Bradley's 1 month old!!

 

Sept. 14, 2013

Oct. 13, 2013

Our little man has been with us for 1 month, and I really can't believe its already October!

 Bradley is staying awake a little more during the day and is enjoying hanging out in his vibrating bouncer chair, tummy time, being held, and swaddled. He is getting really good at holding his head up for small periods of time and has started doing a little "talking." Each week he gets better and better at taking naps and sleeping through the night, so I'm hopefully we will get a goods nights rest sooner rather than later :) We've also started venturing out together and besides hating the car seat or when the car stops he is a pretty good companion. He even made his first trip to the OKC Zoo this past month. We went with big brother and our fun friends, the Kochenowers, and we all survived and had a good time! We also took the boys and my mom to Chester's Pumpkin Patch this past month. Carson really enjoyed running around, seeing the animals, and picking pumpkins, Bradley was just happy to be fed and burped by Grandma. 

 Pumpkin Patch 10-12-13

Carson seems to still really enjoy and love Bradley. He loves to help, even when help isn't needed ;) Last night we were coming home from a friends house and Bradley just wasn't enjoying the ride and Carson sat through the whole crying spell holding Bradleys hand telling him it was ok. And all the while Carson is smiling and dancing to the music, just enjoying the moment. It made my mommy heart so full! I pray they continue to grow to love and enjoy each other like that always.

We are also working hard with Carson on using the potty. We had one successful moment and since then no others, but we are determined to help him figure it out. He does however love underwear and getting to wear those around, so I think that's a step in the right direction.

So I guess we've had a pretty exciting month and we are looking forward to all the Fall festivities and holidays to come with our family of four!

Settling In

Bradley 1 week old

Carson 1 week old

Bradley 2 weeks old

 

 Bradley 3 weeks old

The first three weeks have really flown by, full of so many changes! Many have asked if it is harder or easier now with the second one. And honestly it is an entirely different ball game! Knowing what to expect with the hospital, bringing home a newborn, and the lack of sleep were a little easier to handle since we already knew how that went. But having a toddler to think about and entertain make it more of a challenge in many ways too! So I could get to know Bradley and his personality and to not rock Carson's world too much we have been keeping him on his daily daycare routine. His teachers tell me almost daily how he comes in talking about his new baby brother and how tiny he is. He really seems to enjoy the baby and getting to help and touch him whenever possible! However, the first week Carson was a bit of a hot mess. I was thinking it was a mix of the terrible twos and a new sibling, but we later found out he had a double ear infection! Since we've gotten that taken care of things have really changed and everyone seems a bit happier. It is the cutest thing to see Carson interact with "his baby."

Before we were discharged from the hospital our pediatrician came to check on Bradley and found that he has an asymmetric butt crease. Which sounds funny but actually can be a sign of a tethered spinal cord. The doctor assured us that Bradley was probably fine but if at the weight check in a couple of days the crease didn't seem to even out we'd have to have an ultrasound on his spine. Well at the weight check a few days after birth the crease had not evened out, so we were scheduled for an ultrasound. The percentage of newborns with some sort of birth mark near their lower back with a tethered spine is about 5 %, but to air on the safe side the doctor ordered the ultrasound. On Thursday, October 3rd we went to Children's Hospital to have Bradley's ultrasound. The tech thought things looked fine, but we'd have to wait for the doc to confirm that. Friday morning we heard everything was normal! Thank you Lord!! 

Bradley stats at his 2 week check: Length 20 3/4 inches / 50% compared to others, Weight 7lbs 15 oz (we have another big eater)/ 20% compared to others, and Head 35.3/ 20% compared to others. The doc thought he looked great!

Thanks to my dear friend Whitney, who set us up a meal train, we have been showered with many many meals and visitors. It has been so nice to see so many neighbors and friends and not have to worry about dinner! I'm not sure I'll remember how to make dinner for the boys once this month is over!

Bradley's Arrival

Bradley James Bertholf arrived September 14, 2013 at 11:27 pm! And we honestly didn't see it coming!

