Champs (and other family) meets Jack in hospital!

After Jack was born, we were in the delivery room for a while it seemed.  Our parents were finally able to come in and meet him after over an hour.  The hospital had a new thing in place where they want the baby to stay skin-to-skin with Mommy for a whole hour before they even take him to be measured, swaddled, held by others, etc.  So we spent a little time in this room letting parents see him for the first time and then they took him for his bath and to do a blood sugar test.  Apparently when the baby is over 8 1/2 pounds, they have to check this for the first 24 hours.  My parents went and go us food and we just chilled for a bit before moving to our room where we'd spend the next 2 nights.

We finally got to our room probably around 9pm and all parents had gone home for the night by then.  Barrett held Jack since he hadn't even been able to hold him yet at this point!  We were so happy in this moment.  Our baby was here, he seems healthy as can be and all is well!

Our hospital stay was really nice this time.  To start, we had a room that was about 3 times the size of the one we had when we had Champs, so that was nice.  All the nurses were wonderful at Baptist and we really had a great experience.  Barrett and I couldn't get over how much easier and calmer things seemed during our stay.  I think it was just because we were so much more comfortable and confident with our new little bundle than we were the first time.  The nursing came right back, we knew we weren't going to "break" him and we just knew what to expect.

Barrett went home to meet up with his parents and get Champs to bring him up to the hospital on Friday morning.  I was so ready to see him.  Everyone told me he would instantly seem so much bigger and older after I had the baby and they were right.  When he came walking into the room, I felt like I was looking at a 4 year old.  He was really sweet to Jack and mostly just wanted to sit right beside me. 

Here is a video of him first seeing Jack.  You can see he wasn't overly interested at first, but then decided he did want to kiss and hug (smother - eek!) him!

Here are more pics of this first meeting!

 Here are more pics of Jack in the hospital and more family holding him for first time!

On Saturday morning, we were so ready to get home!  Even though we stayed a night less than last time, it still seemed like we had been there a while.  Maybe because I was eager to get home to see my big boy!!

Here is Baby Jack ready to go home to see his house for first time!

Ready to get to Gervais Street!!  Mommy was TIRED at this point as I barely slept at all the second night because sweet Jack was either wanting to be held or nurse all night! 

Welcome, Baby Jack!

Barrett and I are thrilled to announce that John Christopher Burley was born on Thursday, January 28, 2016 at 6:08pm.  Baby Jack weighed 8 lbs and 10oz and was 21 inches long.

I was so ready to have our sweet baby boy by the time we headed to the hospital on Thursday morning I could barely stand it.  It was such a different experience and range of emotions than before I had Champs.  With him I was nervous, scared of what labor entailed, anxious about whether or not I was ready and prepared to become a Mama and unsure if Barrett and I knew exactly how much was about to change with life as we knew it.  With Jack, I was excited to get on with our new life with 2 children, become a family of four and love on another sweet newborn baby!!!

My mom came over on Wednesday night as Barrett and I were to check in to the hospital on Thursday morning at 6:00am.  Champs was on an EARLY rising kick last week so we actually got to see Champs before we went to the hospital which was nice.  He was so sweet when I told him I was going to the hospital to have Baby Brother.  Who knows what he thought that meant, but regardless, we were on our way and I guess he understood to some degree that we'd be coming back with a baby!

Once we got there, we actually had to wait in the waiting room of the Birthplace until about 7:30 to get checked in to our room.  I met my nurse and my doctor, Dr Salley, came by pretty soon after I got to my room and hooked up to the monitors and IV of fluid in.  He told me I was welcome to get my epidural as soon as I wanted, so I said, okay, let's go ahead and get it ordered.  I had no desire to wait on that so why not go ahead and get it!  My anesthesiologist was Dr. Boykin and I honestly feel that this totally affects how labor goes.  With Champs I had what I would describe as a bad epidural - it only went to one side of my body and made me feel numb all the way to my arms and hands, as opposed to just below my waist.  This time it was perfect!  I seriously did NOT feel a contraction ALL DAY LONG until I was 9cm dilated.  Crazy!

