A Letter to my Baby Boy...

Dear Brandt, Today, I am 38 weeks and 3 days pregnant today, and we (as in you and I) have been measuring at 40-41 weeks since week 36. You were pretty easy on me for most of this pregnancy, but the end has been hard. I know it will all be worth it soon though. We are all ready to meet you, and we now know that we will get to do so in just 7 days or less!  Your big sisters are really ready to meet you. Avaree can't wait to hold you, let you sleep on her chest while she watches Frozen, and to change your diaper super quickly so that you don't spray her. :)  Felicity is ready for you to get here so that she can get comfortable in Mommy's lap again. She daily tries to move you over, but she daily gets frustrated that she can't. Recently, she has started kissing my belly when I ask her to kiss brother, and I think the two of you will be the best of friends soon.  Your Daddy is VERY ready to meet you. He wants y'all to wear your matching Superman onesies and watch football together. He wants to get a second vote for the male team in our house, and he can't wait until he can play boy stuff with you.  Daddy and I both can't wait to see what you look like. We saw Felicity via a 3D sonogram at least once every two weeks since she was 20 weeks gestation, so we felt like we knew what she would look like, but we haven't seen you since 20 weeks, and we are so anxious to she your squishy little face and kiss your cheeks!  We have been praying for you for a long time. Your name, Brandt Ryder, means "sword messenger," and we long for you to be just that--in whatever capacity God calls you. Ephesians 6:17 tells us to "put on the helmet of salvation, and the sword of Your Spirit, which is Your Word." God gave me a verse for you before we even named you, and it is 1 Corinthians 16:13-14: "Be on guard, stand firm in the faith, be brave, be strong, and do everything in love."  I pray that you will be a man of integrity. In this world where culture often speaks louder than Truth, may you hide His words in your heart forever, and may you live them out daily.  May you be a man like your Daddy. A man who, although he isn't perfect, daily strives to put the Lord and his family first. A man that is brave enough to admit his mistakes and seek to correct them. A man that uses his past and his present to point others toward Jesus. A man that knows just when to step in and help, and also when to just sit back and pray for those involved. A man that loves people passionately and makes everyone that knows him feel loved. A man that genuinely loves life and makes it fun for others.  And so much more… I've recently learned the power of praying scripture for your Daddy, your sisters, and you. Here is what I am praying for you right now… "May Brandt honor You, God, with his heart, and not just his lips." (Isaiah 29:13) "May Brandt walk after You, God, and fear You and keep Your commandments and obey Your voice. May he serve You and hold fast to You." (Deuteronomy 13:4) "May Brandt know that You are his light and salvation--that You are the stronghold of his life; then whom shall he fear?" (Psalm 27:1) "Like Paul, may Brandt learn to be content in any situation." (Philippians 4:13). "Like Timothy, may Brandt be an example to believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity." (1 Timothy 4:12) "Like David with Goliath, may Brandt stand up for You, the living God." (1 Samuel 17) "Like Abraham, may Brandt obey You in faith." (Genesis 12:4)  "May Brandt discern and follow wisdom that is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, and sincere." (James 3:17) "May Brandt not have a haughty spirit, for pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbs 16:18) "May Brandt be wise and inherit honor." (Proverbs 3:35) "May Brandt be blameless and innocent--Your child, without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation." (Philippians 2:15) "May Brandt be Your servant, Lord Jesus Christ." (James 1:1) "May Brandt love You, Lord, his God, with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might." (Deuteronomy 6:5) "May Brandt be filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." (Galatians 5:22) …and most of all… "May Brandt confess with his mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in his heart that You raised Jesus from the dead, and be saved." (Romans 10:9) Oh little one, you are already so loved. We can't wait to meet you, cuddle you, love you, play with you, and all the other little joys that will fill your babyhood. We are also excited to see what your future will hold and how our family dynamics will grow and change once you join us.  Please know that though your Mommy is so very flawed, I will love you every day of my life, and I will seek every day to not only love you, care for you, read to you, laugh with you, play with you, hug you, and hold you (as long as you'll let me), I'll also do my best to point you to the only one that could ever love you more than me.  We'll see you soon! I love you, Mommy 

New Year's Weekend 2015

New Year's Eve was very tame around here! :) Daddy put Felicity's new (narrow) carseat in our car, and he needed little sister to test it out. Can't believe that we will be a three-car seat family any day now. My back seat sure looks different! :) We even got a seat-belt extender to make it easier for Ave to buckle herself. She's excited about "taking care of both babies" in the back. We'll see how that goes! ;)

 We toasted with the girls at 7pm! They weren't huge fans of the sparkling grape juice, but they enjoyed the "cheers" part over and over again! We talked about what we were thankful for in 2014, and we all said what we were looking forward to most in 2015. Brandon's and mine were exactly the same. :) I guess you do become the same person after a while. ;) Daddy had kept us a fire going all day, so it was nice and cozy in our house!

 On New Year's Day, the girls dressed up in their pretty outfits from Aunt Connie and Uncle Kenneth!

 This year we celebrated Christmas with Gigi and G-Pops on New Year's Day! Our girls could hardly wait for them to get here that Thursday afternoon! They attacked them both upon coming in the door! ;)

The girls with Gigi and G-Pops before they opened their presents!

We started off by face timing with Uncle D, Aunt J (happy birthday, Aunt J!), and baby Blair, and the girls opened their gifts from them!

Avaree is so much fun to watch open gifts! Everything is amazing, and she wants me to see it all! I love it! She has been obsessed with these super soft purple and zebra house shoes!

