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Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Sweetness

Sweetness is...
this little girl in her first pigtails.

 Sweetness is...
this hot, handsome man that I got to get out and go to dinner with ALONE the other night.
(thanks Nano and Aunt Cindy)
 
Sweetness is...
this bundle of joy that sleeps soo good for his mommy and daddy and is such a good baby.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

We Have a Chunk

We had our 2 week doctor's appointment yesterday. Ford weighs 8lb 11oz which is one pound and 7 ounces over the weight he was when we left the hospital. The doctor told us they only expect babies at 2 weeks to be back to birth weight. Oh my, maybe we are going to have a BIG boy on our hands.

It is such a relief to go back to that 2 week appointment to hear the doctor say you are doing everything right, good job, momma! When you are nursing a baby you have no clue how much they are consuming and I tended to worry whether the baby is getting the right amount. Olivia was a petite little baby and we had to go back for weight checks because she wasn't gaining weight quick enough. It is such a weight off a momma's shoulders to know she is doing something right and her baby is just fine. Way to go, Ford! You're a Chunky Champ!

First Venture Out of House as Four

Hays has been off work all week and the weather has been gorgeous outside so we decided to get out of the house for a bit. We would have NEVER thought about doing this when Olivia was 2 weeks old but you can only stay inside with a 2 year old for so long. We decided to venture out to the zoo, one of Olivia's favorite places to go. Don't worry, we didn't let anyone even look at Ford as the doctor advised us yesterday to not take him anywhere. It was a nice outing and Hays and I even survived taking care of 2 kids in public (ha! I never doubted us).



Tuesday, March 13, 2012

These Are the Days

Although we are staying up until wee hours in the morning, I feel like I am nursing/burping/nursing NONstop, we are dealing with 2 year old tantrums all day and change more poopie diapers than I care to count, these are the days. I know one day, many moons from now I will long for these days back. I love the smell of a new baby, I love all the cuddles from my toddler and newborn, I love seeing things through a small child's eyes, I love sweet little smiles from a 2 week old that are pure signs from the Lord, I love being not as fit as I desire to be and able to eat the house down at every single meal. I.Love.These.Days. 

Sweet, toothless grins make middle of the night feedings SO worth it.

So cuddly.

My three loves.

Sweet sister love.


I could sit with my sleeping baby on my chest for eternity.

Hays is home for the week. This is what they decided to spend their morning doing. I am sure Lilly didn't mind one bit.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

First Walk

Double the load=Double the fun!

Can we say twinkies???

It is looking like we had twins that are two years apart! Ford and Olivia are looking a lot alike. Sometimes I look down at Ford while holding him and can remember the time that Olivia looked identical. Olivia looks like Hays' mini-me and I guess, Ford will too. Oh well, they are some gorgeous looking babies and their dad is not too bad looking either! :)

Home Sweet Home

We have been home now for almost a week and I cannot tell you how nice it is. That hospital room was starting to feel like jail to me after a long two days. The beds were uncomfortable, the air seemed to barely work and we were woken up it seems like every hour of the night.

Ford has been doing great since we got home. He is starting to show us that Olivia was not really a bad baby but maybe just hard to take care of the first few months. Ford is nursing wonderfully and is only waking once at night. I can remember not getting any sleep when Olivia was a newborn and the sleep we did get I was letting her sleep on my chest. That's the only way we got her to actually sleep the first few weeks. Ford sleeps in the bassinet next to the bed and we have to wake him for his middle of the night feeding! We are praying this is not the calm before the storm. Thank you, God for such a good baby! This is really helping my case with talking Hays into a third. :)

Sweet baby dressed and ready to head home.




Beautiful flowers we got while in the hospital. 

Hays is not fond of the newborn stage, I guess because all they do is eat, sleep and poop. I, on the other hand, absolutely love it. They are so cuddly and smell so good, I just wish it didn't go by so quickly.

Swaddling is key. Took us having two to figure that out along with many other things. :)

Olivia is the sweetest big sister. I really didn't know how she would react to a baby being in the house but you can tell she just loves him to death. She wants to hold him and kiss on him all the time. When he starts to cry (which is rare for right now) she will run to him and say "don't frrryyy" and tell one of us to hurry hurry and come look. She is just so gentle and caring, I am just waiting for the day that I come into the room to her dragging him out of his swing by herself.

Nano (my mom) is staying for two weeks to help us with the transition. What in the world would we do without her?? I'm not sure if we would be surviving. She has been cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, changing lots of diapers, occupying Olivia and helping me get rest. We are so very thankful for her and I really don't know what we would do without her! Everyone needs a Nano like ours!

Uncle Jay and Aunt Rebecca paid Ford and Olivia a visit. We really enjoyed seeing their faces. The house has been full of many visitors coming to see Ford. We are so richly blessed with many people in our lives that love us and more importantly, our children!

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Bedford Hays Collins Has Arrived!!!

Bedford Hays Collins "Ford" arrived on February 26th, 2012 at 12:02pm weighing 7 pounds and 12 ounces and is 20 3/4 inches long.

 It all started when I woke up around 6:45 that morning. I was feeling mild cramping but didn't think much about it seeing that my water broke with Olivia and I was expecting that to happen when I would go into labor with Ford. Little did I know. We layed in bed for quite some time until I decided to get up and take a shower and get ready for church. The cramping was steadily getting stronger and more intense. I told Hays that I wasn't feeling right and I thought I was having contractions. We timed them for the next 45 minutes not wanting to rush to the hospital only to be told it was false labor and to come back in the morning for the scheduled induction.

We finally decided to go to the hospital around 10am after talking with the on call nurse and she telling us that it sounded like true labor. We arrived at the hospital around 10:30, they checked me and I was already 6cm. The nurses started freaking out just a tad. About 10 minutes later they checked me once more and I was 10cm dilated and ready to push. I didn't even ask for an epidural because I knew what the answer was. YES, ladies and gentlemen...I delivered this baby with no medication. Whew....that's all I can say about that. It wasn't nearly as bad as I ever dreamed it would be but I will say that I am so glad it's over. It was well worth that healthy baby boy they put into my arms.

I know...a little yucky but it is his very first picture (can you tell the on call doctor was just that. On call. She looks a little perturbed to be there).

Absolutely overwhelming is the only word that describes this moment in time.

Please disregard how awful I look. I mean....I just gave natural childbirth.

Is there any way you can be in love from the first instant, YES indeed!


 First picture as a family of four. My goodness...we are so blessed!

Pops A.K.A. Pots (for some reason Olivia calls him Pots) and Ford.

Gigi and Ford.

 Olivia is absolutley in awe.

 Papa and Olivia.

 She is the sweetest big sister.