Smiles!

This is becoming a common sight around our house... especially when daddy is around!

Zoey's 1st Soccer Game...

Zoey had a new experience this week of going to daddy's soccer games. Gary's team is playing in a summer soccer league so Zoey and I have been to the games to cheer for Daddy!! Hopefully Zoey is getting used to this since soccer will be apart of our lives for quite some time. I think she likes the games especially since Jill won't put her down and gives her undivided attention for two full hours! We love Jill!

Typical sight of Jill "hogging" Zoey all to herself....

Zoey enjoying the game!

Zoey still enjoying the games... or so we think she is...

ps- the team is playing really well and so far is undefeated! woohoo! hopefully this lasts till next year!

Brother and Sister...

I was putting away the groceries and Zoey started to cry... when I walked over to see what was wrong... this is what I saw... how cute is that...


This we did.. but he actually sat there for a period of time without moving and bothering her....

Our Lil' Soccer Star... sort of..

The training has already started...

One month...

I can not believe that a month has gone by sine Zoey was born! She has changed soo much in the past month...
- She is recognizing voices, especially her daddy's
- She is starting to smile as a reaction not just gas
- She is holding her head up... and is very strong when she kicks
- She has gained over a pound and is probably close to nine pounds
- She is starting to get into a routine
- She is sleeping more than 3 hours at night.. sometimes even four!
- She is getting cuter by the minute
- She is the best thing that has ever happened and I can't believe that we made such an amazing little girl!

Shake yo booty...

This is now how we amuse ourselves...Sorry you have to turn your head to watch..

Parental Visitors...

This weekend we had my dad, step-mom, and little brother Steve come up and visit and meet Zoey! It was so much fun to have them here with Zoey and even better that they took her at night so Gary and I could sleep for more than 2 hours at a time! It was also Zoey's first time at the beach.. and though she slept through the entire experience.. I know she loved it! We loved having them visit and can't wait until they come back! Zoey misses her Papa and Nana already!

Papa and Zoey spending quality time together!

Beach Baby! Soo cute!

Family at the beach.. don't you want to come and visit!

Zoey and her "favorite" uncle Steve...(cause he's the only uncle she has met..) Sorry Paul and Brett!

Birthday Celebrations!

On Thursday we had some people over to celebrate Gary's birthday and play some Wii... Gary's parents came over and we introduced them to the Wii... ENJOY!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Today is my daddy's birthday! I am so lucky to have the best daddy in the whole world! I am definitely his little girl and I have him wrapped around my lil' finger! I can't wait until I am bigger and can get whatever I want! I love you daddy! Happy Birthday!



Zoey had her two-week check-up today and she is 8lbs 3oz and is 21 inches. Man she is growing like a weed...

2 week old tummy time....

I can't believe she is two weeks old... time is seriously flying by... i think it must be the lack of sleep!


(sorry its so dark..)

Moms live for this....

4 generations of women in my family...


Brotherly love..


The reason i love being a mom...



Happy Mother's Day!

One week old...

Zoey is now one week old.. and its crazy to think that time is already flying by.. my mom and grandmother have been here to help out .. and they have been amazing..it has been nice not to worry about food, laundry, cleaning, or any other household duties... Zoey had her orthopedic appointment yesterday and the doctor gave her a clean bill of health.. her pediatrician also said that she was happy and healthy.. once again confirming that she is PERFECT... was there ever any doubt??

Mohawk baby!


Happy as ever!

Obsession...

Some new pictures for you.....
On the way home from the hospital.. I think I overestimated the size of my child!


First Bath.. the second one went much better!




Our lil' soccer star...


Dad is getting the hang of this...

only my brother...

after sending pics to family and friends... only my brother paul would come up with this....

At Last....

3 days late and 21 hours of labor... Zoey Elizabeth Mattes decided to make her appearance on April 29th! Here is the basic run down of events....

Monday- April 28th
9:30 pm - Gary and I was watching television eagerly awaiting midnight so that we can head to the hospitalto start my induction... when whoosh.. my water breaks! I tell gary that he might want to shower now instead of later since my water just broke.. to which he responds "you're kidding right?!?!?"

10:15 pm - Gary and I are off to the hospital and of course hit EVERY red light and get behind the ONE guy who drive 10 MPH UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT! needless to say we arrived safely.. thank goodness it wasn't an emergency

11:00pm - Im getting settled into my room, IV's meds all that good stuff.. only problem is I wasn't feeling any contractions! still 1 centimeter dialted!

11:30pm - Our friends Jenn and Hayden come by to help pass the time with us!

1:00am - Walk #1 - around the hospital floor, around labor and delivery, the children's hospital... everywhere! Gary found the "game room" in the children's hospital and we "borrow" scrabble.. to pass some time!

