Newborn photos

I've mentioned my incredibly talented and amazing friend, Taylor, a few times. She took Levi's newborn photos, has cleaned and decorated my house, walked with me to try to get labor going, makes me pizookies, makes me laugh and is an exceptional spades partner. Just to name a few of her attributes.

I love to watch her in action. I wish I had a video capturing her swaddling like a pro, moving heating pads to and fro, selecting fabrics, taking these beautiful photos… all while keeping a baby asleep. Impressive, my friend, impressive. 

You can find lots of Taylor's work at hollibphotography.com. Thank you, Taylor, for preserving this stage of life! 

Here are just a few pics from our newborn session:

Birthday boy

We have had a fun week celebrating our little Blaze! We began the week with a family birthday party, where our families lavished the birthday boy with presents and cupcakes. 

Have I mentioned that Levi doesn't like to get his hands messy?!

He did decide to lightly touch the cupcake for better stability. :)

His very own computer! Maybe it will distract him from ours now?

What better way to conclude the day than with a birthday parade!

On Levi's actual birthday, Gib was able to come home early so that we could take a family trip to the zoo. Usually, our little man rides in the stroller at least part of the time, but this trip was his first time to conquer the place entirely on foot. And let me tell you, I had forgotten how fast he is out in the open! It was sunny and 60 degrees, but we were about the only people at the zoo, so it was perfect. Gib got a work-out, chasing our little munchkin from the rhinos to the elephants and back!

Such a memorable day to celebrate our little treasure:

Minutes after our arrival, he's already sprinting…

Riding an elephant, just like he's heard about in his dad's Thailand stories

Still at full speed...

At the far corner of the zoo, still in motion…

Break time with dad, checking out the birds flying over the elephant area

I think even baby brother enjoyed his first zoo trip!

Grandma's birthday

Happy birthday, Grandma! 

When I was in labor with Levi, it looked like he might be sharing a birthday with his grandma… but as it happened, we get to celebrate two fun birthdays back-to-back! Gib's mom was able to come to Norman last weekend, and the boys loved seeing her.

We celebrate you today, Judy! Happy birthday to one of the kindest and most generous-hearted women in the world. :)

Twenty-four months

When I set out to try and capture in words your stages in life in the first months, I envisioned that the two-year mark would be the conclusion of my blog updates specifically devoted to what you were doing and learning that month. I never imagined that two years would come so quickly, but here I am, looking this last entry in the face.

One of your new words sums up this stage of life nicely: "self." The week of your birthday, we set off downstairs, and I put my hand out for yours, as is our routine. You looked at me and very matter-of-factly said "self" as you started down the stairs on your own. Excuse me? Who taught you that word?! As proud of you as I was in that moment, that you were ready to conquer the stairs with confidence, I was taken aback at this newfound level of independence. This word has since been extended to a variety of activities that you now like to do on your own.

You are such an incredibly verbal child, which I love. I have a hunch I was the same way at your age. You attend "school" (parents' day out) once a week, and your teacher commented to me that she was impressed with your verbal skills. Speaking of "school," I'm so very proud of how far you have come in terms of being ok with a new place without mom. The first few times I dropped you off were hard for both of us, but now you wheel your new backpack in with confidence and off you go. Mimi and Didi got you the backpack on wheels for your birthday, and watching you pull it into school is the most adorable thing ever. You look like a pint-sized adult, ready to travel.

Some of your fun milestones in the last few weeks are that you can count to 10, sing Happy Birthday, recite the first three U.S. presidents, and speak in full sentences using words I didn't even know that you knew. You have your Mimi to thank for many of those. She's an excellent teacher. You've also learned make people laugh purposefully. You keenly observe the things you do that others find funny and you ham it up for your audience! You caught your dad off guard a few weeks ago by using "oh, shoot" in the correct context. You've also figured out that his name is Gib, and you call him that with a mischievous glint in your eye, waiting for him to laugh. The way you say it sounds a lot like me when I'm calling for him - Giiiiiiiib.

You are still fascinated with snakes - in photos, as toys and in displays at the natural history museum. I keep trying to reiterate that they bite, should we ever see one alive. You climb everything and everyone. The other day, you sweetly invited me to sit on the floor next to your crib, only to use me as your stepstool to try and climb into it. Clever little stinker!

We've had, ahem, more than a few time outs this month. Let's just say you are exploring your physical abilities and testing our boundaries with them.

You are a fun and sweet big brother. You love to run and show things to your little brother and give him a kiss. And even he isn't exempt from being a climbing tool when mom isn't watching. I know it's been quite a transition for you, no longer being our only child, but Levi Blaze, you have been a rockstar. You've been patient with all of us, and apart from a brief sleep strike at night, you've adapted really, really well. Your mama is far from perfect, but thank you for blazing this trail with me. You are a trailblazer, my little dude, something I'm confident you will be your entire life.

One of my absolute favorite things about you right now is your love for worship. You sway with the music, sometimes lifting your hands and sometimes playing imaginary drums. Throughout the day, you spontaneously begin singing the chorus of one of your favorite songs, and I love to hear Yahwehhhhhhhhh coming out of that sweet mouth. I was listening to a sermon the other day on 1 Peter 2:9:

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

And I realized, of course you love to worship… you were made to worship, and even your namesake of the Old Testament priests is a testament of that. You have the heart of a worshiper.

