Back to Work

Goodbye Maternity Leave...hello alarm clock
Today is my last week day of maternity leave. I went on bedrest on 9/1 and I head back to work on 11/2. It was so nice having all of September and October off. It has been a blessing to bond with Corey and give my body lots of time to heal. 2008 was such a hard year for us and then 2009 was SO blessed because of Corey, but also stressful because of my pregnancy and all the medicine. I really "crashed" mentally and emotionally in September when my little guy came into the world. He is such an answer to prayer and truly the fruition of a lot of lessons that God taught us on faith, hope, disappointment, joy, and just surviving the journey. I spent lots of time in September weeping tears of joy and tears of being overwhelmed that one part of our journey in life was over. My tubes are tied, no more kiddos, this is the Nelson family that God has blessed us with, and if I do say so myself, it is a BEAUTIFUL blessing. :)

October I really enjoyed Corey and Carley. I did have that painful surgery, but other than that, it has been a great month. Corey is SO stinking cute and sweet. He is a very easy baby so far (I know that can change in a moment). I just love cuddling him and kissing him. Today I spent my last day home with just him doing what he and I love to do....we took a nap together. I also ate chocolate fudge poptarts in the recliner while I watched the Halloween costumes on the Today Show. Now I am counting the minutes till Sonic Happy Hour and I can get a Vanilla Diet Coke. Yep, maternity leave has been nice. I really have been much more low key this time. I think I realize how fast it goes and how much rest it takes to get through the day.

Also, Cody has been home with me a lot on Maternity Leave. I promise, I have the most amazing husband. He has been a wonderful partner these past two months and been incredibly supportive. As many of you saw on his facebook a month or so ago, Cody quit one of his extra jobs. This is SUCH a blessing for our family. (I know it seemed like bad news to lots of you when you saw his status, but it is a good thing). As many of you know, Cody works full time on the Fire Department and then for fun, for money, and to keep up his skills, he works several other little jobs on his days off as a paramedic or an instructor. He quit one of those extras so he could spend more time with our family. He told me the other day that as the provider for our family, he wanted to provide more time with him for us. I can't tell you what a blessing this is.

I have done many posts on being a working mom...really on being a mom. It has been a blessing to be home on paid vacation and I pray that my family is blessed by my return next week. I had a lady at church tell me on Sunday that she was sorry I had to go back to work. "It is so sad what this world has done to the family unit that mommies aren't home with their babies anymore". Well, although there is some truth to that, I do think the amazing thing about God is that family is SO important to him that He blesses families in all situations and circumstances when you make it a priority. Whether you work part-time, full-time, stay at home, whether you are married, single, divorced, God loves your family and wants your family to be happy and healthy. Cody and I made the choice for me to work and we stand by that choice right now. I pray daily that Carley and Corey are blessed by this and that this decision makes me a better mom and wife.

Here are a few pictures of my little man during this week. The first one is his full face right after a morning feeding. I love how HUGE his cheeks and double chin are after he eats. The second his Corey in a cute outfit watching TV with his dad. They have spent lots of time watching Sports Center during maternity leave. And the last is my sweet baby taking a nap on my bed. I love laying next to that sweet baby for an hour or two in the morning and enjoying the blessing that he is.

Bowmans, Fall Festival, and Pumpkin Walk

Some fun Fall things have happened around the Nelson's in the past couple of weeks.

1. Andy and Amy made a SUPER QUICK Lubbock trip. I was so thankful for the time I got to spend with them. It was all I could do to let them go back to that stupid common wealth they live in. I miss them SO much.
2. Carley had a Fall Festival last Saturday at her school. The kids were all so cute. Here she is playing games and winning prizes. This is her friend, Mel0, which is infamous at the Nelson home. Corey went to the Fall Festival, clearly he was thoroughly impressed.
3. Lubbock had a Pumpkin Walk this weekend. It was so fun to see the hundreds of Jack O'Lanterns. It was free and a pretty cool thing for old Lubbock.

4. Football is on. We have had fun rooting for the Red Raiders and watching some games.

5. Being a big sister. Carley loves being a big sister and helping. Sometimes she is TOO helpful, but most of the time, she is such a big help. She loves to take care of her bother, put in his paci, check on him, and tickle him. He just started smiling this week, which has us all smiling around here. She is trying to teach him "Jesus Loves Me" in sign language and gets pretty frustrated that he doesn't seem to be picking it up. :)

