Gibbys Place

Blog is MOVING!

noreply@blogger.com (LGibbs) — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 15:17:00 +0000

http://thegibbslife.wordpress.com/

Hi everyone! This blog is moving! :) Check out the new link above and you can follow us at this new link. New look and feel. Much esier for me to use and hopefully you too! :)

2014 Starting Off Content

noreply@blogger.com (LGibbs) — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 17:47:00 +0000

The new year is off to a great start! 2013 was a year of discovery of who we are as a family and where we want to be in the near future. Ray and I worked to be on the same page about money and other topics so this year we are starting to tackle tough challenges as a team. I can't tell you how awesome it feels to know that we are working toward the same goals!

We had lots of "firsts" with Parker in 2013. Being 2 years old he was able to do more and really enjoy new places and people. Now that he is 3 years old and the new year has started we are excited to see what great "firsts" we can find this year to enjoy as a family. We have a big adventure coming up in February!! Lots of exciting things to come.

Ray and I have been reading a lot. When I mean a lot I mean we didn't read at all before so anything is an improvement. We are mainly focused on books and blogs to help us with our financial health as well as living with less to have more. It's been very therapeutic and enlightening.

We have lots of changes coming in 2014 and we hope that you will help us on our jorney and support us anyway you can!

We are learning to be content with what we have and what we have it great friends and family who love and support us.

Zoo Lights & Train at Library

noreply@blogger.com (LGibbs) — Sun, 29 Dec 2013 21:36:00 +0000

Having a Columbus Zoo membership is a true blessing! We are able to go to the zoo anytime and spend as little or as much time as we would like!! We love going to see the Winter Lights. It was cold but that is expected in December in Ohio. We had a great family night at the zoo!

The next day we ventured downtown to the Columbus Main Library. They had a train on display during the holidays. We took Parker last year and he loved it. He could see over the fence and this year he was able to see everything on his own! :)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Winter Break Fun: Randoms!

noreply@blogger.com (LGibbs) — Sat, 28 Dec 2013 22:32:00 +0000

After Christmas we had some random fun times! Parker got a build a fort set from Uncle Jimmy. It was a big hit. The for they built was barely big enough for Parker and then he made daddy join him. And then Parker wanted to build puzzles inside the fort.

Parker took a bath in our big tub and he is just being his normal cute self! :)

We took a trip to visit Natalie, Carter and Jackson! Sarah and Barrett where there too. Hoping to get the group pics soon! :)

Parker loves baby Jackson! Can you see the love on Parker's face?? He was mad because we had to leave. :)

Who doesn't love a kid in a white undershirt?? :) Parker helped Grandma Terry pack for Hawaii!! He loved playing with the suitcase was has the spinny wheels! The day before Grandma Terry and Popa left for Hawaii we went to lunch and wished them well!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Christmas 2013

noreply@blogger.com (LGibbs) — Thu, 26 Dec 2013 21:30:00 +0000

We had a great Christmas! We spent time with family and friends and relaxed. We hosted Christmas Eve dinner at our house this year for the Gibbs family. It was my first time making a ham and I was pleasantly surprised that it turned out so well. Everyone enjoy good food and quality family time. All of the kids had a great time playing!

Opening gifts :)

Trent, Chris and Kenda

On Christmas morning Grandma Terry and Popa came over. Parker opened his gifts and then we ate all-day-long! Uncle Jimmy came over later in the day for round two of Parker opening gifts. It was a very relaxing day. We loved every stress-free minute!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

The Polar Express 2013

noreply@blogger.com (LGibbs) — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 21:28:00 +0000

For Christmas Grandma Schupp treated her entire family to tickets for The Polar Express! There where 30 total family members that rode the train. It was a FANTASTIC experience. The kids LOVED every minute!!

My parents came too so we decided to rent a van. It decided to ran VERY hard on the drive to and from Dennison Ohio. The trip was about 2.5 hours each way. The weather could have been worse, it could have been snow!! It did clear just long enough for us to stand outside and wait for the train. We where very lucky.

