My Weekend With Ashley

Here is an overview of my weekend in Atlanta!  I know it was almost two weeks ago, but better late than never!

I left Emmy with grandparents for the weekend so I could travel to Atlanta to visit my best friend from college, Ashley.  We had a very laid back visit planned and it was just what I needed!

 I arrived around lunch time on Saturday.  We started our time off catching up before heading to the mall to do some spring shopping.

After tiring ourselves out from shopping, we got some sparkling wine and went back to Ashley's to rest up before dinner.

Dinner was great!  Sushi on a terrace overlooking the night lights of the city while talking about life and our future. So up my alley!  

The next morning we went to Ashley's church then walked to another great restaurant where we ate outside on a beautiful day!!!

After getting our bellies full, we ventured to... IKEA!!!!

I had a few things I definitely wanted to purchase, but also introduced Ashley to the amazingness of IKEA!

I think she is a fan!

Sitting in my new dining room chairs...I WISH!

After I found all that I needed we headed back for me to start packing my stuff up to go home - but not before deciding to stop for a little treat for all the calories we burned from shopping so much in the past 36 hours!

The weekend was very needed for me!  I loved just being Kayla, and not having to use most of my brain power thinking about what Emmy needed next (i.e. a nap, food, a story, some exercise outside etc.).  I love being a mom.  I love being Emmy's mom, but I think all moms need a few days to themselves every once in a while to remember that they are people too.  I'm so thankful for all the people in my life who helped me make this weekend happen without a husband around.  I can't wait to do it again!

Slacker!

I'm sorry for my blogging slackness lately! There has been a lot on my plate like...

~ Emmy and I have been sick on and off
~ I've been going to job interviews and praying a lot about what our family's next move will be
~ taking lots of photos (which I don't ever get tired of!)
~ getting ready to potty train my toddler (apparently there is a lot of thought and preparation that goes into potty training that I didn't realize)
~ throwing bridal/baby showers
~ Praying for friends that are becoming new moms
~ getting things together for Caleb's return home (only 35 days left!)

So there are a lot of posts that I have in my mind, but none that have actually made it to the blog yet!  I'll have plenty of reading for you all soon enough!

Until then, I just posted a family session that I did on the photography blog.  Check it out!

http://kaylawilkesphotography.blogspot.com/2012/03/funniest-family.html

Check out the newest photography post with little Levi!

http://kaylawilkesphotography.blogspot.com/2012/03/levi-3-months.html

The Dilemma

I've been thinking a lot about what to do with Emmy's "big girl" room.  Pinterest doesn't help with this obsession, but it mostly started a few months ago when Emmy's dresser broke.  The dresser was mine when I was little, and while Caleb was home he tried to fix it with no luck, so I've been on the lookout for a dresser ever since.  So many ideas are going on in my head, but I'd like some of your ideas/advice. 

Here is the dilemma:

The crib we purchased for Emmalyn (I feel) is rather feminine...

Here is a stock photo of it.

It does turn into a double bed, which I would like to use for Emmy and buy another crib for baby #2 (whenever that happens).  I will probably still choose a convertible white crib, but it will be more gender neutral - however, the hubs doesn't really want to have to buy another crib, so he would just like to get a bed for Emmy.  My argument is the femininity of the crib and if we have a boy it might not "fit" - what do you think?

If we chose to keep the crib/bed for Emmy I will need to find another white dresser for her room.  I've looked on Craigslist and have found numerous hardwood dressers that will work in her room (I would probably need to paint whichever one I choose), but haven't been able to bring myself to buy one since I haven't made up my mind about the whether to keep the crib for Emmy or save it for the following children.

So that's option #1.  

Here is option #2:

I leave the crib as a crib in the nursery (whether boy or girl) and get a new dresser and bed for Emmy.  I still like the "shabby chic" look and this is what I have in mind if I choose option #2.

<~~~~~~  Dresser from Ikea - VERY roomy, not hardwood : (









Bed options (instead of existing crib):

This bed is also from Ikea and matches the color of the 3 drawer dresser above

Or I could go with the classic Jenny Lind bed and painted white dresser

Or just a headboard...

My real question is, what to do with the crib.  Is it too girly to use in a boy's room, or should I keep it with Emmy and get another crib? 

