playing catchup... maybe!

Where does the time go these days??

My little man is as sweet as ever.  cooing. smiling. and starting to cackle.  

It melts my heart.

Those cheeks...oh the cheeks...I squeeze them often.  So smooshy!

I love them.

the feelings are unexplainable.  

love. joy. and an indescrible sense of peace.

I want more :)

I just love this little man.  He makes me smile.

Such a God thing.

It all started on Monday night April 25th as I was home alone sitting on the couch with the tv on, but feeling like I was in another world in complete silence.  There were tears that started... almost uncontrollable.  I could just not stop thinking that the next day my life was about to completely change, all I prayed was, Lord please give me wisdom in this next wonderful season of our lives.  I begged Jamie for years to have a baby, and then sitting 24 hrs from having our little bundle of joy there was elation, joy, and a bundle of nerves all balled into one crazy package! 

The emotions continued on to the next day when I went to my doctors appt. the next morning at 8 am.  My usual happy go lucky self could not hold back the tears.  I was scared out of my mind.  My absolutely wonderful doctor and nurses all consoled me, gave me hugs, and said that there is nothing like holding your sweet newborn baby.  My doctor was on call Wednesday, and I really really wanted my doctor to deliver me after waiting this whole time.  Since I had not made any progress for the past 4 weeks other than being at 1 centimeter and 60% effaced, my doctor had me set to go in to the hospital at 8pm that night to get ready.  The only thing I didn't want was to be induced...  Funny enough, the only thing I was stressing out about, was not the labor, but simply not being able to eat until I had my sweet baby boy.  Low blood sugar and not being able to eat scared me to death.  I can get very sick very quickly...I wanted to relish in the moment not be sick!  In the end this was a God thing too...

Well, I am glad the Lord had different plans!  Sometimes HE takes great pleasure in the joy of the little things.  After I left my doctors appt. I headed to my office to finish up with last minute details of my closings and files coming up, and started having contractions about 30 mins apart at 9:30.  Jamie called to go eat lunch at 12:30 ish and my contractions were at 20 mins apart.   I got home at 1:30 and they were at 16 mins apart and quickly went to 14 mins, then 10 mins, and then at 2:45 they were at 6 mins apart.  Jamie called to just check in to tell me he was going to get his hair cut before he came home and I told him I was having contractions every 6 minutes and he about flipped out!!  He got from Montevallo to Calera quicker than I knew was possible...he was on a MISSION!  I was plugging in my hair rollers in between hurling myself over the bed during my contractions.  I wanted to look somewhat cute in my pictures!  I dont think Jamie's mission included hair rollers!  He was wanting to get out of the house asap.  After I packed, repacked, and rolled my hair, I was ready :)

My calm, collected, and even killed husband was going 10 over the speed limit with his flashers on going to the hospital!!!  This is incredibly funny for anyone that knows Jamie, because 5 miles under the speed limit is where he likes to be, but not today...remember, he was on a mission!!  He didn't want the "baby on board" sign to be literal.  I told him that HE was the calm and collected one, that is why I married him... two of us can't be stressed.  He had to calm down!  I was still concerned about not being able to eat and wanted to stop to get food.  Jamie said ok, but had to be somewhere around the hospital...McDonalds it was...Huge mistake...I think it made me more sick than I was already feeling.

We got to the hospital around 4:45, and they admitted me around 5:00.  When the nurse checked me I was 1.5 centimeters!!  I told her to check again.  You have GOT to be kidding me!  It was going to be a long long night.  Little did I know it would go quicker than I anticipated.  An hour later I was at 3 centimeters, and was getting my epidural.  OH, I want to just take a moment and just appreciate the epidural for a second.  Yes, I remember it well...it was heavenly!  About an hour after that I was at 5 centimeters, and my nurse was saying.. wow, this is going very fast for this to be your first baby.  We may have him by 1 or 2 am.  In another 45 mins, she checked me again and I was at 6 cent, and she said well.. maybe by 12:00 he will be here.. humm...  then I went from 6-10 centimeters in about 35 mins.  When she checked me again she was like, "wow, we are going to have this baby before I get off at 11:00pm"  Lets do it!  She went into a rush to get all the baby stuff ready, heaters, blankets, nurses going in and out of the room, etc.  The nurse said if I feel any pressure to let her know.  10 mins later I asked her if anyone had ever had the baby and the nurses not been ready.  She laughed and said almost, but not typically.  I said I feel pressure and would feel better if they checked me again.  My sweet nurse looked and said yup, lets push a couple of times.  I pushed 3 times and she told Jamie to push the button to call the doctor in!!  The doctor came in, and I pushed 2 more times and Levi was here at 10:27 pm!  He was perfect!  All 7.3 lb, 19.5 in of him :)

