R&R Part 2

Th day Evelyn was born, was a very joyous occasion, as you should expect it to be. I was so glad our families gave us space to be alone with her, because that was one thing I was super worried about. Random visitors, long visits, and most importantly Hubby not getting his own personal time with his daughter. Thank goodness that didnt happen.
The first night at the hospital we handed Evelyn off to the nursery. Evelyn was (and still is) having a hard time latching on (aka I am breastfeeding) and so I asked the nurses to bring her to be when she needed to be fed so I could work on it more with her. It ended up getting easier, until my milk came in and then we started a struggle again. I refuse to give up though.
Back to R&R...
The next day we asked family to not come to the hospital. The hospital recommends that you stay 48 hours after you have your baby, but Hubbys mom was leaving that night, and I had already been at the hospital for 48 hours. Hubby at the time had one more week left here and we did not want to spend more time in the hospital. Luckily my doctor (who's amazing) knew where we were coming from and because I had a very easy labor (yepp, no tearing or nothing!) said it was ok for us to leave, and luckily the pediatrician agreed.

We got home and had a little get together with my family again. Hubbys family was leaving in a few hours and so I ended up only getting Evelyn when she needed to be fed. Once again I was mad and upset but trying to be understanding. I wasnt too thrilled of the idea of having a ton of people here when she was born when it was first suggested, but I learned to deal with it. I was super glad when everyone left, we finally had alone time with just Hubby, Evelyn and I. I was completely in heaven!!

We didnt leave the house for 2 days after that. We knew better then to take Evelyn out into the elements but on the 3rd day we decided it would be ok to take her to my grandparents house for at least one hour. Ended up being be in the bedroom trying to figure out why Evelyn was screaming her poor head off. Turned out to be a tummy ache and gas. Yay.
On Sunday we had a Blessing for Evelyn. Its part of my religion to get them done, and I really wanted to do it. Hubby was not thrilled about it one bit but he knew it ment alot to me and we went ahead and did it. It was an amazing afternoon, I was so thrilled that it went so well and Evelyn did perfect!

The last 2 days we had we chose to not do anything. We really just wanted our own family time. I am so lucky that my family gave us so much space! We were able to be down stairs instead of trapped in my bedroom for the last few days.
Evelyn for the first few days was up every 2 to 3 hours but the last 2 nights of Hubbys stay she was asleep for at least 4 to 5 hours before getting up again. It was so nice to get that extra sleep. We really did enjoy ourselfs with her. Hubby is just in love with her and I felt so bad that he had to leave her.
Hubby and I gave up an hour with Evelyn and went on a date (just to Applebee's) and spent the time talking about how the next 3 months are going to be. We made sure we knew how we wanted Evelyn raised, and we were on the same page about living situations when I move back to Fort Riley....oh back in about.......8 more weeks! :)
We rented Beastly and The Dilemma and went back and grabbed our daughter and went to go cuddle in bed. We spent 6 hours just cuddling and crying and trying to make ourselfs strong. Went to bed (with Evelyn in her bed) and woke up with her at 5am.
Hubby avoided putting his ACU's on as long as he could and as soon as he put them on I was instantly upset, but tried to be strong.

We drove him to BK to get breakfast and took off to the airport. I was hoping that they would let me go through security with him, and luckily they did! We went through and walked to the gate. We were an hour early and Hubby held his little girl for as long as he could.
I started noticing people getting on the plane and informed Hubby and we got up to say our goodbyes.

