A Whole Slew of Pictures (and my random blurbs)

Well here it goes, I've got to get this off my chest so the rest of this blog can be appropriately adored and enjoyed...this is the only family picture we were able to get due to wind, infant, and toddler, no explanations needed I think, and I have to say the boys are adorable and wonderful, but in reference to me, I absolutely DESPISE it- and there is nothing anyone can say to change my mind, trust me David has tried. #1 my undergarments are showing #2 my cardigan is all bunched up so I still look pregnant #3 bad angle- I have a side chin line thing going on #4 squinty eyes #5 pretty much everything else about me in this picture is just bad. Now don't get me wrong, this in not about a self esteem issue- I really thought I looked ravishingly beautiful that day considering it was less than 2 months post baby and I hadn't gotten much sleep for quite some time, so thank goodness we got some other great photos that I'm thrilled with, but in order to continue to NOT have self esteem problems we'll have to try again for a family picture I can put on the wall without it ruining my day. THERE I feel so much better, now on to the rest. Please look at my adorable boys in this picture and then move on

All the Hegstrom women

All the Hegstrom men...minus the two "little" men

The two lovebirds who started this branch of the Hegstrom family...I think we're pretty darn cute and maybe I shouldn't brag, but hey I did anyway. Looks like the love is still there after 4.5 years!

First thing I noticed about this picture...my booty thank you  baby Ben for an even more robust bottom...I have more curves right now than ever before and you know what, I love it!

We tried really hard to get David and the boys in a good picture...and well lets just say it's not going to make the cover of any magazine, but darn it all they are so good looking, and they wouldn't be MY boys if they held still for more than 30 seconds.

Handsome handsome guys...

This must be Ben's "stinkbug caught on it's back" pose,  but I love it

And last but not least Mommy and Baby Ben- and yes- I adore these ones

Some days I can't stand all of my undereye smile wrinkles....ask David I whine about them frequently, but when I see these pictures I know why they're there, and I remind myself that even though some days being a mom makes me a frazzled, puffy-eyed mess, it makes me more amazing and beautiful  than any number of hours of sleep ever could. There's truly nothing else like the love you share with your children- these boys complete me.

These Silly Boys

These boys absolutely make my life amazing, exciting, and complete...here's a little tribute to them

Love my hubby- he's handsome and look, he even puts the baby to sleep, bless him

ETHAN

"Smile for a picture Ethan"

"OK let's try that again" there he is- the sweet pantless wonder!

LITTLE BEN 

Pretty sure he's winking at me! lol

THE TERRIBLE DUO

Pretty sure Ethan thinks "what's yours is mine and what's mine is definitely mine"  But at least he's a good cuddler

And now for a progressive story told in picture form...if you can't tell what's happening look for the post picture narration

...Mom put Ben in his crib for safety while performing some cleaning tasks...Ethan wants to be in the crib with Ben, Can't quite figure out how to climb his way in (yes that's the point lol) so he pleads with Mom to let him in (at least that's what his jibberish meant) Mom finally gives in and says ok...Mom has to re-position Ben for safety, and Ethan snuggles in next to him and asks for a blanket...two happy happy boys...

Peanut Butter and Jelly

I have the two most adorable boys on the planet- I'm allowed to say that because I'm their mom- and it is such a sweet thing to have seen how Ethan has taken to his new brother. He is absolutely smitten. But I really wasn't expecting Ben to take so well and so quickly to Ethan. It is amazing how much comfort they take in each other's company after only 6 weeks. I can't exactly show in pictures the ways in which they are completely different but how much of a connection they have. It is a beautiful thing and warms my tender mother heart.

I can always count on Ben bringing a smile to Ethan's face when we go to get him out of his bed after an afternoon nap, and when we are changing Ben's diaper and Ethan comes around to maul him, Ben will just sit and stare and stare at Ethan next to him, with a sort of adoration on his face.

