A week ago today...

My bebe was born.

My labor was different this time around. I labored pretty hard for about 6 hours, then asked for the epidural. In less than 40 minutes I went from being dilated 3cms to complete. Crazy. Four pushes. *I love this next part* When Jackson was born, my doctor put him straigh on my chest... just like in the movies. It was magical. I'm so glad I had that experience. Soon after, they took him away to the warmers to access him.

During delivery, there was some worry that he might have broken his collarbone. Can you imagine? That dampened things a bit. While he was under the warmer, the initial accessments looked good. He didn't show any signs of a broken collarbone- but they ordered xrays to confirm. But while they ran his apgars, he was showing signs of rapid breathing.

To make a long story short, we wanted him to transition out of this breathing pattern in about 5 hours- but it took about 6 hours. That was a bummer bc they thought he would have to stay in the nusery over night--- *yikes*

I was able to visit him in the nursery after the epidural wore off. He was hooked up to all sorts of monitors... I felt terrible and helpless and scared. They were running a heap of blood test for infection. But around 9pm he was cleared of things and I got to bring my bebe boy into our room and nurse the night away.

All those helpless feelings... wisked away. Our God is good and we went from broken collarbones, repiratory distress, and infection... to nothing at all. Just a perfectly healthy brand.new bebe with his momma, doing the best that they can together. Incredible, really.

Although things started off somewhat scary, my experience was amazing. My hospital stay was a dream. The nursing staff was fantastic... I mean, truly amazing. I chose a small hospital in my little suburb of Zachary. Baton Rouge has a great birthing hospital that serves the majority of the city. But I wanted a more personal approach. The facility was beautiful... the doctors and staff were so fantastic. I went with my gut, and I was really rewarded with an experience I'll always cherish.

I'm recouperating like a champ. Seriously. Things are SO MUCH EASIER the second time around. Don't get me wrong, I'm hooked to the dermoplast and epi.bottle like no.body's.business, but I feel great. Much better than I ever did this early with James Neal. Breastfeeding is a breeze the second time around... I'm happy. So happy. I've never imagined having so much in my life... so much opportunity. So much to look forward to. So much to cherish right now. There is so much more I want to share, but for now, I bed down.

So here we are, happy, healthy, and celebrating our first week together.


Thanks for encouraging me.

Peace, love, and being full.to.the.brim,
xo
lmkw

theDuckling

Here are a few pics I took when bebe.Jax was 5 days old... well, four days old, really.














He's all we could have ever hoped for.

Peace, love, and lanolin,
xo
lmkw

A midnight treat!

Off to start another night home with my house full of boys.

But, for you, a little treat.




I'll be back tomorrow to tell you heaps.

*Night.Night*
Peace, love, and swaddles,
xo
lmkw

Today

...is a beautiful day.


There is so much to say.

We are snuggled deep in our little nest of home.
Our oldest grew instantly in the past four days.
He stills sparkles...
Our youngest is a new little chick, downy and soft.
A perfect peach.
As it was with James, life before Jackson seems incomplete.
Life is new again, as it should be...

The nights have been great so far.
We do dinner, tubtime with James, bedtime stories with theDaddy. Son One, asleep.
bebe.Jax starts cluster feeding around 7 or 8... I rotate between nursing and staring. TheHotness tends to us both. Ice water. An extra pillow. A diaper change. A cup of tea...

With Jackson asleep in his bouncer, we move on the the master bath to wind down from the day. Him nibbling on pie, and me melting into a steaming hot bath.
In bed between 11 and 12pm... up at 3 or 4am to nurse, again at 7am...
James is up and getting in the bed with us to snuggle around 9am.

With hours like that, who can complain? Maybe it's a fluke, or maybe our this is a glimpse in how good things can be as a family of four.

I have a birth story to share with you.
I have bebe.Jax's pics to dazzle you with.
I have James' big.brother transition to fill you in on.

For now, I'm feeling great... well fed, well on my way to being fit.as.a.fiddle.
The boys are couchin it with popcorn and a movie, theDuckling is tucked into a ball next to the window sunning and sleeping. I'm sipping tea and editing pics.

Thanks for being here, friends.
I'll be back soon.
Promise.

Peace, love, and family.
xo
lmkw

Jackson Briggs Whitty

Hi all! He's here! All 8lbs. 6oz! Had we let him go two more weeks, we would have had a whopper for sure!

an iphone's view...

He is beautiful, has bright white/strawberry hair- but only a tiny down.like amount. I see a lot of James in him, but he is every bit his own little person.

