halloween,16 weeks, and gender...

last night cal went trick or treating for the first time.

he, jackson, and grandma dressed up and we went out to a few houses in grandma's neighborhood.

c was a little scared at first, but he caught on quick... and he was definitely excited about the candy.

 we ate a yummy dinner and spent time with family while passing out treats.

earlier that day...

i actually had time to get ready for the day and document my growing bump...

and then

at 1:00 we met up with josh and headed to the doctor's office to have an early ultrasound.

this pregnancy has been a bit surreal to us for a few reasons, 

so it was a little weird to actually see a baby inside me.

at the same time, it felt so perfect, and exciting, and right.

i could have laid there all day watching the little one move around on that black and white screen - little hands opening and closing, and arm's swinging around.

the baby was sitting indian style at first making it hard to see the gender, but it was cute to see those little ankles crossed and feet so comfy.

when the tech finally got a view of the parts.. i didn't see much there..

i asked if it was a girl, and she said she wasn't sure yet.. that she felt like she saw both at different points.. that the baby's cord was also obscuring the view..

she readjusted the angle, and turned on something that showed what was the cord, and what wasn't.. 

she pointed to something and called it outdoor plumbing.. 

it's another BOY.

whew... i have really been hoping he was a boy..

it will be so fun for the boys to be so close in age,

they can share a room (aka, we get to still have a guest room),

we already have all the boy clothes, boy decor, boy toys.. etc.

anyways, i did a really good job of keeping it a secret for a whole 4 hours, until cal opened this 'dino' egg at the halloween party: 

 it had a little dinosaur inside with blue confetti.

 we have our official anatomy scan the week after thanksgiving.

let's hope this first tech told us the right thing..

pregnancy soapbox

i have a close friend who is pregnant and asked for some tips... i just finished a massive email to her and thought i would post it here too.

p.s a year ago today, i was in labor with my little man... 

i was getting a little sentimental about it, 

until i wrote this email and remembered how hard pregnancy was 

and how i pushed for almost 3 hours, 

and those marathon newborn nights..

it made me very grateful for my one year old.

just some of my thoughts:

pregnancy:
- i sent you some noni butter in the package. it is super greasy but i put it on my belly every night and i didn't get any stretch marks.
- you can do it!  i don't know how you are feeling.. but i promise it does end! and the baby is so worth it.
- hot baths: my hips really hurt me, especially at night, and the only thing that seemed to help was soaking in the tub. i spent many nights in my tub. it helps take the weight off, and relax your muscles.

delivery:
- when i first started going into labor, i didn't think my contractions were contractions.. everyone says 'you will know!' but i just felt uncomfortable and mostly in my lower back. after a few hours, and walking a bit, they got stronger but they weren't too bad. i even told josh that i could totally do this. my worst contractions came after my water broke. those were bad! but they won't kill you. i wish that i had taking a lamaze class to help me with breathing techniques. i think that would have really helped also.
- EPIDURALS TRULY ARE YOUR FRIEND! i was way nervous about an epidural and wasn't sure if i wanted one (until my water broke, and then i changed my mind). getting my epidural was tricky. it took the dr. a few tries and i went into shock after.. but with that being said. it really wasn't that bad. they will give you a numbing shot that does a great job and you can't feel the rest of the procedure. the worst part is trying to hold still while folding over your contracting belly.
- rest when you can! after getting the epidural, i was too excited to take a nap. i was just chatting with my mom while josh took a nap. o man, i wished i would have gone to sleep. after pushing, i was so exhausted, i could barely hold cal, and wished i would have taken that opportunity to rest.
- i was so happy that my mom was there to record the birth. josh was supporting me, and then taking pictures of cal. i was so delirious at the time, that i am soooo happy to have the video to look back on. (she filmed from the side of the bed... i would recommend having who ever is filming be up by your head.. so you wont blush when you watch it)
- skin to skin: if i learned one thing in my years in nursing school it was the benefit of doing skin to skin with your newborn. this is where you place your babe in just his diaper right on your bare chest and you cuddle the heck out of him. it is really amazing actually. your body temperature with rise and fall to ensure his temperature is correct. his breathing will be more stable listening to your lungs, and it encourages breastfeeding and your milk supply. seriously, i could go on and on and on. do it! it is such a bonding experience too.

