FINDING HER HAPPY PLACE

We have all been working to find our new normal around the H. home.  They boys are back in school and football has started along with AWANA so we are busy during our week nights.  Little Melanie is growing and changing a bit every day.  She has begun to have a bit of tummy trouble so she is unhappy much of the time unless someone is holding her.  There is always a good supply of people in this house ready to hold her except for first thing in the morning when we are trying to get the boys off to school.  Melanie will usually sit in her bouncy chair for a bit and be happy but not this morning!  She was fussy to say the least.  Mason looked at me and said, "Melanie needs to find her happy place".  I laughed so hard when he said those words!  Mason is the most patient of everyone when Melanie gets fussy.  He will hold her and talk sweetly to her.  I love to see that connection between them.  It was funny to see even Mason have enough of the crying.  Don't worry, we didn't let her cry long.  She is officially spoiled :-)

And later this morning she found her happy place...

I am hoping we have found some of the reasons for her fussiness.  I gave her formula in a bottle for the first time on Friday and Saturday morning she was covered in a red rash.  We think it is a cow's milk sensitivity.  So now I must stop eating all dairy products and any other food item that contains milk proteins for a while.  Hopefully this will help Melanie feel a bit better while her little digestive system matures and can better digest cow's milk.  I'm on day two so wish me luck.  Just so you know, milk products seem to be in EVERYTHING so this is quite a task.  But hey, Oreo cookies are milk free so I can live ;)

THE BIG TWELVE

No, this post is not about college football but believe me, this house is keenly aware it is football season.  Today Mason is turning 12.  It has been a blessing to raise him and watch him grow into the wonderful young man he is becoming.  I love this kid so much, here are 12 reasons why:

1.  Mason has a great quirky sense of humor, just like his mom, so we laugh together often.
2.  I've watched him be a hard worker this summer.  He mowed our neighbor's yard to earn his own money and has done a great job.  He is even mowing our yard for dad!
3.  He is becoming more patient with his brother and is being a good example to him
4.  He is so loving to his baby sister.  She is only a few weeks old and I can tell she knows his voice and likes to hear it when he is home.
5.  He is trying new things like playing guitar and beginner band percussion.
6.  This boy is a great friend.  We have new neighbors and he couldn't wait to invite the kids over to swim and ask their son (who is 10) to go bike riding with him.  He loves to make people feel welcome.
7. Football is his favorite sport.  He doesn't let his smaller build stop him.  He plays hard and loves every minute of it!
8.  Mason continues to be a good student and work hard.  He puts his studies first.
9.  Maturity is blossoming in him.  I can see a bit of the man he is becoming and it is wonderful. 
10.  New foods are not always fun for him but he is boldly trying new things.  He even decided he likes fried okra!
11.  The little girls next door (ages 5 and 7) came over to see if Mason could play.  He didn't make a face and tell me he didn't play with little girls.  He went outside and played so sweetly with them for a few minutes before dinner.
12.  He loves the Lord and is learning to be His feet.  He invited several neighborhood kids he has been playing with to go to church on Wednesday night.  When I asked him if they had fun he said yes but he was most excited that they would be learning about Jesus.

Every year with Mason is a new adventure.  He takes us to the next phase of parenting and teaches us so much in the process while we try to teach him.  We are truly blessed to be his parents.  We love you, Mason.  Happy Birthday!

Back to School Blues

For the very first time the boys were not overly excited about going back to school.  I think it is because they do not want to leave their new little sister behind.  They are just smitten with her and it is so cute.  I have to admit, since I am home right now, I hate to not have them home all day too.  Once the day arrived they were pretty excited and ready to go back. 

It was an interesting morning.  Getting 3 kids ready to go in the morning is quite different!  Mark was home but was leaving for the airport that day.  He was able to take the kids for their first day.  You know I couldn't stay behind so Melanie and I went along too.

Here's little Melanie riding with her two big brothers to their first day of school as 6th and 2nd graders.  Doesn't she look excited?

Boy do I love these not so little guys!

We dropped Mason off at the intermediate campus and drove around to the elementary building.  I asked Andrew if he wanted me to walk him inside on his first day.  He had a funny look on his face and said, "no way mom"  I guess second graders don't need mommy to walk them inside.  At least Melanie will let me walk her in someday...I hope not too soon.   :)

Here she is!

Melanie Grace decided to make herself known a little over two weeks early.  She was born at 9:24am on Tuesday, August 3rd.  She weighed 6 pounds 7 ounces and was 20 inches long.  Needless to say, we are all in love with our new little bundle of joy.

We have been home since August 4th and so far little Miss Melanie is doing great.  She is eating and sleeping like a pro.  I almost hate to say that since things can change on a dime!  I am convinced that she is going to fall right into place in this family.  :-)  The boys are so sweet with her.  They can't wait to see her first thing in the morning when they wake up and they make sure the kiss her before they leave or go to bed.  It just melts my heart to see the love they have for her immediately.

