And...She's finally HERE!!!!

Finally our sweet lil angel made her debut into this world on Friday April 15th...(tax day baby)!

Here is my birthing story...

Two weeks before she was born on March 30th (37 weeks)  I went to my doctor's appointment.  The doctor checked my cervix and she  was surprised I had already started to dilate, I was already at 3 cm, she said that was really good and she was really excited about it.  

So the next week on April 6th (38 weeks) I went for my appointment and my doctor checked my cervix again and this time I was at a 4.  I hadn't been feeling any contractions and my doctor was again surprised that I was so dilated already and not feeling anything and still walking around.  She said it was rare because this was my first baby and she doesn't usually see that.  She also wanted to strip my membranes but I didn't want her to just yet.  So she figured I would start going into labor any day and I was fine with that I just wanted to make it past Saturday because that was the day of my last baby shower!  So everyone kept making predictions and saying I was going to go into labor before Saturday.  But I didn't think I would because I still wasn't feeling anything!  So finally after Saturday I was ready for her to come and started trying everything I could to go into labor.... except drink castor oil... I wasn't going to try that!  I kept walking around and staying busy trying to get baby to come and nothing... 

Finally Wed. April 13th (39 weeks) came and it was time for my doctor's appointment.  I went in and my doctor was so surprised that I hadn't gone into labor yet.  So she checked my cervix again and I was dilated to about 4 1/2 now so she stripped my membranes hoping it would help start things along.  As she was listening to the baby's heartbeat she said it was a bit lower than it had been before so she wanted me to go and get a non-stress test to make sure everything was okay with the baby.  So I had to go up the hospital and get this test done and what they do is put a monitor on my belly to monitor the baby's heartbeat for 20 or more min.  They also put a monitor on my belly to monitor for contractions.  So after all that they said the baby was fine and there was nothing wrong but the monitor did show I was having contractions but there wasn't any pattern to them and I still couldn't feel them so they said I was okay to go and hopefully the baby would be coming soon.  My doctor had told me she was going to be out of town from Thursday night till Sunday night, so I was hoping after she stripped my membranes I would go into labor either that day or on Thursday day... wishful thinking.  

I went home and again tried everything and she just didn't want to come out!  So Thursday came and still nothing... My mom and I were able to go shopping for some things and when we got home I wanted to go for a long walk with Teki, but after I got home around 4:20ish I went to wake him up from his nap and then I felt a gush of water... my water broke!!!  So I wasn't really sure but felt pretty sure that that was what happened.  So I went up to ask my mom and she said I probably did break my water.  But I wasn't feeling any contractions so I wasn't sure what to do, so we called the hospital and told them what happened and they said they wanted me to come in since my water was broken there was a risk of an infection if I didn't come in.  My mom and I had bought some plaster stuff to make a belly cast, so we hurried and put it on before we left.  We got all ready and I took a shower and off we went to the hospital.

Waiting to be moved to our room... last pic of my big belly!

We got to the hospital around 6:15ish and they were really full so they didn't have a room ready for me.  They put me in a temporary room and they came in to do some tests to make sure that my water did really break...and I passed!  They also said they couldn't check my cervix because they couldn't see past all the fluid.  So we waited around, they had me hooked up to a monitor to check the baby's heartbeat and my contractions.  My contractions were coming in more of a pattern and I could kind of feel something but nothing that really hurt.  Finally around 7:50 we moved to the birthing room and waited around some more... around 9ish the doctor came in and they decided to check my cervix, she said there was still a pocket of fluid that was still in there so she popped it and I again felt a gush of water.  After that they started me on Pitocin and I started to feel the contractions... they did not feel good!  But I was tolerating it because I didn't want to get an epidural.  Teki had gone to get something to eat with his sister and when he had left I was fine and when he came back I was starting to feel the contractions so he was worried for me cause I was in pain.  But he did really good to be supportive.  The next few hours were kind of a blur, I  was in and out of pain and was a bit nauseous, I actually threw up twice.  

Finally around 11ish I started feeling that need to push.  The nurses and doctors were all convinced that I was going to be there for awhile and didn't think it was going to be fast, so when I said I wanted to push, the nurse checked my cervix and again and said I was fully dilated and she said I could start pushing if I wanted to.  So of course I did, my mom grabbed one leg and Teki grabbed the other and I started pushing.  It wasn't too long after I started pushing that the nurse called the doctors in.  The contractions were painful but all the pushing was exhausting me.  It felt like forever in between contractions and having to push was so hard.  I don't even know how long into pushing it was that I heard one of the doctors say 'she has a full set of hair!'  And i was shocked that they could see her head and that I was almost there.  But then she decided to stay there... her head was stuck for what felt like forever, but I just kept pushing and pushing and I was getting more and more exhausted but I knew I couldn't stop.  Finally I could feel her moving and she was almost there, the pain was at it's worst and I could feel her head almost ready to pop out and they doctors pushing on the skin around where her head was.  Finally my next contraction came and I pushed as hard as I could and it was the worst one I screamed and then I heard it, my lil baby crying!  

