Once Upon A Time

So I'm pretty sure there are lots of you out there getting ready to kill me!! :) We have good news though!! :)

Huxley Carl Henke is here!!! He was born November 2nd, 2010 at 6:46 am. He was 7 pounds and 19 1/2 inches long.

Going home!!! :)

We kind of like this kiddo! :)

Some people don't really care about what happened in the middle of when he started to come and when he got here so here you go you can look at these pictures and then be done! :) For those of you who want to know what happened, you can keep reading!

Here's the beginning:

Here's the end:

Pretty creative right!?

I started having contractions on Saturday afternoon (his official due date) which kind of made me excited! Well we carved pumpkins and just hung out and waited....and waited and waited!! Sunday came and went with contractions all day. On Monday morning at 2 am I decided to time them. The hospital said to come in when the contractions were 2-4 minutes apart for an hour. Well I timed them for an hour and a half and they were 2-3 minutes apart! So we got all our stuff together and left a note on the kitchen table for the fam to wake up to and went to the hospital! Well they got me all situated and checked me and I was only 2 cm but 100% effaced. Their policy says they can't keep me there unless I've progressed during the 2 hour watch period if I'm not in active labor. So we waited and then they checked me again, no progress. So we went home! I felt so dumb for going in! I was just doing what they told me to do though!

Well I had a Dr. appointment that day so I went to that and I still hadn't progressed any but the contractions were still coming. He said he was positive the baby would come tonight so we should go home and come back to the hospital later that day and the nurses wouldn't send me home. Well we decided to go in at around 7:30 pm. We got there and they checked me and guess what? No progress still. My doctor told the nurses they couldn't send me home....my nurse wasn't very happy about that. She wasn't very nice either. So they admitted me and said they would keep checking back. At 10 my doctor came in and checked me and I still hadn't changed so he broke my water. I was upset about it I won't lie. I wanted to do it all naturally but my body just wouldn't cooperate. My amniotic fluid was meconium stained which made me really nervous for the baby but the doctor didn't seem too upset.

So there we were 10 pm and my water was broke and now we just had to wait. Well...we waited and good heavens it seemed like forever! Those contractions are intense! I wanted so badly to be strong and not have any pain medication but I couldn't do it. At 11 they came and checked and I still hadn't changed at all so the Dr. suggested opening my cervix for me but I'd need an epidural for it. At midnight I had them check me again to see if I had progressed at all telling myself that if I hadn't I would get an epidural. Well I was at a 3!! My body was kind of working! I couldn't stand the pain anymore though so I asked for an epidural and they put that in at 1:30.....I had to wait in line. Ugh! The epidural was nice to have, I'll admit. I shook a lot with the epidural though so I didn't get any rest but I didn't have any pain. At 2:30 the nurse came in to check on me and I was at 5 cm!! At 3 I wanted her to check me again because I was shaking a lot more than usual and she said that if the shaking increases I'm getting closer and I was at a 7! Well after that, I just sat. The nurse didn't come in to check on me again until 5:30 after Todd had gone and gotten her, I was at a 10! I think I was at a 10 long before that though. My nurse was not a very good one. I wasn't happy with her. Anyways! She checked me and said ok we'll have you sit for an hour and left. At 6 another nurse came in which I am so happy about. She was awesome! She told me we were going to get ready to push in a little bit. What?! That was a scary but exciting thing I was ready for it though! She got everything ready and at 6:15 I started pushing. He was out in no time!!! :) We called our parents when she came in to get the room ready and they hadn't made it to the waiting room by the time he was born! I'm glad that part was quick-pushing makes you tired! I had called my mom at 5 to tell her to come to the hospital before work to say hi....at the time I had no idea he'd be born soon. She got there right before the doctor did and was kind of surprised that it had all happened so quick. We then told her kind of politely to go out to the waiting room. She's a funny lady!! :)

It was such a good experience! I'm so grateful Todd was there with me. I couldn't have done it without him. He was great too. Always asking what he could get for me and how he could help me. I'm glad we went through it together. I feel like it strengthen our friendship and marriage a lot. He's so great with Huxley too. He's really calm and we need that sometimes! :)

Well there you have it!! He was perfect! He didn't have any respiratory problems at all despite the meconium. He has all his fingers and toes and lots and lots of hair! It's starting to get more and more curly too! Poor guy! We went home the next night and now we are all just trying to figure each other out! Having a baby is a lot more tiring then I thought!! They eat a lot too. Wow. I feel like I spend half my day feeding and the other half watching the clock to determine when he needs to eat next!

