May 31, 2009

Dear Fannie Bradley,

Today is the day. The day we focused on for so many months. Your Due Date. Your daddy and I are so blessed to have shared the past 12 days with you and can't imagine life without you. Thank you for not making us wait another second past 8:30 pm on May 19 to meet you. We don't remember life before you. We both have so much love to share and want to share it with you. My heart melts thinking about the relationship that you and your daddy already have. He loves harder than anyone I know and he loves you more than you will ever know. You are already the luckiest and most loved baby in the world.

We shared a very special morning with you which is only fitting for your special due date day. We took you to church for the first time and you were absolutely perfect. Not a peep was made and you slept through the entire service including the exceptionally loud choral performance. They announced your birth today and there was a rose on the altar in your honor. Everyone wanted to meet you and you will love growing up with the North Avenue family and it will be their mission to treat you as the precious child of God that you are. Then we kept with tradition and had lunch at the Varsity. You slept through that too. (I am sort of dreading the day you wake up!)

You also had two new visitors today, Katie and Clint.

It was a great day but everyday with you is great.

You really do complete us.

I love you,

Mommy

Rosebud for Fannie Bradley's birth

A lot of special things have happened at this altar

First Varsity hat

Already making special friends

First family picture at The V

Aunt Caroline, Aunt Katie and Mommy

Daddy and Clint

FBH napping in her Moses basket

She wasn't swaddled and ended up kicking off the blanket and rotating herself into this sideways position. And yes, if she fully extends her legs, she can touch the end of the basket!

Trying to capture Fannie Bradley's first (of many) smocked dresses that she wore to her debut at North Avenue, courtesy of Aunt Anne

It's a GIRL!

After 9 months of wondering Sweet Pea's gender, our little GURL arrived on Tuesday night, May 19, 2009 at 8:30 pm after labor starting at 7:00 am and 3 hours of pushing.

Frances Bradley Hinson

8 pounds, 12 ounces

23 1/4 inches

Fannie Bradley

Daddy's Little Girl

Sweet Pea

Our New Family

I had grand plans of blogging before now but evidently there is a new boss in town and her name is Fannie Bradley!

Contractions ain't pretty says Kyle

From the mother that is about to be "This is John typing because its hard to blog when you are laying on your side. Kyle is having to lay on her side because of her blood pressure, which is why we are here in the first place. At about 11am, she inquired about possible pain medications in her iv, in order to get those - the nurse had to check her for progress in dilation. Nurse checked and she was 6 to 7 centimeters and nurse said it was time for epidural, which she got at 11:30. Epidural was nothing, much better than expected. Baby's heart rate dropped so now Kyle is on oxygen. Ice chips are now a new favorite, but she has an extreme case of the shakes, which was never mentioned in all 77 books that she read. The shakes are either from the epidural or hormones as she progresses in labor. Doctor just came in and the baby's head has dropped significantly."

Live from Piedmont....

Well. we are here and someone is scared. to. death.

This is how the morning has progressed:

2:45 ish I am awake and have stomach pain, lay there trying to figure out if it is a contraction, nerves, or my bladder needing to be emptied

2:54 relieve my bladder hoping that it is 4:00 and time to get up. Nope, still have an hour. Dern.

Lay back down and still in pain.

4:00 alarm goes off

4:19 get out of bed

4:24 first meltdown of the day while about to get in the shower

4:45 out of shower, walking around in la la land trying to get ready

4:50 eat some fresh fruit and drink a sprite sitting in the living room staring off into space

5:25 get text message from Adrienne that she was into labor at 7:30 last night and is close to delivering. Jealous that she is almost done. Can't wait to hear about Baby Boy Pendley!

5:30 tell the dogs that we are going to pick up the baby (wouldn't that be nice or have it delivered by the stork). Tell them goodbye and tear up.

5:34 get in the car

5:44 Caroline calls, "It's Christmas in May"

5:48 Pull into Dunkin Donuts to get breakfast for the nurses. I did not eat one but really wanted to. Dad to be had two.

6:02 pull into hospital

6:12 check in at nurses station

6:25 told to put on gown. Go into bathroom to do so. Sit on toliet to relieve bladder, again, toliet seat is loose so it pinches my thigh. Scream. John runs in. New blood blister on inner thigh. Going to be a long day.

