Gunners Cake Smash photos (just shy of 12 months)

The amazing Lisa Williams took these for us a couple weeks before he turned one. Gunner had such a blast destroying this cake and eating it - and they made for the cutest birthday invitations!  Who says you can't have your cake and eat it too? :) 

McKenzie's Birth Story

It's been a very hectic month since our little baby girl entered the world. We've been very busy adjusting to life with TWO little ones, as well as enjoying the holiday season AND Gunner's 1st birthday. So even though this is a belated blog, it's still one for the books (or blog) ;)

McKenzie Aurora Ornelas entered the world on Friday, November 1st at 2:32 PM. Weighing 7 lbs. 9 oz. and measuring at 19 and 1/2 inches long of pure perfection. 

Days leading up to your birth:

My due date was Halloween. In the weeks leading up to your birth, I must have went into Labor & Delivery 5-6 times with "false labor" pains & contractions. I have severe pelvis pain and contractions for a long time before you decided to make your grand entrance. It got to the point that I couldn't walk at all, sleep for more than a couple hours or stand up on my own. It was torturous. Your daddy was a true hero. He, not only, took care of your brother, the house, the dishes, the laundry - he also took care of me. I was more needy than your brother because I was completely useless. Everything hurt me and every move I'd make would make my pelvis or hip bones crack, pop or lock up for long periods of time. Then the contractions were so bad, but they weren't helping me progress so the doctors couldn't admit me. Your poor grandma Patty and auntie Karin would get a call from me every week crying in pain and saying I need to go to the hospital. They'd rush over every time though and meet me there, then wait for hours to run tests and labs to end up just sending us home. We were told every time we went in that it'd be "just another day or so" and that I was dilated and effaced, but not enough to admit me.  

Then, October 30 came. I was having horrible contractions for hours and hours. I was so scared to go into the hospital just to be sent home, so I waited it out for about 6 hours before your dad told me I need to go in. I knew for sure that I was having "labor contractions". They were incredibly painful, sharp, close together and long. I knew that it was time. We packed up the car with my bags and your grandma came and picked me up to take me in while your dad stayed behind to pack up Gunner and get him ready to go. 

As soon as I got to L&D they started monitoring me. A couple different nurses told me just by monitoring me that it looked like I was in labor this time for real. The contractions were a couple minutes apart and topping the charts. It was the real deal. Then, about an hour after monitoring me and close to admitting me - they had to check my cervix to see if I had progressed from the last time I came in (I had been stuck at 1-2 cm and 80% effaced for 3 weeks now). They checked me... and nothing. I had somehow dilated another 1/2 cm but my cervix wasn't opening up. At Mercy, they won't admit you until you're at least 3cm... so the nurse told me she was really sorry, but she couldn't admit me yet. She told me to go home and that (again) you would be coming in the next few days. 

I instantly started crying. Karin & your grandma Patty tried to make me feel better, but we all knew it was not the news we wanted. I was in full blown "labor" with contractions every 2-5 minutes, but it was not doing anything to my cervix, therefor - I'd have to tough it out until my water broke or the dr would induce me (since I had been stuck for weeks already it was obvious one of the two things would be the only way you would be coming). 

Halloween, one day after "labor" contractions had started:

It was Halloween day. I got home from the hospital around 2am and they gave me medicine to help with the pain of the contractions. I spent most the day breathing through the contractions as they came and bouncing on the yoga ball in hopes it would magically help you come down more. It was Halloween though and your dad and I had plans to take Gunner out trick or treating for his first Halloween. It was important to me NOT to miss your first Halloween (since I wasn't at the hospital). 

We dressed up your brother in his costume and I put on my "costume". I was going as a sock monkey to match your brother. I happened to have an adult onesie from last christmas with sock monkeys on it - so I pulled it out and it magically zipped up over my 40 week pregnant belly. We packed up the car and hit the road. We were taking your brother to visit all our family and surprise them by trick or treating at their houses. Since I clearly couldn't walk very much at all, driving you around to family houses seemed like the next best thing :)

We went to your great grandma & grandpa's house, then uncle Bob's house, then we went to your grandma Leslie & grandpa Mike's house. I was having the worst contractions and my stomach was constantly tightening up - but even though your dad wanted to call it a night, I wanted to keep taking you around for Halloween. I knew I'd be in pain at home, so at least this way everyone was getting good surprises and you were having fun on your first halloween. 

