Sponge Bath

Helen loved both her first and second sponge baths. When I scrubbed her hair she relaxed and made happy sounds and I have never seen her so content as when I swaddled her afterward. It's so fun to watch her experience 'firsts'!

Baby Helen

We're excited to announce that Helen Larson joined our family on Wednesday, June 8 at 7:25 pm. She weighed 7 lbs. 12 oz and was 20" long. She surprised us by arriving a little more than 2 weeks early.

The boys are smitten.

 

Scott brought the boys to the hospital the morning after she was born and the recovery room was a big hit. Especially the bed that goes up "all the way to the ceiling!"

And the empty cupboards that double as dump trucks. 

Baby Sister got lots of love from her brothers. They also brought a doll they picked out for her, as well as two pictures they drew for her that we taped to her hospital bassinet.  The boys are constantly asking to hold her since we got home on Friday morning. Joseph especially -- he acts like he's under a love spell.

My recovery has been incredible and we feel really blessed with the way labor and delivery went. 

Here is a picture of Joseph kissing Baby Sister before the boys went to play with the neighbors and Scott and I left for the hospital. Ian asked to see my belly and acted like he was measuring her top to bottom and side to side. His analysis was that she  wasn't quite big enough to be born yet. 

In fact, she was born about 2.5  hours later. We were shocked. As Scott took this picture he said "Lesley, you're not acting like you're in labor..." And I really didn't feel like I was either.

Details of her birth are on their way. The synopsis is that I felt "off" all afternoon on Wednesday, but didn't feel like I was having contractions. Scott came home around 5:00 pm, and we took the boys to the neighbors shortly thereafter. We arrived in triage around 6:00 when I was having mild contractions every 4 minutes. After some discussion I was admitted to labor and delivery around 6:45 pm, they broke my water at 6:55 pm, and Helen was born at 7:25 pm. It was all very uncomplicated and quick, and her VBAC delivery went exactly as I had hoped. 

And now we are all really enjoying having Helen home with us!

37 Weeks

  Here's how things are looking with 3 more weeks to go!

Two weeks ago she was transverse breech (like Joseph was). I did some inversions off the side of the couch and we said lots of prayers that she would turn. And at my appointment this week my doctor confirmed that she was head-down and had 'dropped'. I was so relieved! Now we just need her to stay put!

27 Years old / 33 Weeks Pregnant

Thanks for all the birthday well-wishes, baked goods, packages, cards and texts! 

Thanks to Scott (and his two little helpers) it was a well-celebrated birthday. I have a feeling my 27th year is going to be very good to me. 

We started the day with breakfast in bed for all four of us. Donuts, bananas and chocolate milk. The multi-colored sprinkles I keep finding in our sheets is a fun reminded of how perfect the day started. 

A big treat was watching Ian singing "Mother I Love You" with the primary during Sacrament meeting at church. When it was time, he tucked in his little shirt and marched right up to the stage. He stood on the front row and reverently sang all the words and either watched the music director, or looked at us in the audience and smiled. He was adorable. 

Scott also gave a great talk in church on motherhood and the restoration, which the boys mostly sat quietly for. I always enjoy hearing him speak in church and so this turned out to be a nice mother's day bonus! Especially since he said some sweet things about me and notified the entire ward that it was my birthday :)

Even though Scott had been busy preparing his talk for Sunday, he managed to think of every detail to make my birthday celebration special. He surprised me with a great dinner: Homemade J-Dawgs (of Provo, Utah fame) including a squirt bottle of the very secret Special Sauce that he whipped up, and some sauerkraut. And he didn't forget to serve it along side my favorite food group, either: Doritos. That man knows me so well!

After dinner he and boys stealthily hung up a birthday banner, placed a table cloth, laid out matching plates, and brought out the secret cake they'd had shrouded in dish towels on top of the fridge. All in coordinating Hello Kitty design.

During dinner details about my secret cake were leaked: Ian said that it was pink with my name on it, and Joseph started meowing and whispering something about a kitty cat on the cake. Sure enough! There were 5 kitties on it! 

Notice the pink and purple cupcakes to match the cake, as well as a delicious mint fudge bunt cake Doris mad for me. Between all those goodies and all the ice-cream in our freezer, we will be enjoying my birthday for the entire week ahead!

 I felt spoiled and special, and it was a great birthday.

And here is a parting look at me at 27 years old and 33 weeks pregnant: 

At my appointment today she was measuring right at 33 weeks and was flipping around and wiggling like crazy, as usual. It's hard to believe she'll be here in a month and a half!