Callie's photo shoot

Callie and I had a little photo shoot the other day...she's stolen my

heart:)

Ok Mom, enough pictures! I'm getting tired here!

Teddy

The first night we were home with Callie she was sleeping peacefully in her bassinet - and I noticed Max run to his room and run back out to put something in the bassinet beside his sister. Quietly I hear him whisper to her "Do you want my teddy?" Here is what I found:

P.S. Max has slept with this teddy every night since he was a baby.

Nursery

I wanted to put some pictures of Callie's nursery - we've worked hard to make it extra special for our little girl:)

I ordered the quilt from easy.com and the pillows are from yard sales & the biggest one from T.J. Max.

Max and I made the butterfly canvas' on the wall:)

Kindergarten stud...

My little man is becoming a big man...and on Tuesday he started Kindergarten. When he got home he said "IT WAS AWESOME!" That's what I love to hear!

His teacher's name is Mrs. Wagler and they made fruit salad on the very first day for a snack. Now that sounds like my sort of teacher:) Uncle Clay is picking him up and bringing him home each day from school while I'm on maternity leave. I can't say enough about my brother's amazing heart - he loves Max so much and has his back no matter what. Halfway thru the first day I got a text message from him that said he saw Max at lunch and everything was going great. He is just so thoughtful, so kind, and never stops giving to others. Max is super lucky to have him as an uncle!

Max's favorites at the start of Kindergarten:

Color: Orange

Food: Pizza or spaghetti

Sport: Basketball

Toy: Legos

TV show: iCarly or Phineas & Ferb

Team: Cougar Basketball

Insect: Butterfly

Book series: Bearenstein Bears

Past time: Taking a ride on the Polaris Ranger

He's growing up so fast - love you, my sweet boy!

Introducing Miss Callie...

The day finally came to meet Miss Callie - Aug. 10th, 2011.

We headed to the hospital at 7 am and began induction at around 9 am (since the hospital was having a major baby boom and was incredibly busy)! Soon it came time to break my water and progress was slow but steady. At around 3 p.m. they checked me and I was 7 cm dilated, but the baby was face up and her heart rate had went down slightly - so they wanted me to turn over to my right side and see if that made a difference. About 10 min. later I told Gabe that I was feeling the urge to push - and the nurses came in at the same moment. They had noticed from the monitor that the baby had flipped to the right position - and when they checked me I was 10 cm and ready to push! After 20 min. of pushing - Miss Callie Catherine arrived perfect and healthy!

After getting the room cleaned up and wrapping the baby in a blanket and the signature pink hat, the nurses let Max and my parents come in to meet Callie. Max was very hesitant seeing me in the hospital bed and just not sure about the whole situation. When I asked him if he wanted to hold his baby sister, he bluntly told me "I'm not holding her until she has a bath!"

Since returning home, we have all settled in and Max has adjusted wonderfully! We have had visitors in and out nonstop and some wonderful family and friends spoiling us with dinners and desserts. Callie sleeps all day and is up most of the night - but we are all on cloud nine to have a healthy little girl at home and don't even care about the lack of sleep:)

At morning light...

At morning light...things will begin to change for our family.

Dear Callie Catherine,

As I sit here writing to you, I'm watching my belly move in a crazy, unnatural way that I've become accustomed to. These past 9 months have been very up and down for me - my moods always changing and my body betraying me on a daily basis. This pregnancy has been very different from the one I experienced with your big brother - and I'm excited to discover the small differences in your personalities and looks.

Tomorrow I will finally meet you - I will finally get to touch your soft, sweet skin. It's a moment I have waited for since the second me and your daddy starting dreaming about you. And although I have a long day ahead of me and nerves are running high - I also know that the moment you arrive will make every single struggle and pain worth it and more.

What I hope and pray for you is a heart full of hope and faith. I want to give you all the paths to happiness and allow you to be yourself, who God created you to be. And I can't wait to see just who that is! I hope that you have the sweet nature and honest, open heart of your great-grandmother, who you were named after. I hope I will see the same innocence in your eyes as your brother's. Will you not be able to say no to anyone, like your daddy? And what will I find in you that connects you to me?

Tomorrow, my love...tomorrow we will see.

And until then I am praying for you...and hoping for you...and envisioning our life as a family of four!

Down to days...

We are down to days as far as meeting our little miss. Max has been learning about and practicing how to take care of our new baby...Although this change in our lives will be an unbelieveable blessing...all change is hard to adjust to at first and difficult for little ones to wrap their minds around. Max is thinking and processing everything that will change - here is part of the conversation we already had this morning:

Max: When Callie comes will she have a stepdad?

Me: No, I will be her mom and Gabe will be her dad - but she won't have a stepdad like you have.

Max: Will Callie's last name be Swartzentruber?

Me: Yes, she will be a Swartzentruber.

Max: So I will be the only person in the house with the last name Toy?

Please be praying for all the transitions that will need to be made in the next few weeks. Specifically pray for Max - that he never feels "left out" or not an important part of this family. I am praying for clarity on how to make our blended family the very best it can be for everyone involved. Thanks so much, everyone!