Stella's Announcement...

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(Back)

I had so much fun taking my sweet newborn baby's pictures a couple of weeks ago. I waited to post them until most of them went out in the mail so it wouldn't ruin it for all of our family. Stella was only 9 days old in these photos. She is the BEST baby I have ever photographed...let me tell you Owen and Sophia were such hard newborns for me to photograph. Stella slept almost the entire time and only peed on my backdrops once. She is such a sweet addition to our home and I can just feel heaven close by whenever I am holding her.

At her two week check up last Tuesday, Stella was already up to 8 lbs 5 oz. from her birth weight of 7 lbs. 7 oz. so she is growing fast.

Stella's Story...

11-5-09

11-05-09

Stella Polly Stallings arrived on Tuesday, October 27, 2009 and I can't believe that it has taken me this long to get her post up...actually I can believe it. I now am the proud mommy of 3 babies and it sure does take every minute of my time, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

We had scheduled an induction for the morning of October 27th but I was really hoping that this baby girl would arrive on her own. I was induced with the twins and had a really positive experience but I really wanted to experience going into labor on my own. Not only for the experience but also for the fact that almost every one of our family members celebrates their birthday in the two weeks around Stella's due date and I felt weird about taking someone's day but I didn't feel weird if it just so happened that she was born on someone's birthday. Anyway, all weekend the weekend before Stella was born I had contractions through the night but after a few hours they would always subside UNTIL Monday. All day the Monday before I was induced I had contractions 15 minutes apart and as the day went on the intensity of each contraction grew. As the day wore on the contractions came closer and closer together but I kept telling myself that I didn't want to go in in the night and get sent home just to go back in the morning to be induced so I took a shower.

For those of you that know me enough to have seen me before I fix my hair, you know that it is totally puffy after I dry it. I blew my hair dry thinking I would fix it before I went to the hospital the following morning. Then I went to peek on Owen and Sophia and went to bed. I tried so hard to fall asleep but I noticed that the contractions were even closer together more like 7ish minutes but I thought they would most likely stop like they had the night before. I didn't think that I would be lucky enough to actually go into labor on my own like I had wished this entire pregnancy! I got out of bed and went and watched a little TV while eating Halloween candy and texting my sister, trying to keep my mind off of the contractions. Eventually I was tired enough that I thought maybe I could sleep. This was about 1:30is in the morning.

I laid in bed but that made everything worse and I noted that my contractions were hoping around from 4 minutes apart to 6 minutes apart to as far as 8 minutes apart and then back to 5. I decided that I better get up and fix that hair of mine so that I didn't look too horrible when we went to the hospital and by the time that was finished I couldn't take it anymore. I work Luke up and after he brushed his teeth and I finished throwing a few more things in my suite case we were off to the hospital. Luke laughed at me when I would have a contraction because after each was over I would say that maybe I was okay and we shouldn't go or that I could handle doing a natural birth...but then I would have another and bag that idea.

When we got to the hospital we had to enter through the emergency room entrance since it was after hours and walk the length of the hospital to labor and delivery(that was fun). The whole time I was laughing though because I was just so excited! Sure enough when I got there I was definitely in labor and to a 5. Things progressed really fast and I was so happy that I didn't have to have any pit since it made me swell like a balloon last time. By the time I received my epidural and was checked again I was already to an 8 but had to wait around for a couple of hours for the Dr. to arrive. She went ahead and finished her morning appointments before coming to the hospital to deliver since I was pretty comfortable. So ya, I sat around at a 10 for a couple of hours but it made for a super easy delivery!

We finally welcomed sweet little Stella at 12:23 that afternoon. She weighed 7 lbs. 7 oz. and is 19 1/4 inches long. She has the most beautiful olive skin and black hair (I know right? Where did she come from my other two are little blondies)! She is absolutely perfect in every way and we love her so much! So far she is a really wonderful baby and Owen and Sophia are adjusting pretty well. They both like to help take care of her in any way that they can help and Sophia carries her baby around even more than before. Poor Stella gets her blankies stolen a lot by Sophia so that she can wrap up her baby!