Ethan wanted to rock Benjamin to sleep

It was too hard to rock so he decided to just snuggle up next to him

We've started kind of bathing them together, we sit Ben's tub inside the big tub and clean them both that way- and they love it- then when they're all clean we lay those two adorable towel-clad boys next to each other on our bed and watch the magic of their adoration for each other unfold...it is a completely delicious experience (yes I can call them delicious, ask any southern woman) Just like PB & J

Just checking each other out

I say smile and here's what happens...two squinty eyed boys

Any my absolute favorite- doesn't get any better than this

Watching them makes heaven seem so much nearer. Maybe, just maybe, they've know each other for a really long time and can't believe that it took me so long to bring them together. Who knows.

Cinco de Mayo Blessing Day!

As it typically goes, Benjamin was just hitting the "molting" phase- you know when babies start to shed their soft baby skin  and break out in funny spots all over their bodies, so we knew it was the optimal time to bless him. We had church in the late morning, lots of family came, and we had a wonderful Cafe Rio style taco lunch afterward.

In the process of it all we attempted to take some nice pictures of all of us...meaning our little foursome as well as some with both extended families. We had some success- but bless Ethan's little heart he wasn't in the mood for pictures...

Such handsome men...and I guess I'm alright too

Trying not to laugh while holding Ethan in the range of the camera...Good thing he's so darn cute or we'd consider selling him on the black market...

Ben looked exceptionally handsome in his cute little outfit...he must get that from his father...

Then we only managed to get David's side of the family for a big picture...

We are so blessed with loving families and are so grateful for everyone's support on this wonderful day. Another baby boy blessed by his worthy father, a mother once again grateful for the priesthood in her life, and an older brother annoyed that he had to hold still for pictures when there was a perfectly good world all around him for exploring..thank you Grandma Katie for bringing skittles and Grandma Christine for the glasses- both items made it possible for me to hear the blessing. And thank goodness Benjamin was blessed with patience...with an older brother like he's got, he'll need a lot of it!

Somehow I remember all of this being so much easier with the first child...funny thing huh?!

All in a Day's work: Welcome to the World Baby Ben...read at your own risk...

Our little Benjamin was meant to come to us. He was a little surprise, and at times I felt so stressed during the pregnancy with all of our moving around, and I feel lots of stress now as I am learning to be a mother to two young boys. But through all of that I know he was meant for us and the timing was just as it should be.

I am sure that everyone who has ever been pregnant and not loved every waking breathing second of it, can agree that when your due date rolls around without any sign of baby arriving, it can be pretty discouraging...I know that very few babies arrive exactly on their due date, and that somehow seems fine, as long as they arrive EARLY! (lol) So when March 29th rolled around without any contractions, no other signs of labor in any way, shape, or form and I went to the doctor and there were no signs there either...still only a 2 not much effacing, I was even more discouraged. David was about to start into his LONG work days, which would mean that he would be there for the delivery and that's about it...so I talked to my doctor about possibly inducing on Monday if baby didn't arrive sooner, so that David would be around for a couple of days to help out. Since my doctor was on call all day Saturday he was able to schedule a planned induction for 7 am Saturday morning...but wait this gets even better (maybe only because it's my story though lol)

I was feeling a little bit guilty about choosing to be induced so quickly, I mean this time around there were no complications, nothing hinting at any potential problems, just that I wanted David to be around more for the first few days, but regardless we set up plans to have David's mom come up that night so that she would be here to take care of Ethan when we went to the hospital the next morning. (She was an angel to me that weekend and the first week after the delivery. I can't thank her enough)

So with emotions all over the place, knowing a day in advance that we would be having a baby the next day we started collecting ourselves and preparing...what a luxury to know in advance right! So we went to bed that night with our alarm set for 530 so we could shower and eat and get to the hospital by 7...but plans changed...

