Avery Kait Huddleston is here!

Our second daughter, Avery Kait Huddleston, arrived on August 23rd at 3:16pm. Our hearts and hands are full here at the Huddleston house - Avery is the perfect completion of our family and we are all adjusting pretty well to her arrival.

My water broke around 2am on the 23rd. We called Jacob to come over and be with Carson while she was asleep until my parents could get in town. I went to the ER (only after hours option) and they confirmed my water broke (it was pretty obvious, haha). I was checked in and had my epidural by 3:30am. From there, they started me on pitocin to speed up contractions, as I will still only dilated to 2cm. Around lunch time they checked me and I was at a 4, but started feeling very painful contractions for about an hour. They checked me 45 min later and I was at a 10 and pretty uncomfortable! The anesthesiologist came back and upped my epidural dosage and added some other meds. I sat at a 10 for a little while to let the meds kick in, then it was time to push. Just five pushes later and Miss Avery was here!

7 pounds, 5 ounces
19 inches long

Big Sister Carson is doing wonderful and already has a sweet love for her little sister. She was very proud in the hospital and continues to be loving towards her at home. I pray that their relationship remains strong and supportive as they grow up.

Avery Kait,
What a blessing you are to our family. We have prayed for you for quite some time and feel an overwhelming sense of joy to have you in our family. Your daddy, sister and I love you so much and can't wait to get to know you as you grow up. We are committed to raising you in a way that is honoring to the Lord and by His grace. We pray that you will grow up to be a young women who loves Jesus, loves others and loves the church. Your sweetness is a welcome addition to our family and we love you to the moon and back.

Carson Ruby,
You have taken to the role of big sister so well and we are incredibly proud of you! At this age you are both sweet and sassy, incredibly smart and so much fun to be around. You are funny, rarely stop talking and enjoy snuggles. We are praying that you continue to feel just as loved now that we have a new baby and that most importantly you understand the deep love Jesus has for you, sweet girl. Carson you are a joy for both your daddy and I and I'm confident Avery will continue to look up to you as you both grow older. We love you to pieces and the moon and back, Carson.

Carson: Age 3

A little late here, but Carson turned three in May! She brings us and so many others incredible amounts of joy. Sean and I often remark how quickly time passes and that three years flew by, but also how we can't really remember what life was like "BC - Before Carson." 

At age three:

- She loves to: skip naps, do craft projects/color, play dress up, watch princess movies  

- Some of her favorite people are: Studpa (my dad) and Nanny (my mom), her daddy

- Her best friends are: Aspen, Caroline, Levi

- She likes to eat: Macaroni and cheese, waffles, milk, most fruits

- She is incredibly smart and picks up on new skills very quickly. Her teachers often comment on her sharp she is. She knows most Bible stories by heart and we work with her on scripture memory as well. If Sean and I had to guess right now what she might be when she grows up, we would say a doctor or nurse. She's very bright, but also compassionate and caring. 

- She wants to be a cowgirl when she grows up and loves all things horse related

For her birthday party we had friends and family over for Pancakes and Pajamas. It was a cute theme that worked pretty well for little friends. We are thankful to everyone who came to help us celebrate!

My friend Lindsay made her cake -- isn't is awesome?! It tasted as good as it looked.

Kiddo table. Most of these kids are from our small group, but a couple from school/family.

Little cutie about to blow out her candle. This girl loves anything sweet! Some of her birthday gifts this year included: bike, scooter, play doh sets, outdoor toys, princess outfits, and play camping gear. My parents and Sean and I tried to focus on experiential gifts, so we got her a pony ride and my parents got her some memberships (summer pool and a play place nearby).

The day after her birthday she woke up and asked me why she wasn't four years old. :)

Carson Ruby, 

Being with you is one of my most favorite things. Whether we are just snuggling on the couch or playing at the park, you are a light to those around you. You get your strong will from your mama and your sense of humor and wit from your dad. You are sharp as a tack and nothing gets past you -- it's actually pretty amazing sometimes. We are confident you are going to do amazing things with your life and are so thankful we get to witness you grow up and be used by God. Carson, never forget how much you are loved by us -- to the moon and back! 

31 weeks and her name: Avery Kait!

