Living the good life

I feel so lucky right now. I have the two best kids in the world. Daphne is doing so well adjusting to having another kid in the house and sharing mommy. Quentin is just perfect and is giving me plenty of sleeping time. It has been pretty stressful around here because of this move. I have been going crazy trying to get our apartment situation figured out and figure out packing and these two kids have been so good I can't believe it. I know The Lord is blessing me at this time and I thank Him and all of you that have been His instruments. Thanks to all the friends that have visited and brought meals and thanks to our parents for all you have done for us. I don't know how sane I would be without you right now.

On Wednesday Quentin had his first doctor appointment. He is growing way to fast. He gained an inch ( he is now 20) and the scale said 8lbs 3oz, but I don't think that is accurate because they didn't take his full diaper off. He got a clean bill of  health, which was very relieving after Daphne's first experience with a doctor. 

The Arrival of Baby Quentin

 Lets just say this has been a long time coming. We have been anxiously waiting for this little boy ever since our little scare last month. We had 4 total hospital visits because I kept going into labor. But Saturday he finally arrived. 

Quentin Drake
7.15 lbs. 19'
Born 8-24-13 at 6:01 am

Friday I was having contractions all day. Around 3pm they started being a little more consistent. I wanted to make sure this time was it was the real thing so even though the contractions were 3-5 min. apart we waited a couple hours before we called the doctor. I made dinner and packed things up for the hospital and tried to prepare myself that I might not get to stay. The doctor did say at my last appointment that I was at 5cm, but I had regressed before so I didn't want to get my hopes up. So after we ate we headed down to the hospital. Johnny dropped me off so he could watch Daphne while I got checked in and then got checked. When the doctor checked me I was 6-7cm. He told me I was staying and would be having a baby! I was so excited. Johnny dropped Daphne of at the babysitters and headed over. I was hoping that I would progress quickly, but I didn't. My contractions even slowed down during the night. I was so disappointed, because they sent me home the last time because my contractions had slowed down. The doctor came in at about 4:30am and I was sure it was to tell me to head home, especially since I hadn't dilated anymore, but to my shock and relief she decided to break my water to see if we could get things moving.....man did they move. The next few contractions were not to bad. (TMI warning) I started feeling like I needed to go #2 so I went to the bathroom. When I got on the toilet the contractions stepped things up a few notches. I kept thinking I was crazy for not getting the epidural and couldn't remember why I had chosen to forgo it (fyi I hated the Epi with Daphne.) I called the nurses for some help because I had made a pretty big mess in the bathroom. When they came in they told me I needed to get back in bed cause they didn't want me delivering in the toilet so I walked very slowly and painfully back to bed. They checked me and they said I was at 8cm. I felt like I needed to push. In fact I had to do everything in my power not to push. They kept saying I was bearing down, but they kept telling me to try not to push because my cervix was still in the way. The hardest part of the delivery was trying not to push. They checked me again while I was contracting and said I was at 9cm and they called the doctor right away. When Doctor Reynolds got there she checked me and said it was okay to push whenever I felt the need. Pushing was hard at first. They really weren't coaching me as much as I thought they would. Once they did start coaching things went really fast. I think it took about three sets of contractions for me to push him out. He was born at 6:01am.  His cord was around his neck so Johnny didn't get to cut the cord or anything. They put him straight in my arms and he was perfect. He was so quiet and calm. I got to have a whole hour with him skin to skin before they took him to get him cleaned. I loved every minute. I could tell Johnny couldn't wait to get to hold him. He helped get him weighed and with his bath. And then it was Daddy's turn. You could tell he was smitten. 

While we were waiting to get transferred to my recovery room we talked about what to name him. That was the one thing we didn't' have ready. We discussed doing John Edgar III, but neither of us felt it was right. Then we discussed the two names we had been fight over. I wanted him to be named "Quentin Abel" and Johnny wanted him to be "Drake". We decided to combine them since both of us were pretty set with our names. 

My recovery was so much better this time. With Daphne it took me a day and a half to get out of bed and this time I was up walking around right after. The hospital stay was nice. I had great nurses. I wanted to come home sooner than I did to be with my whole family, but I'm glad for the rest. The first night was hard because he didn't take to breastfeeding as well as Daphne, but we have got the hang of it now and I am feeling really good and getting a good amount of sleep. I hope it keeps up too cause I have a lot to get done before our move.

