Did you vote today? Mckenna did!

Matt, Mckenna and I went out and voted this morning. Matt stopped home in Savage on his way to Bloomington (he teaches at two Minnehaha campuses - North Campus in Minneapolis in the mornings, Bloomington Campus in the afternoons) and I was glad we went when we did. There were only a few people ahead of us in line. The lady checking us in said that when they opened this morning the line was around the building! Mckenna was with Matt in the Baby Bjorn... it was funny because all you can see are limp arms and legs because she is so little! And yes, she could breathe - we checked. She was actually sleeping. Happy voting everyone!

Maria and Josh's Wedding

Well, I'm about a week behind on posting updates. Funny how before Mckenna was born I was usually able to post within a few days of an event, but now it takes much more time... where has all my "free time" gone? :)

On Saturday, October 25th, Matt, Mckenna, Kristi and I went to our friend Maria Mule's wedding to Josh Reichow. The wedding was at First Covenant Church in St. Paul, and the reception was in Stillwater. Mckenna was just over 2 weeks old, and did great at her first wedding. She was getting a lot of, "Oh, she is so cute/tiny/content!" comments, and I was getting a lot of, "I can't believe you are actually out and about 2 weeks after having a baby!" comments. We had been planning to go to Maria's wedding for months, and we were excited to be there. My sister Kristi and Maria worked together and became friends at Covenant Pines, and Maria and I met and became friends through Kristi. Maria is a great person - so positive and fun, her happy spirit is contagious. We have a lot in common... we're both teachers, we both love Covenant Pines, we both like American Idol (Simon is our favorite judge - we like trying to imitate him), and we both have awesome husbands, just to name a few things.

Below are some pictures from Maria and Josh's wedding day. Also, there are three cute pictures of Mckenna (after the wedding pics) from this past week. Enjoy!



Mr. and Mrs. Reichow!

Julie, Mckenna, and Maria - the bride was so beautiful and happy!

Aunt Kristi and Mckenna snuggling.

The two cutest gals in the room. :)

Maria and Josh's first dance. Maria's dress was absolutely gorgeous.

Normally I am one of the first out on the dance floor, but I left the crazy dancing to Matt and Kristi for the evening while Mckenna and I looked on. They had a great time out there.

This picture is from last week at home. Mckenna loves playing on her play mat that Grandma and Grandpa Johnson gave her. She loves looking at the lights and little hanging animals.


Doesn't she look kind of like a little baby football player? :)

It was warm in our house and she was hungry and getting worked up. She felt warm so I put a damp washcloth on her forehead while she ate. I thought she looked so cute, I had to take this pic.

More pictures of Mckenna!

It's hard to believe that Mckenna was born over a week ago. She has already changed a bit from her brand new baby look in the hospital, but she is (of course) still cute as a button. We will post a few more pictures here from the hospital and the day that we came home and also add a web link that you can view an online slideshow of Mckenna, which are from pictures taken on her one week birthday, Thursday 10/23/08. Thanks to my sister-in-law Jessica Person of First Day Photo for capturing the precious pics that you see in the slideshow. Mckenna is our little sweetheart, and our life is forever changed for the better with her in it. Enjoy! Oh, and here is the link to the slideshow: www.firstdayphotogalleries.com/slideshows/102308aMckenna/index.html

Whew... that being born thing is hard work!


Labor Room 218 at Fairview Southdale Hospital, where all the action happened. The room was fine, but I was definitely ready to move up to the 4th floor where we would spend the next few days as a family.


Newborn Mckenna, all wrapped up and snuggly.


All settled in our new room.


My oldest brother Brad and his wife Jessica brought their kids over to meet their new cousin the day after she was born. They were so sweet with her - so excited and curious to see the new baby. They even brought her special presents too - "gugs" (pacifiers) that they each picked out, a pacifier pod (a little bag that attaches to the diaper bag to keep them in one place and clean), a Baby Einstein CD of music, and a picture drawn by Tommy for Mckenna. This is Sarah (age 2), and Thomas (age 3) holding Mckenna. Older brother Jacob didn't make it in this photo. Aren't they so cute looking at her?


Matt's Aunt Karin and Uncle Stew from Texas happened to be in town visiting family when Mckenna was born, and came to see us in the hospital. Aunt Karin made this blanket for Mckenna - the colors are so perfect for Mckenna's room and it's really soft. Thank you, Karin!


Ready to go home from the hospital - 10/18/08.


Welcome home!


Mckenna trying our her cool new swing - I think she likes it! :)

Mommy, Daddy, and Mckenna's hospital bracelets. By the way, the little pink outfit she is wearing is the same outfit worn home from the hospital by her Mommy in 1978.

This pink rose was on the pulpit at our church, Bloomington Covenant, the Sunday after Mckenna was born to announce her birth. We didn't make it to church that morning, but the rose was brought home for us. Mckenna and the rose are almost the same size! :)

What a cute face!

