Peach Pit's Big Entrance...

For those that could care less about any details, just skip to the bottom, and you can see pictures from the hospital. I will give the relatively short...or long...hospital hooplah.

It all started Thursday, the 12th, I had just officially started my maternity leave and I went to my doctor's appointment. I was positive I was not as far along as the doctor's were saying, because I had not had any contractions (false or real), no pain, and in all honesty, other than the constant nausea, I was okay to be pregnant a while longer. (Even forever, after watching the birth videos in our baby class). So, when Dr. F told me I was at a 4, and to be prepared to go into labor at any time over the weekend I was freaked out. She also assured me that it could possibly be another week.

Peach Pit and I had a little talk, and I explained that Uncle Eric was coming to visit and it would be really nice if she would stay put until Monday ...or even Sunday night. She seemed okay with that. And let me waddle all over DC and Annapolis with Seth and Eric.

Monday morning I was set to have the baby. I was positive that I'd be the girl that goes to her doctor's appointment and is immediately sent over to the hospital. (Still no pain, just what my mind was set on). I drove the 45 minutes to the doctor's office at the hospital (the office by my house was closed this week) and was positive the whole way that they'd make me stay, how could they not?? Oh, they could not. Dr. Z looked at me and said, well...I wouldn't be surprised if she comes this week, but with it being your first I'd rather not induce you right away. Let's set that induction for next Monday. NEXT MONDAY? No way!! I wanted to cry. My back was bugging me, but hey, it's hurt the entire pregnancy, I do work on my feet after all. So I didn't think much of it. I briefly thought I should mention it to Dr. Z, but I talked myself out of it, convinced it was a result of walking around all weekend. By the time I got to the parking lot it was really hurting, but I was focused on getting home, figuring a hot bath and a nap would cure it. By the time I got to the freeway, the back pain was making me cry. Not normal for me. I called Seth and told him what was up, he said I should call the doctor right away, I brushed it off and said I would if it still hurt when I got home. By now I was getting cramps along with the constant back pain. The thought of contractions passed through my head, but I didn't want to be one of those girls that goes to the hospital with false labor. So, the drive home continued, but now I was making great haste.

Upon arriving at home I could not find a comfortable spot anywhere. I caved and called the doctor, after some confusion I was finally able to talk to Dr. F after 45 minutes and a second call to the office. She asked if I was having contractions, and in a pained voice I told her I wasn't sure what contractions felt like. I guess something in my voice gave me away, and she said she thought the baby might be trying to come today. I hung up, called Seth and asked if he thought he could come home from work. He left immediately (which still takes 30 minutes to get off base and to our house) and whisked me off to the hospital. I have never experienced so much stinkin' pain as I did that day. Every bump, turn and stop HURT! I really felt like someone was stabbing me with giant, rusty screwdrivers over and over! I could handle the contractions because they came and went, but the back pain, phew!

We made it to the hospital, where they told us my contractions were about 2 minutes apart, gulp. Nurse Mary asked if I wanted an epidural, I told her I would have liked it before I left my house. She began prepping me for that, poor Seth was trying to do all the things we had learned in our class, breathing, comforting, etc. I told him (rather calmly) that I didn't need help breathing, but just a hand to squeeze. He excelled! The epidural was still a ways off, as the doctor had a few patients ahead of me.

The wonderous epidural doctor showed up and made life much better. I think I was at a 7 or 8 at that time, and quickly moved to a 10. My doctor, Dr. G, showed up and told me I could start pushing, and push for a long time, or if I was comfortable I could wait a little while and let Peach Pit make her own way down, thus decreasing my push time. I liked option 2. Seth and I settled down and watched Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune and Chuck. Near the end of Chuck, Dr. G came in and wanted to begin the pushing...lucky for him Chuck was a rerun and I was okay missing the last 15 minutes. Push, push, push. Two hours. Holy shiz, youch, ta da! Peach Pit's here. (Sparing too many details).

She came out and I was so excited to see she had ten finger and toes, a normal head and beautiful eyes. We love her guts already! I guess it's okay that we missed our third, and final baby class. It was Tuesday night...I guess we could have gone down with Peach Pit in hand.

2009-03 Hazel Hospital

She's Here!

Peach Pit has arrived!

Hazel Dollie Halsey
March 16, 2009
8 lbs. 13.4 oz.
21.25 in.

Mom, Dad and Hazel are all doing great. A little (or a lot) on the tired side, but we can't complain, she is beautiful, healthy and happy (when fed).

