Borden Boys

Baby Girl Has a Name!!

2012-01-27T12:39:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to say that our baby girl has a name! It took us a while (and a few lists), then we decided on the name we had originally talked about. Nothing else sounded right, or fit her.

Baby girl's name is

Hallie Mae

My grandmother AND Bryan's grandmother's name is Hallie, and we just love them so much. Mae is my great grandmother's middle name, and come to find out, Bryan's great grandmother's middle name is May.

We are aware of how southern Hallie Mae Borden sounds, but I just love it so much. :)

Bryce originally wanted her name to be Nala (from The Lion King), then changed it to Clarisse (from the Rudolph cartoon) when Christmas came around. Both of these names came before we even knew it was a girl. He was absolutely positive from the very beginning that this was his baby sister. :) Sweet boy with such amazing faith (I need to blog about that story). He was a little sad that we were not naming her Clarisse, but he quickly came around to Hallie. He now loves the name and (I think) has forgotten about Nala or Clarisse.

It's a....

2012-01-04T08:33:00.000-08:00

We had our 20 week ultrasound today. We are so excited to announce that we have a HEALTHY baby. I felt at peace about it, and about the baby's heart, but it is wonderful to hear those words come from a doctor. Praise God!!!

We found out the gender, and went and picked up color appropriate cookies and necklaces for the boys to open. Here are a few pictures.

It's a GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-12-13T14:44:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to the best husband and father in the world (as Bryce would say). We love you more than words can ever express.

Scars

2011-12-07T06:02:00.000-08:00

I really need to get better at blogging. I have missed Halloween, Jayden's birthday, Thanksgiving, baby updates, and more little things that have happened, all of which are very important. I might still blog about them....on with this topic...

Scars are thought to be a negative thing, accidents that happen that leave a mark on your body and can last forever. They can leave a lasting memory. I know some are bad memories, but with these, good or bad, we learn and (hopefully) grow from them.

Bryce has this cute little scar on his eyelid (I think it makes him look tough) that he got when he was about 14 months old. He fell at his grandmother's house and hit the bricks on the fireplace. He stayed away from the fireplace for about 5 minutes....he is ALL boy, and I love it.

my wild man :) this was when he was about 14 months old

Jayden has a scar that I LOVE and that I see every day. His scar goes all the way down his chest. It is a memory, a rough memory, and something he is going to have to live with for the rest of his life. This scar is a reminder to me of the wonderful doctors and nurses that saved my baby's life. It is a memory that God heard our prayers and He was (and is) watching over Jayden, and all of us. It is a memory that God is in control and we need not worry.

messy face :)

I have a scar that I absolutely adore. My c-section scar. If it wasn't for that lovely thing and the doctors and scientists who figured out this route of exit long ago, Bryce, Jayden, and I (and this next precious baby) would not be here. I think of this blessing every time I get ready in the morning and see it.

Whether we love our scars (physical, emotional, spiritual) or not, we hopefully learn from them. They help us to grow and mold us into the person we are today. My prayer is that my boys learn from life's scars and always look to God to help them grow their faith through these scars.

love these two so so much

"Let all that I am praise the Lord;

with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.

Let all that I am praise the Lord;

may I never forget the good things he does for me."

Psalm 103:1-2

Gifts

2011-10-01T05:07:00.000-07:00

We are excited to announce that we are pregnant.

Baby #3 will be here in May.

We would love prayers for a healthy baby! Thank you so much!!

"Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from Him." Psalm 127:3

did you know...

2011-09-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

...we have two superheroes living in this house??

and one super dog.

I feel pretty safe around here.

proud

2011-09-14T05:02:00.000-07:00

So proud of you, my big boy.

butterflies

2011-09-12T19:00:00.000-07:00

Aunt Moo's Wedding

2011-09-11T20:15:00.000-07:00

Megan and Garrett's wedding was in Galveston. We had such a fun time!

We went to the beach for a while. Jay did not like getting dirty, so there are no pics of him playing.

Bryce and Jayden feet :)

We were all in the wedding, which I was a little nervous about what I was going to do with the kids if they didn't walk down the aisle, but they did great!! After Bryan did his part in the wedding, he took the kids so that they didn't have to stand in the front the whole time. Then, Bryce came back at the end to escort me out. So sweet!! I wish I had a picture of that.

reward for doing so well

Cutest ring bearers ever!

love him

dancing

We love you Aunt Moo and Uncle G!!

Summer Part II

2011-09-11T19:13:00.000-07:00

I realized that, because my photo uploader wasn't working, I missed a lot of pics. So, this post is almost all pics. And get ready for more blogs so that I can catch up.

at Grammy and Pappy's house

helping Pappy pic potatoes out of the garden

Jayden was helping too

we made binoculars

wearing my shoe and an oven mitt checking out things with his binoculars

cheese

daredevil

angel

cousins

Jayden the catcher

cousin Jake (the actual catcher)

Thomas' football game

best dad ever

a few of my favorite things

2011-09-06T19:15:00.000-07:00

1. jeans that fit just right

2. yummy smelling candles lit at all times

3. curling up under a blanket with a cup of hot chocolate and the fire burning while it's cold outside.

4. how jayden still wants to be held and rocked after his nap

5. when bryce randomly says, "(sigh) mommy, i love you"

6. sleep

7. that my friends love me for me without judging

8, fall and everything that goes with it

9. christmas - celebrating jesus, decorations, the feel, how everyone seems to be happier and friendlier at that time

10. when buckwheat gets excited to see me

11. bryan's texts of encouragement, or to just say i love you

12. when bryce talks about heaven

13. dr. pepper

14. mint chocolate chip ice cream

15. my kids laughing

16. boot season

17. GNO's

18. playing the question game with bryan

19. when a teen says they like my outfit (i actually feel stylish ;))

20. time with God

Pre-K

2011-08-23T11:24:00.001-07:00

Today was Bryce's first day of Pre-K. I cannot believe we have such a big boy already. He did great. Walked in like he owned the joint. Put his things away and began playing with play dough. Makes a momma happy. :)

Sure do love this boy.

