Little Lucy Rouse Month Two Photo Shoot

So, it has been my goal to take pictures of Lucy each month with my new camera in the Manual setting.  Yes, MANUAL.. very scary and uncharted territory! This has been SO fun to play with my camera and to capture some sweet pictures of our Little Lady!  So, enjoy these pictures starring Tallulah Elizabeth Rouse with a special appearance from her furry 4-legged brother Reynolds Rouse.

                        

I love that in these pictures it was just my goal to take them of Lucy, but this is proof that Reynolds can't stand to not be by his sisters side.  Reynolds, oh our sweet Reynolds.  It is hard to even write these words... Just as of yesterday we found out the sad news that Reynolds has hip dysplasia.  This is a common thing in Golden Retrievers to get, but it is so sad to see our precious 3 year old walk loving, ocean swimming, ball fetching furry friend not be able to do these things he loves.  The past 8 months we have been investigating his weak legs and knees.  We have rested, we have medicated, we have been taking joint vitamins, but things just kept getting worse.  So, we did x-rays yesterday and Dr. Brad confirmed our fear that he has weak hips with hip dysplasia.  I haven't been this sad in a long time.  No, he isn't going to die, but it is just as painful to watch our 101 pound son struggling to stand from sitting or laying down.  So, here is to our new favorite past time with Reynolds being snuggling, petting, and laying down with him to prevent his hips getting worse.  Let us pray that these precious joints won't get any worse and they will plateu right where they are.  Praying that medicine and joint supplements make him strong and to not have any pain.  Reynolds, you have a good 15 years of life ahead of you to grow old and gray with your Mom, Dad, and little sister Lucy!

Lucy is 2 months!

What the heck! People always told me that it goes fast, so enjoy it now! And wow, I truly cannot believe that Lucy was born 2 months ago! What a blur! The best and hardest blur of my life, but wow.. What a blur!

Today we celebrate you Lucy! The tiniest little human that I have such a HUGE love for! Everything about you is precious! The way you sneeze, yawn, hic-up, burp, snore, poop...and new this month the way you babble, laugh, and smile! Oh there has been nothing else so sweet that melts my heart and brings me to my knees in adoration of our Creator for how he created you so uniquely! 

Things Lucy loves:

-To be held tight on her side against your mom or dads chest!

-you LOVE your paci! I already dread the day of when we will have to take it away...

-you love your changing table! This is where you laugh and smile the most!

-you love to have your diaper changed!

-you love your car seat... Whether it is in the car or your stroller! As soon as it clicks in you are out for the count!

-you love being outside!

-your daddy makes you laugh and smile the most!

-you love the beach! A combination of the warmth, the sound of the ocean, and the breeze makes you snooze!

-you love the boat! 

-you love the bath! But, unfortunately your new favorite thing is pooping in your tub! 

Things Lucy hates:

-being hungry! You now eat 3 oz ever 2.5 hours! And now weighing 9 lbs!! Almost as big as your daddy when he was born... Pray for me yall when our next child is being created in me...

-still hates wet diapers! And you make atleast 10 a day!! So, we are flying through your newborn diapers!

-you hate not being able to fall asleep! And hate being woken up! I think you get this from your mama...

Places and new things Lucy has done this month:

-you saw your first movie... Jurassic World!

-you went to your first funeral. Mr. Finan will be so missed and you will hear stories about him for the rest of your life!

-you went to your first wedding! Cameron and Malissa! Your mom cried the whole time thinking about your daddy walking you down the aisle!

-you have been to the beach 4 times in the 2 months of your life! 

-you had your first trip to Raleigh! And went to your first birdal shower for Casey!

-YOU SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT! (My favorite milestone!) you slept 6 straight hours at 5 weeks and your record to date is 7.5 hours straight!

-you are able to track faces and toys back and forth!

-you make different noises than just crying and silence!

-celebrated 4th of July with a cook out and watching fireworks! You slept through them!

-loves the sunshine and any kind of light!

-you take a bottle like a PRO! 

Oh Tallulah Elizabeth Rouse you are such a gift and such a joy! Happy 2 months of life Little Lucy! Or other little nicknames we've called you like Lu, LuLu, Tulu, Tullaru, Darlin'...

