Christmas 2011.

Here is the Christmas Recap in the form of pictures.  

It's a little late, but better late than never.

 Lucas helping decorate the Christmas Tree.

 Lucas running away with the lights.

 Lucas showing me the lights.

 Lucas old enough to open his own presents!  

So much fun to watch!

 His first laptop!  All smiles.

 Lucas helping daddy put his toys together.

 Lucas playing with Cousin Brady's DHL truck.

Lucas wanting to be like Cousin Brady.

 Lucas + Preston.  Adorable.

 Granpa + his boys.

 Lucas' new tricycle from Santa.

 Lucas not quite sure how to ride it.  

So funny.

 Our only family photo from Christmas.

Lucas was OUT!

 Casey, Liam + I.

We had no idea Liam would arrive a week later!

Lucas' Christmas tree with vintage ornaments

from my mom and grandmothers.

Happy New Year!

Wow.  It's 2012.  How did that happen?  Last thing we knew it was Thanksgiving.  Where did Christmas and New Years go?  I haven't blogged since November so get ready for a recap of the past two months.

Going out of order, but knowing it is really what you want to hear about...
Baby Liam!

Liam Daniel Clemmer

January 3rd, 2012

6 lbs, 11 oz

20 inches long

So apparently I had been having contractions for atleast 24 hours.  Not having had contractions with Lucas, I didn't really know what was happening.  It wasn't like the movies...it was just uncomfortable.  After all we had cleaned the garage, taken down Christmas, finished a few projects in the boys' rooms and made a trip to the mall all in a day.  Of course I was feeling something - I had done too much!

After feeling the cramps for a day, we decided to call the doctor just to see what she thought.  We were advised to go to the hospital just to be checked out since I was a few days over 37 weeks.  We scooped up Lucas and a few belongings and were out the door.  I was abnormally calm.  Casey - not so much.  I was afraid that it was a false alarm (all the books tell you that happens and you will be sent home) so I guess I didn't think much about what was about to happen.

When we arrived at the hospital and I was checked in, they hooked Liam and I up to monitors and took our vitals.  I was having contractions and my blood pressure was through the roof!  I have excellent blood pressure normally; it even tends to be on the low side.  Since I hadn't had any other high blood pressure readings through my whole pregnancy they were afraid I had preclampsia.  I was admitted to be monitored overnight.  Once I was admitted, my blood pressure went down.  I was never treated for preclampsia so we think the blood pressure numbers were a result of pain.

Because I was having contractions - and they don't go away or get further apart - they decided to take Liam the next day.

Daddy with Lucas waiting to join me in Operating Room.
 

Lucas meeting his little brother for the first time!

Lucas having so much fun @ the hospital.

 My oldest and dearest friend Melissa happen to be in town + 

got to meet Liam.  So very special for me to have her be there.

 Daddy + his boys!  Love.

 Gran meeting Liam.

Daddy and Liam trying to get some sleep.

 The hospital brought us a birthday cake for Liam.

Lucas loved it.

 Grandma + Papa saying hello.

 Gran + Granpa w/ Liam.

 Cousin Preston meets Liam.

Kari visits us in the hospital.

 Welcome Home Liam!

Adorable wreath from Grandma Reed.

 Two boys in the backseat!  Luke is protecting

his younger brother already.  That face says it all.

 Lucas loves Liam.

He pats him and kisses him all day.

 My heart melts every time and my eyes 

fill up with tears of joy!

 Love at first sight!

 One of many kisses Luke gives Liam daily.

 Small boy doesn't fit in any of his clothes!

 Newborn is way too big!  It's a daily struggle to find

an outfit that fits.  It is really sweet how little he is.

 First Family of Four Photo.

My Boys!

All Boy!

With the final chapter being written - so to speak - with baby #2 being another boy, we had to get this shot of our ever growing family (minus one).  Oh Boy - All Boy!

Papa, Lucas, Chris, Braxton, Brady + Casey.

Happy Birthday to me!

Can you believe it?  I turned 35!  How did this happen.  I don't feel 35... I don't think.  Maybe I do.  The bags under my eyes, the grey hair, the... yep!  35 for sure!

We got bikes for our birthdays (Casey's is in November).  We try to not get anything for each other unless there is something we all need or could use.  What better family activity (when the weather is not 100 degrees) than going for a bike ride to the park!  Or to get ice cream!

I know Luke loved it as much - if not more - than we did!  This was truly a moment where I said "this is why you have family!"  It was priceless riding off in the sunset seeing your baby boy on the back of your husband's bike.  Smiling.

I will say I have not been on a bike in FOREVER!  Boy did my butt hurt on that seat.  That will make a girl go into labor early for sure!  Here's to many bike rides as a family of 4!

 Casey putting the final touches on the bike seat for Luke.

Look how big my little boy looks!

High Five Luke!  Let's go!

That was fun!

Children's Museum.

So back in August we had a "family day of fun" planned.  A morning of appointments, followed by lunch with just the three of us (ok four of us including baby #2) and then the Children's Museum.  It was the day Casey and I were finding out what the sex of our second baby was.  In my mind, it was going to be a magical day.  We were going to have so much fun and be over the moon to hear we were having a baby girl!  Well the day didn't go as planned... but does it ever?

Lucas woke up at 3 AM that day, so when our alarm went off at 6 AM we were already up.  Then we got ready to go to the hospital for our "gender" appointment.  On the way, the car broke down.  We had to call a cab.  The hospital didn't have me on the schedule.  And we found out baby #2 was a boy.

Don't get me wrong.  I am very blessed and I know it.  But I am also human.  I am also a woman.  It was a very rough day for me full of anger and lots of tears.  The realization that I would go through life without a little girl was the icing on the cake.  Never mind the fact we had to leave the hospital to go tow our car and would not be able to have lunch or take Lucas to the Children's Museum.

Since I will be 35 when I deliver #2, the doctor wanted me to have the sonogram early (week 17) to see if there were any issues sooner than later.  We knew we would have to go back in a month for the exact same appointment as I would be further along and therefore the baby would be bigger.  At the end of this terrible, no good, very bad day Casey and I decided we would redo "the day of family fun" in a month.  I was so looking forward to erasing the bad taste in my mouth of the day we had just had.

This time the day turned out much, much better!  Baby #2 is still a boy (just saying...), but we had a great time just the three of us.  Lucas loved the Children's Museum!

Breakfast (instead of lunch) - daddy + luke.

Hi momma!

 I do what?

Luke our water lover!

Daddy + Luke playin'.

Our bus driver.

 Pretty sure this chair was not part of the museum, 

but he liked climbing on it anyway.

Mommy + Luke at the molecule table.

 He was loving the Bike Shop.  Boys and their tools.

Happy Boy!

Going for a ride (even though the cart wasn't moving!)