So relaxed

I hope I'm not jinxing myself but Jack is such a relaxed baby! I LOVE IT! We gave him his first bath yesterday and he didn't even flinch. He doesn't scream during tummy time either :) In fact, he doesn't scream at all. Being all honest, I was a little disappointed during my ultrasound because I wanted Claire to have a sister so bad. And since they weren't 100% sure he was a boy I had a little thought that maybe he would come out a girl. Maybe it was because I only just knew 'girl'... but I am totally in love with him. I'm so glad I got a little boy. We are so lucky to have him.

We haven't been doing much. I haven't left the house since he's been born but thats okay because I think that is why I am feeling so great. My zombie time will probably be when everyone is gone. My mom gets Claire when she wakes up so I can sleep until Jack wakes up. I am so thankful that they are here :) It will be hard when I have to get up with her after staying up late with Jack. He is still sleeping well. He went to bed around 11 last night and got up twice to nurse but went right back to sleep after. He's been sleeping in bed with us. I may set up his bed soon but he sleeps so well on his side. He may not sleep as great in his bed. And that would be sad :) and I really do like sleeping by him.

Claire is still doing good. She is such a screecher lately. Seriously, our neighbors are probably so thankful that we have a for rent sign in the front yard. I hope she stops once all the excitement is over. She is talking more than ever. She has the cutest way of saying "Okay" lately.

We have an apartment for when we get to Utah. I'm not real excited about it but we only have a 9 month lease. It's a basement apartment. The guy is a retired BYU professor. I think they travel a lot so it may not be really bad. You just have to get in through the garage. And I'm a little depressed about not having windows but we'll save money. We probably wont even start looking for houses until January (blah). Oh well...one more annoying rental before my own house!

Claire and daddy reading

Nap time
First bath
So tubby

Squishy cheeks

A few pictures

At his two day checkup Jack weighed 8 lbs 12 oz. Today, at his 4 day checkup he weighed 9.5

I'm a little sad. He is not going to be little very long at all.


The amniotic sac.











These are his 1st day pictures. He looks a little different now I think. At least more chunky :)


His cord fell off today too so I'll probably do his bath tomorrow. He is such a good baby. He hardly ever cries. The midwife did his heel stick today and he didn't cry at all. He just looks at you. He just seems so connected...I don't know. Last night he did a 5 hour stretch and a 4 1/2 hour one. I feel great. Seriously, the recovery this time is going so fast. I haven't taken any medicine today. Brian goes back to work tomorrow so I'm a little sad about that. Claire's been a little stinker since she got home today but I'm hoping it's just because she is tired. Life is good. We sure love our little guy!

Birth Story

Well, my parents are in Seattle with the boys and Claire so no newborn pictures...I am having the worst time getting them uploaded to my blog but I'll try again when they get back tomorrow. Anyway, I thought I should write up my birth story :)

Thursday I went to the hospital and got another non-stress test. Everything looked great but I was a little depressed at the thought of going back for another on Monday. I got home around 3:00 and took 4 T of castor oil. It wasn't bad since I mixed it up in a root beer float :) Nothing happened...and by nothing I mean none of the side effects that you hear castor oil giving you. I figured it was worthless. My mom and I walked to the store to get some stuff for dinner and we rented a movie. The boys got home from hiking and we started the movie around 8. I dont think I made it even5 minutes into it. I was sitting on the exercise ball and contractions started coming every minute and a half. I started panicking thinking this is not right, these are way too fast. I got in the shower to deal with them and Brian called the midwife, Kathy. She said she would be about an hour. i got out when the hot water ran out and they had spaced out to about 5 minutes apart. These were easy to handle, every time one would come I would just drop to my knees and lean on my exercise ball in front of the fan. Kathy got t here and got set up and took vitals and everything. I was a little worried labor was going to stop. Finally at two am I asked Kathy to check me and she called it a generous three....I was a little discouraged. Right after her check things got intense fast. Brian was totally AMAZING. I really don't know what I would do without him. I got in the tub which felt great. After an hour Kathy wanted me to get out and walk around some.

