Reynolds R Us: 03.09

3.31.2009

3.26.2009

About a month ago this kitty showed up on our door step. Since then we've adopted it as our outside cat. I had said that I would never have a cat again and what I should've said is that I'll never have an indoor cat again. This is Skippy Jon Jones.

Just today this is what Kurt brought home. We just bought Bolt last night and I think it got Kurt on doggy fever. A lady was giving away a whole litter for free. Kurt got so excited he took the dog and on the way home remembered that we have a new baby at home. When he opened the door to the house the first thing he said to me was, "Okay don't be mad. We can give it away if you don't want it." I saw the leash in his hand and looked outside. This cute black Lab mix was on the step. Do you really think I was going to say no? The reason Kurt chose him out of the six others was because he was mellow and the biggest. Meet Leonidas.

Anybody got a hamster in a ball they're giving away?

I thought it would be fun to pull up Drew and Brody's baby pictures to compare them with Alia's. So the pattern from the top is Alia, Brody, Drew, Alia, Brody, Drew. It's so funny to see these babies at this stage. So alien looking. It's amazing how they start off looking like this compared to what they look like now.

These three are doing so good together. When they first arrived at the hospital to see me and the baby, Brody saw me holding Alia. He put his hands over his eyes and started crying. He was so jealous. But as soon as we let Brody hold her he fell in love. He never gets jealous of her but of me. "I hold it, I hold it." He says. If I say no, I have to hold him off with all my might because he wants to give her loves. Drew has stepped up once again to big sister, and has been a good help. She wards off Brody, gets diapers, and wants to hold baby whenever she can. Kurt has by far been my biggest helper. He's cooked A TON, cleaned like a fiend, and is willing to do any favors I ask of him, big or small. The best thing though, is when Kurt comes into the room and his face lights up when he sees her. And I am doing GREAT! I'm recovering good, getting enough sleep, and love having a newborn again. I never thought I would say it but I love newborns. I always wanted them to get past this stage and move on where they aren't so dependent and can laugh and smile, but I want Alia to stay like this as long as she can. She eats, sleeps, and poops. Hardly cries. The only dilemma I have is nursing. Can it be any more painful? You would think that after two kids you'd be somewhat of an expert but I feel like it's my first child all over again. Other than that we are doing great and having fun being a family of five!

3.25.2009

And the winner is...

JULIA!!

I love it! I won with her game when she had her big boy, Zeke, and now she won my online baby pool game. I'll send your surprise prize back with my mom in a couple of weeks!

3.24.2009

Good Company!

On Saturday, after we got home from the hospital, my sister Nikki and her family drove down to visit us from Salt Lake. I was SO happy to have her here fresh from getting home from the hospital. She was the biggest help getting me whatever I needed. I didn't take any pictures while they were here so I stole these two from her blog. Check out her FUN, crafty and food friendly blog here.

This is Collin holding his cousin. Collin was SO cute holding her

and trying to suck on her face.

While Nikki and I were cruising with the babes at home Kurt and Mike took the big kids to Discovery Park, and Snow Canyon. They had a blast and slept GOOD that night! We can't wait to see you guys again soon!

Sunday Nikki and her family left. Then Monday we were SO LUCKY to have our good friends, The Stimmel's, come and visit us. We had so much fun hanging out with them. It's too sad it had to end. I love it when you can pick off right where you ended. No weirdness involved. I should have taken pictures the entire time they were here but I only did the morning they were leaving. I could not believe how big their kids had gotten! These two, Kurt and Peyson, became quick buddies while they were here.

Brody had issues.

And these three were SO cute together! They had fun catching chickens in the coop, having their dad's push them on the swings, exploring the yard, and just being together, doing everything!

Kurt had missed hanging out with Taylor but I think he realized just how much he missed him as a friend when they came. They had fun shopping and cooking the food and swapping manly stories.

I was so grateful to see Leah again! She jumped at every opportunity to help me with Alia, Drew and Brody. It was fun to be able to hang out with my "sister" again. A lot of people think we are sisters and this visit was no exception when the primary presidency came to visit. I'm so excited too because Leah, a budding new photographer, was able to take newborn pictures of Alia and family pictures. I can't wait to see them but you can check out Leah's other work here.

We love you Stimmel family and we were so happy to have you guys come and visit us!

Alia Overload!

This title says it all. The first couple of pictures were nap time when we were still at the hospital. I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to post these. Then the rest are mostly for friends and family who have not seen her yet.

"I LOVE YOU"

Catching some vitamin D through the window.

3.19.2009

Look What The Stork Brought!

On Tuesday I had a doctors appointment and my Doc said I looked really close to going. I was dilated to a two and 50% effaced so she thought it would be a good idea to strip my membranes the next morning. Wednesday morning, went in, stripped my membranes and I didn't go into labor so I went in again this morning. When she checked me I was a 2+, 60% effaced and she said I was really soft. So she thought it would be a good idea to strip me again. I had gone unmedicated with Drew, had an epidural with Brody, and was undecided what I wanted to do with this baby. She warned me that if she stripped me again the pain might make me want an epidural. I didn't care at this point if I got an epidural or not so I said go ahead and strip me. I love my Doc. She only wants what I want. She won't pressure you one way or another. So she stripped me again. That was at 8 am. At 12:15 pm my contractions started ALL OF A SUDDEN and were HARD and were two to three minutes apart. We went to the hospital an hour later and when they checked me I was dilated to a 5+. I told them I wanted an epidural and they took their time calling the anesthesiologist. In the meantime my Doc came in to see how I was doing. The girl next door to me was under the care of my same Doctor, and she was planning on going unmedicated. Well I was put in a room with a big tub so my doctor asked if it was okay if we switched rooms so she could labor in the tub. I did that with Drew and it cut the pain in half so I was all for switching rooms with her. We switched rooms and as my doctor was about to leave she decided to check me one more time. I was at a 9! She looked at me and I knew I wasn't getting the epidural. The Anesthesiologist came in right then, he said hi congratulations and left. I started crying, "I wanted an epidural." I knew I still had one more option and that was for a Pudendal Block where it's just a local anesthetic. The only thing is that it doesn't always work. She worked like crazy numbing me, and thank goodness it worked. I felt the pain of the contractions, the ring of fire, but when I tore I didn't need to be numbed and I didn't feel being stitched up, which were the two worst things about Drew's delivery. As soon as she was done numbing me I started pushing. Three pushes and at 2:13 pm our baby was born.

This picture was taken when first arrived at the hospital.