Mommy and Dylan

Happy Birthday Dylan!

Lori's water broke about 6pm while I was at work. Lori called me about 9pm and said she was having some intense cramping and some watery discharge. Daddy knows what that means so I rushed home from shift and took her to the hospital. Dylan was born March 31st at 11:29pm 7lbs 10ozs and 20 inches long. A healthy baby boy altho not the size we are used to. Lets hope that bodes well for sleepy time.

P.S. I am going to miss writing these letters but at the same time I am excited that we are moving forward in our lives on to a new chapter - One with three little boys and lots and lots of dirt and gun games.

38 weeks 6 days

I have been getting excited about your arrival for the last week now and just a few minutes ago while working here at the fire station I got butterflies in my stomach! I am really excited to see you and snuggle you! So many questions will be answered in a few weeks time. Your mommy doesn't believe me when I tell here she is so sexy but I really think she is. We are cleaning and getting things ready for you to arrive and we are excited as ever. Monday is only 4 days away now and baby day is closing in.

37 weeks 4 days

The day is almost here and your mother has brought up another name. Now its Tristan! She didn't like it when I wanted that name so I am thinking we are going to stick with Dylan which we both still like. We are super excited to see you and take care of you, but just as a heads up you have the best mommy in the world and two of the coolest brothers too! Your big brother Gavin is a Soccer player and a Wrestler so he can teach you how to be fast and quick and also how to kick some butt. You other big brother Logan is very protective and does gymnastics so he will protect you until you learn how to wrestle to protect yourself and he can also teach you how to balance and do tricks in the gym which takes a lot of strength and coordination. Mommy calls us boys "my fellows" it's a term of endearment and means a lot to us boys. All in all I think you are a pretty lucky fellow.

36 weeks

Today you were very emotional when I got home from work. Gavin had told you that you were the most beautiful woman in the world with a big tummy. I am pretty sure it made you sad even tho you kept telling the boys that you were crying happy tears. I didn't know what to say. You said you are sick of being sore all the time. I feel helpless that I can do nothing for you. The boys and I tried to help out by cleaning up. Gavin and Logan both made their beds and helped daddy clean downstairs. I got the vacuum out and got the stairs and main floor. I cleaned the main floor bathroom and the boys got the basement bathroom (I followed up to make it nice). I scrubbed the main floor toilet with a toothbrush to get everything the regular brush and rags can't reach. I hope tomorrow brings a happier mommy. I love you baby.

34 weeks 4 days

Dear Lord,

I just wanted to let you know, it has been my greatest pleasure raising my boys. I thought I knew happiness when I married Lori, but the pure joy of this family with these boys cannot be matched.

Thank you for my son Gavin with his heart of gold and wonderful imagination. I could not ask for a more sensitive and loving son than this. Who would help me in everything I do if not for Gavin?

I thank you again for my Logan with the glint in his eye and your love in his heart. His passion and candor can be a challenge at times but will be a great asset in life. Who will always give you all he has in every task if not for Logan?

Finally let me thank you for the chance to raise another boy who as of yet is a pure mystery, but I know he will be perfect because you made him just for us.

Amen.

34 weeks 1 day

Today was a very special day. Daddy got together with some of the men in the family and prayed and shared some things that are important to men and our families. We fasted all day and got together this evening and talked and shared some concerns we have about life and our country. We prayed for guidance in raising our children and for wisdom in heeding the call of God in our lives. Its not exactly what we expected the meeting to be, but that is what it turned out to be. God is going to do something great in our lives based on our obedience today.

P.S. Your brother Logan is still over the moon about you - he cannot wait till you are born. Logan talks about you every day! And when mommy tells him how many weeks to go before you are here he goes "Awwwwe!" You just might have two of the best big brothers ever.

32 weeks 4 days

Yesterday we found out that Cousin Nicoles baby was not going to make it. For some reason there was no amniotic fluid for the baby and that means the baby was not going to make it. It's a very sad day for them and for us. She is delivering the baby today so we pray that everything turns ok for Nicole and Mike. Baby W we love you and we will see you in heaven where we will all be perfect with God.

31 weeks 6 days

Lately you have been sick with some sort of Flu or nasty Cold. I have been concerned because you are coughing and sometimes having a hard time catching your breath. Dr Y has put you on Tamiflu and that kind of alarmed me, but it seems to be working so far. For now I can pray and hope things are going to turn out o.k.

30 Weeks 6 Days

Baby Boy,

I am sorry. I must apologize because, I don't know what kind of world you will be raised in and more importantly I don't know if I will be there. Things do not look very stable around the world right now and I question whether we did the right thing bringing you into this chaos. By the time you are able to read I don't even know if this blog will be available to be read by you. I really hope that when you can read this it all sounds silly because things are wonderful.

Every night I pray that God will guide us in our actions and give us the wisdom and intelligence to succeed in an ever changing world. I believe he is answering those prayers. Have no fear tho. You have the most wonderful mommy I could find, and to be quite honest I got really lucky that God gave her to me. I pray that when you and your brothers are ready to find wives that women will have a fraction of the grace, manners and poise that your mother has. Your mother is a treasure in the truest sense of the word, and you will never go wrong if you always treat her as such.

Love,
Daddy

P.S. People of all kinds come and go, but as far as your flesh and blood family goes - that is one thing that is forever.

28 weeks 1 day

We are really hoping for a name to fall out of the sky and be "the" name for you. I told mommy yesterday that I would gladly name you Grayson but she wouldn't just agree with me which makes me think she isn't completely sold on the name yet. It is frustrating to me because I just want to call you something! I cannot wait to hold you and kiss your little face. I am somewhat concerned because I believe you will try to out do your brother Logan in the smart ass department. Either way I am excited to see you albeit frustrated that I don't have a name for you yet.