So epidural was in and then was just a waiting game until it was time to have our baby.  Since I seriously felt good all day, besides a little queasiness here and there, I just relaxed, rested and waited until go time.  Dr. Salley told me around 2:00pm that he thought I'd have the baby at 5:52.  He was pretty dead on as around 4:00 I finally started feeling some contractions until I knew I was getting really close.  At around 4:45 or 5:00 they brought in all the nurses to get the room ready for delivery.  All the nurses were so great and my doctor was there the whole time.  I know some doctors don't come in until the end, but mine is very hands on which I love.  The delivery wasn't easy, but it wasn't as hard (or long) as with Champs.  At 6:08 out came Baby Jack and my heart felt such RELIEF and AMAZING GRATITUDE when Dr Salley laid him on my chest.

I wasn't sure what it would feel like this time around, but it really was just as amazing of feeling as the first time.  Knowing that you made this perfect, tiny little person and have been housing them inside you for over 9 months and they are finally HERE is just the best feeling in the world.

We had 4 parents out in the waiting room who were very eager to hear the baby's name, as were all of our friends.  After Barrett cut the umbilical cord and looked at our precious miracle laying on my chest, we decided we were ready for him to go out and announce the name and tell everyone he was here safely! 

So here's the origin of the name:
John - named after my granddaddy (Mom's Dad), John Bell.  My Granddaddy has been so sweet to all of his grandchildren and great grandchildren and it makes me so happy to name one of mine after him.  He is such a great example of a kind, hardworking, loving, smart Christian man!
Christopher - named after his daddy!  Barrett is Christopher Barrett and who would we rather have our baby be named after than his own amazing Daddy!

We decided we wanted to call him Jack because we love the classic simplicity of Jack and love the way it sounds with Champs.  It is also a small reference to Blanche March, who was one of my favorite people in the whole world.  She was the amazing lady who helped my parents with Will and me and also helped my grandparents with my dad and his siblings.  Her nickname was Jack.  She meant the absolute world to me and I think about her all the time to this day. 

So after all these months of keeping the name to ourselves, we were so excited to finally announce his name - John Christopher "Jack" Burley!

Here are some precious moments I never want to forget of the minutes after Baby Jack was born.  This truly is a feeling like no other.  Baby Jack, you have made your Daddy and me so happy and we are so excited about you joining our family.  Let the fun begin!!

More pics from the first week and how it's going with big brother coming soon!

To my first born

To Champs, my first born - the boy who made me a Mama, on the night before we become a family of 4 and you become a big brother.  Boy oh boy am I nervous!  Knowing so much is about to change, yet knowing it will all seem like the new normal so very soon.  If there's one thing I've learned in my two and a half years of being a Mama, it's that every stage is just that - just a stage - and it all goes SO very fast.  The sleepless nights, the teething, the sicknesses, the issues/concerns, the behavior challenges and yes - all the sweet stages too.  The sweet newborn stage, the first giggles, the sitting happy, the crawling, the just starting to walk, just starting to talk until one day I look up and my little angel is a real person - though you're still so young in the grand scheme - you are a real little person, who's hilarious, smart and the absolute light of my life.

I could never have imagined the joy you would bring me - the laughs, the hugs, the kisses and the thousands of memories we've made already.  To be just two (and a half) years old, you have such an interest in everything in this big wide world.  You are so inquisitive.  You want to know everyone's name, what they're doing and then talk about it some more.  You love people and words and talking.  You love to sing and hearing you do so makes me smile every time.  You love to laugh and there's nothing I love more than laughing with you.  I'm amazed at your little sense of humor - you really get when stuff is funny.  You are so kind and love to make Mommy happy and hate when you think you've made me sad.  You take in everything I say and it makes me laugh so much to hear you repeat expressions later that I then realize how much I say.

