Dexter William Clark

Dex

4~18~12 10:33 pm

7 lbs 14 oz

21 in Long

I am finally ready to come out of baby heaven to share my boy with the world.

One week ago today I was miserably hoping I would go into labor, green with envy that Brooke already had her sweet baby, and incredibly stressed out at what might actually happen if I DID go into labor.

My Dr lied and refused to induce me at 39 weeks and wouldn't strip my membranes till I was officially 39 weeks (38+6 wasn't good enough for him) I literally almost cried on the exam table at my last 3 appointments. But finally on the 17th he stripped my membranes and schedule an induction for me on the 23 (40+1).

I had contractions almost all that night but nothing consistent or painful but when I woke up the next morning I just had that feeling that I was going to have my baby that day. I even text that to Nate who just laughs at all my wrong womanly intuitions. I was going to capitalize on every possibility of going into labor. Dr said if stripping my membranes was going to work, I'd know by Thursday. So by 3:00 pm with no contractions and feeling pretty good I decided to make myself the famous Williams sisters castor oil cocktail. Nothing. Then at 5pm started getting contractions about every 5 min. They were not painful and that was the problem. Was this labor? I kept waiting... one hour... two hours... another half hour... I called my sister-in-law and told her I might be in labor and asked her if it was possible for her to be with Brig. She was and wanted to come over immediately. I sheepishly agreed, the whole while Nate kept looking at me going "if your in labor don't you think it would hurt". Which I agreed. By 8 when they still hadn't gone away and they were getting a little more painful I decided we could go to the hospital and I would bear the walk of shame if I must. We finished packing our hospital bags then headed out. 

We pulled into the hospital parking lot at 8:45.

Got into labor and delivery and settled about 9:10.

Nurse checked me about 9:30 4 cm 60% effaced. she said "they'll probably keep me"

9:55 My water breaks. 5 cm 80% effaced. phew still safe.

then the worst news anyone can hear: 

"the anesthesiologist on-call is on his way"

"How long does he take to get here?" "Usually within 10 min"

10:20 anesthesiologist arrives and starts the slowest epidural you've ever seen

I sat through 6 horrendous contractions while he meticulously laid out his instruments and prepped me.

Then on that last contraction we entered transitional labor and my body just started trying to push with me sitting up trying to get an epidural. Oh and with the epidural still going to take about 5 min to start working.

I laid back down the nurse checked me and I went from an 8-10  in one contraction (she claims it was the fastest she's seen)

My Dr? not there. The Dr on call? oh not there yet either.

The 20 something looking resident? yup. He delivered my babe.

10:33 pm Dexter arrived.

 I can not believe how awful the whole thing was, how out of control of my own body I was, and how instantly it all just ended.

Immediate relief and immediate love for that boy!

I am not a tough woman. I have the lowest pain tolerance. I have no problem admitting that.

I NEVER thought I would pretty much do a natural delivery. (the epidural did help with the stitching up of things)

I don't think Nate was able to watch anything going on when baby came out cause he was so worried about me. Really... the sounds coming out of my mouth? never heard them in my life. So ugly and I had noo control over them.

Oh but it was so wonderful at the same time. The hospital was slow that night, we got our coveted private room, and most importantly a perfectly healthy in every way baby boy.

And this? 

 Brig loves baby brother!

He just calls at him "BEEE"

MY boys :)

And can I say how much I love this baby?

I would have newborns the rest of my life.

But getting them here is SO stinking hard.

This pregnancy was really hard for me. It is so much work to get a baby here.

But then you get them here and it is heaven.

He is so good. Got 9's on all his Apgar's, nurses like a champ every four hours and at night will go 5-6! Loves to sleep right next to momma, hardly cries, and just gets cuter by the moment.

We went to the dr today for goopy eyes and he'd already made his birthweight. Apparently, he's doing a lot of growing while he's sleeping.

My mom keyed it tonight,"He wanted to be bigger but there was no room,"

So he's now making up for it :)

I am just enjoying every second of this incredible newborn and trying to let the bliss wash away the last 9 months. So if I don't call/text/respond in anyway in the next few weeks. Please forgive me, I am in heaven and ignoring normal life.

oh and the lesson that should be learned here?

labor doesn't hurt until the end.

GO TO THE HOSPITAL!

train party

Oh what a headache this all was... but I am going to document.

We pushed Brig's party back a week cause his parents were sick, only to have the party fall at the end of a pretty good cold for Brig. It was pouring rain that day, but I knew if we changed the party again, it wasn't going to happen, and true to form, this party has been on my mind and 80% planned since January.

So fair warning to all the parents of Brig's cold, and a train party we had!

