Caroline Grace Thaxton {Birth Day}

I know I have been out of the blog world for awhile now... life changes more than I can say when you have a  newborn. All you moms out there know what I mean! Since I have been here last, I have given birth to the most amazing little girl in the world (ok, ok... I know I am a little biased)! There is so much to tell!! This is the story of my sweet Caroline's birth, mostly told through pictures... because everyone thinks pictures are a lot more interesting than my words. :)

My water broke at 10:45pm at home on June 25. We got all our things together and headed to the hospital. This was right when we got to the hospital... obviously before the contractions were really intense! Haha!

Mom and Dad rushed over from Mobile that night! I am so blessed to have them as parents! I hope Blake and I can follow both of our parents' examples in raising our Caroline.

Rachel and Aunt Nancy came and stayed all night too!! Now that's what I call L.O.V.E. - thanks for being there!!

The last picture of me and Blake before Caroline was born!! 

This is a re-enactment of how I was dealing with the contractions before the epidural... Blake fanning me with the "barf bucket" while I grip the sheets and close my eyes. I have more appreciation for women that go natural through all of childbirth... a few hours was enough for me!! I know what it is like and I am more than thankful for my epidural!!

I had the BEST L&D nurse EVER!! Megan was there all night with me and even stayed late for Caroline's birth! I could not have asked for a better nurse.

The crew just hanging out waiting!

Getting ready to push... of course I had to put some make up on after being up all night in labor! I knew there would be lots of pictures taken after so I had to be prepared. I pushed for 1.5hrs and then... I saw the most beautiful baby in the world at 8:04am!!!!

She has arrived!!!! :) Still getting cleaned up at the warmer! Our big girl weighed in at 8lb. 10oz. and was 21 inches long.

Our first family photo! Sooo in love already! :)

3 generations!! :) I pray that I can be an amazing mother to Caroline like my mom has been to me! She's the best! :)

Love my Daddy-O!! :) I have always been a daddy's girl... I have a feeling Caroline will be too!!

Rachel and Aunt Nancy admiring sweet Caroline for the first time!

 Gigi and Pappy holding Caroline for the first time!! So special! I am incredibly blessed to have amazing in-laws!! Love y'all so much!

 Amy and Tatum came too!! This is Tatum "holding" Caroline for the first time! I am so glad they got to be there!

We had lots of other family visit the night of Caroline's birth too!! She is one loved little girl already!

 Me and Caroline in our matching outfits! :)

 This is my sweet friend, Carrie! What a blessing to have found such great friends right before Caroline was born!

Rachel and Brad... giving them some practice before their little shrimp arrives!! :)

Wade and Blake holding their baby girls!

All dressed up and ready to go home! Caroline wore the same outfit I did when I came home from the hospital.

 Great Grandmother and Great Grandfather Martin meeting Caroline!

 Diane and Mammaw visited over the weekend!

 James Robert, Leslie, and Mattingly meeting sweet Caroline!

Colonel and Janny with their girls!

 Caroline's cool hip Aunt Elizabeth! :)

Aunt Summer and Uncle Matt! This is Caroline's first time meeting baby Watford! :) 

My precious friend Elizabeth came to meet our baby girl too!

All I can say is WOW! I feel so incredibly blessed to have such amazing family and friends. The Lord is good!!! Throughout my pregnancy I specifically prayed for a safe baby and healthy delivery. My prayers were answered on June 26 at 8:04am when we welcomed our perfect Caroline Grace into this world. I never want to forget how it felt to become a mother that day!! Since that day, Caroline has filled our lives with more joy, happiness, laughter, and love than we could have imagined. What a blessing straight from God! :)

39 Weeks

39 Weeks

How far along? 39 weeks

Total weight gain: 26lb.

Maternity clothes: I have been wearing Blake's t-shirts, since all of mine have obviously not been fitting for a long time. Now, his shirts are getting a little tight and short so I am very happy I only have 1 more week left!! :)

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: Sleep has been a big struggle recently. I will wake up in the middle of the night wide awake sometimes, wake up a billion times to turn over, and get up a few more times to the restroom. Ugh! My hips have also been hurting more in the morning after I wake up. I can't wait to sleep on my back and stomach soon!

