The Night Before Your Second Birthday

Sweet Hadley,

Tomorrow you will turn TWO. Daddy and I can't believe you have been with us for two whole years! (I'm sure we will say this  every birthday no matter how old you are!). These past two years have been, without a doubt, the best years of our lives. You have brought so much joy to us and to our whole family. 

This time last year we were so nervous but so so excited for your arrival. We knew you would be coming soon so we were doing our best to prepare! We had no idea how our lives were about to change. 

In just this past year alone you have blossomed into a smart, loving, kind, generous little girl. You have the best personality and we love seeing you change each day. We never know what you will say or do next but we knew it will bring a smile to our faces. 

You have taught us how to be parents and that's one of the greatest lessons we have ever learned. Seeing you with your little sister makes us both feel whole and complete. You are so sweet to her and we can tell that she already loves you just as much as you love her. 

You are the cutest little girl with hazel eyes and the sweetest light brown curls. You are so smart and can somehow count to TEN! But more importantly than those things, you have a gentle spirit and a kind, loving, and giving heart. The lord has blessed us so much with you and will continue to bless us as you grow. It is my prayer, in your second year, that you will understand that Jesus loves you so much. That mommy and daddy will always be there for you no matter what, but when we aren't physically with you, know that Jesus is always with you. I pray that you will put all of your trust, worries and fears in him. I pray that you will learn to thank Him for this wonderful life he has given all of us. I pray that you will continue to have that gentle spirit and loving heart. 

Hadley, you are one of our greatest accomplishments and we are so beyond thankful for you. We love you with everything that we have and are looking so forward to watching you grow. 

We love you sweet girl,

Mommy and Daddy 

Ella is One Month Old!

Happy One Month Sweet Ella!!

I can't believe you are already a month old. Time had flown by. You are the sweetest baby. You have brought so much joy to our lives and have blessed us so much. 

You weighed 8 pounds 8 ounces at our two week dr appointment and I tried weighing you myself and you were about 10 pounds at 4 weeks. You are in the 95th percentile for your height which is way different from your big sister! 

We just switched to size 1 diapers and are still in newborn clothes! 

You are sleeping GREAT!! We have only had maybe 2 super bad nights. The rest you have woken up about twice, nursed and gone right back to sleep.  Last night you only woke up ONCE!! It was awesome.  When you first came home from the hospital, you slept with us in the bed and was so nice. I loved that time with you and it is something I will always hold close to my heart.

Now we swaddle you and you sleep in the Rock and play, which you love.  I never had one with Hadley but I wish I had!! The white noise and rocking help you sleep so well and I think we may need to get a noise machine once you move to your room!! 

We are having a little trouble nursing. I think you are getting plenty but your latch is a little off.  Hopefully we will be getting help this week with it. Your daddy and sister have fed you a couple bottles which Hadley LOVED! She calls it your water bottle and was so in to giving it to you. It was so sweet. 

Hadley is so sweet to you and loves holding you. Every night she kisses you goodnight and each morning you are the first thing she asks for. After Hadley goes to Grammys or nanas, she comes running back in the house saying "See Ella!!!!!!!" But she pronounces your name like "Ayyah"!!! She loves for mommy and daddy to hold you and is so protective of you. If someone else picks you up she immediately screams "Mommy hold her!!" .  She loves to gives you kisses and huggies.

She loves to help give you baths and we even got brave and gave you both a bath together!! 

It is so sweet to see you both together and I can't wait to see your relationship grow. 

We love you more than words can express and are so happy you are in our lives. You are the perfect addition to our family and I can't wait to see you grow in this next month! 

Welcome Baby Ella!

On July 23rd, 2015, at 7:20 in the morning, Elizabeth Ann was born!! She weighed 7 pounds 11 ounces and was 20 inches long. 

It was one of the scariest and most amazing moments of my life. I had to have a repeat c section so it was scary thinking about the surgery for so long and wondering what it was going to be like awake since I was put to sleep when Hadley was born. The dr and Charlie kept reassuring me that it was going to be a much better experience and everything would go smoothly. They were so right. It was so amazing being able to hear Ella's first cry and hold her immediately after she was born. She was perfect and I immediately fell so in love with her. 

After she was delivered we went to the recovery room where Charlie, Ella and i could all be together. It was perfect. She was healthy and I couldn't have been happier. I got to be there for her first bath and she never left my side. 

All of the family got to come in and we were able to introduce Ella to them. When Hadley was born, everyone saw her before I was able to so it was such an awesome moment for me to be able to introduce her to the family. 

The next day, Hadley came to meet her new little sister. It was so sweet and she was so good to her. She pointed out Ella's eyes, nose and mouth and was so excited. Ella have Hadley a special baby doll and book and Hadley gave Ella a baby blanket that is just like her special blanket. I loved them giving each other gifts. I was kind of weirded out about Hadley being in the hospital so she didn't stay long and went back to having fun playing with her Grammy. 

We stayed in the hospital for two nights and we were all soooo ready to go home! When Hadley was born, we could have stayed there forever but this time we were ready to be in our own beds and start our life as a family of FOUR. 

