Benjamin Patrick Muir Stachniak

Our sweet little Benjamin arrived a week early on Saturday, August 25, 2012. He weighed 7 pounds and measured 20.5 inches long. His weight and length were exactly the same as Julia's but his delivery was such a different experience. I was induced at about 9pm on Friday and he was in my arms by 2:41am Saturday. Julia's delivery was almost 34 hours, with 3 hours of pushing.  Ben's arrival was quick with only 20 minutes of pushing and I wasn't so tired so I remember it all. He barely cried when he came out and still rarely does. He's so small and snuggly and we're all in love!

Julia is adjusting really well to her new brother and is very concerned whenever he makes any little noise. Ben is her baby and she is such a good girl, my baby girl isn't a baby anymore! But my family is complete and we are truly blessed!

 Leaving for the hospital

 All fresh and angry

 First pictures with Mommy & Daddy!

 Our Beautiful Boy!

 Julia meeting her brother on Saturday morning. We said "Julia this is your baby" and she said "oh, Baby Willwum"....Baby William is Jenna's boy and apparently the only one she remembers! 

Perfection!

 Graggy & Papa - they have been so helpful and such a blessing to have around!

 First bath!

 Sarra drove up from Cardston to surprise me, it was so special to have her there and I'm so grateful the nurses let her in since the hospital is pretty strict about who is allowed to visit!

 Going home on a beautiful Sunday morning.

 Uncle/Cousin Craig

 Grandma and her boys!

 Uncle Chris & Auntie Jen

Debbie came over, snuggled Ben, played with Julia in the backyard and folded laundry! She's awesome and I think Julia's best friend!

 We all love Graggy!

 Ben, Jack, Braxton & Julia

 Ben is all limbs and has giant hands and feet! His toes are so long they are almost fingers!

 Nothing beats Baby snuggles!

Baby Coming Soon

My wonderful friend Lisa took some maternity/family pictures for us in July. Julia wasn't super cooperative but we still managed to get some beautiful pictures. They were taken at Fish Creek Park in south Calgary.

Julia has been saying "Baby Coming Soon" for months, little does she know how her world will change when Baby show up! I'm excited for her to have a sibling. We all can't wait for Baby!

My Sophie Cat

I got Sophie 11 years ago as a Christmas present. My parents told me that I had been asking for a kitty since I could talk and when I was 20 they ran out of ideas for a Christmas present and caved to my request. They gave me a litter box, a book about raising cats and a gift certificate to the SPCA. For the next 6 months my Dad and I would go to the SPCA on weekends to look for the perfect kitten that wasn't male and wasn't black (my Mom's stipulations!) We weren't having any luck until an acquaintance of my Dad's said her cat just had kittens and my Sophie was in that litter - she was born May 2, 2001 and we took her home on Father's Day.

She was so tiny and would wrap herself around my neck to sleep at night, would chase her tail and any shiny light. She became a little bit of a chubby girl and was put on a leash to go outside but she still managed to catch mice and leave them at the door for us. She is definitely a bit of a princess and was a little high maintenance but I love her. She was a smart cat and figured out how to use the bell hanging from the door to go outside before Riley did, she would also knock things off my night stand in the morning to wake me up so I would feed her. 

I love when she would run around the house all hyper and it sounded like we owned a horse and how she would spoon me at night.

Unfortunately Sophie has not been coping well in our house lately and I had to find her a new home. It has been the hardest decision I've had to make and my heart is broken but she wasn't getting the attention she deserved and I couldn't risk her hurting the people in my family. My dear friend & colleague, Jane, took her and I know she will be loved and taken care of and I can see her whenever I want! I am beyond grateful for Jane and her family for giving Sophie a chance in their home.

I love you my sweet little fur-baby!

 Our first picture together in June of 2001

 Poor girl, this is after she got declawed. She also broke her paw as a kitten and the sound of her running around the house was funny every time the casted foot hit the ground.

Julia adores Sophie but her tail was just too tempting!

 I love her white feet and the tip of her tail

 They were both watching a spider crawling along the floor

Good-bye hugs for Sophie

 Sophie would always lick my nose and then give it a little nibble

Sophie brought us all great joy and I hope she will bring some to Jane's family now!

Going to the Zoo, Zoo, Zoo...

I finally took Julia to the Calgary Zoo on July 18th and my wonderful friend Debbie joined us. Julia was most excited to see the Penguins and Elephants...and then she saw the train and would have stayed on it for the rest of the day!

Deb & Julia making monkey sounds!

 A snake...she's not scared of them like her Daddy is!

The gorillas made her nervous..."Big Monkey, Mommy, big monkey"

Julia got her Big Girl bed in July but it didn't arrive when they said it would so she had to sleep on the mattress on the floor for a couple nights. This is how we found her one night. Once her bed came she LOVED it and sleeps amazingly well in it. So well that she won't make a peep until I go in to get her after 9am every morning, she is usually awake but just enjoying snuggling her blankie in her new bed! What a good girl, hope it continues when baby shows up!