Joel Wesley Duce

Well he came!! I was 41 weeks and 1 day, phew. Joel was born at 3:50 am Sunday March 6th and weighed 9 lbs 5 oz!! Where I fit a 9 pound baby I'll never know. =) We arrived at the hospital at 4:15 for a 4:30 induction on Saturday the 5th. When they first checked me before being induced I was at 3cm and 60% effaced - finally, I was starting to progress on my own! After getting everything ready & hooked up, doing blood tests and so on, they finally got the pitocin started at 8pm. At 10:30 I was given the epidural. By then I was having a steady pattern of contractions - nothing too painful, just the uncomfortable tight ones. At 11:50 they broke my water (and I was still at 3cm by then.) Jason and I slept from about 12:00-1:30am probably. At 2:50 my nurse checked me and I was a 4 and his head was way lower. Then I started to feel a lot of pressure down there with each contraction. At 3:15 the pressure was getting stronger, so she checked again and I was a 5. I was getting excited because it felt like Joel was getting closer and closer to coming. (And I remembered that this was how it felt when it was about time to push Kristie out.) Jason went to the bathroom and I remember thinking "Hurry Jason, I don't want you to miss this!" Haha. At 3:27 I was 10 cm and ready to push! My hands were shaking like crazy because I dilated so fast. And the doctor almost didn't make it in time! I felt like I was having to hold him in, he was coming so quick! At 3:35 I started pushing and 15 minutes later at 3:50, Joel was born! The pressure was really intense while I was pushing (more-so than with Kristie) but it was so quick! I can't tell you how amazing it was to bring another into the world with Jason at my side. Absolutely nothing like it. Joel is such a good baby and we're SO blessed to have TWO amazing kids!

Waiting to be induced!

Just seconds after being born.

Jason was so anxious to hold him, it was adorable! I breast fed him right away for awhile, so Jason asked "Is it my turn to hold him yet??"

It took Kristie awhile to acknowledge him at the hospital - but she got there!

First family of four picture! Kristie wasn't into it obviously, haha.

Love his little body. =)

And oh dear me, the toes...awww...

Dressed and ready to go home!

Look at all that hair! (Dark hair at that!)

Good to be home!

Joel's visitors in the hospital!

The last "Just Us" Days

Here pictures from the rest of our girls week before Joel arrived. =) We finished off by going shoe shopping for Kristie at Payless (the crazy mirror picture), going to the Children's Museum (I'll never do that 9 mos pregnant again, haha) and getting our nails done at the salon! We had sooo much fun and I'm so grateful for my Kristie! Just because Joel is here doesn't mean we can't have those girly times together still - just means I'm going to work extra hard to make them happen! =)

Joel's tummy movements

It was almost midnight a couple days ago, and I would've loved to be sleeping...but Joel had other plans. =) The top right of the screen should be an arm and the bottom left should be a leg. =)

Kriste's latest cute moments =)

Induce Date

Alrighty here's the scoop, 40 weeks & 3 days today. I had my OB appt this morning and still no progress. =( So the date for induction is this Saturday the 5th (wow, it's going to be a MARCH baby!) when I'm 41 weeks. Guess that's when Dr. Nathan likes to induce, hmm. I was kinda aggravated about it at first, but it'll be nice to give Joel a chance to come on his own still. I have a feeling he won't, but worth a shot! And again, more last days alone with my Kristie. Monday we did McDonalds after an ultrasound and NST. Today we went to Kristie's favorite place, the library. =) Tomorrow we're going to the children's museum. (I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. My body WILL hold up!)

Here's Kristie playing with another girl at the playplace in McDonalds yesterday. Of course, she's all over the computer and not as interested in the tubes and slides, haha! (She always runs to the computer first when we go to the library.)

Can't wait to see you Joel!

Baby Bump #2

Well, I am 40 weeks and 1 day today. I had a feeling Joel would be late too. =) If he's not here this week, they'll probably be inducing me on the 3rd. I've been soooo anxious for him to make an appearance, but my good friend told me to look at it this way - every day that Joel is not here, it's another day Kristie and I have to be together! So we are going to take advantage of that this week while we're waiting for him to come out. She gave me a pass to the children's museum, so we'll go do that. Go spend my gift certificate for a manicure together (and have them do Kristie's nails too.) Heck, we'll even go to "Old McDonald's" and eat a happy meal together at the play place! But we sure can't wait to see you kiddo! Hope you're coming soon!!

Here's how my bump grew this time. =)

Our little house!

Gosh, we are sure counting our blessings. Our friends just happened to move out of this house, in time for us to move in. Our apartment lease was up and they were going to raise our rent to more than we could afford. This house is $200 cheaper and bigger! And a house for heavens sakes! And we are good friends with the renters, who are our neighbors! And my most favorite part...no more climbing up three floors of stairs!!!

Anyway, we moved in last week and have everything unpacked and organized, so we are ready for Joel to come join us! Thank you for waiting 'til we were done moving! =) (BTW, I cannot believe all that moving and packing did not put me into labor. Seriously, no progress? Come on now, I exhausted myself!) We are just loooooooving it. Jason and I are just beaming from ear to ear - we are loving not being in apartment and having a little area to ourselves! We are so lucky and so grateful!

Here's a few pictures from the outside - top left, front of the house. Top middle, lots of trees surrounding us, nice and secluded! Top right, view from the front porch (big front yard to run around in) and a porch swing! Bottom left, back of the house - back porch and back door to the carport. (So fun just getting out of the car and walking right into the house, lol, we love it.) Bottom middle, carport with storage space on the side. Bottom right, front porch.

Pictures from the inside - Top left, entryway w/piano and entrance to the kitchen. Top middle, view into the dining room. Top right, other side of living room, our room, and Kristie & Joel's room. (Soon to be adding a toddler bed!) Bottom left, one of the two bathrooms, this is the one in our room. Bottom middle, living room. Bottom right, the kitchen. (There's also a laundry room that has a door leading out to the carport.)

Again, we could not be more happy with our little abode!!

Snow day

Poor Kristie, all her mommy had the energy to do was walk around our yard. =) At least it put a huge smile on her face! We had been organizing and unpacking most the day and I asked "Kristie, wanna go walk around in the snow?" Her face lit up and she said "Oh! You're so sweet mommy!" How cute is that?!

Mom's Piano

Since we've moved back to WA, Dad's been wanting to give me Mom's piano - and we've been living in 3rd floor apartments. So now that we just moved into the little house, we got it!! It was an exciting day for sure! To have such a huge memory of Mom in my own home is such a blessing. She taught me to play on this piano, taught many others piano lessons on it, and filled our home growing up with her beautiful playing. Jason's a better piano player than I am, so it's fun hearing him play on it too. =) And you know Kristie's going to get lessons on it as well. And I'm going to spruce up my piano playing. =) I am the luckiest girl in the world.

Moving it out of Dad's and into ours new place!

Cutest jammies on the planet

Opa and Abue came over to give Kristie a present as well as one for Joel. She got these insanely cute jammies that I just can't get over! She's never had the baggy, flannel type pants and they just make her look so grown up!