Forever Young.

Well Baby K is FINALLY here! I'm not gonna lie, I thought she was never going to make her entrance- SERIOUSLY.  Here's a summary of how she decided to make her grand entrance.

-Go to Dr. 9:00 am Monday (11th) morning and I had not dilated at all! AND I was 2 days past my due date.  We knew if I hadn't made some serious progress by now then we would plan on inducing.  Our bags were packed and in the car and since I hadn't changed in a week there really was no reason to wait any longer.  So we planned on going to the hospital at 5:00 PM and giving K a little encouragement.

-We ran by the mall to return some items that I had been meaning to return for a while.  I don't know if I was stressed, anxious, overwhelmed or what but I started experiencing numbness in my right side and blurry vision (I had already experienced numbness while getting ready earlier in the morning in the left side) It freaked me out a bit especially when I started losing my speech and I couldn't even think of the words I was trying to write while trying to text my sister.  Steven was equally freaked out.  We finished lunch and went ahead and headed to the hospital. I called the Dr. and he told me to go ahead and check into the hospital.  No last minute run back to Cleveland or afternoon nap!

-Check in to hospital about 2:00 PM and get our room so they can monitor me.  They ended up actually starting the 12 hour process involving Cervidil a little early. My mom and dad arrive about 6:00 PM.  Contractions were well underway, but no epidural because I had to make it to 4 cm first- Awesome! LOOOOONNNNGG night of intense back contractions.  My incredible hubby massaged my back and encouraged me through every contraction as he watched them rise and fall.

-8:00 AM - Almost 4 cm so bring on the epidural.  I'm not gonna lie I was so freaked out by the fact I couldn't feel my legs so I had to mentally decide to not think about it. I was turned from side to side trying to get her to move down into the birth canal.  Pretty much laid on my side for the rest of the day drifting in and out of sleep.  My mom, dad, and Steven kept me company for the remainder of the day and the Dr. popped over a couple of times (Really nice his office is right next to the hospital!) Dr. plans on really being able to start pushing around 5 or so- Hopefully.

-3:00 PM- Nurse checks me, our fingers are crossed I've made some serious progress (It's been 24 hours now) And the nurse says "Oh, that's not good...That's her booty, not her head" Seriously? And then comes "You're gonna have to have a C-Section" And then comes the tears.  I was filled with disappointment, fear, exhaustion...I mean I had been prepping for 25 hours to deliver this sweet girl and now I'm gonna be whisked away to have major surgery.  My mom and dad came back in the room and Steven broke the news.

4:00 PM or so- All the different Doctors that would be involved in the C-Section come in and introduce themselves and tell me what they will be doing. I really have no recollection of what time they wheeled me into surgery, but I'm guessing around 4:30.  My family gathered around me (my sister had now arrived) and my dad said a quick prayer.  Dr. Shull let my mom be in there for the C-section too! She was our official photographer :)

Scared to death, but surrounded by my mom and Steven and the sweetest anesthesiologist (he was probably the cutest old man ever hehe) who explained every step to me. I tried not to listen to closely to what the Dr. was saying because he was having a little bit of a difficult time getting her out. But, in spite of it all she arrived.....

January 12, 2010.  5:10 PM- weighing a healthy 7lb. 12oz.  and measuring 21 inches long.  She may have her daddy's looks, but I think she has her momma's long legs :)

I will NEVER forget her first cry. I couldn't see her but, once I heard that sweet cry my heart melted and I had the most calm and peaceful feeling come over me.

After it's all said and done (even the 5 days in the hospital) I wouldn't trade it for anything because she is here and she's healthy and she's the most beautiful thing I've ever laid my eyes on.

The song 'Forever Young' was at the end of a TV show the other night and Steven states- "I remember when this song came out and it always made my mom sad thinking about my brother (her baby) growing up as he was about to move out." Due to the massive lack of sleep combined with these CRAZY hormones, I had a huge meltdown and could not stop crying.  Mainly because I had found myself longing several times for the next stage when sleep somewhat returns and I can do a little more with her than feed, change, rock, feed, change, change, feed..... AND then I started getting really sad thinking how could I be wishing this time away? It's so precious and it only happens for the first time once in your life.  SOOOO now I find myself in tears when I think about her getting older and I just want to freeze time right where we are.   Here are the lyrics that have turned me into an emotional basket case- Okay, I blame the hormones too!

