Our little princess:

Even though she isn't sucking on her pacifier, the second I would try to take it away she would suck it back in... it was so funny.
Our friend David finally got to come hold Amalie, I think they sat like this for over 2 hours ! It gave me time to clean :)

One of these days I'll post what has been going on with our new addition, I'm still rather sleep deprived, so every time I start a post I know if I have time to blog I have time to SLEEP and that is the most important.

So I'll just leave you all with a few pictures of little miss Amalie

Amalie Claire's Birth Story

This may be a long post, as was my labor.....

December 5th around 3 am I woke up having uncomfortable yet not unbearable contractions. I was slightly skeptical if I was "actually" in labor or not. The Monday before that I had the same type of contractions and got overly excited and then they stopped after a few hours. So I assumed these contractions would do the same thing. I couldn't sleep very well, but went out on the couch and watched a few infomercials until Chad got up around 8 am and I told him I thought I was maybe having more serious contractions.

We had a 9am appointment at the hospital scheduled for a NST (non stress test) to make sure Amalie was doing good since I was overdue. I figured they would be able to let me know if the contractions were just Braxton or if I was truly in labor.

On the car ride to the hospital they began to be more regular, but still not overly painful. The nurse (Megan) showed me to my room and hooked me up to the monitors, (one for Amalie's heartrate, one for uterine activity) The test lasted an hour, and at the end of it they showed me I was indeed in labor, I had contractions every 4 minutes lasting a minute for the past hour. She said this was the general criteria to get checked in to the hospital and told me I was able to stay If I wanted. At this point I was thrilled that today was going to be the day (the 5th of december) Since it was just 10 am I thought for sure she would be born then.

We decided to go home since we needed to get our bags and carseat. I decided to labor at home until I felt that I needed to go back to the hospital. I called my mom and let her know, the show had began, and she cruised up I5 to be with us. I labored at home until 4 pm, at this point my contractions were more severe and I was ready to go !

When we got to the hospital (Megan) my nurse from earlier on in the day was still there, I was so happy and hoping she was going to be my nurse all night, but I knew she was probably getting off soon since she was there in the AM. Which was correct she showed us to our room, we had the largest in the hospital ! It was like a hotel suite (side note) and said my labor nurse would be Gayla and she would be in shortly. I should have know from the git go, with a name like Gayla, only bad things could come of this. And oh they did !

With my anxiety about hospitals I prayed so hard that I would get just the right people helping me to make the experience that much more enjoyable for me. When she walked in , right away I was NOT happy with her. Bad personality match to the extreme. She was old, and crazy and not personable at all ! I tried to stay calm during the first go around of questions and checks, but the second she walked about of the room I broke down and told Chad I was having a home birth and would not have her in the room with me no matter what. At this point my anxiety kicked in and starting slowing down my contractions.

I'll try to make this part short, I was hooked up to the monitors but my contractions were not progressing very fast, Gayla suggested I go home and labor for a few days (yes she told me it might take a few days !) hello 2009, pitocin ! But she was obviously bias for natural childbirth and I was all about my epidural. A long series of events followed this, (hopefully I'll be able to share this part with friends in person, it makes it much better) but this part of my labor ended with Chad having to fire Gayla, yes she got fired, well just from being my nurse.

Shift change a 7pm and my new nurse arrived, (Kayla) walked in the room, and I was so thrilled. A young vibrant nurse that was just AMAZING. We shared the same philosophy. "Let's get the baby out." At this point I still wanted to labor naturally so I wouldn't be stuck in bed with the epidural. I walked the halls, sat in the tub, used the labor ball, then around 8:30 I got my epidural. (Much less scary than I had anticipated at well)

At this point I was only dialated to 3/4 cm and Kayla said I would have to be in the first go around of IV fluids, see how the epidural was going then I would be put on pitocin to get my contractions to speed up. This point kind of all became a blur since I was so tired. But I remember her saying I would probably dialate around 1 cm an hour so that would put us around 8 am or 9 to start pushing. I was bummed because she was getting off shift at 7am so I would have someone else to help deliver. I fell asleep and rested for pretty much the rest of my labor. She came in to check me an hour later and I was dialated to a 8 ! And she thought I would be at a 10 in less than an hour. I woke up Chad and he was so shocked it happened so fast. I think we all were.

