Wha??

I know, "its about time..." right? The past two months have been a whirlwind of joy, sorrow, confusion, chaos, adjustment, joy, joy, and more joy!

Here's an overview of October:
I was on maternity leave, which, for me, was absolutely wonderful! I had lots of time to do things for my husband that I hadn't prior to having Gryn. I loved spending mornings laying in bed with my little boy (still do).
Chad was working and jealous of every moment I had with Gryn. He worked really hard with his piano students to make sure theeir recital went well and they sounded fantastic!
Gryn got more and mmore adorable everyday and I'll update him later.
We decided to spend fall break in Salt Lake since no one had seen Gryn since he was born. We had a very enjoyable time and loved having the R & R as a little family.
We spent the following weekend in Las Vegas for similar reasons and our great-niece turned 1, so we went for her birthday!
Halloween came and went- I'll post a pic of the little guy in his costume when I get around to scanning it.

Overview of November:
I went back to work on the 4th, so I had asked if people wanted to come down and watch my kiddo when I went back so that 1) we didn't have to pay as much for daycare before Christmas and 2) family could get lots of one-on-one time with him. My mom and sister jumped at the opportunity and so my mom came down on the 2nd and stayed until the 10th to hang out with the little dude. I went up to Salt Lake with my mom on the 10th and went to a conference on Autism the 11th & 12th. I came back with my sister on the 14th and she stayed with us until the 19th. Gryn had his two month check up on the 17th. We saw Harry Potter in Salt Lake and headed to Las Vegas on the 24th for Thanksgiving. Hurricane High School's football team went to State for the third year in a row, against the same team, and for the third year in a row, they beat us with 3 seconds to go. It was tragic. We have two days left of November- crazy enough. We are so excited for the holiday season, especially now that we have little Gryn in our lives!

Bethany update:
I'm back at work! Its been good being back, but I have struggled to get into a groove that works for me!
I have learned that I can do a lot more on little sleep than I thought I could, even though we're only up once a night.
I have a few likes and dislikes that have stuck with me since my pregnancy- still like mustard and marshmallows (not together) and dislike olives, sadly.
To answer the question "Do you love being a mom?": I don't know how to answer that question. I never thought I'd have a child and I have a very negative assiciation with the title "mom." I am EXTRAORDINARILY happy to have Gryn in my life and he makes me SO incredibly happy, so I guess the answer is I am happy to have a child.

Chad update:
Chad is working really had to make his Band and Piano students sound the best they can.
He absolutey loves his baby boy more than anything in the world and loves to help as much as possible!

The next post will be an update about the baby and there'll be pics and video...

Lazy days

I've been unmotivated when it comes to blogging, and I don't have the slideshow done yet, so this is not as awesome as it could be.

Today is Chad's 31st birthday! It's been pretty low-key- Gryn and I went and bought some decorations (including 3-D Star Wars plates) this morning and got him a Chocolate Cake from Costco. His big gift is coming tomorrow with dad- an xBox 360- he's been asking for one since his birthday last year, so we found one for cheap and it comes with controllers, so he's REALLY excited! I'm happy to have Chad in my life- he's a wonderful husband and an amazing dad!

I had my 2 week check up and I am recovering quite well from giving birth. I'm about 10 pounds away from being back to my pre-pregnancy weight, which makes me SO happy. I looked at my school picture from August and OMG, my face was SO puffy! My body is back to it's normal cold self, I'm sleeping in pants and a sweatshirt again- so lame. I kind of liked being able to sleep in a tank top and be comfortable!

Gryn had his 2 week check and he is doing great! The doctor said Gryn is absolutely perfect, which we already knew, but its' good to hear from someone else! He's back up to his birthweight and a little bit more and has grown an entire inch! His specs are 8 lb 10 oz (40th %ile) and 21.5 in long (73rd %ile) and his head is 15 in which is the 63rd %ile. The dr. was quite pleased that he was already up past his birthweight since he was so big at birth.

A few things about Gryn:

He turns his head when we talk to him!

He growls when he's annoyed- like when he gets the hiccups or is uncomfortable.

