Rolling, Rolling, Rolling...

 We're rolling! Well sort of... Sunday morning (7-22-12) before church we had Trevin on our bed on his tummy.  All of a sudden he started turning up on his side.  James and I watched in awe as Trevin grunted and rolled the rest of the way onto his back.  It's official. Trevin is rolling.  We were so giddy, we put him back on his tummy and I got the video camera.  Trevin rolled, over and over again. I think he rolled about 10 times before we left for church that morning.  We were so excited, we told everyone at church what he'd done.  We brought him home later that day and tried again....nothing. We thought, "Well maybe he's all rolled out for the day."  So we tried Monday....nothing.  And Tuesday....nothing. And I've tried a couple times this morning...nothing.  He forgot how to roll. Either that or, he is just testing our patience! Thankfully we got it on camera, so now people don't think we're losing our minds.





Trevin also smiled at himself in the mirror for the first time on 7-20-12.  It's funny now, how excited he gets when he sees that baby give him a grin. :)








Yesterday (7-24-12) I took Trevin to the chiropractor to adjust his back and neck. He's been having issues looking to one side.  While we were waiting, the secretary started talking to Trevin as I held him.  Believe it or not, he got shy! He cuddled his head into my chest and looked at her pathetically. Trevin is not a cuddler at all, so this was hysterical.  He wouldn't smile for her or talk.  He just dug his head into me.  Too cute. This proud mamma soaked it in!

Such a character!

I also took Trevin to a wedding this weekend.  He did so well, except he filled his pants twice during the ceremony.  (At the last wedding we were at, he had a complete blow-out during the ceremony.)  At this point, I'm glad he can't talk and tell us how he really feels about weddings, because there seems to be a trend... :S









You're probably wondering why, suddenly I'm able to update my blog at a respectable time.  Well I finished my summer classes, and it feels awesome! I start my fall semester on August 20th.  It will be tough, but God will give me the strength to get through the next year.

Love this face! :) 

 I realized that I haven't posted any of his newborn photos yet... Yikes.  Well I haven't gotten them all back, but here's a few! This was when he was 3 weeks old.  Hope you enjoy!

Now we're ROLLING on the farm...

One year later.

A tribute to a wonderful lady.  Tuesday, June 12th, Ruth Moore was welcomed into Heaven with a, "Well done, Thy good and faithful servant." As I recall the last day with her, it brings a smile to my face.  Monday, June 11th, Trevin and I spent the day at the my in-laws.  Some relative were visiting so we hung out all day. Bonnie (James' Grandma Ruth) shared a special moment holding Trevin, little did we know it would be the last time.  She held him in the kitchen and her face was glowing.  Nothing can compare to the bright smile she gave whenever she saw us walk in.  She was a woman full of joy.  Trevin laid on the floor for an hour kicking and smiling.  Bonnie watched him from the couch and soaked up every bit of it! As the day came to a close and we got ready to leave, she grabbed my arm and looked at me and then to the precious boy in my arms and said, "He is so beautiful." She had said it many times before, but that time will always be remembered.  I'm so very thankful that she was able to meet Trevin. Unfortunately, Trevin will not remember her, but we will tell him that she was a treasured grandma.

The first time I met Ruth, she treated me as if I was already family.  I was greeted with a hug and a kiss.  I remember her specifically telling me right before this picture a few years ago, that I was considered her granddaughter.  She was so welcoming and I will always remember the kindness she showed me.  She will be greatly missed!

This is my favorite picture of James and Grandma Ruth.

We found this picture here and saw resemblance to Trevin.  This is James at 6 weeks.  I handed the picture to a few people without saying anything, and they would respond in a similar way, "Aww, how cute! (pause) Wait! That's James!!!" It was pretty funny. So he does look a lot like Daddy, but there are certain characteristics that are mine. Trevin is now 3 months old! It's insane how fast it's gone.  He changes everyday in appearance and personality.  He's so much fun!  We've been saving money because we no longer need to find entertainment, he does it for us! :)  Last week he discovered his thumb. I'm not that excited about it, though.  A thumb is a lot harder to break the habit with than a pacifier.  He likes his pacifier, but he likes to play with it and chew it, so it never stays in.  That's why he loves his thumb so much.  Not going to lie, it's stinkin' adorable. haha.  

This week he's been staring at his feet quite a bit. I'll put bright socks on him and sit him up, and he will just stare at his feet.  It won't be long before they find there way into his hands (and mouth!)  

The older Trevin gets the more we are revealing his personality.  He is not a cuddler.  He doesn't like to lay in your arms like a baby, he wants to sit up and see the world.  He has certain times of the day where he talks a lot, and this week he's gotten more adventurous in his words and pitches.  All of a sudden he'll let out a squeal or a grunt.  He also fake coughs. When he's in a talking mood, he won't let you get a word in, but when he's not in the mood... You can't get him to talk at all! He also deliberately avoids eye contact.  When you are holding him up, he won't look you in the eyes.  His head literally turns back and forth so he 

doesn't have to look at you.  So funny!

Trevin is certainly responding to people.  He recognizes me, and when someone else is holding him, there's not greater feeling in the world than catching his glance and making him give a huge grin and start to squirm.  He knows how to tug at Mom's heartstrings already! I can usually get him pretty excited, but no laugh yet. We've been close, but I can't wait until he gives his first real giggle. 

He also has started to grab for things, and he loves to scratch his fingernails on anything possible.  They are claws! It seems like I clip them every week, and they are still so long! I've already gotten some battle wounds from him. 

