So, So Happy

Welp, we are almost a month in with 3 sweet babies age 3 years and under, and the title of this post is the best way to describe how I feel. So, so happy. God has really shown up and shown out for us. We prayed and prayed for this transition, because honestly...I was really worried how I was going to get everything done with sleepless nights AND nursing around the clock AND 2 other little ones, but he has answered my prayers to the fullest. I have gone from surviving the newborn stage to being obsessed with it. Obsessed. I can't put her down. Lee and I fight over who gets to hold her. I stare at her all the day long and sigh at every single noise she makes. Right now she wakes once a night for a feeding and I'm even happy to do that. Watching Knox and Greer with her makes me wish that life would stand still. With this baby, I'm not looking ahead to the next stage. I am in love with where we are and I am loving every single second of it. This has been the most natural transition for me as a mom, and that is so surprising to me. Greer was such a sweet baby, but this has been easier for some reason. I am not naive enough to think that it won't be really really hard at times, but I just want to give God all the glory and all the honor because this first month has been one of the best months of my life...and that's not usually the way it goes with me. I'm usually dragging and exhausted and wishing the baby would be older so that I can sleep and function. So very thankful for this smooth transition, and I'm praying that I'm still singing the same tune next month!

I'm just going to post pics from my phone, so they will be in no organized order. More later!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter from our newest bunny: Elizabeth McRaye Lawson! Born last night at 7:52 and weighing in at the exact same weight as her big sis- 6 pounds 14 oz. Born at 36 weeks on the nose...and mama even got to sneak her hair appointment in there yesterday morning. Contractions started right when my hair was getting blow dried :). I Made it home just in time to tell Lee and pack a bag. Sweet friends and family came to keep the kids so we could head out. Got the hospital around 2:30 and she was born just before 8. I pushed one time!

Little girl has white white white hair, eyelashes, and eyebrows. I'm not sure what to think. One of each color??? Nurses and family say she's definitely a toe-head and it won't change. We shall see. It's so white that it glowed in the dark last night when I was nursing her! Almost albino-ish. So funny :)


Big brother and sister checked her out this morning and seemed to really like her. Although- the Easter bunny came and left their baskets at the hospital, so they were pretty stoked about that as well. They sang Happy Birthday to her quite a few times which was super duper cute.

I can't stop staring at her and soaking her up. She is absolutely perfect in every way ! More details later...

Bed Rest

2 weeks ago I went in to pre-term labor and won myself an over night stay in labor and delivery. There are 2 important things that I have learned during this bed rest phase:

1. I am not a good bed rest patient.
2. I am not a good bed rest patient.

Anyways- I won't bore you with all the details, but 2 weeks ago I was 70% effaced and slightly dilated. And when he checked me he could feel her head. So they gave me meds to stop everything and then followed up with shots to help her lungs mature quickly. Greer was born pre-mature (at a whopping 6lbs 14 oz), and Knox came a little early as well. Something about my uterus must be ticking these babies off because they don't want to stay in!

My mother in law took both kids for the week after I got out of the hospital...that was my 33rd week of pregnancy. Talk about a life saver. Both kids ended up getting sick while in her care, so you can imagine how much fun that was. But because of her taking the kids, I was able to stay in bed most of the time, and that got me through another week. My doctor didn't tell me until after the fact, but that week was really, really crucial- so a major shout out goes to Lolli! I have Medicine to stop contractions, and I have had a few, but the medicine makes you feel weird so I don't like taking it. Doc said that he feels really good about everything. She is a good size baby for 35 weeks (surprise surprise), so if I were to go in to labor next week he wouldn't be too aggressive with trying to stop it. However - I would love to make it to at least 37 weeks. I have a hair appt next Saturday that even bed rest won't hold me back from!

The kids are more than ready for the baby to get here. Knox asks me everyday to take the baby out so he can hold it. Greer calls her by one of the many names we've given her that we have now since changed our minds. And nope-we still don't have a definite name. And I'm not even that concerned. I know it will come at the right time.

That's all the updates for now. We are just sitting around the house waiting for the big moment. Since my babies have come so fast in the past... We are praying that I make it in time for the epidural. Momma don't play around when it comes to the drugs...

Here are a few of the latest from my crazy crew. Greer got her first pair of "big girl" flower shoes, and Knox found the golden egg at the Easter hunt at MDO. I had some happy kids this afternoon...

Everything

Well, I am thinking that this blog probably won't last too much longer...especially when baby girl gets here. I am terrible at updating. I guess I feel like I don't have too many interesting things to say in the time I have allotted to update. And I definitely don't have the time to blog about things that I would love to talk about...the deep stuff. So, I'm going to try and throw some pictures on here of what's been going on lately and at least have a place where my pictures are stored. I know, I need to back up my pictures.

