As one month came and went with our new baby, I decided to make a trip up to Dothan with the boys all by myself! I missed my family up there and wanted to go see them, so I packed up the car and on the road I was…driving the two hours all by myself, with both boys! I’d like to say it was a smooth trip, and for the most part, it was. Baby Griggs just didn’t like his carseat too much, and in his tiny little cry, would let me know it. This part was extremely hard, because he never cried much at home! Needless to say, I pulled over a few times on the side of the road to soothe him and then finally in a bank parking lot to nurse him and feed William a snack. William was so loving to his brother and would sing to him as he cried. It melted my heart!
We started our adventure driving to Enterprise to take my daddy out to lunch because he had recently been promoted and “pinned” and we had missed the ceremony. He was excited we were coming to the armory so he could show off his grandsons. He paraded them around his office, introducing me to some of the new guys and showing off William and Griggs. All the men were great and congratulated me on Griggs. He told them we were heading off to lunch on a lunch date and his boss told him he could “wrap up and call it an afternoon”., which I thought was extra nice. I insisted on buying, so he insisted on a simple place “Guthrie’s”… I wanted to take him somewhere nice and special, but he refused. It worked out because William loved the chicken there and ate a big lunch for me. After finishing lunch, we dropped my daddy (Granddaddy) back off at work so he finish up and hurry home.
I drove on home to Dothan, ready to see my mom (Maggie). She greeted us at the door with big hugs and jumped in the car and drove around the corner to Grannymart’s house for a visit. Grannymart was so excited to rock and love on Griggs. It was a special little visit together. William decided he’d play us some tunes on her piano, which we all loved and enjoyed. William loved singing to us and being silly while we talked and chatted about Griggs. After a while, we left and went back home to Maggie and Granddaddy’s to wait on Granddaddy to get home.
Poppi came over to visit and love on Griggs a while. He just beamed with pride, holding him in his arms. I could tell he was on cloud nine as he went on and on about how he’d been telling everyone about his new great-grandson and what everyone was saying. He also had saved his church bulletin for me where Griggs’ birth was announced. We passed the time just visiting and passing Griggs around, letting everyone love on him. At some point that night, we discovered that it was actually August 2nd! Griggs was one month old! I ran down the hall and grabbed my baby picture from one month to compare… let me tell you we were all cracking up at the exact resemblance! He’s a spitting image of me! We just laughed and laughed at the resemblance! It had been a good day and I was excited to be in Dothan with my babies, yet I missed my husband terribly. It is very hard to be away from him, but he is understanding of the times that I need to run up to Dothan to be around my family.
Griggs slept pretty well in crib (which, by the way, is my old crib!) and William and I snuggled in bed all night, in between feedings. The best part of this visit was at some point in the wee hours of the morning, my moma came in and heard me singing to Griggs to get him back to sleep and she sent the two of us to her bed, so we wouldn’t wake William. Well, around 11 that morning, Griggs and I finally woke up! WE were sacked out ALL MORNING LONG! Maggie kept William entertained while I caught up on sleep. Little did I know they had come in and checked on us several times, but I apparently was beyond exhausted, because I never heard them. Griggs slept so soundly, tucked in my arm and snuggled under the covers with me, that I passed out. I say this because I need to clarify. It’s not like I had not been getting rest the previous weeks, I think the escape to my parent’s house and the simple act of curling up in her bed, soft bed, knowing she was just a room away, I let my guard down and slept, and slept and slept. I’ll remember that morning for a while. How perfect for my mom to know just what I needed in those wee hours… wonderful., blissful rest, peacefully snuggled with my tiny baby!
Anna and some of her kids came over to visit while we were up. William loves getting to see his cousins! They all play so well together and have tons of fun. Of course we had to pull out the ever faithful sprinkler and let the kids run and splash. It was especially cute to me to watch Anna's youngest, Isabella, be a "little mommy" to baby Griggs! Too cute! I just love relaxing times watching kids play and laugh while we are all together making memories.
Holden decided he was ready for his "buzz cut" while we were up and this meant laughter (and a few tears). Moma and Hunter took turns cutting and buzzing his hair while I took pictures. It was an interesting night to say the least. I have included the pictures so you can see the before, during and after of his cut. Brave guy :)
As our first trip to Dothan came to an end, I kinda longed for more time with my mom, just to be around her and talk and visit, and somehow, my daddy knew that…and he didn’t want me driving home, alone, given my trip up here with so many unplanned stops for Griggs. They decided she could ride down with me in the car to help soothe Griggs, should he start crying, and he would follow behind, to pick her up. They drove 4 hours out of their way, just to make sure we were safe and sound. It’s the simple things that make everything special! Just being near my mom is reassuring to me. We talk constantly about everything, yet sometimes nothing at all. It’s wonderful, having her only a phone call away, or a short drive, when I need her. She guides me, comforts me, advises me, listens to me, encourages me, laughs with me, prays for me, drops everything for me and is there no matter what. And the same goes for my daddy. I will forever be a daddy’s girl. It didn’t really surprise me when I heard “little girl, I think I’ll follow you home this time.” He still protects me, comforts me, guides me, advises me, supports me, believes in me, etc. I am blessed with loving parents who are always so willing to do anything and be there for me.
Family is essential. I’m thankful for my family and count them each as a blessing daily!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
A haircut, a visit with Uncle Hunter and a date night (end of July)
As July came to an end, Philip and I were ready to go on a date to celebrate Griggs. I was excited to have a reason to dress up and get fixed up, so we planned for my brother, Hunter and his girlfriend, Whitney to come down to visit. She hadn’t met Griggs yet, so we were looking forward to her meeting our new baby. They came down for the weekend to spend some time with us and hang out. That weekend, the boys went golfing while the girls went shopping (with the babies).
That weekend also was a special day for William! He was getting his 2nd haircut! He’s just growing up too fast, but we are loving every minute of it. I couldn’t believe he was already needing another haircut! I love his hair, with the blonde color and the sweet baby curls that come out as wisps now. Having to cut it did make me a bit sad, but I knew he would look absolutely adorable with it short and cleaned up! We had Dr. Taylor and Mrs. Betty Sue come over again to do his haircut. Mrs. Betty Sue came over to help hold Griggs while I tended to William and his haircut. Dr. Taylor did another fantastic job with William for his hair cut. William was a wiggly little fellow, full of laughter and a few tears. Whitney and Hunter helped with pictures and distractions when the tears began. It really was a fun afternoon and the finished product was an adorably handsome, grown-up looking little boy!
If you are ever in the area, you really should enjoy a date to Caliza in Alys Beach!! It’s a beautiful pool-side restaurant in Alys Beach. It took my breath away as we walked up to our date. It’s just that good. The atmosphere is very calm and secluded. The place is gorgeous. It may sound silly, but I felt like I was dining somewhere in the Caribbean, miles away from everyone. As much as I was looking forward to our date, I was not ready to leave Griggs, so we brought him along. He was so peaceful on our date. The wait staff came over and made all over him, mentioning how beautiful he was, which I, of course, already knew, but enjoyed hearing. We wined and dined together, celebrating our one month old and time alone. It was a spectacular date! I fell in love with Caliza and can’t wait to go back! The food was out of this world! Words would not do justice to try to describe. Take my word for it, or better yet, just go! All in all, the best part of our date to me was how wonderful and peaceful Griggs was, just sitting there beside me. He was the reason we were out celebrating! Date nights are always fun and refreshing. I remember that night feeling extra special. It was a perfectly wonderful evening together, with our new baby
That weekend also was a special day for William! He was getting his 2nd haircut! He’s just growing up too fast, but we are loving every minute of it. I couldn’t believe he was already needing another haircut! I love his hair, with the blonde color and the sweet baby curls that come out as wisps now. Having to cut it did make me a bit sad, but I knew he would look absolutely adorable with it short and cleaned up! We had Dr. Taylor and Mrs. Betty Sue come over again to do his haircut. Mrs. Betty Sue came over to help hold Griggs while I tended to William and his haircut. Dr. Taylor did another fantastic job with William for his hair cut. William was a wiggly little fellow, full of laughter and a few tears. Whitney and Hunter helped with pictures and distractions when the tears began. It really was a fun afternoon and the finished product was an adorably handsome, grown-up looking little boy!
If you are ever in the area, you really should enjoy a date to Caliza in Alys Beach!! It’s a beautiful pool-side restaurant in Alys Beach. It took my breath away as we walked up to our date. It’s just that good. The atmosphere is very calm and secluded. The place is gorgeous. It may sound silly, but I felt like I was dining somewhere in the Caribbean, miles away from everyone. As much as I was looking forward to our date, I was not ready to leave Griggs, so we brought him along. He was so peaceful on our date. The wait staff came over and made all over him, mentioning how beautiful he was, which I, of course, already knew, but enjoyed hearing. We wined and dined together, celebrating our one month old and time alone. It was a spectacular date! I fell in love with Caliza and can’t wait to go back! The food was out of this world! Words would not do justice to try to describe. Take my word for it, or better yet, just go! All in all, the best part of our date to me was how wonderful and peaceful Griggs was, just sitting there beside me. He was the reason we were out celebrating! Date nights are always fun and refreshing. I remember that night feeling extra special. It was a perfectly wonderful evening together, with our new baby
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Moments in the 1st weeks with new baby and big brother
As I sit here and reflect back on the first few weeks with Griggs, my heart is just bursting with emotions. It was a very special moment in time and full of memories. I can remember falling deeper in love with my husband, as I watched him care for me and our two sons. The sweetest thing he did during that first week was taking William to the pool for some “daddy time”. I do remember being a bit sad, that first day he took W to swim without me because I was a bit afraid he would think I didn’t want to go. This is silly. I do realize it, but at that time, I just didn’t want him to feel replaced in my heart. I spent some time with just William that first morning, getting him dressed and ready for the pool. I talked with him about how much fun he was going to have swimming with daddy and helped him pick out his favorite pool toys and towel to take. Once his bag was packed and he had snacks in hand, out the door my guys went. It was a new experience for me to be sending William off for some time away from me. You have to remember, we were (and still are) very attached and it is very rare I’m away from him (them). Anyway, back to my story. Philip and William had a blast every day that week at the pool for some “daddy time” while I stayed at home with Griggs, catching up on sleep and snuggles and being lazy with my mom! I was enjoying this special quiet time with my tiny new baby, while missing William. I couldn’t wait for them to get back home and hear him tell me all about his fun morning with daddy! He would come in, water-logged and sun-kissed cheeks, just laughing and so proud of himself for going with Daddy and having fun at the pool. I also loved watching Philip beam with pride. It was so fun, this little routine we had created. I knew it was good for all of us and appreciated the desire Philip had to make sure we all had the time we needed, doing just what we were doing.
I do want to include that one afternoon, I decided Philip needed some alone time with Griggs, so my crazy self decided to take William to the grocery store to pick up some groceries and let him ride in the super cool buggy with the steering wheel so he could get his cookie and balloon. Well, it was a good outing overall, but boy, did I overdo it a bit! William was great in Publix, but I was hurting! I don’t know why I thought I could get out and shop 5 days after having a baby!! My heart was hurting thinking about Griggs at home while I was at the store. My BODY was hurting with every step. But, somehow, I smiled through it for William and sang songs with him while we shopped and then drove home. As soon as we got home, I crashed in my rocking chair and scooped up Griggs. I was wiped out! That showed me that I need to stay home!! And that’s what I did for the next few days!! Crazy Lauren.
