11 Weeks

Hudson you are now 11 weeks old, I still can't believe you are so close to being 3 months old. It excites me to know we are on the cusp of your little personality really coming out but it also makes me sad realizing the itty baby squishy stage is fastly coming to an end. I am holding tight to these last memories of you lying contently and perfectly in my arms.

You and I are very attached,we have such a strong bond.  You prefer me 99% of the time and you let everyone know that =) You are happy and content just being snuggled into my chest. I don't mind it at all. Your a great eater and your gaining the weight to prove it. 13 pounds at your last checkup. Your healthy and happy. You sleep in bed with your daddy and me. You love sleeping with your arms above your head and fall asleep to me holding tightly to my finger in your hand. You do 6-7 hour stretches and mommy is thankful.

You are super smiley and love to "talk". You love being in the ergo carrier and you spend much of your day in there.

Your sisters love holding you every chance they get. They run onto the couch and place a throw pillow onto their lap and hold their arms out. I love watching them fall more in love with you each day.

You are so loved,Hudson. We are so glad God gave us you and your sisters. Our hearts are overflowing with thankfulness and praise to God for blessing us with 3 amazing children.

"love you little man, love you my buddy"  That's what your sissies tell you every morning and night.

8 Weeks

Today my son is 8 weeks old. The more kids we have the faster time flies, it feels like yesterday Justin placed our baby boy on my chest for the first time. Now that little boy who has me wrapped around those precious fingers is cooing and smiling and melting our hearts daily. I love having a boy, I love having girls. I just love being a mom!

Hudson has slept all night for the last 2 nights. He's always been a really good sleeper. I think it also helps that he's snuggled into me all night every night. I love co-sleeping, wouldn't ever change it! He eats like a champ, nursing is amazing as always. He started smiling a few weeks ago but only for me, Justin has yet to see his big gummy grin.

The girls are settling in nicely, I think the "newness" of having a real life baby doll is subsiding although they still LOVE holding him, are constantly giving him kisses and they just sit and watch him sleep. I have 2 BIG helpers and it's been great.

A lot of people keep asking "so how are you holding up?" like I should be in some state of panic and depression and feeling overwhelmed. Trust me, I get overwhelmed sometimes but the transition has been great. I was made to be a mom to these 3 precious blessings. I feel full and complete. Yeah life needs to be more organized and things more scheduled but thats the life while having littles.

Hudson is laid back and relaxed. He sleeps through anything which is the biggest blessing because this house is very full of life.  He has already been dressed up as a princess and gotten his toe-nails painted. Life with 2 older sisters is going to be fun!

Our family feels right. 3 beautiful kids. 3 miracles. 3 times the fun!!

Life with 3 under 3 is

Chaotic

Beautiful

Busy

Full of Life

Meltdown city

Epic amounts of laundry

Glorious

Loads of Fun

Exactly what we wanted

Wanting to scream and lock myself in my room

Bedtime can be interesting

Naps are Heaven

Everyday is an Adventure

Jesus is needed constantly

Life is GREAT!

I stumbled upon this "Carnival" today and thought it was so amazing. Basically, it's moms who put together what they do or don't do as parent's this isn't a competition or a way to "one up" other moms but just a way to share the beauties of how different we all are but that our love for our children will always be a common bond. Pretty cool huh?

Mothering is very, very hard work. It's constant. It's tiring. Mothering will expose the parts of your heart that you can keep politely hidden from general society. It will break you in the morning but by evening, you feel like you've never been happier or more fulfilled in your life. It can also be monotonous (that's something not too many people will tell you - me? I'll tell you.) And do you have any idea how many loads of laundry a family of five can generate? (Hint: EPIC AMOUNTS OF LAUNDRY.) -Sarah Bessey

By no means do these practices mean that I have them perfected or that I am some supermom. I'm still learning and growing I have the days where I go to bed and say "wow, I did everything I wanted to do today" and then I have the nights where I crawl into bed and think "I screwed up so much today my kids may just hate me"  We are all growing, being stretched and figuring this out whether we are new moms to one kid or we are "seasoned" with three or more.  So here we go our practices....

The Practices of Attachment-  I stumbled upon the attachment parenting theory when I was pregnant with my first, I fell in love with it. I bought the book and now it's equally highlighted as my Bible.My husband & I really looked into our "options" are parenting theories goes and this was the perfect fit. Attachment parenting helps build trust and my kids trust me, we have their little hearts we are so attached it physically hurts to be apart for a long time. It's one of my favorite things of being a parent.

