He's Here!!

Our little guy is here! He was born September 20, 2012 at 2:47 PM, weighed 6 pounds 11 ounces, and measured 18 inches long. He is such a sweet baby and we are so excited to have him as part of our family! Here is the exciting story of how he made his grand entrance...

Robbie and I woke up Thursday morning, September 20 and got ready for our 37 week doctor's appointment. I had put pork carnitas in the Crock Pot before we left because the BYU football game was that night and we always like to eat a good meal and watch the game. Robbie was ready to go to straight to work after the appointment and I was going to go up to my in-laws' house to stay cool in their air conditioned house and hang out, so we drove separate cars. Our appointment was scheduled for 9:45 AM and the doctor checked to see if I was dialating. He asked me, "Are you sure you haven't had any major contractions?" I hadn't felt any labor contractions or pain (just the regular Braxton Hicks contractions), but apparently I was dialated to a 7 or 8! Our doctor looked over at Robbie and said, "Are you going to work today or are you going to have a baby?" We looked at each other completely surprised and said, "Well, I guess we are going to have a baby!"

We walked across the street to the hospital, and as we walked we were laughing at the whole situation and trying to figure everything out. We called our moms and let them know we were heading into the hospital. Once we reached the hospital, they wheeled me up to the labor and delivery floor and I got all checked in. Everyone was amazed that I was that far into labor, but I think I was the one most surprised! Once we signed all the paperwork, they took me into our delivery room, hooked me up to all the monitors, and put an IV in me. By this time it was around 11:00 AM. My nurse, who was so fantastic!, didn't believe that I could be that far dialated so she checked me again... and I was definitely dialated to a 7 or 8. So while we were waiting for me to get fully dialated we tried to figure everything out... our hospital bag, including our video camera and snap-shot camera, was back at our apartment, so we called my friend Kayla to ask her to go to our apartment to get it and bring it to us. Robbie informed his team that he would not be coming in to work, and his mom was able to come down to the hospital. And I got to Skype with my mom. We were planning on having her come out for the birth, but it all just happened too fast!

 Skyping with Mom!

Around noon, I started to feel the contractions, but wasn't in any pain. Robbie and his mom got some lunch at the hospital cafeteria and the nurses went on their lunch break shortly after. Once the nurses came back, they called the doctor in and he broke my water and the anesthesiologist gave me the epidural. Over the next hour I could feel the contractions getting stronger and stronger and was glad to have had the epidural!

Feeling good after the epidural!

Around 2:00 PM the nurse checked me again and I was fully dialated! We did a couple of practice pushes and waited for the contractions to get more intense. A little while later we were ready to start pushing! Robbie was a little worried that he would be squeemish with the whole birthing thing, and if you ever want to see how good Robbie is at the breathing exercises while pushing, just ask him! :) They called the doctor in and about four pushes later he was here! They immediately put him on my chest and he started crying! He came out a healthy little boy.

Our First Family Photo!

I have had a lot of comments about how I looked after giving birth... all I have to say is he came so fast that I didn't have time to get the full "being in labor" look! If you saw me during my recovery days, you wouldn't doubt that I had a baby. :)

We were able to take our little guy home Saturday morning. And because I had cooked dinner in the Crock Pot the day he was born, we were able to eat that for dinner that night. Robbie likes to joke that I gave birth to our child and made dinner all in the same day! What can I say, I'm pretty talented. :)

Well, that was quite the story. It happened all so fast that we didn't have time to worry about everything, which both of us were happy about. We are so blessed that even though we was a little early, he is completely healthy. He is such a joy in our lives and we love him so much!!

37 Weeks - Full Term!

Well, we made it to 37 weeks!  Today I am considered to have reached a "full-term" pregnancy and baby Carson is considered to be healthy enough to come into the world any day now!  This past week was my first week of maternity leave and it was so nice to be home.  I washed his clothes, organized his things, packed the hospital bag, and started to clean the house.  I have been in full nesting mode!  Here is a picture marking week 37... the pictures are starting to get less and less flattering the closer I get. :)

Last week my parents came into town and spent a few days with me.  It was so much fun to spend some one on one time with them before the baby comes!  My mom was able to be here for the baby shower, and my dad was a trooper because the baby shower was also the day of his birthday.  We tried to make it up to him by taking them to BJ's for their birthday dinners later that night!

My friends Kayla and Laura and my sister-in-law Danielle put on the baby shower and they did a great job!!  It was so much fun... I wanted to do a dinosaur theme and they went all out!  Here are some of the cute pictures from the shower.

 

Kayla, me, and Laura getting ready for the party!

Cute table centerpieces!

 

Awesome dinosaur cupcakes made by Danielle!

 

 

And lots of other good dinosaur snacks!

 

 

Playing games... everyone had to draw a baby with a paper plate on their head.

 

 

 

The adorable monster blanket made by Papa Rich!

 





It was such a fun day and I am so grateful for my friends and family that came!  Rob and I have felt so much love and support over these last few months and I know it is just beginning!  We will keep everyone posted over the next few weeks about our little boy!  I can't believe it is almost here!!

35 Weeks!

I can't believe it is already September!  Next month our little Carson James is due and we are so excited... 5 more weeks!!  I feel like the pregnancy has gone by fast, but at the same time I think back to January and February, my first couple of months, and that seems so long ago.  I was looking back at my belly pictures and laughing at the difference between my 20 week picture and now my 35 week picture...

20 Weeks

 

vs.

 

35 Weeks...

 

Quite a difference!

We went in a couple of weeks ago to have an ultrasound done.  They were able to look at all his organs and he looks fully developed!  We even saw a little bit of fuzzy hair on his little head!  At the time he weighed about 5 pounds, 1 ounce (they say give or take 12 ounces).  I was surprised that he was that big!  We tried to get a good look at his face, but he had his little hand in front of his face the entire ultrasound... someone wants to hide his handsomeness until he makes his big debut!

I have been busy with work these last few months... July, August, and September are the busiest parts of the year for my work.  It has been good because it keeps me busy, but me and my body are ready to be done.  And fortunately this is week my last week before I go on leave!  I will have four weeks before the due date to finish up my nesting projects (mostly sewing and cleaning!).

Rob has been a champ these last few months in dealing with a pregnant wife.  It has been unusually warm here in Southern California this summer and the only a/c we have in our apartment is a little unit in our front room.  As a result, he has had to live with a hot, sweaty, and sometimes ornery wife.  But I'm glad to say it is getting better as we roll into the fall.  He has also had to deal with all of my nesting projects... I have made him put together a crib and shelving unit, and pick up a dresser from the furniture store.  And then I started organizing all of our closets and cupboards, so we had to make a couple of trips to the garbage bin and the DI trailer.  And not to mention the random outbursts of tears that come along with pregnancy.  He's such a good man. :)

Well, we will keep you all posted over the next few weeks!  We can't wait to meet our little man!