The Ultimate Tickle Me Tuesday!

I am not sure if any Tuesday will ever top this one! We got the ultimate Tickle when this little guy arrived!
The saying goes, "Tuesday's child is full of grace." Well, I wouldn't quite say that his entrance into this world was very graceful, considering he came out looking like this:


BUT, hopefully the rest of his life will be that way.
This perfection has melted my heart all over again!

The delivery was hard (all back labor again), fast (broke my water a little after 2 am and he arrived at 2:51), and PAINFUL(No epidural = NO FUN!), but I am so thankful that all went well and we have a healthy little BOY!
I supposedly yelled, "It's a boy" before he was even out. The room got silent when I said it because they didn't know yet. After they pulled him on out, I hear Michael say, "We have a boy!"
I remember intially thinking that he looked like Lila with all his dark hair. It felt like forever waiting for that first cry, although it was only a few seconds.
They layed him immediately on my chest and we loved all over him!
After cleaning him up they handed him to me and I couldn't believe how blue his face was. The rest of him was perfectly pink. Apparentley when the baby drops so fast it causes bruising and some blood vessels in his eyes to burst. It went away pretty quickly and he healed up nicely! I still thought that he was absolutley gorgeous!
I will tell you that delivering in the middle of the night is for the birds! I couldn't sleep of course, but that did not hold true for Michael who after literally falling asleep standing up next to Garrison, konked out about 5 and slept for 3 hours. He had no idea of all the doctors, pediatricians, and nurses that were in and out. I FINALLY got a little rest at about 3 the next afternoon for only 45 minutes or so.
Garrison has been the best little baby. I remember our first nights home with Lila and Graham and how they both screamed all night long. I was preparing myself for that experience again, but this little sweetheart was very kind to his mommy and daddy and didn't fuss too bad at all. He has been GREAT!
We Love you Garrison Reid Harrell
June 15, 2010
8 lbs 12 oz.
21 inches long

Behind

Yes, I feel like that is my life...running behind all the time. I have been a total slacker when it comes to this blog. I like to try to keep it in chronilogical order, but then I just got so behind I didn't know where to start. So, here we go again, starting in the present and I will try and backdate posts from EASTER!! Yowzers...I am so bad. Just be sure to check back. That is, if you care that much! :)
Since Easter, we have been quite busy. The month of April included watching my 16 year old niece play the lead in her school play, Music Man...can I say proud??? She is amazing. We celebrated my grandmother's 90th birthday in which my sisters and I all traveling from different places showed up in the same shade of green and white. :) Let's see, we celebrated Michael's 33rd birthday, had an overnight hospital stay, a couple of horrendous "procedures", another ear infection for G, and saw Bon Jovi for the 3rd time. May included Michael doing the Lord's work in Nicaragua while I spent a wonderful(but exhausting) week at beach with a 4 yr. old, 2 3 yr. olds, a 2 yr. old, and 2 12 months olds. BUT, I was with amazing friends and missed THE FLOOD of 2010, so I was happy about that!!! Spoiled I do believe I am. I did manage for the 2nd time in my life drive off with the gas pump still in my car on the way home, but the good news is I did not get a speeding ticket, so for now...I get to keep our insurance! Lila got another ear infection as well the week we got back from the beach, but we got her better just in time for her 3rd birthday party..sniff sniff. They grow too fast, but they also start acting like they are grown to fast. I have a feeling we are entering what I have heard called the "trying three's." Once again, you all can pray for me anytime you want! What a great time we had at her party and that will be a post all on its on. Due to numero 3 coming, I did her party early this year. We had a super fun memorial day weekend including a trip to the lake!
During the months of April and May, Graham went from barely walking to running, to saying a few words to talking in sentences and even asking to sit on the potty! Man, I love this age. He is so stinkin' cute and I just love to hear him talk! I am so proud of him! We are now almost to the middle of JUNE..WOW and I am about to have a BABY!!! I can honestly say I have started to stress and freak out a little about it until yesterday. I am at the point where I am getting so excited about holding, smelling, feeling, a little tiny baby again! Speaking of little tiny, I think I may actually have a normal size babe this time. I am no where near as big or as miserable as I was at this point with Graham. I have only been asked about 5 times if I am having twins. Much better than the daily askings with G. At my 38 week appointment yesterday I am just barely dilated to 2 and about 50% effaced. The baby has dropped, but I may actually go up to my due date. I finished my closing, went to the CMA's, and got my hair did, so I am good to go! :)
Hopefully more posts are to come!

