Week 1 Pics

My sweet boys-

Tommy had so much fun with Grandma.
 She was such a big help this first week! We definitely miss her!




The dark hair

I Miss My Boy

Oh my sweet Tommy. After Mimi stayed with us for a week, helping with Tyler, she took Tommy with her to Ruidoso on Tuesday. Autrey, Shilo, and Dylan went with them. Matt had to work so we won’t be leaving until Thursday night and arriving Friday. Mimi was set on taking him, despite my hesitations. Being 8 hours away is difficult to think about. The only time I’ve left him all night was when I had Tyler 2 weeks ago and even then, I was only 30 minutes away. I especially worried how he would do at night. He still comes into our room almost every night and sleeps with us. I know he loves Mimi and loves being around Autrey, Shilo, and Dylan, but it doesn’t make it any easier for me.  I thought it would be nice to only have Tyler for a couple days, but that’s not how I feel now.
Tommy was so excited to go and see Nana and Maggie and I know it would be much worse if he had been crying for me as I left or something. He was happy and ready to go and I’m grateful for that. BUT, as I buckled him in I told him I needed lots of kisses because I wasn’t going to see him for a few days. I was doing fine, and then as I was getting out of the car he says, “I love you mommy!”. Oh I lost it. I turned back around and grabbed his face for one last kiss.  It unexpectedly, but absolutely, ripped my heart out to leave him. I waved goodbye, went inside, and cried my eyes out. I had to talk to someone so I called Matt and cried to him for a few minutes, until I got it together.  I then finished off some Blue Bell ice cream with chocolate syrup and tried to stay busy. Despite it being barely 3 days total, my heart aches for him. I can’t even make it through this post without bawling.  I’m this close to going to Verizon and buying an iPhone just so I can talk to him and see him with the FaceTime (since Mimi has one)……is that a justifiable purchase?
I sure think so….

Tommy Meets Tyler

He was born on Monday. On Friday he had his first doctor’s appointment. He weighed 7.3 lbs. so almost back up to his birth weight (7.5). He is already raising his head up when you have him on your chest. He is also beginning to track objects, especially your face. His sleeping has been good off and on. His first night home from the hospital was a rough one. He wasn’t super fussy but he was awake many times. The second night he ate and went right back to sleep. The third night was another long one and the fourth was much better. I’m starting to see a pattern   Words can’t describe the instant love we had for him. He is so precious to us. If I could I would hold him and stare at him every second. I also want to give Tommy all my attention and wish that was possible. Tyler has been a very easy baby to calm down when fussy. Of course he loves to be held. Unless he has gas or needs a diaper change, I can usually get him to stop crying by holding him against my chest and gently patting his bum or back. Nursing is still a challenge. In the hospital it went really well, but coming home, he has since began to fight latching on. The laying down position has seemed to work in the last day or two. I’ve also starting pumping a little because I’m making so much milk  and am worried about getting mastitis (which I got at least 4 times with Tommy). He acted like he was gagging after feedings but rarely ever spits up (which I’m SO thankful for).  I have been putting him in his car seat to sleep at night, to keep him upright after he eats, and he does great. Whatever works is my thinking right now, especially when it comes to getting sleep. He also sleeps well in our bed, which I know we shouldn’t do but those times he does fall asleep after nursing, he sleeps really well. I’m still trying to fathom that I have a family of 4 now. Crazy crazy but very blessed!
1 week old-umbilical cord and circumcision ring fell off. He cries and cries while getting his diaper changed but as soon as a new one is on, he lays there completely mellow and wide eyed,looking around. He always seems to have gas after waking up and I need to give him time before trying to feed him, assuming he’s just fighting to latch on. He also has a clogged tear duct in his right eye, that leaves it goopy throughout the day. We’re giving him drops for that. Tommy had this too but but not as early.
In Tommy’s mind, Tyler and I are now one in the same. He always asks, Where’s mommy and baby Tyler? He loves to touch him, hold him, and kiss him. We have to watch him very carefully because he can be too loving! I love these pictures at the hospital. They really don’t describe the full smile on Tommy’s face when he got to hold Tyler. It was So precious! Grandma was instantly in love, of course!

"Okay Tommy, you can give him a kiss."

"Okay Tommy, you can touch his nose"

"No, Tommy, you can't poke his eye."

"Yes, you can touch his hat."

"Yes, you can give him a hug."










Grandma's turn!












I love this pic! During the hospital visit on Tuesday, Grandma took him to the gift shop and bought me some beautiful flowers and this shirt. He wanted to wear it every day that week!


Coming home!

I love my boys!

The Delivery and Our New Addition!

