Charlotte Elizabeth Miller-A Birth Story

She is here, She is perfect, she is a miracle and the answer to prayers I didn't have to words to pray.

How can it be that over a month has passed since we welcomed our dear girl? I just want to slow down time. To be able to take more deep breaths and bask in the newness of her, the tininess of her toes and the sweet way her lower lip quivers when she cries. It's true what they say, that with each baby time moves faster; it doesn't really, but, you get less time one on one with each of them, so I fully believe that because your time is sparse you appreciate the baby stage more!

Jared and I took notes of the boring details while I was in labor and I took my time processing all of the emotions that accompany the experience. I'm finally in a place where I'm ready to stop hoarding the blessing and share what came to be our but mostly her story! Because who am I to keep it? Sharing a miracle doesn't diminish the sanctity of it, but multiplies it. And I'm fully aware that I'm currently cuddling my third little miracle in my arms, and the love and gratitude is overwhelming. I can't think on it too long because it reminds me how little I deserve it.

Wednesday March 23 we had our home school community day. I taught to distract myself from being almost 2 weeks over due. It went well. My mind was thoroughly distracted for 3 hours and as soon as I sat down in the van to drive home my body decided to catch me up on what it had been doing the last three hours. I felt cramping and contractions but they weren't anything that made me take note so home we went. On the way I called Jared to let him know that I thought labor was starting so he came home from the office and got home just shortly after we did. The rest of the afternoon I spent bouncing on a yoga ball, taking warm baths, baking and attempting to watch movies cuddled up with the girls since I knew it was all about to change.

After Addiston and Isabella were in bed my contractions got stronger but they were still 7-10 minutes apart. I was in obvious pain but didn't even want to call the doctor because with trying to VBAC I knew the only thing they would say was to go to the hospital and I wasn't going anywhere until I was positive it was time to have this baby. That night was pretty much a blur, I tried to rest. I slept in 5 minute increments, but tried to stay quiet so Jared could get as much sleep as possible. He was up with me several times, getting water and snacks and rubbing my back.

By the time the sun was up Thursday we both knew that this was it and called the parents. Mine were already planning to come down that day for the back-up c-section scheduled for friday. So they might have hurried a little more but were already prepped and ready. Lots of counter pressure, yoga ball bouncing and a few ineffectual hot showers later I called it. It was noon and Contractions were 3-4 minutes apart and made it difficult to stand or breathe through them. My parents were still a few hours out so I called my friend Kari (who was 37 weeks pregnant herself) she and her daughter came over to hold down the fort till my parents arrived.

Last shot as a family of 4

Jared and I arrived at the hospital at 1:15. I got my oh-so-stylish gown and was hooked up to a monitor. I was well into active labor with HARD contractions now coming every 2-3 minutes. Jared and I took guesses as to how dilated I was (6&7) and we were both way wrong, I was only at a 3. I was so upset, I had been laboring for almost a day and was only a 3.  I hadn't progressed from 1cm, 50% effaced since 37 weeks so we agreed that progress was progress and at that point were excited that no matter what we were leaving the hospital with our baby, one way or another. Since we were attempting a VBAC I had to be hooked up to monitors continually, basically meaning I had a three foot tether to my bed. I paced, Jared brought my yoga ball, I did squats, leaned over the bed and did lots of deep breathing, while Jared spent the larger part of the next several hours applying counter pressure to my hips during every contractions. Four hours later I finally let the nurse check me again, contractions weren't getting any closer but they were so much stronger. She said she could feel scar tissue on my cervix that basically needed to tear in order for me to fully dilate. At 5pm I was 4cm, 100% effaced and -1 station. I was discouraged. I didn't know how much longer I could go and didn't believe my body would do what it should and that I might be looking at my third c-section.

 I don't remember doing much more than cry for the next hour strait, I was in PAIN, I was afraid of another surgery, I just wanted to hold my baby. Jared kept encouraging me and helping me as much as he could, but I could tell he was running out of steam too. I had been laboring on a 3 foot leash for 4 hours, and had only progressed one lousy centimeter. My body was trying to go into transition but couldn't because of a residual scar tissue from a decade ago. My body was working overtime trying to break the scar tissue and it was then that I told Jared I didn't think I could do it, that I thought my body just wasn't cut out for having babies and that I wanted to go ahead and get an epidural so that if I had to have a c-section I would be ready. He let the hospital staff know, and about an hour later I was getting poked with a foot long needle.