breastfeeding and milk supply:
- ugh, i had a rotten nurse who told me that it was okay for cal to sleep for 9 hours without eating when he was 1 day old. while yes, he wasn't going to die... it was terrible for my milk supply! a woman's milk supply is all determined by the baby sucking at the breast. without cal waking up to eat, my breasts were not stimulated enough and my milk took a really long time to come in which led to me starving him.. him not pooping for 2 days, and getting really bad jaundice. (which i will come to in a second). anyways.. the best thing to do is to nurse for 15 minutes on each side, every 2-3 hours those first few days. alternate which side you start feeding him on, and make sure he is latched on correctly... with a good latch and lanolin cream (a must) you will get sore, but not too terribly.
- don't be afraid to ask for help with breastfeeding. most hospitals have lactation specialists and they are golden! utilize them. also, if you have any questions feel free to ask me. i did my big capstone project on breastfeeding, and have lots of resources. if you can go to a class beforehand that would be smart too.
- so while waiting for my milk to come in, calvin was literally starving. it was way sad. but pretty common especially with first babies. most pediatricians will have you supplement with formula while you wait for your milk, but i really didn't want to. (their little guts are one of the last things to develop fully and formula can be so harsh on their tummies.) my pediatrician is amazing and a huge fan of breastfeeding. he suggested we buy noncolored nonflavored pedialyte and drip it into cal's mouth. this would give him enough fluid to sustain his body without overwhelming his gut. hopefully you wont need this. but just in case.
- lastly, breastfeeding is hard. try your best... utilize resources but if it doesn't work out, formula isn't the end of the world. (possibly the end of your wallet). i had to stop breastfeeding cal earlier than planned and felt pretty guilty about it for a while, but we had no other option. and it really wasn't a big deal.

recovery:
- you will be swollen: i had absolutely no idea how swollen everything down there got after having cal. in fact, i nearly passed out the first time i went to the restroom. just fyi. think sausages.
- the hospital pads are the best. they are huge and basically a diaper, but they are the best. stock up.
- use the ice packs!! they will have to be changed out every 20-30 mins because they melt. don't feel dumb asking the nurses for another one. it helps with the above mentioned swelling.
- stool softener: take it. hard poops + stitches = giving birth all over again.
- they have this squirt bottles (called peri bottles) that they give you to rinse off after you use the restroom. ask for an extra one! these are PERFECT for washing baby's hair, or i even took it camping a few months ago and used it to make a shower to clean cal up.

newborn necessities (get these before the babe comes):
- infant gas drops: these were a lifesaver. cal was so gassy and fussy because of it.. (i think the stool softener gets into the breast milk and gives them gas.. because when i weaned myself from the softener this eased up significantly). this is safe for any aged babe. i gave it to him with each night time feeding and he slept so much better.
- boppy: this is one of those things my mom insisted was a waste of money but.. i was attached to it for many reasons. 1. it was perfect for nursing 2. when any of the nieces/nephews or little siblings wanted to hold cal, i would have them sit and put the boppy around them and put cal on the pillow. it was way safer, and more secure. and 3. i would sit on it. i had to have lots of stitches and it took a while before i could sit without pain. the donut shape of the pillow is perfect.
- oxyclean laundry spray: this gets baby poop out the best. spray in on as quickly as you can and then soak the shirt in warm water. give it a little scrub with an old toothbrush, and wash it like normal, and it will get most poop stains out.

what are some of your favorite pregancy/baby tips??

we are in love!

INTRODUCING:

CALVIN JOSHUA ASAY

came at 2:26 this afternoon.

7 lbs 7 oz.

20 inches.

