Easton's Story

I've been putting off writing Easton's birth story but I really wanted to get it down since I never got Emerson's written down and I'm sure I've forgotten details. This is really more for Easton and her baby book but if you're interested, enjoy!

Easton Claire, who I was convinced was a boy by the way, was due on February 15th, 2010. Emerson was 2 weeks early so I was spoiled in that I never was really, truly miserable and pregnant. With Easton I was pretty miserable I think the last 8 weeks. I was just ready. I couldn't get on the ground and play with Emerson like I wanted to and I wasn't sleeping well at all so I was just over it. As my due date came and went I was more bitter by the day. I didn't want to be induced (for some reason it freaked me out) so I was willing to go over by a week. On Wednesday morning, 2 days overdue, at 6 am I was woken up by some sharp pain. I waited 10 or 15 minutes before I woke up Ryan because we had had a false alarm a couple of weeks earlier and I didn't want a repeat performance. I could tell very quickly that these pains were different and woke Ryan up around 6:15. He hopped in the shower and I called my mom to come over to watch Emerson. I was pretty relaxed and told my mom to take her time and Ryan wasn't all that concerned. I'm not sure what happened in those 10 minutes but before I knew it I was doubled over with pain and wanting to be at the hospital pretty quickly. I'll never forget- while Ryan was in the shower, Emerson woke up like she sometimes does and I went into her room to lay her back down. I picked her up and just held her, knowing that life as we all knew it was about to change forever and it was nice to just have a quiet moment with my first baby before giving birth to my second.

I called my mom to see if she had left yet and when she answered her house phone I was sort of panicked and said, "please leave now!" We had had our bags packed for weeks because Emerson came early and we were not prepared and we swore that wouldn't happen again so on that front we were ready to go. We met my mom at the door and were on our way to St. Mary's in no time. I think Ryan made it there in about 3 minutes. He dropped me off at the emergency room entrance because the maternity entrance wasn't open yet (it was just before 7 am at this point.) I walked in and said in tears to the poor woman, "I'm having a baby...!" She got a wheelchair for me and I was taken to a room to be checked out. Ryan came in with all of our stuff and at this point I was VERY uncomfortable with contractions. It was in the middle of shift change for the nurses so things were a bit chaotic. They determined I was in labor and admitted us. I got my epidural at 9am and from then on it was smooth sailing. Ryan got my Dave Matthews mix going on our IPod and the environment was very soothing from then on. Dr. Dowd came in shortly thereafter and said I was at a 10, fully effaced and that he just needed to break my water and that things would move pretty quickly after that. I was terrifed for him to break my water- I just pictured it being painful and I didn't need it to be done with Emerson so I didn't know what to expect. He said he could come back to check on me and I agreed. He came back a bit later and asked if I was ready and I said no! He told me I was in denial and that I was having a baby today! My mom and Amber were in the room (Jonathan was at my mom's house with Emerson) and they encouraged me to have him break my water. He did it with them in the room which they thought was pretty cool- it was completely painless by the way. After he broke my water at about 11:45 he could see a full head of black hair and said I was ready to push. With Emerson my epidural(s) didn't work and her labor was very painful so I was terrified. I had procrastinated long enough so Amber and my mom went out into the waiting room and literally 2 (pain free!) pushes later at 12:17 pm, we met our Easton Claire. What a difference an effective epidural makes! I was certain we were having a baby boy so I was just shocked (and thrilled!) we had another little girl.

Pure. Joy.

Bless you!

Easton was blessed at Walnut Gardens last Sunday with Jared and Cathy (Corrie) Froese's baby Brooks. It was really special to be able to share the experience with some great friends.

Easton wore the same gown that my Grandpa Silsby wore in 1902. I thought it might just evaporate it's so brittle.

Ryan and Jared (with Emerson and Cooper) reading the prayer for peace and lighting the peace candle.

Baby Brooks being blessed. (Say that three times fast...)

Easton was blessed by Ken McLaughlin who also married us in the same church so it was a full circle moment. She was also blessed by my Uncle Howard who blessed Jonathan and Emerson and me.

Emerson had had enough I think. Or as she says, "play with grandma's phone?"

Jonathan and Cathy's brother Chris have been best friends since birth so we had the baby's uncles read a special passage together.





What a great service it was- I just love baby blessings. We were surrounded by such love that day and it's nice to take a step back and see just how lucky and "blessed" we truly are.

6 Months!

Miss Easton Claire is 6 months old already- amazing how time can seem to drag on but go by so fast all at the same time. I try not to wish her older but I'm really starting to enjoy her smiles and laughs and little personality starting to form. I think I'll stop wishing her older- she's getting fun. I really can't believe it's time to start feeding her solids- that was the thing that made me step back and realize that she's getting bigger and I need to appreciate all of what comes with having a baby (or kids for that matter!) What a sweet baby she is.

