Dakota Jean Bills

12/4/2011 8:32pm 6 lbs 11oz 19 inches long and absolutely PERFECT!

It posted the pictures backwards...but Miss Dakota is home and growing and filling our lives with love. Interested in the birth story? Here goes:

Let's start with Friday December 2nd at my OB appointment. I lost a pound, Dakota had moved back up to a -1 station. I was 4+ cm dilated and still 60%effaced. She did a quick membrane sweep and I was done. I was expecting cramps and contractions...my body pretty much didn't do ANYTHING all day Friday and Saturday. Sunday we were lounging around the house. I noticed I was contracting and starting timing them at 2:15pm. They were coming every 2-4 minutes and lasting 60-90 seconds. They started to get painful about 3pm. I sat myself in the tub and concentrated on breathing and relaxing. This wasn't helping anything. Around 4:30 I told Cris let's bring our bags and such to Sunday dinner tonight just in case this is the real deal. Every bump and turn to his parents house was horrible! I was just breathing harder and harder. Cris suggested we head to the hospital...I was too scared it would be a false alarm so we waited. At 5:30pm we checked into labor and delivery...it was too much to handle and I was starting to get anxiety. I was checked and already 6 cm dilated and 90% effaced and she was at a 0 station. She asked if I wanted my epidural, I had made it to the 6 cm I was hoping for, so I sad "Yes, please!" Around 6 pm the CRNA came in and talked to me about everything. I had asked if he would please give me a smaller dose than normal and we could add to it if I needed. He agreed and that was the BEST decision I made. The pain had subsided, but I could feel when I was contracting. The OB came in around 7 and broke my water. I was expecting it to be quite some time before it was time...around 8pm I started to feel a little bit more pain and a lot of pressure. I hit my epidural boost and I told Cris to go get the nurse because I felt the urge to push. She came in and checked me and I was complete and ready to go! She asked me to give one push to see how the baby will come down. 2 seconds into my push she said "OK stop! I'll go call your Dr." Dr Langer was there within 10-15 minutes. I pushed 2 times during one contraction and 2 times during another and WELCOME DAKOTA JEAN! She was bright pink and screaming her cute tiny head off! I got to help wipe her off, Cris cut the cord, then she went with the nurse to be weighed and such. After all of that she came back to me and latched right on and ate for 20 minutes!! What a trooper. I love my girls. We stayed at the hospital only 24 hours and went home to spend the rest of forever with our new little angel.

See...isn't she perfect?

Bailee holding her the night she was born. She didn't know what to do when she started to cry.

Now we are 2 weeks out and Dakota is doing well. I've already lost 16 lbs and am feeling amazing. Bailee is a very hands on-happy helper and is transitioning into being the big sister quiet well.

The time has flown by.

It has been crazy around here! Between work and the holidays and just being pregnant...wow. I am 36 week pregnant. Huge. And Dakota is preparing to make her entrance! She's around 6 lbs 6 oz and doing well from what we can tell. I'm dilated 3 cm and 60% efaced...Dakota is just sitting on my pelvis...waiting...and I am waiting too. I have gained 9 lbs so far this pregnancy. I hope to lose all that plus 10-20 more within the first year! Wish me luck?

Bailee is super excited to meet her baby sister. She talks to her everyday. She talks to me about her and what she's going to teach her when she's here. Bailee is going to be 4 in a month! I can't believe it. She's so mature for her age...it drives me up the walls sometimes. She is generally well behaved. Very independent. She's into picking out her own clothes lately...sometimes it's fun, but most of the time it's a huge long drawn out process that is completely unnecessary and quite frustrating for me. But she's pretty dang cute and I catch myself staring at her, realizing that she is going to be the big sister and not my only baby girl soon. I get a little emotional and steal some cuddle time with her!

Thanksgiving went well...as well as it could go I think. I worked Wednesday night. Cris let me sleep in the morning. We had dinner at his parents house with Grandma Haskell and Sonya, Mitch, and their girls. Then I was back to work from 6pm to midnight. Cris worked all day Friday, and went duck hunting all day Saturday, and Sunday was a relaxing day together.

Now it's crunch time trying to prepare for Dakota, Christmas, a visit from GeeGee and Papa, Bailee's birtday, New Years, and then a visit from Nana Denise.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE!

30 weeks pregnant and witches night out!

updates with pictures...(i know, it's been awhile)

28 weeks pregnant. Had an appointment today. Since I've been contracting while at work 3 nights a week we did a cervical check and a Fetal Fibronectin test. Both are reassuring that these contractions are not making any changes in my cervix. GOOD. I'm not ready. Give me 8-10 weeks...then you can come baby girl!

Here is my new nephew Crew. He's adorable. I haven't met him yet. He was born at 33 weeks gestation. 3 lbs 15 oz. and 18 inches long! He's growing everyday in the NICU in Las Vegas...and should be coming home soon! Can't wait to meet you little man!

and because I love this little gal so much, I thought I'd show her off too! Right before I took this picture she says "mom, this is how sassifrasses look" struck a pose and I had to click quick! She's a riot, but man oh man...I am going to have my hands FULL with this little spitfire!

