Our First Milestone

Well we made it through our first week!  This little guy has absolutely captured our hearts!  He is absolutely precious and we can't help but just sit and stare and admire him.  What a gift God has given us.

It's hard to believe he's already One Week old.  We celebrated the occasion with a little photo shoot.  I want to remember all of these days and look back at all of the ways he has developed and grown over time.  It was nearly an impossible task to choose my favorites because I absolutely love them all!  So we hope you enjoy our little boy at least a smidge of what we do!

 He makes my heart so happy!

The Birth Story Part 2

I'm still in such awe of all that transpired over the course of a few days.  Giving birth is a thing of wonder and amazement.  

I know I'm the one who actually brought this kid into the world, but I must give a shout out to the awesome team of people who helped me through it.  I couldn't have done it without them!    

(As you can see from the clock...just over 30 minutes after Desmond was born)

It's funny...everyone kept warning me about how I might be feeling in the moment and to think about what I would want everyone around me to be doing.  But honestly there came a point where I couldn't think about my surroundings and all I knew was I just wanted Jordan close.  He's my best friend and I've been so blessed to be his wife and now start a family with him.  He was so encouraging and so supportive throughout the whole pregnancy and all of the way up to the end.  I love this man so much and I'm so glad he was there to experience all of this with me.
And then there's Kelly.  She's the first person I called when we found out the big news, so having her there in the end brought things around full circle.  She was a huge help throughout my pregnancy, always answering any questions I had.  And it was nice having someone there who had gone through the whole process in the same place just months before.  She helped to calm Jordan which helped to calm me and gave us both much relief through the whole situation.  So thank you Kelly!  We are forever grateful to you and were so blessed to share this moment with you!

This is just a small number of the people who were in the room during the delivery.  I think I was the only one there at the time, so everyone was available to be a part of my birth! HA!  Jordan said there were probably 11 people in there at one time.  But I was completely unaware of it all...mostly.  That's Dr. Rivera in the orange.  She made a few jokes which helped lighten the mood and helped me to focus and keep calm.  Everyone there did a wonderful job and were all cheering upon is arrival.  He didn't know he'd have such a party waiting for him.

After I had a chance to hold him and let our family bond together, they took him away for just a few minutes to get him all cleaned up and measured.  Dad looked on to make sure everything was ok.  

I loved getting to see Jordan hold him for the very first time.  It was such a special moment and one I will not soon forget.  He has such pride and love for this little boy.

I can't believe it's all over now.  Those days and moments felt so long and yet passed so quickly.  We ran on pure adrenaline and love for nearly 3 days straight.  We are all doing well and trying to adjust to our new normal and life could not be better.  Thanks for following the journey all along the way!  And you can be sure, there will be so much more to document and share as Desmond makes his way in this world!

The Birth Story Part 1

I don't even know where to begin in describing the events of the past few days...   

All of the waiting, all of the preparations, and not to mention all of the pain were worth every single ounce of this bundle of joy we call our son!

William Desmond Lars Nisly entered the world at 1:15 am on October the 2nd.  Weighing in at 6 lbs. 14 oz. and was 20 1/2 inches long.

As you read in Week 41's post things began happening over the weekend and we had our fingers crossed he would soon be with us.  Things kept progressing and I contacted my doctor and she suggested I go directly to the pre-labor room of the hospital.  We waited it out for a while and around 3:30pm made our way there to see what we should do next.  And in great character as soon as I got all of the machines strapped on to me, Desmond stopped.  They came over and asked how my pain tolerance was and I smiled and said...oh it's fine.  I haven't felt a thing since we've been here.  Really kid!?  After 30 minutes they contacted Dr. Rivera and I was to make my way to another floor to get everything checked out again to make sure he was still ok.  As soon as I stood up the contractions started coming again.  He scored 8/8 on all of testing and the technician made mention of all of the contractions I was having during her exam.  The doctor was notified and I was given my options: be admitted and just sit around, take some laps around the hospital, or head home and come back when things were different.  We chose the latter and made our way back home.  I Skyped my Mom and Dad to give them an update and hung up with them and that's when things really began rolling.  We started timing them and as I walked around they were coming on every 2 minutes.  I laid down to give myself a break and they never really slowed.  Jordan convinced me it was time to go.  After leaving the hospital just 3 hours previous, we were already making our way back.  

