Happy Halloween!

Last night, I took the girls trick-or-treating at the Trunk or Treats at Dallas First UMC and Dallas FBC. We went with my friend, Stephanie, and her two girls, Olivia and Mallory. We had so much fun!! The weather was perfect! We also stopped by my parents' house and my aunt and uncle's house so they could see the girls all dressed up.

It was Hailey's first real time trick or treating at lots of places. She did such a great job. Heidi hung out in the stroller and had a blast watching all of the other people. Last year, she was a week and a half old - she certainly has grown a lot since then!

Everyone complimented their costumes - of course, I'm biased, but I thought they were ADORABLE!! I love matching their outfits, but I know that's not going to last forever. I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts, though! Here are some pictures from yesterday:

My Etsy Shop!

I've finally decided to make an etsy shop with the announcements and invitations I've created over the years. Here it is: www.etsy.com/shop/HETDesigns. Yes, I used the girls' initials as my shop name. :-) Wish me luck that this takes off and I get lots of business! (I actually got my very first sale this morning!! WOOHOO!!)

Hailey being her adorable self!

In this short video, Hailey says the blessing and does a little math...and talks about different Bible stories she's learning about in school!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

One year ago....

It was one year ago today that Heidi Ellasyn Tate was born. I can't believe that it's been a year. Where in the world did the time go?!? I'm sitting here thinking about the events from October 20, 2009 - what an amazing day!

Last year, on 10/19/09, I was 37 weeks pregnant. I had my weekly non-stress test (NST) and ultrasound appointment that afternoon. I was being monitored for very low amniotic fluid levels and my doctor was keeping a close watch on me since I had gestational diabetes. Well, low and behold, the ultrasound tech walked me to my room at the hospital for my NST and informed me that my fluid levels had dropped from a 6.6 to a 3 - I knew that was NOT good. The nurses, one of which is my sweet neighbor, hooked me up to the machines to monitor contractions (I was already having some doozies, although they weren't painful) and to keep a track on the baby's heartrate.

Of course, being extremely pregnant makes a woman extremely hormonal. So, when the nurses called my doctor and informed her of how things were going - and my doctor told them to admit me to the hospital immediately - I didn't take it well AT ALL, even though the logical side of me understood why she made that decision. I cried and all I could think about was Hailey - I didn't get a chance to have a special day with her before the baby came. I think I also said some choice words of wanting to sleep in my own bed, since they said I'd have a c-section first thing the following morning. At the same time, I was texting Barry, telling him to get his butt to the hospital because I was scared and wanted him there with me. He was at work at the time. In the end, I chose to be a good little patient and shut up. Hahaha! I have to say, the nurses at Tanner Medical Center in Villa Rica are amazingly patient and sweet. I loved them!

So, they wheeled me (another thing I was ticked off about - I wanted to WALK on my own, but they made me sit in a wheelchair) to my room and handed me the lovely hospital gown, hooked up my IV, and told me to hang out until the morning. My mom got off work early and picked up Hailey from my aunt's house and came to see me. Barry stayed with me until I told him to go home and get a good night's sleep in our bed. The nurses gave me an Ambien to help me sleep, but it didn't work well. I think I woke up every hour or so, I was so nervous!

The morning of Heidi's birth, the nurses came in at 5 a.m. and told me I was first on the list. The nurses were rushing me because they had to bump other people to fit me in. So, I grabbed a quick shower and the anesthesiologist came in and prepped me for surgery and they wheeled my bed to the "holding area," as I called it. Barry showed up, got geared up in his cute scrubs, and they wheeled me into the OR around 7.

Saying I was nervous is an understatement - since Hailey was born naturally, in every since of the word, I was scared of having a c-section because I didn't know what to expect (even though I was glad to not have to go through the horrendous labor pains and a vaginal delivery again). I worried about feeling everything during surgery and about the recuperation time afterwards. I gave strict instructions to my doctor to not tell me ANYTHING that was going on behind that blue curtain (like Wizard of Oz "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" LOL) and told the two anesthesiologists behind my head to talk about anything - ANYTHING AT ALL - other than what was going on in that room. One was wearing a Steelers headcover, so Barry and the doctors started talking football. I have to say, it was perfect and it still makes me laugh when I think about the silly sports banter between the guys.

My doctor worked for a few minutes (I didn't feel a thing, by the way) and told us the big moment had arrived. Barry stuck the camera over the curtain and we got our first picture of Heidi. I remember her first cry - it sounded so tiny, like a kitten (which was my nickname for her for the first couple of months!). They checked her vitals, got her bundled up and brought her over to us. She was precious. They rushed her to the nursery while they put me back together and took me to the recovery area. Barry went with her. The nurse called into the OR with her birth stats - 5 pounds 8 ounces and 19 inches long. I was so thrown off by her tiny weight that I asked if they were sure they had weighted the right child! I mean, Hailey weighted an entire 3 pounds more than that at birth! Even though she born 3 weeks early, she still should have weighed more than she did. The doctor never determined a cause, although I think my uterus was just "done" and wasn't functioning properly. When I think of all that *could have* happened, it scares me and I think of how much of a miracle the birth of a child really is.







Heidi had a little bit of a problem keeping her temperature elevated the first day after she was born, but it leveled out. While we were in the hospital, my mom watched Hailey and brought her to meet her little sister. I remember being so glad to see them together. I finally had my two girls - what I had always asked for!!

