Trick or Treat

by Sarah

Thursday, October 28th

Carson has been having a pre-trick or treat party for a few years and it has always been a blast!  We would normally have kept the party outside, but since it was so cold and windy- most stayed inside.  Pizza and music kept the kids busy- they really just want to socialize with each other!  Baby Reese was passed around by the neighbors and then eventually fell asleep.  You can bet that next year I will have her out and about collecting candy!  I LOVE Halloween!!!

Carson (dressed as WWE wrestler Rey Mysterio)... great muscles, eh?

Baby Reese... daddy and mommy's little pumpkin!

The neighborhood crew

They all did a great job with their costumes!

Mason's Due Date!

By Jamie

Today is Mason's due date...and he is 17 days old!!!  He had an appt with the pediatrician yesterday, and he is up to 8 lbs 7 oz....he gained one whole pound since his appt last week! 

I've been doing a combination of breast feeding, pumping and formula.  My goal is to eliminate formula altogether, but I haven't been producing enough milk for that yet.  I actually enjoy pumping as opposed to nursing.  It only takes 15 minutes but it forces me to sit still and relax!!  I get frustrated when Mason doesn't latch on right away, so I like giving him a bottle instead.  I've been nursing at least twice per day, though, just to help get more milk!

Trick or treat is just days away!  Jim got Mason his very first Halloween costume...he will be a football!!  Mya is going to be Princess Barbie, so we're on the hunt for some "high-heels" (that she can walk comfortably in) and a Barbie wig.  I have not had any luck trying to get to the grocery store the last 3 days, let alone shopping for Halloween, so this will probably wait until the weekend when Jim is home.

Overall things are going great!  Of course we are tired, and I've had many moments where I'm a little overwhelmed (like when Mason is screaming, I'm trying to make dinner, and Mya is demanding chocolate milk), but I've survived it all so far! 

Have a great weekend, everyone!
:)Jamie

One Week Old!

October 18, 2010
by Sarah

Today, baby Reese was officially one week old!  I feel so great- can't believe it's just been one week (Dr. Chan is obviously a good seamstress!... I am healing up very well!!!!). 

To the doctor...
Reese had her first doctor visit today at Powell Pediatrics.  Dr. Houts did her exam and she is as healthy as can be.  She now weighs 7lbs. 8oz.  We are going back next week for a follow up appointment- just a weight check to make sure she continues to gain weight.  I stopped supplementing with formula and am only breast feeding now- it makes me a little nervous because I never really know how much she is getting!  It has been so long since I nursed Carson- I forgot how necessary it is to stay on schedule!... I guess that's why they make those bra pads!

"I love you little sis!"

Visit from our Aunts & Uncles!

Uncle Brian & Mason

Aunt Vicky & Mason 

Carson & Jeremy

Aunt Shellee & Reese

Mya & Uncle "C"

Mya & Carson

Jamie & Mason, Sarah & Reese

Trip to Kroger

By Jamie

Yesterday I decided it was a good opportunity for me to take both kids grocery shopping!  I just needed a few things, so I figured it would be a good test....of my patience!!  Surprisingly it went very well!!  Mya was happy just sitting in the cart and singing and Mason was asleep the whole time.  I guess I timed it right this time, but from now on, I'll probably try to do my shopping when Mya is in preschool. 

Last night we went to a Pumpkin Patch with some friends from church.  When we got home I was sooo exhausted!!  I tend to over-do it sometimes, not realizing that my body is healing from giving birth to an 8 pound baby just over a week ago!  But we had a great time, especially Mya, so I shouldn't complain about some minor aches and pains!

Home Sweet Home

By Sarah 10-14-10

Home Sweet Home!

We are so glad to be home from the hospital and settling in with baby Reese!  She has been such a quiet little thing.  She sleeps and eats- and well, that's pretty much it so far!  I am anxious for her to be awake more!

I feel great- better than I did when we brought Carson home!  It feels very weird to be off work... I have a hard time sitting still but really need to make sure I don't over-do it!  I have a "to do" list that I am going to try to target this weekend and just take things one day at a time.  I really want to enjoy my time off with little Reese!  XOXOX



Reese Marie

Reese Marie

Born at 11:40 AM on Oct. 11th

7 lbs. 12 oz.

19 1/2 inches

Mason & Reese

Baby Reese is Almost Here!!!

By Jamie

I just went in to see Sarah and she is doing great!  She looked fabulous of course....her hair & makeup were perfect as always!  She had gotten the epidural, and is progressing well!  She is now 8 cm dilated and Grandpa just left to go get Carson from school.

Should be very soon that we get to meet baby Reese!!!!

10-10-10 Sarah's due date has come...

...And Is Going!

Well, it's about 6:45pm on October 10, 2010... my DUE DATE.  I have had a great day- NO signs of labor.  No aches or pains- I have slept and felt very well the last couple of days and the majority of my entire pregnancy.  I got to see Carson's football practice and game today and have gotten a lot accomplished.  My bag is packed.  My cameras are charged.  Reese's room is stocked and ready for her to come home (thanks to all my friends and family for the amazing gifts!!! XOXOXOX).

