Thank you Lord for today!

Well, these past, almost 2 weeks, have been full of ups and downs and smiles and tears. Bringing home Ty and getting to know him and hold him and kiss him has been wonderful - we are so in love with our new little boy. But, it has been hard to see Kegan go through this transition...and for me to see how much he has grown up, and although that is great and what Matthew and I want, we do see just how much he is not our "baby boy" anymore, but a kid now, who has grown leaps and bounds in just 2 years...how fast time flew for us in just a few days when we saw that. I did say it has been hard to see Kegan go through this transition - he loves Ty and still gives him tons of kisses, and shows him his toys, shares his blankie, talks to him, ect...but you can tell that when Ty is getting attention from mommy (ie I am feeding/burping him) Kegan is not always sure he likes it and has pushed some buttons. Kegan has also requested for Ty to be "put baby down" and when Gramma was holding Ty the other night and he was about to leave to go spend the night with them, Kegan did say "no take baby Ty"...so although he does seem to love his brother, it hurts me to see him struggle with understanding where Ty and he fit into things...and just adjusting. It is hard to explain some things to a 2 year old. BUT BUT BUT...the Lord has seen my tears and heard my prayers for strength and wisdom on how to raise these two boys and he has given me a GREAT day today! He just knows we need days that are pick-me-ups and encouraging and He blessed me with one today. Kegan has been WONDERFUL, playing well and being patient with Ty and me, and Ty has done pretty good with his schedule and it starting to stay awake a little more...Thank you Lord for today! Sooo...even if there are rough days ahead (if...haha...when there are rough days ahead) I know it will work out and smooth days will come, too!

Below are a few of the plethora of pictures that have been taken over the past 2 weeks - excluding the few days I have already posted for! :) Enjoy!

Doing a little sunning after coming home (Feb. 11)

Posing with Daddy

Thursday was Kegan's Valentine's Day party at school and since I was not quite up to going...Grams to my place and enjoyed the party with Kegan. Thankfully she took some pictures so I could see the fun he had!
Enjoying a pretzel stick...yummy...covered in chocolate...

Hand paintings...hmm...not sure what to think of it all...

Why you much always keep your eyes on a 2 year old. Kegan decided the bouncer could work like a wagon and Ty needed a trip around the house...

Saturday Feb. 14
1st doctors appointment - doesn't he look thrilled!?!

Brr...cold scale (down to 5 lb.s 11 oz...still healthy and ok)

Not a fan of the doctor...

Oh mom...this just wore me out!

When we got home from the doctor my Grandma, Pappa, and Aunt Betsey were there and ready to meet Ty.

My Grandma has this special ability to talk to babies and my child, who would wake for nothing his first 7-10 days of life, was wide awake while Grandma was holding him - she just has the touch!


My two boys with one set of their great grandparents!

Kegan had gone to the farm with Daddy, Papa, and Pappa that day and got to open up some tools of his own when he got home (thank you Grandma and Pappa for the gifts, and aunt Betsey - the new toys have all been great entertainment!)

Prepping for his first bath.

Not enjoying his first bath.

Well, this is a little better...mom's hand at least keeps me a little warm like this...

All clean...and mom looks a little worn out!

Papa was giving Kegan his bath at the same time Ty got his - our two clean boys!


Awww...I see mommy!

I love when babies get this pose...

With Ty sleeping, Kegan and mommy played together outside in the garage (it was a bit chilly and windy...so we did not venture out)

Yummy...bubble wand (yuck!)

I just thought this was a sweet picture of Kegan - zonked out!

Whistle Whistle - Kegan was in DESPERATE need of a haircut, so Wednesday Kegan, mommy, and Ty headed to the barber shop. Kegan did FABULOUS...sat there STILL the entire hair cute...this was after waiting for about 20/30 minutes. wow!
So handsome!!!! and so grown up looking!!!

Kegan's new thing to tell mommy - "No cheese, please" (meaning do not take my picture right now)

Playing his harmonica while riding his horse. Seriously, he plays with this much passion...

Friday, Matthew decided to give mommy a day break and Kegan a day of fun. Kegan spent ALL day with Matthew at work - From an early breakfast while meeting a man about diesel at a cafe (kegan had oranges and 2 tortilla's - so healthy), and then driving around the farm and driving a sprayer and a trac tractor - they were very busy. Ty and I joined for lunch - here they are headed back off to work.

