Catching Up

We have been adjusting well here to Presley. So far transition to #3 has been much easier then #2 was, but I would attribute that mostly to the temperament of Presley compared to her big brother Colton. He was such a difficult baby that she seems easy. She is eating and sleeping well, can't ask for much more. The 2 older kids have been great with her. They both love holding her and giving her paci to her when it falls out. Colton has only head butted her once, so we are doing well :) For as aggressive as Colton is in life, he really has been so gentle to her. Payton is really taking her big sister job seriously. Payton and Colton entertain each other so much that they keep each other busy, giving me the time I need to care for Presley. My physical recovery has been the best yet, I feel great. I was concerned about my hormones post-pregnancy as they were all over the place pregnant, worse then they were any other time during any pregnancy or post-pregnancy. They have been doing great this past month as well. Overall I am very thankful. My roughest pregnancy has been my best post-pregnancy yet. Here are some pics of the kids

Father/Daughter Dance

Saturday night Steve and Payton had their annual Father/Daughter Dance. Being that Presley was only a week old, we decided she would stay home this year.

This little stinker stayed home with me. Colton and I played together and I was floored by how many words he said, the colors he knew, how high he could count. He has a sister that talks a lot for him and rarely do I get time alone with him where we are just home playing. I did not realize how much his little brain knew, or has picked up since he doesn't get the floor to speak without interruption from big sister much. We had fun building high towers and crashing them down.

And this cutie pie slept the evening away

Presley Rae Southards

Presley is here.

She arrived Friday February 15th 4:57pm

8 lbs 10 oz

20 inches

Her birth story is simple, we went in to the hospital and had a baby. 

It was the most drama free delivery we have had yet. We were induced, I got all the good drugs and pushed her out. The whole pregnancy I had wanted to go into labor on my own, but was completely satisfied with how everything turned out, even though it wasn't my original plan. I learned with Payton, most often your "plan" isn't the reality.

Presley is such a sweet baby. The first few nights home were really rough, but she has now got into the routine of eating and going back to sleep during the night. During the day she really is content. She eats well, sleeps well and we are both healthy, can't ask for much more. 

Steve and I agreed on her name about a month ago. Our friends in Florida have a Presley and they said they had read her name means "peaceful spirit." I loved that. I felt like the last year had been a storm for me on many levels and she was my calm, my peace after the storm. Her middle name Rae is a combo of both grandma's names (R from my MIL Ruth and my mom's middle name Kay, which mom goes by her first and middle name Mary Kay). Steve was the one to think of it and I loved how it honored both of her grandmothers. We did change the spelling to be more feminine.

Her siblings have loved having her out of mommy's belly. Surprisingly Colton pays her a lot of attention and is very sweet and gentle with her. 

My in-laws were in KC while we delivered and then took the 2 older kids back to St. Louis for a few days. My mom flew in Saturday (day after we delivered) and it was such a huge blessing to come home and have 2 days without the big kids here. They had a blast at Papa and Gigi's and didn't miss us at all. Uncle Benny came home from college and the kids were thrilled to play with him. Here are the pics we were getting while the kids were gone.

They race down the big hill in their front yard

Big girl bubble bath

Yummy food, Payton said the were having a party!

Feeding Gigi's chickens

Taking care of Gigi's baby

We are so thankful for all 3 healthy kids!

The mental game of waiting

 

I am ready for this little girl to arrive. Technically I have 3 more days to my due date that is on my charts but my early ultrasound and all my measurements actually had me due last Sunday the 10th. The 16th was my due date according to my cycle (which was not consistent since the miscarriage) and I was the one that actually chose to keep the 16th as the due date to give myself more time to go on my own. But somewhere in my head I had the idea that this might actually be my one child to go early on their own. Payton was induced 2.5 weeks overdue and Colton was induced 1 week early (he had Christmas Eve due date and we totally induced so he wouldn't have a birthday right at Christmas). 

With both Payton and Colton I had very little activity showing signs of labor. Nothing really with Payton and very few Braxton Hicks contractions with Colton. The pregnancy I have been having "signs" for almost a month. I was convinced my body was prepping to go on it's own. For the last few weeks I keep thinking "this might be the day." Symptoms I have keep playing tricks with my mind thinking I might be going soon.

I have tried so many of the wives tales, walking, spicy food, sex, and more. Nothing yet. Yesterday was the breaking point for me. I went to the Dr to have my membranes stripped. This has pretty much worked for almost everyone I know. I took the picture above yesterday really thinking that would be my last day pregnant and wanted to get a picture. Unfortunately due to her low head position that was making my cervix opening point backwards my Dr could only partially strip the membrane, he physically couldn't get to the back part of my membrane. He didn't seem too optimistic about it working, and needless to say we are 24 hours past it and nothing. 

This morning I woke discouraged, really hoping to be done. I am so grateful that I am healthy and that I can carry babies, this isn't a whine fest, just a tired momma. It really would be convenient (I know babies don't come when it is convenient) for her to come now. Since we don't live near family, and we have 2 kids that need to be taken care of when we go into labor, it isn't as easy as just calling parents over whenever we need them. Bless my in-laws they are 4 hours away and keep waiting for the call. Mom comes in town next week and Steve is supposed to travel at the end of next week, so logistically it would be nice for her to come NOW :)

I don't think I have mentioned that this pregnancy I have Carpel Tunnel in my hands. They have been in pain and numb for 6 weeks now. It is due to the excessive swelling in my hands. I have not experienced this in either of my other pregnancies and it has been hard to do much. There are a few sewing projects to finish up the nursery that I can't do because of my hands. Even typing this is weird because the tips of my fingers are all numb. I have been told this should go away within a few days of delivery as the swelling goes down.

