Presenting Miss Alexan Tyler Harmon!

Spring has Sprung!

It all started with the Bluebonnets! 

I was 38 weeks pregnant and very ready to meet our sweet new baby girl. I was scheduled to be induced next week but next week seemed an eternity away. Chris was a nervous wreck that I would go into Labor and he would be an hour away at work and I would be all alone. So he guilted his mother into babysitting me all day until he came home from work. Poor Tillie literally had to get up and drive an hour to sit and watch me sit at my computer and work. She of course took me out for lunch every day but otherwise I was trying to finish up as much work as possible before Miss Alexan arrived. 

On Tuesday, I felt just yucky all day and thought I might be in labor but I called the doctor that night and she told me that unless the contractions were closer together and progressively getting worse, then it was not real labor - go to bed and she would talk to me tomorrow. (Chris had secretly called his parents and others and told them I was going into labor that night and to be on guard - it didn't happen. He got zero sleep that night in anticipation)

On Wednesday, I work up and felt great. I had more energy that day than in weeks and I took Ash to school, went out to lunch with Tillie (after digging out the only shirt that still covered my belly), picked Ash up from school and we decided it was a beautiful day to play in the backyard. We walked all over the back of our land talking and having a pretend tea party and then we saw the first bluebonnet of the season in our garden. I looked at Ash and said "It would be a great day to have a baby - the first day of Spring!"

That night I read Ash to sleep in her bed. I packed her lunch for school and Chris went to bed super early as he was exhausted from worrying the night before. I took a shower and s I was getting into bed at 9:45p, my water broke. I was stunned as with Ash I had to be induced, so this was definitely new for me. I kept thinking that maybe I was mistaken and didn't want to wake Chris with a false alarm. So I paced the house 3 times and all of the sudden my contractions started to fast and painful that I could barely move. I ran to Chris and told him this time was very real. Let's get out of here. He woke up disoriented and went to get my mother and tell her to stay with Ash while I packed the rest of my bag. We jumped in the car at 10:15 and drove to the hospital. Chris drove like you see on the movies. He was worried and nervous and out of it from just waking up. We called the doctor but she was not on call so I spoke with the doc in her practice that was on call and already at the hospital. We called family and everyone was excited and expected I would deliver sometime tomorrow. I talked fine to my brother and father on the phone but as soon as I got off, I would cry and squeeze Chris and tell him I was dying.

We arrived at the hospital and I could barely speak I was in so much pain. Chris was demanding they take me upstairs immediately. We got in the room and met our nurse.  I tried to be friendly but I was having consistent contractions with zero breaks. I was begging for an epidural and the nurse told me that I had to get an IV and have a full bag of saline in me before the epidural and that I might not make it. I was being my persuasive self and told her that I REALLY needed the drugs. 

Chris called my mom and told her to wake Ash and bring her up to the hospital as it would probably be in the next few hours and Tillie and Ken were on the way. Somehow I made it through the next hour and the saline was empty but the anesthesiologist was in with another patient and low and behold I was dilated to a 9. I gave one last plea to the nurse and she pulled the doc out of another woman's room and in came the miracle man. Chris was thrilled as his arms were black and blue from me squeezing them and he was emotional from watching me in pain. Once the epidural worked, I was the happiest momma in the world. I couldn't wait to meet our sweet baby girl. The OB came in and met us and said "Do you want to enjoy the epidural or are you ready?" I told her she was insane - let's get this show on the road. 

Three pushes later at 12:13am on March 20, 2014, Miss Alexan Tyler Harmon was born. 8lbs 1 oz - 21.5 inches long.

TOTALLY different from the 6 hours of labor and 2 hours of pushing with Miss Ashton. Chris and I were stunned! We just couldn't believe she was really here. Our family was finally complete. It was just so amazing. This baby we had prayed about for so many years and I had giving up believing would ever be here. She was here and She was beautiful and healthy! We wanted to kiss and cuddle her and most of all we wanted her big sister to see her. We could not get over how big she was as Ash is our little petite lady. She has strong lungs and is an absolute doll! Two little ladies who have their daddy wrapped around their finger! We are beyond thankful for our sweet girls! It was the most wonderful day! 

 

 Ash gave Alexan her 1st Bath! She stayed up until 4am until she finally surrendered and agreed to go home with Mimi to sleep. 

(It only took me 6 months to finally get this post written - amazing to see her now - where has the time gone! It feels like she has always been a part of our family - sorry if this post was too graphic but I don't want to forget any details and Ashton loves to hear her own birth story so I assume Alexan will too)

Waiting on Baby # 2 ...

