Cole's FIrst Month

In his first month of life, Cole has nearly doubled his birth weight.  He was born at 5 pounds 12 ounces and 5 weeks later he weighed 9 pounds 6 ounces.  Since I don't have much time to write, here are some pictures from his first month.

Just a little bean in his big crib

First Family Vacation

3 Generations, Dad and Grandpa Beecroft

Bath time before Cole's friend Staten's blessing

BYU

First Cast

 Cole with his cute Cousins

 Lovin' on our favorite boy

1 month old!

Going on a walk with DAD

 Memorial Day 2013

 First time to the pool.. just hanging out in the shade with Sadie

Cool dude in his first hat

 Cousin Nikki's wedding

Cousin Max's 4th Birthday party

Cole Daniel Beecroft

Where to start.. the last month has been surreal.. I was told by many friends that I may forget some of the little details of that day so.. this is what happened April 20,2013.

On April 19, 2013, Danny and I were at home watching the Hobbit with some of our friends.  At about 11:00 pm, I started having contractions (Towards the end of my pregnancy, I kept asking moms, "how will I know I am having contractions? What do they feel like?" They would just laugh at me and tell me I would definetely know.. well,they were right).  Our friends went home around midnight and the contractions continued.  Every 5-7 minutes, all night long.. Danny was a trooper.. He stayed up with me all night to breath with me and coached me through each contraction. 

The morning came and we were both EXHAUSTED. Niether of us got ANY sleep.  I wanted to go to the hospital but Danny reminded me that in our birthing class, they told us to labor at home for as long as I could and wait until my contractions were 3 minutes apart  before coming in.  Danny and I went to a couple furniture stores and tried to pass the time.. Even while we were in the stores,  I would have to sit/lie down on the furniture every 4-7 minutes to make it through my contractions.. At about 11:00 am, our friends (that we watched the movie with the night before) text us, they had just had THEIR baby! 3 weeks early.. It didn't seem fair, they had their baby early and with, what seemed to be, no problems!  What were the chances that their baby would come 3 weeks early and ours would come 2 days late, to be born the same day.. not likely.

Finally, my contractions were 3 minutes apart! At about 12:00 NOON on April 20, Danny FINALLY OK'd going to the hospital! YAHOO! I was close to death, I swear it :)

We arrived to St. Marks Hospital and my doctor checked me to see how far I was dialated.. (I had already gone past my due date by 2 days, PLUS I had labored through the night for about 12 hours, so I just KNEW I was dialated to at least an 8).  "Well, you are a ONE," she told me.  I could have just bawled. All that work  for NADA!  They told me to go walk for an hour and come back.  Danny and I then began wandering around the hospital.  Every 3-5 minutes we would stop and Danny would coach me through my breathing.

An hour later, I reported back to my room to see how far I was NOW dialated.. I HAD to be an 8!! NOPE.. "You are a TWO." Oh. MY. GOSH!! NOOO!

I plead with my doctor.. "Please don't send me home!"  She told me that since I had progressed they would let me stay! YAHOOOO!  Little did I know, my day was not even close to being over.. A couple hours passed and I was still progressing slowly.  My doctor then came in and broke my water.. At that point the contractions got stronger.. One of my nurses recommended that I didn't get the epidural until I REALLY needed it because it can slow down labor and there would be a possibility of a C-Section, which I didn't want.  At about 7 o'clock, I couldn't take the pain any longer.. I was bawling at that point and BEGGED Danny to get me an epidural.

The doctor came in to give me the epidural and even after being numbed, I could FEEL the tube going up my spine. PAIN!  After the epidural kicked in, I could still feel the contractions but this time, contractions were pressure instead of pain. HEAVEN! At 10pm My nurse checked me again.. I was still only at a 5. So around 10:45 pm Danny decided that he was going to get some food.  As he was walking out the door, my nurse decided to check me again... "You are a 10! Time to push!" It was surreal in 45 minutes I had progressed so much.. My doctor had gone home for the night because I was progressing so slowly.. She thought it would be the next day before the baby came.. They called the doctor and 15 minutes later, she was there and at 11:18 pm, we had a baby boy! 

He was perfect!  Born on April 20, 2013 at 5 pounds 12 ounces 18 inches long.. He was born on the same day as his 2 cousins (only 8 years later) and on the same day my sweet mother in law left this earth (only 12 years later)..  Making April 20th even that much more special to our family.  It was the most amazing experience. Such a miracle to watch.. Such a miracle to be a part of.. I feel so lucky.  2 days later, it was time to go home and we still had not named the babe.. Danny and I sat in our room for about an hour.. The nurse had come and gone several times to see if we were ready to leave.. & finally, we decided.. Cole Daniel Beecroft.

These pictures were taken at the hospital when Cole was 1 day old by his aunt Amy.

Other hospital pics..

First bath..

We absolutely ADORE this boy.

More Baby..

Well.. the last couple of months have been full of excitement, family, friends and sheer exhaustion!

I was reminded this month, once again, that I have the most AMAZING and supportive friends and family.  My darling sister-in-laws threw me a baby shower at the first of March. It was so nice to have such wonderful people there including Danny's cousins, aunts, sisters and some of my dear friends.

