Knox Thomas 2 months

Knox was born 2 months ago. It has been a very long 2 months. After the first month we let off a balloon for his 1 month birthday. As we did with Sloane, however I wanted to do something different, something special just for Knox. After a friend sent me an article that hit so close to home, literally taking me back to January 12th I took one of their ideas and made it our own. Scotland Bansley Riles' Story like I said took me back to that moment Knox was born. It was as if Marty or myself had written this sweet letter. You will see at the end that they sang to Scotty with their children. Each month, Marty, Collins, and I will sing to Knox on each one of his monthly birthdays. Something special for the five of us to do together :) 

Happy 2 months Knox Thomas. I hope your big sister Sloane is taking care of you up in heaven. Mommy, Daddy, and Collins miss you more than ever and each night before putting your sister to sleep we read a book (I'll Love you Forever) to you and your sisters. We love you! Xoxo  

Collins 10 month update

 

Age: 10 months

Stats: We wont be going to the doctor until her 1st birthday but I'm just guessing she's around 18 pounds or so

 

 

Clothes: I'm going to use this a way to vent about Carters. Someone tell me why my 10 month old who usually wears 6-12 month clothing barely fits into 18 month pajamas from Carters? Wait let me rephrase that, why is the arms on the 18 month pajamas super tight but the waist band is ginormous. Kids clothes SMH

 

 

Favorite Activities: She has mastered spinning around on the floor in order to get to what she wants. Dancing! The kid loves to dance. If you follow me on instagram user name:(aashley_mitchell) then you have seen her video. Put on some music and she's a dancing machine.

Favorite Words: Still MOM!!!!!!! :)

Least Favorite Activities: When mom tries getting the boogies out! I cannot stand a messy, booger filled nose kid, so at any chance I get I am picking that little nosey and Collins hates me for it.

 

 

Mom's Favorite Moment: Just two nights ago Collins was having a hard time going to bed for the night. So I went up just to rock her which we haven't done since she was teeny tiny. She usually squirms all over the place, except this time she snuggled up to me and fell asleep. I thought to myself, if you want to snuggle all night long ill sleep in this chair. Definitely melted my heart.

 

 

Dad's Favorite Moment: The first time I told Collins to clap and yelled, Yah!! And without hesitation she started clapping her hands. And hasn't stopped :)

Other Milestones: Not sure if this is considered a milestone but Collins got her first Ashes for Ash Wednesday :) She is also clapping non stop, dancing, spinning, talking, screaming, and slowly pulling herself up. I think this little girl is going to walk before she crawls!

 

 

Eat, Sleep, Play. Play. All. Day. That is what Collins' day consists of. Where has my baby gone?! Everyday she does something new and it just makes me realize how fast time goes. Babies don't keep.

 

 



Hope

While writing this post I had Marty help me for I wanted us both to be open and honest with both old and new followers who have been praying for us and thinking about us daily. 

Hope. It's what gets a lot of us through day to day. It's what many of us have either had for ourselves or someone very close to them. Hope is what I struggle with after loosing Knox. 

When Sloane passed away it was hope that got me off the couch. It was hope that gave me the strength to get out of bed. It was hope that we would get pregnant again and feel like I as a mother had a purpose. That Hope came to us in Collins, and then surprisingly Knox! Our family was going to be complete after one hell of a year. Our family of five including Sloane, The Mitchells! After Knox passed away Marty and I did a lot of soul searching. What did we want our new life to now look like. Not what your average early thirties, new baby, successful family looks like. 

We cannot be pregnant again. I cannot carry another child. Bottom line, too risky, no guarantee and mentally and not to mention physically I cannot do it. I remember after Sloane died and we were given that "Hope" I told Marty I cannot go through loosing this baby. Luckily Collins was born, unfortunately what we didn't know is that not even 2 years later I'd have to go through loosing a second child. So not only is there the grief of loosing Knox but also the grief of never carrying a child again.

