The first week as a family of 5

I was so thankful my parents could be here to help.  They kept the house clean, organized stuff, helped me to get rid of stuff, entertained the kids, let Brian and I get some sleep, and just help us adjust to a family of 5.  Kaelyn ended up with a double ear infection and congestion with a cough.  We had to keep the kids away from the baby and it was so hard.  The kids, Kaelyn especially, wanted to see the baby and hold her.  "Hold baby, see baby" Kaelyn would hold out her hands to tell us she wanted the baby.  I felt so bad when we told her she couldn't hold her.  Hadley pretty much lived in our bedroom.

Hadley's first doctor's appointment and she did great.
Weight: 7lb 5.5oz
Height: 19 3/4inches
Head: 34 1/2

Newborn pics done by Sara whom we love

Hadley has been a pretty easy newborn.  She is more demanding to eat during the day but I have to wake her up to feed her at night.  Sometimes I have slept through my alarm and I wake up and its been 4 hours and she is still sleeping. I try to feed her every 3 hours.

I got the kids some gifts after Hadley was born since they are the big brother/big sisters now.  I bought Kaelyn a baby carrier so she could wear her baby dolls just like I wear Hadley and she loves it.  I bought Jaxon and new video called Bibleman- its a superhero movie, which he loves.

It was nice to have Brian home over Christmas break and then after Haldey was born.  He spent some extra time with Jaxon.  Then we got a huge snow storm and Brian was able to stay home.  They enjoyed playing out in the snow and sledding with his buddy Andrew and Andrews dad.  I stayed inside where it was warm with the girls.

They were supposed to skiing with friend Andrew and his dad while Brian was off work, but the conditions at the ski slopes weren't that great.  So they had a boys day instead and went to Charlotte to a children's museum instead.

Since Hadley has been born, the snow and cold weather, sickness, no school, I feel like we've been hibernating.  I couldn't wait to get out of the house.

So thankful for our church family to bring us meals as we adjust.

Cousin Ally got to meet Hadley

Mom and dad had to leave earlier than expected because my grandmother fell and had a brain hemorrhage and was not doing well.  Thankfully they left when they did because she passed away on the day that they originally were to leave to go see her.
We were all sad that she passed but thankful she is reunited with Papa.  She hadn't been the same since after Kaelyn was born.  She didn't communicate very much and it put alot of stress on my aunt to check on her everyday at the nursing home and my mom and my aunt to visit with her often.
We took Hadley to the funeral in South Carolina and thankfully Jaxon and Kaelyn stayed with Brian's parents for a few days.  It made traveling alot easier and I was able to spend more time with my family.  At 2 weeks old Hadley met alot of people at the funeral.  I wish Jaxon and Kaelyn could have gone with us so they could play with all their cousins.

The first 2 days I was by myself with the kids, Jaxon had preschool, so the transition was a little bit easier.  If I needed to feed Hadley, Kaelyn will sit in her high chair and play with puzzles or color and entertain herself.  Or she would sit next to me on the couch while I fed her.  She has been a little jealous and wants me to hold her all the time.

Jaxon has pooped in the potty 2x now by himself and on his own initiative.  So we had to make a big deal and take him to the toy store.  They came back with a gun that has lights and noise.  They also bought one for his friend Andrew for his birthday.  Now they can shoot each other.  I have many things still to learn about raising boys.  I don't think I can have a gun free house now.  If he doesn't own one he will make one with whatever he can find.

He pooped in the potty for a 2nd time and of course there is not more going to the dollar tree when he knows there is a cool toy store with better toys.  This time he had to use his own money.  I talked him into getting a helicopter lego set.  I think Brian enjoyed helping him put it together.

We had really nice weather one day and I took the kids to the park for a picnic after preschool.  Hadley did great and I wore her in the sling and let the kids run around.  The sling will be a lifesaver.

Jaxon
He sleeps in some days which helps me out.  His wake up time could be anywhere from 7-8
He loves shooting with his toy gun and now has taught Kaelyn
He is learning how to write more letters
He has had some separation issues at preschool and if I leave the house and can melt down
During my pregnancy and now even after Hadley was born he can get jealous for my attention
He loves playing matching games
He has gotten more emotional
He says "I'm mean at you" if he's mad at you
The few times he has pooped in the potty he wants to save it in the toilet so he can show daddy

Never thought I would be having this Conversation with my 4 1/2 year-old son

J mommy I want to bring my gun for show and share at preschool today
M Jaxon I don't think that's a good idea
J why mommy?
M because guns can hurt people and your gun looks like a real gun. They don't want you to bring guns to school
J but mom this gun doesnt hurt people it's a toy gun
M i'll have to ask your teacher

