So This is Love (la-da-di-da)

We are so in love with this little guy! He LOVES to eat and left the hospital at very little risk of Jaundice. HOORAY! He has been so pleasant and the girls are in love.

This is our little stud right before we left the hospital. Notice his HUGE hands?

We got him all buckled into his new car seat. He looked a little more like buckle than baby. I LOVE this car seat. It's so warm and cushy for his little body.

We left the hospital just in time to pick Kylie up from school, so I surprised her by being the one to go in to get her. This was her facial expression as we were about to get Daxton out of the truck to bring him in the house.

Kylie has settled into the big sister routine pretty well. She does a lot of this while I do other things. This was just too sweet this morning. He slept like this on her shoulder for a good half an hour during our Saturday morning cartoon time.

Then, after bathtime, Madison got her turn with baby Daxton. He stayed awake for her and just stared into her face the whole time while she sang him the special Mills family rock-a-bye song.

Where Daxton eventually fell asleep and Madison was in heaven with her baby brother. They are so good with him. I of course am an emotional sobby postpartum mess and I tear up every time I look at his sweet little face and my suddenly so grown up little girls. I am quite convinced that I am the luckiest Mommy in the world. And have one of the best husbands in the world.

HE'S HERE!!!

DAXTON GLEN MILLS:
born @ 8:24p.m. on March 8th, 2011
8lb. 1oz.
20in.


Birth story:

At my 38 week Thursday appointment I was 3.5 cm and 50% so I was hoping he would be coming soon. I tried walking, and Eggplant parmesan, and pineapple, and had some pretty strong regular contractions Monday night, but nothing serious enough to go in.

On Tuesday morning I went in at 9:30 for my appointment and learned that I was a 4.5 and 70%! My Dr. sent me home with homework to walk and get this going. So I obeyed like a good girl and by 1:00 I was having some pretty legit contractions. I told Terrence he's better call in to work and I packed the last few toiletries and did some last minute housework while we waited for his sister Elyse to come watch the girls. We got to the hospital just after 4:00 and were admitted right away. I made my mind up after my less than favorable epidural experience with Madison that I would be going natural this time, so I was able to get out of bed and walk around which was awesome. I breathed through the contractions like a champ and my Dr. broke my water shortly after 6:00 when I was 6 cm. Daxton really didn't like the contractions and was so so wiggly so they had a hard time keeping track of his heart beat. I rolled onto my side to see if that would help and that is when the contractions really picked up the pace! They called my Dr. and started setting up for delivery at 8:00 and I was ready to go and in a lot of pain.

After I started pushing I felt like things weren't going as quickly as I thought they should. I am a good pusher and my other two babies came out like nothing so I was pretty frustrated. Then the Dr. said "Wow! You're doing incredible. That is his forehead not the crown and this is the most difficult way to push out a baby!" That's right...he was posterior/sunny-side up! I almost started freaking out a little bit but I realized that there was nothing that could be done and I just had to try harder and push harder so the pain would stop. That did explain the pain that shot up my back and down my legs during the contractions though. I pushed for what seemed forever but Terrence assured me was 5 minutes tops and our little Daxton was here! He seemed HUGE! I was so shocked at how big he was, and even more that despite coming out posterior, there were no tears!

We got to keep him for an hour in recovery before changing rooms. So far we have learned a lot about him. First of all he moves constantly! He can be completely asleep and he is still wiggling away (that explains a lot! ha ha). Second, he is by far my best nurser. Daxton knows exactly what to do and he doesn't waste any time. I LOVE nursing and am so glad that he seems to like it too. He is only about 30 hours old and he's already had 6 poopy diapers! He's gonna flush that bili right out I think. And third: he looks just like his Daddy and we are so completely in love with him. The best feeling in the world is what I feel as we welcome a new little spirit into our arms and the spiritual connection Terrence and I have in that delivery room. I am dying inside as I type this in my hospital room knowing that my kids can't be here. The hospital won't allow any guest under 14 yrs old due to the flu season and I miss them terribly. I can't wait to introduce baby Dax to his sisters tomorrow morning! They will love him!

DAXTON GLEN MILLS

"Toof-less"

Poor Kylie has been looking forward to having her first loose tooth and it didn't happen that way at all. Her permanent tooth started growing in and was in danger of being seriously crooked so we had to go get two teeth pulled at the dentist yesterday.

