We're Moving!!

Not from California...just our blog page! Now that Braden is here, we have to be fair so we changed our blog to www.alongcamemoore.blogspot.com - Please come by and visit us there!

Our Boy!

Brian and I got the surprise of our lives this Tuesday evening, October 27th with Braden Christopher Moore joining our family exactly 6 weeks early. On Sunday afternoon after having lunch with our church staff and missionary friends, we were walking out of the restaurant and my water broke. We were in SHOCK to say the least. After a whirlwind of events and getting Mersadie taken care of, we went to the hospital where they confirmed, sure enough, that my water had indeed broken. There they informed me that I would be in the hospital until Braden was born, which would not be more than 9 days.

On Tuesday morning, when I still had not gone into active labor on my own, the high risk OB came in and highly suggested that we schedule a c-section to reduce the risk of infection for myself and Braden. I had already been given the 2 steroid shots for Braden's lungs to develop. With reluctancy we went ahead and scheduled the c-section for that evening at 7 p.m. (Reluctant because I REALLY wanted to try and deliver naturally this time around after having a c-section with Sadie). We knew this was the best choice though.

At about 4 or 4:30 Tuesday afternoon I started having contractions so fast, painful and close together that we called the doctor into my room. She checked me for progression and to my surprise, I was 2 cm dilated and 100% effaced. They decided to let me progress naturally and see where it led. Well...it led right to more and stronger contractions, A LOT of pain, an epidural (THANK YOU GOD) and after about 30 minutes of pushing - our handsome son Braden Christopher was born at 8:25 p.m. - 5 lb 14 oz. - 18 3/4 inches long. - BIG guy for 6 weeks premature!

Braden is still in the NICU because he is not breathing well on his own. Things have been so up and down. The worst being him going through a collapsed lung on Wednesday evening. The doctors got him stabilized and he is on a respirator. It will be a fairly long road to recovery, but things are looking up. He is breathing 70% on his own and they say he is getting better. The next thing he will need to do after breathing on his own 100% is to learn how to suck so he can eat. Then they will make sure that he is regulating his own body temperature. After all of those things are successful, our boy will be able to come home to meet his big sister.

Thank you for your prayers and concern as we go through what is the biggest trial of our lives so far.

Belly Photos!!!

Well...here I am at 33 1/2 weeks pregnant. These are the first photos of myself this ENTIRE pregnancy! Man, I hope I'm better at photographing Braden after he is born! Anyway, I talked Brian into taking some pictures of Sadie and me today. He did a mighty fine job taking direction from me. It is hard to be the person being photographed while telling the photographer what to do! Anyway, at least we got them done! Enjoy!

Mersadie's Bedtime Songs - Part IV (Final)

Here is the last installment of Mersadie's Bedtime Songs. It's the ABC's. I love the stage that Sadie is at right now. We are having so much fun!

Bedtime Songs Part III

Here is the delayed "Part III" of Sadie's bedtime songs. She gets a little mixed up on this one partly because it sounds so much like "Jesus Loves Me" and partly because she is distracted by herself in the mirror, me with the video camera and wanting to "see it in the picture" when she is done singing. It's cute anyway! Enjoy!

Play-Doh Fun!

I bought some play-doh for Mersadie a long time ago, but forgot about it until the other day when she saw it high on the shelf in the laundry room and wanted to play with it. So, being the "neat freak" mom that I am, I let her sit in her high chair on the tile floor and play with one color at a time. She LOVED it! I think she sat there for an hour and a half playing with the stuff. Enjoy the pics!

"Mom finally let me play with the play-doh!"

Rolling.

"Hmmm, not quite good enough."

"Let's start over."

Molding.

Rolling again.

"Ahh, it's perfect." Mersadie said this was a house.

Play-doh makes one very happy girl!...

...and makes one girl very tired!

Mersadie's Bedtime Songs - Part II

Here is "Part II" of Mersadie's bedtime songs - this one is "Jesus Loves Me". If you're wondering what she's looking at most of the time in the video, it's herself. Her closet doors are mirrors, so she enjoys watching herself sing! Also, she loves the sing the "me" in the song really high because Brian always gets a kick out of that and it's now what she does to get him to laugh. Anyway, enjoy this cute video on your Monday!!

Mersadie's Bedtime Songs - Part 1

Part of Mersadie's bedtime routine, after prayers, is singing. She has a medley that she sings EVERY night. If we skip one, we're in trouble! I just wanted to share with you the fun we get to have at bedtime! Since I had the camera, she was a little distracted and needed help with a few of the words. This video is just "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" - but there are 3 more videos to come - just keep watching for me to post them. Enjoy!

Tea for 2 (or 3)

When my parents were in town a few weeks ago, we worked on some projects for the kiddos. In Mersadie's new room, we built a cabanna to put her table and chairs in. Sadie LOVES it - it's her little hideout. We (my dad) also painted Sadie's old room - which will be Braden's room. Neither room is completely finished, that's why you haven't seen pictures, but they will come when the rooms are complete.

For now, enjoy Sadie's tea time with Elmo and the Cabbage Patch doll. She was serving them tea the other day and then she decided to join them. It was so cute. She was asking them if they wanted sugar in their tea and everything! I wish the video camera would have been charged! Maybe next time! Enjoy!

When it's left up to Mersadie...

...these are the shoes she will pick out. I thought they were funny - almost reminds me of bedazzled - but they actually look pretty cute on. I'll have to get some pictures of her in them to prove it. I guess we are entering the stage of "wanting to start making my own decisions"! Oh joy!

More Pictures of Our Little Lady!

Brian, Mersadie and I went out today to do a "photo shoot" of Sadie. She wasn't interested in posing for me, but I brought along some bubbles and Brian distracted her with them while I tried to get some shots. I'm still learning this whole camera thing and still trying to get all the coloring right, but here's our precious little lady anyway. Enjoy!

Love those lips!

The Boy's Debut

A little over a week ago, Brian and I went to have a 3-D Ultrasound done to get a sneek peak of our baby boy...Braden Christopher. My parents were in town and we were able to take Sadie with us too - so it was a lot of fun for all of us. So, here they are, the first official pictures of our little guy. Enjoy!

This is Brian's favorite picture because he thinks that Braden is already trying to show off his bulging biceps!

At around 2 pounds, I don't know how he already looks so cuddly!

Can't wait to hold this precious guy in my arms!

Don't want to try and explain this picture too much, but the lady said that this "proves" he's a boy. I sure hope so. We already painted the room!

Cake Batter...Yummy!!

What's on my face, you ask?

Well, Mommy was baking a cake and dropped some batter on the counter.

So I just had to try it out.

Oooo, this is kinda yummy!

I'll have more!

So goooood!

I really like this. How come I haven't gotten to have it before?

Maybe Mommy will bake a cake again soon!

I'll even share with you if you want to come over next time!

Official Unofficial 2 Year Old Photos

So, I've been meaning to take some "2 year old" pictures of Mersadie and just haven't found the time or we were waiting for scratches to go away or whatever. Well, today I had all the intentions of taking her "on location" to do some outdoor pictures, but plans fell through. So, since I had her dressed and ready, I set up our indoor "studio" and snapped a few shots just incase we don't get outside soon. So...here they are - Mersadie is 2!! (Well, she's been 2 for almost 3 months, but who's counting?)

Mersadie has so many different sides to her as you will see in these pictures. They were all taken within probably 5-10 minutes time. Oh, the different faces and emotions a 2-year old can go through! Enjoy!