June Seventeen

Being so pregnant and miserable during the month of June, I decided it would be wise to have Reese and Tuckers 3rd birthday party a little early this year.  Three weeks early to be exact.  I am SO glad I did!  They didn't mind... although I think we thoroughly confused them because they learned that their birthday was on June SevenTEEN (as they would say) and that's not when we had their party.  This way they got to celebrate twice though... they weren't complaining.

We hosted our 3rd Annual Splish Splash Birthday Bash.  If I were more creative (and not so pregnant) I may have done something different this year.  But let's face it... swim parties are easy and fun.

All the cousins came to swim, play, eat and celebrate with us.

According to Tucker, it's not a party without Watermelon!  That boy can't get enough!

Grandpa bought Tucker a Louisville Slugger with his name engraved on it.  He immediately wanted to go hit some balls.  He didn't quite understand the whole "keepsake" idea. 

 How are they 3 years old already?  We are definitely in the terrible three's!  They are testing the limits, throwing fits, fighting with each other... the whole works.  It's a good thing they are so stinkin' cute... otherwise we might be ready to send them back! 

She's not sassy or anything.  She starts every day asking for a pretty dress and a pretty bow.  Rylan will have a bunch of brand new shorts and shirts to wear when she's 3.  Reese refuses to wear anything but a dress these days. 

The birthday was a start to a great summer... one filled with lots of swimming, time with family and the arrival of a new baby sister. We've been blessed in this blistering heat! 

The Good Samaritan

I'm sure all husbands get a little crazy when their wives say "It's time... let's go to the hospital" but I'm pretty sure no other husband has done what mine did at midnight last Tuesday. 

Chris wheeled me into triage with my bag in tote and made sure I was settled in before going back out to park the car.  He was gone for a long time and I remember everything going so quickly with the twins so I was starting to worry.  Finally he showed back up about 30 minutes later... without the camera bag containing about $2000 worth of cameras and the diaper bag.  I didn't notice at first until the nurse was telling him what his role was in the whole thing... the photographer.  I asked where the bag was and he said he left it in the car and would go back out to get it.  He was acting really weird and just dismissed me when I asked him to hurry and get it.

Finally, when the nurse left the room, he told me everything.  It's never good when you're in labor and your husband starts a sentence with "Don't freak out".  Really??? What happened? 

My Good Samaritan husband took time out to help jump some one's car while I was in labor.  He was thinking "It's midnight, this guy could be stranded in the garage all night, and it will only take a few minutes."  Well... it probably would have if he hadn't locked his keys in the car with it running!!  So, he came back in to tell me that the car was running in the parking garage with the cameras inside.  Really??  I could just see it now... I'm forced to have the baby all alone (with no pictures) while my husband tries to break into his car in the garage. Or worse... someone breaks into the car and steals it while he's telling me the whole story.  It's funny now... but totally not funny at the time. 

Luckily, things took much longer than with the twins and my parents were on their way to the hospital so they could bring a key.  Crazy husband almost (sort of) missed Rylan's birth.  This picture probably explains why he was so crazy that night...

We still can't believe we have 3 kids! 

Daddy and Rylan had some good snuggle time while in the hospital too! 

Chris is one proud Papa! And such a great dad!  He took Reese and Tucker to the lake today so I could get some rest and spend some time with Rylan.  LOVE HIM!

A Baby Story

Well, it's official.  I did a TERRIBLE job of documenting my second pregnancy.  I managed to get through 9 months with very few photos of myself and even deleted my pregnancy journal off my laptop by accident.  I can just hear Rylan now... the second child with no photos, no memories, etc. etc. etc.  I'm already driving Chris crazy taking pictures because I refuse to have 5 scrapbooks of the twins and none of her.   

Here's her baby story (the short version) along with some more hospital pics of our newest little miracle. 

I found out I was pregnant back in October... yes, I was pregnant pretty much all school year... which made it feel like the longest pregnancy ever!  I was pretty sick during the first trimester (just like with the twins)... sick in the morning, sick at night, sick while riding in the car, sick all the stinkin' time. 

Things got better during the second trimester but then the contractions started.  At about 24 week, I began to show signs of early labor so my doctor put me to bed for a week, ran some tests to be extra careful and then gave me some restrictions... no vacuuming, no lifting, no long car rides, etc.  Overall, I didn't complain... nobody wants to clean house or go grocery shopping when they're pregnant!

