Castles and Crowns show

I am having a Castles and Crowns children's clothing show tomorrow.  They have some really cute clothes.  In addition to what they have in the catalog, they have girls and boys Mississippi State and Ole Miss Shirts.  The girls say Dawgs and Rebels and the boys have a football and and goal post on it! Cute!  You can see them online at www.castlesandcrowns.com.  Click on Shop, either girls and boys, and the shirts on are the last page.  They have coordinating pants to match!

Friday, July 30th  9-11, 4-6

* I will have the clothes all weekend--including this evening.  You can call and come by if you can't come on Friday.  I can also place orders over the phone.

Call 919-9739 or leave a comment if you need directions!

Catching Up

These pictures were taken during the month of June when I was flat on my back.  The girls did a ton of dressing up!  It's definitely one of their favorite things to do!

Zeb had to work the weekend of Father's Day, so Miriam came over and helped with the girls.  I found a picture of these cute brownie cupcakes in a Family Fun magazine.  I'm so glad that Miriam likes to do projects like this!

I think they look just like food on the grill!

Speaking of the grill....Zeb is getting pretty good!  At the beginning of May I was told I shouldn't go grocery shopping (any shopping) or cook.  This left it up to Zeb and our sweet family and friends who brought us dinner!  I know Zeb will be glad when I can take back all my "duties"!  (I will be too!)

Of course, Zeb has been able to grill for years-but that has always been the extent of his cooking!  This summer, however, he has learned a lot!  In May he asked me how to pop bagged popcorn---now he can do this!

It's a flank steak with roasted pepper and feta stuffing--and he roasted the peppers and did it all by himself!  It was delicious!!!!!!! And to say the least, I was impressed!  

He has also been inventing his own recipes...when you see him ask him about his bbq tomatoes--thankfully they are real spicy so I don't have to eat them!  He loves them!   I keep telling him if this doctoring thing doesn't work out, he can try out for the Next Food Network Star!

In all seriousness, I am so thankful to Zeb.  He has had a lot on his plate taking care of the girls, the house, and me and I have never  once heard him complain or sigh!  As a mentor friend of mine tells me, "Anna, you married a real prince" and I did and I know it!  Thank you Zeb.

We have also been in awe of the Lord and his timing during all of this.  We were told shortly after we had Leigh that if we wanted another child we should go ahead and have one.  It took about 15 months and either four or five months of clomid.  Honestly, I had given up and was training my heart and mind that we were going to have two beautiful little girls!  Of course, we had no idea that this pregnancy would be even harder than the other two.  Zeb was finishing his chief year in May so when I was put on limited activity starting before 20 weeks and gradually progressing to strict bedrest he was able to be home more than normal.  In June, he was off most of the month and was able to take care of everything. We had a planned c-section for July 12th which would be right before I was 37 weeks.  Sam wasn't going to wait that long.  I had him at 35 weeks on July 2nd.  Zeb started his official job July 1st, but the 1st and 2nd were just orientation.  With the 5th being a holiday and the day I came home, Zeb ended up not missing a day of work.  His schedule was light enough so that he could come home around 3 to head up to the NICU twice every night and still be home to eat with the girls and put them to bed.  In this circumstance, God has allowed us to see part of his plan and see that his timing is good just as he promises over and over in the Bible.  There is so much more to this story than I can ever right down. The day Sam was born I woke up throwing up and feeling worse than normal.  I went to the doctor (mine was on vacation) and everything with me was about the same as it had been.  As we were leaving, she said she wanted to run a test on the baby called a biophysical profile.  I had this test done the day before and the baby was great, but this time he was not breathing like he should.  The doctor told me I was just going to the hospital for a couple of hours for some IV fluids and to monitor the baby. She thought the fluids would help me and the baby.   When I got to Woman's the fluids weren't helping the baby and we found out I was in labor--I just thought the baby was moving funny since I had been throwing up and that was also why my back was hurting! ha!  Another doctor came in and said it was time to have the baby!  I kept telling them they couldn't take me back until I got a camera!  Thankfully my dad walked in just as I was headed back so we were able to get pictures!  Again, we were able to see God's timing is good!  We are so very thankful!

all tuckererd out

I took Sam for his 2 week appointment on Monday.  He was actually 2 weeks and 3 days and he is up to 6lbs 7oz!  Everything else was great!  All the showing off made him tired and he crashed on the floor!

from the girl talk blog

Marriage is a vocation. It is a task to which you are called. If it is a task, it means you work at it. It is not something which happens. You hear the call, you answer, you accept the task, you enter into it willingly and eagerly, you commit yourself to its disciplines and responsibilities and limitations and privileges and joys. You concentrate on it, giving yourself to it day after day in a lifelong Yes.” --Elisabeth Elliot, Let Me Be a Woman, p. 102

neaky, neaky, snake (according to leigh)

actually his name was sneaky, sneaky snake and yes this truly happened to us this past friday morning.