Parker and Popa being silly!

Parker received new pajamas from his elf Chuck! They have the airplanes from Planes movie!

Parker loved spending time with his extended family. Cooper was so much fun!!

Parker, daddy and Grandma Schupp! Such a great time!

The magic!

Hot chocolate, fun games, sing-a-longs and lots of memories!

Thank you Grandma Schupp and to Aunt Jackie for helping plan everything!! Love you all!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Winter Fun!

noreply@blogger.com (LGibbs) — Sat, 21 Dec 2013 02:23:00 +0000

Here are a collection of pics of events before Christmas. It was a busy month!

Parker had a special visitor waiting for him the same day he ran into Santa! He named his elf, Chuck-E-Cheese but we will call him Chuck for short. Parker literally ran into Santa during a visit to the donut house with his Popa. They are regulars and happen to run into Santa on their visit.

Grandma Terry and mommy made Parker a felt Christmas tree that he could decorate over and over again!

Daddy reading books to an audience! :)

Parker was trying so hard to tie this dog's shoes :)

Parker and mommy being silly!

Parker got a new super cool hat! We LOVE it!!

And the annual school Holiday Program! Parker learned so many new songs and did a great job singing them all!! He was super cute!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Emergency Fund

noreply@blogger.com (LGibbs) — Mon, 16 Dec 2013 21:11:00 +0000

At the beginning of our third month on a budget our dishwasher decided to start leaking. We had established a small emergency fund so that IF something came up during our money makeover we would have it covered. Luckily we had enough to cover the new dishwasher. Ray used his employee discount to save us a good chunk of change. He then put his handyman skills to good use by installing it himself. Parker helped too!

Doing dishes by hand was an inconvenience but not the end of the world. Don't get me wrong I was very thankful once the new one was installed and working. We were back in action before the holidays!! It felt great to have cash set aside to make this purchase. That was a big step for us!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Hot Chocolate & Craft Time

noreply@blogger.com (LGibbs) — Sun, 15 Dec 2013 18:09:00 +0000

Winter in Ohio can be a little crazy. We decided the best way to pass the time was to drink hot chocolate and be crafty!

The elephant mug was mine when I was little. My dad painted it for me and my name is on the trunk. Parker loved it!!

Pinterest is our favorite place! Ok, so it' my favorite and the family just has to deal with it!! :) Parker helped make a snowman for his bedroom door and then worked on designing one of a kind place settings for his grandparents. They plates where a hit with the grandparents!! :)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

What Are We Saving For?

noreply@blogger.com (LGibbs) — Fri, 13 Dec 2013 22:05:00 +0000

We currently lease both of our cars. Did I mention we leased these cars on the same day? Yeah, double stupid tax being paid here!! Needless to say we are counting down until our leases are up, January 26, 2015. We can't sell our cars, we would have too much negative equity. So we are going to stick it out and just save!

The current plan is to save as much money as we possibly can and purchase two cars. Ray drives less than 10 miles a day to and from work. He is a car guy but knows that having an in expensive and paid for car is better for everyone. I drive a little further to work and we want to have a bigger more reliable car for the family. I will be getting a minivan! I will put it on the table now so it's not a surprise to anyone later. :)

A great friend told me, "The best time to look for and buy a used vehicle is when you don't need one!" We are currently looking so we have an idea of what is out there. It's exciting to have a plan and working the plan. We know what we want and we are going after it!!

Any car recommendations??

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Life Skills: Undressing Yourself

noreply@blogger.com (LGibbs) — Sun, 08 Dec 2013 19:46:00 +0000

We like to make things fun! Parker loves to do everything himself especially dressing and undressing. So we made it a fun game! :)

YouTube Video

He is going to love to watch these videos when he is a teenager! :)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Making Memories with Popa & Grandma Terry

noreply@blogger.com (LGibbs) — Sun, 08 Dec 2013 14:59:00 +0000

Parker loves helping in the kitchen. Popa and Grandma Terry let him help make eggies at their house. So when they came to our house to make dinner he jumped right in. Popa loves to help Parker learn new things. The video cracks me up everytime!