So sister, we wait for you to come. My Dr said that he seems to see a pattern in women, you tend to always go early, right on time or late. I guess I am a late one. Even as I sit here and have multiple contractions while typing this, I have learned to not get excited, they don't mean anything is happening. I am excited for her arrival and know she won't come out a toddler, so she will be out one way or another soon. In the meantime, I am trying to keep my mind off delivery and not assume every sign is pushing me towards delivery. 

I think these 2 are tired of the waiting game too :)

38 weeks

Saturday I was 38 weeks. I had contractions all last week (like all day every day) so I got excited that maybe something would happen. No luck. She has measured 1 week ahead the whole time (her due date is the 16th) but we left the later due date (16th) to give me more time to go on my own. Maybe because she has measured big, I think I am going early. Steve reminds me that I should have learned my lesson because I was 2.5 weeks late with Payton. Here are some belly pics. First two from this pregnancy then the second two are from Colton and Payton.

 38 weeks with Colton (I was 25 pounds lighter his pregnancy)

Ironically I was wearing the same sweater for this picture with Payton, yes I went one month longer!

Payton wanted in on the pics too

Payton's 1st Deer Kill

Yes, my 4-year-old blonde-hair-big-blue-eyed doe, has witnessed the first of probably many deer kills. Steve has taken Payton out to the woods to watch for deer, never with the intent to kill. That all changed a few weeks ago. Here is the story according to Steve.

Sometime things just come together.  Thankfully Payton and I were able to be a part of one of those hunts.  It was Friday, January 11^th 2013.  Just a day before her much anticipated “bubble gum birthday party” we had planned in honor of her fourth birthday.  There was an “antlerless only season” open and I had a doe tag burning a hole in my pocket that I had promised to fill for a friend at church.   Since it was unusually warm that day I decided that it was a good opportunity for Payton to hit the woods with me as well. 

The last time she went, I was more interested in watching deer then shooting deer and that frustrated her.  This time, I knew I wanted to pull the trigger and I wasn’t sure she was ready for the action.  I asked her a few questions to gauge her awareness of situation and after a quick conversation, I had enough confidence to give it a try.

Her afternoon nap was done and it was time to head out to the woods.  Payton knew that along with our “noculars” and gun, we also needed some “junk” food.  She decided that when we hunt, she gets one junk food and I get one junk food.  It only took a few minutes and I had my camo hat wearing beauty and her cherry sucker loaded in the truck and we were headed out for the 10 minute ride to the property. 

I often park about 75 yards into the field and since it was muddy and I had Payton with me, I decided that is what I was going to do for that hunt also.  We pulled on the property and were just seconds way from parking when I noticed a flash of white in a patch of cedars.  I stopped and it stopped.   She was 80 yards away standing behind a couple of trees.  I quickly and quietly loaded the 30.06 and made the choice to leave the truck running so there wouldn’t be a change in the environment.  Thankfully I was able to sneak to the back of the Explorer and prepare for a shot, only to find out the tree was blocking the deer.  Wondering if it was still there, I walked to the front of the vehicle and discovered she was still presenting a shot.  With both elbows on the hood of the explorer and with Payton watching from her car seat, a bullet was sent, successfully finding its target.  Payton asked “Did you get it?”  I responded with an “I think so” as I pulled her out of the car seat.  I turned off the vehicle and we walked to where I last saw the deer.   The walk, although it was not long, consisted of a fun conversation where, in between licks of her sucker, she would ask me to carry her.  As we got close we could see our deer, lying right behind the cedar tree.  Payton was excited.  I was excited.

Sometimes it comes together and I am glad that it did that afternoon with Payton.  At this point, her limited perspective on hunting has to be that it is a lot easier than I make it out to be.  I wonder what she will think when we sit in the woods for hours without seeing one.  I hope to have the chance to find out!  After all, a day in the woods with my daughter is all the reminder I need that I am one blessed man. 

Home to me

Olathe, KS is home to me. 

There, I said it, this once-so-prideful-to-hail-from-Florida-girl has become a Midwesterner at heart. 

Last night Steve and I attended a gathering of pastors from churches all over Olathe. Many of these men have served in their same churches 25+ years, pouring their very heart and soul into Olathe. Gary Kendall, our lead pastor is one of them. Our Mayor was there to encourage us, and my heart stirred knowing those men's stories (long-term ministry here) could very well be our story. Steve and I knew when we moved here 5 years ago that this could be home for a long time. We looked at the city wondering if this would be the only city our kids knew as home. Some pastors move around a lot, some stay for the long-run. We are completely open to God moving us, but last night I felt in my heart again, that this is home, for now, for awhile, and possibly for a very long time. I want to set my roots here, dig my teeth into this city. I want my heart to break for the things around this city that break the heart of God. I want to commit to serve my city, finding ways to use my God-given gifts to bless the lives of others. I want to be a part of a team of leaders in our church that are passionate to reach the people all around them for Christ. 

So Olathe, you have taken up big-time real estate in my heart. I thank God for that, and I thank God for the people all over this city. For the ones I already call friend and those I don't know yet. 

I am thankful for airplanes that can still get me to my family in Florida in 3 hours. The pieces of my heart that are still in Florida are in my family there. And I still have a little pride when it comes to bleeding orange and blue (Gators my friends) not red and blue (Jayhawks) like so many here, but hey we all have areas we are working on.