Introducing Bryce Gavin Harris

Bryce Gavin Harris was born yesterday at 12:58pm. He weights 7 lb 12 oz and 20 in long. He is a very good baby and we have hardly heard anything out of him. Thankfully I had a much easier and quicker labor. Evan was in to see him last and pretty much just ignored him. When we asked Evan where his little brother was he pointed to Bryce. We are very anxious to get home!

The time has come...

Tomorrow evening I am being admitted to the hospital. They will begin some meds tomorrow evening, but start the main induction at 6am Wednesday morning. We are hoping for a smooth and quick labor this time. I will try and take a few pics of my very pregnant belly tonight for those of you who are curious as to how big I got. We will post as quickly as possible after Bryce joins us. Pray that we all adjust quickly to this new little guy and that things would go smoothly on Wednesday.

Happy 2nd Birthday Cont.

He walked for quite a while with his little back pack on.


His first ride. He wanted to go a second time so they let him stay on.

He was thrilled that the dinosaurs went up into the air!

At McDonald's on the way home.

Happy 2nd Birthday (A Little Late!)

The birthday boy! Evan's actual birthday was June 24th, but we had his party a few days early.

The cake. He loves all kinds of balls and as soon as he saw the cake he kept saying "ball, ball".

Evan and Graham. One of little guys he occasionally has play dates with.

On June 24th we took him to Busch Gardens. It was his first time there and he loved it! We only stayed for a few hours, but we all had a great time.

April and May Post

I know I have not been very faithful at keeping this blog updated the past few months, so I thought I would take some time and post pictures of what we have been up to the last few months! In April we spent a week in CO with Justin's family. We had a great time and with the exception of hating the snow suit, Evan loved sledding and playing in the snow. The day before we were scheduled to leave one of the biggest snow storms of the year hit CO. Needless to say, it caused quite some excitement and we left our resort a day early. We spent the last night in Denver and it's a good thing we did because two hours after we left they closed the interstate that leads from Breckenridge to Denver! They got around 30 some inches in the mountains and while beautiful, it made for treacherous driving! In other news, I am now 34 weeks pregnant. Other than some Braxton Hicks I haven't felt too bad. We are scheduled for a July 8th induction. That means we will be having Bryce ten days early. The only thing that will change that is if my blood pressure gets too high and we have to have him earlier. We are naming him Bryce Gavin for all those who were wondering. May was a busy month with Evan having his first "major" illness. It hit him Mother Day and was not a fun week and a half. We ended up giving him his first antibiotic which he responded very well too. He had croup and so he and Mommy spent quite a few nights with very little sleep. Croup always worsens at night, but after two days on the medicine he was sleeping much better. In just a few short weeks our little man will be turning 2. It's so hard for me to believe! He is such a happy little guy and turning into quite the "ham"! He is really trying to talk in sentences, but you can still only understand a word here and there. Justin and I have both had quite a bit of work lately which is keeping us on our toes. I'm so looking forward to a break when one of my best friends from teenage years comes down for a week. She will be arriving June 8. This may be the last post for a while as it looks like June is completely packed. Not the restful month I thought I would have before welcoming a new baby! Oh well, for those who know me well, it's my kind of thing!
Our little man sporting Mommy's Bucs hat. Normally he wants nothing to do with hats!
33 weeks! Only 6 weeks to go! July 8th here we come!
Sledding with Daddy! I just hopped in for a picture.
Aunt Brooke and Evan.
All dressed for the weather! He loved sledding!
On our way down to Denver in the middle of a blizzard!
The view out our window right before we left the resort.

Evan has started doing this when we tell him to smile for the camera! Like I said, he is quite a "ham".
Daddy and Evan all ready for church this morning.
Okay, so he is very attached to his blankie. The other week when I was washing it he stood like this in front of the washer watching it. He kept fussing for it and didn't understand that he had to wait. It was really kind of funny to watch!
Mother's day with a fever of 102. Just the start of a not very fun week! I felt so bad for him. He just laid around.
Not the norm! Like I said, he was really sick and this is the way he was for several days.
Just a glimpse of the fun personality he has!

