i have been meaning to post about esme's birth for the past 2 weeks and just haven't seemed to get around to it. so here it is... i will try to keep to the reader's digest version.

a month ago i was positive i was going to have baby esme well before her due date. i was so sure! i had been dialated to a 4 and 90% effaced for several weeks, but no baby. i was scheduled to be induced on wednesday, march 16, a week after my due date. i was hoping and praying i wouldn't reach that point. i really did not want to be induced. there was just something about letting my body go into labor that i wanted to experience. by tuesday, i had given up hope of going into labor and accepted the fact that i would be induced early wednesday morning. but, long story short i had one last visit to the doctor where he stripped my membranes for the 3rd time but this time he meant business. the pain was intense but well worth it. within the hour i was in labor.

when my contractions started they were 3-4 minutes apart. within 30 minutes they were 2 1/2 minutes apart. we raced to the hospital and were taken to the delivery room. soon came the epidural... thank goodness. i'm not ashamed or embarrassed to admit it. bring on the drugs! the epidural was fantastic. i even questioned whether or not i was really in labor. i told brandon that maybe i was just a really big baby and it was false labor.

6 hours later, at 12:49 a.m. we welcomed our baby girl. i couldn't have asked for a better and easier labor. everything went perfect. since then the days have blurred together into sleepless nights, dirty diapers, and feeding after feeding, after feeding. having esme in our home has been quite an adjustment. a new baby is harder than i ever expected but i am a firm believer that hard things are often the most rewarding. our little girl has captured both of our hearts.

welcome to the world

esme kate

march 16, 2011

8 lbs 4 oz

march 9th

officially due today. when a doctor tells you that you could VERY likely have your baby early, don't listen to him. he lies. being dilated to a 3 and then 4 during the final weeks of your pregnancy means nothing. nothing. all it does is tease you.

turns out it's a good thing she hasn't yet arrived. i can't breathe, my throat hurts, and my ear are plugged. i can't believe i'm saying this, but... "stay in a little longer baby. just a little longer."

little bastardos

the snow has melted... for now. and this is what we found underneath. the culprit, voles. they must die.

{countdown }

i can't believe i am finally to the point where i can start counting down the weeks and even days until baby girl arrives. 6 weeks. that's it. i remember when it was 30 weeks. that was a depressing thought. there are days i can't wait to have her here and other days i feel like there is so much to do and i'm just fine with her staying in a long as possible.

i decided i should post at least one belly picture. so here it is... the belly.

{nursery }

this is my new favorite room in the house. it's not finished... and that stresses me out... but i figure as long as we have a crib we're set, right? brandon worked hard painting and putting beadboard up. i love walking in and reminding myself that there really is a baby and she really is coming... soon. (apparently her soccer kicks aren't reminder enough.)

salt lake

our annual christmas trip to salt lake finally arrived. we started the day by attending the christmas carol at the hale center theater. such a good way to get into the christmas spirit. the ghost of marley was pretty terrifying so it was a good thing we didn't have any children with us. i'm sure one of them would have peed her pants.

back at the hotel we ate until our bellies were full then bundled up to see the lights at temple square.
we spent the rest of the night swimming. the pool at the hotel was not you're typical hotel pool. they had a water slide and water playground. everyone had a blast on the slide, doing tricks and flips. i decided to be on the safe side and just watched. sadly, my mom has all the pictures from the pool. :(

of course, no christmas is complete without our traditional pj's. we all got paul frank jammies... which i love.

happy, happy christmas!!!

chirstmas break has arrived!

school is out!!! school is out!!!! school is out!!!!!

well for two weeks at least. and brandon is done with finals! it's been a crazy-busy month. now it's time to play and really enjoy the christmas season! merry christmas!