The Practice of Speaking Life- Words can wither build up or tear down, We try very hard to say things to our kids that will not break their spirits or hurt them. We don't compare them to their siblings or other children. We are very careful when we talk about them with other people that it's positive not that we want people to think we have perfect robotic children but our kids are listening and when I know they are around and can hear me you won't see me talking about all their issues. At least I try not to.

The Practice of Discipline-The root of discipline actually means “to teach, to instruct, or to cause to learn” and that’s my mission as a parent as I approach discipline issues. We want to teach and guide. We have had 25 years to become civil, respectful adults. Our oldest has only had 3 years to learn. We try to look at that and know that they are still needing to be taught and molded we can't expect them to know right away that its not polite to burp at the table or that its not okay to drop yourself in a tantrum fit over not being able to watch another episode of "Yo Gabba Gabba".This is no way is an excuse for my kids to be crazy banchees but we see our role as mom & dad to teach,guide and instruct while still laying down the law in a positive way =)

The Practice of Being Me- Of course being a Wife and Mom are my top priority but I am also Meghan, Meghan who likes to scrapbook, curl up on a big chair at starbucks and read for a few hours, the girl who yes LOVES going to the movies alone and sitting with friends and chatting. It's important to try and squeeze in these moments not only for me but for my babes, my children need a mom who has her tank full. It's good for us all. I have been on E where I made no time for myself because I always felt guilty and trust me NO one wins. Now I make time even if that means taking a hour long bubble bath and reading a book in the tub. I do it for everyone! I don't want my identity to be wrapped up in my husband or my kids. I am also a person.

The Practice of Hospitality- We are not "rich" by definition of America. (but who is these days?) But we believe its our responsibility to give to others no matter what whether it's making someone a meal, having someone over, helping people in need financially etc. We want our children to have a heart for others so we try and find opportunities for us to teach them and nurture that attribute.

The Practice of Being Silly-  Kids love to play, be imaginative and just be silly especially when mom and dad are playing with them. It's important for us to take time to get down and play at their level. Their love tanks get filled and everyone is happy. Plus it's so much fun to be able to re-live your childhood. I can finally make forts again!

The Practice of Jesus- Our main and most important goal is to teach our children about Christ, to be strong followers of him. It is our dream that they will love Christ with all their heart,mind and strength all of their lives. It starts with us. They need to see parents who are in the word everyday, who pray not only all together as a family but as individuals as well.

The Practice of Health- One thing that is really important to us is healthy eating and living. We are known as "the crunchies" with a lot of our friends because try to live as naturally as possible. We want to teach our children that their bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit and that we need to take good care of our bodies. We make sure we all get out and exercise daily, eat healthy and take care of ourselves.
The Practice of Homemaking- Being able to teach my children how to manage and run a busy household is one of my duties as a mother not to just my girls but also to my son. I won't always be able to cook, clean and pick up after my children. So its vital they learn from a young age how to run a house. You can start very young. Both the girls already have chores. To us we are setting up our children to be efficient spouses and parents. I will teach my girls how to be mothers and wives and my son how to be a husband and father that has something to give when it comes to household duties.
The Practice of the Vine- Without our relationship with Christ we would not only fail at parenting but just life. Making time daily to meditate,talk to and learn about him helps us extend grace to others and ourselves

The Practice of a loose routine.  I don't believe in having every second of every day planned out. I want to leave room for life for those special unplanned moments that we end up treasuring forever. I also believe you do need to be organized the only things we plan out is bedtime and nap time routine. Those are at specific daily times that I try and stick with as much as possible. I enjoy motherhood more knowing that everyday is a bit different!

So those are a few of our "practices" at least the ones I could think of. What are some of your practices? How are we the same and how are we different?

What My Children are Teaching Me

I am quickly figuring out that my children have just as much to teach me as I do to teach them.God has blessed me with 3 beautiful children to show me everyday just how much I need God, how much we all need grace and forgiveness and what unconditional love looks like.

I see myself in my children all the good things and a lot of the ugly things. Sometimes I hate myself for passing on things that I know are of me. Impatience, Stubborness, Selfishness. But thats how God also sees me but yet, he never stops loving me, he always forgives me, he always has open arms for me. He is the ultimate Father and that is SO how I want to be with my babes.

