Delivery and Noah's first few hours

I got up, not feeling like I had slept a minute. We showered and made sure we had everything packed. Gave Parker some love and off to the hospital we went. We arrived at the hospital at 8. It's a weird feeling walking into the hospital knowing you that you'll be having your baby that day. We walked into labor and delivery and they asked if I was Allyson Johns. How is that for service? They knew it was me :) Guess there weren't too many inductions set up for our same time! Speaking of inductions: I was not planning on being induced. I wanted to get started on my due date, if I made it that long. Well turns out that a lot of people wanted to have their baby on the 14th because the closest date they had to then was the 10th. I couldn't believe it! I would have been alright going a bit past my due date but then we would have most likely have had him when Chris's parents were out of town. So the 10th it was! I wasn't about to complain because I was ready for him to come! My back was really starting to kill!

My large belly: Can you tell how lop sided I am?

8 am: Arrive and check in at hospital - dilated 3/ 90%

9 am: Start on Pitocin- start having contractions 2-3 minutes apart

11 am: A midwife from my doctors office comes in to break my water (weirdest feeling ever! I know it's TMI, but every contraction I could just feel the water gushing out over and over.) - dilated 4/ 95%

12 pm- 2 pm: Contractions start to get really hard. I don't know why but I just kept putting off the epidural. I guess you have to be in enough pain to make it worth having a huge needle shoved in your back :) - dilated 5/ 95%

2:15 pm: Nurse comes in and says that if I don't get the epidural now it will be at least an hour before I can because the anesthesiologist is about to assist on a c-section! I decided to I had better do it right then; I was hurting like crazy!

2:30 - 6 pm: Chris and I just hanging out watching movies and passing time... Enjoying my delicious meals of ice chips, Popsicles, and suckers. Very grateful for epidural! dilated pretty much a cm every hour... 5,6,7,8/ 100%

6:30: I started to feel pain on my right side again! ouch.. Tried switching sides that I was laying on to see if that would help the numbing medicine go back over. Didn't work...

7:00: Anesthesiologist comes back in and gives me a "booster shot". After about 5 minutes we were back in business :) Chris and I just relaxed. I was starting to feel a bit impatient by this point. I just wanted him to be here and be done with all of this. Mostly I think I was just really nervous about pushing and the possibility of him not fitting :)

7:15: Little man's heartbeat started fluctuating with contractions. Nurse didn't seem to alarmed... She had me switch sides I was laying on to see if he was just laying on the cord, and then put me on oxygen. This totally freaked me out! I started to get really anxious to get him out so I knew he was OK. I spent the rest of the time just sitting there watching his heart rate with every contraction. Chris tried to distract me but I couldn't stop watching it!

8:10: Feeling pressure down there. I don't know how cause after that booster shot I pretty much couldn't feel a thing! Nurse comes in to see how I am doing. She says that she will be back to check my progress in about 30 min. I said "OK but i feel like I could push right now". She decided to check me then instead. Turns out I was at a 10 and 100%. She could feel his head pretty far down. So we did a couple of test pushes with my contractions. I did about 3 and she told me to stop, she was going to go call in the Doctor. She told me I was a good pusher, which was exactly what I needed to hear.

8:30-8:45: Pushed with the nurse there. Chris could see his head. The whole time I just couldn't believe that this was me... I was having a baby. Chris was so funny. He was so excited and didn't get grossed out at all. He was so busy looking down there that he kept forgetting to help me hold up my leg.

8:45-8:58: Pushing with Dr. H there. It was so nice to have him there. He came running in when he first got there in his normal clothes because the Anesthesiologist had told him when he came in that the baby was crowning. So he came in and asked how things were going. Looking a little panicked :) He saw that he had time to go change so he did then came back. Everything in the room was so calm and relaxed. Just talking in between contractions and then I would push. Chris asked if he could catch the baby when he came out. Dr. H said that maybe after our 2ND or 3rd he would let him. I don't know how I feel about it even then.

8:59: Our little man made his entrance!

