Smiles

Our little baby girl is 3 weeks and 6 days today, which means tomorrow she is officially 1 month old. Tonight is the last night she is ever just weeks old and I can't help but be a little sentimental over the fact that time already seems to be flying by and Scarlett June seems to be growing up way too fast already. We took family and birth announcement pictures today and we had so much fun doing them. Although I postponed these photos a little long, I'm glad we were able to get them done before she was officially 1 month old. Despite how fast time seems to be flying, Scarlett is still very much a newborn who seems to discover something new about herself all the time. Doug's and mine new favorite past time is watching Scarlett and waiting for her smiles that she so generously graces us with these days. She also has been making cooing sounds and squealing/squeaking sounds and we just love talking back to her! Each day brings a new fun trick and we are so enjoying discovering them with her. Being a parent is so much fun! Especially to this little dolly :)

A very happy mother's day!

Today was my first real mother's day and I couldn't feel more blessed. My sweet little angel has made me a mama and that is the best gift I could have gotten. But on top of my beautiful little blessing, my sweet husband made this an extra special first mothers day. He took the early shift with Scarlett and let me sleep in. Then woke me up with a delicious breakfast in bed, and news that in 30 mins I had an hour long massage at a really nice local spa. The massage was amazing! Then when I got home we had lunch and he went grocery shopping for me for the week. And trust me it was quite the list I sent him with ;) if all this wasn't enough he surprised me with 18 long stem roses, a card and a gym membership to 24 super sport I've been coveting for a while now. I then got to take a much needed nap, which was sublime. We finished the day off over at the Hansens for dinner, where Scarlett always gets showered with love. Such a memorable first mothers day! Thank you to much wonderful husband and sweet little daughter for making it a day I'll never forget!

Scarlett June Hansen

Born April 22nd 2012. 8lbs 5oz. 20 1/2 inches long. The most precious baby ever.

Today our little baby girl is 17 days old. I can't believe it has taken me this long to update our blog, but I have just been enjoying every minute with little Scarlett June. Below the pictures is the story of Scarlett's birth for our own memories, and for those who are interested in the details. I can't even express how amazing motherhood is. It is the most overwhelming incredible and emotional experience ever. Doug and I are having the time of our lives, and are so excited for each new day with her.

Sweetest little face

Scarlett's first few moments 

Auntie Tee-tee and cousin Owen

Already smiling

Grandpa Hansen and Scarlett - Day 1

On my way home

Dada and Baby

 Doug and Scarlett's first moments together

 Mine and Scarlett's first moments together

 Kisses and first bath at home

Birth Story:

Despite all the skepticism that I would even make it to my due date, Scarlett surprised us all by hanging in there 3 days past her due date. My dr was a little nervous about her getting too big so she decided to induce me on Saturday April 21st (3 days post due date). We got to the hospital by 7 pm and began the first round of induction medicine that had to be in for 12 hours before they could start me on pitocin. Just as they were about to start me on pitocin, my water broke at 7am on Sunday. The nurses then decided to hold off on any further medicine thinking I would go into labor on my own now that my water broke. Boy were they wrong. 4-5 hours later I was still only dilated to 0.5 cm. luckily I wasn't having any painful contractions at this point. Between 12-1pm I received my first round of pitocin which is supposed to intensify contractions and help in dilation. 2-3 hours later I was still only at 1.5 cm, but still not in pain which was nice that at this point I still couldn't feel the contractions.  Around 3pm my doctor came and worked some magic and within about 45 minutes I went from a 1.5 cm to 4 cm dilated. I then received the glorious epidural, which oddly enough I was probably more afraid of then the actually birthing part. However the anesthesiologist was amazing and because my contractions were so strong at the time, I didn't even feel it. Then the beautiful numbness set in, and I fell asleep for about an hour. When I woke up around 4:45, I felt extreme pressure, and told the nurses I thought I needed more epidural, but when then checked me they realized I had gone from a 4 to a 10cm in just an hour and it was now time to start pushing. The nurses were convinced I'd be pushing for about 2-3 hours and so did not bother to call my doctor just yet. However 30 minutes into pushing, they told me to stop pushing (which anyone who's had a baby knows its next to impossible not to push), and to wait for my doctor. Luckily my doctor arrived about 10 minutes later, and about 10 more minutes later our little Scarlett June was born at 5:33pm. Once things got set in motion with the delivery, it went really fast and easy. We had no complications, and the recovery has not been bad at all. The moment Scarlett came and they put her on my chest is a moment I'll never forget. All emotions ran so high in that split second, I was holding something so innocent and heavenly. It was the closest to heaven I think I have ever felt. It was and is amazing. I am loving every moment of being little Scarlett's mama. 