One of the “firsts” we celebrated during that first week was “Baby’s 1st Bath!” William was excited to help with his baby’s 1st bath, so he quickly jumped in the tub to swim and play while we bathed Griggs in his little infant tub. And, as you would expect, Griggs DID NOT like being in the water! NOT ONE BIT! He screamed and cried and held tight to our fingers. We did the best we could to capture the keepsake pictures and sponge him off, but quickly wrapped him in his sweet new baby towel. There is just something so very tender and sweet about new baby smells…the powder, the baby magic lotions, ahhhh, the never ending sweetness! So, so priceless! I loved every diaper change and outfit change b/c it meant that sweet aroma of that heavenly BABY MAGIC!! This scent brings back memories. It makes me remember stories of my mother and grandmothers oohhing and ahhing over me, as well as my brothers, and now my two babies. I always think of their smiles and giggles with the smell of baby magic. I also loved starting our little routine of the baby massage after baths/diapers and getting ready for bed. I love to spend a few special minutes with Griggs (like I did with William) doing a little baby massage and stretching, while lathering him in the always refreshing and sweet, sweet baby lotion! My heart just leaps with excitement at a simple whiff of the scent…ahhhhhh, I can smell it now! There is just something about the scent of a baby!!
Next on the agenda was Griggs’ first newborn well check with our beloved Dr. Susie! Maggie stayed with William that afternoon while Philip and I took Griggs to his check-up. Actually, Philip met me there. I remember as I turned on to hwy 98, I thought to myself, “I’m driving, alone with my tiny baby boy!! This is crazy!” I was a bit nervous driving for some reason! He was an angel in the car, sleeping the whole drive. Philip and I couldn’t wait to introduce Griggs to Dr. Susie! She is a great pediatrician and we feel blessed to have such a loving and attentive doctor for our children. She was excited to meet our new one and find boy or girl… I was just so happy to be holding our sweet little baby boy and filled with such joy! Dr. Susie was very pleased to meet Griggs and go over the “newborn care” information with us (although she winked and said she knew we really didn’t need a refresher! Just then, she was paged on an emergency call to the ER, so she had to quickly leave, and we finished our visit with her partner, Dr. “V”. He was very pleased with Griggs and with us and gave us the all clear for the one week well check. We left and drove back home for the afternoon. As we arrived home, we waited on William to wake up from his nap. I remember those days being so calm and comforting, just being home with my family.
During the first few days and weeks at home, we had such an outpour of love from our friends and family. Several of you brought meals and snacks over to stock the fridge and pantry for us. We were well fed for days! Having the comfort of friends who took the time to prepare meals for us to take that responsibility off our plates for a few weeks was a true blessing. William especially loved having everyone over so he could introduce his baby brother! He just loved being a little host and welcomed everyone…and all the goodies!
We also made our first trip back to church when Griggs was three weeks old. We missed our church family, and were ready to get back to worship and to hear our new pastor preach. It pleased us that when we told William we were going to go to church that weekend, he giggled and said “yippee!” We are blessed with a wonderful church family. We are spiritually fed during the worship, and are surrounded by fellow believers, who support us as young parents. Leading up to Griggs’ arrival, the church members who sit near us in big church, as well as our Sunday School class members, loved to joke with me about “not going into labor during church!” Funny, the Sunday before Griggs was born, I sat through the service, having contraction after contraction, trying to enjoy that particular service because it was our former pastor, Dr. Ken Taylor, last service before his retirement. Anyway, back to the story…I carefully dressed Griggs in his beautiful outfit, (the outfit he wore home from the hospital), his keepsake bonnet and booties from my mother and wrapped him in a special hand-me-down blanket from his brother. William wore one of his shortall outfits that had his initials. I thought my two boys looked adorable. William was over course, without shoes J It was a pleasant drive to church that morning. Philip did take some pictures of me with my boys at church to celebrate our outing. I have a very similar picture of me with William on his first trip to church. That morning, William went into the nursery and we made it to both Sunday School and Big Church. Everyone ooohhed and ahhhhhhed over Griggs. All the ladies wanted to know all the details about his arrival and how we were doing at home, adjusting to our new family of four. I felt very proud to share our sweet blessing with everyone. I would like to say that he was a perfect little angel during both SS and church. It felt good to be back together in church, worshiping our Lord with our new baby in our arms.
Yes, I sit here almost 9 months later, typing this blog post. Yes, to you it might seem silly to try to catch up, but this blog is very special to me. I’ve been keeping little notes and a journal of the past 9 months so I could update my blog. I enjoy blogging and the time spent typing up the entries (journals), knowing everything is all here. I keep this blog as a running story of our lives, as a gift to William and Griggs. I find myself in thought many of times, creating just the perfect blog entry for whatever “event” we might be enjoying! It brings joy to my heart to fill the pages with the details for W and Griggs, knowing one day, they will look back over this, and can picture completely how we spent our days. So, yes, I might be 9 months behind (right now,) but I’m still working on it, getting caught up.
Until next time,
Lauren
“Give Thanks to the Lord; For He is Good. His Love Endures Forever.” Psalms 107:1
I do want to include that one afternoon, I decided Philip needed some alone time with Griggs, so my crazy self decided to take William to the grocery store to pick up some groceries and let him ride in the super cool buggy with the steering wheel so he could get his cookie and balloon. Well, it was a good outing overall, but boy, did I overdo it a bit! William was great in Publix, but I was hurting! I don’t know why I thought I could get out and shop 5 days after having a baby!! My heart was hurting thinking about Griggs at home while I was at the store. My BODY was hurting with every step. But, somehow, I smiled through it for William and sang songs with him while we shopped and then drove home. As soon as we got home, I crashed in my rocking chair and scooped up Griggs. I was wiped out! That showed me that I need to stay home!! And that’s what I did for the next few days!! Crazy Lauren.
One of the “firsts” we celebrated during that first week was “Baby’s 1st Bath!” William was excited to help with his baby’s 1st bath, so he quickly jumped in the tub to swim and play while we bathed Griggs in his little infant tub. And, as you would expect, Griggs DID NOT like being in the water! NOT ONE BIT! He screamed and cried and held tight to our fingers. We did the best we could to capture the keepsake pictures and sponge him off, but quickly wrapped him in his sweet new baby towel. There is just something so very tender and sweet about new baby smells…the powder, the baby magic lotions, ahhhh, the never ending sweetness! So, so priceless! I loved every diaper change and outfit change b/c it meant that sweet aroma of that heavenly BABY MAGIC!! This scent brings back memories. It makes me remember stories of my mother and grandmothers oohhing and ahhing over me, as well as my brothers, and now my two babies. I always think of their smiles and giggles with the smell of baby magic. I also loved starting our little routine of the baby massage after baths/diapers and getting ready for bed. I love to spend a few special minutes with Griggs (like I did with William) doing a little baby massage and stretching, while lathering him in the always refreshing and sweet, sweet baby lotion! My heart just leaps with excitement at a simple whiff of the scent…ahhhhhh, I can smell it now! There is just something about the scent of a baby!!
Next on the agenda was Griggs’ first newborn well check with our beloved Dr. Susie! Maggie stayed with William that afternoon while Philip and I took Griggs to his check-up. Actually, Philip met me there. I remember as I turned on to hwy 98, I thought to myself, “I’m driving, alone with my tiny baby boy!! This is crazy!” I was a bit nervous driving for some reason! He was an angel in the car, sleeping the whole drive. Philip and I couldn’t wait to introduce Griggs to Dr. Susie! She is a great pediatrician and we feel blessed to have such a loving and attentive doctor for our children. She was excited to meet our new one and find boy or girl… I was just so happy to be holding our sweet little baby boy and filled with such joy! Dr. Susie was very pleased to meet Griggs and go over the “newborn care” information with us (although she winked and said she knew we really didn’t need a refresher! Just then, she was paged on an emergency call to the ER, so she had to quickly leave, and we finished our visit with her partner, Dr. “V”. He was very pleased with Griggs and with us and gave us the all clear for the one week well check. We left and drove back home for the afternoon. As we arrived home, we waited on William to wake up from his nap. I remember those days being so calm and comforting, just being home with my family.
During the first few days and weeks at home, we had such an outpour of love from our friends and family. Several of you brought meals and snacks over to stock the fridge and pantry for us. We were well fed for days! Having the comfort of friends who took the time to prepare meals for us to take that responsibility off our plates for a few weeks was a true blessing. William especially loved having everyone over so he could introduce his baby brother! He just loved being a little host and welcomed everyone…and all the goodies!
We also made our first trip back to church when Griggs was three weeks old. We missed our church family, and were ready to get back to worship and to hear our new pastor preach. It pleased us that when we told William we were going to go to church that weekend, he giggled and said “yippee!” We are blessed with a wonderful church family. We are spiritually fed during the worship, and are surrounded by fellow believers, who support us as young parents. Leading up to Griggs’ arrival, the church members who sit near us in big church, as well as our Sunday School class members, loved to joke with me about “not going into labor during church!” Funny, the Sunday before Griggs was born, I sat through the service, having contraction after contraction, trying to enjoy that particular service because it was our former pastor, Dr. Ken Taylor, last service before his retirement. Anyway, back to the story…I carefully dressed Griggs in his beautiful outfit, (the outfit he wore home from the hospital), his keepsake bonnet and booties from my mother and wrapped him in a special hand-me-down blanket from his brother. William wore one of his shortall outfits that had his initials. I thought my two boys looked adorable. William was over course, without shoes J It was a pleasant drive to church that morning. Philip did take some pictures of me with my boys at church to celebrate our outing. I have a very similar picture of me with William on his first trip to church. That morning, William went into the nursery and we made it to both Sunday School and Big Church. Everyone ooohhed and ahhhhhhed over Griggs. All the ladies wanted to know all the details about his arrival and how we were doing at home, adjusting to our new family of four. I felt very proud to share our sweet blessing with everyone. I would like to say that he was a perfect little angel during both SS and church. It felt good to be back together in church, worshiping our Lord with our new baby in our arms.
Yes, I sit here almost 9 months later, typing this blog post. Yes, to you it might seem silly to try to catch up, but this blog is very special to me. I’ve been keeping little notes and a journal of the past 9 months so I could update my blog. I enjoy blogging and the time spent typing up the entries (journals), knowing everything is all here. I keep this blog as a running story of our lives, as a gift to William and Griggs. I find myself in thought many of times, creating just the perfect blog entry for whatever “event” we might be enjoying! It brings joy to my heart to fill the pages with the details for W and Griggs, knowing one day, they will look back over this, and can picture completely how we spent our days. So, yes, I might be 9 months behind (right now,) but I’m still working on it, getting caught up.
Until next time,
Lauren
“Give Thanks to the Lord; For He is Good. His Love Endures Forever.” Psalms 107:1
Monday, March 28, 2011
4th of July with a new baby...and his big brother!
So, as I continue to go back in time to recapture and catch-up with this blog...