Though I know you are going to have a really hard time with me not being able to give you all my attention after tomorrow, you really are so excited about your baby brother coming.  You have kissed my tummy probably 300 times in these last 5 months or so.  You have helped me get all his stuff ready - accepting that he is getting your old room, chair and other odds and ends.  You have been so sweet telling everybody baby brudder is coming in January!  Well it's finally here, sweet angel, you are getting a baby brother tomorrow.  We will be a family of FOUR and we can't wait.  You will always be MY BABY, whether you are the actual baby or not!

After school I took Champs to get frozen yogurt for one last outing with JUST US!! 

Due Date thoughts

Hello everyone!  It's Jan 25th - the magic day that I've said for over 9 months now!  And nothing's happening! :)  I feel like I've been pregnant a year.  That Tuesday after my brothers wedding (May 18) that I found out I was expecting seems like a lifetime ago.  Regardless, we will have our sweet baby boy later this week and I can't wait!!!  I go back to the doctor this afternoon and will get our definite game plan.

We had a good, low key weekend.  We had only one activity planned for outside the house and that was the Circus Saturday morning at 11.  Other than that, we relaxed, made a lot of fires inside and played around the house.  I think Champs enjoyed it and I know we did.  The only downfall was that Barrett and I both had a touch of the stomach bug that's been going around like crazy.  Mine wasn't too bad - just felt icky for about 24 hours.  Barrett is still struggling so I am hoping it moves on today b/c we have something slightly important going on this week!!

Before any pics I had to share the questionare you've probably seen going around facebook.  I had to do it with Champs.

Without ANY prompting, ask your kids these questions. It's a great way to see what they think. Copy and repost with your child's name and age.
Champs, age 2
1. What is something I always say to you? I love you.
2. What makes me happy? Kisses
3. What makes me sad? When I wipe off your kisses
4. How do I make you laugh? Goof (This was something silly we had been saying on the afternoon I asked him these questions.)
5. What was (or do you think) I like as a child? A big girl.
6. How old am I? 30
7. How tall am I? Big
8. What is my favorite thing to do? Play with me.
9. What do I do when you're not around? At my computer
10. What am I really good at? My computer
11. What is something I'm not good at? I don't know.
12. What do I do for a job? Check email
13. What is my favorite food? Salad
14. What do you enjoy doing with me? Just playing

Champs wanted to wear a scarf like Mommy and it was so cold on this afternoon I said OKAY!!

Snuggling with Sammy, who he continues to be be OBSESSED with!  He calls this blanket the "circle blanket" and loves it too. 

We are ready for you baby brudder!!  Just checking things out in his room!

Saturday was our first time to the Circus with Champs.  He really enjoyed it!!  They let the kids go down on the floor for a "Pre-show" which Champs pretty much just did the bounce house obstacle course over and over for about 20 minutes.  Then we got to our seats which were perfect - about 10 rows up - and waited for the show to start.  It was funny b/c all this week when he was talking about the Circus, he of course didn't really know what that meant, so he was watching closely to see what this "Circus" was going to be!

On the way in to the Colonial Center - snow flurries were coming down!

In the bounce house!

 Mama and Champs waiting on show to start!

Watching the elephants come in for the first time!

 Loved his ($25!!!) light up toy!  It did provide some good entertainment for the almost 2 hour show!

We got popcorn at the intermission and Champs loved it.  I don't think he's ever tasted something so salty though b/c he kept saying "Mommy, I need more water!!"

Lazy days at home waiting on baby!!  Champs wore his Fireman outfit all day Sunday and then had to put it back on this morning as soon as he woke up, which was way early today for some reason.  I was waiting for him to fight me on wanting to wear it to school, but I quickly said oh I need to wash it - so that got him to take it off!!

Happy Due Date Baby Boy!  We can't wait to meet you VERY SOON!!!!