Sew Divine.. Giveaway

Check out the giveaway over at www.sewdivineboutique.blogspot.com

We ship to Canada too ;)

Alaina's First Photo Shoot

So a friend from Church asked if she could take some pictures of Alaina for her portfolio. So I said SURE. She did such a great job on them. Here are a few of my favorites

Bili Blanket

Poor Alaina was a little Jaundice and had to be put on a bili blanket for a whole week. It was really hard on us to not hold her, especially for that first week of her life. Kind of a funny story though. When we took Alaina for her first blood draw to test her levels, The tech poked the heel of her foot to collect the blood. Kaiya was with us and just got this sad look on her face. Then she turned to the lady and said " you just put a whole in my sister" She was so worried. We explained it was okay and Kaiya calmed down a bit about it. But after it was over they gave Kaiya a stuffed animal for being brave haha. Here is Alaina on her little tanning bed.

Kaiya meeting Alaina

Later in the day after we had Alaina, Brett's mom brought Kaiya to meet her sister. She was really excited to see her, but didn't really want to hold her. I think she was a bit taken back by how small she was. But she fell in love. She kept telling us how small she is and pretty. She would say " Mom she is just so beautiful" "Mom she is so tiny". I asked her if we could keep her and she said YES! But she didn't want to hold her. Well it took us almost a week to figure out why. She thought Alaina's umbilical cord was poop LOL. Once we explained it was not she wanted to hold her a lot more often.

Alaina Rose Shurtleff

Here is Alaina's really long Birth Story.... Finally



Well On Thursday July 28th Brett, Kaiya and I all went to the hospital around 8 am. We were going in for an Amnio test to check to see if Alaina’s longs were developed enough for us to induce her. An hour after being there and prepped Brett’s Mom came and picked up Kaiya to take her to the beach for the day with her cousins. SO for those of you who don’t know I have a major fear of needles. I just don’t like the idea of it being inside me. So an amnio was a very scary thought to me. But a little back ground on why it was needed….
I don’t do pregnancy well. Throughout Alaina’s pregnancy I was on bedrest since 18 weeks because they were concerned with her size. I kept trying to tell them “I make small babies” but they still wanted to watch it. From 25 weeks on I had to go in 2 times a week for NST testing (hear monitoring) and for Ultrasounds to check her fulids. I also had to go to a specialist every 3 weeks to check on her growth. Alaina always stayed in the 5th -7th percentile. To add to all of this, I get EXTREME itching when I am pregnant. I got it with Kaiya as well, it’s called Cholostasis. So we wanted to induce at 37 weeks, but we also wanted to make sure Alaina’s lungs were ready to enter the world.
So at 37 weeks 4 days Pregnant here we are ready to do our Amnio. I had the day before made 135 cookies for our Dr’s and nurses. I let the Dr know that he could only have cookies if the amnio came back positive for her lungs and we got to stay. Otherwise the cookies were going home with me! For my amnio I ended up with 2 nurses, 1 was new and asked if she could watch the procedure, so I said sure. Well then my Dr told me they had 3 new residence that wanted to watch an amnio and asked if it was okay if they came in as well. So I ended up with 2 Dr’s doing the procedure 3 watching, and 2 nurses. It was a small crowded room. With Brett smashed in the corner by my head. They had to numb two different spots because I got light headed and had to move to my side which made my fluid shift. I got really light headed for it, and had to have wet towels and ice chips to get me through it. I told you I am a needle wuss. But it didn’t really hurt. Just the needle that did the numbing. The Dr told me when he was done, after looking at my placenta he would bet me 6 cookies she would come back ready to go. Haha We waited around for about an hour for the results. One of the residence came in the results that her lungs were developed and asked where his cookie was .

On to the induction: Well they started my induction around 3pm that afternoon. They started out with some meds to try and get things going since I wasn’t close to being dilated or effaced. After 4 hours of that they checked me and no progress had been made. So at 7 they put in some more. Around 9:30 I asked if I could get up to walk around. We were making laps around the delivery floor and every time I passed this one nurses station I would have a contraction. YAY finally something was happening. At 11 I got back in bed and they checked me again, fully prepared to just insert another dose. Well to every ones surprise I was at a 3 YAY, now on to the potocin .