6:45 second meltdown of the day

7:08 Pitocin started

7:18 can't hear the baby's heartbeat anymore

7:19 John gets nurse, she turned the volume back up on the fetal monitor. ah.

7:30 trying to get comfortable and watching The Today Show

Baby Hinson's Birth Day is on the calendar!!!!

We had a doctor's appointment this morning. My mother and John were in attendance. First, they were going to do an ultrasound so we all guessed the size of the baby. Remember that 11 days ago the baby was measuring 7 lbs, 15 oz.

Mom = 8 lbs, 4 0z

John = 8 lbs, 7 oz

Kyle = 8 lbs, 13 oz

Baby is actually measuring:

9 lbs, 2 oz

which makes the due date May 2!!

Ha Ha!

So, the first thing the doctor says is:

"This is a big baby with a huge head, we should go ahead and schedule a c-section for next week."

So after some discussion of me preferring trying to have the baby through the birth canal and whether or not that is unrealistic, she said that I can definitely try that route first and if pushing doesn't work, they will do a c-section then. She also said that she wanted to go ahead and get the baby out early next week because she is afraid that I am going to get sick. She didn't really elaborate on that but I am thinking she is just worried about my continued high blood pressure, swelling and rapidly increasing size of the baby. I am also 3 cm dialated now.

So we will report to Piedmont Hospital at 6:00 am on

Tuesday, May 19

to be induced.

I really can't believe we finally have a date. Now, if we have a long labor and go into midnight that will make it Wednesday, May 20 and that will be our 3rd Wedding Anniversary. If you would have told me a week ago that our baby might share our anniversary I would have freaked out and possibly pitched a fit. I had planned for that to not happen with a May 31 due date. Again, I had planned it. But since my grandfather's untimely passing, especially on John's birthday and being buried yesterday on my Uncle's birthday I am learning that I have to quit planning things. Everything really does happen for a reason. So regardless of whether the baby comes on Tuesday or Wednesday, it will be the best anniversary present John could ever give me. It will be hard for him to top this present in the years to come.

The end is near. Or as John says, the beginning is near. True, True. He really does have a way with words. We will have a baby in 4 days. We will know if we have a son or a daughter in 4 days. We will become parents in 4 days. I am a new person today, have a renewed outlook on life and am so excited I can barely stand it.

And get this, that is the same day my friend Adrienne is being induced at Northside! Too bad we won't be at the same hospital. But we will be going to the same pediatrician so maybe we can carpool to appointments!

This weekend will be spent doing some last minute things, mostly around the house, since I am still on bed rest, and enjoying our last moments as Just the Two of Us!

** as always, baby could still come on its own before Tuesday **

Proud

It has been one of the most difficult weeks of my life and an especially long past two days. All of the services for my grandfather were beautiful. I have been dreading the past two days and am glad that they are over so now maybe, just maybe, I can start concentrating on new life and not harping on death. My grandfather's passing is a true illustration of the circle of life as this baby will be such a blessing to our family, especially during this time of grief.

John was asked by the family to speak about Pap Pap and to say a few words of rememberence at the memorial service this morning. Below is what he said. I am always proud of John but today he took it to a new level. I know most of what he said doesn't mean anything to you, but it means the world to me. I am so proud to be John's wife and Pap Pap's granddaughter.

*******************************************

On behalf of the Orr family, I would like to again thank y’all for being here today. I am John Hinson and it is one the great honors of my life to be here to speak about Mr. Orr, affectionately known by his family as Pap Pap. In fact, I would say this honor is second only to standing before this same church three years ago this month to marry his granddaughter Kyle.

Having never had the opportunity to meet one of my own grandfathers and having been robbed of the other at a very young age, Pap Pap filled an important void in my life. His great stories and wisdom were those of a true Southern gentleman. I truly felt accepted as a grandson, even from the first time I met Pap Pap around Christmas 2002.

It might have helped that we discussed that first day that we were both descendants of the old country, not Ireland, but Russell County, Alabama. Oswichee, for his family, and Cottonton, for mine, are only about 10 miles apart along the Chattahoochee River. With the birth of his great grandchild expected any day now, I know Pap Pap is proud that the Russell County bond that we share will continue to grow stronger.

