Twins...

Can you believe how much they look alike!

Kristal took the most amazing photos of Lyndon when he was a month old so I tried this week to get some similar shots of Madelyn... 

Stand Up 2 Cancer | Buttons of Hope

What an amazing movement this is. Someday we will have a cure, but for now early detection is key. 

I consider my Dad a hero, since his diagnosis with stage 4 colon cancer this summer he has encouraged all of his loved ones to get a colonoscopy, his Mom's husband had a cancerous tumor which was successfully removed and his siblings had polyps which were also removed.
My Dad truly is fighting, and I am grateful everyday for that, so that is why I want to do what I can to help. Please consider buying a button, making a donation and scheduling your own cancer screenings!



Single Buttons $5 | $1 from each photo button donated to Stand Up 2 cancer
http://www.buttonsofhope.com/createbutton/cart.aspx

Madelyn's Birth

I was so excited to get Madelyn's Birth Story from my doula today. I knew she would do a better job at it than me, I added just a few things in parenthesis.  This birth was like a dream come true, everything was perfect, better than I could have imagined.  I can't even express how glad I am that I decided to do it naturally at a birth center!

1:45 AM Destiny wakes Gordon to tell him this is real labor.

2:45 AM I call and speak with Destiny to see how things are going and where they are headed.

(As contractions get stronger I get in the shower with a  chair for a little bit, I like standing during contractions but sit and rest in-between, the warm water and solitude really helped me get relaxed)

3:50 AM I arrive and find Destiny breathing focusing and swaying

4:00 AM We start to get into a routine with the contractions

4:20 AM Destiny eats a nectarine and Gordon is getting things ready to head to the birth center.

We try a few new positions with each contraction, the only thing Destiny prefers is to stand and sway. Destiny likes the double hip squeeze and her spine massaged from neck to lower back, a constant downward motion with one hand followed by another.

4:45 AM Gordon starts to wake Lyndon up and call a sitter to come and get him.

When Lyndon wakes up he sees Destiny swaying and comes over and hugs her and touches her belly.

4:50 AM Destiny says she is starting to feel a lot of pressure and asks why she feels like pushing….. I explain this is transition, 7-10 centimeters  

(I cannot believe it could possibly already be time to push, the contractions never got as intense as I thought they would!)

4:55 AM Lyndon leaves with Charity And we head towards the car, I ride to the birth center with you.

5:05 AM We are on Highway 75 and Destiny's bag of waters break

5:10 AM We arrive at Lover’s Lane Birth Center and Dinah is there to greet us with a relaxing spa like birthing suite.

(It's so peaceful, exactly how I wanted to bring my Madelyn into the world)

5:15 We settle in and Dinah checks Destiny, she is completely ready to push.

5:20 AM Destiny realizes she only likes sitting on the edge of the bed for pushing and asks for the tub to be filled up. Dinah starts the tub, but says she thinks the baby is going to come before it is ready. Destiny slowly starts to push.

Gordon is on Destiny’s right side holding her hand and leg and I am on her left side breathing with her and holding a hand and leg.

Dinah is great and she is just letting Destiny push how she wants to without guidance or counting. She keeps saying how beautifully Destiny is doing.

6:04 AM Madelyn Elyse LeSueur is born and placed directly on Destiny’s chest. She has a short umbilical cord.

I look up and there is such a peace between Destiny, Gordon, and Madelyne it is beautiful.

Destiny has the most loving peaceful smile, Gordon has one tear down his face from his left eye. and Madelyne is letting the world know she has arrived with her sweet little cry.

6:05 The umbilical cord stops pulsing, is cut, and Dinah and I get Destiny comfortable in bed to deliver Placenta. Destiny is snuggling with the baby skin to skin and letting Madelyne find her way to nurse. Gordon is sitting right beside her snuggled with both of them.

6:30 AM ish placenta is delivered and we work on getting Destiny’s fluids replenished with some Chloryfill and she eats a Green Food Odwalla Bar and a banana. We then get her on her side lying down to let Madelyne nurse.

Madelyne latches on and nurses a little off and on for a good 30 minutes to an hour.

8 AM Dinah weighs Madelyne and she is 8lbs 11oz and 20.5 inches long.

I help Dinah get some things cleaned up and leave the room for a little bit for you both to rest.

8:30 AM Dinah tries to help Destiny up to shower and Destiny feels too dizzy so she rests.

Gordon puts Madelyne’s first outfit on and wraps her up.

9:00 AM Gordon makes a run for breakfast at McDonalds.

9:40 AM Dinah tries again to help Destiny up and she says she feels dizzy still. Dinah suggests Destiny sleep for a few hours and then to try again. Gordon takes me back to my car.

10:15 AM I come back to the birth center because I forgot something and Destiny and Madelyne are both sound asleep in bed.

Congratulations on a beautiful baby girl and a beautiful birth.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of your special beginning!

Tonya Buffington, www.righthanddoula.com

The winner is.....

Madelyn was born Sunday, Aug. 3rd @ 6:15 am.  

She was 41 wks old, weighed 8 lbs 11 oz, and was 20 1/2 in long.

We had a couple close guesses but the one the closest was 'robmelham' and I am embarrassed to admit I am not sure who that is, let me know so I can send you your prize and congratulations!

Lyndon, Madelyn and I are in San Antonio with my folks.  I took these photos with their camera because I couldn't wait to show off my precious little girl.  I will write more later on our exciting past two weeks as soon as I can.  Oh, and in case you are wondering why there aren't pics of her birth it's because it happened sooooo fast, and I did it with a midwife so I wasn't in a hospital; it was awesome, more of that another time.

Thanks to everyone who has helped me with meals and babysitting, I love you all! 

Still Waiting...

Here's a fun little game we invite all to play while we wait for Madelyn to get here.
I think it is safe to say that I am getting a little impatient, I have had serious 'braxton hicks contractions' for the past TWO weeks, so I was hoping this would be a fun distraction.

Leave a comment and tell us when YOU think Madelyn will make her grand appearance and how much you think she will weigh... 
The winner gets a super cool prize ~TBA :)

This picture was taken today if that helps, oh and my due date is Aug. 4th... good luck!

i love being pregnant!

OK, well those of you who know me may know that isn't completely true... but I do love my maternity pictures!!!!

My very talented friend Melissa actually took these a few weeks ago and I am just slow posting them.  I tried to post ones she didn't already post, so check out the other ones on her blog too.

**Warning: You may want to stop scrolling here; Bare Belly Below!**

Happy 4th!

We went out to Grapevine Lake for the fourth with our friends and had a blast! We were a little far from the fireworks but other than that the location and weather was beautiful. Here are some favs from the trip :)
Can you believe Lyndon actually looked at the camera!!!!  And here's Gordon relaxing, it really was nice.
Some cute puppies came and visited us, Lyndon loves dogs.
Here are the guys, Gordon and Craig.  They've been friends since we first moved to Texas!
Here's Carrie with her youngest little cutie, Matthew (doesn't that face make you wanna smile.)



And here's Riley, their oldest, when we first met she wasn't even walking!

This is Craig Jr, he's a little older than Lyndon, but they all three play great as you can see!
Lastly, I was brave enough to post this pic of me ~8 months!