Little Lucy Rouse One Month Photo Shoot

I mean... I know I am a little bit biased...but, isn't she SO beautiful!  I am overwhelmed by the Lord's creativity and design in this sweet little baby!  You are SO loved Lucy Rouse!

(Real life y'all!)

Lucy is 1 month!

Lucy is 1 month old! 

Wow! Lucy is 1 month! What a month! Becoming parents, learning your personality, becoming sleep deprived, and loving Lucy daily! You are so precious Lucy! 

A few things about you Lucy I don't want to forget and want to remind you of one day:

-You love being outside, if nothing will soothe you then we walk outside and you become so content!

-You love your hands! They are always so delicately placed on your face! I love those long fingers!

-You hate! I mean HATE! Wet diapers! It's as if the world is coming to an end as soon as you have a dribble of TT in your diaper!

-Your favorite way to be held is upright on your daddy's shoulder! 

-You could eat every hour on the hour! (Takes a lot out of your mama!) but, these are some of my favorite moments with you!

-You have already been to your Mom and  dad's favorite place and seen where we got married in Beaufort!

-Mom and Dad had their first date night while your "Grammy" and "Pops" babysat!

-you have been to church, Young Life Club, on daddy dates, on a boat ride, many many walks, out to eat at the Boiler Room and Chick-fil-A! 

-you are in the 5% for weight and 60% for height!

-You have a bow in your hair every day, you don't seem to mind them! So, get used to them!

-you have been sleeping about 3.5-4.5 hour stretches at night time! Your record has been 5.5 hours (Mom would LOVE if this became a habit!)

-you have already watched 3 seasons of Friends with your mom! Joey makes you laugh the hardest!

-you have met countless amount of people who love you!!! And so many more to meet!!!

Little Lucy Rouse, thank you for making me a Mom! We have our good days and our hard days, but I am thankful for each one! I will cherish these early little days that seem like "ground hog day." We do the same thing every day together, but I wouldn't want to share them with anyone else! I love you so much little daughter of mine!

Happy 1 month birthday!!!!

It's a GIRL!

Meet Tallulah Elizabeth Rouse! Born Thursday, June 4th at 1:58pm weighing 6 lbs 11oz and 20 inches long! 

She is precious! She is dainty! She is fearfully and wonderfully made!!

It is hard to believe that she grew inside of me for 9 months and now we get to hold her, rock her, kiss her, feed her! This was the last picture we took while I was pregnant. 

Reynolds and I walked many many miles leading up to her being born! Little did we know she would come 8 days early! 

So here is the quick run down of how she came into this world! It was a normal Wednesday... I went to work at Chick-fil-A, I grocery shopped after work, went to the Woodmen to exercise, Clint and I had supper, went to House Church, came home went to bed around 11:30, and then BAM... My water broke!!!! We were so shocked and kind of in denial it was all happening! I was in labor! But, no contractions...yet! We called the doctor and she said to not rush in, but to come on in by 3am or so! So, Clint packed his bag (mine had been packed for 4 weeks... Haha). We loaded the car! I decided I need to vacuum before we left.. Of course right? We took a selfie as a family of 3 before we headed to Greenville...

ITS HAPPENING!

So, we check in at the hospital. And we are in a room by 3:30! We see the doctor not long after that and she gives us the hard news that it is going to be a long labor, I haven't progressed at all (aka zero cm). So, they start me on pitosin and tell me to rest. Ok, who can rest while their body is being forced to have contractions? I'd like to meet the person that can do that! So, here I am! 

Fast forward 6 hours and WOW! Contractions are in full effect! Ouch! So, this is labor!? And I'm asking, "where is that epidural?!" So... They check me again and I have progressed 90%... 9 CM! So for those who don't know, your goal is to get to 10cm and then you can push, so everyone was shocked I had progressed that much! Again, I am asking a little bit more firm... "WHERE IS THAT EPIDURAL!?" 

Then enters Dr. Dalonzo, oh sweet Dr. Dalonzo! Because it was so far a long they got me as numb as possible!! Praise! I had the same amount of numbness as they give to a C section! Again, praise for Dr. Dalonzo! 

After this I can really rest. Clint goes to eat a cheeseburger, they tell us it could still be a couple of hours. Until, I feel an urge to push.... Clint comes back in, doctor is in place.... And BOOM! Lucy is born! We pushed for 25 minutes and out came the most beautiful little GIRL! I have never been more surprised and excited in my life! I was 90% confident it was a boy for the entire pregnancy! (Sorry Lucy!) 