There were some complications at first- but as of nearly midnight tonight, he is pretty much cleared of everything. I'll give you all the details/birth story later. But so far, all things we were worried about seem to have been resolved during this transition time. Praise God!

I feel well... this labor was totally different than James'. I'm on cloud nine.

Thanks for all the support and love. And for those of you who haven't gotten phone calls, or personal response messages- I'm sorry. We've been so busy with all the aftermath... and with monitoring his progress, etc. Please don't take it personal- I promise to take care of all that as soon as I get a chance.

Off to stare, pop a pain.pill, then to sleep with us!
Peace, love, and white.eyebrows.
xo
lmkw

Thunder cats are go!!!!!

Wells... here I am!

I'm feeling fine... and very well connected.

I checked in around 6pm... I was already dilated to two cm and in an 'active labor pattern.'

Update:
It's about 7:30am and I had a decent restful night. The room is great, the nurses are kind, and the pitocin is flowing. Bebe.jax is well on his way getting here. Oh, I'm fine and feel well.

Thanks for the love!
Peace, love, and heartbeats,
Xo
Lmkw

*Deep Breath*

Yall, I'm not going to pretend here... I am so anxious right now I think I may fall over. *yes, i'm fine- let me explain*

There are times in my life where I feel like I'm still eight years old with fly.away red hair and freckles... this is one of those times. I'm naturally predisposed to feeling anxious. Biting my nails, tummy in absolute knots, shoulders tensed to my ears, butterflies. No matter how big I get, or how many years prove that I am really an adult- I still fall into the same nervous habits. And I hate it. I feel that my anxiety holds me hostage and I'm not in control...

So lets re.hash today's visit:
I'm fine.
Bebe.Jax is fine.
He's measuring 8lbs 9 oz today- at 38 weeks and a day.
The doc. has sent orders to my OBGYN to proceed with delivery whenever 'convenient.'
My hot.doc has called in orders to the hospital to start my induction tomorrow (Wed) at 6pm. *Just typing up to this point, has left me wanting to run to the bathroom twice...
I still will have my appt tomorrow with hot.doc at 11am.

BUT all signs point to starting induction tomorrow at 6pm.

Am I ready?
Yes! and NO! But ultimately YES...

It's the second time around for me, and I'm still a ball of nerves. I didn't think I would feel like this again... but I do. I did then, and do now.

Please pray for me, for bebe.jax, for his daddy and big brother.

Thanks for all the support yall have sent my way. The gifts, the clothes, the encouragement, your time! Thanks for sending a part of you my way- nothing went un.noticed. And I'm just plain grateful.

I promise to update some time after 11am but before we leave for our 6 o'clock appt. *yikes*

This is real.
Holy cows.

Peace, love, and shaky knees.
xo
lmkw

The Latest and Greatest...

It's been a week since Easter, and I've yet to post pictures. Even though I'm a pregnant mother of one, my friends and blog.friendlies have voiced their disapproval. I know. I get it. And yes, I will oblige. ;)

However, I'm feeling a bit under.creative so I will update first, then just lob on those promised pics at the end of the post. It's all the same really...

Lets see, the first four days of the past week were spent teaching Drivers.Ed to the cutest batch of teenagers known to man. All that teen.angst wrapped up in Aeropostal and American Eagle, crunching on Hot Fries and Funyuns while downing an endless supply of Red Bulls and Monster energy drinks. Adorable, really. Who knew 15 year olds were much more interested in the child.birthing process than Right.Of.Way and Hydroplaning? Honestly, my stomach captivated them. Of course, these days it is down right spectacular in a carnie sort of way. Thank goodness the class ended on Thursday, because my kids were threatening to YouTube birthing videos just in case I was to go into labor somewhere between the alcohol chapter and Driving While Drowsy. But class did end at 2:30 Thursday and I released 30 teenagers back into the wild, to eventually find their way to the highways and byways of Greater Baton Rouge.

James came home from his hiatus with the inlaws. I could finally breathe again. The rest of the weekend was spent in high.gear nesting mode. I cleaned and organized and cooked. I decided to make a few meals in order to freeze them for quick meals after bebe.jax comes. While elbow deep in dinners, I decided to whip up a few of theHotness' favorite pies and desserts, too. Because, I mean, when I'm in bed recovering from the !get.him.out! process of childbirth and nursing every two hours- do I really want theHotness to rough it without dessert after dinner? *Ridiculous, I am. Perhaps that decision was just an example of nesting.gone.wrong. But here is where my hormone riddle brain really failed me: cooking dinners ahead to freeze is a great idea IF you don't eat them AND you actually freeze them. However, my men swarmed me in the kitchen eating a little here and a little there... word got out that I was cooking, and a swarm of various folks conveniently dropped in to say hello... and *poof* my good intentions were reduced to a sink full of dirty dishes. *And no, that doesn't include you Sugarbutt... bc after all, you PROMISED to bring me some food after bebe.jax gets here, dear thing.

