Walz visit

Dear Weston, 2 months

Dear Weston,

I have a confession to make.  It took us until the nurse said, "Ok we need the filled out birth certificate form like... now." for us to finally decide on your name.  That's right, you were named "                   " Lee Hoffman, for the first 2 days of your life.  We had a tough time coming up with a name for your brother too, but we had a moment, and it just came.  This time around, for whatever reason, there was no "moment".  We decided to go to the hospital with our top 3 names and just knew once we saw you, we would know.  Well..... you looked pretty good with all three names.  You are one good lookn' kid, so naturally, lots of names would fit a gorgeous face like yours!  Obviously, we finally decided on Weston Lee.  Lee is your Daddy's middle name and also a Hoffman family name.  You are blessed to be given a name after your Dad Weston.   He is a man you can look up to and model your life after.  We like that "Weston" can be shortened to "Wes" and think it's really a cool name in general.  Now there is no doubt you look like a Weston to us!

Your first two months home have been wonderful.  Although juggling two kids is a new challenge for me,  I am a much more relaxed mom the second time around.  I'm fairly confident, I won't break you, so that helps too :).   It also helps a lot that you are an easy baby.  You have given us 3 nights in a row sleeping from 10pm-6am!  Way to go Weston!!!

You've already started to smile and coo and it completely lights up my life!  It came so easily to you and so quickly.  You give us big open mouth grins and love it when we talk to you or sing to you.  Lucky for you (or not so lucky), you get the same amount of ridiculous singing and made up "Hoffman" originals as Luke did.  These songs probably have an expiration date with you guys, but I doubt that will stop your dad and I from continuing to belt them out :).  

I love our time in the morning together.  You are so content and smiley.  You are a funny little guy too.  You grunt all the time.  You are always moving your arms around and you are starting to hold your head a little more steady these days.  You are sleeping in our room still, mostly because your room is all the way upstairs!  It's so much easier not to have to climb the stairs at night in case we have to change your diaper, or put your paci back in your mouth, or feed you!  You like to sleep in your bouncy seat at night, I think it helps with your digestion, but I don't really care where you sleep, as long as you keep giving us 10pm-6am!  You are eating every 3 to 3.5 hours and get about 6 feedings a day.  At your 2 months check-up, get this, you weighed 13lbs 15oz  and were 23 1/4 inches long.  You are HUGE!  You are gaining a roll or two on your sweet thighs and your cheeks are absolutely the most kissable things out there.  Your brother was 12.5lbs at his 3 month check-up so you are on your way to being quite a bit bigger!

In the left pic you are at 2 weeks and the right pic is 2 months.  You have GROWN!

Your brother Luke had an adjustment period for about a week when you came home.  Don't get me wrong he has  loved every minute with you.  He just had an emotional adjustment to get through.  He loves hugging you, patting your head, and giving you kisses.  He says "Ohhhh buddy, don't cry" and "is ok Wesssson" when you are upset.  He likes to talk to you in a high pitched voice.  You always smile at him and follow him around the room with your eyes.  He cares a lot for you already and I think you will be fast friends. 

It's so much fun finding out the things you love.  You love to be held, no matter how hard you were crying and you stop immediately as soon as we pick you up.  You love your bath just like your big brother!  You are so calm and relaxed in your little whale tub.  Sadly, you don't get as many baths as you should.  Having 2 kids has caused me to slack a little bit on the bathing... sorry about that!  You do not love being put down, and you do not love car rides so much.  We are working on it :).

I love how you grip my arm so tight when I'm holding you and how you perch your head on top of my shoulder to see what's going on.  I love learning about your personality and temperament.  It's fun to see the similarities with your brother and the differences.  You are just you, and I am completely and totally smitten with you sweet boy.  I pray you always know how much you are delighted in and how much more your heavenly Father delights in you.  I am so glad you're mine Weston Lee.

Love,
Mama

Weston's BIRTH DAY -- August 9th, 2012

Oh Weston, I have to start out by telling you, I was SO ready for you to get here.  This pregnancy was a tough one for me.  I was often sick, fighting off infection and lots of back pain.  I felt HUGE (and kinda was) and it was increasingly difficult, if not impossible for me to pick up your 30+ pound brother!  Not to mention, it was one of the hottest summers ever!  Also our air conditioner broke twice for over a week in July!  Is that enough complaining?

