He's a whole hand now!

Today Zander, my very last baby, turns five! I can't believe that 5 years have gone by in the blink of an eye. He has changed before our eyes from a perfect sweet little baby who wanted nothing more than to be loved and held into a smart independent big boy who will still pick being loved and snuggled over most things :)

My pregnancy with Zander was amazing, we were all so excited to be bringing him into our family. Adam and I were so happy to have a child who would never have to go off for a visit with another parent, we missed our other kids so much when they were gone and it was so exciting to have a little bit of a distraction to fill the void when they were gone. The boys were happy to be getting a little brother..... Lyndsay was initially disappointed that Zander was a boy and not the sister she had been hoping for but then she came upon the bit of wisdom that if he was a boy she would forever remain daddy's one and only little girl, and she kinda liked that!

Lyndsay has always been a girl who is beyond her years and at the age of 12 she was very involved in the pregnancy. She was on conference call for the ultrasound to find out the sex since she was in California at the time, she was constantly telling me not to carry things, or lift, or skip meals.... it was like having a midwife watching me whenever she was there! I loved it. She loved to rub my belly and get Zander to kick, we could lay in my bed talking and playing with my belly for so long in the evenings. After getting special permission from her mom it was decided that Lyndsay would be in the room with Adam and I for the birth. Zander was actually due on June 19th and Lyndsay was supposed to come for the summer sometime around June 10th, should have been no problem, but as she was visiting for labor day my Dr. told me he could come at any time and we got a bit worried. Lyndsay started taking me on long daily walks, jumping on the trampoline, eating spicy foods together..... we were getting quite worried that she might miss the birth and that would just be sad. 2 days before she was supposed to leave we decided to give Castor oil a try but nothing seemed to happen.... we kind of gave up and Adam and I decided to take all 4 kids to the movies for some fun. About 1/2 hour into the movie the contractions started but after paying for 6 movie tickets we were staying for that dang movie! I spent most of it in the hall or bathroom and when it was over we went right to the hospital with all the kids in tow.... I'm sure we were quite the sight! Lynz and I were so excited, the baby was coming and she was going to be here to see it! We got checked in to the hospital and grandma came to pick up the boys for the night.

The birth didn't go quite as planned, in fact I had to have a C-section so Lyndsay had to wait in the hall but she was a trooper and was still one of the first to see her little brother, and was there for me from the time we went in to the hospital and after the baby was born. She was amazing!

Zander had to spend a few days under oxygen to help his lungs but was otherwise perfect. Since we could only touch and rub his body but not really hold him for those days the minute he was released he was held 24/7, and he loved it! He turned into the baby that just wanted human contact at all times, and he had a mommy and daddy who were happy to give it to him!

He grew up so fast, I don't know how old he was but I know that other than mama and dada his first words were "DILWAY" (Dylan" which was always yelled" "SIS" which was Lynz and "Show-ay" which was shower. Those words summed up his favorite things.

Daddy Loved to pose him in things like pots and baskets of apples..... the favorite I think was the tiny tents set up at camping stores, Daddy loved to put the baby anywere a baby wouldn't normally be found.... that's my hunny... that's why we love him!

Now at 5 Zander has actual friends, he gets invited over to people's houses.... without me! He is excited about starting school this year, he is growing up and I am so very proud of him..... and so happy that he still starts every day with snuggle time with mommy and daddy if he is home, just 10 minutes of laying together and hugging and talking about how we slept starts his day off in the right direction and I love that about my boy!

Happy Birthday Zander Boy, no matter how big you get you will always be my baby!