Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving we had originally planned to be in West Virginia with Johnny's brother (Mike) and Mike's wife's (Rebecca) family. A few days before we were going to drive out, though, Rebecca's grandpa (who has been in poor health) took a turn for the worse and we all decided it would be best for us to stay local during the holiday instead.

We had 2 friends who ended up asking us to spend the holiday with them. On Thursday we ate at the Barker's. There was some really yummy food and great company around us.

Our yummy homemade apple pie we made from the apples we picked here.

Sol with his little girlfriend Adeline. They could NOT wait for the chocolate pie!
{I don't blame them, it was de-lish!}

On Friday, we ate another oh-so-yummy Thanksgiving dinner at Kelly & JR's house. They are some fun new friends we met through Matt & Shersti (our neighbors down the street). I'm sad I didn't take any pictures! but it was a lot of fun there too.

Here are some things I've loved about Hazel:
{which I guess can be part of my "thankful" list for Thanksgiving}

• the cute smiles she gives me, especially while she's sleeping. Whether they are intentional or not, they warm my heart.
• yea! for 5 hour stretches of sleep at night! I'm savoring this because good things like that just can't last that long!
• the funny newborn faces she pulls.
• how perfectly she fits all curled up on my chest and tummy.
• how she can seriously sleep anywhere at any time. It's hilarious.
• that she likes a paci!
• love it or hate it, she's an every 2-3 pooper. So while it's less messy diapers to change, they sure are a mess when she finally does get it all out!
• her adorable ears that are carbon copies of her daddy's ears.
• that she *loves* her swing.
• her little "nursing blister" on her upper lip. Cute, but makes me feel bad for her!
• she's such a good little nurser. Makes my life so much better!
• all that fun hair to put cute clips in.

AND

• that, at this point, She absolutely completes our little family.
  

We hope you had a good Thanksgiving too.

Tops in Blue Performance

We finally got our chance to perform with Tops in Blue last night. Johnny and I participated in the Air Force Family & Teen Talent Competition last September. We won at our base, and then Air Force-wide. The prize was to open for Tops in Blue when they came to our base, which happened to be last night. We played our winning piece, "Orange Blossom Special" and had a fun time with our friends (Wendy and her family) who came with us.

Thankfully Hazel slept through the ENTIRE performance!!
...Sol...not so much.

2 Week Check-up

On Monday, Hazel went in for her 2 week check-up. Her birth weight was 7 lb 15 oz, weight at leaving the hospital at 36 hours was 7 lb 11 oz. On Monday she weighed 8 lb 7 oz, so she gained back her birth weight (what they are looking for) and then some. I could be off on the percentages, but I think they said her weight was 65%, head size was 70ish%, and height was 85%. She's a good size and growing!

Hazel's been having a little bit of issues with projectile vomiting, so I started feeding her less at each feeding and more frequently. It seems to have helped quite a bit, but it's hard because it feels like I'm CONSTANTLY nursing. But things are going well in general. I didn't get nearly as sore with nursing as I did with Sol. I guess my body is just used to it although I haven't nursed for over a year in between kids.

Hazel is still in that fun newborn stage where she sleeps ALL THE TIME! It's really fun to cuddle with her and we love it. At night Johnny and I usually go to bed after her 11-midnight feeding. The past few nights she doesn't wake up until between 4 and 6 a.m. I've been VERY happy about this. In fact, the night before last, my 2-year-old was the one who was waking up more than my newborn!!

I don't think Sol was feeling well that night. He got up and I heard his door at about 2 a.m. Johnny put him back to bed, but I didn't hear Sol get up the second time until he was already in our bed and sitting at our feet saying "baby Hazel, baby Hazel!" It seriously scared me to death. He NEVER climbs into our bed at night! Johnny said he woke up a few more times, but I didn't even hear him. I guess my ears are just tuned in to listening to baby cries, not Sol trying to escape downstairs to turn on lights and play with toys. Which works out quite well, since Johnny NEVER hears Hazel crying at night.

