There is No One like Your Mom...

Love this saying I found...  (True in my life, minus the high school years.  Sharon would agree.:)

AND this one...

Well, last Friday finally came...  It was a day that I had been dreading all.week.long.  The day for my Mom to leave Louisiana and head back home to Texas.  It was seriously one of the worst days of my life...  I could barely keep my composure all day long on Friday.

I went and grabbed us lunch before Brad was coming home to load up the troops to take Bob to the airport.  And yes, this was my mom's last Louisiana meal request:

 Obviously, the Texas Panhandle hasn't caught on to Raising Cane's yet.  Mom could eat this 3-4 times a week I swear.  If she had to choose between a 5-star restaurant or Cane's, I am thinking Cane's might just win!

I walked in the house and said something to my Mom.  She didn't respond, and I thought she just didn't hear me or was totally ignoring me completely tired of hearing my voice for the past week!:)  I walked over to the couch and she was holding Ledger, staring at his sweet, sleeping self  just SOBBING....  It literally broke my heart (and still does thinking about it...)  I lost it.  The realization that this day had arrived was about more than we could deal with.  We both sat on the couch ugly crying, not saying a word to each other.  

Poor little Ledger probably thought... "Who are these crazies?"

The drive across the lake was the most silent ride with my mom that we have ever had.  I could hear her sniffling in the back seat, while silent tears rolled down my face as I stared out the window.  Poor Brad just kept driving in the silence, awkwardly checking his phone for some kind of disturbance... 

I turned around to check on Ledger (and Mom) and that is when it happened.  ALL HELL broke loose.  She gently grabbed my hand and we started heaving...  It was TERRIBLE.  The worst cry I have ever had... I felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest.  Excruciating. (And I suffered through lots of break-ups in my 20's-early 30's.  This TRUMPS them all times a million times over:)  The heaving continued until we arrived at the dreaded 'Departure' drop-off at the airport...  The best and saddest hug I have ever received.  Heartbreak and anxiety consumed me.  Yes, I know she will be back soon, but it is so difficult being so far away from "your mom".  Especially now since their is a sweet, precious baby involved.  

My mother always knows what to do, and she does it with grace.  She is the strong one, the one who doesn't stress and over-react to situations.  She knows babies and their wants and needs like the back of her hand.  She is the one that I would ask 754 questions to the five days we were here at the house just staring at our new love and watching my new fave, "Kelly and Michael".  She was our chef for a week... homemade steak fingers to homemade chicken enchiladas with all the sides.  She did the laundry.  All three of ours...  Never knew how many outfit changes a baby could have in one day? Dear Lord!  

 Yep...  Dessert every night too! 

But more than all of that, she is my best friend, the one I look to for about everything.  Now instead of sitting across the room from her, I will now call her twice/three times a day for Ledger advice, questions about a recipe,  or just to chat and hear an adult voice.   We all three miss her like crazy, but knew it was time for her to go.  I think Dad was becoming extremely bored all alone at home and the new Wainscott Party of 3 needed to figure this out on our own, without live in help!:)  

And we have survived the past three days.  WOOHOO!  Saturday night was rough...I mean ROUGH!  We were both at a loss on what to do to calm and soothe the flailing-armed, high-pitched screaming alien that had overtaken our sweet, little Ledger's body!  From 6:30 pm to 12:34 am, when Brad sent me to bed...  it was non-stop fussiness, flailing, you name it...  As I was fast asleep dreaming of Ambien and ear plugs, Brad finally got him settled.  Thank the Lord.   Sunday was a breeze - (I am totally going to regret saying this.)   God has a funny sense of humor.  I am sure it was a test!

 I'm going to go ahead and say that Ledger's fussiness and high voltage scream session was due to Greta's rejection earlier last week.  You win some, you lose some buddy.

Sunday snoozing...

And last but not least...

 I love this so much....  Especially 'toon'.  Made my day!  Love my 3rd graders.

I know Ledger.  That's how Mommy feels about Mondays too.

Hope everyone has a great week and I hope Brad is ready to chat when he gets home.  Only so much you can say to a 2-week old with not getting a response in return for 10+ hours!

Love,

~H

The Day That Our Lives Forever Changed - 1-13-15...

There are just zero words to describe the past week.  Zero, none, notta...  

Everyone told me that I had no idea the love for Ledger I would have until he arrived, and everyone was absolutely right.  It's like my heart is going to burst everyday when I look at him, bathe him, change him - poopy and all, feed him, cuddle with him at 2:43 in the morning:), and pretty much just think of our Wainscott family of 3.  I just cannot believe that Brad and I were chosen to be his parents.  So extremely blessed and thankful.  I cannot thank God enough for entrusting us with this precious child.  He is pretty much our everything right now.  And yes, we fight over who gets to feed him, bathe him, change him, etc....  And "Bob" is still here, so it is a three-way fight daily...

