Baby Bonnets and Swimming Pools

From the archives...of drafts. This post was started last year, about this time exactly, and never posted. So, I give you a post that has never seen the light of day, but isn't half bad. It's filled with photos of a beautiful baby, after all. 

Last week was my kid's Spring Break. We had no plans. Heck, because of having no plans, it completely snuck up on us! Come Monday morning of said Spring Break I was wondering what we would do all week to get the sillies out and not drive each other crazy {read not drive momma crazy}. 

We are blessed to have family that have a condo in Amelia Island Plantation and that allow us to visit and take over the pool. I totally said take over, because when a family with five kids comes to the pool, we kinda take over. Add to that, my sister-in-law and the cousins and Ganny {my husband's mom}, we are a force to be reckoned with! But, we have a really great time and a LOT of energy is burned off!

[Love Mabry's bonnet? It's from Urban Baby Bonnets on etsy. Click here to find one like it.
This post is in no way sponsored by the seller. I've been buying her bonnets since McKinley was a baby. I genuinely LOVE them!]

We are currently one day into Spring Break 2016, let's see if we can get a repeat of this gorgeousness!

Monday, Bring It!

I can't even handle the cute! 

Her face and her shirt are a mess and her hair is wild. But, that smile? It's the absolute BEST! That laugh that, unfortunately, you can't hear, is intoxicating! She is laughing hysterically at her brothers in this shot. All I can think about is that tomorrow is Monday and I have LOADS to do. All she's thinking is Monday, you're the next best day I get to be with my family who loves me! Oh, to be a kid again...not a care in the world!

What is on your Monday agenda? I have a fourth grade field trip to chaperone, jonahbonah packages that need to be shipped, an order or two that need to be sewn, potential Plexus clients to reach out to, a house to clean, a husband to love on, kids to hug and kiss and so, SO much more! Let's do this, girls! No wimps allowed!!

Eleven Months.

Our Mabry Mae Hutchins is eleven months old. There's a sting in my heart to know that she's growing up and becoming less of a baby, my last baby, everyday. Yet, I love to watch her grow and learn and become a little person.

Mabry has such a bright personality and she's sweet, yet fierce. When one of her siblings takes her toy from her hands she screams out at them. Since she isn't talking yet this is her way of saying, "give that back to me NOW!" When she's sleepy she will lay her head on your shoulder. She's a lover.

She's walking now. There's no holding her back. She sees where she wants to go and her little legs take her. My favorite is when she grips the carpet with her tiny toes. I pray I never forget these details.

At eleven months old, she already has 6 teeth. I don't remember my other kids having so many teeth at this age. Maybe they did? Having Mabry nearly 5 years after McKinley is like being a first-time parent all over again. I'm having to re-learn all of the things that babies do. Like, teething. Oh, the drool. And the endless crying because it hurts her so badly. And the fevers and late nights. Teething is for the birds!

We don't watch much TV in our house. We haven't had cable in 3 or 4 years. I thought, at first, that I'd miss it. I don't. We do have Netflix. But, even with that the TV doesn't get turned on too often. Here's why I'm even telling you this...I've noticed when we do turn the TV on and it's an animated show, Mabry LOVES it! She gets really excited and dances with the songs. She "talks" to whichever character is on at the moment. It's so fun to watch her!

Mabry Mae Hutchins, you are so much fun! I love being your mommy. I'm excited to watch you grow and see who you will become. What will you accomplish? Who do you want to be? Will your sister be your best friend? I pray I see all of these questions answered. I love you.

she's two months old.

oh, mabry how we love you.  you've only been with us for two short months, but two glorious months they've been.

you've captured the hearts of so many.  your brothers and sister love you so much.  not a moment goes by they don't want to love on you or kiss you or hug you.  even when you're asleep.  {which bothers momma since i'd like for you to sleep...not get awoken by little people.}

you're nursing like a champ.  when you were only a couple of weeks old the doctor had us come in for a weight check because he wanted you to be gaining weight more rapidly.  well, you're gaining weight now!  not quickly, but slow and steady.  you're a healthy little girl.

you've only just started outgrowing your newborn clothing.  you're in size one diapers.

you aren't sleeping through the night just yet.  i know it won't be long though.  and the sleepless nights are worth it.

momma and daddy love you, mabry.  we thank God for you daily.

Mabry's Birth Story {part two}

{read part one of Mabry's birth story here}

Contractions were beginning to get even stronger. "This is what I wanted to happen? If this is going into labor naturally, I want a do-over! I'll come back for my scheduled induction, please." These may have been a few of my thoughts as I layed there in the MOST unbelievable pain of my life! {I was scheduled to be induced on the following Wednesday, the 28th.}

The nurses didn't like how fast my body was going into labor. Neither did my body.