He spends more and more time awake and we love it!

He drools when he sleeps!

He started focusing on the little sheep on his swing today.

He attended his first concert where dad performed and was incredibly amazing! He slept through most of it.

He also experienced rain and cold weather for the first time as well. He didn't like that I put a beanie on his head- he was SUPER cute though!

Our favorite thing is that he makes a face that looks like a duck. Its so dang cute!

I'm so happy that fall has arrived- finally! It's been so bizarre that its been so hot! I'm also really enjoying the time at home with Gryn. I hope I am ready to go back to work when that time comes!

I just took a video of Chad and Gryn, hopefully I'll be able to post it!

Oh, and we had family pictures taken over the weekend- here are a few favs.

Two in a row...

Here are some videos of the little man. I'm not sure which is which, but we were having some wonderful floor time this evening. Gryn is becoming more and more animated everyday and when you talk to him while he's awake on the floor, he kicks and moves his arms around- its SO awesome! I'm going to try to get all the pictures I can in a slideshow as soon as possible so that everyone can see the changes in him already. I'll also have an update on Monday with height/weight, etc- we both have our two week checkups, so we'll be busy, but it'll be awesome!

A Whole Week!

I'm finally getting around to posting about the little dude!

Chad and I have spent the past week holding Gryn almost non-stop- its horrible! We love watching him sleep but most especially watching him look around at his new world while he's awake! Needless to say, we are absolutely in love with this little guy! For two people who never thought they would ever want children, we are extremely satisfied with our decision to have this little baby join our life!

A bit about the babe:

He is incredibly chill! He hangs out wide awake now for hours, just looking around, taking everything in. He has some dark hair and we hope that it stays. He has blue-gray eyes and looks like his daddy. The only time he cries is if he is EXTREMELY hungry, otherwise, he is easy! We're still getting used to our days and nights, but he usually sleeps for about 5 hours after his second feeding. He couldn't be more perfect and we couldn't be more blessed to have him in our life!

The specs:

Gryn Titus Baker was born at 9:40 a.m. on Sept. 17, 2010. He weighed 8 pounds 8 ounces and was 20.5 inches long.

The story, short-ish version:

Words cannot describe the amazing beauty of the whole experience! We did have some scary moments, but the whole experience was wonderful. We had an appointment on Thursday the 16th with our midwife and my belly measured smaller than it had the previous week. We were sent to have an ultrasound to look for fluid around the baby. He was supposed to have 10 cm around him, the tech could only find 3 cm (as it turns out, when my water was "broken", there was actually NO fluid around the baby which made matters scary later on during the birth). We were sent to Labor and Delivery to be monitored, but with the info about fluid, our midwife wanted us to stay or come back at midnight to be induced. We decided to stay and get the process going.

I was given a mild induction med around 9 p.m. I didn't start feeling the contractions until about 11:00, at which point I was givena sleep med so that I could get some rest. I rested between the contractions, which were really mild. Around 3 a.m. I was given the second dose of meds, at which point the contractions became extremely painful and would only let up for about 5 seconds before the next would come. The worst part of it was that Gryn's heart rate would drop from 180 bpm (ish) to between 90-120 bpm each time there was a contraction. By 5 a.m. the contractions weren't letting up, I was exhausted, and Gryn wasn't doing well, so Laurie (our CNM) was called in. We opted to stop labor to give baby a rest. I was able to sleep for about an hour which made all the difference in the world.

The contractions started up again on their own at 6 a.m. and were surprisingly bearable! We breathed through the contractions until about 8:45 and began the process of pushing. Gryn was born @ 9:40 a.m. via a natural, unmedicated birth. Chad was with me the whole time as was so supportive and loving! He was absolutely fascinated by the whole process. He watched our baby be born and could hardly contain himself when we saw him for the first time. We had a plan for what we wanted to have happen with this birth and unfortunately we didn't have that happen. I do feel a little bit ripped off that I didn't get the experience of driving to the hospital in a panic while breathing through contractions, but am very glad that we were able to bring our baby into the world safely.

