Happy 4th ya'll!

   We had the most A-M-A-Z-I-N-G 4th of July ever this year doing simply...nothing. We spent the day as a family enjoying each other's company in the baby pool, sprinkler and grilling out. We couldn't help but be thankful as our last 4th of July was spent watching an apnea monitor and feeling sick to our stomachs after just bringing home a baby we thought we had no idea how to take care of. But our God is SO good and here we are are a year later blessed beyond measure and this 4th of July was just a reminder of how blessed we truly are.
   The boys spent the day splashing in the baby pool and Alexander ran around in the sprinkler most of the day too. Nothing brings my heart more joy than watching my boys giggle while playing together. I love to watch them play together..it's those moments during the day that I thank God for my babies, my boys, my miracles, my gifts.
    After hours of water fun, we ate a slammin' dinner made by chef Dadda that all of us gobbled up in a matter of seconds.  I was super excited to watch Camden gobble up Ant's homemade burgers, as it has been a struggle to get him to eat any table food but he was a fan for sure! Props to Dadda! ;) After dinner Alexander made his jello American flag, which wasn't the prettiest, but boy was he proud of himself! He loved every minute of it and ended up eating straight from the glass bowl. Camden loved the jello flag also, double success!
    Ant and I ended the night side by side cuddled up on the couch watching fireworks on TV and hoping all the crazy people setting off local ones wouldn't wake are sleeping darlings. No we didn't do anything extravagant and no we didn't see any fun parade or crazy firework show...but our day was absolutely terrific and we enjoyed every moment of just being together celebrating our freedom.  I hope everyone else had a wonderful 4th of July also. Our freedom is a true blessing...one never to be taken for granted! Special thanks to all who serve to provide such a huge gift, freedom. You truly are heroes!

                                                

Happy Father's Day!

      I just wanted to wish a Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful Dads out there, especially to my wonderful husband. I don't blog enough about how blessed my boys and I are to have such a wonderful man in our lives. Anthony is a blessing beyond measure to all of us on a daily basis. He is my everything and has supported me from day one in every way possible. He loves his boys and it shows in every word, action and thought in his everyday life.  He works around the clock to provide for us so I can stay home with our boys and for that we are so thankful.
   Anthony, the boys adore you and Alexander already wants to be just like you. You mean the world to me and I am thankful to have such an amazing, Godly man for a husband.  Your hard work and dedication never goes unnoticed and we admire you. Thank you for being you! We love you to the moon and back! 

First day as Daddy meeting his Alexander

Anthony and Camden

                                          

Happy 1st Birthday Camden Thomas!

    Dear Camden,

          The day finally came..you are officially o-n-e!  As much as I didn't want to write this post, it had to be done. I can try and deny it all I want, but its here, you are one and mommy needs to stop crying over it. In the beginning I wanted you to grow as fast as possible in hopes that your LM nightmare would finally be over. But as the weeks went by and you actually got worse, not better, I realized it wasn't going to be over for a while.  You taught me  very fast that I needed to soak up every single moment with you, not wish it away in hopes that life would be somewhat normal again.  We found a new normal and you have filled the last 365 days with more laughter and smiles than tears my sweet baby.
    Only a few things have changed since your 11 month update. You love to wave bye-bye, drink from a regular cup, and your absolute favorite thing right now is taking a bath with your brother. You are still mostly on purees due to the fact that you still gag very easily b/c of your LM and you really don't care but to chew on your sippy cup. I know we are "suppose" to take your bottle away at 12 months, but momma is throwing those rules out the window. Who made these silly rules anyways? I think it will be a slow process, but I know we will get there eventually. You have taught me not to worry about the small things, thank you for that.
    We love you Camden more than words could ever say. You drastically changed our lives in ways I never even thought imaginable. And while I thought when you turned one everything would be completely normal and you would no longer have stridor, I am finding that isn't so. You are working on your 9th tooth and your stridor has returned on and off the past few days. Its a reminder that we aren't completely there yet, but you have come so far buddy and we are so proud of you.  You are still are super sweet, cuddly, smiley, shy, easy going baby, but have decided to throw a few tantrums in the mix lately that are actually pretty cute.  Thank you for wanting to be held, cuddling with me, giving me kisses and hugs every time we pick you up.  You are a miracle to us Camden, one we will never take for granted. We hope one day these infant days are a complete blur, but we will never forget what a blessing you are to our family.
   Happy 1st Birthday Camden Thomas! We look forward to spending this next year watching you grow right a long side your big brother. You complete our family. We are thankful God chose to bless us with the gift of you. <3

3 days old

1 week old meeting Big Brother for the first time.

3 months old

6 months old

9 months old

1 year

Happy 3rd Birthday Alexander!

