Alive & Kicking!

I'm sure some of you thought I'd fallen off the blogging bandwagon and never check my blog anymore but that's okay...here goes another post! (But to be honest...I'm kind of over blogging. How lame am I. I still like to read other people's blogs but I haven't been as inclined to write.)

As most of you already know, little Claire was born into our family on January 26th! It was quite the adventure getting her here. I began dilating and effacing at around 36 weeks so my doctor thought she'd come around the 38th week. No sir. She came 2 days past her due date! And not only THAT, but I was induced the day before and because I made no cervical change within the hours I was there, I was sent home at 2 AM. 9 AM the next day I began having good contractions. I labored at home for almost 5 hours before heading to the hospital. I was having AWFUL contractions, some lasting 3 minutes and spaced only 45 seconds apart. I was dilated to a 4 when I went in. If I wasn't a 5 within an hour, they said they'd send me home. I told them I'd go to another hospital so you better admit me! Good thing they did, too because I had miss Claire when dilated to an 8. My body decided a 10 was not a necessary goal to reach for giving birth! Yes, I felt it. She came so quickly that the doctor barely made it in the room to catch her.

She was such a beauty! Pretty pink skin color, hardly any vernix on her...and just sweet as ever. Never cried for anything! Ate like a champion. Slept well. She was perfect. She's been such a sweetheart ever since. She never had to figure out her days & nights. Some nights she'll go between 6 and 8 hours without a feeding. I love this little girl! And she sleeps often enough that I still get my mommy-Titan time in. He loves that and so do I!

Derek is doing phenomenal in his job. After 3 1/2 years of being married, I've never seen him enjoy a job so much as he does now. And he gets paid well, which is something he always felt he never had. I guess anything sounds good though coming straight out of the Army, considering he calculated that he made like $2/hour or something like that. Haha. Poor guy.

I'm doing well, just adjusting to life with 2 children. It's definitely an adjustment! I like my kids more and more as they grow older, more stable, and more dependent. At this moment, I laugh at the "terrible two's" statement people make because honestly, Titan is a blast and he is such a good boy. I love him and enjoy him more each day. But for now, we think 2 kids is plenty...there just might be a few years between ole Claire and the next one. On our flight to South Beach back in 2009, we met a nice older man named George. We have never forgotten George. I was 7 months pregnant and he noticed this, obviously. He told us, "You know, it's EASY to be a bad parent. But it is really HARD to be a good one." How true is that?! Parenting is definitely hard for me. But I take comfort in the fact that it's difficult because that tells me that I care and that I am trying hard every single day to be the best mommy I can be to these sweet little ones Heavenly Father has entrusted me with. I love my little family!

And because I'm sure you're dying to see this little bundle of cuteness...here she is!