It is amazing how time flies! I can't believe we have been blessed with Behren for over a half of year now ... wow, how our lives have changed ... I can't imagine what Luke and I did without him! ;-)

Behren is totally pulling himself up on anything he can, and standing up.  He wants to walk so bad he can taste it ... and taste everything he does. Behr sat up like a "real boy" in the cart at Sams, and today alone with Dad at Home Depot. (I would have liked to see this b/c Luke said he was pushing the cart and holding a bottle in Behr's mouth at the same time).

Hope you enjoy the new pics of our little Behr. Or as I calls him, BOOGIE, or Luke calls him DINKA or DINKA BUTT (evolved from stinky butt). Funny how nicknames happen!

L,

B

Greetings in 2009!

I'm sooooo proud of Behren ... well actually of myself for mustering up the strength to "cry it out" for a couple of nights (and naps) to get this baby on a sleep schedule. Since this is my first baby, I had no idea that my four and half month old could actually enjoy sleeping thru the night ... WOW.

He is now going to sleep at 8pm after a nice bath, a bottle and a book (and a snuggle). I put him down in his crib last night and he smiled and turned over on his side and closed his eyes ... I guess babies really need their alone time, too. And dear lord, I am so GRATEFUL to sleep longer than 1.5 hour intervals. Because, for real, the kid was getting up every hour or so. We actually may have more kids now! ;-) haha p.s.

Thanks to my cuz, Hoolie (Julie Pedraza) for convincing me (patientially over several months) to "cry it out." She even sent me the book with all the research and methods from the guru, Dr. Weissbluth called, Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child. And I can say that Behren is actually now much happier and SO are Luke and I.

Hopefully, the New Year is going well for everyone.  Thanks to friends and family for all the lovely toys and clothes for Behren.  It's hard to believe that he already wearing 12 mo. outfits because he needs the length.  We look forward to seeing you in this new year of CHANGE, HOPE, and PEACE.

Love ... Brooke, Luke and Behr

I can't believe it's been 6 weeks already!  It seems like the weeks are blurring together and I never have enough time to get this damn site updated!  It's amazing how consuming being a parent really is.  Behren is very dramatic and not shy about getting his needs met.  He has been sleeping better in the night, however ... only using waking up once between 11pm and 6am for a late nite snack and some cuddles. 

Going to graduate school and being a Mom is harder then I thought it would be ... I am looking forward to being done with group projects, exams, papers, and extensive reading! If I ever teach someday, I promise to not give people dumb assignments that take too much time away from their families!

It is nice to be home with Behren during the day ... I just wish I could get more done!  We do get a lot of tummy time in though.  He is lifting his head up like a champ and making lots of sounds like "Mooww" and "Doaw" ... he still has his little gravely voice.  I love it!

Thanks to everyone that got us gifts after his birth ... I am in the middle of hand making his birth announcements and am sending them with the thank you cards - that is what is taking SO LONG.  Again, I thought while staying at home during the day that I would get more done ... WRONG! ;)

Love,

Brooke

Hey everyone! 

It's been one week that we have been home as a fam!  (well tomorrow night it will be one week) ... Things are going well and Behren is doing lots of eating, pooping, and sleeping!  We couldn't be more proud, haha!!!  