My Children are Teaching Me

• That we are on a never-ending adventure. The scenery changes, we break down sometimes, we hit the highs of a mountaintop just like a long road trip everything is constantly changing but one thing is the same. I am their mom, they are my children. They will always need me in some form and I will always need them. Every stage has its mountaintops and its valleys. Every stage on this adventure will pull things out of us to grow and make us more like Christ. And we are all setting up the example of what Jesus will look like to our children.

• Sllllow Down. My children are teaching me to slow down to stop and literally smell the roses. To our children the world is a place where everything is beautiful, interesting. Where discoveries are to be made. It's pure, it's innocent and untainted by all the sin and disgust we know is there. Seeing the dump truck come by every other day is one of the highlights of the morning for my girls. They hear the roaring the slam of the tires and they go runnnnning into the dining room and watch out the window to see him pick up the huge trash bin with his machine. I stop now and watch and it is rather very cool. But mostly I watch my children whose faces are brighter than a Christmas tree. Birds singing on branches bring joy to them, they find unique rocks that are different from all the others and its like buried treasure. They stop and say Hi and wave to everyone we pass on our walks or in the stores. It's taught me to not just rush through but engage with people throughout my adventure. I am learning to live in the moment and to enjoy this beautiful world God has made on a whole new level.

• Forgiveness. I blow it on almost a daily basis in some form. I get frustrated, impatient and lose my temper and yet my children still come running into my arms, hold me tight put their little hands on my face to wipe away tears and say "I love you" . They forgive. I embrace them in the same way. We all hold each other and say "do over" let's start this again. Ohhh how my children have taught me to have this same kind of forgiveness towards others. To embrace people that want my forgiveness and to have the courage to come up to others when I am in need of it as well. Grace. Forgiveness. Two things my children have that I never want to hinder.

• Who Cares?! They are also teaching me to not care what people think. It's okay to be silly, to be unashamed, to walk around Target with a tiara on your head (yes mine) because they begged and pleaded with you for 5 minutes in the parking lot. It's okay to run errands with no makeup. I am just as beautiful to my children. I have learned that my worth is not valued in what my hair and face look like. Yes, Its great to be put together but it doesn't always happen. I used to never ever go out in public without being completely done up. Now it's more common to see me in casual clothes with a cute hat and no makeup. I don't want my daughters to feel like they are only beautiful with all that stuff. It's taught me to not make comments in front of them about how" I look horrible today" or "I wish I could lose 5 pounds". We are beautiful just the way God made us.

• I need Jesus- Mostly I have learned how much I need Jesus, we can't be the moms we need to be without him. If I didn't have him guiding me throughout this adventure I would be so lost!

Birth Playlist

Lots of you have emailed wanting to know the songs that played during Hudsons birth. I had a whole playlist on my ipod of songs but he came so fast we never had time to set it up so we settled for KLOVE radio station instead. But God blessed me big time because most of the songs that played were on my playlist. Now when I hear these songs it takes me right back to that place 3 1/2 weeks ago when my beautiful son came into the world. We only made it through about 4 songs from the time I sat in the hospital bed to the time he was placed in my arms. But I remember each one because I sang the songs outloud or mumbled the words to get me through the contractions. So here are the 5 songs!

When we first turned on the radio, I was bouncing on the birth ball, I had lots of energy and wasn't in very much pain so this upbeat tune was PERFECT:  Wherever We Go-Newsboys

When I got into bed 5 minutes later almost in transition, it hit me like a wave one second I was bouncing laughing on the birth ball the next I could hardly move this song is one of my very favorites so it brought me back to remaining calm, taking deep breaths and trying to relax: God of Wonders-Third Day

Transition, This song couldn't of been more perfect during this time. Transition although short was really hard. I held onto the bars of the hospital bed with my eyes tightly shut and just mumbled the words. I had the most incredible wave of peace wash over me singing this song. Chris Tomlin-I Lift My Hands-
Pushing/Laying Him in my arms I had a much more meaningful song picked out in my head when Hudson would be born but this is what played and I actually am really glad. I LOVE this song for one but this song reminds me that well, Gods not Dead miracles like birth happen every second!: Newsboys-Gods Not Dead

Hudson's Birth Story

So it's been months and months since I have been on here. All due to a CRAZY crazy life we are living in right now. Just a lot on our plates and I needed to take time to just be  and give up a few things for awhile... Last Monday March 5th I gave birth to my baby boy!! Hudson Isaiah, He's perfect, beautiful and I am SO in love with him! I thought I would put up his birth story for you all since a lot of people want to know all the fun details =) I don't mind sharing. Birth is AMAZING and Beautiful! So here is the story on Hudson's entrance into the world...


