A Thankful Thanksgiving

Kaleb with his Auntie Auddie
Uncle 'Urn' and Aunt Auddie

My dad's parents...both play several rounds of golf a week and stay very active. I hope I'm in this good of shape and their age!
David and Aaron entertaining us for the evening with guitars and singing...quite the show.
We had a great Thanksgiving. Mariah was born on Monday, we came home on Tuesday and my grandparents came on Wednesday to start helping. Audrin and David flew in on Thursday afternoon, Aaron came from Branson on Thursday, and dad came on Friday. We did our Thanksgiving meal on Friday evening...lots to be thankful for. So glad we could be all together. We missed Justin but he had to work.

A Welcome Home!

So many to welcome us home...mainly to see Mariah...we are now Kaleb's and Mariah's parents!

I've finally escaped....

I find it humours that a "WARNING" sign is posted behind her! Daddy, you are in trouble!

We finally made it out of the hospital today. The doctor found a harsh murmur and had to do xrays and some other tests before she could go. She was scheduled for a heart ECHO tomorrow at another hospital. Thankfully, she is not symptomatic of any heart challenges. We will be anxious to find out what it is. Being a NICU nurse I could worry about a lot of things but I have to sit back and look at her symptoms and put my mind at rest. This is the hardest part....putting away the nurses hat and just being a mommy!

Please, Mom, Don't Take It Away!

Kaleb never took to the pacifier but this girl loves it!!! She held on to it until she fell asleep!

Friends and Family...

Lots of sweet family and friends stopped by to meet Mariah. It's not about the parents!

Friends and Family....

Dalene came early Monday morning to help screen phone calls! Nathan's phone had been ringing off the hook with Monday morning work calls!!! A woman in labor can't handle such distractions. Thanks, friend, for all your help!!!
Lauren and Emily could hardly wait for this addition. They are in our Sunday morning meeting. Every time Emily would see me she would give me the status on my belly, "you're a little bit bigger this week."
Now do you think we could talk these 2 into having another one????

First Encounter

And there's big brother....all the attention was on him which he didn't like. He was a little shy to even come near sister. It took him a little bit to warm up. The part he didn't like the most was seeing me in the bed in a gown with the IV's. He got my shoes and said, "come on, mom, let's go." He was ready for me to look normal again.

First touches. So sweet!

He absolutely loved her. He was so gentle with her and couldn't quit talking about her.

He would mimic her faces...stick out his tongue and make faces. I wish I could of caught it on camera. I think he is going to be a great big brother!

And Still Awake!

Wide awake and alert!
Still awake.....
and still awake after 6 hours!

Mariah was the most alert baby! She was interacting with everyone that would talk to her. It was the cutest thing. The rest of us were exhausted but not her....she wanted to see the world. She latched on great and nursed 1 hour on each side. I finally had to stop her because of pain! They did all her care in my room which was fun....assessments, and bath. They only had to take her to the nursery for doctor care and after a long labor I let them take her for a few hours to get some uninterrupted sleep.

She's Here...Mariah Lee

Born on her due date: Nov. 19 at 9:50 am

7 pounds, 13 oz. and 20 inches long with a 14 inch head...yay...2 inches smaller than brothers!

One Proud Daddy!

Taking a peek at mom. Tired Parents! And it's just the beginning!

Well labor wasn't the best....but then again, who absolutely loves labor. We had a long, tiring, almost 18 hours of labor! It was intense for about 10 hours of it! They kept telling me I was doing great with my breathing and it wouldn't be that much longer. I was stuck at a 7 for about 6 hours. I had the most wonderful support person...my husband. He kept telling me I could do it. If you'll look really closely at the bed rails, there are teeth marks! ha ha. Nathan about got his fingers ripped off because I would hold his first 2 fingers in one hand and the last 2 in the other hand and with every contraction I would squeeze them and shake his whole hand up and down. Then I would hit my head against my knee. I had a bruise for a little while. The contractions started coming one after another with no break. One nurse started getting worried about me and brought the OB doctor in. He asked why I was against an epidural. I told him with Kaleb that they had to put in 2 because they both came out. (I guess I figured if I could be induced with no pain medicine with Kaleb then why in the world couldn't I do regular labor since they didn't have to induce me.) He told me I was having dysfunctional labor and I wasn't progressing because of the pain. I SAID, "give me the epidural!" Within 15 minutes I was complete! AND WHY DIDN'T I ASK FOR THAT SOONER???? Hindsight is always 20/20! She was born 10 minutes before the 18 hour mark...if she was born after that time frame she would of had to have lots of work ups for infection and given prophylactic antibiotics. So thankful she was delivered with no problems and may I say, she is beautiful!!!