1 Week 1 Month
2 Months
3 Months

4 Months

5 Months 6 Months!

My pretty girl getting her first taste of rice cereal- she's still getting used to it.


Emerson wanted in on the action, of course. She did a pretty good job and never shoved it down her throat or anything. Such a good big sister.

We're on to carrots tonight. Let's hope Easton is a good eater like Emerson was... Cheers!

Etc.

Ryan is finally home for good from his summer in San Francisco. I know he's happy to be home too but I think we're happier...

These stickers entertained Emerson one night Ryan was away- Easton was such a good sport. Here she is showing off the goods.



I figured I should give a shout out to Phoebes every once in a while. She got her summer cut- I seriously didn't recognize her when they brought her out at the groomer. It's super short but I love it.

We wore her out one night I guess!

Notice Minnie in this picture- ALL of her stuffed animals have diapers on them. I keep diapers out for Easton and Emerson swipes them for her babies (and moose and penguins and bears.)

This pic is for Katie Mac- she bought Emerson this dress and I've been waiting to put her in it. Love it!

It's so funny to lay Easton down and then come back in the room and see where she's ended up. She started out on the activity mat...

My drooly girl.

We went to Jodi Arnold's wedding in Iowa and stopped in to see Uncle Chris. That is the first and last time Emerson will ever be standing on a bar stool.

We got to see Katie Mac and Carter at the wedding as well. Easton stayed at the farm with Grandma and Grandpa Wood.

Grandma Wood has a drawer full of goodies that Emerson loves to go through- this was her latest find.

Sweet corn from the farm.

I turned 30 last Monday and on Saturday night Ryan and I invited Jonathan and Amber and Cole and Sarah to dinner and to spend the night at the Embassy on the Plaza. They surprised me and decorated the room before I got there. Pink champagne- my favorite!

Ryan's sister, Sarah and my sister in law Amber. The night was definitely a success!

Jared and Cathy Froese are in town from Canada and we had a get together on Sunday. Their daughter Bailey and Emerson got along great and we knew they were up to something when we didn't hear from them for awhile. They were "sleeping" in Chris and Jana's bed...

We've been busy but the most important thing is that Ryan is safe and sound and doesn't travel for 6 weeks or so and we're just enjoying having him home. Till next time!

San Francisco

Ryan got a new position at Cerner and long story short, he's been in San Francisco since the end of May. He comes home on weekends and his time should have been over quite a while ago but because he is so awesome (his words, not mine :) they keep wanting him to come back to do more consulting work. Anywho, to bribe him to stay in SF longer, they flew us out to spend the week with him. He still had to work during the day but the girls and I kept busy and we all hung out in the evenings. We were both nervous about the 3 1/2 hour plane ride but they were both surprisingly awesome. We had so much for Emerson to do on the plane and Easton just slept and nursed- pretty easy.

Easton Claire getting ready for the plane ride.

Emerson fell at the Water Park the week before and had a massive bruise on her forehead for the whole trip. Awesome. My parenting skills on display for everyone to see...

Watching "Pickano" as Emerson calls it. (Pinocchio.)

We drove into the city one night and ate at Fisherman's Wharf.

Okay, it was the Hard Rock Cafe. I know- totally boring. I'm not really a seafood kind of gal and Ryan had been to Fisherman's Wharf earlier in his trip and had gotten his fix of crablegs or whatever it was he ate. My dinner was awesome. Boring but awesome.

The things we let her do to keep her busy...

Easton's cute outfit I was glad she got to wear. It's cold in the city!!!

But in Walnut Creek, where we stayed and Ryan worked, it was perfect. It's about 45 minutes outside of San Francisco.

Ryan had a working lunch we were able to tag along to.

I took the girls to the Lindsey Wildlife Museum on Thursday while Ryan worked. It's a place where people can take injured animals and they'll take care of them. Emerson loved it.

There was a bald eagle that had an injured wing that I thought was pretty cool. She was more impressed with the rabbit. Go figure.

Emerson- "Look, mom! A tortuga!"

Me- "Right! A turtle!"

Emerson- "No, mom. A tortuga!"

How do you argue with that? I love her Spanglish...

At the airport coming home. The trip was a success and it's nice to see where Ryan has spent the past 10 weeks. 2 more and he's home for good... Ryan being gone this summer has taught me two things- that I don't give myself enough credit and I can take care of my babies by myself and do a great job. And 2- that I appreciate everything my husband does even more than I already did. We are three lucky ladies to have him working so hard to give us such a good life.