Peyton Manning at Quarterback how can you not be a Colts fan? Here are a couple of pics from last weekend of Reagan showing her support for her boys.

Oh, and her two month check-up was today and she is doing great!!!

This one cracked me up with her arms crossed. She is so fun striking a pose!!

Two months and going strong

We may be a little partial, but can you say cutie??? Reagan has been showing off her smile a lot lately and we love it! It's great to go in and get her in the morning and see her flash a big grin.

Night sleeping is really starting to go well. It took a couple of rough nights at first when we took away the car seat but things are so much better now! For the last week she's been sleeping 7 - 9 hours and then going back to sleep for another 3-4. It's been great!

She continues to grow and while the hair is hard to see it really is coming in. I put her in the car seat the other today to run errands and was amazed at how much bigger she is in it than we she came home.

We are excited for the fall season and the cool weather. It's our favorite time of year and are excited to share it with Reagan. I've been trying to decide what she will be for Halloween. All the costumes are so cute!!

Below are pics from the last few weeks:

Five Weeks Old already!

Our little lady is five weeks old today. Where in the world has the time gone? Reagan is constantly on the look out for what is going on around her. She is so curious it sometimes makes napping a hard thing for her, but we're working on it. She also became a huge fan of sleeping in her car seat. While we know this isn't good we couldn't resist the sleep it was providing us during the night. But rest assured we are committed to getting her back in the crib.

We have been quite busy introducing Reagan to the family with visits from the Hurfords and the Murrays. We can't lie, we enjoy showing off our little girl.

Yesterday we finally had pictures taken. A lady I work with does photography on the side and was so nice to come out to the house after work yesterday and take pics of Reagan. Reagan cooperated for the most part but definitely had her moments! It was so fun though and I'm super excited to see the pics when they are done.

Today Reagan and I headed to the doctor for her big one month check up. I am happy to report that the little lady is doing great! She weighed in at 9 lbs even and measured 22 inches. She is a little weed!

Introducing Reagan Lily!!

She's here!! Reagan Lily arrived Friday, July 31, at 9:18 p.m. She weighed in at 6 lbs 13.7 oz and measured 20 inches. We are so excited to finally have here with us. After a few days in the hospital we arrived home late Monday afternoon. The first week has been quite an experience. I ended up having a c-section so have had to try and recover from that while trying to take care of Miss Reagan. Jim was home all week which was such a blessing. He is a great dad already and I can tell the two of them have something special going on.

We are working on the night time routine. She can sleep great during the day but doesn't really care for sleep as much at night! Oh well... such is life and we'll get it figured out. Due to the limited sleep we haven't really left the house. We've been lucky that Jeff is still living with us as he made sure we had dinner every night this week.

Since Reagan is currently napping I should try and catch a few minutes myself. Below are a few photos for your viewing pleasure:

It's getting so close!

We finally are feeling like we are in the final stretch! Three more weeks and hopefully baby Murray will be here! We are still amazed at how fast this all has gone. For those that don't know we had an opportunity to see our little one's face last week as I had an ultrasound to check just how big this little girl is. The result was that she is a big one!! Supposedly a week and a half ago she was already 6lbs 10 oz!! Oh my goodness!! No wonder my belly sticks out so far!! haha!! But we are happy to know that everything looks great as far as she is concerned.

We have the nursery all set and ready for her to arrive! A big thanks to my mom for helping me get everything organized a couple of weeks ago! We now just play the waiting game.

We still can't believe we have finally made it to this point. While we have been waiting patiently it is still hard to believe that from here on out at any point we could be saying hi to our daughter!

We have been trying different ways to prepare Peanut for a little one. This week I used my sisters old baby doll as a test. We placed her in the bouncy seat and then put her in the carseat on the floor for awhile. I thought Peanut did a great job. Of course Jim pointed out it will be different when there's a crying baby in those things!! A good point, but I still felt good that when things are calm he will be fine.

Below are pics of the nursery. Enjoy!!

Five more weeks, not that we're counting!

So we feel like were in the final stretch. We have all major things that baby will need and are finishing putting the room together. It's all in there it just hasn't all found a final resting place. But we have five weeks right?? Of course if you ask most other people they don't think we have that long. A lady today told me, "I give you three more weeks." I just laugh it off... all these people couldn't possibly be right.. could they??

