Follow the Star

On Saturday Nixon was baby Jesus in the annual Follow The Star Nativity. He did such a great job. I was so nervous for him and so proud! It was emotional watching him, especially as I imagined what it really would have been like to be Mary. As a new mother I know the love she had for Jesus is no different than mine. I can't imagine the strength she had to have as she knew what pain Jesus would endure. I hope we can reflect on the savior and his incredible life and sacrifice for us and think about the real meaning of Christmas. I'm so grateful for my baby boy and so excited to have him here with us this Christmas!





Here's what you're missin gma and gpa!

Recent

My mom came in town to help me out for a week, and it was so fun to have her here! She was in love with Nixon and she was such a big help. Thanks mom, we love and miss you. The day after my mom left my little sister Missy was here for the week over thanksgiving. So great to have her here too. Love you guys. My little one is already 3 weeks old!

My little Nixon

Sorry for the delayed blog post! Today Nixon is already one week old! This week has been so incredible. I have loved spending every second with my boys.

Here is the Birth Story: (It's lengthy)

Sunday night at about 2:30 am I started getting uncomfortable. Up to this point I hadn't had any contractions so I was so curious what it would feel like once I finally got one. I knew right away that I was having one! About 4 min later I got another one, lasting about 45 sec. I got out of bed and did what the doctor said, tried to walk through it and/or talk through it. I couldn't do either. Chris started to get up and around and we were both getting anxious. The contractions were coming 3-5 min apart and about a min long. I decided to get in the shower hoping this was really it. I would yell to Chris START to start timing my contraction and then I'd say finish to let him know to stop timing. YES! They kept coming. Lets just say my hopeful dream of having my hair perfectly blown out to go into labor wasn't going to happen. I forced myself to at least dry and straighten my bangs so I wouldn't look completely homely. Chris gave me a blessing and we headed out the door for Saddleback.

Once we got to the hospital it was 5:00 am, and I was eager to get inside. Everyone was telling us first time labor is forever, so wait it out and hang out in the parking lot for a couple hours before going in. I couldn't. We got inside they hooked me up to the monitors before admitting me to a room to make sure this was real labor. The nurse strapped on the heart rate monitors (which KILLED) to my stomach... I cried and begged for her to loosen them with every contraction but she said she couldn't. She asked if I was trying to do it all natural and I told her yes. She checked me and congratulated me, "all natural momma", I was dilated to a 7!! Woohoo! Chris and I were thrilled. She wheeled me upstairs to a room. At 6:00 am the doctor broke my water. The contractions were intense. I swear my nurse truly hated me. No ice when I asked for it, pillow only came after "a few more questions were answered" and three attempts before she got the IV in!! I cried begging Chris to ask for a new nurse in between each contraction. HA! Chris was an awesome coach. He held my barf bag, he helped me breath, words of encouragement (was always you're doing great you're doing great), and let me squeeze the life out of his fingers. He tried lightening the mood with comments like "cmon honey me, you, and the baby, this is family time!" Or calling them "contraptions" etc etc. He once or twice told me "shh" which really made me somewhat angry. Whoops. I did some apologizing afterwards because he was seriously amazing. Good job coach!

So the contractions became unbearable. They were over 2min long and I was getting no break in between. I kept telling Chris I was going to die. I really thought in my mind with each one that he would be raising this baby on his own. I couldn't open my eyes, lift my head, or speak at this point. I begged for the epidural. She checked me and I was a 9! Ah I was relieved but still didn't think I could take one more contraction. They called for my epidural at 8:30 am and it took a bit but was immediate relief. About 5 min later, nurses were rushing around frantically in the room. They hooked me up to oxygen coaching me to breath keep breathing. Nixons heart rate was dropping inside. What was once a steady 140, dropped to 90. I started to panic. This was a main reason I didn't want the epidural. (This happened to my mom when she got it with her first). The nurse called the doctor to have her come down and have me start pushing now, even though I wasn't ready, they needed to get the baby out! I was so scared, praying in my head for it to please go back up. After about 10 min the baby's heart rate was back to normal. Again, relief. About an hour after I got the epidural at 9:30am I told the nurse I could totally feel the contractions again and they were really strong this time in my back as well. She checked me and said oh yep your a 10 and ready to push! She had me push through a couple contractions and called the doctor to come up to deliver baby! We were SO EXCITED! My doctor made it and had me push through 3 more contractions. At 9:57 am he was here! No one called out the sex and I was like what is it what is it!!! They opened his legs and announced it was a little boy. I knew it from the start. My little boy was screaming at the top of his lungs. He was happy to be here. He was absolutely perfect and so beautiful.