Kyle and I will truly miss sitting with him on Sundays here at North Avenue. It is our sincere hope and prayer that the memory of Pap Pap will live on in all of us and serve as a catalyst for each of us to be all that we can be and love one another as he loved everyone here today.

We know this is a sad day but also as Uncle Remus said my, oh, my what a wonderful day. We know there is plenty of sunshine headed Pap Pap’s way. The weather’s good; the fishin’s fine.

Before QuickTrip, there was “Pot O’ Gold”

Joseph Orr, 88, investor who ran ‘Pot O’ Gold’

By Rick Badie
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Before QuickTrip, there was “Pot O’ Gold.”

The “O” stood for Joseph Orr, an Atlanta native who was an investor and a member of the board of directors for the Atlanta-based convenience store chain.

After one partner died and the other sold his stake, Mr. Orr ran things. He eventually sold the stores to Magic Market.

Pot O’ Gold was one of many business ventures set forth by Mr. Orr.

He ran a manufacturing company on Pryor Road that produced Margold Margarine. He started that business from the ground up and occasionally worked on its assembly line.

The margarine was carried by A&P and Winn Dixie among others, said his son, Lawrence Cameron Orr of Atlanta. He ran it for 30 years before it was sold.

“He also ran Capital Cab Co. and at one time had about 100 cabs,” his son said. “But he got off that quick. Too shyster of a business. I think he enjoyed the margarine business the most.”

Joseph Kyle “Joe” Orr III, 88, of Atlanta died Saturday of complications from a congenital heart condition at Piedmont Hospital.

The graveside service will be 9:30 a.m. Thursday at Westview Cemetery in Atlanta.

A memorial service and reception will follow at 11 a.m. at North Avenue Presbyterian Church in Atlanta. H.M. Patterson, Spring Hill, is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Orr was born at the corner of 14th and Peachtree streets in a house owned by his paternal grandparents. He graduated from Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Va. He attended the Darlington School in Rome and the University of North Carolina.

After a stint in the Army, he turned his attention to business as investor as well as owner/operator.

Another son, Joseph Kyle Orr IV of Smryna, said you would have never known Mr. Orr had been a successful entrepreneur if you’d met him. He wasn’t flashy. Just low-key.

“He wasn’t one of the types who was showy and ostentatious,” his son said. “He did some other things, too. He ran a packaging business for a while, and sold grease-proof paper [to margarine manufacturers]. He sold more of that kind of paper than anyone because he had been in the [margarine] business and knew everybody. I think he was smart.”

When it came to hobbies, Mr. Orr enjoyed quail hunting in Camilla in South Georgia. He also loved deep-sea fishing. Favorite locales were Marathon, Fla., and the Bimini Island in the Bahamas, which is known for big-game fishing.

“He taught me to fish in the Gulf Stream,” said his son, Joseph Orr. “One year in Bimini he won the big-game tournament for marlin. All of this was in the 1950s and 1960s.”

Additional survivors include his wife, Cornelia Cameron Orr of Atlanta; a sister, Caroline Orr James of Darlington, S.C.; two stepsons, David Sasseman of Cumming and James Sasseman of Powder Springs; and five grandchildren.

I feel like a storm....

who's condition has been downgraded from a hurricane to a storm.

We went to the doctor today for what was technically our 37 week appointment but also the hospital follow-up. I was hoping to leave there with an induction date but no such luck. The dire physical condition I was evidently in last week has gotten better, which is a blessing for baby and my physical health but it is doing nothing for my emotional and mental state. I was crossing my fingers we could have a baby this weekend but there is no medical reason to induce me right now so they are talking about inducing around 39 weeks if my condition stays stable. Let me do the math for you, that is 2 more weeks of bed rest/house arrest. Dear Lawd. She wants to see me twice a week instead of once a week from here on out so we will go back on Friday morning when she wants to do another ultrasound to check on things. I will tell you what she is going to find, a walking and talking 2 foot toddler if she lets this baby cook any longer!

I did get permission to attend my grandfather's funeral. She was hesitant but said I could go if I didn't stay too long. Good thing funeral homes and cemetaries aren't my favorite places to hang out.

