Maddie Grace is Here

Well, for those of you who don't do Facebook (which is the easiest way in the world to pass info around), I am going to write my birth story and update with a few new pictures.

 It all started on Easter Sunday, April 4th. We went to church at Journey's Easter service which was held at an auditorium with about 1400 people in attendance. It was awesome to worship together as a family and celebrate the resurrection. Mary Jo had it all festive and fun in the lobby since she couldn't decorate the sanctuary. Here are a few pics of the kids.

After church, we had an awesome Sunday brunch with the Davis' at Mongoes Grill. The kids...okay the kids and the adults chowed down on make your own stir fry, pancakes, and omelettes. We had alot of fun. Then, we came home and mom and I went over to Cindy's to visit. We stayed a few hours and then headed home. When I got up to leave, I had a sharp pain but didn't make much of it. Josh and the kids came home from the pool and Josh was gonna take us to dinner. I said I would cook dinner and when Josh said he didn't want me to cook, I told him it might be the "Last Supper" (but at the time, I thought it was a joke). All of a sudden, I started cooking like a house on fire, then I started in on laundry and packing for the hospital. I got everyone in the house on the ball. The kids were cleaning their rooms, Josh and mom were vacuuming and cleaning the kitchen. I hadn't been real "nesty" before now...it all came out that night and I was a little cooky. The pains started getting a little more regular and hurting a bit more. I didn't think it was labor...more like cramps. I decided to shower and dry my hair (just in case)! By the time I was drying my hair, I had to lay down every few minutes, but was still in denial that it was true labor. Josh finally called the doctor and they said when I couldn't talk through contractions that I should come in. I figured that I was talking on the phone to the nurse, so I was still good to go. I finished getting dressed and then I had to lay down. My mom decided that we should start timing contractions and by about the third round, when I wished I already had the epidural inserted, I was game for going to the hospital. (although I was still unsure about whether it was the real deal...labor is a tricky thing and this was my first time to not be induced, which is a whole other ball game). Josh waited for our awesome friend, Richelle, to come stay with our kids and my mom drove me to the hospital. It was pretty funny because I was giving her directions in between contractions. We made it to the hospital by about 11:45 and I had high hopes that we weren't going to be going home in an hour. I got my wheelchair and waited for mom to park. In the meantime, a frantic mother in law rushed into the ER and said her pregnant daughter in law was in the car throwing up and needed a wheelchair asap because she was in labor. They didn't have another wheelchair, so I was about to give up mine because I felt so sorry for her and thought I had a while to go. They said they had it taken care of and wheeled me up to triage where they check to make sure you're not in false labor. I got dressed in the bathroom, all the while listening to that other lady scream, thinking she was about to have the baby in that room. I went back to my room and the nurse asked me all kinds of questions, which were getting increasingly hard to answer (mom helped). She then decided to check me and took quite awhile. I thought that she was giving me the benefit of th doubt so she didn't have to send me home. She looked at me, a little shocked because I was still so calm and quietly breathing through my contractions, and said "You're at an 8 or 9 and your water bag is bulging;" She said she would call the doctor ( and I may have mentioned the anesthesiologist at this point) and get me in a room quickly. I was in the room by 12:00 and they began the prep for maddie's arrival. The first and most painful thing was the insertion of the i.v. Apparently, I have "valvy"veins and this fact equals being stuck by 2 nurses a total of 4 times to get a good i.v. This was undoubtedly the worst part of the whole labor.  By 1:00, I was so happily living in "epidural world" and felt great. At 1:20, I was on the phone with Kelsey and heard an audible pop and felt like someone had thrown a water balloon under my bed (sorry for the graphic details but it was hilarious...even Josh and the nurse heard the pop). I figured it was time to wrap up the phone call and the doctor came in the room. By 1:33 and after three pushes, our beautiful Maddie Grace entered the world. It was so amazing and such a blessing that she was so healthy and beautiful. I got to hold her fresh out of the womb and she calmed right down. She cried a very feisty cry while they were messing with her (which we luckily haven't heard since). She weighed 7 pounds 11 oz and was 20 1/2 inches long, with a full head of sandy brown hair. It was such a miracle to have her in the world and I loved getting to nurse her within minutes of her birth. We had a great hospital stay. The nurses were absolutely fabulous, but not too hovering. Here are a few "fresh from heaven" pics of Maddie.

Daddy loves his baby girl!

It was so much fun watching the kids meet Maddie. They both said she was smaller than they thought she would be. When Bailey held her, she said that she was in "baby heaven". Cade asked about a little red dot on her face, and I told him it was just a little bump but explained how later she may get "baby acne". The next day when a commercial for Pro Activ skin care came on, Cade said we could buy that for Maddie. Too funny!

Maddie had wide eyes for a very happy mommy.
Grandma stayed with me for the whole hospital stay and we had a great time loving on Maddie and becoming BFF's with one of the nurses, Dana, and the lactation consultant.She is the ultimate grandma!!

What a look of pure joy on this sister's face...she has been patiently waiting for Maddie!

The Knotts family came for a visit. Lindsay and Allie had been waiting since this summer to meet Maddie Grace. Allie had even been pretending to be pregnant with her own baby. The Davis boys all came for a visit and the kids had a lot of fun together!