Trevin is growing incredibly fast.  We're outgrowing clothes like crazy!  He's getting so big that the changing station on his pack-n-play is getting too small.  He touches from head to toe.  He end up pushing with his feet, and his head ends up in the corner because there's no room for him to lay straight.    I'm not quite ready to give it up yet though! It's been too convenient!
Trevin got a cold a couple weeks ago and started waking up a couple time through out the night.  For a couple weeks after that, even when he was over the cold, he would still wake up a few times. It was depressing! He had gone from sleeping most of the night, to up every few hours again. It was rough going back! Then last week, he slept 8 hours, and hasn't gone back since! WOO HOO!!! He goes down between 8 and 9, and I feed him quick before I go to bed after 10, and then he doesn't wake up until 6 most mornings.  The other day he slept until 8! I didn't know what to do with myself!  :)

I know how over-due this post is. I just looked at the last post and realized how much has changed since then! I've been rather swamped with my classes the last couple weeks.  One class was due on Wednesday and the other is due next Monday.  I'm in much better shape than I was, but I still have a few hours left in my last class, so most of my free time has gone to that. 

I still seem to be recovering from Trevin's arrival. I've seen the chiropractor 7 times in the last month for my tailbone.  We've done acupuncture 4 times. There has definitely been improvement though! I no longer suffer all day.  I had some terrible pain after 2 of the adjustments and the Dr thought it to be scar tissue tearing.  That meant that I should be back in place.  Sunday's are probably the worst for me because of sitting all through Sunday school and church.  It seems like the rest of the day is lousy.  Otherwise I usually just have pain in the evenings after long days, or after longer car rides.  If this continues for much longer without relief, I'm going to check into X-rays to make sure the bone isn't cracked.

James and I celebrated out one year anniversary on Monday, July 16th.  We are so so so grateful for the year we've had.  God had blessed us with provisions we couldn't even fathom.  Trevin has truly been a joy to us.  God's plan for our first year was unexpected, but somehow it was perfect.  He knew exactly what he was doing.  While I may have given up a "normal" college life, I may be considered a "teen mom," and my life may be questioned by others, I know for a fact that this is what God had planned for me and there's no better place to be than in God's will.  I've never loved two people more than I love my husband and my son.  God has transformed this girl into a 

wife and mother, in the matter of a year.  

How blessed am I!

We chose to take a relaxed evening in Grand Island to celebrate our first year of marriage.  We tried out the new Olive Garden, which was delicious.  Then we went mini golfing, where James somehow beat me by 10 strokes.  Anyone that knows us well, knows that I'm the competitive one and James could care less if I beat him.  I ended up going 8 strokes on 2 different holes.  It was awful! James made me smile when he tried coaching me, (since I was the one that taught him how to golf.)  I very much enjoyed just being silly together and doing something fun! We topped off the night with seeing the new Spiderman movie, which we hadn't seen the previews for, so we were completely confused until we realized it was a new story.  We didn't take Trevin with, but by half-way through the movie I was so ready to hold him. On the way home, I was just itching to give him kisses.  I realized that a night out is great, but coming home to be with Trevin is even better.  

What a blessed year, growing on the farm...

A full night's sleep?!

Mr. Trevin is already 6 1/2 weeks old! It's insane! He is about 10 lbs now and getting much longer.  People have said that he's starting to look more like me. His head is getting bigger and his hair hasn't gotten thicker, so it looks like he's thinning out! He's also started to get the famous bald spot on the back of his head from turning his head when he's laying down.  He's been much more responsive in the last two weeks.  He will look at faces and smile back occasionally! It's so fun! He has also started to talk a lot more.  He already has tones of his voice that you can tell when he's really happy, content, or complaining. It's been great to see a personality form.  Although, I'm afraid that he has quite a temper. He can get himself going when he wants to be held. He's pretty ornery! :)

This last week has been awesome. Trevin has slept through the night! I've got a anywhere from 5-7 hours of sleep straight each night!!!! Do you realize how long it's been since that's happened?! Well, Trevin is almost 7 weeks old...and before that I was pregnant for 9 months.  I was up at least twice each night to use the bathroom.  So it's been a LONG time since my bed and I have spent so much uninterrupted time together!  We've missed each other so much! haha

Another funny story about James sleep talking... A couple weeks ago, I came back from feeding Trevin in the middle of the night and snuggled up close to James.  He was burning up! I asked him why he was so warm and he replied, "Oh it's probably just the pepper spray..."  HA! He cracks me up!

First tractor ride with Daddy!

Laundry has multiplied by a million.  I always thought that a little baby would have a "little" laundry.  Oh boy, was I wrong! We sometimes go through 4 outfits in a day.  Sometimes I've left him in his pajamas and James will come home for dinner or supper and ask why he's still in his PJ's.  I respond, "Oh, well I guess I thought that he'd dirty this one earlier and didn't figure I'd waste another outfit."  He sometimes surprises me and goes the entire day without needing to do a costume change! He's also grown out of a lot of his newborn clothes, especially anything that had pants attached.  He's gotten way too long for those! While I'm doing all this laundry I apparently lose track of some things.  One day I heard James say from his bathroom, "How did these get here?"  They were Trevin's socks, and they had been in a pile with Daddy's socks.  :)

Trevin loves it when we are out and about.  Our first all-day outing (besides at relatives' houses) was at Ashton's district track meet.  He slept all day long.  I had to wake him up to feed him, and he fell right back asleep! He loved all the noises, being outside, and the motion.  He's also slept through all-day shopping trips.  That makes this momma happy! We also took him to the lake over Memorial weekend and he enjoyed every minute of it! Now, if only I could get him to be that happy when we're at home alone... haha

I experienced my first Mother's Day this year! James got up and made me breakfast. Pancakes, eggs, and bacon.  They were even chocolate chip pancakes! :) What a sweetheart! It was a ton of fun just being able to spend the day with my own little "family."  Still hard to believe that we are a little family now! Baby dedication at church was also on Mother's Day, so that was special.  Trevin did very well and slept through the whole thing! ;)


To keep you posted, my tailbone is still bothering me.  This last week the pain has been much more severe.  At my appointment a couple weeks ago, my doctor said that the muscles may have been stretched or (not likely) my tailbone cracked.  She said either way there's not much they can do about it.  Physical therapy may be something to consider though because the pain on my tailbone causes me to sit in strange positions and it puts stress on my back and may have potential negative effects in the future. Today I had my sister Brooke work on it (massage) and we'll see if that'll help.  I also tried icing it today, so hopefully it will start healing, whatever is wrong.  Brooke thinks my coccyx (curved part at the bottom of the spine) may be out of place. Please pray for some relief from this and some answers to what's wrong.  It's beginning to get frustrating.

