The Long Family

15 Months

2011-10-29T15:05:00.001-04:00

It really is hard to believe that Avery could possibly be 15 months old today! How did this happen? When did this happen? Sometimes I feel like I am in the movie "While You Were Sleeping". I keep waking up and chunks of time have passed and my kids are speedily growing up! Well, little Miss Avery is surely growing up and becoming a little independent diva! She has attitude and sass, and those happen to be the two things I love the most about her and also struggle with the most. She is fiercely aware of what she wants at all times and she is not at all afraid to let you know what that is. She is stubborn and sweet, funny and coy, and an all around spitfire. She brings our house to life and I just wouldn't want to live life without her! At fifteen months, she is everywhere and doing everything! Here are things I NEVER want to forget about our little Sassafras!

She never sits long enough to eat a meal. She basically grazes all day!

When she doesn't have a specific destination, she will just squat in place - she NEVER wants to sits!
She loves to get her hair brushed. For some reason I really love this.
She LOVES her taggie blankets - she has two and we have to have one with us at all times!!
She adores Brady. When he is napping or gone for some reason, she walks around the house yelling "BRAY-EE"
She can't say all the words yet, but when you sing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" she sings the whole time with you. Love it!
She walks around all day with little toys in her hand. She's not necessarily playing with them, she just wants to have them in her hand.
She loves playing with cars & trains. I think this is because it's all Brady will play with her right now so she really loves cars & trains.
She's still a tiny, little thing. She wears mostly 6-9 month clothes but starting to gradually fit into some 12 month tops. She wears size three diapers.
She has serious separation anxiety right now - this is not my favorite thing about her but I know I miss your being my shadow one day so I wanted to document it!
loves to She is always with me.....literally, always beside me, on me, next to me, right at my feet!
When I am doing the dishes she tries to climb in and help.

She calls me Mama - I love this - I don't know why, I just do!
Her favorite word is no which is kind of cute sometimes.

I am sure there is more but it's all I can think of right now! She's just the best. She is dramatic, sassy, and sweet all at the same time and I just love her to death. She makes my day!

I still can't believe that she is this beautiful, spunky toddler already. She was just a baby in my arms. Whenever I get sad about that, I remember that there will be a new baby in my arms soon and I will need someone to fetch the diapers!! :-)

So much going on...

2011-10-19T13:28:00.000-04:00

I have really fallen off the blogging wagon as of late. I get so far behind and it gets too overwhelming to play catch up so I just keep ignoring the blog all together. I have been, in all honesty, overwhelmed with my life in general lately. But, there's a good reason for all these overwhelming feelings. Holiday season is upon us, which means coming up with creative costumes, creative gifts, creative food, etc. But more than that, April is just around the corner and around that corner is baby #3! That's right, I am pregnant with our third and it's been, well, overwhelming at best. I love being a mom and the thought of this new little baby makes me really excited but it also carries its share of worries. For those of you keeping track, this will be three babies in three years - YIKES!! Which also means three c-sections in three years. So my body and mind have been through quite a bit these last three years so I hope I can handle things! In any case, this is the big reveal. We are thrilled and know that this just means more hugs and more kisses (more diapers, more crying, more sleep gone) to enjoy! At least I am honest, right?!?!

Spaghetti Night

2011-08-18T12:52:00.000-04:00

We love spaghetti at our house - Brady has loved anything with noodles since he could eat real food. So the other night, Avery had her first tast of spaghetti and it was a success! I just love throwing the spaghetti on the high chair and just letting them go for it!! She didn't dive in the way Brady did his first time but she sure did love the noodles!!

Brady, Brady, Brady

2011-08-11T15:06:00.000-04:00

It had been a really busy day. We had spent all day running errands for Avery's party that was supposed to be in two days. As I loaded up the kids in the Costco parking lot, Brady just started crying and said his head hurt. I was in a rush to get home so I just sort of blew him off, honestly. He whined the whole ride home on and off. I just assumed he was tired from the day of errands. Well, when we got to my mom's, he was really crying and just seemed out of sorts. We rushed the kids inside and as soon as I sat Brady down on the couch, my mom noticed the right side of his face was swollen right infront of his ear. I walked over to him and as soon as I went to touch the area, he freaked out and said, "no touch it mom" through tears. I got him calmed down enough so I could examine it. The area was right up against his ear, about the size of a quarter and hot to the touch. My mom went to her computer and started looking stuff up online. Within minutes he started getting feverish so I called the oncall doctor at my pediatricians office. Well, our pediatrian, luckily, was on call that night and he advised me to take Brady to an urgent care center to be seen because there was some nasty virus going around that he wanted to make sure Brady didn't have or get treated for it if he did. I was in tears at this point, mostly from exhaustion but also because the area was getting worse as time went by and he just did not look well. Nick had just barely left work so my mom said she would come with me for support. We packed the kids back into the car and headed out. It was about 6:30pm at this point and my kids were tired and fussy but I knew I had to get him seen that very night! We got to urgent care in 20 minutes, got him checked in and then we waited and waited and waited. By the time they called his name it was 8:30pm. That is 30 minutes past there bedtime so imagine the scene in the waiting room! It was not fun. The doctor came in and said he didn't think Brady had the infection my doctor was worried he had, but did think there was an infection in his parotid system and put him on antibiotics and sent us home. We got home, put Avery to bed and put Brady in bed with us because his face was noticably more swollen and I wanted him near me in case something happened. It was 11pm before I got him settled and by midnight he was awake and really hysterical. I checked his temp and it was 102.7. Not good. I took him downstairs and got him some cold milk and we laid down to watch some tv until he was settled down enough to sleep. I COULD NOT GET HIS FEVER TO BREAK UNTIL 4AM. Around 4:15am, he told me he wanted to go to bed now so I put him up in his crib and went to bed. At 8:30am they were both awake and when I went in to get Brady I audibly gasped because in four short hours, the swollen area had moved up around his entire cheek, down to the jaw bone and back around his ear. It was awful looking and his fever was back up. I was so stressed out! I cancelled my lessons for the day and called the pediatricians office as soon as they opened and said I thought he needed to be seen again by someone who knew him and his medical history. I know this may sound a little paranoid being that I was just at urgernt care not twelve hours before but I just knew in my gut I had to get him seen again. They said they could fit me in at 3:30pm. Up until this point, I was still planning on having Avery's party unless the doctor said absolutely no way. Heather came over and helped me get things done while Brady rested on the couch. I could tell he was severly uncomfortable but I didn't know what to do for him. I felt so helpless. When it was time to go, I packed up both kids and headed to the doctor's office. As soon as Dr. Wells-Green walked in, he said "Holy cow, mom. I am so glad you came in today. This is way worse than I had imagined." I knew things were right and I was so grateful that I had followed that prompting and get him in to the doctors office. After examing Brady, Dr. Wells-Green said he wanted us to head down immediately for an IV fusion of the antibiotic. He said we needed to get that medicine in his little body in large doses, as fast as we could or we would have a real problem on our hands. So, thinking it would just be a 2-3 infusion, I took Avery with me and we headed down to Montgomery General because they have a Pediatric ER there. The ER doc came in and had the same reaction Dr. Wells-Green did and said he wasn't convinced it was Paratitus (which was the diagnosis from urgent care) and that he was going to need to do some tests and probably admit Brady for the night. Well, when you hear your two year old is going to be admitted into the hospital, it's not great news and I lost it. I had Avery with me, I was all alone and I was feeling very overwhelmed. I called Nick, who was just getting off work, and told him the game plan and he said he would come down as soon as he could. Well, he might as well have been coming from Jupiter because he seemed so far away as they read to me the tests they needed to do. After the nurse left to gather materials, the doc came in and said they would definitely be admitting him so we would need to make arrangements for that. I called Nick back and he said he would stay the night with Brady but that would mean he would have to go all the way home first to get the things he would need. I barely hang up with him and the nurse is back in our room ready to insert the IV. As soon as she started touching his arm, he lost it. Brady really is the sweetest boy, he is so polite and kind to everyone. After she just stuck a needle in his arm and is taping down the IV tubes, Brady says "thank you" to her through as he is still crying and sniffling. That just sets me off again and I am really trying to be brave for him but it is so hard sometimes. He looked at me and just grabbed my hair, his main comfort, and started tickling his face with it. So, about 45 minutes go by and he is getting sleeping and Avery is getting crazy hungry and they tell me they need to do a cat scan because his white blood count was really elevated. I tell them my husband is still an hour out and I won't be much help with the CAT scan if I have Avery too. The doc tells me that a nurse will take her while I go with Brady. This was the first of many times this weekend where I will feel completely torn into pieces. How can I take care of both my babies when they have totally different needs right now? About 20 minutes later the radiology tech comes to get Brady for the scan and the nurse comes to take Avery. Right before they both entered our room, Avery had a MAJOR blowout and had gotten poop all over her clothes. Luckily, we were in a peds ER so they gave me a hospital gown for her to wear so when the tech came in he thought that Avery was the patient and needed the scan - what a mix up that would have been!!! Anyway, the nurse takes Avery and I head out with Brady. Brady is really excited about this scan because I told him it was just a big camera that was going to take pictures of his cute face. He liked the idea of a huge camera so he was in good spirits. The other tech was a young guy with a son 6 months younger than Brady so he was really good with him! It did take a while to get good shots because he had to lay completely still and that was hard for him because he got scared when they injected the contrast. But then the scan started and the machine started talking and Brady started talking back!

machine: you are now entering the scanner, take a deep breath, let it out.

Brady: Hi camera, hi! What's your name?

machine: you can now relax

Brady: Mom, she talkin to me. Hi camera

It was basically the cutest thing ever - he was being so darn brave! They got what they needed and sent us back to the room. When we were wheeling around the corner, I saw Nick holding Avery and I suddenly felt so safe and so calm. My husband is a GREAT nurse and an even better dad. Having him there was the best feeling in the whole world. Brady perked right up and was so happy to see Daddy. My parents got there shortly after to see Brady. My mom brought Nick some dinner knowing that he would be staying. Nick and my dad gave Brady a blessing also, which always brings great peace to my heart. Then the night shift doctor came in and told us that from the CAT scan it did look like acute parotisis and that would require at least six doses of IV antibiotics. Then they admitted Brady and moved him to his room and the rest of us left for the night.

At about 10:30pm I get a call from Nick telling me that because his swelling was so bad and the infection was moving fast, they wanted to transport him to a hospital with a children's unit. So at about 12:30am they transported Brady to Hopkins and there he stayed until Sunday afternoon. He responded quickly to the antibiotics. His face looked so much better when I got to the hospital Saturday morning to see him. His fever had broke some time in the early morning because when I arrived at around 11am, he was sleeping and soaking wet. They said that although he was doing better, he wasn't out of the woods and would need a full 24 hours of IV antibiotics so they would need him to stay another night. Not great but we dealt with it. I would stay all day with him and then go home at night to care for Avery. But Nick....Nick never ever left his side. Even when I was there all day, he would stay too! He was such a wonderful support to Brady and Brady just adores his daddy! Anyway, everything ended up fine but it certainly wasn't the weekend we had planned. We ended up calling people late Friday night cancelling the party. My parents stepped in and watched Avery during the day so I could be with Brady and then I would come home at night to put her to bed. One thing is for sure, Brady is a little fighter! He is brave and joyful and we just love him!

This is a pic of his cheek Saturday, late afternoon. Much better!

Brady & his Daddy in the hospital!

AVERY IS ONE!!!!

2011-08-11T14:03:00.001-04:00

Well, it happened again....time flew and my little baby turned one! I hate it when this happens....it just sneaks up on me every time!! Avery has been such a joy. Raising her makes me so grateful that I was blessed with one little girl! Being raised in a house with all boys made my mom and I really close and she really is one of my best friends. I really enjoy her company and miss her if too many days have passed. I really look forward to sharing that same relationship with my sweet Avery girl one day! She is totally a mama's girl already. She is pretty sweet and will go to anyone as long as she can see me. She will still snuggle into me still which just melts my heart and breaks it at the same time because I know those moments are going to be few and far between! Here some things I never want to forget about our sweet girl:

She is still a petite thing....wears size 2 diapers and 3-6 months clothes, slowly moving into some 6-9 month shirts/onesies
she talks ALL DAY LONG - her favorite word is NO and she says it about EVERYTHING!! She can also say dada, mama, didi(brady), poppop, dog and uh oh.
She is cruisin' around furniture now - she will be walking within the month probably
She loves food - she will eat anything and everything - including but not limited to strawberries, deli meat, pasta, peas, brocolli, hot dog, watermelon (she LOVES watermelon, she could live off of it alone) crackers, yogurt and cheese
She is a sassy little thing with a sensitive little heart~a dirty look from Brady will send her into hysterics
She can drink through a straw
She can climb up the stairs-not down yet so it's a little precarious
She ADORES Brady....he can make her break her day.

So we had planned a birthday party for her on July 30th but had to cancel it because Brady ended up being admitted into the hospital the whole weekend for an infection. Read about that here. Being that the food and decorations had already been purchased, we decided to go ahead and reschedule the party for the following Saturday. It was a beautiful day and we had a great time with family and friends. I think birthday parties are great because I think it is important to celebrate the life of a person you love so much. We definitely love Avery and enjoyed every minute of our celebration! A lot of people couldn't make the rescheduled date so I was a little sad about that at first but it ended up being fine and we all had a great time! I had planned a Luau party for her which was perfect for the weather and poolside party! Here are some pictures from that day.

Here's our little sweetie pie. I found an infant lei for her - it looks like it is choking her but it's not!

I love this pic of her because it really encompasses who she is right now - just a little sassy thing!

Not wanting to wear her bib AT ALL!

Loving the cake though!

Maybe loving it a little too much!

Everyone else got to enjoy these delicious cake pops that my mom and I made!

Friends that came (who we love dearly)

The Watson Family

(Eric, Neelah, Savvy, Baby Keegan, Heather & Finn)

Bill & Pam Medairy

(They are like family to us)

The Cook Family

(Jake, Baby Connor, Amber, Savannah)

The Bishop Family

(Jake, Denise holding the birthday girl, and Jack)

And of course Dad & Mom - our biggest supporters and the greatest PopPop and Grandma around!

One measley photo of the food table (all the food was outside by the pool by this point!)

Menu:

Chicken & roasted tomato kabobs

Ham & pineapple kabobs

Fruit kabobs

meatballs

chips

and for dessert...

cake pops (a pain to make but so yummy and very whimsical for the kids!)