Halloween pictures and my surgery recap

So several have asked, especially my facebook friends, about my surgery and what happened. Well, I knew I was having a cyst removed off my tailbone area. I was thinking it would be about a 2-4 inch scar with a handful of stitches. My surgeon warned me it was a rough surgery, but I just didn't think it would be this bad. My scar is 11 inches and I have over 40 stitches. I have been unable to sit, only lay on my side, my stomach, or stand. As you can imagine, as a breastfeeding mom of a newborn who eats every 3 hours, this has been quite a challenge. Also, after surgery my milk supply dropped significantly. I am working on getting it back. You will not believe the pictures of my surgery. They are crazy. I am not going to post them on facebook and my blog, but if you want to see a scarred butt, email me and I will send them to you. :) I was hoping to get the stitches out on Tuesday, but they aren't ready yet so I go back next Tuesday. So far I haven't driven or anything. I am about to have to start putting more pressure on it and coming off my pain meds so I can be a more functional mom, especially while Cody is at work. It really threw me for a loop and has been very discouraging. Luckily the surgery was a success and I am on the road to recovery....it is just quite a longer road than I thought. Literally, this has been the most pain I have ever experienced.

On a lighter note, I did get Corey's one month and the kids Halloween pictures made before my surgery. They are both so sweet. I love seeing them dressed up. Doesn't Carley look funny with black hair?

One Month

Just like everyone says, "How is it possible?" Corey is one month old today.

He is just precious. What a blessed month this has been! But, boy am I tired! ha!

One thing that I just love is that Corey has really fattened up over the last week. He is getting SO chunky with double chins and extra fluff in the cheeks. I love it!

In other random Ashley Nelson thoughts:

- Modern Family is a hilarious new show and it is worth watching. Who else is out there watching it?

-I also watch Glee, where I am pretty sure I was (or wanted to be) the brunette show choir girl star my entire high school career.

- Private Practice is getting too sad and hard for me to watch. Geez, easy on the drama!

- You know I love Grey's and the Office

- Speaking of the Office- last night's wedding was the Office at it's finest. Absolutely hilarious.

One other thing, I would appreciate some prayers for next week. I have to have an outpatient surgery next week on a stupid cyst by my tailbone. I am ready to get it removed, but dreading the procedure and the 2 week recovery. They say it is a painful surgery. I will be spending some quality time on my stomach over the next two weeks which should make rocking and nursing Corey interesting. I am just dreading another surgery when I just got over my C-Section. Anyway, festivities at the surgery place begin on Wednesday. I would appreciate prayers for a quick and easy recovery.

Corey hanging with his buddy Hayden who is exactly one week and 3 lbs lighter than him. :)
This picture makes me laugh. They look like an old married couple. Carley loves to read to Corey. Clearly he is enthralled in the process and storyline.

My chubby, hungry little caterpillar

Our Week in Pictures

We started the week off by going to church together as a family of four. It was a blessing to all be together and to introduce Corey to his church family.

Here is Corey chilling in his bumbo. He was 2 1/2 weeks old in this picture. Doesn't he look big? He is just a joy and loves to look around. I finally got on top of a few of the many jobs around the house that need to be done. It was nice to feel a little productive again.

Also Carley went to the doctor this week with a cough and runny nose that has lasted weeks. Dr. Landry hooked her up with some antibiotics and Carley is feeling better. She also got her first flu shot Tuesday and didn't even cry. What a big girl!


Corey took his first bath this week in the tub. He is a CHUNK! He is already 10 lbs! :)Also this week, two of my friends from college, Mark and Chelsea Jacobs, lost their baby at 34 weeks. He was a precious boy and the loss was sudden, heartbreaking, and filled with overwhelming emotions. Our heart breaks for this sweet family and their three girls. We participated in a balloon launch this morning for them and for Baby Chase.

Carley had her first dance and gymnastic observation this week. She is one cute kid in a leotard.

Also, October happened this week so both kids wore a Halloween outfit.
Carley loved dressing up....Corey, not so much.And finally, meet Dr. Phy. Corey went this week to meet my Infertility Specialist, Dr. Phy. He also got to meet my nurse Kristen who became a special friend to me on this journey. I cannot tell you how emotional it was for me to introduce Corey to Dr. Phy. I bawled. It was a full circle moment for me. As I waited in the waiting room, with all the ladies who have empty arms, but heart broke for them and the emotions of that time came racing back. When Dr. Phy held him, I was overcome with such joy and gratitude. I wanted to give up two very specific times and Dr. Phy didn't let me. She prayed for me and she listened and eventually, God honored both of our prayers. I also remember sitting in the exam room looking at all the pictures on the wall of the babies she had been a part of and wondering if I would ever have my picture up there. I do! Praise God! When I left there I came home and Cody and I cried and prayed a special prayer of Thanksgiving for Corey. I remember after our first miscarriage, a dear friend of mine who had been there twice as well, told me that at the end of this I would love God more. I could not fathom that at all. She told me I would love God for bringing me through this time and she is exactly right. God protected our family, our marriage, our finances, my body, and our faith and gave us Corey. I truly believe that every tear I did cry, He held in his hand.

What a week. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.