The Newest Member of the Family

Leila Anne Finlinson was born this morning at 7:54AM! (6/16/2010) She weighed 6lbs and 9oz and was 18 inches long. Both her and her mom are doing great!

Before the Baby Comes

Our little family decided to go out together on one of our last ever "family of three" outings.

We decided to go to the money museum which was fun (it was also not a large museum which worked out for the best with me and my big belly and a 2 year old).
Next to $40 million dollars....
Eden is as big as $1 million. (p.s. we decided to just go without doing Eden's hair...thus the "mop on the head" look.)
After the museum, we went to Costco (which is one of Eden's favorite stores) and to a few other stores to get some last minute odds and ends. This included a little stuffed animal llama that Eden got for her baby sister as a present (she picked it out).

Right now Tyson and I are taking a break from running around while Eden is FINALLY down for a nap (now that its 6 p.m.)....but I've got a list of things that needs to be done still....

"To Do" list:

• Clean house
• Buy baby diapers (forgot those while we were out)
• Meal plan and grocery shop
• Do some laundry
• Mow the lawn
• Pack "last minute) items in hospital bag
  

I'm ready to have this baby. Wish me luck!

Like Mother, Like Daughter

So....due date's comin'....

Talk about getting my nerves going...

Two kids...TWO...

Not gonna lie, I'm scared.

I went to the doctor's yesterday and this baby doesn't seem to want to even THINK about coming out...hiding up inside of me. I think she's as scared to come as I am for her to come. But of course the doctor has no fear...I mean, why should he, right?

My no-fear doctor decided to set up a day to induce me. The plan is for me to go to the hospital on June 15th at 4:00 where the process starts. Then I will most likely have to stay overnight and I'll end up with a child in my arms the next morning.

Ready or not, here she comes!

Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock...

Here I am at 38 weeks.

That means 2 weeks until my due date.

As Tyson puts it...I'm a ticking time bomb.

Letters

Dear Baby in Belly,

I'd rather you come sooner than later. Can you fit that in your schedule by chance? I know you're busy developing and such...but now that you're full term I think we can handle it.


Dear Dirty House,

I would greatly appreciate it if you would clean yourself once in a while. I obviously can't seem to do it by myself and my emotions run high when everywhere I look I realize how behind I am in my "wifey/motherly duties".


Dear Stairway,

Thanks for the quick reminder that back pain during the final stages of pregnancy CAN get worse. Just take a small tumble down the stairs and get a few scrapes and bruises....makes me remember how great it was back when I only had the pregnancy back pains to worry about. Although, a favor for next time you decide to let me take a tumble....throw me into labor while you're at it.


Dear Finals,

My husband keeps telling me how important you are, how much time he needs to spend with you, and how much attention you need. You know, I try to tell him that all the time and he doesn't listen to me like he listens to you. Its kind of making me jealous...and a bit neglected to be quite honest. You should let me in on how to get the same results you get from my husband.


Dear "TO DO" Lists,

Aren't you supposed to be getting SHORTER instead of LONGER?


Dear Cell Phone, Email, Blog, and Facebook,

Isn't there a quote from a movie that says something like, "I don't go online because its just another form of rejection."? No missed calls or texts, no new emails (except junk mail), no new comments on my blog, and no new messages or friends on facebook....I think I'm starting to feel this "rejection" that was talked about.


Dear Eden,

You have been such an angel through this whole "pregnancy" thing. I couldn't ask for more...seriously. You've been good about letting me sleep in while you watch a movie, checking up if you don't hear from me just to let me know that you care and want me to be there, saying "I love you" all the time and giving me hugs and kisses on demand, making me laugh with different things that you say and do everyday, calling me your "best friend", never making me feel bad for having a dirty house or undone laundry or dishes filling the sink, and not making much trouble. The only complaint I'd have is that I wish you were a bit taller...and your toys were a bit taller. Its getting kind of hard to get down to your level to play with you for extended periods of time.


Dear Glasses,

No offense, but I don't want to wear you anymore. I really enjoy my contacts. And I realize that I should really be saying "thank you for being there while my contacts give me pink eye every other day" but maybe we can come to a happy compromise where I use you for emergencies instead of everyday wear. Please, don't be offended.


Dear Weather,

While people in Utah are complaining that it still snows in late May....I'm DYING out here in Missouri. Pregnancy, heat, and humidity DON'T mix well.


Dear Utah,

I miss you a lot. I miss my old friends and my family calling me to ask me to do stuff with them all the time. I miss having a grocery store that I like and can trust around every corner. I miss not having the smell of stale smoke come through our vents. And I miss the KSL Classifieds. Unfortunately, I think you've long forgotten about me.


Dear Self,

Stop complaining. Its not attractive.

Fun in the Sun

Here are just a bunch of pictures from today's fun in the sun. We got some new outside toys from someone in the ward who was moving and didn't want them anymore. Today's been the first day in a while that its been warm enough to go out and play. So, we also invited Drew over to play with Eden.

p.s. Yes, our grass is INCREDIBLY long and needs to be mowed.

These pictures are posted backwards...but this shows how tired Eden was by the end as she just laid back on the fish for a while to rest.

Drew didn't like getting his hands in the mud. So, Eden was trying to help him get up.

Blast to the Past

Nothing like the realization that I only have 4 weeks left until my due date to scare the life out of me, get me to somewhat "prepare" for the event, and make me remember what it was like when I delivered Eden.

But first...a question:

I've recently heard, "a rule of thumb is that the second labor is half the time of the first (but of course there are exceptions to every rule)."

Does this theory seem to have some truth to it? What is your experience?

And now a flashback to May 12th, 2008 (day Eden was born)

*Fading to a blur as we travel through time*

I woke up a few times during the night thinking, "Oh, I'm having a contraction". And seeing how sleep is so important to me, I just went back to sleep.

7:30 a.m. rolls around and I have another contraction and decide to wake my sleeping husband

Me: "Honey, I think I'm having contractions."
Husband: (much more concerned than I was) "When did they start?"
Me: "I don't know, sometime in the middle of the night. I woke up a few times and just went back to sleep."
Husband: "How often do you have them?"
Me: "Umm..I don't know, I haven't been keeping track."
Husband: "Ugh! Start keeping track."

After realizing how regularly they are occurring, we decided to wait until 8:00 when our OB's office opened to call and see if I could just slide in there and they could check if I was really in labor...cause we didn't want to go to the hospital to just be sent home.

8:00 Call Dr's office.
8:15 Go to Dr's office.
8:45 Sure enough, I'm in labor and we go to the hospital.

After a while of being in the hospital they decided to put me on pitocin and ask if I wanted an epidural. Learning that pitocin often makes the contractions harder and more frequent I decided to go ahead and get an epidural.

After getting an epidural...

Tyson: (looking at monitor next to me) "Oh, you just had a contraction."
Me: "I did?! I LOVE the epidural!"

*Take a nap, watch some tv, play some games to pass the time*

7:00ish p.m. Time to start pushing

Two pushes later...

Nurse: "You're crowning! This never happens! Let me get the doctor."

A minute later, nurse returns...

Nurse: "Your doctor is actually delivering another girl right now. So, whatever you do or how much you want to, DON'T PUSH."
Me: "OK."

7:45 Doctor comes in apologizing.

Two pushes later a baby is born.