I had an absolutely wonderful pregnancy and labor.  I am sooo blessed.  I honestly cannot say enough about Jamie.  Once we got to the hospital, Jamie went back to his usual calm and collected demeanor.  He was wonderful every step of the way.  Holding my hand, rubbing my back, whatever I needed.  It was such a proud moment for him to get to experience the birth of his son.  I knew he would be a great dad, but nothing prepares you for that moment when you are actually a parent and the love that you feel for your child.  It is indescribable.  Getting to experience that moment with Jamie was something I will never forget.

The next few days were almost a blur.   Wednesday was the day of the horrific tornado that came through Alabama.  We spent a good part of that day in the hallway for safety.  Even now there are still a plethora of emotions from that day.  I was bringing this sweet wonderful new addition into my family, all the while so many others lost their loved ones.  There is so much I would say about this day, but I can really sum it up by saying.. I feel so blessed.

Happy "Birth"day Levi!

My boys...

For the next week or so Brodie and Jamie are the only two boys in my life.  Soon there will be three sweet men in my life.  Whew... talk about being out numbered!

I am excited about this season in my life that the good Lord has given me.

While the sun is still shining, I am still up and at em' and in the outdoor ball throwing mood, I thought I would take advantage of some mother doggy time.

Brodie loves retrieving his tennis balls.  It is probably his favorite past time. 

Before long I will have another long legged, probably lanky little thing. 

Brodie and Levi will be two peas in a pod.

As of right now...

I am just loving my two favorite boys!

little man...

All the anxieties I had before about having a baby are slowly fading...

Jamie and I are super excited to be having a little cowboy boot wearing baby of our own.
The minute I found out I was prego, I told the Lord, "yes, I know I am having a boy."  It was just a matter of fact kind of thing.  I think He was preparing my girly girl heart for a little rugged baby BOY!  

I have to say that even though my heart knew we were having a boy, when they actually said, "it's a boy!"  I was a little shocked.  Thinking to myself, what in the world am I going to do with a boy?... I am so girly!  I only know how to sew girl clothes.  lol.  Well...after letting it sink in a few days that baby Higdon is a boy and seeing the excitement on Jamie's face was priceless.  

I am just elated.  

He is kicking like crazy and making me eat cheese and drink milk allll the time.

My stomach is starting to grow and I dont really think i can hide it much longer! My hyperventilating has slowly subsided after constantly waking up in the middle of the night thinking about having a baby.  I think it is setting in 23 weeks later :)

Life as we know it will never be the same, but I am thinking it just gets better...  

Prego

babies...ahh...babies

They are so smooshy, cute looking, baby powder smelling, jibber jabber talking, diaper wearing little balls of cuddliness.  You just want to pinch their cheeks at any moment.  Sweet adorable Rivers.  She is a blue eyed ball of cuddliness.  I just love her.

I had a revelation.  It came to me all of a sudden one night.  well maybe over the past several nights.  ok,possibly months now.

I am having one of these balls of cuddliness!  Excuse me while I hyperventilate for a second.  

Everyone tells me that, "it comes naturally!" "you will just know what to do once they get here!"  "just wait until you see their sweet faces, the anxiety all goes away!"

**tap-tap-tap**  is this thing on....

are you kidding me!  

I have to admit.  Having a life grow inside of you, and waiting, just waiting until the day when you get to hold them and watch them cry and eat and work to take care of the ball of cuddliness, all while enjoying this bundle of joy is just about made me hyperventilate most weeks.  ok. you got me...almost everyday. 

milk.  I crave milk.  lots of milk.  maybe with almost every meal.  

