Kevin and I are sleepy parents and have been struggling to find a way to get Myers to sleep during the night. We have tried everything and became increasingly weary as we discovered that no one's advice worked in our house. Well it may. I will be the first to admit that I lack the ability to let my children "cry it out." We have done this several times and after 2 hours, not only was Myers crying but I was too! Our pediatrician told us to go in and check on him every 10 minutes but not to pick him. So I of course insist that we check on him every 5 minutes.....it absolutely breaks my heart to hear my baby cry. Well everytime we go in, Myers get even more upset and the endless cycle continues.
This is all pretty new to us. Manning is a sleeper. He slept through the night really early and still naps several hours everyday. This is NOT the case with my newest bundle of joy ...and he is just that. There is no happier baby than Myers Wilson Hatchell. He just does NOT like to sleep. Manning slept in his crib and ONLY his crib. Myers sleeps...well wherever he falls asleep...the carrier, our bed, and once in a while in his crib. If it was written in a parenting book, I followed it when Manning was little. So I never broke the "rules" and since I am a rule-follower by nature it makes me feel really guilty to do things "out-of-the-box" with Myers. Yes, I admit it, Myers sleeps in our bed. There I said it. I even grimaced because I felt like I am being judged and no one else has even read this yet! As you can see, this is a struggle. Myers cries in his bed and we are all awake. We put him in our bed and he sleeps (and so do we!). I promise it would be tempting to you after 7 months of little sleep.
So it was such a relief today when I ready this devotion on the proverbs31 ministries website:
"There is no perfect parenting formula.What works for one kid may not work for another.The seemingly perfect algorithm one family follows may not work for another family. We weren't meant to follow formulas. We were meant to follow JESUS."
It goes onto say this can be applied to any aspect of life: marriage, jobs, relationships, etc.
I knew all this but wow! It was so nice to hear it from someone else. It's ok for me to break the rules. My little guys loves to be loved on and I love to love on him. So why not? I would rather hold him than sleep ANY day! So why should I not simply because I feel guilty breaking rules written by someone else? I am still hoping to get him in his crib for good, but in the meantime you may find him in my bed every once in a while. =)
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Amy's Top Ten Things to be Thankful for this Thanksgiving Season!
I was recently "reminding" Kevin of the definition of alliteration... So i decided to use an example of this literary term in my title. He may not appreciate it, but I do. That's just one of our many differences that make our connection unique. (more on that later) As for now, we are discussing thankfulness. I have read several other blogs regarding this topic and decided to jump on the bandwagon. I mean really ..is there even one of us who does not need to take a little time to reflect on all our many blessings? I know I routinely take things for granted and forget to offer my gratitude. So here's my top ten...
10. CAFFEINE- I know it is not the best thing to be grateful for and I also know that in excess it can be harmful. Yes, I should limit my intake while breastfeeding. (Another thing I will forever be thankful for- Breastfeeding.... I love it and would encourage all mothers to try it!) Back to caffeine but still on babies. My youngest does NOT sleep. No more than 2-3 hours at a time at night and VERY little during the day. Yesterday, for example, he was up 14 hours and slept maybe 20 minutes. (and that is being generous) Manning, on the otherhand, sleeps great and will still take a nap several times a week. But he is 2 and 1/2 so when he is awake, he is busy! In summary, I have two darling sons whom I love with my entire being but they do not allow their mommy much rest! I am a tired woman! Caffeine allows me to function. It does not take away the dark circles under my eyes (concealer does that) but it has helped me to stay awake for the last 6 months!
9. My MiniVan- I never thought I would say those two words together because I NEVER thought that I would own a minivan! I have learned to never say what you won't do. A mere two weeks after Myers's arrival, we were at the Toyota lot buying a Sienna minivan. I love my minivan....there I said it again! It is the most practical automobile I have ever owned. I can nurse Myers and change his diaper with room to spare...all while Manning watches his favorite Thomas the Train dvd. More than the awesome conviences and spacious interior that this van offers, I especially like the safety features that come on the awesome auto. I love having a backup video camera, sonar sensors, and of course the GPS. This car rocks and I love being a minivan mom!
