Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Wrapping Up our Hospital Stay and Heading Home

 Meeting GiGi Mama...


Uncle P and Aunt Suz
with new buddy Kirk...


Sweet co-workers BJ and Ann...


... and Martina


And then it was time to head home!


In daddy's "going home" outfit that Big Brother H also wore.
(Little big... Daddy was an 8-pounder.)


Putting brave faces on as we go to juggling two kiddos!


Can you see our panic?



Saturday, April 26, 2014

Parker's First Days

It's always special to capture your loved ones meeting your newest additions, and Parker has been very busy in his first few days!

MiMi, Aunt Anna, and T


Uncle Mitchell and Aunt Melanie


Of course... most importantly.... Big Brother's introduction!
H was beaming.  






"Brought you a sticker, Parka."



Kisses for my big boy.  


PawPaw and DeeDee


And... y'all.  This is reality - our new Family of Four!
Ignore the fact that no one could sit still,  look at the camera at the same time, or that I look like death warmed over - this is us now!




Friday, April 25, 2014

Welcome Parker!

This past Tuesday started off like any other day - 
I was trying my hardest to get over a stubborn sinus/allergy issue, so I was running a bit slower than usual.  
Not to mention that H slept horribly the night before, and Mr. Smith and I were both running late Tuesday morning as a result.  
I mean - you can only do so much at 35 weeks pregnant, people.  

Tuesday was a normal day of meetings and trying to get things wrapped up for team mates at work - "just a week and a half more!" I kept saying to everyone - "let me go ahead and get it done now!"

I left work at 5 and battled the traffic to pick up H at school, then got home around 6pm like usual.  I was starving, so I went ahead and nibbled on a few bites of leftover Tex Mex Chicken Casserole as I turned to fixing the boys some dinner.  And as Martin and H came back in from outside and stood there watching me have a horrendous coughing fit - my water broke.

Like, broke all over the place. Right there in the kitchen, in my work clothes and filling up my shoes.
To which H looked at me and said "Mommy, did you wet your pants?"
And Mr. Smith said - "Seriously, did you just wet your pants?"
"No way this is just tee tee, guys.  It's everywhere. Call my parents.  Whatever it is, let's go get it checked out."

As Mr. Smith called my parents to haul it down to B'ham, I threw a beach towel over the mess and ran upstairs.  Thankfully, I had already packed my hospital suitcase and the baby's, but just needed a few last minute items thrown in.  Mr. Smith worked on entertaining H while packing him a few things in a bag too. 

And, in no time, there were my parents, looking just as wide-eyed as we were.

"I'm 35 weeks," I said, as Mr. Smith and I said our good-byes and kissed H. "They're probably going to laugh at me at the hospital and say you've wet your pants then send me home.  See you in a little bit."

When, in fact, what happened was the hospital telling me I had not only broken my water, but that I was 3.5 cm dilated and in active labor.  

And - even better - since I had eaten those couple of bites of casserole, they couldn't schedule my C-section for at least 7 hours afterwards, putting us anywhere between 1am-2am in the OR.

Mr. Smith and I still decided to be positive - we're good, we said!  We'll just hang out here and watch TV until then.  It's not like I'm having actual contractions or in any pain!

Famous last words.

Both Mr. Smith and MiMi (who had raced up from Tuscaloosa) got to see a very much laboring, contracting, sweaty, and doubled over-in-the-bed-and-trying-not-to-push Mrs. Smith about an hour later.  Which lasted for the next 5 hours.  

Around 12:30am, things got real, as I was wheeled back to the OR for the spinal, and then all was well with the world again.  

Especially at 1:23 am, when Parker Timothy Smith made his debut into our world!  
Weighing 5 lbs and 5.4 oz, with 19.5 inches in length and a head full of dark hair, out he came, crying and just as energetic as he was for the past 9 months.  

Isn't he precious?  




More pics to come, but while this little Pork Chop was napping, I wanted to share!  

We are so in love with this newest miracle added to our little family!  



Easter 2014

We headed down to Tuscaloosa for Easter right after H's birthday party.  

I love keeping our traditions, even if it means things were a little busier than usual!  

Posing with our Family of Three after church.  
It's so weird to think it will be a Family of Four next Easter!





Then, Sister and I couldn't help ourselves but to a little photo shoot with these two.  
They love each other so much, and it's a joy to see H so protective of sweet Elizabeth.
She, in turn, thinks he is hysterical.  






After lunch, it was time for some major Easter egg hunting, courtesy of MiMi's egg hiding handiwork.  






And then someone discovered the chocolates inside the plastic eggs.
In his new white Easter outfit.
I tried not to panic.








Harrison Turns Three!

We celebrated one little guy turning the Big Three last weekend at The Birmingham Zoo - one of H's most favorite places, with about 50 of our nearest and dearest family and friends.  

It was a gorgeous Spring day, and we had a blast!  
If you are 9 months pregnant and looking for someone to handle everything about your toddler's birthday party - the Zoo is your answer.  Our party package handled everything from the cake to decor, from Carousel rides to Train rides for the entire party.  
Niiiiiiice.  


Here's a few shots of the celebration.



Pancake Turtle Petting



The Princess waving to her subjects.





Learning what a ferret is - my facial expression says it all.
Let's introduce the ferret as saying it was the main carrier of the Plague and then walk it around for the children to pet it.  
Ahem.






Waving to his party parade.


Private Giraffe Feeding Encounter - worth every penny.
Biggest hit of the party with the kiddos!





Gorilla Posing before front seat Zoo Train Riding! 


And then... y'all - look at this face.
Pure joy on the Zoo Carousel.





Reading one of his new books with Pop as the party winded down.


And then T and Daddy.


And let's make sure DeeDee reads the new book too!



Happy Third Birthday Harrison!
We love you so much, and what a three years it has been with you!

You are an endless source of energy, laughter, patience, and learning, and I am so thankful that God chose us to be your parents!

Harrison's super cute t-shirt (a tradition now!) is by the talented Annie Poole at AP Creations.  Check out her website!