It's A....... Boy!

We found out Wednesday of this past week that our new little one is a BOY! This makes grandson number 6 for Mom and Dad! He looks very healthy and measures 5-6 days ahead of my due date (July 18). He was very cooperative for the ultrasound and seemed to be showing off. The tech was impressed with all the pictures she got and the fact that she was able to check everything out. It's kind of humorous that before the appointment we asked Evan if he wanted a girl and he said No. When we asked him if he wanted a boy he smiled really big and just sighed! Not that he has any clue but, when we ask him where the baby is he comes over and kisses my belly! He has learned recently to give kisses and has turned into quite the cuddle bug. He is growing up so fast! He has a very broad vocabulary and is really trying to talk in sentences. Normally you can only understand one or two words but, he does try. Here are some recent pictures of me at 23 weeks and our visit to the zoo. Evan really seemed to enjoy it. We even got to feed the giraffe which was very cool.

More Evan Pictures

You can see his black and blue eye a little in this pic.

Sleeping little angel!

Does he look ornery or what! Keeps us on our toes and laughing!

Recent Evan Pictures

Evan and Grandma at the circus. It was his first time and he loved it! He had a cold and had only napped for 30 minutes the entire day so I was a little leary about going. He sat for an hour and fifteen minutes before we left.

The elephants.

Mommy and Evan taking it all in.

His first black and blue eye. Daddy was giving him a bath when he fell and hit the side of his face on the tub. It turned pretty nasty looking for about two weeks.

Christmas Pictures III

Evan's first sled ride with Pappy!

Helping Uncle Jay put a puzzle together. He sat there just watching for quite a while. So cute!

Jay and Tyler with a little bonding time!

April and David Slagenweit

Christmas Pictures II

Allan, Marianne, Stephen, Philip and Daniel Brown.

Out little family with #2 on the way!

Jay, Tyler and Tonya Slagenweit.

My awesome parents! We love you guys!

Christmas Pictures I

Pappy and Grandma Slagenweit with their five grandsons!

The whole family! 15 and one on the way.

The boys! All of them under 5. Quite an exciting time!

Allan, Daniel and Evan sharing a plate of food on Sunday evening. It's so much better when we share!

Happy New Year!

I trust everyone had a blessed Christmas! I know I enjoyed every second I got to spend with my family! I know this post is long over due, but what can I say. I am rejoining life after being very ill since the middle of November. For good reason I might add! We are expecting our second child in July. A HUGE surprise, but a welcome one! I will try and put updated pictures and news in the following weeks. Evan has grown up so much it's hard to believe. Hopefully as the morning sickness eases I will get back to posting regularly!

I Voted!

No matter how this election turns out, I fulfilled my duty as a Christian and American! It feels good to know that God is STILL in control! Even though I will spend the day praying and hoping the McCain/Palin ticket makes it to office!

Back porch.

Guest bathroom.

Our little man! Doesn't he just look ornery?!

Our cleared out master bedroom closet. It is a fairly large walk in closet, but before I cleared it out you couldn't even walk to the back!

Dining room

Living room.

Kitchen.

