Braden | two months

 

Braden is two months old (...and a few days)! He has grown so much this month and continues to make us love him more and more each day. Some of my favorite things about Braden right now are:

- He smiles so much, especially during diaper changes and after eating

- He loves to kick his legs and ends up kicking his socks off a few times a day

- He LOVES taking baths and loves to splash the water with his feet

- He loves to make sounds. It's so cute to see how hard he tries to let out even smallest little noise.

- He likes riding in the car with the car seat cover up so he can look around.

- He likes riding in the stroller when Mom walks around the track at BYU.

He is such a good baby! We love him so much!

It was hard to choose which picture to use for his two month, so I had to include a few more of my favorites:

BYU Men's Volleyball

Devin started another volleyball season in January and it's about time I wrote about it! He has started every game this season, which is saying a lot since BYU is ranked #1 in the nation. It has been SO fun to watch him play! I've been to a lot of his practices in the last year, but to see him play so well in games has been awesome. The highlight this year for me was when Devin had the winning kill against Irvine (who was ranked #1 at the time). It has been a little tricky with Braden's feeding schedule, but now that he's old enough to come to games it has been much easier. Our nurse told us to put some cotton in his ears to muffle the sound and it seems to be working since Braden doesn't seem to be too bothered by the noise. 
 

Lucky for me, BYU had home games all of January so this weekend is the first time he has traveled all season. Braden and I have been spoiled to have him around so much! The good thing is that I don't have school anymore to keep me in Provo, so I'll be going up to Sandy a lot when he's traveling. We love spending time with Grandpa and Grandma Clarke and Uncle Logan! 
 

(I think Braden got his "game face" genes from his dad)

I am so proud of Devin and all the hard work he has put into becoming so good at something he loves to do! I'm so glad he still has one more season so that Braden can come to his games when he's a little older.

Pictures of Braden

My talented sister-in-law Kristin took some picture of Braden a few weeks ago and we are so happy with the results! She did a great job! She really captured his personality right now, which I love. We love this little man!

Catch Up

We were so blessed to have family come in town a few weeks ago. My brother Jae had his Utah reception, which Braden and I were able to go to. Unfortunately, Devin couldn't join us because he had a volleyball game that night :( The reception was beautiful and so much fun! I am so glad they had a Utah reception so that I could feel a part of the wedding. We really missed my sister Laura and her family since they had to head back to New Hampshire after the wedding in California. Family pictures just look so strange when not everyone is included! 

 

Braden's outfit was a little big, but at least it matched the wedding colors! He slept through the whole reception! 

That same weekend, Devin's parents and brother Nathan came in town to see Devin's games. It's always so much fun to have them in town. Braden had been counting down the days to meeting his grandparents! I got to go to the first part of Friday's game with them and it was so much fun! We really missed Devin's brother Ryan and his family who were planning on coming up for the weekend, but had a few kids get sick. Hopefully we can find a way to see them soon! 

On Sunday (talk about a busy weekend!) we were able to bless Braden. We did it in the evening on so my Dad could make it. It was a small group of close friends and family, but it was such a special evening! Thank you to everyone who came to support us. 

 The men in the circle: Grandpa Tueller, Uncle Dave, and our dads. We were missing our brothers!

Braden flashing gang signs with his buddy Ryker :)

We love having family in town!

motherhood | small & simple things

This scripture has become so meaningful to me in the past few weeks. As a new mom, I sometimes felt like I wasn't getting anything done. I think that was due to the fact that I went from being a student with a very hectic semester full of tests, group meetings, work, running errands, and checklists to being a full-time mom. At first, it was hard for me to get to the end of the day and not be able to make a list of what I accomplished. My days consisted of feeding Braden, changing diapers, giving baths, doing laundry, and washing dishes. I was having a hard time feeling like what I was doing was valuable. This scripture came into my mind one day and has completely changed the way I think about this stage in my life. Right now, the things that I spend my time doing, are very small and simple. But those small and simple things will bring to pass great things. I know that what I do as a mother is of great value. I know that every minute I spend talking or singing to Braden, every diaper I change, and every load of laundry I do, is helping me work towards something great. What could be greater than helping a precious child grow and develop? In the world's eyes, greatness is accompanied by media coverage, tangible awards, and big crowds of people. I've realized that the "great things" spoken of in this scripture are so much more than that. I am so grateful to be in the situation I am in. I am fortunate to be able to stay home with my beautiful baby all day. I get to see his little smiles and watch his eyes fill with wonder as he discovers the world around him. I get to use the talents and abilities Heavenly Father blessed me with to bring the spirit into our home. I am truly blessed to be spending each day doing the small and simple things.

Braden: one month

I can't believe Braden is already a month old! He has become my little buddy. There are so many things I love about him. Just to name a few...
- His eyes focus so much better now and follow me when I move around the room
- He makes the funniest gestures with his hands! 
- He gets wide-eyed when I sing songs to him
- He tries to intimidate me with his angry eyes, but I just think it's cute :)
- He has discovered his voice and makes little yells and sounds that I just love!

We are so blessed to have him in our home! Here are a few more pictures from the last month:

Let the wedding bells ring!

