Thursday, January 26, 2012

Aunt Sara was here...and she brought me some self esteem, meet the baby sprinkle & an awesome Lego table

This past weekend I was one happy girl...well obviously I am always happy but particularly when my best friend comes into town I notice I am bursting with excitement. I cant stop talking and I just can not wait to have that "person" back around me. We try to talk as much as possible but it is not the same as when she is here. She is one of the most loyal people I have ever met in my life. She is just one of those people you can never let go of! (I bet she is getting a big head reading this, but sometimes you should really really tell people how you feel about them, and not always in a negative connotation). Anyways, she came in on a Friday evening and left on Sunday afternoon. We love to go shopping, eat out...and just gab! But we also love to just hang around the house in our jammies with the kids.

One other reason I love her so so much is she keeps me in check with the fact that even though I am a mom and a wife first and foremost....I still deserve to spend time and money on myself. Before I had a kid/kids I shopped all the time, went out when I wanted...got my hair done, you know...all the things a single twenty-something does. I somehow lost track that I matter just as much as Cayden, Mason and the hubby. It is a daily struggle to go shopping I have such severe guilt when I want to spend on myself...so much so that if it is not in the Target price range I feel it is too expensive. So, thank you Sara for making sure I remember I matter.
                                                     Sara holding Mason for the first time
What a goober!



Here is a picture of she and I before dinner. That's a first for me (literally) since I had kids...going out with out my husband. We went on a date to Olive Garden and I even had a drink, if you have never had there strawberry Bellini you are ABSOLUTELY missing out. I could of drank 5 more.
PS. IT WAS SO AWESOME TO GO OUT AND HAVE AN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE. AMEN TO NO MORE BABES
Speaking of no more babies...I had my final sprinkle on Saturday with my family! It was just my aunts, cousins and my nana. These women are so good to me. They really helped us out getting all those little items you do not really think about when you are getting ready for your baby! But since Mason came so early we were not at all ready like we wanted to. My aunt said, Mandy...I felt like I went grocery shopping for MAson lol. Thank you so much to my family. I just cant wait for our next shower!! My cousin Tara is expecting twins, one boy and one girl I can not wait to meet these little boogers, they are not being very nice to their mama.

Sadly enough, Sunday came all too quickly and she had to be on her way back to Pitt. Until next time...
Finally, Jordan and I made this for Cayden for Christmas using a Target table, Lego Duplo board and rubber cement. Well, needless to say the glue did not work at all. In fact, it took over 3 weeks to dry! So we took it apart, got all the old glue off and used Gorilla Glue instead and in about one hour we had the coolest DIY EVER. He loves it! We are able to keep all his new legos together in a red canvas bin under the table. It looks so sharp all cleaned up.

                        He is such a silly boy. He has started doing this typical face...Oh Joy.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

play date & my best friend!

Yesterday was such a fu day! We had our first play date at our house and Cayden was in heaven!!! I had my friend from work, she has an almost 2 year old, Alex and also my friend Andrea brought over her little girl who is 1, Emery. I love her name!! She is a petite little thing but a little pistol! The little thing can nearly speak full sentences,and when she first came inside she said "baby mason" clear as day, like a 5 year old! Those 3 ran around like crazy kids for a good 3 hours and then we made them a gourmet chicken nugget lunch and it was back to crazy town for the kiddos! It was so nice to have adult conversation with other moms and also watch Cayden enjoy himself too! He was having so much fun I ended up letting him run arounf in his t shirt and a diaper because his sweat pants had sweat spots!

At around 130 it was just him and Emery and meltdown central began, so little miss left us (Cayden cried, he did not want his friend to leave :( ) and off to the clouds he went. The day was not all giggles though, hafway through naptime Mason somehow choked on I guess spit up and was to the point where his body was stiff as a board, he was purple and gasping for air!! Thankfully I knew what to do, but I felt like it was not working, so I immediately called my paramedic hubby and he kept me calm and walked me through this. Finally he came around and was beginning to relax and breathe better and better every minute, but his mom on the other hand had to have a HUGE cry fest on the phone because that is the closest I have ever been to my children choking or being in serious pain. I would never wish that on my worst enemy. Im thanking God that he is so strong and hung on, and also thanking God for me knowing what to do. GOD BLESS IT THAT WAS SCARY!

