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My Sweet Teagan

I have never been more fulfilled or content to be defined by what I do. The moment we are born we are defined by what we do. Through the course of my life I have been defined in many ways; it began at birth for me when I became a daughter, sister, and niece. As I grew I became a friend, student, athlete, etc. . . In the last few years my roles have changed, as well, therefore changing how I was defined. I became an aunt, wife, daughter-in law, teacher, and then four years ago a Mother. Today, I have three children and as many of you know my newest bundle of joy is only a week old. So I thought I would take this time to introduce her and also share how she has already changed me in just one short week. She too has begun the cycle of being defined by what she does. She is already a daughter, sister and niece, which is right where I started 29 years ago. I am excited to know I will have the opportunity to watch and help her grow into these roles that are inevitable for her to be defined by.

In the delivery room 1 hour after birth

Our hospital room 1 day old

Teagan entered the world on January 20, 2010 at 1:31 pm after almost 5 and half hours of labor. Which was much to my surprise but believe me I was more than pleased not to have another 20+ hour labor. She was delivered at 9 lbs, 3 oz and 21 inches long, which is bigger than my other two children who weighed in at (Alaina) 8 lbs, 2 oz and (Will) 8 lbs, 12 oz. Teagan was born with no complications to her or mommy and was already alert, responsive, and smiling the day after delivery. She is very pleasant and hasn't quite found her cry; we have heard her cry, but it is very soft and not very often. We have not put our finger on who she looks like and will probably just have to say she looks like Teagan. She has similar features to Alaina in her eyes and nose and the shape of her face and dark hair remind me of Will. Speaking of hair, boy does she have hair!! Will had some hair and it was dark, but Teagan has a head full of dark hair. The funny thing is at my ultrasound when I was 36 weeks pregnant the technician said, "Oh my does she have a lot of hair!" Even though I knew she was going to have a lot of hair 4 weeks before she was born I still can't believe it and I haven't gotten used to seeing one of my babies with so much dark hair. Anyway, that brings you up to speed on the things I have learned about my sweet Teagan now let me finish this blog by saying how she has already greatly changed me.

Teagan's first smile caught on camera by Grammie at 1 day old!

Leading up to and since Teagan's birth I have had a renewed desire and passion to raise my children in an environment where they will thrive after Jesus as their Savior. Although, as I mentioned above, throughout my life I have been defined as many things I could have added the word "Christian" in front of all those labels. I am teaching my children life skills, manners, and many things throughtout the day. However, my greatest desire is to teach them about their Savior, Jesus Christ. The world defines us by what we do, but if we do not know and have a relationship with Jesus we have nothing. Looking at my children is a reminder everyday that my greatest reponsiblity is to show them by my example how to be a "Christian" in everything they do no matter how they are being defined in that moment.

"These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.Impress them on your children.Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." 

 Deuteronomy 9:6-7

Our first family picture

The Countdown

I have heard women say that every pregnancy is different and now approaching the end of my third pregnancy I can say that is a true statement. (Or at least it has proven correct for me.) So today I am sitting here in my living room 4 days from my due date and what has turned out to also be my induction date as well. I have time today not only to look forward to meeting her, but to reflect on the past nine months as well. Aaron has taken the other two kids to the gym with him so I am enjoying a rare moment of peace and quiet alone at home. (Thanks Babe!)

This seems to be the perfect time to write, especially considering the next week will be a whirlwind of emotions and excitement. So here is a snapshot of my experience this go around. The first 16 weeks or so I had what some would call "morning sickness," which for me was anytime of the day sickness. Several times a week I would be not feeling up to par, but the hardest part was hearing the kids tell Aaron as he walked through the door from work, "Daddy, mommy went blah!" As a side note with all the unpleasantness of getting sick I actually was losing weight instead of gaining. By the time I was half way through my pregnancy I was less weight than when I came in for my first visit.

As I found myself in my second trimester some other symptoms started to pop up. Some familiar and others just seemed to arrive so much earlier than in my past pregnancies. Not to dwell on them but just to name a few: acid reflux, sleeplessness, uncomfortable, lower back pain, numbness in fingers, headaches, and so on. However, what also starting happening during this trimester was I began to feel this little person moving inside me. From week 14 until now I have felt her move everyday and let me say she is a mover and a shaker! The neatest thing is how responsive she is. If anything or anyone touches my belly she will kick right at that spot. I like to rest things on my belly and then watch as she kicks and squirms moving the item all around. The remote control works the best and she has entertained many of our friends by doing this. At night when I roll over and my belly touches Aaron's back he can feel her kicking him. Alaina and Will have also been able to feel their sister move as they sit on my lap. It really has been amazing and fun! Let's just say we may have our hands full when she is born.

