Paul

My baby Paul turned one in February. He is such a blessing and a joy in our family. I have to admit, when I found out I was pregnant with Paul, I was very upset. It was an easy pregnancy, so I had nothing to complain about when it came to my health. I just was not prepared for another baby. I was enrolled for two semesters at full-time status. I was teaching Joy School once a month for Kaitlyn and three other three olds. We were still trying to figure out everything after Brandon's injury and adjusting to the new normal in our family. Right after I got pregnant, we lost a very special friend, Paul, the man who taught Brandon the gospel and helped so much when he was struggling. A few months later, we my maternal grnadfather, Heber "Rob" also passed away. My Grandpa Rob performed the sealing for Brandon and me. He was an great man who always gave me great advice when I was struggling. These are the two great men that we decided to name our little Paul Heber after. They left him a great legacy and I only hope I can raise him to be a great man someday.
I was induced to have Paul a week before his due date. My labor was relatively easy. A little after midnight on February 12, Paul made his entrance into the world. I hoped that after Paul was born I would stop feeling so sad. It didn't happen. I tried really hard to enjoy those first few weeks, but it was tough. Of my three children, I only experienced the baby blues after Paul was born. I think I was just feeling overwhelmed with everything that had happened during the last couple of years. Slowly, things started to get better. I know it was Paul that saved me. His sweet temperament and easy disposition made it so easy to be his mother. He slept really well, ate like a champ, and rarely cried (the occasional brother is using me as a chew toy scream), and was healthy. He was a little jaundice at first, but thankful he did not have to use the Billi lights like his older siblings. He has also be healthy most of his life, with only a few minor colds and one ear infection. Paul is still one of the easiest going kids around. He takes Ben and Kaitlyn's constant teasing in stride and just goes with the flow. He jabbers all the time, and happily Mama was his first word, followed by da (for dog) and then dada. Even at one, he still loves to cuddle me a tons and gives me the cutest grin when I go to get him out of his crib in the morning. He would scoot, crawl, and now runs to me or Brandon when ever one of us comes home. Paul is also a real ladies man, he loves to coo and smile at the ladies. If a guy starts talking to him, forget it, he wants to find a cute lady to snuggle. He even walked up to the receptionist at the doctors office and started to cuddle with her. I love that he adores Brandon. He follows him around, we often call him our little stalker because you turn around and he is likely right behind you. He also likes to just sit next to Brandon on the bed and play with Brandon's hair. It is the sweetest thing on the planet. When Brandon is carrying him, he will cuddle up really close and grab his arm. I could just eat his cuteness up.
Do you know my favorite thing about Paul? His eyes, I just want to melt every time I look into those big brown eyes. When Brandon and I were first talking about having kids, I wanted them to get Brandon's blue eyes. I always felt like my brown eyes were so boring and plain. Kaitlyn has my brown eyes and we are learning together how fun brown eyes can be. Ben varies between blue and hazel eyes, and I think they will end up being hazel, which is pretty cool. Paul on the other hand has the darkest brown eyes. Even right after he was born, he had dark blue eyes and at about two months they turned into dark brown. I could get lost in his eyes and when he flashes those beauties at me I want to give him anything he wants (luckily for me right now that is usually food). We are in big trouble with this cutie!So why do I tell the whole story about our Paul. If you would have asked me in July 2009 if I wanted another baby right then, I would have said no way. Now, I am thankful that the Lord has blessed me with such an amazing child and new better what Brandon and I really needed at the time. Paul has taught me more about how your heart can open up to more love than you ever thought possible. I am so proud to say that I am a mother to three wonderful children. I am striving to be a better mother and woman because I know that my kids deserve the best.
Happy Birthday My Precious Paul!!! I am really thankful that you came to our family.