Jaxon's Blessing Announcement

Maddox is learning to listen

Maddox... where do I begin?  Maddox is still one very crazy kid.  He has so much energy and I do not.  Up until about 3 months ago, I have to admit that I really believed that I could consider myself patient.  Every time I heard stories about moms who lose it on their kids or have break downs, I would think, "wow, I must be one of the lucky ones."  Well, these past two months have taught me that no, I am not patient and no, I am not one of the lucky ones.  Ha ha.  I have lost it on Maddox and I have had a break down.  But two and a half months later, I am proud to say I am happy and adjusted.  Maddox is such a good boy and every day I realize just how lucky I am to be his mom.  He is learning to listen and has been doing a really good job.  He is such a big helper and loves Jaxy so much.  I am so grateful that he is so affectionate and has never shown an ounce of violence toward other kids.  He is loving and still gives me hugs and kisses all the time.  He still wants to snuggle with me and wants me to hold him.  He is always wanting to kiss Jaxy and get him to smile.  Maddox is the best big brother ever.  Now Maddox does have some weaknesses...A couple weeks ago, I thought it would be a good idea to go to Toddler Time at the library which is where 20+ toddlers sit on the floor of a room sitting right next to their moms and listen to a boring lady read a book with very small pictures in the front of the room.  So Maddox and I get into the room and I have Jaxon in my carrier and we sit down on the rug.  Well Maddox sat down on the rug for 2 seconds.  Then he got up and started running around, climbing on the cupboards, trying to use the sink, opening the door and running out, and screaming when I tried to make him sit down.  After 5 minutes, we were done.  We didn't even get through one book.  As I was walking out of the library, I told myself that this is just who Maddox is.  He is not a toddler that sits quietly and listens to adults read books.  He is not a calm toddler.  He is a crazy, energetic, loud little boy and I'm ok with that.  I can't change him and I don't want to.  But I can try to improve him and that's what we have been working on.  We have been working on his listening skills and him holding my hand and not running away.  Maddox has made great improvement in those areas in the last couple of months and has not run away from me in a while.  When he starts to sprint away, I yell, "Maddox! Stop and listen!" And usually after one or two times of yelling that, he listens and stops or comes back.  Maddox has been practicing telling me when he needs a new diaper.  He still isn't interested in using the toilet but I didn't figure that out until he peed in the corner of the entryway the other day.  He came to me without a diaper on and told me he went "caca" which to him means pee and poop interchangeably.  But I got nervous and told him to show me where and took me to the corner by the front door.  Luckily, it was on the tile but needless to say, I told him not to take off his diaper anymore.  Maddox has a new fascination with Disney princess books.  I got a whole bunch of books from a yard sale a while ago but just got them out recently because Maddox is now old enough to read books with paper pages.  His favorite book is The Little Mermaid and his second favorite book is Sleeping Beauty.  We read a verse out of the Book of Mormon every night and then one of his princess books.  And he sleeps holding both books and one of his cars.  He is so adorable.  Maddox is still my baby and I love that he is still so affectionate.  I am so incredibly in love with him!