Now I am at the end of my third trimester and I feel better than I did a month ago. I am sleeping through the night (with the slight exception of getting up 3 to 4 times to use the bathroom), which is such a blessing to feel this rested so close to delivery. Interesting enough, although my belly is without a doubt bigger than it has ever gotten in the other two pregnancy I am still less weight today then the day I found out I was pregnant. Upon delivering I will be 10 lbs or so less than my pre-pregnancy weight, assuming my doctor is accurate on her prediction that this little lady will be close to 9 lbs.

All that to say I would like to try to articulate my current state of mind as we quickly approach the birth of our third child. There are the normal fears and anxiousness that come along with the process of labor and delivery, but also an underlying peace that my loving God will never give me more than I can handle with His help. The thought of how can I possibly love another child as much as I love the two children I already have has crossed my mind, quickly diminished by the fact that I already have such a deep connection and love for her that will only grow naturally as I meet her and care for her. The strong desire and calling that I feel God has placed on my life to be a mom is only heightened by this experience. The joy this precious girl will bring to our lives and others is immeasurable. Though unplanned in our minds, God has known and prepared for her arrival long before now. This fact only magnifies my overwhelming sense of responsibility to raise her in the love and knowledge of my Savior Jesus Christ. She is a gift from above, entrusted to us to love and cherish.

I can honestly say, that even though I am may not be in life where I pictured myself being at age 29, I would not trade this time for anything in the world. I am married to a loving and supportive man. I am blessed with two healthy, intelligent, humorous, and adorable children. Last, but not least, I am days away from meeting the newest source of delight in my life, my daughter Teagan Marie.

It is the Small Things (Part 4)

Alaina had her 4 year old well appointment the other day and had to get 3 shots. As she was crying Will came over, rubbed her arm, and said, "You're doing good Alaina." That makes a Mama's heart proud!

While riding in the van we heard Will say from the backseat, "Daddy help me I can't get my choo choo out of my pants!!" For the record he was talking literally about the toy train he had stuffed down his pant leg.

As we prepare for our third child to be born, I have been bombarded with questions from my 4 year old daughter. I was talking to her the other day and telling that they new baby will be here soon. She quickly replied, "I really don't know how she can get out of your belly!?!"

While we were waiting at my last appointment, Will saw a newborn in a carrier and points at the baby and says, "Look mom, baby Jesus!"

Alaina took off her shoe and said, "Mom my foot is crinkly!"

I responded and said, "It is ok. Your foot is just asleep."

She quickly laughed and said, "Mom! Feet don't have eyes!!"

We were sitting at the dinner table the other night and Will looked at Aaron with a huge smile on his face and excitedly exclaimed to him, "Daddy, I put corn up my nose!!"

Alaina was watching Aaron play his Super Mario Bros Wii game and she kept saying, "I am not sure about all this." "Ohhh I can't watch!!"

Bitter - Sweet

For years Christmas Eve has been a very exciting and highly anticipated evening in my family. It is a tradition my father started when he was alive and one I hope we carry on forever. Christmas Eve is the one night a year that all my siblings gather to celebrate Christmas. My dad knowing that as his 9 children grew older, married, and started our own families it would be more and more difficult to get us all together in one place. Although, the house I grew up in is small and not the most accommodating place for the Christmas Eve party it is a tradition and we all look forward to it each year! We have had years that over the span of 4 hours more than 150 people have squeezed in to and out of our home. In more recent years the numbers have declined significantly, but we have increased our numbers to try and make up for it. Here is a quick run down: My mom has 14 grandkids, 6 great grandkids, and one grandchild on the way. The majority of the kids are 5 years old and under!! So you can well imagine what a night crammed into a small house is like with just our kids alone. It is pure joy though, and we wouldn't have it any other way.

Tonight will be bitter-sweet. Last December 31 we lost one of the members of this crew. My brother Scott went to be with his Savior Jesus Christ in Heaven, leaving behind his wife and son. Even thinking back to last year is tough, but it was exactly a year ago today that I saw him last. We were all gathered for our Christmas Eve Party, never did I or, anyone else there imagine it would be the last time we would see him, talk him, hug him, or be able to tell him we love him. Thankfully, we took time to take a group picture (38 people) which will be treasured always!

