Grayer's Birth Story

Grayer William Hankin
1/28/16 - 1:58am - 8lbs 5oz - 19in 

When I went to the doctor on Tuesday, January 26^th, I was not surprised that I was not at all dilated. Annoyed? Yes. Surprised? No. With Wells, I did not dilate at all until the day he was born. So, here we were, six days before my due date, and no progress. My doctor scheduled my 40-week appointment for the following week but seemed hopeful that I would deliver in the next couple of days.

The following day was a normal Wednesday. I took Wells to my mom and worked my regular half-day. Since Eric was working night-shift that week, he picked Wells up around 11am and took him home to feed him lunch and lay him down for his nap. I got home around 1:15, and Eric and I spent some time together before he went in to work for the afternoon.

Like usual, Wells and I headed to my parents’ church for Wednesday night supper and for Wells to play in the nursery during the service. I felt a few contractions while we were at church, but it didn’t totally register that they were contractions because they felt a little bit different than they had with Wells. They felt lower and more intense. But I assumed that they were just pregnancy pains. After church, Wells and I headed to Eric’s work and dropped off his dinner. On the way home from there, I started to notice the “pains” becoming more regular. Like, every seven minutes. It became clear that these were real contractions, and I was pretty sure that labor was coming soon. I had had Braxton Hicks contractions for more than a week, but I just knew with the increasing regularity that this was the real deal. We got home, and I got Wells ready for bed, read him a book, and laid him down. I started packing my bag (no, it wasn’t ready yet. Haha) and making sure that the baby’s bag and Wells’ overnight bag were both not missing anything. I called Eric and told him that the contractions were getting closer together and more painful. I told him that I would continue to work through them and that when I needed him to come home I would let him know. I truly didn’t know how long labor was going to last and when Eric would really need to come home. I didn’t want to go to the hospital and be sent back home. With Wells, I had a 30+ hour labor (click here for Wells' birth story). We got to the hospital with him with my contractions at 2 minutes apart, and when I was checked, I was still not dilated even a full centimeter. So, I assumed that the same thing could happen this time around, too.

The contractions continued to get closer together and stronger.  I took a short bath to ease the pain and then tried to get ready and make sure all my stuff was together. I called Eric again and told him to leave work. When he got home, he quickly packed his bag (can you tell we were not well-prepared this time around?!) We got Wells loaded into the car and headed to my mom’s house to drop him off. We had to stop and get gas (more unpreparedness!), and I was really feeling bad. The contractions were so intense. Eric took Wells in to my mom when we got to her house at about 12:15am. My mom planned to come to the hospital once we gave her an update after check-in and leave Wells sleeping with my sister (my dad was out of town for work). On the way to the hospital, my contractions were about 2-3 minutes apart and steadily increasing in intensity. 

We got to the emergency room, and it was pretty obvious why I was there. The check-in lady asked if I was about to have a baby, to which I replied, “I hope so!” They got me a wheelchair, and Eric and I waited for about 10 minutes (felt like an eternity) for L&D to come get me. We checked in to L&D at 1:10am. I was checked and was at 4-5 centimeters. We let my mom and my friend Tiffany (who was supposed to take pictures/video) know so that they could head to the hospital. I was happy that I was progressing better/quicker than I had with Wells, but I had no idea how fast I was actually progressing! Each contraction was stronger than the last and took every ounce of strength to get through. I told the nurse I wanted an epidural, and they wheeled me to the delivery room. While laying on the bed, with the contractions coming closer and closer together, I felt a pop and a gush of fluid. I let the nurse know that my water had broken, and she checked me again (just a few minutes after the last exam). I was now at 7-8 centimeters. It was now that I was really grasping how fast this was all happening and progressing!

At this point, the pain was unlike anything I had ever experienced. I had an epidural with Wells at around 4 centimeters since I had had contractions with him for so many hours. This time around, I was at 8 centimeters with no medication…quite a different experience to say the very least! When the anesthesiologist arrived a couple of minutes later, they sat me up to administer the epidural. The nurse was trying to coach me through a contraction and was letting me know the importance of being still for the shot (sit still through a contraction? yeah right!). But before I knew it, I felt the baby drop and the INTENSE pressure to push…which I yelled (not in a mean way, but more in a “Holy Cow!” kind of way) to the nurse! She said later that she knew by my face and voice that I was ready. Sure enough, she checked me and I was at 10 centimeters. No time for an epidural. It was time to push!