The Saturday before Bradley arrived Kyle and I went into Labor and Delivery triage thinking Bradley was trying to make his appearance then, but I wasn't contracting regularly enough for them to admit me. My doctor later told me if she was on call that weekend she would have just had me stay since I was so far along. But like all things, everything happens when it should. So we went home and I rested up and Kyle went on to the OU game. Tuesday of that week we went to the weekly doctor visit and scheduled my induction for Bradley's actual due date, September 17th at 7:30 in the morning. My doctor really felt confident that I wouldn't make it that long since I was already dilated to a 3. But I really felt since he hadn't come that he just wasn't going to come on his own, and had it set in my mind that we wouldn't be going to the hospital till the 17th. So I let my school know that Friday the 13th was my last day till after my maternity leave and tied up all the loose ends there and Kyle and I had already decided we'd get everything at home ready during the weekend. 

 Saturday the 14th was an OU home game and unless we are really ill we always go to the games, so we went! It was an 11 o'clock kick off and we were actually happy about that so it wouldn't be too hot for me and we'd have the rest of the day to get things done.  We got down to Norman right before kick off and made the long walk to the stadium and another long walk to the top of the stadium and enjoyed most of the game. About the middle of the 3rd quarter the sun started to hit us and I started having small contractions. Which I had been having for about a month now, so I really didn't think too much of it, especially since they didn't seem regular. I told Kyle I was having them and it was getting hot so we went ahead and left. Then headed out to Chuy's for a nice Mexican food lunch date. When we got back home Carson was still down for a nap, so we decided to do the same! Once we all got back up we went to run some of those last minute errands we kept putting off, by the time we were all settled back in at home it was time for Carson to go to bed, around 8 pm. Kyle and I rotate nights to give a bath so it was my night and when I went to get the bath ready I realized I was having such bad contractions I had to close my eyes and breath through them. And up to that moment I really didn't feel like I was going to be delivering a baby that evening! We started timing them and found they were four minutes apart and getting longer. We got a hold of my mom and she flew over to our house and we got to the hospital a fast as we could. 

We checked into the hospital at 9:45 pm, they found out I was a 6 almost 7 and rushed me to labor and delivery. I was laboring so fast they were afraid I wouldn't get my epidural or my doctor in time! Everyone worked as fast as they could and luckily my doctor walked in right as they said it was time to push and the medicine worked at that exact moment, thank you Lord! Bradley was here at 11:27 pm, we were literally at the hospital an hour and 45 minutes before our son arrived! Thank goodness we went when we did.

OU game 9/14/2013

 6 lbs 13 oz /20 inches

 

Right after Bradley's arrival 9/14/2013

  

Right after Carson's arrival 6/1/2011

 

Bradley's first bath

 

Right after Carson's first bath

 Right after Bradley's first bath

 Meeting little brother 9/15/2013

 Bradley's ready to head home!! 9/16/2013

Maternity Shoot

Around the first of August, Kyle, Carson, and I took our last family photos as a family of three! They were taken by a fellow teacher and friend at my school, Julianne. She did a wonderful job trying to keep Carson engaged to get some cute pics of us, which is no easy task! We also had a side deal with him that involved ice cream, so over all I think he did a pretty great job! Julianne also capture our precious new addition a week after he was born and I can wait to get those and share them as well!

 These were taken downtown OKC at the Myriad Botanical Gardens and at the Farmers Market.

Diaper Shower!!

Two of the three hostess, Whitney & Jennifer.

My whole family!

 

At the beginning of August some of our sweet friends, Jennifer, Whitney, and Rebekah, threw us a wonderful couples diaper shower. We were showered with tons of diapers, which is a huge blessing when you've got two in them!! (Hopefully, not for too much longer :)) It was a fun evening of eating BBQ and seeing all of our friends and their sweet little ones. It was made extra special for me because for the first time in a long time my brother, sister in law, nephew, sister, and brother in law were all able to be at an event to celebrate together! Thank you girls for throwing such a fun and relaxing shower and thank you to everyone who came and spent some time with us!!!