Three short months.....

Adeline is 3 (well and 1/2 time flies) months old. At a 3 month sick check she weighed in at a whopping 13.3 lbs!!!! Unlike her siblings this girl is a chunky monkey and I love every one of her squishy little rolls.

Adeline rocks at sleeping. SERIOUSLY ROCKS!!! She goes to bed around 8:30-9 and gets up when we wake her at 7:20 to take sissy to school (one day she slept till after 9!)

(First Night in her Crib)

She currently eats 6 oz of formula every 5 hours. We also introduced baby Oatmeal and she LOVES it! Her tummy though not so much. I'm going to hold off a couple more weeks and try again (reflux stinks people....)

(Oatmeal is yummo)

She has discovered her thumb and if she is tired you can find it in her mouth! She has rolled over a total of three times, all of which I have missed. She is trying so hard to laugh a real laugh and I love hear the sweet sounds she makes when she has her little convos with us. Her hair is now long enough she can rock a sweet little pony on top her cute head!

This girl coming into our life was not planned or expected, but she has just fit into our family with such ease. I can't wait to see what the next several months bring!

2 Months Young

On the 14th Adeline turned 2 months old. Time is flying and we have been blessed with the most AMAZING little miss. She is currently 24 inches long and 12.6 lbs. She smiles all of the time and only cries when she wants a bottle (4-6 oz every 4 hours or so.) She is seriously the HAPPIEST little miss. She is sleeping through the night most nights.She babbles non stop and loves to have conversations with you. She can do a 360 circle when on her play mat. She is starting to discover her feet and will reach for them, they are just so far away. She amazes us every day with her new found skills. Everyone who meets her is immediately in love!

Parenting is hard....marriage is harder

Parenting is not easy. It is full of fear, the unknown, messes, tantrums, poop (am I right here folks?????) It doesn't come with a manual telling how to do this or that, it is just something you have to learn as you go, but your children...they don't know this. They just know you love them, and that is what matters.

Marriage-marriage is NOT easy. It's hard. Falling in love is easy, but changing as individuals as you go along and trying to figure out how to adjust your relationship, this is hard, but boy is it WORTH it!

My husband and I have been together for 17 years. We met when I was 17 and he was 18. I fell head over heals in love with him I think on our first date. We were engaged when I was 19 and got married four days before my 21st birthday. We were young, in love and naive to what it would take to sustain a happy and amazing marriage.

 This is something we have had to learn over the years and work hard to ensure it was done. When we got married we had big plans. I was going to be a doctor (didn't happen) and he wanted to live in a loft in a major city (didn't happen!) We knew we wanted to have kiddos and travel all over the world (we haven't made it very far yet.) What we didn't know is that life has a way of changing your huge plans.

We didn't know that my mom would die just a year later from a massive heart attack. We didn't know that my sister would be diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis six months after that. We didn't know that four days after buying our house Bill would be laid off from his job. We didn't know how significant my infertility would be, or how hard it is emotionally and on a relationship to battle infertility through medications and procedures. We didn't know how hard it would be working full time (my job being emotionally exhausting to boot), me being a full time grad student and trying to maintain a relationship. We didn't know how hard it would be trying to be the best mommy and daddy ever to our first little princess, while working full time (Bill also full time in Grad School) and never seeing each other. We didn't know that twins would come along, and how hard taking care of two tiny little boys would be. We didn't know Bill would again loose his job when the boys were 8 months old.....

There is so much we didn't know....and so much more we still don't know. However we have learned that marriage is easier when we put effort into it. We have learned that we have to take care of each other, this relationship and put it first. One day our children will be on their own, and we will be back to having just each other, so making sure we don't forget how, while being mom/dad, has become a priority. We haven't always been great about this, but with growth, and age, we know now this is a MUST! Date nights need to happen. Quiet moments before bed just chatting about random things that have NOTHING to do with our beautiful babies. Talking about plans and dreams for when the kids are gone. These things are so important, but can easily be set aside as life takes over. Don't forget....in the chaos that this all started with a love that was fierce and a gift from someone way bigger than we are. Date each other, tell each other you love them and show your children what marriage is about, and why it's worth the fight!

