Happy FIRST 'Twenty First' Birthday Hudsen!

A Day in the Life of a 21month Old...

After Hudsen's first year of monthly celebrated birthdays...Justin asked me nicely to please cut back and suggested it was time to just celebrate her ACTUAL 'yearly' birthdays. I agreed, and have since been keeping it simple. Hudsen and I have been having our own secret parties each month instead! Justin jumped back on board when I reminded him that this was her 21st Birthday! Ha! Thought it will be fun to one day compare her day as a 21month old to the day she turns 21 :)

We started the morning by opening her bedroom door singing 'Happy Birthday' and she was all smiles! She is so cute in the morning and this was such a fun way to start to her day!

(I know, almost unrecognizable without her signature bow-she looks naked here to me) :)

After a quick diaper change, we went down for breakfast. She enjoyed her favorite.....Pear Yo plait and a cup of milk.

Then it was back upstairs to change into her 'day clothes.' Justin was wondering why I had her in a 'Party Dress' (this is what he called it-ha!) on a random Wednesday....and I said because today is her BIRTHDAY and we will be having a PARTY all day long!

Justin insisted he still needed to go to work - (even on her 21 month birthday!) :) - so the party had to continue with just myself and the big gal. She was anxious to get the show on the road and hopped into the car.

First stop - the GYM!

Big Mama has to get a work out in everyday in order to keep these pregnancy pounds in check. Hudsen loves going to the gym and gets excited to see her 'friends' in the child center. When we pull into the parking lot, she starts saying 'boys?....girls?' because she is wondering if she gets to see all the boys and girls today.

We headed into Lifetime...

An hour later, I picked Hudsen up from the child center. I must say, she doesn't seem to care very much when I drop her off for the hour, but it is the highlight of my day when I pick her back up. She gets so excited and shows me all of the toys she was playing with. Today's choice was a lawn-mower and tini-tiny baby doll that she was dragging around by her neck - hope that isn't a sign of the way she will tackle her big-sister role :)

On our way out, Hudsen stopped to pat and wave goodbye to the Elephant on the window...

Second stop - the grocery store!

This is an unusual errand for a Wednesday, as normally we do this on Mondays....but we had dinner disaster last night. Justin had requested breakfast for dinner, which is wonderful...especially since HE likes to make it for us. However, he was getting out his 'ingredients' and noticed there was no Ketchup for the tater tots! That was a deal breaker, and we had to go with plan B. Tostino personal pizza for him, and Baked Chicken Lean Cuisine for me. His looked great...mine was a little rubbery.

So, at the grocery store, we picked up the Ketchup, and some pickles (just because they sounded good...not to go with eggs or anything) and Hudsen flipped through the latest Ladue News...

Finally back home around 11am and the fun didn't stop!

Hudsen and her doll, Holly, watched Yo Gabba Gabba while I made some fruit salad.

Then Holly got a ride around the house in the shopping cart.

I don't know about her, but I know I had worked up quite an appetite at this point so it was time for Lunch!

Meals are ALWAYS challenging with this girl. I never know WHAT shes going to eat, IF shes going to eat, or how MUCH she's going to eat. Today, I offered (and made) a grilled cheese...that was turned down/thrown on the floor, then fish sticks...she took two bites, then said 'all done,' and then finally....she accepted pieces of salami, toast, and peaches! Shes an odd and picky eater, that's for sure, but her weight is perfect, so I can't really complain.

After filling her belly, it was nap time.

She actually has started to ask for a nap...which is great. She gets so excited when she says to me 'Nap?' and I say 'Yes' and then she hurries and puts her downstairs toys away in the closet, whiling saying 'bye' to everything.

Upstairs in her room, she gets tucked in with Holly, Daisy (her lamb), and 3 or 4 books. She is such a book worm! Sometimes when Justin or I wake up in the middle of the night we will look at the video monitor and see her sitting up in her crib flipping through one of her books. Its pitch black in there, but she looks like she is reading EVERY word. It's hilarious! So we always make sure she has something to read to entertain herself during her midnight book club meetings :)

A few short hours later, I am alerted that Hudsen is UP when I hear her jumping up and down in her crib and laughing out loud as she watches herself in the mirror across the room.

