July and Maylee's First Month Home

            July has been such a fun and crazy month at our house. It was so exciting bringing a new  baby into our home and adjusting to having three kids. Ruth stayed at our house until the 12th, and it was such a godsend having extra help around. I was still really struggling with the baby blues at first and a lot of anxiety after coming home. I seriously thought I might be having a nervous break down. I was so lucky though to have a understanding husband, mother in law, and mom around to help. You really appreciate your spouse and family during hard times like that. Eric was so good to me and stayed up with me every night when I had anxiety, he got up with the baby, and would go on walks with me when I was struggling. So blessed to have such a good husband. Love him.

         Maylee has been such a great baby from the start and so far so much easier than the twins. The first month she has mostly just slept during the day most days. She also sleeps pretty good at night for being so young. She wakes up about every four hours and goes back down pretty fast. Eric and I take shifts so we can both get some sleep. Eric gets up with her around 11 or 12 to feed her, and then I  get up with her next around 3am. So far the sleep depravation hasn't been too bad, since the first two weeks. So far for milestones, Maylee has been able to roll from her stomach to her back. She also smiles in her sleep a lot. She also hardly cries, but when she does it is the sweetest little cry that sounds like a little lamb. When Maylee was born, she weighed 5 pounds 13 ounces, on her one week appointment she weighed 5 pounds 14 ounces, at her 2 week appointment she weighed 6 pounds and at her one month she weighed 8 pounds. It is so nice to have a baby that likes to eat and is gaining weight! The biggest struggle with her so far has been breastfeeding. She really struggles to latch on and it takes her a full hour each feeding. I am trying hard to get her off the nipple shield, and I have to pump after each feeding to keep my milk in. Such a pain but I am trying to stick with it! The twins have really done well with having a new baby in the house. I have been so proud of them! They love to lay by her and talk to her and rub her head. They just love her!

                                                       My little snuggle bug!

Swimming with dad is so much fun!

                                                        Maylee with Nanny

                                                             Daddy's girl

 

The kids love to play "camping" in the living room.

Love these goofballs!

The kids showing me their muscles. haha.

                                                      Love that sweet face!

                                                 Such good helpers!

Maylee's Birth

Maylee's Birth

        

        The week before I had Maylee, my mother in law, Ruth, flew in to help me out. It was really nice having her over to be able to run errands and get some last minute things done. My c-section was scheduled for July 5th, at 1200 and so far I was feeling pretty calm about everything. On July 3rd, Eric and I Pricelined a hotel for really cheap, and we got to spend one nice night alone before having the baby. We went to the Hilton in Scottsdale, and also went to a little Mexican taco shop and to Sugar bowl to eat. It was so nice to get some time alone just the two of us. I just love spending time alone with Eric!

 The night before I had Maylee, on the 4th of July, and we went over to my sister's in laws to watch fireworks. It was fun hanging out with them, and getting to visit. After watching fireworks, we went to Walmart to stock up on some last minute things for the hospital. Because I was nervous, Eric and I decided to go for a late night dinner at I-hop, we had a really good meal and it was nice to spend some time alone together. We then went home to watch les miserables because I didn't even want to try sleeping because I was too nervous. Suprisingly, I fell asleep during the movie and did get some rest. The next morning we scurried to get some last minute things ready. I remember realizing my feet were gross and I was really worried about having the doctors or nurses having to touch yucky feet. Therefore, I ran out and got a mini pedicure literally 30 minutes before we were supposed to be at the hospital. I remember the pedicurist asking me when I was due and telling her I was leaving in ten minutes to have the baby. I think she was shocked and afraid to touch me after that. Ha ha, it was actually really relaxing though, and I remember they had piano hyms playing and the song Be Still My Soul came on. It really helped to calm my nerves and not be as nervous. I was meant to get that pedicure.:)

