April's Birthday:

Repost of Monday, September 19, 2011

 

September 19, 1985:

Birth info wrote by April in scrapbook:

Surprise, it's a girl!!!
Mommy and baby coming home from the hospital: Outfit bought by Daddy.
Protective big brothers:Chad with the little sister he wanted: He had stated he already had a brother, he needed a sister.
Todd meeting little sister: Even though he claimed he wanted a little brother, he was and still is totally in awe of his little sister.
Daddy, with Chad's help giving first bath:

1st Birthday:
Twenty-six years ago I got the surprise of my life. Pregnant with my third child and back in the dark ages of no ultra-sounds unless absolutely necessary, we did not know the sex of our baby. My doctor's guess all along was another boy. Jeffrey Dwayne was due October 4th, 1985.
Well, little Miss April Lee surprised us two weeks early on September 19th, 1985. I don't have the picture at work with me of Dwayne and I holding her right after her birth, but we are smiling ear to ear and the picture of April looks like she was smiling also.
My children's birth is somewhat related to their tempramate. Chad was due December 12th and promptly arrived that day. Growing up, Chad was always right on schedule. Todd was due April 4th and did not arrive until April 17th, two weeks late. Growing up, he was usually late getting up, in no hurry, etc.
April was two weeks early. She has always wanted to be on time for everything, follow the rules (generally) and great organization skills.
I think in adult life the boys may have swapped a bit, as Chad is usually late for family dinners (although this year he was gone back to being very punctual) and Todd is always on time.
My pregnancy with April was very difficult. I wasn't sick so much, but had problems though out the pregnancy. My friends joked that now I knew what it was like to be pregnant as my pregnancies with the boys were so easy and no sickness. I pretty much felt great.
My labor with April was horrible (no epidurals, I was stupid with all three and went natural. Dumb!!) Labor started around 4 a.m. and we arrived at the hospital I think around 7 a.m. The day kept getting worse and worse. If I hadn't had her by that evening, we were going in for a c-section. I wanted a girl so bad but I remember by mid-afternoon thinking, I don't care what I have, please just make it go away. I was totally exhausted and didn't think I would ever make it to delivery. Finally, at 6:53 p.m., we welcomed a baby girl into the world. I don't know who was more surprised, Doctor John or Dwayne and I. We were elated!! The name, April Lee was picked out before we were even married.
Even after her birth, I thought I'm so tired, I will fall asleep the minute I get to a room. No!! I was so excited, I was calling everyone and at 1 a.m. the next morning I was still wide awake. The nurse decided I needed a sleeping pill and to get some much needed rest. My mouth hurt as I went to sleep from grinning so much.
We had always planned on four children, regardless of boys, girls, or both. So, even that day, we still planned on in a few years of having either Jeffrey Dwayne or Arin Rebecca. My body decided the third labor and delivery was just too much. A couple years later we learned a fourth pregnancy/delivery was just jeopardizing my health. Our family was complete with three children. God is in charge and his birth order of our children could not be more perfect.
While I was in the hospital, proud daddy went to Strawberry Patch (which was an expensive children's shop in Rolla at the time) and bought April's outfit to come home in. A beautiful lavender print dress set with shoes to match. That was Dwayne's job each birth to buy the outfit to come home in. He did a great job all three times.
Our baby girl has turned into a beautiful, (inside and out) young lady we are very proud of.

Our daughter, 26 years later:
Guess we'll keep her! lol

Happy Birthday, April Lee!!

I (and Dwayne) are very grateful for our daughter, our two precious sons and the life we have.

2013:  Now we are looking forward to the birth of our first grandchild in a couple weeks.  This baby's gender will be as much of a surprise as April's was.

Mom and April's Birthday Dinner Weekend:

Saturday:

April and I went shopping and out to lunch at the lake.  Since we've been to some very nice thrift stores, we can't seem to pay full price on an item.  Nice new hobby!

Sunday:

Since April was one, I've had a huge birthday dinner for her and Mom since their birthdays are a day apart; Mom the 18th and April on the 19th.

We've always included Dwayne's family and it always turns out to be a huge reunion.  We really miss Grandma and Grandpa Elrod, lots of memories.  David came down this year by himself, the boys all had other fall plans for the weekend.

All five of us kids were present and I meant to get a family picture done but with overseeing dinner, visiting, etc. forgot all about it until everyone was gone.

My pictures aren't very clear as they're from my cell phone.  My camera is broken and I really need to get a new one before the baby is born.

 

 

April opening her cards and gifts.

 

Judy praying for Mom and April's birthdays.  Birthday people and whomever prays for the day gets to go first.

 

Table Talk...