LOVE this adorable outfit from Uncle D and Aunt J! I wish they made it in my size!

Meanwhile, the only way we even got Felicity to look at her present was to show her that it had fruit snacks in it! She is a hoot! Then, she saw the Minnie cup and decided she was into this! ;)

Thank you, Uncle D, Aunt J, and Blair! It was definitely not the same that we didn't get to see Spencer, Shan, and Evy, or Darrin, Jamie, and Blair, but we are looking forward to getting to see them after baby boy comes! :) For now, technology is a treasured gift! 

After that, Avaree started passing out gifts, and Felicity figured out that she had more presents to open!

All on her own, Avaree initially requested that Gigi and G-Pops get to go first. She quickly forgot this HUGE comment, but it's okay. I know the struggle is real, and she does have a sweet heart! I love how excited she was to watch her grandparents open their gifts this year though! I hope that she will always want to shop with me for special things for them!

Gigi loved her necklace!

G-Pops loved his new work gloves!

Felicity was very interested!

Then, it was little sister's turn! Gigi tore off the end of the paper, so that she could see what was in the box, and she started going bananas trying to get it off!

Then, silly Elmo was tied so many times to the box!

She was waiting so patiently, but she wanted to hold him so badly!

Almost!

She got to hold him! This is Hug Me, Elmo, so he hugged her back and talked to her! She loves him!

Happy girl!

Avaree was up next! She got an Elsa dress and has worn it at least once every day since! ;)

G-Pops got some golf balls too!

Gigi (and Elmo) liked her pictures!

Felicity finally got the hang of it! She loved her Elmo books!

Sister got some new tennis shoes that fit her EVER GROWING feet!

Little sis loved her Minnie jammies and socks!

Daddy opened for baby Brandt! 

…and for himself! A golf discount card!

We are so thankful for all the wonderful gifts! 

My favorite gift was a zoo membership for our whole family!!! I can't WAIT!!!!!!!!!!

After opening gifts, we had our Christmas dinner of steaks, mac and cheese, rolls, bacon-wrapped green beans, and pumpkin cake/gluten free cookies! 

Then, it was bath time! The girls enjoyed some cuddle time with Gigi before bed!

The next morning, Felicity woke up with fever, and she didn't feel good AT ALL. She fell asleep sitting on Gigi's lap while Avaree searched through my Young Living product guide--ha! 

Later that morning, after Felicity got in her bed for her real nap, Gigi treated Avaree and I to amazing pedicures, and then we picked up a super yummy lunch to bring home!

G-Pops and Avaree danced to "The Sound of Music" sing along many times that afternoon!

We had such a fun weekend celebrating Christmas with Gigi and G-Pops! 

Sunday morning, though, Felicity continued to run fever and feel just yucky. She only wanted to be held, and I didn't mind since I woke up feeling awful too!

Avaree pretty much entertained herself all day (at least until Daddy got home from church)!

Occasionally, once her oils and meds kicked in, Felicity ventured over to the other side of the room!

Want a real life picture of how I felt? This is it!

She couldn't sleep laying down, so she slept on me, and I couldn't sleep because I couldn't get comfortable, so I did math flash cards with photographer Avaree on the couch while she slept!

Thankfully, we are both feeling better today! We have been praying that baby brother would stay put until we are all better. So thankful to God for allowing that so far! 
Happy 2015!!

Christmas with Mom Mom and Pop Pop!

After Christmas we had a couple of more low key jammie days together, and then on Saturday, Mom Mom and Pop Pop came to visit and have Christmas together! They brought presents from several people, but it was still a LOT!
First up, the girls opened their gifts from Aunt Paula and Gary! They loved the Mickey wrapping!

Brandt got some sweet little socks!!!

Sister got Sofia flannel jammies!!!

Little sister couldn't get over her Olaf cup! :) She loved her snuggly jammies too!

Then, they opened from Maw Maw! :) 

Avaree and I were so excited to get some new Fancy Nancy books! Those are our favorite!

Little sis got a piano!!!

Daddy had fun opening for Brandt!

Avaree was sooooo excited about these "speakers" as she calls them! We may or may not have hidden one of the walkie talkies yesterday! I mean, you can only talk on those for so long, right? ;)

Baby Brandt got a rock n play! YAY! :)

Little sis loved her beautiful dress from Aunt Shan, Uncle Spencer, and Evy!!!! (Mommy did too!)

Mom Mom loved her special gifts too!! Avaree picked hers out all by herself! It was fun teaching the girls (mainly Avaree this year) that we have a particular amount to spend on each person, and we need to find something special that they would love! :) 

She was crying, so the girls went over to sit with her! ;)

Pop Pop and his book! We knew he would love it!

The girls with Mom Mom and Pop Pop!!!

…and we can't forget Bella!

We played hard all afternoon, so the girls were ready for bath and bed by 8! Mom Mom and Pop Pop and Maw Maw got them some new bath toys (and I got to throw away some of the yucky ones that we have had for over five years-ha!), so bath time was extra fun!!!  (After they went to bed, we enjoyed a fire and some of Daddy's homemade wassail--so so so good!) :)

Of course, we always get a second wind after bath! ;)

They loved on each other and wore their new jammies from Aunt Paula!

I know I am biased, but I think they are just the most adorable little things in the world!!!

Mom Mom and Pop Pop had to go home after we got back from church the next day, but we had a great time with them!!! Thanks so much, y'all!
We are super blessed! 
…and we still get to celebrate one more time with Gigi and G-Pops on New Years! YAY!