Baby Crew Part Two

Oh how we love baby Crew! He is so perfect. Again, I am so grateful for my sister and all of these amazing shots of the first few moments of Crew's life. I wish I could remember all the details of the hours following his birth, but they were quite a blur. I do, however, remember how much love I had in my heart at that time. I felt like my heart might burst and that I could cry at any moment as I reflected on my most precious blessing. 

These shots were all taken during glamorous afterbirth so as much as I tried to attend to what was going on with Crew, my attention was being occupied elsewhere. Something worth remembering was that as Rob removed the placenta he lifted it above his head and announced, "home, sweet home!". We have a shot of it and David's face has "that is seriously disgusting" written all over it! Hah!

I watched from bed as Crew was checked and given his first bath. I just kept thinking  "I can't believe how cute he came out!". I know I'm bias, but he was such a beautiful newborn. No cone head. No bumps or bruises. He was so perfect. 

I absolutely love technology in that family could meet baby Crew via FaceTime soon after his birth. This little boy came out being loved by so many people!

Perhaps the most tangible love I witnessed that day was David's for his new little Crew. I'm trying not to get ahead of myself, but this first few days were so foretelling of the kind of dad David would be. He is  so attentive, loving, involved, intuitive...he is simply amazing. He was emotional during the delivery and couldn't wait to hold our little guy. He was able to do skin to skin right after me and as I watched my boys bond I think my heart grew two sizes. There is something so special about watching the man you love take on the responsibility of fatherhood. I have no words for the love I felt for him that day. It was such a sacred experience and I think I might have been given a tiny glimpse of what David and I are working so hard daily to someday obtain: a life together forever of this kind of eternal love. It was like Heavenly Father gave me a brief moment of clarity of what celestial glory might feel like and everything made sense for a moment. Every parental lecture. Every young woman's lesson. The law of chastity. My temple marriage. The wait was worth it and I felt so very blessed and validated for my choices.

(Don't mind my lovely double chin)

I still can't believe how alert Crew has been right from the very beginning. I have a strong feeling that he was super excited to come to this earth and experience all it has to offer. I need to remember this when he constantly has dirt under his nails from making mud pies, jumping off things that could result in broken bones, rolling down hills in his church clothes, etc.

My epidural took a while to subside in my left leg. In fact, I was a fall risk for over 24 hours because I actually collapsed in the bathroom as I tried to put pressure on it (luckily David was right there to catch me). They wheeled me down to postpartum and I felt like they needed to have balloons released, confetti, a parade with dancers, and a big banner that said "Congrats! You did it!". Instead they give you a giant water bottle. Oh well. At least I felt victorious and so in love! 

Birth Story: Crew David

Instead of blowing up everyone's social media feeds with my new adorable little family, I've decided to start blogging again (yes, again!). This will serve as a journal for me and anyone else that wishes to know the ins and outs of the Party at the Petersen's. There is definitely no better place to start than our sweet baby boy's birth story. Who doesn't love a good birth story? Again, this is primarily a record for me so enjoy all the juicy details!

As much as I tried to listen to moms that kept telling me not to believe the doctors when they said "You could go any day now", "Baby is stationed and ready to make his appearance", I just couldn't. I was convinced my due date was wrong my entire pregnancy and that I was going to deliver early. Hah, wrong. In fact, I continued to tell people I was one week further along than I really was throughout my pregnancy. So weird. I know. I worked up until my due date and even after, but I was in a constant limbo of misery where I hated staying home because the time went by so slowly and too tired and uncomfortable to do anything productive. So I was so excited to hear that my mom had decided to fly out Wednesday night (4 days overdue). David and I picked her up late that night and as we pulled away from the pickup curb at the airport, she shouted "Wait! Don't we know that lady?". My sister, Amber, had surprised me and left her 2 children for the first time ever! I obviously was ecstatic as I opened the door to our moving car in the middle lane to try to run to her (Yes, run at 10 months pregnant. I was that excited!). 

The next morning I had a doctors appointment at 9am. On the way there we brainstormed all the reasons they should induce me and I was fully prepared to cry, kick, and scream until I was admitted. However, none of that was necessary since my blood pressure was high. Woohoo! Rob (Doctor Aagard) told me to meet him at the hospital in a few hours and we headed back home. A quick note on my fabulous doctor/friend. We lived in the Aagard's basement apartment the first 3 years of our marriage. I provided speech therapy and performed nanny tasks in exchange for rent. Our two families became very close (I think David still has a pair of Rob's garments that got mixed up in the laundry, hah!). Anyways, we headed home to eat, grab the hospital bag, say goodbye to Axel, etc. I had text a list of the items that needed to be packed the day of weeks prior! Hooray for some measure of preparedness since I had only packed my bag a few days prior (it seemed like a daunting task).  