Baby Thoughts

I had my first dream last night about the baby. Is that bad that I am just now dreaming of him or her?? At first, I saw my children in a room together. There was Lila, Graham, and another little boy. The other little boy actually looked like a little Henry we know, but he was suppose to be my baby. Then, I dreamed that I had just given birth and they forgot to tell me the weight. All the Dr. put was .1. Weird! I thought. Then, I find out that "SHE" came out breach and weighed 10.3lbs or somthing crazy. I never saw her, but just knew I had delievered a girl. WHO KNOWS??? Why don't I have a feeling? Not knowing what we are having isn't what is driving me crazy. What is is that I don't have a feeling. Right now I say boy, but a month ago I said girl. I do feel like I am starting to want things ready, NOW! Unfortunately, there is not a lot of time for me to do so. I did get on a kick and totally reorganized my kitchen tonight. Those plans were not on Michael's agenda for the evening, but he did step in and help some. I want to paint, clean out the attic, and redo all my decor. I guess since I am not getting to do a nursery this time, I am "nesting" in other ways. Once I get through Lila's birthday party, then it is BABY TIME! By that I mean, preparing for baby. I want to bring down some clothes and wash them and get a few things ready. I am starting to get REALLY nervous about delivering this time. I just don't know if I can do it all natural again. I think ignorance was best for me in not knowing what to expect. This time I KNOW and boy it is not fun. I went to the Dr. today for my 34 week visit. Man, it has flown by. 6 weeks or less left. I just can't believe it. I think we may do another ultrasound around 38 weeks just to measure the baby. I want to know if I should expect another jumbo baby this time. Right now, I don't feel like I am as big, but you never know?? I do know that I am carrying a lot different then I did with both Lila and Graham. They both sat up a lot higher. My mom said maybe it is just gravitiy pulling it down by the 3rd time around! haha! I definitely don't think it is a cute, but what do you do?? I do know that none of that matters as long as I have a sweet healthy baby in my arms soon!....just not too soon! :)

Easter Fun!

Oh, how I LOVE the Easter season! We went from having cold, rainy, dreary weather, to an absolutely beautiful week. In order to celebrate, we have been reading bible stories and talking about what Easter really means this season. I don't think Lila quite understands the dying on the cross and rising again part. Although, she did say while reading a book that only had 1 cross on the hill, "Where are the other 2 crosses?" Maybe she is getting it??
Easter is one of my all time favorite holidays and this year was wonderful! I love a gorgeous sun-shiny day on Easter, and I couldn't have asked for a better one this year. I do not like cold, rainy, gloomy ones.
Michael has laughed at me often the past few weeks because I randomly have been bursting out with "He's Alive! He's Alive! He's alive and I'm forgiven, heaven's gates are open wide!" He even played it for me on my ipod while getting ready to color Easter eggs.
To start our weekend off, we had a Good Friday Playdate/Egg hunt at the house. Once again, I get too busy running around that I don't take the best pictures. It was a another beautiful day and I think all the kids had a grand time jumping/riding/dancing/ and egg hunting.


We have been so fortunate for Lila and Graham to meet some sweet sweet friends, who she talks about all the time! Even more so,I have been so fortunate to meet some wonderful girlfriends and moms who keep me grounded, give great advice, and love my kids. I am hoping to hang out and visit with them more and more this summer.
I love all these kids and each of their distinct personalities!
Here are some shots from our fun day:
I don't have a picture, but I am sure that Caroline won the prize for fastest egg hunter, and Graham and Little B were the kings of picking them up and dumping them out. ( I guess that is what 18 months old are suppose to do.)
I think everyone ended up with a pretty good candy stash.


Here is a shot of our yummy spread. A small portion of our meal included butterfly and bunny shaped sandwiches thanks to our amazing neighbor, a yummy meal made by Mrs. A, and these adorable and DEE LICIOUS cupcakes by Mama Brown, who always goes above and beyond. Oh, and I can't forget the egg-shaped jello thanks to AJ!

Unlike my own daughter, E would stop and pose for the camera! That is my kind of girl.

I can only imagine the hearts these two are going to break one day.

Lila helping Will with his Easter Eggs. I think they have a mini crush on each other!

Out of all the egg hunts we had this week, this is the only one G participated in. I am glad I took a few pictures because he didn't want any part of it the other days.



And here is Lila working hard for her eggs.