They hurriedly called the doctor in, and I asked (okay, screamed) if it was okay to push. The nurse said yes, but I don’t think they were expecting that I was really ready to get that baby out! Because when I pushed, the baby started to crown, and the doctor said, “Whoa, I don’t have my gloves on yet!” The pain was unreal; again, nothing like delivering with an epidural. I could see the fear and sympathy in Eric’s face with each contraction. He had never seen me in such pain (or heard me scream so loudly!!). I only pushed 3 or 4 times overall, and Grayer William Hankin was born at 1:58am, about 45 minutes after checking in at the Labor & Delivery floor. Crazy!

So tired but so happy!

Immediately we heard his little cry and saw his pudgy face and thought he looked and sounded just like Wells had a year and a half earlier. We were in love right away and were completely in shock that he was here so fast! They laid Grayer on my chest, and he nursed for about 45 minutes. He had lots of dark hair and was so handsome. They let my mom and Tiffany in a few minutes later (it all happened so fast that they didn't make it for the birth but arrived a few minutes after he was born), and Grayer was weighed and measured and examined. He weighed 8lbs 5 oz and was 19” long. Even though he was a good size baby, he seemed so tiny! You really do forget how small newborns are until you have another one!

When we got settled in the recovery room that morning and ready to go to sleep at about 5am, Eric prayed over Grayer, something that he did with Wells that I have always held close to my heart. We went to sleep with our hearts full, thankful that God blessed us with another sweet, healthy boy to love.  

Family of four!

Wells: A 21-Month Snapshot

Because our big boy is growing and changing so stinkin' fast (booooo), I thought I should definitely record what's up with Wells lately. I know it's not a birthday or half-birthday, but I just can't help it :) I don't want to forget the little things he does, says, etc. And I cannot believe that the next time I write one of these, he will be TWO. Say it ain't so.

Measurements:
The last time he was weighed at the doctor's office, Wells was about 29lbs. It may be the fact that Grayer is so light in comparison, but I am pretty sure Wells has probably gained another couple of pounds since the visit :) He was 33 inches tall at his 18-month checkup, so I am sure he is taller than that now. My big boy wears 24-month/2T clothing, and he has a few 3T items as well (in his defense, he only wears them when they look like they run a little small! Ha!). He wears a size 7.5-ish shoe (really depends on the brand), and he is in a size 5 diaper...which looks ENORMOUS now that we have newborn & size 1 diapers in the house again :)

Eating Habits:
I'll just echo what I say every time, my boy can out-eat a grown man. He inherited his Daddy's appetite without question. He LOVES snacking still, and I have to make him stop snacking near meal times (this is usually Eric's fault, since he is a big snacker and does it right in front of Wells...so naturally Wells thinks it's snack time for him too!). He still loves dipping his food into different sauces. He is FINALLY eating sandwiches. I don't know what it was, but Wells would not eat a sandwich to save his life. I am glad that phase is over because life is just easier when you can give a kid a PB&J every now and then! Also, I don't know if I ever wrote this down, but he will NOT eat pasta (he did not get this from his starch-loving mama). The only exception is spaghetti - I guess because the noodles are thinner...I have no clue.

Sleeping Habits: 
It's a rarity for Wells to wake up during the night anymore. He takes one nap, which lasts anywhere from 1.5 to 3 (those are the best! Ha!) hours.

Vocabulary: 
For the last couple of updates, I've listed the words that Wells knows, but I can't keep track of them all anymore! We are working on enunciating with him because he is not the clearest talker when it comes to all of his words. His animal sounds are on point, though! He knows so many animal sounds and never confuses them, and he says them clear as day. Some funny things that he says:

- If he hears a quiet or far-off noise, he will put his hand to his ear and whisper, "listen."
-He calls grapes "corn" - I guess they do bear a resemblance. It does not matter how many times I correct him. He was calling every apple "banana" until a few weeks ago. So, there's hope that I'll get through to him with the grapes! Haha.
-Eric will take Wells' paci out of his mouth and run away with it, etc. And we will say, "No, no, Daddy." Now, if he wants his paci and can't find it, sometimes he will call it by name, but many times he'll just say, "No, no." Crazy kid.
- We are working on shapes, and he can point out/say Heart, Square, Star, Moon (crescent), Diamond, Circle, and Oval....my favorite is oval, which he calls "uuuuval."