I never ever thought it would be that hard to watch him say goodbye to his daughter. I hugged him and told him I'll be strong and we said goodbye....sadly as I walked away I realized I didnt say I love you...as much as I wanted to run back and tell him, I knew I wouldnt be able to walk away as easy the second time around. I started to cry as I walked with Evelyn in my arms through the crowds of people who couldnt stop staring at me. I got all the way to my car and put Evelyn in her car seat and started to cry. I told myself only 3 more months and drove on.
I got home and continued to cry. I took a few hours off for myself and waited to hear from Hubby. When I finally heard from him and learned he was headed to Iraq within the hour I decided I needed to start a routine and get back to my mind set I was at before. Though I am not there yet, I was productive and finished out the day with Bathing my daughter and also pumping milk for her (for when I'm too full) and worked on my TV shows I had missed the last 2 weeks.
It hasent been easy at all but I am so glad I got my little Evelyn to look at. She looks so much like her daddy...and for those who say she looks like me, shes only got my hair color and my lips (maybe) everything else is totally Hubby!
I just love that I have her here. I hope she does well through the next few months!

Little Miss Pucker Lips

Hubby...when you read this I love you! Cant wait to have you home with us again. I love you so much and miss you like crazy!! Be Safe.

R&R Part 1

Or I should say "R&R before Baby"


R&R was so wonderful! We didnt fight at all. Had a few disagreements but that was pretty much it. It was beyond nice! I felt like even though we grew as a couple apart we were still the same couple together.

Hubby arrived on a Tuesday night in Salt Lake City and I was right on time to greet him! I was so nervous because I had no idea what my first reaction would be when I saw him. I first thought I'd fly past the security guards and grab him. But then maybe I would of just cried uncontrollably. But I didnt do either.
I saw him right as he started walking by the guards and I skipped my pregnant little heart right on over to him! I grabbed onto him and just hugged him! I lifted my head up to kiss him and he started feeling my belly, he was in such amazement that I really was pregnant. I drove him home and we pretty much went straight to bed.

The next day we went into Salt Lake City to go do a few things. We had decided a while ago to pick out Evelyns stroller together since he couldnt be apart of all the baby things, and this was one thing he really wanted to do with me. He constantly talked about pimping out her stroller, and how it needed 3 wheels and he might even make her get bigger wheels. So at Babies R Us we started searching, of course my husband found "the one" while I was in the bathroom. But "the one" he wanted was not compatible with our carseat. So we started another search...I had always loved the Jeep strollers and I was very interested in them! Hubby hated the price tag on the sticker but I had saved up alot of our tax return money and thats what we bought the stroller with. After some comparing we finally decided on the Jeep stroller! I was stoked!

After that we went and got Hubby his Jamba Juice...its our favorite thing! Kansas does not have a Jamba, which super sucked on a hot humid day. Then went to the mall and got Hubby some clothes. He has really missed shopping! He also found out JC Penny has awesome deals! (in the total of R&R we made 2 trips to JC Pennys) and then we just had to...and yes we HAD to take him to In & Out Burger. I blame it on California...its a good burger but those fries are terrible!
The next day I had a doctors appointment. My doctor was so excited to meet Hubby, it was great that they finally got to meet. As you (should) know my doctor told us that Evelyn wasnt planning on going anywhere and that we we're just going to have to induce me. So we knew we had a few days before we would have her. We went to my families cabin in the Provo Mountains, it was so relaxing just to be alone together.

After the cabin we had a just a regular day of relaxation before Hubbys mom and her boyfriend and kid got here.
It was nice when his mom got here. I've always felt like his mom and I got along the first time we met back in 2009 but when she visited us before the deployment she really avoided me and I always had a chip on my shoulder about it. This trip ended up not being as bad, I think she felt more comfortable with her boyfriend here, but there was still very little communication between her and I. I let Hubby know when I was upset about it and I've just learned thats how she is probably gonna be when we're not at her house.
They arrived the day I was sent to the hospital to be induced and you all saw Evelyns birth story...if you havent check it out Evelyn's Birth Story.

I'll be back with more tomorrow on R&R after Baby :)

I'm Back

Hubby left for Iraq this morning. Though I have to say this is my first R&R I thought it was WAY HARDER to say good-bye the second time. It was so hard even when I turned to walk away I forgot to tell him I loved him. I know he knows I love him, we couldn't stop saying it all day, but it made me want to run back and grab him but I knew if I did I wouldn't be walking away any easier again.
I'm not quite ready to blog about R&R I wanna take my day off and spend time with little Evelyn. I need to bathe her too. I'm still pretty teary eyed and I'll be alone all day with just her. I hope I can get used to this quick.