Manic Monday?
On a typical Monday morning, I wake up around 4:00AM.  I start with my shower, cup of coffee, makeup, get dressed and usually hit the road by 5:10AM to head in to the Salon.  I am a 'morning person' more than a night person, so I don't mind getting up before the sun rises!
Tomorrow, though, will be a different start to my week.  I will probably get up around 3:30AM-ish, do all the same things I do before a work day, load up the car, kiss Carson goodbye and then Jeremy and I will head to St. Anne's hospital.  My induction is scheduled for 5:00AM, so I would like to arrive a little before that. 
Nine months of preparation.  Doctor visits. Food binges.  Tears of joy.  Tears of terror.  Mood swings.  Sleeplessness.  Frequent urination... etc... HAS ALL LEAD UP TO THIS.
I love baby Reese so much.  I don't deserve such a gift and thank God every day for her.  I can hardly wait to hear her little cry (yes, that might change, I know!!!), hold her little fingers and kiss her hairy (or bald!) little head.
40 weeks of my life have been all of hers. 
Now the fun really begins!...

by Sarah

Still Pregnant! ...by Sarah

Saturday, October 9, 2010

I am officially on Maternity Leave!  I feel really good and am getting very anxious to meet baby Reese!  I have had NO signs of any labor yet.  I had an appointment with Dr. Arbona on Thursday and she said that I am not quite four cm dilated and my cervix is very thin and ready to go.  She assured me that since things are progressing well, the induction set up for Monday should go very smooth.  We reviewed my chart over the entire pregnancy and everything has been right on track.
Sugar levels: good
Weight gain: good (not sure how that happened with all the ice cream sundaes!)
Blood Pressure: good
Estimated size of Reese: average

I am praying for a FAST and PAINLESS delivery on Monday... but am also preparing for a long and painful one.  I do remember my delivery with Carson and some of the pain coping techniques.  I am sure I will be anxious to get the meds- no matter how well I COPE with the pain!!!! 

Sunny Saturday:
I am going to try and take it easy today.  I can't believe that Carson is going to have a sister!  He is soooo excited!  The neighbor girls that are in his class at school told me that he talks a lot about Reese coming.  We have really made an effort to teach Carson more independence in the last few months.  We do a lot of things for him (kind of easy to do with an only child!) that he is fully capable of doing himself.  On the other hand, though, he has had a lot of privileges that he wouldn't have had.  We have been able to take LOTS of vacations, treat him to concerts, events etc... and spend LOTS of one on one time with him that I truly cherish.
Beginning in January,  I am going to cut back on work a bit.  I will still work full-time, but not the 50+ hour work weeks!  I am still considering my own Salon and would like move forward with that in the next year or so (I have to think about retirement some day- these hands won't work forever!!!).  I have been so fortunate in my career and have such great clients that have become a huge part of my life.  I love my job because of those people.

Time to pack my bag!

Meet Baby Mason

Hospital Website Pics: http://www.our365.com/NewbornPortraits/MountCarmelBabyDetail.aspx?birthid=09f2702f-59fb-481d-ba48-bc2b2f510bd2

By Jamie

Baby Mason James was born at exactly 12:00 midnight on October 5th!  He was 8.0 lbs and 19 inches long.  He is doing great!!!

Labor & Delivery:
Sunday afternoon I had a few braxton hicks contractions...maybe 3 at the most.  Sunday night I went to bed as usual and had a good night's sleep!  I woke up on Monday at my usual time of about 7:15 and began having contractions at 7:30.  I wasn't sure if they were the real labor contractions or not.  I ate breakfast and went into major nesting mode-laundry, cleaning, dusting, straightening up, etc.!!  I took a shower and did my hair & makeup.  Mya and I painted our nails!  Thecontractions began about 15-20 minutes apart, then after an hour and a half, they were about 12 minutes (I was tracking them on a website, which kept track how far apart they were and how long they lasted).  By 10:00, I called Jim to tell him to come home....and I was picking out which "Big Sister" shirt for Mya to wear when he got home at 11:30!

By 12:30, my bag was packed!  The contractions were now 5-7 minutes apart and I had talked to Sarah and my parents to let them know that it might be close to "the time"!!!  I waited until about 1:45 to call the doctor's office, and by 2:00, we took Mya over to our neighbor's house and were headed to the hospital!

I was only 3 cm dilated when I got to the hospital, and my blood pressure was high.  They were concerned that I had signs of preeclampsia again and said that if I didn't progress to at least 4 cm, I would have to go home and have to do a 24-hr urine analysis.  What?!!!!  I was a little confused at that, since I was having contractions...why would they send me home in labor?  But luckily my blood pressure went down and I progressed to 4 cm the next time she checked me, so they moved me into the labor & delivery room (I think it was about 5:00 by then)!

I got the epidural soon after that, and was feelin' good!!  I got to visit with my family, and they broke my water.  I went from 5 cm to 8 cm, and by 11:15, I was fully dilated and ready to push!!!  I'm just so thankful for how smoothly everything went...in between pushes, we were even laughing (which caused Mason's head to pop in and out towards the end!), and at exactly midnight, he was born!!!!  This is such an opposite experience than what I had with Mya, and it was a true answer to prayer!!!

(More later!!)  :)Jamie

Jamie is in labor!!!

7:52pm
We are at the hospital!  Jamie is doing fabulous!  She just got the epideral.  She was managing the contractions so well, you would have never known she was ready for the meds. 
Mya came back to see her mommy and was a little scared...  seeing Jamie hooked up to all that stuff could surely look a little frightening to a three year old!
Can't wait to meet little Mason!!!!!!

Update

By Jamie

I had my appt yesterday, and I'm 2.5 cm dilated!!  Gosh I hope I don't go all the way to my due date.  I've been having terrible itching all over (just like I had with Mya).  It is horrible, and I can't seem to find the magical "relief" treatment except showers and baths.  I need to just tough it out and pray for an early delivery!!!

I can't wait to start posting pictures of baby Reese and baby Mason!  Keep checking back for news about Sarah's and my labor, delivery, and the births of our little ones! :)