Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Just a few days late, but here is our Thanksgiving in a nut shell!  Travis and the boys headed out to his aunt's house for their first Thanksgiving dinner.  We decided that with all the little cousins running around, it was probably best if Beau and I didn't go.  Still really paranoid about germs:)  So, instead I went out to see MaMaw.  Mom, Dad, and Kyle had lunch with her, then I came by for a little bit.  She got to see Beau for the first time!  We just took him right instead the front door, so he didn't get exposed to any other "people".  She was SO happy to see him!!

Look at his little feet...they say Gobble Gobble!  So cute!

A little bit later we had Thanksgiving dinner at Mom and Dad's.  It was SO yummy!!  Mom always sets the table for a more "formal" dinner.  It's been a tradition we started with my NaNa.  It wouldn't be Thanksigiving without it!

This is how Beau felt about Thanksgiving dinner!!  I absolutely LOVE this picture!!!

He got happy just a little bit later...

Later that evening, the boys made gingerbread houses with Nonnie.  This has been a tradition that they have been doing since Blake was old enough to decorate!

Oops!  Pictures are out of order, but here is Poppy and THE SMOKED TURKEY!!  He had some technical difficulties and the breaker kept throwing, so he was up all night "babysitting" the smoker!  But, boy was it good!!!

Here is Blaker working hard!!

The final masterpieces!  These always become Nonnie's centerpieces for the Christmas season!

If you look closely, Evan made a doggy door on his...it says "bogs".  He still reverses his d's sometimes :)

The boys spent the night with Nonnie and Poppy and had red and green waffles the next morning.  They are REALLY colored!!

We had such a fun day!  And, the boys made a HUGE project the next day.  More pictures of that to come!  I am SO thankful for such fun times with family...

Two weeks and Thankful!!!

It's so hard to believe that our little guy is already 2 week old!!  Wow, time is flying for sure.  We have had a busy week, with unfortunately not a whole lot of sleep.  At least, not during the "normal" night time hours :)  But, I'm starting to adjust, I think.  I'm just SO thankful that Travis has been taking Blake and Evan to school in the mornings so I don't have to get up and get out.  Beau seems to sleep the very best from about 6am to 10am.  I've just been sleeping right along with him!!

He had his 2 week check-up last Friday.  A little early, but with the Thanksgiving holiday and a little drama, it just worked out better that way!  Dr. Whitaker said he looked perfect!!  There is just nothing better than knowing your child is healthy!!  I've taken that for granted a lot in the past, but this time around it really means SO much to me!!  He weighed 8 pounds 1 ounce, so we are on our way back up.  He'll be a chubby cheeked and thighed little guy before I know it!!

Beau hasn't been out except for pictures and his doctor's appt much at all.  I'm just VERY leary of getting him out in "public" with all the flu germs and stuff going around this time of year.  We have made a few trips to Sonic and he went over and "played" with Whitney for a little while yesterday while I ran to North Main.  Blake had his GT Share Fair yesterday, and I had to go help him get his costume on and get his display board ready.  I was so glad I was able to go!  I'm just so used to being able to do all that kind of stuff, and slowing down isn't easy for me.  I also made it to Evan's Thanksgiving Feast yesterday afternoon.  Thanks to Aunt Amy, who came down and stayed with Beau for me!

Sweet Baby Beau!!

My 3 Sons!!

Evan loving on his brother~

He can be SO sweet sometimes!!  (Other times, not so much, SEE BELOW!)

Travis, Evan, and Beau watching TV!  I have a feeling this will be a very common scene in my future!!

Evan got a little frustrated one afternoon, and left this note on his door...It says "No dogs or baby's or anythings, and I am talking about Beau to".

So, maybe we are having a few issues with adjusting to a new baby :).  But really, Evan and Blake are really adjusting well.  I'm so proud of them for taking all the changes in stride. 

Now I've got to go check on the 2 pecan pies in my oven!!  I can't wait for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow.  I'm just so thankful for SO much this year.  Especially my family, I just can't imagine my life without them!!

Pictures!!

We took our first "outting yesterday" with all 3 boys and I.  We went out to my friend Shannon's house to have pictures made.  It took quite a while ~ we were there for over 2 hours!!  But, was it EVER worth it!!

Shannon has put a few pictures on her website and you just have to go look!!

This is the link:  http://www.amomentcapturedbyshannonwalker.com/

Then click on Galleries and then "sweet baby beau"

I am SO SO happy with them!!  The picture of the 3 of them and EXACTLY what I wanted!!  I just don't know how I will ever decide what to order!!