As we arrived home with our new bundle of joy, we were so excited to be home as a family of four! As we pulled in our driveway, William said "mommy, I made a surprise for you and colored something for Griggs and we put balloons everywhere!" He was so excited to show us his surprise for his baby brother. It was adorable. We noticed our Welcome Home banner on the front door and I began to cry a little as realized William truly was excited about his new baby brother. He (and Gram) had colored such a sweet banner for us and hung it on the door. I scooped William in my arms and held Griggs in the carseat in the other arm for a quick picture. We went on inside and William quickly and very excitedly showed us the balloons he'd picked out. He then pulled us upstairs to show us the banner he'd made for his brother. Again, I cried. He was just beaming! I held my tiny baby in my arms and hugged my other baby. I felt truly blessed. I was so ready to rock my newborn baby! I spent a while in the nursery rocking Griggs and singing to him while William ran off downstairs to play with Philip for a while. I finally put Griggs down in his crib and went to get William so I could put him down for a nap. I was looking forward to cuddling with him a while. He was happy to crawl in bed and read some books with me. We snuggled and sang until he drifted off to sleep. That's when I found Griggs with Philip and decided I needed to take a nap too. I crawled in my bed and fell asleep cuddling with Griggs. It was heaven! I slept like a log. I did not realize how exhausted I was. I slept for about 2 hours until Griggs decided he was hungry again :)
Once I woke up and finsihed feeding Griggs, I went down to visit with my parents and Mr. Jim and Mrs. Sharon. They'd all made it back over to visit. My dad had just come down to bring my mom b/c she was going to be staying with us to help me out with all the "girl stuff". (let's face it...sometimes you just need your moma!) Grandaddy (that's my daddy) couldn't get enough of Griggs. He held him for the longest time until he had to head back. Philip spent the afternoon cooking dinner for us. Maggie (my mom) and Gram and Grumps were going to be joining us for dinner. I spent the afternoon watching William play and snuggling with Griggs. I can remember walking around holding Griggs in one arm while doing things with and for William with the other. I remember wanting to make sure William knew I was still there for him and could still take care of him, while caring for his new baby brother. I was determined to focus my attention on both boys! haha!
That 1st night home, William wanted Mommy and Griggs to sleep with him. He gently wrapped his arm around Griggs and sang to him while he fell asleep. It was a very sweet moment! I loved snuggling with my boys!
The next day was July 4th! I love July 4th! It's a special day and full of relaxing times. We look forward to our local Seaside 4th of July parade every year. We can walk from our house to 30A and watch the parade. This year, Philip and I decided I would stay home while he took William. So, that morning, we woke up and got W ready to go to the parade. Philip and William were so cute walking down the driveway, heading out to watch the parade. I spent that time soaking in a bubble bath and napping while my mom took care of Griggs. They took a nap downstairs on the couch for a while then she walked him around the yard for a while. It was a relaxing morning for all! I think they were gone about 2 hours :) I loved hearing William come running back up the steps saying "Mommy, I got prizes at the parade and I saw lots of things!" He dumped his little goody bag on the bed and we plundered through all the candy and goodies. He wanted to tell me all about seeing the big firetruck and hearing the music and catching the candies! Philip said they had a blast! I knew they had a fun time together and I was so thankful for the extra quiet time to catch up with some rest.
After the parade was over and we all settled in from the excitement, we spent a little time visiting with Gram and Grumps before they had to leave. They came over for a short visit after the parade to get some more snuggles on Griggs. I can remember how relaxed she looked, sitting on the porch, rocking my sweet baby as he slept. She helped me do an impromptu photo shoot with the boys in their 4th of July red. William was just so very proud to be holding his tiny little brother.. He had the biggest smile on his face. We said goodbye to them and sent them on their way and all went in for a long nap. It felt so good to sleep and hold my baby in my arms. I was so grateful for having my mom there with me during the first few days to help with me because let’s face it, sometimes a girl just needs her mom! She was an angel and helped care for me as I recovered.
One of my most favorite things about the 4th of July are the fireworks!! Since Philip and I have been dating, we’ve not missed a fireworks display here on 30A. There is just something about a fireworks display on the beach that is beyond description. (on a side note, even when we’ve had friends in town on the 4th, Philip has gone down to the beach with me to watch the fireworks…knowing how much it means to me). So, this year, would be no different. Even though I’d just given birth 2 days ago and just come home the day before, I WAS DETERMINED to make it down to the beach! My mother was wonderful and helped make it happen. I also did not want to miss out on William’s experience of the fireworks, given this was truly the first year he would appreciate and remember them. So, after dinner, we sent Philip and William on ahead of us to walk down to the beach. Moma and I hung back and let Griggs finish his little nap so I could feed him again. Once he’d finished feeding, she and I loaded up in the car and drove the one block to the beach. Needless to say the parking lot was packed, so she laughed and said “I’ll park here in the handi-cap and dare anyone to say anything to me…I do have a daughter that just gave birth 2 days ago!!” We laughed and laughed and laughed. She’s something else and she means the world to me. We gathered our blankets and Griggs and headed down the boardwalk, with me leading the way with my 2 day old in my arms. She was right behind me, silently giggling at everyone’s comments…. “Look at that brand new baby”, “Wow, I can’t believe she’s out here with a baby” and the best “Hey, everyone, here comes a tiny baby, you better watch out”. I was oblivious to everyone. I was focused on getting down to the beach and finding William, whom I could hear laughing and calling out to his daddy. Once we made it down the long and winding boardwalk, Griggs was still sacked out in my arms. William saw me the same time I saw him and just burst into excitement! He screamed “Hey mommy, look at the sky!” I joined Philip and felt so thankful to be sitting on the beach, next to my husband, holding my new baby while watching my other baby run in the sand and roll in the sand, while fireworks went off over our heads. My mom just laughed at us and became the “instant photographer”. I was so very proud of myself for getting out of the house (in the severe pain I was in) and getting down to the beach to enjoy the fireworks with my family. I know it might sound silly, but it was a tradition I didn’t want to miss out on and wanted to continue right on with, even with our new bundle, our little Griggs!
As we arrived home with our new bundle of joy, we were so excited to be home as a family of four! As we pulled in our driveway, William said "mommy, I made a surprise for you and colored something for Griggs and we put balloons everywhere!" He was so excited to show us his surprise for his baby brother. It was adorable. We noticed our Welcome Home banner on the front door and I began to cry a little as realized William truly was excited about his new baby brother. He (and Gram) had colored such a sweet banner for us and hung it on the door. I scooped William in my arms and held Griggs in the carseat in the other arm for a quick picture. We went on inside and William quickly and very excitedly showed us the balloons he'd picked out. He then pulled us upstairs to show us the banner he'd made for his brother. Again, I cried. He was just beaming! I held my tiny baby in my arms and hugged my other baby. I felt truly blessed. I was so ready to rock my newborn baby! I spent a while in the nursery rocking Griggs and singing to him while William ran off downstairs to play with Philip for a while. I finally put Griggs down in his crib and went to get William so I could put him down for a nap. I was looking forward to cuddling with him a while. He was happy to crawl in bed and read some books with me. We snuggled and sang until he drifted off to sleep. That's when I found Griggs with Philip and decided I needed to take a nap too. I crawled in my bed and fell asleep cuddling with Griggs. It was heaven! I slept like a log. I did not realize how exhausted I was. I slept for about 2 hours until Griggs decided he was hungry again :)
Once I woke up and finsihed feeding Griggs, I went down to visit with my parents and Mr. Jim and Mrs. Sharon. They'd all made it back over to visit. My dad had just come down to bring my mom b/c she was going to be staying with us to help me out with all the "girl stuff". (let's face it...sometimes you just need your moma!) Grandaddy (that's my daddy) couldn't get enough of Griggs. He held him for the longest time until he had to head back. Philip spent the afternoon cooking dinner for us. Maggie (my mom) and Gram and Grumps were going to be joining us for dinner. I spent the afternoon watching William play and snuggling with Griggs. I can remember walking around holding Griggs in one arm while doing things with and for William with the other. I remember wanting to make sure William knew I was still there for him and could still take care of him, while caring for his new baby brother. I was determined to focus my attention on both boys! haha!
That 1st night home, William wanted Mommy and Griggs to sleep with him. He gently wrapped his arm around Griggs and sang to him while he fell asleep. It was a very sweet moment! I loved snuggling with my boys!
The next day was July 4th! I love July 4th! It's a special day and full of relaxing times. We look forward to our local Seaside 4th of July parade every year. We can walk from our house to 30A and watch the parade. This year, Philip and I decided I would stay home while he took William. So, that morning, we woke up and got W ready to go to the parade. Philip and William were so cute walking down the driveway, heading out to watch the parade. I spent that time soaking in a bubble bath and napping while my mom took care of Griggs. They took a nap downstairs on the couch for a while then she walked him around the yard for a while. It was a relaxing morning for all! I think they were gone about 2 hours :) I loved hearing William come running back up the steps saying "Mommy, I got prizes at the parade and I saw lots of things!" He dumped his little goody bag on the bed and we plundered through all the candy and goodies. He wanted to tell me all about seeing the big firetruck and hearing the music and catching the candies! Philip said they had a blast! I knew they had a fun time together and I was so thankful for the extra quiet time to catch up with some rest.
After the parade was over and we all settled in from the excitement, we spent a little time visiting with Gram and Grumps before they had to leave. They came over for a short visit after the parade to get some more snuggles on Griggs. I can remember how relaxed she looked, sitting on the porch, rocking my sweet baby as he slept. She helped me do an impromptu photo shoot with the boys in their 4th of July red. William was just so very proud to be holding his tiny little brother.. He had the biggest smile on his face. We said goodbye to them and sent them on their way and all went in for a long nap. It felt so good to sleep and hold my baby in my arms. I was so grateful for having my mom there with me during the first few days to help with me because let’s face it, sometimes a girl just needs her mom! She was an angel and helped care for me as I recovered.
