3 Weeks In

And I love being his mama.

Who wouldn't want to wake up to this face every morning. (Even if by morning I mean 2 A.M. Because Jack is wide awake from two in the morning until four in the morning every morning. No matter what we do.) 

We survived his first cold. It broke my heart to see him feel so yucky. He just wanted to be held. So for 48 hours we did this.... 

There have been so many big changes. But the transition has felt natural. Not easy. But natural. We are still figuring each other out and I get to know him a little better every day.

 The kid has a good set of lungs.  I felt kind of mean taking this picture while he was crying. But even his screaming face is adorable. 

It has been a wonderful three weeks. 

Meet Jack.

Parker and I had been married all of two months when found out that fertility was going to be an issue for me.  After sixteen months of trying, seven rounds of fertility treatments, loss and heartache, we found out I was pregnant.
After two hundred and eighty-three days of being pregnant, thirteen hours of labor and ninety minutes of pushing we got to meet our miracle boy!
And every single second of waiting, was worth it.

I had a high fever at the end of delivery which meant both Jack and I needed to be on antibiotics. Jack was taken to the NICU. We had an hour with him after delivery and we cherished every second before we had to hand him over. Later that night after they had run tests we got to go back down and be with him. Here we are with our matching IVs. His was so little!

They told us he would have to stay there for 48 hours to be monitored. Then longer if he had an infection.  But he was kicked out after 27 hours for being too healthy. Which in NICU time is nothing. I have so much admiration for NICU moms. And NICU nurses. Ours were so wonderful. 

Needless to say we were thrilled when we got to bring him home with us. 

And now we are home. Covered in spit up and pee. Sleep deprived and fumbling with snaps on clean pajamas in the middle of the night. Parker is a natural and Jack adores him. I adore Parker even more than I did before, which I didn't think was possible. Jack has stolen my heart with his permanent frown and his big eyes. And he must like me too because he lets out a yelp whenever he leaves my arms. We have never been happier. 

It has been a long journey. Throughout this whole experience I have learned to rely on strength I didn't know I had. To lean on Parker for support and to support him right back. Most importantly I have learned to trust the Lord and his timing.  At the end of it all I found a love that I didn't know was possible. 

Now he is here and a new journey is starting. One that I am sure will be every bit as challenging. And so rewarding. 

Jack,
Hope can be a scary thing when you have felt the bitter sting of disappointment. But your very existence will forever be my reminder to always have hope.  Your arrival into this world was the exact moment God intended. He has big plans for you kid.
Jack never lose faith and always be brave enough to hope. 
Love Mama  

A Room For The Little One

It's Official... I'm Due This Month

Friday night before my baby shower (more on that later) my sister and I went out to my parents back yard to snap some photos of my belly.  Just so I can always remember. 

My due date is September twenty-eighth. But I wouldn't be surprised if Jack ends up being an October baby. We will see. Either way we are getting close.  

Things You Might Not Know

About a Boy is probably my favorite movie. It is really the only movie that I could watch at anytime. I have been watching it regularly for years and am still not sick of it. If you haven't seen it you need to.  It is a wonderful story, very funny, and has several awesome sweaters.

I have known since I was seven years old if I ever had a son I would name him after my dad.

Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and roll over to see Parker is wide awake and reading. It is one of my favorite things about him.

I have stood on the top of a glacier. In Alaska. It was awesome.

My first experience with Baz Luhrmann was from the back seat of my sisters car where I listened to him advise the world to wear sunscreen. And although I loved The Great Gatsby I still think the sunscreen song is my favorite. Never heard of it? YouTube it now. No really.. just go.

Being by a swimming pool makes me want a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. With cheetos. Every. Single. Time.

I spent my eighteenth birthday at Yankee Stadium.

Saving seats in any situation, at the movie theater, at church, anywhere with chairs and people, gives me terrible anxiety.  I really really don't like it.

When Parker came to pick me up for our first date he found me sweating bullets and puking my guts out. Attractive right?

I cried in October 2004 when the Red Sox swept the Yankees. I know, I know, there's no crying in baseball. But even Tom Hanks didn't see that coming.

I wasn't too sure about the whole dog thing. But I am really glad we have one.

I have four sisters and haven't been able to convince a single one of the to watch Greys Anatomy. What is that about?

I used to wear matching shirts with my brother Russ. I'm sure he loved that.

This and That: Belly Pictures and Star Valley Wyoming

32 Weeks

With eight weeks till the due date I started to feel pretty yucky. After some persuading from Parker, I ended up checked into Labor and Delivery in the middle of the night. It is a good thing too because I was having contractions caused by a kidney infection that took us a while to catch. Everything was fine and they stopped the contractions and cleared up the infection. Parker said it was a good practice run! We know the ropes at the hospital now. No need for any type of hospital tour, we are pros.  Fingers crossed we won't be back till the end of September for the real deal! 

33 Weeks 

I didn't get a great 33 week picture. But I had to show poor Daxter trying so hard to lay on my lap. 

34 Weeks

Well now I know that everything everyone says about the third trimester is true. I am really uncomfortable! We have so many fun things coming up though I am hoping the time goes by fast. I am also trying my very best to enjoy this experience. And to make the most of my free time because I hear newborns keep you pretty busy. Parker only has a couple days left of summer. He starts back up on Monday. The nursery is just about done. We have family coming in next week. Before you know it this baby is going to be full term! 

Here are pictures from my fishing trip in Wyoming. It was such a blast. My dad taught me how to fly fish years ago but I hadn't been in a while. I was so surprised how quick it all came back to me. We caught a ton of fish! We had the full Wyoming experience, cowboy hats and all..  Thanks Dad!

Little Fish

Big Fish

 

On our way back to Utah I got to sit up front with the pilot. I was pretty excited to send Parker this picture and tell him I was home!

30 Weeks!

This has been big a week. I turned 22 on the 22nd. The Royal Baby was born on my birthday, which I thought was pretty cool. And I reached 30 weeks. It feels like a big pregnancy milestone. 

I keep feeling like I have all the time in the world to get things done. My sister Jill told me to get myself in gear because there is always the possibility that this little guy will come early. (all of my sisters are betting I am going to have him early because they all had their babies early... my gut is telling me I will probably be the one that goes late) My due date is September 28th, and it still sounds so far away. But the past 30 weeks have gone by so fast I am sure the next 10 will fly!

I haven't touched a sewing machine since I had to for school in the seventh grade. But this week with a bit a ton of help I made Jack a quilt. It is almost done and when it is I will post pictures because it looks pretty awesome. I still am going to make him a few more blankets and a crib skirt to match his quilt.

When we came home from Philadelphia my brother asked me if I had swallowed a basketball over there. That is kind of how I feel! It is starting to get uncomfortable to bend over to tie my shoes...

Jack is a really active baby. My big belly is constantly moving around.  I often have a knee or a foot in my rib cage and he gets really big hiccups. He wakes me up nice and early every morning. I should probably just get used to it.