Thank you Shannon!!!

One Week Today!!!

Wow, I can't believe that my baby is one week old today!!  This week has flown by.  I'm trying so hard to really let every moment soak in.  I want to memorize exactly how he is as a newborn so that I can remember it forever.  He is just the most precious thing, and I am so in love!!  We are really doing good.  The only rough times are usually from about 5:00 to 10:00 in the evening.  During that time he is either eating or fussing constantly.  Thankfully, that is usually when mom or dad or both have stopped by, so we have had a little help with the cranky times.  I just hate that most of the time Travis gets to spend with him is while he is so cranky.

I've had a little trouble adjusting to the lack of, or at least, rearrangement of sleep.  Anyone who knows me knows that I need good sleep to function.  So, this has definitely been a challenge for me.  I'm just thankful that Blake and Evan are at school during the day so I can lay down and nap with Beau in the mornings.

Here are a few pictures of our past week...Hanging out on the couch with Daddy!!

First bath!  Nonnie gave him his first bath, complete with every single surface cleaned with a q-tip.  She is serious about baths!!  I just stood back and watched :)

Hanging out in his room!!

Granny came over for a visit.  Here she is holding him for the first time!

His new BFF Whitney Scogin came over.  They had a great time...sleeping!

Blake absolutely loves his baby brother!!  (Why do some pictures load sideways...it's driving me crazy!!)

He was a little yellow, so he had to spend some time under the flourescent cabinet lights :)

This was totally un-posed.  I just walked in the bedroom and found them like this.  The picture quality is terrible because I took it with my phone.

Evan has bonded!!  It took a couple of days, but he is crazy about Beau!

I have so many more pictures I want to share, so check back soon for more updates on our precious little Beau!!

Family of Five...Finally!!

I have dreamed of getting to finally write this post...WE ARE A FAMILY OF FIVE!!!!  And, I couldn't be happier!!!  I can't even tell you how ecstatic, relieved, blessed, and tired I feel.  It has been a long journey, but my family is now complete!!  Here is our first picture of our "new" family!!

This is a shot of the boys when they first came in to see Beau!!  Another moment I have dreamed about...

Blake was immediately smitten, and Evan had to warm up a little :)

I have worried (like I did when Evan was born) about how I could love another child like I loved the others. Crazy how it just happens...He is just absolutely amazing and I love him like crazy!!

My pictures are a little out of order, but here he is just after he was born.  He weighed 8 pounds 6 ounces and is 20 inches long!!  Born at 12:43 PM on November 11, 2009.

So sweet!  Black ink on his feet and all!!

Beau Christian Travis Bartlett

Travis holding him for the first time!  He was absolutely AMAZING throughout my labor.  I'll have to brag on him more later!!

Here he is right after his first bath.  Sporting a faux hawk!  Evan was SO proud!

Blake truly bonded immediately.  He didn't want to put him down...

Getting ready to go home from the hospital. (Can't figure out why my picture turned ?)

Before I put his outfit on to go home!

Ready to go!

First time in his car seat.  I'd forgotten how complicated it can be to get a baby in the car seat for the first time!!

And, for anyone who is interested...a labor update.  Most everyone knows how I feel about natural labor and birth.  I struggled so much with being induced and was so worried about how that would effect my plans.  I have to say, that it all turned out about as perfect as I could have hoped for a hospital birth. 

My friend Jennifer was my nurse and I trusted her completely.  We started some pitocin around 7:30 that morning and I was 4 cm.  By about 10:30 I still wasn't really uncomfortable, but was having a lot of ctx. Dr. Bell came in and checked me and I was 5cm.  I opted for him not to break my water at that point (the cushion usually helps with some of the labor pain).  So, at that point Jennifer got more aggressive with the pitocin.  By about 12:00ish I was really starting to hurt and was 7cm.  At that point I was up sitting on the birth ball, rocking with the ctx.  Travis and my mom were taking turns sitting behind me rubbing my back.  At some point in the next little bit I made my way back to the bed and was sitting up in the bed breathing/wishing I could scream :) through the ctx.  I asked Jennifer to check me and I was 9cm. 