Dear Avery,

You are one year old now. After a year of loving you, it's hard to put into words how dear you are to me. You are a part of the deepest corners of my heart. You are part of my soul - I hold you and am amazed at your sweetness. You bring so much joy to everyone you meet. You are our little unplanned angel and I can't imagine our lives without our little sassafras - I mean that lovingly! Avery, God has given you many gifts but the greatest of all his gifts to you is your sweet smile - it can light up a room in an instant. I hope that you will always use that smile to lift those around you all your life. I can't imagine what the next year will bring but I hope it will bring you closer to your big brother, who does love you. Remember, boys only push girls they really like! :-) I hope you will continue to thrive and grow in a home that is filled with love. We love you so much and are grateful for all you have taught us about peace and contentment. You don't like chaos. You have helped us to be more quiet and more sweet to one another! May you always know that we love you and that on the night of your party, as I rocked you to sleep, I cried like I hadn't in a long time because I was so grateful for the wonderful surprise you are to our family!

To the moon and back my darling daughter,

Mommy

Mother's Day

2011-06-18T09:08:00.000-04:00

I am not going to try to recount what happened almost two months ago......I just want to share some thoughts I have been having recently about being a mom. I remember when Brady was a baby....he was so tiny.....I felt like I had too much arm to hold him the way I wanted to. As he grew, he just fit. He fit so perfectly in my arms that it would choke me up sometimes to hold and rock him because it was like he was my perfect little match.

Then I found out I was pregnant with Avery and before I had even seen her image on an ultrasound, I was mourning the relationship change I knew was coming with Brady and me. I cried at least once a day about for a long time. As my belly grew, he still fit perfectly in my arms though. As he got tall and less chubby, he still fit so perfectly. It didn't matter how either one of us changed, he was still my little boy and my arms were made to hold him. When Avery came, she was so tiny and I remember having three blissful days in the hospital with her, just watching her and holding her and thinking how wonderful it was to snuggle this tiny baby and have her mold to my chest as I held her, sung to her, comforted her. Again the worries flooded my mind about how huge Brady would seem and how hard it would be to hold him and comfort him. But he came to the hospital and, yes, he seemed bigger but my arms were bigger too, or maybe it was my heart that grew. As my kids keep growing, I am amazed at how much more I love them each day and that no matter how big they get, they fit perfectly in my arms, their little heads resting on my shoulder.

But I shouldn't be suprised because at almost 31 years old, I still fit perfectly in my moms arms too!

Easter Festivities Part 2

2011-06-11T12:20:00.001-04:00

On Easter morning, we witheld the delicious treats until after our 9am church so that we could watch them really enjoy their baskets!! I always have the best intentions on sunday mornings I always have their clothes laid out, my clothes laid out, the bag packed but I just don't ever seem to get to church on time. I was NOT going to be late on Easter Sunday so I got up at 6:30am and jumped in the shower. As soon as I was out, I made Nick get up even though he never gets to sleep in on Sundays because he's got early meetings. I told him he needed to be ready so he could help me with the kids - we were NOT going to be late on Easter Sunday. I get dreassed, my makeup on and my hair dried and then Avery wakes up. By this time, NIck is out of the shower and getting dressed. I throw Avery in the tub, do a quick scrub, and get her out. Now she is dressed and playing happily when I hear Brady stirring. I was giddy with excitement - we were going to be on time, if not early. I get Brady, throw Brady in the bath, quick scrub and out he comes. I get him all dressed in his new Easter outfit, throw in a Veggie Tales and run downstairs to grab them each their breakfast items. Daddy feeds Avery, Brady feeds himself and I start doing my hair. It is now 8:20am and we need to leave our house by 8:40am to be in the pew and settled before it starts at 9:00am. Just as I was basking in how efficient things were running, Brady jumps off the bed, heads into the den in our bedroom and says, "Go way Mommy! Go way!" This is code for I am pooping now and I need my privacy. So Nick and I leave him alone, I finish my hair and Nick gathers the last things he needs and we carry one. It's now 8:30am and he is still not finished! This kid sure likes to take his time. I go over quietly and say, "Brady are you ready for Mommy to change your pants - we have to go to church honey!" "No mom, go way..." Okay now I am watching the clock and when you account for changing him and then getting them all in their car seats, our time is quickly diminishing. Finally the boy finishes and tells me to change his poop. So, I grab a diaper, the wipes, he lays on the bed and then throws a fit when I try to take his shoes off so I can get his pants off. I am screaming inside because Brady is a pretty chill little kid! Why must he do this the one day I really, really want to just have things go smoothly. Nick loads up Avery and gets her in the car as I wrestle my sweet child out of his shoes, pants and dirty diaper. I do the fastest change ever and throw his outfit back together. I say we gotta hurry buddy, we don't want to be late.....TOO LATE!! We were late.....again. So much for best laid plans!

Anyway, church was great that day. I even got Avery to nap a bit during sunday school so that I could listen! As soon as it was over, we got out of there so we could have an Easter moment with our kids and get them down for naps. We came home and showed them their baskets and it was wonderful. Avery, who has no idea what is going on, squealed with delight right on cue. Brady, who usually gets completely focused on one present and cries if we make him move on to the next thing, looked through his whole basket and thanked us over and over again! It was such a delightful moment, full of all the Easter magic I was hoping for!!! I will have to add pictures later because my computer is still out of commision!

We went over to my moms for dinner and it was delicious! She had gotten treats for the kids and us - she is so good like that!! Then we had an easter egg hunt inside for Brady because it kept raining on and off. He loved it! The day ended so beautifully and I couldn't help but smile - don't having kids make everything more fun!?!?!?

Easter Festivities Part 1

2011-05-09T14:24:00.008-04:00

A long time ago my mom was telling me how big events, i.e. mother's day, holidays, etc, rarely meet our extremely high expectations so it's better to just go with the flow. Man, do I wish I would have taken her advice this year for Easter. I had about a zillion fun, neat things I wanted to do for Easter with my family all together but, like I was warned, none of it happened the way I had hoped but at the end of the day it was fine and we still have great, fun memories. I swear, after this year's visit the Bunny extravaganza, Nick and I have vowed to NEVER, EVER do it again. We get to the mall and go straight to the bunny line. It is not that long - I am thinking it will take us 45 mins. at MOST to get through it, including looking at the pics and paying for them. Well, 1 hour later we have moved about 2 feet and my kids are LOSING it!! I go up to see what the HECK is taking so long and the photographers are letting the moms/dads look at the pics and then do a whole other round of photos if they don't like any. This has NEVER been my experience with these character photo ops. Usually you get like four or five shots in a row and you have to pick the best of the bunch. Well, these were jolly little easter elves and they were taking 10, 15, 20 minutes with each family. So while I am up there this dad who is second in line to meet the bunny starts to talk loudly to his wife about how horrible his experience is here and how he will never come to this mall again! Before you know, there is some lady on a walky talky talking to another lady and this lady shows up and the line starts moving in no time at all! I love that angry dad!! So by the time we get to the bunny, it had been almost two hours and Brady is done. We could not get that boy to smile to save our lives!!! Here is the outcome:

Could any little boy look more miserable? I felt so awful!

After the bunny debacle, we head home and just want to take a nap and so do our kids so we do just that! Mind you, we still have not shopped for their basket stuff and it's Saturday around 4pm. Maybe we should not have been so quick to nap. Anyway, I wake up first and am seriously starting to get anxious because we still need to shop, I still want Brady to see the Easter Jell-O jigglers I made for him earlier in the day, we have to dye eggs, eat dinner, and writing this is making me feel anxious all over again! Nick wakes up and I say, I am going to get the stuff for the baskets, see ya later. I run to Wal-Mart and realize I left without making any dinner or nursing Avery. Just when I am thinking that, I get a call from Nick. Avery is hungry, what should Brady eat for dinner, etc. So Nick deals with the dinner situation and I deal with the other procrastinators at Wal-Mart the night before Easter at 7pm. Not great planning!! I get home very tired and Nick and I(well mostly just me) decide we still want to dye eggs with Brady, we'll just let him stay up an extra hour. Guess who was and was NOT excited about this plan......

At least he's trying, right?

While we get the egg stuffs ready, Brady partakes of the delicious Jell-O jigglers I made especially for him, and he LOVED them. It was probably the only part of the day that went right!!

This is where my memory gets dicey because I started to mentally break down when Brady started doing this: So, after fretting about it, thinking I would be depriving my son of his first egg dying experience, we died 22 eggs and Brady broke all 22 eggs seconds after we pulled them from the dye. He was looking for "baby balls" inside the eggs.

A few cute ones before the egg demolition!

Let the demolishing begin!!

Could there be a happier boy or.......

Girl???

Seminary Trek

2011-05-04T09:34:00.005-04:00

My mom is the stake seminary supervisor for the Frederick Stake. Every year, she has to put on a big event to let the students apply what they have been learning all year long. This year, she put together a mini pioneer trek and asked my family to be involved. It was such an amazing experience and I was so glad that we did it. Our story was that we were a pioneer family headed west to meet up with the mormons because we had come across a Book of Mormon and believed what we read and wanted to be baptized. During our travels, my husband and I got bit by poisonous snakes and were going to die. As the students were traveling the trail, they would walk by us and we would have to ask them if they would save our children. It was really hard to talk about dying and giving up our kids all day long but it sure made Nick and I realize how important our jobs as parents are and how much we love our kids. If the passerbys said they would save our children, then we had to talk to them about our kids and what we wanted for their future. Several times Nick and I were both in tears even and though we knew it wasn't real, it felt very real at times. It was a bitter cold day. It had rained the two days previous and so the ground was muddy. I was having to nurse Avery outside, certainly not an ideal situation. I think the very things that made us want to cancel our participation were the very things that made such an impact on us. The pioneers didn't get to choose the weather or anything that was ideal really. It made us so grateful for our forefathers and for the gospel that they fought for! It was very moving and, again, I am so grateful that my mom asked us to participate!

The Girl with the Pink Cast

2011-04-30T21:09:00.004-04:00

Once upon a time there was a beautiful young princess. Princess Amanda was the most blessed maiden in the land. Among her many treasures were two sweet, cherubic babies that she wanted very much and loved more than anything. One morning Princess Amanda was running around her castle in a rush trying to get everything ready so she could head out into the kingdom for a very important meeting. As she was doing so, her sweet little daughter, Avery, had fallen asleep on the bed. Princess Amanda did not want to wake the dear child, but instead took advantage of this gift of time and ran into the castles wash room for a quick scrub. As soon as she stepped foot of the tub, she her the high pitched screams of sweet Avery. She ran to her and swooped her into her arms and tried to calm the little dear. After 45 minutes of hugging, rocking and singing, Avery closed her little eyes to continue her peaceful slumber! Thinking everything was fine, Princess Amanda whisked up her little ones and headed to her mother's, the Queen's house, so she could tend to the dears while the Princess was flitting around the kingdom. While the Princess was out, she received word from the Queen that everything was not alright with Avery and that she should take her into town immediately to be seen by the doctor. Princess Amanda rushed to her mothers and as soon as she picked up her baby, she knew that the Queen was right. The poor dear would not let her leg down, but rather, hugged it close to her body. So the Princess, the Queen, and the two children went into town to see the doctor. He said that she would need further care in the next town over and that they should not dilly dally. So they packed up the car again and set out for the far away land of Olney to acquire pictures of the wounded leg. As soon as they saw the pictures, they knew that he little leg was broken. Not a second later, a very mean doctor pulled the Princess aside and questioned her ruthlessly about abusing her little dears. She tried to explain that they were her most prized treasures in the whole world and as tears slid down her cheeks, he sent her back to her room to wait. After hours of talking to specialists in other far away lands, they decided to sent the royal family back to their castle to rest and that Avery would need to travel the following morn to another land to receive her final dressings. The next morning, Prince Nick took off work so he could be there for moral support as they traveled to another doctor to care for sweet Avery. When they arrived, they were greeted by the kindest doctor in the land and she promised the Prince and Princess that Avery would be just fine in time. They put a pink cast all the way up for leg and around her foot, said "see ya in four weeks" and sent the family back to their royal kingdom. There were people in the land who judged the princess when they saw the child. They looked at her like she was a bad princess and an even worse mother. This made Princess Amanda very sad. So one day, the Queen came and produced special clothing that would magically hide the cast from passerby's. Two days later, her fairy godmother came and brought more of these magical clothes. This made the Princess very happy!! Before anyone realized, four weeks had passed and it was time to travel back to Frederick to remove the cast. It was a joyous day! Now, little Avery is as happy as can be and the Prince and Princess and their little dears lived happily ever after!!! (I think I may have watched a little too much Royal Wedding coverage. But it is much more fun to tell the story this way!)

First full day with the cast - it's going to be a long four weeks!

The halfway point! Doing much better!

Two days before the removal - even learned how to scoot around with it!

I hope they call me on a mission...

2011-04-17T17:30:00.004-04:00

Nick had a great idea to do a missionary family home evening to help Brady start saving for his mission. We decided to talk about why they are important and we need to have a testimony of the our Heavenly Father. We also officially started his mission fund that night and it was so exciting for Brady to drop the coins in his mission jar. We know he is only two but we want him to know that we want him to serve a mission, that we think it is a great honor and a blessing, and that we support him in that endeavor. It was a fun night to share with my parents as he got to see their excitement in putting coins in his mission jar as well. To think that this little boy will one day get to spread the gospel is so exciting to me and really puts things in perspective. He will learn first by our example and then by our words. I love that he is already learning about Jesus and our Heavenly Father. He knows what temples are and loves to point out pictures of them to us. And nothing makes my heart warmer than when he prays! I am so grateful for my understanding of the gospel and equally grateful to have a husband who lives it and understands its importance as well!

Playing Catch up

2011-03-30T09:20:00.004-04:00

Things have been a little crazy around here so I am going to have to do one of those catch up posts that I hate! It's almost April and I realized I have only blogged through Brady's birthday and that was January 15 - EEEEK!! FEBRUARY: Oh, the month of love. I got up early and made heart shaped pancakes for breakfast.Nick and I were able to get a sitter and go to the most fabulous restaurant. It is called Ricciuti's and it was delicious! The chef only uses fresh ingredients from local farms. It was extraordinary! We even had the mind enough to dress up red for church and grab a valentines photo!!

Sissy can't eat real food yet so she enjoyed some banana in her food masher for V-day!

I also got my gall bladder removed in February, which meant I was on a strict lifting restriction for one week. Luckily, my mom came to the rescue and came over everyday that week to help me with the kids. Brady had watched a Blues Clues in the morning about sock puppets so my mom and knew we could create one far better. So we put together one and Brady loves it. I actually have to hide it sometimes because he constantly wants me to be puppet!

Do you see what' s in his other hand?

