tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62963586764232556692024-03-04T22:45:01.339-06:00Mark, Kristen, Reid, and Owen's Life. . .Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969265004602042093noreply@blogger.comBlogger245125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296358676423255669.post-71807700557845339632018-05-12T10:58:00.002-05:002018-05-12T10:58:38.278-05:00Karis' BirthThis weekend is mother's day weekend, and for the first time in what feels like a long time I am taking a day off, completely off, of mothering. This also means for the first time I have had extended silence and hours to MYSELF, to do as I please. It was through this I started digging back into my old blog and realized I NEVER wrote down Karis' birth story (#fourthkidprobs). So without further ado, here it is.<br />
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Towards the end of this pregnancy I was of course uncomfortable and hot, but that is to be expected being 8 months pregnant at the end of July. I had been consistently contacting for weeks like I did with Halle Kate, but I knew this time not to fret about it. I went to my 36 week appointment on Thursday and asked to be examined because I had a feeling something might happen over the weekend and if I needed to go into the hospital I would know what I had been verses what I was there. I go home, still contacting, and waiting, basically feeling like a ticking time bomb. I remember Mark and I just laying on the couch in the living room watching our kids go nuts playing in the sprinklers outside, and me being too exhausted to do anything else. <br />
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The last weekend in July in our little Texas town also happens to be the weekend of the hot air balloon races. This is a super fun event where hot air balloon pilots from all over converge on our city and race! It is so neat to see 10-20 balloons flying in the sky over that weekend. Sometimes you can catch them taking off if you get up very early and track them down. That's what my precious husband tried to do with our kids while I attempted to relax in the tub, the only real form of relief for a majorly pregnant woman. He even brought me breakfast in there before he left. He's a true hero guys! I honestly don't remember much more of that day other than I really didn't do a whole lot. I do remember telling Mark she wouldn't be our earliest baby, that HK had beat her by a day. Finally I went to get in the shower, followed by the bed, with Mark staying up to finish a project he was working on for my mom. I had a few consistent contractions, some of which were moan worthy but nothing too horrible.<br />
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I get in the bed and fall asleep, only to be awoken around 2 or 3 or so contracting again. I decided to get back in the shower and labor some in there. This is the first time I have ever made a labor playlist, and had been listening to it the last few days. That night was no different. I had decided to use whatever time I was up and uncomfortable to worship with and that was the best decision. Songs became more powerful and meaningful as I worked through contractions. After the shower I got out and got back into bed and labored there (around 4:30 or so). I remember thinking "If I can just make it to an appropriate waking time then I wont have to cause anyone any inconvenience." Finally I think around 7 or so Mark woke up and I told him I was pretty sure today was the day. We waiting until about 8 or so and started calling people and getting plans in place. Mom and dad showed up a little later and we headed to the hospital. <br />
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At the hospital I had to wait in the L&D triage area until they were sure they were going to admit me. They sent in a girl to check me and let's just say it was MORE THAN uncomfortable. Those things aren't fun to begin with, but when she left I looked in a panic at Mark and said "She went WAY too fast!" I told him if she came back to do that again I was going to request a different nurse because wow! Luckily she didn't. I only had a small bit of change so they really didn't want to admit me despite the every 2-4 minute contractions. All I knew is I didn't want to go home. They then said they were going to do a "slow admitting" where they left me be in a room and wait and see basically. I wasn't given an IV or anything yet. I asked if I could walk around, and they said yes. The way the building is set up is you can walk around in a circle but part of it takes you around to windows that look into the waiting room. I did NOT want anyone to see me and it be like a fishbowl effect so we would just turn around and walk the other way when we got to a certain point. At one point we walked in front of the nurses station to the same "too fast" girl saying "I CAN'T find this patient on the monitor. I can't find her ANYWHERE!" To which the other nurses said "That's because she's right there." They then told us to excuse her, it was her first day. Needless to say I am thankful for the nurse had who was super sweet.<br />
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I never made significant change past a centimeter (went from 3.5 to 4 or so ) and the doctor told me if I didn't change they would not admit me. The sweet nurse also talked me into some pain meds they could give via a shot. I wish now I hadn't done that because it made me feel so so so strange. Funny story with that is she administered it and said "Ok, stick. . . <i>and a burn." </i> Which it absolutely did. It also caused a reaction between my skin and the bandaid. I howled hahaha. I said to Mark through sobs "I (sob sob) feel like (sob sob) OOOWWWEEENNN!" Mark died laughing and then had to explain to the nurse how I felt like I was acting like our 4 year old. Those meds did help me sleep, but also made it to where I COULD NOT focus. Literally I was trying so hard and was barely able to keep eye contact. I just kept saying "Mark I don't like this" over and over again. Finally at about 3 or 4 they check me and I've progressed enough to where the doctor said I could stay, only for her to come back and say he changed his mind, there wasn't enough change and if I didn't change more in an hour we would have to leave. I saw Mark get his fighting pants on when she came back an hour later and I was quite to that next centimeter yet. <br />
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Our doctor comes in eventually and I see Mark get ready to make a huge case for us staying. Luckily the doctor says "Ok, you have 3 options, 1 I send you home and you come back here probably later on tonight, you can go rest and eat. 2, I tell you to leave, get something to eat, and come back in 2-3 hours, and if you weren't such a bad IV stick this would be what I would go with (they had to stick me 4-5 different times, as always). 3 We get you an epidural, break your water, and have a baby."<br />
Marks said his only concern with us leaving is that we would leave, only to return without enough time for an epidural, to which Dr. Newlin replied "I'm not sure you would make it back here in time at all." So we went with option 3. There was also a shift change and the next nurse I got I was so glad to see was Lindy, who is a mom to a girl in Reid's class! I felt like I was in good hands. <br />
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Finally around 10 or so things start happening and it is time to HAVE A BABY! My epidural is amazing, I literally cannot feel anything. I didn't super like that though, I feel like I need pressure to know what is going on. Especially because I literally pushed twice and she was OUT, and I had NO CLUE! I remember being legit surprised when they said she was born. I also remember how quiet the room was, she didn't really cry a lot, just laid there looking up at us. No one really said much to be honest. Of course I cried, completely overwhelmed by God's grace to us with this sweet girl!<br />
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To be continued. . .Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969265004602042093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296358676423255669.post-19804907694006558322017-05-14T22:59:00.001-05:002017-05-14T23:00:22.344-05:00What Gives You Life<div style="color: #3d596d; font-family: "Noto Serif", Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="mceItemHidden" data-mce-bogus="1">I recently have gotten "back" into blogging. To be truthful, I tried my hand at "professional blogging" (meaning I tried to make my blog look all fancy and do a bunch of different things, write a certain way, etc but never monetized it), but that was all about 5 years and three kids ago. However, one exhausted night after everyone in my house had already gone to bed I remembered a far off corner of enjoyment for me that I had laid aside for years. In fact I was remembering a <span class="mceItemHidden" data-mce-bogus="1">simpler</span> time of life, especially in my attitude when it came to mothering and trying to think back as to what had such a profound impact. </span></div>
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<span class="mceItemHidden" data-mce-bogus="1">Then it hit me, I remembered what a huge impact different blogs had on me as I navigated the uncharted waters of being a stay at home mom The Lord used different blogs throughout at couple of years to affirm, challenge, and educate me in this vast world of being a <span class="mceItemHidden" data-mce-bogus="1"><span class="hiddenSpellError" data-mce-bogus="1" pre="a " style="border-bottom: 2px solid red; cursor: default;">SAHM</span></span>. My attitude went from one of not wanting to stay at home with my baby to one of seeing what a beautiful gift it was and this was in large part because of the blogs and sermons I sought out. They really shaped my attitude into a love for being at home and to seeing the importance and holiness it brings. </span></div>
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Fast forward a few years and a few kids later and here I am sitting down discouraged and I remember a treasure from years past and wonder if it even still exists. Do stay at home moms blog anymore? Like they used to? Can I even remember the websites I used to go to for encouragement? It turns out "yes" was the answer to all those questions, and I am so thankful it has been! I have been so encouraged by the posts I have read the last couple of weeks and the reminders to find my rest, hope, strength, beauty, and whatever else in Jesus, and <em>how </em>to do that in the middle of this busy season. </div>
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This has also made me reevaluate and be thankful for the ways God has made each person different. I desperately want to be that person that "gets life" by going to the gym and working out for an hour. My husband is that person, and while yes I feel better after do just that, it isn't what I look forward to by any means, and therefore isn't something I do consistently. And honestly for years this has bothered me. That I am not a "fit person" by nature, that I don't enjoy something I know I should and is good for me. No what gives me life is writing and reading. Those little moments where I am doing the very opposite of moving and staying in shape physically, but when I am sitting down doing exactly what I am doing this very moment. <em>This </em><span class="mceItemHidden" data-mce-bogus="1">is what I look forward to, this is what I enjoy, this <span class="mceItemHidden" data-mce-bogus="1"><span class="hiddenSpellError" data-mce-bogus="1" pre="this " style="border-bottom: 2px solid red; cursor: default;">reenergizes</span></span> me to face whatever might be waiting for me as I teach and train my children. For the longest time I was not ok with this, and it still bothers me, I wish I could do this and work out at the same time. But today I am choosing to see it as a blessing, as a way God has made me different, and it is all part of His plan and design. </span></div>
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<span class="mceItemHidden" data-mce-bogus="1">So I guess my message for today is, don't beat yourself up because of something you wish you were and just aren't. Instead remember those things that are important to you, that bring you satisfaction and joy and celebrate the fact God has given you an outlet that is uniquely you. Is it ok to <span class="mceItemHidden" data-mce-bogus="1">try to</span> better yourself, to do new things, even things that aren't fun? Absolutely, we all should do just that, but some days it is good to sit down and bask in the beauty of being exactly the way God made you. </span></div>
Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969265004602042093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296358676423255669.post-38031196756056767502017-04-04T00:11:00.000-05:002017-04-04T00:11:24.779-05:00Just Random Things<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So past month has been a little nutso in our home, for starters we sold and bought a house all on the same day, and in that regard it meant we were basically charged with getting two homes ready. One had to be ready to have the next family living in it, and the other had to be able to be inhabited by our family. Can I just tell you this is no small feat. In fact it is awful and hard and I don't want to ever do it again, though I know we will have to at some point, though hopefully no time soon! I have more on this later but only had time to upload a few phone photos for this post so for now it will have to wait. </div>
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After we had been in the house about a week one morning we were surprised to find very warm water coming up from underneath the bathroom. So we called the home warranty people who sent plumbers out to fix the problem. They thought they had discovered the solution to the issue when they saw the previous owner had never put a wax ring back on the toilet after he reinstalled it. So they did so for me and I think were going to be content but Mark made me press them on why the water was warm, like warmer than room temp warm coming out of the bottom of the toilet. After some time, and turning on all faucets in the house simultaneously they made not only the toilet leak again but also noticed water coming up from underneath the floor in the hallway in between the two bathrooms in the house. Long story a bit shorter they had to cut the wall and ended up finding a pipe with a huge hole ON THE TOP of it (something both guys and their dad, who has been a plumber 32 years, had never seen before!) that had apparently been there a while judging by all the mold on the bottom half of the wall. They ended up taking all the sheetrock out and right now that room and hole is covered with plastic. Did I mentioned it had just gotten done being painted 2 days earlier, because it had. </div>