Getting Weighed!

She came at 1:03 am.  I was so tired and felt like I was in shock like it couldn't be that she was finally here!  They had Teki cut the cord then then put baby up on my chest and started cleaning her off... I just looked at her and couldn't believe it.  I couldn't believe that Teki and I had made her, that she was here, that she was OURS!  I didn't want to let her go but they took her to weigh her and give her a shot.  She weighed in at 6lbs 15.8oz.  She was 21in long and just perfect!  Teki put on her first diaper, then they gave her back to me for some skin to skin, which I loved!  They put her on my chest and I couldn't take my eyes off of her, she was beautiful and I was so in love with her!  Teki's parents were there and my friend Vanity, so they finally all came in and got to see her.  They all soon left so that I could get some rest.  The nurse showed me how to start breast feeding and she started eating,  we did that for about 45 min then we were moved to our recovery room.  My mom finally left us around 3 and we tried to get some sleep.  Lusi stayed in the room with us the whole time.  She only left the room one time to go get weighed and to do her hearing test.  When the nurse took her me and Teki were so sad.  We didn't want her to leave our side!  

My lil Angel!

First Family Picture!

Loved Skin to Skin!

She is now a week old and I cannot believe how much our whole world has changed.  It is all about Lusi now and I love it!  I wouldn't change anything about it!  She is so precious and sweet.  We are so in love with her and are trying our best not to spoil her but she is just too cute it's so hard not to!  

Proud Daddy!

I feel so blessed to have her here with us and to have such a loving supportive husband who is such a good daddy!  He helps so much and is so sweet to her and me!  I also am so blessed to have my mom here to help me out.  I don't know what I would do without both of them.  I am so grateful for my family and for all the love that has been brought into our home with this sweet lil angel.  It really is the best being a mom and I am loving it so much!!! 

Love my Family!

Warriors!...

So Teki has always loved and played rugby.  Growing up he played with the Provo Steelers.  They were good, he even went as far as to permanently tattoo it on his leg!  They almost always won all the tournaments they played in and Teki was happy to be part of a team that all played well together.  But after we got married he moved up here to Sandy and it was harder for him to get to his practices.  He would head down to Provo when he could and practice and still would play in the games when they had them.  But last fall the opportunity arose for him to try out for a new team.  A new Super League team, The Warriors.  Teki made the team and since they were new they started putting things together.  They started out having late 10 or 11 at night practices, it was hard to be going to bed and having Teki be leaving but I knew it would be worth it for him to go and to get those practices in to become a better team.  In January the Warriors had their first game/scrimmage against the University of Utah and did really well 59-19.  Next up was the Las Vegas Invitational.  The team they were supposed to play didn't show up and they ended up playing another team who they killed with the score ending in 81-5.  Teki scored twice in this game!

Finally the Super League season started in March and their first game was an away game in Denver.  A lot of people were doubting the Warriors because they are a new team but they came out on top and played well against Denver, they won 38-21.  Their first home game was against Dallas and they killed it, winning 78-15!  Last week they traveled to San Francisco and they played hard but came out defeated losing 32-8.  They had a home game this past week against Seattle and ended up losing by one point!  The weather was really bad but still they tried, the score was 18-17, Teki scored their last try this game.  They still have a few more games this season.  And I am hoping the Warriors and Teki can continue to do well!  This has been such an amazing opportunity for Teki to continue doing what he loves, playing rugby.  I'm so grateful that he has been blessed with the ability to play and to continue to play!

 Notice the tattoo on his leg...

Warrior Nation!

Time to move on?...

