Monday, February 10, 2014

Katelyn's Birth Story

The other day I read a post about the birth of a baby and I thought, 'man, i would love to have all my memories written down too!'

So here goes: The birth of Katelyn Alexis.

It was January 15, 2008 and I couldn't tell you what the weather was like because I only had one thing on my mind. My daughter, it was her due date and Miss thing wasn't making any appearances anytime soon.  It was my last day of work for that week until that coming Saturday January 14th.  So since she didn't come early I didn't care when she came as long as it was before I had to go to work!!


My friend Elisa and I were pregnant together!! (pictured with our Momma's at her baby shower)

That Friday night I walked and walked and walked. My sister Nikki from Colorado had come in, since the baby was suppose to be there by now.  But she wasn't so everyone was just patiently waiting!  Lyndsi my middle niece was the one who walked with me, since it was January we chose the appropriate local INDOOR walmart as our walking track.  Surly this would make something happen soon, right!?!
My larger than life belly bump!

The next morning I woke up with a little bit of contractions, nothing to fierce, but to a Momma that doesn't want to go to work it was the most horrific pain of my life.  So we showered, packed our bags and went to the hospital secretly wishing they wouldn't send me away since I was past my due date!!  I arrived at the hospital knowing that my doctor was out of town, see I had begged him this previous week to induce me right then and there, but he said I needed to wait till Monday the 21st because he would be on a hunting trip all weekend.

I arrived, they checked me out and the poor nurse had some sympathy for me and didn't want to just send me home so she asked me to walk for an hour.  We walked and walked and walked again.  I was having minor contractions, still nothing too harsh.  After walking we went back for her to check me and she sadly said I have to send you home till you are more along in your labor, she left the room and I (while crying) started to put my clothes back on, I felt a gush.  Not the movie water rushing break but a little leak.  So Travis went after her and had her check me again and sure enough I had walked enough to break my water.
Aunt Nikki and Grandma Jacque!

 The rest of the day was a little less than glorious as I would be bed ridden without food and without a baby the whole day. I munched on popsicles and dreamed of steak or anything for that matter. My sister and her girls came to see me, my Mom was right by my side the whole time.  My Dad came to see us too with Zoe and when we were officially admitted Travis gave his parents the call to come from Dodge City, 4 hours away.

That evening after taking pitocin to induce contractions they became unbearable.  I wanted a natural no pain medicine birth but I saw that slipping away before my eyes.  So I bawled like a baby and asked for an epidural.  It wasn't so bad and if you can take one of those you can take any kind of shot after that!

Midnight rolled around and still no baby, everyone in the family but Mom and Travis were giving up and going back home for bed.  The nurse started to have me push and I wish I had a better time frame of how long everything happened but I don't. So I probably pushed for an hour without the doctor.  See I had this terrible fear of pooping while giving birth so I don't think I was pushing to my full potential.  After a while that fear went away as we found out the baby had pooped herself inside of me posing serious threat to her.  The NICU nurses were called in to be there in case she had ingested any of the meconium.

Soon Doctor Irwin was called in, I had just met him for the first time! But when everything is going fast and you are about to have a baby you don't have any time to worry about things like that!  The doctor had me push for a while and before I knew it, we had a baby girl at 2:29am January 20th 2008.
   

Grandma and Grandpa Heeke, right after she was born!

She didn't cry at first and the NICU team was checking her out and cleared her to be OK!  She was in my arms shortly and it was the most magical moment of my life.  Looking at her, checking her fingers, toes, and how much hair she had.  It was pure bliss and I would relive that moment over and over again if I could!!  I had a baby girl and a name: Katelyn Alexis. 7lbs 6oz 19 1/2 inches long. PERFECT!  She had some brown hair, not too much and not too little, she was perfect!!  And even more perfect with that big pink bow on her head!  LOVE, love to the end of the world is the best way to explain having your own child in your arms! She was 5 days late and I had a feeling that wasn't going to be the only time she would have us waiting for her!!

If Katelyn would have been a boy, for some reason, her name would have been Jace.
Some of the names we considered and agreed on were: Katelyn Grace.  Alexis.
What I wanted but Dad wasn't having: Kambrey.  Emory.

When we got to the hospital we knew her name was Katelyn, but Alexis wasn't decided until we were there.

 Visiting his best friend for the first time, Max Cody! My best friend Ashley and Devin. 

Proud Grandpa Sheffler!

OUR FAVS

Favorites:

In attempt to remember all the things that my children love I wanted to make a list at each age of some of their favorite things and what they are into!

Katelyn Alexis {{age 6}}



It would be an understatement to say she is a girlie girl. She's got the dress-up, hair, make-up, and perfume routine down!  She loves her lip gloss and and blush and tries to get away with mascara, but she knows the rule, only on non-school days!

She's really into her baby dolls and recently figured out what the wonderful world of American girl doll has to offer.  She is in love! She named her look-alike doll Brooklyn and recent got the girl of the year Isabelle for her birthday.  She's all about changing the clothes, brushing the hair, and taking them where ever she goes.  It's often I'm loading my 2 children in the car along with a dollie stroller for her and of course she buckles them right up too!
Her very first AG doll, Brooklyn! (Summer 2013)


She's really into fashion and always is trying super had to match everything just right! "Mom does this look good?" I really like those words and I hope she still looks to me for advise for many years to come! {wishful thinking!}

She is a do-it-herselfer: from brushing her hair to getting her own water cup, she knows what she wants and she goes after it!