I'll be back in a day or 2 to tell you all about R&R we had a really amazing time and I am so grateful I got this time with him!

I'm ready to kick this deployments butt and get him home.

3 more months!

The Birth Story

I checked into the hospital to be induced at 8pm on the 19th. I wasnt given pitocen, but they had put a tiny pill up by my cervix to try and get her to go on her own. I had to lay in bed for 2 hours before I could move and they checked me at 11pm and said I was still 3 centimeters and 50% efaced. They placed another pill in there and I took an ambian and went to sleep. Apparently throughout the night I was telling the nurse about the color of dreams I was having.
At about 3:30 I woke up with back pains and needed some medication. Turns out the little one started to finally go! They gave me pitocen and the pain meds and put me back to sleep. About an hour later I woke up with worse pains then I have ever felt! My contractions were happening about every 3 minutes. I was only a 6 but it was finally going. They gave me more pain meds, because I wasnt ready to get my epideral. Call me stubborn but I wanted to see how far I could go without it.
About 5/5:30 I decided I needed the epideral and got it finally! It made me feel so funny! I was digging the feeling and I went back to sleep.
Around 7 am I was finally giving up on the sleep and just woke up and Hubby and I started watching some TV. My nurse came in to check me and I was an 8. So we called my mom and hubbys mom and had then come down here. My mom rushed to the hospital and by the time she got there about 745/8 am I was fully dilated and ready to go. We waited for my doctor and I started to not feel ANYTHING, I was having to be told that I was having contractions in order to start pushing.
I started pushing at 8:05ish (I wasnt watching the clock) I pushed her out very quickly and didnt even tear!

Evelyn Suzanne 

July 20, 2011 at 8:23 am

7lbs 2oz

20 inches long

She was born absolutely perfect! She has a ton of hair! Hubby did a great job at watching, because it was something he really didnt want to do, but looking at him while I was pushing it was amazing to watch his face!

Right after she was born I was sad I didn't get to hold her. They put her on my chest immediately and then took her away. They had me order lunch and while I was eating everyone else held her...which made me sad and mad, but I knew I needed to eat.

I was so happy when I finally got to hold her. Everyone left and Hubby and I got some alone time and a good nap in before everyone came back. It was nice to just hold her and be a family together finally.

She looks almost exactly like her daddy, but alot of people think she looks like me too. Shes absolutly beautiful and so amazing to look at! I feel very blessed to have her in my life!

One Very Happy Family!

39 Weeks.

Hey you all!! Hubby is still here no worries! He is dead asleep right now, and I'm letting him get as much sleep as he can in. We've been having a problem with waking up at 7am everyday so then we go to bed at 9! Its not so great.

But I thought I'd let everyone know Little Lady Love has not...and I repeat....NOT here yet. We had a doctors appointment on Wednesday and she barelly made any progress! I was still 1 cenimeter dialated and 50% efaced. So my doctor was taking a vacation the very next day and decided to just schedual me to be induced. I'll end up being 1 day over due but hopefully (and I say hopefully since my cousin just had a 32 hour labor) that Little Lady Love will be here on the 20th! I'm pretty excited to meet her! But super nervous about being induced, you hear the stories about how awful it is, but because I have nothing to compare it to hopefully it wont be a big deal.

Well everyone I should get back to the Hubby now! Go lay in bed and cuddle with him! AWES but heres a picture of our little family at 39 weeks and 4 days!! I've been waiting to take a picture like this forever!!

He's Home!!

While you were all watching Suprise Homecoming on TLC

I was litterally Welcoming Home my own Soldier!

Thats right! R&R has finally arrived!

I get 2 whole weeks with my Hubby!

 

He wasnt suppost to arrive in the states until Wednesday or Thursday

but he managed to pull a few strings and get here earlier.

Not a moment too late either.