The next few minutes are kind of a blur.  She told me to push once and my cervix reduced immediately.  I felt a major urge to push at that point and just couldn't stop.  Thankfully, another nurse friend, Susi,  was just coming in the room to say "hi" and Jennifer told her to come help her quickly.  Jennifer had Susi help her get another glove on and they called Dr. Bell.  All the while I was pushing like crazy.  Needless to say, Dr. Bell didn't make it!  They didn't even get the bed broken down.  Jennifer delivered Beau at 12:43 and Dr. Bell walked in about a minute later :).  He did have a nuchal cord and was blue for a few seconds.  But, within a minute he was screaming!!  I have never been so relieved in my whole life!!!

So, in the end, I did get my natural labor and birth.  Right down to delivering in the bed without the stirrups.  It is such an empowering feeling to know that you birthed a baby without any medication to blur the experience.  I'm so glad that I was able to do it.  Travis was beside me the whole time!!  He was quietly my rock.  Just knowing he was there beside me, holding my hand or talking quietly to me was so comforting.  And my mom was awesome, also.  I know she probably had hand cramps from ALL the rubbing she did on my back.  Travis's mom, Becky was also in the room and was wonderful.  She kept cool cloths on me when I wanted them.  My dad and Trisha even stayed for most of my labor.  I think it was a little bit of a shock for my dad, because he has never been in the room before when I was laboring.

I'm just SO thankful that it is OVER!!  The whole experience was amazing, but thank the Lord, he lets you forget the intensity quickly.  That's the only way I could possibly have 3 children!!

Travis helping me cope!

VERY near the end.  I was probably just a few minutes from delivering here...

Me and Jennifer - my rockstar nurse!! I couldn't have done it without her!!

Thank you everyone for all the prayers for Beau and I on Wednesday.  It truly couldn't have been a better day!!

Party of 4...No more!!

So, tonight is the last night we will be a family of four, the last night I will be pregnant.  Wow!  To say the least, I am an absolute emotional wreck!!  As most of you know, I wasn't at all planning to be induced, just wanted to let nature take its course.  I'm due on Thursday, just 2 days away.  On Monday when I went in to see my doctor I found out that he is leaving on Thursday to be out of town for 10 days!!  So, if I wanted to be delivered by him, and I DO, then I had to make the decision to be induced. 

After struggling with the decision for a couple of days, I am finally feeling at peace about it.  Now, I'm just extremely nervous about actually giving birth tomorrow.  So many things are going through my head right now.  I'm actually very sad about knowing I won't be pregnant anymore.  As much as I have been miserable, I'm SO gonna miss feeling him moving around inside my tummy!!  I hope I never forget that feeling...  And, the labor and delivery nurse in me keeps running through all the things that could possibly go wrong.  I know, ridiculous, but it's just part of the nurse in me, I guess.  So, I'm praying for "the peace that passes all understanding" for myself for tomorrow.  If you are reading this before I deliver, please feel free to pray that for me also!!

If you haven't seen me in a while, here is a shot of my HUGE belly from this past Sunday!!

Tonight Travis and I installed the car seat in our car.  Oh my goodness, it just looks SO weird.  We haven't had a car seat in our car in SO long.  And the funny part, the first attempt we installed it BACKWARDS!!!!  Seriously, we are OUT OF PRACTICE!!!  But, thankfully, it is now installed properly and ready to bring Beau home!!

Tonight Evan asked me if he could give his baby brother one of his baby pillows.  I told him, of course, and this is what I found in the baby bed later.  So precious!!  It's his dump truck pillow that he slept on FOREVER!!

Here are a few shots of Beau's room.  I think it turned out pretty cute!!  The canvas over his bed was the last thing I was waiting on.  A friend of Sharon's named Ashley that lives in NWA painted it for me and I absolutely love it!!

A shot of the other side of this room.  I was actually al little crafty:) 

His closet is absolutely packed with "stuff".  He isn't lacking for anything!  And the other "thing" is hanging on the wall as you come into his room.  Since I don't have any pictures of him yet, I decided to just use scrapbook paper for now...

I just can't believe that at this time tomorrow night we will be a family of 5!!  I will have a newborn baby!!  The boys are SO excited.  Tonight when I was tucking the boys in Blake gave me a big hug and told me he knew I would do great tomorrow.  Evan is acting like "Evan".  Showing some signs of jealousy already and talking a lot of baby talk.  But, he has been so excited, I know he will come around.  My sweet husband has been doing a final round of cleaning.  You know, it just isn't right to bring a baby home to a house that hasn't been freshly vacuumed!!

I will update soon with pictures of our new baby Beau!!  Until then, please pray for us!!