We are not taking anything for granted because Behr gave us a SCARE!  I labored for 18 hours and then two hours of pushing and he just wouldn't come ... we were concerned the entire time because his heart rate was dipping very low during each contraction.  (They knew it had something to do with the cord).  My midwife called in the Dr. on call and we decided on c-section, but I wondered what the hell took them so LONG to make that call!  Thanks god we did the section when we did because the poor guy had the cord wrapped around his neck two times, rendering it impossible to make the transition outward... not to mention cutting off his O2.  He did let out a few pathetic cries, but I knew something was wrong by how quickly they were working on him and that they didn't offer him to me for a quick kiss (and his color was grey).  Luke got to talk to the nurses and dr.'s as they worked on him and was also able to accompany Behren to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, two floors below.  It was one the most scary experiences of my life!  It takes much longer for them to suture you up during a C-section than it does to remove the baby ... it felt like hours without Luke, there worrying about Behren, while they finished the procedure.  I did get to see him in the unti from my bed a few hours later and then we visited him the unit every couples hours until they released him Wednesday evening to join us in the room.  He was diagnosed with pneumothorax which means that he had an air pocket between his rib cage and lungs causing him to not get enough O2.  It usually goes away on it's own and often occurs when the baby is straining to get air.  They treated him with antibiotics in case of infection, and he cooked under a heated lamp and O2 tent ... we will never forget those first tough days!  Thanks to everyone that rooted him on and gave us positive energies and prayers ... it surely helped because he is doing awesome now.   His only battle scar is his pealing skin from being in the "tanning bed" they called "Hawaii" in the NIC U. 

More to come!

l,

brooke, lucas, & behren lucas

Well, we have been home for two days now and things are going really well.  Behren is doing great and mom and i are already learning the benefits of nap time ;) hehe  Our little nugget, i think, is going to be just like his daddy in that he eats about 100 pounds of food a day ;) hehehe  but that's okay...he loves it   Brooke and I are loving our first days home.  We learn a little bit more everyday.  Thanks to everyone for their support, gifts, and visits up to the hospital.  Love you guys!!

Happy Hot Summer!

Just enjoying my last night being 27, while downloading some pics from the "Hall" family baby shower BBQ held at my Mom's house last Saturday evening.  Thanks to all my lovely family for driving into town for the weekend and spoiling us with lots of love, well wishes & amazing baby gifts.  My uncle Buster came in town from Kansas City, KS.  Uncle Otto & Aunt Effie from Grinelle, IA.  The Pedrazas from Chi-town, and the Tim & Tamara Hall's from La Cross, WI.  Not to mention my friend, Jill and her sister in law, Heather ... The Zeller's (our old bestest neighbors & friends) Paige's boyfriend, Zack and his rents, My aunt Kath Collins ... and the Jorgensen's hung out with us and had tacos on Friday night for the pre-party!  We grilled some burgers and enjoyed all you can eat of white cake during the Saturday shower!  Did I mention how much baby Behren likes white cake??!   

My cuz, Hoolie and her family now includes a 7 week old guy, Spencer ... he was really good while I held him so it gave me great confidence.  Mr. Cooper (my friend Ali's son) also made a guest appearance as another super cute and laid back 7 week old baby on the scene.  Thanks for bringing your nuggets over and for all the babyland tips!

My feet & ankles are nice and swollen this week, so much so that I took a pic with my early birthday camera from Luke.  We are excited because it's a super fast shot camera, which we'll need to get good baby pics!

Greetings!

Hope everyone survived the big storm here in the QCA ... maybe not a great time to bring a baby into the world with Armageddon going on and all!  Anyway, I updated some photos from the baby shower with Luke's side of the family.  Everyone was kind enough to cram into our tiny house and shower us with love and gifts for baby Behren!  The baby honestly has more outfits than Luke and I combined ... thanks to Sissy, Steph Bender, Grandma Emily, Grandma Jodi, Grandma Grape, Jill, Tessa, Jackie & Steph Ploog-Popp for all the awesome stuff!  Thanks to my Mutti, Jean and Schwester, Paige for helping us pull it all together!

Love you ALL!

Brookie & Luke 

Sup everyone!

Luke posted the 3D/4D ultrasound pics we had done on Monday afternoon.  Let me tell you, the baby was not happy at all the poking and such and kept hiding his face behind his hands and feet!  It's crazy how flexible he is in there ... and we keep getting these lovely pics of his huge feet!  You can kind of see what he looks like in the profile pics, but there is still a lot to be imagined, as you can tell.  I think he already has Luke's nose and eyes ... and pouty lower lip.  Those Radech genes are strong!  Good thing Behren's dad is one sexy mofo!

Thanks for stopping by!

Love you long time