Dear Sweet Ledger,

Happy One-Week....  What an amazing and (tiring:) week this has been, but I would not change it for all the money in the world.  YOU have made our lives so much happier, so much richer, and brought so much love to our lives. 

From the moment you were born last Tuesday at 12:32 pm, I am a new person.  I am forever changed for the better.  My life has a totally new meaning, something no one could have prepared me for.  No one.  

I cannot wait to share this journey called life with you.  I love you more than you will ever know and understand. 

Love,

Mommy 

** I am apologizing now for the picture overload...  It's pretty much an obsession these days.  

The "night" before... 

Both Grandmas, Bebo, and Great-Grandma in town - CHECK

Corn grits at Zea's devoured - CHECK

A dozen and a half beignets consumed - CHECK

Brad figuring out our new, fancy camera - CHECK

The morning of...  All smiles!

In the parking lot about to make our way in.  I am rocking the fake, anxious, petrified smile and Brad looks like he is about to throw up...

Yep pretty much spot on...    

I looked through the window and saw the troops walking in with all of our "stuff"!  I love this picture of Brad, Dede, Bob and Bebo...

I was alone and finally realized this was really happening - I was about to have a baby.  Pretty much how I felt.  YIKES!

And it 12:32 pm, here we are...  The most precious minute of my life.  Hands.down.

My two main men.

 Already posing for the family through the window!

So in love...

Hands down, my favorite picture yet.  SO in love with these two.  And the Dad that Brad has already become is the most natural relationship I have ever seen.  Makes me fall in love with him all over everyday.  
I did ask him in the hospital while he was changing diaper #14, if he had kids that I didn't know about!?!?  I swear he does.  They are hidden somewhere.  He is a pro at this new role called "Dad."

Ledger is so lucky that both his uncles and aunts flew in for his arrival...  WHAT a blessing!  They are all four so so busy working, wrangling a 5, 2, and 19 month old, and Lindz is preparing for Baby #3 in March.  I didn't know whether or not they would make it with the birth being here in LA and all, but they did and I cannot tell you how much it meant for the four of them to be here for Ledger's debut! 

 Brad's mom, aka Dede, and Grandma were pretty smitten too!  This is the first grandchild for Brad's mom, so she was beside herself.  SO much love from a grandmother to a grandchild.  Dede would have stolen him if she thought she could have made it out the doors without being tackled by security!

These two girls were the fastest diaper changers ever...  Amazing.  Yep, I watched and took notes.

So many flowers and plants were sent to us from sweet friends. 

And Cody held these little gems on his lap on his flight from Dallas!  He knows his sister oh so well!  I think I scarfed down 4 of them.  Sprinkles is just one of the things I miss terribly about Dallas.  But my butt and stomach do thank me...

Some of my sweet past and current students came to visit Ledger on Thursday!  Sweet, sweet girls.  I just love these three.

Some sweet, sweet co-workers came to see us on Wed!

We arrived home on Friday and have settled in quite nicely.  IT helps when you mother is here.  Laundry, cooking, running errands, and tackling some early am feedings, etc.  you name it - Bob has done it!  

One last hospital pic...

Loading Ledger up for the drive home.  I think Brad drove 7 mph the whole.way.home.  It was slow and steady. 

My dining room table has been transformed into a changing table...  And as Type-A as I am, it hasn't bothered me a BIT!  Just until I can traipse up and down the stairs to L's nursery.

Our first of many strolls...

Homemade steak fingers, mashed potatoes with white gravy and an extra ramekin of white gravy for this momma.  AND I didn't have to drive 58 miles round trip to Dairy Queen.  THANK YOU MOM!  (Can you move in?)

Lounging on his Pello!  He adores stretching out on it.  He loves his right arm, especially by his head.  He is a natural poser.  

First car ride yesterday to run some errands.

Poor kid looks petrified in Pic #1.  He started bawling, so we turned around, went home, fed him, changed him and tried again.  Pic 2 - fat and happy!  Whew!

 Chilling with Daddy...

Hanging with Mommy and Bob!  BOY we are going to miss her come Friday.  Oh dear, it's going to be ugly on Friday at Louis Armstrong International Airport.  Cannot even talk about it.  Dread.this.day.  But we have two more full days of Bob-fun, and that is what I am focusing on!

Family photo Tuesday night.  Really have no recollection of this photo.  1-13-15 is such a blur, but the best blur possible.  Love this family so so much and any photo is great when you catch a smile on Bebo's face.  Doesn't happen often!:)...  (Missing Knox, Briggs, Marlowe, and Baby Hodges #3). 

Thank you for all your calls, texts, visits, FB messages, etc...  Brad and I are so blessed with great friends, family, co-workers, etc.  

IT has definitely been our best week yet.

Love,

~H

  

T-Minus 36 Hours or so...