 I really was anxious for Daphne to come meet her brother. She was so sweet with him, but not so much with me. She pretty much didn't want to have anything to do with me until the next day.  I know it is a hard time for older siblings, but she has fallen in pretty gracefully. The fist thing she says in the morning is "where baby?" Its so sweet. Its hard to get her to listen to me when I have to feed him and she is always messing with his swing, but other than that she is being pretty normal. I know I'm really lucky. I have been so scared about what I'm going to do with two babies, but it is going really well so far. 

On other news we are moving to Maryland a lot sooner than planned. We were hoping to get to stay here in Atlanta until the end of October, but now we are moving the 7th of September. Well Johnny is going on the 7th in the car with all our stuff and we will follow on the 9th by plane. I'm so glad Mary is coming to help us with the move because I don't know how we would do it if she didn't. I'm getting really sad to leave here, but I know we have to do it. I love it here and I love the friends I've made and I will miss them badly. 

Daphne is 2!!!

 

 Monday was Daphne's big day. She is officially 2! We didn't do much until Johnny got home from school. When he did we opened her present, a little doctors kit, which she loves. We made her chicken and veggie kebabs for dinner which may turn out to be a tradition. Daddy then made her birthday cookies. We talked to grandparents and it was a great day.

 

Tuesday morning was the big party day! We got up early and johnny dropped me off at the splash pad so I could decorate and he and Daphne wen to get the pizza, veggies and ice. They got there right on time for the party to start. I know she had so much fun, which is what I wanted. All her friends came and she loved giving out the "goodie bags" to each of them. They played and ate and had a great time!

 

I love my little girl and am so proud of how she is growing. She is so smart and so sweet (most of the time) and I can't wait to watch her grow into a beautiful woman. I hope to be a good example of that to her. Love you baby!

Baby......almost.

I had planned on posting about Daphne's second birthday, but someone decided to steal her lime light. We got home from her birthday party and after a quick shower I laid down to take a nap. I started having contractions, but I just tried to sleep through them. After an hour or so I gave up on the nap, it was time to get up anyway because Johnny and I needed to get ready to go to a tour of the OB Ward at the hospital. I told Johnny I had been having some contractions so he said to lay down and keep track of them. So I did and he got dinner done and Daphne ready for bed and tried to clean up the house a little since the Tanya was coming to our house to babysit Daphne and it was pretty dirty. 

My contractions were more constant then I thought and after awhile they started getting painful. After a couple hours of laying down and lots of water they hadn't changed so we called the doctors office. They told me he would call us back. He didn't so we called again after almost an hour. He still didn't call back but by this time it was time to go to the hospital anyway. I packed a few essential things just incise they decided to keep me at the hospital and headed out. We listened to part of the little talk before the tour and the doctor still hadn't called so Johnny went up to L&D to see what they would say. They told him to bring me up. So after registering we went to triage where they took blood and started an I.V. They checked me and I was dilated to a 3. They gave me some medication to try to stop the contractions and some steroids for little mans lungs. By midnight my contractions still hadn't stopped so they admitted me. They kept giving meds to stop the contractions and by noon on Wednesday they finally stopped. They checked me again and I was still at 3cm so they decided to keep me until the morning so they could give me my second shot of steroids and to observe me and let me get some rest.

Well we are home now and I'm so glad. The hospital is no fun. I did have really nice nurses and I hope to get to see them when this little man really gets to come. It was a little sad not getting to come home with a baby, but I would rather he cook a little more. The doctor sent me home with a prescription for the meds to stop the contractions, enough for 15 days. That will get me past the 36 week mark. I think if I make it that far they will let it happen after that. I have an appointment on Wednesday and I will talk more about that with the doctor then. 

I wanted to send a big thanks to Tanya for staying so late with Daphne and also to those who called or texted to let me know you we're thinking of me. Thanks to for all the prayers and please continue them. We want little man to be as healthy as possible when he decides to come.