This is only the beginning

Kaelyn
She is putting more words together and has become more independent "I do it"
She continues to be a good eater
She is still sleeping in in the morning until 10:00am which is great.  I do have to wake her up earlier if its a preschool day.
She gets jealous and wants me to hold her if I'm holding Hadley
She loves playing with her dolls and putting them in Hadley's carseat
She will tell me to put Hadley in her bed
She will tell me "baby crying"
"feed baby" "baby hungry"
She loves apple juice, oranges, and crackers and will tell you what she wants to eat
She likes to clean up
She likes to tell you that she farted
She prefers that I put her to bed

She loves putting puzzles together

She can't wait for me to put Hadley to bed so she can reclaim her seat

She loves giving Hadley kisses

my little bakers in the kitchen

Getting ready to be a family of 5

So excited Mimmie and Pop Pop are here before baby comes.  They came on Monday and D-day was on Thursday.  Thankfully the baby decided to wait until after they came.  I felt alot better that I had my babysitters here for the kiddos in case we needed to leave in the middle of the night.

The day before our due date and baby is still baking

On December 29 D-day we decided to go to the Children's museum so the kids could get out of the house.

The birth story
On December 20 at my appointment I was dialated to 2cm and maybe 70% effaced.  I had already started to feel uncomfortable and had felt alot of pain and pressure making it hard to walk.  I had had some pain but not any real strong contractions.  I was getting kind of nervous because my parents weren't here yet to take care of the kids in case we needed to make a made dash to the hospital and I wasn't sure if my water was going to break at any moment.  There was no way to be prepared and know what to expect.  I had been induced with our other 2 children so I didn't really know what not being induced felt like.  We really wanted to have the baby before the first of the year, for tax purposes and for insurance.  At my next appointment on December 28, the day before my due date, there wasn't much change and the baby was too high and hadn't dropped yet.  The doctors set an induction date of December 30.  I was to report to the hospital that morning.  The doctor on call was not my normal doctor but I was ok with that.
At 7:15am on December 30th we went to the hospital.  I decided I wanted to try to go drug free and have this baby natural.  I survived drug free with the other 2 partly because they came so fast.  If labor was long and I was in alot of pain then I would consider drugs but I at least wanted to try it again.  They checked me and I was still at a 2.  The baby was still high and I had had some minor contractions and cramping.  They started pitocin to see if that would help baby to drop and help get things started.  The doctor was going to come back around lunch time to break my water.  It seemed like it took forever for the doctor to come back. She finally came around 3pm.  I felt alot of pressure and I was dialated to 3cm.  I felt more intense contractions around 4:30-5 with not much of a break in between.  Brian rubbed my shoulders and back and I used the exercise ball to get me through the contractions.  I was still on the exercise ball and around 5pm I felt more pressure and the need to push.  With not much of a break in between contractions I was somehow supposed to get back on the bed.  The doctor and nurses prepared things and with 2 pushes baby Hadley Noelle was born.  I had a 2nd degree tear this time and it seemed to take forever for the doctor to sew me up and it was somewhat painful.  I just wanted it to be over.  I felt like I couldn't enjoy the moment with our baby girl with the doctor sewing me up and pushing on my belly.  Brian and I each had different girl names picked out (Gracyn or Auden) then we decided to pick a different name all together.  We agreed on Hadley, but Brian was the one that came up with it.  If it was a boy we would have used the name I picked out "Cohen Russell."  Brian liked Finley for the boy and I wasn't crazy about that name.  I wanted the name to flow with Jaxon and Kaelyn and to sound ok with our last name.  So Brian has named all of our children.  We had first picked out Grace for the middle name but then realized we couldn't use our niece's middle name, so since it was close to Christmas and a December baby we thought it would be fitting to use the name "Noelle"
Jaxon and Kaelyn came to the hospital the night she was born to meet her.  They had been excited all day.  Brian went to get the kids and have them meet her first and then the kids went to get my parents in the waiting room and told them they had a sister.  We had to facetime Brian's parents because they had been sick and were unable to come right away.

Hadley Noelle born at 5:35pm, weighing 7lbs 11oz, 20.5inches long.

Loved her first bath

Brian's parents came to the hospital to meet their new granddaughter.

Our pediatrician was on call and came to check Hadley out and cleared us to go home

All ready to go home

Look who greeted us when we got home.  They were so excited to see their sister.