It's a miracle!

At night I usually swaddled this little guy in an "Aiden & Anais" blanket but he has managed to get his arm out every time I wrapped him up. So I've been on the hunt for a swaddle blanket that would hopefully keep him sleeping longer and I happened to hear about the "Miracle Swaddle". It doesn't necessarily keep him sleeping longer but it sure keeps him swaddled nice and snug and this means he's not longer waking himself up. I'll take it!

Sister has to get in on the action too!

And just so we can keep things real...

I totally went to the store like this today in a desperate need to get out of the house for a few minutes. Messy hair and no makeup is the glamorous life that I lead but I wouldn't change it! So if you didn't get ready today please know you are most definitely not alone. 

Weston - Part 2

I am terrible at keeping track of the time and therefore don't remember exactly when things happened. After receiving the epidural and repeatedly saying "epidurals are SO amazing" to David - (poor guy) the doctor on call came in and broke my water. The nurse checked me and things were progressing. I was propped up on my left side to help with blood flow for the little guy. An hour or so later I started to realize that I could feel my right leg pretty well. I didn't want to be a wimp or complain too much so I didn't say anything. After what I think may have been an hour and not only the feeling returning to my leg but now I was feeling lots of pressure and contractions on only the right side I finally said something. (My left side was deader than dead and my right side was feeling everything!)

 Due to being propped on one side my epidural was only working on that side of my body and it did NOT feel good. I had my button to give myself more pain meds but I remember not wanting to push it because I wanted to at least have control of my legs when it came time to push. To make a long story short I finally pushed the button twice and they had to come give me a little more. 

Once I was nice and juiced up I couldn't feel ANYTHING. I was bummed but was thankful that I wasn't in pain. Sometime between 6 & 7pm I was dilated to a 10 and they had called the doctor. The nurse had me start pushing to practice and help the baby descend before the Dr. Wilkes arrived. While pushing I started to notice the feeling coming back into my legs. I was so glad! I wanted to be able to feel a little and hopefully be up and walking pretty quickly after having him. I pushed for what I think was about an hour and by the time my doctor arrived I was feeling more than I wanted to again. I had pushed my little button but wasn't getting any relief. By this time it was shift change and there were a bunch of new nurses, my doctor and David rooting me on and coaching my pushing. I was feeling way too much and kept asking about my epidural. The pressure was NUTS! I was feeling SO thirsty and nauseous with every push. I felt like a lot was happening really quickly. I kept pushing. The anesthesiologist finally came and gave me more epidural - the bag had ran out and no one noticed! My doctor had said that the baby wasn't descending and that he was probably face up. He said that he wanted to try the vacuum and if it didn't work we'd have to do another c-section. 

By now I am exhausted and glad that I can't feel anything but bummed at the thought of a c-section. As we get ready to start pushing with the help of the vacuum David gets a little teary-eyed. He was very concerned about Wes and I. He had been my rock telling me that I was doing so great and that he could see the baby and to keep pushing he was almost there! He was really unsure about the vacuum and how it would effect the baby and I. Doctor Wilkes asked if he was alright and he quickly composed himself. We were ready to push this baby out.

I pushed with the help of the vacuum while David cheered me on. But to no avail the little guy would come down but not far enough. Dr. Wilkes let the staff know that we needed to prep for surgery. The nurses were coming in and out quickly and the memories of my first c-section came flooding back. They administered a few different things through my IV and gave me a "tasty" sour drink (this is to keep the stomach acids etc. down while in surgery) before heading down to the OR. (It actually wasn't too bad. I remember telling the nurse "It's a good thing I like sour stuff!")

Before they took me into the operating room I had to tell David good bye for a few minutes while they finished getting the room and myself prepped for surgery. I could tell he was concerned and I was a little scared to leave him. (I love that guy SO much!)

My body was pretty numb when we got into the room where we would be meeting our little guy for the first time. I remember feeling so excited that we were FINALLY going to meet him! They asked if I had enough strength to help move myself from the bed I was in onto the operating table. I felt so funny trying to move but I did it and I didn't think I could! While laying there waiting for things to move along I remember feeling like the process was taking FOREVER. I was so exhausted. I had already stared to get the shakes and my jaw was chattering. One of best parts of this surgery (I know! There's a best part? What!? I must be crazy...) is when they place warm blankets across your arms that are stretched out along armrests. For some reason this always feels so good and comforting. They hung up the curtain so I couldn't see anything and the anesthesiologist gave me a lot of juice to make me feel nice and extra numb. By this time David was finally able to come into the room. He waited by my head holding my hand as we anticipated the arrival of our son.

After feeling like an eternity had passed by I finally heard his little cry for the first time. There is nothing in this world like hearing your baby for the first time. Nothing.

Dr. Wilkes held the little guy over curtain so I could see him. He was finally here!!!!!!

