INTRODUCING...

Eden Marie Bradley

Our sweet baby girl was being very lady like and kept her legs crossed throughout the ENTIRE ultrasound. Finally I got up and went to the bathroom and she decided she wanted us to meet her properly right before we were done. Her new due date is March 29, 2010. Closer to what I thought it was. I'm officially getting nervous now! Hope you enjoy the pictures and if you want to compare to Kael's ultrasound boy picture go to the archives to March 08 because I don't know how to make that a link.

PS: This is the first time I have EVER guessed correctly for a baby to be a boy or girl.

Virginia Commonwealth Interview Update

For those who don't know Derek's school schedule it is a bit crazy and to have to take time off for interviews has been a challenge. Derek had to miss a bunch of classes on Monday to try to make a flight in Las Vegas. He got to the airport in good time and we booked the flight we did so that Derek could get to Richmond and stay the night in a hotel before he had to interview the next day.

It was a nice plan... Unfortunately it didn't work out how we expected.

His flight at the Las Vegas airport ended up being over 3 hours DELAYED!

Yup he missed the connecting flight in DC.

We really are NOT fans of the Las Vegas airport... And United and Delta Flights either...

By the time he got to DC it was really late. Derek called and canceled his hotel in Richmond (which was a hassle because we did it through priceline and he couldn't just cancel through the hotel) and the airport put him up in a hotel by the airport in DC. The next flight to Richmond wasn't until 8 am Eastern time.... What time is that in Utah time??? 6 am.... So Derek gets to his hotel around 11 pm UTAH time and has to get up at 3 am Utah time to make it to the airport for his next flight... So much for a good nights sleep...

Derek made it to the school an 2 hours EARLY, which we were trying to avoid, but oh well...

They had a really LONG tour of the school at 11 am and then Derek's interview was at 2 oclock. It was an hour long. He said he thought it went pretty good, but that he felt the U of U interview had seemed more comfortable. Overall he thinks what options VCU has to offer their students were really good and he really liked their curriculum.

He was able to ask LOTS of questions again. Then immediately following his interview it was off to the airport AGAIN.

The flight home was a lot better. The only bad part was another delay except luckily it was on the last stretch from North Carolina to Las Vegas, and it was only an hour this time. He didn't get to the Las Vegas airport until 11 oclock Utah time and then he still had the 2 hour drive home.

I don't even know when he made it home because I was so exhausted from just hearing all this news!

Now Derek is back to a full day of school and homework. He has a short break this afternoon for study time then back to class by 5 pm...

I already feel like the wife of a medical student. Let's just say I'll be happy for Friday at 2 PM for our ultrasound and then THE WEEKEND! Yes, it will be full of tests and studying, but at least he will be at HOME! =)

First Moments

I have been thinking a lot today being home with my baby like any other day, however it is special to me.

I remembered a lot of first moments that make me laugh, smile, and want to shed a tear even...

The first moment I found out that I could be a mom I knew that I would someday have a baby in my arms and that I wanted one so badly every day from that point, and now I have Kael to hold every day.

The first moment I found out that I needed a man to have that baby I knew I wanted a husband more than anything! (Not just for the baby..)

The first moment I laid eyes on Derek I knew that he needed to be in my life. (Didn't know I would fall madly in love with him and want to spend eternity with him at this point yet, but I KNEW he needed to be in my life.)

The first moment I laid eyes on Kael I knew that I would be with him forever, and that he was the baby I dreamed about so long ago.

The moment I told Derek I would marry him was the day I knew that he was the man I dreamed about so long ago as well...

So, right now as I'm worried because Derek's flight to DC was delayed an hour and he only had a 45 min lay over before his flight to Virginia I know that worrying won't do me any good, and that he will be able to make it to his interview, I'm glad I have these wonderful memories and my beautiful baby to keep me company. I'm so grateful to Derek for wanting to be a doctor to serve people, and to provide for our family.

I'm excited for the crazy road ahead of us and I thank my Heavenly Father at night for making my dreams come true!

October Kael

Video of Kael's Halloween Costume for Grandma and Grandpa Heaton on their mission!Derek and I got Kael a bumble bee costume from Wal-Mart for his Halloween costume. We were a little nervous that he wouldn't like the hood and would throw a tantrum and not wear it, but we got it anyway... I really wanted to see if it would fit ok before the big night, so I had him try it on. Well turns out that he LOVED it! He loved it so much that when it was time to take it off he got so upset and THEN threw the tantrum... Luckily he doesn't have big tantrums and got over it quick as soon as the costume was out of sight and out of mind. He is so silly...
Here are some pictures of my silly boy during October. He makes me smile every day! Every time I take the camera out in hopes of one good picture he gets super excited to see the camera and chases after me to grab it, so I am lucky to get ANY pictures! =) Gotta love this little boy!

Kael LOVES outside time! He would stay out there all day if I let him! I can't get any good videos of him walking yet, however here is Kael standing on his own!