So as I prepare to get on the road in just a few hours to head home for this very special evening. I couldn't leave without taking the time to write about my beloved brother who is gone, but not forgotten. My heart is filled with joy knowing that this year he will be spending his first Christmas in Heaven. What better place to celebrate the birth of our Savior than with our Savior Jesus Christ??

I love you Scotty and miss you!! I have to believe that on this very night you and Dad are enjoying a hot bowl of oyster stew.

Daddy, I love you too and miss you, know that your legacy will be forever carried on through us, your children!!

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Catching Up...... Disney on Ice and Trip to Atlanta

Like I mentioned in my last post, which is hard to even consider a blog, because I am just quoting the funny things my kids have said over the last month. I am now prepared to play the catch up game on some of the fun outings we had in October (both of which Aaron was with us).

As a child my parents took us to see the ice capades in DC. When I saw that Disney on Ice was coming to Richmond I knew I wanted to take the kids. There were many reasons maybe not to go; the cost, kids sitting through it, and the fact that my kids have only seen two Disney movies (Cars and Cinderella). After waying all the cons with the one major pro: it would be a memory the kids (especially Alaina) would cherish forever. Not to mention, I was so excited about going as well. So because of a previous planned trip to Atlanta we decided to go on a Thursday evening.

Although Alaina had only seen the movie Cinderella, she knew all the Disney princesses, their names, and what color dress they wear. So she was excited and looking forward to catching a glimpse of the princesses and her personal favorite Cinderella. Will was immediately a fan because the show opened with Mickey, Goofy, and Donald - all characters he recognized from Mickey Mouse Playhouse. Instantly, I knew that the night was going to be a success. Alaina was captivated and as each princess made an appearance she looked at me with a huge smile and clapped happily as they each exited. Which made the night special for me to see my little princess cheer for her favorite princesses.




The next day we headed out to Atlanta (Columbus) for a friend's wedding. Actually, we needed to be on the road by 3am. So we hurried home put the kids to bed in their traveling clothes and caught a few hours of sleep ourselves. We were looking forward to driving through the night hoping the kids would not mind the 10 hour trip.

We were meeting up with friends from college so we decided to get a suite in the hotel we were staying in order to have more room to hang out and for the kids to play. So we had our bedroom with two double beds and then a living area and small kitchen. Some how the kids thought we had moved in there. Will kept saying, "I want to go home." Alaina said, "If we ever get to our home, I want to have a party." The funny thing is we were there for only 2 nights!!

This was also the first time the kids had slept in the same bed. So with eagerness they crawled into bed, almost not realizing how much they were chatting. After several reminders to stay quiet and some warnings from daddy they settled down. The last time Aaron checked on them Alaina said, "Daddy we just want to hug." So with arms wrapped around each other they drifted off to sleep.




On Saturday we headed to the wedding. The ceremony was beautiful and the reception was so much fun. From the candy table (in which you boxed up your own favors), good food, wedding party dancing to Thriller (including bride, groom, and mother of the bride) to the 4 minute sparklers we lit as they headed off - it was a fantastic night!!

Alaina and Will finished dinner in a hurry and hit the dance floor. It was so cute watching them dance. It was going smoothly until Will got a little aggressive and decided to hug the little girl he was dancing with (who happened to be the bride's niece). As he wrapped his arms tightly around her neck and started walking to towards her she toppled over backwards and hit her head on the dance floor. Ouch! Then it was time for the bride and groom's first dance so I rushed the kids off the dance floor, only to have them cry for the next few minutes not understanding why they couldn't dance. Alaina said with tears streaming down her face, "Why can't I dance with the beautiful princess?" It was a wonderful weekend with friends and the kids were great on the drive home as well.

It is the Small Things (Part 3)

I am sad to say I have not posted in over a month. I do have many things to write about, but little motivation these days to do so. I am now 31 weeks along in my pregnancy, but feeling more like 36 or further. So needless to say, for those women out there who have been in this situation, I am tired and uncomfortable. No excuse, maybe, but it is mine. I am planing to make some time to write about the things I have missed - so stay tuned and hopefully I will post them soon! While you wait on those stories here are few that may make you laugh. Enjoy!!


Will said to Aaron today, "Daddy I tooted out of my mouth!"

