-Havyn's Happenings-{6 Months}

Havyn Quinn,
How are you 6 months old? It's insane to think that you've been earth side for half of a year already. This time last year you were just a tiny bean in my belly. We didn't know if you were a boy or a girl and I was so excited to be planning for another sweet babe. You have grown so so fast. We went for your 6 month check up and you were 27 1/2 in. long and weighed 17.11 lbs. You were in the 93rd percentile for height, 81st for weight, and 96th for head circumference. You and your sissy definitely have those Spencer heads for sure. You are sitting up like a champ and just took to it one day without much help from us. You've always like being sitting up or standing up so it naturally came pretty easy for you. You are starting to scare more easily. If anyone coughs or sneezes it scares you half to death. You love to play with my hair and have your bottom patted when you're trying to go to sleep. You love to sleep to music. We've been playing the contemporary Christian station on the TV when we lay you down at night. You're sleeping pretty well. You usually wake around midnight, 3, then right before I leave for work to nurse. You're taking 3 oz. in your bottles. You have started giving us kisses and reaching for us. You have a definite ponytail and you love to play with water bottles and your feet. We've introduced you to a few baby foods. Mainly the basics. Bananas, yogurt, sweet potatoes, avocado, and green beans. You seem to like everything okay except avocado and green beans. You can tolerate a few bites of avocado but you really dislike green beans. It's the only thing that has made you gag so far. You're growing up right before our eyes and we're so sentimental about it. You can definitely still be a little spitfire. We're figuring out that it's mainly just your temperament. You are the most strong willed child ever. It's still so crazy to us how different you are from your big sissy. We love you little bird!

Love, Mama

||A New Chapter||

A few changes have been happening over here the past few months. Right after Thanksgiving, Bradley and I really got to talking about our future when it came to jobs, kids, and overall what was going to make us the happiest. I had really been struggling with my current job with being super stressed all the time. It was a very large corporation and that's how they treated their employees. When I first started there it was right after Bradley became the head Sr. Boys basketball coach at his school. It required more time away from us and he really needed to be closer to the gym. Therefore, we made the move closer to Little Rock. Which meant I needed to find something closer to home and closer to him. From the time I started that new position I struggled a lot with anxiety and stress because it was not near as laid back as my previous job had been. This one was very strict and was not friendly when it came to having young children. It was a huge deal that I chose to work 3 days a week and an even bigger deal if I chose to use vacation time or if I had to use my sick time for myself or my child. I was never greeted with "oh, I hope you/Liv feel better" it was always "well, will you be making your time up later in the week?" That was definitely not why I chose to be a therapist. I wanted to make a difference in someone's life, I wanted a decent salary, but most of all I wanted flexibility when I became a Mama. My first job out of grad school was amazing. Every company has it's issues but for the most part, that position was wonderful. I never stressed about work and I never felt like I had to.

Fast forward to this Thanksgiving. Once again, we had barely seen Bradley since his season had started. I was once again, super stressed with work. I wanted to return to my previous place of employment even though it was an hour drive from home because I knew it offered the flexibility I wanted/needed. Especially now with having two little babes. I had been praying for a while that if I needed to make a change and it would be beneficial for our family, for Him to please make it known. So over the Thanksgiving break, when Bradley was home keeping our girls and I was at work, it really hit me. Not only was he in his dream position, but he was also getting to spend way more time with the girls. I still only work 3 days a week and it's my happy medium but, he was getting weeks at a time off with them that I wasn't. He was getting the entire summers off with them and I wasn't. He had been pushing me ever since Liv came along to get into the school system because of the schedule. It was not something that I had ever wanted to do. Even in school, I knew that I absolutely did not want to be a therapist in a school. It just wasn't my thing. Then this year, he just kept bringing it up and telling me that I should consider it. Not only was it more money, more flexibility, and more days off with the girls but it was also a lot less stressful.