I've felt like a terrible mother at times. Like when I'm holding him and I'm trying to eat, and I drop food on him. Bad mom, bad bad mom.

I left Trevin for the first time on Tuesday.  Paul and Kathy Nauman are hosting a college-aged bible study this summer and I was hoping to go. James needed to work late that night so I knew he couldn't watch him, so I called up Dori (his mom) and asked if she'd be around.  She was thrilled! So I took him down and got her set up.  As I kissed that little man good bye, my throat started to constrict.  I turned around and left as fast as I could because I knew if I would have taken one more look at him, I'd decide not to go.  I got to the car and drove out and was bawling by the time I got to the end of the driveway.  I had to take the long way around to pull myself together.  I enjoyed the couple hours out, but it was definitely great to get back to my baby!

We're loving baby life and looking forward to the days ahead!

Our little family, growing on the farm...

Trevin Trimble

I gave that last big push and I felt instant relief from pressure.  I looked down and saw the most beautiful baby.  He was quickly placed on my stomach and that moment proved that love at first sight is possible.  Suddenly all the fear of the unknown was gone.  Peace swept in and joy overwhelmed me. He was perfect.  It was a wonderful moment that words cannot begin to describe.  I pulled him up to my chest and tried to soak in every second.  His cry brought a smile to my face and I couldn't take my eyes off of him.

Trevin Trimble Huenefeld was born at 2:06 p.m. on Saturday, April 14th.  He weighed 8 lbs 5.5 oz, and was 19 3/4 in long. Yeah, he was a little larger than expected. We were so blessed to have such a healthy baby boy.  He had lots of hair (his mother's son!)  Even some on his back and shoulders! The hair on the back of his head is longer than the hair on top of his head, so I'm pretty sure he'll have a mullet in a few months.  He's awesome already! He also came out with all sorts of rolls.  Right away the rolls on his neck were pretty irritated because it was skin on skin and it wasn't able to get dried out.  The nurses said that he didn't have a very long neck and so that's why those rolls were even bigger.  He was 6 days early, so if he would have gone full-term, we would've had almost a 9-lb baby. Yikes.





After they had taken him from me to weigh him, I remember thinking, "Oh no, I didn't check for 10 fingers and 10 toes. Surely someone would have noticed already and broke the news to me. Right?" I tried to glance over to see if I could count, but there were too many bodies in the way.  As soon as I got him back, I made sure.  They're all there! haha.

Trevin has impressed us from the get-go.  The first time he was up on my chest, he lifted his head up.  That doesn't usually happen for at least 1 week.  His short neck may be part of the reason he can hold his head up so well.  He gains more control of his head every day.  He moves it to look at things in every direction.  He also is able to throw himself back when you have him up.  He certainly requires two hands, otherwise he would end up on the floor.  (Don't worry, it hasn't happened! But he has caught me off-guard and scared me a couple times.)  He's also very alert for his age.  When he's awake, he's awake.  He has bright eyes that seem to be taking in everything! Last week I had him kind of squatting on my lap and talking to him. That silly boy pushed up on his legs and stood! Now, he was wobbling like crazy, but I couldn't believe it! At two weeks he was able to push himself up with his legs.  He's getting really good at it now.  It's starting to scare me. I keep telling him that he needs to slow down and be a baby for a while!  Before I know it, he'll be pulling himself up and taking steps... Oh boy. We took his pictures yesterday and I was trying to hold him out on my hands with his bottom against my stomach.  He was not having that! He pushed his legs and locked them tight.  My arms were out-stretched, I was barely able to hang on.  He's a stinker already. :)  He has an interesting temper, too.  Generally he is very patient and content even when he's in need of food, changing, etc. BUT, when he decides that he has waited long enough for you...he'll let you know.  It's usually an instant scream, he doesn't always work up to it to give Mom a warning.  Nope, the timer just goes off.  He also is starting to realize that he's spoiled.  The last couple weeks have been pretty busy.  Very few days are we just home alone with no visitors or nothing to do.  So, that means he's been held. A lot.  And the days when we are home all day by ourselves, he reminds me that no one is holding him and he would rather be held.  How do you start child-rearing a 3-week old? haha! It's hard not to spoil him though, he's too stinkin cute.  He's been smiling more and more.  Not necessarily at anything imparticular, but when he's content or sleeping.  He makes all sorts of faces.  He's got his Dad's expressions, for sure!

Now the story on his name: If you've read my previous blogs you'll know how we came about choosing Trevin, but Trimble is a whole new funny story.  James' Grandpa Moore's middle name was Trimble, and that's why we choose it. (Now, Trimble is also the name of an Ag company that makes GPS systems for farm equipment.  Did James have double motives?  Most likely, but who knows for sure. haha.) We assumed that Trimble was just a family name.  It turns out that it is, but not our family. We heard the story of the name after Trevin was born and named. -- Grandpa Moore's father was a traveling pastor that essentially lived on scams.  He would go to churches all over with his 10 kids and wife and ask for money.  That's how he "supported" the family.  One way he would attempt to get more money was to name his children's middle names after wealthy families in the churches they were at, in hopes that those families would be impressed and give them money.  Interesting concept, but that's how the name "Trimble" came into our family.  Trimble was the last name of a wealthy family in a church they visited.  So, now we have quite an interesting story to tell and pass on! haha!