Check out my cheeks!

Our new daughter!

Our long awaited daughter is finally here! Mckenna Bethany Johnson was born today - 2 weeks after her due date - on Thursday, October 16, 2008 at Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina, MN. Mckenna weighed in at 7 lbs. 7 oz., 20.5 inches, and was born at 2:40 pm. Julie had 20 hours of labor, and it was a bit tough towards the end, but mom and baby are healthy. I will post a few pictures here, and we will get some more up after we get settled at home next week. Blessings to you, and thanks for all of your prayers for us over the past several months and days as we have prepared for this amazing blessing from God.

Mommy in early labor - still smiling! :)

Newborn Mckenna Bethany Johnson

Grandma Mary Person

Grandma Karen Johnson

Auntie Kristi Person

Baby Time!

This morning we went to the doctor. Both baby girl and I are very healthy, so that's always reassuring to hear. During the BPP test, the ultrasound technician said that it looks like she has little chubby cheeks - isn't that cute? Dr. Curran said that I will need to go into the hospital to be prepped for induction, which is an overnight process, and then I will be induced early the next morning. I'm going to Fairview Southdale in Edina, so the hospital scheduler at my OB office checked with them and they are full both tonight and Tuesday night this week. So I will be checking in on Wednesday and induced early Thursday morning. That means our little girl will finally make her debut sometime on Thursday, October 16th! Please continue to pray for us this week - for a smooth, safe, and healthy induction process, labor and delivery - for baby, mom, and dad. Thank you for your prayers, and we will keep you posted with news and pictures when she arrives! WE ARE SO EXCITED!! :)

Keeping busy...

We've just been keeping busy, really just ready and waiting for the baby. Friday night Matt and I went out for a "last date pre-baby" dinner at Chianti Grill in Burnsville. After dinner we rented a movie and relaxed at home. We talked about (what else) the baby throughout dinner - how it's so surreal that it's just the two of us now, and in a matter of days we'll be a family of three... just like that! I've always loved babies and children, babysitting and nannying throughout much of my young adult life. I love playing with and taking care of kids, but I'm so used to leaving them with their parents at the end of the day - saying goodbye and going about my life. It's hard to grasp that I'm going to actually be a parent with one of my own any day now. We're both so excited and ready and eagerly anticipating this amazing addition to our family. We're realistic in knowing that this will be a huge change and a lot of work, but as so many have told us, it is such an awesome blessing, so very worth it and brings even more happiness, purpose, and enjoyment to life than we've ever had before.

Saturday night Matt and Dan had a guys night and went bowling and out to dinner in Bloomington, and Liz and I had a girls night and went out to dinner in Savage and then hung out at our house afterwards. On Sunday my parents came over after church and we had lunch together and watched the Vikings (barely) beat the Lions. My Mom, Matt, Nemo and I took at walk, and Matt and I have been finishing up some last minute things around the house - cleaning, mowing the lawn, etc. Like I said above, just keeping busy...

Tomorrow we have our doctor appointment at 7:30 am and we'll know more after that, like when I'll go into the hospital and be induced. I am feeling the same as I have for the past several weeks, nothing new. Baby girl is still very active and moving around, and I'm sure she is healthy and enjoying her last few days in her comfortable belly home. We will of course post another update after our appointment tomorrow and let you know the latest.

The following pictures are from our Friday night dinner date and one from today with my parents. Thanks again for your prayers for us - we appreciate them all. :)

Baby Update - 41 weeks!

41 weeks - October 8, 2008 (Do I look tired? That's probably because I am...)

This afternoon we had a doctor appointment, and once again, no major news. If you saw the previous post, you read that I had a BPP test today. The baby passed the test with an A+ (that's our girl!) and is healthy and doing really well. It was fun to see a "full size" baby on the screen during the ultrasound, and also a bit surreal - the last time we had an ultrasound was 19 weeks along. She was moving around a lot, waving at us (I waved back), and we saw a profile of her cute little face. The ultrasound technician laughed and said, "Well, she really looks comfortable and happy in there!" Kind of fun to hear - I'm glad that I am providing a good and comfy home for her, but we'd also like to meet her one of these days too... her fun time in there is just about up and it's about time for her to come out and have a fun time with all of us waiting to meet her! :)

After the ultrasound we saw Dr. Curran, and he said that I'm really not progressing much, meaning that my body isn't quite yet ready for labor. That news, coupled with also knowing that the baby is healthy and doing fine, means that there is no major push (no pun intended) to induce labor in the next few days. He said waiting a few more days gives my body the chance to possibly ease into labor naturally. I do have another appointment and BPP scheduled for early Monday morning. So if nothing happens before then, I'll be back at the OB office on Monday morning and depending on the BPP results and check-up, will be induced by next Wednesday (42 week mark!) at the very latest. He also said that if the baby was born today she would be about 7.5 pounds, give or take. So not too big yet. That's the update! Thanks again for your continued prayers for us and baby girl, please keep them coming. We hope to have more exciting news for you soon.

