Living Southern, Benefield Edition.

Thursday, September 26, 2013

TBT 2010 style

My Facebook status 3 years ago today:

September 26, 2010 via mobile

is snapping a few pictures of John McRae because today is one month home, but none of the pics capture how adorable he really is!

*Now, he won't hardly sit still long enough to take his picture so my feed is full of Sadie who can't yet jump out of the view of the lens.

John McRae has been home exactly 3 years and 1 month. Who would have thought in just three very short years later, I'd have a 4 year old and an almost 6 month old!?! It's true that even though we have to fight through very difficult times in life, God's love and grave is enough to make it through to see sunshine and rainbows once again. After a while, it all sort of starts making sense and you can find reasons to look back and be thankful during times that you found it hard to find anything to be thankful for at all.

In looking back to 2010 when my life was changing so much so quickly as a new parent, I also found statuses about how sick my Papa Carney was at that time.
So many happy things going on mixed with some very hard, sad times for my family.

Three short years later after losing him, I'm now missing my Grandma Johnson terribly, too. I'm very thankful for the memories I have of them both. I will treasure the happy memories forever and also the memories that my family and I made during the hard times. During our darkest days, we spent some pretty awesome quality time together.

LOTS OF FIRSTS

September 21, 2010 via mobile

is ready for our play date with Brooke & Judah tomorrow. My first play date ever!

September 18, 2010 via mobile

Might be a grown up, finally...driving this big truck pulling a uhaul right by myself.

September 14, 2010

just made Mississippi proud. Went to check the mail barefoot with a baby on my hip.

*Now, I can check the mail barefoot with a kid on each hip. ;)

September 14, 2010 via mobile

's sweet baby boy got a clean bill of health! All of the things he had is Korea have been healed. Praise God!!!

*And He is still answering prayers.

No one will care about any of this but me, but I'm documenting folks...because I sure will be glad to have these memories to look back on in 2016 and beyond!

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

1, 2, 3...Pretty as can be!

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Sadie @ 3 Months

It seems like just yesterday, I found out that I was pregnant. Then, it seemed like those 9 months would never come to an end so that I could breathe again and finally hold our sweet baby girl.

And just like that...
In the blink of an eye, Sadie has reached THREE months old!

NOW, SADIE IS:

Smiling constantly
Talking/Cooing up a storm
Being very silly

Pressing her feet down when they are on a flat surface
Repeating the sound "Hooo" from her owl book
She's about to move up to size 3-6 month clothing
She loves to watch her big brother play

She gets so excited that she doesn't know what to do with herself
She loves to be held and talked to
Her colic is much better
She likes to throw a fit around 6PM, but it doesn't last long

She's beginning to fight sleep a little

She's sleeping from about 9PM until 5 or 6AM
She's now in daycare and seems to love her teacher
She still likes to swing

She's eating a little cereal in her morning and night time feedings
She can eat from a spoon and has sat in her Bumbo seat a few times
She loves to be outside
She's very curious and loves to look around

She's grasping objects
She's noticing people and following them with her eyes and head as they walk by

Establishing a personality
Holding her head up
She sits through church like a champ

She's absolutely perfect
Her big brother is getting attached to her. She has been named the pink Power Ranger by him.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

It's my birthday...

and I'll cry if I want to...

but I didn't want to.

Time and tide wait for no man, but time always stands still for a woman of thirty. - Robert Frost

Yesterday, I turned 30. It wasn't nearly as bad as when I turned 25. 25 was tough, for a lot of reasons, but turning 30 - it was great.

Everyone was so good to me. I received presents, lots of money, well over 100 Facebook birthday wishes, dinner, lots of cards, and had cake with Daniel, John McRae, and Sadie.

All in all, it was a good day.

It took 30 years, but I now realize that my major accomplishments are keeping my parents proud of me, loving my husband, being a good mom to my kids, having a relationship with my God who has made all of my blessings possible in His time, loving my extended family, making time for friendships that are true, working hard, and appreciating what I have and not being greedy for material things that I do not need. I always strive to be more, have more, and one day finish my degree and be "successful," but I am successful. I love my job and the people I work for and with. It allows me to do charity work for for Batson and help one of the most important industries in our state to survive. So maybe my purpose in life isn't to do all of the things I set out to do that just haven't worked out. Maybe the smaller things that come with NO monetary pay are what I was put on this Earth for. My passions are to help end the orphan crisis and spread awareness, put an end to the negative myths about adoption, to help the children in our state receive the top-notch healthcare that they need and deserve, and to be a loving mama to my children. It's all coming into focus and just the right folks have been put in my life to help me with these things.

