The Brown Brick Road

Capturing our adventures one photo at a time...

Bragging about #1

I have to brag on my big boy for a minute and keep a record a few things I want to remember.  Maxwell has done SO well with this whole transition.  He loves the new ya-ya and wants to hold him and kiss him all the time.  He also really likes to try and stick the paci in Spencer’s mouth…and can get a little aggressive with that!  We’re working on being gentle!  🙂  There have been a few instances when I can tell he’s a little jealous and missing me so I’ve tried to just give him as much attention as I can, when I can. Overall though, he’s done really well.

I also have to brag about the fact that he now knows all of his letters!  It all started when GJ sent him this book and, in the course of just a few weeks, he has 100% learned the alphabet.  He was even calling out the letters in the parking garage of the hospital.  I think my favorite letter to hear him say is Q because he drags it out to be two syllables!  S is still tough for him but he’s getting better every day.

I am just astonished at how much he learns each day – he truly is a little sponge just soaking up everything we tell him – and repeating everything we say!  Some of his favorite expressions that he’s picked up lately are “no way!” and “oh geez!”  Also, he loves being 2.  Robert asks him daily how old he is and he always laughs and says “twooo!” and looks at Dad likes he’s so silly that he can’t remember and has to ask over and over!  Of course, that two is still accompanied by holding up 5 fingers but we’re working on that!

He’s also becoming a much better eater.  While still picky, he definitely eats more of the things he will eat.  As I mentioned before, we started doing family dinner every night and I think that has made a huge difference.  Dinner time is no longer a battle and he’s eating so much better.  Thank goodness!  He still loves his veggie corn dogs and quesadillas are always a hit.  We’re working on vegetables and I’m still not afraid to give him a jar of baby food veggies because he will eat them up like applesauce!  The evenings have become much less stressful that’s for sure!  Well…until this second baby came along!  🙂

Here are some iphone pics of my big boy over the past few weeks…

Love my big baby boy!

Tomorrow, a little update on this sleepy guy!

Finally, happy birthday to my cousin Amy today!!  Hope Birc and Savannah have a fun celebration planned for you!

The big day!

October 18th – what a day!  I had been to the doctor on Tuesday 10/16 and he really didn’t think anything would happen until early this week…and I agreed.  He also said that just because my water broke with Maxwell, that didn’t make it any more likely that my water would break with #2.  Well, looks like he was wrong on both counts (don’t worry Dr. Stone – we still love you!)  :).  I did stick Maxwell in the stroller on Wednesday afternoon and go for a nice long walk so maybe that’s what prompted Spencer to get things moving later that night.  Who knows?!

I woke up around 2:30am on Wednesday night/Thursday morning thanks to some massive thunder outside.  Robert and I then remembered that we had left the top off of Maxwell’s sand table and all of his sand and trucks were getting soaked.  Honestly, this woke up me up completely and I was about to try and go outside to cover it up when I realized my water had broken.  I wasn’t 100% sure so laid back down but then started having contractions every 7 minutes so I knew it was for real.  I woke Robert up about 3:30am and we started getting ready to go!  Calls were made to Robert’s parents who were vacationing in Highlands, NC, to my parents in FL, to Dr. Stone and then to Susan.  As always, a GIGANTIC thank you to Susan for all that she does.  I called her at 4:20 and she was at our house by 5am ready to take care of Maxwell for the day.

We got to the hospital around 5am and got checked into our awesome and huge room.  It was about double the size of the room I had with Maxwell and had a whole wall of windows – really nice.  My nurse, Amber, was great and she had a nursing student, Lee, assisting her who was really sweet too.  They started the pitocin around 6:00, I got the epidural around 9:00 and I was ready to go by 11:00!  Dr. Stone was running a bit behind though so I was told not to push or even laugh at one point!!  ha!  Spencer Patterson Brown made his entrance at 11:38.  He really didn’t cry at first, I think because he had so much fluid in his lungs.  Because I didn’t push for very long at all, he didn’t get squeezed quite as much as he needed to to clear all of that out.  He was also REALLY blue when I first saw him.  Blue and no crying = nervous mommma!  But, he pinked up right away and then let out a few good cries.  Best sound ever.

Robert’s parents had gotten there around 11:00 and my parents arrived that afternoon around 4:30.  Susan brought Maxwell up to meet his baby brother that afternoon as well.  It was a fantastic day that could not have gone better.  I feel so lucky to have had such an easy experience again.  Almost makes me want to do it all one more time!  🙂

Below are some pictures that Robert took throughout the morning and afternoon with the big camera.  I never even picked up my big camera in the hospital (but had my iphone glued to my hands!) so thank you Robert for taking some awesome photos!

Family of 4!

Well, we added another boy to our family today!  And what a sweet, wonderful, perfect little boy he is!  He has been such a little angel since he arrived – barely crying at all.  Let’s hope that continues!  🙂  He’s just been snoozing away all swaddled up with only his precious little face poking out.  I think it’s safe to say that we all (especially big brother Maxwell!) are in love!

Today has been a whirlwind that started at 2:30am but it all went as smooth as possible.  It was all very similar to Maxwell’s birth day actually.  Full details to come later but, right now, I’m tired so I’m just going to share a bunch of iphone pics from today. 

 

My favorite part of the day might have been when Maxwell came up to meet Spencer.  He was SO excited to see the ya-ya and immediately wanted to hold him and give him kisses!  He’s going to be a great big brother!

 

I can’t believe this little guy is ours and that he’s here. 

Welcome to the world, Spencer!  Let the fun begin!

Week in Review

We’ve had a great week around here.  I’m just trying to tie up a few final things to get ready for BBB2 and soak up some good time with BBB1!

I’m still feeling great and hoping this little guy stays put for another week.  Here I am one week ago today at 38 weeks…

I still made it up to work out with my trainer this week and plan to go next week too – unless we have a baby this weekend!!  🙂

We had some really nice weather this week.  Some chilly, fall days but also some warm, sunny days.  We did plenty of playing outside…

and also plenty of snuggling inside…

Maxwell actually had his first dental appointment this past week – more to come next week! – and he’s becoming quite the expert toothbrusher (ha! more like expert toothpaste eater!)…

He also loves those new fireman PJs from GJ and Daddo!

Maxwell came home from school Wednesday looking like he had gotten in a fight!  The teacher doesn’t know what happened but he got several big scratches on his face and neck on the playground.  Who knows how it happened?!  It doesn’t seem to be bothering him though so that’s good.

We also made our front porch look like Fall and Maxwell is loving the “pump-choos!”

Here’s to a great weekend ahead for us and all of you!

BBB2 update

I had another ultrasound yesterday and all looks good with BBB2!  I’m 36 weeks and 4 days and they estimated him at 6.3 lbs.  That’s the 44th% which sounds good to me.  Maxwell was measuring around the 48th% at approx 36 weeks so we’ll see if #2 is a little smaller in the end.  We could also see that he’s flipped around in the right direction so that’s a good sign too.  The ultrasound lady was training a new tech so they switched on the 4D to let her practice…which Robert and I didn’t mind one bit!

It was so cool to see his sweet little face again…and I still think he looks SO much like Maxwell!

Can’t wait to meet this little guy!

Maxwell and I are both fighting colds this week – congestion, coughing and just feeling crummy.  Here’s hoping we both feel better soon and Robert doesn’t get it.

However, cold or no cold – Maxwell is relishing in his new role as Fire Chief!!  He had all of his gear on within 2 minutes of waking up yesterday!

What?  Breakfast definitely tastes better in a Fire Chief jacket!!

See you tomorrow!