If you think this is bad, you should have seen the other guy...

Jack got a real shiner this week! If you ask him what happened, he'll tell you that he got in a fight with the four-wheeler, and he won! He is definitely "all boy"!!






And she is definitely "all girl"




My tough boy and my girly girl.


Life is good.

First Outing

Sydney Kaye went for her first outing today! Don't worry, it was just to the doctor's office. It will be a while before I'm comfortable with our little girl out in the world. Dr. Clark said that she looks just perfect. She weighed 6 lbs, 11 oz. So far she has been a dream baby! She sleeps almost all the time and eats perfectly on schedule every three hours. I'm not sure if she's so calm because she was a month early, or if she will really be an easy baby. Only time will tell! For right now, though, I'm loving feeling rested and relaxed.


Here she is in her first "going out" outfit! I enjoyed washing her poofy hair and putting on her clothes!



Her bow in her hair! She doesn't keep it in for long, though.

Jack also started back to daycare today. He was SO EXCITED! I can just imagine him running and telling all his friends about his baby sister and his mommy's bobo on her belly. He came home completely exhausted, but I could tell he had a really fun day.


We told Jack that his job is to keep Sydney safe in the backseat. He takes his job very seriously.



Sydney stayed awake for an entire hour this afternoon! She enjoyed looking around the room in her bouncy seat.



I'm recovering slowly, but surely! It's very hard for me to not be able to drive and do everything I want to do, but I'm learning to depend on help, which is not easy for me. It's also forcing me to stay home and take my time getting back into the swing of things!

Sydney Kaye Iles

The story:

I was supposed to go in for a C-section on Thursday, Feb 25th, BUT on Sunday afternoon I started having contractions. Now, contractions are nothing new to me, but when I had 10 in one hour, I decided to start worrying. Then, they became more painful and intense. So, I called Dr. Hall (who was on call) and he immediately fussed at me for not being at the hospital already! I grabbed my handy hospital bag, and headed into town. Terry and Sara met us at the hospital to get Jack. I was strapped to all the monitors and they discovered that my contractions were three - four minutes apart and not slowing down! They gave me a shot of some miracle drug to make them stop, so they subsided for the night.

Clint slept like a baby on the fold-out couch, and I didn't sleep a wink! The nurse gave me a tip: If you don't eat or drink anything after midnight, Dr. Manuel may deliver you in the morning. By the time two o'clock rolled around I was completely miserable and had made a convincing argument for having Sydney the next day. Dr. Manuel came around 7:30 and stayed about one minute....long enough to say "You're having this baby around noon." I didn't even have to say a word!

My mom and sister came up and saw my bloated body (those fluids the give you are the devil) and we all waited for the nurses to walk in! They came around 11:30, prepped me in about 5 minutes, gave Clint some "surgery clothes" and we headed to the OR. I'll spare you the details of delivery, but I will say that a normal delivery is TEN TIMES EASIER than a C-section. I didn't respond well to the spinal and had a complete panic attack throughout the entire delivery. I barely remember Sydney being born or the next 24 hours afterwards. They whisked her away to the nursery and we didn't even get pictures!



Monday afternoon they came and let me hold Sydney for a few minutes and explained that she would be going to the NICU for breathing and glucose problems. Nothing serious, they just wanted to monitor her more closely. Her respiration was too fast and her glucose levels were too low. She wasn't allowed to eat or be held for the next 24 hours. Many people have asked if this was hard to hear, but honestly I barely remember that happening! Around 3 AM Tuesday morning I insisted on going to the NICU to see her. Clint said I was adamant and wouldn't take no for an answer. I think that's funny now because I don't really remember that trip to the NICU! Ha! I do remember going around 11 AM the next day and seeing her without the tubes in her nose. She was the most beautiful baby girl I have ever seen.



The next few days are a blur of trips to the NICU every three hours to feed. Wednesday night she was allowed to stay in our room, but her temperature kept dropping too low, so they kept her another day and discharged me on Thursday.

She came home Friday! It was a very cold, rainy afternoon so she didn't come home in her beautiful dress, but in a fleece sleeper and a beanie hat! We did whatever it took to keep her warm!

