Moving in this weekend!!!

So excited to announce that we are moving into our beautiful house this weekend!! Here are some photos of our progress! We'll be making more improvements through the summer, but that's how it goes when you're trying to get moved in so quickly!

Little Bug

So this is love...

We got home from the hospital on May 6th and Parenthood is blissful to say the least. It doesn't matter how much sleep we've had or how many diapers we change, we are so in love with our little man!

Anson had his first pediatrician appointment on Friday May 7th and he went from 6lbs 7oz when he was born, to 5lbs 15 oz in the hospital and he is back up to 6lbs 1oz!! Growing like a weed and so far VERY healthy! Now we will just work hard to keep it that way.







All the fears and reservations that Taylor and I had about being Parents have quickly gone away. We didn't believe people when they said that the love you feel for your child is immediate and it's like nothing you've ever felt before--turns out it's truer than we ever could have imagined.

Anson Call Barlow

Thursday April 29th: our little guy stopped moving for 6 hours and no matter how much I poked at him, I couldn't get him to move so I called the doctor and he told me to try eating some sugar and laying on my side. I did that and after a full hour, he finally started to move for me. Thank goodness!

Sunday May 2nd: Our little guy started doing something completely out of character, he started moving around like CRAZY at about 10:30 and did not stop until 1:30 in the morning. He was kicking my ribs, which he has done before, but he was so wired for some reason and I he has NEVER moved around like that. I was so relieved to be going to the doctor the next morning.

Monday May 3rd: I went to see my Dr. and when they checked my blood pressure, it was really high and it's been normal through my entire pregnancy. After talking about the two instances over the weekend and with the combination of my high blood pressure, they decided to do an N.S.T (non stress test) to monitor the baby's heart rate. After 20 minutes of watching his heart rate, the Dr. was not pleased with what he saw so he ordered an ultrasound. Our little guy passed the ultrasound testing with flying colors, but the Dr. was so so worried about the way his heart rate looked that he wanted to induce labor to get the baby here, because he thought the umbilical cord was either wrapped around his body or his neck. Talk about a SURPRISE!!! I had nothing with me and the Dr. told me that inducing labor would increase my chances for a c-section which I did NOT want. Initially I was very scared and in tears going up to the hospital, but my VERY EXCITED husband, my Mommy and my friend Audrey calmed me down and cheered me right up. I got into my gown and hooked up to an i.v. (OUCH), those needles are HUGE) and they started me on pitocin.

Taylor took a while to get there because he had to gather all of our stuff, so I was by myself and had a lot of time to think and decided that everything was going to be okay. When he got there, we hung out for a while and talked while waiting for contractions to start and our friends Mike and Bre came to visit, which was a nice distraction. Tanner came up a little later too; it was nice to have support of friends. At around 6, the Doctor came in to check if I had dilated at all and not only had I not dilated, but getting checked was that the worst pain in the world(it's supposed to be uncomfortable, but not like that). On top of that, our little guy's heart rate was dropping again once I started getting into active labor. So I had two options according to Dr. Allred: I could get a balloon catheter or have a c-section, because we needed to get Anson here. Dr. Allred was really concerned that I wouldn't be able to handle a balloon catheter, because the pain of inserting it would be much worse than being checked and being checked made me scream. The balloon catheter would have to stay up for 12 hours and then they'd see if it dilated my cervix at all and get me hooked back up to pitocin. There was a 50% chance that it would work (not very good odds in this case) and if it didn't, I would have to get a c-section anyway. So what is a girl to do? Have a good c-section experience where it isn't an emergency and they can take there time getting the baby out or have a balloon catheter, be uncomfortable all night, be started on pitocin again in the morning and still possibly end up getting a c-section and have it be an emergency?? After receiving a blessing from my wonderful husband and our friend Mike, both Taylor and I felt incredibly at peace about the c-section and altogether it would be a way better birthing experience for me despite how against it we had been previously. Our friend Bre who has had a c-section gave me some encouraging words and thank goodness she was there, because she made me feel even better. After giving the doctor a go, signing some paperwork and getting some blood work done, we were headed to the operating room within an hour. NO TURNING BACK NOW!

The c-section: Well, all modesty went out the window!! After getting the spinal block (again OUCH, they laid me out on the operating table and inserted a catheter(so I didn't wet myself) and everything but my chest region was hanging out for ten people to look at. They got the curtain all rigged up, strapped my arms down and brought Taylor in. They did a test poke, which I felt so they waited longer for the drugs to kick in and then started going to work. Apparently, my anxiety level was through the roof; at least that's what the anesthesiologist said, because I was would flip out anytime I felt pressure and he kept asking me if I wanted to be sedated, but I said no because I wanted to hear my baby cry. Taylor put his head down by mine and talked me all the way through saying very sweet, reassuring things to me (love that man). Then the docs called over "this will take your breath away," and it felt like a 500 pound man put all his weight on my chest, then my abdomen and then my bladder (believe me I was yelling and gasping for air). Then: Our Son started to cry, which was the most beautiful sound I had every heard, I started to sob both with joy and pain and Taylor and I shared a moment of tears of joy and then they sedated me. That's pretty much all I remember until they moved me to recovery. Also, the cord was not wrapped around him in any way, so they could only conclude that something was wrong with the placenta, because it looked aged...whatever that means!!

