Jack's Birth Day

I sing for joy at the works of your hands. 

Psalm 92:4

Lofton and I wondered frequently in the weeks and days leading up to Jack's birth about the difference between knowing the day your baby is going to be born and just going into labor.  Neither of our children's birth dates were surprises, which is both a good and bad thing.  Obviously the benefit is having time to plan, but the negative side is the agony of the waiting.  It gives an anxious person like myself lots of time to get worked up.

 When I was pregnant with Reese I cried A LOT toward the end.  I was tired, teaching full time at the beginning of a school year, and it was hot.  There was also so much uncertainty with a having a baby.  How would our life be?  What would change?  What if we failed totally as parents?  With Jack there wasn't as much of that.  We felt pretty confident in our ability to parent.  The only uncertainty was adjusting to being a family of four, not three.  In the days leading up to Thursday, June 26th, I cried anytime Reese and I went somewhere.  The doughnut place, Target, Chick Fil A.... Lofton thought I was a nut.  But I knew at every place it would be the last time we'd go as the three of us.  Monday was particularly bad.  I was so thankful Reese had VBS that week so I could get myself together before he came home each day.

My parents got here on Wednesday around lunch and Lofton came home early from work.  We packed {or in my case repacked} our bags and Jack's bag, I went over the three pages worth of notes I had typed for my mom regarding Reese's schedule, and Lofton zipped around finishing up last minute house projects.  That afternoon the hospital called.  The plan had been to get to the hospital at six on Thursday morning.  My parents would come a little later, once Haley got to our house to keep Reese. Sally was going to meet my parents at the hospital. The nurse on the phone asked if we would mind coming earlier.  "How early," I asked? Five.  No problem for early risers like us and who were we kidding-- sleep was going to be minimal anyway.  We began texting and calling people to let them know the schedule had been moved up.

Sleep was elusive Wednesday night.  Even Lofton-- who sleeps through anything-- was restless.  At 3:00 I got up and got in the shower.  We went in to say goodbye to Reese around 4:30 and he was awake.  A little disoriented and weepy, too.  Of course I got teary telling him we'd see him in a few hours.  We arrived at the hospital shortly before five and they took me, alone, to a room.  I HATE being by myself in hospitals and had reminded my doctor that when my tonsils were removed a few years ago I had a massive panic attack when they wouldn't let Lofton be with me.  True to his word, Dr. Alverson had noted that in my file and Lofton came back to be with me quickly.

We then waited and waited.  The nurses hooked up my IV {busting two veins in my right hand} and all the other necessary tubes and such.  At 6:45 they told us it was time.  I walked to the OR and was greeted by what seemed like fifty people.  In actuality it was probably ten.  Dr. Alverson gave me a hug and I sat down on the table to have my spinal put in.  They got me situated and I remember someone asking why we were operating so early.  Dr Alverson laughed and said that Lofton had made him promise we'd be in a room by the time USA played soccer that morning.  Apparently it's out of the norm to have a scheduled cesarean so early in the morning.

Lofton was brought in and surgery started.  I don't remember much from my surgery with Reese, but I was very alert this time.  The spinal was strange and at times it felt like the numbness was rising in my chest and keeping me from being able to breathe.  Lofton said he could see my blood pressure start to rise every time I thought I was starting to suffocate.  They put an alcohol pad on my nose to keep me from getting sick.

After what seemed like an eternity, Dr. Alverson told me I was going to feel a lot of pressure and with that our sweet boy entered the world.  He started screaming immediately and Dr. Alverson held him up for us to see.  He said then that he thought Jack was going to be bigger than Reese, and by just three ounces he was.

The rest is a blur.  Lofton went to be with the baby and then brought him over to see me.  They let me touch him {which did not happen with Reese} and after surgery wrapped up Lofton carried him to recovery so we could all be together.  The nurses let me hold him, which would have been great if I didn't have the worst chills and shakes from the anesthesia. After an hour we were taken to a room.

The remainder of the day zoomed by with family in and out, nurses in and out, and us trying to rest and catch our breath.  The hospital has mandatory quiet hours from 2:00-4:00pm so that was really the first time Lofton and I got to be alone with our new addition.  We looked him over and said probably fifteen times how amazing and perfect and wonderful it was to be parents again.  We agreed our hearts felt like they could burst.  All the worry of would we love him as much as Reese, or how was it going to feel to have two babies instead of one, went out the window.

