From a pea to a chunk!

Here is the reason for all the belly pictures I took throughout my pregnancy. The first three pictures were taken with Straton's phone because we lost our camera (woops!), and as you can tell, I didn't make it all the way through my pregnancy with the pictures. I'll do better next time. But it came together just like I hoped it would!

Baby Blessing

Oaklen's blessing was great! Straton did a wonderful job giving him a blessing, and it was so great to see all the men standing together in the circle. Oaklen slept peacefully through the whole thing and pretty much the rest of the day. He was a great baby for everyone! We had lots of family and friends for a lunch afterwards and it was so nice to see everyone coming together for sweet baby Oaklen. We loved having everyone there and we thank everyone for coming and sharing that special day with us!!

2 week checkup

Everything for Oaklen's 2 week check went great. He peed all over the nurse who checked his weight, and then again all over me and himself, and then tried to get the doctor. That's my boy!

So far Oaklen:

1. has learned how to grunt, which sounds like a little boy, not a baby. It's the cutest/funniest thing!
2. is starting to recognize my voice. He really tries to listen when I talk to him. 
3. has blue eyes that seem to get a little more blue everyday. 
4. likes bath time.
5. coo's when he's really asleep.
6. has outgrown one newborn outfit.

So far I:

1. have learned that 9 pm is past my bedtime.
2. still can't sleep on my stomach because I can't grasp the fact that there is NOT a baby in there that I would squish. 
3. still set up my bed with pillows for my stomach right before I get into bed. Straton asked me what I was doing the other night when I did that. I had no idea.
4. get extremely nervous when Oaklen isn't in my arms. I feel like I can't protect him from germs, people or heaven forbid he scratch his own face with his nails! 
5. love breastfeeding. I was a little nervous about it because it just seemed so awkward, but there really is an amazing bond with him. Especially when he holds my hand. I think Straton really likes it as well. bahaha
6. give in to Oaklen's sweet little eyes. No matter how exhausted/irritated/upset I am that I can't get any sleep at night, every time I see those eyes, my frustration completely fades. 
7. get teary eyed every time I look at this picture. It brings back that moment for me as if I'm re-living it right then and there. 

I love my boys!!

Blessing

This Sunday (March 21st) is Oaklen's blessing. All family and friends are invited! If you'd like to go, leave your email in a comment or contact me and I'll give you the information to where and when!

Warning- I know everyone will want to see and hold him, but he is still so new! So please keep that in mind and please don't get offended if we don't pass him around. =)

I'll leave you all with this 4 generation picture. Straton's grandpa is just all sorts of cute.

Our little guy

Oaklen

• It's a rare occasion that I can get this little boy to open his eyes. He's really good at sleeping through the day (no matter how hard I try to keep him awake), eating, peeing and pooping. I've gone through a whole package of diapers already, and he loves to poop and pee on me as I'm wiping his bum. It's a good thing he's so darn cute.... =)
• He eats every 2 hours on the dot. So I'm not getting much sleep. Especially when he likes to wake up for a bit after each feeding.
• He can fart bigger, longer and louder then most adults. It's quite amazing.
• He grunts and snorts when he can't find his food source fast enough.
• We go through about 2 outfits each day with him. Like I said...he's a pooper.
• We're still having a hard time getting him to sleep in his crib. He does much better in his boppy next to me in bed. Actually, I think we all do better.
• My biggest fear during the whole pregnancy has come full force and now makes me incredibly emotional. We've seen 2 different doctors about his circumcision and are about to see our third. It's breaking my heart to see him go through all this pain. NEW SUBJECT.

Mommy & Daddy

• I'm feeling great. I take some naps while Oaklen sleeps, but don't feel overly tired throughout the day. It hits me by about 8 at night though.

• Straton has been amazing these past 11 days. He takes care of me, and is super loving which is what I really need right now.

Having Oaklen has really brought us a lot closer. We're loving our little Oaklen!!

Just can't get enough!

It's been six wonderful days here at the Gerber house! This little boy gets cuter and cuter everyday and our love for him gets deeper and deeper with every coo, smile and even the occasional leaky explosion he seems to have right after I put on a cute new outfit...

All the things I was so worried about before don't seem to bother me as much as I thought they would. Although some things that never really bothered me before seem to bother me now. It's definitely not easy (not like I was expecting it to be) but it sure is worth it!! I just can't wait for my family to come out in a couple weeks to meet him at his baby blessing!!

Coming home.

It's SO great to be home!! The hospital was wonderful and the nurses were awesome, but there is nothing like being home. We are all doing very well and my mom is helping a ton. It makes me wish all my family lived in Utah so much more. BIG thanks to everyone who came to visit, sent gifts, and showed us lots of love! We really, really appreciate it!!
And an even bigger thank you to mom and Debbie for watching over, and being with us the first day in the hospital. I felt so much better with you there!!

Oaklen

While I have some downtime, and I feel like a new woman after taking a shower, here are some more pictures!! (there not in order)
Is he not the cutest chunk ever?!

Oaklen's Birth Story

Feb. 28th-  (due date)
At Nana's house to watch the Olympics and eat pizza. Had braxton hicks the whole time. Came home to play Skipbo. Bet that if I won, I would go into labor and have baby the next day. (I won)

March 1st- 
2:30 a.m.- Contractions started and were about an hour apart.
5:30 a.m.- I got up and paced around the room to see if they would fade, but they didn't.   
6:30 a.m.- Contractions were about every 7-10 minutes apart, and getting closer.
7:30 a.m.- I woke up Straton and told him to get ready to go to the hospital. Woke up mom. Got ready and packed our stuff in the car.
9:00 a.m.- Checked into the hospital. Dilated to a 3.
10:00 a.m.- The nurse told me to walk around the halls for an hour. I kept walking by someone's room who was in the middle of pushing and it made me want to start running around the halls to get him out. Until the big contractions hit.
10:30 a.m.- Contractions were getting pretty painful, and I wanted to lay back in bed, but was too afraid of the crazy nurse who made it clear that I was not to come back to my room until at least 10:50.
Between 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. I had an epidural (amazing!), dilated from a 3-4-5-7-10 (dilated about every hour - hour and a half), and heard about 2 or 3 babies born around my room. (although there were 10 that day!)
5:00 p.m.- dilated to a 10 and started pushing. The only trouble i was having was that I was so hungry (hadn't eaten for almost 24 hours), so I was having lots of hunger pains in my ribs. The nurse would leave the room sometimes (not very long), leaving just Straton and I, and told us to continue pushing if I felt up to it. I think I did better that way, although it was a little scary being alone.
7:00 p.m.- Straton asked the nurse how long they let someone push before considering a c-section. We were all afraid I had head pelvic disproportion (small pelvis) like my mom. The nurse told us after 2 hours (which is right where we were) they talk to the doctor to see what they think. Luckily she told us not too worry too much because Oaklen's head was crowning. That's when I started to push like crazy!
7:35 p.m. (about) - Dr. shows up with Oaklen just about out. She had to hold his head while putting her gloves on. Needless to say, she came right in time.
7:42 p.m.- Oaklen is born!!!

That moment was hands down the best moment of my life. Sharing that with Straton was such a blessing and such an amazing feeling. 17 hours of labor meant nothing to me once they put him on my chest. I am still in awe that he is here and completely healthy and happy. Life is great. I'm so happy to have a wonderful loving husband like Straton, and even more blessed to have a child with him. We're incredibly happy and excited to be parents!

Baby boy is here!

Oaklen Evan Gerber

8lb 7oz  20 1/2 inches long