I started feeling the urge to push so she checked me and I had a little lip left but said I could push if I wanted. I labored on the toilet for a little bit and then got back in the tub. I didn't have that overwhelming urge to push with Claire but boy....I couldn't have stopped pushing if I wanted to. My midwife was so laid back. She just sat in the rocking chair and every 5-10 minutes (I think) came and checked the heart rate which was always great. I loved being by myself to push. I could reach and feel the head coming down. It was really hard to slow down when he started crowning and I did let out a scream when he did...I totally felt a little tear...yuck. My water didn't break until he was out which was so cool. Kathy just came over and guided him up to the surface and unwrapped the cord which was around his neck and body. I sat back and brought him up to me. It was amazing. He just looked around at everyone and didn't cry at all. He had some stuff in his throat but Kathy said it wasn't bad and he could work it out. No rough suctioning!! We sat in the water for a long time. I think it was over ten minutes before his cord stopped pulsating. No crying...just relaxed. Finally Brian cut the cord and took Jack...my feet were falling asleep. I couldn't stretch out in the tub because I was a little too short to reach the other side without Jack getting too low to the water.

He was born at 6:18 am so I went from 3 to delivered in 4 hours. He had 9/9 apgar scores. I think I nursed him in the tub and then when I got out. kathy examined the placenta which I delivered when I was in the tub. After an hour maybe? she did the newborn exam. Nothing was rushed...everything was done at the end of my bed. My baby was never taken way. I had one tear up but it wasn't worth stitching and hasn't hurt. Amazing considering Jack is over two lbs heavier than Claire! In fact, my bleeding has been so much less compared to Claire's birth. Pain too...I've been taking Ibuprofen but not much and not all the time. Recovery is going so good this time around but that's probably due in large part to the fact I have so much help here. I rarely get out of bed. I'm feeling much more rested in the first couple of days...no nurses coming in every hour. Jack has been sleeping great so far. He is a total cuddler. He wants to be right up next to me to sleep.

We LOVED the home birth experience. We both agree that as long as my pregnancy is low risk next time we want to do it again!

Claire's done pretty well around Jack. She had a hard time Sunday afternoon but I think that was because she really needed a nap. I love my kids so much!!!!

Jack and me chilling in the tub :)

Loving Two

Loving Two

(I'm still kinda in the emotional part that comes after you have a baby. I saw this and I cried :) But I thought it was sweet)

I walk along holding your almost 2-year-old hand , basking in the glow of our magical relationship. Suddenly I feel a kick from within, as if to remind me that our time alone is limited. And I wonder: how could I ever love another child as I love you? Then she is born, and I watch you. I watch the pain you feel at having to share me as you've never shared me before. I hear you telling me in your own way, Please love only me. And I hear myself telling you in mine, I cant, knowing, in fact, that I never can again. You cry. I cry with you. I almost see our new baby as an intruder on the precious relationship we once shared. A relationship we can never quite have again. But then, barely noticing, I find myself attached to that new being, and feeling almost guilty. Im afraid to let you see me enjoying her as though I am betraying you. But then I notice your resentment change, first to curiosity, then to protectiveness, finally to genuine affection. More days pass, and we are settling into a new routine. The memory of days with just the two of us is fading fast. But something else is replacing those wonderful times we shared, just we two. There are new times only now, we are three. I watch the love between you grow, the way you look at each other, touch each other. I watch how she adores you as I have for so long. I see how excited you are by each of her new accomplishments. And I begin to realize that I havent taken something from you, Ive given something to you. I notice that I am no longer afraid to share my love openly with both of you. I find that my love for each of you is as different as you are, but equally strong. And my question is finally answered, to my amazement. Yes, I can love another child as much as I love you, only differently. And although I realize that you may have to share my time, I now know youll never share my love. There is enough of that for both of you. You each have your own supply. I love you-both. And I thank you both for blessing my life. ~Author Unknown

Jack Allen is here!

