A few of Bryden's Favorites...

*These pics are a little blurry, they were taken with a cell phone and arn't the best*
Bryden is getting so big I can't even believe it. While he is so much fun to interact with it makes me sad to see my baby getting so big. He is not sleeping through the night yet but we are getting close..fingers crossed that will be the next big post. He is however starting to show a lot of personality and is in love with a few things.



This is a pic of Wade reading Bryden his bed time story. Although we only have a few books (Thanks Rachelle) he loves to be read to and could listen to it over and over again. I don't know if he understands anything we are saying or whats going on but I do know that when I show him the book he gets a really big smile on his face!!!



This picture portrays two of Bryden's favorites... #1 and probably the winner is his Boppy pillow. I originally purchased it so that it would be easier to feed him but have come to find out it is more of a babysitter than anything else! Bryden could lounge in this boppy all day long and be totally content. And I am not complaining it makes getting ready in the mornings a whole lot easier. Bryden will just lay on the bed watching the news sucking on his fist. Wish I had a picture of that because it is so adorable!!!

The last favorite for this post is his new slippers. The poor little guy has hands and feet that are constantly FREEZING! So when Wade and I went to Park City this last weekend we made a stop at the Carter's outlet and bought B some slippers. I wish they would fit me because they look oh so comfy!

Having fun being a mom...

I never could have imagined 11 months ago (when I found out I was pregnant) just how much my life was about to change. People always told me that there was “Just something about being a parent” that makes everyday worth living for. I can honestly say I believe them now 100%. My little Bryden has changed the way I think, act and live on so many levels. Even though sometimes it’s hard… I would not trade being a parent for the world!!!


Bryden,

I just wanted to let you know that you are the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me. I never thought it was possible to love somebody so much, but you have proven me wrong. I love to kiss on your big chubby cheeks and I could just hold you in my arms all day long. It breaks my heart to have to leave you when I go to work in the morning, but I want you to know I think about you all day long.

Thank you for your smiles and big kisses before I leave that is what gets me through the days. Even though you are not sleeping through the night and mom and dad are both extremely tired, I love getting you out of your crib to feed and snuggle you. I love that you coo all the time and think how much you slobber is absolutely adorable.

Your daddy loves you very much as well. You two look so much alike and a lot of your actions mimic his. He loves giving you baths and letting you “swim” in the bathtub. Even though he won’t admit it he loves when you sleep in our bed with us and will even put you in bed with him before I get there and say its because you were fussy or cold. He hates being away from you when he goes to work but loves it when you come to see him at the fire station. I want you to know that you are the most amazing little man we could have ever asked for. We are so excited to watch you grow up and learn so many new things, but don’t want you to get big at the same time. We love you so much Baby B!!!

Love,
Your Mommy and Daddy

Bryden's 1st Halloween

On Halloween Bryden wasn't feeling so well so instead of going out we decided to stay at home. I didn't take too many pictures that day (because i was tending to a fussy baby) but here are a few my neighbor took.


We dressed Bryden up as "Dracula". Come to find out our neighbor bought her 2 year old the same costume. This is a picture of the 2 together. Clearly you can see he was not a happy camper!

Bryden is 2 Months Old!!!

Where does time go??? This is the question I find myself asking over and over again. My little man is getting so big. It seems like just yesterday we were bringing him home from the hospital and getting adjusted to parenthood.

We took Bryden in for his 2-month appointment on Thursday. He weighs 10 lbs 1 ounce now and is measuring 22 inches long. Although he seems SO big to us he is still really small for his age. The doctor is really pleased with his progress and still can’t believe how much hair the little man has. Bryden is cooing like crazy and is starting to smile a lot more.

He recognizes voices and interacts and plays with us. He LOVES bath time especially when daddy bathes him. He will swim around with his little arms and loves to have his hair washed. The only time he screams is when you take him out of the bath.

Sadly for us the little man is still not sleeping through the night. We think he is having some problems with his acid reflux and with the formula he is on now. The doctor gave us some medicine to try out but we haven’t seen much of a difference yet. We are looking forward to the night he sleeps all night but for now we are just trying to soak up every minute of our little man!!!

I have to say I never thought being a mom could be so rewarding. I love the special bond that I share with this little guy and hate being away from him. Although the adjustment is challenging I wouldn’t trade it for the world!!!

Bryden's New Born Pictures

Mikki Grimley (a friend from work) was so nice to take these pictures of Bryden when he was about 4 weeks old. We had been so busy that we kept putting it off but thankfully Mikki was so good to just do them for us on a morning that Wade had off. They turned out so cute!!!

Baby Bryden's Birth Story

***Pictures of this day to come***

The last couple of months before Bryden was born were really rough as my body was struggling with the pregnancy so needless to say here, 2 months later, is the birth story of our little man…

I went into the doctors office for my 37-week appointment with high hopes that after we did the amnio test that I would be admitted into the hospital to deliver my baby. After waiting in the doctor’s office for about 3 hours the doctor came in and told us that his little lungs were not ready quite yet. Bryden’s amnio score was a 37 and it needed to be above a 50 in order for me to be induced. So very upset we left the office and scheduled an appointment for 4 days later to come back and do another NST. When I came back in for my appointment that Monday the doctor told me he was not going to do anymore test, he figured that I had suffered long enough and the baby was not responding well so he wanted to take him right at 38 weeks. He told me to go to the hospital on Thursday and he would strip my membranes with some sort of jelly that would get me ready for labor. Then I would need to come back early Thursday morning and I would be induced.

