Bristol 1 week old

1 week old. Check up went well. You've past your birthweight weighing 6lbs 14oz. Dr demiranda said I could be feeding twins. You love to nurse every 1-2 hrs although you've been sleeping most of the night. You're very alert, calm and content. Rarely have I heard u cry. Here is a comparison photo of you and your sister at 1 week of age.

Labor and Delivery

I have a whole new understanding for the terms labor and delivery. With Demi I had such a fairy tale story to share. I had a massage therapist, an epidural and other drugs to make my birthing experience unlike most. This time, however, not so fairy tale. Aside from the beautiful ending of a beautiful healthy baby!! Which, was all worth it. But I must say, here's my story...

I checked into hospital night before so they could start thinning my cervix. I was given 3 doses of citatec. Doctor Haraway broke my water at 7am. My contractions started at 3am and I was given my first dose of nebain for the pain. I was able to sleep until time for 7am to roll around. At that time I was requesting more newbain and my nurse said the ONE and ONLY CNA (certified nurse anesthetist) was in with a caesarian patient and it may be a while before I could get my epidural. I was dilated to a 5 and had been in excoriating pain while waiting. I was the woman screaming, crying and telling the nurses there was no reason I should be in this much pain!!! Once given the epidural, I still felt everything. I also never received an additional dose of nebain because I was so far dilated. At this point I requested the CNA to come check my epidural. And before he got back I felt the need to push!! I had them check me and I was ready t o push!! Nurses came running in and the doctor was being paged! The nurse had her fingers inside of me trying to keep me from pushing!! Needless to say I delivered her at 913am!! Two hours after he broke my water. All natural; no pain or anesthetics. I didn't tear and there was no need for an apesiotomy, thankfully!!


All pain and torture was gone immediately when Bristol Riley was placed on my chest. Such a beautiful healthy child was the result of my pain and suffering. It was all worth it. She is my blessing I've prayed for and loved from the very first moment!! Bristol is amazing, content and so happy. She grabbed the attention of so many with her natural highlights and a full head of dark hair. Bristol was 6lbs 10oz and 19in long.

Demi is such a wonderful big sister. She talks about "baby sissy" or "baby brussy" al lithe time. When we got home the asked our dog Sadi, "Sadi, you wanna see baby sissy". That has just melted my heart and brought so much joy and love to my soul. I'm so blessed and so happy!! I praise The Lord for my girls and pray for them every day.

Two days till baby

As we nest and prepare for baby Bristol, we are enjoying those last few days as a Demi prepares to be a big sister. Last night we took her to her first rodeo to see the "neighs". Today her and daddy are playing kick ball and going on walks. I'm sitting outside with Sadi in my lap watching my loves bond. I pray they become closer and the transition of becoming a family of four is smooth. Demi has grown up so quickly and her sentences become more clear. She asked to play basketball w daddy...then says, "ready daddy"? She is going to be a great big sis. We have a bag full of goodies ready for her to open at the hospital from Bristol to her big sis. Meme is keeping Demi and we are going in Sunday night and inducing labor Monday morning June 3rd, my great grandpas birthday. I have a photographer and a dula ready for Monday as Bristol will arrive!!

Bristol Riley

Our maternity shoot April 21st. Bristol's baby shower invite and her nursery!!!

37 weeks

3 more weeks to go!! Nursery is complete. I've been in full nesting mode and ready for Bristol Riley. We plan to induce June 3rd (my actual due date and great grandpas birthday) if she doesn't come before then. I feel lots of pressure. Have occasional Braxton hix contractions, very difficult to get comfy at night and seem to be slowing down tremendously. Mom and Noreen through me a baby shower two weeks ago and Noreen has done a wonderful job hand making Bristol's bedding, clothes, blankets and so much more!!! So far I've gained 25lbs and everything had gone so well. I have another OB appointment tomrw and start going weekly at this point.

Clydesdale horses

We got to take her to see the Budweiser Clydesdale horses as they were staying at the belle point ranch. There where 10 horses and she got to feed then for the first time. She said, "neigh eats"? She also saw where they where making a mess eating their hay so she said. "Momma, neigh (.....) mess" I said yes honey the neigh is making a mess. All the way home she would say, "daddy, I want a neigh"

Little Conversations

Demi is 22 months old and having details conversations with full sentences. Here are some frequent sentences.

