Photos of the Day

It got too quiet the other day and we walked in Spencer's room to find him having a heyday with the diaper rash cream.  See that black all over his pants and the changing table?  Yeah, it's the cream.  And his leg and hands were VERY moisturized. :)  Too bad it didn't really come off the cover.  Now there's black marks all over it.  His pants are still in question.  Thank goodness for OxiClean.

What, sitting in a bumbo at one-month old?  I think yes!  She does occasionally smile, though this is his usual expression at the moment. :)

Things that make me smile at the moment

This chin

Those cheeks

Holding both kids at the same time

Possibly running this race in December, and really just the thought of running again

We're in a good place these days

It still seems a bit weird to refer to my children, much like it felt weird to refer to my child when Spencer was born.  But they're mine and I love them to pieces!

Here's some of their recent cuteness.

A token picture of Genevieve in her Italian outfit Aunt Hillary brought her.  She also only wore it once.  Good thing we plan to have more kids and it could be worn by a boy or a girl. :)

This is what Spencer spends most of his time doing: reading books and telling me the names of everything. His vocabulary is quite impressive for a 20-month old. 

This happens at least ten times a day.  Spencer comes and "hugs" Genevieve by laying his head on her stomach.

This adorable skirt fit for one day. Oh well.  That's why we took a picture. :)

Genevieve holds her pacifier in.  It's funny to watch. 

Just in case you were wondering, she is in fact a baby. 

And this baby loves to smile even though she's still tiny.

Her eyes are dark blue but getting lighter every day.

Another half smile, or at least mildly pleasant expression. :)

First Sunday going to church.

See, another hug.

We do this almost every morning, hang out on the bed reading stories before it's time to get up.

This is her bed.  She sleeps like a champ.   First block of the night is five or six hours long.  Don't ask what I did to deserve it.  I have no idea.

More mornings hanging out on the bed.  Genevieve wasn't interested in waking up for this one. 

Not to slight Spencer, this is how we found him last night.  

What, the toy box isn't meant to be played in?  He threw most of his toys out on the floor and hopped in to find the ones on the bottom. 

Spencer is uncannily good at small motor  movements.  He has been since he was just a tiny baby.   Bill showed him  where the screw hole was on the vibrator for our bouncer and Spencer went to town.  He knows how to put keys in keyholes and other such things that no 20-month old should do.

And this is Genevieve today.  She is growing so fast.  I think she might be going through a growth spurt, as she slept the entire day yesterday.  She had gained 12 ounces  at her 2-week appointment.  I believe doctors are happy when they're back to their birthweight at that point.  Go us!  She's already making some of her 0-3 month clothes look tight and she is in size 1 diapers.  She's long, so she doesn't look chunky as much as just older than she actually is.

So transitioning to two kids hasn't been so bad.  Genevieve will be three weeks old tomorrow and I'm feeling probably 90% healed from her birth and back on top of things.  Exercising is sounding good again, so that tells you how I feel. Life has settled into a pretty good routine and we are doing well.  I've had a few friends bring us meals lately that have been so helpful. It's so nice not to have to cook still every once in a while.

Spencer had some trouble adjusting the last few weeks, but he seems to be doing better.  His incessant crying spells have mostly gone away, which is such a relief.

Genevieve is still sleeping like a mad woman all the time and only wakes up once or twice at night.  She seems to have come programmed to be a good sleeper.  What a blessing that is! She is in super high percentiles for all her stats, 70s, 80s, or 90s.  Our kids seem to start big.  We'll see if they stay that way. She was starting to spend more time awake and alert, but for now she's sleeping a lot again during the day too.

Life is good.  The kids are good.  Bill and I are good and excited for the new things coming down the pipe.  It's a nice place to be.

Whirlwind Changes

Bill graduates with his undergrad in Civil Engineering in December.  We've been thinking about what he wants to do after that for probably a year or longer.  He has always wanted to eventually get a PhD, so the closer we've gotten to this point we've been thinking about this option.  He's done a lot of work looking for schools he might like to attend, deciding on his research interests, and more recently applying to various programs.  My brother Josh became an invaluable resource to us when he gave Bill advice on contacting professors at the schools he applied to. Josh is almost done with his PhD, so he knows how these things work, and his advice really helped us out.

