Bennett Andrew's Birth Story

“There is a secret in our culture and it is not that birth is painful but that women are strong” - Laura Stavoe Harm

Just a little warning that I am not going to hold anything back in terms of details which makes this post a. long and b. what some may see a graphic. Also, I was completely naked for the birth and for about 3 hours after so I put in the most modest pictures I could get, but there's still a lot of skin. I hope I didn't slip in a nip or some bush, but if I did I honestly don't care that much. There. Consider yourself warned.

I'm not even sure where to begin with Bennett's birth story as it honestly seemed to be so segmented. I don't even really know how long to say I labored for. I suppose it begins around 2:30 am on August 28. I awoke to a contraction and some cramping not unlike I'd been having off and on for that past week. After about an hour on the toilet and cramping I turned on the light in the bathroom to check the toilet paper when I wiped and there was red blood. I was ecstatic! That was my "this is it" moment of labor. I knew it was immanent. That was around 3:30 am. I decided to start timing contractions. They were sporadic, but in the neighborhood of 5-10 min apart and around a minute long. I called my midwife at 4:30 am to give her a heads up. We debated on whether she should come to me at this point but I was managing them fine and the last two had been further apart so I told her I'd keep her posted. Another hour passed in which the contractions diminished to more like 15 min apart. They were still strong and sometimes over a minute, but they were drifting further and further apart. By 8 in the morning I had had a solid hour without one, then I had one and went another whole hour without one. I was frustrated and confused. Was this labor? My midwife couldn't answer that for me but told me to go about my day and try to rest when I could. It would either go away or pick up one way or the other.

We decided around 10:30 or so to walk over to my mom's. I figured a walk might help contractions pick up and the distraction of being around people would be good for my sanity. While at my mom's I started noticing the contractions again, but a bit more regularly. I also noticed that Ben was moving a ton. I started to get concerned about his being so active so I texted the midwife just to check in about it. She told me she would be in my area and would like to just check in on us, but thought that the baby was really just settling into position and once he got there labor would really pick up. So we left my mom's to meet the midwife. On the walk home I had 3 contractions (my mom lives maybe 10 walking minutes away). One we got home I started trying to eat some lunch (this was about 12 noon) but the contractions were getting stronger and closer together. I was still breathing through them just fine and able to talk and joke and be totally normal in between them. My midwife arrived and Ritchie started setting up the pool and ran to pick up some food for all of us. My mom came and took Max to the park and told us she'd check in in an hour for his nap to see what to do.

Here's where time start to become hazy. I know I was checked around 1 pm and I was 4 cm but definitely "in labor" according to my midwife. I remember feeling very defeated by that. I thought "Well, it looks like I have a long day ahead of me". I pulled myself together and put myself back into the right head space for labor. I dealt with the contractions one at a time. I decided I would want to get into the tub soon and I needed to do the hibicleanse because I was Group B positive. That had to be done in the shower so Ritchie and I headed upstairs. I do remember Diana (my midwife) telling me to have my mom keep Max out of the house because I was in a great space for labor and she was afraid Max would distract me too much. Once up in the shower is where everything really picked up. I had a few contractions in the shower and the water felt wonderful during them. After maybe 4 contractions up there (I haven't a clue at this point the space or time of contractions - I was just rolling with it, but I know I could no longer be cheerful in between them and I had gone from deep breathing through them to long, low moaning and deep, steady hip swaying) I decided I would feel best in the tub so Ritchie helped me downstairs. I didn't even want to get dressed, I just wanted to get downstairs and into that tub, but it felt like I was having a contraction with every step I tried to take. Once in the hallway I saw that my doula (also a Diana!) had arrived. She immediately held me through the moaning and the rocking and told me what an amazing job I was doing. She kept guiding the noises lower and lower if I started to get whiney. I just wanted to get in the tub, but the water was pretty cold so Ritchie was trying to set it up. This annoyed me. I didn't really care whether it was cold or not, I just wanted IN it. I told my doula that it was at this point that I requested the epidural with Max. I remember the look on her face and also noticed my midwife was now in scrubs and frantically setting up for the birth. I also remember someone (no idea who) saying that Lisa (the second midwife) might not make it on time. I remember thinking that they were all crazy. I had JUST been checked and was a 4. Why were they all acting like this kid was coming out soon?