I woke up at about 2 with some uncomfortable contractions, but didn't think much of it because that had happened a week earlier and ended up with nothing...so I laid in bed for a while, until they started to come pretty regular- 4-5 minutes apart...then at some point I woke David up and we sat there in bed timing them for a while before we decided to just get up and get ready and head to the hospital a little early. It was all pretty relaxed at this point. The contractions were pretty mild, just uncomfortable- so I took my time and got a nice hot shower, dried my hair- no makeup though, that just seemed silly, and cut myself an apple. We had a pretty leisurely morning for a couple hours while the contractions continued to come every 4-5 minutes apart- not really getting worse, or maybe I just slowly raised my tolerance threshold, who knows. Slowly 6 o'clock rolled around and we got a call from the hospital saying that they could no longer do my induction due to lack of sufficient staff to perform elective inductions...they had to just plan on handling the ones who were emergency inductions etc. or already in labor on their own....well SURPRISE, I thought to myself, I will probably be coming anyway HAHA HA HA. But as I got off the phone with them I doubted whether I was actually in labor or not, I mean I had been having contractions for 4 hours, and I was still reasonably comfortable, and then as though my body read what my mind was saying, the contractions almost completely stopped. I went for about 30 minutes without a single one- so David laid down and went back to sleep, we sent Katie back to bed and I laid down on the couch. I slept for about an hour and a half off an on while I had maybe 3 or 4 contractions that whole time...DARN it- looks like no baby today...

But Benjamin had other plans- all of the sudden I got pretty sick to my stomach...no details needed, and within about a half hour the contractions were back, only WAY WAY more intense...I had to double over and cross my legs and breathe heavily, you know, the whole works...and they were coming 4 minutes apart, then 3 then 2, and I realized "ok this is actually it" but I figured we still had a while, so Katie got in the shower and I figured we would leave as soon as she got out...all the while David kept saying that if we needed to go we should just go, but I kept holding off, silly me...good thing Katie took a quick shower! The moment she got out we decided it was probably time to leave, and I am sure that our car thanks us...because by the time we got to the hospital and I laid down in a bed, my water broke...David and I both breathed a sigh of relief that we hadn't waited any longer...much more convenient for that to happen at the hospital for someone else to deal with haha. And you know, it was kind of exciting in a strange way to experience this whole process all happen on it's own. So very different than being induced, and very rewarding to know my body was capable at doing this on it's own.

Up to this point my labor this time around was much more relaxing than with Ethan because I was comfortable at home, but after my water broke, they were "contractions with a purpose" to just get this thing DONE. It was no longer even remotely comfortable. They had just measured me before my water broke and I was between a 5 and 6 and by the time I was all checked in and in a labor room I was between a 7 and 8 and I was really wanting an epidural and funny thing, they wanted me to have one too, in hopes of slowing down my labor. (since I was strep b positive again they needed to get the penicillin in my system for at least 4 hours prior to the baby being born) Now silly thing, if I had known the penicillin had to be in your system for that long I could have come in a LOT sooner, but I wanted to be VERY sure this was the real deal...I mean I hadn't gone into labor on my own before lol.

At this point, I think that I wanted to cry a little because the contractions were pretty darn intense to say the least, a lot of doubling over and attempted calm breathing- squeezing David, etc. etc. and I maybe would have cried except that David was making the most pathetic jokes, that weren't even remotely funny, and at the time I thought that it wasn't helping me at all, but in reality it probably did. It didn't make me angry like some women apparently get when in labor, I just mostly found it a little annoying, which helped me not think about the pain, and David was such a great support as he just sat in front of me and let me cling to him to get through the contractions. I know this probably makes it sound like it took forever, but from the time we got to the hospital to the time little Ben came, was only 3.5 hours. Mind you I'd been in labor for about 6 hours at home. But all in all I knocked a couple hours off from the last time! lol

