Happy Father's Day!

"A father's calling is eternal and it's importance transcends time. It is a calling for both time and eternity."

-Ezra Taft Benson

 This was a very special fathers day for our family since it was Mike's first one as a daddy. I love seeing him with Daniel. He is so sweet with him. I love how excited he gets when he gets home from school and runs to see Dan. He asks how he is doing all day and I make sure to text him pictures. I love that he worries he'll miss something important and that he wants to do well in school so that he can provide for me and Daniel. He is a great husband and he is an amazing dad too :) Dan and I love you Mike! Thank you for taking such wonderful care of us! Daniel is very lucky to have you as a daddy and you are far better than I deserve.

Another extremely important father in my life is my daddy. I have the best dad. I'm so grateful for his example to me. He always seems to know what to say to cheer me up and make me smile. I also love watching my dad with Daniel. Its fun to see him play with Daniel and do all the funny voices and games he did with my brother and I. I can't wait til Daniel gets a little older and he can really play with grandpa. Thank you daddy for everything you've taught me and being such a great dad!

I also want to thank Mike's dad J because I know that Mike has learned how to be a good husband and father from his dad and I am grateful for the lessons he taught him. 

Happy Father's Day to all the other dads out there! I hope you all had a great day!

Hospital Pictures

While we were staying in the hospital after Daniel was born our friend Stephanie asked if she could come to the hospital and take pictures of Daniel and our family. At first I didn't want her to just because I figured I looked really tired and Dan was still so tiny. Looking back, even just 2 weeks later, I'm so happy she came and captured those first few moments when our little boy had just come from heaven. She was able to capture that innocence on his face and our first moments as a family of three.

I don't want to forget those few precious moments and days. He has already grown so much and seems so different just at 2 weeks old. Life if different for sure with a baby but he is our miracle and we love him.

Thank you Stephanie for taking these wonderful pictures for us. I love that we have so many pictures of these first few hours.

Daniel's Birth Story

Sorry this one is kind of long :) I want to make sure I remember everything though

On May 27th (my birthday) we went to my doctor's appointment to find out if our little boy was growing and to decide if I would need to be induced. We knew that because of his size that induction was a possibility. After another ultrasound, they found that my placenta wasn't working properly anymore and that our little boy was not getting what he needed to grow. After talking to the doctor about our options, we decided that induction and getting our little boy here was the best thing for him. So induction was scheduled for Friday May 30th. The plan was that I would go to the hospital at 5pm on Thursday May 29th and they would start me on cervidil to soften my cervix and help me to start dilating and just basically prepare me for labor. Then on Friday morning we would start the pitocin.

They did check my cervix at my appointment and found that I was dilated to a 1 or 2. They also told me that my baby boy's little head was extremely low which were all positive things to hear and were also a sign that I could possibly go into labor on my own anyway.

When I pictured having a baby I always pictured that crazy drive to the hospital and running in and I always figured I'd be in too much pain to talk at this point (I wanted to labor at home if I could) and that Mike would have to get us all checked in. My experience was a bit different though. Instead of rushing to the hospital, we took our time getting there and we calmly (at least calm on the outside) walked into the hospital. We got all settled into our room and I got my IV(hated that thing) and they took a ton of blood and then we waited for the doctor.

Dr. Easton came in around 6:00pm and checked me to see how I was doing. When he checked he told me that I was already dilated to about a 2 or 3 and that since I was having mild contractions their was no reason to do the cervidil. So Mike and I could stay at the hospital or we could go back home and come back at 5am. We decided that since we had already registered, answered all the questions they have to ask and I had already had the IV set up and my blood taken that we would just stay put for the night. The best news was that since we weren't doing the cervidil, I could eat until midnight as long as my contractions didn't get more intense and regular. So they monitored me for a few hours and then around 9:30 they told me that my contractions were irregular enough (and I wasn't in any pain) that I could eat. So off Mike went to Subway to get me a BLT and an oatmeal raisin cookie :) So we sat and we ate while we watched the Lion King to try and relax before we became parents! I'm convinced that even though those hospital beds are not comfortable, that their is no way I would have slept that night no matter where I was. How can anyone sleep when they can practically count the hours to when they are going to become a parent?! I was so excited and nervous and anxious. Our nurse told me that I could take a sleeping pill (don't remember the name) to help me sleep that night. I told her I only wanted half the dose but it did help me to sleep that night at least for a couple hours.

We were up early on Friday morning. At 6:45am they started the pitocin but it was a low dose since they didn't think it would take much since he was already so low and I was dilating on my own. Up until now I had been having irregular contractions all night. I could feel them but I could definitely talk and move around comfortably and I was even using my exercise ball. The contractions started to get more regular around 8am but they still weren't too intense yet. I really wanted to walk around but they wouldn't let me get up which I was not happy about. They also told me that they would probably have to break my water which is why I wanted to get up and move around cause I really wanted things to start happening on their own instead of having to force my body to do everything.