(Obviously this post if very late)
March was busy as always. Mostly for Ashton as I was feeling very tired and huge and ready to meet our new little lady. Chris took 95% of the parenting duties in the last few weeks of my pregnancy. He was constantly taking Ash and her friends to movies and the Austin Fair and Rodeo and just anywhere out of the house to give me time to rest.

Ash started soccer for the very first time. She knew that her daddy had played and she was excited to try a new sport. I never played soccer or any team sport so I could not be more proud of her for meeting all new girls and joining a team! She had soccer games every week and she was beginning to absolutely love it! It is so fun to watch her play. She was timid at first during the games and let other players shine until one Friday night game when her grandparents came to watch. She told me before the game that she was going to score a goal. I of course encouraged her but was a little skeptical because she had not been very aggressive in a game to this point. In the 1st quarter a girl on the opposite team gets hurt but the ref does not blow the whistle. Everyone is crowded around the little girl and Ash looks around takes the ball and goes all the way across the field and scores! We were stunned. It was so out of character for Ash. She is constantly worried about others and nurturing everyone. Not in soccer! She took this opportunity to shine! It was AWESOME! We were so proud of her. It was a smart and strategic move and she loves to tell the story!

 After 15 years, I finally had my prayer bench covered for Ash's room. Tillie did it and it turned out so beautiful! Better than I could have ever hoped. The prayer bench was very special to me as it was given to me by my grandmothers best friend when she died in 1999. I moved it from house to house over the years but never utilized it like I should. It is now the perfect fit in Ash's room. Love it! Great memories! 

Doesn't every new momma need a new mom mobile? Presenting my push present! I absolutely love my new car! It is huge and I can load multiple kids and our entourage of grandmothers in it! Chris picked it out and it has all the bells and whistles that I never would have asked for but oh how I love them. Erin and I discuss how when we are driving our huge mom mobiles, we feel like Pam and Renee and have deja vu of the 1980's and 1990's driving our children all over town. You blink and you are your mother! 

 

I never had maternity pics taken with Ash but since this is my last pregnancy, I figured I really wanted to remember what such a special time in my life looked like. I was enormous but that just means I am carrying the most precious healthy baby! Pretty important job! I love that all my shower guests signed around the pic

Oh the craze of Rainbow Loom! It has taken over our house. When I was in 2nd and 3rd grade, making friendship bracelets was the rage. Now it is small rubberbands made into all sorts of jewelry and even flip flops! Ash spends hours watching YouTube videos of how to make different designs. We even attended a class at a Toy Store. The rubber bands are all over the house! Its nuts but it's the big Thing for 2014

We attended Science Night at Ash's school and she won the cake walk AGAIN. She wins at least twice a year at every event we attend. And most times they give her chocolate which she hates so I benefit. 

 Over Spring Break, ACL is in town and Austin is even more crazy than usual. As I always do, I was signing up for free events for Ash - I am known for knowing about every free event in all of the Hill Country! So I also signed up for Free Jimmy Kimmel tickets and won. When I told Chris and my mother that I wanted to go to the show and that I was going to have to stand in line before the show in downtown Austin. They both stomped their feet and told me NO. Seeing as I was 37 weeks pregnant, they did not think this was a smart plan. But I stomped back and Cortney promised to take care of me. We had a great time but the hilarious part was that during the opening part of the show they show a video of how no matter what, you cannot get up our of your seat. They even show a woman having a baby and naming it Jimmy. So all of the audience around me are laughing and pointing at me saying that I was going to deliver in the theater. It was a little freaky! The guests were Snoop Dogg, Seth Rogan and some band from Austin that no one had hear of . Thanks Cort for taking good care of me! My mother literally dropped us off at the door and Chris picked us up and took us to dinner after the show. I have the best friends and family for all my crazy ideas! 

  

Chris took Ash and CoCo to the Austin Fair and Rodeo for a day of crazy fun!

Ash won a barrel of monkeys

Every Spring Break in the past, we have Erin and her family come in town for a week of crazy fun, this year, we were waiting on a baby so we had to find other ways to keep busy! Ash had multiple playdates and she and Mimi had their quarterly trip to the Austin Zoo. Nana took her shopping and out to Lunch and to end up Spring Break, we got Pedicures (I was hoping it would induce labor but to no avail - I was still pregnant but with pretty toes)

 Come on Baby Alexan ~ we are ready to meet you!