Just loving our boys

I know that Patrick is dying for the day he can take his boys golfing for the first time. He and Jack practice their swing in the yard after dinner sometimes, and you can just see it in his eyes. Here are a few pictures and a video. Think we have the next Tiger Woods? Mama needs a new pair of shoes...

PJ has remained the most laid back baby. He's a great sleeper, so most of the time, we see this face.

But when he's awake, he's just so alert and sweet. Those times, we get to see this face.

Note Jack in the background of that one, planted firmly in front of the Wonder Pets. He's even started requesting specific episodes: "Gecko!" "Flappa flappa" (for the one about the goslings where Ming Ming sings a song telling them to "flappa your wings"). Yes, he's sitting too close to the TV, and yes, he likely had a mean case of shank-neck after this particular one. Bad Mama! He's fine, though, and recently got to experience topless spaghetti, which he loved.

Finally, this last shot is just so priceless. Is there anything sweeter than having a baby sleeping on your chest? I love it!

That's what we've been doing - just loving our boys!

My boy can EAT!

Week two with PJ had Patrick heading to Chicago to stand up in a friend's wedding, and Nana and Aunt Devon coming to help out here. We missed Dada big time, and he missed us too, but he definitely needed to spend some time with his friends, golfing and visiting with the guys he grew up with. It was hard, but I'm so glad he got to go!

Not a lot of pictures this week, as it was mainly survival mode around here...one foot in front of the other. Just a cute one of him sleeping in his bouncy seat.
I still can't tell if he looks like Jack did when he was this age. In this picture, he definitely does, and Jack is certainly his Dada's Mini Me, but there are so many times that I look at PJ and see my brother's kids. Since my brother looks a lot like me - except with slightly more facial hair - I wonder if PJ might have a little more of my look to him than Jack does. I think it might be fun to see a little of myself in there.

PJ still has his days and nights mixed up, and while he peacefully sleeps the day away - despite my best efforts to wake him - at night, he loves to socialize and has been up for hours the last few nights in a row. This tends to leave me rather bleary-eyed, so we haven't done much in the way of getting out of the house, and I feel sorry for Jack sometimes being cooped up inside, but we're doing the best we can. Remember that Wonder Pets post I wrote a few months back? Well, by now I've seen enough Wonder Pets to last a lifetime.

The reason for the title of the post, though, is today's trip to the doctor for PJ's two week checkup. He weighed 8lbs 8oz at birth, but was down to 8#2 when we left the hospital (not a huge drop) and weighed the same last Tuesday at his first doctor visit. But today? 9#14! The kid gained almost two pounds in two weeks. He's a champion eater!

Maybe he does take after me after all...

A family of four

For those of you who know my husband, the following will come as no surprise. For those who don't, I just need to brag about him. This first week home has been absolutely amazing, due in large part to Patrick's care for us. He's been spending lots of one-on-one time with Jack while I take care of PJ, and he's always a step ahead when it comes to thinking of meals or anticipating anything we might need. He is the most thoughtful, considerate man I know and it's a joy and a privilege to be married to him!

Here he is with his two boys. This picture makes my heart melt.

Nana and PopPop stayed with Jack while we were in the hospital, and they got lots of cuddle time with PJ when we came home.
And here's Jack, poking - I mean pointing to PJ's eyes. He likes to compare everyone's facial features, and we end up saying things like "Jack's eyes, PJ's eyes! Jack's chin, PJ's chin!" This comparison game is his favorite, and we even got him a laptop this week so that when we're using ours we can play "Mommy's computer, Jack's computer!" Overall, Jack's been a little rough, but so great with PJ. He will lean over the bouncy seat and give him a kiss and a hug a few times a day...but never on command. He's Mr. Independent.

Now for a few baby shots. In thinking about the birth announcement, I was contemplating wording that said something about how a family grows with ten little fingers and ten tiny toes...and then I had to rethink it because check out these toes. There's nothing tiny about them!

And a few more shots to leave you with. I can't believe I get to cuddle this baby every day!

That's what's happening in our family of four. We're so blessed!

Welcome, Baby PJ!

We have news! I could have bet you money that once the induction was on the schedule for Saturday, I was going to go into labor on Friday. I would have won!

Contractions started Friday morning, I called the hospital at about 9:30 am and had my parents come over to stay with Jack. We went in, I got my two doses of penicillin (thanks to Group B strep), they broke my water at 5 pm and I had the baby that evening at 8:47 pm. The labor was fast and furious, but thank God for the invention of the epidural! Patrick Joseph, Jr. ("PJ") weighed in at 8 lbs., 8 oz., and is just perfect! My MOM would have won the weight game, guessing 8 lbs 8oz on the money...but then she changed it after the belly shot! Dang it!

Congrats to Aunt Devon, who guessed 8 lbs. 10oz!!

I don't want to slam you with a million pictures....oh, who am I kidding?