At 7:08AM, on June 26th, our family became complete.

Jack Lofton

On June 26th, at 7:08 in the morning, we welcomed our precious Jack Lofton.

Weighing eight pounds and thirteen ounces {slightly larger than big brother, Reese} he has stolen our hearts. Even our favorite five year old is enamored.

I'll be back soon with more details from Jack's birthday and an update on our first few days and weeks at home.

For now we are counting our blessings {and some really adorable fingers and toes!}.

summer thus far

Reese and I usually fill our summer days with errand running and leisurely Target trips.  This summer is shaping up a little differently.  Although, we did brave Target after my doctor's appointment Friday morning.  I needed to pick up a prescription {sinus infection-- my 5th this pregnancy... i am not at all joking when I say all I want is wine and Allegra D post-surgery} and Reese had earned some Lego's for being super awesome.

Here's a peak into our days...

Breakfast and cartoons in bed.  I cook a roll of cinnamon rolls once a week and leave them un-iced.  He eats them throughout the week with fruit and yogurt.  Lofton and I struggle with finding things this kiddo will eat at breakfast time-- especially things that would hold him until his lunchtime at school.  This works so we are still rolling with it.

Lego building for hours every day.  The obsession is real.  They are covering my table {and ugh the floor}, but it's preferable to TV watching or computer playing.  We are getting a healthy dose of Wild Krats everyday.  He learns some serious science/animal info from that show. Thanks, PBS.

I think pregnancy has worn this guy out.  House projects and work, plus doing most of the things I usually do.  That and he, like our child, enjoy being as close as possible to me.  I promise, personal space is non existent in my life.

Snapped this Saturday morning before I walked around Home Depot and almost died.  Thirty seven weeks measuring forty looks big, friends.  It just does.  That belly is no joke.  I've given up on worrying about my shirts being long enough. #overthis 

And the result of no nap weekends.  And yes, he STILL naps.  Almost everyday.  Can he roll without one?  Sure. But we are all much happier come dinnertime if he's slept for an hour {or two and a half} in the afternoon.  And no, going to bed later doesn't make him sleep longer in the morning which in turn would mean he wouldn't need a nap.  The later he goes to bed the EARLIER he gets up.  It's the craziest thing.  We are sticking with our 7:30 bedtime because that means he sleeps until almost 6:00.  Except we are scheduled for a few 7:00 baseball games this summer.  I guess it won't matter because I'll be up with a baby anyway?!?!

reese's room

One night in the Spring we were all in the nursery watching Lofton work.  Reese mentioned he might like a new room, too.  Lofton and I are NOT all about giving Reese a big present because he's becoming a big brother, but a new room seemed like a reasonable request given his room at that time was decorated entirely by me.  {I looked for a picture but couldn't find one.}

When we moved into this house three years ago I had Lofton paint the walls BRIGHT pool blue.  Super bright.  I bought matching twin duvet covers from Land of Nod that had orange {Reese's favorite color}, lime green, blue, and gray guitars on them.  We never really moved beyond that.  The beds had mismatched sheets, a few inexpensive throw pillows, and some gray fleece blankets I picked up from Target.  Not bad by any means, but not great.

Reese's room is really big and faces the front of the house.  It was originally 2 rooms that at some point were combined into one.  There are four giant windows that let in a lot of light.  He has two closets-- one for clothes and one for toys.  He also has his own full bathroom that will eventually be shared with his little brother.

I knew with some bedding changes, a paint color change, and a little reorganization I could make his room more "him" and also make it fit more with our house.  The bright blue had to go!

First up was choosing bedding.  I wanted new duvet covers, but something more neutral than what we had currently.  My preference was a gray buffalo check duvet from Ikea, but when we went in March Reese saw a gray and white stripe he liked more.  Done. The duvets aren't actually used by my little hotbox unless it's the dead of winter so I found two white coverlets at Target on super clearance.  Like $12 a piece.  Then it came time for sheets.  Oh the sheets. While he lacked a preference in most areas, he REALLY cared about his sheets.  We finally settled on some from Pottery Barn Kids.  Expensive?  Yes.  But the duvet covers were cheap, the coverlets were on clearance, and I really wanted him to have what he wanted.  So there's that :)

The only other hurdle was the paint color.  Obviously his first choice was orange.  I shot that down quickly and he moved on to green.  I stupidly thought I could steer his green choice in a neutral green direction.  Maybe a toned down olive green?  Or a green-gray?  We went to Benjamin Moore and got four samples, all of which Reese will tell you looked like baby poop.  He hated all of them and I did, too.  {Lofton doesn't get a vote because he's color blind.}  Reese kept insisting he wanted "a green that was in the crayon box."  I looked through my paint deck, tried briefly to reconcile another bright wall color in my mind, and then just told him we couldn't do it.  I offered up the laundry room color-- quietude by Sherwin Williams.  He, surprisingly, said okay.  We actually went one shade darker on that paint strip-- halcyon green.  It's more green than blue, but balanced by a hefty dose of gray.

