Ashlyn: Week 1

Week 1 is over and all I can say is that I am incredibly grateful for a healthy, calm child. The kids both adore her and dote on her and I am very blessed to have both of these things. Here's her in the car seat for her first car ride:

Ashlyn's Story

Due to my increased risk for another placental abruption, we scheduled a c-section for Ashlyn to come at my 38th week. The surgery was originally scheduled at noon on Friday, but was rescheduled for 11 am without my knowledge. I found out about it two days beforehand at my pre-op appointment. I couldn't sleep much the night before and neither could Shiloh. I guess we were too anxious and excited. I was up at 5 am that morning, which was very fortunate because at 6:30 AM I got a call from the hospital wondering if I knew that my surgery was scheduled for 7:30!! They weren't really all that surprised that it was news to me, but just asked me to come as quick as I could. So we rushed to the hospital and got the "speed" version of pre-operative care. I am actually so glad it turned out that way because I hate waiting. I wasn't nervous or scared at all until the moment right before they stuck my back with the spinal block. I have had 3 of these now and it is a little nerve-racking each time. The local anesthetic hurts more than the spinal block and it was the most pain I felt the entire time! It didn't help that the surgery room was extremely cold and Shiloh wasn't allowed in the room until I was in position for the surgery. I closed my eyes and took deep breathes and said a silent prayer. It was over before I knew it and they laid me down and my whole lower half got that warm, numb feeling. In fact, that warm, numb feeling was extremely soothing. Shiloh came in and took some pictures and held my hand while they did surgery. I had no clue (except for the smell of burning flesh) that they had even made the incision with the laser. And within seconds I heard the most beautiful sound: a baby cry. She was crying even before she was all the way out of me! I got a little choked up hearing her and they showed her to me right away in her birthing goop and all. Then they cleaned her up and let me spend some moments with her while the doctor sewed my insides and stapled my outsides. Ashlyn spend about an hour and a half in the post-operative transition room while they made sure her breathing was good and she was perfect and healthy. I spent that time nearly sleeping as my spinal block gradually wore off. After that, I spent the full 4 days in the hospital with my perfect little baby. The nurses were all very helpful and I felt like I got a lot more rest and relaxation there than I would have at home (and now that I am home I KNOW that that is true...). My mother is here from Thatcher to take care of the other two and has been here all week bless her heart! My mother in law comes next week to help thank goodness! Even after a week I am incredibly sore. I am off the pain meds thankfully but its all I can do to stay standing or go up the stairs. Even laughing hurts my incision. Ashlyn has proven to be a very tame and very lovable child. She sleeps nearly all the time and eats like clockwork every 3 hours. Although, I am extremely proud of her because last night she went a 4-hour stretch! Yay! I am hoping she will be sleeping through the night by 2 months like my other two kids. :) One can only hope right? Here's the story in pictures...

Ashlyn Emma Lundahl

Yes, we had our baby one week ago, and yes I haven't posted a single picture. I will be doing so as soon as I can get around to it. :) But, just wanted to post that she's here and beautiful with no complications whatsoever! Yay! She weighed 7 lbs even and 19 1/2" long. She has blue eyes and brown hair like the rest of our kids and looks like the other two as well. :) I guess Shiloh and I make pretty homogenous children. Hee, hee!

Maternity shots

So many of you haven't seen me prego--or at least recently! Here are some pictures that a woman in my ward took of me and the fam a couple weeks ago. I'm HUGE and just keep getting bigger! Hahaha! Enjoy!

Father's Day Campout

I surprised Shiloh on Friday when I came to work at 3 pm and told him he was coming with me to my brother's house to leave on a campout with Ezra! He was so excited. I bought him a tent for Father's day (among other things for camping) and he knew about that, but he didn't know that I had arranged with his boss to get him off work and send him up to Payson for the weekend. They went up to a place called Water Wheel and camped overnight there. It rained overnight, but they loved it! Ezra even slept in! They had a blast and went on a gorgeous hike on Saturday to top off the experience. And of course while they were gone, I had a girl's night with my sister-in-law Paralee and her daughter Addi. Everyone wins! Yay!

The Campsite at Water Wheel in Payson.
Shiloh, Ezra, Justin and Austin

Sweet hike!

Look at those smiles!

First campout!

He slept in until 8! He never does that at home... I guess he must really feel "at rest" in the outdoors!

Cousins! I see a tradition in the making!

Swim lessons

Tomorrow is the last day of a 5-day swim class that both Eliza and Ezra are participating in. A lady in my ward teaches the class. Ezra has cried through the entire 30 minutes all 4 days, but after swimming with him tonight, I am thinking it has more to do with the fact that he is freezing cold (the water is only 80 degrees and it's only 94 outside). He shivers and turns blue minutes after getting there and it is so sad to watch. In fact, I can't. Shiloh's been taking them. :) Tonight he went swimming with them in our pool and Ezra was all smiles! In fact, both of them are enjoying it so much that it's sort of scary (as you can see from the video) because Eliza wants to swim all by herself, but sometimes she can't make it all the way across so we have to "spot" her. It is quite amazing, though, to see them actually learning to swim! Ezra and Eliza can drop off the side into the water, turn around and grab a hold of the side to safety! Yay! Some of my anxiety is lessening... :) Here's some pictures and video!

Day #1:

Day #4:

Swollen Ankles

Pregnancy just gets better and better as I go along. :) So in addition to my monstrous belly, dibilitatiing hip and joint pains that make it impossible to exercise or walk and uncomfortable to sleep, and overall fatigue, my feet decided to swell and won't go down! This is the time of pregnancy where I get to see what kind of stuff I am really made of right? I have 6 more weeks still so I've got my baton in hand and starting the last lap. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...