He's here!

Israel Gabriel was born July 18 @ 10:24pm. He weighed 5lbs 10oz & 20in. He was 9 days early so it was a bit of a surprise. But a good surprise! Each day I fall more and more in love with him.

Isaac is a great big brother. He helps out with Israel and is very proud of him. I am excited to watch them grow up together and be best buds :)

Isaac is a super proud Daddy of 2 now! He did a great job in the delivery room. Minus the part where he ran out to get the nurse. With both sons I told him he was not allowed to leave and both times he remembered what every button on the bed was for, with the exception of the nurses button. Yet one of the many reasons I love him! And I def. needed him there with me! So, glad to be married to such a great guy!

I love having 2 boys! Isaac is his great little self. And it is a joy to have a tiny baby around the house again to snuggle with and watch his little personality develop! I love you Israel!

My Mom. My Hero.

I know I am supposed to write a little something about our new addition. But I had to write something about my mom first. She's the strongest most amazing woman I know. Every time me or my siblings have ever needed her she drops everything to help us. She went to everyone of our basketball games, football games, track and field, and volleyball games and was our biggest fan. She kept the house spotless and we always had yummy homemade meals. My Dad was/is a pipe welder and she has either followed him around the country or sacrificed and let us go to one High school even if it meant being away from her husband for months at a time. She always has a smile on her face and good advice. I don't know how she has done what she has. All I know is that with Isaac being in the Air force there is an automatic support system and friends are made easily. She came from the Philippines and rarely gets to see her family. She didn't have a support system or automatic friends wherever she moved. But she always did it with a positive attitude. If I am half the mom she is then I'll be a good mom. Thanks Mom! I love you!

You know you're ready to be unpregnant when...

1. You use words like "unpregnant" b.c. the baby has officially taken all your brain cells.

2. Your husband makes you go to bed b.c. it's after 4am and you insist that all the baby clothes need to be washed and put away, the house needs to be spotless, and you can't get your closets organized enough.

3. While organizing your closet you stumble upon your prepregnancy "fat" jeans and think 'wow, I can't wait to be that skinny again.'

4. Whenever you go for your weekly Dr's. apt they know not to tell you your new weight.

5. You laugh your butt off when you're reading a pregnancy book and it says you should get a shirt that says... "I'm due July 27th, it's another boy, I feel fine."

6. When your 2 year old keeps telling you "no, that's daddies shirt. Here's your shirt."

*** if you're a pregnant woman feel free to add to my list :)

I love my little guy!

Isaac with his Froggy

Short story # 1:

Little Isaac melts my heart. Here is one story why. I've been trying to get some "mom nights" in since I know with a newborn I won't be able to leave the house by myself for a while. So, the other night I went to a spouses meeting. I was putting on my shoes when the little guy walks in and and says, " I go get my flip flops mommy" I told him he didn't need to b.c. he was going to hang out with his Dad and mom was going to go hang out with girls. He replied, "but you will miss me mommy!" Ahhh so true. Isaac said while I was gone little Isaac checked the front door multiple times and the garage. After hour number two of being gone he called my cell phone (yes, he knows what # his Dad and I are on our phones) to tell me how much he missed me and I needed to come home. I finally came home around 11pm to find him in the guest room watching cartoons. He got up gave me a hug and a kiss goodnight and went straight to his room to sleep. To top it off in the morning I found his little Car's chair in our formal dining room facing the front window. All I know is if he is that concerened about his mommy heaven help his little girl when he grows up!

Short story #2.