Wednesday afternoon I went into the hospital as planned. I had my NST done and then the doctor came in about 5:30 to strip my membranes… boy did that hurt!!! Not even 20 minutes after he did this I started to go into labor. I was having the most painful contractions only about a minute apart. The nurse came in and told me that I could have an epidural at that point but she needed to get the doctors approval. The doctor on call said that I couldn’t have one because I was not dilating at a fast enough rate. After about an hour they finally came in and gave me morphine shot but said that they were going to admit me that night because my contractions were just too close together.

That night was the most restless night ever. My blood pressure would drop so the nurse would have to come in and check on me, then 10 minutes later the baby’s heart rate would drop, 10 min later I need oxygen because my levels were too low and so on and so forth ALL night long. Finally at about 6 am the nurse came in and said we were going to start the induction. 20 minutes later she came back in and said that with the night we had they didn’t feel comfortable starting me on the pitocin and I would have to wait for the doctor to come over and break my water. However the good thing was I could finally have my long awaited epidural. The doctor came in around 730, broke my water and the pitocin was now dripping. It was a waiting game from there on out, but not with out all the bumps in the road. Much like the night before the baby and I had problems with our oxygen levels and blood pressure. I was only able to get a drip level of 6 (20 is what they usually do for inductions) because my body and the baby were not responding.

Finally at about 3:30 the nurse came in and checked me and said that it was time to start pushing!!! This was probably the hardest part of the entire delivery. I was just so exhausted and it didn’t seem to be going anywhere. Luckily my support team was encouraging and got me through it. Finally at 4:15 pm our little boy was born weighing 6lbs even and 19 inches long. I wish I could say that it was everything I ever dreamed of but it was anything but that.

Right after the doctor pulled Bryden out he didn’t cry for about 3 minutes. They took him over to the ventilator/bed and had nurses blocking him so we couldn’t see what they were doing. From what I could see they were roughing him up pretty good to try and make him breathe. I kept asking if he was okay and everyone just told me he was fine but would change the subject. I was really nervous because my doctor just kept sewing me up and didn’t say a word. FINALLY we heard a little fuss coming from our Bryden. They came over and laid him on my chest but the little guy stopped crying and started panting so the whisked him away to the NICU. It was almost 5 hours later before I got to see my baby boy again. ☹ Luckily daddy was there to save the day. While my parents stayed with me, Wade was in the nursery with Bryden while he was having all his test done. He would come in periodically and give me updates so that I knew what was going on.

I don’t really like remembering the hospital much. It was a really hard time for us because we were not able to hold or feed our baby for 24 hours. He was hooked up to all kinds of IV’s and monitors. His poor arms and feet were a pricked mess from the test they were running. The pictures are still so painful to look at. Thankfully though the worst was over. Our little boy was able to come home 4 days later with his mommy and daddy.

26 Weeks and Counting...

It is hard to believe but I am already 26 weeks along, we have less than 100 days until we get to meet our little guy. Although we are super excited I think we are both starting to get a little stressed because we have absolutely nothing for a baby and haven’t even started on a nursery. Wade and I both have completely crazy schedules and if anyone were to spend a day with us they would probably not think we were expecting a child. Our neighbors (really close friends) are starting to even get stressed for us and are offering to do the baby registry and nursery for us. I feel terrible that we have not done more but I am hoping with it now being summer we will be able to spend all our time getting ready for our little boy.

Even though we haven’t met the little guy yet, I feel like he’s already got a personality. He loves keeping his mom up in the middle of the night by kicking like crazy, but sleeps all day long while I am at work. He gets the hiccups A LOT, and I just feel so sorry for him although it does make me smile. If there is one thing I know about this boy it is how much he loves his daddy! It does not matter what time of day it is if Wade is around the little guy knows it for sure. The sound of his voice makes the little guy wiggle around like crazy. And without fail whenever he wants to feel the baby move he can put his hand on my belly and the baby will kick him (he usually wont kick for other people)! If Wade is even touching my belly a little bit while we are cuddling the baby will just kick and kick an keep moving until he is in a position where he stays touching his daddy. (Which could be why he keeps me up all night) I just know he is going to be a daddy’s boy and while that makes me sad, I am also reassured because I know what a great daddy Wade is going to be! I am also a little worried that this baby wont be a cuddlier. He definitely likes his space… for example when I read a magazine I can’t place it on my belly because it makes him mad. He will kick anywhere the magazine is placed. Also when I am at work if I scoot in too close to the desk he makes sure he kicks at it until I move away. And last week when were at our doctors appointment he wouldn’t let the doctor listen to his heart, he just kept moving around like crazy!

I never realized how much fun it would be being pregnant, but also how much it changes everything. I have gained a total of 14 lbs at this point and have realized that everyday tasks are starting to seem impossible. I luckily have an amazing husband who is so patient and understanding. He is so good to cook, clean, entertain and still work his long hours during all of this. He’s been so sweet and makes sure that I am feeling good and beautiful every single day. I realize that this would be impossible without him! I will post more pregnancy pictures soon.