I'll update over the next few days with many pictures!

Almost there!

I am 4 days away from having this baby...That is, if nothing happens before then! I'm taking it easy and trying to get as much rest as possible. Yesterday Clint and I went out to eat for a "last date." Aunt Budda and Hal were gracious enough to watch Jack for a couple of hours.

This will probably be my last pregnant picture. Sorry for the quality. I need to figure out what's going on with my camera before Thursday gets here! I dyed my hair. I'm still getting used to it and hoping it will fade a little more in the coming days. I was tired of highlights!!

We coulda used a trashbag...

Do you see the ticker at the top of the screen that says "28 days to go!" Well, take 21 days off of that. Yes, people, we are having this baby next Thursday, Feb 25th! That is, if I don't go into labor before then. I went for my 36 week appt yesterday and Dr. Manuel measured my belly - Sydney Kaye seems to be around 7 lbs - and started getting nervous that I would go into labor soon (which would not be good with placenta previa). He was actually ready to deliver her TODAY! I said "Woah....really? Are you sure??" and he decided to let me try and wait one more week, that way I would be full-term and I could get some plans together for Jack. So, one week from right now I'll have Sydney in my arms!!

So, I'm in overdrive on my to-do list! First up: Cover for Sydney's going home dress. I told Clint last week that I didn't want to just put her dress on a hanger because I was afraid we would get something on it in the car or in the hospital. His response: Just put a trashbag over it! Ummm....no. I made a cover for the hanger, and a bag for her bonnet, crocheted socks, and fancy blanket. Now, not only are her pretty things protected, but it looks fancy schmancy, too! This was actually a very easy project and I used fabric and trim I already had. This would also make a great gift for someone! So, for you sewers out there, be inspired!

I also cleaned out the closet today, read a book, and took a nap. Oh my goodness I can't believe she's almost here!!

Sydney's Nursery!

I'm done with school, the nursery is finished, and Sydney will be here in 15 days! My mom and Jenn came up yesterday to help me get some deep cleaning done and to finish off the nursery. They cleaned the top of my kitchen cabinets, oiled the cabinets down, and completely rid my bedroom of dust (that includes moving all furniture, pictures, everything!)

I'm obsessed with Sydney's nursery! It is exactly what I had dreamed of when I found out I was having a girl. It's girly, but not over-the-top pink!



Going Home Outfit:



First thing you see when you walk in...I love this verse and I think it's perfect by the door as you leave.



A lady I teach with who also has a daughter named Sydney gave me some decoupage letters a while back. I covered them with scrapbook paper and hung them with ribbon:



The crib:


Changing table with the tree/animals mural:


Rocker/white shelves with birdhouses and picture frames:


Another view of the crib. Clint had a friend paint these canvases for me as a surprise! They match the bedding perfectly! I was so impressed and thankful for such a thoughtful husband!


Well, I'm off to church and then to my mom's for a couple of days! Clint is out of town until Tuesday or Wednesday, and it makes me a little nervous to be here by myself when we're getting so close! I have another doctor's appt Wednesday, so I'll update then!

Snowing!

This is where Clint's truck and trailer were parked this morning.



View from the front porch




We woke up to snow this morning! And not just a flurry here and there, but actual foot-crunching, lawn-coating, road-freezing SNOW! It's beautiful!

I don't have any pictures of Jack with the snow because he is in Dry Creek with the Iles. I was supposed to have Parent-Teacher Conferences last night and Clint was supposed to be out of town, so the Iles took him for the night so he could play with Noah. They ended up cancelling conferences and Clint's out-of-town trip got cancelled! Clint did go to work today (he drove to North Louisiana to unload trees in the snow...aren't we glad for cell phones?) and I'm not up for driving in this weather, so I have soaked up a quiet day to myself. At first I was bummed that I'm here all by myself with noone to enjoy the snow with, but then I realized that this may be the last day that I have to myself for YEARS! God is teaching me to slow down and not measure my life with "To Do Lists." So, I have enjoyed looking out the window and spending some quiet time with my Bible and hot chocolate, savoring every moment!