It's fun though! We love him! He's such a fun little guy!! I feel like I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing too. Like the something in my life that I felt was missing is filled. It's a nice feeling!

Well!! That's all for now!! :) I have more pictures but I only have so much time before the little one needs some food! Someday I'll learn how to do more things!

Le Diaper Bag and 39 Weeks!

Well!! We're still hanging on to the good ole pregnancy state of life!! Today is my official due date. Pretty weird!! I had a Dr. appointment on Tuesday....no progress! Dang! We'll keep waiting though! Someday he'll decide to make an entrance....either on his own or with some help I guess!

Todd's here....thank goodness! :) It's been a lot less stressful this week! Maybe I should get stressed and the baby will come?? :) Nah! We've been just getting things ready for baby. We got a baby seat finally and we're setting up the crib today. Not much else we can do except wait though!

I made a receiving blanket and burp clothes for a friend of mine which was fun. These aren't really good pictures but you can kind of get the idea!

I finished the diaper bag also! The big one is for me....and the little one is for Todd!! :) Ok not really but we'll put the diapers and wipes in the little one so we can just grab and go....and Todd won't have to carry a man bag around! :)

Todd's Diaper Bag! :)

Here's good old Week 39 picture! I guess I should take a Week 40 picture too....we'll see what happens! :)

Well I think that's about it!! Maybe my next post will have pictures of the little one! :) Let's hope!

Week 37 & 38!!

Holy Cow!!! I can't believe it!!! We are so close!! I don't have a picture of week 37 but I think I look the same in all of them so just imagine week 38 picture maybe a little smaller! :)

We had a Dr. appointment at week 37. Everything is going well! I was dialated to 1.5 and 70% effaced! I was slightly nervous thinking that we were still 2 weeks away from Todd getting here! We also had an Ultrasound that day because the Dr. was nervous about how I was measuring. The baby is doing awesome though!! He is measuring smaller but the Dr. isn't worried saying that you have to take into consideration the size of the mom too!

We had a Dr. appointment today for week 38. It went well! I'm still 1.5 cm and the Dr. says that the babes will definitely be in when Todd arrives on Saturday!! :) Yeah!! We made it!!! So nice!! We had another Ultrasound today to check that the amniotic fluid and Baby were still doing ok. Everything is great still!! Baby is moving around and gained 1/2 lb since last week! He's also head down which is very comforting-no C-sections here. Hopefully! :) I'm glad he's doing well! It's still scary though that it is so close! I can't be a mom!! Really??

Week 38-Yeah I'm not looking too hot!! :)

Things are going ok in Utah! I wish I was in Alaska but it's ok! I stay busy with lots of Temple visits and lots of reading! I go on lots of walks too....the weather is nicer here but it is slightly hot!! I made the diaper bag too-future post! Promise! :) I've gone to a few prenatal classes too-they're kind of fun.....mostly just reviews from nursing school though.

Todd is doing well in Barrow! He's crazy busy with all of his activities! They found a substitute too!! Yeah!! Two days ago actually-yeah we were getting nervous! He was actually an old Science teacher at Barrow awhile ago and his son is the PE teacher there now.

Well I think that's it for now!! 9 days until the due date!! Ahh! Any day he could be here!! Which is fine with me just as long as it's after Saturday!!! But if he wants he can stay in there as long as he wants to!! :)

K well see ya!! :)

Weeks 34, 35 & 36!!

