Baby Blessing

Its 6:30 in the morning, my alarm is about to go off to get ready for work and I cant help but think about the many blessings my life has.

This weekend was a busy one. We went to Idaho Falls to take family pics then home for the blessing of my sweet 2 month babe. Brad blessed him and did a great job. We were planning on doing a lunch afterward in our back yard but the weather didn’t cooperate so we cleaned out the basement family room and put tables and chairs down there and tables and chairs in the garage. We had a good turn out with about people, all of whom were family. I cant help but feel blessed with a wonderful family and in-law family. I love them all very much and try to show it, and yesterday I felt an immense amount of support and love from them. It was great to have everyone come and enjoy each other’s company and support us and our Blake bear.

I love my Blake with all my heart. Sometimes I cannot believe I could love someone this much. I am so great full he is apart of our family and we can be with him for eternity. I am so grateful for the Church and the blessings it provides. Knowing that I am not perfect and that that is okay is comforting. My heart if full of gratitude and love. I love my family, my husband, my baby and the Savior. I wonder how my heart can have so much room for the love I feel.  I am grateful for my Savior and for the love, and especially strength he provides me. I have really turned to him these last few months since we welcomed Blake into our home and the help and blessings we have received are great.

Blake in his blessing outfit. It is the same one that Brad wore when he was blessed, all except the tie. We had Brad and Blakes wear matching ties.

This picture is of Brad when he was blessed in the same outfit.

This picture is of grandma McClanahan and all her great grand babies (but Damion)

                               
Picture of maybe a third of the people who were here. This is just the Meyer side and we are missing some... we should have gotten one with the whole group.

Blakes story

We were scheduled to be induced on Monday July 22, 2013 at 7 am. Brad and I stayed the night in Idaho Falls and got up early to get ready for the big day. We went to McDonalds prior to going into the hospital for a little breakfast.

When we got to the hospital the nurse hooked me up to an IV and prepared to give me pitocine (pit), a drug to help bring on the labor, and we filled out some paperwork. At 9 am I was given the first dose of the pit. Within a few hours I started to feel the contractions, but they were minor. They kept checking me, and I was just not progressing the way that they would like.

Finally at 3 pm they decided to review my options because my body had regressed by half a centimeter. The options they had given me was to go home and wait for him to come naturally, or schedule a c-section. Neither of these options were ideal because if we went home there was a good chance that Brad would miss the birth because of work. And I did not want to have surgery to have my baby. I told them this and they suggested a pill that would help to soften my cervix and will sometimes jump start labor. I opted for this one. It was a 3 dosage pill, however after the first dose, I was already having contractions stronger than before. So they didn’t give me the other two doses in.

By 1030 pm my water broke. It felt like two pops, during a contraction. I felt like I peed myself, I called the nurse and because I was taking so long to go into labor they took the pads from under me and had to clean up the bed. At this point we were very excited because it showed progress and at this point no matter what we were going to have baby Blake here soon.

1 am, my contractions were very strong. I was surprised at how much it hurt and started to get a emotional. We called the nurse in and she said I was only dilated to a 3 which wasn’t far enough to give the epidural. Prior to birth I though I was strong and had a high tolerance for pain, boy was I wrong. They gave me a drug to help take the edge off until I progressed further or the anesthesiologist came in. By 2 am the anesthesiologist arrived and administered the epidural. Within minutes the pain was starting to dull.

At this point I was able to get a little sleep, as I had been awake since 530 in the morning. Brad, Liz and I slept to about 6. We called our nurse Laura, in and she didn’t want to wake me because I would need my strength for what was to come. So I hadn’t progressed any since the epidural was administered. She started the pit again. At 7 they checked me and I was at a 4 and expected it to take a while longer. Liz had to work, so she took off and Anna came in to cover for her until she could come back at 1. At 8am I was checked again and I was at an 8!! It wouldn’t be long now. But I was starting to get a headache and my blood pressure was starting to rise. They continued to check me and do what they could to lower my blood pressure, however at 10am I was ready to go and measuring at a 10. I was so numb that I couldn’t feel anything or in pain. She called Dr. Leavitt to see what he recommended and he wanted to bring my blood pressure down a bit more before I pushed especially if I wasn’t in pain. By noon it hadn’t gone down and they opted to deliver the baby.

Noon Liz got back. Anna had called her and she was running to make it in time for the delivery. At 12:15 I started to push. After just a few pushes and about a half an hour at 12:44pm on July 23, 2012 our beautiful baby Blake came into the world weighing 7lb 10oz and 20 ½ inches long. He was perfect! The first time I got to hold him was amazing and Brad started to tear up. We couldn’t believe he was here, and so grateful he was healthy.

