Some of you may have already read the shortened version of Scotty's birth story on my sister's blog, but for those of you who are interested in the details, I figured it would be good for me to get this out in writing. I know I always enjoyed reading other people's birth stories, especially when I was pregnant and wondering what mine might be like. I can honestly say, I was not prepared for the way my baby entered the world. My labor was 40 hours, so beware, this is going to be a long post.

 Jer and I went to my 40 week appointment on my due date assuming they would want to schedule a day for induction because they had informed me that they would not let me go over 41 weeks. To my dismay, I was still only dilated a fingertip and my cervix had hardly effaced. I had been this way for 4 weeks. To make matters worse, my blood pressure was high. My doctor decided it would be best to induce me that night since my BP was high enough for concern. We were so excited! We would have a baby in the next day or so! (or so we thought). They admitted me that evening around 9 pm and started me on cytotec, a cervical ripening medicine. I was given 4 doses over the course of the night and was supposed to lay flat. They checked me every 4 hours to see if I had progressed. As I lay there, a blood pressure cuff went off every 30 minutes checking that my BP was OK. After a night of almost no sleep and no progress my doctor checked my BP's and noticed that they had gone down and sent me home on bed rest and told me to come back Friday evening to be induced. We came to find out that morning that the doctor had ordered some tests that hadn't been run, had they tested me, I may not have gone through that unnecessary hospitalization. Needless to say, we were not pleased.

The next few days I "rested" and tried many things to induce labor on my own. I really didn't want to have to go through the cytotec again. I decided that rather than just going straight to the hospital to be induced on Friday, I would meet with another doctor at my practice that day and see if there was any progress. Still nothing. My doc said that no matter what day I went in, I would have to have the cytotec and be induced. So we went back that evening at 6 to start the process again. I hadn't had dinner and they didn't tell me beforehand that I wouldn't be able to eat at all after they started so Jer ran and got me a salad. I was so nervous that I could barely eat half of it. From then on, it was ice chips for me. I also had Jer get me some Jolly Ranchers which helped. My mom was there with us and Katie came to hang out for the first few hours to help the time pass. Again we went through 3 doses of cytotec. This time I was contracting pretty hard. I ended up having them give me some IV meds to take the edge off which also helped me sleep. By the end of my 3rd dose, I was only dilated to a 1 and still wasn't very effaced. The doctor decided to still start me on Pitocin and see how my body reacted.

They started the Pitocin on the lowest level they could (1) and left me there for an hour. I was contracting very frequently but was not progressing. They were worried about the baby and so they took me off the pitocin for about an hour. After the hour, they decided to start me again at a 1. They continued to bump up my pitocin a few levels every half hour or so. I was able to bounce on a birth ball, walk around and labor normally for a few hours. Around 10 am I still hadn't progressed so the doc decided to put in a Foley Catheter which is like a balloon thing that helps you dilate. Once it falls out, you should be at about a 3 or 4. About an hour later, it fell out. They checked me and I was only at a 2. The doc said he would be back at noon to break my water. I had been laboring for a while and had been advised that labor gets a lot more intense after your water breaks so I asked for my epidural. I got that around noon and immediately after, the doc broke my water. I could only lay on my left side because the baby's heart rate would drop if I laid on the right, so I was stuck there for the next 20+ hours. My body was getting so sore. Somewhere before 6, they found that my body was not responding to the pitocin so they decided to start over from the beginning again. They stopped pitocin for an hour and then started me at about a 4. By 7 pm I still hadn't progressed past a 2. The doc gave me an ultimatum: if I hadn't progressed by 10 pm, they would to a c-section. Jer and I were fine with that. I had been through so much already and we were all so exhausted. My body seemed to not want to cooperate and we had come to terms with that.

Low and behold, by 10 pm I had dilated to a 5. I had been re-dosed once already because I was starting to be in a lot of pain again. We decided to stick it out because I really didn't want a c-section. I had made it this far! Every hour, I was dilating 1 cm. It seemed like a miracle! We were getting so excited. By 3 or 4 am I was at a 9.5. Our nurse said she would call the doc and we would be ready to push soon! I couldn't believe it was finally happening and that my body had finally responded! I had the anesthesiologist re-dose me because the meds were wearing off again. They continued to check me and my cervix had stopped dilating, I was still a 9.5 5 hours later. To make matters worse, the baby was transverse (which means he was facing sideways instead of toward the back. Again, we were given an ultimatum. If I didn't complete (dilate to a 10) in another hour, I would need to have a c-section. An hour later I was still a 9.5. I had definitely shed a few tears in the past few hours in frustration and discomfort. The doc had me push a few times to see if there was any way we could get the baby out vaginally. He was not budging. I started to spike a fever and the baby's heart rate started to dip. It became an emergency and they needed to take the baby right away.

