The day has come...

Well I always told myself I wouldn't be like all those other moms who cried on the first day of their children starting school.  BIG FAT LIE!  I totally cried, and this was just preschool!!!  My handsome, smart little boy started preschool today!  He was totally excited as we were getting ready this morning.  Easy peasy getting him ready to go.  Of course once we got there and his teachers were asking him what his name was he froze up and hid behind me.  That lasted all of 2 minutes once he began looking around the room and seeing all the fun things they had.  He was off playing and I left the room.  As I walked out to the car I totally felt the tears headin right down on my cheeks.  SERIOUSLY??  I'm crying?  Oh GEEZ!  But I'm so proud of my little man.  He is so adaptable to so many different situations.  He had so much fun today.  They did some painting, and had a parade, and he said he even held one little girls hand and he thinks she is his friend.  Ha Ha.  He is very excited to go back on Thursday!

Couple of pictures from this morning...

He wanted a picture with his bear before we left! Silly kid!

Pictures from Hospital

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One of the most beautiful moments in life...

As most of you know (if any one is even reading this).  My sister finally, FINALLY had her baby!!!  Madalynn Nicole Mott, born 9/1/13 at 7:08pm .  She was 6 lbs & 13oz and 19.5 inches long.  She has a full head of hair and she is absolutely beautiful!  I LOVE HER!  I didn't know I could love another baby like I do her.  I would do anything for her like I would my own child.  She is amazing and special and so damn lovable!

This whole experience has been amazing.  Honestly we or I didn't know if my sister would ever  be able to have children.  So this little girl was quite the miracle baby!  I will always remember talks with my sister of our dreams of having children and them growing up together and how close they will be because she and I are so close.  We have longed for this day!  We have waited for this day!  This day is finally here!

I drove out to Nebraska on Friday before labor day because the doc finally told her they would induce her that following Tuesday if she doesn't go into labor over the weekend.  Well she did.  She started having contractions late Saturday night, early Sunday morning.  We took off for the hospital about 4:30am.  Her contractions started slowing down at one point and the doctor asked if she wanted to go ahead and induce.  (UH, YA!)  

At first it seemed like things were progressing so slowly.  Brayden and I slept in the family waiting for another 3 or 4 hours I think. Then we got up and were able to go check on my sister.

This was such an amazing experience to me.  Watching my own sister go through this whole birthing process.  I learned more about my sister in one day it seemed than I have my whole life.  First of all my sister is beautiful and kind and I knew she would be this amazing mother.  But what I didn't know was how strong she was and is.  The first STRONG contraction she had and started to cry, I started crying right with her.  I was hurting for her.  I didn't feel like it was fair that she was going through so much pain.  Every contraction she had and I could see she was in pain the harder it was for me to hold back the tears.  But she dealt with it.  She would get through one contraction and catch her breath and gear up for the next one. (This is all with no pain meds mind you!)  Finally at about 5 centimeters they offered the epidural.  Hallelujah! (I WANTED ONE TOO!)  She was now being heard through the halls and it was awful!  I wanted the pain to just stop for her.  By the time they had given her the epidural she was already 8 centimeters.  What she or anybody else for that matter didn't know, it was now to late and she was about to feel EVERYTHING anyway!

My sister was AMAZING!!!  She pushed and pushed and pushed and suffered and suffered and suffered in so much pain.  BUT she kept on going and at the point of thinking she could not do this anymore, she would say okay, here comes another one and she would push some more!  I don't know how to describe this well, but it was truly amazing to see her strength in those moments of total fear.  Like you feel like you are dying and not sure if you are going to even make it to see your baby.  And yet you will do everything in your power to push this beautiful baby out into the world.  My sister did such a good job and she tried with all her might!  The baby started to have a little distress so the doctor thought it would be best for a C-Section.

(by the way daddy was quite supportive through all of this!

I will never forget this day, and all the emotions and the pain I could only imagine (wait, I don't have to imagine, I know because my epidural wore off and I felt EVERYTHING!) that my sister felt!  She is stronger then I ever knew her to be and I totally admire her for that!

Now baby Maddy is here and it is such an awesome experience to see mommy and daddy being, mommy and daddy.  They are both doing so great at this.  They are both so exhausted and again, emotions are flyin high with all that is new here.  But it is a beautiful family and Madalynn is so lucky to have the mommy & daddy that she has!  UH, and lucky to have me for her Aunt!  And yes I am a ZIA now too!  YAY!!!

(Pictures coming soon!)

Camping Trip and Park

We took Brayden back up to our spot we went camping at last time.  He is such a good camper and loves the outdoors and nature!  Gary took the day off on Friday and we headed up early.  Although the campground was almost empty, I think most people are done for the year since school is starting.  It was beautiful weather the whole time.  We just hung around camp and did some hiking and fishing.  The first few days were a bit rough with Brayden and his potty training.  He has been in big boy underwear for a few weeks with little to no accidents.  We got up there and I felt like we were starting all over.  I think it was just all to new and he didn't like not having a toilet with running water. LOL... by  the last day he was good to go!  Oh well.  On Saturday Gary's folks and sister came up for dinner and we went on a little hike with them also.  On our hike we ran into 2 HUGE bull moose.  It was pretty amazing and almost frightening at the same time. We were pretty much right up on them.  AmAzing!

We had a great time and headed home Sunday.  Gary took a detour on the way home and we got to see some beautiful sides of the mountains that we have never seen before.  We found a new campground that we may go try out next time!  Another successful weekend in the mountains!

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On Monday night we enjoyed an evening at the park!

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My 3 1/2 year old!!!

Each day I am in such amazement of Brayden.  He is growing and learning so so much!  We have had such a busy fun summer!  And he is seriously one of the funniest kids I know!  He has quite the personality!  He makes funny faces to make you laugh and loves to joke around with you!  He is also very very stubborn, and is always wanting to be first in everything he does. (I mean like even walking down our stairs to go somewhere or walking into the kitchen to get his milk.) He always has to be in front of you.  Never behind.  He yells out, "I want to be the leader!!!" (Sometimes it gets a little annoying LOL)

His favorites:

DINO Dan - I really want to shoot myself in the foot every time I have to watch this, but hey it makes him happy!

Mike the Knight

Jake and the Neverland Pirates - This is what he wants to be for Halloween, guess I better get this costume figured out!

Cars

Trains

Horses

Dinosaurs - He knows pretty much every single dino's name, it amazes me that he can pronounce half of them!

Swimming

He is now about 41.5 inches tall and weighs just the same!  Crazy!  

OH AND FINALLY, FINALLY... he is potty training.  We have had a very hard and trying time with this.  But we now have him in big boy underwear and I would say we are 90% of the way there.  He still will have a few days where he will have accidents.  But we are completely out of diapers!  YAY!!!

This fall he will be going to preschool (yes I said it!)  Just a couple days a week for only couple hours at the rec center!  I think it will be good for him to make some friends!  He is so excited!  

We have taken it pretty easy these last few weeks after all the fam went home and now the baby shower fun is over.  We are now anxiously awaiting the phone call letting us know the baby is coming!

In the past few weeks we did the Museum and went to the Adams County Fair!  Brayden as usual, had a great time!