Bumble B's Birth Story!

Wow! The last three months have been crazy to say the least. We went from having a boy and a little baby girl, to having a boy and TWO little baby girls!

The birth story

On December, 20, 2010 at 10:57 p.m. our sweet little baby Brooklyn was born! Just a quick run down of the "labor" day. I went in at 7:30 a.m. that day with my mom to get started on the induction. Why my mom and not Johnathan? Well, dummy me had scheduled the induction on the same day as Johnathan's paramedic practical exams, but it was just for the morning and we knew he would make it to be with me well before the baby came. So, the induction was long and slow. The nurse secretly, aside from my doctor knowing, didn't give me much pitocin, at first, so that Johnathan would definitely make it on time.

Sometime around mid-afternoon and once Johnathan got there, the contractions were gettting more painful, so I requested the epidural. They had given me some kind of pain medicine right before that to help with the pain, and it made me really loopy and I started bawling and thought I was going to pass out, but Johnathan and the nurse reassured me it was going to be okay.

More time went on and soon it began to feel like the epidural was wearing off. At this point, they still hadn't checked me except one other time to see if I had dialated. I was in A LOT of pain and the anesthesiologist came in to up my epidural meds. Then the nurse was like, why don't we go ahead and check you and see where we are at at this point. So, she did and it didn't take her but two seconds and she starts yelling for the other nurses and the doctor to come in. Brooklyn was already coming out and THAT'S why I was in so much pain! A side note to this too, while all this was happening, Johnathan wasn't even in the room OR on the same floor for that matter. He had gone downstairs to meet his mom who was bringing food, so they had to call him and tell him to run back upstairs!!!

Once all the nurses got setup, I started pushing...and only three pushes later, out Brooklyn came! She was a big bundle of joy at 8 lbs. 7.6 oz and 21 3/4 inches. A full head of hair and she already had a tan, which I still believe is from when I got painfully sunburned while we were in Mexico that September.

Our beautiful Brooklyn, or Bumble B as I have nicknamed her, is such a joy. She is a good baby with an easy going personality. She looks just like her brother and already loves to watch her brother and sister. I can't wait till she can interact with them and they can play together. Reagan calls her the "bay-ba" and looks for her every morning to see where she is. We just love her so much!

Congrats!

On another note, Johnathan is officially a paramedic! We are so proud of him and all his accomplishments. He is such a wonderful husband and father! Congrats to my hubby!

Christmas is Around the Corner!

Christmas is just around the corner, and I am so stinkin' excited! Excited to see my kids faces light up when they discover that Santa has visited; excited to be around all my immediate family and extended family; excited for the yummy treats and eats; and especially excited to be blessed with a new child! Those are all the things I am excited about and all the things I really "want" for Christmas!

Yesterday, Johnathan and I took the kids photos for our Christmas card. It was a blast!

Reagan wanted to pose and smile,

but Easton didn't really want to look in the camera's direction.

He did cooperate when we asked him to kiss his sissy.

She loves to kiss on him too! It's really cute.



Overall, we got some great pictures and made an adorable Christmas card!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from our family to yours!



Come here Reagan!

I'm starting to think that Reagan will be walking on her own any day now...just in time for Brooklynn's arrival. What do you think?

Updates!

It's been WAAAYYY too long since I updated this blog last....SORRY!

Some updates for you:

Reagan
Our sweet little diva just recently turned 1-year-old! We gave her a "sweet" birthday party and showered her with lots of love and gifts. Below is one of her 1-year pics I took. Isn't she beautiful!

She is still not walking, but I think it's going to happen any day now! Oh boy....just when our Brooklynn gets here. That's gonna be fun! ;  )

Easton
Our sweet boy is as precious and handsome as ever. He is progressing and learning more every day. His language has developed so much since he started school in August. We are so proud of him!

He still won't eat much of a variety of foods, but he does stick to his staple foods, which is better than nothing I guess!

Brooklynn
We are only about 4 weeks from meeting our new baby girl. She is so active in my tummy, so I am already predicting that she will be a energetic little girl!

Johnathan
My handsome hubby is nearing the end with his paramedic class. He only has a handful more of classes to attend, and then he can go on to take the National Registry test to become certified as a paramedic. I am so proud of all the hard work he has put in to becoming a paramedic. He will take the test days before we expect Brooklynn to be born, so there will be a lot going on in the third week of December!

Me
I am now 35 weeks pregnant, and SOOOO ready to have Brooklynn! I have been pregnant for almost 2 years straight, and I need a pregnancy break! This pregnancy has been a lot different than my first two in that I have had much more back and pelvic pain, LOTS of Braxton Hicks contractions, and many more mornings of nausea...even now in my third trimester!

My plan, which I actually haven't discussed with my doctors yet, is to be induced sometime in the time frame of December 17-21. I am determined for Brooklynn not to be born on Christmas...I don't want any of my children to have to share their birthday with a major holiday, especially Christmas!