Friday night Kegan got another special (Kegan time) event. He got to go spend the night with Gramma and Pampa...so Saturday morning Ty and I took it easy and got to know each other a little better...well I tried to keep Ty awake long enough to do that, anyways...haha...
Oh, mom...don't wake me up!!!

Something I am going to try and keep up with - Ty in comparison to a certain toy.
Ty - 11 days old

What a sweet face!

I think he has a birthmark on the back of his neck.

put up your fist...come 'on...

Sweet baby sleeping

Around 11ish we headed over to the Setliff's .
Kegan showing me his baseball skills - seriously, check out the stance...I think the child has a future in enjoying sports...

Happy boy!

peek-a-boo

Ty resting with Pampa

Today - Monday, February 23
Kegan checking in on Ty, making sure he was doing ok...

"CHEEEESE!"


One other funny story from today:
I have some pajama pants that have the word "pink" written on them. Well, this morning I was tending to Ty and all of asudden Kegan walks up to me, points to the "k" on my pants and says, "k...Kegan"...verygood! We for sure know at least one letter...haha...

A few pictures of Ty

My friend, Ashely, came over and took some pictures of Ty and Kegan yesterday. Below is a link to her webpage to see a few of the pics that she took. I can not wait till she is done with all of them and I can post some more on this blog. Anyways, she did an AMAZING job and I just wanted to pass them on. Enjoy!!!!

www.ashleymccombphotography.com

Thanks Ashely!!!

Ty's arrival story and LOTS of pictures!

Well, hmm....I don't know if I would say life is calming down or ANYWHERE back to "normal:...but who knows when that will happen...perhaps never...haha....but I am feeling good and alert so I decided to take the time to record for Ty the story of his birth and share some pictures from his first few days on earth.

Monday - as stated in earlier post - the doctor told me I would be going in Tuesday morning to be induced because there was no way Ty was waiting much longer. What a doctor is all I have to say. Monday evening around 6 I started feeling slight contractions - not too consistent and still pretty far apart...well as the evening progressed, so did my contractions - closer in time and more intense! I tried to stay calm, get some more work done around the house, and tell myself I was going in at 5 so not to worry. Well, no sleep was to be had that night and by 3:30 am the contraction were growing increasingly close and uncomfortable, and since contractions with Kegan had intensified quickly I was not really wanting to wait, so I woke up Matthew, we got ready and headed to the hospital. It is about a 30 minute drive, so we got there at about 4:30...contractions still about 7-8 minutes apart and I was still pleasant :). Got checked in, papers (lots of papers) signed, and we were in the room by 5 - going over more information with the nurse, getting hooked up to monitors, and so on...contractions getting more intense and getting a little closer together. Matthew and I sat there, talked, watched some news and breathed through the contractions. Around 6:30 the nurse came in, said things were looking good and progressing, they would start getting stuff together for the epidural, and start me on some patosin to keep things moving along...well patosin going, water broke by the doctor, and dilated to a 5, sometime between 6:45 and 7:00....things REALLY started progressing...really fast...Matthew went to go check on the epidural...they were waiting on a nurse to get there...a minute or so later (eternity in my head) I told Matthew he needed to go get the doctor. Doctor came in, checked me out and said, "yep, you are at a 10" and said to push on the next contraction (what, no epidural...nothing???...oh Lord, please help me get through this). Nurses, people, stuff everywhere as they were quickly prepping everything for Ty to come. Well, minus the details, 3 contractions worth of pushes later at 7:23, Ty was fully in the world! Ohhhh...what a JOY to see that precious baby for the first time, hear that little cry, and hold him. The pain is not fun while it is happening, and I totally recommend the epidural, but as soon as you see, hear, and hold that baby you forget about the pain...and just sheer joy flows over you! :) Summed up...it was all very fast a bit uncomfortable, but JOYOUS!!!! :) Welcome Ty! We love you and look forward to see what the Lord holds in the future for you life!

Pictures Pictures Pictures
At the hospital...checked in and waiting around...

...but not for long! Hello handsome! Mommy sees Ty for the first time :)

Cold Cold Cold people...I am cold!

Still cold!...look at that sad face

Ohhh...under the warm lamps...ahhhhh...

To show how small he is...daddy's hand on his entire torso!

Daddy and Ty...I promise that is Ty under all that stuff

Eyes wide open...wide for a few hours old baby...

