Payton's Birth Story

     On Tuesday night, I started to experience some mild contractions. I had been having contractions on and off for weeks now, so I didn't give them a whole lot of credit until I woke up the next morning and they were still coming regularly. Around noon, I called my doctor's office to let them know how long I had been contracting and even though they weren't extremely painful, they did seem to be picking up a bit. The doctor advised me to head to the hospital to get checked out, so off we went. When I got there, we were able to see that I was having regular, strong, contractions, but they were making very little progress. The nurse let me know they were probably going to send me home until they picked up even more, but she quickly came back in with different news. When she called my doctor and let him know about the regularity and strength of my contractions, he decided it wasn't a good idea to send me home, and since I hadn't made very much progress, he decided to go ahead and do a repeat C-section right then. It took me a minute to process what was happening, and it happened really fast, but before I knew it, I was on the operating table and I heard the doctor say, "I can't get a grip on this big head, someone get me the vacuum." Haha! seconds later, I heard my angel's first cry! This C-section was such a better experience than the one I had when Rylee was born. I ended up being put under and missing her birth, but with Payton, being able to see her immediately after her birth, it made the whole experience so amazing.

     Payton Joy Massengill came into this world at 5:18 pm on September 25, 2013. She weighed in at 7 lbs 13 oz and was 19 inches long. As soon as they stitched me up, we headed to recovery where I got to hold her and feed her and keep her with me the entire time. It was so much better than recovery with Rylee, because they kept her in a nursery the whole time, and we didn't get to bond until she was over 2 hours old already. We asked the nurses, and were able to sneak Liz into the recovery room, and she got to meet Miss Payton right away as well. I was anxious for Rylee to arrive and meet her sister, and it felt like it took forever for her to get there, but finally around 8pm, Rylee came in, and she was so cute meeting her sister. She just stared and stared for a while and then finally she said, "Look at her cute little nose." It was so precious.

    After Rylee was able to bond with her new sister for a little bit, Nonna, Granddaddy, Aunt Mel, and Austin came in to meet Payton as well. They couldn't stay very long because it was getting late, and I felt sad when Rylee had to leave. I felt torn between my two favorite girls. The next day Rylee came with them and Granny and PawPaw around 1 (again it felt like forever without her!) and when they were ready to leave, we decided to let Rylee stay with us for a few more hours, and Ryan took her back to Nonna's when he had to head to work that night. It was good to have more time with both of my girls together, but I was sad again when she had to leave. Luckily as she was leaving Mary, Baily, Liz, Brandon, and KAde were coming in, so it helped keep my mind off it a little I spent the rest of my time bonding with Payton, and loving every minute with her, but still missing my Rylee and wishing I could be with them both. So Friday, Ryan went ahead and got Rylee as soon as he got off work that morning, and she spent the whole day at the hospital with us and was there when we were discharged and we got to go home together as a complete family.

     We got home last night, and it has been a smooth transition thus far. Rylee is acting as if nothing has changed and being just as well-behaved and independent as ever, and Payton is such a content little lady. Rylee loves Payton and watches out for her from afar, but isn't really into holding her or anything like that. Which is fine. She gives her lots of kisses and checks up on her often, and I think that is incredibly sweet. I feel so blessed to have 2 amazing little girls to call my own!

Family Time

    Lately, we have been spending lots of time together as a family while we are still a family of 3. Last weekend, we went to Memphis and spent the day shopping and playing. We let Rylee ride the carousel at the mall, then we took her to a nearby park. She had a blast. Since I started my leave a few weeks ago, I kept her home from school Thursday and we spent the whole day cuddling and rocking while watching cartoons. 

     Baby Payton will be here by Friday at the latest, so this past Saturday was Rylee's last Saturday as an only child. We let her pick what she wanted to do, so we headed to Incredible Pizza to eat and play-play-play! She had so much fun going form game to game to game and riding all the little rides. She won enough points to get a little pink stuffed puppy that she has been obsessed with ever since. After we got home, she took a short nap, then we headed to Nonna and Granddaddy's house to spend some time with them and Aunt Mel and Austin.

