Happy 1st Birthday, Bradyn Elizabeth!!

I can't believe it...an entire year has gone by and my sweet baby is ONE. On her birthday, it was bittersweet, because I love watching my kiddos get older, but this is the last time we will ever celebrate one of our children's first birthdays. Such an important milestone!

Bradyn was born May 18, 2008 at 4:12 am. She was exactly 2 weeks early, but I was in labor off and on for a few days, and was very much ready for it to be all over. I remember working that weekend, trying to get ahead before her birth. On Saturday afternoon, I left my office for the hospital because I was having alot of contractions. They kept me there for awhile, told me that I was having good contractions, but they weren't progressing, so to come back when they were. I knew she'd be born, so my mom picked up the 3 older girls and took them to her house. Sure enough, early that morning I went into labor. Derek got up with me and thought we should get to the hospital, but I became this very stubborn person (having already been sent home from the hospital), and I wasn't about to let that happen again! So while he was trying to get me into the car to go, I was refusing and in quite a bit of pain. When I finally agreed to go (only because I could hardly walk anymore) he got all excited that he could drive 90 mph to the hospital and "if I get pulled over they can't do anything"! The hospital is about 20 miles from our house, and we made it in just under 10 minutes! When we got there, they admitted me, and we were only there a short period of time before she was born.

She was our smallest baby, at 7 lbs 9 oz. She was measured at 21 inches at the hospital, but at her check up a week later was 19.75 inches, so we are pretty sure she was 19.5-19.75 inches at birth. We were amazed at her head full of dark hair (the others were either very blonde or bald at birth) and she was beautiful! She looks like she fits right in with the rest of the group, sharing almost all of her sister's features. She has an adorable dimple that we saw right away, and within moments after her birth popped her thumb in her mouth and started sucking away. This was so cute and sweet, and we laughed because in EVERY ultrasound we had with her, starting at 13 weeks, she was either trying to suck her thumb, or actually sucking it.

Most of you all know that it's been a very rough ride with Bradyn. She has been constantly fussy since day 1, and we've gone through many rounds of testing to try and determine why. We've done everything from lab draws, to specialist visits at Seattle Children's Hospital (the BEST medical care in the world!), numerous visits to the pediatrician, etc. Nothing has really shown up, except she seems to have an allergy or sensitivity to lactose. Around 6 months she practically stopped growing. It took us a few months and regular weight checks, but we finally got her BACK on the growth charts! As of yesterday, she weighs in at a whopping 18 lbs even, 5th percentile on the growth charts. We will take it!

While this past year has been trying at times, we feel very blessed with our family. Bradyn completes our puzzle, and keeps us on our toes. She is pulling up on furniture, cruising around, and desperately wants to be part of the "sisters" as she watches them running all around her. Personally, I'd be ok if she didn't walk for another few months, but I know the time is coming. Happy Birthday, pretty pretty princess! Thank you, God, for giving us the chance to have Bradyn in our lives, she is an amazing gift!