                                                                  

Last Week

 

So I spent the whole of last week sewing away. I made this super cute quilt for my little man. It was fun to do because even though I had a tutorial I had to figure most of it out myself because I changed the size of the stripes from 3in to 4in. It turned out just how I wanted and I can't wait to get to use it.

 

I also made this beauty. I had a ton of fabric left from the quilt so I decided to make this car seat cover up.  I didn't have one with Daphne, but always wanted one. I think it will be great to have to keep little Daphne hands away from him when we are in the car and it will help keep the cold weather out.

 

Speaking of cold weather our little family is heading north this fall. Johnny ended up not being able to finish up med school here in Atlanta like we were hoping. So we are headed to Baltimore sometime in Sept.-Oct. I'm not very excited about it. I'm going to miss it here and I'm not looing forward to moving with a newborn. But that's life and I've done it before and I'm hoping it will be our last time.

 

Daphne had her two year well check up and is doing just great she is 28lbs and I can't remember how tall. I love her so much. She is just the best little girl in the world (and I'm not bias at all). She is so smart and always surprises me with how quickly she picks things up. She also is so sweet. The other day in the grocery store she just kept wanting to give me hugs. It took us twice the time it usually takes to shop, but I didn't mind one bit. We are having a little party for her next week for her Birthday and I can't believe she has been in my life for two years It has gone by to fast! I keep thinking about how we really only have 16 more years with her and I am realizing that time is going to fly by. I love that I get to stay home with her and soak her up. Johnny always says its not fair that I get to be with her all the time and its not. I'm glad I get to be the mommy!

The Last Month....Wow that was fast!

 

Well we have been soaking up the summer here. Johnny finished his Surgery rotation and his new rotation is nice for me and Daphne. He only has to go in two days a week so that means lots of Daddy time! We have been spending time going to parks and out shopping, but most of our time has been at home looking at Residency info, trying to figure out where we want to apply.

 We had a great time on the Fourth. A bunch of people from the ward got together for a pot luck and had a great time hanging out and watching all the kids play. We were supposed to swim, but it was rainy all day. :-(

This was from Fathers Day. We went to a little football tailgate thing, because Johnny thought it would be fun. I wasn't interested at all but we did have fun getting our character drawn for a little gift for Daddy.

 We have spent many days at the splash pad, sometimes with Daddy sometimes with friends, but its always fun.

Summer Time is here!!!

 

This post is a lot of random stuff. We have ben doing well and trying to keep busy. It has finally begun to be summer and we have been out enjoying it. We have swam with friends at least twice a week for the past few weeks which is amazing!!! We have been out shopping for our little man. We have been to the zoo and had fun days at home.

 

Daphne seems to be growing up so fast. She is talking so much more and learning to count and actually sing songs instead of doing just the actions. She had also started throwing major tantrums. She has melted down a few times in public and I'm always so imbarassed. What do you do when your kids throw a fit in public? I seem to handle it okay at home by putting her in her room to calm down or distracting her, but I have no clue what to do in public yet.

 

 

I'm doing well too. I am really getting excited for our little man to arrive. I have been in nesting moods a few times. I also have been having lots of dreams about having him here. We still do not have a name for him so we refer to him as "little man" around the house. Right now I'm 27 weeks and have lots of heart burn and my feet and hands seem to be swollen most of the time. I have a doctor appointment tomorrow to do the glucose test so we will see how that goes. Little man moves ALL THE TIME and I love it. It is so reassuring and I just love how it feels eventhough some of his kicks are starting to hurt.

 

Johnny is doing well in school. He has been studying like crazy because he takes the STEP 2 on Thursday. The week after that he has a test for his surgery rotation and then the week after that he is doing the clinical Science potion of the STEP 2. Please pray for good scores all around! I don't know how his big brain does it.

 

This morning Daphne and I went to a splash pad. I don't know what I was thinking when I didn't put my suit on, but man was it hot. I got as much of me wet as I possibly could. Daphne was pretty scred at first, but after a long walk around the park in the aganizing heat she was ready to get wet. Once she started she didn't want to leave. She had one of those tantrums I was telling you about as we headed to the car. It was so fun though.

This is a whole bunch of random videos we have taken the last few weeks.