Anyway I barely got my epidural before they won't give it to you anymore, and I did hear the anesthesiologist say to another nurse that she had to do mine before her patient since they were trying to slow me down- gotta love being the priority. Once I got the epidural I was expecting complete relief like the last time, where I didn't feel more than just the tiniest bit of pressure even at the delivery, but I can't say it was that amazing. It did take, maybe just not as strong. I had about 20-30 minutes or so of almost complete relief with just mild discomfort, huge progress from intense pain, and then there was pain again...not so strong, but still pretty intense and all at once and I felt like the baby was already coming out...so we had the nurse come back in and check everything, and she said that the baby had dropped down and we would be ready to push in a few minutes- so she went to get the doctor. So much for slowing things down huh ;) By the time everyone was back, I'd had another major "dropping" feeling and knew it was time to go...I could completely feel the need to push, which was different than labor with Ethan...it was more intense/painful, but I felt like I was more involved because of the pain and pressure. Once I started pushing the baby's heart rate dropped and held low for a while so they did call NICU just in case, because they didn't know for sure if there was a problem, but as soon as he came out my doctor took one look at him and said that he was a totally healthy baby- he looked great- always a relief-and within seconds he was crying. I only had to push for about 25 minutes and there he was, beautiful, perfect, and healthy!

As I look over the two completely different labor experiences I've had, I can't say that either one was better or worse than the other. They both had their ups and downs, but both with amazing results...a perfect baby boy. I am so blessed to have had two pregnancies and deliveries that have brought me two of the most amazing blessings. As I continue to reflect on the feelings I had in the labor and delivery- I felt so strongly this time the amazing wonder of my body and how it was able to accomplish such an amazing feat. As I pushed that boy out and saw him for the first time I felt so incredibly...Proud, to say the least. I think it is a feeling and emotion incapable of sufficient descriptive words. I felt like I had just accomplished the most amazing feat, like I was absolutely invincible. I felt like the most amazing/lucky/beautiful/incredible woman on the planet, like I had just done something no one else could do. I had the most amazing baby and he was perfect and I had helped create him and bring him to this world- no one else, just me, and there he was. Every perfect inch of him for me to love and cuddle and care for. WOW. That's truly the best wording I can come up with, and it doesn't even touch the true depth of what I felt, and that was such a blessing to feel that way this second time in particular because I had felt so overwhelmed this whole second pregnancy.

 I remember being so anxious about labor this time around because no matter how incredible it is, it is still the most physically and emotionally difficult thing I have ever done - however the feelings I had right after the delivery were so amazing that in a brief moment I can honestly say that much to my horror now, I remember thinking to myself "that was incredible, I could totally do that again, I want to do that again, I'm ready, let's have another baby" Yes my friends, i have already repented of that thought after a few weeks of sleepless nights and the stress of two children under two. I am NOT ready for another one, not even close, but I would give about anything to feel that sense of wonder again and again in my life. It is a gift to mothers at the end of a long and tiring journey. There is no other thing that can compare to having a baby. No other feeling so beautiful, no other accomplishment so rewarding, and no other challenge so fitting for me as a woman. I am so lucky, so blessed to have two beautiful boys. And I am so grateful for the blessing of bringing them into this world, and for the opportunity to spend every day for the rest of forever being their mother.



Yes I look puffy and swollen eyed and like I'm at death's door - but it's like looking at pictures of someone who just ran a marathon...beat to a pulp, but triumphant!

 My two beautiful boys

Beautiful sleeping Ben

One of the rare open eyed moments in his first week of life

He's only pretending to be awake, but such a beautiful picture

Newest Adventures from the Hegstrom Homefront

Back to Idaho and still can't believe it...here's what's happened since we got back...

Spent about a week at Grandma's house and totally destroyed the place! That's what boys do best

After a crazy spell of house hunting involving lots of frustration, prayers, and help from many friends we found a townhome which is slowly molding into "our home" at least for a little while- you know it's pretty homey when the toddler can run around in his diaper and chill on the stairs with his sippy-

His new favorite snack spot...yes it's not very structured, but what has been structured in our lives in the last year lol

Some Serious landscaping work...