So, Alaina likes to have Will ask daddy and mommy for things she wants. Tonight, Will comes into the living room and asks if they can have candy.
I asked him, "Did Alaina send you in here?"
"Yes!" he says.
"Well, go tell Alaina to do her own dirty work," Aaron says.
"Ok," he says as he runs out of the room. We then hear him tell Alaina, "Daddy said yes!"

Will and I were singing God is so good and as I was singing the second verse (God answers prayers), he interrupted me and said, "No mommy, God loves soap!" So cute. (For those of you who may not know, the third verse is God loves us so.)

I caught Will singing his version so I thought I would add the video to this post:



While snuggling with Will at nap time one afternoon he looked up at me and said with a huge smile and seemingly very proud, "Mommy my butt makes noise."

Now that I have hit 30 weeks in this pregnancy I am feeling quite big and uncomfortable. Alaina is now giving me daily updates on how big my belly is. She looked at me last week and said, "Your belly is so big! You might not fit through the door!"

Random quote:
"I am a giant and I am going to stomp!" Says Will

After eating cotton candy at the Piston's game Alaina says, "My hands are sticky as glasses."
I said, "What Alaina?"
She replied, "Sticky as glasses."
So I asked, "Do you mean sticky as molasses?"
She said, "Yeah."
I really have no clue where she learned that saying.

While watching the Pistons play, Alaina was sitting on my lap wearing her cheer leading outfit. I looked down and said, "Alaina, ladies keep their legs closed."
"Ok!" she said. Then after a quick thought she looked down at me and said, "You don't have your legs closed."
I quickly replied, "Well I am not wearing a dress." (Oops, Caught me!)

It is the Small Things (Part 2)

For Will's second birthday he received tools as a gift. As I opened the tools and was taking them out I was telling the kids the names of each tool. A few moments later while they were playing with them Alaina says, "Look Mommy! I am wrenching like a little girl!"

Will's party theme was Thomas the train and each child took home a goody bag with a train whistle, train lollipop, and some Thomas tattoos. During the party Alaina asked Grammy to put one of the tattoos on her and she did. A couple days later Alaina said, "Mommy I want my too-too off" pointing at the Thomas tattoo on her arm.

After going to church with her cousin, Kiley, I asked Alaina what she learned about Jesus. She quickly responded, "They were out of doughnuts!"

Sitting at lunch the other day, Will looks up at Aaron and says, "Smell it Daddy? Smell it Daddy?" Aaron looked at me and asked, "What is he saying?" I clearly stated that Will was saying, "Smell it Daddy?" So Aaron looked at Will and said, "Smell what?" Will quickly replied, "My butt!"

One night while sitting at a restaurant Will proudly announces, "My butt tooted, my butt tooted!"

While in the car, I was listening to my Superchicks CD and as the music changed to a different tune Alaina asked, "What kind of music is this mom?" I said, "This part is called rap music." She said, "Oh, wrapping paper music."

Watching Backyardigans one evening before bed the crew was on a secret mission and they were trying to miss all the boobie traps. Alaina quickly looked at me with a very questioning look and said, "Boobie trap, mommy?" Then she kinda smiled and repeated it to herself a couple of times.

Lately, Alaina has been very inquisitive. She has been asking some pretty tough questions too. The other day she asked, "Mommy how is the baby going to get out of your tummy?" Then tonight before bed she began to ask about Jesus on the cross. So after a lengthy conversation about the life of Christ and spending eternity in Heaven she thoughtfully asked, "How will we get to Heaven? Do we walk there?" Before I could say no or explain further she said, "If it is a long trip can we watch a movie?"

So after homeschooling Alaina today, we laid down to nap and I said to her, "I am so thankful for you! I love you very much!" She replied, "I love you too. You are the best teacher at my school!" Every mom should be so lucky to hear such words, she is a sweet girl! I must admit, I am the best teacher at her school. Considering.... I am the only teacher at her school!

Saving the Best for Last

This is probably going to be a short post, but I had to write about it. Over the last few years living with my daughter I have noticed many of her habits and preferences. She like her father is very particular. She like things to be just so. From the little things, like which spoon she uses to eat with to the big jobs like cleaning her room. My most recent discovery, although I had noticed it before, now I can put it into to words. My Alaina likes saving the best for last!