Generosity

2011-08-21T13:12:00.000-07:00

Ronnie, our preacher, has been talking to us about generosity.

Oh, how our church has shown my family so much generosity in the 9 years we have been here!

The time that made the most impact on me was when the church carried us through our difficult time at the beginning of Jayden's life. We were astounded. And still are. We received tons of cards, calls, texts, visits in the hospital, prayers, friends who took care of Bryce, our dentist came to our house one night to look at Bryce's teeth when he fell, a sweet nurse friend who wanted to be in the OR with us and made it work, a doctor friend who gave me so many words of encouragement and was there for every phone call to explain everything, people who even called my mom (who was taking care of Bryce) to see if she needed anything, a best friend who took Bryce to the doctor when he got sick, sweet friends at church who came to clean our house, another friend who paid someone to clean our house later, food, food, and more food for about 2 months, people at church were calling friends they knew that were doctors and nurses or parents who have been through the same thing with their child to call us and talk to us about it, people at church we didn't even know came to visit us in the hospital, anonymous checks in the mail, clothes for Bryce because he was quickly growing at the time. I know there is even more that I am currently forgetting, or that I never even knew about.

Generous. That is our church. I have learned by their example to have an authentic giving heart. They take less so that others may receive more. I am proud to be a part of our church.

It is so apparent when we start to treasure ourselves, our things, our time. But laying up treasure in heaven is learning to value what is valuable to God, and to not value earthly things. Studying Jesus and the way he lived his life here on earth is the best way to learn that.

"Relearning to stockpile in heaven will be huge for most of us. It will probably require a radical change in our thinking. But first you have to decide where your heart wants to be. If you want to redirect your heart, then lead with your treasure".

Thank you, church family, for being so generous for so many reasons. Your generosity will never be forgotten.

then

and now

Worry

2011-08-15T18:52:00.000-07:00

That is something I do often. More often now that I am a mom.

Is Bryce going to like the food I gave him? Is Jayden going to eat at all? Is Jayden stable enough to climb to the top of the fort by himself? Is Bryce's constant night time cough going to ever get better? Will my palms stop itching, heart stop beating so very fast, my body stop sweating so much every time I hear one of them wake up in the middle of the night? Is Bryce going to like his new teacher? Is he really starting Kindergarten in one year? Will Jayden's heart ever get better to where he doesn't have to take meds? What is in store for the future? Will my boys choose godly women for their wives that make them better men? Will they, most importantly, follow God and the path He has in store for them? I could go on and on.

Every time I start this "worry questioning," (or I should say most of the time-I am not perfect, not even close) I stop and pray. I know God is in control, and I am not. And I am so very grateful for that. I would make a mess of these wonderful blessings He has given me if I were the one in control. And it takes the stress off of me. Yay! Talking to God gives me such peace.

I came upon this quote today, and am so glad I did. It was great timing with how I was feeling. It is pretty amazing. I need to hang it somewhere in my house (or in every room) so that I am reminded of this every day. Hope it encourages you like it did me.

“When a woman has a kingdom heart, she has an active understanding of what matters most to the heart of God. She lives in the balance of passion and contentment. She learns to love well, give without regard to self, and forgive without hesitation. The woman with a kingdom heart may have a duffel bag full of possessions or enough treasures to fill a mansion, but she has learned to hold them with an open hand. Hold everything with open hands. I don’t think we are ever allowed to grab hold of anything or anyone as though they matter more than the kingdom of heaven. When you hold relationships with open hands, then people come in and out of your life as gifts of grace to be cherished and enjoyed, not objects to be owned and manipulated. And then when you hold your dreams with open hands, you get to watch God resurrect what seemed dead and multiply what seemed small.”

Summer Overload

2011-08-03T12:00:00.000-07:00

This is about 1,000,000 posts in one. Our picture uploader thing (whatever that thing is called) broke and we finally bought another one. Hallelujah!! So, here is what has happened in the past couple of months (not in perfect order)...

Grammy and Pappy came to visit.

We went to MaMa's house.

Making ice cream with Daddy

Goofball

Cooking with MaMa

We went to Grammy's and Pappy's house.

Crazy boy cousins

My cousin and fam came to Galveston for vacay. We went to an Astros game with them while they were here.

Bryce had his first dentist visit. It went great!!

We have had such a fun summer (except I wasn't a big fan of the dentist). I will do another post later of summer randomness.

Francis Chan

2011-07-11T12:21:00.000-07:00

Oh, Francis Chan, you are so insightful. If you are curious, go to this website and watch. He hits things right on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYhU0QHBixU

Spring Soccer 2011

2011-06-06T19:12:00.000-07:00

This was Bryce's first Soccer experience. Other than the first game, (takes him a while to get used to something new) he loved it!! We had the privilege of having daddy as the assistant coach. Payton, one of Bryce's bff's, was on the team, which was so much fun!! Wes, Payton's daddy, was the head coach. We had a blast playing in the dirt, meeting new friends, playing with a sweet friend since pre-birth, and even playing a little soccer.

4 Year Old Conversations

2011-04-28T18:15:00.000-07:00

Bryce had the most hilarious conversation with me in the car today (mainly him chatting and me listening with a big smile on my face). This is one of the many reasons I love this age.

