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!

Lucas - Big Boy + Big Brother.

 

Lucas is growing up so fast these days.  It could be because Casey and I were away from him for 4 days while in the hospital or it could be because Liam is so little.  But Lucas has become such the big boy and seems so ready to be a big brother.

He is sleeping in his big boy bed.

He goes potty in his big boy potty (not potty trained... yet...but it's a start!)

He chills like a big boy.

We are excited that our family is complete and can't wait to watch

Lucas take on the new role as big brother.

Thanksgiving 2011.

We did our usual Thanksgiving Day ritual:  fajitas with Casey's Family + traditional Turkey dinner with my family.  Both households were full of fun family chaos.

At Gran's house, I pretended I was a float in the Macy's Day Parade.

 Waving to my fans.

Thanks April for the family photo!  They are very rare.

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When April + I were pregnant with the boys a couple of years ago,  we took our first "bump comparison" photo (click HERE to see Thanksgiving 2009).  We had to get another one this year.

 April + me with our boys.

Rebecca @ 31 weeks.  April @ 13 weeks.

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At Grandma's, the pie was a big hit with the boys!

 Luke's first chocolate pie.

 Brady with a mouth full of whip cream!

A second look at that messy, sweet face.

Casey turns 34!

We celebrated Casey's birthday a little early since he is a Thanksgiving baby.  A few years ago, before kids, the family met at the bowling alley to celebrate Casey.  We took a few years off, but had so much fun we wanted to do it again this year.  It was a little challenging with two toddlers running around and getting into everything, but such is life.  We, luckily, didn't get a picture of me trying to bowl 7 months pregnant!  April, also pregnant, looked like a pro.  Me - not so much!

Daddy explaining the game to Lucas.

Gran looking at the balls w/ Preston + Lucas.

 The boys' favorite part - cake!

Casey trying to take a bite of Lukes!

Like Father, Like Son.

Lucas is becoming such the little man.  Casey has been working on his "honey do list" for the past couple months and has had the perfect little assistant.  Lucas really wants to be like his daddy.  It is so adorable.

Here is Luke and Daddy getting Luke's big boy room ready:

Luke loves to measure EVERYTHING!

Luke getting a lesson on how to use a stud finder.

Oh, he found the hammer + loves it!

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The other day Luke laid down and started copying what Casey was doing.  

It was hysterical!

Look closely.  Luke + Daddy fixing the chair legs.

 He actually thought he was helping too!

DIY: Baby Rocking Chair - part II

Back in April I posted part I of DIY: Baby Rocking Chair.  I had the intention of completing the chair back then, but some 6 months later I am FINALLY done!

Just so you remember, this is what it use to look like:

 The chair originally when it was mine as a young girl.

The change I made to the chair back in April.

And now....

I think it is perfect now for a boy... or two!

Have you heard... I am pregnant!?

Here I sit at 29.5 weeks pregnant and realized I have not posted a thing about baby #2.  You do know I am pregnant, right?

I have to laugh at myself because I now know how my mom must have felt.  Ever since I can remember I have given her a hard time about not having my baby book filled in as much as my brother's.  I haven't even had B2 yet and I am already not doing as much as I did with Lucas.  I always joked with my parents it must have meant they just didn't like me as much.  Not true.

There is simply just not enough time in the day.  I am exhausted by life, Lucas, the house + work.  How The Duggars have baby #20 on the way is beyond me.  I am lucky if I can get a shower in before Lucas wakes up in the morning.

So here is my attempt to write about B2.  Up first, the lastest sonogram pictures (@ 21 weeks).

 Profile.

 It's a BOY!

 Leg + Foot.

Our families have been dying to know what we are going to name him since we found out it was a boy.  I think most people know by now, but if not we have decided on Liam Daniel Clemmer.  Liam because Casey and I like it.  And Daniel after several great men on both sides of the family.

The picture above shows how we told our families- Lucas in a homemade BIG BROTHER t-shirt.  Of course it took the grandmas a while to get.  Both of them said, "well he isn't a big brother yet."  I then had to explain to them the birds and the bees and how it takes 9 months.  They both screamed after my explanation.  Boy does Lucas look so different in just 7 short months.  He is such a big boy now.


We found out at our last appointment that our tentative date for our C-Section is January 11th.  That came as a bit of a shock to Casey since it's a week and a half early.  Our true due date is the 23rd.  And although I knew I wouldn't go the full 40 weeks, I too was surprised I would be giving birth right after Christmas and the New Year.  So in just 2 short months we will be a family of four!  HOLY CRAP!  Are we ready for this?  Too late now as Casey tells me daily.