Give Thanks!

 We weren't sure what we would do for Thanksgiving this year because little miss decided to come almost a week late. Before I had planned on attending because she would be 2 weeks old at that point. But being a week old we were a bit nervous. Thanksgiving was with my Dad's side of the family, and there were going to be over 40 people there. After talking to the doctor, we felt about going and just leaving Olivia in my parents bedroom. A couple of my cousins along with aunts and grandma came in and snuck a peak, but there was no holding or touching.

We are so grateful to have this darling baby in our lives. She truly is a miracle and a blessing. 

Coming home

I had Olivia on Wednesday the 14th. Bob was able to take the day off from his pharmacy rotation, but after that it was back to work. We were happy to see him Thursday night for a few hours. Friday he went in early so he could take us home in the afternoon. I was so excited to dress Olivia in the sleeper I had bought and putting her first headband on. We passed the carseat test and soon we were being wheeled out to the car.

My parents had stopped by earlier and had left dinner at our house. We relaxed and enjoyed being at home together for the first time as a family of 3. Little did we know that we were in for the shock of our lives. We were up all night long with little Olivia. -No one had prepared us for the dreaded first night home.

 Looking so cute and tiny in the car seat. She didn't cry at all when we put her in. That binky looks huge! 

 Love those chunky cheeks!

 At home in bed. 

Sleeping with Dad. 

A Baby Story - Welcome baby Olivia

Tuesday night my parents invited us to go to the BYU basketball game. It was very last minute, they had offered the tickets to any of the kids at Sunday dinner, and we had declined, hoping to have had a baby by then. Dan was going to go, but had too much homework. My dad called letting us know they were available since we hadn't had the baby.

I think the walk up to the Marriott Center and the walk down is what put things into motion. I remember breathing hard because we were walking so fast, and uphill on our way there. That night my contractions began. I was so excited to FINALLY have them, and timed them all night. They were 15- 20 minutes apart from 11-1. And then I slept some. Then from 2-3 they progressed to 10 minutes apart and then from 4-5 more like 6-7.

I kept thinking, oh man it's going to be so funny when we show up for our induction early because I went into labor on my own. And how crazy it was that I would start going into labor on the exact day that my doctor planned the induction. My contractions didn't get close enough before the hospital called to let me know they were ready for us.

We got to the hospital around 6:15. We checked in, got situated and then by 8:00 the nurse was tracking my own contractions. They were there, but not fast enough or hard enough so at 8:30 they started me on pitocin. My parents showed up at 8:45 and then my Dad and Bob were able to give me a blessing. It was so nice to start the day out with a nice peaceful calm feeling, knowing we were being watched over.

Contractions came hard and fast soon after. I began the morning dilated to a 3, and quickly made it to a 4. The doctor came in and checked me and then broke my water. He recommended that I get my epidural right then, if I wanted one because things were progressing quickly. My contractions started to get pretty painful. I had made a goal previously to wait until I was a 5 or a 6, because I didn't want my labor to stall. But my Mom suggested I do as the doctor said and I went for it. Slowly my right foot went numb and then I got nervous because my left was not. I was laying on my side, so we flipped sides and then my other leg went numb. But then we ran into another problem... I was numb everywhere except my pelvic region where the contractions were pounding my body. And these were some of the worst. I would clench onto the railing on the side of the bed and breathe really loud. My mom and the nurse knew something was up and finally got the anesthesiologist to come back. He then added a new drug to the mix which he uses with his c-section patients. This numbed up my pelvic region after a few contractions and I was good to go.

Bob, my Mom, and I hung out and talked in between checks, nurses visits, and dr. visits. Throughout the afternoon my numbness would wear off and I would start feeling contractions and cramping. At 2:00 the anesthesiologist came back and re numbed me. At 2:30 I was complete and ready to go, which was only a small problem because I was completely numb again. But I was so happy to know that we were getting close to meeting our baby girl.

