Big sister, little brother

I bribed and had to nurse more than once to get these. Hello, new normal. But sure do love these two and my heart already jumps at watching their relationship grow. Siblings sure are something special!

Welcome, Otis Perry!

Otis Perry, our brand new sweet BOY.  What a ride we have been on! 

And now looking back it feels like you have brought with you an extra dose of God's peace, joy and sovereignty. Like God sent it all with you especially, as you were dripping with it when you arrived. Because nothing really went to plan. The day you finally decided to arrive, things were progressing right along just fine and then suddenly turned on a dime - as if to remind us that it has been a long journey full of obstacles [spiritual, mental and physical] and that there might be a few more required of us yet. But as we welcomed all 8 pounds 12 ounces of you into this world on Thursday, July 27th, 2017 at 10:20pm after 18 hours of labor and an unexpected but calm and collected decision to opt for a Cesarean delivery, you helped to keep our gaze steadily upon what is most important. Just like I said I thought you would. 

What a true gift of all gifts that you are! We simply love you so! Wren cannot get enough of you and neither can we. So we are so very glad we get to keep you forever (: Welcome to the Anderson Fam Jam, kid! 

If walls could talk...

I hope that I always remember every detail of this room. Our first babe's nursery. I collected trinkets, sanded down and painted old furniture, thrifted new pieces and received countless gifts in order to put together this room not knowing if we would bring home a boy or a girl to dwell in it. Oh how girly it looks to me now. Funny how perfectly things work out. 

If walls could talk these could recount such stories. I definitely remember freaking out in the middle of the floor trying to put my breast pump together a few days after we brought Wren home. I was so exhausted that the instructions looked like they may as well have been written in a foreign language. But Mike came to the rescue and we got it sorted out. If these walls were also counting they could certainly offer a running tally on sleepless nights and hours of nursing, rocking, singing, reading and OH the dirty diapers. 

I can see now Mike working tirelessly on the crib and dresser before Wren arrived, the perfect morning light pouring into the crib as I greet my sweet girl good morning, the quiet nursing and soothing back to sleep in the middle of the night as we learned each other those first few months together, wrapping up together in blankets made by my Mimi, Wren's first gaggle of giggles due to my silly entertainment, Oowa singing "funny face" and rocking endlessly to give me a break, baby powder clouds, hide and seek, talking and petting kitty, goat and garden bear to sleep, my little laundry "helper" and now climbing every available surface and structure and pretend play all day every day.

I've watched my first baby come home to this room. Grow in this room. And now begin to outgrow this room. I hope to never forget the tenderness of the memories held within it.