We had a sweet nurse who had several years experience under her belt and was so respectful of me and my birth plan. She could tell how discouraged I was getting and lingered in the room a little longer than normal when she was checking the babies vitals. She walked over to the infant bed in the corner and began to remove the sterile seal. She got out a blanket from the drawer under it, opened the infant blood pressure cuff and set out a little pink and blue stripped hat, she looked at me and said, "you're going to do this, I don't break this seal unless a baby is going to use this bed," (c-section babies don't use the in-room bed, they get one in the O.R.) I sarcastically chuckled, I didn't have the energy to come up with a witty comment. She said, "I've been doing this a long time and trust me I know when a baby is coming on their own and when we've got to call the doctor to go in and get 'em" For the first time since checking into the hospital I believed that I could do this and that I would get to avoid another c-section.

An hour later my doctor stopped by on her way out of the office and a new nurse (shift change) came to check me again, I was now to 6cm. I was in shock. It took me 24 hours to dilate from a 1 to a 3 and four hours to go from 3 to 4 and then in an hour I progressed from a 4 to a 6, 2cm in 1 hour was an answer to my prayers! Ever since we had the post-due-date ultrasound and found out about the mass in Charlotte's chest I had been tense, (I had actually regressed in effacement from week 40 to 41 and my doctor said that was normal given the situation) I'm not exactly an easy going person by nature but fearing whats going to happen when my baby was finally born made me even less at ease. Jared had been saying for almost a month that if I would just relax that my body would probably do it's thing and I'd be able to go it labor. Well I guess he was right. For the first time in a month, thanks to the epidural, I was forced to relax and my body was able to do it's thing.

I was getting excited, at this point I fully believed that I would deliver my baby. I tried to relax as much as possible knowing that I'd need all the energy I could muster for the actual delivery.

Two hours later (9:30) I had dilated to an 8. My contractions were a minute apart and with each one Charlotte's heart rate would dip just a bit lower than they liked. From that point on I got to sport a not-at-all annoying oxygen mask.

The nurses stayed close after that. Half an hour later (10pm) I was at 9cm, My doctor  was called, she only lives 10-15 minutes from the hospital so she had been at home (watching youtube music spoof videos) I asked to have the epidural turned off and my nurse thought I was crazy but I wanted to feel contractions and when to push. She reluctantly obliged.

By 10:15 I was fully dilated, and charlotte had apparently come down the birth canal hard and fast. People seemed to come from nowhere, there were spotlights and mirrors and extra nurses. My doctor wasn't there yet so one of the nurses helped me get set up and do a couple practice pushes. I wasn't feeling the full extent of my contractions yet but I could feel pressure and was able to help hold my legs up. My doctor literally ran in the room out of breath. She was just as excited as I was for this to finally be happening and ran to change, a few minutes later she was in front of me, gowned and masked. At 10:25 I started pushing. One of the nurses counted slower than I thought was possible with each contraction to keep me pushing for as long as possible. With each push I could feel more and more and that made it so much easier to know what to do. Jared held the oxygen mask on me so I could hold myself up to my legs and focus on pushing. My sweet doctor was literally my cheerleader, I don't think she stopped encouraging me for one minute. Between every push I just kept thanking God for this opportunity, I had wanted so badly to be able to deliver my baby myself and I was. Then the doctor said "give me one last good push" and at 10:43 on March 24, 2016 Charlotte Elizabeth was born.

It was surreal, I watched them clean out her, quivering little mouth (we later learned she had taken a big gulp of amniotic fluid on her way out) and place her damp little body on my chest. I was so relieved that she was crying, breathing on her own, without trouble, that she was pink, and I was able to hold her and pray over her. She was (and is) an answer to so many prayers!