After this they waited for my water to break naturally, and then a little after 6 am I was ready to start pushing. She told me it would probably take about 1-3 hours to get her out. Especially since I had an epidural, and sometimes it is harder for women to control the pushing. I started to push and within a few pushes she could see the head. At this point she said Amalie was coming way faster than anticipated and she needed to go grab the doctor. My Dr. wasn't on call so another Dr. from the practice was going to deliver. Again, she was AMAZING the greatest doctor of all times. I was so blessed to have these women helping out. God was looking out for me ! After 20 minutes of pushing, they said we would start a short pushing sequence to get her out, but after the next push she literally shot right out ! Listening to Mozart, Amalie Claire arrived at 6:58 am (2 min before Kayla was off shift, see God again taking care of me) weighing 8 lb 10 oz 22 inches long ! And full of baby fat rolls ! I must have fed her good.

This is enough, for part one of the most amazing birth experience ever ! More to come, to finish the whole story.

40 Weeks, baby Amalie where are you ??

Just a little picture of my big belly :)

December 2 : Amalie's "Official" Due Date

We are still waiting on this little one to make a move....
No sign of her yet though.
At my doctor appointment today my doctor suggested we make December 9th the induction date. So it's exciting to know, she will for sure be here by then !
I think today would be a great day.... really not to thrilled with the idea of an induction, but willing to do whatever I need to do to get miss Amalie here safely.

Amalie Claire, your mommy and daddy are anxiously waiting your arrival, please come soon

::::: Almost 40 weeks :::::

The "Due Date" is almost here. I'm anxious, excited, nervous, and thrilled. Emotional to say the least. I have had so much energy lately, it has been wonderful ! I think I was in denial that working was making me so tired. I had decided it was just pregnancy, but now having some time off to recoup and actually be in bed at a normal hour has done wonders for my body, mental well being and heath. I'm so thankful I have had this time before she arrives, God has been taking care of me, as I trust him with her timing I can rest assured it will happen at the best possible time. I have been learning this week just how much he loves us and takes care of us. If it would have been my call I would have had her last week, but now sitting here fully refreshed and mentally prepared for labor I feel comforted in the fact that his plan is above all the best.

This week Chad and I have been going on countless walks, it's been so refreshing ! Taking walks with Chad has been really special, knowing this will be our last week of just us, we have been trying to take full advantage of just our alone time. Even though most of it is spent talking about how excited we are to meet our daughter. It's been special to just stroll through the parks together hand in hand and talk about all the exciting things life has for us.

Tonight.... I feel calm, relaxed and ready.

Basketball Belly 38 weeks 4 days

38 Weeks

Don't mind my crazy hair, I had just got out of the shower ! As you can all see, my belly can pretty much no longer get any bigger, (well I'm sure it can) but hoping she won't be hanging out inside for too much longer to find out :) I have had contractions on and off but nothing major.

This waiting game is loosing me sleep, Chad and I are comparing it to Christmas eve, all the excitement and anticipation and you should really just go to bed and wake up the next day but your body is telling you something else. But I do still have 2 more weeks to go so I'm trying to just take it one day at a time.

37 Weeks :) Hopefully less than 3 to go

WOW... I have grown so much since the last picture ! She is getting ready. My last day of work was last night, praise God. I was so ready to not be on my feet for hours at a time, and more ready for all the customers to stop commenting on how huge I was. I was over it at like 30 weeks.

I'm heading down to Eugene for the rest of the week, so I told her she was not allowed to come just yet ! After the weekend is fair game ! 3 weeks to go.

A countdown to so many things !

