Little Fingers

These past few weeks when Travis or I have put Will down for bed at night, he quickly gets out and sits by the door and slips his little fingers underneath the door hoping we're right there to see him so we will go back in his room and sit with him. It has taken us a few times to get him settled but we also think it has to do with not being as tired like he was when he was in daycare and he also knows that his brother is sometimes still awake when he goes down. Travis and I have put forth extra effort to spend as much time with Will as possible especially when it comes to his night time routine that he is used to. We brush our teeth, read a story, and give him lots of love before putting him down. He still likes us to go in and snuggle with him a bit before he falls asleep. We take full advantage because we know it won't last forever!

JT's 1st Bath

We gave JT his first bath the other night and he did so well. We were expecting him to cry like Will did when we gave him his first bath. He laid there and enjoyed his bath with no crying. He is a very laid back baby which he gets from his daddy.

One Week Old

JT is one week old and has been doing great. He is a sleeper!!! He wakes up about once or twice a night and sleeps till about 7:30-8 in the morning and takes great naps during the day. It's been wonderful. Everyone told me that he would probably be easier since he was my second and I wouldn't have the new mom nerves like I did with Will. I have been way more laid back with JT and I can already see how it affects him. He is a really mellow baby.

Will is such an amazing big brother. In the mornings, he runs over to the bassinet in our room when he hears JT crying and talks in a "soft baby voice" to him like we would do when any baby starts to cry. He then jumps up on the bed to help me change his diaper. If JT starts to cry when I change his diaper, Will starts to rub his head and kiss him and "talk" to him in that same soft voice. It is the sweetest thing to see and completely melts my heart. I feel like they already have a special bond between them that I will never understand. Will has been great and has been extremely loving with JT and always looks for him and makes sure he is close by. He is already looking after his little brother and I LOVE it! Travis and I are very lucky to have such 2 wonderful boys! Life is great...

Brothers forever

Linnie

On Thursday, we said goodbye to Will's sitter Linnie. When we found out we were pregnant and we were moving back to Louisiana, Travis and I decided to pull Will from daycare to save some money before the move. We LOVE Linnie and it was so hard to say good-bye. She became a part of our family. Will started going to her in December of 2010. The minute Travis and I met her we knew she would be the one that would care for Will while we were at work. She has such a gentle and loving heart. Will loved going to her house each and every day and she would send me pictures of videos of him which made my day at work and always put a smile on my face. We could not have asked for a better person to love and care for our child. We always knew Will was in good hands and that he was getting lots of love while we were at work. There were even times that he didn't want to leave when I would be there to pick him up. Linnie was more than just a sitter that watched our child. She was a friend and felt more like a part of our family in a year's time. We will always be grateful for the love and care she provided for Will. She will truly be missed!

John Thomas Terrell

JT has arrived! We welcomed him into this world at 2:15 on 3/8/12. He was 8 lbs. 11 ounces and 21 1 /2 inches long. I came in yesterday morning and they started the induction process around 8:30 and I started to dilate very quickly and by 1:30 I was ready to deliver. I was so excited and nervous. I couldn't believe the time was finally here for us to meet our little boy. After about 45 minutes of pushing, he was here! Tears of joy streamed down my face as they placed him in my arms for the first time. I was shocked to see a head full of blonde hair! Him and Will have very similar traits. After they got him all cleaned up, I was able to hold him close to me. It was love at first sight.

This recovery has definitely been so much easier than the first time around. After a couple of hours, I was up walking around and able to move a lot faster after the epidural wore off. My parents came back in the room shortly after delivery and Will was introduced to his little brother for the first time. He wasn't sure what to think but by the end of the night he was giving JT lots of kisses and was ready to hold him. I can't wait to see them together at home. Will is so sweet natured that I think he is going to be such a wonderful big brother and very helpful.

As I sat in my bed before my parents left, I watched Will interact with JT and felt so happy and blessed. Travis and I have been given 2 beautiful and healthy children and we couldn't be more thankful. I'm so excited to watch my boys grow up together. There is nothing more special than the gift of children. Will and JT are my world and I can't imagine life without them. They bring joy to Travis and I each and every day.

Ready to head to the hospital

The last picture as a family of 3

Proud daddy with his 2 boys

Our family of 4

Proud grandparents

Brothers Forever

The Final Hours

Tomorrow is a big day for our family. We will be welcoming our son into this world and Will is going to meet his little brother for the first time. We are so excited and have some of the same feelings we did on the night before we met Will. This time, there is more excitement than nerves. I remember how excited I was to meet Will but how nervous I was at the same time because I didn't know what to expect about labor and delivery. I've longed for this day to come for 9 months. We are anxious to see what he looks like and if he is going to resemble Will at all. We are excited to hold him for the first time and to introduce Will to his brother. I look forward to watching them grow up together and be the best of friends. I have thought a lot about tomorrow and how much our lives will change for a second time. I still can't believe that our "surprise" baby that we found out about in July of last year is now ready to join our family and enter the world. I can't wait to hold his little hands in mine, kiss his sweet face, watch his facial expressions, hear the noises that little babies make, smell that 'baby smell,' see him smile, hear his laugh, and watch him look up to his sweet older brother. Him and Will are our greatest blessings and I can't help but look at Will and look at our sonogram of JT and be so grateful for what God has given us. I couldn't have asked for anything better and I'm looking forward to this journey as a mother of two boys! Who knows maybe baby number 3 will be in the future...

Crazy Sleeper

This last week, Will has not been sleepy enough to go to bed at his regular bed time. He just doesn't seem tired lately which amazes us since he is still waking up with his teeth during the night that are coming through. He's used to sleep at least 11 hours straight and hasn't been getting that lately so we figured he would be a bit more tired. We still do our night time routine with him when it's time for bed...teeth brushed, read a story, and then we "talk" for a bit before we tell him goodnight. We watch him in the monitor because we hear him get up as soon as we walk out the door. He will sometimes play with his cars or just sit there and look around. Here's what I found the other night. He got right up from his bed and laid on the floor and went to sleep. When I sent my mom this picture, she said "he's so much like you."