PERFECT.

sewing, popping, packing

not too much going on around here except for the following..

sewing:

i have finally started sewing something for baby c. 

it is a car seat cover. this is not a great photo, but it is a cotton gray and white damask-ish print on top, and a flannel light blue skinny striped underside.

 popping:

self explanatory - my belly button...

packing:

j and i started packing our house over a week ago.

no we have not moved yet, nor do we know exactly when we will..

so we are trying to live in a place that went from this:

 to this:

and yes. my nesting instinct is in overdrive. 

all i want to do is organize, de-junk, and fold baby clothes.

until we move, i can't really do any of those but fold baby clothes... 

therefore, i have been folding, un-folding, and re-folding baby c's adorable clothes.

can't wait till he's in them!

o, and i might have already packed and organized the diaper bag.. which i got yesterday at my family baby shower (which i will post about later).

i am already pretty obsessed with our little man.

less than 55 days till his due date!

update!

a lot has been going on with our little family recently.

on may 7th, we celebrated our 2 year anniversary.

 

we had a great day. pretty laid back, nothing crazy.

we went to see the king's speech (pg-13 version)

we LOVED it. and highly recommend it.

we shared a yummy meal at cafe paesan.

 

secondly, i cut my hair! well, i didn't but my good friend colette did.

it is so much healthier, and perfect for the summer.

also, we have been getting ready for our big move into this cute place:

 

it may not look like much now, 

but just wait till that dumpster is gone, 

and our cars are parked there instead.

...

this has been quite the adventure.

we got to pick out the colors for everything..

which was really fun at first, 

but then i started to stress about how it's going to look.

'is the paint too dark?'

'is the tile too yellow?'

'will our furniture match?'

 at the same time, the more they finish, the more i fall in love.

 

it has been so fun watching everything come together.

this will be the back yard, once they put grass in.

we have a covered patio outside our back door where we want to put a bbq for dad,

and a kiddie pool for mom to tan, i mean baby c to play in next summer.

our closing date is may 26th - less than two weeks away.

we've got lots to do between now and then:

packing, cleaning, schooling, working, growing a babying etc.

but we are so excited and feel so blessed.

special project revealed

i was lucky enough to be a model of a soon-to-be-mother, for a music video.

the song was written by a good friend from my old ward, 

and song by one of my favorite singers!

it's about mothers. i love it!

p.s. go to you tube and watch it in HD..

this very moment:

i just got back from my monthly appointment. 

our little man is right on track. 

they made me drink this stuff:

then drew some of this stuff (after a few tries.. those darn veins):

now i feel like this:

and all j + i can think about is doing this (but blue of course):

 

but first we have to find the right place.

 and do the fun packing and moving thing:

plus, i need to study and take four of these:

o, i am still hunting for one of these for j:

and because of all the sugar this morning, lil c won't stop doing this:

that is all. have a good day.

(all images from google)

welcome to the third trimester

27 weeks

today marks the beginning of the end of this pregnancy.

it is crazy how fast the last few months have gone,

but at the same time it feels like forever since i got a positive pregnancy test.

for the sake of documentation i am going to go back over the last 6 months.

(feel free to skip over... for some this may be tmi)

...

month 1: j and i had officially been trying since july. october was our last chance because i didn't want to have a baby in the middle of my last semester of school. when i was two weeks late, but had a huge pile of negative tests, i decided to go to the health center. my apt was on tuesday, november 2nd, and again, it was negative. i was pretty frustrated. j was so supportive and positive about it. 

a few days later, we were at my parents and i was dieing of heat while everyone else was fine. j kept teasing that i was pregnant, but i didn't want to get my hopes up. that was sunday. the hot flashes continued on 24/7 (which actually made the freezing weather bearable). monday night we went and bought a few more tests. 

tuesday morning at 6:30 a plus sign finally showed up! i started dancing and singing, u-huh u-huh u huh.... j was waiting outside the door and thought i was crying. when i opened the door he was surprised to see me smiling and dancing! we immediately said our good morning prayer to thank our Heavenly Father for this blessing! 

