Feeling a little split today....

We love UK basketball!

My love is passed down from my bleeds blue Daddy who is a life long UK fan.

But today I'm feeling a little split.

Tonight UK plays Scott's and my alma mater...

so we are cheering

GO BIG RED!!!

Sadly, I have a feeling they'll need all the cheering they can get.

T-O-P-S.... TOPS! TOPS! TOPS!

Linking up with Emily for Embrace The Camera

Spring and 40 weeks

Spring has sprung here (at least for now) and we are living it up!!!

It's such a joy to let the kids play outside and run free.

They were playing chalk just an hour ago and now neighbor kids have come to play football in the front yard.

Another big thing about today is it is Livingston's due date : )

She is exactly three weeks old and weighs about 7lbs. and 4 oz.

It's weird to think she could still be in my tummy.

So glad she is here with us.

Here are some pictures of her 3 weeks old on her due date!

We are so in love with our sweet baby!

Happy 3 weeks Liv!

My MEGA amazing shower!!!

So my family and friends through us one amazing shower!

We invited many of friends and all family members so it was a pretty mega shower.

They had it at my parents church fellowship room.

Here are pictures to share how creative and wonderful my friends and family are.

This was in the entrance of the shower and had the games on those cute programs.

The sign was made by my sweet friend, Whitney to use on the hospital door (which we did and got lots of compliments). Isn't it cute?

The dessert table designed, baked and created by my wonderful friend, Rachel.

Seriously, isn't it gorgeous. She made all my favorite things!

Red Velvet truffles dipped in white choc. because I don't like normal choc.

Gooey Butter cake with Strawberry coulis in these cute little cups!

The only kind of choc. I like....little choc. pudding pies.

And look at the sweet filigree hearts on top!

one last shot of how pretty it looked all together.

Another fun thing about the way we do showers that was started by some friends is themed tables. Someone decorates each table with their gifts and it based around a theme. Super cute idea plus you don't waste money on decorations. Here are some of the tables they did....

My sweet friend Haley did the "bath time" table! Isn't it cute?!?!

My sister, Nina, did the "on the go" table. I love the little chest she put it all in. She said "I thought you could use it for newborn pictures". She knows me so well...and I did use it!!!

My sis-in-law, April and nieces, Harley and Emerson, did the "Bedtime" table. I love the little doll and her little pjs!

This was such a cute table idea....done by my other Scott's sister, MaiBeth and mom, Ann. The "Daddy"table had a Daddy Survival kit and you can see more of it near the end of the post where Scott tried some of it on for us. Look at that cute little (BIG) baby...the Man was cute even as a baby!

My sister, Johnah, did the "Sibling" table and she had some neat goodies! She made journals for each kids so I can record the cute things they are doing. You can't see my favorite part which was Big Bro, Big Sis, and Lil Sis shirts for my three cuties. Even matching hairbows for the girls.

My friend, Whit, did the "Feeding" table and made this adorable diaper cake. I love the hungry caterpillar and the cupcake toys for her carrier. Seriously, adorable!!!!

My cousin, Cindy, did the "playtime" table and just as always spoiled my baby girl with lots of goodies. My other two have already enjoyed these toys before baby Liv even arrived. Look at all those onsies too....super cute!

My precious Moma did a table just for me! I loved it because I needed several of the items she had on there...nursing pajamas, house shoes, lotion and a cute Mommy and Me book!

My good friend, Jessica did the "Changing" table and look I had two adorable diaper cakes. This one was adorned with other diapering goodies and a potty book! Look and see my babies name on the little wooden blocks.

This table was done by my friends, Dora and Debbie... they went all out on this "Christmas" table. You should see the sweet smocked dress and winter coat all ready for her first Christmas. There were soo many goodies I couldn't help but get giddy thinking of using all these sweet gifts.

The decorations were so cute and they even used some of our maternity pics.

I was overwhelmed with all the presents and support we got that day and continue to get.

We wanted for nothing with this sweet baby.

Here are the Hudson girls and big ole pregnant me!

It's fun to look back and see all we've through together over the years.

I love it!

My sis and me! One baby birthed and one to go : )

Nana and her soon to be 5th granddaughter!

My m-i-l loves to compare my belly to Grandaddy Herman's!

Everyone said I was finally winning.

I think they are right : )

It's hard to believe I was that big just three weeks ago...whoa!!!

Ok after we got home, Scott's family was there to see him open the Daddy Survival Kit.

Here he is with mask, goggles, tongs, and hazardous waste bag!

I think we were ready for anything!

Thank you Moma, Johnah, Haley, Ann, MaiBeth, Whitney, Dora, April, Harley, Em, Nina, Jessica, Rachel, Cindy, Debbie, Carol for making this shower so special.

And to everyone else for coming to celebrate our sweet baby girl!

