A few picts

Hooray for Visitors!

My parents made it safe and sound. It's been nice having them here to help. Ben and dad made it out snorkeling today while mom, me and the girlies went to a nearby park. We also got Kimber's passport pictures taken. I'll have to scan a copy and put it into the computer. It's the best picture we've got of her so far. I need to get my camera out more.... I just feel like my hands are full :) Anyway, we also got our first family shot :) Too bad that you can't see Kimber any better.... we'll try to get some better shots soon!

The Big Sister Award goes to........

And the Big Sister Award goes to...........HOLDYN!!!! She has been such a trooper! When she first wakes up she runs around looking for "baby? Baby?" She is also very good at running Kimber's diapers to the trash and getting whatever we need. She definitely does need more loves and snuggles, but overall she is doing GREAT!!! We love you Holdyn!I still don't have many great pictures... but I'm working on it. Things have been very different around our place, but very good! We love having a new baby!
As for me.... I'm' feeling great. There were a few questions about the pain meds. Well, none were even offered at the hospital. I didn't get anything until about four hours after we were home... I took two tylenol. Still a bit sore but able to get around and do what I need to. We've had some awesome dinners brought by the AUC Spouses/our friends and Rachel has been down to help while Ben was at school which has been a huge blessing!

Thanks everyone for your support! We are anxious to have Grandma and Grandpa Baker come on Tuesday!

KIMBER ANNE CLUFF has arrived!

This is definitely a short summary of what happened, but, I wanted to put up a couple of pictures so you could see our little Kimber! She is absolutely Perfect! I started having regular contractions (every 5 minutes) on Tuesday morning around 9:30. I didn't want them to stop so I vigorously played the Wii and ate a lot of ocra (a local friend brought me some to eat). So the contractions continued until about 3 when I called the midwife. They weren't too unbearable and didn't get any closer together, so I wanted to stay home as long as I could. She told me to come into her clinic so she could check and see how I was doing. Things were going well but she told me to go walk the boardwalk for an hour or so then meet her at the hospital. So here we are on the boardwalk :)

Well, we met her at the hospital and I'd dialated 2 more centimeters.... so she sent me to the "Labour Room." This is where you wait with the other women in labor to go into active labour.... I wasn't in there much because I was ordered to "keep walking."

I was at 5cm... when we went here. The walking kept my mind and body off the pain. She told me not to stop but to walk through the contractions. We walked (I might add we had mice running around by our feet and it was very dark everywhere since it is sort of outside/inside accommodations). I then called one of the many heroines of the day... Nurse Bell. She is my new island mother we know from church. She is a retired RN and was anxious to help us. So she came straight into the hospital.

I also want to add that they didn't have an ice machine. They just had a small (3 gallonish sized) cooler with a bag of crushed ice in for all of the women in labor to share. Ben had to run home just to get some water for himself to drink.... no drinking fountains nearby or anything! No cafeteria/soda machine etc etc. So he made a quick dash home to get some snacks and water.... while I walked, and walked, and walked, and walked. Oh also, no 24 hour gas station restraunts etc to grab food so home was pretty much our only option.

When Ben returned they checked me again and I was at 7cm. So they moved me to the Delivery Ward. Where I told to continue to walk and walk. So with Ben on one arm and Hilda Bell on the other we continued our laps. (Sorry no exciting photo's of this part :)

Well, the midwife then told me to take a show

er. I must say, it felt sooo nice to stand in the warm water... even though I was HOTTER than ever, the warmth helped my body relax and gave me a boost for the finally. When the shower finished, again, I was told to walk until I felt like I absolutely had to push. Well, we made about 3 more passes down the hall with many stops for contractions when it hit.... I had to push! No stopping her now!!

FINALLY, I got to climb into the bed :) I must say, however, that not having all the machines hooked up to you is quite nice. I was free the entire time. No monitors going on and off, no people coming in and out to check on things..... not that I was ever in one place more than a minute or two. It was pretty much all up to us and to just wait out the contractions.

Well, finally, I was able to push.... Kimber literally

popped out at 1:12 am Wed June 18. She was 7lbs 2 oz and 51 cm.

This is Nurse Hilda Bell.... our wonderful friend and island mother!!!Here she is...in our room under the mosquito netting... YES there were mosquito's attacking all night long! That is our story in a nutshell. It really went as well as we could of hoped for. There were lots of other exciting moments on the sides, but that is the main chunk. Oh, The midwife was awesome.... Ms. Janga, let Ben check me everytime she did so he could get practice. He was able to be very involved with the delivery and was soo excited about that! She taught him a lot of great tricks. Here she is at our 2 week appt. holding baby Kimber.

Anyway, I wouldn't have changed a thing... I went into labour at night... just like I'd hoped so it was a little cooler and everything went along great! I SURVIVED! I have been praying for a few months to make it through.... I was definitely blessed in many ways! It truly was a fantastic experience!!