I started to panic a bit as the contractions came crashing through me one after the other. I had several in a row with no break and started to worry that, since I still had so long to go, that I couldn't do this. I got in the tub and told my doula that I was scared and worried. I told her that I hadn't even gone through transition yet and it was already so painful so how would I ever make it through? It was at this point that both the midwife and the doula started telling me that the baby would be here really soon and they think I already went through transition before I entered the tub. Somewhere in all of this talking (haha - I'm chatty even in labor) I had a few contractions that had my legs shaking and I felt Ben's head plummet down the vaginal canal and I was screaming, "Pressure! I'm going to split in half! I'm going to throw up! I don't want to throw up!" and then when my midwife tried to check me I screamed, "Don't touch me! Please, don't touch me!"

I want to say I was in the tub for 5 minutes or so when I felt a pop and realized my water broke. I told my midwife. She told me I needed to stand up straight so she could hear the baby's heart. She hadn't checked and was getting very antsy about it. I kept telling her no. No way was I getting up from where I was. She insisted and Ritchie and my doula lifted me up and held me there while she listened. Ben sounded perfect, thank goodness. I sunk back in the water to another intense contraction. This time my midwife ignored my pleas not to be checked and checked me anyway. Then she told me I needed to get out of the water right away so she could check me. I wanted to know why. She said, "Either I'm feeling a water bag, or that might not be the baby's head coming down and I need to do an internal exam with you out of the water right away." I'm pretty sure I told her no, but everyone told me to pull it together and do it for Ben. So, somehow I got out of the water and threw myself onto the couch on all fours. The couch was completely covered in various protectants. Anyway, my midwife checked me and it turns out my water had broke, but the baby was coming so quickly that his head hadn't had time to mold so what she had felt were simply folds of skin on the top of his head. I was told everything was fantastic and I needed to decide where I was going to have this baby. I want to remind you that I was checked at 1 and at this point it wasn't even 2 pm yet. I had no idea what time it was, but I knew it hadn't been long so I was stunned. Have the baby? Like now? Yes, they all assured me. He was coming. I decided I didn't want to move and that I would have him right there on my hands and knees on the couch. I wasn't moving! I did a few pushes there and the second midwife walked through the door around then. For those of you who haven't been to my house, the couch is the first thing you see when you walk through our front door and my ass was facing the front door, up high in the air. I specifically remember thinking that she must love to walk in and see that first thing! I enjoy that I can make jokes in my head while in the hardest part of labor.

So, I'm ass up and pushing and it occurs to me that my couch really isn't deep enough for me to get my legs open wide enough to birth a baby. So I flopped over onto right side and threw my left leg up in the air. I pushed there. The pushing was painful, but felt really great compared to some of the last few contractions I had had. I could feel him moving down and making progress. I could feel myself stretching. I got the epidural around 9cm with Max so all of these sensations were new to me. I actually enjoyed them. I remember saying that it hurt like hell, but it felt so amazing all at once. It wasn't long before my midwife told me that with the next contraction or two I would feel that ring of fire people talk about and it would burn and sting and I would want to pull away from it, but that I just needed to push through it. I did feel that, but right as Ben was crowning I got a charlie horse leg cramp. It hurt like hell - way more than the crowning did and I kept screaming, "My leg! My leg! I have a leg cramp!". Haha! So I guess the one thing I can tell people about the pain of natural child birth and crowing and the ring of fire is that a charlie horse leg cramp honestly hurts worse.

The most amazing part was (even through the leg cramp) I could feel his head, then each shoulder and then his abdomen pop out of me. And then one final tiny push for his butt and legs. I brought him up to my chest immediately and our love affair began. Well, it began AFTER Ritchie finally rubbed my calf and got rid of that damn cramp. He was born at 2:31 pm. Just 12 hours after feeling the very first contraction of that day. Just three hours after my contractions became regular Just one hour and thirty minutes after I was told I was 4 cm. How long would I say my labor is? I would say I have no idea, but it felt REALLY insanely fast.

That's my midwife, Diana. I love her!

My midwife and the second midwife, Lisa admiring us loving our baby.

After the birth there was a tad bit of drama with the placenta. It didn't want to come out. Well, it wanted to come halfway out. So the midwife had to hold it there to keep it from ripping out and causing bleeding. They were waiting for some contractions to come and get it out, but they weren't happening so they tried herbs. That didn't work. Finally, after an hour they gave me a shot of pitocin. That worked. Within 5 minutes it was completely out. It was actually all quite scary because if it hadn't come out very soon I would have been in an ambulance to the hospital to have them get it out. I really didn't want that and so I'm very grateful it came out quickly after the pitocin shot. I did tear slightly and needed a few stitches. We also had to weigh and measure the baby and get the house a bit cleaned up. I wanted all of that to happen before Max came home to meet his brother.