YouTube Video

I am so grateful that Parker has loving family that want to make memories! These experiences will last a life time! :)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Parker being Parker :)

noreply@blogger.com (LGibbs) — Sat, 07 Dec 2013 15:51:00 +0000

Here is a silly collection of Parker being Parker! :)

He loves his light up turtle that Uncle Jimmy got him. Love these pics

Parker + Pudding = cute

Warmer November allowed us time to play outside. Swings were taken down for the winter but the slide still works.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Second Month of Having a Plan

noreply@blogger.com (LGibbs) — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 19:24:00 +0000

Wow, it's December 2nd already! Time flies when you are having fun!! We have finished our 2nd month of being on a budget and actually having a plan! If you didn't read my first post click here to read from the beginning.

We started our journey on October 1, 2013. The first month we had to figure out how to work together and to communicate how we would spend out money. We also used this time to change habits and communicate with friends and family. For me it was letting co-workers and friends know that eating out was no longer a first option of visiting and catching up. I had to ask my lunch dates if it would be OK if we packed lunches and visited that way instead of dining out. If dinner plans had already been made I kept those plans and took the opportunity to fill friends in on the life changes we were making as a family. So far so good!

They say changing or creating a new habit takes 21 days. It's now been 60 days since we started and I have to say many new habits have been formed and many old ones have gone by the way side. Here is a run down of our changes...

- Have not bought soda for the house in 60-days

- We have been soda free for 30-days, we have them on occasion if provided at an event. Not totally soda free but maybe 1 a week if that. Pretty good either way! :)

- We (Ray & I) have both lost weight. I have dropped 10lbs and Ray has dropped a belt notch! Ray doesn't weigh himself so measurement is a bit different :)

- We all have new Nalgene water bottles that we use on a daily basis.

- In the month of November we ate out ONCE! This was for Parker's birthday, so a good reason to celebrate!

- We started a food calendar to track our meals in hopes we can build a calendar for the future with past data :)

- We have been shopping at Aldi's for 90% of our food and the other 10% (meat/chicken/lunch meat) at another local grocery. I have been trying out and comparing Giant Eagle, Kroger & Sam's for meat.

The first month was tough. The second month has been easier. The third month includes Christmas. The difference from month to month doesn't scare me anymore because we have a plan. We are talking and communicating more than ever before. Now that we have a plan all we need to do is execute the plan. I want to list all of the items we won't be doing this Christmas but I want to make sure I am perfectly clear that we are not really giving up anything but in turn gaining our sanity back and planning for our future. The "to-do" list around the holidays can be crazy and for us enough is enough...

* No mailing of Christmas cards. Might do a yearly recap here and email out to everyone.

* No gifts. OK, so Parker is getting one big gift that will save our sanity but that is it. No gifts. This also means no wrapping paper, no gift tags, no tape. We have plenty from years past.

* No new decorations, use what we have and make the rest with stuff we've got! Pinterest is good for new ideas on using old things. It can also drive you batty wanting to buy new things but I am using it for "up cycling"

In general my sanity will be spared. Ray won't worry about the credit card bills that would pile up in the coming months. Parker gets happy parents who love him unconditionally and are trying to teach him that it's not about the PILE of presents you receive. We are very excited to have completed our second month and to be starting the third month on the right foot, with the right attitude and a plan!

Parker is 3!

noreply@blogger.com (LGibbs) — Wed, 20 Nov 2013 17:34:00 +0000

Our little boy isn't so little! Parker is 3 years old now!!

He had a great birthday party with friends and family. He loved his Spiderman cupcake holders and loved all of his gifts. It was fun having his party at our house.

