One year ago..

Take a trip back in time with us... June 6, 2008 is a day we will NEVER forget! After feeling really tired and just plain yucky for a week or so, I decided to take a pregnancy test. We were not prepared for the shock that followed.

Sometimes I look at our little man, still totally amazed at the beautiful gift we have been given. The journey was worth the wait and we are so happy to have our Silas.

We celebrated our first family Memorial Day with a campfire in the backyard. Silas got to play in the grass for the first time. He wasn't sure at first but his little toes kept trying to grab ahold of the grass. Very cute!:)

Silas is learning more and more each day! He loves to smile and giggly, and just this week started growling. (well I take that back.. he's been growling when we burp him since he was born.lol) But now he will growl back at us when we growl at him. He loves playing with his toys (and mommy's computer!) He sits with me and holds his hand on mine while I move the mouse. We are still trying to master rolling over but boy is he close! He gets halfway but can't quite get all the way flipped. He will soon I'm sure!

*giggle giggle*

Mr. Silas is now three months old! Where does the time go??! He is growing like a little weed:)

This month has been a fun one! He is finally mastered his smile and shows it often for us. Such a sweet little face. He is also learning how to giggle and it just makes me so happy. To see him react to us and express joy is so much fun! Just this week he started yelling.. at nothing in particular, just voicing his opinion at random times!LOL

Tummy time is enjoyed daily although he wiggles so much he's going to take off one of these days. We've also found a new love of cartoons. I never wanted to be one to park him in front of the tv but when it entertains him for a few minutes and I can take a break.. well I guess we'll sacrifice a few rules for Mom's sanity:)

Worth waiting for..

As every new mom knows, sometimes you don't always get things done when you want.. I meant to post this a week ago but.. well... life got in the way. :) I'm hijacking Si's blog for now..

So it is said that "The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new." (Rajneesh, courtesy of the quote garden) I believed this but never truely understood until my tiny little bundle was finally placed in my arms. The woman that I once was is just a memory to me now, she seems almost a stranger. The longing I felt for a child of my own had now been fulfilled. What a miracle this little life is.

Finally the day came that I have been waiting for. A day that I would normally avoid anything public (or most things on tv for that matter!) and one that I would wish to pass by as quickly as possible. Mother's Day. I had waited for so long to finally be able to celebrate the day as "mommy". It may seem like such a silly thing, Mother's Day.. maybe just a Hallmark holiday to some.. but to me it was finally reaching the unattainable. The journey was long and sometimes heartbreaking. The wait is over now though. No matter what happens in this life I will forever be "Mommy".

growing growing GROWING:)

Silas had his two month checkup last Tuesday. Little man is weighing in at 10lbs 14ounces and 23 3/4 inches long! He is growing and changing constantly and it's so much fun to see!

Wednesday we had to go visit the physical therapist for some stretching. His neck muscles are a bit tight on the right side but nothing alittle extra stretches will fix. He loves his after bath massages already so this isn't any big deal to toss in.

He is smiling more and more.. and trying to laugh. Still doesn't quite have that figured out yet but it's funny to hear him try. Daddy almost got one out of him this morning! Everytime we play he gets a bit closer, I'm sure we'll hear that giggle before long! He still loves his mirror. Of coarse who wouldn't love looking at that handsome face for awhile. lol He likes to bat at his toys and even managed to bop one right into Mommy's nose this morning. Seems like he is going to be on the move before long. He loves kicking his legs and stretching his arms out all around him.

It's still hard to believe he's 9 weeks old already. Having him here is so amazing. I love being his mom.. more than I ever thought possible! Every day we take a minute to thank God for this precious little man. What a great gift we have been given.

"who is that handsome boy?!"

Silas is officially two months old today! Woohoo!

We took our first trip to the park Saturday for his pictures but didn't stay very long. Maybe next time it will be warm enough for a picnic!

Little man is doing great right now. Last Monday I brought out the mirror I bought for his crib and he was excited! It was awesome to watch him smile at himself and reach for the toys on the mirror. He's such a smart boy:) Everyday now we have fun with mirror time!

Besides mirror fun, Silas is laughing and cooing.. and sometimes yelling at mom. He likes to feel knew things and discovered my cold water bottle.. lol

Yesterday we celebrated his first Easter. As always, he slept through church... then we came home to relax for the afternoon. The Easter bunny made a visit too, and left Silas his first Easter basket complete with an egg toy that crinkles and a stuffed chickie that chirps!

Tomorrow we got for a two month check-up with Dr. Julie.. and the dreaded shots :( I'm sure we'll do great though! We are anxious to see how much he's grown in the last month!

We are loving life here in the Ladehoff house and excited to see what comes our way next!

Welcome Spring!