The anesthesiologist came in to give me the extra meds for the c-section. For some reason this sent me into a case of uncontrollable shakes. I literally could not stop and my body just convulsed. They brought me into the room with Jer and I left my parents in the labor and delivery room. It was sad to leave my mom who had been there through the whole process and who I had wanted so badly to be there to see her first grandson born.

The doctor started cutting into me even before the second doctor had arrived to assist him. Jer stayed by me behind the curtain and held my hand. As they began the procedure, I noticed that I was in pain. I yelled out and told them I could feel what they were doing and that it was hurting me. I was still shaking and could hardly speak because my teeth were chattering. I could feel everything they were doing, it was so painful. I begged for more medication but they said they couldn't give me anything until the baby was out. The baby had descended so low that they had to have a nurse push him up vaginally and the assisting doctor had to take him by the shoulders to lift him out. I had a larger incision because he was halfway down the birth canal already!

Once they got the baby out they whisked him away without even showing me. He was in the room, but behind us because they were worried about infection because of my fever. They finally gave me morphine and I don't remember much after that while in the O.R. They took the baby to labor and delivery where my parents were able to see him. While they finished me up, they sent Jer to the L and D room to see the baby. Jer got lost trying to find his way from the OR to our room. :o) When he finally made it, Scotty immediately responded to Jer's voice. He turned toward him and stopped crying. They finally wheeled me in and I was able to see my sweet baby for the first time. I was definitely loopy because I said, "He's perfect, he looks just like me....just kidding." They laid him on my chest and he was able to nurse. While they did his bath I was in and out of consciousness. The baby was totally fine, really and truly perfect except a few sores on his head from being in the birth canal so long and from an internal monitor they had placed during labor.

They finally let me have water and I drank 3 of those hospital mugs full right away. I was SO thirsty! As they took me to recovery my fever broke and I just dripped with sweat for probably close to an hour. They still wouldn't let me eat for that whole day because they were worried about how my body might react to food after surgery so it was clear liquids for me. I was extremely swollen. While in the hospital, I had to have gained at least 20 pounds in fluid. My legs were so swollen that I wasn't able to straighten my legs when they finally got me up to stand. Walking was extremely difficult. We had lots of visitors that helped to take my mind off of the trauma that I went through. The baby was awesome at nursing and it was easy for us from the get-go. I felt like that was such a blessing after everything we went through to get our sweet angel here. Jer was so sweet with me. He helped me get out of bed, go to the bathroom, shower, things you don't ever think you will need help with at age 25. He changed every single one of the baby's diapers because I couldn't get out of bed and always got up to give me the baby when he cried. I knew that my love for him would grow once we had a child but I didn't understand the magnitude.

We were in the hospital for a total of 6 days. I was excited to get home. But when I did, suddenly reality hit. I was still very much in recovery mode and I didn't want to be. Every time someone would visit and ask me about the labor, I would break down crying. I had several good cries a day. It was hard basically recovering from both a vaginal labor and a c-section. I would cry before bed time because I knew I wouldn't sleep and it would be hard to sit up in bed to nurse. I somehow felt guilty for how he was born, like somehow it was my fault. It seems completely ridiculous but for some reason I felt that way. I felt like I didn't deserve my sweet baby. I had many strangers and loved ones alike tell me how pale I looked and that I didn't look like I was well. With help from my mom and husband, each day got better and better (and still is, only 3 weeks post-partem). In the first 2 weeks I lost 40 pounds in fluid, I regained my color and started to feel a lot more stable emotionally. My incision was healing well and my swelling came down tremendously.

Our baby has really been an angel. He sleeps well, eats well, and doesn't fuss much (so far). I never imagined or wanted the day that my baby came into this world to be so miserable, I never thought that I would likely have to have all my children by c-section, but it really is true that I would do it all again for our sweet Scotty.

And because you made it through this post, I will reward you with a few pictures for your enjoyment.
 First time I held him immediately after surgery. So miserably happy. :o)
 Our beautiful boy.
 One happy family.
 Sweet love.

Last week I had my second and final baby shower before our munchkin makes his debut. For those of you who are interested I'm 37 weeks 2 days and my doc thinks the baby will be late...thanks doc. Its OK though because once he's out, he's out for good! No going back. :o)

The shower had a "Little Man" theme. My sister organized it with help from several of my lovely friends. Here are some of the details.


