Welcome Whitaker Graham!

Whitaker Graham Taylor joined our family at 2:05pm on Friday, October 23, 2015. He weighed 6lbs 11oz and was 20.5 inches long. 

I was scheduled for an induction on October 23rd at 39 weeks and 1 day. I was so ready to not be pregnant anymore--tough time. I had made zero progress however, so my OB said that I would check in the night before so that he could break my water really early to get a jump start. He felt comfortable with progressing a cm an hour. If things stalled or didn't progress well then we would talk C-section. That Thursday I worked until noon and then got a mani/pedi and met Jay at the house. We were supposed to call and they would let us know what time to go the hospital. We were hoping for late but when I called they said to be there at 6pm. Jay and I got our stuff in the car and headed to Abuelos for our last date for a while. 

We got to the hospital and they checked us in and got things started. The bed in L&D was the most uncomfortable bed of my existence and poor Jay only had a little pull out couch. I settled in while Jay ran to Market Street for snacks (I could eat until 11pm and then not again until after the baby was here). They came in and gave me a pill that was supposed to kick start my cervix every few hours. We both tried to sleep but it was difficult. Around 4am my nurse told me that the anethesiologist was going to start epidural sand she suggested being first in line before Dr. Killeen came in a couple of hours to break my water. I agreed and it was a good choice for me. Not bad at all. 

Dr. Killeen came by about 7:20am and I couldn't feel a thing. He broke my water and found meconium (sp?) meaning Whit had already taken his first bowel movement. He explained that this was ok but that it shortened our timeline and that I would need to progress quickly to keep him from inhaling it. He also said that there was about a 50% chance that he would need to go to NICU if he got any in his lungs and that we would have a nicu team in the room when I delivered. 

To speed things along the nurses flipped me into this strange position and put a huge blowup peanut looking thing between my immobile legs. My mom showed up around 8:30am and things started moving along great. By 11:30 I was 9cm and fully effaced and by 1pm I was told that I would be pushing soon. For some reason I was incredibly emotional. I didn't feel sad or even that nervous but I just kept crying and crying. My nurse came in and started to prep me and give me instructions. At this point, my dad left and mom and Jay assumed their leg holding support positions. I was so worried about Jay bc he has the lowest tolerance for bodily fluids. At 1:15pm my nurse told me that she was going to begin my delivery and that Dr. Killeen would be in to finish it. I started pushing and all I remember was telling them that I was too tired and that I needed to sit up more. Jay was doing a great job but my mom was barely holding my leg which was really frustrating to me bc I felt like I was going to fall off of the table! The nurse then told me to stop pushing because Dr. Killeen was going to have to deliver the girl next door before me. She had waited to long for her epidural and now her contractions were coming so fast that she couldn't wait. We hung out for about 15 minutes and then Dr. Killeen showed up. We started pushing again and after 7-8 pushing rounds and an intense episiotomy Whitty was here and I was holding him and Jay was cutting the cord!! My mom says that I called him a creature but I don't recall!  He did look like a little creature though...He let out a couple of big wails and the NICU team packed up and left without him! Hallelujah! The next hour or so was a blur but we got to have skin to skin time and then Jay got to help bathe him and diaper him. Grandparents and Aunt Ash, Uncle Jojo and Uncle Matt came in to get a peek. 

We finally get t to our teeny tiny room and tried to settle in. My legs didn't work and I was completely overwhelmed. I didn't realize that I wouldn't really want visitors. I was just so tired and emotional and trying to get to know my little burrito baby. The lactation specialist came in and tried to help me start breastfeedin. Whitty kept falling off and it was taking me plus 1-2 people to get him back on. They brought me a shield and said that their shift was over but to use the shield overnight. Sleeping in the hospital is the worst. It's actually not possible. The first night went ok but the second night was pure torture. I had only ever considered breastfeeding but it was going horribly. Whit was crying nonstop and would get really upset when trying to nurse bc he wasn't staying latched. We worked with the consultants again on Saturday multiple times but weren't getting the hang of it. So hard!! That night from 2-4am he screamed nonstop bc he was so hungry. I was bawling and Jay went to the nurses station and got him a bottle of formula. That little guy sucked it down and went right to sleep! Praise the Lord. I was terrified to go home bc my main job is to feed him and it was not going as planned. The first two nights were more of the same and I needed a crew to help me latch and relatch at all times. Finally I broke down and just gave him the formula from the hospital and decided to let it go. 