First: My Maternity leave starts on November 16th ! I work this Wednesday-Monday but then have Tues-Sat off, my sister and brother in law and niece are coming into town so I'll be in Eugene spending time with them. I am so ready for leave, my feet are so ready for leave and my classes are so ready for leave. So all together I only have 7 more shifts left I think.....

Second: I'm officially on to week #6 of Fall quarter. Just finished up with all my midterm, then on to papers and finals. I am due during finals week, so this could be interesting, but I have A's in all my classes thus far so If I somehow scrape by on the finals I'll pass on my classes and that is all that matters right now.

And Finally : The countdown to Amalie ! I can't believe that we could very well be in her birth month if she decides to make a timely appearance. For all important and special things it seems like you prepare for so long then in a blink of an eye it has happened and you are moving on to the next thing and all you have is pictures. This is how I felt on my wedding day, it went by so fast for all the prep that went into it. I know giving birth is going to be a really hard process, but before we know it, it will be over and we will get to hold and kiss our little girl. I can't express how much we love her already. Chad is so adorable every night as he talks to my belly and kisses her goodnight, I am so blessed to have a wonderful husband that is going to make a great father to our kids.

It seems so hard to be patient and wait sometimes, I'm so anxious to meet her already. But I daily have to remind myself that this is the last month of just me, of just Chad and I and of having her in my belly... so trying to soak up the last few days or weeks until she arrives and changes our lives forever.

A busy week ahead of myself, praying for energy to accomplish all the things I need to get done, work and school....

::sewing::

I truly think sewing is one of the most relaxing things to do.....

I love just sitting down in my sewing room, sipping on tea, and listening to some really relaxing music. It really just makes all my worries go away.
Lately I have been trying to perfect the art of shoe making, (it is super hard to get two shoes to come out looking like a pair !) Kind of like knitting gloves, which I gave up on last winter season because each one looked so different than the next.

More to come...

35 Weeks and counting...

I had my 35 week check up today, from here on out I'll be going every Tuesday until she gets here ! Which is probably sometime between now and 4ish weeks from now or 36 days or 864 hours. You get the idea... she is coming so soon ! I had a small panic attack last night about it (pretty sure it was 100 % hormonal though.) I have a very full schedule for the next few weeks with midterms, homework, working my last few weeks. We have everything ready for her arrival, and i'm not worried about that it was more of a panic of WHEN am I going to have a few days to MYSELF ?? I have it all planned out that I'll be able to get what I need to get done and have about a week and half before she gets here to tie up some loose ends, then the panic reached my tipping point when reality set in they she could come before then and I would never have my time! Chad being the loving wonderful husband that he is hugged me and just held me for an hour last night telling how wonderful I was and that I was going to be the best mom in the world, and that everything would be just fine if I didn't get all my lists finished. But to me it was cause for panic thinking about not having my bags packed for the hospital or not having my house spotless at all times leading up to when we bring her home so she doesn't come home to a messy house. (Yes, this is one of my main concerns, silly I know) But all I can do is to take one day at a time be grateful she is healthy and I'm sure once she gets here I will care less about how the house looks the day I bring her home...

So soon !!

32 1/2 weeks

Where have the past few weeks gone ? School started and now time is flying by so fast. Life is busy.
My belly is getting so much bigger every morning. I wake up and can tell she has grown. 7 more weeks until we get to hold her in our arms :)

Old Car / New Car

I just put an add up on craigslist for our truck, please pray it sells quickly !

http://portland.craigslist.org/wsc/cto/1409917850.html

This weekend we get our new car a Honda Civic 4 Doors and 30+ miles to the gallon ! We couldn't be happier to have a car that fits the carseat and to get great gas mileage for once !

Bargains are the best.

Our changing table revamp is still in the works, but it's coming together nicely. It just needs a new coat of bright white paint to match her crib and we'll be all set. This was a dresser that has been in our family for a really long time. My sister Ab has had it for the past 5 years or so but isn't using it currently so we took it off her hands and think it will make the perfect changing table. One with a little more character than most, and once she no longer needs the changing part of it, it will just her dresser.