The Slacks came to visit once we were home. Shannon wasn't happy that I didn't wait for her to get home from Easter vacay to have Maddie.

Tony and Yvette Davis

Glamour Grandma Johnson

Jack couldn't wait to hold Maddie Grace. He said he had never seen a baby that new before.All Cade and Bailey's friends are excited to meet Maddie too.

One more pic of the proud sister. Cade has held Bailey alot but she seems to remind us that she needs her picture taken when she holds Maddie.

Bailey's Birthday in Disney

Bailey and my friend, Shannon's daughter have birthdays exactly one year and two days apart, so this summer, we decided that we would do the girl's b day celebrations at Disney (kind of cool because that is also what Cade and I did for his fifth bday). We got the girl's princess makeovers at the Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boutique. They were so cute and grown up looking while they sat in the chairs getting fussed over! Bailey LOVED it...she is so girly and they got alot of looks and attention as we walked around the park...it made them feel really special!! We had a blast going on all kinds of fun rides, eating treats, and a new pasttime...pin trading. To top it all off, our friend Tony's dad and stepbrother were there for the day, and before we knew it, he had snuck off with Cade and Jacob to get pirate makeovers. I was shocked with the whole pirate makeover experience. Every one in the salon was totally in character, they had to say the funniest "pirate oath", and got a fun picture session in a "secret room". Cade's experience was actually a little more "over the top" than Bailey's but she was so sweet and told him that he looked "awesome". They both loved their makeovers so much that they slept in the makeup and wore their costumes to Animal Kingdom the next day. We had such a fun weekend and made some really great memories. Being near Disney has been a really fun perk of living in Jacksonville!!

When Cade was getting his pirate makeover, they asked Bailey if she knew what they called princesses in these parts. She said no, and they exclaimed "Ransom"!

Cade got some seriously scary makeup...he reminded me of Johnny from the Karate Kid, for those of you kids of the 80's!

I thought this picture looked magical with the castle all lit up in the background. She looked so pro when she struck this pose all by herself...what a beauty queen!

Bailey and Cinderella

Beautiful Princess...Emma and Bailey. They had people wanting to take their pictures throughout the park. Bailey asked me why people thought she was really a princess and I said because you are and so you have to act like one. She said, "I'll try my best." Too cute!!

Have you ever had two ladies fixing you up at once?? I don't think that this was even my experience on my wedding day!!

My beautiful birthday princess

Bailey was so still and serious while she was getting her makeover. The lady who did it was so sweet...she talked to her the whole time.

Some Funny Things that My Funny Kids Have Said and Done Lately

Cade(on how he feels about the name Maddie Grace) Well, it's not my favorite, but it is a good yelling name

Bailey (when asked what she was thankful for) I'm thankful that I am so awesome

Bailey (when I asked her what she was excited to do when Maddie Grace comes) I am going to hold her (what if she starts crying) Then I'll put her in her bed (what if she is still crying) Well, that would be a nightmare

We had a baptism service after church last week and were talking about it at lunch. Bailey asked if it was scary...I said no, they just dunk you under really quickly. She then asked, If you're badder, do they dunk you deeper?? Later on that week, she was asking me about being "bath-tized" and said that she would rather be "showertized". Then again, it came up and she called it being "sanitized".

Bailey asked if we could have the salad with "nativity" chicken, instead of rotisserie chicken

This week was Cade's assistant teacher's birthday. I was lame-o and hadn't wrapped her present yet and said I would bring it the next day. Ms. Amy called me that day and asked if I knew and was okay with Cade's present for her (of which I was unaware). He had brought her Mexican pesos and tokens from Adventure Landing (an arcade). I thought it was too precious!

Cade's teachers came over the other night for dinner and Bailey got all dolled up with a fur stole, high heels, lots of make up and sparkly pink hair gel. I was commenting on the amount of hair gel and how it was going to be interesting to get it out. Bailey asked, "Is it too much? Do you think it looks tacky" I was cracking up!!

Cade is excited about the baby, but keeps reminding me that it COULD be a boy and we really should be prepared with a name and some boys clothes!! I think he's holding out a little hope that he won't be surrounded by sisters :)

This isn't a funny thing, but it was so precious. The other night, as we were driving home, Bailey started talking about how she really wanted to marry a man that was a Christian so that he would want to go to church with her and love Jesus. She also asked me if I would pray for this also. I was so touched that she was already thinking about this at five years old!!

This pic at the top is the lovely way that my children dressed up when Cade's teachers came over the other night. No shame in their game!! The other brunette sweetie is Cade's assistant teacher's daughter! They were so silly and had a blast having a fashion show for us. Bailey even came out in a hot pink straw hula costume at some point. I'm glad that Cade's teachers have a good sense of humor!!

I love my life and my kids truly make me laugh like no other! They are two funny people!

For the Love of Christmas gifts

I have decided to start this blog because my brother and sister said they were not going to give me or my children their Christmas presents if I did not. No really, I love keeping up with all my friends and family through looking at their blogs and am excited to share what's going on with our lives. I have been told that I don't have to be terribly witty or funny to be a blogger...so I'm going with that!! My kids are the funniest things going on around here, so I'm sure that they will liven up the blog quite a bit!