More on that later...

Here we go! Operation Parenthood. 

Last preggo picture at 39 weeks

Jay's comfy digs

First halfway appropriate picture of my babe!

Post first bath

First picture with Dad!

First selfie with Mom

Big love!

Headed home aka excited and terrified!

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Oh my...I'm so behind.

I've accomplished quite a bit since we last spoke...namely, I grew a baby, gave birth to a baby and have kept said baby alive for over 5 months. 

Pregnancy was not my cup of tea but the first two months with an infant was definitely the most difficult thing I've ever done. The highs are high and the lows are low. 

I'm doing things a little backwards given how behind I am. 

Meet Whitaker Graham Taylor--born at 2:05pm on Friday, October 23, 2015. Weighing 6 lbs and 11oz and 20.5 inches long.  

And here he is at 5 months! 

Now to fill in the blanks. Birth story up next!

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We're Insane!

So about a month ago Jay and I were laying in bed and he read a post to me about a male weimaraner who was hurt and laying outside of a community swimming pool on 4th Street. We are both big weim lovers because of our Ally Girl and hoped/assumed that the person who had posted about him had taken him home. Well two days later the post shows back up on Jay's newsfeed and after reading the comments he realizes that the weim is still out at the pool. I was getting a pedicure and Jay calls to tell me that he's going to pick the dog up and take him to the vet because they think his leg is broken. Jay got him loaded up and figured out that his leg wasn't broken--he wasn't walking because his paws were severely burned from walking on the hot asphalt. :( He ran him to Live Oak and had them check for a chip (no such luck) and asked what to do for his paws and them brought him home. Long story short--we've tried to re-home him twice but it hasn't worked out. He is a PERFECT angel at our house but nowhere else! We have called him several names and he only answers to Cooper. We have both agreed that this is insane and that we're not keeping a 75lb male weim with a new baby due in 2 months but he seems to be staying for now. He's potty trained, knows commands and sleeps all night in the dog room with Ally and Stella. He is sweet to the other dogs and they seem to like him and he is OBSESSED with me. He's my shadow boy! We're probably getting too attached but we'll just see what happens. Dogs must be similar to children, once you have 3...what's one more?

Here are a few pictures of the new guy in our lives. 

Meet Cooper Jack!

Playing ball

Being a total lover boy

Loves going outside and doesn't scratch or jump like our bad weim girl. 

These two are my shadows. 

Loves to play. 

I guess we'll see where this goes. We both want him but it seems a little nuts given the life change we're about to experience. 

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Heart Matters

Hey blogging world (I don't think anyone actually follows me...), I'm back! I'm not promising to be back regularly but this week has taken a toll on my heart, and I'm reminded why I started blogging in the first place. Life is uncertain and can change in an instant. Three examples of this occurred this week and by the end of the week I was shaken but thankful. 

On Monday a 9 year old boy was in a golf cart crash near one of Jay's work sites. His crew was the first on the scene and lifted the golf cart off of him. He's in critical condition in the ICU and his status continues to change. 

On Tuesday morning I read that my favorite blogger, Arkansas native, Leslie Sisti, died at the age of 30 of a heart condition. Leslie left behind a husband and two baby girls under the age of two. She was one of the first and only blogs that I still read and even though it sounds strange, I felt like I really knew her. Her blog was uplifting, fun, funny, real and I think that her girls will feel like they know their momma when they read it one day.  Tuesday night was an odd one. Jay and I both slept very little thinking about these two life changing events that happened to strangers but both felt impacted. I prayed so long for Leslie's family and then I prayed that God would keep my own family safe. 

