The Brunner Bunch!

I'm trying to keep up on this blog, but not doing a great job :) So much has happened in the last few months and I don't know where to begin. I'll start by commenting on the fact that I have the best family EVER! I feel so blessed to be able to have these 3 boys in my life :) The above picture was taken Easter day. We had such a great day and I really love watching Jake get so excited about everything! He really does love life :) Jared seems to always be enjoying himself also. He's such a sweet, calm boy. Nothing seems to bother him or irritate him (except if you take too long to make a bottle!) He's eating solids now and doing a great job! He sure loves his food more than his brother did :)

So I realize this blog sounds so sappy right now but it's a true statement of how I've been feeling. Everything is going so great and I truly am loving this time of my life! Travis and I are taking time to enjoy this moment in our lives because we know it will be gone before we know it!

Life with two boys!

Bath Time!

Playing on the Slide

Well it took me about a month to get completely adjusted to life with 2 boys, but everything seems to be going really smooth! It's an adjustment to allow more time for baths, getting ready and heading out the door! I've got it all figured out now and it's crazy how you feel like a pro so quickly! :) I was just so happy to have my body back that when Jared was born, I immediately felt great!! Jake has been doing really well with him and is constantly concerned about him. If he cries he'll go get his pacifier and he's such a helpful brother! It's so cute seeing them interact.

The above picture is my favorite!! This was taken the day we got home and Jake had a great time holding him and did really well. I'm so blessed :)

Jared James Brunner

Jared James Brunner arrived at 4:56am October 17, 2011. I was very ready for him to get here and I did not enjoy my pregnancy the last 3-4 months! I was a complainer :) I was always really tired and I don't think I took care of myself as I should have. I ate A LOT OF CRAP!! And I didn't take the time to go on walks as much. So needless to say, I was huge, swollen and ready for him to come out! :)

My labor started at 1:00am on a Monday morning. I woke up to a contraction and then 12 minutes later another one. I instantly remembered the feeling of contractions and I actually got pretty excited that it was finally time!! My third contraction was about 6 minutes apart and then the fourth one started every 3 minutes! It was going really fast. I called my mom and she came to get me to take me to the hospital so Travis could wait for his parents to get to our house so they could watch Jake. My mom and I got to the hospital at 2:40am and I was checked and was 6 cm dilated! I was so excited and shocked at the same time. We called Travis right away so Tawny had to come to the house because Steve and Liz weren't there yet and Travis needed to get to the hospital. Travis arrived around 3:15 and his mom and George and Tawny and Whitney arrived shortly after. My contractions were every 2-3 minutes and they were pretty intense. My water broke at some point and I'm such a dork I thought it was so neat! I remember saying that I've always wanted to know what it felt like to have your water break :) I could tell the end was near because I was in transition and felt like I was going to pass out because I was breathing so fast. Before I even knew it I was ready to push! One for his head and one for his body and Jared James was born at 4:56am :) He weighed 7 pounds 9 ounces and was 19 1/2 inches long. He seemed huge to me just because he was about 1 pounds heavier and 1/2 inch longer than his "big" brother Jake :) I had a great experience in labor and he did really well that night in the hospital. I could tell right away he was a mellow guy :)

I feel so fortunate to be able to have two beautiful, healthy boys. I'm also so fortunate to have a great partner, my husband Travis. The next couple months we got to spend so much time at home and really enjoying our new addition to the family. My mom let me take off a few months of work total and I'm so blessed to be able to have spent that time with my family. Jake adjusted really well to having someone new in the house, he has been so loving to Jared and we are a complete family now. I love you Jared James!

A Year Later...

This is horrible... I LOVE the idea of this blog to keep track of my life, but for the life of me I can't keep it updated!!! Ahhh :)
Anyway, It's been a year since I've last posted and as you can see, we've grown up! Jake is 17 months now and the love of mine and Travis's life :) He is so much fun, just a sponge soaking everything up. He loves life, is constantly on the go and will be a big brother anytime now!! I'm 38+ weeks pregnant with another boy :) I'm gigantic and we are very ready for him to get here and I'm so excited and anxious to get this pregnancy over with! I've had no complications, but I've definitely had a different experience this time around. I'm very tired and uncomfortable. Soon we will have our family complete and Jared James will join the Brunner Family!