Best moment this week: We have been so blessed to have quickly made some great friends since joining our church. We got to hang out with some of them this weekend, which was great!! It was also Father's Day this weekend. To celebrate, my parents came over and we went to lunch at Cock of the Walk! It was DELISH!

 Blake and Dad after enjoying lots of yummy catfish!

Love my mom so much!!

Miss anything? Being able to eat a normal sized meal. Whenever I eat a little too much, I am so uncomfortable for hours afterward. Caroline is taking up too much area for my stomach to fill up like normal. Haha!

Movement: I can really tell she is running out of room to move now. She is definitely stuck and wedged in there for good now!! Just waiting for her to move OUT now!! Haha!

Food cravings: Blake and I have been enjoying half price milkshakes at Sonic at night... yum! I love their strawberry milkshake!

Anything making you queasy or sick: No

Gender: Girl!!

Labor signs: More contractions for sure, but still nothing that is making any big progress. I was 1.5cm dilated this week and 90% effaced (thinned out)... so, we decided on a pitocin induction Tuesday (June 26) if she doesn't come before that on her own! We can't wait to meet her! It has given me such peace of mind to just have an end date in sight. We are praying for a healthy baby girl and safe delivery whenever she comes into the world!

Symptoms: My belly is still growing! She has definitely dropped lower, but I just feel huge. Haha! It is so hard to just roll over in bed  or bend over to pick something up having such a big belly.

Belly button in or out? Out

Wedding rings on or off? Off... can't wait to wear my rings again soon!!

Looking forward to: Meeting our sweet Caroline in the next week!! I cannot wait to hold her in my arms and just love on her! It has been such a blessing and joy to carry Caroline inside for the last 9 months, and I cannot imagine the feeling of holding her in my arms for the first time! What a miracle...

38 Weeks

38 Weeks

How far along? 38 weeks

Total weight gain: 25lb.

Maternity clothes: I am so ready to not have to wear only maternity clothes. My wardrobe selection is very limited, and I am ready to be able to just wear some different things. I remember how eager and excited I was when I first "got" to wear maternity clothes... haha! Oh how a few months can change your perspective!

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: I have been sleeping pretty well. Getting up about 3 times a night and waking up maybe 1-2 other times just to turn over in bed. 

Best moment this week: Having an ultrasound and getting to see our little girl!! :) We had an ultrasound at this appointment just to check on everything and make a guess at Caroline's size. Based on their measurements, they guessed her weight at 7lb. 6oz. right now. I don't know how accurate those estimates really are, so it will be interesting to see how much she really weighs when she makes her grand entrance!!

Miss anything? Laying on my stomach. That is just the one thing that I crave more than anything that I can't do right now. Haha! It seems like such a silly thing.

Movement: I promise sometimes it feels like she is trying to kick her way out of my stomach. She is going to have some muscular little legs based on how hard she is kicking me now!

Food cravings: I haven't really had any specific cravings, but I am trying to just eat small frequent meals and snacks. I have run out of room for my stomach to really hold a normal sized meal comfortably.

Anything making you queasy or sick: No

Gender: Girl!!

Labor signs: I am definitely having contractions... they just aren't strong yet. They will just come and go randomly throughout the day. I was 1cm dilated this week. We talked about a possible induction next week if I am dilated more... but I really want to go into labor! I know it is convenient and nice to just have it scheduled, but I have always wanted it to just start naturally. So we will see! I have just been praying that I will have a peace about God's timing for an induction or labor and know if that is the right thing to do this week or not. I am not really leaning towards the induction this week... so we will talk about it Tuesday with my Dr and see. I just want what is best for Caroline.

Symptoms: My hips have still been hurting some... mostly when I first wake up in the morning. I am just thankful that means she is moving down and my body is getting more ready for her! Hard to complain about that... haha!

Belly button in or out? Out -- it also seems to be poking out more this week than before. Not sure if it is just how she is positioned or what. Haha!

