A little late?

Lets face it, I suck at blogging. So, instead of catching up on 9 months of it I'm just going to start from this point!

West: oh how I adore this guy! He is such a keeper! I can't believe in just two weeks he will be one.

Lyla: She has started preschool and thinks she is all grown up! She loves her brother, and is a big help around the house.

Noe: love her! She is for sure the main mother hen, besides me. She has started fourth grade and is student council representative for her class.

Tummy troubles

Well, I am finally rested enough to blog again.  These last few weeks have been rough!  West has been diagnosed with a milk protein allergy. Therefore, I had to stop breast feeding. Worst. Thing. Ever.  If you knew me you knew I hadn't always had the best luck with breast feeding but, this time it was going great! Then West starting breaking out and his eyes starting swelling shut. He screamed ALL the time.  The doctor told us to switch to formula due to the fact that dairy is in everything. Dr. Waldo used scary words like anaphylaxis and a phrase like "Rush to the emergency room". It was too risky to continue the breast feeding.....so, we had to go on this.

Nutramigen. Ugh. This stuff smells like thrown up cheese nips and the cost is ridiculous. For this size can we have to pay 35 bucks. Between labor and delivery, NICU, constant trips to the doctor, and now having to buy this stuff, we have decided West is one expensive kid. We still love him, though. He is starting to do better now. He is definitely more needy than the girls were. He is picky on how he wants to be held, picky on where he wants to play and how long, and definitely picky about how he lays when he sleeps. He HAS to lay in his boppy on his side. I have no idea what we are going to do when he grows out of the boppy!! As sleep deprived as I've been, though, I don't care how he wants to sleep...just as long as he does it.

Noe turned 9 this month!! I can't believe I am the parent of a 9 year old.  She went to her dad's to spend her birthday. She got a new bike from us and some Beyblades. I think Mark got the Beyblades for him too!  She had a Justin Beiber cake and a bowling birthday party. Sweet, sweet, Noe.

Now, we could never forget to talk about Ms. Lyla. She is such a good helper with baby West!! Always getting his pacifier for him, or getting a diaper for me to change him with.  Her new favorite thing though is to get completely naked as soon as she wakes up. Completely. It doesn't matter how cold it is or who I tell her is coming over, she has to take her clothes off.  We have had several play dates lately and I always have to bribe her to put her clothes on. It never fails though, halfway through the play date you will look over and she will be butt naked. I am really hoping this is just a faze.....I would hate to have to bribe her when she's 16 too:)

She now tells me too, everyday, that she's sick and needs to got to the "hosbibal", (to translate, she means hospital). She had so much fun coming to the hospital to see me because everywhere I went she got to go with me in the wheel chair. So, every morning before she gets naked she tells me she's sooooo sick and needs to go to the hospital to see Dr. Johnson (my OB-GYN). My favorite conversation as of late went like this,

Lyla: I'm so sick, I need to go to the hosbibal.

Me: Oh no, what's wrong?

Lyla: My knees hurt real bad.

Keep in mind to that this is said in the most pitiful voice I've ever heard. She is nuts!

This past weekend we went back to Knoxville for the first time since West was born. It was the first time that his great grandma got to see him. I got to take some pretty cute pictures of this event.

We hit up the park this past week too. The weather here has been amazing! So last weekend we did the park and then went to Five Guys for dinner.....who needs to lose baby weight, right?

And lastly, there is this picture.

Don't ask questions. Just laugh.....we sure did.

Three's company

On December 5th I went to my regular weekly check-up feeling frustrated, tired, and sore from contracting on and off all night long.  Dr. Johnson told me I was 3cm's dilated and about 90% effaced. He told me to get ready, it would be with in the week!  We called Mark's mother and she started to Alabama that very night. Tuesday was uneventful. We went for a walk but, it was no help.....that night. Wednesday morning I woke up at 7 a.m. to my first contraction, another at 7:06, 7:12, 7:18, and finally at 7:30 I told Mark we needed to head to St. Vincents. When I got to the hospital I was dilated to a four and the doctor said it was time!

He was definitely my longest pregnancy, and longest labor but, gosh he was worth it. Dr. Johnson laid him on my chest and I fell in love. The only other man I will love other than my husband for the rest of my life.

After delivery the nurses noticed he was breathing a little faster than most babies should.  They said he had swallowed a lot of fluid but, they hoped in a few hours he would work it out on his own and be fine.  I never thought it would be an issue. Thursday morning came and my nurse said West's glucose was low, which meant he was burning a lot fuel to keep up with breathing. It was time for the NICU. The NICU will humble you in a second.  When we went I was feeling sorry for myself. I knew West would be fine, it was never IF he would come home just WHEN. I remember sitting in the NICU tears running down my face and looking directly to my right. There in an incubator was a tiny 2 lb baby named Caraleigh. One day later there were triplets that were born at 23 weeks gestation, they soon turned to twins. Heavenly Father knew what he was doing when he put me in that situation. He knew I needed to be grateful for what I had and not questioning why this was happening to us. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. As terrible as it was to see my son hooked up to monitors and having an IV, I am thankful for that NICU. I am thankful for nurses, doctors, and 2 lb babies named Caraleigh.

Proud Dr. Johnson

2nd day in the NICU

The first moment I saw him (excuse the way I look, I DID just give birth)

Holding West in the NICU

West is now fine. He was only in the NICU for four days. At his two week check up he had already gained a pound! He obviously is eating and now breathing just fine. We are truly blessed to have our family, all at home and safe and sound.