We stayed in the hospital for 2 more days for observation. Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center was awesome. The nurses and Doctors were very knowledgeable and helpful, teaching us what we needed to know to care for our sweet baby. We left feeling prepared to care for Blake and ready for the change having a baby in our home would bring. 

                                                   This is our nurse Laura

                                                              Going home!!

Baby Blake

Thanksgiving 2012 Brad and I were at Anna's house, for some reason I had been extra tired and had to keep taking naps just to function. On November 28, 2012 I took a pregnancy test and to our excitement we were pregnant and our first bundle of joy was due July 23, 2013. We were so excited and couldnt wait until he came. 

I had a few complications throughout the pregnancy with high blood pressure, a hypo thyroid, and I had to continue to take my medication to help ovulate. We had been seeing a fertility specialist who put me on Metformin to help conceive, and once I conceive its used to help prevent miscarriage. It would all be worth it though.  February 11, 2013 I felt him kick, what an incredible feeling to be able to feel my sweet baby kick and move in my belly.  On March 11, 2013 we had our first ultra sound and learned we would be having a little boy!! This is an ultra sound picture of baby Blake.

Baby bump

I wasnt really into taking monthly pictures of baby bump until I really started to show. Looking back, I am glad I did.

                                                                     May 23, 2013

                                                                       June 23, 2013

                                           
                                                                     July 22, 2013

On the move

We found out we were expecting our sweet baby Blake in October 2012. Since we got married and made plans for our future we had the goal of buying our new home before we had a baby. We wanted to have somewhere stable for our family to go to, and the space for our children to run and play. We had been saving and paying off bills to be able to reach that goal when in October we did everything we could to make that goal possible.

We looked at maybe 15 or 20 houses and fell in love with our house. We made an offer and after quite a bit of negotiating we (us and the seller) came to an agreement. It was ours!! All we had to do was move in!! June 8th we planned for everyone to come and help us, after all I was 9 months prego. I very much appriciated everyone in my family who came to help.

It was bitter sweet moving from our apartment on 8th. We had lived there for 2 1/2 years and was our first home together. I will always have fond memories of living there. This picture was taken on June 9th the day after we moved and had to have it cleaned up by the end of the day. I was exhausted.

Our little home was perfect for us, but I think we grossly underestimated the amount of work we would have to put into owing a home. Even just the basic stuff you know cleaning carpets, laying carpet, painting, repairing walls and just unpacking. Liz stayed almost the whole weekend to help unpack and paint.

This picture is of  our first night in our new home, on an air mattress.... we were sleeping in the pink room (the colors were hideous when we moved in... we should have taken pics)

 In the days and weeks to come we still continue to do home improvements. Here are some pics of our work.

Our new home!

Our little family

I have decided to give this blog thing a try. My hopes in doing it is to capture my awesome families memories and share it with those I love.

 I grew up in Idaho Falls, ID. I have four older sisters, brother-in-law, sister-in-law-, and 3 nephews and 2 nieces. My family means the world to me. We have endured the hard times and had many, many good times together.

 Brad grew up in Rockland, ID. He has 7 sibling, 3 sister-in-laws two nephews and 5 nieces. Their family is an amazing loving family. I am so blessed to to be apart of his family and I love them very much!

 Brad and I got married on August 19, 2010 for time and all eternity in the Idaho Falls LDS temple. On Saturday February 20, 2010 I went to a singles ward activity. It was a sledding activity at Bishop Godfreys cabin in Lava. To get to the cabin we had to snowmobile in. Bishop had 2 snowmobiles, he drove one and this cute boy, Brad drove the other. I timed it so every time I went had to ride I got to ride with him. I talked to him a little but not much. My friend Shiree and Stephanie wanted to go night skiing at Pebble so we decided to invite this boy. He snowboarded a little and Stephanie and Shiree skied so Brad and I had to ride the lift together since we were both boarders. Darn :) From there Brad and I exchanged numbers and started to date.

This is our first picture taken of the two of us.

At the DNCFR rodeo

April 21, 2010 Brad proposed. We went to a romantic dinner. We came back to my house and played video games. It was my turn on Need for Speed and he popped the ring out and proposed. The best decision I made was saying yes. He is such a kind hearted, loving, funny, caring man. I love him so much and have enjoyed the time we have spend together so far and look forward to the rest of eternity with him. I love you babe!