The next hour was spent being stitched up (2nd degree tear) and annoying the nurses because I wouldn't let them take Charlotte to the nursery to be examined. I had to be separated from my first to girls for hours before I even got to hold them, I had my baby and I wasn't giving her up. They found the mobile scale and necessary instruments and brought them to us. She weighed 7lbs 7ozs,  was 20 inches long. (small for being 2 weeks past due) and they got the cutest little foot prints.

After she was done being inspected, we swaddled her up and got to just be still. To watch her open her eyes and calmly look around, to breathe deep breaths, and hiccup, and cry soft little cries of a newborn who needs for nothing but is simply figuring out how to cry.

The next morning my parents brought Addiston and Isabella to meet their new little sister.

 

They were and still are smitten. Isabella declared that she was done being a little sister and that now she and Addy were twin big sisters. While in true Addiston fashion my firstborn just took it all in, beaming with pride.


The rest of the day was littered with vitals being checked, visitors, attempting to nurse (she didn't want to eat because her tummy was full of amniotic fluid) and attempts to rest. They did a chest x-ray of Charlotte in the late afternoon, it like the sonogram pre-birth was inconclusive.

We were told we could take her home that evening but we've done this before, were nervous about the mysterious mass in her chest, and our 3 year old still doesn't sleep through the night so we opted for another night at the hospital with nurses keeping a watchful eye on our girl and Jared and I attempting to sleep on 3" plastic mattresses.

Saturday morning we got to bring her home.

Sunday was Easter and because my parents were here to make breakfast and coffee and get the girls ready and because the sleep deprivation hadn't fully kicked in yet we went to church! (with a 3 day old!?!) And in true Easter fashion we all matched.

The rest of the week was spent anxiously awaiting her CT scan which was scheduled for friday and loving on our sweet new little one.

Friday came and early in the morning before Jared and I were fully functioning we were at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital waiting. Waiting for her name that she hadn't even learned yet to be called, for a test I didn't fully understand to be preformed, waiting for a sweet southern lady to give us instructions, waiting for an elderly st. nick-esque man to walk us s-l-o-w-l-y down the hall to the procedure room, waiting to feed a hungry baby in hopes that a milk coma would keep her still enough for the machines that we wouldn't have to sedate her 7 pound tiny body.

We had been told contrast wouldn't be necessary only to find out it was. I understood the reasoning why and we obliged, only to need to wait more. A pediatric nurse calling a nicu nurse to do the IV because your baby is tiny and new will slap you with a reality check like a cold wind in december. Standing in the corner of a tiny hospital room hearing her first scream of pain while they stick her is hard but the fear of whats on the other side of the test is harder. Jared helped hold her little body and spoke softly to her. After she was all set, I was given the go ahead to feed her to which I was so relieved because it meant I finally got to hold and comfort my baby.

After the milk coma ensued we watched as her tiny body which barely filled the head holder of the machines conveyor belt go in and out of what sounded like a malfunctioning rocket ignition.

Then we got to take her home. To wait.

We were told by the st. nick-esque man that it would probably be Monday before we heard anything, but that if we called our pediatrician and got her to call the hospital and bug them enough they may be able to get us results that day. So call our pediatrician, and bug her so that the effect would continue on up the medical food chain, we did.

A few hours later we received a call.

Her CT Scan had shown no mass, no signs of a mass and no inconsistencies. There were no need for follow-up or extra tests. She was perfectly healthy.

My mind couldn't grasp it.

In that moment my chest lightened. I hadn't realized it but I had been clinging to and cherishing each moment not for the beauty of the moment and her precious newness but for not knowing what the future held, for fear and maybe a little bit of hope. I had prayed, Jared had prayed, our family had prayed and our friends in our church, town, across the country and on the other side of the world had prayed, some even came into our home and anointed my very pregnant belly. And I shouldn't have been surprised when God answered those prayers! I don't have to fear for her future. Because He is faithful. And my tiny little mustard seed of faith was nothing compared to His faithfulness, and for that we are eternally grateful.

She is here, She is perfect, she is a miracle and the answer to prayers I didn't have to words to pray.