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Moving on to other things, I have a pregnant picture at some point with all of our kids on this blog and I didn't want sweet Karis to feel left out, so here we are at 19 weeks.<br />
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This was what felt like the first legitimate home school day in the new house. Between moving in and getting everything out of the other house and then having it painted this was honestly the first time were able to see our kitchen table to use it for school work in a couple of weeks. Right now the playroom is still stacked high with boxes so we are working on school here. I have to say I don't hate it, I am able to do laundry or be in the kitchen without ever having them out of my sight which is nice for staying on top of work. <br />
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And then there is this little georgia peach right here who acts like she is literally dying if I make her stay in my eye sight during Reid's teeball games. I swear this little Miss Independent is gonna make her mama go mad before she's 10. However if we can make it through these little formative years I know she will change the world and I pray it is great and mighty things for God's kingdom. Until then if anyone wanted to come and be the designated Halle Kate watcher so I could actually see Reid make a play that would be great. <br />
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I know this is not great blogging, heck it isn't even good blogging, but it IS still getting on here and doing it. For me right now that is what it is going to take until I figure out a new system of uploading pictures quickly. And you know what, that is ok. So what if nothing really goes together in a post, so what if I have random pictures that are out of order from what has actually been happening, so what? This is our life and it is such a good one, so if it is documented, then I call it a success.</div>
<br />Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969265004602042093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296358676423255669.post-30399661076040885502017-03-30T23:32:00.002-05:002017-03-30T23:32:58.187-05:00Dusting Off the Ol' BlogIt has been quite a long time since I last posted. In fact it has been quite a long time since I even attempted to open my blog and do a single thing with it. I actually do not know what spurned me on to the rabbit trail that led here tonight, but alas here I am. <br />
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So much has happened since my last update. . . Too much to even begin to put in to words or sentences or paragraphs. One thing I can say is God has been steadily at work from then until now, something I am forever grateful for. I cannot possibly begin to recap what all has happened in the last two years so I will attempt to hit the high points.<br />
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<li><u><b>Our kids are older now</b></u></li>
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<li>I know that is a little obvious but it doesn't make it any less true. Reid is now 6(and a half he would say), Owen is 4, and Halle Kate is 2. Some of the biggest changes in our daily routine is that Reid is now school age! I really am still having a hard time understanding the fact I have kindergartener who is almost done with kindergarten. To me that is just a little crazy. He started a program at a local Christian School called the Collaborative Education Program where he attends school Tuesday through Thursday and then he is homeschooled on Mondays and Fridays. We have LOVED this method, and while there has been a learning curve as to how to schedule/handle school plus everything else in our lives, it has been totally worth it. Owen and Halle Kate currently attend Mother's Day Out 2 times a week, and LOVE their teachers and classmates so much. Owen has the biggest crush on "Miss Jennifer" and HK adores her "my Kristen" as she calls her. I have many Halle Kate stories from MDO that I need to record lest I forget them. </li>
<li>Each kid is coming into their own personality more and more. Reid with his more serious/literal side that STILL loves anything to do with a ball or any sport. He also has found a love for creating books, mostly about animals, which is fun to watch him explore. Owen is still our lovie, caring kiddo, but his year 4 has been quite a doozy of dealing with new attitudes that are surfacing. He is a "worker man" and loves to build, make, create, and imagine with toys. He loves to help his daddy or me and is the only kid we have that will play alone. Halle Kate is well, Halle Kate, there really are no other words. I have never met a kid quite like her. She is SPUNKY to say the least, with energy that rivals Reid's. She has been fluently speaking in full sentences since about 18 months, knows what she wants and can tell (demand) it from you with all the right words. She is always talking, always busy, sneaky, always in trouble, pulls down all the things, and yet loves to sing and give sugars, play with her babies, and do all things girly. I love her to death, she has broken every mold I had in my head of what having a baby girl would be and I am thankful to her for that. </li>
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<li><b><u>We are currently expecting kid #4</u></b></li>
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<li>Yes you read that right, Clifton baby number 4 is on the way. And before anyone need silently wonder to themselves "was this a surprise?" you can rest assured that we were not surprised, but this baby was prayed over and for for months before we attempted getting pregnant. The further along we go in this parenting journey of having a raising littles we know there is no guarantee that we can get pregnant or that we will stay pregnant. We feel so blessed by this sweet gift and are so thankful to God that He saw fit to grace us with this sweet baby. </li>
<li>We also know what we are having! Another little. . . GIRL! There are no words to describe how excited I am by this. I adore my two boys' precious brother relationship and after having always wanted a sister I was thrilled Halle Kate would be able to have a same gender of sibling as well. This is the tail end of our "having kids" years so I am cherishing every last bit of this pregnancy. I say that now at 19 weeks as I can sit her comfortably with my laptop able to be on my lap. Give me about 12 more weeks and I will probably be singing a different tune. </li>
<li>We also have her first name picked out which makes me excited. We chose Karis because it means "grace" in greek. Mark actually wanted to name her Grace, but I wanted something that started with a K, so Karis was a perfect fit. I am totally in love with the name and with her and I cannot wait to meet her. </li>
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All in all our family is doing well. We are busy with Reid beginning schoola nd sports, but we are enjoying this new season we are in. Mark and I are also doing well too. God has bestowed so much grace and love and peace on us, especially in these last two years and we don't take that for granted for a second. This is a far cry from an indepth update, but I am HOPING, really really hoping I can actually keep this thing up again. I forget how much I enjoy coming back and reading what we were doing at different stages in life, and I don't want to forget or miss it for a second more. </div>
Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969265004602042093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296358676423255669.post-13687702925926348562015-11-04T15:39:00.002-06:002015-11-04T15:39:50.978-06:00What a "Normal" Week Looks LikeThe last few months of this year seem to have just flown right by. The last time I wrote on this blog was September 8, and the post before that was in July. It always is so amazing to me how fast time goes by, and the more children we have the faster it seems to go. Here's a run down of what we are doing on most "normal" weeks. I put normal in quotations because between 3 children, you learn to expect anything and anyone can come down with some illness or whatever out of nowhere. <br />
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Sunday-<br />
Sundays are usually pretty quiet around here. Mark has to be at the church around 7-7:30 to set up the stage, lights, and sound equipment each week. We currently are renting out the Convention Center in Marshall, which means during the week all the things church related must be down and stored away and then on put back up again on Sunday mornings. So no one really sees daddy until we get to church later that morning. <br />
Usually I get the kids up and going around 7:30-8 and they get to watch one show or so while they eat their breakfast. This is a special treat, because normally they aren't allowed to watch television while they eat, instead they eat together at the table. However, daddy says during the weekends the rules relax a little and it gives them something to look forward to and enjoy. While they are preoccupied with the show and eating I finish up whatever is left for me to do to finish getting myself ready, which means hair and make-up, but I wait to put on my clothes. I also try to pick out and get everyone's clothes ready too. After the show it is on to the bath (if we hadn't taken one the night before) so everyone smells good and clean. Then I get the boys dressed, then I get Halle Kate dressed, and then I put everyone in the car with whatever items are needed (diaper bag, bible, drinks, etc). Then I come back into the house to put on my outfit for church. This prevents anything spilling on it or getting spit up upon before we get there and I don't have to worry about how is getting into what while I change since they are all strapped in ready to go. We go to church, then come back for lunch, nap (Mark usually has a soccer game he plays on Sunday afternoons), then some play outside time, dinner, and more play time. Very relaxed and not a whole lot pressing us this day.<br />
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Monday-<br />
Monday is a day we have nothing "scheduled" so it is also the day I do "school" with Reid. We start school around 9:00ish or so after everyone has woken up, eaten breakfast, and done their morning chores. We work on whatever letter they will be working on at his school that week. I usually pull various worksheets from pinterest, including one where he makes a book. I want to do more and make more little crafts and all, but between the letter work, a math sheet, calendar time, and bible lesson, that is all the sitting still we have in us, and that is ok with me. One day I will get it all together and do the neat things. Halle Kate is hopefully napping during this time, though I don't let her sleep very long, because I would rather her sleep later on when everyone else does. She is the worst napper out of the three, but she is also the one who gets toted around the most during the morning, so her morning nap is never at a real consistent time, except for on Mondays and Thursdays.<br />
Once we have done school I usually give them free time to play, hopefully outside if the weather permits. I try to take that time to do housework that needs to get done, like laundry, dishes, vacuuming and mopping, cleaning bathrooms, etc. Anything that is generally too loud or has me moving around too much during the afternoon nap time. We then come in for some inside play time or I go out with them to the driveway in the front yard and watch them as they ride bikes or scooters. Then it is time to make the kids lunch and let them eat around 12 or so. After they eat, they can play, or we sometimes draw, or paint, or do playdough, depending on where they are emotionally. At 1 they get to watch one show before going down for nap at 1:30. After everyone is put in their beds I go and get myself lunch and sit down to eat that and watch one show of whatever I choose. I try to make sure I am up and doing something from at least 3-4, whether that is laundry, or working on my bedroom, which happens to be the catchall for stuff. My kids then sleep until 4 or so when they wake up and go to play again. This usually means going out to the front yard to get out their energy. A snack is usually given about this time. Then it is time to fix supper if it isn't a crock pot meal, or get it prepared. Sometimes this is crazy town because there isn't a "set" thing for them to be doing at that time, and I am preoccupied with dinner before daddy gets home. <br />
Finally daddy makes it home and we are able to eat together as a family, clear the table, and head back outside one final time before our bedtime routine begins. Around 7, we put the kids in the bath, clear up whatever is left in the kitchen that didn't get cleared before, then they are out and in PJs and ready for bible time around 7:20. We do bible time together, then it is either one more show (this is usually what happens) or sometimes daddy gets out his guitar and we sing before bed. I try to also read a book here, but that doesn't always get accomplished. I need to get better at that aspect. 8 o'clock, all children are in bed, and Mark and I fall out on the couch and chill for a bit. We usually watch netflix until around 10, then head to bed ourselves because seriously it is exhausting, and get get ready to do it all again in the morning.<br />
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Tuesday-<br />
Tuesdays are mother's day out days for all three children, so the morning is a little rushed with breakfast, chores, and clothes on to prepare for "school". They get dropped off at 9 AM and I get to do whatever I have planned for that day. I really thought I would be home a lot more, but usually these days I am gone from the house for almost the entire time. This is where I get those random things done that need to be done but is too hard to do with 3 under 5 with you. They get home at 2:30 and then we weather the storm until bed, which the routine is the same as above.<br />
