Liam is 2 Weeks!

Liam had his two week appointment today. It was my first time taking both boys by myself. It went pretty well, but Troy tried to escape a few times. He is much more successful when I have another baby in my arms. Two kids is a definite change. A difficult change. But I know we'll get back to a normal.

Liam is looking healthy and happy!

Weight: 6 lbs 14 oz (I think it was really 11 oz, the scale was acting weird)
Length: 20 inches

He looks a little more chubby in this picture, but he is skinny and has little chicken legs with wrinkly knees. :) I just can't get enough of him!

Ben is quite skilled at holding both boys. He makes sure to give Troy a lot of attention when he gets home. Such a life saver. I did not realize how much I would appreciate Ben's time with Troy at night. Ben is such a good dad. Troy has been going a little crazy with staying in the house so much and the fact that I tell him to wait a lot. I cannot wait for warmer weather for two reasons. Liam will be less likely to get sick and Troy will be able to just run for hours like he wants to. What else can I expect from a little Allsop boy?

Troy snuggles with daddy after they have played really hard and he is tired. Liam's favorite place to sleep is on Ben's shoulder. I can honestly say this because he won't sleep on mine very well. We usually transfer him to his crib or swing so that he won't get used to sleeping on us. But it is so cute when he does!

It's a crazy house right now, but I really wouldn't have it any other way. My boys make me happier than I could have dreamed. All three of them.

Birth Story

Thursday night (the night before Liam was born) was not really different than normal other than my desire to run a 5k. I kind of jogged around the house for 10 minutes because it felt good. Looking back, I think it was almost a prompting. The idea kept coming back into my head of moving around and so I eventually did at 10 pm. A little part of me kept feeling that it would happen soon and so I got prepared before I went to bed. I didn't warn Ben because I didn't feel like I actually knew what would happen.

I woke up at 2:45 with some cramp-like feelings but it didn't hurt at all. I honestly didn't think they were contractions because they felt different from what I had remembered. Silly me. Anyway, they got worse of course and I timed them at 1 minute apart. I woke up Ben shortly after 3 a.m. and we tried calling siblings to come stay with Troy. We got a hold of Tyler and Annie (blessing! Tyler's phone was on vibrate but Annie woke up to it) on our way to the hospital. I have no idea what took us so long between 3 and 4 but we got to the hospital at 4 a.m. and I felt like pushing on the freeway, so I knew that I was probably pretty far along. The nurses were kind of slow about getting me in and asked,"Just let us know when you're ready."

I changed in like 5 seconds and said READY! I was at a nine and then a ten within a couple of minutes. I think they expected me to be screaming or something but I tend to hold pain in and take it out on whatever I'm holding on to. My water had not broken yet and they kept calling it a "very bulgy bag." The nurse almost gave me an IV but I ended up not having one. (Awesome, because I wouldn't have needed one.) Probably because I was contracting close together and pushing. They kept telling me to try and not push because the doctor would be there soon. Can I just say that it is really hard to not push when the baby is coming. So, as I was "not pushing" the nurse decided to have the doctor who was already at the hospital come. He broke my bag and then my doctor showed up. They switched places.

I finally got to actually push and I was introduced to the ring of fire. I really dislike the ring of fire. I don't know why I didn't feel it with Troy. Maybe the medication they doubled took away the pain. Anyway, I pushed probably 6 or 7 sets and then Liam arrived. I was so much more aware this time. My eyes watered when I first saw Liam's beautiful, perfect little body for the first time. Ben commented later that it was amazing to see his lungs fill with air for the first time when he started to breathe, followed by angry crying.

Liam was breathing great but then started grunting and so the nurse was considering taking him away. Then he cried and the grunting went away, so they left Ben, Liam and I alone. Oh it was amazing being able to just be with Ben and Liam alone. It was such a perfect labor. Looking back, it's a good thing I was planning on natural because there probably wasn't time for an epidural anyway. Kind of depressing to think I may never get one, but I'm very grateful for a short labor.

