Confession Friday....

A few of the blogs I follow do a "Confession Friday" I don't normally participate...but I've need to get this off my chest for awhile now :)

I confess that I very much want to be pregnant again...like right now! I've wanted to be pregnant again as soon as I wasn't in pain from labor anymore. I LOVED being pregnant and I miss my belly. Don't get me wrong...I am beyond thirlled that Brinley is here and I'm able to snuggle her, but I seriously miss feeling her kicks and rolls inside me!

My last picture with my belly!

I have a few friends who are pregnant right now including Chrissy, I read her post this morning about feeling Baby Aaden moving and groving in her belly and I seriously teared up! I remember those moments and they never got old.

Nothing is better than having Brinley look at me and smile these days, but I am very ready to be pregnant again! Heck, if I didn't have more control there'd be no doubt I'd end up giving the Duggars a run for their money! :)

How could I not want 20 more of these?!?

For those of you thinking...don't get pregnant now (Mom :) ) No worries...we don't have any plans for that in the near future, we plan on enjoying Brinley for awhile before we try to add another to the mix :)
So for awhile our family pictures will look a little more like this...

And a little less like this....

I feel much better now...I'm no longer in hiding :)

Easter Weekend!

Brinley had a very busy Easter weekend! Grandma and Grandpa Colbert were here and Brinley had lots of fun spending time with them.

On Saturday night we had dinner and a party at Ryan's parents house. Our friends Ryan and Melissa came over with their son Clayton...he's 6 months old and seriously adorable. We had so much fun watching Clayton and Brinley interacting. We took a ton of video and even sneaked a few great pictures...I can't wait to see how they interact in the future.

I had to work on Easter Sunday so I missed the first part of the day, I'm really sad I wasn't there all day but I was able to make it there in time for dinner.
We were able to capture a few pictures of us together, although apparently we didn't get any of Brinley by herself with our camera. My Mom made her Easter dress complete with matching shoes. She looked so adorable!

Brinley's Birth Story

I've been telling myself since the day she was born that I need to sit down and write Brinley's birth story while everything is still fresh in my memory...it's been almost 11 weeks and I'm just now finding the time to get it done!
Better late than never...right?

So...here we go. My labor lasted 36 hours from start to finish! Let's start at the beginning!

It was Friday, February 4th and I was exactly 39 weeks on the dot. It was a normal day at home for me around 3pm I started noticing that my Braxton Hicks (which I had been having for weeks) were getting stronger. I timed them for awhile while I layed on the couch, they weren't consistant so I decided to take a shower (thanks to Google I found out that true contractions would stay through a warm shower and Braxton Hicks would go away) through out the shower and after the contractions were still there. At this time they weren't terribly painful, they were mostly uncomfortable.
We had dinner plans with Ryan's parents and some family friends. We decided to join them, but not tell anyone what was happening (I didn't want a million people getting their hopes up, if the contractions decided to stop). I made it through a 2 hour dinner, still having contractions.
When we got home I told Ryan I thought these were different than my other contractions. We got out the contration calculator and they were coming every 4-6 minutes. I decided to shower again to see if that would do anything.
 At 10:30 we decided to take a walk (another suggestion from Google) during the walk the contractions were getting stronger, but I was still able to walk and talk through them although it wasn't easy. When we got home they were coming every 3-5 minutes. We called the on-call nurse and off to the hospital we went. We arrived around midnight. I was put on the monitor and sure enough there were the contractions...however my cervix decided it didn't want to join the party after 9 hours of contractions I was at 1. I was NOT happy. They gave me a sleeping pill and told us to come back if they got more intense or more consistant (I'm not sure how much more consistant they wanted them).
My contractions continued through the night and when I woke up that morning I was worn down mentally. I couldn't imagine dealing with this for days if my cervix wouldn't get with the program. We decided to take another walk...in the snow! I was trying anything to get them to be stronger!
After our walk I made Ryan call the nurse to see what they would do if this continued with no progress...the answer...we don't induce until 41 weeks, so take some Benadryl and get some sleep (umm...have you ever tried to sleep through contractions?? Yeah...it doesn't work) again I was NOT happy. In fact I started crying..I was so worn out and feeling like I was going to have to do this for two weeks before anyone would help me.
After I pulled myself together I got up to take that stupid Benadryl so I could "sleep" the second I stood up...my water broke. Right then, I couldn't believe it and we weren't sure at first. It wasn't like we had been told in class. We called the nurse back and they told us to come in right away.
We loaded up the car and at 3:15 (24 hours after my contractions started) we were on our way.
On our way to the hospital I called my parents to tell them we thought my water broke and to be ready to head to the airport once we knew for sure. While on the phone and the entire way there the contractions were A LOT stronger and coming every 3 minutes. When we arrived they checked me..it was my water and there was maconium in it. They assured me it wasn't anything to worry about and we were sent up stairs.
I was wanting to go as long as possible without an epidural, at 6:30 I had had enough. I was tired and uncomfortable so I got the epidural (27 hours after the contractions started). It was AMAZING...sort of :)
When I was checked at 8pm I was only 2 cm...2!! All that and I hadn't gotten anywhere! So we started pitocin. Within a few hours I was at 9 cm and then my epidural wore off...and not on purpose! It hurt so bad!! The epi was working on my legs, but not on my belly...so I was dealing with Pitocin contractions without the ability to move through them...it sucked. It seemed like hours before the doctor could come in and give me some more medicine.
After that it was time to push. I pushed for 45 mintues and then the moment we had been waiting 9 months for was here...out came Baby P and I heard Ryan say...it's a GIRL!!
It was simply amazing! Ryan and I had some bonding time with Baby P after the NICU nurses gave her a clean bill of health (they were there because of the maconium). Ryan and I came to the hospital that day with 4 names...2 for a boy and 2 for a girl. While I held our baby girl for the first time we finally decided on a name..Brinley Grace...it fits her perfectly!
While I snuggled baby Brinley, Ryan headed out to tell our anxious families the news.
It was an amazing experience...and although it lasted 36 hours I would do it again in a heartbeat!!