So! At the moment I am sitting in the Anchorage Airport waiting to get on a 2 am flight down to Phoenix, Arizona and then I'll get on a flight to Salt Lake! Ugh I am tired!! I can't believe it's 'the trip to have the baby' as Todd called it! It's come so fast! And as much as I love our families.....I was not and still am not too fond of it. I hate leaving Todd! It's the hardest thing! And to think back on how much we've been apart....I don't think it'll ever get easier! I was thinking though. We've spent the longest time together-January to October, 9 months-since we've met. Pretty weird since we've known each other for 28 months and have been married for 22 months of that! Good thing we have each other for forever!!! :)

Here are the most recent....kind of....glamor shots!! We don't have very many left!!

Week 34

Week 35

Week 36

Well! I think that about does it!! For now at least!! We have a doctors appointment on Wednesday so hopefully we find everything is still progressing well! I feel like it is!! :)

Oh!! I don't have any pictures but Saturday night during the Priesthood session of conference, some friends of mine had a Baby Shower for me! :) It was so fun!! We had a great time and it was fun being with all of my Branch friends before I left!

Now I think that's it for now!! :) Time to wait some more for the plane rides! So lovely!

P.S. 20 days until I see Todd!! :) Unless Baby makes his entrance sooner! :)

One Plus One Equals Two

So!! The past couple of weeks it's been fun to wonder about what the little one is gonna look like. I don't do it too much-I don't want to be too disappointed!! :)

Yesterday I was talking with my sister Kristina and she insisted that the baby will have my forehead and nose.....she likes them I guess. Creeper eh? :) Just kidding I like my sister! I asked her, "what if he has Todd's nose or forehead?" And she said, "no, no he has to have your's." So then I said, "what happens if he doesn't? Are you just not going to look at him?" And she said, "yeah!" Hahahaha! Well Kristina! Rest assured that your nephew will look like this-kinda looks like you huh?!! :)

Hahahahaha!!! Our friend Annie decided to merge our two pictures together to predict what he'll look like!! :) Hahaha! Thanks Annie!! :) Now we don't need to wonder anymore what this little one will come out lookin like!! :)

Weeks 32 & 33!! We made it!

Well! Pretty exciting!! We've kept Baby inside! He can come anytime he wants now.....I would really like it to be 6 1/2 weeks from now but if he decides to come earlier I know his systems are all up and functioning and he would survive well outside.

Week 32

Week 33....so attractive! And big! It's so weird now...I get stuck trying to go between things!! Kind of embarrassing!

Hmm what else can I tell you that's been going on? Todd's still crazy busy with Seminary and teaching and then Open Shop Monday-Thursday. Needless to say, we don't get to spend a whole lot of time together. :( I was demoted as a Substitute....ok not really!! They have a teacher who retired last year substituting this year and I'd say she was way more qualified than me! Plus not very many teachers have taken days off yet....we're only a month into school. You've gotta save those sick days for the last part of the year!! I spend a lot of time reading and cleaning....dang nesting!....and going on bike rides around Barrow. I tell you what! Biking on mud is not as easy as concrete! It's a good workout though! I've finished the crib bedding too-that took up lots of time when I was working on that. Speaking of that....I told my mom I'd put pictures up....I'll work on that Mother! :) We're pretty boring!! Hahaha!! When we go over our schedule we always say: "Seminary, school, open shop night" which is what the schedule is for every day but it makes us feel like we're doing something besides just saying, "same as yesterday".

I think that's about it!! We're in count down time!! It's so crazy!! 45 days and we'll be adding pictures of Baby on the outside!! Yipes!!

Well!! Have fun!! :)

Week 30 and 31!!!!

Well!! Here's some more glamour shots!! :) Pretty exciting!! Baby is doing great! Our Nurse Practitioner says everything is looking great also. I feel good most of the time!! Mostly at night is when I get the sickest and most achy. Makes for restful nights of sleep I'm tellin ya!! NOT!!!

Week 30-don't mind my good posture that seems to be showing up in every picture....

Week 31-There's a big difference between this week and last week. I can sure tell too!!

