Hallie's two week check up

Well Miss Hallie had her two week check up this morning. Dr. Lowry says she looks great! She weighs 7lb 7oz so she is really gaining weight! She is having some problems with my breast milk. Seems she is spitting up most of her meals. Dr. Lowry added some formula as a supplement. We will see how it goes. She still gets up every two hours at night and most nights stays up from 2am to 4 or 5am. She loves to cuddle and has been smiling quite often. She looks just like her daddy...seems I see more of him in her everyday. I love her so much......to the moon and back!

two weeks!

Sweet Hallie Raygan in her two week pics taken by my cousin Heather.

a little about Hallie

Hallie is amazing! She is such a little sweetheart. She does have her own attitude already! She doesn't sleep as much as a newborn usually does. She is very alert to her surroundings. She hasn't been too fussy. She usually whimpers when she is hungry but doesn't cry out. She doesn't even cry over her dirty diapers....but she does not like to be changed. She loves taking a bath. She loves to be held but not moved around too much. She likes it when her daddy walks with her....which is spoiling her rotten. At night we really bond. She wakes up at 2am and stays up until about 5 or so. She grunts a lot which none of my others did. To me she is perfect....especially that beautiful hair! I could just sit and look at her all of the time. Jaylee is totally in love with her. There isn't any jealousy at all. She asks to help with her all of the time. She takes tons of pictures of her and shows them to her friends at school. Sarah tries to hold her every chance she gets and Jake loves to play with her when he makes it home. Hallie came into our lives and she brought much happiness with her. I can't wait to watch her grow and savor the happiness ahead!

Surgery?? Oh my!

So I have been having some terrible pains in my abdomen since Hal's birth. I thought maybe this was just normal after pains. It has been over nine years since I had a baby so what the heck do I know? I called my OB-GYN to tell him the symptoms I was having which have been extreme heavy bleeding, deathly cramps, and an abdomen that appears to still be carrying a nine month long pregnancy. He told me to get on in to see him. Well lucky me....none of these are normal and I am headed for surgery this evening. What a shock...not with my wonderful luck. He did an ultrasound and it seems there is still some things in my uterus that should not be there. Now how does that happen?? Kyle is freaking out....the kids are freaking out.....I my friend am freaking out. I just went through 11 hours of labor pains and now I get to go back in the hospital and have my uterus scraped. Sounds fun huh? Well, I'm going to pack and getting ready to head on in. Wish me luck!

Another year...a new school

Today is Jaylee Madison's first day of school and it is of all things in a new school system. We had to move at the end of last school year due to needing more space for my mom. Jaylee dreaded this all summer long. I know she is such an intelligent and funny kid and she shouldn't have any trouble fitting in. She on the other hand feels she will be ostracized (her own words). I have learned this child of mine might need some couseling for her anxiety issues. She has such an imagination and when things happen she jumps to the extreme. Things in her head are so much worse than reality. So anyway, I'm in the hospital with Hallie and it's the first year since Jay started school that I can not take her on her first day. My heart is broken and so is hers. I have to leave it to my 19 year old to get her ready and my 17 year old to get her to school. She is not happy with this decision. She lets me know that Sarah can not dress her or she will look like a misfit and her brother can not by any means drop her off in his "station wagon". That would be detrimental to her. After at least 30 phone calls to me and hours of whining and tears shed I finally talked her into just going with the flow. Although I missed her leaving I was there to see her get off the bus. I listened very intently as she told me about her adventures of her first day as an Austin Tracy Eagle. She really had fun and met some new friends....just as I had told her she would. She loves her new teachers and thinks this is going to be a great year. My heart felt so happy. I love to see happiness in her eyes. The last nine years with her have been very emotional. I thought she was going to be my last child so I put every effort forth to enjoy every little minute with her. It is sad in ways to think you will never experience those emotions again but little did I know that I would change my mind and we would have another little miracle. Now...here I go again knowing this IS my last child so I am pouring myself into every minute with Hallie. Ya know maybe all parents should look at each child like it is their last one because it makes the moments shared so much more endearing and meaningful!! Anyway, I am thankful my Jay bug survived another "first day" and she actually enjoyed it. I am looking forward to sharing this year with her and many more to follow.