Our friend Kelly met us there to be of help to us during the whole process and we were all hoping for good news.  As soon as I was strapped in, there was no doubt that this was it.  The doctor told me whatever I was doing definitely worked and it was time to be admitted.  The calls were made, the room was prepped, and we were in there within the hour.  Dr. Rivera's Resident greeting us and told me he thought I was awesome for wanting a natural birth and he was in full favor of it, and would be cheering me on.  And then it happened.  The point where I began to give up.  I tried to prepare myself for that moment before hand but being there, everything changed.  Jordan and Kelly encouraged me to keep going and just work my way through each one, and so I gave it my best through a few more.  I told Jordan I was done and I couldn't take it anymore. I was asked like five times if I was sure, and I was wondering why no one would listen to me.  It felt like forever and I just wanted some relief.  We asked how much longer it would be and the prediction was two hours...two hours...And so they called for the anesthesiologist.  At that point I felt like I wasn't in the room anymore.  Everyone was there talking and I could here them, but I felt so far away.  I prayed God would continue to give me the strength and the next thing I knew...it was time to push.  And then the anesthesiologist showed up and it was too late.  Those next few minutes were some of the most surreal moments of my life and I just focused on gripping Jordan's hand as hard as I could knowing at any minute our child would be here.  And then he was.  And time stood still for a moment.  And the pain that felt like it would never end all melted away. I sat in awe as I starred at my baby boy.  

Our hearts are absolutely overflowing with such joy and can't believe this little gift that God has given us.  Our lives will never be the same...

Week 41

Not necessarily the post I thought I would be writing, but that's ok.  Boy has it been a long week.  Things progressed every day but at a snails pace and were nothing to get excited about.  The weekend was long and I wondered if Desmond was ever going to come.  The fears of having to schedule an inducement weighed heavy on my heart and I tried not to drive my poor husband crazy with all of my impatience.

He has always loved the anticipation that comes with waiting.  I on the other hand loathe it!  Especially when there is no end in sight.  Ok ok, I know Desmond is not going to permanently reside in my abdomen, but I hate to be just left wondering when it's finally going to happen.

Saturday night as I slept, I was in and out of it all night long fully aware that something was happening and things were beginning to feel different.  It continued through Sunday morning and just as soon as I made an announcement to a few people that this might be it, everything stopped.  I was bummed all day long.  Jordan and I discussed what we would do come Monday morning at my doctor's appointment and we tried to distract ourselves the rest of the day.

Just as soon as we laid down to get some rest, it all started up again.  There were definitely some waves that woke me up and had my mind going again.  Could this be it?  Well here we are Monday. And things are still going.  It's still slow.  Contractions still aren't super close together and are still not on a consistent average, but things are at least progressing.  I feel leery typing this out, because I don't want a repeat of yesterday, but we're really praying things keep moving along and we will soon be showing off pictures of our beautiful baby boy!  We'll keep you updated as best as possible!

Take Your Time...

But don't wait too long.

Went in for my doctor's appointment to hear that things were progressing, but not fast enough.  No sign of delivery coming.  And some people are loosing their patience.  But not us. We're just waiting.  Waiting for Desmond to tell us he's good and ready.

But my doctor said she doesn't really like to go past 41 weeks.  And Monday is just around the corner, which makes 41 weeks.  So no pressure Desmond, but we want you to come into this world naturally and in your own time, but can it just be this weekend, so we don't feel the pressure of inducing you.

I stood my ground and asked for more time and she agreed, but it means more tests.  The same tests we had last week.  So our prayer is that some time in the next few days we see some progress and have a baby before the weekend is up.

We're just really excited to finally meet you Desmond and share you with the rest of the world!!

Bring on the Warm and Cozy

Ok I finally feel like I can start posting some Fall recipes without looking like a crazy obsessed lady!  Even though it's still hotter than blazes here, I'm still embracing the warmth of Fall cooking and comforting meals.  And nothing says warm and cozy more than soup!  Especially chili!  And this has all the yummy goodness of Fall packed in every spoonful!

Adapted from Daily Garnish's Sweet Potato and Lentil Veggie Chili

Ingredients:
1 onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
TBS. minced garlic
TBS. olive oil
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups black beluga lentils
1 can diced tomatoes
2 TBS. chili powder
1 TBS. paprika
1 TBS. ground cinnamon
some jalapeno for a little kick
and salt to taste

Grab a heavy stock pot and saute your onion, bell pepper, and garlic in olive oil.  Throw in your sweet potatoes and carrots and allow to somewhat cook.  You don't want them too tender, or they'll turn to mush.  Don't worry, they'll have time to soften as you simmer your chili.  Add in all of your spices and stir around to give everything a nice coat.  Now pour in the vegetable broth, lentils, and tomatoes.  Bring to a simmer and then turn down the heat.  Simmer 45 minutes to an hour.    

I absolutely loved the flavors in this chili.  And what goes better with chili than cornbread?  PUMPKIN CORNBREAD!  Yes that's right.  Pumpkin cornbread is my new favorite and really fills out this perfectly Fall meal!

I've followed this recipe twice, and the only thing I've done to tweak it, is the time.  My perfect cornbread only took about 20-22 minutes.  So keep an eye on it and be careful no to cook it too long as it will become quite dry.

Enjoy!

HAPPY DUE DATE!

I suppose if things started moving and Desmond decided to come rather quickly, he could still be born today, but I find that to be unlikely.  I'm not upset about it at all.  It's just funny to me how so many people get to this point and still no baby.  You think they would come up with a better name than DUE DATE.  It sounds so official, but it's not at all.