Our THREE

We are a family of five, but legally we are only a family of three.

I hate this!

It drives me nuts that when I post pics of our little Liv, that I can't post pics of our other two.

I'm so proud of this family. Proud of my two oldest children.

I want to shout from the roof tops that this is my family and these are the children we've been given.

But I can't right now.

I do want to give an update of sorts. We've gone through another important hearing that went our way. Only one left to go before we can start the actual adoption process. I cannot wait!

The Lord is my portion and my hope. That is what I'm holding to as I continue to wait.

Pray with us for our next court date to happen A.S.A.P. and for the big goal: for us to adopt these precious children that we love soo much.

No matter what they'll always be ours, but we'd love to make that legally official.

Here is the only type of picture I can share of ALL THREE of our blessings...

Holy Hormones Batman

For whatever reason around about college, my hormones must have just leveled out.

I used to be a fairly emotional person. I would have a good cry when I really needed one. Teared up at a good sappy movie. And instead of getting angry and yelling, I usually cried.

But like I said, somewhere after college, I stopped being so emotional.

I hardly ever cry.

Seriously, I might tear up now and then, but not a big crier.

When I got pregnant, I expected the flood gates to open.

Scott said I was a little more emotional, but I still think I was pretty level for a pregnant lady.

But oh my, post pregnancy was my breaking point.

I definitely had a touch of the baby blues.

I cried over everything.

In the hospital, when I didn't feel myself and was extremely tired.

When I couldn't come home to be with my other babies.

Watching tv and seeing a commercial, could totally open the flood gates.

My most heart wrenching moments of being a mother of a newborn for the first time was last Friday. On Thursday I noticed that my baby girl only had two wet diapers the whole day. I knew this wasn't good. We had just been to the hospital to check her jaundice the day before. It came back ok so they wanted us to come in for a weight check.

They set us to come in at 1:30pm on Friday... 30 min. after a HUGE set of storms was supposed to hit our area. I didn't care what I had to get through as long as I could know my baby was ok. Scott's school let out early because of the possible threat of tornado (which was good since their school was hit pretty hard and had damage) so he got to go with me.

We'd already been in for one weight check (two days after getting out of the hospital) and she had gained 5 oz. I had felt pretty confident she was getting what she needed and thought we were on a roll. But then came Friday.

We drove through crazy winds and walked into the dark doctors office lobby (they just opened up from their lunch). We were the only patients there. First thing right off is when you weigh them and she had lost 2 oz. I was upset because it didn't make sense to me. She had been nursing better than ever. Then the doctor came in and talked to us. He was a little concerned with her limited wet diapers, but didn't want us to supplement just yet. He told me to feed her ever 2 hrs. during the day and every 3 hrs. at night. He also wanted us to come back in for a weight check the next morning. If her weight dropped any more he'd need to check her labs and worse case might have to put her in the hospital on fluids. I was just about to flip out when a nurse stuck her head in and said the tornado sirens were going off. They said we'd need to get down in the basement. I called my parents who were watching our other two while they napped to tell them to put them in our closet.

We get into the basement and I'm a little nervous with the storms and not being with all my kids. Then it's time for me to nurse and there is a few men down there so I move to a corner. Dust off a dirty chair and scoot over a few boxes to make room for us. I try to nurse her and nothing I could do would get her to wake up. I call Scott over and he tries to encourage me and help her wake up. I just start bawling....right there... in the basement of our pediatrician...with a possible tornado going on outside.

I couldn't get control. I just cried for like fifteen minutes until someone says we can leave. Thankfully, no one sees me and I dry it up for us to get to the car.

This is tough but I know a lot of it is my hormones.

Thankfully, the next morning she'd gained almost 3 oz. and we had another weight check on Tuesday. She'd gained 5 oz. then and he said we didn't need to come back until her 2 mo. appointment. Praise the Lord.

I feel like I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel and feel a little leveled out emotionally. It's all worth it for this sweet baby girl....

Gymnastics vs. Dance

My girl is super excited about all things dance, flipping and twirling about.

I was in gymnastics for most of my youth and loved every moment of it.

I did however always wanted to try ballet or tap, but never did.

Since E will be 3 this summer, I'm going to put her in some type of class.

I was thinking of starting her in a dance class because she always runs to get her tutu when anyone is dancing on the tv.

But recently, I've let her play on a little mat we have and she is so in love with it.

So now I'm wondering

if maybe she'd rather

be in gymnastics class?

What do you guys think?

Either way, I'm sure she'll love it!

Her Birth

Well, I did not think that I would already be writing this post.

I remember hoping maybe we'd go a few days or a week early. People would kindly remind me how first pregnancies never go early unless there are issues. And I had absolutely no issues my entire pregnancy. Everything was always exactly right on spot with measurements, blood pressure, tests and every other thing they watch through your pregnancy.