The third trimester actually brought a burst of energy (a short one) and lots of heartburn.  Boo.  Then I had a freak incident and landed in the hospital with crazy abdominal pain that ended up being totally unrelated to the baby... thank goodness.  The doctor did put me back on Procardia to stop the contractions at about 30 weeks so the little one wouldn't come too early. 

For months I was afraid the baby would come early or I'd have to go on bed rest, but when the doctor took me off the Procardia, nothing happened.  Three weeks went by and I was then convinced that the baby wasn't going to come one minute before the scheduled c-section. 

On Tuesday, June 28 at about 10:30 pm my water broke.  It's kind of funny because I had a big bowl of ice cream early that night... which is exactly what I had before my water broke with the twins.   My sister came to stay with Reese and Tucker and off we went to the hospital.  Funny story about the hospital... but I'll share that later.  Everything seemed to take forever this time around and Rylan was finally born at 3:09 am.  At 7lbs 7oz, she seemed like a giant to us compared to the twins.

This girl was made to nurse... she knew exactly what to do and went to it.  She also has a little built in alarm clock... instantly, she started on a 3 hour schedule!  Praise the Lord!!  I sooo needed her to be an easy baby... especially since Reese is giving us a run for our money.  More on that later too.  Mommy is pretty distressed about this girl. 

Anyway... not sure I want to ever be pregnant again, but all the sickness, worry, etc was totally worth it.  Maybe I'll only be able to remember the good stuff by the time we're considering doing this again.  Yes, I know we're crazy... but we will consider doing this again. 

Rylan had lots of visitors while in the hospital. Of course I'm sad now that we didn't get pictures with everyone.  Grandma and Grandpa were great sports and spent most of the night at the hospital waiting so they could meet her.

Grammy and Grandpa wasted no time driving up from Houston.  They were planning on being here for the scheduled c-section but Rylan surprised us a few days early. 

Caden and Emma have been anxiously waiting to find out whether it was a boy or a girl.  Emma was at camp so Dana surprised her when she got back and brought her to the hospital.  She and Reese were so excited to find out that the baby was a girl! 

I soaked up every minute of Rylan time while in the hospital... knowing what a challenge it would be when I got home to be torn between 3 kids.  We did some great snuggling.

Stay tuned for some great Dad and Rylan pics as well as some of Reese and Tucker showing their brotherly and sisterly love! 

Firecracker Day

Reese and Tucker got to spend this Independence Day with their cousins Kaylie, Drew and Emmy.  With a new little one in the house, we stayed home and just enjoyed some good old fashioned backyard fun. 

Rylan didn't get to play ball, eat cupcakes, get wet or wrestle with her cousins so we celebrated with her in a different way.  Actually I tortured her for about 30 minutes to get some pictures.  Don't worry, she got me back by soiling the white blanket she was laying on... not sure the stain will ever come out.  The price you pay for cute pictures, I guess! 

I know... she totally looks like a Who.  But she's got to be the cutest stinkin' patriotic Who

 you've ever seen!! 

Finally... she's awake! Not sure anyone has seen those beautiful blue eyes yet.  She's one sleepy girl.  Not that I'm complaining!  She's being SO good to her mama! 

This is the Rylan that everyone knows... eyes closed and mouth open!  

Reese and Tucker don't get to see the other Tims twins (plus Emmy) very often, so it's a special treat when they come to town.  Five kids under the age of 4... it's always fun! 

They decorated (and then devoured) some firecracker cupcakes. 

Then out they went for some baseball-hittin, hammock-swingin', Popsicle-eatin', water table-splashin' fun!

They all do Silly really well!  Oh... how stinkin' cute are the dresses that Grammy made for them?!  Seriously... L.O.V.E them!! 

Happy 4th of July from our rug rats to yours! 

Introducing...

Rylan Tate Tims!!  We have lots to catch up on from this last month... but for now here are a few pictures of the new addition to the Tims Clan...

Rylan made her debut at 3:09am on Tuesday, June 28 weighing in at 7lbs 7oz and measuring 19 inches long.  She's so sweet and really easy so far!  Hoping that continues! :)