BrotherlyCousinly Love

 
There is nothing like watching the bond of brothers grow.  Riley isn't overly interested in what is going on with Reid but everynight he kisses him goodnight on his forehead and sometimes leans in like he's hugging him.  At school Riley has to take Reid to his class before he will go into his own class.  When you aren't paying attention Riley will be squatted down real low talking sweetly to Reid saying things like, "Reid! Reid! Hey Reid! Goo Goo Gah Gah!"  And sometimes he likes to sing to Reid.  The other day I heard him sing just like this: "Jesus loves meLIFE is a Highway!" Reid's eyes follow Riley's every move and his face just lights up when Riley decides to pay him some attention!

All 3 of my babies resting at the same time!

Poor Reid!

Watching cousinly love is almost just as precious.  Ava-Reese is all about her Baby Cousin as she calls Reid.  She loves to play with his carseat.  She likes to try to hold him too.

3 of the sweetest kids I know!



Wouldn't trade their growing up together for anything in this world!!

Blessed, Blessed, Blessed to see this Brotherly AND Cousinly love!

Music To My Ears

Riley loves to sing.  His favorite song to sing is Rascal Flatt's "Life Is A Highway" from the Cars movie.  While he sings he often dances, plays his belly as a guitar, plays drums by making fists, or any combination of these. 

He likes to make up songs too while he's playing.  From the time Riley was born, I made up a song that I often sing to him.  He will ask for "Riley's Song" (yes in 3rd person):

Oh My Riley, Riley, Riley
You're so sweet.
Riley, Riley, Riley,
You can't be beat!
Riley, Riley, Riley,
You're the one.
Riley, Riley, Riley,
You're so much fun!

So lately before bed he has said, "I wanna sing Mommy's song." I'll ask him how it goes and he sings:

Mommmmmyy.....Mommmyyy....
I LOVE MY MOMMY!

Then he says he wants to sing Daddy's song:

Daddy loves basketball
Daddy loves football
Daddy loves racecars
Daddy loves Riley!
Daddy loves Mommy

Since Riley has been consistent in these 2 songs for Mommy and Daddy over the past week or so I figured I should document it so I don't EVER forget them!!

Riley at a recent trip to Chuck E. Cheese

Delivery...Reid is HERE!

First let me give a little TMI History.  The delivery of my first son was induced at 37 weeks (due to preeclampsia) using Cervidil overnight to thin the cervix.  There was no progression as of the following morning and I totally lost it when I found out I may potentially have to stay in Labor & Delivery on the hard, uncomfortable bed all day and go through the Cervidil again that night.  As I was crying, Jeremy said a prayer and not long after that as I rushed to go to the bathroom my water broke on its own so they started the pitocin.  I delivered Riley later that afternoon but had a partially bad epidural so I felt way too much.  And I ended up with really bad 3rd degree lacerations internally and externally.  I even had to have a shot post delivery directly into my cervix.  I had nightmares about delivery for months and was still in pain 6 months post delivery. 

Needless to say with my rough experience delivering only a 6lb 3oz baby, it took me awhile to move forward with expanding our family.  My pregnancy with Reid was much smoother compared to Riley's pregnancy.  However at 32 weeks he suddenly measured at 37.5 weeks!  As they were expecting me to have a really big baby a few weeks later we discussed a cesarean and scheduled it for 39 weeks.  Reid tried to come on his own a few times before that be we would get sent back home.

On Wednesday morning, April 27, 2011, we got up super early to head to the hospital.  My Mom spent the night with us so that she would be there when Riley woke up.  I was excited to have a c-section but still scared of the unknown since it would be my first delivery by this method.  My doctor would not be on call again for a week so a different doctor was delivering too.

Huge at 39 weeks!

 Jeremy said a prayer for us in the car.  When we arrived around 7:30 AM everything moved pretty quickly since we were scheduled for 9 AM.  The nurse anesthetist was very detailed, which I loved.  However I was still very anxious.  Suddenly my regular doctor popped in and said she had finished a c-section up early and was going to assist the scheduled doctor with my surgery!  This put me at ease immediately.  God knew just what I needed!  Getting stuck for the spinal wasn't a whole lot of fun but much easier than the alternative!  They told me I'd feel alot of pressure like an elephant or 2 1/2 year old child jumping on my my chest but I didn't feel anything bad whatsoever.  After my 1st delivery I am here to say that a c-section is THE way to go!!!!  Especially since Reid was a whopping 9lb 2oz!!!

 Seeing Reid for the first time!

 Daddy finally holds Reid!

 Mommy finally gets to love on Reid too

 Nothing like holding your baby after 9 long months

 Family photo in recovery

 Proud big brother Riley holding Reid for first time

 Riley and Ava-Reese loving on Reid

 Our 2nd Little Gamecock

Birth Announcement Photo

Praise the Lord!  We are so truly blessed with 2 sweet, beautiful, healthy children!

