Douglas is 5 weeks old today. I can't believe it's been 5 weeks! It feels so much shorter. As expected, he's still adorable. :-) He really is a good baby. He's been sleeping for 4 hours between feedings at night for the past 3 weeks. I'm real lucky. We are currently trying to find toys for such a young age. If you have any ideas let me know. Here are some pictures of our boy.

Tummy time: His neck muscles are pretty strong.

Playing on the mat. Travis put a toy on his wrist so every time his hand moves it makes noise.

Tuckered out after feeding.

Hanging out with Dad

What I should be doing right now is folding clothes, dusting, cleaning my bathroom, or starting dinner. However, I'm taking these last 15 min of Douglas' nap to post some pictures.

We got a new bed set. It was very hard to find a comforter that was more red (like our wall) than burgundy. Our old one was burgundy and didn't quite go with the walls. We found this at Kohls on a major sale last week so we are very happy!

Lastly, but definitely not least, are some random pictures we took of Douglas He's doing great except for the fact that 2 days ago he decided to try the preteen look and break out everywhere. I feel so bad for him. His fore head is covered with little pimples (at least it looks like pimples) and even has a few on his eyelids, nose crease, and chin. I read they are from my hormones being in his system. I hope they go away SOON!

Mommy time

Karate practice

First full night in his crib. Mommy doesn't trust his blowouts, hence the pad underneath him.

Here is Douglas putting on the moves. First the big stretch then a hand on her shoulder.

For the finale, side by side. What a sly little guy. Aren't they cute??

Travis is such a great dad! He basically does all the diaper changes for me and loves doing tummy time with Douglas. He takes the MAJOR task of waking Douglas up between breasts! He is a stubborn little guy and once asleep, it's hard to wake him up to feed on the other breast.

Douglas is a strong little baby. He is beginning to roll to his side. He gets a swingin one leg until he swings it over and he's on his side. He hasn't made it to his tummy and I hope he doesn't for a little bit. He also has strong neck/head muscles. I guess that's what happens when they come big.

I'm getting back some energy (don't know how) and wanted to post some new pictures of Douglas. Let's just say this week has been something else. Everytime I look at Douglas I think of how blessed Travis and I are. He is such a good baby. He's a vigorous eater, even tempered, and as cute as can be. Yesterday he had an hour plus of awake time where he just stared and was content. We took him outside in the back yard in the sun, played with him and took some pictures. Here are the latest.

Following is the delivery story: We went in at 7:15, got situated, etc. The doctor came in and I was 3 to 4 cm dilated and 90% effaced, so a good start to be induced. The nurse started me on a low dose of pitocin (this is suppose to make you have contractions). At 8:30 the doctor broke my water and had the nurse up my pitocin (said it was too low). It wasn't 3 to 4 minutes later that I felt my first contraction. People have always said its a more intense menstural cramp. I don't get menstural cramps really so I was curious to see what a contraction felt like. Boy did I quickly find that I don't like them. It was only in my left inner thigh and I now understand why people say that they just wanted their leg cut off. I spent most of my labor and delivery on my side b/c I got nauseous on my back. Travis was holding my hand with one hand and pressing my thighs together with the other because during each contraction my legs went shaking like crazy! I hated them shaking like that and told him to hold them so they weren't balistic. Around my 4th contraction I was asking for an epidural. The nurse checked me and I was 5 cm dialted. They weren't keen on giving me an epi. that soon so they gave me a pain medicine called Newbane (not sure on spelling). It was supposed to just take the edge off but I couldn't tell anything. So a little later I asked for the epi. and the nurse checked me and I was 7 cm 100% dilated so I got an epi. Oh my gosh, it is heaven! I didn't hurt when they did it and I can't imagine delivery without it. The pain was gone just an intense pressure. Finally I got the okay to push. I pushed 1 1/2 hours of my 4 hour labor. They said the labor would have been shorter if Douglas was turned the right way. He was face up instead of face down. Overall I'd say it was good labor. I'm surprise at how well I've recovered in suck a quick time. I'm just glad my beautiful baby is here!!!