My in-laws arrive on Monday and my due date is Tuesday.

So we will get some personal alone time before any arrivals.

He also gets to attend my 39 week doctors appointment!

His first baby appointment ever!!

 

I forgot to get some Guest Bloggers...but dont hate on me.

I promise to "tweet" as much as possible.

follow me @OptimisticArmyW

 

I will be back in two weeks to let you all know how it went

as well as the name reveal for our little love bug!

much love to you all!!

Friday Fill In!

I havent done this in so long!!

1. Does your Significant Other read your blog?  Why is this a good or a bad thing? submitted by Mrs. Alana’s Miscellany

He does when he is bored at work. He is in a TOC all day which is a blessing and a curse.

2. What is one item in your house that holds the most sentimental value and why? submitted by The Albrecht Squad
We have a painting a friends boyfriend did for us of one of our engagment photos. Its amazing!

sorry its not upclose...I couldnt find a picture of it up close.

3. When it comes to water fun in the summer do you prefer the beach, the pool, a lake, or the sprinklers? submitted by The Turvo Times
Well I've never lived near a beach. Unless you count the stinky salt lake beach. But I love a nice cool lake!

4. What is the one special thing that you do for yourself to get you through the first week of a deployment/separation? submitted by A Creed and a Psalm
I have not had the chance to do anything special for that. It usually consists of me packing and moving or the first one holding onto my phone constantly. Next deployment with the Little Girl we will do something real special.

5.  What is your biggest guilty pleasure website? submitted by Christine’s Little Blog
EEK! Etsy. Its almost a curse. Cant help it! I love the jewlery! I love the hairbows! I love the Decor!

DR Appt.

Today I went in for my 38 week check up with my freaking awesome doctor and it was all good news!!

Everything with me checked out fine...I finally can say I gained 2 pounds over my weight I was before I got pregnant. I lost 25 and then gained 27. YAHOO!
My nurse had my undress from the waist down so he could check me, so while I sat on the table with my feet dangling my mom and I talked and I swoll up like a balloon! I rarelly wear my wedding ring anymore from all the swelling and when I looked at my hand it hand turned bright red and I could barely get my ring off. I took my ring off and put it around my necklace that also has a picture of Hubby on it and my doctor didnt come infor about 20 more minutes.
Honestly if you are lucky and can avoid being pregnant during the summer....DO IT! Its super hard. Not only did I swell up I was sweating!
My doctor got out his machine and Baby Girls heartbeat is great still and she decided to move her head into my hip, but since the appointment I am pretty sure shes got her head back down. He then proceded to take those damned rubbed gloves out and check me.
Now that HURT! He proceded to push my belly down and try and check me more. Turns out Baby Girl isnt planning on going anywhere anytime soon!

He told me I was 1 centimeter dialted and 40% effaced...then he told me, my cervix is not favorable. If I went in today my body would force me into a c-section. He is pretty confident Hubby will make it in time for delivery!! Which only makes me happier!! I've been praying for little girl to wait for her daddy and it looks like she listened to me! I'm thrilled but trying to not get my hopes up too much.

3 AM Rant.

I am not very happy with being pregnant right now. I cant sleep, I sweat my freaking butt off, I waddle, my pelvis hurts, my tailbone hurts, my hips hurt. I know better and choose to be grateful about my little one, but really right now I need my damn sleep. My eyes have even begun to water because of how tired I am, but its hopeless to lay down because my brain is fully awake.
When I woke up 45 minutes ago, I laid in bed, changed positions put the pillow inbetween my legs and threw the sheet off of me. I grabbed my phone and tried to read a few articals to help me fall back asleep.....still nothing. I switched positions again and tried to fall asleep without the phone.....nothing. The more I laid in my bed the more I contiuned to sweat. I have a fan in my window that blows the air in and out of my room all day, and it usually has done the trick for me, but tonight my body had different plans.
I know if I want to make it to R&R without having this baby I need all the rest I can get, and thankfully I have been able to actually take naps, which I haven't been able to do my whole pregnancy. This is where a husband would really come in handy right now.
I cant get up and out of bed without tightening my stomach to get up, which obviouslly pushes the baby lower, which seems almost impossible to do now since I constantly feel like she's gonna just fall out. I really have felt in a way like a single mom. I cant really compare because I dont work, and I litterally do have a husband, but I feel like I get little glimpses of how hard it must be. Its super hard work to take care of yourself when your growing a 7+ pound baby in there and cant make someone get out of bed and grab you water in the middle of the night and have to do it on your own.
So right now, I am in the middle of trying to drink alot of water and seeing if it will cool down my body temp at all...from what everyone keeps saying is I am 10 degrees hotter then everyone else, which sucks in 90 degree weather. But I once again count my lucky stars I am not in Kansas with that AWFUL humidity. Sometimes its not so great to be Optimistic.

