Tuesday, December 29, 2009

October Was a Bundle of Fun

The night before we had Anderson we went to the pumpkin patch with the boys. Here I am almost a week overdue! It is amazing how those last few weeks I think I felt the best that I had my whole my pregnancy.


The follwong day I went to see Dr. Bielman and was hoping to hear that I was in progress. When she checked me I was at 2 1/2 cm. I said I was really hoping I was atleast at a 3 and then she stripped my membranes and she said now you are!! I went home and about 1 hour after my appt I lost my plug. Then I was upstairs in the boys room making sure all their clothes were packed because I was supposed to go in that night to be induced and my water broke. I told Sam and he said let's go now! I asked if I could finish packing up the boys bag and he said "No, we are leaving now." We were in the car and out the driveway less than five minutes after my water broke and making hurried calls to find places for the boys to go. We made it to Rancho Springs about a half hour later (12:30 pm) and the waiting game began...

When we got to the admitting desk the sweet old lady there said to sit down and fill out a packet of papers. Keep in mind that even though I had a really nice initial gush of water I was still getting smaller gushes trickling down my leg and I gave Sam a look and he said "Can't I take care of this while you take her back to Labor and Delivery?"

Once we got outside the doors she told me to have a seat on a bench while she went in to let them know I was out there waiting. Did you know that when your water actually breaks your contractions tend to come on A LOT stronger? Well I didn't know that before this experience and my contractions were coming on harder and stronger pretty quick. The sweet old woman came out and said that they didn't have any room for me but to sit and wait and someone would come out in a few minutes to talk to me.

So I sat and waited, labored, and cried by myself for about twenty minutes when Sam finally got back there. He was really frustrated seeing me sitting there and asked what was going on. We sat there together and waited for a nurse to come out. Around 1:15 someone finally did and then she said she would let us know when there was a room available. Apparently they're in no hurry because labor takes a while but what we didn't get a chance to tell them is that I usually go from about a 3 to a 9 or 10 in less than an hour. Atleast that was my experience with Porter and Carter but they also like to tell you that every labor is different so we didn't think they would really care to know that.

At about 2 they got me back into a really tiny triage room where they checked me and I was only at a six. They asked if I wanted an epidural, and I said yes even though I had debated the whole pregnancy whether or not I would try it without. The anesthesiologist got there and I had a real hard contraction and she made them check me again. I was at a seven and my labor and delivery room was ready and they wheeled me just across the hall where I said that I couldn't stay still for the epidural. They checked again and I was at an 8 and it was 3 o'clock. She said she could still give me the epidural and I told here there was no way I would be able to hold still for it at that point. All I wanted to do was PUSH!!!! My nurse told me not to so when I had a contraction I tried really hard to breathe through it. Through one it would work and then through the next I would start with every intention of breathing through it and then I would give out a push. I apologized every time I pushed and promised I would breath through the next one. My nurse was laughing at me and telling me not to apologize. I asked why I couldn't start pushing and she said because I wasn't fully effaced yet. Then the next contraction came and I said "I have to push I have to push" she said that I could and I asked if she was sure and she said yes and then I asked why it was okay to push. She was laughing again and was probably thinking "I'm letting you push like you wanted and now you don't want to?"

Anyway, I was finally able to start pushing, my doctor got there and a after a few pushes and three contractions Anderson Levi Rath was born at 3:31 on October 23rd weighing 7.95 ounces and 20 1/2 inches long. When he came out the cord was wrapped twice around his neck and it was amazing to see how quickly she unwrapped that cord with her one hand while holding him in the other. Boy, you could tell she had delivered a baby or two.

As soon as he was out I pronounced quite earnestly my sincere love for my newborn son. "I love you Anderson, I love you so much baby" were my exact words and Deana commented on that later. I said "oh that was a Anderson I love you so much thank you for getting out when you did cause I don't know how much longer I could've handled the pain 'I love you'".




Deana was there with us during the delivery. She had been with us during Carter's as well and Sam seemed to have found her being there a great relief. While we were laboring in the hallway I could tell he was getting pretty frustrated and he said "Is Deana gonna be here, I think we need to call her now so she can be here too." So thanks Deana, you're a great help!

Grandma and Grandpa Morgan came to visit and so did cousin Michael.


The next day Charla brought Porter and Carter to see their new little brother. It was love at first sight for sure! Grandpa Ken also stopped by to see his newest little grandson.






HALLOWEEN TIME--
Carter with his Pre-K class during the Halloween program.

Halloween night and our sleepy little ghost baby.


Porter the UFC Fighter (upon his own insistence), Carter the Frilled Lizard, and Anderson.

The boys with "Charles".


Tuesday, October 20, 2009

A Little Bit of This & A Little Bit of That

I really wanted to catch up on blogging before I have the baby so here goes:
October started off with Conference weekend which is my absolute favorite. Of course on Sunday we spent the whole day at my parents house with the whole family. At some point in the day Carter found this spider and was so excited to show it to everyone.
I love that Porter is holding Carter's hand out as if he is helping him handle it better because the only one of the kids willing to even touch it was Carter! Sam was very proud of his little boy.