Bryce: "Mommy, ducks are not birds."

Me: "Yes they are, sweetie."

Bryce: "But birds can't swim."

Me: "Some can swim."

Bryce: "Yeah, ducks are birds, and they can swim. I can't go to the deep side of the swimming pool because I will go to the sink of the bottom [said just like that]. But whales can swim and fish can swim and dolphins can swim and sea lions can swim. But lions and tigers and elephants don't swim. And turtles can swim and alligators can swim. Mommy, we have four wheels on our mini. How many wheels does a bus have?"

Me: "I think they have six. We can count them if we see one."

Bryce: "Mommy, how many wheels does uh 18-wheeler have?"

Me: "Eighteen."

Bryce: "One, two, three, four...(counted all the way to eighteen). Wow, that's a lot of wheels. MOM!! There's a bus!!! Count the wheels!! How many does it have?!?"

Me: "It has six wheels."

Bryce: "Six. That's a lot...but not as many as eighteen. How many wheels does Daddy's truck have?"

Me: "Four."

Bryce: "Hahaha, no, Mommy. He has more than that. He probably has six, too, like the bus. Mommy, are we going to Payton's house? I want to go to Payton's house. When can we go to Payton's house? Mommy, can I have some Easter M&Ms when we get home? Mommy, can we go to Cherry Slush [Sonic]? I like cherry slushes. Mommy, last night my tummy was hurting, but now it feels better, so can I have some sugar now? Mommy, when is Daddy coming home?"

He kept going, but I will stop there. This reminds me so much of my teaching years. Makes me smile. Their brains (and mouths) are constantly working and are all over the place, and I love it!!!

Disclaimer-I did not give him all he was asking for, however he did get a few M&Ms after finishing his dinner. ;)

Goin' To The Zoo

2011-04-03T13:58:00.001-07:00

Daddy's takin' us to the zoo tomorrow,

zoo tomorrow, zoo tomorrow

Daddy's takin' us to the zoo tomorrow

And we can play all day!

We're goin' to the zoo, zoo, zoo

How about you, you, you?

You can come too, too, too

We're goin' to the zoo, zoo, zoo.

Well we stayed all day and we're gettin' sleepy
Sittin' in the stroller gettin' sleep sleep sleepy
Gettin' sleep sleep sleepy
'Cause we have stayed all day.

Rodeo Day

2011-03-27T17:55:00.000-07:00

Bryce's school had Rodeo day. It was so cute seeing all those kids wearing boots and cowboy hats. Here are a few pics I took that morning.

Bryce said he had so much fun "being a cowboy."

Dr. Seuss' Birthday

2011-03-23T13:06:00.000-07:00

I realize Dr. Seuss' bday was March 2, but I am just now getting around to blogging again...terrible blogger...

I love love love Dr. Seuss' books. There are so many lessons to learn from them. And I love love love that Bryce is getting to the age that he can (and wants to) do so many projects/activities that correlate with Dr. Seuss. We didn't get to do near as many activities as I had planned, and I forgot to take pics of some of them, but here are a few.

Bryce made a "Cat in the Hat" hat

We spelled cat, and then changed the first letter so now he knows how to spell so many more words, thanks to rhyming. :)

I made a Cat in the Hat grilled cheese sandwich for lunch. Bryce was so excited about this!

We also read "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" then graphed some rainbow goldfish to see of which color we had the most. Then we made patterns with them. Then we ate them. :)

I wanted to read "The Foot Book" and make foot prints, but we ran out of time. I still plan to do this soon.

I hope you all had a great Dr. Seuss day, too. I am sure you already posted your pics. :)

Catch Up

2011-03-22T09:05:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I have blogged. I am not so good at this...trying to get better...

Here are a LOT of random pictures we have taken lately.

I love this silhouette type pic of my boys looking out at the rainy day.

Cheese!!

Bryce loves "Ice Age Dinosaurs"

Peek-A-Boo

Bryce can write his name :) Way to go, Buddy!!

Watch out!!

Why are boxes more fun than what is inside??

Jayden loves the cozy coup (thanks MeMa and PaPa)

Valentine pancakes

Bryan brought snow back from Abilene (his truck bed was full)

I love my boys!!

I QUIT!!!

2011-02-15T08:29:00.000-08:00

That's right, people. I quit my biggest addiction. This is HUGE for me! I live on these things. This is what I rely on to get me through the day. However, I know this love is not the healthiest for me, and am pretty sure I will feel better once I get adjusted to their absence. I do not intend to depart from it forever, however, I will be leaving it behind for about 3 months, and after that, will hopefully be cutting it down to once a week (instead of my regular one or two a day). I need to get in shape for Megan's wedding, which is May 21. This also means I am trying to work out. Ugh.

I have been off Dr. Peppers for 8 days now. Yay me!! Please pray this continues!!

"Don't Bite Off More Than You Can Chew"

2011-02-12T18:41:00.000-08:00

I love this boy so much. He is growing up way too fast!! He was laughing so hard yesterday that I noticed something white further back in his mouth. So, of course I stuck my finger in there and felt a MOLAR!! I kept feeling around, and he has THREE molars growing in. That's right, his 2 year molars. The boy is only 15 months old. This explains a lot of curiosities of his behavior I have had lately. :)

The Next Batman

2011-02-08T13:40:00.000-08:00

Bryce: "Mommy, when I grow big and strong, I want to be batman."

Me: "Okay."

Bryce: (looking up to the sky) "God, when I grow up, can I be batman?"

(looking back to me) "He said yes."

He's got some great goals, and he knows who to call upon for help with those goals. :)

Bryce's 4th Birthday

2011-01-30T18:42:00.000-08:00

Today, my precious boy turned four. I love this little man so so much.