25 Weeks 4 Days

Last night I felt mommies tummy and your head was right there, and I held your head in my hand and you headbutted me. It was so cute. I wanna give you a kiss on the face. The anticipation is growing for the boys and I to see you. Logan is still asking if he can play with you and daddy is in overdrive emergency preparation mode. Today your big brother Gavin asked if mommy liked the name Mark for you, and I think mommy and I are both mulling it around. Logan wants to name you Bumble-Bee Iron Man so there is always that to consider as well.

23 Weeks 1 Day

Last night you were kicking in mommies tummy and I had my hand there so I started talking to you and you stopped kicking and listened to daddies voice. I can't wait to see you when you come out. Your brothers are very excited to see you too. We are praying for you every night and if we forget your big brother Logan is right there to remind us we forgot to pray for the baby. You are going to be in good hands when you arrive. Today I thought of a new name that I really like a lot! The name is Ronin. A Ronin was a Samurai who's Lord had lost his land for some reason. Some Ronin became mercenaries for hire in feudal Japan. Ronin were highly skilled and feared warriors. What a great name for a boy like you! Too bad mommy doesn't like it. hehe

22 Weeks 2 Days

Baby,

This is the mommy who is carrying you around right now and she is one amazing woman and I wrote this letter to her today to tell her how great she is. You will instantly fall in love with her just like your brothers and I did.

Love,

Daddy


Lori,

Yesterday I told you in a playful way that Lori and Love have the same number of letters, but it is actually something I have been thinking about for a couple weeks. The way I look at love and the person you are to me are the same thing. I cannot think of one without the other springing to mind. At some point you either perfectly fit my notions of love or my thought of love became who "you" are, but either way you are love to me. You meet the needs of this family in a  way that is uniquely Lori and we could not imagine a world without you. I wanted to take this ordinary day to tell you just how extraordinary you are to me, and to our family. To me you are love. You are amazing!

I love you,
Mike

20 Weeks 5 Days

Today is Thanksgiving and I want to give thanks for you and your two big brothers. Without you - life would be only a fraction of what it is today. Thanks for the little kick in the hand the other night it makes daddy feel very happy to know you are spunky! One favor tho, please be a good baby who sleeps through the night so mommy won't be sad.

Love,
Daddy

P.S. The doctor says you are measuring big, but seeing as your brothers were both over 9 pounds I guess thats no surprise.

20 Weeks

Today is the day we had our ultrasound! Gavin said it was going to be a girl and Logan said it was gonna be a boy. Well it's a BOY! Again! When the ultrasound tech announced it Logan gave a little shout and pumped his fist, "Yes!" and Gavin got sad because he was wrong but Mommy and Daddy were just happy to hear that everything looked healthy. Praise God!
Mommy had to go to an Ice Skating tournament in Michigan today so Daddy took the boys out to lunch at McDonalds and shopping for wrestling headgear. While we were out shopping Logan was telling everyone that the baby was a boy and that he was the best big brother! You can't help but swell with pride when your baby shows that kind of love for his baby brother. What a blessing you are going to be to our lives! As it appears mommy still likes the name Grayson but daddy likes Colton but since daddy got to name Logan mommy is gonna choose this time I think.
All that being said I am a little sad because we wanted to name this baby for Nonnie Mursewick and call her Grace if it was a girl. So I am telling mommy I am not sad, but I am. But that is the only reason I was disappointed. I am excited for another wrestler or soccer player or whatever this boy turns out to be! Sorry Nonnie. We love you! :(

19 Weeks 5 days

You brother Logan is so excited for your arrival! He talks to mommies tummy all the time for you to hear him. Every day he says something about you or has a question related to you. He keeps asking every time mommy has  a doctors appointment if the doctor is going to get the baby out. He wants you to be a boy really bad and today he sang you Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. It was the sweetest big brother gesture ever made.

19 Weeks 2 days

Good News! Your cousin count is looking up. Cousin Reagan is doing well tho she is still fighting for her life in the PICU. She was born very early but we have been praying for her like crazy! The update is that she is a fighter and is breathing over the vent and the doctors and nurses think she has a better than average chance for this stage of the game. Everyone is so nervous because your auntie Rebeca lost a baby boy Tyler the same way that Reagan was born. It broke our hearts, and we will never forget him. We actually got to talk to auntie Renee yesterday and she sounds like she is doing well.

On a happier note we are excited because this weekend we get to find out if you are a boy or a girl. A few people think girl, but I say boy because mommy does not look like she is carrying a girl , because she looks so beautiful and women pregnant with girls usually look like hell. I think it might be a hormone thing, or maybe just an old wives tale.

18 Weeks 6 Days

So many things are going on right now it's hard to write about them all. But one weighs heaviest amongst them all. Your Aunt Renee who is due to have a baby just like you in a few months, but she is having some trouble and is in the hospital right now. We have been praying for her and her baby girl real hard and have faith that God is going to take care of the situation. She is really scared and that is upsetting mommy quite a bit so you may be in for a bit of a ride. Hold on kiddo.
-Daddy

17 Weeks 6 Days

FIREFIGHTERS PRAYER

When I'm called to duty God

wherever flames may rage

give me strength to save a life

whatever be its age

Help me to embrace a little child

before it is too late

or save an older person from

the horror of that fate

Enable me to be alert

to hear the weakest shout

and quickly and efficiently

to put the fire out

I want to fill my calling and

to give the best in me

to guard my neighbor and

protect his property

And if according to your will

I have to lose my life

bless with your protecting hand

my children and my wife.