I have a couple more hospital stories for you.  I mentioned last post that I've lost all sense of privacy and modesty.  Well, a couple of friends were visiting us in the hospital and right before they came I was needing to use the restroom.  This was only the second time I went after the birth, so I pressed the call light to get some assistance.  (The first time, I almost passed out when I got to the bathroom.) A new nurse came in and I explained that I needed help.  She helped me to the bathroom and got me squared away.  Our friends came into our room in the middle of all this and over heard the following.  As she was just about to open the door to leave she said, "Oh, by the way, my name is Brandy."  When I came out a couple seconds later, they were laughing.  She was helping me use the bathroom and I didn't even know her name until she was done. haha. I would have never thought anything of it and I couldn't have cared less...

First bath!

I had asked my mom to take pictures with my camera and record a little right after he was born.  So she did.  The next day in the hospital, James turned on the video camera and watched a little bit.  After a few minutes he said, "Um, I think your mom left the video camera on."  I wasn't too concerned, but asked him to show me.  She had set the camera down on my table next to my bed, and it was still recording.  The camera was pointing directly at me, so it really had a good shot of things, maybe too good.  James said, "Well, we have a good view of the first feeding..." haha yikes. It was a direct shot of my chest, minus my gown... We had a good laugh, thinking that would be the worst of it.  Then I remember that I had tried to eat a little bit after the delivery and thrown it up...all over myself...  I laughed in terror, hoping it got shut off before then.  Sure enough, a few minutes later I hear myself say on the tape, "Someone grab me a bag, I'm gonna throw up!" And then I did.  Right there on tape.  James and I turned it off after that, and we haven't seen the rest of it still. I'm going to have to edit those majorly! But it made for a good laugh!

One other thing, last post I mentioned that epidurals don't take away all of the pain.  Well, they do. Either mine didn't work completely or I was given a smaller dose (if that's possible.)  Anyways, mine did not reach its full potential.  I was still able to feel the pressure and also was able to feel everything when she stitched me up.  Thankfully, it was my first delivery, so I had no idea that it would be any different.  I'm grateful for my ignorance.  And I'm glad that it did what it did.  I was able to be in control of pushing, while being able to focus since I didn't have the severe cramping with each contraction.

James has been loving parenthood.  It's a whole new world, but it's been incredible.  He comes home and just holds him.  The first week we were home, he told me, "It's not fair that you get to stay home with him all day."  James also has modified his own pacifier for Trevin.  His nose.  It sounds disgusting, but it is pretty funny.  If Trevin starts crying, James will put his nose to his mouth and Trevin sucks away! Sometimes he likes it better than his actual pacifier!  Crazy Dad... He loves every second with him.  Even if he's screaming.  The first couple nights at home, I began to get annoyed getting up every 2 hours.  Each time we'd hear that little squawk from the monitor, James would start to laugh.  I asked him what was so funny and he replied, "He's just so cute!" Cute if you're getting more than 4 hours a night... haha It really hasn't been that bad.  That was obviously the first week.  By week 2, and now 3, James sleeps through it all.  He's adjusted well. I do get some good laughs in the middle of the night sometimes, though.  I wear contacts usually, so when Trevin starts crying in the night I can't see the clock to tell what time it is.  One night I asked James what time it was (This helps me know if it's time for another feeding, or if maybe he has a burp...) James sat up, looked at the clock and said, "It's Valentine's Day.  Do you want me to give him some water?"  I tried not to bust out laughing.  I don't know what he was dreaming... I chuckled a little and said, well let's try the pacifier instead.  The next morning I mentioned something to him about it being V-Day.  He had no idea what I was talking about. :)  This week the same scenario was played out except his response was, "As long as his wheels are still spinning, he'll be alright."  Oh brother! I didn't even bother responding that time. I just laughed as I headed down to the nursery.  I told him about it the next day and he insisted that I'm making all of these stories up.  I told him there's no way I could make up something that random.  I'm looking forward to the nights of funny quotes ahead!

11 Days

Speaking of night-time, Trevin gave me a 5-hour stretch last night! Woohoo! We're generally on a pretty close schedule through the nights.  He eats about at 10, 2, and 6. Give or take.  I hope that last night was a sign that we're working towards one LONG night stretch.  The first couple weeks were a little rough, there were nights that I saw every hour of the clock.  Somehow I survived.

12 Days

So baby's doing well, growing fast and getting loads of kisses from every one around.  But how's Mom?  Well, post-natal hormones are real. Stupid songs on the radio, or a certain look from that sweet baby face will either send me bawling or brighten my entire day and I just can't stop smiling.  Emotions are such a funny thing, aren't they?  I'm also starting to think that my tailbone is damaged.  I'm still having quite a bit of pain.  If I sit too long in a position it hurts, but especially when I go to get up from sitting.  The first couple steps after standing up, I feel like I need a walker.  I'd never heard of tailbone pain after birth, but apparently some women even go in for x-rays because their tailbones have cracked.   I go in for my appointment next week, so we'll see what the doctor has to say.  But on the positive side, I hardly spend any time in my bathroom now! Sometimes I panic thinking something is wrong because I haven't used the bathroom in hours! And then I realize that I'm just not pregnant anymore!  :)

2 1/2 Weeks

Trevin had an appointment when he was 9 days old.  He had gained back all of his weight and a little more, and had grown a little longer, too!  She said he looked so healthy that he didn't need to come back for his one-month appointment.  Atta boy!

Trevin has his baby dedication this Sunday, Mother's Day.  Very exciting! :) It's also my first Mother's Day.  How crazy!

I got the rest of our maternity pictures. Man,
I forgot how big that belly was!!!