They wrapped him up and brought him around to where I could see him. (David is able to watch everything if he wanted as the curtain isn't too high.) The nurse held him next to my face so that I could kiss his sweet little cheeks.

 They asked David if he would like to take him and he jumped as soon as they asked.

We are so in love with our little boy!!!

Weston Pierce Carter
Born 2.13.15
8:56 pm
7 Pounds 11 Ounces
20 Inches Long

This was the view from my bed. Heaven

Weston Pierce Carter - Part 1

On Thursday morning, February 12th I went in and had my membrane stripped in hopes to jump start labor with in the next 24 to 48 hours. I was dilated to a 3 and 80% effaced so I was hopeful that it would work. (I wont lie. It hurt. But it was worth it!)

A little background as to why I wanted to jump start labor. When I was pregnant with Abi I had to have an emergency C-section due to her being breach and having a bowl movement while in utero. My doctor was willing to let me try and have a VBAC. However, his conditions where that I go into labor on my own (this meant no pitocin) and that I don't go more than a few days past my due date. I was extremely grateful that he was willing to even let me try as most doctors aren't willing to do this.

By 5pm that night I had started having painful contractions about 7 minutes apart. We had dinner. My family was sure that I was keeping track of the contractions. I continued to labor off and on all night with the contractions about 5-7 minutes apart. I attempted to sleep for a few hours and woke up around 2am from the pain. I woke David and told him that I thought we needed to head to the hospital. (We currently live with my family so I woke my mom to let her know we were leaving and that we wouldn't be there for Abi.)

We arrived at the hospital and my contractions had of course slowed down and weren't as consistent as before. We decided to call the nurses station and ask what they thought. They suggested we go home and wait a little longer. So that's what we did. 

By 5:30am I knew it was time to go. Contractions were still very painful and were now 3-5 minutes apart and weren't letting up. On our way in I told David to take a picture of the sunrise and I told him "Today's a great day to have a baby." We were both so excited!

Once I got my gown on and they hooked me up to the monitors I thought for sure they were going to send us home. The contractions weren't consistent and I was bummed. I was wrong! I was dilated to a 4 and contractions had picked back up. I was in labor!!!!!! We were going to have a baby!!!!!!

We moved to our delivery room and got settled. I asked for the epidural as soon as possible but was terrified of getting it. (With Abi I didn't get the epidural until I was in the operating room and my contractions were one on top of the other. I was in so much pain from the contractions that I could have cared less about the giant needle going into my back.) David & nurse Lety held on to me as I tried not to cry while anticipating the epidural. 

Epidurals are heaven sent.

Period.

I now know that getting an IV will hurt 10 times more than getting an epidural. Make that 20. The next few hours were spent checking on progress, sleeping and eating ice chips. (I was SO thirsty!)

I loved how "Today's Plan" said "Have a baby". 

Flaming Gorge

Usually after our annual family reunion we head further north and stay a few days in Green River and play out on the lake at Flaming Gorge. We spend the day enjoying the sun, (or like this time... the lack there of) playing on the boat, tubing, knee boarding, 4-wheeling, and enjoying good food and company. Most times the wind kicks up in the afternoon and we have to head back early. But this year we were lucky enough to play the entire two days we were there 

and 

we LOVED it.

Skipping rocks.

Abi did NOT like the 4-wheeler.

Oh Megan & Kenna. These two are inseparable when they get together.

My dear husband took a 4-wheeler out and was gone for what seemed like forever. We finally located him but found that he had gotten the 4-wheeler stuck in a big mud pit.

This girl, my cousin Summer, was kind enough to pull him out... :) As you can tell they both got a little dirty.

Skipping rocks.

Watching the boys skip rocks.

Sure do love this big smile.

I was too worried to take the camera on the boat so there are very few pictures. But I did want to add that poor Abi did not like the boat however it sure did put her to sleep like a charm. :)

Sunscreen

Poor girl got sunscreen in her eyes after being at the lake all day. I felt so bad. There's nothing more terrible than watching your child suffer and not being able to make it go away. 

After bathing and trying to wash the sunscreen out we watched "Santa Clause" (her favorite movie at the time) to help her forget about her eyes. We had a few others who came to join in.

By morning she was all better.

Thankfully. 

:)

This little house...

At Uncle Mike and Aunt Jackie's they had a little play house outside in the front yard that I think Abi would have lived in if I had let her. 

Every morning that we were there she would wake up and immediately ask to go outside and play. She would ask everyone she could to come inside and sit down on the tiny yellow chairs. Ashton would join her and the two of them would have a ball together. I loved watching the smiles on her face and the excitement of playing peek-a-boo with the windows. 

She didn't seem to care much when we left and probably wont be able to remember how much fun she had but... I couldn't let go of how much she loved playing in it. So, let's just say we can't wait to see the look on her face Christmas morning and that we put in a good word with Santa back in September. ;)