Saturday, September 6, 2014

EdVenture!



Today we went to lunch and then headed to EdVenture Children's Museum!  Last year, we loved our Zoo membership....but we also have heard awesome things about this Museum!  We decided to use the kids birthday money and purchase an annual membership to the museum this year!  We had a blast!!

Learning about dentistry...


And the body...



Performing a minor organ transplant...


Jackson loved the dinosaur exhibit...


Jeremy & Bella created a parachute...


And watched it go!


Tucker was a angel...


Jackson loved the farm...


And they both went grocery shopping...


We participated in the fireman safety presentation...


And road in the bug...


Looking forward to many more visits!  With it being just 18 minutes away...air conditioned and full of adventures...I can guarantee we will be there often!!  The annual pass will be we worth it after just two visits!!  Such a great deal! :)

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Ballerina AND Soccer Player!

Bella loved every moment of ballet last year...so we are embarking on our second year!  She will continue to take at South Carolina Christian Dance Theater.  We have Mrs. Erin again as her teacher who we adore!  
As we were getting ready, Bella said, "Mom! I really hope I can remember all my ballet moves...I do remember a butterfly one..."


This year one of Bella's special girlfriends will be joining her!  Little Zoe...


For the past year, Bella has observed the soccer players at the fields near where we play on the playground.  She has begged us to play soccer...we decided that we would wait til she was four.  We wanted to try and set her up for the best experience possible! 


She's playing with the YMCA...it's ages 4&under and co-ed.  Last night was her first practice and she was smiles ear to ear...


She's a speedy little thing out there!  It was fun for all! :)

One month!



Little Tucker turned one month!  I can't believe he's been a part of our family for a month already!  He has been the sweetest little addition!  He loves to nurse, sleep and sometimes if we are really lucky he will open his big round eyes for us!  He nurses about every 2-2.5 hours during the day and most night he goes 3-4 hours.  He loves to be snuggled with and rocked.  Being swaddled is a definite these days...nice and tight and warm!  The little guy doesn't have much choice than to tag along with our crazy little family and be on the go with us!  Our days usually begin around 8...after breakfast I put Tucker to nap while I do school with sister & brother.  Around 10, we nurse and then are off to the park, a play date, story time or to run an errand!  We are home for lunch and then the boys nap while Bella and I finish up her school...then we join in and rest!  It has been unbelievable but most days all of us get to nap at the same time!  Bella usually plays quietly or relaxes with a favorite movie.  The evenings are the hardest times for Tucker...we usually swaddle him tight and take turns holding and rocking from 5:00ish til 9ish.  Evenings seem to be challenging for most babies...but with sweet snuggles we will make it!  I am continuously overwhelmed by this sweet little blessing.  I look in the face of precious Tucker and tears fill my eyes...there were many months I never thought I would be able to have one child and now I am looking in the precious eyes of my third beautiful baby.  God is so good...his blessings abound.  He sees us through the valleys and rejoices with us on the mountain top experiences!  I praise Him for the healthy little lives He's given us...and I thank Him daily for strength and energy he gives me every morning to care for them and love them.  This has been the quickest I have bounced back from pregnancy and delivery....words can't express how thankful I am for that!  I am treasuring every moment of this crazy whirlwind!  Crazy days...the hours sometimes seem to pass so slowly as I'm tripping over Legos and wrangling a potty training toddler while nursing all while calming an emotional 4 year old BUT somehow the days and weeks seem to be flying by.  I pray I can soak up every moment and make the most of these fleeting days with my little ones.  So much to be thankful for!!

Here are little Tucker's stats:
(So far he seems to be following in the looks and growth of Bella!  We shall see!)

Height 21.5 inches 50%
Head 37.5 cm 50%
Weight 8lb 3oz 10%



Welcome Home Tucker!






We were so excited to welcome Tucker to our home!


Mommy's little helper :)


Precious...


Sweet Angel...


Sweet morning cuddles...


The boys...


She-She and her boys...


Those first few weeks are exhausting for everyone!


Love!


Sweet moments with Mimi :)


A smile...or maybe just gas ;)


Little round face...


And all our help left after 2 weeks!  We were headed for our first trip to the park! Ready or not here we come!


Bedtime stories with daddy...


Brother time...


Fun cousin visits...(poor 3rd child) 


And guess who slept 6 hours on his 6 week birthday!!?