On the way to the hospital I could feel my left side begin to tingle. I had no idea what it was from. Hubs thought maybe the baby was pinching a nerve or circulation was being cut off with the contractions. He wasn't concerned. I'm thinking "left side, heart attack. I'm going to die. If I wasn't in so much pain I may have Googled it. *remember: NO Googling for self-diagnosis! It'll make you nuts!} When I got to the hospital the tingling only got worse. And then the tingling turned to stiffness. My left hand was so stiff I couldn't move it. As a matter of fact, my whole left side was well on its way to board stiff. I was in labor, contractions were coming less than every two minutes apart, crying in pain, having a hard time breathing...it was AWFUL! Word on the streets is that I was hyperventilating. Hubs was right by my side the entire time. I joke that when we go to the hospital to have our babies that he isn't allowed to leave me...the entire stay. Truth is, he doesn't leave, except to get food that tastes better than hospital food. He never leaves my side. He stays strong for me. He is my voice of reason when I think I can't do it anymore. When I thought I was surely going to die due to hyperventilation, he kept me calm. {I didn't really think I was going to die. Or, maybe I did. It was brutal, y'all!}

The nurses strapped the oxygen mask to my face and moved the IV from my stiff left hand to my right hand. While it was on my left hand the fluids they were trying to give me weren't flowing because of the stiffness. Weird, right? After all of that was seemingly working as it should a God send of a nurse asked if I minded if she taught me how to breath through my contractions. Um, YES PLEASE!! She told me to find a focal point across the room. {my focal point was this little green light. I can recall two times that someone stepped in front of my focal point and I wanted to jump outta that bed and push them out of my way. I was TRYING to breath, people!} With each contraction I was to look at that focal point, take a deep breath in and then exhale long, like I was blowing out fifty birthday candles. It helped. Tremendously. I stopped making my "this pain is going to surely be the death of me" sounds. But, I can't promise I wasn't making those faces that women make while in labor that you've seen in all of the movies. Thank you, Nurse Ginny!

You'd think with my contractions being as close and strong as they were that delivery would be soon. Yeah. No. I was stuck at 2cm dilated. The doctor came in and felt my belly and voiced concerned of the baby being "a big one." She asked if I had ever had a c-section and how large my largest baby was. Jonah was my largest at 9 pounds, 3 ounces. I didn't see any issues delivering the baby...just get me to where I can push. Please.

The doctor decided the only thing to do to speed me along was break my water. After four inductions, I knew that would be the next step. What was she waiting on??? After my water was broken I was allowed to get an epidural.

I had high hopes for this epidural. I was ready for some relief. I was ready for a nap. I was ready for anything but the next contraction.

Anesthesiologist comes in. She's a sweet lady. She was about to be my best friend. The epidural was in place. Hoorah! And then the epidural didn't work. I could feel EVERYTHING in my right side. Everything that I worked so hard to breath through ten minutes ago was back...on my right side. {where's my little green light????} Hubs overheard them talking about scar tissue after multiple epidurals or something. What the heck? Apparently, that was the issue. Who knows. And that little button they give you to press when you need a boost of medicine? It's supposed to work every ten minutes. Mine only worked every fifteen. For real.

I am happy to report once the epidural was in {and not working properly} and maybe eight pushes of that handy button {that also didn't work properly} the nurse came in and announced I was about 8cm. Praise the Lord. Progress was being made!

Shortly after that, I begged for more medicine. Something to make the pain in the right go away. The anesthesiologist came in and gave me what she called "strong enough for surgery." Thank you very much, Doctor! It worked! But, we had to move fast. I was now feeling the urge to push. And the nurse told me not to. What??? "We need to wait for the doctor", she says. Ha! I'll do my best. {pfff}

You ready for this? Doctor comes in, nurse grabs one leg, Hubs grabs the other, contraction comes, one push, two pushes, three pushes...IT'S A GIRL!!!

That's it. Mabry Mae Hutchins put me through roughly six hours of pain for three pushes through one contraction. And I wouldn't have it any other way.



She weighed 8 pounds, 3 ounces and was 19 3/4 inches long. She is beautiful. She looks just like her big sister, McKinley.

Sadly, this is one of the only pictures we have of her birth. We were NOT ready to go to the hospital that Sunday. We thought we had a couple more days to plan. We had no camera, just our phones. Bummer. We have a great story though! And another beautiful, healthy daughter.



I'm glad I snapped this photo after she was born. The day after her birth I went for a minor surgery and came out looking like a bloated momma. It wasn't pretty.

I can't wait to share with you more pictures of our precious girl. I've started a small project with photos. I'll share updates on that monthly.

In the meantime, here's a preview of one...in case you don't follow me on Instagram.

Mabry's Birth Story {part one}

I've been wanting to sit down and write Mabry's birth story for the last two weeks.  I didn't write a birth story for any of my other four children.  And, sadly, I've forgotten most all of the details of the labor and delivery of Jake, Jonah, Jett and McKinley.  When Hubs and I sit down and talk about those birth days HE reminds me of bits of information.

