Birthdays, Brunch, Bunnies, and Bubba...

What a fun Easter weekend we had! I pray that yours was as special as ours was.





Our sweet girl celebrated her 3rd birthday. I cannot believe how time flies by, and how old she is getting. She is such a joy to be around, and has the sweetest heart I believe I have ever encountered in a little one her age. I told her last night, "Campbell don't grow up anymore. I won't be able to hold you if you get any bigger". She said, "Aw Mommy (and came and held my face in her hands), it's ok, I'll fix it". Her heart is precious.





We had 20 family members over for a birthday brunch on Saturday, complete with a Monkey Bread "Dora" cake! It was wonderful to visit with family, and we couldn't have asked for a more gorgeous day. We missed y'all TONS, my sisters, but SO enjoyed my parents and 90 year old Great Aunt Jo in town!







Easter morning, we went to church for the first time since Little Man's arrival. It was wonderful to see church friends and to worship again in the fellowship of such a sweet congregation. After church, Mom and I cooked a delicious Easter dinner, and we watched Bubba Watson clench the Masters. It was a relaxing, gorgeous, perfect day to celebrate Jesus' resurrection and LIFE.









I pray that each of you had a wonderful holiday weekend!

Lately...

Hello!

After a bit of a rough start, what with the 4 day hospital stay when Cooper was only 8 days old-- We are alive and well. A little sleep deprived, maybe, but our latest addition is getting the hang of this sleep-at-night-thing, we hope. Last night, he slept FIVE hours. Whoo hoo!

We continue to enjoy loving on these two sweetie-pies, and adjusting to life as a family of four. Campbell loves her little brother and is the biggest helper I could've hoped for. She enjoys retrieving diapers, burp cloths, pacis, helping put lotion on "Coops" after bathtime, etc., and is quick to tell me to be careful of putting a onesie over his head.

Here are some recent pics, including a newly emerging smile that graces us from Cooper.








We are looking forward to upcoming events such as Campbell's 3rd birthday, Easter, family in town for a visit, my return to work (bittersweet) and Spring fun!

Happy Easter to all... He has risen!

Some new pics...

We are enjoying being home and adjusting to life with a new family member. Cooper, so far, is a dream baby. He wakes up, like clockwork, every 3 hours to eat and sleeps very soundly. At his 1 week check-up, he had gained back his birth weight already plus an ounce.

Campbell, for the most part, loves her baby brother. She calls him "Coops", which I LOVE! In the morning, she usually enjoys holding him, but by nightfall, she is ready to just be with Mommy and Daddy, and Coops takes a major backseat. I pray that she adjusts quickly and smoothly, as her behaviors of rebelling to the new addition include alot of "No Mommy", general contrary-ness and ignoring us. This is perhaps the most challenging part of it all so far!

Here are some pictures that my sister took last weekend when we got home from the hospital. This little guy has already wiggled his way deep into our hearts!

Pics of our family of four....

Here are a few I was just able to download....

Cooper Douglas is here!

We are so excited and proud to announce Cooper Douglas Green!!

7 lbs, 3 oz, 20 inches long born at 8:10am.




His arrival did not come as planned, as I was scheduled for an induction on the 17th at 11am. Instead... he decided to plague this Mama with intense contractions around 3:30am, and by the time they were consistent and we were headed for the hospital, I arrived 8cm!!

A rush to get an epidural and started pushing IN AN OFFICE, not even a delievery room, because he was coming so quickly, and we started pushing. Brief but important side note, I has previously broken my tailbone with Campbell when I delivered her 3 years ago. So, when this little man decided to make his big debut, he had a broken, INVERTED tailbone to contend with. Needless to say, delievery was slightly difficult, but so worth it when the doctor used a little vaccuum to get him out.

He is precious! Just so sweet and easy thus far with JET. BLACK. HAIR. He looks alot like his big sister did..