She eats cranberry cereal for breakfast, but before eating it she picks out the cranberries and saves them to eat last. For lunch when eating spaghetti and meatballs, yep you guessed it, she pulls out the meatballs and saves them for last. Dinner time, same thing, whatever she likes most out of the meal she saves for last to eat. On the occasion that we have dessert she pulls the chocolate chips out of the cookies and of course, eats them last.

So as I am explaining this process to my husband he smiles and says, "Yeah, I do that too." He proceeds to tell me that even that very day when we brought and had lunch with him at work he had saved his last bite of burger to eat once everything else was finished. So at least now I know where she gets it, right?

The State Fair

Going to the fair is a very dear memory for me from my childhood. It was something we enjoyed doing every year sometimes hitting up more than one by traveling to nearby counties. This tradition had not been carried on into my marriage. . We went last year with the kids and had an ok time. My husband who did not take in the fair as a child said, "I don't really see the big deal." But he was a trooper and took us anyway. So as the fair approached this year I was hoping we would set this tradition in stone and go for the second year in a row. To help my cause my niece even provided us with free admission tickets and coupons for ride tickets. YAY! It looked like everything was falling into place!

Unexpectedly, we ended up keeping my niece and nephew for a few days this week so we decided to take all four kids to the fair. Some might call this a crazy decision taking a 4, 3, 2, and 1 year old to the fair, but at the conclusion of the night I was calling it one of the best nights of my life.

The fair was at a new location this year and it was wonderful! So nicely laid out and clean with lots of benches to sit on and well landscaped. I don't know what made this night so special. Whether it was the fact that it was a beautiful crisp fall night, one of the first of the season. Maybe it was just the fact that it brought back a lot of great childhood memories with my family when my dad was living and so enjoyed taking us to the fair every year. But if I had to contribute it to just one thing I think it would have to be seeing the fair through my daughter's eyes.

Leading up to going to the fair she and her cousin Kiley spent the day asking me questions like is there going to be a ferris wheel, cotton candy, and popcorn. They were so excited to go that as we pulled up there were shrills of delight coming from the back of the van. Then once we were walking towards the event the girls were bouncing not walking down the path.

As the kids started riding rides we realized that the thought of riding them seem more exciting then actually doing it. Except for my niece, Kiley, she was ready to ride everything even the ferris wheel. As we walked around to each ride she began to coach, encourage, and talk Alaina into riding the rides. It was just enough of a push to give her the courage to ride even the ones she thought would be too scary. I watched Alaina's face on each one of these rides, it started out with a worried grin but by the end of each ride she would run out of the exit to give me a huge hug. She looked so grown up and brave and she felt it! It was so sweet and so special to watch her confidence grow through out the night (with help from Kiley). It was getting late and Kiley was determined to still ride the ferris wheel. As Alaina, Aaron, and Kiley went round and round up so very high I thought what a good night, not knowing it was going to get better.

So we headed out of the fair but needed to make good on a promise of "dessert" to the girls. They wanted ice cream cones. We sat on a bench while they ate their ice cream cones, and I had a funnel cake with cherries, and Aaron enjoyed his usual gyros. The girls finished quickly and started to dance to the music that was playing in the background. Which was so cute I had to get up to take several videos of them. We finished our snacks and walked towards the exit realizing we still needed to get cotton candy so we bought some and sat on yet another bench this time it was right near the live music. Once the 6 of us consumed the cotton candy or at least most of it, all the kids got up and started dancing wildly to the music. As I watched and videoed them dancing, I realized this was one of the best nights of my life!

It is the Small Things

As I sit and listen to my kids play together I thought about the sweet and sometimes humorous things I overhear them say as they play with one another. So I thought I would share some of these random conversations with you.

One evening things suddenly were quiet in Alaina's room and as all moms know quiet is usually NOT good. I tiptoed back to her bedroom to find the two of them laying on her bed with the light off allowing only the bathroom light to shine in so that she could "read" him some of her books.

Just the other day as I ease dropped on them I heard Alaina saying, "This little piggy went to the market. . ." as she touched each of his toes. Then he would say, "Gin Lana, gin."

Now it is not all sweet. Along with their new found friendship and ability to play together comes the ever frequent disputes and arguments where I am the referee and try to persuade them to share. Which sometimes results in one or both of them in time-out. So as I sent Alaina into time-out one day she decided to come out early to tell Will she was sorry. As she walked up to him he pointed right at her and said, "No Lana, go back to your bed!" (This marking his longest sentence to date and so passionately stated!)