Quirks & Miscellaneous:

-This is one of those moments that make me question my parenting, haha! As I mentioned, we are working on shapes. This has now happened on multiple occasions but the other day we saw a triangle. I asked him what it was, and he said it was a chip. Yes, my child thinks all triangle shapes are Doritos. #facepalm
- He is OBSESSED with the Disney short show, Tsum Tsum. If he sees my phone, he asks to watch it.
- He loves trains right now. We cannot pass a train without him yelling "Treeeeeeeeeen," or "Choo choo." The mall has a train that the kids can ride in, and he rode it for the first time about a month ago. It is his favorite. We've ridden it a number of times now.

- He has a little rocker that Eric will pick him up in and swing him up & down and back & forth. He lives for this and at any moment will go get his chair and bring it to Eric for him to play with him.
- The paci. Goodness gracious. A couple of months ago we almost weaned him off of his paci. Not really on purpose; it just kind of happened. But then he got really sick one week, and we let him have it for comfort. He has been pretty attached to it since. I think we will start giving it to him only at nap/bed times soon. But we'll see ;)
- Wells' hair has gotten SOOOOOOO curly. When he gets out of the bath, I will brush it down all neat and straight. But the second he sweats (which is usually pretty quick since he is so active and...husky lol), it curls up all over. It is wild! And it is pretty light in color. I always thought my kiddos would have dark hair, but his is a blondish color right now. I am curious to see if it gets even lighter during the summer.
- He loves going to Granny's house (when we pass her house, he points and says "Neeee" which is what he calls her). They play in the yard, which is the way to win his little heart. He likes playing with her rainbow pinwheel that is in her garden. He picks it up and sticks it in the ground all over the yard. He now has his very own for our house, and it was the best $1 ever spent! :)
- He has a serious love affair with pizza. I wish I was joking, but he ate an entire slice of pizza at Sam's Club the other day...which is so big that it is literally almost a quarter of a pizza pie. He doesn't discriminate either. I made a jerk chicken & pineapple pizza the other day, and he happily ate that, too.
- He has gotten very good at matching. We have a matching book and matching cards, and he does really well pairing up the same items. So neat to watch his smart little mind working hard.
- We are definitely in the disobedient stage. It is not an all-day, everyday thing. But there are times when he is feeling especially rebellious. He does a little dance when he knows he is doing something he shouldn't...which makes disciplining him difficult at times - there are many times that Eric and I have to turn away when disciplining him because we are laughing.
- Much to my dismay, Wells saw an episode of Dora the Explorer a couple of months ago. It has since become a very favorite of his. Not the manliest of shows, but he loves it. This show is single-handedly responsible for adding the words Dora (Du-ra), Isa, Swiper (Swi-er), Map, and Caliente into Wells' vocabulary. Haha!
- Wells loves for me to sing the ABCs. He will sing along with basically a string of aaah, eeeh, sounds. It is too cute. Even if he just sees letters somewhere, he will sometimes start the song.
-Wells is seriously such a ham and loves to be the center of attention. He will randomly make silly faces just to make us laugh. I see him being the class clown in school (if you know my husband, you'll understand that the apple does not fall far from that crazy tree). I've seen my fair share of goofy, silly kids, but I have never seen a child as young as Wells act like such a goofball. He is so funny, and not a day goes by that he does not have us in stitches laughing.



Favorites:
Show - Tsum Tsum...hands down. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Chuggington, and unfortuately (see above) Dora
Snack - Pretzels, raisins, cheese, chips (yes, chips. bad mom award)
Food - Still loves pretty much all kinds of meat. He could live off of pizza...any kind.
Book - He really likes his lift-the-flap transportation book right now.
Security Item - He doesn't have to have one with him at all times, but if he sees one of his muslin blankets laying around the house, he grabs it and carries it around with him. He likes to carry more than one at a time lately.
Toy/Activity - He still LOVES to play outside, especially on playgrounds. xHe likes to wrestle with Daddy. He likes to throw balls. Typical boy through and through.