Wedding rings on or off? Off

Looking forward to: My doctor's appointment this week and seeing if there is any more progress toward labor. We could possibly be meeting our sweet baby girl (either because of induction or going into labor) this week so we are definitely looking forward to that possibility more and more every day!! :)

Caroline Grace Thaxton : {Nursery}

The day has come for Caroline's nursery reveal! Here is a photo tour through her room.

This is the view when you walk in the door. Behind the door is her closet. Beside the closet is her bathroom.

 I LOVE this corner! I know I will be spending many hours here, and I can't wait! (The door in the background is her bathroom.)

Caroline's bedding was custom made... for someone else. Haha! My mom and I found it at a consignment sale with no signs of wear or tear on it! Great deal for a one-of-a-kind piece!

 Her swing! I sure hope she likes it because I love it! It looks so cozy...

Her dresser and custom window treatments by yours truly! :) I had lots of help from Mom, Dad, and Blake. It was a fun project, and I love how it turned out in the room.

 Up close of the monogram I did!

 On the wall opposite of her crib, we have a twin bed so we can partly use this as a guest room still... or if I need to take a little nap while Caroline naps! :)

 My mom made this banner for Caroline's baby shower. The shelf was in my cousin's room when she was little. The bear in the middle of the shelf is what we put footprints on where I used to work. I had my best friend at work, Rivers, decorate a bear for Caroline before I left so that I can have a piece of them here with me in Florida!! It is now in her hospital bag so we can get footprints on it when she is born! :)

Well there it is!! I hope y'all enjoyed the tour! Come and see it in person and visit Caroline when she is born!! She can't wait to meet everyone! :)

37 Weeks... FULL TERM!

37 Weeks

How far along? 37 weeks... Full term!! Caroline could come any day now! That is so crazy to think about!

Total weight gain: 24lb.

Maternity clothes: My mom gave me a really cute navy blue maxi dress that is going to be perfect for the last few weeks! I think I am going to wear it on a date night soon! We have to take advantage of our last few dates before Caroline makes her big debut! We all know we won't have time for awhile after that!

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: I have actually been sleeping really well... besides the waking up lots to turn over and use the restroom. But I cannot complain about that at all! It has been much better this past week.

Best moment this week: We had a really great week! Sunday-Tuesday, Blake's cousin (April) and her husband stayed with us. His Grandmother and Grandaddy brought April and Dustin to the beach as a surprise for April's birthday. We had a great time spending time with them for a few days!

On Wednesday, Mom and Aunt Nancy came over to Milton after my Dr. appointment for the week and we had a full day of fun!! We fixed up Caroline's nursery (next post will have lots of pictures!!) and had a great day shopping around town a little. We went to the Piano Cafe, which is in downtown Milton inside the Old Post Office (which is also an antique shop). It was great to have some girl time and get lots accomplished too!

Miss anything? I miss being able to go in a store or anywhere and not get a billion stares. Haha! When you are big and pregnant... people's heads turn and look! I am not big on being the center of attention so I am ready for people to stare at my pretty baby instead of me. Haha! :)

Movement: She is one hyper child some days! One day this past week, she was moving so much Blake said it looked like she was about to bust out of there! We grabbed the video camera, and of course she stopped moving completely!! We waited a few minutes and she started again. We caught a little on video but it was not as crazy as the first time. It will be so strange in a couple of weeks (or less!) to not feel or see her kicking inside of me. I think that is one thing I will actually miss after she is born. It is such a special bond to be able to feel that inside of you!

Food cravings: I have just wanted lots of fruit recently. I have been eating lots of blueberries, oranges, bananas, grapes, and peaches. I am so thankful for wonderful fresh fruit at this time of year to satisfy my cravings!

Anything making you queasy or sick: No

Gender: Girl!!

Labor signs: Same ole contractions... Haha! I am wondering when they are going to be getting more intense. They are still very mild at this point, but I know that will soon change! I really want to go into labor as opposed to being induced, so I hope that works out for me!! We will see in the coming weeks...

Symptoms: Last week, I said how my hips have been hurting... Well, I think that pain is paying off. The Dr. (I actually saw a female Dr. who is in the same practice as my Dr. this week because he is out of town) said Caroline is getting lower and in my pelvis now! Her exact words were, "She is making her exit maneuvers." Uh oh!! Getting close!

