I wish I could say it was love at first sight. After all the tender moments between Logan and Adaleigh when she was still safely tucked in my belly, I wish I could say that from the moment Logan laid eyes on her he became the protective, loving big brother. I wish I could say he was happy to see her.
When Logan first entered the hospital room the afternoon that Adaleigh was born, he didn't know what to think. He didn't know where Mommy had been all day, why she was now swollen and lying in a new bed surrounded by tubes and cords, and who in the world was hiding under her gown and taking his place lying on my chest. He was very apprehensive to do anything more than give me a quick kiss, and was definitely not happy sitting next to me and his new little sister. He showed no interest in her, and wasn't sure how he felt about his Mommy anymore.
Luckily on Day 2, he started to warm up a little to the idea. He was finally interested in seeing who this new little baby was, and touching her hair and arms to see if she was real. We encouraged him to love her and kiss her, and to our surprise he started snuggling her tiny little body in Daddy's arms and didn't want to stop. She wasn't that bad after all.
Every day he shows a little more interest and love for his little sister, and is growing more protective of her. As soon as he gets up in the morning he runs to find her in the bassinet and give her a nice pat on the arm or leg. He doesn't like for her to be left unattended, and wants us holding her constantly. He worries if he can't find her, and brings her toys and pacis whenever she's around. Just yesterday I watched as he moved his activity table across the room, so he could sit and play next to the pack and play where Adaleigh was sleeping.
I so grateful he's adjusting as well as he is. Even though I am head over heels in love with our new addition, I hate that we've turned his world upside down. I will always feel guilty for stealing the attention away from him when he was still so young, but I hope that giving him a playmate and new best friend more than makes up for it. I know it will take some time for him (and all of us) to fully adjust, but I look forward to the challenges of the ride we're on. This is exactly the life I've dreamed of.
She's so tiny and perfect! We are over the moon in love with her. My heart melts every time I think of my beautiful, perfect family of four. More updates and thousands of pictures to follow!
It was love at first sight. From the moment you blessed this world with your tiny, sweet presence, you have melted my heart. You have made me fall in love with being a mom all over again. You are nothing less than perfect in every way, and you have us all wrapped around your little finger.
You are a champion eater! I never thought anyone could compete with Logan's love of eating, but you sure are giving him a run for his money. You love to nurse, and thankfully we've breezed through latching and learning without any problems. I think (and hope!) we'll be doing this for a long time.
I love everything about you, and I'm especially fond of the little squeaks you make to remind us you're still here. It is the softest, sweetest sound to my ears. Most of your squeaks come while you are sleeping, and are often followed by a warm little smile across your face.
You're such a sweet little girl already. You rarely ever cry, and sleep through all the loud noise and chaos of your big brother running around the house. You will sleep for 3-4 hour stretches through the night, and always look so content and peaceful.
Our lives will never be the same. You are so much more than anything I've ever wanted or wished for. You will always have a piece of my heart and a special place in our growing family. My love for you brings tears to my eyes.
Our last night as a family of three. Your last night as an only child, before you transition to your new role as the big brother. One last day of being spoiled with Mommy and Daddy's attention, without any distractions. One last day to soak in everything we love about you, that made us fall in love with becoming a family.
I hope you know no one will ever take your place. Our love will grow and our hearts will fill, but it will never change the love we have for you. You are our firstborn. The first to teach us patience and overwhelming, unconditional love... the first to make us a family. You will always be the one that made us question how we ever lived without you. You made us forget what life was like before children... before the reason we wake up and love life every day. You will always be so, so special to us.
I can't help but spend the days wishing that time would slow down. Wishing for a few more seconds to run my fingers through your thin, blond waves, or a few more minutes of sunlight to watch you run and explore the world around you. For so long I have wished and waited for the next milestone, but all I want to do now is freeze the little man you've become. Every little thing you say or do is so much fun.
How do I even begin to describe the little boy that runs wild through my life? You are saying and doing so much now. If we ask you what time it is in the evening, you always know the answer is "bath time!" and scream it down the hall as you lead the way. You say "please" and "thank you", "bye bye", "all gone!", and any and every word you can think of that begins with a "B". I think you surprise me everyday with a new phrase or word when I least expect it. Of all the different things you say, I think my favorite would have to be the "awww" you let out when sharing a kiss or hug with me or your daddy. You are truly too cute for words.
You are still a champion eater, but we have to get a little sneaky with the vegetables and watch how much fruit you eat. We still haven't found a fruit you don't like, and you scream in excitement every time you spot fruit from across the room. I'm even guilty of sneaking you a few grapes in the grocery store when you spot them in the cart. You're eating with a spoon and fork now, and doing an amazing job. Your coordination gets better and better every day. You still amaze everyone you meet with the amount of food you can fit in that little belly.
You are so independent and brave, everything I've always hoped for you. You run through the halls of daycare like you own it, and you're rarely shy or reserved. Instead, you light up every room you enter and spread happiness wherever you go. I couldn't be more proud of your beaming, cheery personality.
