SOOOOO THANKFUL!!!!!

HAPPY TURKEY DAY EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mama needs a break!!

So I just need to vent here a little. I am tired. I need a break from mommying. I feel horrible saying that but I just need a break. A little one. I just need some time where I can think clear thoughts and process them. Where I can not be touced by anyone and have peace and quiet. Pretty much every day I need a little break even though I don't always get it.

Parenting is really tough. And being a stay at home mom is even tougher. You mamas reading this are probably shaking your heads in agreement or tearing up or just sighing. It really is the hardest job I have ever had. And the best. I love being a mom I really do but it is so challenging. It brings out things in me that I don't like. It makes me realize how selfish I am and pushes me to be a better person. Knowing that I am shaping who these little beings will become is really stressing me out these days. I know they are in Gods hands and I give them to Him every day but it still is a bit overwhelming. Some days I want to give up and other days I feel strong and able.

Thats why I take breaks. I take some time to my self and get refreshed. Sometimes that means writing a blog post, or having a glass of wine in peace and quiet, or taking a bath, or going to a coffee shop but it pretty much ALWAYS involves praying. I could not do this job with out my source of strength and peace. My saviour, my friend, my everything. Daddy God. I call on Him to fill me up with His love everyday and help me to be the mom he wants me to be. I couldn't do it without Him.

I am so blessed to have two beautiful girls and a wonderful husband but sometimes MAMA NEEDS A BREAK!!!

Operation Christmas Child

Im sure you all have heard of Operation Christmas Child and know what it is but if not it is an organization that sends boxes of gifts to needy kids in all different countries. Pretty much every church is collecting them right now. When our church announced that they were doing it I thought it would be a fun thing to do with Noni. You can chhoose what gender and what age group you want to do, so we chose a girl 2-4yrs old. (how appropriate)

But how do you explain it to a 2 year old? So this is what I said, "there is a girl far far away whose mommy can't buy her presents for christmas and she doesn't have the things that we have. So we have to pick stuff out and send it to her for christmas, and we need to pray for her." She really enjoyed picking stuff out and helped wrap it all up. She keeps talking about presents for the girl.
This is something Peter used to do as a kid and I think it will probably become a tradition in our house too.
If you want to find more info go here.

Evey Magnolia's Birth Story

My due date was October 24th and I felt a few contractions that night at 9pm but then they went away. I went to bed and woke up at 3am Tuesday morning with more contractions. They started coming every 10 min and lasting about 25-30 seconds. At 5:30am when Peter got up for work they were still coming. We weren’t sure if Peter should go to work or not but decided he would go and keep his phone with him and I would keep him posted if things progressed. Before he left we quickly set up the aqua doula so it would be ready to go. I laid on the couch for the next few hours until Noni woke up and the contractions were still pretty consistent. I had talked to my midwife Kate at this point and she said to do as much of my daily activity as I can but to rest, eat and drink well. I did some laundry but playing with Noni was really hard to do when all I wanted to do was sleep. My friend Brooke offered to come play with her so I could nap so at about 10:30 she came and picked Noni up and took her to her house for lunch. I slept the whole time they were gone. She brought Noni back around 2:30 for her nap and I rested some more. All day the contractions kept coming but some were 15 min apart some even 30 min apart, but they kept coming. When Peter got home we ate dinner and went for a walk and rested.

We thought maybe Tuesday night would be the night and that things would progress pretty quickly. BUT I woke up Wednesday morning and there was no baby. I guess I slept pretty good because I really don’t remember much from Tuesday night. Peter stayed home with me on Wednesday which was good. He hung out with Noni and served me while I rested. We went to the library (I stayed in the car) and went for many many walks throughout the day and I watched the movie “While you were sleeping.”(missing the parts during my contractions.) The contractions were still random at this point. Then I laid down to take a nap around 1pm and the contractions began to get much stronger and closer together. Peter timed some for me and they were 3-5 min apart and lasting a minute then 25 seconds then a minute. So they were still pretty random. I called Kate and she said to get as much rest as I can and let her know if we start to see a pattern. Kates assistant Jill ended up coming at 4pm to check me because I just wanted to know what was going on and I was 4cm. Yay, I was making progress. When Kate found out I was 4cm she told us to fill the aqua doula so it would be ready, I would could progress pretty quickly. Peter worked on that and we ate dinner and went for another walk. I took a bath and then laid on the couch for the rest of the evening. It was about 8:30pm and I was getting very frustrated and tired. The contractions were sooo strong, I knew something was happening. I asked Peter to call Kate but he was hesitant because there was still no real pattern to my contractions. I had started to feel a little pushy for a few contractions so I really wanted to talk to Kate. He called her and then gave the phone to me after I got through a contraction. I told what I was feeling and she decided it was time for her to come.

So Peter went to put Noni down for bed and I texted my friend/doula Brooke to tell her that Kate was coming and she could come. Her and Jill got here first at about 9:20pm. They started setting things up and Kate got here a few minutes later. She checked me right away and I was 9cm +. YAY, I was ready to go and was so happy! She asked me if I wanted to get in the water or stay in bed and I definitely wanted to get in the water. I got in at about 9:30 and started feeling very pushy. Peter turned on my music and Brooke lit some candles. Kate told me to listen to my body and bare down with each contraction. I got into a more comfortable position on my knees and leaning on the edge of the aqua doula. Peter was rubbing my lower back which felt really good. I wanted Noni to be here when I was pushing so at some point Brooke went and woke her up. She brought her a bag of goodies so they were playing in the other room. I was able to feel my bag of waters before it broke and then with a contraction I felt it break. (That was really cool, b/c with Noni they broke it for me) I was pushing at that point and it was just two or three contractions later I pushed the head out. Jill and Kate had just walked in the room and Kate said “oh head.” Brooke heard me scream and decided to come see what was going on and she walked in just in time. When I pushed the head out I kind of stood up partially and since the head came out of the water I could not go back down in the water. They all were telling me to stand up and I couldn’t so Peter had to grab me and pull me up. So I was standing in the water and with the next contraction I pushed her out. Jill caught her and handed her up to me right away. I stood there holding my baby for a few seconds in complete awe and relief before I looked to see if she was a boy or girl. I announced that she was a girl and Peter announced her name. I then got out and sat on the floor to let the blood pulse through the umbilical cord and birth the placenta. Noni was there and saw the whole thing. She witnessed her baby sister being born and was there to greet her with us. It was amazing and beautiful and I wouldn’t change anything! Evey latched within 10 minutes of being born and nursed great! Oh yea she was born at 10:12pm. She was 8 pounds 3 ounces and perfectly healthy! Praise the Lord!

Introducing....Baby Evey!!!!!

Here she is! Our 2nd baby girl! She arrived two days after my due date at 10:12pm. After 42 hours of labor, 6 and 1/2 hours of active labor, and about 5 pushes she was here. She weighed 8 pounds 3 ounces and was 18 and 1/2 inches long and is perfectly healthy!!!
Her big sister is in love and is so gentle with her. I love it!
Heres a few pics from the past week.

Birth Story soon to come!