CHECK IT OUT

We have a blog. It's at http://livelaughblog.com
It's cool. Check it out.

I won't be updating here anymore. K, thanks:)

She's here!

Audrey Camille Perryman
10.02.07 @ 11:43pm
6.14oz 18.5in

And now... our birth story...

Monday, October 1, 2007 was our dear daughter's due date. We went in for our check up, had an ultrasound done (she looked perfect!) and had an exam done as well. I was about 3-4cm dilated, and still sitting at about 70% effaced.
That day, we went to eat a late breakfast at IHOP (we ate there the night before Adeline was born, too!). The rest of that day was filled with mild cramping and light bleeding.
That night, James & I decided to do our best at helping things progress naturally. We did. It worked. And I started to have contractions that morning around 4am. They started hard and strong and fast. Coming about every 5-7 minutes. Then, as the morning went on, they slacked off to about every 20 minutes. Around 4pm, I started running a low grade fever and was just burning up. I called my doctor's office and left a message. I was worried about having an infection and something being wrong with Baby Girl. The nurse called me back and said to go on to L&D. They'd probably wind up keeping me, so bring my things.
So, I packed.
We went to eat at Sonic (we ate Sonic the night Adeline was born). And we dropped Adeline off at my parents' home. I had a huge vanilla milkshake on my way up to L&D.
It was about 6pm when we go to the hospital. I was only 5cm dilated at this time.
I was told to walk around the hospital for an hour to see how I would progress. We walked and walked and walked. I was 8cm when we got back to the room.
They put me on the monitors, but I kept detaching them to go sit on the potty. Man, does gravity help move things along! And man does sitting in a bed really make contractions a million times worse!
No one came to check my dilation from about 8pm until right before Baby Girl came. Which kind of irritates me now, looking back.
At 11:30, I told James that I just couldn't take the pain anymore. I was ready for my epidural and I wanted it right then. I told him I was going to the bathroom and that I expected everyone to be ready with that needle. I just couldn't do it any longer.
I sat on the potty, had a major contraction, tried to pee a little bit, but then my water broke. And man - was there ever some pressure! It felt like I had the world's largest hemroid! But the more I thought about it the more I wondered if it was the baby's head coming out!
So, I yelled for James to come. I screamed, "The baby! It's the baby!" and for whatever reason, he dropped down on his knees, like he was going to catch her... Silly guy.
Sara (my good friend and neighbor) had been hanging out with us most of the evening, so she ran out to the nurse's station to tell them what was going on. Two nurses had to help me back to the bed and told me to stay put. Not to get up again. They were rolling me over trying to get the monitors back on and telling me to not push. Man, was that hard!
I was laying on my right side, James was leaning down to me, helping me breath through these never ending contractions. I told him that she was coming out and I couldn't hold her in any longer.
The nurses put my legs in the stirrups and told me not to push. I told them (err.. kind of screamed) I couldn't help it! I screamed one of those holy crap she's coming out you'd better catch her! screams. And with only one push (while the nurse had only one glove on and no doctor was to be found!) Baby Girl Perryman entered the world at 11:43pm on October 2, 2007.
She weighed 6lbs 14oz and was 18.5 inches long.
A head full of dark hair and just the most adorable little thing.

The most painful part of her delivery was having to deliver the placenta and being stitched up afterwards. The little numbing needle hurt so much! And I hated not being able to just lay back and enjoy watching the nurses mess around with the baby. I didn't get to hold her for a while because it hurt so much while they were messing with my goodies down below. I was too scared I'd drop her. But James got lots of snuggle time with his new baby daughter.

It wasn't until later on Wednesday when we decided on Audrey Camille. Audrey meaning of noble strength, and Camille after my great Aunt who passed away from cancer in 99.

I'm so blessed to have two such amazingly beautiful girls. Adeline just adores her baby sister and loves to kiss and touch her all the time. I am truly thankful.

I'm addicted to sour candies. And my poor tongue suffers because of it.
Just a little getting to know me note.


You guys, I have a big girl now. I have a two year old. She's HUGE. She's gained at least 40lbs over the past week and has grown several inches. The truth of it is, she's only gained 4lbs the past year and has grown several inches. But in my eyes- she's practically a teenager.
Thursday, August 30, 2007 Adeline turned two. We went to Chuck E. Cheese's for a while with friends and I think they had a blast. She reminded me of myself on my 21st birthday, passing out instantly when we strapped her into her seat. (I kid, I kid).
She's just the sweetest, most beautiful little girl in the world. I look into her eyes and I see all these possibilities. And I see all these things God can do with her life. And I pray so hard that she will learn life the easy way. That she won't make the same mistakes that I've made. That's she'll listen to James & I. That's she'll love us despite our flaws on mistakes we've made. I have so many hopes and dreams for this little girl. But my main hope is that she'll love God with all her heart and she'll want to make Him happy.