Lets see...baby girl still has no name. I'm about 30 weeks. Went to the doc yesterday and she is measuring 3 weeks ahead! He wants me to come back next week so that he can monitor her growth. I also am having circulation and breathing issues since she is taking up so much space. I have never had a varicose vein a day in my life, and now my right leg is covered in painful ones, resulting in me rocking some sexy compression hose. I also have torn muscles underneath the right side of my belly from rapid growth, so that allowed me to add a maternity belt to my wardrobe. Talk about knocking a girls self esteem to the ground! Feeling really attractive these days :). I'm going to try to post pictures but I'm sure they will be out of order. I seriously only have 1 picture taken at 28 weeks. I'm in my pajamas and no makeup. Pretty much how I look on a daily basis. Funny thing is that I don't even care that I'm posting a makeup- less pic on the World Wide Web. Don't judge me until you've walked in my shoes :).

I am really really excited about this baby. I could type pages and pages as to why, but no time. Basically, in a nutshell, I feel that God has really changed me and taught me over this past year about parenting and self confidence , and I feel like I'm getting a chance to really enjoy and love having a newborn instead of worrying about rules and formulas for this and that, if everyone around me thinks I'm doing it right, not listening to everyone else (even though they mean well!) and just trust that The Lord gave Lee and I these babies...so he will direct us in how to take care of them, etc. Sad to admit, but I have struggled with these things in the past. Anyways, I just want to love being a mom and enjoy all that I can. And I want to hold that baby as close to me as possible and rock it whenever I want to :). I'm pretty sure we won't have a name by the time she's born, but the law says we have to have one before we leave the hospital. Here's to hoping! I'm married to the name Sargent, so getting him to agree on a name has been painful and unsuccessful. And honesty, I haven't found one that I love either. Oh well. I'm sure it will come to us at the right time...

Greer turned 2 in January. We decided to spend a family day together doing all the things that she loves, and celebrated lunch and dinner with my family. It was the best decision ever, and it makes me not want to have another official birthday party. It was a sweet time together and she was so so happy. And I had no party planning stress. Double awesome.

Knox got his first set of stitches right before Christmas. He was running and tripped and fell on the corner of a brick wall. Seriously? Only my child. It made for an interesting swollen and mangled face for Christmas. Oh, the funny memories we will have :). He had his Christmas program
at MDO 2 days later, and both of his eyes were almost swollen shut. Lovely! Dude was awesome, though, and barely cried when he got his FIVE shots inside the wound before they stitched him up. I helped hold him, and when they started pulling pieces of brick out from his cut, I turned my head :).
Preggers over here got a bike for Christmas. I have been wanting one for a long time. I haven't had one since middle school and I LOVE it. Mainly because I can ride alongside my main little man. He loves his bike and loves to race me, and that stinker is pretty fast! I can pull Greer behind me, but usually she pitches a fit because she wants to ride her scooter with us. She will not be outdone, and she would do just about anything to have her own bike. Sweet Jesus, help us. She is a boy inside a girls body and has zero fear. My mom constantly tells me that she reminds her of someone. I wonder who?? But don't doubt that whatever she does, she has to have a bow the size of her head in her hair. She won't the leave the house without one. Whew!

Knox had his first dentist appt and was cool as a cucumber. He loved it and got lots of treats from the nurses, so he's already looking forward to his next visit. Hopefully I will have the same report for Greer when it's her turn to go.

The new house is coming along quickly. I don't think it will be ready by the time the new babe gets here, but that's ok. We will just continue to live in a tight squeeze for a little while. I cannot put in to words how thankful I am for the opportunity to build this house. I have grown up living mainly in apartments with my mom and sister, so having a place where there is space for everyone...and a little extra space to accommodate company and friends...well, it's just a blessing that I could have never imagined. And the fact that our builder is a great and trustworthy friend...that's just icing on the cake. So far, the process has been enjoyable. And even a little fun since we are starting to pick everything out. I have some pictures of the framing and will hopefully update everything as we go. What we know so far is that the outside will be white painted brick, and on the inside will be brick flooring throughout the entire house. We've already gotten to pick out the kitchen and the appliances, so that was fun. Lee went with me for the appliance part (because I know nothing), and My sister went with me for the kitchen cabinets and the front door selection. I'm not a decision maker. I know it will be a white kitchen with a distressed green island. Excited about the kitchen...since I'm such an extravagant cook and all. We've loved this neighborhood since we've moved back, and our direct next door neighbors are people that we know from campus outreach...and they have kids that are very similar in age to Knox and Greer.. Very cool! There are also some other couples in there with small children from our church, so I am looking forward to that as well.

I think this is a good post for now. Still trying to figure all this parenting stuff one day at a time, but loving the oh-so humbling process in the meantime. Even on the hard days, I wouldn't trade it for anything...