Max was really curious about the baby for all of 20 seconds before running off to play. He's handled the transition like a pro and seems to really love the baby. He pats him gently and asks about him, but otherwise just goes about his day being the happy, loving boy he is. My love for Max has grown ten-fold watching him become a brother. I just know these two will be best friends. They have seemingly similar temperaments and I honestly don't know how anyone couldn't get along well with Max anyway. He's made me so proud through all of this.

He's such a champ. Still loves his momma despite her bringing in this new cub.

As we've moved through the last 5 days I've fallen madly and deeply in love with Bennett. With both births I have not felt that instant love right as the baby is born. I feel awe at the process and relieved that they are healthy and all went well. But I fall in love with my babies over time. I felt guilty about this with Max, but have learned to embrace our journey and how it all plays out. With Max it took a little longer. I left his birth feeling a bit wounded. I was really focused on my recovery and nursing was so painful that I resented having to nurse him. I loved him, but it was very challenging for me to feel strong maternal love for him other than keep him safe and feed him because that was all I had the energy for. With Ben (and I believe strongly that this has everything to do with how I birthed him) it came much easier. Nursing is just as painful, but I enjoy it now. My recovery has been smooth and easy. I've been able to really connect with him because of the support I received in the first few days post pardum. My midwife has been a huge support and I've always felt safe and confident with her. We've been in constant contact since the birth and yet we're still at home where we can rest and recover without interruption. After having done it both ways I couldn't imagine ever choosing a hospital birth again. Bennett's birth has healed me. I walk away from this experience feeling empowered. I DID IT. I had a natural child birth. I trusted by body. I didn't need an iv, an epidural, pitocin to make my contractions longer, stronger or closer together. My body did it all on its own. This was what I needed to feel complete in my journey to motherhood. I'm so grateful for my experience now with Maxton because it led us to make this choice. And, this? Home birth? Well, home birth was the best decision I could have made. Earlier I was talking to Ritchie and told him that I still couldn't really believe that we had done a home birth. I said, "We're bad ass." It's so true. We're totally bad ass.

Bennett Andrew Lincoln

August 28, 2011

2:31 pm

8 pounds 8 ounces

21 inches long

What 41 Weeks Pregnant Looks Like

It looks HUGE. It feels uncomfortable and slower than molasses. I'm trying very hard to hang in there, but each day I feel more and more like a ticking time bomb.

There are several things that I'm grateful for during this time, so let's start there. I'm SO happy that I'm able to still walk. I've been walking about 2 and 1/4 mile each morning to try to get some contractions going. It feels fantastic to still be able to be so active this late in the game. I was even passing people on the trail this morning! And, no - they weren't senior citizens, thank you very much. I am also savoring this time with just Ritchie and Max. Ritchie is officially home from work and I've never needed his help more. The three of us hang out all day and we try to make each afternoon something fun for Max just in case it's the last afternoon with our little family of three. And, lastly, as hard as it is being pregnant right now and feeling so very "when the HELL is he going to come out?!" I'm very relieved that I'm working with a midwife. Someone who knows that my baby is perfect in there and is just waiting for the right time for him to make his entrance into this world. I loved (and I mean LOVED) by OB from Max's pregnancy and leaving her to pursue a home birth was a difficult decision, but I would have surely been induced by now. I cannot wait for that "this is it!" moment of labor starting and knowing that my little boy chose his own birthday. There is something so sacred in that for me and that fact alone keeps me going every day.

So, other than feeling like I might split in two at any given moment, I guess I'm just finding some peace in life right now. Sure, I get anxious. Yes, I want him to come now and if labor started right as I hit "publish post" I'd feel like the happiest woman on Earth. But, overall, I've reached a pretty great place in this pregnancy. It really can't be too much longer and I'm SO excited to uncover his story. We can't wait to welcome you to the world, Bennett. To the world and to our family. We're ready for you, baby - whenever you're ready!

Bennett's Labor Blessing

Today I was fortunate enough to have a wonderful group of women come together to give me strength and words of support and wisdom as I embark on these last few weeks of pregnancy and the intention of a home birth and, therefore, drug free labor and delivery. It was so much more than I could have even expected as these women put true thought behind the words and beads (which I will wear on a bracelet from now until Bennett's labor and during it) that they presented to me today. I know I will draw strength and courage from seeing these beads and remembering the words spoken and written for me today. It was truly special. I think every woman giving birth should have a labor blessing. It's heartwarming.