I've been having crazy pregnancy dreams. And I've been seeing things. Nothing too crazy, things like bugs that are not there. So, the other day when I woke up to make breakfast I saw a frog in the hallway. I was not in the mood to catch a frog so I told Isaac to get the frog out of the hallway. He gave me a weird look and continued with his morning routine. So, when I asked if he got the frog he replied, "mmmhmmm". 'Did you even look for the frog?!' I asked. No, he had not. When he finally went to the hall he came back and told me there was no frog. I insisted that I had seen a frog. "I'm sure you did babe. Maybe, that can be yours and Isaac's big adventure for the day. Finding the frog" How dare he! He didn't believe there was a frog. And he was talking to me like I was 5! Well, I did find the frog later that day. I thought he was dead. But when I went to scoop him into the container he moved. So, little Isaac and I gave him some dirt, water, grass, and bugs (ok, so little Isaac caught the bugs) and the little frog made a full recovery. Of course we had to let him go. We let him go in the sprinklers after church and little Isaac was devasted. He thought the "froggy" was his to keep and that we were just giving it a bath. And now he won't quit asking for it. So, on Monday when we get paid we are going to buy him a frog at Brookstone. Fun stuff :)

I made a chocolate cake yesterday afternoon. Over half the cake is gone. My husband had one piece. My son had none. I guess that leaves me as the main culprit. I try to justify it. I had a slice for breakfast, a slice for snack, a slice for lunch, another snack....you get where I am going with this. Plus I always have a glass of milk with a slice...so that makes it healthy right!? I told my husband about my "problem" and he said, "throw the rest away." WHAT!? Why would I do that?! There is only one time in a woman's life when she doesn't mind hearing, " You're belly's getting so big!". I know I'll regret every extra pound I'll gain after I give birth and still look like I am 5 months preggo three months later. But for now I think I'll go have another piece of chocolate cake:)

Fabulous Jan Bag

When I found out we were having another boy I was super excited. Isaac is a blast. So another boy will just make things better. However, the house has alot of non girly things. There's lots of blues, greens, military, cars, trucks, power tools, mini power tools, real guns, toy guns....guy things. That's why the one thing I really wanted was a diaper bag. Not a blue diaper bag, or one that said I had a little boy. I wanted one that reminded me that once upon a time I used to have a purse that matched every outfit. So, when I saw this designer purse that is the size of a diaper bag that also happens to match anything I will be wearing I had to have it (Heck, if I am going to be carrying this thing around for 2 years it better look fabulous right!?) And thanks to my awesome husband it's mine! Yay!

As parents we try so hard to protect our children. When a woman is pregnant she gives up certain foods and drinks. When the baby gets here we buy the safest strollers and car seats. When they are toddlers we baby proof the house (which is nonsense...you can never really baby proof anything). Parents set aside money for college. Sacrifice their own wants and needs to give a child something they want or need. I've watched my own parents continue to sacrifice for my siblings and me. It is so true when they tell you that you won't understand certain things until you are a parent yourself.

I think that one of those "parent" moments hit me tonight. Because I try to hard to protect little Isaac from everyday things, like what he eats, what he watches on tv, what music he listens to, that he doesn't run into the street, etc. So, when something happens that I can't control and I know is going to effect Isaac and Israel it crushes me and gets me all panicky. The first time I felt that way was when Obama was elected. All I could think about was, " Oh, crap. What does this mean for little Isaac's future?" Then today they passed the Health Care Bill. I was planning on going to bed after I found out the results. Instead I found myself going crazy with the thoughts of how bad this was going to be for our Country and what kind of life Isaac and Israel are going to have to face. And that I couldn't protect them. I waited until big Isaac had gone to bed before I started crying on the couch and worrying. And then I heard little Isaac say "I want mama!" and he came in the living room half asleep and crying. I picked him up and rocked him. And as I did this all I could think about is how much I wanted to be held and rocked and told everything was going to be ok for my kids. And then part of an old hymn I used to sing to Isaac when he was first born came back to me...

How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
and feel the pride and joy he gives;
But greater still the calm assurance:
This child can face uncertain days because He lives!

Because He lives I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives all fear is gone,
Because I know He holds the future,
and life is worth the living just because He lives!

That song sums it up for me. Nobody holds the future for my children except for God. And He also holds me. And that's all I need.