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Wednesday-<br />
Wednesdays are great days because we go to Bible Study Fellowship, which I adore. It is an absolutely free class where women gather together to learn more about the bible by going through specific books or themes. For instance last year they spent the entire year on the life of Moses, and this year they are doing the book of revelation. It is truly like a college course with reading and homework to do every week and I just love it. There is also a children's program which is AMAZING. The kids learn what you are learning each week, as well as many other songs and verses. Their teachers also pray for them by name weekly, which is such a neat thing to know someone else is praying for your baby right along with you. I go to an hour small group meeting and then an hour lecture, and then usually me and 3 friends and all our children eat lunch outside on the playground at the church. It is a great time to just be together. <br />
We come home from that, watch our pre-nap show, then head to nap. This day I really have to push to get certain things done so our house stays afloat, and I try to do those during the show so I am not making too much noise at nap time. Once nap time is over it is a fast and furious race to get dinner cooked, eaten, and everyone ready and out the door to Wednesday night church. We absolutely adore our small group and the kids love getting to see their friends. We also get home rather late, so once we are home around 8:30 it is usually a fast bath (at my request, I want those sick germs off, Mark doesn't care) and bed. <br />
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Thursday-<br />
Thursdays are essentially the same as a Monday. Some days we have somewhere to go, an errand to run, or a play date with a friend. I try to stick around the house as much as possible so the kids are at home with me more than they are away. <br />
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Friday-<br />
During the week, Mark work around the clock and tries to see all his patients, which will leave Fridays open to spend with us. Those are "special days" because the boys get to watch a show while they eat and then they go somewhere with daddy while I either work on things around the house that need more intensive attention (closets, eesh those aren't fun). We usually meet up for lunch and then come home, show, nap, wake up and play, repeat. <br />
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Saturday-<br />
Everyone is home all together and those days are fun and slow, spent with everyone all together, We adore these days and are thankful for the time we get as a family. It gets kind of hard trying to keep 3 littles entertained and having enough to do to pass the day but we make it work for us. God has been so gracious and I know I will one day look back on this and wonder "what all did I do" or "how in the world did we survive?" So I am writing it down. . . Instead of folding the three piles of laundry while listening to HK cry because she woke herself up an hour early from her nap (sorry sugar find your paci and get on it, I am not coming in until nap is done).<br />
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So yes, this is what we have been doing lately and some as the weeks have passed. Every week looks different, but they basically have this skeleton to go off of. <br />
<br />Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969265004602042093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296358676423255669.post-50451491261448096982015-09-08T19:28:00.001-05:002015-09-08T19:34:12.538-05:00Sometimes Childhood Is...In the world of social media it is so easy to make it look like we have it all together. Perfectly staged photos of clean smiling children, eating their incredibly healthy-looks-like-an-octopus-sandwich-sculpture, peacefully together, at the table you handcrafted yourself out of reclaimed barn wood, while listening to instrumental hymns playing softly in the background is the ideal idea I had in my head of what raising 3 children would be. Um, eeerrrrkkk, can we just put on the brakes on that one and realize it will never happen! It just isn't reality. And no matter what I think life with littles should look like in my head, it just doesn't look like that in real life. Not only am I too exhausted to create anything, including handmade tables and octopus sculpture lunches, I am sometimes too exhausted to be in the same dirty messy room as my kids. Sometimes I just want to close my eyes and wish it clean and POOF, that is what would happen. <br />
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However today as I sit watching my boys play in a massive lawn mower box giggling their heads off as they play together (which in turn makes their sister laugh), I can't help but realize just how blessed I am, and that these are just some of the things that sometimes childhood is. <br />
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Sometimes childhood is messy rooms, like incredibly messy rooms, because when you're a kid, you don't get anxiety over how many things are on the floor (or what your 9 month old sister may eat).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Real life, of our real game room, on any given day.</td></tr>
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Sometimes childhood is laughing uncontrollably as you and your kid brother are playing with a huge ball in a small box together. The logic doesn't make sense, but that doesn't matter.<br />
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Sometimes childhood is your mom just sitting in the room being present, not even participating, but just being there enjoying you.<br />
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Sometimes childhood is watching the same episode of Barney over and over and over again. You have no concept of the term "overuse" and "my-ears-are-going-to-fall-off-my-head-if-I-have-to-listen-to-this-one-more-time.<br />
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Sometimes childhood is comprised of iphone photos, or unedited and poorly taken "real camera pictures, because that is how memories are captured.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6OeRFLNCTy-OkVsMK76FOzKkNXD46jnpHRVjjnDFhR1XBK60-wtNqYFvreUx5EVfowsWVD9cxvwEDaeYy1yOsyAEZ6g28amPzD-K3K8xuG8AGZjg4UGXWSJifkrtd0EHFc6OgO1FicuQ/s1600/IMG_1065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6OeRFLNCTy-OkVsMK76FOzKkNXD46jnpHRVjjnDFhR1XBK60-wtNqYFvreUx5EVfowsWVD9cxvwEDaeYy1yOsyAEZ6g28amPzD-K3K8xuG8AGZjg4UGXWSJifkrtd0EHFc6OgO1FicuQ/s640/IMG_1065.JPG" width="640" /></a>Sometimes childhood is running up and down the only hallway in the house and jumping on any and all furniture, because you have just that much energy.<br />
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Sometimes childhood is rolling around on the ground for no reason, because you know, why not?<br />
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Sometimes childhood is messy hair, unbrushed teeth (gasp), potty training woes, pop-tarts in the car, peanut butter and jelly hands, snotty noses, and so much more that comprise of your days. <br />
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However childhood is where the memories are and I hope oh so much that you Reid, and you Owen, and you Halle Kate make wonderful memories while you are under this roof. Life is crazy, and man kids, this parenting thing is hard, like ridiculously hard, and so many times I feel like I am failing you miserably. I DON'T have it all together, some days it is just a miracle we are up and dressed. But the mantra that I hear in my head oh so often is "the days are long, but the years are short". Sometimes I wish away these days in the "trenches" but I know I will miss it (well ok, maybe not all of it, you being able to make your own drinks and breakfast sounds pretty stinkin' amazing and I am sure always will be). <br />
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Please know more than anything you guys I pray for you. I pray over you, I pray for you. I pray above all else, above anything I could teach you academically or athletically (ok maybe your daddy for that one really), above all I hope for these years I have you here with me you learn to love God and you learn how to have a life lived for Him. I hope you see it displayed, I hope you see it taught, I hope you see it expected. I pray I lead well by example, that I don't expect anything out of you that I am not currently doing myself. Y'all are some of my biggest blessings and I am thankful to be your mommy, even if on some days I need to be fired. You are loved, deeply, completely, and by a human and broken mama. Give me grace as I figure out how my vision of what I think your childhood should be differs from what is reality. Sometimes childhood is an ebb and flow of grace upon grace between me and the 3 of you, you know what, that is ok. It's ok. . .Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969265004602042093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296358676423255669.post-37404554701861032652015-07-30T08:30:00.000-05:002015-07-30T08:30:35.670-05:00Drawing Close To GodI hesitate to even write this post because I definitely do not feel like I have it all together, have figured out some amazing secret to being uber spiritual or anything like that, but I need to document this time in life. This crazy season we are in, when life seems to be one big clean up blur, going by in a flash and yet the hours just crawl by. A time when you can feel like super mom one day and then lose it an hour later when you yell at your kids for doing something you've asked them 40 million times not to do. A time when sleeping through the night completely is never a guarentee, in fact you proabably guaranteed to wake up at least once each night more often than not. <br />
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All that to say we are tired, <i>I</i> am tired, exhausted, falling out any time I sit down kind of tired. Mothering littles is not for the faint of heart that is for sure, it makes you weary, tests you in every possible way, and is relentless. Which is why I knew I needed to be plugging into God's word and what He had for me each day, but I wasn't. I had so many excuses, albeit good ones, "I am waking up every 2-3 hours to feed a baby" was at the very top of the list. Now before I go any further let me say here and now I believe there is grace in all things. I don't think God is sitting there with a timer ticking off when you do or don't do your quiet time. I don't think He is mad at the exhausted mother who is getting every ounce of sleep she can, especially in those early months, however we should not stay there. I was using the excuse even when I was only getting up once or twice. Finally once my dear Halle Kate started sleeping through the night I knew I had run out of valid things to blame my lack of time spent with the Lord on. It came down to my own motivation, lack of desire, and laziness.</div>
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As I type those words I cringe. I cringe to think about how I felt towards the Maker of the world, how I thought, how I acted. I don't know if I also felt like I didn't know how to get back to a place of closeness to God so that made the task kind of more daunting or what. However this was me 3 weeks ago. then a friend let me borrow a book called "Shopping for Time" and even though I only got part of the way through it, it totally changed my persepective and gave me the motivation to get up and meet with God before my day started. Now let me tell you I have NEVER nor will I ever be a morning person. I always thought those people or studies that said you should do your quiet time in the morning were saying it merely out of opinion (and they are to some extent) but that it would really never apply to me. Arrogant I know, but it is what I thought. This book somehow covinced me that getting up early is actually so much more beneficial and I don't even really remember how. I do know they made a 5 AM club where they all would call or text to make sure each other was up and reading the word so they had motivation and accountability. Maybe it was knowing I wasn't alone with getting up and going that finally did it, but I began getting up to read my bible.</div>
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And wouldn't you know it, God honored it. He honored the "sacrifice" (and I use that term VERY loosely) of a few more minutes of shut eye and the choice to come sit at His feet and get my day started by mediating on Him. I actually began to look forward to being up, to praying, to reading, to listening. It has been so refreshing to my soul. I don't know why I am so surprised by this, I should have done this a long time ago, God has been waiting to pour out this blessing on me, I have been the one to refuse it in a way. Am I perfect? No way! HK had a week in there where she had a UTI, and was up every 2-3 hours screaming at night and there were mornings I just couldn't get up. However, more often than not I am up. I sometimes fall asleep again while praying (I try really hard not to do this, but its happened a few times) but I am doing it. I have been praying scripture over myself and Mark, another passage over my children, and then reading whatever I happen to read that day whether its the proverb for the day, a psalm or the study I am currently doing with Mark. </div>
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So yes, if this encourages anyone I hope it encourages you to know you can get up, you don't have to be a morning person, but you can start your day off at a mediating slow pace instead of running 2 steps behind your children from the moment you wake up. I wish I could adequately describe how much better it makes you spiritually, but I think it is just something you may have to discover for yourself. Do it, for a couple of weeks, and I guarantee you won't regret it. </div>
Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969265004602042093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296358676423255669.post-32679376629507522802015-07-26T22:26:00.000-05:002015-07-26T22:58:50.043-05:00Instagram: The Mini BlogOk you guys, I honestly can't believe this blog is still going (kind of). Seriously 7, going on 8 years is a long time, sometimes I cannot even believe it. It would be so hard to give something up that is so old and so near and dear to my heart. I love to go back and re-read what I was doing at certain points in my life and to remember details that I have long sense forgotten. <br />
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However with three 4 and under it gets a little harder to get over here and do what I love (writing). It's not even that I am strapped for time as much as it is anytime I sit down I am almost certainly going to fall asleep while doing whatever it is I am pursuing at the moment. Whether that is blogging, reading, watching t.v., anything really, sleep WILL overcome me. I think that just comes with the territory. All of this to say, Instagram has become like my "mini-blog" where I can just pop in, talk about what's going on, and then not worry about it. However I know I will need to remember this season, because that is truly what it is, a season of mothering littles and so many times I think we as moms tend to forget (maybe by God's grace? haha) what we have really gone through. So here is what life is feeling like right now. . . this will be jumbled, crazy, and just a tiny look inside our lives at the moment. <br />
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Since it is summer there is, how should I put this, a very loose schedule. We have a consistent wake up, nap, and bed time, but other than that it is all kind of free game. After our Morning Jobs we usually we spend the rest of the morning with friends or out in the front yard (before it gets too hot), or in the game room. I try to do some stuff around the house at this time too (laundry, clean the kitchen, dinner prep if there is any, etc). Sometimes it works out that way, and sometimes you have to just go sit and read a book and play cars. Before you know it, lunch is here, followed by one show, and then nap until Daddy gets home, then the sky is the limit as to what we will do that night. <br />
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This is the first time I can ever actually remember loving summer. I am a fall and winter girl, if I am not a mom of 3 children. This past fall and winter we were so sick, I couldn't wait for warmer temps to take all of that away. The bigger our family grows the longer the illnesses are drawn out it seems, so summer is now a favorite until they learn how to throw up without my assistance. <br />
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The boys are growing so big, like seriously, it is ridiculous. I mean I almost have a five year old! FIVE!!!! What the what?!?! That blows my mind! I have absolutely adored year 4 and with Reid, he has grown up into a great and mature kid. He is learning so much, especially educationally, and to really no credit on my part, just things he has picked up on, asked me about, or wanted to know. However, he is still a little guy, which I absolutely love, how suspended between stages he is. He says the funniest little things that I know will one day be a distant memory. Things like something is "soaking big" (He means "so very big" I think, but I love the way he says "So-King BIG!" that I just can't correct him), or how a hot dog weenie is a "winnie". Basically I love this boy big, though he knows just how to push every single crazy button I have, I know and pray he will do great things for the Lord with that strong will. He is so precious to me<br />
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Owen is 2.5 and oh is he ever in the throws of being two. He is the funniest, slyest, sweetest kid I know, and he totally knows it too. He tries (and sometimes succeeds) in using his charm to get him out of trouble by a smile or saying something funny. He is still a mama's boy through and through. No one else can hold him after he wakes up from nap if I am around. He is the loudest screamer, the most dramatic and the whiniest thing, all while being a cute, precious, love and cuddle bug. His vocabulary has totally taken off and he is now speaking in full sentences and can pretty much tell us exactly what he wants. I love the language development that happens during the 2nd year, it is so neat to watch them really learn how to communicate. We are working on what is appropriate and what isn't at the moment (don't scream at brother, be careful with sister, don't throw your food on the floor, etc.) but he is an adorable and sweet kid! <br />
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I am going to do a whole post on where Halle Kate is right now tomorrow so for today she doesn't get a paragraph (hashtag: third kid problems). We are loving being a family of 5. It is the most exhausting yet most meaningful thing Mark and I have ever done. We are so very thankful to God for all the many blessings we have that we most definitely don't deserve. </div>
Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969265004602042093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296358676423255669.post-87409522443320707832015-03-07T13:35:00.001-06:002015-03-07T13:39:09.328-06:00Redeeming the Time I<span style="color: #000d09; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> I read a blog post recently by Patty over at </span><span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #000d09; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><a dataquery="#blog_FDE779D4" href="http://babynumber10.blogspot.com/2015/01/little-minutes.html" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">babynumber10, entitled "The Little Moments"</a></span><span style="color: #000d09; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> that just hasn't let me go. Patty is a stay at home mom to 11 kids(!) and baby number 10 has down syndrome. She chronicles some of their daily life on</span><span style="color: #000d09; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #000d09; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><a dataquery="#blog_C5CFF709" href="https://instagram.com/aperfectlily/" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">instagram</a></span><span style="color: #000d09; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span style="color: #000d09; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">as well as her blog. This particular post is nothing earth shattering, she just reminds us there are little moments in our day we can redeem and use to be productive. It is just practical, and maybe even for some blatantly obvious, but for ADD people (like me), it challenged me to think. To think about how I spend my time going throughout my morning and to rewire my natural tendency. </span><br />
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For those who don't understand what it is like to live in an ADD brain let me fill you in somewhat. We spend a lot of our time feeling overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by what all there is to do, and feeling like there is no clear direction in which to do it. This in turn leads to avoiding issues, like getting the mail because you don't want to have to deal with sorting and paying out all the bills from your daughter's birth (by the way don't do this, it leads to a VERY full mail box and a grumpy mail man). I do little things like this every day, avoiding them because when I think of everything that needs to get done all together and the time it is going to take me to do all of those things I freak out a little in my head.</div>
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Now I know all of you rational, sane, organized people are sitting there thinking "if she would just do it when she first thinks about it, she could avoid this problem" to which I would tell you you're absolutely right. I know this, deep down I really do, and I desire to change which is why I think this post struck a cord with me and hasn't left. Here is an excerpt from her post.</div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-style: italic; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Keepers of the home have a lot on their collective plates - and if we were to enter that noble profession, Mrs. Smith forewarned us, we should continually be looking for opportunities to seize the "little minutes" of our day.</span></div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-style: italic; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">What are "little minutes", you say ??</span></div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-style: italic; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Glad you asked.</span></div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-style: italic; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Little minutes are the moments in between the big minutes ... that make up our days.</span></div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-style: italic; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">If big minutes are the chunks of time we spend each day devoted to the big tasks : washing the dishes, folding the laundry, cooking dinner, mopping floors .... then little minutes are the moments we have in-between these things : straightening a bookshelf as we return a book to its place, grabbing all the pencils in the junk drawer and securing them with a rubber band as we answer a phone call, wiping the spots off the mirror with a paper towel as we brush our teeth - so many little ways to redeem the time.</span></div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-style: italic; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Mrs. Smith taught us that there were untold little minutes in every day - and if we paid attention and made room for them, they would be one of our greatest keys to success in the art of homemaking.</span></div>
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So now for the past few weeks I will randomly hear my own version of a mantra as I tell myself to "redeem the time" and try to do those little things when I actually see they need doing. Redeeming the time comes in the tasks of hanging up clothes when I am putting away all other laundry, wiping window seals in the dining room at least once a week while I am wiping the table down, taking items back to the appropriate rooms, etc. </div>
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So often as a homemaker I feel like I am running in place and falling further and further behind. This job has made me realize I can't do everything, my house may not ever look "pinterest worthy" or the way I would choose for it to, I mean come on, we live here. However, in the middle of the love, and chaos, the big moments, and skinned knees, there are ways to attempt to stay on top of stuff and make our home an enjoyable place to be for everyone. </div>
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1. A beautiful day to play " width="undefined">
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Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969265004602042093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296358676423255669.post-67786588949892522022015-03-06T08:32:00.001-06:002015-03-06T08:40:26.884-06:00Snow Day 2015<div style="border: 0px; color: #000d09; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Ok one thing should be noted is that I am from north east Texas, and being in the southern part of the United States, we don't see much "real" snow. In fact there is no guarantee that it will snow even one time a year. I've actually gone quite a few years without seeing snow in my hometown. It is just a fact of life, something we southerners are used to I guess. </div>
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As such, when it <span style="border: 0px; font-style: italic; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">does</span> snow, everything shuts down and everyone goes outside to play, partly because it is so rare, and partly because no one knows how to drive in the conditions. A couple of inches is heaven for us, but this particular day no one really saw coming. We got a whopping 5-6 inches! I have never seen that much snow where I live in my entire life. To say it was an epic day would be an understatement. </div>
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We knew there would be some snow accumulation so we decided to stay the night at my parent's house where there is a huge hill that is perfect for sledding, acres to pull sleds behind four wheelers, and family across the pasture to enjoy it all with! This turned out to be a great decision considering the snowfall we got that day. </div>
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We all woke up disappointed that morning though because no snow was on the ground yet, and they had predicted it should start falling around 4 AM. Of course being in Texas we are used to crazy weather that can change quickly, so I think we all expected it to just not happen at all. Thankfully at about 7:55 AM it began to fall and just didn't stop! I am talking HUGE, massive flakes that began to cover the ground in a hurry. Everyone kept saying how crazy it was that it snowed so hard for so long. It didn't let up until around 3 that afternoon. </div>
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Mark and I are so blessed to have such wonderful family, that all get along so well. This particular day we were able to celebrate our snow day with my parents, brother Adam and his wife Abby, my cousin Kyndall, her husband Rory, her daughter Haylyn, my aunt and uncle, Meredith, a friend from small group, and the Bordens. We had a great time just doing things we don't normally get to do like make snow angels, or legitimate snow men, sledding, and having a snowball fight. By the way, snow is TIRING, we were all out of breath after walking back up hills and fighting each other. We had a boys against the girls snowball fight (which we sadly lost), and then spent time just talking to each other outside. </div>
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After a while, the littles couldn't handle to cold and wet anymore so we would take shifts with sitting inside while they warmed up. I was able to catch up with Kyndall while our kids watched "Frozen" by the fire. It was such a relaxed, fun day that it quickly went up on everyone's list as one of the best days they had in a long time. There is just something magical about snow (well snow that is here a couple of days then is gone) and when you have as much as we did, it just adds to the wonder of it all. </div>
