Rocked My World

It’s amazing how a person can go from complete joy to a near state of depression in a matter of minutes. You see, everything went great with Drake’s delivery. Everything was quick and pretty easy. I was totally fine…way better than I was right after Landry, which wasn’t actually that bad. I was simply elated that I could finally hold that sweet, precious boy in my arms and see his little face.

After the family had seen him though and left to go get some lunch {finally}, it was just Colby and I with Drake in the room. Then, the nurse came in and said she was going to take him to the nursery. She wasn’t panicked in any way that set off my mommy alarm, so I didn’t really think anything about it.

Later, our pastor and youth minister came by to see everyone and check on everybody and pray with us. I, still thinking nothing was wrong or abnormal, told them that they had just missed the baby, as he was in the nursery, but Colby could take them down there to see him. After prayer, they all left to go to the nursery, and I had to stay behind because of the lack of feeling in my legs due to the epidural.

They were gone….for a while.

So, I texted to make sure everything was ok. No reply.

Worry immediately sets in.

And then they return. Just Colby and the pastor…with solemn looks on their faces. Heat swept over my body.

I would be lying if I said that I didn’t immediately think the worst. I thought my baby was gone. To all of you mamas who have lost children in some way, I experienced that pain for a split second, and I hope I never have to experience that ever again. I cannot even imagine the hole in your heart that losing a child leaves.

Luckily though, Drake was a fighter but was having difficulty breathing. He had nurses and doctors standing around him. His O2 levels were not where they should have been, and his breathing was very rapid as he struggled. Within an hour of his life, he looked more like an astronaut with his oxygen hood on and wires hooked up to him in every way needed to monitor all of his levels. Thank you, Jesus, for amazing technology!

I was still back in the delivery room trying my best to move my legs in hopes that it would make the epidural wear off quicker, so I could walk good enough to get to the bathroom {that’s the deal with getting to move to the recovery room} and into a wheelchair, so I could at least see him through the window.

In what seemed like forever, I cried the hardest cry and prayed the longest prayer one could in that moment. Pleas for my baby boy to be okay and to not be affected by this in any negative way. And as I prayed…so did countless others, and I cannot be more grateful to all of you who did. God heard our prayers.

Eventually, I was able to go see him on my way to the recovery room. I had the best nurse who knew I was dying to see him. All I had been relying on up until that point was pictures and what my family was telling me. And of course, I was thinking that they were all only telling me half of the truth to try to keep me from being more upset.

While in the nursery, I was terrified as I sat there. I continuously watched the monitors and his little chest going up and down. Every time he would hesitate in breathing for a split second, I would panic inside….afraid that the monitors were going to go off and something else be wrong. I watched my grandmother take some of her last breaths, and it was just like that. That’s an image you can never erase from your brain, and I did not want to have to watch that with my son.

After staying for a few minutes, I had all I could bear and went back to the room. Colby would go back and forth to see what progress was being made with him. That night, I went back to check on him after we had spoken with the pediatrician who said that they had consulted Sacred Heart and would be shipping him there if he did not make progress within the next few hours. As we waited for him to come back late that night, we both fell asleep.

I woke up in the middle of the night and contemplated making my own way to the nursery to see if they had actually had to send him {the nurses assured me the next day that they would have gotten me up for that}, but decided it would be best for me to rest and not venture out alone since I was still getting feeling back in my legs {even then} and had only really gotten around by wheelchair.

The next morning though…

Surprise, surprise!

Colby went to check on him and came back with him in his bassinet. Praise the Lord! Just like that, the Lord had healed him within a few hours, and he was safe to be back with us in the room full time. So once again, family and friends filed in to see our boy.

We are so thankful that Drake has been totally fine minus a trip to the ER at Sacred Heart when he was making wheezing type noises when he fed. Luckily, they cleaned out his sinuses with what looked like a Roto-Rooter, and he has been good to go since aside from just doing a saline spray and suctioning him out every day.It’s a small hiccup, but we are just thankful that he is totally healthy according to all of his doctors and will not be affected by this in any way. Praise the Lord!

And today….Drake is One Month Old!

And because Landry wanted to get in on the action…

Happy Weekend, Everyone! Enjoy the sunshine!

Welcome to the World!

