Show Off

So What 

...if I polished off a pack of graham crackers & cocoa almond spread today. And promptly ordered a belly bandit afterwards.
...if I have more frozen breast milk in my freezer already than I ever produced for Cham, I think. I'm not running out this time, no sir. 
...if I look forward to middle of the night feedings = more time to myself to read The Hunger Games series.
...if I didn't know heat brought your milk in. I slept with a heating pad on my chest and woke up in TEARS. And I couldn't sit up. Woops.
...if Jake looked so much like Chamblee on the day he was born I'm afraid I won't be able to tell their pictures apart down the road.
...if I called my doctor for pain meds and likely sounded like an addict. Apparently they don't give you any unless you rip yourself in half.
...if Ellen makes me pee my pants, pretty much, every day.
...if my favorite vegetable right now are brussel sprouts. How did they get such a bad rap?
...if I need the monitor from Cham's room on my side to fall asleep. Ahhh the sound of rain.
...if Bailey is no longer my favorite baby boy. I told him it was coming.

So what if I just wanna show my kids off:

Until Next Time, 

The Guff

7 pounds, 5 ounces

He's here! Jacob Collins Guffey has arrived, and right on time. 

At our last doctor's appointment we scheduled an induction for Sunday, February 19th. After weighing a lot of options, this seemed like the best one at the time. I was less than thrilled, but still excited to meet our son. Something about telling him when to come and knowing when it would happen seemed to suck the fun out of it for me and make it a little less exciting. I would, however, have plenty of time to prepare everything just the way I wanted it and that gave me a little pocket of joy. So, K and I prioritized our to-do list and set a few things off for Sunday. Things we'd never get around to. Later that afternoon I took a nap. Really, I just went upstairs and cried. I made the wrong decision. I don't want to be induced. How can I get out of it? Why did I make that decision? Wrong, wrong, wrong. What have I done? Too late now. So I prayed. I prayed mostly for peace about it because the wheels were already set in motion. But towards the end of my prayers I threw in a little "...and if it's your will, PLEASE let me go into natural labor in the next 12 hours. Amen."

I woke up around 5 for a bathroom break and couldn't go back to sleep. So I laid there thinking of the order of things I would accomplish that day and playing sudoku on my phone. Then it felt like I tinkled my pants a little bit. Not too much. Wonderful. I got up, cleaned up and headed back to bed. Then there it was. The gush. Nothing like when my water broke with Chamblee. This was no trickle. It was my water breaking and there was nothing confusing about it. I stood still for a minute, still, just to be sure. Another gush. 


"Kraig. KRAIG... " I hollered from the doorway.
"huh?" sleepy voice.
"My water broke." Standing on the rug. Water gushing everywhere.
We laughed together.

This time we weren't as frantic or scared. I did a little happy dance that I wasn't going to be induced, and then added a quick prayer of thanks to God, who had answered my prayer- just in time. 


We called our parents, took showers, and had breakfast while we waited for Chamblee's Gram to arrive. Then we headed out the door to meet our son. Not before a quick photo op as our last morning a family of 3:

We got to the hospital around 9:15 and I was at 2cm. We waited a couple of hours and my contractions picked up, but not enough to really get me going. So they started Pitocin around 11. I hadn't made my mind up about having another epidural or not this time. I was gonna fly by the seat of my pants, or lack thereof. After about 2.5 hours of Pitocin and no epidural, I was feelin' it. By feelin' it I meant, if I didn't get an epidural somebody was getting hurt. Most likely K, poor guy. And here's why. With Cham I was in that much pain for about 12 hours. Vowed never to do that stupid business again. So, I called for an epidural. She told me she'd put me on the list. Hold up. I didn't ask to be put on a list. I need an epidural. And I need it now. This is what I kept saying. I need it NOW. I'd say it's an improvement of last time's chant of "I'm LOSING MY MIND." It wasn't long before my angel appeared and stabbed me in the back. It worked only on one side. So she came back and really doped me up. Much, much better. Now I'll get a nap, read The Hunger Games, and wait. Wrong. The midwife came in and checked me right as my epidural started working and I was at 8cm. Really? I should've just stuck it out. No matter, I was comfortable for about an hour before she told me I was going to start pushing. We called family and told them if they wanted to make it in time they better haul it. We meant it. I'm a pretty good pusher. 


3 contractions and 8 pushes later- the midwife let me semi-deliver our son. Kourtney Kardashian style.

It. Was. Awesome.

This is the first picture I took with my son. 

It's for all you folks who complimented the way I looked after giving birth. 

This is what I actually looked like. 

Mascara running down my face and swole red nose from crying. 

Headed Home!!! 

And because I know you are wondering... 

Chamblee is the best big sister. ever. 

This family of four thing is pretty rad. There's just nothing. like it. 

Until Next Time, 

The Guff

Chamblee Loves Her Brother

Her brother, Bailey, that is. 