On Thursday morning, Jay left the house around 7:30am and  I was getting ready to leave around 8:10am when I heard Jay come back in. I met him in the hall and he was stripped down to his underwear and had blood dripping down his legs and arm. He was checking on a pool and tripped and fell 7ft into the deep end of an empty concrete swimming pool. He is pretty scratched up and needed stitches and X-rays on his elbow but is otherwise ok. Maybe it's because I'm pregnant or maybe it's because of the other events of the week but I have teared up on multiple occasions since Jay's accident thinking of how thankful I am that things didn't end up differently. It only takes a second for your entire world to be turned upside down. 

The content of this post is a little heavier than I usually take things but I'm thankful for the reminder to be thankful. 

In other news, I'm 27 weeks pregnant this week with our first baby--a little boy. His name is Whitaker Graham Taylor. Pregnancy has not been my cup of tea (ugh) but I can't wait to meet our little guy in October. Here are a couple of recent pictures. 

Jay and me at a wedding that Matt and Brittney were a part of. 

Random bump picture in the work restroom. 

There's a human in there. 

The start of Whit's nursery. My favorite part of pregnancy is definitely decorating the nursery!

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5th Year

So I'm a little late but I wanted to document that Jay and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary on September 19th. Sometimes 5 years seems like a long time and sometimes it seems like nothing. Guess you have to start somewhere! 

I think that the person you choose to marry is without a doubt the most important (non spiritual) decision you ever make in your life. It sets the stage for the rest of your life. I chose well. Jay is my everything and I love him more every year. What an amazing thing to be able to say. 

We had a hot date at Double Nickel and thought about seeing a movie but decided to go home and hang with pups instead. 

See...I told you it was a hot date. 

Here are few more pictures from September. 

Be still my heart. How is he so big?

This guy is precious and SOOO noisy. All he does is babble and squeal!

I completed my picture wall. Finally. 

Jay and I are still rocking football season even though Tech is worse than I can ever remember. 

This little gal is still my pride and joy. 

Her brother is pretty cute too. 

And who can compete with this love?

Dark nails are back and I'm not upset. 

And finally...I took this girl to the vet today. We had a good time...sun roof open, fall breeze, everything was great until she tried to kill the resident cat at the vet's office and drug me down the hall behind her. Not cool weim. 

That's all folks. 

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I've Been Busy

Wow! Can't believe that I haven't posted since July. I'm shocked that it's been that long but as I said...I've been busy! I've been busy trying to get healthy and it's like a second full time job. I haven't told this story on here really, but I would like to have it documented so I'll try to give a good summary. 

In January, while I was in Vegas for work I experienced a terrible head rush followed by confusion, difficulty speaking, and an overall 'off' feeling. This happened multiple times on the trip and continued when I returned home. Over the next couple of months, I went to several doctors and no one could figure out what was wrong. They checked my brain, heart, circulatory, thyroid, etc. Everything looked fine and they chocked it up to stress and offered me a prescription. I was infuriated by this typical traditional medical approach and started looking for alternatives. 

I started by cleaning up my diet and went on a juice cleanse. After three weeks I was feeling better but didn't follow the rules for reintroducing the foods that I had eliminated. I started feeling bad again but didn't know what foods were making me feel bad. In April I heard about a doctor in Lubbock that was a medical doctor that practices functional medicine who was shaking up the traditional medical approach by relying on detailed case history, comprehensive blood work and lifestyle modifications to diagnose and manage chronic health issues rather just prescribing a lot of medication. I was desperate so I made an appointment. I'm so thankful that I did!! 

After 2 hours of case history and a slew of blood tests it was determined that I have two (yes 2) autoimmune conditions--Celiac disease and Hashimotos Thyroiditis. What?!? I'm only 30 years old (29 at the time). And...Wait...I thought my thyroid was fine according to all the other doctors?! Turns out that I was only being screened for thyroid issues and celiac was never even considered. They think that I may have had celiac for 8+ years and that it caused my leg to lose sensation 3 years ago. Celiac (autoimmune response to gluten) has damaged my intestines severely and this has led to deficiencies in many vitamins and minerals in my body. It has also caused mini holes in my intestines and things that should be contained in my intestines are able to leak out into my body triggering an additional autoimmune crisis impacting my thyroid. Along with the thyroid issues, I also have low stomach acid production, severe adrenal fatigue and a systemic candida overgrowth which impacts my blood sugar and my hormones. When I think back over the years, I realize how much sense this all makes and I'm saddened that I allowed myself to live a lifestyle that triggered what was already in my generic makeup . So what now? Well that's a good question because there is no magic bullet. The only cure (and there is a cure) is to heal my body by removing the triggers and replacing the things that I'm missing. I have to heal my intestines from the inside out and as I'm able to do that then my other issues and symptoms should improve too. My doctor says that it can take 6 months to 4 years depending on the amount of damage and the committment. I've been at it for 5 months. 

