8 years of wedded bliss...

11-5-1997 Kevin and I had our first date to the Martin vs. Lamar HS Varsity football game.

5-5-1998 We started dating again.

11-5-1998 We became exclusive.

1-5-2004 Kevin showed up on my door step at 10am on one knee and asked me to marry him.

6-4-2005 I became Mrs. Lawther. It was the BEST day!

5-16-2013 We welcomed our son in to the world at 3:19pm. Our angel bundle of JOY!

Kevin and I had a great anniversary. Nate and I had a leisurely morning as he didn't want to do anything but sleep on my chest. I was happy oblige.

Kevin's Mom came over and held him for pretty much the entire afternoon. I used that time to get stuff done around the house and get ready.

Kevin and I went to Del Frisco's for dinner. Our first night away from Nate. My Mom and Dad baby sat for us. We weren't gone long. Just about 3 hours. It was really nice to get out, get dressed up and have some time just for us. It was an excellent meal.

And I had my first glass of wine in over 9 months. It was delicious.

All dressed up for our night out.

Kevin and I have had an amazing year. And I know it will only continue to get better! Love you babe!! Happy 8 years! Here's to 80 more!

The many faces of Nate

Picture overload! Nate was very alert yesterday! He has the cutest facial expressions. Just hanging out, chilling! :)

Kevin, Nate and I went to Buy Buy Baby. The boy needed pants. :) And a few other things... It's amazing how you think you've planned for everything... And then, not so much. Just needed more sheets for his little snuggle surround, more of the burp cloths we like and more premie nipples.

My mom got him the premie nipples the other day and I'm so grateful. It's really slowed down how fast he eats and he is less gassy, hiccups less, and spits up less. I didn't even know there was a premie nipple.

Then we went to Barnes and Nobel, Best Buy and picked up lunch from On the Border. The kid slept right through it all.

What a relaxing Sunday. Can't believe 2 weeks ago we brought him home from the hospital. So much has changed... But I almost don't remember what life was like without him. I do remember sleeping through the night. :) But even that is becoming easier.

These pants... Were too big on Friday, two days ago!! He's growing so fast.

So remember that 8:30pm freak out I mentioned yesterday... Well we had it last night.

He was sound asleep and then all of a sudden started stirring and then screaming. We changed his diaper, made him 1oz of breast milk... He didn't want it.

Kevin suggested we put him in the car seat. I asked if he wanted to go drive around. Kevin said no, just put him in there and see if that calms him down.... It did. Almost immediately he stopped screaming and was asleep with in minutes. My husband is a genius!

And we were apprehensive to do this next activity, because we'd just got him to calm down... But he needed a bath. Since his umbilical cord fell off and his circumcision is healed, it was time for his first real bath.

He loved it. Kinda slept through it. Wasn't bothered at all while we washed him. I learned some things for the next time. I need a cup to rinse; and I need to wash his back. But otherwise he's all clean.

Looking forward to a day of just cuddling with my little man. No errands today. Even though I have so much to do... I need some snuggle time.

The Tradition Continues..

Today was Nate's 1st public outing... That wasn't a Dr's office. :)

This morning.. 1 hour later than planned he and I loaded up in the car and met Kevin at AHS for the Big Man Challenge. This is an annual event and I'm so glad I was feeling up to taking him. He slept through the whole thing until it was time to eat. We didn't stay long. But it was great to get out, do something normal and hang out with my fellow coaches wives.

And the Colts won! So that just made our outing that much sweeter.

Our 1st family photo! I have so many of me and Nate, Nate and Kevin, just Nate... But I realized we never took one of all 3 of us, even in the hospital!!

His Daddy was showing him off to one of our college friends who coaches in Waco. Actually he was showing him off to everyone. He was so proud. :)

On this same field, months ago...

You know you're a coach's kid when your already on the football field at just over 2 weeks old! :)

Nate came before I was able to have my shower at school. My friends put a box in the lounge and people filled it with gifts. My co-workers are so generous. We got the cutest things. They gave us enough in gift cards to get the snap and go stroller I've been wanting for months! And I had it today for our outing! Yay!!

I have to tell you guys. We are so lucky! Kevin's Mom and my parents have helped us so much!

Kevin has been amazing. I am seeing him through new eyes and my love grows deeper everyday.

Nate is an excellent sleeper. I did the math and with the nap I get to take during the day, I am still getting about 7 hours of sleep. Of coarse not all at once... But my body is definitely adjusting and I find I have more energy recently.

Basically, I'm still in heaven!

Later in the day Nate was so alert! Hanging out with us on Mama and Daddy's bed!

And normally, at this time of night, 9pm.. Nate is screaming. But tonight...

We decided that he gets hungrier at night. He eats at 7:30pm and 10:30pm. But at 9pm he roots, eats his hands and is inconsolable. So we thought we'd give him 1oz of breast milk to hold him over. Well, at 3pm today he did his normal 9pm routine. So we gave him an ounce. He ate it, burped and passed out. Stirred at 4:30pm to eat and went right back to sleep. Has been calm and alert since his 7:30pm dinner... fighting sleep now... So.... We'll see. :)

2 Weeks Old

I can't believe it. Time is going by so fast. Nate is definitely becoming more alert. Letting us know when he's hungry or needs his diaper changed. Otherwise he's as happy as can be. Sleeping or eyes wide open checking out the world.

Today was his 2nd pediatrician appointment to check his weight. He also has a blocked tear duct. He was, as usual, a perfect angel.

Here are his stats:

Weight: 6lbs 15oz
Length: 21 inches
Head circumference: 34cm

He's gained 10 oz since his last appointment. Dr said to just keep doing what we are doing. Love hearing that! He goes back for his 2 month check in July where he'll get some immunizations. Not looking forward to that. But I am looking forward to him being protected. :)

At the Dr's office:

Poor little guy's blocked tear duct is why he's giving us the stink eye. :)

After the appointment we had about an hour before we had to head back out the door for my appointment with Dr. Froeschke.