MARCH: We celebrated St. Patricks day with a green meal. I wish I would have taken pictures but did not do so. We had green eggs and bacon breakfast burritos with green applesauce. It was fun to see Brady's face. He definitely noticed that everything was green and may have even been a little unsure but it was fun for me to create a moment for my family!! Also, Avery turned eight months old in March. Avery is the sweetest little thing. At eight months old, she is very fun and giggly and so responsive to our love and smiles and voices. She finally got sick for the first time this month with a little respiratory virus unscathed. This month, though, her leg took a far worse beating.....more to come on that later! I also started her on solid food. I always start late with my kids because it's such a hassle. But I bit the bullet and started it! Brady remains our sweet little boy and recently, our little comedian. He is smart and witty. He is full of life and makes every day worth it with his big hugs. He is still 100% OBSESSED with Blues Clues. The first thing he asks me every morning is "where is my utbook (notebook)?" Between my mom and me, we have spent a small fortune on Handy Dandy notebooks. We had some really nice weather days and even got out to the park a couple times. Actually, we relish any time we get to spend with Nick. He is so busy between work and his calling at church.

I also started her in Piano lessons :=)

Turning two with Blues Clues!

2011-02-28T09:10:00.006-05:00

Our little sweetie pie, Brady, turned two on January 15! I can hardly believe he's already two but at the same time I feel like I have known him my whole life. He is the sweetest thing and I truly love him more each day! When it came around to planning his party, I knew without a doubt it would have to be a blues clues day! So I planned everything around Blues Clues. My mom even found Handy Dandy notebooks online and got one for each child to take home. Brady had such a fun day and it made us so happy to see him enjoying everything so much. By the end of the day, he was a little overstimulated and was ready for some quiet but it was a really great day! People that came: The Hall Family: Leigha, Kendall & Logan The Magee Family: Jacob, Alex & Mason The Watson Family: Finn, Neelah & Savvy Fun games we played: Pin the paw on Blue Musical paw prints Blue's clues This is a letter a wrote to Brady on his birthday for his baby book: Dear Brady, You are 2 today! I can hardly believe it! This means that for the last 730 days you and I have been inseparable and the best of friends. You, my dear son, are so precious to me. You have taught me how to be a mother. I don't remember who I was without you except that it could not have been nearly as much fun! Your daddy and I wanted you so badly and getting you here was no small fete. You were stubborn from the start, just like your mommy! After 47 hours of waiting, you were here. And I have had to pinch myself almost everyday since - still not convinced I am not in a fairytale. You are so full of wonder and you teach me about enjoying every little thing because you find joy in almost everything. Brady, when your daddy blessed you at 6 weeks old, one of the blessings was that you would bring joy to all that crossed your path. You fulfill that everyday. You are such a happy guy and funny to boot! You are a choice son of God and I want you to remember that always. You will always hold a special place in my heart and I hope that no matter how crazy our house gets, you know how much I love you! Love, Mommy

Playing Blues Clues with the Handy Dandy notebooks

A clue! A clue!

I made a paw print cake and used cupcakes as the toe part. Here is Brady trying to eat without getting messy! He hates having his hands dirty - I thought this picture was hilarious and totally captures who he is at two! Thins I never want to forget about him at two:

He LOVES everything Blue's Clues - if I forget to pack his Handy Dandy "utbook" for any outing, I am big trouble.
He knows almost all his shapes - heart, star, square, triangle, circle, etc and he points them out to me while we are driving anywhere.
He can count to fifteen - but when you ask him to do it he gets shy and whispers it.
He loves to draw - on EVERYTHING - our walls included!
IF I am not smiling 24/7 he comes up to me and says, "mama, you sad?" He is such a happy boy and does not like tension or sadness at all. He's very sensitive to that kind of stuff.
He can say his own prayers and it seriously breaks my heart everytime.
He LOVES Avery and interacts with her now - no once can make her smile like him!
At his two year appointment he weighed 30 lbs and was 35 inches tall.
He loves nursery.
And my favorite thing is that he still wants mommy when he's sad. He's becoming more and more of a daddy's boy which kind of hurts but when all is said and done, he needs his mommy!

January 15, 2009

July 2009 - 6 months old January 15, 2010 - 1 year old July 2011 - 18 months old

Piano Recital

2011-02-28T08:15:00.003-05:00

Teaching piano lessons again has been like an awakening of my spirit - literally. Playing piano, for me, growing up was like free therapy. I don't know what I would have done without it. I took lessons throughout college and started writing my own music and performing it. It was such an exciting time. But, like most first time moms, I had Brady and became so absorbed in everything Brady that I stopped playing -literally didn't touch the piano for like four months. I really struggled after Brady was born with the baby blues and even after I started to feel better, I still felt like I had lost a bit of who I was. Then one day, I went into the piano room with my infant son screaming and started to play. He was instantly soothed and my heart swelled as my fingers flew across the keys. Ever since then, I tried to play for an hour a day, no matter what. When Brady was about nine months old, Nick started asking me why I stopped teaching and kept telling me I should do it again. So, I did! And it has been amazing for me to watch these students develop and get good, really good, right in front of my eyes! I have loved every minute of it and it has kept me playing every day! So, in January, I held my first recital as a teacher. It was so great. My students were all a little nervous and I remember that feeling so well from my days doing recitals. It was so rewarding for me to watch them up there and I know they all benefited from a job well done!! I now have nine students and we have another recital slotted for November and they are already picking their pieces!!

New Years Eve

2011-02-15T16:20:00.003-05:00

We did it up right this year! We put the kids to bed, put out all the goodies, and sat around in our jammies and watched the countdown on the tube! It was pretty great. Nick and I had bought sparkling cider to toast in the new year and when the ball dropped in NYC, I kissed the hubs and then we had a mini dance party in my parents living room! I would say that beats anything that we could have down out with all the crazies!

Too much food, too much fun!!

After Christmas Shooting

2011-02-12T11:51:00.003-05:00

My dad is really into to guns and going shooting these days so on Friday morning that's what we did. Charlie & Abraham Schuman came over as well and it was really fun. I hadn't shot a clay pigeon since college so I was sure I was going to make a royal fool out of myself but I ended up doing pretty good. We all had a really great time posing with our guns. (There was a lot of down time!)

Don't mess with the Lewis/Long bunch!!! :-)

Christmas Continued

2011-02-10T15:43:00.009-05:00

This Christmas was highly anticipated because it was the year we got to be together as a family - the whole lot of us! After several trips to the airport, we were all together by Christmas night and it really was a magical couple of weeks. We had a quiet Christmas Eve day, just nick, me and the kids. The whole day felt so wonderful and peaceful as we played together. Nick left to run some errands and came back with two Santa hats, one for him and one for me. We put them on and played games and sang songs with the kids. I almost loved that day more than Christmas morning because it was just a calm, sweet day with my little family!

Christmas Morning

Not sure what Avery is doing here?!?!!?

Avery & Daddy - I LOVE this picture!

Josh & Avery

Brady & Blue(his favorite toy by FAR)

Little Brother Josh

Adam & Brittany

Brittany & Avery

Nick showing off his new coat from J.Crew

Leapfrog laptop

Bathtub crayons

Things I want to remember about this Christmas:

Avery trying to eat every bow or scrap of paper that came within a foot of her hands/face
Brady crying every time we tried to get him to open up another present. He didn't get the whole present thing
How loved Nick made me feel by putting so much thought into my gifts
Brady's face when he saw his very own Blue stuffed animal and Handy Dandy Notebook
Waking up with the same excitement I had when I was little because I couldn't wait for Brady to experience the magic of Christmas

Christmas & New Years 2010

2011-02-01T17:49:00.006-05:00

The Christmas season this year was more exciting than any Christmas since I was a child. I LOVED getting things ready for our kids this year. I love everything about Christmas. I love the decorations, I love the music, I love being with family and going to parties. I especially loved picking out things for Brady and anticipated his reaction to the whole deal. This year they invited the nursery children to be a part of the Christmas program at our ward Christmas party and I was beyond thrilled. Brady got to dress up as an angel and join the whole primary for the re-enactment of the Christmas story. Brady was so darn cute up there with his friends. I have to admit our little guy stole the show! He was so cute and funny up there - he just can't help it!!! At first he was just sitting there really sweet and quiet but then he saw Nick standing in the back and kept saying "Daddy, daddy" over again. Then he saw me sitting in the front taking pictures and was saying "it's a momma" which is how he says "there's my mom". Then he started waving and saying hi to everyone which was beyond adorable! Just when I thought my kid couldn't get any cuter, they had the kids stand up and sing and when they did, Brady turned around and started directing the singing! It was hilarious and darling all at the same time!

He wasn't so sure at first - he did not like that thing on his head!

But he warmed up to the whole idea!

Sitting with all the other angels!

Getting a little help from his friends

More interested in the stage decor..

Yawning...

There's the happy boy!!

Anyway, it was a proud/exciting moment for Nick and I as we got a glimpse of life with a little toddler - he was like a real kid up there! So fun! The next morning, we headed to Columbia Mall to meet Santa. I love taking the kids to see Santa because it just does not feel like Christmas until you do it! The line was pretty long and Avery was not having a great time waiting as documented in the following photo:

But I stepped out of line right after this and fed her so she would be nice and happy for Santa. I think the final product is pretty adorable.

Miss Avery

2011-01-12T15:52:00.004-05:00

Avery is now five months old and I can't believe how fast time is flying by! I wish I would have had the organization and time to document each months milestones but, alas, I did not. But today as I sat and watched my sweet girl trying to sit up, I thought it was time to document her life as a five month old for posterity! Current weight: 11 lbs 8 oz Height: 23 inches Awesome things she does:

can fit her whole fist in her mouth
watches Brady constantly and laughs out loud at him
pretty much sitting up on her own
smiles at everything
giggles when you kiss her tummy
loves sitting in her bumbo chair

Here are some not-so awesome things she does:

still getting up at least two times a night thus killing her mother slowly
won't play on her tummy for more than 3 minutes
kind of cry-growls at me when she's mad
drools so much that she can soak a shirt in an hours time
gets fussy every night at around 7pm

We pretty much adore this little girl though. She is one feisty little thing but we wouldn't have her any other way - she fits right in!

Thanksgiving

2011-01-05T17:35:00.004-05:00

We had a really quiet, laid back Thanksgiving this year. Nick's parents are still in Bosnia and my siblings were have Thanksgiving with their in-laws so it was just my parents, nick, me, the kids and Grandma.

The star of the show!

The Feast

PopPop & Avery

Brady thought it was more fun to be in the toy box than playing with what was in it!

My grandma, Avery's Great Grandma! Brady & Mommy

Brady & Daddy

What I am most grateful for this year is having another healthy, happy baby! Bringing her into our family has certainly been tough but she is such a joy! As always, I am thankful for all my family, for their constant love and support and for our Savior, Jesus Christ and his most watchful eye over me and those I love!

Utah Trip Day 3

2010-12-21T08:04:00.002-05:00

Saturday was a day of relaxation and it was so nice! Adam had come down from Salt Lake on Friday night to spend the night so we just hung out with him all day Saturday until it was time for Trick-or-treating.

Adam & Brady just chillin'

We painted fingernails - Avery and I both got a new shade!

Cousin love - Keira & Avery This was Brady's first year kind of getting the concept even though he mostly just liked talking to all the people at the different houses. In honor of Nick, our family did a medical theme this year. Brady was a doctor, Avery was a nurse and I was the patient! It was really fun to get ready with my kiddos. I was feeling sad though that Nick was missing out. It ended up being a disgusting rainy day and by nighttime it was just kind of spitting a little bit so we went! We have covered wagons and umbrellas and just made the best of it! It was pretty fun! I love seeing Brady explore new things and having fun with his cousins! It's the best part of being a parent! The good doctor Nurse Avery - those are real teeny weeny little scrubs! Doctor Long checking out the situation The family- minus dear old dad!

Utah Trip Day 2

2010-12-05T08:35:00.004-05:00

So we got there safe and sound to very excited family members! Krista picked us up from the airport and got to meet Avery for the first time! I was so glad that I was there and got to introduce Avery to all my family! We headed to Tom & Krista's new house, which I had never seen. It is so gorgeous! That first night we just hung out and talked. It was so nice to just see everyone again! Avery was a big hit! I think Christian was her biggest fan. He kept saying, "My baby." It was really sweet! The next morning we got up and went to Tommy's school because they were having a costume parade! Tommy was Mario. Then we went to IHOP because they were letting kids decorate (and eat) a Halloween pancake for free! Such a cute idea!

Avery at the HOP

Bradster waiting for "pacake"

Grandma & Keira - Keira had her parade that day too and she was Ariel! "Mario", Krista & Christian

Brady & Christian

Later that afternoon we went to a pumpkin patch so we could do a little carving before the Halloween festivities! It was a really cute place that had a little cornmaze and old tractors the kids could get on. The kids had a blast! I had to put these pictures up of Brady because he took this pumpkin picking thing very seriously.

Running to find the perfect pumpking maybe it's over here...

hmmm, is it you?

Let's try this one on for size.

In a sea of pumpkins. He looks so confused!

There were other great things like these old time tractors that the boys loved! I am pretty sure Brady had to sit on every single tractor before we left!

Brady on an old John Deere

Christian on an old Kubota

They also had this wagon just filled with hay that the kids could play in and climb around in. The kids all loved it!

Sweet Keira posing with the pumpkins! Some cousin love in the big wheel barrow Grandma with all her grandkids! Me with my babies! All the Lewis cousins And just a cute pic of Avery!!

Fall Fun and Utah Trip

2010-12-02T13:19:00.003-05:00

Holidays are so much more fun with kids. Nick and I have so much fun watching Brady and Avery explore new things. With Halloween approaching, we did a lot of fun fall things. We took Brady to this really great fall festival called "The Great Pumpkin". It had so much going on, you could hardly do everything. The lines were horrendous but it was well worth the $5 entrance fee! He got to do so many fun things!!

He rode a pony named Honey!

This bouncy house was for 3 and older but they let him do in! Look how happy!

He got to tour a fire truck and got his own fire hat - that he wouldn't wear!!

Of course we had to get a picture in the pumpkin cut out!

And he absolutely LOVED this huge slide!!!

Later that month, we took our church's youth group to a pretty sweet corn maze out in Thurmont, MD. We reserved our own firepit which was pretty awesome! We took our kids with us and had a really great time with all the youth and other youth leaders!!

Mary and little Avery!

Yes, ice cream in October. It's never a bad time to eat ice cream!!

Little Brady - he had a blast! He lOVES all the older kids!

Brady and his buddy Finn!

