Camden's Baptism

Cammie and her Godmother, Aunt Liz

Cammie and her Godfather, Uncle B

Our family with Cammie's Godparents

The Sims!

I know this is a bit late in getting posted, but I wanted to share with all of you the great news of Camden's baptism on the 12th! We were so excited to share this special day with lots of family and friends...especially since our niece Lillian, and good friend's daughter Scarlett were also baptized with Camden! It was a beautiful ceremony and we are so excited to watch Camden begin her faith journey!

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

So...we've been MIA since July, I realized! Things have been crazy and unfortunately, I have not made use of my camera lately because I have lost the charger and need to give up and buy a new one!! So frustrating!

We've had a lot of new things happen since July...I am now a working Mommy! I got a job at Floyd Medical Center in Rome, GA where I work in the ER as a Nurse Tech. I am getting a lot of hands-on experience that will help me as I work to become an RN. I re-applied to the Nursing program and will hopefully find out if I am in within the next month or so...fingers crossed!!! It has been quite an adjustment for the whole family since I am not at home everyday now...I usually work 3 12-hour shifts per week. I like the "me time" but it is hard being away from the kids and even harder bouncing back after a long day at work and then gearing up for the Mommy role soon after!

Carson is now 3!! It is so amazing to think of how much he has grown and what a handsome, smart, funny little man he is! We are so proud of him!! He started in the 2-year-old program at the end of August, and while the first week was rough (on him and on Mommy...sigh!) he has adjusted SO well and LOVES to go to school!! He loves his teachers and I love that he is learning so much and having fun with other kids his age!!

Camden is growing like a weed...she's almost 9 months old!! We've had to make a couple trips to the doctor for her recently due to colds and ear infections...no fun! She has been deemed as a "big girl" by the pediatrician because as of this week, she weighs in at 20 lbs! She is still so smiley and has the best personality! She is completely on the move crawling everywhere! She can also pull herself up to stand and is quite gutsy about it...we really think she will be walking early because she loves checking everything out!!

6 months and counting!!!

Camden is growing so fast! We went to her 6-month well check today and the Nurse Practitioner says she is a healthy, beautiful baby!! She weighs 16 lbs, 15 oz and is 26 inches tall! Her weight puts her in the 75th percentile and her height puts her in the 60th percentile for her age! She had 3 shots, tolerated them well and she left sporting 3 shiny "bling" bandaids...very appropriate for our princess!! She already has 2 teeth on the bottom and the NP says there are 4 more coming through on the top and 2 more coming through on the bottom any day now!! CRAZY!!!

Food, Glorious Food!!

First taste of green beans!!

Brother had to try feeding her too!

Sweet potatoes were next!!

Camden is growing like a weed and is now eating big-girl food!! We went to her 4-month well check on Monday and she got another round of shots...no fun, it still breaks my heart each time even though I know she won't remember it! Camden now weighs 14 lbs, 9 oz (75%), is 23.5" long (25%) and her head is 44 cm around (95%)! So...she is short and chubby with a big head!! We just love her SO much!! She is a really good baby and her disposition is SO sweet! She is one of the smiliest babies I have ever seen! She now has 2 teeth peeking through her bottom gum and overall she hasn't been bothered much by teething!

Given the GO by the Dr. on Monday, we started her on rice cereal and veggies. We did green beans first and she did okay...she loves to put her hands in her mouth in between bites and she gets to smiling so much that a lot of the food doesn't stay in her mouth...but she is getting the hang of it! After 3 days of green beans we moved on to sweet potatoes...she LOVED them!!

Unfortunately, Camden has been sick for a few weeks now. She is really congested and the drainage seems to really be upsetting her stomach as well. There really isn't much we can do for her since she is so young...so we use a humidifier in her room at night and we have to do "steam baths" often as well to break up the crud in her chest. We feel so bad for her but it only seems to bother her a little...like I said before, she has the best disposition!!!

Carson is doing great as well...he is learning so much these days! It amazes us the things he remembers! He is also doing a lot better about social things...like going to the nursery at church. He always cried when we would leave him, but now he has made some friends and he does great! We are so relieved because he will start 2 year old pre K in the Fall and we don't want it to be hard for him to adjust!! He is also really great with Camden...he likes to check on her if I am busy doing something and he always tells me if she is crying...sometimes he actually hears her before I do!! He really is a great big brother!

