Welcome baby Mason

At my 35 week appointment we scheduled me to be induced on March 31st. I wanted it to be a couple days later but my doctor was going to be out of town and I didn't want to wait til he got back.  At my 38 week appointment I was dilated to a 3 and the doctor stripped my membranes. I was definitely having contractions (something I never really had with the other 2 kids) and hoping to go into labor. But, it didn't happen. I did continue to have contractions for the next few days.

Around 2am Sunday morning (March 29th) my contractions were getting painful and about every 5 minutes. So, I decided to go to the hospital. They monitored me for an hour but then decided to send me home, probably because they were super busy. Talk about a bummer!  I was hoping the contractions would continue to get worse so I could go back but instead they almost stopped completely.

Monday, March 30th, I decided that I was going to get everything cleaned and ready to go. The whole morning I never felt baby movement, and I was worried. My mom talked me into going in to get a stress test. I'm really glad I did. They checked baby and everything was good. I also found out that I was the first one on the scheduled induction list and could get 'the call' as early as 6am.

For our last night as a family of 4 we went to Arctic Circle for ice cream. Karen and Breanna came over in the evening to sleepover.

Tuesday, THE DAY, I got up around 5:45 because I knew we could be called in at anytime and because I was anxious. I was able to get ready and then get the kids ready and on their way with grandma. About 5 minutes later (around 7:30) we got the call to come in. We got to the hospital a few minutes after 8am. After I got situated in my room, the nurse came and put in my IV and started the pitocin. She got it in on the first try!  Shortly after Dr. Kaelberer came down and broke my water and also put a monitor on baby's head (he was wiggly so the outside monitor wasn't working very well). The anesthesiologist came to give me my epidural at 9:30. That was seriously the worst part!!

My mom, Syd, and Amanda came around 10:15 and stayed until after Mason was born. It was nice to have company to help pass the time.

 Even though the epidural was awful to get, it was so worth it. I never had any contraction pain, even though I could usually tell when I was having contractions from feeling pressure.

The doctor came down around 1:30ish to check me and decided I was ready to go. I started pushing a couple minutes after 2pm and then Mason was born at 2:09 pm. It was seriously so fast.

Mason was handed to me right away. My initial thought was "this can't be my baby, he actually has hair, and it's black". I'm so glad I got to hold him right away, it helped take my mind somewhat off the pain of being stitched up. He was so tiny and precious and I fell in love with him right away. 

 

 

We got to have bonding time for an hour before they came back and weighed and checked him. During that hour I fed him for the first time and it was awesome. He latched right on and ate with no problems. I knew at that point that he was going to be a good baby.
He weighed 8 lbs. 1 oz. (our biggest baby) and was 21.5 inches long. 

We then got moved into our postpartum room. Grandma Karen brought the kids to meet Mason for the first time. Abbie held him a couple of times. Luke wasn't interested in Mason at all, he only wanted to run around and push buttons.

 

 

 First family picture :)

        

We had lots of visitors: My mom, dad, Heather, Syd, Amanda, Karen, Todd, Amber, Jayden, and Breanna. I wish we had pictures with everyone.

 

The only medication that I took was Ibuprofen. I was actually feeling really good. My appetite was huge though, it seemed like I couldn't get enough food. That night was the best experience we've had so far at a hospital after having a baby. Mason was super sleepy and didn't really want to eat that much (which is supposedly normal). The nurses were great and didn't really bug me about feeding him. And I actually got some sleep during the night, even with the regular checks for me and Mason by hospital people.

The next morning both Mason and I got cleared to leave that day- we were both doing awesome.  

 

 

Mason had his first bath a little before we left and did not like it. 

We left the hospital around 2:30pm-  Mason was only 24 hours old.

First car ride home

We are so grateful that he is part of our family!

Nebraska Trip - August 2014

Last August we took a road trip to Nebraska to pick up Heather from her mission.

We left Sunday August 3rd. We stopped and attended a church sacrament meeting in Wyoming. 

We stayed the night in Sidney, Nebraska.

A super yummy Mexican restaurant in Sidney.

As we were getting ready and packing up the next morning, I burned my eye with my contact solution so Brandon did all the driving on Monday. 

We stopped in Lincoln, Nebraska to check out the state capital.

We got to Omaha that afternoon, and spent the rest of the day chillin'.

Tuesday.  We went to lunch and then Amanda and Sydney stayed at the motel with the little kids.

The rest of us (Mom, Dad, Janessa, Brandon, and I) headed to the Winter Quarters Temple, which was where we met up with Heather and all the other missionairies that were leaving for the first time

After a session through the Temple we walked across the street to the Mormon Trail Center, where they held a testimony meeting for all the going home missionaries. It was really nice. All of the family was able to be there.

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Heather meeting Lukey for the first time.

Wednesday.

We spent the day at the Omaha Zoo. It was pretty much the coolest zoo ever!

That evening we split up. Our little fam went back to the hotel because we were exhausted. Everyone else went to pick up Jesse from the airport. He was with us the rest of the vacation.

Because Heather was still technically a missionary she still abided by the rules. I went running with her in the mornings for her exercise, she did her morning studying (sometimes with Abbie's help), etc.

Thursday we went to the Kanesville Tabernacle in Iowa, another visitor center that Heather served in periodically.

Afterwards we met up for lunch with a missionary couple Heather served with.

Heather gave us a tour of the Trail Center one day. It was fun to watch her do what she had been doing for the past 18 months, and to learn more about Winter Quarters.

We were able to be in 2 places at once. The Nebraska/ Iowa border runs down the middle of the Missouri river.

We packed up and left Nebraska Friday morning.

Quick lunch break

We stopped at Wall Drug Store in South Dakota.

We finally made it to Mount Rushmore that evening. It was very interesting to learn about the process of the 'building' of the faces.

Saturday morning we split up. Brandon and I were going to take the kiddos to Flintstones village. We we ended up going the wrong way and couldn't find it, so decided to just go back to Mount Rushmore.

On our way back towards the motel we saw a place that gave helicopter tours, and decided to do it. It was super cool! Abbie was hesitant at first but then decided she liked it.

We spent the rest of the day driving to Casper Wyoming. Part of the drive was through some crazy snow/ hail. It was pretty scary.  Lucky for us the kids slept for awhile.

Sunday morning we went to a sacrament meeting in Casper before heading home. 

We stopped at Independence Rock and Martin's Cove. 

The rest of the day was spent driving. 

Almost home.

We got back that evening to a Welcome Home Heather party. She was released the next day.  

It was a great trip! I wish I could remember more of the details. I guess that's what happens when you wait 8 months to post about it.