Reading to her baby

Since Jocelynn was a baby I've always read her books before naps and bedtime. She loves her books and has a lot of them memorized because we have read them so much. I caught her reading this book to her baby and she does know it word for word. Whenever she catches me trying to record her she starts to act silly. She amazes me with her memory. At a year and a half she knew her letters and the sound each letter makes. She now spells out words and says a word and the letter it starts with. We are working on sight words and I know before we know it she'll be reading. Amazing how much information a toddler's mind can take in at this age.

Preschool and Happy B day Grandma

We celebrated my grandma's 86th birthday Sunday. She looks so much older in this picture. She is such an amazing person. . . my favorite. So glad she was able to meet Carter.

Jocelynn started preschool last Friday. She is only going one day a week right now which works out great. James and my mom dropped her off. The night before my mom and dad came over and James and my dad gave Jocelynn a blessing. It was a sweet blessing. James blessed her that she would have courage. The whole time she was gone I could not stop thinking about her and hoping she was doing ok. I'm not used to being away from her so I was having a hard time. She loved it though. Walked right in and had a great time. I was so happy.

My sweet boy. Love him

Bow Holders

I made these bow holders as gifts and thought they were so cute that I'd share.

I made Jocelynn one also. I didn't like the colors as much because you can't see her name!

2 Weeks!

Don't plan to do this every week but have been taking lots of pics. Hard to believe it's been 2 weeks. As the days pass it just keeps getting easier and easier (knock on wood). A couple times last week he was pretty fussy and whenever he is like that it seems to be associated with gas. I feel like I've already gotten to know him a lot. He seems easier to read then Jocelynn was or maybe it's just me. He eats really well. He goes about 3 hours before eating again, sometimes 4. He eats, poops and sleeps. Last week he had his days and nights mixed up. Every morning he'd want to be awake from 330am to 5am. The past 2 nights have been good though.

My sister and her family came to visit from Wyoming. It was great having them here. Ryker is 4 almost 5 months older then Carter. Amazing how fast they grow.

Jocelynn never took a bottle. She always wanted only me. It was tiring at times. A couple days ago James gave Carter a bottle and he took it! I was pumped. Hope to do this every couple days so if I'm out I don't have to worry about being back to feed him.

I'm anxious to see how much he has gained. He has already thickened out! He's such a sweet boy and so happy he is here!

Here's a pic of Jocelynn 2 days old. I think they look a lot alike.

1st Week

I can't believe a week ago today, Carter was born! Please time slow down. It's been a wonderful week. I'm trying to enjoy every moment holding him and kissing those sweet cheeks. I'm so in love with this little man. He makes me melt. We've had a couple nights where he has been up for awhile but I think that was before my milk came in.

• Loves to be swaddled
• Takes his pacifier
• Loves to eat
• Grunts and squirms when he has a dirty diaper or gas
• Smiles a lot, when he's sleeping and eating
• Stares at his sister when she talks to him (he's thinking hey I know that voice!)
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Jocelynn has been wonderful to her little brother. The day I came home she wanted to feed him, burp him, and was super excited to get me wipes and a diaper. At one time she helped me change his diaper and wipe his bum until it took awhile and he started peeing everywhere. The day he peed everywhere on my sheets I changed the sheets and came in the room to find this. She was kissing him. They were staring at each other and she was talking to him.

I can tell they are already going to have a close bond as brother and sister.

A couple times I have really missed Jocelynn. I'm just so used to spending all my time with her. I know as time goes on I will get used to it.

Jocelynn has said some funny things this week. She has funny questions and comments I don't want to forget, mostly about nursing. One day she asked, pointing to my chest. What's that mom? Is that your belly button? Will it go away? She also asked pointing to my chest, "Is there juice and water in there too or just milk?"

Surprisingly his first bath was good. I washed his hair first while he was swaddled and then washed his bum while his arms were swaddled and then his arms. Love the smell of a clean baby!

James has been amazing. He has made breakfast. Gets up with Jocelynn in the morning and has been cleaning the house. Not just picking up, he said the other day "I'm going to mop the floors and wash the windows!" He also always gives me water while I'm nursing. He's wonderful!

This is where he sleeps. My friend let me borrow her co sleeper and love it. I don't need to get out of bed to feed him. I just reach over and he's right there. This is where he spends most of the day. Thanks Melinda! What I love most about not being pregnant anymore is being able to sleep on my stomach! It's wonderful. Overall it's been a wonderful week and I know he's going to get big fast so doing my best to just enjoy this time with him!

Carter's birth story

First family picture of the 4 of us

9 lbs 5 oz

I loved my midwife she had a nice soothing voice. She was a student though and my only complaint is that when the baby came out and instead of gradually letting the head come out, section the nose and letting the shoulders come out slowly, she just grabbed his head and pulled him out fast so I tore a lot.