Over due

Oh hey due date, you're here, YAY, oh wait there you went, and here we are again, over due, waiting, wondering, psyching out our parents every time we call. (ok that last part is kinda fun)

When I was pregnant with Addiston I saw my due date come and go with much anxiety, I did everything in the book to try to go into labor, most of which just made me exhausted and uncomfortable. This time while I'm fully ready to meet our sweet little one I'm also ok waiting in comfort as opposed to making myself feel sick and tired, leaving myself with no energy to actually labor or deliver this little one. 

I've had so many braxton hicks and false labor this pregnancy that Jared and I were convinced that this little one would make her debut early. Apparently she has other plans. 

Last week I got a sitter for a day and had a quiet lunch, a mani/pedi, and went shopping for nothing I needed with NO KIDS. It was lovely and necessary, and now I'm ready to have a baby!

Final belly photo was taken (if I am pregnant in 2 more weeks I don't want proof)

1st trimester complete

2nd trimester complete

3rd trimester complete

Last Thursday was my 40 week OB appointment, I was technically 39weeks 6 days but who's counting (besides my doctor) Well at my appointment I randomly measured 33/34 weeks instead of 40 which called for an unscheduled ultrasound to check on baby girl. I've consistently measured right on or a week behind depending on how she's been positioned and I've gained weight steadily and a healthy amount (26 pounds) so there wasn't a huge cause for concern but when 2 nurses and a doctor were getting such a drastically small measurement they just wanted to check. She was nestled in my ribs causing her to measure small but she is really an appropriate size, approximately 7lbs 4oz according to what they can measure.

Friday was my due date and I spent the day at MOPS and shopping with my girls (trying to stay active and walk without exhausting myself) a few contractions but nothing to cause me to stop and take note led me to cook a pouty overly fancy dinner because for as long as I can remember cooking has been my happy place. So thankfully my 3 & 5 year old are good eaters because cilantro pesto seared mahi mahi, with a roasted red pepper sauce, and roasted brussel sprouts over parmesan grits were what was for dinner and all four of us cleaned our plates.

Saturday morning lead to 3 dozen muffins, poached eggs overtop of leftover parmesan grits with sautéed kale and red peppers. Loads and Loads of laundry and lots of family play time.

Saturday afternoon we received a call from my OB. She had come in on her off day to do some charting and had finally gotten a chance to review the full ultrasound.  The tech was just suppose to confirm size and if she measured correctly let me leave which she did so I didn't think else. Well, During the ultrasound a 21x29mm mass was found in the right hemithorax (part of the chest) thats about a 1 square inch mass. Her heart is not deviated, and it appears lungs and diaphragm are functioning but that can't be fully confirmed until she's out and has to use them. This mass could be one of a few things: a small diaphragmatic hernia, CTAM, AV malformation or a bronchogenic cyst.

Most of these options would require surgery very very early in life. So we're trying to prepare ourselves and our girls for this as well. We're still processing and planning. I'm a bit of an emotional wreck but trying to prepare for labor/delivery and everything to come. I'm so thankful for the army of prayer warriors across 5 states we have on our side and the ones who gathered around us at the alter on Sunday morning. 


We're praying for healing, wisdom for doctors and ourselves, and peace during this time. Not knowing what it is exactly is hard for my type A planner personality, but we're grateful for wrongly measuring small so the ultrasound was necessary so that we can know as much as possible before she's here.

Today I spent a fun day with the girls. We went to a fancy donut shop and spent too much money on the best donuts we've ever eaten, went shopping for all kid stuff and then visited the daddy at work where they sufficiently screwed up his electronic standing desk by playing with it non stop!

crash

When Jared and I were engaged, we spent a lot of time driving up and down the state of Ohio. We got stuck behind a lot of semi's a few buggies, and a fair share of tractors. Got cut off plenty and learned which lanes had fewer pot holes, and what time of day had the easiest traffic.

One night we were headed to my parents house from columbus. We had done dinner and seen a LATE movie so it was probably near 2 am by the time we got to the Cincinnati area. We were getting off the exit to my parents' and without a car in site Jared used his turn signal to get into the exit lane.

