Someone had a birthday!

My little man is 4. 4 years old. That is so old for a baby. Oh wait...he isn't a baby anymore. He is pretty much a full fledged little man. I really can't believe he is 4, but I say that every birthday. Easton is such a smart, sweet, funny little guy, I am so lucky to be his mom. He is such a good big brother and quick to help me when I ask. He comes up with the funniest and sweetest things to say. He loooooves his little brother. Some of my favs...

"Mom, I just smelled Luke and he smells like love."

"I just love Luke, Mom. He is my best."

"Luke is a cuuuute baby alright."

Alright is a favorite word of his. When he decides to obey it's, "Alright, alright, alright."

It is so cute how he mimics how we talk to Luke. Every time he sees him he comes up cooing "Oooooh Luuuuuuke! Look at your cute little faaaaaace!" "Ooooooh Luuuuuuke, you are the sweetest baby ever."

And every time we pick him up from preschool, it's "Don't worry, big brother's back from schooooool, big brother's back from schoooooooooooool." Hahaha. I just love it.

Easton is loving preschool. He is so dang smart and is doing great. He comes home with poems memorized and recites them for me and I die. I die from the cuteness. He recently recited the Pledge of Allegiance and said "...for witches hands..." instead of "...for which it stands...". Like I said. I die. Hahaha. Oh I just love him.

We had a pretty low key birthday this year. It was on a Sunday so he woke up and quickly opened his presents before church. Again...all focus was on video. I've GOT to get better at both! He got all sorts of Toy Story toys...ones that are all decked out for space. And Grandma and Grandpa got him Buzz's super cool spaceship and he got a Buzz Lightyear scooter...all sorts of fun stuff.

We got together at my Mom's for dinner. He looooves Chik-fil-a. (Wonder where he gets that from?) So we tried to recreate a homemade version since it was Sunday. At least I already had some legit sauce. He seemed to like it.

This was my attempt at decorating his eclair cake (how do you decorate one topped with whipped cream?)...Luckily he didn't seem to mind. :)

And he wanted to decorate Halloween sugar cookies. Good times.

Happy Birthday East!

Life with Luke

Luke is now 6 weeks old. Wow. It has been a little crazy adjusting to having two kids. At first I thought I would never leave the house again. But having Easton in preschool has forced me to learn how to get everyone ready and out the door quickly. Luke was going through a little fussy phase but we just switched formulas and he is doing so much better. It is so fun to watch him when he is alert and you can just see his brain going a million miles a minute just processing everything. He is starting to bat at things with his cute little hands. He caught hold of my necklace the other day and his arms and legs started just a goin...he was so excited to hear the jingling it made. So cute. Easton is being a great big brother and he'll be the first to tell you. Haha. If Luke starts crying, he'll come over cooing "It's okay Luke, big brother is here, big brother is heeeeere." And he always asks after preschool if Luke was sad because he missed his big brother. It is great. I love watching Luke watch E. You can already tell how much he is going to look up to his big bro.  I don't know how moms manage more than 2 kids it's cah ray zay but I'm slowly feeling more normal. I feel grateful to have two healthy boys. And we sure love Luke's sweet innocent spirit and his adorable face!

Bundled up to take E to the park...

I don't know why I always think to get the camera out while he is eating...

We ♥ this little man!

He's Here! He's Here!

And he is already 2 weeks old! I can't even believe it. I was scheduled to be induced on Monday the 12th. I was totally for it. With Easton I had to go in the night before, but this go around, I was already dialated to a 2  and 70% effaced. So I called in at 6:30am and they told me to come in at 8:00am. Chantel came to stay with Easton and off we went to the hospital. I just kept thinking...I can't believe next time I see Easton he will have a little brother. We got checked in and got my IV started. Randon settled in to read a book and I just hung out and watched TV. They started the pitocin around 10 and I was so excited to get things goin! I wasn't feeling much but my nurse told me she was going to get me the epidural before the anesthesiologist went to a C section. So I got my epidural early and spent the day hanging out, dozing off and eating slushies and ice chips. And here I am suffering through a particularly painful contraction.

Oh wait. I had an epidural. Har har.  This was more like it... quite pleasant actually.

I think it was around five that I was finally dilated and effaced. By the time everything was ready and my doctor was there I started to push and fifteen minutes later he was here!!! Labor this time compared to Easton was a dream. I couldn't believe he was really here. (Sorry for the blood on the head and the one leg pictured spread eagle. It's all good, people.)

He was 7lbs 14oz and 19 inches long. We decided on the name Luke Randon Russell. I was so excited to have Easton meet his new brother. He was so excited and Chantel even took him to pick out a little gift for him. So sweet! (Why does my expression look funny? I'll tell ya. Because I burped .5 seconds later. I'm nothing if not ladylike.)

We just love little Luke. He is the sweetest little thing. And my recovery has been so much better. Love it!

We are so tired but so excited he is here! We are so blessed to have such a sweet healthy little guy.

preschool!

