Connor meets Cooper!

Connor meeting Cooper was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. Connor went on and on about how beautiful, precious, cute, sweet, soft and adorable his brother is :) He absolutely LOVES and adores him and it makes me so happy to be their mom!

 the first time Connor held him

Finally a family of four!!

Connor brought some friends for baby brother :)

Labor, delivery & his first few hours!

On Saturday January 11th, I was scheduled for an induction with Baby #2. I wasn't planning on being induced this time around, but I was 3 days overdue and in a ton of pain. It was so bad that I was pretty much in bed all day, unable to take care of Connor. I couldn't even walk to the bathroom without being in tears or falling to the ground :( This pregnancy has been a VERY difficult one, to say the least. I threw up all 9 months (even the morning I had him) too!

Anyways... I was told to call the hospital an hour before my appointment (6am) to make sure they had room. I called and with my luck, they were soo busy and couldn't fit me. They said that they'd call when they had room (and it might be that day, but it might be the next day, or later in the week). So there I sat at my mom's house, waiting to figure out what would happen.

Around 9am I had a VERY heavy contraction. I hadn't even had contractions like that with Connor, so at first, I didn't know what it was. I was freaking out, thinking I was having some weird problem going on! Then around 12:00pm I had another one. Then again at about 1:15pm. But nothing was consistent. I looked up online what bad contractions felt like, to see if it was described as what I was feeling. They were CRAZY painful! What everyone described is exactly what I was feeling.

At 2:20pm I started having them every 3-5 minutes. Then at 3:30pm they were every 1-2 minutes and they were lasting 30 to 90 seconds. I decided then that I better go to the hospital. I was VERY nervous about going to the hospital though. I had already been 2 times before when I was having smaller contractions and as SOON as I got to the hospital and hooked up to a monitor, they stopped. I was embarrassed and not wanting to be sent home once again, so I prayed the whole way to the hospital that this was it and I wouldn't be sent home. The contractions were getting closer and more painful. When I got to the hospital, I couldn't even fill out the form they handed me because I was in tears from the pain :( They took me straight to a room and checked me. I was dilated to a 5 and fully effaced (around 4:30pm). They admitted me then and the contractions continued.

Around 7:45pm, the doctor came in to check me and I was dilated to a 10. My water was also bulging (it hadn't broke yet), so he broke my water. There was a ton of meconium in there. The baby was also turned sideways/upwards. They called in the NICU nurses and had them ready for if anything was wrong when he came out. Of course that freaked me out and I was in a bit of a panic for a while. I just prayed that everything would be ok :)

Around 8pm, the doctor was able to turn him with 1-2 contractions. At 8:10pm I started pushing. It only took 3 rounds of pushing (3 pushes each round) and out he came at 8:22pm!

He was immediately checked over by the doctors/nurses from NICU, and luckily everything was ok. He's perfectly healthy in every way! :)

During my pregnancy, Connor would ask tons of questions, and the baby's cord came up in questioning. He asked if they could leave it on him until he was able to see the baby, because he was SOOO fascinated by it. I told him we couldn't leave it on, but that we'd get a REALLY good picture of it, nice and long, before it was cut short :)

8 lbs. even and 20.5 inches long

only minutes old

after snuggling with me for a few minutes, he found his way down and started nursing soon after. He then nursed for over and hour! He's definitely a GREAT eater :)

not happy to be taking pictures. He wanted to eat more :)

First time Daddy held him

meeting Auntie Kate for the first time

meeting Grammy for the first time

Family Pictures

We just had family pictures done over this weekend and here are some of my favorites :) Connor wasn't being extremely cooperative (as usual) but I think they turned out pretty cute anyways :D

Over the past month...

Looks like it's our lovely time of the year again when Connor gets sick 500+ times! I'm hoping that if we continue (start back up again) to use his nose spray and allergy medicine that his allergist gave us, that we won't have as many issues as last year. It's been a month since this day (he had bronchitis, double ear infection & double pink eye) and he's only had a stuffy nose here and there. Here's hoping for a better sick season (especially with a brand new baby coming into the mix!)

