What a YEAR!

So I see it's been a while....blah blah blah....

Here are some things going on with us!

1- House!  We moved into our dream home January of 2014.  We LOVE it and it is just perfect for us.  The best part is the playroom/office!  The kids play and have a blast.  We are just so thankful God saw fit to give us this particular house!

2- February- Tucker turned ONE!  It is still hard to believe how fast he is growing.  He had a Construction Themed birthday party because his Nana calls him her little Bulldozer. He is into everything and meets everything with gusto!  February was also the month we found out that Aunt Dani was going to have her very first baby!  A boy, Titus Elston Neal, due in November!

3- March and April were just regular spring months for us.  Millie did fantastic in her 3 day a week, 3 year old preschool.  We were very pleased with her progress and all that she learned.  Somewhere in there Tucker had to have a little surgery to put tubes in his ears.  He did great and it has proven to be a great thing for his health.

4- May was a big month for us!  It started with Millie and I taking a girls trip to see Karen and her belly (she was pregnant with Lille) along with Holly and Kara.  I am SO glad we were able to do that.  We had a great great time and Millie is such a good travel companion.  May was also the month that, on a whim, I decided to sell Jamberry nail wraps.  It has been a blast and I am enjoying riding the wave of direct sales!  Millie finished up preschool and also had her big dance recital.  She did a great job and we were SO proud of her!

5- June started summer and with that brought some changes in our child care.  Clint's cousin Chris' daughter Abby came to our house daily and watched the kids so Nana could have a summertime break.  Abby is 17 and did a great job!  I never onced worried about her!

6- July was great!  Millie turned 4 and had her very first friend birthday party.  We rented a bouncy house had pizza cake and ice cream and LOTS of little kids all over the place.  It was great, but I vote for a swimming pool party next year...July in South Georgia is WAY TOO HOT!  We also ended July with our Annual Thompson family beach trip.  This was THE best trip we've taken!  It was SUCH a great time.  The kids loved the water and the sand.  The condo we stayed at was lovely and we just had a blast.

7- August brought the 1st day of PreK for Millie and Tucker's first day of 1 year old preschool.  Millie goes 5 days a week for 4 hours a day and Tucker goes twice a week.  We really love their school and wish they could stay there forever.  They both love it and are doing so well!  Makes my momma heart proud!

8- September- My birthday month!  Clint and I were able to go to the Garth Brooks and Tricia Yearwood concert on my birthday.  It was SO GOOD!  We enjoyed our day with Mike and Megan too! Oh...and that cheesecake at The Cheesecake Factory....YUMMY!

We are blessed, provided for and loved!  Maybe I can keep up with this bad boy!

Until next time,
Sam

Tucker's Birth Story

Tucker’s birth story.  Better late than never, right? 

We knew from the moment we found out we were having a second baby that we would have a C-section.  After my experience with Millie’s labor, we just knew.  We had been told that we could schedule at 39 weeks.  So, that is exactly what we did.  February 22^nd would be the day.  2-22-13.  Cool date for a birthday!  It was the perfect day since it was a Friday…it worked out for family to not have to miss too much work and so on.

Thursday the 21st was my last day of teaching and I couldn’t have been happier!  I got home and busily got things ready.  We were waiting for my sister-in-law Megan to arrive with my niece, Allison so they could be on Millie duty.  The plan was for them to spend the night so when we left early the next morning, they would be settled in and ready for a fun day with Millie.  They planned to make the drive to Tallahassee the afternoon Tucker was born so Millie could meet her baby brother. 

We awoke Friday morning and were excited for what the day would hold.  We took one last picture as a family of three, and one final shot of my big belly.  I hugged my sweet girl so tight and we were off!

We arrived at the hospital, signed in and waited.  My dad and Cindy arrived shortly after we did, followed by my Mom and Larry and then my In-Laws, Nana and Papa.  We all chit chatted in the waiting room until it was time for me to head back and get the ball rolling.  We hugged and said our goodbyes.

I remember getting all suited up and just smiling.  I waited so long for this day and I couldn’t wait to lay my eyes on my brand new baby boy!  I remember the nurse that gave me the IV had a son named Tucker so we bonded immediately!  She was so gentle and the IV went very smooth! (I hate them!)

I was supposed to be in surgery at 11:00, but it ended up being later than that.  I got checked out by the anesthesiologist (totally spelled that right the first time)  and everything was set.  I then WALKED myself to my surgery room and crawled up on the table as gracefully as possible.  Clint was in holding as he got suited up.  The spinal tap went okay, other than the Jamaican nurse and the surgical tech girl arguing at each other and cussing at each other.  It was quite uncomfortable.  They laid me back on the table and in walked my doctor…Dr. Ramsey…with a boom box.  I’m not kidding. He had music blaring the entire time I was in surgery….it was like “bahama” type music.  Weird.  Very Weird. 

I remember them counting the tools and getting things all set.  Finally they brought Clint back in and started the procedure.  I felt a little woozy, but otherwise fine.  At 12:15 p.m. My sweet, handsome, precious baby boy was born.  Unfortunately we don’t have any pictures of him before being taken to the side because when He came out he was “grunting,” which was a sign that he breathing was labored.  The nurses immediately started working on him and made the decision to take him to the NICU.  It was taking SO long and I was straining my neck to see my boy.  I was SO SCARED!  The anesthesiologist had the personality of a wet rag, however, as tears rolled down my cheeks, he would say “Blink” and then wipe my tears with a cotton ball since my arms were tied down.  My heart yearned for my baby, but he needed help that I couldn’t give. 

They put me in recovery which seemed to take forever.  I was just so concerned about my boy.  On the way to my room, they wheeled me to the NICU so I could see my baby.  It was just so emotional to finally get to see him and tell him how much I loved him.  I cried and cried.  When I heard him breathe, I knew he needed to be right there.  I said “see you later” to my baby for the night. 

Finally I got to my room and got to see my family.  They were all concerned and anxious as well.  They were able to see him and assured me that he would be fine.

I remember the first night after having him, he stayed in the NICU.  I “rested” as well as I could, but was constantly calling and checking on him. 

FINALLY, Saturday afternoon rolled around and he was discharged from the NICU and brought to our room.  I was on cloud 9.  Megan and Allison came to visit bringing along the new big sister, Millie.  We got to introduce her to her baby brother and just had a joyous time of snuggling with our baby boy.

We were discharged on Sunday and made the trek  back to Thomasville through the POURING DOWN RAIN.  It was awful.  I cried all the way home…hormones and FEAR of the awful storm!

We made it home, Millie was in Tifton with her Nana and Papa and we forged ahead into sleepless nights and parental bliss.

Our baby boy was the snuggliest, squishiest baby that I’ve ever known.  He is a momma’s boy and will be forever!