Now that it's done-- painted and put back together-- we love it.  Reese is pumped to have a "big boy"room, I love that it turned out so closely to how I envisioned it, and Lofton is just happy to have it done. One more project off the list!

A couple of final notes:  

• The wall color probably photographed the truest in the last photo.
• The bulletin board was made by Lofton and is a totally brilliant use of dead space.  He used a piece of sound board {which is basically compressed paper and really lightweight} covered in a drop cloth {cheap and looks like linen!}.  I wanted a bulletin board above Reese's dresser but Lofton pointed out that he wouldn't be able to reach it and suggested this plan instead.  
• Ideally we would have blinds on the windows to match the rest of the blinds in the house but Reese LOVES his blackout shades.  Seeing as how he barely sleeps as it is, I'm willing to compromise.

preK graduation

Reese graduated from Pre-K last Thursday.  Technically for the second time.

If you'll remember, we did the whole shebang {cap, gown, grandparents, etc..} last year, too.  With an October birthday he wasn't quite old enough to start kindergarten, thus our excitement over getting into the public school PreK program.  We kept graduation simple this year.  No grandparents, just Lofton and I, enjoying the moment with our most favorite person.  There were no gowns--only caps-- and a few quick songs followed by cookies.  Short and sweet.

This year has had high points and lows.  We've been blessed to be in a great school a year prior to most other kiddos.  It does my Mama heart good to know that when Kindergarten begins in August Reese will already be acclimated to the building, the people, and the routines.  He's also in my school system which means we follow the same calendar.  Amen to that. 

There have been lows, too.  I'm not sad to see this particular teacher go.  While I've been pleased at what Reese has learned, I've been less than happy with other aspects of her classroom.  I'd like to think there is something positive to be said about ALL children, especially my own.  I say that with many, many years of teaching experience and MANY very challenging children having graced my room.  At graduation her exact words were, 'Well, I guess he's come a long way." Moving on...

For his part Reese is simply thrilled to be finally headed to kindergarten.  It's been a long buildup for my little buddy!

The face of pure joy.

nursery complete

The nursery is complete.

It's been fun to create another little boy nursery.  As I said previously, Reese's nursery had a definite nursery theme.  I added some baby elements to this room, but primarily just kept it simple and classic.  I wanted it to fit in with the rest of our house.

The paint color was a doozy.  I had an idea for what I wanted but once we tried it on the walls I hated it.  Eight samples later we landed in the perfect color.  It's Black Pepper by Benjamin Moore.  Neither black, nor super gray... it's more of a grayed out navy.  I love it. The chair is from Reese's nursery.  It was green chenille and is now an ivory Matisse.  Practical?  Maybe not.  But it's what I wanted.  So much so that I tracked it down after my order was cancelled by three different places for lack of inventory.  My MIL had it recovered for me and the arm slips were made from the extra fabric.  We also scotch guarded it a zillion times. I decided to forgo an ottoman this time and grabbed a pouf from Target.  The lamp is also from Target {thanks to my Mama!}.  The garden stool was a last minute purchase so we have a spot to set a drink or a bottle.

I may have mentioned before but aside from the chair we had no nursery furniture.  All of what we used for Reese was borrowed --and then returned-- many years ago.  For a changing table this go round I knew I wanted something more furniture like.  We lucked out finding this piece at a consignment store in Auburn.  The mirror was living in the hall closet and the plates were a Pottery barn find.  They have the sweetest bunnies on them, but are super simple and don't scream baby.

This tray corrals some diapering gear.  I saw the dog on One King's Lane and knew it had to be mine.  Reminds me so much of Raleigh.  There are diapers in the top drawers of the dresser along with nail clippers and all those other fun things that babies need. In the top photo you can see the changing pad peaking out.  I love the star print Aden and Anais cover.