Going through what we have, we learned along the way that we have to be open to options. Options that women with a traditional history of child birth don't have to think about. However its those options that gave us Collins. So now faced with a new hurdle we again have to look into new options, and once again these options are a little less common. 

So as mentioned, we aren't comfortable trying to carry another child. After two pre-term losses, and a unchanged cervix, it's just not feasible to try again. However my eggs are great, and Marty's little swimmers are clearly adequate and those two have no problem getting together to make magic. The problem comes with the "carry" portion of that process. That being said, our new option is to have someone else do the carrying. People refer to this as gestational surrogacy.

Although uncommon, this option is, at present, the best one we have to grow our family. Regardless of the hurdles this option brings, we are both passionate and committed to growing our family.

The biggest challenge this process presents is finding that person who will sacrifice 9 months of their life for us. Many people wait years hoping and praying for this special person to come into their lives. For everyone involved, it's a life changing event, one that hopefully ends with a gift that words simply cannot describe. So that is our new hope, a hope that may seem crazy to many, but maybe crazy is just what we need to grow this family.

Happy Valentine's Day ❤️

A little late however with Valentine's Day being my favorite holiday especially now that we have Collins I just needed to share some of my favorite pictures from the day :) 

Collins is 9 months!

 

Age: 9 months

Stats: 17lbs 8oz (28th percentile) 27.5 inches (50th percentile)

 

 

Clothes: mostly 6-9 month clothing but in Carters she is wearing 12 months! They clearly run small

Favorite Activities: Shopping! This little girl loves going out to our weekly daily Target runs. She also loves to dine out :)

 

 

Favorite words: MOM! MOMMA! I am loving every minute of it. She may not know what she is saying but when she needs something or wants to be picked up she starts screaming for me. Her saying momma couldn't have come at a better time either, it was something I really needed.

Least Favorite Activities: Eating. This came out of no where. She is a busy little girl and much rather be playing or going somewhere. We have been introducing more food that Marty and I are eating and one minute she loves it and the next minute she is gagging. We think she has a texture issue, however she just might be a picky little girl.

 

 

Mom's Favorite Moment: Obviously when she first started saying Momma. Now she is yelling it, and saying it constantly it makes me laugh.

Dad's Favorite Moment: Bath time. It's when Collins and I have our bonding time after I get home from work. She splashes and screams and yells and could stay in there forever.

 

 

Other Milestones: I don't know if its really a milestone but Collins is back on breast milk. We are working on her truly breast feeding but until then ill pump every 3 hours just so she gets the good stuff :)

 

 

We are just taking life day by day. Collins keeps me so busy. She is my everything, my world and I am doing everything in my power to be the best mommy that she needs right now. Its a night time when she goes down to sleep that I take my time to mourn Knox. To say it hits me like a ton of bricks is an understatement. It will already be 4 weeks on Sunday. Some days I don't even believe that he's gone other days its a harsh reality. I feel sad not only for Knox, Marty and I, but also for Collins who won't have a sibling. She would have taken being a big sister seriously :) and she does even though Knox isn't with us on Earth. I am keeping myself busy, planning her big 1st birthday party coming up, which details will be coming up shortly. We are very excited for our little girl becoming a toddler...what?! Ah my baby is going to be a big girl in a short 3 months.

 





My Journey with Sloane & Knox

Before Knox was born I was asked by Kaitlyn over at Wifessionals.com  if I wanted to be a guest blogger and write my story about Sloane  I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share my story, keep Sloane's story alive, and hopefully give other women who might be going through something similar hope! That all changed once Knox was born and I realized that it was me who needed the support from others rather than be that support to them. However I knew I needed to not only tell Sloane's story but also include Knox's. Not only could I give support to others maybe there would be someone out there that could lend me some. This is the first time that I am actually writing out both stories and my experience. It was hard reliving my experience with Sloane and actually writing about Knox in the past instead of present.

