Happy memorial day!

I absolutely love memorial day! It's filled with all things I love. A forced day off for most everyone, summertime, bbqs outside activities, and most importantly a day we can reflect on our freedom andcwhat a precious blessing we have at a great sacrifice of so many. Thank you isn't enough for the many who have sacrifice thier lives to keep us free. God bless America!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

My miserable birthday

I turned 29 on Monday. Max was 2 weeks old. For some reason , I am a crybaby 2 weeks after having birth! I think its all the hormones dropping or something! It usually only lasts a day, so I am normal and happy again now, it just happened to fall on my birthday! Poor Chauncey did such a great job TRYING to make my birthday great. He got me spa massage, facial, and herbal wrap, perfume, my blog books( which are fantastic by the way), among other things. They made me chocolate cupcakes and cards. Regardless, I was crying off and on all day! I just couldn't control it!
So, I didn't answer my phone to most callers to avoid embarrassment, sorry if you were one of them! I truly appreciated all of the missed calls, emails and gifts. The thing I love about My birthday this year, is that I needed the support maybe more than any other birthday. It really helped me that day, so thank you so much!














-thanks for the flowers too Chelle!

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

My haircut costs what?

I asked a friend in our ward for a hair dresser recommendation. It had been 7 months since my last haircut, and my hair was really really long and thick. I told her that cost wasn't an issue and that I wanted a great haircut.
She recommended a girl at Salon Blu. I went, got it cut, not sure what I think about it yet, but when I went to check out guess how much it was for just a haircut?!
75 Dollars! I didn't mind, I was just a little sticker shocked! I ddnt know haircuts cost that much in the real world!






- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Salon blu, raleigh

Max is 2 weeks old

He's doing great, except he has thrush. It's a yeast infection in his mouth which causes whte sores in his mouth... Poor little guy! It will be gone in the next day or two.





Here's Bella and Chauncey last nite before bed.





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

More Max, Day 13

He's already getting so much older and changing so much! All the kids just adore this little guy, even Bella just in the last few days has been coming to him and kissing his head.


-I'm not getting much sleep, he is a bit fussy and he eats all the time, but I am just in pure bliss with this little Angel!


For the first time ever..... I have a BROWN EYED baby! hooray!




Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Brother like brother

Little Chauncey, Jack, and Kate all got up at 4:30 am.....





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Home

To circumcise or not to circumcise?

I have really been struggling with this decision, or what felt more like a sentence, of the circumcision. Chauncey really gave me no room for choosing not to have it done. What keeps sticking out in my mind is that God made Max perfect, so why should he be mutilated down there? I just don't see any reason for it. But, the reality is is that the other boys in our family are, so he would be the "odd man out". I really wish I would have thought this decision through much more carefully the first boy around, because it would have turned out much differently for them.
So, it is what it is I suppose. My perfect little baby is going in this morning and getting painfully cut for no reason at all, except to fit in.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Donut face

Bella ate all the chocolate off the top of her donut.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Max is naughty and nice

Max has had several "naughty" nights since his birth 9 days ago. He sometimes doesn't eat great and won't go back to sleep around 3 am, consistently.


Then, the next day he is so nice. Sleeps great, eats great, and is such an angel when he's awake!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Home

The Pool opening day Hooray!

We wait for this day all year long. I didn't even realize it was today. We had Max's photo shoot this morning at the house and to get the childrens cooperation for a few pictures with thier brother I tempted them with a trip to "the K Store", aka circle k has station. On our way we noticed a lot of people at the pool so we stopped to check it out. To our suprise, it was opening day! Hooray!


Baby Max worked hard at growing while we swam with the kids.








- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

What could be better than this?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Baby Max 1 week update

Today marks Max's one week birthday. So sad. This past week has been pure bliss. Truly heaven on earth. My recovery has been a piece of cake. I truly now have a firm belief that birth should be done in water. You would logically think that #5 should be the hardest recovery getting older, more pregnancies etc etc. I had very minor cramping, my body feels and looks almost back to normal. Every part of the body is less stressed and much more relaxed and prepared to deliver a baby in water. And recovery proves it!


He is in my wrap here and below.

As for Max. The midwives came on day three to check him and I both. She said we were both perfect and he was already 1 ounce shy of his birth weight. That's faster weight gain than any of the others. I almost don't want to feed him as much so he doesn't grow so fast! I am just so in love.