We were getting ready to leave grandma leslie & grandpa mikes house around 9pm when I suddenly had a HUGE gush of water start pouring down my legs. I was taking pictures of you in your costume when it happened and I instantly screamed at what happened. I thought I maybe peed myself! I ran to the bathroom and yelled to everyone what had happened. After cleaning myself up I thought that was the end of it. Then seconds later - it happened again! Water just kept coming down my legs and I couldn't stop it! Your grandparents and dad were freaking out too and after soaking through my entire adult onesie and my little footed pajamas being soaked - it was obvious that I did not pee myself, but MY WATER BROKE!! I could NOT believe it. It was like a movie! (With your brother I had a slow leak for over 24 hours until the rest broke at the hospital during labor) - so this was a huge shock! 

We grabbed a bunch of towels and grandma Leslie rushed me to the hospital. You were FINALLY on your way!! Your dad got ran home to grab our bags and your brothers bag (since we planned for him to stay with your grandparents). 

By the time we got to the hospital it was 10:30pm and I was still leaking pretty strongly and I had to waddle all the way to L&D in my onesie with my huge belly and wet sock monkey feet. It was quite the look let me tell ya! (lol) 

After checking me, they said that I was now at 3 cm and my water had completely ruptured. They admitted me and we called the family to let everyone know! Dads cousin Dennis and his wife Jamie (who are your Godparents) met us at the hospital as soon as we called them. Even though we knew it was going to be a very long night - they stayed with us. Your dad and them both shared the couches and chairs and spent the night with me. It was the sweetest thing. 

By morning there wasn't much progress with my cervix (only about 1/2 cm in 10 hours) so around 11am since I was only at 4 cm, they made the call to start pitocin and the epidural (thank goodness because I was beyond ready to get the show on the road)

My contractions were really bad so they gave me the epidural first to help with the pain. That was around 11am. Then about 30 minutes later they gave me the pitocin to help speed up the process. 

I instantly felt relief from the pain and couldn't feel the contractions. The pitocin was working really well because on the monitor you could see my contractions a lot closer and stronger and constant. 

I kept feeling the catheter they inserted and it was hurting. I also could feel everything in my left leg (which was weird since I had the epidural by then) I paiged the nurses a few times to let them know, and they told me just to wait it out and it was just "kicking in" still. 

Things started feeling really weird. I couldn't pin-point it, but between the pain from the catheter and some pressure I was feeling - it just didn't seem right. I called your dad (who had ran home to let grizzly out and grab my makeup bag he forgot) and told him to come back right away. The doctors told us it would be at least 5 more hours since I was progressing so slowly... but I just didn't feel right and wanted your dad with me right away.

Your dad got to the hospital about 25 minutes later, at 2pm exactly. He gave me my makeup bag and I started putting on my makeup and freshening up. About 3 minutes into my makeup I felt an incredibly sharp and painful load of pressure in my "bottom". I screamed a little and jumped because it hurt so bad. I waited for it to pass, and it didn't. I had your aunt call the nurse right away to come in. It passed though within a couple minutes and I continued with my makeup.. then less than a minute later - BOOM it happened again, but this time a lot stronger. I yelled for the nurse to come in and when she did I was in tears telling her something was wrong. She instantly checked me and (to ALL of our surprise) I had somehow gotten to 9.5 cm and 100% effaced! 

To sum it up - I had gone from 3-4 cm and 80% to COMPLETELY dilated and effaced, in under 3 hours.

I. Was. Shocked.

But what was even more shocking and offputting, was that I was feeling that pressure in my bottom. I was the one that alerted the nurse - so that meant... I could feel the pain? It was confusing but I didn't think too much of it at that point.

Until the nurse left.. Then I started feeling TONS and TONS of sharp pains and pressure in my bottom - I started yelling for the nurse and my mom and Karin and Rick telling them that you were coming out.. right then and there. 

The nurse didn't even get a chance to call the doctor yet when I started yelling. You were trying to come out right then and the nurse ran in and told us she'd have to start labor until the doctor got there. I couldn't hold you in, you were literally trying to get out and there was no stopping you! 

After a few minutes I started realizing my biggest fear: that the feelings I was having were not going to pass, and that I was going to feel the whole labor, not just this pressure. I felt you drop, I felt the contractions and I felt you coming out. The doctor rushed in along with other nurses and they quickly caught onto what had happened: the epidural didn't work. That is why I felt the catheter and my left leg, and that is why I was screaming in pain at this point in time. I felt it all. 

