Happy Birthday to Marnier

Birthday month is in full swing and today we celebrate my Mom :) Butterfly shrimp was on the menu tonight. As they warmed in the oven a pesky runaway fell into the bottom of the oven and filled the house with smoke! Thank goodness Dad walked in when he did or it would have been a much less enjoyable evening. Never a dull moment around here! 

Earlier in the day we took the kids to visit Ms. Becky - She gave Ava the cutest Halloween outfit. Also Jack and Peggy dropped by to say hello and gave Ava a handmade hat and sweater. Gotta love all the pink and bows making their way into our house.

Yesterday Ava had her 1 week check up. She is now back up to 7lbs. 1oz. and checked out as a healthy little peanut. 

Wyatt's been such a great big brother. He's always interested in where she is and what she's doing. Funny moment: Wyatt stuck his nose right up in Ava's face, she turned her head and latched onto his nose (it was hysterical) Wyatt looked shocked at first then smiled and tried to get her to do it again!

The Dresser is DONE!

A few months ago I found a diamond in the rough at Goodwill - an olive green and pink dresser. I have to admit at first glance it was horrible, but to me there was beauty in this beast. I loved the scrolling drawers and the size was perfect. So for $40 it was mine!

Before

From then on this became John's project. He stripped it down, sanded it off, repainted and then we went on a hunt for knobs. As of today it's finally finished!

After!

First Days as a Family of 4

First let me start by saying - HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUBBY!

For 2 days now it's been just the 4 of us. We're starting to get in the swing of things, but we've had our moments. Wyatt has found his defiant toddler attitude (oh-boy), my emotions are out of control and Ava has her days and nights mixed up - all I can say is poor John! But despite it all we are doing really well, still loving each other and happy to all be together in these special first days of Ava's life.

So far Ava's had a few special visitors: 

Marnier & Grady

Lori

Charlie & Rosa

Jason, Cameron & Abby from next door

We got out of the house for a few hours today and ventured up to Bass Pro. Perfect place to go on John's B-Day. Both kids did great, I think the fresh air did us all some good. The walls on this house were starting to close in. 

Ava had her first sponge bath today! She did good, only a little fussy but then happy as a clam when the warm water was run over her hair.

Best part of the last few days - saying prayers with all four of us cuddled up in the rocker.

First Day Home!

Last night was tough! I expected it but forgot how hard the sleep depravation can be. Ava was up all night, poor thing is starving and doesn't want to be alone. She only slept when she was held so John and I took shifts. Mom got up with Wyatt so we could try and get a little sleep in the early morning.

We have a little Glow Worm!

We took Ava to her first doctors appointment. She's doing really well, her weight is down to 6 lbs. 10 oz. but the doctor doesn't seem concerned.

This evening John told Wyatt: Ava's gonna be here a long, long time! Wyatt responded with: Uh-Oh!
It was classic!

Bringing Home Baby Ava

The morning started with a little scare. Ava's has jaundice - oh no! This happened with Wyatt when he was born, he looked yellow, but Ava looked rose colored. So we started to try and increase the feedings and Ava spent the day next to the window soaking up the sun.

We talked to the doctors about leaving early. We wanted to leave today so badly. John and I are missing Wyatt and we are eager to get the whole family together under our own roof. After Ava's jaundice was tested a second time her levels looked much better! Home we go... but one thing we forgot stands in our way - THE CAR SEAT! Off John goes...

We had Bella Baby come take some family pictures which came out beautifully.
Here is the link: http://www.bellababyphotography.com
the password is lder0919marshall

Off we go, home to start our lives as a family of 4.

Ava's going home! She's waving bye-bye.

Happy Birthday 'Peanut'

Time: 12:30 - Got some relief from the epidural. God's gift in lieu of Eve screwing this up for the rest of us. Nurse and Doctor Bendhelm seem to think this is going to go fast. Now I'm getting really nervous - Wyatt was ENORMOUS and his delivery was AWFUL on me.

Time: 3:25 - No turning back now. They perp the room get me set and its time to push. I was shaking uncontrollably. Not sure if it was the drugs or my nerves. The room was dim and everyone else was very calm. PUSH! After every push I looked up at John. I could tell things were progressing quickly because I could see the emotion on his face. It was beautiful. John said, "It was cool getting to see a miracle once, let alone twice".