One of my most favorite things about the 4th of July are the fireworks!! Since Philip and I have been dating, we’ve not missed a fireworks display here on 30A. There is just something about a fireworks display on the beach that is beyond description. (on a side note, even when we’ve had friends in town on the 4th, Philip has gone down to the beach with me to watch the fireworks…knowing how much it means to me). So, this year, would be no different. Even though I’d just given birth 2 days ago and just come home the day before, I WAS DETERMINED to make it down to the beach! My mother was wonderful and helped make it happen. I also did not want to miss out on William’s experience of the fireworks, given this was truly the first year he would appreciate and remember them. So, after dinner, we sent Philip and William on ahead of us to walk down to the beach. Moma and I hung back and let Griggs finish his little nap so I could feed him again. Once he’d finished feeding, she and I loaded up in the car and drove the one block to the beach. Needless to say the parking lot was packed, so she laughed and said “I’ll park here in the handi-cap and dare anyone to say anything to me…I do have a daughter that just gave birth 2 days ago!!” We laughed and laughed and laughed. She’s something else and she means the world to me. We gathered our blankets and Griggs and headed down the boardwalk, with me leading the way with my 2 day old in my arms. She was right behind me, silently giggling at everyone’s comments…. “Look at that brand new baby”, “Wow, I can’t believe she’s out here with a baby” and the best “Hey, everyone, here comes a tiny baby, you better watch out”. I was oblivious to everyone. I was focused on getting down to the beach and finding William, whom I could hear laughing and calling out to his daddy. Once we made it down the long and winding boardwalk, Griggs was still sacked out in my arms. William saw me the same time I saw him and just burst into excitement! He screamed “Hey mommy, look at the sky!” I joined Philip and felt so thankful to be sitting on the beach, next to my husband, holding my new baby while watching my other baby run in the sand and roll in the sand, while fireworks went off over our heads. My mom just laughed at us and became the “instant photographer”. I was so very proud of myself for getting out of the house (in the severe pain I was in) and getting down to the beach to enjoy the fireworks with my family. I know it might sound silly, but it was a tradition I didn’t want to miss out on and wanted to continue right on with, even with our new bundle, our little Griggs!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
It's A Boy!! Griggs John Justiss (7/2/10)
"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever." Psalms 106:1
Our newest blessing from above joined our family on July 2...Our second child, our second son. Griggs John Justiss! What a story to tell. As I sit here 3.5 months (well actually 6.5) later, finally finding the time to capture his birth story, I am in awe at God's love and grace. I am truly humbled. God is so good and faithful. His love does endure forever, through everything. I believe with my whole heart in God and count my blessings. The newest blessing from God in my life came the night my child was born...Oh, how I love my sweet tiny bundle from above!
Let me back up...
Philip and I found out we were expecting our 2nd bundle on Friday, November 6, 2009. We were overcome with joy! Our life was perfect with William, and we couldn't wait to have a new little one join our family! Time ticked away...and then the day finally came..
I can remember every detail of the days leading up to the baby's birth. I can remember soaking up every moment of just "mommy and William" and "our family of 3 time". I wanted to spend my days just enjoying William, knowing his little world was about to be rocked, but in a good way. I can remember planning EVERY detail for William. I remember being so nervous about the thought of leaving my first baby so I could go have another baby. Oh, that was rough. I was VERY torn, but VERY MUCH EXCITED. We made a big deal out of converting our guest room to W's big boy room so the baby could have the nursery. I can recall every detail of the time spent making sure everything was perfect and done for William, while staying up all night by myself, quietly making everything ready for the baby. I loved taking William to "shop" for baby. He had a wonderful time finding a teddy bear and lamb for his new "baby". William was truly excited about the upcoming arrival of his "baby". He loved giving kisses to baby in my belly and singing to the baby. The anticipation....it was wonderful!!
Like I said, I HAD to prepare everything for William! My nesting energy went directly into him!! Ha!! I planned every little detail...packed his overnight bag for him, with a very detailed note about what he was to wear when he came to the hospital for his visits. I basically included a "lesson plan" about his care!! Like my friend would not know how to care for him! I can look back and laugh! I had it planned to a "T" as to who would pick him up and bring him over to see us at the hospital, how Philip would get him in the parking lot and just the two of them would come in together to see me and meet baby...I only wanted our little family. I had William's gift ready for him to bring and had a gift to big brother from baby waiting, as well as big brother gift from us...I tell you, I had to cover EVERY basis! Yep, I was overly in control...but that's a pregnant mommy! Hahaha
Now, back to the story...I had been having off and on Braxton hicks and real contractions for several weeks. Knowing that I needed to time my contractions, and that I was too swollen to wear my watch, Philip was making me wear his watch...daily...I was such the fashion statement! William loved it! He loved telling me to "make sure to check daddy's watch"...can you tell his daddy had talked with him...
I had gone to the dr. for my check-up on June 22, only to learn that I was only dilated 1.5 and that my doctor, the same one who delivered William, the reason I was delivering over in Panama City, was leaving that weekend for his vacation...meaning, unless I delivered before the 25th (our anniversary) or after July 9th, MY DOCTOR WOULD NOT BE HERE! I was a bit heartbroken...I knew deep down there was NO WAY I would have the baby before he left, nor make it until he was back...I was terrified about not knowing the doctor on call... I tried lots of spicy foods that week, just in case, but nothing happened. My dear sweet husband came down with strep throat on June 23rd! I became even more terrified! I began praying that our sweet baby would stay put until daddy was healthy and ready! I knew there was no way I could go through this with out my husband. Prayers were answered and we made it through the strep throat scare and through the weekend. I had an appointment on Monday, June 28th with a new doctor. I was sure I would not like him. Philip and I went to the appointment, me with a closed opinion...I left, dilated 2 cm, and sure I did not like the new dr. Looking back, I didn't like him b/c he was not my Dr. Ingram...I was just stubborn. We talked about what to do if I went into labor over the week and scheduled my next check-up for the following week...July 8th..the day Dr. Ingram would be back...
Well, my contractions continued and the back pain intensified over the next few days and I had a feeling...I cooked the spicy jambalaya recipe from Mimi (the one that brought on labor with William), had Philip cook a spicy meal, then I cooked another spicy meal...I ate tons of pineapple (read it brought on labor), drank tons of water...walked as much as possible, did lunges and even bounced on my exercise ball. I soaked in hot baths every chance I had...I just knew...the time was coming... Wednesday evening I began to really hurt in my back. It was throbbing and I had immense pressure. I called my cousin, Anna to discuss with her...she's had 5, so she's an expert in my opinion! She said it certainly sounded like back labor...just what I thought. Thursday morning came and I felt extreme pain in my back. I took an extra long hot bath that morning and had William sit and play on the bathroom floor nearby while I sat quietly in the tub and prayed. I began timing my contractions and they became very steady and very rapid. I could move from the bed to the floor then the couch then the floor again then the bed. It hurt to walk. My legs were severely cramping and my feet were so swollen. It hurt to do anything. But, it did not hurt like I needed an epidural. I called my nurse and she said to go to the hospital. I called Philip and tried to convince him (through my tears and huffs and whimpers) that I was not in labor and that he was fine to stay at work.. ha! I took a shower and then another bath with William trying to prepare and slow things down. I began calling my mom, just wanting her to be with me. She said she could head down as soon as I said the word. Philip came home and told me we were going.
Now, William's plan had changed a little. My original plan was for him to stay at my friend Jenny's b/c she lived on the way, he'd been to her house for just about every appointment, he loved going to her house to play and I felt confident she would care for him while I was gone. The only problem..she was flying out for a week the very next morning extremely early, therefore she couldn't keep him overnight. She called me crying. My back up was my other dear friend Cameron. She lived 15 mins the other direction, but he'd been to her house plenty of times for her to baby-sit, he loved going to her house to play with her two girls and he loved her and I knew she would take great care of my baby. I had been on the phone several times throughout the day with both Jenny and Cameron. I finally called Cameron and told her I needed to bring him over b/c we were heading to the hospital. She offered to come pick him up, but in my mind, I HAD TO DRIVE HIM AND DROP HIM OFF to keep things as normal as possible for him. Philip came home and helped me pack the car. We headed out in the rain, I mean FLOOD and as we were driving, I wanted to go by the bank and drop off a payment so it would not be late (or forgotten about, b/c in my mind, no one knew how to drop off payments). I made Philip wait in line in the "tube shoot" line so William could get his sucker b/c he always gets a sucker at the bank. I had several contractions in the bank line, yet, my husband, calmly and kindly waited for the sucker for William, just to make me happy. We finally were off. As we pulled into Cameron's driveway, I unbuckled William and carried him through a huge puddle in the driveway. Cameron laughed at me, but patiently let me go over the notes in his bag, show her his snacks and "extra" meals I had packed and talk her through his bedtime routine. We told William he was going to Miss Cameron's house to play with Sydney and Madison on a rainy day. Her mother and sister were there and they too laughed at me and smiled with Philip. I gave William several hugs and kisses (in between contractions) and on this day, he calmly hugged me back and said "love you mommy, see you later". I was so hesitant to leave. Philip had to practically drag me out the door. Cameron hugged me and reassured me he would be just fine. 10 mins after leaving, I had to call her and remind her he was beginning to potty train and that she needed to remind him. She was an angel and was so very patient with me. She'd been through the same thing and knew my heart.
It took us an hour and twenty mins to drive to the hospital through the flooding rain. The roads were extremely crowded and lots of standing water on the roads, but my dear husband was extremely calm and drove ever so carefully through the rains. As we drove, I noticed my contractions had somewhat slowed, yet my back was intense and the pressure was beyond measure. We decided to wait to find out “boy” or “girl” until our baby was born. To me, it’s just so exciting and fun! Philip was convinced this baby was a girl because the pregnancies had been so very different. He was certain of it. I, on the other hand, was not so certain. I didn’t really have a strong feeling either way. I was not so convinced. I would bounce back and forth, but never a strong feeling either way. As we got closer and I began nesting and pulling out all of William’s baby things, I could begin to imagine a boy…but I chalked it up to the fact that I was surrounded by baby boy stuff. I do remember thinking to myself and finally telling Philip that I had a very strong feeling we were going to have another boy. Again, we had not found out what the baby was, so it was surprising to me that I had such a strong feeling.
We arrived at the hospital around 3ish and Philip dropped me off at the front with my pillow and small bag to wait while he parked the car. As soon as he came in the door, we shot to the elevator and went straight to the Labor and Delivery floor. I was swaying by this point and bent over, arching my back for relief. The nurses chuckled at me and admitted me to triage for checking. Nurse Dawn began the process and checked me to discover I was approximately 2.5 cm and that not many contractions were showing on the monitor. I began to cry and she reassured me that I would be okay. My next step was to walk the halls for 45 mins in the hopes that I would "make more progress". So, off we went...Philip and a very pregnant and very much in pain mommy to be. I waddled around the halls while my legs cramped and my feet hurt. I cried a bit, I laughed at the humor of it, I prayed. I nibbled on ice chips. I begged to sit down, but my faithful "coach" made me keep walking. Finally, the time passed and Nurse Dawn said I could be checked again. Barely any progress...I cried more. I was so scared they were going to send me home in the rain...it takes us 50 minutes to get to the hospital, then time to pick up William..you get the picture. She said my contractions weren't showing up that much, but she assured me she believed me about the back labor, which would not show up on the monitor. About that time, the lady who would be in charge (she is a midwife and that surprised me) came in to talk with me. She checked me and felt my water bag "bulging" and said the words I wanted to hear..."you are too close to go home! let's get you checked in!" Philip grabbed my hand and calmly reassured me everything was going to be okay. Next thing I heard was my mom's sweet voice in the hall right outside my room! They had made it down! I began crying again at the sight of my mom and dad. They helped Philip get me settled in my delivery room (around 5ish) and began making phone calls for us. Holden was there too and he was so very full of questions. He was so excited to be there. Shortly after that my brother, Hunter and my grandparents arrived. It was a welcome sight and helped take my mind off things.
