We agreed to be friends for the time being (he was miserable with his fiance but he didn't know how to tell her so). Three weeks after that he and his fiance broke up and we started dating. Two months later we said "I love you" for the first time. Two months after that in November 2005 we were engaged. We originally wanted our wedding date to be July 1, 2006 but I decided it was entirely too hot to be in a wedding dress in July! So we settled for May 6, 2006. It was six months from the day we decided on that date and two days after my finals (not something I recommend). We made a lot of the stuff for the wedding and had a very small wedding and the reception at my parents' house. It was so much fun and before we knew it we were off on our honeymoon in Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg and Nashville. We had a blast! Of course now we need to recreate it since my memory card kicked the bucket not long after and we lost all the pictures from that week :(.
We at first decided to have children right away. We wanted four and we wanted them close in age. My sister and I are ten and a half years apart and we knew we didn't want that. Brian and his siblings are 3 1/2-4 years apart which was a little better but we wanted them closer. Then about three months after we got married Brian got a job in Charlotte and I was finishing a semester at Western. So we decided to put kids on hold until I could get over there too. God had other plans. September 14, 2006 we found out that we were pregnant. Brian was excited and I was in shock!
At 1:28am on May 26, 2007 we gave birth to Ava Grace Riddle. She was 7lbs 9oz and was 20.5" long. I was in labor for 24 LONG hours. I went into labor on my due date (May 25, 2007) at 1:30 am and after 18 hours of labor with no paid medication I got the epidural at 5 cm and 6 hours later after 30 minutes of pushing (I could not feel a thing!) she came out, with one arm up by her head as if to say, pull me out.
We were in love with this little bright eyed girl. She didn't cry, except when they bathed her. She slept well but out in public she was wide awake, we always said she was very curious and super nosy! We wanted another sibling for her right away. I know it sounds backwards but our first was an accident and our second was planned. When Ava was five months old we found out we were pregnant again. I secretly wanted a boy so we would have one of each but now, I am so glad I have two of the same gender, they get along so well!
On November 1, 2007 we found out we were pregnant again and we were going to wait until Christmas to tell everyone. That lasted one week. We told everyone a week to the day after we found out. The only person who knew before that was my best friend Breanna.
My second pregnancy was easier until I found out I had gestational diabetes, then it became much more complicated. I had to regulate my diet, check my blood four times a day, go to the doctor more often. With a nine month old this was a little hard to manage! At 39 weeks I found out that my baby was butt first and she would likely not move so they scheduled a c-section for July 1st (funny since that was our original wedding date). On that Monday I went in for my pre-op and she had flipped! And I was already 3cm! So Breanna, her two boys, Ava, my mom and I celebrated by going to Concord Mills mall for the day to try and get labor going. The next day I was not feeling so great so my doctor had me go to the hospital. The baby was still high and she was afraid the baby would flip again so she induced me. I was induced at 3am on the 2nd of July.
At 11:59am on July 2, 2008 we gave birth to Ella Kate Riddle. She was 7lbs 1 oz and 20" long. I was only in labor for 9 hours this time and it was the easiest time I had had. I had just started to feel the contractions when I got my epidural and four hours and a 20 second push later out she came...SCREAMING! She was nothing like Ava in that aspect! She was just as bright eyed and curious but loud. We really didn't need the baby monitor! Looking at their baby pictures you can see the difference there too! Ella came out screaming where Ava was quiet. Ava screamed at her first bath where Ella was quiet. Both were awake in most of their pictures though!
We went back and forth for three and a half years before we decided to finally add to our family. June 1, 2012 we found out we were pregnant with baby number three. In September we found out we were having another girl! We were ready. We knew girls, had all girl stuff, it would work out great. My pregnancy was horrible this time around. I was sick throughout the whole pregnancy and had severe heartburn the whole time. Prescription medicines couldn't touch it! I also had a much worse case of gestational diabetes. I almost passed out in the office during hour two of the three hour test. My labor wasn't bad though, I'll take that lol. I convinced my midwife to induce me so that my mom could get here in time and we could have someone lined up to watch the older girls, especially since it was flu season and they couldn't come to the hospital.
On January 31, 2013 we trekked our way to the hospital (the whole 7 minutes). The doctors and nurses figured since I came in with light contractions and was already 75% effaced and 4-5cm dilated that this would go quickly. This little girl had other plans. Ten hours later, including an hour of pushing, Ivy Paige Riddle decided to grace us with her presence. She was a whopping 8lbs 10oz and 21" long! She had a head full of dark hair and was just as bright eyed as her sisters. It was while she was on the warming table that my sister noticed the protrusion on her bottom. It was waved off as if it was nothing at first and then a whirlwind of doctors came in and tests were run the next day to no avail. It would be two and a half months later before we would know what we were dealing with. And for those of you who follow our story, you know what happened later.
We swore we were done having children. Ivy scared us. In November she was declared cancer free. Best words EVER! I started teasing Brian about more children, not thinking he'd go for it. In December he threw me for a loop when he said he wanted one more. Three weeks later we found out we were pregnant, on December 31, 2013. Crazy I know! We found out in April that we will be adding a BOY. Even crazier! We are excited and nervous haha! So far everything looks great and this pregnancy has been relatively easy so far. We are due September 7, 2014 and I am hoping to be induced again so we can have babysitters lined up and my mom can get here in time.
We have now lived in Gastonia for seven years and working on our eighth. Brian now works as a Designer for a French company called Areva in Charlotte. In my terms, he designs nuclear power plants...if you want a more technical answer, ask him. I stay at home with the girls and I am going back to school for my degree in Paralegal Technology. I have had to take a couple semesters off to deal with all of Ivy's stuff but I am starting back this August. I know, I'm a glutton for punishment. Hopefully I will finish by the time Owen is five lol.
The big girls are now homeschooled and we absolutely love it! All three girls get along relatively well. They all three have very distinct personalities which makes for some interesting times. Ava is a total Type A, very animated and dramatic. She is extremely bright and not much gets past her. She is also rather sarcastic. To describe her quickly would be to say she is a mini-me lol. Ella is the most inquisitive, she will ask you 15 questions in a 5 minute time span and then argue all answers. She is the most stubborn and the most picky when it comes to food. It would explain why she is a whole 30lbs at nearly 6 years old! She is very bright and catches on to most stuff relatively quickly. But she is also my one with Sensory Processing Disorder (which also explains the picky eater). Things need to happen as we said they would or more often than not we have a meltdown on our hands. She is getting better about it though. Ivy is the one we have to watch out for. She loves to watch people do something and then try to do it herself. She is quick to yell at the girls if they are doing something they aren't supposed to. She is the quickest to smile and laugh and wave at people. She is very mischievous and then gives you a smile in hopes of staying out of trouble. Even at 16 months old she keeps us on our toes.
We have said before we are done having children. But this time we really mean it! Four kids is what we said we wanted and we will have four children near the end of this year. I wouldn't want it any other way. I love my family!