Here are some of the details!



Food!! We munched on beef and chicken skewers, caprese salad and veggies with hummus. YUM! Of course there were cupcakes from Icing On The Cake. Holy moly, that place is good! Every occasion we need baked goods for (including our wedding cake!) we go to them. They're amazing.

There was a henna artist who came to do a belly tattoo on me and a little something for other guests, too!


I love it!




Rebecca, a dear friend for 11 years now and maid of honor in my wedding, getting her Henna done! She's also having a little boy in September. It's been so fun sharing this journey with her!




Gemma gets hers done!


Lisa's (teeny tiny adorable!!) foot tattoo!


Both Lisa and my feet done!


This was the henna artist. She was not only talented, but also super sweet. We really enjoyed having her!


Rebecca presenting her bead.


Rusti and her bead.


Gemma with hers.


Stephanie with hers!

My mom was so good about making sure to get pictures of everyone with me, but wasn't in many of the shots! Here are a few more from this special day.











Thank you to everyone who came and made it so special.

In other exciting news, my best friend, Kimberly had her second baby, a little girl (her son is 3 months older than Max) early this morning! I got the news right when I woke and I couldn't be more excited for her and her growing family. I will always remember Kira's birthday because I woke up learning about her arrival and had my labor blessing that day!

We also celebrated my dad's birthday (his was the 4th) this evening at our house. Cake, presents, Max as entertainment - it was great! Haha! So much to celebrate today! It was a day filled with love and support and good news all around. I love days like that!

Nesting, Nesting, 1...2...3...

Today it began.

We've cleaned.

We've washed itty bitty clothes, some new, some that took us down memory lane of when our first baby boy was just that, a baby.

We've cleared space in the living room and put up the swing.

We've prepped the home birth supplies.

We've bought the big brother books and have been having the conversations.

We've set up the bassinet right next to our bed.

We've bought the teeniest newborn diapers.

We're 37 weeks tomorrow.

We're officially waiting on Baby B.

36 Weeks

And here we are. Nine whole months pregnant. But, see? This is where "they" getcha. You aren't pregnant for 9 months, no, no. You are pregnant for a whopping 10 months. Nobody tells you that until you've successfully been knocked up. THEN and only then are "they" all, "Oh, and by the way...". In any case, we have approximately one month left until Baby B's big arrival!



Ritchie and I tried our hands tonight at some maternity photos in San Francisco. I think they turned out pretty decently. I've been having some fun with editing, so don't mind my over editing ;)





Max has been a fun part of the pregnancy journey this time around. He's aware that the belly is called "baby" and he'll rub it and kiss it. We're working on him saying the baby's name, so far without any luck. I cannot wait to watch my boys grow together. I have visions of them laughing and rough housing together. I can honestly say that I hope to have lengthy stories to tell their children of times that they collaborated some mischievous plan to get away with something. I hope that they are true best friends.





I've gained a grand total of 34 pounds thus far (I gained 25 with Max). If I can keep it under 40 I'll be pleased. That really SHOULDN'T be a problem, but I don't have the same eating restrictions I did with Max and the Gestational Diabetes. I am seeing the sporadic high number here and there and so I've reeled in my sugar/carb intake some more in the past week. I just found out today that I tested positive for Group Beta Strep. This isn't shocking considering I was positive with Max as well. It shouldn't add any major complications, just a bit more to deal with from now until delivery and there's some precautionary steps that will be taken during the labor at home as well.



In other pregnancy discomforts, my sciatic nerve has apparently become pinched and whatever's pinching it isn't letting go easily. I'm now seeing a chiropractor regularly in hopes of getting this taken care of since I can barely walk most days. Makes "chasing" a toddler super fun. We're surviving somehow but it's getting old fast. Other than that, I actually feel great! I'm sleeping well and feeling fairly energized for being 36 weeks.



I just can't believe this little guy will be here in the next 5 weeks or so. I'm hoping to make it all the way to 40 weeks, and maybe a day or two over, but NOT to reach 41 weeks. Haha! But, I'm not picky ;) I'm really trying to enjoy this last month as we're not sure whether or not we'll be having a third. This could be the last time I feel a little one squirming around in there while I live in anticipation of knowing him and what he'll look like, who he'll be. There's nothing quite like that. It's been a beautiful journey.

