Welcome to the World

I last wrote on Thursday the 15th and I knew that we would be heading to the hospital to have our little lad on Saturday the 17th...This picture was taken on Friday the 16th the night before we had our little boy...this picture does not do justice to what my legs and feet looked liked. The doctor put me on bed rest at my last appointment and told me I had to stay down with my legs elevated till our little guy was born. Lucky it was only one day!!! (Note: this is LONG and it took me over a month to post...I have been writing the story in word and I finally finished it)Saturday September 17, 2011
I could not sleep; I tried so hard because I knew it was going to be a long day but I could not relax and I just watched some TV and sat alone with my thoughts. Going back a little bit; on Thursday at my doctor’s appointment, I had gained 12 pounds in one week since my last visit and my blood pressure was elevated; the doctor checked me and said that I was ripe and ready and dilated to a 4, so he called the hospital and scheduled an induction for 5am on Saturday, which I thought was a good time. I spent Friday lying on the couch relaxing and then I got up around 3am on Saturday and could not stop pacing and just waiting. My fear was that they would be too busy for us to come in at the scheduled time but I called the hospital at 4 and they said to head on in. We got to the hospital in great time and went up to the baby center of Celebration Hospital. The nurses were all waiting for us and they brought us right into the room. I thought that I had preregistered at the hospital after one of my appointments but they did not have all my information in the system. As they were getting me hooked up they were asking me questions and getting me all settled. I am usually ok with pokes and needles but putting the IV into my hand hurt more than I thought it would; I thought if that was an indication of how this day was going to turn out I was not ready. The night nurse was very nice and we had a lot in common. Her husband is a golf professional like my husband and they just moved here from California, close to the place where we would have moved if we had taken the job offer there. They just had a baby a few months ago and were doing the same things we were doing. It was nice of her to talk to us; it calmed my nerves a little bit. She said she would be leaving at 7 that morning and I was scared of who the day nurse was going to be but when she came in she was nice as well and I would not have wanted it any other way. So they started the Pitocin around 6am and we just sat around of a while; I was dilated to a 4 when I went in and was to a 5 within the next few hours. I was surprised at the set up and the TV and movies that they had, we put on the movie tangled; my husband had not seen it before. When we went in for our first ultrasound, that movie was playing in the waiting room and we watched a bit of it but I had wanted him to see it for a while so we put it on. He fell asleep within a few minutes and I did not want to watch it without him, so I turned on another movie and then tried asleep too.

Around 9 we both were awake and finished the movie Tangled. The nurse kept coming in asking me if I felt the contractions; I happened to be having them frequently but I could not feel them. I had to get up frequently to use the restroom My mother and sister were on call, they did not want to come too early but still wanted to be there as well. We called them around 10 and let them know that things were progressing and I was dilated to a 6; they said they would head up in the next little while. The doctor came in around 11:30 and broke my water and within a minute or less of that I started feeling the contractions and feeling them strong. I was not prepared, it went from feeling nothing to feeling everything and I tried to put on a good face but it was painful. The nurse had come in right before the doctor broke the water and asked me when I wanted the epidural and I had almost said I am ok right now maybe in a little while but something told me to tell her that I was ready whenever the anesthesiologist could do it. He was doing an epidural and then a C-section and then would be up. I was so grateful that I told the nurse to put me in the lineup because like I said I started feeling the contractions right away and was so ready at that moment for it. My mother and sister showed up at this time and I had to be strong in fount of them even though it hurt. I would try and turn my head to the side until it was over. The anesthesiologist came up around 12:30 and I was so happy to see him. He administered the drugs to me and I felt the first relief in weeks; it was instant aid that I was so grateful for. I had contemplated doing it all natural but was so happy that I just said to do it. My hands and legs had been hurting for the past three weeks so badly and I had not gotten a good night’s sleep in about that same time. I was induced because my blood pressure had been high and when the epidural was administered my blood pressure dropped and bottomed out a few times, they kept changing my position and checking the pressure every minute and monitoring things very closely. The baby was not handling the contractions good either, his blood pressure would drop too. They put a monitoring device right on his head so they could monitor him more closely and within the hour things were stable.
I was able to relax and even sleep some over the next few hours. My husband was in heaven as he had the remote and turned on Saturday football and I really did not care what he was doing. By 5pm I was dilated to an 8 and things were moving along. The nurse came in and said it was time to push and see if we could get the baby to drop more. She said sometimes people do not get the concept of pushing and it takes a while but I think I got the hang of it and she said I did a good job. My fear was that I was going to have a bowel movement as I pushed and it was not until after I told myself I just had to forget about it that I really started to see some progression. She asked who was going to hold my legs and there was a moment of awkward silence and my husband said I will and my sister took the other side. Never in my mind did I think that they would have to hold my legs, it was weird at first but then I really just did not care I wanted to have this baby. I pushed for 15 minutes and he moved along, he got stuck in the pelvic region for a little while. The nurse decided to sit me up in the bed vertical and see if he would drop more instead of trying to push for 30 more minutes. After I had been up for a few minutes I started to get light headed and not feel well. In February I had passed out after kneeling for a few minutes and I felt like I was going to go out again. They lied me back down and it was just in the nick of time, I know I would have passed out if I had been sitting up any longer. They monitored me for 30 minutes and it took a while to feel better but around 6 she checked me and I was dilated to a 10 and was complete and ready to go. We pushed for 15 or so minutes and she called the doctor. We had thought that he had gone home but he had been down in the break room and came up. It took him about 15 minutes to get up there. Side note my mother is a notary and was supposed to marry our landlords who have been together for 20 years but just decided this past little while that they wanted to get married at the gazebo by my parents’ home this trip while they were here. They decided on the 17^th and we are so lucky that my father became the bishop of our ward a few weeks ago because he was able to step in and perform the marriage while my mother was with us. So back to the hospital we called my dad at 5:00 and I just felt like I should invite him to come up whenever he could; he was going to come up later in the evening but he ended up driving up then. Little boy was waiting for his grandfather because the doctor was all set by 6:30 and I started pushing; my father walked into the room at 6:37 and he was born at 6:38. He weighed 7 pounds 9 ounces and was 19 inches long.
It was perfect timing. He came out screaming and stopped once he was in my arms and then they took him to do all the measurements and stuff and he screamed the whole time until he was safely sound in his daddy’s arms. I was grateful that the sweet nurse that had been with us all day had wanted him to be born before she left at 7 and he did; I was so happy that she able to be there for the delivery. The nurse that came after her for the evening shift was not as nice and very forceful, lucky we changed to the recovery room an hour after we had him.