We went to the doctor last week and everything seems to be progressing well. We will get a second ultrasound next week because I have been measuring a little ahead of schedule. I say it's just because she has nowhere to go but out. But seriously.. five more weeks and you may have to roll me to work. I really don't think about how big I've gotten until I get on here to update the blog. I about had a heart attack last night when I looked at prior post photos compared to this one. No wonder Peanut doesn't like to cuddle up with me on the couch anymore... where could he possibly lay?

We took an all day parenting class a week and a half ago. We opted for the all day instead of the five week sessions. I think we made the right choice. We got enough info to feel more confident in the process and never got bored. I feared with the five week class that we would have ended up dreading class nights. I didn't learn much that I hadn't already read in my books but it helped fill Jim in on some things. :-)

It is hard to believe that it is July already! Get excited, baby Murray will make her appearance soon!!

A bit overdue

Somehow four weeks have passed since our last posting. We apologize for the lag in updating. Time has gotten away from us!! As you can imagine, not only have we been busy but our little lady has been busy growing!! The theme this week has been that there is no way I am making it to my due date. There had to be at least five total strangers say this to me. One even asked if I was having twins!! I replied that unless the second one was really good at hiding there was no possibility of there being twins in there. :-) I know that with this heat and humidity I wouldn't mind a slightly early arrival but it's really not up to me.... she's holding all the cards!


Baby continues to be doing great! She is giving me lots of kicks and rolling around. She likes it when I wake up at night... she seems to think this would be a great time to play. I'll have to let her know that this will not be a trend to continue when she makes her appearance!


Aside from getting ready for baby's arrival, Jim and I have been busy traveling the last couple of weeks. Two weeks ago we headed up to Ft. Wayne for a cousin's wedding. It was a family packed visit as we saw most of my dad's side of the family at the wedding, stopped in to see my Grandpa's new place after the wedding and then headed to my aunt and uncle's lake cottage for a Mexican fiesta dinner with the Indy cousins before heading home. It was great to get to see so many people!


Last weekend we headed to Detroit for a college friend's wedding. It was great to catch up with friends we haven't seen in ages. The wedding was the day after our five year anniversary so it was kind of fun to attend a wedding and remember our special day too! Out of pure luck we were able to dance to our first dance song at the reception. Another highlight of our trip was the sign in the picture. I was super excited to see a street named Schoenherr in D-town and couldn't resist taking a picture of the awesome shout out to the family! Who knew such a cool street existed?

This weekend is our final crazy weekend (we think) until baby arrives! We have two weddings in Cincy tomorrow. You read right... two!! Then Sunday I will head to Indy with my sis for another shower and Jim will head to Washington DC for his final conference where at the end he will be an FSA! I just want to say that I am so proud of him and all that he has done in the last six years working towards this goal. Sadly, I won't be joining him but will be thinking of him!

We hope everyone is doing well! 8 weeks until Baby Murray arrives!!!

The word is out...

So while Jim and I thought that we could keep our mouths shut about what our little bundle of joy is... we decided it was too much and we were too excited to remain silent any longer. So for those that have not yet heard the word, we are having a little girl!! We are more than excited to welcome our girl in just 12 weeks!!! 12 weeks... we can't believe how fast it will be here!

We have been quite busy lately it seems.. doing what we aren't all that sure but time is flying!! The baby's furniture has arrived and we couldn't be happier with it! We are still working on figuring out what mattress to get but once we have it all put together we promise to post a picture.

Baby is growing more everyday. Our last doctor appointment went well and we seem to be right on target for our August 6th due date. After the few days of upper 80 degree weather we had at the end of April, I'm pretty sure I will be more than ready for her to arrive on time!

We had our first baby shower last weekend in Chicago. It's so much fun going through all the stuff for baby. We have been slowly trying to figure out the best place for everything. Who would have thought a baby could use so many things!!! I couldn't resist and made Jim test out the baby carrier. I think he looks like a pro!!

Today we took the tour of the hospital. Aside from the fact that I am not a huge fan of hospitals...(ironic since I work for one) it went really well. The labor and delivery rooms were very nice. It was comforting to know exactly where we will be and the flow of events. Now we just have to tackle that childbirth class.

We are enjoying every moment of this experience and can't wait to introduce you to our little girl!!!

Spring is finally in the air!

One word summarizes our last few weeks: BUSY! We have finally completed all major work in the house that we had planned for this year. The last of the flooring was installed on Good Friday and our new bathroom vanity was put in last week. After a month of our upstairs being a bit of a disaster area we finally spent yesterday putting it all back together. The new challenge will be getting rid of all the dust. Every time we think we have it all cleaned, we discover more!! I am starting to think a visit by a professional would be nice. :-)

We have also fit in a trip to Chicago the weekend before Easter. We had so much fun in the car we decided to travel again the next weekend to Indy for Easter. It was great to see everyone we saw during those trips.