"Mommy, Sadi/izzy is crazy" (this is common and every night when I lay her Down to sleep she has to tell me that izzy is crazy) this is moms dog who is very hyper.

"I wanna go"
"I want my Paci, please"
"I want to colly (aka color), K? She started saying "k?" After telling us what's she's going to go.
"I want bubbles" meaning bubble guppies which is her favorite cartoon
"I want melly (aka watermelon)
"Bye, bye, momma"
"O, no....pasci nasty
"Meow go? Ummm??" As in, "where did the cat go?"
She calls our dog "Sadi sue-sue"
While in the bathroom if I'm going to potty she says "nasty"? And may even hold her nose.

She uses her manors very well. Says please after asking for things like her pasci, bottle, to watch bubbles.

After Some one sneezes she will say, "bless u mommy" and even " bless u Sadi" (to the dog)

She often talks about meme,papa, juju, Norz and missy (the dog).

She makes papa sit. She will pull him all over the house and loves for papa to take her "outside".

She can repeat anything u say and is picking up on things very quickly.

She loves chalk, colors and bathtub colors!!!!!! Also loves bubbles.

30 weeks

30 weeks and counting. 10 more to go. Still feeling good. Slowing down. Bristol Riley is moving a s kicking all over. The most amazing feeling a mother will experience is her unborn child's movements. It's perfection. It's God. It's a miracle.

Demi-21 months "the little things"

Demi has grown so much in the past month. Now she speaking in full sentences. "Mommy, I want to go, please". "I want my paci". Sadi, no no". "I want a snack". "Mommy, I want u to sit". "Mommy, I wanna go outside" Clearly most of these are her "wants". Lol. She knows her animals. Horse=neigh, cat=meow, cow=moo...ect. She speaks mostly of mommy, daddy, meme, papa, Norz, and juju and of course Sadi and izzy. Her favorites are bubbles (the real thing or the cartoon). She was sick for the first time this month with a cough, snotty nose and also constipation. No treatment needed. She's a trouper. She loves putting on memes lip stick. She doesn't like the Easter bunny.
She loves dogs!! Sadi, izzy, dog, and she still looks for bruiser when we are outside.
Demi enjoys showers with mommy and knows there's a baby in mommies belly
She calls ice cream "ice" and loves when her daddy throws her in the air. Tho she's bossy and can also say bossy...she likes to watch other children and clap for them as they accomplish something. Demi also mimics us by pretending she's on the phone... She says, "O"meaning hello , then she carries on a conversation. Like saying, "o, No...daddy went night night"...as If they need to call back when daddy wakes up. Haha. I'm so proud of my little parrot who mimics what I do and say. She's truly the best blessing I could ever have. My most prize possession. The love of my life! Thank u lord for the little things on life!

Demi 1st runner up/miss photogenic

Today we competed in Demi's third pageant. Miss sweetheart was held at the king opera house, downtown VB and she won 1st runner up and miss photogenic. I'm so proud of her. Pepaw and memaw have gotten to attend all three and they take pictures and yell while she's on stage. She waves and walks where ever they are!!

Happy Valentine's

Demi sent me flowers today at work for valentines day (via memaw). Today Demi is wearing a hand made valentine dress made by aunt Norz! We went to dinner with daddy and all exchanged our cards. We had a steak dinner and Demi enjoyed her strawberry cupcake for dessert!

95 wonderful years

Papaw "JT Boyd", my great grandpa passed away February 5th, 2013. He was born in 1917 and was 95 years old. He was the only grandpa I ever knew. Papaw was in great health but started loosing his teeth and memory a few years ago. Though his memory was fading, it was only his short term. He knew everyone and could tell you stories of WWII but not if he ate lunch or bathed. He would frequently ask what day it was or if jimmy d (my dad) was in town.

Bristol Riley is due on his birthday June 3rd and we really hope she can share his birthday!!