Bailee is going to be Minnie Mouse for halloween (so far...her mind changes everyday, but she always comes back to Minnie) This was from a Chick-Fil-A thing. They had a dinner with Mickey and Minnie. Cris was working late that night anyhow so I took B. :) She was timid and scared when I took her picture with Mickey and Minnie...but really excited from far away!

I have a fireplace and mantel! I had fun decorating. We OBVIOUSLY need a new family picture...the one you see is from 2008! We will update after Dakota arrives. :)

Like my witch? I think she's cute! I have a cute scarecrow for after Halloween. I love being able to decorate my new house!

Oh- by the way, we moved. here is my new (old) house! It's a 1968 brick rambler and we LOVE it! There will be enough room for Baby Dakota and a couple guests...so come visit!

We have goats for the pasture. Buddy is the one I have a picture of...Buck is our other one. They are cute. Cris' idea...he takes care of them for the most part. I give them treats! :)

We have a barn. :) Ain't it cute? Cris really enjoys everything about our new house, but especially the barn!

26 weeks...Getting HUGE! Dakota is hyperactive and moves all the time it seems like. I contract a lot when I'm at work...but they always settle when I do.

24 weeks...Still growing

22 weeks...maybe it's the stripes on the shirt...but I feel like I grew so much so fast! Braxton Hicks have already begun...and I am starting to get uncomfortable. I MUST sleep on my left side...I wonder if it has anything to do with Dakota favoring my left side? What do ya think?

We had a visit with Nana...Bailee was behaving so well at dinner. She went to sit on Nanas lap and ZONKED! It was cute. I took a picture and then we left to get her to a proper bed. Ain't she cute?

Spiders at my new house! This one is posted JUST for Shawnery. There are spiders at my house. Not so much anymore that Cris sprayed a crap ton of HomeDefense around the house...but these things are quite large.

a bundle of stories...and pictures

Aquarium Fun

My cousin Nikki came to town with her kiddos and we spent the day at the Aquarium in Sandy. The kids had lots of fun!

Parker, Ryliegh, and Bailee posing for a picture!

Bailee is almost as big as one of the penguins!

Bailee and Parker were fascinated with the frogs and toads!

That's my girl!

Another cute picture of Bailee and Ryliegh, posing for the camera.

We have pets...sorta

We now have chickens...and baby chicks! We have 2 Leghorn hens that lay eggs everyday, and sadly only 2 of the 4 baby chicks made it past their first week of life. We're told that's just part of life, but it was still sad. So we have 1 Rhode Island Red chick, and 1 Barred Rock chick. They should be laying eggs in the next couple of months! Bailee loves having them and Cris loves the fresh eggs!

Make over fun

Before

After

I went to a Mary Kay party at my sister in laws house and actually learned a few make up application tricks. It's been nice to know that I am applying what make up I do wear correctly. Make up makes me feel pretty. :) Silly, I know...

Last but not least...

We moved! Hopefully for the last time in a long time...or even forever!!! We want to buy the home after our lease is up if things go as planned. It's a cute brick rambler with a fully finished basement, and a BARN!!! That's right, I said barn. Hence the reason for the chickens. We have 0.76 acres of land and horse property. It's updated throughout the home, and both Cris and I love it! There is still alot of work to be done, but it's a great home in a great part of town, in the best school district. We're in love! Once we're all moved in and settled I will post some pictures.

I am blessed. I love my life. I love my family. I love my friends. I love my job.

:)

20 weeks

I'm growing bigger and bigger everyday! Baby girl looks nice and healthy and BIG! The ultrasound went great. I love watching her move around and do her own little thing. She's crazy active most of the time. She isn't staying low as often anymore, which is nice...but then she's high and I can't breathe! It's already getting hard to bend over and pick things up. I feel great most of the time now as well. It's nice to be over the tiredness and sickness. Bailee loves to talk to her sister and feel her kick and move around. She is going to be a great big sister. :)

We have named our precious baby. It's wonderful to be able to call her by name and get to know her.

Dakota Jean Bills

My Grandma is thrilled to be a part of Dakota forever. Lois Jean Longworth is a wonderful woman who is strong, independent, brave, loving, and open hearted. We hope that Miss Dakota takes some of these wonderful attributes and makes them part of who she is.

18 weeks

Still growing! Baby girl is now about 5.5 inches and 7 ounces(according to babycenter.com). She is consistently awake and active around 5-6 am (I only notice when I'm working), after lunch, and around 9-10pm just as I'm getting into bed on my nights off. She still likes to sit low and slide around slowly...you know the kind of movement that feels like a snake inside of you? The same feeling that I felt first with her...the roll of pressure? She still favors my left side. I already love this little girl so much and I am dying to meet her!!

In the last week Both Cris and I have felt her kick from the outside of my tummy! Cris's face was just as excited and surprised when he felt this little girl kick as he was when he first felt Bailee kick! I love that man!