The following weekend was the annual Morgan Family Campout. Porter and Carter were so excited to go that they wore themselves out before we even got there.

I was not very good about taking pictures while we were there. Saturday was spent at the beach by most everyone but Sam didn't want me walking down there in case I went into labor so I hung out with my parents, the Erickson's, Kim, Heather and Abby. The boys fished while they were down at the beach and actually caught a few fish. It was the highlight of the whole weekend and I totally missed out!

These pictures were taken Saturday night while we were all hanging out around the campfire.
The battery was about to die so that is why they are so blurry but something is better than nothing right?? Well, maybe.

Now here are just a few random pictures that I thought I would post since they were on the camera. Yes, the boys got a hold of my camera again but there were quite a few pictures this time that were way too inappropriate to post. Trust me, you don't even want to know.
Luckily there were a few cute ones that are safe enough to share.


Carter, self-portrait taken upside down. I love those lips!!!

Carter again...dressed up as a gangster pirate, I guess!


Porter as a cowboy...a really excited cowboy!!

Well, our next post should be in a few days and will have pictures of our newest little Rath.
We are so excited to add another son to our little crew and
I can't wait to share pictures with everyone.



Sunday, September 27, 2009

A Baby Shower Brunch With My Family

My wonderful niece Abby planned an awesome brunch for me with the family. It was so fun to get together with my mom, sisters, sister-in-law and mother-in-law!
They all were so wonderful to be there to show their love and support.

Marybel, Mom, Me, Charla and Morgan
Deana, Me and Abby
Me, Amber, Memphis and Sherri
For those of you who have been wanting to see a nice fat pregnant pic of me...there you go!
(Amber -- I should've listened to you and stood in the middle)

Butterfield Stage Ward Baby Shower

Can I tell you how lucky I am to be in my ward?? I have such great friends and they were kind enough to make sure that they all help me get ready for our upcoming arrival. My visiting teacher Emily Slusser hosted the shower at her home and Charla helped her along with lots of other people in the ward who brought yummy desserts and appetizers.
Visiting Teachers past and present: Tara Slusser and Emily Slusser!

Wonderful friends: Melanie Hilbig, Ann Armstrong & Luella Downs

Sisters: Me and Charla

Great friend and Porter's primary teacher: Ericka Morris

Great neighboors and carpool pals: Erin Ek and Janine Butters

A picture with Luella, who is also pregnant!
Not fair having to be pregnant at the
same time as this girl!!!

Aren't these girls the best?: Jessica Lay, Chantel Skidmore and Kristin Hughes

They just keep coming!: Brookie Fellars, Michelle Miles,
Kristen Beach, Emily Slusser and Heather Murphy

Still more...Jeanine Wulfenstein, Teresa Soles, and Karen Ji. Love these girls!!

Hanging out with Brenda Rojas...so much fun to talk to!

Stephanie Lucero and Naomi Yocum...great people!!
The whole gang!! I had such a great time and you guys really got me excited for this next baby!!
Thanks for being such great friends and for all your support.

My little fishermen

A few months back I noticed a show that kept popping up on our DVR and I kept deleting it thinking that it was an obvious mistake. No sooner than I would delete it, there would be another episode of "Angling Edge" on the DVR. It took me a while to figure out that this show has become one of Porter's favorites.
Well to go along with this, a few weeks ago we had some friends visiting us and Sam thought it would be fun to go play around at the arcade. While we were there, Porter found this Bass Fishing game and was absolutely "hooked" and it didn't take long before Carter was right along there with him. We have even gone back since and all they played the whole time we were there was this fishing game that they both enjoy a ton!
For Porter's birthday he has planned a fishing party and can't wait to take a few of his friends and their dad's with them. It is all that he talks about and I know that he is picking up lots of tips while he is watching "Angling Edge".



Carter Starting Pre-K


You know, last year when Porter was in pre-k it was very important that I make the distinction between that and preschool...now that Carter is in pre-k there is still no exception. I officially have no more preschoolers, atleast not for a few more years! =)
Carter has been so excited to start up school again and with the struggle that we have had to go throught with Porter, I am very thankful it has been so easy for Carter. He normally is the one I would worry about being away but all of a sudden he seems to be quite the big boy, not to mention that I think he is so very bored at home while Porter is at school that he is just thankful to have something of his own to look forward to.




Sunday, August 30, 2009

Carter's 4th Birthday

Good morning birthday boy!!!!
Smile it's your birthday and you are going to have a party!!

A waterslide party at Grandpa Morgan's house!!

You are going to invite all of your friends over to play and have pizza.

You get to open lots and lots of presents!!

And don't forget about decorating your own ice cream cone cupcake. Yummy!

You are all gonna have such a blast.

And it will all end at Sunday dinner when the whole family sings happy birthday to you!!
We love you Carter and hope that you had a wonderful 4th birthday.