50% Chance of Showers

Lots of things about pregnancy were not awesome... the ankles, the snoring, the peeing and the lack of wardrobe to name a few. But one thing that is great about pregnancy?! All of the baby showers! I actually had 3 baby showers, but for some reason I only have pictures from 2 of them on this computer. My first shower was thrown by my friends from nursing school. They are so much fun and it was great to get together outside of school!

The bunch

Guess the baby food...

My second shower was thrown by my mother in law over Thanksgiving weekend. It was so

much fun and we got lots of great gifts for the baby. Unfortunately, I am missing pics from this event. (Just imagine me getting larger by the second eating cinnamon rolls, smiling and opening fantastic gifts from friends and family)

My last shower was supposed to be held on Dec. 27, unfortunately we were still in the hospital with Hudson so we had it last week instead. My sister Cortney and her friend Bree did a great job throwing it together quickly and my Mom was sweet enough to let us have it at her house.

Looks like we are going to need a little time before these pants fit...

Little Lili is a great babysitter...

Thanks to everyone who came to my showers! They were so much fun and we really appreciated all of the things we got for Hudson! He looks fantastic in your outfits, loves to pee in your diapers, smells fantastic from your lotion, and sleeps like a bug in a rug in your blankets. We ♥ you!

Newborns ♥

Let me apologize in advance for the Hudson overload. I know all of my posts are getting repetitive but our house is "all things Hudson". I should have titled this post "drama queen", because although I have the sweetest baby on the planet (no, really). He has already learned how to work the system. Manipulate if you will.... I say these not so nice things about this little darling because he refuses to lie alone at nights. If we put him in his bassinet there is a fit to rival all fits. He kicks and screams and squeals until he is lifted out and placed next to Landon or I. That fit? It ends instantaneously. I guess I shouldn't be surprised so much at my child's flare for the dramatics, have you met Landon lately? Haha...

Cuddles

So we circumcised the little man today. (Can I say that online?) I guess so.... He was so brave, he hardly cried. I literally shed more tears than he did. Point of this? In the 7 days since we brought this little superhero home I have changed. The thought of Hudson feeling any sort of sadness or pain is unbearable to me. I feel softer and and so full of love you could pop me with a pin. I could (and do) stare at him for hours. Landon and I literally say to each other, "Look! He moved!" Who knew the cliche' statement, "You won't understand until you have one of your own." is legit?! This baby is magic. He turned my entire world upside down.... amazing.

Hudson Colby

Our sweet little baby Hudson came to us last week on December 22 at 12:31 in the afternoon. It was a big surprise since he was not expected until the end of January and we had some very scary few days leading up to his birth. We had a prenatal appointment On Thursday the 16th to check everything before we went home to Idaho for Christmas and it was discovered that my blood pressure had risen 50 points. I was not very concerned about it since I had not been feeling any symptoms, but the midwife wanted me to do a 24 hour urine test just to check my kidney status and make sure everything was okay. She told us that Pre-eclampsia is diagnosed when there is 300 mg of protein in the urine so we would need to watch for our lab results and call back in. We waited anxiously for the results and were shocked when they came back at 959! I called the midwife on call to ask her if we could still go home for the holidays and she gave me a very emphatic 'No'. We were told that we would be on bed rest to keep Hudson in as long as possible and would need to go in for a non-stress test to check the baby's heart rate on Monday. Hudson passed that test within 5 minutes but when we were on our way out the door the nurse requested that I take another urine test. My protein was at 3,000. I still was not concerned but the neonatologist ordered that we go down to labor and delivery for more tests. Once we were there my blood pressure continued to rise and the urine tests were coming back abnormal. It became clear pretty quickly that they would not be letting us go home. We were shocked and scared. We had no bag, no supplies, no baby stuff... just our clothes and a purse.

My midwife "Angel"

They quickly started me on a drug called Magnesium Sulphate to keep me from seizing and stabilize my blood pressure. They gave me 2 doses of steroids to boost Hudson's lung development and the haze set in. "The mag" gave me double vision and made me VERY groggy. I had a hard time staying awake or maintaining normal conversation. Once I had been on that and the steroids for 24 hours they started me on Pitocin. My contractions began coming fast and strong. I was dilated to a 3 at 11:00 in the morning and called the nurse around 12:00 to let her know that I was feeling ALOT of pain. She checked me and declared me COMPLETE!

Yes, those really are my feet. They were HUGE!

Landon and I were very shocked and confused and I was feeling very scared. My midwife got word that we were to be taken to an operating room to deliver so that NICU could immediately begin monitoring the baby. I was afraid that I was going to have my baby in the hallway!