So with all that said, it was a Wednesday, your Dad and I needed some time together and hoped to get a few more dates in before you arrived.  We arranged for a babysitter and planned a night out together.  We started by taking a walk next to the Harpeth River.  I distinctly remember how hard it was for me to walk even at a very slow pace.  Your Dad and I both made jokes about how ridiculously slow I was walking! After about 20 minutes of trying to walk we both decided it was time to just give it up.  So we left for Puckett's to continue on with the rest of our date.  We went there because they had a bluegrass band playing and delicious southern fried food :).  Our sweet waitress sat us at the table and immediately asked when I was due.  I told her, "hopefully tonight!" although your due date was still a week away (August 14th). We ordered these big burgers and a very large side of fries.  It tasted so good to me.  Fun fact, I ate more burgers with you in my belly than I  have in the last 6 years combined.  Just know that normally I have red meat about twice a year, if that gives you any idea.  Now you're understanding why I was "feeling" so HUGE aren't you?! :)  Not long after we sat down I started feeling what I thought were braxton hicks.  I had a lot of braxton hicks with you so it wasn't alarming.  We got our food and the band began to play.  A few minutes later I told your Dad I thought I might be having some contractions.  "Nothing to worry about", I said, "it was so hot today and we did just go for a difficult 20 minute walk (sarcasm implied)."  A few more minutes went by and it seemed as though they were coming at a regular intervals.  I told your dad, I probably just needed to get up and walk around for a second.  So I got up and went to the bathroom.  On my way, I passed our waitress who looked at me with sincere concern and asked if I was ok.  After getting to the bathroom, I quickly realized that I was in fact, experiencing real contractions.  When I got back to the table your dad had already asked for the check and was handing me my purse.  He knew it was time to go.  Our waitress was so sweet, she had wrapped up some dessert on the house for us and sent us on our way with well-wishes and excitement.  When we got in the car we called your Nana and told her to remain on stand-by.  True to form, I wasn't completely sure this was the real thing yet.  Your dad, however, was SURE it was.  We got home around 8:30 and relieved the baby sitter, your brother was already in bed.  I got in the shower, just in case we had to leave for the hospital (I couldn't go without re-fixing my hair right!?)  Your dad scurried around the house gathering everything we would need to take with us and already had Nana on her way over.  I was in the bathroom fixing my hair in between stopping to breathe through contractions when Nana arrived.  Both your Dad and Nana would not let me finish fixing my hair and had me in the car before I knew it.  Honestly, I still wasn't sure it was real, but knowing Baptist hospital was a good 30 minutes away without any traffic had me in the car just in case.

We arrived around 10pm and they wheeled me to an exam room and had me checked.  I was 5cm and 80% effaced.  They were keeping us.  Your dad and I were sent to the delivery room where we would remain the rest of the night.  Somewhere around 12:30am, your heart rate dropped.  All of a sudden there were 6 people in the room turning me from side to side, checking me, putting an oxygen mask on my face, and an anesthesiologist there asking me a million questions preparing me for an epidural and a possible emergency C-section.  I began crying in fear and in pain.  Your Dad held my hand while trying to stay out of the way of the nurses.  Finally, in what seemed like forever your heart rate began to rise to a safe range again.  A physician came in and looked things over, assuring me that everything was fine.  It was a terrifying 10 minutes, tears continued to stream down my face long after the hype was over.  God answered our prayers again by keeping you safe and by providing wonderful nurses to get us through.

After getting the epidural I was able to calm down again and rest a little.  Just like with your brother, we had a wonderful nurse, but one that talked to us the whole night through.  We heard her life story and found out we had a lot of things in common like; she had also lived in Ohio, Michigan, Alabama, and Tennessee.  Finally around 4:00am I felt like I needed to push.  It was such a calm scene compared to what had happened just hours ago.  The nurse calmly walked to the phone and called for Dr. Barret.  About 15 minutes later we were all set to push.  It only took 5 pushes and you were out!

They were able to place you on my chest and for the second time in my life, I had an overwhelming rush of immediate and intense love for you sweet one.   You were a healthy 8 lbs  20 inches born at 4:31am.  I don't think I put you down for hours.  The time with just the 3 of us in the hospital for those few days was so sweet.  It was easy going and filled with hours of holding you and staring at you.

You are the most perfect addition to our family, Weston, and I am so grateful God gave you to us.  We are incredibly blessed to call you our son.  We love you beyond measure Weston Lee!

In case you were wondering....  After your big brother got over all the buttons on the side of the hospital bed, he instantly took to you.  He was so curious about your hands and feet.  He gave you sweet hugs and kisses too.  Our prayer is that God develops in both of you a great love for each other and a deep friendship that starts early and lasts a life time.

Baby Bump, #2

Less than 2 weeks to go (I hope)!  Can't wait to meet you baby boy!!

