Family fun!

Mikes parents made a trip here to TEXAS to come see all us crazy kids, oh, and meet their newest grandson. It was much needed time with family and as always, the boys were so beyond excited and happy to have their Papa and Grandma here. They love them so much and so do we. We miss you all already!

Brothers

The baby whisperer

The Bullard Boys

NICU

My poor sweet Oliver. Just as we were celebrating your glorious birth my worst nightmare came true and you were taken to the NICU. My whole world shook. It seemed like a dejavu from Elijah. Your father and I prayed over you my entire pregnancy that the Lord would provide us with a healthy baby and that we wouldn't have to have another one of our children sick and in the NICU, and when they came by to have me say goodbye to you so they could take you away, I felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest. You were laying there trying so very hard to breathe on your own and I could see how badly you were struggling.

Once in the NICU they did xrays and saw that because you were struggling to breathe so hard that you had developed a whole in your lung. At that point, the only things doctors could do to give your little body the rest it needed was to intibate you. When I came to visit you I wasn't able to hold you and after the first day, I wasn't able to touch you because you were in a "no stimulation" mode. All I wanted was to wrap my arms around you and tell you how much we loved you and needed for you to get better.

As the days went on you were not improving and at one point, got worse so they had to do a blood transfusion to help your little body fight. Day and night Mommy came to the NICU to visit you and talk to your doctors, and before I knew it, it was time for me to go home, but I was doing so without you. Your daddy and I never thought we would have to leave a second baby behind and go home empty handed once again.

I don't think a mother/parent could fully grasp the pain of having your baby stay behind as you take the next step of going home. A time where you envision this beautiful moment and homecoming and instead it is replaced with sadness and tears. I cried out to God on so many occasions as to why this was happening again, and again He sweetly assured me that He loved you Oliver so much more than your Daddy and I ever could and you were in His care. We prayed fervently that the Lord would heal your little body so that we could have you home with us.

From that point on, the circus began. Thanks so my absolutely amazing friends, they helped to devise a schedule where I could have sitters come to the house in shifts as well as drivers come and take me to and from the NICU everyday and your daddy came during every available lunch break that he had. We did this, hoping that with every visit you would improve and thank God you did. After about a week, the hole in your lung closed on its own and little by little you begain to improve. Each time I came to see you, your oxygen levels were up, you were improving on your feeds and before we knew it, one by one the machines, cords, wires, multiple IV lines were removed and you were breathing and eating all on your own. All that was left was left was my beautiful baby boy's face that I had not seen for so long, and we were finally able to hold you. Praise God!

On the day we brought you home, your Daddy, brothers and I all went to the NICU to get you. When we arrived all your nurses and doctors were there awaiting our arrival to finally take you home. They loved on you and were so excited to see you healthy and ready to go home where you belonged. It was a sweet moment for sure and from that moment on it has been a ride little guy. You have been a firecracker from the moment you were born, probably because you have two older brothers ahead of you =) But now I look at you and you are chunking up before my eyes and smiling. We are looking forward to watching you grow baby boy.

We could not have gotten through those tough times without our Lord and our friends. Thank you for the sleepless nights of staying with me, taking me to the NICU at all hours. Thank you for taking care of and handling things that Mike and I were not capable of doing at that time. You stepped up ways that still to this day is so humbling. You all provided us with prayer, meals, words of encouragement, car rides to and from hospital, love, care for our children, tears and support. It is as though God banded together this amazing group of people because he knew we were going to need you, what a blessing.We are forever grateful to all of you who selflessly cared and loved on our family through that time. We will forever remember your support and we love you all so very much!

Oliver Thomas

Welcome Oliver Thomas Born 8/5/2010 @ 8:02am via c-section 8lbs 1oz, 21 1/2 in!

Proud Daddy

Smooshy face

Big feet!

Balloon Festival

This past weekend we went to the Celina Balloon Festival! It was craaaaazy hot but we went in the nightime so it actually turned out to be nice. We brought our blanket and purchased some shaved ice and hung out and listened to the live band, people watched and waited for the balloons to inflate. Unfortunatley, the wind picked up and they did not do the evening glow with all the balloons, but they did get one up briefly so the kiddos were happy about that! It was a nice evening spent with the family and friends =)

Silly Boys

The boys have had so much fun so far this summer! They love being outdoors and playing in the sprinklers and pool. Now that they are getting older, they are such a riot to watch play together, and of course, torture eachother as brothers do! Enjoy!

Funny Eli checking out his crazy hose contraption

My big boy Gavin

Gavin pinching the hose to torture his brother...

And... here goes nothing...

We all couldnt stop laughing at this, especially Gavin!!!

My 3 boys

I cannot tell you how surreal it is that we are going to be bringing another beautiful little boy into our family. It has been 3 crazy years with just Gavin and Elijah and us, although they graced us with their presence only 18 months apart, it feels as though its been the 4 of us FOREVER! We have gone through so many life changes and challenges and memories and I still pinch myself when I look down at my "not so little belly" and think, " Holy moly another Bullard boy!"

Gavin and Elijah, you two crazy boys are nothing short of AMAZING! Mommy and Daddy have cherished every moment that we have been blessed enough to spend with the two of you and know that you both are going to love Oliver just as much as we have loved you.

Gavin, you are the absolute sweetest boy. You have already told your Daddy and I, other than the simple fact that you are asking Jesus for a baby sister next =), how you want to hold Oliver and feed him and love on him when he cries. You are asking me on a daily basis when Oliver is going to be here and it warms my heart. You are going to be such a little helper and wonderful big brother to Oliver just as you have been these past 3 yrs to your Elijah!

Elijah, you crack us up!!!! We were the most concerned with how you would/will react to the new baby but after seeing you with your bff Grady as well as a multiude of other little ones I just know you are going to be such a sweetie. Feisty, but a sweetie! Im looking forward to seeing you as the big brother for a change and I am sure I am going to just keel over when I see you next to Oliver because you have been the baby of the family now for so long! Wow, my baby isnt going to be my baby anymore.

All in all, we are very excited for the changes to come! We love all 3 of you boys with all our hearts!

3rd bday fun!

Elijah had the best time at his 3rd birthday party with all of his little friends! He did the zip line, ball pit, slides, swings, you name it! It was so sweet to see him so happy! He also got a little house from Mommy and Daddy as his present as he loves the one he plays with at school, and his face just lit up when he saw it! So precious! We love you big boy!