We got to the hospital and little late and everything felt surreal as they were checking us in. It was strange to think we were going to have a 3rd little one and that my pregnancy was going to be over. I was surprisingly calm and relaxed. I remember them coming in and telling me it was time. I walked into the operating room and laid on the table as they prepped me for surgery. My anesthesiologist was really kind and talked to me a lot to help me stay calm. They gave me the lumbar puncture and I became numb fast, but a lot less numb than I was with the twins c section. It was weird, I could still move my legs. They started on the C-section and that is when the anxiety set in. I started to get freaked out because I could feel a lot of what they were doing to me. I didn't have a lot of pain, but I had some and felt more a lot more than I did with the twins. I kind of went into panic mode and at one point tried to sit up, that's when I heard the doctor yell, "Give her versed! Now!". Eric and the anesthesiologist were holding down my arms, and I started begging them not to give my versed, because I wanted to remember the birth and that's all I remember. Next thing I remember, I woke up in the recovery room. It was weirdly calm and quiet, I though maybe I was still in the operating room. I guess I asked Eric about 100 times if I had the baby yet, if she was health, how much she weighed, and if she was okay. I remember soon after they came and laid her on my chest for the first time. She was the most beautiful, calm, and loving baby I had ever seen. Relief and love flooded my body as I held this baby in my arms for the first time. Everything felt so calm and perfect, and I was so happy to have a healthy baby. It seriously was bliss.

They brought me to my room and I called my parents and family to come up. It was so hard to let her go or let anyone else hold her. She was so beautiful. That night I didn't get much sleep. I was too worried and in love to let her go to the nursery. I held her most the night. The next night was the same and I held her most of the night. This was probably a bad decision because the hormone changes, no sleep, and baby blues caught up with me and seriously hit my like a train that third night. I seriously had a full on panic attack and thought I was loosing my mind. Jenny Blaser was so nice and came down to the hospital and brought an essential oil to try and help me. It was really nice having someone who could understand. The anxiety was not getting any better though and they ended up giving me some Ativan and valium to knock me out. That night the baby went to the nursery and I got a lot of sleep. It was such a relief!

It was surreal the next day bringing her home. Such a different experience than the twins. I was so excited to take my baby home with me! The kids were also so excited to have her home and had a lot of fun looking at her and helping me. I was still having a lot of issues with anxiety and pain when I came home. I was too worried to take any Percocet after the c section, because it make me so nauseous, so the only pain med I ever took was ibuprofen. I also had a lot of anxiety, but Eric was amazing at helping me through it. Ruth and my mom were also a huge help. When we took Maylee home she was a great baby and just slept most the time. She also had the cutest little cry that sounded also like a little lamb. She is such a blessing!

                                     All hooked up, waiting to go into the OR for the C-section.                              

Sweet girl is here! Born at 12:15, 5 pounds 13 ounces.

19 inches long.

Sweet girl

 

Maylee with nanny

Kenna's first time seeing her new little sister!

She sure love being a big sis.

Grandma and grandpa see her for the first time

 

On the way home

This girl is heaven!

Pregnancy

Pregnancy and Maylee's Birth

7 months prego!

 

 

                  Can't believe how fast my pregnancy flew by and that Maylee is already here in my arms. Its seems like just yesterday, I found out I was pregnant with her. It was on Halloween that I found out that I was pregnant. I was so surprised, we had already been trying for about 7 months with no luck, and I wasn't even late yet. But I just happened to have a pregnancy test, and thought, what the hey, might as well take it just for fun! I was completely shocked when that little word that said pregnant popped up on the screen. I even kept it a secret from my husband and told him later that week while taking a family picture at freestone park by the lake. What a fun surprise! Eric was really surprised too, but also really happy. He was also shocked I could keep a secret from him.

 

        Overall I had a pretty good pregnancy. I was pretty sick at first and continued to be sick until about 22 weeks, but I also had a lot more energy then I did with the twins. I remember with the twins I constantly felt like I had been hit by a bus, lol, so it was nice not feeling as rundown all of the time. I had Dr. Beck as my doctor and also was followed my PPA, the high risk doctors, during my second trimester. The one thing that did make the pregnancy more difficult was that I had a ton of doctors appointments this time around. They watch me like a hawk! From about 11-26 weeks I had a cervical ultrasound at least every other week, and then from 14-36 weeks I received progesterone shots. I was so glad for the cervical ultrasounds to be over! If you haven't had one, I don't recommend it! But is was also always a relief to know that everything was going well and that the baby was fine. The progesterone shots also were not too bad, but for some reason it made the muscle around the shot site burn like a road rash for the following couple of hours after getting the shot. I also felt like the progesterone shots made me emotionally happy, and it was kind of nice not having any anxiety issues through out the rest of my pregnancy.