Ella's birth taught me that it doesn't matter how the baby comes into the world as long as they are healthy. Having a healthy baby outweighs everything else.  Hadleys birth left me a little traumatized and it was something I would think about and get so upset. Ella's birth completely changed that for me. I am so at peace now with both births and I realized that people put so much pressure on how a baby is born that they may loose sight of the most important thing of the baby being healthy.

Ella is the perfect addition to our family and I can't imagine life without her. She came into this crazy world and immediately our hearts grew with so much love for her. It's crazy that I can love 3 people sooo much at the same time.

Fall Festival

Today was a big day for you little girl!!

You went to the nursery at church for the very first time and went to a fall festival!

To start our big day off, daddy made us a yummy breakfast of eggs and bacon!

It was soo good and you LOVED the eggs!!

We were hoping you would get a good long nap before church but you always have a way of surprising us!!!! Your nap was pretty much nonexistent this morning despite our best attempts!!

We headed off to church a little early and saw Grandbuddy before taking you to the nursery. You didn't want to leave him at all!

I was so nervous to leave you in the nursery because it's a new environment for you and I didn't know how you would adjust. We kissed you and left without you knowing. 

I sat in church clinching tightly to the pager so I wouldn't miss it's vibrating in case you needed us!!

After church we all headed to pick you up and you did pretty good. I could tell there were some tears and you were sooo tired. I think you gave your teachers a run for their money!! But it will get better each week and you will make some amazing friends!

After church we went to lunch with nana and buddy and had some more eggs!!

Then we headed to the fall festival at brookgreen gardens. We built a scarecrow and walked around the zoo. It was a lot of fun to be with all of our famy and celebrate your dad's favorite season!!!! 

We had a great day with you today and we look so forward to many more!!

(I haven't been updating as much as usual because you decide you like to sit up to fall asleep while I'm holding you and it's kind of hard to type on my phone without distracting you!!)

Walking Girl!!!

When we were at the lake a few weeks ago for my birthday, you took your first steps! You took about three steps in the basement and we FREAKED OUT!

Then took a couple more steps upstairs and we continued to FREAK OUT!

But you hadn't really taken anymore steps since then. 

Until today...

You just up and decided today was the day to WALK!

We were cleaning up in your room and without be prompted, you just started walking over to the chair! While holding a hanger with a dress on it.

We went over to nanas house and you continued to take some steps. Then this afternoon instead of crawling to get something you just stood up and walked to it!!!

I can't believe how fast you are growing!

Well, I guess we have to start wearing shoes now!

The night before your First Birthday.

Tomorrow morning I will wake up and be a mommy to the sweetest little one year old. 

I have no idea how that happened. I still think of you (and call you) my tiny little newborn baby.

On this day last year, at around 3 o'clock, I found out that you would be making your grand entrance tomorrow, August 30th. I was experiencing high blood pressure and the doctor told us to be at the hospital at 4:30 am to be induced.

I was excited, nervous, scared, panicky, and in complete shock! I thought I still had 15 or so days to prepare for your arrival. We left the doctors appointment and couldn't believe that we would be meeting you the very next day. On Labor Day weekend. Your daddy couldn't get over the fact that we had to be there at 4:30! I couldn't get over the fact that I would be delivering a baby the next day!!

We called all of our family. They all couldn't believe it and were so excited. Your Aunt Sis freaked out. She was in Charleston and immediately came home! 

We set up your bassinet, made sure everything was in our hospital bag, and tried to stay calm and focus on how happy we were to finally meet you. 

We barely slept at all that night. I slept for a little bit but I don't think your daddy got any sleep. The next morning, we had a light breakfast and headed off to the hospital. 

It's amazing how fast our lives changed that day. So many things happened before we finally got to meet you. But seeing you and holding you (no matter how brief) made all of the craziness of the day melt away. 

You have changed my life in more ways than I thought possible. You have made me the happiest and luckiest person in the world. Your daddy loves you with his whole heart and is always trying to make our lives the best it can be. You have changed us. Forever. You have made us parents. And that is our greatest and most important job. 

You have grown from this tiny, sleepy baby to a sweet little girl who loves to explore, climb and cuddle. You have learned so many things in this last year it's hard to comprehend what all you will learn in the next.

This past year has been the hardest, most rewarding, sleepless, greatest year of my life. This year has taught me patience, understanding, compassion, and so much more. I have learned so much about friendships and relationships. Your daddy and I have grown in our relationship in this past year.  We have learned how to forgive each other better and love on a deeper level. This is all because of you. You have already changed so many people lives in your short little 12 months with us. 

As I'm rocking you to sleep on the night before your first birthday, I can't help but think of how I felt holding you when you were so tiny. I loved you so much then, more than I thought I could love anyone. But as I hold you now, I love you so much more and my heart is so full it could literally burst. I know as you start talking more and showing your sweet little personality, my heart will continue to grow and I will continue to love you more and more. It's so amazing what our hearts are capable of. 

I hope you have the sweetest of dreams tonight as you sleep. And even though you pretty much sleep through the night now, I won't mind it if you wake up so I can come rock my tiny little newborn again before you wake up in the morning and turn One.

I love you my sweet baby and look forward to what this next year holds for our little family.