So we started potocin around 11:30. Because I tested positive for GBS I had to have 2 bags of antibiotics before I delivered. So they got those going. Around 12:30 I got my epidural, yup another needle. By this point my contractions were getting kind of strong. So when I was sitting up for the epidural I got a contraction and it was so hard to sit still for it. Also I was going faint from the needle in my back. Dang needle fears. They asked me to hold still just a bit longer and then moved me to my side. After a little bit it kicked in and was AMAZING. It worked so good through the rest of my labor. So much better then my last one, although it was pretty good too.
So not much happened between then and 5 am. Well except at some point, I don’t know the time, my blood pressure dropped. I started freaking out, saying I needed to throw up and couldn’t breathe. I kept coughing and she kept telling me to calm down. Which wasn’t happening. It didn’t last long and they got my blood pressure under control and I was back to sleep. I woke up around 4 am was joking around with my nurse again. She said that made her feel much better that I was back to normal haha. They came in at 5 and broke my water.
So throughout my whole labor process I had nurses checking out the clothes I had made for Alaina. So My nurse asked if she could see some of my other clothes I have done. So around 5:30am I pulled my lap top and we were looking through my stuff. At this point I could feel my contractions getting a little bit more intense but I could breathe through them. Around 6 I told my nurse I needed to put the lap top down cause I was feeling a ton of pressure. I said I even thought I needed to push. So Brett who had been sleeping on the couch came over to see what was going on. She checked me and said Alaina was right there and it was push time, she said try not to push while I get the dr. Yeah TRY not to haha. Well the Dr came in and it was the most interesting experience.
I felt so calm and totally in control. I could feel my contractions enough to know when to push and they left it all up to me. As contractions came I pushed about 3 times per contraction. After 3 contractions, our little Alaina was born at 6:22am, She was 5 pounds 11 ounces and 17 ½ inches long. Everyone in the room was saying how much she looked like Kaiya. But I could tell she was Alaina, her own special person.
With Kaiya I had, had a ton of post partum bleeding and rushed to the operating room. They were ready for it this time but it never happened. The Dr even complemented me on my great control while pushing. I told her I had been “pushing” since I was a baby. Lots of practice haha. I was lucky not to have any tares and by later that day I was already feeling really good.
We had a few scares in the hospital. They said they heard a heart murmur in Alaina’s heart and made us stay extra for her to have an Echo. They said if we didn’t get the results back by 6pm on Sunday we had to stay another night. Well at 5:45pm they came in and said she was clear to go. That her heart would be fine and everything should close up. After such a long pregnancy we are so happy to have our family of 4.

Kaiya's Easter Dress

So here is Kaiya in her Easter Dress. I had gotten a pattern but then didn't really like it so I decided to just wing this one. It' turned out longer then I wanted but I just loved the bring colors of this fabric.

Easter Egg Hunt

So we did our "commercial" Easter today. Brett has to work this weekend :( so we had to do it all this morning but it was so much fun. Kaiya was so excited when she heard she got a basket from the Easter Bunny. When she ran in to the kitchen and first saw her basket she said "Wow it's just beautiful" and kept saying that with everything she looked at. I guess we did good. Then Daddy hid the eggs in the yard and Kaiya got to go out and find them. It was so fun to see her actually hunting for her eggs on her own. She was so excited with each one she found. Oh and she had to wear her sunglasses for the hunt cause she said it was to sunny to see the eggs. Tomorrow We will celebrate the true meaning of Easter. Just wish Daddy didn't have to go to work and could spend it home with us :(




waiting to head into the kitchen to check out her Easter Basket.




Checking things out. When she saw her basket she said "wow it's just Beautiful"



I think I see one!


She needed her sunglasses cause she said it was to bright to see the eggs

Decorating Easter Eggs

So excited to decorate some eggs.


Our colorful eggs


She just can't contain how much fun she is having.


Dipping in the yellow

So yesterday before Brett went to work we decorated our Easter Eggs. Kaiya had so much fun. I am so excited she is getting to the age that she can actually do a lot of these things, makes the holidays so much more fun living it through the eyes of a child.

My new Favorite

So I just have to post about this out fit cause I just LOVE the way it turned out. I will let the pictures do the talking.

Hats

So my friend Melanie makes the CUTEST hats every. I was lucky enough to get one for Kaiya to model and a surprise one for little Alaina :)
http://www.etsy.com/shop/sosoftandcuddly

Ruffle Butt

I am so excited about this new pattern. I am hoping to do a lot more of these for my little Alaina to dress up that butt of hers haha.