T-minus 36 hours and our lives will never be the same...  

~It will not just be the two of us, we won't be able to pick up and do/go whatever/wherever WE want, movies and restaurants will be non-existent, the earplugs have found a new home in the trash, but I have a feeling that none of that will matter one bit at all anymore.  

It seems like I have been pregnant for a hot second, but on the other hand, Brad and I have been talking about this moment for approximately 274 days (give or take).  I have been blessed by God with a healthy, easy pregnancy, besides the kidney infection 4-day staycation at the hospital in October.  (Just got that bill two days ago... Awesome timing.  Thanks St. Tammany Hospital.)  But other than that little hiccup, piece of cake. 

It's a wrap - At least for while.  Will miss my little besties:)

 To HW from HW....

 Week 39 and one last dinner out....

 Sweet pictures from sweet kids (I hope I can swaddle Ledger that well - Dang girl!), beautiful flowers delivered Friday from two sweet Dallas friends - Thanks Jeaneal and Steph, Brad's twin air mattress for our room, homemade cookies for family and nurses and last but not least,  bags are packed!)  I swear it looks like we are moving in. (You haven't seen my husband pack.  Worse than me.  Shhhh!)  They may die when they see us haul in all of our STUFF!  It's a tad overkill, but this is definitely our first rodeo.  

Now, to keep my mind busy today running errands, making an airport trip to get Bob and Bebo, and just envisioning what a fun ride this is going to be with Brad and Ledger.  It makes me so emotional to see how giddy and excited Brad is.  Undoubtedly, he will be an amazing father - I just know it.  

And if I can be half the mother that my mother has been to our family, I am in great shape!

Dear Sweet Ledger - 

We cannot wait until your birthday tomorrow!  We have prayed for this moment for over a year, and now realize it will be the best day of our lives.  You are already so loved by so many people.  Mommy and Daddy cannot wait to hold you in our arms and fall even more in love with you.  We cannot thank you enough for joining our family of two...  Love you more than you will ever know or understand...

Mom and Dad

P.S. If you could have your Dad's calm demeanor and high level of patience, that would save us a lot of stress.  Thanks!:)

Love,

~H

 

A 2015 Lousiana Christmas and New Year's...

Well, Christmas and New Year's were here and now they are long gone.  Back to the real world on Monday.  What a great break this has been! (Except on missing the whole family back in Texas - not fun....)  But this break has been full of naps, relaxing, all of my DVR'ed shows are watched, and eating everything in sight....  HOLY MOLY.  I have eaten my way through the past two weeks, but I have an excuse, right?  Only two more weeks of complete glutton and not feeling too guilty about it.  Come middle of January, the devouring of anything in sight, is long.gone...

Pics from the last two weeks -

 The Starbuck's line on Christmas morning...  Stood in that line for 20-25 minutes.  You're welcome Brad.

We played a lot of WWF here at the Wainscott's.  Brad would either be on one side of the couch and me on the other, or upstairs watching football in his man cave and my downstairs.  We sure did play this non-stop within 20 feet from each other.  Pretty much dominated...

Lots of "Ledger prep" was done...

 Finished product ready to roll in our bedroom for a couple weeks.  

(Nursery is upstairs...Sigh.)

Lots of pedicures for Mom and one for Dad...

Missing these sweet three babes on Christmas...  But I received lots of pics and videos for 4 days!

For New Year's Eve, we went over to some friend's house for dinner...  9 adults, 5.5 kids, and one dog!  We had a ball eating, visiting and celebrating. Well, some more than others...:)  This pic was taken at the end of the night when the Hall's had already left!  Sorry Les....

Another fun holiday delicious dinner was at sweet Bridget's house.  

Bridget, Katie, Koral, Rachel and Miss Greta!  Great impromptu pic David...

 Week 37 and 38...  Hello Ledger.. Definitely some growth in 7 days.  (Thanks to the DQ white gravy, Cracker Barrel pancakes and the rest of the carbohydrate food group....)  And yes, I live in tights these days.

  One last glance at Ledger last Monday licking the back of his hand...  Little sucker still has not turned.  Appointment tomorrow to see what the heck we are going to do.  EEIIKKK!

Good ol' fashioned note taking.  Talk about making your head spin and needing a drink.  Overwhelming for sure...

 And both bases have been installed...  

Back to the real world known as WORK tomorrow!  These two weeks off have flown by, but I am glad to be back in my school routine for as long as I can handle it...  14 days left.  Cannot.believe.it.  I feel as though I have been pregnant for 2 months.  IT has flown by.  Now these last two weeks may drag on, I have a feeling.  

As long as my water doesn't break in my classroom with my 21 8 and 9 yr. old besties, I will be OK.  I guess it could be worse - there is always Walmart...

Have a wonderful week and Happy 2015!

Love,

~H