Where do I begin? It was long it was super short =)

Thursday March 1st I started having uncomfortable contractions in the early morning; luckily I had a Dr’s appointment scheduled later in the afternoon. When I saw my Doctor I was 3cm and 90% effaced. We decided to go ahead and strip my membranes (I “thought” I had it done with Piper and it didn’t hurt me at all...OHHHH NO!) I’m pretty sure getting my membranes stripped hurt more than any part of my birth. I was uncomfortable the whole day and was having steady contractions so my mom decided she should come up just in case as my doctor said if my body is ready he will be born soon.My parents live about 3 hours away from us. Justin went to work that night and at 2am my contractions were really strong and 4 minutes apart so I called him and we went to triage. We were sent home 3 hours later because I wasn’t progressing even though they were labor contractions. We came home and slept and just spent the day at home.

Friday: I was having contractions but nothing super intense. Justin went to work that night.

 Saturday March 3rd I woke up and started to lose my mucus plug, my mom was going to head home that day but decided she should stay. Later that day I started having a bit of bloody show so we knew that time was getting a bit closer and she should stay. Saturday evening they were picking up in intensity and getting closer so Justin called off of work and we went in to triage around 5pm. I was 3 ½ cm still 90% effaced. I told the L&D nurse I had been contracting regularly since Thursday and was SO done. She felt horrible for me and really listened to how I was feeling. We walked for a hour and my contractions really started picking up, by the end of the hour I was holding on to the bars on the wall squatting and really having to breathe and focus. We got back into the triage room and she said she could stretch me to a good 4. My contractions realllllly picked up and 10 minutes later she said “no stretching needed you’re 4 ½ cm. We thought for sure that it was baby time. The nurse called my doctor and he wanted me to walk for another hour but I was exhausted my contractions were so intense, I couldn’t move so they put me in a actual labor room and let me “labor “ for an hour in the tub. I had been planning a water birth in the hospital so I was happy to be in the water. My contractions were bad, I told Justin that this was it we are having this baby TONIGHT! So he called our doula and she headed over to the hospital. While I was in the tub the shift change at the hospital happened so my amazing nurse Judy left and I got a not amazing nurse. She wanted me out of the tub right away so we got out; I walked for 10 minutes and went back to triage. She was a horrid nurse  I have never been treated so horribly in my life. She was condescending and treated me like I was a total idiot. I knew she wasn’t nice when she asked me how many kids I had and how old they were when I said “3 and 19 months” she looked at me and said “so you’re taking a break after this right?” My doula and I wanted to say some things to her. Well she discharged me and sent me packing. My doula came back to the house with me and we walked for about a hour my contractions were super strong 1 ½ minutes apart and lasting for about a minute. We knew we were going to go back in. My doula went home and I was just going to labor at home for a few hours and then head back to the hospital. She left around 10ish and at 3am we went back in and Justin demanded I see a different nurse. Well no progress. I walked again and didn’t move from 4 ½. They wouldn’t keep me because I was only 37 weeks and 4 days at that point. And the law is 39 unless you can prove change of cervix. Whatever. I was bitter, pissed, miserable and exhausted. I had been refusing pain meds and sleeping pills but I reluctantly told them I would take a Ambien just because I had hardly slept since Wednesday night. I took it on the way home and I only slept about 4 hours. Around 11 I woke up with strong contractions still but they had spread to about 7-8 minutes apart. My doctor and I had been texting back and forth all weekend (he gave me his personal cell # to keep in contact) He told me to rest and walk and that it was going to happen soon. We decided to try some natural inducers to see what would happen so I bought evening primrose oil and raspberry tea. I went to bed Sunday night with the contractions still the same but I was able to rest a bit. Who knows if they worked. I think they really helped things along but it's hard to know for sure!