On a much happier note, my best friend came into town today and will be with us until Sunday afternoon! It is so nice seeing her! She is so inlove with our kids and I know they will treasure her almost as much as I do! Daddy let mommy out of the house to have an adult dinner at Olive Garden! I even had a drink, a Strawberry Bellini...AMAZING! Tomorrow my family is throwing me a sprinkle for Mason I cant wait to see everyone!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

a play date!

Today was sucha fun day already and it is only 3 in the afternoon! Cayden had two friends over today and boy did they have a blast! One of the girls I work with brought her almost 2 year old boy, and another good friend Andrea brought her 19 month old littl girl emme over! They ran around for almost 4 hours stopping only to inhale chicken nuggets and grapes and an occasional diaper check! They had a blast. It is so good to see Cayden playing so well with other kids he belly laughs the whole time! I am making it my goal to make sure he is having play dates with other kids especially in the winter time when it feels like half way through the day it may never end because it is too cold to go outside and the only indoor play area is over half hour away :(.
Of course Mason got some loving from the girls...and he even got some cute little gifts too! He got the most adorable soft shoes, a mini dog pillow pet and diapers and wipes! Mommy was WAY excited about the diapers because little boy definately goes through more than his big brother!! Now baby and I are relxing on the couch watching Dr. Phil and Cayden is down for the count! I will probably have to go wake him up so he still sleeps tonight.

Side not: we took Mason to my work and weighed him and he finlly gained some weight, he is up to 6.4 lbs. Something I am even more stoked about...my best friend is coming into town from friday evening to sunday afternoon and im beyond excited! My family is even throwing Mason a sprinkle/meet the baby! He is one lucky boy.

Everyone have a great night!

Sunday, January 15, 2012

On my own &sneak peak of photo session!!

Today was a GREAT day. NO...today was AMAZING. I was fearing this day since the day I found out I was pregnant. You may know what Im talking about by now if you have multiple children...the day your husband is back at work, your mom is back to work and you are thrown into being the mother of 2 OFFICIALLY! We did most things like normal...and a few not so much. But thats the glory of this change in life, figuring out your new schedule and learning what can wait..and what can not.

For instance...we all stayed in our jammies until oh...lunch time! And...a diaper might not have been changed 2 seconds after it should of oopdiedaisies. And...a mom MIGHT of taken a quick nap on the couch while Cayden was watching cartoons and Mason was asleep. (insert terrible parent award). For the sake of some crazy mom reading this and thinking I am a terrible rent...I put the gate up...the newborn was in his crib...and with disney channel, a cup of cheerios and a cup milk the toddler is so content. FYI.

I even had time to act like a good wife and mom...I made a kick ass dinner consisting of yogurt pancakes and turkey sausage! All the toys are completely cleaned up, the dishes done, all laundry put away and I even gave Cayden a bath! (while feeding Mason). Like I have said so many times before, I have been so mervous and excited about being home with my two boys! I am SOO NOT good at being pregnant, and now that I am feeling great minus some pain in my incision...I feel free. I can get on the ground and play with my son, and I can lean over and give him a bath like I used to! Its very hard to do these things with a big ol belly!

AND....to top off this day I got a notification on my iphone that my photographer tagged me in something! I got butterflies in a heartbeat waiting for my phone to show me her link....and this is what I have been waiting for since the moment we booked this amazing lady...please enjoy as much as I did (even with a large amount of tears)
this is our beautiful baby Mason

 i think he looks like a gnome lol

 doesnt he look so peaceful??
The rest of the day we just sat arounf and played...and played some more! Here are a few more pictures of our day!
hey bug! You were awake today for the longest maybe a combined 2-3 hours!


 he loves his little brother, he holds his hands out and says...pwweease?

 jammies nana got him for christmas...they are a 3t!!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

MOM reality, bath time & newborn photo shoot

Its a Wednesday morning, Jordan and Cayden went to the gym...bug is sleeping on his boppy and I am sitting at the table-just finished up my egg whites and toast (start to new diet) and sipping on my coffee that needs heating up again...im a slow drinker what can i say. As I was making my coffee I realized I had not eaten breakfast yet...nor had I pumped because there was a giganto spot on my tshirt oops! So, breakfast got delayed and I went to pump, where I was more involved in watching the news and forgot to look and see how much I had done, when my pants felt wet...well, looks like I was done! So...my shirt is wet, my pants are wet, I had to change Mason after I fed HIM because he was wet from milk. Sometimes I think he does it on purpose, they are smart those 37 weekers :) OOOOh, the realitys of "new mommyhood" that we forget or...I should say we push to the back of our brains when we are feeling the need to have another baby, we forget about the un-done hair...the breast milk soaked pants, shirt and whatever else comes in its way, the eyebrows that have formed to one, the feet that need some SERIOUS attention...I MEAN REALLY I COULD GO ON! But even in the midst of all our dirt ball you look over at your clean, fed, new diapered wonder of a newborn and thank God for dirty clothes and ungroomed body. BUT I did manage to straighten my hair and brush my teeth and make my eyebrows look like there are two yesterday! GOOO MEE!

