Tribute to MY MOM

So it has been about a week or so since my mom has gone home and I am really missing her. She lives in CA and it is so far away. I always get a little depressed for a week or so after my family leaves to go home; especially my mom after I just had a baby. She has been at every one of my baby births and I just love it. I love that she gets to share that experience with me. And I think Matt likes her there for comfort too. She likes to come up for the labor and then be there for us to see the baby the first week or so and to help us adjust. She helps with my other kids, running errands, cleaning up the house, and of course we just like her there for conversation and company.

It is such a fun time. The kids get to see their "Grandma Christy" and we get to catch up. I always feel closer to her, during her 2 week stay. I love my mom and it is always hard to see her go. She always cries too when she has to say good-bye to the new baby because they will not look like a newborn the next time they see them! Love you MOM!

Coming home from the hospital- Casen's first 2 weeks- Jan. 2009

I finally made it home and I was excited to see my other kids. They were really excited for me to come home and bring baby Casen home. It was a little hectic when I first got home, but it always is, isn't it. It took a little adjusting. But I had my mom and my sisters here and they really helped me out and helped me to adjust. I have really recovered nicely. My mom was here for a week longer and all my sisters went home. It was so fun to have her here. And I loved the company! We did just hang out and not really go anywhere, but I loved it! I really wish she lived here or at least closer.

Casen is on the wrong schedule and I am not getting alot of sleep, but he is so worth it. I just love cuddling with him. And my kids are really great with him. It really is nice having my kids be a little older , so I do not have to worry about them hurting him. Cade is a little crazy, but he loves Casen and knows he has to be careful with him.

I was really sad to see my mom go, but I am managing. Meals were brought in which was so appreciated and Matt has been awesome too. He still gets a little nervous with newborns, but he is doing better. He is a great DAD!

Casen also had his first bath and he was not a fan. I have given him a few more too and he hates them. He hates to be cold. He hates cold wipes on his butt too.

Casen does look like a mixture of my 2 kids. It will be interesting to see what he looks like as he gets older. We are so happy that he is here with us and HEALTHY!

Casen James Thompson - Jan. 9th, 2009, Friday

Waiting all day, Thursday, Jan. 8th, for a phone call from the Women's Center to be induced. Finally around 5:30 PM , they called and said to

"Come on up." So they started me on an antibiotic and pitocin around 7:00 PM and broke my water around 9:00 PM. And I did not have Casen until 1:59 AM , Friday morning, January 9th. So my labor was about 7 hours. I did get my epidrual, which was a good thing because Casen's head was posterior which means his head was down but his face was up, and his face is suppose to be down. So my DR. said that because he was posterior, it prolonged my labor by about 2 hours. So the Dr. had to turn his head while I was pushing and I just kept thinking "If I did not have an epidural, I would have been miserable." This laobr and pushing was a little bit harder than my others, I think because he was posterior. I was so tired and starving that I had no energy to push. But my recovery has been GREAT! My mom and Matt were there the whole labor. My sisters Em and Becca came to the hospital about 10:30 PM and Matt's mom and sister came up about 11:30 PM. So I was feeling bad that everyone had to stick around SO LATE! I do not think I got to bed until 6:00 AM the next morning. And my mom left around 4:30 AM. And my sister Steph, was at my house, right by her phone, babysitting all the kids! I love my family. My mom and my sisters really did alot for me while I was gone. They watched my kids, played with my kids and cleaned my house! I love them and could not have done this without them! I LOVE FAMILY! They are such a blessing to have. I did miss my dad and Mike. Wish they could have been here too.

My kids came up the next day and they were so cute and excited. I think they missed me more than they wanted to see their brother. No they were excited! They each got to hold him and I think Corey has changed her mind about wanting a SISTER! They both love him and are great babysitters! Steph's family came up to the hospital the next day and got to see through the waiting room window.

I am so in love with my precious little boy. Oh yeah, he was 20 1/2 inches long and 7 lbs. 5 oz. I think out of all my kids, he was the least beat up. I have really been enjoying him and I am not busy working from home, like I was with my other 2 kids. S0 I have really been able to enjoy the "newborn" experience. I love babies and I want like 5 more, but physically my body says only 1 more!

1 week before Casen was born - Grandma Christy & My Family Has Arrived- Jan. 2009

So my mom arrived a whole week before Baby Casen was born. I was getting stressed because everyone was planning around me and I was not progressing. I went to the Dr. and had not progressed the whole week my mom was here and I was vacumming, mopping, putting Christmas decorations away up and down the stairs, running errands, and keeping up with my other 2 kids. And still NO PROGRESS! So I asked to be induced. So. Jan. 8th I was induced and had Casen Jan. 9th, Friday. But before Casen entered this world, here are a few pics of some of the fun things we did. My sisters came up to hang out. Cade helped mom make some treats. Dad took the kids snowmobiling and Auntie Steph and the cousins went sledding. My kids were exhausted every night while the cousins were here and my sisters and mom helped hold down the fort while I was at the hospital. SO ready to have this baby, but also getting a little nervous, like I always do! The kids are eager too. Hope all goes well!