We're Still Alive...

So we've hit the 2 wk mark...and we're feeling pretty good about it. After a long struggle with healing stitches, general breastfeeding discomforts, and mastitis, I am finally starting to feel like myself again. All I can say is, thank goodness for mothers. My mom was here for 9 days and took care of all three of us. My dad even came for a long weekend and did his share of running errands, fixing things around the house, and just helping in any way he could. I could not have survived without them! It was such a blessing for me to have them here. I was also blessed to receive dinners from several of our friends around here. I will forever have a greater appreciation for service in the way of prepared meals! This is the first time in my life where I was in need of them and they were so helpful! Thanks to the love and support of friends and family, we are still alive :).

As far as Sawyer is concerned, he has been so great! I know that babies are often mild and even-tempered the first couple weeks...so we have not disillusioned ourselves into thinking that he will always be this good...but we sure are grateful that he has been thus far. He pretty much only fusses when he has to poop or when he is hungry. He rarely bursts out into a full on cry and when he does it's short-lived. We're crossing our fingers that at least some of his attributes continue on past week 2. Sawyer had a check-up with his pediatrician at 6 days and rather than losing weight (as most babies do the first week), he gained 1/2 an ounce! I guess we know he's getting something when he eats!

While my parents were out here we figured it would be a good time to have Sawyer blessed, since a majority of Nathan's family is out here anyways. He was only 11 days old so we didn't want to do the public church blessing yet. We got permission to hold it at Nathan's sister Brooke's house in Mesa. It was a very intimate and sweet experience for our little family. And what a wonderful Mother's Day gift!

For the past 3 days we've been on our own. My mom left us more than enough casseroles to last the next couple weeks. And now that I'm feeling so much better...I'm almost ready to tackle this apartment and start packing things up. We're planning on heading out on May 27th or 28th, so that leaves me just under 2 weeks to get everything done. I'm so excited to go to VA for the summer...it will be nice to have my family around for a bit. I will admit that I'm dreading the 3 day drive with a newborn. Good thing they still sleep a lot. It will definitely be an adventure, I'm sure.

I think that's about it for now. Things are going well here and we are so grateful to have little Sawyer in our home. I can't guarantee that I'll post anything else before we move, so if not I'll see you all in VA! We love you and thanks again for all your support!

Sawyer's Blessing Day--May 10, 2009

We're starting to see more 'open-eyes' Sawyer...I love it!

Nathan's favorite thing to do with Sawyer...nap

I randomly discovered this picture on our camera card! Note the remote control in his left hand,
Nathan is having way too much fun with this kid already!

I just love the squishy sleeping face...

