HOLLAND IS HERE!!

WHEW...  The past week has been full of unexpected excitement!

On Thursday we welcomed the newest addition to our family...

Holland Gale McWilliams

6# 13oz 19" long born at 4:28pm!!

A little background....

Monday I had my 37 week appointment and the doc did a scheduled sonogram just to check that Holland was head down and getting ready for delivery.  Well, after seeing that she was head down the doc thought her head looked a little smaller than expected, not abnormally small, but it didn't take up the whole screen like she was expecting and she didn't see as many pockets of amniotic fluid as she would have liked.  She scheduled another sonogram with the sonogram people for Thursday and said we would do more measurements then and see what that sonogram showed us.  She asked questions about my other two pregnancies and sent us on our way.

i came home.  Called my mom and had a minor meltdown thinking I was going to have yet another tiny baby (London was 4# 7oz at 38 weeks).  

Thursday came and the sonogram showed that Holland was measuring right on track and wasn't small for a 37 week baby BUT, my fluid level was low.  The doc looked over the sonogram results and gave us two options.... 

{1} head to L & D and deliver or

 {2} come back and repeat a sonogram in 72 hours and if my fluid was still low (apparently it can fluctuate day to day depending on how hydrated or dehydrated you are) BUT, my doc wasn't on call and if I still had low fluid I would have to deliver with a doc I had never met.. or heard of. 

 We decided it was best to go ahead and deliver right then.  I wanted my doc to deliver me and even though I had hopes of going into labor on my own, she reassured me the sonogram results showed that Holland looked good and would be a decent size.

Matt and I left the doctors office and made some phone calls to family and got a plan for getting the girls taken care of.  Luckily my friend that had Kinley was able to keep her until my brother made it down to get her.  He ended up picking London up from school too.  After all the calls were made and I knew the girls were taken care of I headed to L & D and sent Matt to get my bag (thank goodness it was packed) and he ran to his office to pick up some work.  Before I knew it my mom and brother were on their way!!  

I got to L & D about 10:15 and they didn't waste any time.  I got my IV, and labs were drawn right away. By 11:15 the nurse had started pitocin and the doc came in and broke my water not too long after that.  I thought it would take a while to start having contractions but they started alot quicker than expected. Matt and my mom and brother were on their way to my room by this point!!  About 2 I got my epidural and it was smooth sailing from there.  I'll wrap this up quick.... I was 6cm at 3:50 and Holland was out with only 2 pushes at 4:28!!  

Our hospital stay was short and sweet.  We were in the car headed home 25 hours after I delivered.  We took Holland to the pediatrician for a follow up on Saturday morning and have enjoyed being home. We've had lots of help from my mom and lots of visitors and dinners being delivered.  This whole experience kind of makes me want to do it all over again.... only if I am assured it will be just as easy :)

  

GRANDPARENTS DAY 2011 & EMBROIDERY!!

Each year London's school has a special day dedicated to grandparents.  My parents went last year and again this year.  London loves this special time and enjoys eating lunch with her Nana and Avy.

I've finished a few embroidery and sewing projects too.

sweet turkey shirt for a new baby!!

Holland's baby sister gown :)

London's birthday skirt

And just a cute pic of Kinley on our way to pick up London from school today!!  I'm loving the upside down sunglasses :)

SHE'S 7!!!

WOW... I say it every year.... how does my sweet girl grow up so fast?  London's 7th birthday was Thursday.  She was thrilled for her birthday but knew she wasn't really 7 until 5:18pm!!  And of course she had a special birthday outfit...

Matt, Kinley and I took her McDonalds (her pick) to school and ate lunch with her and got to go back to her class for a birthday celebration.

After all the school day fun Kinley and I made a quick run to Party City for some surprise decorations!!!

We rushed home and decorated the table and got ready for London to come home.

Kinley making a card for London... she said it was a cupcake and sprinkles!!