Halloween fun!

When asking Lyla the other day what she would like for Christmas she replied, "Halloween". Excuse me? Lyla had so much fun for Halloween that she decided she wanted to ask Santa to bring Halloween back! She obviously doesn't remember the whole Christmas experience.

Noe was Hermione Granger from Harry Potter and Lyla was a pirate!! Notice Lyla had already broke into the chocolate while trick or treating:)

A couple of weeks ago my great friend Renee came to visit from Tennessee.  She is starting her own business doing photography and decided to come practice on us. She did some great pictures! I hope she knows how much of a big deal this was for me. I don't like to see myself big and pregnant but, for her I did it! She's one of the best friends ever!

I do have beautiful girls, if I do say so myself!


Baby West is on his way! I am officially 6 weeks away from my due date but, could have as little as three weeks left since I had Lyla at 37 weeks.  I don't feel as terrible as I did with the girls at this point, which is great. Maybe it's I don't have TIME to feel horrible since I have the girls. He is sitting alot lower than the girls did, which causes more pressure but, also leaves more room for my stomach to eat! Contractions this time have been way more intense than they were with the girls. I haven't had anything regular enough to call the doctor but, when they do come I'm in pain for a couple of hours. This better not mean I will have a painful delivery! As long as they can stay pretty weak but, regular my epidural should kick in before the real pain starts!

So my next post hopefully will be all about my new little guy. Wish me luck!!

Lions, tigers, and pregnancy...oh my!!

We went to the zoo this month.  I thought it would be fun since Lyla could now understand and identify all the different little critters we saw.  She basically has talked about it ever since....her favorite being the elephant!!

 This was the priceless smile I got after the elephant!



We got to ride the choo choo too!

Pregnancy this go round has not been so bad.  I'm just now starting to get uncomfortable and I only go to the bathroom literally every five minutes but, I've dealt with worse! The usual aches and pains, odd vision changes, and the getting beat from the inside are all familiar to me by now! I find solace in the fact that I probably only have about 10 more weeks left of the abuse...well, then the REAL abuse begins.  I always go at least two weeks early. Cervix don't fail me now!

This weekend I also bought West two outfits. That's right folks, my son officially has 3 outfits in his closet. I have had the worst time finding cute boy clothes. No more pink, frilly, tulle, or sweet little hair bows for me. Now its footballs, light blue (which for some reason I'm not a fan of), and weird farm animals. Where should I shop??!  Babies R Us is my only reassurance that cute rocker boy clothes exist and I can dress him more manly than monkey.  I really need to get started on buying SOMETHING for this kid....I mean, at least a pack of diapers. Plus, I have Christmas shopping that has to get done before he gets here, or my kids will have a pretty bummer Christmas.

At least I can bring him home in something boyish and NOT a tutu.  Of course that all depends on if I bring him home at all since we haven't gotten a car seat, either;)



 

 

Bambinos and birthdays

So, for those of you that don't already know.....we are having a BOY in December! I'm not exactly sure how I feel about this.  Girls are just easy for me now! I mean, I know how to handle a girl, all you do is put in beauty and the beast and all is well with the world. I put Lyla in the shower with me this morning to save time.....can you even do that with a boy? Is that weird? So many silly questions JUST like that I have.  Poor kid, I hope he will be patient with me!!



Noe started 3rd grade last week.

Of course Lyla had to have a picture too

Third grade has already been eventful! We have officially been in school for 4 whole days and we have already had one fundraiser packet sent home, homework every night, and the first cold virus of the season has attacked the house. Nice.



Last weekend I turned the big 2-9. Mark and I celebrated with absolutely no children. Does that sound bad? Mama needed a break, so we went to Atlanta.  We went to see the Chicago Cubs play the Atlanta Braves. Unfortunately, the Cubs lost.  Chipper Jones was actually hitting a home run for the braves as we walked into the park.....hence the fireworks. 

We stayed at the the downtown Hilton and woke up on my birthday to a completely kid free meal at Cracker Barrel! Then we drove home and hit the outlets on our way.....and ULTA!! What birthday is complete without a little Ulta shopping?  I have to say it was one of the best birthdays ever. I have the best husband ever!!

This was the view from our hotel room

As I said.....BEST. BIRTHDAY. EVER

I'm the worst blogger ever!!

I am officially the worst blogger ever!  There really hasn't been much going on anyway unless you count the news that I'm PREGNANT!  Yep, 17 weeks and counting, and I couldn't be happier that the first trimester is over.  Thank God for second trimesters....women just wouldn't continue to torture themselves without it!  I was sick, tired, had terrible headaches, and crazy food cravings and aversions. Now, I am gaining weight and getting bigger, I have a baby bump!  The new baby will grace us with their presence in December and we couldn't be any more excited!  Pray that I can handle 3, ok? I am scared to death!

Seriously, other than that its been pretty slow.  Fourth of July was fun and was spent in Knoxville at Mark's parents house. 

Today is Mark and I's 4 year anniversary!  The best four years of my life.  Full of ups, downs, anger, and love......he is my best friend and I couldn't be happier.

Next time if you're lucky, you might get a really cool ultrasound picture.  Will the Tindall girl trend countinue or will a boy join us in December? Tune in in August to find out!!