Happy Halloween

We usually do Halloween at my parents' house, but we moved to my house this year. Sleep deprived parents and kids hyped up on candy.....fun times!!!!

Milk Vampire

Minnie Mouse and Pete...I mean Grumps

My little boo

My family

She finally understood trick or treating

My little Keegan....love my sweet boy

Keegan's Story

So I might have slacked majorly with posting weekly updates about my pregnancy with Keegan, but chasing a 2 year old while being pregnant in the dead of heat keeps you a little preoccupied...or lazy. I promise I have pics all on my phone and some even  made it to instagram. One day, I will put together his bump book....poor 2nd child getting left out before he even made his way into this world....maybe that's why he decided to enter this world the way he did...mommy's payback?

Summary of my missed pregnancy updates: It's hot, I am retaining water, did Bailey really just do that?, I need a beer- wait I can't drink...one won't hurt, will it?, I hate being pregnant,  that's cute- he has the hiccups again, It's hot, nothing fits, I need a nap, but I have to stay awake to watch Bailey, this sucks, will he just get here already- I don't mean that- he needs to cook as long as he wants, but no longer than 39 weeks, I think I am in labor, no I am not, yes, I think I am..false alarm...what do you mean I am 4 cm dilated and not in labor, is that possible?...am I going to have this baby in my bath tub or in the car on the way to the hospital....?

After several false alarms, I was given a note not to return to work after fall break....which meant the waiting game was in full force. We decided to be induced on Oct. 31 if he didn't come on his on....surely he would come early I was already dilated, right???

I went to the hospital twice with false alarms....the first time I was just dehydrated, the second time (the morning before I went into labor) my blood pressure had dropped....but both times were corrected with fluids.... After being sent home the second time (Oct 26) I decided I was not going back to the hospital until I was being induced PERIOD.

Well, just like this entire pregnancy, nothing went the way I wanted...by that evening I was having major contractions and back pain.... after dealing with it every way I knew possible, I broke down and asked Stevie to take me back to the hospital for the 2nd time that day...after being monitored for an hour, I had not made any progress. However, my contractions were so bad the nurse said she would monitor me for another hour. I was begging for something for the pain, but until I made progress she couldn't give me anything..... After 5 minutes and 2 more painful contractions, I was pressing the nurse button frantically...it hurt so bad I was biting the side of the bed...seriously...and I have a high tolerance for pain....all I kept thinking was people want to do it this way!!!!!???  She looked at my contraction chart and said I was having very intense contractions...no shit woman...so she checked me again and I HAD PROGRESSED..... time to call Randy for my epidural!!!! Mentally, I thought I could handle this for a little bit longer... my epidural was on the way!!!

I was admitted at 11:54pm....

All of sudden I had lots of pressure and felt the need to push.... the nurse said don't push...I couldn't help it....then my water broke...7 cm....more need to push....she said stop your 10 cm..DO NOT PUSH.....where the hell was my epidural???

Nurses running around frantically...me pushing even though I shouldn't...then words I will never forget...the nurse got right in my face, "Neely, you are going to have this baby naturally, no time for epidural."...shit.

Its all happened so fast...the doctor didn't even make it. They had to call  the laborist from ER...I was still on my side probably chewing the bed rail. My legs weren't even in the stirrups... I pushed 2 times and he was here...the laborist barely made it to the bed to catch him!

Keegan was here at 12:17am....yes, that is about 25 minutes. It takes longer to tell the story than it took for me to deliver him. If they had sent me home, I would have had him in Stevie's new car.....

Then Randy arrived to give me my epidural....10 minutes too late...followed by the doctor....nice of them to make it.....

Honestly, the contractions were the most painful part...its  crazy that your body knows how to get your baby out, and that part didn't really hurt even though Stevie said I gave out 2 good cave woman screams.... I vaguely remember screaming once......

Keegan Ames Embree

7.9 pounds and 20.5 inches long

our 1st family picture

Bailey giving us a check-up

Going home so the real fun can begin

Bailey is 2!

I find it hard to believe that I have a 2 year, a toddler! Bailey Grace is no longer a baby, and everyday I swear she grows up even more! I must admit, I am loving this age, minus the meltdowns (they are kinda funny). She is the sweetest, most adventurous, loving, creative, funniest, and smartest gal I know! 

A few of my favorite things about Bailey: The way she reads books, sings her ABC's, counts to 10 (skips a few and then randomly says numbers up to 20), how she says her colors, tells me her hair is pink and then laughs and says yell-ow, how she twirls her hair when she is tired, how she plays with my hair,her love for stickers and bubbles, her love of food, how she thinks donuts are cake, her love of ICE-C-ream, how she cuddles up with me, her pretend play, watching her be girly with her dolls and doll house, how she is our little parrot, the way she says SHHH-UCk when she or things get stuck, how she tells people bye-bye when she won'ts them to leave her alone, the uncertainty of a kiss or a slap when you lean toward her face, her hug and pats, her contagious giggles, how she gets so proud of herself for doing things (mostly things she knows she isn't suppose to do), how sweet and then completely sour she can be, the way she pouts and crosses her arms, her long skinny legs, that she calls our dog Wig-wee, when she looks for things she screams Where are you?, her fascination with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Bo on the Go, watching her jump, and when she makes her monkey noises, says No, and O-tay, the way she interacts with her "friend" in the oven, dance parties with daddy... I seriously have a million things I love about her! I wish I could bottle them all up, and hit pause!!!