Nick had an on-call week coming up and since he would have to stay the night at the hospital, the kids and I headed out west to see my family!! It was perfect timing actually because I wanted to introduce little Avery to my brothers and the opportunity presented itself so I jumped on it! My mom came too because there was no way I could have done the plane thing by myself with a 20 month old and a two month old! So on October 27 my mom and I embarked on the four and a half hour plane ride with two lap babies, 1 bag full of snacks and one bag full of games and toys. We were prepared for the worst. Fortunately, we were lucky enough on a plane with nine other babies to get a seat between us. Miracle of miracles!! Brady was able to sit in his own seat and draw and eat in peace! The flight there was seamless! We were so thrilled! Brady on the plane Avery & Grandma Brady & Mommy

Dinner with Dad

2010-12-02T13:07:00.004-05:00

My dad that is! My dad turned 60 in October so in addition to a pretty awesome surprise party that my mom and I pulled off, Nick and I took him out to dinner one night to Pizza Hut. Not very fancy but it's where we thought our families chaos most fit in!! I love my Dad so much and, lucky for me, Nick loves him too (possibly even more!). They love hanging out together and Brady adores his PopPop!! We were lucky one night to get a little time with just him and it was nice! Brady was pretty insane until the food got there but then we were able to enjoy some yummy pizza and fun with dear old dad!!

REWIND

2010-11-20T22:40:00.004-05:00

I can't believe I forgot to write about Avery's blessing day! Pretty anti-climatic now that she's almost four months old! It was a really great day but very stressful leading up to it! Stupidly I waited until the Friday before to shop for a blessing dress. I really didn't think it would be hard to find. My mom set out with me around noon on Friday morning and we didn't get home until 6:00pm that night. It was a nightmare. She was so tiny and I couldn't find anything that would fit her. I ended up settling for a dress that I didn't love but that fit her. Ah well! We decided to have an open house after the blessing back at my parents so I was busy the Saturday before making food for the luncheon. But when Sunday came it was wonderful. Some of our family members came and lots of friends were there. Nick always takes the kids for a bit alone before the blessing so he can look at them and pray for inspiration. I think it is really sweet! The blessing was beautiful and, once again, I was so proud to be married to Nick. He's so wonderful and is such a good dad. After the blessing lots of friends and family gathered at my parents for a luncheon. It is always special to celebrate a new little baby. Brady was a little jealous at the luncheon and was kind of acting out a little bit but he has since pretty much fallen in love with Avery! We pretty much adore our two little ones. They have made our house a home and I am so grateful each morning that these two kids are mine forever! Look at those spindly arms! I think we're getting the stink eye! The Spread Aunt Michele and Avery

Important lessons from a toddler

2010-10-17T20:26:00.003-04:00

Being a mother has taught me so much about myself. It has opened my eyes to the simple pleasures that life has to offer. But, the most important things I have learned have come from my sweet little boy!

All of God's creations are marvelous and deserve our full admiration.
That God hears even the quietest uttered prayer.
Love is meant to be expressed several times a day.
Joy can be found in everything if we are willing and ready to see it!
Each new day holds wonder and adventure!

Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed by my job as motherhood and then there are these moments where I feel like Heavenly Father is tapping me on the shoulder, bidding me to stop and learn from his humblest of servants! I am so grateful to be a mom!

Someone is 2 months old...

2010-10-06T23:29:00.003-04:00

I can't believe Avery is already two months old!! It's going by WAY WAY WAY too fast!! She's just the sweetest thing! She loves to be held and would love to be in my arms with her head right in the crook of my neck 24/7! She started smiling at us now and makes the cutest cooing sounds in the whole world! I love dressing her everyday - girls have the cutest clothes!!! Here were her 2 month stats: Weight: 9 pounds 0.9 ounces Height: 21 inches Head: 14 1/2 inches She is 25 percentile in all three categories so she's pretty much perfect!!!! I would like her to sleep a little better but other than that she has been such a joy so far!! Some things she likes are her swing and her binky!! She still has bright blue eyes but who knows!! She's quite the cutie pie with all that dark hair and these bright blue eyes staring at you! Nick is hoping they change because he said that in high school he always thought girls with dark hair and blue eyes were hot! I guess time will tell!

This is her with her buddy Lucas!! I would be thrilled if they got married one day because I love his parents so!!! :-)

Family Fun at the Aquarium

2010-10-04T16:01:00.005-04:00

For Nick's birthday this year he wanted to have a family day down at the National Aquarium, which I thought was really sweet! Brady's favorite movie is Finding Nemo and we had taken him to a critter touch and feel deal at the library so we thought he would love the aquarium. And boy did he! He loved every single tank and would have probably stayed and stared at each one for an hour! We bought tickets for the total experience, which included a 4-D movie and the dolphin show. The 4-D movie was amazing! We had such a fun day we decided to become members so we can go when ever we want, as many times as we want!! I can't wait to head back down!

He love all the "sish"

We did find Nemo!!

Avery enjoyed the fish from a distance! She mostly wanted to be snuggled close to mom!

Brady Boy

2010-10-01T23:05:00.003-04:00

This has been an interesting experience watching Brady adjust to life with a sibling. I was SOOO worried that he would feel neglected and rejected. For the most part, he sort of just orbits around her. He does have his moments where he needs mama right this second and he will jump on my lap whether I am feeding/holding her or not. He sort of acts like she just isn't there most of the time. We have had a few "near death" experiences - not Avery's near death, Brady's because I was sure that I was going to kill the kid! When she was about three weeks old he pulled her blanket until she fell off the couch with it! Not so good. Then about a week ago he kicked her in the head. Other than that he is happy to dole out kisses for photo ops and be sweet when he thinks it will get him a "tweat". Seriously, though, he has been pretty darn good considering how much has changed for him. He really likes to watch her coo - sometimes her noises make him laugh. When I give him a kiss, he doesn't want her to be left out so he kisses her too! So far, he's been a pretty great big brother. But other than that, he's the same old crazy kid. Here's a little of what he's been up to:

Trying on mom's shoes - he's a shoe man!! I love his pose in the top picture! So serious - so couture!

He got sheared again!

Cooking with Mommy! He loves to help me stir but mostly he loves cleaning the paddle!

Learning some football moves from Daddy! He loves to "set hut" - including other children in nursery!

A lot of firsts..

2010-09-10T18:03:00.002-04:00

Avery is 6 weeks old now and has already experienced a lot of firsts!! I can't believe she is already 6 weeks old - it feels like somebody has pushed the fast forward button!!

First day at home!

First outing with mommy - doesn't she looked thrilled!! First boyfriend! One of my best friends from way back had her first, Baby Reed, exactly one week before Avery was born. They are in LOVE!!

First cuddle with Pop Pop!

Sweet sweet mercy...

2010-09-10T16:00:00.003-04:00

I wanted to be sure to record some thoughts and feelings that I missed due to all the hub bub of Avery's birth. That day was such a special day for our family, not just because we were meeting our newest member, but because it was the 5 year anniversary of my transplant. My mom and I usually celebrate in some way, give each a card or go to lunch but this year we had a much sweeter celebration. Ever since my mom donated the kidney, people always marveled at the love she must have for me to do that. I never thought about it, really, until I was holding my four hour old daughter and thought to myself, "there isn't anything I wouldn't do for you, my sweet." Being a mother requires so much of yourself and I didn't really understand how my mom did this wonderful thing for me until I was one myself. It does not diminish my gratitude for her and her willingness to do through that for me! Five years is a major milestone for a transplant patient and I really feel blessed and humbled by my Heavenly Fathers mercy. He has really answered every prayer and, literally, made all my dreams come true! Here's to five more!!!

July 29, 2005

July 29, 2010

What a difference 5 years can make!!!

Sometimes you're the windshield: sometimes you're the bug!

2010-08-18T18:47:00.003-04:00

This week, gratefully, I feel like the windshield so far! This is my first week home alone with my two babies and so far we have all showered/bathed and eaten all three meals. Those were my only expectations as I embarked as a mother of two under eighteen months. So far, so good!!! Avery is such a good baby. She pretty much melts my heart every time I look at her! My only complaint is her day/night confusion. It keeps me up most nights but I know that is only temporary so I am trying to hang on! Brady has been pretty darn fabulous considering he was center of the universe over here. He has been a little more aggressive than usual and has been kind of annoyed with me at times but I know he is adjusting and I am trying to be understanding. All in all, though, it's going pretty good. I just feel lucky that Brady still naps - oh how I love naptime!!! Here's a little preview of her newborn pics and our family photo shoot!

Avery is here!

2010-08-04T15:23:00.003-04:00

Our little baby girl is here and she is pretty fabulous!! Her birth story is a little anti-climatic being that we had a schedule repeat c-section but here it is all the same. We had scheduled the surgery for July 29 at 12:45pm so, needless to say, there wasn't much sleep going on Wednesday night. I am a little OCD when it comes to organization of clothes and laundry so I was up until about 12:30am finishing up the folding and hanging of all Avery's clothes. I finally fell asleep around 1:30am and woke up bright and early at 7:00am. We brought Brady in our bed and had one last snuggle as a family of three. That was the first of MANY breakdowns that day. As his little hands held my hair and he looked at me with those big brown eyes I couldn't help but feel a little sad for him. This was his last day of being the baby - he now had to be the big boy, big brother, mommy's little helper. I hoped I had prepared him for this day. I prayed that I had done enough with him so he felt secure and loved no matter who or what walked into our home. Somehow in my heart I knew I had. I knew he has felt more love in eighteen months than his heart could possibly hold. His big smile let me know that everything would be okay. I got up and showered slowly thinking about how in a mere six hours I would be sitting in a postpartum room staring at my little girl, my second little miracle. I cried tears of joy as I thanked my Heavenly Father for another child and another seamless pregnancy. His hand has protectively watched over my family over and over again and His love never ceases to amaze me. I got myself already and even put makeup on because I wanted to look as close to myself as possible in the "after" pictures. I did my hair for the first time in weeks and I justified it by saying I was meeting my daughter today!! After I was all ready I gave Brady a bath and put him in his Big Bro shirt and thought how little he looked. Man, was that about to change!!! We dropped him off at my parents and I started to feel really nauseous. I hadn't been able to eat since midnight and I still had to take all my medicine that morning (12 pills) and I have never ever taken them on an empty stomach. Anyway, before I knew it, I was puking all over my mom's wood floors. Not my finest moment. I could see Brady out of the corner of my eye and he looked worried and confused. I got myself together and we were running a little late at this point so we quickly took a picture and had to say goodbye to Brady. I started to lose it again. I hugged my little boy as hard as I could and whispered "I love you" in his little ear and he grabbed my hair and gave me a kiss. It was hard to say goodbye to him. We got in the car and headed to GBMC for the long waiting game. We had to be there at 10:45am to start the prep and it seemed like forever before they took me back. Nick and I were in this tiny pre-op room and he was getting antsy. He was looking in all the cabinets and pulling out his own scrubs for the surgery. He is always good for a laugh, though, and I can always count on him to be the rock when I am feeling nervous. All of a sudden it was 12:45pm and all these people were in this tiny pre-op room and they said, "are you ready to meet your daughter?" and I started to cry again. Nick gave me a kiss and they whisked him away to the waiting area and I walked in the OR. Before I knew it, the anesthesiologist said, "Amanda, I am going to put you to sleep now. When you wake up, your daughter will be here!" Then, I woke up. I woke up to the most horrible pain I have ever had in my life. Unfortunately, because I had to do general anesthesia, I wasn't numb from an epidural so I felt really horrible. I could see Nick holding our sweet baby girl but I could not focus on it for one second. The pain was just too horrible!! Finally, after about two hours, the pain was under control and we were taken to our room. I was feeling pretty comfortable and held Avery and fed her for the first time. It was amazing how much I instantly loved her and felt connected to her. She looked exactly like Brady to me, except with a pink hat on!! We shared three glorious days in the hospital together, getting to know each other. She is the sweetest thing. When Brady came in to meet her on Thursday, he did so good. Everytime he looked at her he just giggled. We put her on his lap and he smiled so big. It was so healing for my heart to see happiness in his face. On Sunday, we were discharged from the hospital with flying colors and have been nestled in our home together ever since. Nick has the whole week off so we have really been able to bond as a new family of four. So far, she is a pretty low maintenance baby. She really doesn't cry much and is such a good eater. Hopefully this continues!! We are so proud of our little family, especially our newest addition, Avery Kaye Long!

Dear Avery,

2010-07-29T00:15:00.002-04:00

Hi! It's mom. I thought I should say a few things before you met your family tomorrow! First of all, I love you my darling daughter. At times I have been afraid and anxious. There have been many moments of this pregnancy that I felt overwhelmed and unprepared. But never once did I ever not love you or want you. Having a little girl is a dream come true and I can't wait to see your precious face! I wanted to tell you about all the wonderful people that you have as your family. First is your daddy. Nobody's perfect but he is pretty perfect in all the ways that really matter. He is loving and kind. He's funny and playful. He is spiritual and he loves his Savior. He works hard everyday for our family and he is very excited to meet you!!! Next is your big brother Brady. He's the sweetest boy you will ever meet. We hope that you two will be best friends and take good care of each other. He's a happy boy and full of energy. He will run circles around you but will always leave a smile on your face. He is full of love, hugs and kisses. This may be a little overwhelming to you at first but know that he will always love you and be your protector. In addition to our little family, you have five aunts, four uncles, six cousins, four grandparents and five great grandparents. Each of these people already loves you and anxiously awaits your arrival also. They are all such good people who mean so much to your mommy and daddy and have really shaped who we are. Look up to them always. Trust their judgment and their love for you. Two of your grandparents live far away in Bosnia but they couldn't love you anymore if they were right here. They will know you because we will talk about you all the time and send lots of pictures. Your grandma, Menga, is coming in October to visit you and that will be a very special time for both of you. Your other grandparents live ten minutes down the street. They are around a lot and you will meet them tomorrow! They are mommy's parents and they mean the world to her and I know you will love them too! You should also know that we know you are a daughter of God and that nothing is more important than that knowledge. Your daddy gave me a blessing tonight and in it said that you have been anxiously waiting to come down to earth to spread joy. I think you have already started that journey little girl! I can't wait to be your mommy!! What a lucky girl I am to have you! Always remember that we love you!!! Love, Mommy & Daddy

Birthday Beach Trip 2010

2010-07-21T18:13:00.003-04:00

The hubs did it again - he planned a beach getaway for my thirtieth birthday and it was a blast. My brother had also planned a last minute trip to Maryland with his three kids so they came also along with my parents! It was so fun to be with lots of family at the beach!! We had a great time, stayed in some sweet hotels and ate yummy food! You really can't ask for more! All my pics are of Brady because this was his first time to the beach. Oddly enough, none are of him at the beach - we did videos of that experience that I haven't figured out how to upload on blogger yet! Anyway, thirty is treating me well - not as traumatic as I thought it would be!!!