Still pregnant

Scarlett's due date has come and gone. She was due Wednesday april 18th. My doctor scheduled me to induced on Thursday but sequoia hospital has been so full of pregnant ladies in active labor that they haven't been able to take elective inductions yet. Luckily I'm not in any real pain waiting it out. Uncomfortable yes, but not in pain. It's funny to me that our little miss is just so completely content in there that I am 3 days past my due date and showing absolutely no signs of impending labor. It's been a little frustrating waiting for the hospital, 4 times now we have been walking out the door thinking we were on our way to have a baby when the hospital called and said they had to move us back again. Doug and I are enjoying our last few moments alone but are anxiously awaiting our baby girl's arrival. Hopefully it will be sometime this weekend!

One thing I won't miss about pregnancy: my swollen cankle feet that have seemed to triple in size this last week!

Belly pic on Scarlett's due date

My own personal pedicurist. Love him!

Enjoying a steak dinner at Flemmings the night before we thought we were getting induced.

Belly Love

I am 38 weeks now and still chugging along. My doctor mentioned yesterday that it looks like I'll probably go another week if not 2, so I guess we'll just have to see how long baby girl wants to stay in there. Since we are getting so close to the end, Doug and I decided it was about time to take some belly pictures together to document this experience. Luckily my sister in law, Hannah, is an extremely talented photographer, and agreed to take pictures of our little growing family. Enjoy!

Letter to my baby girl

Dear Scarlett,

I'm just lying here in bed wide awake as I do most nights now thinking about you and also waiting for my next trip to the bathroom. I am 37 weeks now with you and you are healthy strong and full term. I am so incredibly thankful and happy that you have made it to this point and now can be born at any moment and be healthy.

I feel all I have been doing recently is anxiously awaiting your arrival wishing and hoping you come sooner rather then later. And while I am so excited to meet you, I got a little sad tonight feeling you do your nightly aerobics in my belly. Sad because I have so enjoyed every moment of this pregnancy, even the uncomfortable moments of being 9+months pregnant. And i am going to miss having those pregnancy moments with you. And then I realized I haven't really documented my pregnancy at all besides general updates, so I thought I'd start now.