Well, that's it for now! Hopefully I will have some more interesting news to share soon!

Sweet Snuggles!

Two of my loves and snuggle buddies.

Have a great Wednesday!

Brown Bear, Brown Bear!

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do you see? I see my little Easton doing so well and it makes me happy!

Easton has been doing wonderfully in school. He absolutely LOVES it! He is talking so much more and singing songs and following directions and asking for or telling us what he needs/wants. It's so fantastic!

Something really neat he's doing now is reading. I can write a note to him or write a sentence for him and he can READ it with no help at all!

I just love my little guy so much, and his daddy and I are just so happy at the progress he's made in just the month and a half that he's been in the special 3 yr. old class.

Last night, he was so proud of himself because he remembered all the words to the Brown Bear, Brown Bear book his teacher read in class. I leave this post with Easton's rendition of the book in song form!

Baby Brunch

Today my co-worker/friend Amanda and I hosted a Baby Brunch and Photoshoot; it was for the upcoming edition of our University's magazine. We wanted to feature all the babies born to our employees since the last edition of the magazine was published.

It was so much fun getting all the babies, and their parents, together for lots of  playtime. Reagan, although the oldest, was very clingy to her mommy, but her usual diva self did make an appearance.

We had one moment of tug-and-war with her bestie Peyton:

A sticking-out-the-tounge moment at her bestie Peyton:

Several whining/crying/screaming moments:

A few calm not-noticing-her-mommy-got-up-to-get-more-punch moments:

And many this-is-a-lot-of-fun-to-play-with-all-these-new-friends moments:

Overall, we just had a great time seeing how much everyone's babies have grown. We sure do make some good looking children!

Funny Friday

I haven't posted in a while, but I desperately needed something to make me laugh -- the lack of sleep lately is getting to me. So, enjoy this really cute video of Reagan acting silly. It made me chuckle, and I hope it makes you do the same! Have a wonderful Friday!

Its a girl!

We are so excited to announce that our next bundle of joy will be a baby girl! Her name will be Brooklynn Page - Brooklynn, with two n's, because Lynn is my middle name, and Page, spelled without an i, because that's Johnathan's grandmother's maiden name.

Her due date is set for December 28th, but we have already requested to be induced at least a week before that because I have a history of having BIG babies, even when they are 7 and 10 days early - Easton was 9 lbs, 5 oz and Reagan was 8 lbs, 12 oz!

We got a 45 minute ultrasound done today, but Brooklynn wasn't cooperating for us to get a good profile shot - she stayed in a tight wad the entire time with her hands and legs covering her face. So, I don't have a good picture of her to include. We do have to go back in 4 weeks though to get another ultrasound checkup because my placenta is lower than the doctor would like, so maybe we'll get some better pics then! Overall, the doctor said she looks great!

This will be interesting to see how Reagan reacts to having another girl in the family. I have a feeling that Brooklynn will be completely opposite in personality than her big sister and hopefully be more easy going! I am not worried about Easton's reaction. He is such a good big brother to Reagan; I would only assume he is going to be that way with Brooklynn.

P.S. School is going really well for Easton. He cries to go! So far, it's only been him and one other child, sometimes two, so he is getting A LOT of one-on-one instruction/attention from his teachers. I have already seen a few little changes in him. Awesome!

675 Miles of Pure Bliss

Yea! I am so excited for our
yard sale extravaganza!

That's right! 675 miles of yard sale after antique dealer after yard sale, yard sale and yard sale...it is pure bliss.

This Friday, my mom and I are headed out to the World's Longest Yard Sale -- a sale that stretches from Gadsden, Alabama to Hudson, Michigan. Now to be honest, we won't be covering the entire 675; there is no way! We are just visiting from Crossville to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and that could take a week alone if the sale was that long. We'll just be gone until Saturday.

This is our sixth year in a row attending the sale, and I am so excited. I can't wait to discover all kinds of neat treasures and antiques. Pictures will come soon!

Tybee Island

We just got back from a fun/relaxing/stressful  family vacation on Tybee Island, Ga. It was Reagan's first time at the beach and Easton's fourth!

We went with my parents, and they were a huge help! I don't know how in the world we could ever go on vacation without two more sets of hands there to help and two more hearts to love!

The trip brought some new experiences for our children. Easton slept in a real bed, by himself, in his own room in our condo. He didn't get out once during the night, and slept great all night long each night! What a big boy!

Reagan, on the other hand, slept in Mommy and  Daddy's bed EVERY night! It was hard not to put her in the bed because she was in a pack-n-play in our room, so it was hard to ignore her every whimper and cry. It was just easier to put her in the bed with us and go back to sleep. I will say, to defend Johnathan and I, she did START OUT every night in her own bed.

Easton and Johnathan spent A LOT of time in the water. They swam, and Easton even boogie-boarded.