(So Grateful that my husband, sister and parents were able to be there to witness this miracle)

(They pumped me with so much water that I gained another 10 pounds in the hospital...that was like over 20 pounds of water weight in less then two weeks, eeek)

(Thank You Renee Jacobsen for taking these pictures)

There are many people that have said that with their first born baby they wish they could have taken their nurse home with them…well I am pretty lucky that I have my sister Ashlee. She is a nurse and has spent 10 years working in the mother baby unit or hospitals around the country. We had our little guy on Saturday and came home on Sunday; I had some friends come up to the hospital the day we were leaving and my sister came up with them. When they left she decided to stay with us and spend the last few hours at the hospital and then literally came home with me. I am so grateful for her help.

We are in the process of purchasing a home and right now are living with my parents; there are 5 adults to this one little lad and he is spoiled. He loves being held and cannot stand being naked. The only time he cries and I mean scream is when you change his diaper or clothes, give him a bath or if he is really hungry; I try not to let him get to that point. He is such a precious little boy and we are in love with our little Teddy Bear!!!

He's a Coming!!!

Its the 15th of the month and all my information at work is due to the state. I had three properties that were being a pain this month and not getting me the information that I needed. I went into the office at 6:00 and was able to get everything done and sent on except the three I was waiting for. I had wanted to get everything taken care before my appointments!!!

I had an ultrasound today and the baby is measuring perfect; he was sucking his thumb and the heart beat was just great. She printed out a picture but this far along you really could not tell because everything is so squished, so I wont post it. I then had an appointment with the Doctor. My blood pressure was high and the urine was not great; along with the major swelling in the lower extremities and the fact that I am dilated to a 4-5 and 80% effaced, the doctor stripped my membrane and set an induction for Saturday morning; saying that I might not make it till then. The end is in sight and I feel so relieved. I just want to get this little guy in my arms and sqeeze an kiss him all day long.

I came across this poem and absolutly love it, I could not express my feelings more!!!

To my unborn child,
what I wish to give you in times to come,
happiness, and wisdom,
a life filled with fun,
to explore all adventures of your curious mind,
to become knowledgeable of what you'll find,
as I await your arrival and the presence of newborn cries,
I picture how you'll look when I open up my eyes.
I feel your movements every time I wake each day,
letting mommy know that you're okay,
obstacles I hope you'll overcome,
education I know you'll get done,
I stay up late reading to you,
talking to my stomach,
a feeling I never knew,
hungry all the time
'No doubt you're a son of mine',
You make me feel happy even when I'm sad,
because the formation of another life makes me glad.
Proud of you I am,
I already know how you'll be,
a smart 'lil' man for mommy to see,
no worries from me a mom to be,
to a special baby boy I can't wait to see.