Demi's pageant career

Last night was Demi's second pageant and she did so well. Her first pageant she won 1st runner up. Last nights pageant only had a winner, no runners up. She really enjoys the other kids and waving at daddy, pepaw, memaw and Norz. There were two phases of competition casual and evening wear. Her next pageant is next weekend. We were all so impressed when she won 1st runner up -miss Arkansas river. This was a prelim to miss Arkansas that I won in 2006. So it was very special. She won two metals that Miss Arkansas 2012 Sloan Roberts placed around her neck.

20 weeks

This pregnancy is sailing by. Considering I was two months pregnant before I knew it, that's made things fly by quicker. I'm still feeling great, no stretch marks, no sickness, no problems. With both pregnancies I've craved firehouse subs and guacamole. I'm feeling movement of the baby at night mostly. Movement is faint and soft. My next appointment will be the glucose test for gestational diabetes in about three more weeks. We've started on the nursary...cleaned out the room another words!! Time for some paint and new carpet then Martha, memaw and I can start shopping. I'm going modern and have a great light fixture from IKEA I bought while in Denver.

Holding your hand

The past two weeks Demi has wanted to include me in everything she dose. I mean everything. I must be with her at all times. She grabs my hand and takes me everywhere she wants to go. Though I won't get much done, I'll drop whatever I'm doing to go with her. These days are limited I know. I want to be her best friend as long as she'll let me. I truly love that she's such a Momma's girls right now. It's so much fun and I enjoy every moment. As I took a bath tonight, she stood by the tub splashing my water! I've seen more episodes/re-runs of bubble guppies and this cartoon will forever remind me of her. These moments are cherished!! I love her more than life!!!

Demi may God bless you and you one day too have the blessing to create life! You're my world and I pray we always share that mother daughter bond!! You're my everything and Ill hold your hand through anything!!

Bristol Riley

Wednesday January 9, 2012 was our ultrasound and OB appointment. (19 weeks) We verified that Bristol is, still in fact, a girl!! According to all the diagnostic measurements and results she is in the 50% and everything appears normal and healthy. Praise. The. Lord. During the US Bristol was swallowing and trying to suck her thumb. Demi was also a thumb sucker in the womb. This week we will be working on her nursery.

Pregnancy 19weeks

I haven't been as consistent with this pregnancy to document the details so here is a recap of our surprise blessing...

I breast fed Demi for 1 year and by her first birthday my supply had diminished a lot. By this time I was in the process of finding a new OB doctor and getting back on birth control. So that's what I did. And one month and one week of taking birth control pills I found out I had become pregnant sometime in August shortly after Demi's first birthday. This was a wonderful surprise though if anyone knows me, I'm a planner so I had not planned for this. That's just fine with me because it's Gods plan and that's what I want...His Will!!!

On December 21st we had a gender reveal party, which was a blast and a new fad. Mom and I had went to Tulsa to have the early 16week gender ultrasound and the tech placed the gender in an envelope and we took the envelope to a local boutique. Here we picked out an outfit for both a boy/girl and gave the cashier the envelope as we went to lunch and requested she purchase and gift wrap the appropriate outfit. The next 6 hours were probably the longest of my life as the results were in the back seat. Taunting. Very taunting. Our friends and family gathered at our house that night. As we opened our gift, we found out baby #2 is another GIRL!!! I truly feel two girls close in age will be such a wonderful experience for them both. I can just image them in college together, same dorm room, studying and making friends together, as sisters. My pray my girls are best friends and grow close as they will be 24 months apart.

Our due date is June 3rd 2013. This pregnancy has been very comparable to my first. No complaints. No sickness. Praise The Lord. Very pleasant. I have noticed showing much sooner with my second. Gaining weight about the same as well. Very average. Just praying for another healthy beautiful daughter to welcome to the family this summer!!

Bristol Riley Bowen we can't wait to meet you and see your face!

Happy 18 months Demi

The best 18 months of my life have been the birth and life of our daughter. I can't explain how compete my life has become since the birth of our child. Watching her grow and learn brings joy to my heart that only a mother understands. Since I haven't been blogging, I'll start from today and move forward otherwise I would focus on the past most wonderful 18 months of my life. My intentions for my blogging is more of a journal for my children and a legacy I want them to read...since actual memory of their young age is so often unspoken of and not remembered.