It was an awful experience and I absolutely hated the office we went to. They were super unprofessional and seemed to be clueless about pretty much everything. Not to mention names (Dr. Frank O Harris) but I will NEVER EVER go back there!

Luckily she got a little treasure box with her teeth in it and the tooth fairy brought her a couple dollars rolled up fancy in a little scroll and tied with a bow made of dental floss. Terrence made sure to comment on how silly the tooth fairy was for doing it that way, but I think our family's tooth fairy ROCKS! Kylie was just excited to think about whether he used shrink paste or invisibility spray....

What a birthday!

Terrence finally got his Elk on Saturday but it was in a very difficult spot to drag out, so after struggling for hours, he finally had to call it a night. He kept the sabbath day holy and went to church instead of going to get it, and we just hoped the rain would be enough to keep the birds off of it. So today, on his birthday, he had the pleasure of hiking the 3 miles to "try" to get it. Apparently the rain was not enough to keep the mountain lions away....so his birthday didn't go as planned. But we still made him an awesome birthday mask, which he wore proudly during dinner (during his break at work).

And then he got to light his own candles on his favorite kind of cake. (don't mind the missing piece we cut it out to bring to aunt Lysee on her break )

He made a wish....

and then he ate and hurried back to work his 16 hour shift. Talk about a LAME birthday! But we really are so blessed to have him in our lives. He is definately one of the hardest working, generous people I know. He's helped me to become more giving as well and I'm grateful for that. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TERRENCE!

OH BOY!

31.5 weeks

It's hard to believe this pregnancy is almost over. I'm down to the every two week appointments and starting to nest hard-core! I am so unbelievably excited to hold my little boy. After waiting 4 years to have him, it feels like the first time again, except instead of all the nervous feelings I am feeling just pure excitement. Everything looks fantastic at my appointments and I shockingly haven't gained much weight which my Dr. assures me is great! Our little boy is hanging out pretty low though and my pelvis sure feels it. Just putting pants on is a chore, and climbing into our truck makes me want to scream out in pain. It's funny how different every pregnancy is, but as uncomfortable as I'm getting, I love every kick and squirm. I'm gonna miss him being in there.

Kylie's intepretation...

This is Kylie's homework assignment for the day. She was asked to draw a picture of her family. Notice anything odd about me?

How about now.....

Me: "Kylie what is that line by my neck?"

Kylie: (very sheepishly) "ummmm...your crack?"

Me: "My crack?"

Kylie: "Well how else will my teacher know you're the Mom?"

I thought the name above my head and the fact that I'm taller than the kids in the picture would be a dead giveaway but apparently not!?

I dress very modestly and have been super self concious about my "largeness" in that particular area since Jr. High. It is totally not my fault that my crack shows on occassion. They don't really sell turtle necks in the summer ya know? It's sad that she has to draw that part in pictures. Someday......when they have served their full purpose and I am done having children....that will no longer be a problem. Until then...I will put my desires aside...take the drawing as is and accomplish my full potential as a mother. But someday................................................

She's 4!

Madison had her 4th birthday on January 4th. We did the big celebration on Saturday where we spent the entire day celebrating her! We took her to the mall and had her ears pierced where she chose a Hello Kitty set of earings and was unbelievably brave. She is so proud of her earings, but it will be a test of patience to see if she can wait 6 whole weeks til she can change them out!

That evening we had cake where friends and family joined us to celebrate. This little miss Avaree has become a pretty big part of our lives. We watch her from 11:00-9:00pm every week day and she is training the girls well for when baby brother arrives ;)

Andrea and her new man joined us as well. Andrea is experiencing the joy of a long distance relationship to the new love of her life. His approval rating is quite high thus far so we really hope things work out for the two of them.

Aunt Lysee even cut her weekend with her boyfriend short to be there with us!

She enjoyed some new gifts...

trying on and modeling some new clothes... and then asking to go to bed at 7:30 while the rest of us watched "Despicable Me". I just love that girl!

And finally....du du du daaaaa....the Christmas dresses. I should have taken a picture of their hair since you can't really tell from the picture that is was super adorable. But they LOVE LOVE LOVE their dresses. In fact...they ask me every day how many more days there are til Sunday so they can wear them again.