Raising Three Little Princesses » My Life

Our New Year’s Day Baby!

Melissa — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 23:40:30 +0000

I’m sure there were many, many babies born in Utah before our’s in 2012 but our baby could very well have been the first home birth baby of the year.

Joshua James Lee was born on January 1st, 2012 at 1:18 pm weighing 6 lbs 14 oz and measured 19 inches long. Isn’t he such a handsome little guy?

On New Years eve around 10 pm, I knew that I was finally (it felt that way) in real labour. The contractions were becoming stronger and closer together. We continued through our new years celebration playing Monopoly deal, watching the kids and my twin sister, Sara-Jayne who was visiting dance all night and bang pots and pans out side as the clock struck midnight. I could not stomach any food so I made sure some was saved for after the baby was born.

Around 12:45 am I called my midwife and since my other labours were 8 hours, 6 hours and 7 hours I figured that I would be holding my baby boy around 5 am. Well by that time I was still in the birth tub in labour. The contractions were very mild in the tub. Miriam woke up early in the morning wanting me. Sara-Jayne tried comforting her and then JJ tried getting her to lay down with him but then I decided to get out of the tub and take her. I laid down for an hour and a half with her as the contractions became more intense and I felt like progress was actually being made. I turned to JJ and told him that we are going to be having a lazy little boy, I could not believe how slowly this labour was progressing. He just laughed and said that it would be over soon enough.

At about 9:30 am, I was just wanting labour over with so I asked my midwife to break my water, I was also feeling awful that she had to be at my house all night long. Around 11:30 I began pushing in the tub. Meanwhile Sara-Jayne got Sariah, Rebekah and Miriam ready for church and even though church did not start until 1pm she took them an hour early which was such a huge help I felt so much more relaxed now that I couldn’t hear them running around or Miriam knocking on the bedroom door for me.

Close to 1 pm I wanted out of the tub so I decided to go on the birthing stool. I was just so exhausted and when I felt like giving up I prayed for enough strength to give just one more push to get the baby out. I just went for it hard. JJ used all his strength to keep his hands held up high which I used all of mine to pull them down, the midwife’s assistant applied pressure to my knees and hips. While pushing the contraction ended but I kept on pushing anyways and FINALLY little Joshua James was born and we were over come with love for this precious little guy.

Once the placenta was delivered I handed the baby (and placenta, which was wrapped up in a chux pad) over to JJ while the midwives helped me get ready to lay down in my bed. I could not feel my legs and I ached all over so it was such a relief to lay down in my own bed.

JJ not only cut the cord but also assisted with the newborn exam.

He is adored by all of us. Miriam is so gentle with him and learning to kiss his head instead of his face. She calls his Josh or Joshwa.

Introducing Our New Baby!

Melissa — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 01:07:34 +0000

Our baby girl is finally here! Miriam Elisabeth was born at home on June 2nd at 12:51 am. She weighed 7 lbs 14 oz and 19 inches long.

All of us have instantly fallen in love with this beautiful baby girl. I feel so blessed to have 3 little girls, they are so much more precious than owning a million loose diamonds would ever be.

The home birth was wonderful experience. I’ll try and blog about that tomorrow. I am doing very well just trying to not over do anything so I can fully recover quickly.

38 Week Pregnancy/Mothers Day Picture

Melissa — Thu, 20 May 2010 01:06:35 +0000

This is my mothers day picture, it was taken a week late but at least I got one!

I look huge but that’s ok The discomforts of pregnancy and craziness of toddlers and preschoolers is a small price to pay to be a mother of precious little girls.

JJ and I happily give up things like an LCD TV, vacations and the freedom to do whatever we want when want to have children. We don’t need a lot of money to raise children, what they need the most is our time and love.

New Shoes

Melissa — Mon, 03 May 2010 23:22:21 +0000

JJ and I bought new shoes this past weekend. JJ’s dress shoes that he wears for school and church we’re in really bad shape. He only had them for one year so he decided that he was not going to buy shoes at Payless again.

We went to Shoe Carnival where they had a buy one get one half off sale plus we had a coupon that we got in the Sunday paper. So JJ got some nice looking dress shoes that have comfort soles which is nice since he’s walking and standing a lot at school. I got a pair of sandals they are nice for church yet casual enough for everyday wear. They are Rialto Comfort shoes and they really do live up to their name – they are so comfortable, even with the first time wearing them!

JJ asked the cashier if he could spin this “deal wheel” they had to get more of a discount but the cashier said that we had to spend over $70 to spin the wheel. He was disappointed that we couldn’t get an even bigger discount but I think we got a good deal anyways. If he thinks our shoes were expensive he should go look at christian louboutin shoes and see what expensive is. He likes his shoes though and is happy with the purchase Sariah cried when we left the store though – she had too much fun looking at shoes and purses.

Here is a picture of my shoes:

California Trip

Melissa — Mon, 03 May 2010 13:38:59 +0000

Last week JJ was in California for 5 days at a Science conference. He needed a watch to get to all his meetings on time but the only affordable watches he could find we’re childrens watches so he bought a Nemo watch and kept in his pocket.

When he came back home he gave the watch to Sariah. She can’t tell time yet but she interested in learning and always asks what time it is. He bought a little monkey for Rebekah because last Sunday I was telling him over the phone that I watched The Testaments Of One Fold and One Shepard with Sariah and Rebekah and now Bekah wants a pet monkey.

I think him giving them presents when he came back was a great thing to do because they really missed Daddy and now those presents mean a lot to them. Sariah wants to wear her watch often and is careful not to get it dirty or wet and Rebekah is totally in love with her monkey which she either calls “baby monkey” or “brown monkey”. If she doesn’t remember where she put the monkey she gets up set.

It would have been fun for all of us to go to California though and his professor would have paid for our gas, hotel and food but being this far a long in my pregnancy. I am just way too uncomfortable to go a trip right now. Next year the conference is in Washington DC. I am hoping the professor is willing to pay for the grad students families to go out there because my sister in law lives in that area and it would be fun to visit her family.

The conference included people from all areas of Health Science including scientists in grad school and those with jobs in healthcare, academics and the research industry. JJ said that this years conference was very beneficial for what he is researching right now. As he gets closer to graduation these conferences will be a good way for him to build up a network of contacts that can help him find a good job.