Ella Rose is 4 weeks old...

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An Update in Pictures...

Ella Rose



Carly Beth and her friend Jett



Carly Beth Reading to me...


Someone likes Ice Cream...



Carly Beth, Papa, and Ella Rose



Someone got a haircut...



Granna, Carly Beth and Ella Rose

Location:8th Ave NW,Hickory,United States

Baby Watson is Here!!

Eleanor Rose Watson was born Friday, March 23 at 11:22 am. She is named after Todd's Grandmother whom we lovingly called Gang-Gang and my Great-grandmother on my Dad's side. We are calling her 

Ella Rose. 

On Friday morning around 2 am my water broke. I called the hospital and they told me to time contractions for an hour and call back. When I called back they were 6 minutes apart. They told me to wait until they were 5 minutes apart for an hour. Around 4 am, Todd took me to my mom's so she could help me and he could run to work and do a couple things to ensure whomever was covering his route didn't miss anyone. 

Around 6 am, it was time to go to the hospital. My contractions had been 5 minutes apart for 30 minutes, then 4 minutes apart for 15 or so minutes and then 3 minutes. As soon as we pulled into the hospital parking lot, the contractions really got intense...little did I know things were about to get a lot more painful. 

They officially admitted me to the hospital around 7, and the pain was...PAINFUL. My nurse asked all the admission questions as slowly as humanly possible, I'm sure. It probably didn't help that I knew that as soon as I Was officially admitted, I got an IV to help "take the edge off" until I was dilated to a 4 and ready for the epidural. If you know me...you know I'm a wuss. I was in so much pain, I didn't know how to deal with it. All I wanted was for my Mama to make it better. Between her and Todd they were trying their hardest to calm me down and remind me to breathe through my nose. I just could not calm down. I was climbing the walls through those contractions!! 

Once I got the IV...it's totally blank. Todd says I Was literally lethargic in between contractions but still yelling and climbing through them. They checked me at 10 am, an hour after I got the IV...AND I HAD DILATED TO A 9. No wonder I was hurting so badly! Todd had to hold me up while they gave me the epidural. I was so thankful to have made it to 9, I knew I Was going to get the opportunity to push...

Except, as soon as I received the epidural, the baby's heart rate dropped and wouldn't steady back out. They rolled me back and forth, from side to side for about 45 minutes and then told me we'd be doing a c-section immediately. I was a little disappointed but I was also thankful for the urgency and efficiency of the team. As soon as the decision was made, my room was full of nurses. I'd be willing to bet at least 10 of them helping get me ready to go into surgery. 

Ella Rose was born at 11:22 am. She had her umbilical cord loosely wrapped around her neck. She wasn't blue or anything like that, she was just tangled up. When the doctor said it was a girl, I was shocked. I really thought this baby was a boy! 

I may be biased, but I think she is beautiful.  

Daddy and Ella Rose in the Operating Room

Just Resting...

 Just resting...

Big Sister, Little Sister...

   

Getting Ready for New Honeybees and a New Baby

Last year, Todd decided he wanted to be a beekeeper. (Side note: he never needs a Halloween costume because his bee suit is way creepy.) He got his bees in May of last year so we didn't get any honey last season...but on Monday, we are getting two additional hives and will be able to "rob" all three at least once probably twice! With the potential of 5 gallons of honey from a single hive, we are going to have plenty of honey for the winter and won't have to use nasty white sugar anymore! And no, honey isn't sugar. Todd and Carly Beth painted the new boxes tonight in preparation for our new buzzing friends. Beekeeping is kind of an expensive hobby but fresh, raw, local honey can be too.

I, on the other hand, was washing the baby's new socks and swaddle and putting the cover on the boppy pillow. The new swaddle blanket is cute, it has bees on it...but Carly Beth is angry with me because I wouldn't buy "her baby Lucy" a pink swaddle today. I'm starting to get concerned over what she may do if the baby is a boy...which I think it is. We'll see...

Surprise Baby Shower!

I LOVE surprises! I love being apart of a surprise and receiving them. But let me start the story back a couple months ago...
One of my Aunts told me she wanted to throw a baby shower for me but thought we should wait till after the baby came so guests would know whether to buy for a boy or a girl. This wasn't a huge deal since we kept all our larger baby things we received for Carly Beth like the bouncy seat, Pack n play, High chair, and stroller. All babies really need at the beginning is diapers and onesies, right?

Last week, my Aunt invited me to a surprise brunch for my cousin Caitlin's 11th birthday. I got excited and made a couple rounds of biscuits to take. I even made her a present of quality time cards: like little "mini dates" just for us. She likes quality time, it's her love language. Anyways...
On Saturday morning we got ready and I was having one of those harder mornings so I put my hair in a ponytail and skipped makeup. When we got to my aunt's house, I noticed some cars that surprised me, but didn't think anything about it. When I walked in...
IT WAS A BABY SHOWER FOR ME!!! I was so surprised! No one notice me slip in so I walked into the kitchen and said "This doesn't look like a birthday party." I'm still just so surprised! It was my family, so even though it was a large group it was still intimate and quaint. I felt, and still feel so special! I was so surprised!
I feel much more prepared for Baby Watson's arrival and I am so thankful for my family! Turns out my husband knew and he kept it a secret even though he knew I was having trouble not shopping for the baby.
Thank you do much for my surprise!! I'm still so surprised and very very blessed!

5 Weeks To Go...

      

     I can't believe there's only 5 weeks left until Baby Watson arrives!! I am very much unprepared compared to the journey with Carly Beth. At this point everything was washed, folded, ready and waiting. This baby has enough clothes for maybe two days. Looks like I need to do some baby shopping.

     The baby's crib and blanket are ready. Todd put the crib together much quicker than when we did it for CB and My Mama did a great job sewing the blanket. It was super quick! I'll post pictures of their finished room when Carly's Bed is done and all the furniture is where I'd like it to be. :)

     This pregnancy has been a little harder these last weeks than I remember with Carly Beth, but I know I'm blessed and I'm trying very hard not to complain. My total weight gain is less than 13 pounds. This is a serious victory! 

     I'll post more pictures as I get things done...Why did I wait until now? 

Dear GangGang - a Letter to An Amazing Lady

Dearest GangGang,
I still can't believe you've gone. In the six years I was blessed to have known you, you taught me a lot. You showed me how unconditional love can truly be life changing. You showed me that family doesn't always mean "blood relative". You even shared your amazing Eggplant Casserole recipe with me. You spoke truth even when we didn't want to hear it, but it always coated in love and a desire to help and not hurt.
You always called my daughter your "First Great-Grandchild" and never even gave a second thought to the "Step" that should've been in front. It always touched me when you wanted her to accompany you to the beauty shop so you could show her off. Carly Beth loves you so very much. We all do. I'll make sure she never forgets you.
It's my prayer that your legacy of unconditional love and family is carried on. I hope that we get to bring all our children to see your beautiful home on the river and teach them to shrimp and catch crab off the dock, tell them your stories of the hog farm and moving cows up and down the road.
We will teach all our children about who you were and how you loved all of us. I could only hope that people see me as half the lady you were when my life comes to an end.
We will always love you, GangGang and we will never forget you or the things you taught us.
All my love,
Mandy