Katelyn is just like her Daddy in most regards, down to the random bloody noses she gets to the snoring ZZZZ's at night.  She's a bit picky when it comes to food, just like her Daddy, but I will have to give her credit for eating things that Daddy doesn't even try like artichoke and asparagus!
Daddy and Kate at Meet the Teacher night at Prairie Center Elementary, August 2013.

Right now we are into the movie Frozen! She thinks that ice skating is the coolest thing ever and it just so happens the 2014 Olympics are on and she is smitten.  I can already see the dreams forming in her head to be there one day.  She will be starting skate lessons soon at a nearby indoor arena.
Skating for her Birthday at Crown Center in Kansas City. (January 2014)

She loves her iPad and can be found mainly playing the apps that she can dress up and put makeup on girls, pets, or babies.  She loves the Disney channel (Sofia the first, Sheriff Callie).

She is hardly seen without her best friend Kennedy.  They are often twinkies and always coming up with something new to do/play.  They are the best of little friends and Kate is so lucky to have her since we moved to Kansas City!
Katelyn and Kennedy sledding after a snow storm in January 2014.


Kate does really well in school.  She can speak some Spanish and often tells me how to say certain words.  She's learning to read and loves to sound out her own words when she is writing.  She thinks the world of her teacher Mrs. Hinkle and even wanted to invite her to her birthday! (I let her take a card because she insisted!)

School program (October 2013) Nora, Bryson, Michael (boy friend) & Mrs. Hinkle.

Katelyn is a very well behaved little girl (thank GOD because from age 2 to 3-ish we worried, a lot!)  She is the best big sister to Easton, always giving in and helping him out! She is a real sweetheart and always thinking of others! Just this weekend when we had a big snow storm and our neighbor cleaned off our drive with his snow blower she wanted to make him something! She crafted her very own Valentine's card that said 'I love you' and 'thank you,' she's a sweet girl!!

We wouldn't know what to do without the love that Katelyn brings to our family!  She's a real princess and we love her so much!! In her words we love her to the moon and back!


Easton Reece  {{Age 3}}

Eating his favorite Broccoli cheddar soup from Panera Bread! (January 2014)

Where do I start with this BOY! He is all boy and loves all boy things: baseball, ninja turtles, trains, swords, capes, superheros, race car tracks, cowboys, Nintendo Wii (Mario kart), Toy Story and Cars, Disney Channel (Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Octonauts) & playing with his iPad.

Royals Baseball game with the whole family, Summer 2013.

One of his most favorite things is his big sister. ALWAYS repeating what she says, wants what she has, and is always right next to her.  You can rarely find my two little loves without one another.  Easton loves his big sister!!!!
Father's Day 2013 @ Clair and Jason Cunningham's house.
Shawnee Days carnival, Summer 2013.

Easton is not like big sister when is comes to being a do-it-himself kinda guy. He likes his Momma to do most things, although he sometimes surprises us!!  He likes to get himself dressed now, which is a new recent thing for him.  That's the first thing he wants to do when he wakes up and he's getting adamant about what he wears, "NO JEANS!"  He's all about the sweatpants and being comfortable, no socks (usually) and only wears shoes when he has to!!  In the car the shoes are the first thing to come off.
Parade in Shawnee, KS. (summer 2013)

Easton knows he's the baby of the family and uses it to his advantage!  He's a bit of a whiner, OK he whines a lot!  We are working on it, but let's just say he knows his strong points!

When I think of the things that Easton likes he is a lot like me, just like his sister is just like her daddy. Easton is a night-owl and can sleep in like no body's business.  He loves salads just like me.  He's never had a bloody nose, just like me.  When it comes to food, he mostly likes the things I do, except sour cream (my fav).  He's an adventure seeking, jump off the couch, down as many stairs as he can, daredevil.  A child after my own heart!
Silly face Easton! (Summer 2013 in the new house!)

Right now Mommy is growing Easton's hair out and everyone but him and I hate it! It's usually a mess, but we are hanging onto the fact that one day its going to be that cute little boy shag! hehe! Probably just in time to cut it off for the summer!

Easton showing off his hair shag and sledding skills! (January 2014)

Easton is a fun loving little guy and we couldn't imagine our family without him! He gives the best hugs anyone could ask for, but you kinda have to be in his little circle of trust to be lucky enough to get one.  Oddly enough he's a shy guy!  He loves anyone who will wrestle with him (the true way to his heart!)  He hates to shop unless it means a trip down a toy isle.  He would be outside all day every day if he could be.  These cold weather, stay inside allday, Kansas winters are not fun for him.  He's been begging to learn to ride his bike without his training wheels, poor guy!

Swimming at our apartment, Summer 2013.


Friday, January 31, 2014

THE BEGINNING

The Beginning

So here I am, with a blog.  So much to say and nothing to say at the same time.  You see I started this blog over a year ago, but never knew where to start.  So here I am today. Starting.

I've wanted a way to remember small things about my children as they grow up.  Everyone says "just get a journal!"  Which I haven't, so here I am, resorting to blogging (because that seems much easier, RIGHT?)

So here's to me brushing up on my typing skills a little more, cause let's be honest, I've used my thumbs a little too much in the past few years!  And let's just hope there is a spell check on this thing, or we are both in trouble!!!!!

Here's to a great year of blogging and sharing my life through my eyes and my littles!!



Valerie