Some Favorite Shots

Liam's New Born Photo Shoot

Little boy was a week old when these were shot.

And of course I had to show you this one....

Cameron picked out this outfit for Liam and the photographer brought the sign in back from her own son's room on a whim. Couldn't have been more perfect!

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If you are in the Twin Cities area, Kim is totally worth working with...

Kimberly Williams Photography

www.kimberlywilliamsphotography.com

Delivery, LJW

So as most of you know, I was due 6/26. And that date came and went.

I went to my appointments and found out that both the baby and I were doing great….the worst thing I was experiencing (that anyone could see) was my swollen hands/feet/ankles.

The Thursday before Independence day, I had my last appointment and I was pretty much made to set an induction date because here in Minnesota the union nurses were going to go on strike starting the next Tuesday if there was no agreement reached…(nice to have to think about THAT when I am working on getting a kid out of my womb, right?!)

I ended up setting the induction for Monday. But we got a call later that day that due to the nurse strike, no inductions would be scheduled for the work week…so Sunday was when I was to come in. The midwife I saw mentioned that I would be induced by breaking my water….I was so happy Pitocin was not the first choice with all those horror stories out there!

So Sunday it was. And Sunday came and went. Apparently someone else needed to be induced out of necessity. I was moved to Monday.

And Monday came and went. Another necessary induction vs. my "elective" induction.

Finally, Tuesday morning I received my phone call to come in within the hour-we got to the hospital around 8:30am.

I got all checked in and the midwife came in and asked where I was dilated at my last appointment-I had only been about 1-2cm. So the midwife says, we'll do Pitocin, it would be the best option. NOT what I wanted to hear!

As we were talking, we just decided she would give me a cervical check, then decide. Whew!!

I think it was around 9:30am and she found that I was actually up to 3-4cm so we went ahead and stripped my membranes. I also walked for the next hour to try to get things to progress. And I did start having irregular contractions. They weren't that bad because I could talk/walk through them pretty easily.

By now it was 11:00 in the morning. The midwife came in and we decided we wanted to see how I would progress if she broke my water instead of giving me Pitocin (since I was already feeling contractions just with my membranes being stripped). Okay, sounds good.

WOW. That did not feel good.

I ate something by recommendation of both the midwife and Cameron. I was so hesitant because with Emmy I threw up and I hate vomiting….but I was a good girl. :)

Maybe around 12:30pm I was told that I would NOT be allowed to have an epidural. Basically, my platelets were low, as they were during Emalyn's delivery, however this time they were VERY low (low=100, I was at 73). The midwife said she was glad I mentioned I would want to try natural childbirth, because I didn't have a choice!!

On a side note here, I freaked. A little. Just because I had probably the most traumatic delivery with my daughter. And I had an epidural. All these what if's went through my head. I just wanted (badly) to have the epidural option in my back pocket. Just in case. I am just that way, always have plan B right?

But man, did this delivery progress after 1:00pm. Standing was most comfortable-forget that stupid birthing ball, it hurt so badly sit on it-and I swayed with every contraction.

Cam was a champ because it seemed like before I knew I needed something, he had it or brought it up or just knew how to direct me. That being said, he directed me to the bath and thought that would be a good idea. Which it was!

Contractions were so finally coming so hard that I had to get out, I was feeling "pushy." No joke, ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS PUSH. And as with Emalyn's delivery, if my body starts pushing, I really, really can't stop it.

The nurse called the midwife because I needed to be checked to see if I really could start pushing…it was funny because we later found out that the midwife upon entering the room thought all she was going to do was check me. Little did she know that I seriously was going to have this kid.

Twenty minutes of pushing and Liam was here. 2:50pm.

After it was all said and done, the nurse even looked back into her notes to see if she could tell where I had that big transition to the time I was ready to have the baby. She said it was interesting, because there wasn't that telltale time. I think we did actually catch them off guard (a little).

(Finally got around to getting this done....two months later :)!)

Arriving Home

So, in our hospital the baby has to be in a bassinet, or a car seat anytime you are in the hallways as an additional safety precaution.