My oldest brother Jae is getting married tomorrow to his lovely fiance Amy in the Oakland California temple. With Braden being less than a month old and Devin having volleyball games this weekend, we weren't able to travel down for it. Even though I won't be there, I am so excited for everything that will be happening tomorrow. The day I married Devin was the best day of my life and I'm sure it will be the same for the two of them. I could not be happier for the choices they have made and the way they have both lived their lives so that they're able to take this next step together. I am so grateful for the positive influence Jae has had on my life. He has been such a supportive and loving brother. I never thought he could find a girl good enough for him, but after meeting Amy, I stand corrected! She is such a great match for Jae and will be an amazing addition to the family. I hope everything goes well tomorrow! I could not be happier for them!

Braden Matthew Young

Our sweet little boy is 11 days old today, so it’s about time I write a little bit about how he came into the world. I can’t promise a super detailed post though, since my little man is falling asleep right next to me as I type and is making the cutest faces!

 

Braden Matthew Young was born on 12/12/12 at 5:43 p.m. I was originally scheduled to be induced on Thursday of that week, but got a phone call Tuesday afternoon saying that it would actually be Wednesday morning at 5:00 a.m. We were thrilled to meet him a day sooner, but had A LOT to get done! Turns out, it’s difficult to run baby errands while trying to cram all your finals into one day. Luckily, we were able to get everything together and make it to the hospital on time.

I have to say, it was a very interesting feeling walking calmly into the hospital that morning. I had always imagined my water breaking somewhere and the two of us rushing to the hospital with Devin sprinting to the doors while pushing me in a wheel chair. Maybe next time. After being asked a million questions, I was given an IV (one of the worst parts of the day. I’ve never been good with needles) and started on Pitocin. Shortly after, the anesthesiologist came in to give me the epidural. I had heard horror story after horror story about epidurals and was pretty nervous to get one. Luckily, Devin had given me a blessing and I felt really calm during the whole process. I even laughed a little when the doctor told me to curl my back forward “like an angry Halloween cat.” Once the epidural was over and I was hooked up to more tubes than I could count, the waiting game began. It was cool being able to see Braden’s heart beat on the screen and also track my contractions.

After what seemed like forever, the contractions got much stronger and I started dilating at a quicker pace. Braden’s heart rate kept dropping so they put me on oxygen for a few hours to try to regulate it. The rest of the day is all kind of a blur. I’m not sure it hit me that I was actually going to have a baby until my doctor came in and started setting everything up. Other nurses came that would clean the baby right after it was born. I realized then that they were all there because our son would be coming into the world in just a few minutes. It was such an incredible feeling!

After pushing for twenty minutes, Braden was born! I couldn’t believe I had made it through labor. I have never been very good with medical stuff and always thought that labor would be impossible to get through. With the help of an epidural, a supportive and amazing husband, an INCREDIBLE nurse that was with us for the majority of the day, and a wonderful doctor, I made it through the day! I can’t even describe how I felt when I was handed our tiny baby for the first time. I felt more love for that little stranger in that moment than I ever thought possible. I will remember that feeling forever!

We stayed in the hospital for a few days and then we got to take little Braden home with us. We stayed there for a few days and then drove up to Sandy, where we have been staying with my family for the last little while. The last 11 days have gone by so fast! We absolutely love Braden and are so happy to have him as part of our family!

Here are some pictures from the day:

 

 

  

my last first day of school

Today was the last time I will ever have a first day of school. What a strange realization! Even though I've been going to school all summer today still felt different and new and exciting. I made Devin take first day of school pictures before we left for class today (a tradition that I am definitely sticking to even when it's just Devin going to school haha). Campus was crowded with people today. I love people watching on the first day of school. It was really fun to run into friends I haven't seen since winter semester and catch up. It was funny to see their reactions as they looked down and saw my baby bump. It's amazing how much you change in just a few short months when there's a little baby growing inside you! Here are the pictures we took this morning: 

My doctor said that by 24 weeks even strangers will be able to tell I'm pregnant. Tomorrow will be my 24 week mark and I can back up his claim 100%! Maternity pants are my new favorite thing :)

end of summer thoughts

A lot has been happening in my life lately and with summer semester finals finished, I finally have some time to share! After finding out I was pregnant near the end of winter semester, I decided to do spring and summer semesters so that I could graduate before the baby comes. I knew it wouldn't be easy going to school straight from fall semester of 2011 through December of this year, but I really wanted to graduate before becoming a full-time mom. Now that I am finished with one of the most challenging summers of my life (morning sickness and early morning classes aren't the best combo), I am finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Only a few more months until I am done with school! I can't think of a better graduation gift than a little baby boy :)

I am so incredibly grateful for all the help I've received the last few months. I have such a testimony of the power of prayer. It's amazing to see how loving Heavenly Father is and how willing He is to help us through anything we're going through. I have felt His hand in my life more in the last few months than ever before in my life.

Summer classes haven't stopped me from being completely baby crazy. I absolutely LOVE looking at baby stuff, thinking of baby names, and thinking about what our little boy will look like (I'm hoping he'll look just like Devin). I still can't believe there's a little person in my stomach. I still get so excited every time I feel him move around. I can't wait to meet him!