Easter 2018

I love this picture of the 5 of us in Ocean City Maryland

My husband Patrick is my high school sweetheart. He loves to cook and work out. He is a supportive instahusband (Instagram husband) he helps me take a lot of pictures and offers me input on content.

Hudson is 7.5 and a nature born leader, great in sports, math, and the best big brother.

Everett is 6. He is the sweetest, silliest soul. He is great in sports and he asks the best questions

Winter is 1.5 She runs the show and is our family’s happy place

PJ party never a dull moment with these 3 loves!

Remembering Winter’s birth and those first few days after we brought her home from the hospital and became a family of 5!

 I was lucky to have 3 easy pregnancies with all of my kids. I enjoyed being pregnant. It calmed me and made me feel like I had a purpose. I loved feeling my babies move inside of me. I know my husband would say I was miserable and uncomfortable at the end of all of them but, I think that is normal. I chose to be induced with Hudson and Everett. I had an epidural with both of them. When I was pregnant with Winter, I knew I didn’t want to be induced. I decided I would let her come when she was ready. Looking back I am so happy I decided to do that.

Winter was born March 7, 2017 at 3:59 PM she weighed 8 lbs 9 oz

One of the best moments of my life. Her first time nursing. Feeling all the emotions pure joy, relief, excitement, happiness, exhaustion. I did it!! I gave birth naturally to my 3rd perfect baby.

On my due date March 7, 2017 I dropped the boys off at school and I remember so many people at the school were asking me when’s the baby coming. I was uncomfortable and ready to have her. I remember saying “who knows when she will come.” After I left the school I went to my 40 week appointment. I was feeling down since it was my due date and I was not having any signs of the baby coming. The doctor checked me and said I was about 1.5 centimeters dilated, but I should make an appointment for next week in case she still doesn’t come. I was VERY irritated. I called Patrick on the way home saying how miserable I was. He was a little on edge because we are planners and the unknown of when the baby was coming was rough on him. I went home from my appointment and I remember feeling the need to CLEAN. I starting cleaning the kitchen and took a bathroom break. When I wiped I saw some blood. I was a little nervous but figured it was normal from my doctor checking me to see if I was dilated. I called the doctors office and they told me to head right to the hospital. I don’t know if it is because this was my 3 baby or if I was in major denial that I was about to give birth but I didn’t go right to the hospital! I continued to clean. I started washing all the bed sheets in everyone’s room and I finished packing my hospital bag. Patrick kept calling me asking if I was OK and if I was in labor. I told him I don’t know but I am going to lay down. I arranged for my mother in-law to pick the boys up at school so we could head to the hospital. I suddenly started getting contractions. They weren’t timeable, so I took my mind off of them by finishing up putting fresh sheets on everyone’s bed. My husband eventually came home and packed his bag for the hospital. I started to get stronger contractions. I was yelling at him “HURRY!” On the way to the hospital I told him we needed to stop for gum because for lunch I had garlic humus and my breathe stunk. I remember he went into Sheetz to pay for the gum and I was holding the door handle because a strong contraction was coming on.

We decided a few months prior to this day that we would not deliver at the local hospital that my doctor delivered at. He was not on call anyway and we wanted to go to a better hospital in our area. When we arrived we weren’t sure where to check in so, I just walked right into the emergency room and told them I was in labor. They asked if I needed a wheel chair and I said no. I have no idea why? I think I was still in denial. All the sudden a strong contraction came on walking to the labor and delivery section that I screamed yes get me a wheel chair!! We walked in and told them I was in labor and everyone seemed shocked that we decided to use their hospital and not the hospital where my doctor delivers. I quickly gave them my information and they handed me a hospital gown to put on. As I went into the bathroom in the delivery room to put the gown on I felt the sudden urge to push. I ran out of the room and said I need to push. All the nurses looked at my like I was nuts. A nurse quickly checked me and said oh yes this baby is coming. At that moment I freaked out!! I had a vision of the labor taking awhile and I would be able to get the epidural. When they said there was no time for the epidural and the baby was coming now I kept saying I can’t do it. My husband and the nurses in the room reassured me I could do it. They called for a midwife to come in. I started pushing and I remember that pain. It felt like my hips were cracking in half. I was screaming and growling at the top of my lungs…I cant do it!! My husband said women have done this from the beginning of time you can do it! After a few more pushes a midwife delivered Winter Bradley Stoodley. She was born within 30 minutes of entering the hospital. . She was perfect so strong and healthy. I nursed her seconds later. My heart was so full to have welcomed my 3rd baby so dramatically.

Having had 2 babies that were induced and getting the epidural with them and then having Winter come naturally, it was 2 totally different experiences. I felt like she was more alert. I felt amazing after her birth. I could get up and move. I did not feel weak like I did after the boys births. Overall It was an amazing wild experience and I couldn’t have done it with out my husband.

This was the day we brought Winter home from the hospital. I was so happy to bring her home and put her in her crib for the first time. The first few days home where blissful and hard at the same time. The boys did amazing with the baby they loved her! Nursing was going well. Winter was gaining weight and sleeping. I on the other hand wasn’t sleeping. I was exhausted. I didn’t sleep the last 2 nights at the hospital. I had anxiety and I couldn’t get it to go away. My mind was racing every time I tried to fall asleep. I remember I tried tea and a hot bath. It took me about 10 days to finally sleep. We think it was due to having such a fast birth my adrenaline shot up and it took me awhile to calm back down.

We had a blizzard come a few days after bringing Winter home and we joked that her name was perfect because she brought on more winter. We had about 24 inches of snow. School was cancelled for the week. I had to keep the boys busy while taking care of the baby. As I write all of this I am even more aware that time goes by so fast. Appreciate all the moments even the ones you do not enjoy because looking back I loved every minute of my pregnancy, birth, and those early days of us all bonding as a family of 5.

Winter brought more winter with a blizzard in mid march 2017

An exhausted mother of 3 trying to survive. This picture captures the early days perfectly nursing Winter while making silly faces with these goofs!

Thanks for stopping by

–

Ashlee

What we like to do on the weekends! Maybe we can give you some inspiration:

We live for the weekends. We love to nest up as we call it and cook. I’ll share some recipes we love making on a blog post later. We also love to be outside when the weather is nice. The kids love the local parks, going for scooter/bike rides, we love hiking at a local state park and a trail near our house. I love letting kids be little and let them explore in nature. I think sometimes parents schedule way to many activities for their kids. Kids need to have free unstructured play!

Weekend park life

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Winter playing with a flower

Scooter rides.

Letting the boys explore and play in the creek.

Feeding the animals at Hillside Farms

Nothing is more fun for kids than playing in muddy puddles after the rain

or in the yard.

We love to cook on the weekend. We usually have a big breakfast on Sunday’s. Besides eggs and avocado toast we like to make chocolate pancakes with strawberry puree in them and top them with coconut flakes. We also like to get the kids involved in helping us make dinner. Build your own burgers, tacos, and pizza night is a favorite.

The boys were really into building their own pizza. They love rolling out the dough and picking their own toppings.

I am a soccer mom! Every Satuday in the spring and fall we are at the soccer field.

In the summer time we love hanging out at our pool!

Pumpkin patch in the fall.

In the comment section below tell me what you like to do with your family on the weekends?