Here we go...I have thought for many years that I needed to keep a journal...so here is my attempt. I know against my husbands advice this blog will contain many grammar/punctuation errors. So do not expect either a grammatically or even politically correct blog.
A little history to the Lovingood family as we know it today. In August 2006 a dear friend of mine said "I have a guy that I think you should meet". She knew that I had just come out of a 4 year relationship just about 2 months earlier. I was so not looking to jump into anything. However, I took her advice and started talking to this guy by the name of Branham Lumsden Lovingood on the phone. He sounded appealing, Maryville College graduate, had a full time job, owned and lived in a condo in Sequoyah Hills. We talked for a week or so (of course I don't remember how long) and then he ask me to meet him at Puleos Grill in Knoxville one Sunday evening. I was actually early for the date and ended up parking in the Best Buy parking lot to waste some time. (He also parked somewhere to waste some time) About 10 minutes before it was time for us to meet I pulled into the parking lot but waited in my car over to the side thinking..."should I go in or should I go home?". All of a sudden I saw a black SUV pull in to the parking lot (I had no idea what he drove) and a single male got out of the car. I noticed that he was sorta bent over, walking fast while shuffling his feet wearing a solid polio colored shirt, cord tan pants and suede slide-in loafer shoes (may I add this is the middle of summer and he is wearing cord pants and suede shoes) walking toward the restaurant. I just somehow knew that had to be him. I worked up enough courage to walk in and there he was. I do believe that when I walked in he stood up and shook my hand saying "Hi, I am Branham Lovingood". We proceeded to eat...I mostly picked. I will never forget I had already looked online at the menu and picked what I was going to order. My plan was or order Chicken Pot Pie, make a small hole in the crust and he would never know how much I ate. Well, that plan failed!! Their pot pie is just a big piece of bread in the middle of the plate with the inside goodness surrounding it. I cannot tell you how many times he ask me...are you not hungry...do you not want some bread...do you want desert. No, No, No I didn't want anything! The date ended successfully...however another funny from the night was while we were in the parking lot saying our goodbyes in a nervous movement he kicked his shoe off once again drawing attention to his suede Birkenstock clogs. As soon as I got in the car I had to call the "I want to set you up" friend Mrs. Laura Foster Webber and fill her in on every single aspect of the night. We continued to talk and email back and forth until we had a small week hiatus...because I had a Kidney Stone and was so under the influence I could not keep my eyes open much less carry on a conversation. I forgot to mention that every email that I sent was proof read by not only my mother but also NICU co-workers and without him knowing his emails were shared word for word with everyone too. The dating relationship progressed rather fast...our First date was in August...we got Engaged December 15th and got Married June 9th 2007.
In January 2008 we found out we were pregnant but miscarried that precious little baby when he/she was only 8 weeks old.
In September 2008 we found out we were pregnant again and our lives were forever changed May 11th, 2009 with the birth of Anderson Gaines Lovingood. After a post-date induction that lasted 27 hours with 2 hours and 42 minutes of pushing he made his screaming appearance into this world. He is an awesome little guy who is a momma's boy most of the time (unless he is mad at his mom or his daddy is doing anything outside).
In June 2011 we found out we were pregnant again and our lives were changed once again on January 26th, 2012 with the birth of Wilson Thomas Lovingood. After another induction which only lasted 11 hours and 7 minutes of pushing he made his what turned out to be a traumatic appearance into this world. He had shoulder dystocia (where his right shoulder got stuck under my pubic symphysis after his head was already delivered) which resulted in a broken right clavicle aka collar bone. After a check up with the Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon we were given encouraging news that there was nothing that needed to be done to help him heal. In his words "Do whatever makes him comfortable for about the next 3-4 weeks". Well, that meant that I would have to hold him non-stop while applying slight pressure against his arm...24/7. I guess that was a good excuse to hold him...however, turned out to be rather difficult since having a needy 2 year old in the house.
As of today things are going great. Anderson is mostly sleeping in his bed all night and Wilson is sleeping beside our bed. He still wakes up every 4 hours at night to eat. I have less than one week before I return to work. I am dreading it so bad. Not the work part, I love my job...but having to leave the boys.
My favorite job is also my most difficult job...being a mommy!
I LOVE BEING A MOM!!