After all that time in the car we really started thinking about a new car. We loved our Escape but with the impending arrival of our little one and the fact that we can easily fill the back end with just Peanut and our stuff, we started to think something a little bigger would be better for us. Now, I know that many of you out there are advocates for a Minivan but Jim and are not there. There is just something about it that neither of us was willing to go for. Maybe it's our attempt at maintaining a little feeling of youth. So after much research and planning we ventured out to Performance Toyota and bought a Highlander. While we've only had it since Saturday, I love it! It gives us a lot of space but doesn't feel like we're driving anything much bigger than the Escape.

With the weather finally taking a turn in the right direction we are excited to spend more time outside. As we were watching the news yesterday morning, my man Lester Holt said to tune in to the NBC broadcasts this week as they went Green in honor of Earth Week. So that got Jim and I thinking about how, if you were really going to be green, wouldn't you not even watch TV? This led to Jim pondering if we could go without TV. We both thought surely we could. So, we have decided to take this week off from TV. We will let you know how it goes but we are pretty sure it will be great!

Now on to Baby News! As you can tell, baby continues to grow! Always a good thing!! The movements have become quite obvious and Jim has finally gotten to experience the joy of our little one's kicks and punches. We have also found entertainment in watching Baby Murray move. It always leaves us with a feeling of awe and amazement at what is happening.

When we were buying our car, the finance guy commented on how we are an Actuary and an Accountant and that hopefully our child will like math. I think Jim might be thinking of starting flashcards to ensure baby has a heads up on the math thing. :-)

I continue to feel great with no complaints. It is so hard to put into words how excited we are for August to be here. We can't wait to meet this little one!

22 weeks already?

Where in the world does time go? We have been quite busy getting things ready for Baby Murray.

Baby continues to grow as evidenced by my growing mid-section! :-) Peanut is finding less space on my lap to lay down which at times has driven him to sit with Jim for more comfort. Poor dog doesn't get that his whole world will soon be turned upside down.

I have really been able to feel baby move and can't wait for it to get stronger so Jim can feel it too! It's always a pleasant reminder that someone special is growing stronger!

Jim spent most evenings last week upstairs painting the nursery before we had the new flooring installed this week. I am happy to say that both the paint and floor are awesome and I totally love the room! We went with a neutral green so that we can reuse the room if we have more kids after this one. We have ordered the furniture and it should arrive mid to end May.

Our next project is new carpet for part of our upstairs which will be installed next week. It will be so nice to have something new.. some of the carpet has seen better days for sure!

We had a great time at the games in Dayton for the tournament. We couldn't have asked for better games.. but perhaps better seats. We were stuck up in the last row. ugh.. I think it was around 70 steps up to our seats. So tried to be strategic in my bathroom breaks and only go when absolutely necessary!

We are heading up to Chicago this weekend to see Jim's family and Indy for Easter weekend to see my fam. Here begins our somewhat hectic spring/summer. On a side note the weather was gorgeous here today: sunny and warm. The forecast for Opening Day for the Reds on Monday though? High 40 with off and on rain/snow flurries.... SNOW FLURRIES?? In April?? I really thought we were out of the woods for this cold weather. I guess I shouldn't complain though, it kind of beats 90+ and humid.

We're having a.......

Baby!!! As much as many of you would like to know if it's a boy or a girl... our lips are sealed. However, we are excited to say that we saw baby for the first time today and it was the most amazing thing in the entire world. I think we both could have sat there all day watching. Our little one was full of energy during the ultrasound making things a little tricky at times for the tech. We can tell you that we saw two arms, two hands, two legs, two feet, the face, the heart, and apparently the kidneys but we just took the lady's word on that one. Everything went well and the doctor was happy with how things are progressing. The heartbeat is nice and strong and always a wonderful thing to hear even though we had seen it working during the ultrasound.

We are well on way to getting the house in order for baby's arrival. We are installing hardwood in the nursery in two weeks and hope to get the painting done before then. Our furniture selection is starting to narrow down and we will hopefully have something ordered by the end of the month.

We will be heading to the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament Friday/Sunday in Dayton. We love college basketball and while we were really pulling for Purdue, Illinois, Butler or Michigan St. to be there, we are excited to at least have Ohio St. there as a Big Ten team. Hopefully they will do better for us then IU did last year in Raleigh.. (that was painful to be a part of).