My sister in law is SUPER talented and made this invite for the shower.. Note:This is not a maternity picture.. it is actually one of our engagements and I have been digitally impregnated.. Like I said.. Talented lady :)

 

Unfortunately, I didn't get ANY pictures from that shower.. I wasn't thinking! Fortunately, some of my gal pals snapped a few, so that is what I shall post :)

Sidenote: I recently ran into a lady that I use to work with, when she saw me, she said, "Oh my gosh, are you pregnant?" Duh, I thought.. "Yep, I am!" I said.  "I can tell! You are so much fuller in the face!"  Ha! Not quite what I was expecting? But as I look at these pics.. She isn't kidding! I'm a chipmunk right now! Ha I'll take it :)

Moving on.. Then, my darling sister came into town and, bless her heart, she got right to work and put together a shower in Honeyville (with the help of my sweet mama.)  This shower included my side of the family and more wonderful friends.  & Brittnie made the most DARLING onesie invites! Who knew she was so creative!? Love them!

Once again, I am LAME and didn't get many pics but here are a couple..

Brittnie and my mom put in SO much time and work!  The food was AMAZING and the company was amazing.  They are great!  AND.. an added bonus was that I got to spend some quality time with my DARLING little nephew, Mason, or Dragon as I like to call him..

Oh I could just smother him in kisses ALL day!

We are officially 3.5 weeks away from our Due Date!  I can't believe it! I feel like I have been pregnant for AGES!  Last week, I had my weekly Dr. appointment and got a little scare!  Apparently I am measuring 3-4 weeks small (which is not a good thing).  My doctor thought the amniotic fluid was low and if that was the case, I would have to be put on bed rest.. If that didn't increase my fluids, they would have to get the baby out! At 37ish weeks, he is considered full term but we are not quite ready for this guy yet! We still have SO much to do!!

Anyway, after my appointment, my doctor sent me off to get another ultrasound.. Everything ended up being ok, Baby "B" is about 6 pounds (oh my) and looking good!  It was a little more difficult to get pics of him this time because he is so big and so SQUISHED but she got a pic of him with his tongue out.. Which I adore :)


Yep. He is scrumptious. & at 6 pounds with a little over 3 weeks to go.. I'm a little nervous! He might be huge! Ha.. This is my view these days..

(36.5 weeks)

Now.. what to do with the nursery..  Some cute ideas I found.. we shall see!

AND.. More exciting news.. We officially closed on our first house yesterday!! Let the fun begin!

L*O*V*E* Month

As Danny and I were driving in the car a couple weeks ago, he turned to me and said, "I am crazy about you, I think about you all day, everyday.  When I am in the car driving to my appointments, I think about you, when I have a moment to myself, I think about you. I love you."  It took me off guard, in such a sweet way! What a great way to start FEBRUARY!

Here are a couple of pics from February:

My sweet husband was so thoughtful and bought me my FIRST maternity threads!  Bless his heart, he went into Motherhood Maternity all alone and picked out some darling outfits.  He came home with some beautiful flowers and bought Baby B a "boob guy" onesie (it's the thought that counts:)

The picture of the belly was taken at 31 weeks!

 

10 Weeks to go!

YAHOOOO! 10 weeks until we get to meet this little guy! In some ways it feels like I have been pregnant FOREVER!  We have known we were pregnant from day 1, which was WONDERFUL but makes each week seem like an ETERNITY.. How pregnancy has been up until now..

First off, Note To self: The next time you are pregnant, remember, the morning sickness DOES END! At about 23 weeks, the nausea ended!  The sensitivity to smells ended! (Remember how even the smell of Danny's deodorant would send you to the bathroom vomiting?!) UGH!  Remember how the smell of roast might as well have been the smell of sewage? All gone! Remember how dead TIRED you were from the time you woke up until the time you went to bed? Well at week 23, that ended and you felt a new energy!  HOWEVER, you traded the nausea and exhaustion for.. dun dun dun.. HEARTBURN!  OH. MY. GOSH. I have never experienced heartburn before now.. For the last 7 weeks I have really learned to empathize with people who have it on a normal basis. It is rough!  The foods I love the most usually haunt me by sending acid into my esophagus and I pay for it the rest of the day. I have an economy size bottle of Tums in my purse and recently discovered Zantac which has really helped. 

Also, I have learned what people with constant back pain feel like.  It is difficult to sleep at night and difficult to get comfortable.  The other night, I switched beds 4 times. Poor Danny. & last but not least, CRAMPS. I am not sure if my belly is just stretching to epic proportions or what is going on in there but OUCH! The cramps!

Ok.. that was the warning and reminder to myself. Fair warning has been given :)  And I think it will help next time to remember when it ends.. and that it DOES end!

Next up, the AMAZING STUFF!! This part is easy :)  First, the joy that being pregnant has brought Danny and I is indescribable.  We could not be more excited and happy and blessed to have this little person join our family.  We feel like we are at a great place in our lives to start a family and our little guy has brought us even that much closer.

Second, being pregnant, although difficult, is AMAZING! I LOVE when I can feel him moving around.. I love watching my belly and seeing him move from one side to the other.. I love that I can feel when he gets the hiccups.  

I love that he can hear mine and Danny's voices and that he will recognize our voices when he gets here.

  

I LOVE his ultrasound pictures and how ADORABLE he is! Our last ultrasound was at 28 weeks and I can already see so much of his daddy!  He has Danny's nose and big lips and I am already so excited to hold him and kiss him. I have both of these pictures in my office and just look at him all day :)  He has grown and changed SO much in 10 weeks!  & it's hard to believe in just 10 more weeks, he will be here!