A Birth Story: Kaliana Brooklyn

It seems unreal that our little girl is here but then I can't imagine life without her either!

We welcomed this sweet little sister into our family on Wednesday, April 24, 2013 at 3:16 p.m. She weighed in at 8 lbs. 12 oz. and 19 1/4" long. I feel like I'm still trying to internalize everything that surrounded her birth but am starting to get a grasp on things. There are many feelings I have surrounding our experience and I feel so very grateful for it all.

 Wednesday, April 24th marked 2 days before Kaliana's due date and saying I was ready is an understatement. Kamden came two weeks and a day early which made me realize it's just cruel of mother nature to send you your first that early and make you wait with your second. Nathan kept telling me I had to go into labor early morning so that we got some rest the night before and we could spend one less night at the hospital. I told him a million times that I didn't care when she came she just needed to come! He got lucky though and my body did just as he asked, starting contractions at about 6:30 a.m. After about an hour of consistent contractions when Nathan woke up at 7:30 a.m. to get ready for work I told him he wouldn't be going and we would have a baby instead! We both got showers and got ready while we waited for my contractions to progress and become closer.

About 9:00 a.m. we called my midwives to let them know I was having contractions 3-5 minutes apart with each of them lasting 1-2 minutes. We left around 9:30 a.m. to get checked at the office. When the midwife checked me I was dilated to a 7 and 60% effaced so she sent us right on over to the hospital to be admitted. From then on I figured things would happen pretty quickly. With Kamden when I was dilated to a 5 he was born around 7 hours later. I was given an IV port and hooked up to the fetal monitors.

Since I had decided to do a natural childbirth, without any medication, the monitors only had to be on for 15 minutes and then I was able to go for a walk, sit on the birthing ball, or get in the shower for an hour. I first sat on the birthing to ball to pass some time. Most of that first hour was spent sitting on the birthing ball while I leaned forward on the bed and Nathan rubbed my back. I got back in bed and shortly after was hooked up to the monitors again for 15 minutes. Contractions were coming strong but they had been since I first got to the hospital. The midwifes and nurses both commented on the strength of contractions and I didn't disagree! :-)

After my 15 minutes of monitoring were up I got back on the ball for a little bit and then I got in the shower. At this point I felt like the contractions were at their peak so far and the shower gave me so much relief. However, I came to the familiar feeling of complete exhaustion and shakiness that I had with Kamden's birth. I can honestly say this was about the only time when I really doubted my ability and will power to do a natural childbirth. However, for about the millionth time that day I said a silent prayer to my Father in Heaven asking him to help buoy me up, give me strength, and the added energy and will I needed. After that prayer I felt one of the greatest feelings of peace and added strength that I ever have. I had a new and greater determination that I could do this, that my body had the ability and that all would be well. I also felt closer to my Savior in that moment than I ever have, growing a greater, deeper understanding for the Atonement.

After my shower I got back in bed to be monitored and my contractions started to slow down. At the time I was extremely frustrated that things were slowing down as the labor was already lasting longer than I anticipated. However, looking back I know this was a great blessing and answer to my prayers as well that Heavenly Father gave me that break for a bit to know that I could endure. After being monitored I decided to go ahead and go for a walk to try getting things going again. We walked for a good while through the halls, leaning on Nathan and rocking side to side in a slow dance during contractions.

After walking I was hooked back up to the monitors and then the midwife came in to check my progression so we had some idea how things were going. She also asked me if I wanted her to break my water and knowing that things would progress a bit faster I told her to go ahead. The contractions immediately started to get more intense.We waited to progress but shortly after I felt like pushing so we got things and ready and the midwife checked me again. I had already wanted to push and her head was stationed down far enough; unfortunately, the right side of my cervix still needed to dilate a little bit while my left side was completely dilated. In order to get the right side to dilate I had to turn onto my right side and take my left leg clear across the right one as far as possible. This was the hardest part of my whole labor, being very painful. During the contractions my whole body shook while Nathan held me as best he could to help stabalize my body. I was finally able to turn over but there was still a bit of cervix in the way on the right side. I was able to start pushing, very slowly at first and then at the very end I gave a few good long pushes and she finally joined us for good!

