Wells' World

We are still alive...although sometimes I feel like we are just barely hanging on. :) We love having Kyra and she is so sweet. Despite the lack of sleep I love this stage in a baby's life. The really hard thing we are struggling with right now is helping Hayden adjust to life with a baby sister. I couldn't have imagined how hard it would be on him. I guess when you have mom and dad to yourself for nearly 2 years and then all of a sudden a little squishy thing comes in and steals your time it has got to throw your world upside-down. Hayden has always been such a sweetheart, so it has been hard having him act out in ways that I never had to deal with before. Telling him NOT to do something is just fuel to his fire to make him want to do it...whether it is taking things out of the fridge (how do you keep them out??), trying to pick up Kyra, throwing things, slamming the door, etc. I'm hoping that this phase goes by quickly because either my house will fall apart soon or I will. He still can be so sweet, but those times are getting to be the exception instead of the rule.

Once upon a time I wondered how it was possible for a house to be entirely messy and have every dish be dirty and in the sink...I no longer wonder. The days fly past me and before I know it the kids are asleep, it is 10 PM, and the last thing I'm thinking about is cleaning up. Lucky for me Dax has been extra helpful so at least our house has some semblance of a floor, and only just a hint of order. A season to everything I suppose. I am just trying to enjoy this time, because I am sure before I know it we will be in the next phase of life.









I've tried to stay out of pictures lately because to be honest there are days that I don't get out of pajamas or sweatpants, to say the least of thinking about washing my face and applying makeup. However, Dax and I went to dinner with a company the other day so I decided I should snag a picture with Kyra while I looked somewhat decent. It also just happened to be 3 weeks to the day since she was born.

Kyra (the y makes a long i sound, just so you know) is now over a week old! The first week both sadly and gratefully goes by very quickly. She is getting to be such a good nurser, which is a relief considering all of the problems Hayden and I had when starting out. She was weighed yesterday at 8 days old and weighed 7 lbs 12 oz (+7 oz from birth weight)! I don't think she really cares to be swaddled, which is interesting. She is just so precious and beautiful, we are in awe with her.

Hayden is learning to adjust to having a little sister. In general he really is very sweet to her, and most of his acting up is revolving around throwing things and being extra emotional. Dax really has been so great to spend extra one-on-one time with Hayden, and Hayden just loves him. Hayden always tries to copy everything Dax does, it is so cute.

Dax really has been my lifesaver. He has done so many things for both me and the kids. I am so thankful for his help, and thankful that we get to share this experience together. I love him so much.

I am recovering well, and am amazed by how good I feel at times. We all went to the park the other day for an hour and a half, and I ended up still feeling so good that we went to a stake BBQ afterward for an hour. Today I am a little more tired, but am still feeling really well.

We are so thankful for all of the good friends and family who have been so kind and thoughtful to us during the past week and a half. We are blessed by all of you.

My Mother:

Is truly the most amazing person I have ever known. I remember a couple of days after I had Hayden, and she told me to go lay down for a nap. When I woke up a little while later, she had made dinner, plus a meal to put in the freezer, had taken care of my child, had made an apple pie, and had cleaned up. I realized right then and there that I would never be the kind of woman my mother is. She is probably the most effective person there is. If she has something to get done, she can get it done like no one else.

My mother held us together for the first week of both of my children's lives. Ironically, Hayden came 2 days before his due date and that just happened to be the day my mother was coming into town to help out. This time around she just happened to schedule her flight to help us two days before my due date again, and again I had my baby that day. :) After having Hayden I realized the value of her help, and trust me, lots of prayers were offered asking that this baby be ready to come to us by the time she got here, because I knew I needed every day of help she could offer.