Bill applied to three PhD programs, plus BYU's masters of Structural Engineering program as a backup.  He contacted professors at all those schools.  The first one, Colorado State, said they were very interested in him, but they didn't have any funding.  That was really frustrating and was the catalyst for applying to BYU's program in case the other programs said similar things.  Iowa State never even deigned to reply to Bill.  That was lame.  So Clemson was the last option, and although Bill was hesitant to pay another application fee only to hear no again, about a week before the application deadline he sent an email to the professor there he was interested in working with.  He got a quick reply saying the professor was super interested in Bill and he would give him a call.  This was right about the time I was about to have Genevieve, so it was a bit crazy to get such a quick reply right then.   Genevieve came on the 28th and he ended up talking to the professor on the 30th, just in time to finish his application and turn it in on the due date, the 1st of September.  After that conversation, in his words, Bill felt like this was the awesomest and scariest thing to ever happen to him all at the same time. :)  See, the professor not only showed interest in Bill, but he wanted Bill to come out, and he pretty much talked like it was a done deal for us to go there.  Remember, this is all probably going to happen in 4 months.  We had started to think before this that maybe we would stay in Utah for a while longer, so this felt crazy.

Well Bill went out to Clemson this weekend for a few days.  That's right, two weeks after he talked to Dr. Schiff he was in South Carolina mostly on their dime.  This was looking serious.  He loved it.  They seem to want him.  We are still working on the funding aspect and whether that will come through, but if that works out then we are going to be headed to South Carolina in about three months.  Holy cow!  I'm really excited about it.  The program is short.  Dr. Schiff wants him in and out in 3.5 years.  We'll see if he makes that short time period, but even still, that's just not much time from bachelor's to PhD.  And if it all works out, then we'll be totally done with school and with a PhD in what feels like no time at all.  That would be amazing!  We still have lots to do, but I have high hopes for how this will all turn out.  We will miss Utah and our family and friends here so much, but this opportunity is going to be incredible.

And who wouldn't want to go to a place that looks like this:

Twinners

I continue to wonder how I have such blonde children, but indeed I do.  And apparently I have twins too, just separated by 19 months.  

Both Bill and I thought Genevieve was going to be dark.  Boy, were we wrong.  She's as blonde as they come and looks nearly identical to Spencer at her age, albeit more chunky at the moment.  It's really fun to see all those same expressions again. :)

Genevieve Day 1

Spencer Day 1

Genevieve in the rocker

Spencer wrapped in the same blanket

Genevieve in the bouncer

And for good measure, here's Genevieve this morning, living it up on our bed.

Genevieve's Birth Story

You all know I'm verbose, so be prepared. :)

Genevieve Jo
Born Tuesday, August 28th, 2012 @ 3:18 PM
8 lbs 8 oz and 20.5 inches long

Genevieve's delivery was significantly more drawn out than I expected it to be, but in the end it all worked out great.  It all started the previous Thursday evening when my visiting teachee asked for some help and I headed over to her apartment to help her out.  I'd been having braxton-hicks contractions for weeks and weeks, but Thursday night I had my first "real" contractions.  I was so excited.  I've thought the entire pregnancy that Genevieve would arrive early, though I had no real basis for that, just a mom feeling.  Thursday was 12 days before my due date.  I had quite a few contractions that night, but they petered out as we went to bed.  Friday, Saturday, and Sunday the same kind of thing happened.  I'd have contractions strong enough to be working, but never escalating and always only at the level where I might need to breathe a bit more controlled through them, but that's all.

I spent all of the week before and while this was happening finishing up tasks, doing projects, and generally trying to wrap things up to be ready for her arrival.  Saturday I was able to make it to my neighbor's funeral in the morning. I got multiple comments that I had dropped.  Neither Bill nor I had noticed, but when my bishop even made that comment, I knew it had to be true.  He's not the most observant person. :)  I've been told that on babies after the first one, you don't drop until right before you have the baby, so I was hopeful.  By this time I'd had so many contractions start and stop though that I was really just reserving judgment for when things would actually get going.  That afternoon I was also able to make it to one of my young women's baptism.  That was wonderful, and I'm so glad I got to be there.  When things started Thursday I thought I would miss that and I would have regretted it. 

Monday morning rolled around and I was feeling exceptionally bored and ready to have her.  I'd gotten everything done over the weekend, so I was looking at an empty week sitting around waiting for a baby to arrive.  Maybe that sounds good to some people, but I felt like I might go a little crazy.  So that morning I headed over to Hobby Lobby and picked up some supplies to make flower hair clips.  While I was there my contractions started up again. I headed home and invited Natasha over in the afternoon to make them. We had a great time, and I had contractions on and off through that whole day.  When Bill arrived home that night I told him he better wrap up anything he really wanted to get done because this actually might be the real deal.  Again, these contractions were all very easy to get through with a few deep breaths, but they didn't stop, which was promising.  

