Family Pics 2010

A friend of mine took some new family pictures of us this past Sunday afternoon....Had to get our family portrait updated since our beautiful new addition.  Here are a few of my favorites!

Harper Grace Villines is here!!

Harper Grace Villines decided to join our family on Tuesday, November 9, 2010.  She weighed 8 lbs 14.4 oz and was 18 1/2 inches long (or so they said...) When we went back for her one week checkup she was already 20 inches long!! 

So here's how it happened:

I had a regular scheduled appointment (my 39 week) on Tuesday morning at 9:15, but I woke up at 4:30 having some contractions.  They didn't hurt that bad, but they were about 5-7 minutes apart.  We went ahead and took all of our bags with us just in case they decided to keep me.  Justin thought they would, I didn't.  So they called me back for my appointment and when I told them I had been having contractions, they didn't even check me there, they sent me straight to the OB Triage!!  I was surprised!  When the midwife came in to check me I was already at a 5 so they admitted me right then!!  By the time I got admitted, lab work done, etc. they checked me and I was at a 7!!  At 11:20 am they broke my water, checked me a few minutes later and I was at an 8.  I was still feeling really well, not in very much pain at all, but they talked me into going ahead and getting the epidural just in case the pain got worse....so I got the epidural.  At 2:56 pm we had a beautiful baby girl join us after only 4 pushes!! 

Here are some pics to tell the story:

Praying for God's plan for our lives....

Well, it's pretty bad when my husband looks at our blog and tells me how outdated it is!!  I guess I should try and do a better job of updating more....

Today is November 1st!  It's so hard to believe that the month we've been anticipating so much has finally arrived!!  Harper Grace will be here within just a couple weeks! Yikes!! I'm so excited, but a little anxious and nervous too!  I know I've been through this before, but I don't think that giving birth to a baby ever loses it's ability to make the new mom and dad just a little bit scared!! 

At my 36 week appointment the midwife told me I was already 3cm dilated and 80% effaced!  We were shocked and thought the arrival of Harper would be much sooner than November 17, however, we've waited a full two weeks with absolutely NOTHING happening other than a few contractions here and there that end up stopping when I lay down and drink water!  38 week appointment is tomorrow, and we should be able to set our induction date at the appointment!  We can't induce until I'm officially 39 weeks, which is the 10th, but Justin has to preach that night, so we will probably schedule for the next morning, the 11th.  Veteran's Day.  That is IF she doesn't decide to come before then, but considering how comfortable she's been for the past two weeks, I'm not really expecting anything.  But, who knows?

Last week was my baby shower at FBC Seminole.  I had a lot of wonderful lady friends who worked hard to make such a beautiful shower.  I appreciate everything they did to make it such a success and am thankful for each and every one of their friendships.  The hostess gift was 2 sets of cloth diapers!  Yes, I'm going to try cloth.  You may be thinking: "Is she crazy?"  I don't know, maybe I am.  I'm just trying to be conservative and save money in every way that I am able.  Harper also received lots and lots of adorable clothes, and I've finally got everything washed up, organized, and hung in her closet.  We are as ready as we are going to get for the arrival of our beautiful second daughter!

Haylie--What can I say about Haylie?  She is SO funny and has such a personality.  She says the funniest things and acts so grown up!  She's completely and successfully potty trained!  Woohoo!!  Goal met just in time for baby sister!!  Here are some *cute* things she's said lately, and I know they're probably only cute to me 'cause I'm her mom, but here goes anyway:
           
Haylie: leaning down to my belly to talk to Harper Grace, says: "You want a grilled cheese sanich (sandwich) from nonalls (McDonald's), does that sound dood (good)?"

Haylie: also leaning down talking to Harper: "You want to do (go) to doo (zoo), n see horses, n pigs, n tows (cows), n monteys (monkeys)?"

Haylie: talking to me: "Mommy, can I help calm Harper down when she gets out of your belly? Can I feed her green beans and bread?"

And these little sayings go on and on, I really need to do a better job of writing things down and posting a little more often so I can remember!

Finally, the most important part of the post: PRAYER REQUEST!!  We found out at the beginning of October that Justin's postition as BCM director at Seminole State College will be ending as of December 31st!  Yes, this is his only job! Yes, I am a stay at home mom without income.  Yes, we have one child and another on the way in about a week.  Yes, we have a house payment, bills, food to buy, etc.....  We need prayers and we need God to work something out quickly.  He was already applying to some churches, and we have since stepped that up quite a bit.  We are praying for a pastor position at a church to open up and work out for him.  We feel this is the direction God is calling us, but we still are a little uneasy about getting the ins and outs of it all worked out in time.  I know that God's timing is perfect and that He will provide for His children, and that is all that matters.  We want to be in God's plan and we want to ultimately grow closer to Him through this storm.  I know that someday in the near future we will be able to look back at all this *stress* and know that it was all in God's plan and He had a reason for us to go through it at the time we did. 

So...there's an update.  Justin, the blog is not so outdated anymore! ;)  I will try and continue to post, at least a few times a month if possible, but I know things will only be busier here in the next week or two.....