Maybe... lol

Today Silas took his first trip to the mall. As usual, he slept through most of it! Of coarse we also had to stop and visit the Easter Bunny (even though we thought he was a little creepy looking. lol)

Silas is almost 8 weeks old and growing like crazy! He is changing more and more everyday. He loves being read to and is really starting to like bathtime - just not when he has to get out of the tub! He entertains me everyday with his little baby coos and sweet smiles. What a joy this little guy is!

6 weeks old..

and already such a personality! Silas continues to amuse and amaze us!

I am so thankful to be able to stay at home with my little guy, I can't imagine missing a moment of his life. He is smiling more now, it's wonderful! A few days ago he looked me right in the face and gave me a huge smile. Oh yeah, that made Mommy's day!

He has also discovered a love of pear juice, I'm just glad it got things moving in his tummy again. lol He sure sucks it down though, and then licks his lips when it's gone. Such a silly guy..

His favorite thing is of coarse, Mommy... but Daddy is a close second! He still likes to feel Daddy's chin and has discovered that the dog is hairy too. I don't think he's quite sure what the dog is yet though.. but he likes to touch him. lol

We are slowly getting into a routine and that makes life so much easier for me!

New things this week? We love the co-sleeper! Best purchase we've made so far! Now he can sleep beside me but is still safe in his own little bed! He also loves holding someone's hand (usually mine. lol) but that touch seems to really comfort him - and of coarse mommy doesn't mind holding his little hand!

We enjoy tummy time everyday and Silas is getting so strong. Won't be long before he's holding his head up with a little more control. His eyes are getting lighter too. We can't wait to see what color they finally turn! The poor little guy is going bald though.. but the hair on the back of his head is getting longer. Guess we can always do a comb-over if we need to!

He still isn't a big fan of being naked but does seem to enjoy peeing on mommy every chance he gets!

This week Silas was without mommy for the first time! Great Grandma watched him so I could run to the store for some juice. Silas was fine.. Mommy wasn't.. (well..I didn't think I would be anyway!) It sure was a fast trip to town though!

Always, Always.

Silas and I are surviving our first full week at home without Daddy. Normally he will sit in his swing or bouncy seat while I'm able to get some things done around the house. This week though, he'd rather just be in Mommy's arms. Mommy. Is. Tired.

I remember over the past 8 years thinking about how much I couldn't wait to hold my own baby in my arms. To love and cuddle.. soothe and comfort...Wondering if it would ever happen... Yesterday I was getting a bit frustrated (not really upset, just wanting to get some things done around the house) and Silas would not stay calm for very long once I put him down. When he's upset and crying I hold him close and remind him that Mommy is here "Always, Always". We rocked for awhile and he went back to sleep. I started thinking about one of my favorite Bible verses. "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10) and how God is here for us "Always, Always". When we are lost or feeling alone... when we just need someone to comfort us when we cry. Though we may not always feel him, he is always here. What a powerful love that is.

Deja Vu..

Once again we celebrated Friday the 13th... I thought it was pretty cool Si's one month birthday fell on a Friday too.

Our little guy is growing up so fast! Thursday we took another trip to visit Dr. Julie for Si's one month check-up. The big guy is now weighing in at 9lbs 13oz and is a keeper at 22 1/4 inches long! His appointment was great, he's developing right on track and amazes us at how much he is changing already. Sadly, we've had to put away our newborn sizes and are on the way out of 0-3 months clothes too! Mommy doesn't mind though... just another shopping trip right? (hehe)

This weekend he discovered Daddy's goatee, he will rub his hand over it, pull it away.. then go back to rub again. We love watching him discover new things! Some of our favorite things right now: rubbing daddy's goatee and mommy's lip (although I think he does it when I'm talking to try to shut me up!) He also enjoys watching the light above the shower and listening to the fan. (the bouncy seat and shower fan come in handy when mom wants to take a shower!) He likes his swing as long as he's not buckled in, the tray is up and the swing isn't moving... guess that was a super purchase! lol He also likes laying on his tummy and trying to look around. He's getting so good at holding his head up!

Si's not so favorite things right now: being naked. lol Bathtime starts with some fussing but doesn't last long once the warm water hits. And of coarse.. picture time with mommy. Friday we did his one month portraits and he did great most of the time. Once he started peeing, we decided it was time to be done! After a clean diaper and bottle, we made a quick trip to Kmart for more paci's. I don't know how we lose them but we do..

3 weeks old

Silas was three weeks old yesterday, we celebrated by going shopping (ok.. so maybe that was more fun for mommy...) Poor little guy is outgrowing some clothes and is too small for others. Atleast we found some socks that will stay on his wiggly feet!

He is just a happy boy, most of the time anyway. Last week we made a switch in his formula hoping it will help with his gas problem. Other than that, he's a super eater and is sleeping about three hours at a time.

Behind the scenes..

At any time in our lives we can come into contact with a person (or group of people) who will play a huge role in a life changing experience. We may never cross paths with them again, but their presence in that one moment will never be forgotten. We met so many wonderful doctors and nurses during this pregnancy and birth. The story of Silas wouldn't be complete without including all these great people.