Connor's cousin, Jacen, came to visit us (along with his parents Kris and Eli) and Connor was so excited to meet his baby cousin for the first time :) Little Jacen is such an adorable and happy baby!! :D

Here I am at 28 weeks 3 days. I'm now 35 weeks, so I'll have to update soon! :D

I guess it's about time to start blogging again...

Seeing that it's been a bit over a year since I last updated, I think it's about time. I figured that with Baby #2 coming, he deserves as much blog time as Connor got when he was younger :)

Speaking of which (if you didn't already know), we're pregnant with Baby #2. He's due January 8, 2014 (only 2 short months away)! After 3 very difficult years of trying and not succeeding, we are just so happy about this little guy! Connor couldn't be more excited about being a big brother. He's been praying for a little sibling for a few years now! Connor loves kissing and snuggling with my belly every day, and talking to his brother too. He finally felt him move a few weeks ago for the first time (the baby had hiccups) and I wish I could have captured the pure joy on his face!

Connor is almost 5 years old. He's learning and growing so much every day. He's the sweetest, most generous and kind little boy I have ever come across. He's always thinking about others and serving to the best of his abilities. He LOVES cats and dogs (and often still pretends that he is one), loves playing with his hot wheel cars, and loves playing in the backyard on his swing set. He is a social butterfly (very much like his daddy, and NOT like his mommy). He would love if he was constantly around family and friends, all day long! :)

(Connor at Lake Michigan last month. We were visiting Indiana because my Oma (grandma) passed away. It was the first time Connor's been there and met all of my Dad's side of the family)

Things are finally looking a bit up with me and this pregnancy. After being sick every day for 7 months, it's finally at the stage where it's bearable. From about 12-16 weeks, I was hospitalized 4 times with an IV because I was so dehydrated. In those 4 weeks, I also lost a little over 20 lbs. I was pretty much miserable where I was throwing up 5-10 times a day, unable to keep anything down (including water). I am still 6 lbs. under my pre-pregnancy weight. I figured that I'll probably get back up to the exact weight I was the day I found out I was pregnant on the day I deliver :) I saw a new doctor this past check-up and she said "oh you look amazing for being 7 months pregnant... (I can still fit in my normal jeans) What's your secret?!" And I laughed a little and said, "throw up 5 times a day for 7 months?!" She didn't laugh :/

(here I am at 28 weeks, 3 days)

Aaron is the same happy self that he always has been, but currently struggling a bit. Any prayers would be greatly appreciated for him in finding a new job. As of last week, he no longer works at Chick-fil-A and is currently seeking employment wherever he can. He's had some great in person and phone interviews, and has a few more scheduled this week, so we're hoping that something great comes from this!

(I guess it was a good week for Aaron to be jobless, because Connor got sick with bronchitis, a double ear infection & pink eye in both eyes. Connor is normally a VERY big mama's boy... but this week he has been sticking to Aaron like glue!)

I guess that's it for today. I will try to make at least weekly updates from now on. It's definitely my New Years Resolution, but I'm starting 2 months early!! :D

Purple Puppy

Last Monday at work, I was putting the baby and 3 year old down for their naps as Connor and the 4 year old were coloring (like they always do). I come downstairs and can't find Connor. Then I hear "mommy... help. It won't come off" from inside the pantry. I open it up to find Connor covered in a purple and black marker. Of course I get a little upset and tell him that our body's are special and we don't draw on them. We only draw on paper. He starts crying and says, "but I don't want to be special. I only want to be a purple puppy with dark spots!" I then realized that he had "spots" all up and down his arms and legs and on the palm of his hands and soles of his feet! 

When we got home from work, he put a show on while I was making dinner. He called me into the room and said, "Look mommy... THAT'S the puppy I wanted to be!" (puppy on the one on the right)

Connor Quotes

We're sitting down, just about to start eating dinner.

Connor: "I don't like dinner. Can I have a sucker instead?"

Me: "No, but I'll make you a deal. You eat all your dinner and you can have a sucker for dessert!"

Connor: "Fine. Ok"

He eats his pears, slowly eats his carrots, and takes one bite of his chicken.

Connor: "I don't like this. It's gross."

Me: "No, it's not gross, it's delicious! See, I just finished mine!" as I show him my plate.

Connor: "Oooooo.... can I get a sucker for that?!"