My labor was a bit long. I hurt deep in my back. I could manage getting through the contractions by either sitting still and quiet or by swaying in the bed. I remember making small talk conversation with anyone in the room. I even booked two lake rentals for our lake house :) Nurse Dawn ended her shift and brought in the night nurse, Brandy. She was AMAZING!! She was everything I needed in a nurse! She checked me around 7and I was about 4.5 cm. I finally requested my epidural. It was intense by this point. I talked the entire time to the doctor administering the epidural and just about lost it when Philip's face showed he had seen the SIZE of the needle! The doctor was perfect in keeping me calm and talking me through the process. Brandy was right there too, encouraging me to be still. About minutes after getting settled in bed with my sweet epidural, my body began itching like crazy. I thought I would rip my skin off! Brandy quickly acted and got me some benedryl! I later had to have another dose b/c I could not stop strachting myself and had actually scratched through the skin on my back and side of my belly. Ha! What a story!! My contractions were still not consistent on the monitor, but they reassured me I was making progress and that it was due to my back labor. Around 9:45 p.m. I was about 5 cm dilated and they decided I needed an intrauterine contraction monitor. Around 10:30 Brandy got me set with my new monitor and I was about 5.5 cm and sure enough the new monitor was showing major contractions! Finally, around 11 pm, I reached 6 cm. I suddenly realized I had forgotten my “Welcome Baby” scrapbook page in the car.
So, thinking I still had a while, I sent Philip down to the car to get it for me. I wanted to have it with me b/c I wanted everyone to sign it and write little “welcome baby” notes. Philip went down to the car and stopped to get coffee and stretch his legs for a while…because we all thought I still had a ways to go. My mom, Hunter and Grannymart were in the room with me, helping pass the time. Moma was sitting on the bed next to me, rubbing my back and brushing my hair. Hunter was beginning to get a bit restless and I found that amusing. I remember feeling like I wanted to jump straight up off the bed, but not hurting. My legs felt funny and I began to feel a slight pressure, but not the urge to push (like I had with William). Philip still had not made it back from the car and I was beginning to worry about him. About that time, my nurse walked in to check on me. She asked me how I felt because my monitor was showing “head compression contractions”. I had everyone step behind the curtain while she checked me. Her words were “Yep! This baby is here and is coming fast! Where is your husband?” With that, I screamed for Hunter to FIND PHILIP! He ran off to find him while I sent him a text that said “GET BACK!” My dad and Holden came to give me one more hug and kiss while Moma frantically tried to straighten the room so the baby nurses could get in. Hunter came barreling back into the room and said he couldn’t find Philip, but that he did get him on the phone and told him I needed him. Hunter then began to help Moma try to fold back up the chair so there was room. The nurses were in there getting “set up” and Daddy was trying to get everyone to leave. Finally, Philip came back in with a puzzled look. He asked me if this was serious and couldn’t figure out what was going on. I began telling Hunter and Moma they had to leave because this baby was coming! They quickly ran out and within two seconds of them leaving the doctor was set and I was ready to push! Philip and I were in shock at how fast this was all happening. I only pushed two (2) small pushes and the doctor and nurses shouted “OKAY, BABY IS HERE, HOLD ON!” Then the doctor said “there’s two…” I sat right up and said “TWO BABIES??” We all laughed at first, then she explained that they were seeing two loops of the cord. The cord was tightly wrapped around my baby’s neck twice. Fear began to set in and I felt myself tremble. I looked up at Philip and began crying. Within a split second she had the baby in her arms and had removed the cord. Our baby was born at 12:08 a.m. on July 2, 2010! She looked at us and said “Who wants to know….” Philip and I both looked together and said “IT’S A BOY!!”. I just melted…Philip was in shock! I reached for my baby boy…my 2nd baby boy!! He was beautiful!! All the nurses and the doctor were huddled around us, nudging the baby, patting his back until finally, we heard the faintest, softest cry. He was blue all over, and slowly began to pink up. I sat there, holding him briefly, crying and saying over and over “I love you baby boy of mine”. The baby nurses quickly grabbed him from me to do all the “baby” stuff with him. They quickly measured him, weighed him, took baby footprints, etc. before they finally brought him back to me. I sat there in the bed, crying tears of joy and happiness. I wanted to hold my baby! I was a bit frightened (to say the least) at the fact that the cord had been wrapped so tightly twice and that he came out so blue. I needed to hold my baby. They kept reassuring me he was doing perfect and there was no concern, but having them snatch him from me and do all the “new baby stuff” while I sat and waited was torture to me. It took 20 minutes for them to finish. I kept asking them to please bring him to me and pushing Philip over to him to hold his hand. I think the nurse finally realized she was taking too long and she quickly bundled him up and brought him to me. I sat and held our new baby and cried. I sang to him and prayed over him. I wanted to take everything in and capture the moment in my mind. Philip was amazing and stayed right by my side and loved on Griggs and me. We both were in shock at how fast he came! I still couldn’t believe what had just happened! I was in love! Again! He weighed in at an adorable 6 lbs 12 oz and was 19 inches long! Just perfect! Just simply perfect!!
We had our second child! Our second bundle of joy, and he was just perfect! Philip and I just took him in our arms and cried together and laughed and cuddled. We asked the nurses to send in our family. Once everyone was in the room, we announced we had a new BABY BOY! Everyone squealed with delight! They laughed and smiled. We had our new baby boy…GRIGGS JOHN JUSTISS! Griggs (after his maternal great-grandfather‘s sir name, Hugo Griggs and my mom’s maiden name Margaret Griggs Green) John (after his daddy, Philip John Justiss and his paternal grandfather John Justiss). Everyone was so excited and happy! It was such a special moment. My mom just burst into tears once she heard the name. She was so surprised that we gave our baby her maiden name. Poppi was tickled as well. He kept telling the nurses “He’s named after my Sir name!” I think I will always remember their reactions. Grannymart had such a sweet smile on her face and such joy in her eyes. It was a memorable moment for sure. My daddy (Granddaddy) just giggled and giggled and congratulated Philip on having another son, another best friend for life. My brothers were so proud too. Everyone took pictures and signed the scrapbook page while taking turns meeting Griggs. It was an incredible experience. We also called Gram, Grumps, Papa and Mimi to tell them the news. They were just beside themselves! We felt their love and excitement through the phone. They were so very excited and told us they were heading up in the morning!
We hugged everyone good night and got ready to settle in for the night. My wonderful mother stayed with me for several hours, helping with my shower and Griggs’ first feeding. The sweet nurse brought me a turkey sandwich and Philip went and got me some Gatorade and crackers to eat. We all watched as the nurses gave Griggs his first sweet little sponge bath. He screamed and screamed. They swaddled him tight and packed our stuff to walk us down to a recovery room. Moma and Philip helped me walk down the hall, following our sweet baby. Once we got settled in our new room, I had to unwrap him and snuggle a bit with him before dressing him in his very own little gown! I also wanted to swaddle him myself! I could not get enough of my new sweet baby! Finally, my mom hugged me and told me goodnight. Philip and I just sat and snuggled with our new baby. When the nurse came in to check us, we noticed he was very purple on his hands, feet, lips and a little on his trunk. Just for safe measure, we took him down to the nursery to have the charge nurse check him over. This part was a bit nerve wracking for us! I refused to go back to my room. I wanted to stay with Philip and watch through the nursery window until they were through checking my sweet one. Finally, he received the all clear and they warmed him some more and sent us back to our room. Philip went on to sleep, while I sat up with Griggs, nursing him and just holding him. I sat entranced with the beauty of our new baby! I finally placed him in his little hospital bed/cart and drifted off to sleep, so thankful for the miracle blessing God had blessed our family with today!
Philip and I could hardly wait to introduce our first son, William to his new baby brother! We were on pins and needles just waiting for him to arrive at the hospital! While we waited on him to arrive, we were pleasantly surprised with Papa and Mimi’s arrival! They jumped in their car earlier that morning (around 2 a.m.) and drove the long drive up from Wellington to meet Griggs and celebrate with us. It was very special spending that time with them. They ooh-ed and ahhed over him and just hung out with us. We were so very grateful to them for making the trip up for a 24 hour visit! Finally, around lunch, my parents called to say they had picked W up from Cameron’s house and were heading our way. Once they arrived, Philip went down to meet them at the entrance so he could bring William up to see me and meet Griggs. Papa and Mimi snuck out to the waiting area so we could have our little moment. I stood patiently by the door, just listening for my sweet baby. I heard him as he rounded the corner! He was saying to his daddy “Where’s Moma? I am ready to see her….Mommy….” They walked in the room, my baby all grown up, carrying a little present for his new baby, wearing the BIGGEST smile on his face. He saw me and ran straight to me and jumped in my arms! I needed that embrace! I couldn’t believe my baby was now such a big boy, a big brother!! We hugged and kissed and whispered a minute, then we asked him if he was ready to meet baby. He scanned the room and burst into a HUGE grin and said “there HIM is…that’s my baby, awww, he’s so cute!” I held him next to the little bed as we peered over the side. You couldn’t wipe the smile off his face. He kept saying things like “he’s so cute, I love him, awwww, so sweet”. He wanted to kiss and hold his baby! It was more than I could have ever dreamed! He was so warm and welcoming to this new little bundle! There was no doubt his love for his baby brother! It was so heartwarming to experience this first embrace! Philip’s face beamed with love. I could tell he felt exactly the same way I did…blessed beyond measure! Watching William interact with his new baby brother was so comforting and so calming to us. He whole heartedly welcomed Griggs into his heart. We both were so thankful for this and watched in awe as William embraced his new brother! We knew he would love Griggs, but it was very comforting to see how easily he embraced Griggs, and seemed to understand Mommy and Daddy loved both.
I felt God’s love all around us and was so overcome with joy! We spent some time just hugging on our boys and letting William “hold” his new little brother. We also let William and Griggs exchange gifts. I had taken William shopping earlier in the week for a “little baby present” and he’d selected two sweet and snuggly stuffed animals, because he said “baby’s gonna need a snuggle teddy, just like me!”. He was so excited to give Griggs his gift and was so very much appreciative and happy with his “Big Brother Gift”. We’d selected two books for him, one of which will hold a picture from their first embrace! After he’d gotten over the excitement of everything, we welcomed the grandparents in to join us as William opened his “Big Brother Gift” from us. We made him a goodie bag FULL of stuff…stickers, play dough, coloring books, crayons, markers, books, BIG BROTHER shirt, a W personalized tumbler cup with fun bendy straws, etc. He had a blast digging into his goodies while we watched and enjoyed cuddling with Griggs. It was a very dear moment! We had Maggie, Granddaddy, Holden, Papa and Mimi there with us for a while. After a while, Papa and Mimi left to go get some lunch and settle into their hotel. Maggie and Granddaddy decided it was time to take W home so everyone could get some rest. This was extremely emotional on us! I cried and cried. He screamed and cried as Granddaddy carried him down the hall. Maggie cried for me. I knew it was only until tomorrow morning, but I hadn’t emotionally prepared myself for this second “goodbye”. Walking back into the room to see Griggs and Philip waiting on me relieved all my worries. Griggs settled into my arms and we rested while waiting on Gram and Grumps to arrive!!
Gram and Grumps finally arrived later that afternoon to meet Baby Griggs! It was a very dear moment to watch as they met their 2nd grandchild. They were so loving and sweet as they took turns holding him and catching up with us on the delivery story. Gram and Grumps were going to take care of William that night for us, and she made sure she had all my “instructions”…like grandparents need instructions J They headed on over to the house to swap out with my parents with William and we rested some more. At some point during the afternoon, we had a few special and very dear friends stop by to meet Griggs…. Dr. Taylor and Mrs. Betty Sue (our senior pastor and his wife, a week into retirement), Ben and Shani Lee (very close friends) and Tom Sharron (our associate pastor). It was so special to have time to visit with friends.