Time for some outdoor afternoon fun in the driveway before Daddy gets home from work!

And then some Tea for Two...

As mentioned earlier....the ketchup was purchased this morning, so I knew Justin would want to make his famous Breakfast For Dinner. Since Hudsen is allergic to eggs...I knew this meal would do her no good, so I tried the grilled cheese....AGAIN - this time she LOVED it and didn't even share one bite :)

When Justin got home, he was thrilled the Ketchup Crisis was over and he got right into dinner mode. I swear, this guys eggs are so delicious, if the insurance gig doesn't work out, he may want to consider opening up a Bed and Breakfast!


After dinner, it's time for Hudsen's bath. Thankfully, Justin takes care of this 99% of the time. She loves it, and I think it's actually really fun for both of them.

7:30p....Time for bed! We interviewed her and recorded it, but it was a lengthy 5min recap of everything she did today....so I will skip sharing it with you and just store that one in our own family video library :)

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ....a few minutes later she is out like a light. Now normally this is our time to catch up on some tivo-ed reality TV programs, however, tonight Justin is going to force me to watch the CMT music awards. Boooorrrrriiiiiinnnnnggggg! ------hence the fact that I am working on the blog! :)

Hope you have enjoyed your first 21 months as much as your Dad and I have! Goodnight Hudsen and sleep tight! :)

My Birthday Month!

Happy 30th Birthday to ME!

So, I'm obsessed with my birthday! And if anyone is bored enough to read this, then you will realize it. As I was 'proof-reading' my mumble-jumble here, I noticed I used the word 'Birthday' at least 97 times!




I really wish I hadn't spent so much time worrying about this birthday ever since the day I turned 29...because it actually turned out to be probably my most favorite Birthday EVER! 30 sounded so scary, but I had the most fun, and was so lucky to be able to celebrate it with so many wonderful family and friends!



The FIRST birthday party took place at Bravo! on May 15 . Prior to dinner just before heading out the door Justin attempted to get a 'Happy Birthday Mommy' out of Hudsen...she wasn't in a 'performing' mood, but glad he caught this anyways!









All of our favorite couples!


Hudsen joined us for a little while but was later kidnapped by Carmi so we could relax and enjoy our dinner! Mmmm....the spaghetti and meatballs were delicious!









After Bravo!, we headed over to Primebar for some drinks...








If you're thinking how could anyone have that much Birthday fun while being pregnant...trust me, its possible, and maybe even BETTER pregnant! Think virgin lemonade-sprite spritzers for me...and drunk friends all around! I lived vicariously through their colorful cocktails and watched as every hour passed, the girls especially :), got louder and louder and funnier and funnier! Ha! And lets not forget the special friend that let us all in on her secret to going from a small C, to a C+++ thanks to some chicken cutlets! :)

Ha! Girls, I had forgotten about taking this short video...its basically a bunch of non-sense but I couldn't help but post it! Don't be mad! :)



And Lisa, I am now well aware that you cared more about the DJ than leaving me a nice Birthday Message :)

Later that week I spent the day of my Birthday at Des Peres Park with Hudsen. Justin was at work, and I was going to see my family that evening, so it was great spending time with my favorite little girl.

As usual, she hit the slides pretty hard at the start.

But then sat on a bench for a mother-daughter chat, and assured me that turning 30 wasn't so bad :)

We also hit the gym that day, and I discovered something amazing while on the treadmill. I learned that I am now in a new 'bracket' when monitoring my heart rate during a workout. If you are 20-29 years old, your ideal heart rate during a workout needs to be at 160...but now that I am in the 30-39 year old bracket, I only need to push myself and my heart rate up to a measly 152! This changes EVERYTHING! :)

Re-energized and rearing to go, my SECOND birthday celebration was with my family later that night. We had a wonderful dinner at Sugo's and I was so spoiled with more presents! Thanks so much to my parents, Justin, Connie, Blake and his adorable girlfriend, Susan for joining me!