The Day Has Arrived....

Tomorrow is her due date! After being overdue with Kaleb and a challenging labor with him I was sure hoping for a different story this time! I've been having labor pains for several weeks now and seeing Dr. Wayne to help me induce labor. They are expecting her head to be just as big as brother's which was almost 16 inches. I'm not too excited about delivering a watermelon head again. My water broke this Sunday afternoon while I was taking a nap. Talk about an interesting feeling. Then having to wear a beach towel to the hospital made it even more hilarious. Oh the joys. Our dear friends, Abe and Lori, came to take Kaleb. I wasn't too eager to get to the hospital since I knew I get strapped to the bed BUT I knew the dangers in not going since as you dilate, complications can occur. So, better safe than sorry and off we went 2 hours after my water broke.

Baby Update!

There is no picture...so no baby yet!!! She is due this week and we are hoping she will make her appearance soon. I had to be induced with Kaleb and because it was a tremendous challenge, I am NOT going to be medically induced this time. My doctor told me she would allow a week over my due date so I am trying everything possible to SAFELY, naturally induce this labor! Some progress started this past weekend so we have every reason to believe good progress will happen this week too! We will keep you posted so stay tuned. To the blog police....I am trying my hardest not to get any ticket violations! =)

Fall Colors

Nothing like a TRUE Fall. It has been so beautiful here in Arkasas this year. Some very vibrant colors. Just wish they would stick around a little longer. Y'all need to come up and enjoy these colors some fall season. We would love to take any of you on a grand tour!

I found a few more quizzes from Lani's blog that I thought were interesting!

You Should Spend Your Summer on a Road Trip

For you, the summer is all about possibilities. And you're not going to be tied down. This is the time for you to embark on an epic road trip, with no ultimate destination in mind. You know you'll have a ton of crazy adventures... at least until you run out of cash!

Where Should You Spend Your Summer?

You Are Lemon Meringue Pie

You're the perfect combo of sassy and sweet. You always know how to brighten someone's mood, but you're not overly sappy. In fact, you can be a bit too honest at times. And most people find that refreshing. While you're always true to yourself, you keep things light. That's how people are able to stomach your slightly bitter outlook. Those who like you have well refined tastes. You're complicated - and let's face it - a true enigma. You enjoy defying expectations, and there are many layers to your personality. There's not one easy way to define you.

What Kind of Pie Are You?

It's funny that this picture truly caught my eye first and it has to do with the medical field!!!

You Should Be a Doctor

You are practical, sharp, and very intuitive. Optimistic and energetic, you are a problem solver who doesn't get discouraged easily. You are also quite compassionate and caring. You make people feel hopeful. You're highly adaptable and capable. You do well with almost any curve ball life throws at you. You do best when you: - Are always learning new subjects - Use your knowledge to solve problems You would also be a good therapist or detective.

What Should You Be When You Grow Up?

What Kind of Cake Are You?

After seeing this on a few others blog, I decided to see what kind of cake and breakfast I was....

You Are Strawberry Cake

Fresh, sassy, and romantic.You're a total flirt, who never would turn down a sugary treat.Occasionally you're a bit moody - but you usually stay sweet!

What Kind of Cake Are You?

What Kind of Breakfast are You?

You Are Eggs

Traditional and totally grown up, you truly believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.You don't skimp on nutrition or quality. You're likely to take the time to make yourself a decent meal each morning.You're a great cook, even if you aren't a showy one. You can make a feast out of simple ingredients.The food you eat may be basic, but you prefer to think of it as classic.

What Kind of Breakfast Are You?

2 1/2 More Weeks!

I can hardly believe I only have 2 1/2 more weeks. I was looking at some of my measurements with Kaleb...at this point with him, I was 4 more inches around. I've also gained half the weight with this pregnancy than with Kaleb. Amazingly, I can still wear my ring which I had to get rid of around 22 weeks with Kaleb. I've had no swelling in my feet this time....with Kaleb, I could hardly wear shoes...but my legs where 'normal' size since I have tooth-pick legs! =) Don't know why the difference...girl vs. boy, diet, or nothing at all???