While here my mother:
-cleaned my house top to bottom
-took care of Hayden
-took Kyra in the middle of the night after I fed her
-drove me to every place we needed to go (store, doctor, etc)
-cleaned my house top to bottom...in less than 3 hours! (why does it take me an entire day??)
-did my laundry...I'm sure at least 10 loads
-organized my room
-prepared, served, and cleaned up every meal we ate
-made and froze 4 meals for us
-left 2 meals in the fridge (a stew I just had to throw on the crock pot, and enchiladas I just had to pop in the oven)
-was my emotional crutch through the first week of pain and adjustment (burning stitches, cramps, nursing soreness)
-ran on less than 5 hours of sleep constantly
-a million more things I'm sure I didn't notice

My mother is the most selfless person I have ever met. I am amazed by how much she constantly gives to her children...even as adults. She had 10 children without drugs (the first 4 in 4 years...can you imagine a 3, 2, and 1 year-old, and a baby!?!), and worked for 35 years to get us all raised. My mother is also the most talented person I have ever met. She is a baker/cake decorator (owned a bakery for a while, and now has a baker's kitchen in her basement), and is very artistic. She was valedictorian of her high school and voted 'most likely to succeed.' I'm sure the world looks at her life and thinks that she wasted a lot of good talent, but I don't think you can have any greater success than being a great mother. She succeeded in my book, and if she doesn't qualify for sainthood, NO ONE should. She is what every person should get to think of when they hear the word 'mother.' I am so grateful that she is my mother and for her lifetime of giving and love.

I hope that I can give to my family even a portion of what my mother gave, and gives, to hers.

Name: Kyra Renee Wells
Born: September 2, 2010
Time: 1:00 PM
Stats: 7 lbs 5 oz, 19 1/2 inches

Our BEAUTIFUL little girl decided to join our family on Thursday! I woke up in the morning with contractions, but nothing very intense. After an hour I told Dax today might be the day, so just in case we got things ready. At 9 I still didn't know if I was in labor so Hayden and I walked Dax to school, and I told him that I'd call him if I decided it was the real thing (he loaded our things in the car just in case). I came home and went walking with my sister, but half a mile from home I decided we should head back and call Dax. I called him and told him we should go get checked out and then at least I would know either way. I wanted to know if it was real labor soon because Dax had an interview scheduled for 3 o'clock in Salt Lake, and my mom was scheduled to fly in that day, but wasn't going to come if I hadn't had the baby. So I left my sister Krystal with Hayden and went and picked Dax up from school. My contractions were getting more intense, but I was still worried about being sent home with false labor.

We got to the hospital a little after 11. When I walked up to the nurses' station there were 6 nurses sitting there, and one said, "How can I help you?" I told her that I thought I was in labor, and there was dead silence as all of the nurses just sat and looked at one another for a second, as if hoping someone would say, "Are you sure?" However, they took me into a room and the nurse checked me and I was dilated to a 5, but because I still hadn't had a really painful contraction they said they may have to call my doctor and just monitor me for a while. In the meantime the nurse tried to find a vein to start an IV, with no luck for 10 minutes. She finally called in another nurse who is really good at starting IVs, and she didn't have any luck either. They each left me with a sore arm and bruises. I asked them if I could just go without the IV, since I am not a big needle fan in the first place, and it was obviously not working out. They decided to call in the anesthesiologist to get an IV going on me. He was nice enough to give me a shot in the arm before he put the needle in, after seeing the result of the other 2 attempts. He got the IV in, but left me with a nasty bruise. He offered to give me an epidural, and I said, "Look at my arms. I don't need someone like you fishing around in my back too." I then realized that was probably the wrong thing to say, and said I knew that he did really good work and I appreciated him getting the IV started for me. I hope I didn't hurt his feelings.

The nurse decided to check me again, that way she would know exactly what to do with me. When she checked me I was 8 cm dilated, which surprised all of us. She called my doctor, and we waited the 20 minutes for him arrive and break my water. He told me he'd stick around until I delivered, just to send for him when I felt I needed to push. 2 contractions later I needed to push, but they made me wait for 2 contractions until they could get the doctor in there. Two contractions (and the pushes with them) and she was here! It really only felt unbearable for the last 6 contractions. I felt totally in control until then. Deep breathing was definitely my go-to coping mechanism. Don't ask how loud I was screaming for the last minute though. For a split second while I was pushing I thought, "I wonder how far down the hall they can hear this."

When I first saw her I couldn't believe how much black hair she has! Everything is going well so far. Hayden didn't have any interest in her at the hospital, but has taken to her since we came home. After seeing Hayden run around the hospital room I remember how much I love the tiny stage, when you can hold and cuddle them all day long. :)

A couple of hours before going to the hospital


The IV bruise




Soon after coming home


Family of 4!


Getting cleaned up


Right after she was born