Andersen McCall Stringer

Andersen McCall Stringer

January 16, 2016 @ 11:30am

7 lb .03oz

20.5 inches long

On Saturday, January 16th, my water broke at 8am while I was laying in bed with my husband and kids as we were slow to rise that morning. I jumped out of bed in order to avoid soaking the bed. TMI? I rushed to the bathroom to make sure that my water actually did break. And, it did. Excitedly, we got the kids dress and ready to go to a friends house. I quickly texted our families and close friends. I scarfed down a bowl of cereal and drank a couple bottles of water. I took one more bump picture in the bathroom mirror while Bryce buckled the kids in the car. I was having contractions but they were only about 5 minutes apart and not painful at all. 

We dropped the kids off and headed to the hospital. We arrived at the ER a little after 9 am. I wasn't preregisted so I had to sign paper work. This is when my contractions really started to pick up but they weren't that painful. 

They sent me up to the triage room to evaluate me. I was dilated to a 5.5. I got settled into a room where they hooked me up to all of the monitors and put in my IV. I did NOT want the IV this go around because of how horrible my experience was with Calum. It took 8 tries with him for them to finally get the IV in. This time, it took only 3 tries. Ha! It was still horrible. 

The doctor came in again and checked me at around 10:15am. I was dilated to a 7 but he realized my water hadn't completely broken and that is why I wasn't progressing very fast. Once he broke the rest of my water, things progressed very quickly. Early on in my pregnancy, I planned for a drug free delivery (Same as Calum's) but this time, I wanted to be able to walk around and use the exercise ball. Weirdly enough, when I was in labor, I did NOT want to leave that bed. The only way I wanted to be was sitting up in the bed and leaning forward to get the pressure off of my back. My sweet husband..he used a roller ball to rub my lower back and applied Deep Relief essential oil which was a LIFESAVER!!!!! I wish I would have had that stuff when I delivered Calum!! 

A little after 11am, I felt lots of pressure and needed to push. The doctor came in and checked me and I was complete. He got his stuff ready and then I pushed for 3 minutes and delivered sweet Andersen. We didn't know the gender this time around so we were so excited to see what we were having. I was so so sure we were having a boy. And my husband was too. So when he said "its a girl!", we were SO shocked but SO over the moon excited!!! 

Calum: 12 Months

Happy Birthday Calum Brooks!!! 

How can it be that you are already a year old?! I remember this day last year like it was yesterday. 

March 12, 1014

7 lb 7 oz

20 Inches 

Born: 5:09 am

Calum, you weigh 19 pounds and 8 oz (5%) and you are 29 1/4 inches tall (24%). You wear size 12 month clothes and a size 3 shoe and 3 diaper. 

You are still nursing 3-4 times a day. You eat almost anything we place in front of you. You can EAT! Your favorites are oranges, bananas, yogurt and sweet potatoes. 

You are a great sleeper. On most nights, you are in bed by 6:00 pm and you wake around 7:00 am. You take two naps a day that range from 1 1/2-2 hours. 

You have 6 teeth! Four on top and two on bottom. 

You have really started to talk this month. You can say "Momma", "dada", "Aya" (Ava), "Ah Duh" (all done), "Hi", "Bye bye". 

You can walk along furniture and with us holding your hands but you don't seem interested to do it alone yet. 

You love balls and cars and pretty much anything that is boyish. 

Calum Brooks, we love you so so much and we are SO very thankful for you. Today has been so emotional for me. I just do NOT want you to grow up. I want you to stay my little baby forever. You are the best thing that has happened to our family and we can't wait to spend many more birthdays with you! We love you Cal Brooksy. 

Calum: 11 Months

Time...SLOW DOWN! I can't take it anymore! I can't believe I almost have a 1 year old!! Wah!

Calum Brooks, you are a JOY!!! We are SO in love with you.

You weigh 18 Ib 10 oz and 28 3/8 inches long! You wear size 12-18 month clothes and a size 3 diaper. You still have 6 teeth.

You go to bed at 6:00 pm and wake around 7:30 am. You take two naps a day. Each lasts about 2 hours.

You can say "Dada", "Momma", "Bye bye ", "Hi", "Aya" (Ava), and "Ah Duh" (All done).

You are a snuggle bug and I love it!

You eat everything we put in front of you! You are a huge eater! One night, you ate 1.5 adult size pieces of pizza! Lord knows how much you will eat when you are 15!

You can walk across furniture but it may be a few months before you start walking independently.

You are into everything...especially things you're not supposed to be in like the cabinets and toilet paper! You're a little adventurous guy!