What to do Wednesday

This little sweet thing of mine is killing me lately! By that I mean, she has decided that she doesn't want to nap! As I am sure I have mentioned before, she has NEVER EVER EVER been a good napper...not even as a little bitty baby. She would not fall asleep out in public in a stoller or on my shoulder, etc. If I breathed on the carseat if she slept in the car she would wake up. Even when she went to one nap it was only for about an hour and 10 minutes. Once in a blue moon I would get an hour and a half or 2. Her teacher tells me that at school IF she does go to sleep it is for no more than 45 minutes. The past several weeks she has started not sleeping at all or going every other day taking a nap. On the days she does take a nap it is still her regular time, short nap! She wakes up happy and does sleep well at night...usually 11 hours. As far as this week is concerned, she hasn't napped since SATURDAY!! I still make her stay in her room on her bed and rest. The Easter Bunny brought her some Cinderella books on CD so after an hour if she is still not asleep I have let her read those. Here is the kicker...she has started that if she does take a nap, then she will NOT go to sleep at night, but still wake up at the same time. She isn't even 3 yet, so I KNOW she needs the sleep and her attitude shows it too. HELP! Suggestions? Oh, and please don't tell me how your child sleeps 3 or 4 hours a day. I may have to come through the computer screen after you...no actually, I will just cry!

Every old Crow

I have been debating about doing this post or not, but Yep,it's time folks. It is time for me to do a post I like to call "Every old crow thinks hers is the blackest." Yall know I don't REALLY think that, but this is my blog and I guess I am entitled to brag a little bit, right? You can make fun of me...it's ok!
In my Valentine's post I mentioned that I let Lila sign her own Valentine's for her class and that I was kicking myself for not taking a picture. Yes, some of them were illegible, but several of them were totally her name!
A few weeks before this, we were upstairs drawing on her chalkboard when I hear, "H...I made an H mommy." I look over and this is what I see.

I asked her if she just wrote that and to show me how she did it.

She proceeded to make "3 H's". I was impressed, but didn't think too much of it, other than I did go and grab the camera to take pictures! :)


Since then, Lila will be drawing on her easel or coloring on her paper and tell me she is going to write her name, or I will just find where she did. Many times she writes it and then proceeds to squiggle all over it. About 2 months ago(yes, I am behind on my posts) I hear her yelling about something. (I was in the kitchen and just thought she was playing in the living room.) I go in to see what all the fuss was about and this is what I found.

She was frustrated because her marker was going out, which is why you see 2 a's here. She kept trying to make it write. This is not the best I have seen, but is the only one I have been able to catch a photo of before she messes it up. I guess I was just impressed because it's not like I have been working with her on writing her name. The only time we did was the day we signed her Valentine cards.

I also LOVE to get notes sent home like this from school:

You can't see it here, but apparently Lila has been tracing her number pages often. I didn't think too much about it because she does this at home, but her teacher found it noteworthy, so I will take it!
I have no idea, so please tell me...is it time to start teaching a 2 1/2 year old to write? AAAHHH..that is a lot of pressure!

A Heavy Heart

Today my heart is heavy. Why, because of this:
CANCER
Main Entry: can·cer
Pronunciation: \ˈkan(t)-sər\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin (genitive Cancri), literally, crab; akin to Greek karkinos crab, cancer
[Latin, crab, cancer] a : a malignant tumor of potentially unlimited growth that expands locally by invasion and systemically by metastasis b : an abnormal bodily state marked by such tumors
: something evil or malignant that spreads destructively
I feel like everytime I turn around I hear of another child, another friend, another co-worker, another mother, father, sister, brother that has cancer.

WHY?????
I do not know why, but I know that today it hit a little closer to home for me.
A childhood friend passed away today after battling a brain tumor for a while. She is MY age. I graduated high school with her and she has a 4 year old. This breaks my heart more than anything.
Thanks to FB, I have been able to reconnect with her, but only a little.
She wrote me on my birthday and I just wrote back and asked how she was doing. She wrote me back and told me that she was ok and in between chemo treatments and she asked how this baby was doing. I checked this on my phone and planned to write her back on my home computer, because sometimes it is just a pain to write on my phone. But guess what? I never did. I did recently send her a message but I don't know if she was already too sick to even get it. I had heard she was sick but did not know details. I am just so mad at myself for not letting her know that I actually cared. She could have just used the pick me up. It would have taken me two seconds and I didnt do it. UUGGHH!
I honestly don't know why I am taking this SO hard, but she is just too young! Too young to go and leave her husband and little boy. I now have someone on my "friend list" on FB that has passed away...that seems so strange.
I feel like so often we hear of another person having cancer, and always say, "Oh that is so awful. I feel terrible. etc. etc" But what do we really do about it? Are we REALLY there for them? Are we REALLY adding them to our prayer list and praying hard for them?

I'm just sad today and thinking about that sweet little boy who doesn't have his momma anymore.