Yogurt and fruit too.  I am hungry a lot and tired alllll the time, but not sick in the least.   Jamie, my beyond sweet of sweetness of a husband is just so excited to have little cowboy boot wearing babester of our own. 

He tells me to get a milkshake and enjoy being pregnant.  :)

I am finished with my 1st trimester this week.  So technically I have 2 more trimesters to figure it all out, right??  Or, does anyone want to be a full time- live in nanny...yes, that may be a good option/possibility.  Takers, takers..anyone.  

Oh my goodness I am hyperventilating again.  

I am off to read another baby book :)

Sometimes life just happens...

Life happens sometimes at what seems like the most in opportune times.  always.

So, it all started back in July.  

I went to the Phi Mu National Convention in Pheonix, Arizona for 5 days.  I think I cried everyday because I missed Jamie and Brodie so bad.  I am a sap.  I know!  Ok, really I just worried of what my two boys would be getting into.  Brodie was probably using my pillow as a doggie bed I just know it.

We stayed at The Biltmore.  It was absolutely beautiful.  My lemonade melted walking from my room to the conference room because it was 118 degrees!!  For the love of all that is good this world.  My hair had seen better days.  enough said.

I had the privilege to travel on this trip with the Phi Mu president of the Montevallo chapter, Kathryn.  We became close.  I also taught her not to eat the $15 M&M peanuts out of the room mini fridge.  I treated her to pizza instead :)

While I was on this trip to the hottest part of the US it seemed, I received a call from my office with an agent wanting to show our house.  slight freak out moment happened for sure.  I am not home.  Jamie is in charge...Brodie is loose...choas my be happening without my approval!  

We got a contract on our home.  I negotiated this in the 10 min breaks we had between meetings.  

I wanted to be excited, and cry all at the same time!

We had to find a home and pronto!
Jamie and I thought we found the house we would be in for years to come.  I could already picture our kids riding their bikes down the street.  3 bedroom, 2 bath, formal dining room, 3 car garage, screened in porch, and a full unfinished basement on 3.5 acres in Chelsea.  We were getting a phenomenal deal.

OH, I almost forgot.  2 weeks before we were supposed to move, this happened!!  I'm Pregnant!!  Baby Higdon is on the way come April 2011.  wow.  the timing is impeccable. I took at total of 4 tests just to make sure the first 2 were correct...lol

We are ecstatic, overwhelmed, elated, overwhelmed, jumping for joy, and did I mention overwhelmed.  lol We are having a baby!!

We soon come to find out 2 days before we were supposed to close on our house that there were title issues on our perfect little family home and that the house was not foreclosed on properly.  It was going to be 6-9 months + before the house would be available for me to apply for a mortgage again.  

*sigh*

For every door the Lord closes, he opens another one.  We are still waiting on that door.  Hopefully it will have huge arrows telling us to open it when it comes around!

So, we moved in with my sweet, and very accommodating parents.   Brodie is even allowed to sleep inside and on the bed!!  We have never had inside pets growing up.  My parents have adjusted to our energetic ball of fur and just want to make life and our stress as easy as possible.

All the while I am still trying to sell real estate.  Enough said on that too.  

This cartoon says it all :)

Brodie has become fond of the HUGE pasture and pond at my parents house.  It is like a serious free for all.  Room to stretch his legs, run until his little heart is content, and leap through the water anytime he wants.  It is doggie heaven.  His little heart can't take anymore happiness!

Can't you just read his mind..."throw the ball again mom!  My tongue hanging out just means I am excited not tired!"

We are still on the hunt for a house, preferably before Baby Higdon comes along.

Patience is truly a virtue.  Through all the tears, excitement, and slight stress, God is always good.  

I guess I can just sum it all up by saying, sometimes life just happens!

The brothers turn 2!

Mr. Brodie Higdon and Sam White turned "2" on August 1!!

 Just seems like yesterday we were bringing the little fur balls home from Tennessee.
That little face had my heart from day one. 

