Week 2 and Dustin's first Father's Day!

So alert at such a young age 

Uncle Josh

Grandpa Jim

Thanks Grandma for the cookies :)

Meeting GGma Grabe

Grandma Becky

Jonah's social security card!!!

Four generations on Father's Day!

I snuck up on GGpa Grabe having a little conversation with Jonah :)

Jonah's first week

Great Uncles Todd and Brad

"Aunt" Jenni the amazing photographer 

Kyle and the proud papa

I really hate pictures of me right after giving birth (pushing doesn't make you pretty!)
...but this is our first family photo and I may like it someday.

Grandma Leslee meets her grandson :)

Grandpa Mark

We're home...!

Diesel and Chopper didn't know what to think

all swaddled... we call him our bean burrito :)

He's HERE~!!!

I'm very pleased and proud as punch to introduce our little bundle of joy who arrived TWO WHOLE weeks before his due date.

Jonah James Grabe
born 6-2-12 @1116
8lbs 5 oz, 20.5" long

This post will be a bit more graphic than others... so don't say I didn't warn you!  I want to be sure and document Jonah's birth story before I forget it.  Until the latter part of my pregnancy I didn't understand why women seem to be obsessed with sharing their labor and delivery experience; now I totally get it.  Here's our story:

Early in the morning of June 2nd (12:30 am to be exact) I was awakened by a little squirt in my pj's.  My first thought was that I peed in my sleep. I went to the bathroom, a little embarrassed but quickly determining at 9+ months pregnant I could pee my pants if I want to. I went back to bed and just moments later felt a little "pop" followed by a GUSH of fluid. Dustin was sound asleep so I said "hey babe... can you get the dogs out of here? My water just broke" (yes we sleep with our dogs; don't judge).

Dustin proceeded to call Labor & Delivery at the Maple Grove Hospital (a.k.a. the best hospital on the planet) and since I wasn't really contracting yet we both took showers.  I may have also done some laundry and emptied the dishwasher ;)  

We got to the hospital at 0200 and I was dilated to 4cm.  My contractions started kicking in and by the time we got to our room it was 0300.  My birth plan was to go as long as I could go without an epidural because I didn't like the idea of lying in bed, and to receive no systemic drugs the baby would get the effects of.  

Even though we took childbirth classes I was really surprised at the intensity of my contractions.  It was the equivalent of being underwater and then coming up for air, but not quite getting a full breath and going back under again.  The pain was weird... it wasn't at all like period cramps or poop pains but more like someone was coring me out from my cervix on up.  By 0500 my pain level was at a 7/10 and I was ready for some pain control.  I was dilated to 5cm. I've now determined the epidural is the absolute best invention EVER.  I understand that natural birth is important to some women, but I believe God created epidurals for a reason.  After the catheter was placed I felt absolutely no pain.  I was texting my mom, eating popsicles and trying to sleep although I was so excited that wasn't quite possible.  At 0700 the nurse came to check me again and was shocked to find me complete!  I wasn't feeling the urge to push yet, so they let me "labor down" (meaning letting my uterus do all the work to push baby Jonah into my birth canal).  I ended up laboring down for nearly 3 hours feeling nothing.  The nurses turned down my epidural and at 0950 the pushing began.  It was very strange to try to flex those muscles when you can't really feel anything, and it took a little bit to get the hang of it.  About half way into the pushing they turned my epidural down even more and I could feel the contractions again.  I think I'm a pretty strong woman, but it still took a solid hour and a half to push all of Jonah's 8 pound 5 ounce body out of mine.  At 1116 Mr. Jonah graced us with his presence.  You can see this exact moment captured on video (no money shots I promise). I've watched it at least a dozen times and cry every. single. time :*) We also have my and Jonah's first skin to skin experience shortly after birth on video as well. Another tearjerker.

My cousin Jenni is an amazing photographer, and had offered to take photos of Jonah's birth if the timing was right.  I'm so glad it was.  I'm so glad she did.  She is so talented.  We're very fortunate to have this special moment captured to relive over and over.  You can view the still shots of our labor & delivery on her Jenni O Photography blog.

So now Jonah is 6 days old and Dustin and I are really loving parenthood. We had some pretty rough times with breastfeeding but I believe we've just about got that conquered. We're also lucky in that Jonah is a great baby... at night he wakes up when he's hungry, but after burping and a diaper change he goes right back to sleep :)

I am forever grateful for this little miracle. I am humbled at the opportunity to be Jonah's mother.  This whole experience has given me a new appreciation for the wonderful man I married.  I am so truly blessed <3

sprint to the finish!

Well folks we're officially 37 w 2 d~!  That means baby is full term and labor is considered normal and welcome at any time (do you hear that Baby?!)  I was surprised to find out my cervix is already dilated some at our appointment on Friday.  That is awesome.  I've had friends who never dilated past 1 even when being induced and ended up with a c-section, so it's great to learn my body is revving up. I credit Baby Grabe who has been punching me where it counts on a daily basis lately =p  We also learned we won't go past our due date because of the gestational diabetes, so we know Baby will be here sometime in the next 19 days.  It seems so surreal.


Our bags are packed, the car seat is in the car, our ceilings are vacuumed... I think we're about as ready as we can be.  