Two years. Twenty-four months. Time has passed so quickly, and I'm more in love with my firstborn than ever. You are our treasure. Happy birthday, my little dude.

"Happy"

Happy birthday, Levi Blaze! It's only fitting that in the last month, your favorite song, which you request to be sung multiple times daily, is "happy." Or, as it's more widely known, Happy Birthday. 

We sing the song to all of our friends and sometimes to our friends' dogs and guitars. But today, sweet boy, we sing it to YOU!

TWO! Twenty-four months! How has this day already arrived? You mean, it wasn't just yesterday that you looked like this?

I rejoice in the active, adventurous, zesty, vivacious, energetic, thoughtful, perceptive, observant, sweet, smart, wild-at-heart little boy you have become in those two years, and I know that what lies ahead will be even more fun and poignant.

You are my treasure, you have been created and set apart by God for great purpose, and nothing melts my heart like your smile. We celebrate you today and give great thanks that you are our son!

Some of my favorite recent pics… please forgive the blur. Most are from my phone which can't keep up with Levi-speed!

I came home and walked into this - my precious little wonder holding flowers for me… just because. :)

My boys

Loving mama's boots

Two under two

As it's my last day to have two children under the age of two, I've been reflecting on what life has been like in the last month. Prior to Nathanael's birth, I frequently heard that going from one child to two was harder than going from zero children to one. That may be true for a lot of people, and who knows, it may come true for me yet, but my experience has been that the first child was the hardest wake-up call.

Granted, that wake-up call two years ago was full of extreme preciousness, but it was a rather harsh introduction to this thing called motherhood. No sleep, lots of crying by mama and baby, and being constantly humbled by the fact that I knew not what I was doing.

This time, having a baby right before Christmas added a new twist to logistical planning, with the additional aspect of Big Brother being sick for a week after Nathanael was born. But even given those things, I feel so fortunate and so very blessed that this transition has been smooth.

Levi has been an amazing big brother. He's perceptive, and I can tell that he is processing this new addition to our family. At first, he appeared to be indifferent to his little brother, ignoring him, which, I think in his own way allowed him to adjust to his new normal. But now, he tells his brother good morning, gives him kisses and likes to pat him. He's a great helper. I can't say enough how proud I am of him, and how excited I am to see these two boys grow up together and be the best of friends.

So, as I count down the hours until my sweet little dude's birthday tomorrow, I can say with a smile and with complete sincerity and thankfulness, that life is beautiful. That this is the life I get to live is something that blows me away each and every day:

Daddy and Baby Dude time

Mama and the boys, waking up

Daddy and Little Dude playtime

Brotherly love

"Pound it."

Worship time

Countless parades at Mimi's and Didi's house with a variety of musical instruments

Dude dates for fro-yo

Chillin'

Naps…

… by all parties

Museum fun

Quiet moments where I stumble on to sweet scenes like this

One month!

One month ago today, almost to the hour I write this, I was heading into the operating room to prepare to meet my newest Baby Dude. Four weeks have passed, but the thrill and anticipation I felt that day is still with me. What a fun day!

Hearing Gib announce, "It's a boy," and then receiving a tiny little baby on my chest, still fresh and covered in vernix, was one of the sweetest experiences of my life.

Nathanael Oak, the bright blue eyes you were born with have only gotten more beautiful, and the precious baby rolls you are growing make this mama smile with delight. You coo and wriggle, sleep and eat like a champ, hold your head up and look around, and love to cuddle.

I remember the time flying by with your brother, and I can hardly believe you've already grown from this:

to this:

I'm enjoying every second.

We are so in love with you, little man.

Loving life with Levi B

Ohhhhh, Levi Blaze, you are absolutely a ball of fun. And fire. We are loving life with you!

We have laughed so much in the last week - and what makes it fun is that we get to laugh with you. You've always entertained us with your cute antics, but you have recently discovered for yourself just how funny you are. It's adorable. It's hilarious. And, though there are definitely instances where your dada and I shouldn't laugh and encourage the behavior, we just can't help it. You start laughing, and then we start laughing, and you laugh harder… and we laugh harder… you are just a blast, little dude!

I haven't heard your dad laugh so hard so often in a long time. Whether it's attempting to hide your naked self from him before bath time as to avoid bedtime, or sweetly having him come close to you while you are in the bath only to purposefully soak him, or figuring out how to climb things and open things and get into anything you put your mind to, you make your daddy crack up.

He walked in yesterday to find you sitting nonchalantly in your baby brother's bassinet. How you got up there was a bit of a mystery, but there you were, in your diaper, looking at him like it was the most natural thing in the world.

And today? Oh, today was a chart topper. As I was attempting to take a nap while you were theoretically napping, I heard your father say, upon looking at the video monitor at a toddler who was still awake, "there is a good chance our son isn't wearing any clothes." I was a little puzzled, seeing as how you've never taken off all of your clothes before. When he went back to investigate, he found you naked and without your diaper, wearing only socks. And let me tell you, he roared with laughter. His laughing made me laugh, even though I had no clue what he was laughing at until he brought you out to show me. You were laughing, too, flashing those adorable dimples. It was one of those family moments I never want to forget.

You are growing up, my little man. And we love this mixture of mischief and sweetness, of adventure and cuddles. Almost two years after you were born, your dad and I still ask each other how on earth we have such an incredible son, even though we know the answer. You are a gift from God. We know that a fun and memorable year awaits us!