Easter 2008

Happy Easter! The Easter bunny came to our house and Jack was excited to have a mini egg hunt upstairs when he got up. Groggy eyed, he wandered through the hall in search of matchbox car and Peep candy filled eggs. He doesn't like any candy in the entire world, except for Peeps. That boy loves a yellow peep chick! And now they've started making them for most major holidays...shhh, don't tell Jack!!!

In the morning I caught a great shot of Jack and Daddy...you can see the resemblance, huh? It's just the skin and hair color that throws people off at first glance.

We headed to Nolensville for lunch, where the Easter bunny had been sighted yet again! A second egg hunt ensued, though at a leisurely, non-competitive pace. Here Jack is examining an egg, seated in Grandpa's chair, in the middle of the hunt!

Next year he's gonna have to get a little speed going, because he won't be the only one hunting eggs! 101 Dalmation and Toy Story figurines were big hits from the bunny over there! It was a fun day and a preview to what fun it will be when Tyler gets in the mix!

We also took our first family photo together...awww...
A few others from the fun day. Jack wanted Tyler to sit in this bucket with him. It was really cute, til Jack let go and Tyler slowly slumped to the side of the bucket. Ooops!

March 2008 - The dust has settled!

(no, the dog is NO WHERE NEAR the baby...it's an optical illusion, I promise!)










So we're officially old hats at this two kid thing, NOT. But the dust has settled, and folks have done their dropping by, their feeding and other care for us, and we are now on our own, more or less. My parents are still helping most every day...so we aren't exactly the only ones living on the "island", but it is now expected that we figure it out. Aaaaah! The hardest part, other than the obvious lack of sleep, is keeping our school routine of getting Jack to school each morning by 9:00. I'm sure I'll get the hang of this before school's out...right?

When Tyler was 5 weeks old, he and Jack got an Upper Respiratory Infection. Saddest thing I've seen in a long time...a baby that can't breathe due to congestion! He was such a little trooper and recovered quickly. We did have to do breathing treatments (thanks Mom for the nebulizer!) but he got better before too long. Mom ended up with it too. Everybody was spreading the love!

Daddy got the first smiles...wouldn't you know it? And Jack is now officially smitten with his little brother. He's proud to be the big brother and is adapting to his new role well. He's great at helping in the back seat...checking on his brother, giving him the pacie.

Easter brought our first opportunity for a family photo. It wasn't an easy task. And of course we had an egg hunt! Jack quickly nabbed the one toy for Tyler, convinced that Tyler wouldn't be "needing" it for some time to come!

He turned 2 months old at the end of this month, and is already outgrowing some of his clothes! We're considering moving him to his own room in a week or two...how does the time go by so quickly now that he's here, when it seemed so slow when I was pregnant???

Tyler's First Smile!

Enjoy! We know this is the first of many!

One Month of Pure Joy!

The first month has come and gone...and we've all adjusted nicely, if I do say so myself. There were a few bumps along the way, such as Jack's horrid case of the flu (lasting 9 days!), but we were crazy diligent (and blessed) and managed to contain it. Amazingly, no one else got it but poor little Jack. We were grateful, as Tyler was just 2 weeks old! He's found his way into our hearts and into our routine, turned a little topsy turvy with the introduction of a wee one after almost 6 years! Friends have come to our aide...with food, driving Jack to preschool, and all around support. My parents have been invaluable, and it has been wonderful to watch them build a relationship with "the baby". I find myself calling him that often. Not sure why, but I've been waiting a long time for "a baby", so I guess it is appropriate.

Here are a few pictures from our month home with our two boys! They are starting to get to know each other. Jack is warming up to this little wiggly bundle. He even asked to hold him! Yay! Soon I imagine Jack will barely be able to remember a time before there WAS Tyler!

You Oughta Be in Pictures

I met a great mom, Heather, on Babycenter's board of all moms due in February 2008. She is an amazing photographer (www.frogsandfaeries.com) and happened to be located in the neighboring town of Murfreesboro. Our boys were born just a week apart and we've been enjoying the pregnancy journey together. I asked one day if she'd take newborn photos of Tyler and she happily agreed. We spent several hours at her house, much of the time expecting my ever-sleeping baby to fall asleep. Alas, this was the first indication of his nosiness, as he couldn't bear the thought of sleeping and missing anything. Finally we accepted that he was NOT going to sleep and wrapped up our session. Wouldn't you know, he was asleep before we were out of her neighborhood? Stinker. Here are some of the photos. I'm having trouble picking a favorite. I believe I just love them all! Thanks, Heather!

Welcome Home

We're home! We are adjusting to life with a new baby! I arrived home from the "hotel", I mean, the hospital, on Friday. I really enjoyed my time with Tyler in the hospital. Jack came up each day with my parents to visit. After the first day, seeing me in my hospital bed with IVs, etc., he was really shaken up. So, I put on my jogging suit, plastered on a big smile, moved to the couch and spent a little time with him each day to prove to him that Mommy wasn't sick. One day he asked "When will I get my life back?" Ouch...seems his little mind was having trouble understanding that this hospital situation was temporary. However, once Tyler and I arrived home on Friday, all was well in Jack's book. He was so glad to have his whole family intact and in one place! He seems to enjoy the baby, and is so pleased to know that we got a baby that doesn't cry (much or loudly)! Tyler is amazing. At 7 lbs, he just seems like such a peanut! All of Jack's clothes are too big for him, so Mimi went out and bought a few newborn clothes. Although he won't be wearing them for long, our little prince needs to look adorable at all times!

Mom and I have really enjoyed reliving this first week at home, minus the drama of my previous c-section with Jack. She slept on an air mattress in the dining room, with Tyler in the pack and play. She did a fantastic job of waking with him and bringing him to me. We'd sit, while he leisurely ate, and oogle over him. A baby is such a precious thing to experience. I am so privelidged to be able to be a mom two times over. It is just as sweet as the first time, plus I get to see the love blossom between my first born and his new brother!

Meemaw headed home after a few days, and will be back in a few weeks to spend some time with us here at home. It is so wonderful to be surrounded by family that wants to participate in this miracle. Everyone is so anxious to meet Tyler. I can't wait to get to know his little personality. We know he won't stay little long, so we're trying to enjoy our little newborn to the fullest! Welcome home, Baby Tyler! We love you so much already!