The Arrival of Dylan Kate & Life Thereafter

Our second daughter was welcomed into the world a couple of months back on May 14, 2015 at 10:44 pm.  She weighed 7 lbs. and measured 20 inches at the hospital.  Her birth was (thankfully) as non-eventful as one could expect or want a birth to be.  The days that lead up to her birth were not so much.  I unfortunately was the recipient of a very ugly gift -- the stomach virus -- two days before my scheduled induction.  I woke up thinking that I might be in labor because I felt sick to my stomach and later that day after a visit to my doctor and then spending a few hours getting IV fluids and anti-nausea medication in the L & D department of the hospital, I knew for sure it was just a bug. 

I had experienced the stomach virus while pregnant with Carter...that time around I had a little less than two months left in my pregnancy.  I can tell you that this time around, it was just as unpleasant as the first time.  After I left the hospital feeling much better, but still pretty much like trash, I knew if that whole experience didn't put me into labor, then nothing would!

So, my last couple of days just having one child were not spent the way I had envisioned.  I had wanted to soak up as much time with Carter as I could and really focus all of my attention on her.  Instead she spent the night away in the hopes that she would not get the virus too.  But, we are not in control and I just had to trust that all would be ok.  Thankfully, no one else in my family got sick. 

On the morning of Thursday May 14, 2015 the Lineman and I made our way back to the labor & delivery floor of the hospital (we hoped to get a discount for frequent visits!) ready to meet our second daughter.  I was induced using cytotec and then I got to walk.  This was the same method as we used with Carter.  I was able to walk outside this time though because it was warm...not having a baby in the middle of February has its perks.  So, we walked and walked and not much was happening.  At lunch my midwife broke my water and after some time, I was able to get up and move around -- walking around my room, trying the birthing ball out and timing contractions.  I was sure that things were really progressing and when I started to have tears in my eyes from the pains of the contractions, I requested my epidural -- around 3:30 pm.  My two brother's wives and the Lineman were there with me for the birth.  They are the closest things I have to sisters of my own.  My brothers are 10 and 12 years older than me and I can remember their girlfriends and now wives being around my family for as far back as I can remember.  I had my mom in with me for Carter's birth and she had requested not to be there the second go-round.  I think it stressed her out too much, which is totally understandable.

After the epidural, things were much more bearable and I was able to rest comfortably.  Things just didn't seem to be progressing that much, so they started an IV drip of Pitocin, to increase my contractions...this rocked on and on.  Finally late in the evening I started to feel some pressure and I knew I was getting close.  They called the doc in and when she arrived and checked me, she said we were ready and I could push when I felt the contraction coming.  I was so scared, afraid that I wouldn't remember how to do it!!  But, luckily I did and just a couple of contractions later Miss Dylan Kate was part of our world...I pushed for less than 10 minutes.  I was thrilled obviously, and so thankful not to have had a horrific experience.  I had a great experience the first go-round with Carter, but this time was even easier.  Now...I wouldn't go as far to say it was enjoyable, definitely not, but comparatively I feel like I got off the hook pretty easy with the whole labor and delivery thing.

I was able to nurse almost immediately after delivery, and thank goodness Wendy's is open late, I had a baked potato and a Coke.  I felt it was much deserved since I had had nothing but liquids since our arrival at 7:00 AM.  Our stay at the hospital was great.  I felt much better than the first time around and was able to get up and move around more sooner.  Dylan was a great baby (and continues to be, praise the Lord).  The only hiccup we had was reflux and we are still dealing with that issue.  The reflux signs were not exactly there at the time we were in the hospital, but due to her quick delivery, her lungs were clogged and she coughed and sputtered a lot.  There were a couple of times that she got choked and I was so thankful that we were still in the hospital and could quickly call for one of the nurses to come and help us out.  Other than her occasional sputter and choking, she was a dream. 

We finally got to come home on Saturday morning and I was so excited to see Carter and bring Dylan into our home.  It was every bit as sweet as you would expect with all of us ooh-ing and ah-ing over our new prize.  The most excited one in the household was definitely Lola.  She would not let the baby out of her sight and wanted to be as close as possible to her...sniffing and even trying to lick her head. It was very sweet.  She continues to be very protective over her.  I don't remember her being that way with Carter so, I'm not sure what is going on...maybe she knows more now what to expect. 

After that, the first couple of weeks were a bit rough and it took a bit of time to settle into a routine, but thankfully,  we are coming around to the idea of being a family of four!  It is hard to imagine life before Dylan and especially before Carter.  Sometimes I do long for peace and quiet and the ability to do a simple task without being interrupted by crying or whining; but, when the girls are not with us at home, it seems like something is missing.  It is way to quiet and I still don't get anything much accomplished because I end up sitting down or becoming distracted in some way other than the kids.

More than anything since Dylan's birth, I have been feeling an overwhelming sense of thankfulness and gratefulness -- for the safe delivery of a healthy baby, a quick recovery, an older sister who is not jealous of the baby, family and friends to help out, and a wonderful baby who is such a blessing.  Life can take amazing turns.  Just one year ago a second baby was not even in my thoughts.  It is just a reminder of how God knows just what is right for us and we have to trust in Him to lead us, even when things don't happen on our schedule.  Initially when I found out I was pregnant again, I was so upset and cried.  I thought that there was no way I could manage a second child and I was afraid of what life would be like, but it is getting better each day.  There  is a saying -- "Let go and Let God."  This is something I am trying to learn to live by.  In having children and a family that depends on me, I can feel myself growing more in Christ and trusting Him more each day...it is a powerful thing...I wouldn't trade this life for a day anywhere else.