All Doctored Up

There is a sweet lady in our ward that is very big on organic and natural remedies. My mother talked to her on the phone and asked if there was anything she knew of that would help my swelling. She sent some wintergreen mineral oil home with my mother and Ashlee and I sat and watched an episode of project runway while she rubbed my hands with this special oil. It made my hands feel different, I would not say they felt great, but the pins and needles shooting pain subsided for a little while and that was really nice. When my mother got home she received a call from this sister in our ward and she said she was on her way over to the house last night with some homemade oils and minerals that she had used from her garden. She stayed for a little while and rubbed my feet and hands and put them in wraps and braces. The wraps on my feet made me look like I had broken legs and my hands looked the same way. My mother snapped a few pictures so we could remember. I ended up sleeping on the couch sitting up last night with my feet propped up on a piano bench and I did actually sleep a little more then an hour at a time; at three my hands were so numb that I had to take off the braces. I am not sure if numb is the right word to use, it just feels like there is so much pressure in there and it can’t go anywhere. By four I ended up soaking in a bath, which was a mistake because my hands and legs started to burn so bad. I realized that she had used Cheyenne pepper in her homemade oils and the heated water irritated that tremendously.

I have my doctors appointment tomorrow and I really hope that things are progressing and maybe I can talk my way into having this little lad a bit early…I mean really a week a 2 days, they can take him and spare me some misery and pain J

She gave me a neck massage as well and that was the best part of the evening!!!
I LOOK HIDEOUS!!! My face is starting to swell as well and my legs are the size of elephants; I had no idea my calfs could get this big...and be so rock hard; it has started to go up my leg as well, I have no knee cap and my thighs are starting to get bigger too. My jeans are starting to get a little too tight around the legs, lucky the end is in sight!

2 Weeks and Counting

Its 4:45am on a Tuesday morning and I am at the office. I have come in around 4 for the past two mornings; I have not been able to sleep more then 2 hours a night in the past 2 weeks and each day my hands get progressively worse. I have less then two weeks until my due date and the day could not come fast enough. I have tried everything to get my hands to stop aching; the doctors have given me two perscriptions that have not helped with the swelling and pain but ha made me somewhat drowsy. I have fallen asleep in my chair at the office a few times; maybe I should bring my chair home with me and try and sleep in it at night. Last night I tried sleeping sitting up on the couch with the ice pack and then alternating with the heat; it worked out ok...but the only relief I get is soaking my hands in water and applying heat and cold whenever I can. If I could be submersed in water all day long I would not mind being pregnant but since I cant feel my hands most of the time and when I do it feels like sharp needles penetrating my skin it makes life kinda difficult. I only have three more days of work until all my information is due to the state and then I can actively try and get this baby to come out. At my appointment on the 31st the Doctor checked and I was progressing but was not dilated; at my appointment on the 8th it was a different story, I was dilated to a 3 almost 4 and 70% effaced. The doctor told me that I had been working had that week and that the baby might come early. I hope that each week will get progressively better. I have my next appointment in three days and I just hope for my sanity sake that he is ready to come. My sister Tiffani left yesterday to head back home to the middle east; she tried so hard to get this baby to come while she was still here but he did not want to make his appearance. We took long walks and even jumped on our neighbors trampoline at like 11:30 at night. It was quite comical. So now, I just need to make it through these next few days and then this baby needs to come out, I do not think my hands and my sanity can take two more weeks of this; but if they have to endure the pain; I know this little lad is going to be worth it.

ALL-STAR SHOWERING OF LOVE

This past Thursday some ladies at church threw me the ALL STAR of showers. I felt so loved and got more things for our little guy then I know what to do with. I am so grateful to know so many wonderful women and absolutly love all of them. Thank You for such a fun eveningThis is the darling shower invitation that Heather Munns and Eva Snider made for our little ALL-STAR


The food was awesome. They made the Olive Garden Salad that was so tasty; had some bread and garlic butter from Chimento's (an amazing family owned itilian resturant in town); some stuffed mushrooms, spinch aritchoike dip and some yummy desserts that included cupcakes, pumpkin squares and my favorite texas sheet cake. Thank You to all who contributed



Some of the fun gifts!!! This is a blanket that Sister Lahue made for our little guy, gotta love the golfer in the middle!!! and its Red, White and Blue (which is my husbands favorite colors, not mine). I will have to post the blanket that Little Lizzie Jacobsen made (with the colors of lime green, orange and brown, my favorite)...There were somany other generous gifts. Their was a group gift avaliable and I decided at first I wanted a stoller/car seat combo but ended up going with just a stroller. Eva and I were going to run to the store on Wednesday and try and find something but she ended up looking on Craigslist and found a real nice stroller for a reasoable price. It is a Zooper Hula and its black and turquoise. It is perfect and I am so grateful to have good stroller. Thank You to all!!!