8. Chick-fi-la- I am easy to please. I don't need expensive or fancy just give me Chick-fi-la and I am a happy woman. Yes, I know we eat there WAY too much but it's the little things, right? We are all together. Kevin has his LARGE sweet tea and countless Chick-fi-la sauces, Manning has a balloon AND a play area (unless other loud kids are in there and then he wants NOTHING to do with this kid friendly area), Myers is happy to be out and about, and me....well I am just happy to see everyone else happy. Plus the food is good, the people are friendly, the music is Christian, and we always see people we know. I am thankful for Chick-fi-la!
7. Kelly Jordan- I am so blessed to have so many wonderful friends! I am thankful for each of you and the influence you have on my life. Apart from my husband, I have one BEST friend. She has been my BEST friend for close to 15 years. Kelly is the most genuine, kind, and caring person I know. She is one of the first people I call with good news (I'm engaged! I'm pregnant!) and the same person I call in the middle of the night with awful news (My momma just died.) I am so thankful for her friendship...I am so blessed to have a friend like her!
6. My JOB and Extended Family- I love staying home with my babies. I work 12 hours each week at my church and teach aerobics (Another thing I am grateful for) 2 hours a week. Other than that I get to be with home with my children. What a blessing! I am also thankful for the people who help make this possible. I have an awesome family. My dad, his girlfriend, my in-laws, Kevin's sister, my aunt,the list goes on and on....i am so grateful to ALL the people who help us. The people who come in the middle of the night at one moment's notice. The people who keep my children not out of obligation but out of LOVE. I am thankful to you!
5. HEALTH- I am so thankful for mine, Kevin, and the boys' health. Just yesterday, we found that one of our friends has acute leukemia. He is 31 yrs old, married, a pastor, and has 4 children. They are an amazing family and I ask that you remember them in your prayers. (Josh and Julie McKeown) It is so easy to take good health for granted. So I thank GOD for keeping my family healthy.
4. My Mom- My mom died 4 and 1/2 yrs ago. I spent 24 years with her and she was sick almost 1/3 of those years. I never got to surprise my mom with the news of "I'm pregnant!" and she will never get to hold her grandbabies. However, I know in my heart that she already has. When I look at my sons, I see my momma looking back at me. No, they don't look like her...but in their eyes I see the hope that was the embodiment of Ruby J. Dawkins. I picture her up in heaven carefully selecting which babies to give to me. She picks just the right one and then holds him in her arms the way only a grandma can do. Though I can't talk to my momma, her words of advice run through my mind as if she is standing right beside me whispering encouraging words. When faced with a situation, I know to ask "What would Jesus do?" and then I follow up with, "What would momma do?". If you knew my mom, you know that the answer to both of these questions is almost always the same. My mom was a woman after God's heart. I am proud and thankful to be her daughter.
3. My Sweet Baby Boys- I could write for hours or possibly days about the love I have for Manning and Myers. They bring so much joy and laughter to my life! I am so blessed to have two beautiful, healthy boys. God is so good! I am so thankful that HE chose me to be their mommy and I pray that I will be the mother they need me to be.
2. KEVIN- God brought Kevin into my life at just the right time. He is the man of my dreams and the answer to my prayers. (I know it sounds corny and cliche ...but there are no other words to express the love I have for this man.) He is a wonderful daddy, a treasured friend, a spiritual leader, and the best husband i could ever ask for. After the first date, I thought I had meet the man I would someday marry. After the second, I knew. When he took me home that second night he didn't kiss me.....he prayed with me! I had found MY MAN and I will never let him go.
1. My SAVIOR!!! He died so that I may live and I choose to live for HIM! I am so thankful for a loving heavenly Father and the promise of eternal salvation.
10. CAFFEINE- I know it is not the best thing to be grateful for and I also know that in excess it can be harmful. Yes, I should limit my intake while breastfeeding. (Another thing I will forever be thankful for- Breastfeeding.... I love it and would encourage all mothers to try it!) Back to caffeine but still on babies. My youngest does NOT sleep. No more than 2-3 hours at a time at night and VERY little during the day. Yesterday, for example, he was up 14 hours and slept maybe 20 minutes. (and that is being generous) Manning, on the otherhand, sleeps great and will still take a nap several times a week. But he is 2 and 1/2 so when he is awake, he is busy! In summary, I have two darling sons whom I love with my entire being but they do not allow their mommy much rest! I am a tired woman! Caffeine allows me to function. It does not take away the dark circles under my eyes (concealer does that) but it has helped me to stay awake for the last 6 months!
