Lexi- 22 Months (Mar. 23)

Lexi,

You are almost 2 years old!! What a big month this has been for you in talking...you love learning new things, and we love to watch you learn!



Here's what you've been up to lately:

You can fill in the blanks for several songs, and even sing some songs from front to finish (row row row your boat is your favorite)

You dislike time out. You don't go there very often, but when you do, you are not a fan!

We caught you getting a box off the shelf...you said, "Dada's cereal!" It was Captain Crunch Berries...you sat down and helped yourself! haha

You are a big help with Kason. When he is upset, you find his binkie and give it to him. You also bring him blankets and toys.

You love your look and find Minnie book and you are really good at it!

Your favorite books this month are Fancy Nancy's Easter, Nursery Rhyme Collection, and I'm a Big Sister.

You love LoLo and baby talk when talking to her. It's stinking cute!!

You love your Melissa and Doug princess magnetic dress up set!

Many days after daylight savings, you were sleeping in until 10!

Unprompted, you counted in the bathtub 1, 2, 3, 4, 5...

If we say one, you say dos. You actually fill in the blank when we keep counting in spanish too!

You do not like the Easter bunny!! You're terrified of him actually! You didn't want to get anywhere near him, so Kason took a picture with him solo. Better luck next year??

You're still very girly, loving necklaces, lipstick (chapstick), having your nails painted, and dressing up

You HATE getting your nails and toe nails clipped. It is not fun for either of us.

You are still in many 18 month clothes, some things are 18-24 months though. Not sure on your weight, and you won't go back to the doctor until you're two. You wear size 3 diapers.

You love waffles, milk with ovaltine, strawberries, grapes, oranges, pineapple, bunny crackers, fruit snacks (you don't get these very often), yogurt, yogurt drinks, macaroni and cheese, chicken, chips and salsa (something new we let you try when we go out to eat mexican), and eggs.

We love you oh so much! We cannot believe you are ours, and thank God for you each and every day!! You continue to bless all of those who are around you. You have the sweetest nature, but you are very independent. We are also going through a "That's mine,"stage....completely normal for your age, but we are still working on it. You love to play with other kids, but if they are your toys, you like to be in charge of what they play with. Again, something we are working on...

We look forward to what is to come, especially all the fun things we have planned for you this spring/summer!

We love you to the moon and back!

XOXO,
Mommy, Daddy, & Kason

Kason's Birth Story Part 3

"Keith, you can get some gloves on, and help out with the delivery if you want. You can even gown up, and I'll let you deliver this baby."

"Okay! I think I'll do that. Wait...Shannon, is that okay with you? Do you feel okay about that?"

"Yeah, I'm comfortable with whatever you trust and decide."

Five sets of pushes later, Keith touches our baby for the first time. "Shannon, I promise, as soon as I can, I will hand him to you."

"It's okay, but is he okay?" He wasn't crying, so I was concerned. Apparently, the cord was around his neck. Keith stayed so calm about it, that I had no idea until hours after the birth when he told me.

"Yeah, he's fine. I just need to suction him."

Tears came streaming, and before I knew it, I had a new life on my chest. There is NO greater feeling than meeting your baby for the first time. I wish I could relive that over and over. It would never get old.

I asked if he had to leave, or if we could keep him in the room. They came and did his bath, weight, length, and all that fun stuff in our room. It was SO nice not having to be apart from him like we did with Lexi. Praise God for that! We were a little bummed that my mom and sister didn't make it in time, but as I said before, no one knew it would go that fast. Keith went down to the waiting room to see if anyone had arrived yet, and as soon as my mom saw him, she said, "Don't tell me she had him already." Keith's response, "Yup, I just delivered him. Come see!"

As soon as I saw Lexi wheeled in in her blue stroller, I nearly lost it. She was so serious, quiet, and confused. All of these characteristics are unlike her, if you know her at all. She quickly warmed up once she got to come sit by me on the bed, and we gave her a big sister gift from Baby Kason.

I was able to feed Kason within the first hour he was born...what a world of a difference this made! We had no complications, he was a champ! The nurses were all very pleased and impressed that we had such success since I had a few complications with Lexi in the beginning.

Now, before I make you wait any longer, here is his debut...World, meet Kason Hayes...7 pounds, 3 ounces, 20 inches.