Yesterday Mason got his first real bath! Which means that almost 3 days ago that grosse umbilical cord finally came off. Im sorry yall, but it may be a great significance to some, but he is not inside me anymore,and I dont feel the need to save it, plant it, fry it whatever some mom's do. NO THANK YOU. We did although get to take some CUTE pictures of bug in all his glory, he was so good that Daddy needed NO assistance, Cayden got to stand on his stool and poke @ his little brother and I got to take embarrassing (in the future, think PROM) naked photos of course we covered the goods, because at no age should a baby or MAN put his goods for others to see! AMEN.

After bath time Mason had his first photo shoot with our new family photographer Jackie! She is so amazing and even better with kids! She did our mini shoot in November and will be doing all of Masons first year photos! Im so excited to have found someone who not only is AMAZING but such a reasonable price! Check out her website to see her work!

Here are som pictures from bath time and a few extra for your viewing pleasure...



 warm and snug in our clothes :) ready to go meet Jackie

I snuck in a little picture, cant really see much but this photo gets me so so excited to see the final work

daddy and cayden doing bath time.

the extra photos I forget to post...

so proud of cayden for being a big boy and letting us cut his hair huge money saver

perfect

 bug, your looking like an old man today :)

 cayden, you and papaw LOVE one another you guys share a special bond.

he loves to help clean!!

papaw & bug

 silly little boy, you love this blanket, I think it may be your new "blankie"

these boys make my life complete, how could you not be happy with this <3

its rare to get a mommy and cayden pic.
But he loves get under the covers and help me pump.

today we are going for a weight check on Mason. Our doctor is so great, she is really just doing it so we have piece of mind. Wish us luck!

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Week One of Mason in Review

Wow is all I can say for this past week! This whole week has been a game of catch up trying to keep up on our budget, me healing, LAUNDRY, LAUNDRY, LAUNDRY and a slew of visitors in and out all week. I have tried to take a picture of everyone who has held little bug, but I know I have missed out on at least a handful. Sorry yall.  Yesterday was the first day of no "parental supervision"! We were actually very excited to not have anyone staying with us and just having visitors in and out. We had Jordan's parents and his younger sister over for the Bengals game even though I am the only bengals fan but none the less, we still had a blast! Cayden absolutely loves when his papaw is around, he does not leave his side the whole time rather its a short visit or a whole week! I just love seeing them together <3

We had some little snacks I made sausage cheese balls for the first time with a dip I found on Paula Deens site, those were eaten in flash! And I also made my go to ham sammies! No matter how many I make they are always gone in a minute also. I love to cook for other people. I Can not wait to buy a house so we can have bigger get togethers and make appetizers for our company!

Because this last week has been such a whirlwind...I am pretty excited for the come weeks! We are going to get back on a somewhat schedule..start meal planning again and just resume our new normal I am so excited for this part of our lives! Watching our boys grow up together and seeing our family evolve! The future is so bright, and we have God to thank for every bit of it. Ill leave you with some pictures of this past week!!

wearing the hat mamaw made him it has little ears on it :)
 little bug...i heart instagram

big brother the fireman <3

amanda came to visit you. thank you amanda!!!

cayden loves his baby brother. my heart melts

I am THAT mom, and I love it

grammy came to stay with us when daddy had to work, she cleaned and helped us so so much

he tried to stay up and watch a movie with mom and dad.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

I had a BABY!!!!!!!

this is possibly going to be the longest post on the face of the earth. So if your bored than dont read this. Its for my records...NOT YOURS. So to keep it organized im going to write in order of days starting with the worst and best day of my life. Their are moments when you look up at ceiling, sky, out a window wherever and thank our GOD for blessing you. To think what could of happened devestates me. But I have to remember and hope that all went well because Papa was with us. Making sure nothing happened to Mason and I. I knew I named him after his great grandpa for a reason :)
So...here we go....

