dads grieve too – FALLING RIGHT SIDE UP

You Better Not Pout, You Better Not Cry… 🎅🏼

“You better not pout, you better not cry, you better not shout…” … scratch that, because actually, sometimes it’s okay! You’d be wearing your 3T Christmas Tree Sweater that matches perfectly with MacKenna and Arthur. I imagine you in a brand new phase of ‘fascination with Santa’, showing your little brother that he’s really notContinue reading “You Better Not Pout, You Better Not Cry… 🎅🏼”

Theodore’s 3rd Birthday in Heaven🎈

August 30, 2019 It was the day that you, my breathtakingly beautiful baby, redefined the meaning of my entire life. It was a day that your perfect self entered our world through so many imperfect adversities. And still, somehow, Mama finds it more difficult to manage the raw emotion surrounding the day that you enteredContinue reading “Theodore’s 3rd Birthday in Heaven🎈”

My Easel Back

That’s right, Michael Nelson, you’re an easel back. Hear me out… I’m talking about those long straight edge structures that protrude out from behind a picture frame. It may be the unpopular opinion, but the ‘easel back’ is quite frankly the most important piece. Without it, the beautiful image behind glass would simply fall flatContinue reading “My Easel Back ”

Seeing The Unseen

𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻 It’s such a blessing and a curse. The hard truth is when I look at a picture of my children, I instantly see the one that is missing. It is my broken heart that sometimes has the 20/20 vision, while my regular eyesight takes a backseat. I see the unseen. I see the empty spaceContinue reading “Seeing The Unseen”

ARTHUR IS 2 MONTHS!

⫸ 𝕋𝕠𝕡 𝕋𝕖𝕟 𝕋𝕚𝕕𝕓𝕚𝕥𝕤 ⫷ ————————— ➙ 11 pounds, 13 ounces ➙ 22.25 inches long ➙ gives the most adorable genuine smiles ➙ loves to have babbling conversations ➙ “Smiley Spitter-Upper” ➙ completed a 7-hour road-trip vacation ➙ sleeps 6-8 hour stretches at night ➙ favorites: blue binky & finger nibbling ➙ enjoys long warm baths with Mama ➙ prefers lullabies over white noise ⫸ 𝕄𝕒𝕞𝕒’𝕤 𝕄𝕠𝕤𝕥 𝕄𝕒𝕣𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕠𝕦𝕤 𝕄𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥 ⫷ ————————————————————— Contrary to timeContinue reading “ARTHUR IS 2 MONTHS!”

𝗡𝗢𝗧 “𝗧𝗪𝗢” 𝗙𝗔𝗥 𝗔𝗪𝗔𝗬…🎂

Oh Theodore, you would’ve been TWO today… I remember this moment… I remember being so thrilled that you were “comfortable” enough on this particular day to lay ‘chest to chest’ with mommy; feeling your chest rise and fall with each breath against mine was well worth recruiting someone to help coordinate the process of delicatelyContinue reading “𝗡𝗢𝗧 “𝗧𝗪𝗢” 𝗙𝗔𝗥 𝗔𝗪𝗔𝗬…🎂”

…It all begins and end with a kiss 💋

Think about it. The first instinct a father has when holding their precious baby is to kiss their cheek… because what feels better than fresh newborn skin pressed against your lips when no words seem significant enough to properly represent your overwhelming amount of love? Those same fathers eventually experience earthly departures, yet that sameContinue reading “…It all begins and end with a kiss 💋”

Family Of Five 🖐🏼

𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐠𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐦𝐞… 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐠𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐦𝐞… 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐠𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐦𝐞… Dear Theodore- The gift of your life has brought immeasurable joy, even through the darkest days. The gift of your life has drawn us closer to God, as we’ve realized our own lack of control. The gift of your life has indicated that prayer does not always change circumstances, but it certainlyContinue reading “Family Of Five 🖐🏼”

6 MONTHS GONE

Hi Theodore,Momma here…Today, marks 6 months.Half a year since I’ve looked into those fierce eyes.I have nothing profound to say,besides “I love you more than life itself”. Thank you for filling my arms for 223 days.It’s your strength that has quite literally become mine.Just one thought of your courage empowers me to do absolutely anything.And itContinue reading “6 MONTHS GONE”

IMPRINTS 👣🤚🏼

Happy Birthday, Michael! Although we never have a shortage of family ‘selfies’, it was these two very separate and distinct monumental moments that pulled at my heartstrings while I was browsing for a picture that best depicted YOU. It was reflecting on these two emotional days of saying ‘hello’ to our daughter and ‘goodbye’ toContinue reading “IMPRINTS 👣🤚🏼”