Why People... Why ??

Customer at work:

"So how many days do you have left?"

Me:

" Oh 69 more days, she'll be here before we know it."

Customer at work:

"Really, looks like you only have 10, is there any way they can speed things up so you don't get any bigger."


Me:

"Smile and laugh"

But really thinking, what would posses you to say something like that Maynard, I thought I liked you.... now I think you are a jerk ! Even though I'm sure he wasn't trying to be mean, but seriously what goes through your head to make you think that would be ok to say to a pregnant woman ! Errr

30 Weeks

Colorado thus far.

Well we have done a lot of relaxing while we have been here. Isla is an angel baby to say the least. I have only heard her cry once in the past 2 days ! And that is because she was getting a bath. She is so cute an adorable, really just such a joy to be around. I have an awesome niece. I hope her cousin takes after her ! But I'm not getting my hopes up...

Tomorrow is Isla's second duck game so Joey and my dad are getting her all geared up in her duck onsie to watch the game with them. Em and I are going to hit up starbucks in the morning for a Chai then hopefully take Isla on an outing to hobby lobby after the game.

Being around the newborn gets me that much more excited to see our little one, to see her personality, what she looks like and to hug and kiss on her. Babies are so special !

Just a few pics...

Ok so Kris told me not to do anything with the pics until I got the cd will the high res jpg's but I loved them so much I had to post just a few.

Thanks again Kris ! I will love looking back at these. :)

Newest Purchase

Look what Chad found for Amalie !

28 weeks 3 days

9 days until Colorado !

I only have 9 more days until I get to fly out to see my cutie of a niece and my sister and brother in law!

Can't wait :)

Shower Invite

I'm not planning my own shower but I love making invites so my mom let me design the shower invite. Here is just the front cover of it. I thought it turned out cute !

More butterflies

My sewing space is still taking up a good half of her room...
The cute butterflies got put up over her crib today and her coat rack.

27 weeks 3 days !

Time is flying by ! I can't believe the third trimester is almost here. I feel like their is so much more still to do...getting the nursery ready, buying everything I need, childbirthing classes, getting a good start of Fall term classes. It is going to be a hectic and busy next 80 some odd days until our little one arrives. As much as I get anxious about getting everything done, I know It will be just fine and I have plenty of time, but I'm a planner at heart and I like having my to do lists list done way before they ever need to be ! So trying to take one day at a time, before moving on to the next.

I have this weekend off, so i'll be soaking up some well needed rest around the house. Before the week start up again. Hoping to finish a few sewing projects.....

I'm an auntie :)

Congrats to my sister Emily and Joey ! Isla is perfect.

Born Sep 2nd
7lb 9 oz
20 1/2 inches long

Mia Joie

http://www.miajoieblog.com

I browse etsy probably every day or so, It's my new obsession ! I came across this artist and fell it love with all that she does, by the time I found her though she had sold out of everything in her etsy store, so I'll have to wait to buy Amalie a pair of these adorable shoes ! They are really too cute for words. I don't think i'll try to attempt to make these ones, buying them seems much easier. Check out her blog though ! True talent !

Feeling huge !

" Wow that is one nice sized belly on you." Then walks off with nothing else said.

Some random lady at the fabric store walked up to me today and said the above comment. Seriously lady, yea that makes me feel really great. "Nice Sized" is usually used in reference to something being huge !

I'm starting to feel much bigger lately. Like I have a large weight attached to my front half. I have been going strong up until now, almost forget I'm pregnant "well not really" but for the sake of changing activities I'm doing. Nothing really had changed or been difficult for me. Until one day this week I woke up and had to roll several times to get momentum to get my butt out of bed ! It started. It seamed like Amalie doubled in size overnight. Now everything is just a touch harder than usual, walking up the stairs, dishes at work all my active activities. Well I guess I better get use to this I have a full 3 more months of getting bigger ! I hope it goes by fast :) I'm so thankful for our daughter and that she is growing strong, but I'm also looking forward to shedding all my pregnancy pounds ! The weight is worth it though, we will have a beautiful baby girl before we know it.

