4 Month Check Up

Although Tray is not quite 4 months old yet, we went in for his 4 month check up last night. He was originally supposed to go in in another week but we will be with Darren in WY next week. So we went in last night instead and found out that Tray has only gained one pound since his 2 month check up. It was quite devastating. He went from being very consistent in the 10th percentile down to being in the very scary 3rd percentile. It is very frustrating for me. Since Tray was born we have had many trials to overcome when it comes to feeding. I have always wanted to nurse my children and I was determined to do so. After every breastfeeding problem imaginable and weeks of tears we were finally able to nurse. It has been wonderful and I really thought we were making progress. He had been gaining weight great and growing like a weed. It was kind of a blow to the stomach to hear he had completely dropped off the chart. Especially because the majority of my days are spent feeding him. When he's hungry he eats, when he's upset he eats, when he wakes up during the night HE EATS! I swear that's all we do. So it was very hard for me to hear that it just hasn't been good enough. So now we get to start experimenting to try to figure out what he will actually eat so he can start gaining the weight that he needs. Its been pretty rough and will probably continue to be a challenge. But I am sure it will make us all stronger :) I found a quote this last week that I decided will be the new motto for our family.. "Every obstacle presents us with an opportunity to improve our current conditions" So that is the light that I am trying to look at this "obstacle" in. And even though things aren't ideal right now we still have so much to be grateful for. Tray is beautiful and so alert and fun. He is developing great and just so smiley! And he is otherwise very healthy. And for that we are very blessed.



Other than that things seem to be going pretty well for us. Darren started working with his dad doing FedEx a few weeks ago and its been great so far. Although Darren has had to go back and forth to Logan alot, and that's hard on all of us. Tray knows his daddy very well and definitely notices when he is gone. We both miss him very much. But hopefully the back-and-forth thing won't last too much longer and we'll finally be able to settle down.

Busy Busy BUSY!

It seems strange to me that although I rarely leave the house these days I can still feel like I've been running all over the place! This last week or so has been pretty busy. There has been alot going on. Alot of events to attend. Don't get me wrong I love every chance I have to be out in the grown up world again but its pretty tricky with a 2 1/2 month old that likes to eat every 2 hours. But I have been trying make due. It has been interesting to say the least. Anyways we had the awesome privilege to go to the open house of the new Draper Temple. It is beautiful! Tray loved all the lights :)

It really was gorgeous. But midway through the tour Tray got super hungry and they don't really have any place to nurse so I ended up having to give him some formula. Not good. He was up ALL night crying with a tummy ache. The poor thing. Then my dear sister in law, Christie, received her endowments but unfortunately I couldn't make it to that. I did get to go to Stu and Christies sealing though! To do so I brought Tray with and nursed him in the car right up until it was about to start then ran in handed him off to his Aunt Heather and ran to the sealing room. But I am glad I did. It was so awesome! I was tearing up the whole time. I am so happy for them! My oldest brother Cody was able to fly in for the happy event as well which was really nice. It was great to have him here. His family was not able to come out with him, so we missed them. But it was fun to have him meet Tray. That and he was really good at getting Tray to fall asleep, so I loved that :) Darren also started a new job. Its nothing special and hopefully we can find something better, but for now we are grateful for it. I swear NO ONE in Utah is hiring for a decent job! If anyone knows of anything please let me know! So he has been pretty busy working lots of hours. But he is doing really great and they love having him. Such a hard worker! :) Tray misses his Dad alot though when he's working. He gets really happy when Darren is home and has time to play with him. Tray tell the wildest stories to his Daddy. Its cute! Here is a picture of Tray talking. This is my all time favorite picture!

Ha ha I love it! He is so alive and alert it is so much fun. He talks and smiles ALL the time! AND... I've heard him laugh twice now! Its pretty much the most adorable sound I have ever heard. But unfortunately he has decided to only be giggly at 2 in the morning when I am the only one around to hear it. (Frustrating, yet Flattering) :) So no one believes that he has done it. Man he is just soo cute! I can't seem to get enough of him! But I guess all Moms get that feeling. :) He is looking more and more like Darren everyday which Darren loves. He'll say things like "Man I love that you look like your Papa!".. Honestly I don't know weather to sit back and enjoy the cute moment or slap Darren for insinuating that he is glad our son doesn't look like his Mama. Ha ha Well anyways.. Until Next Post!

Grandma & Grandpa Young

Today I wanted to post a very special thank you to my parents. The past few months have not been easy ones for our little family. And I honestly do not know where we would be if it weren't for my parents. They have been our saving grace! My mom has been especially amazing. Being new parents is pretty hard stuff, but We have been lucky enough to have my mom close by to help us (especially me) learn the ropes. I swear she knows everything about everything! She has been there for me and Tray every step of the way. She was there when he was born and is still helping me everyday. Weather it was helping me figure out how to feed him, bathe him, burp him, get him to sleep, or even taking him after a super long night just so that I could get some sleep myself, she has done it all. She is an instant baby-sleeping machine! :) There have been times I would try and try and try to get Tray to take a nap, then after alot of rocking, bouncing and frustration I give him her and he is out like a light! Its pretty much amazing. No matter how much I need her help she is always ready and willing to help me. And there has never been a time she hasn't been excited to see and hold and play with Tray. And for that I am very very grateful. Kudos to all the new parents out there who are learning how to do everything on their own! I'd like to think We could have done it, but I sure am glad that we did not have to.