I have had a job since I was 16.  I started working at a company my uncle worked at...Future Vision. It was actually pretty easy and I ended up staying there for about 9 years.  I had graduated from college and was looking for something else where I could go into what I actually wanted to do.  I randomly found an ad in the paper for a residential treatment center in Draper.  It was called Youth Care and I was really nervous to do something else but at the same time I was excited and ready for a change.  I went in for an interview and it turned out the supervisor that was supposed to do my interview was out sick that day and I interviewed with a different supervisor who was Samoan.  I feel like fate intervened that day and I was able to get the job because of who I interviewed with.  That was in 2008,  I stayed at my other job part time and went full time with Youth Care.  I was working 7 days a week and it was definitely draining me.  I ended up quitting at Future Vision after about 7 or 8 months.  It was sad to leave after 9 years but I knew it was well overdue.  Working at Youth Care has definitely been one of the biggest blessings in my life.  I have been able to work with kids who need help who are going through struggles in their life and I actually felt like I was making a difference... no matter how small it was I was helping.  But... after 3 years there, my job announced last week that with the economy and everything going the way it is we will be moving up to Syracuse, which is west of Ogden and about an hour away.  Our parent company has property up there along with two other facilities on the same campus and we will be moving into an empty building on the campus.  I understand that it makes sense financially for the company but it is has been just bad news all around at work and you can really feel it in the atmosphere that people are worried and upset.  For most people like me the drive isn't worth the pay with the cost of gas going up and up there would be no way financially to make it worth it... unless they gave us all raises... which is wishful thinking.  They are supposed to be making the move June 15th but depending on what they need to still do to get ready it will be at the latest Aug 15th.  I am supposed to be taking my maternity leave in April, I'm due the 17th but I was gonna try to work up until I am ready to have the baby.  So that leaves me out on maternity while the whole transition at my work is going to happen.  I have 12 weeks of maternity leave and I am supposed to come back in July. 

For the first time in almost 11 years I might not have a job.  For the first time I don't feel stable, like I'm not really sure what I am going to, if I wasn't pregnant I would just start looking for another job and probably be okay with finding one.  But with me being pregnant and about to have this baby I'm at a loss and worried about what will happen with my family.  It is a big decision to have to make, do I stay, do I just have my baby, take my maternity, severance, and hope for a new job before I have to take unemployment.  Then I am also worried about insurance because we get it through my work and we need insurance especially for the baby.  It's just so much to think about and worry about i don't really know what to do.  Hopefully things will all work out and I have faith that it will I am just really stressed over everything and it all couldn't have happened at a worse time.  But I know the lord gives us trials and he doesn't give us anything we cannot handle, so I know we will make it through this and be okay as long as we keep doing what is right and do our best.  In the mean time I am going to just get ready for this baby and worry about her and what we are doing with her.  I have been so blessed with everything in my life and she is going to be one of our biggest blessings and I cannot wait for her to get here!

Spring Fever...

So the past week or so has been pretty nice, still cold but you can tell it is starting to warm up... not only that the days are getting longer too, which means Spring is just around the corner!  Not only am I excited for the warm weather but that means I will finally have this baby!  Yesterday started out cloudy, then started to rain, then of course turned to SNOW!  It snowed all afternoon and into the night.... and the thick, heavy, wet snow!  UGH!  This is what I woke up to this morning...

Okay Mother Nature.... I'm done with the teasing... please stop snowing and please bring the warm Spring weather!

It's all my fault...

So last month I scheduled a dentist appointment for Teki, since I added him to my insurance I figure he better go in and get checked since I'm paying for his insurance.  He hasn't been in since he got checked before his mission!  So he thinks he takes care of his teeth and nothing was bothering him so he thought it would be just a cleaning and no problem.  WRONG!!  He ended up having three cavities and needs a crown on a tooth that is chipped and he didn't even know it.  So last Monday he went to get his fillings, two of them were really bad and there was actually a fourth tooth that needed a filling.  So he got one on his right side and three on his left.  The dentist was surprised that his teeth hadn't been bothering him with how deep these cavities were.  So of course now that his teeth have been drilled and filled they now hurt.  And guess who is to blame.... yup, ME!  Apparently it is my fault because I made him go in to get a cleaning, his teeth didn't hurt but were bad and now they are fixed and they hurt.  Gotta love his logic...  Even if it doesn't really make sense and I might get irritated when he is absurd  like this I can't help but just love him more and more every day!!  Truly blessed to have him as my husband! 

Can't wait to see what he says after he gets his crown!

29 Weeks...

Well I am officially in my last trimester of this pregnancy!  This week I am 29 weeks and everything has been going so well.  I'm getting bigger and bigger and starting to feel it, sitting for too long always seems to hurt my back... sleeping is getting more and more uncomfortable.  I've been trying to stay active and go to the gym but I always seem too tired and a lil bit lazy to drag myself there.  My pants are all too tight and even the new ones I bought don't seem to fit quite right, but maybe because I refuse to buy maternity clothes.  Luckily I have still been able to wear most of my old clothes and haven't had to buy new stuff.

