Baby girl Kaelyn arrives, and other updates...

So we are up in Anchorage Alaska right now. Salen (Ken's sister) got married last weekend and since it was too close to my due date (July 27th), we had the baby up here as well and will stay another 3 weeks. It's been heavenly to enjoy cooler weather, and GREEN mountains!

So the wedding last weekend was gorgeous! We enjoyed a limo ride south of Anchorage to Beluga Point where we took some pictures, and although it was a little chilly, the pics are going to be gorgeous, I'm sure. Then we headed back downtown Anchorage and the wedding took place at the Denaina Center (a large museum/convention center). It was wonderful! Here are a few pics of Kenley as a flower girl (although she was tired and not cooperative at the time to drop her petals), and Kyson as the ring bearer...

They rented a photo booth and we took some cute shots with that as well...

                                                           Kenley being a Diva

                                         Kyson in his ring bearer tux/ Kenley in Limo ride

                                  Sure, now that the wedding is over, they cooperate

                                                   Me at 38.3 weeks pregnant

                           Ken and I on a walk one evening, enjoying the cool and green!

3 Days later... Baby Kaelyn arrives... I went into labor after taking the kids for about 1 mile walk to a park near his parents home. I started having consistent (but not the take-your-breath-away) contractions, so thought, I better go in just in case. When I went to the hospital they told me I was dilated to a 5 1/2 CM (which was up from my 3-4 that morning at my dr's appt), and that they just wanted to see my contractions get a little stronger and closer together and to walk around the hospital (for an hour). Well 10 minutes later I'm already having much stronger contractions and said "I guess the walking worked." I was rechecked and this time already a 6-7CM Dilated, so they called my Dr in, got me sent back to labor and delivery, I'm begging for my epidural as I know it's going to be fast, and the nurse said, "let's get an IV started and we'll have to get some labs." At this point, I'm thinking I'm doomed... and I won't be able to get my epidural as the IV and labs would take at least 30-45 minutes. Well, it turns out, I was right. After starting my IV and getting my fluid bolus, my labs were still not back, by this point I'm already feeling some pressure to push, so the nurse checked me again and said "you're a good 8CM." I try to relax to see if I can slow the progression of my labor some, but contractions just got stronger, same with the urge to push. Within 30 more minutes I was fully dilated and the Dr. was ready to break my water and deliver. They said "you might as well get it over with, it will take 5 minutes." So my water was broken, and yep, within 5 minutes of excrutiating-ready-to-kill-Ken-and-almost-ripped-his-shirt-in-half pain baby Kaelyn was born at 1:29AM July 18th, 2012. She was 7lbs 15 ounces, 20 3/4 inches long and healthy!


I can say that I'm definitely a fan of epidurals, but after the fact, and quick labor of Kaelyn, I don't know that I would have changed anything. I never imagined delivering without an epidural, so I was very nervous and not really prepared for delivery without. It was something I am glad I experienced, especially if Kaelyn is our last. My advice to anyone with plans for an epidural is at least think about the fact that an epidural may not happen and plan for it. Especially when your total labor is less than 3 hours!


Ken, his mother, and Kenley were all in the room, while Kyson stayed home with aunt Lisa. Kenley was in awe the moment she met her sister and was already unwrapping her blanket to get a closer look. It was adorable! Here are some pics of Kaelyn Kiera Nhep. (Side story... Kiera for the middle name was my compromise with Ken as he REALLY wanted her name to be Kiera)...  We couldn't be happier parents and are enjoying all the fun of newborn again!