Rebekah Louise

Sunday 8/23/09

3:31 pm
8 lbs. 8 oz.
20 3/4 in.

Our precious Bekah surprised us on Sunday afternoon. My body was still showing no signs of going into labor so we were not even thinking about a hospital visit in the near future. I went to church with the two oldest kids because the younger two were still coughing. So was I but I thought that our Primary president might be the only one of the presidency at church that day due to illness and sick kids so I decided to go to church. However, the last 1/2 hour of church I started having quite painful contractions. I still wasn't sure that it was the real thing because, as I said, my body showed no other signs. These got more and more regular and I told Paul that something might be happening when I got home. I changed and dished up some of the bean dip he made and as I lay on the bed eating the pains got more intense. You would think that by the 5th child I would no for certain that I was in labor, but my husband had to convince me that I should go to the hospital. About 15-20 min. after getting home we were packing bags, calling my mom to watch the kids and loading up in the car. By then we were pretty certain that there would be no return trip without a babe coming back with us. I tried not to show the kids how much pain I was in but that was probably impossible. They handled it well, they were too excited for that baby sister to come out!

I have never had to drive more than 5 min. to get to a hospital while in labor. I thought that I was going to die! I was always grateful when the contractions would hold off for an extra minute between--they were coming every 3-4 minutes! We checked in to the hospital and got changed and weighed and hooked up to the monitors. Around two they checked me and I was at 4 cm. In the next hour they had me answering all their preliminary questions, hooking up an IV and getting me an epidural.

The epidural was a failure. She tried to get one in for 20 min or so (I don't know for certain since pain was making clear thought impossible--it might have been 10 minutes!) Anyway, she couldn't get one in. She thinks there might have been some scarring from a previous epidural. I think that it didn't help that the contractions were coming so hard and fast that I couldn't hold a good position for long. She finally gave me a spinal block and left. However, my reprieve was short lived. After about 20 minutes I was feeling the pain again! An hour after checking in I had my spinal and was checked and was at 8 cm. By now my doctor was there and he told everyone that I go fast and so they got the room ready and 15 min. later I was at a 9 so they finished readying everything and me and I pushed (with a lot of pain since my spinal wasn't working anymore!) But it was short lived. She was born about 5 minutes later; a precious miracle that we could now hold in our arms.

We love her so much and think she gets cuter everyday. I have been awful at taking pictures/videos of her. I am suffering from exhaustion, baby blues, and getting my older kids off to their first week of school. Here are a few of the pictures that we have of her first week at home.

She arrives!

Adoring family

Papa brought the kids to meet their new baby sister that evening and Nama and Grandma Hansen came to visit later that night after the Seminary Fireside was over. Everyone was so excited to meet our little Bekah.

Getting ready to come home


Look at all the hair!!!


We have brought all of our children home from the hospital in this outfit

First bath at home




Miscellaneous photos of her first week


Our tiny bundle of joy. She has been a very good baby! She sleeps all the time right now, we'll see what life is like when she wakes up!



One Week Old!

Our Sleeping Beauty

My youngest son seems to fall asleep all over the house whenever he gets too tired. I think we have more pictures of him in strange sleeping positions and places than all our other kids combined. This has increased since he has learned to crawl out of his bed and will NOT stay in his big boy bed while all his siblings are running around playing (ahhh, one of the joys of summer). I suppose I could be a good mommy and take time out of my day to lay down with him and make him go to sleep, but that boy will not lay still and it is more frustrating and uncomfortable than a nice relaxing time with my baby (maybe being pregnant adds to the frustration as well!) Anywho, all this is leading up to some great pictures of Joshua catching a little needed beauty sleep. Enjoy!


He always seems to have a dirty face! : )


Notice the crossed ankles! This is his normal sitting position. I Love It!


Having trouble sleeping? Try a nice lawn mower ride!


This was at Yellowstone. Just a minute before he had been searching for wild animals, but he was asleep by the time we found some elk--right outside his window!


Just before this he was on top of the chair watching a movie and singing along. A few minutes later I found him like this!


Too tired to even take off his coat first!


We couldn't find him for awhile. We checked all his usual haunts and called and called and I was starting to panic. Then Paul remembered that he had let Joshua watch a movie on the computer. As he walked over there he could see the top of his blonde head and when he turned the computer chair around this is what we found. (He was holding the measuring tape which is one of his favorite toys!) The chair had been pushed in all the way so it didn't cross our minds that he was still sitting there!


This one would be funnier as a video. The position is awkward but with his hand covering his mouth and nose you could really hear him pulling hard to get in a breath of air. Needless to say, he didn't sleep very long this time!