Monday, September 1, 2014

Tucker's Birth Story

Well as you can imagine it's been a whirlwind of a summer!!  We are so excited to have sweet little Tucker in our family...it has been so fun welcoming him!  My pregnancy with him was very normal and routine which we were very thankful for!  I struggled the first 17 weeks or so with extreme fatigue and nausea as I did with my previous pregnancies.  But, once I made it to the fifth month I was good to go!  Toward the end of my pregnancy, my doctor confirmed that she would prefer to induce me at least a week early just as my doctor did in Florida.  They induce me as a precaution due to my 2 blood clotting disorders.
On July 18th...Jeremy and I loaded up and headed to the hospital!  My parents and little sis, Britney, had arrived the day before so they were able to help with Bella and Jackson.  We arrived to the hospital and I quickly met my nurse as well as my doula.  This particular hospital offers free doula services which I was super excited about!!  I have been blessed to have my other babies all natural but never had the opportunity to have the assistance of a doula!  Shortly after arriving, my nurse hooked me up to a low drip of pitocin.  I was at 3cm and 80% effaced upon arrival.  My doctor arrived around 9:00 and we discussed my preferences for a natural delivery.  We both decided that I wanted my body to do as much on it's own as possible...so we decided that breaking my water would be a good start while keeping pitocin on the lowest dose.  As soon as she broke my waster, I progressed to 4cm and 90% effaced.  I'm so thankful that my body always seems to be prepared and ready for labor!  Over the next few hours, my labor progressed.  I started off just sitting in indian position in the bed.  The contractions were very natural and manageable the first two hours.  I had to empty my bladder frequently...which to me is always a good thing!  The movement of walking and sitting is great for helping get the baby moving!  After being in bed and resting, the contractions began to get more intense.  I was checked and I had stayed at 4cm.  I was discouraged but my doula suggested moving to the labor ball.  Basically, it's an exercise ball that fits into a frame that offers back support if needed.  I loved that ball!!  It was wonderful and helped take off pelvic pressure.  I moved to the ball around 11:00 and worked through contractions there for about another 2 hours.  I was continuing to take bathroom breaks.  My doula gently massaged my back and helped me relax in between contractions.  Jeremy also sat near and provided encouragement.  I would focus during the contractions...remaining calm with steady breathing.  In between contractions I would force my entire body to relax and rest.  Around noon, the contractions were very intense.  I created a new position where I sat on the labor ball, Jeremy sat in a chair facing me with pillows in his lap and I would rest on him in between contractions.  This is the point in time when it's so important to relax in between each contraction so that you conserve energy for the next contraction.  I was able to maintain this position until around 1:00 then I wanted to move back to the bed on my side.  At this point the dr checked me and I was 7cm and mostly thinned out.  These contractions were hard core!!  This last hour is always the most intense and seems unbearable. This is basically when I lay on my side and squeeze Jeremy's and moan through each contraction...then I force myself to relax.  I always quote Phil. 4:13... Of course, I had to continue to empty my bladder and contractions on the toilet are the absolute least preferable!  My doctor came back to check and I was still right at 7cm so they suggested I sit up in a yoga type position.  This was super painful as the head was moving downward and everything was opening up.  After a few contractions sitting, my dr tried to open up and push away the last bit of my cervix during a contraction.  Let's just say we tried that only twice before I squealed and shimmied up the bed!  At this point, they brought in a peanut birthing ball (yoga ball in the shape of a big peanut).  They alternated me on each side placing the peanut in between my legs.  Pain!!!!!  Finally around 1:50 I was 10cm and fully effaced and heard those glorious words "You are ready to push!"  I love pushing!!!!!  The nurses scurried around getting the newborn tools and bed ready!  I pushed through about 4 contractions and out came a B-O-Y!!  Tucker!!! My dr held him up and Jeremy announced "It's a boy!!"  
They handed him straight to me but then whipped him away!  He had stopped cryibg, stopped breathing and was turning blue!   I wasn't sure what was happening but soon found out that the cord was wrapped around his neck which wasn't a big concern but he was "shell shocked."  A special medical team swarmed in and they began working on him!  With tears flowing down my face, I began to pray out loud...Jeremy was pacing from me to the baby...it was the longest 20 min of my life.  They quickly got him breathing but had to monitor him.  The specialist shared with us that he didn't lose oxygen but that he just came out so fast it shocked him.  They observed him in the nursery and then brought him back to me...it was love at first sight.  Our sweet little Tucker Hughes...we are so thankful for his precious life!  God is so good and so faithful!  I nursed him
as tears of joy flowed from my eyes.  
He was:
Born at 1:59pm
6lb 11oz
19 inches long
14.25 inch head

We are so abundantly blessed...






Within 2 hours, my family brought up Bella and Jackson...Bella was anxiously waiting to meet her new brother...


Jackson loved his new brother...although he kept searching the room for "Charlotte  Mae"...we were all certain it was a girl!!


Little mommy Bella with her sweet baby brother...


All my babies...


First family picture...