Sneak Peek

The problem with being the photographer when it's your own kids pictures you are taking is that you always find a reason to do it later. Because there is always a time when you can do it or it's more convenient. But with newborns, time isn't on your side! They change so much in the first few weeks that you just can't put it off! I finally scheduled some time for Evyn's newborn photoshoot and while I'm wanting to take a few more in the next few days, I'm happy with the ones I got!

And because we are in the mist of boxing and packing up our house, I probably won't have a chance to edit a lot of these until we are in Texas. But for now, here is a sneak peek!

Seriously? Does it get any cuter than this? I'm not sure it can!

Evyn Kate Week 1

We made it through the first week. Evyn is 1 week old today. It's just the way it goes- one day blends into the next and before you know it...BAM!...it's been a week. Especially when you add in a 1st grader, a 3 year old, and did I mention we move to Texas in one week too? I'm pretty sure Evyn's first few months are going to flash by so quickly!

Christopher is busy around me packing boxes and making moving plans. He is taking care of it all while I sit in a corner and try and soak in this newbornness and pretend the next few weeks will be normal for us. Part of me wants to blink and already be in Texas and moved in...the other bigger part of me wants to slow down these moments and really breath in this new baby we have.
For now, I choose to enjoy this new little addition to our family.

So here is just a peek into our first week with little Evyn! We took Evyn to the doctor yesterday and she weighs 5 pounds 11 ounces and is doing really well! She is wearing all preemie clothes and diapers! Our little peanut.

We are so happy!

Elodie's Piano Recital

Elodie has been taking piano since the beginning of first grade. She has come a long way and done so well with it. She practices everyday. She loves it when she gets it right and hates it when she messes up. Typical Elodie. She gets it honestly so we can't hold it against her!

She had her first piano recital today and since it was her first, we weren't sure how it was going to go. And the fact that I was in the hospital having a baby the week of her recital made me even more nervous! I made this huge sign above the piano that said "PRACTICE 15 MINUTES EVERYDAY!" in hopes that it would remind her and Christopher to practice while I wasn't around. They did a great job keeping up with her practicing on Wednesday and Thursday.

When we got to the recital she was so ready to go up to the piano! She kept leaning over and asking me when it was her turn!

When it was her turn, she walked right up to the piano, sat down, and didn't miss a single note of her song! She did AWESOME! Chris and I were so proud of her and how well she did! And she was just beaming! She nailed it!


{Sidenote: Her piece was "It's a small world afterall" and we all will have that song stuck in our heads for the next year! Especially since Elodie has now memorized the piece and can't walk passed the piano without playing it! And it should also be mentioned that this was our first attempt to have our entire family dressed and ready to go somewhere and we did it. And we were only 5 minutes late. It can only get better from that right?}




4 days old.

Be kind...I just had a baby.

Elodie had both my mom and Chris' parents at her recital. Somehow Chris parents slipped out before we got a picture.

MawMaw

After a cancelled flight on Wednesday...and then a delayed flight in on Thursday, MawMaw made it! We are so happy she is here and already has been a huge help! She will stay with us until we all fly to Louisiana on the 6th of April.

No longer pregnant...

Introducing....

Evyn Kate

6 pounds 2 ounces

5:37pm

March 22,2011

More pictures and details to come...Everyone is healthy and recovering well.

Final Thoughts...

I took a stroll down memory lane this evening and reread all the post leading up to Addysen's delivery and the first 2 weeks home with her. It's such a nice history to have and fall back on. To realize that all the feelings I have right now are totally normal and it wasn't too long ago that I was feeling exactly the same as I do now. Totally unprepared and overwhelmed!

The last of the baby clothes are washed and folded. The official (new) coming home outfit is ready- it's blue too! {GASP!} The carseat is all clean and ready to go. 2 cameras and a video camera are charging. The girls are ready for the big day and with great friends they will be taken care of while we are at the hospital. Because the c-section was rescheduled my mom will fly in on Wednesday. She is sad to miss the delivery but we are happy she will only miss out on the first 24 hours.

The "Before the baby comes" to do list still has a few things not checked off but there comes a point when you just have to say "If it doesn't happen now, it's not that big of a deal." Because honestly, as moms we can add to the list faster than we can get it done!

The next time you hear from me, we will be a family of 5! I'm putting high expectations on Christopher and his blogging skills. When Addysen was born he came home and blogged for me. Such a great guy. So hopefully tomorrow night you will see pictures of a beautiful, healthy baby girl....and she will have a name!

Final 4

{A fun family picture before the baby comes- and just to clarify (for posterities sake), it looks like I'm holding a baby but in reality, it's my camera. And that huge bump to my right is not my pregnant belly but my huge bag!}


The last few days leading up to delivery are always really surreal and sad for me. I try hard not to get emotional about it but right now, that just comes really easily.