XOXO,

The newest member of the 29 club

Monday, March 25, 2013

Baby Update - 37 Weeks

I went for my regular appointment today and it went just as I expected. My blood pressure was up so off to labor & delivery I went for another non-stress test. (I didn't gain any weight this week, so at least there is that to be happy about.) My blood pressure was 160/99 at the doctor's office, and while it was still up at the hospital, it went down a significant amount. My last reading after about 2 hrs on the monitor was good, 136/74ish. It's amazing how much it went down once Daniel surprised me with his presence. =) I think that one read after the nurse had already contacted my midwife, though, so she never got that positive news. Because my pelvis is narrow and my cervix is unfavorable (or at least I think that is what she said. There was so much information thrown at me at once), I will be having a c-section. I could demand going into labor, but who wants to risk being in labor 20+ hours and then still have to have a c-section. Not this chick! I go back to the doctor on Monday, April 1st, and I'm pretty sure I'll be put on the books for Wednesday, April 3, 2013.
(Only 9 more days, Oh My Gah!)

Our bags are packed and we are ready to go, but

I am worried about our sweet John McRae and how he is going to take all of this in once his baby sister finally arrives. While I'm over the moon excited to welcome home our baby girl, I worry about his sweet little heart and him no longer being our only child. That's a lot for a spoiled rotten, center of attention, aka The Boss, to deal with. He made us parents almost 3 years ago and we never want him to feel like anyone is going to take his place, ever.

Prayers please for Daniel, John McRae, Sadie and I as we will soon begin our new journey as a family of four!

XOXO,

Stacy

Monday, March 18, 2013

Baby Update - 36 Weeks

Today, I went for my first weekly visit.

It was routine, with two cultures checking for Strep B and any infections. I'm not dilated ANY. Surprise, surprise.

My stomach is measuring 38 weeks, but the ultrasound measured the baby at 36 weeks 1 day. The ultrasounds have been measuring me about 4 days ahead of my due date(which would put me at 37 weeks today), but this one was 2 days behind it. Very strange, especially since my stomach is measuring even further along now. The ultrasound tech said that the ultrasound can be off two weeks and it might be off because of the way Sadie was laying. Her estimated weight is 6.4 lbs, which means she is somewhere between 5.4 and 7.4 pounds. Gracious, I hope it is on the lesser end because by the time I make it to 39 weeks, I might be dealing with a 9 pound baby girl! Sadie is in position to make her arrival and she literally stretches from the point of exit to my ribs. Baby girl is filling up my entire stomach from top to bottom. Maybe that pressure will make a little progress, instead of just making it hard for me to walk.

No contractions. No dilation. Minimal swelling, but a blood pressure reading of 166/98...I figure I'll be induced April 5th or somewhere around that time. Isn't it amazing that my blood pressure was 127/72 when I went for the non-stress test a week ago today at the hospital and it is off the charts today?!? I tell you, that blood pressure machine at the clinic hates me. I go back again Monday for another check so I guess we'll see if I've progressed any between now and then.
Even though I am ready to meet our baby girl, sooner rather than later, I know that I'm very fortunate that I've not had any more problems than I already have. While I find it a bit annoying that I'm almost 37 weeks and haven't had the slightest contraction, many folks would be so glad if they didn't have to deal with the pain, worry, and annoyance until after this point. I've not even had a Braxton Hicks!
That pretty much sums it up.
Until next week...

Friday, March 15, 2013

John McRae's 4th Birthday Party

Due to my ever growing belly and fatigued body, we had John McRae's birthday party a week early. He was so surprised, because he had no idea that he was having a party last night. We'd asked him who he wanted to invite and what kind of cake he wanted, but had not talked anymore about it. He told us that he wanted a cake just like his Daddy's and he did not mention any kids that he wanted to be there. We sang, cut the cake, and then ate pizza, chips & dip, and ice cream. Yes, we cut the cake first, because he could not handle it one more second. He had already gotten a fork and dug into the side of it. We couldn't say too much to him about it because he was so excited and we wanted to do the same thing! This year's party was much, much smaller than his two prior, but he loved it!
Thanks for coming, everyone.

Thanks to my Daddy for the pics below. =)