Somehow, I had planned on blogging about the arrival of Drake into the world shortly after his birth. Yet, here I am…just one day away from him being one month old. It’s amazing how quickly time flies when you’ve got two kiddos that are constantly keeping you busy literally all hours of the day. I seriously have no idea how this is going to work when it’s time for me to go back to work, but for now I have two-ish weeks of maternity leave left, and I’m going to soak up every minute.

It’s SO NICE being at home during my favorite season of the year. We’ve been planting and watering flowers, playing outside, and soaking up the sunshine. It’s so much nicer to be off during this time of the year versus summer because you can actually go outside and enjoy it without sweating to death or coating yourself {really the kiddos} in sunscreen.

That’s not the point though. The point of this whole blog post is to recap the birth of Drake. Let’s just say those first few days were NOT AT ALL like I imagined or planned them to be, but we have made up for it.

So, here it goes…

I chose to be induced, and I went in at midnight. We had to be there around 10:30 to get the paperwork and all started. There I was {amongst some rather scary individuals} in the ER, and in comes a girl who is quite pregnant and in A LOT of pain. Exactly why I chose to be induced! There I sat though…big, fat, pregnant, and just waiting for my name to be called.

Once we got paperwork taken care of, I was taken to my labor and delivery room…not the comfiest of beds since it breaks apart for the delivery part. I had a sweet nurse that got me all situated and hooked up to a million cords and started the process. Colby got situated on his make-shift bed and was out like a light in a matter of minutes it seemed. If only! I was up the entire night, which made for a good time to catch up on soap operas and Candy Crush.

The doctor came in around 6 a.m. to break my water, and those contractions were off to the races. While I can’t remember exactly, I think it was around 8:30 or 9 that they came in and told me I was ready for an epidural if I wanted it. Boy, did I want it!!! Bravo to you ladies who birth those babies without any pain meds! This chick is not one of them.

They gave me a shot of something in my IV to help the pain until the epidural was ready, and that really threw me for a loop. The nurses were ready for me to drink something out of a cup used for the epidural, and let’s just say I wasn’t sure which way the cup was. Everything was running together, but I sure felt better! Once the epidural was in, I couldn’t feel a thing! It was smooth sailing from that point on.

Right around lunch time, I was trying to convince all the family to go eat some lunch and to not be in a hurry. Just as they were about to head out the door though, the nurses came in to check me, and surprise, surprise…it was go time!

Before I knew it, Dr. Lee {the best doctor ever} was in the delivery room ready to catch a baby. Things went quickly, and Drake was here at 12:25 p.m. Nearly the exact same birth story as Landry but an hour quicker!

Tears filled my eyes as I got to see my baby boy for the first time! All the pains of carrying him for 9 months and labor were suddenly erased as I saw that sweet little face and heard that tiny cry…the most precious sound a mother could hear! I was in love immediately.

Shortly after, the family came in to meet our new little boy. Landry wasn’t too sure about what this baby brother thing was, but he hesitantly crawled up beside me to see him. Everyone got to meet him, and then left to {finally} go eat and give me some time to rest and recover….

…right before the scariest moment I think I’ve ever experienced in my life.

Coming Out of Hibernation

 

When Spring starts to appear, I start thinking of all the things I want to do. You see….I like to say that I hibernate in the winter. You know the kind. As soon as it is dark, I am done for the day. The pajamas are on. The blankets are out, and I basically shut down the house and think about all the things I can’t wait to do when it is warmer.

But then Spring arrives! And it is finally warmer! And I can’t seem to decide what I want to do first.

I have a to-do list a mile long, but then I can’t wait to be able to finally go outside my house and soak up the sunshine and play in the yard with my sweet boy. He would rather be outside than anywhere, and I can’t half blame him.

The weather has been gorgeous for nearly two weeks. In those two weeks, we have been to the farm to relax and ride the mule {not the animal} and just enjoy the little moments in life that God blesses us with and we often take for granted.

I am thankful for these little moments because I know one day {that will come too soon} those moments will disappear, and I will be wishing I had them back.

So, I take too many pictures and videos. I put projects on the back burner, and I spend time with my little family.

It’s the simple life, folks. Take a step back and take a deep breath.

Enjoy every moment.

{Thankfulness} Parents

Today I wanted to share just how thankful I am for my parents and my in-laws.