Seth has taken about 1000 photos (give or take 200), I'll get more posted soon-ish. As well as details of the big day - the edited version!

Swimming Superstars

Seth and Eric have been best buddies since they met on the U's swim team years ago. He has become more of a brother to both of us. When he told us months ago that he would try and come out over his Spring Break we were super excited. Yippee. Oh, wait...that's the week Peach Pit's due. Bummer. What to do? Come on out! Worst case you keep Seth company at the hospital. (He's as close as family anyways).
He's supposed to fly in Friday evening; at my doctor's appointment Thursday, the doctor tells me she wouldn't be surprised if I went into labor (gulp!) over the weekend (technically, I am already in labor...details, details). Well, that freaked me out. So, I had a little chat with Peach Pit, I told her I would really appreciate it if she would hold off for the weekend, so we could show Eric around. She must be very obedient! The weekend was great!We started out Saturday morning with a brief tour of the Proving Grounds where Seth works (brief, due to the lack of public access). BUT most importantly we were able to walk around all the tanks at the museum.

Seth and Eric could pretty much name every type of tank, which wars they were used for, and what country they came from. I was impressed. Well, until I saw this next tank...
THEN I was really impressed. (I'm pretty sure that was the German's...the American's was behind us. It wasn't as impressive!)

I have seen the boys around "big trucks" and "big tanks" before, it was probably a good thing there were "No Climbing" signs posted all over, otherwise we would still be oogling the tanks!
We then headed to DC, we decided to hit the monuments. Yes, we started waaay up there by the Washington Monument, the boys were very patient with my slow, penguin walk. Oh, and apparently they drain the reflecting pond. Who knew!?
I wanted proof that I made it up the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
Clearly, the boys made it too. (And at a quicker pace than me!)
I love DC, even if it was pouring on us!

Peach Pit still hadn't arrived by Sunday, so we decided on more adventures! We headed down to Annapolis and stopped by the Naval Academy. I love the campus, it is just so pretty. Yes, it was raining again. That's my sweet Navy umbrella, bought the last time we went to Annapolis (and it was pouring...hmmm, I'm noticing a trend here!)
Eric's great-grandfather is buried at the Academy's cemetary, we decided we'd go on a hunt to find it. Seemed like a good idea, until we saw how many headstones there were. We must be living right, because Eric came across it rather quickly (he'd never been to it before). It was pretty neat. I was glad they found it, I just wish they would have found it before I hiked to the top of the cemetary to look around!
They boys were really excited by all the planes and toys at the academy.I chose to show my enthusiasm from a distance, I was pretty sure I'd eat it if I tried to go down that wet, grassy hill!

After exploring the Academy, we went downtown and had the BEST seafood. Crabcakes, rockfish, shrimp, oysters, and lots of other stuff that was fried and unrecognizable to my untrained-seafood eye. I stuck with my favorite, cream of crab soup...mmmm.

It was so much fun having Eric here. We look forward to his next trip out here, when hopefully the weather cooperates, and we can do even more exploring!

Camera Shy

Seth dusted off the camera equipment tonight and took some "maternity" pictures for me. It's been a long time since we've been able to just goof off and play with the camera.
Ah, the big belly. I've actually kinda liked it!
I like feeling Peach Pit kick and squirm, I could sit for hours chasing elbows and knees across my stomach. Seth's going to make the best Dad. (Even if we are both terrified after watching the birth movies in our baby class!)

(The pictures aren't "touched up" to Seth's standard, but well...he's not home and I felt like posting, so you get the raw-uncut editions!)

Guaranteed Winners...

"Stop on over, dress up funny, let us take your picture, win free tickets to the new Cirque du Soleil show in Baltimore"

We stopped, we dressed, we pictured and we left winless.

But had a lot of fun laughing and hanging out at the mall like a bunch of high school girls!

Announcing.....

The Newest Member of our Little Family!

Some details:

She's cute (when Mom drives) and ferocious (when Dad drives)
She's blond like her parents (or just pale)
She's got room for some serious junk in the trunk
She's a go-getter, especially at green lights
She lets off steam by popping her top
She's really excited to be a Halsey

Wait...is she really a she? (I don't know how to check)

Sniffle. Sneeze. Sleep.

Yeah, it's been that kind of weekend. It's not looking up. For once I can't blame Peach Pit.

Hey! Where'd My Feet Go?