Because there was meconium when the midwife checked me, Kaliana had to be give over to the NICU team right after birth to make sure she did not aspirate any. This was a bit disappointing to me because I was able to have Kamden right after being born. Fortunately, she did not aspirate anything. However, she weighed in at 8 lbs. 12 oz. and this meant she had to have her blood sugar checked. It was 2 points low so she had to be fed some formula and have her blood sugar checked twice afterwards every half hour. This meant they were taking her to the nursery right after and I wouldn't get to nurse her or hold her much. My awesome midwife stepped in though at this point, bringing Kaliana to me so that I could nurse her first before they gave her any formula and hold her for a few minutes. I was very grateful for this and that she felt the same way I did that nursing her would be best and help as well.

While this was all happening I was being evaluated and the midwives decided to call in the doctor to have a look, worrying that my tear could be worse than they thought. Because my cervix was not completely dilated I had what was almost a third degree tear with a lot of swelling. The doctor got me all stitched up though and then Nathan and I had some time to the two of us. I got a good meal to eat while we waited to be transferred.

We got transferred and got our dear Kaliana back about 2 hours later after her first bath and she passed off on her blood sugars! Shortly after Kamden came to visit his sister and we spent our first time together as a family of four!

Elder David A. Bednar said of pregnancy and birth, "Nothing is more holy; nothing deserves more reverence; nothing is more central to the plan of happiness."

In relation to mothers, President Thomas S. Monson said, "Mother, who willingly made that personal journey into the valley of the shadow of death to take us by the hand and introduce us to birth-even to mortal life-deserves our undying gratitude.

How great is this divine opportunity of motherhood? It is my great opportunity, blessing, calling, and love of life! My Kamden and Kaliana as well as their dear birth stories are at the very center of my (and my husband's) life together! They are our greatest gift and I can think of nothing more holy, reverent, and happy than to be their mother!

The Best Gift Ever

I don't remember when it was I told him but I casually mentioned how much I had always wanted to have a piano. We had not been dating very long at all when I got a call from Nathan asking me if I still wanted a piano. Ummmm...Yeah! How in Heaven's name was he going to pull that off though, right? Pianos aren't cheap; they cost money.

Nathan was visiting an old friend in Logan that day and ended up helping him clean out the garage. Sitting in that garage was a little, old piano, collecting dust. They had gotten a new piano and had no room for this perfectly working piano. Nathan asked them about it and somehow made a deal with them. He knew someone who wanted a piano pretty badly and they wanted this one to be used. They told him he could have it under one condition, that it would be played and he had to move it.

Help was enlisted by the amazing Mecham's, Barbie and Justin, and within a short amount of time I had a piano(that's not super easy to move)! Not only did I have a piano from this amazing, thoughtful guy I had barely been dating for maybe a couple months, but it came with my favorite vase of flowers I have ever received in my whole life. To this day they are still my favorite flowers and I don't know how he did it or even if he did but they were exactly my style, simple but elegant. It had a few pink roses, some lillies, and some twigs added to the mix. According to Nathan you couldn't have a new piano without something to put on top of it! Gosh, I love that guy! After telling a good friend of mine, Maps (Pamela Major Colby), of my new piano she pretty much told me he was a keeper and I'd be crazy to let him go!

The piano was moved into my parent's home and unfortunately, when we moved to Oregon we didn't have room for it so it stayed there safe and sound. Then, a tender mercy came out of something I wasn't looking forward to and while moving to Maryland we had plenty of extra room so that lovely thing came with me.  When we move from Maryland we have talked about selling pretty much everything we have but a few things and starting over because moving expenses were so expensive last time. I've already told Nathan that piano goes with us and the gem of a husband had no arguments there (even though it can be very difficult to move, especially across country)!

I only took about a year of piano lessons and growing up my parent's bought us a keyboard to practice on but it didn't have the full range of a piano and it just wasn't the same. I often practiced at church when I had some extra time after church or mutual. I'm not a pianist but I wish I was. My skills are limited but I hope to continue learning and one day feel as though I have a skill set on the piano. Because of the pretty much, awesome-amazing husband I married I can do that (and so can his 16 month old son, who loves to play every time Mom sits down on the bench)!

My Last Blind Date

I had just recently moved to Pocatello from Rexburg, Idaho and was living with my sister and brother-in-law. Life had been hard lately and taken some unexpected turns that really forced me to evaluate where I was, what I was doing, and what I needed to be doing. I was trying to recover from a very difficult time in life and was hesitant at trying new things or meeting new people. However, I was soon to find that is just what I needed in life whether I wanted it or not.

