OOPS......Lilly Months 2-4

When they say time flys even faster the more kids you have, they aren't kidding!! Time is flying so fast in fact that I haven't even done a blog post since Lilly was 1 month old.........shame on me, I know:-) Over the last 3 months Lilly has really started to have a little personality and we love interacting with her now! She has definitely become a Mama and Daddy's girl and prefers for us to hold her most of the time. She will pout that little lip of hers out if she is being held by someone other than Kevin or me.......even if it is someone she sees quite often. She is a lot different than Owen in her personality, but some of the things she does like the lip pout and quiver remind me of when he was her age. Man, they grow up FAST!! So, here are Lilly's stats from her 2 month and 4 month appointments. That mama's milk is really making her grow like a weed!

2 months:

Weight--11 lb 3 oz (50th percentile)

Height--22 1/2 inches (50th percentile)

Head Circumfrence--40th percentile

4 months:

Weight--13 lb. 13 oz. (50th percentile)

Height--24 3/4 inches long (70th percentile)
Head Circumfrence: 25th percentile (I won't give you the actual numbers, because who really ever asks how big your babies head is around??;-)

*Eating 4-6 oz about 6 times a day........she doesn't waste her milk EVER and still likes to nurse on my days off work

*Sleeping from about 8-6 (sometimes a little earlier, sometimes a little later).....usually around 10 hours a night

*Transitioning into taking a morning and afternoon nap

*Likes being on her tummy more and more, but still isn't a huge fan

*Enjoy's playing in her playmat and grabbing the toys
*Has started to laugh when being tickled under her chin

Stay tuned for more fun updates on both kiddos

Lilly's Birth Story

As many of you know, when I had Owen he was born via scheduled c-section at 36 & 1/2 weeks due to a complication. He was my miracle baby in many ways!! So when we found out we were pregnant with Lilly we wondered if I would have to have a c-section this time around or if I would be able to try a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After C-section). Upon discussing with my doctor at one of the first few prenatal visits we decided we would just schedule a c-section between 39 and 40 weeks due to the fact that I have a narrow pelvis and she didn't know if I would be able to have her vaginally. At around 30 weeks I started to second guess my decision to have her via scheduled c-section without even considering delivering her via VBAC. So, one night at bible study with the ladies, I asked them to pray for me in this decision and that God would make it very apparent as to which route she would be born. After all, I wanted this to be Gods plan and not mine in the end and wanted her to come when she was good and ready!! During the last few weeks of pregnancy I had a lot of prayer warriors lifting us up to the Lord and it became apparent when her birth day approached.

Starting the Saturday before she was born (she was scheduled to be born on that following friday) I started to have some bleeding and wondered if she would be born earlier than we had planned. I had Braxton Hicks contractions throughout most of my pregnancy and so I wondered if I would know the difference between them and labor contractions when the time came. I ended up being admitted to the hospital on tuesday since I had been having contractions quite frequently and was still bleeding pretty well (which ended up just being me losing my mucus plug and no big deal).

Then on thursday (1 day until the scheduled c-section) I woke up and got ready for work while having pretty consistent contractions. I timed them all day while at work (10 minutes apart and 15-20 seconds long), but they weren't increasing in intensity of frequency at all. That evening Kevin took me to Pita Pit (yummy, yummy) to eat my last meal before me c-section and we headed to Kevin's mom's house to drop Owen off for the next 2 nights. It was a relief to be able to drop him off just in case we had to go into the hospital that night. I really thought we would be in the hospital that evening as my contractions increased to every 8-9 minutes and around 30 seconds long. We got home, put the bags by the door and I told Kevin I was going to at least lay down for a little while in case we had to go in in the middle of the night. When I got into bed my contractions were still consistent, but when I woke up around midnight to go to the bathroom they had completely stopped and didn't start up again the rest of the night. I prayed again multiple times that day that God's plan would be made very clear to us and kept feeling as though it was clear as mud at this point. When the contractions stopped, I felt more convinced that c-section was His plan for Lilly's birth all along.......but still doubted his sovereign plan. I always wonder why as believers we second guess God all the time when he is so faithful to us!!

Then the morning of the c-section came and we got up and headed to the hospital. Was I bummed that I wouldn't have her via VBAC? Of course.......after all God intended for children to be born via the birth canal. I went in feeling as if I would never get to experience this aspect of having children......not even considering that there was a reason why God had planned it this way. Everything went as planned.......went to the OR on time, spinal in place (by the same anesthesiologist that I had with Owen......he is awesome and I got to request him this time around too!!), Kevin joined me and held me hand, and then the c-section started. And what do I hear from the other side of the curtain from my doctor?.........well, looks like she is breech!! When they cut in and went to get Lilly out, they came across her butt instead of her head which they didn't expect at all. And neither did we! And because of God's plan and not mine, I didn't have to go into intense labor which would have probably just ended in a c-section anyway. Praise the Lord!! She was born healthy as can be and we couldn't have been happier!