Story: The nurse heard us talking about Matthew going to pick up Kegan from Mother's Day out and bringing him back to meet his baby brother and she had some wonderful advise for us, which I am going to pass on to anyone out there who may soon have to introduce a sibling to a new baby...or one day down the road will need to. She told us to have the baby wrapped up and just laying in the bassinet when Kegan came in - nobody holding the baby to show Kegan (especially not mommy) - and then let Kegan discover the baby on his own. That way he feels like he has discovered the baby and has more ownership in it, then just being shown/told, here is your baby brother, like him. (Think of when you want a child to try food - they do better if they WANT to try it while seeing it on the plate, then if they are shown it and told they need to try it). Sooo...we did it, and it went really well!
Kegan coming in from school and seeing mommy - what a GREAT hug!!!

Spending time in daddy's lap...

After noticing Ty's bed...a few times, he finally decided to go and see what was in there. He stood on his tip-toes and peered in...then not being tall enough tried to climb the cart...woah...Matthew went and picked him up at that time. Kegan looked in...stared for a bit and when we asked who that was he immediately said, "Baby Ty", looked some more and asked, "kiss baby Ty?"...so he kissed his baby brother to welcome him into the world. Then he was done...and ready to go play some more...happy as could be :)

Holding Ty a little later
Trying to get a picture where everyone is looking the same way...
nice smile Matthew while Kegan looks at Ty

Nice smile Kegan while Matthew looks at Ty

Well...let us just all look at Ty

Taking a closer look (Kegan loves to point out Ty's nose and mouth and ears, etc...)


His favorite part I think..."flying" on the bed...I know know, but hey, it did keep him entertained for a while

24 hours old...

Day 2 of life, close up...

Getting ready to go home (this is a preemie outfit and still a little large in areas)

Snuggled with Mommy

Snuggled with Daddy

Swallowed...I mean snuggled in his car seat

Kegan happy to see his baby brother home from the hospital

Matthew had wanted to get Kegan something special from us, with things changing so much in life for him. He always wants to play with this BIG tractor t) that sits in his room as decoration...so Matthew got Kegan a BIG tractor he could play with - he was more excited than what this face shows (well he was EXTREMELY excited) but this look made me laugh! :)

For those of you who know my father this will come as no surprise. He brought down his boat to go fishing some while my parents were down for the week helping me out with things around the house as we all were adjusting to a little one in the house. He went fishing both Thursday and Friday and did great both days...sooo now I know what he will be doing every time he comes to visit. Kegan likes it though, he loves getting up in Papa's boat!

Tiny baby on the bouncer, wide awake (which does not happen to many minutes during the day)

Sweet story: Kegan went and got his special blankie and special puppy and Micky toy and brought them to Ty, laid the blankie on him and the toys next to him and said "share"....oh a mother's heart melts!!!! Then he gave him kisses (he loves giving Ty kisses)

Baby burrito napping in his crib

Hmm...I don't have a bucket...I will just use my shoes to dump sand in to

Mommy and Kegan all smiles

My THREE men

More sweet smooches

Eyes open and looking around

I love this one - he is looking straight at me (and the camera)

He was saying "yee haw" like he was riding a horse

Watching Papa fillet some fish...

If you look close you can see the silly look he has on his face...like he is working really hard to get that up the ramp!

Friday morning:
Grams cooked all day long - getting meals ready for us to leave in the freezer. Kegan helped!

This is what happens to water in the sink when no one is paying attention - Kegan loved it

Brother time


Helping Papa clean out the boat

He loved looking at the fish...did NOT want to touch them...

The net was fun, though...and eating them was even better (seriously he ate like 3/4 to 1 entire grilled filet himself)

Posing with Pap and the fish...


Well, more pictures are soon to follow from Ty's first doctor's visit on Saturday (he is healthy and "a keeper" as the doctor said) and Ty's and Kegan's visit from Grandma, Pappa, and Aunt Betsy...and some more pictures that this picture happy and mom and Grams can't seem to take enough of!

Things have been going really good since coming home, and we are adjusting to life with a new born, again (trying to adjust to small amounts of sleep). Kegan is doing GREAT and seems to really love his brother and likes to "help" :)! (and knock on wood, shows no signs of regressing in potty training...a fear I had....and hopefully thatit will continue to move forwards :).)