Recovery: Taylor got to go to the nursery and watch Anson get his first bath and hold him while my surgery was wrapped up. I'm so glad he got to have those first moments with our little one. Once in recovery the doctor came to check on me and I'm pretty sure I said something to him about the doctors assisting him singing "a spoon full of sugar" and then said I feel like I'm in my own personal version Alice in Wonderland...CRAZY! Well, we know the drugs worked! Recovery was interesting because I was so out of it, but Mike and Bre came to see us as well as my cousins Sabrina and Lindsey which was really nice. Bre was in the waiting room the whole time, ready to help in any way she could so we really appreciated her for that. Once I came out of my loopiness, I actually responded to holding our Anson for the first time (I had held him when I was still drugged and wasn't really aware of what was going on). He is the most perfect little child I've ever seen. A little side note: I had some morphine that night and it was HORRIBLE!!!!! It made me itch like crazy! Taylor concluded after this experience that I would be a very crappy drug addict, but I guess that's a good thing right? HAH! We spent 3 days in the hospital and despite a lot of discomfort, I'd do it again in a heartbeat! Also, having the doctors push on my uterus to make it contract after delivery was AWEFUL! It made me cry A LOT!

Let me just say that we have the greatest friends in the world! They brought food for Taylor, they were our support system during labor and going intomy c-section and they brought me a bunch of stuff from my house so that I could take a shower. We got many phone calls offering to lend a hand in any way and another friend of our arranged for the relief society to bring in meals for three days after we got home. Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts!!! The icing on the cake was that my Mommy came the next night after I delivered and will be here for a month!!!!

So without more ado, because that was a lot journaling, here are some pictures and vidoes of our little man!













He really is the most amazing Dad on the planet! I'm more in love with him than ever before!!

Making a MAD DASH!!

Our house is coming together very nicely, but sometimes I wonder if we were nuts to do this while expecting a little one. Anson will be here in two and half weeks if he sticks to his due date, but could actually come any time(crossing our fingers that he doesn't). This MAD DASH will make for some fun stories! Our house will be done the same week of Anson's due date and bless my hub's heart, he is working is brains out to make sure that happens! Needless to say, I've been sicker than a dog for the last week or so and haven't been able to help much and it hurts my heart to be so useless. Everything will work out though, even if we're still in this apartment when Anson comes. In the meantime though, my husband is pretty much the best ever and the handsomest carpenter I know!!! Also, did I mention Taylor has incredible parents? They came and stayed with us for a week and and between the 3 of them got the entire upper floor painted! THANK YOU!!!!

This week on the house: tile is going in, the old wood floors are getting sanded, stained and sealed, kitchen cabinets will be arriving tomorrow then set and installed, and the base, casing and doors are going in as well. WHEW!! It's a stinkin MAD house over there with that many bodies, but it's gonna be beautiful when it's done and my handsome hub is there to oversee that it all gets done right!

Here are some recent pics:





Exterior DONE! The front door needs to be put it, but that's quick.

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Here's the living room/dining room



The kitchen pre cabinets and appliances



The guest bath being prepped for tile. The tile guy was working in the master bath, otherwise I would have shot a picture. Wait till you see the JET TUB!!!!



Hallway leading out to the future deck and Taylor's man shop. Basement access is on your right, hence the hole (don't worry, there are stairs)



Hallway between bedrooms



Anson's room. Couldn't get a pic of the master because the tile and tile saw are in the middle of it.

That's all for now, more updates to come SOON!!!

STOP! Potty Time!

So last night was the beginning of having a hard time sleeping--I've had great luck so far and I'm thankful that I'm down to five weeks before having this issue, because I know some women struggle for much longer. Last night, I was super exhausted and therefore thrilled to be hitting the hay. Anson had other things in mind and he was moving around LIKE CRAZY (which is not normal, he is usually asleep at around 11)and making it REALLY HARD for me to breathe, so I tried propping myself up in a reclining position and that helped but then the heartburn kicked in. I took some tums, which helped immediately and then I was able to start falling asleep. WRONGO! I got up 6 times last night to pee, it was INSANE and it just made me MAD! Welcome to the beginning of a VERY long 5 weeks.

Side Note: While I have been sounding like I'm about to rip my hair out in my last couple posts, I just want to say that I am so EXCITED to be a Mom and so excited to meet my Son. I'm even more excited for Taylor to hold him for the first time, because it's going to be a beautiful moment and he is going to be an incredible Dad.

Now, let the discomfort of the final weeks of pregnancy continue! Totally worth it, but uncomfortable nonetheless.

I'm having a baby in five weeks...

So, it hit me this morning that Taylor and I are going to be parents in five weeks or less and I'm getting a little anxious and feeling totally unprepared. His diaper bag is ready to go, so that's a plus right?!? My bag isn't ready though and I haven't even taken his car seat out of the box yet and I went to order his pak n play the other night and it's out of stock, so I looked and looked for another one that I liked and couldn't find one which has led me to conclude that I am OBSESSED with matching!! I wanted the car seat, stroller and pak n play to match so badly that I was angry for the rest of the night and I have to get one like SOON or he won't have a place to sleep if he comes early... There are still so many things that I need to get before he comes and I'm feeling stressed that I won't have everything and then he'll be here. I know that the "things" are not what I need to be stressing about, but it's hard not to and it distracts be from the fact that I have to deliver a little person in 5 weeks and that's not exactly going to be a walk in the park. Then we have to take him home and he'll be our responsibility--hows that for scary?!?

On another note, we have been running around like chickens with our heads cut off trying to get things done on our house so that it'll be ready to move into when we have to be out of our apartment on the 25th of this month (not likely). The upstairs might be totally done, but the basement is nowhere near being done. The weather has put a damper on getting things accomplished because we still have to pour a slab of concrete in the basement in order to finish framing it and if it's too cold, then the concrete freezes in the truck! AHHHHH! Do you see why I don't feel ready to have a baby?! The drywall should be done this week, but we still have to paint the exterior doors and then the walls (picking a paint color is a tad overwhelming), the all the travertine, tile and carpet needs to be laid and the cabinets will need to be installed once they arrive, which won't be for another two weeks!

Okay, I'm going for a walk.