At the End of my Birthday 'Night'.....I opened my LAST Birthday Card....and it was from Hudsen. I am such a baby when it comes to the end of my bday, and always feel like I have to have at least one more present to open or card to read before going to bed. Luckily, my daughter's card was the sweetest thing I had ever read.

The THIRD and sadly, final, birthday hoopla was small and intimate the following weekend. I couldn't have had more fun with my handsome hubby and cute little girl and some tasty Mexican at our local Wildwood El Magueys. It was a great evening spent out on the patio watching Justin drink gallon sized draft beers, and Hudsen stealing her Dad's hat to play peek-a-boo with us.

Thanks again to Justin, and my family and friends who helped celebrate my birthday this year! I absolutely LOVED turning 30!!!

My 2nd Mothers Day

Mother's Day

May 9th, 2010

I had an amazing 2nd Mother's Day! It has definitely become my favorite holiday and the most fun day to celebrate. (sorry Mom...didn't realize how special this day was until recently...promise to do better with the gifts from now on) :)

I didn't think too much about Mother's Day leading up to the day...as I have had other things on my mind....like trying to sell our house and my looming 30th birthday! Yikes! But I put my anxiety about my birthday away and had a fabulous weekend with my family! I was spoiled my Justin and my parents as usual and couldn't have asked for anything more. Fun times with my family on Sat night with dinner at Lester's, and then a nice brunch with Justin's family on Sunday at Yayas. We even squeezed in Church for the first time in more than a few weeks. This was our first time going to Ascension in Chesterfield, and we both really liked it. It helped that Hudsen was a perfect angel for once...although we bribed her with so many pretzels that I am starting to worry about her sodium intake.

To reward the big gal after Church we went to Faust Park to say 'Hi' to the geese...

and got some quality swing time in...

...And Justin even captured a special message just for me :




Thank you Justin for a great weekend, and thank you even more for our amazing little girl. I never would have known how badly I wanted to be a mom before we had Hudsen, and I never would have had the chance without you. :) Love you!

Selling Our House!

Well, its official...now that we are adding another member to our family, we have decided that it is time to MOVE! It has taken a lot of work to get the house ready for showings and open houses, but we finally finished on May 2nd...at about 1:55p...right before the 2pm open house! :)

While Justin had been traveling over March and April for his job, my mom and I organized the basement...which has basically become a huge disorganized closet containing everything from winter clothes, jackets, toys, bin after bin of clothes Hudsen has outgrown, oh, and I cant forget the dusty treadmill and weight station that gets literally no use now that we belong to Lifetime. My mom was so nice to help during the week...she would come over during Hudsen's nap time, and we would get to work...boxing things up, throwing useless items away, and bagging all sorts of things to donate.

When Justin would come home on the weekends, he was welcomed with hugs and kisses, and usually a mile long 'to-do' list. Mostly things that I couldn't do myself...yardwork, picture hanging, painting, deck staining, and yes, vacuuming (I hate it, can't do it, and get tangled up in the cord, etc...) So even with all of the pitching lessons he had to take care of every weekend...I was very lucky to have so much help from Justin.

Justin and I work well together when things need to get done....and Hudsen is doing her part as well. She has been actively trying to pull people off the streets by playing outside around the for-sale sign and showing off her soccer skills! Coach Igou would be proud Katie :)

After some fresh paint and de-cluttering, I would say the house has never looked better! We are excited and optimistic that we can move before Baby #2 arrives. As a realtor, I opted not to represent myself in the transaction (mainly to avoid the awkwardness of negotiations) and instead listed with a co-worker that has an amazing track record. We hope it doesn't take too long to sell but are also okay with the idea of having our 2nd child here. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world...and new babies are so small...they don't need much space...right? :) Well, in the meantime I'm crossing my fingers and hope to be settled into a new home in a few months!

If you know of anyone looking to move into a great neighborhood, at an affordable price, please pass along the link below:

View Listings

A 'BUN'dle In The Oven!

Justin and I are so excited to announce that we are expecting a BABY! I have known this for entirely too long (about 6 weeks) and am thrilled to finally be able to share the news with friends and family. I am almost 10 weeks along and my due date is Nov 2! Yowsiers that is like 3 seasons away! I know time will fly though as we have so much going on between now and then. Justin's work schedule is crazy and our house goes on the market in just a few weeks!