Papa and Mimi came back over for the late afternoon to bring us some munchies. They visited and shared stories while Griggs and I just snuggled in the bed. It was a very calming way to end the day. As they left, my parents and brother came back by on their way out of town for my sake…I just needed another hug from my Moma and Daddy…it had been such an emotional roller coaster… After they left, Philip and I settled in for the night, dozing in and out of sleep, and chatting about our new bundle of joy. My heart kept saying “Be Still…” “Give Thanks to the Lord”…I felt so saturated in prayer and so full of God’s grace. It was truly a wonderful feeling to me. Through all the (painful) recovery I was enduring and little sleep I was getting, I felt such a sense of calmness throughout me and I know it was God’s loving arms embracing me and carrying me. I can remember sitting there, holding Griggs in my arms, just praying over him and lifting him to the Lord, giving him all the Glory and Praise! I fell deeper in love with my husband as I watched him care for Griggs and care for me. He is a wonderful man of God and an amazing father and loving husband!
By Saturday morning, we were READY to go home! I had talked it over with my nurse, and she agreed I could have a 24 hour delivery check-out, since I’d been there for 2 nights, given his time of birth. All we had to do was wait for the doctor to come and release me. So, we waited and enjoyed our time. Papa and Mimi came back to spend the morning with us and help us pack up our belongings. Gram and Grumps were going to bring William over to us so he could “help” bring his brother home. (Everyone was so understanding of how I had everything planned) Around lunch, we got word from the nurse that I had been released so Gram and Grumps brought William on over to us. We had called Maggie and Granddaddy so they could head back down to our house, so Maggie could be with me to help me settle in at home. William was so excited when he came in, ready to see his brother!! I loved how he was already attached! He helped dress Griggs and hugged and loved on him. When the nurse came in with my wheelchair, I sat, holding Griggs in one arm, while William climbed in my other arm…knowing that was right where he belonged! As Griggs screamed, William tried to help comfort him, sweetly singing “it’s okay, it’s okay, sweet baby boy”…a song I’d come up with over the years singing to him…My heart just melted. We loaded up our two bundles of joy, with me sitting in the back in the middle, and off we went…headed home with our two boys!!
We were on the road…our family of four!!
Our newest blessing from above joined our family on July 2...Our second child, our second son. Griggs John Justiss! What a story to tell. As I sit here 3.5 months (well actually 6.5) later, finally finding the time to capture his birth story, I am in awe at God's love and grace. I am truly humbled. God is so good and faithful. His love does endure forever, through everything. I believe with my whole heart in God and count my blessings. The newest blessing from God in my life came the night my child was born...Oh, how I love my sweet tiny bundle from above!
Let me back up...
Philip and I found out we were expecting our 2nd bundle on Friday, November 6, 2009. We were overcome with joy! Our life was perfect with William, and we couldn't wait to have a new little one join our family! Time ticked away...and then the day finally came..
I can remember every detail of the days leading up to the baby's birth. I can remember soaking up every moment of just "mommy and William" and "our family of 3 time". I wanted to spend my days just enjoying William, knowing his little world was about to be rocked, but in a good way. I can remember planning EVERY detail for William. I remember being so nervous about the thought of leaving my first baby so I could go have another baby. Oh, that was rough. I was VERY torn, but VERY MUCH EXCITED. We made a big deal out of converting our guest room to W's big boy room so the baby could have the nursery. I can recall every detail of the time spent making sure everything was perfect and done for William, while staying up all night by myself, quietly making everything ready for the baby. I loved taking William to "shop" for baby. He had a wonderful time finding a teddy bear and lamb for his new "baby". William was truly excited about the upcoming arrival of his "baby". He loved giving kisses to baby in my belly and singing to the baby. The anticipation....it was wonderful!!
Like I said, I HAD to prepare everything for William! My nesting energy went directly into him!! Ha!! I planned every little detail...packed his overnight bag for him, with a very detailed note about what he was to wear when he came to the hospital for his visits. I basically included a "lesson plan" about his care!! Like my friend would not know how to care for him! I can look back and laugh! I had it planned to a "T" as to who would pick him up and bring him over to see us at the hospital, how Philip would get him in the parking lot and just the two of them would come in together to see me and meet baby...I only wanted our little family. I had William's gift ready for him to bring and had a gift to big brother from baby waiting, as well as big brother gift from us...I tell you, I had to cover EVERY basis! Yep, I was overly in control...but that's a pregnant mommy! Hahaha
Now, back to the story...I had been having off and on Braxton hicks and real contractions for several weeks. Knowing that I needed to time my contractions, and that I was too swollen to wear my watch, Philip was making me wear his watch...daily...I was such the fashion statement! William loved it! He loved telling me to "make sure to check daddy's watch"...can you tell his daddy had talked with him...
I had gone to the dr. for my check-up on June 22, only to learn that I was only dilated 1.5 and that my doctor, the same one who delivered William, the reason I was delivering over in Panama City, was leaving that weekend for his vacation...meaning, unless I delivered before the 25th (our anniversary) or after July 9th, MY DOCTOR WOULD NOT BE HERE! I was a bit heartbroken...I knew deep down there was NO WAY I would have the baby before he left, nor make it until he was back...I was terrified about not knowing the doctor on call... I tried lots of spicy foods that week, just in case, but nothing happened. My dear sweet husband came down with strep throat on June 23rd! I became even more terrified! I began praying that our sweet baby would stay put until daddy was healthy and ready! I knew there was no way I could go through this with out my husband. Prayers were answered and we made it through the strep throat scare and through the weekend. I had an appointment on Monday, June 28th with a new doctor. I was sure I would not like him. Philip and I went to the appointment, me with a closed opinion...I left, dilated 2 cm, and sure I did not like the new dr. Looking back, I didn't like him b/c he was not my Dr. Ingram...I was just stubborn. We talked about what to do if I went into labor over the week and scheduled my next check-up for the following week...July 8th..the day Dr. Ingram would be back...
Well, my contractions continued and the back pain intensified over the next few days and I had a feeling...I cooked the spicy jambalaya recipe from Mimi (the one that brought on labor with William), had Philip cook a spicy meal, then I cooked another spicy meal...I ate tons of pineapple (read it brought on labor), drank tons of water...walked as much as possible, did lunges and even bounced on my exercise ball. I soaked in hot baths every chance I had...I just knew...the time was coming... Wednesday evening I began to really hurt in my back. It was throbbing and I had immense pressure. I called my cousin, Anna to discuss with her...she's had 5, so she's an expert in my opinion! She said it certainly sounded like back labor...just what I thought. Thursday morning came and I felt extreme pain in my back. I took an extra long hot bath that morning and had William sit and play on the bathroom floor nearby while I sat quietly in the tub and prayed. I began timing my contractions and they became very steady and very rapid. I could move from the bed to the floor then the couch then the floor again then the bed. It hurt to walk. My legs were severely cramping and my feet were so swollen. It hurt to do anything. But, it did not hurt like I needed an epidural. I called my nurse and she said to go to the hospital. I called Philip and tried to convince him (through my tears and huffs and whimpers) that I was not in labor and that he was fine to stay at work.. ha! I took a shower and then another bath with William trying to prepare and slow things down. I began calling my mom, just wanting her to be with me. She said she could head down as soon as I said the word. Philip came home and told me we were going.
Now, William's plan had changed a little. My original plan was for him to stay at my friend Jenny's b/c she lived on the way, he'd been to her house for just about every appointment, he loved going to her house to play and I felt confident she would care for him while I was gone. The only problem..she was flying out for a week the very next morning extremely early, therefore she couldn't keep him overnight. She called me crying. My back up was my other dear friend Cameron. She lived 15 mins the other direction, but he'd been to her house plenty of times for her to baby-sit, he loved going to her house to play with her two girls and he loved her and I knew she would take great care of my baby. I had been on the phone several times throughout the day with both Jenny and Cameron. I finally called Cameron and told her I needed to bring him over b/c we were heading to the hospital. She offered to come pick him up, but in my mind, I HAD TO DRIVE HIM AND DROP HIM OFF to keep things as normal as possible for him. Philip came home and helped me pack the car. We headed out in the rain, I mean FLOOD and as we were driving, I wanted to go by the bank and drop off a payment so it would not be late (or forgotten about, b/c in my mind, no one knew how to drop off payments). I made Philip wait in line in the "tube shoot" line so William could get his sucker b/c he always gets a sucker at the bank. I had several contractions in the bank line, yet, my husband, calmly and kindly waited for the sucker for William, just to make me happy. We finally were off. As we pulled into Cameron's driveway, I unbuckled William and carried him through a huge puddle in the driveway. Cameron laughed at me, but patiently let me go over the notes in his bag, show her his snacks and "extra" meals I had packed and talk her through his bedtime routine. We told William he was going to Miss Cameron's house to play with Sydney and Madison on a rainy day. Her mother and sister were there and they too laughed at me and smiled with Philip. I gave William several hugs and kisses (in between contractions) and on this day, he calmly hugged me back and said "love you mommy, see you later". I was so hesitant to leave. Philip had to practically drag me out the door. Cameron hugged me and reassured me he would be just fine. 10 mins after leaving, I had to call her and remind her he was beginning to potty train and that she needed to remind him. She was an angel and was so very patient with me. She'd been through the same thing and knew my heart.
It took us an hour and twenty mins to drive to the hospital through the flooding rain. The roads were extremely crowded and lots of standing water on the roads, but my dear husband was extremely calm and drove ever so carefully through the rains. As we drove, I noticed my contractions had somewhat slowed, yet my back was intense and the pressure was beyond measure. We decided to wait to find out “boy” or “girl” until our baby was born. To me, it’s just so exciting and fun! Philip was convinced this baby was a girl because the pregnancies had been so very different. He was certain of it. I, on the other hand, was not so certain. I didn’t really have a strong feeling either way. I was not so convinced. I would bounce back and forth, but never a strong feeling either way. As we got closer and I began nesting and pulling out all of William’s baby things, I could begin to imagine a boy…but I chalked it up to the fact that I was surrounded by baby boy stuff. I do remember thinking to myself and finally telling Philip that I had a very strong feeling we were going to have another boy. Again, we had not found out what the baby was, so it was surprising to me that I had such a strong feeling.