Time: 3:34 - WELCOME BABY GIRL MARSHALL

She is beautiful! A tinny little princess at 7 lbs. 4 oz., 20 inches long. They put her on my chest and my first thought was she looks like my Marnier :) Tears, happiness, love, relief, it's amazing. I am so blessed to be her mother.


Now with our beautiful baby girl in arms. What are we going to name her? With a little consideration John said I think she looks like Ava, I thought on it another moment, studied her thoughtfully and decided, YES! 

Ava Lynn Marshall

AVA: In Latin means 'pretty; delicate' and 'like a bird'. In Hebrew it means 'life', 'desired' or 'radiant one'. 
LYNN: After her Aunt Nenny. Jenny - Thank you for helping John and I find each other. Without your helping hand in those first years, who knows where we'd be.  

After a very little amount of sleep Marnier and Grady brought Wyatt came to meet his little sister. I absolutely LOVE the way it sounds when he says her name! My cup runneth over...

Our little Ava has made it through her birthday with such ease. Her health is wonderful, she's checking out on all her test perfectly. John and I are so relieved, happy and completely exhausted! Here are some more pictures from today- 

Go-Time!

Went to see Dr. Santosh this morning. Feeling VERY pregnant and antsy to have the baby. Everything was lined up so well, Mom had Wyatt, John and I were together, the appointment was right next door to the hospital. I hoped that this would be like when we had Wyatt - the Dr. would say, okay we're ready to have a baby, send me to the hospital and we'd get going! But of course that didn't work :( 3 to 4 cm dilated but since there were no contractions she sent me packing. Off to work I went.

Later that night as Wyatt and I ate dinner something started to happen...

One last picture of the bump!

Time 7:45 - At first I thought it was all in my head since I was so focused on having the baby. The pain kept coming and the contractions got stronger. After about a 15 minutes I called John at work - IT'S GO TIME!!! Next call was to Mom and Dad - They are on their way to keep Wyatt for us.

Time 7:55 - I start crying - hug Wyatt and get really scared. How can I leave him? What is this experience going to be like? When will I get to be home again? How big is her head?!?!?!

Time 8:45 - My Dad calls... they are stuck on the side of the road with a FLAT TIRE! Are you kidding me?!? Really, of all nights? The contractions are getting really strong now they've gone from 10 minutes apart to 6. OMGosh - I don't know how long I can wait!

Time: 11 - Mom and Dad arrive - THANK GOD - LET'S GO!

Time 11:30 - Arrive at St. Francis - the contractions are about 3 to 4 minutes apart now. THIS SUCKS.   They get us in the room and start hooking me up to a million machines. Its like plugging in to the matrix.

My Guys

Wyatt loves to be outside and helping Daddy do just about anything! Chores to John & I become a major fascination to our Lil' Man. He's such a big helper :) I'll have to pull this video out in 10 years when Wyatt is complaining about doing his chores... "See Wy Guy, you use to love to cut the grass!"

Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock...

John & Wyatt checking out the lot!

Tick-tock, tick-tock.... waiting on peanut! Baby girl, where are you? For days now I've thought "today is the day". Every push, poke and cramp I've held my breath to see if anything more happens. Last week was so very stressful that I thought for sure it would throw me in to labor.

A week ago we signed the contract to build the new house. It took us almost 3 months of deliberation to finally get to the dotted line. Which lot, what house plan, what amenities, how much (how on earth does it all add up so quickly) and the list goes on and on. Now with the money down and the ink dry on the contract I think we're ready to go.

All ours!

Today we walked the lot and tried to envision where the house was going to go. With all three of us covered in bug spray off we went. Hiking around an unfamiliar land that we'd already committed so much to. What a strange feeling - like meeting a long lost friend, you feel like you've always known each other but have no recently shared memories.

We found some of deer bones - ironic that Chuck our agent says there are no deer in Deerlake!

Jump!

MARSHALL LAW #1 - LOVE ONE ANOTHER

This may be the craziest year in our lives... we are embarking on two of the biggest life changes with in the next 6 months - having a baby and building a house. Are we insane? I think the answer has to be YES! At the same time I can't think of a more exciting way to embrace our growing family.

I am starting this blog to act as my digital memory. With everything going on with the Marshall's I don't want to forget anything. So here we go... I am plugging my nose and jumping in!