Hudsen is ecstatic about becoming a big sister...as you can clearly tell by her modeling efforts in her new 'Big Sister' shirt. She will have just turned 2 years old when the next little baby arrives, and so I am hoping and assuming that she will be completely independent and a great little helper by then....mothers of 2 kids...am I right? :)

Well, I attemped to speak with her about the matter, and this is what she had to say...


Most of my girlfriends know that I absolutely loved being pregnant with Hudsen so I am looking forward to the next 7 months! I don't know if its just the freedom to eat what you want without the huge guilt factor, or just the overall excitement of a baby growing inside you...probably a combo of both....but so far this pregnancy hasn't been as easy as my 1st. I have been nauseous almost constantly for the last 4 weeks, and so tired that my Dr. tested...and retested my thyroid...no problems....so that's good, but I am looking forward to my 2nd trimester for sure!

On a side note - after this baby is born, I am thinking I should head to Hollywood and become an actress. I have been a successful 'fake drinker' at 2 pretty large parties! And according to friends, apparently appeared 'Tipsy' at one of them! Jackie's 30th bday - Hacienda - boy, I learned the hard way that a Margarita without Tequila is only good for that sour coating in the back of your throat that sticks with you for a couple of days. And Kim - thanks for the canned beer last weekend....Justin pounded a BudSelect when we arrived at your house for Ashley and Ethan's shower, and then rinsed the can and filled it up with yummy water for me in the bathroom. MMMM....so tasty let me tell you! :)

So glad the faking is over, and now I can just come to parties and be expected to eat!

Speaking of eating...I do have limits this time around. My #1 goal is to grow a healthy baby....my #2 goal is to gain less than 60lbs. I mean, it took me me almost 10months to loose 52lbs...and I am not quite sure about the remaining 8lbs...but I am pretty sure you can find those somewhere in my midsection.

Also, in an effort to avoid my 'labor' or 'lack of labor' situation prior to Hudsen's arrival, it sounds like I will most likely go with a scheduled C-Section, and if I go that route, we will have the baby the last week in Oct....but I refuse to have a baby on Halloween...that just sounds spooky! At least, I wont have to go through being 10days late, and being the most pregnant person in St. Louis. Literally, I was told I was the most pregnant person at St. Johns (which is the famous 'baby factory' and I am pretty sure 95% of all STL births occur there). Girls, if you remember, 41 and 1/2 weeks pregnant is not something you aspire to look like. :)

Sneak peek at Hudsen's little brother or sister!

Yes, pregnancy can be a LONG 9 months, but Justin and I feel incredibly blessed to already have 1 healthy, beautiful little baby and are simply amazed that we have a 2nd on the way! We thank God everyday for our growing family and cannot wait to meet our newest member in just a few short months!

Our Little Gymnast

For the last 3 weeks, our almost 18month old daughter has been taking gym classes and it has been the most fun for her and I. MyGym in Chesterfield Valley is perfect and I look forward to our Thursday class every week! There are usually 10-12 other moms and their babies in our class and it has been so fun to meet new people. During the hour, we sing songs and go through different obstacle courses with lots of climbing, swinging, and tumbling. It is really neat to see these 1-2year olds interact. I haven't been able to take many pictures of the class while it is in session, as I usually have my hands full trying to keep up with Hudsen...but we also go to MyGym on Fridays for their 'Free Play' hour and this is where she is able to play with anything and everything they have during an uninstructed hour. So last week, Justin took a long lunch to see what all the hoopla was about! He was definitely impressed with our little toddler, and her skills...especially on the balance beam! With an extra set of hands we couldn't resist taking a little video, and some pictures of the little gal showing her natural tallent...

With Justin and I being giants at 6'4 and 5'9....it is possible that Hudsen could be the TALLEST gymnast EVER! Watch out Summer Olympics 2020!