One beautiful boy, growing on the farm...

Labor and Delivery

First of all, thank you for your patience with me.  This post is long overdue, but I'm just going to write about the labor and delivery in this post, and more will come later.  Ok, here it goes.

Reader beware:  Content has not been rated.  You may think I've gone too far and said to much, and I probably have.  I'm giving you all the details of this event.  But having a baby completely abolishes your care for G-rated material.  Modesty is no longer in my vocabulary, and I apologize for any "vivid" pictures I've painted in your mind. I only hope that one day you can forget them! Unfortunately you can't unread something, so proceed with caution...

It was Friday April 13th.  I was in no mood to make supper so, we made a quick trip to town for some Runza.  Little did I know, it would be our last meal together without a baby.  On the way home, it was about 8:00, I started having a few contractions. Very mild and somewhat random, so I didn't get too excited...we'd been through this once already.  We got home and got ready for bed and they were still coming fairly regularly.  I was certainly anxious to have this baby in our arms, so I got up and tried walking, hoping that it would bring on stronger and more consistent contractions.  These contractions were different from the ones of the last experience.  These were rather inconsistent.  One would be 5 min, the next would be 7, then 4, then 6...  I was assuming it was false labor.  But they continued all night, and never got more painful or unbearable.  I did more walking, and lots and lots of thinking.  I never fell asleep though.  At about 3:30 we decided we should go in and get checked.  So we packed up our things and left the house at 4. The nice thing about going into labor in the night, is that you don't have to fight traffic!  There was no one on the road. James and I enjoyed a nice conversation on the way to the hospital and tried to prepare ourselves for what may be ahead.

This was at 4:30 when we checked in.  This was the temporary room,
and obviously spirits were high! 

We arrived at the hospital at 4:30 AM.  We checked in and we were placed in a temporary room until they knew for sure that I was in labor.  She checked to see how dilated I was, and told us that I was about 4 1/2 cm dilated and still 80% effaced.  She said she could feel my water bulging as well.  We were instructed to walk for an hour, and then they'd check me again.  It was 5:00 then, and I only made it to 5:30.  Within that 1/2 hour the contractions became extremely intense, far worse than I'd experienced.  They were much closer together, too.  I felt like I didn't have much recovery time before the next one started up again.  My mom and sister, Ashton, arrived just in time to see me give up on walking.  So back to the room we went and I was checked once more.  I was almost at 6 cm.  At this point, they decided to move me to a labor/delivery/recovery room.  The contractions had become painful enough that I already felt kind of foggy.  I remember someone...not sure who...took my arm and escorted me to the new room.  On the way I vaguely remember feeling drips of water on my toes.  I found it rather strange at first, and then I did that math.  My water broke! Thankfully I had enough sense to enlighten the others about my discovery.

My account of the events that followed may not be completely accurate.  Please do not hold me liable for anything written that is false information, haha.  As I sit here, there is no one to remind me of the order of events or the details.  I honestly can't recall everything that happened, I felt like I was in a daze.  Almost like I'm trying to remember the details of a dream... It's hard.

I know I had a few more contractions in the new room, and I do remember asking my nurse how soon I could have something for pain.  She smiled at me and said I could have something now, if I wanted.  That was the greatest thing I could have heard at that point!  Now, generally I'm a wimp.  I don't like pain, and I don't tolerate it very well.  But that, my friend, was not pain.  It was, for lack of a better word, hell.  (Now, for all of you women that have experienced childbirth, the "natural way," I GREATLY applaud you.  You are my hero. But modern medicine is a Godsend!)  A few minutes later, she either gave me a shot or something through the IV... I know those were the options, but I don't know which one she did.  haha This is bad.  Anywho, how wonderful! It made me sleepy, but the best part was that it allowed me to sleep! Because if you remember, I hadn't slept at all that night and now we were starting a new day.  Sleep was essential.  I conked out for an hour and a half. It was much needed sleep and much appreciated! I have no idea what time this was...

Next, I remember contractions starting back up a little. I was pretty positive and felt rested, but the medication quickly was unable to help take care of the contractions.  I think she gave me some more, but told me that it works best the first time and may not do much with stronger contractions.  They came on really strong at this point.  So many times I wanted to just cave in and bawl my eyes out.  It was the worst thing I've ever experienced.  I believe that at this point, I told James that we couldn't do this again.  :)  It was a weak moment.  I was very vulnerable and desperate and I think I would have told anyone anything.   It's just a good thing there was no one around! Although it was terrible, there was no screaming or cursing, like in all the movies.  It was really pretty calm, but intense.  --  The nurse offered the jacuzzi tub to help with relaxation. I thought that it sounded pretty awesome, so I agreed.  It took a few minutes for the tub to fill, and then I got in.  I'm not positive but I think I only lasted 3-5 contractions in the tub before we called the nurse in and told her we decided we wanted an epidural.  We'd been open to the idea, but I really didn't know if I'd need it... Well I did.  So she called the anesthesiologist.  I knew in my mind that it would take a while for him to be able to get there and then a little while before it would kick in.  I knew that I could try to fight through another 1/2 hour of these contractions, but I didn't want to wait 1/2 hour and then decide I can't take it and then have to wait another 1/2 hour for the epidural to actually work.  I felt completely exhausted and desperately longed for a break.  So after maybe 10 minutes in the tub, I was back out.  Hospital gown back on, and back to the bed for me.  My mind was more at ease, knowing that relief was on it's way.  More strong contractions and finally the doctor came in to give the epidural.  Now, the anesthesiologist is a funny guy.  He tells you mid-contraction to hold still or it won't work.  HA!  He's a comedian at night. I remember thinking in my head with a very sarcastic tone, "Yeah right buddy.  Why don't we swap places and see if you ever try to tell a laboring woman that again!"  Once again, I was miserable and do not take responsibility for my thoughts in those long hours.  Somehow I managed to stay still long enough for him. Now they make you sign a paper before they give you an epidural, stating risks and liability.  I saw this paper after the delivery and my signature made me laugh out loud.  It looked as awful as I felt!  haha.  And once again, I have no idea what time this was, close to lunchtime maybe.  I'm going to let you in on a little secret, epidurals help, but it's not happy faces either!  Childbirth is still childbirth. You can still feel pain. I think I had a little bit of relief, maybe a 1/2 hour before I had dilated to 10cm.  This gave James enough time to run for a quick lunch, and yogurt apparently.  I told him I wanted some... haha.