We arrived at the hospital around 3ish and Philip dropped me off at the front with my pillow and small bag to wait while he parked the car. As soon as he came in the door, we shot to the elevator and went straight to the Labor and Delivery floor. I was swaying by this point and bent over, arching my back for relief. The nurses chuckled at me and admitted me to triage for checking. Nurse Dawn began the process and checked me to discover I was approximately 2.5 cm and that not many contractions were showing on the monitor. I began to cry and she reassured me that I would be okay. My next step was to walk the halls for 45 mins in the hopes that I would "make more progress". So, off we went...Philip and a very pregnant and very much in pain mommy to be. I waddled around the halls while my legs cramped and my feet hurt. I cried a bit, I laughed at the humor of it, I prayed. I nibbled on ice chips. I begged to sit down, but my faithful "coach" made me keep walking. Finally, the time passed and Nurse Dawn said I could be checked again. Barely any progress...I cried more. I was so scared they were going to send me home in the rain...it takes us 50 minutes to get to the hospital, then time to pick up William..you get the picture. She said my contractions weren't showing up that much, but she assured me she believed me about the back labor, which would not show up on the monitor. About that time, the lady who would be in charge (she is a midwife and that surprised me) came in to talk with me. She checked me and felt my water bag "bulging" and said the words I wanted to hear..."you are too close to go home! let's get you checked in!" Philip grabbed my hand and calmly reassured me everything was going to be okay. Next thing I heard was my mom's sweet voice in the hall right outside my room! They had made it down! I began crying again at the sight of my mom and dad. They helped Philip get me settled in my delivery room (around 5ish) and began making phone calls for us. Holden was there too and he was so very full of questions. He was so excited to be there. Shortly after that my brother, Hunter and my grandparents arrived. It was a welcome sight and helped take my mind off things.
My labor was a bit long. I hurt deep in my back. I could manage getting through the contractions by either sitting still and quiet or by swaying in the bed. I remember making small talk conversation with anyone in the room. I even booked two lake rentals for our lake house :) Nurse Dawn ended her shift and brought in the night nurse, Brandy. She was AMAZING!! She was everything I needed in a nurse! She checked me around 7and I was about 4.5 cm. I finally requested my epidural. It was intense by this point. I talked the entire time to the doctor administering the epidural and just about lost it when Philip's face showed he had seen the SIZE of the needle! The doctor was perfect in keeping me calm and talking me through the process. Brandy was right there too, encouraging me to be still. About minutes after getting settled in bed with my sweet epidural, my body began itching like crazy. I thought I would rip my skin off! Brandy quickly acted and got me some benedryl! I later had to have another dose b/c I could not stop strachting myself and had actually scratched through the skin on my back and side of my belly. Ha! What a story!! My contractions were still not consistent on the monitor, but they reassured me I was making progress and that it was due to my back labor. Around 9:45 p.m. I was about 5 cm dilated and they decided I needed an intrauterine contraction monitor. Around 10:30 Brandy got me set with my new monitor and I was about 5.5 cm and sure enough the new monitor was showing major contractions! Finally, around 11 pm, I reached 6 cm. I suddenly realized I had forgotten my “Welcome Baby” scrapbook page in the car.
So, thinking I still had a while, I sent Philip down to the car to get it for me. I wanted to have it with me b/c I wanted everyone to sign it and write little “welcome baby” notes. Philip went down to the car and stopped to get coffee and stretch his legs for a while…because we all thought I still had a ways to go. My mom, Hunter and Grannymart were in the room with me, helping pass the time. Moma was sitting on the bed next to me, rubbing my back and brushing my hair. Hunter was beginning to get a bit restless and I found that amusing. I remember feeling like I wanted to jump straight up off the bed, but not hurting. My legs felt funny and I began to feel a slight pressure, but not the urge to push (like I had with William). Philip still had not made it back from the car and I was beginning to worry about him. About that time, my nurse walked in to check on me. She asked me how I felt because my monitor was showing “head compression contractions”. I had everyone step behind the curtain while she checked me. Her words were “Yep! This baby is here and is coming fast! Where is your husband?” With that, I screamed for Hunter to FIND PHILIP! He ran off to find him while I sent him a text that said “GET BACK!” My dad and Holden came to give me one more hug and kiss while Moma frantically tried to straighten the room so the baby nurses could get in. Hunter came barreling back into the room and said he couldn’t find Philip, but that he did get him on the phone and told him I needed him. Hunter then began to help Moma try to fold back up the chair so there was room. The nurses were in there getting “set up” and Daddy was trying to get everyone to leave. Finally, Philip came back in with a puzzled look. He asked me if this was serious and couldn’t figure out what was going on. I began telling Hunter and Moma they had to leave because this baby was coming! They quickly ran out and within two seconds of them leaving the doctor was set and I was ready to push! Philip and I were in shock at how fast this was all happening. I only pushed two (2) small pushes and the doctor and nurses shouted “OKAY, BABY IS HERE, HOLD ON!” Then the doctor said “there’s two…” I sat right up and said “TWO BABIES??” We all laughed at first, then she explained that they were seeing two loops of the cord. The cord was tightly wrapped around my baby’s neck twice. Fear began to set in and I felt myself tremble. I looked up at Philip and began crying. Within a split second she had the baby in her arms and had removed the cord. Our baby was born at 12:08 a.m. on July 2, 2010! She looked at us and said “Who wants to know….” Philip and I both looked together and said “IT’S A BOY!!”. I just melted…Philip was in shock! I reached for my baby boy…my 2nd baby boy!! He was beautiful!! All the nurses and the doctor were huddled around us, nudging the baby, patting his back until finally, we heard the faintest, softest cry. He was blue all over, and slowly began to pink up. I sat there, holding him briefly, crying and saying over and over “I love you baby boy of mine”. The baby nurses quickly grabbed him from me to do all the “baby” stuff with him. They quickly measured him, weighed him, took baby footprints, etc. before they finally brought him back to me. I sat there in the bed, crying tears of joy and happiness. I wanted to hold my baby! I was a bit frightened (to say the least) at the fact that the cord had been wrapped so tightly twice and that he came out so blue. I needed to hold my baby. They kept reassuring me he was doing perfect and there was no concern, but having them snatch him from me and do all the “new baby stuff” while I sat and waited was torture to me. It took 20 minutes for them to finish. I kept asking them to please bring him to me and pushing Philip over to him to hold his hand. I think the nurse finally realized she was taking too long and she quickly bundled him up and brought him to me. I sat and held our new baby and cried. I sang to him and prayed over him. I wanted to take everything in and capture the moment in my mind. Philip was amazing and stayed right by my side and loved on Griggs and me. We both were in shock at how fast he came! I still couldn’t believe what had just happened! I was in love! Again! He weighed in at an adorable 6 lbs 12 oz and was 19 inches long! Just perfect! Just simply perfect!!
We had our second child! Our second bundle of joy, and he was just perfect! Philip and I just took him in our arms and cried together and laughed and cuddled. We asked the nurses to send in our family. Once everyone was in the room, we announced we had a new BABY BOY! Everyone squealed with delight! They laughed and smiled. We had our new baby boy…GRIGGS JOHN JUSTISS! Griggs (after his maternal great-grandfather‘s sir name, Hugo Griggs and my mom’s maiden name Margaret Griggs Green) John (after his daddy, Philip John Justiss and his paternal grandfather John Justiss). Everyone was so excited and happy! It was such a special moment. My mom just burst into tears once she heard the name. She was so surprised that we gave our baby her maiden name. Poppi was tickled as well. He kept telling the nurses “He’s named after my Sir name!” I think I will always remember their reactions. Grannymart had such a sweet smile on her face and such joy in her eyes. It was a memorable moment for sure. My daddy (Granddaddy) just giggled and giggled and congratulated Philip on having another son, another best friend for life. My brothers were so proud too. Everyone took pictures and signed the scrapbook page while taking turns meeting Griggs. It was an incredible experience. We also called Gram, Grumps, Papa and Mimi to tell them the news. They were just beside themselves! We felt their love and excitement through the phone. They were so very excited and told us they were heading up in the morning!
We hugged everyone good night and got ready to settle in for the night. My wonderful mother stayed with me for several hours, helping with my shower and Griggs’ first feeding. The sweet nurse brought me a turkey sandwich and Philip went and got me some Gatorade and crackers to eat. We all watched as the nurses gave Griggs his first sweet little sponge bath. He screamed and screamed. They swaddled him tight and packed our stuff to walk us down to a recovery room. Moma and Philip helped me walk down the hall, following our sweet baby. Once we got settled in our new room, I had to unwrap him and snuggle a bit with him before dressing him in his very own little gown! I also wanted to swaddle him myself! I could not get enough of my new sweet baby! Finally, my mom hugged me and told me goodnight. Philip and I just sat and snuggled with our new baby. When the nurse came in to check us, we noticed he was very purple on his hands, feet, lips and a little on his trunk. Just for safe measure, we took him down to the nursery to have the charge nurse check him over. This part was a bit nerve wracking for us! I refused to go back to my room. I wanted to stay with Philip and watch through the nursery window until they were through checking my sweet one. Finally, he received the all clear and they warmed him some more and sent us back to our room. Philip went on to sleep, while I sat up with Griggs, nursing him and just holding him. I sat entranced with the beauty of our new baby! I finally placed him in his little hospital bed/cart and drifted off to sleep, so thankful for the miracle blessing God had blessed our family with today!
Philip and I could hardly wait to introduce our first son, William to his new baby brother! We were on pins and needles just waiting for him to arrive at the hospital! While we waited on him to arrive, we were pleasantly surprised with Papa and Mimi’s arrival! They jumped in their car earlier that morning (around 2 a.m.) and drove the long drive up from Wellington to meet Griggs and celebrate with us. It was very special spending that time with them. They ooh-ed and ahhed over him and just hung out with us. We were so very grateful to them for making the trip up for a 24 hour visit! Finally, around lunch, my parents called to say they had picked W up from Cameron’s house and were heading our way. Once they arrived, Philip went down to meet them at the entrance so he could bring William up to see me and meet Griggs. Papa and Mimi snuck out to the waiting area so we could have our little moment. I stood patiently by the door, just listening for my sweet baby. I heard him as he rounded the corner! He was saying to his daddy “Where’s Moma? I am ready to see her….Mommy….” They walked in the room, my baby all grown up, carrying a little present for his new baby, wearing the BIGGEST smile on his face. He saw me and ran straight to me and jumped in my arms! I needed that embrace! I couldn’t believe my baby was now such a big boy, a big brother!! We hugged and kissed and whispered a minute, then we asked him if he was ready to meet baby. He scanned the room and burst into a HUGE grin and said “there HIM is…that’s my baby, awww, he’s so cute!” I held him next to the little bed as we peered over the side. You couldn’t wipe the smile off his face. He kept saying things like “he’s so cute, I love him, awwww, so sweet”. He wanted to kiss and hold his baby! It was more than I could have ever dreamed! He was so warm and welcoming to this new little bundle! There was no doubt his love for his baby brother! It was so heartwarming to experience this first embrace! Philip’s face beamed with love. I could tell he felt exactly the same way I did…blessed beyond measure! Watching William interact with his new baby brother was so comforting and so calming to us. He whole heartedly welcomed Griggs into his heart. We both were so thankful for this and watched in awe as William embraced his new brother! We knew he would love Griggs, but it was very comforting to see how easily he embraced Griggs, and seemed to understand Mommy and Daddy loved both.