We did a morning party and really only invited Brig's toddler friends.

So we provided all Brig's favorite snacks for the toddlers:

strawberries, honey oh's, blueberries, yogurts, and cheeeese.

(I also fed the adults salad out of cute take-out containers. no picture)

We set up a coloring station, which no one touched.

Had party hats, which no one wore.

Had a bagillion mini cupcakes, which didn't get finished.

And trains and train toys all around.

It was an incredibly rough party for this little man.

He had woken up at about 5:00 am and fallen asleep on the couch next to daddy watching Toy Story at 9:00 am. He was then awoken by his first guest at 10:00 am and pretty much cried for the first 30 minutes of his party.

The main entertainment for the party was a cardboard train meant for "imaginative play" 

Darling husband stayed up late the night before making this ridiculous dream come true.

It was however, a hit :)

And I never got a real picture of it :(

After a dozen or so cupcakes, Brig's favorite nursery workers arrival, and a few gifts opened, he was a party guy.

My last two cents:

Hosting and photographing do NOT work together :( I did go to a bit of work and there were a lot of cute things going on during the party but I was who knows where and now we have no pictures....

We are chalking this one up as a great success though. He had about 8 of his toddler friends join us on this rainy morning and by 12:30 this momma checked off one of the most important boxes on the before baby arrives list.

Sure love that two year old, train loving boy of mine.

Birth- Day

Brig actually turned two on his birthday.

Which is March 22.

And Brig was actually supposed to have his birthday party on March 20th.

But his momma was so sick! 

And really... it is a sin to be sick and coughing and miserable with a sinus infection 35 weeks pregnant.

I am sooooooo grateful I am feeling just uncomfortable normal 39 weeks pregnant right now!

Anyway, I pulled out some of the party decor and the night before 'cause I knew we would have an early riser. And I am thankful I forced Nate the week before to do a little b-day shopping with me otherwise this boy probably wouldn't have had any gifts.

Bright and early our chipper boy awoke.

And he was beyond pleased with what he found.

PS ever since the two parents in this house got sick and Nate has been around more in the day time, I have become the lamest. Brig prefers Nate over everything lame pregnant mom.

This is Brig "oooooo"ing

And then a big "Wow"

He had funfetti pancakes

(which don't even compare with my zephyr pancakes)

Luckily, Brig has awesome grandparents who helped make his day very special.

Grammy sent him a card with some birthday money and a picture of her.

He wouldn't put it down and really thought it was the best part of the card.

Nannie gave Brig BUZZ when she was in town the week before 

(how do I NOT have pictures? oh, cause she doesn't come long enough!)

He is still a hit and is Brig's official bunk mate.

Usually arms are around the guy... 

and we just looooove hearing Buzz's lasers go off between 5:30-6:00 am :)

Then Brig woke from his nap and a package from Grammy had arrived!

It was a train out fit and he gave it the appropriate "wow" it deserved

I was still feeling like garbage but couldn't keep a healthy birthday boy inside all day..

So we went to McDonalds for lunch and then I decided we would go to Toys R'Us and Brig could pick out what he wanted from Grammy.

We spent a good 2 hours there... I let him roam and play with anything he wanted.

If he really liked it, I'd put it in the cart and we'd keep going.

He was in heaven and had some pretty good picks.

Then we played process of elimination and I was pissed.

He has been so into Toy Story it's coming out our gils and we already have small action figures.

But I'll be darned if I went through the process of elimination with him 5 x to the same "no" and final "okay"

And he happily walked out of the store with his pick.

New train set? no

Little People garage? no

Toy story garbage truck? no

Guys? okay

He happily played with them for the rest of the day.

We had mac'n cheese for dinner and a funfetti cake for the boy.

He seemed pleased.

TWO

My handsomest boy is two.

And this is a photo of Brig saying two and trying to hold up two fingers.

Oh the wonder at two years old.

It is such a fun age and I am so sorry Brig that I have just been an awful mother lately.

You are deviant and stubborn; lovable and cuddly; a concentrator and ignorer; a wanderer and explorer; a tv kid and phone thief; a bather and early riser.

And all these things make me love you so very much but also make your pregnant momma reach her limit.

This year March was a bummer at our house.

It rained almost all month, ALL three members of this household got terribly sick, and we really didn't do anything fun.

But we did remember your birthday and we did celebrate you!

You got this trike for your birthday and you love it.

At your Dr.'s appointment your stats came in as follows:

Height: 2'11 (71%)

Weight: 30 lbs (73%)

Head: 20.47 (99%)

So you've moved up in the height and weight ranks according to the growth chart.

