finally... the story of Caiden's birth

Caiden Christopher Lee. Born 8/11/08 at 3:00PM. Weighed 7 lbs. 10 oz. and was 21 inches long.

He looks a lot like Chris (if you cant tell from the pictures).

Sorry, I haven't updated in so long. If I was my friend I would be irritated with the way I've been putting it off. Its just so hard when he eats every two hours. I feel like I dont do anything besides feed myself, feed him, try to spend time with Addysin, keep the house clean, and lay around all day. Usually my blog is a number one priority because its the closest thing to a journal that I keep, but I've slacked. Well, here is the story of August 11, 2008. I will post pictures soon.

I woke up and got ready for the day on Monday morning. I packed my hospital bag, ate my last meal of being pregnant, then got Addysin ready for the day. We went to the hospital at 9:30 AM after taking Addysin to a friends house (thanks Meggan!). First thing we did was get an ultra sound to see if he had flipped and was head down and he was! I was so relieved that I didn't have to have a c-section. It took untill 12:30 to get going. I was so anxious! Finally the Dr. broke my water. Right after that I got an epidural. Then I got the potosin which made me start contracting around 1 or 1:30 PM. I was already numb so I never felt a thing. It was heavenly. The epidural made me VERY tired and I slept on and off for about an hour. Then at 2:30 the nurse came to turn my dose of potosin up so my contractions would get stronger but she had to turn it down because I was moving along too fast. Then she checked to see if i was dialating and I was fully dialated and effaced! We were all pretty shocked. She called the Dr. and I had Caiden at 3:00 PM. So basically it was a breeze. Actually having a baby is super fun and relaxing when you have an epidural and it goes so fast. Oh I forgot to mention that I didn't even push. I think I am blessed with great deliveries because I have 9 painful months of pregnancy. I would definitly switch it around if I could choose. Oh well, I am just so happy to not be pregnant anymore.

Caiden is the most wonderful baby. I dont know how he could be any better. I am also very blessed with great babies. Addysin was very easy as well. I LOVE LOVE LOVE being a mother. I think everyone should have a baby as soon as they can because it brings me so much joy. It definitly has changed our lives and the way we do things but only in a good way. We never feel restrained or confined by our babies. We just take them along and have a good time. I love having a newborn, but I am so excited to watch him grow up like Addysin has. Its just so fun. I'm thankful to have a wonderful husband that loves children and wants a lot. I just dont know if I can have as many as he wants. He says he wants 20 and I really dont think he is kidding.


This is right when we got home from the hospital. Chris was just exhausted. I'm not really sure why but it made a cute picture. Meanwhile my mom, Emily, Ashley, and I looked at all the cute stuff my mom had bought for Caiden. They came from Washington to help and stayed for almost 2 weeks. It was fun to have them for so long. It went by soooo fast and I cant believe how old Caiden is already.

Caiden: Our New Baby Boy!

This is Chris. I have never added anything to this blog but I thought that this is a momentous occasion so it calls for momentous measures. This is a pic of all of us about an hour and a half after Caiden was born. We have decided on the spelling of Caiden, but we still have not decided what his middle name will be. We will be posting more pics in the next day or two.

Caiden or Caden?

We decided we like Caiden better. Thats actually the way we always have wanted to spell it but I started having doubts so thats why i asked everyones opinion. Even though the vote was 21 for Caden and 11 for Caiden, we still like it. Chris wouldn't change his mind anyways even if I did want Caden. He's totally set. Well thanks for voting anyways :)

The day before Caiden

Well, tommorrow is the big day!!! Here is the plan. After Addysin wakes up and we get her fed and everything we are taking her to a friends house. Then Chris & I are going to the hospital to get an ultra sound to see if the baby is still breech. If he isn't then supposably they will begin inducing me right then. If he is breech then we have to wait untill the afternoon to have a c-section done. If that happens then I will post it on my blog while we're waiting to go to the hospital. If you dont see any new post then that means I am getting induced!

Here is another one of Chris' projects for the week. We bought this Eddie Bauer high chair at Savers (a used thrift store) for $20! Its worth $120! It was light brown which looked terrible so he painted it black to match our dining room table for $12. I love it so much more than the big one that took up tons of space in our tiny dining room.

