Major James Moore! July 11, 2011

He is finally here! Major James Moore was born at 5:58 pm on Monday, July 11, 2011. He weighed 7 lbs 11 oz (on 7-11!) and was 20 inches long. I was due to have my c-section on Thursday, July 14th, but Major had other ideas. Here is how the day began...

On Sunday I began experiencing what I thought were contractions. Now, I know I should KNOW hat contractions feel like by #3, but I've never had contractions before. Eli was an emergency and was a c-section, so Brady was a c-section, and I never had any contractions with either of them. So anyway, but Monday morning the contractions were about 10 minutes apart. I woke up in pain, and it continued throughout the day. However, I was determined to go until Thursday, so we went about our business. About 9 am, Eli and Brady were fighting over whether or not Brady could color in the lines, Brady shoved Eli, Eli hit a chair, and sent the chair through the window. Fabulous way to start the day. So I made some phone calls, and got a guy out to our house and had that window fixed before noon! (So glad I did, since I was about to be admitted into the hospital...) Then I got my 5 year old and 3 year old and sent them in the backyard with a rake and garbage bags to rake up leaves to "pay" for the broken window. They did as well as they could, but I had to go out and help. While having contractions about 5 minutes apart, I was raking leaves in the backyard with the boys. :) Then we had lunch, and I put them down for "short nap". About 2:30 I called the doctor and told him what was going on, he told me to get to the hospital immediately. I had Eli take the traditional last shot of me pregnant before going to the hospital (see picture below), woke up Brady, threw them both in the car and left. I dropped them off at my friend, Gretchen Granville's, house and raced for the hospital. They monitored me, determined that I was in active labor, and the c-section had to happen NOW...here we go!!

Photo 1: The last picture of me pregnant, hours before having Major. The "MAJOR" sign was made by my good college friend, Carrie Breeding Miller. This was taken by Eli since Bill was at work and I was afraid that I wouldn't have another chance to take this picture. Turns out, I was right.

Photos 2-5: Major James Moore immediately after birth. Welcome to the world, little man!!

Photo 6: Major's weighing in at birth...proof that he was 7 lbs 11 oz on 7-11!

Photo 8: First picture of Major and Mama. Love at first sight!

Photos 9 and 10: First family photos with Major, Mama, and Daddy

Photo 16: Proud grandparents, Big Daddy and Gran Betty Moore with Major. (Nana and Papa Belcher couldn't come to the hospital, but they flew in for a week after he was born for a wonderful week of bonding with their newest grandson!)

Photo 18: First look at little brother...Eli and Brady with Aunt Kam.

Photos 19-23: Brady, Eli, and Major

Photos 24-25: Brady and baby Major

Photo 26: Aunt Kam with Major

Photo 27: Mama with her 3 boys...Brady, Major, Rachel, Eli

Photo 28: A FAMILY OF 5!!!!!

Sweet baby Major, how I have waited for you! As I write this, you are a week old. You are opening your eyes more everyday and coming to recognize your family members more and more. Your brothers absolutely adore you and fight to get to hold you. We are so happy that you have joined our family. We love you angel boy!

Brady's Writing

Brady has been able to write his name for some time now. His teacher, Mrs. Evelyn, says he is the only one who can do so. I've had this picture on my camera for a couple of months, but I wanted to get it in the blog. He's so proud of himself. (I'm so proud of him, too.) Here he is, just turned 3, having written his name. Great job, Brady! :)

FCA Camp!

For the second year, we went to FCA camp at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. FCA stands for Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Bill spends the week coaching kids in football, while the boys and I go swimming, go to VBS, relax and eat in the cafeteria. Bill does such a great job with high school kids. Lots of them remembered him from last year, and he seems to be loved and respected by both coaches and players! We look forward to getting to go again next year!

Photo 1: Brady, Daddy, and Eli in their FCA shirts with their new FCA Bibles.
Photo 2: Camp family picture. This is the second one we took, the first one showed off my HUMONGOUS baby belly. It was actually pretty funny, but I couldn't bring myself to publish the picture.

Photo 3: Every night there was a devotional for the camp. This is a sweet picture Bill got of Brady praying. What a sweet boy. (Please disregard my huge stomach and arm which are in the way of my precious boy.)

Photo 4: One day, Eli went with Bill to practice. A bunch of the little guys made their own group and practiced alongside the big boys. They even were on TV working hard! Here is Eli walking back to the apartment with Bill in front of Kyle Field where A&M plays.

Photo 5: My Texas boys in front of A&M's football field. Hook 'em!

The 4th of July

July 4th, what a great holiday! A time to celebrate our country and its independence. Not to mention eat lots of food, have fun with friends, and watch great fireworks! I was hoping that little Major would make his appearance today, but he decided against it. Major got his name from my great-grandfather and great-great grandfather who were both Major and James from my grandfather who was born on July 4th! Today would have been his 91st birthday, and I thought it would be great for Major (Pops' namesake) to be born on his birthday. I guess he just wasn't ready...he'll be here soon, though!

Photo 1: Brady (3) and Eli (5 1/2) I always take a 4th of July photo of the boys. They were particularly silly today, so this was the best I could get.