I could write a whole novel on the next 12 minutes of torturous pain, but I'll spare everyone the details. Let's just say, your grandma, your aunt and your daddy - all seen a side of me that even I didn't know existed. I usually am a very strong person with a really high pain tolerance, but it wasn't the case with this. What felt like an hour of pushing was the most pain I've ever felt in my life. I cried, I yelled, I pushed you out and felt every single part of it. 

That "ring of fire" they talk about - is 100% real. I felt your head come out and then the weirdest part was feeling your whole body come out every inch at a time - while also feeling your body leave my belly and slide down and out - at the same time. It was unreal. Then the other parts of delivery were just as painful but they put you on my chest to help me stay focused while I finished the pushing and the stitching. 

Every part of your delivery was memorable McKenzie. With your brother, it was an easy 20 minutes of pushing but I didn't feel a thing. A walk in the park. With you, well - it was just as fast but not at all the same. As painful as it was though, the moment they picked you up and put you on my chest - the pain faded and you were all I seen. I grew you in my belly for nine months and I felt you come out and enter the world. It was so surreal and emotional and I never ever will forget a single part of it. 

Once you were here we were visited by family and friends all day. Your brother came and visited us and met you that same day too. I don't think I've ever felt so much love in my heart than holding you both in my arms. Our family is finally complete and ever since that day - my heart continues to fill up. Nothing is more beautiful than watching your kids come into the world and take their first breaths - I have had the pleasure of experiencing motherhood twice now, and it's just as sweet as it was the first time. 

Here are some photos from the hospital during my labor with you. Welcome to the world little girl, we waited a very long time to meet you and it has been nothing but a pleasure spending our days with you since

McKenzie's Newborn Photos, 10 days old {11.11.13}

I had the amazingly talented Lisa Williams take McKenzie's newborn photos when she was 10 days old. Here are some of my favorites. Lisa also took Gunner's cake smash photos right before his 1st birthday. If you are looking for a local photographer for your little ones, I highly suggest Lisa. I absolutely LOVE these pictures of our little girl and I am so happy we got them done while she was still so tiny & new. Love love love! 

Gunner is 12 Months old!! [[late]]

November was a VERY busy month for our family {We welcomed our little girl into the world on November 1st} So I haven't had a lot of time to blog. I wanted to catch up on the blog though and finally am getting around to it. Here are the biggest update that you had during the month of October-November and into your first birthday :)

 OCTOBER UPDATES

- You loveeee dancing these days! You throw your hands up and shake your hips every time you hear any form of music come on (commercials on TV, music in elevators and especially when we watch Dancing With the Stars. You are the cutest little dancing bug!

- You got to try cake for the FIRST time this month! During your one-year-old cake smashing photo session you got to smash and EAT a cake however you pleased.. I was unsure if you'd like the cake at all or if you'd just sit there and look at it, but WOW - you destroyed that whole cake in about 11 minutes FLAT. It was so much fun watching you and now we all know your a huge cake fan like your mommy ;)

- You "snack" on your own these days. We give you your special bowl for snacks (that make it so you can eat your snacks by yourself without spilling them out - awesome!) and you LOVE it. You get all excited when we give you your snacks and you just run off and sit down somewhere and eat them. It's super cute seeing you eating on your own like a big boy. Next up: EATING on your own (right now you just want to shovel everything in at once)

- Speaking of snacks: you're on all the toddler graduate snacks and we both get a lot of fun out of buying new snacks to try. I think it's fun to have so many options for you to try and you of course enjoy anything that you get to eat (lol) You love the puffs, the cookies, the animal crackers, the yogurt melts (which daddy sneaks some of too) and we just got you on Cheerios! It's fun trying new snacks out and now we're finding snacks that we all can eat so we can slowly move you onto table food!

- You have a HUGE personality. Everyone comments on it and loves it so much. You are the funniest & HAPPIEST little boy I've ever seen. You are constantly laughing at everything and doing things to make people laugh and you ALWAYS ALWAYS have the biggest SMILE from ear to ear. It MELTS my heart... and just about everyone else that comes in contact with you<3

- You are a full on WALKING toddler now! You barely ever crawl and you are always trying to get down in stores and restaurants now so you can walk around on your own. It's the most amazing things seeing you horizontal and walking ALL the time now. It's still so weird seeing a little boy your size (you're pretty tiny my love) just walking around the house like a big boy!

- You can stand on your own now and hold your balance. You used to have to pull yourself up but not you can fall down, stand back up by YOURSELF and hold your balance if you feel like you're going to fall down. You got it down now like a champ!