 Beautiful cake made by my sister's friend.
 Manly snacks. Notice the napkins are folded like bow ties.
 Favors. Cute boxes came from Zurchers.
 Mustache photo booth.
 Loved this idea by my friend Court: a fingerprint tree with guests names written on their fingerprint "leaves" to frame or put in the baby book.
 Food was a cookies and milk theme so we had chocolate and regular milk and my sister took mason jars and made bow ties out of scrapbook paper and then my friend got mustache straws. So cute.

 Beautiful fruit.
 Real men eat dessert! Found these print outs on Etsy.
 Lots of fun guests. Sisters!

 Notice the awesome "Little Man" banner made by my sister with paper ties, each decorated differently and strung with twine.

The drink bar.

For a look at the cute invite my sister got on Etsy go to my sister's blog here.

Stay tuned for posts on some of my recent projects getting ready for baby! Lots of nesting happening over here.

Jer and I are just bursting with excitement for our little angel to be born in just a few weeks! I had a maternity shoot a couple months ago without Jer and I was just really needing a few photos with him. After all, he is the father of this munchkin! So my little sister, aspiring photographer, took some pics of us with the beautiful Utah fall leaves in the Alpine loop.








Love these shots for our little fall baby!

Last night, my friend Katie and I had the pleasure of throwing a baby shower for one of our dear friends Brittany. She is due with a girl 4 weeks before me. It was really fun for Katie and I to be able to have fun with all the pink girly stuff since I'm having a boy and Katie just had a boy 2 months ago.
 I spent the day baking the treats for the shower and also the bread for the soup. These three recipes are tried and true pins that I have loved and will continue to use over and over. See this post for the cookie recipe. Here for the Texas Sheet Cake and here for the amazing (and very easy) artisan bread. I swear by these recipes. I would run, not walk to pin these recipes. Winners.
 Katie used the Cricut to make this cute sign. The Cricut is so easy to use and becomes addicting after you figure out how to use it!
 For the food, Katie made tomato basil soup, also a BIG hit, artisan bread, fresh strawberry lemonade, chocolate dipped strawberries and pretzels and the goodies I showed earlier.
 Katie found the idea for the cute puff balls on pinterest here and had the idea to make it into a cute little garland to hang. The best part? We got the tissue at the dollar store and they really didn't take all that long to make.
 More puff balls!

I was in charge of favors, the best part? All from the dollar store! Katie found some awesome nail polishes ($1 each) and I got the files (4 for $1), Jolly Rancher Pops (whole bag for $1) and bags (pack of 30 for $1) at Honks.

And here we are with the guest(s) of honor.

Here's my 2 cents about the dollar store...or I guess maybe its at least worth a dollar ;o). Think twice before you buy things at the regular store before you check the dollar store.

I wandered in to Honks on Tuesday to look for some things for the shower and found out that the first Tuesday of every month is 88 cent Tuesday at Honks. As I went down the aisles, I found TONS of painting supplies for a house painting project we had coming up: I got trays, roller covers, tape, drop cloths, brushes, scrapers, masks, school supplies for my sister, shower items including game stuff, tissue paper, bags, favor stuff, cleaning supplies and a few other goodies for only $36! (That's more than 40 items) Can you believe it?!

You would be surprised what you can find at the dollar store and how much money you can save. Sure, I value the opinion that there are some things you just need to pay full-price for, but for a lot of the little things, the dollar store is just the ticket. My two favorites are Honks and Family Dollar.

Today I'm baking all day for a baby shower, listening to the rain, oh and I ate pie and pumpkin cookies for breakfast. Shhhh don't tell. I have been waiting all summer for fall to come and it finally feels that way! I have been obsessed with peaches my whole pregnancy and I am in prego heaven with them being in season now.

We have had a long, bumpy road house hunting, moving, job changes, etc etc this summer and we have had so much help from loved ones so I decided to bake pies yesterday for those that helped.

 I went a little overboard at Allred Orchards. Its on University Avenue for those of you Utah County-ers and I frequent it from about August through November for all my fruit and veggie needs. You should all check it out. I got apples, nectarines and peaches. (Oh and that box was twice as full before I made the pies.) I'm going to have to come up with some more recipes to use all this fruit!

And now, for one of my new FAVORITE pins. I have a hard time with pies. We all know that about me. But I'm always willing to try again. My mom pinned this Paula Deen frozen peach pie filling recipe and I had to try it.
 In the process. (Hint: it makes 6-8 pies worth of filling so plan accordingly, this roast pan was the only thing that would fit all my filling!)