I'm off to my newest job on the milk train!  The hours are rough but my new boss sure is cute! :-)

COUNTING DOWN

We are counting down to the arrival of sweet Melanie.  The boys are getting excited.  Andrew is making sure he is ready to jump in and help his little sister.  He helped Mark put the stroller together and made sure he read all the instructions so we knew how to safely take care of his sister.  It was so cute.  He practiced pushing it all around the house and clicking the infant carrier in the stroller as well as removing it from the stroller.  He informed us we could not put the baby in the bottom basket.  It is for carrying stuff, not the baby.

Mason keeps telling me he is ready for her to get here.  He is helping me with everything these days.  If he sees me carrying anything or trying to sweep the floor he jumps up and says, "I'll get that mom".  I am getting spoiled!  He is going to be such a blessing to his wife someday. 

Melanie is going to be so blessed with two big brothers that love her so much.  I know we will have plenty of fun together and she will love her brothers just as much in return.  I pray they will all be close in spite of the age differences.  This household is about to get even more active and exciting...if that is possible!

A little scare

I had trouble sleeping Thursday night...no surprise, I am nearly 8 months into this pregnancy!  This was a little different.  My back hurt and I could feel mild contractions.  They went on throughout the night but were in no way consistent.  I woke up the next morning still feeling them so I sent a text to the girls at the office that I would be in later.  As I slowly got around and dressed for work, I realized I had not felt the baby move all morning, which is UNUSUAL for baby Melanie, she is a mover and a shaker!  I was just overwhelmed with a really uneasy feeling. I called my OB and they wanted me to come in for tests.  I called Mark to see if he could come also.  He asked if I should stay home and rest until the appointment but I told him I wanted to go on to the office to get my mind off of it and I didn't want to upset the kids since I was a bit emotional about it all.  I did not want them to be worrying.

I headed to the office, still no movement in the car.  I prayed for God's strength and protection.  I tried to keep busy but my mind would wander.  Then, about an hour before the appointment, I felt a little movement.  PRAISE GOD!  My heart leaped out of my chest.  I kept waiting for her regular somersaults but nothing more came.  Finally the time came for the appointment.  Mark and I went back and waited for our doctor.  He came in with his usual calming manner made us feel comforted without saying much at all.  He felt around on my stomach to find out how little Melanie was positioned and then placed the Doppler machine on my stomach.  We immediately heard the sound of her strong fast heartbeat.  Mark smiled at me and I couldn't stop smiling at him.  It was such a relief to hear that sweet sound.  After some fetal monitoring and a sonogram, our doctor felt sure all was OK.  Melanie had just found a new position with her head pressing on by back.  His orders were to take it really easy this weekend, stay out of the heat.  I am terrible about wanting to push myself to the limit.  Mark was glad to hear the doctor say to take it easy since I don't always listen to Mark when he tells me I am doing too much.

Later that evening we took the kids and granny to eat Chinese food and pick up what we needed for the July 4th weekend at the store.  I picked up a few more things for the baby, pacifiers, hair bows, and a couple of winter outfits on clearance.  Mark walked over and showed me a "pregnancy listening device".  He said, "this way we can let the kids listen to the baby's heartbeat"  I smiled and told him I thought that was a great idea.  That evening we let the boys and Maddie, our neice, hear that wonderful sound.  I wish we would have had the video camera recording their reactions.  The wonder in their eyes was amazing.  It brought tears to my eyes.  God has richly blessed us with this surprise.  His plans and purposes are always better than anything we could dream up on our own.  The joy He gives us in His will is indescribable.

How's this for a sweet little girl's bedding?

I'm into birds these days so I thought this was sweet for our little baby girl. Now I need some vintage bird prints and an old birdcage to hang in the corner of the room.  Oh, the possibilities ;)

A GOOD LAUGH REDUCES STRESS...

This is what I saw when I looked in the back seat on our way home from Memphis.

 

How cute!  He was snuggling his doggy named Sammy.

Another tired little boy takes a break from doing his homework.

I am so glad we have never given in to the DVD players in the headrest of the cars.  We have some of the best conversations when we are riding down the road together.  It would be a shame to miss those because a silly DVD took over our time.  On really long trips we have taken a portable but that is rare for us.

I hope the rain comes and goes before Saturday so we can go camping.  The boys have been looking forward to a camping trip but our schedule has been hectic.  If we wait too long I don't think I will fit in the tent!

A TRIP TO MEMPHIS

We made a quick trip back to Memphis to see family.  Unfortunately, my dad is not doing so well so we made a weekend trip to see him and my mother and lots of family we love and don't get to see often enough.
 
We had lunch with Aunt Teresa (my sister), Uncle Clint and their sweet little boy Winston. 

You can't go to Memphis and not eat BBQ! 

Andrew was digging in!  If you look at Mason's plate, you will see he finished his sandwich before I could even get my camera ready!

I must have liked those ribs...and the beans...and the cole slaw :-)

Andrew took this picture of my sweet sis and I.  Good times :-)