A few more... What am I saying?.. There will be lots more!

Just a few pictures that were left on one camera from the hospital. Still have a few more to upload from our new camera. First bath at home- please ignore the clutter! After this picture, I had to do a major clean up of clutter! Although it just keeps reappearing!

One of my favorites from the hospital- Daddy and Thomas!

Our second night, Thursday, in the hospital proved to be the roughest. Little Thomas was a hungry boy who wasn't getting enough from Mommy. It took us most of the night to figure out that we needed to pump and give him as much extra as we could. Needless to say this is how we made it through the night. None of us slept (well, Thomas in our arms) until about 5 am. It was definitely one of those days/nights!

One Week Down, A Lifetime to Go!

Well, we have already failed at keeping this blog up to date for those of you following! Hopefully this will change as we continue to get settled. We have had a wonderful first week with Thomas. We were excited to leave the hospital on Saturday around noon. We were more than ready to get home with Thomas and reunite with Tucker. A week away from our big boy was way too long. We often commented how something was constantly missing from our day- our Tucker. Of course the way home seemed like it was turning into "a three hour tour." We had to stop to get a surprise at Sam's (Harris finishing up my mother's day present of a new camera), stop at Target to get my prescription filled of pain meds just in case (and thank the Lord, they were not needed), something to eat for Harris and I, and the best part of all, Tucker. Then drive home an hour! But we finally made it home! By evening we were all exhausted and discovered that Tucker was running a temp. We discovered his fever after he had been all about visiting and loving on Thomas. Definitely made Mommy a bit freaked out! All I could imagine what Thomas starting with fever and having to go to Children's. Tucker seemed to feel fine (had been running around and acting normal) but just spiked temp. Same thing occurred on Sunday. He went all day with out a temp and then spiked again in the afternoon. So we called our doctor and ended up taking both Thomas and Tucker in to see Dr. Huie a day ahead of schedule. Tucker tested negative for strep but definitely had some kind of throat virus. Thankfully, he was fever free all of Monday and seems to be on the mend! Making Mama feel a bit better! Thomas had a great check up as well. He had gained 1.2 oz since Saturday. He handled his pricked foot very well and impressed Dr. Huie with his muscular strength (this was after Tucker almost broke the strep test in half as he tried knocking the nurse's arm away from him- yes, we raise strong boys). Thomas seems to be on the right path to gaining back his birth weight. He had only lost 9 oz in the hospital. So, to help him continue gaining, he is nursing every two hours during the day and every three at night. Can we say welcome to the dairy farm?? Tucker will ask me if I am milking Thomas- more like milking Mama! It can be exhausting. Especially getting used to waking up at night. But getting better each day. And totally worth it! I have read somewhere that these first few weeks are to be just about loving on your baby and feeding them to help them gain weight! Well, we are definitely doing that! It has been wonderful having Harris home this week. He was able to take off last week while in the hospital and this week. He has been the awesome Daddy/husband he always is! He has totally taken on handling Tucker, which has been great for the two of them! They are getting in some good bonding time! Plus he is taking great care of Mama! He makes us breakfast in the morning, dinner at night if we aren't eating a provided dinner, baths for both boys, and encourages me when needed! I can't praise him enough! But for those of you who know Harris, this is who he is! I knew how lucky I was the day I met him, the day I married him and still do! We are not looking forward to next week. It will be a week of survival here- Harris returns to work. It will be hard for him as we know he will be missing his boys (and Mama). It will be hard for the boys and me as we try to get into a routine of some kind. But it will work out and we will survive! We'll just be hunkering down for a bit- at least until Wednesday when I can drive again! Whoo-hoo!

Here are just two pictures. I need to upload a few more from our old camera and learn to upload from the new one! I'll try and tackle that tomorrow or this weekend!

Thank you for all your support and prayers the past nine months and week! We couldn't have done it with out all our family and friends!

Big brother being in charge. Tucker holding Thomas before we learned he had a fever. He was so excited to hold him and love on him. He had missed Thomas!

Tucker giving Thomas his first bottle. This was much sooner than we would have liked but I started pumping in the hospital to help Thomas until my milk came in. Tucker loved getting to do this!

Happy Birthday, Thomas Alexander!

