My Own Little Photographer

Last night I pulled my old camera out of the closet because our point and shoot just isn't cutting it when it comes to taking great pictures any more.  I love my old camera.  It's a digital but it's nice and clunky, kind of like a mini-SLR and the pictures are just sharper and more colorful.  It's a tiny bit slow, which makes it hard to take pictures of kids, but I'm trying it anyway.  Jordan saw me with the camera and was all over it.  My dad and I have the same camera and Jordan immediately asked, "Is that Papa's camera?"  I told him it wasn't, that it was mine, and he wanted to push all the buttons.  We were about to read books and there were no batteries in the camera so I told him we would look at it later.

After I got batteries in the camera, I had Jordan sit with me on the couch so I could show him how to work the camera.  It was so sweet to have him climb up onto the couch next to me, he seems to always be on the go lately and it's rare that he sits calmly with me (unless it's to read books before bed).  So, I showed him how to turn it on and how to pop the flash open and how to zoom in and out.  He'd rather look through the eye hold than look at the digital screen, it's so cute.  He wrapped his little fingers around the camera so he could actually take the picture.  Since then he has been excited to be a photographer and has been taking pictures.  It's so cute.  Here are some of his great shots so far!

We took this one together while on the couch. It's of Danny, but I love Jordan's piggies in the corner!

Self-Portrait!

Toys!

First he put his dad's hat on me, then he took my picture!  Kind of a little too close up...

This one is my favorite!

Here's one I took of him while he was taking a picture of me taking a picture of him.  I just think it's so cute that he loves that camera.  He took it to my aunt's birthday party tonight, I can't wait to see the pictures he gets!

Bella Baby Photography Rocks!

I am so excited about the pictures we had taken at the hospital!!! They now offer photography by Bella Baby Photography right there in the hospital.  When Jordan was born they took pictures in the hospital but they weren't by Bella Baby, and somehow we didn't fill out the right form or something happened and we didn't have any hospital pictures, just our own pictures.  I was so excited when I saw the brochure because all the pictures were beautiful.  I was not disappointed!  (The only crazy thing was that Jordan had a gigantic meltdown just before it was time to take the pictures so we didn't have that many that worked out with him in them...but he still looks sweet in the ones we got!)

I still can't believe he was born with blonde hair!  Jordan was born with a full head of black hair and Danny has blonde hair.  Jordan had dark, almost black eyes, and they eventually turned dark brown and Danny right now has dark blue-purple eyes for now.  We waited so long to meet Danny and now that he is here it's so fun to see him.  I could just hold him and stare at him all day.  I am so excited to watch him grow and see how he's going to change!  

If you want to see the other pictures that were taken you can e-mail me and I'll give you the information. 

Our New Little Bean

I am so happy that our little baby is finally here!  We could not be happier, it feels so great to be home with him!  Here's the story!

Friday morning I was off to the hospital super early!  Here's a look at my belly before we left the house...it wasn't as big as when I was pregnant with Jordan, but it did feel big!  

I was induced, so when we got to the hospital they got me all hooked up and started the Pitocin.  This picture was after the contractions were going and I had asked for an epidural...hence, the smile on my face.  You can see the strap with the monitor on my belly to watch the baby's heartrate.  I loved being able to hear it loud and strong throughout the whole thing.  The baby was moving a lot even thoroughout everything going on!

Here's a picture of Chad, too!  He was happy that the baby was coming!!!

After I had my epidural I didn't feel much until 10:00 a.m. when I started to feel some pressure, like a really faint contraction.  When I had Jordan, that meant the contractions were really, super, strong and he was ready to be born.  I kept telling the nurse when I would feel a really strong contraction and then the doctor came in to check me...and basically told me not to cough because the baby was ready to come out!  

Chad was laughing at me because I was so calm and laughing...they weren't too excited that I was laughing because the doctor was still getting all ready.  At last, they were set and we waited for a contraction, I pushed once and the head came out...then the baby just kind of slipped out!  It was crazy!  I still cannot believe how insanely easy it was.  I had a pretty easy delivery with Jordan, but you could barely even call this a delivery.  

This is the baby right after coming out!  Here HE is!  It's a boy!  Daniel Heath, born July 2nd at 10:51 a.m.  He was 7 pounds, 13 ounces and 20 inches long.  

Being weighed after he was cleaned up!

Proud Daddy!!!!

Proud Mommy!!!!