I had dilated to 10 and could tell because with each contraction I started feeling all sorts of pressure on my pelvis.  Pushing time was coming! The nurse said she could feel his head already.  This gave me a boost of motivation.  I felt more rested and ready to take on this last scene.  I started pushing laying down, and that felt pretty good...but there's something about it feeling good that means you're not getting anywhere.  :(  So the nurse instructed me to try my hand hands and knees for a while.  That was not comfortable at all.  But I was making progress so I was encouraged to stay there.  At this point, pushing helped each contraction pass. Unfortunately, the baby's heart rate would drop after every contraction that I pushed.  So I had to sit every other contraction out and just try to breath through it.  This gave the baby time to get his heart rate back up.  Man alive, it's a terrible feeling, wanting to push, but not being able to! This went on for a while...I have no idea how long. I had made enough progress, that it was time to call in the doctor.  (Now a side note: It was a Saturday, meaning I got the on-call doctor, not MY doctor.  Thankfully, the on-call doctor was a sweet gal named Dr. Haake.  She did a marvelous job and I couldn't have been happier with her.) At this point I started using the bar thing to assist in pushing.  This uses gravity to my advantage helping the baby advance down farther.  The doctor came in and started coaching me through each push.  3 sets of 10 second pushes with each contraction.  Pushing is a three steps forward, two steps back type of process. You make a lot of progress with a push and then when you stop, that little head backs up.  In that moment, I felt good.  Don't get me wrong, it hurt like the dickens, but I felt really strong.  I believe that I owe that to the epidural.  It took the intensity of the contractions so that I could really focus on the task at hand.  It gave me the strength to really finish strong.  Funny story that happened at this point:  James had been up by my head for the majority of the pushing.  We had talked weeks before and it seemed like he just wanted to be at my head and not have to be "involved" down below.  Well, after a really successful push, the doctor exclaimed, "We see the head!" James took the cue and said to my mom, "Do you want to be up here with Megan?"  My mom replied, "No, that's okay, you can." His response, "No, I want to watch."  :)  I couldn't smile on the outside, but on the inside I giggled.  Suddenly this was real, and a miraculous event was about to occur.  A few contractions later, the I heard those words that to this day make me tear up thinking about it.  "One more good push, and you'll have your baby in your arms."  Oh man. Time stopped.  I knew that a new life was about to enter this world.  There's no words that can describe that feeling in that moment.  The anxiousness is overwhelming, but you realize how much you have to be thankful for.  I felt so broken before the Lord in that moment.  He was about to perform a miracle and I felt his smile.  This was the moment that we'd waited for, 9 months of the unknown was about to become known.  Love was about to be born.

I gave everything I had in those last 30 seconds. I heard her say, "We have the head, one push for the shoulders." This part of the story, to be continued.......

Daddy cutting the cord!

Skipping ahead past baby details... (I'm trying hard to increase the suspense by referring to him as "baby" I'm aware that you all know his name and probably every other detail about him, but for now, let's pretend that I have left you hanging. Thanks..)  After the baby was born, the placenta was delivered and then the joy of the room was quickly hushed.  Apparently I had suffered a cervical tear, (for those of you that don't know, it's a tear inside.)  I've read now that they are rather uncommon and usually only occur with the use of forceps or a vacuum extractor, or a very fast delivery.  Which I didn't have any of those things, so I don't know what exactly caused mine.  I was enjoying a new life in my arms when I was quickly "made aware" that there was an emergency.  Of course, they didn't tell me that.  I felt it.  The doctor literally used to hands to pry my open.  They placed some sort of tool in my to "hold" me open so that the doctor could get inside to see what was going on.  It was all kind of surreal. Every time I looked down I saw her pull out another rag drenched in blood.  I don't think I knew enough of what was going on to actually panic, but I could tell my the new mood of the room that things had changed.  I can say that this was almost the most painful thing of the entire process.  I was so frustrated, because my baby was here, and I wasn't supposed to hurt anymore! It should be over! The bloody rags began to pile up and I actually had to hand my baby off because I hurt so bad.  With each move of her hand, it made me let out a cry. I was almost out of breath at times because of the sharp pain.  She started to stitch up the tear...and I could feel everything.  I could feel her threading it through and pulling tight.  Ouch.  The doctor had been so gentle through the whole delivery, but now my comfort was the least of her cares.  (I wouldn't have had it any other way, she had a job to do, and she did it.)  Anyways, finally I was stitched up and the bleeding had stopped.  Later I was informed that my blood count had fallen, obviously, and they'd put me on iron pills to help recover.  It's crazy to think about how fast the situation can turn into an emergency.  I'm very grateful for the skills of the doctor and nurses to help lead me to a quick recovery. It could have been much worse and really serious if they wouldn't have worked as fast and precisely as they did.

One thought that's occurred to me: When Eve experienced the first labor of the entire universe, I bet all she could think about was, "Man, I really regret that bite of fruit." What a curse we have on us!

