1 month down, a lifetime to go

Life is perfect.. We are enjoying every second of this sweet angel.  We must be doing something right as our boy is thriving just as he should. So far here are his stats or I like to think of it as our "parental progress report.."

Birth:

7lb 4oz & 19 inches 

1 month:

8lbs 10 oz & 21 inches...

Jackson is such a sweet baby.. He really is and we hope he continues to stay this way.. He really will only fuss if he is hungry, dirty or needs a little extra lovin...Currently we really have no idea who Jackson really looks like.. He has a lot of Jon in him, reminds me a ton of Brycen and even looks very similar to some of his Aunt Lauren's baby pictures. I honestly think he is a pretty good mix, but looks a ton like his daddy..

To our Sweet Jackson....

You have only been with us for a short while, but we can't imagine our life without you.. Life with you currently involves a pretty fixed 3 hour schedule.. Every 3 hours you demand to be fed, changed and rocked, really any kind of back and forth motion will make you happy. Your big brother is so excited that you're a boy, and he can't wait to make you his own personal slave.. He has his own master plan for you, I guess time will tell how much you actually adhere to his wishes. Current nicknames for you, some I like, some I hope are just temporary, Jack, Jacky, Rumple, Wilbur, JW, Jackis & Bubby... We have big plans for you and our family, but most of all we just want to love you and provide for you as best as we possibly can..

1 Down 1 to Go...

So during the last few months of pregnancy, I found myself standing in the midst of my closet on numerous occasions. Wondering and praying that I would soon one day be reunited with my clothes and all my fantastic size 7 shoes. I must admit I had only a handful of meltdowns during this pregnancy, and all of them happened or at least started in my closet... I am not a girl of many purses, accessories or tech gadgets ( honey, in case your reading I would actually enjoy an I-Phone for my Birthday). Shoes on the other hand, I have a mild obsession with...Anyone that has spent any amount of time in my closet can attest to this.. I was really hoping that I wasn't one of those woman whose foot grew a whole size or two during pregnacny and stayed that way..

So tomorrow is the first real day I have to get dressed for anything important, Michelle's Baby Shower.. I was forced to try on non-maternity clothes and real shoes.. I am happy to say my shoes fit great.. As for my clothes..Let's just say were getting there..........

PS.. by the way, Jack is fantastic.. He really is a sweet baby..We are loving every inch of him and trying really hard not to squeeze him..More to come....

Jackson William Pate

WOW.. What a Surprise...

   I don't think I can explain how truly surprised Jon and I are with the arrival of Jackson. While we never really knew what we were having. Jon and I,  along with everyone else was pretty convinced we were having a girl.. We were mentally ready for Meghan Elizabeth Pate to come home with us..

Birth Story...

12/27/2010 @ 1:03pm
7lbs 4oz, 19 inches

   Jon and I arrived at the hospital at 10am just after dropping Brycen off at Yaya's. He would later arrive closer to my scheduled c-section time. We get into Labor and Delivery and in a short amount of time I am hooked up to monitors, have IV's started and am in the process of transforming into marshmallow woman.. Since I was having a c-section they have to pump you with that many more fluid bags, by the time I walked back to the OR I was on my 5th bag. Talk about feeling yourself get fatter and fatter by the second. C-section was scheduled for Noon, but were told we should be heading to the OR around 12:30.. I remember walking into the OR and I swear it feels like a meat locker in there. Jon had to wait outside while they did my spinal and all the final preps for surgery. Jon was brought in just as surgery got under way and I felt like I could breathe once he was with me. I am secretly a chicken of anesthesia and being cut open..  I am soo glad Jon decided to bring the "Flip" with us and not leave it with our families as we got some priceless footage of Jackson's first breaths and the moments leading up to it..

   I remember laying there, Jon with flip in hand and he leans in to me and says " should I shut it down" just as my Dr is saying " I got a foot, Oh two feet" .. Just then my eyes begin to tear up as I know I should hear baby any second.. The blue curtain gets pulled down a bit and Baby Pate is held up right above me so we can see what it is.. Jons exact words " Oh My God, It's a Boy ".