The Bradster at an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet. Happy Birthday Mom!!!

The kids pool at our hotel was amazing. They had these holes that shot water up and Brady was obsessed with them!

A cute padded slide for the kiddos!

Also a hit!

Chillin' out in mommy's glasses and daddy's hat!

4 1/2 weeks and counting...

2010-06-29T12:36:00.004-04:00

I can't believe how fast this pregnancy has gone. I have barely had time to catch my breath it seems. This pregnancy has been different from Brady's in, basically, every way possible. His was easy, breezy and this one has been not so easy, breezy. But I guess a lot of that has to do with chasing around a toddler! A very, very fast toddler! This is a self portrait of my belly - where are my feet you ask? I don't know - haven't seen them in weeks! I am much bigger with Avery than I was with Brady but have only gained 2 pounds so far. A lot of that has to do with the fact that I lost a lot of weight at the beginning because I was so sick for about 16 weeks and then I lost about 7 more pounds when I had the kidney infection. So, why then am I so humongous??? Please notice the food stain on my shirt - everything lands on the belly because it's just there! The nursery is almost done so I am starting to feel like we got some things under control! Emotionally, I still struggle with the guilt of ending my time with just Brady but I guess this is a normal feeling! Avery gave us another scare last week when she decided not to move at all during the non stress test so I was admitted for "observation". This means they hook you up to machines, don't feed you all day and say scary things like, "in case we have to take her...". She decided to wake up and make fools of us all and I was sent home about 6 hours later! Needless to say, I will be glad when she's here and safe.

Shagtastic Haircut

2010-06-29T10:16:00.003-04:00

Brady has beautiful hair and I am not just saying that because I am his mother. Everywhere we go people comment on his hair. But it was getting a little shaggy. The poor kid was always sweaty and annoyed with his hair. So I decided it was time to tame the beast. It was probably harder for me than his very first hair cut because he had all this thick, curly hair. The barber promised me that those curls will come back, they weren't just baby curls. So anyway, I took the plunge and have been mildly obsessed with it since I got it cut. I ask Nick about twenty times a day if he thinks it's too short or if it makes him sad, blah, blah, blah. I think I am most sad because he always twirls his hair for comfort and now he can't do that. When I put him in his crib for nap and bed time he always goes for his hair and it's gone - sad!!! Anyway, it's an adjustment but it is much better for him and that's what matters!!

Morning of said haircut

The next day

I guess he's still pretty cute!!

Hagerstown Park with Grandma & Great Grandma B

2010-06-29T10:09:00.004-04:00

Last week Brady and I headed up to Hagerstown with my mom to visit my Grandma. We went to the Hagerstown City Park which is absolutely beautiful! We had been there before but not when Brady old enough to really be into it! This time we took bread so he could feed all the ducks and swans. He had such a blast - until it was time to move on!! My grandma loves going to the park also so it was a really fun day! I love that we live so close to her so that she can know my kids! It's pretty special!

Backtracking Blog Post #3

2010-06-29T09:41:00.003-04:00

Father's Day

I was very excited about Father's day this year because I had a few surprises up my sleeves that I had been planning for weeks. One was that I got a tip from a friend (thanks Stacey) that David Archuleta would be in the Deseret Books in Salt Lake City on June 7th doing a book signing. Nick is a big fan, as am I, and I knew he would really get a kick out of it. So I enlisted my brother to wait in the line of screaming girls to get one signed for Nick. My brother then enlisted his wife, who is a saint, and waited in line for almost three hours to get it signed! So I knew that was on it's way and I was very excited! Also, after Nick went caving, he said he wanted some "man things" for Father's Day. He had talked about wanting a fishing rod for a long time so I made it happen. Usually on Sunday mornings Nick leaves early for meetings but it being Father's Day, they were canceled so we got to spend all morning with him. I got up early with Brady and made him my homemade egg sandwiches and some fruit salad. I topped that off with a glass of ice cold chocolate milk. Brady and I headed upstairs with the gifts and the food to surprise our main man. It was a great relaxing morning! One of my greatest joys in life is watching Nick be a dad. It is so magical to me to watch him fully embrace it and wholeheartedly enjoy it! I also have a great dad that I love so much. I am equally enchanted watching him be a PopPop. He loves being a PopPop and Brady loves him so much. They are pretty cute together! He is endlessly supportive of all his children and we all appreciate him so much!

Backtracking Blog Post 2

2010-06-28T21:29:00.005-04:00

Brady is 17 months old!!!!

This just blows me away that he is 17 months old now. Every 15th day of every month he ages but it is just crazy how fast the time is flying. This 16-18 month stage is my favorite so far! He is so expressive and communicative. He is such a little boy - always looking for rocks, sticks, bugs and it's rare to see him without a ball in his hand! He loves being outside and would be happy to sit out there all day! The other day we just sat in camping chairs together for like 30 minutes and "talked". I use the term loosely! 17 months has brought on some new words and skills. He knows how and when to use hi and bye. He says "up" when he wants to be held or helped up the stairs. He says "button" because a lot of my maternity tops have buttons on them so he's got that one down pat. Some new skills are climbing - he climbs on everything. He knows to push things around so he can climb higher. He sits indian style which is so cute! He's really into the phone and mimics sounds I make when I am on the phone. He walks around carrying it all day! I am sure I am missing a ton of stuff but I just love everything he's doing right now! It's been fun taking him swimming at my mom's although he is very determined to do it himself. He literally pushes my arms away because he thinks he can! It's actually pretty nerve racking but he loves the water!!! He also loves bath time and as soon as he hears the water, he runs into the bathroom and starts lifting his shirt! He knows how to get his diaper off too, so I need to stay on top of that! He's pretty much a joy to be around - just a happy go lucky kind of kid!

Bactracking Blog Post 1

2010-06-27T19:51:00.018-04:00

What has nick been up to?

That's a great question. One that many many people have been asking. He rarely makes appearances in our blog and since it is also our family history, I need to be better at it!! Back in October, Nick got called to be the Young Men's president in our church. He is in charge of the 12-18 year old boys. Most of his non-working hours are filled up with this calling. He's either planning an activity, executing the said activity or on the phone working out the kinks. It's been a wonderful thing for him and he is really loving it. Last month he and another leader took the boys on a caving trip and Nick had a blast. It was his first time caving and I think it is something he definitely wants to do again!

The whole group waiting to leave! (Yes my husband is wearing a fanny pack. Apparently they are really handy while caving! :-) )

The whole gang ready to enter the cave.

And after - yuck! I got to wash those lovely clothes a day later. In case you're wondering, they did not smell better aired out in a car after 24 hours!

Over and Over again...

2010-06-02T17:04:00.003-04:00

I am standing backstage.....I am dressed in costume. Makeup and hair are done and air is filled with nerves and excitement!!! All of a sudden, our teacher says "Five minutes to curtain" and I realize I haven't memorized any of my lines. Then I hear him yell, "PLACES!!" and I start to panic. My palms are sweaty and I am perspiring ALL OVER THE PLACE!! What am I going to do? Then I wake up! I have had this exact same dream ever since I graduated from high school. I have had it at least a couple times a month until recently. I am now having it a couple times a week. Baby Avery will be here in 8 1/2 weeks folks. Go ahead, ask me the normal questions.

Have you bought your crib? NO
Where are you registered? I haven't done that yet either!!
What does her nursery look like? YOUR GUESS IS AS GOOD AS MINE!!!
Are you getting excited? This is my least favorite question because there isn't anything I can say that will satisfy the asker except yes. And, unfortunately, I am a little too petrified/overwhelmed to feel excited yet. Ask me in 8 weeks!

Now, I know, Amanda, take a deep breath. Lots of women have done it before you, blah, blah, blah...... Lots of women aren't me though. This is the first time I have been pregnant with a second child while having a very strong-willed, yet sweet, 16 month old. And, yes, I know it will all be fine....... :-)

For My Toddler

2010-05-26T16:34:00.003-04:00

As I hold your 16 month old hand, basking in the glow of our magical relationship, I suddenly feel a kick from within, as if to remind me that our time alone is limited. And I wonder: How could I ever love another child as I love you? Then she is born, and I watch you. I watch the pain you feel at having to share me, as you've never shared me before. I hear you telling me in your own way, "Please love only me." And I hear myself telling you in mine, "I can't," knowing, in fact, that I never can again. You cry. I cry with you. I almost see our new baby as an intruder on the precious relationship we once shared. A relationship we can never quite have again. But then, barely noticing, I find myself attached to that new being, and feeling almost guilty. I'm afraid to let you see me enjoying her. -- as though I am betraying you. But then I notice your resentment change, first to curiosity, then to protectiveness, finally to genuine affection. More days pass, and we are settling into a new routine. The memory of days with just the two of us is fading fast. But something else is replacing those wonderful times we shared, just we two. There are new times -- only now, we are three. I watch the love between you grow, the way you look at each other, touch each other. I watch how she adores you -- as I have for so long. I see how excited you are by each of her new accomplishments. And I begin to realize that I haven't taken something from you, I've given something to you. I notice that I am no longer afraid to share my love openly with both of you. I find that my love for each of you is as different as you are, but equally strong. And my question is finally answered, to my amazement … Yes, I can love another child as much as I love you-- only differently. And although I realize that you may have to share my time, I now know you'll never share my love. There's enough of that for both of you -- you each have your own supply. I love you -- both and I thank you both for blessing my life." My friend sent me this after mentioning how the last couple of days my heart is hurting as I watch my time with Brady slipping away. I love that little boy so much! He has filled my world in the short span of sixteen months and to be honest, I feel a little robbed at times. I love Baby Avery and know that she is meant to be here in our family at this time but my heart is so torn! We are down to nine weeks and counting - can't believe how fast the time has flown by!

Kidney Walk 2010

2010-05-18T14:35:00.004-04:00

The Kidney walk was really amazing. I was so grateful that we went as soon as we got out of our car and saw all the people start heading to the registration table. What was so wonderful is that I felt a familiarity with each and every one of them. I knew that most of them had stories similar to mine. Or they were the family of that person who had or was suffering from kidney failure. I empathize with those as well because I know what it feels like to look at your families faces and see fear, love and concern all masked with a smile that they put on for you. Nick, Brady and I walked up to the registration table and instantly noticed the bright purple shirts that said, "Take a Lifesaving Step". That was one of many times my eyes welled with tears that day. Everyone was so friendly. Nick looked at me with the biggest smile and said, "I am so glad we're here." That is exactly how I felt. It may sound weird to say, but in a way, it felt like home. I felt connected to these people and wanted to say hi and hug each and every one of them. We took our tickets over to another table and got our very own bright, purple shirt and put them on immediately. We went around to the booths and talked to the people from the local hospitals and dialysis centers and I also wanted to give each one of them a big hug. You can only know how important those people are if you have been through something like this. Those people become your anchor to all things hopeful. They remind you, or at least try to, that you will be fine. I wish I had listened to them better way back then. Next, we go over to the snack table and help ourselves to a pre-walk snack. That's when I saw her......the first time. She was probably Brady's age or a bit older. She was in a red wagon, sitting comfortably amongst blankets and stuffed animals. She was wearing a bright, purple shirt as well. Then I noticed her backpack and the tube coming out of it that was going up her shirt. My heart sank. This tiny little thing was on dialysis. Her parents sponsored her for the walk and pulled her the whole 3 miles in that red wagon. That was the second time my eyes teared up that day. I wanted to run up to her and hug her and tell her that everything will be okay. I wanted to hug her cute parents and tell them that their little girl can have a really full life. But the hardest part about all of this is that isn't the case for everyone. She's too little to receive a transplant. Her parents are hoping she makes it long enough to see that day. I can't even think that that's not a possibility so I walk past her on purpose and make contact with her and say hi. Nick was off with Brady somewhere so I took the childless opportunity to touch her tiny little hand. Her dad noticed I was pregnant and asked when I was due and I told him that I was having my little girl on July 29 - the five year anniversary of my kidney transplant. Her dad got teary and said that that is his biggest wish for his daughter, that she can live to see that day. I told him that I hope so too! And I really, really do! Other than that brief moment, every one seemed so happy and hopeful and that's the cause I want to be a part of. I want to be in the business of spreading hope and information so people understand that there are stories that are sad but there are also hundreds and hundreds of happy ones out there too and I am so grateful to be one of those. Next, the program director called everyone to the starting line and thanked us for being there. All of a sudden, I hear the Rocky theme song, "Getting Strong Now", blaring from the speakers and they said, "Go." That was the third time my eyes got teary that day. There were about 200 or so of us all walking/running with the same purpose. It felt wonderful to be a part of that great cause. As Nick and I walked, my heart started to heal with each step I took. It was almost five years ago, but I haven't ever fully recovered from it. In fact, Nick and I have rarely spoken about it until Sunday. But this gave us a chance to reflect about it and talk about all the wonderful blessings that have come from it! There are so many but the three most sacred to me are Brady, Avery, and this wonderful, strong marriage that has come out of it! In 6 short months of marriage, Nick watched his new wife wither away, getting more sick each and every day. Then he watches me undergo this hefty surgery that took my normally happy, positive spirit away for a couple months. When I did feel back to "normal" I could see the stress leave his face and his shoulders and I knew that he was here for the long run. He was not only my husband but my partner and that is a wonderfully secure feeling! It was wonderful to talk about the past and feel blessed and happy instead of angry and bitter. As we were walking, I saw about six people ahead of us that were wearing red shirts that just said BOB on them. We caught up to them and I asked the man next to me what the shirts were all about and he said, "I am Bob. This is my family." As we walked and talked, we found out that we were diagnosed with the exact same disease, had the same doctors, and had our transplants at the same hospital. He was the happiest guy and we walked for a long time together and it was so nice meeting him. As we finished up our walk, crossing the finish line, I teared up for the last time. I saw the little girl again in the wagon and she was smiling and laughing with her parents and I felt so happy in my heart. This walk was to raise money and hope and I think each one of us did that that day. Whether we gained hope or were the bearers of it, we were each better for being there!

Mother's Day in Review

2010-05-10T17:18:00.003-04:00

I get to wake up to this face every morning - I am a lucky girl!!!

Breakfast in bed----------------CHECK
Balloon carried in by my sweet son--------------------CHECK
Husband on baby duty all three hours of church-----------------CHECK
Dinner provided for me that required no cooking or dishes----------------CHECK CHECK
Many "I love you's" from the hubs and wet kisses from my son-------------CHECK
Visit from my dear old dad -------------------------------CHECK

It was a great day but none of it would have mattered at all if Nick wasn't so good at making me feel loved and adored all the other days of the year. None of it would have mattered if I didn't love being a mom everyday and could find something to be happy about each day - even on the hardest days! (Sometimes the only good thing is that he only played in the toilet twice instead of his long standing record of ten times a day!)There are times and seasons to our lives and right now is the season of little babies and a mildly messy, chaotic house. Last night Nick told me that Brady is the good boy he is because of me and that I have exceeded his highest expectations of the kind of mother I would be. It really touched my heart and makes the toys on the floor seem so unimportant. Mother's day for me was the culmination of the other 364 days a year that I feel like Nick recognizes the important work I do and loves me for it!

