2015 AUGUST

Oh August what a dreamy month you were. Kyle took the boys coyote hunting the week of my due date. They actually got one which really surprised me! Kyle came home and said the tooth of the coyote went through his shoe and pierced his skin. I was not happy, the last thing before I deliver is to have my husband get rabies. Luckily  he said the coyote looked healthy (still didn't reassure me). He also took them fishing the evening before I had Jack. It was perfect because I was able to finish my gallery ledge I made! Kinlee came over because her parents were going to Stg. so I conned her into holding the ledge up while I used power tools to anchor that sucker to the wall. If only I had pictures of me 40 weeks pregnant and using power tools. I think Jack waited until I got all of my projects completed. The ledge was the last one on my list and I started having contractions 6 hours after it was complete.

Grandma Linie gave us the biggest cucumber ever that had a cool crook. Gus the storm trooper is holding it.

The picture of the boys with a plate of fruit and veggies is from our FHE on the word of wisdom. Kyle bought some weird and random fruits and veggies at Lins and we talked about the different colors and what they are good for. We had the boys try everything. Gus ate an entire raw brussel sprout. It was a great FHE, because we have been having a hard time getting them to eat anything. I have to say it has helped Gus and Oliver eat the past month!!

The Birth Story

I went to bed pretty late, late for us is 11 pm, we are old. Before going to bed I thought maybe I will have it tonight because it was raining and the barometric pressure had dropped. You know all of those wishful thinkings you have when you are 40 weeks preggers. Around 11:30 I started having contractions that hurt. I had been having contractions the week before so I didn't think much of it. Then they started to interfere with my sleep. Ain't nobody got time for that. So with nothing else to do besides try to sleep and endure the pain I started to time them. They were pretty consistent. Every 3 minutes lasting anywhere from 30-90 seconds. I kept telling myself that they would go away as they had the week before. Nope 3 hours and 30 minutes later I decided to wake up Kyle. He was sleeping on a camping pad in the front room (which is very normal, I know in your mind you are thinking we have issues. He sleeps on the floor a lot. weird. weird) So I wake Kyle up, finish getting Gus and Oliver's stuff ready for whoever was going to watch them. I did the laundry, emptied the dishwasher all whilst trying to not puke during every contraction. I go to Kyle again, who had fallen back asleep because he didn't think I was serious, or didn't know when I wanted to leave. Either way poor kid was tired, I tell him again we should probably leave. This time he takes me serious gets ready tries to call his mom or dad. I think he called 2 times and they didn't answer. Great, now who do we call. My sister Amy and her kids were leaving to SLC in the morning to go school shopping so they were out. Kyle tries his Dad again and he picks up! Hooray! He comes over like a champion to stay with the boys. It is raining, my favorite weather in Southern Utah during the summer. Kyle is driving like a mad man. I'm trying to breathe through contractions, it was blissful. We get to the hospital and they put me in the observation room. Lucky moms go there to see if they progress in an hour. If I did I got to stay and have the baby if not they would send me home. Seems so mean to just send a pregnant lady home. Anyway we knew the nurse, Brother Butler's wife, she made sure I progressed which I did without having to stretch the truth. I got admitted at 4:30 or 5. Got my epidural around 7:30, which seemed like a really long time to me. The epidural saved me, and I was a happy camper after that. By 11:30 in the morning I had progressed to a 8+ they checked me at 12 and I was a 9 so they called Dr. Lunt and by 12:23 pm I had the hairy little stinker. I only pushed once, didn't tear at all, but got the pukes after. Jack Thomas Ballard was 7 pounds 19.5 inches long and born at 12:23. I loved my nurses this time. Jack swallowed meconium so they had the Nicu team come in to make sure he was ok. I guess he was retracting and they had to suck his stomach out, but luckily he was really good after that and after I breastfed him. 

The boys have been really good with Jack. Gus is the biggest helper, more than I thought he would be. Oliver has no interest in him. Well he does, he just doesn't ever want to hold him. He loves smelling him, he loves the new baby smell like me. 

Kyle has been beyond amazing. Trying to do all of the housework, let me sleep as much as possible, and keeping the boys entertained. He took the week after off. It was so nice, wish we could have it like that all of the time. He even pressure washed the entire house that week.

Gus started preschool at La Verkin Elementary (I know what you are thinking Adam and Slum) but my sister works there and it was just easier to send him there. He was really nervous about it. Poor kid has lots of anxiety with new things. We prepped him like crazy the week before, and luckily he only cried for a second when I left him sitting at the table in his classroom with a book. What a champ

The month of August has been full of all things baby. I felt like I blinked and it was over. I have lots more pictures but for some reason they aren't on my photo stream. I will have to update them later.