Becoming a Big Brother: 

Obviously a huge change since our last update was Wells becoming a BIG BROTHER. The first meeting at the hospital was less than stellar. Wells wanted nothing to do with Grayer. But it didn't last long...later that night when he visited again, we convinced him to give Grayer a kiss. Since being home, Wells has really grown to love Grayer (or "Dare" as he calls him). He always smiles when he sees him in the morning. He likes to give him his paci, And the sweetest thing is when he holds Grayer's hand if Grayer is crying. He does get in trouble for rocking Grayer (in his swing/bouncy seat) because he is not exactly gentle about it. And when he touches Grayer's head, I have to remind him that we are to be "soft" with Grayer and then tell him not to touch his head. Now, he will say "shoft" (soft) when touching Grayer :) Wells really has done so great adjusting to becoming a brother. He has not acted out in jealousy like I worried he might. He is still very much a mama's boy...now I just have two mama's boys :)

There is never a dull moment with our Wells-man. He is such a handful and such a joy everyday. We love him so much and can't believe he's growing up so fast.

Grayer is ONE Month!

Over the weekend, our sweet Grayer turned one month-old! Boy, does time fly - I'd say more so than it did with Wells. But at the same time, it feels like our little baby has been with us all along. Can't imagine our lives without him :)

Please notice Wells trying to steal the airplane in the next picture. That pretty much sums up this whole attempt at a photo shoot.

At the end of our first month, Grayer...
Weighs: 10lb 3oz at his 1-month appointment a couple of days ago. He is not as big as Wells was at this age, and that's because he doesn't eat around the clock like Wells did! He may not be as chunky, but he is strong as an ox! He has already rolled over 4 times. And he can hold his head up for a long time! He seriously was holding himself up in the crawling position the other day. Boy's got strength! And if his current growth is any indicator, he is going to be a tall guy! He was 19" at birth, and then 20" at his 2-week appointment, and now he is 22.5". What?? He grew 2.5 inches in two weeks, y'all!
Sleeps: Grayer is a pretty good nighttime sleeper. He is typically asleep around 10:15 (when we go to sleep) and wakes somewhere in the 1:00 hour. Then he is up again somewhere in the 4:00 hour, usually going back to sleep right around the time Eric gets up for work. And then he is up somewhere in the 7:00 hour to eat again. Sometimes he's up for the day after that feed, but he usually sleeps a little longer afterward (which is what I prefer, as Wells isn't usually up by then and I can get a little more sleep before getting up!)  As far as naps go, he is a pretty good day-sleeper, especially late morning and early-mid afternoon. As we did when Wells was his age, we try to make sure that he gets a fair amount of awake time during about 7-10pm so that he is ready for bed when the time comes.
Eats: I'd say Grayer eats an average amount as a baby his age. He sometimes is more interested in napping than eating during the day, so I think he likes to make up for it later...because it seems like he cluster feeds in the evening. He is exclusively on breast milk, and I am so thankful that nursing has gone so well again with baby #2. I'm not sure how many ounces he's eating because he hasn't gotten a bottle of breast milk yet (although I have already started pumping for when I go back to work part-time in two weeks).
Wears: He can still wear some newborn clothes. Most long-sleeve onesies, pants, and footies in the newborn size don't fit anymore because of his long arms and legs! So, he is transitioning into 0-3 month clothes, and the length of 3-month pants is pretty perfect for him. And he is in a size 1 diaper.
Plays: He is obviously not great at "playing" yet, but he will focus on objects in front of himI have caught him smiling voluntarily a couple of times the last few days. I can't get him to do it at me or on command yet, but it is definitely a real smile and not just gas, :) I "coo" at him so that he will copy me, but he isn't really doing it back yet. I have noticed that he is getting more verbal in the last day or two. I know Wells can't wait for Grayer to be able to "play" because we constantly have to tell him to be gentle with Grayer and not rock his swing or give him juice or feed him pretend or real food! Haha! It's all fun and games until you have to pull a raisin out of the newborn's mouth. #thatreallyhappened #atleastheknowshowtoshare #gladwewereintheroom

Show & Tell Tuesday: Pinterest Favorites

There's nothing embarrassing about joining a link-up two days late, right? ;) No? Okay, great. To be fair, we have had some serious sickness going around our little family the last couple of weeks, all while adjusting to life with another newborn. So, I am giving myself some grace in the blogging area!

Excited to read all the entries from everyone else at Andrea's link-up. Today's Tuesday's topic was Favorite Pins! Let's get right down to it...

