Meeting Bridger...

A few hours after Bridger was born, Nate went to get Brynlee and Gracen so they could come and meet the new baby.  They walked into the room very quietly looking around.  Once they spotted him, they came right over. 

We asked them if they thought we had a boy or a girl.  He was wearing that little blue hat, and Brynlee still was thinking it was a girl.  Once Gracen saw the hat he said, "Nuh-uh, it's a boy, see that blue hat!"  Brynlee still insisted it was a girl.  

Nate picked up Bridger and sat in a chair and had both kids go stand by him while he told them they have a new baby brother.  It took it a minute for it to sink in with Brynlee.

Here is a video with their reactions. If you make it to the end of the video, you'll see Brynlee's reaction when she finally gets that it is a boy...

She cried....

I blame Nate for Brynlee's disappointment!   He was so convinced that he saw girl parts at some point during the ultrasound, that he kept saying it was a girl.  He had a lot of people convinced it was a girl.  I had to keep reminding him and Brynlee that it might be a boy!

Gracen kept telling everyone, "I was right and Daddy was wrong!"

It didn't take her long to fall in love with this little guy!  

Gracen loves having a baby brother!

 Holding him the day after he was born.

This is the outfit Gracen chose for Bridger to wear home from the hospital.

Brynlee and Gracen seem to be adjusting well to having Bridger in our family.
 Gracen just keeps telling me he loves baby brother, and he is very helpful if I ask him for anything for his brother.  He has been so good with Bridger, and mostly just leaves him alone!  I love it that I don't have to constantly be telling him to give him space or stay back.  He gives his brother just the right amount of attention!

Brynlee loves to hold him and look at him!  She has been a bit jealous of him on occasion, which I wonder if it is because of him being a boy more than anything else.  But, she still loves him and keeps saying how cute he is and is a big help to me when she is home from school!  

Story of Bridger's Birth

We were scheduled to be at the hospital at 7:30 a.m.

We got up, got everyone ready and took Brynlee across the street to a neighbor who was going to take her to the bus stop and Gracen got to spend the day with my visiting teacher Sister Thiesens.

It took about an hour to get everything hooked up and going.  

When the nurse first checked to see how far dilated I was, she said I was at a 3.  Things weren't too bad in the beginning.  My contractions weren't terribly uncomfortable, but the little guy was still sitting so high that the contractions were hurting up under the right front half of my ribs around into the right back of my ribs.  

This was probably the worst pain I had.  

I finally decided around 10:00 to go ahead and get the epidural even though my pain was still tolerable.  I wanted it before the doctor came to break my water, and that rib pain was starting to get annoying!

Nurse checked me again, I was at a 5.

Epidural was placed.

It was so much nicer to have it done while I wasn't in pain rather than my past experiences of having it done about 30 minutes before I delivered.  

My doctor came in just after the epidural was done and broke my water.

Unfortunately for me, the epidural wouldn't go high enough to relieve me of my rib and back pain, so I had to suffer through it until about 30 minutes or so before he was born when he finally decided to drop. 

My blood pressure dropped down to 88/30 something, and I think I had a bit of a panic attack.  I can't remember much.  Everything went kind of dark, I felt really lightheaded, and couldn't talk very well.  I kept asking Nate to figure out what was wrong with me and telling him I couldn't breathe.  He got the nurse and she came in and checked on me.  It came back up and I was much better.  

She checked me again and they had the doctor on his way.  Bridger's heart rate dropped a little, so they had to put an oxygen mask on me.  

At 12:31 p.m., after 4 hours of labor and pushing through 2 contractions, we were surprised by a sweet baby boy!  I was still trying to get myself together, but remember the look on Nate's face when he saw that our baby was a boy.  Seriously priceless!  He looked so surprised and happy!  I wish I had someone there to capture that moment.  Nate said to me, "It's a boy!" and had the biggest smile on his face.  It all happened so fast, but it was fun not knowing what we were having until he was born.

Bridger in the little hat that was put on him after his bath.

Things went pretty well.  Just a few minor issues, but I really can't complain much about 4 hours and a healthy, beautiful baby boy!  

Our baby boy has a name...

We've been calling this sweet boy all sorts of things for the past week... baby, baby brother, little man, Mr... 

After taking the full week we were given to decide, we finally have chosen a name.  

Bridger Sterling Thompson

I can't say for sure what took us so long, we looked for names when we had time and came up with three to choose between.  

We had Stetson, Bridger, and Jamison.

I narrowed it down to Stetson and Bridger on Monday.