On Tuesday night, right after I pumped (thinking that Hazel was going to sleep for a long time), Hazel woke up really hungry. So she got to try out her first bottle with daddy. She did great taking it and didn't have any problems. She also downed close to 4 oz.

6 Years!!!

This is a post dedicated to the love of my life...the love of a lifetime.

Unreal as it might seen, today Johnny and I have been married for 6 years!!

From our very first date, I knew that Johnny was one of the most giving, selfless, and caring people I'd ever met.

The first night I met Johnny, within the first couple hours of meeting him, I already asked him out on date. In fact, in jest, I told my mom on the phone later that night that I'd met the man I was going to marry. Little did I know...

On our first date, a group date with my roommates, we went out to eat. I noticed that Johnny wasn't really eating his dinner and that he looked a little pale. I asked if he was okay. He told me that he was actually pretty sick, but that he knew how important this group date was to me (it was my friend's birthday). He couldn't find a replacement date in time and he didn't want to leave me without a date last minute. I thought it was really sweet, but needless to say, I pretty much took him home immediately after that!
Before we had kids, one of my favorite things about us is that we did SO many things together. And when we said we wanted to go on an adventure together, we actually did it. In college, we enjoyed playing music together (we were in a bluegrass band and a rock band together), taking a snowboarding class together (and hitting the slopes as often as we could!), going hiking and other outdoor adventures (Havasupai, the Subway at Zion's, rock climbing), and studying hard together so we could both pursue Master's degrees straight out of our B.S.'s.
Another quality that I found about Johnny that was amazing is that he is SO supportive of me. In whatever direction life takes me. It's always been together with him.

He's supported me through going through the crazy time that was grad school. That was seriously one of the most intense times of my life. But whenever I got discouraged, or was going to be studying at the Taylor Building until who-knows-when (often till 2 during finals week), Johnny was the first one to go home, make dinner, and bring it to me, as well as any other friends that happened to be studying with me.

Then when we got pregnant halfway through grad school, Johnny continued to be the huge support that he always had been. When I was in Utah finishing up my last classes as well as starting in on my third trimester of pregnancy, Johnny would call and (via cell phone to the belly) read a story to Sol every night. He never made me feel badly about being away from him and always told me how proud he was of me. It meant the world to me.

I could go on for DAYS about the amazing father he is. Bathtime is Johnny's domain...and it's SO cute! When Sol was first born and Johnny was back at work, as soon as he walked in the door, he'd ask when the baby's diaper had last been changed. For being the 6th out of 7 kids, Johnny hadn't changed a lot of diapers in his life prior to fatherhood. After Sol was born, he became the diaper changing king! Johnny just plain loves spending time with his kids. In fact, I'm pretty sure Sol prefers Johnny to me most of the time. Johnny never seems to tire or run out of energy to play with Sol.
Then came the time when we decided it was time for me to go to work full-time. Johnny did not complain about me working-not ONCE! When I started to feel overwhelmed, he pitched in extra to help around the house. I put him in charge of dishes and laundry, and boy did he step up! Johnny has always been so conscientious and helpful when things need done. He's the first one to volunteer and the last one to leave. Then when I was pregnant and working, he stepped it up even more. I could not begin to ask for a more helpful, humble, charitable, and giving person to share my life with.
I look forward to more days together seeing and experiencing life with each other and our family. Like exploring a foreign country together. Or more physical activities (do I hear triathlon in our future???)

I'm amazed every day by the concern and love Johnny shows for me and our children.
He truly is one of my heroes and I'm glad he's mine to keep forever.

Just a cute picture of Sol

Photo by Nicole Barker Photography

Hazel's Birth Story

Here's the story! The hospital had my due date at October 30, but I was pretty sure from my charting that my due date was closer to November 2. The hospital did an ultrasound early on and kept the date at the 30th. And ironically enough, whenever they measured my belly, I was always 1-2 cm ahead of schedule.

