Our New Normal

So I had full intentions of doing a blog post on our last minute preparations, my surprise baby shower, Ryder's nursery, etc... but before I knew it, he was here.

I hate to admit it, but all of the catchy Scary Mommy/Huffington Post/Buzz Feed articles are SO true - the 2nd child just doesn't get the same life as the first child.  This isn't necessarily bad... He gets tons of love from everyone, especially his big brother.  He's always clean, fed, dressed cute, kissed from head to toe, snuggled with... so in other words, all of the IMPORTANT (non-pinteresty) stuff is well taken care of. : )

On the other hand, trying to find time to do all of the "extra" stuff like I did with Hudson is a lot harder.  Mostly due to energy level, lack of sleep, time, etc.  Posed monthly pictures, birth stories, blog updates, completing his baby book, etc etc.... have all unintentionally fell to the wayside.  I did manage to take a few 1 month pictures...5 days late.  But, better late than never! With Hudson, Rusty was always my assistant...getting him to smile, propping him up... with Ryder, I just had to do it during the day when we had time and he was awake.  Once Rusty and Hudson walk in the door around 5pm, the house is pretty crazy until he's in bed by 8:30.  Throwing a toddler into the mix makes things WAY more interesting!! You don't realize how easy you had it with #1 until #2 is here and you are trying to do all of the typical new baby things while trying to coerce your toddler to eat something besides chicken nuggets, bribing him to stay in his big boy bed, picking up all 702,846 of his toys, remembering to take him to tee tee in the potty (along with bribing him to go #2), laundry, OH THE LAUNDRY, AND dishes... I know my mom friends that have had two or three kids for a while are laughing...because you know it's true. But it is all SO worth it.  Nothing makes me happier than my two precious boys!!!

I've got 7 weeks until it's back to the real world and I intend to make the most of it! Which includes catching up on blogging and documenting our new bundle of joy's precious first year of life.

With just one little one crawling around, I had time to proofread, edit pictures, and make everything perfect.  Forgive me if the next year of blogs has a few typos.  : )


I hope you will follow along! I will (hopefully) be posting his one month blog today!

All the details on Baby #2 - including a NAME!

Rusty and I always knew we wanted {at least} two kids.  Less than a year after Hudson was born, Rusty was already talking about baby #2!! Of course I wanted another one... but I wanted to wait just a little longer.  Over the next few months, we tried to decide when we thought would be the best time.  Things we considered were my job, my {lack of} sick days, and the age gap between the two kiddos.  We decided we would start trying after Christmas, and that God would give us a baby in His time.  

Well let's just say we are in the business of having babies because a few weeks later we found out we were pregnant! WHOO HOOO!!!!! 

I really couldn't believe it, but at the same time, I just had a feeling.  As a matter of fact, SO much of a feeling that I bought the early response test and took it REALLY early and got a negative.  Rusty was also just as anxious.  When it was negative, I was shocked.  I told Rusty that I thought we were rushing it and I wasn't going to take another one until I had missed my start date.  WHO AM I KIDDING?!?! That was a Tuesday.  Thursday at work I was having these crampy feelings allll day.  I just knew something was up.  And even though it was still a little early, I was dying to take a test that night.

We went about our usual routine.  Hudson was being *extra awesome* that day  - wouldn't eat, was being super loud, and made quite a mess a dinner.  I just couldn't stand myself any longer so I went and took a test without telling Rusty.  I convinced myself if it was negative, I wouldn't say a word and would take another one in a few days.  Well, TWO pink lines showed up!! I was speechless.  All I could do was giggle.  

I walked into the kitchen where poor Rusty, who had the most exhausted look on his face, was cleaning everything up.  I just looked at him with the biggest grin and said, "I hope you are ready for things to get a lot crazier around here!"  He just looked at me like, "What in the world are you talking about?"  I held up the test.  He looked at it.  Then looked at me.  Then looked at it.  Then looked at me.  He said, "Are you sure?" 

YES I'M SURE!!

To be fair, last time I bought the Clear Blue Digital Tests that clearly say "pregnant" or "not pregnant".  Rusty just wasn't convinced that the second line was dark enough!! ; )  I got the booklet and showed him where it pretty much said "a line is a line, no matter how faint"! "SEE!! SEE!!" I said, and he just laughed.  This went on the next day, too!! I asked him if he wanted me to go get a digital test, and he said no.  So it was settled.  Rusty agreed I was pregnant ; ) (HA!) and we anxiously awaited our first doctor appointment!

Around 7 weeks, we got the confirmation ultrasound!

Around 12 weeks, we announced our big news!

