I was bound and determined to do this labor drug free and did just that. I know you must think I am absolutely crazy, but despite how painful it really was, I am glad I did it. I had an awesome midwife and the labor and delivery nurse was also a birth class instructor and was incredible at helping me focus and 'feel good'.
I had to be induced on Monday afternoon due to a long weekend of having the stomach flu. The midwife sent me to the hospital to check fluids and monitor the baby a bit to make sure all was well. The heart rate was low for just long enough that I was admitted and put on cervidil (which is waaay better than pitocin...it takes a long while to take effect and labor felt like it came on naturally and slowly). I got to chill out in the jacuzzi tub once labor really started and was pretty successful at my hypnobirthing. I visualized light shooting from my fingers and (sounds so hoakey, I know, but it works) and thought of being here..... Guilin China. I visualized everything I could remember about that place. I thought, "yeah I can do this."

Then my body turned things up 100 notches and by the time I was on my side and pushing the baby out all I could see in my mind was this......

No...really...I felt like I was in a dream and my mind had flames and pain in it. Pushing without an epidural waaay different than with. Yes, more painful, but I felt like I was more in control of my body and could feel what was working or not.  I also screamed like a banshee. I imagined the mother across the hall thinking, "whoa, sooo glad I have my epidural! Listen to that woman yell!"


I was amazed that the midwife didn't bother "checking" how dilated I was after her initial check once things got started. They could just tell where I was at based on my moans and groans and grunts....yes folks it was animalistic.
I cried saying goodbye to the nurse and midwife when it was all over and I was off to recovery. I felt so so grateful to them. They had helped me battle a storm by constantly massaging, or pushing on pressure points or helping me visualize "melting like butter". They didn't make me feel stupid for all my moans. It was the most incredible care during labor I have ever had and for that matter needed.
The other incredible woman that made this labor manageable was Mom. I cried when she left too (do I sound emotionally unstable?). She took my kids from me when I was sick before labor, she stayed with me at the hospital till Lyndon could get off work and help me, she fed my kids, took Claire to and from school, made every meal (steak and all the good stuff), did my laundry and folded it every day, made the girls beds, cleaned the house and bathroom, entertained Sydney, and made Gwen a hat while doing all of it.


This bucsomey picture was not intended, but let it be known here and now, that at one point in my life I did have a chest and then it was gone....how I wish it was actually gone right now. Engorgement is no fun.
Lyndon loves the fact that he has so many girls. No really he does.
Claire loves to hold Gwen and asks to do so right after school while she watches her shows. They both can't stop kissing her and loving her (thank goodness...we'll see how long that lasts)


We all love her. So happy she is here and so happy she is ours. I wish I could stay in bed all day and just snuggle her and smell her. Welcome to our lives baby Gwyneth!

 Claire had her first two weeks of spanish school and is loving it. Sydney is in "Mommy school" as we call it and thinks its pretty special to, at least I like to think so.
 Lyndon has been working nights (5pm-4am or 11pm-8am) so we have been able to see his face during the day when he is not catching up on sleep. I like the night shift. He does too....no really ask him.
 We were nerdy first time parents taking their first kid to school for the first time with camera in tow. And yes, we even got teary eyed, just couldn't help ourselves. (Sydney had to have a backpack too, to feel a part of it all)

 Her teacher, Maestra Cramer.
 Her very own hook. It's the little things that make it all cool.
 Releasing her to the dogs. And in other news, Claire and sydney were playing with poisonous plants. What a joy. They even managed to rub it on my neck and I got a great patch of burning skin with blisters too. At least I knew how they felt.
 Day one in the tub and day two with scabs, but the swelling went down. I never saw the plant, but Claire said they were "painting" a rock with a plant that had white juice coming out of it....awesome.

I meant to upload this with the last post, but it took forever. The beginning is blank for a bit, so you can fast forward it if you care to watch. :)

Calire at Lyndon's graduation

When we moved to New Hampshire 4 years ago, I thought Utah was just going to be a place we visited family. Why you ask? No, I don't hate Utah, no I do like all those Mormons (I guess that's why I still am one) and of course I love my family, But....I also like an adventure and I had already been there and done that.

However, I have been very pleasantly surpised at how much I really do like living in the good ol' Salt Lake Valley. Let me tell you the reasons why.

-the radio stations are a plenty and I actually hear songs that I like
-the mountains, though not nearly as green as the east are breath taking, especially on morning runs.
-We have centeral air, ahhh the joy of coolness at my fingertips.
-My parents have already bailed our butts out a millons times and this would all be a much much harder transition with out them (i.e. functioning on one car, no money, no cleaning supplies, no sanity, no Lyndon)
-I can walk to the grocery store
-I can walk to my doctors office and the hospital
-more stores than Walmart and Kohls (need I say there is a Target...yes, yes, I do love a good Target)

dropping our keys off at Sachem, yeah not a flattering photo and no I am not crying...on the inside I was

-a paycheck (it hasn't come yet, but the thought of Lyndon actually getting paid for his hard work is great)
-more than one road to get you where you want to go. Those living in NH/VT can appreciate this. Especially those that hate route 12A-the only road to most shopping- like I do.
-friends. I have a lot of catching up to do with some long lost friends and I'm excited for that.
-family, of course being able to go to events that we missed being apart of.

Niagra

-it really isn't like living in Provo or Orem, or Proem as I like to call it. This may be the Church headquaters, but there is a great variety of people here. No really...I it is different.

boat ride to Niagra

playing dress up at the hotel with what they could

Navoo

So eventhough I miss my NH/VT friends terribly and the green trees, no watering lawns, fun hikes, lakes, awesome members at church, the history, the Atlantic, canoeing on the Conneticut, listening to the frogs at night, the humidity (i.e. no cracking cuticles and skin)....I think we will have a good time here. And then comes Texas.......

Updates found here!

The school got renamed right before Lyndon gets his diploma, so it's a bit funny to have Geisel all over memorabilia-- that doesn't feel like the school he went to (Dartmouth Medical School) even though Dartmouth is still in the name somewhere, just at the end.

It is a well done video and our wee little family is in it if you care to see.

p.s. I am really proud of Lyndon. He did really well in school and in still being apart of our lives through it all.

If you are surprised, well... so are we. We were totally expecting to go to San Antonio again (we are still going there, it's just that residency doesn't start until July 2013). We are happy to be with family for a year and Claire is beyond excited. Beyond....

If you are wondering why Lyndon is "whipping his hair back and forth", it's because everyone had to submit a "theme" song, so we chose this one....

Try to watch Claire. I am a bit of a spaz.

*post edit...Claire always tells me I remember it wrong..."my hearts a stereo Mom, not radio!"

*I am beyond excited...we are still waiting to hear back about intern year in March. That will determine where we go come this June. We are hoping it is also in San Antonio so we can avoid two moves!!