And finally, THE PICS!!:

Always Hungry- even just after birth:)

A very happy and proud daddy. I LOVE watching them together!!

A very UNHAPPY baby- this is the first time he was away from me after he was born. I was able to hold him for over an hour before they took him to be weighed and measured.

Again- eating his hands... hes an eater! It took him little time to catch on to breast feeding.

Eyes open- this is our favorite time- he's so aware of everything around him!

This was the setup that broke our hearts. Gryn was jaundiced and had to be under the lights for 24 hours. We could only hold him to feed him and burp him and he had to wear these goggles that covered his eyes. I will admit, I cried when they brought all of it in.

I would be laying in bed or sitting in the rocking chair and I'd look over and see his little feet sticking out of the plastic tub/bed. It was the only redeeming part of having him under the lights.

The day we came home from the hospital, all the UT cousins were able to come and meet Gryn. We were talking and looked over to find all the cousins crowded around the swing oogling over their new "baby Gryn."

I think this is precious, Chad and Gryn having a very pleasant conversation. We love that Gryn makes eye contact now and that he looks when we say his name.

This is a picture of the bili blanket we had to bring home with us. We opted for the blanket so that we could actually snuggle with him, rather than stare at him under lights, it was much more bearable.

This is what we refer to as "milk belly." We say it with a deep gravelly voice. He gets this look each time he eats.

This is my FAVORITE look. Just after he's eaten, we get about an hour or two of him wide awake. When he's back to falling asleep, his hands come up close to his face and he gets this look. It's absolutely precious!

This is just after his first sponge bath at home. He was not happy about being so naked.

So, after his bath, I was unable to get his diaper on quickly enough and the wet spot behind us on the couch is the pee stream- awesome. And no, I didn't learn my lesson, he has peed on the sheets and his pjs- twice. I'm getting much better at this diaper changing stuff!

We'll keep taking pictures and hopefully I'll have time to keep up on the posts, at least while I'm on maternity leave. We are totally in love and I can't help but hold him all day while Chad is at work.

Alright, I know I promised weekly pics, but, getting ready to leave my classroom for 6 weeks has really taken up all of my time. Getting the house clean has taken up the rest of my time, and then Chad and I have really needed some quality time together, so that's taken up the last bit of time, blogging is the LAST thing I have been thinking about. So, now my plans are done, the house is clean, Chad is on the couch next to me, and I can finally post another pic and give an update.
We are 39 weeks and 3 days today- only 4 to go... hopefully! At our 20 week appt, Gryn was measuring at a due date of today, but I'm hoping that doesn't happen. Our CNM is out of town this weekend, so I'll be spending my time on the couch, reading.
Pregancy update:
I feel like pregancy info is just TMI in general for the majority of the population. When other women tell me their "status," my brain goes, "ok, I totally didn't need to know that- just tell me if you think the baby's coming or not...." However MOST women don't like that kind of info- for some reason they use the terminology that is just gross or, TMI, as I think of it. So in my way, heres the update:
Yes, the baby's coming soon. My estimate is Monday. If you want details, call me. We're extremely excited and can't wait to see the little guy!

Our update:
Last weekend we cleaned the house so that we're able to just relax for the next little bit before little dude arrives. We also cleaned and organized Chad's classroom so that he's relaxed and able to be comfortable with a sub there when the time comes. I have finished planning my classes (day-to-day) until Christmas break- a HUGE relief. I have completed 11 IEP meetings and have 5 to go, however, I don't think I'll get those done until after baby comes.

Thats pretty much it. We'll be chillin' this weekend doing what we can to hold off until Monday, but Murphy's law will probably take effect and we'll have this kid today. We'll keep you posted :)

Last Preggo pic? Let's hope so!!

2 Weeks & 5 Days (or 19 ish Days)

The past 8 1/2 months have flown by! I've decided to do my posts on Thursdays after our final baby appts, just to keep everyone updated- and I know that right now, that's the only reason anyone looks at this- you just want the pics and baby news...
Gryn news:
We are measuring right at 37 weeks, no "Dr. check" this week- it wasn't necessary, and she (our midwife) is convinced that we are in the clear for Labor Day weekend and anticipates we'll deliver on time or about a week late- I don't mind this news (yet) as I still have SOOOO much to do to get ready for my sub. I can use the time!