My mom made me so much food, and I kept thinking, "Could I live without this, if I developed some sort of food avoidance from hurling during labor?"

Axel had no idea what was happening, but was excited everyone was home!

We were so excited the day had finally come and couldn't wait to welcome this sweet boy into our family!

I arrived at the hospital around 11:30am and was set up with pitocin and had my water broken around noon. I am so grateful that my sister was able to document the whole day. 

I was 3cm dilated and 80 percent effaced for three weeks prior (remember the whole "He could come any day comments that we are never to believe again!"). I had been struggling with coming up with a birth "plan" and was all over the place between epidural, doula, natural, etc. I had no idea! I'd never done this and had no clue how my body would react to labor. I decided to just try to do my best to listen to my body. David and I had attended a birth class that was taught by a doula and I think I was really persuaded to go natural, but now looking back I think the class was taught with only that perspective in mind. Rob had told me that he recommended getting to 4cm before requesting an epidural as your risk of a c-section becomes comparable to going natural. Ah yes, that was the start of my plan. Get to 4, and reassess. I am so quantitatively so the thought of a number and research guiding me was really comforting. In true Ashley fashion, I decided to do some last minute studying of breathing techniques. I hadn't looked at the book after getting frustrated when David fell asleep talking me through a relaxation paragraph (he also thought Braxton Hicks was a new country singer).

I really want to remember how I handled labor pains for future births since it seemed like when I asked moms their strategy they couldn't really remember. My pain was totally self-regulated. I went inside myself breathing and counting. I didn't want anyone to talk to me and sometimes when people would talk to each other it would irritate me. If something was happening during a contraction that I didn't like I just gave them the finger. Not the middle finger. I pointed at them, which was their cue to assess what annoying thing they were doing and stop. Hah, kinda rude but it worked. When the pain started getting worse I asked for David's hand but he has a leg tic and he kept shaking the bed so we both decided it would be better if he cheered from a little bit of distance. 

I was getting through each contraction quite well as they upped the pitocin. I was at a 4+ when they came in to up it again around 3pm and the nurse said, "The duration and frequency of the contractions looks good, but we want the intensity slightly higher." From there everything increased and I couldn't mentally prepare for the next contraction since they were coming one after another with higher intensity. I labored like that for an hour until she came back in and turned the pitocin down since the contractions were now too close together. I remember my sister looking at me like I was crazy and saying "Ash, you can stop this pain at anytime! What are you doing?". I guess I was so skeptic of the subjective measuring of my dilation (I mean I have really chubby fingers) that I absolutely wanted to make sure I was well above a 4. The anesthesiologist just happened to be right down the hall, and the thoughts of the lady next door previously screaming during her natural birth were resonating in my head, and the contractions were getting to me that I invited that saint of a man in at 4:30pm! As I got my epidural, I the thought of my friend Hydee came to mind and how her's didn't work. Luckily all was well with mine! I just kept wondering, why would anyone do this natural? This is amazing and was totally present and could even get some rest!

I was checked at 6pm and was a 6. I mentioned to my mom that I thought my nurse put my catheter in wrong because I was feeling major pressure. Welp, they checked me at 7pm and I was complete, thus the pressure. I couldn't believe it. I was definitely expecting a long 20 plus hour labor so I was freaked out a little bit that it was time. I also realized I had no idea how to push, how did I forget to study up on that part. My family laughed and reassured me the nurse would go over it. This is kind of embarrassing, but as we waited for Rob to come I decided to reapply my make up for pictures using the vaginal mirror. Hah! My sister brushed my rats nest out and I was ready to go!

Rob arrived around 7:30pm and discussed how he was going to check me and he would let the contractions help push the baby down while he went and delivered his scheduled c-section. When he checked me, little guy's head was right there ready to make his appearance. So I hurried up and finished the darn paperwork, while he prepped.

We called Stacy, David's brother, to come to watch the birth and she made it just in time. With the team assembled we started! David and my mom both started crying during the first push, which made me start crying, losing my breath. We regrouped and got back at it! Pushing was tough work, but I actually really liked it. There was something so athletic, but spiritual about it at the same time. I had an awesome epidural and could definitely feel when I needed to push. After, 15-20 minutes of pushing I was blessed with the most precious gift, Crew David. Our beautiful baby boy weighed in at 8 pounds 7 ounces, 19.5 inches long and was born at 8:02pm.  

