Personal Question, Ladies....

Does anyone use (or have a friend who uses) Mirena? I'm pondering my options, and this sounds really good. My OB-GYN has given me all the info (side effects, etc.), but I really would like to hear from anyone with personal experience.

(Not that anyone cares, but my b.c. of choice has always been the pill.)

Sweet McKinley

For some reason I can't make this upload any bigger...Anyway, still just playing!

My Digital Studio

Here's my try at my new "My Digital Studio" program from Stampin' Up! Aren't my kiddos CUTE?

Birth Story

I meant to do this a looong time ago, but things have been busy since I had McKinley.

I had been having random contractions since I was 34 weeks pregnant. My doctor checked me when I was 35 weeks along and I was dilated to 2 centimeters and 50% effaced. I was so glad that I had some progress, and hoped that it wouldn't be too long before our sweet girl joined us!

Every time I would visit the doctor, I would think, "this is the last time that I'll be here." "it'll definitely be this week." The last time that he checked me, was my 37 week appointment. I was dilated to 3 centimeters and 85% effaced. When I left that appointment, I made an appointment for the next Tuesday to get my membranes stripped and *hopefully* start my labor.

On Sunday, around 2:00 p.m., I noticed that my contractions were pretty regular and every now and then one would take my breath away. They stayed 3-5 minutes apart for the rest of the day. We went to bed figuring that we'd get as much sleep as we could before everything started to hurt. I woke up with the contractions around 4:00 a.m. My mom came over to be with Garrett around 4:30 a.m. and we headed to the hospital.

I was so worried that they'd send me home, but we weren't there more than 15 minutes and they admitted me. I was dilated to 5 centimeters and 90% effaced.

My labor with McKinley was pretty much EXACTLY like it was with Garrett. (read Garrett's birth story here) There were only 3 main differences.

#1 - I didn't have a placental abruption with McKinley, thank goodness. :D

#2 - We had a C-Section scare...I started feeling really sick and called the nurse so that I could get something for the nausea. She came in and all of the sudden I was really out of it. She said that I lost all of the color in my face fast. My blood pressure dropped SO low. All of the sudden there were 8 nurses running around our room. When my blood pressure dropped so suddenly, the monitor lost McKinley's heartbeat. One nurse was trying to get McKinley's heartbeat, one was shaving me for an emergency C-Section...all of the while, I was SO out of it...it was all a flurry. A nurse had put an internal monitor on McKinley, so we heard the beep of her heart coming stronger and stronger on the monitor. After we were able to get her heartbeat, they didn't need to do a C-Section. They just monitored my blood pressure and her heart rate VERY closely. It was scary, but everything turned out fine.

#3 - I pushed with Garrett for 14 minutes, and only pushed for 7 minutes with McKinley. So, we're getting faster! :D

McKinley was born at 12:08 p.m. on Monday, October 12th. She was 7 pounds 1 ounce and 19 inches long. She cried and cried when she was born, but she is SERIOUSLY the best baby ever! She eats and sleeps so well and rarely cries. We are so glad she is a part of our family - - she fits right in!

Garrett has struggled with having to split the attention, but he is pretty well adjusted now. He loves McKinley, probably too much and thinks she is SO funny. He is such a sweet big brother. It's amazing how big he looks now that we have a newborn. BIG boy!

I am recovering well. It's definitely a different ball game when you have a toddler and a newborn. The newborn is the easy one, in our case. :D

We were getting back into a normal schedule last week, and then Jeff got sick. As soon as Jeff recovered, I got sick. And as soon as I started feeling better, Garrett started running a fever...so it's been along couple of weeks here at our house, but I think we're on the uphill today.

We are so grateful for our awesome families and friends for taking such good care of us these past few weeks. We couldn't do much without all of you. THANKS!

Picture of the day

I am still working on the "big post" with McKinley's birth story and whatnot, but here is the picture of the day. Isn't she a DOLL?

Okay....

Please forgive my lack of posting about our new, sweet girl. This week has been a little harder for Garrett than we anticipated, so I haven't a lot of time for pleasantries like blogging. :D I am vowing now that I will work on the blog today so that you are all informed of our experiences. Please forgive my un-returned phone calls and emails as well...I really haven't forgotten all of you...I'm just doing "mommy duties" a bit more these days. Thanks!

Welcome McKinley Abigail

Our beautiful daughter has arrived. She was born today Oct. 12, 2009 at 12:08pm. She weighs 7.1 pounds and 19 inches tall. All procedures with the delivery when smooth and Beth is doing great. I would upload more pictures, but I forgot the card reader. So stay tuned...

No Visitors

Here's the "baby" update...

I went to see my doctor on Friday for my weekly checkup. I am now dilated to 3 cm and 75% effaced. Hooray for progress! With as many contractions as I've been having, McKinley better come out to play soon!

I'd heard a few weeks ago that the hospital had come out and said that NOBODY (not even family) under 15 years old is admitted as a visitor to the hospital right now. Everyone is so worried about H1N1, that they are taking all of the precautions possible. My doctor informed me that just a few days ago, the hospital came out with a new rule...during my entire stay when I have McKinley, I can designate 2 visitors to see me, and that is all that are allowed! So, Jeff and my mom will be the only people to visit us in the hospital.

I totally understand where the hospital is coming from, and I'll do whatever I can to protect my baby, but this is SUCH A BUMMER! I loved having visitors when I had Garrett! Our room was always full of people! This just gives me motivation to get home quickly, so pray for no complications when D-day does FINALLY get here...

Till then...

HANDSOME!

My little Garrett is SO HANDSOME! We just received the disk with all of his pictures from his session a week ago and I can't believe how big my baby is! Here are a few of our favorites.




Again, thanks to Brittany Stucki who shot his pictures. If you're interested in her, check out her website www.myframedphotography.com. She was a lot of fun and reasonably priced.

Little Drummer Boy

This video is from almost 2 months ago, but I just have to share it. Garrett is SO CUTE!