And Then There Were 3

Since I managed to avoid my blog entirely throughout my entire pregnancy and the first 19 months of my precious child's life, I decided I would write a post on our "birth story".  I am one of those girls who has always felt a calling to be a mama. It just came natural to me. I grew up always loving babies and when I was just 11 years old I began to babysit my neighbors little children. I continued to babysit throughout my pregnancy every once in a while. Having Tinlsey put an end to that. It was somewhat bitter sweet.

I found out I was pregnant soon after my post in July 2012. We were over the moon! I was so sure from the beginning that I was having a girl. (I was ecstatic my 1st motherly intuition was correct! ha) I had a very easy pregnancy. I never had morning sickness. Sorry for those reading this that were plagued with that :( The only bump in the road I had was gestational diabetes. For those that have not ever been pregnant, that is diabetes that you have only when you are pregnant. It can sometimes lead to diabetes down the road, but not always. I was able to control the gestational diabetes through diet alone, which at the time seemed awful since I was not able to satisfy my sudden sweet tooth I had acquired. I had always been a salt girl. I could eat popcorn EVERYDAY. When I became pregnant my hormones decided that I was going to take on a sweet tooth and that sweet tooth still has not disappeared. I can count on one hand how many times I have had popcorn since August 2012. It would take several hands to count the amount of sweets I have consume. ha! I'm a very petite person, (5'0" tall) so from the beginning my doctor told me she was not sure I would be able to deliver the baby and I might have to have a c-section. I was devastated because, believe it or not, I had wanted to experience labor and delivering the baby without having to have a c-section. When the time came to start checking me, the baby had not dropped and never dropped. My doctor gave me strict instructions that if I went into labor to get to the hospital immediately because they would have to do a c-section. She was not going to let me labor for fear of the baby getting stuck in the birth canal. Fortunately for me, I guess, I never went into labor and had a c-section on Good Friday, March 29, 2013. (My due date was April 1, 2013.) She was 6 pounds, 15 ounces and 20 inches long. She was sent straight from heaven. It was an instant bond and love that I never knew possible. She was an angel! She was the perfect baby. We never experienced colic or any of the other hard baby things. Yes, it was an adjustment and exhausting in the beginning. but it was well worth it!

This was soon after she was cleaned up. 

The one and only time she would take a paci.

After having the c-section, I changed my mind on having to labor. Ha! It was nice to go in there and have a baby in 2 minutes! Unfortunately, the day I went in to have Tinsley, I had developed pre-eclampsia. Which is just pretty much high blood pressure. After having Tinsley, I had to have a magnesium drip for 24 hours (it was the devil) and take blood pressure medicine for 6 weeks. Ugh! It was a pain, but my body finally regulated it back to normal.

Newborn portrait

The first year was so fun and hard at the same time. You learn to roll with it. I went back to work when she was 12 weeks old and it was one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life. I cried for days. Finally, I got used to the "new normal". She stays with wonderful nanny who is a good family friend. It makes it easier knowing that my child is loved and being cared for by someone I have known for 25 years. I still miss her during the day, but that makes the nights and weekends that much more special. 

Tinsley has brought so much joy in our lives and it is hard to imagine life without her. She makes us laugh every day. God has truly blessed us! 

4 months

Ladybug - 1st Halloween 

7 Months Roll Tide Roll!!! 

1st Christmas

9 month Portraits

1st Birthday!!! 

12 month Portrait