  To My Sweet Baby Kate:

May the good Lord be with you 
Down every road you roam
And may sunshine and happiness 
surround you when you're far from home

And may you grow to be proud

Dignified and true

And do unto others

As you'd have done to you

Be courageous and be brave

And in my heart you'll always stay

Forever Young, Forever Young

Forever Young, Forever Young

And may you never love in vain

and in my heart you will remain

Forever Young, Forever Young

Forever Young, Forever Young

Forever Young

Forever Young

And when you finally fly away

I'll be hoping that I served you well

For all the wisdom of a lifetime

No one can ever tell

But whatever road you choose

I'm right behind you, win or lose

Forever Young, Forever Young

Forever Young ,Forever Young

Forever Young, Forever Young

For, Forever Young, Forever Young

LOVE.

Well, Hello There!

Me, Kate, and Honey

 My poor hair haha.  My sweet momma was putting face powder in it before the C- Section trying to get it under control- no help for the weary hehe. I mean I hadn't washed in in 48 hours. But I don't even care! :)

Beautiful Aunt K- She loves her soooo much!

                         Proud Poppy and Honey

First Family Photo after coming out of Recovery

Me, Kate and the Incredible Dr. John Shull-

I am holding a pic of Dr. Shull holding me after delivering me almost

25 yrs ago!

How special is that?!?!

"Hmm..I think I'm gonna like it here!"
Such a Big Girl!- One week old.
Already passed her birth weight now at 8lbs 2oz
She's a GREAT eater! Feel really blessed :)

Love Birds.

The Nursery is FINISHED!

I had been sitting in there all week staring at the wall over the crib trying to figure out what to do with it.  I really had just planned on leaving it blank and maybe hanging some pics of Baby Girl K once she got her, but that thought just wasn't cutting it anymore- I HAD to do something with that wall or I was going to go crazy!  I really had not been in the mood to do anymore painting or start any big projects since we're praying she comes any day now......

Well, that changed about 11:15 last night. I decided to just go ahead and paint the tree I had contemplated for some time now.  I wasn't tired much less in the mood to just lay in bed and battle the heartburn that has turned me into a fire breathing dragon by night, so I got out my paint and brushes and went to work.  Steven went on to bed and 5 hours later or so I finally crawled into bed knowing I could rest now with my blank wall conquered! SOOO pleased with how it turned out :) Take a Look.....

"Love you Always" Simple, but such an important message from Mommy and Daddy (behind the crib, the tree trunk goes all the way down- planning on using trunk as a growth chart throughout the years and "Love, Mommy & Daddy" is also inscribed at the bottom)

Side view

Love my Rocker, Recliner & Swivel Chair! :)

Plan on doing picture collages on both sides of the "Kate" Decal once we have some :) The bird picture hanging on the opposite wall is one my Mamaw (dad's mom) Painted for me when I was a child and it goes in the room PERFECTLY!  I just had it reframed and love how it's a way to remember her and her life!

Love how you can see top of Molly Bo's head  hehe (bottom right)

I love things that are sentimental and special

~The boots were mine when I was 4  (I broke my first and last bone in them running in the church parking lot on a rainy night)

~"Little Visits with God" was my dad's book that his parents gave him as a child- (There's a precious note on the inside from them & I have sweet memories of my dad reading to my brother and I as children at night from this same book!)

And our bags are packed We're READY to go!  Hopefully Baby Girl K will decide she's ready to meet us SOON because we sure are ready to meet you Sweet Girl! :)

Long December

As 2009 is coming to a close (well it was when I started this blog hehe), I can't help but think back on this year and all that it held for Steven and I. It was a year filled with events that were new, exciting, challenging, saddening, and life changing. Here's our year, as it was, in a quick summary.

In January, I got the opportunity to travel to Kenya, Africa alongside my hubby. It was my first trip and Steven's third. He had always wanted us to make the trip together and January provided the perfect opportunity. Along with five others from Westwood, we worked for 10 days in Nairobi and Navaisha, Kenya. We visited a local orphanage that Westwood supports and has supported for many years, an IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) Camp, and in a local church. I find myself longing to go back many times. This trip will forever hold a special place in my heart and I do look forward to the day when we can return and see all that God has continued to do since we were last there. Here's just a couple of my favorite pics from the trip.

The view from where we stayed was INCREDIBLE!!! You could see for miles. I felt like I was looking at where the Lion King was filmed hehe it was gorgeous!!!

