I’ve been a little M.I.A this week… we’ve had a lot going on. :) 1 week ago– November 13th.. ONE of the best days of my life, at 7:24am, we welcomed a perfect little boy into our little family. His delivery was night and day from Briley’s. Briley was born by cesarian after 19 hours of labor and a failed induction. When she was born she wasn’t breathing and they had to rush her out of the room. She was born with a fever and had to stay in the nursery for several hours before I was able to hold her. True to form.. she came into this world as dramatically as she acts today. ;) Beau’s birth was a scheduled cesarian.. and everything went SO smoothly. It was wonderful. Even the recovery has been easier. I’m still healing but doing SO much better than last time.. and since I’m healing better this time around, I’ve been able to soak up every single second of my baby love. :) He has been SUCH a good baby. He’s just a tad bit spoiled to mama.. but I don’t mind so much. ;) Briley was such a daddy’s girl.. I was told constantly that boy’s are partial to their mama’s.. and so far, Beau is definitely that. Briley was so independent from day 1.. she wouldn’t lay on my chest.. she was constantly raising her head up and trying to look round. Beau will sleep like that for hours. He’s such a cuddle baby. I am enjoying every second with my 2 babies. Briley is so incredibly in love with him. I’ve said it 100 times already.. I would of never imagined she would be so in love with him already. I dreaded the jealousy and the transition from only child (of almost 5 years) to oldest child.. but the transition (so far) as been so easy. She is so protective and loving toward him– constantly hovering over him, making sure that he is okay.. or that we “washed our hands” before holding him. ;) While in the hospital she also “scolded” a couple of the nurses who were handling him telling them “please don’t hurt my brother.. please be careful with him.” ;) She is the official pacifier finder and diaper and burp cloth retreiver. Our only issue is that she gets upset when we don’t let HER change diapers or make bottles. She gets to help.. but she’s so ready to be able to do everything on her own and she’s so “sure” that she’s able. I’m so in love with how much she loves him. I feel like my heart is going to explode everytime I see her smile at him. We had a couple of rough nights getting on a routine.. but we are on track now and he is a perfect baby. However.. during those 2 rough nights, as much as I tried to keep her from it.. he woke her up and she sat up with me for a few hours.. refusing to go back to bed until Beau was “all better.” I was worried she was going to get frustrated with all his crying.. but everytime I looked over at her she was looking at him lovingly and said “I just love his little cries.” That is a phrase that is said a lot in our house now-a-days, by Briley. “I love his little cries.. I love his little sounds.. I love his little booty..” ;) She is also constantly smelling and kissing his head. Like I said.. she is completely and utterly SMITTEN by her “baby brudder,” and it makes mama and daddy’s hearts happy. She is definitely a little mother hen and I have no doubt that she’ll continue to protect and watch over her brother as they grow up. I’ve asked her a few times if she was still disappointed that she got a brother and not a baby sister (like she wanted so badly) and without any hesitation at all she assures us that she wouldn’t trade him for any other baby in the world. ;)

The Sunday before we had Beau, (at 38.5 weeks) we snapped a few maternity pictures after church. I was SO very close to chickening out. I am the absolute worst person on the other side of the camera.. incredibly awkward.. but went through with it anyway fearing that I would regret not taking any. I am SO absolutely relieved that I did. These pictures are so dear to me now and I will cherish them forever. This was a very special time.. right before we became a family of 4.. me with my baby belly.. and me with my sweet little girl.. who adored that baby belly and adores her baby brother even more. :) My sweet husband took these.. (with a LOT of direction.) ;) I was in shock. This is not the first time I’ve had him try to get a few shots for me. In the past I’ve had him attempt headshots. The end result always ended up just being deleted. Not the case this time.. and I love these pictures so, SO much. A few maternity photos that I didn’t get around to sharing before Beau arrived..

Our AMAZING friend Mandie was one of our incredible nurses at Beau’s delivery. I have to brag on her for a minute. She was not scheduled to work this day.. but volunteered to come in anyway so she could be there with us when Beau was born. She will FOREVER have a special place in our hearts for helping bring our little boy into this world. She was so supportive and helpful through the whole process.. we loved her anyway, but love her even MORE now. ;) During the delivery B snapped a few pictures.. and then Mandie grabbed the camera from him and got what are, I feel like, will always be some of my all time favorite pictures. Mandie– can’t tell you enough how much we appreciate you.

I grabbed a couple of photos of my babies RIGHT before we left the hospital to come home. :) I can’t say enough times.. God’s timing is perfect. Through everything we experienced the last couple of years.. through all the heartbreak and all the stress.. His timing was always perfect. He had a plan for us all along.. and although it’s sometimes impossible to understand or accept while experiencing the pain.. there was a rainbow after the storm. While my heart will always heart for our 2 angels in heaven.. I know that without those trials, we would not have our sweet Beau Isaac.

..and of course plenty of iPhone pictures. ;)