*Please note that a while back I made the decision that I don't do homemade pie crust. I buy the refrigerated kind from the store and it works like a charm, take it from me.
 On the way to deliver! I sprinkled a little brown sugar on top.

The whole process didn't take very long and was nice because I could make a whole bunch at once and on top of that, she give brilliant instructions on how to freeze the filling easily so you can literally throw a pie together at a moment's notice.

When I made it, it made enough filling for about 6 pies (I like to load the filling in.) AND it wasn't watery after it set after baking. I was thrilled.

*I omitted the extra half stick of butter she suggests PER PIE before baking and it still turned out great. I didn't think that was necessary. Especially with me eating it 3 meals a day...;o)

In other news, I've been feeling very inspired as of late with the changing of the seasons and a little more time on my hands now that I'm not working.
 Not only did I get to spend some time with this little one, but she became my model too! haha I made this turban hat for a friend and had to try it on to make sure it fit of course.
 Being twinners with my new best girlfriend.
 Excited to start wearing my infinity scarves and to make lots more. One of my favorite items in my shop!
And finally! I think all this rain and baking is cause for celebration so I'm having a long weekend sale. From now through Saturday, use code FALL20 at checkout in my Etsy shop and receive 20% off everything in my shop! Now is the time to stock up on your warm fall/winter accessories and get baby gifts galore! (I know lots of people having babies soon, I bet you do too!) There is a link to my shop in the side bar of this blog, go check it out!!

Enjoy!

I mentioned yesterday that my sister is turning 30 tomorrow. A few months ago, she gave herself a challenge. Lose 30 pounds by age 30. Go here to see how she went from this:

 To this!
Katie gives 30 tips on weight loss the healthy way. I think once I get this baby out I'm going to need some of those pointers!

My sister got diagnosed with Celiacs Disease a couple years ago and since then, our family has been dabbling a bit in the GF world. I am still struggling a bit to remember that some things (like condensed soups) have gluten in them, but we are all getting better. Katie is turning the big 3-0 on Tuesday and since we have birthing class that evening, we did a dinner and cake for her tonight instead.

 Here she is with my GF semi-homemade creation.
 So, she requested a cake with strawberry filling. I decided to look around, find some ideas and make up my own masterpiece. Here's what I did:

-Bake a BETTY CROCKER gluten free yellow cake mix (Betty Crocker is the best GF mix, according to many sources.) according to directions.
-Let cake cool and slice in half horizontally.
-Cream Cheese icing:
(I have looked high and low for a good cream cheese icing recipe that does not have a gluey or runny consistency, still haven't found it. This pin claimed that it was the best and....it wasn't. Tasted GREAT, but not the consistency I would have liked.)
       Calls for:
8 oz cold cream cheese
4 T Butter (softened)
1 T sour cream
2 t vanilla
2 c powdered sugar
(When you figure out the mystery to the runny cream cheese frosting PLEASE let me know!!!)

-For the filling: Mix about 1/2 c cool whip with 1/2 c frosting and 1 cup or more sliced fresh strawberries.
-Place filling on bottom layer, cover with top layer, frost, decorate and EAT! It was easy but still tasted awesome.
 This cake was gooooood. Even those of us who are not gluten intolerant had to have seconds.

If I have learned anything about GF baking, its that more often than not, the mixes work WAY better than trying to do it from scratch and they taste better too!

And on a side note: I have been making a lot of these lately....

I couple weeks ago I was reviewing my pins because I wanted to try something new and came across this title:

"One Hour Cinnamon Rolls"

Um. No.

I did not believe that I could possibly make any type of good cinnamon rolls in that amount of time. So, naturally, I put it to the test.


I timed myself and I indeed made 24 (12 cinnamon, 12 orange) beautifully puffy and delicious (had many people taste them) rolls, baked and frosted in under an hour.

Click HERE for the link to the recipe. I promise, you won't be disappointed. If you want to find the actual pin, it is pinned under my "beautiful breakfast" board.

This week I was lucky enough to get together with Phil Van Nostrand a family friend of 18 years (we just figured that out, crazy!) to take some maternity shots. We were sad Jer couldn't be there because he had to work but Phil was so awesome and made me feel comfortable and excited about this bump and baby-to-be. I am almost 30 weeks in these pictures.

If you are in the Santa Barbara or New York City area, Phil is definitely who I would recommend for photography. He is so awesome.

Click here to visit his site and see some of his other work.

Phil is from Santa Barbara but is moving to New York soon. He will be back and forth though and even does destination weddings, etc. Check him out!