Eat, Pee, Poop, Sleep...and repeat

Oh the first few exciting days after bringing baby home.....No sleep for mommy! I decided with this baby to breastfeed...what a decision. Miss Hallie is a very hungry little gal. She stays on the boob from sun up to sunset. I am not exaggerating here. I never knew my boobs could be so sore or so large. I also didn't know that they could leak that much...especially when I attempt to go out in public (which I must say is very difficult while breastfeeding). I have pretty much sat on the couch with my ever present boppy attached to my side with little Hal on top of it. I have become an avid t.v. watcher over the last few days. Learning to use my pump has become the highlight of the day. I must say the look on Kyle's face was priceless when he walked in on me holding those cone shaped little things attached to each boob. This little critter of mine has a schedule of eating, peeing, pooping, and sleeping. This schedule repeats itself all day long...and all night long minus the sleeping part. She happens to require lots of food and little sleep. That is okay because we love our bonding time at 2am watching repeat episodes of House Hunters. I may complain but honestly I wouldn't trade a minute even if it is at the butt crack of dawn. So, as I end this I would like to tell you a few things that "they" don't tell you about breastfeeding!!

**Your first experience breastfeeding may not be what you expected! As you lay there trying to recover from the watermelon sized baby you just expelled from your loins a nurse takes your boob and shoves it into your watermelon's mouth and just like that you two are glued together and it happens even though you have no clue what you are doing.
**No matter how many "breastfeeding" books you read no one can prepare you for the journey ahead or the fact that your boobs are going to become a public display(to visitors, nurses, housekeeping, lactation consultants, even the neighbor next door who comes in your room by accident)the days following birth. (And I was one that never let the girls see the day of light!)
**It hurts! Oh yeah, I know there was a few times I cringed. I just held my breath until I got her latched on right. The nipples...well they crack and cracking hurts. So, stock pile some lanolin cause it works.
**Be prepared to feed 95% of the day...at least my little one does. She is latched on to me all day and night. Grab whatever you need before you start feeding....something to drink, the remote, the phone, a book.....maybe even a potty chair! Just kidding on that one.
**Be prepared for everyone to give you "their opinion" on "your" breastfeeding. Just know that everyone is an expert or at least they think they are.
**Know that chances are when you hear another little lovely even if he or she is not yours that your boobs kick into mommy milk making time and there is nothing you can do...so carry extra boob pads.

These are just a few of the surprises that I learned....and there are many more. However these are little sacrifices to pay. The rewards of breastfeeding are much higher. The most enjoyable thing for me is looking into my sweetie's eyes while she lovingly gazes back at me. It is such an amazing feeling. So if you are thinking about it go for it. I am so glad I did!

hallie"s sweet arrival

Sorry I haven't written in a few weeks but once again life took over. I'm gonna dedicate myself to writing on here at least once a week...hopefully more. Good news... I went into the hospital this morning at 5am and was induced. After eleven hours of labor at 4:36pm miss Hallie Raygan Bryant made her first appearance in the world. I must say the joy and happiness that overwhelmed me was astounding. The tears flowed down my face as I looked into her angelic face. She was finally in my arms after nine long months of waiting and wondering. She is just amazing! Although they told us she was going to be a quite large baby (they guessed almost 10lbs) she weighed in at only 6lb. 9oz. and was 21 inches long. She has "long" golden blonde hair and deep blue eyes. Absolutely gorgeous! So this blog will be in large amounts about my life with Hallie.....not to mention the other three rugrats that I have. I'm sure there will be laughter, tears, happiness, and a large amount of craziness!!! Tune back in for a hearty helping of Hallie!! I'm looking forward to the journey ahead and all the ups and downs of motherhood.