Tim McGraw

So as many probably already know, Justin and I are big Tim McGraw fans. But what you most likely didn't know, is that Justin is his #1 Fan! I swear, I should get him a TShirt and I am pretty sure Justin would wear it proudly. So when we found out that Tim was going on tour, Justin jumped at the chance of getting tickets in STL...oh and Columbia, MO. Our good friend at Mizzou has some great connections, and was able to snag us 4th row seats at what turned out to be one of the best nights of our lives. February 25, 2010 proved to be an amazing night and one that I will never forget.

As parents of a 17month old, we don't get a lot of time for just the two of us...so I had been looking forward to the extra time to talk and catch up on the way to Columbia...so with Hudsen dropped of at my parents house for the night, we hit the road....And spent the entire hour and half talking about Hudsen :)

We were able to arrive early enough to really scope out our seat situation and we honestly felt like celebrities. There was the main stage, and then a long runway in the middle jetting out to the crowd. We were 4th row, and seats 3 and 4 off the runway (here we could definitely see the potential of touching Mr. McGraw if the opportunity presented itself). About 5 minutes after we sat down, 2 tall and skinny super models sat down in front of us...and immediately crushed my dreams of getting any attention or eye contact from Tim. I mean, these girls were dressed to break up his marriage with Faith...I, on the other hand, had opted to wear the cliche plaid shirt...which didn't hold a candle to one of the girls painted on tank tops, but I am a mother and have adjusted to roll I now play, and the example I need to set for my daughter....although, rewind back into my early/mid 20's...my concert wear may have been a little bit more revealing.

The opening band was great - although I have no clue what there name was...but they got the ball rolling and really set the tone for what was in store. Next up was Lady Antebellum...who I knew I already liked, but found out I LOVED! They were amazing performers and so animated and I feel like I really got to know them. The male lead singer and Justin definitely exchanged a hello....that's right... I think he pointed at Justin, and Justin returned the point with a salute. It was cute. I really got in the spirit of things and started taking pictures with my phone...as we were told NO CAMERAS. I quickly found out that we could have snuck one in, as EVERYONE had cameras, even the BIG ones with the huge lenses. My blackberry phone camera has never been very good, and Justin's isn't much better - which we soon found out, as all of our pictures look blurry and abstract - but this wasn't going to get the Backsmeyers down. In fact, I still probably took 50 pictures....one of which features the back of my husbands head next to Tim McGraw (see below).

9:30pm....FINALLY, Tim shows his face and hits the stage with a bang and 'Real Good Man!' (one of our favorite songs) I thought I was going to cry...but would fight back the tears until at least a few songs in. I'll be honest, Tim did not look his best. He announced that he had 2 weeks left of filming a movie (with Gwyneth Paltrow), so he was not able to shave the massive beard that he must be sporting for the flick. He also looked rather trim - so perhaps the roll didn't call for a hunky, muscular, clean cut guy that we all know and love. He didn't waste any time working the stage though- and this got us both very excited! There where a few times where he reached out and highfived groups of fans. And during his 3rd song he made his way over to our side, and this is where it all went in slow motion. Justin had positioned himself early in the seat closer to the stage...which I was fine with, as he is clearly the bigger fan. So as I saw Tim making his way down our side of the center stage....I had a feeling this was going to be Justin's big chance to 'meet' his idol. He slapped probably 50 hands on his way towards us, and I kid you not....all of a sudden, it felt like a spot light was shinning on Justin and Tim. Tim, paused, and intentionally reached over a couple of people, and gave Justin the most manly of handshakes you could ever imagine. It was as if he was looking for someone to connect with and be his Best Friend for the night....and Tim McGraw found that in Justin! Ha! Seriously, I started crying after he passed and was congratulating Justin as if he had just been elected President. I know this was so special for Justin, and he would never admit it, nor would he blab on and on like I have here....but it was incredible - and I am just so grateful that my husband got to shake hands and 'meet' one of the people he admires most in the world. I don't think many people get to do that in their lifetime. Take me for example....am I ever going to meet Reese Witherspoon? or Jennifer Aniston? No probably not...at least not here in Wildwood, MO.

