Gabe 3 weeks

More beautiful pictures of Gabe...compliments of Susan. It was challenge getting Gabe to lie still to get the naked piano pictures. He was awake and squirmy! Even so, they still turned out amazing.

More Gabe photos

Above are more pictures that Susan has taken. Aren't they wonderful! I love Gabe's expression in the first picture.

Baby Gabe

Here are new photos of our little man. These pics make his hair look so red!

Sleepless nights

I spoke too soon about seeing Gabe falling into a nighttime routine. He has been a booger at night lately! He is having a hard time going down and staying down. Then when he gets up, we have a hard time getting him back down again. He is also an early riser...6:00 am. It is starting to take a toll on us. Luckily, Susan arrived last night and is willing and ready to give us a break. She offered to take Gabe for the entire night tonight...but I just can't do that to her. He would keep her up all night. I don't know if I have mentioned this or not, but he is a little tongue tied. He goes back to the dr. on Thursday and we are going to set up an appt. to have it clipped. I think it is affecting his eating. He really fights bottles and always seems so uncomfortable and gassy. He makes this clicking noise when he drinks his bottles, which I think has something to do with his tongue. Who knows though!

On another note, Stephen and I went on a date the other night! It was so good to get out and be together...just the two of us. We went to downtown Greenville and ate at Soby's...very yummy if you have never been. Then we went to Frankie's Fun Park to play putt putt. We haven't done that in years! But, it was a lot of fun. And tonight I am meeting a friend out for a movie...Mama Mia. It feels so good to get out of the house!

Gabe - 2 weeks

Look at our little man...he is all Stephen. I know an infant's hair will change colors...but right now it has a red tint to it. My dad is a red head....you never know!

Gabe's first time in pants....which we had to take them right off because his belly button cord hasn't fallen off yet.

This is Allie's best friend Daniel. He is 14 and lives 2 houses down from us. He loves Allie and is sweet to come play with her. Allie constantly talks about him and we make many trips up to his house throughout the week.

Pop feeding Gabe....Allie trying to help.

Sucking thumb...


Everything is going well in the Patton household. Gabe is now 2 weeks and 2 days. I am so glad we have gotten through these first couple of weeks.

I am starting to see Gabe fall into somewhat of a routine. He takes his last bottle around 8:00 pm and will go down for the night....he then wakes up around 12-1 to feed, then again around 3-4, then wakes up for the day between 6-7. We have been taking shifts during the night so we all get some sleep. My mom has been on shift 1, Stephen on shift 2, and I have last shift. He will take one long morning nap and an afternoon nap. When he is up he is a squirmy little thing. He won't quite sit in his swing without some squawking, but we are working on that. He is going to have to learn to be by himself some while I handle Allie.

My dad is back in town to pick up my mom...they are leaving Sunday to go back home. I have loved having mom's help....It would have been tough surviving the first 2 weeks without her! Then on Sunday evening, Stephen's mom is coming in to have a turn helping out. She will be with us for a week and a half. We are looking forward to having her come visit. We are planning on a little photo shoot while she is here, so be sure and check back for new Susan pics soon.

Week 1 - I CAN DO THIS!

We have successfully made it through week 1 of Gabe's life. And, he really is a good baby. He is doing well sleeping at night. He gets up a lot to eat - every 2-3 hours - but he usually goes right back down. I decided with this one to throw in the towel with breastfeeding....so that is a HUGE relief to me! Mom, Stephen and I are taking shifts throughout the night so we all can get some sleep. Allie was waking up screaming for me in the middle of the night, but the past 2 nights she has slept sound ALL night long. And as for me....I am doing SO much better. I do admit that I decided to get a little help from meds from my dr. And, they seem to helping, I feel like myself again and I know that I CAN DO THIS!

Also, we have decided to enroll Allie in a MMO program 2 days a week. I am hoping to take care of that sometime this week (I just hope its not too late to get her in somewhere for this falls program). I know she will love it and it will also be a good break for me. Stephen took Allie to church this morning and mom and I stayed home with the baby. It clicked to me then...that I do need to get her in a MMO program.