We are so completely in love with Crew and couldn't imagine life without him. I am so grateful for the amazing support of my husband, mother, sister, and sister-in-law as we witnessed this miracle together. He is so perfect. My heart is full. This is true love.

I will do a follow up post with all the details following this point.  

  

Lovin' Life

Here it goes again! I'm recommitting to be a better blogger. I used to always tease David about how selfish of a facebooker he was since he would just get on, read everyone else's posts, and never contribute to the facebook world. Well I feel like a hypocrite considering I love to read everyone else's blogs and never post myself. So here's an update...

Ashley:

I just started my second year of graduate school at the University of Utah in Speech Pathology. I absolutely LOVE the program and the career I have chosen. When I'm not studying, I'm usually working with Ms. Jess, who just started 8th grade!

David:

David just started another semester of school at Utah Valley University. He is really enjoying all of his Construction Management classes and is doing really well. David is still working for Magleby Construction and is loving it! We both feel really blessed to have jobs that we enjoy and are applicable to our future careers. David just finished up the Riverside Country Club, a project that he was on for nearly a year. It turned out beautiful and if you're ever in Orem make sure to go check it out!

So hopefully this is my last "update blog" and I can start documenting our lives more frequently!

Let's see if I can keep this blogging thing up to date :)

There is so much going on in our life right now and I think it is such a shame that I am not documenting any of it! David and I have both been super busy with school and work but we are hanging in there. I just finished my first year of the speech pathology program at the U and David is working his tail off in UVU's construction management program. Even though it feels like a lot sometimes we absolutely LOVE the fields we have chosen to pursue.

So my goal is to update our blog at least twice a month. Lets see if I can keep it up :)

I'm back....

Wow!!! It's been a long time since I've looked at my blog and a lot has changed! I wish I could say that I'll pick up where I left off but that would be impossible. So I'll give you a quick update...

I married the man of my dreams in the Sacramento Temple on October 17, 2009. We currently live in Highland, Utah and are happy to say that our California grown booties survived the winter. I graduated from BYU April 2010 in Audiology and Speech Pathology. I will continue my schooling in the Fall at University of Utah's Speech Pathology Masters program. David is transferring to Utah Vally University and will start their Construction Management program in a few weeks.

We both LOVE our jobs. I work with Jessie who is 11 years old and suffers from Angelman Syndrom, a neuro-genetic disorder characterized by intellectual, developmental, and speech delay. I have been spat at over and over, hit numerous times in large public settings, and then hugged all in a minute's time. Despite all that, my heart is entirely wrapped around this little girl! My work with Jess and her four younger siblings (nanny work) pays for our rent in the family's basement and then some. It's a great situation and we are so blessed.
David enjoys working for Magelby's Construction full time. What a blessing it is to have a husband that absolutely loves his job. He works for the remodel division, which only works on high-end homes so he always has a story to tell about these humongous homes. He has a passion for this stuff! After working an 8 hour plus day he comes home, pops off his boots, and watches remodel shows. haha! I love him!

That the meat and potatoes of what keeps our lives busy at the moment. I'm excited to talk about the more detailed aspect of our lives in upcoming posts.

My Mr. Right!!!

David Leon Petersen Junior is his name. haha!!! He is the man that makes me whole. The one who makes me want to keep working everyday to be my best person. The one who brings a smile to my face as a go to sleep and again when I wake up. I guess you can say I love him a lotta bit!
I never quite understood how people said that you should find your husband the most attractive person in the world. I mean I've seen a lot of husbands and there are some I wouldn't compare to Brad Pitt (ya know what I'm sayin). But now I totally get it!! Not only do I think David is such a hottie, I've realized it's not all about the physical appearance. I know that no matter how "good looking" another man may be they are not going to be as amazing as my David. I know him personally and I know that there is no other man in this whole world that is like him. He is special and I am so blessed that he chose me.

A little somethin somethin about ME!

So I've always been a little nervous about getting a blog because most of my extra time is already consumed by facebook and adding another addicting past time seemed detrimental to my grades. However, so many things have happened in my life these last few months that I would love to share with my friends and family through a blog.

I am 21 years old and attend Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah which is way too cold for my California upbringing! I am majoring in Communication Disorders and will graduate in April 2010 (woowhoo!!!). After graduating I am planning on getting my masters and going on to become a speech pathologist working with stoke patients in hospitals. I love to learn, which is a great blessing as a full time student. I'm definitely not one of those people that can hear a concept once and have it permanently ingrained in my brain. I have to work...HARD!

I love life and the journey it has to offer. Most of the time I'm laughing or smiling. I've learned that life is more enjoyable when I don't take things too seriously and notice the little quirks about people and the world around.