Jaxon's Baby Pics

A new mom to Jaxon

We have been so busy and I feel like the first couple months of Jaxon's life have flown by.  I want to start with him...my little angel.  Jaxon is a very particular baby.  I call him my bipolar baby because he goes from being extremely angry and screaming at the top of his lungs to smiling and cooing within seconds.  From early on he has shown us his temper.  He gets very angry if he is not being held and has his "mad cry".  He also is acutely aware of my presence and absence and cries when I leave his line of sight.  Jaxy always follows me around the room with his eyes.  I love it but it also makes getting things done difficult.  I have the found the swing and the carrier to be very useful with Jaxon.  With Maddox, I could put him down and lay him anywhere and he would be content.  But Jaxon will only sleep if he is being held or in the swing.  After buying batteries weekly to keep the swing functioning, we finally bought rechargeable batteries and they have been a lifesaver.  Whenever I leave the house I take the carrier with me.  Jaxon doesn't like his car seat either so I find it easier to attach him to me in the carrier.  I actually love it.  It's like I'm holding him but I can use my arms and hands.  He almost always falls asleep with his face buried in my chest.  I am so in love with him.  He just craves human touch.  And he really is so easy to please.  He stops crying almost immediately after I pick him up.  I have predicted that Jaxon is going to be really intelligent.  He is very vocal when cooing at me and it really seems like he is trying to talk to me.  And he does it every time I am nursing him.  He tries to talk to me and smiles when I talk back.  Jaxon loves to nurse and is super chubby!  He has a very round face and head and so his cheeks have gotten really chubby.  At his 2 month check-up he was pretty average though.  He was right around 65th percentile in height and weight.  But everyone always comments on how chubby he is.  Jaxon adores Maddox.  He instantly smiles when he sees him and loves watching Maddox run around.  It melts my heart to see my two little babies love each other so much.  My dream would be for them to be best friends.  Maddox has accidentally hurt Jaxon a couple of times but Jaxon is one tough baby.  My favorite moments have been in the mornings when Maddox has come into our bed and Jaxon is just waking up and we are all together snuggling.  Jaxy is always so happy in the mornings and stretches his chubby little arms above his head and gives me huge smiles.  Jaxon is such a good sleeper.  He sleeps in his swing every night from about 9 until 11 and then I move him into his crib.  He usually sleeps until about 2 but sometimes longer and then wakes up to nurse.  At that point he stays in bed with me.  There have been some nights where he nurses all night and other nights where he only nurses once.  But overall, as long as I am next to him, he sleeps like a log.  Jaxon also loves his baths.  He loves the warm water and it is the one time he is completely relaxed and still.  If I had to describe Jaxon, I would say he is restless, particular and beautiful and sensitive. I am so grateful for the baby he is.  It has been a completely different experience from having Maddox as a newborn but I love having a brand new experience and learning how to be a mother to a different child.  That really is the surprise of adjusting to two.  I am like a new mom all over again because they are so different.  But I love their differences and they are still so much alike.  Jaxon has truly brought so much joy into our family and I am so grateful to have been entrusted with such a precious angel.  He needs me so much and relies on me for everything.  I think I forgot what that was like and it took me a couple months to appreciate it but now, I am so happy and feel like I am so blessed to have another little angel.

Jaxon's Birth Story (by Dad)

Jaxon's Birth Story (by Mom)

I thought I knew what to expect and how I would feel upon having my second child.  After all, I had done this once before.  I was experienced.  However, Jaxon decided to surprise me in more ways than one.  Jaxon was born at 5:56 PM via c-section.  His birth had been delayed on more than one occasion and the surgery proved to be longer than anticipated.  After 26 minutes of pulling, tugging, a lot of pressure and pain, Jax finally made his appearance.  Right before he was born, I felt the most intense pain I had ever felt in my life and the moment he was born, I felt the most relief I had ever felt in my life.  After the doctors pulled him out, immediately, they lifted him above the curtain.  While in that moment of sweet relief, I saw my son for the first time.  The tears came pouring out of my eyes and I was completely overwhelmed with emotion.  Jax was this little angel above me.  The vision of him completely erased my memory of the bitterness of the pain I had just experienced and filled my heart with joy and gratitude.  Of course, I was grateful the pain had subsided but more than that, I was grateful for the miracle that is procreation.  Unlike Maddox's birth, this time, I was fully aware of what Jaxon would mean to us and how much love we would feel for him.  I understood that he would be an eternal part of me and our family.  The moment I held him in my arms and kissed him for the first time, I would feel that fierce, unconditional love for him that only a mother can feel.  Jax came out with a head full of dark hair and beautiful, dark eyes.  He did not turn out to be the huge 10-pound-baby the doctor predicted he would be.  But he was a little clone of Allan and Maddox exactly as I had predicted.  He was perfect in every way.  He was a peaceful baby and only cried when he was hungry.  He ate well, slept well and won over the hearts of the whole family including his big brother's.  Jax has taught me so much.  Namely, my heart is big enough for two children, I should be careful what I wish for (I had wanted to experience "the natural way" of having a baby and sure enough, I got a taste- pain.) and life does not always follow my plan.  And that's okay because Heavenly Father's plan is way better than mine.  I will be forever grateful for the little angel we were blessed with on August 13th- Jaxon Ray.  He has made our family complete.  

Welcome Jaxon Ray Draper!

Jaxon Ray Draper was born on Wednesday, August 13th at 5:56 PM via scheduled c-section.  He weighed 8 lbs 2 oz and measured 18 1/2 inches (with legs bent) and 21 inches at the doctor's office a couple days later.  We are so happy to welcome him to the family.  Our hearts are full of love and gratitude for a healthy, beautiful baby boy.