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Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969265004602042093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296358676423255669.post-55612360850203940112015-03-04T23:28:00.000-06:002015-03-08T16:10:47.899-05:00The Beauty Of SimplicityToday was a fun day, an unexpected day that turned out to be exactly what we needed. When I woke up this morning it was raining pretty hard outside, and then all the sudden I hear "whooom" and the air conditioner whined down leaving the house quite quiet. Yep, it happened, the electricity had been knocked off for the first time in the 9 months we have been in our house.<br />
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One would think I would have been concerned about what we would do all day, and maybe I should have, but in the 10 minutes I had before I went to release the boys from their room I processed the situation and got oddly excited about a day without power. I began to think about all the different things we would be able to do because we didn't have access to our "lazy" vices that we so often have used as a crutch this winter. No television, no internet, no clothes dryer, no lights, nothing. And strangley (or maybe sadly) it was so liberating. I felt like I had the world at my fingers again, my choices were limitless, as if I had been granted so much of my time back. I became excited to think I may actually sit down and read a book, or even write out a blog post on paper and have it ready to transfer over; I could have taken a candle lit bath, there were endless possibilities. The sheer excitement at being power<i>less</i> made me begin to think about what a beauty there is in simplicity and just <i>how much </i>that desire is pulling at my heart. It is like a dull ache that you don't know is there until someone hits it just the right way. I <i>desire</i> to live simply, with more management and less distraction. Granted I am the one who chooses how to spend my time, I know that. But to be pushed to realize the fact you don't care as much about certain thing was such a good experience. </div>
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It was so good an experience that event though by 10:30 that morning the when the power had come back on, I never told the boys. Instead I chose to keep all the lights off and continue on our "no power" day. And wouldn't you know, we had the best day! They took a bath by kerosene latern light, we then read about 5 books in a row (We are doing good to read a book every other day. The teacher in me beats myself up about it constantly), played in the game room , made a little charm bracelet, fought each other with pretend swords, colored, sang, and read some more. I could tell they were enjoying it to, a day out of the ordinary, so much so they didn't complain once. This day taught me so much, gave me so many ideas, and stirred something deep inside that I am still trying to process.<br />
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I learned that sometimes a messy house means a loving house. It wasn't my first choice to have the boys color at the dining table, but since the room is basically made of windows, it had the most light. They were entertained at least 30 minutes while I made their lunch, coloring to their hearts' content and using as much paper as they wanted. It all still sits there now where we will use it tomorrow. Owen still has toys in the living room he brought out and never put away. Laundry is everywhere on the couch, folded, but everywhere. And despite the appearance of chaos, I know there is love here. I am trying to lower my expectations of how my house should look or how I wished I had somebody else's view of clean (hello OCD people). We had fun today and it showed. </div>
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So yes, I was reminded today of how simple isn't bad, simple is actually good. I was pushed to maybe rethink the way we schedule our days, what we have, and why, and perhaps now I am pushed to change it. I desire to change it, to take away and trash the things that don't matter. To overcome my hoarder-ish tendencies, and evaluate why we have each item in our house. I was challenged today, and it was good, so very very good. </div>
Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969265004602042093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296358676423255669.post-45153644855134549202015-01-19T22:49:00.000-06:002015-01-19T22:49:14.643-06:00Christmas Festivities 2014:Cookie Party <div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
I don't know if I have written about the cookie party on the blog before or not. I feel like I have but it has been a while, so for those who don't know here's the back story. . . My mom's friend, Lisa, loves to cook, it's like her favorite thing in the whole world to do. My mom on the other hand really just doesn't like it at all. Well back when my brother and I were little kids somehow it came up that mom didn't do the whole bake and decorate Christmas cookie thing with us. Lisa couldn't believe it, and since she had no kids of her own yet quickly volunteered to do cookies with Adam and me. So every year close to Christmas we would go to Mrs. Lisa's to make Christmas cookies. It gradually grew to include a group of friends and their kids and now a second generation of cookie party kids in with my children and Haylyn. It is loud, crazy, and fun to just get together and hang out. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Adam and Abby made Olaf</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">My mom and Reid. How I love her love for my boys.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Owen loves music and spent a lot of time on her piano.<br /></td></tr>
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Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969265004602042093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296358676423255669.post-23293051322425651392015-01-17T00:04:00.000-06:002015-01-17T00:04:21.370-06:00Christmas Festivities 2014: Painting OrnamentsChristmas is always one of my favorite times of the year simply because it means getting together with people you love and care about and doing projects that will hopefully translate into memories. Even though this Christmas kind of felt like I was in a fog due to adjusting to life with a newborn, I still wanted to attempt just a few different things with our boys to ensure they had a good holiday season. <div>
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One thing we did was made cornstarch ornaments. These are better than salt dough and so easy to make using baking soda, water, and cornstarch. The boys loved cooking the dough, rolling it, cutting it with cookie cutters, and then painting them the next day. I am hoping this will be one thing always do each year. It was so fun to watch their little personalities as they painted. Reid our ever meticulous first born working hard on his creations, while Owen, our free spirit did whatever and got paint EVERYWHERE, including his face. Needless to say he went right to a bath!</div>
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Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969265004602042093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296358676423255669.post-21985116861266829892015-01-16T23:49:00.001-06:002015-01-16T23:49:35.973-06:00Detoxing (Written 3 Weeks Ago)This post probably won't make sense and likely will never make a public appearance on the blog but I had to try to get it out anyway. I feel as if I am detoxing in a way from being pregnant/giving birth. With each pregnancy this has been a stronger feeling. It is something I can't really explain at all except that I can't quit thinking about it/ want to remember, <i>need</i> to remember what happened. To be honest I love labor and delivery, it the day I look forward to the most and love/hate the fact it is only a day. <br />
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With this pregnancy I never really thought about the fact this could be our last baby. It wasn't something that crossed my mind really, especially at the end because I was just so uncomfortable. It took about 2 weeks after she was born for me to realize and say to Mark "She could be our last one couldn't she?" Why the thought had not crossed my mind until then I am not really sure, but it did. I just want to freeze time right now, freeze her right where she is, freeze the hospital stay, freeze everything so I don't forget, so I don't take for granted.<br />
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I am so thankful we got to spend 2 days instead of 1 in the hospital. It really gave me the time to rest (besides the vitals checking every 4 hours, that is NOT fun at 4 AM) and cuddle and just be with her. I was able to get a shower, doze on and off some, and relax which was wonderful since I had been having contractions for a couple of weeks. I loved all the nurses I had and want to just go back and thank them for being a part of such a special time in my life. I really just want to remember it all vividly because we could not have the opportunity to do it again. <br />
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I need to remember her newborness, how tiny she was and is, that she loves to be swaddled and cuddled, hates diaper and clothes changes, poops every diaper, grunts with the best trucker out there, and can already produce burps to rival those of her big brothers. She likes her paci only sometimes, eats every 3 hours like clockwork, looks exactly like me with my baby pictures, and is just the most precious little light in our lives. Her brothers adore her and make sure I take care of her ("Mom, Halle Kate is crying, calm her down please.")<br />
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I wrote this about 3 weeks ago or so when Halle Kate was still oh so tiny. There are still so many emotions (and hormones I am sure) that go with having a baby and there is still just this strong desire to not forget her birthday, what and how it all happened. </div>
<br />Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969265004602042093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296358676423255669.post-37103240234493075562015-01-04T13:15:00.001-06:002015-01-04T13:15:24.888-06:00Thanksgiving 2014I know I am going very much out of order since I have already posted about Christmas, but I know if I don't post what I have it won't get done. So we are backing it up all the way to Thanksgiving, pre Halle Kate, my last few days of being pregnant. <br />
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We started the Thanksgiving week off in the hospital of course and then I spent the rest of my week trying to take it easy, having contractions pretty consistently, and just being highly uncomfortable in general. One oversight I had with this pregnancy is I never got any "over the belly" jeans. This wasn't a big deal until those last couple of weeks, it got increasingly uncomfortable to wear them. However by the time I realized my error I knew I only had a few weeks left and I was determined not to spend more money! <br />
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This brings us to Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving. My uncle and aunt had invited all of the family over to their house to celebrate. It was about a forty minute drive from our house to theirs which normally wouldn't have been a big deal at all except I had been contracting pretty consistently for a week or 2 by then, and that night was no different except for the fact I was in jeans that were way to tight on a contracting pregnant belly, sitting in a car for 40 minutes. Those contractions were some of the hardest ones of the whole pregnancy, they hurt so very much! In fact we had trouble finding my uncle's house so I made Mark pull over to call someone just so I could get out and stand up and walk around to find some relief. It was awful.<br />
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We finally find the right house and make it inside where I am able to relax a little bit and rotate from standing/walking around to sitting. We make it through the night, with contractions, but just not as hard. It is always so much fun to get together with my family. I am so thankful that everyone gets along, loves each other, and genuinely enjoys the company of their family. I know this is a rarity. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me very pregnant, uncomfortable, and contracting</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These two cuties born 3 weeks apart!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ring Around the Rosies with the grandmas</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love my Poppy and his energy</td></tr>
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The next day Mark and I had a slow morning because my parents let the boys spend the night with them. It was nice to wake up slow and have no where to be until 12. I had learned my lesson the previous night and decided to go with a comfy dress which was a much better choice! Once again the other side of my family all gathered together and we had the best time eating lunch and dinner with one another. I was glad to be there eating and not in the hospital on bedrest! Once again I have to say it is wonderful to be around family that actually enjoys being around each other. I don't know how I was blessed enough to experience this on both sides but I am!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My great-grandmother, 95 and still sharp as ever!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grubbing down!</td></tr>
