Hello my friends! In case we haven't spoken since we've added another baby to our family, here's what us Bradleys have been up to as we've adjusted to our new normal. Shortly after Knox was born in June, Brent entered a contest with the new Middletown Chick-fil-a location that would open early July. I caught a glimpse of a fb/Instagram photo contest while Brent was at Target picking up his new, toy Velicoraptor claws. (These claws play an important role in the events leading up to our future.) I sent him a text and told him he should enter since he was close to the Chick-fil-a (the contest involved taking a selfie on their new campus and the most creative pics would win). He used the claws in his pic and ended up winning a VIP experience for two before the restaurant opened. He took Ella on a special Daddy/Daughter date night with a behind the scenes look at all things Chick-fil-a! They sampled most things on the menu and some employees shared different things about t...

For those of you who have been praying and keeping up with any news about Knox, we have an update. We had another ultrasound last Friday, May 15th. The ultrasound tech reassured us that she couldn't see anything wrong other than the stomach being on the smaller side. Once Dr. Weeks came in, he took another look and was able to see the best view of Knox's stomach he's seen since we started this process with the specialists. He told us that if he had seen this view during our first appointment with him, then we would have never come back for any follow up appointments. He stated that every human is different and Knox may just have a different size and shape stomach than others. Dr. Weeks thinks we can go from here with a normal delivery with my own doctor. He went ahead and scheduled an appointment with the neonatologist as a precaution- in the event anything arises after Knox is born. This past Tuesday, we met with a neonatologist and he discussed the different type of t...

On April 28th, we had our specialist ultrasound, and we really don't have any more answers. The ultrasound tech was able to see Knox's stomach, but it is still really small. His stomach was more visible than it has been in previous ultrasounds. Seeing that brought a glimmer of hope. However, Dr. Weeks came in later and let us know that his stomach is still small and it isn't the normal cashew shape they like to see. The doctor  used the word "stumped" and said he doesn't have any more info. He said everything else looks perfect. Usually with esophageal atresia, they would see other signs in addition to the small stomach. For instance, my amniotic fluid levels should be really high as a result of him not being able to swallow, but my levels are normal.  Fortunately, the absence of other markers probably means there is not an underlying genetic issue, but we won't know anything with certainty until Knox is born.  I have been in somewhat of a rut since ...

Not exactly sure where to begin. As some of you know, we are expecting our fourth child who is due June 19th or June 15th, if you ask me. We're expecting a baby boy! He will even things out in the Bradley household. No longer can the girls claim to outnumber the boys. ;) Owen will have his own little buddy. We decided to name our baby boy, Knox Reid Bradley. Knox as a sentimental tribute to Knoxville, the Tennessee city where Brent and I first met and were married. We picked his middle name to go along with his siblings and their middle names also beginning with "R." From the beginning of this pregnancy, I've been a bit more worrisome as to whether everything was alright. I heard of more pregnancies ending in miscarriage than I had at any other point in my life. I also saw a statistic of 1 in 4 conceived babies end in miscarriage. (Not sure if it was accurate or where I saw it, but it scared me as we have 3 healthy babies and expecting the fourth.) Once we finally g...

I know that I've said it before, but I enjoy being pregnant very much- even when I'm running to the bathroom with morning sickness or aching with pain as I'm chasing my other little ones around and playing all day. It is an experience unlike any other. Even though we hadn't planned on becoming pregnant so soon after having Owen, we were thrilled to add another baby to our family. When I first became pregnant with Lana, I had been dealing with lots of anxiety. It was to the point where I was unable to sleep at night. Becoming pregnant made me so exhausted, and it forced me to sleep as soon as I laid my head on my pillow. I prayed to be released of my extreme anxiety, but I didn't know that the answer to my prayers would bring Lana. What a sweet sweet surprise. Lana's birth story begins a bit before her actual due date. I had my routine doctor appointment on Thursday, September 26th and measured at 2 and a half cm. A week later, on October 3rd, I measured 3 cm...

A few weeks after celebrating Ella's birthday, we celebrated Owen's 1st birthday on July 20th, a couple days after he actually turned one. He was walking at 11 months, so he's always on the move and he loves to snuggle, loves books, and loves to stay up most of the night. He's finally sleeping all night, but around his 1st birthday, he still wasn't. Lol. He's got those baby blue eyes from his Daddy and some sweet curls from his Mommy. He's a handsome little fella! :) With his love for books, we decided on a bookworm theme for him. We had gone through several ideas for a theme and none seemed to be good enough, but this one was absolutely perfect for our little boy! Again, I had lots and lots of help with Owen's party. Brent did a lot more food prep and party favors than I did so I could focus on the birthday signs and Owen's smash cake. Brent's parents and Brenda also contributed in helping. This time, I wasn't too terribly worried abou...

This summer has gone by so fast! Again, it hasn't felt quite like the summers I remember since I'm pregnant for the third summer in a row. This year, we had two July birthdays to celebrate! First, we had Ella's Bubble Guppies themed birthday party at the end of June. (We celebrated our Independence Day baby a few days early). I love love love planning and hosting parties! It is a lot harder to make decorations and set up with little kids running around needing their Mommy, and I appreciate all the help I had with getting things accomplished in preparation for her party. Brent and I had discussed the details so he knew what I had in mind and also contributed many great ideas to the party. Ella has always enjoyed watching the show Bubble Guppies on Nick Jr. She loves to get up and dance and sing along with the characters. She used to call the show,  "Dup -ah- Dah." I really miss having her call it that. I don't remember when she stopped.... it had to have be...