Addysin was looking super cute today. (Kara and Becca, this is the dress she is wearing to both of your weddings.) she wouldn't do anything cute like kiss my belly. Maybe next time around when she is older :)
David and Kira came with their kids to spend the evening. We played Kubb and it was really fun. I just love summer evenings here. (I have spent a lot of time out on the lawn with the neighbors enjoying the cooler weather. Especially when Chris was out of town. I have such fun neighbors and I never got lonely.)Chris playing Kubb.We got Addysin this stroller a few days ago and she is OBSESSED with it. She loves her little baby too. Usually he has to be perfectly positioned with the seat belt over him and his hat on or she totally freaks out. She has an emotional break down everytime his hat falls off and she cant get it back on. Chris was going to glue it on but luckily I stopped him. I can see her getting just as mad if she couldn't get it off. The other little girl is her Cousin Melanie.
This little neighbor boy came out in his spider man costume and it was so funny as he was approaching us. Jason (my nephew in that picture) started crying because he was so scared, so Addysin started fake crying. But Melanie thought it was soooo cool that spider man came to visit. She stayed close to him and was delighted to get a picture with him.
Addysin decided he was cool after a bit and kept pointing at him and talking in her excited voice.
Well I am just trying to wrap everything up for the big day tommorrow. Here is Addysin being interviewed before bed about Caiden.

Kubb

Here is one of Chris' projects for the week. Its a lawn game where you use those bigger round sticks to knock over the blocks that are far away. Its super fun. If you have ever played Bocce Ball (another lawn game)... or gone bowling, then you would like this. This is a picture off the internet but Chris' look just as good. So if anyone wants to play, let us know... its fun!

Summer days

Here are some pictures of the week since Chris has been home. It has been so fun to relax with him. We have never had a "fun" summer together because the first summer he got back from his mission we were engaged and I moved to Utah, he stayed in Washington. Then the next 3 summers we have done summer sales. Not that its not fun, but this week has been nice to be able to enjoy each other more, especially in the evenings when he usually works. Each day though we are anxious for me to go into labor and, as you can see, so far nothing. At least we only have 2 days left untill I have a c-section or (hopefully) get induced.

Here is Addysin just loving her dad being home. She misses him when he's gone.

Waiting around for the baby.
Addysin LOVES hiding in the curtains.
"Here I am!"
We went to 7 peaks for 2 hours yesterday with my sister Amy. Addysin slept for 1 1/2 hours in her stroller while I sat there enjoying the sun. I literally sat since I couldn't get comfortable on the ground. Chris and Amy went on some slides. Good thing she came with us because I am a whole lot of NO fun. Addysin went in the water for about 10 minutes and then I saw some lightning so we left.
Afterwards Chris played some softball with our ward. After a foul ball almost hit Addysin I couldn't relax and enjoy being there so we left early.

Up all night

Ok so its 5:00 in the morning, which is the middle of the night for me. I have been having braxton hicks contractions (which are "practice contractions" that you start getting half-way through pregnancy) since yesterday afternoon. They dont hurt, they are just really uncomfortable because my stomach gets really hard, I cant breathe very well, and it makes me feel like I have to go to the bathroom (which goes away when the contraction does). I just thought I would go to sleep and let them pass, but of course they are waking me up. They aren't getting any stronger so I think its just false labor and its super annoying because I am VERY tired. Since the baby was breech on Monday the DR. told me to come right in if I go into labor because I will have to have a c-section. But am i in labor? First of all, I am not going to wake up the DR. to ask him because this does not feel anything like my labor last time. Secondly, I dont want to wake up anyone to come watch Addysin. If we had no children then i might consider going to the hospital just to get checked because I am really curious to see if the baby put his head back down anyways. So instead I am blogging to pass the time. I am attempting to time the contractions but since they aren't painful its hard to tell exactly when they are starting and stopping. Basically I am just losing a lot of sleep right now and I'm going to be exhausted tommorrow. One great thing is that Chris is here and not in Washington still. I would be really nervous right now if I was alone.

Good News!

I went to the Dr. today and I am dialted to almost a 3 so he said it would be fine to induce me next monday (which is 6 days before my due date). The reason I requested to be induced is because Chris has been selling security systems in Tri-cities, WA and we want to be able to plan the baby's birth so that he can be here. He cant take off the whole month of August to sit around in Utah waiting for me to go into labor so we decided to do this and hope it works out. But the bad part is the baby is breech now and we had to schedule a c-section instead. There is always a chance the baby will flip again and then I can have a normal delivery. Well, however the baby comes out, the latest he will get here is next monday! Wow, I am so happy right now. Only 7 more nights of uncomfortable sleeping, stomach aches, achy joints, and wanting to hold our baby. And there's always a chance I could go into labor sooner... that would be nice!

I am VERY excited because Chris is coming home today! Yay! He was going to wait untill friday but we decided its a better idea to make sure he is here if anything happens. I am 1 week and 6 days from my due date so I really could go into labor any minute.

For those who dont know about what Chris has been doing this summer, here it is. He moved to Vegas the last week in April to Manage an office for summer sales (Security One). He has been there the whole summer and only been able to come visit Utah 3 times. Each time was only for about a day and a half. So i spent 3 weeks in May, and 2 weeks in June with him in Vegas. We also got to be in Washington together for about a week and a half in July. The heat was just taking a toll on the guys in Vegas so they moved to the Tri-cities (thats where we're from). It has been going REALLY well there. Chris has a great assistant manager that is going to take care of the office while he is here in Utah for the baby, me, and Addysin. I'm so glad everything is working out for us so that he will be here for the birth without a doubt.