I just wanted to update and let everyone know that we are doing much better....thank you for all of your support and prayers.

Stephen's baby pic

Here are a couple of Stephen's baby photos that Stephen's mom emailed me. I have a great one of Stephen that looks EXACTLY like Gabe....but that one is still waiting to be scanned. Maybe one day I'll get around to that.

Postpartum Depression

To avoid many phone calls...and emails, I just wanted to let you all know, I have been having a pretty hard time adjusting. It seems I have been hit hard, yet again, with the baby blues. I really don't want to go into details here, but just keep us in your prayers as we get through these very tough first few weeks of little Gabe being with us. Allie is also going through some struggles...we have been so close and she is now realizing this baby is here to stay. She is waking up in the middle of the night screaming for mommy. Other times, she pushes me away when I try to interact with her. It just really hard right now with lots of tears. I don't know how I would ever get through this without the help of my mom and my amazing husband who is so incredibly strong! When he comes home from work, he adds so much life to my down in the dump moods. Anyway....sorry for not returning all of your phone calls, but this is the reason why. Just pray that this Postpartum depression passes soon!!!!!

Happy Birthday Gabriel

Leaving for the hospital....

I will be posting more pics in the days to come of the delivery and pics of Gabe....for now....here are some of us right before we left for the hospital.

We're Home

We're home and doing GREAT! Gabriel is an amazing little boy! He looks just like Stephen's baby pictures....we will try to scan in a couple sometime this week so you can see the resemblence. He is just so precious and we can't get enough of him. Allie is doing really well adjusting to having a baby brother. She likes to hold him and try and put his pacifier in his mouth. I'm hanging in there, just recovering. I feel like this one was easier than my cesarean with Allie.

We'll post more pictures soon....

Gabriel Douglas Patton

The pictures are here! He is absolutely beautiful.

Thank you Susan for the photos!

The Patton's are doing great.

~Tracy

It's a BOY!

Gabriel Douglas was born at 6:03 EST tonight! He is 8 lb 3 oz and 20 inches! Bethany and Gabriel are both doing good.
As soon as I get any pictures, I will post again.
:)

Tracy

Waiting...

Just heard at 6:00 that Stephen is waiting to go back with Bethany who is already in the OR. They were a bit late starting because her doctor was in another delivery. More to come as soon as I hear....

Tracy

We're having a baby TOMORROW!!!!!!

There was a scheduling conflict....and to make a long story short....

...my C-section is now scheduled for tomorrow, July 9th at 5:00 pm!!!!!!

I am so excited...and nervous....and freaking out just a little bit. But, I am glad this is happening sooner than later. Oh, and just to fill you in....at the dr. today, there was no change, no progression. I am still 50% effaced and 1 1/2 cm dilated. That tells me we just need to go in and get this baby. We are suppose to arrive at the hospital at 3:00 pm and the surgery starts at 5:00.

Check back tomorrow for baby birthday news. I'm having Tracey update the site for me.

Playing with bugs

Stephen needs a son! I had to go inside when they were playing with this beetle bug. Ugh!

I was putting away Allie's toys today and saw what sums up her personality....a baby riding in a dumptruck. She loves playing with her stuffed animals and babies, but also is interested in balls, trucks and bugs.

4th of July

We went to downtown Easley for their 4th of July celebration. We all enjoyed the fireworks.

Watching the band play. Look at that belly! I asked the "event information" lady where the nearest bathroom was and she led me straight to the VIP restrooms which were 5 feet away from our seats!
I like this picture. Allie is going to miss her pillow.

Waiting on our table for dinner...

Here is a pic of the band "The Flashbacks"...the whole evening was quite entertaining. The best part was people watching. There were definitely some interesting people that live in Easley, SC...I will leave it at that so I won't get myself into trouble!