I had decided that if anything became available at that point then I would highly consider it. Fast forward to a week before Christmas and I had 3 different job offers from 3 different schools that had organically fell into my lap. No submitting my resume and no interviewing. The Lord had graciously sent these offers to me and I knew that it must have been time to make the change. After talking with numerous friends who worked in the school systems who answered my questions about paperwork, billing, conferences, etc. it made me so so nervous. It was completely out of my comfort zone, therapy wise, and I didn't have a clue how to go into a school and just know what to expect. I ended up turning all 3 offers down out of fear and out of lack of confidence in myself. There was really only one position that had caught my interest enough for me to consistently think about it. One of my friends that I had met at my first job had been trying to get me on with this company for the past 3 years. I kept telling her the contract world was just not for me. Then it ended up being her company that I was most interested in. I kept telling her boss "no" because of whatever reason it was that day. Then I felt the Lord just keep pushing me and pushing me towards the position. Everytime I would tell her "no" she would come back and give me exactly what I had been saying "no" to. It was like it was just meant to be. I took a huge leap of faith and decided to take the position and I would start when school started back after the Christmas holiday. I had 3 weeks off with my girls and husband right off the bat and it was magical.

Here we are a few months later and all 4 of us are at home this week for spring break. It's like a dream come true. I was super scared and stressed in the beginning when I didn't know how or what to do but I feel like I've finally gotten the hang of things. I am still not loving the caseload and type of therapy I do every day. Only because my heart always has and always will be with special needs. It has helped me realize what I love even more and it's only for a season until I can get in a school that has my type of caseload. It's incredible the difference it has made in my well being alone. I am for sure happier, I'm home earlier, I see my husband more, and we get to spend a lot more time as a family now. It's the next best thing to being a stay at home mama. Lots of prayers and talks with God led me to this decision and I am so thankful.

-Havyn's Happenings-{5 Months}

Havy,
You turned 5 months old like two months ago so let's see if I can remember your milestones and the cute things you did. You are reaching and grabbing for objects, you LOVE to play with your feet ALL the time. You are so flexible and suck on your big toe like a pacifier which easily impresses us. You constantly make noises whether it be growling, talking, laughing, or yes, even crying. You are the most social little thing I think I've ever seen in a baby so young. You will smile and talk to whomever you see. You will go to anyone and aren't shy about it. You got a sit me up floor seat and under the sea play mat for Christmas and you love both of them so much. You are still teething pretty bad and you chew and gnaw on your pacifier more than you actually suck it. You constantly drool and cry a lot with your mouth. Your fingers are constantly in your mouth. You love to stand up on our laps and you are finally bearing weight on your arms without anything under you. You want to be turned around so you can see out when you're being rocked. You're so nosy and have to look at everything that catches your attention or you hear. You have become very attached to me and you definitely know that I am your food source. You hate it when I leave you at any time. Whether your daddy or Tay-Tay is holding you, you're still going to cry when I leave.

You are sleeping in your crib in our room and are still waking all throughout the night. You love for music to be playing and you want a night light on. You love your dockAtot and really prefer sleeping in that rather than anything else. You are just like your big sissy and love for your blanket to be pulled up around your face. I have to watch you and always move it after you've fallen asleep but it's definitely your comfort right now. You are wearing size 3 diapers and 6-9 month clothes fit you best.

You do so much vocal play all the time. You are imitating or attempting to imitate any noise we make. You respond to your name by looking around for whomever said it and sissy is still easily your favorite person. You have definitely recognized Nova and you love watching her. You love books, your stuffed monkey, your coffee cup teether, your new braided pacifier clips that you love to chew on. You are growing up so so fast and I really need you to slow down, ok?

Love,
Mama

||Christmas 2017||

Y'all I am SO behind. I'm just now blogging about Christmas and it's almost Easter. Oops! Two kids is definitely a lot more busier than just one. So Christmas just did not feel like Christmas this year. I think I said that last year too. I think it's just the hustle and bustle of working, decorating the house, buying Christmas gifts, traveling, all of it just rolled into one. My husband also had a Christmas basketball tournament this year which was hectic as well. We did have a great time seeing family and of course watching the girls' faces when they opened their gifts or saw things for the first time. Havyn didn't really know what to think but she had fun watching her big sissy. Liv was definitely more aware of the Christmas trees and presents this year. It's March and she's still talking about them haha. I seriously can't wait to watch them two grow up together. It's the sweetest thing I've ever seen.