    Alexander,
         Happy Birthday to you, my wild, strong willed, sweet hearted, special little boy. You are not a toddler anymore, but a preschooler. In my heart you will always be my first baby. You came into our lives 3 years ago today and have taught us more about life than I ever thought imaginable. You made us parents and for that we are so thankful. Your pregnancy was super easy (unlike your brother) and you barely moved when you were inside of me. I thought for for sure you would come out with a halo over top of your head, but boy was I mistaken! ;) You came out with the "pouty lip" as we call it and still see that same look today 3 years later.
        You, Alexander, are witty. You come up with things everyday that knock your parents off their feet.  You know your colors, ABC's, can recognize all upper case letter although you still struggle with lower case ones, can count to 20, you can recognize most shapes, can read me books that you are very familiar with, can go to all our different vegetable plants and explain to me what each one is and how it is currently doing, you are fully daytime potty trained, and you still love Mickey Mouse Clubhouse just as you did as an infant.  You also still love books! You love outside and if given the chance, would stay out there, maybe even live out there. You can't get enough of fire trucks, air planes, and helicopters in books and from afar, but when given the chance to hop in to one of those you are not such a brave little boy anymore.
      One special thing about you is that you LOVE music. I am pretty sure you are musically talented. For the past year you could sing songs that you have heard a couple times and can drum beats of songs on the table while you wait for you meals to be made.You also still loved to be sung to. When we lay you down for your nap/bedtime you often say, "Sing that song to me like when I was a baby." And we will sing "Jesus Loves Me" to you, just like we have everyday for the past 3 years.
     You my love, are strong willed and tender hearted all at the same time. From day one you have had strong determination, and although hard on Mommy and Daddy, I know it will be an attribute down the road. You also have a sweet, loving, tender side. You hate to see people upset, in pain and have most of time been nothing but loving to your little brother who came in fast and stole your thunder. You will run up to me throughout the day, wrap your arms around my legs and exclaim how much you love me. Melts my heart every single time. You accepted Camden and all his special needs from the beginning and it was a blessing beyond measure. I am pretty sure you can't ever remember life without your best friend.
    One of the biggest qualities about you Alexander is your outgoing personality. You LOVE everyone. You have never, ever met a stranger. You will talk to anyone and everyone who will listen and want to befriend them. When we are out you will try to carry on a conversation with anyone, ask them to come to your house to play and even sometimes go as far as to try and hold their hands. Although I sometimes worry you would go off with a stranger if given the chance, I know that this quality too will be a huge attribute to you in life.
    Lastly, Alexander I want you to know how much we love you. The terrible two's with you were not so terrible at all. They were actually terrific. I think we might have it coming with 3's! Don't get me wrong it wasn't easy, but we loved every second of you being two. Camden was born less than a week after you turned two and you kept us going through all the hard times with him. Thank you for that my love!  God gave us you first for a reason. You made us laugh everyday and we simply couldn't imagine life without our surprise baby. You look exactly like your Daddy and Mommy wouldn't have it any other way. We love you more than you will ever know and we look forward to spending this next year with you. Happy 3rd Birthday Alexander. You are Mommy and Daddy's heart! <3

Alexander Joseph 3 days old

3 months

6 months

1 year

18 months

2 years

2.5

                                                                     3
                                                       

Happy 11 months Camden Thomas!

      

    Wow! It just can't be! 11 months...I was in complete denial until I started writing this post. It is so hard for me to believe that you, Camden Thomas, are going to be a toddler next month. That you will no longer be my baby anymore. Yet, I love watching you grow. You get sweeter by the day and give kisses like its your job in life. You look forward all day to Dadda walking through the front door and you put on a show when he does. You love your Momma, Dadda is your hero and you think the world revolves around your big bro. It shows in every hug, kiss and giggle you give every single day.

     Camden, you are a charmer for sure. You LOVE women, not so much men. I think those big blue eyes are gonna give the ladies are run for their money one day. And sorry son, but you look more like your mother all the time. Your crazy, funny personality has shown through even more this month and it has been so much fun!

    You, my sweet boy, have inspired me in so many ways. You have taught me that life is short and tomorrow is never guaranteed.  Through you the Lord has been convicting my heart about home schooling you and your bother. Something that I thought I would never do or ever desired to do, but am now earnestly praying about.

   I look forward to watching you grow into your own little person, only having one wish for you life...that you love the Lord with all your heart, body and mind.  That you will be a light in this oh so dark world for him. 

  Favorite things: Little People Noah's Ark set, Jumping Zebra, the plastic chicken leg and your Brother's tent.

Favorite food: Chex mix, waffles, crackers, rice cakes, any cereal, carbs, carbs, carbs

Least favorite Food: You hate all baby food right now...yet you refuse to eat any fruits or veggies cut up. You spit out all the purees in disgust and smile when we pull out your loved waffles. You are and apparently always will be my finicky eater.

