Halloween 2011

A daddy, two witches and a dragon.

Seth took Laurel, Savannah and Landon to a friend's neighborhood for a hayride and trick-or-treating.  This was Landon's first time to run from house to house saying, "trick-or-treat!" Seth said everytime he got a treat he would stick them to his nose and smell them. 

I stayed home with this cute pumpkin.....

Sawyer Reaves Clayton



Sawyer Reaves Clayton
Born on October 17, 2011
Weight 7lbs. 13oz.
Length 20 inches

The Birth Story
The 10 month gestation period was coming to an end.  And by george, I was going to be prepared this time.  You see, I was not prepared at all when Landon surprised us by coming two weeks early.  So this was the plan.  I was to go into the hospital at 4:00 Monday, October 17th, for the induction process to begin.  I was going to be induced Tuesday morning.  I worked and worked, nested and nested over the weekend.  I got caught up on all the clothes and cleaned the house.  Sunday night, the girls and I picked out all their clothes for the next few days, since I would be in the hospital and daddy would be getting them dressed and to school. 

Monday morning came.  I took the girls to school.  There was so much excitement.  We knew that this little baby was going to be here the next day!  Landon and I went into Wal-mart to pick up some items.  I was enjoying my last day with it being just Landon and I.  We came home and I unloaded the groceries.  It was around 9:00a.m.  I was defrosting some meat to make a vegetable beef soup.  And then it happened.  My water broke! 

I called Seth!  I said, "Seth, my water just broke!"  He said, "Really! I will be right there!"  I was so excited!  We were going to have a baby today.  I called a friend.  She came over to stay with Landon. 

Seth and I got to the hospital around 10:30.  I got all settled in.  I was dilated to a 2.  They told me I could get my epidural when I was  a 3 or 4.  I was in no pain.  The nurse told me she was going to step out to discharge a patient and would be right back.  In a matter of minutes, the contractions started coming!  I was breathing through them.  They were getting worse and worse.  I was REALLY breathing.  Then, I started sqeazing Seth's hand harder and harder.  These were some of the things I remember saying, "Seth, you need to get the nurse."  "I'm about to cry.  I'm about to throw up!"  "I was planning on getting an epidural!"   "I can't do this without drugs!"  "How do women do this without drugs!"  "I need to find a happy place!"  "Seth, go get the nurse, NOW!"

Seth did as he was told.  The nurse checked me and told me that I had dilated to an EIGHT!  Uh, huh just like that I had gone from a 2 to an 8!  And, I felt every bit of that transition.  That epidural was heaven!  My hats off to you women who go without drugs. 

Our sweet baby was born at 4:34 that afternoon.  They cleaned him up a little and then handed him back to me.  For 30 minutes, he laid on my chest and Seth and I were in our own little world just staring at this little miracle.  I am so overwhelmed with love.  I am so grateful to Heavenly Father for sending this baby to our family.



Just Me and Savannah



I got to spend the whole day with Savannah at Old Baker's Farm.  This was her first field trip as a Kindergartner.  This was her first time riding a bus.  Laurel gave her the "bus run down" that morning.  She told her to make sure she puts her hands in the air when they go up a hill and hollar when they go down!  It is always a treat for me to spend one on one time with my children. 
This is what we did.

We saw and petted cute animals.

We took a hayride out to a pumpkin patch.

We ate lunch in the loft of the red barn.

Savannah got to go through a maze.

We picked cotton.

And I really wish that I could have plopped Savannah down in this beautiful field of sunflowers and taken pictures of her.  This was some of the beautiful scenery we saw on the three mile hayride.

It was a great day with my sweet Savannah!

Baby Shower

I am so blessed to have some of the best friends here in Birmingham.  And, since I have none of my family here, this makes me happy.  It's like your friends become your family.  Some of my friends from the bunco group gave me a small baby shower.  I felt a little silly having a baby shower for the fourth child, second boy, but these girls insisted that every baby needs a shower.  They were so, so sweet to do this for me. 

The baby shower was at Sariah's house and she did such a great job of decorating.  I'm bummed I did not get a picture of her!  She was a great hostess.

Debbie and Amber
Amber actually went into labor at 11:00 that night and had her sweet boy the next morning.  She was such a great friend to even be there!  Debbie is pregnant also.  She is still having morning, evening, whenever sickness!  So I really appreciated her helping out with this baby shower.  I love these girls!

I was so excited that my sweet mother-in-law, Helen and my sweet sister-in-law, Jamie could be there.  I am happy that I have Seth's family close by.

Two of my dearest friends, Stacy and Dana.

Let me tell you about the lady in the middle holding the plate.  This is Annie.  She is like my children's adoptive grandmother.  She treats them just like they were her own grandchildren.  She is only five years older than me and all of her children are grown.  We laugh about this all the time.  I think it makes her feel really young and it makes me feel really old!  Her third daughter just went off to college.  She has four grandchildren, all boys!  I learn so much from her.  She has raised three great daughters and gives just some of the best advice ever!

Future Dirt biker

Landon loves to pretend he is a dirtbiker!  He found these swim goggles and insist on wearing them when he is on a riding toy.

He loves doing tricks!  His favorite thing to watch on T.V. is a dirtbike race.  He will bring us the remote control and say, "b-bikes, b-bikes!"  That's right, no Sesame Street going on at our house!  And,  guess who loves this the most?  His daddy!

 

Changes are coming

I think someone knows a baby will be here soon!  For the past two days, Landon has been fighting his naps.  He comes out of his room.  I tell him to go back.  He runs back.  And then the door opens again and it starts all over.  I've decided to not let my blood pressure get up over this, because you know, I don't think that would be too good for his baby brother.  So, very calmly, I say, "go back to your room.  It is nap time."  Yesterday, after about 20 minutes of this things got quiet.  I went to see where he had fallen asleep and this sweet boy had pulled his chair over to the baby crib and had crawled in.  He is such a little angel, when he is asleep!

Labor Day

We took a quick trip to the aquarium in Tennessee.

 

We saw every sea creature imaginable.

We caught butterflies.

Seth, with the children, in the butterfly garden.  It was absolutely gorgeous.



I think we will all be dreaming of fish tonight.

It rained and rained and rained!  Laurel and Savannah giggled the whole day under their new pink umbrella. Even I did not care that I was getting wet.  It was great to spend the day together as a family and rest from our labors.