-Havyn's Happenings-{4 Months}

FOUR.
Q baby,
I forget how quickly time flies when we have a little babe. So month 3 to 4 was absolutely exhausting and SO challenging. You screamed literally all day, everyday the entire month. You would never do tummy time and you were just so unhappy. I took you to my PT friend who showed me a few exercises to do with you to get you on your tummy. Then we had your 4 month wellness check and they confirmed that you had reflux. At this point you were going to the Chiropractor every two weeks. The Doctor prescribed you Zantac to try. You were on it for five days and had to sleep in your swing every night. In the middle of the night on your fifth day of taking it I woke up and you were choking on vomit. You were soaked in it and it scared me to death. So then they said that you had a reaction to the meds. Which is just another reason why I hate medicine. So I took you off of it and started going back to the chiropractor every week for adjustments. Within two weeks of adjustments you were getting much better. Thank goodness.

You weigh 15.7 lbs. and are 24 1/2 inches long. Not nearly as long as big sissy was but just as chunky. You talk ALL the time and when your tummy doesn’t hurt you’re the best little baby. So happy and always smiling. You love to stand up and get so mad when we sit down. You do not like being held like a baby. You think you’re so big. You love to hold your hands together and love your blanket pulled up by your face. You love to ride in the car now unless the sun is in your face then you go ballistic! You’re imitating some speech sounds and so close to blowing raspberries. You are rolling from your back and your belly. You still despise tummy time and won’t bear weight on your arms but we’re working on it. You love Nova and sissy more than anyone and you already look up to sissy. You still don’t like headbands very much and your hair is still so long that you have a ponytail. You’re full force teething and your shirts are soaked the majority of the time.It seems like every night we alternate between gripe water and Tylenol. If there's anything I don't play with it's fever. We're going to figure everything out with you one of these days, baby girl. I promise. We love you!!

Happy 4 months!!

||Thanksgiving 2017||

I've been a little MIA and am so behind on blogging. We have been so busy since Thanksgiving. I'm finally sitting down with my cup of coffee and trying to catch up. So the holiday season this year just seemed so rushed and chaotic. Anyone else feel that way? We had a pretty laid back Thanksgiving with Bradley's family and relaxed at home with our baby girls. As we get older and we lose family members, the holidays are just not the same. People stop coming around as much and try to make traditions of their own when the extended family dynamic changes. It just felt off this year. The food didn't taste the same, the vibe wasn't the same, and the company wasn't the same. Everyone seemed to be in their own state of mind rather than being thankful for being with family at the time. Is it strange that I'm pretty much obsessed with my little family? I couldn't be more thankful for them. No matter how tough life gets with two little ones and a husband who is gone all the time during basketball season. We had such a great time just spending a few days with each other and our girls over Thanksgiving break. We have so incredibly much to be thankful for. You know that song Count Your Blessings? It often popped in my head this season and the words rang clear to me every time.

When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings-money cannot buy,
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God has done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your many blessings, see what God has done.

-Havyn's Happenings-{3 Months}

THREE.
Q girl,
3 months have gone by so fast. You're growing so fast and becoming your own little person. Your little personality is really starting to shine through. You're still a little spitfire at times but you're turning into a very happy baby. You love when people talk to you and you're seriously the most social little thing I've ever seen. You talk and smile at anyone and everyone that talks to you. Your little grin is so contagious and I love it so much. You've slept through the night twice so far and for the most part are only waking up once to nurse. You're a good little sleeper. You have really started to love your swing, music, and having people's attention. The only thing you dislike right now is tummy time and that's because you're still having some tummy troubles. You're rolling like a champ but it's because you're trying every way to get off your belly. You're trying to reach for objects now and definitely track your sister and Nova girl. Sissy has finally accepted the fact that you're here for good and you're not going anywhere. She has started playing with you more and not getting as upset when we have to tend to you. You have started preferring bottles more than Mama recently. Probably due to the fact that you're starting to teeth and I went back to work.

You're wearing size 2 diapers and wear size 3-6 month clothes comfortably. You're not near as long as sissy was so her clothes fit you a tad bit differently. You're a little chunky monkey and I love it so much. Your squishy little cheeks and thighs are to die for. You laugh out loud ALL the time when you're being played with. You love to cackle more than anything. You are just the sweetest little thing even when you're being a little mess. We can't wait to see what month 4 holds, baby girl!!

We love you so much!!