Silas with Dr. Julie and nurse Katie (bet you guys didn't think you would end up on our blog! haha!) Although the frequent blood pressure checks and the dreaded 24hr collections are not quite forgotten yet, we still love Dr. Julie and Katie (and Jesse even though we didn't snag a picture of her!) They took such amazing care of us and we just can't thank them enough:) We are so excited that we get to continue our care with them!

Of coarse we also have Silas with Dr. Foley. She worked together with Dr. Perkins to handle our care. Since we decided to have Silas in Omaha, Dr. Foley was there to deliver! She did a fabulous job and we appreciate her attention to every tiny detail! (although we still chuckle at all the post-it notes the nurses had from her on my chart! lol) We had our last check up with Dr. Foley last week but will always be thankful for her help:)

We didn't meet Dr. Anthone until D-day but we were glad to have him on the team! Of coarse he was so very excited to be there too I think! It's not often that he gets to help with delivering a baby, I guess it's only fitting that he get two pictures to celebrate the event!

We are very grateful that he was able to help with the surgery!

The nurses... what amazing people. To help care for someone at a very vulnerable time in their life takes a very special person. I had such an amazing experience at Methodist and hopefully we'll meet with them all again in a few years....

Lisa and Abby - our fantastic labor and delivery nurses! A special thank you to them for pictures from Si's birth. The first moments of his life would be lost to us without you.. Thank you so much for taking pictures...

And finally, but just as important, our post partum nurses (wild bunch down there on the 8th floor!) In all the craziness I forgot to grab a picture of the day girls, guess we'll have to catch Mardy and Rachel the next time around:) Here are the night girls though, Pat, Debbie and Holly!

Although we didn't have Silas at the Carroll hospital, we still spent plenty of time in L&D! Twice a week for a month and a half we would head up to the 3rd floor for a nonstress test! Silas entertained us by kicking the monitors and made the nurses work hard to get the job done! We'd like to thank them and the great girls in Radiology for putting up with us so often!:)

I'm sure I could write a novel of all the people taking care of us... I know I missed some but we thank you too! You all will be a part of our family forever. Thank you for being part of this amazing time in our lives:)

Welcome Home!

After 4 days in the hospital, it was time to head home! What a wonderful anniversary present for us! On Feb 17th, we packed up our stuff and said goodbye to our wonderful nurses, ready to head out into the world with our little guy. The ride home was an adventure, we had to stop once for a bottle and diaper change. I was so proud to get that done in the car, still so sore from surgery!

Our first family picture, might be a bit out of focus but I love it anyway. Taken by me of coarse, just before we left our room.

I can't believe how nice it felt to pull up to the house. Knowing the three of us came home, safe and healthy.. what a blessing.

Daddy bringing Si in the house (yes there is a baby in there! LOL)

Once we were all settled in, our first day was pretty uneventful! We took a nap, ate supper and got ready for our first night as a family at home. Overnight was a bit rough but we figured it would be. We are so blessed to have such a happy baby.

Birth Day!

I'm sure every pregnant woman has the perfect labor and delivery planned in her mind. (Quick, easy, and pain free right?!) Sometimes nature has other plans and we are forced to accept them and move on.

The whole pregnancy I was praying for a natural delivery. Everyone agreed avoiding a c-section would be best. I guess I'm just too good at being pregnant though, my body just wouldn't cooperate with the plans we had. My wonderful doctors (you will read about them later:) decided that we had waited long enough and it was time for this little man to arrive while mom and baby were still healthy.

After a few changes in the schedule, we were headed for Omaha at 4:30AM Friday the 13th. I was still alittle unsure about the "13th" for a planned surgery but there really wasn't much choice. I don't think I've ever been so scared in my whole life, thankfully I know there is a higher power in control. Alot of tears and prayers later, we walked to the operating room around 2pm that day. Because I was going under general anthesia, Russell was waiting for us in another part of the hospital. Knowing neither of us would actually be present for the birth was sad... but thanks to our wonderful nurses, we have pictures from the big event! Even though we didn't see it in person, I will always treasure those first pictures of our son's life. Thanks girls:)

SO! The big event! Silas Leland Ladehoff was born at 2:49pm Friday Feb 13th. Despite me being put under, he came out screaming and ready to face the world, weighing in at 8lbs 3ounces and 20 3/4 inches long.

While I was in recovery, Silas went to the nursery to meet his Daddy for the first time...

Sorry!

I'm sure everyone thought I forgot about the blog.. I didn't, I just haven't been able to get online! Thankfully our internet connection seems to have been restored and I can update you all on the events of the past week!

For this child I prayed..

Every story has a begining right? What better place to start than with that simple prayer. "Lord, someday... please.. "

We didn't know when or how it would come to be, all we knew is that someday it would. I believed with all my heart it would... Someday has finally arrived. This is the story of Silas. The child we prayed for.