Here's what I'm doing--I've been gluten and grain free since April. This is a BIG help to me. In July after some additional testing to determine foods that caused additional autoimmune responses I became gluten/grain/dairy/tree nuts/egg/refined sugar FREE and started taking a TON of supplements. I don't cheat because this isn't something silly like weight loss. This is my health and this is my ticket back to healthy. The diet modifications have helped but I hit some what of a plateau in June. I haven't worsened though. I'm also fighting the systemic candida overgrowth with antifungals since my intestines are still allowing bad stuff (yeast and bad bacteria) into my blood stream. I've tried things that made me feel worse and I've tried things that have helped tremendously. I work really hard to deal with stress in a healthy way and to get plenty of sleep. I'm doing acupuncture and colonics. I practice Pilates three times a week and hot yoga twice. I'm better but I'm far from healed. Sometimes I get really frustrated with being sick and having to be so strict with my diet but then I remember how lucky I am to have control. I have the control to change this course and that's empowering. 

Enough of that for now but I'll do a better job of documenting my steps. It's definitely a journey and I will look back and see what I've accomplished. 

Stella helps me get my makeup on in the mornings. This. Never. Gets. Old. 

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My Dad and the Microwave

My dad is the self-appointed microwave timer setter authority. If you don't know what that means...it means that my entire life my dad has made very strong suggestions for how long food items need to be microwaved...down to the second. He gets pleasure from it and never misses giving his microwave timer recommendation if he's in the kitchen during a microwaving event. Not to mention, he's pretty good at it too. It goes something like this-- "Mashed potatoes? 47 seconds." "Cheese tortilla? 18 seconds." "Banana nut bread? 8 seconds." You get the picture. 

Well I love this about him and unbeknownst to me, I had really missed it. No one at my house (Jay or the dogs) ever suggest the perfect microwave cook time based on food type. So tonight I had my dad over for dinner because my mom is out of town. I'm not the best cook but I'm even worse at timing the different dishes to be ready at the same time. I made a roast, potatoes and asparagus but the potatoes got cold while the asparagus was in the oven. I headed to the microwave with the potatoes and without missing a beat he said, "Potatoes? 30 seconds." It warned my heart. Thanks for reminding me of your super power, dad! 

After dinner I made my dad and I a gluten free, dairy free, peach crumble. It was delish!

I turned 30 on Saturday. I had big plans for an "I'm 30" birthday post but then I had a run in with some gluten on Friday night while eating at the Country Club's 4th of July party. I had a gluten hangover on Friday night and most of Saturday but pulled myself together in time for dinner with my family on Saturday night. Here are a few pictures of the 4th of July and my birthday. Enjoy!

Breezy!

Love him! 

Lottie is a doll. 

He loves me back. 

Birthday dinner at the Brazilian Steakhouse. 

And I would be sad if I didn't document that last week Jay gave me a pretty awesome birthday surprise. About a month ago, I had to take my wedding rings in to be resized. They said it would take about a month because they needed to send them to NY. Well long story short, the week before my birthday Jay came home and said that he had decided to give me my gift early. He tossed a box at me and when I unwrapped it...my engagement ring and wedding band were in there...except with a much larger center stone in my engagement ring!! Surprise diamond upgrade!! Woohoo!! I couldn't possibly deserve it but you won't hear an argument from me. :)

Oh and I got a ridiculously huge edible arrangement at work. 

That's a lot of fruit!!

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