I also now have the STRANGEST pregnancy symptom ever... Well, at least it has been my strangest symptom. The upper part of my belly is numb. It itches, I scratch it, but I can't feel a thing!! It is bizarre and a bit annoying. I asked the Dr. about it. She said it is from nerves getting stretched and compressed. She said all the feeling should come back after I deliver. I also realized that the hot water in the shower makes it feel very strange now that it is numb. So... I am officially a strange pregnant lady with weird symptoms! Haha!

Belly button in or out? Out

Wedding rings on or off? Off

Looking forward to: Getting to hold Caroline and see what she looks like! It is such a huge answer to prayer that I have made it to full term, and now all I can think about is my baby girl being here and in my arms! I am praying for a safe and healthy delivery for me and Caroline (whenever God knows it is her day to come). I am not anxious for her to be here... I just want to enjoy these last few days and weeks of being pregnant and for her to make her grand entrance in God's timing.

36 Weeks

36 Weeks

How far along? 36 weeks... Only one week until she is considered full term!

Total weight gain: 23lb.- No change in weight this week at the doctor! Yay!

Maternity clothes: I am getting tired of wearing maternity jeans. Because they have the elastic at the top, I have to pull them up everytime I stand up. I wish they stayed up well like normal jeans. This will give me lots of motivation to get back in my normal size jeans quicker! Haha!

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: I did the SAME thing this Saturday night that I did last week- how strange! I woke up at about 5 and couldn't go back to sleep. I didn't get a nap that afternoon though, so I slept VERY good the next night! 

Best moment this week: Blake's family was in town so we had so much fun with them!! They all got here Friday night. Saturday, we went to lunch and then spent the afternoon on the beach. We also took some family photos that night on the beach. Here is one of my favorites!

Tatum is so active it is hard to get her to not wiggle in a picture. Haha! One of my favorite moments this weekend was when I asked Tatum where baby Caroline was and she pointed at my belly!! Here is a picture of it! It was so cute! 

Then we asked her to give Caroline a kiss so here is her "kissy" face! :) 

My sister-in-law, Summer, also took some maternity pictures of me! I will have to make another post to show you some of my favorites later!

Along with a great weekend with family, Blake and I also joined a church!! We joined Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola. It is a large church, but immediately felt like home when we visited. The Pastor (Ted Traylor) is not ashamed to preach the Gospel and holds nothing back in his sermons. He has been teaching from Revelation, and it has been so powerful! I have learned so much in just the few weeks that we have been there. I am so excited the Lord led us here and can't wait to see how He grows us in the years ahead through Pastor Traylor's leadership. This is a much needed answer to prayer. Praise the Lord!!

Miss anything? I have wanted to lay on my stomach soooo badly this week!! My back has been hurting some and I just feel like if I could curl over and lay on my stomach, it would feel so much better. Well, that is incredibly impossible right now, so I have just been dealing with it. Haha!

Movement: Of course! It was fun for Blake's family to get to feel her wiggle and kick so much this weekend too!

Food cravings: I have wanted green grapes for a few weeks but couldn't find any that looked too good. Well, I found some this week and they were DELICIOUS! :)

Anything making you queasy or sick: No

Gender: Girl!!

Labor signs: Feeling those contractions more and more. It is making it more and more real that I could go into labor at any point now. Because of that, I am much more conscious of my contractions and how close together they are. No change in dilation from last week's appointment, even after feeling way more contractions this week. They must just be really mild right now. I can't imagine what real contractions are going to feel like! Eek!

Symptoms: I have noticed my hips hurting this week. I am assuming they are just moving and adjusting for childbirth, but it is quite uncomfortable some times! Blake said he thinks they are looking wider (THANKS!) these days too. Haha! He didn't just come out and say that... I specifically asked him since they have been hurting, so he wasn't in trouble for his answer. 

Belly button in or out? Out

Wedding rings on or off? Off

Looking forward to: I am feeling more ready for Caroline every day! We now have her monitor all set up and ready to go, even though she will probably be sleeping in our room for a little while. I am starting to pack her bag (and my bag) for the hospital. So, I am looking forward to just being more and more ready for her! :)