Cal Brooksy, we love you SO SO much and can't imagine our lives without you. You bring so much joy and light to our family. Happy 11 months sweet boy!

Calum: 10 Months!

10 Months! How can it be?? 

You wear size 12 month clothes and size 3 diaper. You take two naps a day at 9:00 am and 1:00 pm. You go to bed around 7:00 pm and wake around 7:00 am.

You are an EATER!! You have really branched out this month and have started eating meats that I cut up really small. Your favorite is Italian sausage. You love any kind of cracker and you love sweet potatoes. You don't like for me to feed you anymore. You have become very independent and want to feed yourself.

You get SO mad when Ava takes a toy from you. You will scream at her and she thinks its hilarious. We're working on her sharing skills...

You have really started to babble in the past few days. You say "bubba", "dada", "ball", and "bye bye". SO cute!!

You are the BEST baby!

Calum Brooks, we love you SO SO much and can't imagine our lives without you. You brighten our lives and we can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for your life. We love you bubba.

Calum: 9 Months

My baby boy. You are growing UP! I can't believe how big you are getting. Your first birthday is quickly creeping up on us!

This picture is seriously the best I could get. You do not sit still for a second. Especially when I try to take your picture! HA!

You wear size 12 month clothes and a size 3 diaper. You go to bed at 7:00 pm and wake around 7:30 am. You take two naps a day. One at 9:00 am and another at 1:00 pm. On the dot. Everyday. Each lasts about 1.5 hours. You thrive on a schedule!

You are not a fan of table food but I am slowly learning what you like and don't like. There's not much you like. You'd rather nurse!

You are into EVERYTHING! You recently started opening cabinets and unrolling the toilet paper roll.

You put everything into your mouth! I'm constantly searching the floor for food droppings from a certain 3 year old. :)

You have 4 TEETH now!

You recently have become fascinated with your daddy's ear and you will pull it and growl. It is so funny and we have no idea why you do it!

The only word you really say is "buh buh".

You can climb the stairs now!

My boy, you are an angel and we love you SO much!! You melt my heart!

Calum: 8 Months

My sweet boy, I am so behind on this blog post!

At 8 months, you weigh 17 pounds and 6 ounces. You haven't gained any weight this month because you are ACTIVE! You are crawling SO good now and starting to climb up on things.

You wear a size 3 diaper and 12-18 month clothes.

Your daily Schedule:
7:00/7:30- Wake and nurse
8:00- Breakfast (usually yogurt and bananas)
9:30-Nap
11:00- wake, nurse and eat lunch (veggie and fruit)
1:30-Nap
3:00-wake
4:00-Sometimes you nap again if you're really tired
5:00-wake, nurse and dinner (veggie and fruit)
7:30-Nurse and Bedtime

This is what most of my pictures looked like. You don't stay still for a second!

Calum, you are the SWEETEST boy!! You are very easy-going and go-with-the-flow. You hardly ever get upset.

You LOVE bath time. You're at an age now where you can play with Ava and it's so fun to watch the both of you.

You're a picky eater and I am not used to it. Ava ate anything so it's been a challenge trying to learn what you like and don't like.You love almost all fruit and sweet potatoes. You hate peas. You will eat mostly all other veggies if they are heated up. You hate baby cereal. We tried avocado and refried beans the other day and you gagged until you threw up. Crazy boy!

You put everything in you're mouth! Another thing i'm not used to. Ava never did that so now, I am constantly making sure there is nothing on the floor that could be a choking hazard.

You love to play tackle on our bed just like Ava did when she was little.

A sweet little comparison... 

Ava Drew is 3 years old!

My sweet Ava Drew, you are 3 years old! I can't believe it! You are the sweetest, sassiest, girlie girl ever!

You weigh 24 pounds and you are 34 inches tall. You wear a size 7 shoe and wear 2T clothing mainly for the length. Jeans are too big for you in the waist so you mainly wear leggings and dresses.

You still need your nap during the day. You will usually nap for about 2 hours every afternoon.

Your favorite song right now is Jesus loves me (with the hand motions) and you are phasing out of watching Peppa Pig. You used to be obsessed with it.

You LOVE barbies and you HAVE to have lipstick on at all times.

You are not a picky eater and will pretty much eat anything. You still don't like mashed potatoes or any potatoes really. You never have.

Some of my favorite things that you say... "Momma, come here, wet me show you sumfin", "We'll see", "Maybe", "Don't kiss me, you'll mess up my wipstick", "I'm a BIG girl", "I'm 3 months old", "Momma, watch dis, I'm a cheerweader".

You're my favorite girl in the whole world ever, Ava Drew!