And now the piece de resistance. The next photos are the most recently captured of our Sleeping Beauty:




I was in the other room with the older kids folding clothes and watching a movie. I hadn't heard from Joshua in a while and called out asking him where he was and what he was doing. I didn't get an answer, but I wasn't worried because I hadn't heard any opening doors or anything (they squeak and he always slams them closed!) A few minutes later Paul came in and found him in the above position. At first he only saw his back so he thought he might be playing with his cars on the counters but when he walked around he found him asleep and took that photo. He left and came back a few minutes later and found he had shifted into a more "comfortable" position so took the final photo--gotta love the little plumber's crack there!

LOVE THIS KID! He is always bringing a smile to our faces.

8 Months and Summer Vacation

Okay, I know that I am one of the worst bloggers out there and anyone who actually reads my blog (all 5 of you!) probably wonders why I even bother. My excuses are numerous; however, the main reason is probably that I am in my 3rd trimester (8 months along) with my 5th child. I seem to lose all brain power and much interest in life at this point in my pregnancies. I just can't think of anything interesting to say to any of you or think of an interesting way to say over and over that I am exhausted and slightly overwhelmed with life right now since all the kids are out of school for summer vacation. So I keep silent. So now you know. I still read all my friends blogs and the blogs that I lurk on, but leave few remarks because I can't think of anything to say most of the time. I wish I could say that in 6 weeks or so I will be doing better but anyone who has a newborn knows that is wishful thinking. I will try to improve my picture taking so that I can at least post a few pictures of our summer activities and when the new one is born. No promises though. I just went through the 4th of July with all the fun, family, food and fireworks and only remembered to take pictures at the very end and they aren't worth sharing. This is so not like me. I am the family historian. I am always taking pictures and video taping everything or forcing my husband to. I'll try to snap out of it.

Boohoohoo.....all right, enough crying and self pity. In spite of how depressed the above sounds I am not doing too badly as long as I don't try to do too much. We are still a pretty happy group of people with love for each other and our family and friends. I just can't put a lot of brain power to blogging. I guess that I could include a few photos and comments on what we have been doing the last few months.



My wonderful husband, who is a fabulous father, has been building a play house for the kids. It is a slow process but we are nearing the end so maybe the kids will be able to enjoy it before school starts.




My oldest daughter had her dance recital in May. She looked beautiful and had a great time performing on stage and posing for photos after.




My two oldest were involved in the community Little League this year--my husband also volunteered his time as coach for my son's team. Can't claim that they loved it. It was too hot, got in the way of what they wanted to do and they really weren't interested in becoming good ball players so found little to crow about in the practices. However, they stuck it out (because mom and dad wouldn't let them quit--the big meanies!) and ended up learning a little in the process.





We went on our annual fishing day with my grandparents. The kids always look forward to this day each year. I don't know what they enjoy more: fishing in the lake or in the big box of snacks my grandma always brings.


My youngest brother (the middle one in the back row) came home from his mission (SLC South, Spanish speaking) in May. Of course I forgot to take my cameras to the airport so have no pictures of the cute welcome home signs the kids made for him. My mom took some but they are all still on her computer. I don't even have any of Danny with the kids at this time. I tell you, my photo skills are way down right now!

Paul and I celebrated 11 years of wedded bliss on July 10th. (Sorry, no pictures of this event.) We left the kids with my parents (who just spoiled the kids rotten) while we went to Seattle overnight. Being 8 months pregnant I of course was not interested in doing much but we had fun doing a small amount of shopping in North Bend, eating at the Cheesecake Factory, seeing a movie, watching another movie in our very nice room while eating cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory, and attending the temple together and remembering our first experience together there 11 years ago. I love my husband and his many wonderful qualities, not the least of which is his ability/willingness to forgive and overlook my many weaknesses.

We have managed to fill in the rest of the time with doctor appointments, family gatherings, running through sprinklers, some swimming, trying to get in some naps and trying to keep our home from spiraling into true and utter chaos. You know the kind--where it would be easier to burn the house down and just start from scratch. We have started taking the kids on their special school shopping dates early since I will be less and less able to handle all of that when we get closer to school time. Baby Bekah is actually due a few days after school starts up. Here are a few cute shots of the kids doing random things.


The last two photos are when Paul shattered the outer pane of glass in our sliding door while weed eating. You could hear the glass continue to crackle for at least 10 minutes after it happened and then we just heard a big crash as the pane of glass fell out.

I will stop now and I am proud of any of you who actually spent time reading all the way through this. I am sure that you have improved your skills in patience and fortitude. : ) I have lots of cute stories to share from the mouths and actions of babes but they will have to wait for another post--or maybe just be lost in the hazy memory of pregnancy. Until next time--whenever that is!