Some pregnancy highlights:
1) August 7th 2011- it was a Sunday 20 minutes before church that I took the pregnancy test that changed our lives forever. We were shocked and overjoyed. It was one of the happiest moments in my life. I absolutely couldn't believe there was a little baby growing inside of me!
2) 14 weeks into the pregnancy we found out that we were most likely having a girl, which was verified at 18 weeks. I had had many dreams by this point of having a baby girl and was so excited to hear you were heading our way. I have always wanted a daughter and now you are making my dreams come true.
3) this may seem like a weird highlight but I wasn't that sick during my first trimester. Exhausted? Yes. Loss of appetite? Absolutely. But that's about it. While I was grateful I was able to skip over the typical morning sickness symptoms, part of me felt like I was missing out on part of the pregnancy experience. Until one day while I was eating one of my favorites (tomato soup) I had the sudden urge to throw up. And I did! I dont know why but I thought this was so funny and exciting that I called up my sisters and friends and bragged about it. I'm weird I know. But to me it was a reassurance that you really were in there and I felt strangely connected to you. Also it made me realize I wasn't really missing out on those morning sickness symptoms ;)
4) your first movements and every movement after. I felt you move inside me very early on. Like a tiny little fluttering every now and then. The you got stronger and starting flipping and kicking. The first time Doug felt you move, he kept his hand on my belly the whole rest of the night to try and feel it again. Since then we love to feel you and now watch you move and distort my stomach in so many ways.
5) seeing and hearing your heartbeat for the first time. Doug and I recorded it on our phones and listened to it multiple times over. It amazed us how there could be this tiny and strong little heartbeat thumping inside me, and the miracle of nature and how your little body knew exactly what it needed to do.
6) watching my belly grow from flat to frumpy to lumpy to bumpy to why hello there you like youre going to pop! I have felt so happy and satisfied watching you grow bigger and seeing my body make the appropriate changes to grow with you. It makes me feel proud that I have a happy healthy baby growing inside of me and that my body is able to handle the adjustments it needs to make for you.
7) the 9+months of being headache free. I wish I could bottle this hormone and take it everyday because it has been the miracle drug for my headaches.
8) cravings. I haven't had anything weird just a desire to eat more of things I don't normally eat a lot of. The first was artichokes. This lasted a handful of months. The next was jack in the box curly fries. Not going to lie, I still love these. 3rd was homemade nestle toll house chocolate chip cookies. Had to have these every night for a while. The longest and biggest craving I've had though has been fruit smoothies. I have 1 to 2 of these a day and still can't get enough of them. In fact I kind of want one now.

There are so many more highlights but this is getting incredibly long, so to sum up, i have enjoyed every minute of being pregnant with you. The ups and downs. The exciting big news days and the seemingly regular days (where it's just me who gets to feel you move around). I love sharing those secret moments with you.

I've been getting very nervous and a little scared recently about this impending delivery. You will learn that I am a lightweight when it comes to pain. But today when I was mulling over all the scary details in my head, I stopped and thought for a second what the experience will be like for you. You will be leaving your warm quiet and comfortable home in the womb and be exposed to loud sounds, bright lights and many people. And then I thought how scary and different coming into this world for you might feel. The first chance I get however I am going to wrap you in my arms and hold you close to me and make you feel as warm and safe as possible. I can't wait for the moment when our eyes first meet and we recognize each other. No one is going to love you more than me and Doug. We have loved you from the moment we found out we were pregnant. Even before because we wanted you so badly. You also have two sets of amazing grandparents and many aunts and uncles awaiting your arrival and who will also shower you with love.

I love you so much now and know I'll just love you ten times over once I meet you. I am so excited for your arrival, but I'm also enjoying these last few moments of it being just you and me. Your dad and I pray for you every night and are so excited to be your parents. I know that we will make many mistakes learning how to be parents, but know that we are trying our best and love you more than you'll ever know.

Until we meet-I love you.
Love,
Your mama

Baby shower and some randoms

Well I'm 35 weeks along now and aside from being uncomfortable while trying to sleep, I still feel really good and am getting more excited with every passing minute to meet my little baby. Last month my mother-in-law, sister-in-laws, and good friend threw me the most amazing baby shower ever! It was so cute, everything was pink and girly, from the ribbon lined entrance to the house, to all the cute little pink pom-poms that filled the corners. I think my favorite was the cake Cindy had made that said "Scarlett June will be here soon!" it was too cute. Everyone was so generous and I received so many cute little outfits, blankets, and baby necessities. This little girl is going to be so incredibly fashionable wearing around all the cute little gifts others got her. I swear I am going to do multiple wardrobe changes a day just so I can see her in all her cute get-ups. Enjoy the pics of all the girly fun we had at the shower!

Steph's cute heart shaped cookie favors

Madeleine, Cindy, me, Stephanie, and Heather - The amazing crew that put together the shower! Love them!

My sister and mom - So pretty!

The table was so cute. There were even little crystal rattles

Yummiest cake ever!

Back in october doug completed the Big Kahuna Triathlon (1/2 iron man).

I was so proud of him! It was a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and 13.1 mile run! phew!

So happy to be crossing the finish line!

Way to go Dougie!!!!