Moments like these make the times Brady sticks his hand in the poopie diaper all worth it!:-)

Western Maryland Kidney Walk 2010

2010-05-10T15:28:00.001-04:00

On May 16 I will be walking to show gratitude for my health, my good doctors and nurses and for my mother for donating life to me almost five years ago. In 2004 I was diagnosed with an auto-immune disease called IGA nephropathy. By the time I found out, I was already in chronic kidney failure and was told I would need a kidney transplant to live. It was overwhelming and devastating news to receive being only 24 years old. I had just found the man of my dreams and was looking forward to a life with him, filled with kids and joy. This dream seemed to be falling apart as I sat across from my doctor and learned this devastating news. Before the news could even sink in, my mom said she would be the donor. From that second on she endured test after test and the waiting game began. My sweetheart, Nick, stood by my side and proposed to me on October 20, 2004 - just one day after hearing the news. We went on and planned our dream wedding and waited for the phone call that would save both our lives. I am hoping in sharing my story, others will find hope in their darkest hour. I hope that they will see that their is not only life after transplantation, but one that is full of joy and happiness. I am approaching my five year anniversary and have a 15 month old son that I carried healthily to full term and will be delivering our second child, a baby girl on the very day of my transplant anniversary. So, on May 16, I will walk in gratitude and for those who need hope. I am walking to help save someone else's life because my mother saved mine! If you feel so inclined to donate to this wonderful cause and help save another's life, please head to my webpage! Thank you! https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=338919&supId=292330485

He's all boy

2010-05-06T09:23:00.005-04:00

I have been marveling recently at how Brady has just turned into this little boy over night. I thought that having all brothers would have taken away some of the magic of watching this little guy grow up and explore the world around him but it hasn't at all. The second we come downstairs he is at the door ready to go "aside" and play and explore. He loves collecting rocks and sticks. Nick was a little explorer, too, when he was little and he said he wished he kept some of the things he found when he was little. So, we decided to make Brady an explorers bag for every year he thinks this is cool. We have dated it and will keep it in his memory box. So far, it looks a lot like our driveway: rocks, leaves, and sticks. But we think Brady might think this is really neat one day!

A little glitch

2010-04-26T08:20:00.005-04:00

Last week my pregnancy took a little turn for the worse and I ended up in the hospital with a kidney/bladder infection. YUCK! It was traumatic for me and I wanted to be home every single second, but, believe it or not, there was an upside. I got to see our sweet little girl again. That was the best dang part!! So here is our still unnamed sweetie pie making her pictorial debut!

Backtracking Part 2 - Awakening Avery Book Launch

2010-04-24T09:35:00.003-04:00

A couple weeks ago, the National Launch for my mom's newest novel, "Awakening Avery", took place down in Kensington at This is the Place bookstore. We made it a family affair! Brady was wearing a shirt we made for him that said, "My Grandma wrote this book" and on the back was the cover of her new book. My dad wanted in on the action and made one that said, "My sweetheart wrote this book." After Brady spent an hour ripping things from the shelves, my dad took him home and my mom and I stayed to do a little PR. It was a great day. She sold all the books that store had in stock and we met some really great people! It was awesome to see my mom as an author instead of just my mom. She is really so talented and respected!

Backtracking Part 1 - The National Zoo

2010-04-24T09:06:00.003-04:00

Several Mondays ago, Nick and I went down to the National Zoo with our church's youth group. We thought this would be the perfect opportunity to take Brady for his first zoo trip! The day we went ended up on one of those out of the ordinary, steaming hot days!!! That was not to so fun but we ended up having a great time and so did Brady.

We wanted to ease him into the whole zoo experience so we stuck to rocks and statues of animals for the first little while! :-)

Brady is going through a little bit of a rock obsession right now so this was happiness to him. He HAD to stand on that rock!

As for sitting on this panda's head, there really is no explanation except that he wouldn't stand in front of him.

He loved this weird bird statue! He gets a little fresh with it...

....right here! He's a lover of all animals - what can I say!

Unfortunately, once we got inside the zoo and were looking at animals, I never got the camera out. Brady loved the bird house. The birds were free to fly around and he just couldn't get enough of it! In the ape house, this enormous, orange, crazy haired monkey/gorilla thing was standing right in front of the glass. So we put Brady up to it to see what he thought. Next thing I know, Brady's hands are sort of banging on the glass right next to a sign that reads, "CAUTION: Do not bang on the glass". In my head, I saw this whole scene playing out where Brady sends this monstrous gorilla into a frenzy so we quickly removed him. But it was a fun day spent as a family and we will need to do it again!

I'm tired, so, so tired....

2010-04-15T09:35:00.005-04:00

That pretty much sums up my life since Christmas! It doesn't matter how much sleep I get or don't get, I pretty much feel like I need a nap 24 hours a day. It's so pathetic! Luckily, Brady is still taking two good naps a day so I rely so heavily on that time to recoup! Although I love this little baby girl, she is really great at waking up at 2am every morning, kicking away happily! It's been a rough week! I decided to take on some home improvement projects so all the wallpaper had to come down. So between that and chasing Brady, I feel so tired! I feel a good sleep coming on tonight.....please cooperate little girl!!!

"Awakening Avery" has hit the shelves!!!

2010-04-02T19:51:00.001-04:00

My mom's newest book "Awakening Avery" is now available! If you want to meet her and get a signed copy, come to the launch party!!!! I am so proud of her! She is a wonderful writer and a pretty neat lady so come out and support her!

Please slow down

2010-04-01T19:41:00.002-04:00

It's funny how different this second pregnancy is! I remember being pregnant with Brady and I just couldn't get that kid here fast enough!!! My friend was pregnant with her second and I just remember her saying over and over that she could TOTALLY wait and wishes things would slow down. That is exactly how I am feeling! I feel like time is flying by and I am perfectly happy to have this little girl stay in there as long as possible!! I am already passed the halfway mark and I have nothing planned. By this time with Brady, he was basically all moved in - all we needed was the baby! I feel like this go around we will have a baby and nothing else. EEEK!!!

How I love this kid...

2010-03-29T13:19:00.006-04:00

There are no words. I just LOVE my son so much! This age is my favorite! I want to jot some things down so I don't ever, ever forget!

He growls ALL THE TIME! He now talks in the growl voice 90% of the time!
He loves balls! Anythings spherical is a ball to him and he walks around the house saying "ball, ball, ball" all day long!
He hates clothes. EVERY single morning is a battle to get him bathed and dressed - he much rather be in his diaper or less.

Exhibit A

He loves peas and bananas. He would eat these two things all day, every day if I let him!

He "talks" to me all day long! He uses his hands to gesture just like his mom!
He LOVES his bear slippers. He brings them to me to put on his feet in the morning!
He is almost completely weaned off of bottles! YIPEE!!
He is still a sweet little cuddler when he's tired!
He is obsessed with hair. If I am holding him, he is ALWAYS holding my hair in his hands. He doesn't stop with me either! Whoever is holding him gets the hair grab. He even grabs long hair if he sees it in front of him at church!
He loves music. If I am playing the piano, he is right there with me. If he hears anyone sing, he sings too! It's so cute!
He loves other little kids - especially girls! It may be because all the kids his age at church are girls. I don't know but he loves 'em!
Most of all, he is SO happy! He really is such a content little guy and I LOVE being his mommy!

Little Baby Long

2010-03-17T17:09:00.002-04:00

We don't have a shy baby on our hands! Baby Long was more than happy to reveal itself to us and it's a GIRL!!!! We are so excited!! We wanted to add a little girl to the mix and now it's happening!!! It's been a blissful day together as a family! Seeing her on the sono conjured up a lot of emotions! Although Brady has no idea what's going on, most of our conversation has been about him and how much we love him and hope to give that same love to our precious little girl! We celebrated by going out to lunch and then buying the first pink clothes to ever step into our home! I've got to say, it's nice to see a little pink!!! She pretty and perfect and wiggly and sweet and we can't wait to meet her!

My little Curious Boy

2010-03-14T17:31:00.004-04:00

Brady is into EVERYTHING these days! Luckily, most things are out of reach for him. But on the days I am not fast at putting his high chair back in front of our little pantry, he goes straight for it!!! I caught him in a mess of food today after I got done loading the dishwasher! I love the look on his face - he doesn't look guilty enough though!

Then he wants to know what this thing is I keep pointing at him!

I think he figured it out! He's never too busy to cheese it up for the camera!

Don't Blink

2010-03-14T17:23:00.003-04:00

I love that song "Don't Blink" by Kenny Chesney. It always makes me stop and listen and really refocus on my life. Well, we had a "Don't Blink" sort of day last week. It was one of the first warm days after all the snow and Brady was so happy to be outside. We were all together, enjoying the beautiful weather, and as I watched Nick and Brady playing I couldn't help but pray that I would never ever take these moments for granted. It was just one of those days where your heart could really explode! I hope I don't ever get so busy or so distracted that I miss out on these precious moments.

True thoughts and feelings about baby #2

2010-02-23T20:33:00.002-05:00

Sigh....where to begin? I found out I was pregnant with this new baby the day before we spent all night in the hospital with Brady when he had pneumonia. Not great timing! I was staring at my baby on this huge hospital bed with IV's in his arm and just thought, "I have a baby - are you kidding me?" After we got home, he was sick and clingy for about another week so I was completely drained emotionally, physically, spiritually, you name it. Because he had been so sick, his pediatrician said that he would probably regress in some areas and that that was just part of the deal. He did regress - A LOT! He became a newborn again, waking up every 2 hours. I was so spent. I remember this one day so clearly. I had been up all night with Brady and I was tired and morning, well all day sickness, had really set in. It was about 11:00 am and I knew Brady as exhausted. I put him in his crib and he screamed and screamed and screamed. I called my mom hysterical and just talked to her about a mile a minute about how I was so tired. I could in no way handle a new baby. I was completely spent. He eventually cried himself to sleep after 45 minutes of torture for us both. So at almost 11 months old, I had to re-sleep train him, UGH!!! My mom called about 30 minutes later to check on me and I just started crying again. She could tell I was at the end of my rope. She came over and picked up Brady and took him to her house so I could just have the day to recoup. I pretty much cried for hours on and off as I tried to wrap my head around the idea that in about 7 1/2 months I would have another baby to care for! I cried for the loss of time I would have with my little buddy. I cried for not feeling excited about this new baby. Basically, I cried - A LOT! This pregnancy was not planned but it was here and this baby was coming and I needed to get on board. So, I prayed to feel excited. I prayed for strength to handle this new adventure. I prayed that I would savor every last minute I had with just Brady and me. I prayed that my body would be strong and healthy for this little baby that I was starting to get excited about little by little. I still pray everyday for this baby that I now love and am so excited to meet. I also still worry that I am not up for the challenge. I still cry sometimes that everyday I wake up is one less day I have with my precious first born, my partner in crime, my best little buddy. But most of the time I cry happy tears that Heavenly Father has blessed us once again with a sweet little spirit. Most of the time I think how much fun these two kids are going to have together. Most of the time, my heart swells with joy at the thought of sharing this sacred experience with my dear husband, who I love and respect. He makes all of this seem fun and exciting. So, ready or not, baby #2 is on it's way!

Drum roll please

2010-02-17T07:35:00.002-05:00

BABY ON BOARD!!!! I know, I know - what the biff? We have a baby already! There isn't anything anyone can think or say that we haven't thought or said since finding out in December! Needless to say, this little rascal was a shock to us all and it has taken some time to get used to the idea but after seeing baby yesterday, it finally hit me that this is real! I am so excited to add another baby to our family. This may not have been the summer we planned for but it will be one of the best of our lives as we welcome home Baby Long!

Winter Wallop 2010

2010-02-08T14:05:00.005-05:00

Oh what fun it has been to be snowed in together - honestly, it's been great! Nick and I have played games and played with our little boy! I have loved every minute. Here are some pics to commemorate the amazing event we now lovingly refer to as Winter Wallop 2010!

Nick trying to dig us out - literally!

Still digging!

There's the cars! That's a lot of snow!

Brady's first time playing in the snow - he loved it!

He wanted a little taste - so cute!

Bailey wanted in on the action!

Trying desperately to get away from me - he knew I was trying to get him inside!

Pivot and turn....

..and he's off! Daddy & Brady - pretty cute! That's my dad in the background with the snowblower. He is the snow ranger, here to save the day!

What Brady has been up to...

2010-02-03T10:10:00.004-05:00

Spending time with his Grandparents that live in Bosnia.

Falling in love with Sesame Street Climbing, climbing, climbing stairs. Falling in love with apples. He really does eat them like that! You know what they say, "An apple a day...." As previously reported, getting really bad haircuts. (This is his fourth one since he's been born!) Playing with mom's cell phone. It is rare I can talk on it in front of him without him grabbing it.

Turning one has been a lot better and way more fun than I thought it would be. I pretty much dreaded him growing up because I just love this little guy so much. But he is so much fun now, most of the time. He loves for me to chase him. He will start walking away from me and look back and start giggling and when this happens I know he wants a little chase! It's so cute! We also play a lot of "Patty Cake" and "Miss Merry Mack". He loves slapping our hands together. And just recently he has started to talk back to me. Mind you, it's gibberish but he really thinks he's talking to me and I love it. We have the best nonsensical conversations ever!! I still sometimes miss the little baby that used to love to snuggle but I wouldn't trade time with my little buddy!

When haircuts go very, very wrong

2010-02-03T08:25:00.004-05:00

Does he look like anyone to you? Think harder.....

Now look at this guy.......

Not so pretty, eh? No, I did not cut it myself. I actually payed for this thing. Well, it's been a couple of days and it's already starting to look a little better! Good thing because Lloyd was NOT going to be one of our Little D's nicknames.