Joseph Kyle Orr III

From the Atlanta Paper:

Joseph Kyle (Joe) Orr III of Atlanta passed away at Piedmont Hospital on May 9, 2009, at the age of 88. Born June 14, 1920, on the corner of Peachtree Street and 14th Street at the residence of his paternal grandparents Joseph Kyle Orr, Sr. and Frances Bradley Orr, Mr. Orr was a life-long resident of Atlanta, a member of North Avenue Presbyterian Church, and active in the Piedmont Driving Club and Peachtree Rod and Gun Club. After graduating from Episcopal High School in Virginia, he attended the Darlington School in Rome, GA and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He was a veteran of the United States Army and a businessman who directed Margold Margerine, Capital Cab Company, and the local Pot O’Gold stores. An avid deep-sea fisherman, Mr. Orr had the distinction of catching the first sail fish on spinning tackle and was awarded Fisherman of the Year by Sports Illustrated.

He is survived by his wife Cornelia Cameron Orr; sons Joseph Kyle Orr IV and wife Nancy, and Lawrence Cameron Orr and wife Betsy; grandchildren Kyle Orr Hinson and husband John, Joseph Kyle Orr V, Corinne Covington Orr, and Kyle Cameron Orr; sister Caroline Orr James of Darlington, SC; brother-in-law Gene Pruett of Madison, TN; nieces Caroline James Williamson, Susan James Mayer, Kyle James and Harriet Vance Van Hooser; nephews Edwin Pruett and David Pruett; and step-sons David Sasseman and wife Anne, and James Sasseman. He is predeceased by his father Joseph K. Orr, Jr., his mother Caroline Moore Orr, his sister Frances Orr Pruett and his nephew Robert Vance.

A visitation will be held at H.M.Patterson & Sons Spring Hill Funeral home, 1020 Spring Street, on Wednesday, May 13 from 6:00-8:00 pm. The graveside funeral will be held at Westview Cemetary, 1680 Westview Drive, SW on Thursday, May 14 at 9:30 am followed by a memorial service and reception at 11:00 am at North Avenue Presbyterian Church, 607 Peachtree Street, NE.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to North Avenue Presbyterian Church or the Atlanta Day Shelter for Women and Children.

Pap Pap

My grandfather died yesterday, on my husband's birthday, just days shy of meeting his first great grandchild. This is not the outcome we had been hoping, praying and longing for. He put up a good fight and I really thought he was going to make it which is making this all the more devastating. He was so excited about this baby. We are so so sad.

Thirty-Two Big Ones!

01. he relishes the simple life.


02. he loves history.


03. he is a tall drink of water.


04. he is a momma's boy.


05. good thing his momma is one of my best friends, or there might be problems.



06. he listens to my stories and acts sincerely interested.


07. he is witty and makes me laugh.


08. he is an old soul.


09. he is patient. kind. loving. and sweet.


10. he loves atlanta. he would live downtown, if he was allowed.
(definintion of downtown: Broad Street, Woodruff Park, 5 Points, Underground)


11. when he laughs really hard, he gets chinese eyes.


12. he provides.


13. he loves public transportation.


14. he accomplishes his goals.


15. he's all about following through.


16. he works hard and plays harder.


17. he does the dishes, without being asked to.


18. he has a heart of gold. a genuine gentleman.


19. he loves georgia football.


20. he is a protector.


21. he loves my family.


22. he wants a house full of children.


23. and says I am going to be pregnant for the next ten years.


24. he loves the georgia coast.


25. he is a penny loafer wearing fool.


26. he is going to be an amazing father.


27. he loves my church like it is his own. it is.


28. he sports short shorts and is good at it.


29. his looks alone will win you over.


30. he gives the best hugs. the kisses aren't bad either.


31. he is a proud papa, to our furry boys. and I know he will be with baby too.


32. he sees the best in me.




Happy Birthday, John. I love you. I am a better me because of you.


xoxo.

Favorite Photo Friday

John

Dave Dunaway & Laura Willis' Wedding ~ Moultrie

August 14, 2004

In honor of someone's birthday tomorrow....he sure does like to blow kisses at a certain camerawoman. And the camerawoman doesn't mind. at. all.