Marvelous Mother's Day!

Wow...what a face!

Nanie and sweet Camden

Our pretty princess!

Four great Moms on Mother's Day!

We started off Mother's Day with brunch at One Midtown Kitchen with the Stewart gang! It was wonderful celebrating my awesome Mom! After brunch we headed to the Sims house to celebrate my wonderful Mother-in-law! The kids got to play in the pool and the ladies got to hang out on the porch and chat...it was great!

I cannot believe I am a Mommy of two beautiful children! It is such a blessing and I love them more than I could have ever imagined! There is a lot going on in my life right now and I am comforted by the smiles on my kids faces...regardless of how other things turn out, I am so grateful for their unconditional love!

Family Matters!

Carson has to make sure everything looks okay before getting behind the wheel!

And he's off!!

Sweet Cammie!

Daddy and his princess!!

Mommy's sweet angel!!

We've been pretty busy lately, but still try to get some quality family time in when we can! Nanie and Pawpaw bought Carson a Power Wheels Jeep and he absolutely loves it! We went out in the back yard tonight and spent some time playing...luckily I had my camera handy as well! These are the moments that I love and cherish...and know that as my kiddos get older, they'll become fewer and far between! I love my family!!

Many Blessings

Johnathan and Liz

Camden slept through pretty much the whole thing!
The Sims Family

We had a fabulous weekend! Camden was dedicated at church today! We are so proud and cannot wait to teach her about God and guide her in knowing a Christian life. It was a beautiful service and we were so blessed to spend it with family and friends!!! Unfortunately, although I was good in remembering my camera, but we didn't get all the pictures we had hoped to get! ARGH!! Thanks to everyone who shared this special day with us!

Oh...also, we are happy to announce that we finally asked Aunt Elizabeth to be Camden's godmother! Uncle B also agreed to be her godfather! Camden is so blessed to have such wonderful role models and a loving family!!!

Crazy busy these days...

Camden loves her swing!!

Carson sliding! At the park with the Ballard's!!

Smiley girl!!

Mackenzie and Camden holding hands!!

Yes, we have been CRAZY busy lately!! I started nursing clinicals on March 28 at Floyd Medical Center and the 2 late nights a week are pretty intense!! The kids have been spending A LOT of time with Nanie and Pawpaw (God bless them!) because my clinicals are on Monday and Tuesday afternoons/nights...late nights out and having to get up with my little lady would make for a cranky Mommy...I am SO thankful for all the help!! The semester is almost over though...2 more weeks of clinicals, then my final exam on May 3 and hopefully I can relax for 2 weeks before the summer semester begins!!

So...I have been asked by multiple people to post pictures of the kids. I have been so bad about taking pictures since Camden has been born. I hear that is what happens when you have 2 kids, but I swore that wouldn't be me...oops!! Anyway, that is basically the purpose of this blog...so I hope everyone enjoys the new-ish pictures I posted!!

March Madness

So, we've been pretty busy lately, and things don't look like they will calm down anytime soon! We had spring break last week, so I took the kids to Charlotte with Mom to visit Nanny and Poppop! Since Nanny isn't doing so great these days, we wanted to spend some time with them and help out...plus I really wanted them to meet Camden! Carson had a blast and really became attached to his Great Nanny and Poppop...he especially loved Poppop's train board!! Nanny is doing better and even though she is on oxygen 24/7, she is a trooper and has more energy now to move around the house and even cook some...which we loved!!!

I was so excited to get pictures of the kids with Nanny and Poppop, and one afternoon I whipped out my camera and though I would start by taking a few shots of Camden (who has become SO smiley lately!!). Well...wouldn't you know my luck...my camera battery died and guess what I conveniently left at home!!! My charger of course!! I was SO bummed! Needless to say, I didn't get any of the pictures I wanted to get!
The picture at the top of the post is the ONE picture of Camden I did take!!

A Wedding AND A Baby!!

January 15 will forever be a day our family will celebrate!