For Sale

Well, there is a good reason why I have not been blogging lately. Our condo is officially up for sale! I have been packing and reorganizing everything we own. The realtor wanted us to move everything we don't use on a daily basis into storage. She recommended we only keep 12 outfits here, but with the market being the way it is we are not expecting to sell in a few weeks time. I'm still amazed at how two people and a little person can accumulate so much stuff! We have a 5X10 storage unit FULL! The place does look much bigger though. Evan liked to "help" Mommy pack. He was so cute. He would bring his toys and put it into the box I was working on and then look at me and smile. So proud of himself! He is doing great! Saying more and more words all the time. When I take him to the park now he immediately searches for other kids to play with. Today there was a little boy about 4 years old that really took an interest in Evan. Evan had a blast following him around and trying to do everything the older boy was doing. The elderly neighbor man I was taking care of passed away on Sunday. We have been hanging out with his wife some because she has been so lonely and unsure of what to do with herself. She cared for him for so long she doesn't quite know what to do with her time. Also, this past Sunday we were able to have Tim and Sharron (Sherman) Teed in our home for the day. I went to Hobe Sound with Sharron. They are Fed-Ex truckers and were going to be in Tampa for the weekend. It was so nice having them here! We had a lot of fun! I forgot to take any picture. Other than that we haven't been up to much else. We are loving the cooler fall weather that has started here in FL!

15 Month Check-up and Updated Pictures

Evan had his 15 month 2 week check-up yesterday. He is 33 inches long and weighs 23 pounds. He hasn't gained any weight since his last appointment but he grew 3 inches. The doctor said he looks very healthy and is surprised at the fact that Evan hasn't really ever had more than a mild cold. He was impressed with all the words Evan can say and how well he listens when given directions. It was one of those days where when I said "Come here please" Evan immediately responded. I wish he did that everyday!:) Evan managed to escape any shots as the Hib vaccine is on national shortage and I opted not to have the flu shot or chickenpox vaccine given. Question for all you Mom's who read this blog: Did you give your child(ren) the chickenpox vaccine and why or why not? The pediatrician is really pushing for Evan to have it, but I really don't want him to have it. The research I have done seems inconclusive as to it effectiveness. My theory is that we (my generation) all had it and we made it just fine. The doctor did admit to me that children rarely develop life threatening complications from chickenpox. Anyway, Evan is doing great. He spiked a decent fever last weeks for a few days, but was in a jolly mood and we think it must have just been teeth. He did get a little lethargic with it and was a little cuddlebug. He is running now! Much to Mommy's dismay at moments! Thus the start of scraped knees and fat lips. Yes, he had both this past week! Putting his blankie in his firetruck!
Just waking from a nap. Yes, he still naps in his swing!:)
This is very unusual for him. He normally doesn't want to cuddle except when he isn't feeling well or in the middle of the night. I had just gotten him up from his nap and was scratching his back (which he LOVES!). Excuse my fly-away hair!

Stephen Nathaniel Brown

Marianne and Phillip welcomed Stephen Nathaniel into their lives at 11:40Am. He weighed in at 6lbs 12ozs. Momma and Baby are both doing great. Congratulations to the whole family! I can't wait to see my newest nephew! This will make five grandsons for my parents!:)

Fireproof- A Must See!

Justin and I took a date "night" Friday afternoon and went to see the new movie Fireproof. It was incredible! Maybe some of you have heard or read about it, but Sherwood Baptist Church out of Albany, Georgia has produced this movie along with two others (Flywheel and Facing The Giants). It is so rare for a good Christian movie to come out. I wanted to post this Friday evening, but my computer decided to be stubborn! It is about marriage and the foundation a marriage has to be built on in order to survive. It deals with some issues that I think the church as a whole has overlooked and that is the reasons why so many marriages are falling apart with in the church. There are so many people suffering silently and what better way to reach them. It also presents a clear Salvation message. For more information you can go to http://www.fireproofthemovie.com and read more about it. I don't have a clue who all reads this blog, but I would strongly encourage everyone to go see this movie.

Waiting for our food.

Daddy and Evan playing with Ginger!

What can I find to play with in here!

His favorite toy at the park. He loves to pretend he is driving!

So serious!

Justin and Adam out to eat for Justin's birthday.