Parker is a smart cookie! Here are his favorite things to say and do right now:

- Seriously mommy, seriously! (yes he learned that from me)

- He loves to pretend to make food

- He will follow along with TV shows when they ask the audience questions

- He loves the movie Rio

- He loves to sing and dance, mostly sing. He will make up random songs and sing them when ever and where ever he is (example below)

- He loves to give random hugs and kisses

- He also likes to act out scenes with his Spiderman and Batman figures.

YouTube Video

Below are pics of Parker and his BFF Brycen. We took cookies to daycare for Brycen's birthday. We ended up doing this a day early but we wanted to be the first to wish Brycen a happy 3rd birthday!!

Parker's actual birthday fell on a Wednesday so we decided to treat him and us to dinner out! We went to Fusion Japanese Restaurant. It a guaranteed win since it's dinner and entertainment. Parker loves eating with his chop sticks, loves the eggies and he especially loves the "yum yum" sauce! Great time had by all!!

I also don't want to forget to also note a few other items about Parker at the ripe old age of 3! :)

- He weights 35lbs

- He is 37.5 inches tall

- He can now stand up and pee. He now clears the toilet :)

- He was discharged from the cardiology unit at Children's Hospital. He is healthy and no need to go back!

- He checks multiple times a day to make sure no one has taken is "junk" (private parts). Dr says this is normal! :)

Looking for FREE!

noreply@blogger.com (LGibbs) — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 16:22:00 +0000

I have a need to shop and to work on projects. So to fill this need I have turned to looking for free projects. I am not ashamed to say I look for items people are throwing away, I am a trash picker! :) Here are some items that we have literally picked out of the trash and transformed into something new for our home! :)

Parker loves his new school desk. It's been a great addition to our office.

Who knew that an old print drawer could look so nice!! His cars look great hanging on the wall.

The plant stand has been spray painted brown and looks brand new now. In the spring it will have flowers :)

This table to picked from a friends Facebook post. Now it has a new home and repourposed!

I have found a new way to have projects on a budget!! Anything you want to give-a-way you just let me know!!

Hotel Gibbs

noreply@blogger.com (LGibbs) — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 22:49:00 +0000

At the end of September we had some special house guests. Uncle Larry, Aunt Suzie and Bella came to stay with us. Larry and Suzie has just sold their home in Rhode Island and needed a place to stay before relocating to Hawaii!! Parker loved Bella (the dog) but after two weeks still wouldn't get hear her. She is the best dog ever but Parker didn't believe us. :)

Parker loved having new friends at the house. He was so excited to see everyone and misses them very much. It's never a dull moment with this group so needless to say we had a great memorable time!! :)

Parker loves his Aunt Suzie so much! He talks about them often and can't wait to see them in Hawaii!! :)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Fall Fun!

noreply@blogger.com (LGibbs) — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 21:48:00 +0000

The weather this Fall was warm then cold. Mother Nature couldn't make up her mind. We took advantage of the nice days by getting out and exploring some local events. Parker also took a field trip with school to a pumpkin patch. He picked out his favorite pumpkin and brought home lots of straw in his pockets!! He had a great time!

We also went to a local Monster Truck event. The family who owns Sampson Monster truck lives in Circleville Ohio. They open their property for a day for visitors to see the trucks up close and personal. Parker loved being about to see and touch the trucks.

Parker loves craft time. He loves using cutters and glue. We used a battery operated t-light candle to illuminate his creation.

We decided to take a Friday off work and school to enjoy a family fun day. We went to the Circleville Pumpkin show in the morning. Ray and I hadn't been in a very long time. Now I remember why we didn't go back. There were blocks and blocks of food and a small area of pumpkins. Seeing we are trying to save money spending tons on food was not in our plan. So we walked the whole event and then headed home. It was a nice morning so we enjoyed the drive and the walk :)

That evening we went to the Columbus Zoo for Boo at the Zoo. It was a BEAUTIFUL night. The weather was perfect!! Everyone loved Parker's costume. Our little Buzz Lightyear was a hit!! As you can see he was super cute.