Photo 2: This 4th of July we spent with our friends, Wayne and Rebecca Pace. The boys got to play in the backyard while the adults watched the movie, "Independence Day" and played games. Here are Eli and Brady about to launch a water gun attack on Alex and Zach, Wayne and Rebecca's children.

Photo 3: Eli and Alex Pace...they decided to play big kids versus little kids.

Photo 4: Brady playing

Photo 5: Alex and Zach Pace, Eli, and Brady

Photo 6: A family photo before going out to the fireworks. I am 10 days away from having Major!

Photo 7: The boys, Alex and Zach Pace, Brady, and Eli

Photo 8: Eli and Brady ready for fireworks. What is more American than watching fireworks from the back of a pick up truck on the 4th of July? This year, we didn't get to buy any sparklers or small fireworks for us to do as a family, which we've always done. Texas is experiencing its worst drought in state history and the selling of fireworks have been banned as well as a ban on all fireworks in most places. Luckily, we were able to find a place that was still doing fireworks.

Photo 9: The boys again, waiting for their fireworks. Alex, Eli, Brady, Zach.

Photo 10: Alex and Eli watching the fireworks.

Photo 11: Daddy, Brady, and Wayne Pace watching the fireworks.

Photo 12: Eli magically making the fireworks appear.

Photo 13: Brady, Alex, and Eli watching the fireworks.

Photo 14: Eli, Zach, Alex, and Brady watching.

Photo 15: Brady and Mama

Happy 235th birthday, America!!

10 Year Anniversary!

10 years...hard to believe that it has been 10 years. I am so thankful for my sweet husband and for all the Lord has given me in the past 10 years. This year on our anniversary, we find ourselves less than 3 weeks away from welcoming Major into our house, I will be a stay at home mom again, and Bill will be full time at Houston Christian High School as the assistant athletic director. (I will be available to order curriculum or assist the new history teacher if Cornerstone needs it, but I will mostly be staying at home with Brady and Major!) Bill was so sweet on our anniversary (June 23rd). He sent me this text, "I love you more now than ever and that is the plain honest truth! You are my true best friend! Happy Anniversary! I am looking forward to growing old with you (of course, we are well on our way! :) )" He also had this to write on facebook, "It all started June 23, 2001, and now 2 apartments, 2 houses, 3 cars (1 wrecked by yours truly (that would be Bill)), no pets (stay strong!), a few schools/jobs (thanks again coaching career!), several Law and Order: SVU, CSI: Crime Scene Investigators, and Newlyweds marathons (these are TV shows if I don't remember later on), endless games of Rummy/Phase 10/Skip Bo, June pilgrimages to New Hampshire/Michigan (sometimes with smelly New Zealanders (again to refresh my memory, one time one of my brother James' friends who was from New Zealand came with us and he STUNK!! 5 of us in the car, me, Bill, my brothers DJ and James and this smelly dude for 24 hours to Michigan. It was awful!!)), countless late night voyages just for ice cream, many highs lows, and oh did I forget, TWO AMAZING BOYS with yet another on the way and ten years later I am happier than ever. Rachel, you are the best mom and wife that I have ever seen and after 10 years (still boggles my mind) you are still my best friend. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!" I guess that pretty much sums up the last 10 years. I love you, Billy!!

Here we are, our 10 year anniversary, June 23, 2011 at Taste of Texas restaurant.

10 years before hand, June 23, 2001, cutting our cake.

Our entire wedding party...starting with the men on the top...Todd McCloud, Jack Kelley, "Frosty" Thomas Byrd, Greg Fecteau (best man), Rachel, Bill, Eric Besenyei, Chris Wheeler, Shannon Powell, DJ Belcher, and right under DJ is Bryan Reynolds, and Bryan Powell. Now the girls up front starting on the left...Laura Riley (Graham), Shauri Taskey (Philips), Jennifer Trent (Burnett), (me and Bill again), my little sister, Rebekah, Lisa Cooper, Sue Fecteau (Druin), Lindsay Curton (Horner), and Carrie Breeding (Miller)

Here we are outside of Niagara Falls, Canada on our honeymoon on June 27, 2001

Bill and I at a Toronto Blue Jays game on our Honeymoon. We bought 5 dollar tickets, but since virtually no one was there, we were able to sneak pretty close to the front! Not bad for 5 dollar tickets!

Bill and I with Niagara Falls in the background.

Here's to many more wonderful years to come!

Eli's First Lost Tooth!

Eli lost his very first tooth today! I was totally shocked. First of all, he seems way too young to be losing teeth. Secondly, he never mentioned a tooth being loose or anything! I think what I was saddest about is that he swallowed the tooth, so I can't put his very first lost tooth in his baby book. :( Here is how it happened: we were on our way to church, Eli was eating a pop tart for breakfast when all of a sudden he says, "Mama, I think I have a loose tooth." I turn, look at him and tell him, "no, you don't." Then Bill says, "does he?" So I looked back again, he smiled at me and I screamed, "Oh my goodness, it's gone!! Eli where is your tooth?" Eli says, "I think I just swallowed it." And that was it...Eli had lost his first tooth. How did he get so big? I guess we'll have to see what the tooth fairy brings tonight. I hear that she brings a gold dollar for a first tooth...