My favorite part of the whole experience was they left us all alone for about 2 min right after he was born and me, Chris, and Nixon layed on the bed together and he just stared at us. We were his parents!! He knew us and we knew him. We were a family. It was the most amazing feeling I've ever felt. I'm so grateful Heavenly Father has trusted us with this perfect spirit. He fits in perfectly in our family and I have felt so much peace and love this week with him in our home. Chris is the best dad I could ever imagine. We are so lucky to have Nixon. I just stared at the fellow all week. I loved having my boys at home with me this week, it was the best. I'll never forget it. We had to take Nixon to the emergency room his first night home and to the hospital again last night. I changed his diaper our first night home in the middle of the night to find it full of blood. We had to call the paramedics and take him to the er. Everything is now A OK. I've felt my Heavenly Father's hand in every bit of this week, and I know when we trust him he blesses us. Nixon is going to be okay. It's just quite the healing process. Poor little guy. We love him so much and are SO blessed to have him!!!!!

This Guy

I love. More than anything in the world. Thanks Stophie for making life so incredible.

Brazillian Gloss- Frizz-Free Shine!

The Brazillian Gloss is amazing!! I love everything it does. I'm obsessed. Until Christmas I'm doing a deal for $175, after it will be $250. (The salon I work at charges $300). If you haven't heard of it, it's a hair smoothing process that softens, smoothes, and restores health and shine back to your hair. It repairs external damage, and will give you a healthy, high-gloss shine. It's Beautiful, I would call it a major "de-frizz." It will cut your drying time in half and you will LOVE the shine it gives. It's not a 'straightening' treatment so you won't lose your volume and it lasts about 4 months. I'm doing it from home or can come to yours!!! :)

on to 37...

I can't believe I have less than 4 weeks until our baby is here! We have been finishing getting everything ready, and I finally feel ready if I have it any day :) We put the crib together, bought the car seat, painted, packed bags, finishing up sewing the bedding ... etc. We are thrilled and can hardly wait for him or her to get here!!!!

Hushamok

Considering our small space for the baby, Chris and I have been debating if we should get a bassinet or a crib. He mentioned the other day it would be cool if there was some sort of a baby hammock we could hang under our 'loft', and yesterday we came across THIS! I love it and this will be our new baby's home for the first 6 months! I'm really excited for it :)

http://www.hushamok.com/shop

Mason

Last night we went to see Mason Jennings play in San Diego at the Woman's Club. It was my first Mason concert and I loved every second of it. Best part was we got to meet him afterwards, too bad I didn't have him sign my belly.

Baby Moon

Chris and I took a little trip for our one year anniversary/my birthday/and babymoon. It was a lot of celebrating and a really fun. We drove the coast up past Big Sur and loved every minute of it. It was much needed and so beautiful up there. We had lots of adventures and enjoyed our last official vaca without the babe :)


(I got lazy with pictures sorry for the simple route)

We all have one..

Everyone has their dream baby bedding right? Well here's mine.. I look at it often and I really love it. $400.. eek i think ill have to keep on dreaming.

29 onto 30.

29 full weeks and moving right along to 30. I can't believe how fast this pregnancy is going. It's insane. I hardly feel pregnant some days. It's obvious I am of course but I feel great. I'm still running 4 miles a day, well jogging now, and that alone almost makes me feel normal. ha. It keeps me sane and I definately think it's a blessing things are going so well that I'm able to keep up all my typical daily activities. Chris is amazing and so helpful whenever I do have my 'pregnant' moments. :) I'm already getting really anxious thinking of the baby coming so soon! I really think we are having a boy.

HOUSE-click to make bigger

First, I know this post is REALLY overdue, I was putting it off because I knew it would take some time. But all those who haven't been over, now have an idea what it looks like! The things we do to live near the beach... :) We love it here. Oh the office area will be turned into the baby's hideout here in a couple months, in case your wondering where we will put a child in such a space :)

Freedom Weekend

I love the weekends at the river, and this one was especially great. The Gardners always make it a good time and so fun to have Kate and Pehrson along this time! Loved tye-dying, the firework show in blythe, the show at home, battle for most seen shooting stars, some classic speed, floating the river, tube wars, and the slip n slide.. to name a few standouts. Thanks everyone for making this such an awesome time!









missed you koelliker's.

5 months and baby weighing more than a pound! Can't believe it :) This little one is getting stronger already!

BABY

On thursday I had my 5 month doctors appt and they did my 20 week ultrasound! It was awesome!!! The nurse totally hooked us up and turned on the 4D for us, we were so stoked! Here is our baby. How wild. I can now see him/her (we want a surprise here people) and imagine what's inside and what it looks like!! :)

BumPin

This week I am 20 weeks, 4 1/2 months! I can't believe I am already halfway to having our sweet little baby!! I've been able to feel him/her move a lot this week and I love it! We are getting more and more excited everyday :)


Also, we went to 'movie in the park' in Dana Point, saw Nim's Island, cute movie and love hangin with my boyfriend.

classic

Just ran across this picture taken the night before chris and I got married. OBviously, quite a party.

riverdance

Ty on the airchair :)



Last weekend we went to the river house with the Gardner's and Murri's!! It was SO nice to get away and be with great company and beautiful weather! Due to baby, my activities were limited but somehow one of my favorite trips at the river :) The best part was getting to hang with Stophie, oh I love that boy!

LockS of LoVE

This cute boy donated 10 inches of beautiful locks to locks of love.

Adorable.

before...

brushed out

straighened

nervous.

after. sexy