Strawberry Crib Set

So I made my crib set this weekend. Because we have the mattress on the highest setting you can't really see it with the railing on so I had to take it off to get a better picture. Now I just need to make a quilt to match. I wish I had known so much earlier how easy it is to make a crib fitted sheet.

Letters

I finished today Kaiya and Alaina's names for their room.

Photo Shoot

So I had a couple in my ward that just had a new baby ask if I would take their family pictures. I was flattered but pretty nervous about doing it. I am NOT a photographer. The only photos I have really done is of Kaiya in my dresses, haha. Anyways here are a few of my favorites.

Were having a ....

So today we got to go in for a ultrasound. It wasn't at a medical place so they couldn't give me any updates on the complications I have been having. BUT we didn't get to take a look at our sweet little one. The tech was AWESOME and took so much time with us. In the end she had printed 13 pictures for us and even gave Kaiya a copy of the last one I posted. It was cute the tech told Kaiya look that's your baby sister and Kaiya said "oh that's great!" She was so excited about her. She keeps asking me now if she can hold a picture of her little sister Alaina. Which by the way is going to be her name Alaina Rose Shurtleff. We were so happy she was a girl. Of course I would take any healthy baby, but we really wanted a little sister for Kaiya. We also had NO boy names that we liked haha. So here are the pictures, make sure you check out the last one it's my favorite.



Still sucking on that thumb!


Sitting down shot, She is all girl!


Profile shot


Throw your hands up :)

Her back


At the end of our ultrasound she said she was going to try and see if she could get her to waive by to Kaiya. When she did she got this awesome picture of Alaina's Hand.

checking in with baby # 2

So I had my first appointment today at the specialist. It was actually a pretty quick appointment full of ups and downs.

So they did an ultrasound and baby was sooo cute. Great Heart beat 154 and was moving around kept rubbing it's nose with it's hand and then settled on sucking on its thumb. They measured the back of the neck. We didn't want to do any of the genetic testing but she said its standard for them to measure it either way. Said it measured at 1.6 which was perfect. She said my placenta wasn't as low as the other tech had made it sound and that has my uterus grows it would be even further from my cervix.

Now to the bad news She said that I have a spot on my placenta that is bleeding. She said that is what my spotting was from last month and that they will have to keep an eye on it. She said to not google it, and to pretty much not google while pregnant. She said it can cause preterm labor. But it can be a common problem and they would watch it. Also she said they found a cyst on one of my ovaries. That it is small but another thing for them to keep their eye on. She also said I have a pretty good chance of getting Cholostasis again and they will watch for that. Oh and she isn't sure what caused my hemorrhaging after I had Kaiya so they will be watching for that. Why can't I just have a normal uneventful pregnancy.

I asked about finding out the sex. She said It was too early, by my last period date I am 13 weeks 1 day ultrasound measured 12 weeks 5 days. She said the earliest they check is 14 weeks. So I just barely missed it But I have an ultrasound at another place on the 21st so 2 weeks. Then I have a normal ob appointment on march 3rd and then my anatomy scan on the 14th of March.

My Silly Kaiya

I just can't get over how much my sweet little girl is growing up. She talks NON STOP, I have no idea where she gets that from...haha. Here are a few funny things she has said lately.

One day we were laying on the couch and I said "Kaiya did you know Mommy has a baby in her tummy" Kaiya's response " A baby in your tummy, man that's tricky" Then she proceeded to lift up shirt and said " I just have a belly button"

another time she asked me for a drink, I told her to give me a minute her response " Mom remember Parents kind and dear" Its a line from a church song she LOVES to sing.

Today Kaiya went to the Dr to get her Flu vaccine. They did a spray up her nose. So I told her we were going to go get her boogers checked. Once we got to the Dr's office and realized where we were she said she didn't need her boogers checked anymore. After they gave her the spray, she turned and said " Hey mom my boogers are all better now" She was such a sweetie about it all.

Oh and she started calling people dude ( thanks to the turtles on Nemo) She says see ya later Mom dude and then just giggles. She is such a sweet little girl.

But she has hit those good ole Terrible Two's. She is constantly try to push her limits.

She is also gotten into a baby phase. She just Loves playing with her dolls and has to take them every where. It is so cute to see and gets me even more excited to see what a cute big sister she will be.

There is so much more I can say but on to the pictures.


Kaiya said she needed her Jacket on and Rain boots. I guess Pants just aren't that important.




Finger Painting Naked.. She had panties on but said that she didn't want to get paint on them :)