The contractions weren't too intense so for the next hour or so Mike and I just talked and watched videos while we waited. At 9:10ish I heard a loud pop and then felt a huge gush of water. I looked over at Mike and told him I was pretty sure my water had just broken. He started to look a little panicked and called our nurse, Nancy, over and told her. Then they both started asking me if I was sure and in the calmest voice possible told them that yes I was sure that was what had just happened. So Nancy checked me and I was dilated to 4cm and was 90% effaced at 9:30 and yes my water had broken on its own.

Suddenly I could feel every contraction and they started to get more intense. By 10 or so I couldn't handle the contractions any longer and I asked or begged for the epidural. Thankfully Dr. Zahn and Dr. Jim didn't waste any time getting to my room. They gave me the epidural which was perfect. I had no pain but I could still feel the pressure to push. They checked me at 10:30 and found out that I was fully dilated and 100% effaced haha. So in an hour I had gone from 4 to 10cm- at least I wasn't imagining the pain but the nurse said I probably shouldn't have gotten the epidural but they weren't able to check me while I was in so much pain so they can't know exactly how far along I was when I got it. 

Since I could still feel pressure, I really felt like and knew I needed to push. He was actually already crowning but the doctor wasn't there yet. So the nurse had me just do a few practice pushes but then she would tell me to stop which was practically impossible since he was ready to come. The doctor got there at 10:55 and I really started pushing. After 3 pushes she told me to stop pushing cause he was coming whether I pushed or not and our little boy was born at 11:13am on May 30, 2014! :) I swear it happened so fast! He came out and Mike cut the cord and then they placed him on my chest. It was the most amazing feeling in the world. He was crying until I started to hold him and talk to him. Then he started to calm down and relax which was amazing. The most amazing part was that Mike and I looked at him and then at each other and Mike just mouthed the name Daniel and we both smiled and nodded.  Just holding him and seeing him we just knew that he was our little Daniel.

I love those little feet :)

Our little Daniel weighed 5 lbs 10oz and was 17 inches long. He is our little peanut but he is perfectly proportioned and thankfully was completely healthy and had no problems even though he came two weeks early. They did confirm though that my placenta was abnormal so that was good to know that it likely had stopped functioning properly.

Our very first family picture :)

I think my favorite moment was watching Mike hold him for the first time

We did stay at the hospital for two days because the doctor wanted to monitor Daniel a little extra since he was so tiny but he was able to stay with us as long as we wanted. We did have him go to the nursery at night just so we could sleep but he was with us during the day. We got to go home on Sunday morning and we were so excited! All in all though I was blessed with an awesome labor and delivery! I really couldn't have asked for better and I had wonderful nurses and people helping me. Mike was an amazing coach and support and really helped make this a positive and memorable experience for me. Even though I was nervous about Daniel coming early and being induced, I know this was when he was supposed to join our family and he is perfect and we love him so much. He is truly a blessing to have in our family.

I honestly can't quite remember what life was like before he came but we love every minute of having him here with us.

Bathtime!

Daniel had his first official bath today! We decided to give it to him in the kitchen sink since we didn't have his actual bathtub out and ready to go yet. I didn't think he would like it because so far he has not been a fan of being naked or of the sponge baths he's gotten. He was a little upset at first and I think just surprised at being in the water but after a few minutes he was just fine. Apparently being in enough water to keep him warm and actual cover his legs is fun. He actually cried more when he had to get out and be dry and naked than when he was in the water. Silly boy! I'm so happy we can give him real baths now though because I love how good he smells right after he's had a bath.

He did decide to poop though once he got out and was wrapped in a towel...Dan has got those bodily functions down :)

Our First Week

One week old! June 6th, 2014

He loves snuggling with daddy :)

Loves talking and playing with mommy :)

 I can't believe my little boy is already one week old as of yesterday! Time truly does go by so fast when you have kids. He is still so sweet and we just love him more and more each day.

This week has been the craziest, longest, most exhausting and happiest and most rewarding week of my life. I feel so blessed to be Daniel's mom and while I get excited about all of the milestones and things he'll learn, I'm also trying to soak up every moment of this stage because I know it won't last forever.

That's My Boy???

One of the shows that Mike and I love watching together is the Dick Van Dyke Show. One of our favorite episodes is when Rob and Laura bring baby Richie home from the hospital but Rob thinks they have the wrong baby because he doesn't look like him or Laura. So a couple days after we got home with Daniel we decided to watch this episode especially since we couldn't decide who he looked more like; especially since they seem to look different everyday.

So I pose the question to you..does little Daniel look more like his mom or dad?

Daniel at one week old :)

Mike: 1 day old and 4 lbs heavier

Nicole: 1 week old and 3 lbs heavier

 What do you think?

And Then There Were 3!

Our little boy has arrived! He was born on May 30th, 2014. He weighed 5 lbs 10oz and was 17 inches long. He is our little peanut. Daniel is truly our little miracle and is just the sweetest and most perfect addition to our family. We are already so in love and are loving every moment together.

Just a few hours old :)

Our first family picture :)

Just one day old and all bundled up. It was freezing in the hospital....too cold for our guy

Coming home from the hospital

He is the most adorable little boy. Almost all of his newborn clothes are too big for him but thankfully its hot so he spends most of his time in just a onesie and socks anyway. He is so sweet though and we have so much fun taking tons and tons of pictures of him and just loving on him all day long.