As requested by the birthday boy, we had a dinosaur and blue birthday party. It was a blast! The kids had so much fun!! We had a dinosaur egg hunt, a dino dig, dino coloring pages, dino tattoos, dino books, pin the horn on triceratops (which we never got to), and I tried my best to incorporate blue in as many places as possible. Here are a few pics from the party. Sorry for the pic overload. If I knew how to do those collages, I would.

Dinosaur Dig

Jayden and one of his BFFs

Decorating their buckets

Dino Egg Hunt

Bryce and Aunt Moo

Sweet Grace

Bryce and precious Payton

Bryce and Tayten

Love this pic of Lexi

Jayden and Uncle G

Jayden with Pappy

Jayden with Grammy

Bryce's favorite present (candy)

It was such a fun day! Thank you all for coming out to celebrate with us!! Happy Birthday, Bryce!!!

"Go!" and "Lord I'm A May"

2011-01-25T18:23:00.001-08:00

Two sweet stories to end the day about my two precious boys:

Today, while Bryce was at school, Jayden and I ran a ton of errands to get ready for Bryce's birthday party. At our last store, he was getting tired and ready to leave. He started yelling, "Go! Go! Gooooo!!!!!!!!!" Not that I condone yelling, especially in a store, but it was quite cute.

When Bryce was a baby, he cried a lot (sorry to out you, Bryce). To soothe him, his daddy and I would sing Lord, I'm Amazed. He has grown to know that song as his song. He calls it, "Lord I'm A May." So sweet. Sometimes, when we put him to bed, he asks us to sing Lord I'm Amazed and rub his back. I ended my day with my sweet (almost) four year old calling me back up the stairs to sing his song and rub his back. This is one special thing that I will one day miss. May that day be far, far away. :)

Hope you all end your day with a smile on your face, too.

Melt My Heart

2011-01-23T12:05:00.000-08:00

We have been having a hard time with Bryce not wanting to go to Sunday class at church. Today, he wasn't too happy about it at first, but he actually walked in the room on his own, without me shoving him in the door, and didn't even cry!! Huge progress!! He also did so well sitting quietly in church with us. So, when we got in the car to go home, I praised and praised and praised him for being such a big boy and not crying, etc. He said, You're welcome, Mommy." Then there was a long pause where I was driving, and Bryce was looking out the window. Then he looked up at me and said, "You're a good woman, Mommy." At that moment, (for the millionth time since I have been a mommy) my heart melted.

Happy Birthday, Jayden

2011-01-21T17:57:00.000-08:00

Well, this has been long overdue. I have been terrible at this blogging thing. Yes, Jay's birthday was in November. I feel awful. Not only was it his birthday, but his FIRST birthday, and I have yet to blog about it. Not to mention Thanksgiving and Christmas. My goal is to get much better....

Jayden had such a fun birthday! It was a rockstar birthday, which included some awesome cupcakes, star chocolate pops (made by Aunt Moo and Nana), and some rocking blow up guitars. We had some wonderful friends come celebrate with

Jay-dawg. The weather was perfect for a backyard BBQ and bounce house.

I cannot begin to describe how much we love this boy. He has brought so much joy into our lives (along with his big brother). We are so grateful to God for entrusting him to us to raise him to be the man God calls him to be.

Here are a few things he is doing lately:

Words:

Momma, Dada, Bubba, GuhGuh (Buckwheat), Hi, Bye-Bye, PapPap (Pappy), Daguh!! (Tackle!!), Yes, No, Uh-Oh, Eat, Go, Thank You, and I am sure more but can't think of any more right now.

Sign Language:

Eat, More, Please, Thank You

Things he is doing:

Crawling everywhere FAST (not walking yet), Standing on his own for a few seconds, Screams a LOT (Mommy is working on breaking that habit), Gets excited when Daddy comes home from work, High Five, Waves, Kisses goodbye (and clicks his tongue instead of smacking)

Love that kid!!

I will leave you with pictures. Be ready, there are lots.

Here is Bryce at his first birthday devouring his cake is seconds.

Here is Jayden barely touching his cake.

This Week

2010-09-27T18:37:00.000-07:00

This week, I am thankful for this AMAZING weather. The boys and I played outside a lot today.

This week, I am so excited I get to host a shower for my favorite neighbor, Mindi and her daughter, Olivia. My house will be full of pink for one day.

This week, I get to decorate my house because my BFF gave me all of her decorations because she is moving and getting new stuff. Thank you, Jenn!!! You are the best!!

This week, I am putting all of my fall/halloween decorations out. This means more of the cooler weather, right?! This is the start of my favorite time of year-holiday season. Yayayayay!!

This week, I am making some fall decor crafts (and will hopefully post pics). Last week I made the boys' Trick or Treat bags. Both of these crafts I stole from others' blog posts. Thanks for sharing!! I L-O-V-E crafts! Bryan makes fun of me saying I need a "craft room" like Will Schuster's wife. I think he's right.

This week is the last week Jayden will be 10 months old. I am so excited to be planning his one year party!! :)

This week I am feeling very very blessed. Amazing husband, two awesome sons, wonderful friends and family, church family, sweet dog, house, a/c, bed, food, warm water, I could go on and on. Thank you, God, for continual blessings!!!!

Pictures!!!

2010-09-08T12:26:00.001-07:00

It's Been a While...

2010-08-31T09:12:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a while since I have written on this thing. I am going to try to get better at that...