month 2: i remember bragging to j about how lucky i was that i wasn't sick. well within days the morning sickness kicked in. i was doing my clinicals up at primary children's and did my best to not pass out / loose my breakfast in my kiddo's rooms. those were long mornings with a lot of self talk - 'i will not throw up.. i will not throw up'. no one knew yet and i wasn't about to start each clinical with, 'hi i am a byu student, and i am pregnant'.. haha. i think one of the hardest things was carpooling up there. my friend sarah drove a full mini-van full of us up to slc. those drives were soo not fun. i was squished, and sweating, and nauseous. then there was trax.. those wonderful stinky, crowded, trains.

we took a trip to arizona for thanksgiving with j's family. we got caught by his sister and brother-in-law one morning when j snuck to the kitchen to get me a throw up bowl... haha. the rest of the week, john did all he could to sneakily bring up babies and pregnancy, and watch j and i squirm as we tried not to make it obvious in front of the other family. by the end of the week, j's parents knew too, and caleb also.

we told my family (well other than my mom- she was the first person i told) at my dad's 50th birthday party the first week of december. that was so fun.

i was living off of peppermint tea, sprite, and saltines. and lost 10 pounds, but i survived finals and made it to our first appointment. i thought that i was 12 weeks along, so the midwife did a full physical and we listened to the baby's heartbeat. she scheduled an ultrasound for the next day to determine baby's age, and my due date.

at the ultrasound we saw our little one dancing around, and found out he was only about 10 weeks along. making my due date july 15th. at this ultrasound, they also found that i had a few small subchorionic hemorrhages. i was advised to take it very easy. i wasn't bleeding or cramping, so the midwife wasn't too worried about it, and would follow-up with me at my next appointment. me on the other hand - i was pretty nervous especially about telling people. my next appointment was in 3 weeks. and boy those were a long few weeks.

month 3:

christmas came and i spent the morning sick, but trying my hardest to have a good time. every year for christmas the asays make a dvd of pictures from each family. j and i decided last christmas that we would volunteer to make it because we were hoping to be pregnant and it would be the perfect way to announce it. well our plan worked out. we added this little clip at the end of our pictures:

 

i went in for my next appointment and everything looked great. baby's heartbeat was cruising along, and there were no signs of any problems. they reread the ultrasound report and it said that the hemorrhages were probable and tiny... so i was worried for nothing.

at the end of my third month, i was back in school and back to clinicals. by this point most everyone knew, so my classmates were all helpful and sympathetic to me having to leave every few minutes to find something to be sick in. i caught a nasty cold during this time too, that really made things bad. 

while being sick is not fun, i was kind of okay with it because it was the only proof i had of being pregnant. it was almost comforting to know that it was real. (and by this point (7 months), i have kind of forgotten all about it)

month 4:

ah, the second trimester was my best friend. around week 14, my morning sickness stopped. i went through a stage of denial because i didn't look or feel pregnant. there were little changes that started happening though like the lovely hair that started growing on my belly... seriously, why didn't anyone warn me about this? i was borderline depressed about the new layer of fur i was exhibiting. and the flashbacks to puberty when my chest throbbed from growing pains. i craved fruit like the dickens and made numerous smoothies.

around week 17, i started to show with a little bump. it seemed to be rather low, making my regular jeans out of the option anymore, but i didn't quite fit into the maternity ones. i started to feel a little bummed out about gaining weight, and loosing my figure. i hated that awkward phase of looking chubby not pregnant.

i was constantly online looking up cribs, and strollers, and all that fun baby gear. we tried really hard to find out the gender this month but it didn't happen.

o, and i started to feel him move. i am not going to lie, i didn't like it at first. it sort of weirded me out. it was distracting in my classes, and uncomfortable. 

month 5:

this month started out with us going on our cruise. we have all already heard about that and how fun it was.