Yes I realize this is a very unattractive picture of me. This was right when they told me I was ready to push!:

When doing that last push I was just watching Chris. The face that Chris had will forever be in my mind. So cute. He was watching "down there" and his head was out. Chris looked amazed. He then looked at me with the sweetest smile and a little teary eyed. We locked eyes and I know it is so corny but it was the sweetest moment. I felt so much love from him and so much love for our little guy. Then before I knew it I did my last push and he was here. My most perfect moment... Right after he came out. I had told them that I wanted skin on skin immediately after birth. So he came out and they put him right on me. Wiped him off a bit, Chris cut the cord, and then snuggle time for mom :) I honestly can't even remember if he was crying much or not. I just remember being handed this perfect baby. I couldn't believe he was here with me. My healthy little miracle. I am sure it is this way for every new mom but this was my dream. While spending endless hours on bed rest this was the moment I had been praying for. For him to come out and to stay there with me. Not whisked away to the NICU, I could hold him and tell him how much i loved him. I got to snuggle him and comfort him.

I held him there with me for probably about 5-10 minutes. Then I told the nurse that she could take him to be weighed and all that stuff. So Chris followed him to the side of the room and snapped some shots while I got stitched up :)

What a cutie.... Check out that double chin :)

After they did all that they needed to I got him back. I got to hold him for a bit and then try to nurse him for a while. My mom came in and took a few pictures.

Happy Family:

Not so happy baby:

Then after an hour or so our families came in and could see him. I still had him snuggled up with me so they probably didn't get to good of a view then. After they left the nurses got me ready to go to the recovery room. They bundled our little guy up and handed him to Chris while I was getting ready.

New Daddy:

Ready to switch rooms!:

Recovery Room:

We got into our postpartum room. First thing I did was get some food and drinks from the nurses. I was so hungry! Then they came in to do his bath. We decided that the grandmas could come in to watch it. Not everyone because those rooms are a little snug without a bunch of people in there anyways. He cried when they sponged off his body, but calmed right down when they swaddled him up and washed his hair. Poor kid... You can really see his cone head in that picture above :(

Clean boy... Getting on a little shirt.:

Getting his footprints done. :

Here I am getting my close look at my clean little boy. His hairs were so cute and fuzzy and I love his perfect little face with rosy cheeks...

Uncle Aaron:

Grandma's:

My mom

I think they like him a bit :)

Chris's Mom

Grandpa's:

My Dad

Chris's Dad:

What a day... What a perfect day... So tired and yet not really caring cause I can't stop looking at this sweet little face. Who can sleep with such a sweetie in the room :)

He's here!

Tomorrow is the day!

How can you possibly put together the feelings you feel the night before you have a baby? Excited, nervous, happy, sad, in shock, worried, love. I have dreamed/planned/thought about this day for what seems like forever. Now it is here... We are scheduled to be at the hospital at 8 am. This little boy is coming out and I still can't seem to grasp that he-yes my very own little boy- will be in our arms tomorrow! I have spent so much time about making it full term with all of the scares bedrest that I haven't really let myself think much about the delivery. Oh well. I guess it is probably for the best not to be dwelling on how scary it is. I wasn't planning on getting induced but things all just worked out best for things to be done this way. Bags are packed, carseat installed, i think we are as ready as you can get. We will keep you updated and I am sure I can probably talk Chris into posting some pictures of our little guy tomorrow. Now off to try and get some sleep... Not sure if that is possible, but we'll try anyways. Out of all days I would like to have strength-tomorrow probably is at the top of that list! Maybe if we can't sleep then we can figure out a name for this little guy :)

The last LARGE BELLY pictures

Since we knew this was going to be our last day to just go do whatever we decided to get out. We woke up had some breakfast... Then decided to go to the daytime movies. We went out to eat at Boccias, went to see a daytime showing of Prince of Persia, went to the mall (and got lots of the "holy cow that girl is going to pop" looks- and had a weird lady start rubbing my belly in Bath and Body works) then headed to Walmart to get a few things. We didn't do anything to exciting. I don't think a 9 month pregnant body is up for much more then that anyways :) But it was a fun day. Fun to spend it together and to know that our little guy will be here in less than 24 hours! So nervous to see how tomorrow goes. As incredible as pregnancy is, my body is tired... My back is pretty sore and I get worn out sooo easily. And I just can't wait to meet our little boy. It will be interesting to see how this little guy can make it out.

These pictures were taken the night before we are getting induced! (july 9th) Yes i realize I am huge... I was doing pretty good with the whole water weight thing till these last couple of weeks and now it seems to be piling on!

