Two Weeks Old

Owen celebrated his two week birthday today, and officially passed his original due date, which was yesterday, 2/7. We can't imagine what the last two weeks would've been like if he hadn't been born yet. Here are some highlights from Owen's second week of life, which wouldn't have happened for another couple of weeks:

1) Skyping with cousin Kelly, Uncle Tim, and Aunt Bethany.
2) Peeing on me while getting his diaper changed on his changing table.
2) Going to church for the first time.
3) Peeing on Brynne while getting his diaper changed on our bed.
4) Going for a walk around the block for the first time.
5) Peeing on Brynne while getting his diaper changed in his Pack 'N Play.
6) Regaining the ounces he lost after being born, taking him back up to his birth weight.
7) Peeing on me while getting his diaper changed on the changing pad of the Pack 'N Play.

Stolen My Heart.....

For 9.5 months I carried this little guy around and wondered what it would be like to meet my son for the first time. I wondered if I would instantly love him. I wondered how I would do with labor and little sleep afterwards. All it took was one look, one look and I knew my life would never be the same. His sweet little face melted my heart and I knew I would do anything for him. I love Brian immensely, even more after this experience, but I love Owen in a way that surpasses anything I have ever felt. I can't stop staring at him. Can't stop thinking about him. Can't stop talking about him. I have hopelessly fallen head over heels in love with my son. I am overwhelmed with the gift and blessing that Owen is. More than ever before I have seen God in action. I believe that he is real and my son is living proof of that. This has been the most amazing adventure of our lives thus far.
We are having so much fun getting to know him. This week he has started eating better and is awake for long stretches throughout the day. Last week Grammy Deb stayed with us and was SO helpful. She cooked for us and was an expert at keeping Owen comfortable and calm. Over the weekend we were visited by Pap-pap Colabrese, Uncle Chris, Aunt Kate, Aunt Megan, and Grandma McHugh. Pap-Pap was in heaven as he watched the Steelers win the Superbowl with his grandson by his side. Grandma McHugh has been here this week and has been a huge blessing. She has cooked and done laundry and done a great job loving on Owen. I think we will be seeing a lot of Owen's grandparents over the next few months. :) Owen is one well-loved little boy!

Owen Theodore has arrived!!!

In case you haven't heard, Brynne gave birth to 7 lb 8 oz Owen Theodore at 4:50 am Sunday January 25th. She was absolutely amazing during the entire birthing process and is now recovering well. Owen is a beautiful, healthy, bundle of joy that steals my breath every time I look at him. Here are a few pictures.

Fun Happenings.....

We have been having fun in these last few weeks trying to do things we won't get to do for a while once this little guy arrives. I had the chance to go to the PA Farm Show with one of my best friends, Allison, and her kids. We got to see all sorts of fun animals and a cool show with a horse relay event. The PA Farm Show is hard to describe if you have not been there or if you are not from this area. There are cows, chickens, goats and alpacas...just to name a few of the animals. There are different shows and competitions with the animals and a ton of really good food. :) We had a great time. Below are some pictures of her cute kiddos.




Our friends, Liz and Colin McCabe, came and visited us this past weekend. We had an awesome time with them and even went bowling. I definitely got some weird looks being over 9 months pregnant while trying to bowl. :)



Now that I am allowed to exercise we have been trying to "walk this baby out". Bri and I have been going on a lot of walks in the snow together and have enjoyed being able to get out and move around. I keep reminding myself and praying that my son would come in God's perfect timing and not in my timing. We are excited to meet him and do hope God's timing is in the next 3 weeks. :)

The Home Stretch.....9 months down.....

We finally hit 36 weeks and have been told by our doctors that we can deliver safely from this point on! We can't tell you how much of a relief that was for us to hear. After consistently having contractions and having to cease being active for the last 19 weeks Brynne is enjoying the freedom of going for walks and cleaning the house again. We're thankful, however, for God bringing us through this time and for all that He has taught us about finding our true rest in Him.

The baby is as active as ever these days, and we are entertained daily by the lumps that we see protruding from and moving across Brynne's stomach. He seems to get the hiccups every hour practically which make us wonder why. Because, when I (Brian) think about it, I can't remember the last time I got the hiccups. Maybe it happens once a year.

We're continuing to prepare for the delivery by attending our birthing class and performing "birthing exercises" such as stretching and squatting. And by "we" I mean Brynne because other than not passing out, I'm not too worried about my own physical condition. As her belly has gotten bigger she's complained that the squats are getting harder and harder, which resulted in the following exchange:

Brynne: I don't like squatting, my belly gets in the way. I'm not sure how much longer I can do these.