Addysin the big girl

Ok, I know Addysin could have kept sleeping in her crib for another good year since she is only 20 months... but she WOULDN'T sleep in her crib. With all of our travleing around this summer she got used to sleeping in a bed with me and when we got back to Utah this time she was NOT going back to her confining crib. So I was compelled to do something. Making her sleep in it wasn't an option because I'm just too nice. I had two choices. I could get her a toddler bed or convert her crib into a full size bed (a lot of cribs do that these days. You just buy the metal rails that hook on to the head and foot board, along with a "bunkey board" box spring and mattress.) I thought about it for a few days and decided why not just make it into a super cute big bed that we can sleep in with her when she doesn't want to be alone. I know I would break a toddler bed if I tryed climbing into it. Well my problems are solved now. She sleeps in her own bed! And just in time for the baby to be born. I'm not going to lie though, she usually ends up in our bed half way through the night, but we'll work on that. As some of you know, Addysin is a very poor sleeper and NEVER sleeps through the night. She always has something she needs... water, food, or doesn't want to be alone.

So here is the new bed! Stephanie and Rachel thanks for the little quilt at the end & little pillow. They gave it to us for Addy's baby shower and I finally get to use it! Also thanks Dareth for being my moving girl. Both of our husbands were gone so we went to pick up the matress and frame with her truck.
I got these "regalo" brand bed rails that are really really cool. These slide under the mattress super easily (it takes about 5 seconds) and even when they are up they dont look too bad. Addysin just climbs off the end of the bed when there is the gap, and with no problem.
She used to wake up in her crib from her nap and cry to let me know she was awake and wanted out but now she doesn't even make a peep. She just gets down and comes to find me. It is so stinkin cute. My baby is a big girl. If I wasn't having another baby next week I would be so sad, but I am really glad that Addysin is becoming more independant.

Back in Utah for good

Well I got back to Utah over a week ago to finish up with this pregnancy and be close to the hospital. I have only been in Utah for maybe 3 weeks total since april. I have spent the summer with Chris in Vegas and my family in Washington. The summer has blurred by, I CANT believe August will be here this week. I love summer and I'm sad to see it pass so quickly but on the other hand, I am relieved my due date is approaching. Someone asked me, "can you believe you are almost due?!" and I said "Yes, I can! Actually I cant believe I still have 3 weeks left." I am VERY anxious to have this baby. My due date is August 17 but hopefully he will come sooner. Addysin came 8 days early so I am hopeful. (Good news! I am dialted to a 1 and 50% effaced.)I am trying to enjoy this last part of summer that I have but its hard to stop wishing the time away. I officially am ready for the baby. I got out all the baby stuff and bought the things we need. It is so much easier to know what to buy the second time around, and thats if you dont already have it.

Here I am with my sisters on Jessica's birthday. We went to the Cheesecake factory in Salt Lake City. Yeah I know I look awkwardly unconfortable in this picutre. I haven't figured out how to pose around my belly.

Living the same life

This is me with my friend Anneka. We were roomates as freshman at college (BYU-I) and then she married someone from the area I am from in Washington. So sometimes I get to see her when I'm home. Anyways these pictures are just for fun. This is about a year and a half ago when we both had new baby girls. They are about 6 weeks apart and both go by "Addy". Here they are now with the same cute hair-do.
And here we are! We are both having boys and they will be about a month apart. How funny huh? She just had hers and I would love to be in her place at this moment.

Can your baby dance like this?

Here's another cute video of Addysin dancing. She is soooo much fun! She loves the big mirrors where she can watch herself. She may have waited to walk untill 16 months but she has got it down. She is just over 19 months now. Check out her swimsuit tan line. She has the most beautiful skin color (no thanks to me).

Time with my family

After the Lee reunion Chris had an extra day here in Washington so we were able to spend it with my family. Its the best being from the same hometown.
We just enjoyed the cool nights (very different than Vegas) and spent time outside.
Here I am at 34 weeksWe went to Scootney on Monday to go boating. The next day Chris flew back to Vegas. It was a really fun week for us. I am staying here with my family for a few more days before I go back to Utah to finish up my last 4 weeks of pregnancy (yay!).

Lee Family reunion

Addy LOVES her daddy!July 3-6 Chris' whole family came to Washington for a family reunion. It was so fun! We were soooo busy those 4 days. We went to a small water park one day, the guys went golfing while the girls made big wall clocks another day, watched fireworks, went to the temple, had family pictures, ate a lot, and got a little bit of sleep.