This past week Demi has been speaking in sentences and paragraphs, most we have absolutely no idea what's being said but it's music to my ears just hear her sweet little voice speak and make words. Ill ask her if she has "dirty pants" and she says, "Noooo". So now any question you ask, she responds with a "no." She loves bubble guppies, which is a cartoon she can't seem to get enough of. Last week she heard the train near our house and she said "all aboard", which is a phrase she hears on dinosour train, another favorite cartoon. She starting to associate things like that and it truly makes me such a proud momma. Its the small things. This week she's started holding/grabbing my hand and taking me into her room to play. She's always been a Momma's girl and I hope this never changes!! I want to be her best friend as my mom has been my best friend! This past month teething has really been uncomfortable as we're getting the first molars in. I've been giving into letting her sleep with us, which may not be the best habit to start but my time to snuggle and watch her sleep is short lived so I ll break all the rules on this parenting no no. As far as her eating habits, well she's so picky like me she barley eats. I worry about this and pray her apatite increases. However I will say she loves any kind of fruit particularly grapes and blue berries.

As I lay here in bed watching bubble guppies, one arm around her and one thumb typing this blog I cherish this moment. I would like to freeze the time. The older I get the more I hear how time flies, so tonight I'm going to cherish every snuggle and every foot in my side as I sleep next to my worlds most precious gift The Lord blessed me with. Demi you are my world and these past 18 months have changed my life!! Praise be to God!!

New Year=New Beginnings

This is my first post for 2013 and I'd like to dedicate it to our dog bruiser. Today was a difficult emotional day as we've unfortunately had to put him to rest. By choice? I don't know of you'd call it that or not. Approximately 1.5years ago bruiser was diagnosed with (SARD) sudden acquired retnal degeneration. Meaning he started going blind and quickly became 100% unable to see in either eye. Going 5 years with great eye sight and a life full of chasing other fellow paw siblings, he quickly became nothing but a couch potato. The ophthalmologist said dogs adapt to blindness by increasing their other senses. Well, not bruiser. He went down hill progressively worse as time went on. It was brutal watching him run into everything, finding him frequently staring at the walls. In the past months bruiser had two very eventful tradgies take place. 1. Stung by hundreds of bees and unable to run or find safty. 2. Wandered out of gate and became lost with no food or water for 5 whole days. At this point he felt unsafe outside, peroid. It seems he kept staring death in the face and for some reason kept on going. But was he happy? That's the question I answer and say NO. Not at all. Nor were we happy watching his pitiful face stare at the wall or repeatedly slam his head into everything and trip over his own paws. This was one of the most difficult decisions we've had to make and still unsure of if it was the "right" one. In August we lost Skippy and still have no clue what happened to him. Going from 3 dogs to 1... Not easy. Our house was a crazy, barking, hairy mess. But it was our furry pets that brought so much joy to our lives. So much laughter. Demi called him "Bruz" and would sit on him like a horse. She would pet him, saying his name. He was gentle with her though he couldn't see. Now what? Well to a new beginning. Starting the year our with only one furry pet. It's not going to be what we call normal but it's a new start for us. With baby #2 expected in June and a toddler running around I guess one pet will make things easier. I know that God knows best and there is a time and season for everything. I often question of these two pets I've lost are being replaced by my most two precious treasures... My children? The Lord knows I've always treated my furry babies as of they where children. Non the less, he knows best and here is to a New beginning. Maybe not an easy transition into this "season", but may The Lord give us the strength we need to start this year with a fresh new start! God bless you "Bruz". You've brought so much joy and laughter to our lives. The times Ill cherish of u being Santa clause each year for Christmas. When you would chase skippy gently healing him as of he was a cow, and when you'd run through the snow digging your face into it as if was a magical substance that had fallen from the sky!!! Your memories live on and ill always be your momma! Until we meet again, I pray your sight is back and your with skippy in heaven chasing each other!!! We love you Bruz!!!