Also, a HUGE THANKS to Rachel and Cody for watching our little Holdyn while we were at the hospital!!!

READY TO EXPLODE!

So this is a Horrible picture but I thought you'd enjoy it. It is a pretty accurate description of how I feel :) My Maternity clothes are starting to get too tight.... that is a sure sign you know the kid needs to come out!! I had another midwife appt. today. (They are always an adventure) It was SOO HOT as I was waiting for my turn. I was dripping with sweat and ready to pass out at any given moment. All I could think about was how HOT and HUMID it is going to be in the Birthing room. I just pray I go into labor at night... maybe it will be a bit cooler. There is no A/C and I'm pretty sure I'm going to die from heat exhaustion. I'll keep you posted on that! The good news is that Ms. Janga (the midwife) Thinks I'll go into active labor any day! If I don't by next Monday she is going to get things going.... THANK HEAVENS! I'm beyond the point of ready for this kid! I am a bit nervous for the actual delivery..... she doesn't want me in the birthing room until I am dialated 7cm.... I'm supposed to be walking around the hospital halls... so this should be a VERY exciting experience!

Happy Father's Day!!

We wanted to wish all our Father's out there a very Happy Father's Day! Ben has been the perfect dad to our little Holdyn. I was hoping this next little "package" would have been here to wish her daddy a Happy Father's Day but we are still anxiously waiting! Thanks Ben for being the greatest daddy ever!! (My MacBook is still having stress so I have limited access to pictures... I thought this one was perfect for the occasion :)

Since I don't have access to my pictures I can't put up Grandpa Cluff, Grandpa Baker, Grandpa Palmer, or Grandpa Carr! But we do want them to know we love and appreciate them as our Dad's!! We hope you all have a Happy Father's Day.

Ben has been a good sport. I haven't been able to spoil him today like he deserves.. in fact he is making an apple pie as we speak. We love you Ben!!!

Big Sister Countdown

Hi, everyone who reads my mom's blog.... this is Holdyn. I know the countdown says we still have 14 days until Kimber comes, but I hope it is sooner. So does mommy and daddy. Mom is so BORING lately. We used to do all sorts of stuff, but lately she just sits and looks miserable. At least my auntie achel (Rachel) and Coky (Cody) come down almost everyday to play with me and help my mom with random things. They have a Wii and they sure have fun playing tennis and bowling!! They say that by playing the Wii and my mom jumping around maybe Kimber will come sooner! I've been practicing feeding my doll and putting on her diapers so that I will be a big helper. I also can't wait to see Grandma and Grumpa Baker. They will come as soon as Kimber does! It will be fun to play with them and have them spoil me!
My fat mom did take me to the park with some friends the other day. Of course it rained on us! But I still had fun with JT's goggles and swimming in the pool. Oh, and I played on the slides and in the little houses with Jack. They are some great guys! I think I have crushes on them all!
Well, I will keep you posted on Kimber's arrival.... my mom will probably forget, so I'll be sure to remind her! We hope you are all doing well!!

It's been awhile!

This is a pretty great picture. Holdyn loves to 'stretch' on her ball just like mom and dad. I'm on Ben's computer because my MacBook is having attitude. It won't boot up! Anyway, It's been awhile since we updated. Things are progressing with the pregnancy and we'd love to have this kid anyday! I do get to go to a Breathing Class tomorrow with the Midwife.... I'm quite excited about it :) It has been super hot and I've had a rough week...

-I've changed a tire (Nobody stopped to help... I couldn't believe it! 9 months prego and a toddler in the car... but hey, I felt like I had accomplished something when I finished!!)

-Went to the tire repair shop and the repair man and his boss had a full on 'yelling match' while I was the only customer there. I wasn't sure if I was going to make it through the day, but miraculously I survived. I got an earfull from the guy we lease our car from.. I had to call because we had a bulge in another tire and the repair guy didn't think I should be driving on it in my "condition" AKA HUGE w/child. But we got it all worked out after only a couple of hours...AARG!

-The power has been out two different days!

-I went shopping and had an ornery/tired/hungary toddler....a cart-FULL of groceries and other supplies I was stocking up on and got to the register and the credit card machine was down.... so I left my cart... found and ATM... it wasn't working.... found another ATM.... also out of service.... then finally discovered the whole System was down on the island for the day. So I just gave up and went home.

-I was home just about relaxed when a few neighbor boys banged on the door. They'd been playing soccer just outside and somehow broke the water pipe. I opened it to find our water meter/pipes broken and water shooting down the road! Nobody was home ANYWHERE to help me find the stupid shut off valve. Needless to say I now know where it is!

-I'm pretty sure I haven't stopped sweating for, lets see.... 9 months!

-I have shut the rest of the week out of my mind... it's all sort of a blur now :)

Now that I've vented. Life really isn't that bad! Ben is doing well in school and Holdyn has been a trooper. I really can't complain too much! I am just ready for this next kiddo to be out of my body and for my computer to be fixed :)