Welcome Everly Brooke!

We would like to welcome Everly Brooke into our now complete little family. Everly was born on Thursday, May 20th, 2010 at Surrey Memorial Hospital by scheduled C-section. She was born at 5:21 PM, delivered by Dr. Caitlin Huckell and our family doctor, Dr. Elaine Jackson. She weighed 8 lbs 12 oz. She was chubby and born with a mess of dark brown hair. She resembled Kelsey at birth quite closely.

When it was finally our turn (going for a scheduled C-section reminded me a little of waiting in line on an airport runway), after getting bumped from 12:30PM to 4:30PM, our first surprise was Everly was a girl. We were convinced she was a boy, so what a shock to hear the doctors announce she was a girl. We had some trouble coming up with a name. Jim really liked Everly, and I thought it was different and pretty, so Everly she became. If she was a boy, she was going to be Tanner James, a name we had agreed on months ago.

Our stay at the hospital was enjoyable (if you can call recovery enjoyable), except the beds are awful! The staff at Surrey are knowledgable, helpful and very supportive. We stayed 3 nights. Jim stayed with me. A couple of the nights with Everly were difficult and we didn't get much sleep, but again, Jim and the nurses were great helping calm her down and dealing with the problem. The only "issue" was our baby doctor, who less than 2 hours prior, came bursting into our room after I had been returned from the recover room demanding to see the baby with the extra "pinky" fingers. He insisted it was our baby. I kept waiting for him to say "just joking - congratulations!" but he didn't. I had fed her in the recovery room and was trying to picture her hands to see if I remembered anything different. Nope! Didn't pay much attention, the doctor had just told me she was perfect. Anyways, after looking at her chart and talking to the nurses he figured out he had the wrong room and went off to find the correct baby with extra pinky fingers!

Welcome Everly! Mom, dad and big sister Kelsey love you and are excited to welcome you into our family!

More to come...

Jim, Everly and I in the operating room.

Everly in the recovery room

Mom and Everly in the recovery room

Dad, Kelsey and Everly in our room the next day (PS Kelsey is a proud big sister)

Everly going home from the hospital

Is it a boy?

Everywhere I go people (friends, family, complete strangers) ask me if I'm having a boy. When I tell them I don't know, they firmly state "Yes, it's definately a boy! You're all out front." Based on the "how you carry" and "low heart rate" wives-tales, I'm also going to guess it's a boy. My guess is 9 lb 3 oz baby boy. Let's see who's right...

Photos by Kay Warcup

Dance mom, dance student, and friend Kay Warcup took some belly shots of me today at 38.5 weeks pregnant. She's a budding photographer and wanted to practice photographing pregnant woman and asked if I would volunteer. I am impressed with the results...

View some of Kay's other photographs at: http://www.kdphotographystudio.ca

Out and About in the couple weeks before baby

I left work a little earlier with the pregnancy with the hope of spending a couple quality weeks with Kelsey before the new baby arrived. The nice weather has made it possible for us to get out and around. And despite a few behaviour issues (due to either me being home or the arrival of the new baby) we've been able to enjoy the sunny weather.

Piper Spit to look at the baby ducks and geese- Burnaby Lake Park

Enjoying a picnic lunch

We also got out with Kyla, Colin and Rowan to Maplewood Farm. What a perfect place to take a toddler, and the perfect time of year - so many new babies (sheep, goats, rabbits, chickens).

Kelsey in the rabbit enclosure

Sunning herself on the goat hill

Kelsey and Colin - best friends (sometimes)

Spring Has Sprung

Spring is here, and although we had more spring-like weather a couple months ago, we've been able to get outside and play a little more. Bear Creek playground and gardens are definately our favorite. A good place to walk and to play!

Kelsey balancing on the garden wall

Beautiful girl

In the flower garden and looking like she's up to no good

Fun in the flowers

Playing!

37 weeks

Well, getting close to the end and it looks like I've eaten a basketball! Could I get any larger? Not sure. Getting pretty uncomfortable now and would really like this baby out of me, but I certainly value my sleep and sanity and know I'm going to lose both when the baby comes. It's a no win, no win situation... just kidding (or am I?).

Baby's probably going to be big, although the doctor hasn't said as much. I'm measuring slightly on the large size (38" at 37 weeks), but still in the normal range. My guess is a 9 lb baby boy.

Blood pressure's good, baby's heart rate is steady and good (still between 130-140 beats), lots of movement...and still all the fun stuff- swollen ankles, G. diabetes that I'm finding harder to control this time, and lots of peeing all night long.

Baby is due to be born by C-section on Thursday, May 20th at 12:30PM. We'll see...

I'm off work now. Friday, April 30 was my last day at the Surrey Nature Centre. I will continue to teach up until the day I have the baby. Afterwards, Lorraine Graf is coming in to teach for me for a couple weeks while I recover.

I'm enjoying being at home. I will try to get the baby's room ready (although it's mostly done), and some meals prepared. And I really hope to spend some quality time with Kelsey.

Me and baby at 36 1/2 weeks (Saturday, May 1)