Introducing Theodore James

After his much anticipated arrival, Theodore James finally joined our family on Thursday June 23rd! We chose James, after my great-grandfather James Paul Keating and Theodore because we like Theo and the fact that there is a St. Theodore.

I was scheduled for an induction since the baby was going on a week past his due date.  Jay and I went in on Wednesday night, to Sisters of Charity Hospital, to get things rolling.  I was given some cervidil to help me dilate (I was already 1-2 starting out) and a sleeping pill.  I was contracting on my own, but only every 10-12 minutes.  Jay was a trooper and slept on the chair next to me the entire night. 

In the morning I was 3-4 cm dilated and the doctor decided to wait a while before giving me pitocin. This ended up being a good plan. The contractions started picking up throughout the morning until they were 3-5 min. apart and getting more intense.  I asked for an epidural and then I started feeling like I was near the end of labor.  The epidural certainly did not ease all the pain since I felt a lot of pressure and pain still.  The doctors broke my water and then the contractions started progressing even more.  I pushed for about 15 minutes and then out Theodore came.  The doctors were shocked at his size! Everyone who checked me told me he'd be between 6-7 lbs! Man were they wrong.  He came out weighing 9 lbs 3 oz and was 21 1/2 inches long. Jacob and Raphael were only 19 1/2 inches long!

He has beautiful dark hair and skin and very long fingers.  So far he is an excellent sleeper and eater! His brothers are transitioning.  Jacob is very curious about everything from breastfeeding to his umbilical cord.  Raphael doesn't understand why he can't sit up or slap him five. 

My parents visited for a week followed by Jay's parents for a few days. This really eased our anxiety! Thank you for the love and support of our families. Jay's parents are coming back up for the 4th of July weekend, which we are very excited about!

 Hanging out in the nursery. Since he was so big they had to check his sugar levels, which were fine.

 It was a sunny afternoon!

 Poppy and grandbaby #4!

 Big brother Jacob, who has been fascinated by everything!

 Grandma A. and Theo

 Poppa, Raphael, Jacob and Theo!

 Family!

 Smile big boy!

 Playing/wrestling with Poppy at home.

Raphael playing baseball, his favorite pastime.

Finally spring!!

I have been thoroughly enjoying SPRING!! I can't tell you how much I love to watch the flowers bloom during their different times (first the daffodils, then hyacinths, tulips, currently the lilacs and soon the peonies).  Whenever I go on walks I'm always pointing out all the plants, bushes, etc. to Jay and the boys. As a result Jacob knows that his outdoor time-out spot is under the Rose-of-Sharon bush.

Mom's rose bush that is doing very well. We salvaged it from the deer!

Last year Jay and I purchased a sickly lilac bush for $10.00. It seems to be thriving and is even flowering this year!

Here is some myrtle that I transplanted from our yard into a shady spot along the house.

Our azalea bush, a Mother's Day gift, and some of our funky tulips.  I bought these tulip bulbs for dirt cheap at the end of the summer and it has been a grab bag of colors.

One aspect of our garden that I like is that many of the flowers are from family.  I have some transplants from my mother-in-law's gorgeous garden, my mom's garden, my Aunt Deirdre's and my grandmother's gardens.  Last summer when we visited my grandparents in Delhi I loaded up the car with some cuttings from my grandmother's garden as well as some containers (Jay thought I was crazy).  Most of the plants, however, are doing very well.  My grandmother's bachelor buttons are about ready to pop!  I love the fact that these flowers remind me of different family members.

 Jay grilling on his new grill! This is his Christmas/birthday/Father's day gift.  We've been enjoying many grilled delicacies including grilled shrimp and vegetable kabobs for Mother's Day.

35 weeks!

Jay took two days off last week (that he didn't know he had).  We went to the zoo!
It was a perfect day.

Brothers!

Mr. Cool

Here is a video of Raphael from the zoo. He has really been talking up a storm!

Today we attended a siblings' class at Sister's Hospital. This will be my third hospital, in Buffalo, that I am delivering in, which is pretty funny.The boys were so cute holding the baby dolls during the class and Jacob of course answered many of the questions. The funnest part of the class was when they were pretending to give their baby dolls a bottle and Raphael went up to my belly and said "drink baby."  I started getting a little emotional/teary eyed when I saw some of the newborns in the nursery.  I can't believe in a month or so we'll have a new baby of our own!

XY

So it's about time we talked about baby #3! We waited until I was three months along before we told everyone at Thanksgiving. People were surprised and my mom could not believe I kept it from her for so long. We had Jacob tell everyone so it was super cute!

The baby is due around June 17th! This is right after Raphael's 2nd birthday and Jacob will be 3 1/2.  The time is just flying by.  We had our 18 week ultrasound this week and decided to find out the baby's gender.  This time I wanted to prepare myself (since we didn't find out for the first two). We're having another BOY! I had a feeling this was the case since I had a 10 week ultrasound and the technician at this time was convinced it was a boy. 

He was extremely cooperative throughout the entire ultrasound (a sign for the future perhaps?).  He was completely stretched out at one point which was hilarious (usually the baby is all curled in the fetal position).  He is taking advantage of the space while he still has it! He's already 9 oz and perfectly healthy. We are so very blest. 

The boys are excited and Jacob has already asked if the baby is going to be crazy like Raphael. When he said this I only sighed and said I hope not! Ironically, many of my friends have boys (and lots of them) so I will have many wonderful families to turn to for advice.  I also have two aunts who have three boys apiece!

I already have a vision of my future including lots of sports, video games, wrestling, eating, burping and testosterone.  It's a bit overwhelming for me, only having sisters, but I'm grateful for the wonderful women in my life and know that God is calling me to be the mother to some awesome little men.  Maybe we can get a priest out of one of them!