Ladies and gentleman that sealed the deal.

I know it's ridiculous. We were already engaged. And had known each other for years but after all the miles spent on that highway in all times of day. It was the habit of using his turn signal, the attention to detail, the little thing that sold me.




Well, Last week Jared and the girls had a different experience. And I had the HORRIFIC privilege to witness it.

The left wheel well in my van is cracked. Not a huge deal but if you have to slam on the brakes it shakes a bit. Jared made arrangements to have it fixed for me, and one morning we swapped the car seats into his car, and headed towards the mechanic.

It was raining and had been all night.

Jared and the girls were following me and at a green light I turned left.

Jared followed and ...

A nearly head on collision. 

I couldn't move. Couldn't breathe, could only think of my little family in that little car. sitting still in the middle of the road. 

I parked and ran. 

Jared was the first out. 

He said they were all ok. 

Tears, LOTS of tears. 

We got the girls out as airbag smoke filled the car.

I held them and cried. A sweet stranger reminding me to breathe and praising god with me, that by no less than a miracle my whole family walked away without a scratch. 

The girls were more confused than scared. 

(we're carseat sticklers)

Addiston: "the car was kinda wobbly then it stopped"

Isabella: "there was a big bang and I yelled"

They weren't afraid.

Insurance still hasn't passed final judgement on the car but everyone on site pretty much agreed it was a gonner. 

Guess we'll be getting a new car along with a new house *insert sarcasm here* 

We're just thankful everyone's ok! 

working title

A bit has happened since I was last able to post. As usual life is busy but really I need to stop using that as an excuse because who isn't busy. So truthfully my priorities have shifted and blogging is more of something that I do to keep friends and family that I can't talk to on a daily basis in the loop and i think I use this more of a virtual scrapbook/timeline for our lives since lets face it I have about 3 square feet of crafting space allotted to me and have no time to use it to make tangible scrap books! 

The super bowl happened, I'm embarrassed to say that I already forgot who played and won! But we went to 2 different parties. I ate my weight in appetizers, and our littles got some energy out.



Isabella turned 1/2 year old (today she's 7 months but we all know I'm behind)





I know she's the cutest kid you've ever seen!

I love my girls more than life itself - so much it hurts. I know my life is SO very blessed. But having two little kids into everything, tearing up the house, constantly pulling and screaming and whining and my house is a mess (some say it's fine but for me it's a mess) and my laundry is never done and my car looks worse than a teenage boys.  Do you know this feeling? Well that has become my normal, and I'm trying to be flexible, and go with it and embrace the crazy! So last weekend when both of our families came in and we had something scheduled every night they were here it was an adventure!

Jared and Addiston had a Daddy daughter date night at church and while honestly she may still be a little too young to appreciate the concept she liked getting dressed up and even had a good time poking fun at me that she got to go on a date with Daddy!



She was so dear and sat so still so that I could do her hair fancy. She wore jewelry and a cardigan as Jared claims all good church girls do and of course she needed a purse to match!





The contents of the purse were my favorite-she picked it out herself, lotion, chap-stick, and her superstar sunglasses! 



Jared and I had a much less glamorous breakfast date the next morning to pre-celebrate Valentines!



We didn't get to see Jared's parents for Christmas so we finished up our gift giving in the middle of february, which was perfect because the new toy appeal was wearing off.



The reason everyone was here was for Isabella to be dedicated. I know not all denominations participate in this tradition and some label it as something different but have proudly dedicated both of our girls and I personally love the sentiment! It's a public declaration that we acknowledge that children are a gift from God and that we will raise our children to know love the Lord.





Isabella got dedicated along with Nora, her parents are some of our closest friends and I just love that this is the first of many things they will get to share!



Our sweet pastor prayed individual prayers over each of the girls and it was so dear to me.



Our church prays for expectant mothers by name every week from the time a pregnancy is announced until the baby is born. This man prayed for Isabella from the time we announced we were pregnant about a year ago, he came and held her in the hospital the day after she was born and he presented her to the lord on our behalf.