Everything in our lives is about to change, and strangely I think you sense it coming. You're a little more cuddly and clingy, and we've shared a few nights in bed for the first time in months. I know this little girl is going to rock your world, but I hope you never resent her for it. I hope you embrace the changes that come, and know that you will always be mama's little boy. No one can ever break the bond we share. I will always cherish the 18 months we had together, just you and me.
Yesterday (6/15/13) was a big day for us... Logan finally got his first hair cut! I've been thinking about it for quite some time, mostly because those long curls tickled his ears and he always had hair in his eyes. But as much as I knew he needed it, it was so hard to willingly cut the long blond curls that defined our little boy's look.
We went to Pigtails & Crewcuts in Murfreesboro on the recommendation of a friend. I can't say enough good things about them! We had such a great experience, and although a little pricey it was worth every penny.
We chose an Army airplane for Logan to sit in, and as we put him in it they went into action. The owner blew bubbles to keep Logan entertained, and most of the time he had no idea anyone was messing with his hair. He was a perfect angel! He held tight to daddy's hand the whole time, but no tears!
For the first time this pregnancy, Logan's first haircut brought the hormones out. I may or may not have teared up a little when he showed off his new big boy haircut. He is so grown these days, and his new hair matches his new little boy independence.
Logan has been steadily walking with a little help for weeks now, but couldn't find the courage to let go of those last few fingers to venture out on his own. On May 24, the night Nana and GP were on their way to Nashville for Memorial Day, he took his first few steps on his own. He would stand or walk as steady as could be, but as soon as he noticed he was on his own he would set his little bottom on the ground. It almost became a game... Daddy and me cheering him on with excitement, and him letting out high pitched squeals and giggles as he teased us with only a step or two.
It wasn't until Thursday night (June 6), when Grandpa and GG came in town, that he finally took off on his own (apparently he saves all of his best moments for the grandparents). He hasn't stopped since!
I can't begin to describe how proud I am every time he puts those little shoes to use. I guess a part of me never though he would actually do it! What an amazing feeling to watch your children grow and learn, and take pride in everything you've taught them and prepared them for along the way. Nothing is cuter than a little boy teeter-tottering his way around town. 16 months and 4 days, and not a day too soon.
Everything is so different this time around. Here we are, already in the third trimester and only a few short months until your arrival, and I'm just now writing your first letter. It's not because I have anything less to say to you or spend any less time thinking about you, only that life has been so busy since the day our family first began growing. We spend our days working and our evenings chasing your brother around, and any spare time in between is spent building a new house for our family of four and preparing for your arrival.
We have loved you and wanted you long before you became a part of our lives. We had an angel baby surprise us a few months before finding out about you, and we left any worry and doubt we may have had about another baby in the past with her. This time around we know just how much our hearts will grow when we look into your eyes for the first time, and we look forward to that moment each and every day.
I think about you constantly, wondering if you'll have blond hair and blue eyes like your brother or surprise us and look like a little mini-me. I wonder if you'll be wild and crazy like Logan, or quiet and reserved like your mama. Will you take your time reaching milestones, or rush through the first year trying to catch up to your brother? I cannot wait to watch you grow, and my heart swells with pride just thinking about you.
Life is flying by us, and you are growing and learning something new each and every day. Sometimes you seem closer to 2 than I would like to believe, but you still remind me each night that you are the same little snuggly baby that will always need his mama. Your independence and need for control is evident in everything you do, and although it can be frustrating and challenging at times it makes your daddy and me so, so proud of you.
Your vocabulary is taking off! Your favorite word is ball, but you also say balloon, dog, and thank you, and like to copy short little phrases when you hear us say them. You also say "uh, oh" more and more, which is my favorite by far. You recognize and point to a lot of different things we've taught you as well, such as grass, trees, bird, cat... the list goes on and on. You are so smart and learning so fast!
You are absolutely fascinated by balloons. You LOVE them. It all began at your 1st birthday party, and hasn't stopped since. You can spot them from a mile away, and it's getting harder and harder to make it through the checkout line. You also have an intense love of balls in all shapes and sizes. You spend most days chasing them around the house, or practicing your best throw or basketball shot.
You're not quite a walker yet, but you're oh so close. You will stand on your own now and sometimes even take a step or two, but you're not yet confident enough to take off running. You will, however, spend hours pushing anything you can around the house... walkers, furniture, laundry baskets, or big toys. When you do stand on your own or walk around with us, you are so proud of yourself! It brings a smile to my face every time.
Of course you have no idea just how much life is about to change for all of us in the coming months. You point to the baby and love to lay your head on my growing belly, and I wish there was some way I could explain it all to you. I wish I could tell you that our love is growing, but will never change the bond we have with our sweet little boy that has filled our lives with joy and happiness. I wish I could ensure that you would never feel like you had to fight for attention or share our love when you needed us the most. You may never remember life as an only child, but I promise that your father and I will never forget one minute of the time we've had as a family of three. You are the sunshine in our lives everyday.