Then left it up to Nate to decide.  

Yesterday Nate decided on Bridger and today I called in to the hospital to let them know.

I really struggled with finding a name for him.  I really needed to see him first, then all the names I liked didn't seem to fit.  I think Bridger is perfect for him.  He is such a sweet little guy and we have just been loving him!

As for Sterling, we decided a while ago if we had a boy we would name him after Nate's grandfather, Sterling Fackrell who passed away in March of this last year.  He was a great man whom we really miss.  He was always so sweet, humble and happy.  

We were very excited to be able to name our little guy after him.

Things have been good since we've been home.  Bridger's first doctor appointment was on Friday, he weighed in at 6 lbs 13.5 ozs. We had to take him back again on Saturday to make sure he didn't lose more weight and he was up to 6 lbs 14ozs.  Then he had to go back again on Monday and he had gained 2 ozs, putting him at 7lbs even.  He's a little jaundice, but not too bad.  Other than that, he seems to be doing great!

One last picture...a sleepy little Bridger grin.  

Not the real thing, but I still love those deep sleep little grins and facial expressions he gets.  

On occasion, we even get some cute little squeaks and squeals out of him while he's asleep.

We sure do love this boy, and are very blessed to have him in our family!  

Baby is Here!!

It's A BOY!!!

One of the best surprises we've ever had!! 

7lbs 8ozs

20 1/2 inches long

Perfect as can be!

We haven't picked a name, yet.

I'll post more details soon!

About to be Outnumbered...

It seems as though tomorrow will be the day Nate and I will officially be outnumbered!

We were hoping to wait until Friday to be induced, for 1 to give me more time to go on my own, 2 because Nate's mom comes in on Thursday and we wouldn't have to make arrangements for the kids, and 3 to have another birthday in our family on the 14th.  

I had an appointment yesterday and my doctor wasn't so sure that Friday would work because of some scheduling issues or something.  He asked what my next choice would be, and the only other day that would really work is tomorrow.  And tomorrow it is!

I'm excited and nervous and ready and not ready all at the same time!  I was really hoping for a little more time to not have to be induced again, I'll be 3 for 3 now!  But, at the same time, it's nice to know the end of the road is near and I'll be holding this sweet little baby in my arms very soon!  I feel really blessed for the opportunity to be a mom, and to have had such wonderful, beautiful children.  I can't wait to meet this new little one!

Christmas 2010

We had a wonderful Christmas this year!  

Brynlee and Gracen are the perfect age to really bring about the magic of the season.

Brynlee had 2 1/2 weeks off school and we just played and had so much fun!  I really miss having her around, and it was nice for a change to not have anywhere we had to be first thing in the morning.

Putting up the Christmas tree...

We have a family tradition on making a new ornament for our tree.  This year, we decided to make something with pine cones.  They turned out interesting!  Brynlee and Gracen really had fun with it.

I didn't get a close up of the ones they made, but Brynlee made a reindeer with purple antlers and a pink nose, and Gracen made a Santa.  Nate and I just painted some to look like they had snow on them to hang.

Writing letters to Santa.

In Gracen's letter, he promised Santa he would be good for mom and dad.  

Made a few treats.  Rolo pretzel treats are my favorite to let the kids make!  They can do everything but put them in the oven and smash the M&M's on them!  And they love to make them!

No white Christmas for us, but about 2 days before Christmas we had freezing fog.  I love the way everything looked in the morning with an inch of frost on it!

Silly pictures in front of the Christmas tree...

Christmas Eve was a lot of fun!  Nate got off at about 11 a.m. and we gave Brynlee and Gracen their first Christmas present....a 60 gallon fish aquarium.  They loved it!  

 Then we headed to the theater to see the movie Tangled.  Cute movie, and fun to go out as a family!  After the movie we had to go pick out some fish for that aquarium.  Then we came home and made some dinner and cookies for Santa.  Brynlee and Gracen got to open a Christmas Eve gift, which was a game for each of them.  We played the games, then off to bed.

They woke up around 7 in the morning.  I tried to go out before the kids to get a picture of them coming, but Gracen just couldn't stand it and ran out behind me.  

Sure enough....Santa did not disappoint! 

Happy to have found some light up Diego shoes...

Zhu-zhu pets where on this girls list...

Daddy bought both of them a bow (to use with his help, of course)  It was a pretty warm day, so he took them both out to try it.  Gracen loved it!

Brynlee was a little less sure of it, but I think she had fun!

We had a great time!  Spent lots of time talking with our family, playing with new toys and enjoying time together!