we found out in the middle of the month that our little baby was no longer an it, but a little boy! the 20 week ultrasound was heaven. i could have laid there all day with that cold gel, just to watch our little man. it was so fun to see all his little features. the sweetest face, and cutest lips.. his little arms and legs. everything looked great and right on track, except he did have a little calcification on one of his heart valves. they had a perinatologist come and look and she said it was 1) pretty common 2) it most likely will go away on it's own 3) it does not effect the function of the heart at all but 4) it might increase the chance of him having down syndrome (from like 1 in 100,000 to 1 in 20,000). j and i decided we were not going to worry about it. everything else looked fine and if he has down syndrome, he has down syndrome, and if that is what Heavenly Father wants, we would feel even more privileged to be his parents.

going to the ultrasound and seeing our little man really put things into perspective. i felt so selfish for being down about my body, because it really isn't about me. this is about the miracle of building a child. it is a sacred ability that i have been given to literally bring a new human being to earth. to build a body for a spirit child of God.

this month also brought more changes. more growing pains: achy hips, sore abs, and a loss of energy. i think school really caught up with me - all the early morning / 12 hour clinicals, all the late night assignments. on top of my struggle to get comfortable at night. some days were not fun.

month 6:

i think the second half of pregnancy is much better than the first. during this month, i really started looking pregnant. i got used to having a little ninja in me, and actually grew to love his little kicks and jabs. josh could feel them lots too.

he started being more predictable. there is a pretty set pattern of movement. his personality is starting to show too. for example, he hates it when i lay on my right side. he will nudge me over and over again until i roll over. he likes to hear josh talk and will often stop moving to listen. 

i went to washington dc and survived the long plane flights.

on the way over a lady said to me 'i wonder if there is anyone on the plane who knows how to deliver a baby if you needed them to'. i was not comforted by that statement.

school slowed down for me this month as i switched to my psych clinicals. sleep has gotten a bit easier too. we got his crib. and a few other baby supplies. we are working on finding a place to live before he comes. it is a bit stressful, but we are hopeful that things will work out.

month 7:

starts today!

crib stories part one...

task: fit the big heavy box in my little car and drive 20 miles without loosing it.

 

to be continued...

26 weeks and a few DC shots

yes it is almost the middle of april, and it is snowing outside. lame

we ran out for a few minutes to get a new bump picture for maryjane.

 

i decided not to do a big long post about my week in washington dc, because really is was lots of classes, lots of posters, and a few afternoons free to explore. 

but i thought i would throw up a few of my favorite shots.

...

there is something so sacred about the war monuments. 

i love love love these sculptures and the emotions seen on the faces of those young men.

i am grateful for the men and women who have served and are serving our country.

 

 i am such a nerd when it comes to history and learning about how our country came to be.

i love museums and monuments.

i love our founding fathers and the values they stood for.

i believe the constitution was inspiration from God,
and am so grateful for the freedoms and protections it provides...

while i thoroughly enjoyed the conference and loved exploring dc.. 

i sure did miss this sweet boy...

and was happy to come home!

100!

 

only 100 days left!!!!

here's what our little man has been up to lately:

he is close to 2 pounds now and getting taller everyday.

his eyes should be done developing soon and then he will start to blink.

his lungs are practicing breathing now, and his immune system is starting to develop.

he spent some time strolling around washington d.c with me last week.

here we are at the cherry blossoms,

waiting in a food pantry line,
(p.s i swear i am not as big as that pic looks... i will take some 26 week shots soon)

and stopping by to see mr. abe lincoln.

i think we walked more in those few days than i have in a long time.

my short little legs are still recovering.

but it was all worth it.

more to come later!

23 w 5 d & mommma

there's been lots and lots going on around here, so i got a little behind on my bump photos.

so here's what we got... 