Party Details!!! Bailey's "Whaley" fun 2nd birthday!

So hard to get a good family pic these days....

She loves her Grammy and Grumps....aka Gumps

Birthday cousins and friends

So much cleaner than last year...my little lefty!

I'm molding her to love horses!

Daddy is molding her to love golf!

Her buddy Will helping her out!

Her new bike from her Grammy and Grumps!

We kept the 2 year party much more low key than her first, and I was actually able to enjoy it! Its hard to believe that next year Bailey will have a baby brother at her party!!! 

21 weeks

How far along? 21 weeks.....19 to go!

Total weight gain/loss: 

? I would guess 10lbs......staying away from the scale until my next appointment!

Keegan weighs a whole pound! I swear I feel alot bigger than I look! Maybe the heat??? I am carrying this boy differently than Bailey! I also have exercised alot  LESS with this pregnancy, except for walking the dog and chasing around a toddler, which is way harder than a nice jog, right?

Maternity clothes?

You bet! No need to be uncomfortable! 

Sleep: It sucks! Keegan kicks ALL NIGHT LONG! However, I still take a 2 hour nap with Bailey during the day. Sleep when the baby sleeps, right?

Best moment this week:  Celebrating Bailey and Mallory's birthdays. My best friend is in and we got our daughters together. They were so funny, and I am pretty sure we heard their mischievous giggles one too many times.  

Miss Anything? Since I am not as hard core with this pregnancy, I still drink caffeine, and I may or may not have had a few sips of beer here and there..and sometimes I don't heat my turkey...gasp.......However, I would like to enjoy a big tall icy cold beer..the entire thing!

Enjoyments:  Knowing I have less weeks to go than I am pregnant 

Movement: YES!!! He is a mover....at night though

Food cravings: Nothing specific... I have eaten at Firehouse Subs a number of times.....

Anything making you queasy or sick: just this heat!

Have you started to show yet: Yes!

Gender prediction: BOY!

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy....except for when I realize I can't do something I use to be able to do....

Looking forward to: Moving around some furniture and getting started on Keegan's nursery!

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Here are the crazy sweet Birthday girls! I cannot believe these girls are growing so fast, but I love how much they adore each other... and fight like sisters! Just mentioning Mallory, Mal-Mal, and Bailey's face lights up! 

Mallory had her 6th birthday party at Bounce U and we all had a great time... I probably shouldn't have gone down the slide being 21 weeks pregnant but you live and you learn!

We made dad go down it a thousand more times with her!

20 weeks and BEACH!!!

My babies!!!!! We took our family vacation to Myrtle Beach for the week! While pregnancy and the heat are just plain awful, I loved every second. Keegan really was kicking while I laid out, probably hates the sun like his dad, but we had a great time! While I admit, first time sober on the beach in a long time, I had so much fun watching Bailey. She is a little beach bum! She talks so much these days, and I love watching her figure out things. She loved catching fish with her net and finding shells. She wasn't scared of the waves and all but like the baby pools much better. Every morning we had to look outside and make sure the beach was still there! I can't wait for Keegan to join us next year! 

You really haven't lived until you drive 9 hours in a car listening to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on DVD....

Also, I went to my friend Lane's baby shower. She is having a little boy in August. I am sure baby Wells and Keegan will be great buddies! Their grandparents are also neighbors so I am sure these two will have many adventures together!

19 weeks

Well, you are still a boy! So let the real planning and nursery decorating begin! You were still shy on the ultrasound unlike your crazy sister at this point. Maybe you will be my calm child?

Bump still there no hiding it! My veiny leg is much worse this go around and the heat doesn't help much! I am feeling you move and flip alot these days especially at night when I am trying to go to sleep! I have weird cravings for things like pickles and not so much sweets like with Bailey. Maybe I won't gain as much weight with this pregnancy? Speaking of weight, at my appointment I have gained 7lbs so far, however, I started about 5lbs heavier than first pregnancy....ya know, my mommy muscles, right :)

Bailey and Keegan had their first airplane ride to Chicago for Michelle and John's wedding! Bailey did so well and I didn't have to pee a single time on the airplane which is a blessing! While I really missed celebrating with the drinks, I still had a good time...sober in Chicago was something I haven't experienced in a very LOOOOONG time!

18 weeks

I have "popped" this week! You can see I have a belly from the front, but the side view isn't very "bumpy" yet. My clothes are getting super tight these days especially my pants. I feel this pregnancy more in my booty and thighs than with Bailey!

I cleaned out Bailey's clothes this week and took them off to be consigned. I decided Keegan needed a start to his closet since we won't have any hand-me-downs like we did with Bailey. Can you tell I love green and navy for little boys?