Well Hazel is already 3 weeks old! She is still the sweetest little baby. She's eating very well and getting so big. Friday she was 8 lbs 8 oz! Her hair is already becoming lighter too. We love our little peanut!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
3 Weeks Old
Well Hazel is already 3 weeks old! She is still the sweetest little baby. She's eating very well and getting so big. Friday she was 8 lbs 8 oz! Her hair is already becoming lighter too. We love our little peanut!
Monday, July 13, 2009
Saturday, July 11, 2009
All the Details
Mike told me I needed to write a post with all the details about Hazel's birth so here we go.....
Tuesday was business as usual for us - we both went to work, I came home and started a few things for dinner the next night with the missionaries, did some homework, cleaned up a bit, and so on. Right around bed time, I started to have some contractions but really thought nothing of it. They started to get a bit worse, but I still thought they were nothing. About 10:45 Mike asked if I was feeling okay and I told him what was going on. He said we needed to go to the hospital. I refused for a good hour before he finally convinced me to leave.
At the hospital they examined me and found I was dilated to 3.5cm (I was at 3 before) and was having regular contractions, but they didn't want to admit me yet. They told me to walk around for an hour and if I dilated more they would admit me. Well in the hour I dilated to 4cm and was admitted to the hospital about 2am.
Between 2am and 4am I dilated to 6cm and was in quite a bit of pain. Mike said it was horrible to watch me and not be able to do anything. Then at 4:30 I got an epidural:) They are without a doubt the best medical invention ever! I admire mothers who have natural labors, but Heavenly Father knew to put me on this earth at a time when good pain medicine existed. I'm eternally grateful:)
After that it was smooth sailing. I slept as much as possible for the next hour or so. The epidural slowed down my labor though so at 8am the doctor came and broke my water to try and get things moving again. That helped, but it wasn't enough and around 10:30 they gave me some Pitocin. By noon I was fully dilated and ready to push. Hazel was born at 12:39 after 40 mins of pushing. Her shoulder got suck a little bit on the way out, but otherwise everything went great!
It was incredible to hold her in my arms and meet my beautiful daughter. Mike and I have been amazed with how seamlessly she fits in to our family. We're already wondering what it was ever like to live without her. I must admit, the transition to being a mother has been much more natural and fulfilling than I ever imagined it would be. We couldn't be happier! Tired yes, but oh so happy.
Hazel is a wonderful, sweet little girl. We love her so much!
Tuesday was business as usual for us - we both went to work, I came home and started a few things for dinner the next night with the missionaries, did some homework, cleaned up a bit, and so on. Right around bed time, I started to have some contractions but really thought nothing of it. They started to get a bit worse, but I still thought they were nothing. About 10:45 Mike asked if I was feeling okay and I told him what was going on. He said we needed to go to the hospital. I refused for a good hour before he finally convinced me to leave.
At the hospital they examined me and found I was dilated to 3.5cm (I was at 3 before) and was having regular contractions, but they didn't want to admit me yet. They told me to walk around for an hour and if I dilated more they would admit me. Well in the hour I dilated to 4cm and was admitted to the hospital about 2am.
Between 2am and 4am I dilated to 6cm and was in quite a bit of pain. Mike said it was horrible to watch me and not be able to do anything. Then at 4:30 I got an epidural:) They are without a doubt the best medical invention ever! I admire mothers who have natural labors, but Heavenly Father knew to put me on this earth at a time when good pain medicine existed. I'm eternally grateful:)
After that it was smooth sailing. I slept as much as possible for the next hour or so. The epidural slowed down my labor though so at 8am the doctor came and broke my water to try and get things moving again. That helped, but it wasn't enough and around 10:30 they gave me some Pitocin. By noon I was fully dilated and ready to push. Hazel was born at 12:39 after 40 mins of pushing. Her shoulder got suck a little bit on the way out, but otherwise everything went great!
It was incredible to hold her in my arms and meet my beautiful daughter. Mike and I have been amazed with how seamlessly she fits in to our family. We're already wondering what it was ever like to live without her. I must admit, the transition to being a mother has been much more natural and fulfilling than I ever imagined it would be. We couldn't be happier! Tired yes, but oh so happy.
Hazel is a wonderful, sweet little girl. We love her so much!
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Picture Time!!
I'm no good for writing the details you all want. But what I can do is put up pictures. Tried to put them in a timeline as best as possible. I'll save the details for Justine. :)
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
....Drumroll...
Introducing, the Star of Tonight's Show!!!!!!! HAZEL LONDON BALLARD!! Hazel was born at 12:39p on 07.08.09 at Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs, CO! She is perfectly healthy and all her vitals are normal. Hazel weighed 7 lbs 12 oz and was 21 inches long!
Pictures are of Hazel and Justine right after the delivery. The shiny eyes picture of Hazel is when she's got eye ointment on to prevent infections. The flower headpiece was given to Hazel from our good friend Brooke McRae. I don't have pictures but Hazel also got her fingernails painted lavender by Brooke too. We love you and your Family!
Grandpa Smith and Uncle Harrison came down to the hospital too. Harrison helped with the birthing process. Cool experience for all of us!
Hazel, we love you always and forever!
New News!!
Hello everyone! Justine's in labor now....boy I gotta tell ya, it's a labor of love because I just simply can not watch her in pain. Anyways! Baby Ballard is on her way! Justine, I love you! I can 't wait to meet our little one soon!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
18 Days and Counting
Well Hazel is officially due in 18 days! We are so excited to meet her, and I'm ready to stop carrying around my own personal heater in the middle of summer. At my appointment today, the doctor checked and I am already 3cm dilated, so she may be here sooner than later:) Also, she's facing head down so everything is looking good for a normal delivery.
Our house is beginning to look a lot like a baby lives here. The nursery is set except for the crib mattress which we still need to get. The bouncer seat is set up in the living room (and Kiara has left it alone completely after we told her it is not hers!) And the pack-n-play that we're using as a bassinet is all ready next to our bed. There are still a few more things to get in order, but we're feeling pretty prepared.
We'll keep you posted. Maybe Mike can even do a quick post from his Blackberry once we're on the way to the hospital.
Our house is beginning to look a lot like a baby lives here. The nursery is set except for the crib mattress which we still need to get. The bouncer seat is set up in the living room (and Kiara has left it alone completely after we told her it is not hers!) And the pack-n-play that we're using as a bassinet is all ready next to our bed. There are still a few more things to get in order, but we're feeling pretty prepared.
We'll keep you posted. Maybe Mike can even do a quick post from his Blackberry once we're on the way to the hospital.
MOTAB at Red Rocks!
The Morman Tabernacle Choir finished up their 2 week tour on Monday night with a show at Red Rocks Amphitheater. For those of you who don't know about Red Rocks, it's a natural amphitheater built between these two giant red boulders with benches in between. It's quite the hike to get from your car to your seat, but so worth it (even if you're 9 months pregnant).
Mike and I were lucky enough to go with my parents. The show was amazing! The choir is incredibly talented, and it was fun to hear them sing songs other than hymns like "You'll Never Walk Alone" from Carousal and 2 amazing African-American Spirituals.
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