We have recently purchased a van preparing for the upcoming arrival of our third child. The side doors open and close with the push of a button and to make it more fun for the kids I have them say the magic words, "close doors close." Daddy didn't know of this new tradition and he closed the doors without using the magic words and realizing this Will said, "Daddy push the butt?"

Often times the two of them like to turn on the music in Alaina's room and dance. While accomplishing this ritual Alaina often says, "Willll! When I play music, you have to dance!"

Sitting at the dinner table, I asked Alaina to finish her dinner and she said, "I will." As Will heard this he said, "No, I'm Will." Alaina then replied, "No, I will." Will seemingly angry responded by saying, "No, I'm Will and you are Lana!!"

Trying to teach a my children manners I often have to remind them to say "yes ma'am & yes sir." Alaina now says to Will when he is not doing what she wants, "Will, say yes ma'am."

Once while riding in the car Alaina was proclaiming once again how she likes girls and Will likes boys. At a little pause in her conversation with herself Will says in a quiet voice, "baby boy." Causing both my husband and I to laugh!

While visiting family in Winchester, the kids and I went to eat at Olive Garden with my brother Brandon and his family. When leaving Alaina ran into the parking lot. I quickly explained to her that if a car hit her she would go to Heaven and I would not see her for a long time. The next day while driving around town she said, "Mommy be careful if a car hits you we will go to Heaven and WE DO NOT WANT TO GO THERE!" I immediately started damage control...I explained to her that we DO want to go to Heaven, but not until Jesus wants us there.

This last one was told to me by Aaron. One time when I had gone into a store to shop, he and Alaina decided to wait outside and sit by the fountain. As she looked into the water seeing all the coins she wanted to throw some in also, but when she asked Aaron he didn't have any money. She then turned to him and said, "Why don't you just go buy some?"

Hopefully you have enjoyed reading these as much as I have enjoyed recounting them. As you listen to the funny (or not so funny) things your kids do and say try to write them down, they will love to hear about them when they are older.

Stuffed Animals, Zoo, and a New Baby Cousin

My mom and sister, Artea, came for a visit last week. Mom wanted to relax and have fun so we decided to go to Build-A-Bear, where we had never been before. For those of you who have not heard of this store it is quite an experience. First, you pick an un-stuffed animal. Second, you stuff the animal, give it a heart then sew it up. Third, you give it a "bath" by brushing it under a stream of air. Fourth, you pick out an outfit and shoes and dress it. Last, you name it and get its birth certificate.

Now for Alaina (who is 3) this was an experience she enjoyed from beginning to end, however, Will (who is 1) was ready to leave after 5 minutes. In the end we brought home two new members of the family. Will's new pal is Chip, a monkey in a NBA basketball uniform and tennis shoes. Alaina's new friend is Ella, a unicorn wearing a Cinderella dress and glass slippers. They are cute and we had a lot fun. Thanks Meemaw!

So the next day we headed to the Richmond Metro Zoo for a day of animal seeing and feeding. The highlight for me is always the giraffes, they eat right out of your hand, or cup if you don't want to get slimy from their long tongues. This time there were two new things to do, so of course we had to try them out. We got to go into an enclosed bird area and have them land on our fingers and popsicle sticks of food to watch them eat. Then we hopped onto a train to tour around the Africa Area of the zoo. This by far was Will's favorite part. He was saying, "Chugga chugga choo choo" all the way around the area. We also watched the penguin feeding time. So the whole day was a huge success!!

On Wednesday we got the call from Aunt B and found out that she was going to be induced the next day and we would be meeting our new baby cousin soon. We decided to go that very night to Winchester. We spent the next several days at their house in West Virginia with Parker and Camden. Thursday night at 7:22 Baylee Joy entered the world weighing 8.8 lbs and stretching out to be 20 3/4 inches long. Friday morning we got to meet her and she is absolutely beautiful! Congrats Beth!!

This was very exciting for all of us, especially since we found out on Tuesday of last week that we were also expecting a baby girl in January! Even though when we ask Will, "what's in mommy's belly?" He still says, "baby boy" about 90% of the time. Alaina, on the other hand is so incredibly thrilled that we will have another girl joining our family. Now the name choice begins...