Okay, okay. Here you go. I have avoided the pregnant pictures as much as possible, not that I am scared of the camera (please, anyone that knows me knows that is hardly the case). But just because they're awkward! But, a FEW of you have been harassing me, so here is an update. Me and Peach Pit in all her 36 week glory. The last time I took an official picture like this was at 13 weeks. So much for documenting. At some point I'll try to find pics along the way and post them...we'll see.

Seth and I still have a bunch to do, so we would like Peach Pit to stay put for a while longer, we're excited to see her, but well...right now she's reallly easy to babysit, feed, transport, clean up after and she doesn't even cry! I am really looking forward to eating a real meal again, (does it make me a bad "mom" because I think I'm more excited to keep a meal down then to have Peach Pit?...Better yet, don't answer that.) No, seriously we are so grateful and "tickled pink" to meet her.

By the way- it's normal to panic and think, "holy smokes, what if she's a he??" Right? I panicked last night while I was washing all of her very cute, very precious, very pink clothes!

Thank You!

Today was a very frustrating, vomitous day. Between the nausea and the lack of fabric stores in Harford County I was done. That is, until I saw something I have waited over a year for:

+

=

Picasa for Mac!

Prayers are answered.

Love is...

Love is calling the above a "Sunday Feast", telling your wife that you think her mac and cheese (from the box) is the best you've ever tasted, and not mentioning the meals your wife made before she became permanently nauseous. Yes, those are hot dogs.

I failed to get a picture of our mac-dog spectacular, so I had to steal this one off the internet. I have to say, I think mine looked better.

Kellie's Amazing

So, for Christmas, Kellie made Seth and I an awesome calendar. She put so much time and energy into it, I feel it is definitely necessary to show it off! So, I figure each month I'll post a picture. Here goes!

Super Cute!

Well, it's been a few weeks, clearly time for another shower! My pregnant partner in crime, Leslie threw me a fabulous shower for friends from church and Seth's fam. It was tons of fun. We played games and ate delicious food...mmmm, tasty! Thank you, thank you! Peach Pit got a bunch of clothes, so she'll be looking fine :)

Leslie and I lovin' the fruit.
Holy Smokes- I'm going to have to figure out how to use these diapers!
Those are little booties made from frosting, Aunt Anne is amazing!Cute little baby cupcakes!

Like, OhMyGosh!

The time had come. I had successfully avoided "them" for nearly three weeks. I considered fleeing the state without going near them. However, I couldn't do that to Mom and Dad. Unknowingly, the parents had guilted me into dealing with them by being so kind to me while I was in town.

I knew I would need to be comforted, so I bundled up in Dougie's sweatshirt, put on my cozy socks and took a deep breath. With a slight creak of the door, and an intimidating first step, I made my way down to the basement. I got to the last step, and looked to my right and there "they" were. The boxes of Geri-past.

Let's take a moment to clarify...I do not have an irrational fear of cardboard boxes, but I do have a slight fear of what could possibly be in those boxes! Dad must have sensed my shortness of breath and the layer of sweat on my brow (oh, wait...that's not fear, that's just being pregnant). He came to my rescue, wrangled a few boxes and started hauling them upstairs.

I blew the dust off the first box and dove in. All of a sudden I found myself in junior high all over again. Gap and Doc Marten's. Ice Hockey. Notes, notes and more notes. Report cards. LJHS Yearbooks. Girls' Camp at Shalom. Pictures of people I swear I've never seen before! That box wasn't so bad, 98% straight to the trash. It's best Peach Pit never know of her mom's junior high attitude!

I thought I was grateful to be done with that box and on to...ah, high school. That is until I realized high school consisted of ten boxes. (Slight exaggeration, closer to six boxes). I dove in and immediately wanted to jump back out, tape the flaps securely in place and hide the boxes for another ten years (yes, thank you...it's been ten years, give or take). I found myself grimacing as I came facetoface with, ugh, old dance pictures. No, I was not on the drill team, you know..."dance pictures" - homecoming, prom, sadies?? Why is it necessary to not only have the 8x10 but thirty wallet-sized pics?