You did good at your appointment, they had to weigh the dump truck you were carrying around along with you. You remembered from our appointment 6 months ago that you blow at the fishy mobile. I was impressed :)

You played cars very well with the dr. and he seemed pleased with all you other developments, even language .

You still love trains, cars, planes, and anything else of that nature.

You load them up then unload and line them up.

I love it.

You are an eater of fruit, meat, yogurt, cereal, cheese, and crackers.

A lover of soda and gatorade.

Actions figures are the new trains in our house.

The garbage man is the "MAN".

Would love to be outside constantly.

 A "I do it myself" kinda guy.

Eyes for only your daddy.

Must read reader of "The Polar Express" "The Night Before Christmas" and "Tuck Me In".

Already yelling "Nate" and "Paige" :(

Your favorite games are "hide & seek" and "down, set, hike"

Must have all things that resemble a "ball"

Still can spot an airplane miles away.

Redford and Lucy's tormentor.

AND

now your TWO

Your momma and daddy sure love you little man!

Brigs-isms

A few Brig-isms that are dear to my heart.

Item #1

Protein shakes.

Brig looooves them and his dad will share them with him.

yes, they still are disgusting. I can only down them when they're ice cold and at that I generally chug.

But for Brig? They're a chocolately delight.

So, one morning he found the box in the cupboard and then proceeded to make his own stash.

I love his train tent. 

It is so hilarious what he drags in there.

On this particular day protein shakes were the guest of honor.

Then he dragged them into the bedroom to play on the bed.

And then they had to come to the store with us.

Same outing HE found his own cart.

And was just too cute pushing it around :)

Item #2

The backpack.

Brig officially hauls his own crap.

Everywhere.

church, stores, parks, around the house.

you name it.

I tell him it's time to go and he rounds up his goods in his bag, carries it out to the car, puts it in the car, and if I'm lucky he forgets about it when we get out of the car.

But usually, it just comes right a long.

Item #3

spots

Oh, I had a morning of "I have to fold my sheets in their pillowcases" dang pinterest so my shelves got an overhaul.

But when I came back to the closet, Brig had helped himself to a spot on the shelves.

Other spots include behind my clothes in the closet, the window sill on dad's side of the bed, and behind the cushions on the couch.

He is cute.

Just thought I'd say :)

Valentine

Valentine's came and went this year. 

It was very heart shaped again with heart shaped cinnamon rolls for breakfast and a heart shaped pizza for dinner. Just low key.

We decided since we had gone to Disneyland the week before that we weren't going to do anything shmancy. So we didn't.

I scheduled my OB appointment for that morning cause a little heart beat is always a wonderful valentine, and Brig got ohh'd and ahh'd at the office.

This year we attempted making homemade valentines with homemade finger paint for only our truly beloved (grandparents)

I thought it was a very fun mom idea of me.

Brig hated the finger paint and it turned more into a tortuous affair of me placing his hands in slimy cornstarch paint and me holding his hands on the paper in the correct location.

They turned out pretty cute though.

Brig discovered his valentine from mom and dad bright and early.

round 6 am to be exact when he spotted it seated on his high chair.

He had a morning of bliss in a thomas tent after that.

But that made for a not very festive valentines having finished valentines by 8 am

So we were pleased when we checked the mail and Grammy and Nannie had both sent Briggy a little Valentine.

He was pleased as you can see :)

And then valentine's went.

A Book Shower

I hate showers in my honor/baby's honor.

So uncomfortable for me.

My nicest sweetest friend Amy has been telling me and telling me when I have my next baby she wanted to throw me a shower. 

I kinda just laughed and okay'ed her but when this little man was coming along she grew more insistent.

I tried to say "no, I really have almost everything from Brig" and that we could just go to lunch together or something. But she got me...

I host a book group each month and she just planned the perfect shower. 

She doubled up to have a shower for myself and my friend Jessica (due end of february), planned it to replace book group for the month (thursday night 8pm), and made it a book shower where guests were invited to bring their favorite childrens book to give.

all of the above making me a sucker.

Jessica, Amy, ME

Amy has a beautiful home and really throws the most beautiful parties

and as much as I hate having parties were I am part of the main focus

I really felt so loved to have so many friends there

And it felt so nice to have this little man celebrated.

People are still excited even after you already have one!

We got a good haul of childrens books and not ONE that we already had.

But that wasn't hard cause we only had about 10!

don't judge we visit the library regularly...

I even had some of my loved YW show up to support big ole' sis Clark

I'm sure mostly they came to take a most awkward picture together which is now on facebook of course.

Thank you Amy for being the nicest person and best example.

It was a beautitful shower.