Danny

My Sweet Peanut!

I got a call from the doctor this morning to tell me that they have an opening for me to be induced tomorrow morning! I can't believe it and I am so excited! We have been waiting and anticipating this new little baby and now we finally get to meet him or her!

It took a little while for it to sink in that this new baby will really be here and our family will never be the same. We had lunch out today and then saw Toy Story 3 and all I could think about was that it was the last time we would be spending time together just the three of us! It's crazy.

I love Jordan so much, it's amazing how much more I love him every day (even when I'm cranky or impatient and he's in 3-year-old-tantrum mode...). It has been so much fun watching him grow up and experiencing life with him. I know our relationship will change but I love knowing how great he is and that our next baby will be just as special. I'm overwhelmed just thinking about how much more love is going to be in our lives!

Jordan is going to make such a great big brother. He's just a sweet kiddo and he loves babies. We have talked so much about the baby coming and how things might be different and how he'll have to help us. I kept looking over at him during the movie...just a little kid with a big bag of popcorn in his lap, munching away. He was glued to the screen. It didn't help my state of emotions that the movie was about when Andy is all grown up and going away to college. When I reached over and hugged him and said, "I love you, Jordan," he looked up, wrapped one arm around my neck and said, "I love you, Mom." At one point, I thought he might fall asleep...and then Chad came back from the concession stand with Mello Yello (because he forgot about not getting caffeine - apparently his brain cells have been sucked away along with mine because we never give Jordan pop or caffeine and I can't drink caffeine...but that's okay.) Jordan took a few sips but was still very zoned in to the movie...until the very end when all of a sudden he was sitting up straight on the edge of his seat bouncing, bouncing, bouncing...and the seat was going squeak, squeak, squeak. Chad and I just had to look at each other and laugh. You gotta love that kid!

This post is a "Cheers!" to Jordan and the great big brother that he is going to be. Since I couldn't video tape him in the movie theater...here's a little glimpse of him at his soccer camp this week. He's one of the youngest in the class and still getting used to the idea of playing a game...it's just so cute to watch him and the other kids in the camp and the ball, yeah, don't forget the ball...there's no way you can't smile at this! He's the adorable one in the orange shorts and striped shirt!!!

Happy 5th Anniversary, Chad!

On Saturday, June 26th, Chad and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary!  It's crazy to think that 5 years have already gone by since we were in Vegas at the Bellagio with our family and friends!!  At the same time, we have been together for almost 11 years...how wild is that?  I have a few friends that are getting married this summer or soon and it's fun to remember what it was like to be a fiance and to plan a wedding.  I thought I would be sad when the wedding was over but I don't miss being engaged one bit.  I absolutely without no hesitation can say I am so happy to be where I am in my life.

My parents took Jordan for the weekend so we could hang out together.  I'm glad we were able to spend a few days just the two of us before our family changes and becomes a family of four!  It was nice to go out to eat, see a movie, shop, and just relax with each other.  We talked about how much we love Jordan and how he's going to be a big brother.  We talked about the new baby and how we can't wait to meet him or her.  What is he/she going to look like?  Are we 100% sure about the names we have chosen?  (Speaking of which, it's scary to know we've kept our names secret for this whole entire time and to know soon we'll share the name with everyone and you never know what comments people are going to make...come to think of it, I think we talked more about that than the names themselves...we're worried about what people are going to say!  Sad, isn't it?  In the end, I suggested Chad tell everyone they don't need to comment on or question the name but just say the baby is so cute and leave it at that!)

See our beautiful cake?!?!  My cousin, Silvia, made it for us!  When we were married and had our reception in Vegas we didn't have an actual wedding cake.  We had dessert at the reception and Chad and I fed each other yummy chocolate cake from the bakery at Bellagio, but we decided not to have an actual big wedding cake.  We did look at cakes and there was a cake from a bakery out in Vegas that we would have picked...and that's what Silvia made!  It turned out so cute and tasted yummy, too!  It was my surprise to Chad!

Speaking of Chad, I am so thankful to have him in my life and to be able to call him all mine!!!  I remember when I caught a glimpse of him in the dorms and thought he was so cute.  He's only gotten hotter as the years have gone on.  I'm 39 weeks pregnant and everything drives me up the wall and I have absolutely no patience but he's still a great hubby and father no matter what.  We have fun with each other and I know he's always there for me no matter what.  I love knowing I married my very best friend.