Central Park ~ December 2007

Back Home

and on bed rest. Results from the 24 hour urine test were fine.

I am fine, glad to be home. Exhausted from trying to sleep at the hospital.

John is still hoping for a May 9 birth date. There is still time for that but that will be up to the baby.

If it is a quiet weekend, we go back to the doctor on Monday at 2:00 pm.

We love Piedmont

We had an appointment this morning at 11:15 with my doctor to check my blood pressure and to meet with the doctor. Well, at 8:45 am the nurse and doctor called and wanted me to get there ASAP in case they wanted to send us straight to the hospital. Oh ok, that won't make my blood pressure rise at all! I had to call John's office and get him pulled out of a company wide meeting. This baby is so dramatic, wonder where it gets that from, obviously John. ;)

So the bp was high but not the highest it has been but from my blood and urine tests from Monday my kidneys aren't functioning properly. I have also gained 5 pounds since Monday's appointment, that is less than 48 hours ago, and I can tell you where it all went, my feet and legs as the swelling is out of control! Fred Flintstone feet as the nurse called them.

So the doctor sent us straight to the hospital, good thing we knew exactly where to go. They had me hooked up to the fetal monitors, blood pressure cuff, drew blood, and more urine samples. Things had gotten better so they decided not to induce today. They are doing a 24 hour urine test on me so we will be here at least until 11 am on Thursday morning.

At that time, they will re-examine my blood and urine tests/levels and either:

1. induce

2. keep me at the hospital on bedrest

3. send me home on bedrest

As the doctor said, if it was 38 weeks this would be a no brainer and just induce me today. But she is trying to get a few more days out of me so the baby's lungs have a few more days of development. (We will be 37 weeks on Sunday.) Even though the baby is big, it could make the difference of being in the NICU versus not.

I am slowly but surely coming to peace with this situation. Don't get me wrong, I still have my freak out moments usually involving tears but for the most part, it is almost comical. As much as I have planned for this baby, made excel spreadsheets, color coded baby file folders, it really is not in my control. Since September, May 31 has become one of two of the most important dates in my life. I can't tell you how many times a day May 31 is thought about or said out loud, even to total strangers who are trying to get their germy hands on my belly. I would have bet money that we would go past our due date, not be 3 weeks early! I would have loved for my water to have broken and to have to rush around the house like a crazy woman trying to get out the door and for the baby to come when it wanted to come, towards the end of the month. John keeps telling me that the baby is coming when it wants to come, I guess he is right. His motto has always been: In Due Time.

Yesterday, my mother and I did get alot done so I feel better about that. All the baby clothes, baby linens, and my nursing gowns/pjs have been washed. The house smells like Dreft, such a sweet smell. And the Wieuca Road fire station installed the carseat so we are set there. Mom spent all morning and early afternoon at our house today finishing up the wash and ironing until she came to the hospital to let John go back to work for an hour or so.

Since my grandfather, who has been here for a month, is back in ICU on the first floor, I am making things really convenient for my family to visit everyone here.

We love Piedmont. Really we do. My Great Great Aunt Hattie was the first patient at this location. It feels like home.

More tomorrow....

36 week doctor appointment

Well, I am writing this from the bed, which is where I will be until this baby gets here. Yep, I have officially been put on bedrest. From someone who is a professional errand runner, this is quite possibly my worst nightmare but I don't think I will be here that long. And like one of the doctors in the practice said, who I grew up babysitting for, who saw us in the hall when we were leaving, I could have been put on bedrest at 26 weeks, not 36 weeks, and to get some good magazines and watch alot of daytime television. So I know it could be much worse.

Upon arriving at the appointment, my blood pressure is back up. When I get to the room where I will be seeing my regular doctor, they have me lay on my left side for a few minutes and they take it again, and it has gone down but not enough. My doctor comes in and gets caught up on Saturday's events and she is majorly concerned about my feet and legs and says my fingers and hands are swollen and my face (great). So she is treating me for preeclampsia. She says I will not make it to our due date and they will have to induce me. She then measures my stomach and it is back to measuring ahead of schedule so she wants me to have an ultrasound right then. Before we head down the hall for that, she checks me and I am already 2 cm dialated and 50 % effaced.