- You finally can fit into your shoes! You are currently wearing your size 3 chuck taylor shoes I bought you a few months back. I bought you a pretty awesome pair of shoes in every size from 3-6 so you'll have a fun pair of shoes for every size as you grow. This month you're in your all black chuck taylor hightops and they are awesome. You get lots of compliments when people see you in them. Such a cool guy.

- You're on Toddler MEALS now also! You aren't just snacking like a big boy, you're eating like one too! You eat the Graduates Mac & Cheese - NOT IN A JAR! It's in a little container you microwave and it's real pastas & cheese! You also like the Gerber Spaghettios and raviolis. Next month we will be introducing you to table food so this has been a way to transition you off baby foods all together.. SO CRAZY to think of a day where there are no bottles or jars!

- You eat a TON! Which, I don't blame you with all these new yummy foods you've been introduced too! You usually eat a whole jar of level 3 food plus a snack for each meal! Then you get a 4-6 ounce bottle with naps and bed time and for dinner you usually eat almost 2 jars of food and another snack. Not to mention the 3-4 snacks a day you get. You must be going through a growth spurt right now because you are eating and sleeping like a champ!

- You have a TON of hair now! Once it started growing, boy did it all come in fast! Its past your neck and onto your shoulders now. It's a really pretty dirty blonde color and has a lot of waves in it! Your daddy and I have been discussing your first haircut... but we're thinking we'll wait awhile. It's so adorable now that it's so long and you've got this whole "surfer guy" look with the waves and blonde locks. It's too cute to cut, at least for now we'll let it grow some more :)

- Oh yes, you have been introduced to sippy cups too and you LOVE them! You get your juice and water in them and I think you mostly just like that you can snack and drink on your own with your bowl and sippy cup. You leave them by your toys and just run over and drink and snack as you please and you do so well with them both! Sometimes you get a little too friendly and give all your snacks to grizzly but luckily you haven't tried to share your drinks (lol) 

Well buddy, there it is. Your 12 month of updates. Luckily I keep all these in my phone every month for when I can't update them on time, I always have them for when I can update them later. 

11 month old gunner!

11 MONTHS OLD.

my heart is preparing itself for next month's "big birthday blog" and for the dreaded realization that you, my dear baby gunner, are no longer a baby.

I've been telling myself for awhile now to just NOT think about it until it's staring me in the face - and that's my plan even now. SO, let's talk about how awesome you are at 11 months (and save mommy's meltdown for a later time, say... in about 27 days).

 

As hard as it is to admit - I really do love this age. You are so full of life and you are bubbling with personality! You make your dad and me laugh ALL day long. You crack everyone up with your personality and you're such a cool little guy. You're growing so fast that you literally are like a whole new baby these days, probably because you're not a baby at all these days. You're really a little boy now. And as hard as it is for mama to accept - it really is so much fun to watch and enjoy all these new experiences with you.

 

 

- you learned to play hide & seek this month - and LOVE it! You crack up anytime plays with you and you are constantly poking your head out or around things to get me to realize that you're playing with me. You just smile with this huge grin until I start playing back with you.

 

- You are crazy fast! Everyone comments on it and I swear you're like a little energizer bunny! Too fast for this (VERY PREGNANT) mama! I can't wait for your sister to be here so I have more energy to chase you around the house all day & night (even though I try now)

 

- You learned to climb up on the couches & think it's the coolest thing ever. Oh boy, talk about giving me a heart attack! As much as we try, we can't keep you off!

 

- You just learned how to wave bye-bye! cutest.thing.ever.

 

- You talk nonstop now. But not just random jibberish - you say things with meaning. You actually hold conversations with us in your own little language and just go on & on all day. I can't wait until you learn more words so I can find out all the things you're always talking to us about!

 

- You started WALKING. I can say that now because it's not just a couple random steps here & there - you can get up to 8 steps in a row now and walk halfway across the room! It just blows my mind! I have YET to get it on camera though because everytime you see me trying you plop down, laugh & crawl away. not cool. I'll get it on film soon though ;)

 

- You have graduated into "big boy snacks" - they even say graduates on them! I have so much buying you all the fun food these days at the store. I secretly have a weird addiction to raiding the baby food aisles just so we can try out all the big boy foods. We discovered gerber YOGURT this month and you cannot get enough. seriously, you eat 2-3 containers at a time and always cry when you finish the last one! You also love pretty much ALL snacks ever created by gerber. Yogurt melts, puffs (or mom's "puff medley" I make you of all the different flavors), cheese puffs, pinwheels - you love it ALL.