 I'm huge!

My appointments are now every two weeks, until I get to 36 weeks then after that they will be every week.  Last week I went for my appointment and I had to do a glucose screening, which means I go to the lab drink a glucose drink and then wait an hour then they draw my blood.  It's to check for gestational diabetes.  So I did that before my appointment, when I saw my doctor she told me that I didn't ever get my OB panel which I'm not sure exactly what that is but it required like six tubes of blood.  I had been to get labs done before but some how it was missed and I never got it done.  Unfortunately for me I have like only one good vein and since I had just been in to have the glucose screening they tried to use the same vein but nothing would come out.  So the phlebotomist tried another vein on the back of my hand, that didn't work.  So he had to switch out with another guy and this guy tried my other arm, right below where I bend my arm, right when he put it in it started hurting and I knew it wasn't working... but I let him poke around and try to get it and there was like hardly any blood coming out and he stopped and took it out... finally he tried again lower on my forearm and he finally got it, but it was super slow and with six tubes to get it was taking forever, he finally just started getting the minimum of how much blood each tube could have.  Finally I was done and got to leave with two green and two red guaze bandages on my arms... and now I have lovely bruises on my arms the third poke being the worst one, he totally blew up that vein!  I was just glad to get that done and over with!  I just hope when I go into labor it isn't hard to find veins for labs and for my IV.  Just had to share that fun blood draw story with everyone.

 The third and worst of the pokes!

 The one they finally got blood from

 The second poke... not too bad.

 Otherwise pregnancy has been really easy.  I don't really get any cravings or mood swings, at least that is what I think, my husband might tell you differently.  But in my first trimester I could not eat desserts!  The thought of brownies, cookies, ice cream, anything like that I did not find any interest in.  Luckily that went away and I can now enjoy treats again but that was really my only weird thing.  There were smells that bothered me but nothing that I could not stand.  My eating has not changed very much I might eat more than before but I don't get crazy thinking 'I'm eating for two, it's okay' I don't feel like I have to over eat.  My baby gets fed and I don't want to gain more weight than I need to!  My first appointment I weighted 114 lbs.  And at my appointment last week I weighed 132 lbs.  I try to not get caught up in the numbers because I know I am still small but it's just hard to not feel fat when all your pants don't fit!  With only 11 weeks left I cannot wait for this lil girl to come.  She is so active always punching and kicking me, and I love that feeling of her moving in my belly.  It really is so amazing and I love when Teki just holds my belly waiting for her to kick.  I am just so in love with both of them and so exciting for our lil family. 

Blessed, Loved, Happy

I know it's probably just my pregnancy hormones but lately I have been really emotional... but I like to think of it as a good thing because I am getting emotional over just how lucky I am.  I don't know what I would do without my family.  My parents are nice enough to let Teki and I stay in their house for free and not pay for anything.  And when my mom is here she takes care of us so much by making us dinner and helping me with pretty much everything I ask of her.  With our baby coming I know they are going to be there helping out every step of the way.  I am so grateful for Teki's family also because I know they are always there for whatever we need even though we don't live as close to them.  I especially am grateful for his mom who I love so much.  She is always checking on us, calling and texting to make sure we are doing okay.  I just am so grateful for families and for the love that they bring to my life.  I can't wait for this baby and for Teki and I to become parents and be our own little family.  She truly will be the greatest blessing in our lives and we are so lucky to be having her.  I can't wait to be the mom and take what I've learned from the wonderful examples of mothers I have had in my life.  I am so grateful for my husband, I just look at him and think of how blessed I am to have him.  He makes me so happy and loves me so much, even though he drives me crazy some days, I know I wouldn't change a thing.  He has become so much more loving and sweet since I've been pregnant and I know this baby is going to be his world.  I feel like our love for each other is growing so much and it is making me so HAPPY!!  With the economy these days and not really knowing what the future has in store for us it's easy to worry and be scared.  But I have this overwhelming sense of calm, like everything is going to be okay.  I can't help but smile (or cry which is more like it these days) when I think of the future.  We are trying to save money, we have bills to pay, we don't have our own place, we have no definite plan of how or when we will be able to move out on our own but yet all I can feel is that I am blessed, loved, and happy.  Cheesy I know but I just wanted to blog about this cause I just hope this feeling last and that even when reality kicks in I will still feel that peace and calm and know that everything will be okay.  So grateful for the gospel in my life because I know that my Heavenly Father makes all this possible and is showering all these blessings down upon my life!