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<br />Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969265004602042093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296358676423255669.post-36680699328976524242014-12-29T16:20:00.000-06:002014-12-29T16:20:32.563-06:00Tree Triming 2014 So this year we were able to get the tree up right after thanksgiving. This was a good thing because I happened to still be pregnant at the time! It was a good night for me with minimal contractions so decorate away we did! Reid is definitely a four year old because he insisted on being in costume for the occasion, and by costume I mean a monkey towel on his head. We were able to get him to take it off for some of the pictures, but not for others. And speaking of pictures, all of these were taken with my iPhone so they aren't nearly the best quality!<br />
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This is our last year to use this little tree as we bought a brand new one at Hobby lobby's after christmas sale! It has been good to us, but we needed something a little taller and with lights that all worked. All in all a great tree trimming!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Putting the star on top</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All our random ornaments in their place</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This little ballerina ornament Reid picked out back in October for Halle Kate!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Putting the boys' tree up in the game room, full of shatter proof ornaments!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hooded monkey towel and poor quality picture.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What I came in to find 10 minutes later. Needless to say we anchored it with some heavy books.</td></tr>
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Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969265004602042093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296358676423255669.post-59895944199754944442014-12-14T21:56:00.003-06:002014-12-14T21:56:53.811-06:00Beginnings at Home and Halle Kate's First BathBefore we left the hospital on Thursday afternoon we knew I would have to go back to the hospital on Friday to get her bilirubin levels checked again for jaundice. Luckily my mother-in-law was here to stay with the boys and Abby was nice enough to go with me to do this unfortunate task. For those who don't know, they have to prick the baby's heel and fill up this tiny vial with blood to do this. It is horrible to watch and this particular time took forever because they didn't have a heel warmer so they had to squeeze her foot for much longer. They said we should know something that day, but when I didn't hear from them I figured no news was good news and settle in about our weekend. I was thankful to have Mark's parents here one day and my cousin as well to help with the boys because emotionally and physically I was exhausted/recuperating. <br />
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My mom came over on Sunday and the boys stayed home from church with us. It was kind of a hard transition to come home to them still being here, even if I had help and I ended up crying to Mom about it that day (I'm telling you, hormones) saying "I just don't want Monday to come yet." I felt like I hadn't had enough time just with her yet to get my bearings before having to be thrown into real life again. Thank the Lord for moms, I hope I am as good of one to Halle as my mom is to me, because she called my grandmother and asked if she would keep the boys one more day so I could have some time alone with no one at the house. So Monday morning my Ballou and Papaw came over and picked up the boys around 9:30 and I settled in for what I thought would be a relaxing morning with my girl. <br />
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I get a call around 10:15 from the lactation consultant at the hospital to see if I would be able to keep the appointment they set up for me at the hospital. I went back when I had Reid, but I didn't with Owen, and I thought she seemed to be eating really well so I politely declined. She asked about her bilirubin levels and was surprised when I said I had heard nothing. Luckily she is incredibly helpful because she went and dug some and found they had put the wrong account number on her results and so they had been sent to no one, not me or the pediatrician. Needless to say I was NOT a very happy mama because her levels were still slightly elevated and I had had no idea! I mean this is her health we were talking about, what if she had needed to be under lights all weekend and hadn't been?! The lactation consultant called my doctor who said I HAD to go get her bilirubin checked AGAIN that day! So I load up my 6 day old baby and take her to a lab for the whole diagnostic clinic in longview where every sick old person and child is in there waiting, and there is no well-baby waiting area. We wait 45 long minutes until they finally call her back to get her heel pricked AGAIN and have the results rushed stat to the doctor. Come to find out the level went up a point so the pediatrician called and said that I HAD to go to the lactation appointment to check her weight. By now I am not happy about any of it because I have to figure out how I am going to do this, take care of 3 children, and get somewhere else all on the day I was supposed to be hanging out with my girl taking it easy. I get back just in time for the boys to be dropped back off for their nap and tell my grandparents thank you so very much for keeping them that morning. <br />
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Tuesday was a rough day, Reid was having a hard time adjusting and was needing a lot of corrections and redirection. Trying to figure out how to keep the boys entertained, Halle fed, and everything else was just a lot. Mark came home in enough time for me to scurry out the door to the mandatory lactation appointment where we had to sign in and they realized there that hey, she can have her pku done (another heal prick test!). By that point I am emotionally done. I am nervous about this appointment, that she hasn't gained enough weight, won't eat in front of this lady, and now I have to go have her heel pricked at the very place that had lost her other stuff, it just overwhelmed my overly hormonal self. So when I walk into that poor lady's office she looks at me and said "You look like something is wrong, are you doing ok?" Well that just started the water works and bless her if she didn't listen to my blubbering. She reassured me I could do the pku later and had sympathy on the fact I was back at home alone with a 4 year old and a 2 year old and a premie just a week postpartum. I was grateful for the conversation and ecstatic because Halle weighed 6lbs 4.5oz and ate 2 ounces while we were there, which was amazing considering how early she was. She got an A+ and they weren't concerned about the jaundice anymore! All in all a good appointment that was apparently needed and I didn't know it. <br />
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Here are a few pictures from the Sunday after I brought Halle home when we gave her her first bath. I had two small helpers adding in their two cents and "helping" along the way. All of the photos uploaded out of order but I am needed to feed a baby so that is just the way it is going to have to stay. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She isn't even that loud lol! </td></tr>
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Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969265004602042093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296358676423255669.post-13282581442853584522014-12-13T20:27:00.000-06:002014-12-13T20:27:59.617-06:00Halle Kate Going Home<br />
After heading into the hospital at 5:45 Tuesday morning and having her at 12:41 we enjoyed a day of visitors that ended with the on call pediatrician coming in to see us and take a look at Halle Kate. We had seen her before with Owen's birth when it was the weekend and our pediatrician wasn't on call and we needed to be discharged. We weren't very impressed then (she almost didn't let us go because he was <i>slightly</i> jaundice, which at 37 weeks 4 days, was normal) and our opinion did not change with this meeting either. She came in when we had my parents, Mark's parents, Abby, my grandmother, aunt and uncle, and both boys all in the room. Needless to say it was not the quietest of places. She speaks broken english and was having to talk loudly to be heard. She began telling us that she wanted to get Halle's blood drawn because of bruising that was on the top of her head and on her face. We thought this was very strange and asked what drawing blood would tell her and she just said "I need to see if her platelets are high or low" which essentially didn't answer our question at all. She also said she since we didn't know the results of my group b strep test and she was jaundice that we would need to stay two days for them to watch that. All in all it didn't do a lot to reassure us that she was okay. Perhaps it was her bedside manner or the fact she wasn't our usual doctor, but we were unimpressed. <br />
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I was glad to have the extra day in the hospital though to just rest and get a chance to know my girl a little better. We also got to talk to our pediatrician who was far less concerned than the on call pedi which made us feel a lot better. So on Thursday we were able to leave around 2 after she passed her hearing test. It was so much fun to be able to use a dress I had picked out myself and take her home in it. I made a bow for the occasion but it was too big according to daddy so we had to improvise. She did not like getting dressed but she looked oh so cute when she finally was. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daddy helping us get all buttoned up</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The too big bow mama made</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The substitute </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All ready to go</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not the best quality, but I thought the bonnet was too funny!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the carseat ready to go. I win worst mom award for not washing it before we brought it up there. I had planned on doing it that weekend but whoops!</td></tr>
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Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969265004602042093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296358676423255669.post-10444584091251279122014-12-13T19:36:00.000-06:002014-12-14T08:26:28.078-06:00Halle Kate's VisitorsHere are just a few pictures of all the visitors and fun we had with Halle Kate her first few days of life. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meeting Big brother for the first time </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meeting other big brother for the first time</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reid was all about holding his new sister</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love this sweet picture</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nina, Pops, and the big boys </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uncle Wade and Aunt "Lissa"</td></tr>
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<br />Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969265004602042093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296358676423255669.post-90668327050400166222014-12-11T16:19:00.001-06:002014-12-14T08:27:57.778-06:00Halle Kate's Birth Story Part 3: The Time I Actually Have the BabySo I know it looks like I have a favorite kid based solely on Halle Kate has a 3 part birth story compared to her brothers' one, but it's solely because I don't want to forget what happened. By now I am sure not a lot of people read this thing, but it is kind of like my journal for the past 7 years so really it is for posterity. Also the boy's were easy and fast labor and deliveries. I totally felt like a first time mom this go around because I didn't know what was going on with me. Was I in labor or wasn't I? With both boys contractions, water breaks, BAM, we have a baby. Not so with her. <br />
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Anyway, we arrive at the hospital and finally get checked in. I am relieved because we arrived around 5:45 or so, and there is a shift change, which means I will have the same nurse the whole day. I have been praying for a nice nurse pretty consistently for 9 months since I had a mean one with Owen and luckily God answered that prayer with Nicole. She was funny and nice and totally made this go around a better experience. She confirmed that indeed my water had broken, I was at a 3, and so they admitted me. I had a lab technician come in and try to get an I.V. started but instead blew out a vein, which was AWFUL. I have never had that happen, and Mark said she blew it big time. It is actually still black and blue a week later. I cried, a lot, and freaked out a little bit because it hurt. Mark apologized for me telling them "sorry, we haven't slept in a few days." Luckily a nurse got it to go in on the other hand and for that I was grateful. </div>
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So we settle in to labor and have a baby. I actually started feeling a little nauseated, which is how I get when I get hungry so my nurse was awesome enough to bring me a few saltines! I ate one and then kept on going. Dr. Doerrfeld walked in at one point and said "You just couldn't wait could you?!" and we all had a good laugh. I was grateful to be having her when he could be there. We had been there a couple of hours or so when the strangest thing happened, my contractions all the sudden started coming back to back. They weren't very intense, but they weren't letting up. I started shaking uncontrollably all over. I was actually laying on my side away from the monitor when I asked Mark what was going on and he told me. I remember us both looking at each other terrified because it looked like I was in transition before I was able to get the epidural. All I kept thinking was how I did NOT want that to be the case. We called in the nurse who told us the anesthesiologist was doing a c-section at the time and couldn't come then. Well that made me even more nervous! She gave me something to help take the edge off while we waited. Luckily a few minutes later they found one a couple of floors down who was free and he came up. I remember after they said he was on his way looking at Mark and telling him "I'm not even scared." I was just so relieved we might actually make it in time. </div>