Well, Douglas came late, but he is well worth the wait. He was born Monday, November 13 2006, just after noon at 12:38 pm. He looked a little funny when he came out but I understand all babies do after being squished through the birth canal. He came out face up and rather large so Crystal was cut first (episiotomy) to prepare her; however, Douglas still tore her a little more on his way out.

Douglas weighs 8 lbs and 14 ozs and he is 21 inches long.
Crystal really did a good job pushing such a large baby turned the wrong way out of her. Overall it was a relatively short labor, 4 hrs. Everyone is healthy and happy except a little soreness for Crystal.


In these two pictures he is getting his temperature taken. His toes look funny as he was spreading them in this picture, but no need to be alarmed. In real life they are normal.


Here is the family. We are all happy, but Douglas and Crystal are both so tired at this point (about two hours after delivery).


And just as a final reference back to pre delivery, here is our last family picture with Crystal still pregnant. The night before we left life without children behind forever.

I went to the doctor on Tuesday and she said I was only 70% effaced and 1 to 2 cm dilated. She wanted me to come back Thursday to see if there were any changes because if there was NOT then I'd go into the hospital Sunday night for a cervical ripener and possible inducement Monday morning. Well, I went in yesterday and in only two days I went from 70 to 80% and am about 3 cm dilated. So, because there was enough change I'm skipping the cervical ripener and go into the hospital at 7 am Monday morning to be induced. I'm hoping my body changes more so I'll be more ready for inducement on Monday or even better have the baby myself before Monday! Either way, there is an end in sight. If I have the baby on Monday I will be 40 weeks and 5 days. It was so weird passing the due date on Wednesday. I went to the hospital yesterday to finish registering and the lady asked "When are you due?" My response was simple, "Yesterday." It sounded funny. Travis is taking his lap top to the hospital to help entertain us so I'll have him upload pictures and post a blog when Douglas arrives. I'm so excited!!

I went Tuesday and am still only 1 cm dilated (been that way for 3 weeks) but she said I'm 70% effaced. Still no good without dilation. My due date is the 8th and I go in the 7th. If I haven't had the baby we'll talk about inducing. I don't want that at all b/c I've heard there is a higher risk of c-section. I'm just worried I won't progress fast enough and they'll wind up doing a c-section or something. I'm thinking of giving him until the 14th because that was my orginial due date but I kind of don't want to because the sonogram on Tuesday said he's about 8 lbs 4 oz and 20 in long. It worries me that he'll be quite a bit bigger if I wait until the 14th. I asked how accurate that is and she said she takes several measurements and averages them to get that. So I don't know what I should do, do you??

Just came back from my doctors appointment. I'm 38 weeks today and no progress (only 1 cm f/ last week). I don't even have Braxton Hicks except for when I go walking sometimes. I was hoping he'd be born by November because I wanted him to be almost 2 months at Christmas. Now I dread he'll go all the way to his first due date, November 14 (the new due date is 11/8). The doctor hasn't mentioned induction which is fine with me b/c I (esp Travis) want him to come on his own. I know every day is better that he's in there but I keep thinking he's full term and I want him out. He's really been a good pregnancy. Its fun now because I can see my belly move with him. He doesn't do the small kicks anymore. Now I can feel his whole body move and shift. My belly moves with him. It's fun. That's about it for me. I'm just waiting for him to push that "eject" button. :-)

me at 35 1/2 weeks, 41inches

Me at 36 1/2 weeks, 44 inches

For my shower on 10/8 Dean measured my stomach from belly button around and I was 41 inches. Today, just one week later, he measured my stomach and I was 44 inches. What the heck is going on?? 3 inches in one week. I sure hope that trend does NOT keep up. Here are two pictures to compare. Can you tell a difference??