We can't believe how fast the time is flying and are even more amazed at how quickly our Spring and Summer have filled up with things to do. Our free weekends are soon going to be non-existent for awhile. Of course, you could say our free time in general is going to be limited soon as this little one will take up all of our time. But we are so excited to have this baby in our house and a part of our family.

17 weeks already

A couple of lady's at work pointed out to me the other day that I am almost half way through the pregnancy. That is so hard to believe because the time seems to be flying by! Baby and I continue to feel great but still have nights when we get tired early.

We have started to get serious about getting the nursery in shape. We had the floor measured this weekend and will hopefully figure out what flooring we will put in soon. We have also started researching items that we want to have for when our little bundle arrives. It is so fun looking at all the things. I think I want it all! haha.

We wonder every now and then how Peanut will adjust to being a big brother. While we are optimistic about the transition, we both realize that at first it might be a little rough. For those that do not know Peanut, he is quite possibly the neediest dog you could ever meet. If we were to pet him from the time we got home at night until we went to bed, we are convinced that still wouldn't be enough. He loves to snuggle up with us and certainly loves being #1. So needless to say it will be a bit of a transition for him to become #2.

Speaking of Peanut, he got his hair cut today and I love it when he goes because they put a bow in his hair. I know, cruel since he is a boy but so adorable all the same. He only wears it for the day as he really is not a fan of it, but for those few hours I pretend that Peanut is a Yorkie that I can dress up. :-)

We are anxious for our next appointment and the ultrasound so we can finally see this little one!!

15 weeks and growing

We are 15 1/2 weeks into this amazing experience and we are happy to report everything is going great! I am still feeling good which I am so thankful for. Today we went in for our checkup and baby appears to be doing well too! The heartbeat was strong and right where it should be. Of course he or she is trying to keep whether its a boy or girl a secret. They say if the heart rate is over 140 it's a girl and under 140 its a boy... Baby's heart rate today? 140. :-) So, it appears we have a 50/50 chance of having one or the other. haha! And as for the question of if we will find out or not... we are still undecided. I do think that either way it is safe to say you will not see a post on here next month about whether it's a boy or girl. It will be our secret until August. Sorry!

So far this pregnancy has been smooth (knock on wood it stays that way!) I am still amazed that this is really happening since I haven't had very many of the "typical" symptoms. Of course my growing belly is a reminder everyday. :-)

Jim and I had a great Valentine's day. We ventured out to a restaurant we'd never been to before and loved it! The atmosphere was great and the food was fantastic. We spent our time earlier in the day running around trying to get a grasp on all the projects we'd like to get done around the house before the little one makes his/her grand appearance in August. There is so much to be done!

13 weeks and the Super Bowl

Well, with the big game yesterday, I decided it was time to post the big picture and show off my awesome Cardinals gear... even though my team lost. A big thanks goes out to our friends Rob & Amy in Phoenix for sending shirts, napkins, plates, and cups. If there is one thing we have learned living in Cincinnati, it's that you really can't cheer for the Steelers.

I have still been feeling great and think I'm officially out of the woods of the "morning sickness" period. Woohoo! I did take the opportunity of our Super Bowl get together to test out my first pair of maternity jeans. Can I just say that all pants should be so comfortable! Maybe it's the fact that I've been denying the fact that I am actually starting to get bigger and still trying to wear my old pants. :-)

For those wondering about the little one, according to the things we've been reading, he/she is about the length of a medium shrimp. It's amazing to think about all that is going on inside.

The journey has begun!

It has been the request of more than a few that we start a blog to let others follow along in this crazy journey we are on. I figure if everyone else can do it, surely I can figure out how to do one of these things. So to kick off the first entry:

Well, it's official, Jim and I are expecting our first baby this August. It is hard to believe that I am already approaching 13 weeks. What really is even more amazing is that we were both able to keep our mouths shut until last week when we were given the amazing opportunity to hear our little one's heart beat. Words cannot even begin to describe our joy and amazement at the sound. I think for Jim it was the first real sign that I actually am pregnant. I have been more than blessed with an easy beginning. Aside from some extreme fatigue (I'm not going to lie, 8:30 was not an uncommon bedtime for me for awhile) I have felt pretty good.

We are excited for the road ahead and can't wait to meet our little one! Whether we will find out if it's a boy or girl is still up for debate. For those that know Jim, you can guess that he of course wants to find out. Jim likes a plan!

We will be sure to keep you posted on all the fun things going on.