Newborn pictures to come...birth announcements are being sent this week, so I don't want to spoil that! ;)

Kason's Birth Story Part 2

The nurse had a difficult time with the hep-block, and it seriously hurt! I knew this pain was completely irrelevant compared to the pain I would eventually feel. Around 8:00 that night, the first round of medication was started. My contractions picked up, but nothing too painful, just cramps for now. When it was time to administer the next round, they were unable to because my contractions were too consistent. About an hour later, they came back and tried again.

Keith and I didn't really sleep much that night. At 9:00, we got to watch one of Keith's favorite shows, Nashville. That was the first time I had watched a TV show (other than Sesame Street) from start to finish since probably before Lexi was born. In the middle of the night, Keith was by my side watching the monitor. He was a little concerned about Kason's heart rate, but I told him he couldn't sit there all night and worry. I knew the nurses at the nurse station were keeping an eye on it. At some point in the night, Keith pointed out the empty bassinet. I held back tears as I thought about how that bed would soon be filled with this new little life God was blessing us with.

Around 3:30 that morning, my doctor pops in, and says, "Good morning! How's it going?" He asked how much I was dilated last time they had checked (1), and then told us he had a lot going on that day, but that he was going to do his best to catch this baby. I felt so bad for him, because he was completely crushed about rupturing his achilles. That is a major injury to someone who runs, and he was upbeat still, but you could tell he was down.

At 6:00 a.m., pitocin was started. They started out high, then dropped it down. The next time I looked, it was HIGH (I think around 12, when I had started at 3). Contractions got pretty intense pretty fast at this point. I was informed that the hospitalist would come in to break my water. Keith and I had no clue who the hospitalist was, so Keith went down to the nurse's station to ask if Dr. Wilson (a 3-year resident Keith knew and trusted), could do it. He came pretty quickly, and was very peppy! I asked him if he would wait until I wasn't contracting, and informed him I was a bad patient. He was very patient with me, and got the job done quickly. He informed us I was now a 4, and 70% effaced. Of course, the contractions picked up more at this time.

My mom and sister were being informed throughout all of this, but no one honestly had no idea how fast/slow this was going to go, especially since with Lexi, it was an all-day process. Around 10 a.m., I got the epdiural (I knew this time around, as much as I didn't want to get one, that I was not going to be a hero and go through the pain of piton contractions ALL day long.) An hour later, I was an 8...

Within the next half hour, nurses were switching (mine got sick and had to go home), and prepping the room for the delivery. WOW! That was all I could think...I was going to have a new baby in my arms shortly. Dr. Sterling was in another surgery at this point, but Dr. Rapp would be coming soon, my nurses informed me. They had me do a few practice pushes, then lay on my right side to get my cervix to move the little bit that it needed to, and within 10 minutes or so, my body was ready! In walks Dr. Rapp, I had nurses on either side along with my supportive husband. Let's get this party started!

Kason- One Month!

Dear Kason,

Just like I say with all of your sister's monthly posts, I wish I could slow time down. It is bittersweet watching my babies grow up. On the sweet side, I know all the fun that is to come, but I absolutely LOVE every stage. I love you as a sweet, cuddly, newborn. Your daddy and I are so excited to see your personality bloom. Right now, you seem to be pretty passive. You are a tough little guy, well...you kind of have to be. Your older sister ADORES you, but hasn't quite mastered what it means to be gentle and soft with you. Don't worry though. We're working on it. ; )

You won't go back to the doctor until your 2 month checkup, but when we went for your 2-week appointment, you were almost 9 pounds! Who is this big guy?! Lexi did not weigh 9,9 until 2 months! You are a pro-eater. You eat fast, and that had me a little concerned because I wasn't sure how much you were actually getting, but it appears to be that you are just efficient. Your doctor was very pleased with your weight gain, and said everything about you looks very healthy! Yay! Praise the Lord for healthy babies. I've learned that good health is not something to be taken for granted, and am especially grateful that God trusts your daddy and me with you and your big sister.

You are sleeping pretty well, eating every 3-5 hours at night, depending on the night, and every 3 during the day. You have went through some periods of cluster feeding, and daylight savings time kind of threw us for a loop, but nothing major.

We are so in love with you, and cannot believe we have double to love now! I knew I would love you, I just had no idea the human heart could stretch to this capacity. We are so blessed by our days with you, and look forward to all the fun that is to come.

XOXO,
Mommy & Daddy