It's April... Sheesh!

Master Luke,

Wow, my sweet sweet angel. I can not believe you are 11 weeks old TODAY! You are such a joy, and your Dad and I are loving getting to know you. Since it's been about 3 months since I last blogged, I thought I would share some of the highlights.

Starting with your birth!

Monday, February 13th. Your Dad I checked in to the hospital at about 8 pm. My doctor wanted me to check in to get a cervdil. This is a pill that is supposed to help thin your cervix... it didn't work, Ha. Monday night I laid in the hospital bed tossing and turning, thinking and praying, and lying awake anxiously awaiting your arrival. It was a pretty long night, but they had us hooked up to all the monitors so we got to watch your heart beat.

Tuesday morning, the doctor broke my water mid morning. Can we say gross! It was definitely the strangest feeling! Just a huge gush gushing out of my body- ick! I was still only dilated to a 2 and 50% effaced, so we knew it was going to be a long day.  Once the contractions started, at about 11-noonish... I am going based on memory here so bare with me... I decided to go ahead and get the epidural. OUCH! I felt E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G. 15 minutes after getting it, I told the nurse I was still feeling everything. They kept telling me to give some more time, that since I am so tall, it would take a little time to work. 15 more minutes, E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G, and contractions are strong. Boo! After about an hour, I was receiving my second epidural because #1 did not take. The good news is that this one did take, and it was actually a really good one- thanks goodness!

Time is still passing, all of the family is there waiting it on in the waiting room. I was pretty adamant that it only be your Dad and I in the room because I am just one of those that likes to be left alone when I don't feel good. I was finally unable to feel the contractions and since I didn't sleep that night, I was able to nap here and there.

2:45ish. I told our nurse, Carla, (whom, by the way, was SUPER AWESOME. Love you Carla), that I felt like I needed to poop. She just kinda looked at me for a second and then decided that she would check me. Dilated 10 cm, 100% effaced. Oh boy, here we go!

5:06. Luke Willson Kogler entered this world. That's right I pushed for 2 hours! Talk about being exhausted. It seriously took everything in me to deliver you. I was on oxygen, put into very strange positions, you name it, it happened. Your Dad was great, he stayed up at my head with me and talked me through it. The doc and nurse said that they could see your head full of hair every time I would push, ew! The last 30+ minutes were the worst. The epidural had started to wear off and they couldn't give me anymore. I really didn't know if I was going to be able to keep going, I was feeling the contractions again, and so so tired. The only thing I could think about was getting to hold you, and that kept me motivated to keep going. Out of all the contractions, there were only about a handful that I actually didn't push and just rested, whew! Pat on the back for Mama!

NONE of this even mattered the second they put you on my chest. You were the most beautiful baby! What "they" say is so true. The love, right then, that I had for you was the most overwhelming feeling. I knew, that being your Mom was the biggest blessing. Thank you Lord for such a beautiful healthy baby boy.  Your Dad was crying, I was crying, you, of course, were crying, but we were crying tears of joy. Me, well yea, I was crying because I didn't have to push any more. J/K. I do think that I fell in love with your Dad even more at that very moment. Just knowing that we made you, and to see the joy and love on his face, made my heart melt.

9 pounds 7 ounces and 20.5 inches long. A head full of hair. Perfect.

Here is a funny/ gross story: when your umbilical cord finally fell off, we placed it on the coffee table and Sierra must of thought it was a treat, because she decided to... eat it...

Watching you grow up and change everyday is so amazing. Just last Friday, at your 2 month well check you were 13.5 pounds and 24.5 inches long- all in the 90th percentile. Based on the internet you will be somewhere around 6'5"! You are already wearing 3-6 month clothes and in a size 2 diaper. We have watched you smile, laugh, play, sit up, stand up- your favorite. Just in 11 weeks you have changed A LOT, I can only imagine how fast the rest of this is going to go. Just a few weeks ago- 3 to be exact- you decided to start sleeping in 6 hour blocks! WHEW! Here are some great pics of you.

This was yesterday, 4/30! That makes you 11 weeks old.

2 weeks old!

3 days old! We are such a pair!

A few days old, sleeping on Dad.

Mommy's little thumb sucker. You work very hard to find your thumb, it's kinda funny to watch you.

Here is a great story about the picture above. You and I were visiting GranJan and Pop for dinner. I was holding you and well, you started to poop. I kept saying, "ok, this diaper has a maximum capacity"... Sure enough you blew your diaper and got poop, not just all over you, but my jeans, too! I had to do laundry and give you a bath! This is the picture of you after bath time, and now it's one of my favorite pictures of you.

This is you 3 days old! Already such a hamm! I bought the heart blanket and the crotchet beanie that says "MOM" in a heart from Etsy since you were born on Valentine's Day.

The picture above is you on your first walk in the stroller. You LOVED it! 

You in a milk coma. So cute!

Things you love:
Listening to country music when I am rocking you to sleep.
Standing up, with a lot of support of course.
Walks in your stroller
Driving in the car- you do so great in your car seat
Daddy singing to you. You do think your Daddy is pretty funny.
Watching t.v. In particular baseball or cartoons. When you were about 8 weeks old, it was a Friday night, and we had The Lion King on. Dad had you in his arms singing Hakuna Matata. I took a step back and laughed. There we were on a Friday night watching Lion King and singing to you. A couple of years ago, we would've been out with our friends at a bar or something. But this was a great place to be, I was loving it.

Dancing with Mom- mostly 2 step or swaying. We sway a lot while watching American Idol.
Sleeping on your tummy in your crib
Watching your mobile
Going outside

Things you hate:
Your swing
Not being held
Being wet! You pee one time and think you have to be changed IMMEDIATELY. We are going through diapers like crazy!
Reflux- but we have this mostly under control. Poor mush!
Non cotton sateen sheets- and I'm not joking. You won't just sleep on any sheet. You are so much like your Momma, a true bed snob!

Nick Names:
I do promise that your name is Luke. I promise. It is not Mush, Little Man, Bubba, Bubs, Handsome, or Goose but these are the few nicknames created.

Who do you look like:
This depends on who we ask. Those closest to Daddy, think you look like him, while those closer to me, think you look like me. I would say your a pretty good combination of the two of us. Your eyes are your Daddy's, your nose and chin are your Momma's, and you actually have Pop's toes! Right now, your eyes are still a beautiful shade of blue, they haven't changed much. We are wondering if they will stay blue, or turn brown like both of ours. Pop, Grandpa, and Uncle Brent are the only ones with blue eyes, so we shall see.

My mush, there is still so much to talk about. I could talk about you for hours! This is definitely been the hardest, most rewarding experience. You make life that much more enjoyable for your Dad and I. All I want to do is be with you. I now know what people meant when they said how having a baby will change your life, and you can't really explain it. You can't, because it's like no other. You are such a beautiful little boy, and you already make Mom and Dad so proud. We love you more then you will ever know. I can't wait for tomorrow and the next day and the next because I get to spend it with you.

Keep growing strong and showing us what life is all about. I love watching you experience new things, even if it is just noticing the ceiling fan for the first time. The eyes of a child, and we get to live it through you.

LOVE love LoVe you, so so much!

OUR FIRST EASTER AS A FAMILY OF 3!