Halloween night ended up being a rainy cold mess so we didn't go trick-or-treating. Parker had gotten treats from school and from our neighbors so that was enough for us. We had a great Fall!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Plastic Surgery

noreply@blogger.com (LGibbs) — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 17:57:00 +0000

Not the kind you are thinking! But yes we have had "plastic surgery".

It takes a lot of strength to admit you have a problem. Ray and I are facing this problem head on and taking control of our financials. People have asked me why I feel the need to share online and for me the answer is simple. I hope to help others. I hope that by sharing our story others in similar situations will find that they are not alone. We all struggle with different aspects of our lives and knowing that you are not the only one can bring peace and hopefully a call to action.

So back to plastic surgery. When I showed a long time friend my "jar of terror" she ask, so how long have you been saving credit cards to put in this jar? My answer, "Oh we just cut them up last week!" She was surprised to say the least. (this is a pint size mason jar)

We had Target, Best Buy (of course) 2 kinds, Citi Bank, Discover, Menards, Babies R Us, Chase, American Express, Lowe's, and ok you get the point. We had lots. We have good jobs and make good money but it's going out as fast as it's coming in! Spending/charging was just a way of life. Past tense, "was"!

Little did I know that not being on the same page about money was cracking the foundation of my marriage. Ray and I have been married for 10 years. I was 23 years old and we didn't discuss how we would save or spend money. We have been navigating the waters of life together for over 15 years total so we have really grown up together. Neither of us really knew how to plan for our future. Ray is self taugh in learning what not to do with money by learning from the mistakes of others. I have always made "good" money during each stange of my life but I didn't REALLY know what to do and not do with money. Our marriage is strong but something like money can eat away if not addressed and on the same page. We are good but it could have contiued down a bad path leading to a not so good ending.

Money is not the root of all evil, your attitude in which you view and use money is. I grew up in a modest home with hard working parents. We didn't "live it up". I never saw my family as being poor. I just knew there were things I would have to live without or buy on my own. I started my first job at the young age of 15 years old. I worked all through high school. I went to college and paid for it on my own. I started working at the college I was attending two years into my degree. The majority of my college was paid for in benefits but the first two years were not. I didn't know you could pay cash I just thought EVERYONE took out student loans. I always pictured my life as having student loan payments, having a car payment, having a house payment and charging everything I needed. Who carries cash?? Just charge it!!

Wow, my attitude and view of money recently just came to a fork in the road. Either I start to face the girl in the mirror who has a problem or loose everything I worked so hard for. I have decided to go down the path of correcting the problem and keeping everything I have worked for. This is the first step. I am admitting I have a problem. There are no more excuses. The spending just has to stop. Everyone's view of a "problem" is different and some situtations are more diar than others. Either way it's a problem and it needs to be fixed.

Ever heard of Dave Ramsey? Well, I had seen people posting money saving tips on Pinterest, ya ok I will pin that and look later. Dave Ramsey's name kept coming up. I would see friends on Facebook posting links to tips and again on Pinterest. Something drove me to do a search for his book at the Columbus Library. I reserved all of the books I could via ebooks and then requested the others in hardcopies. I then saw that "Total Money Make Over" book had recently been republished in September 2013. I went to iTunes and bought the book. I knew that if I though this book was good then Ray would want to read it too. I read the book in about a week and then Ray read it in about two days!! We FINALLY had a place to start. We needed a starting line. We needed a fresh start. We needed to forget the past (but remembering and learning from it). WE needed a plan!! We now have all of these things.

Dave's books are worth every penny. They are not rocket science. They make sense. They are not a get rich quick scam. They are for real people with real lives. I would recommend that anyone in any situation read his books. Borrow them from the library. Go to Half Price Books do what you can to just read the books. We just started our journey but I can say that the past month has been the best month in our marriage in a long time. It's amazing what a little extra communication can do for a marriage!! We will need to work this plan for the rest of our lives. This is a journey and not a destination. Sure we will hit milestones but we will have to stay the course. This is a lifestyle change.