    We were in total and complete shock.. We really thought we were having a little girl. All along Jon and I always said we didn't care what we had. We really just wanted a healthy baby.  If given the choice I would have wanted another boy, simply because its what I know. Plus I enjoy being the only girl in the house ...Of course with the exception of Sophers.. I cant tell you how excited all of us are with Jacksons arrival.. Our house and hearts are complete.. I am surrounded by 3 boys and I would have it no other way...

Twas the Night Before BABY!

So here we sit the night before the big day. So many different thoughts and feelings are going through both of our minds. Excitement is prob the biggest one of them all. Brycen cant sleep as he is also anxiously awaiting the arrival of either his new sister or brother.. He keeps saying he really wants a sister, and then proceeds to explain to me how reverse psychology works..

Jon and I are set to arrive at the hospital at 10am with my c-section scheduled for Noon.  I pray for a very smooth surgery and the healthy arrival of our new baby...

Everyone ask us what we think this baby is. Even thou ppl don't believe us, we have no idea what we are having. We have prepped ourselves for a lil girl as that is what everyone seems to think.. We also think that the ultrasound tech slipped as she called it a " she" during our ultrasound. Also in a previous post, Michelle and I took belly shots together and her belly is very different than mine , and we know for sure she is carrying a boy.. I do have a few hesitations on committing to " IT" being a girl for the following reasons.. I feel exactly as I did when I was pregnant with Brycen. This babies heart rate has always been in the 130 range, and they say boys tend to have lower heart rates.  I am carrying very high and to me seems to be all in the front..While I know these are all just an old wives tale, it does make me think...

None the less tomorrow we will meet our baby.. We are all very excited...I know the waiting room will be packed with our families and a few of my very dear friends..

Is it a Boy or a Girl??

13 sleeps to go... OMG

OMG.... Only 13 sleeps till we meet our sweet little baby.. That is crazy to me... This picture really kind of made it a reality for me.. 

But to be honest with you I have never felt more calm and ready for something in my entire life.  I think my lack of urgency and stress is causing others to stress :) My boys are very ready and super excited.. I can't wait to see each of them with our baby.. Also can you believe Christmas is next week??

37 weeks 4 days..

Well here we are at 37 weeks 4 days.. Had a great Dr.'s appointment today and everything still looks great.. Baby Pate is quite cozy in it's current living quarters and has no intentions of trying to make an early appearance.  Just as last week " IT" is still laying in the breeched position with it's feet directly on my bladder. Not enjoyable by any means. Here are a few snapshots of the belly, def growing.. I feel huge at times, but I also feel great and realize it could be a lot worse.. I feel very blessed that we have had such an easy and enjoyable pregnancy..

I think Brycen is nesting....

So I have to write about my boy... Such a sweet kid, yet always has been a kid that could care less about cleaning his room, or keeping anything tidy for that matter.. Its been an on-going threat that I am going to switch him to one of the smaller rooms so he wont have so much room.. Not that I would ever actually take his room away from him, but a little threatening never hurt a kid.. Last Wednesday he came home from school with a fever and complaints that he had a sore throat. We got home gave him some medicine and let him just lay around. When it was time to tuck him in for the night, I went upstairs and much to my surprise Brycen and Mr. Bubbles had become best friends.. He scrubbed his bath tub, toilet, bathroom sink, mirror, organized the linen closet and even washed his bedside table and tossed a little cologne on it for good measure. I was in total shock.. What or who has taken over my messy kid that could care less about being clean?? I have to say it was one of the most precious things I have ever seen, my boy is nesting...

Come Thursday morning we go to the Dr. and get confirmation that Brycen in fact has strep throat just as I suspected.. We get it once a year and it always takes on the very same pattern. Lucky for him he was prob only really laid up for about 1 day and then was up to his usual shenanigans. However FF to Sunday, I leave and go to the grocery store. As I walk in Jon says you wont believe it but Bry is upstairs cleaning his room. Jon was dying for me to see how good he was doing but I was not allowed upstairs until he was done.. To say the least the nesting bug has really bitten Brycen because that boy has never cleaned his room like he did.. I mean he got under his bed , organized his movies, books, toys, everything put away right where it should be..
I'm even more happy to say that today is Thursday and his bathroom and room are still super clean..

I love you buddy... You make your mama proud!