I took advantage of the time to take his 2 week photo. Right before it was time to eat. He wasn't a fan until he could hold his paci. But that's ok! He's so adorable!

And this was from last night. No more pictures Mama. I'm done. :)

Just another day in Paradise.

These past two weeks have flown by.

He is now:
smiling more and making faces
sleeping in his crib in our room (in the snuggle surround)
The heartbeat sound Simba toy his grandparents gave him calms him down and lulls him to sleep
wakes us up at night to let us know he's hungry
More alert during the late afternoon and evening

We are still so in love!

Growing up so fast!

Look what we found in Nate's swaddle sack tonight!

Cutest little belly button I've ever seen!

Nate is 12 days old today. I totally teared up. I said he's growing up so fast. :) Kevin stared at me in joking disbelief. I said I didn't know what to do with it. Kevin said, "Are you going to keep all his scabs too?" Lol. In the trash it goes.

Nathaniel the model

We had his newborn photos taken in the hospital. They came to our room and took them on my hospital bed. So convenient and so beautiful. I love this little boy!!

Our 1st week at home + a couple days

Kevin took this picture of Nate's corner in our room. Makes me giggle because he's never even been in his "real" room yet. Right now, he's with us in our room.

Love this picture of him on the scale!!

This was his first bottle. And he fed himself!

Better picture of Sarah and Whitney :)

Just home from the hospital and checking out his new home.

We are using the snuggle nest. Best invention ever. The first night we didn't use it. We used a crib in our room. I think it was too much space for him. Going from the small plastic sleeping cradles at the hospital... So the next morning we busted this out for his naps and I'm so glad we did. For the first week he slept between us at night and on kev's side of the bed during the day.

Last night was the first night that he didn't sleep next to us. We put the snuggle surround in the crib and he did great! I had a moment where I didn't want him that far away, across the room?! :) What am I going to do when he starts sleeping upstairs? :) Dont have to worry about that now.

He did great sleeping in his crib. Kevin and I got some sleep too. But I did spend a few extra minutes staring at the monitor. :)

2nd ride in the car was with Mama and Daddy to Dr. F's office to remove my staples. Handled it like a champ.. We both did. :)

They were really impressed with how well I am healing. Had some nausea so they ordered an abdominal sonogram to check for gall stones. It actually gave me piece of mind. I had it 1 week after I gave birth. She said everything looked good. All organs were back where they were supposed to be and my uterus was almost back to normal size. No gall stones. :)

I mustache you a question... How cute am I??

Sleeping like a baby.

3rd car ride ever.. His own dr's visit. Our pediatrician is Dr. Moayyad and I love him. We went on Wednesday, day 6 of Nate's life. When he went home from the hospital he weighed 6lbs 1oz. At the dr's office he was 6lbs 5 oz. yay!!! We go again this Thursday and I'm praying he's back up to his birth weight. Anyway, Dr. Moayyad answered all our questions while he checked Nate out. So patient and extremely knowledgeable. He said Nate looked great and we were doing a great job.

I called his office previously to ask a question. His skin is so red and I asked if that was an indicator of a fever. She said no. To look for a fussiness, won't eat, won't sleep. she said to kiss his forehead if it felt hot on your lips to take his temp. Not to trust your hands. His Dr's office wants me to kiss my baby?? My kind of place! :)

It's hard to see in this photo but they stretched him out and marked his height. 20in. I know that's how long he is but seeing it on the paper was unbelievable. He's so scrunchy. But on the paper he looks really long. :)

Our two sons:

He actually smiles a lot. This was right after eating. So content.

Auntie P and Uncle Josh came over for a brief visit. Kristen finds the cutest baby clothes and is spoiling Nate already. And us! She and Josh brought us dinner of homemade stuffed shells. Delicious!

We've had a few people being us dinner, it's been wonderful! Katie, Justin and Rachel, Ember, my parents, Kevin's Mom. We are so grateful to you guys!!

Ember brought Luka over last Saturday. Luka is just so precious and he tried out some of Nate's toys. Can't wait to watch these guys grow up together.

And it was time for Nate's first bath at home. I put it off because it made me nervous. His umbilical cord can't get wet... Any way. It was so much easier than I thought it'd be. Kevin held him when I needed him to be off the table while I used a wash cloth. He didn't even cry that much. So sweet!!

Praying for his meal:

Nate had his first play date with the Heldt's and Womack's yesterday! What a great way to spend Memorial Day. Great friends and food + my angel sleeping away :). Thanks to the Heldt's for having us over! It was great to catch up! Julianne had Brooks the day before Nate was born. So it was wonderful to ask her questions. Our friend Sarah was also there. That girl is a wealth of knowledge! Love them all!!! Thanks again!

Maybe you'd call it more of a sleep date. :) Whitney and Payton played away while Brooks and Nate got some much needed shut eye.

When we got back my cousin Josh stopped by to meet Nate. Josh lives in Garland so it was the first time he'd made it over here. Nate loves his Uncle Jash! :)

Our son is so smart. Already using sign language. We love you too, Nate. Seems like such an understatement!! More than words can say. Guess well just have to show you every day.

Kevin went back to work this morning. He went in for football last week. But this is our first morning without him. We are doing ok. We got into such a great routine that I can't wait for summer when well all be together! :) My mother-in-law is going to come over in the afternoon so I can take a nap. I am so grateful for her and my parent's help. They have been essential in this transition.

Please continue to pray for us! Nate technically turned 38 weeks yesterday. We are doing great! So in love with our little bundle of JOY!

God is Big Enough.