Pop Pop has the best tractor noises. He could once say nearly every word of the Jungle Book. He’s handy and can make nearly anything you want. He has the best sense of humor and is always the life of the party.

Nonna makes some mean chocolate oatmeal cookies. She has the best toy stash in her secret compartment under the stairs. She can sing a baby to sleep in no time flat and loves sharing her love for the farm with her grandbabies. Those goats are prime entertainment for the kiddos!

Mimi is a teacher through and through. All of those years of teaching elementary school don’t go away easily, so she puts her skills to good use with Landry. She’s Landry’s babysitter while I work and makes sure he gets his share of veggies and good nutrition.

Paw gives the best lawn mower rides on all of Travis Street. It’s a daily ritual. He spends more time at home now that Landry is around, and we are thankful that he moves the car out every morning, so we don’t have to get out in the wet grass, cold, or rain more than we have to.

Each of these are such a special part of our lives, and they are each more than what these three or four sentences say. We {Colby and I} are more grateful for them than we could ever express. They have sacrificed for us and have shown love for Landry like no one else would be able to do. We love you all!

{Thankfulness} A Small Token of Kindness

Today’s thankfulness is a result of what happened to me this morning…

I drove up to drop Landry off at his Mimi and Paw’s when his Paw realized my tire looked a little slack.

You should know that the only way I’m going to realize my tire is “slack” is if it’s flat to the ground and is VERY NOTICEABLE! Like non-drivable noticeable.

Act of kindness one:

My FIL offered to come to the school to give my tire a little lift in the air department. The problem? When he went to add air, he found a screw.

This screw.

Act of kindness two:

He took my car to have my tire repaired, so I didn’t have to do it after school.

So, I’m thankful for my FIL and the fact that he takes care of me like I’m his own….especially since Colby was not in town to do it for me either. My stressful day was a little less stressful.

Small acts of kindness, people.

It’s what makes the world go ‘round.

{Thankfulness} My Baby

He’s my heart.

For him, I’m thankful for…

His open mouth kisses.

His comedian personality.

His love for the outdoors.

His need for his Mommy just because.

His contagious laugh.

His spunk.

His sweet smile.

His daringness.

The Lord could not have blessed me with a greater kid. He’s a blessing that just keeps on giving.

{Thankfulness} My Best Friend

So many days are spent without a minute to spare, but there is not a day that goes by that I don’t think of something I am so thankful for. Most of the time it is a bit of appreciation for the little things in life.

Since it is November and the month of thankfulness, I thought I would take the time to share a snippet of what I’m grateful for in life each day this month.

What better way to start the month off than to express my thankfulness for my best friend and husband, Colby. I could make a list of all the reasons I’m thankful for him, but let’s be honest…you don’t want to read that. I’d rather not get mushy.

Just a few fun facts…

1. He plays all the things with Landry that mommy is not so good at. Mommies just don’t make tractor noises like Daddies.
2. He does all of the chores I hate doing the most or just don’t have the stomach to do….you now the ones…cleaning the tub, taking out the trash, putting the nasty dishes in the dishwasher. He’s the best at it, and I have a happier stomach because of it.
3. He encourages me to be my best person, to make goals and reach them (all while helping me make them reality), and is an amazing provider for our family.

Thanks for being such a great husband, best friend, listener, therapist, yard man, painter, fixer-upper, dad, diaper changer, bill payer, money saver, and all of the other jobs you do around here that I can’t think of at the moment. We love you and are very grateful for you!

A Father’s Day First

It’s not even been a year. He’s been a dad for exactly ten months and ten days.

Yesterday, Landry melted when his Daddy had to leave for a minute and couldn’t take him along. He watches his every move and loves his Daddy to the moon and back. He knows he’ll scoop him up and put him in the stroller, which to him is the best thing in the world. He loves to watch as Colby works on something and does all the things men love to do…particularly being outside. That’s why he loves stroller rides so much.

I loved him when I married him, but I love him even more now. He’s a wonderful daddy and an amazing husband.

Happy Father’s Day, Colby!

Landry and I love you a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck!

It’s a BaBy-Q!

Does this scene look familiar?

 

This was my shower at my house last year hosted by my wonderful friends. Same weekend. Same time. The same thing happened. Rain. Just like last year, the rain held off for just long enough for me to set up everything for some decent pictures. Had I not had to set up an hour before the party, pictures would have been a bit more detailed, but we’ll just have to go with what we have.