Finally an update! Daddy failed on his job of updating! He decided that this blog was way more complicated then our old website (completely not true)! As many of you know, our sweet baby boy was born yesterday morning at 7:20 am. Wow did it go fast! We arrived at the hospital at 5 am to be taken to a prep/recovery area for c-sections. We were the only planned one to we had the area to ourselves. By 6:15, I was being prepped for my epidural and it was being administered by 6:30. Very efficient and very quick! Before you knew it, the doctor had come in to check on me and everyone was getting "dressed" for the OR. I was taken in at 7 and as Harris was brought into the OR, Thomas was almost on his way out! Amazing! As he arrived, Thomas had a great set of lungs and even grabbed onto a blanket that was going to be used for him and wouldn't let go! Strong boy from the start! He is a big boy, like his big brother! He weighed in at 8lbs 5 oz and 21 1/2 inches long. After an hour in recovery (seemed like eternity though), we were taken to our room where Big Brother Tucker came to meet his new little brother! Tucker loves his brother. He does a great job of holding him, wants to love on him and talks about how cute Thomas is! When we call to check on Tucker, he is already asking where is Thomas! Hope this bond lasts for eternity! Thomas is doing really well! He is definitely still enjoying his sleep (as we all need to right now). His sleep is more important to him than his nursing. But this morning he had one of the best feedings yet! We have a feeling once he gets going with nursing, he will be a great eater! I am doing well too! After a day full of meds and being quite sleepy, I have started off the day great! Was up early ready to shower and get out of the bed! Harris is being great husband, caregiver and Daddy. Here are a few pictures from yesterday. You can count on more to come! Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers! Harris has been great about reading the emails to me or letting me know of texts and phone calls! It is wonderful to have such an amazing support network during these times! Thank you!!!! Thomas Alexander Rhodes
VERY proud Big Brother!

First photo with Thomas

Welcome to the world, Thomas Alexander!

Family of 3... til tomorrow

Well, so we have come upon our last day as a family of three. This day (and days leading up) have been filled with many emotions. Excitement, relief, joy, suspense, and of course a bit of anxiety. We are so excited to meet our newest addition tomorrow morning, May 4th. We have been waiting for this little one for almost two years now. We started our journey of wanting a little brother or sister for Tucker back in the summer of 2009. Little did we know what the journey was ahead. But we do know that God was in control and there was a plan for our little one to arrive tomorrow. Tomorrow will bring relief to us in many ways. One for sure will be the physical relief of being 39 weeks pregnant! :) There is definitely some truth to as you get older your body handles pregnancy different. And poor Harris has dealt with way to many sleepless nights due to a body pillow being thrown over a big hump (me) as I would try to "flip" over. But I must say, overall this has been an easy pregnancy for us til now. And I would like to know who isn't physically miserable at 37-39 weeks pregnant! But in the end it is all worth it to meet our sweet Annie or Thomas tomorrow! We all have ideas of who is coming out (Tucker now believes he will have a baby brother but says he'll love a sister too). You'll have to stay tuned to the blog to see who arrives! Harris did a great job of keeping you all informed when Tucker arrived (yes, at one point he was blogging as I was contracting at 4 am). I am sure he'll have time to start filling you in as we arrive at 5 am tomorrow to get prepped for our repeat c-section. We will use this blog to also share the first pictures of our family of 4! Keep us in your prayers as we welcome Annie or Thomas and celebrate the miracle of life! Easter 2011

Easter 2011

Happy Easter! We had a wonderful weekend with family. We celebrated at Gamma and Pop Rhodes' house on Saturday with dinner and an Easter egg hunt. The King family then came to Jasper for egg hunting and dinner on our screened in porch! It was a joyous weekend! Tucker had a blast! He was very excited that the Easter bunny had come to visit his house! Easter Bunny left a new Woody!
Egg hunting at Gamma and Poppy's house

Coloring eggs for the first time one day after school.

Then we deviled them on Easter morning!

First Field Trip

Tucker and his class went on his first field trip to Children's Theatre last month. We were at the Wee Theatre to see Hansel and Gretel. Tucker had a great time. He loved getting to carpool with Ms. Jennifer and Sarah Catherine. It was a fun day of the theatre and lunch! Tucker already has plans to return this summer to the The Little Red Hen!

Love this one! Sarah Catherine and Tucker holding

hands (she was taking care of him).