 

- you are quite the little eater these days! you can drink 8 oz at a time and still love your formula over all else. You eat level 3 foods (pretty much any/all of them now) and you'd snack all day long if we let you. You've got the appetite of a growing boy - but you're still quite tiny my love. it's pretty adorable though. dr says its just because you're so active - and active you ARE!

 

- you finally are holding your own bottle! I feel like you've actually known how to do this for a long time now and just didnt' want to do it - but now that you are doing it - you never let us hold it for you. It's a BEAUTIFUL THING. Car rides, stroller rides, EVERYTHING is so much easier now because when the bottle falls out, you just pick it right back up! ah, it's just glorious.

 

- We just packed up all your summer clothes and pulled out all your brand new fall clothes and I am SO EXCITED! nothing is cuter than a bundled up baby in sweats & hoodies. And I found a new obsession with baby gap sweats/sweaters - so you are one stylish dude now. Only problem - you can still wear 6 month sizes, so all your 12 month fall clothes are a big big on you.

 

- You started sleeping in two-piece pajama sets and OH MY GOD. I wish you could wear them all day long now they are so adorable. And the little thermal pants give you the cutest little diaper butt when you're walking around!

 

- You are an AMAZING sleeper. Definitely your dad's child. You go to bed around 9-10 every night and sleep until after 10am everyday. I literally wake you up to change your diaper every morning before I leave for work (so you don't leak through) and dad has to WAKE you up around 9 because you would just sleep all day it were up to you!

 

- With that, comes the bad part - you only sleep in YOUR crib. I don't know if it's your crib or your bedorom - but you seem to not sleep very well anywhere but your bedroom. I can't say I blame you - your dad and I have put a lot of thought into making your room "yours" and very peaceful for you. You have your comfy bed, your favorite stuffed animals, your blanket and pillow - and you have the special playlist dad made you that plays while you nap or sleep, and of course you have your special turtle that lights up your room in stars - As hard as it can be for your grandparents (since you don't nap when they baysit) it makes my heart happy to know that you love your room so much and are so comfortable in it.

 

- you learned to dance this month! And you LOVE it! It's more of a "bounce really fast up & down and laugh with your eyes closed" but it CRACKS us up everytime! Now anytime you hear music you look around for a minute and then just burst into laughter and dance!

 

- you LOVE: chasing grizzly and messing with her until she finally plays with you, getting past your security gates and crawling as fast as you can down the hallway (you laugh hysterically lke you just outsmarted us), bath time, snack time, cuddling with mom and dad on the floor (LOVE that your back into cuddling and snuggling)

 

-you HATE: your shoes and you pull them & your socks off within minutes everytime. hate getting your diaper changed (you still scream like you're being tortured), hate getting your clothes changed, hate security gates, hate when I leave the room (even for 5 seconds you have a total meltdown), hates when we take something away from you that you can't play with (instant meltdown)

 

 

 

Those are the biggest things I can think of. There are so many I am probably not even mentioning because you are just FULL of new things everyday! You're so much fun and you bring so much joy to your daddy & I gunner. We could sit at home and play with you on the floor all day & night (we actually kinda do for the most part) because you are just so much fun on your own. I couldn't ask for a more perfect little guy and you just continue to amaze us.

 

In the next month things are going to be changing and as nervous as I am to shake things up, I am so excited to see how you do with your new little sister coming. We have so many things to look forward to and now, they are just days and weeks away. Your big birthday party, your first time eating cake (& smashing it on camera), meeting your baby sister - and then right around the corner are all our favorite holidays. I am just so excited. You have honestly made our world so full of love and happines Gunner, I can't even explain it. You're perfect. And here's to your LAST month of "baby blogging" - next month you're officially a toddler!!

 

Love you always & forever, love mom.

 



Family & Maternity Pictures 9.28.13

We had our family/maternity pictures taken this past weekend and I am just so in love, I had to share! I've had TONS of photo sessions of Gunner this past year, but we have yet to do a family photo session- so this was extra special! Our first & LAST family photos as a family of THREE, as our little girl will be in within the next 4 weeks!

 

One of my best friends took these for us and did such an amazing job. She really captured some beautiful moments and it makes my heart so happy to see all the love in these photos and the love we already have for little McKenzie <3

 

 

 

 

 

&& just a flashback - Here's the maternity pictures we had taken for our Gunner man last year <3

My how much can change in just a short year!