Miss Layla Grace

Baby’s birth announcement is long overdue, she’s three weeks old now and I’ve got no bragging on my blog. It’s simply unacceptable because she’s completely amazing. So with no further ado (there actually will be more following the picture, but it sounded right) I give you Miss Layla Grace –

Because the placenta previa went away I didn’t have to have a c-section but we still planned to be induced because the majority of my help post-baby and with the two Littles at home, was coming from Colorado in the form of my mom and sister. It was certainly not an easy task to get them here in time. First, they had to change their tickets after the c-section was canceled and then there was serious stress if they’d make it in time because I was dilated 3 cm with two weeks to go and Andrea was cutting it close, not coming until 12 hours before I was set to go to the hospital. I made sure not to even sneeze to make sure Baby would stay cooking until my family arrived.

When the day finally came we made an early start to the hospital and I was sure we’d meet Baby before noon since I was already so far dilated and they say the more children you have the faster labor goes… no dice. It was still a relatively quick day since my doctor is a Rock Star and likes to kick up the pitocin every time she came in the room, but I was anxious throughout the day anyway and the nurses seemed to be moving so slowly. The hospital was on day two using a new computer system and since my nurse was practically archaic with her computer skills, it was an extra long day and I was ready to take part and actually DO something and participate in bringing Baby here.

After the epidural (and I basically washed the med student’s feet with my tears straight biblical style) I asked my OB to check me because even though the nurse said I wasn’t contracting enough, I was pretty sure things were ready to get started. Justin was about to leave for the cafeteria (again) so he was shocked to be called back because I was at 10 cm and we were ready to go! When she asked me to try pushing, the baby crowned, and everything intensified. Three pushes later, we met our new baby girl! I have to say, the moment of the big gender reveal wasn’t as exciting as I was hoping (the heavens opening, light shining on her, “hallelujah” in the background... the usual.) our doctor did hold her up in what can only explain as the naaaa sevenjaaa moment in the Lion King's Circle of Life. Still, in hindsight I would have rather found out the gender at the midway ultrasound.

Even more surprising than finding out it was a girl (I was pretty sure the entire time that it was another girl) was her extremely dark brown, stick-straight hair. Finally, a child that may look like me! At that point we realized none of the names on our list were very fitting for her, except Layla, and it still took over 24 hours to officially name her. I was stuck on the middle name because I’d always assumed we’d use “Elizabeth” after a dear family friend and my favorite character from a novel and movie (Ms. Bennett from Pride & Prejudice is a serious kind of hero) but again, it just didn’t seem quite perfect anymore.

So I turned to Andrea and asked her to help name Layla. It was special because I wanted her to share in some part of Layla because we were supposed to share much more, so I at least wanted to share my daughter’s name. When I found out I was pregnant, I called Andrea to tell her and in true fashion, she let me go on and on about it before telling me she was also expecting and she was due ONE day before me. We were both ecstatic to be pregnant together and deliver so close together. Unfortunate doesn’t do justice to the feeling when I heard from her husband that she’d miscarried a couple weeks later. Again, true to her nature she was more than happy to come to Cleveland to be in the hospital room with us for Layla’s birth. She chose the perfect name to follow Layla – Grace. It already speaks to the strength in her personality and the fighter I can tell she’s going to be. “The beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair” and I see Layla wanting to share that with others. God willing.

my eggs are like vaccuums

We were blessed, excited, nervous, overjoyed, overwhelmed and SURPRISED when we found out six weeks ago that we are expanding the family once again and "Baby Gump" will make an arrival around September 10th!

In every way our cup runneth over.

Me and Mama Brady

It’s been a week now since I’ve made one of the bigger decisions I’ve made to date… a choice that will affect every member of our little family. It was a pretty tough choice to make, one that I’m still secretly nervous may not end up being entirely the right choice for me personally, but I’m completely certain is the best option for my family, so ultimately it was a decision I’m happy to make. Starting November 18th I will officially be a stay at home mom.

I know this is a dream for many women to be in a place where they can afford to live on one income – we will certainly be cutting back, but thankfully are able to live solely on Justin’s salary – but personally, being a working mom has always been a pretty great dynamic for me. I worked extremely hard to make sure I could achieve my goal to work in sports and entertainment… an opportunity I knew would be hard to come by. I chased down a competitive internship at USA Basketball and applied relentlessly until my resume was finally picked up by the Cleveland Cavaliers. I landed my dream job when I was just 23 years-old and have been incredibly blessed by the opportunities I’ve had here. That’s what makes this hardest, I’ve really enjoyed what I do – and challenged myself to grow a entry level position of a coordinator to a manager.

All that said, I’m not lost under rose-colored glasses. The pay in sports is hardly anything to write home about (believe me, the professional athletes make the dollar bills, not the team behind the team – not that the Cavs are unfair, it’s like this across the board until you’re really high up and I’m not at a place where I want to dedicate myself to climbing the corporate ladder). So when you’re paying to put two kids in day care fulltime, it’s practically a wash. The hours are anything but traditional or consistent during the season, and I had it better than most.