The Whole Crew, minus some that had to leave early!!! What a great group of beautiful women

My mother and sisters, we were missing Lindsay. My sister Tiffani when she was pregnant with my nephew Benton has a picture at this same exact spot, but I was missing. So nice of Patsy of opening up her home and making us feel so welcome. By the way, dont you love my shirt. Eva and Ashlee got this (pea in a pod) top at the salvation army for 2 bucks. What a steal deal

This is now my parents living room. I am going through all of our baby stuff and I cant seem to get organized. But it is fun and I will get it all squared away soon

Pre-Natal Loving

The way I told my sister Lindsay that I was expecting was by asking her if she could take some pre-natal photographs. We wanted to take pictures when we were in Idaho at the farm where my mother grew up but I ended up not being able to go, so we decided to do it here in Florida when she was here for the reception. Sunday night I was looking nice but we really did not have a vision of what we wanted to do so we planned to do it on Monday. Monday was labor day and we spend the most part of the day up in Orlando at some friends house boating. I was not feeling great and when we got home I crashed on my parents bed. Around 6 she came in and woke me up and asked if I still wanted to do the pictures. At the pointe I almost said no way, I did not want to get up and get ready but I really did want the pictures so I said yes. While the family went out to Wild Florida for the evening; Lindsay and Ashlee stayed behind and glammed me up. We found outfits that might work and we pulled it off with just the right amount of sunlight an sanity I had left. I am so grateful for my sisters and all their hard work; Linz for being the bestest photgraphr ever and Ash for being the best assistant and cheerleader. The photos turned out better then I ever imagined and I am so happy to have them. Below are some of my favorites. They are all property of Hart to Hart digital design.

Didn't they turn out so AMAZING...I love the ones with the baseball stuff and I cant believe that she got me to lay in the lake. We were sitting on the dock and she said she wanted me to go and get my feet wet and splash around. She then said, I have a vision and want you to lay down in the water. I had my favorite jeans on and was hesitant, but I am so glad that I did...Thank You again Lindsay and Ashlee for all your hard work in turnning the couch potato on the bed to this!!!

Fun with B and Z!!!

It is so nice to have Tiff, Benton and Zoe here for a few weeks. We have done so many fun things. We are tring to spend every second with B and Z since they do not get to come to the states very often. Lucky we have skype but sometimes its not enough

Early Morning Fishing!!!

Some Sister Loving!!!

Merriments and Matrimony

After spending a few days celebrating my Aunts Wedding, we got to change gears and focus on the little brothers wedding. Taylor and Anne are deeply in love and we are happy to have her part of our Clark Clan. I cant believe her last name is Clark, she is so lucky to not have to change her last name. Her family was so inviting and we loved spending time together. It was sad that my husband was not able to attend because of work commitment; he was missed!!!

Family Shower the Monday before the wedding!!!

Friend Shower in Rexburg!!! After the temple on Thursday night we headed to Nelsons Frozen Custard; this is new to Rextown but not to us. They have one in Saint George and we would always stop on our trips from San Diego.