Campbell came up to meet him yesterday afternoon and it was a special time for our little family of FOUR. She held him, rocked him, and pulled him out of his swaddle to do a little "This little Piggy" on both feet. When Cooper would cry, Campbell would shush him, then look at me nervously for reassurance. She is a natural little Mama. As my parents were taking her back to our house for a nap, I asked her what she thought of her little brother. She replied, "Mommy, I love him, but he makes me tired". Haha!


Thank you for all your prayers and check-ups on me and our family. We are so blessed to have Cooper here with us. And, I am so happy that we get to embark on this journey. Love to you all!!

**Am having alot of trouble uploading pics... I will keep trying....**

Contentment

I've thought about how to start this post a bunch and could come from a variety of angles. It's a little deeper than usual, and I don't know, maybe it will reach one of my 2 readers where you need it today?! If not, then, you will have a little inside into what is on my heart and mind today and possibly glean some encouragement for future rainy days. (And sorry in advance for no pictures within)...

I find myself on day 3 of maternity leave, 3 cm dialated and 80% effaced (as of last Thursday). My house is clean. The laundry is done. I have stocked away frozen dinners in my deep freezer. Cooper's room is spotless, dust-free and void of gift bags. Showers are completed. Thank you notes are (halfway) done. "Friends" reruns are caught up on. My hair is cut and highlighted. And I wait. And wait.

Selfishly, I wake up in the morning and think, "ugh, another night without contractions waking me up!... I mean, it was a freakin' full moon last night, what the crap?... I had contractions ALL day yesterday and NOTHING". And no offense to you, Robert Downey Jr. or your wife, Susan, but seriously? We were supposed to be in this together and you had your child YESTERDAY!? GRRR....

My husband reminded me last night that my "mood" is being attacked by the Enemy. That I have so much to be thankful for. And, funny as this sounds, soon I will look back at this post (sleep deprived to the hilt) and wish for a quiet day where I can nest and rest. But, I have been convicted of DISCONTENTMENT. Thank you, sweet Ryan for recognizing it and gently helping me see this.

We have had nothing but wonderful reports on this eager-expected child. I have a wonderful boss who has allowed me Maternity Leave early. I have a great job that accrues PTO quickly and is paying for me to be off right now. I have a Savior who is growing within me a precious little boy. I have a Savior who needs for me to be content in HIS timing (NOT MINE) so that this little boys' lungs, brain and organs will be perfectly developed. In a nutshell-- GODS' TIMING IS NOT MINE! And thank God for that.

As I had my devotional this morning, I was pressed to look up contentment and how it related to me in my current state. Well, come to find out, it's SO much bigger than a unsatified, moody pregnant woman waiting to give birth. It's about being content in what we HAVE. That the Lord gives us abundantly more than we can ask or imagine. It's about how we have shelter over our heads, clothing on our backs, health, food to eat, COMPUTERS to read trivial information.

I have been awake since 4 am, so I am about to go nap, but I want to leave with you with a passage from Philippians 4:19 which gave me great encouragement this morning...

"And My God will meet ALL YOUR NEEDS according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus".


I pray that today, any of you who stumble across this will take inventory not on what you LACK, but what you HAVE in abundance because the Lord loves you so.

Happy Wednesday!!

Preparing for baby-time...

We, or really (I), have been in full nesting mode these days. We are about a month out from welcoming little man into our home, and this mama is REALLY getting ready! Emotionally and especially, PHYSICALLY. I know that Ryan is as well, as I have become one of those quiet, cranky pregnant women. But, that could be an entire post in itself.

Here are some pics of things we have been doing around the house, fun showers I have had thus far and little randoms I had to include because they are cute! My sweet work friends gave us an incredibly fun and generous shower that my Mom and sisters were able to come into town for. A wonderful, relaxing time was had by all. Now we anxiously await Cooper's arrival!












Stay tuned for updates as we enter Baby Boy countdown...

Happy Weekending!