I hope this post will get me back on track to keep this updated.... we shall see!

Pumpkin Patch

We went to the pumpkin patch last weekend and it was fun bringing Jake! He enjoyed the hayride out to the pumpkins and loved feeling all of the pumpkins. I look forward to making it an annual family tradition!

Back to Blogging!

Well I don't even know where to begin.....

It's been a long time since I've blogged and I wanted to be able to use this to keep pictures and records of Jake's life- but so much for that. I'm going to try to stay on track now!! I wanted to post about him and what he's doing- because I have already forgotten what he was like a month ago!!

Jake is 5 1/2 months now and time sure does fly when you're having fun. These last few months have been so enjoyable- it's amazing to witness and be apart of such a sweet little boy's life. Travis and I are really loving being parents and it's a lot of fun. Believe me, it was quite an adjustment for me in the beginning- Jake cried a lot and had a hard time taking his naps during the day- but we stuck with a routine and now he sure is an easy baby! He seems to be loving life!

He started eating solid foods about a month ago and loves everything he's tried except sweet peas- he shivers almost every time he eats them :) He eats every 4 hours now- and is taking 2 naps each day with a little catnap in the evening. He is doing so much better at night too. Bedtime is about 7:45pm and he will still wake up a couple times between 5am and 7am because he wants his pacifier- but then he doesn't wake up until 7am. We are still swaddling him and I think that may be changing soon... He can now sit up by himself and loves to have all his toys around him on the floor. It's so nice to not have to sit with him all the time on the floor. He still spits up A LOT!! It's so disgusting because he is constantly staining his cute outfits and he wears a bib all the time- it's so hard finding ones that match his clothes and he has to have about 3 outfits in his diaper bag each day- needless to say I do A LOT of laundry! :) Jake is such a social little guy- he smiles and talks to everyone and seems to always be happy- it's been so much fun having him in my life- I love him so much!!

Jacob Lance Brunner has arrived!

Our son is finally here :) I'm so happy to report that I am a new mom and it could not be any better! Jacob Lance Brunner was born at 12am May 6, 2010. He weighed 6 lbs 11 oz and was 19 inches long.

My labor and delivery experience was unbelievable. I really honestly was in denial that I was in labor for a while- I just couldn't believe that this was really happening. It started out on Wednesday morning May 5th when I woke up in a complete sweat and felt very nausous. I called the doctor's office and they said to just go to the hospital. I called Travis and my Mom and they came home to get me. I arrived at the hospital and they hooked me a baby up to check everything out. I had been feeling some burning pain the last few nights- but nothing that would keep me awake. Anyway- everything looked great and while I was hooked up to the fetal monitor I had those pains again and the nurse looked at me shocked to tell me that I was having quite a big contraction! I had no idea.... So she checked me and I was 100% effaced and dilated 2 cm. That was great to hear. So we left the hospital and went to lunch and Travis went back to work to finish some things up because my Mom had this feeling that we would be back at the hospital that night. Well sure enough as soon as I got home I cleaned the house and started having regular contractions. They started every 20 minutes and soon were every 10 minutes. I went walking, got in the hot tub and could not sit down. We waited for Travis to get off work and headed back to the hospital at 6pm. They checked me and I was only 3 cm dilated. I was kind of bummed but knew that I wasn't leaving the hospital because the contractions were every 4 minutes at that point.

I labored in the hospital and Travis and my Mom were SO helpful. I couldn't have stayed focused without them. To make a very long story short, my labor went very fast. I was unable to get an epidural and was 10 cm dilated at 11pm. At one point, his heartrate went down and I couldn't push for 2 contractions- which was really difficult and Travis got really scared and nervous. But Jake recovered quickly and it took some time and a lot of effort on my part- but our little man finally arrived at 12am on the dot!

I wouldn't have changed anything about the experience- everything was great and he came out so perfectly! He is already so loved by so many people and I'm so happy he came in time for me to celebrate Mother's Day. Now I know why that day is so very special.

The Brunner Family