9. My MiniVan- I never thought I would say those two words together because I NEVER thought that I would own a minivan! I have learned to never say what you won't do. A mere two weeks after Myers's arrival, we were at the Toyota lot buying a Sienna minivan. I love my minivan....there I said it again! It is the most practical automobile I have ever owned. I can nurse Myers and change his diaper with room to spare...all while Manning watches his favorite Thomas the Train dvd. More than the awesome conviences and spacious interior that this van offers, I especially like the safety features that come on the awesome auto. I love having a backup video camera, sonar sensors, and of course the GPS. This car rocks and I love being a minivan mom!
8. Chick-fi-la- I am easy to please. I don't need expensive or fancy just give me Chick-fi-la and I am a happy woman. Yes, I know we eat there WAY too much but it's the little things, right? We are all together. Kevin has his LARGE sweet tea and countless Chick-fi-la sauces, Manning has a balloon AND a play area (unless other loud kids are in there and then he wants NOTHING to do with this kid friendly area), Myers is happy to be out and about, and me....well I am just happy to see everyone else happy. Plus the food is good, the people are friendly, the music is Christian, and we always see people we know. I am thankful for Chick-fi-la!
7. Kelly Jordan- I am so blessed to have so many wonderful friends! I am thankful for each of you and the influence you have on my life. Apart from my husband, I have one BEST friend. She has been my BEST friend for close to 15 years. Kelly is the most genuine, kind, and caring person I know. She is one of the first people I call with good news (I'm engaged! I'm pregnant!) and the same person I call in the middle of the night with awful news (My momma just died.) I am so thankful for her friendship...I am so blessed to have a friend like her!
6. My JOB and Extended Family- I love staying home with my babies. I work 12 hours each week at my church and teach aerobics (Another thing I am grateful for) 2 hours a week. Other than that I get to be with home with my children. What a blessing! I am also thankful for the people who help make this possible. I have an awesome family. My dad, his girlfriend, my in-laws, Kevin's sister, my aunt,the list goes on and on....i am so grateful to ALL the people who help us. The people who come in the middle of the night at one moment's notice. The people who keep my children not out of obligation but out of LOVE. I am thankful to you!
5. HEALTH- I am so thankful for mine, Kevin, and the boys' health. Just yesterday, we found that one of our friends has acute leukemia. He is 31 yrs old, married, a pastor, and has 4 children. They are an amazing family and I ask that you remember them in your prayers. (Josh and Julie McKeown) It is so easy to take good health for granted. So I thank GOD for keeping my family healthy.
4. My Mom- My mom died 4 and 1/2 yrs ago. I spent 24 years with her and she was sick almost 1/3 of those years. I never got to surprise my mom with the news of "I'm pregnant!" and she will never get to hold her grandbabies. However, I know in my heart that she already has. When I look at my sons, I see my momma looking back at me. No, they don't look like her...but in their eyes I see the hope that was the embodiment of Ruby J. Dawkins. I picture her up in heaven carefully selecting which babies to give to me. She picks just the right one and then holds him in her arms the way only a grandma can do. Though I can't talk to my momma, her words of advice run through my mind as if she is standing right beside me whispering encouraging words. When faced with a situation, I know to ask "What would Jesus do?" and then I follow up with, "What would momma do?". If you knew my mom, you know that the answer to both of these questions is almost always the same. My mom was a woman after God's heart. I am proud and thankful to be her daughter.
3. My Sweet Baby Boys- I could write for hours or possibly days about the love I have for Manning and Myers. They bring so much joy and laughter to my life! I am so blessed to have two beautiful, healthy boys. God is so good! I am so thankful that HE chose me to be their mommy and I pray that I will be the mother they need me to be.
2. KEVIN- God brought Kevin into my life at just the right time. He is the man of my dreams and the answer to my prayers. (I know it sounds corny and cliche ...but there are no other words to express the love I have for this man.) He is a wonderful daddy, a treasured friend, a spiritual leader, and the best husband i could ever ask for. After the first date, I thought I had meet the man I would someday marry. After the second, I knew. When he took me home that second night he didn't kiss me.....he prayed with me! I had found MY MAN and I will never let him go.