These sonograms are from 9/27 when I was about 34 weeks. I just love them! Hopefully you can see how fat his little cheeks are. I can't wait to kiss them. The other is his profile.

For those who don't know our baby's name is Douglas Alan Hill. Douglas is my dad's middle name and Alan is Travis' dad's first name. I'm just posting pictures of his room today because its DONE!! Yeah!

Travis and I made this quilt for him. If you can't tell, the theme is planes. :-)

I had my checkup sono and appointment today. My mom went with me because Travis was at a training and I think she enjoyed the sonogram. My fluid hasn't changed much, still high but no big increase so I guess that's good. My cervix is shorter than 3 weeks ago. It's supposed to be around 3 cm and mine is 18 mm. That's pretty short. I haven't dilated so that's good. The doctor did a test to see if I have a chance of delivery in the next 2 weeks and we should get the results back on Monday. Apparently, they look for a certain protein. She wants to see me every week now, I assume to check my cervix. I also was hooked up to a machine for 20 minutes to see if I was having any contractions that I don't know about and that looked good. The doc said to only be on my feet about 10 minutes at a time, to take it easy, so no bedrest yet.

The best part of the appointment was definitely the sonogram. He is 3lb 14oz and 15.7 in. long. We found out that he has a head of hair, which isn't surprising considering how thick both Travis and my hair is. He is also very expressive with his face. He kept raising his eyebrows and squinting. I think he gets that from me. :-) I saw his button looking nose. He's head down right now. He also had plump little cheeks. I'm not making this description up either. The sonogram lady was telling me all this. I can't wait to see him but of course he needs to stay in for at least another 5 weeks. I'm 30 weeks and 2 days today even though the sonogram lady said I was 31. That's it. We're just praying that he doesn't come too early. It's almost certain I won't go full term but I'd just feel safer if he made it to 35 weeks. For some reason that is the magic number to me (don't know where I got that from.) That's about it. We'll keep you posted.

Yesterday was a not so good day. I was taking a shower and went to turn it off but the thing just kept turning. The water would not turn off. I called Travis, Dean, and mom and got all their voice mails. I started crying. Why cry? Because I'm a basket case anyways. Thats the only way to explain it. I started seeing dollar signs and freaked out about the water bill and the cost of fixing it. Finally I got a hold of mom who called some church members to see if their husbands were home to come turn the water off from the outside but no one. So Dean left work to come and turn it off. (Thanks again Dean) Luckily we only need to buy a new shower nob. Anyways to pick up my day my Grandma brought over the bassinet she bought for the baby. I made Travis put it up last night. It was relatively easy because things just snapped together. It's in the baby's room now until we get the crib. It plays 4 different songs, the mobile turns, and has a night light. It rocks as well. I'm going to buy some more colorful mobile creatures to add to it when I attach it to the crib so it's not just all white. And that's another thing, it will attach to a crib. Thanks Grandma, I love it!

Yesterday (Sunday) started normal. I had a good breakfast. I had bran flakes with 1/2 a banana in it an hour before church. I went to church w/ mom because Travis had a bad nose bleed. Anyway, about 50 min into church (sacrament) I start feeling sweaty and dizzy like I do when I'm going to pass out. The strange thing is I do that when it's warm and it wasn't warm inside the church so who knows. So, I lean over to mom and tell her I'm not feeling well and I put my head in her lap. It gets worse so I tell her and she says she'll take me home. She goes for her stuff and I don't feel like I can get up and walk to the door without passing out. She leans over to the guy in front of us (Bro. Empey) and he gets up and holds one arm while mom is holding another and we walk out. In the foyer I put my head down between my legs and my mom gets the car. By then lots of people are there with me. I'm sweating like a pig and apparently my face is white. They move me to the couch to lie down with someone fanning me. I felt much better, my dizziness was gone. Someone went in the chapel to get this lady who is an RN. They count my pulse. There were actually two ladies who are RN's and someone called the ambulance and the paramedics came in the foyer and check me and put me on the cot (what's that bed called?). My mom asks if I really need to go to the ER and those two RN's said yes that she should take me. So I'm at the ER, waiting mostly, and they never came to a conclusion as to what was wrong. My sugar had dropped so I thought that was it but I guess not. Then they said my blood work showed a calcium and potassium deficiency but the second blood test didn't show that so who knows. I think I should have just gone home and would have been fine but because of the baby and those pregnancy issues, I think people were more on edge and thinking its better to be safe than sorry. So that's my freak incident. I don't think I'm going to church next week, I'm too embarrassed! :-)