Suckers. 

Until Next Time, 

The Guff

Oh, baby

No, I haven't had the baby yet. I love this part of being pregnant- when people ask that. "You haven't had that baby yet?" and "Oh my gosh, when is that baby coming?" Favorite. Part.

I'm waiting patiently and getting so much accomplished around here. I'm OK to wait. He will come when he's ready. Plus, I get some extra special quality time with my bunny rabbit. We have been busy little bees the last couple of weeks. Nona came this weekend and we had a big time. My favorite moment? Chamblee deciding that she needed 6 bows in her hair. At the same time. While we were at the market. Dy.ing. 

 What in the world. She kept finding bows in her bag and asking politely for me to put them in her hair. I had to.

She's getting quite the personality. Including sweet, sweet "i love you's" and tantrums beyond anything I've seen her put out before. No clue where she got that from. Must be a Guffey gene. Anyway. I am soaking up and taking advantage of every snuggle request and late night rockin'. Won't be long, now.

Last week my doctor brought up the idea of being induced next week if I don't go into labor on my own this week/weekend. Ick. I'm not an advocate of social inductions and yet my brain is going, "Right ON!!! Let's do this thang!" My Braxton Hicks are more consistent and stronger, but nothing serious. I'm hoping that means the real deal is right around the corner. Tomorrow is the day I picked on our poll, so I'm crossing my fingers that tonight brings me a little luck. Also, if he came at the same time Chamberoo did, tonight would be the night for my water to break. Not that I've thought about it, really. I say to pineapple, beer, walking and full moons- You are a load. Nothing naturally induces labor. Lies. 


I finally finished the playroom and am hoping to get some pictures up, soon. Maybe tomorrow. Now that my to-do list is pretty much down to frivolous things that I kind of made up for the sake of writing something down, I should have more time to blog. And nap. And wait. 


Until Next Time,
The Guff

Sticky Situation

I've been crafting lately, mostly to pass the time. Cham hangs out and has a little "craft corner" of her own. So it's girl time. She waves around sewing scraps and hides things in our linen dresser. It's a big time.
Last week, she found my post its:

and loved them.

"are you sure this is ok?"

she organized them.

and spread them around.

then she cleaned them up. 

Yes, she only has one shoe on. It's how she rolls. 

She's my favorite, so far. I can't say that for much longer. Though she will still be my favorite little girl. Today marks 38 weeks, and brings to my attention a rinky-dink chain link countdown:

yes, i look exhausted. i am. 

14 days, people. Fourteen. Days. 

I'm getting a lot pickier about things around these parts and am also a lot more, you guessed it, exhausted. Which means there's a lot of pointing and bossing going on. I'm thankful for a husband who laughs when I ask him to do silly things. And does them, anyway. He sure loves me. Even though I don't cook anymore. Between learning Paleo recipes and being almost 10 months pregnant, I'm spent in the kitchen. It's all I have to warm up Chamblee's mac & cheese some days. Here's our dinner from Friday night. When I saw it, it just made me laugh. And almost cry. Cheers to you super-pregnant women who still get dinner on the table and another baby off to bed. You've got me beat. In this house, it's normally one or the other. 

K has hot dogs. 

Yes, that is a baby fork because yours truly didn't wash the dishes. 

Or run the dishwasher for that matter. 

My mega-craving as of late: PB&J. And pringles. 

And, yes, K even made me this sandwich. 

I'm useless. 

Funny how I have no energy for cooking. But send me to a kids' consignment shop and BAM. I can peruse for.ever. Yesterday I went to get fitted for a bridesmaid's dress {not even worth it to blog about how depressing that was} and right across the street *just so happened* to be my favorite little second hand shop. Yes, duh. There's usually a theme each time I go- I score big on books, toys, little boy things, pajamas, etc. Yesterday was an ode to Ralph Lauren. It's like the man himself dropped off an entire spring line, just for us, all in Chamblee's size. I die. dresses, tops, hair clips, rompers. It just went on & on. I had to be careful not to clean house. Fail.

I did manage to find a few things for Jake. 

Not shown? Her outfit from today. Cutest RL shirt, ever. Sweet bunny has been fighting a brutal cold the last week, so we opted not to infect everyone in her Sunday school class this morning, and skipped church. Instead, we thought infecting the rest of the children in Atlanta would be a better idea, and took her to the GA Aquarium. She. loves. that. place. K doesn't get to take her as often as I do, so it was a special day. I stood in the wings and let them have a mini daddy-daughter date. And took pictures, of course. 

She has no shame. The girl loves to dance. 

Even if she needs to take a moment- mid stair climbing- to bust a move. 

And, that, she did. 

Headed out! With Abbey Cadabby. Her new BEST friend. 

And, I mean, Best. 

Look out, owlie, AC is hot on your trail.

Until Next Time, 

The Guff