University of Utah Update

Kael and Grandma and Grandpa Bradley
Michael (Derek's cousin), Grandma Bradley, Aunt Lori, Kael, Grandpa Bradley, Cousin Todd

Derek has got one interview out of the way! YAY! We drove up to Draper Utah which is on the outskirts of Salt Lake City on Friday night. We stayed with Derek's sister's family that just moved up there. It was a real fun visit! On Sunday we visited Derek's Grandma and Grandpa Bradley. Kael has so many wonderful Great Grandparents! This is so neat for me to be able to introduce him to all of them! I think I have one picture with me and one set of my great grandparents when I was a baby and I want Kael to get as much time as he can!

Derek had his interview on Monday at the U. All weekend we reviewed any and all questions he might be asked in hopes that he would be prepared! I think he did a great job preparing and I think he did a GREAT job interviewing! The first interviewer was a neuro surgeon. Derek said he was all interview and no conversation, which was ok and went well. The second interviewer was a lady emergency room physician. Derek said this interview was more conversation and less interview style, which is definately more comfortable! He was able to ask 2nd year medical students questions, and recieved lots of good advice! We won't be finding out if he is accepted to the U until March because they don't do rolling admissions, so we will just have to wait and see!

Overall I think the trip was a success, however we will find out in MARCH!

Baby #2 Ultrasound Scheduled

I had my doctor's appointment today. All is well and the ultra sound is scheduled for October 23rd at 2 PM.

I want to know what you guys think if it is a boy or a girl, so EVERYONE vote! =)

PS. Did I want to mention how much I LOVE my neighborhood! I have the coolest neighbors and there are kids all over, and over 50% of the houses are decorated for Halloween, and I feel safe here and Kael loves seeing all the kids playing outside! I love you neighborhood! Thank you for being awesome!

14 Month Kael

My baby is 14 months today! I can't believe how fast time has flown. The next time I blink he'll be starting school, so I'm going to just keep my eyes straight open from here on out! =) The little boy is getting so big!

Kael is his own person. He loves to explore new places as well as very familiar ones to get to know them better! He is always on an adventure! He loves to inspect the carpet and find little tiny specs of left over food or whatever is laying on my gross carpet. Then he eitehr tries to show it to me and get rid of it or he tries to eat it...

Kael LOVES to put rocks in his mouth. He is such a little boy! He is ALWAYS getting dirty and LOVES it. He is getting better at spitting the rocks out when mom tells him to.

Kael has said quite a few words, but then just stops after a while. He has his own language. I call it gobble dee gook... It sounds like a mixture of goblin and babble... =) He says da da ALL the time. If he ever gets hurt the best way to calm him down is to pick him up and show him a picture of his dad. He starts pointing and smiling and saying da da, and in half a second life is better because he sees his dad! They are BEST BUDS!

He said Bye for the first time just a couple of days ago when Derek was leaving for school. He waves hello and goodbye now. He says mom when he is sad, sick, or just doesn't feel good. He can also say ball, balloon, bubble, and dog.

He is learning how to sign as well. He has been able to sign dog forever now because he loves animals just like his dad. Every time we go to Derek's parents house he chases the poor dogs around and tries to cling on to them. He LOVES animals. He can also sign more and milk. We are working on more and he is really getting into it now.

He watches your baby can read, and is really doing well. He has parts memorized and starts clapping or waving before the word comes on. He gets so proud of himself he starts clapping for himself before mom or dad can. It is cute!

He is finally getting the hang of walking. Slowly but surely in his own time he will take off. He takes 3 or 4 steps here and there ALL the time and has three or four times gone about 10 steps. It has been amazing to watch and puts a smile on my face every time!

Kael LOVES food! He eats nonstop! He would constantly be shoving food in his mouth if it was right there. His favorite food is fruit right now. He loves eating grapes, apples, bananas, and his absolute favorite is strawberries like his mom. He even ate a whole grapefruit once, but after that diaper I haven't given him any since.

He is so easy to put down for a nap. I lay him in his crip and say goodnight and in a few minutes he is out. He takes 2 naps a day. One about 10 am for 30 min - 1 hr and then one at 2 pm for and hour or two. I feel VERY blessed! He is such a good baby! He goes to bed at 7 and gets up at 7.

He loves his pacifier. He can go all day without it, but not when he sleeps. If he finds it laying around though he pops it in his mouth like his mom did when she was a kid. We are working hard at keeping it in his crib so he only needs it to sleep...

Kael also loves outside time. Now that it is finally cooling off a little we spend as much time outside as possible. He is finally learning that he is not allowd in the road, however I let him crawl on the sidewalk once by me and now he starts crawling down the side walk and I really have to keep two eyes on the kid. He is always trying to escape outside now.

I find joy in this amazing boy every day! He amazes me every day! I know I'm going to love this next baby so much, but Kael will always be the first. He is going to be such a great big brother! He loves people! He loves just sitting outside watching the kids playing down the road. I'm glad we are able to have another child for him to have a friend. He is so social and I can't wait to see my children playing together.

Love you Kael! You are amazing and I'm so excited that I get to see you growing every single day!
Love, Mom