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.

Mr. 2!

Raphael turned two on the 9th!! Where has the time gone? I remember his birth like it was yesterday...oh and all that dark hair!

What a cutie.

 Raphael didn't want to get up the day of his birthday (although it was almost 8:30).  Jacob, however, was excited to get him up and show him his presents.

 Two of his presents, a brand new basketball hoop and a Curious George shirt.

 Balloons are always a big hit.

 Raphael looks so grown up in this picture.

 Time for birthday cupcakes! Yeah!

 Delicious!

Don't forget to lick those fingers!

Overall we had a low key day, but Raphael seemed to enjoy it all. We love this little man to pieces and can't imagine our lives without him.

Garden update

This past week I have been a little crabby and mopey. Since it has been hot and I'm 39 weeks pregnant (I think I was hoping to miss this milestone)this is probably the contributing factor. Oh and I haven't been sleeping...but enough about me.   My garden makes me happy! This year with all the rain it has really taken off. I enjoy weeding it and the boys love to help water! I've been reading up on the different types of perennials and have found it all to be rewarding.

 Our garden box made by Jay!! He did a fabulous job!

 You can see our strawberries, beans and cucumber plant.

 My back garden.  Most of these plants I transplanted from our apartment or family and friends.  On the far left if our herb garden (cilantro, chives, thyme, sage and lavender).

 The peony bush really took off this year and it smells amazing. The purple flower, salvia has also grown. 

 Coral flower (heuchera) from my mother-in-law's garden.

 The peonies.

 I think these are wild carnations, I'm not sure? They bloom all summer and are a pop of color.

 Another smaller garden made up of mainly hostas since this is a shadier spot.

 This is a new garden that I'm hoping to have take off in the next few years. The soil isn't great so it needs some extra care.

A sedum telephium that I bought at the Buffalo Botanical Gardens perennial sale. It should have gorgeous red flowers in the fall.

Visitors and Memorial Day Weekend

Originally Poppy, Poppa and Uncle Dean were supposed to come up mid week to help with some house projects.  Unfortunately, Poppy was sick so the plans changed. Instead Poppa and Aunt Maria (who just graduated from medical school...congratulations Dr. Keating) came up for a few days! This was great since we had car troubles (a window that wouldn't shut and a flat tire), I had a doctor's appointment and a few other miscellaneous errands. It's amazing how easy it is to get these errands completed sans two little boys!  Jay and I were also able to attend the funeral of our sweet neighbor Ernestine, who passed away this week. She and her brother have lived across the street for over 40 years!

Playing "Ring around the Rosy"

Poppa brought up half a dozen puzzles that Jacob completed within the next couple of days!

Some of my friends hosted a baby shower for me (I told them this was totally unnecessary but they insisted).  My favorite gift was a certificate to a local spa. I can't wait to use this after the baby's arrival. Thank you to all of my girl friends!

Our friends Kate, Dan and their boys Ben and Chris came over from Canada to spend Sunday with us.  I have known Kate since I was five, when we both started dance classes at Oneonta Tap Works.  Through Facebook we reconnected and discovered we live only a border away and that our boys are mere months apart in age! Although it was very hot and some of the boys were very tired, we had a fabulous time. The boys enjoyed playing  with trucks, trains and balls, while the moms and dads caught up.

Here's Kate and I trying to stay cool in the little shade we had. Jay fired up the grill for some delicious Sahlens hot dogs and burgers.

On Memorial Day we headed over to the historic Forest Lawn Cemetery. President Millard Fillmore is buried here as are many famous Buffalonians.  The boys are under the canopy of a huge century year old tree.

My 37 1/2 week belly! I was walking very, very slowly throughout the cemetery!

The boys underneath another centennial tree...incredible!

We were trying to teach the boys how to walk (I mean run) respectfully through the graves.

This portion of the cemetery contained the graves of hundreds of nuns.  Raphael thought the statue above was coated in milk.

Raph and Daddy walking back to the car

Thank you to all our Veterans and military who have served our country! You have helped us attain the freedom that we so often take for granted today.

What would I do without seeing the sweet faces of these boys each and every day?

Almost...37 weeks

For the last 3-4 weeks I have been really uncomfortable. I do not normally like to complain, since pregnancy is something that is a true gift and one of my pet peeves is women who complain throughout their entire 9 months.  But for some reason, near the end of this pregnancy I have felt EVERYTHING.  I feel my body stretching, the baby's each and every move and I just feel bulky.  Sleep has been difficult and I have spent many nights reading, playing Bejeweled on Jay's iPod or praying.  One night I was sitting in front of Jay's laptop and he came downstairs.  He scared me so much that we both just stared at each other and started screaming.  Afterwards I was crying since it really was quite hilarious, once my blood pressure and heart rate subsided. 

So for now I'm playing the waiting game.  I'm already dilated and I'd be surprised if I carry this baby to the full 40 weeks, but we'll see what happens.  It is in God's hands.  For now, I'm enjoying the weather with the boys. We've been enjoying picnic lunches, the parks, going on walks and backyard gardening and playing.  Once baby #3 arrives life will be crazy for a while so I'm grateful for our everyday routines and chances to rest (when I can sleep).

"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
when there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
Grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand,
to be loved as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying [to ourselves] that we are born to eternal life."

-Prayer of St. Francis

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!