Things I would never do to a stranger's baby or the mother

2010-01-25T18:33:00.004-05:00

And, yes, these are all things that have happened to Brady since he came into this interesting world. I would NEVER:

Touch their binky. You should never, ever, ever touch anything that is going to go in the babies mouth.
Ask to hold a stranger's baby - this includes reaching to take the baby out of the carrier. WEIRDOS!!
Kiss them - ANYWHERE! I wouldn't kiss their cheek, hands, belly, foot, etc.
Take off their socks and tell the mother they're probably crying because they're too hot.
Give the mother advice when I see the baby crying - chances are, she's feeling just as overwhelmed and/or embarrassed about it as I would be.
Tell the mother she shouldn't let her baby suck on Binky's.
Tell the mother that the baby looks nothing like them and argue that she must be the babysitter.
Smoke a cigarette outside then come in and touch the baby's hand.
Stick my head inside the baby carrier and invade baby's space - and really tick off the mom.
Offer the baby random treats I have in my purse, bag or pocket.

I think that about sums it up. I definitely would NOT do these things.

Brady turned one!!

2010-01-19T16:14:00.005-05:00

I have kind of been putting this entry off because it makes me a little sad. This baby that I prayed for and gave birth to is not a baby anymore. When I think back over the year, tears come to my eyes as I think about how this one little person has changed my life so completely in 12 months. He makes me smile and laugh. I look at him and am reminded of my husband and our marriage and good life. He laughs and I gain another smile line because I am so happy that he is a happy boy. As he discovers the world around him, I am filled with wonder again. When he falls and gets back up I am filled with pride. When he falls and cries, my heart hurts a bit with him. It's amazing to me that I spent 28 years without him but in the space of one year, I feel like my life actually began. His birthday was on January 15th but we weren't going to actually party like rock stars until Saturday, the 16th. That didn't stop me though! I wanted to make it special for him! Growing up in my family, we always woke up to balloons the morning of our birthday. So, I went to the party store on Thursday and bought him 5 helium balloons and snuck in his room in the wee hours of the morning and tied them to his rocking chair so when he woke up, they would be the first thing he saw! He LOVES balloons. I heard him giggling through the monitor the next morning and it made me so happy! I went in and got him and brought him downstairs for breakfast. On the menu for the birthday boy were heart shaped pancakes! WAHOO! He loves pancakes and I even let him have syrup - a first for him! Next on the birthday agenda was dancing. I put in his Baby Einstein CD and we danced around our living room together. He just started to bob up and down to music so I wanted to have a mini dance party! Then, I let him bang on my piano. I NEVER let him bang on the piano because that sound makes my skin crawl but anything for my boy! Then he took a nap (and so did mommy!) That night was his cousin, Brooklyn's, 2nd birthday party and we went to Chuck E. Cheese. This is the first time Brady has been there when he could walk so he was ALL OVER THE PLACE! He kept going up to the games and acting excited! It was cute! Then came saturday - party time!! Unfortunately, I have NO idea how to load videos so I only have a few picks! But it was so great! He loved having all his Long Family cousins around to play with. We got him a new big boy car seat, a Noah's Ark book and the Baby Noah Baby Einstein movie. We also got him a new church outfit. His aunts and grandparents spoiled him rotten and got him lots of fun toys that he has been enjoying every since! Our friend made him a homemade carrot cake from scratch - SO YUMMY!! - and Brady dug right in!! Well, not at first. At first, he just would get a little icing on his finger and when he finally figured out that I wasn't going to stop him, he dug right in!

It was a great day overall. I know I have said it before but I LOVE experiencing all these firsts with Brady. Everything is so new and exciting to him that it makes everything exciting for me all over again. I still can't believe he's one. But we sure do love this guy! Here's a trip down memory lane! Seconds old - welcome to the world little boy!

Meeting each other for the first time! One day old - beautiful boy! 6 months old 1 Year old and still as happy as can be!

Backing up

2010-01-19T15:08:00.004-05:00

So much has happened since my last entry, including Christmas. How could I forget to write about Brady boys first Christmas?!??! Well, it was wonderful. Of course, I had HIGH expectations for his first Christmas. I wanted everything to be perfect. I imagined him full of excitement and looking at every gift with wonder. That wasn't quite the case but it was still wonderful. When he woke up Christmas morning, we gave him his stocking and he was pretty excited about pulling everything out of it one by one. It was really cute. Then it was present time and I was so excited for Brady. But what he was most excited about was the paper....oh, and the ribbons! We got him some new books and puzzles. He also got the primary songbook so we can sing and play the piano together. But the coolest gift he got was from my parents. They got him a Radio Flyer wagon that he can push around and stuff all his toys in - which he does twenty times a day! The adults were just as excited about it as Brady because Nick and my dad started putting it together immediately! We don't have many pictures because our camera was in the shop and we took a lot of video instead but I can't get it to upload. But it was a magical day watching our little boy feel the Spirit of Christmas. Nothing better than experiencing all these things over again with your kids.

They're coming, they're coming!

2009-12-23T17:24:00.003-05:00

Every year I resolve that I will be faster, more organized and more efficient with all the Christmas tasks. Well, every year I fail miserably. And this year, I may have failed the worst. I blame it on my active little boy, although, I rather be hanging with him then doing anything on my "to do" list anyway! So, as I write this, I am on and off the phone collecting addresses from loved ones near and far. Why do so many people I love live so far away??? I really love our Christmas picture this year. A good friend from our ward is trying to build up his portfolio so he asked if he could take our pictures for free. FREE YOU SAY - you betcha!! Anyway, they are getting licked shut and sent out the door tomorrow! At least I got them OUT before Christmas, right?

My happy boy is back

2009-12-14T21:42:00.001-05:00

Back you ask? Yes, back from being sick and miserable. And to celebrate the occasion, I let him play with his breakfast!! WOOHOO!!

Has it really been weeks?

2009-12-13T17:26:00.006-05:00

My friend pointed out today that it had been weeks since I posted anything. I said, "No way, A week, maybe but not WEEKS!" Then I checked out my blog and it has been weeks. So I will try to play catch. As we use this as our journal, it will be long and detailed for posterity's sake. Anyway, Thanksgiving came and went way too fast. My whole family was in town which meant lots of noise, good food, games and laughter. These are pretty much all of my favorite things! I don't have any pictures because I am to excited to get out the door to head over to my mom's that I ALWAYS forget my camera when the family is in town. Krista is always really good about taking pics so I will steal some of hers!! My family was here for a week, some ten days. And it was glorious as usual! We had lots of really fun times and also some spiritual moments at night with our children sitting around. This is becoming more and more important to me as I see how fast Brady picks up on things! I don't want him to ever remember a time in his life when the spiritual things weren't just as important as the silly things! As we are all getting older, I find that I enjoy my brothers and their wives more and more. We are all in the same boat or getting their quickly as we have and raise children together. It is a wonderful thing to see your older brother love his child or your younger brother share a tender moment with his new bride when he doesn't realize anyone is watching. These are the things that matter the most to me. It was just a wonderful time seeing all of them and just being a part of their lives if only for a week. I sure do miss them when they are gone! Just as we started getting back into a routine around here following Thanksgiving, things got shook up again. On December 3rd, Brady woke up suddenly from his sleep at about 11pm. He was really crying, obviously upset so I went in there because I knew this was not a cry that he would fall back asleep from. The moment I picked him up I could feel how hot he was. He was on fire! I brought him into our room and took his temperature and it was 101.9. Not that big of a deal for a baby but this is my only baby and his first fever so I was a little worried. We gave him Tylenol and he fell back asleep in our bed. About 2 hours later he woke up crying and he was even hotter. I took his temperature again and it was 102.9 with Tylenol in his system. At this point I was pretty worried because Brady has never been sick, neither Nick nor I had been sick - I was just stumped. We hardly got any sleep that night. He was pretty inconsolable, poor little guy. First thing in the morning I called his pediatrician and she told me that they usually wait to see babies after three days of fever. That put me into the weekend so I was pretty annoyed. She said his fevers weren't considered "high risk" so to just continue the Tylenol and luke warm baths. She said it was probably viral and he would be better in a few days. I hoped she was right because he was obviously not feeling well and very unhappy. Friday was horrible, basically. Even with around the clock Tylenol, his fever never got below 101.9. He was so clingy and would not let me put him down - even to sleep. My mom came over around 2pm to take a shift holding him so I could get some rest. Friday night he slept in our bed and he just couldn't sleep longer than 1-2 hours at a time. At this point, a horrible cough started deep in his chest. So it seemed every time he got comfortable, he would start coughing. In the middle of the night his temp got to 103.1, we gave him Tylenol and he fell fast asleep. Saturday morning he woke pretty happy, just like his old self. I thought we were out of the woods and his fever broke. We woke up to tons of snow that day but because he wasn't feeling well, he had to enjoy his first snow from inside. He's so stinkin' cute! So, most of Saturday went as usual. No fever, no fussiness. Around 4:30pm I noticed he was on fire again. I took his temp and it was 103. So I started the Tylenol again. By 10:30pm, his fever had gone up to 104.1 and I was pretty nervous. I called the on call doctor and he said not to worry - just start alternating ibuprofen and Tylenol every three hours. He said it was probably viral. All day Sunday we did the Tylenol/ibuprofen every three hours and his fever never ever went down below 101. First thing Monday morning I called the doctor and they said we could come at 3:45pm. When we get there, the nurse I had talked to on Friday was like, "I can't believe he still has a fever, maybe he should have come on Friday!" DUH lady!!! Anyway, the doctor came in and listened to him and said he wanted to run some tests. He tested Brady for Strep and Influenza A & B. They all came back negative. He then came in he and said he wanted to do a nebulizer treatment and see if that helped the cough at all. So the nurse came back and we did a treatment on Brady, after which, the doctor came back in and checked his lungs again. He said there was a huge improvement. He was hesitant to make a definitive diagnosis but he said it was likely bronchialitis. He sent us home with a nebulizer and instructions to do treatments every eight hours and that he wanted to see us back on Wednesday. Before we left, he gave us about 6 things to look for and to not ignore - go straight to the ER. I don't remember them all but one was to not let his fever get above 104. We came home and held our baby close, still worried that something wasn't right. His breathing was very shallow and labored. I caught Nick checking his pulse and breathing using his cell phone a couple times and that only heightened my worries. Nick knew something wasn't right but he was willing to try another neb treatment to see if it helped at all. At 10:30pm we did the second treatment and Brady just sat there, limp and listless. Right after doing the treatment, we took his temp and it was 105.4. Immediately, we made plans to leave for the ER. This was not our baby. He was unresponsive and had this constant moan of pain. To go back for a minute, since Thursday, he hadn't really eaten or drank very much which was worrisome. We tried everything!!! So by the time Monday night rolled around, we weren't just worried about the fever but also his dehydration. Anyway, we get to the ER and they were fabulous!!! Within thirty minutes of being there, we were already checked in, in a room and talking to our doctor. She did an evaluation on Brady and instantly ordered an X-Ray. She was back in 15 minutes to let us know that he had significant pneumonia. At this point, we were just relieved to hear what it was and that is was treatable. After 5 days of being told it is viral and to just stick it out, we were so glad to have a solid diagnosis we could work with. She immediately ordered IV meds and fluid to get him hydrated. The poor thing was so exhausted at this point that as soon as the needle was in and he got his fluids, he fell fast asleep and looked more calm then he had in days. It was a relief to see! She also ran some blood work and it came back normal for somebody fighting an infection. She said she felt comfortable letting us go home as long as we were diligent about fluids and got him in to his pediatrician the next day, whom she also left a voice mail for. She was so amazing and I am grateful she was there that night. She was 7 months pregnant with her first, a boy, and I think she was so wonderful to us because she realized that in a few short months that could be her in there with her little boy. We got home about 3:30am and were all exhausted. Poor Nick even got up and went to work the next morning! Anyway, since then it's been pretty bleak around here until this morning. He's back to our happy little boy with just a cough. His check up is tomorrow so we'll see! I am hoping all is well now with him! He's still on an antibiotic and neb treatments every 8 hours.

This is in the ER - so sad! I never want to see him in there again! Home doing a neb treatment

So, long story short, that's why I haven't posted in weeks. I have been playing nurse to my favorite guy. This experience has taught me to trust my motherly instincts more. I knew I should've pressed the nurse to see me Friday but I just listened and obeyed. Not next time baby - hopefully there won't be! It has also made me realize how much I love Brady and Nick. I knew I loved Brady but I didn't understand the depth until my happy, joyful boy was sick and listless. I love all that he is! And I love and appreciate Nick so much more. He was so strong throughout this whole ordeal. Going on as little sleep as me and still getting up to go to work. Using his knowledge to calm me and help me understand. He is such a great dad and a wonderful nurse and I love him dearly! I am just grateful that we are on the other side of this!

You bet I did!

2009-11-21T08:45:00.003-05:00

There I was, anxiously waiting. Palms a little sweaty. Butterflies in my stomach. 10:30 pm - okay, only an hour and a half to go - I can do this! Then, before I know it - it starts. This moon comes across the screen and teenage girls (and a couple of late 20 to early thirty year olds :-) ) start screaming! NEW MOON IS HERE BABY! And I was there at the premiere! And it was AWESOME!!!

It's Finally HERE!!!!

2009-11-21T08:39:00.003-05:00

Dawn's Early Light is my mom's third book and newest installment of the Free Men and Dreamers series and it's here and ready for readin'!! These books are GREAT reads - you don't have to be a history buff to get sucked into the riveting action surrounding our nation at that time. If you want to check them out, you can click on her blinkie add over to the side, click on the link to her website, also on the side, or follow this link. If you want to buy them as gifts, I can get you signed copies - I happen to be pretty close to the author!!!

Brady's First Haircut

2009-11-21T08:20:00.004-05:00

So, I finally decided it was time to cut those lovely locks.

Brady wasn't so sure it was a good idea. "Without my hair, I'm nothing!"

He wasn't so sure what to think about his stylist. Step 1: Get cape on Check! Step 2: Wet the boy down Check!

Step 3: Make your first heartbreaking cut Check! Surprisingly, still no tears! Step 4: Clean up around ear - EEK. This is where we start to lose him a little! Enter the Lollipop!!! You need to do the other ear - NO PROBLEM! Just give me that lollipop! "Are we done yet?" Those big stains on the cape that look like water are actually Brady's lollipop drool so I took it away! Now he just looks annoyed.

All done! Say Cheese!

Halloween

2009-11-03T12:28:00.003-05:00

Being that is was our first Halloween with our little pumpkin, we wanted it to be GREAT!!! Nick and I know Brady won't remember these attempts to make it great 10 years from now but we want him to look back and see that traditions were started before he could even walk and that they were and are very important to us as a family. So this year we picked out a monkey costume out for Brady early in October and had to build our costumes around that theme. My initial idea was to have Nick dress up as a banana and me dress up as a tree. I tried and tried to make this work but it seemed it was not meant to be. At the last second, literally hours before our party, I changed our costumes to Tarzan and Jane. Thanks to my mom, I was able to throw it together without much work. My mom and I spent most of Halloween day working on her press packets and then at 4pm decided we should start getting the Halloween stuff together. At the party, there was going to be a prize for the scariest trunk so we went all out and we won! It was truly amazing - I will have to check and see if my mom got any pictures of it!! Anyway, the party was so fun. We played Halloween bingo and had a trunk or treat. We also took Brady into our friends haunted forest - he was a little scared!! Mostly, it is fun to relive these amazing childhood experiences with your kids.