Please support me and head over to my sweet friend Kaitlyn's blog and read my journey through what is the most hardest thing I am going through, for the second time. 


www.wifessionals.com

Knox Thomas Mitchell

Knox Thomas Mitchell

1lb 1oz 11 1/2 inches long 

Stillborn January 12, 2014 at 12:53 am 

It is with great sadness that I inform everyone of our son's passing early this morning. We will be holding a visitation this week sometime and will provide more details when they are ready. Please pray for our family. 

Knox, fly high with your sister Sloane and watch over us as we learn to live this life without you. We miss you xoxo


Update: 

Visitation for Knox will be held 
Tuesday January 14th from 5pm-7pm

Overman Jones Funeral Home
15219 S. Joliet Rd, Plainfield IL 

20 Week Update

With all the busyness of the holidays can I cannot believe I am already 20 weeks. Over halfway there if we deliver at 37 weeks! Little guy is growing and growing and growing! It is so much fun to compare him to the girls and see who he might resemble. So far we are pretty much right on track as far as how Collins' pregnancy went. He is measuring a week ahead and so far so good as far as my cervix goes. The last time I was at Dr. Font's office, my cervix was measuring 4cms and was closed from the inside. The baby was just about 10oz so almost to a pound!

 

 

This picture is Sloane, Collins, and now all exactly a 20 weeks. I am of course my own worst critic but I am the biggest this pregnancy although I haven't gained as much as I did with both Sloane and Collins at this time. However with Sloane I was just freshly married and a lot thinner from after my wedding:) My boobs are also a bit bigger (thank you to all three babies :).

 

Sloane, Collins and baby boy all at 15weeks in 3D ultrasound

 

So far no bed rest which is great because it would be damn near impossible with taking care of Collins. However I have had to slow down. I do know when I have done too much and need to lay down and rest. My back will start to hurt and I get a little crampy. I have been experiencing some Braxton Hicks which I did with Collins. Those make me nervous and that's when I pick up my feet, chug water and relax. Thank god those haven't made a difference when it comes to my cervix, but Dr. Font did stress that the bigger this baby gets the harder this is all going to be. So I am trying not to be surprised once he tells me bed rest but I am ever so hopeful we can wait it out at least 10 more weeks. We are at the scary point in all my pregnancies when shit hit the fan with Sloane. I pray everyday god will get us to 24 weeks with no problems like he did with Collins. I don't speak a lot of my nerves but everyday is a struggle not to be worried. Ill feel a little better at 24 weeks and ill be able to breath a little at 30 weeks. Of course not until this little guy is in my arms healthy will I finally not have a care in the world. When it comes to pregnancy that is because as women we all know, MOTHERS NEVER STOP WORRYING! For the past few New Year's its been sober sally for me and tonight is no different. We are going to be going out to dinner with the Fair's tonight as a family to Cooper's Hawk (with all the other geriatrics who eat dinner at 5pm) haha Collins has her glitter tights on and is ready to hit the town! At least until 7pm and then she will probably turn into a little beast. But fingers crossed she will be a big girl in her high chair at the restaurant and live it up a little for the rest of 2013. My next big appointment is with Dr. Font on Monday the 6th for an eco and survey ultrasound. This will check the baby's brain, stomach, lungs, heart, legs, arms everything to make sure everything is perfect, and is going perfectly. Please pray for us that the next 4 weeks go by fast and safe. Little miss Sloane is of course looking down on her brother helping us each step of the way so I have faith in her and the big man upstairs that they will take care of us :)

 

 

 

Happy New Year! 2014 you have some big shoes to fill!!



Holy Hiatus

Oh hey, remember us?! I definitely let time pass me by these past 4 weeks without blogging, however apart of me questioned who really reads this still anyway. However for those of you that do here I am!! So I will cram in everything into one short long post to catch you all up.

After finding out about baby Mitchell #3 being a boy the holidays were right around the corner. We started off with Collins' first Thanksgiving.

