Secrets Revealed...and Happy 1 Week Birthday to Tucker!!

Hannah was beyond thrilled when Leslie Anne brought her the coveted key to the hospital when Tucker was born. We made a big deal about her being in charge of the key and unlocking it when we got home. Leslie Anne put the key on a ribbon for Hannah to wear around her neck. Hannah took her job very seriously! We were thrilled with the outcome of the room! Here are the promised pictures! Thanks again Leslie Anne! :)



As for this munchkin, I can't believe he is 1 week old!!! On one hand it seems like he was just born yesterday. On the other, it feels like he has been with us forever! Both of the kids adore him and are adjusting well so far. William has acted out a bit more than normal but part of that may be because we have stayed cooped up in our house since we got home from the hospital. I just haven't had the courage to brave an outing with all 3 of them yet... Maybe soon!

Tucker has been a very good baby so far. The first couple nights at home had me a little bit scared but the last few nights have been better. I have been spoiled with children who sleep well from the get-go... Hannah started sleeping 8 hours through the night when she was 2 weeks old and William was giving me 4-6 hour stretches about then too. Beyond that, when they did wake up in the middle of the night, they would eat and go straight back to sleep. So waking up every 3 hours in the middle of the night wasn't bad. Tucker's first few nights at home were different in that he would wake up, eat and then have gas bubbles for the next hour. It wasn't like he was screaming and crying for hours but he was restless and needed some loving, which meant no sleep for Mama. The past few nights have been much better. He pretty much wakes up at 3 hours to the minute to eat but then he is ready to get right back in the moses basket. He has even given me a couple of 4-4.5 hour stretches. We could still have many sleepless nights ahead of us but right now I actually don't feel too sleep deprived.

As for during the day, he pretty much still just sleeps and eats and poops. He is very laid back and very tolerant of all the MANY sugars he receives from Hannah and William throughout the day. They both love to hold him and give him the sweetest kisses. His hair still looks pretty light and his eyes are still very blue. I think he looks so much like Hannah did when she was a baby! Here is a picture to compare. In trying to find some good ones to compare, I realized we need to take a lot more pictures of Tucker! I'll try and post more soon.
He had an appointment with the pediatrician on Monday and weighed 9lb 5oz! Only an ounce off of his birth weight! He had dropped to 8lb 15oz when we left the hospital Friday but he gained it all back over the weekend. He is a really good eater!

I guess that's about it for us right now. Jason is back at work, which really stinks! But we only have 2 more days and then we are off to the beach! We are so excited!

Tucker Grant

Our first day with Tucker is coming to an end but I'm pretty sure this party will continue through the night. This guy is an eater!!! He is nursing like a champ. In fact, he nursed for 40 minutes straight when he was less than an hour old! Hes not playing around...

We have had a nice day with lots of visitors! A special thanks to Grandma for braving it up here with Hannah and William almost all day! Some people think he looks like Hannah when she was a baby. I see it every once and a while. He definitely does not look like William. Tucker's hair is very light with a few very blonde, almost white patches. His eyes are bright blue right now. That could definitely still change but they are pretty convincing right now. Leslie Anne stopped by for a visit and luckily she brought her camera! :) Above are a few pictures of Tucker that she has already delivered to us on a CD! You'd never guess she was busy with 2 two year olds and pregnant with 2 more little ones... Thanks LA!

I have so many more pictures I want to share but we just got Tucker's belly full (after 30 minutes of nursing followed by latching onto my chin which led to formula supplementation!) so Jason and I are going to try and get a little rest. We will update again soon! Love you all!!

It's a Boy!

Tucker Grant Simmons was born at 11:53 a.m. this morning. He was 9 lbs., 6 oz. and 20.5 inches long. Abby labored for about an hour. Tucker has a little bruising on his face, but other than that, appears unscathed. He has a good head of medium brown hair and a chubby round face.

Hannah and William adore the new addition. Hannah is a very proud big sister and William, I'm sure, has no idea how his world is about to change.

We'll update with some more pics this evening. Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers.

