Our Newest Addition - Newborn Photos

Meet our newest addition. This sweet little guy is our third boy, and by many accounts, a miracle baby. He also just so happened to be born on my birthday. Before we had our second son, my wife and I looked at each other and asked, “How could we possibly love another child as much as our first?” And yet, our hearts grew to hold as much love for our second as we had for our first. When my wife was pregnant with our third, we again found ourselves asking the same question. I can say that God has a way of creating and bringing more and more love into our lives than we ever thought possible. This was certainly no different with our third.

Yes, our little family is now complete. It seems there was always a place for our newest addition. There was a space there that we didn’t really know was empty until he came along and filled it. I can’t imagine a more perfect addition. and I can’t imagine our little family without him.

Here are but a few images we’ve taken of this little guy!

We have a couple of VERY proud brothers right here. They have proven themselves to be invaluable in taking care of their little brother. Both are so sweet and caring with him. Daddy is so very proud of all his little men.

We captured a few intimate moments between baby and mommy, too. These two are a couple of my favorites.

We may have ourselves a future yell leader on our hands, y’all! Maroon really brings out his hair, too. :)

We threw this one in there because we’re big Harry Potter nerds. Baby man is destined to be one, too. Might as well start him off early!

I’m sure these aren’t the last images you’ll see of this guy! :)

"If I was ..."

Time gets behind me so much faster than I want it to.  It's a funny thing, time.  I spent so much of my youth wanting to grow up.  "If I was four inches taller, I could ride that super duper loopy roller coaster!"  So I ate my veggies and grew four inches.  I rode that ride seven times and it was awesome.  "If I was sixteen, I could drive a car and go places I want to go."  So I studied and practiced and aced the driving tests and got my license.  I drove that car everywhere I could afford to go (which wasn't far on my income back then).   "If I was eighteen, I'd be an adult and no one can tell me what to do." That still makes me laugh.  "If I was twenty-one, I could get into that club."  The list went on and on.   I was full of "If I was".

And then something happened.  In my twentieth year, my daughter was born.  And suddenly, I wanted time to stop, or at least slow down to a crawl.  Holding my newborn in my arms, my world did stop for a moment.  Everything I thought was important before immediately changed.  I realized that I held the most important thing in my arms, and that my family was everything. 

My daughter at 3 years.

I remember that moment with my newborn daughter vividly.  Looking at her face, peacefully sleeping, I had a vision of my daughter at 18.  She was a woman, her heart full of "If I was".  I saw her leaving the house, going out into the world to face her future.  My heart rose into a hard lump in my throat.  I wanted to hold the second hand from moving forward.  I wanted that moment to last forever.   "I want to stay just as I am, as she is." I thought. 

In her fifteenth year, I was remarried.  And two years later, her brother was born.  Again, I found myself sitting with my newborn.  But this time, the world didn't stop.  I already knew what was most important in life.  My family.  This time, however, with many years behind me, I was no longer the invincible young man I was when my daughter was born.  I didn't have my entire life before me.  I felt time fleeting by at an accelerated pace.  I found myself worrying if I'd even be around for his eighteenth birthday!   Again, I found myself thinking that I just wanted things to stay as they were in that moment.  I still think that today!

Here's that little guy a few years ago:

Our first son at two weeks.

Soon, my daughter turned 18.  She was as I envisioned her so many years previously.  It had all gone by so fast, even though I had wanted it to slow down.  So much time got away from us and between us.  Then she moved out of the house.  She started a family of her own. 

Just like that. 

My daughter at 18

Two years later, we welcomed her second little brother into our lives and I felt the same way yet again.  But there's just no stopping time.  Our babies just grow up way too fast! 

Our youngest son's newborn session.

Time is short.  Our time together in this world is fleeting.  Life is busy and days are only so long.  We find ourselves preoccupied with things that matter less.  We miss out on so much. 

I find it difficult to be present with my family sometimes.  I have work and other tasks on my mind.  I try to build this business and spend long hours in front of the computer editing, corresponding with clients, giving to others.  It's hard, even in my down time, to disengage from these tasks and relish the moments I have with my children.

There are nights when they are lying in bed and I'm looking at their sleeping faces.  I start to feel guilty that I didn't spend more time with them that day because I was distracted with other things.  It seems that they've suddenly grown.  They no longer look like babies or toddlers.  Too soon, I know, they won't look like boys, but men.  They already tell me, "No" and push to do their own things.  I know they have their own, "If I was...".

But then I remember.  I took the time to play hide-and-seek with them.  We wrestled and rolled around on the floor.  I helped them play superman on my feet.  I sat with them and held them quietly.  I kissed their boo-boo's.  We laughed heartily together and shared hugs and kisses.  We took time to relish was is ... now. 

Last year, my wife's grandmother passed away.  This year, my mom passed.  Losing people you love makes time seem all the more unfair.  And it also makes tomorrow a gift.  There are so many times I wish I could get back now.  So much time got away from us and between us.  I miss my mom.  

Our oldest son is now at the age when he's wrestling with the idea of death.  Last night, he cried to me as we were lying in bed.  He asked me if Grandma died.  He went through the list of people close to him and told me he didn't want them to die.  It broke my heart.

There are no certainties about tomorrow, folks.  I may be in my early forties and there seems to be a lot of life left to live, but there's no guarantee.  The years have a way of getting behind you and things get in the way of what is most important.  I'm thankful that I've never lost sight of my family.  Spending time with them is the most important thing to me.  I know that, all too soon, these years will be gone.

So take time to go adventuring with your kiddos.  Listen to their silly stories.  Speak softly with them and listen to the birds.  Swing with them on the playset.  Go fishing together.  Take lots of photos ... on your iPhone, point and shoot, or hire a professional - whatever, just capture the moments you can.  Roll around on the floor and giggle until you cry.  Play their favorite game with them.  Have story time together. 

Your kids think you're the most awesome person in the world.  Slow down.  Share this time with them.  Share yourself with them in quiet time.  Don't forget to show them what's most important to you.  This moment is the most important you have.  Don't let it get behind you without filling it with all the love you have.

In a flash, our boys are now 2 and 4.  See?  Time gets behind you.  They're growing into two of the most awesome little guys I've ever known, though!  They're kind, sensitive, opinionated, adventurous, funny ... I relish these moments in time with them.  Time has given me the gift of loving them deeper and deeper.  When tomorrow comes, I know I'll love them deeper still.  

Make the most of the gift that is today!   God bless!