I'm Back

Wow! This has been an adventure trying to get logged back into this blog that I started in 2005 before Alaina was born. Inspired by two of my friends Sarah Bass and Linda Smith, I have decided to "rejoin" the world of blogging. (If you could even consider me a blogger to begin with having only written three previous posts!) So here I am, hoping to stick with it this time. I guess since my husband, Aaron, is the gifted writer of the family and a successful blogger I have always thought I would leave it up to him. However, after reading other moms blog about their kids and daily life, I thought I should recount some of the events of the past fours years in our life. But before I start let me warn you I am not a writer and my grammar skills leave much to be desired. So if you decide to read this blog please read out of support and not as a critic, because I can assure you correcting all my grammar errors will be a full-time job. (I do realize that some of you may take that as a challenge).

Where to begin? It feels weird to go all the way back to the birth of our first child, Alaina, our beautiful and very intelligent daughter, but that is where I left off 7 weeks before she was born. So here it is in a condensed version. Alaina Rose was welcomed into the world on November 19th at 12:11 am, after 29 hours of labor. She was immediately taken to NICU because she had swallowed some meconium and the umbilical cord had been wrapped around her neck twice. Thankfully, she was only in there for a short time. She was a healthy baby weighing 8 lbs 2oz and 20 and 1/4 inches long. What a blessing! Over the next few months our lives changed dramatically and wonderfully as we watched her transition through all the normal stages of development. By her first birthday she was already saying several words and putting together small phrases and soon began to walk at 14 months. Astonished by how quickly she picked up words and started speaking in full sentences, we knew we had a "smarty" on our hands. Alaina soon began to enjoy her favorite show, Dora, and singing a few of her favorite songs. While enjoying all the little moments with her we were surprised to find out that we were expecting our second little miracle.

This time around we were having a boy and although the pregnancy was a little tougher with him, it was still bearable. I continued to work as a second grade teacher through the end of the 2006-2007 school year and decided to resign my position to become and full-time mommy. So our second little blessing, William Aaron, was born on September 23 at 1:14 am after 25 hours of labor. No complications just a healthy baby boy weighing 8 lbs 12 oz and 21 inches long. How strange it was to be thrust back into the baby stage with night-time feedings and a lot less sleep. But, much like Alaina, Will soon began sleeping through the night and the transition was moving along nicely. What I didn't mention was Will was born only a week after moving into our first house, so while taking care of two kids I was still unpacking boxes and turning our house into a home.

So without laying out all the details of the last 4 years I will bring you up to date with us now. Alaina is 3 years old and very inquisitive about everything. She loves learning and is already counting to 20 and to 100 by tens. She knows how to spell her full name (first, middle, and last). Also, she knows some Spanish words from watching Dora and likes to make up other "Spanish" words. She is a very good singer and loves to entertain us with songs she has made up on her own. Will is a very solid 1 year old weighing 31 lbs only 4 lbs less than Alaina. He will be two next month and spends most of his time trying to keep up with his big sister. He has begun to put words together and usually says phrases with 4 or 5 words. He also loves to sing although his version of the song rarely sounds like the original ("Linkle, Linkle, Little Car"). He has picked up some Spanish words and he spells his name with prompting and counts to 10 (kind of). They are both excited that mommy has a new baby in her tummy and when asked they will argue on whether it is a baby boy or girl.

I am about 18 weeks along and starting to feel better. The first trimester, or so was very trying with pregnancy symptoms. We are awaiting our appointment on September 1st, where we will have the option to find out the gender of the baby and check on its development so far. Well, for my first blog back I think I have covered a lot of ground. So if you are interested in continuing to hear about the happenings in our lives, please tune in as I am hoping to keep up with this blog on a semi-consistent basis.

Alaina Rose

Alaina Rose Braun-Duin is due to arrive in about 7 weeks. We are hoping that she will come on November 16th in order to share a birthday with her grandfather Robert William Ambose, who passed on to Heaven 2 years ago.
She has been a great baby so far and things are progressing right on schedule with signs of a healthy baby with no complications during delivery.

Kelly Lane

Kelly is 25 years old and works as a Second Grade teacher in Henrico County. She is a loving wife, devoted teacher, business owner, and soon to be mother. She is anxiously awaiting the birth of her first child Alaina Rose.

Aaron James

Aaron is 25 years old and is a very successful husband, business owner, and soon to be father.
He is very devoted to his family and works hard to provide a secure, happy, and abundant lifestyle for them.
He loves sports and would spend all day watching them if he could. He played basketball at Bryan College in Dayton, TN where he graduated in 2002. He has been happily married for four years and is expecting the birth of his first child soon.