Nurse

Right before this picture I was squatted down having a contraction. I stood up smiled and headed in to have him.

Where do I begin? It's been almost a week since I had Carter and I've played the moment he was born over and over in my mind. It's hard to believe a week ago he was in my tummy, upside down, all warm and cozy. I looked forward to giving birth to him and what it would be like. It was amazing!

Contractions started weeks before he was born. They were mild pains that would come and go but nothing consistent. Monday, 4 days before my due date, I went to my dr appointment and I was 2.5 cm dilated. Tuesday before Carter was born I asked Jocelynn when Carter would be born she said confidently that it would be Friday morning. Thursday my due date came and although I felt it was close, I was discouraged that nothing was happening. My friends were being sealed in the temple to their daughter on my due date in Newport beach. My mom said she would take me and we drove out that way. Once we got there I got really nervous. What if I went into labor on the way home in traffic or in the temple? I was glad I was able to attend and be in a place so close to the spirit one last time before he was born. Once we got home, James, Jocelynn and I went for a long walk and up the hills. That night was when it all started. Carter was finally ready to make his entrance into this world.

I woke up at 1:30am and 2:30am to use the restroom, which wasn't a surprise. I woke up again at 3:30am to a mild pain but fell back asleep and was woken again at 4am. I got up and needed to walk around. I started stretching and the pain was pretty long and then would go away. I finally woke up James and decided to take a warm bath. In the bath I was still having pains and decided to call my mom. I couldn't time the contractions because the pain was long and not consistent. When I got out of the bath, my mom came and as I sat on the couch, I thought "Where did the pain go?" It started to go away. I called the hospital and they said to come in when the contractions were 4-5 minutes apart. We sat in the car to see if we could time them, I couldn't. I wanted to cry. I was so discouraged. I woke everyone up and now we weren't heading to the hospital. We decided at 5am to go for a walk up the street. The pains weren't coming so I just said let's just go back to bed. My mom left we got into bed. I lay awake for about 20 minutes and then the pain started again. I was watching the clock and it was every 5 minutes. I decided not to wake James until it had been awhile. Finally after 45 minutes I told him I think it's time. He looked at me and smiled and I called my mom and he took a shower. I could tell by the way he was taking his time that he didn't think it was going to happen. Jocelynn walked in our room at 7am and lay with us. I cuddled her and thought, during a contraction, you're about to have a brother. She was right, Friday morning he was coming. When my mom came the contractions were now 4 minutes apart. I had 2 contractions in the car and by the time we got to the hospital, they were 3-4 minutes apart. I had to stop every time a contraction came. James found a wheelchair and we headed to labor and delivery. I told them I was having contractions. I was having a contraction and she said "yes you are in labor." She checked me and I was dilated to a 4. It was going so fast. The contractions were getting stronger and closer together. She got me admitted and I said I wanted an epidural. She hooked me to an IV and I couldn't get an epidural until I had the fluids in me. I didn't think I would get it in time. The midwife came in and checked me and I was a 6. I started to panic a little thinking I wasn't able to get an epidural. The anesthesiologist walked in the room I thought, yes!! He looked at me with a worried look and said I'll be right back! That's not what a woman in labor wants to hear. He was called to an emergency c section. I kept saying things like "I can do this!" I was also telling James that I was scared and it's going so fast and it hurts. I'm sure it was hard for him to see me in so much pain and there was nothing he could do. The pain was getting intense and I was hitting James chest because it felt good to let out the pain I was feeling. I would try to breathe through them. The midwife checked me again and I was a 7. I started to yell through the contractions. The nurse kept telling me to breathe or I'll hyperventilate. Finally I yelled, How?? I couldn't think straight, I needed someone to show me how to breathe. James started doing hee hee hoo. I felt like it was a movie. Finally, my hero walked in and I was able to get an epidural. I kept wanting him to wait during a contraction because I couldn't sit still while he was doing it because the contractions were so close together. He said I need to do it or you won't be able to get one and you have to sit still. Finally I got one and instant relief!! I got the epidural at 930am and had him at 11am. I was still feeling pain in my left side when a contraction would come but it was nothing compared to what I was feeling!! With Jocelynn I think they had me push too early. I pushed for almost 2 hours with her. With Carter they waited awhile and it was finally time to push! The midwife checked me and he pooped in me so they had to have a special team there when he was born. The pressure was so strong and did not feel good. I was ready to push. I wanted him out so bad. The final push was the hardest and what a relief when he came out. They said "wow he's a big one!" They were all trying to guess his weight. I remember laying there thinking "look at those rolls! Did he really come out of me?" I tore a lot because he was so big. I was able to hold him and the experience was amazing! He was perfect.

Carter James Ward has arrived

Born Friday July 30, 2010

Weigh: 9 lbs. 5 oz

20 1/2 inches

Time : 11am

More pictures and birth story coming soon!