They stripped my membranes twice, at 40 weeks and at 40 weeks 3 days, without any success in inducing labor. I was a week overdue on Friday (Nov 6) and really contemplating scheduling an induction. In fact, I actually called the hospital and left a message for them so I could schedule it. My midwife called me back and by that time I had already talked to my doula and decided NOT to get induced. On Friday (the day I would have gotten induced) I woke up 5 a.m. to go to the bathroom. When I got back to bed, I noticed I was having contractions. I didn't keep track of the time in between, but I realized I'd had 5 within 30 minutes. They continued 6 minutes apart for 1 1/2 hours while I stayed in bed and tried to get some sleep. But when I got up they subsided quite a bit. I had an appointment that day and they said I was dilated to a 3-4 but without any consistent contractions.

I took a nap that afternoon and was woken up in the middle because my contractions got so strong. But again, when I stood up, they got weaker. At about 9:00 that night I started having contractions 3-5 minutes apart. I got into my bath tub at 9:45, laid on my side, and stayed in for about an hour. It felt SO nice!! I was afraid to get out because I knew it was going to be much more painful out of the water.

I called my doula to come over to my house. While she was on the way over, the contractions were closer to 2-3 minutes apart and getting pretty hard. I called the midwife to come into the hospital and we headed in. My mom came to the hospital with us and Sol stayed the night with our friends Rachel and John. (Thank you thank you thank you!!!) When I got to the nurse's station, I was so excited about being in labor and joking with them in between contractions. My L&D nurse told me she was sure I wasn't going to be admitted because I was smiling way too much to actually be far enough into labor to stay.

My midwife checked me at 12:40 a.m. and said I was dilated to a 7-8. My contractions were going really strong, but my water hadn't broken yet. The midwife said that my water was bulging and she had to be careful when checking me to not break it. I used the birthing ball to sit on, got into the shower for a little bit with Johnny, walked the halls, and stood while holding onto Johnny. About 1-2 hours later the midwife checked me again and I was only dilated to an 8. We decided to break my water and this sent me into transition pretty quickly.

I about asked for pain meds because my contractions were coming one on top of another. There was absolutely no break in between for quite a few contractions. One of the only things that helped was finding a good focus point. I labored on my side in the bed for a few minutes before I felt like I needed to stand up. I stood up, and with my doula and DH facing each other, I stood in between them and put my arms around their necks. After a few more contractions, my doula asked if I was starting to push. I hadn't realized it, but said that I thought I was. They called for the midwife quickly. I pushed for 24 minutes (WAY shorter than my 2 1/2 hours with Sol) and Hazel was born at 3:34 a.m.

She inhaled a little mucus right before she was delivered and had to be suctioned several times. It took her a while to start crying, but she did pretty quickly after they took her to the warming table. (the same thing happened with Sol) We named her Hazel Judy Hansen. She was 7 lbs 15 oz and 20 inches long with long dark hair. We are so glad she's here!! Even if it was 8 days after my hospital due date.

The midwife originally thought I had 2nd degree tears, but when she checked more closely, I only had a 1st degree tear. (again, that was better than with Sol!) I got discharged 36 hours later and we've been having fun snuggling and loving on our little girl. She's a good little nurser and I hope it stays that way! Recovery is going well and we're having fun introducing her to friends and neighbors.

Here's some pics right after labor and delivery.
at the warming table getting oxygen and suctioning

Johnny's first real look at Hazel

which reminds me of this picture-Johnny's first real look at Sol
our family-minus Sol

Daddy & Daughter

almost 8 lbs

Nanna 'Nise with her first granddaughter

Newborn Photo Shoot

I just got the preview shots from our newborn photo shoot. Head on over to our photographer Nicole Barker's blog and give her some love. I'm so happy with the pictures!!