1 Week Old

    Little Miss Payton is 1 week old today. I forgot how quickly time flies when you have a newborn. She is such a good baby. She nurses like a champ and sleeps well at night. She is usually alert for about 2 hours in the afternoon, and she is so funny looking around taking everything in. She is the quietest baby, she never fusses and only cries when she's hungry. I am so impressed with her, and already so in love.

    Ryan started orientation at his new job Monday, so it has just been Payton and I during the day. We mostly sleep and eat. I think this quiet time has helped a lot in my recovery from my csection. I know I didn't feel this healthy this quickly after having Rylee. We had to go somewhere either the Dr or to visit with family everyday after having Rylee, but I haven't left the house once since getting home from the hospital with Payton, and I really think that's made all the difference.

     Rylee has been doing great, too. I make sure once she gets home to spend some time with her while Ryan spends some time with Payton, but that's more for me than for her. I miss my Rylee during the day while she's at school, and I'm excited that next week is Fall Break so she will be home with Payton and I all week. Payton likes to check out her big sister, but Rylee still isn't too interested in Payton. She hasn't shown any jealousy, but she's just not interested in holding her or anything. She is however very protective of her and won't let anyone else say they are going to take baby Payton. And the one thing she is interested in is giving baby Payton bottles. Since I nurse, she hasn't had many chances, but I pumped her a bottle to give her, and she was so excited to help feed baby sister. It was sweet. I love my 2 girls to pieces and I have thoroughly enjoyed this week. I am looking forward to many more wonderful weeks to come.

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!

Payton's Shower and Nursery

     Last Sunday, Liz hosted a baby shower for little miss Payton at church. It was absolutely lovely. She is already one spoiled little girl! Some people think that showers should not be thrown for second (and third, fourth, so on..) children, but I look at it as a celebration of a life. At Rylee's shower, we celebrated Rylee. At Payton's shower, we celebrated Payton. Every life is unique and deserves to be celebrated in some way whether big or small. It's almost like their initial birth day party...

      Payton is blessed with lots of people who love her and who anxiously await her arrival. She is loved so much already. I cannot believe that in a month (or less, if she so decides), I will have her in my arms! This pregnancy has flown by!

     She got a lot of great gifts at the shower, and I had great help opening them. 1 big sister and 2 big cousins were very excited to see all the stuff for baby Payton. They are all so excited for her arrival. No one better ever mess with her, because she's definitely got 3 guardians watching her back! :)

    Today, I finally got the chance to organize all of her stuff from the shower. Waiting 6 days to put her stuff up is completely unlike me, but it was a busy, crazy, tiring week. However, I did wake up at 6 am and get started on it today. I guess the nesting period has hit! Last night, I ordered her travel system and pack-n-play, so as soon as those arrive, we will be completely ready for her to be here!

     I love Payton's nursery. It is my favorite room in the house. I can't wait until she's in that room, and all her things are going to good use. I just go in there and think about her, and it makes me happy. I already love her so much, I feel so blessed that God has entrusted me with 2 precious princesses.

    I've been going to the doctor every 2 weeks, now, and after my next appointment, I will start going weekly. Payton has been growing right on track at every check-up. On Monday, I will be 35 weeks pregnant, and so far in this pregnancy I have gained 18 lbs. That's much better than the 40 I gained while pregnant with Rylee... Lol! If Payton decides to come on her own, my doctor said he is not going to stop her, otherwise she will be born via repeat C-section on September 25. I can't believe how close it is getting! I am so ready to meet you, Payton Joy!

Family Time and Airshow 2013

     My parents came into town Friday afternoon, and we spent the evening together at Liz and Brandon's house. Brandon cooked a yummy meal for us all, and we had a blast just hanging out and playing with the kids.

      Yesterday, we went to the Wings Over Hall airshow. This was our 3rd time going, but every year we bring more people along to enjoy it with. It was fun to watch the kids' reactions tot the planes and their stunts.

    The kids watched some, and played some, but they all seemed to really enjoy it. We adults enjoyed it, too. It's a great show and a nice way to spend an afternoon.

After the airshow, we went over to Mary and Bailey's for dinner. The kids had a blast making a tornado of Mary's home and being silly. They are so full of life and laughter. I love these 3 kiddos so much!

Back to School

      Goodness gracious, I think absolutely every part of my body is sore and tired, but I made it through my first week as a Kindergarten teacher! And it was fabulous. I already adore my sweet kiddos so much! Kindergarten is an entirely different challenge than first grade, but I think I am already getting the hang of things. The first day, I was a little surprised by how much I was going to have to teach these babies, not academically, but in terms of how to hold a pencil, how to use their supplies, how to stand in line, how to raise their hand, how to stay in their seats for more than 1 minute... etc. After I realized what all they needed to know and started working on it, it seems like this week got better and better. But it did WEAR ME OUT! I am glad it's the weekend. Next week will be the real challenge having all 19 of my Kindergartners there all day all week long. We phased in this week, so the most I ever had at one time was 10 students. I can only imagine how exhausting going to be to work with all 19 of them at once. Ah! But if I am tired, which I am, it is in the best possible way. The- I've been busting my rear doing what I was absolutely meant to do- kind of way!

     This sweet girl has had a fabulous time in the 3-year-old preschool this week. Last week, she moved back and forth from the 2-year-old room to the 3-year-old room and that made her very uneasy and unhappy. This week has been entirely different. She loves her new "big girl" class and loves her new teacher, Ms. Cindy. She also loves spending all day with Bailey, but she did inform me on Monday afternoon that she is sad that Kade "quit school." (He didn't quit, he just stayed in the 2-year-old room, but she doesn't see him anymore, so she is sad that he isn't with her.) I have been missing her something fierce, though. I don't even have a minute to stop and miss her while I'm with my students, but every afternoon, I am so glad to get her in my arms again, and every morning it hurts my heart to let her go. This morning, she ran in and sat down as happy as could be, and I left with tears rolling down my cheeks. Blame it on the hormones, but this adjustment has definitely been harder on me than on her!