So, here is the latest on what is going on with us. We went to San Antonio for a short family vacay. It was so much fun!! We went to a wilderness park where we got to feed the animals as we drove around. Bryce was loving it! He got a little scared of the zebras because they "had big teeth." He wouldn't feed them from his hand (which you aren't supposed to do anyway, such a rule follower :)). We went to Sea World and just HAD to sit in the splash zone (Bryan's words) at the Shamu show. Bryce thought it was funny, Jayden didn't like it so much but got over it fast. I didn't realize how cold those whales needed their water to be. We stayed at a really cool hotel that had 3 pools. Bryce was swimming every chance he got. We walked the Riverwalk and had lunch/caught up with a college friend who lives there. It was a nice getaway.

Bryce started his second year of pre-k. He did MUCH better this year than last. He walked right in, saw play-dough on the table and started playing. He asked me if I was going to stay with him (with a little quiver in his voice) but after a quick explanation of his day and that I would be there to pick him up, he was fine. Yay!! Made for a happy, relieved mommy!!

Jayden said his first words!!!! Other than Momma and Dadda, that is. He loves playing patty cake. We were walking around Hobby Lobby, he was sitting in the cart. He grabbed my hands, clapped them together, and said "pat, pat, pat"!!!! So precious!! Later that day, he said "hi" to me. Now, I try to get him to say it, and he smiles and hides his face as if he is shy. He does it some, but not often. He also started waving, giving high fives, and we are now working on blowing kisses. He is signing "more" when he wants more to eat. He started signing more when he wants to eat in general. Trying so hard for him to sign eat, but he just signs more for now. :) He has 6 teeth!!! WOW! The top 4 came in all at the same time. He was sad, but not as sad as you would think. He has some separation anxiety...not fun...He does not like going to Sunday class. But I am stubborn and he WILL like it one day. :) At his 9 month appointment, he weighed 19.7 lbs and is almost 28 inches long, both in the 25-50%.

I think that's it! You are now caught up!! All 2 of you that read this. :) I just realized Bryan hasn't uploaded the pics yet (I don't know how to do that-don't judge) so I will do pics later.

6 Months

2010-05-03T18:20:00.000-07:00

FREEDOM!!!!! :) We have reached the day!! Jayden is now allowed to be out in the world. So far, we have been to a softball game where they dedicated a bench in memory of sweet Pam Kiser, a surprise birthday party for Erin Leeser, church, eating out at a few restaurants, a youth group event, and a few outings to Target. Other than crying when we all yelled "Surprise" at Erin, he has done really well. I thought he would be overwhelmed by the amount of people gathering around him, but he loved it! I am so thankful.

Here are his stats:

Weight: 18 pounds

Height: 27 inches

Head Cir: BIG!! But I will let you know this when we go to his 6 month appointment.

He is now constantly smiling and laughing. He has such a wonderful personality. He is content most of the time. He is rolling over, mainly from his back to tummy, but occasionally will roll from his tummy to back. He loves chewing on his hands and feet. Whether he is on the floor, in his swing, exersaucer, or in your lap, he is always moving. I think we have another active boy on our hands. We have not started him on cereal yet because he is doing so well on just milk. I better get on that...

We went to the cardiologist this past week. He is doing very well!! They are always so impressed with his growth, and the fact that you can't find his ribs because of all of the rolls. He is still on meds (and will be for a very long time) for his rapid heartbeat and it is still doing it's job. We also found out a while back that he has a premature heartbeat. Our doctor said that is nothing to worry about unless there are two or more premature heartbeats in a row, which has never happened to him. So, we have a lot to be thankful for. We are so blessed at how well he is doing. We thank God multiple times a day for our precious "little" boy. He has changed our lives in so many ways. I cannot imagine our life without him.

here he is with his heart monitor on

Bryce is such a good big brother. He is so proud of Jayden. Yesterday at church, people would come up to see Jayden, and Bryce would yell, "That's my baby brudder!" :) Made me so happy. :)

I know this was long. I had a lot to update. We are so ecstatic to be able to take our boy out. I have been missing church and playdates so much!!! So, those of you around this area, you will be seeing our faces A LOT!!! :) Watch out world, here comes Jayden!!!!

Convicted

2010-04-01T12:35:00.000-07:00

I have been reading Forgotten God by Francis Chan and am completely convicted. I have been living my life, not bad necessarily, but not always listening to the Holy Spirit. I oftentimes take the Holy Spirit living inside of me for granted. Why do I do that? I have no idea. If I listen to the Spirit, my life would be so much easier. Why do I try to even attempt things on my own? God knows more and can lead me in such a way that I don't even know how to explain, and I know that. So why do I try to do it myself? I am not just talking about the big things, but also about the day to day life-how I phrase things to my kids today, how I phrase things to my husband today, how I spend my time today, what I choose to do with/teach my kids today, what to cook today, I could go on and on. My goal is to wake up every morning and ask God to lead me, through the Holy Spirit, to what he wants in me and my day (actually His day). I want Him to use me the way I was made to be used-by Him and not me.

"I don't want my life to be explainable without the Holy Spirit. I want people to look at my life and know that I couldn't be doing this by my own power. I want to live in such a way that I am desperate for Him to come through. That if He doesn't come through, I am screwed." -Francis Chan

2010-03-27T09:26:00.000-07:00

Bryce is feeling much better! Thank you, Lord. We still have not slept through the night, but maybe that night is tonight. :) We have been fever free since Thursday. Thanks for your prayers!

On another note, please keep Michael Bonine's family in your prayers. Michael was an amazing 34 year old dad, husband, son, brother, friend, etc. who passed away from a brain aneurysm. They have a long road of healing ahead of them.