Now, He is a BIG boy.  Toddler to be exact.  The terrible two's!

Really his terrible 2's phase was at age 1.  Oh, the craziness that was bestowed on the Higdon household was like non other.  Our socks, dishtowels, and under garmets will never be rendered usable again.  His latest fetish...our bath mats.

Every dog must have a proper 2 year old birthday party filled with birthday hats, birthday cake, homemade doggie bones, and doggie friends.

Let The Birthday Party Extravaganza Begin!!!

First they got to eat their homemade doggie bones GG made for all three of them.  

gulp...that didn't last long as they lick their chops wanting more...and yes, more is to come.

THEN came the homemade doggie birthday cake!!!!  

Lets just say they inhaled this cake.  Peanut butter, honey, carrots, and some other good doggie treats. It literally became a free for all at this point.  There was no stopping them now!

It is not Miley's birthday, but for all practical purposes, she thought it was!  All that cake cannot be good for her girlish figure...oh well...she didn't seem to mind. 

Sam, on the other hand, thought he would save a birthday snack for later that night.

What a treat it has been to watch these two brothers grow up together and be best friends...even though their personalities may be 180 degrees in opposite directions!

We all love this rowdy and rambunctious trio and hope to have many more birthday parties to come.

Old Age Brings...

WISDOM.

 

I just turned 28 last Thursday.  Happy Birthday to me!  

I have to tell you though, old age doesn't always just bring wisdom.
Some days I wake up feeling like this:

-a little bug-eyed from the lack of sleep from one Brodie Higdon.
-a lot of bed head because the beauty just doesn't come as natural as it used to.
-a little wrinkly from well, you know~wrinkles.
-and a lot of feeling like you could scream from being slightly overwhelmed with all that life has to offer. 

Some pictures just bring out the best in you, and well, others just make you a little worried that you thought about yourself through the eyes of a distressed hungry pony.

Oh well....that is the facts of growing up.  

Gotta Love It!  :)

Day Care??

                  Doggie Day Care to be exact.
                    ~The Three Musketeers~  

             pure bliss.  curiosity.  crazy anxiety. 

Brodie. Mr. High Anxiety himself. Loves to retrieve a tennis ball, barks at anything that slightly moves, points at random squirrels, and tries to catch any fluffy cats that come in the backyard.

Princess Miley. Ms. Diva. Prissy and sassy.
Loves anything to do with water especially swimming in the pool, loves loves to eat, and has her way with driving the boys crazy.

Sam. The calm and collected one that tends to entertain himself with chewing plastic cups and large bones, chasing tennis balls, and occasionally joins in with the other twos crazy doggy antics

There is just so much to do at Doggie Day Care. Chew up the grill cover into little tiny pieces, fall into the pool with the cover still on, dig up each and every plant in the backyard, chew the new cushions on the back deck, take turns diving into the baby pool full of water, run in circles around the pool, sun themselves, roll in the dirt right after it rains, have snack time, and terrorize the cats.

Each has their own personality, and mischief is constantly the word of the day.  Gotta love those little muts of ours.

 Everyday is a crazy day, but a good day!

Peace Like a River

I know I have mentioned having the baby fever...
It is serious...very serious
I think I may need to talk to Jamie
Yeah...for sure. 

Courtney:  "Jamie, I think Brodie needs a sibling to play with and love on and spend all his time laying on top of to give my ribs a break from being smooshed.  What do you think?"

Jamie: "Is that right? What kind of German Shorthair puppy would you like? A male or female?? I hear the females are really loving. Brodie would be ecstatic!"



Courtney:  "Nooo....like a for real live baby, that cries, and poops, and sleeps alot.

 Jamie:  "Have you seen Rivers lately... she is really cute and sweet and loving... you may need to call Christina."

Courtney:  "For serious!"

Jamie:  "Can they wear camo and pink if it is a girl, and go hunting and fishing, and can Brodie sleep in their bed when they get older??

Courtney:  "YES, that way Brodie doesn't sleep on me!!!"  "See, all of our problems are solved!"

Whew~glad we got that settled!