This sausage and corn chowder is one of mine and Eric's favorite soup recipes. I think I pinned it before I ever even started reading Shay's blog. It is SO yummy and so easy. A win-win.

When I was decorating Wells' safari-themed nursery, I came across this pin and loved the little glass jars.

Above is my take on it, incorporating safari animals and the light blue color that we used throughout his room. Has it ever been cuter to store pacis, cotton balls, and ear swabs? No, no it hasn't :)

I knew these taco invitations would be perfect for Wells' First Birthday Fiesta last summer, They took me forever to make, but I loved how they turned out!

If you have ever breastfed, you know that nursing tops (just like maternity clothes) are insanely overpriced! You also know that you need a number of nursing tops in your closet to keep from doing laundry every five seconds. This pin saved us so much money! Make your own nursing camis, ladies! You can seriously get 10 tanks DIYed for the price of 1 nursing tank at the store.

I love Pad Thai. Like, LOVE it. This recipe is the bomb dot com. It's easy and it tastes sooooo yummy. Pin it, make it, and thank me later.

And, I love all the funny memes. I pin some that I want to share with Eric...but he doesn't usually laugh as hard (or at all) as I do at them. Haha!

Well, there you have it. I could come up with a bajillion more, but there is a little snippet of some of my favorite pins.

Now, I'm off to get a certain 20-month-old who I just heard waking up from his nap, all while crossing my fingers that the 3-week-old decides to stay asleep a little while longer. Once he becomes sleep trainable, I see my future self searching "synchronizing nap schedules" pins!

Friday Favorites

Today I am linking up with Andrea, Erika, and Narci for Friday Favorites...and it's special because this is my first post since this handsome fella was born last week!!!

Introducing Grayer William, our sweet as pie second baby boy. I will be posting his birth story soon, so stay tuned!

So, on to some favorites this Friday,,,and be warned, all will be baby/family related since this has been our first week as a family of four :)

Favorite #1:

Seeing big brother Wells adjust to life with a little bro. Being only 19 months old, Wells can't really wrap his head around having a new baby brother and what that means. But y'all, he has done SO WELL. He is a big time mama's boy, so I was a little worried that he would have a tough time. However, he has been so great this entire week. Love this big brother!!!

Favorite #2:

Coffee :) Having to get reacquainted with waking up multiple times with a newborn at night calls for coffee. Grayer actually is not too bad at the night wake-ups. I lay him down for the night in his bassinet around 10:00 or so. He usually wakes up around 1-1:30ish for a feed and diaper change. And then we do it again around 5:00. And then Wells is usually ready to get up somewhere between 8:00 and 9:00, and Grayer slowly wakes up as well.

Favorite #3:

Being a "seasoned" mom. Not to say that I have it all together by any means (and actually, it's funny how much you can forget about newborn-ness in only 19 short months), but it feels good to be more prepared, if that's even the word, this time around. It is a big change to go from one baby to two when you are at home alone during the day. But, I don't feel overwhelmed (most of the time. Ha!). I just feel more of like an "I've got this" mentality. For instance, I took a shower this morning while both boys were within eyesight in the hallway (Wells watching something on the laptop and Grayer in his swing). No joke- I don't think I took a shower when home alone with Wells until he was like six months old. #iwasthatcrazyfirsttimemom

Favorite #4:

Coconut oil. When I was breastfeeding Wells, I used lanolin and also a prescription cream to ease the soreness. However, a couple of weeks ago, I came across an article saying that coconut oil can be used. We always have coconut oil on hand (don't worry, separate jars to cook with and separate for personal use like moisturizing and face cleansing! haha!). I am liking using the coconut oil this time around as it is natural and also it's not another expense since we have it around the house anyway.

Favorite #5:

Being a family of four. I just feel overwhelmingly blessed with the life God has blessed me with. My husband is the perfect father to our sweet boys. And I truly can't wait to watch Wells and Grayer grow up to be playmates and best friends. Cue the mama hormones and tears. 

Excited to see the other Friday Favorite posts!

Show & Tell Tuesday: Momfessionals

I am linking up with Andrea for today's Show & Tell Tuesday's Momfessionals. I loved doing this post last year, and it is too funny reading all of the other mom confessions out there. Lots of laughs and facepalms :)

Here are my current momfessionals:

1. Wells stands up for the majority of his bath. Is it the safest habit ever for a 19-month-old? No. Does bathtime go much smoother and happier? Yes. I really am trying to get him to sit more, but he loves standing and playing with his toys (two of which mount on the tub wall, hence the standing) while he is in there. I am always right next to him so it really isn't that unsafe...