      Sunday after church, we headed to Alamo to Tennessee Safari Park. We had a lot of fun. Rylee like the baby piggies the best during the drive-through part. She liked the baby ostriches the best in the walk-through section. She also had a blast playing on their little playground. She has gotten to be so much more active than she used to be. I love my energetic child!

     As excited as I am about meeting baby Payton in just 3 short days, it's weird to think that my whole world will no longer revolve around this one little princess. Rylee Love is the child that made me a mommy and that is a very special thing, but I know I will love Payton just as much. On Friday, my love will not be divided, but multiplied. I think my heart may explode... :)

Fair Fun

     Last night, we went to the Dyersburg Fair and had a blast. The kids rode lots and lots of rides. Rylee is OBSESSED with rides and she would have kept going and going until morning, I am sure. It was fun to see her having so much fun.

    Some of the rides required an adult to ride with the kids because they were a bit intense. Those kinds were Rylee's favorite. She must take after her mommy and daddy: we love going to Six Flags and riding roller coasters. I think Mary and Ryan had just as much fun as the kids did on those rides.

 After their arm bands expired at 7, we grabbed some fair food and headed over to the mud bog. It was fun to see different ATVs try to make it through a huge mud pit. The kids REALLY got into it, and that surprised me. Rylee said, "I don't know why they want to go through that yucky mud, but this is funny." Haha! Love my girlie girl! It was a fun night and I love making memories with our sweet kids.

The Waiting Game

     Liz took some amazing family maternity shots last weekend. I am so in love with them. Rylee was really not feeling taking pictures that day, but you can't even tell in these sweet photos: now that's talent! ;)

      We are all beyond ready to meet little miss Payton Joy. Yes, I am even ready for long nights and fussiness, and sibling jealousy, and everything that comes with becoming a second time parent. I know without a single doubt the good will more than 1000x make up for the bad. I will have my days alone with Miss Payton while Rylee is at school, and during the evening and weekends, I will have my complete family of 4 to love and make memories with. I cannot wait. It's looking like I will even have some night time help from Ryan. He has a physical on Monday to start a new job!! This job is first shift (7-3), so we can finally be on the same schedule. We have never been on the same schedule. When I was in college and student teaching, he worked 2nd shift, and now he works 3rd shift. It will be so good to have more time with him and I know he will enjoy being able to sleep at night again!

    I had my 36 week Dr. appointment on Thurs, and found out that Payton is ready. We had a little bit of a scare because my fundal height was only 33 cm (it should have been close to 36), so the Dr. ordered an ultrasound to be sure Payton was growing well. She is growing great. We got see that her lungs are fully developed and ready for delivery, and she actually measured 2 weeks ahead, the size of a 38 weeker. Her estimated weight was 6lbs, 14 oz! The ultrasound tech explained that my fundal height was behind because Payton had dropped. She is head down, actively engaged at +1 station, and my body is preparing for delivery, no dialation yet, but 100% effaced. Since Rylee was breech, I never got to experience the "any day now" excitement with her. But Dr. seems to think we won't make it to our 9-27 c-section date with Miss Payton, and I may be able to deliver her naturally. I would love to, so I hope she cooperates, but if there's one thing I know it's that my little girls are stubborn ones, and she will not come a minute sooner than she wants to. I just hope she decides to comes soon. I would love to meet her early and therefore have a little bit of a longer leave with her before I have to return to work on 11-18. I would also love to avoid a second C-section, but only time will tell...

Every Weekend Should Be A 3-Day Weekend!

     Labor Day weekend was wonderful for us. Saturday, I spent the day shopping with Liz while Ryan spent a daddy-daughter day with Rylee. We each are trying to get as much quality time with her as possible before she is no longer an only child... Liz and I had a blast getting Rylee, Payton, and Kade's fall wardrobes and just spending time talking and laughing.

     Sunday, we had church in the morning, then Sunday night we cooked out at our place and had an absolute blast. The kids played, the adults laughed, and everyone just enjoyed themselves. It was a lot of fun.

     Monday was a lazy day for us. We stayed home all day and it was wonderful. I got some things done for Payton, mostly just nesting, and played with Rylee lots and lots. I can't believe how grown she's getting, but I love the little person she has become. Her personality shines through more and more each day. Going back to work today and dropping her off at her school was hard. I wish every weekend could be a 3-day weekend because I thoroughly enjoyed this one!