My prayers are changing. And it's hard. I've grown out of praying health and happiness for my family. I have had to face some hard lessons the lord is working on we with and while I DO want my girls to be safe and healthy. But the safest place you can be is the center of God's will. And that's exactly what I'm praying they will always be in. Whether that's a teacher in Texas or a missionary in the Middle East. My prayer is that they will be bold women for Christ. That they will have a passion for Him. Period. No matter what path gets them there. And I think I'm trying to make sure I live that out in my life as well.

It snowed here a few weeks ago (As I sit here with my windows open because its in the 60s today that's comical) Addiston thought it was a lot of snow and wanted to go play in it, until she got outside that is.

And in case you were wondering, Isabella has been comfortably sleeping in her own bed for some time now. I forgot to post the exact date but my date stamp in my camera says it was January 21st! She's such a good baby and sleeps through the night so well that we really didn't have a big reason to kick her out but I don't want her sleeping in our room when she's 4 so better now than never!

She is also moving around so much more! Changing her clothes is going to take the place of wrestling in the olympics in 2016. She is so squirmy that it takes several distractions and often both of us to get her into anything more complicated than a onesie. She was doing much better with eating solids, not quite up to normal but almost, until she got an ear infection and that set us back but she's been there, she'll get back!

2 mobile children scares me! As many of you know I'm type A and my last year has had me completely out of control. It's life with little ones and I know that it's a season - but I find myself loosing it a lot more than I would like to admit. I've been so ashamed at how I snap at Jared or I get angry when Addiston refuses to obey when I've asked her something 10 times in a row.  It seems to just make my emotions get even worse and my world feel even more out of control when I don't like the way I've acted. I've been trying so hard this year to pray and have quiet times in the morning and try to get a handle on how I'm feeling.  (and the good moments far outweigh the bad......but I'm just being honest - I HATE who I am when I have those bad moments. I want to be sweet happy mom and wife all the time.) Luckily I married the king of patient and his relaxed ways while they can at time be the very thing that drive me bonkers, are the very thing I need to put things in perspective. 



This is one of the sweetest parts of every day! Jared reads to Addiston every night (2 stories and the bible) then they pray. Some nights he takes Isabella in there with him so I can straiten up the house or on the rare occasion take a bath, I love how much he loves his girls, and that he takes time to teach them and makes his family a priority! 

Hymnal

Have you seen the craziness of MTV "My super sweet 16" ? If you haven't, don't bother, I'll break it down for you, the most insane blow out parties imaginable, for a 16 year old, live music, entertainment, 6 figure bills, usually culminating in a brand new car (Sometimes 2) pretty much your wildest dreams for what could be your sweet 16-on crack. 

My sweet 16 was no where near that! It was my family and maybe a few friends at my house eating taco's and cake. There was no blow out bash, the only singing that was done was in the slightly skewed harmony of my siblings and the echo of my mom's (and many more) I honestly don't remember what my parent's got me-I know it wasn't a car! But I do remember that my grandmother got me a hymnal. A purse size black leather gold imprinted, Nazarene hymnal. Let me tell you how thrilled I was....I wasn't. It went into a box that night and has been systematically moved from the top of my closet at my parent's house, to their attic, to my college dorm room, (where I'm pretty sure it leveled out my computer monitor when it was a bit precarious) to our apartment and now it resides on the top shelf of our tallest bookcase in the den. 

Tonight Jared took both girls into Addiston's room to read stories before bedtime so that I could finish up my bible study for tomorrow. After Addy was down Isabella got a little fussy so he took her back to our room to try and calm her down until I was finished, about 12 second later she was in a full on fit and I went back to rescue my mama's girl (you know I love it) A minute-maybe 2 later I came out to the kitchen holding a limp, sleep coma baby, and Jared made the that's-not-fair face. I told him the girl just likes hymns, you gotta bust out the old stuff to which he chuckled because there are many things that man can do but he can't carry a tune in a bucket. 

With a sweaty baby still laying across my chest I went downstairs and carefully got that dusty hymnal off the top shelf of that bookshelf down in the den because I was not going to be able to sleep tonight if I couldn't remember the second verse of "Love Lifted Me" which happens to be some sort of hypnotic trans inducing melody for our babe! Grandma would be proud!