Newer Pictures

This post is mainly going to be pictures of the past few weeks. Things are starting to slow down and I am regaining a little of my energy. Since I last blogged Justin celebrated his 28th birthday on Sept. 17. We had a nice dinner out with his family. We actually had a nice time just the two of us the weekend before. It's so hard to surprise him with anything, but I did manage to get tickets to a comedy show without him knowing about it. I have been spending quite a bit of time caring for Dave (the elderly gentleman two condos down from us). He has fallen twice in the past week and ended up with some pretty nasty looking wounds. It's nice to be able to put some of my nursing skills back into action. Evan is his usual happy self. He keeps us on our toes and we love every minute of it! He "talks" a lot more now. I'm amazed at how many words he actually says and know what they mean. Well, for some reason blogger is not letting me post any pictures. I may have to resort to several posts through Picasa or just wait until later to post pictures.

A little boy's best friend!

Well, we have welcomed a new member to our family. She is of the four legged kind. Her name is Ginger and she is 12 weeks old. She is a full blooded golden retriever. She was to be a show dog, but the owners little girl was diagnosed with brain cancer and they decided she would be happier as a pet. She will live with Justin's parents until we move into a house. This way she will grow up with Evan and when we move she can come live with us. Ginger has a wonderful personality and seems to have already taken a liking to Evan. Home to meet Daddy!
Follow the leader!
Hum, what's this thing?
Evan's first glimpse of Ginger. Not to sure what to think at first!

Update

Ok, so I know a few of you think I dropped off the face of the earth (sorry April, I am trying to do better!), but the truth is I have been to worn out to blog! We are still alive and well. Unfortunately, this post will have to do without pictures because I haven't gotten them uploaded yet! I have been so exhausted lately that I'm napping every time Evan does! I hate it because I can't get anything done. Come to find out my TSH (thyroid) level is high. I had this problem quite a few years ago and was back to normal with Synthroid. I started the medication to day although the doctor warned me it could take two months to straighten out. Other than that I have started helping an elderly man who lives two condos down from us. It's great because I can walk there in under a minute and I can take Evan with me. They love to see Evan and it works well with our schedule. Evan is doing great! He has twelve teeth now. He is really starting to "like" eating. He walks everywhere and tried to run every now and then. We are amazed at the words he can say! He loves to go to the park and seems to enjoy playing with other kids. The past two Sundays, he has been very comfortable in the nursery at church. I was a little anxious about it due to the fact that it's a new church for us, but he seems to be doing great. He took an instant liking to the senior pastor and reached out to be held the first time they met which is very unusual. Justin has been very busy with work lately. We are looking forward to things slowing down in the next few weeks! I'll try and post later this week with pictures, but no promises! Have a wonderful night!

Our Little Man is Growing Up!

Riding a carousel for the first time. He loved it!
In his little rocking chair. He also uses it to climb onto the bed!
It's so hard for me to believe how fast this past year has gone. I can remember crying when my parents where here after Evan's birth and thinking I would spend the rest of my life dead on my feet! Evan has started sleeping through the night the past two weeks. At first I was ecstatic! I'd waited 13 months for this to be a consistent thing. In the past he would go for several nights and then go back to getting up at least once during the night. When I talked with the pediatrician about it he said to just go with it because of the trouble we have getting Evan to eat. When he would get up at night he always took a full bottle. In the past few weeks Evan has really done a lot better as far as eating goes. Some days are a struggle, but nothing compared to what it used to be. Anyway, all that to say, I am really missing him getting up at night! I know, you probably think I'm crazy and have gone off the deep end! Seriously though, as exhausting as it was, those nights are precious memories. Evan is not a real big "cuddle bug". At night that would change. He would lay in my arms and seemed content to stay there forever. As if Momma was the most wonderful thing in the world. I know Evan has to grow up and I really do want him to. It's just the sentimental Momma in me that wishes she could keep that innocence for just a little longer. Each day he becomes a little more independent. We can't wait to see what God has in store for his life! No matter how long I live I will always cherish those nights that we cuddled while I prayed over his little life.