Well this may be the shortest summer of my life.  It's already the middle of May and with our baby boy, Carter due August 6th, I'm sure this summer will fly by as we await his arrival into the world.  Jana and I only have 2 more months to get ready for the biggest change of our lives.  The nursery is coming right along.  Last weekend, Jana and I went to Virginia to visit my dad and sister.  We had a nice visit and my dad and sister gave us their gifts to Carter.  My dad bought us the travel system we wanted.  It's great! I just love it.  Check it out  My sister gave us a gift card with we used to buy the baby's crib mattress and delightful mobile.  There are pictures of them on my nursery picture page.  I think the room has come together pretty nicely.  I just want the baby to have a nice happy room to grow up in.

Well today is Sunday and I had my sixth tennis match of the season today.  With one of our singles players flaking out once again, I was asked to play my first singles match of the year.  I was little nervous, but played fairly decent and won 6-3, 6-4.  Our team won the overall match as well, 4-1.  It was the first time this year that we won both singles points.  We are now 4-2 and my individual record is 5-1, having won five in a row after that debacle in week one. 

Well this was a pretty good weekend, despite the rainy weather.  Saturday, Jana had her UT Flag auditions for the upcoming 2004 season.  She had much better numbers at the tryout than in the previous few years, and selected 36 girls.  While she was spending her day at campus doing that, I installed a cute ceiling fan and hung Carter's name on the wall using wooden letters.  Check it out.  The room is coming together nicely.  Just a few more things and it will be ready for our baby boy.

Later Saturday evening, the UT flag girls threw Jana and I our first ever baby shower.  It was nice and several of them showed up...about 15 girls from the gaurd and my best friend Amy made it by as well.  We got some very nice gifts.  It is good to know that all these girls care so much to make it to the shower.  The gifts are nice, but I really appreciated the show of support for Jana and our baby.  It only lasted about an hour and fifteen minutes, but I really appreciated them throwing it. 

Today, I had my fifth tennis match.  It was against the same team that we lost to in the first week.  Well, I got to play doubles against the same two guys that I did so poorly against the first time and this time it was another story.  My partner and I took care of business and won 6-3, 6-3.  The bad news is my team lost the overall match, and in doing so, pretty much lost any opportunity to win the league.  We are in second place, which is nice, but without some help, won't be advancing to the state competition.  There is no match next week, so I'll have two weeks to get ready for my next match.

Yes, its that time again.  Time to get ready for the work week.  ( all my posts end this way it seems )  See you next time. 

Well it was an eventful week.  Most exciting was that on Monday, Jana and I got to see our baby boy again via ultrasound.  He is getting bigger everyday.  Now he weighs close to 2 lbs.  Jana is feeling him move a lot more now.  I've even been able to feel him pretty well. 

Also this baby related news this week...our crib came in the mail on Friday.  While I was at the UT baseball game that night, Jana had surprisingly put it together.  It looks really good.  Check it out!  Today, I decided to try painting little planes, trains and automobiles on the walls as an added touch.  It looks pretty good so far.  You can see some of my work in the crib pictures.

Had our baby appointment yesterday...this baby is coming.  Growing so much.  August will be here before we know it.  If the baby is just a week early, he will be born in July.  July is just 3 months away!  Good lord, what am I going to do?  I have a lot of things to do.  House projects.  Most are small and fairly easy, but there are so many.  Finish the handrail, finish the baseboard moulding, finish the closet, finish the nursey.  There are more, but I'm so short on time already.  Notice I said finish all of those.  I start all these things but don't finish them.  I get so carried away trying to get everything done at once, and instead get nothing done.  Shoot, I started a new one tonight.  I decided the nursery ceiling needed to be painted so I went to Lowe's and got all tied up in that.  Geez!  I hate painting.  Why did I do this?  On top of all these projects I do have to try to live out my normal life.  At least I havent worked the past few weekends.  I just want to be able to start enjoying the arrival of my baby.  He should be able to hear me through Jana now.  I want to sit and talk to him, but by the time I have a moment, like now, Jana is fast asleep and cutting logs.  Must get organized, must get under control.  We bought a crib online the other day.  If you want to see it, click here.  It goes well with the furniture pieces we bought a few weeks ago. 

Well, I need to get to sleep.  It is late.  I'll have to FINISH this post at a later date.  HA!

Not sure how to start my post this time.  Lots of thoughts are running through my head.  Thoughts of my baby boy, projects around the house, tennis matches, schoolwork, real work.  I was out in the sun a bit today and not feeling all that great at this moment.  Head and body aches.  Looking forward to time to relax here in bed before the new work week begins.  My third tennis match of the season went well today.  Again I played doubles, but this time with someone new.  We played well and our opponents were overmatched as we won easily 6-2, 6-1. 

I'll start with tennis which is the subject of my title here.  My first match was last week and if you read the previous entry, you know that it did not go well.  Well this week was a different story.  Jana was there, which I appreciate very much, and I played much better.  I was scheduled to play singles this week, but one of our players could not be there and I was moved back to doubles with my partner Eric, and our performance, though not as good as it could have been, was good enough to win 7-6, 6-3.  I got to the net early and often and won a lot of easy points in the process.  Some of the other players on my team commented that I may stay at doubles because I'm the best match for Eric.  I enjoy playing doubles as much as singles so it makes no difference to me.