And finally an update- for all my non-facebook family and friends:

39.5 weeks
The Delivery
I figured I’d better get this written down before I forget. Although, this would be realllly hard to forget…..As you can tell from my last pregnancy pic, I was So done being pregnant! Although, I think it caused me more anxiety  to know exactly when I’d be going to the hospital to have this baby, rather than waiting for him to come naturally. Sunday night I was thinking about all the things I should have done and wondering how Tommy was going to do without us. I have never left him for a full night before. In spite of that, it made me feel a little better to hear Tommy say, (after much explaining)”mommy’s going to the hospital to have baby Tyler and grandma’s going to play with me.”  I also thought ‘how in the world am I going to handle 2 kiddos! I have thought about this plenty of times over the last nine months but everything seemed to hit me Sunday night. Of course I didn’t sleep much at all. I was set to get up at 3:45 am and when I woke up the first time, I could have sworn my alarm was going to go off any minute. I looked at the  clock and it was 12:30! It was a long night, but we got ready and finally arrived at the hospital at 5:00 am-my scheduled induction time. It was much more calm getting ready for everything, than the last time- with my water breaking and fluid running down my legs as I’m trying to change into the gown and get an IV. The IV wasn’t as bad as I remember. I just really hate hospitals so the first time seemed so traumatic. Oh, funny side note-the nurse was entering information in the computer and before I got into the bed, I grabbed my water and a folder with my birth plan. I opened the folder without realized the water bottle was open and a bunch of water splashed onto the floor. The nurse turned around with a big gasp and said, ohhh! I thought your water broke! whoops  By the time the nurse finished the paperwork, changed into the gown, got the IV and Pitocin ready, it was 7:00am. Dr. White came in and said I was still at a 3.5-4 dilated. He immediately broke my water and the contractions began. Soon after I asked for the epidural. When he did it the first time, I felt the strongest twinge in my right leg and let out a gasp. He said he would redirect it. Then I felt it again in the same spot. He continued to say he’d redirect it for the next 4 times! By then I was done feeling that twinge, terrified my right leg was going to be paralyzed. So my right leg was completely numb, but I could feel my left leg and all the contractions along my lower stomach. I don’t remember what happened at what time but I made it through contractions for a good while. They were absolutely awful and everything I had imagined when they did come, but I knew there was an end to them. I would actually fall asleep in between them and I realized by 10 or 11 o’clock that they were actually getting further apart. That’s how I was able to handle it  Finally the nurse said, “We have to up the Pitocin and get this baby out.” I thought, ok, I’ve handled it this far, I can do it. Well, I then had 5 of the strongest contractions I’ve ever had, in a row, and then said, let’s do the epidural again, now! It was so awful. The man that came to do it this time was different than the first and had me laying down on my side to do it, versus sitting up and hunched over. I felt the twinge slightly, and he tried one more time and it worked. Hallelujah! Soon after I didn’t feel a thing-not even pressure to push, which was a little difficult but I’m not complaining. I pushed for awhile and at 1:48 pm little Tyler Douglas Duke was born. He had the cord wrapped around his neck TWICE and there was a KNOT in it. When Dr. White pulled him out he said, “He’s been busy!” Thank heavens he was just fine. He was absolutely perfect when they laid him on my chest, staring up at me with his big wide eyes.
The hospital has changed quite a few things since I had Tommy and for the better! They now do everything in your room without taking the baby out. All his measurements, the eye stuff, everything was done right next to me. I LOVE that! I moved to postpartum soon afterwards where they gave him his first bath. It’s sad I didn’t get Tommy’s first bath pictures;(
Little Tyler weighed .01 less of an ounce than Tommy. 7.47 lbs. Tommy weighed 7.48. I was completely shocked. The brown hair was quite a shocker too, but I love it! Here are all of his stats:
Tyler Douglas Duke
Born: Monday June 13th, 2011 @ 1:48 pm
Weight: 7 lbs 5 oz.
Length: 20.5”


First Bath 4:30pm

All Clean!


I am very thankful we have another sweet, healthy, little boy! I’m also thankful my mom was able to stay with Tommy and that he did so well with her, even throughout the night! She was his 24/7 playmate which is pretty much all he cares about right now…having someone to play with! Well, more to come on Tommy meeting Tyler

Family Graves

My cousin Heather posted these pictures of my family's graves after visiting them on Memorial Day. I'm so thankful because I don't have any digital images of them. The first one is my Grandma and Grandpa Fahey, the second, my Aunt Janet who died at 4 months old, and the third, my brother Shane. My mom and nephew, Alex, also went up and added flowers that day. I wish I could have been there, but am grateful they are close enough to visit them.

I believe they are in heaven, doing Heavenly Father's work and, about to say goodbye to the sweet baby about to join our family!