Logan

Our Loag...what a Squeezie young man you are. Kind, thoughtful, stubborn, silly, love to sing and dance, and shy all at the same time. You love kindergarten and have flourished since day one. You argue with Leah and try to wrestle with Brady. They're your favorite people still. You highly value time with Daddy and take every opportunity to help him. You don't miss Mom while you're at school but still snuggle when my lap is empty. Your soccer coach tells us that you always show up happy and ready to work hard and learn new skills. Your teacher says you're a light and for that we couldn't be more pleased. Mom gets sad when she sees how tall you are and as your face thins out...but she knows you're just growing into that servant heart. 

 We plan to treasure this next year as you continue to grow. Our prayer is still that God will draw you to Himself early. 

 We love you so much, Logan Ryan!

9 Months

Nine months old, Monk! I simply can't believe it! Here are a few pictures and stats for the books.

You love food. All food. Spicy, sweet, hot, crunchy, salty...all food. 

You've tried a step or two but mostly you run around furniture while holding on. 

You shake your head no, say "mama, dada, and muhmuh for more. More food, that is. 

You're in your own room now and ever since we've bundled you up you sleep for 7 hours! Phew.

Leah and Logan adore you and I think before long you'll be running after them. You love them.

You like the fox song, much to mine and daddy's disappointment. 

You're still very friendly good natured. 

What a joy you are, Monk!

Brady's Birth

 Eight months old and I'm just now recording Brady's birth story! 

 Mom came to stay with Leah and Logan so that Ryan and I could go for my planned induction. I was 39.6 weeks pregnant, but Brady been measuring 43 weeks for the whole month before! Our original start time was pushed back 30 minutes due to no beds being available. I passed the time waiting by recording Brady rolling around in my belly...Ryan slept! 

 We checked in at 8am, and I was at a 4. The nurses started pitocin at 8:30 and at 9, my doctor broke my water. Brady was still high, so my doctor left. I called my mom quickly because with Leah and Logan, 30 minutes after my water was broken, they were both born. 

 I immediately started having intense contractions, very close together. Those contractions turned into back labor and by 11 am, I had reached a 7. Still no epidural. My thoughts being that Leah and Logan were born so quickly, if I was this far along, he would be here any minute and I could make it without. 

 Mom brought Leah and Logan and Grandma Cealie up and we visited. I was checked, still at 7. Bummed but hopeful, the back labor got even more intense so I moved around in bed, sitting, kneeling, rocking, rolling, sure that this was good progress happening. At 2:00pm, I was still at a 7 and  Brady still hadn't dropped. As a matter of fact, he was all on my left side. 

 Unable to think straight anymore, my mom, being the rational voice she is, calmly reminded me that the epidural would help me relax. She also reminded me how much I loved Leah and Logan's deliveries. Ryan and I decided a little after 2 that it was time for the meds.

 I'm so thankful for that decision! I wasn't a 10 until 7 pm! Also, Brady was turned sideways! All that back labor would have continued for 5 more hours. Now that I was ready to push, it turned out that my doctor was across the street at his office...and his fish tank was leaking. And he wasn't ready to come deliver my baby. The nurses were amazing, and stayed calm for about 30 minutes. The right side of my epidural was completely gone and Brady was coming! They told me with a wink that they'd love to catch my baby so if I didn't want to or couldn't wait for my doctor to finish with the fish emergency, to just go for it. At 7:48, the doctor strolled in, I was screaming, "hurry! Hurry! Hurry!" 

 Brady was born at 7:51pm! Not only was he sideways, he was giant. 9lbs, 7oz. 

 Leah and Logan got to come see him for about 3 minutes, my parents and Brother and his wife too. It was a sweet, quick greeting. I felt terrible, they had waited all day at the hospital and Leah and Logan didn't even get to hold him.

 What I thought would be a swift delivery turned into my most difficult and most surprising! (As a side note, I'm learning that Brady has a serious temper and his delivery totally makes sense.) My moose of a boy was so beautiful and warm and big and squeezie! We're smitten!

Check out those paws!

Logan

Conversation today at lunchtime. 

Me: Here's some milk, Loag. 

Logan: Is that Bray's milk? (He calls Brady all kinds of names.)

Me: Yes, but he hasn't been wanting it lately and it's good for you and Leah to have whole milk every once in awhile. It has some good fat in it.

Logan: Is it wife's milk?

Me: Wife's milk?

Logan: Yeah, like a mommy that's married and has a baby...wife's milk.

Me: No, buddy, this is cow's milk, not wife's milk. 

October 2013

This was last year...21 weeks pregnant with Brady.

And here's today. Leah is 7, Logan is 5, and Brady is 7 months. 

So thankful for the blessing of family, traditions and Saturdays with Ryan❤

7 months

Real life has happened and I'm way late on posting this! Just a few shots for his 7 month blogpost...

He's on the move big time..like starting to inch around furniture.

He loves Alfredo pasta, pizza...anything we're eating. 

He got croup and it was pretty scary. Poor baby.

Time is flying...grow slow, little Monk🐒

Need to Delete

Because I want to delete these awful images from my phone, here are the before pictures of our house...

 Inside the kitchen cabinets.

 

Really?!!

Yes, that's fingernail polish that's been wipes under the kitchen island.

I still don't know what this is under the upper cabinets in the kitchen...and it still won't come off. 

And the masterpiece...

The afters will come later. For now just know its clean and I'm mostly ok with Brady crawling around and sucking his thumb...