So, to Grandma and Grandpa Young-

Thank you soo much! Thank you for your love, for your support, for your constant concern for us. Thank you for helping us move a thousand times. Thank you for putting a roof over our heads and food in our bellies (We know how much food it takes to fill my husbands belly :) ) Thank you for being willing to hold Tray so I can take a nap or eat or take a shower! Thank you for the late night prayers and the early morning hugs. Thank you for loving Trayden. We love you both So much!

A Tribute To New Daddies

I have always said that I think there is nothing cuter than a new Dad. There is just something so special and so endearing about them. And being able to see that bond develop is simply irresistable! Darren is such a terrific Dad! I can't help but just watch them together and think to myself how lucky I am to have them both. I Love them both So much! ( I love this picture! )

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Everyone! What an awesome time of year! A week or so ago we went and had Tray's pictures taken by my lovely cousin Bryndee and they are soo great! If anyone needs some pictures I'll get you her number! She does such a great job! I'll post some of my other favorites later, but considering that Christmas is just a few days away this one seemed appropriate :) I love it! This is Trays first Christmas and I am super excited. Even though he is too little to comprehend it or enjoy it, and he's still too little to open any of his presents, I am still very excited. I get to spend the holiday with my boys. My little family. Everyday with them is such a blessing and I am looking forward to waking up Christmas morning with them. This Christmas season had been really special, and one I wont ever forget. I have been pondering alot on the birth of our Savior. Having just had a baby boy of my own it seems to really bring to life how real it all was. Darren and I are faced everyday with the task of raising Tray. And though we are very greatful for each moment with him, it is very hard. I wonder and worry if we will be able to raise him and teach him right. I wonder what kind of person he will grow to be. Can you imagine how Mary and Joseph felt? Knowing they were raising the Savior? It absolutely awe inspiring. They were without a doubt an incredible couple. On that note... Merry Christmas!!

Collins Christmas Party!

This last weekend was the annual Collins christmas party. I have gone to this party every year since I can remember. Its a night filled with food, family and Santa.. Yay! The morning or the party there was a big snow storm so Grandpa Collins attempted to cancel it. But my aunts were so upset at thought of it being cancelled that they protested until it was back on :) So we all trudged through the snow to go see Santa. We dressed Trayden up in the cutest christmas outfit to show him off. He spent the night being passed between his loving aunts and sleeping right through it. Then when Santa showed up we realised that Tray was in serious need of a diaper change. So Darren hurried to go change his diaper and was lucky enough to find that the mess had traveled beyond the diaper and all over his cute clothes. Ha ha so he got changed into some jammies and hurried back just in time to scream at Santa. Of course he slept like an angel right up until it was time for a picture. Gotta love it! :) After all that excitement we were all very very tired so we came on home to go to bed.

My Boys are so cute together!!

One Month Old!

One month old! Can you believe it? Time sure does fly by now that Tray is here. The days all seem to mesh together and I cant ever seem to catch my breath. Its funny how when I was pregnant with him the days seemed to drag on and I thought he would never get here.. and now its completely opposite. Well things are going pretty great. In one month he has changed so much. Its so much fun to see his personality develop :) One of our favorites is when he sneezes. It is so cute! more often than not he'll get a few real sneezes out then thinks he has another one and ends up just yelling out a "fake sneeze". He's constantly looking around trying to figure everything out. He is even holding up his head some which is so much fun. Darren and Tray have tummy-time every night so Tray can strengthen his neck. It sure is fun to see them together. We have had very few people say that Tray looks like me. He's just a little Darren apparently. :) I guess they do look alike huh? Handsome boys! Looks aside we can definitely tell that Tray is Darrens son cause I spend the majority of the day feeding him! :) And his appetite just keeps growing and growing. And if i'm not there ready to feed him he tries eating those around him. In this picture Tray decided to try eating his Dads nose. It was pretty funny! Anyways.. This week has been pretty crazy. Darren has been looking for a new job and I have been trying to get everything organized and ready for Traydens baby blessing this coming sunday. It will be fun to show him off! We are blessing him in my parents ward which I'm pretty excited about. Since I grew up in that ward there will be lots of people there who I love and care about. Darren is pretty nervous about blessing Tray. I'm just glad its the Dads job!! Ha ha I would never be able to do that. Just another thing I love about my husband. He's willing to do the uncomfortable! :) It will be an awesome experience for all of us though. I sure love my boys!