I felt God’s love all around us and was so overcome with joy! We spent some time just hugging on our boys and letting William “hold” his new little brother. We also let William and Griggs exchange gifts. I had taken William shopping earlier in the week for a “little baby present” and he’d selected two sweet and snuggly stuffed animals, because he said “baby’s gonna need a snuggle teddy, just like me!”. He was so excited to give Griggs his gift and was so very much appreciative and happy with his “Big Brother Gift”. We’d selected two books for him, one of which will hold a picture from their first embrace! After he’d gotten over the excitement of everything, we welcomed the grandparents in to join us as William opened his “Big Brother Gift” from us. We made him a goodie bag FULL of stuff…stickers, play dough, coloring books, crayons, markers, books, BIG BROTHER shirt, a W personalized tumbler cup with fun bendy straws, etc. He had a blast digging into his goodies while we watched and enjoyed cuddling with Griggs. It was a very dear moment! We had Maggie, Granddaddy, Holden, Papa and Mimi there with us for a while. After a while, Papa and Mimi left to go get some lunch and settle into their hotel. Maggie and Granddaddy decided it was time to take W home so everyone could get some rest. This was extremely emotional on us! I cried and cried. He screamed and cried as Granddaddy carried him down the hall. Maggie cried for me. I knew it was only until tomorrow morning, but I hadn’t emotionally prepared myself for this second “goodbye”. Walking back into the room to see Griggs and Philip waiting on me relieved all my worries. Griggs settled into my arms and we rested while waiting on Gram and Grumps to arrive!!
Gram and Grumps finally arrived later that afternoon to meet Baby Griggs! It was a very dear moment to watch as they met their 2nd grandchild. They were so loving and sweet as they took turns holding him and catching up with us on the delivery story. Gram and Grumps were going to take care of William that night for us, and she made sure she had all my “instructions”…like grandparents need instructions J They headed on over to the house to swap out with my parents with William and we rested some more. At some point during the afternoon, we had a few special and very dear friends stop by to meet Griggs…. Dr. Taylor and Mrs. Betty Sue (our senior pastor and his wife, a week into retirement), Ben and Shani Lee (very close friends) and Tom Sharron (our associate pastor). It was so special to have time to visit with friends.
Papa and Mimi came back over for the late afternoon to bring us some munchies. They visited and shared stories while Griggs and I just snuggled in the bed. It was a very calming way to end the day. As they left, my parents and brother came back by on their way out of town for my sake…I just needed another hug from my Moma and Daddy…it had been such an emotional roller coaster… After they left, Philip and I settled in for the night, dozing in and out of sleep, and chatting about our new bundle of joy. My heart kept saying “Be Still…” “Give Thanks to the Lord”…I felt so saturated in prayer and so full of God’s grace. It was truly a wonderful feeling to me. Through all the (painful) recovery I was enduring and little sleep I was getting, I felt such a sense of calmness throughout me and I know it was God’s loving arms embracing me and carrying me. I can remember sitting there, holding Griggs in my arms, just praying over him and lifting him to the Lord, giving him all the Glory and Praise! I fell deeper in love with my husband as I watched him care for Griggs and care for me. He is a wonderful man of God and an amazing father and loving husband!
By Saturday morning, we were READY to go home! I had talked it over with my nurse, and she agreed I could have a 24 hour delivery check-out, since I’d been there for 2 nights, given his time of birth. All we had to do was wait for the doctor to come and release me. So, we waited and enjoyed our time. Papa and Mimi came back to spend the morning with us and help us pack up our belongings. Gram and Grumps were going to bring William over to us so he could “help” bring his brother home. (Everyone was so understanding of how I had everything planned) Around lunch, we got word from the nurse that I had been released so Gram and Grumps brought William on over to us. We had called Maggie and Granddaddy so they could head back down to our house, so Maggie could be with me to help me settle in at home. William was so excited when he came in, ready to see his brother!! I loved how he was already attached! He helped dress Griggs and hugged and loved on him. When the nurse came in with my wheelchair, I sat, holding Griggs in one arm, while William climbed in my other arm…knowing that was right where he belonged! As Griggs screamed, William tried to help comfort him, sweetly singing “it’s okay, it’s okay, sweet baby boy”…a song I’d come up with over the years singing to him…My heart just melted. We loaded up our two bundles of joy, with me sitting in the back in the middle, and off we went…headed home with our two boys!!
We were on the road…our family of four!!
Monday, September 27, 2010
5 years ago (in June)....I married my best friend...
5 years...5 wonderful and blessed years...5 incredible and memorable years...5 years of marriage. June 25, 2005 I became Mrs. Philip John Justiss! I love the sound of that!!
I am one blessed girl. I am one wonderfully blessed girl. When I say I am in love with my husband and he is my blessing from above, it is an understatement... God is so good and has blessed me beyond measure in my marriage. God's love is poured out daily to me through the words and actions of my husband. He is a Christian. He is loyal. He is constant. He is loving. He is forgiving. He is understanding. He is patient. He is supportive. He is encouraging. He is compassionate. He is passionate. He is uplifting. He is faithful. He is my best friend. He is a listener. He is incredible. He is strong. He is healthy. He is adventurous. He is love. He is never jealous. He is knowledgeable. He is brilliant. He is challenging. He is all I ever dreamed of. He is an answer to many prayers. He has a heart of prayer. He is devoted. He is a wonderful father. He is firm in his faith. He is everything...
I love my husband more than I can ever put into words. He brightens my day. He challenges me to be a better person daily. He encourages me more than he realizes. He supports me in whatever I'm doing. He believes in me. I love how he enjoys cooking and spending time in the kitchen. I love how he's always trying new recipes and techniques. He is full of surprises. I love his love of reading and how fast he can dive into a book and become so entranced that all the world around him melts. I love his constant desire to learn. I love the example he sets for our boys. He is constant reminder of love. I love to watch him spend time playing with William, even if it's two seconds after he walks in from a long day at the office. He's always giving. I love how he can relax on the couch and just be. I love to pile on the couches with him and spend time watching t.v. shows or movies together. I love how he tries extra hard to be extra quiet in the mornings as to not wake me. I love how he gives me a kiss every morning and tells me to have a great day before he leaves for work. I love how he knows I am not a morning person and understands that I am slow to get moving first thing in the morning. I love how he factors in an extra 10 mins of prep time for me when he says "we need to leave in 20 mins"...that really means 30! It's not that I spend a lot of time primping, but I take extra time to get everyone else ready, then spend about 5 mins on myself...so he allows an extra "cushion" for me. I love how he's there when times get tough. With every struggle we face, he's there to lift me and hold me in those loving and strong arms and say "I'm here, we will get through this"...whether it be the loss of a loved one, sickness, sadness, financial or just being down on myself...he's there to reassure me that we will pull through. I love how he reaches for my hand when we pray. I love the fact that we both believe in saying the blessing to give thanks before a meal. I love his tender heart. I love how he dives head first into our Bible study lessons and always leave a sermon ready for a discussion. I love his faith. I love knowing he's lifting me in prayer. He is outstanding. I love him for who he is. I love how his hair has a certain "flip" to the back when it begins to get a little shaggy. I love his Auburn hat. I love his plain flip-flops, because that's who he is. I love how he can sit and listen to me ramble on and on about my day and all the little details...b/c let's face it...I can get lost in all the little details. He patiently listens and remembers my stories. He has such a huge heart and a gentle spirit. I am blessed to have his heart. He chose me as his wife. He chose me.
Wowie...I'm sitting here with tears streaming down my face. Yep. That's me...crying over my love for my husband. I don't want to go back and edit or rearrange any of the above, b/c I want to capture how my thoughts just poured out...it may or may not make sense, but it's what God laid on my heart. It's how I feel about my husband. I pray one day my sons will appreciate my words about the love I have for their father. I pray they can see into this window of our lives.
It's been seven years since we met. Seven incredible years. Philip proposed after a year of dating and we were married within nine months. As of June 25th, we've been married five years now, and they have been beyond my expectations. We had the most perfect wedding ever...in my opinion. Looking back, I truly felt like the most beautiful bride in the world and felt so on top of the world. Little did I know that my life would not only continue to be wonderful, but be better than I ever dreamed. My husband makes sure of it. He does spoil me, but not in the sense of high-maintenance. I will venture to say that I am not a high maintenance girl, and I hope this is a fair statement. He spoils me with quality time and unexpected surprises. I can't quite seem to put this into words...it's like when he can tell it's been a long day, he'll send me to take a long, hot bubble bath or let me sleep in some on a weekend. Or, he'll suggest sunset on the beach when he can tell I've become too wrapped up in housework or playing at home with my boys. He'll cook my favorites on a whim, just b/c he knows it will put a smile on my face. Even if he's not up for a picture, he'll put a smile on his face for me so I can capture the moment b/c he knows how much I love pictures. He just knows how to make me smile...
Philip, I love you dearly. I will always love you dearly. Here's to 5 wonderful years together and endless years ahead.
And for the record, this year, as a traditional gift (wood) he gave me a white, wicker rocking chair for the front porch. This is perfect! At the time of our anniversary, I was 9 months pregnant. This gift has been priceless! I (we) have spent many a hrs. out there, rocking and holding our new baby, while watching our other baby play. He thought of me and picked something so "me". Gifts are not the main point, it's the thought put into the gift. Also, for the "just because" gift this year, he gave me a stationary stamp with our address and name. I've been wanting one for a while, and since he knew I would be writing thank you notes and doing birth announcements, he chose this gift. He is always thinking of me and ways to brighten my day. I gave him a butcher's block for his wood traditional gift. He's been wanting on and needed one for his master chef skills. I was tickled to surprise him with this, knowing his love for cooking. It completes our kitchen, and reminds me of the little things that help make him who he is. For his "just because" gift, I gave him a new pizza peel as well as an acrylic canister for his coffee beans. He loves making homemade pizza and it's always a treat for us, so I wanted him to have a nice pizza peel. The coffee bean canister was to match his canister for espresso beans, both of which I engraved with a "c" for coffee and "e" for espresso. Again, all for his love of foods, and just to put a smile on his face. We enjoy surprising each other with gifts, anticipating the smiles...
I love my husband, and I know my husband loves me. I am so very thankful for the man he is and for who he is in my life. Happy 5th Anniversary!
Monday, September 6, 2010
Happy Father's Day Philip :)
Boy am I blessed to be married to such a wonderful man! He is an incredible daddy and my children are blessed! I love celebrating my husband and spoiling him. I loved watching how excited William was about celebrating his daddy this year. We enjoyed a wonderful day with William while waiting on our new baby! William and I had picked out some fun gifts for Philip, but the best was letting William paint a picture for him. This was the best! It is now hanging in our bedroom, next to my Mother's Day painting :)
Here are just a few of my favorites of Philip as a daddy...
*his love for his children
*his devotion to his family
*his bedtime stories for William
*his calmness as a parent
*the way he interacts with William
*the interest he shows in his family
*the way he spends time playing with William
*everything about him!!
I find it hard to put into words my admiration...
I just love my husband!!!!! I love watching him as a daddy!!!!
Here are just a few of my favorites of Philip as a daddy...
*his love for his children
*his devotion to his family
*his bedtime stories for William
*his calmness as a parent
*the way he interacts with William
*the interest he shows in his family
*the way he spends time playing with William
*everything about him!!
I find it hard to put into words my admiration...
I just love my husband!!!!! I love watching him as a daddy!!!!
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William 2 years old
William 2 years old
William loves swinging on our front porch. 15 months old
I love this picture...he's looking up at his daddy