It's absolutely overwhelming, the feelings a mom has for her daughter. I don't know if anyone can put it into words. You just don't truly know until you're holding this little person in your arms. And the most amazing thing is- God loves us like that! God loves us MORE than we could possibly love our children. And that is where the pure joy of being God's child comes in for me.
I'm honored, I'm unworthy for a Father to love me like He does. I'm unclean, I'm dirty, but He will always be there to wash me clean. It's amazing.

And now... a picture to show you what a blessed mommy I am!
(And to think - God is blessing me all over again with another little girl!)

I must be nesting...

I have done so much this week. Well, so much for me. I've washed every article of clothing in this house. And eventhough there's only the three of us, we have so much stuff.
I have made mine & James' bedroom a nice place to relax. Somehow our room becomes the collect-all for the house, hopefully this will stop now that it's back to being a place of rest and relaxation.
I put all of Adeline's clothing into her big girl room's closet. I have put all the baby's clothing in the nursery's closet. I'm still awaiting the arrival of Adeline's dresser. Hopefully it'll be here before we head off to Florida.
I still need to take the bedding off the crib and rewash it all. But I can't untie the little ties on the bumper pad. I need someone with nails to help me.
I've been scrapbooking like crazy. Which is so great. I love doing it and I love writing little notes to Adeline in it.

It's been, on average, 100 degrees out. This is no fun with an almost two year old while 8.5 months pregnant. Note to self: Stop having late summer/early fall babies.

On to the Florida trip. My husband is an electrical engineer and is currently subcontracted to work at the air force base near where we live. He & his group have been working on a project for over two years now - and it's finally(!!!!) ready to be tested. The location is set for an af base in Florida, right outside of Destin. The latest I've heard though, is that we're staying in Fort Walton instead of Destin. But that's not a problem for me!
We just couldn't justify spending the money for a vacation this summer. So this is a special little gift for us! This will be Adeline's first time at the beach and the second time for James and I. We were pregnant with Adeline the first time we went.
Adeline will be turning two while on this vacation, and it's so special that we'll all be together.
Now we just have to decide if we should through a birthday party for her when we get back...
We'll see...

This is a blundering mess... I need to shower before the little munchkin wakes from her nap.

Things have been terribly busy lately.

My dad went into the ER last Sunday. My mom was told that his kidneys had shut down and it would only be a little while before his other organs would as well. Hospice was sent to talk with her.
My dad is in a regular room at the hospital now. He is fine. And by fine, I mean as good as it gets when one has COPD and numerous other health factors.

Turns out, he was severely dehydrated (why his kidneys weren't working - they had nothing to work with). He still has pneumonia and a little bit of an infection where there was some aspiration. He's doing much better.
God is good!

My dad has battled with chronic lung disorder (some of his doctors say it's chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, some say it's something else, but they don't know what) for years. Ever since I was 3, 22 years ago.
While I know he thought it was the most awful thing, to not be able to work, at the time I just thought I was the luckiest little girl to have my daddy home with me everyday.

Anyways, things have been busy. God has been putting in some overtime with my dad.

I want to leave you with a funny little quote taken from dooce.com. It pretty much sums up my feelings from this past week.

She rolled over, hugged it, and then looked back at both of us and said, “You guys are my friends.”

You think you’re going to be prepared for the sheer incredibleness of such a moment, but it’s like, someone keeps setting off pipe bombs on your front porch and throwing rocks through your windows, and then one day out of nowhere they show up and mow your lawn. And you’re suddenly glad you didn’t shoot them last week.

Had a great day scrapbooking with some friends. Wasn't nearly as productive as I was hoping to be, but fellowship is way more fun.
Some pictures from the last few days.


big smiles at a cook out


pig tails



reading to her baby


helping with laundry... can't you tell?

times a wastin'

I waste more time than I'd like to admit playing around on the computer. I like to read blogs (or livejournal) . I check my email, facebook, and occasionally pretend shop. Which is where I load the "shopping cart" with a million things and then log off. It's a complete waste of time. But I've found that it saves us thousands of dollars (or like $60) a month by my doing this.

I have, however, purchased a few things lately. But they are needed.
Yesterday I bought a chest for Adeline's big girl room (pictures are still to come... she's always napping when I think to take pictures). It should be here next week.


I also ordered a new baby carrier for Pasqauli. I preciously had two for Adeline. One from Lucky-baby.com that I absolutely adored.

And I had my good friend Robyn make a custom mei tai for me. You can visit her aweosme talents at bayoue bebe'.
Unfortunately, I loaned both these carriers out to a friend over a year ago and have yet to get them back. For fear of being baby carrier-less I bought the Beco Baby Carrier.

It will be here on Friday, and I cannot wait! There are tons of reasons to "wear" your baby. You can check them out here.


Anyways. There's a load of Adeline's clothes in the dryer and a load of mine in the wash. I suppose I should do a little something productive during this nap today!