I had a sonogram and appointment with the doctor today and didn't get the best news. My amount of fluid is still too high. The doctor told me three possible explainations. 1. I had a viral infection when pregnant and I think they are doing a blood test to see. 2. the baby has a hole between its trachea and something else & if that's the case they won't know until after the baby is born and will have to do surgery. I pray that this is not it. 3. 20% of women they never find out why. It is likely that I'll have it in other pregnancies too she said. Just pray that the baby doesn't have a hole.

The second issue is my cervix is too short. What does that mean? Check out http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/pregnancy/pregcomplications/1425796.html?_loopback=1
to see. I wouldn't do well to explain it myself. But basically I'm at risk for preterm labor. The doctor put me on some restrictions. She gave me these restrictions mentioning that I don't need bedrest yet. They'll do another sonogram in 3 weeks to measure the cervix and check my fluid. If my cervix is still a problem I think her options are bedrest and some corticosteroids, which help minimize health problems in premature babies, which this article makes more clear. (The article mentions Cerclage but my doctor never mentioned that.)

It all sounds pretty intimidating right now. I'm basically hanging out waiting for my next sonogram to see where we go from there. I'd like to hear if any of ya'll have heard of these things or had experience with them. Basically all I'm doing is praying the baby does NOT have hole and that even if preterm, he will make it and be just fine. We'll keep ya'll posted.

Today I had my first stranger touch my belly. I was a little surprised and I'd rather not have anymore strangers touching me. I was at Ross looking for maternity clothes and this lady went right in front of me at the rack, held out a shirt and said, "Oh this is so cute." She was talking to a friend but 2 feet in front of me and she turned and said, "especially for you", and patted my stomach. I like my personal space and get antsy anytime some is right up on me in lines, in the car, etc. So, I didn't care for her being 2 feet in front of me much less patting my stomach. It took me a few minutes to realize that that was the first stranger to touch my tummy. I don't mind people I know but people, keep your hands to yourself if you don't know someone. This isn't a free for all. I just thought I'd share since we haven't posted anything in a while. Hopefully this weekend we'll post some pictures of the house.

Well, its official we are now home owners. We closed on the house back on Tuesday, but we had given the sellers a three day leaseback so we actually couldn't get into the house until Saturday.

The closing went fast. We had gotten the closing documents over the weekend so we had a chance to read them before getting to closing. When we got to the closing we were able to ask our few questions and then just sign away since we had already looked through the papers. We were out in 45 minutes, which I guess is pretty fast especially for the first time.

Since we were able to get into the house yesterday, we went up to paint and clean. Our plan was to paint the bedroom and office. We started at 7:30 cleaning and spakling and taking down blinds. Then we started painting in the master bedroom. The room has a white chair railing trim, so we had decided to paint the top portion of the room red and the bottom portion tan. Be prepared if you choose a deep color to paint, it takes several coats. The first layer of red looked pink and you could see every line where the paint overlapped or a stroke ended. We were unaware of the need for multiple layers so we were getting a little worried. But we decided to keep trying because where you could see the overlap areas it looked more like the color we wanted. So we did a second layer. This greatly improved the look of the room. It had now become a livable red color, but you could still see all the paint lines underneath. At the same time (as we had Crystal's parents with us) we painted the bottom of the room tan. It looked good and only one coat. We also painted the office tan. By the time we were all done for the day it was 7:00 pm. We had spent the whole day cleaning and painting.