 

        This pregnancy I gained a whopping 40 pounds. At least. It was weird because I didn't gain much the first few months, and gained about 30 pounds by my 2nd trimester, and then not much again my 3rd trimester! I looked just huge halfway through, and got to have fun hearing family and friends make nice comments on how big I was looking.:) I think the progesterone shots also helped me to gain a little extra. I also was too scared to workout, after having some contractions one day near the end of the first trimester. This pregnancy I also ate pretty horribly. I craved sweets, carbs, and chocolate all the time, and I also gave in to these cravings all the time.:) Any veggies and meats sounded disgusting to me. I also craved soda like crazy, which is weird because I never drink or want soda normally, but about once a week during my pregnancy, I would go help my self to the 12oz kids soda. Even though I gained a ton of weight, it was kind of nice not worrying about what I ate for once. (Don't judge, pregnancy is rough.:)

 

      It was also fun finding out what I was having this time, although it was much less dramatic than when I found out I was having the twins and their genders. This time it was kind of weird because I was all alone when I found out. Eric really wanted to wait until the baby was born to find out if it was a boy or a girl. I told him he was crazy and told him he could wait, but there was no way on earth I was going to wait to find out! I am way to OCD about planning ahead and getting things ready it seriously would have pushed me over the edge.

 I felt kind of like a single mom sitting in there alone, but was so excited when the ultra sound tech told me it was a girl. It surprised me because I kind of thought it was a boy. Eric was so funny because he knew I found out, and was trying to guess the gender by my reaction and mannerisms when I got home. He kept telling me, " I know its a boy, I know you, and I can just tell its a boy. For sure, no question about it!" I just said okay.... glad you know so much! When he would try to ask me I would just say, "Don't you already know though? You wanted to wait so I don't want to spoil it by telling you." I was too urked that he didn't go with me to find out and thought it was too funny watching him think he knew for sure, that I didn't tell him he was wrong for about another 3 weeks. Finally told him by showing him some new clothes I bought for Maylee. It was so funny watching his reaction when I told him I was really having a girl and not a boy. He was so surprised!

 

      I also was really hoping to have a vbac this time around, but unfortunately it did not end up working out. The doctor took an ultrasound of my last incision and said that it was super thin around the incision, around 1 mm. He said the chances of me having a successful vbac were very low and that I had an extremely high risk of rupturing. We decided it just wasn't worth the risk, and planned a repeat C-section on July 5th at 39 and 1/2 weeks gestation. I thought for sure that I would go into labor before that time, and kind of wanted to experience what labor was like, but I guess it wasn't meant to be...  I do think it was more comforting to know though that we would most likely not have any birth complications going the C-section route.

 

                                                         39.5 weeks Pregnant-on our way

                                                               to the hospital.

                                                          (Yes I'm fat. Don't judge.:)

                                                        

 

 

 

 



Kenna's Dacne Performance

Kenna's Dance Recital

 

 

McKenna has been taking dance at my friend Laura Millet's dance studio for the past year. It has been so fun for her to learn new things and interact with the other little girls. We are so proud of you Kenna! You got the moves girl!

           

The Best Little Vacation Ever!

Weekend Getaway!

 

 

 

          Back in April we got to go on a fun little weekend getaway. We have never got to getaway just the four of us, so we really wanted to do a small vacation before thing #3 came along. We ended up getting a really good deal on a groupon for a little lodge in the mountains, a little north of Payson. The place was called Kohl's Ranch and it was such a nice and fun place to go. There was a little stream running right by our room, and there were glider benches all along the stream where you could relax and listen to the water and feel the breeze.  They had fishing poles they let us use for free, and the kids had a blast fishing with Eric. They even had a heated pool that was warm enough to swim in, and also had fire pits throughout the property and supplies to make smores. The smores were definitely a huge hit with the kids, and they having been talking about smores ever since! They also gave the kids free horse back rides. We also took the kids to the fish hatchery, got pizza and ice cream in the diner, and stayed up late watching Ice Age and eating popcorn with the kids. It was seriously the perfect weekend! So relaxing and nice just to spend some time alone together as a family! I just love these crazies and the fun times we have together!  

 

 

Making s'mores is so much fun!

 

YUM!!

Staying up late watching Ice Age

At the fish hatchery

Yes I'm fat. And also 8 months pregnant. Don't judge.:)

There was a fun playground at the lodge.

Awkward poise I just had to put on here. haha.

(He is helping Kenna down the slide.)

First time horse back riding. She loved it!!! Giggle and

yelled yee-hah the whole time.

First time horse back riding. He hated it!!!

Screamed and jumped off half-way through the ride.

Fishing at the creek.

Connor's favorite part of the trip was fishing with dad and

throwing rocks in the creek.

They LOVED swimming! The pool was so nice

and warm!

The back porch facing the creek.

Playing at the park in Payson.