Happy Valentines Day

Not into the "outfit" It was already way to small.

Hey mom, I am posing for you, but brother...not so much ;)

Still smiling.

Sibling love. She adores him, and I think he is pretty smitten as well :)

Enough with the pictures. (Funniest picture ever)

One Month Old

Dear Little Bland,

You are one month old. It has flown by quicker than I thought possible. You, my poor boy, have been stricken with nailbiting colic. I am talking hours of tears. It is like clock work so predicitable, but never easy to see how upset your tummy gets and how worked up you get. I think we all may have hearing damage before it is all said and done. We are working with different formula, various homeopathic remedies, and gas drops. But, my mother intuition tells me that it is just something we are going to have to get through.

It is teaching me about a whole new realm of mommyhood. Some days I am not so good, and others we are all good. Either way, I just want to take away the tummy pains, and the crying and feel it all for you. I love you so very much.

In the 4 weeks I have had with you, I have noticed little things about you.
You have one dimple on your right cheek.
Your hair is insanely thick, but starting to turn lighter brown (just like sisters before it fell out).
Your cheeks are the chunkiest most kissable cheeks...ever.
Pretty sure you will have brown eyes when it is all said and done.
You really love to be held, snuggled, kissed, and rocked. The moment I sit still, you cry ;)
When you get hungry you are a bit patient about it, will take a paci until the bottle is ready. Thank you for that, your sister would likely have eaten her left arm before I could get the bottle ready.
You are a great sleeper, once I get you calmed down at night. we are talking spurts of 12-5!!!
Your sister is the only one that can get you to really snicker. She is in your face a lot, and you seem to acutally like it.
Strong should have been your middle name ;)
You will always look like a little grizzly bear to me:)

I love you my sweet son.

Early Saturday morning playing Candyland.

He is looking at his sister.

One month old.

A little more awake. One day we will see your neck ;)

Kiddos.

Basically one side of his face has a rash and his eye is always squished from all of sissys affection :)

Our Sweet Boy

Our sweet boy is here. He is cuddly, chunky, and has a head full (and I mean full) of black hair. Here is his arrival story:

On Tuesday, January 10th I took you to school just like any other Tuesday. I went home afterwards and started cleaning and doing laundry (just like any other day ;) ). Your daddy called and said he wanted to run some errands with me, and off we went. As we were driving I started to think I was feeling a little off. I had been having contractions pretty consistently for what seemed an eternity, but little brother seemed pretty content all warm in mommy’s tummy. 

Before we knew it, it was time to pick you up from school, so daddy decided to take some more time from work and we went and picked you up together and took you out to lunch at Putters. Afterwards, home we went, and you took your nap, daddy returned to work, and I sat down on the couch to check my email. Before I knew it, contractions started to hit me every 6 minutes. We had planned a girls afternoon of pedicures and ice cream so I was trying to ignore them. I called your daddy and he thought it best I called the doctor. They wanted me to come on in. Thank goodness I did.

Within an hour the contractions moved to 5 minutes apart. The doctor checked me and said off to the hospital you go. I came home and spent a few minutes snuggling with you. But you were busy “cooking” with daddy. Grammy came over and I said my goodbyes as I left for the hospital. 

We checked in, sat in the waiting room, and sat and sat. And the contraction got stronger. And stronger. Daddy finally went to tell the front desk that we needed to get in a room sooner than later.

I got into my room and settled. The nurse came to give me my epidural ( I have to get mine early on because of my back) and there I sat trying to get some sleep, as it would be a long night...or so I thought.

The doctor came and decided to go ahead and break my water. About 10 minutes later. I started sensing some serious pressure/pain up and down my left side. My worst fears were coming true, the epidural was not working. I did not say anything at first (trying to be strong) but before long I was squeezing the hand rails with tears welling in my eyes. I finally told your daddy I needed the nurse to come give me extra medicine. Everyone was tied up with another labor...so there I sat using breathing techniques from Lamaze that I thought I would never need.

Eventually, the nurse and the anesthesiologist came in at the same time. The nurse decided to check me before I got more medicine. Sure enough I had sat there and breathed through my contractions and dilated to a 10. It was go time. Time to push, time to meet our new addition. Mommy needed a minute. I thought I had hours. I didn’t.

About 15 minutes later. I was holding sweet baby Bland. He was here safe and sound. And very healthy. It was a wonderful experience (even without the extra medicine).  My sweet thing, our sweet boy is here.

Bland Wallace Forrest

January 11, 2011 Born at 12:47 am

9 pounds 15 ounces and 22 1/2 inches