To top it off, we are not finished. We still need to do another layer or two on the red to finish it up. So as a word of caution, if you decided to paint a deep color, be prepared to do two to five layers. We learned this from the lady at Home Depot when we asked while buying more paint for the second layer.

We are very happy with the house and are exited to move all of our stuff there on Tuesday. We will post pictures when the painting is done and more when everything is set up.

There hasn't been much happening since the last post. We do close on our house this Tuesday. The first day we'll be able to move in will be this Saturday and we are just using that day to paint a couple rooms. We won't actually move in until Aug. 1. I'm sooooo excited. We'll post pictures within the first 3 weeks of August of our house. The excitement has been depleted a little because of the HUGE cashiers check I'll have to get tomorrow to give at the closing. I've never spent that much money and it's a little depressing. And looking at the closing documents and seeing the estimated cost of the house after interest and stuff for the 30 year mortage is deeply depressing. It makes me wonder, why buy a house. Oh well. I'm sure I'll feel better after we are in the house.

By popular demand, from Jennifer, here are some pictures of my growing belly. When I look at myself in regular shirts I just look fat. I like myself much better in pregnancy tops. The picture on the left is when we just found out I was pregnant. The picture on the right is me at 21 weeks in the same outfit. (I could only button the top button of the pants though.) The picture below is me in maternity clothes which is way more comfortable than prepregnancy clothes. I can breathe!!

I tried posting this picture on the previous post but it would not take it. The picture is turned sideways because when it was the correct way I couldn't make out the picture. Travis had to turn the picture for me so I made him scan it that way.
This is a "diaper view" from underneath. The arrow is pointing to his "boyness" as the nurse called it. Imagine him lying on his back with his legs up. It's in between the back of his thighs. You can see his fingers touching his thigh. It's definitely a boy!

Have you ever heard of the Chinese pregnancy tracker? I didn't until my aunt showed me and she swears by it. So I checked it out and that's kind of what I've been thinking it was, even though I knew I had no real reason to think that. I want you to go to this website http://www.baby-talk.co.uk/chinese_calendar.htm and post a comment saying how many times that was true or untrue for you. I'm just curious and think its fun. Anyways it was right, we are having a beautiful boy!!! I couldn't stop smiling. I think the nurse woke him up because when she first started he was still but the more she went the more he moved. It's so amazing to see him stretch and kick and knowing that that's all happening inside of me. I haven't been able to feel him kick (or at least haven't recognized it). So, I told the nurse and asked if she could move my stomach or something to make him kick so I could see if I felt it. I think she thought I was nuts. He did kick and punch but I didn't feel it. Apparently I have an above normal amount of fluid in my placenta and that's probably why I haven't felt anything because he has lots of room. I asked what too much fluid meant and she said it could be associated with gestational diabetes. I go back for another ultrasound and the diabetes test in 6 weeks. I'm not worried about that. I'm just so happy that everything looked normal with the baby. As she was checking things and saying, "Looks normal", I just thanked Heavenly Father silently. I feel so blessed. Anyways, that's about it. I'm pretty happy right now!!!!


Here he his stretching his leg up top. His head is at the bottom and his arm is between his leg and head. Cutie!

Here's a profile of his head. The nurse drew a baseball cap on his head. I predict a hunk!

After a weekend of sofa hunting we decided on a sofa and loveseat combination from Ashley furniture. We grabbed a picture of it from their website. It is an olive basketweave couch. We went with an olive color so that we could change the decorations in the room and make the couch match by adding new throw pillows that we would make. We are not masters at the sewing machine, but we have experience making pillows. We have made them for our couch we had in Utah, our bed, and Dean and Connie's couch. We were excited to buy our first couch and loveseat as we have always just used handme down couches ever since we first got married. However, we were very grateful for those donated couches as we have seen how expensive they can be and we have not had to worry about moving them from place to place.