We headed to bed that night and I woke up rather disoriented around 12:30PM somewhat in pain and wondering what was going on.  I realized I was in the middle of a much more intense contraction that had woken me up.  Great news in my book!  I settled in, awake, to see what would come.  The contractions continued.  I had prepped for this pregnancy with every intention of going natural.  I used Hypnobabies rather ineffectively with Spencer's delivery, but I had prepped quite a bit better for this one and so I turned on one of the soundtracks and relaxed into it.  It lasted about an hour, and I had contractions throughout the whole thing and eventually got too uncomfortable to lay down anymore.  So up I went and I spent the next few hours pacing the house, rocking in my rocking chair, or leaning against the counter working through contractions.  Around 4AM they petered out and I headed back to bed to see if I could sleep some more.  I slept until 5:30AM when I was awakened again by intense contractions.  Back to the front room I went and this time I let Bill know what had been happening.  I ended up sort of sitting on the floor leaning against the couch and dozing in and out of sleep until 7:30AM or so. At this point Bill was up and I called my mom to let her know she should probably come over to take care of Spencer.  She arrived a couple hours later and I spent that time and the rest of the morning having contractions.  They got more intense at times and I would have to change positions, but the Hypnobabies stuff was totally working for me.  With Spencer we had gone to the hospital way earlier than we really needed to, and I hadn't been dilated hardly at all, so for this delivery I wanted to wait as long as possible before we headed out.  I was waiting for the contractions to last longer each time and possibly slow down in how often they came.  I had a midwives appointment at 11:20, so that was kind of my goal to make it to that and get checked there and then hopefully head to the hospital because I would be far enough along. 

It turns out that is exactly what happened. I had another 20-minute break in contractions around 10:30, which gave me just enough break to wait for that appointment.  We headed over and I was dilated to a 7, 80% effaced, and she was at a -1 station.  They called ahead to the hospital to let them know we were coming, and Bill and I headed over.  I had to walk slowly in, but apparently they're used to women at this point coming in crying or screaming or who knows what else, so they were all very impressed I was so calm.  The Hypnobabies relaxation techniques were really standing me in good stead here.  We got there around 12:45 or 1PM and headed into a room.  My midwife was there and she essentially stayed with us the entire time until I delivered Genevieve.  She was amazing, and so was Bill.  They both would read to me relaxation prompts and help with counter pressure on my back and eventually on my knees.  I spent the next hour in a rocking chair breathing through contractions and just giving it a bit of time to hopefully finish dilating.  My midwife checked me like an hour later and I was only dilated to an 8 and she still was at a zero station, so not that much lower.  She broke my water and I moved to sitting upright on the bed.  The contractions had slowed down in duration and intensity at that point, but they picked up again a bit, though less than I expected.  

My midwife checked me again at some point and let me know the unfortunate news that Genevieve was head down but sitting sunny side up, meaning her face was towards my stomach not my back like she was supposed to be.  That's why things were going so much slower.  I decided to get on my hands and knees resting against the back of the bed and I just started rocking back and forth.  It's what felt good, but also what would help her turn.  I was starting to feel like pushing, but not intensely, just a bit.  They told me if she turned it was going to be a big sensation, so let them know.  Yeah, they weren't joking, but I don't think they were describing what actually happened.  The only way I can describe it is she was like a little greased watermelon.  She turned around and dropped like a rock directly to crowning.  I went from having more intense transition-type transactions where I was making low sounds to help get through and really needing counter pressure to help out to ring of fire, can't not push, but it hurts so bad I don't want to push, I think I'm going to die sensation.  Yeah, not fun.  We were so close though.  I was pushing for all I was worth on my hands and knees because I couldn't do anything else, but they wanted me to be sitting when I delivered, so in between the next contraction I rolled over and sat in the pretty traditional way with legs pulled up.  