 

We spent the day over at my parent's house stuffing our faces with food and going through black Friday ads, our favorite. After Thanksgiving it was time for Collins, Mommy, and Daddy to do some holiday shopping for the next few weeks. And of course turn our house into a winter wonderland for Collins' first Christmas. We of course made sure to take Collins to meet Santa and like a pro we got this...

From there we had lots of Holiday Parties, get togethers, and a lot of family time since Marty is lucky and gets time off to spend with us! Since I last blogged Collins had turned 7 months and then 8 months! My little girl is not so little anymore (except in weight) she has her own personality and is the queen bee around here!

Age: 7 & 8 months

Stats: 14lbs 8oz (6th percentile), 26 inches (28th percentile)

Clothes: I finally put away all 0-3 clothes and she is starting to wear 6 month clothing and some 9 month pajamas :)

 

 

Favorite Activities: I say this and cringe at the same time, Collins LOVES the little time she gets to watch TV. I won't lie either, she watches more than she should so that mommy can rest like she should. She has a crush on Wyatt from Super Why, loves Sid the Science Kid and unfortunately adores Caillou. Since Christmas with all that everyone spoiled her with, she has been playing drums, talking on her phones, (yes plural) and rolling around in her pink car.

Favorite Words: I have been trying since 4 months to get her to say momma, no bueno, YET! But my girly girl still screams her heart out!

 

 

Least Favorite Activities: When it comes time for nap time or bed time, Collins is a schedule baby. 10am, 2pm and 7pm lights out. And to make matters worse, if you are playing with her and she just thinks you are the bees knees right when that time comes around you are nothing to her anymore and all she wants is her mommy. (I love every second of that)

 

 

Mom's Favorite Moment: Anytime she looks for me, needs me, cries for me, kisses me. (which Marty says is all the time) She is a mommy's girl but I bet once her little brother comes around Daddy is going to be super cool again :)

 

Shopping with Mommy in below degree weather

 

Dad's Favorite Moment: We started to have her feed herself and we have been giving her yogurt melts and little cereal puffs. I was so excited the first time she was able to pick on of them up herself and put it in her mouth like a big girl.

Other Milestones: Collins can sit up all on her own for as long as she wants, she can also stand while holding on to the ottoman. If that wasn't enough, my sassy little girl is starting to scoot around as well.

 

 



 

 

 

 

Better late than never right!? Collins had a wonderful first Christmas and was SPOILED by everyone! But I am ok with it because it was not only her first but last Christmas that it was only her, so she deserves it. With not being on bed rest just yet, we were able to spend a lot of time with family during the holiday.

 

 

 

From Our Family to yours, We hope everyone had an amazing Christmas!

Love The Mitchells

Marty, Ashley, Sloane, and Collins

 

 



Even out the playing field...

Ashley, Sloane, Collins, Lola, Lucy and then there is Marty. Poor Mart lives his life full of estrogen, even his dogs are ladies. Ask him if it bothers him and he wouldn't change it for the world, "I'm good with the ladies" is what he usually says :) Before we announce just what this little nugget is lets see what the old wives tales tell us...
Pink will show its a girl, blue with show its a boy. If underlined that is what this baby has been.

Baby's heart rate: above or below 140
Did you have morning sickness: yes or no
Chinese birth chart: boy
Blemishes or beauty
Craving sweet or salty
Sleeping on the left or right side
Are you moody or happy

6 out of the 7 wives tales say girl...

However, after two sweet little girls, the Mitchell Family is finally welcoming a little boy to the mix. That's right, we are expecting a BOY!!

We went to Peek-a-Belly in Lockport where we went with both Sloane and Collins. Like I mentioned before at 13 weeks our doctor had taken a peek and told us that it was a boy, however I did not believe it! I didn't think we could make boys! But sure enough Marty did it! haha We are beyond excited and Collins is going to make such a great big sister. We are slowly but surely giving the boys a chance in the Mitchell household, however girls still rule!

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Easy Ladies, that's his pee pee pointing left

Sucking his thumb

3d photo sucking his thumb :)