No Rest for the Weary

2010-03-24T13:52:00.000-07:00

Poor Bryce has had a fever since Sunday night. After spending $100 at the pedi on various tests, we find out he has a virus and there's nothing we can do about it.

Lovely.

For the past 3 nights, he has woken up multiple times (9 last night). He was absolutely delirious, saying crazy things as if speaking in tongues, shaking all over, crying and coughing. He also did not take a nap yesterday, and only a 30 minute nap today and no nap for Jayden. This also means Mommy didn't get any rest.

The dr said if he still has a fever Thursday, to call and come back. He is currently on Mortin and has a fever of 102.5. Needless to say, I am sure the doc will be seeing Bryce's cute little puffy, red-eyed face again tomorrow. I might have to take Jayden along this time as well. He is sneezing and fussy. No fever. Please pray he doesn't get this. This might mean a trip back to TCH for him.

2010-03-18T12:26:00.000-07:00

I finally uploaded a few pics of Bryce's birthday. I tried doing this soon after his party, but I kept getting kicked off the internet and losing what I had already done, and getting frustrated. So, I quit so that I would not throw the computer out the window...

I cannot believe I have a 3 year old. He is just precious and I love him so much!! We had a blast at the party! And, more importantly, so did the kids. :)

2010-01-28T06:59:00.000-08:00

Bryce is turning 3 on Saturday!! I cannot believe I have a 3 year old. Time sure does fly!! I love that kid so much and we are so blessed to have him. In celebration of his birthday, I asked him a few questions. Here are his answers:

Q: What is your name?

A: Bryce Ala [Allen] Borden

Q: How old are you?

A: Three

Q: When is your birthday?

A: Jauawy Thutee [January 30]

Q: What is your favorite color?

A: Green

Q: Where do you like to go eat?

A: Chick-a-way. Moooooo

Q: What toy do you like to play with the most?

A: Dinosaurs

Q: Which books do you like to read?

A: Two Fish [One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish], David Goliath, Jonah, Caterpillar [The Very Hungry Caterpillar]

Q: What is your favorite dessert?

A: Ice Cream

Q: What movie do you like to watch?

A: The dinosaur one [Ice Age], Letter Factory

Q: What is your favorite sport?

A: Baseball (I was pleasantly surprised at this answer-thought it would be football)

Q: Are you big or little?

A: Widdle, no I BIG!!! (showing his muscles)

Q: What do you like to do with Mommy?

A: Play with toys

Q: What do you like to do with Daddy?

A: Tackle him!

Q: What do you like to do with Jayden?

A: Change his diaper

Q: What do you like to do with Buckwheat?

A: Chase her

Q: Who made you?

A: Mommy, Jesus....God made me!!!

Q: Who loves you?

A: Mommy loves me!

Q: Who else loves you?

A: Mommy, Daddy, Jayden and God

I am sure I could have kept going. He loved the questionnaire.

His "Tractor" party is Saturday, so pictures are to come!!

2010-01-10T13:54:00.000-08:00

My sweet little boy has colic. Poor little guy just cries and cries in the evenings until I pick him up. He looks up at me and sees me looking back at him, and then he relaxes a little and almost immediately stops crying. He knows that when he is in my arms, he is okay. He trusts me entirely knowing that I am going to take care of his every need. I cannot help but think of God every time I have Jayden in my arms and he does this. When we are in God's arms, we can rest and relax knowing He is going to take care of us. Sadly, so many times, we try to do things on our own when all we have to do is let God hold us, look up to Him as he is looking back at us, and sigh in relief knowing He is in control and we have nothing to fear. Yet another lesson we can learn (or be reminded of) from children. Praise God that we are not in control and He is!

2010-01-07T13:47:00.000-08:00

PS-I really need to take blogger 101. Anyone up for teaching someone who is computer illiterate???

2010-01-07T12:11:00.000-08:00

We had a blast this Christmas break!! It was actually nice and relaxing. We couldn't make the trip to Dallas to visit family because Jayden can't get out yet, so Bryan's family came here. It was a lot of fun! Bryce loved having his cousins here and Lynn and Stephanie loved holding and loving on Jayden.

Bryce is such a good big brother! He is always kissing on Jayden's head and talking to him in this really cute, high-pitched voice (which makes Jayden smile). I am so impressed with how he treats his little brother. Bryce has always been such a big helper, and he loves helping me out with Jayden. He helps change his diaper (he even throws the dirty ones away for me), he shakes toys in his face and says, "It's okay, baby Jaynen" when he is upset, and even shares his toys with him. I am so relieved there is no sibling rivalry (yet).

Jayden is growing so much lately. At our last doctor appointment, he weighed 10 lbs 4 oz. I know he has got to weight over 11 pounds now. He is now 9 weeks old!!! I cannot believe how fast time flies!! He is sleeping at least 5 hours at a time at night. Last night he slept 8 hours!!! Mommy was happy. He has been smiling and even laughed for the first time two nights ago!! It was such a sweet sound. He lost a lot of his hair and looked like an old balding man, but it is now starting to grow back. It is quite a bit darker now than it was. We have discovered he has reflux and colic. There was some rough times there where he would not stop crying almost all day. He is now on Zantac (poor kid is on so much meds) and only cries during his "colic time" (which is at night) and seems to calm down if I hold him.

We are so blessed to have two amazing boys. I love them more than I could ever describe.

Okay, I think I am caught up now. We have another cardiology appointment in mid January, so we will keep you updated about that. Hopefully I will write another blog before then. I am going to try to keep up with this thing....we will see....

PS-Bryce will be 3 at the end of this month. I cannot believe I (almost) have a 3 year old!!!!