My goodness, I didn't this day would come so fast. My little man is a preschool goer now.  I am so happy for him and excited for all he will learn. He is going to Miss Karie's preschool where he will get to learn all sorts of fun things and she teaches tumbling and they get to go on a field trip once a month, the list of fun goes on. We went to a preschool open house before his actual first day for the kids to see everything. While we were walking there, he said, "I'm scared. Mom, how can I be brave?" Oh my heart! Okay, you don't have to go! We can go home and you never have to go to school and you can be my little buddy forever. Not really. I told him I was right there with him and that he knew and loved Miss Karie. She is so great and took him right by the hand to show him everything and he found some Toy Story toys so he was sold.

We had a little school feast the night before school (well...the feast consisted of Little Caesars pizza and root beer...hahaha). He was happy and got a buzz lightyear watch. Before bedtime, Easton got his first school blessing from Randon. I am emotional about everything right now, but it was so great. I can't believe I have a child of my own getting school blessings, it really wasn't that long ago my dad was giving them to me...was it?

At home...before we left for school! So handsome! 

With his lightning mcqueen backpack of course.

Ready to head into preschool. I seriously have the cutest boy. 

Look at that sweet face. He did so great.

Ready to go! So fun!

He was all smiles when he came out and said he had a great time. Most of what he had to say was about the toys during play time, but they also got to have ice cream and paint an ice cream cone. Fun! Sigh. My baby is a baby no more. A long time ago. But now its official.
***
Update...still pregnant. :) I asked Randon the other night on a scale of 1-10 how excited he was for me not to be pregnant anymore. I thought he would say like 5 to be safe. He looked right at me and said 10! His eyes said 17. Haha. He has been so sweet and patient and does anything I ask.  We are ready for you little mister!

Don't Tell Randon...

...how much Easton seems to enjoy dancing. Haha. My sisters were watching So You Think You Can Dance and Easton just came right up with his own routine. I sure love this little man!

In other news...I am still pregnant. I am now considered full term. I remember dreaming about these days when I would feel so close to the end. Now I am here and every day seems so long. Same story, different woman. I know every mom says these things but really. The days are long. And I'm uncomfortable.  These days:
* I can hardly sleep. I have insomnia which I feel is the worst thing ever. At least if the baby were here I would have something to do in the middle of the night. Such an enigma. How can I be so tired yet unable to fall asleep?
*I get restless leg (its more like in my ankles and toes...weird) syndrome at night and it makes me want to curse.
*I get heartburn every night and it makes me want to curse. And I hate tums. But I chew them anyway to get some relief.
*When I drop something, I want to cry. Bending over is quite the task. Even Easton tells I'm not very good at bending over. Sweet.
*All of a sudden I just want to spend each minute with Easton and hold him and treasure our last few days just him and me as buddies. We of course can't wait for little mister, but everything will change. We have been partners in crime for a while. I just love him and hope the adjustment period will be okay.
* I don't think I can even look at my sewing machine anymore. For some reason I thought it was imperative that I make each cute idea I saw out in the world.
* I started crocheting a blanket in January. It still isn't done. Better get on it.
* I feel like most everything is washed and ready and waiting. Come on little bubba!
*Easton starts preschool next week! Yay! So exciting. I'm worried that I'll be in the hospital having a baby and miss dropping him off for his first day off school. What are the chances? Slim. But I'm pregnant so of course I need to worry about it.
* Randon and I had to speak in Sacrament meeting this past Sunday and I cried pretty much the whole time. Pregnancy hormones are great.
* My family is headed to Lake Powell this weekend to party on a gorgeous houseboat. I'm jealous. I get to stay home and wish my baby would come.
* But I'm oh so happy and grateful that he is a healthy little guy and everything is on track for a healthy delivery.

it's just hot. so hot.

Back when summer began, it didn't seem so bad. Didn't seem so hot and uncomfortable. "Maybe it will stay this way," I thought. "Maybe I'll get lucky and won't get to that miserable point," I thought. Ha. Back in that day we stayed busy trying to come up with fun summer activities like...

making homemade ice cream in a bag...

making beach cupcakes...

and spending lots of time at the pool...

...and these days, I just can't bear the thought of being outside in the heat. Even in a pool. I have no energy. I feel uncomfortable all the time. But it is ALLLLLLLLLL good. One more month.

Oh little one...what is it about you growing in my belly that makes me so tired?
And yet makes me unable to sleep at night?
And makes my toes feel claustrophobic so that I have restless leg syndrome?
And makes me feel like I must have twizzlers in my mouth all the time?
Or maybe some cheddar jalepeno cheetos?
What is it that makes my hormones wacky and when I go camping I can't sleep all night because I'm afraid of bears. I've camped my whole life without a care in the world you see.
I do know that we cannot wait to meet you! Easton is so excited and reeeeally wants you to sleep in your "carriage" (cradle) in his room. I tell him that you'll wake up in the night crying. He says he'll get up and give you a toy or your "pinky" (binky) so that you'll be happy. He is so sweet and so excited. He is going to be a great big brother. I am so curious to see what you'll look like...how similar or different from Big E. We won't have to wait long....yay!!