2. I hate hate hate the smell of Play-Doh. Eric let Wells play with some for the first time a while back, and I could not participate in the fun. He is getting close to the age where he would probably do pretty well playing with it, but we are going to have to find or make an alternative kind. Seriously, I am getting queasy just thinking about it. Next topic.

3. I am due with baby boy #2 in less than two weeks (!), and I still do not have my hospital bag or Wells' overnight bag packed. I do have the baby's stuff packed...okay, well not actually in a bag yet, but it is in a pile on his rocking chair :)

4. Wells has been drinking out of a sippy cup for a long time now (usually water or juice), but he was still getting a morning and night bottle of milk up until about a month or so ago. But he is just not a huge fan of it in a cup. So I maaaaaaay add some strawberry syrup in it to make sure he drinks it. I plan on decreasing the amount until we're down to none, but hey, it is what it is.

5. I sometimes have to look away when disciplining Wells because I can't help but laugh. He is so stinking dramatic (no clue where he gets it) that it can be downright hilarious when he doesn't get his way. I am careful to turn away, though, so he doesn't see me crack!

6.  Wells has always been a great eater. He loves healthy stuff, and it is not a struggle to get him to eat meals. But boy loves junk food, too. He is a potato chip fanatic. I have to cut him off when eating them because I literally think he could eat an entire bag...and not the snack size bag if you know what I mean! He also gets all kinds of excited when he sees pizza. A true boy.

7. It is like a WWE smackdown (is that the right term...I don't watch wrestling. Ha!) in our house every night. Being such a girly girl and raised with only sisters, boy stuff is all new to me. I have had to learn that boys will be boys (and men also will be boys, amiright?). Eric will launch pillows across the room to knock Wells' feet out from under him...and the crazy child LOVES it. I feel like I should mention that he does this in the living room, where it is carpeted. There is constant wrestling, slinging, and all other crazy activities...and I've gotten (mostly) used to it and allow it to continue. Hey, I don't want my boys being wimps.

8. Wells is 19 months old and I JUST (as in, last week) bought and hung pictures and canvases of his newborn portraits and family pictures in our house. There are probably almost a million pictures of Wells on our phones, computers, etc., but I am the absolute worst at getting them printed. I think we literally had like 2 framed pictures of him in the entire house (and one was an ultrasound!). Part of my motivation is that I hope that this will get me to get baby #2's pictures up sooner by feeling guilty that pictures of Wells are around...yeah, even I doubt this will work.

*I could probably think of 2 more things to add to this list to make it to a nice even number 10...but I have a doctor's appointment in 20 minutes (pray for some dilation, people!). I still have to wake Wells up and get him clothed for the outside and get him down to the car, make sure I've got snacks and something to keep him entertained, and also somehow get my 38 week pregnant self out of this chair...yeah, we are going to be late.

Join the link-up here and share you Momfessional moments!!

Show & Tell Tuesday: Reintroduction & Resolutions for 2016

Well, it has been a hot minute since I blogged (other than a couple of toddler updates). I am happy to join Andrea for the first Show & Tell Tuesday of 2016! And before we continue, yes, I am fully aware that it is Wednesday and not Tuesday. Better late than never, thankyouverymuch ;)

Anyway, today's yesterday's topic is Reintroductions/Resolutions. How appropriate to reintroduce myself...because A) I have been MIA for a while, and B) there has been a LOT going on in our lives lately. I mean a lot. So, here we go...

My name is Stephanie. My college sweetheart and hubby of 4 years, Eric, and I live in Savannah, GA. I have lived here basically my whole life and couldn't imagine living anywhere else (a fact my North Carolinian husband had to accept before we got married! Ha! ).

We welcomed our first sweet baby in June 2014. Wells Benjamin has been the greatest blessing we could have ever dreamed of (you can read his birth story here).

He is now a crazy, 18-month-old whirlwind of energy and keeps us laughing all day. In May 2015, just a few weeks before Wells' first birthday, we found out we were expecting Baby #2! What a surreal experience. We were so excited at the news but also shocked because we had planned to wait a few more months before trying for our second child. Baby #2 (another BOY) is due to arrive in less than a month!

