Tyler's First Photo Shoot

Does anyone know whose gang these signs are for??

Julie Stainbrook, my friend and very talented photographer came over on Saturday and took pictures of us and Tyler. I can't believe how much he has changed already. I know one day I will look back on these and think to myself, Was he ever this tiny? How the time goes by so very quickly.

Our Family of Five

Happy Father's Day David. Victoria picked out this shirt for him.
My parents with Tyler. My dad was really sick, so he didn't get to see the baby until last week.
His first day at the beach.
Jocelyn is so excited to be outside playing in the sand
Sweet Baby
There's a little smile.
I love my new Bob double stroller and it even fits at the mall.
I love it when Tyler sleeps with his hands like this.
Victoria ready for her dance recital.

So things have been busy the last week with Father's Day and Victoria's dance recital and just trying to get everything done like laundry, cooking (now that the dinners have stopped coming in), cleaning, helping brides plan the music for their weddings, and just trying to function on little sleep. It amazes me that I forgot how much work a baby really is, especially when I'm tired. But, we are so in love with Tyler and he has brought us so much joy. The girls still can't get enough of him and we are all realizing what an adjustment a new baby is, but how worth it and how rewarding.

I am finally starting to feel better and moving around really great! No Stitches makes a world of difference and not having to think about dinners for two weeks (thanks to the sweet women of the Relief Society of my church) is really helpful! Today Tyler is already 8lbs. 13 oz. He is growing so fast already, I just can't believe it!

Happy Boy

My friend Trina made Tyler this beautiful blanket, which he loves because it is so soft. I happened to capture this brief "sleep smile" while he was cuddled up in his blanket. We're all tired and adjusting to each other, but loving life with this baby.

One Week Old....and we're all surviving!

Jocelyn holding Tyler....still a little jaundice
Just happy as can be
I'm getting hungry Mom!
This is so much better than holding a baby doll.
Jocelyn trying to get her own cereal out because I'm feeding the baby
Pumping is a beautiful thing when you have a five year old to take turns with a feeding.

This first week home has been an interesting one and an adjustment for everyone. The girls have just smothered their new brother to pieces. I know have to have a circle around me when I nurse him that gives me space so the girls don't have their noses pressed up against me. Tori and Jocelyn are realizing that Mommy is pretty busy taking care of a baby and they have to find things to do on their own....which they don't like. David is so excited that he is so good and quiet(so far) and I am realizing that sleep is certainly only a luxury and I have to get by with what I get...a few hours. The hardest part is, that I look back to when Victoria was a baby and really wish I would have enjoyed it more. She really was a very hard, fussy baby with a sensitive stomach and had to be held 24/7 until she was 18 months old and David was gone 12 hours a day in grad school, but still, I wish I would have enjoyed having my first baby more because time goes by so quickly. These babies are only little for such a short period of time. I have vowed to myself, that no matter how tired and stressed I am, I will enjoy this more and try to soak in every second I can. At least I've finally learned something the third time around.

A "Labor" of Love...The detailed version

Tyler and I came home from the hospital today. It was a wild ride on Friday. I thought I'd post the details of Friday's delivery for those of you that are interested. My induction was scheduled for Friday because my doctor is going out of town tomorrow. Friday also happened to be my birthday, but it was the only day he could do it before he left!

We called Tri-City at 4:30 Friday morning and the charge nurse said to come on in because they were not busy. David and I got ready and arrived to Tri-City about 5:30. By 7:30 I had my pitocin going and my doctor broke my water. By 8:30 I had my epidural by the best anesthesiologist that the hospital had (according to all the nurses) and by 8:45 I was feeling good and thinking things would go really fast......but I was wrong. By 11:00, I was still at a 2 and the baby hadn't dropped yet. I had David give me a blessing and he said that things would start happening and that I would have the best of care and everything would be ok and that the baby and I would both be fine. The next time the nurse checked me I was at a 4, but the baby still hadn't dropped any.

As time went on and I started dilating more, the baby's heartbeat would drop done below 100 during each contraction. My doctor, who was checking in on me regularly, was getting really worried. By 3:15, he was sitting by my side, watching the monitors and not sounding too positive. He did not like seeing the heartbeat drop so low and was worried about the baby being so high still. He said that I probably needed a C-section right away. He got everyone prepped and the anesthesiologist was right there ready to make me numb. Within 30 seconds of him saying that, I felt this amazing amount of pressure and pain throughout my whole lower back. He checked me again and the baby had dropped and the heartbeat was back up. It was truly a miracle. He had me start pushing and an hour later....a long, exhausting, painful hour later, Tyler was born face up. So, even with the epidural, I had very painful contractions because of the way his head was. With me, David, my mom, David's sister, two nurses, one doctor, one anesthesiologist, and a team of Neonatal nurses standing by, Tyler was welcomed safely into this world.

The neonatal specialists helped get Tyler to breathe right away and clear his lungs. It was scary because he was so floppy, but with time and help from these wonderfully skilled doctors and nurses, Tyler is now healthy and perfect.

After the delivery was done, my doctor covered in sweat gave me a big hug and said, "This was truly a miracle. I have rarely had to work this hard to get a baby out, so I can't imagine how you are feeling. My doctor is a blessing and and answer to prayer. Without him, I would have had a C-section a long time ago. I don't even have any stitched because he was able to sit there and stretch me the whole time, rare for a posterior-faced baby!

I am glad to be home and count my blessings. The power of the priesthood is truly from God, and with it, everything worked out great in the end! David kept telling me to have faith, and at times, I wanted to give up, but I held on to the words of his blessing and was able to have enough strength to make it through.

You think the third time around it would have been slightly easier.....I guess that's not in the cards for me. Maybe I need to have these hard labors to appreciate more the special gift I am now holding in my arms. What a joy it is to be a mother....so the journey begins with three.