introducing...

He's here and he is awesome!

 * Mac Lewis Echols *

July 2, 2012

6:55am

7 lbs 5 oz

21 inches

Mac has perfect timing, he arrived 12 days early, but listened to his mama and let me get Gabes birthday party over and done with. i started having "real" contractions at about 11:00 pm on the night of gabes party. Grandma Echols was called and arrived 10 min later at 1:30 am to care for the Big Brother while mom and dad speed to the hospital at 100 MPH. while mom was Screaming and swearing at dad the whole way, getting there in the nic of time.....

at least thats the way Arron prefers to tell the story. everything is true up to the point of the speeding. we did leave for the hospital at 1:30 am once my contractions were 5 minutes apart and getting a little much for my liking. We arrived at 2:00 am i didnt get the epidural till 5 am and thought i might just die if i had to wait any longer {to all you "all-naturals" out there, you are amazing and crazy}

once my new BFF aka the epidural man did his thing, i was in a much happier place and ready for the little man to arrive.

my doc came in at 6:30 and i was a 9 and 100% effaced, but mac was being a little stink and his heart rate was dropping and wouldnt come back up. Doctor started getting serious. nurses were called in. mama started getting a little nervous and baby wanted OUT!

so the pushing began

3 minutes later, he was here! 

phew! 

how is it that your life can change in an instant?! 

you really cant prepare for things like becoming the mom of 2 amazing little boys.

It just so happens to be the biggest accomplishment in life and there is no

training or anything.

{and lets be clear, having one is not training for having a two, its totally different}

its just... BAMB... here is another one... you'll love him more the life itself..

dont mess this up!

 and even though i'm sure i'll mess up sometimes. 

i know i've done something right when big brother meets little brother and its love at first site. 

 

 from the second Gabe met Mac it was all hugs and kisses and it hasn't stopped. 

although he refuses to call him Mac. 

i'm pretty sure he thinks his name is Baby. 

I'm so excited to watch these two little guys grow up together. Gabe is going to get impatient waiting for his new little bro to get big enough to play and i'm going to try not to get impatient for that too and wish away this newborn/infant phase, that i love, cuz it will happen way to soon. 

one of our nurses daughter is dating Dres Anderson and got mac this signed ball.

ready to go home!

i'm so incredibly blessed to have these 3 men in my life.

and I cant wait to see what shenanigans they will fill my life with in the future. 

{yes ... all three of them}

 Welcome to the family Mac, we've been waiting for you!

gabes birthday take 2

Gabe was one Lucky Little Dude this year because he got to have 2 parties.

Because he turned 2.

Not really. he was sick on his actual birthday, so we canceled the big CARS  Extravaganza 

until the following week.

 I had way to much fun with the party, i'm not sure if gabers enjoyed it as much as i enjoyed decorating and coming up with clever little puns and such to go along with the cars theme.

but i have to say i'm pretty impressed with myself. 

i tell ya, my creative juices were really flowing.

and thats saying a lot being 9 months pregnant.

look closely

you might think to yourself, that is a very nice cars logo..

OH NO IT AINT!

 READY * SET  * GO *

Grab a "Hot Rod" = gabes favorite

Stop at the "gas" station for some premium baked beans 

or unleaded chili to accessorize your hot rod

 Organic Fuel available for all you "tree huggers" 

Make a pit stop to "top off" 

Do forget to stop by Flo's if you're feeling a "quart low" 

and who doesn't need a little surplus!

  * FINISH *

 auntie chelsey made this masterpiece.

Gabe was more interested in licking the frosting off the cars.

i dont think he realized or appreciated the time and energy it took to make.

I did however, thanks chels, i'll start thinking about what you can make for next year.

i'm thinking bigger! 3-4 tears of goodness and creativity, i'm picturing cake wars. 

just FYI

oooooo, is that for me?

the names Mater, like Ta-mater, without the 'ta'

 Gabe loves the alphabet, mostly the letter E, strange, i know

what can i say.

{had to get a picture with his best buddy Wes in it}

luckily he has branched out a bit and likes more then just Cars. he also loves toy story.

and he was pretty pleased with the buzz and woody loot he scored!!

 so little dude, you're two!

maybe next year you'll help us blow out your candles!

 xoxoxox

Fly Guy!

How has this kid gone unnoticed by the execs or whoever is in charge of the catalogs for Gap kids, Childrens Place or Gymboree? 

Its a mystery to me, and i'm not even bias. 

Okay, okay, maybe a little, being that i'm the mom and all that, but seriously, i love this kid.

i was SOOO worried about this photo shoot because, buckle up, i haven't had his pictures professionally taken since he was 6 months old. ** GASP**

i dont really have an excuse except, things just kept coming up. 

but i was worried because this kid DOES NOT smile on que for anything. if i take the camera out it takes mad amounts of bribery and odd behavior on my part to get him to even look in my direction, let alone smile. but the crew at fotofly, where, well "fly" { if you dont mind my 1980's slang }

they had this kid eating out of their well trained hands.

i was in complete shock!!

So maybe i am bias but this kid was a complete 

ROCK STAR.

So if anyone knows the contact info for the boy version of

toddlers and tiaras

i'm gonna need that number 

ASAP

cuz this kid has a future in front of the camera. 

and while i'm sure its just a matter of time before Ralph Lauren, Abercrombie or Gucci 

snatch him up. 

for now i'll make sure to not let so much time pass between photo shoots. 

and try to figure out where i'm going to put all these pictures, because i cant choose just one. 

What a difference a year makes!

GABE IS TWO!

1 week

1 year

2 years

Look at this dapper young man. He turned 2 years old today and acts EVERY BIT his age. He is single handedly trying to put me into early labor. Don't let his angel eyes or his sweet face deceive you, he wants his baby brother here and he is doing the best he can to get him here ASAP.

first birthday, in case the cake didn't give it away. 

 He may not be as messy as he was on his first birthday, but again, don't be deceived,

 he is WAY more disgusting.

he likes to lick his food off of his plate like a doggie. One of his favorite past times is spitting of all things, he thinks its hilarious. Burping, another of his many talents, that i'm pretty sure he can do on Que.  he sleeps with one hand in his pants, Al Bundy style. And despite my self made promise that i wouldn't have one of "those kids" thats always dirty. I do! and i don't see it changing in the foreseeable future. Despite my best efforts, the kid loves to get dirty.

and this kid is ALL boy!

Two years old

 Dont get any ideas that this mama is contemplating potty training, i know i have super star friends that have their little ones trained in the ways of the porcelain goddess by two or soon after, 

but this little man is waiting till belly baby is at least 6 months old before we tackle that. 

judge away you over achievers....judge away!

one week *  one year *  two years

However, despite the dyson vacuum he threw down the stairs, the mid costco tantrums, the spitting, the burping, the messes and all the other madness that i'm learning is just par for the course when raising a boy.

he makes me smile and laugh every single day.

i cant imagine my life with out this little dude. 

well... i imagine there would be more sleep involved, which i am very fond of,

but a LOT less joy. 

 We love you little buddy, and we are so happy you are ours.

Happy Birthday!