The cutest thing was on Halloween Stella was in her swing and I watched Sophia tuck her dolly next to Stella and read them both a story (the book was upside down of course which made it even cuter)! Unfortunately, as soon as we had the camera out the show was over.

Me with the Dr. and Nurse that delivered Stella

Proud Parents!


Proud Daddy!


Taking our bundle of joy home!


Owen and Stella meeting for the first time!


Sisters!!!


Mommy and her girls!!!


Stella chilling with Daddy!!!


Stella in her happy Halloween outfit from Grandma Stallings!!!

Little Miss Sophia...

Lately Sophia has been doing the cutest things and I just have to blog about them to make sure that I don't forget. Yesterday we Owen, Sophia and I spent the day at my parents house which they are currently having sided. Well, at lunchtime the gentleman working on the house was right outside the kitchen window with his nail gun going and it FREAKED Sophia out so much that she wouldn't eat her lunch. She was so upset that it upset Owen and I decided to try lunch later and move on to nap time.

The nursery that my mom has set up for when we visit is on the same side of the house that was being worked on and Sophia would not lay down. She was so scared it was sad. All I had to do was tell Owen "The man is hammering and building just like you do with your hammer. There is nothing to be scared about." That seemed to be enough to satisfy him and he laid right down and went to sleep in the crib.

I decided that the only way I was going to get Sophia to take a much needed nap was to move the pack and play into my parents room on the other side of the house. While I was moving the pack and play my mom took Sophia into her room with all of Sophie's paraphernalia: blanket, 5 different stuffed animals, and what ever else she had picked up along the way.

Once, I had the bed all set up I went to pick up Sophia off of my mom's bed. She looked at me, patted my dad's pillow and laid down. So I asked her is she wanted to nap there instead and she grabbed her blanket so I took that as a yes and tucked her in. She preceded to nap there for the next two hours and when I went to see if she was awake she was in no hurry to get up so I left her there and she was happy to stay for another 15 minutes or so. I went back in a second time to see if she needed help off the bed and she patted my mom's pillow next to her telling me that she wanted me to snuggle. I went and laid with her for a bit and then she ended up jumping on the bed and being crazy for quite some time.

It is always a lot of fun when I get little one on one moments with the children.

Today, Owen was napping longer than Sophia so she was running around trying to find mischief to get into by herself (let me tell you that they don't do near as much damage on their own as they do when they are together so I kinda let her roam the house while I got some things done). When I went to check on her I found her in my room pushing the swing that she knows is for the"Bebe". She was so proud to show me that in the swing she had placed a photography business card with the picture of a baby on it. I think that maybe she is understanding the eminent change that is about to occur in our lives more than I gave her credit for, Owen too.

A Little Update...

Wow! It has been a long time since I have blogged! A lot has been happening! Fall is my favorite time of year so the twinners and I have spent lots of time baking cookies, eating them, and coloring fall and Halloween pictures. With all the talk of Halloween Owen has learned to say "pumpkins" it sounds a little more like punkins which makes it even cuter! Sophia has learned all about bats and says it so cute and is sounds a little more like "buts" I just love to hear them talk! They are starting to put together phrases so well.

As far as new baby is concerned the countdown is on! I am over 38 weeks now so it shouldn't be too much longer till we get to snuggle our sweet little baby! Owen and Sophia seem to be excited too. I know they are young but we set up the swing and cradle for the baby and they seem to know what it is all about. They run right up to anything that has to do with baby and announce "Baby". Sophia must think she is french because she says, "Bebe".

Sophia has also really fallen in LOVE with her baby doll. She will wrap up her baby and put her on her shoulder and rock back and forth and sing "lalala" to her sweet little baby doll. She has also started snuggling with her baby doll while sleeping. She is a little mommy in the making and I love to play house so I am stinking excited!!!

Owen is completely obsessed with CARS. We watch the movie Cars at least once a day. He carries a handful of cars with him everywhere he goes and he sleeps with them and every once in a while wakes up unable to find his car and yells out "Car" and we go in and find it and he is back asleep in seconds. Something tells me we are going to have a lot of Lightening McQueen paraphernalia around our house for a long time to come.

I Take Back What I Said...

