Christmas 2014

We had such a wonderful time this year celebrating our Savior's birth.  Sawyer is starting to understand things so much more, which made Christmas even more enjoyable!  Below, are some highlights from the Christmas season.

Helping decorate outside

the ladies from our Young Adult TBC Sunday School Christmas Party (at our house)

Meeting Santa and Mrs. Clause (for the record, it was almost 80 degrees that afternoon)

Grove Hill Christmas Parade with Addie and Jeston

Thomasville Christmas Parade

Visit from Nana B and PawPaw Mike

This year, we split time between Moulton, Thomasville, and the farm in Madison (Florida).  My family got together the weekend before Christmas because it was the only time that we could all make it at the same time.  For the record, it's hard to plan get-togethers with such a big family (especially since we live all over the place).  Friday night, we met with all the Hayes family members for a big Christmas dinner.  It was so nice to catch up with my cousins and extended family members.
Later after the babies went to sleep, the grown kids exchanged gifts with each other and mom and dad.  We had so much fun and laughed for what seemed like hours.  In fact, we laughed so much that we woke up Baby Hudson...a total meltdown ensued. Eek!

On Saturday, we pretended it was Christmas morning, so the babies all opened their presents.  It was soooo much fun this year to open gifts with them and see how excited they got over each item! We spent the rest of the day together catching up, talking, and of course, eating (by the way, is there anything better than North Alabama BBQ? We miss you so much white sauce!!!).  Saturday evening, we went over to Aunt Sherry's house for Christmas.  We ate--AGAIN-- and spent some much needed quality time together.  Even though we didn't get to be together on Christmas Day, it was so nice for us all to all be in the same place at the same time to celebrate!

Hanging out with Cousin Millie at the Hayes family Christmas

new recliners from Nana and Pawpaw

On Monday, we made our way back home to Thomasville.  It was a long ride with two little ones, but was made even worse because Steven got his first ticket EVER--a special Merry Christmas from Winston County...We spent the next couple of days at home doing Christmasy things and enjoying the season together.  It was a first for us.  Steven and I have never been at OUR house on Christmas Day since we have been married.  Although we both missed family, it was a nice change and we were able to truly enjoy the moment.

Christmas Eve night

Sawyer tried to sneak some of Santa's cookies.

Santa brought Sawyer a new bike this year.  He was pumped!

I had planned a lot of different activities for me and the boys to do on Christmas Eve, but I ended up spending most of the day at the doctor's office.  I felt like death...ran over...twice.  By Christmas Eve night, I was feeling a little better, but definitely not like myself.  We were supposed to go to Madison the next morning after the boys woke up and opened gifts.  We decided that we would only go if I started feeling a little better.  I don't know if it was the excitement of the morning, but I felt okay enough to make the trip.  Unfortunately, the good vibes didn't last long.  I spent the next two days in bed and missed out on practically everything.  I did capture a few sweet moments with family.  Sawyer opened all of his gifts from Mimi and PawPaw Steve (along with all the ones sent from Opelika family).  He got a lot of really fun stuff and had a time. We also celebrated his birthday (again) with the Meadows/Ashleys. 

This boy LOVES some birthday cake!

After two days of feeling awful, we decided to call it and made our way back home.  Being sick is no fun, but it even less fun at Christmas time! 

Alll in all, we had a wonderful Christmas holiday as a family of four.  I already can't wait until next year!

Thanksgiving 2014 and Hudson's 3 Month Milestones

Months 3-4 have seriously FLOWN by because we have been so busy! 

Month 3 Milestones:
- The night we got home from traveling from Madison, Hudson SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT!  Those of you with children or who have had babies will understand that this was a HUGE milestone!  He did have a few nights after this that he did not sleep through (hello, Christmas!) but for the most part, this was the beginning of the end of him waking up to feed at night.  Praise the Lord!
- He has started smiling all of the time!  Sawyer is his favorite and can make him smile more than anyone else.
- He was much more alert this month and stayed awake longer.  He is still taking four naps a day, but they are not as long.
- We started a bedtime routine (although we had been trying to this since birth), and tried to stick to it.  He would go down at around 7:00-7:30 every night.  Steven or I would give him a bottle (dreamfeed) at 10:00-10:30 and then he would usually sleep through until 6:00. 
- starting to make a lot more noises and reach for things that hang above him. 

We did A LOT of traveling over the past two months, and although it was so great to see everyone, traveling with a newborn is hard work.  We traveled to Huntsville first to celebrate Thanksgiving with the McCullochs at Michael and Betsy's home.  It was great to spend time with our family and I am so blessed to be a part of a family who love each other so much!

 

 

 

Of course after lunch was over, we had to go see our traditional McCulloch movie at the theater.  this time we chose Mockingjay (and even the guys seemed to really like it). 

 



Later that week, we made our way to Madison, FL to spend time with the Meadows/Ashley family and celebrate Thanksgiving weekend.  We had a wonderful time catching up with family there and of course the boys loved spending time at the farm!  Steven took Sawyer hunting for the first time this year.  He said that it was quite the experience, but (probably because of all the noise) they didn't see anything.  I feel equally as blessed to have married into such a warm and welcoming family!  We had a great Thanksgiving!

