mullins blanchard wedding

the wedding of the year!!

here are a couple favs from that day.

7/27/2013

We welcomed, officially, Michael Blanchard into the family.

 

 

CUTEST flower girl & best man~
Congrats Marie & Michael

Santa Rosa 2013

Our family beach vacation was in Santa Rosa, Florida this year. We had a great week with the Moss Family!!

Just a few pics from the first day~

Ellie is just like me... wanted to be outside ALL day.

Patrick is just like Chad... was not real sure about the sand & enjoyed the warm pool!

 

 

Heading to the beach for the first time

 It was this little guys first time at the beach! He is such a good napper, he did not have much time to play in the sand. He is 10 months old here~

 Ellie belly loving her beach time!!

 Patrick is getting so big!! love this elephant suit by MudPie... thanks Ry Ry!

Ellie, Patrick & cousin Miles had a great week together. Mo Mo & Grandaddy took good care of us all week. We had lots to celebrate~ Monica & Dwane's anniversary, Courtney's nursing school graduation, The Worley's anniversary & Chad's 30th!!! CELEBRATION~

Ellie's 3rd Birthday

Ellie turned 3!!! My baby girl is 3!!!

 

We had such a fun day~

She had cake pops at MDO Thursday. She woke up to a special birthday breakfast on a decorated '3' table! We went to gymnastics, then out to lunch with friends @ her fav... Chick Fil A!! & of course had ice cream afterwards. Mo Mo & Grandaddy came in town that night. We were able to celebrate together @ Bone Fish.

Then we came home & opened presents!! She LOVES her new doll house.

 Miss Ellie also, opened a new bike!

 The next day, she had a BARBIE party!! We had such a fun day with friends!! & the photo booth was a hit! I love the shirt she wore~ it was perfect!

 Our work of art....

 Our little family pic @ the party! Patrick was not feeling well :(
Ellie had so much fun playing, opening gifts, & eating cupcakes though!

 my dear friend & party planner, Allyson Denham did a great job, as usual!!!

 I just thought this was the cutest decoration!!!

Ellie Moss is THREE years old~ she thinks she is so big~ moved up stairs to the 3 year old room, can write her name, pump her legs on the swing, is such a good big sister, thinks she is the mommy though, & says she wants to be a princess when she grows up! I LOVE YOU, my favorite girl~

wow... really behind!

So I have not been such a good blogger this year. 2013 has been busy I guess, especially having 2 kids & the computer being in Patrick's room. Looking like the next 3 months are not going to slow down... But here is a recap~

Christmas the week after in Nashville... you  know my mom... sending out happy new year cards

 Miles, Patrick & Ellie in thier new wagon

 SNOW DAY!!!

 My little man is 6 months old & sitting up & eating cereal 

 His 6 month photo shoot with Lauren Clark

 Happy Valentine's Day

 I turned the big 30!!!

 & ellie turned 3!! This Barbie party deserves a whole post!!

 March bath time

 Patrick on St. Patrick's Day ~ our little friend Hadley called it Baby Patrick's Day!!

 EASTER ~ loved their bunny shirts

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Happy Halloween

 

LOVE,

Minnie & Mickey Mouse

2012

Big Sister

I know you won't believe me... but this precious, cute, adorable, fun, silly, loving girl about worn me out!! Miss Ellie, aka BIG SISTER, has been a BIG mess! She had quite the adjustment period after Patrick was born.

My mom ended up coming back to help me out late August. Ellie had been pushing her limits & I was losing patience. I guess Patrick's 3rd & 4th week were the hardest. Just a few ideas of what she was doing ...

coloring on the walls

look at this face!

trying to hit me if I told her no

she bit 5 friends, including her baby brother & cousin Ryan.

tried to run from me in the parking lot

make mean faces

kick & through fits just because

&

She started having accidents daily. Usually peepee thank goodness!



 You say "how can that be? look at this sweeter than sweet girl!!!"

But, wow... she was wearing me out! I talked/cried to my mom on the phone three days in a row about this.  I was feeling SOSO  bad getting on to her so much. I don't like to spank, but I was out of options... she got a few pops on the booty. She would cry & say "i will be a good big sister' 'i will be a good listener' & i would sit there and cry too. My heart was breaking for her. Her whole world just changed in one weekend & she could not express how she was feeling.

 It was the hardest thing I have been through... her transition. Not even sure it was this hard being a big sister my self?!?  I was so emotional & felt like a failure as a mother of two. Patrick was being a great baby & I was physically feeling ok, but my favorite girl was wearing me out mentally. It was also hard on her that I could not pick her up for a few weeks. She would say, 'stand up & hold me mommy'. I hated to see her so upset!!