1. My SAVIOR!!! He died so that I may live and I choose to live for HIM! I am so thankful for a loving heavenly Father and the promise of eternal salvation.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Why didn't I think of that?
I had a friend recently tell me that she had kept a pregnancy journal during each of her pregnancies....I thought, "What a neat idea! Why didn't I think to do that?" So I am taking the time to backtrack and record some of the more memorable parts of my pregnancies. And if the Lord blesses us with more children hopefully I will remember to do this while I am actually pregnant!(Yes, we want more children. How many? That is up for debate. That's a whole separate blog in itself. I would love a house FULL....but we will see!)
Manning Ryan Hatchell
6/4/2008
We found out we were pregnant for the first time in September 2007. Soon after the two pink lines appeared my lower back start to ache and my OB ordered blood tests to check my hormone levels. We discovered that my progesterone levels were low and I had to take oral progesterone from week 4 -13. On Friday, December 14th (at 15 weeks gestation) we found out we were going to have a boy, Manning. So I started buying, planning and preparing for my sweet bundle of joy! I felt great and baby Manning was developing perfectly. The smooth sailing did NOT continue. In the beginning of February (23 weeks pregnant), I was driving when I started having extreme pain in my abdomen. We called my OB and he sent us to the hospital where they told us I was having muscles spasms. For those of you who know me well, you know that I have taught aerobics for years and I know what a muscle spasm feels like...this was NOT a muscle spasm. Nevertheless, we went home hoping that the mysterious pain would never return. It didn't but by 2 am I was bleeding heavily and was ABSOLUTELY convinced I had lost my precious baby. By the next morning we had a diagnosis. I was experiencing a placental abruption which meant a portion of my placenta had torn away from my uterus. So I was admitted to the hospital for precautionary reasons. I took steroid shots to help Manning's undeveloped lungs to grow stronger in case he entered this world earlier than expected. Again, I was not even 6 months pregnant. Viability was a HUGE concern at this point. I was told had this happened later in my pregnancy they would have done a C-section immediately. That was not an option in our situation. So I went on bedrest and took weekly shots of progesterone to keep contractions at bay. Each week that Manning remained inside was a gift from GOD! By 28 weeks, I was dialated to 3cm. We just knew we would have him any day. Boy, were we wrong! At 37 weeks, we stopped the progesterone and bed rest. We were packed and ready to go to the hospital at anytime. We waited and waited and waited some more...38 weeks came, then 39, and finally 40! Monday, June 2nd was our due date. It came and went and still Manning was not ready! My OB decided to induce. After so many weeks praying that Manning would not come early, we ended up inducing on June 3rd. We went to hospital at 4pm and after a long labor Manning was born at 1:55pm the next day, June 4th. What a wonderful blessing! Manning Ryan entered the world weighing 7lbs 8oz and was 21inches long. He is a miracle and brings so much laughter and joy into our lives!
Myers Wilson Hatchell
4/14/2010
We found out that we were pregnant again on August 12, 2009. Manning was 13 months old when we got pregnant with Myers. My pregnancy with Myers was completely different than my previous pregnancy had been. My hormone levels were with normal ranges this time, but my OB decided it was best that I take Progesterone as a precaution. We found out on Wednesday, November 4th (at 16 weeks) that God had blessed us with another baby boy! Up until week 23, I was so worried about my placenta tearing again. During week 23, I tiptoed around scared to even sneeze for fear of a placental abruption. Weeks passed and before we knew it, we were at week 28 having our 4D ultrasound. Baby Myers looked just like Manning! After 38 weeks and a 45 pound weight gain, my OB decided to induce us at 49 weeks on April 14th. This was already a special day for our family. This was the same date that my mom passed away in 2006. I could have opted to change my induction date, but I decided that my mom would have liked for us to celebrate the day of her our son's birth on the happiest day of her life. (the day she finally met Jesus) Myers Wilson arrived on Wednesday, April 14th weighing 8 lbs 14 oz and 21 3/4 inches long! Our big boy is absolutely perfect! He is such a blessing to our lives! God is so good!!
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