The LADY VOLS beat LSU tonight in another nail biter to advance to the National Championship game on Tuesday night.  They play the winner of UConn - Minnesota, (which is looking like UConn right now.)  Surprise surprise.  Hopefully Pat and the girls can find a way to win again.
Work kinda stunk this week.  Not much to say about that except that I am frustrated.  Oh well, must buck up and go at it again tommorrow.  No way around it.

Baby boy seems to be doing well.  Jana is really starting to feel him moving around in there now.  (at least thats what we think is going on.)  As he moved around for a bit earlier, I put my hand on Jana and think that I felt him too!  Its hard to know for sure right now.  We will get to see him again in 2 weeks.  The due date is already approaching very quickly.  I'm trying to get things ready around the house but I think I need to get myself ready as well.  Everything will work out I'm sure, as it usually does.  I just want to be a good parent.  Patience is key, I'm low on it, and there isn't store that sells it.  We are signed up for childbirth classes at the hospital, which start May 25th.  That will be fun and exciting.

Well, the hour is late, and since we lost one early this morning, I am starting to feel it.  Thanks for stopping by, I'm outta here.     
 

Today was my first USTA match of the year.  Glad it's over.  I stumbled out of the gate and performed very poorly.  I played doubles with the captain of our team, Eric Vreeland.  We stunk up the Cedar Bluff Racquet Club pretty good in losing our match 6-1, 6-4.  It could have been worse.  We could have gotten shut out or something, but I was very disappointed with the way I played.  The balls were flying off my racquet like they were shot out of a cannon.  I couldn't hit a lob to save my life.  Oh well, its over and I have a few more chances to redeem myself.  I'm glad Jana was not there to see it.  She was at Leza's baby shower.  Geez, maybe I should have gone too.

I got the handrail put up this weekend.  It looks O.K. and thats all I'll say about that.

This job is wearing me out.  They actually expect their employee's to work everyday of the week.  Ridiculous!  I feel guilty "asking off" for the weekend.  I enjoy the extra money, but some of my co-workers have had ONE day off this YEAR!  AMAZING!  No thanks! 

Well I'm watching the Lady Vols struggle right now and its bed time.  Hope they can come back and win this game.  I think I'd like to just lay here and relax before it's time to start a new "work week."  The week has to end before another can start slave drivers!

Till next time.

What a wonderful day.  Jana and I got to see our son again today.  In fact, I'm watching the video from the ultrasound right now!  He is nearly 20 weeks into his prenatal growing stage, weighs 11 oz. and said to be about the size of a coke can.  He was being shy today and tried his best to hide his face behind his arms, but we got a profile view of his little nose, lips, and chin.  We even saw his eyes shut.  The nurse turned on the 3D for a second in an effort to get a better picture, but it did not help much.  He laid pretty still for most of the ultrasound, but Jana's stomach growled and he finally started moving his legs a little bit and turned over.  Not much to do in there but sleep while his body continues to grow.  We will see him next on April 19th I believe.  I can't wait! 

My first tennis match of 2004 is this Sunday.  I'm not sure how good our team will be, but it should be fun regardless.  I've been working a lot, and will continue to do so.  The overtime is good.  It doesnt leave much time for anything but schoolwork, and the occassion chore around the house.  There is a handrail that still needs to be built and baseboard molding to be put down.  We need to get looking for some baby furniture at some point very soon.  I'd like to get that room finished as soon as possible.  August will be here before we know it. 

Well its time for bed.  The video is over and the LADY VOLS just won their game to advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tourney.  Good job girls.  They will face Baylor, who just beat the Lady Gators.  Goodnight!     

Well friends...let the shopping begin.  Jana and I have registered at Babies R Us.  It was a lot of fun to look at all the stuff.  We were there near closing time, so I felt a little rushed at times, but we can always add, delete, and edit the registry online.  I don't expect to get many of the things we registered for, but thats ok.  I look at it more of as a guide for those who would like to buy something for baby but don't know what we'd like.  I'm not sure if there will be a shower given or not.  The thought of those things kinda bothers me.  Its like we are asking for gifts.  If a friend or family member wants to buy something for baby that is fine, but I don't want to make anyone feel like they have to get anything.  Anyway, its there if youd like to look at it.

Work is going fine.  Staying very busy.  Not much time to get everything done.  Starting to struggle to find enough time to spend on my schoolwork but I'm still keeping up.  Tennis is getting cranked up again for me as well.  I won't be playing as much as I did last year becuase of baby and all the things that go with getting ready for him.  However, I am on a team and we start our matches at the end of this month.  (BTW, I finished 2003 as the #2 ranked 3.0 player in the state.  Kinda neat!) 

My two girls are asleep again on the bed next to me, so I'd better wind down and join them soon.  Thanks for visiting.  Oh, our next baby appointment is on Monday, so check back then.  I'm sure I'll post something.  I can't wait to see him again. 

Also, the name game got under way a few weeks ago, and it looks like Carter Orr Hanson is the name that is emerging from the pile early.  It's NOT final, but certainly a possibility.

Awwwwww, so cute...

I'm up doing homework for my Web 2200 class and my two girls are snoring together on the bed.  Jana is to my left and sleeping hard.  Little small cat, Susannah, is down by my hot feet, giving Jana a run for her money.  I've never heard Susannah snore before.  It is making a cute little whistling noise.  I'm not completly alone here though...I"m sure my baby boy is wide awake with me inside Jana somewhere.  OOooooo I can not wait to see him again on March 22nd.  We have another ultrasound that day!  So exciting!

Goodnight!