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So we get there and they get the epidural in with 0 problems thank the Lord. I have technically never had one really work so I didn't know the time line of how long it would take or what it would feel like, but luckily it started working. In fact it worked too well at one point because I felt like I was getting numb around my neck. I remember my nurse saying you didn't want to be too numb that you couldn't feel anything and have to push for an hour and a half, so I asked them to come in a turn it down. They took it from a 10 to 7 which ended up just right, although I did debate asking them to come back in and turn it up to like an 8 or so. Before I could however our nurse pops in and said "I need to check you again (she had checked right after the epidural was given and I was surprisingly still a 3) because the monitor says I probably should, it looks to be about that time. She checks me and says "You're at a 5 but I think I can make you an 8 pretty easily, yep I can, you're an 8 now!" We had told them about how I labor and deliver quickly so she was aware that I can dilate and change within seconds. She said "Don't have the baby, I am going to go call the doctor." It is here that I started the uncontrollable shaking again which we knew this time was a sign of pretty strong labor, but luckily the epidural was working. The only bad part was I was having some awful heartburn but couldn't feed myself ice chips to keep it at bay because I was shaking so badly. Mark had to feed them to me, to which he recalls me saying "thank you" and him thinking in his head "Wow, she was nice. Thank God for epidurals."</div>
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Finally Dr. Doerrfeld makes it in there and finds I am still an 8, but progressing quickly. In fact they were getting me all prepped to push and he said "Is this your last baby?" to which Mark and I just laugh. I can't remember if I actually said "Um, lets just concentrate on getting this one here first!" He was asking because he figured he could make me a 10 and we could get the show on the road lol. However he has me push just a little to get it through that last centimeter and we are ready to go. This whole time they kept saying how low the baby's head was, for which I was grateful because you could start to see it after the first push. It was so much better with an actual epidural that worked properly. It was still hard work to get her out, in fact at one point I know I said "Get. Her. Out" and Dr. Doerrfeld said "No, you can do it." but within 4 contractions and about 8 pushes she was here at 12:41. She had the cord wrapped around her neck and her shoulders got a little stuck but all in all she made it fine. I was so relieved and thankful she was here and healthy. I just cried when they handed her to me, so thankful. When they took her to get cleaned up I remember looking at Mark and saying "epidurals are the bomb!" and totally meaning every word! She ended up needing just about 5 minutes of oxygen but then she was weighed and brought back to me. She was 6 lbs 6 oz and 19 inches long. Not to shabby for a 36 week 2 day baby. </div>
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We got to hold her and I was able to feed her and have some family come and see her before they took her away to the nursery to get cleaned up. Then it was the long wait for them to bring her back to me! They kept for like 2 hours, which seemed like an eternity! We had people stop in all that night to meet the sweet girl and I tried my hardest to stay awake to chat. She is so loved by so many already it is unreal. We are just so thankful she is here and doing ok. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meeting her for the first time</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Super ugly crying it up</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loved our nurse and Mark's look on his face in this one.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daddy getting his baby arm band</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Possibly my favorite picture of the day</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hard to compete with this one though</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting ready for a bath. . .</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was told she HATED it, screamed the whole time.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My sweet precious angel girl</td></tr>
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Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969265004602042093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296358676423255669.post-65056623658885555292014-12-10T21:10:00.001-06:002014-12-10T21:10:30.378-06:00Halle Kate's Birth Story Part 2: The Time I Actually Went Into LaborSo I left you off in Part 1 on Sunday, November 30th, with me having sporadic contractions but nothing of really any pattern that didn't taper off eventually. By now I am highly irritable and probably the most uncomfortable I have ever been in my life for a prolonged period of time. I don't know why this pregnancy was just so different, but it was physically so much harder than my other two. Perhaps it was how she was sitting or something, but the comfort level was lacking for sure. <br />
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So I wake up, still as uncomfortable on December 1, and realize I am still having contractions, only now they seem more consistent then they were. I can't tell you how often I used that contraction app on my phone over the past two weeks, but it was NOTHING compared to how much I was going to use it that day. So at 6:30 I text Mark, who has gone for a run "I think I may be in labor." He heads back to find me in the bed timing them, they were 5 minutes apart and hurting more. We know there is nothing we can do but wait and see, and really don't fancy another hospital bill so he begins to get ready to head out for work. It was a tough decision but I am glad we made it because it was going to be a long day. </div>
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I went ahead and went about my normal routine, got the boys up, fed, dressed, and doing what we normally do, waiting to see if activity would take them away like it had been doing in the past. When it didn't I decided to call my doctor and they said they could work me in within the next 30 minutes so I finished getting myself dressed, got the boys out the door, and met my mom at Dr. Doerrfeld's office so she could sit with the boys. I go in, still contracting, and wait for him to come do a Group B strep test and check me. Normally I do not look forward to these appointments, but today I was ready to see if anything had changed. He came in, laughing sympathetically because I was here again with the same symptoms as the week before. He checked me and said I was only at 2, and that until it got to where I couldn't talk through contractions, they were closer together, or my water broke that there was nothing we could do but wait and see. He said it could be tomorrow, 3 days from now, or 2 weeks, there was no way to tell, but nothing would have surprised him. I walked out of there, grateful not to have a hospital bill, but just emotionally drained thinking I was going to do this with no end in sight.</div>
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So I load the boys back up in the car, cry a little bit about it, and what else is there to do but go to starbucks to make yourself feel better? Reid had also asked for donuts and with no energy left to think about making lunch I said "sure, why not?" and we drove through the donut store on our way back to the house. Contractions were still coming and still stronger than they had been but I was functioning. By this point I am usually having to stop what I am doing with some of them, but I didn't want to let the boys see me hurt or know something was up. Finally nap time came which was glorious as I was then able to lay down and labor, or get in the bath, or do whatever I needed to do. I sent Mark a text to figure out when he would be home and then just did my thing.</div>
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Poor Mark by the way because when he got home I was pretty much worth nothing. I had been contracting 10 hours or so by that point and totally left dinner and boys up to him. I don't even think I ate that night. He got them up, took them outside to ride bikes, and then took them to the grocery story to get stuff from a list I had made and thought about attempting to do that night. I was so impressed and thankful since it would give me an empty house to continue to time and work through contractions. By the time he got home I said "I think I have hit my rhythm" and it was true that I felt like I was in "actual labor" by that point and that I had just hit a stride with it (I know that doesn't make sense really). Finally the boys were in bed thanks to my hubby and he and I settled down to watch netflix while I labored. By now its around 9:30-10 and they are starting to come much closer together and are slightly stronger. But we also know that even though I was contracting every 2-3 minutes last time doesn't mean I am making progress so we stay put. I had alerted Abby that we may be calling her and Adam again to stay the night with the boys. </div>
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We go to bed around 10 and Mark stays up late with me to time contractions. They move to around 2.5 to 3 minutes apart and are pretty strong, I am having to breathe through each of them. I remember Mark praying over us at one point asking God that if this was the real thing to let us be certain, let my water break, and that Halle Kate would be ok to come then. Eventually my non-night owl succumbed to sleep and I continued to contract until around 11:30-12 when they suddenly got much further apart. I was kind of upset by this point because I felt I had labored ALL DAY LONG for it to lead no where and for me to end up exhausted. I am very blessed with great friends who had offered to keep the boys the next day if in fact this ended up being the case (thank you Shaina and Amy!). </div>
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I think I may have fell asleep for possibly 30-45 minutes, I honestly don't know, but around 1ish the contractions came back about 3 minutes apart. I remember lying there, rubbing my belly during each contraction and praying "Jesus bring her soon." I may have gotten up and walked around the bathroom some to see if they would go away, they didn't. Mark was blissfully asleep and I admit being a little upset that he was getting to sleep while I did all the hard work lol. I think around 2:30 they tapered off again at which point I got highly upset (I told you I was irritable) and had a nice chat with God asking that the contractions would actually lead somewhere and my water would break if it would be His will, but if not that they would stop. I may have dosed again only to be awoken at 3 with hard contractions. Once again I got up and went and walked the bathroom some, then went and laid down. It was during this time I thought I had a small gush, but wasn't sure if my water had broken or not. I was not getting my hopes up at all, I wanted to be very sure. </div>
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Of course I went to the bathroom and tried to access the situation, and still couldn't determine completely what had actually happen. With some some contractions I would leak very small amounts of what I now know was amniotic fluid. It got to where I would labor in our stand up shower with each contraction. Finally I did what every desperately pregnant woman does, I googled "how to tell if your water has broken?" lol. According to an article on a site I found out that if it was indeed your water breaking with a slow leak, some would gush out when you got back up after lying down for a bit. Armed with this new information I went and laid down again for a few minutes then got up and felt a small gush. I was hopeful enough that I woke up Mark and told him what I thought had happened. He said "well if it is your water your contractions will get closer together and when they do thats when we will go." He rolled over and went back to sleep for another 45 minutes, while I once again got up to go labor in the bathroom. I was standing in our shower, when I saw fluid that was pink tinged and I knew then officially that my water had broken and we needed to leave. Finally I woke Mark up saying "Mark every time I move something gushes out of me, and now it is pink tinged, it has to be my water breaking." So we get all of our stuff together, call Adam and Abby to come and stay with the boys and head to the hospital around 5:20. </div>
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Stay tuned for Part 3: The Time I Actually Have the Baby</div>
Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969265004602042093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296358676423255669.post-9997523185986070002014-12-08T13:33:00.002-06:002014-12-08T13:33:33.909-06:00Halle Kate's Birth Story Part 1: That Time I Thought I Went into LaborSo this will probably be filled with way too many TMI details but I really want to do my best to remember everything and get all my thoughts and feelings out before this is too distant of a memory. As we all know I have never made it "full term" aka 40 weeks in any pregnancy. Reid was born at 38 weeks 2 days, Owen at 37 weeks 4 days, so with this sweet girl I expected it to be about the same. What I didn't anticipate was how different this pregnancy would be. <br />
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At the end of this pregnancy I could not believe how uncomfortable I was. I did not remember it being THAT bad with either of the boys pregnancies. I began having braxton hicks contractions around 34 weeks that were incredibly uncomfortable. They usually came at night, and would make my belly SO TIGHT. Also she was riding very low so by the end of the day my body was just worn out. I would take baths just to attempt to get some relief. She also could have been sitting funny because I felt as if she had no room, my skin was tight, my insides were tight, everything. All of this just led to a very much irritated me. I was uncomfortable 24/7 and had just what I am sure was the worst attitude. I didn't want to go anywhere, do anything, and couldn't imagine going longer than 37 weeks!!!<br />