RileyRegister-ster

Riley is almost 2 & 1/2 now.  He still occasionally talks about himself in 3rd person by calling himself in one long word, "RileyRegister-ster!" He's growing up though and for instance during dinner last night at a sushi restaurant as we were saying the blessing he took a bite of rice and says, "I like it!" right in the middle of the blessing! 

Milestones
We have only had the success of pottying in his potty 3 times in 1 week well over a month ago and he has lost most interest in that.  With Reid on the way I'm not pushing it too much.  Since Riley doesn't try to climb out of his crib we still have him sleeping in it because he tends to stand up and whine when going to sleep and we know in a toddler or regular bed that means he'll be getting up!  So we're putting that off for after he adjusts to Reid being here...in hopes of calling the crib a bed for "the baby" and for him to sleep in a "big boy bed."

Interests

• Playing the piano, guitar, and xylophone (he also calls piano) while singing songs he makes up
• Most sports...football, basketball, baseball, soccer, golf
• He currently likes his Daddy to hold the football while he runs and kicks it, amazingly up in the air
• He LOVED watching the Masters and I taught him a "golf clap"
• Chocolate pudding...not a day goes by that he doesn't ask for it!
• McDonald's Chicken Nuggets...since I couldn't seem to handle eating chicken when I was pregnant he has rarely liked eating chicken until he had McD's nuggets.  Now they're a favorite.
• Racing
• He is learning the race car drivers and cars; his favorite is Kyle Busch because he drives the "M-M-M's Toyota"
• Cars book...he can name every one of them from Lightning McQueen to Mater (and has never even seen the movie)
• Thomas the Train...we have to read that book everynight too

Funnies

• Riley says:
• Hey Good Wookin
• Hey Hot Momma
• How You DO-DOIN'
• Riley was dressed for Spring pictures at school so in the car Jeremy said, "Hey Good Lookin', Whatcha Got A Cookin'?"  Riley said, "Momma cooks spaghetti and hot dogs!"
• We were at a fundraiser and the Clemson Tiger was there so Riley kept saying, "Hey Boo Tiger!" and "Momma, Boo Tiger went Bye, Bye!"
• Riding in Aunt Carly's car Ava-Reese taught Riley how to push the button on the door to unlock, so as we are riding down the interstate Riley tries to actually open the door.  Needless to say we had to pull over and put the child safety locks on!
• During prayers at bedtime most nights Riley has to pray for Elmo and sometimes Cookie Monster.  He also likes to throw in random things like Gamecock football, his Bible, any one of the Thomas trains, etc.
• Riley talks to Garnet like she is going to start talking back.  He will show her stuff like a train and say, "Look Gah-net, Dennis!"  Or he'll say, "Gah-net I ate Sabi (Wasabi the restaurant)!"

Sweetness

• Riley loves to give me kisses.  He'll kiss both cheeks then will say spots and kiss them like: nose, hair, noggin' (head), eyes, shirt, etc.  We call him the kissing bandit!
• Riley will do something and then say, "I teach Reid that."
• Riley will tattle on Garnet and say things like, "Gah-net in Reid's room Mommy"
• Riley adores the Painters and usually asks for them in 1 word, "AuntCarlyTrentAReese"
• For Jeremy's 30th birthday Riley sang Happy Birthday to him and later to his great-grandma on the phone too!

Waiting, Waiting, Waiting

I believe our second son, Reid, is going to give us a run for our money!  This pregnancy has been so different from Riley's pregnancy.  Riley didn't kick a whole lot and is a laid back child.  He only weighed 6 lb 3oz at birth. Reid kicks all the time and is already a good whopping 8 lbs and we're only at 37 weeks!  Due to my difficult delivery and recovery with Riley, we have a c-section scheduled for Wed, April 27th at 9 a.m.  However, I have progressed to dilating to a 3 so the doctors believe I will either go into labor or my water will break on its own anyday.  Since I've started to have frequent headaches and my blood pressure is starting to rise, the doctor decided to write me out of work yesterday.  I am so relieved by that because being a pharmacist, mother to a toddler, wife to an accountant during tax season, and carrying a 37 week baby that is measuring at more like 39-40 weeks along with some extra (and heavy) fluid was getting to be a bit much!  So I'm just napping, watching TV, and catching up on some reading while waiting for little Reid to arrive!  And I'm blessed to have our sweet dog Garnet by my side every step of the way...usually snoring!

Oh B-A-B-Y!!

So after measuring normal every week, this week I go in for an OB visit and measure at 37.5 weeks when I'm only 32 weeks!  So I got to have an U/S and the result was excessive fluid (at 30 point something centimeters rather than the normal upper end of normal at 24) and a whopping 5 lb 3 oz BIG boy!  Riley was only 6 lb 3 oz at 37 weeks so there is no telling how big this boy will be!

Cousins

We are so blessed to have Riley and Ava-Reese growing up together.  They are 4 1/2 months apart in age and Riley says, "AReese best friend."  That sums it up pretty well I think!

 snow day-January 2011

 matching snowmen outfits at church-February 2011

 AR is the leader and Riley is the follower!

Doesn't get much cuter than this!