I still have some people ask me if we're going to "try for a boy" in the future, as if I'm missing something by not having a son. To be honest, I absolutely HATE that question. In my mind, our family is perfect just the way it is. We aren't entirely sure if we want more kids or not, but for the moment, our lives feel very complete. Even if we do decide to add another child in the future, we'd be happy with a healthy baby - boy or girl. The next time someone asks if we're going to try for a boy next, I'm going to say, "No, we're going to try for a llama, I think" just to throw them off! But I digress...

Having Heidi here has been an amazing adventure. It's been different this time around than when I had Hailey. Hailey birth was pretty traumatic to me and it took me a long time (and surgery 7 months later) to recover. As scared as I was before the c-section, I have to say it was an absolute BREEZE. I was up walking around, albeit quite gingerly, the next morning. It was definitely the way to go! The only issues I had were from the anesthesia and the surgical tape, but those issues were extremely minor. Since I felt better this time around, dealing with a newborn was easier. I kinda remembered what to expect and my mom helped by watching Hailey when Barry went back to work. I got to rest and snuggle with Heidi just like I did with Hailey - and I got back to my "old" self sooner.

Since then, it's been challenging at times, but it's been fun to watch Hailey and Heidi together. The girls play well together now (although Heidi loves with hair and pulls Hailey's hair every chance she gets), and they make each other laugh. I pray they are each other's best friend as they grow up.

Anyway, Happy First Birthday to my littlest baby girl! She is a joy to us, a source of smiles and cuddles, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for her!!

Heidi's 1st Birthday Party

We celebrated Heidi's first birthday yesterday with a fun little party. The theme was "Look Whoo's Turning One" and I decorated in owls. We had homemade barbeque and hotdogs for lunch and my aunt, Flora, made the cakes. It was pretty low-key, but I'm glad we kept it small. Heidi gets a little skittish around crowds and people she doesn't know that well (especially men - she's scared of men!).

Heidi had a lot of fun. She enjoyed the food - she ate HALF of a barbeque sandwich (she loves to eat!) and then picked at her smash-cake. She got mad at me when I took her hand and stuck it in the icing. Hahahaha! I was a little disappointed that she was so prissy about eating the cake because Hailey did the same thing. I was hoping one of them would get down and dirty and end up with cake all over them. It was pretty easy to clean her up afterwards, though, so I guess I shouldn't complain.

Heidi also got a lot of wonderful gifts. She spent all afternoon going from one thing to another because she couldn't decide what to play with.

All in all, the party was a success and we enjoyed the time with family and friends. This past year went by fast and I can't wait to see how Heidi grows and learns in the next year. With two precious girls and a wonderful group of family and friends, we are truly blessed.

Here are some pictures of the decorations and of course, the birthday girl!!

Family Reunion...

The Holmes family reunion (my mom's side of the family) was this past weekend. It was nice to see some family members that I don't get to see often. The weather was perfect - not too hot, not too cold. Hailey enjoyed seeing lots of other cousins that are her age and playing tea-party. She also went "fishing" with her Barbie fishing pole (no hook or bait on the line, though - too dangerous!). Heidi enjoyed toddling around and trying to eat grass. LOL!! Here are some pictures I took (including my brother eating with Hailey at the princess table!):

Hailey standing on the shore of the lake


Heidi was facinated by the grass


Me and my girls! (Barry had to work, unfortunately!)


Heidi having fun!

My mom and the girls

My aunt (Flora, who babysits the girls)


Serena (my cousin, Kurt's, little girl) and Heidi

Hailey having fun on the dock!


Hailey, the tree-hugger

Heidi and Uncle Jerry (Flora's husband)

Heidi and Courtney, my brother's girlfriend

My brother and Hailey eating lunch at the Princess table!

Silly things that kids say...

Today is FRIDAY!! This week has been a little on the slow side, but I'll take it.

I have a couple of funny "Hailey" stories to share. Hailey had to sit in the time out chair on Wednesday and her teacher told Barry that she became VERY upset. Her teacher said Hailey didn't want her Daddy to find out. So, when I got home, I asked Hailey what she said to her teacher. She said, "I told her I didn't want her to tell my daddy because he'll tear my tail UP!" Oh...my...gosh! For the record, she didn't get a spanking - but on the other hand, at least she knows that if she gets in trouble at school, she has consequences at home! However, I don't want it to sound like we beat her! LOL!!

Hailey has also made friends with a little boy at school named Connor. Wednesday (same day as the tail-tearing comment) she told me that when she turns 5, she's going to marry Connor. (This is the same girl who got upset when she found out her daddy was already married and who says when she turns 10, she's going to go "surf-boarding" so she can say Cowabunga, Dude.) I proceeded to let her know that the rule in our house is she can't get married until she's out of school and living on her own. (Please, Lord, don't let me have to eat crow on that one!)

Yesterday, she said Connor told her he's a DJ. When I asked her what a DJ was, she said it's someone who goes "wicky wicky" on the record table and scratches CDs. ROFL!!! Not only is she learning her ABCs at preschool, she's getting taught the art of record-scratching. Niiiiiiiiiiiice. I think I laughed for a full 5 minutes after she told me that! Too funny what they play when they're all get together!

Finally, the highlight of the week, Hailey has started saying the blessing before we eat dinner (or whenever she eats anything, really). The first couple of times she said it, I noticed she was saying something odd after "God is great". Turns out, she was saying, "God is great, Barry's good." LOL! There's a song out that says "God is great, Beer is good, and People are crazy." So, Hailey thought that was part of saying Grace (and she thought the song said "Barry's good" - thank goodness)!!! Geez, Louise - what her teacher must think of us!!! Needless to say, we had a quick lesson on how to say the blessing correctly - and Barry learned that she really WILL repeat whatever she hears!

Life here is never boring, that's for sure!