First Thanksgiving Day hunt with Dad






Uncle Conner being Uncle Conner

AU Football, Halloween, and Hudson's 2 Month Milestones

Hudson's second month was a lot of fun!  We spent a lot of time at home but we also spent one weekend in Auburn/Opelika visiting friends and family and going to our one and only Auburn game of the year. Steven and I went to the Texas A&M game and of course we lost because apparently I bring bad luck to the tigers...The last two games that we have attended we lost.  We decided against taking the boys to the game because Hudson obviously wouldn't remember it and Sawyer doesn't have the best track record with sitting still for long periods of time.  Maybe next year we will take him to his first full game.  We did bring the boys tailgating with us because I wanted them to meet some of my oldest and dearest friends. It was a lot of fun catching up with everyone!


Family pic while tailgating

 

Hudson with his Auburn Aunties

Sunday lunch with the Meadows

 

We also got to get all dressed up and go trick-or-treating with the boys.  In all honesty, we only went to two homes, but we had a great time hanging out with our friends and eating dinner.  Hudson wasn't a huge fan of being dressed like a pumpkin.

 

 

 

Month two with two babies flew by, but it sure was a lot of fun!



We Voted!

 

More Auburn football love!

By far, the best part of month two was seeing Hudson smile for the first time!  He has a mega-watt smile and it is seriously my favorite thing!

 



 

 

The New Normal (Hudson milestones--month 1)

 On my first day back at church after Hudson's arrival, an older and much wiser lady asked me how I was doing.  Of course, I said what all southern women say when they are trying to pretend we have it all together, "Oh, I'm fine.  Everything's great!" She looked at me in the eyes and said, "Sweetie, you don't have to pretend like you have it all together.  I have four kids, and I still remember those first few months after each one was born.  Until they are about 4 months, having an infant is like combat.  You just have to wake up, put your boots on and go to war."  And the truth is, that was one of the most honest statements about raising a newborn that I have ever heard.  Don't get me wrong, the good FAR outweighs the bad, but there were days (and especially nights!) that I felt a little overwhelmed, exhausted, and in over my head.

 

With that said, Hudson has been such a HUGE blessing to our family! For the first six weeks, I was able to stay home with him and get some valuable one-on-one time.  During the first month, Hudson’s days consisted mostly of sleeping and eating. 

For the first few weeks, he would wake up every 2-3 hours to eat, but was usually good about going straight back down.  To be honest, the first month was sort of a blur (prolonged sleep deprivation will do that to you).  What I do remember was that I used every available opportunity to cuddle up with this precious and wonderful gift.

 

The first month was also a big change for Sawyer.  He was used to having all the attention in our home, but now he was all of sudden having to share the spotlight with “that baby” as he called him.  He would say, “Momma, will you put ‘that baby’ down and come play with me?”  Although it took him a minute to realize that “that baby” was not going anywhere, he eventually started to bond and help me take care of him.  I LOVE watching them interact!

We went back to church at Thomasville Baptist on the Sunday before Hudson's one month birthday.  He stayed out in "big church" with me and was a champ!  I was so relieved!

 

 

 

 

Playing Catch Up--Hudson's Birth Story

It has been almost two full years since I have updated the blog, and all I can say is life has been busy... 

We have experienced a lot of change in the Meadows' home since last I wrote. The biggest change was the birth of our second beautiful baby boy, Bryan Hudson Meadows.  He was born on September 11, 2014 at 5:23 PM. He weighed 8.3 pounds and was 21 1/2 inches long.  We are all in so in love with him already!

 

His birth was a far different experience than Sawyer's delivery story.  After visiting my doctor in Mobile a few days before his due date, she decided that I was a good candidate for induction.  Steven and I took Wednesday off from work and spent the day together in Mobile while Sawyer stayed with Mimi and PawPaw at our house in Thomasville.  It was nice to have a "last supper" of sorts with Steven before our lives became crazy again. 

Goofing off and sending pics to Sawyer while we waited.

I was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday, September 10th and the nurses and doctors started the induction process.  The next morning around ten the anesthesiologist gave me my epidural.  Let me tell you, after the debacle that happened with my epidural with Sawyer, I honestly didn't know what to expect.  This one worked beautifully, and I honestly had very little pain until the end.  Although the pain was far less than with Sawyer, Hudson was just as stubborn as his brother.  After a full night and day of being in labor, Hudson finally made his grand appearance.  Everything about him was perfect, and Steven and I were both in complete awe of this little miracle!

Our first look at each other.

Later that evening, Mom, Dad, Steve, and Theo brought Sawyer to the room to meet his little brother.  It was one of the most beautiful and emotional moments of the day.  When Sawyer walked into the room, it seemed as if he had grown a foot taller and looked like a grown up in comparison to Hudson.  He was so proud of his brother and Mom said that he told everyone he passed in the hallway, "I'm going to meet my baby brother!"

 

We were able to go home early Saturday morning and were welcomed by all of our family who had come in to meet the new addition to our family.  It was such a wonderful day, and I was soooo happy to be home with both of my boys!