So the Backsmeyers want to send a BIG Thank You to Tim McGraw for putting on an amazing show and I know my husband is so happy to have 'met' you! We will see you this summer in St. Louis!

PS. If Reese or Jen are reading this - Call me!

Getting Started

Only I would would start a blog and would immediately find a way to get out of writing my first blog entry! I knew I wanted to start from the beginning of 'Justin and Brittani' but I was struggling to find a way to recap our lives quickly and accurately and thinking about everything I wanted to say was truly overwhelming. I was complaining to Justin, and he offered to 'help.' About 48 hours later, he came home from work with 3 typed pages summarizing our amazing 8 years together. I must say, I was more than impressed, and have officially asked him to be a life long contributor to the 'Backsmeyer Bundle.' (That is if he doesn't run off and start his own blog!) :)

Justin's first and last blog entry...

When my wife asked me if I would like to contribute to her blog, I obliged and was happy to do so. Her idea was for me to give my perception of our lives as we know it together and of course, with our beautiful daughter. I hope one day Hudsen can read this entry when she is older and discover how her parents met and more importantly how much she was loved and appreciated.

I must admit, that it would be difficult to start without mentioning my relationship with Brittani, 'pre-Hudsen.' I had met Brit on a number of occasions. They were the typical "hey, nice to meet you" followed by a hand shake (the fist pump was not IN yet, otherwise I may have given that in an effort to let her know how cool I really was)...all the while I was thinking to myself how beautiful she was. I only saw Brittani during Christmas break, as I was home during the winter and gone during the summer. So it is hard to forget the night that Brittani and I met for what I am told was for the 3rd time, at MPO'Reilys. We talked and had a wonderful time and ended up taking the conversation over to Humphrey's and got to know eachother and exchanged a lot of laughs. Up to this point we had never said more than a few words to one another, so things were going great! Long story short, this night, on a cocktail napkin, I exchanged phone numbers with my future wife.


Soon after that night, I was making regular trips to Columbia, Mo and having so much fun visiting with her and her friends and enjoying the life of a college student. Brit always made sure to include me for special occasions especially those hosted by her sorority. I remember their 'Crush Party' inparticular. I wasn't sure I was really liked or just the flavor of the month. Then there was the time I visited to take Brit out for Valentines and that is still to this day, one of my favorite nights with her.

I could not be happier or luckier to have found such a wonderful person to call my wife. She is truly beautiful inside and out. She has supported me for so long. The years I spent playing baseball thousands of miles away and her commitment to stay together by taking weekend trips to California to visit me during the summer did not go un-noticed nor unappreciated.

As our relationship continued, I knew I wanted to spend every day with Brittani. That is when I knew that I would take the next step in asking her to marry me. It was Jan 9th, 2004, about a month in a half before I had to leave again for Spring Training, when I decided to get down on one knee. My only regret was that my proposal was not as extravagant I had imagined and I'm sure what Brittani had envisioned. My excuse though was the 'shock factor.' Never under estimate the element of surprise (my advice to you) but you know what they say about free advice??? I digress...Brittani had an idea it was coming so any thing out of the ordinary would certainly give it away. So I planned to do it after she got off work from the job from hell, otherwise known as Enterprise Rent A Car. It was a Friday night and would seem to Brittani as a normal night out. Her family agreed to par take in my plan by leaving the house for a little while as I mustered up the words to ask Brittani to spend the rest of her life with me. As I got down on one knee, I had no idea what was coming out of my mouth. Suddenly, I forgot how to put a sentence together. I was like that one chick from Miss USA Pageant...'like, such as...' But eventually it came out. As we now know, Brittani said yes, but what was so surprising and what caught me off guard was that she wouldn't make direct eye contact with the ring. I had just spent a crap ton of money on this thing, and Brittani decides to go Ray Charles on me. Finally, after the tears dried she was able to focus on what a gorgeous ring I had designed for her. Your welcome babe!!!