The definition of instanity, defined by some, is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. We are taking control and making changes! More to come on this journey...

To end with a quote from Dave Ramsey, "If you live like no one else, later you can live like no one else."

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Happy Birthday Ray!

noreply@blogger.com (LGibbs) — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 02:07:00 +0000

Happy Birthday Ray! Here is to another great year!!

What a difference a day makes! Here is Parker wishing Daddy a Happy Birthday!

YouTube Video

Here is a link to Parker wishing Daddy a Happy Birthday when he was almost 2 years old!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Family Time: Johanna is 1!

noreply@blogger.com (LGibbs) — Sat, 28 Sep 2013 20:50:00 +0000

Johanna is Parker's second cousin. She turned one year old and we all came out to celebrate!! It was a beautiful day even though it rained! :) The kids all had a great time. Parker also played with another second cousin, Wesley.

The kids made it out into the rain. They were soaked but loved every minute. Parker ended up in his underwear for the end of the party. You know you had a great time when you end the party in your underwear!! ;)

We loved spending time with family. We don't get to do this enough but when we do lots of memories are created! :)

And on the way home he passed out!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

What is a Big Boy Bed??

noreply@blogger.com (LGibbs) — Wed, 04 Sep 2013 20:45:00 +0000

You buy a convertible crib in hopes of an easy transition from crib to "big boy" bed. These hopes and dreams are crushed when you find out that your toddler doesn't think so. Parker transition to a "big boy" bed over a year ago and little did we know that this REALLY isn't what he had in mind.

The past year has been filled with milestones and challenges. From potty training to clearly speaking to running around like a chicken with his/our heads cut off!! The key to understand is communication and when you can't figure out why your 2.5 year old won't stay in their bed all night it can be frustrating for everyone involved. And then it clicks... We get books from the library to read about big boy beds and sleeping in your own room ALL.NIGHT.LONG. The first book in he says, "I not have a big boy bed!" What makes you say that?? "Mine has walls!" DUH!!!!!

We have been talking about getting him a different bed but really don't want to spend the extra money. So here is what we did. We found a car bed on a local sale sight for $30. It was missing the hardware so we offered them $15. They took us up on the offer and we went to Home Depot and spent $2.57 on the hardware. Just like that he has a new bed that he is literally bouncing off the walls for!! This bed also uses his crib mattress so we are off the hook for a bigger bed for a little while longer.

First night was good. He was dry, woke up once to potty and then right back in bed. Let's hope this trend sticks!

Work Pic

noreply@blogger.com (LGibbs) — Thu, 29 Aug 2013 12:25:00 +0000

Sorry I needed to upload a pic so I could use it for work! :) Happy Thursday!

Evolution of My Hair (in one summer)

noreply@blogger.com (LGibbs) — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 20:59:00 +0000

Wow! What a difference a summer makes!! We went to Florida in April and it was hot and humid. I couldn't take my hair being on my neck and on my forehead. I had been growing my hair out for about a year but with summer approaching quickly realized that long hair was not for me. Yes, I dream of having long beautiful hair that I can style just like all of those pics on Pinterest. But really, me? No way! I dreamt of being that girl but in reality I am not a long hair kinda girl. I can wear short hair so why not rock it! I have some great hairstylists who have always made me feel great. I feel more confident and comfortable in my new hair. Love it, love it, love it! :)
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Parker's Delivery Video, One Born Every Minute

noreply@blogger.com (LGibbs) — Sat, 17 Aug 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Parker's birth was very special for many reasons. One being that his birth was filmed by a professional production company. In October and November 2010 there was a production company filming for a show called, One Born Every Minute, at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus Ohio. The show had a different spin on filming the labor and delivery process and had mounted cameras in labor and delivery rooms but also filmed the staff behind the scenes. They were also given special access into operating rooms to film c-section deliveries as well. In a typical c-section situation the hospitals typically do not allow video taping to take place. We were one of the lucky few who had our story filmed for this show. Even though we didn't make cut for the TV show we where given an 8 min video of Parker's birth. We will cherish this for years to come!

