Cole's story

Labor with Cole seemed like an awfully big adventure. To be honest, I'm still a little shocked by how it all went. That he came early (I like him already for that), that I even went into labor by myself seems too good to be true. It's just what I wanted.

I started having contractions around 9 pm and didn't think much about it. Brett and I went to bed but I never did get to sleep. I kept having consistent contractions so I got up and watched a few movies because I couldn't sleep through the contractions. Around 3 am I woke Brett up because I was starting to think this was the real deal. We called the hospital and got the go ahead to come in.

We hurried and threw some things in a bag and headed to the hospital. After being monitored to see how far I would dilate for an hour they admitted me. We were ago. I was having a baby! I was so relieved to not be sent home after all of that.

Several hours later I had a rough epidural with lots of numbness in awful places like my face and chest. That's a scary feeling, let me tell you. So we stopped the epidural for awhile and I ended up feeling a lot as I pushed but I only pushed through two contractions so I have no complaints. I ended up having him at 1:30 in the afternoon. It was a whole lot of hours in between but once I started pushing it just a matter of minutes and he was here, safe in my arms.

Here he is right after I got to meet him.

Daddy holding his little son for the first time.

I loved being in the hospital this time around.
It was mostly just Cole and I. I truly have fallen in love with him in the past few days. It's amazing how you can feel so much love for another little person so quickly. Nothing compares to those feelings.

Since we've been home, he really has been a dream. He's taken to nursing so quickly and is so even tempered. It's been a huge contrast to how Adelyn was, which just adds to how easy he seems. Adelyn has had a rough go of it as expected. She tested both Brett and I all day. My favorite was when she came and brushed her cracker crumb covered hands defiantly right over him while I was nursing him today. Little booger. I love her though. This next week will be all four of us getting used to each other.

Welcome Cole

We are happy as can be to

welcome baby Cole. Already, we are head over heels in love with him.

6 pounds 11 ounces 18 inches long

Countdown

Each and every day Adelyn asks me when baby Cole is coming out. At least once. Even with how eager I am to have him here and be done with all the joys of having a pregnant body, Adelyn might be as excited as I am to welcome her little brother. Like all little girls her age she loves babies but the thought of baby Cole coming seems to occupy her thoughts often. We made a countdown chain until the big day. Hopefully it will help her little mind grasp the concept of how more days we both have to wait.

As an update, I had a check up a few days ago. I'm dilated to a two and 75% effaced. Double what I was last week. Not that that means much but I want to remember.

Playing Santa Clause

This little kitchen is sitting in my craft room all covered up, waiting for Christmas morning. I can't wait to see Adelyn's face when she sees it under the tree. We bought it awhile ago and tucked it away for Christmas. I was cleaning out the closet in our spare bedroom where it's been hiding and got excited about it again.

It's from Land of Nod but I found ours at the Down East Home in Draper. They sell them there in the box for a whole lot less than Land of Nod does. Like $150 dollars less. It's cute but sturdy too, just what I wanted, so it will hold up to lots of good play time.

Smoothie Face

Thanks for the birthday wishes everyone. Brett spoiled me rotten. He's a good one.

This morning we had blueberry and raspberry smoothies as we often do. It's a rare occasion that she'll tolerate any messes so we had to catch that little smoothie face.

And yes it was morning and she had her Sunday dress on because that's what she wears when she dances. We're all mixed up around here, pj's in the afternoon, church attire in the morning. Having a little girl around is so fun.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEAUTIFUL JESS

Happy Birthday Beautiful Jess!

25 years ago a beautiful baby was born who has grown to be even a more beautiful woman, wife, and mother. The greatest event of my life was the day she got her oil changed at Sinclair. The day I knew I was in love with this beautiful girl was watching her with her sisters over Christmas in Tacoma. The greatest two words that have left her mouth are, "I do" and the three sweetests words are, "I love you". The day she looked like an angle, April 29, 2005. The most precious moment was the first time she held our new baby girl. There are many more reasons why I love this girl, these are just a few.

Jessica, I love you and I want everybody to know it. Thank you for being my wife and have a very happy birthday.

Love Brett, Adelyn, and soon to be baby Cole

As sentimental as I get

I really like this picture.

I really like that boy in this picture.

I really like him for a lot of reasons.

Not that I can list them all here because I'm awful at that kind of stuff but mostly because he takes such good care of me in his thoughtful ways and always makes me laugh and how he likes to hold my hand.

I can't get over how we will have two kids in just the tinsiest bit of time and how we have almost five years under our belt, though I know that is a blink in time compared to some. I don't know what brought this about but here it is. I'll blame it on these pregnancy hormones of mine. Thankfully both Brett and I have just a few more weeks to suffer through those.