Goodbye BIG Belly!

39 Weeks 3 Days pregnant...

walking around at the Detroit Auto Show

hoping to induce labor (not successful)

Hello Sweet Baby!!!

Isaac Benjamin

Arrived January 23, 2009 (his due date) at 5:48 p.m.

8 pounds 14 ounces

21 1/4 inches

Daddy admiring our little miracle!

Grandma Gail and Isaac...
We were so lucky to have her here to help
before and after Isaac finally arrived.


Isabelle, Landon, and Levi were SO excited to meet
their new brother. Isabelle was ready to get her
hands on Isaac's chubby cheeks


This big sister was super excited to finally get to hold our
baby... she'd been talking about this moment for months!





To be honest, Brandon and I just might be the most indecisive couple when it comes to naming our children. This time around was no exception, but we made the final decision in time to fill out the birth certificate. I'm happy to say that this little boy is the first grandchild to be named after my mom's family. More specifically my grandpa's name was Weldon Benjamin Isaacson. He passed away before I got to know him because I was so young. But through my mom's stories I feel like he was/is the type of man that I want our son to be named after. I was shocked when Brandon didn't veto the name because he vetos everything. Plus I really started coming around to the name when Isabelle saw it written down and said "mom, his name matches my name!" because it starts with I-S-A like hers. Ever since then she didn't want to consider any other name for her brother. So she's had him named for the last 3 months. Just seeing how much Isabelle loved the name helped me fall in love with the name too. However, it still took me 24 hours of having him here to decide that he was indeed an Isaac Benjamin.

More pictures...

One proud papa!

It's a party in mom's uncomfortable hospital bed...

there is a cute little bundle somewhere in there.

Mommy and Isaac


Our little Michigan man, just waiting to go home.

It's so exhausting being a newborn!


The last two weeks have been quite an adventure. All of the big kids are madly in love with their little brother or as Levi affectionately calls him, his "little buddy." They are all super "helpful" and love supervising every activity he is involved in... nursing, changing diapers, and sleeping and most recently (today) his first shower, which he loved. Plus they each like to take turns holding him many times throughout the day. Isabelle is still trying to convince me that she is big enough to stand and/or walk while she holds him. She loves to be the mommy!

Isabelle's hair cut

Isabelle was quite excited to get into the chair...

The back

Flipping her hair around, obviously pleased with the outcome.

Unfortunately, she was too giddy to get a good face shot... but you get the idea.

Before and After + Prego Pics

Typical before picture "blah" and "grumpy" looking

The back

The back "after" the cut and color

Now I'm happy! Still trying to get used to seeing myself as a brunette, but change is good!

37 weeks pregnant... as Brandon likes to say "I am Large and in Charge!"

Good News!

I am almost 37 weeks pregnant and I found out at my last ultrasound that I won't have to have a c-section. My placenta is 2cm out of the way... yipee! So this little man gets to pick his own birthday just like my other kids. The scheduled delivery does have some appeal, but I would rather have a labor day. So I am very grateful that it all worked out.

I have been MIA for a while again because, well other than being exhausted... I lost my power cord to my computer (actually only half of it). I am so scatterbrained these days, which I am going to full heartedly blame on my pregnant brain. I really hope it turns up because it was brand new and I only had it for a week or two. The good news is that Brandon was able to modify a cord he found at the thrift store for 80 cents, but I don't know how long it will last. I'm just hoping this rigged cord will give me enough time to find the one I just bought. I honestly feel like I've looked everywhere but obviously not, because I haven't found it. I hate it when something is lost! (But I am so thankful for my computer savvy husband!)

Today my princess and I had a fun girls day out. We both went to the salon to get haircuts. I finally persuaded her to cut her hair again. She still has baby hair around her face plus bangs growing out so I wanted to cut it in a bob again to have it all the same length. I've always been the one to cut her hair so she felt super special to have it done in a salon. (Plus it was only $5 because I had a coupon for her haircut.. which was worth it to not have to do it and clean it all up). She was so funny afterwards because she kept looking in the mirror and swinging her hair back and forth... she couldn't stop checking herself out! It's really cute on her (I'm not biased or anything). I think the hair dresser may have layered it a little short on one side, but it will grow out. Plus Isabelle likes it so thats all that matters. I have to admit that I will miss the updos we did with her long hair, but I'm not going to have too much time to do hair in the very near future. So I'm glad Isabelle was willing to do what I wanted. She and I kinda have matching cuts... both short to the chin but now mine is auburn! I have never done anything but highlights so it is a litter different to see myself with darker hair, but change is good! Brandon even likes it. But I don't know if I can trust his opinion because he has never NOT liked how I've cut my hair, and I can't say if thats good or bad (there was one cut when it looked a little too boyish, so it's a good thing my hair grows really fast). I am grateful that my hubby thinks I look good with short, long, blonde, or red hair. It is really fun to experiement!

I have a before and after of Isabelle... and I'll try to get a picture of me tomorrow since it's new years and I'll have a real excuse to make sure I'm in a picture!

Hide-N-Seek

When Brandon gets home from school it's typical for the kids to hide from him so they can be found and tickled to death. Tonight Brandon got home around 6:30 and the kids had already eaten... so they had to try to wait until he ate. But when he sat down to eat he had two little boys pestering him to play hide-n-seek. This was the conversation... (the boys were both hiding under the table while Brandon was seated at the table eating)

Landon: Daddy you have to find us!
Daddy: Where could those little stinkers be?
Levi: You have to look in all of the rooms!
Daddy: Or maybe I should just look under the table since I can hear you two!
Landon: (Whispers to Levi) Don't say anything!

I guess they figured that daddy would forget where they were if they became quiet all of the sudden. :0)

These little people are pure entertainment!