Five years later

Happy Birthday sweet boys....

Five....my sweet, energetic boys are Five!!!!

Liam:

You are my warrior. You are strong and so athletic. You shoot a basket like no body else I know. You also love me with all of your might frequently proclaiming mommy is your favorite. You are smart, and so seriously funny. You never fail to make me laugh. You have a confidence in yourself I wish I had, and have no problem saying "yes" when told by others your cute, smart, etc. You mess with your brother non-stop, but you stand up for him too. You are currently all about batman! You say you're not a picky eater, but oh my love you so are. You are an amazing big brother to Adeline and you love her so. You want to spend all of your time playing with big sis Ella, but comply when she doesn't feel like it. You would spend all day jumping into the pool (a new skill you learned this summer!) You can be so very shy, until you know someone and then you talk nonstop. You have the biggest blue eyes that I have ever seen, and use them frequently to show different facial emotions that often provoke a giggle from those near by.

Aiden-You are my quiet, sweet, little man. You are an old soul my sweet boy. You have an ability to notice those around you that others would often miss or look past. You know no strangers and will befriend anyone that will talk to you. Everyone loves you the moment they meet you, and would take you home with them if I'd allow it. You LOVE to perform and have asked to be a hip hopper. You will sign from the top of your lungs anytime you can. You love JESUS and will sing your heart out for him wherever you stand.  You love your baby sister and have proclaimed she is a "capoodie pie." You have strong emotions and wear your heart on your sleeve. You have taken wearing your glasses and patch with such grace, often reminding me that it is time to put your patch on. You have never once complained about needing them, which is such a blessing for mommy and daddy. At this moment you are all about Spiderman. You struggle with your letters and numbers, but never get defeated by the struggle. To say I am proud of the young man you are becoming is an understatement. 

Happy Birthday Sweet Boys! We love you so.....

A mama bear moment....

Yesterday was a rough day....a no good rotten horribly bad day, followed by a great night!

This past week Adeline's reflux showed it's face and has been horrible. She has always been a "spitter," but this week was rattled with crying out in pain, sleeping less than usual and the worse exorcist style, can't breathe during, spit up that I have ever witnessed. So on Thursday we had a visit with our AMAZING pediatrician.  It was determined that it was time to start medications, seeing as her three sibs all needed them as well we weren't surprised. Ella was our first on reflux medications. She started on Zantac, then went to Prilosec ending with Prevacid. Zantac made her throw up non-stop, Prilosec made it so that she couldn't spit when she needed to, which lead to severe pain/crying and constipation. Prevacid was a wonder med for her and when it came time for the twins to be put on meds, we immediately went to Prevacid. Worked amazing for them as well. So this was an easy decision, put her on Prevacid......easy peasy right???? NOPE!!!

Our insurance in all of it's infinite wisdom decided that she didn't need Prevacid. Well they can't really "say" that, but what they did say is that unless we try Zatac (and after 14 days it fails), then Prilosec (again giving it 14 days to see if it will also fail) then they won't cover her Prevacid....Bring on the momma bear moment!

I don't even know WHERE to start with this. My doctor, along with my input, decided that based of family history it was best to start with Prevacid, but our insurance has the ability to refuse to cover a medication prescribed by our DOCTOR, if they feel we should try something else first. I was in shock. They don't know my daughter, they have never examined her or spoke to me about history of our family. Even with my doctor putting in a pre-certification request and explaining why Prevacid was needed they denied it. I can appeal, but that can take a month......