(p.s in the 2nd pic, the 4 and 2 are supposed to be reversed. i am a little numberlexic. lo siento.)

we celebrated my mom's birthday this week, with lots of family and friends.

i sure love my mom and the wonderful person she is.

she is so excited for our little boy to come.

she's already started rubbing my belly and saying hi to calvin before i get a hello hug.
(and then i pretend to be jealous.. but secretly i love it)

o, and want to know another great thing?

my brother's wife is having a boy too!

six weeks after us!

they are going to be best friend cousins!

woop.woop.

moonlit moments

okay, so remember the post about the diaper bag?

well, i have changed my mind.

after deep thinking and a trip to nordstrom's, i have decided on a different ppb bag:

the sashay satchel:

it is a little smaller, and taller instead of wider.

i love that it has a purse-y feel, but can still be a backpack if needed.

a cute mom at the mall saw me closely comparing the two bags, and came up and told me she had the boxy backpack with her first baby. she said it was too big/bulky and didn't hold it's shape super well. she now has this satchel version and likes it much better.

so there you have it.

o and did i mention this one is cheaper?

always a plus.

...

on a side note, it is fun that i am getting over the awkward stage and i am joining the mom club with ladies offering advice, and complementing me on my cute belly.

21 weeks

the little man has really been growing lately. 

i have gained a total of 9 pounds since our 9 week appointment.

 since i was only up 1 at our 15 week appointment, my midwife said it was about time.

i have started to experience some wonderful growing pains.

i am having a really hard time sleeping because my hips ache real bad.

i can only sleep on my sides and this makes it worse.

i surround myself in pillows and that helps, but it sure makes it hard for me to cuddle my sweet husband.

soaking in the tub helps, but i can't sleep in the tub.

anyways, i am going to do more yoga type exercises to help.

i feel him move a lot, and j felt him for the first time last week.

i felt him startle this week - we were listening to the byu bball game in the car on saturday... jimmer made a three and the crowd cheered really loud,

scaring little cal and making him jump.

it was seriously the craziest feeling. 

i made my first baby purchases this week.

my sis-in-law told me about a sale going on at kid-to-kid where you filled a bag with as much stuff as you could fit, and the bag only cost $8.

carly came with me and we got lots of cute clothes and two blankets - (the total would have been close to $90).

we were grabbing everything blue. it was fun.

o and, calvin and kobe have been really bonding lately at grandma and grandpa's house.

one day when he's older and we have a yard, calvin will get a dog of his own.

dogs are a boy's best friend right?

tah dah!

here HE is:

mr. calvin joshua asay. 20 weeks old.
calvin is a family name on the asay side that we have been so anxious to use.

we had a great morning watching our little one squirm around.
we saw fingers, toes, lips, ears, and the cutest little nose!
everything looked pretty normal and he's growing right on track with the july 15th due date.

good job to everyone that guessed boy! bring on the dinosaurs.

(via)

now, i can finally focus on studying for my ICU test.

hello little belly

i woke up one day last week with a rock in my belly - a five inch rock named baby.
currently, baby's skeleton is hardening
and he or she is starting to put on some fat
(daddy sure loves chubby babies - so keep it up!).
i think the baby is excited for our cruise because
i'm pretty sure i felt some cart-wheels the other night when i was looking at pictures of the places we are going.
i have been eating like a horse-
i swear i will eat a full meal and 40 mins later my stomach will start growling again.
it has almost become a chore to find something to snack on.
i am still going to my dance aerobics class, but definitely can't keep up like i used to.
it's still fun though, and endorphins = good.
three weeks from today we will find out the gender!!!
life.is.good.
....
o. ps, if you have ever wondered how a baby fits inside check out this cool thing from the chicago museum of science.
click here.

16 week appointmet

we went to the midwives today for my 16 week check up. (we did it a little early)
we were really hoping she'd let us have an early ultrasound to follow up on a few things and find out the gender....
but alas,
the baby's heartbeat was strong and steady (160 bpm)
and there were no signs of complications (which we are so grateful for).
so for now the gender remains a mystery.

we scheduled our 20 week ultrasound for february 25.
that means we have 32 more days of calling the baby it.
i keep waiting for those mommy intuitions to kick in... nothing yet.
i am going to start a poll on the sidebar for people to vote what they think.
baby girl or baby boy?

15 weeks

as motivation to document this pregnancy, i am going to periodically post some belly shots.
please enjoy my progression of turning into an oompa loompa.
yay for being five foot two.