Once again, it was a BaBy-Q! The invitations were the first things  I picked out after scouring Pinterest and Etsy. I always choose invitations that are printable to save $$$, which is especially easy since we invested in a color laser printer back when I got married.

The front door welcomed guests with grapevine wreaths topped with a raffia bow and hydrangeas from NDI. I must thank my BIL and SIL for the ferns as well! It certainly completed the entrance! If you noticed something different about the front of the house, I’ll give the details in a later post.

The tables were adorned with galvanized pails with fresh hydrangeas in them. For the bows, I used some fabric I purchased, cut it into strips with pinking sheers, tied them on the pails, and then secured them with hot glue.

 

The runners were simply a bolt of burlap cut in half. Perfectly imperfect. And of course, half pint mason jars tied with twine made the perfect candle holders.

At each place setting, a brown paper bag was cut off at the top with pinking sheers and stuffed with folded napkins and eating utensils. To personalize it, I used a changeable monogram stamp my SIL gave me at Christmas to add in the new baby’s monogram.

On the table for the parents and grandparents-to-be, I changed up the table and used lanterns and smaller galvanized pails with hydrangeas.

Since we were using long tables, I thought grouping them into rows and making a box shape would make it easier to see the gift opening. Unfortunately, that never happened due to the storm that rolled in.

Now to the food…

Mason jars with pink chevron straws were used as the glasses to hold tea or pink lemonade.

The menu included:

• Marinated & seasoned grilled chicken
• Loaded baked potato salad
• Coleslaw
• Baked beans
• Fruit salad
• Deviled eggs
• Buttercream frosting cupcakes

It was a delicious spread for all to enjoy!

A Longerberger basket lined with pink gingham fabric {same as the bows} held the cornbread muffins.

Due to the incoming rain, I didn’t get a photo of it, but we used a giant galvanized tub to hold all of the chicken quarters and legs. It was a last minute idea that worked beautifully.

Not the best picture of me, but I loved Landry’s outfit {Cecil and Lou} so much and that cute smile that I had to share our one photo from the evening.

And proof that everyone did get to eat outside {albeit quickly}.

Overall, the shower was a success and once again made for a good story. Despite lack of seating, everyone stayed to chat, finish eating, and watch the opening of presents.

Thanks to all who came and were incredibly generous to Judd and Abby! I know the appreciated each and every gift that will be a blessing to their new baby girl.

Congratulations, Judd and Abby! We can’t wait to meet Landry’s new baby cousin!

Sources:

Invitation: Etsy by Sweet Bees Design Shopp

Big thanks to Kate, Erin, and Mrs. Linda for letting me borrow all of your party decorating goods! We seriously need a party closet for a one stop shop!

Aunt Times Three & Other Random Thoughts!

That's right! I am now the aunt of two {officially} but three when the new baby arrives in July! What's even crazier that I'm an aunt of THREE girls! Poor Landry is the only boy! I suppose I will eventually have to try to have him a baby brother, but don't get excited. It won't be this year {or at least it won't be planned...haha}.

My sister had her baby last week. Meet Anslee Isabella!

She is just the sweetest thing! She's so content with life being snuggled in her blanket. While Isabella was so still and quiet, my little lovely is quite active these days.

Landry is so much fun right now. Morning are our favorites, and if you follow me on Instagram then you saw this picture of his crazy morning hair the other day. Have you ever seen a six month old with that much hair?!?! I suppose it's better than none.

I'm seriously about to die to do some home projects, but I can't decide which I want to spend money on first. While I desperately want some new rugs for the new dining room and new study, I can't seem to find one that I can commit to fully. I wanted something a little less traditional for the study but something that still fits our home.

For the dining room though, I still want traditional and have found a rug I love, but it's just not big enough! Ugh! I'm hoping next weekend we can go to a couple of stores to see if I can find anything for a steal. Probably not, but it's worth a try.

With this new dining room switcheroo, I want a new chandalier to hang above the table. The ones I find online are EXPENSIVE, so I think I'm going to go to a giant antique store to see if I can find one that I can fall in love with and has a bit of character. If you haven't been to Alyssa's Antique Depot, you are missing out on life!

Well, I suppose that's all for now. Hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend!

 

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