Santa Came to the Borden's

2010-01-07T12:05:00.000-08:00

And Bryce was scared of him!!! He was even scared to go to sleep that night for fear of Santa getting him. Poor thing. Jayden was not scared.

Catching Up...

2010-01-07T08:38:00.001-08:00

Of course, this thing did not upload my pictures in the order I wanted...(I think it's just me).

Christmas 2009

2010-01-07T08:19:00.000-08:00

2009-11-18T20:52:00.000-08:00

Read below for the update. Cannot thank you all enough for your prayers.

Update on Jayden

2009-11-18T19:05:00.000-08:00

Jayden had his surgery on Friday. It took 11 hours. They started a little after 9:00 am and we finally got to see him post-op a little after 8:00 pm. He has been slowly progressing. He has been on tons of medications and tons of tubes have been coming out of him. One by one, they have been taken away. He now has his chest tubes out, dialysis tube out, a few others I don't remember out, and is now extubated (meaning his breathing tube is taken out and he is now breathing on his own). He is still in a bit of pain, so they had to sedate him a little today. He got the hiccups and cried right after every hiccup. I felt so bad for him and helpless because I could not help him. We have not been able to hold him yet, but that should be coming in the next couple of days. I cannot wait!! We give God the glory for protecting our baby boy. We named him Jayden, which means "God has heard." We believe God has definitely heard our cries out to Him and know he is protecting us and holding our sweet boy in His hands. Please continue to pray for Jayden and his recovery. Thank you so much for your support, love, and prayers!! We love you all!!

(pictures to come)

Surgery

2009-11-12T22:39:00.000-08:00

Well, we have reached surgery day. They are taking him at 7:00 am to get him ready. This is a 6-8 hour procedure. I cannot even begin to tell you the emotions we are feeling right now. Please pray for sweet Jayden and for him to be strong. Pray for a smooth surgery with no surprises. Pray for the surgeons, nurses, and all that will be working on Jayden. Please pray for Bryan, me, our family and friends as we journey through this day. God is in control and can and will do great things. Thank you!!!

Jayden Update

2009-11-11T10:20:00.000-08:00

Jayden had a rough night last night and the night before. He has a rapid heart rate, which they call Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT). They have him on meds now for that. His oxygen level is also low, so they will be watching him closely. The surgery was scheduled for Thursday, but I just got a call from the Cardiologist and they said he was bumped to Friday. Please please pray that it will happen this week and it will not get bumped again. Bryan and I are tired of playing the waiting game, but most importantly, we want what is best for sweet Jayden. He has to work extra hard to breathe so he is just worn out. Feeding also takes it out of him. We are just ready for him to feel better. Please continue praying for our precious boy, but please pray for all the others there, many of whom are far worse than Jayden. Our eyes have been opened to a new experience. It is very humbling. Thank you and love you all!!

Jayden Lee

2009-11-08T20:32:00.000-08:00

Don't know why, but this thing never uploads my pics in the order I want them. I think it's me... The top picture is of Bryce watching video of his little brother and he is waving at him. :) So precious!!

We are so blessed that Jayden is doing so well. Please continue to pray for him. He is most likely having an MRI tomorrow to look more in depth at the heart before his surgery, which will most likely be at the end of this week. I say "most likely" because things are always subject to change and have since the beginning. Thankfully, he is doing so so well!! The nurses keep telling us it is nice to have a "normal" baby to work with. We are praising the Lord every day that he is "normal." We pray that he will continue this path of "normalcy" throughout this entire experience until we go home and actually have real "normalcy."

Praise God for our sweet son, Jayden and for watching over him and us and holding us in His hands every second of every day.

I Will Praise YOU in This Storm

2009-11-02T06:54:00.000-08:00

Praise You in This Storm
words by Mark Hall/music by Mark Hall and Bernie Herms

I was sure by now,God, that You would have reached down
and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen
and it's still raining
as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain,
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away.

Chorus:
And I'll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
for You are who You are
no matter where I am
and every tear I've cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to You
and raised me up again
my strength is almost gone how can I carry on
if I can't find You
and as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away

Chorus:

And I'll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
for You are who You are
no matter where I am
and every tear I've cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I lift my eyes onto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth
I lift my eyes onto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth

Chorus:

I will praise You in this storm

"My heart is confident in you, O God;

My heart is confident.

No wonder I can sing your praises!

I will thank you, Lord, among all the people.

I will sing your praises among the nations.

For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens.

Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens.

May your glory shine over all the earth."

Psalm 57:7-11

"Peace That Passes All Understanding"

2009-10-29T09:35:00.000-07:00

I cannot even describe all of the emotions going through me right now. I am anxious, nervous, scared, excited, solemn, eager, concerned, apprehensive...I could go on and on... But through all of the roller coaster of emotions, I feel calmness and an OVERWHELMING sense of peace. I have heard the phrase "peace that passes all understanding" many many times in my life. I have never fully thought about the meaning of that before. I mean, it means what it says... To have peace that is so far beyond our understanding because it comes from above. I never will fully understand it, but for the first time in my life, I am FULLY feeling it as we go through this experience. I know with all of my heart that this peace that is indescribable comes (and can only come) from God Almighty. There is no other way I can be whole EVER without Him. I know this and have known this, but it seems to be more obvious during the hard times. God has shown Himself through this experience in so many ways already and we are only just beginning. I see Him through our loving friends who have so selflessly given and given to us in so many different ways (babysitting Bryce, cleaning our house, going to the grocery store for us, cooking us dinners, Jayden's shower and the creative gifts such as parking tokens and restaurant gift cards, the sweet blessings, taking us to the Medical Center and giving us a personal tour, those who are coming to visit in the hospital from hours away, phone calls, facebook messages, texts, comments on this blog, setting up a prayer service, the tons of prayers lifted up on our behalf-I could go on an on). I see Him in our family who are dropping everything to come be with us during this time (Lynn and Stephanie who are taking off work, Dad taking off work, Mom stopping her life to stay for as long as I need her, Dad who is going to be home alone for a while because I am stealing Mom). I cannot thank you all enough for lifting us up in this storm. I am so very thankful to God for giving me this overwhelming sense of peace.