32 Weeks and Counting...

So my last post I complained and wrote that I felt like I was as huge as I was with the twins. Okay, in all reality this is totally not the case. I was feeling pretty crappy for a couple of weeks that led me to feel that way but am now doing great and today especially made me realize how much more comfortable I am this pregnancy than the last.

At my doctors appointment last week I was actually measuring small (about 2 weeks behind, more like 29 or 30 weeks rather than the almost 32 that I was at the time). That reassured me that hopefully I won't be having a 9 pounder. Just to put that into perspective with the twins at 32 weeks along I was measuring right around 38-40 weeks and I still carried them another 5 weeks so I was HUGE! By the time I delivered them at 37 weeks I was measuring 45-47ish weeks!

After today, walking around the fair with two toddlers and being on my feet all day with only 7 weeks to my due date I thought to myself, "There is no way I could have done this while pregnant with the twins." During my pregnancy with Owen and Sophia I barley made it around the fair at 5ish months along without falling apart, let alone anywhere else. None of my clothes fit over my stomach completely, not even Luke's shirts. This time I am still wearing and pulling off (maybe too tightly) some of my regular shirts. Although I do stick out pretty far I am done complaining...I am just EXCITED to get this sweet, very active girl here!!!

At this point in my last pregnancy I could hardly breath, move, or walk so I must apologize for my earlier complaining. I really don't know what I was thinking!!! I really have enjoyed both of my pregnancies (I have just been able to be much more active this time which makes me great full since Owen and Sophia keep me on my toes all the time)!!! Having this singleton pregnancy to compare to the twin pregnancy has really made me realize just what my body went through last time...EVERY pregnancy is a MIRACLE whether there is 1 or 7 babies!!!

I just need everyone to do me a favor and keep your fingers crossed that this little one will come a couple weeks early...40 weeks sounds so much longer than the 37 I endured last time. There were 2 last time and they were great at 37 weeks so 1 will be just fine to come a little early too! But not too early!!!

Born to Drive...

Owen is all about cars lately. Everything is "car-car". We watch the movie "Cars," we watch out the window to see cars on the road and recently Owen has discovered the drivers seat! He is so cute! He sneaks in and puts the sunglasses all by himself!

BEWARE: This next photo of me is horrible and at a bad angle but it is the best one depicting the size of my belly right now!!!

30 weeks and 6 days

Just to put this in perspective this was me at 30 weeks with the twinners. I am almost just as HUGE this time! From the way I look and the way this girl tries to rip me in half when she moves, I swear this baby is probably already 6 lbs.!!!

This was me during the 30th week with the twins!!!

You should all let me know if you think they look close to the same size or if it is just me feeling gargantuan!!!

Family Night Fun!!!

Okay, so I know that I titled this post "Family Night Fun" but I am going to get around to that part. I thought that I would catch up on all of the goings on for our family. Well, months ago Luke purchased tickets for American Idol for me for my birthday and we went just a couple of weeks ago and had tons of fun! I also made him buy me a commemorative t-shirt. I LOVE having shirts from events that I attend. I think it is something that I carried over from my high school years.

Our friends, Craig and Amy, went with us. Amy and I changed into our shirts half way through the concert!

My parents came and visited and my mom got to stay for a couple of weeks and we were so sad to see her go! This is what bath time looks like when Grammy is here! Chocolate cake...I think it was the yummiest bath the twinners have had!

Okay, this was our fun filled family night that we had tonight! I worked all day today (THANK YOU STEPHANIE FOR WATCHING MY TWINS PLUS YOUR OWN TWINS! YOU ARE THE BEST!!!) so I wanted to make sure that I was able to spend fun time with the kids tonight. As soon as Luke got home from work we headed to the park. This is the first time that they have both really been able to climb on the jungle gym and go down the slide and it was so much fun to watch their faces (the pictures do a pretty good job of showing how much fun they were having). They are becoming very independent little people! They were both really sad to leave the park but we made it up to them by taking them to Cold Stone for ice cream.

(This picture wasn't from today but I couldn't help but post if cause Luke told Owen to smile for the camera and HE DID!)

(My mischievous girl!)

(26 weeks and 4 days)

So this is what I look like (taken @ 26 weeks and 3 days). I know it looks like I stuck a basketball up my shirt. This little girl is sticking right out front!