After reminding the ultrasound technician that we do not know the sex of the baby, she starts looking around and trys to get some measurements. The baby's head is SO LARGE that it does not compute. Oh wonderful. I start crying and saying that I don't want a c-section, etc. Baby currently weighs 7 lbs, 15 oz and the estimated due date is May 9. That is this Saturday folks! And John's birthday!!!

I have an appointment again on Wednesday morning to have my blood pressure checked and to see the doctor. So hopefully we will know more about being induced then and a possible date.

My mother was already planning on spending the week here helping me as she was putting me on bedrest even if the doctor didn't. So she will be here starting Tuesday morning getting everything washed and packed for the hospital.

More later....

Kentucky Derby 2006 vs 2009

In 2006, I had the once in a lifetime experience of attending the Kentucky Derby with 17 of my best friends for my bachelorette party. The reason it was a once in a lifetime experience is because the next time I attend the Derby, I will be sitting in the stands, not in the infield (please refer to pictures below to see what the infield entails)! HA! It was an awesome and memorable weekend though.

This year, Sweet Pea decided he/she wanted to watch the Derby from room 283 in Piedmont's Labor and Delivery wing.

I am fine and the baby is fine. After being with a bunch of new mom's at a baby shower on Saturday and them seeing my very swollen feet and legs, it was suggested that I have my blood pressure checked. So we went to the drugstore and I put my arm in one of those machines. The bp was 151 over 97. That is high. So I called my doctor's office and the doctor on call was at the hospital delivering a baby and said I could come on down there and they would check me out. So better safe than sorry, we headed to Piedmont. They checked my blood pressure for over 2 hours and hooked me up to the fetal heartbeat monitor while I lay in bed and watched the Derby. My bp came back down to normal and there was no protein in my urine either which is a good sign. Doctor said to put my feet up for the rest of the weekend. Riiiiiight. Easier said than done when the nesting urge is taking over. I feel fine, except I am exhausted and my legs and feet hurt from the swelling and have to weigh about 25 pounds each.

We feel like we did a trial run for the when we do go into labor. We now know exactly where to go and what to do!

We have our 36 week appointment on Monday afternoon.

The Last Supper

In keeping with Bettie Baby Tradition, I was treated to a night out to dinner on Thursday night at Horseradish Grill, one last official gathering before Sweet Pea arrives.

Cute centerpieces, they think of everything!

Carrie, Kyle and Lauren

Kyle and Katie with the Gorgeous Moses Basket full of goodies

2 weeks ago I had a dream that I put our baby in a Moses Basket and then put the basket in the Nile River and let it go. CRAZY!

Looking forward to using this!

A belly shot, and yes, half weeks are VERY important!

Just the Two of Us

HAPPY MAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kyle and John

Destin

September 22, 2003

We headed to Destin for a few days after watching the Dawgs loose to LSU in Baton Rouge, not a pretty place to be, win or loose, but a very fun trip to New Orleans. Always up for a photo opp, I had planned these smashing Lilly outfits for us. So John had fair warning early on what his life would entail should he stick with me. He is such a good sport.

As 6.5 plus years is quickly dwindling down to a mere 30 days, this song is on repeat in my crazy hormonal little head and heart.

And soon, it will be, Just the Three of Us, we can make it if we try.

And I know we will.

I see the crystal raindrops fall

And the beauty of it all

when the sun comes shining through

To make those rainbows in my mind

When I think of you some time

And I want to spend some time with you

CHORUS:

Just the two of us

We can make it if we try

Just the two of us

Just the two of us

Building castles in the sky

Just the two of us

You and I

We look for love, no time for tears

Wasted waters's all that is

And it don't make no flowers grow

Good things might come to those who wait

Not to those who wait to late

We got to go for all we know

CHORUS

I hear the crystal raindrops fall

On the window down the hall

And it becomes the morning dew

Darling, when the morning comes

And I see the morning sun

I want to be the one with you

Just the two of us

We can make it if we try

Just the two of us

Just the two of us

Building big castles way on high

Just the two of us

You and I

Just the two of us

Let's get together, baby

Just the two of us

We can make it

Just the two of us

We can make it

Just the two of us

Just the two of us we can make it