Here is Chris' WHOLE family

Chris' parents

This is one of the best pictures we got
Did you notice two more additions? Congratulations Tony and Becca!

Tony proposed July 5 to Rachel. They are getting married in October in the Rexburg, ID Temple. That is where she is from.
Also Becca and Caleb are getting married September 5 in the Columbia River Temple. He is from Arkansas.
Chris' sisters and mom making clocks. It was an all day project and we didn't even finish! I will post a picture of mine when I get it done. They are really cool.
Addysin the farmer. Taking after her mom.
On the 4th of July we watched fireworks in Connell. For it being a small town of 3,000 the fireworks were actually really good. Can you tell by Chris' expression? Its such a funny picture huh? Especially since he was taking it.

The month of June

I haven't updated for a while so here is what we've been doing. I spent 10 days in Washington with my family at the beginning of June. I made the trip especially for my sister who graduated from high school. It was so fun to be with some of my family and Chris' parents. Addysin LOVED being there. She had a big house to roam around in and lots of people adoring her. I loved it too. It was nice to have my sisters and parents playing with her. I'm just not fun all the time and Addysin gets bored with me. I know that is hard to believe :) Addysin loved being outside in the yard and seeing all the animals on the farm. She is a looker though, not a toucher. She gets too scared to touch them. If she built up enough courage she would pet the dog and kittens.

Probably the thing I loved most was going for walks with my family. I LOVE walking by the orchard in the evenings. My parents live by an elementary school out in the country so we would go up there. I hope someday Chris and I can live somewhere near there. I absolutely love the Tri-cities during the summer, its really pretty with all of the farm lands and the rivers.

Sara, Addysin, & Ashley

My dad, Addysin, & Emily

My mom watering her BEAUTIFUL garden (She built that gazeebo for our wedding reception!)

My dad went for a bike ride one night while we were walking.

Chris' dad and Addysin

While I was in Washington I had 2 projects I wanted to accomplish, and I did! One was photoshopping our wedding pictures (see next post down) and the other was to make our baby's blessing outfit. It took me my whole last day I was there but I am so glad I have it done now.

I flew directly to Las Vegas from Pasco on Fathers day to be with my best friend (thats Chris). We were so happy to see him again and Addysin couldn't stop kissing him, it was adorable.

We spent the first night in The MGM Grand. It was so nice. Addysin even got her own Queen size bed! My flight plans were to only stay for 8 days but I figured what was my hurry to get back home to nothing, so I stayed for 2 weeks. It was so nice to be with Chris, but It was definitly really hot. It was usually around 105 degrees everyday. Being pregnant during the summer is definitly a big deal, which I thought I wouldn't even notice. The baby adds 10 degrees to any temperature. The worst is waking up at night sweating even when the house is cold and I'm not even using sheets. Another thing is when we went out in the eveing and you expect to step out of the house into cooler air, its not cooler. Still 100! I always felt so overdressed, expecially with all the skimpy Vegas attire. I felt like I was dressed for winter. Well I wont be going back to Vegas this summer because I am getting pretty close to having the baby and need to stay close to the Dr. and hospital. I will be going for one more trip to Washington though tommorrow for Chris' family reunion. I get there wednesday and Chris gets there Thursday. It will be really fun.

Here I am today at 33 weeks and 2 days. Yeah, not a very flattering picture but this is what I look like everytime I remember to get a belly shot and so I just buckled down I took one. Can you believe I still have 7 weeks left of growing? I cant. How can a women's body stretch so much?

Well today was fun because I got to spend it with my 3 sisters that live here in Utah (Kara, Amy, & Jessica). We went to 7 peaks water park for a few hours. Addysin really liked it and was happy the whole time even though it was right during her nap time. One thing I must say though is a water park isn't as fun when you're banned from the slides (due to being pregnant). The lazy river and kid pools just dont do it for me. Well I guess I better get used to it though because thats the life of a mom. Sorry, no pictures of our day because the swim suit shots just weren't so cute.

My photo skills

Chris bought me Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 for Christmas and I haven't been able to use it yet because my computer doesn't have the ability to cooperate with anything besides the internet (thank goodness for that though). It likes to frustrate me for fun so it shuts down whenever it wants. So anyways, I am at my parents house in Washington where the computer works. I have been spending a lot of time photoshopping. Our wedding photographer wasn't very good and didn't spend any time on our pictures so I have never had a nice one blown up in our house. These are a few that I tryed to fix up a bit. I still have more pictures I want to do.

I'm really excited about photoshop if you cant tell. Let me just say, our wedding day was the happiest day of my life.
I finally got to edit some pictures I took of my sisters last fall. (Chris also bought me my super nice camera for my birthday last year. He is so sweet.) This is Sara. She just graduated last Friday from Connell High School. This is Emily. She is in 8th grade.This is Ashley. She is in 6th grade.