So I finished the song-for good measure -even though she was out, swaddled her and now she resides in our bed, because well I'm just not ready to kick her out into her own room-but that's another story for a different night! 

The Day of Rest

I know I know, I need to update about Christmas. We'll get to that but I just wanted to put it out there permanently that we had a relaxing Sunday! 

Church only had one service at 10 am today and we had no other plans so we just caught up on stuff and hung out! 

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Sundays and they are always my favorite day of the week but usually they are a whirlwind of crazy, business. 

About 18 months ago Jared and I volunteered to make coffee on sunday mornings before Sunday School hour. The honest truth is that as a couple we tend to always show up ten minutes late for basically everything and we both felt guilty walking into church late EVERY Sunday so we opted to show up an hour before everyone else so that we wouldn't me late! Well about a month after we started Addiston got mobile and then we recently tacked on baby #2 so it's been slightly more entertaining! We have grown to love it and especially love the early sunday school class "mature" folks who always check in with us and steal the good creamer! 

So we usually get up for church at 6:30-ok our alarm goes off then, we don't actually get up till 7 and then run around the house coordinating clothes and doing hair till we pile in the car with breakfast for four packed and my make-up in toe (it gets done in the car-Jared shaves while he drives, don't judge) We make coffee at have Church, lunch with friends, which we host often and then maybe an hour of clean up time before we go back to church at 6, which puts us home in time for baths!

Today we read books before church, went out for lunch, hung out around the house,  put on pj's in the middle of the afternoon, and ate leftovers for dinner so I truly did nothing! It was beautiful! 

And a baby eating toes shot for good measure!

I hope you enjoyed your day of rest!

Mothers Day

Once again it's been too long since I've posted!
This pregnancy has seemed more exhausting than my pregnancy with Addiston, which really isn't surprising considering I spend most of my time chasing her and not resting! The hardest part of this pregnancy of lately has been craving food that I was raised on. Jared says that Cincinnati is like a food cult, we have Skyline, LaRosa's, Grippo's, Frische's, and other "northern" foods. I wanted a steak hoagie the other night, called a few places and went in one, no body in the south has even heard of a steak hoagie! You can't get goetta her to save your life-nobody knows what that is either (it's a breakfast dish) and legit skyline chili is out of the question! At least I can get that in cans, it's not exact but it beats a blank.

We've been crossing lots of things off of the "get-done-before-we-have-another-baby" list which has taken up most of our free time. We've taken several car loads to good will trying to clear out space for the new little one and we're well underway on her room, my dad should be coming down soon to finish up the painting (he's a pro-so we figured we'd let him do it) and then all that's left is putting it all together.
We have officially decided to name Baby Girl #2 Isabella Grace Miller. Both of Jared's grandmothers names are Ella and we wanted to incorporate their name into our little one's name. No we are not insane closet Twilight fans, we just like the name! And Grace has always been one of my favorite middle names. Addiston is so sweet trying to say Isabella, the Isa never comes out but the Bella part always does, and in the process she looks as if she's going to vomit, sticking her tongue out all the way while saying bell. It's so funny, we laugh every time we ask her what her little sister's name is.

On Fridays I have a Mom's group that I attend at our church, this was our last meeting before summer and instead of having a formal meeting we decided to drop our kids off at church and head out to get pedicures for mothers day. I'm so grateful to have these women in my life. Most of them have more children than I and older children. They have been through the same sicknesses, trials, and are such a comfort in my life. Addiston had become friends with many of their kids and asks to play with them on a regular basis. Most of the time we find this sweet, but when she was asking for a little boy names Gavin "davin" the other night at chick-fil-a Jared decided she's too young to play with boys.
Addiston is doing quite well potty training, we ask her to sit on her big girl potty every time we need to change her diaper and are using cloth diapers more often so she can tell when she's wet. She always tries to go only is successful about 50% of the time but hey she's only 23 months and is doing great, so we're happy.

Our sweet friend Nathan, who I've mentioned before, got engaged two weeks ago, and asked Addiston to be his flower girl, luckily she's got a while before the big day. Addiston LOVES Nathan, and will have her aunt Kara's wedding under her belt so I'm sure she'll do great.