Light at the end of the tunnel

I am almost there.... So close.... Saturday morning Chris gave me my last progesterone shot. My date for my stitch to be removed is on the 23 rd! 12:00!!! I can't hardly wait... That is only 1 whole day away. I have this feeling of a huge weight being lifted from me. I have beaten the odds and feel like I have conquered a huge trial. And in turn I am hoping for a healthy baby. At least I know that I have done everything that I could possibly do to get to that goal. I have almost made it to full term. Honestly when the stitch was put in I felt like my chances were not really great that I would ever make it long enough for our little boy to come healthy. I pictured me and our little boy having to spend a long time in the NICU but here I am almost full term. Best feeling ever! I am slowly feeling like myself again. I got my toes all glittery and cute, my hair cut, and best of all I have started preparing for our little man. In the last few days I have made a couple of shopping trips. Short ones but I am out in public again. It is weird. I am not use to people looking at me like holy crap she is going to pop :) I went into Target with my Mom and it made me realize really how weak I am. After not even a normal amount of time shopping I was so tired. My back and my legs ached so bad. I am not sure if it is from being on bed rest or from the fact that the last time I was out doing these things I was 20 lbs lighter! Either way I better get building some strength before our little guy decides to come. Today I made our bed for the first time since I can remember. I picked up a little in the babies room and cleaned my bathroom a bit. Keep in mind my stitch is still in and I am still taking it pretty easy cause I really don't want something to happen now that I am so close to it being out. So that seemed like a lot :) Plus my doctor is out of town till this Monday. So he said to hold tight till then cause he is done vacationing after this weekend till past my due date! Wonderful news... I am so excited to see what happens when the stitch comes. We'll see if I dilate some right away, or if my contractions will pick up quickly. I am just can't wait for it to be OK if my water breaks or I start having contractions close together. For the last 4 months I have been terrified of these things happening and after Wednesday it will be exciting!. Not to mention that after the removal my driving privileges will be back! I am feeling good. It felt so good to get out with Chris. Even if it was just to babies R us. It made me feel so normal. Back to having a life. And that is a great feeling to have after how the last months have been. I will keep you posted of how things go after the removal. Who knows I could have my baby in a 3 days if he comes fast after the stitch is gone. Or at the very longest (if I made it to my due date) 3 weeks away! I don't mind either way... He can come when he is ready.

Well my 14 weeks of bed rest is over.... Goodbye bed rest, I will not miss you at all. No matter how exhausting a newborn is.

(34 weeks)

Progress on the Nursery

Well after spending many hours on bed rest searching for a bed set and decorations that I wanted for the nursery I finally decided on it. I got it all ordered and they got here just in time for my sister to come into town to help set it all up! Before Ana was born I went out to help her set up things so she returned the favor and it was alot of fun to have them in town for a while. Excuse the no makeup look. When staying down for so long you kinda stop caring :)

Thanks Amanda and Ana for all of your help!

Chris was such a good sport and let me boss him around of where to put what. He did all the painting in one day so it would have plenty of time to dry before it was time to put up the decals on the wall. And he and my mom had to clean up that whole room before we did anything. There was a lot of boxes and crap that we just threw in there when we moved in. It is so fun to feel like it is a real room now. Not just junk. I love to just look in there when I walk past. I can't believe it will by my babies room. So fun. Our cat Parker likes it too. He thinks it is great to have another room to run around in!

The room still isn't finished so I will post real pictures soon...

Aaron's Graduation!

I can't even believe that my little brother could be old enough to graduate high school! I'm so proud of him. Not only did he graduate but pulled off an accumulative GPA of 4.0. He also got his 4 yr graduate diploma from seminary. Way to go buddy! Sadly I wasn't able to make it to the actual graduation because of bed rest. I did go to Aaron's seminary graduation so that made me feel a bit better about missing the Weber high one. But I did brave out going to dinner later that day. This is honestly my first outing in a little over 2 months. I was starting to feel a little more confident about getting up a little since I had made it to 32 weeks! Anyone who was worried about premature birth knows that is a really big milestone! It felt nice to get out but mostly I was just freaked out that something bad was going to happen. Not to mention that my poor body was pretty uncomfortable sitting on hard chairs and walking around made my legs pretty shaky. Chris was a sweetie and let me sit on his jacket and that seemed to help pad the chair enough to make it through dinner. But it was fun to get out and celebrate with the family.

I didn't think Chris was really taking my picture. But I just thought it was funny cause you can see my big round belly :)

After dinner we decided to stick around for a little bit and take some pictures around the trains. Almost 33 weeks and Chris can still fit his arms around this big belly... That makes me happy.

My whole family.. Except Amanda's husband Sean that wasn't about to make the trip.

The Graduate!

I couldn't help but post a few pictures of these cuties. Chris had some fun with his camera taking pictures of my niece, Ana, and my cousins little boy Logan. Aren't they adorable!?

"Hugs"