He is eating and sleeping well, smiling a lot and making so many cute puppy noises in his sleep and he amells so great and his skin is the softest you've ever touched. He is an angel.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Maximus Wilde West

I realized I never posted official stats on our new little guy.


Maximus Wilde West



Born Thursday, May 6th at 2:00 am


6 pounds 7 ounces 19 inches.... Our biggest baby!(by 1 ounce!)-

We really love his first name. Chauncey is really wavering on the middle name. He doesn't want it to be a big topic of conversation in his life or something to be made fun of. I like it. Wilde is our family name, chaunceys moms maiden name... It's unique to have the combination.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Thank you Grama and Grandpa

Dear Grandma and Grandpa,
Thank you for my monkey. He is just my size, and soft and snuggly, just like me. Thank you for sending him to me on my birthday.
Love,
Max











- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

When is it my turn?

I didn't get Amy sleep this morning after his birth while Chauncey snoozed away....


Now we have been home for 2 hours and look who gets to sleep....again!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

He came at 2 am this morning!

Chauncey came home from working in Fayetteville at 9:15 last night. I had been having contractions all day and they were hurting by the time he got home, but nothing really serious. About 30 minutes after he got home things got serious. We started making phone calls to babysitters and midwives and we were out the door by 10:30.
Upon arriving to the birthing center we were greeted by Allison the midwife oncall. She took me in and checked me at 5 cm and started the tub. Within a few minutes I was in the tub, Allison dimmed the lights, aromatherapied the bath water, put on soothing classical music and gave me 2 different homeopathic therapies for fear. Yes, I was scared! I think the second one worked a little. I felt more like I could do it. That may have also been due to all the coaching I was doing in my head.
My contractions were the same always, every three minutes, lasting about 60 seconds each. This pace continued until the last contraction ehen i pushed him out!So by 12 o'clock midnight I was 7 cm starting
Transition. This part was really slow. I was desperately trying to coach myself thinking about what each contraction was accomplishing which really helped me not get scared which makes it all hurt worse. There were just so many and it was taking a long time for this part of labor!
It seemed to never end, lasting about 2 hours in total. Transition is a total mind game, and it definately puts your strength to the ultimate test!
I could feel that he was getting close to pushing, but that the cervix was still there. So for about 10 or so contractions I was actually pushing the cervix away while still trying to breath though the pain of the contraction. It was intense, but I felt so stuck and like I had to take control and do SOMETHING! This was the most laborious thing I have ever had to do in any of my labors!
Luckily it worked! I still took 4 more contractions to push him out. It took 2 whole contractions to get him to crown, one to push his head out and I couldn't get his shoulders out on the same contraction, so he was stuck. I was pushing so hard and I just couldn't do it! So as soon as the next contraction started hs came out. Here is the craziest part....
Both the nurse and Allison said they had never seen anything like it before. He came out with his bag of waters completely in tact, the cord wrapped around his neck atleast 3 times I believe, and, get this, the placenta hanging from him! It was one entire package! She said I must have been pushing so hard to make that happen! That's one easy ride for the little guy to get to stay in his little protection all the way through.
He is a miracle, and perfect!





Here he is 2 hours old, not even cleaned up yet! He didn't really have anything to clean up on him because he came through in his bag of waters!




Like father, like son! He makes the cutesy little puppy noises while he sleeps!(baby, not Chauncey!)- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Birthing center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Today is My Due Date!!

2 Weeks ago I had these pictures taken, at 38 weeks.

Hooray! I have never been able to say that while still pregnant! I am so pleased that I made it, what an accomplishment for me. The only baby that I carried past 37 weeks was Bella. I went into labor with her 4 days before her due date and was in labor for 2 and 1/2 days! She was 1 day early.

This time, I just happened to go into labor 4 days before my due date...again. But I tried with success to stop it this time, and it is working! Chauncey is working far away and won't be home until Wednesday night. So, if I can make it to then, then he will take off Thursday and Friday and my Mom will come on Sunday, mothers day. I am putting myself on "bedrest" until Wednesday so we will see how this all plays out!

I have thoroughly enjoyed these last few weeks with this little guy and Chauncey and I are finally ready and very excited to meet this special little person!

The two names we are considering are:

Christopher George West - Chauncey was named this name for the first little while after he was born until his parents were inspired to change his name to Chauncey Walker West

Asher Wilde West - Wilde is Chauncey's mothers maiden name, and Asher we both think sounds nice and goes with the name well.

It may not be either one, who knows!