The end of 2015 was a rough one for us, for sure. Let me backtrack just a sec - I have always been a very driven person. I made straight A's throughout high school and college. I graduated college summa cum laude at the top of my class. The job market when Eric and I graduated was AWFUL, and it really took me a while to find a job at all, much less one that I could see myself building a career in. I eventually ended up at a job that utilized my Business/Marketing degrees. When I had Wells, though, my whole perspective changed. I wanted nothing more than to be home with my baby. That was just not a financial possibility for us at the time. However, I eventually went part-time and was able to work that from home. I was SOOOOOO grateful to be at home. But then, in September 2015, the position was no longer part-time/from-home feasible, and due to a change in my husband's job/schedule, I couldn't work full time at that time. So, I lost my job, and we were devastated. Fortunately, God was looking out for us and provided a great part-time position for me. I only work 15 hours a week and can even bring Wells with me into the office if I need to (but he usually goes to my mom's which is literally a few streets over from my office!! another blessing!).

We thought we were in the clear...that is until we got a huge, unwelcome surprise in early December. My husband was laid off from his job (along with about 1,000 others). Eric, an Education major, had been teaching up until early 2015. He began to feel like he wanted to get out of teaching and wanted to make a career in something that would give us more financial stability and allow me to stay home more (that's how I was able to go part-time with my last job). In nothing short of a miracle, he was offered a job last February at a very large employer in our city. He loved it, and we were so hopeful about his future career growth. And then came the layoffs. Talk about horrible timing. The holidays, a baby due soon, and on and on. We couldn't believe that this was happening, but we know that God is good and is always looking out for us. We have no doubt that he will provide for us again, and Eric actually has some really great job leads (that are in the field he wants to stay in) right now that we are hoping will become a reality soon. Please keep us in your prayers if you think about it! On the plus side (and really, there always is one), we have been able to spend lots of time together as a family..which I think is awesome since Wells' only-child experience is about to come to an end.

So, that's the haps around here. Kind of a downer, but it is real life! Ups and downs, highs and lows, but through it all, I am so thankful that we have each other, great family and friends, our health, and so many other countless blessings from our faithful Father. We are so excited to welcome our new baby boy and watch Wells become a big brother. My heart, despite our recent struggles, is truly full.

Okay, onto some resolutions! I am not really a New Year's Resolutions type of gal. So, this is more just, some things I would like to do better, not hard and fast goals/timelines/whatever.

1. Be more patient. With my husband, with Wells, with everything. Patience is one of those things that I don't think I'll ever stop striving for more of. Eric is a very patient person (almost to an annoyance! Haha), and I need to learn a thing or two from him.
2. Be more intentional about devotions. Since becoming a mom, I have slacked off so bad in my quiet time. Once a tiny little human starts taking up all of your time, whenever you get a free second, it is hard to be disciplined and make the most of it when all you really want to do is sleep, shower, revel in the responsibility-free moment! I really do want to get better at setting time aside specifically for devotionals and prayer.
3. Start exercising more. I always played sports in school, and that was my physical activity. I have never really been a gym person. I gained 27 lbs while pregnant with Wells, and lost 40 lbs while nursing! I was the skinniest I have probably ever been and loved it! However, I wasn't doing any exercise (other than chasing after Wells) and did not feel toned or fit...just small. After this baby is born, I want to be sure to get in some type of regular workout - nothing majorly time-consuming or intense, but just something to make me feel healthy and get rid of the "mom flab."
4. Be a better budgeter. Now, we are actually very frugal (is that the polite word for cheap?) with our money. We don't have cable, we don't spend excessively, we eat the vast majority of our meals at home, etc. So, it's not that I necessarily want to spend less (because we don't spend that much in the first place), I just want to be better about documenting it and being more intentional about it in general. I would like to see exactly where our money goes, how we can save more, what we can afford to let go or spend more on, etc.
5. Begin a cleaning schedule. I want to be better at doing housecleaning throughout the day in small chunks instead of at the end of the day (or let's be honest, at the end of the week) when I am exhausted and the place is a complete mess.  

***And the biggest resolution is TO GET READY FOR BABY #2! Aka finish the nursery, install the carseat, pack the hospital bag...you know, all the things I had done well in advance when I was pregnant the first time around :)