I'm trying to stock pile my bread supply too. Since the beginning of the year, I've been making our sandwich bread- thanks to my domestic mentor Kathryn. However, making up extra loaves is tough- because Marcus and James won't stop eating slice after slice. Thank goodness it's extra healthy... but I can't seem to get ahead. Would it be wrong to slip in some laxatives in order to deter the buggars? Kathryn, can I put a couple of fresh baked loaves in the freezer? Do you think it would mess them up?

Anywho, I've made a couple of ball games at the ball park. My nieces and nephew are playing nearly nightly. So I do what I can there... And that's about it.

I go to Maternal Fetal tomorrow morning for a 38 week scan of the man.child. If he's measuring crazy.big, then I feel like Wednesday will be our big induction date... if he's just a wee eight or so pounder, they may let me go to next Monday. We'll see. After that appt tomorrow, I plan on stopping by Our Daily Bread to stock up on my lotions and potions for breastfeeding. Fenugreek, Mother's Milk Tea, Brewers yeast, lanolin... all the things necessary to transform me into a milk.maiden. Think Heidi... or Julie Andrews... My hills are aliiiive! TMI?

That's it, folks. I really should join Twitter tonight, so I can post my feed here for you friendlies. It would be easy... maybe I will. I'll update you on my appt tomorrow some time. Hopefully I will have new pics of fat.bebe.jax, too! Soon enough, you will have more pics than you'll know what to do with!

Until then, here are the Easter pics...




This picture of me and Carley is hilarious... next to my generously large physique, Carley looks down.right malnourished. ;)




















I have some really special shots of James with his cousins... but I really should ask permission to post those first.

That's all friends. *Thanks for the support- I love finding out who reads my blog. It's so much fun.

Peace, love, and men.who've.learned.how.to.clean.toilets,
xo
lmkw

Easter and the perspective it brings...

*I have to appologize in advance- this will be a mini.picture.less.post BUT I can't let the day pass without updating quickly.

Oh, Easter! I serve a living God! One who shows up in my life everyday... I live in the assurance that my life, my family- is secure in our time here on Earth, and is guaranteed the promise fulfilled in Heaven. Grace.Mercy.Love.Faith. I've earned nothing, yet He calls me His Beloved... How's that for perspective?

I missed Sugarbutt's Tea Party. It was Saturday- and my invite got lost in cyber.space. By the time we figured it out, we had already made family plans... But to be honest, it was for the best. This is the last holiday with my family of THREE. We attended a local church's Easter.Egg.Hunt. James with his Easter Basket, tromping through a field littered with thousand of pastel eggs... It never gets old that he's MY kid... and I'm HIS mother- and the life we live together as a family is more than I could ever get a clear handle on. The weather was great, the company greater- and I was there soaking it all in.

We attended a new church this morning for Easter Sunday- lots of good feelings there... God's got a place for us here in La... we will find it. Dinner was at Momma's and Daddy's. Beautifully presented, tasty, and more than enough. The rest of the day was spent hunting eggs, dodging rain, and taking pics. *I got to play with my Easter present... 50mm, 1.4. OH! It's everything I thought it would be. It just may be the thing to re.light my passion behind the camera.

Now, theBoy is bedded down. I'm contracting like crazy. James' bags are packed for Texas for 2.5 days. *Ugh* It makes sense to send him to spend some time with the in.laws in Texas- but the fact that he will be away from me is hard to handle. I'm never good away from him. Neither is Marcus. We really enjoy his company. It's true. The kid cracks us up- and it's hard to not miss him terribly when we aren't around him. (I wish I could just call it all off and keep him here...) *Think of us, will you?

I'm teaching Monday- Thursday, then will be taking a break to have bebe.jax. Daddy is really wanting me to get through these next four days. I think I can do it.

That's it for now... I'll post pics as soon as I get them edited. It's late and I have a big/early day ahead of us.

Peace, love, and assurance.
xo
lmkw

Good to Know!

As promised here is the much anticipated update from my doctor's visit today:
They did the strep B swab thing today. I should hear back in two days or so. It's not a big deal, I just would like to avoid having IV antibiotics during childbirth if I can help it.