We're in a great routine right now, Addiston's super playful and we have a great balance between her playing with us and playing by herself. Her favorite thing to do is still read but swinging is a close second. We try and go on walks in the evening when the weather is good or we don't have plans and she loves those.

I had my 28 week appointment and learned that I do NOT have gestational diabetes this pregnancy! Hooray! I was told that I had a very high chance of having them this time so I was shocked when the nurse called and told me I didn't, I am however anemic, so I need to take an iron supplement, so no big struggle here.

In other news one of my best friends came to visit a few weeks ago from Virginia and it was so good to spend some time with my dear Kari, she gave me a book "heaven is for real" and somehow I found the time to read it in two days, it was so sweet, and I loved that she told me that I'm going to have an entourage waiting for me in heaven. Today ironically enough would have been the due date of the baby that we miscarried last fall. It was strange to see in on the calendar, but Jared made this mother's day so special for me and Isabella has been doing summersaults all afternoon, reminding me that I indeed have another miracle growing inside me. Addiston actually telling me Happy Mother's Day and saying "love you mama" was the sweetest thing I ever could have asked for, but her daddy got me spa certificate and a new make-up mirror just in case her sweet blessings didn't cut it.
Yesterday I was a wedding coordinator to another friend Lindsay, she was a beautiful bride and the whole day went smoothly even with a few scattered showers. Her photographer offered me a job at the company she and her husband own as a part time wedding planner/coordinator, so who knows maybe I'll go to a few weddings before this baby is born and put my OCD tendencies to good use!
Well it's a little girls bed time and she's trying to lick the ice cream on her pajamas, so I think I'll go cuddle a bit before I crash myself!

Stream of consciousness

Sorry for the hiatus in posting as usual life has been busy.

Wednesday night our church held its annual candy parade and this year we let Addiston get dressed up and we took her. It was so sweet to see her interact with all of the other children and if I say so she was the cutest one there!


I let her sift through her bucket of candy and Intended on letting her pick out just one piece to eat. My kid is awesome and picked the Apple instead of candy!


Last Thursday Jared and I celebrated our four year wedding anniversary. My dad came into town because we were supposed to leave for the weekend but as life goes plans were changed and we stayed in town, we had a nice visit with my Dad and didn't have to worry about finding a babysitter at all this weekend. Thursday night we went out with my dad and some friends to our favorite restaurant café Bosna. We figured that we didn't get married in private so why should we celebrate in private? We are so blessed to have such great friends and family that we wanted to share this with them.

Friday Jared worked a half day, Addy and I wave goodbye to the daddy every morning. She sits in his lap while he situates his work stuff and his coffee, turns on the car and then a little longer while he just laughs at her amazement at the blinker and the horn, the windshield wipers and the gear shift.

I got a new cell phone friday afternoon which was long overdue. I was still rockin' the old-school flip phone! That night I put on my dress like I do every year but we were running late and we didn't get a picture, but it still fit...like a glove. Jared and I went out to a very nice restaurant and went and saw the movie Ides of March. It was set in Cincinnati which made me so happy but I was confused we walked out of the theater and realize that we still live in Nashville.

Saturday I coached upwards, in the morning and Jared worked on the hot tub a little bit. I love working with those girls, they are so sweet and fun and I only have one week left and I'm going to miss them so much. I told my dad he could pick out anything he wanted for dinner and I would make it. He picked out a new chicken recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks and we all ended up loving it.

Sunday we had church and we were so blessed that one of our friends spoke in our Sunday school class. It's strange that sometimes you don't know details about people in your lives and then when you hear them share their testimony you're blown away and love them even more! After church we met my aunt, uncle and grandpa for lunch and then did a little shopping! Sunday night was our churches annual fish fry and as always the food was delicious but because it was so cold we didn't stay and visit as long as we would have liked.

Monday morning my dad left and I was really bummed and so was Addiston she really liked having her papa here to entertain her!

Her with my dad's yellow cup-he will be buried with that cup!