A Birth Story

Robert Hilton McBride IV was born on March 15, 2012 at 0137 weighing in at 8lbs and 20 1/2 inches in length.  Right now mom is trying to get some quality rest in between feedings, but otherwise both mom and baby are doing great!  

Here is Hilton's birth story as told by "Aunt Kayla"

KB's water broke around 1100am on Wednesday (14th).  After calling dad (Rob) and getting their things together, they got to the hospital and were hooked up on monitors by 1:30pm.  Then, they waited.  It took about 10 hours from then (and a minor epidural push back) before KB was ready to push.  She pushed for 2 hours before the doctor brought out reinforcements (the vacuum - as a nurse I feel like I should have a better name for this for you, but I don't).  3 pushes with the vacuum and Hilton was here!  

Now that you know the story, here are the photos that I got that night while waiting with the Frazier and McBride families.

Mom and Dad resting between contractions

Hilton's "suitcase"

Hanging in there!

Rob giving updates to friends via phone

Their third nurse of the day and the one that was in the delivery room at Hilton's birth!

KB's mom, dad, and yours truly waiting "patiently" for Hilton's debut

Seeing Hilton via text message for the first time

Proud papa!

KB's sweet mama making sure her baby is okay!

Hilton was so alert and just taking in all the people who stayed to see him

Big feet!

Right after his first feeding... fed like a champ!  Aunt Kayla was so proud of both mom and baby!

We call this the "milk coma"

...and baby makes three

My personal favorite!  I finally left the hospital at 4am, and even though I was exhausted, I was so happy to be able to experience my best friend become a mom first hand.  God is amazing!!!

The Bumps

I finished my last post telling you all that we had an appointment to put Bumper down (due to his growing tumors), well, it turns out we didn't need it.  Bumper passed away very early Monday morning in his sleep.  I'm glad he is no longer in pain, but sad for my husband as he mourns the loss of his dog from across the world.

Before Bumper left our house (he spent his last night with Caleb's parents to make things easier on me and Bumper - we have 3 other dogs and a toddler), I took a few photos of him to send to Caleb.  I fully expected to see him the next day before we had to make the dreaded trip to the vet's office, but atlas, this was it.

Good bye kisses from Emmy...

Getting ready for his ride

His "good" side

Our house feels a little emptier without Bumper lying around and poor Emmy keeps "looking" for him.  He was such a good dog and will be remembered fondly and missed much!

Saying Good Bye

I'm sorry about the lack of posts lately.  Life has taken some different turns lately, and I'm trying to figure it all out now.  One of the most recent issues we've had to deal with is the decision to put one of our dogs down.  Caleb has had Bumper since we started dating 11 years ago!  He has been such a good dog and it was very hard for Caleb to make the call to put him down with him being so far away and not being able to say good bye.

With all the changes and now knowing my husband is losing such a good pet I'm feeling so much but don't really know what it all is.  I do know that I'm ready to have my husband physically with me again so I can at least hug him and feel his comforting arms around me as we are trying to make hard decisions together.  I also know that I love my little girl so much and she reminds me daily that all the things I spend time worrying about don't matter.  She matters.  Teaching her about Christ matters.  Loving others like Christ loves us (or at least trying our hardest to) matters.  God knows I needed/need her in my life to be a constant reminder of the wonder in the world and to stop and small the roses when I get overwhelmed.

Newbie photography post!

I've been very busy lately with taking photos, editing photos, working at the hospital two days a week and caring for my very silly and energetic toddler!  Life is busy - but I guess that's a good thing.  Please take a look at my latest photography post about a sweet, sleepy newborn!

http://kaylawilkesphotography.blogspot.com/2012/03/newbie-suhani.html

The Most Lazy Day

Today has been a very lazy day.  Like, sleep in till 1030, keep my hair curly, play with Emmy, paint my nails kind of lazy day.

Currently I'm watching Water For Elephants with four dogs surrounding me, a glass of wine, a sleeping baby, and I pile of clothes on the floor that need to be folded and put up, but this is a good as it's gonna get right now.

I've got 59 days until I'll have Caleb by my side on lazy days like this and I can't keep my mind from thinking about how much I miss him.

Life has been so busy lately!  There are a lot of things going on in my life right now, but it's good because it keeps me busy and makes the days go by faster.  I'll let you in on the new stuff soon enough, but for now I'm going to enjoy the rest of my lazy day!!!

I hope you all have a great weekend!