All I can say is the next maybe 10-15 minutes were the most intense minutes of my life.  Thank goodness I didn't have to push for very long because it felt like an eternity.  I was pretty much hyperventilating, not dealing withe the pain at all.  It hurt so bad I was afraid to push, but I couldn't not push. Bill was right by me through all of this and though the scripts weren't helping anymore, he said a few things that were invaluable.  His support helped me calm down enough in between pushing to slow my breath down and be able to contemplate the idea of pushing again, which of course I did, but it was so much better relaxed than all tense.  It still hurt more than anything I've ever felt, and I really questioned my ability to get her head out, but I kept going.  Her head felt huge!  And it was.  My midwife and nurse were so amazing too telling me I could do it when I was saying I couldn't and working so hard to keep me from tearing.  I didn't tear on her head, but then it was time for her shoulders.  I had a momentary amazing sense of relief when her head came out which gave me just a second break, but then it was time to get those shoulders out.  This girl definitely takes after me, not her dad, on big, broad shoulders.  I pushed my heart out and one shoulder came out.  I had to push again for the other one.  But oh my gosh, when she came sliding out, that was the most amazing feeling of relief I have ever had.  Her shoulders pretty much tore me to pieces, but it didn't even matter.  I didn't feel that happen, just the relief.  My midwife and the respiratory therapist and the nurses all exclaimed at how huge she was and what an amazing job I had done getting her out.  They seriously thought she was over 9 pounds.  It turned out she was 8 lbs 8 oz, but that's still almost a full pound bigger than Spencer.  

All I can say is it was intense in a way that I can't put into words. I really thought I couldn't do it at the end.  What it lacked for intensity along the way it all made up for in the last few minutes.  Neither Bill nor I really know how long I pushed.  I don't think it was more than 10 minutes, but that felt like a lifetime.  In the moments after she was born, when all I could remember was the intensity of the pain, my thoughts ran along the lines of I was really proud of myself and empowered for having gone natural, but there was no way I was ever going to do that again.  

So aside from wanting the sewing up part to be over, right after the birth I felt AMAZING.  So glad to be done, so happy she was here, and actually surprisingly not bad for having torn so much.  Oh, and I was hungry!  I think I asked almost immediately for something to eat.  And once I was sewn up, I wanted pretty immediately to get up and go to the bathroom.  Of course doing that left me uncontrollably shaking, but I knew that was just shock and I figured getting lots of food in me would help.  Indeed it did.  After I ate a huge dinner I felt fantastic. :)  

Genevieve was incredibly alert.  I loved that part too.  Not having any drugs in her made such a difference.  Not having any drugs in me made a huge difference too.  It was like night and day from Spencer's delivery.  Yes, I'm sore and tired, but I wanted to move, to get going, to go home, etc.  We spent 24 hours in the hospital instead of the 48 we could have stayed.  I wanted to eat all the lovely food they could provide me, as I intuitively knew that would make me feel better quickly, but then I just wanted to go home and sleep in my own bed. 

Genevieve was a rockstar through everything.  She latched on first try and has done the same thing ever since.  She slept for hours and hours and then happily nursed and would go back to sleep.  She's still doing that three days later.  The first night home we had a bit of a rough time until we figured out she was sore in her girl parts from the delivery I assume.  Once we put some diaper rash cream on her, she settled down and slept for like 5 hours.  My milk came in last nigh, on day two after she was born.  That's what a good nurser will do for you. :)  I'm hard as a rock most of the time now and super sore, but she's nursing like a champ and things will settle in soon I'm sure. Everything is just so much easier than with Spencer.  The experience of another kid really makes a big difference.  And having mom here for the whole week has been amazing.  She's been taking care of Spencer and letting me relax and recover.  I love her!  

Overall it was an amazing experience.  The delivery still ended up being 15 hours long.  I attribute that to her being sunny side up.  I think it would have been half as long if she had been helping out more, but her head wasn't creating the pressure it should have.  I think pushing would still have been the hardest part, but it might have been a bit less intense if I had pushed her to crowning instead of her dropping into it.  Who knows.  We'll see next time.  Because there will be a next time.  I feel like the benefits afterward are well worth the pain, which is seriously saying something because that pain was crazy.  It really was night and day for both me and the baby though, and I like that. 

Hypnobabies made a huge difference.  I agree with Bill that it is kind of fru fru with all it's extra commentary, but it did help me isolate the pain, see it in context, and relax despite it.  That was invaluable and exactly what I needed to make this happen.  I would do it again, or at least some type of hypnosis.  And now four days later, I'm so glad to be home, healing well, feeling quite good, though still needing more recovery time, and just so happy that even though it's still three days until her due date, she's here!