We also bought my plane ticket to Utah! I'll be getting there October 4th so hopefully we can keep him in there at least a little longer!!

On another note.....I made banana bread today.....yeah me cooking can you believe it?!! It worked too!!! I did it all by myself-Todd wasn't even home to oversee things! I think it turned out lovely!! It tastes good too!! :)

Well!! That's it!! Enjoy the fat pictures! :)

It's Worth A Try!!

I got this from our friends blog up here in Barrow. Doesn't this make you want to move up here and be with us family!?!?! :)

Baby's First Hikes, 5K and 15K

This summer has been crazy!! Lots of things going on! This post will be on, what I feel, our (mine and Baby's) biggest accomplishments while being preggo.

We were able to go on a few hikes this summer. We went and did the Wind Caves with a group of friends-I'll admit, it's frustrating not being able to hike and breathe like I used to. We did that when I was about 21 weeks along. It was very fun though!

The Wind Caves-my sister and I

We also accidently went on a hike during our road trip! It was SO pretty! I was about 25 weeks along on that hike. It was only about a 4-mile hike but it was also a 'moderate-intense' hike according to the map we looked at. It went up around Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, Alaska. Todd enjoyed the picture opportunities on the hike. There were lots of waterfalls! It was a good hike though! We enjoyed it!

It's hard to see but the white thing behind Todd is the glacier

Us at the bottom of the glacier

Mendenhall Glacier

I also had a chance to go on a 15-mile hike while I was staying in Fairbanks with some friends. The group consisted of me and Baby, Annie Enderle and her sister Eva and Jenna Henrie. I won't lie. That was probably the hardest thing I've done this whole pregnancy. If you were to ask me if I was going to do it again right after we finished....that would have been a definite NO. It was really pretty though!! My 7 month pregnant body just wasn't very happy with the hills and climbing. Thinking back now though, I would do it again! The sign at the beginning of the trail said to plan 8-10 hours roundtrip for 'able-bodied' hikers. We totally thought we could do it in 4 hours! Well! Turns out we're 'able-bodied' hikers. We started at 8:30 am and

got done at 5:30 pm-that's a good 9-hour day I'd say! :) It's a fun hike.

The Sign

Us in the beginning....

Annie, Jenna and I at a resting place

We made it to the end!!!

We also got to do some running races this summer! I wasn't sure at the beginning of the summer if I would be doing any of them but when it came down to it....I started AND finished them!! I also set two goals for both races....run the entire time (except on the hill during the 15K) and have a quicker time than last summer's 5K (3.1 miles) and 15K (9.3 miles) races. I am very proud to say that I accomplished both goals in both races!!! :) The 5K was for Nibley City's Heritage Days and the 15K was the Freedom Run during the 4th of July weekend in Hyrum. During the 5K I was 20 weeks pregnant and the 15K I was 22 weeks along. I don't have any pictures for these...dang.

Pretty fun summer on the active side of things!! I think that about does it! For this post anyways!!

See you later!

P.S. I hope this post doesn't seem like I'm bragging about doing all that-it's just what Baby and I did this summer together (Todd was there too) and it wasn't exactly the easiest things to do!

The Baby Belly Begins....

Well! We're back in Barrow!! Crazy!! We love being back though! We feel like we're home! Well! I said I would be putting 'weekly' pictures up but having no internet kind of puts a damper on things! We left Utah July 6th and took pictures during our road trip. Speaking of our road trip...I'm currently in the process of putting it all together on a website so everyone can go look and read about it! It'll be done....soonish! :)

Anyways!! Here's the pictures!! :)

Week 24-Don't mind the way I look, we'd been driving for 12 hours!

Week 25

Week 26

Week 27 got erased from Todd's camera....and

week 28 Todd was out of town so....

Week 29

Yup!! There ya have it!! :) We're gettin pretty excited!! 10 1/2 more weeks and our little one will be done! :)

I have lots more to catch up on but it's slow putting these pictures up so that will be a task for another day!!!