one month

It is hard to believe that Gideon is a month old today! I feel like it has gone fast and slow all at the same time. Here are his stats from his one month appointment..

Height: 21.5 inches
Weight: 10 lbs
Head circumference: 14.75

canaan

Life has been busy. What else would I expect with a one month old and a 14 month old. :) It didn't help that I was sick for a week but I am thankful for family and all the help they gave.  I would not have been able to make it without them.Canaan is becoming more of a ham each and every day. We are having a blast with him and his new things he is doing. Here is our ham...

He loves to stack things now! Anything and everything he can get his hands on...

Due Date

It was hard to believe that yesterday was my actual due date.  What a joy it was being able to spend this thanksgiving with a little boy in my arms, with family and not still pregnant. I'm pretty sure I still would have been big if I wouldn't have been induced and then Gideon would have been over 9lbs. I am so thankful that he is here safe and healthy. Thank you Lord for blessing us yet again with things that we do not deserve.

Our new blessing

Welcome Gideon Lee Branch to the world!! He arrived November 19, 2011 at 7:05 p.m. He weighed 8lbs 8oz and was 20 in long.  We are so thankful that God has blessed us yet again with a healthy little guy!

39 weeks

I went to the doctor at 39 weeks she said everything was going well but I was really ready to be done.  I had a lot of emotions going on and just wanted Gideon to be here and know that everything was going to be ok. I asked if I could be induced early so I waited for Halle to talk to the doctor to see if I would be allowed to go.  She came back and told me that they could induce the next day (Fri 18th) I told her I would love that but Josh told me no because he was really busy at work and couldn't miss so she was able to work it out that we could go on Sat (19th).  I was really excited!! It even worked out that the doctor that delivered Calvin was on call for that day!!  Here is the last belly picture we got to take!

36 weeks

I have been feeling as good as I can I think...I have been going to the chiropractor every week and it seems to be helping a little. I feel more anxious about Gideon's arrival then I remember being with Canaan. I'm just excited to meet this little guy!

I had an appointment today(I'm now 37 weeks) and the doctor wasn't really sure if he was head down(yes we went through this last year) so I ended up getting an ultrasound! Everything is GOOD!!! He is head down and ready to go, but I now hope that we won't want to stay in there forever.

2 years

As I woke up this morning the first thing that came to my mind was wow two years ago our lives changed forever(really before).  Our sweet Calvin was born into glory at 6:57 a.m and all I remember was this sweet boy in my arms. He had the most precious face.  I was a mommy for the first time yet I would be coming home empty handed only with memories of our boy. God was really with me. I would have never made it through this trial without Him. I had tears of joy and sadness that only He could have given me. Of course I had moments of anger but I knew in my heart that God had a better plan for our Calvin even if we did not understand it.

As I sit here writing now I am so thankful for the people that God has put in our life. I have already received texts letting me know that people are praying for us on this difficult day. I am so thankful that people have not forgotten our Calvin.  This is the second year in a row that we have had lots to do on his birthday and at first I was a little down about being busy. I was thinking this is the day I should just sit around and think about Calvin, but the more I thought it is probably better that I'm not doing that. Yes I can grieve the loss of our first born but keeping busy will keep me from completely breaking down and I will remember that Calvin is safe in the arms of God. He is SO much better off then we are. I thank God that I know that he is with Him and that He has given me the strength to know that he is better off with Him then with us. I know that is not me FOR SURE giving myself that strength.

I will never forget the love that was poured out to us in the 4 months before Calvin was born and after his birth. I have never felt the power of prayer as much as I did those almost 24 hours of Calvin's labor. Thank you Lord for the love that you have shown us and the trial that we had to go through. Thank you for the people you have placed in our lives. I am so thankful that we have you to rely on so we do not have to rely on ourselves. 

Job 1:21 ...the Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord!

12 month stats

We went to the doctor yesterday for Canaan's one year checkup.  Here are his stats

19lb 1oz
28 inches long

birthday fun

On Canaan's birthday we took him to build-a-bear and to get his first ice cream cone.  We weren't really sure if he would get what was going on at build-a-bear but he had a great time. We said we would show him a few bears and however he reacted that is how we were going to pick it.  He LOVED it!! Here are a few pictures of our fun night!!

picked his bear

watching the stuffing machine

helping daddy stuff the bear

making sure he is soft enough

washing the bear

taking bear home

first ice cream cone!!

12 months

first birthday

Happy 1st Birthday to our little man!!! Hard to believe that one year ago you came into this world and changed our lives. What a joy you are! It has been so fun watching you grow up and doing new things!  Daddy and I love you SO much!!

31 weeks

excuse the p.j. pants...I told Josh not to get them in the picture!  Hard to believe that we only have 9 more weeks to go. I feel like we just found out we were pregnant.  I am starting to feel ready to meet this little guy. I have had a lot more pain with this pregnancy then with the others. The other night I had a lot of braxton hicks it was making me a little nervous. I have never had so many before.

I feel like I am running out of time to get everything done. I still need to paint the room and get a few things to finish it off. I need to wash all the clothes and get them all put away. It is crazy how much I want to do but my body just won't let me.

11 months

It is so hard to believe that my little man is already 11 months. The time has gone by so fast.

*He has almost 6 teeth
*took his first step on Sunday(11th) but he didn't realize what he was doing and now won't do it again
*loves to swing on his swing set
*loves walking outside on the sidewalk with his walker that he pushes
*loves his food
*loves watching Mickey Mouse!
*likes to clap to music
*puts his hands up high when you ask him how big he is

10 months

I am so behind...Canaan wasn't really happy with us when we took this.

sweet canaan

Here are just a few sweet pictures of our "not so little anymore" boy.

24 weeks

Yes 24 weeks already. I feel bad for Gideon already because we have just taken our first picture of this pregnancy. We were so good with taking one every week with Canaan. I guess that's what happens when you are taking care of a little one.

zoo

We love the zoo! Thursday night the Akron Zoo had members only night so Canaan and I went with Darby and all the kiddos since Josh was out of town. The animals were more active then the last time we were there so Canaan was able to watch more!

watching the bats

first carousel ride

watching the tiger

teeth

here are Canaan's two teeth!

first tooth

So Canaan has been working on some teeth for a while, but just yesterday one really started to poke through! It was one of his top teeth too!! Yay for teeth and not really being very fussy!!

9 months

chick-fil-a

July 8th was cow appreciation day for Chick-fil-a.  If you dressed up like a cow you got a free meal so why wouldn't we do that?? Here is my sweet cow dressed up with a few spots that he wanted to keep eating..

It was a hard day

My little cow

July 4th

We went to the 4th of July parade like we do every year. Here are a few pictures of Canaan...

waiting for the parade to start

uncle bruce and canaan

something was very interesting

firetrucks were coming and they were loud he wasn't a fan

is this over yet?

i'm happy now!

a little behind

I have been a little behind on posting. Josh redid our hardwood floors in the living room, dining room and playroom over july 4th weekend. It was suppose to be just a weekend project but with a few things gone wrong it was a 7 day project. They turned out great so that's all that matters!

Canaan is growing up SO fast I feel like he is doing something new everyday. Gideon(new baby!) is doing well also. I sometimes forget that I'm pregnant since all my focus is on Canaan. I even have to think back at the end of the day and ask myself did I even feel Gideon move during the day. Other then that everything is going well and I'm feeling good!

Here is a new picture of Canaan starting to pull himself up on EVERYTHING!