I thought I'd post some of our maternity photos... some are a bit too racy for Facebook ;)  We had some studio shots taken at Jill Christine Photography when we were home for Easter, and my cousin Jenni took some amazing shots right before we left for Boca.  

Although I was excited to show off my naked belly for the studio shots, they really don't hold a candle to Jenni's work as you can see for yourself.

 I had a dream a while back that our baby was born on June 1st... which is this coming Friday.  I'm not going to hold my breath but I sure will be walking, bouncing on my exercise ball and doing other fun activities known to start labor :-D xx

are we there yet?

Holy 34 weeks~!  I'm sitting in my hotel room in Tuscon on my last trip for business before baby, kind of relishing in my alone time.  I spent the miserable 3.5 hour plane ride organizing my life via "notes" on my ipad: what to pack in my hospital bag, Dustin's bag, baby's bag...things we need to get done around the house before baby. Meanwhile Baby was kicking my diaphragm AND punching my bladder all at the same time :D

Last weekend we had a swanky little co-ed shower in Minneapolis and received so many more great gifts. Although I'm sort of a slug in the evenings anymore (I haven't been to the gym since Boca) I find energy to do the weirdest things. Yesterday I had a grand 'ol time cleaning out the cupboards in the bathroom in addition to washing all of Baby's clothes and putting them in their place, while burning a baby powder scented candle in the nursery. I may have even done a few puppet shows for the dogs with the tiny little outfits :~D  I'm sure they think I'm nuts.

This week will bring some fun starting with some Mommy and Me time tomorrow night!  Since we're so close, Mom is driving over from Phoenix after I'm done working tomorrow. She hasn't seen me since Thanksgiving and I've changed a lot since then :)  It will be a nice little treat just in time for Mother's Day.

what better way to celebrate an early Mother's Day than with Mexican food and Pedicures?! :)

Dustin and I have our final Lamaze class on Wednesday-- that six weeks has certainly flown by!  I remember people saying how much they enjoyed those classes and not understanding why... now I can say I would highly recommend them to any expectant couple.  We've learned so much about labor, each other, and what to expect from Baby. Dustin says the more he learns the more nervous he gets, but I'm pretty sure he's enjoying himself too. 

Only six more weeks to grow~!!! xx

Boca baby~!

Babymoon... check!  What a great--albeit short--trip it was. The first few days of my time in Florida were spent at the work meeting a.k.a fashion show I've been prepping for for months. I am really in love with parts of pregnancy (feeling Baby move always makes me smile) and other parts I could sure do without. My body being the topic of every conversation can be EXTREMELY taxing. Even though 99.9% of people are so sweet and say just the right things it's the one asshole who just won't quit at "are you sure there's only one in there?" that can send you to your room crying :*(  


DUSTIN TO THE RESCUE :D I'm so lucky. Really I am.  He couldn't be any more perfect.  I'm still obsessed with my big ol belly, and every time I present it to him he giggles and puts his hands on it.  He always tells me I look cute-- even when I see the pictures later and know he was lying.




What I loved most about our time spent together in Boca was watching HIM observe other families.  He said in regards one family getting into their vehicle: (kids ages 8 and 10 maybe) "Look at that, the dad didn't even wait for the kids to get in the car before getting in himself-- that's not very nice."  To another family on the beach: "that dad isn't very interested in playing with his kids."  

He also doted on me like he's never doted before... and trust me he's a doter. I did not carry one bag or open one door, and he was constantly reminding me to hold onto the railing while I went down the stairs :)

I married a very very good man, and I cannot wait to watch him in action as my baby daddy! <3

Third TRY-MUSTER

Yeesh.  31 weeks today and I am feeling every hour of that lately :(  I've renamed the third trimester to the third "try-muster" as I try to muster my way through with a smile.  I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes earlier this week; which was quite the jagged little pill to swallow I must say.  What that means for now is watching my diet-- essentially rearranging my carb intake so I have less in the morning and more towards the end of the day.  I'm also checking my blood sugars 4x's a day and recording them.  If I can't control the diabetes with diet alone I'll need to start taking insulin.


Even though I know there's nothing I could've done to prevent this (especially with my strong family history of diabetes) I can't help but feel so ashamed.  I guess I was looking for a reason to kick my sugar habit so what better way, huh? Thankfully once Baby is born this issue will go away; my dumb little pancreas just can't keep up with all the demands the pregnancy adds.  I keep reminding myself of my feelings a short time ago-- I would've given anything to be feeling every ache and pain that pregnancy brings.  I am still so grateful for this little life growing inside of me it really will be worth it in the end <3

OK enough of the pity party.  On the bright side I had my first baby shower last weekend on Good Friday!  It was so lovely to see everyone. Dustin's mom and sister traveled from the east coast, Grandma Shipman and Aunt Shanne from Springfield, MO, and a bunch of girls from the Grabe side and others I used to hang with back in the day :)  We received SO MANY nice gifts... the nursery is really starting to come together.  

Tomorrow I leave for my National Training Meeting in Boca Raton, and Dustin will join me on Wednesday for a little Babymoon getaway :D  I'm so looking forward to some R & R with my baby daddy.  We have a convertible rented for the week so any drive will be an adventure.  So far it looks like the highs will be in the 80's every day we're there... YAY SUNSHINE!!!