So I was shocked and in total denial when my doctor said the words,

" You are having this baby today." at my 37 week appointment.

That morning was crazy and I was actually more worried about my 2 year old daughter because she had woke up with a fever. We had all been sick and especially I could not get rid of strep throat. I was on my second round of amoxicillin and still feeling horrible. I had purposely been gearing up to talk to Dr. Dawson about how we could get me healthy because I just couldn't imagine going through labor feeling so horrible and weak. Little did I know.

My nurse weighed me and that I went potty for the urine sample. She checked my BP first and made a funny face. I asked if it was high and she said yes. She checked it again with the battery operated BP machine and said she needed to check it with the manual one. After taking it this way she yelled for Dr. Dawson who was in the hallway. At this point I was a little nervous.

Dr. Dawson explained that I had preeclampsia and it would be dangerous to let me leave before having the baby. I hadn't had one HIGH reading until this day. So she checked me and had someone wheel me over to the hospital. I was a little frozen by the surrealness of what was happening. But I managed to call Scott, my family and get Scott's mom to ask his sister to go get L from school.

When I got to the room, everyone was running around everywhere. They were still unsure if I'd have an emergency c section within the hour. I was just hoping for Scott to get there and/or at least my sister or Moma.

This is the only picture I took....my sweet husband excited he made it in time!

After my blood work came back and they realized my liver wasn't affected by my high BP, they stopped talking emergency c section. They started me on pitocin and Dr. Dawson came to break my water.

My contractions stayed 2-3 minutes apart and labor was progressing very slowly. After all day and through the night, I never progressed past 4 cm. dilated and 70% thinned out. So at 2 am they decided in a few hours, I would have a c section.

It was quick, painless and the most amazing moment that I'll never forget.

They let us lower the drapes just enough to see her being raised out of my womb. It was crazy.

She was of course a little purple, but she cried strong. I felt this instant bond when I saw her and couldn't believe our daughter was finally here.

They cleaned her up and let me see her.

As they were finishing my surgery, they let the baby stay with us as long as Scott was willing to do Kangaroo Care. He was all about it and did such a great job! So instead of leaving us to go to the nursery to be put under the incubator, she was able to be warmed up with Daddy right beside me!

These are a little out of order, but this is them checking her out.

Measuring her.

I look pretty rough here, but I love this picture because it was the first time I held my baby girl. In recovery I was allowed to do kangaroo care and nurse for the first time.

It was absolutely amazing!

Here she is through the nursery window being shown off by the nurse (who is a family friend).

Look at that face!

Here is BIG BRO and BIG SIS being super proud looking at their baby sister.

Because of fevers, they were only allowed to look through the window that first day.

The next day they came to hold her for the first time.

I was pretty out of it the rest of the day because my BP was still so high they put me on magnesium. This is a horrible drug that will make you crazy and feel like you are on fire! : )

My sweet husband was a BIG help and took care of our newest little blessing since I was so out of it. I apologize for anything crazy I said to our family and friends while visiting that first day. : ) I was not in my right mind.

Here are the first pictures I was able to take of my baby.

This was her second day and I had finally been released from bed rest.

They took me off magnesium, got rid of my cathetor, ate for the first time in 48 hours and I even got to take a shower.

I felt like a new woman!

I love this blanket her cousins Fynn and Iylee got her!

Sweet little face.

She has the tiniest feet I ever saw.

She did pretty good in the hospital learning to nurse and had a scream too big to match her little frame. The nurses teased how sassy she was! On her third day they realized she had jaundice so she had to stay most of the day and that evening (besides times to nurse) under the lights. I missed her so much. I would walk down to the nursery just get a glimpse of her through the window. Here she is in her tanning bed.

We hoped to go home Saturday as her jaundice was better, but no such luck for my BP was still too high. They switched my meds and we enjoyed the day relaxing together.

It was such a great hospital stay with the best staff helping us. If it wasn't for the fact that I missed my other two babies soo much, I would have gladly stayed a few more days. : )

I love how she sleeps. Always wanting to have her hands over her face unless she is swaddled.

Finally, Sunday we were released!

My BP was still pretty high but it was starting to show signs of going down. My doctor made me come see her just a few days after my release but I was soo thankful she let us go home!

Here we are getting ready to put her in the car for the first time.

We have been overwhelmed with the support and kindness from others this past week. From gifts, food, visits and everyone just celebrating with us...it's been such a blessing!

Here is Miss Liv in her coming home outfit. The very same outfit I wore home from the hospital. Isn't she too cute. I 0f course filled it out a little better because I was 9lbs and something.

Our sweet girl is home where she belongs with her big brother and sister.

We couldn't feel more blessed or grateful for such gifts from our Lord!