I was not prepared for what was in store for me when it came down to planning the wedding. Brittani's mother, Carmen, took wedding planning as a profession. Her desire to make this wedding go on without a hitch was a success. Between the two, Brittani and her mom could not have planned a better day. The 5pm service start time was a key component. As an invited guest this allows you to move directly from the ceremony to the reception and get started on your cocktails, which is always taken to a higher level when you are at a reception. The reason is simple...everyone is in a good mood, your dancing, the food is good and most importantly....it is FREE.99!! The band was great, and if I recall...Mustang Sally was not played. That is the one wedding song that that will clear a dance floor quicker than Elaine off Seinfeld. All kidding aside we were very fortunate to have had such an amazing evening spent with our family and friends. It will always be a welcome memory.

Married life was great. We were now living together. We bought our first house a month prior to getting married in August 2005, so we were very excited about moving in! We live in Wildwood (God's Country) and couldn't be happier. Although, as the years progressed and you spend nearly every weekend at Harpo's in Chesterfield, you begin to yearn and you ask yourself 'is there anything else out there, is there something better?' Then you find out there isn't, so we continued to go to Harpo's. Nothing better than Dr. Bob on the mic, second hand smoke and seeing the same people sing the same songs every week. Those were the days!

As most of you know, we hosted what we thought to be a pretty good Christmas celebration. Of course I am referring to our Holiday Sweater parties. We had a nice 3 year run, but saw the writing on the wall. Either we get a bigger house or we put this party to bed. We choose the ladder. I have fond memories of two of them especially. One, being when my buddy Jimmy decided to come dressed as an Elf. The other when Brittani's friend, Lisa, decided to sniper us from what seemed like the rooftops, and blew our cover, as she had figured out that Brittani was pregnant. At that point, the usual questions were issued by others...drink that champagne....take this shot....all to prove Brittani was with child. So before we could even tell our parents...there we were, draped in plaid and heavy sweaters featuring everything from snowmen to reindeer's....we decided to announce that Brittani was in fact pregnant.


Brittani was a fantastic pregnant lady!! She never complained and even though she would disagree, she was absolutely beautiful. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. You always hear things about pregnant women having crazy mood swings and strange desires for certain kinds of foods. Brittani never had that or at least not until a few months in. That is when she developed her love/hate relationship with the Nestle company and there ever more popular item...the peanut M&M. Brittani would be first to admit that this would be her only vice during her pregnancy. Other than that she was a trooper.

The best day of my life was September 9, 2008. We were going to have our baby today! This day would prove to be a very long and sometimes intense as the labor process my wife had to endure was stressful. I often think about how strong she was during her time in the labor and delivery room. At one point they were giving her the epidural at the same time as her most intense contraction and I wondered how in the hell is she doing this. More than 24 hours passed since we had checked into the hospital when the Dr. made the decision that a C-Section would be the best way to go as the baby was ready and Brittani was already 10 days late. Brit and I still didn't know the sex of the baby, so as I got dressed in my scrubs and they were preparing Brit for surgery, I could not help but to get anxious, and a little nervous. My thoughts were on behalf of Brittani and of course our baby to be.

I remember the operating room being very cold and

very bright. I sat by Brittani's head while they had a very large sheet at her waist preventing us to see what was going on.

They asked Brittani if she felt anything, she said 'a little' and before we could comprehend the situation, 10 seconds later the doctor said "Here we go! The baby is coming!" I got up to take a look, shocked by how quick it was and by the time I was able to peak over the curtain the doctor was holding HER. I could not believe that I was the proud parent of a sweet little girl. Holding her for the first time was a very surreal feeling. I remember thinking, that I would and will do anything to keep her safe always. Hudsen Beal Backsmeyer was born on September 9, 2008 weighing 7lbs 14oz and measured 21.5 inches long.

As I am writing this, Hudsen is now days away from being 17months old and I could never have imagined how much fun it would be to be a parent, and what an honor it is to be the dad of such a beautiful little girl. Hudsen makes me a better man, a better husband, a better worker, a better golfer...just kidding - haha!! Most importantly, she allows me to understand what truly is important in life. To me that answer is simple. I truly believe my family and faith is the foundation of who I am. So I must end this by saying how grateful I am to have met and married my best friend and to share with her the joy of being Hudsen's parents.

Written by: Justin C. Backsmeyer