Chad tells me how beautiful I am every day which helps though, thanks honey for being wonderful and amazing :)

26 weeks 2 days

First artwork on the wall

99 More Days !

Miss Amalie has been moving like crazy the past 2 days ! All kinds of kicks and turns. It's fun, knowing she is growing bigger and stronger every day. We are curious of what these next 99 days will bring us.

26 week picture tomorrow....

AMALIE abc artwork

I'm so glad I didn't buy this online. I have loved this print for a really long time. But it was 50.00 ! Not including the frame. Which is the Ikea RIBBA Frame so i'm sure it is under 10 bucks or so. I decided that I would just try to make something similar in illustrator. I went looking for a font on dafont.com and found the exact same one ! Lucky me. Then just eye dropped the colors into my document and 1 hour later. I saved myself 50 big ones. :) I will probably wait to print it until the lab at school starts back up again since they have nice epson printers and I have loads of print credits to use up. But Until I get it printed and framed here is the pdf version.

Let the craftyness begin !

These are all ideas I found online for Amalie's room. It would cost over 250.00 to buy them all and I'm pretty sure I can make them all for under 40.00 ! So this is what all be working on this week ! I'll post pictures of my versions... hope they are as cute !

25 Weeks ! Countdown is almost under 100 days :)

Today has been such an awesome day already ! Chad and I actually had the same day off ! This never happens. We got up early and just laid on the couch in our Pj's for awhile then went out to breakfast. I really was craving some french toast but we were all out of bread at the house so we drove to a breakfast place. Then had a doctor appointment. My placenta has moved to the "safe" range ! No C-section necessary at this point ! Hurray. My doctor said everything is looking great!

Not looking forward to my next apt though... I have to have my blood drawn for my glucose screening test and a shot in my hip since I'm RH negative :( Chad said he would take me to ice cream after though.... I'm such like a little kid I need a reward to look forward too.

Not sure what I have planned for the rest of the day besides taking it easy and relaxing. Ah life is good !

Isla

My little niece is going to be here soon. Em is on the home stretch with Isla, she is due September 1st but both me and my sister have a feeling she will come a bit early. We will see I guess. I can't wait to see her. I'm so excited for Em and Joey ! We are hoping she doesn't come before my mom gets their on the 29th ! I fly out to Colorado Sep 17th-20th with my Dad to meet her. I'm looking forward to have some hands on practice with a newborn before Amalie arrives. Once we get back it's straight into childbirth and breastfeeding prep classes for us.... Eeek. I hope I don't pass out at any of the classes, no promises though.

24 weeks 1 day.

on to year 3 !

While Chad was at work today I cleaned the house spotless for him and put up the gift I got him for our anniversary. I tried so hard to get the words to go on straight, but the last few words slant a bit... oh well :) Then I framed a picture of miss Amalie we got from our ultrasound last week. Chad loved it ! He is so excited to be a Dad and start our family together. Today was a perfect day to celebrate being married for 2 years and celebrating the most wonderful gift that our love and marriage has brought us, our soon to be first child !

I was bummed I forgot the camera when we went out for our date tonight. Chad took us to a great Italian place for dinner then out to sweet masterpiece in the pearl for dessert ! Simple and Sweet.

I'm so thankful for such a thoughtful and loving husband, I really couldn't ask for anyone better. I'm one lucky woman.

Day away by the river

It didn't seem long enough, but we savored every minute by the river this weekend ! It was awesome to be able to spend the day hanging out and having a campfire right on the altar where we said our vows almost two years ago ! It was tranquil ,peaceful and romantic. We will still celebrate and go out on Tuesday (8/11) for our actual anniversary but this was a great night away to celebrate ahead of time. I have the most amazing husband in the whole world !