DECEMBER  30, 2011.
1030am I drove to my 35 week OB appointment by myself. Jordan stayed home so Cayden could nap. Im a big girl, dont always feel the need to have my husband at every appointment :). The appointment started with our normal...vital check and the ask any questions. I once again told my OB that I was feeling a little less movement...nothing crazy but just feeling less. When she went to use the doppler we thought we were just hearing a prolonged accel. But the longer she left it on, the higher his little heart raced. So, being that I said once again I was feeling less movement Iwent to the NST for 20 minutes of monitoring which is where the craziness began. After an OJ and about 30 minutes, little bug was just not acting like a 35 weeker should on the monitor. He was flat. We than ventured down the hall where I got a BPP. Its another US that looks for movement from each limb, lungs, taking "breathes" and a few other items. He passed with flying colors...so much that we were playing around and she gave me a 4d pic of him snoozing on his placenta :).

Back to my Dr I went down the hall. All the while texting my husband with updates every step of the way. But I just didnt feel good about this. Something in my mommy brain said we should have a baby today. Little did I know my dr and I were in agreance he needed to be monitored longer. Off to the hospital I went. The best part about working in Labor and Delivery...they are all your friends, so I was not scared the way some people may of been. I had my girlfriends right there with me. Nothing was strange, I knew what ti expect...little did I Know what was to come. I went on the monitors for AT LEAST 4 hours of monitoring....they put me in my own room (also benefit of working there) and a new form of HELL broke loose.

5 minutes into joking around with my nurse, and watching Mason on the monitor we went joking to flipping me from right side to left side...and back again. The next thing I knew the residents were rushed into the room with the Ultrasound. I didnt really know what was going on till they turned me toward the monitor and I was my baby's heart rate in the 50's. A baby's heart rate when in utero should be between 120 and 150. All of the sudden I panicked...I knew what happened to moms and babies in this situation...I Had no iv, no epidural, no foley cath the only on my side, was the loving familiar faces I see evryday at work telling me it would be ok and I was being crashed. Which is hospital talk for we are going to knock your ass out to get your baby out and save their life. I knew when I walked into room 20 I was having a baby I spoke the words to Krystle, my SCOB nurse.

It is one thing to be running a pt back to the OR, and feeling so bad for them!Oh how terrified they must be! But to be the one watching the lights on the celing flash by you in seconds is beyong words. Nothing is more terrifying in life than not being able to help your baby and trusting others (your friends) to work fast enough. Papa was watching over for us because once in the OR, what felt like hours they found his little heart racing! AND having those accels he hadnt had in hours.

Phew, that was a close call! They didnt want to take him if they didnt have to, he was too early. They would if needed but the little bug just needed more time to cook. I had the best possible team by my side. I had a friend holding my hand...and all my friends making sure I was taken care of. I owe them my life. I am thanking God everyday that they were there to try to keep me calm! we finally made the decision that it was safe to leave the OR baby still inside. But we knew this could happen again, so I was moved to a high risk room...literaly one room from the OR just in case he decided to act up again. In that room my husband magically appeared along with my mom! Everything is ok as long as they are present. PS not exactly the best time to be with one car. oops.

I was given an epidural just not numb yet, given my foley (ouch) and we had a fluid called D5 basically fluid with sugar in it to try and wake him. But we all knew deep down I was getting to meet Mason on Dec. 30, 2011. My nurse, my friend Jen had been on the phone with my dr and by 4 oclock we decided Mason was trying to tell us something, and whatever it was he was better on the outside than the inside.

Side note...for the last month I hd been having dreams about a friend who had a similar situation with not feeling much movement and not so perfect monitoring and she lost her baby at term. I couldnt stop thinking about this, i had a gut...bad feeling and Iwas thanking God that we were getting him out of me. I dont think I would of been able to sleep at night, even if i would stayed on the monitor continously.

ANYWAYS...after a few more hours, a more controlled situation...and my dr, and an awesome resident and nurse by my side we had baby via repeat c-section!!!

MASON DAVID MCCLELLAN
6LB 5OZ 19IN LONG
MOMMY AND BABY LEAVING THE OR HEALTHY!!!

i can not begin to thank the staff...my friends...for what they did for us. Not only doing their jobs medically speaking, but for the love and support of everyone. All the visitors, prayers, dinners, phone calls, texts, facebooks posts etc. You all will never know what it means to my family until you are on that table. I pray that God will keep an extra eye on you and your families everyday like he did mine.

 my doctor, my "due any day" nurse and I in recovery <3


I am goign to make this into 2 posts. The next one will be much less dramatic :)