The Happy Couple

My worst fear when Taylor told me that he was getting married in August was 1. I was not going to be able to attend and 2. if I did infact go, I was going to look like a big balloon. As you can see in the pictures I was able to attend. My doctor advised me not to go but I called our Stake President who is a baby doctor and asked him what his opinion was. He said he would go if he was in my position but I would need to go home a pray about it. I understand where the doctors are coming from in not wanting a 8 month pregnant woman traveling for many hours on a plane and all but I also wanted to be at the wedding. I felt at peace with going because the pregancy so far has been fine, I have had no complications. I told my doctor that I was planning on going unless there was something life threating to me and the baby that arrised. Nothing arrised, so I made the trek out. So my number 2 concern was that I was going to look like a huge fat woman at the wedding and in the pictures, but I have to say they turned out great. Annie has so many friends and family that were bridesmaids that we all did not have the same outfit. She told us each to go and find a gray dress to wear. I had a really hard time finding a dress, I did not know how big I was going to be and most of the maternity dresses at a decient price were the strechy cliny material that was not very falttering. My sister Tiffani called me from Qutar a few weeks before the wedding and said that she had a purple maternity dress that was nice and comfortable and she could see if she could find fabric and have them make a dess in gray for me. Needless to say it turned out perfect, better then I thought it would be. I was able to feel pretty and not feel like a complete outcast standing next to my utlra beautiful and skinny sisters. I had to wear my flip flops because the only part of my body that is super swollen are my legs; they looks like elephants. I always told everybody I would rather have swollen legs then a swollen face. I cannot believe how big they are. When they first started swelling I would prop them up on pillows at night and in the morning they would be down a little bit but now that is not the case. They are huge all the time. We did take family pictures; I wonder how they turned out. I was getting ready in Taylor and Annie's room and I saw that she had a paid of gray heals. She wears a size nine so I tried them on and my feet barely fit but they went on; I put the on for the five mintues we took the family picture and then the flip flops went back on. I laugh every time I look at them and so does everybody else... It was a nice trip but I have to say I was glad that it was all over!!!

Mission Parents

While I was in Utah I was very fortunate to be able to see both of my Mission Presidents and their wives. I was super sad after I left the Crocketts house because I forget to get a picture with them. I stopped by their beautiful home the day I got to Utah and it was very nice to be able to sit and catch up. I had gone to lunch with Sister Crocket last year but I had not seen President Crockett for about 2 years and he was able to be there too. They are so wonderful. I then was able to go and visit the Thurstons at their home the day before we headed to Idaho. Both of my mission presidents live in Sandy, such a small world. President Crockett was called to be the bishop of a singles ward in that area an if the Thurstons had any single children at home, they would be in their ward...they cross paths on occasion. I find it so amazing that I was able to be with these four wonderful people in my year and a half service in Texas. I am so grateful for them and all they are and stand for. I will love you all forever!!!

Sista T

Tiny T!!! While serving in Colleyville (same area as the mission president) on my mission we got to see the Thurstons on occasion. They would take us out to eat sometimes and we would just stop by sometimes. We nicknmed President Thurston Tiny T for fun because he is a big tall teddy bear.
It was so nice again to be able to see the Crocketts and the Thurstons

Introducing Clifford and Julie Holmes

My mothers oldest sibling and sister got married this past August in the Mount Timpanogos temple. My aunt has been to all of our celebrations, weddings and festivities throughout the years and it was fun to all come together and celebreat with her.

The Happy Couple
My mother and her dad, step mother and siblings, minus the two angels in Heaven who's spirit and presence were felt all day long.

My Father and I

The Parentas

My good friend Jana who I got to spend a little bit of time with this weekend. Love that Lady!!!

CTS during Pregnancy

It’s interesting the things you take for granted when you have full use of them. I am about 37 weeks pregnant and a week a half ago I started having pain in my arms and hands; at times it becomes unbearable and I have to fight back the tears and its nice when your along and can just let it out. I have not been able to sleep more then a few hours a night I researched online and my signs and symptoms go right along with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. This is something that can occur in the final months of pregnancy and most of the time will subside after the baby is born.

There are times where I cannot use my hands at all, I cannot brush my hair or put a hair tie in, I cannot hold a pen, and there is severe pain in my hand joints that progresses to a shooting pain or numbness all the way up my arm…whenever I lie down to rest/sleep my entire hands/arms to the shoulder burn and go numb. I try and sleep at night but its nearly impossible most of the time.

A sweet lady I know gave me some splints/wrist braces that have helped some but even at the loosest setting my hands are still numb and painful all the time. The only relief is water; if my hands could be submersed in hot or cold water 24/7 I would be in good shape. I am not one to complain but I am just not sure what to do; my doctors said that there is nothing they can do to help either; Tylenol does not work like my good old ibuprofen and even though my hands are super swollen and legs and feet are the size of elephants they say its normal pregnancy edema and I am just going to have to make due until this little guy arrives. Which I hope will be sooner then later, I am not sure how much more I can take with only a few hours of sleep at night and being in pain all day long.

Ok, now I am off my soap box. I know this is nothing compared to what some people out there face. I live in modern times with technology and medical advances. I wonder what the people in the pioneer days did. They must have been programmed to be stronger then me. I thought I had a high tolerance of pain but maybe I was wrong; or maybe the hands and arms are just so sensitive. Whatever the case; I can do anything for three weeks even being uncomfortable and in pain. And I am grateful for the uncomplicated pregnancy I have had

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