Introducing Austyn Thomas Stade

Austyn Thomas Stade was born Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 at 11:33 am. He weighed 8 lbs and was 20 1/2 inches long. The birth went great! And I feel really good. He is a good breastfeeder and loves to suckle all the time. From what I can tell by the last two nights he has his days and nights mixed up, but hopefully we will be able to switch that around soon. I'll have to update later about the birth. Here are some photos.

After the birth I got to put him right on my chest. It was really nice!

Happy daddy with his son : )



Morning after bringing him home we brought all the kids into bed with us and did a little photo shoot.

It's official

It's official, I am post due. Typing that I chuckle to myself. Seriously! Oh well.....

With my pregnancy last time and ALL the extra contractions I've felt since 35 weeks I thought there was really no way that I could go PAST my due date. But never the less here I am. Currently I can't sleep, not because I'm in labor (I wish). But more I can't get comfortable. Maybe it's the naps I have been getting into a habit of taking. The night before I had Penelope I had a random sleepless night, but there were all sorts of different situations surrounding it. So I personally don't think I'm going into labor just because I can't sleep.

The only "good news" that I can hold onto right now is that I'm already 3 cm dilated. So all those extra contractions I have been feeling are adding up to nothing. My Doctor told me at the last appointment that I would probably go into labor within the week. But to make an appointment for next week because otherwise it is bad luck. I made the appointment and if I actually make it to the 41 weeks appointment I'm going to be upset to say the least. I'm really trying not to go down the path of "I'm going to be pregnant forever". Don't get me wrong those thoughts do come up but I try not to linger.

In the mean time I can't decide whether I want to try natural induction, such as walking, raspberry tea, or castor oil, or take this opportunity to go on one more date night or the pampering that I have really wanted to have....hmmmm....in the meantime time still ticks by.

not just a sitting duck

I've still been keeping busy around here. Here are some pictures from a trip Russell and I took to Disneyland for his birthday. Which was really fun. We went down with some friends of ours who share his birthday with their anniversary. Below is a picture of Russ and I right outside of California Adventure. We actually went to Disneyland and walked around when I was very similar in time of pregnancy with Penelope.


Here with Austyn


Here with Penelope

It doesn't look like a whole lot has changed, does it? LOL. Here is another pictures from our trip.


Sadly our Disneyland annual passes just expired. So we managed to go one more time to bring Penelope before our passes expired. Here is Nelly with Tinker Bell.


I knew that I would be sad by our passes expiring, but I didn't expect to be as sad as I was. In explaining it to Penelope or talking it over with Russ I cried. Which is pretty pitiful because in our family I am really not considered to be the Disney fanatic. I'm blaming it on hormones, for the record. Russell and I are planning on making a mini vacation in Summer and visiting Disneyland again. With Austyn coming I don't think we will be using it too much anyways.

For Halloween we went to Trunk or Treat at Calvary Assembly of God. This was our second time going but this time we didn't host a trunk. I had considered dressing up for Halloween and someone had mentioned about drawing a pumpkin on a orange shirt. But I had pushed that aside, until a girlfriend of mine who was just as much pregnant sent out an email with her pumpkin orange shirt. After much debate I decided to do it, only if Russell joined me. I couldn't get a hold of the friend to do it with her (she ended up being in labor!). Here are some pictures of our sight for sour eyes belly's.


Penelope was so cute as Snow White this year. Isn't she cute!


Here she is with all her cousins at the Trunk or Treat!


And of course here is her Aunt Nicky at the family trunk they had decorated. She was Luigi to match her oldest son, Matthew, who was Mario. And their trunk was decorated in Super Mario Kart.


Besides all that I'm hoping to have Austyn any day now. He's officially due tomorrow. I had a doctors appointment today and she thinks he'll come this week. So now it is just a waiting game (a sitting duck). Right now I'm 3 cm dilated and I think 100% effaced. I'm hoping and praying Russell will be home when I go into labor. It would just make everything so much easier. I'll of course keep you posted.