The ugly news is that I am Strep B positive and will have to have an annoying IV the whole time I'm laboring at the hospital (boo). Chad and I decided we wanted the least amount of tubing/wiring attached to me as possible, so it was disheartening, but I know it's important to be healthy, so Gryn can be healthy when he's born. The good news about the Strep B strain I carry is that it can be killed by anti-biotics that are NOT a part of the "cillin" family- very good news!
We took the stroller and car seat out of their box last night and put them together, we'll have some adjusting to do to bring little dude home, but its ready! We are so excited! Everytime we see and/or feel him move around, we just can't help but get excited because we're SOOO close to having him here! Gryn's bag is packed and ready, however Chad's and mine aren't. That will probably be one of our weekend projects!
Chad news:
USF ends on Saturday. It will be a relief, but also sad. It has been a great season, despite the lack of zest in the music. Things are faling into place at Hurricane Intermediate and the struggles with classes are either finally coming out or are just subsiding as the adjustments are made to Intermediate School. Chad performed twice for the Cabaret, a USF after show. He played a xylophone piece and did a juggling number with some LED lit juggling balls. Each year they have a final show with favorite performances from the season. Chad hasn't ever been chosen in the past, but BOTH his acts were chosen for tonight's final show! He will be the opening and closing performances! I am SO dang happy for him! He is SO excited to perform these numbers again! (I missed the juggling act the first time and am bummed to miss it this time, but the show doesn't start until 11:00 p.m. which means we wouldn't get hom until about 1:30 or so and my body cannot handle that right now.)
Beth news:
I'm looking bigger and bigger! I'm not uncomfortable unless I forget that I'm pregnant and try to do something I would normally need abdominal muscles for! My time of sleeping well has probably ended. I've been battling a head/chest cold for a week now and it is finally beginning to clear up. I haven't been able to take anything and I can't sleep on my back, so breathing at night has been a NIGHTMARE and Gryn usually kicks for about 20 minutes everytime I turn over. So, I'm adjusting to the sleeplessness, but know that the time is coming where it will be much worse than it is now, so I treasure what sleep I do get! Really this has probably been the worst week of pregnancy, but I think it's just because I'm sick. My 4th period class is convinced I will either go into hard labor during class or that I will deliver my baby in class- its quite comical actually! I'm done planning for 1st quarter and with 2/3 of my sub notes for 1st quarter, so now I can focus on getting IEPs written and done- 4 down (completed), 2 written, 10 to go. Yes, that's a total of 16 that will be finished within the first 5 weeks of school. When I come back in Nov. I will be so bored, it's kind of crazy. I will only have 8 IEPs to hold for the rest of the year and I will have nothing to plan for because I'll be planned through Christmas break. I've learned a lot about HS kids vs. MS kids and I REALLY like the differences! My team is great, our paras are WONDERFUL, and I really like teaching Read 180. So in essence, life is good! As always.

Ok, now for the pics:

Me, 37 weeks. Yes, the belly is dropping. And yes, this shirt (albeit maternity) is working REALLY hard to cover my belly. Pretty sure this is the last time I'll be seen wearing it. And looking at last week's pic, maybe I was arching a little, it didn't feel like it though. Weird.

"Travel System" Step 1: In the box, no problem!

"Travel system" step 2 (Chad): Ok, it's all out of the box, how do we open it? Oh, the red locking device on the side. Wait, theres only two wheels... oh, nope, here they are. Ok, whew.

"Travel System" step 2 (Beth): This one's already put together! Awesome! Oh wait, no- attach canopy, check, unwrap base, check. This peice to the right doesn't fit ANYWHERE! Riiiight, that would be the stroller tray. Adjust straps, just in case, check. Figure out how the seat goes in the base......................... yeah, still working on that............................... no, don't take it, Chad, I've got to know how to do it once it's in the car............................. *click* YEAH! Got it! How did I do that again?