It's Time for an Update

It has been an absurd amount of time since I have posted anything here...  I mean, I have had a lot going on, but I feel like I would like to share an update of recent happenings. 

First of all, the BIGGIE -- we have a new addition to our family.  Dylan Kate Hall made her debut May 14, 2015 at 10:44 pm.  She is an absolute joy and seriously, the best baby.  We are very blessed and although it has been challenging, I am really enjoying being a mommy to two beautiful girls.  I plan on sharing her birth story and what life as a family of four has been for us soon!

7 lbs  & 20" long

Second of all, we planted a (small) garden and me and the Lineman are trying hard to keep it up.  Between the girls and us both working full time, it is a job, but I am enjoying getting the yummy produce out and trying to learn to preserve it for wintertime.  We have lots of squash, cucumbers, a few zucchini, tomatoes, peppers (hot, sweet and banana), okra and corn.  It is not much of a garden compared to most around our area, but it is more than enough for us, and almost more than we can keep up with.



Our tiny garden, that is producing a lot!

We also have some home projects that we are working on.  We have to have a new roof -- we have been avoiding/dreading this one since we moved into the house five years ago, but we are going to bite the bullet and things should get started in the next week or so on that.  I will share pictures before and after...I am sure it will make a huge difference in how our house looks.  (Although, I really wish it was like a new kitchen or something...).  I have also decided to try to de-clutter and re-vamp the house one room at a time.  I recently cleaned out the laundry/mud room.  This seems to be the room where everything gets dumped and it was bothering me, so I decided to do something about it.  I will be painting and organizing it when I get a chance, and I plan on sharing that. 

Finally, I am working very hard to get back in shape and lose some lbs since the birth of Dylan Kate.  This is something that I find very personal because I feel a lot of disappointment in myself for letting "weight" rule my thoughts.  I don't want either one of my daughters to ever feel like that...I want them to be beaming with confidence and not to stress over body image.  However, I feel like I need to make improvements in the types of things that I eat (not fast food every other night) and I know that I need to be more active.  I had always exercised in some form or fashion, running, gym membership and even cross fit before Carter was born.  After her birth, I just fell completely off the wagon.  I don't know if I just wasn't motivated because I was overwhelmed with the change in my life from having a baby, or if I kept thinking "why should I change...I'm just going to have another baby soon enough."  Most likely it was probably a bit of both.  However, I am feeling much more motivated since Dylan's birth and since I am pretty sure that more kiddos are not in our future, I am ready to get back on track.  So far I have lost 30 lbs...ok, that's from the day I gave birth.  It still makes me feel more accomplished, even if I did lose most of it during the birth process.  From the point in which I actually started trying to lose, I am down 7 lbs.  I am excited and am looking forward to sharing what I have been doing and eating. 

I may not be able to keep my blog updated as much as I would like, but I really enjoy having an outlet to share the happenings in my life.  Here is another pic of little Dylan Kate in the hospital.

A New Beginning

This year is bringing a lot of changes in my life.  First of all, I am pregnant (about 25 weeks right now) with a 2nd little baby girl.  She will arrive, if all goes as planned, around the middle of May.  I will turn the BIG 3-0 a few months after that and ...my oldest child Carter Pearl will be turning TWO in a couple of weeks, which is totally unbelievable.   As I said, there are so many changes going on in my personal life right now that it is almost hard to believe and I sometimes have a hard time "stopping to smell the roses."  My husband and I both work full time jobs and by the time that we get home in the evening, like most families, we are wiped out and we spend our weekends trying to catch up, relax or visiting family and friends.  We have become so busy with the "busy" that we don't take the time to document all of the happenings and blessings that are going on in our lives each day!  I am starting this blog as a centralized location to keep up and take control of my life.

With the Lineman on his 30th

With that being said, I would like to utilize this blog to document and share my experiences as an un-experienced mom, and connect with others who might be going through the same things.    I know that as a mom, I find it reassuring to connect with others who are experiencing the same thing and know that I am not alone! 

I also want to become more productive and domestic!  I am not the greatest cook, but I enjoy it and I like to try new things.  This will be a place to share some of my challenges and successes.  I am definitely not a chef and anything that I cook is followed by a recipe that someone gave me or I found...I will try to post where I got the recipe.    We plan on planting a small garden outback and I have some great instructors in gardening and preserving food, so I am hoping to share that as we give it our own shot.   

 My family and I live in a "house in progress" and we are updating it as money and time permit, so I want to document and share the projects that we are doing. 

Finally, for a woman approaching the exit line to her twenties, I feel pretty darn unstylish and I recently cleaned out my closet and found stuff from high school...eeek!!!  And, then immediately after I cleaned it out, I found out I was pregnant, which was just great.  Anyway, I think it is time to grow up and try to develop a sense of style.  The problem is that I am clueless when it comes to fashion.  Some people are born with an eye for design and style and, unfortunately I am not one of those people...but, I am willing to try to experiment and try new things.

Ambitious, I know...but I am tired of sitting on the sidelines and rumbling through each day and getting to the end of the year (or the end of my twenties) and not knowing what the heck just happened.  I don't want to be reflecting on my thirties in ten years and saying:  "Who am I and how did I get here?"  So...I hope that I can learn from sharing my life on this lovely piece of web real estate and I am hopeful that others might enjoy relating to all of my adventures in adulthood as well!!

Please feel free to comment and share your adventures with me too!