Brian: Brynne, you can do it. Sumo wrestlers squat, so can you.

Fortunately for me, Brynne found this as funny as I did, and has successfully continued her squatting regiment.

The nursery is all but finished at this point. The furniture is in, shelves are hung on the walls and hooks hung on the door. I'm extremely thankful to have had a 2 week break from work to get all of this done and for my father-in-law's help on other house projects. Brynne and I enjoyed his visit and our visit to NJ with my family like we never have before. The next time we will see all of them will be as parents.

So now the countdown begins....

Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas! In anticipation of sending out baby announcements in the next few weeks, we've decided not to also send out Christmas cards, but to post our "Christmas" pictures on our blog. Our friend Val took them and you can check out more of her stunningly creative work on her website at http://lgracephotos.blogspot.com.

It's truly hard to believe that another year has gone by and that it's time to reflect back on 2008. Aside from realizing that the 2000's are quickly coming to a close and that we are both quickly approaching our 30's, we also celebrated our 4th anniversary, our 3rd summer in Lancaster, our 2nd trip to Disney, and of course our 1st pregnancy!

The year started on a super high note and we wondered if the rest of the year was going to be able to keep up. Less than 5 weeks apart in February and March, I (Brian) took two trips to Florida! (which doesn't even count being in Tallahassee the previous December for a wedding!) The first was my Christmas present from Brynne's dad and her grandfather, and included staying at Pap Pap's condo in Bradenton, 4 beautiful days of golf with her dad, her uncle Pat, and family friend Mick, a visit to the Pittsburgh Pirates' Spring Training facility, and the best orange juice I've ever tasted from Mixon's Fruit Farm. While we were suffering in Florida, Brynne got to spend some good, quality time in cold, snowy Pittsburgh with her family and friends.

The second trip to Florida was strictly business. Brynne and I were "hired" by my parents to "baby sit" my then 15 year-old sister, Kathryn at Walt Disney World, while they toured Israel with some of their best friends. It was extremely taxing, hard work for us, but we fought to see the silver lining in it all :) In all seriousness, I'm not sure we even had as much fun in Lake Tahoe on our honeymoon! We jumped on the beds of our Polynesian Resort hotel room, stayed out at the theme parks until 3 am (you can do that when you stay at a Disney resort and don't have parents with you!), lounged by the volcano pool, ate huge buckets of ice cream, and had the time of our lives with Kate.

In May, my brother Chris joined us for a 5-mile race in and around Lancaster City, and then celebrated with us the very next morning when we found out that we were pregnant. While the last 8 months have had their share of challenges, the excitement and joy of bringing a new life into our families have overshadowed them all. Brynne's pregnancy was made a little bit easier by sharing the experience with our pregnant sister-in-law, Bethany, and our pregnant friends Allison, Betsy, Sharon, Yolanda, Julie, and Sarah, just to name a few.

Another significant change for us came at the end of July when I decided to go back to teaching high school math. Unlike my first 3 years of teaching freshmen and Algebra 1, I now have juniors and seniors and Precalculus and Calculus!!! This has provided a fun new challenge that I see myself doing for quite a while.

In between leaving the bank and starting the new school year, Brynne and I squeezed in a trip with her family and our good friend, Molly, to the Outer Banks. Finally, the fall was punctuated with a few visits to Pittsburgh and New Jersey, and a couple of baby showers. We realize that we have undeservedly been blessed this year by the Giver of all good things, and awaiting the arrival of our son has given us a heightened awareness of the miracle of Jesus' birth. May the Lord bless you this Christmas season by his grace and mercy.

Painting the Nursery

Some days it's more of a reality that I'm going to be a dad than others. Like getting married and planning a wedding, so much time is spent planning for and talking about the single event of the delivery, that it's easy not to think about life once the delivery is over. But tonight as I was painting the baby's nursery the reality hit me again. Painting the nursery-it's probably the most cliche scene from TV and movies to demonstrate the excitement and preparation for a couple's first baby, which is why I think in the middle of doing it the significance sunk in. I was more than happy to spend my entire Saturday doing something for my son. I felt like a real dad. I know that there will be plenty more "Saturdays painting the nursery" as he grows up and I can't help but feel honored. Honored that God created this little boy specifically for Brynne and I. Honored that I get to follow in the footsteps of my dad as a loving husband and father who demonstrated to his sons the sacrificial love of Christ. Honored that I get to tell my son the greatest story ever told and introduce him to Jesus. Jesus was a baby boy once too. He didn't have a nursery-He had a manger. I'm honored by God's humility that I get to give my son something not even the King of Kings had.