i think i am being the good mom of a 2 week old and put him on my bathroom floor on the bathmat while i take a shower.  i did this to protect him from 2 little girls who love him dearly and kiss him from head to toe constantly.  i lock the bathroom door and don't tell the girls what i'm doing.  since i've never done this before, they were soon (like 3 minutes later) knocking on my door.  i jump out of the shower, unlock the door and sara beth says, "look mom, a worm!"  i look over and less than a foot away from my precious baby is a snake.  i yank sam up, throw him in the bassinet in my room, and tell sara beth to watch the snake that i'm going to get help  (yes, she is 4 and no i was not thinking at all!)  i did tell her if the snake came toward her to run jump on my bed! ha!  i grab my robe, which was thankfully laying on my bed, and run outside as i am putting it on.  i quickly canvas the street and realize that my best bet for someone being home at 10 a.m. on friday morning was our neighbor sandi who has 3 teenage boys.  fortunately sandi and her 17 year old son bo were home.  they grab a cookie sheet, a plastic box, and a shovel and take off running down the street with me.  at this point it occurs to me that i left a 2 and a 4 year old watching a snake! ahhh!  we run in the house and sara beth calmly says that the snake went into our closet!  within 5 minutes sandi and bo had captured the water moccasin!  they finished the snake off in the garage!

i then proceeded to fall apart for at least the next hour!  this is definitely one of those moments when all i can say is Thank you God for protecting our family!

(zeb came home from work and my brother in law came over and they searched the house--no more snakes!  i'm not sure how long we will be sleeping with lights on throughout the house though!)

Sam I am

This is my grandfather Sam and our little Sam's namesake!  My mom and my grandparents were on their way back from Birmingham when Sam was born!  I really wish I could have seen his face when he found out it was a boy.

my grandfather is actually Sam W. Waggoner III--funny story.  his daddy was Samson Wilder Waggoner, Jr.  Zeb and I kidded that we were going to name our Sam: Samuel William Henson, IV and it would be about the same!  Actually, William Was Zeb's grandfather's name; his dad is George William; his brother is William Chase;  and then we have a nephew William so that's where the William comes from!

I have been told that we don't even need to send birth announcements because Dub (my gf) has already told everyone about him!

slipin and a slidin

one day last week i set the slip and slide up, but the girls had a hard time actually slipping and sliding!  that didn't stop them from having fun--the played on it and in the water for an hour and a half!

yesterday daddy came out to help and boy did they have fun!

Sweet Pics

Sam has now gained 2 oz and weighs about 6 lb 3 oz.  I think most all of his weight is in his 20 1/4 inches!  Too us, he's tiny!  I wanted to take some pictures before he grew anymore so I could remember! 

When Sam is awake this is where the girls are!  I have to rotate his head so he can look at both of them!

Leigh and Sam holding hands

Lots of feet

I love this one!

And all the picture taking just wore him out!

When Daddy came home, I got him in on the action!

Daddy's hand

Another favorite

Daddy's finger against Sam's arm

Daddy's finger against Sam's leg

My sweet boys

Bath Time and a few random pics

long skinny feet

1 week old

Sister Lovin

Bath Time

Sam never got a good bath in the NICU.  He was just wiped down, so it was high time for a bath!  He didn't agree!

Think  we will wait until we can submerge him in water--maybe that will help!

All fresh and clean and smelling like phisoderm!

Sam had to go back up to the NICU today for a check-up!  He checked out good!  He lost another ounce- so we are obviously still working on eating.  We hope and pray that will get easier in the next few days.  

Sara Beth's baby Samatha has also been having trouble eating.  She informed me that she was doing good with it today!

My parent's have come up with a yard sign for all of their grandkids.  This time it was Humpty Dumpty (a favorite of the girls).  I was surprised Dad had time to do it with Sam.  He said he bought the wood Friday night after he was born and it was in our yard on Monday when we came home!

Sweet pic of all the grandkids on my side of the family

And of course the girls had to pose with their babies!

We are so very thankful to have sweet Sam home with us today!  Zeb and I got a mulligan last night and spent the night at Woman's Hospital to "room in" with him.  It was such a special night.  He stayed in the room with us and I was able to feed him throughout the night.

He was our little glowworm last night!  We praise God that he didn't even have to come home on a bili-blanket!  He lit up our room though!  Amazing how bright those things are!  I can't say it enough, but what a special night!

We had the best welcome home crew anyone could ever want-complete with pom poms!  The girls could not have been more excited to have Sam home!  

A sweet sibling moment!

The girls worked hard this morning and baked blue cupcakes for him!  We had a small welcome home party and then are going to share the cupcakes with our next 12 visitors or so!

This was our full welcome home crew!  

We have now taken well over 400 pictures of this little boy, so I will be posting lots of pictures.  ha!  Both grandma's have got to hold him yesterday for the first time, so I have those pictures too!

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Psalm 139:14

Yesterday was "big sister day".  They both got to hold him for a minute or two.  It's funny because Sam's sats were best with Sara Beth holding him!  She was so proud and excited!  It absolutely made my heart melt! 

Leigh also got to hold him.  I had to assist her of course so I was just holding the camera back and snapping.  It would help if they let 3 people back!

We hope today will be "grandma" day.  I know Honey and My May are dying to get their hands on him!

Yesterday Sam was taken off of oxygen.  His sats got stronger and stronger through the day.  He had a very hard time eating.  Most of his feedings were tube fed although he took 2/3 of an ounce for Zeb and me last night.  He was tube fed all night so he could rest.  It ended up a good thing because his breathing slowed down a bit!  We hope to have him home this weekend!

Here are a couple more pictures of Sam.  I came home around lunch today, but Sam needs a little more time in the NICU.  We hope to have him home late in the week.  I think leaving him was one of the hardest things Zeb and I have ever done!

Resting easily

I got to hold him yesterday for the first time!  

He has made a lot of improvements in the last 24 hours!  He has spent the majority of the day with his booty up in the air!