As we started to put Liam in his seat, I realized I forgot how to use this carrier even though I buckled Emalyn in it for over a year. :)

As you can see, Emalyn was Liam's welcoming committee...more KISSES!

First Meeting

She was squealing she was so excited to know that she was finally getting to meet her brother!

And were we relieved to see that.

She has shown such understanding of him as a concept in that we have been waiting for him to arrive. We had to tell her back in April when she was kind of insisting that he needed to be here, that he was coming when she could get in the pool-it would be hot outside. And we have been to the pool as you have seen, so the time had come!

Onto the photos(!):

You can see she brought her own camera-she found that in a box we had full of random things-and yes, she takes her own photos...with little help :)

I love seeing her smile in this next one...she had no hesitation to "hold" him.

And no hesitation to kiss him.

And kiss him...

And kiss him...by the way, thanks to Mimi for watching Emmy while we have been at the hospital.

Our first family shot...

Then Emalyn wanted to hold Liam with Momma...

Another family shot...and I am sure there will be many more to follow!

Seriously that smile....right?

And finally, our big boy...resting.

I will try to give the details to as to delivery soon...such a contrast from Emalyn's! Thanks to all for your prayers and support!

The Boy

Liam John Weiss

8 lbs. 7 oz. & 20.5 inches long

2:50pm, Tuesday, July 6th

And one of the Fam....minus Emalyn-she's at home with Mimi.

Thank you for all your prayers and well wishes...we are healthy and happy and looking forward to getting home!

Happy Birthday, Daddy

We Love You!!

Playing Catch Up

We went to the zoo the first week in June. (Yes, we do go there a lot-it is a really nice walk and if the weather is bad, they still have really nice indoor exhibits.)

Plus when you have an annual membership, it makes it worth it to go a lot! Emalyn sure knows her "am-mi-moes" (animals) from our many trips.

This time we got to go with Cameron's Mom and brothers, Duncan and Jon.

Emalyn got her daddy to pick one of the flowers and held onto it like gold.

A cute one of Emmy and her mommy on the MN Trail. I don't get in too many shots because I am usually the crazy one with the camera. :)

Daddy and Emmy in the Tropics Trail. They have a beautiful fish tank here that rivals some of the ones in the Sydney Aquarium (AU). Seriously, I am always impressed when I see this tank.

Daddy and Duncan with Little Miss. We were still on the tropics trail....I think outside the tortoise's.

And a group shot minus your's truly.

Overall, super fun day. Wish the whole fam could have been there, but with work and such, that definitely doesn't get to happen during the week.

Maybe we'll have to plan another day out!

In the Backyard

Watering the plants...

Chillin' with daddy....and observing the fact that she watered his knee.

Finally decided I should get a belly shot as I am in that final stretch....this was around 38 weeks, so at least a week or so ago.

Emmy was a little better sport in this shot than the first...

...but the belly was cut off, and I can't have that!!

Hope you had a good weekend!

Her own Wheels

With the soon-to-be arrival of "the boy" we decided to purchase a larger gift for Emalyn partly to take her mind off the drastic changes occurring in our family and also to allow her to feel more like a big girl.

Hence:

Not too girly, not too boyish, and that is of course the frugal side of Cameron and me coming out.

I always want things to last and be useful to everyone. So...when the boy starts riding himself, here is the first set of wheels he will also have!

Additionally, in this day and age, of course, one must buy a helmet....I can't find an image of the one we got, but I think it is just adorable. Soft blue with little lady bugs and a bit of spunk just like Little Miss.

I am sure images will follow shortly with Little Miss biking all suited up...however, we do still have to put that bike together yet!

I have to say too, I am just kicking myself for not purchasing a bike at an annual second hand sale that we go to every year in late winter.

My mom in law pointed out a bike to me and I said no because we don't have a lot of space. I wished I could, but I am going to wait.

Then, the doctor said at her 2 year appointment that Emalyn should be starting to work on that pedaling motion.....grrrrr. Result: I should get her bike.

We'll see how long it takes her to pick up on pedalling....more info to come!