All four of the previous kids were induced. They were far too comfy in the womb to come out on their own. So, I really wanted to go into natural labor with number five. I imagined walking arm in arm with Hubs through Walmart and my water breaking...I would then turn to him and say "it's time to go. NOW!" Sounds perfect, right? Ha! Okay, maybe not. {Where the Heart Is is a favorite movie.} But, I didn't want a scheduled induction. I wanted to experience the rush to the hospital and contractions and you know, the way the movies make it out to be like. Hubs, on the other hand, loves him some scheduling. He needs to prepare. He likes to be ready. He is all for a scheduled induction.

I'm so happy to say I did go into natural labor. My water did not break in Walmart. {Thank goodness!}

Here's what DID happen:

Saturday night I went to bed feeling tired. {what pregnant gal doesn't?} I had been feeling overall miserable the last few weeks of pregnancy anyways. I had indigestion that made my throat feel like it was on fire. My iron was low so I constantly felt worn down and I couldn't get enough ice to chomp on. My ankles were swelling giving me the most amazing cankles EVAH! What else?? OHHHH....the veins. The varicose veins no one tells you about. The varicose veins that hurt! Yeah, those. I had those. My morning sickness never went away. I'm sick the entire nine months when pregnant. That's something that was consistent with all five pregnancies. Smells, certain foods, not eating small meals throughout the day...all made me sick. {a few food/drinks with this pregnancy were sweet tea, mustard anything and tomato based sauces.}

I had a doctor situation towards the very end of my pregnancy that left me without prenatal care for about six full weeks. In that time frame I made the mistake of *Google-ing* my symptoms to self-diagnose myself. I'll just tell you now, if you want to scare the bajeeses out of yourself by putting a couple of symptoms into the search engine and getting back EVERY possibility, even the horrific ones, then Google your issues. If you value your sanity, DON'T DO IT! Just listen to your husband when he says, "You're eight months pregnant. Of course, you're miserable!" Such a wise man. {I did get a doctor for the last two weeks of my pregnancy. She was amazing!}

So, I go to bed on Saturday night, I tossed and turned all night. I waddled to the bathroom approximately 1,264 times. Then, at 7:00 I felt what I thought was my water leaking. I really wanted my family to get up and go to church. I figured if it was my water leaking/breaking that the contractions would come soon. In my head, we still had time to get a sermon in.

We got to church early that morning. {not the norm for us} Hubs hadn't been able to go to church for a few months because of his work schedule so when he saw one of his buddies they sat and talked for a few. As they talked I began to feel contractions. Not too strong. Not too consistent. But, definitely contractions. Natalie, a friend of mine came around the corner so I got up to talk to her. The contractions were still there. Still, not too strong and not too consistent.

It was time for service. The worship music is my favorite. {I love the preaching too...but, the music...it brings me to tears just about every time.} This Sunday was different. I had to sit down through much of the second song. The contractions were definitely getting stronger...and more consistent.

I got up to go to the bathroom and my friend Cheryl shot me a look of concern. I whispered, "I'm okay." Ha!

After service was over Hubs and I stood up and that's when it started. STRONG contractions that were about 3-5 minutes apart. We walked to each class to pick up the kids. I stopped with each contraction and tried to keep some sort of composure. People were beginning to ask if I was okay and giving me the look of concern.

By the time we made it to the preschool area to get McKinley I was stopped by a chatty friend. I politely talked to her until my friend Christy walked up and told me to go. {she could tell I was "just being nice" by standing there in misery and needed to get to the hospital}

When we finally got to the truck, Hubs asked me if I thought we had time to go home and drop the kids off with his sister. "UM, NO!" The hospital is twenty minutes from church. It would've been ridiculous for us to drive thirty minutes in the opposite direction to just turn around and drive forty minutes back...with me in PAIN!

When I convinced him demanded to go straight the hospital Hubs went to find someone at church to take our four kids at the last minute. Thank goodness for Donna and Greg. Without hesitation {or knowing how long they'd have them} they packed our kiddos into their car and off we went. Do you have church family? If not, you should. They are amazing.

The contractions were getting so much stronger and so much closer together! The details begin to get a little fuzzy at this point. What I do remember about that ride to the hospital is that Hubs was driving a wee bit over the speed limit and the left side of my body was tingly and stiffening. Very weird. Very scary.

We arrive at the hospital and I could hardly move. I'm not sure how I made it into the wheel chair. But, I did. I was wheeled in to Room 2 at Baptist Beaches Hospital in Jacksonville Beach, Florida at around 12:30pm on August 25, 2012. Mabry Mae Hutchins was on her way.

to be cont...


{the last picture I took while pregnant...36 weeks.}