Here are some belly shots that have documented this journey:

 17 weeks

19 weeks - the day of THE ultrasound : )

23 weeks at the beach

Sadly, not nearly as many pictures as with Hudson, but if you lived with us, you'd understand why.  ; )  

Mommas just doesn't have the time and energy with #2!

Around 19 weeks we had our anatomy scan, and we received an all clear! 

A healthy baby BOY!

I'm feeling pretty good right now.  Sometimes it is harder to get comfortable lying down or sitting, but nothing too bad.  My iron was a little low, so they switched my vitamins.  And of course, being pregnant chasing a VERY active 2 year old is somewhat tiring! Besides that, everything is very normal! 

Memorial Day Weekend was very low key for us this year.  I spent part of the day Sunday cleaning out Hudson's closet and drawers.  After lots of thinking and being realistic, we have decided to give baby #2 Hudson's dresser.  Hudson has plenty of room for clothes between the chest and his closet.  We will be making Hudson's room have more of a playroom area since our living quarters will be full of baby gear soon.  ; )

His original room...

Baby #2 will get Hudson's dresser, hutch, and changing table.  We are ordering a convertible crib that matches Hudson's furniture, but the headboard will look a little different.

I'm picturing a crisp, clean room with navy, green, and white! We shall see!

Last big update...HIS NAME!

This time was MUCH harder.  We looked and looked and discussed and made faces and looked some more and disagreed A LOT.  But after much discussion, we finally have a name!

Ryder James Ashworth

We've always had the middle name.  James is my paternal grandfather's first name and Rusty's paternal grandfather's middle name.  It is very special to us and we always knew that would be the middle name if it was a boy.  We just like Ryder! It has no special significance.  It was on a list I texted Rusty one day and he didn't pay it any attention.  Then weeks later, after we still couldn't agree on a name, he mentioned it.  It look me about a week, but one day he was kicking and I just had a feeling.  We like it because it's not too crazy, but not very common.  It goes well with James, and it's not too trendy.  So, Ryder it is!

We can't wait to meet you, Ryder! 

Hudson - 2 Years Old

Hudson,

You are TWO YEARS OLD! How did this happen? It feels like yesterday we were just nervous, new parents leaving the hospital, driving 30 miles per hour the whole way home, with mommy in the back seat staring you down like a hawk.  You know, just in case... you choke, or quit breathing, or starting crying... or anything else that seemed frightening to two first time parents as they left the comfort of 24 hour nurses and doctors.  Nevertheless, the inevitable happened and you have turned into a precious little boy. 

At two years old, you are quite the ham.  

Your favorite things to do are:

Dance and Sing

Play Outside

Play with Balls and Trucks

ANYTHING with Water

(First Trip to Inland Lake September 2013)

Puzzles and Books

Be just like your daddy ; )

(No, he's not using the toilet, but he sure does love to think he is!)

You are really talking now, which is quite amusing.  Your favorite things to say right now are "Momma, come on!" and you wave your arm, or "Daddy, get up!" and you try to pull him up...Mr. Bossy.  You love to "sing" all of your songs you sing at school like ABCs, "Bus" (Wheels on the Bus), "Bee" (The Bumble Bee Song), "Happy" (If You're Happy and You Know It), and "Shine" (This Little Light of Mine).  You are extremely independent, to the point of redoing something I just did so you can do it all by yourself.

You love all animals, especially Macy and "Coop-ah" and our neighbor's cat.  Going to the zoo is always fun, but even more now that you are so interested and know what almost every animal is and what it says.  I'm planning on taking you to the Gulfarium when we go to the beach in a couple of weeks.  I think you will love it!

Tennessee Aquarium Spring Break 2014

Your favorite foods are dairy products, fruit, and chicken.  Oh, and of course fruit snacks, if those even count as food.  You seem to like things with bold flavor, such as lemon pepper chicken, chili, taco soup, etc. You were even eating Sweet Heat BBQ chips recently! 

You are so loving.  You love to give hugs and kisses all the time.  Right now, you like to give three kisses - one on each cheek and one on the lips.  It is hilarious.  You also love to give high fives, knuckles, and say "How do (you do)" with a handshake.

Right now you are getting a bath around 7:30, and you are usually in your bed by 8:30.  You are an early riser, waking typically between 5:30 and 6:00am 7 days a week.  We consider it a huge blessing if you sleep til 6:30 on a Saturday.  Daddy gives you a bath almost every night, and y'all sit in his recliner and cuddle up to get sleepy.

You are wearing 2T-3T shirts and 18-24 month bottoms.  2T bottoms are still huge on you.  You wear size 5 diapers (still Pampers loyal) and a size 7 wide shoe.  At your check up, you weighed 30 pounds and were 35 inches tall, 75th percentile for both. 

You've been going to the same daycare since school started (WHOO HOO for a smooth year!) and you love it.  You talk about your friends and just smile when we drop you off. 