 We went to Nashville the week of Labor Day. When we got back, I was in a better place. I prayed every night for her to adjust, for my patience. We finally turned the corner that week. I heard the first month was hard, well for us it was a little longer. But day by day, I could see we were doing better.

We made it through August with some help  & September was much better. I have to remind myself that she is just 2 and a half, she will have accidents & won't listen sometimes. I can't believe it is already October!! Ellie is doing so much better, we still have our moments but definitely better. God does listen & I am very thankful. Wish one of my MANY friends who had a toddler girl when #2/boy came would have warned me ;)

Newborn Session

My dear friend Lauren with Captured by Clark Photography captured these shots of our sweet boy, Patrick!! I just love these pictures & had such a hard time deciding which ones to pick.

 

this was the birth announcement

 Love this one with Chad's hands

 This one of Ellie & Patrick is so precious... I ordered a 16x20 canvas

 sweet feet

 my little man

 we worked so hard to get this shot & it is so good!

 He looks like an angel! with an owl hat;)

 Our babies! Ellie, the big sister, was not real interested in taking pictures... luckily Lauren was very patient & got a couple with them together. She will also take his 6 & 12 month pictures!!

August...

... was somewhat of a BLUR!!

 

My mom stayed with us the whole first week we were home. Thank the Lord. She is just the best & took such good care of us all. She cooked, cleaned, gave Ellie lots of one on one time, made sure I got some rest & plenty to eat/drink. We even got out a couple days & she took us to lunch. While she was here she changed the guest bathroom to look more boyish & found me some new fall/post partum/ easy breastfeeding clothes. Of course, she took us to Target~ Patrick needed his first experience with her! I am so grateful to her. YaYa is the best & she had something fun for ellie to open every day ~ big sister needed some attention. We all cried when she left.

 

Patrick is two weeks here & Ellie is a little jealous (a topic that needs its own post!)

 My mother in law came the second week. Ellie loves her MoMo! We had a great week. I was feeling pretty good & had my 2 week check up. Dr. Drey thinks I am allergic to the chloraprep because I was itching everywhere they put it before the section... that was quite annoying! He gave me a few things to help & thankfully it worked.  Monica cooked a few meals & did a good house cleaning before she left. We didn't get out as much but she took Ellie shopping!! We also had Patrick's NB session with Lauren.

 Aunt Annie came for a weekend! I was so glad to see her. Ellie loves her Annie!! We did a little shopping on tax free Sunday. Ann left during Ellie's nap which was a good thing because she doesn't like saying goodbye :(

 Patrick is SUCH a sweet boy!

 Ellie wanted her finger & toe nails painted before school started. She is in MDO on Tuesdays & Thursdays from 9-2. She loves it & is learning so much from Mrs. Julie.

 Her & I went to open house, just the two of us!

 Daddy stayed home with Patrick & gave him his first bottle of pumped milk. He did great!

 He is staying awake a little more these days. Still on a eat sleep poop routine. He is eating about every two and a half to three hours.

 We had some friends over for a cookout. All the kids found their way on our bed for a movie!

We are adjusting to having two. The baby is not the adjustment for me, it is managing time with both & giving Ellie as much as I can. Also this time around, I can't stay in bed after that first morning feeding because there is a sweet toddler who needs her breakfast bar! So a little more rest would be nice, but I am feeling pretty good. I do feel like my recovery has been a little slower this time. The actual c section was easy & I did great at the hospital, even that first week. But the itching was awful! Defintiely no chloraprep next time. I know after my 'help' left,  I was just doing too much & stayed pretty sore. I would say by 4 weeks out, I was about back to normal & actually took a couple walks with P. He is not the best breasfeeder though. He was wanting to nurse for an hour every two hours & we werent getting much rest (me or my nipples!) I went to see my LC & she said after doing a pre/post feeding weight,  he was only getting the foremilk in the time he should have emptied the breast... So he was hungry more frequently. She suggested I pump & bottle feed a lot & try to get him used to eating more less often. I have been doing it but I hope it doesnt take him too much longer to figure it out! In theory, it isn't a bad idea... but my husband is a resident & not here to help with the feedings & then I pump & then clean all the parts & it is just a long process. I know Patrick is still getting the benefit from the breast milk but whew... she said he has a short tongue & slightly recessed chin that will over time change but maybe 6-8 weeks. I am nursing him some but mostly pumping & bottle feeding.

We went to Nashville for a week at the end of the month & stayed through Labor Day. More to come but we are doing gooD!!