Our first official use of the stroller...a little trip to the mall

Sawyer Rafe Larson

Well the big day has come and gone...and it all went perfectly! We went in for our induction as planned at 3 am on Wednesday the 29th. After lying in bed for about 3 hrs trying to fall asleep, and maybe one successful our of sleep, I was pretty anxious to get the show on the road. For those of you out there who enjoy hearing the details of a labor & delivery story (I know I do), I'll give a brief recap. At 3:15 am we placed a prostaglandin gel to help ripen the cervix. At that time I was still only dilated about 1.5-2 cm. I knew this going in so I was planning on a fairly long day--hoping to deliver sometime in the evening on night shift with all the girls I work with. With the gels you spend an hour walking around and 3 hrs after the insertion you reevaluate and either place another gel or move on with pitocin. I had already told my doctor that if nothing happened with the gels I would rather go home than push it by breaking my water and committing myself before my body was ready. So pretty much within 15 min of putting the gel in I starting contracting every 1-2 minutes...and I'm not gonna lie...they were pretty intense. That hour I spent walking up and down the hallway seemed like an eternity. I had planned on waiting to get my epidural until after my water was broken so that I could really "experience labor" a little bit. Well by the time the nurse checked me again after my 3 hours and told me I was 3 cm I was like...that's good enough! Let's commit and let's get me an epidural! Haha! Wow...what I learned that morning is that my patients aren't lying--labor really does hurt! And that was just the beginning! I guess I'm not as tough as I thought I was. But I'm over it. That epidural was the best thing ever! I finally got to feel all the warm and tingly sensations and the feeling of relief that my patients always rave about! And I whole-heartedly agree! I can't describe how good I felt after I got that epidural and how nice it was to finally be able to rest for a bit. And I totally lucked out and my favorite anesthesiologist was on call that morning. He did a fantastic job placing it and even explained the whole procedure to Nathan while he worked (which Nate loved). Anywho...an hour later my doctor came and broke my water and said I was 3-3.5 cm. I then flew from a 4-8 cm in another hour (which I realize is totally common with second and third babies but pretty fast for a first...not trying to brag or anything :P ). And from 8-10 in the next hour. It was 11 am then and I knew that my doctor (who was not on call that day but who was so nice to come in special for me) was hoping to come deliver on his lunch break. The baby's head was low enough to start pushing but I was super comfortable with my epidural and totally fine with waiting for Dr. Walter to finish up at the office first (...actually this is done with pretty much anyone's first baby once they hit 10 cm...let the uterus continue to push the baby down for an hour or two so that you don't have to push as long). So he showed up shortly after 12 and we started pushing. 4-5 contractions later we had a baby! I seriously could not have been more pleased with the experience. I didn't quite make it to night shift (about 6 hrs too early, actually)...but it was so nice for it to go so quickly and smoothly. I don't know what I did to deserve such an amazing pregnancy and delivery but I am very grateful. Nathan loved the experience as well. And my mom and Kristie were able to watch from the side lines during the delivery (on I-chat!). Definitely a first for my doctor, he said...delivering on the world wide web! I was so glad they were able to be part of it in a way.

So our baby boy was born at 12:13 on April 29th. :D He weighed a whopping 7lb 15oz (small for my family but a pretty good size for a week early and bigger than we thought he would be). He's 21 inches long and has his daddy's big feet and hands and his mommy's blonde hair. We finally named the poor thing two days later. Sawyer Rafe Larson. In case anyone is wondering...Rafe is the British variation of the name Ralph. This little boy is, therefore, named after his Grandpa Schindler. We figured he had a better chance of being cool with a name like Rafe than with the name Ralph (don't worry...my dad agrees). We love him so much and are so grateful he is here with us. Nothing can describe the feeling that comes when you bring a child into the world. Even Nathan said to me the other day how surprised he was at how instantly he loved this baby. It is so true. I am so grateful to be a mommy. I love him more each day and am so excited to continue getting to know him.

Ok so that was not so brief but hey...now I've at least got it written down somewhere cause it'll be forever before I actually journal it. Recovery has been ok. I will say that for me, the recovery has been the worst part of the experience. I would much rather be pregnant for another week than recovering from childbirth. Nothing that I won't survive (I'll spare you the details) but let's just say I'll be glad when it's over. We came home from the hospital on Friday afternoon and we've been getting settled here. Sawyer has been such a great baby so far. He eats like a champ and pretty much only cries when he's got a messy diaper or he's hungry. I know this first week is not at all indicative of his future temprement but it sure is nice for now. My mom comes in town tomorrow and I can't wait! When I told her I was being induced on Wednesday she asked if I would be ok without her until Sunday. At the time I was like, 'of course! I'll be totally fine...we'll only have like a day and a half alone at home before you come...no problem'. I'll be the first to admit that my ego has been shaken and my mindset is changed--Hurry up mom! I need you! :) This mommy stuff is harder than I expected. Nothing like your own mom to teach you the way. I'm looking forward to her getting here.

Here are a few pictures...just the start of our new lives with Sawyer. It's a whole new set of adventures from here on out...Hearing Test--Nathan likes to call this picture "The force is strong with this one"