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We went to Tyler the weekend before thanksgiving. I had contractions in the car on the way there some, and then some infrequently throughout the weekend. Riding back on Saturday night was the same story. I remember feeling more contractions that night though than any other. I figured my body was just exhausted so after we got the boys in bed, I got the order from Mark to go lay down. We finally fell asleep for a few hours, until around 3 on Sunday morning to Mark snoring. I than began to realize I was having pretty consistent contractions. I moved to the couch so I didn't disturb Mark and started timing them. They were semi sporadic, ranging from 6-10 minutes apart. Finally around 430 or so I went and told Mark not to be alarmed but I was going to go get in the bath to see if it helped. I got in the bath but they didn't go away. . . it wasn't unbearable, but you could definitely tell they were happening. So I went back and laid down, trying not to worry about it and tried to go to sleep some. By the time Mark got up for church (around 6) I told him I was still having contractions, so I probably shouldn't go that morning and that I would ask Mom and Dad to come and get the boys so I could rest. All of those things happened and I sat down and rested, got in the shower, and rested some more. The contractions stayed consistent, so I ended up calling the on call nurse at my doctor's office and she said if they weren't gone by 2 to go to the hospital. <br />
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Mark came home to me still contracting so after eating we loaded up and headed to the hospital. They got me all hooked up and said "Oh honey, your contractions are coming every 1 and a half to 2 minutes." I said "I know" and Mark said "You didn't tell me that, you told me every 5!" I said "I didn't want to completely freak you out." They checked me and I was only a 1, and so they monitored me for a little bit before giving me some medicine to stop contractions. It made my heart race and it makes you anxious, and it didn't stop the contractions at all really. By now it is the evening and I have still made no change so at 10 p.m. we go home, still contracting, but with no baby. I asked the nurse if this was apparently false labor and she said "Your contractions look like your in labor but if you don't dilate it isn't true labor." Who knew? <br />
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Mom and dad take me to get a honey butter chicken biscuit and go home to continue this labor thing. I was still having contractions throughout the night, and around 5 I go to the restroom and then stand up and feel what I think is my water breaking. So I wake Mark up and tell him, we call Adam and Abby to come stay with the boys and head <i>BACK</i> to the hospital, sure I was in labor at 35 weeks 1 day. We get there only to find out my water didn't break according to two separate tests. They also do a sonogram on her to make sure she is ok, and once again say she is riding very low. My doctor, whom I love, comes in and has sympathy for me, but says there is nothing we can do... If it was two weeks from now, he would give me pitocin and let me go, but since I am not far enough along, we just have to wait it out. So we once again leave the hospital with no baby, but a prescription for ambien to help me sleep and I head home. I am so thankful for my family who just jumped in and helped with the boys, stayed at the hospital with me, got us lunch, you name it. We also had wonderful friends from church bring Mark supper that night we were in the hospital, as well as the children's director brought us Cowboy chicken for Monday night. We are part of the best church and just oh so thankful for the people in our lives!<br />
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We make it to and through thanksgiving with me still contracting, sometimes with very hard contractions throughout the week, but nothing that is significant. It is more just mentally and emotionally exhausting waiting to see what is going to happen. Basically we have decided we wouldn't head back up to the hospital unless my water broke, because honestly it wasn't worth it. The next Sunday roles around and we do make it to church, to everyone's surprise, and have a good time with friends and our church family. I am so glad I went because it was just a nice break from all of the physical and mental drainings of pre-term labor. I of course am still having contractions every so often and am very irritable (poor Mark and boys). He was such a trooper through this whole ordeal, and put up with me and my crabbiness wonderfully. I don't think I have ever ever ever been more uncomfortable for such an extended period of time in my entire life! Luckily it was drawing close to the end, if only we knew how close it really was.<br />
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Part two coming up next.<br />
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Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969265004602042093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296358676423255669.post-6733120580162456682014-11-09T22:02:00.004-06:002014-11-09T22:02:45.353-06:00Visiting Miss Joyce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Most of y'all know I am blessed to have the absolute best family in the entire world. Seriously on both sides, they are just great. They love my family and me fiercely and I am so grateful. One person that is so special to all of us, especially to my boys is our sweet, beautiful, Miss Joyce. This is my dad's grandmother, my great-grandmother, and my boys' great-great-grandmother. She is 96 and just now moved from living on her own to an assisted living facility that is beautiful and is located just a few minutes drive from us. We don't get over there as often as we should, but we like to go visit her when we have a chance. </div>
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There is a big pond outside the back of the facility that is home to 5 ducks. Miss Joyce watches them out her window and tells us about them when we go talk to her. Along with snacks for the boys, she usually has something for the boys to feed the ducks. They are very friendly, one came out and actually ate out of Mark's hand. We always enjoy our visits and I want the boys to have these special memories with a grandmother that loves them so very much. </div>
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<br />Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969265004602042093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296358676423255669.post-1722670595040614492014-11-09T21:43:00.000-06:002014-11-09T21:43:51.746-06:00Reid's Roundup: 4 Year Birthday Party<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This year Reid said he wanted a cowboy party and luckily if your birthday is pretty close to halloween it can be pretty easy and inexpensive to deliver such a request. While he napped my family and I quickly set up a small party for him and a few of his friends. I couldn't have done this though without my aunt Lori, who hosted it and helped get supplies as well. My mom also bought many things and helped set up and tear down. I am so grateful for my family, I really don't feel as if I say that enough. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kids Table</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everything here came from the dollar store! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watering Hole</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Party favors. They came in packs at the dollar store!!! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eating hotdogs</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Opening presents</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love my Poppy</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panning for Gold</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We took pea gravel and painted it gold. . .</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I bought tin pie tins at the dollar store and punched holes in them . The kids LOVED IT!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He loved a fishing pole he received. </td></tr>
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<br />Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969265004602042093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296358676423255669.post-15738448376600127912014-10-27T16:11:00.001-05:002014-10-27T16:11:57.561-05:00Reid Turns 4!!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i>Disclaimer: If you don't want to read a bunch of gooshy stuff about our first born that I feel I need to document as a mom then skip the first two paragraphs and head down to hear how we spent Reid's actual birthday. </i></div>
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I cannot believe our sweet and precious 1st born is four. I don't feel as if that much time has passed in between his birth to now, but man oh man how this dude has grown. He is one of my greatest joys and I am so proud and thankful to God for the man he is becoming even now. He is sweet, tender-hearted, strong-willed, a leader, a great friend, and a lover of family (especially his brother and his soon-to-be baby sister). He has taught me so much these last four year. Sometimes I worry I am too hard on him, that I expect to much out of someone so small, that I am not doing right. But God in His grace gives us minuscule hands at the end of the day that will place themselves on either side of my face to give me a kiss and say he loves me. So undeserved and so blessed. </div>
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A few things about Reid I don't want to forget. His imagination has really taken off here in the last few months. He is always "flying" around with some imaginary friend (Caden usually) and telling us all about what happened. He likes to dress up in costumes as well, the dinosaur one being his favorite at the moment. A ball can still entertain him longer than most things. He is definitely all boy and as full of energy as they come. By God's grace he is still napping (and I am praying he will until he moves out lol), and we have started "school"which he really has enjoyed. He follows his daddy around from the time he gets home and loves to do whatever Mark is doing. He is a pretty awesome eater, eating most anything we put in front of him. He loves all things chocolate and sweet. Helping me cook is always a treat for him, especially if we are baking something. He enjoys crafts for a little bit or two, but needs to really be off running around instead. He is great at helping me clean up and at doing his "jobs" every weekday (eat breakfast, get dressed, put away jammies, make bed, brush teeth, clean the table). In case you can't tell we are pretty smitten. </div>
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On Reid's actual birthday we woke him up an hour early so Daddy could see him before he left for work and give him his "present". I am so glad we did this. He had the best time getting to be with just us, even for a few minutes. We had his door decorated and his present on the dining table, but I have no pictures, because we were taking video. If I am able I will put the video up at the bottom of this post so you can see it. In his bag was a dinosaur costume and scarecrow costume that I found at a consignment shop for DIRT CHEAP. Mark and I were planning to take him out that night to allow him to choose a toy (something he NEVER gets to do) but I thought he needed something to open that morning. It was a good choice, because we played in that thing all day long. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daddy helping him become a dinosaur</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stomping off to look at himself in the mirror</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixL-gufcV149llrQXTeRANOVRCHeNntqcyDUinuqTPz3m60juMW-CU25tpHMxhq2C7Si2S3EHuWxDp1Z9R915XMIUGag64Z0oAVP9QrkZHmYzZ6fEd3rLq8AG63zcsMKPKnKTVHENKQzI/s1600/IMG_3030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixL-gufcV149llrQXTeRANOVRCHeNntqcyDUinuqTPz3m60juMW-CU25tpHMxhq2C7Si2S3EHuWxDp1Z9R915XMIUGag64Z0oAVP9QrkZHmYzZ6fEd3rLq8AG63zcsMKPKnKTVHENKQzI/s1600/IMG_3030.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How he ate breakfast that morning. </td></tr>
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That evening while Owen stayed with Ballou and Papaw, we took him out by himself to chick-fil-a. He honestly didn't know what to do without "brother" there. He told his daddy as they were dropping him off that Owen need to come too and that he would miss him. He was so excited though that he never did go play, and talked non-stop to us. After we left chick we went to target and allowed him to choose a toy for his birthday. He literally went all around picking stuff up, saying that was what he wanted before finding something else. With a little help we settled on a Chugginton train set and two chugginton trains to play with. He was exhausted by the time we got home, but overall I think he had an awesome 4th birthday.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZeh3dqceGyC9MpySKHVoNJnJEZ5u-HeJkpIqhsgtebpSIXX1f-Lrx0eZXH5sDnqIDwghTeFmMqYfD2MaXmGXRNPIPqEjWAuceEgZhhdHOfMyXx4ewRW9PTiKqHtNoDO-SGj0FSb2zp0/s1600/IMG_3040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZeh3dqceGyC9MpySKHVoNJnJEZ5u-HeJkpIqhsgtebpSIXX1f-Lrx0eZXH5sDnqIDwghTeFmMqYfD2MaXmGXRNPIPqEjWAuceEgZhhdHOfMyXx4ewRW9PTiKqHtNoDO-SGj0FSb2zp0/s1600/IMG_3040.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He's 4!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwMP446iIXMJHciQVU-qRsrsdhA9x-fs5UabjhIbC9XSInQvxhS9YneV6y2qMUoEGmTuXK7aliwdpEXoXFRB0Lqphi-AYrg8QEDCBWWjZXDnQID4hkZV9ujNim5_-nWSr07jh2XQUkj0/s1600/IMG_3047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwMP446iIXMJHciQVU-qRsrsdhA9x-fs5UabjhIbC9XSInQvxhS9YneV6y2qMUoEGmTuXK7aliwdpEXoXFRB0Lqphi-AYrg8QEDCBWWjZXDnQID4hkZV9ujNim5_-nWSr07jh2XQUkj0/s1600/IMG_3047.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A birthday milkshake for the big 4 year old.</td></tr>
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<br />Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969265004602042093noreply@blogger.com0