21 Months

Max is almost 22 months - which is hardly believable (I know I always say that!). He continues to fill our hearts with joy despite having a challenging last few months. I'm not sure if it's two year molars, terrible twos coming early, or just his instinctual knowledge that life as he knows it is about to change big time, but he's been very cranky and clingy lately. It's so difficult for me because I want to shower him with love and give into his demands that I just stand there and hold him virtually all day long, but I am now about 36 weeks pregnant and having atrocious sciatic nerve pain. Besides which, he won't be able to be held all day in a few weeks anyway, what with needing to split time with Baby B being held at least SOME of the time ;) It's for this reason that we started to explore beginning Max in a two-day, part-time preschool program. I had found an in home preschool program that I really liked a few months back, but Max was too young to join so we waited a bit. Now, he's all signed up and ready to begin on August 2. I'm very nervous about this transition but ultimately feel like it's important that Max gets some time with other children and independent of mommy. Not to mention the time that it will give me and Baby B to bond.


Just one of his many looks he gives us.

Despite the clinging and the tantrums, Max is still an absolute joy in our lives. There's not a day that goes by that he doesn't make me smile. He's developing some "selective hearing" I think and seems to decide when he should hear what I ask of him, and when he shouldn't. Mostly this applies to my asking him to come inside when he's outside playing and eating food that he doesn't enjoy (like all things green). Max LOVES to be outdoors. Luckily I discovered this fantastic little water park recently that he just loves! Playing in water, sand and on swings and slides are his absolute favorite! His favorite foods right now are bee-bees (berries), me-me (melon), popsicles, cookies, beee (beans), ha-da (hot dogs) and finally waffles. Haha! We try desperately to incorporate other foods like chicken and other meat (he does like steak on occasion), veggies (we hide some in smoothies right now), and dairy like cheese and yogurt (which he used to LOVE and now hates). He is drinking tons more milk than usual so I guess he might somehow get what he needs nutritionally! haha! We're not all too worried about it as it seems like the norm for kids his age.



Max's favorite toys around the house right now is anything musical. He also loves blocks, trains, cars, and is obsessed with anything in the air like hey-ca-ca (helicopters) and are-pay (airplanes). Books are another favorite and we recently added a shelf to the living room that makes the books really accessible to him. This has done wonders for how much he wants to be read to! He's now able to point out things in the books and say words from the pages as if on cue. I love his blossoming vocabulary... even if only Ritchie and I can understand him! We're trying very hard to get Max to interact with the baby doll we got him to symbolize his brother, but he's not at all interested in it. He does seem to enjoy real babies for about 15 seconds, so perhaps there is some hope?



Maxton is becoming more boy and less baby with each passing day. We're just noticing so much growth and an increasing independence in him. He mimics more and tries to do everything that he sees. He is more and more brave about climbing, swimming, and unknowns. We try to make him feel secure, but also give him little pushes towards trying things that frighten him. He's getting better with this more and more. He's happiest with Ritchie and I both present and will often ask for the other parent when one is missing. His kisses make my whole day and I couldn't be happier about the boy he's becoming. I cannot wait to see him become a big brother and trust the example he'll set for his brother. He's sweet and cautious, yet becoming more adventurous and brave with each passing day. I'm so grateful for this combination that makes up our special little guy.



Oh, and I recently hit up the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (insert large amounts of debt here) and so now Max also has some really awesome shoes.



Believe me, they deserved a spot on the blog. They're fabulous. And he loves them, too. So I suppose that makes my boy stylish, too! Love that little man to pieces!!

5 Years With a Side of "I Told You So"

It all started on December 3 of 2002. Actually, it sort of started on Thanksgiving of that year, but we made it official on the 3rd. Our courtship in the beginning was wild and crazy fast. We met, we stayed up talking for like a week straight, he went to Seattle for Christmas, he came back on New Year's Eve and we decided that we wanted to get married. We exchanged our parent's wedding rings (we had them because our parents are both divorced, which is, um.. NOT very romantic, but at the time it seemed dreamy - he was 19, I was 20). Anyway, we kept it quiet for a few months and tackled one major thing at a time. First, we moved in together. I somehow got that past my parents with a promise to my dad that I would not have any more announcements in the near future. Um, sorry about that dad.


A little over 1 year into our relationship.