Guess who else is pregnant?

Great news to share from the Person family... Abby and Jessica are also pregnant! I think most of you know, but Abby and Jessica are two of my sisters-in-law. Abby and my brother Dan are due with their first in April of next year, and Jessica and my brother Brad are due with their fifth just about a month later, in May. We are all so excited! Abby and Dan heard their baby's heartbeat just this last week at their 12 week appointment, which is such an amazing experience. And I know that Jessica and Brad's kids are so very excited for a new baby brother or sister. When Brad called to tell us the good news several weeks ago, he said that Jacob, Tommy, and Sarah are already vying for who will get to hold the baby first. Matt and I are so excited to have cousins so close in age, including Cam and Linnea's kids in Chicago, Gwen and another little baby girl, due later this month. I hope they can all be close, good friends. The Person and Johnson families continue to grow! Below are a few pictures taken at the end of August from a night out to dinner with Dan and Abby when they told us the good news. Note the difference in size of Abby's belly versus my 35-week belly. Just you wait, Abby! :)

Another baby update too... I'm sorry to report, but no news yet. We're hanging in there. I'm trying not to let my uncomfortable self get too anxious - I'm working some from home, but overall taking time to relax and rest. When is this baby girl going to make her debut? We'll of course keep you posted. We should have more news tomorrow after our doctor appointment - stay tuned.

MA Homecoming '08 and Baby Update

First, a baby update for you... no news to report as of right now, early Sunday evening. I have had contractions on and off this weekend - uncomfortable, yes, but nothing to get excited about - too random and far between. At no time so far have I thought, "hmmm, maybe I'm going into labor", so right now it is more trying to take it easy, relax as much as possible, and wait. Saturday night I was especially tired and uncomfortable, and we were sad to miss our sister-in-law Jessica's 30th birthday party with other family and friends on a boat on Lake Minnetonka that evening, but I think we made a good call staying home and laying low. Being past my due date now, I have a hunch that's what I'll be doing for the most part until baby comes.

I have another doctor appointment on Wednesday afternoon and I will have a BPP test done as well as my weekly check-up with my OB doctor. BPP stands for Biophysical Profile and measures the health of the baby in the womb by ultrasound. The BPP measures the baby's heart rate, muscle tone, movement, breathing, and the amount of amniotic fluid around the baby. If these five areas are within the normal range, the baby is considered to be in good health. From what I understand, a BPP is a common procedure used on woman who are past their due date to determine if and when they should be induced. With my healthy history for this pregnancy, my doctor thinks the BPP results will probably be good, but again, with the results and my appt after the test, we'll have more information on what the next step is. We'll keep you posted! Of course, if this little girl decides to come before Wednesday, none of the above assessment will be needed. I wouldn't mind that! Thanks for all of your prayers, phone calls, and emails checking on us - we appreciate them all. Please continue to pray for comfort and a smooth and healthy labor and delivery. We hope to have a family of three by the end of this week - we'll see!

Saturday morning and into the afternoon we went to Minnehaha's Homecoming festivities at the school. The main reason we went is because Matt really wanted to run in the annual Homecoming 5K, the Redhawk Run. As Matt ran, Kristi, Karna Anderson, Nemo and I walked several blocks along the course. Matt did a great job in the 5K! He finished with a time of 23:52 (under 8 minutes miles!) and got first place in his age group. He ran a little faster time than last year's 5K, and he was pleased with his finish. I said to Matt a few days before the race, "Are you sure you want to run this, you haven't really ran or trained at all..." And he said, "Well, I run every day with my students for a living." :) Very true, good point! We also got to see some of the volleyball and boys soccer game, as well as some of the football game. As always, the day was fun. As an alum it's fun, but even more so for Matt and I as teachers. We get the chance to see students outside of the everyday school setting, chat with some parents, and catch up with some old students who have graduated. Here are some pictures from our day.

40 weeks... and no news yet!

Today I am 40 weeks, and my due date is tomorrow. Overall I'm feeling great, just the normal discomforts and tiredness, but nothing too bad. We had an OB appointment this afternoon, and my doctor doesn't think I'm quite ready to go, so it may be a few days yet. Tomorrow is my last day at work, and I have to admit, I have mixed feelings about it. I'm glad to probably have a few days to rest and relax before the baby comes and so excited to have several weeks off with our new daughter, but I really love to teach and I'll miss my class and my co-workers. To a workaholic like myself it feels funny not to be working when I could, but I know this time off is good for me and my family, and the sub taking my place while I'm gone will do a wonderful job. So no worries, right? :) Here are some pictures from today. Does my belly look bigger? I feel like it does... by the way, have I mentioned that I'm REALLY excited to meet this little girl??

At my appointment today, in the waiting room.

A very happy, excited daddy-to-be in the waiting room.

40 weeks and counting!

Nemo is waiting too... "Is she here yet?" :)