Sweet John Thomas

 

We're home with John Thomas and just soaking him up. It's amazing how much you can love something on first sight. He's peaceful and quiet; we're all absolutely head over heels in love.

Our first days with John have been sweet. Madeline and Charlie adore him. Through our hospital room window, Rob and I watched them walk with Rob's mom, hand in hand, from the parking garage up to the hospital doors, proudly wearing their Big Sister and Big Brother t-shirts. When we heard the elevator ding, they ran down the hall into my arms and were bursting with excitement to meet their new sibling. It's pretty amazing to think that they've been waiting most of their young lives for this baby to arrive.

Charlie's first words were, "I love you, Baby John." Then instead of kissing him, he slurped him, pretending to drink him like a milkshake, and hasn't exactly stopped slurping him since. Today, he kept grabbing John's hand, saying something that sounded like "hi fi"; I realized after he did it a few times that he was giving his little brother high fives!

Madeline immediately asked to hold him; she was so careful and serious, staring into his eyes. She asked me shyly if we could sing him Rock-a-Bye Baby, which we did together softly, and then she whispered to me that she had called him Johnny. A little bit later, when I passed John to Rob, Madeline was alarmed that she couldn't find him and started looking under my hospital gown. 

John Thomas is named after my dad and Rob's. We wanted to honor two men who mean so much to us and who represent the qualities we hope to teach our little John. With their help, course.

We are so blessed and just can't wait for everyone to meet our little guy!