Remember the Blur

 I stopped posting this year because things were out of control and I knew if I wrote about it at all, I wouldn't have much to say that I would want to read or remember later.  It's all rather a blur.  365 days of survival blur.  Truth be told, I feel like I'm kind of having an out of body experience to be on the flip side of crazy.  The trick now will be to not fill my hours with new crazy.

Here are a few things I, however, do not want to forget.

 Family is everything isn't it.

subject in observance finds a new and defiant way to protest

As luck would have it, the day Annie turned 2 also became the day she was oh so terrible. Usher in the terrible twos with a defiant nap refuser.  Over 3 hours of me trying to get her to sleep and twice I walked in to discover she had stripped down to her birthday suit!

As long as I didn't make her take a nap, she was a darling birthday girl.

She loved her new birthday outfit and was so excited for birthday photos.

 

A few days ago Annie said she wanted cupcakes (like the ones on her pj's).

Luckily (or lazily) the banners from Meg's bridal shower way back in May have remain intact.  I added our family Party pendent and Happy Birthday pendent, pulled out Annie's birthday posters, and WALLA, instant party decore!  Annie loved looking at her baby photos but she kept saying that most of them are Violet.

 

Annie invited Megan, Taylor, Mark, and Kell to watch her open presents.  It was a small birthday affair.

 Annie was most thrilled with a few new clothing items from Ma Indy (Grandma Cindy).  We were sad none of her grandparents could attend.

Mom and Annie open the big one.  It was difficult holding her off on this one all day. Three seconds after she woke up, she had opened 2 of her little presents so I had to lift all of her gifts way up high until her official party that night.

And the very next day...This is what Annie is doing right now on our back porch.   She is soaking wet and loving life.  The only problem is she keeps climbing up into the basin and trying to slide down the mini water slide.

 

 Of course I can't leave you without a Violet update.  Here she is today during a rare moment when she was awake.  She is doing so much better since I eliminated dairy (ug) and it has only been 2 days.  I did, however, eat no less than 3 of Annie's cupcakes so this respite may end.  Still fussy but not like before.  I do have a feeling it's going to be another all-nighter with her day-long nap today.  Wish us luck.  I need to make it to church tomorrow now that I am finally feeling normal.  It is just so tempting to stay home during that time since it is the only time Violet usually sleeps well and I can send Annie away with Q.  I can't believe I've come to this.

I just want to snuggle this little bundle all day!  Hmm- A few last weeks or freedom.  I think I will.

We have a beautiful baby!

 After much trial and traumatic tribulation,
 we finally convinced our baby to join us!

 

I'll spare you the details because, let's face it, I wouldn't want to hear them, but suffice it to say, delivery was rough.  It wasn't quite Breaking Dawn, but it was close.  I couldn't even hold our perfect baby until the next day.  Lots of blood and guts.  Lots of labor (15 hours), lots of recovery still ahead.  Ouch!

Thank heaven I had some awesome designer hospital gowns to make me feel a little better.

 Annie was a trooper.  Q and I went in @ 9:00 am.  Annie arrived about 6 pm, but we still didn't have the baby until after 11 pm.  Even then, baby and I had to get patched up for over an hour after delivery so Annie didn't get to meet the new baby until after 1 am.

 Introducing: VIOLET PAULINE HADLEY

We are once again shocked to be bringing a girl home to a room full of blue!

Violet isn't even a name we carried in our back pockets, but Violet it is.  7.3 and 20 inches.

 Violet was born 6.26.2012 but I was basically delirious and outright hammered for a while so we didn't grab this photo until the next night.  Q has a house full of girls to protect now.  We are so excited!  Quite a bit of recovery ahead, but we are heading home within the hour. Good luck to us and plenty of photos to come but for now we wanted to post at least something since we've been so secluded (and sedated) these last 3 days.

Love you all and thank you for your prayers.

We really couldn't have made it to today without them!