Psalm 29:11 "The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace."

ps-the picture taken above is by Tiffany Fetter. She has such talent!!

Jayden's Shower

2009-10-27T07:23:00.001-07:00

My shower for Jayden was this past weekend. I had such a great time. Thank you so much, girls, for making it such a fun and uplifting day. It was a tear jerker for sure!! You know how much I love to cry... and all of you pulled it out of me!! Thank you, Martha, Jeri, and Alissa for the sweet sweet blessings. Thank you, Erin, for opening your house and for all of your selfless acts. Thank you, Erin, Martha, Mary Beth, and Shelley for the amazing food. I cannot thank everyone enough for all you have done for us and continue to do for us through this experience. I can never repay you guys for it all!! Bryan, Bryce, Jayden, and I are so blessed by each one of you. God just keeps giving and giving. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

My Child Is A Genius :)

2009-10-23T07:02:00.000-07:00

Bryce woke up this morning talking about the dinosaur, Stegosaurus. He said they live where it is hot, and that is why they have the plates on their back. They move back and forth to cool them off. Yay for Dinosaur Train on PBS. :)

Testing - Testing - 1...2...3!

2009-10-21T17:45:00.000-07:00

This is a test post for Gina.

Can you see my new signature?

Fun with Grace

2009-10-21T06:30:00.001-07:00

making spider cupcakes

pumpkins

feeding the ducks

After going to feed the ducks, Mindi, Grace, Bryce and I went to the playground, which of course does not have a bathroom. Bryce had to use the bathroom and so I had him go behind a tree...the perks of having a boy... except it didn't work out the way I had planned. He got it all over his clothes anyways, and did it AGAIN five minutes later after I had changed him into his only extra outfit I brought. Because of this, we had to go home. Bryce had to ride home bottomless. Being the 100% boy that he is, he managed to wiggle his "boy parts" out from behind his car seat buckle. Again, being the 100% boy that he is, he started talking about it. "Wook, Mommy, my penis!" (he's so proud) "I have a penis!" "Wook, Gwace." Luckily, I have known Mindi for quite a few years and she knows me well. And Grace is only a year and a half and probably has already forgotten this conversation. So, I wasn't too embarrassed. Mindi, however, was covering her mouth and awkwardly laughing. It was as if she didn't know how to react. She didn't want to condone Bryce's behavior, but wanted to laugh, but didn't want me to feel bad for Bryce talking about it... she obviously does not have a boy. I am hoping God will bless her with a 100% boy one day. All those out there with boys, I am sure you understand!!

gina

Jayden Update

2009-10-20T11:38:00.000-07:00

I have only gained a pound in two weeks...I knew that wasn't the best news to hear before the doctor came in. Jayden has only gained 10 ounces in two weeks, which means his growth is slowing down. He now weighs 5 pounds 14 ounces. The doctor told us a long time ago that she would have to take him earlier if he stopped growing. Apparently, babies with heart defects have a problem with growing all their life, in the womb and out. We need him big and fat for his surgery. Our c-section is November 3, which is exactly 2 weeks from today!! Please pray that he grows more between now and then! I don't want them taking him early if we can help it!! So, I am doing my part and eating as much as possible, including at least one bowl of ice cream every day!!!

Catching Up

2009-10-18T18:05:00.000-07:00

Well, I have decided to join everyone out there and start a blog. I have been putting it off because I am not the best at computers and knew I would get frustrated early on and would quit. So, I am hoping I stick to it. Wish me luck.........

Let me tell you what is going on with us right now:

Our son, Bryce, is 2 years old and will be 3 in January. He just started preschool this year and goes twice a week. He HATED it at first. Every time we dropped him off, it was as if we were putting him (and us) through a miserable experience. He is now loving it and asks almost every day to go. I am so thankful he enjoys it now.

Bryan is still the youth minister at First Colony Church of Christ and he loves it (and so do I)!!! We are working at and a part of the greatest church family. They are the most giving, selfless people I have ever met. We have been so blessed to be at this church for seven years. We love them dearly and could not ask for more.

Bryan and I are having our second son in TWO WEEKS!!! I have no idea how busy we are going to be, but people are telling me that going from one to two is more than twice as hard. I am excited and nervous at the same time. I am trying to get as much sleep as possible now, because somehow I am going to have to run on almost no sleep when Jayden comes. There is no "sleep when the baby sleeps" when you also have a toddler running around. Those of you with two kids, let me know what you did to survive!! Any tips??

We found out when I was 21 weeks along that our baby, Jayden, has a heart condition. It is called Transposition of the Great Arteries. It basically means his pulmonary artery and aorta have changed positions while developing. He is fine in the womb, but when he comes out, his oxygenated and deoxygenated blood will not mix like they need. This means he will not get enough oxygen to his brain and major organs. Because of this, he will have open heart surgery within his first week of life to switch back the pulmonary artery and aorta. My c-section is scheduled for Tuesday, November 3, and then Jayden will have his surgery sometime that week. We would love your prayers throughout this whole experience.

I guess that is our life right now. Hope this catches everyone up. I know the pictures are in the wrong spot, but, hey, I got them on here!! That's pretty good for me.

Have a great day!!!!!

gina