The recovery was really hard that day. Every time I fed Liam the contractions were just as bad as they were before. On the bright side, my uterus shrunk super fast apparently and I bled WAY less then I did with Troy. Recovery was 1000% better the next day. Sleeping and showering did wonders. Ben and my mom have been so incredibly helpful. Troy has reacted so well. He gets a little jealous of Ben with Liam, but he has been SO accepting of Liam. He always tries to give him loves or give him his pacifier, burp rag, clothes (I have to stop him most of the time, but it's really sweet.)

Our little family is doing really well now and I am recovering quickly. Heavenly Father has been so good to me. I have felt strengthened to be a mom of two. It's a little scary but my fear is gone when I think of the help I receive from the Lord. Plus I have so many amazing friends and cousins I can get advice from :) I know I won't feel so strong all the time and I have felt less strong already, but I hope to remember to bounce back, learn, and enjoy the ride.

Liam Timothy Allsop

Not the best lighting, but his eyes are open!

I am feeling very relieved in this picture that labor is over and they didn't take him away. If you wanted to know what I was thinking.

I'm surrounded by boys! And I love it :)

Troy laughs at Liam every time he looks at him. Troy gives him loves by putting his head next to him and saying, "ahhhh." Troy did not like taking pictures, so he took off before the next one.

Liam has Arrived!

Liam Timothy Allsop was born Friday, February 11th at 4:35 a.m. He weighed 6 lbs. 7 oz. 19.5 inches long. He is perfect and healthy. There were no problems at all. Mom is healthy and feeling much better today. We are blessed!! Pictures to come :)

Baby Quilt - My First

Liam's quilt is finally done! My first quilt. He can come now :)

I made a few big mistakes. I had to redo a lot, but I'm pleased with the way it turned out. I definitely need more experience with quilting. But I have made one!

Update on Liam: His head is turned down and dropping. I am past 37 weeks = full term. I don't think he's quite ready to come yet. But who knows. I have another appointment tomorrow.

Ben and I are so excited we can hardly stand it! This pregnancy has been a little different from my first. I had a lot of lower back pain with Troy and I don't this time, just a lot more heart burn and painful kicks. I didn't experience the last month of pregnancy with Troy. I'm not too sad about that :) It's not very comfortable, but I like knowing that Liam will be more likely to not have jaundice and better breathing. I'm really hoping that they won't take Liam away like they did with Troy. I'm also hoping that my blood pressure will stay low. (I had to have magnesium last time and it is not fun.) So far, so good.

I'm a little worried that my labor will be longer this time. I'm not sure why. I know they are usually quicker for consecutive pregnancies. My plan is to not have an epidural again but I am not opposed to it either. It depends on how the labor goes.

I can't wait to meet Little Liam!!

Troy's Warming Up & More of Ben's Birthday

Troy does not warm up to most people in short periods of time. You either have to spend time with him at our house or be with him for a long time before he will let you hold him. But, recently he has been warming up! This picture proves it..

Troy has not gone to Brittany for quite a long time, and now look at that smile. He also went to Maddy at my mom's house and that was a definite surprise. Brittany discovered that Troy likes to be around your leg when you walk. We have never tried this, but he loved it! I think that is why he has such a big grin above. Brittany is clever!

I didn't put pictures up of Ben's birthday celebration at his mom's house last Sunday. So, here they are..

Key Lime Pie. Ben is not much of a cake person. So sad to me, but I like pie too.

Ben LOVES getting presents ;)

Brittany gave Ben THE funniest birthday card. It's a card with sound when you open it and Troy pretty much opened it 20 times a day for 3 days.

Ben's 27 Today!!

Ben got up for his normal routine this morning but I got up with him and made Belgian waffles for breakfast. Yum! We made this butter cream syrup that we couldn't eat very much of, but it was really good.
I was pretty tired since I decorated in the middle of the night but I loved using Mom's balloons that she brought over. Ben was so surprised which made it all worth it :)

Troy liked it more than Daddy did I think. He played with the balloons all morning and stuffed his belly with belgian waffle.

Ben told me to take this picture and I just think it's really cute. Nothing to do with the birthday, but it was taken today.

Tonight: Dinner at Malowi's and then party at our place to watch the BYU basketball game of course!