My baby brother, Bryan, was married on this day and even though I had to have last minute alterations to my bridesmaids dress...I was honored to be a part of his and Amanda's special day!
We started the morning early so we could get everyone's hair and make up done on time. Well, actually, my morning started with what I thought was the beginning of labor!! After realizing that was not the case, we all went about getting ready! I sat a lot, so as to not let gravity take its course...I REALLY wanted to be at that wedding! I managed to walk down the aisle and then sat during the readings...and didn't get back up until it was time for the groom to kiss his bride! Then we headed to the reception! I was having steady contractions by this point...but I was determined to make it as long as I could! After about an hour or so, I realized I needed to call my doctor! She told me that I needed to head to the hospital so they could at least check me. So...off we went! I was bummed to leave the reception, but excited at the same time to find out whether today would be the day we'd meet our daughter!
Luckily Johnathan's mom and sister had come to the wedding, so they packed up Carson and drove behind us to the hospital. As we were going down 285, Johnathan noticed his Mom was not behind us anymore and at that same time his sister called us to say that his mom was having car trouble and they had to get off the interstate! They told us to go on...but there was no way we were going to leave them on the side of the road! So, we turned around and went back to get them! When we got to the hospital, Johnathan dropped his sister and I off at the door and as we walked in, a lady said to me "Well...you must have gone to a fancy party today!" To which I couldn't help but respond "Well, no...I just knew I was going to have my baby, so I had to dress up!!"
I was sent up to triage and the doctor on call came in to check me. Sure enough, I was dilated to 6-7 cm and during contractions, it would go up to 8 cm! So...I was there to stay!! I was admitted to Labor and Delivery and the doctor came in to break my water...followed by the anesthesiologist with my wonderful epidural! It was about 5:30 at this point and my doctor had arrived. She said it wouldn't be long and I'd be pushing!! So I got to 10 cm around 7:00 and I started pushing around 7:20...Camden Annaleigh Sims was born at 7:27 p.m.!!!! I literally pushed about 7 times...it was so wonderful and WAY different from my experience having Carson!
Camden weighed 7 lbs, 7 oz (exactly the same as Carson!) and was 18" long! She has dark brown hair and looks a lot like Carson! We actually call her our little Eskimo baby because she seriously looks like one! She is precious and wonderful and we are so happy to finally have her here! By the time she made her debut, my Mom, sisters, brother and new sister-in-law had joined Johnathan's family at the hospital! It was awesome to have them all there! We had a lot of visitors while we were in the hospital! We also have been SO blessed to have meals made by some friends (THANKS to Michelle and Tammy!!!) and of course my Mother-in-law has been a god-send! I actually returned to class on Wednesday and Thursday this week as well...so I only missed one day of class! I know...you're all thinking I am nuts, but Nursing school is no joke and I knew I had to stay on my game in order to keep up with my school work! I actually feel pretty good and I am healing up, so I am thankful for that!
We cannot wait to introduce our little princess to you all!

Sisters

Daddy and his best buddy awaiting our 4th family member!

I did take my bobby pins out and opted for a pony tail for delivery!

She's here!

Camden's first bottle

The newlyweds and their niece!

Daddy and his princess!

Carson loves to hold his baby sister!

Where for art thou, Camden???

Carson's first snowball

LOVES the snow!!

Yeah...he doesn't quite get that his 4-wheeler won't work on snow!!

So, after all we've been through in the last 2+ months, we still have not gotten to meet our little lady! She is getting her beauty rest we think! We were all so sure she'd make a very early appearance, after WEEKS of heavy duty contractions and being dilated to 2 cm for 3 weeks and now dilated to 3-4 cm the last week...but she is holding out on us! We are glad we made it this far though...she is safe where she is and even though Mommy is SO very uncomfortable, I am glad we didn't have to deal with any premature issues that could have been!

The weather this week has also made us thankful that she is holding off! We cannot believe the amount of snow we are seeing and to think about getting out in this to rush to the hospital is just too stressful! We are sitting on GO, but also now hoping Camden waits until after this weekend to make her debut! Bryan and Amanda are getting married and we cannot wait to celebrate and enjoy the weekend with all our family and friends!!