We're Here!

Well, we got here at 5 a.m. It is now 9:00. They just broke my water and Jason and I are off to walk some laps. I am 4 cm dialated and 70% effaced. Pretty uneventful so far. We'll update you soon, stay tuned.

Orders are in!

We got the call from the hospital. We are to report there in the morning at 5am!!! Yikes! Hannah and William are tucked in comfortably at Grandma's house so this little Mama (or Big Mama as Hannah-Bug likes to call me) is hitting the sack! Can't wait to share good news tomorrow!

40 weeks, 5 days...

We had our appointment today. Nothing has really changed. The stress test showed a very content baby, even during conntractions. So...induction is scheduled for this wednesday, June 23rd! I'm slightly disappointed that I have to be induced again but I am very excited about meeting this little one! :) thanks again for everyone's support. Sorry for any unreturned text messages! I am already over for the month... Yikes! I can't wait to catch up with everybody soon! Check back for updates! :)

40 weeks!!

Well, 40 weeks has come and almost gone... Last week I was told to come in today for a non-stress test to make sure it was still safe to stay pregnant. I got there today and they said I didn't need to run the test unless I was over 40 weeks, which I won't be until
Tomorrow. So it was a pretty uneventful appointment. I am 2.5, almost 3 cm but still 60% effaced. our plan now is to go back monday for the non-stress test. We are anxiously waiting to meet this little one but really want the baby to come on its own. Thank you for all of your sweet comments, emails and phone calls!! Check back for updates!!

39 Week Update

Less than a week until the big due date!!! I'm still thinking that the baby will come after that but some progress has been made... I have gone from 1/2cm last Friday to 2cm today so that is a little promising...
The plan now is to play the waiting game and go back next Wednesday, the actual due date. They will hook me up to the monitors for a non-stress test since I will technically be overdue but as long as the baby looks good, pregnant I will remain!
We have a very busy weekend planned and Hannah starts VBS at McDonough Methodist on Sunday AND I want to try and squeeze in one more prenatal water aerobics class next Tuesday. Maybe all of this action will force the baby to come on its own! Wouldn't that be nice? Well...as long as it he/she doesn't decide to come in the middle of my aerobics class... How embarrassing!?

When time does come for us to head to the hospital, the blog will be how we update. If you wish to, you can enter your email address under the list of blogs on the right hand side of this page and you will get an email update every time we post. Otherwise, just check back often! :)

The Secret Behind Door #3!

Leslie Anne has come and gone... She worked her magic and has left us wondering... In case you do not remember from this post, our cousin Leslie Anne is the only person on earth who knows the gender of this baby. We did this so that she could come down and decorate/set everything up in the baby's room so everything will be ready upon baby's arrival yet we will still be surprised. This was the only stressful part of not finding out for me. Yes, we have everything but then you have to get it all set up...bedding, wash appropriate clothes and fill up drawers and closets... Now I won't have to worry about doing this when the baby is here, which is such a relief!!!
Originally she was going to paint the baby's room as well but since she is expecting not one but TWO more babies of her own, Jason went ahead and painted the room a nice neutral yellow! :)

LA came down a few weeks ago and worked her magic. She used all of our previous boy or girl stuff but I know she put her little creative spin on things and I can't wait to see it! For a few days there I started to think Hannah was more excited about seeing the room than meeting the baby!

So the room is finished...and locked! Everyone says the same thing, "How do you not pick the lock?!?!". My response is that I truly don't want to know. I mean, of course I want to know...but I figure we have waited this long. If I found out now, I would probably be so mad! Jason and I are so excited about the big reveal in the delivery room. It just feels that much more exciting!

I still have no clue... I'e been thinking Boy all along but then last week I was thinking Girl. But for the last few days every stranger who feels the need to predict has said Boy, which has me on the Boy train again... We shall find out soon enough! Well, maybe not quite soon enough! I had my 38 week appt last Friday and i was barely 1/2cm. My midwife predicted another overdue baby! I go back on Thursday so I will update again then!