I have a doctors appointment this morning as well, 38 weeks and I havent been checked because my doctor doesnt want to stir up anything...he is really excited about Hubby coming home. But He told me he would check this week, which I am excited about...kinda. It would suck to know if I am progressing and he says thoses words "well I guess I'll see you in a few days" or sometimes I am sure its going to suck if he says "yepp nothing is happening see you next week" ahhh pregnancy end already! I'm ready to hold her.

end rant.

Firework...

This is a reason I will never ever..EVER light shooting into the air fireworks EVER again!! (you hear that hunny??)

This 4th of July, Utah has decided to make the fireworks that shoot into the air legal. Most people go to neighboring states such as Wyoming to buy their fireworks, but I guess law makers had a different view this year...and I mean who wouldnt..its not like we live in a desert or anything! (btw if you dont know...Utah is a desert)
So of course my Dad bought a few and we lit a few off on the 3rd for fun, and then we saved some for the 4th. Well the 4th of July was pretty chill around here. Had my Brother and his Wife and their kids up for a BBQ and some fireworks....

YEPP....this is the not so good part

So the fireworks are going great...just got one of the box sets from one of the firework stands and let the kids light those off and then my little brother pulls out a big on.......sure it all goes great the first few shots into the air...then all of a sudden one shoots into a neighboring tree, then a few more start shooting into our yard, then one shoots right into our neighbors bush, and it instantly catches on fire!

Ya you flippin heard me! FIRE!! well to our BIG suprise there are tree's right next to this bush that is just blazing! Our neighbors run and get their hoses, as well as my dad and try to spray the sucker down, while my mother is on the phone with 911 and my little sister is flipping out and I'm trying to calm her down. They finally get the blaze under control, while the neighbor who owned the bush had absolutly not one clue that his bush has just caught on fire...he is in his 90's.

After they get the blaze out and the fire department shows up and completly offers to let us light off the other 2 fireworks so they can watch and make sure it doesnt explode again...we all finally settle down and my dad decides to get rid of the other fireworks. Concidering Hubby has asked us not to have fireworks while he is here on R&R. I refused to become a victum of a crazed firework again and take my ass inside with my little sister. They light the fireworks and everything goes fine. No more fires. But I'll tell you this..........I am done with fireworks. That scared me way too much. Closest war experience I've ever had.

Happy 4th of July!

This 4th of July, while I still like a proud Army Wife. The ones who are on my mind are the soldiers who gave their lives on June 6, 2011 in my husbands batallion. I dont know that I will ever be able to spend another patriotic holiday again without thinking of them. Especially my friend Mike. I am so proud of you boys! I wish I had only known you better. You'll never leave my heart, and I can never thank you enough for your sacrafice for this country. Your hero's of mine!

It's July!!

July for me this year is not all about BBQ's, Fireworks and Camping. This July is the one I have been waiting for, for 8 long months! I've earned this. I deserve this...because I finally get to have my little family back together! 2 weeks or 1 one....but I'll take the two, I deserve this!!!

He deserves a much needed break.

She deserves to finally let daddy feel her movements in my belly.

and I deserve to have them both in my arms!!

July...you will be good to me!