Dear Luke, 24 months

Dear Luke,

2 years old.  Wow.  You are so big.  You are learning so much and growing too fast!  You have the sweetest heart of any kid I know.  It is so welcoming and tender.  You say "HI!" to everyone and want to know everyone's name.  You bring joy to anyone who is around you and people cannot help but notice your smile and sweet nature.
In the very near future you are going to be a big brother. Something I've been thinking about lately is how God chose you to be our first child.  That's pretty special and it wasn't by accident.  I am so lucky to have a big sister,  I look up to her so much and learn from her all the time.  I pray God gives you a wonderful friendship with your little brother, I pray you will have love and protection for him, and that you will want to be an example for him.

What an incredible responsibility and honor you have, Luke.  God knew you would be up for the challenge but you should also know it's a HUGE blessing.  You will be one awesome big brother buddy.  We are so proud of you.
Happy Birthday sweet boy!!!
Love,
Mom

 gotta have a Luke sandwich!!!

Pool Days

Child, you are fearless around water.  Your first time at the pool this summer you showed no fear.  You hopped right in and just expected to float.  Jumping in and out of the baby pool, getting your face wet, learning how to go under water.  There was no stopping you. 

After the baby pool's newness wore off, you moved on to other areas.  Mostly the grass, the water fountain, the drain where the yucky stuff collects, the flowers, and chairs.  Pretty much everywhere but the actual pool.

Being 8 months pregnant, it has not been easy keeping up with you.  Thank goodness for Nana!  She does a great job keeping track of you and snatching you up before you walk right in the big pool.

I am very pleased to say that in the last couple weeks you've become a lot more interested in the pools actual purpose, swimming! You are becoming a great little swimmer.  You are enjoying the pool a lot more and like to float out there all on your own.  You're learning to kick and paddle and it is just too much fun to watch you go!  I took you to the pool by myself last week (35 weeks pregnant) and we (meaning I) did great. 

 Your favorite time of day.... SNACK TIME!

I am loving these summer days with just the 2 of us.  We've spent many many days at our neighborhood pool and I am so grateful to have it!  Next summer you'll have a little brother to chase you around.  You can teach him how to put his face in the water and how to swim! We are so blessed, Luke!

Just because it's adorable

I. can't. handle. it.

Mother's Day 2012

 It was a very special Mother's Day thanks to my 2 favorite guys in the whole world.

Sadly, my only baby bump picture so far.  27 weeks pregnant with Baby Hoff #2.

Dear Luke, 22 months

Dear Luke,
I haven't written you a letter since you were 16 months.  It's been 6 months! I've missed it.  As you can imagine, a lot has changed about you in 6 months...

You woke up this morning in typical fashion, peeking through the cut-out on the back of your crib, saying, "daddy!".  Your crib has been facing backwards for several months now because you figured out how to climb out of it.  Even with the mattress all the way to the floor you were clever enough to wedge your foot in between the bars and hop right of over it (not so gracefully, I might add).  The back-side of your crib is taller and doesn't have any slats so you haven't figured out a way over it... yet.

A couple days before you learned how to get out of your crib.  We should of known something was coming.

You love your Daddy.  You ask for him several times a day, and always when you wake up in the morning or from naps.  Often, Daddy is the one to get you from your crib in the morning.  It's your special time together- Dad's favorite time of day with you.  There are several days out of the week dad has to leave before you get up.  I tell you, "Daddy's not here right now" and then you respond, "Worrrrkkk.". 

You say everything we say.  Or at least you try to say everything we say.  Reading books together has completely changed.  We no longer read to you, you just to point to everything on the page and want us to tell you what it is, that is, if you haven't already told us.  We have these flashcards with pictures and letters on them and they have become your favorite play item in the house.  You sit for long periods of time telling us what you see on the cards, making all the animal noises you know, and saying "x-ray" when you come to the x-ray card.  You already know the letter R, E, and A.  You like to point them out on our shirt or in books.  You are so smart.  As much as you are talking these days and putting 2-3 word sentences together, you also have your very own language.  It cannot really be described, except that it's one of the cutest noises I've heard and makes us all laugh when you do it.  Good thing we have some of it on video.

Some of my favorite phrases you say right now are;

"old ju"- when you want me to hold you
"dare eee esss" which translates to, "there he is!"
"uuuug?" - always asked in question form- you love to give out hugs
"Biiiirrrrrrd"  You love animals, but especially birds
"cooo duue"  which is, "cool dude" what we say when you wear daddy's hats or put sunglasses on.

I see so much tenderness and curiosity in you and I pray that God will make me equal to the task of developing those things in you.
I love you Luker!
Mommy