I started attending a Singles Ward in the area and tried to stay as inconspicuous as possible but still be involved as I felt I had the responsibility to be. I usually sat near the middle, not in the front where I look to anxious and not in the back where I looked like I was obviously avoiding someone or something. It didn't work to great. There were too many nice people, inspired to reach out to me and welcome me into a circle of friends. I was attending Family Home Evening with the Singles Ward and had given my number to a few sisters in the ward. 

I think it was only about two to three weeks after I started going that I got a text from a number not saved in my phone. She said who it was and explained that even though she didn't know me too well she was wondering if I would let her set me up on a blind date with her cousin. Her name was Alisa, but, the catch is there were two Alisa's in the ward and I assumed it was the other one from my hometown of Blackfoot. I agreed and we set up a day and time. A couple days before the blind date she came up to me at an activity and explained the blind date would not work. This was the first time I realized I was wrong all along on who exactly was setting me up on a blind date. Alisa said she would let me know when another time would work. I agreed.

Nathan, Alisa, and Me

 Some time passed during which neither of us could meet at certain times and then a little while later another day and time were set for a large group date in which we would meet. I felt better it would be a group date but still hesitant to get too involved in a date during this time in life. I had been in Utah for a friend's wedding a few days before. While there I was rear ended, totaled my car, and hurt my back. I was in pain and wasn't sure about the date. The day came anyways and I was told Alisa's cousin, Nathan, would pick me up and then take me over to her house where everyone would meet. We were to make tin foil dinners together and go roller skating. Roller skating with a hurt back! Yeah right! 

He picked me up that night in his Subaru Outback, being a perfect gentlemen opening doors and being polite! I remember thinking, "Oh, he's cute and polite. This might turn out okay!" We made small talk on the way there and throughout the evening. I was grateful it was a group date though to help lighten the inevitable eery mood of most blind dates. After dinner we headed over to the local roller skating rink, Deleta, we got brave and rented roller skates not roller blades, and changed into those deadly things.

You need to know I hadn't roller bladed in years and I think I had roller skated maybe once before in my whole lifetime. Roller skating is a lot different than roller blading and I think that the inventor had a major sense of humor by putting those darn breaks in front. I quickly learned those brakes felt useless to me and if I wanted to stop it was either catch (run) myself into the wall or fall ever so gracefully (not)!

You know they have couple skating, right! We participated and I'm pretty sure we were holding hands. This might have been half because he was cute and half because we were scared for our lives. Either way, of course at one point something happened, I can't remember exactly what but our balance started teetering. He tried to help but really I don't think there was any hope from the beginning and I went flat on my butt (the one that supported my back, which had a herniated disc that I wasn't aware of at the time), and he somehow stayed upright. While it was funny, the real funny part was when the worker came up to make sure I was okay, giving Nathan the stink eye, thinking he had pushed me over! Oh man, I knew my face was already bright red and his was only getting redder by the minute with embarrassment!

We both survived the fall and the embarrassment! We survived the night and upon returning home realized I had been on the first (and at the time I didn't know only) blind date that actually turned out well. He dropped me off in that green Subaru Outback, which sold my older sister, Sara, right from the start!

My Life Story

I have been inspired by a blog that I read pretty regularly. The writer of this blog is writing her life story in blog posts! While she started much earlier from the time she was born and I don't feel motivated for all of that yet I have been a little inspired.

I'm not a huge journal writer! The past few years I have been terrible at it and that is where this little blog of mine comes in. It is meant to be my journal of sorts, my life story! Most of you know I started school again via online classes. It's crazy and hectic to be a full-time student and a mom at the same time but I changed my major to Marriage and Family Studies, which has been a major blessing for me, thus far! I am loving all (most) of what I am learning and the assignments, although I put off and procrastinate because they are assignments, are just perfect for me right now. I have enjoyed learning about the two most important things in my life!

Some of my studies have made me realize what a lack of information I have written down concerning life events that are close to my heart!

So, here we go, I'm going to start doing posts inspired by my life story and real life events that have shaped me into the person I am today.

They might not come in order but they will come to the blog as they come to my mind and that is just how it's going to be.

For our first post I have been thinking a lot about how Nathan and I met! It will be coming soon, as soon as I finish it along with my other duties in life, right!?!

I'm going to try and start today! Stay tuned!

P.S. I hope you all loved Nathan's last post!

(Haha...I love that he likes to write something in here every once in a while. Sometimes he even does it on his own, without encouragement!)