3:00am - Walk #2 - same route as last time... however we return scrabble and "borrow" trivial pursuit...

5:00am - Pitocin has begun... still not feeling contractions.. still only 1 centimeter dialted Trivial pursuit is too hard and we are never going to win so we call it a night.

7:00 - 9:00am - THE WORST TWO HOURS OF MY LIFE!!! Full blown contrations! i don't think i spoke one word for the entire two hours except to ask my doctor for an epidural!!!! 3 centimeters dialted.... (only 3 after 12 hours! i was soooo pissed)Seriously how and why do people do this without drugs... are you sick?? who wants to be in that much pain!

9:30am - Drug doctor finally comes! I love this man.. the only problem now is I can't feel my legs.. hmmm

10:00am - 2:00pm - sleeping on-and-off...

3:00 - 5:00pm - No pain whatsoever! contractions are getting stronger.. or so they told me... 9-10 centimeters! I begin thinking how am i going to push if i can't feel anything..

5:30pm - Doctor shows up.. start pushing!!! Couldn't feel if i was actually pushing or not!

6:00pm - Im SOOOOOOOOOOOO tired! Doctor uses a vacuum...
.... two pushes and 13 mnutes later.....

ZOEY ELIZABETH MATTES IS BORN!!!! woohoo!

Thank you for all the love and phone calls! We really appreciate them! She is the best thing in the world! and can not imagine life without her!

My final post..

PRE-ZOEY! It is official! tonight we go into the hospital to be induced. I had my ultrasound this morning and everything looks GREAT!! thank goodness! I must say i am sooooo excited to have pregnancy be over, to finally see my baby, and to be a mom... Its one of those things that you always wait and wait for and now that i am hours away the whole experience seems surreal.. my pregnancy has been wonderful with zero complications and for that i am thankful! i must also take the time to say thank you to all our friends and family for their amazing love and support of zoey.. and she is not even born yet! how could i have asked for more!

I am also extremely thankful for my amazing husband who has been there every step of the way... putting up with me, making runs to random food places, putting up with specific cravings, sleeping in another room when i would snore, and most importantly for making me a mom! that above all i am thankful for!


(i made it... 40 week and 2 days!!)

Come and gone...

that would be my due date.. it has come and gone with no signs of baby... i know i shouldn't be upset or disappointed about the whole thing since your due date is an estimate and i am being induced on Tuesday.. but still a part of me is disappointed... i know i'm close to this being over.. but man it would have been nice to be holding a baby today... oh well...

We do appreciate everyone calling with concern and wonder about Zoey.. i think she might be the most anticipated child ever... but we will call you when she is here... we promise!

The good news and the not-so-good news

The good news: I am scheduled to be induced on Tuesday starting at midnight.. so technically Tuesday morning! After my doctor's appointment yesterday, I expressed my discomfort the past couple of weeks and my doctor said that she could take care of that by scheduling an induction. So Monday I have to go in and get an ultrasound to make sure Zoey's head is down, and then we go into the hospital on Monday at midnight.. weird I know but at this point I would go into the hospital at any time of the day if it meant that this would be over soon! WOOHOO only 4 more days of being pregnant!

The not-so-good news: I am no where near having this child in the next 4 days! I have had mild contractions all ending quickly after they begin... so basically I go through a cyclical depression.. I get excited because I am having contractions and then get depressed when they don't last and go away..in the mean time I am walking all day, cleaning the house, playing wii and doing as many deep knee bends as my knees can take.. and still nothing.. whoever came up with these "old wives tales" really needs to reevaluate their effectiveness because NONE OF THEM WORK! I think even Gary is over this whole thing.. so pray and hope that we don't have to wait until Monday and Zoey decides to come this weekend! We will of course keep you posted!

Stay-at-home Mom???

Am I considered a stay-at-home mom if the baby isn't here yet?? today is my first day with NO SCHOOL! its amazing to be able to sleep in until 9 am, when normally i would be in third period... i made a wonderful breakfast for myself and now am enjoying watching all the TLC shows i can stand! The dogs are LOVING life right now, since someone is home to pay attention to them (as if they don't get enough attention already) this definitely has the potential to become very addicting... one of us just needs to win the lottery so this can be reality one day...

Today I have what will hopefully be my last doctor's appointment where we can figure out what is going on... but for now enjoy what I am hoping this will be that last big belly picture of this pregnancy...



(don't you love the outfit...)

One week...

As of today, I have one more week of being pregnant! I am trying to do everything I can to induce labor so that it is less than a week... but so far nothing has worked.. walking, cleaning, wii.. none of it has induced any contractions.. in fact since I have been trying to induce labor I have had LESS contractions! SO since it appears I will still be pregnant by the end of the weekend at least I only have 2 MORE DAYS LEFT OF SCHOOL!