Preston Up Close and Personal

I love him.

So grateful to have a second child. My feelings of fear and anxiety that kind of crept up on me at the end of my pregnancy have been dissipated. You know it's scary at times to think you'll have another person that depends on you.

When I hold this little guy and sniff his little head I melt. I don't have fear, I'm just flat out thankful.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I have so much to be thankful for. My whole family has had a crazy year, filled with scary health problems, near death experiences, but a lot of wonderful things as well. Life has opposition in all things. This is TRUE! My sister had a life threatening blood clot, my little nephew almost drowned at our family reunion, my dad has health problems, BUT Mark got married to an amazing woman, Erin, who I adore. Heather's blood clot has healed and has had other complications resolve themselves. Luke is 100%! Preston is here aka I ain't pregnant! The church is true! Hallelujah!

Baby Preston is here!

So....I'm back!

I found a couple of draft posts that I just published right before starting this one. I'll try and fill in some gaps when I get more time. I love how i fall off the face of the planet when I'm pregnant. If you haven't noticed I've been very active on facebook.

Ok, now for the birth story and love affair with Preston I have developing.

It was a cool night in the eve of October 30th when Brandon and I entered the forest of Mease Countryside Hospital. I had to get induced for medical reasons, something with my blood, weird genetics, ask my sister :) And YES! We chose to voluntarily have a HALLOWEEN baby!

When I got there I was already at a 3 and 70% effaced with some pretty consistent contractions. So they didn't put me on Cervidil like they had planned. The next morning on October 31st, gross detail, my mucus plug came out, before we started the Pitocin so my body was pretty much ready on its own. At 6 am I began pitocin, at 8:30 I got an epidural even though I was fine, my doctors thought I was going to progress really quickly. By the way I almost blacked out as soon as I got the epidural, this was the scariest part of the whole day..my blood pressure was so low like 61 over 30 but they gave me some popsicles and medicine through my epi to bring me back. This was a huge blessing because Bayer's epidural did not work!

So I was stuck at a three until 11:30 I was a 4. Then at 12:30 I looked at Brandon and said, "I think my water just broke." Yep. I was a at five then. By 3:00 in the afternoon I was a nine and cracking jokes, with a little pressure discomfort,  NOTHING like Bayer's delivery. At 3:55 my doctor finally came in and so I could start pushing. Before we started I said I think I will have him out by 4:20 and my guess is between 8 lbs 9 oz - 9 lbs 2 oz.

Preston Levi McClain born at 4:19 pm at 8 lbs 9 oz. Everyone was shocked how I called it.

This whole pregnancy was such a blessing, it was a lot easier more me physically, emotionally, and everything in between. I think Heavenly Father knew I had a ginormous fear of pregnancy after my first and needed to leave me with a sweet taste of it in my mouth this time.

The moment Bayer came to the hospital and held little Preston was so sweet. Brothers. Indescribable to see that moment.

Since we've been home, Bayer has had a bit of a hard time with the baby, he ignored him, then didn't want anyone holding him. He get a hight pitched voice with his "baby!"It's amazing how much more he understands as the days go on. He is only 28 months old so I know it's a big change for him. He's been loved left and right with toys (Buzz Lightyear and Woody from Toy Story have helped him cope) and kisses from his parents and grandma's!

We are smitten by Preston. He's a great baby. He grunts a lot, I call him our little billy goat. I forgot that I was getting a prize at the end of this pregnancy. I was so focused on being done. I am so baby hungry but it's fulfilled!! It's so satisfying.

Catch up

When I disappear I usually have a good reason. Baby number two is coming Novemebr 2nd! We're very happy, blessed, and grateful. I am 17 weeks Friday. Heavenly Father knew I would either kill Bayer from neglect or die of misery if he didn't help my morning sickness this time. He has carried my burden this go round and I thank Him incessantly (big word for a pregnant gal)for his help. I have one good story that happened two weeks ago in a Publix (grocery store for u western folks) getting a deli sandwich for Brandon and I and I asked for jalapeños on his sub and just the thought of the smelly repulsive peppers made my sight go dim and I knew I couldn't stop it. I put my hand on the deli counter and told the deli man, "hey, I'm gonna pass out I'm gonna sit down." he proceeded with an "ok!" so I plopped my behind down in the busiest section of Publix (subs are popular at lunch time), I had this sweet lady grab me a cup from the soda fountain nearby, I didn't pass out luckily. But I did use the soda cup and it wasn't for soda. I was so embarrassed I just kept telling myself, "this is going to be a really funny story later." Bayer is almost two and is talking more and more each day. We love him too much!having another baby will do him good!

I will be adding random events to this post...because I've been missing for months on my blog.

additions...

Sadly I feel like this post shows Bayer from a baby into a boy. It made me so sad when looking at how much he's changed since February (when I got preggers). It also made me reminisce on those days with Bayer and I when he wasn't two. ha ha. When I wasn't constantly saying, "No!" or "Stop that!" I was so much nicer to him when he was younger. I need to be better mommy to Bayer and cut him some slack. I hope I'm not the only mom out there that feels like they become a jerk to their first child or is it because he's two years old?!

Anyways, I picked these photos because they all spoke to me.

These next 3 pictures are from my Grandma Dickson's funeral. (Tearing up before I even begin.) ....Yeah, this was an incredible week but painful. It opened up a whole another life I used to live. My Grandma Dickson was my second mom growing up until we moved to Florida when I was nine. 

Best things about Helen Fay Lasron Dickson...

Her french toast

the smell of her house

Her beautiful hands

Her energy

Her LOVE of geneology

the way she served

her predictability

her testimony

her laugh

her example

her legacy 

 Back to June and on...

August

Mark and Erin's wedding!

These two tied the knot in August in Arizona! Talk about crazy. I literally walked outside at 4:30 on the first day we got there and uttered, "Are we on planet Earth?" Needless to say the wedding was beautiful and it was a blast to get together with the family. It was a significant event in our family because all six of my parents children are now married for eternity. My brother and sisters all decided to make a book for my parents along with some letters to my parents expressing our gratitude for their examples. It was really amazing to have all of my siblings and myself in the temple together. 

I love Mark and Erin and wish they lived closer! 

Christmas 2011

Christmas this year was a little different then usual. My parents were out of town and so we didn't get together and do the whole nativity scene on Christmas Eve. Nonetheless, it was perfect because we had OUR little family. Bayer got some stocking stuffers and a scooter was his big gift! He loved it and still does to this day!

After nap on our way over to the McClain's Christmas day.