Here is the back story...
Parker was scheduled to be born via c-section (breach baby) on Wednesday November 24, 2010 (the day before Thanksgiving). The production company had already been at our home weeks prior to his delivery to film personal interviews and footage of us putting together baby items. We were all ready to show up to the hospital on that Wednesday and have a baby. Parker had a different idea... On Friday November 19, 2010 we went in for our last doctors appointment. The nurse did not instruct me to take off my clothes for a "check" so I didn't. When the doctor walked in he said, "What no check today??" My doctor is funnier than all get out so to hear him say this very funny. I said to him, "Simon didn't say to take my pants off so I didn't!" We skipped the check since all was going well and my c-section was scheduled for the following Wednesday.

On Saturday November 20th I sent shopping with my mom. We went to Kohls and ran some other errands. I wasn't feeling good and had a lot of pressure but didn't think anything of it. We met my dad at a Mexican restaurant for lunch. I didn't eat anything other than chips and salsa. Ray was busy working around the house and getting last minute projects completed. I decided to spend the late afternoon early evening just laying in bed watching TV Ray was working in the garage and had not had a shower for the day. As my shows were changing and my 6pm program started I felt a small pop down "there" and I felt as if I peed my pants. OH SHIT MY WATER BROKE! This is not suppose to be happening!! I had a c-section scheduled!!! I went to the bathroom and sure enough my underwear were pretty wet. I was screaming for Ray, no answer. So I ran (ok walked fast) downstairs and open the garage door and yell, "My water BROKE! He is coming today!!" Ray said, "What? Are you sure??" I was totally sure!! I told him to go upstairs and take the quickest shower he has ever taken. I called the on call number and they took all my info. The doctor on call contacted me within minutes. I let him know all the details and then told him, by the way Dr.Melillo wants you to call him so he can deliver my baby. The on call doctor was taken by surprise and said, "Oh really, did he give you his number to call?? I will contact him and see what he says." I swear dude I didn't make that up, Dr.M really wants to deliver my baby. When the on call doctor called Dr. M, he of course said I will be right there!! Lucky Dr. M was dropping his son off at the movies just minutes away from the hospital. I called my parents and we were off to the hospital.

I was in active labor and the contractions and back labor started. The ride from Grove City to Riverside hospital on a Saturday night seemed to take F-O-R-E-V-E-R! I was trying to breath and work through the pain. It was very intense and more than I thought I would have to experience since I knew I was having a c-section!! The traffic light off of the hospital exit seemed to take forever to change and at one point Ray almost ran it! When we arrived to the labor and delivery entrance the production company, along with my parents, where waiting to film our delivery. We all had microphones and I was wheeled into labor and delivery. The nurses asked me 20 questions and one being, when did you see the doctor last? Uh, yesterday. And I wasn't checked. At this point not a lot of laughing, I just wanted Parker out!! They also asked me how I knew Parker was breach... Well, his head is up under my ribs so yeah I know. The resident on duty did a quick ultrasound and yep he was still breach. They then did a quick internal check and yep I was 8cm dilated!! What!?!? The mood of the room quickly went from: la, la, la, dum, da-dum, da-dum to OH SHIT! Everyone was moving very quickly!! In the video you see Dr.M come in and say, "I told you I should have checked you yesterday!" I am then wheeled into the operating room and you can watch the magic happen! :)

Parker's Delivery Video: http://youtu.be/JAWVq2xrxGI
Disclaimer: This is a c-section delivery so there is a little blood. Kids can watch, it's what they would have shown on TV.
Click here to see our post from 2010 to announce Parker's arrival!