"Travel System" Step 3: Done! Now, if our Nurse Midwife is wrong, we'll still be able to bring our baby home from the hospital anytime!

In all reality, it wasn't too terribly hard, we had fun goobing up about how "our baby will sit in that" and such. Totally ridiculous! And speaking of goobing stories, here are two, for the road:

Last night a girl brought in her 1 week old baby to our birthing class. Little tiny baby girl was in the back making sweet newborn noises and Chad looks at me all teary and goes- "I can't help but think of our little baby making those noises. I can't wait to hear them!"

We (I) ordered a personalized Mickey Mouse blanket for Gryn. It arrived the other day and Chad missed seeing it the night it arrived. The next morning, I showed him as we were making breakfast and getting ready for the day. He stopped, came over and hugged me and the belly and was like "We are totally going to use that when we take our baby to Disneyland. I can't wait to take him to Disneyland." Again, all teary and sweet about our little dude. P.S. I don't think I'll get to hold our child. Ever. So keep that in mind when you come to see him. His dad may be hogging him.

I LOVE that Chad is the gooby one about this baby! I don't get teary very often about much and haven't gotten very teary over thinking about our baby- I get teary when I think of everything that can go wrong in the next two weeks. I am SO dang excited to have this little guy in our home and share in parenting with Chad- its going to be AWESOME!

36

That's right- only 4 weeks to go! Or less, depending on what this baby decides to do! Here are the pics, you can tell that I am getting bigger... I am not arching my back at all in this pic or sticking out my butt- FYI.


Oh, and if you were wondering, yes, I did get a haircut: added bangs and got a better A-line- I love it, however, I really want it short again. Not super short, but short. We'll see what I go with after I've lost the baby weight and my face isn't so pudgy. I also went darker as well, it just seemed like it was time for a change with the hair!

And we are now taking bets on when you think little dude will arrive.
The due date: Sept. 15.

Bets are 50 cents. Unless someone wants to up that...?
We're looking for date and time of day (morning, afternoon, evening).

I'll re-post in a bit, I don't have time to put ours on right now, we've got to leave for Cedar. Anyway, I'll also update you on the other parts of our life when I get a minute!

I totally just figured out how to see this and change the font and font color, etc. I feel so super lame for NOT knowing until now. Everything after this was posted later...

So. Our Life. We started school one week ago. It has been a busy week! Chad played two shows and two after shows on the second and third days of school. Being the wonderful wife that I am, I told him to call me on his way home so that he didn't fall asleep in the car, which meant that I was up just as long as he was. It was worth it though- I like my husband! Saturday was a parade and pool party with Chad's band kids. In between, we attended a funeral for Chad's co-worker's husband who died very unexpectedly just before school started. It was a very reflective time for Chad and me about what is really important in our lives. After the late nights and early mornings and high emotions, Chad slept for about 4 hours on Saturday night to get caught up on sleep.

We have both really enjoyed our classes and are really looking forward to an awesome year. On top of teaching, I am getting prepped for my sub, which means I am planning ahead for all of 1st quarter and a few weeks into 2nd quarter. It just easier for me to plan ahead until Christmas Break and have all my copies, etc done so that my sub is ready and doesn't have to worry about anything AND so that I don't have to worry about crazy planning when I get back to school. It also means that I have about 12-15 IEP meetings to hold before Sept. 15. So I'm keeping busy! Everyone tells me that I should be taking it easy these last few weeks before the baby comes and I totally agree, however, it just isn't possible as a teacher :)

As for our 50 cents:
Chad's money is on Sept. 12 early in the morning (before 7 a.m.).
I think that as soon as my IEPs, sub plans, USF, and our birth classes are done (this would be around Sept. 2) and I am able to relax a bit, the baby will be born. However, looking at family birth patterns, my money is on Sept. 13 in the late evening (7 p.m. or later).
If you want to place a bet, leave a comment with your guess, you'll get at least a dollar out of it if you win!

We'll keep posting belly pics weekly until there is a baby to post about!