We made her wait until she was officially 7 to open gifts.  She thought that was fun :)  She wanted a microscope from us and Kinley got her a set of pre-made slides to go with it!!  She has had lots of fun looking at anything she can fit under the microscope. 

Later on Uncle Cody and Gogie came over to help celebrate.  London wanted pizza and cake for her birthday dinner..... so that's what we had!!

The girls had some trampoline fun with Gogie... check out Kinley's hair!!

London had a great birthday and thinks being 7 is so cool!!!

Saturday we had more birthday fun....  

London didn't want a big party this year.  All she wanted was for her best friend Kaite and her brother Matthew and Kinley to come play at Monkey Joe's and to get ice cream afterwards.  I must say it was the easiest birthday EVER!!!

Katie and London racing through the bouncy obstacle course

Kinley getting a big push up from London

We came home and all the kids played some more and we had London's favorite dinner... Chicken Pot Pie!  

All the birthday celebrations were a hit with London and there are still a few more family gifts to be given.  

I love you my sweet 7 year old!!  I hope this year is even better than the last :)

FAMILY UPDATE...

LONDON:

We are back in the school groove and London has loved first grade.  She has a wonderful teacher and wakes up and comes home so excited about school.  I couldn't ask for more!!  New friends are being made and the excitement of seeing old friends in the hall is still gives her butterflies!!  She takes her reading time at home very seriously and never fusses about homework.  

She doesn't want to do gymnastics anymore and has expressed interest in learning to play the violin. We went and checked it all out last week and the only thing stopping us right now is the time for practice...Friday's at 8pm is the only open lesson as of now.  Hopefully an earlier time will open up soon.

Her 7th bday is next week too.  Nothing fancy this year, she just wants to take her BFF to Monkey Joes to jump then to get ice cream afterwards.  Having an easy birthday couldn't have been better with all we have coming up!!

KINLEY:

Kinley and I have our routine.... nap time is my favorite!!  She misses London during the day and always runs to the door with a smile when it's time to go pick her up.  The car rider line is horrendous but it is getting better.

HOLLAND'S NURSERY:

It is almost done.  I have 2 shelves to hang and am waiting on the canvases for over the crib to finish being painted and for the slipcover to come in for the glider and ottoman.  The ottoman cover was backordered but hopefully it will come in soon.... the website said by Dec. 3!  Better late than never.  I worked on finishing the curtains last week and although the fabric was a royal pain to work with and I ended up cheating on the bottom hem, I like how they turned out.  Here are some pics of the progress so far....

the canvases will go where the white paper is above the crib

love the curtains even though they were such a pain to sew!!

glider and ottoman hoping to get a makeover soon!!

changing table

love this lamp!!  thank you Hobby Lobby... and Nana!!

wreath for H's door

close up of wreath ribbons.... see the crystal bottle and paci hidden in there?

MATT:

Matt has been super busy at work and I'm so glad he has a 3 day weekend.  Not that that really means he will be home and not go to the office at all but I know he is ready for more down time than office time.  We have nothing planned except to take dinner to some friends who just had baby #3.  

ME:

With school back in session and Holland's delivery fast approaching (only 5 more weeks...give or take one or two) I am trying to keep a clean house, finish up the nursery decor, a few sewing projects for the girls,  and rest.  I must say I have been loyal to nap time with Kinley.  The house pretty much stays clean except for the few toys Kinley drags out and I've never been good about making beds.... especially after naps!  I mean, we're just going to get back in them later so what's the point?  My energy level is zapped and I have more moments where I'm just uncomfortable.  I can't wait to hold our sweet baby girl.  Despite the discomforts and hardly any clothes fitting well, I want to go as close to my due date as possible.  I feel like we have enough birthdays in September so delivering anytime after Oct. 1 would be great!!

I think that's about it.  With school back in session we have pretty much done nothing but school during the week and enjoyed the long Labor Day weekend!!