A couple weeks ago I worked 50 hours by the end of the day on Thursday and I still had all of Friday and a quick trip back to work for a couple hours over the weekend. It was clear that it was too much for me at this point. Justin’s off work for over an hour before I get home every day as it is, so tag on the nights and early mornings I’d have to work and I can literally go days without seeing my babies for more than a kiss goodnight. These years are too short to continue down this road.

I’m not sure this is my future as a stay-at-home. I hope in the next couple years I’ll go back to school for a masters in counseling so I’ll have the same hours as my kids, and I can use some of the gifts God’s given me in an area I’ve felt called to since high school. I’m more than nervous that I’m never going to find a good network of other moms in Cleveland… I have this fear that all that’s out there are teacher-sweater moms (the ones that wear sweater vests with appliqués and poms way prematurely) and that finding new relatable mommy friends will be harder to find than a husband, but I’m up for the challenge. Not succeeding at this is simply not an option.

we welcome with love...

Austin is five weeks old now - I keep meaning to post his birth story, and the time keeps passing. I will get it online soon, but not today. I want to share all the nuances that he has and the little personality traits that shine through already, but not today. Today, I'm exhausted again.

Making His Arrival

Austin Lee

8 lbs 8 oz 20"

snips & snails & puppy dogs tails

so much for not finding out! I was the one pushing for a surprise because I thought it would be such an awesome moment - and I'm sure it would be - we just won't know this time! Really, to do the whole waiting thing, I think the second child is the worst option. just foolish. crazy. absurd. you get my sentiment. PLUS I got permission from my Mormor to find out - and she was the one I was most worried would be disappointed if we changed our minds because she was so thrilled with the idea that we would wait to find out.

THAT SAID, as you can see in the blog below clearly it hasn't been fun for us not to know. Justin has wanted to know the gender the entire time - I had it in my head that it would be really neat to wait. He remembered from the first pregnancy how he felt more connected knowing we were anxiously awaiting our baby girl. Taking that into consideration, along with my desire to have everything organized and ready and my need for a distraction in life and something to throw myself into right now made it a pretty easy decision. We wanted to know and we had a way to find out so dang it, we were going to find out! After six phone calls to Andrea assuring her it wasn't a test and YES we really did want to know and no we wouldn't hold it against her for opening the envelope we know that (drum roll please...........................................................)


I WAS RIGHT! I've been 80% sure the entire time it was a boy... this pregnancy has felt so much different than the first and I just had that feeling! *SIGH* I'm so glad we know now, and to be completely honest - I'm glad we did it the way we did! I think what still made this such a unique surprise was how we found out. Instead of hearing it from a technician we got to find out from my sister, which made it that much more special! Her voice cracked when she told us, I started crying, J was fist pumping and he's nearly certain Alex teared up as well when they were on the phone after Andrea and I were done with our girly gushing! Oh my gosh, I am completely thrilled, we are so blessed. Our baby boy!!

so, for those of you disappointed we found out - that's quite alright - if there's a B3 I told Justin there's no way we would find out. and I'm mostly completely confident I'll be able to hold out for the surprise. probably.

Adding to the Roster...

What's one more?! We've been keeping this one under wraps for quite awhile... I'm 13 weeks pregnant! We would have told more people sooner than this, but I really wanted to wait so I could tell my family in Seattle and Idaho when we were visiting in person. totally worth the wait. Baby Bail #2 (B2 as J affectionately refers to it) is due to arrive March 20, 2010. We had some minor complications/scare a couple weeks ago... a blood clot tore from the placenta or something, so there was some spotting and light cramping, but 30 minutes of ultrasound and an experts promise it really wasn't a big deal, left us breathing a little easier. All is well!


We're compromising this time (read: I win!) and will wait until the delivery to find out the gender... everything in me is saying "boy" which makes me almost certain it will be a girl. This pregnancy has been almost entirely different than it was with Bell. Where the first one was ridiculously easy, this has been hard. I never had morning sickness and I couldn't find a vitamin or "fix" for the life of me for a couple of weeks. no throwing up, but constant nauseousness. the first time I wasn't incredibly tired, now I'm usually ready for bed before Bella. Since it has been so different already paired with Justin's hopefulness for a boy, leads me to believe it's likely going to be a hyped-up, curly hair, crazy energy baby boy. we'll see... in 27 more weeks.

Congrats Cousin!

a BIG congratulations to my cousin Anna on her engagement last week!! I got the text on the drive home from Columbus and literally screamed out loud I was so excited for her! She and her fiancé live in Seattle and he proposed at the top of a mountain during a hike complete with the ring and champagne in his backpack to celebrate! Well done Barclay! I’m seriously so so excited for them and can’t wait for the wedding next spring/summer - we just booked our tickets to go visit my family in Seattle and Idaho at the end of the summer, we’re really looking forward to it and finally giving a congratulations hug and squeal in person!