Andy has been so good to us, and after he finished a spring landscaping cleanup project at our little "complex" he dove right into helping us on our yard project. We have just a small area of "yard" directly behind our townhome that backs into a fence and one side of the yard had a fence but it was pretty dilapidated, so we got permission to add a fence to the other side so we could have a fully fenced yard area, and repair the other fence. So after a lot of hard work Andy has already put our fences up, and now we are just working on the beautifying process- the last tenants left a sandbox which has been cleaned and filled with sand, and we are going to put in a tiny bit of sod...I am so so so excited to have our own private outdoor area for Ethan to play in, and he is too- he has made himself very very "helpful" in this whole process as I'm sure you can imagine.

Now I meant to take some pictures before any cleaning was done and before the fence was put up, but I forgot, so there has already been a ton of work done but here's where we are at right now...can't wait for the finished project!

Well I tried adding an adorable video of Ethan to finish this off with, but it wouldn't load- oh well- not everything can go as planned- I mean here I am at 40 weeks and still no baby, so there you go, but at least I will have a great little yard by this weekend if the baby doesn't show!

Whirlwind

The last couple of weeks have blown by so quickly and ferociously that I hardly even know what to do with myself! While I am so glad that we are back "home" there is a big part of me that was just loving my adventure in the sweet south. We had a beautiful mansion to live in, plenty of grass for Ethan to run around in, beautiful weather to enjoy basking in, great new friends to spend time with, and sweet southern ladies to compliment my adorable son at every public encounter. I kind of feel as though I didn't get the opportunity to give the south a decent goodbye. No chance to have southern catfish or crawfish. No alligator hunting or swamp diving. No chance to dance in a sweet southern rainstorm, so I let Ethan and David do that one for me. No opportunity to say goodbye to some great friends we had just barely gotten to know. So before I get a little weepy with my pregnant hormones here's a little goodbye to all of the people and things I was growing so fond of, thank you for taking me in and letting me be Miss Daisy for just a short while. I hope I can take some of the sweet southern ways and incorporate them into plain old Idaho Daisy.

I wish I had taken more pictures but at least I feel that I captured some of the sweetest memories. There will always be a place in my heart for our southern home. The sound of Ethan's little feet slapping against the cool painted concrete hallways as he runs to his momma will echo in my ears for a lifetime, and his little face peeking around the corner of the shower curtain holding out his loofah (soapy soapy) and the bottle of baby wash will be a permanent video in my mind.

Just chillin in his favorite TV position!

Apparently the strawberry looked like it should go in his nose...looks like I'll be one of those parents showing up at the ER because my child stuck some strange thing up their nose/ear and it got stuck!

His last shower in Louisiana lol- he was so very happy!

I will miss watching my little boy chase after the birds and lizards and squish large southern bugs. And the sight of him following after his daddy as they take the garbages the quarter mile trek to the edge of the road and walk back in sync, will always bring a smile to my face.

Silly Faces!

Rub a dub dub two boys in a...laundry basket?!

 I feel as though I really got to spend some quality alone time with my little boy, and I will miss those moments- they are so fleeting, but I am so glad we had them and even though days could be long without having a car to just zip around wherever I wanted, I got to be with the sweetest little angel I have laid eyes on to this point in my life. I hope that even though I won't have that same kind of alone time with my other children, that I can form the same kind of bond. The first child will always have a part of you that is different because they are the first, and at the time, the only. I am getting scared to death to have another baby boy, but as David has reminded me, we already know now what it means to love a child- so it seems that even though we haven't shared these magical moments yet with our new little boy on the way- we know what things can happen over the course of a year and a half, and therefore we will probably form a more instant bond just for knowing that.

Our last day in the South we visited the Durfees (ok they took pitty on us and let us stay a couple nights until we flew out of Houston for the trek back to Idaho) we spent Saturday at the World championship BBQ tournament. Thanks guys for taking us in, and letting us spend time with you at a World Class drinking event lol! It was GREAT!

So to wrap this up, here we are back in Idaho- here to settle down for a long time this time- and here it is that we go from 3 to 4 just like that. Come on little boy, we're ready to meet you.