I called insurance basically pleading with them to cover her medications, but the gentlemen (I say this loosely) got rude and condescending with me explaining before I could even speak how he deals with "upset" people daily from 8-5 and that he knows I"m probably "upset," but to remember he has no say....it took a LOT of Grace friends to not tell him where to stick it. Even after requesting to talk to his superior I was told this wasn't an option and I could send in my concerns/complaints in writing.

After numerous calls and begging to get them to help, I was left with the following options:
1) Pay for the meds out of pocket (they are $200 a month and won't count then towards our deductible)
2) Try Zantac and pray it helps/doesn't hurt Addie the way it did Ella
3) Same as #2-only with the Prilosec

How does a parent decide what to do when this is the options given. We can't afford to pay out of pocket for months for her meds, yet I'm terrified to try the other two based of the severe reactions we dealt with with Ella.

After a lot of praying (and crying) and talking with Bill we decided to try the Zantac. With our doctor's support of stopping it immediately if Addie shows any negative reaction to the medication. This decision was made with a lot of thought, but as a momma I'm outraged that I had to even make this decision.

Needless to say I was a angry, emotional mess by the time Bill got home from work. So we loaded up and headed downtown to the Celtic Festival. It's a tradition for us to go, and it helped me step back from the terribly awful no good day and just enjoy some moments of fun with my amazing husband and baby girl (big kids are with Grandma!)

For now I'm praying Zantac helps and doesn't hurt, that we made the right decision, and that a letter sent to our insurance provider will make them rethink how they handled this case.

Six weeks later....appointments and maternity leave

Little miss is six weeks old today...SIX weeks people! I wish I had a magic wand that can slow down time, but I don't. Adeline is happy, unless the reflux is hitting, then she has a temper that is NO JOKE! I call her little, but she really isn't. Wearing three month clothes and covered in rolls....and don't even get me started about her cheeks.....I could kiss them for hours.

Six week check up-This was my first six week check with a new doctor. With previous c-sections the six week check meant a pelvic and pap....this doc did a scar check and chatted to see how I was doing. It wasn't stressful, or uncomfortable, and I am so thankful for that, and for her bringing my little girl safely into the world.

Hitting the six week point also brings for the reality that my maternity leave is flying. I'm so thankful that I have a job that allows me to take off as much time as I have leave saved up for, but I know that so many momma's get no or only six weeks of leave. I can't even imagine leaving her at this point and being back at work. Even though she will be well cared for by her Aunt, the reality is that her momma is not going to be there and I will miss a lot of her first! That....is a hard pill to swallow.

So for now I will cherish every little second I have with her. I will kiss those cheeks a million times, cuddle her close, and try to memorize every minute of it!

The first month...Addie's story continues

We're having a baby....to she's here and has been alive for an entire month....time FLIES!

Finding out we were having our fourth I was excited not only about having another baby, but that this could mean life would slow down. Boy was I wrong!

Addie has had more fun in her first month of life, than I think I did in my first 10 years. She was able to have down time for about four days, then we came home to reality. Her siblings don't stop just because she is here. They need fed, bathed, played with, read to, etc. Ella still has dance every week, we had a photo shoot scheduled, we had a Holiday to celebrate (her 1st 4th of July) and to top it off we went on our first family (us, my in-laws, nieces/nephews) vacation in Gatlinburg.

Addie is a calm, easy going, go with the flow little girl! All I can say is THANK GOD for that. While I healed she slept (a ton). While we watched fireworks, she slept (seriously, through all the noise!) While we traveled she slept (including giving us six hours straight one night) and enjoyed her first swim. She adores tummy time, being snuggled, food and has even started to graces us with one of the cutest little smiles. So far her only dislike is a dirty diaper (perhaps an early sign that potty training will be easy peasy!)

Here's to seeing what the next 11 months have to bring, we can't wait!

And now time for the photo dump!!!!!

Dixie Stampede

Cades Cove

First Family Vacation photo-we suck at selfies!

First Souviner

Those rolls though.....

First zoo trip

Officially one month old...

First smiles