Totally Texas

2009-10-30T18:09:00.001-04:00

Whenever Texas plays, Nick pulls out all the garb. A friend of Nick's knew he loved them so much that he bought Brady a texas outfit too! Pretty cute boys, if I do say so myself!! (Krista, he's wearing his warmsie!!! WAHOO)

This is what you get......

2009-10-30T18:05:00.002-04:00

...when you combine the following: cute suit w/ tie to match daddy + massive bum explosion at church + no extra set of clothes = BABY CHIPPENDALE

5 Years Ago......

2009-10-20T14:54:00.001-04:00

......he asked and I said yes - and have been happy every since!

Gap Casting Call

2009-10-20T10:31:00.002-04:00

It's shameless, I know. We entered Brady into the Gap Casting Call. I have no excuses - just thought it would be fun and harmless. Anyway, if you want to participate in all the fun, you can go to the Gap Casting Call website and vote for him. He has five entries and you can vote once a day for all five or pick your favorite. The only downside is that you have to register to vote so if you think it's a pain, no worries. I think it's a pain, too, but I'm his mom!

Quickie Beach Trip

2009-10-19T12:09:00.003-04:00

On Thursday morning, we packed it up and headed to Ocean City. We wanted to do something fun with Michele before she headed back to school and Nick had a couple of days free so we hit the open, rainy road. It was very rainy the whole time but we still had so much fun. Our hotel was amazing (thank you mom and dad!) so we just chilled out there and it was great! We were right on the ocean and our room had a balcony so we went out there and enjoyed the beautiful, crashing waves. There is little I love more than the sound of the ocean so that was so great as well! We went to this amazing seafood buffet and ate until we couldn't breathe and then headed back to the hotel. Then we went swimming at the hotel pool and played charades in the water and it was so funny - you might have had to be there :-) Then we went back to our room and played games and watched a movie! It was such a fun little getaway!

Parking it Up

2009-10-19T11:34:00.004-04:00

I am a little late reporting Brady and I's latest park adventures. I know he can't run(walk OR crawl yet, don't get me started) but this kid LOVES the park. A couple of weeks ago we got together with my sister in law, Becca, and her son, Brooklyn, and then a couple days later we went to a park up in Hagerstown with my mom and Grandma. Brady loves the swings and I think he would be fine to spend all day in one if we had the time!

Last week, my little guy turned 9 months and he is just getting better all the time. Unfortunately, his stats will have to be recorded at ten months because I neglected to make him an appointment - I told you, I am a slacker mom! What I can report is that he has two and a half teeth now. He LOVES mashing food with his gums, even food that doesn't require mashing. He has succesfully survived a pretty bad crash off our bed onto our hardwood floors - I did not come our as well, I am still suffering mild nightmares and a slight twitch! He can scoot 365 degrees and backwards but has yet to mastered crawling forward. I am trying to be patient with him because I know my life will change dramatically once he's mobile. I am just getting a little tired of the toy fetch game - one he has learned to LOVE! He sleeps through the night and goes down without any rocking or feeding which has changed my whole life! I am sleeping - YAHOO!!! He has become a great napper and I am enjoying those couple of breaks during the day as well! I have been crafting!! Here's a pic of my latest project: You can't really tell how fabulous they are in this pic but they are covered in black glitter too!

And this picture is just cute so I thought I would add it!

Something VERY important I forgot

2009-10-07T11:21:00.004-04:00

NICKY BOYS BIRTHDAY!!!! What kind of wife am I??!?!?!? Don't answer that! On September 21, 2009, my hubs turned 28 and boy, did we celebrate. On your birthday, you get to choose the restaurant and Nick chose Fuddruckers. It was so fun and I was glad he chose such a bright happy place where Brady can carry on joyfully and no one gives us the ol' crusty! Nick ate a 2/3 pounder and even had room for my homemade German Chocolate Cake that I made especially for him! The Fudds in Columbia is really clean and fun and filled with celebrity memorabilia. They had some rockin' plastic statues of "The King" and Marilyn Monroe. We introduced Brady to both and he seemed to be more interested in Elvis - thank goodness! As we were walking out to leave, we saw a bunch of coin machines. I always stop at these because I am a gumball fanatic! There weren't any gumballs but there was a machine that had stick on mustaches and we six - one for every one of us, including my parents. I don't have any words for how hilarious it was to see Brady in a mustache, or myself for that matter, so I will let the pics speak for themselves. Anyway, it was a great time and it's always great to celebrate the life of someone who has changed my for the better in every way! Love your guts babe!

Emma and her dog

2009-10-01T21:13:00.002-04:00

A couple of years ago I was teaching the young women in my church. There was this little girl, I think 12 or 13 at the time, that wanted a dog SOOOO bad. Every Sunday she would talk about the dog and how she was going to convince her parents that she needed this dog or her life, as she knew it, would be over! One Sunday, she came in and said she had sat her parents down and carefully planned a presentation for them outlining how this dog was going to smoothly transition into their home, plans on feeding, playing, training, etc.... Her mom and dad were leery, but figured only a mature child would so thoughtfully outline the plan for getting a dog. Lately, I have been feeling like this is how I approach my Heavenly Father. I approach him with all the eagerness and maturity I can muster, most often with a well thought out plan. I present to him my ideas and move forward, feeling confident that He agrees. This is not always the case. As carefully thought out my plans may be, they are not always what my Heavenly Father wants for me or for my family. I have learned so much this year about trusting in the Lord, leaning on him and sometimes allowing him to carry my every burden until I am strong enough to do so myself. Thank goodness for a wise Father who loves me!

To cut or not to cut?

2009-09-23T14:59:00.001-04:00

That is the question! What do you think?

Could it really be true...

2009-09-17T18:46:00.005-04:00

I have an 8 month old! What the biff? Where has the time gone? But, alas, it is true and in true slacker mom form, I neglected to post this on the 15th, which happened to be his actual 8 month birthday! Now, eight months ago, I was still cocky enough to believe that I had this whole mommy thing figured out but, today, eight months more mature and humbled, I realize I am learning more and more each day about myself, Brady, Nick, our marriage, the gospel, life in general, etc... It is amazing what you can learn spending all day with a drooling infant. The greatest thing I have learned is that it's okay to not be perfect. I struggled with that so much at first but now I know that Brady doesn't know the difference. He loves me anyway because in my arms he finds unconditional love, comfort and security. He knows that when he looks up at me with those big, brown eyes, he pretty much gets whatever he wants! And that's okay! Luckily for me, he's been pretty reasonable so far in his requests. Mostly, he just wants hugs and big kisses and whatever Mommy is eating at the time! Seriously, though, this little guy has taught me more about myself in this little time and I find that he is very patient with me! Not too much has changed from seven to eight months except for one thing - one very exciting development - the walker!! Brady is cruisin' around like a wild man in our walker!! He loves his new freedom and LOVES getting into things he normally couldn't! I have mixed feelings! I love watching him explore the world around him - it's one of the many joys of parenthood, but at the same time, I miss the simpler days of snuggling my little newborn! Each phase is good and important and I just love Brady so much! He really is my greatest joy! Here's what he's been up to!

For his eight month celebration, we decided to give him a little treat - ice cream!! Don't judge us, it wasn't the whole thing - we were happy to finish it for him! Here comes trouble!! I love his little face when he realized he got caught!!

All About Brady

2009-09-07T12:46:00.004-04:00

I missed posting about Brady turning 7 months and now he is almost eight! It's so hard to believe that he is almost eight months because he is still my little baby! Turning seven months has meant several new things to adjust to! He is cutting his first two teeth as we speak so drooling is at an all time high!! He got to meet his Aunt Michele who is home for college and lives with us! She loves him so much and he is equally enamored with her! It's great having her home! Brady is also testing the waters as far as rolling and moving. He rolled off the bed for the first time - he walked away unscathed but it scared Nick and I pretty bad! He can also scoot 360 degrees but won't crawl to save his own life! He is really vocal - laughing and giggling all the time. He's just a happy boy and he makes our home feel complete! This is not to say we don't want more kids but for now, our home and our hearts are full!

Operation

2009-09-07T10:07:00.004-04:00

On Monday, dad got a full knee replacement. It is always hard seeing your parents as people and not these brave superhero like people that make us feel safe and comforted. I spent the day in the hospital with my mom as we waited for his surgery to end and then for him to get out of recovery. It was such a relief to finally see his doctor and know that everything had gone okay. When we got up to his room, it was a little shocking to see him hooked up to IV's and looking so weak and tired. That's just not my dad. But he woke up and the second he saw Brady, I got to see his smile that I love and still depend on so much! He's home now recovering and trying to get back to McGiver status as fast as possible! Here are some pics from the day!

Trying to stay entertained while we waited to see Dad!

He hasn't quite figured out how to do this yet!

We ran some errands while we waited and Grandma bought Brady a new outfit! We also ate lunch - Brady's first time at McDonald's! Seeing PopPop for the first time! Not sure what to think about all that stuff on him! There's my PopPop! Going in for a kiss! Mom, Dad and Brady Nick, Dad, Brady and Me - So glad to be done with the surgery!! I had to keep Brady entertained so I blew up a glove - he thought it was the best thing ever! This is the next day! Dad with his great nurse Martha. You can see that Dad was back to his old self!!!

More Wedding Photos

2009-09-07T09:49:00.003-04:00

Just Married

2009-08-23T17:50:00.004-04:00

You've all heard the story before - the best guy marries the best girl.....Well, in this case it's actually true. Adam is one of the best guys I know and last Saturday he married one of the best girls I know too, Brittany! And, no, I am not just saying that because he's my brother! It was a beautiful wedding in the Columbis, Ohio Temple and it was a dream come true to see my whole family around me in there and watching my little brother marry his sweetheart. And this Friday night we get to celebrate with them again! Let the good times roll!

Playing Catch Up, Part 3

2009-08-08T10:59:00.004-04:00

July also marked Brady turning six months old!!! And you know what that means, time for food!!! I have documented our first days with some pics and a video!! In addition to eating, Brady is sitting up on his own, playing with toys, reaching for them and picking them up and showing anger when his mother takes certain "toys" away, like, scissors, pens, and dog toys!!! But I would have to say Brady's all time favorite new grown up thing is controlling his own binky. He takes it out, puts it back in, just holds it in his hand - whatever he wants to do, he does. It makes him feel very big!!! Also in July, Nick and I found baby air jordan's in a local consignment shop here in town so here is a pic of our boy all jordified!! Oh I almost forgot to put up his 6 month stats. Brady is now 50th percentile in all categories!!!! YAY!! He weighed 17 lbs and was 26 in. long! We're so proud of our growing boy and just love him to pieces. He has really got me wrapped around his little finger....and dad too!!

Playing Catch up, Part 2

2009-08-08T09:49:00.007-04:00

After leaving my families reunion, we headed down to Provo to spend 5 days with Nick's extended family. They are so great so we always love seeing them. First stop was Grandma and Grandpa Long. Now, none of Nick's grandparents had met Brady so Nick was so happy to introduce them to his son! Grandpa Long plays the accordion and Brady loved listening to it! They also have two cute dogs, Cocoa and Heidi, that Brady could not get enough of! It was a really great visit!

We spent the remainder of the time with Nick's grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins from the Jones side. We had a picnic, went up to Sundance and rode the ski lift, played lots of games and just had a great time. Here are some pics!These four pics are from Sundance. It was so beautiful up there and the lift ride was spectacular. I probably would have enjoyed it more if we didn't have our wiggly 6 month old with us. I kept worrying he would just wiggle out of our arms!

He already loves sports of all kinds! Nick's cousin, Hannah, Aunt Karen, and Grandma and Grandpa Jones Brodey and Patricia, Nick's cousin, Jared's, wife and son. Nick with Kevin and Nate - they are 15 and 17 - big guys! The men playing a little game of touch football Cousin Jessica with her two little Chihuahua's!

Playing Catch Up, Part 1

2009-08-07T17:57:00.011-04:00

July was a super busy, fun month for us! On July 19, we jet-setted off to Utah for my family's annual vacation. It, also, happened to be my 29th birthday and Brady's first time flying! Thankfully, Nick had a talk with him about it being mommy's birthday so he was pretty good! When we got to Utah, we were picked up at the airport by Krista, my SIL, and my dad. Krista hadn't met the Bradster yet so I was really excited to show him off! We then headed to her house for a brief visit with my BFF Apey, her husband Matt, and daughter Bailey. When I walked in the door, all the lights were off and it was super quiet. Now, Tommy and Krista have three kids under so the quietness was a bit shocking! I walk around the corner and my whole family jumps up and yells "SURPRISE"!! It totally was that and very sweet! There was a beautiful, yummy chocolate cake from Costco, which I LOVE and a dozen red roses! It was a perfect surprise! About 15 minutes later, April and family showed up and that was equally as wonderful!! April had never met Brady either so they had a nice little first meeting! At about 6:30pm we headed up to Park City and that place is really beautiful. We all got moved in and spent time chatting and finally turned in because we were exhausted from traveling! The next morning, which was the highlight of the trip, we went to the Salt Lake Temple where Josh (my youngest brother) took out his endowments. It was so wonderful to have my whole family there - except for the kids of course! Here are some pics:After the temple, we spent the rest of the week doing all sorts of ruckus things!

We went boating and tubing. We went swimming.

We spent lots of time hanging out together! And we even fit in time to take a picture with matching reunion shirts!

It was a really great vacation. We played games, went to a small town rodeo, ate good food and laughed a lot. But for me, the best part of these vacations is being with my family and being reminded again and again that they really are the best! I love being with them!

Cunningham Falls

2009-07-07T10:56:00.004-04:00

Yesterday we decided to go up to Cunningham Falls for a little hike and family time. It was beautiful weather so we picked up some subs and headed up. Brady loves being outside and he was so good in the car and strapped to Nick all afternoon! We decided on the shorter, less treacherous hike and just walked it twice and it was a great time and good exercise. The falls at the end are the bonus. Nick climbed to the top of the falls while Brady and I cheered from below! Here are some pics of our day! Oh yeah, also, while we were walking, this deer was just 100 feet from us up in the woods. So neat!

Getting geared up for some fun - can't you see the excitement!

Test run of the equipment

Little picture break halfway through the trail We made it! That's Nick at the tippy top! Deer Cute little Brady!