Well, the second trimester of this pregnancy was seemingly over just as it started. It was full of making fun memories like Carson's 3rd birthday, a family trip to Gulf Shores and lots of swimming at the pool. My nesting phase has just started to kick in and we will be painting Avery's room in the next couple of weeks. Having another girl feels pretty natural to me and I'm excited to get the opportunity to reuse some of the same clothing, bedding, etc. Big sister Carson is doing very well with the idea of a new baby and often asks if they can please share a room. She is inclusive of Avery in family discussions, talks to her in my belly and is pretty confident she will be the first to hold her. We will see what it's like when baby is actually here, but so far her attitude has been an answered prayer. 

How far along: 31 weeks

Gender: A girl! Avery Kait Huddleston

Maternity clothes: Mostly yes for bottoms, or leggings. Tops are a mix.

Weight gain: 16 lb, a little more than with Carson but not too far off

Movement: All the time. More rolling motions and lots of hiccups.

Sleep: Pretty well still. I don't last in any position for very long, but a body pillow helps. 

Symptoms: By the end of the day I'm spent. Somehow I feel like my belly doubles in size throughout the day. Other than tiredness and some mild swelling at the end of the day, no remarkable symptoms to speak of.

Best moment this week: We just got back from a trip to the beach. We dubbed it "Big Sis Make A Wish" -- she's been asking to go to the beach pretty much every day for six months, so we spend a few days in Gulf Shores. She loved playing in the sand and was a little fish in the swimming pools. 

Sweet Avery, we are spending a lot of time in prayer and discussion preparing our hearts and home for your arrival. Your daddy, sister and I are all looking forward to meeting you soon and showing you off to our family and friends. Avery, your middle name is Kait -- you are named after your daddy's cousin (and my best friend) Kaitlyn and we hope that you exhibit many of the character qualities she has. Kaitlyn is loyal, honest, one of the funniest people we know, and a woman who loves Jesus and her family well. When picking someone in our family to name you after, this was an easy decision. You are loved by many already and we look forward to celebrating your arrival in the next couple of months. We are confident you are the perfect addition to our team and a gift from God. Love you, sweet girl. 

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Sugar and Spice and Everything Twice

The Huddleston Family is growing and it's another girl! We are over the moon and can't wait to meet our newest addition later this Summer (due August 26th)

A few important memories of this pregnancy so far:

- I found out I was pregnant just before Christmas. I got a positive test moments after I finished reading the entire Bible in a year and cried some pretty big tears of thankfulness.
- Carson is pumped. She's been into babies since a very young age and is excited to have one of her own. She includes little sister in family conversations and also thinks she may also have a belly in her tummy to match mine.
- Much sicker this time around -- about 16 weeks of nausea. I've turned a corner here and am very thankful!
- My thyroid meds have had to be changed a few times. We are monitoring it closely and the obgyn isn't concerned, so I won't be either.

How far along: 17 weeks

Gender: A girl! We are close to a name selection.

Maternity clothes: I for sure feel bigger than I look. Started the old hair tie trick this week.

Weight gain: None yet, but I'm sure I'm just around the corner.

Movement: Yes, I mostly notice them when I'm still. Sean felt a little kick this week, too. 

Sleep: Lots of it. Sleeping like a champ so far. Sean says I snore a lot more when I'm pregnant and I have crazier dreams. He said I was talking about nachos last night. :)

Symptoms: I've been much sicker this pregnancy than the last, but the past week or two have been much better. My main symptoms are a growing belly, food aversions and sensitivity to citrus. I'm also pretty sensitive and weepy.

Best moment this week: We celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary this week with a date night while Carson had her first sleepover. Very thankful for Sean and the way he cares for me and the girls. He's been a champ since I was so sick for much of early pregnancy.

Sweet baby girl, 

Little miss, we are filled with love and thankfulness for your precious life and look forward to you completing our family. I'll go ahead and warn you that your big sister might smother you with kisses a bit when you first arrive. I hope the two of you become life long friends. When we found out you were a girl, I was surprised but your daddy says he knew all along. He is very excited to be a daddy to two girls! We love you so much and are praying for the rest of this pregnancy to go smoothly. We are thankful for the opportunity to grow our family and think you will be the perfect fit! Looking forward to life full of loving you and your sissy. 

Love, 

Mommy