Every minute, every day, I think this is the last time we will do this just the 4 of us. I did it before Addysen was born, back when I couldn't imagine life with anybody but Elodie. But when you know the exact date and time when baby with no name is coming, it's hard not to count down. I think in that way, it would be much easier to have a surprise baby. But, then you would just feel guilty about not doing all those last minute things you wanted to do before you added a new baby.


We are ending Elodie's spring break this week. Slowly crossing off all the things she wanted to do. In addition we need to pull out the car seat, wash newborn clothes, and figure out what it is I need to buy before Tuesday. And decide on a name.

It's a crazy time....exciting, but crazy.

Besties

I'm pretty sure that the hardest part about leaving Arizona is leaving these 2 and their family in Arizona! We have become best friends with Mace and Melissa and spend a lot of time together. Weekends, holidays, dinners, double dates...I can't imagine our life without them! And it's not very often when 2 girls become friends that the husbands become equally as good of friends. Mace and Chris hung out a lot, watched UFC fights together, went running together. We had a good thing living so close to them! I'm only hoping that in the next few years we can be back together in the same state! Hopefully next door neighbors!
We love you guys!

Next day...

So yesterday I mentioned I would have a doctor's appointment today and HOPEFULLY my doctor would switch my c-section date. We are looking at it as every minute counts for my recovery and the baby's adjustment so even if he decided to do the c-section on the 28th we would be happy with that.

I explained our situation to my doctor, added a few tears, and the rest is a new whirlwind for us! In order for the hospital to allow us to take the baby earlier than 39 weeks (39 weeks on the 29th) we have to do an amniocentesis...I'm not thrilled about that but given the circumstance I will deal with it. So the amnio is set for this next Monday and if it comes back positive (which my doctor said they do 98% of the time)- meaning the baby is fully developed and the lungs are mature- then the new c-section date will be the 23rd.

One.Week.From.Today.

Holy cow! I wasn't expecting that! However, the more time we have to recover before we have to get on an airplane, the better! it also means my baby with no name will be about 15 days old when we get on an airplane and not 8 days old. That sounds so much better! Our trip to La. might just be a vacation for me after all!

I feel bad that this pregnancy is getting pushed to the back of the to due list- actually to the front just with a different priority in mind! Meaning "let's get this baby out so we can then start worrying about packing, moving, new school". I don't really have time or the energy to be nervous or scared about delivery! That is kinda nice. After all, I've done this twice before. Moving to another state with 3 children, finding a home in a city I've never been to, switching Elodie's school 8 weeks before school lets out, traveling with a newborn, and praying we can all adjust okay is something I have NEVER done!

Please pray for us that this transition goes smoothly. I'm starting to really worry Christopher with how emotional I am so I could use all the prayers I can get! Just to get through a day without crying would be great!

The only thing that stays the same...

I'm not really sure where to start this post....I'm a human roller coaster so depending on when you catch me will determine how I will best describe this crazy thing we call life. Or if I will immediately start crying. Which is most likely to happen seeing as I'm pregnant.

First, I will start with saying I have 2 weeks left in this pregnancy! That alone is enough to set me into a whirlwind. There is much to be done. Did I mention WE.STILL.HAVE.NO.NAME! Lame I know- we weren't this way with the other 2- it just keeps getting shoved to the bottom of our list....it will be of utmost importance on d-day in the hospital.

In other news....We are moving....I will say it again.....MOOOVIIING! Ugh, just the thought makes me want to bury my head in the ground. And not just a simple move across town, we are moving to TEXAS! Holy cow. We just barely found out on Thursday so everything is still really fresh for me.

So, Christopher graduated in December, found work for a firm here and we thought all was well. They pay and health benefits weren't at all what we wanted but we saw it more as an "in the mean time job" rather than "lets go plant our roots and buy a house" sort of job. We did feel that we were meant to stay here seeing as nothing out of state had worked out for us.

On a whim (meaning he didn't think anything would come of it), Christopher applied for a job with a structural engineering firm in Texas. A few days later he heard back from them. 1 week they did a phone interview with their HR department, the next Friday they did another phone interview with some of the partners, the following Friday they flew him out for an in person interview, and just this passed Thursday we found out we got the job! Holy Fast!

It all seems very surreal. When the offer was extended we were told that they wanted Chris on the 11th of April. In Texas on April 11th.

Let's not forget that I'm scheduled to have a baby on the 29th of March.

After the initial panic....who am I kidding..I'm still panicking...we started making plans.