Our dear little Ashlyne:

 

Judy, Russ -  Kristin, Ashlyne, Shannon and Wayne

Gavin, Zach, Tony, Todd, Chad and Michael

I am so grateful to once again be able to celebrate Mom and April's birthday dinner with family; some we don't get to see often so it makes it extra special.

Wordless Wednesday:

36th Anniversary:

I am grateful for thirty-six years of marriage and three beautiful kids.  God knew what he was doing when he put us together.  Happy Anniversary, Mr. Dwayne.  (as Desmon calls him)

Friday Quote of the Day:

Afternoon Fun:

Lizzy:

Lizzy got off the bus at work today.  We're having a big night out on the town for her birthday.

Arby's and then a movie at the theater.  Dwayne said I shouldn't keep her out so late on a school night.  Ha!  He doesn't know me and Liz, your twelfth birthday only comes around once.

This little/big girl is something else.  I think she was born talking.  She has kept us entertained throughout the years and I look to many more years of fun with her.  Since April isn't at home, Lizzy is my occasional evening shopping buddy.

 

I am grateful for this wonderful great niece in my life.

Wordless Wednesday:

Weekend:

Friday:
April and I both had the afternoon off.  She met me in Vienna and we went to St. Roberts with the intent of going to the Other Mother's Store.  We couldn't find it so I stopped at (of all places) an urgent care center and went in to ask for directions.  At first they didn't know what I was talking about as I was asking directions to the Old Mother's Store!!  lol  Don't know why that came out of my mouth!  After them not knowing anything about an Old Mother's Store, I realized I needed to ask about Other Mother's Store.......  Talk about embarrassing!!  Unfortunately, the store had closed but they visited with me and told me I would have loved it and one lady's daughter bought a lot of used baby items there.  We had a nice visit while April waited patiently out in the car.  I do love to talk!
They did tell me there is an Other Mother's Store in Springfield and about another thrift shop there also.  April and I are getting into this thrift shopping so AFTER the baby is born, I think we will try going there.  We did very good at a thrift shop in Manchester a couple weeks ago. 
Dwayne had a sleep study scheduled Friday night so we didn't go to the fair.  Nathan came over and spent the night.  I had rented a movie Impossible to watch.  It was based on a true story about the tsunami.  Such a touching story and miraculous that this family was all reunited.  After Dwayne left, Nathan and I had hot chocolate with caramel syrup (very good) along with a snack while we watched one of his favorite shows.
Saturday:
We went to the parade.  Most of the family was there.  Katie had all three of her grand kids there and it was fun to watch them.  April came to the parade and then on over to the house.  She had been craving Maid-Rites, so we went to Rolla to eat.  Must not have been a good day as the Maid-Rites were all dried out and didn't have much flavor.
We went to a children's thrift store and April found a nice stroller for a very reasonable price.  I think thrifting is our new hobby.
That evening, Dwayne and I headed to the fair.  I think we go more for eating a good pork steak than anything else.  We went to see the fair exhibits.  I was talking to some people I hadn't seen in a long time and I look up and Dwayne is rolling this wagon with a HUGE watermelon in it.  He said he was taking it to the car.  I thought he was nuts! and just pretending to take the watermelon.  No, he was serious!!!  I don't know his first name, but his watermelon was the winner and belonged to a Buschman.  He gave it to Dwayne.  As I was leaving the building, I ran into Diane and Gene Helton coming in to see the huge watermelon they had been seeing growing along the road every day.  Whoops, too late as Dwayne was gone with it.
We watched the demolition derby with the Allen boys.  Nathan told me I needed a hair cut.  lol  Not sure why he thought that.  We called it an early night and went home.
Sunday:
I went to church and then home to start on side dishes for the kids coming over for supper.  But a nap won out first!!  Todd barbecued pork steaks; he does a good job.  We had Chad, Desmon, Todd, Tim, April and Mike for the evening.  It was so funny as we were eating, Tim said he hadn't seen April for awhile and wanted to see how big she was getting.  He said, I thought I would tell April she was getting huge but I figured she knew more than anyone how big she was getting!!  Way to go Tim, she was sitting across the table from you to hear.  We all got a big laugh out of that.
After eating, Dwayne sent Tim down to get the 110 pound watermelon.

We weren't sure how good it would be since it was so large.  It had a good flavor but seemed to be a bit stringy inside.  Later, Dwayne, Todd and Mike went around the neighborhood giving watermelon away.  We had a nice visit with our family.

Monday:

Not too much of a productive day.  Dwayne finished up with his work and I took a nap.  It was nice to have a day just relaxing.

 

I am grateful for family and the times we have together.