Monday March 5th BIRTHDAY!!!
Monday I woke up with a ton of bloody show, they had been coming with each contraction since Sunday but this was a bit more. My mom was planning on leaving that morning. I decided on a whim to change my Doctor’s appointment that week from Thursday to that morning and whatever the outcome of what my OB said would determine whether she stayed or left to go home to Tucson. I was having strong contractions when we left for the doc at 10. My appointment was 10:45. Dr. Bryan for the first time EVER was running behind so we didn’t see him till about 11:30 I was contracting closer together while waiting in the office. He checked me and I was a “good 5” and he could feel my bag of water and said it was “SUPER FRAGILE” he didn’t break it .We decided that I would just go ahead and go to the hospital where he would break my water for me. I was 5cm contracting great, Hudson was in a good position and I was just exhausted and ready. He gave me pads to lay down in the car on the way home in case my water broke. I came home got Justin and we switched the girls car seats into my mom’s truck and got last minute things. While at home I started leaking fluid on my own . It was happening. By the time we left our house it was 1:45pm. I called my doula and she said she would be at the hospital around 2:30. The blessing is that she cancelled her 2 o’clock dance class last minute just in case we went to the hospital, if she hadn’t of done that she wouldn’t have made it to the birth! We got to the hospital at 2. I got into triage around 2:15 and was still at 5cm. At 2:20 Dr. Bryan took me into my room checked me again and I was at 7cm. I moved 2 cm within 5 minutes, so he went ahead and broke the rest of my water. 5-10 minutes later Christine my doula was there. My contractions were picking up but weren’t horrible, I needed to focus and breathe through them but I didn’t feel “out of control” My nurse never left my room and she kept checking me what seemed like every 2 minutes which was slightly annoying. I was about 8 by 2:45-2:50. Dr. Bryan also came in around that time and never left my side. By 8 I was in transition and feeling like I was about to lose it. I needed to push but couldn’t. by 2:55 I was ready to push. Before Dr. Bryan broke the rest of my water earlier him and Justin decided that it would be really awesome to have Justin catch Hudson so around this time Dr. Bryan and Justin got gowned up and ready to go. I am SO thankful I had a doula because Justin would have never been able to have that experience of being front and center for Hudson, because I would have needed him to do what Christine did. I felt like I was wigging out but apparently was really focused and internalized it all. Inside I felt like I wanted to rip all my clothes off and scream bloody murder because I was overcome with feeling so hot! I had to push but couldn’t just yet and Christine took my face in her hands and focused me back. I also loved that we had KLOVE radio playing in the background this helped SO much because when I was contracting I would mumble the words of the song playing; God had some awesome songs play for me. Some of which were actually on my birth playlist we never had time to get set up.Singing praises to God during one of the hardest things I have ever done was so amazing. I felt God with me every second of it and felt overwhelming peace By the time I felt like I couldn’t do it anymore I was ready to deliver. Pushing was sweet release. I pushed my baby into the world and felt every single part of it. Transition was way harder than actually pushing him out. At 3:03 Hudson Isaiah was brought into the world by me and by Justin catching him and immediately laying him on me. It was a total blur! It happened so fast I delivered with my shirt and bra on under my gown. My son was in my arms! I didn’t tear at all so the whole cleanup process took about 10 minutes.Dr. Bryan showed us my placenta and all the fun parts of it. It was really awesome. I never got to see mine with the girls By 3:25 everyone was gone and it was just the 3 of us.
Justin & I were trying to process everything. He was on cloud 9 because he was in just amazement by the fact he delivered a baby and that I did it without any pain meds or epidural. I was trying to process the fact that I did it with no drugs and how fast it all seemed. I had been telling my Dr for months that once I get to 5cm I go FAST. I knew that about myself but I didn’t think it was going to be that fast. The turn of events that day was God’s hand over us. If I hadn’t of gone to the dr. that day I would of delivered at home or on the way to the hospital. Regardless of him breaking the rest of my bag I would have had him Monday but I wouldn’t of known it was time till transition and wherever I was originally going to be at 3 is where he would have been born because I wouldn’t of been able to move. That still has me tripping. We were really close to having a home birth or a car birth!

Hudson was 8lbs 5 oz and 19 inches and born at 37 weeks and 6 days although we all think they screwed up my due date. His APGAR was perfect and he just doesn’t look early.He came so fast he swallowed a ton of fluid coming out so he was a bit spitty the first day and had no interest in nursing till he was about 10 hours old. Now he’s a pro. He has a little mark on his nose and some scratches on the top of his head from delivery also from flying out of me.

Giving birth naturally was and is one of the most amazing experiences of my life. No one delivered my baby I DELIVERED MY baby. Anyone who delivers is a rockstar regardless but it is nice when your husband is brought to tears over what you just did and tells you that you are the strongest woman he knows. I would do it all over again in a minute! We are so in love with our little guy and we are home and adjusting to having 3 kids. Justin & I both feel like the girls grew 2 feet while we were gone. Life is great!!