Baby's First Beach Trip!

It is very hard to believe my sweet baby boy is already 3 months and 6 days old!! He is so much more entertaining now, begining to smile and laugh!
We went to Jacksonville, Florida this past weekend to visit Andrew's family and let them meet Brayden for the first time! It was a great trip visiting!
We were luckly enough to have time to drive down to the nearest beach! It was so special for us as a 'family' to share that moment of Brayden's first beach trip!
He was so amazed with the sand between his toes....

Mommy, Daddy, & Baby

All in all, it was a great trip! I can only hope we have many more family trips ahead of us!

Peanut Butter Truffles!

So I made some awesome peanut butter truffle ball things the other day while baby was sleeping! I found the recipe on pinterest of course ;)

Ingredients needed

half a bag of powdered sugar

1 cup softened butter

1 cup peanut butter

1 sleeve of graham crackers

chocolate (the almond bark works best for melting)

- crush the entire sleeve of graham crackers.

(I left them in the wrapping and put it into a large zippy bag then smashed)

Add softened butter

Add powdered sugar (I think it said about 1 lb. which ended up being half of the big bag)

Add the peanut butter (I popped the peanut butter in the microwave for like 15 seconds or so just to make it easier to mix)

Mix together

Roll the mixture into about 1 inch size balls and place on wax paper

I used a tablespoon measurer to help get the same amount for each one

put the balls in the freezer for 20 minutes

before you get them out melt your chocolate

Fully coat the peanut butter balls in the chocolate

I found the easiest way was to roll them around with a fork

I put some orange sprinkles on mine because they were for Halloween!

& there was definitely none left by the end of the night!

They are seriously amazing!!

you can never go wrong with chocolate & peanut butter :)

YUMMMMYYY

enjoy!

Welcome Brayden Ray Sherrill!

Welcome to this crazy world Brayden Ray

Born October 4, 2011

7lbs 13oz

9:18pm

20 3/4 in.

I was in labor for 27 hours from the time they started the cervidil(a way to begin the process, and soften my cervix)

I had the pitocin to start my contractions and water ended up breaking on it's own. That in turn made my contractions much stronger & closer together. I gladly got an epideral and don't understand why anyone would opt out of it, the epideral itself didn't even hurt at that point! We continued to wait and wait and wait... Not much progress was happening and little baby's heart rate began dropping so they put me on oxygen & made me stay on my side. I ended up only making it to 4cm and my temperature went up to 102 and Brayden's heart rate wasn't getting any better. Dr. Little decided at that point that it would be another 12 hours or more before I dilated to the 10cm. Waiting that long was definitely not an option, especially since my temperature spiked. We immediately got prepared for a C-section and I was pushed to the front of the line of other women who needed one right then. That was the first time I had cried during the entire labor process, not that I didn't want the c-section, it was just all so overwhelming. The thought that I was about to see my SON for the very first time was just so unbelievable. As I lay there in the operating room, Andrew holding my hand, oxygen mask on, IV's in, it seemed like it happened so fast and I heard my son begin to cry! It almost felt like it wasn't real when the nurse put him up to my face for me to look at him in the eyes & kiss him for the first time.



He was born on a Tuesday and we stayed in the hospital until Friday, during that time I did not sleep at night because I was just terrified something would go wrong. Why did he cough? Is he suppose to make that sound while he sleeps? Is he ok? The worry and love you instantly feel is undescribable!

My recovery has been pretty good, and we're finally beginning to settle into a routine.

Night time is still the hardest, he eats every 2-3 hours so all I do is take short naps throughout the day. He is the perfect baby and I have never been so in love. You truely do not know love until you have a child, it is definitely incredibly hard, & frustrating at times, but when he looks up at me knowing that I am the center of his world all the sleepless nights are well worth it. We need each other now, and it is the most amazing feeling in the world.

He will be 3 weeks old tomorrow at 9:18, my future is so bright now because I get to embark on this journey of teaching him to be a wonderful little man!

My love for you grows more and more each day son!

Mommy Loves you!

pregnant & emotional, go figure

I'm not the picture perfect mom-to-be...

With the picture perfect house, a husband by my side, or total financial security.

I did not plan and try for years to have a baby like many deserving couples out there.

Even though my baby boy was a tad of a surprise I have never once looked at him as a mistake or anything short of a miracle.

The way things in my life have turned out are not quite what i anticipated. I never expected to be going through such a great, amazing time in my life without my 'partner' (baby daddy, whatever you want to call it) being by my side every step of the way. Most days i'm fine, but there are some days where it breaks my heart. I am lucky enough to have fabulous friends & family that love me dearly.

So just because I'm only 21, I don't have my own home or I do not have a wedding ring on my left hand doesn't mean i'll be any less of a mother.

If anything I believe it will make me a better, stronger person and mother.



Nobody said pregnancy would be easy, they just said it would be worth it...

Today I am 35 weeks & 2 days pregnant, only 4 weeks & 5 days left! :/

I have officially gotten to the point of feeling very uncomfortable. I'm still working full time, but beginning to notice my body does not like it very much. The cramping/pains in my lower abdomen have become a daily occurance recently. The Dr said it is probably from the muscles in my abdomen being under all the stress of holding up my heavy uterus.

Also been having more 'Braxton Hicks' contractions- also known as false labor or practice contractions, are sporadic uterine contractions that sometimes start around 6 weeks. However, they are not usually felt until the second trimester or third trimester of pregnancy.

 I've been trying to rest and keep my feet up as much as I can when I'm not working; of course when i'm not working  is when I obsess over my list of things that need to get done before baby boy arrives.

It's slowly all coming together though, I got the car cleaned inside & out today. Next week i'll get the carseat installed and make sure my hospital bag is in order. Once I get those big things finished I'll feel much better knowing i'm prepared.

The anxiety for the delivery process is definitely setting in at this point. We have our childbirthing class next Saturday so hopefully that will help, or either scare me more! haha

I know it's not going to be the most pleasant thing, but the thought of seeing and holding him makes it all worth while..

Mommy can't wait to meet you little man! 

"Mommy's Little Pumpkin"

Baby Names....

So deciding on a name for my baby boy has been a much harder task than I anticipated. I/we pretty much new from the beginning his first name was going to be Brayden. I have loved that name since the show Summerland.

 The middle name has given me a lot more trouble though. 

You have to think about things such as what sounds good, what his initials will be, or if ill be able to scream it easily when he's in trouble! 

So far I have...

Brayden Ray

Brayden Avery

Brayden Luke

Brayden Thomas 

Maybe I just won't decide until I see him...