 Favorite things to do: take big brother's toys, catching bubbles, being outside, going to feed the ducks..you smile when they waddle by, hide with big brother in the tent, play with grandparents, take a bath in the big boy bath tub... you scream when Dadda pulls you out and go on any type of errand.

New things/Milestones: you are still belly crawling, not pulling up yet, have began to sign "more" and wave bye-bye :)
                                    

        Happy 11 months Camden. Even though I will cry buckets when you turn 1, I will be thankful that it's just one more month we have been blessed to spend with you!
                                                    

Pickin' "Qawlberries"

    Ant decided to take this past Friday off so we could take the boys strawberry picking. A tradition that my family started when I was little and we went every year, sometimes multiple times, since I can remember. I have sweet memories of jumping on the tractor with my brothers, sugar cup in hand, ready to eat strawberries like it was no body's business.  I also remember my Nanny and Great Aunt June taking lawn chairs out, sitting in the middle of the field and just eating away. I wonder why the Berry Farm all of a sudden started charging to go pick!? ;) This is such a sweet tradition for me and one I wanted to start with my boys! 

    We went early that morning in hopes of beating the heat and the crowds. We were successful on beating the heat, but not so much the crowds. We decided we were going to make the best of it and when we went to hop on the tractor Alexander had a mini melt down. He was TERRIFIED of this  huge thing we called a "tractor" b/c in his all his stories tractors did not look like this one! We finally convinced him to get on and after waiting a few minutes we were riding the tractor down a bumpy road excited about what was in store.

  Alexander decided picking was for the birds and literally ate the entire time we were on the patch...when I say he ate....that meant stem, leaves and all. Finally I just started picking them for him b/c he was to busy eating to pull the stems off. Thankfully Dadda did all the picking for us while we sat and ate. And all Alexander could get out between bites was, "Mmmmm  these qawlberries are soooo good mommy. These are so good. MMMMM." And there it was. The innocence in his face that  I remember as a child, eating away, like it was the best thing I ever tasted in my life and not worried at all that if I didn't put any in my bucket, that I wouldn't have any to take home.  He enjoyed every.single.moment.....until we told him it was time to get back on the tractor so we could go home.

  All in all, it was a perfect family morning. I was totally SHOCKED at how much Camden enjoyed it too. He rode on my back in the ergo, smiled at all the strangers, kicked during the tractor ride with excitement and giggled at his brother while he watched him stuff his face. 

  I hope one day my boys can look back on this tradition and treasure it as much as I do. It is simply a blissful time of picking, eating and enjoying each others company. <3

                                    2010 Alexander 10.5 months old

2011

                Camden's first trip ;) He ate LOTS of strawberries!

                                  

oh that baby...

   I know I blog A LOT about Camden and I am sorry...I just can't help myself. 

I remember when we found out we were pregnant with Camden,
we were hoping for a girl. We have always wanted one of each gender and in our minds at the time, having a little girl would complete our family. Silly me, God had BIGGER plans. 

Not only did we have another boy, but we had a hard pregnancy and a sick baby. Our lives were flipped upside down and at the time I thought life was spiraling out of control. God was there. He knew exactly what we needed and he placed him right into our arms. I remember feeling like something was always missing after Alexander turned one and I didn't know why. Like someone was missing...we weren't complete. Camden Thomas was missing...my heart is complete, our family is complete.

 He brings more joy to our family than I EVER thought imaginable. Sometimes when he laughs I cry...and I am not sure why. I don't know if it is because I never thought we would be where he is now or if its just because I love him so much. 

By the grace of God I can barely remember the NICU stay, counting his every breath till he was 3 months old, watching the light on his apnea monitor blink at night while he slept so I  knew he was still breathing. No, I hardly remember those days and honestly I never want to. What I do remember is unplugging him sometimes at night and placing him on my chest skin to skin. Feeling his every breath on me and breathing a sigh of relief because I knew he was okay.

Life with Camden hasn't been easy. Every. single. step. has been a struggle, but it has been more than a blessing to me. God has used Camden to bring me to my knees over and over again. Camden has made me a better wife, mother and friend. My husband and I have a deeper relationship and love for one another because of this sweet boy.

Why I ever doubted the Lord about who he placed in my womb, I will never know. "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.'" James 1:17. Camden is good, Camden is perfect in every way and Camden is a gift from above.

 That baby..oh that baby. He brings joy to my soul everyday. Anthony and I have a special  time with him in the mornings before we get his big brother up. We laugh, giggle and cuddle and we can't help but be overjoyed.  The Lord knew exactly what our hearts needed....and it was Camden Thomas. Thanks be to God for choosing us to be his parents. I cannot imagine life without this amazing little boy and Alexander would be lost without his best friend. <3