I am always amazed when I look back at different times in my life and see how God's plan was perfectly layed out to prosper me and not to harm me, to give me a hope and a future. Lilly's birth was just a perfect illustration of how God's plan may be different than ours, but that ultimately His plan is the BEST one! We are so blessed to have such an amazingly perfect little girl in our lives and we know she came into the world just how she should have!

Lilly is 1 month old

It seems like I just gave birth to our sweet baby girl and heard her cry for the very first time, yet here we are out the 1 month old mark!! We have been blessed so much by her being added to our family and love to watch her grow like a weed every day!! Here are some very brief stats on her busy life these days;-)

Weight: ~9.5 pounds (she has gained a little over 2 pounds since birth)

Height: ~22 inches (I did my best to measure her squirmy little body)

Eating: I have been nursing her so I am not entirely sure how much she eats, but I gave her a bottle yesterday with 4 ounces of breastmilk in it and she downed it no problem......she is a little piggy for sure!

Sleeping: At night she sleeps in 3-5 hour stretches (the 5 hour stretches are great for reviving the tired Mama and we will strive to have those more frequently;-) Naps are either really long or really short at this point, but we will get it figured out before very long.

Activity: When put on her stomach she has figure out to roll over to her back (it takes her a little while but she tucks those little legs under and can do it if she is mad enough to not be on her stomach anymore)

We are loving every minute (yes even the midnight, 3 am, and 5:30 am feedings) and look forward to watching our beautiful baby girl grow! And Owen is still as infatuated with his baby sissy as he was when he saw her for the first time. He brings her binky to her when she cries, helps mama burp her when she is done eating, and even rocks her in her swing (of course she is strapped in tight and he has supervision). It just fills my heart watching him love on her so much and I am so excited to see them grow up together.

We are now a family of 4!!

Owen laying down with Lilly on her blanket

Kind of blurry, but sweet nonetheless

This was the outfit we brought Lilly home from the hospital in, but I didn't get a pic that day...they each child has less pics taken of them and that is true for us!

Attempt at a family pic......we will attempt it again in the future and hopefully it will turn out a little better;-)

Our first trip to the park.....Owen took time out from playing to give his Sissy a kiss

Cousins!

Such a sweetie

My mom stayed with us for 2 weeks to help out and Owen LOVED his time with Bama!

Loving on Sissy

WOW!!!! It has been WAAAYYYY too long since I have done a blog post, but now that our sweet little daughter Lillian (aka Lilly or Sissy) is here I thought I had better get back to updating it a little more frequently. As most of you know we welcomed Lilly into the world on September 9th and she has been bringing so much joy to all of our lives since she breathed her first breath in this world (and even before then). She is so much like Owen in some ways and so much different in other ways, but overall is a very easy and content baby!! Owen is absolutely smitten with her and LOVES giving her nice slobbery, but very genuinely sweet kisses all the time. Here are a few pics of the last 3 weeks since we brought her home.

12 months in Review

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ABC's and 123's

The theme for the party was ABC's and 123's.....and a lot of bright colors!

The yummy trail mix concoction
The Birthday Boy

Opening gifts......his older friends were great helpers in the unwrapping department

"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you......."

Owen was digging the chocolate cake......he did a number on it

Owen checking out his new car from his Grandpa Chuck and Grandma April

This pic doesn't capture how much Owen actually really likes his wagon.....here he is with his cousin Ethan

Owen's first birthday party was a huge success!!! It was a ton of fun and we realized how blessed we are to have so many people to love on our little dude. I couldn't have done it without my Mom (she was my lifesaver in preparing for the party and I was so grateful to have her here for the week). It was a chilly afternoon so all 40 people or so had to hang out inside our house, but somehow it worked and everyone seemed to get along very well with one another. They didn't really have a choice since it was so packed. Owen loved all of his gifts and is enjoying them every day. When it came to cake time, he wasn't quite sure what to think, but as soon as Daddy stuck some chocolatey goodness in his mouth he was all over it and just kept shoveling it in until it was almost gone! We can't believe he has already celebrated his very first birthday and as we look back over the last year we can't believe he can possibly grow up any faster......but I hear the years just fly by. We Love You very much Owen and are so blessed to watch you grow every day!

What a Ham

If Owen spots me with the camera lately he seems to stop what he is doing to ham it up!! Here are just a few of the pics of him "working it" for the camera;-)