Lucy is such a gift! We are so thankful for her! Being a mother has been the greatest and most humbling experience.  Today marks 2 weeks of life for Lucy, and it has been the sweetest 14 days of my life! Alongside of becoming a mother, I have LOVED having a front row seat of Clint becoming a Father! And he is the best daddy! He has loved and served me so well in every aspect of labor, delivery, transitioning into coming home! He is the best! And the best diaper changer!!

Lucy, our hope for you is to come to know Jesus at a young age and begin to trust him in all you do! We pray you have a heart for others to come to know Him as well! We hope that you are as girly as your mama, but as strong and outdoorsy as your daddy! I can just imagine you with a big bow in your dark hair, a bright monogram on your shirt and holding a fishing pole with your daddy rocking some cow boy boots! Oh, be still my heart!

Lucy, you are SO loved! May you never doubt that one day of your life! 

Introducing Piper Joy Kincaid

Meet Piper Joy Kincaid, my big brothers new daughter!  Stewart and Karla introduced sweet Piper on March 9th (Karla's Birthday!)  Clint and I jumped in the car and headed to Statesville as soon as we could to meet this little nugget!  She is precious in every way possible!  I couldn't help but snap a few pictures of this sleeping 3 day old beauty!

Phoebe James ran and got her camera as soon as I started taking pictures of the girls with my camera.  How precious is she!?

Life as a Pregnant Lady

So, here is a progression of the bump.  For the first 3 months of pregnancy I couldn't wait to have a bump, I literally would pray for a bump to start forming, and I would walk around with my belly inflated...  I was almost worried because I wasn't showing and I felt like I was pretending when we told people we were having a baby.  I haven't been sick, I haven't been irritable, I haven't had any weird cravings... I am not complaining!  I am SO thankful for an easy and non eventful pregnancy. It took until the 21 week mark to see a little pooch beginning to show (see below).

           14 weeks Pregnant                       19 weeks Pregnant                     21 weeks Pregnant

 
(P.S.: these faces I am making are not on purpose, I wasn't planning to share these images... But, sometimes you just have a "selfie" face and these are mine... so you are welcome!)
      
         21 weeks Pregnant                      23 weeks Pregnant                       25 weeks Pregnant

It has been SO fun to be pregnant!  Due to positioning of the baby and the placenta (aka: the life sack for Baby Rouse) I wasn't able to start feeling flutters and kicks until about week 22 and NOW Rouse Mouse is VERY active, especially after I over indulge in chips and salsa/guacamole/queso OR orange juice!  We are still patiently waiting for the day that Clint can feel his son/daughter move and kick around in their little nest!  With 14 weeks left (YIKES... yes 14 WEEKS left!) we know Clint will feel them soon!

Pregnancy is one of the most beautiful things I have ever gotten to be a part of.  The Lord has reminded me of some of His sweet truths through all of this.  That He takes things (aka our faith and Baby Rouse Mouse) that are the size of a mustard seed and grows them up to be used by the Lord in a unique way.

"Then Jesus asked, "What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? 

It is like a mustard seed, which man took and planted in his garden. 

It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches."

Luke 13:18-19 

 How remarkable is it that this baby we will hold in 14 short weeks began as the size of a mustard seed? And right now, it is the size of a head of lettuce!  So, our prayer for you little Rouse Mouse is that you would grow STRONG in the Lord and that you would be used in a mighty way so that people may come to know Jesus through you.  Grow little mustard seed grow!  Grow mighty and strong!

Gosh, and how can a pregnant lady with raging hormones not weep when she reads this truth from Psalm 139 (from The Message):

"Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;

you formed me in my mother’s womb.

I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!

Body and soul, I am marvelously made!

I worship in adoration—what a creation!

You know me inside and out,

you know every bone in my body;

You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,

how I was sculpted from nothing into something.

Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;

all the stages of my life were spread out before you,

The days of my life all prepared

before I’d even lived one day."

So...in all of these changes of my body and gaining of pounds and curves I have never had before, I choose to celebrate the work the Lord has chosen for me to do in being a part of this new creation and life inside of me.  Would you pray for a selfless heart for me today?  

Thankful for each of you!