So far, my mom flies in on the 23rd. We have the baby on the 29th, hopefully sooner (I see my doctor tomorrow and hopefully, given our circumstance, he will take the baby a few days earlier) then we pack up the house (we meaning my mom and Chris-although I'm hoping to have the house packed up before the baby is born-my mom, the girls, and I fly out to Louisiana on the 6th of April, Christopher drives the truck with all our stuff to Texas, the girls and I stay in La. for a week or 2 while I recover, Chris starts his job on the 11th, and then he comes and gets us the next weekend.

Got all that?

Whirlwind people- there is no other explanation.

On top of all that we have the regular day to day activities going on- work, school, field trips, piano recitals, groceries, NEW BABY PREPARATIONS!

I'm getting overwhelmed just typing this! However, I just need to take a deep breath, make a LONG to do list, and take each day as it comes!

It's hard..it's only been a few days and it's like a fresh wound. Anything sets me off. Saying goodbye to friends and family. Leaving Elodie's school. The normalcy and schedule we have here is so comforting and we are definitely taking a leap of faith. Ugh....it's awful!

However, I am so proud of Chris. He deserves this and it's a great opportunity! Texas isn't that far away! And thank heavens for blogs and emails...and my mom who immediately stepped in and started making arrangements for me. She will be a huge help! I've already decided that all I'm packing for Louisiana is pajamas!

We will keep you all posted as it happens!

Another milestone

I mentioned in a previous post that we stopped helping Addysen on her tricycle. I couldn't do it anymore due to my pregnant belly and Christopher just isn't around enough to do it for her either. She had to either learn how to ride or be left behind! Thankfully, she figured out quickly that she didn't like being left behind....and the video explains the rest. I just love her carefree attitude! Great job Addysen!

First Tooth

Elodie lost her first tooth today! FINALLY! It had been wiggly for the last few days. It was super loose this morning! When I dropped her off at school this morning I told her she better not lose it at school! Just not the first one. Even though I'm not in to pulling teeth, I still wanted to be there when the first baby tooth came out. And I was. She was outside playing at the park this evening and she came running to the back patio where Chris and I were sitting. She told us that she could stick her tongue underneath her tooth (GAG!) and then the next minute she just pushed her tooth completely out!

She was so thrilled and I was really impressed that she did it herself. She couldn't wait to put her tooth under her pillow tonight for the Tooth Fairy.

Since it's the first one she will get a 5 dollar bill. We did warn her that the first tooth is the most special and that she should only expect a dollar for each additional tooth. She was on the moon about this first tooth so she didn't really hear anything we had to say after the 5 dollar bill bit!

I'm so happy she finally is starting to lose her teeth. I was getting worried because she was the only one in her first grade class not to have any missing teeth. She is so happy to go to school tomorrow and show Ms. Matthew and get her name on the tooth chart!
I have never seen her smile this big!

Dad's Idea..

Birthday Weekend

We celebrated these guys' birthday this weekend. The fun started on Friday and is still going strong today. Addysen's birthday was on Saturday and we had a great big Luah birthday party with her pal Grayce. Chris' birthday was yesterday and he spent the entire day at church. Literally from 7am till about 4:30pm. Poor Guy. He came home with just enough to time to take a nap, watch Addysen open presents, and start on a project for work that was due today. He was up until 3am. Birthdays just aren't as fun when your older! Needless to say,We are celebrating his birthday this evening.

I've got oodles of pictures to go through from the party (not to mention putting my house back together) but for now, I just wanted to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to 2 of my favorite people! I love you both!

Baby Month

Yes my friends, this is the month. And even though it's at the END of the month I will not go into the month of April pregnant! And that is all I care about!

By far this has been the worst of my 3 pregnancies. I'd like to think it's because I'm older but really I just think I'm not good at this whole pregnancy thing. Sure I may look cute and tiny for 4 weeks to go and my skinny jeans may still fit {kinda} but in all fairness I'm stuffed!!! Which is it's own type of uncomfortable! This baby has no where to go! I can't breath because I just know this baby has her feet shoved into my ribcage. I CONSTANTLY feel the need to go to the bathroom VERY BADLY because as of today (and probably for the last week at least) this baby is head down and has decided to do a handstand on my bladder! No kidding....my doctor could feel my bladder {shudder} and the baby's head. The things we do to have a hand in God's eternal plan!

I think I can handle 4 more weeks of this. I think! I know I can..just get this baby out! My mom flies in on the 23rd and will be with us through the 14th of April. Bless her! She is amazing and the girls are beyond thrilled to have her with us for so long! Elodie has it all marked on her calendar and marks off each day until MawMaw comes. It's exciting. And crazy to think we will have 3 children. And who will she look like? It's all very amazing and we feel blessed to have another baby.

Still no name. You can throw some out there if you want but just so you know, I'd like for it to be a vowel name. And Chris has already vetoed Olivia. We like Elliot but it's too close to Elodie and I like Ashlyn but it's too close to Addysen. We are in a dilemma for sure!


Happy 4 weeks to go!