Hudson was born a short 20 minutes later and was taken away immediately. My parents and Landon's parents were allowed to see him but I was still recovering and was not able to see the baby for a few hours. When I was allowed to see him the Magnesium was making me very loopy and dizzy and I only saw him from a distance for a short while. Landon and I were able to hold the baby the next day and have been attached to his bedside ever since. ♥

We are currently still in the NICU working on breathing and eating issues, but hope to be home soon. This has been the most challenging and yet most spectacular event of my life. I had planned a VERY different birth experience for Hudson and I but I am so grateful for modern medicine and my healthy baby boy. I have felt emotions in the last week that I did not know I was capable of and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life loving this baby.

World's smallest Jazz fan

G & Gs (Neither set have been allowed to touch him yet :( )

Thanks so much for all the love and support. Landon and I have been overwhelmed by the phone calls, text messages and prayers sent our way. This will definitely be a Christmas that our little family will NEVER forget!

Snow Day!

I must admit, I thought my "snow day" days were over.... but this weekend Landon and I came to Idaho to visit and lo and behold, so did a GIANT storm! We missed school on Monday and are still not able to get out of my parent's house! Cortney and Neil and all of their kids were stuck here as well, it was a regular party!

Cuddled in Grandma's bed...

Max helped me make cinnamon rolls

The kids played games on the computer

This is right in front of the garage

And this is the view from the deck! It has been fun to be stuck here all together. We have played lots of games of Spade, watched lots of Christmas movies and enjoyed LOTS of good food! Now let's see if we can get out of here and make it to our Panguitch Thanksgiving!

All Good News

I really am disgusted that I have not updated this blog in so long. I used to love blogging. Every activity we ever did was quickly followed by a passing "blog post" thought.... Boy, those days have passed. In a quick update, things are going so fantastically well for Landon and I that I sometimes feel like I should pinch myself. This little baby growing inside of me is getting bigger everyday. He is constantly moving and kicking and I feel like I am getting to know him through his patterns. He is very active every evening around 5 and then again at about 11. The poor thing always gets the hiccups when I eat mexican food and he is very still if I lay on my side. These pictures are almost 12 weeks old now (can you believe that?!) but I realized that I never posted Hudson's first portraits.... (his name is Hudson by the way, Hudson Colby)

Leg and foot

Yippee! No question there

This is a 3D image of his little face. The big squishy business on the right side of his head is my placenta, the ultrasound tech said he was snuggling up to it.... which is weird in theory, but if it makes him comfortable I am good with it! I love this one because it looks like he is smiling :)

Landon and I have both been attending school full time and this semester has been by far my busiest. I am attending clinicals for maternity, pediatrics and community as well as taking in class lectures on Thursday and Fridays. Let's just say I will not be sad when this is over. I must admit, however, that I have gotten used to the chaos of it all and really can't imagine my life without all of the assignments, clinicals, papers, lectures and exams. I guess they will be quickly replaced by feedings, crying, changing and baths, right?

I really do hate "my husband and I have the best relationship" blog posts.... but Landon has been so cute and supportive of me throughout this process. The other night he was laying on the floor for an hour doing something that he obviously did not want me to see. When he was finally finished he had written me a poem and planned a date in which I drew names of restaurants and activities from a hat. We then had to go to that place for an appetizer, dinner, dessert and activity. Does that make sense? (We did cheat a little, we switched the appetizer and the dessert). It was a blast and it means so much that he is still making an effort to make me feel special. Even if I am the size of a small 10 wheeler.

Overall, my absence for the last month has been filled with crazy chaos and moments of silent gratitude. I am in constant awe that my body knows how to make this child, I am overwhelmed with the responsibility of it, and I am excited for the opportunity. I hope to be much better during the holidays and in the coming weeks. Countdown to baby (and graduation!) continues....

October love

I love fall. No, really. For those who know me.... I much prefer the cold to the heat. So the chill in the air and the changing of the leaves is a yearly favorite of mine. Today after clinicals Landon and I decided to take a drive up Little Cottonwood Canyon and look at all of the trees. It was beautiful! Afterwards we went to Despicable Me, if you haven't seen it... you should. We thought it was pretty charming.

Yes, I know... my face is swollen and my nose is widening. Isn't it awesome? You should see my sausage fingers... This kid better be fantastic, that's all I have to say.

And just for a glimpse into my right now.... This is making me very nervous. Landon is taking apart my MacBook (apparently he is a computer genius/repair guy). Don't mind his nakedness, he is fresh post- shower... Let's all hope he remembers where all of those pieces go. If not, anyone have an open couch you would be willing to share?