I pushed from 2:50 - 3:20. Before I started pushing I made a goal to be done by 3:30, which is the time my kids at school get done with the day, haha. Dr. Nance was a great coach, and he had me look at the contraction lines on the machine to show me my wimpy pushes. I promise I was trying my best, I kept telling him that. I was so tired from having to hold my numb thighs back. I had help from the nurse and Bob, which was nice. I was surprised at how quickly we were able to meet our baby girl. You always hear how first time mom's can push for hours. What a special and unique experience that was. Bob was teary eyed as he followed her around the room to get cleaned up. The first cry brought me to tears and I couldn't believe that our little miracle baby was finally here. Being 5 days over due, I was pleasantly surprised that she weighed 7 pounds, 9 ounces, and was 20 inches long.

My Mom and Ayrika were waiting outside while I pushed and were soon welcomed in to the room to meet baby Olivia. My Dad arrived a little later. It was so fun to see my parents holding baby Olivia and meeting their first grandchild.

This was a big day for the Hales side of my family. It was my Grandma Hales' birthday and my cousin Kellie also had a baby girl earlier in the morning. When I called to wish my grandma a happy birthday, she was so excited to have 2 new great-granddaughters to share her day with.

The first time I got to hold Olivia, loved this bonding experience. (Ignore the 8 chins, I just had a baby!)

Bath time, so glad Bob was able to be there and take pictures for me to look back on. 

Grandma and Grandpa Hales. So fun to say that. 

All cleaned up, she was so alert and it was so fun to see her little personality. 

Grateful for...

Here I am jumping on the bandwagon of sharing something I am grateful for everyday in November. But with baby on the way any day now, this might be the only time I share.

November 1^st: Grateful that my 3 hours of sewing felt wasn’t for nothing and I was able to attend my school Halloween party in costume. Also grateful my belly was covered, and no skin was showing. (This was the only white shirt I could find, and it fit snug.)

November 2^nd: Grateful that my class last year gave me a gift certificate to a spa. Extra grateful that they let me use it even though it expired Oct. 31^st. My puffy feet loved the pedicure and my eyebrows have never looked better.

November 3^rd: Grateful that Bob got sick over the weekend, and not on his first day of his new pharmacy rotation. (Unfortunately, I slept on the couch and woke up every hour.) So grateful for a wonderful Young Women’s president and Laurel advisor who still keep in contact after 8 years. Met for lunch with some amazing women, and realized I am getting OLD.

November 4^th: Grateful that I didn’t have to teach Relief Society. They switched the schedule around because it was close to my due date. Extremely grateful that my Mom makes an amazing homemade meal for Bob and I every Sunday, including dessert.

November 5^th: Grateful for amazing insurance. It’s nice to be able to pay for your delivery in full and not have to worry about it later.  Also grateful for my OB doctor even when he tells me that he will see me next week, which is 3 days after my due date. Baby girl will not drop!

November 6^th: Grateful that I voted early so I didn’t have to stand in any lines. (Even though it may have helped my body progress towards labor.) The line at my school was non stop all day long.

November 7^th: Grateful for my Mom again. She made homemade chili and bread and delivered it to my house for when I got home from school. Also grateful for my cousin Emily and her box of maternity clothes that are getting me through my last days at school. 

3rd graders on Election Day

I gave my students a writing project yesterday. Here is the question and some of their answers. I loved hearing what they had to say. Some of my students understand what is going on in the world, and others have NO idea.

If I were President of the United States, I would….

Use taxes to donate money to fight for the poor.

Make it so you can choose to go to school if you want.

Make sure that school is only 4 hours a day.

Do paper work, visit schools, and take care of people.

Make video game classes at school.

Buy a private jet and do nice things for kids.

Put 5 cameras in every store.

Make more schools.

Give poor people money.

Make sure that every body had enough food to survive.

Lower bills.

Make expensive things cost only $1.

Say no wars, everyone should be free.

Make sure that everyone who wants a job gets a job.

Change the laws and make all electronics $5.

Make more jobs and help the poor.

Make the prices for basic things like food & water cheap.

Make school on Sunday, so that the grownups can go to church and listen.