The crib came from Amazon {thanks again Mama} and currently has no sheet on it.  But we have one!  It's white. Just waiting on Lofton to bring a piece of plywood home for under the mattress before I make the bed.  The bumper is from restoration hardware {which probably explains why 13 catalogs weighing a total of 17 pounds were delivered to my house by UPS yesterday}.  Lofton and I made the skirt from fabric I ordered.  Don't get him started on the amount of fabric samples I went through.  He says we could make a quilt.  All the extra diapers we were gifted at my school baby shower hide perfectly under the crib. 

You've seen the bookshelves before.  Lofton made them to cover the fireplace.  Yes, there's a fireplace back there. The bookshelves are kind of amazing.  He made a pair for our old house and leaving them was sad.  I'm so glad to have something similar here.  They aren't super full right now.  Some books {most shared by big brother}, a few toys, a rabbit from Peter's Pottery {i collect it}, and two baskets.  The baskets hold blankets, swaddles {that I don't know how to use}, and extra crib sheets/changing pad covers.  We left a right shelf empty to hold the monitor parts and maybe a humidifier.  

So that's it.  A nursery complete. Sans the baby who will be here sometime in the next 35 days!

Just to keep it real, Reese's room currently looks like this:

The painters came yesterday and I'm not tackling rearranging furniture solo.  Project get Reese's room and the dining room {which looks similar to this} done are on the agenda for this weekend.

maternity leave

Yesterday was day one of my maternity leave.  Day one came about two weeks sooner than I planned, but then again, I've learned a lot on the last year about "my plans.'

This baby has not made pregnancy easy on me.  The sickness was quickly replaced by sharp pains that ran through my pelvis down my left leg and braxton hicks contractions.  At first, the doctor said the leg pains were from my ligaments stretching-- they aren't as strong due to this being my second pregnancy.  I carried Reese to almost 40 weeks and he weighed eight pounds ten ounces.  Not a giant baby for most people, but I'm really short and fairly small framed.

I did all the things he told me to do.  Tons and tons of water to help the contractions, resting more when I was home and trying to put my feet up at school to help the pain.  The bigger the baby got, though, the more my pain increased.  The last month has been awful.  It hurts to walk, to roll over in the bed, to step in the car or shower-- all the necessary parts of my day.  Stress at work has also ramped up with it being testing time and the end of the year.

All that to say, I had a not so ideal doctor's appointment about two weeks ago.  Picture lots of tears after a day spent prepping my kids for state testing in a room with no air conditioning.  As I laid on the table my sweet doctor patted my arm and we talked EXTENSIVELY about priorities-- what comes first right now and what SHOULD come first.  He sent me home with a prescription for some pain medicine he knew I wouldn't take and instructions to talk to Lofton about what we want the next month or so to look like.  I would go back in a week for an ultrasound and appointment.

The answer for Lofton was easy.  He wanted me home, resting during the day and crying less at night :)  We both want me to be able to enjoy this fleeting time with Reese as our only child.  Leaving my school kiddos early was not something I had planned on, though.  I'm tougher than I look and I felt certain I could make it.

Flash forward to last Wednesday.  Lofton met me at the doctor for my scan and appointment.  The good news is that the baby sounded much better than he had the week before.  He's really big.  Measuring three weeks ahead in almost all areas except his head.  His head measures four weeks ahead.  Ultrasound weight estimates are just that-- estimates-- but they estimate him to weigh almost six pounds.  And I have five weeks left :)  We met with my doctor after the scan and he talked about a few things.  The first being the need for the baby to grow a lot more despite his giant size.  We are going to have to have another ultrasound, maybe two, to keep an eye on him.  He's crowded and they want to make sure he isn't too crowded, or running out of fluid, or getting tangled in the cord.  The second being that because of his location and size he is putting a lot of pressure on my left pelvic joint, possibly causing it to become disjointed.  He referred me for physical therapy and signed me out of work, starting immediately.  He wants me off my feet more than I'm on.

I was impressed by how well I took the news.  I was glad to have had a week to prepare myself for what I knew was probably inevitable.  Lofton begrudgingly allowed me to work Thursday and Friday so I could get plans in place and say goodbye to my kiddos.  It is certainly bittersweet, but made a little easier by knowing it's the end of the year anyway.  It's only two weeks early.

And so I'm at home.  Yesterday I watched a ridiculous amount of television and surfed the internet.  Rest is boring, but productive I presume.  I was so happy to see the clock turn 3:30 so I could go pick up my favorite kid!