Reagan and I stayed mostly under the shade of the beach canopy. She loved to play in her and Easton's kiddie pool more than play in the ocean. She was the resident greeter for all those coming to and from the beach water. She would just smile and wave at everyone!

On the next to the last day, we spent some time in Savannah touring the historic area, and we stopped at Forsyth Park to let the kids play. It's a beautiful city park with a beautiful fountain and lots of things to do.

Overall, we had a great trip. Can't wait for our next one!

PS: Easton started school this week. He is in a special needs class with four other students. I think we are going to see a lot of changes in the next few months with his language development. I can't wait to find out what new things he discovers about language and about himself!

Updates!

It's been a while since I've posted; just a lot going on at the Thomas house!

A few updates for you, by person:

Easton
Our little guy will be starting school in two weeks. He will be in a head start program for 3-year-olds. It's basically a special ed (I hate that phrase, but that's what it is) class with about 8 other children like him--those that need a little extra push/help/attention in language development.

Reagan
Our little DIVA is now sitting up on her on and talking up a storm, baby talk that is! She doesn't crawl yet; she hates being on her stomach. She, however, loves to stand up, with someone holding her, and ZOOMS around in her walker trying to get into whatever she can find. Just as an example, last night I caught her with her brother's hamburger that she stole off his table. That little hamburgler!

Johnathan
Is still as handsome as ever and working towards earning his paramedic certification. I can't wait until he finishes that up!

Me
I am 17 weeks pregnant today. I have started feeling the little baby move. I am guessing that it's a boy, just based on how I feel and how I am carrying. We will find out for sure on August 9 @ 9 a.m.!

I hope to get back into posting regularly again. We have some vacations and trips coming up in the next few months, so I should have some great photos to post! Until then!

The Word is Out! and Patty Cake!

I haven't posted in a while because A LOT has been going on in our lives. We just found out we are expecting our third child! A surprise blessing that was in GOD's plans. I am fine with either a boy or girl, but having another girl would be really neat because she and Reagan would only be 15 months apart.

We are thinking...and I am not sure if we can hold out...that we aren't going to find out the sex of this baby. The baby was a surprise, so finding out the sex will be a surprise too!

I'll leave you with the cute video of Reagan doing her version of patty-cake while I sing!

It's All In GOD's Hands

On Tuesday we received some really bad news about my grandmother...she has breast cancer. They don't know what kind yet, but it's definitely cancer the doctor said.

She goes next week for a biopsy, and that's when we'll find out if it's an invasive version or stagnant or whatever.

My mom brought up a good point to me last night...this changes the whole dynamics of the health of the women in our family. Since my grandmother has it, our chances of having it are so much greater now. I never thought that at this young I would need to get a mammogram, but I am going to start getting one at every annual checkup I have from now on.

I love my grandmother so much, and words don't express how upset I am about this happening to her. I am going to keep a positive outlook, though, for her and my family's sake.

It's all in GOD's hands now. Pray for my family and especially for my grandmother please.

The Star of the Show!

I went and picked up Easton from school today, and his teacher informed me that he was selected as the star student for the week! Awesome! We are so proud of him! They even gave us a sign to stick in the yard and everything.

This is Easton and I getting home from school, and his sister and daddy, with camera in hand, are waiting on the porch to congratulate him. Look at that excited face. Priceless!

Simply Sunday

We had such a relaxing afternoon on Sunday. We picked up some KFC and had a great picnic at a local park. Then we went for a LONG walk/hike. It was really nice to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather!

When we got back, Easton was being such a lovey to his sister. Check out this cute video!



Happy Monday!

Blue-Eyed Beautiful Baby

I took photos of my precious baby girl yesterday. Here's my favorite of the gazillion pics I took!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Just a cute video!

This is just a cute video of Reagan being her social self. Enjoy!

(FYI: The pink glow at the bottom of the video is my iPhone cover that covered up part of the video lens when my mom was filming) : )

60 Years Young

My mom is one of my best friends. We have so much fun together, whether its hanging out watching tv or on our annual trip to the World's Longest Yard Sale. She and I have the best relationship. I can tell her anything, good and bad, and she has never judged me or told my secrets. Thank you for that mom!

Today my mom turned 60...don't hate me for saying your age Mom...but she doesn't look a day over 40. She has been and is the best mom anyone could ever have, and now she is the best "Gammie," as my son calls her.

Thank you mom for all that you do for us and for cherishing every moment you have with your grandkids. You have taught them and us so much about loving and caring for one another. We all love you so much! - Lolli

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow.

We caved in. Easton has been getting so hot lately and sweating all the time that we decided it was time for the long, lucious blonde locks to go. Johnathan and I have been talking for weeks about doing this...we just loved Easton's hair so much...but this weekend we brought out the hair clippers and said goodbye to Easton's hair (well not completely...we collected it all in a sandwich baggie and will put it in his memory box  :  )- !

So, Easton went from this.....

to this....

and finally, to this!

Much better for the warm weather!