February & March were pretty calm for us. Honestly it was a waiting game for me because we were planning on trying again to get pregnant and I had to wait until the Malaria pills were out of my system before getting pregnant. We celebrated my sweet grandmother's 88th birthday with a surprise party. She had been battling cancer and it was just what she needed to lift her spirits! She's a St. Patrick's day baby so it's always a fun celebration!

Here's the girls in our green garb :)

At the end of April we began our second pregnancy. I feel so blessed and full of joy and anticipation as we wait for the arrival of our sweet baby girl- any DAY now!!!

In May we celebrated our 3 year anniversary and in the same week lost that same sweet grandmother pictured above to cancer. I had prayed for a long time that my Memaw would be here when I had my first child, but sometimes God has different plans and I had to accept that. She had already made me a baby blanket and every time she tried to give it to me while she was sick, I just told her to hang on to it so she could give it to me at one of my showers one day. So when I received that blanket this Christmas with the handwritten note "Baby Quilt goes to Hailey- Memaw" I LOST it. She never knew I was pregnant and I wish she could know my little girl who shares her name, but I will forever cherish the memories I had with the sweetest Memaw that I ever knew!

Steven traveled to Ecuador with International World Changers for a second time in June. I stayed behind this time around, but made the trip to Youth Camp in July. It was another fun week with some of the best youth ever even though I had to tone it down a notch during all the sports activities due to my pregnancy! And you better believe my hubby was watching me like a hawk that week! hehe. I am very competitive and play hard so it was a bit of a challenge this year :)

In August, we found out we were having a GIRL! Wahoo! We had both wanted a girl, knowing all that really mattered is that he/she is healthy, but thrilled when we found out It's a Girl! We had fun telling my family. Steven's family is in Atlanta, St. Louis & Jacksonville and my brother in Phoenix so all they got was a phone call hehe, but we made telling my mom, dad, and sister really fun! I had already made It's a Girl & It's a Boy candy bags so all we had to do was get the balloons that announced the proper gender. After picking up the balloons we swung by my sister's school and I got them to call her down to the office. I was waiting for her with her balloon bouquet and candy bag. She was thrilled- she really wanted a girl too! :) We met my parents at Olive Garden and had the waitress hide the balloons. We first told them they couldn't tell the gender and really had them going, than waitress came out with the balloons and they were so surprised!

Here's some pics from our fun announcement day!

It was also in the same month and only about a week after finding out we were having a girl that we lost Steven's mom to a long battle of emphysema. We spent the week before in Atlanta with her as we knew her battle was coming to an end. It was hard watching her suffer, but just being with her in those final days and hours was time we will never forget. Steven's mom was a precious lady who loved her family very much. I made sure she knew how grateful I was for the son she raised and the man he turned out to be. I think her hard work ethic and care for her family was passed on to Steven and I really am grateful to her for that. It is comforting to know she is no longer suffering and her health is restored in full.

I LOVE Fall so September, October, & November are always enjoyable months! We started working on the nursery. I found my furniture and bedding at Children's Fair and immediately went to work- really after we found out what we were having :) Here's a pic of my bedding below, except our furniture is off white. They actually had my bedding on display with my crib so I got to see it all together before purchasing it! Pics of the nursery completed coming soon- I've been doing some more painting :)- really trying to keep myself busy!

And December:

I taught dance up until 8 month prego- wahoo! Talk about relieved when the Winter Recital was over! But I Love it and wouldn't have it any other way! We spent this month (after Recitals and all the various Christmas programs were over) relaxing and enjoying time together and with family and friends!

Here's me and my sweet girl Molly Bojangles- almost 9 months prego! Large and in charge :)

We can't wait for little sister Kate to get here! ANY DAY NOW!!!! Please come soon sweet girl!

As 2009 came to a close- I couldn't help but think about one of my favorite Counting Crow's classics- Long December. It seems like at every New Years party in high school that song was played and it really became one of my all time favorite songs. It just has a way of making you reflect back on the year- things that went wrong, things you want to change, and decisions good and bad that you made. This wasn't a bad year, just filled with some grief & loss, but also gain & promise of an exciting new adventure. I have a feeling that this year is going to be a great year and I can't wait to see all that unfolds! And the most important line from this classic:

"I can't remember all the times I tried to tell myself

To hold on to these moments as they pass"