Ritchie bought me a ring in February of 2004 (a mere 2 months after our courtship began) and we told our parents. My mom was less than thrilled, but has always let me sort of figure things out for myself as long as it wasn't life threatening or anything. She didn't sense that Ritchie was an axe murderer so I guess she figured I'd sort this one out somehow. That, or she knew how my dad would react and pretty much rested easy knowing she didn't have to worry much. My dad was FAR less than thrilled. He liked Ritchie, loved me, but 2 months and a tiny, stinky one bedroom apartment did not a marriage make in his eyes. I am the kind of girl who really needs her parents' approval, so we remained engaged in our eyes, but for the sake of my family called it a "promise ring" and told them we would wait to marry until at least after I had graduated college. We didn't like it, but I wanted the dream wedding and my dad not being present wasn't part of that dream. Plus, my parents are pretty smart people who had never steered me wrong, so I figured what's the rush? I KNEW I would marry Ritchie and if waiting a bit made them happy, then fine.



2 year dating anniversary



Also the night he officially proposed again!

On our two year wedding anniversary I was a mere 5 months from graduating college. We were both still madly in love and wanting to get married. My dad, for whatever reason (oh, and he TOTALLY denies this now because he seriously LOVES Ritchie, Like, maybe more than he loves me) still didn't think it was "right". Ritchie asked his permission on 3 separate occasions, I believe, in an effort to "do things right" this time around. All three times he was told, respectfully, NO. "No, you do not have permission to marry my daughter. Will all do respect, I just don't see it working between you two." That last time Ritchie had the ring in hand and was planning to propose less than a week later so Ritchie told him, "Well, I respect that opinion, but I have to respectfully disagree. I want you to know that I will be asking her to marry me soon." (All these quotes mean nothing really - I'm paraphrasing - hell, I wasn't there).


3 years together!

Anyway, he DID ask again and I, of course, said YES! We got to planning the details (we even made our wedding 18 months from our engagement date) and my dad seemed to forget all about his opinions and just welcome Ritchie to the family with open arms. He did later admit that he really though NOBODY could be good enough for his little girl and he was just so scared that we would go through what my mom and him went through with the divorce because we were rushing. It feels good to be loved that much by your daddy.

On June 25, 2006 Ritchie made me his wife.


Following the ceremony


Cutting the cake

It was a happy day. The day of my dreams. Everyone there, surrounding us with love and nobody doubting whether or not we'd make it. We KNEW we'd make it. We'd known since day one. Since then we've had SO many adventures as husband and wife.


Married almost 1 year in this picture!

We bought a house, got promotions, went through 9 long months of trying to get pregnant, and finally got pregnant with our first child.


2 years married! We got pregnant about 6 months later.

Bringing Maxton into this world with Ritchie brought more love into my life than I could have ever dreamed possible. I felt the unbelievable love for my child, of course, but also this tremendous growth in my love for Ritchie. We had created Maxton. He was there for me in every step of the pregnancy and labor and delivery. I didn't change a diaper for the first 2 weeks because Ritchie did it ALL while I healed and fought through nursing torture (it got better, don't worry). He was patient, loving and gentle with BOTH our son and me. Having a child with Ritchie proved to me (even though I didn't need this proven - I already knew) what kind of man I had chosen. Sometimes your parents are right, but sometimes, they're wrong. Dad was wrong on this one. He knows it, too.

http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x408/maxandbensmom/DSC_0191.jpg
3 years married and 3 months away from meeting Maxton!


Meeting Maxton for the first time. Look at the smile on Ritchie's face. Total pride.


Our family grows.

As the years have flown by, so have the milestones, especially for Ritchie.


I graduate college.


Ritchie graduates college.

Ritchie has FLOWN up the corporate ladder at Apple and continues to amaze me with how profoundly brilliant he is. I mean, how he knows how to do this stuff, I'll never know. I used to struggle teaching 4th grade math sometimes. He has knowledge that makes my head spin. We're so fortunate that his job has allowed me to do what I feel most passionate about; stay home with our children.


4 years married with our little man.

That's right, children. We're expecting another baby boy in less than 2 months. And so we celebrate this year with me pregnant and Ritchie just as supportive as ever to head into another great adventure.


5 years.

Life is so much sweeter because of my family. Ritchie and I are the core of our growing family. I couldn't have chosen a better man to fill that role. So, not-so-sorry to say, Dad but I TOLD YOU SO!! Haha!

Happy Anniversary to the man who fills my heart. And, Dad? Thanks for loving me so much. And thank you even more for loving my husband so much. You are a wonderful dad to both of us.