I haven't mentioned much about my coaches.  My mom was with me every minute.  She helped me remember that I needed to breathe.  Yeah, sometimes I forgot and would hold my breath, not the greatest idea.  After giving birth, you realize how much you are truly loved by your mom.  She went through that for you.  It was great having her there, she understood what I was going through and could truly support me.  She helped answer questions from the nurses when I felt like I would punch anyone that tried talking to me.  She ran the cameras after the birth, to make sure we had the event well documented. I was so grateful that she was there.
My other coach was my best friend.  James was so crucial to my success.  He dealt with the details when I wasn't able to.  He's been such a helpmate and I couldn't have imagined trying to do it without him.  Some of the moments I can recall the best are when he took my face during a rough contraction and stared me dead in the eyes and gave me the assurance that I desperately needed. I'll never forget those moments.  They are tender memories, having made it that far together and knowing that our future was about to change.  He was strong for me. I know he would have taken my pain in a heartbeat if given the chance.  He's such a blessing. Experiencing this with him has only made my love for him grow more and more.


What a day, growing on the farm...

At this rate, won't he just drop out?

Just when you thought you had me figured out, I go and write 2 posts back-to-back! Don't be too impressed, I don't have much to say...

I really just wanted to give a short quick update.  I had my appointment yesterday and I'm now dilated to 4 cm and still 80% effaced.  At this rate, if I just hold off a couple of weeks, I'll dilate to 10 without even needing to go to the hospital! Just kidding!!! I'm very excited that I've progressed this far already!  The doctor said she thinks Chick will be an "average size."  About 7 1/2 lbs, she thought.  It was nice to hear that I probably don't have a 9-pounder in there! :)  

But I thought that yesterday was going to be the day to have a baby.  With the storms coming through this week, apparently it put every pregnant woman in labor, but me.  I saw 4 different babies on my facebook that were all born yesterday.  Surely, I'd go too? Not the case... We'll see what happens. Trying to be patient!

Doing my best to keep everyone posted, now that we're so close! Keep us in your prayers!

Locked and Loaded!

Where has the time gone?  We're at 38 weeks, only 2 left! Wow, it is incredible how fast this pregnancy has gone.  We are now going to weekly appointments to check progress.  Two weeks ago I was dilated to 2 1/2 cm and 75% effaced.  Last week I hit 3 cm, and 80% effaced.  That means that I'm basically already done with the first progression of early labor. Once I start having regular contractions or my water breaks, I'll be going into the hospital to have this baby.  :)

Speaking of having this baby, Saturday night we had some friends over and didn't get to bed until almost 12:00.  I woke up to use the restroom at 12:30 and when I laid back down, I realized that I was having a few contractions.  This was pretty common, but something felt different with these.  I waited a little while and had a few more.  I had never had that many at one time. So I got up to walk around and see if they would go away, meaning they were fake.  I walked for about 45 minutes and started timing each contraction.  They were five minutes apart on the dot! Now keep in mind that we were told to leave for the hospital when they are 5 minutes apart.  After having these for about an hour I went to the computer and printed off my "Hospital List."  And then I went into panic mode.  James had slept the first hour or so, but had woke up to my rummaging around trying to pack the bags.  I told him how consistent and close the contractions were, and we decided he should probably go shower and pack his bag.  The contractions began to get stronger and stronger.  At first it was almost hard to tell when they started and ended, but by 2:30 they were much stronger and were easy to tell apart.  My sister, Ashton was staying the night at our house, and I just about woke her up 3 times.  But decided I'd wait until the last minute, so she could get as much sleep as possible.  I was ready to walk out the door a few times, but James stopped me.  We had everything packed and ready to go by 2:45, but James told me to lay down for a little bit and try to rest.  He realized that I didn't even have an hour's worth of sleep in my system and that if this was for real, it'd be a long night and day ahead of us.  I gave in and tried to lay down.  Each contraction seemed to get a little bit stronger and my mind was racing! I was positive that it would be impossible for me to fall asleep now.  I kept telling James that I didn't want to have the baby in the car!! It's a 30 minute drive to the hospital, but this is my first rodeo and I just don't know what to expect. With each contraction, I grew more positive that we'd be having a baby in the next 24 hours.  An Easter baby! I thought to myself that it was going to be the most memorable Easter of my life, and probably the most painful as well! But how fitting would that have been?! Easter is all about the resurrection; it's about new life.  It would have been too perfect to have a baby on Easter Sunday.

Adorable tractor diaper cake! So sad I had to take it apart,
but we got plenty of pictures! :)

Well obviously I'm still pregnant.  So to finish the story... James kept giving me time restrictions.  First it was, "let's wait until 3:30, then we'll see where you're at."  3:30 came and the contractions were stronger than they'd been, but they were still tolerable.  So we decided to wait until 4:00 to see where we're at.  I felt so unsure.  I think I asked God a million times to break my water so we'd have some clarification and know it's really time.  I'm a little bit embarrassed to say that was my first prayer on Easter.  We really are such selfish beings, aren't we?  Anyways, by 4:00 the contractions were starting to get pretty rough.  I started to have to focus during them and make sure that my body stayed relaxed, and didn't tighten up.  I started breathing through them a little more and was getting good at acknowledging when one was coming on, or one was slowing down.  I'd been laying down for over an hour, so my sleep deprivation started to kick in.  I started feeling more relaxed in between the contractions and I started to use the few minutes in between to rest.  At about 4:15 I told myself, "Okay, two more and it's time."  One finished and I quickly fell asleep right after it.  I woke up a few minutes later to the next one, and fell asleep after it finished.  I had one more and I glanced at the clock and it said 4:30.  By then I was just wanting to sleep through them, so I closed my eyes again.  Next thing I knew, James' alarm went off at 6:00.  The contractions had either completely stopped or just slowed down enough for me to sleep through them.  I was really grateful that we didn't end up making a trip to Grand Island.  I went to church yesterday and to two family Easters.  James and I left early last night so we could come home and catch up on our sleep.  We hit our pillows at 6:30 p.m. and slept very soundly all night long.  I feel much more rested this morning! I'm glad that we had this little eye-opening experience.  I think we were able to get most of the nerves out and now we have a much better idea of what to expect.  I'll be able to recognize contractions much easier and know what they'll feel like.  I also think that we have a better sense of when we really need to leave for the hospital. We feel much more prepared!  I have my weekly appointment on Wednesday and I'm very anxious to see if all of those contractions helped me progress even more! But who knows, maybe we won't even make it until Wednesday! :)