Then it was the binders, a gazillion of those. Clearly very important to keep, what if I need a refresher on sports med, anatomy, ap biology or calculus? I shook my head in shame when I discovered that half the boxes were full...yes, full of notes. Not notes for class (those were organized in the binders), but friend notes. Hundreds of them! I would like to blame some of you fellow bloggers for the time I spent laughing at those notes, as "like, ohmygosh, you were totally writing me notes! can you believe it??". I decided it was best not to read all of them, but the few I did pry open were hilarious. I was totally cool in high school. :)

I spent the entire day sifting through my "treasures". I discovered a few things about myself. Most of which I'd rather not share on account of maintaining some dignity. I gained a greater respect for my parents, I appreciate that they let me live through my teenage years, I would have been tempted to lock someone like me in the basement. I realized that I had some pretty awesome friends and that things probably weren't nearly as dramatic as I made them out to be. Ah, the blessing of hindsight.

Most importantly I am that much more grateful for where I am now. It's fun to look at old pics, read old love letters, and laugh at journal entries, but seriously...I would never trade what I have now to go back. (Although I had some pretty rockin' wide-leg jeans and Roxy t-shirts...and I'm still tempted to pull out my Doc's this summer). Besides, those boxes are dusty and now empty!
Just a small sampling (look closely Natalie!)

Time to confront the boxes- at this point I was actually almost done!
The sisters came down after the box carnage was picked up. One last shot with them before I head home. Love the girlies.

Divine Inspiration!

Kellie, Karen and I wanted to continue our sister-bonding and made plans to hang out Saturday night. We were driving up to SLC and the sisters were forcing me to make a decision. (Apparently my indecisiveness leads to decisions being made for me and me being unhappy with the outcome, but lacking the oomph needed to say what I want!) I was bummed that the new Draper Temple open house would start a few days after I left Utah, so I asked if we could just drive by the temple and let me take a picture. Nerdy, I know. Well...we drive up to it and we saw signs out for "open house parking" and men directing traffic in the parking lot. We all gave each other the look, and decided to try for it! We figured we would just ask someone what was going on, and see if it really was a pre-open house. They waved us right into a parking spot, and then we wandered over to the chapel. No one was stopping us, no one seemed to be checking a guest list, or showing invitations. Instead everyone was smiling and welcoming us. They directed us here and there, and finally we had a chance to admit we were "crashing the party, uninvited". That seemed to be okay! The temple wasn't officially open, but they were allowing people to do self-guided tours. AWESOME! So, the three of us were able to walk through the new temple, it was amazing, the majority of the time we were walking through all by ourselves, it was a very reverent, peaceful way of going to a temple open house. Occasionally someone would have us stop for a few minutes, while a General Authority or other VIP went through. It was incredible. What a beautiful, special building.

Beautiful temple, freezing girls!

SUPER Sister Saturday

Ah, how I love being in town for a Sister Saturday. We had a lovely "tea" hosted by Miss KayCee. It was fabulous, we made dainty gloves, stylish hats and enjoyed the finer things. I was also surprised by a celebration of baby.

The lovely ladies, Mom, Me, Karen, Kellie, Aunt Genie & KayCee.

Silly Karen and Kellie.

Sweet gloves.

Girl Bonding!

I LOVE my girlies. Ashley invited us all over for a little showering and a little bonding. Too fun!! Big thanks to Chrissy for the most amazing food and a big thanks to Ash for hosting- it was so stinkin' fun! I know I've said it before, but I really feel there is just something so special about those friends that have seen you through the good times and the ugly! Thank you, thank you, thank you girlies! You really know how to make a girl feel special.

Wein's working on growing a best buddy for Peach Pit. Peach Pit's super excited.

We Are Living in a Material World...

Before I went out to Utah, Mom H helped me pick out some fabric for the baby quilt. I figured I'd take the fabric out with me, and maybe we'd get around to well...looking at it! Little did I know, Karen has turned into a quilting elf.
I wish this picture were even remotely accurate. This was pretty much the only sewing I did. Anyone know if they make lefty sewing machines? I'm using that as my excuse!
This is more accurate: Karen at the sewing machine.
Mason and Madison were tired of working on Aunt Geri's quilt, but they were excellent sports!
The kinda-finished product. We (ahem...Karen) got a lot done while I was there. Yippee for sisters!

Seth Says Goodbye to Snow!

Seth headed back to Maryland, and boy did it start snowing! Well, not that it started...but that it continued to snow and snow! I LOVE all of the snow, and sure do miss it. The only thing bad about all this snow is Peach Pit and I can't go skiing this winter!!!The snow just kept getting deeper and deeper at the house.

I've been praying for Timpanogos to move to Maryland. Guess I'll keep praying.Can you tell I love Timp? Yes, I took this while I was driving on the freeway.