Yes I do!

Here they are:

We just came home and we're all doing great! Thanks so much for all your prayers and encouragement! We love you guys!

A light at the end of the tunnel!

Well, as I guessed, everything is fine with Baby T. Plenty of fluid, no stress, lots of movement. I'm just not having contractions. Like, not at all. So weird...I had lots with Jack, for weeks before he was born, but none now.

In any case, there is a light at the end of the tunnel....even if it's just the little light on the IV pump as it drips pitocin into my arm. Induction! So unless I go into labor on my own beforehand, I'm scheduled to be induced on Saturday at 4pm. Either way, I'll be holding a new baby this weekend! Yahoo! Now quick, go vote for April 12th!

Check out this cuteness...

I feel a little sorry for this new baby. Sure, he or she will be cute, in that way that babies and puppies and kittens are cute, but can s/he possibly be as cute as Jack? I can't imagine it!

Jack hugs things. Not just people, or his stuffed animals, but trees, leaves (his new favorite things), the circular puzzle piece that has Thomas the Tank Engine's face on it.... He just picks something, waves to it, and cuddles it to his chest, saying "Aahhh" while turning himself from side to side. It's adorable.

When he sees a phone, he immediately asks to talk on it by holding his hand to his ear and saying "Oh?", which means hello. In fact, here's a little video of him pretending to talk on our phone.

And have I mentioned his feet? They are so sweet. He sits in his highchair for every meal with them crossed at the ankle. Here's a picture

It's so hard to believe that these were once the feet that were digging into my ribcage, and that now there's a new set of cute feet I'll get to meet!

Today, I have a visit to the doctor's with an ultrasound to make sure that everything's going okay with Baby T. I'm tempted to hope that it's not so we'll get to meet him/her sooner rather than later, but based on the Dance Dance Revolution sessions that happen in there every night around 9pm (how is there room in there to move at all??), I'm guessing things are fine.

Another belly shot

Whoever voted for 4/14....just brutal! Two babies ten days late does not a happy mommy make.

The idea is to vote over to the right for the dates, and just post a comment with the weight. I know I made it a little complicated with a two-step process, but you guys are pretty sharp - I know you can do it!

Here's a belly shot I took yesterday that may or may not help you with your guesstimate of the weight. Of course if you didn't see me while I was pregnant with Jack, you don't really have a comparison, but I'll tell you that I feel a little bigger in the belly this time around. And I'm a little surprised at myself for mustering up the courage to lift up my shirt - though I kept the pants riding high to cover the stretch marks - but I thought that when the shirt was down, it didn't look as big and I wanted to give you a fair shot for your guesses.

Ok, keep the votes and the weight guesses coming in the post below (and on the side), and we'll see if we can't come up with a little something special for the winner....maybe I'll type your name in a FANCY font!

Time for a new poll

Ok, so since we've got nothing going on over here, I thought we could make another game out of it. The new poll is for the actual birth date of this little latecomer. When do you think he or she will make an appearance?

You should know that I have had about five contractions in the past three days. FIVE. (This is not a lot, for those of you who don't know.) But, people have had their water break before having any contractions whatsoever, so theoretically, it could happen today!

If we want to throw another game into the mix, leave a comment with your guess of the weight. The person who comes closest will get...well, you'll get your name posted on the blog as the winner of the game! Jack was 8lbs, 5oz., and I do feel like this baby is going to be at least a little bigger, judging from the brand spankin' new stretch marks I've developed over the past week, but I haven't had any estimations from the doctors.

So what's your guess on weight and date?

Still waiting....

Yes, folks - once again a due date of mine has come and gone without incident. If they're going to be off in their calculations, it really would be so much easier if they were too late, wouldn't it? Barely a cramp, scarcely a contraction in sight, save for a few minor ones here and there, and we all know....that ain't labor.

So thanks for checking in, we appreciate your prayers. We'll let you know when Baby T makes an entrance.

And in the meantime, does anyone know where I go to file eviction paperwork?

Over the weather

Is that an expression? If "under the weather" means you're feeling ill, is it fair to say that "over the weather" means you're feeling better? If so, then Jack and I are both decidedly over the weather! Thanks for all your prayers!

Not a whole lot of news to report, much to our chagrin. Baby T is still in utero, with a due date of FRIDAY! I'm hoping it doesn't drag on too much longer. Of course, it's all relative...the 10 days after the baby comes go by in a blur, but the 10 days beforehand are the slowest days ever. Jack just spent a couple of days at Nana and Pop Pop's house, allowing me to nest some and get the baby's room squared away, which is nice even though he probably won't be in it for a few months.

The only picture I have to leave you with (because the camera has been packed in my hospital bag for the past two weeks), is this view from our living room. We have a retention pond that fills with water after a big rain, and this is from a few weeks ago when it had poured for a few days.

How amazing is this sunrise that we get to see every single morning? We love it!