We're anxiously awaiting the arrival of our little boy, but we've been ok with the waiting.  I told Jordan the other night my stomach felt weird and he was like WHAT!?  You're not going into labor now are you!?  I wasn't but we both kind of looked at each other stunned, realizing we really are having a baby!  I know...how is it still shocking to us?  I dunno.  But it is.

But there's also so much excitement in it.  It's amazing to me how much love can grow inside of you for this person you only know at a distance but still so well because they're a part of you.  Jordan holds his arms out all of the time pretend holding Desmond and I think it's the cutest thing in the world.  He's been so giddy and jumpy lately!  I have a feeling I know what he was like as a kid when Christmas rolled around.  I love how excited he is to be a Dad and love our little boy.

See--Stunned with excitement!!

In my last post you read about how chill Desmond was during our sonogram.  It wasn't alarming to me and no one really seemed to make an issue of it at the time, but Friday I got a call from my doctor that she was concerned, which is something you never want to hear.  She wasn't happy with his lack of movement and told me he didn't score well on the things they were needing to test and I would have to go back in on Saturday to see if things were any different and if they weren't I would need to be induced.  SATURDAY!?  That seemed like a million years away.  I told Jordan the news, and broke down before I could make it through my last sentence.  We stood there hugging and I just watched the clock, which seemed to be frozen in time.  And then Jordan prayed.

I loved that that's the first place he wanted to go.  To our Heavenly Father.  Knowing that things were out of our control, but not His.  I prayed in my heart that God would help me to have that same kind of faith.  That no matter what happened, I would continue to trust Him.  I wanted it to be there automatically, but I just prayed that God would grant me the grace for my head and my heart to match up.  We sent out a text to all of the missionaries here with us, and began to receive great encouragement and peace began to fill our home and hearts.  LuAnn, one of the most thoughtful ladies I know, called and talked things through with us, and prayed for us.  Our car is still not working, so she volunteered to come get us in the morning and be with us to help us figure out what to do upon hearing whatever results came our way.

I slept as much as I could that night and when the light of Saturday morning hit we gathered all of our things and asked a few more people to pray for us and continued in a heart of prayer ourselves as we headed to the hospital.   After some waiting they ushered me back into the room.  They did all of their tests and took all of their measurements and then went and got Jordan.  With big smiles they assured us that everything was normal and Desmond was doing great and showed us all of his beautiful organs and limbs.  His hands were again up by his face and as we were counting all of his fingers he gave us a thumbs up!  They were happy to see how happy and energetic he was moving across the screen and a great weight was lifted.

We took the results to my doctor and her advice was to come back Thursday.  Thursday!?  Now that's far away.  We're just in the waiting game now.  Desmond watch 2012 is in full effect.

Any Day Now

It's almost unreal to think any day now Desmond could decide to make his arrival.  I can't believe we're already at the end.

And as I took my pictures today, I wondered if this would be my last without him, or will we be documenting week 40 as well?  And sorry for my hair.  I totally have a mullet right now.  EW!  I'm just bored with it and trying to grow it out, but someone needs a trim!  Yikes.

Anyway...we had a doctor's appointment today and still no sign of him coming any time soon.  But again, this kid has a mind of his own and I think he's just going to leave us watching and waiting.  My doctor wanted me to get a sonogram just to insure all was well and I was ok to keep going, because he was still ok inside.  But he gave all of the technicians and myself a little scare.  Though his actions were pretty normal, it was all new to them.

There he was on the screen in his favorite position.  Head leaned in to my right side, with his little fists by his face.  They had to get some measurements and see that he was passing several tests, but he again, did not want to comply.  He was content to be right where he was and no amount of poking or prodding, or bell ringing for 30 minutes was going to get him to move.  But he did give us the peace sign at one point just to let us know all was well.

Oh Little Desmond we're so excited for you and we eagerly await with great anticipation to welcome you into the world!  We'll be patient, so you just come in your own time, ok?  

Family Photo Fun!

These will probably be some of our last photos before we meet our baby boy!  We had a blast today with the camera and wanted to share our fun with you.  Hope you enjoy our family photo shoot.

I seriously love this man to pieces and I absolutely love our story and what God did to bring us together.  So thankful for where we are on this journey together, and cannot wait for Desmond to be in this with us.  Feeling so overwhelmingly blessed!

We're still not done with Desmond's room, so you only get a little preview of it, but I can guarantee you it's gonna be awesome.  Just waiting for some prints to come from the States with my parents...and then we'll give you the grand tour.  Promise.

Just waiting for me to get the camera all set up...

Seriously...he's a hunk!  Oh, this guy!

I'm telling you...it never stops!

My Dapper Man!  So handsome.  And yes, he tied that bow-tie!

Thinking about my boys!

He makes me so happy!

I told him to think about Desmond...

Such a proud Dad!!

Soon enough he'll be filling our arms.  We can't wait for you to be here Desmond!!