Our sweet little baby girl, Oaklie, was born happy and healthy last Friday. She was born the day before Dallas was supposed to leave for Boise for training, so her coming early was definately a tender mercy for us, because once they established that I was in labor, she was born three hours later, not exactly enough time to drive home from Boise! The labor and delivery was AMAZING, it couldn't have gone better. My epidural actually worked this time and it was fabulous--I dialated from a 6 to a 10 while I was taking a cat nap!
The previous evening, my mother-in-law talked me into taking castor oil (and I'm very glad she did). Turned out you only need to take 2 oz to induce labor, I took 8 oz (only swallowed about 6) while I was pregnant with Amaya and I'd already take 4 oz twice with Oaklie--and none of them actually put me into labor. So, I was skeptical that it actually would work this time, but I guess the fourth time's a charm. We went to Tyson and Meagan's that night and got home and went to bed about 1:00 a.m. At 2:30 a.m. I woke up having contractions, so Dallas and I ate toast, timed my contractions, and watched "Home Improvement" until 5:00 a.m., when we dropped Amaya off at Aunt Shacie's and headed to the hospital. 4 cm, only 1 more that I was on Monday, and after two hours, still no change. However, Dr. Leavitt, being the wonderful man he is, decided to keep me at the hospital until I showed some sort of change, and at 12:30 p.m. we had success so they broke my water and I got my epidural and shortly after that she was born. I was so grateful that Dallas had been able to be there--Dr. Leavitt let Dallas deliver Oaklie like he did Amaya and it was so special. It's pretty amazing that she was able to go directly from God's hands to his. When she was born I just cried and cried because I was so thankful she had come and was so healthy, and that Dallas had been able to be by my side for the whole thing!
At 6 pounds 12 ounces, she's quite a bit smaller than Amaya was! (Amaya was 7 lbs 9 oz). Holding Oaklie is like holding a little china doll, so small, so perfect, and so sweet!
Brand New
Proud Daddy
Tired Mommy
Dallas is a pro at giving baby baths, he actually taught me how to bathe Amaya when we got home from the hospital with her.
Doesn't he do great work?
Our First Family Picture
Amaya was really happy to see us, but not very happy when Dad wanted her to hold the baby. She had a rough couple of days, but she's really starting to warm up to Oaklie; this morning she helped me burp her and actually got a pretty good one out of her! Thankfully, I have two wonderful sisters that have been keeping Amaya happy and well taken care of while I'm recovering, and she's had lots of cousins to play with, but I'm looking forward to her coming home for good tonight (hopefully!), because I've missed my little redhead like crazy!
Dallas had to leave for Boise just a couple of hours after we checked out of the hospital, which was hard, but we were able to spend a little bit of time together as a family and take some pictures before he had to leave. He'll be home for a few days in September before he leaves for good (on to Camp Shelby, Mississippi, then Iraq), so we're really looking forward to having some time together as a little family then. Thankfully, my mom has been here to take awesome care of me while I recover, and I'm so glad to live close to her and to have such a great mom!
Oaklie is such a sweet little baby. She hardly ever cries, loves to cuddle, is a great sleeper, and miraculously, she's been a good nurser so far! I'm so grateful to be able to be the mom to another one of Heavenly Father's daughters and we're so happy and proud to be able to say that we are the parents of TWO happy, healthy little girls.
Welcome to the family Oaklie! We love you!