Here are some never seen before pictures of Miss Brinley's "birth day"....

Our Anniversary....

I can't believe it...it's been 2 years already! So far each year has been better than the last and I can't wait to see what this next year brings! In honor of our anniversary, I'd thought I'd go back in time and recap our 5 years together...and away we go...

Ryan and I met on my 21st birthday...in a bar :) Despite what people tell you..sometimes it does work!

This is our first picture together. After this night Ryan went back to Colorado for winter break without my number. After a week or so I finally I got the courage (with the help of a few drinks) to call him! That's right...I called him...we talked for two weeks before we met again...

This was our first trip to Lake Powell together, we both love that place and have many fond memories from our trips there....

These are from our first cruise together...it has started my obsession with cruising and we have been on 4 more since we met. We love traveling together and can't wait to add Brinley to the mix!!

We've skipped quite a bit, I don't want to bore you. Our engagement! I had just moved to Denver with Ryan and we flew back to Chicago for a Cards v. Cubs series we were there with tons of friends and my parents. After the game and dinner with Cassie and Ryan we ended at Navy Pier for fireworks. Right before they started Ryan pulled me aside (I had NO idea what was going to happen). He told me an adorable story, got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife. I was in shock, but of course said YES! Although it looks like I am grabing the ring in the first picture, I actually didn't even see what it looked like and it took us about 5 minutes to put the ring on my finger! I was any amazing night spent with family and friends!!

Our wedding day! It was a rainy Saturday in Red Bud, but the rain stopped just long enough to get a few outdoor pictures. It was everything we dreamed (or at least for me...I'm not sure Ryan spent much time thinking about his wedding growing up!) We had a large wedding party filled with wonderful family and amazing friends. It's a day we will never forget....

This was last winter on what turned out to be our last "big kid" vacation! We had a blast with our friends Nathan and Jessica. Next time we vacation together my guess is that it will involve a lot less Coronas and a lot more Mickey :)

 Then  came one of the best days of my life. Taking a test and seeing those two lines was simply amazing!!

Our first ultrasound picture of Baby P...it was official we were going to be parents!!

My last pregnant picture the day labor started...Brinley was born 36 hours later :)

The greatest joy in our lives and the best thing that has happen to us in our two years of marriage. Brinley Grace was born Feb. 6th.

Last but not least, our very first family picture!

It has been an amazing two years and I can only imagine how much better each year will be.

Catching Up....

Life has been busy! I started a new job last week and I am finding it hard to find time to blog!
I promise to get better! I feel like I'm missing documenting things in Brinley's life.

Last week was Brinley's two month check up...we have a tall skinny baby! She is now in the 89th percential for height and 45th for weight. Her growth curve is great, but when isolated her height one looks like a vertical line :) She started out in the 20th percential, at two weeks she was at 45 and at two months she's now in the 89th percential. She's been busy growing!

She is loving her activity mat and loves bath time! I think we have a water baby on our hands and that makes us very happy! Brinley is also talkig more and really loving blowing spit bubbles...she is totally a bib baby!

In honor of her love for bath time here is a few pictures of her at bath over the last few months, it's also easy to see how big she has gotten in these pictures!

Brinley's first bath (she wasn't so thrilled then)

One Month

Two Months...she looks huge!!

Thankful Thursday!

Yesterday was supposed to be Wordless Wednesday, but yesterday was busy and I just didn't have time.

Brinley hasn't been feeling the best so we spent yesterday cuddling and cleaning up baby vomit :) Brinley proceeded to throw up on me 3 times yesterday. So that took up a lot of our morning and afternoon. On top of all that I needed to get ready for my first day of work.
I am working evenings at a County Club in Lakewood. I think I'm going to like it, as much as you can like a job when you would rather be at home with your baby :)
So, since I missed Wordless Wednesday, I'll do Thankful Thursday...
Today I'm thankful for Miss Brinley and Ryan (and watching them play on the changing table)

 Make sure you turn up your volume to hear Brinley :)

And....Baseball Season

Brinley Grace is 2 Months!!

I can't believe it! Brinley is 2 months old! She has grown up so much in the last month, she simply amazing and we can't imagine life without her!

Here's her approximate stats for the month (she goes to the doctor next week)

Weight: 11.5 lbs
Height: 23.5 inches
Favorite things: Talking on her changing table, playing on her activity mat, and bath time!

Here's a few pictures....

All stretched out...