HIS NAME IS WALL-E

 Hello dear friends! How have you been? 

 I've been pretty quiet on everything in the last month. The kids were hit with a cold, which brought down everyone's immune systems, and then we were slammed by that terrible flu going around. I hope you all escape it because it is genuinely awful. Thankfully, Grayson was spared (THANK YOU BREASTFEEDING🙌🏼) and I got it the worst. 

 This was two weeks ago. Now, I won't go into detail, but I was the most sick, the most times. To the point that my throat bled 🙊. 

Skip ahead to earlier this week, I was doing dishes, blasting Italian opera and Italian-American hits, singing along with full gusto. As one does... Well apparently my throat was not completely healed, because the following morning I woke up and could hardly talk. 

Today's the third or fourth day and I'm able to mostly talk, but I still sound pretty rough. As you can imagine, making videos is pretty tough without a voice.

*croak* "word...Wo-cough/weird puberty noise-rd... W-odd goose call- or....d"  NOPE!  

It's not all bad though. I've actually been really enjoying getting back to the simple (most important) things. Really focusing on the kids and enjoying each interaction. Organizing and brain storming the coming months of homeschool. Laughing and cooking and just not stressing about getting videos up or anything of the sort. Put my eggs back into my basket if you will. 

So, I guess in a weird way, thank you flu. Sometimes it takes praying you don't shit your pants, to appreciate those little moments again. That could be on a hallmark card... 

In other news, I've downloaded an app to blog on my phone which, turns out, is very productive. So expect more in this space. 

 Also BIG shout out to Cody! He built me my computer this week, and as soon as the editing program is on there and ready, videos will be back up on my YouTube channel. Woot-woot 🎊

 Sharing a computer with your avid gaming husband, in the small space of "kids are sleeping, mom will pass out soon", is quite challenging. Now thanks to his hot nerdiness, problem solved. My computer is beautiful. I got stickers for the case and have named him Wall-E (seriously you have to call your computer something when you set it up. Why not give the poor thing a name?)

 Alright friends, there is a little update for you. I will see you soon. I have some videos that have been waiting to be posted, and lots of things I want to talk to you about here. 

 I hope you are all keeping well, and enjoying those little moments as much as you can. 

✌🏼️ Xx

Rainbow 

The Field of Wishes

Happy Friday! Today was the first farmers market of the summer for our town. We came home with lots of goodies, but on our way, we stopped to play in the "field of wishes" to blow our dandelion wishes and frolic in the sunshine.

Friday is "girls night" for us. A special night where we play and laugh and paint nails. Sometimes we watch movies too! We end the night with a "sleep over" where Mackynzie and Cody switch spots and she sleeps with me and Grayson (since she now sleeps in her own bed.). It's a fun little tradition that I am absolutely loving!

If you want to see today's vlog click here!

HAPPY WEEKEND FRIENDS!

Cody and Rainbow Talk: Our Love Story (Bonus Post)

Check out this weeks Cody and Rainbow Talk by clicking right HERE!

What's a love story without some throw back photos for your viewing pleasure?

(engagement weekend)

(engagement weekend)

(engagement party)

 (wedding)

(now)

From Blog to Vlog

 I completely forgot that I never really "announced" that we switched to YouTube here on the blog. I figured most of you link through social media, but just in case, we switched from blogging to vlogging!

Before Grayson was born, I decided I needed to figure out what I was going to do with the blog. I wasn't really feeling it anymore. That's when Cody and I started chatting about doing daily vlogs on YouTube. We filmed Grayson's birth and then eased our way into vogging, and now we are putting up daily videos! We really love it. It's fun and such a nice keepsake for our kids when they grow up (and us too!)

We decided we wanted to introduce this space as an addition to the vlog. We will be posting things like the occasional recipe, or photos, or little blurbs of things we didn't get a chance to chat about on the vlog, or more detailed things. You get the idea.

If you haven't already, you can go to the links tab at the top of the blog, and go check out our channel.

Be sure to check out the new "About Us" section for more info.

Hugs, friends!

Xx

Welcome To The World Grayson Wyatt: A Birth Story

Grayson Wyatt Miller was born on February 26th, at 8:35pm, weighing 9lbs 4oz and 21 inches long. He was born 3 hours and 10 minutes after my water broke. He was born at our free standing birth center.

This is part 2 of his 4 part birth story. The photo portion.
For his birth video, visit part 1
For the video where I  tell his birth story, visit part 3
For the Q and A about his birth, labor, delivery, and postpartum, visit part 4

Since there are several parts of his birth story, I will only be sharing photos with a brief description of what is happening in each photo if needed. To get the full story, you will have to visit each part! :)

41 weeks, 1 day pregnant. 9am, heading to see our beautiful midwife to hopefully get labor started. his head was very low, and my cervix and body were very ready. he just needed a tiny little natural boost.

5:40ishpm, my water just broke! on the phone with my mom. We left right after this. Midwife, doula and family are all called and headed to meet at the birth center.

Laboring in the tub with Cody. We got to the birth center around 6:30pm.

I moved to the bed at the very last minute because I was too hot in the tub! 8:35pm we welcome our son!

The lady right above my head with glasses is my mother-in-law. beside her in purple is my doula Carla(well, part of her haha), and the lady in stripes is our assisting midwife, Cassie.

This is my beautiful, amazing, super-awesome midwife, Janna (pronounced jane-ah.) with the rad tats.

We face-timed with papa (Cody's dad) quickly so he could see our little boy.

Cassie is explaining his positioning to me. Everyone was pretty shocked when he  came out facing my right side. if i'm not mistaken, he was LOT, or left occupant transverse. this means that the largest part of his head came out first and his shoulders came out one towards my bum, one towards the sky. this position usually results in an emergency c section, forceps, or some pretty serious episiotomys. what was so surprising is that nobody had any idea! My hips were flexible enough to birth him on my own. but it explains why things were SO intense and why I pushed for so long. (had he been in the 'right' position he would have come out way sooner I think.)

This is also why he has a hefty bruise and swollen head. his head goes back to normal after only a few hours though.

there's my amazing doula, Carla

his first latch.

Mackynzie holding her brother's hand.

Cody's mom and sister.

After his cord finished pulsing, Cody and Mackynzie cut his cord.

Cody holding Grayson so I could birth the placenta. you can see his crazy head here and below.

My midwife, Janna, on the left, the student midwife who was such a joy to have there, Rae, in the middle, and our assisting midwife on the left who was also incredibly fantastic, Cassie.

We are so incredibly in love with this little soul. his birth was fast and amazing. It strengthened and healed me right where I needed. Welcome to our family beautiful boy. Happy birthday Grayson Wyatt Miller!