I think one of the reasons it’s so easy to be happy for Anna is she’s so charismatic and happy that you just love to see good things happen for her. We’ve always loved when the other would visit, she’s literally like the older-sister I don’t have and we always got along really well and gravitate to spend time with each other when the families are together. Growing up we were pen pals and I still have some of the letters she sent me and our dialogue was completely ridiculous, it was awesome! I can still remember the thrill I got each time my mom handed me one of her decorated envelopes after getting the mail for the day, and the fervor to respond as soon as possible about the boy she liked and tell her all about my latest crush. I’m so blessed to have such a great relationship and influence as a constant in my life…

Anna, in celebration of you I’m going to wear the pink shirt, so you should definitely go purple. I love you!

Welcome Sophia!

Justin's brother and sister-in-law in Florida had their baby on Thursday, June 25th! (or as Nate likes to brag... Jesus' half birthday, haha!) Sophia Ann weighed in at 7 lbs 6 oz and 20 inches... we're excited to meet her!

Sugar and Spice

We’ve been keeping a little secret for almost an entire month… not intentionally, it just sort of happened. We had our horray-you're-half-way-there ultrasound in the middle of December and found out the sex of Baby Bail! I was on the fence for awhile about finding out or not, but when it came down to it and she asked if we wanted to find out if it was a girl or a boy, Justin so adamantly wanted to know that I conceded. I was so nervous about finding out for some reason, I think because I was so sure it was a girl that I felt like I would have been a bad mother because I don’t know my own baby if we found out it was a boy. It seemed like forever that she was searching for the perfect view of baby to check for the twig and berries—finally she freezes the frame and says, “do you see these two little dots” to which Justin literally throws up a fist pump and proclaims “YEAH BALLS!” we quickly learned they were actually ovaries or some other female body part I didn’t remember from my anatomy class and Baby Bail is now officially Baby Girl Bail! Justin’s excited (and adapting and thinks he needs to purchase a gun now) and I’m thrilled because I think it will be so great to have a girl first, and I kind of picture myself as a girl’s mom. Lord help me.

My mom was on the same page as Justin and she really wanted us to find out if it was a girl or a boy. If we weren’t going to find out she so kindly offered to be the gate-keeper of the secret in case I cracked and just had to know. Since she wanted to find out so badly, and I gave her her Christmas present at the beginning of December (I made a scrapbook Christmas advent calendar so she opened it December 1st) I wrapped a little pink and white polka dot dress for under the tree so when she opened it she’d figure out it’s a girl! It was practically impossible to keep it a secret though since we found out almost two weeks before Christmas. In fact, I accidentally spilled it to my sister Andrea when we were on the phone and I referenced Baby Bail as “she”.

The best part was Christmas Eve I got this frantic phone call from one of my closest friends that she just ran into my mom at church and apparently I forgot to tell her it was a semi-secret and my mom didn’t know yet. Erin approached Mom and Christmas pleasantries were exchanged before she asked Mom how excited she must be to know the sex of the baby. After a few seconds of Mom’s confused look Erin figured out that she didn’t know yet! Apparently Mom was just staring at her blankly and finally realized that I’ve known for awhile and she was the only one in the loop that didn’t know. She looked over at my brother (who was trying not to laugh too hard) and asked if he knew. Will graciously offers that not only does he know but Andrea knows too—meanwhile Erin is still standing there feeling terrible that she let Mom know that we know. (I hope I’m telling this story well enough, I think I’ve already confused myself, haha!) So I called Mom and told her to go ahead and make her one present she opens Christmas Eve be the one from me and seconds after opening it I was basically talking to myself on the phone because she was crying. again.

Introducing: Baby Girl Bail!

she's looking straight ahead to the camera
we couldn't get a profile shot because she was so squirmy. she just wasn't having it!
her cute little hand by her head

her tiny little baby girl foot
(the other foot and shin are at the far left facing different)

the best profile shot we could manage, but it's mostly to check her spine
Justin has already nicknamed her Skelator. precious huh?!

my own And1

Baby Bail is on the way!!

Justin and I found out a couple months ago that we're expecting Baby Bail on May 8, 2008! We've basically been trying for almost an entire year so to say that we were ecstactic would be putting it lightly! As thrilled as we are though, the look on J's face in this picture depicts pretty well all the other feelings running through our heads, haha! Everyone keeps saying that there's this motherly instinct that just kicks in and I'll know what to do, I'm praying I get extra of that though, because I don't want to mess this up! (I've also had a brief conversation with God that I'll only get a basketball belly and big no where else, and that labor is as easy as sneezing and it will simply fall out...)

I'm at 12 weeks now and if it weren't for the four positive pregnancy tests, a few doctor's appointments, an ultra sound and actually filling out my bra now, I wouldn't know I was pregnant. As I understand I've had it pretty easy so far. I was nauseous a little in the very beginning but never threw up and haven't had any morning sickness. Now that I'm through my first trimester, as I understand, I should be in the clear. YAY! It does make me nervous though that it's so easy now that it's going to be a disaster later.

I change my mind basically every day if I want to find out the sex before the due date. Today I don't want to know, but I'm such a control freak and planner I don't see how I can not know. Justin I think wants to know the sex, but I think it would be such a cool surprise to wait. We'll see I guess, for now we're both feeling so incredibly blessed!