The four words that describe you best right now are loving, busy, independent, funny.  In fact, you are SO busy, active, rough, and boyish, you've earned the nickname "Bamm Bamm".

Spring 2013 - Bamm Bamm in action

The biggest change in your life right now is that you are about to be a BIG BROTHER! You play so well with your cousins and friends at school.  I know you will be a great big brother.  You are already so protective of your little cousin Baker that is about 17 months younger than you.  You are always "helping" and loving on him.

You are still loving Mickey Mouse, so we threw you a Mickey Mouse Birthday Party!

Huddy Buddy, your mommy and daddy love you more than you will ever know! You are so special to us, and we try our best to treasure every day with you!



Happy Two Years, Hudson Michael!

It's a...

We had a Gender Reveal Party this past weekend for Baby #2.  This time around was way different! With Hudson, Rusty and I both knew it was a boy before the party.  I made cupcakes with blue filling for everyone to find out the sex of the baby.  You can see more about that party here.

This time, I wanted it to be a surprise to us, too! Sadly, I couldn't get Baby Daddy to play along.  He found out on the day of our ultrasound and kept the results (and the pictures giving away the big news) to himself.  Here is one of the sweet pictures we got!

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Our tech was great and really took her time.  She tried to get us a good picture of the baby's face, but a sweet little arm was in the way the whole time! She even switched over to 4D for a minute, but no luck there either.  It did look like the baby was sucking his/her thumb, though.  It was precious!

The next day, one of my best friends Adrianne came into town and spent the night.  We stayed up way past our bedtime decorating the box! Rusty took the box to work the next day and stopped by Party City on his way home to have it filled up with balloons.

Baby Daddy text me this picture leaving Party City.  

If that's not the face of one proud, excited daddy, I don't know what is.

Everyone came over that night for the big reveal.  We ate dinner and flocked to the yard for the big moment!

My sorority sisters and dear friends, Adrianne and Morgan

My parents

I know he doesn't look like it, but Hudson is super excited about the new baby.  He was running a low grade temp that day and was just not himself.  Plus I think all of the excitement was a little overwhelming and confusing.

Rusty's parents

My great aunt Carolyn, my grandmother Norma, and my aunt Rene'

My soul sisters ; )

Samantha, Jessica, and Natalie

Everyone was chomping at the bits, so after we scarfed down some food enjoyed food and fellowship, we went outside for the balloon reveal!

We think it's a boy!

We think it's a girl!

Rusty cut open the box, and I didn't want to take a chance of seeing blue or pink.  My heart was racing! 

It's a..................

BOY!

Our poor baby boy is still nameless.  James is a family name on both sides, so that is definitely his middle name.  Rusty and I may be doing rock, paper, scissors over this name!!!!!!! This time is much harder than last time. 

We are so excited and CANNOT BELIEVE we are going to have TWO boys running around our house!! I know we are going to have a lifetime full of laughter and great memories.

I'm Baaaaack!

So.... I haven't blogged in over a year.  Bad, I know.  I'm very disappointed in myself.  But, a super sick computer + very active toddler that you cannot take your eyes off of for one second = no blogging.  BUT, the computer is mostly fixed and there are only 2 weeks left of school, so NO EXCUSES! ; ) I hope you will follow along again!

There is NO way I can go back and catch up over a year's worth of details from every trip, holiday, milestone, etc.  If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, I post on there pretty regularly.  Maybe you aren't too far behind!

I will try to do a super quick picture recap so you can see just how much Hudson has changed in a year!

First play date of Summer 2013 - LOOK at these BABIES!! 

First trip to the splash pad!

At the beach with Rusty's parents - asleep at The Crab Trap

At the beach with my parents

First Day of "School"

We welcomed William Baker Ashworth to the family! It took Hudson about a month to adjust, but now he is OBSESSED with him. 

 

Halloween

Santa at Bass Pro Shop - this was AFTER we had a meltdown.  I'm pretty sure he has a cookie in his hand.

Hudson got tubes 2 days before Christmas... I know, I'm the grinch. 

(Side Note: Sometime after Christmas we dropped the Paci! Whoo hoo!)

Christmas Morning! Look at that face! 

Snowmageddon 2014 - Mommy and Hudson made it home after about 6 hours.  Daddy spent the night at work and still had to walk part of the way home.

March 2014- Huddy had some BIG news to share!!!

Hudson turned 2 Mickey Mouse style!

Easter 2014

And this past weekend we had our GENDER REVEAL!  Stay tuned to see what Baby #2 will be!

This past year my baby has turned into a little boy! It's unreal to see how quickly they change.  I hope I can keep blogging to document our growing family! Stay tuned!