I was checked today for dilation, etc... and I'm doing nothing! The hot.doc tossed me a 'finger.tip' dilation verdict (just to be nice, I'm sure) but otherwise, the bebe is still really high and hasn't engaged yet. I'm relieved. I have my last class to teach next Monday through Thursday. I really want to get though those classes before I go into labor.

Hot.doc reviewed the ultrasound pics and weighed in on bebe.jax's weight issue. Results are in: I will be induced, for sure. His weight may eclipse James' and going into that 10+ lb range may put me at risk for a c.section. Well, let me explain it like the hot.doc did: delivering at 38 weeks gives us a 98.6% of success as far as the bebe having any complications. Delivering at 39 weeks gives us a 99.7% success rate as far as complications... BUT waiting the additional week, depending on his late weight gain can dramatically increase my chance of needing an emergency section. So... good enough for me.

That brings us to an induction time for the week of the 21st or 27th of this month! So if I don't go into labor earlier, I'll have me a bebe at the end of April!

*I experienced a painful spell earlier today in my ribs. Not a little toe wiggle here or there--- but a drop to my knees, couldn't breath, debilitating sort of pain that lasted about 30 minutes. We can only assume what cause that pain- but the doctor illuded to the fact that when you get into the territory of 'macro' bebies (big.chunk.bebies) sometimes they can actually stretch, bruise, and aggravate my organs, tendons, muscles that are pushed up so high- or pushed down so low. My sister mentioned a friend who actually was diagnosed with a 'bruised liver' after the delivery of her 10 pounder. Nice, huh? So until bebe.jax gets here, he's got free reign of my insides. Let's hope he's a gentle.giant.

Now, for other randoms:

Watched Australia last night with theHotness. Loved it. It's an epic. It's over.the.top. It's melodramatic. The story was nice and long and didn't leave me with any loose ends. *So shut it, critics. I liked it.

I'm enjoying the last of my love.affair with Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs. I'm not a big candy eater, but please, chocolate covered peanut.butter patties in the shape of chicken eggs- frozen in the freezer make me so happy!!! Can't wait til next year...

Wrapping up the last of the Easter goodies for the Beaux.Jack... can't wait for egg hunts.

Thanks for the generous comments about ma'sewin! Really, I have no skilz outside of what I learned in eight grade home.ec class... and my sewing machine is a hundred dollar job from WalMart. But whatever I lack in skill, the ric.rac and ball fringe make up for it! Now, I do make a mean bebe.sling- but that's another post.

All for now, darlings! Thanks for keeping up with me.

Peace, love, and hugh.jackman.on.horseback,
xo
lmkw

Project Update!

I've been promising for weeks... throw a nice thunderstorm our way, and look at me! Ready to post pics at last!

Here is the bebe.bassinet we ordered for our boy.love. Me being the research queen, I debated a classic model against this guy- and he won. He's bigger, can hold heftier weights- 'cause we all know this bebe will start out on his journey almost twice as big as the average infant. So the classic bassinet hold up to 18 lbs... this one goes to 30... or was it 35? Anywho, I figure this will buy us more time if we need it. PLUS it's the perfect bassinet if you have other tots in the house. Wider base = less tippage = safer jax. It's a great ecru, lime, and chocolate color with wood accents. It has motorized movement, vibrations, and white.noise. Since we were reusing some of James' nursery things, it made sense to set up a little 'infant.spot' in our bedroom. I hope it works out! We'll see....



Now on to my sewing projects! There are a few things we are nuts about... and one being we are swaddle folks. We wrap our bebies up like little burritos, and they like it. Store bought blankets are too small and sometimes too thick to be useful swaddle blankets- even though they are labeled as such. SO I make my own. I had so much fun picking out fabrics for these blankets and burp rags- made by embellishing cloth diapers. Nothing fancy, double sided, clean finish. I love how fabric patterns are really having a comeback! This isn't your Grandma's calico anymore! They have such cute options for little boys- besides the run.of.the.mill train and truck themes. I wish I could make a dozen more... but this will be more than plenty!










There are a half a dozen burp rags not pictured here... they got cuter as I went. I used bits of ribbon, ric.rac, ball fringe, fabrics, patches, etc to embellish those cuties.

Anywho, so that's that! The nursery is complete and so is James' room (finally) so those pics will be along soon.

*And if you missed the earlier post of bebe.jax's latest pics, scroll down. He's too cute to miss.

Peace, love, and electricity.
xo
lmkw