We were able to take maternity pictures last week.  I had a lot of fun and I'm excited to see how they turn out.  We got a couple back to get a sneak peak, and they look great! We shot for about 2 hours and it was a nice day.  It was a little breezy, but we managed.  I was just very happy we were able to get them in before the baby's arrival. This was the third date we tried to shoot.  The first two didn't work out for various reasons, and I was thinking that they just wouldn't happen! But sometimes I'm too much of a Negative Nancy... I'll be sure to post the rest as we get them!

So I also told you that I'd be posting babymoon pictures... Well, if you know me at all, you won't be surprised to hear that I didn't get any pictures taken.  :S  We did have a wonderful time though! We went to the lodge and really just relaxed.  We did a little bit downtown, but for the most part we just enjoyed doing "nothing" together haha.  It's always much easier to do that when you're not at home.  I'm really glad we decided to go; it was so much fun.  It will be interesting when it's not just the two of us any longer.

I was planning on posting nursery photos as well, but I've decided to hold off and wait a little longer.  The nursery is basically completed, just need to find a shade for the window and a small table to put a lamp on.  We also need to get the doors put back on, since they were taken off to paint and re-carpet.  The other thing is that my vinyl wall decor isn't finished yet.  And it just won't be the same if I show the nursery to you now without them.  They might not be done until after the baby comes, but then you'll also be able to see his name on the wall.  So, you must wait a little longer to see the finished product! :)

I mentioned last post that my church was throwing me a baby shower.  It was a lot of fun! I had a good laugh when I read the sign-in sheet at the shower.  My mom wrote, "We can't wait for our little baby Chick to hatch!"   :)  He really should have been an Easter baby, huh?  We received so many generous gifts and we are truly blessed! Chick got some really cute "farm" things, and I know he's going to love them! We are pretty much set on baby items, and I feel a huge relief! We purchased the last of the essentials, but now we're ready for the best gift of all to arrive!  (Chick)

Chick and I with the shower hostesses! 

So last week was April 1st, meaning the infamous April Fools Day.  I woke up on my own, before the alarm and I laid in bed for a while.  I realized that it was April 1st, and I thought, "I should play a joke!"  Well before my brain even processed it, I shook James and said, "My water just broke!"  (Now, keep in mind that at this time, I wasn't having regular contractions and we were not very prepared. haha)  For some reason I felt that I needed to completely scare him to death by playing this awful prank.  His eyes got big and he responded, "Are you serious?!"  (This is where I was a good wife.)  Instead of having the water bottle next to my bed ready to dump out, or peeing myself to make this joke go any further... I simply just waited a few seconds and said, "April fools." in a very sheepish tone.  He didn't laugh. Apparently it was funnier to me than it was to him.  I wouldn't have any idea why... HA! That really wasn't very nice.  I could have given him a heart attack...  I suppose he could have faked one and I would have deserved it.  :)

We toured the hospital 2 weeks ago.  Just one more thing to help us be more prepared for the big day.  The hospital is so so nice.  The LDRP rooms are so big and cozy.  Another nice thing is the entire 2nd floor is just for deliveries, so there won't be any unnecessary traffic going through the halls or past our rooms.  It also has a good sized waiting room for any family that might be waiting there.

Some of you may know that I was trying to finish my semester of classes a month early to give me a little cushion to prepare for the baby.  Well my goal was to finish by the April 1st, and I finished March 29th! I was very excited! It's allowed me to get the finishing touches of the house ready for baby.  One of my classes isn't actually an online class, they record the lectures for me and I watch them the next day.  So I'm still having to finish that class, but it was impossible to finish before the end of the semester.  Other than that, I'm done! And it's wonderful! I'm needing to go in this week to figure out my schedule for next semester.  I'm a little bit nervous because I will have a baby to plan around and it'd be awesome to do the same thing I did this semester, but it kind of sounded like it might not work.  I might be going back to campus for classes, spending more money on gas, and trying to work out babysitters... We'll see what life brings.

When I walk into a room I get the same questions every time.  "How are you feeling?"  "Still haven't had that baby?"  "How close are you?"  I certainly don't mind answering these questions, it's just funny. Lately my response is "A little less than 2 weeks to go, but it may be sooner than that. Things have started progressing, so we'll see.  I'm feeling about as good as I can, considering the situation.  I'm retaining a lot of water though, so that's been a little bit uncomfortable.  But I really can't complain."  That is the latest issue.  Swelling.  I look and feel like a big balloon.  I've put on almost 10 lbs of water weight in the last couple weeks.  haha.  I'm not able to fit into actual shoes anymore, so about three weeks ago I went and bought a pair of soft flip flops, and those are the only things that have touched my feet since!  They look like I've had them for a year because I've worn them so much already.  I think I'm ready to be my old self again.  (After a few months of extreme work outs, of course haha)  I've started to take interest in the old wives' tales about things to do or eat to induce labor.  haha I guess I'm feeling desperate!  We know that nothing will fully prepare us physically, emotionally, or mentally, but we feel as ready as we'll ever be to have this baby in our arms!  We're getting very anxious! And I'm hoping that this is the last post without pictures of our dear baby Chick.  He will, by then, have a new name and I can stop calling him that.  Oh what joy! :)





Chicks coming soon, growing on the farm...