Jack was born today (6/18) at 6:18 am. He was 8 lbs 15 oz, which is a whole 2 lbs bigger than Claire! (OUCH) He was born at home in the birth tub still in the caul which is pretty dang awesome. Labor was 10 hours long after 4 T of castor oil. (I doubt I would do that again!) I'll have to write a "birth story" later but it was so much less stress than going to the hospital. And I got to hold my baby first and I had him for a long time. I got to announce the gender and wait till the cord stop pulsing. My midwife was really hands off which was great! and of course Brian was AMAZING. I could not have done it without him :)

He is named after Brian's grandpa and my grandpa. Claire did really well meeting him today...hope that doesnt change. So far he is a really chill baby, of course he is less than a day old but we take what we can get around here :) We all sure love him. I'll post pictures tomorrow but my mom's blog has some..

faithnfamily.blogspot.com

Cleaning off the camera

Sock dance

Just dance--It was pretty fun. I looked so funny trying it being this huge. Luckily no one knew how to use my video while I was dancing. :)

Update...

Well I had a midwife appointment today. Still at a 2 but that's okay. Since I am overdue she wanted me to go and get an ultrasound and a non-stress test done at the hospital. Brian came with me which was so nice. For some reason they made me check in through the ER which was so annoying. We sat in triage listening to a guy who was going to get part of his colon removed...yuck. They wheeled me up to the labor and delivery area which was SO embarrassing. Brian was laughing at me. But once I got up there there was a really nice nurse who let me walk :) I guess she had been trying to get them to let me skip the ER but no luck. She was really nice. She did the ultrasound to measure my amniotic fluid. I think normal is considered from 8-18 and mine was at a 16.9. I've been drinking water like crazy :) She couldn't get the gender but that's okay. I'm excited to be the one to announce it. The non-stress test was great too...everything looked good and I was contracting every ten minutes which is what's been happening since I've been home too. Being at the hospital made me really not want to deliver there but at least if it does happen the nurses are nice.

Claire spent all day with Grandma and Grandpa and did great. She is so stinking cute. She LOVES her uncles. She just has so much fun being the center of attention. Love her so much.

:-P

Still nothing...but I downloaded "Come out Baby" from Hypnobabies and have started listening to that. Maybe that will work ;) Send me baby dust for tomorrow. It's my Grandmas birthday! Perfect :)

Another update

Went to the midwife today and I'm 2 cent. dilated and 80 % effaced...not that means much of anything. Checks are pretty much worthless but I just couldn't resist. So, I'll be a little more patient. I have an appointment set up for Wed., (Please let that be a postpartum visit..please) but if I haven't gone by then I have to set up a non-stress test and ultrasound. Sigh. Other than that things are good. I still have ankles. I just don't want to move with a one week old.

Still no baby....just to update everyone

Merrymere falls

So my ticker says "Its Go Time" and yes, I think it is. Unfortunately the baby has other ideas. Everyone except me went up to Merrymere Falls to hike today. I stayed at home and watched North and South...I love the BBC. They make very good period pieces. Now I think I'm going to start Robin Hood by the BBC. Anyway, go to my mom's blog HERE to see the pictures of the hike.

They're here!

So my family is here and I couldn't be happier :) They made it in Tuesday night. Claire is in heaven with so much attention. We went to my midwife appointment on Wednesday and then went to Fort Worden state park in Port Townsend.

There was a seal just chilling in the water.

It was really pretty...a little cool and windy (to me it felt GREAT) but that is Washington.

My appointment went great. She gave me some black and blue cohosh to maybe induce labor. I tried it today but stopped because my dad is going to be in Seattle Friday and Saturday. I'd rather have the baby when he is here to help watch Claire and Ethan. And besides...it is NASTY. Like seriously. So everyone send me baby vibes for Sunday morning...after a good night's sleep with everyone off to church :)

Brian and I did go out on a date tonight. A parent's date which always includes a trip to the store :) I think tomorrow we may go pick some strawberries from the farm and start packing up some stuff. I need to try another strawberry rhubarb pie. Yum. Anyway...we're just waiting. My tub is in the process of filling for whenever it happens!

Maybe my next post will be baby!